#BookReview: The Lost Queen (The Lost Queen Trilogy #1) by @SignePike via @RiseoftheReader

About the Book:

Mists of Avalon meets Philippa Gregory in the first book of an exciting historical trilogy that reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin.

Intelligent, passionate, rebellious, and brave, Languoreth is the unforgettable heroine of The Lost Queen, a tale of conflicted loves and survival set against the cinematic backdrop of ancient Scotland, a magical land of myths and superstition inspired by the beauty of the natural world. One of the most powerful early medieval queens in British history, Languoreth ruled at a time of enormous disruption and bloodshed, when the burgeoning forces of Christianity threatened to obliterate the ancient pagan beliefs and change her way of life forever.

Together with her twin brother Lailoken, a warrior and druid known to history as Merlin, Languoreth is catapulted into a world of danger and violence. When a war brings the hero Emrys Pendragon, to their door, Languoreth collides with the handsome warrior Maelgwn. Their passionate connection is forged by enchantment, but Languoreth is promised in marriage to Rhydderch, son of the High King who is sympathetic to the followers of Christianity. As Rhydderch's wife, Languoreth must assume her duty to fight for the preservation of the Old Way, her kingdom, and all she holds dear.

The Lost Queen brings this remarkable woman to life—rescuing her from obscurity, and reaffirming her place at the center of the most enduring legends of all time. 

#BookReview of The Map of Salt and Stars by @JenniferZeynab

About the Book: This rich, moving, and lyrical debut novel is to Syria what The Kite Runner was to Afghanistan; the story of two girls living eight hundred years apart—a modern-day Syrian refugee seeking safety and a medieval adventurer apprenticed to a legendary mapmaker—places today’s headlines in the sweep of history, where the pain of exile and the triumph of courage echo again and again.

It is the summer of 2011, and Nour has just lost her father to cancer. Her mother, a cartographer who creates unusual, hand-painted maps, decides to move Nour and her sisters from New York City back to Syria to be closer to their family. But the country Nour’s mother once knew is changing, and it isn’t long before protests and shelling threaten their quiet Homs neighborhood. When a shell destroys Nour’s house and almost takes her life, she and her family are forced to choose: stay and risk more violence or flee as refugees across seven countries of the Middle East and North Africa in search of safety. As their journey becomes more and more challenging, Nour’s idea of home becomes a dream she struggles to remember and a hope she cannot live without.

More than eight hundred years earlier, Rawiya, sixteen and a widow’s daughter, knows she must do something to help her impoverished mother. Restless and longing to see the world, she leaves home to seek her fortune. Disguising herself as a boy named Rami, she becomes an apprentice to al-Idrisi, who has been commissioned by King Roger II of Sicily to create a map of the world. In his employ, Rawiya embarks on an epic journey across the Middle East and the north of Africa where she encounters ferocious mythical beasts, epic battles, and real historical figures.

A deep immersion into the richly varied cultures of the Middle East and North Africa, The Map of Salt and Stars follows the journeys of Nour and Rawiya as they travel along identical paths across the region eight hundred years apart, braving the unknown beside their companions as they are pulled by the promise of reaching home at last.

4-Minute Fit by Siphiwe Baleka, Jon Wertheim #BookReview

  From Yale-educated truck driver and fitness guru Siphiwe Baleka, a revolutionary metabolism-spiking program for anyone who feels they don’t have enough time, equipment, or money to get in shape and lose those extra pounds.

When Siphiwe Baleka, who had once been a NCAA Division I athlete, began truck driving in 2008, his whole lifestyle changed. Within weeks his metabolism slowed drastically and he gained ten percent of his body weight. He knew he needed to take back control of his health and wellbeing and change the sedentary lifestyle of truck driving—one of the country’s least healthy industries.

Now, Baleka, founder of Fitness Trucking and full-time fitness coach for Prime Inc., one of the nation’s largest trucking companies—and now one of the healthiest—helps thousands of Prime’s long-haul truck drivers, who have also struggled with weight and health problems, with his 13-week nutrition and exercise plan.

Combining step-by-step workouts and advice on healthy eating (even on the go), 4-Minute Fit is a flexible, yet powerful plan that is proven to boost your metabolism, provide results, and help you get rid of those extra pounds and reach your weight loss goals. Baleka’s program is geared not only for those who drive eighteen-wheelers, but also for anyone who travels for work, has a job that involves a lot of sitting, or doesn’t think they have enough time to exercise and eat better. If you’re frustrated by the weight gain that comes from not being active enough due to your job or lifestyle, 4-Minute Fit is the simple new guide that can radically change your life.

Welcome to Day #7 of the Die Young With Me by @rob_rufus #BlogTour!

Welcome to Day #7 of the Die Young With Me Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of Die Young With Me by Rob Rufus (9/20/16), blogs across the web are featuring exclusive content from Rob and 10 chances to win a copy of Die Young With Me, as well as two chances to win a Punk Rock Prize Pack in the Grand Prize Giveaway!