Month: January 2017

January 23, 2017

A Thousand Salt Kisses Later

The spellbinding sequel to A Thousand Salt Kisses – A Thousand Salt Kisses Later.

About A Thousand Salt Kisses Later

Four years ago, Crystal White fell in love with Llyr, a prince of the magical mer colony living off the coast of Starfish Island. For one summer, he enchanted her with stories of jeweled palaces and underwater gardens, but then he left, returning beneath the waves with her heart in tow.

Now, graduated and with no job in sight, Crystal is forced to go back to the island she thought she had left in the past. By the sea again, she realizes she is far from over her first love, and when an opportunity arises to contact the merfolk, Crystal can’t resist.

Once more with the mer, Crystal is forced to come to terms with the fact that Llyr has moved on, and also with her own magical secret that has endangered her life, his throne, and every mer kingdom. Working against all odds, she has to try to save the people she has come to love and—if she can—rekindle the romance of her first summer on Starfish Island.

My Thoughts

The second novel in this series is just as amazing as the first! In this novel, we dive deeper in the mer world – which I was so excited for! In this novel, Crystal returns to Starfish Island. She is clearly not over her love for Llyr, no matter how hard she keeps trying (and being honest, who can blame her?). This novel takes on a whole new twist that I can honestly say makes me love it even more than the first one.

At times I found myself frustrated and angry with Llyr but as the story evolved my anger switched to those around him that have caused this change. The story takes on a twist that leaves you turning each page to see how Crystal can stop it (I would love to say more but doing so would give it all away). It is up to Crystal though to save all the people she has come to love – her mer friends and lost love and her family. A tough job for a young girl right? But she is definitely up to the task.

A Thousand Salt Kisses Later is a well written and planned out novel, a great addition for young adults and those who love a great adventurous and sweet romance. You are drawn right into the novel and feel like Crystal is one of the girls. You want to protect her, see her happy and keep cheering for her right to the end. I enjoyed every moment of this novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Josie Demuth is an author based in London. First published on Wattpad, her Salt Kisses series has garnered nearly four million reads and are now serialised on Radish Fiction. The second of this series, A Thousand Salt Kisses Later is her fourth novel.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

January 20, 2017

Join the Annual ‘I Love DK’ Contest #ILoveDK

Join The Annual I Love DK Contest Online

If you follow me regularly on my blog and social media, you will know how much I love reading. It is one of my favourite things to do and one of the number one things I encourage my children to consistently participate in. Reading is magical and full of adventure – each novel gives you something different.

DK Canada is once again holding their annual I Love DK Contest on their Facebook and Twitter pages. All you have to do is share on Facebook or Twitter what your personal all time favourite DK Canada book is! Simple, right? Make sure to include the #ILoveDK hashtag on your posts in order to be eligible to win.

So what do you win? One winner on Twitter and one winner on Facebook will each win a $250 DK shopping spree! Can you imagine all of the books you can buy with that shopping spree?!

My personal favourites from DK Canada are their recipe books. I use mine over and over again. My favourite out of my recipe book collection is the Plant Based Cookbook. You can find my full review here but what I loved the most was the wide array of recipes, easy to make and follow recipes and the gorgeous photos that adorn each page. You are hungry before you even start cooking. She even includes substitutes for certain vegetables if you are not a fan of the type she included (a must in our home). This book has become a staple in my kitchen.

So get online and start sharing your favourite DK books in order to win – good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

January 20, 2017

A Thousand Salt Kisses Book Review

In this series starting with A Thousand Salt Kisses, seventeen-year-old Crystal White is the new girl on Starfish Island. Dragged to the remote community by her environmental activist father, she is eager to find fun that doesn’t involve touching fish guts or listening to local folklore.

About A Thousand Salt Kisses

Seventeen-year-old Crystal White is the new girl on Starfish Island. Dragged to the remote community by her environmental activist father, she is eager to find fun that doesn’t involve touching fish guts or listening to local folklore.

During a midnight swim with some new friends, Crystal is pulled out to sea by the waves. Convinced she’s going to drown; Crystal is rescued by Llyr, a handsome stranger. As she searches for him in the following weeks, she finds there may be more truth to the Starfish legends than she thought.

Over a sizzling rollercoaster summer, Llyr introduces Crystal to magic she’d only ever dreamed of. But as Crystal comes to love Starfish Island, it begins to drive her family apart. A nearby power plant is devastating local marine life, and her parents are stuck in the middle. As the magic and mundane parts of Crystal’s life converge, she finds herself risking everything to save Llyr, her family and herself.

My Thoughts

Who has dreamed of mermaids? The ocean has this magical and mysterious pull to it and I have always dreamed of even myself growing fins and swimming the sea. In this fantastic novel, Crystal moves to Starfish Island and is caught in the middle of her activist Father and her Mother who works for the enemy! She is alone, confused and maybe slightly angry. All of this is changed the day she is rescued by Llyr in the ocean when she is pulled out too far.

Llyr remains a mystery to her and is a mystery she is determined to uncover. What she finds out, I don’t think anyone could ever be ready for but is definitely super exciting. She uncovers a special and magical world that anyone would be jealous of. I know I am! The story speeds up here as we enter their world while still being rooted in the human world. Crystal finds herself torn between these two worlds, especially when her parents are directly connected to the plight of Llyr and his people.

A Thousand Salt Kisses was an amazing novel perfect for both young adults and adults alike. It is well written, a fantastic and interesting plot line that hooks you from the start. A definite must read for young adults and adults that love a good read.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

January 20, 2017

Uplift Spotlight Tour

No matter how old we are, where we live, or what we believe – there are times in everyone’s life that cause us to struggle.

About Uplift

No matter how old we are, where we live, or what we believe – there are times in everyone’s life that cause us to struggle. An it’s in those times that we want nothing else but a word of hope and instead are so often surrounded by trite platitudes and false promises.

This is not that.

This small book was written to be something different: to uplift those who need it, to bring grace and love and light to the darkest times, and to be a voice of hope in the world where hope is often at a premium.

Read it yourself and be uplifted, or gift it to someone going through dark days. We all need a little hope in difficult times. This is just a place to start.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Natalia Terfa is a pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. She is passionate about grace, yoga, and reading. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and daughter – the love of her life.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter for Book ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

January 19, 2017

When Kids Want More From Their Movies and TV Series #StreamTeam

I still remember to this day when my parents decided we as children were finally ready to start watching adult comedies and horror. I remember being so full of pride and excitement – we were finally being accepted as adults. Granted we had to cover our ears and eyes at many of the bad parts BUT we were finally allowed to stay up late to watch these movies. While most were harmless, I still am a bit traumatized by Child’s Play – I don’t think I will ever be able to look at my porcelain dolls without just a tad bit of fear they are plotting my demise.

But how do we as parents decide when our children are ready for more mature comedies, adventures and even some horror? I have no idea how my parents figured out we were ready to watch it and while I think it is a personal decision for parents to decide, I do believe there are some verbal and non-verbal cues that our children are ready for just a bit more.

Is your child interested in adult conversations? Maybe they are trying hard to be included in the conversations you have when friends come visiting? We definitely noticed a switch in our eldest two years ago and even more so now. He wants to be included in our adult conversations with friends, he likes to start up his own conversations with our friends about sports and his thought process has matured. He is craving and needing a more mature audience and this also translates over to his viewing preferences. He has begun to enjoy series like That ’70s Show and Two and A Half Men (although I cringe a bit inside at parts of this show!). We have had to adjust and adapt to allow him to grow. He now watches a greater variety of movies and series but we still monitor his choices to ensure they aren’t too mature for him.

Is your child verbally asking to watch more mature series and movies? While our five year old is constantly asking to watch The Walking Dead, we know that he is not ready for it and that he is doing it for the shock value but we also realize that his viewing preferences are changing and that we as parents need to understand and respect that. It is finding the right shows to help him make the switch that is the tough part.

Netflix has some great options for both your older child and your younger children as they graduate into a more mature viewing preference. One of the newest shows to air on Netflix is Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. In this series, we watch the orphans deal with terrible trials and the evil Count Olaf to uncover family secrets. It is a darker comedy that is the perfect transition for older children into more mature comedies and movies.

If you are still not sure check out the trailer above to get a better idea if this series is right for you and your children.

At the end of the day, we as parents know our children the best. We can watch for cues that they are ready for more but the final decision lies with us. What works in my home, may not work in yours and that’s okay!

How did you as a family decide when it was time to transition into a more mature viewing preference for your child?

Disclosure: I am a #StreamTeam member and receive perks with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.