Month: February 2017

February 28, 2017

The Hottest TV Shows Rounded Up on DVD with Shout Factory

My kids love their favourite television shows and to be honest it brings back great memories of when I was a kid. My siblings and I would spend hours together on the weekend and sometimes after school enjoying our favourite shows together. Shout Factory has released some of the top rated television shows during the month of February on DVD.

Here is the Hottest February TV Show DVD Round Up:

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Exploring the Crystal Empire

My Little Pony – Friendship Is Magic: Exploring the Crystal Empire is coming to DVD on February 7, 2017 in the U.S. and Canada from Shout! Kids in collaboration with Hasbro Studios.

Join Twilight Sparkle, everypony’s favorite studious princess, and her very best friends – Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Spike – as they explore the wondrous arctic kingdom, the Crystal Empire! Old enemies return and new friends are made in this collection of episodes that will have you exploring the Crystal Empire with magical adventure!

Episodes Include:

The Cutie Re-mark, Part 1
The Cutie Re-mark, Part 1
The Cutie Re-mark, Part 2
The Crystalling, Part 1
The Crystalling, Part 2
The Times They Are A Changeling

Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Stars

A pet star is born! On February 14, 2017, buddy up with Blythe and her superstar pet pals with Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Stars on DVD from Shout! Kids, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios.

Sinister king cobras, comedy festivals, pet hotels and a monkey on Mars?! It is all here, as Blythe and her best friends – Russell the Hedgehog, Pepper the Skunk, Zoe the Spaniel, Minka the Monkey, Sunil the Mongoose, Penny the Panda and Vinnie the Gecko – share one outrageous adventure after another in The Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Stars!

Episodes Include:

Heart Of Parkness
Standup Stinker
The Secret Recipe
A Night At The Pawza
Sue Syndrome

Transformers Rescue Bots: Protect and Explore

Get ready for big adventures and rescues in the great outdoors! Transformers Rescue Bots: Heroes of Tech will be released on DVD on February 21, 2017 from Shout! Kids, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios. Featuring five episodes that the whole family can enjoy, this DVD is priced at a suggested retail price of $14.93.

When a mysterious iceberg is spotted off the coast of Griffin Rock, it brings both danger and the interest of an old nemesis. On a nature hike, the Rescue Bots team will have to battle escaped snakes. And when the Burns family is stranded at sea by a swarm of jellyfish, the Bots must control miniature souvenir replicas of themselves. Enjoy these adventures and more in Transformers Rescue Bots: Protect and Explore!

Episodes include:

Tip of the Iceberg
Buddy System
No Place Like Dome
Thieves Like Us
The New Recruits

Now my Canadian and American readers can now enter to win a prize pack that includes all three of the above mentioned DVDs! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received copies of the above mentioned DVDs. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 28, 2017

Beauty of the Beast Book Review

In Beauty of the Beast, we have the world’s most enchanting and timeless love story—retold with a dark and realistic twist.

About Beauty of the Beast

Reclusive and severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.

Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle Rose seeks shelter at a castle—unaware that its beastly and disfigured master is much more than he appears to be. When he imprisons her gravely ill and blind father, she bravely offers herself in his place.

Stripped of his emotional defenses, Adam’s humanity reawakens as he encounters a kindred soul in Isabelle. Together they will wade through darkness and discover beauty and passion in the most unlikely of places. But when a monster from Isabelle’s former life threatens their new love, Demrov’s forgotten prince must emerge from his shadows and face the world once more.

My Thoughts

Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my all time favourite stories. A story of seeing past the outside to see the true beauty that lies within a person’s soul (and not to mention full of adventure, mystery and even some scarier parts).

Beauty of the Beast is a beautiful tale of two incredible individuals who have faced difficult moments in their young lives. Adam was once a young Prince, destined for much glory – handsome and so full of potential! One night changes his life forever – leaving him more than just emotionally scarred, he wears his scars on his body now too. He is full of anger and hurt, his years of living alone and hiding from the world that hurt him has taken its toll on him. He has forgotten how to trust, how to love and how to even treat people with kindness.

Isabelle has had her own shares of pain. She lost her Mother, the woman her Father re-married was unkind and her daughters picked up their Mother’s behaviour. Her Father is very sick and will likely die at any moment. To top this all off she is being forced to wed a man she does not love just to save her family.

On a chance escape from her future, Isabelle ends up on the doorstep of Adam’s once beautiful home. For her Father, she pushes her way into his home. This is when things go both bad and good. The initial meeting spirals downwards when tragedy strikes the home (I can’t tell too much or it will give away parts of the book!). This tragedy first pulls the pair apart but then slowly brings them together. Adam begins to gain back some of his humanity and empathy, while Isabelle realizes there is a lot more to the man hiding behind his physical and emotional scars. Their journey to friendship is fraught with mistrust from others and one huge betrayal could separate the two permanently.

Beauty of the Beast is not just a simple re-telling of a famous story. Rachel uses it for her framework but builds upon in her own special way so that you don’t really know what to expect next. It definitely is a bit darker, full of pain but of happiness too. We learn that deep down inside we all need and want love, to be accepted for who we are despite what others may see on the outside. We are much more than our physical forms. It was a truly beautiful tale of love, hope, empathy, seeing the good that lies within each of us and trust. The ending of the story left my heart full of joy (and almost praying for a second part to see how they continue to grow as a couple!). Beauty of the Beast is a definite must read, that you will cherish over and over again.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing poignant romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.

Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.

Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.

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

February 22, 2017

Wordless Wednesday: Family Day

We just celebrated Family Day here in Ontario and we spent the day at the waterfront throwing rocks, walking the paths and eating fish at Hutch’s. Here is a small glimpse at our day:

Please link up below so that I can visit you! Happy Wednesday.

An InLinkz Link-up

February 17, 2017

Are YOU a Netflix Cheater?

Are YOU a cheater? Both my husband and I are very guilty of this awful habit on a regular basis. Whether it be late at night, when one of us is away at work or on a business trip. We just can’t help doing a little bit of Netflix cheating! (Pull those minds out of the gutter, of course we were only talking about Netflix – what were you thinking about??).

Do you cheat on your Netflix partner? Statistics show that you probably are, even if you are quite ready to admit it.

Statistics say that 37% of Canadians are Netflix cheaters when it comes to their favourite shows. While 76% of Canadians admit that they don’t mean to cheat, us Canucks clearly can’t help ourselves! I can say that I am one of those statistics and completely without shame when it comes to my cheating.

So how does Netflix cheating affect our lives? My husband is the type that usually waits until I fall asleep (which most of the time is well before he does) and he keeps on playing new episodes of some of our favourite shows (Luke Cage and Shadowhunters were two series he constantly watched without me). He never even hides his behaviour and doesn’t even try to move the episodes back when we watch it together again as he will start the series as the episode he left off on (or he just tells me what happens and spoils the surprise for me).

For me I am guilty of watching shows behind his back when he is at work and I am at home during the day because I am working a late shift. I was even more guilty when I was off after my gallbladder surgery, I passed my days watching our favourite Netflix series.

So who are the most guilty profiles? We fit in to two out of the three profiles.

Here is profile number one, The Long Distance Cheater:

Profile Number Two, The Sleepless Cheater (aka My Husband):

Profile Number Three, the Sorry Not Sorry Cheater (ME!):

We can clearly see that is far too easy to be a Netflix Cheater and here are some ways to make it up to your spouse when you have been unfaithful with your viewing habits:

let them have a night out on your dime with the boys or girls
take them out to dinner
bottle of wine (always wins me over!)
box of chocolates and flowers
say sorry and admit to your cheating habits (honesty is important right?)

Are you a Netflix Cheater or maybe the victim of Netflix cheating? Tell me what shows are the worst culprits for cheating?

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

February 14, 2017

Let’s Try This Again Book Review

In Let’s Try This Again we have one girl and two guys. It’s complicated. And hot.

About Let’s Try This Again

First there is Isaac, the ex-boyfriend who threatens her move to a sunny new life on the west coast when he suddenly comes back into the picture. The chemistry is intoxicating and Josie starts eating, breathing, and sleeping with him again until the move. Things are hard enough saying goodbye to her childhood home and very best friends, but when Isaac makes it seem like he might actually want her to stay, Josie wonders if she’s giving up on him too quickly.

Josie takes the plunge and moves to California.

Then comes Carter. Sweet, doting – and, oh my god! – former boy band heartthrob, Carter. Josie’s new life falls into place, with new friends and a job working as the personal assistant for Carter as he plans the re-launch of his career. When it seems like there might be something between Josie and her new boss, she can’t help but hold back in fear of crossing a line and, worse yet, getting her heart crushed. Once again.

What spirals into a complicated, heart wrenching, unexpected love triangle forces Josie to face a decision that she is not sure she can make. Carter or Isaac. Or – who knows?

It’s Sex in the City meets Bridget Jones Diary under the Hollywood sign. A masterful debut novel of love, sex and rock & roll in the New Adult genre.

My Thoughts

Oh my goodness – Let’s Try This Again is hilarious, honest, emotional and full of hope. We have Josie, who is like your best friend. The one you love with all your heart but who makes the same bad decisions over and over again. You want nothing more than the absolute best for her but can’t help her when she makes the same decisions over and over again (like going back to the bad ex-boyfriend who makes her feel used and unloved). You just have to be there for them with the ice cream and wine. And that’s what her friends do in this hilarious novel.

Just when you think she can’t make any more bad decisions when it comes to her ex, Josie decides to move to California. Some of this was to make him jealous and another part for a fresh start for her. This is when it gets really steamy (and a tad bit confusing and fun!). She meets her teenage crush, Carter, and actually begins to work for him. This slowly becomes a little bit more until a romance emerges. A huge part of me kept rooting for her and Carter – he seemed so perfect for her! But she feels conflicted every step of the way. Carter and Isaac. And then back again.

This novel was awesome – fun, sexy and felt like a conversation with your best friend. Hearing it described as Sex in the City meets Bridget Jones Diary is the exact way I would describe it. If you are a huge fan of those movies, you will love Josie and the adventure she gets herself in. A definite great read that you will fall in love with over and over again.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo books and iTunes.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Jordyn Woodtke is an exceedingly gifted new author who is destined to take the New Adult genre by storm with her debut novel entitled Let’s Try This Again.

A graduate of NYU, she majored in screenwriting with a minor in bottomless brunching, skills she took with her when she moved to Los Angeles to follow her dream of becoming a writer. Jordyn started writing poetry and plays in high school, garnering prestigious awards and accolades from the Hartford Stage, Drexel University, the Waterbury Young Playwrights Festival and the national Scholastic Art & Writing awards, among others.

Now, on any given afternoon you are likely to find Jordyn petting random dogs on her street, noshing at any of the numerous brunch spots in LA, or bingeing Netflix on her couch. She’s grateful and dedicated to the art of storytelling because it lets her say all the things she wished she’d said when she had the chance.

And if Let’s Try This Again is any indicator of future success, Jordyn will get to keep saying them for a long, long time.

Connect with Jordyn on her website, Twitter and Instagram.

Cinematic Scene

Book Trailer

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.