Month: May 2018

May 15, 2018

The Dan Diaries Book Review

In The Dan Diaries, Dan Sullivan was the best friend of Olivia Henry when his life was taken in a tragic car accident. Shocked to be on the other side, Dan navigates his way by learning his new role in eternal life.

About The Dan Diaries

Dan Sullivan was the best friend of Olivia Henry when his life was taken in a tragic car accident. Shocked to be on the other side, Dan navigates his way by learning his new role in eternal life. His first assignment is as Olivia’s guardian angel. He has the crucial role of guiding her to her pre-defined destiny. Dan’s death throws Olivia into a tail-spin which causes her to veer way off course. He understands the enormity of the challenge when he hears the mechanism by which he can communicate. He’s only allowed to use signs and symbols to get her attention and cannot interfere with her free-will.

Every time he thinks he’s close, something throws her off track. He’s forced to start over by convincing her to trust in their enduring, unbreakable bond. Olivia can feel Dan’s presence but is still reluctant to believe the messages he’s sending. She is fearful of falling in love again at the risk of losing another soul mate. Can Dan persuade her to trust in his love from afar so she can finally receive the happiness she truly deserves?

My Thoughts

I loved the Beyond Series and this book gives a different angle for readers – Dan’s view instead of Olivia’s journey (although Olivia plays a huge role in this book as well).

The book starts off with Dan’s accident and transition – we feel his pain and confusion but being who he is, his worry is for his family and Olivia. He doesn’t want his death to permanently destroy the people he loves, which sometimes a death can do especially when someone so young is taken, we struggle with the whys and unfinished dreams. He is tasked with a very important mission, to help Olivia learn to believe again but it comes with a set of rules set out by God.

Dan has to come up with ways to reach out to Olivia (Hank) without it being direct. He uses unique ways to reach out to her – their favourite songs, a waiter with the same name and so on. While Olivia may not believe in the beginning she begins to realize that her best friend is still there with her and looking out for her like he did when he was alive.

I really liked this angle of the book having read the other books in this series. It helps fill the gaps of the important relationship the two had and how connected they were. It fills in a lot of information on Dan and his personality. If you loved the other books in this series – this one is a definite must read.

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

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

D.D. Marx is a contemporary romantic fiction writer and blogger. Marx is a graduate of the University of Dayton, as well as the Second City program in Chicago, where she currently resides. A proud aunt and self-described hopeless romantic, Marx has always had a knack for humorous and engaging storytelling. Her pen name is a dedication to her beloved friend Dan, who continues to guide and inspire her in her daily life.

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

May 14, 2018

Start the Victoria Day Long Weekend with a Bang with Bigelow Tea #TeaProudly

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TeaProudly #CollectiveBias

Victoria Day long weekend, a weekend that so many of us view as the unofficial kick off to summer in Canada. This long weekend has so many great memories tied to it for me, from camping to fishing to fireworks. Despite the weather still being chilly, as children it never seemed to bother us. We were ready to begin our summer adventures!

Now as an adult with my own kids, the Victoria Day long weekend is a very special time for us. It is affectionately known as our ‘outdoor spring clean up’. Our kids look forward to this weekend every year as we always open the pool over the three days. The pool is still frigid but our youngest always braves the elements and dives right in. I watch in horror as he does this and stand back as far as possible to avoid being splashed by the water and to protect my favourite cup of tea. I feel extra spoiled this year as Bigelow Tea have six new flavours of their famous organic tea here in Canada! To learn more about the new flavours and to purchase a box of their new tea, hover over the picture below to click over to Walmart to purchase one of the new flavours!

While my boys are working on the pool, I am busy working away at my gardens – pulling out weeds, replacing soil and planting my vegetables now that the fear of frost over night is gone (knock on wood as we all know how quickly weather in Canada can change).

In order to prepare for our busy long weekend, we have to be super organized and start picking up supplies and planning out the weekend roughly two weeks in advance. We find that this gives us just enough time so that if something unexpected pops up, we are still prepared.

Two weeks before the official long weekend, we begin to create a supply list for both my husband and I. My husband’s list will have all the pool supplies (pucks, chlorine, etc.) and mine will have the garden supplies and food that will be needed (because lets face it – boys can eat and Mom definitely deserves her favourite drinks if she is going to be on her feet all day).

I always include some of my favourite items that help me to relax during this very physically demanding time. For me, the best way to relax and unwind is with a steaming cup of organic Bigelow tea. I love how a hot cup of tea melts away my problems and makes me feel that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. There is a reason why so many people wont tackle a problem until they have had a hot cup of tea! This has been engraved in me through my Mother – she loves her tea and whenever we had a busy week or day, tea was her go to.

My Mom instilled a great love of tea but she always taught us to be picky with choosing the tea brand as that makes or breaks a cup of tea, this is why Bigelow Tea has been my go to drink. I was stoked to find out that Walmart now carries the six new flavours of steeped Bigelow Tea.

You can just imagine my joy at finding ALL of the six new flavours (Chamomile Citrus, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Green Tea with Pomegranate, Lemon Ginger and Green Tea) at our local Walmart when I went to get groceries. You can pick up all six new flavours in the tea aisle at Walmart while picking up your other items in the grocery department at your local store.

A week before make sure to take a final stock of all of your supplies and items that you purchased to make sure you have enough and that you didn’t miss anything. If you need to, head back to Walmart to pick up any forgotten items. If you did forget anything – don’t be hard on yourself, with kids and life it is easy to forget items!

I use my Friday night to prepare the meals and snacks for the next day, from preparing meat to cutting up veggies to making lemon ginger oatmeal bites. My oatmeal bites are a family favourite that uses the Lemon Ginger Bigelow tea to give a burst of flavour and energy which we all need come Saturday morning and mid-day.

The bites only use three ingredients (bananas, oats and Lemon Ginger tea) and take under twenty minutes to prepare and bake, I love simple recipes in my house and you couldn’t get any simpler or healthier in my mind. The bites do have to be refrigerated but they taste great cold as the flavours seem to be that much richer the next day (find my recipe for them at the bottom of this post). I end my night with a warm cup of Chamomile Citrus tea as I find it helps get my mind and body ready to sleep.

With everyone excited on the Saturday, it can be hard to remember to eat a healthy breakfast but it is so important in order to keep our bodies energized for the day. That is why I love those oatmeal bites! We can eat them on the go or even come back to them as we need to – pair it with a cup of Lemon Ginger tea and you are set for the day.

Above all else, enjoy the craziness that is the outdoor spring clean up. It can easily get boring for young children, so take breaks to have fun – blow bubbles, use chalk, let them ride their bike and even use their water guns to help water your newly planted seeds. Cherish each one of those memories because too soon the kids will have grown up and started their own long weekend memories.

Lemon Ginger Oatmeal Bites

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas
1 and 1/2 cup of oats (may need up to an extra 1/4 cup of oats depending on the size of your bananas)
2 Bigelow Lemon Ginger tea bags
1/2 cup of boiling water

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350F.
Mash the two ripe bananas in a large bowl with a fork.
Boil 1/2 cup of water and add both bags of Lemon Ginger tea. Steep for five minutes. Allow the tea to cool for an additional five minutes. Add the tea to your bananas.
Add in the one and a half cup of oats. If the mixture is too wet due to the size of the bananas used, add in a little bit more oats. The mixture is supposed to be wet so be careful not to add too much.
Bake in the oven for fifteen minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

The oatmeal bites should be refrigerated after being prepared.

How do you celebrate the Victoria Day Long Weekend? Do you have a fond memory or favourite tea attached to the holiday? Tell me how you #TeaProudly over the long weekend!

Make sure to follow Bigelow Tea on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with new flavours and more.

May 14, 2018

The Deadliest Sport Book Review

Miriam bat Isaac, a budding alchemist in first-century CE Alexandria, welcomes her twin brother Binyamin home to fight his last gladiatorial bout in Alexandria. That is when everything went wrong.

About The Deadliest Sport

Miriam bat Isaac, a budding alchemist in first-century CE Alexandria, welcomes her twin brother Binyamin home to fight his last gladiatorial bout in Alexandria. But when he demands his share of the family money so he can build a school for gladiators in Alexandria, Miriam explains that he forsook his share when he took the gladiatorial oath.

When she refuses to loan him the money for what she feels is a shady and dangerous enterprise, Binyamin becomes furious. Soon after, the will of Amram, Miriam’s elderly charge, turns up missing; Amram becomes seriously ill; and the clerk of the public records house is murdered. Could Binyamin really be behind this monstrous scheme? If not he, who could be responsible? And is Miriam slated to be the next victim?

My Thoughts

In The Deadliest Sport, we are transported back to first century Alexandria. The city is a melting pot of religion, beliefs all under the ruthless Roman rule. We are witness to crime, religious beliefs and the day-to-day life of average citizens. Our main character, is a strong, independent young woman named Miriam. I loved that June included this powerful female lead as so many times, especially during this time period, the focus is on the power of men. Instead we learn more about Miriam and her role in the family business, control over family assets and the protective place she has for her friends.

In this book, Miriam’s brother is freed from the life of a gladiator on his return to Alexandria. Miriam is hesitant to believe he is back to just be part of the family and she is very right to have these doubts! Too soon, she learns that he wants his share of the family assets to build his own gladiator school. Miriam is shocked and horrified, fair enough as the brutality of these games is well-known and documented even now. She has even seen first hand the horrors when she visited her brother and a strong part of her wants nothing to do with the enslavement of people.

Things begin to take a turn for the worse after she denies her brother the money. A part of her wants to believe that he would never harm her or their loved ones but an even stronger part of her remembers the child and the man that he has become. Before she loses everything and her loved ones hurt, Miriam must discover who is behind the stealing and murders that have begun.

This is an excellent novel from start to finish, with great twists and turns. It is rich in history and culture with an amazing female lead – I did not want to put it down! It is a novel unlike any I have ever read before, which I loved. The ending was not what I expected but fits the novel perfectly. It is a definite must read novel for young adults and adults alike looking for a unique read.

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

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

June Trop and her twin sister Gail wrote their first story, “The Steam Shavel [sic],” when they were six years old growing up in rural New Jersey. They sold it to their brother Everett for two cents.

“I don’t remember how I spent my share,” June says. “You could buy a fistful of candy for a penny in those days, but ever since then, I wanted to be a writer.”

As an award-winning middle school science teacher, June used storytelling to capture her students’ imagination and interest in scientific concepts. Years later as a professor of teacher education, she focused her research on the practical knowledge teachers construct and communicate through storytelling. Her first book, From Lesson Plans to Power Struggles (Corwin Press, 2009), is based on the stories new teachers told about their first classroom experiences.

Now associate professor emerita at the State University of New York at New Paltz, she devotes her time to writing The Miriam bat Isaac Mystery Series. Her heroine is based on the personage of Maria Hebrea, the legendary founder of Western alchemy, who developed the concepts and apparatus alchemists and chemists would use for 1500 years.

June lives with her husband Paul Zuckerman in New Paltz, where she is breathlessly recording her plucky heroine’s next life-or-death exploit.

Book Trailer

The Giveaway!

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

May 11, 2018

Star Wars The Last Jedi Visual Dictionary

Star Wars: The Last Jedi™: The Visual Dictionary is the definitive guide to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, revealing the characters, creatures, droids, locations, and technology from the film.

About Star Wars The Last Jedi Visual Dictionary

Star Wars: The Last Jedi™: The Visual Dictionary is the definitive guide to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, revealing the characters, creatures, droids, locations, and technology from the new film. Packed with 100+ images and information as penned by Star Wars™ scribe Pablo Hidalgo, it’s a must-have for all fans who want to go beyond the movie experience.

My Thoughts

This gorgeous large hard covered book covers one of the most beloved series of all times, Star Wars and more specifically The Last Jedi.

Star Wars fans waited eagerly (and somewhat impatiently) for this movie to come out so that we could learn more about Rey, Finn, Poe and Kylo. We learned more about these incredible characters and uncovered secrets from the Star Wars past. This book takes us on an adventure (and in my opinion somewhat better than) the movie itself.

The book provides us with great detail about all the characters from the fleet command to the resistance fleet and everything in between. Each page provides an in-depth look at the character and items that are attached to them whether it be ships or devices. The book also gives ‘data files’ which are about a paragraph long and contain key points for the topics discussed on those pages. This insightful look into this movie really helped us understand parts that we may have overlooked or not understood as well as we could have when watching the movie. It is definitely helpful to read this book before and after you watch the movie to pick up on these little facts.

Every page contains illustrations of the characters, ships and devices covered on that page. These illustrations also come with points and facts that help you understand the significance of the illustration and how it all connects. There is a great combination of small, medium and large illustrations throughout the book with a great flow from page to page. I loved the use of dark and light to help highlight the good and bad characters from the movie.

Star Wars The Last Jedi Visual Dictionary will be the perfect gift for the Star Wars fan in your home or for an introduction into the Star Wars legacy. Both my kids and I loved every part of the book and with its easy flow, you can mix up the order of the pages you read without feeling like you are missing something.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and DK Canada.

Rating: 5/5

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

May 11, 2018

Warriors (Mud, Rocks and Trees Book Four) Book Review

In Warriors, the three heroes are thrown into circumstances they never would have chosen or even imagined, the teens must adapt or die. Have they forgotten their true mission?

About Warriors

Let the battle begin! The vast Tzoladian army clashes with the Karsonian confederation in the valley of Mt. Sarmos. But the stakes are higher than a mere fight for power between countries. As the cruel emperor intensifies his persecution of the “subhumans,” the three chosen youths make tough choices that will decide the fate of the world.

Amanki is a soldier fighting for an empire that wants him dead. After losing her freedom and her seal, Brina faces the ruthless leader of the Sparaggi tribes. Tuka is surrounded by intrigue. Plots of assassination abound.

Thrown into circumstances they never would have chosen or even imagined, the teens must adapt or die. Have they forgotten their true mission?

My Thoughts

In this installment of the Mud, Rocks and Trees Series are heroes turn into warriors – coming in to their true potential and powers. It was a thrilling ride from start to finish!

In this novel, we learn of several plans to wipe out the “subs” and even plots of betrayal of supposed friends all over the glory and power of the throne and seals. Our three main characters and their family and teacher are pushed to their physical, emotional and mental limits in this book.

This book finds, Amanki on the front lines fighting for a King who wants him and his people dead. Despite this, they were still dedicated to the cause and it was because of their special abilities and web feet that they escape the betrayal of their own people and any slaughter by their enemies. Amanki emerges as a true leader but with a little bit of hesitance as he is not too sure how he is supposed to lead. Fair enough because not too long ago he was just a young man who was taking care of his family! His people find out that he carries the seal and that he will be their protector and leader (a role he finds difficult like so many would) but that he accepts with grace.

Brina becomes a warrior and is actually part of the people who were fighting against Amanki! I almost believed that she had given up hope for her quest in this novel but instead she had learned to adapt to her surroundings. The once well protected and somewhat naïve Brina, learned how to manipulate others to belief in her and follow her guidance. This allowed her to save Amanki from the warrior tribe and again untie with him later on in the novel.

Our third heroes brother has taken a job in the palace where he is forced to spy and is witness to quite a few horrific acts that make you squirm! They are not too graphic so no worries there for younger readers.

Our once naïve, young heroes have now truly come into their own strengths and have dealt and grown from betrayal, murder and hate. Two have united and the re-appearance of the third brings hope. While there was death, betrayal and lies in this novel, I felt hopeful near the end. I feel like the three young adults can truly accomplish this most difficult path that they are on. This is a well written exciting installment in this series that leaves you feeling hopeful and wanting more.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

R.A. Denny started writing epic fantasy novels when, after watching the first Hobbit movie, she began excitedly spouting off information about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien’s writer’s group called the Inklings and how their greatest fantasy novels were created. One of her sons commented, “We could do that.” She laughed. Then, he turned it into a challenge.

Her unexpected journey had begun. For several years, she continued her day job as a criminal prosecutor and escaped by night to the world of the Tzoladian Empire. Then, she decided to just do what she loved.

She completed writing her six-book epic fantasy series: Mud, Rocks, and Trees. The series should be read in this order: Refugees, Seekers, Captives, Warriors, Visionaries, and then Deliverers.

R.A. enjoys ancient history, board games, and LEGO. That’s the nerd in her. She rides horses, raised flying squirrels and lives with two cats. That’s the animal lover in her. Oh, and did I mention that she loves a challenge? That’s the adventurer in her.

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