Author: cvegnad

April 23, 2018

A Penny Lost Book Review

In A Penny Lost, Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.

About A Penny Lost

Penelope Grace, usually forgotten under the shadow of her twin sister’s perfection, tries her hardest to hide her freakish ability to see into anyone’s soul.

Until she senses an unusual energy like a human-shaped void in the universe. When Penny investigates the source, she gets tossed through a crack in time along with the cute boy next door. The Void follows them through history, increasing the dangers as if testing Penny. But what is it testing for? And why does it claim to know her better than even she knows herself? Even as Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.

My Thoughts

This book is an exciting adventure that follows Penny as she travels back and forward in time in order to stop the mysterious Void that has taken her through a crack in time and the mysterious boy next door who was hosting the Void in his basement.

Penny is an exceptional young lady who has the ability to see into a person’s soul and see auras. Her family doesn’t believer her not even her twin sister. Penny has always felt out-of-place and forgotten especially beside her twin. When she is sucked into the Void along with her neighbour she learns that her powers become even stronger as she is able to control the Void, open doors in time and use her powers to protect herself and the boy whose name he can not remember.

This was an interesting plot that was constantly evolving and changing as the story continued on. The two young children are forced to travel back and forwards in time in order to solve the mystery of the Void, end the darkness and return them home to their own time. Every time they seem to be a step closer, the Void ensures they are a few steps behind again. You are left wondering is the Void really bad or is Penny altering time for the worse? Who is really in charge in this time travelling adventure and what is the ultimate goal? What roles do each of them play? While we receive some of the answers by the end of the book, it leaves you needing to know more especially when the Boy remembers what he had forgotten.

This book is a great read for young adults who will love the adventure and constantly evolving plot. You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Aspen Bassett works at a library, telling stories and suggesting books. When she’s not working, she’s usually sipping hot cocoa and wondering what would happen if she had superpowers. She’s been published in multiple anthologies including Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way and Inaccurate Realities.

Aspen grew up learning about chakras and auras and the true power of imagination which slips into her writing whether she intend it to or not. In college, when she wasn’t busy working on her degree in Creative Writing, Aspen also got her certificate in Women’s Meditation (basically general energy work).

Now, she’s working toward a diploma in Integrated Healing Arts with a certificate in Hypnotherapy.

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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.

April 23, 2018

Sass, Smarts and Stilettos: How Italian Women Make the Ordinary Extraordinary

Learn how to live fully within your own philosophy of living in Sass, Smarts and Stilettos: How Italian Women Make the Ordinary Extraordinary

About Sass, Smarts and Stilettos: How Italian Women Make the Ordinary Extraordinary

Ah, that inimitable Italian style. It’s embedded in an Italian woman’s DNA. Fashion doesn’t define her. She defines herself. She knows an extraordinary life is not about status, money, or achievement. The only mastery it requires is one her heritage has given her, the irrepressible passion to make art of life itself.

Ask an Italian woman where she gets her sense of style and she will tell you it’s not about labels. It’s tethered to humble roots; humanity, community, conscious consumerism, and a profound appreciation for art in all its forms.

Sass, Smarts and Stilettos takes the reader on a journey from the humble hill towns of Abruzzo to the revered fashion capitals of Milan and Rome, into the artisan workshops of Florence, and the humanistic business practices of Luisa Spagnoli, Brunello Cuccinelli, and Alberta Ferretti, from the emergence of Italy’s fashion industry after WWII, to slow food and sustainable fashion initiatives taking root around the world.

Life lessons echo in the words of the author’s mother and grandmother, in the voices of Italian film divas, designers, tastemakers, writers, and artisans across generations, from the first Sala Bianca in Florence to the game changing design ethic of Franca Sozzani, Miuccia Prada, and Donatella Versace.

Learn how to live fully within your own philosophy of living. Say good-bye to mindless consumerism, emotional clutter, and others’ expectations. Create a personal style that fits like a custom blazer by Ferrè and enchants like the colors of a Sicilian sunset. Then go on to craft an extraordinary and empowering life made-to-measure for you alone.

My Thoughts

This is a wonderful book of the power, confidence, leadership and intelligence of women. While the title is about Italian women and focuses on this culture, women of all cultures can relate to this book through similar experiences.

I was moved by this story as I thought of my family and the women who came before me. My family is from Venice and I still remember when I was sixteen and landed for the first time in Italy and how in awe I was. The buildings, the relationships, the food, the fashion and the people were incredible and larger than life to me. I fell in love in that moment and was already planning my trip back. This book renewed my love for Italy and all things Italian.

While the book is a celebration of the power of women, it is also a reminder about what life really is about – family, good quality items and love. Gabriella provides us with the key to how the Italian women described in this story (from her Mother to herself to actresses to fashion designers) live their lives and how to follow in their steps. To embrace life with all of its emotions – to love fully and to never be afraid to show these feelings (tears are not weakness!). Quality over quantity – Western culture can be consumed with buying things for the sake of buying them but this book reminds us that it is better to live life uncluttered with things and to buy one quality item that will last over many items that will be thrown out. Everything in moderation is key – Italian women are happy because they don’t deny themselves the joys of life like food, wine and desserts but moderation is key.

I loved every moment of this book that celebrates the Italian woman but also the power of women in general. It made me want to hop on the plane and go home, yearning for something more!

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

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Gabriella Contestabile is the author of the novel, The Artisan’s Star, and owner of Su Misura (Made to Measure) Journeys; a boutique travel concept for the female traveler who relishes off-the-beaten-track adventures that celebrate the Italian way of life.

The book/travel initiative has its roots in her pre-writer life as a foreign language teacher, later as Executive Director and Vice President of International Training in a number of global companies (including Estee Lauder, Shiseido, and Prada Beauty) where she would create immersive and unconventional learning experiences in unique settings around the world.

One of her favorite pastimes, wherever she is in the world, is to scout out the best, and most ‘Italian’ espresso in the hood. It requires multiple tastings, but that’s the idea. Gabriella was born in Italy, and raised in Ottawa and New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, her mother, and a furry Shih Tzu named Oreo.

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 23, 2018

All the Way to Italy Book Spotlight

From war-torn Italy to the belpaese of today, All the Way to Italy is a tale for those in search of a balance between wanderlust and the necessity to come home, a reminder that although we may be fragments, we are never a lost cause.

About All the Way to Italy

Until her dad died, Little considered herself a Californian. Now, thanks to half a letter, a symbol she can’t quite remember, and writer’s block, she finds herself back in Italy, the country of her birth. In a headlong rush to return to her beloved San Francisco, Little will journey throughout Italy, hoping to find the answers she needs to move on with her life so she need never look back. She’ll enlist the help of the woman who raised her, Sira, her father’s sister; but Sira has secrets she’s kept for decades, and Little underestimates the power of the country she fled years before.

In this powerful story of mixed cultures in a world trying to globalize, one girl’s struggle to leave her home behind will lead her back to the women in her family and the memories each of them has safeguarded through the generations. From war-torn Italy to the belpaese of today, All the Way to Italy is a tale for those in search of a balance between wanderlust and the necessity to come home, a reminder that although we may be fragments, we are never a lost cause.

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

About the Author

Born just outside of Rome, Flavia Brunetti grew up bouncing back and forth between Italy and California, eventually moving back to the Eternal City and confirming her lifelong commitment to real gelato. Flavia holds a Master of Arts degree in Government and Politics from St. John’s University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from John Cabot University. Today she travels the world working for an international humanitarian organization and spends her free time writing and wandering around her beloved Roma in constant search of bookstores and the perfect espresso. You can find her city blog on Rome at whichwaytorome.com and her portfolio of published writing at flaviinrome.com.

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Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 19, 2018

What’s Weird on Earth #DKCanada Book Review

After reading What’s Weird on Earth, Earth will never seem the same again to your child and to you as the parent!

About What’s Weird on Earth

Find weird and wonderful facts about our extraordinary world, like all the wind patterns on the planet or each country’s national dish or the bizarre rock formations on each continent. These are shown visually on world maps, making them easier to understand and breath taking to behold.

Geography, history, STEM concepts, sociology, reading, technology, and more all come together in this exciting and educational atlas that presents the world’s weirdest facts visually on maps page by page. See hidden underground waterways and ancient patterns carved in the desert sand. Learn how 29,000 rubber duckies helped scientists trace ocean currents after a shipwreck. See where lightning strikes the most on Earth, and where it never strikes at all. See maps from previous centuries to understand how people perceived our planet thousands of years ago. Planet Earth will never seem the same again!

Our Thoughts

What’s Weird on Earth is a beautiful, hard cover 160 page book full of everything that you wanted to know or didn’t even know you wanted to know. Man eating trees? Red snow in Russia? All of the bizarre and spectacular things you didn’t even know will come to life in this amazing book.

This visually stunning book is divided into several sections; nature, supernatural, people, places, history and fun facts with sub-topics in each section. I am a visual learner myself and this book is perfect for children and adults alike as the stories and facts pop to life. You are immersed in a brilliant colorful display of history and facts as you take a trip around the world. You want to touch the pages and take it all in at once. The illustrations are bright and bold which helps to capture and hold your child’s attention.

Like many of their books, this one is colour coded so you know which section you are in allowing you to skim through to find exactly what you are looking for based on interest. Each two page spread contains a map of the world with pop up images and captions of interesting facts over their location on the map. They do a great job of capturing a wealth of information into a short blurb (which is no easy task). They give you just enough information to spark an interest in a new area which you can use to help them dive deeper into their educational journey by doing more research and discovery together, whether it be in the library or at home through Google. How can you resist not learning more about something as interesting as man-eating trees or monsters spotted in the ocean? Your imagination will soar with all of these new and somewhat bizarre facts about the world around us.

We could not put this gorgeous book down. We have read it several times already as we seem to pick up on new bits each time. It comes in hard cover format which is great for young readers who are not always as gentle as we like them to be and they can bring it everywhere with them. It is a great read for young and older children who love to learn and explore the world around them but who also appreciate the bizarre and different things in the world which makes it special.

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

Rating: 5/5

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

April 19, 2018

Shopkins Live! Shop It Up! Canadian Tour

The adorable Shopkins, which are North America’s number one toy (and my niece’s favourite) are hitting the stage live in Canada in their Shopkins Live! Shop It Up! Tour.

About Shopkins Live! Shop It Up!

The beloved Shoppies make their theatrical debut in an original live show featuring musical performances by Jessicake, Bubbleisha, Peppa-Mint, Rainbow Kate, Cocolette, Polli Polish and more! The fun and fashionista Shoppies are joined by the Shopkins – Apple Blossom, Strawberry Kiss, Lippy Lips, Kooky Cookie, Poppy Corn, Slick Breadstick and Shady Diva. An ensemble cast of multi-talented performers brings the show to life on stage through urban style music, song and dance.

All of Shopville is in a tizz as preparations get underway for the annual, “Funtastic Food and Fashion Fair.” Shady Diva showcases her latest fashion designs; Lippy Lips gives colorful advice at the nail salon; Kooky Cookie tries to get in a beauty nap! No event is complete without a few hiccups! Who has high-jinxed the fashion pageant? Where is the super-secret celebrity guest? Will Slick Breadstick ever find a dance partner? The Shopkins and Shoppies need your help because as we all know – the show must go on!

Our Thoughts

Music, dancing and all of your favourite Shopkins characters can be found in this adorable live show now touring in Canada.

In this show, the Shoppies are given specific tasks to complete in order to make the festival a success. There is a fashion show to prepare, booths to finish off, sweet dishes to make and a special celebrity guest to meet. No one wants to disappoint the ever so cheeky Shady Diva (who was honestly my favourite part of the show, she had me in tears laughing with her cheekiness!). Jessicake is responsible for meeting the celebrity guest but in her rush to please Shady Diva assigns the task to Kooky Cookie and the guest disappears! They must work together to solve the mystery of the kidnapped celebrity and still pull off the show.

The show had a fantastic story line that was delivered extremely well. I found myself laughing out loud at the humour which was great for both parents and children a like. I loved the one liners like “This is not how we party!”, “OMGG” and “Can’t a cookie get some beauty rest”. I knew a bit about the Shopkins going into the show but my niece was an expert and would fill me in throughout the show on the characters names and what they are famous for. I was blown away by how much the children there knew about the Shopkins. The characters are beyond precious and I can relate to why young children LOVE them. Rainbow Kate was my favourite Shoppie with her burst of fresh air and optimism – you couldn’t help but smile when she came out.

While the show itself is full of humour and fun, it had some great underlying messages. We learned about friendships and sticking together because with our best friends by our sides we can do anything. We learned that it is okay to make a mistake but that you need to own up to your mistake, try to fix it and even apologize to others if it affected them. We also learned that we shouldn’t always judge a book by its cover – everyone has feelings and they can be easily hurt.

One of the most heart warming parts of the show was watching the young audience dancing in their seats, in the aisles, screaming (literally screaming) every time their favourite character came on stage. The Shoppies had a fantastic stage presence and really drew you into the show. You felt as though you were part of the action which is so important for young children who were enthralled by the characters. The Shoppies and Shopkins truly came to life for them and you could see the amazement in their faces.

This show is a definite must see for all young fans. The show runs until the end of this month in Canada, to find more tour dates head over to their website here.

You can also follow Shopkins Live! On Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest information.

Shopkins Live! Trailer

Disclosure: We received tickets to the show in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.