Author: cvegnad

February 26, 2018

Keturah Book Review

In 1772 England, Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson and her sisters find themselves the heiresses of their father’s estates and know they have one option: Go to the West Indies to save what is left of their heritage.

About Keturah

Although it flies against all the conventions, they’re determined to make their own way in the world. But once they arrive in the Caribbean, conventions are the least of their concerns. On the infamous island of Nevis, the sisters discover the legacy of the legendary sugar barons has vastly declined-and that’s just the start of what their eyes are opened to in this harsh and unfamiliar world.

Keturah never intends to put herself at the mercy of a man again, but every man on the island seems to be trying to win her hand and, with it, the ownership of her plantation. She could desperately use an ally, but even an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend leaves her questioning his motives.

To keep her family together and save the plantation that is her last chance at providing for them, can Keturah ever surrender her stubbornness and guarded heart to God and find the healing and love awaiting her?

My Thoughts

I fell in love with this beautifully written and unique story. In this novel, we have three young privileged women who have been orphaned. Their eldest sister would do anything to ensure her sisters are taken care of and remain in the family home. The only problem? This would see her having to travel to her family investment in the West Indies – their last hope at saving their lands in England.

What she doesn’t expect? Her sisters absolute refusal to let her go alone! So instead all three young women take off on an exciting journey that is far beyond social acceptance and looked down upon by many in their class. I found it to be so brave and determined but their greatest setback is how sheltered they have been. They are grossly unprepared for what to expect, what to bring and the sexism they will face.

This was an incredible story of perseverance, hope, faith, forgiveness with a touch of love growing in there. I couldn’t put this novel down wanting to know more about what would happen to Keturah and her sisters. This novel is a definite must read.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Lisa T. Bergren has published more than 40 books with more than 3 million books sold combined. She’s the author of the Christy Award-winning “Waterfall,” RITA®-finalist “Firestorm,” bestselling “God Gave Us You,” and popular historical series like Homeward, Grand Tour, and more. She’s also a recipient of the RT Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and three teen-and-older children.

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

February 26, 2018

My Little Pony: Spring Into Friendship DVD Giveaway

Everyone’s favourite characters our back! My Little Pony: Spring Into Friendship leaps onto DVD February 13th in all new episodes!

About My Little Pony: Spring Into Friendship

Big trouble is on the horizon when Twilight Sparkle is given only two coveted tickets to the most anticipated event in town. But how will she decide which of her best friends gets to go with her? She faces quite the challenge.

Discover the answer, and see four more amazing pony tales, as Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy help usher Springtime into Equestria!

Episodes Included:

The Ticket Master
Sisterhooves Social
Just for Sidekicks
Princess Twilight Sparkle Part One
Princess Twilight Sparkle Part Two
Bonus: Sing a long!

This beautiful DVD has been released just in time to make a perfect addition to Easter baskets with its spring themes if you are thinking of Easter basket ideas. The DVD has a run time of 110 minutes and enough episodes to keep your little one engaged and craving more. Can’t wait for Easter? Why not set up a My Little Pony viewing party with colourful snacks, decorations and their favourite characters and get set for a night of fun and entertainment.

You can purchase a copy of this DVD on Amazon and Shout Kids.

My American and Canadian readers can now enter to win their own copy! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

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

February 26, 2018

The Clock Flower Book Review

In The Clock Flower, the three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—as they are called, have graduated from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women after returning from New York City where Dara learned why her mother abandoned her all those years ago, and they are now attending universities where they can further their special talents.

About The Clock Flower

Dara Roux, abandoned when she was seven years old by her mother. Exceptionally gifted in foreign languages. Orphan. Accepted to Yale University.

Mackenzie Yarborough, no record of her parents or where she was born. Exceptionally gifted in math and problem-solving. Orphan. Accepted to MIT.

Jennifer Torres, both parents killed in an automobile accident when she was sixteen. Exceptionally gifted in music and art. Orphan. Accepted to Julliard.

The three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—as they are called, have graduated from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women after returning from New York City where Dara learned why her mother abandoned her all those years ago, and they are now attending universities where they can further their special talents. This means they will be separated from each other and from Carolina, their much-loved mentor and teacher who is “one of them,” for the first time in their young lives. They vow to try living apart for one semester, in the so-called real world that doesn’t include the orphanage; but if things don’t work out, they will come up with another plan—a plan where they can be together once again.

Dara is invited through Yale University to take part in an exciting archeological project in China. Jennifer, once again visualizing black and white images and the unusual sounds of another cadence that seem to be connected to Mackenzie, is engrossed in creating her next symphony at Julliard. Mackenzie, because of her genius at problem-solving, is personally chosen by an US Senator to get involved in a mysterious, secret research project involving immortality that is being conducted in a small village in China—not too far from where Dara is involved with the archeological site. Once there, however, she finds herself facing a terrifying death from the blood-dripping teeth of an ancient evil dragon. Her best friends, the FIGs and Carolina, rely on their own unique genius and special talents to save her as she discovers the truth of her birth parents.

My Thoughts

I loved the first two books in this series based on three incredible young women and this part did not disappoint.

The FIGS are three special young women who are gifted in different areas – math, languages and the arts. They are also all orphaned and have been guided by Carolina, a special woman in her own right.

This book focuses on Mackenzie, who has been gifted in math. She does not know who her parents are or even where to start but in this book we learn quite a bit more. The girls head off to university and this is where Mackenzie has her first contact with her birth family, without realizing it. She also becomes tangled in an evil plot that could see her death. This book was very exciting although a tad bit too quick, I would have loved to have learned a little bit more about Mackenzie’s background. I find her to be the quieter one in the series and it was nice to see her come to life, be the center of attention and find her roots.

This was an excellent book from start to finish, with a growing anticipation throughout the novel to find out the ending which keeps you reading throughout the night.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Barbara Casey is the author of several award-winning novels for both adults and young adults, as well as book-length works of nonfiction true crime and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Her nonfiction true crime book, Kathryn Kelly: The Moll Behind Machine Gun Kelly, has been optioned for a major film and television series. In addition to her own writing, she is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. Barbara is also a partner in Strategic Media Books Publishing, an independent publishing house that specializes in cutting-edge adult nonfiction. Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with her husband, and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix; Fitz, a miniature dachshund; and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.

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.

February 21, 2018

Bring the Winter Adventures Inside with Winter Themed Playmobil Sets

Children love to play and re-create what they see both in real life and on television. As we are in the heart of winter (although my fingers and toes are crossed that the worst has almost passed us by) and the Olympic games are in full force, giving children an opportunity to bring their favourite sports to life with Playmobil sets is a fantastic way to keep them busy and foster some love for creating winter adventures.

Do you have a budding snowboarder? Or alpine skier? Or maybe a fan of cross-country skiing? Or maybe they love just being outdoors in the middle of winter building snow forts, having snowball fights and imagining they are crossing the Arctic in search of polar bears! The possibilities are endless with this new line of winter themed sets, that features a ski lodge, winter SUV, snowball fight, snowmobile, trio sports, biathlete, skiers and Arctic expeditions.

My son and niece tested out the Arctic Expedition with Polar Bears and the Winter Sports Trio over the weekend and had nothing but positive feedback for the two sets.

My favourite part of Playmobil sets are the ease of the set up. It can be put together by a six-year-old independently and at the same time my nine-year old niece had no problem whipping her pieces together without it feeling too young for her. All of the pieces are sturdy and easy to grip for little fingers. There were a few smaller pieces like the snowboard, skills and binoculars that I had to help them with but overall both sets were easy for them to manage on their own. Once the pieces are set up they stick together well – those skis were not going to accidentally fall off, which is a huge win for parents! There is nothing worse then a child becoming frustrated by parts that keep falling apart. The quality of the sets are incredible and you know that the pieces will last for a long time.

The Arctic expedition was by far their favourite set of the two, although they ended up combining the two sets to make one big winter adventure with daring polar bears and brave athletes who came to the rescue of the scientists (those naughty polar bears were cheeky and kept stealing their supplies!). The set came with one large iceberg, a drill, two fully moveable polar bears and two figures with accessories. The winter sports trio came with three figures and skills, tube, snowboard and winter accessories.

We loved the attention to detail on the accessories, ability to combine the sets into a bigger scene and the ease of set up. These sets were a win win for both the kids and my husband and I.

The entire line of winter themed sets range in price from $14.99 to $89.99 and can be purchased on the Playmobil website and at most retailers.

Make sure to follow Playmobil on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with all the latest information and new releases!

What is your child’s favourite winter activity?

Disclosure: We received the above mentioned products in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 19, 2018

Waking Isabella Book Review

Waking Isabella is a story about uncovering hidden beauty that, over time, has been lost, erased, or suppressed.

About Waking Isabella

Waking Isabella is a story about uncovering hidden beauty that, over time, has been lost, erased, or suppressed. It also weaves together several love stories as well as a few mysteries. Nora, an assistant researcher, is a catalyst for resolving the puzzle of a painting that has been missing for decades. Set in Arezzo, a small Tuscan town, the plot unfolds against the backdrop of the city’s antique trade and the fanfare and pageantry of its medieval jousting festival. While filming a documentary about Isabella de’ Medici—the Renaissance princess who was murdered by her husband—Nora begins to connect with the lives of two remarkable women from the past. Unraveling the stories of Isabella, the daughter of a fifteenth-century Tuscan duke, and Margherita, a young girl trying to survive the war in Nazi-occupied Italy, Nora begins to question the choices that have shaped her own life up to this point. As she does, hidden beauty is awakened deep inside of her, and she discovers the keys to her creativity and happiness. It is a story of love and deceit, forgeries and masterpieces—all held together by the allure and intrigue of a beautiful Tuscan ghost.

My Thoughts

Waking Isabella is a beautifully written story of discovery, passion, love and hope.

Nora has just left her husband, she realized their marriage was not quite what she had wanted or needed. She had given up so much of her life and passions (her art and jewellery) and she uses this time in her life to regain what she has lost. She had always loved the story of Isabella Medici and applies to do research on the beautiful Princess and her tragic death.

In Italy, she comes upon much more than she expected. She renews her friendship with an old friend who re-introduces her to life in Italy. As she learns more about Isabella, a strange connection between the two seems to develop and it is almost as if Isabella is guiding her to help her solve a great mystery of the missing painting of Isabella. At this same time, Nora meets a young man with unique ties to the art world and the mysterious disappearance of the painting.

The plot is unique and full of mystery and hope. I loved learning about all three women – they all are strong and independent and for two of them, this is what causes their death. I loved the Melissa intertwined their past and future to help solve the disappearance of the Medici painting. In between this, we also have Nora re-discovering herself as an individual and a woman. It is a beautiful story of love, forgiveness, hope and the hurt that lies can cause.

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Melissa Muldoon is the Studentessa Matta—the crazy linguist! In Italian, “matta” means “crazy” or “impassioned.” Melissa has a B.A. in fine arts, art history and European history from Knox College, a liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, as well as a master’s degree in art history from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She has also studied painting and art history in Florence.

Melissa promotes the study of Italian language and culture through her dual-language blog, Studentessa Matta (studentessamatta.com). Melissa began the Matta blog to improve her command of the language and to connect with other language learners. It has since grown to include a podcast, “Tutti Matti per l’Italiano,” and the Studentessa Matta YouTube channel. Melissa also created Matta Italian Language Immersion Tours, which she co-leads with Italian partners in Italy.

Waking Isabella is Melissa’s second novel and follows Dreaming Sophia, published in 2016. In this new novel about Italy, the reader is taken on another art history adventure, inspired by Melissa’s experiences living and traveling in Italy, specifically Arezzo, as well as her familiarity with the language and art. For more information about Waking Isabella and links to Melissa’s blogs and social media sites, visit www.MelissaMuldoon.com.

As a student, Melissa lived in Florence with an Italian family. She studied art history and painting and took beginner Italian classes. When she returned home, she threw away her Italian dictionary, assuming she’d never need it again, but after launching a successful design career and starting a family, she realized something was missing in her life. That “thing” was the connection she had made with Italy and the friends who live there. Living in Florence was indeed a life-changing event. Wanting to reconnect with Italy, she decided to start learning the language again from scratch. As if indeed possessed by an Italian muse, she bought a new Italian dictionary and began her journey to fluency—a path that has led her back to Italy many times and enriched her life in countless ways. Now, many dictionaries and grammar books later, she dedicates her time to promoting Italian language studies, further travels in Italy, and sharing her stories and insights about Italy with others. When Melissa is not traveling in Italy, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Melissa designed and illustrated the cover art for Waking Isabella and Dreaming Sophia. She also curates the Dreaming Sophia blog and Pinterest site: The Art of Loving Italy. Please visit the Pinterest page for pictures of Arezzo, the Giostra del Saracino, and all the places we go in Italy in both books. Visit MelissaMuldoon.com for more information about immersion trips to learn the language with Melissa in Italy, as well as the Studentessa Matta blog for practice and tips to learn the Italian language.

Book Trailer

The Giveaway!

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