Author: cvegnad

January 24, 2017

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir: Be Miraculous!

Straight from the heart of Paris, a third volume of the action adventure, comedy of Ladybug and Cat Noir is coming your way! This DVD will have you laughing and ready to Be Miraculous! The DVD will be available on January 10th, 2017.

The time is now and the city is Paris. And two amazing heroes, Ladybug and Cat Noir, stand to protect its citizens against evildoers. But can this uncanny duo continue to keep their city safe from these dastardly ne’er-do-well and get their homework in on time?! That’s right. The superheroes known as Ladybug and Cat Noir are actually Marinette and Adrien, two young students with super-secret lives filled with super-awesome excitement!

Episodes

Ladybug & Cat Noir (Origins, Part 1)
Stone Heart (Origins, Part 2)
Animan
Simon Says
Pixelator
Guitar Villain
Kung Food

Our Thoughts

Our favourite two superheroes are back: Ladybug and Cat Noir! These two characters are funny, brave and always positive. They are the perfect superhero characters for your children in the positive messages that they send to children – not to mention their great humour! The characters are real, with everyday problems (even though they super powers) and are characters that your child can relate to. The animations are fantastic and one of the best cartoon animations that I have seen in a long time. This DVD is better suited for children 5-12 to truly appreciate the humour, lessons and plots. Be Miraculous is not only great for afterschool but will be a great addition to family movie time.

The Giveaway!

My Canadian and American readers can now enter to win their own Be Miraculous DVD and get ready to be fabulous with Ladybug and Cat Noir! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below – Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

January 24, 2017

The Mark of the King Book Review

In The Mark of the King, twenty-five-year-old midwife Julianne Chevalier trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling 1720s French colony of Louisiana.

About The Mark of the King

After being imprisoned and branded for the death of her client, twenty-five-year-old midwife Julianne Chevalier trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling 1720s French colony of Louisiana, where she hopes to be reunited with her brother, serving there as a soldier. To make the journey, though, women must be married, and Julianne is forced to wed a fellow convict.

When they arrive in New Orleans, there is no news of Benjamin, Julianne’s brother, and searching for answers proves dangerous. What is behind the mystery, and does military officer Marc-Paul Girard know more than he is letting on?

With her dreams of a new life shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous, rugged land, despite never being able to escape the king’s mark on her shoulder that brands her a criminal beyond redemption.

My Thoughts

An incredible novel looking at the lives of those who lived during the eighteenth century both in France and New Orleans. France wanted to colonize it’s towns in North America – so instead of sending over willing individuals, they populated their colonies with convicts whether by choice or not. A practice that was actually quite frightening (not because of their criminal history or choices in life) but more so for the fear that these individuals must have gone through. They were sent with little choice into the unknowns and some were forced to wed in order to further populate the colonies. I can’t even begin to imagine the fear, uncertainty and anger they must have felt.

Julianne is one of these individuals but her criminal history almost blows your mind. She was imprisoned and branded over the death of her client! At a time when child birth was quite dangerous, it is hard to believe a midwife could be held responsible for the death of the Mother and further branded a criminal and imprisoned. Julianne felt her only way to escape the life that was now imposed on her was escape to New Orleans. I don’t think she could even imagine what she would have to deal with once she arrived.

There is little order, little rules and crime rules in this new world. Through Julianne, we uncover a harsh world, mysterious discrepancies and dangerous world. Marc-Paul is a man that she meets when arriving in New Orleans – after her marriage to another convict. Marc-Paul is there to provide support, guidance, care but also harbours his own secret that is tied to Julianne’s family.

The Mark of the King is well written and fabulous novel. I could not put it down in fear of missing what was going to happen next. I loved the rich history, culture and strong character development. This was one amazing novel that you will cherish over and over again.

You can purchase a copy of The Mark of the King here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning author of ten books to date, including Wedded to War, a Christy Award finalist in 2013; Widow of Gettysburg; Yankee in Atlanta; and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. A former military wife herself, her passion for military families informs all of her writing as well as her numerous speaking opportunities. Jocelyn graduated from Taylor University with a BA in English and now lives with her husband and two children in Iowa.

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.