Category: book review

May 25, 2016

Happy 55th Birthday Sophie la Girafe

The iconic Sophie la Girafe will turn fifty five on May 25th this year. Sophie is a simple giraffe who was born on May 25th, 1961 in France on Saint Sophie’s Day. She has taken the world by storm with her simplicity and gender neutrality and has become a much desired item on baby shower lists around the world.

Who is Sophie la Girafe?

Sophie was first introduced to the world in France as a teething toy at a time when most baby toys consisted of farm animals and pets. Sophie looks exactly the same today as she first did when she was introduced to the world fifty five years ago. Her fame quickly spread across Europe and eventually to North America as she is made from 100% natural rubber from the sap of the Hevea tree and she contains natural materials and toxic free paints making her an ideal teething toy for infants (SophieLaGirafe.Co.UK).

Oh How Sophie la Girafe Has Grown!!

As Sophie’s fame has grown, with over fifty million teethers sold, she has expanded into the world of books with her loveable friends. She now proudly adorns many books geared towards infants and toddlers that will quickly become a cherished family favourite. DK Canada has a large selection of Sophie la Girafe books that can be found in their boutique. From first words and numbers to peekaboos and touch and feel, the boutique has a wealth of books that cover all the important firsts for your baby.

Happy Birthday Sophie: Pop Up Peekaboo

This book stars Sophie and her friends in adorable party scenes, each featuring flaps to flip and lots of colorful surprises.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Sophie and Friends: Touch and Feel

In this book, infants and toddlers are introduced to the world of Sophie and her five special friends. They are invited to touch the soft, shiny and bumpy textures and share in all the fun at Sophie’s house.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Both of these books are perfect gifts for parents to be and for young infants and toddlers. If your child loves Sophie la Girafe they will be delighted to see her and her friends come to life in these hard cover books. In Sophie and Friends touch and feel, you can begin to teach your child about textures as they learn to spot and feel the differences. In Pop up Peekaboo, your child will be inspired with the imaginative play as you turn each page. Each page holds a new exciting surprise for your child as they lift the flap. Make reading fun for your little one and watch as they grow with these adorable books featuring one of their favourite characters. I love how the books are in soft, pastel, gender neutral colours that stay true to Sophie la Girafe. The entire book collection will be an important part of your child’s first library. With simple sentences that allow the focus to be on you and your child, both of you will love reading time!

Help celebrate Sophie la Girafe’s birthday online with DK Canada by following the #sophielagirafebirthday hashtag on Twitter.

Disclosure: I received the above books free of charge in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 24, 2016

Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas: Summer Living with DK Canada

Summer is just about here, we are finally getting warmer weather and the May long weekend has just passed by. Now what does this typically bring? If you are like our family it means lots of time spent outdoors, cooking on the grill and get togethers with friends. But sometimes you need to spice things up on the grill to keep it fresh and unique. If you are looking for new unique foods to cook on the grill, then Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas is for you. This book is full of recipes, ideas, suggestions and more just in time for the outdoor summer season.

About Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas

Chef Craig Priebe’s culinary creativity comes to life through his innovative Italian dishes. Focusing on his award-winning pizzas and piadinas, he uses a variety of ingredient combinations to deliver delectable meals right into the home cook’s kitchen.

Mouth-watering recipes for grilled pizza with meat, chicken, seafood, and vegetables comprise the first part of this book, followed by chapters on crispy grilled piadinas, fresh salads, and grilled desserts. A typical recipe of Priebe’s calls for smoky, thin, and crispy crusts and vibrant combinations of toppings such as grilled figs, Gorgonzola, and prosciutto.

Through quick and easy instructions for 75 recipes, full-color photographs, step-by-step techniques, and party menus, a beginner cook or a seasoned chef will be inspired to fire up the grill.

My Thoughts

We love grilling in the summer months, especially when you combine this with family and the pool. Out of habit sometimes the foods we grill can be routine and the same over and over. Sometimes I blame my husbands love of steak and chicken (he literally can eat this every day) but other times its just a lack of knowing what I can cook on the grill and not being adventurous enough to try new things.

Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas takes the guess work out of the way for you. The book contains 187 pages of party planning advice, recipes and all the gadgets you will need to become the boss of the grill. They spend about eight pages going over grills, grill care and maintenance, indoor grills, basic grilling tools and kitchen tools that you will need to make your pizzas. They also give advice on their preferred tools and even how to properly measures pantry items.

The recipes start with a basic grilled pizza dough with an alternative for a thicker crust variation that will be the base for every recipe that follows. Step by step instructions help guide you through the process of making the dough, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. I have made pizza dough a couple of times and sometimes it can come out too doughy or just not quite tasting right. This recipe makes a delicious pizza crust that your whole family will love.

The book also teaches you how to cook a pizza on a grill, which may seem obvious but honestly it wasn’t until I read this. They gave tips on how to figure out if your grill is too hot and what to do to avoid this. I have scorched pita breads on the grill in the past so it is helpful to know where and what to do if this happens.

The recipes are divided in sections by pizzas with meat/chicken/seafood/vegetables, piadinas, salads and desserts. Each recipe is easy to follow with simple instructions, ingredient list and with an introduction to the individual recipe with large, bold photographs following each recipe. My personal favourite recipe? The Verduran – mixed vegetables with olives and basil, yum yum!

If you are looking for new, fresh and exciting recipes to impress your guests – this book is the perfect recipe book for you. You will find plenty of new healthy ideas to suit a variety of dietary needs. You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

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

May 19, 2016

The Beautiful Pretender Book Review

In The Beautiful Pretender, what happens when a margrave realizes he’s fallen in love with a servant?

About The Beautiful Pretender

The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble-born ladies from around the country to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character.

Avelina is only responsible for two things: making sure her deception goes undetected and avoiding being selected as the margrave’s bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.

Despite Avelina’s best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can’t deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse—far deadlier—consequences. Will Avelina be able to stop the evil plot? And at what cost?

My Thoughts

A unique storyline, that sees our main character having to stand in for the Earl’s daughter for who has decided to run away from home. Avelina is a young woman, who has only known a life of service and loyalty to her family. It is this loyalty to her family that is used against her as she is sent instead of the Earl’s daughter to the Margave’s home.

The Margave is in desperate need of a bride but he does not want just any bride, he wants one that is selfless, caring, kind and has a love for all people. He sets up a unique set of tests for the women attending his home to work their way through. It is two women who pass these tests with flying colours, I am sure you can guess who is one of them! Avelina tries all she can to have the Margave ignore her but it is her kind soul that sets her apart. Her upbringing has taught her compassion and love for all people regardless of their social status.

In an unexpected turn of events, a secret plot is discovered by Avelina. As she works to discover who is plotting against the Margave she is in turn exposes herself and her true position. A web of murder, lies and more are exposed that puts both herself and the Margave in danger.

The Beautiful Pretender is a unique novel that I fell in love with. It has an exciting plot line that you have never read anything similar before and just enough suspense and romance. An overall fantastic read for individuals of all ages!

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

Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer’s Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best First Book. Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.

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

May 18, 2016

Through the Shadows Book Review

In Through the Shadows, as we see San Francisco rise from the ashes, an age-old battle looms between corruption and the promise of new beginnings.

About Through the Shadows

The devastating earthquake is just two years past, but the city of San Francisco is still trying to recover. Destruction of this magnitude is not so easy to overcome—and neither are the past regrets shadowing Elizabeth King’s hopeful future.

Hoping to right her wrongs, Elizabeth dedicates herself to helping girls rescued from slavery in Chinatown brothels, even if it means putting her own life at risk to sneak through the gloomy alleys and rooftops where dangers lurk.

Putting her life on the line for a worthy cause is admirable. But opening her heart is even more terrifying. So when Elizabeth meets attorney, Charles McKinley—a man who dreams of reforming San Francisco’s crooked politics—Elizabeth begins to doubt: Can she maintain her pretense and hide her past? Or will her secret jeopardize both their futures?

My Thoughts

After having read Karen’s other two novels, Beyond the Ashes and Out of the Ruins, I could not wait to get started on Through the Shadows. In this novel, we meet two new characters who are tied to our familiar favourites from the previous two novels (I LOVE this the most – you get to see how their lives evolve while being introduced to two new characters you fall in love with).

The novel takes place two years after the devastating earthquake that destroys most of San Francisco. Many of the citizens have lost everything and are trying to just stay a float, this is true for Elizabeth. Her father’s investments were lost both in the earthquake and the fire that followed. It is this combined with her love of making a difference, that sees her travel to San Francisco. She wants to put her past behind her, join her siblings and make a difference in the lives of young girls who are sold into slavery. She meets up with Charles, a young man who wants to make a positive difference in politics and the lives of the people he meets.

Charles is a character of strong convictions. He senses something is not quite right at his Uncle’s firm and works hard to uncover the details. What he finds is unbelievable and heart breaking. What he does with this knowledge, is mind blowing.

Through the Shadows is an amazing tale of forgiveness, healing and love against all odds. Our characters fight against the social constraints of society towards women, men and even foreigners, corruption that goes unpunished and the societal norm. It leaves you with hope and understanding. A fantastic read from start to finish, that leaves you craving just a little bit more!

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

Karen Barnett is the author of Beyond the Ashes, Out of the Ruins, and Mistaken. Named the 2013 Writer of Promise by Oregon Christian Writers, Karen lives in Albany, Oregon, with her husband and two kids. When she’s not writing novels, she loves speaking at women’s events, libraries, and book clubs.

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

May 17, 2016

Someone Like You Book Review

In Someone Like You, Single mom Julia Dare has a lot on her plate: her son, her failed relationship, her new found relationship with God as well as her own personal business.

About Someone Like You

A brand new Christian, Julia is busy trying to run her own business, spend time with her widowed mother, and raise her young son, Max, despite his father’s less-than-ideal influence on him. When a big account from her event-planning business sends her to the Caliente Springs resort, she’s shocked to come face-to-face with Zeke Monroe, the resort’s general manager and her college sweetheart.

With his faith in tatters, Zeke Monroe is determined to keep the historic Caliente Springs resort running despite financial difficulties. But when Julia walks back into his life, he can’t ignore the feelings she stirs up. As they work together on an important client’s dream wedding, the fate of the resort soon depends on their success. When Zeke and Julia are pushed to their limits both personally and professionally, will their history put up walls between them or bring them together.

My Thoughts

What would the chances be that you meet up years later with the man you loved but ran away from? Even more so that you came out to do business with him! Pretty slim right? But this is what happens in this novel.

Our two main characters were once very much in love but it was faith that pushed Julia away from him and sent him into the arms of a man who did not love her but loved the idea of her. Several years later, they have almost switched in their faith beliefs. Zeke is holding onto pain from his past that is difficult for him to forgive and move on. Julia has found God and puts her faith (and child) first.

Throughout the novel their feelings are ignited but tested many times by not only each other but their faith, others around them and financial uncertainty. You want to be able to guide the two of them together because you can see how wonderful they would be together but at the same time both of them have so much growing to do that you don’t know if they can be together. A fantastic novel about faith, forgiveness and hope, you will love every moment of this novel!

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

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Victoria Bylin writes contemporary and historical romances known for their realistic, relatable characters. Her work has finaled in contests such as the Carol Awards, the RITAs, and the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award. A native of California, she and her husband now make their home in Lexington, Kentucky.

Enter now here! Good luck!

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