Category: book review

September 14, 2015

The Inheritance by Marianne Perry

A family is torn through loyalties in the novel, The Inheritance.

About The Inheritance

Set during the period 1897 to 1913, the Calabria region was subject to earthquakes and tsunamis; the land harsh and poverty the norm. Superstition clashed with religion and a class system ruled the people who lived there. Calabria is the perfect backdrop for the tragedy that unfolds in The Inheritance.

Caterina is an atypical woman, and The Inheritance chronicles her life from birth to young womanhood. Born with an inheritance of loss into a society that has predetermined what she can and cannot do, she vows to live a life of her choosing. Caterina refuses to allow the limits of her gender, the constraints of her class and the demands imposed by those in power to stand in her way. Caterina remains steadfast in her commitment to become the woman she imagines. Her decisions ignite conflicts and fuel a chain of events that result in dire consequences for all whose path she crosses.

My Thoughts

Wow. My first thoughts after I finished this novel, was just wow! It was far more intense and powerful than I had ever imagined. Living in our times, it is hard to imagine the rules that were imposed on people by others who assumed control by force and violence. Women were expected to do as they were told but yet in this novel we see a young woman try to break out of this control and live life as she wants to. The repercussions of these actions are shocking and heart breaking.

Her life is intertwined with a young man who ultimately his family becomes her demise. It is her love for him that gives her strength and courage. He to is forced into the constraints and expectations of Italian men during this era, of putting family and blood first. He was always viewed as the outcast, the weak one and it is unclear as to how far he will go to either gain his Father’s acceptance or to defy him. The ending was difficult but promising at the same time. It shocked me with its probable truth and pain. It was full of raw emotions and heart ache but also hope. I definitely would love to see and find out what happens to Caterina. The Inheritance is a novel that you will definitely not want to put down until you find out what happens to our two main characters.

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

Rating: 5/5 +++

About the Author

Family dynamics, genealogical research to solve ancestral mysteries and international travel are Marianne Perry’s priorities. A second-generation Canadian-Italian, she is the author of The Inheritance, a historical fiction set in Calabria, Italy from 1897 to 1913 inspired by her grandmother’s early life in Calabria. With a thirty-year career in education and communications, Marianne holds a Master of Education Degree from The University of Western Ontario (Canada).

A past member of the Board of Trustees, the Canadian National Arts Centre Corporation, she has also published non-fiction genealogical articles throughout North America. As a girl, Marianne fell in love with The National Geographic Magazine and dreamt of exploring the world. With her recent visit to Antarctica, she achieved her goal of stepping foot on every continent. The mother of two grown children, Marianne and her husband live on the shores of the St. Mary’s River, which drains Lake Superior on the outskirts of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. She continues to research family history and write non-fiction genealogical articles. In addition, she is working on her second novel and planning further adventures.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

August 25, 2015

Finding Gabriel by Rachel L. Demeter

Sometimes fate has its own plan for us. In Finding Gabriel, Gabriel learns this lesson first hand.

About Finding Gabriel

After a decade of bloodshed fighting in Napoleon’s army, Gabriel returns to Paris a shattered and tortured soul. He is plagued by his inner demons and decides to end his suffering with a pistol. But fate intervenes.

Ariah Larochelle is a survivor; orphaned at twelve and the victim of a terrible crime. Ariah has learned to trust no one and to keep her back to the walls. When she finds a gravely injured soldier on the shores of the River Seine, she is moved by compassion. She rescues him and brings him into her home.

Now scarred on the inside and outside, Gabriel discovers a kindred spirit in Ariah. The feelings he thought he had lost forever are re-awakened in the face of adversity. But when Ariah’s secret past is revealed, the ghosts of her past threaten their new love. Can they find hope or will the pattern of their history repeat itself.

My Thoughts

An extremely exciting novel from start to finish! Not only was it sexy, romantic and exciting but it was full of adventure and raw emotion. Ariah and Gabriel are not your typical main characters. They are battered, broken and as far from perfect as you can imagine but their story is so compelling and real.

I love how Ariah pulls Gabriel out of his belief he is broken. He is lost, hurting on the inside and feels so much pain that he wants it all to end. Like so many of us who are suffering with our past and depression, he is suffering so much on the inside and can’t find a way out of it. It is Ariah and her imperfect past who shows him that we must look past our suffering and learn to live with it. That they are not badges of dishonour or that people look at us with hate but that they are marks of our strength and courage to keep moving forward. Ariah shows him a compassion and love that he has never known. Not even when he reveals the worst parts of him, is she swayed from her belief that he is a good person at heart.

A fantastic, raw and powerful novel from start to finish. I finished this novel in one sitting as I did not want to put it away. I was so engrossed in Ariah and Gabriel’s story, and how they overcame their pain to move forward not happy and blissfully but at peace with all around them and their own personal demons. While it has some sexy and romantic scenes, I love how the focus is on the characters and their personal scars from their past that they must deal with.

The novel is available August 27th, 2015 and you can purchase a copy on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

Book Trailer

About the Author

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing dark, poignant romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

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

August 21, 2015

Back to School with Smithsonian Geography: A Visual Encyclopedia

Learning about the world around us is important for so many reasons. It expands our children’s horizons, allows them to see the world through fresh eyes and understand how the world works and how far we have come. Geography captures your imagination and takes you around the world. The DK Canada Smithsonian Geography uses images to draw you into the encyclopedia, sparking a curiosity of the world around you.

Geography, a visual encyclopedia was created in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution. The book is broken down into the following sections: Planet Earth, Rocks and Minerals, Water, Climate and Weather, Life on Earth, The Human World, Mapping the World and Country Factfile. There is literally something for everyone on your list and you can start anywhere in the book. Just pick it up and let the book take you on an exciting journey. If you turn the book on its side, you will notice each section is colour coded so if you prefer to jump to a specific section you can easily do so.

Each page contains many colourful photographs that help to bring the story to life. For example, in Crystal Cave, the photo covers both pages of the book and brings home how huge the crystals are in comparison to the miners working there. I found myself at times reaching out to just touch the page, not because I thought it may have a texture but because the photographs were so powerful and touching. It makes you want to travel the world.

My personal favourite section of the book was under Life on Earth where it examined the Moorland and heath. My kids loved learning about volcanoes, tornadoes and hurricanes. This book was not only perfect for my kids to enjoy together but I also learned so much about the world around me. Geography, a visual encyclopedia fits in perfectly with our home library.

Make sure to check out more titles at the DK Canada Back to School Boutique for more top titles from DK Canada.

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

August 21, 2015

Get Ready for Back to School with Raincoast Books {Giveaway!}

Back to school time is always an exciting, nervous and hectic time. We worry about skills they may have forgotten, new supplies and new clothes. It is important to slow down the hustle and bustle of the back to school time to focus on relationships and bonding time. Which is why I love books! Reading a book with or to your child gives you much-needed quiet time to escape, to bond and to laugh over silly antics of characters. Raincoast Books brings you six of their best books that are perfect to add to your child’s book collection.

In Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova, young Anna’s Mother takes her to the ballet and her whole world is changed. This begins the journey of a girl who will one day grow up to be the most famous prima ballerina of all time, who inspires legions of dancers after her: the gifted Anna Pavlova. Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova, is the incredible, heart warming and inspiring story of a young girl not born to riches but who changed the world of ballet. One night changed her whole life, like so many children who see something for the first time. This book teaches children that every dream is possible with hard work and love. If you love something so strongly, you need to work hard and this love will show. I loved how the book showed Anna travelling the world to not only bring dance, hope and love to the rich but to the poor as well. She is an inspiration for so many.

In The Wonderful World of Pascal the Very Brave, we are introduced to Pascal who is a very brave platypus. Pascal lives in a very incredible town full of interesting characters, recipes, collections and more. In this book we are introduced to not only Pascal but his friends Fancy, Cardigan, Zelda and Ringo. Unlike a traditional story where you read left to right, we found ourselves jumping across the page, up and down reading tidbits of the characters and the crazy town they live in. We had a lot of fun reading their funny antics and stories. The story is full of fantastic and humourous illustrations that will guarantee hours of fun.

In The Bear’s Surprise, hibernation is over and Little Bear is ready for adventure! But where is Papa Bear? Never fear, Little Bear will find him! Follow Little Bear on this adventure through interactive cutouts on his journey to find Papa Bear. What will he find at the end of his journey? Join Little Bear in this third installment of the acclaimed series by Benjamin Chaud.

In Big Bear Little Chair, author Lizi Boyd uses art and words to create a simple book for all ages to cherish. Lizi uses unexpected opposites to create a heart warming story about Big Bear, Little Bear and all the things that bring them together.

In Pierre the Maze Detective, we meet master detective Pierre who is on a new case. Mr. X has stolen the Maze stone (oh no!) which has the power to turn the whole city into a maze! Can you help Pierre and his friends make it through the maze and stop Mr. X before it is too late? This book features fifteen full spread illustrations of magical mazes.

In Leo: A Ghost Story, Leo just wants to find a friend. He knows he will make a good friend but everyone is scared of him. Why? Because Leo is a ghost! It is the young girl, Jane, who sees him for who he really is and together they become the best of friends. You can find my full review and book trailer here.

Raincoast Books wants you to win your own Back to School book collection as pictured above! My Canadian readers can now enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck and happy reading!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

August 20, 2015

Get Ready for School Numbers Memory Game #BTS

Getting back to school is all about fun and the numbers! And what better way to introduce your child to their numbers with a fun game from DK Canada.

The Get Ready for School Numbers Memory Game is the fun way to introduce your child to the world of numbers and counting. This book helps to enrich your child’s educational development as well as prepare them for school. The box contains a booklet with games, cards and an instruction sheet.

This boxed book set is suitable for children ages three to five to help prepare and enhance their current education. It provides instruction for parents to help encourage their child, while providing bright colours and a fun way to look at numbers for children to keep them engaged.

The cards come in four different colours with instructions on where to start and what activities to introduce at each stage. Teaching your child important math skills can be hard (I like to learn myself by reading examples so I find it hard to explain lessons to my children). This book helped me get over my awkwardness and help me teach my youngest son, who is heading off to Junior Kindergarten this year!

Get Ready for School Numbers also helps you to relate the learning skills to real life (counting objects, opportunities to count together, etc.)

How do/did you introduce numbers to your child?

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