Category: review

October 12, 2016

Blinky Bill: The Movie DVD Giveaway

Get ready to venture across the exotic Australian outback with the world-famous Australian koala Blinky Bill when the highly anticipated animated feature BLINKY BILL: THE MOVIE arrives on Blu-ray™ , DVD, iTunes, and VOD on October 11, 2016 from Shout! Factory Kids.

About Blinky Bill: The Movie

Blinky Bill (voiced by Ryan Kwanten) is a little koala with a big imagination. An adventurer at heart, he dreams of leaving the little town of Green Patch and following in his missing father’s footsteps. Mr. Bill went missing in the Outback some time ago and Blinky is the only one who believes his father is still alive. When Blinky discovers a mysterious marker that hints at his dad’s whereabouts, he embarks on a journey that takes him beyond the boundary of Green Patch and into the wild and dangerous Outback. He quickly makes friends with Nutsy, a zoo koala, and Jacko, a nervous frill-necked lizard. Pursued relentlessly by a vengeful cat (voiced by Rufus Sewell) who has a personal score to settle with Blinky, the trio must learn to work together if they ever want to survive the rugged Australian landscape and find Blinky’s father!

Blinky Bill is one of Australia’s most recognized characters and a bona fide icon. The lovable antics of the mischievous koala have captured the hearts of millions since the release of The Adventures of Blinky Bill book series in 1933. In 1992, the first feature film Blinky Bill, The Mischievous Koala was released in major territories. This was followed by several successful TV series and movies which continue to air around the world today.

Bonus Content:

music video
The plot
The Characters
The Evolution
The Voice Actors
What’s Your Favourite Aussie Animal?
What’s Your Favourite Aussie Food?

Our Thoughts

Blinky Bill is an absolutely adorable must see movie! We were giggling at his antics (he tries so hard to be just like his Dad!) and his adventures. He is adventurous, loving, caring and kind koala bear who wants to be an adventurer. When he decides to go out into the world to find his Father, he meets a fantastic new friend, a relentless foe and a world he could never have imagined. His first encounter of the human world is interesting – I felt sad for the way we have taken over their environment and made it so difficult for them but at the same time they added in some humour as Blinky Bill tries jelly beans and other sweets for the first time!

Nutsy adds in a whole new level of humour to the movie – she just wants to get back to her zoo, maybe have a spa day. She is just too precious in this movie but I love watching her change and grow as a koala as she travels with Blinky Bill.

Blinky Bill: The Movie is an exciting, humourous family fun movie that everyone in the house will love. It had us giggling and wondering what Blinky Bill and his friends would get up to next.

Make sure you print out this colouring page, connect the dots and activity page all on Blinky Bill.

Trailer

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

September 29, 2016

Long Way North Movie Review

A beautiful tale of strength, hope and courage can be found in Long Way North, when a young girl sets out to discover what happened to her Grandfather and the Davai.

About Long Way North

Directed by celebrated animator and filmmaker Rémi Chayé and produced by Sacrebleu Productions (Oscar®-Nominated Madagascar, Carnet de Voyage), Maybe Movies (Oscar®-Nominated Ernest & Celestine) and Norlum Studios (Oscar®-Nominated Song of the Sea), France 3 Cinéma and 2 Minutes, LONG WAY NORTH won the coveted Audience Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and the winner of Grand Prize and the Governor of Tokyo Award at Tokyo Animation Festival 2016. This captivating animated adventure, bolstered by emotionally resonant storytelling and visually exquisite hand-drawn animation, has continued to attract universal acclaim as it enchants movie audiences around the world.

A spirited and inspiring tale of hope and courage, LONG WAY NORTH is the feature directorial debut of animator Rémi Chayé (first AD and head of storyboard for Oscar®-Nominated The Secret of Kells, The Painting) and tells the story of a young heroine persevering through a physical and emotional journey to find her Grandfather and his lost ship, the Davai.

LONG WAY NORTH is set in the late 19th century in Saint Petersburg. Sacha, a young girl from the Russian aristocracy, dreams of the Great North and is devastated over the fate of her Grandfather, Oloukine, a renowned scientist and Arctic explorer who has yet to return from his latest expedition to conquer the North Pole.

Sacha has always been fascinated by the adventurous life of her grandfather and has the same calling to be an explorer. But Sacha’s parents, who have already made arrangements for her marriage, strongly disapprove of the idea. Defying her destiny, Sacha flees her home and launches a quest toward the Great North in search of Oloukine and his ship.

LONG WAY NORTH features an English voice cast of Chloé Dunn, Vivienne Vermes, Peter Hudson, Antony Hickling, Tom Perkins, Geoffrey Greenhill, Claire Harrison-Bullett, Bibi Jacob, Martin Lewis, Tom Morton, Leslie Clack, Kester Lovelace and Damian Corcoran.

Our Thoughts

Long Way North is a beautiful, moving tale that draws you in to Sacha’s life and hopes. She is a strong, independent young woman in a time that did not always encourage this. She loved her Adventurer Grandfather and has so much faith in him. When he doesn’t return home from his adventure to the North Pole, she is not only devastated but her family becomes the butt of jokes of the unsinkable Davai.

Sacha knows in her heart that her Grandfather’s ship did not sink. She does her own research and discovers a secret that could unlock the mystery. But no one would listen to her, not even her own family. She was forced to make a difficult decision – to follow her heart or follow her parents wishes. She chooses to follow her heart.

This is when the story really evolves and we see this strong side of Sacha. She is so much more than anyone gave her credit for. We watch her grow and mature into a young woman who her Grandfather would have been so proud of. As we follow her brave and dangerous adventure, you are left on the edge of your seat – nervous and excited for her.

Long Way North is a beautiful and unique movie, with an interesting plot and beautifully played accompanying music. The graphics are not your typical, animated graphics but suit the story perfectly. A fantastic family movie for every member of the house!

Find out more about the movie on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The movie will be released on September 30th, 2016 and you can find a full listing of theatres here.

Disclosure: I received an advance screening of this movie in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

September 12, 2016

Everlasting Lies Book Review

In Everlasting Lies, Edina Paxton is kissed at twelve, seduced at fourteen and married with child at fifteen. She immediately regrets her marriage to Charles Vernon and is relieved when he leaves to fight in the trenches during WW1. She soon finds love, comfort and sexual satisfaction with Bill, another soldier and the boy who first kissed her.

About Everlasting Lies

Charles is invalided out of the army and is sent to India on a hospital ship. There, he becomes a manager of a coalmine in Britain’s Indian Empire, with all the privileges that his position rewards, including sexual favours from female employees. At the end of his army service in 1920 he returns to England to collect his family and return to India, only to be greeted with the news that while he was away Edina was at play. She is pregnant.

Reluctantly, Edina and her three children sail for India with Charles and Edina gives birth to her fourth child while sailing south on the Red Sea. On reaching India Charles finds his Indian mistress is pregnant and Edina finds Charles’s Indian boss to be very attractive. It’s a mutual attraction. Neither Edina nor Charles is a saint.

Piecing together fragments of her grandmother’s remarkable and tragic story, Everlasting Lies is Barbara’s loving tale of the early life of Edina, her grandmother, and Charles, Edina’s husband. They both experience the horrors of WW1 and, in hopes of renewing their marriage, start new lives as members of the upper class in Imperial India.

My Thoughts

Just wow! Everlasting Lies is an incredible story that leaves you shocked, happy, angry at times and at other times emotionally involved. Edina had a horrible transition into adulthood after becoming pregnant. My heart ached for Edina throughout the novel, she is a tender soul who had her heart broken and tested far too many times. The way she was treated by Charles and her lack of rights in general is shocking and disturbing. Charles at many times at the book made me so angry and I wanted to lash out at him. He never treated Edina the way she truly deserved and took advantage of her age and naive nature. Edina tries to be kind and play the good wife but it does take quite a toll on her throughout the novel. I felt like she aged herself and separated herself from her family and friends, the true protectors that she needed.

When he drags his family to India, a trip that I was personally so angry at him for enforcing on Edina and her children, we see him almost redeem himself both in Edina’s eyes and our own (ALMOST!). Edina has a difficult choice to make – make the most of their marriage, forgive themselves for their mistake (which also includes her own affair) or for them to continue to stray. The move to India puts a lot at stake for both of them as well as opens their eyes to their own mistakes and how it has affected their children.

Everlasting Lies is an incredible tale that will leave you shocked, angry, full of emotion and raw. I never wanted to put this novel down. I had to continue to read Edina and Charles’ story, although many times I prayed Charles would just leave my prayers were never answered. The story ends at an almost crucial point in their marriage – where they decide to work on their marriage but there are hints of the start of more affairs. I wanted to know so much more! You will fall in love with this fantastic novel!

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Barbara Warren always has the pedal to the metal. Born in England and educated at a convent, she left school at sixteen and was selling encyclopedias in the roughest part of London at eighteen. She married and emigrated to Canada when she was twenty-three, had three charming daughters, went to university when she was thirty-six and retired from teaching in her mid fifties.

Then she pursued her passion for the arts and for travel. She and her husband rode camels in India, elephants in Nepal and horses in Montana. They hitchhiked in Norway, cycled across Denmark and snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef. Barbara’s paintings grace homes in Canada, USA and Mexico and she designs her own clothes. She spends the winters in Mexico and the summers in the bible belt of southern Alberta.

Her first novel, Everlasting Lies, tells the story of her grandparents’ love affairs with each other and with others. They struggle to survive in the last years of Victorian England and the horrors of WW1 and then start a new life with four children in Imperial India. You can connect with her on her website and Facebook.

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.

September 9, 2016

God Bless Us Everyone Book Review

In God Bless Us Everyone, Charlene Dixon—called Charlie by family and friends—is devastated at the recent loss of her job.

About God Bless Us Everyone

For the last five years, the twenty-seven-year-old has blossomed as the activities director of an exclusive all-girls school. But when a misunderstanding with the headmistress leads to a pink slip right before the holidays, Charlie packs up her dreams and returns to her grandmother, Sis, who raised Charlie as her own in the mountains of North Carolina.

When Charlie arrives–broken and confused–Sis immediately puts her granddaughter to work behind the scenes of the local school’s Christmas play, A Christmas Carol. Charlie prickles at working with Dustin Kennedy, the drama teacher and her old crush from schooldays, but is even more put out at that the choice of the Dickens’ classic for the holiday performance. When she discovers her estranged father’s involvement her world turns on its head once more. But when Sis and Dustin encourage her to take a deeper look at the story behind A Christmas Carol, Charlie learns about trust, faith, and forgiveness and the needs of people in their own community.

My Thoughts

A sweet Christmas tale about trust and forgiveness, God Bless Us Everyone will have you smiling and leave you with a warm tug on your heart. Our story starts off with Charlie losing her dream job all over a clash of personalities over modern versus the classics. She is forced to return to her hometown to her Grandmother. When her Grandmother finds out the whole truth of her situation, she puts her to work on the school play to keep her busy.

And this is when the story really gets interesting! When Dustin enters the picture, we learn more about Charlie’s past; the pain and hurt she went through in her childhood and how she ended up living with her Grandmother. Your heart just goes out to her, you understand exactly why she struggles so much with trust and forgiveness. Throughout the chapters you really watch her struggle with herself and her beliefs. She wants to forgive and trust but finds it so difficult – which is something many of us can relate to after we have been hurt.

As the story evolves, we watch Charlie develop as a woman and a daughter. We watch her struggle, feel her pain and hope for her. God Bless Us Everyone is a truly sweet tale that will put you in the spirit of forgiveness and trust, especially right in time for Christmas!

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

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Eva Marie Everson is an award-winning speaker and author of The Road to Testament, Things Left Unspoken, This Fine Life, Chasing Sunsets, Waiting for Sunrise, Slow Moon Rising, and The Potluck Club series (with Linda Evans Shepherd). She is the president of Word Weavers International, Inc., a member of AWSA, ACFW, RWA, the director of Florida Christian Writer’s Conference, and the contest director for Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. She and her husband make their home in Casselberry, Florida.

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

August 22, 2016

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir Spots On Giveaway

The miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir are back in six new action packed episodes set to release on August 30th, 2016 from Shout! Kids.

About Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir Spots On

When the treacherous Hawk Moth uses his evil energy to transform the citizens of Paris into super villains, only two amazing heroes stand in his way: Ladybug and Cat Noir! With the help of their magical Kwamis, this incredible duo team up to outwit Hawk Moth and keep their city safe… but their biggest challenge might be getting through school. You see, Ladybug and Cat Noir are actually Marinette and Adrien, a pair of young students who live what seems to be a normal life. But even for these two, it’s hard to juggle schoolwork, friends, family and growing up when every day is a super-powered adventure!

Episodes Included:

The Evillustrator
Rogercop
Dark Cupid
Horrifactor
Dark Blade
The Mime

The DVD also includes episode animatics and a French language track.

Our Thoughts

Our incredible female hero, Ladybug, is back in all new exciting adventures. Ladybug is confident, funny and full of adventure and I love her character. Not to mention she is a great superhero character for young girls who don’t see enough female superheroes in cartoons and on the big screen. The show itself is geared towards both boys and girls with a lead female superhero but also a male superhero for the boys. The adventures they get up to as Ladybug and Cat Noir are full of suspense and action but the scenes of their regular lives are just as exciting and funny.

We loved the unique plot line, adventure scenes and not to mention the great humour (I had quite a few good laughs throughout the DVD which is a win win for me!). You can definitely tell why this animated series is a number one hit worldwide on Nickelodeon. We watched it twice and then one more time when our niece came over who fell in love with Ladybug.

The Giveaway!

My Canadian and American readers, 18 years of age and older can now enter to win their own DVD copy of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir Spots On via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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