Category: review

December 1, 2015

The Golden Braid By Melanie Dickerson

In the Golden Braid, the one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

About The Golden Braid

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again–this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight–Sir Gerek–Rapunzel, in turn, rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to him than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery are about to be revealed after seventeen years. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

My Thoughts

A modern, mature twist on a childhood fairy tale that both young adults and adults alike will enjoy.

The beginning of the novel was slower but as we get about a third of the way through the novel, I could not put the book down! It was such an interesting perspective of the Rapunzel fairy tale. We have this strong, fierce young lady who can paint, sing and throw a knife as well as any other boy in her village. But she also defers to her mother’s demands and restrictions, which include never showing her hair (which we find out the reasoning behind this near the end of the story) and to never trust a man.

It was beautiful to watch Rapunzel’s story unfold in such a unique manner and to watch her grow into an independent young lady who embraces the unknown. Thrown in the romance with a knight who tries so hard to deny his feelings and you have a story you will not want to put down! I definitely know I couldn’t.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour page. You can purchase a copy here.

Rating: 4.5/5

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.

November 24, 2015

The Thread That Binds

In The Thread That Binds, five women once strangers form bonds that will be everlasting.

About The Thread That Binds

Sherice is a new mother, a sonographer, quilter, and wife; an overworked young woman whose elderly mother is slipping away from her.

Sylvie is a newlywed and recent immigrant, unemployed and virtually penniless. Her husband’s paycheck can’t even cover prenatal care, let alone a baby, and her due date is only drawing nearer.

Joanne’s unconventional pregnancy turns her world upside down, redefining her career and relationships, and even bringing to the surface long-buried demons from her past.

Payton is seventeen, pregnant, and on the run. She flees to her uncle in Georgia with the hope of making a fresh start, but discovers making it on her own is harder than she could ever have imagined.

Gloria is trapped in an unhappy marriage; in love with someone else. Her life is falling apart. With a baby on the way, would it be selfish to flee?

My Thoughts

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE The Thread That Binds. I laughed, I cried and I connected so much with this book.

The characters were lovely and you felt like you were seeing them from an intimate level. You felt their pain, their fear and their frustrations. Each character grew so much during the course of this book. They learned things about themselves, they grew stronger and more confident in their decisions. They made peace with their past in order to move forward. My favourite character was Joanne, I can honestly say I wish I had a friend like her! Honest, strong-willed and fierce! Everything you can want and need in a friend.

The Thread That Binds is a feel good novel of friendship, love and how we are all connected for a greater purpose. It will be a book you will share with your friends, sisters and mothers for years to come.

You can purchase a copy of The Thread That Binds on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Originally from Winchester, England, Alice’s plans to read law at a British university were disrupted when she fell deeply in love with Georgia, USA, while studying abroad. After moving all over Georgia, Alice has finally settled in Athens and has no plans to go anywhere else.

She is a single mother to a three-year-old girl and a 65 lb hound dog. She likes coffee, wine, and anything edible with the words ‘salted caramel’ in its description.

At the time of publication, Alice is a 24-year-old history student working full-time in a law office, and writing fiction at every stolen moment. She hasn’t slept in approximately two years. Her first published novel, The Thread That Binds won third place in World’s Best Story contest.

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.

November 23, 2015

The Lion Guard Return of the Roar

The Lion King has to be one of my all time favourite Disney movies. From the hilarious characters, the inspiring music to the beautiful animations, The Lion King is a favourite for all age groups. So when we received an invite to see The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, I was stokked and couldn’t wait to catch this sequel!

Based on Disney’s The Lion King, the television movie picks up where the epic feature film left off and introduces Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, who is destined to become the leader of the Lion Guard. Many of the beloved characters from The Lion King will appear in the movie including Mufasa and Pumbaa, voiced by James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella who reprise their original roles. Rob Lowe (The Grinder) and Gabrielle Union (Being Mary Jane) star as Simba and Nala, respectively; Max Charles (The Strain) as Kion; Joshua Rush (The Adventures of Puss in Boots) as Bunga; Atticus Shaffer (The Middle) as Ono; Diamond White (Sofia the First) as Fuli; and Dusan Brown (Blaze and the Monster Machines) as Beshte.

The Lion Guard Return of the Roar, came with a special introduction by Director Howy Parkins! This was definitely a highlight of our day, even my son was amazed by meeting the director of this film. You could hear his love for his work and gave you a stronger appreciation of the amount of time spent in putting together this film and how dedicated his team was at making this film a success.

While we are introduced to some new characters, some of your old favourites are back in this film and remain true to their personalities (oh Timone and Pumbaa!). My favourite new character was Bunga, who was funny, cool and brave all rolled into one. Bunga even develops a brand new catch phrase for this movie (no more hakuna matata!). The movie was full of laughs, great music that brings back memories of the first Lion King but still gives this film a unique flair. I love the lesson that this story tells, that we don’t always have to be the biggest (or in this case a lion!) to be the best or bravest. Sometimes, it is the strongest of heart that can conquer and win.

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar premiered on television November 22nd and on Disney Junior on December 1st. Check out this trailer to get a glimpse of The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar. The television series will premiere on Disney Junior in 2016.

Disclosure: We were given advance viewing of this film in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

November 20, 2015

Personalized Holiday Gifts with Acrylic Blocks from Posterjack!

The holiday season is just around the corner and I am sure many of you have either already started shopping or at least planned out some gift ideas!. Many of the items on my list are personalized items (like photographs) so that my family member can cherish that memory just as much as we do. Using your own photographs is one of the best ways to capture special moments for family members and friends, especially for those who do not live nearby.

Acrylic blocks are unique gift ideas that the recipient can display at home or even at work (my acrylic block is proudly displayed on my desk at work and I have patients constantly stopping to have a look at it!). Your photograph is displayed on a clear, one inch piece of premium cast acrylic block. Posterjack prints your image onto the back of the block and the result is an image that appears almost 3D with crystal clear quality. The light catches in the acrylic block in such a unique way that really makes your image the centre of attention.

Ordering acrylic blocks from Posterjack is simple, which is something we all need during the holiday season. All you have to do is visit Posterjack, choose the acrylic block option and upload your photo. Simplicity at it’s finest!

The acrylic blocks fit the home decor and styles of any individual and help keep those special memories alive (your favourite fur baby, a family member or even a new baby!).

Make sure you check out Posterjack online, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with news, contests and more!

How do you like to gift photographs for family and friends? Do you buy calendars, frames,etc?

November 18, 2015

Beautiful Creatures A Boundless Coloring Book Adventure by Nicole Stocker

Colour over the greys to bring the images to life in this unique adult colouring book by Nicole Stocker.

About Beautiful Creatures

Immerse yourself in the space between black and white and explore the many shades of your imagination. Unique in its sophisticated grayscale format, Beautiful Creatures is deceivingly simple. Using the gray as your guide, you will feel like a professional artist, bringing depth to each image and creating lifelike artwork that is uniquely yours. Take a moment of solitude to rediscover your creativity, and replenish your calm.

Optimized for coloring, each image is printed on acid-free, archival quality paper, perforated and watermarked for framing. Simply select your palette and color over the gray, letting the depth of shading guide your choices as you bring this thoughtfully curated collection of 48 striking images to life. Feel the thrill of artistic accomplishment that comes from creation, and the pride of seeing your work framed and displayed. Where the simplicity of coloring meets a refined aesthetic, Beautiful Creatures opens the door to artistic expression and all the joys that come with it.

My Thoughts

Colouring is one of my favourite calming activity. It helps me unwind from the day, clear my mind and even spend some time with my boys!

Beautiful Creatures is a whole new concept for colouring books with a grey scale that you colour on top of. Which at first sounds confusing but the end result is stunning. The grey scale helps with the tone of the image, helping those that may have little experience with colouring and painting. It can sometimes be hard to remember to shade depending on the light source so this was a fun way to get back in to drawing for me. It brought back all of my art classes while giving me artistic freedom with colour. I was easily lost in my colouring and spent over an hour colouring with the news on in the background. Even my children were jealous of the book and wanted to colour in it (I was a meanie and said no!).

Beautiful Creatures will make an excellent gift for the budding artist in your home as it allows them to improve on their skills while giving them artistic freedom in how they make the picture come alive. It was so much fun watching my image pop up on the page. The book itself is professional and even has a place for your signature waiting for you.

You can purchase a copy of Beautiful Creatures on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

As a young girl, Nicole was enchanted by a black and white photograph hanging in her parents summer cabin, wishing she could bring it to life with color. An artist at heart, Nicole imagined a collection of coloring books filled with inspiring, carefully curated photographs. The first in a series, Beautiful Creatures marks her publishing debut. A mother of two young children, Nicole treasures any moment to lose herself in color and creation in her Vancouver home.

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