Category: reviews

November 2, 2015

War for the Waking World by Wayne Thomas Batson

Would you be willing to fight for your dreams? In War for the Waking World, the Dreamtreaders must do this.

About War for the Waking World

Fifteen-year-old Archer Keaton has the ability to enter and explore his dreams. He is a Dreamtreader, one of three selected from each generation. Their mission: to protect the waking world from the Nightmare Lord who dwells beyond the Slumber Gate. But as Archer’s dreams become more dangerous and threatening, so too does his waking life.

In this fast-paced conclusion to the exciting fantasy trilogy, the dream world and the waking world bleed into each other when a rift is formed between the two. People in the real world suddenly find their waking lives resemble their wildest dreams. Now it’s up to Archer and his fellow Dreamtreaders to race to reverse the rift before too much damage is done and to battle Archer’s ex-best friend, Kara, who sits on the throne of the Nightmare Lord. Kara is building an army of her own. Will Archer be strong enough to stand against her?

My Thoughts

An extremely interesting and unique read from start to finish. This novel follows the dream and fantasy world and the interesting divide that is between them. In this novel that divide has fallen down and now it is hard to tell reality from fantasy. It is up to the Dreamtreaders to fix the rift if they can before the world collapses into fantasy.

A well written and thought out novel. While it was the conclusion of the trilogy, I did not feel lost or confused without having read the first two novels. The plot was incredible and I love the way it built up quickly and never lost momentum. The Dreamtreaders were amazing individuals who can conquer up objects at their own will (now that would be a skill I would love!). The best part – they were all young children and teens! Talk about making it great for youth to relate to and get lost in while reading. This is a novel that people of all ages will love!

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

Wayne Thomas Batson is an American writer. He has been married to his wife, Mary Lu, for seventeen years and has four children. He currently works as a teacher at Folly Quarter Middle School teaching sixth grade English language arts and is the youngest of four children. His most recent series, Dreamtreaders published by Thomas Nelson Inc (2014), is a modern-day paranormal YA adventure dealing with the subject of dreams.

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

November 2, 2015

A Kindled Winter by Rachel Demeter

Two lives collide in A Kindled Winter by Rachel Demeter and they will never be the same.

About A Kindled Winter

A week before Christmas, Jeseca Reed sets off for Blue River, Oregon, her childhood home and a vault of tender memories. Fate takes an unexpected turn when she’s left stranded in the mountains’ vast and untamed wilderness. Desperate and alone, she seeks shelter at a cottage and finds herself in the arms of a mysterious stranger.

Dr. David Drake was once a renowned cardiovascular surgeon. But a devastating tragedy has left him scarred both inside and out, unable to use his hands to operate again. For the past five years, his Blue River cottage has been his sole escape—a safe haven where he can shut out the world and bury himself in his grief.

Together they are summer and winter. Fire and ice. And yet a poignant connection forms between them. Jeseca awakens David and thaws his heart with a romance hot enough to melt snow. But before David and Jeseca can fully embrace each other, they must wade through darkness and confront the ghosts of their pasts.

My Thoughts

I absolutely LOVE the way Rachel writes. She pulls you into the story and immerses you in their lives, their pain, their hope and their love. A Kindled Winter does all of this and more.

David has experienced a pain that no person should ever have to (telling you would give away the hardest part of the book and you really want to read it to find out!). He forces seclusion on himself so that he can almost punish himself for his past. His past has left him physically, emotionally and mentally scarred. No matter how hard he tries to escape his past, he feels tormented by it but almost wants to feel the pain as he feels that he almost deserves it. This is the type of pain so many can relate to when they have suffered a great loss. You feel alone, you feel like you should be punished and all you want to do is almost feel pain.

Jeseca is a breath of fresh air, almost literally as she lands on his front step after an accident during a snow storm. While she has her own painful past that sometimes surfaces throughout the novel, she has learned to move forward with this pain (even though she has not fully accepted her past).

Jeseca and David are both scarred and in pain but it is this pain that draws them together and helps them work through the worst of it and move forward. They need each other in order to move forward, to accept the past for what it was, to treasure the good and bad and to hope for the future. The ending was full of such hope that you almost don’t want it to end! I wanted more of their story. A Kindled Winter will leave you wanting and wishing for more (hint hint Rachel!!!). Well written, great story full of emotion that leaves you craving more – you can’t ask for a better read!

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

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 poignant romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.

Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.

Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.

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

October 30, 2015

The Wild Thornberrys: The Complete Series Giveaway!

Everyone’s favourite globe-trotting family is back in the complete series (all ninety-one episodes) on DVD!

About The Wild Thornberrys

If you are not yet familiar with this funny and crazy family, The Thornberry family travels around the world in their CommVee looking for rare animals to film. After an encounter with a mysterious shaman, their youngest child Eliza was given the power to speak to animals (awesome, right?!). Travelling to every corner of the world with her family of daffy documentarian, Eliza uses her fantastic skill to learn about the lifestyles and habitats of the world’s most exotic creatures.

My Thoughts

The animations in this series are fantastic, age appropriate and bring the story to life. Eliza’s unique ability to speak with animals brings a new perspective to the stories. Eliza speaks with all types of animals including pythons, tapirs, antelopes and even capybaras! We are able to ‘see’ wildlife in their natural state and hear an age appropriate encounter with these animals. I love how the conversations with the animals are similar to the type of conversations and thoughts your own child would make up.

The bonus with this DVD set? Ninety one episodes of fun on fifteen discs! So no more, ‘Mom I am so bored of this episode!’. It makes for fun family movie nights, sick days for the kids and even downtime for the family. The episodes are hilarious and enchanting at the same time (I love cartoons that are animal based) and remind me of my own childhood favourite cartoons!.

Enter to Win The Wild Thornberrys Complete Series on DVD!

My Canadian and American residents can now enter to win your own copy (the perfect stocking stuffer gift!) via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

October 29, 2015

Fresh and Stylish Home Fragrance with Lampe Berger #LampeBerger

Winter is almost here (and with the cool weather we have been having in Ontario it is not too hard to believe) and it is just about time to freshen up your home decor with a warmer and spicier theme as well as to start thinking about holiday gifts. Home fragrance is a great way to add some spice and comfort in your home in a unique and fashionable way, especially using Lampe Berger‘s diffusing products.

The Scented cube (my personal fave!) is a glass cube with a ring on top of it with eight black sticks that help to diffuse the scent into the air. The sticks can be turned upside down to keep the fresh scent in the air diffusing. It is easy to set up the home fragrance scented cube, it is literally remove the cap, add the sticks in and you have instant fragrance being diffused into the air.

The rose bouquet is a delicate version of the scented cube, where the rose ‘petals’ gently pick up the fragrance through capillary action and gently diffuse the scent throughout your home. If you want to replace the scent you do have to replace the rose top piece as well.

The new Lampe Berger products also has an accompanying line of ten new scents that help awaken feelings of warm, comfort, relaxation all while keeping the bad odours at bay (in our home – our dog and two young boys!). The ten new fragrances include: Orange Cinnamon, Ocean Breeze, Zest of Verbena, Vanilla Gourmet, Paris Chic, Precious Jasmine, Soap Memories, Amber Powder, Virginia Cedarwood and Provence Treats.

One of the best features of these new products are that they are completely flame free and are easy to move from room to room without making a mess. Our scented cube makes a daily trip from the hallway (where our dog likes to sleep) to the living room to the kitchen and finally to the bathroom.

You can find the Scented Cube and Rose Bouquet on the Lampe Berger website and they range in price from $25-45.00 CDN. Thus making them an easy and affordable holiday gift for the special person in your life!

Are you familiar with the Lampe Berger brand? What is your favourite design by them?

Disclosure: I am a Lampe Berger Brand Ambassador and receive perks with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 28, 2015

A Respectable Actress by Dorothy Love

In A Respectable Actress, when India Hartley is accused of murder, she must uncover the deceptions of others to save herself.

About A Respectable Actress

India Hartley, a famous and beautiful actress, is now alone after her father’s death and embarks upon a tour of theaters across the South. Her first stop is Savannah’s Southern Palace. On the eve of the second night’s performance, something goes horribly wrong. Her co-star, Arthur Sterling, is shot dead on stage in front of a packed house, and India is arrested and accused of the crime.

A benefactor hires Philip Sinclair, the best—and handsomest–lawyer in Savannah to defend India. A widower, Philip is struggling to reinvent his worn-out plantation on St. Simons Island. He needs to increase his income from his law practice in order to restore Indigo Point, and hardly anything will bring him more new clients than successfully defending a famous actress on a murder charge.

Because India can’t go anywhere in town without being mobbed, Philip persuades the judge handling her case to let him take her to Indigo Point until her trial date. India is charmed by the beauty of the Georgia low country and is increasingly drawn to Philip. But a locked room that appears to be a shrine to Philip’s dead wife and the unsolved disappearance of a former slave girl raise troubling questions. Piecing together clues in an abandoned boat and a burned-out chapel, India discovers a trail of dark secrets that lead back to Philip, secrets that ultimately may hold the key to her freedom. If only he will believe her.

My Thoughts

A Respectable Actress is set in one of my favourite time periods in the South of America. It follows the story of India, who grew up in the theatre world and has herself become an actress. It is still a profession that is looked down upon, especially for women. We encounter this several times throughout the novel. Dorothy has this fantastic way of putting historical facts into the story without taking over the plot.

The way the story comes together is fascinating and keeps you guessing right to the very last second. The secrets India uncovers not only set her free but also Philip as well.

Well written, interesting and captivating, A Respectable Actress will become a quick favourite to read!

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

A native of west Tennessee, Dorothy Love makes her home in the Texas hill country with her husband and their golden retriever. An award-winning author of numerous young adult novels, Dorothy made her adult debut with the Hickory Ridge novels. When she isn’t busy writing or researching her next book, Love enjoys hiking, traveling, and hanging out with her husband Ron and their rambunctious golden retriever. The Loves make their home in the Texas hill country.

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