April 27, 2018
Captives (Mud, Rocks, Trees) Book Three Book Review
In Captives, they find themselves caught up in forces beyond their control, can the three young deliverers break free to find each other?
About Captives (Mud, Rocks, Trees) Book Three
“Welcome to Tzoladia!”
The city on a hill in the center of the empire dazzles in the sunlight. The rich and powerful citizens live luxurious lives. But for those who arrive as slaves, refugees, or spies, it is a foreboding place. And it is on the verge of war.
“Beware the Gates of Hell!” the wise man warned.
Gates open. Some lead to the depths of the underworld. Some to the bottom of the sea. Some to the heights of power.
Caught up in forces beyond their control, can the three young deliverers break free to find each other? Or will they lose their way?
My Thoughts
Book Three in this exciting series is just as good if not the best in this series thus far.
In this book, everything centres around the city of Tzoladia – a city of weird noises, hatred, misunderstanding, slavery and strange ways. Our three main characters (with one minor twist) begin to intertwine with each other in a unique manner that leaves you craving for more.
Our story begins with Brina is sold into slavery, her peaceful people who do no harm to anyone are forced to watch and stand naked in front of the citizens of Tzoladia while they are sold off one by one. You can just imagine the shock and horror along with the sense of betrayal they are feeling at this point. Families are completely torn apart, children were murdered all for something none of them can understand in this foreign city. Brina is saved by an unlikely hero, one whose life she has saved herself and we can start to see something beginning to form between these two very different individuals, something which I am very excited to see how it unfolds!
Amanki is recovering emotionally from the horrors he saw and was part of in book two. He is sent to hide with a secret society while his teacher goes off to find the other characters to bring them together. He thought his life would be safe there but nothing is always as it seems as there is an evil plot underway for the complete annihilation of the webbie people and he is sent with his people to fight a war for a King who despises them.
Now Moshoi’s story seems to have taken a big turn as he is now assumed dead in the rock slide from Book Two. His younger brother has taken up his cause to deliver the jug to Amanki and save the world. He just never realized how dangerous the cause would be!
I fell in love with the plot development – we learned so much about our characters in this book and their stories began to intertwine in such a unique way that you can feel the height of the story beginning to start. I have become so invested in the characters and want to see them through their journey safe, especially Brina. I love her strength and courage, she has become my favourite character in this series with her vulnerability and strength.
Captives is a great book for young adults and adults alike. You can learn more about Refugees Book One here and Seekers Book Two here. You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
R.A. Denny started writing epic fantasy novels when, after watching the first Hobbit movie, she began excitedly spouting off information about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien’s writer’s group called the Inklings and how their greatest fantasy novels were created. One of her sons commented, “We could do that.” She laughed. Then, he turned it into a challenge.
Her unexpected journey had begun. For several years, she continued her day job as a criminal prosecutor and escaped by night to the world of the Tzoladian Empire. Then, she decided to just do what she loved.
She completed writing her six-book epic fantasy series: Mud, Rocks, and Trees. The series should be read in this order: Refugees, Seekers, Captives, Warriors, Visionaries, and then Deliverers.
R.A. enjoys ancient history, board games, and LEGO. That’s the nerd in her. She rides horses, raised flying squirrels and lives with two cats. That’s the animal lover in her. Oh, and did I mention that she loves a challenge? That’s the adventurer in her.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 23, 2018
A Penny Lost Book Review
In A Penny Lost, Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.
About A Penny Lost
Penelope Grace, usually forgotten under the shadow of her twin sister’s perfection, tries her hardest to hide her freakish ability to see into anyone’s soul.
Until she senses an unusual energy like a human-shaped void in the universe. When Penny investigates the source, she gets tossed through a crack in time along with the cute boy next door. The Void follows them through history, increasing the dangers as if testing Penny. But what is it testing for? And why does it claim to know her better than even she knows herself? Even as Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.
My Thoughts
This book is an exciting adventure that follows Penny as she travels back and forward in time in order to stop the mysterious Void that has taken her through a crack in time and the mysterious boy next door who was hosting the Void in his basement.
Penny is an exceptional young lady who has the ability to see into a person’s soul and see auras. Her family doesn’t believer her not even her twin sister. Penny has always felt out-of-place and forgotten especially beside her twin. When she is sucked into the Void along with her neighbour she learns that her powers become even stronger as she is able to control the Void, open doors in time and use her powers to protect herself and the boy whose name he can not remember.
This was an interesting plot that was constantly evolving and changing as the story continued on. The two young children are forced to travel back and forwards in time in order to solve the mystery of the Void, end the darkness and return them home to their own time. Every time they seem to be a step closer, the Void ensures they are a few steps behind again. You are left wondering is the Void really bad or is Penny altering time for the worse? Who is really in charge in this time travelling adventure and what is the ultimate goal? What roles do each of them play? While we receive some of the answers by the end of the book, it leaves you needing to know more especially when the Boy remembers what he had forgotten.
This book is a great read for young adults who will love the adventure and constantly evolving plot. You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
Rating: 4/5
About the Author
Aspen Bassett works at a library, telling stories and suggesting books. When she’s not working, she’s usually sipping hot cocoa and wondering what would happen if she had superpowers. She’s been published in multiple anthologies including Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way and Inaccurate Realities.
Aspen grew up learning about chakras and auras and the true power of imagination which slips into her writing whether she intend it to or not. In college, when she wasn’t busy working on her degree in Creative Writing, Aspen also got her certificate in Women’s Meditation (basically general energy work).
Now, she’s working toward a diploma in Integrated Healing Arts with a certificate in Hypnotherapy.
The Giveaway!
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 23, 2018
Sass, Smarts and Stilettos: How Italian Women Make the Ordinary Extraordinary
Learn how to live fully within your own philosophy of living in Sass, Smarts and Stilettos: How Italian Women Make the Ordinary Extraordinary
About Sass, Smarts and Stilettos: How Italian Women Make the Ordinary Extraordinary
Ah, that inimitable Italian style. It’s embedded in an Italian woman’s DNA. Fashion doesn’t define her. She defines herself. She knows an extraordinary life is not about status, money, or achievement. The only mastery it requires is one her heritage has given her, the irrepressible passion to make art of life itself.
Ask an Italian woman where she gets her sense of style and she will tell you it’s not about labels. It’s tethered to humble roots; humanity, community, conscious consumerism, and a profound appreciation for art in all its forms.
Sass, Smarts and Stilettos takes the reader on a journey from the humble hill towns of Abruzzo to the revered fashion capitals of Milan and Rome, into the artisan workshops of Florence, and the humanistic business practices of Luisa Spagnoli, Brunello Cuccinelli, and Alberta Ferretti, from the emergence of Italy’s fashion industry after WWII, to slow food and sustainable fashion initiatives taking root around the world.
Life lessons echo in the words of the author’s mother and grandmother, in the voices of Italian film divas, designers, tastemakers, writers, and artisans across generations, from the first Sala Bianca in Florence to the game changing design ethic of Franca Sozzani, Miuccia Prada, and Donatella Versace.
Learn how to live fully within your own philosophy of living. Say good-bye to mindless consumerism, emotional clutter, and others’ expectations. Create a personal style that fits like a custom blazer by Ferrè and enchants like the colors of a Sicilian sunset. Then go on to craft an extraordinary and empowering life made-to-measure for you alone.
My Thoughts
This is a wonderful book of the power, confidence, leadership and intelligence of women. While the title is about Italian women and focuses on this culture, women of all cultures can relate to this book through similar experiences.
I was moved by this story as I thought of my family and the women who came before me. My family is from Venice and I still remember when I was sixteen and landed for the first time in Italy and how in awe I was. The buildings, the relationships, the food, the fashion and the people were incredible and larger than life to me. I fell in love in that moment and was already planning my trip back. This book renewed my love for Italy and all things Italian.
While the book is a celebration of the power of women, it is also a reminder about what life really is about – family, good quality items and love. Gabriella provides us with the key to how the Italian women described in this story (from her Mother to herself to actresses to fashion designers) live their lives and how to follow in their steps. To embrace life with all of its emotions – to love fully and to never be afraid to show these feelings (tears are not weakness!). Quality over quantity – Western culture can be consumed with buying things for the sake of buying them but this book reminds us that it is better to live life uncluttered with things and to buy one quality item that will last over many items that will be thrown out. Everything in moderation is key – Italian women are happy because they don’t deny themselves the joys of life like food, wine and desserts but moderation is key.
I loved every moment of this book that celebrates the Italian woman but also the power of women in general. It made me want to hop on the plane and go home, yearning for something more!
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters and Kobo.
Rating: 4.5/5
About the Author
Gabriella Contestabile is the author of the novel, The Artisan’s Star, and owner of Su Misura (Made to Measure) Journeys; a boutique travel concept for the female traveler who relishes off-the-beaten-track adventures that celebrate the Italian way of life.
The book/travel initiative has its roots in her pre-writer life as a foreign language teacher, later as Executive Director and Vice President of International Training in a number of global companies (including Estee Lauder, Shiseido, and Prada Beauty) where she would create immersive and unconventional learning experiences in unique settings around the world.
One of her favorite pastimes, wherever she is in the world, is to scout out the best, and most ‘Italian’ espresso in the hood. It requires multiple tastings, but that’s the idea. Gabriella was born in Italy, and raised in Ottawa and New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, her mother, and a furry Shih Tzu named Oreo.
The Giveaway!
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 23, 2018
All the Way to Italy Book Spotlight
From war-torn Italy to the belpaese of today, All the Way to Italy is a tale for those in search of a balance between wanderlust and the necessity to come home, a reminder that although we may be fragments, we are never a lost cause.
About All the Way to Italy
Until her dad died, Little considered herself a Californian. Now, thanks to half a letter, a symbol she can’t quite remember, and writer’s block, she finds herself back in Italy, the country of her birth. In a headlong rush to return to her beloved San Francisco, Little will journey throughout Italy, hoping to find the answers she needs to move on with her life so she need never look back. She’ll enlist the help of the woman who raised her, Sira, her father’s sister; but Sira has secrets she’s kept for decades, and Little underestimates the power of the country she fled years before.
In this powerful story of mixed cultures in a world trying to globalize, one girl’s struggle to leave her home behind will lead her back to the women in her family and the memories each of them has safeguarded through the generations. From war-torn Italy to the belpaese of today, All the Way to Italy is a tale for those in search of a balance between wanderlust and the necessity to come home, a reminder that although we may be fragments, we are never a lost cause.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
About the Author
Born just outside of Rome, Flavia Brunetti grew up bouncing back and forth between Italy and California, eventually moving back to the Eternal City and confirming her lifelong commitment to real gelato. Flavia holds a Master of Arts degree in Government and Politics from St. John’s University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from John Cabot University. Today she travels the world working for an international humanitarian organization and spends her free time writing and wandering around her beloved Roma in constant search of bookstores and the perfect espresso. You can find her city blog on Rome at whichwaytorome.com and her portfolio of published writing at flaviinrome.com.
The Giveaway!
Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 19, 2018
What’s Weird on Earth #DKCanada Book Review
After reading What’s Weird on Earth, Earth will never seem the same again to your child and to you as the parent!
About What’s Weird on Earth
Find weird and wonderful facts about our extraordinary world, like all the wind patterns on the planet or each country’s national dish or the bizarre rock formations on each continent. These are shown visually on world maps, making them easier to understand and breath taking to behold.
Geography, history, STEM concepts, sociology, reading, technology, and more all come together in this exciting and educational atlas that presents the world’s weirdest facts visually on maps page by page. See hidden underground waterways and ancient patterns carved in the desert sand. Learn how 29,000 rubber duckies helped scientists trace ocean currents after a shipwreck. See where lightning strikes the most on Earth, and where it never strikes at all. See maps from previous centuries to understand how people perceived our planet thousands of years ago. Planet Earth will never seem the same again!
Our Thoughts
What’s Weird on Earth is a beautiful, hard cover 160 page book full of everything that you wanted to know or didn’t even know you wanted to know. Man eating trees? Red snow in Russia? All of the bizarre and spectacular things you didn’t even know will come to life in this amazing book.
This visually stunning book is divided into several sections; nature, supernatural, people, places, history and fun facts with sub-topics in each section. I am a visual learner myself and this book is perfect for children and adults alike as the stories and facts pop to life. You are immersed in a brilliant colorful display of history and facts as you take a trip around the world. You want to touch the pages and take it all in at once. The illustrations are bright and bold which helps to capture and hold your child’s attention.
Like many of their books, this one is colour coded so you know which section you are in allowing you to skim through to find exactly what you are looking for based on interest. Each two page spread contains a map of the world with pop up images and captions of interesting facts over their location on the map. They do a great job of capturing a wealth of information into a short blurb (which is no easy task). They give you just enough information to spark an interest in a new area which you can use to help them dive deeper into their educational journey by doing more research and discovery together, whether it be in the library or at home through Google. How can you resist not learning more about something as interesting as man-eating trees or monsters spotted in the ocean? Your imagination will soar with all of these new and somewhat bizarre facts about the world around us.
We could not put this gorgeous book down. We have read it several times already as we seem to pick up on new bits each time. It comes in hard cover format which is great for young readers who are not always as gentle as we like them to be and they can bring it everywhere with them. It is a great read for young and older children who love to learn and explore the world around them but who also appreciate the bizarre and different things in the world which makes it special.
You can purchase a copy of this book on DK Canada and Amazon.
Rating: 5/5
Disclosure: We received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.