February 11, 2016
Stellar Cast Ready to Star in Doc McStuffins Newest Adventures
A brand new celebrity cast (and my personal favourites) are ready to star in the ever favourite children’s television show, Doc McStuffins.
Anthony Anderson (black-ish), Molly Ringwald (Sixteen Candles – my FAVE movie of all time!), Ellen Pompeo (Grey’s Anatomy), Gabourey Sidibe (Empire) and Vanessa Williams (The Good Wife) will guest star on Disney Junior’s critically-acclaimed Doc McStuffins, an animated series about a little girl who aspires to be a doctor like her mom and runs a clinic for stuffed animals and toys out of her backyard playhouse. They join previously announced guest star Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges in season four, slated to debut this summer on Disney Junior Canada.
In this exciting new season, we find Doc and her toy friends magically transported to a make-believe town (made up entirely of toys!) where Doc serves as chief resident of the Toy Hospital.
The series stars Laya DeLeon Hayes as Doc; Loretta Devine as Hallie; Lara Jill Miller as Lambie; Robbie Rist as Stuffy; Jess Harnell as Chilly; Andre Robinson as Donny McStuffins; Kimberly Brooks as Mom McStuffins; and Gary Anthony Williams as Dad McStuffins.
Past celebrity guests on Doc Mcstuffins includes: The First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama; Audra McDonald; Geena Davis; Ty Burrell; David Copperfield; Taye Diggs; Patton Oswalt; Molly Shannon; Jeffrey Tambor; Tony Hale; Lisa Loeb; and five cast members of Downton Abbey – Joanne Froggatt, Lesley Nicol, Matt Milne, Nigel Harman and Robert Bathurst. What a line up there!
Make sure to connect with Disney Junior online and Facebook.
February 11, 2016
Come Together with Beat Bugs and Netflix #StreamTeam
BEAT BUGS, an animated series inspired by the songs of the Beatles welcomes international music artists Eddie Vedder, P!nk, James Bay, Sia, The Shins, Of Monsters and Men, Chris Cornell, Regina Spektor, James Corden, and Birdy to inspire hope and melody.
About Beat Bugs
Beat Bugs incorporates songs from the Lennon/McCartney ‘Northern Songs’ catalogue, to tell uplifting and life-affirming stories filled with hope and melody. World-leading artists, animators and writers have come together to work on this show. The Beat Bugs are charming, funny, adventurous, and have a knack for getting themselves into mischief and mayhem. Each of the five friends (Jay, Kumi, Crick, Buzz, and Walter) has a distinctive personality, and they display the charm and energy of five lovable kids. They are best friends who band together to explore and learn in an overgrown suburban backyard, which to them is their entire universe!
The show will feature some of the most well-known Beatles songs woven into the narrative of each episode, with Eddie Vedder, P!nk, James Bay, Sia, The Shins, Of Monsters and Men, Chris Cornell, Regina Spektor, James Corden, and Birdy each recording their rendition of an iconic song. Further artists joining the project are expected to be announced in the coming months. Among the songs featured include Help!, All You Need Is Love, Come Together, Penny Lane, Yellow Submarine, Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Magical Mystery Tour.
Beat Bugs will be coming to Netflix this summer so get ready for some Beatles musical fun!
Beat Bugs Trailer
February 8, 2016
Thirst Blood of my Blood Debut Novel
R.P. Channing has just released his debut novel, Thirst Blood of my Blood.
About Thirst Blood of my Blood
Kira Sutherland
After a near fatal accident (and getting cheated on by her ‘boyfriend’), and beating up the lead cheerleader (with whom the boyfriend cheated…), and being labeled as having ‘issues’ in her school because she, umm, sees ghosts, Kira is left with two choices:
1. Continue her ‘therapy’ (where she’s told the ghost is a hallucination and also gets her legs ogled too often…)
2. Go to Starkfield Academy, a boarding school for “Crazies and Convicts” (as the social media sites call them.)
She chooses the latter..
Cory Rand
Cory Rand has not had an easy life. His mother died in a car accident when he was twelve, and so did his mother’s best friend…sort of. You see, Janice made a promise to take care of Cory just before she died, and so she lingers. Undead. A ghost that watches out for him.
Brought up in an abusive home, Cory quickly falls into a life of disreputable behavior. After his third offense (which was prompted by a girl, as usual – he has a weakness) he’s left with two choices:
1. Be tried as an adult and share a cell with a guy named Bubba (he thinks…)
2. Go to Starkfield Academy, which Cory is pretty sure is run by vampires. But, hey, at least he’ll get an education.
He chooses the latter…
It’s at Starkfield that Kira meets Cory Rand, a boy with an insatiable Rage who sees ghosts, too. As well as other things, other things from his past, things that confuse him, things like fire and witches and demons.
Things he’s always ignored. Until now.
Where to Purchase
You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon or Amazon UK.
About the Author
R P Channing started writing three years ago, but never published anything even after churning out over a million words of fiction. Thirst: Blood of my Blood is the first book he dared to publish. When asked why, he said, “Because it’s the first thing I wrote that my wife actually enjoyed reading.” When not hammering away (most literally) at his keyboard, he can be found buried in a book, reading anything from romance to horror to young adult to non-fiction to comedy. You can find him online, Twitter and Amazon.
February 8, 2016
Plant Based Cookbook
Going vegetarian was an important decision for me but it has also been difficult to plan meals and keep up variety. It was also hard to explain my choices to family members and friends. Plant Based Cookbook makes the guess-work easy. It breaks down how to eat a plant-based diet and fantastic recipes to go along with it.
About Plant Based Cookbook
The health benefits of a plant-based diet are at your fingertips in this all-inclusive cookbook with 200 hearty vegetarian and vegan recipes, from basics such as stocks and sauces to appetizers, meatless mains, bakes and casseroles, grains and pasta, tofu, tempeh, and seitan, desserts, and more.
The Plant-Based Cookbook also provides nutritional information, tips on transitioning to a plant-based diet, making your favorite recipes meat-free, sources of protein, cooking techniques and tools, and advice for the newbie on easy-to-do plant-based cooking.
My Thoughts
A fantastic resource for those starting out on their journey to becoming a vegetarian and those who have already been on this path for a while. This cookbook will also be helpful for family members to understand the vegetarian diet and learn a variety of recipes to cook for their family members (it isn’t all about eating vegetables!).
The hardcover cookbook contains 200 recipes with plenty of different options to choose from, not a fan of a certain vegetable or bean – no worries! Turn the pages and you will find plenty of other options. The book is divided into sections from breakfast to sides to desserts and breads. She also includes easy substitutes in her recipes if you are not a huge fan of a certain fruit or vegetable. The photography is stunning in this cookbook, large bold images span each page that make your mouth water!
The only thing I wish was included in this book was a breakdown of the nutritional value. I could easily add the recipes into my phone app but having it ready would have been nice too.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
Trish Sebben-Krupka is a chef, culinary educator, cookbook author, and freelance editor. She is the owner of Local Girl Makes Food, a personal chef and culinary education business catering to clients interested in vegan, vegetarian, and eco-friendly diets. She is a former corporate chef for the Viking Culinary Center and Carl Schaedel and Co., Inc., where she created original recipes and menus; taught culinary classes in home food preservation, plant-based cooking, and sustainable cuisine.
Disclosure: I received this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
February 5, 2016
A Son’s Vow Book Review
When life changes drastically three months ago, Darla’s whole life is turned upside down. It is up to A Son’s Vow to help her during this time.
About A Son’s Vow
Darla’s father was responsible for a terrible fire at Charm’s lumber mill which killed five Amish men. And though he, too, lost his life, the town of Charm hasn’t looked at her family the same since. Even Lukas Kinsinger–with whom Darla used to have a close friendship.
Now her brother’s anger at the town is spilling over onto Darla, and she has the bruises to prove it. The accident already cost five lives, but if something doesn’t change soon, Darla fears it will cost her–and her family–even more.
Lukas Kinsinger wants to mourn the loss of his father, but he can hardly find the time to breathe. Suddenly the head of his father’s lumber mill and responsible for taking care of his three siblings, he’s feeling the pressure. He has also never felt more alone–especially with the new tension between he and Darla. But when he learns of her troubles at home, Lukas knows he can’t simply stand by and watch. Someone has to help her before another tragedy occurs.
As Lukas and Darla attempt to repair their families, they discover something deeper than friendship growing between them. But will Lukas and Darla’s love be accepted after so much loss? Or will the pain of the past overcome any chance of future happiness?
Shelley Shepard Gray’s first book in her Charmed Amish Life series is set in the quaint Amish village of Charm, Ohio, and tells the stories of the Kinsinger siblings who are each struggling to find both forgiveness and love in the face of tragedy.
My Thoughts
A Son’s Vow has so much depth and emotion. A small town is devastated by a fire that killed five of their own community members. Some of the community can’t help but point the finger at Darla’s family, some are so full of hate and anger at the loss of life that it now consumes them.
At the heart of this novel is Darla. Darla is the daughter of the man who has been blamed for the fire. She faces daily struggles with her community, she is verbally harassed in the book and on top of that has the responsibility of caring for her younger family members. Her life is consumed with the care of others without ever looking at her owns emotions and pain. She ignores the struggle she feels on the inside and puts on a brave face for the outside world. To top it all off, her brother is so angry and takes it out on her – sometimes physically!
Lukas would do anything for Darla, he has always been her teacher, her friend and her support. He feels they can only heal and move forward if they speak about their loss and join forces. He misses his friend. Slowly they find their friendship is changing, maybe into a more romantic feel???
I don’t want to spoil anything for you! But definitely check out this wonderful book from Shelley Shepard Gray.
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
Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.