Movie review: A Castle for Christmas

A Castle for Christmas follows the path of rich and famous romance author Sophie Brown who flees the wrath of her irate fans, after she killed off the hero of her best-selling series, to Scotland, where her father grew up. Particularly at a place called Dun Dunbar which is, of course, a castle. This castle is owned by the Duke of Dunbar, somewhat impoverished since his profligate ancestors had managed to bankrupt the family fortunes and the fate of the estate hangs in the balance, that balance swinging inexorably in the direction of the bank. The castle is up for sale although the duke denies things are that bad and thinks he can pay off the monstrous debts through historic tours and the castle gift shop. Enter Sophie who is desperate to connect with her family history. To the curmudgeonly duke’s horror, she offers to buy the castle. He concocts what Baldrick would call ‘A Very Cunning Plan’ to slip a non-refundable hefty deposit into the sale price and then make her so miserable she will leave and forfeit the deposit. But our Sophie is made of sterner stuff and while she braves it out, the village knitting circle, the duke’s right-hand man, and even the duke’s dog Hamish fall under Sophie’s spell. The problem is, will he?

I have seldom enjoyed such a charming Christmas romance as I did this one. Carey Elwes is handsome and well worth watching (especially in a kilt or actually in anything, or nothing – see bathtub scene). Although he was panned for his Scottish accent, to my untrained ear he did very well and I have to confess, I could listen to him read the telephone book. Let’s make that a Chinese telephone book… Brooke Shields is the star of the movie and with just cause. At 56 she is still very beautiful and appears not to have succumbed to the Botox brigade that has rendered several actresses of a certain age almost immobile in their expressions. She is lovely and natural and plays the feisty Sophie to perfection. As an author, I felt for her trying to get those first words down. The castle is glorious, and I could be happy there, the scenery is magnificent, and the village is picture perfect pretty; even the sheep are clean. Of course, this does not exist in real life, but in a Christmas movie, who cares about real life?

There is a distinct lack of rabid social haranguing that has spoiled many a movie recently. It was refreshing to enjoy a story without having pious social justice issues thrust down your throat. The cast is diverse in a gentle, very natural way and everything and everyone flowed together quite seamlessly. Need I say, the dog stole the show. Hamish is played by Barley, a Lurcher cross who has already achieved some fame in the entertainment industry, having also appeared in Poldark, Midsomer Murders, and has shared screen time with Chris Hemsworth! Hamish’s performance was so eloquent he could almost speak. He was very sensible to transfer his affections almost instantly to Sophie. I also enjoyed that the main characters were over the age of silliness and looked and acted like real people their age. There is romance for everyone is the message! Plus, it is quite amazing how good men look in a kilt. The duke’s right-hand man (played by Lee Ross) rocks a kilt. What else can I say but this is the perfect Christmas movie to relax with. There’s snow, Christmas trees and decorations, crackling fires, delicious food, reunions and reconciliations, and a season of joy and good cheer for all.

 

Book Review: Lucy's First Christmas

Lucy’s First Christmas is the third book in the Lucy Tales series, written by Rolynda Tassan and illustrated by Ruby Wheeler. Lucy is a rescue cat who now lives with a lovely family, comprising Mom, Dad, youngster Ben and other animals, Sissy, Addy, and Pippin. Something’s up in the household with Mom baking cookies, Dad fixing the lights for the Christmas tree, and Ben outside building a snowman. All this unusual activity puzzles Lucy. The other animals tell Lucy that since the next day is Christmas Day, Santa will be visiting that night to drop off presents for everyone. Everyone is busy with activities, getting ready for the holiday, and Lucy wants to help. But a little kitten can’t exactly help to wrap the presents and untangle the Christmas lights, and outside in the snow Lucy manages to fall into a snowdrift. What can Lucy do to help everyone get ready for the festivities? One thing Lucy does very well is snuggle, and that’s how she found a way to help everyone by tucking them into bed on Christmas Eve.

This is an adorable story with a deeper meaning for families, their animals, and the love and warmth of the Christmas spirit. The book is dedicated to the shelter and rescue volunteers who embrace those animals waiting for their forever families. Lucy finds love and warmth in a family that cares for her. The Christmas theme, with giving and caring for others, is one that youngsters will appreciate as well. The idea of the family preparing for a holiday together, everyone doing the tasks that they do best, spending time together as a family by reading a Christmas story aloud in front of the tree, giving gifts and making sure that everyone feels as if they are a special part of the celebrations will enchant young and older readers alike. The illustrations are delightful, simple, and colourful, and convey the ideas expressed in the text. Each panel is very clear, and this is a good opportunity for young readers who are reading with a parent or caregiver to discuss the picture in depth. This lovely, charming story is the perfect read for Christmas or any time of year and is sure to bring joy to young readers for many more years to come.

Book Review: Boudin's First Christmas

Boudin's First Christmas is the first story in Boudin's Grand Adventures, and is written and creatively illustrated by Leah Morris, or “Mama Leah.” This is a simple and delightful children’s picture book story of a grandmother now left alone after a long and happy marriage to her husband of sixty years. Together they had made the bayou their home and had enjoyed life there and exploring what the swamp had to offer. But the old lady is lonely and longs for a companion to share her days. Maybe a dog? A dog could keep her company as she went on walks. So, in anticipation of her wish being granted, the old lady set out a comfy chair for Father Christmas, cookies, and a cool glass of milk. She also placed a candle in the window to light his way. As the sun rose on Christmas Day, what a wonderful, loving surprise awaited her! The old lady named her adorable new companion Boudin, which is the name of a sausage of meat and rice really enjoyed by the Cajun French. Boudin’s adventures have just begun.

First, the wonderful images make this story an enchanting work of art. The pictures are hand drawn and painted, and then stitched onto paper with a green thread. This gives a cosy, home-grown feel to the whole story, drawing young (and any age) readers into a story literally created by the author. I loved the delicate detail of the images, the vibrant colours, the way the edges of the pictures spill over the paper edge, giving a three-dimensional perspective. This is the kind of picture book that children will want to read or have read to them again and again, as they pore over each page and find new details with each retelling. The book itself has a ‘classic’ feel that just invites youngsters to turn those pages themselves.

The story has so much to offer readers: themes of love and devotion in a relationship, remembering a loved one who has passed on, the idea of companionship, caring for and loving a four-footed companion, having faith that a wish will come true, and acting on that faith. I just loved everything about this touching and beautifully illustrated tale. I have no doubt that readers, young and older, will be eager to find out more about Boudin’s next adventure. Although this is a Christmas story, it’s a delightful read for any time of the year!

Book Review: Gizmo Goes on The Polar Express

Gizmo Goes on The Polar Express, written by Heidi Phillips and illustrated by River Wilson, is the adorable story of a fluffy little white dog named Gizmo who has dreamed of riding on the Polar Express on Christmas Eve. And it’s a dream that comes true because he receives an invitation … what a wonderful looking invitation it is too! It’s a golden ticket, it smells of milk and cookies, and it instructs the recipient to “Believe!” All Gizmo has to do is close his eyes and drift off to sleep. Suddenly, with blinding lights and whole lot of noise, the Polar Express arrives! The conductor shouts, “All aboard!” This is going to be such a special treat for all those children who have been very good. What excitement, what fun as cookies and hot chocolate are being served. Then just as suddenly, everything comes to a halt as Gizmo is accused of being a thief! Will he have to give his ticket back and be put on the Naughty list? Is this a terrible misunderstanding? It must be! But there’s the photographic evidence! Can Gizmo clear his name with Santa? Will he miss out on visiting Santa’s Village, riding in the sleigh, and feeding the reindeer with everyone else?

What a lovely children’s story! This is a tale that will captivate young readers with the mix of hand drawn illustrations and photographs of the real Gizmo and his family. I loved the rhymes, I loved the story, and I was on tenterhooks as to how Gizmo could be (hopefully wrongly) accused of pinching some popcorn. There are such pertinent life lessons woven into the tale of Gizmo’s Christmas Eve, and these are lessons that will stand young readers in good stead as they grow up. People often look for only the bad in others, when we should be looking for the good. We can’t control what others do; we can only control what we do and how we react. Remaining steadfast, telling the truth, and believing in oneself is something that all youngsters will do well to learn, and Gizmo sets a great example. The flow of the story is fast and exhilarating, and young readers will be caught up in the flurry of action and excitement as the Polar Express sets off for the North Pole.

I enjoyed the way the author captured Gizmo’s emotions of excitement, ebullience, happiness as his dream comes true, and then the complete disappointment, the fight to hold back his tears, the feeling of being let down because of someone else being nasty. I think youngsters will relate to the story, and be uplifted by the joyful ending. The end of the book shows the real-life hero, Gizmo, in his festive Christmas jacket, enjoying a ride on a real Polar Express and visiting Santa’s Village! This is the third of Gizmo’s adventures and, by all accounts, Gizmo has quite a following, especially at book readings! This is a charming story for youngsters at Christmas, but just as fun any time of the year!

Book Blast: Marty and the Christmas Eve Surprise

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Book Bl ast for the charming children's book written by Sharon Durgin and illustrated by Jo an Coleman, Marty and the Christmas Eve Surprise. The blast will run June 7 - J une 9, 2016.

About the Book

Title: Marty and the Christmas Eve Surpris e | Author: Sharon Durgin | Illustrator: Joan Co leman Genre: Children's Holiday Book | Publisher: BookLogi x | Expected Release: May 24, 2016

Book Description:

Marty is a little mouse who has lots of fun with his f riends as they get ready for Christmas. But when the house cats get involved, you can ex pect a little bit of mischief. Can Marty save the day in time for Christmas?

Take a peek inside the book...

About the Author: Sharon Durgin

Sharon E. Durgin is a designer in the engineering business and an active member of Toastmasters International. With her love of the spoke n and written word she has created Marty and the Christmas Eve Surprise. This is her first book, and she looks forward to publishing more stories of Marty's life. Sharon has two adult children and lives and works in Greenville, South Carolina.

Websi te | Facebook

Book Blast Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card

 or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice

Giveaway ends: June 21, 11:59 pm, 2016 

Open to: Internationally 

How to enter: Please enter using the Raffle copter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WI N. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn t hrough the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the wi nner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Fa cebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Sharon Durgin and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel f ree to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Book Blast: The Knights before Christmas

Mother Daughter Book Reviews is pleased to be coordinating a Book Blast for the newly released picture book, "The Knights Before Christmas" by Joan Holub (November 6 to 8, 2015).

About the Book

Title: The Knights Before Christmas | Author: Joan Holub | Illustrator: Scott Magoon | Publication Date: September 8, 2015 | Publisher: Macmillan / Henry Holt | Pages: 32 | Recommended Ages: 4 to 8

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Goodreads | Indiebound | iBook | Kobo

Book Description:

'Twas December 24th, and three brave knights were just settling in for the night when out on the drawbridge, there arose such a clatter! The knights try everything to get rid of this unknown invader (Santa Claus!), a red and white knight with a fleet of dragons . . .

But nothing would stop their white-whiskered foe. No matter their efforts, he just would not go!

This parody of Clement Clarke Moore's well-known poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas is kid-friendly, clever, and just plain silly. Sure to become a holiday classic of a different kind!  

Sneak Peek

 

The Buzz About the Book

“There's an excellent interplay between the amusing illustrations and the polished text, with lots of clever jokes for readers to discover in the art. These knights know how to keep the castle safe and the readers entertained”~ Kirkus Reviews

“A royal romp of holiday pratfalls and punnery. Yule love it!” ~ Tom Lichtenheld, bestselling illustrator of Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

“A royal delight of a book! Sure to become a favorite holiday read-aloud in every household throughout the land!” ~ Judy Schachner, creator of the bestselling Skippyjon Jones

"A great premise...Magoon's illustrations are vibrant and fun...!" ~ Publishers Weekly

"This rousing, ridiculous medieval “Night Before Christmas” parody jingles with castle- and holiday wordplay. Cheeky digital illustrations brim with good cheer." ~ Horn Book

 

About the Author: Joan Holub

Joan Holub is the author of 140+ books for children including the acclaimed picture books Little Red Writing, The Knights Before Christmas, and Mighty Dads, a New York Times bestseller. Joan co-authors (with Suzanne Williams) three series: Goddess Girls (ages 8-12, Greek mythology with a middle school twist), Grimmtastic Girls (for ages 8-12, fairy tale adventure with a middle school twist), and Heroes in Training (ages 6-11, Greek mythology adventure chapter books). Watch for her upcoming chapter book, What Was Woodstock?, and her board book, This Little President, both available in early 2016!  

Website | Author Blog | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Facebook | Facebook (Goddess Girls) | Facebook (Grimmtastic Girls)

 

** Book Blast Giveaway **

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice Giveaway ends: November 19, 11:59 pm, 2015 Open to: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Joan Holub and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The BookElves Anthology Volume 1 in Time for Christmas!

Here’s the book you’ve all been waiting for! The BookElves Anthology Volume 1 is chock full of Christmas cheer, with stories that will please young and young at heart readers. There’s something for everyone in this collection of whimsical tales. Seven stories, seven situations threatening the festivities. Will the holidays be a disaster? Will families be left out in the cold? Will there be tears before bedtime, or will there be happy endings all round? The MG BookElves group brings you its first anthology of tales to enjoy during the holiday season:

* Reliable Clooney Dockins delivered his town's mail on time for thirty-two years, until that strange and impossible Christmas Eve when he woke up late. M.G.King (Fizz & Peppers at the Bottom of the World, Librarian on the Roof)
* Max the Tonkinese cat finds Santa Claus on the roof and is whisked away to retrieve a very special message from another time and place. Wendy Leighton-Porter (The Shadows from the Past series)
* Shirley Link is an amateur sleuth who lives in a town that could use all the sleuths it can get! What is it about Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts that makes it such a hotspot for dastardly deeds? Even on Christmas Day? Ben Zackheim (Shirley Link Detective Series, The Camelot Kids)
*Champ may be a rescue dog, but he’s the best person around to stop the dognappers and save heartbreak at Christmas. Fiona Ingram (The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, Champ: My Story of Survival)
* When the railroad gets snowed under, the two bit town of Skunk Corners has to play host to a load of mighty difficult strangers. Can Big Al and the Ninja Librarian keep the season of goodwill from breaking into a riot? Rebecca M. Douglass (The Ninja Librarian, Halitor the Hero)
*Far away on the west coast of a western Scottish island, Dylan and Dougall face yuletide in Castle Haunn with no heat, light or food. Can Dylan get the message through to the mainland for help, or is there something nasty waiting for him in the hills? Jemima Pett (The Princelings of the East series)
*It’s Christmas holiday and Lily is stuck in a remote mountain village. With school out for a month and no internet connection, at first she wonders how she will fill the time. In this sweet romance, Lily discovers there’s more to gift-giving than just the giving. S. Smith (The Seed Savers series)

 
Each tale weaves its own seasonal magic. Each magician has already warmed the hearts of thousands of young readers with their stories. Enjoy these frantic races to meet the Christmas deadline while you curl up in your favourite reading spot this winter.