Dad of Divas' Reviews: July 2013

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Book Review - Master Davey and The Magic Tea House

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

About the Book
Master Davey's precious Blue Tiger Tea is about to disappear from the world forever. Can Hopper Smith, a boy with the power to unlock the stories hidden inside each tea, find the courage to face the fierce Blue Tiger and save the tea?

A unique adventure story. Also in hard cover and gift set with Blue Tiger Herbal Infusion. Children and families can enjoy reading the book and sharing tea. What stories will YOU unlock from the tea?

About the Author
Susan Chodakiewitz is the author of Too Many Visitors for One Little House, Wobegon and Mildred, and Mr. Snoozle's Exquisite Eggs. A composer, lyricist and producer, Susan has appeared in schools, libraries, and museums worldwide for author events. She recently travelled with co-author tea master David De Candia to Sri Lanka where they read and gave away books to children at the Tea Estates and at a Cancer Hospital in Sri Lanka.

David De Candia is tea master and Director of Tea at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. His travels to tea estates around the world to taste and select teas for the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The stories and adventures he experienced as part of this travel was a big contribution to the inspiration for Master Davey and the Magic Tea House.

My Take on the Book
This story is centered around a boy named Hopper who often visited the tea house of Master Davey. Hopper learned about tea as he drank it in Master Davey's Magic Tea House.

Hopper becomes involved in the challenge to help save a village that used to grow the rare and special Blue Tiger Tea. He is transformed magically to China and begins his quest to help a young girl named Camillia find the seeds of the Blue Tiger Tea. Their adventure takes them through many challenges but they succeed. The story shows the perseverance of Hopper and that his kindness to others brings him reward from the emperor.

The story is a nice one about a boy's adventure and his determination to find the lost tea seeds.

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

DVD Review - Room on the Broom

About the Movie
Why not kick-off Family Fun Month with Family Movie Night? In Room on the Broom, the witch and her cat couldn't be happier, flying through the sky on their broomstick—until the witch drops her hat, then her bow, then her wand! Luckily, three helpful animals—a dog, a parrot and a frog—find the missing items and all they want in return is a ride on the broomstick. But is there room on the broom for so many new friends? The kindly witch thinks there is—much to the frustration of her cat. But when disaster strikes, and the witch is about to be eaten by a fearsome dragon, she is saved by the gang of animals, all working together. The witch’s cat learns the importance of friends and family, and the witch rewards her new friends with a magnificent broom that is big enough for everyone!

Beautiful CGI animation brings the book’s drawings to life under the direction of Max Lang. Gillian Anderson (The X Files) provides the voice of the witch; while Timothy Spall of Harry Potter fame, lends his voice to the dragon. Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) narrates the story which also features the recognizable voices of Martin Clunes, Rob Brydon and David Walliams portraying the helpful animals that comprise the witch’s family. Room on the Broom is produced by Magic Light Pictures (the team behind award-winning animations The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child).

Complete Family Movie Night by enjoying together the fun-filled activities available for FREE for download at NCircle Entertainment’s activity site, EntertainmentThatEducates.com, including a coloring page featuring all of the endearing characters from the film; the “find the…” challenge that incorporates counting skills; templates for creating your own Room on the Broom finger puppets; and the elements for creating your very own magical wand! There’s also a word search puzzle and a dizzying maze to navigate.

My Take on the Movie
My family has been a fan of this book for some time and it definitely is one that I know that my children have asked me to read many times in the past. So you can guess that we were very excited to see that this great story was now being released as a video too. In watching this movie as a family I have to say that they have done a great job at capturing the wonderful feel of the book itself and added on some additional mannerisms about each of the characters that you cannot specifically see in the book which made the characters deeper with a longer back story.

I also have to say that we enjoyed also watching the bonus features. This was the first time that we have been introduced to the author and gave us a more intimate knowledge to why the book was made in the way it was.

All-in-all this movie does a great job at capturing all aspects of the book itself and whether you have read the book or not you too will like this as well.

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Room on the Broom

About the Book
The witch and her cat are happily flying through the sky on a broomstick when the wind picks up and blows away the witch's hat, then her bow, and then her wand! Luckily, three helpful animals find the missing items, and all they want in return is a ride on the broom. But is there room on the broom for so many friends? And when disaster strikes, will they be able to save the witch from a hungry dragon?

My Take on the Book
Every young child will enjoy Julia Donaldson's story about a witch and the adventure she has when she decides to take a ride on her broom. It is written in rhyme which is fun to read and children love the sing song quality of rhyme. There is sequence and some predictability within the story as the witch meets various animals. Once the children understand the pattern they may be able to help with part of the story. There is also an episode with a "ferocious " dragon, but the animals rescue the witch. The witch uses her problem solving skills to make a new broom too.

So lots of interesting parts of this adventure for you and your child to enjoy together.

Axel Scheffler's illustrations are full of detail. The facial expressions on the witch, animals she meets, and even the dragon will bring smiles to your face.

I believe this is a story your child will ask you to read often.

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

DVD Review - Home Run

About the Movie
After celebrating an impactful theatrical run and embracing the stories of change heard nationwide, HOME RUN is set to continue sharing the message that “freedom is possible” with its release to DVD and Blu-ray today, July 23. The Millennium Entertainment and Provident Films DVD and Blu-ray release will be available initially only at Walmart and Christian retail stores while site licenses for screenings of HOME RUN at churches and non-profit organizations are currently on sale. The film will also be available for digital download and VOD on August 27.

Declared as a film that “reminds us of the power of forgiveness, the richness of redemption, and the wisdom of trusting God to revive us” by Max Lucado, New York Times best-selling author and pastor, the impact of HOME RUN has fostered grassroots support from churches, Celebrate Recovery groups, Christian leaders and more across the country.

My Take on the Movie
HOME RUN is a well written powerful story about a baseball player named Cory Brand who had many challenges as a young boy growing up with a difficult father. He took those feelings of abandonment and disappointment into his adult life which led him to make choices which were not the best for him or his career.

Meeting the right people while coaching a little league baseball team in his home town helped him to learn to forgive, trust in God, and acknowledge his abuse of alcohol. He was able to then move on in his life which brought him love, acceptance, redemption, and hope.

It is a family movie but I am not sure young children will understand the major theme. I think watching it with older children, middle school and high school children could lead to a family discussion about the theme of the movie and the choices we make and consequences they have in our lives.

I feel it is a movie worth watching. It definitely has application to our lives today.

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Scare Scape

About the Book
Three wishes go awry in a middle-grade debut as comical as it is spooky.

Toxic Vapor Worms. Shark Hounds. King-Crab Spiders. Two-Headed Mutant Rodents.

These are just a few of the beasts featured in the pages of Scare Scape, the creepiest comic book around. They are vicious. They are terrifying. They are, luckily, totally made up.

Morton Clay is a huge fan of Scare Scape, so he isn't easily frightened. He's not afraid of the dark, or grossed-out by bugs and slugs. But when Morton and his siblings, James and Melissa, find an old stone statue buried in their yard, they discover that there is good reason to be afraid. . . .

Spooky, funny, and fresh, Sam Fisher's middle-grade debut explores the bonds and rivalries that are unique to siblings . . . even as it revels in monstrous mayhem!

My Take on the Book
For anyone that loves stories that just draw you in from the beginning, you will love this book. Not only do you get a book that allows your imagination to soar, but you get to dream about the world of the comic book that comes to life in this story. I ended up reading this with my eldest and at he end she stated that this was "Awesome". High praise for a nine year old!

One of the things that I loved about the book was not only the characters and the plot, but I loved the "Monster Deck" section of the book where you get to meet some of the monsters from Scare Scape. These monsters are well drawn out and you can tell that you would not particularly want to meet up with these creatures outside the pages of a book!

All-in-all, this book was a fun read that all will enjoy - so get ready to read and imagine!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - The Power of Urgency

About the Book
Have you ever said, "I am really great in a crisis!" You recall rising to the immediate challenge with the best of yourself. The question posed by The POWER of URGENCY is, "Why wait for a crisis to be at the top of your game?"

The author describes how to use the amazing strength, creativity and boldness you discover through your reaction to a fight-or-flight situation, and do it proactively when and where you choose.

As a business leader, entrepreneur, or anyone ready to change the status quo, learn how to create from the best of yourself by being urgent in pursuing the objectives most important to you.

From the introduction by Steve Chandler: "This book first makes the point that the power of urgency is known to all of us. We can reference it. We have all had situations wherein we had no time to think and plan, where we simply had to respond with the highest energy we had. Later we basked in the afterglow of amazing results. This thought rose up: Hey I didn't know I had it in me.

Then, maybe years later, it would happen again. Emergency-level crisis and massive, inspired personal action taken in response. Usually extremely bold and surprisingly clever. Remember those rare moments?

But, as Will points out here, these events are all driven by external circumstances. We are challenged. We have nowhere to hide. We respond. But what if we could turn this ability on and off by making a proactive decision to engage it? What if we could bring the urgency with us into situations of our choosing? What if we could elevate our consciousness into that supermind state we're all so fleetingly aware of?

That's the lightning in a bottle that's been caught here for everyone to learn to use.

My Take on the Book
On a daily basis there are things that come up that are or may become urgent in nature and the energy that surround this and what gets done in this time is what this book is all about. How can you capture this energy and sense of urgency and instill this in everyone around you? This is not an easy task but this author does a great job at laying it all out for the reader, helping them to better understand the complexities within and what you need to do to be able to encourage this more too.
What the author has done here is provide anyone who reads this a roadmap for success, as I have always found that when there is a sense of urgency set into place with the people around you, you will achieve more and this book does just that.

Though the book is short, you gain so much from it. I found that after reading it the first time I picked it up again as I wanted to make sure I grasped all of the concepts and you will also!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Scrub-A-Dub Froggy: Bath Mitt and Book Set

About the Book
Scrub-A-Dub Froggy: Bath Mitt and Book Set makes getting clean so much fun. The vinyl bath book can go right into the tub with children during bath time. They'll love hearing how little frog gets cleaned up by showering under a waterfall, brushing his teeth, washing his hands, or taking a bath in a warm jungle pool. The plush bath mitt doubles as a froggy hand puppet for even more tub time fun!

My Take on the Book
For anyone that has given a bath to a little child it is truly an adventure much of the time, and the child usually wants to have more water out of the tub than in. This is especially the case when you do not have things for the child to do or focus on. This book is a great book for any parent. The book is colorful and fun to read with the young child. The pictures are large and with the bath mitt you can make some of the book come alive for the child too. This was a great interactive book that will help you not only engage your child, but get him/her clean in a fun and educational way!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - "The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

About the Book
A breathtaking and dramatic account of the JFK assassination by the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER!

In his new young-adult book, "The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy, James Swanson will transport readers back to one of the most shocking, sad, and terrifying events in American history. As he did in his bestselling Scholastic YA book, Chasing Lincoln's Killer , Swanson will deploy his signature "you are there" style -- a riveting, ticking-clock pace, with an unprecedented eye for dramatic details and impeccable historical accuracy -- to tell the story of the JFK assassination as it has never been told before.

The book will be illustrated with archival photos, and will have diagrams, source notes, bibliography, places to visit, and index

About the Author
James L. Swanson has written for a variety of publications, including the WALL STREET JOURNAL and the LOS ANGELES TIMES. He is the coauthor of Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Execution , and he is a member of the advisory committee of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Mr. Swanson is an attorney and has held a number of government and think-tank posts in Washington, DC.

My Take on the Book
MY daughter has been intrigued with this President and everything that surrounds his life and death. I cannot exactly say what it was that has drawn her to this President, but she was and thus this book was one that she was excited to read. As a history buff myself I too was intrigued and so we decided to read this together. Let me tell you, the author did a great job at pulling together a ton of facts, images, documents and more to share the story of the assassination of President Kennedy. The book was suspenseful and kept my daughter engaged form beginning to end. Throughout the book my daughter kept asking me to read one more page, which is what I am always hoping for when reading with her. If you too are a history fan, and love to learn more about the U.S. Presidents, this is definitely a book that you will want to read!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Geronimo Stilton and the Kingdom of Fantasy #5: The Volcano of Fire

About the Book
Geronimo's fifth journey to the Kingdom of Fantasy!

I, Geronimo Stilton, was amazed to find myself in the Kingdom of Fantasy for a fifth time. The elves had called me there. The Volcano of Fire had been mysteriously reawakened!

On top of that, the Princess of the Fairies had been kidnapped. I knew I had to help -- and my friends were ready to join me. We set off through new realms to rescue the princess and save the Kingdom from destruction. What an adventure!

My Take on the Book
This was a great book filled with a great adventure that any Geronimo Stilton fan will love. My daughter has been a fan for some time, and up to recently has not gotten into the Kingdom of Fantasy books, at least not until recently. She stated that she likes these books not only because of the characters, but also because of the vivid detail that the author provides. Reading this with my daughter I have to say that this is a different type of story than the regular books (outside of the Kingdom of Fantasy) and truly brings fantasy into the story (even more than talking animals). The story is much longer too which my daughter loved, especially because the story itself was as engaging as it was. All-in-all this was a great book that the whole family will enjoy!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Book Review - The Baby Signing Book

About the Book
Babies can learn sign language before they can speak, and sign language gives them a way to express their wants and needs, easing their frustration (and yours). Signing allows parents, siblings, caregivers and grandparents to know what a baby is thinking, curb challenging behavior, and have fun "chatting" about daily activities.

Communication in any form, whether through words, cries, signing, or body language, allows us to bond with those around us. The ability to communicate enables one to connect, learn, and grow.

The interest surrounding baby signing only continues to increase as more parents embrace this means of communication with babies before they can talk. This quick and comprehensive 'course' in baby signing features a program that caregivers can customize according to their family's needs and offers age-specific advice on how to teach sign language as your child grows and develops.

The Baby Signing Book has been updated to include more ASL symbols, additional case studies and updated information.

Part 1 of the book provides an introduction to signing with babies and young children.
Part 2 is an illustrated dictionary of 450 ASL signs.
Part 3 provides songs and rhymes you can sign with your child.

Special features include:

The top five signing tips
A program that parents can customize according to their family’s needs
Answers to frequently asked questions
Instructions on the five distinct components of ASL signs: body space, hand shape, movement, palm orientation and facial expression
Age-specific advice on how to teach sign language as your child develops
By simply following this book, a special world of communication awaits you, your family, and your baby.

About the Author
SARA BINGHAM is the founder of WeeHands, the world’s leading children’s sign language and language development program for babies, toddlers and preschool children. She holds a BA in Linguistics and one in Psychology, as well as a post-graduate diploma in Communicative Disorders. Sara is the proud mother of two signing children and a frequent contributor to parenting magazines and baby-related professional websites. She lives in Ontario.

My Take on the Book
This was a great book for any parent that wants to use sign language with their child. The book was very complete and had almost any sign that I could think of wanting to have as a parent. All of the signs are listed in alphabetical order which makes the signs easy to find and authors have provided great illustrations to help you easily understand how to implement the signs as well. On top of all of this the book is set up with a parent in mind. The reader can keep track of milestones so that they can remember when they introduce a sign and how it is working too. Overall, this is a great book that will introduce signing to the whole family and with the number of tips and resources within you really get your money out of the purchase!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Sunday, July 28, 2013

DVD Review - Dragons: Riders of Berk Parts 1 and 2

About the DVD's
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announces the DVD release of the Annie Award® winning TV series DreamWorks DRAGONS: RIDERS OF BERK. The two-part DVD will be available everywhere July 23. Loaded with exciting bonus content for the whole family to enjoy, disc one will contain episodes 1-11 and disc two will feature episodes 12-20. Based on the DreamWorks Animation Academy Award®-nominated hit movie How to Train Your Dragon, the series features original voice talent from the film including Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Zack Pearlman, and more.

Fans that purchase the DVD will be able to unlock exclusive content in DreamWorks’ School of Dragons, the all-new game from JumpStart based on DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon franchise. When it comes to action and excitement, the sky’s the limit in this high-flying animated TV series.

The two-part DVD set is jam-packed with special features that dive deeper into the world of Dragons. As a bonus, each DVD comes with a code to unlock an ultimate battle pack – and in select DVDs an exclusive Whispering Death or Thunderdrum dragon – for the DreamWorks’ School of Dragons game. School of Dragons lets players enter the world of Berk, where Hiccup, Toothless and other friends help players become the finest dragon trainers around. With cinema-like graphics and an immersive 3D world, it takes more than courage to train a dragon, but brains as well. For more information, visit http://www.schoolofdragons.com.

To kick-off the release of the game and DVDs, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and JumpStart have big plans for Comic-Con in San Diego. The DVDs will be available for purchase at the Fox booth before they hit retailers as well as exclusive Toothless Night Fury figurines from Spin Master. For even more fun, dragon lovers can take DreamWorks School of Dragons for a test flight at the Fox and JumpStart booths while fans outside the convention center may spot the Deadly Nadder from the Live Spectacular show.

Download the free DreamWorks Animation Augmented Reality app, and bring Hiccup and Toothless to life!

The new second season of DreamWorks’ Dragons Defenders of Berk returns this Fall on Cartoon Network.

DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk DVD Features:

World of DreamWorks
Dragon Tracker Part 1
Evolution of Thunderdrum
"Heavy Metal" Dragon Mash-Up
Sneak Peeks

My Take on the DVD's
Both of these two DVD's are great and jump in where the movie leaves off. Thus, if you enjoyed the movie I have to say that you will love these two DVD's as well. I had not seen this on television, so my daughters and I were excited to check it out. So far we have watched a number from both DVD's and they were a ton of fun and the artists did a great job with the CGI too. Some people might want all of the episodes on on DVD, but seeing that this is not the fact, DVD #1 has 11 episodes and DVD #2 has 9. Both DVD's have great episodes that will keep you and your kids entertained for some time.

On Disc 1 you will find the following:

How to Start a Dragon Academy
Viking for Hire
Animal House
The Terrible Twos
In Dragons We Trust (part 1 of a 2 part episode)
Alvin and The Outcasts (part 2 of a 2 part episode)
How to Pick Your Dragon
Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Man
Dragon Flower
Heather Report Part 1
Heather Report Part 2

On Disc 2 you will find:

Thawfest
When Lightning Strikes
What Flies Beneath
Twinsanity
Defiant One
Breakneck Bog
Gem of a Different Color
We Are Family Part 1
We Are Family Part 2

All-in-all both of these DVD's were great and for anyone that is already a fan of the books or movie, you will love this series! I highly encourage that you check these out today!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

DVD Review - The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec

About the DVD

This summer, let your imagination run free. Journey into an awe-inspiring world of action fantasy and visual wonder with popular French comics heroine Adèle Blanc-Sec as she leaps from the pages to the screen! On August 13, 2013, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with EuropaCorp, invite families and the young-at-heart across America to be captivated by one of the most highly anticipated international motion pictures of all time when Luc Besson’s The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec unleashes on DVD and on two-disc BLU-RAY COMBO PACK. The Blu-ray combo pack allows viewers to enjoy THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ADÈLE BLANC-SEC on the platform of their choice and includes spectacular movie presentation on Blu-ray, DVD and a digital copy of the movie compatible with PC, MAC, iTunes, iPhone and AppleTV.

Brimming with heart-pounding action, breathtaking cinematography and visceral special effects, this acclaimed feature illustrates the magical power of moviemaking, and delivers wildly entertaining cinematic adventure filled with humor, incredible action, mystery and lush Parisian period details that the whole family will enjoy! Both Blu-ray combo pack and DVD editions offer English and French audio tracks, English subtitles. Insightful bonus features take viewers behind- the-scenes as director Luc Besson and the cast share their passion in bringing this timeless tale to the screen. Available in stores nationwide, THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ADÈLE BLANC-SEC Blu-ray combo pack is priced to own with a suggested retail price of $24.97, and $14.97 for the DVD. THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ADÈLE BLANC-SEC The Director’s Cut Edition Two-Disc Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack will arrive in stores this Fall 2013.

My Take on The DVD
Though this movie is dubbed in English, the movie itself was a fun romp for all. What I loved most was how the movie did not give anything away. You really have no clue where the movie is going, which is really what half the fun is. The movie is beautifully done and the cinematography is simply stunning. On top of this there is some great acting in this as well. There is a ton of action throughout and the movie kept me engaged from beginning to end. In looking further into this movie, I have to say that I had no clue that the movie had a tie to a graphical novel series, but now in seeing this I looked further into this and the novels were great too. Overall, I was really impressed with the movie and the acting and you will be too!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Charlie's Monster

About the Book
A devoted fish name Charlie lacks courage of confronting things unknown to him. There’s only one thing that Charlie loves more than his new home, and that’s living with his best friend Bobby. One day, Charlie’s new home got spooky, and he comes face to face with a monster. Will Charlie muster enough courage to defeat the monster? Will Charlie use all his strength to protect Bobby? Read and enjoy Charlie’s Monster. Your favorite Halloween tale is a page turn away.

My Take on the Book
This was a cute story that places the reader in the shoes of being in a new situation and experiencing something scary and new. Even larger than the situation that Charlie is in is the idea that change is not always scary and that you have to be open to new things. As a parent I really liked the overall concept of the book and the author did a great job at letting kids experience the emotions of the fish and the learning that he goes through in the end as well. Overall, a great story with a fun message!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Tragic

About the Book
New York Times bestselling author Robert K. Tanenbaum takes legal suspense to dramatic new heights—when his hero, District Attorney Butch Karp, goes up against a ruthless union leader with too much power, too many secrets, and too many enemies to silence . . . or kill.

Prizefighter tough. Street-hustler smart. Pit-bull vicious. Longshoremen’s union leader Charlie Vitteli is like a cold-blooded villain straight out of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Busting heads on the docks of New York as a brash union organizer, taking no prisoners as the newest president of the North American Brotherhood of Stevedores, Vitteli clawed his way to the top of the heap—and no one’s going to take him down now. Not if they value their lives.

Like Vince Carlotta. The union boss’s fiercest rival has accused Vitteli of embezzlement, election rigging, and other abuses—and even called him a crook at a union meeting. Now Carlotta is just another corpse on the waterfront—allegedly gunned down by an armed robber. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Vitteli is somehow involved. But proving it is a whole other story.

Enter District Attorney Butch Karp and his wife, Marlene Ciampi. Drawn into the case by a friend who manages the East Village Women’s Shelter, Marlene speaks to the abused girlfriend of a man who may or may not have been hired to kill Carlotta. Marlene follows her lead to three different assassins contracted for the hit. But connecting them to Vitteli—and proving it in court—could be the death of anyone who tries . . . unless Karp can uncover the one tragic flaw that could bring down the curtain on this Shakespearean villain once and for all.

Packed with ingenious twists, diabolical turns, and shocking revelations, Tragic is Robert K. Tanenbaum at his page-turning best.

About the Author
Robert K. Tanenbaum is one of the country’s most respected and successful trial lawyers and has never lost a felony case. He has held such prestigious positions as homicide bureau chief for the New York District Attorney’s Office and deputy chief counsel to the congressional committee investigations into the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. He teaches advanced criminal procedure at the University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, and conducts continuing legal education (CLE) seminars for practicing lawyers in California, New York, and Pennsylvania. His previous works include the novels Outrage , Betrayed ,Counterplay , Fury , Hoax , Resolved , and the true crime book Echoes of my Soul

My Take on the Book
This was a action packed suspense thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I found that for me this was a book that kept me entranced and I could not put it down. The author has also developed some great characters that the reader can relate to and I found that I wanted to read further to see what would happen next to these characters and to the overall plot of the story itself. You too will get lost in the story itself as well as in the action of the story. The book is non stop and will keep you guessing until the very end!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Nutella: The 30 best recipes

About the Book
Nutella is perhaps the world's most famous chocolate and hazelnut spread. Sweet and rich, it is divine on toast for breakfast, in a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, and as a topping to a favorite dessert. But Nutella, surprisingly versatile and easy to work with, can do even more than most realize.

The new book Nutella: The 30 best recipes [Jacquie Small LLP, AUGUST 2013, $10.95 US / $11.99 CAN], explores new ways of using, baking with and enjoying Nutella with 30 mouth-watering recipes. These delicious recipes include irresistible macaroons and tasty cheesecakes, all in a handy, easy-to-use book for all the fans of the famous spread. Some of delectable recipes include:

Nutella and Orange
Nutella Whoopie Pies
Nutella Soufflés
Nutella Mousse
Nutella Mini Swiss Rolls
Nutella Twelfth Night Tart
Nutella Charlotte
Mango and Nutella Spring Rolls

The book is whimsically trimmed and bound in the shape of a jar of Nutella and is divided into sections such as little Nutella treats and Nutella for sharing that make it easy to find the perfect Nutella recipe for any occasion. Better yet, each recipe is accompanied by a gorgeous full-color photograph making the book even more mouth-watering and irresistible. NUTELLA: The 30 Best Recipes is the ideal recipe guide for fans of this most-loved of chocolate treats both near and far!

My Take on the Book
As I looked through this cookbook, there were many choices: souffles, croissants, creme brulee, pana cotta, mini swiss rolls, macaroons, and on and on. It was difficult to decide which recipes to try but I knew I wanted to try something my girls could do with me and enjoy eating. So the first recipe was the Mini Nutella Croissants.

The recipe was easy enough to make. I allowed the girls to taste the Nutella first and they were hooked. So making the croissants and knowing the taste testing after they were out of the oven was an added bonus to their cooperation. The directions were very detailed. The measurements were given in metric and our USA measurements. This recipe was easy to make and the end result was delicious.

The next recipe I made was on my own. I had purchased a mango and the recipe required a mango so I decided to try it. Both of the recipes I chose used puff pastry which is easy to use. This recipe used the Nutella, finely chopped mango, the puff pastry, and slivered almonds. It was delicious and the mango, Nutella and almonds was such a nice combination of flavors and a little crunch. I took the final product to a friend's house and she and her family enjoyed it.

So many more recipes to try. If you like Nutella, this recipe book will give you many opportunities to use it.

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

DVD Review - Care Bears - A Belly Badge for Wonderheart

About the Movie
In Care Bears: A Belly Badge for Wonderheart Movie join Wonderheart in a magical movie adventure about honesty, friendship and the power of responsibility! In the magical world of Care-a-Lot, Wonderheart wants to join the Cub Bouts, but it's only for cubs with active Belly Badges. When she resorts to using the wishes from Care `n Share Charms to fake her powers, it leads to disastrous results. Her final wish accidentally lands her in the Moody Mountains in the center of a Stardust Storm! With the help of Grams Bear and her loving Care Bear friends, Wonderheart learns an important lesson about using the Belly Badge Beacon responsibly and discovers the joys of honesty and caring.

My Take on the Movie
This was a great addition to the care bears movie line up! My daughter love the care bears and I remember the original care bears from the 1980's! While there were some new characters in this movie, the messages that are shared are ones that continually make me more than happy to have my kids watch this. On top of this the story itself was fun and engaging and you end up getting lost in the show itself and before you know it the movie is done! All-in-all this was a fun movie to share with my daughters and it is one that I would highly recommend to all!

----------------------------------------
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions? Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Pages

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Sunday, July 28, 2013