I'm Not Dying With You Tonight by Kimberly Jones, Gilly Segal Book Review



Title: I'm Not Dying With You Tonight
By: Kimberly Jones, Gilly Segal
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: August 6, 2019
Pages: 272

Lena and Campbell aren't friends.

Lena has her killer style, her awesome boyfriend, and a plan. She knows she's going to make it big. Campbell, on the other hand, is just trying to keep her head down and get through the year at her new school.

When both girls attend the Friday-night football game, what neither expects is for everything to descend into sudden mass chaos. Chaos born from violence and hate. Chaos that unexpectedly throws them together.

They aren't friends. They hardly understand the other's point of view. But none of that matters when the city is up in flames, and they only have each other to rely on if they're going to survive the night.


MY REVIEW
I had the opportunity to read the upcoming novel, "I'm Not Dying With You Tonight," and I have to say it was a quick, fantastic read that was very realistic. The story is very fast paced and happens over the course of 24 hours. 

After an incident at the high school football game, both Lena and Campbell are put in a situation where they must work together in order to make it through the night. Lena and Campbell aren't friends. As far as they're concerned they are both total opposites who live very different lives, but right now they have to work together to make it through the night. 

One of the things I loved about this story was that we got to read each chapter from each girl's point of view and how by the end of the night, these two girls who had not much in common, start to change their opinions of one another and we see how their friendship forms and how they start to look out for one another. 

Being that the story unfolds in over 24 hours, everything is happening very fast, which isn't a bad thing, but I did feel that some parts were rushed and we were left with a few open endings that leave it open for us readers to guess what happened to certain characters. 

This story was such a great descriptive read and the authors give such a good realistic view on what really happens in a violent situation.  Where racial tensions are high and how this world can be a scary place to live in. Not all people get treated equal, we have come a long way, but can not let up on opening our views to understand the views of our neighbors. Whether it be because of the colour of their skin, how much money they make, religion, or sexual orientation, at the end of the day we just all want to be happy and safe.

Being in an interracial marriage for over fifteen years, we have encountered opposing views.  We have grown and learned so much from each other. Story's such as this is a great way to open your horizons, in the solitude of your reading nook and bring into real life conversations with others.


I'm so excited to be apart of the I'm Not Dying With You Tonight Blog Tour hosted by Raincoast. I am one of two stops for this tour today, once you're done reading this review, please be sure to head over to Brains, Books and Brawn to check out Amanda's review and thoughts on this story.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received I'm Not Dying With You Tonight at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Aquarelle Sparkling Vodka Soda Review


It's been a pretty hot summer and although it's been hotter than I asked for, I'm trying not to complain too much because before we know it winter will be back and we'll be freezing again. One of the drinks that have been keeping me cool during the summer has been the Aquarelle Sparkling Vodka Sodas. It fits perfect in my hand with its slim can and easy for me to throw in a cooler bag for all the barbecues we've been at the last month.



Aquarelle has quickly become one of my favorite go to adult drinks because not only do I love sparkling water, but Aquarelle is a great drink to have while I'm watching my carb intake. It comes in two different flavors, passion fruit and lemon lime and each 355ml can is only 100 calories with zero carbs and zero sugar added. A guilt-free drink you can have when hanging out with family and friends this summer. The passion fruit beverage gives you that tropical vibe, while the lemon lime gives you a zesty citrus taste that will leave you wanting more.

It's a great alcohol beverage drink to have when trying to loose weight or even if you're not trying to loose weight, it's delicious and has a crisp and refreshing taste. Served best when it's served cold or over ice, it's the perfect drink to bring with you to your next barbecue to help you stay cool.

Aquarelle is available at an LCBO near you retailing at $2.75 per can. For more information on Aquarelle, be sure to check them out on their website and on Instagram too. 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned product at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.


What Makes You Beautiful By Bridget Liang Book Review


Title: What Makes You Beautiful
By: Bridget Liang
Publisher: Lorimer
Publication Date: February 5, 2019
Pages: 168

Logan Osborne knows he likes boys, but has not come out to his family or at school, and no one knows that he likes to sometimes wear girls' clothes and makeup. When he starts at a school for the arts he finds a wider range of gender and orientation being accepted. Logan is attracted to Kyle, who has gay dads. But Kyle is straight. Logan finds he doesn't like the way gay boys treat him, and a disturbing hookup with a boy who is fetishistic about Logan's half-Asian background makes Logan even more confused about what he wants and who he is.

Encouraged and supported by his friends at school, Logan experiments with nail polish and more feminine clothes in public. Logan begins questioning his gender and decides to use they pronouns while trying to figure things out. Logan meets a classmate's chosen mother, who is a transgender Chinese woman, and begins to come to terms with their gender identity. Realizing they are not a gay boy, but a transgender girl, Logan asks for people to call them Veronica. As a girl, does Veronica stand a chance with Kyle?

MY REVIEW
What Makes You Beautiful is an eye opening story about a high school student named Logan who struggled with gender identity, sexuality, and cultural family issues. Logan starts to accept the fact that he is not a male, but another gender and shows it as Veronica.

This book is showing the struggles in the mind of a high school student who’s Asian family is stuck in their traditional ways and won’t accept Logan for who he really is. The support and help from his friends and allies through his day to day life show what people can be like if they open their eyes and ears and listen to what young people in the LGBTQ+ community have to say and want you to hear.

As a parent of a teen in the LGBTQ+ community, this story hits home. Reading a story from a young teen's view going through this makes me sad that not every kid has a supportive family, which is something I could never do to my child. I don't care who they love or what gender they identify with just as long as they are happy, being true to themselves and alive. That's all a parent should want for their kid. I would recommend this book to all my family members and friends just so they can see what could be going on through a teen's at LGBTQ+ community. A 10/10 book that I highly recommend for those who don’t fully understand someone going through transition. 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned book at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Kaskey Kids: Sports Action Figure Sets Review



I'm always on the lookout for new toys that not only my son would not only love, but would also be educational as well. We got the opportunity to review and play with Kaskey Kids sports action figure sets. These sets are designed to help young kids learn more about the sports they love. We were given the option to pick, so we picked two of my son's favorite sports he's into, NHL Hockey and Soccer Guys. My 5 year old was pretty excited. He was very happy to see the NHL logo on the ice along with the team logos on our NHL set. He's getting ready to start playing hockey this Fall and having the NHL hockey set came at a perfect time. 




I would like to start off with the packaging; the carrying case is very sturdy and easy to carry for the smaller kid hands. With the 25+ pieces (including nets) it’s nice that they all fit in the handy carrying case snug but not tight where you can’t close it.

Once opened the plastic pieces that go around the mat and to use as a rink, arrived bent and once put together by an adult it was very lopsided and unfortunately the hockey rink was a disappointment. There were no clips to hold the rink with the boards together, which could have helped keep the rink around the mat. Other than the rink, the rest of the set was great. The hockey figurines are hard rubber plastic and very durable.  Also, the little guys all come wrapped individually in plastic. The set was great and my son loves playing with this hockey set and learning some of the rules of the game before he starts to play this Fall.




The soccer boy set we got was absolutely great, there were no problems whatsoever and I received the set during my son's soccer season, so it was great to see him play with the set as he's learning to play soccer for the second year in a row. I would say out of the two sports, soccer had the better accessories, the net and green field laid out better and no adjusting was required. His favorite is definitely the hockey as it has the puck that adds more to the play.



I love the fact that it is not an electronic game but rather one that encourages his imagination. I think of them as the sports fans version of old fashion army men. He sets it up daily in his room and during the summer time it keeps him occupied for hours. The only thing needed was a good imagination and a love of the game. 

For more information about Kaskey Kids Sports Action Figure Sets, be sure to head over to their website and social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned product at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Jurassic World Evolution on Xbox One Review




Jurassic World Evolution places players in charge of operations on the legendary Isla Nublar and the surrounding islands of the Muertes Archipelago. Players can construct attractions and research facilities as they build their own Jurassic World. They can bioengineer new dinosaur species that think, feel and react intelligently to the world around them, and they can choose to control the big picture with deep, accessible management options, or they can go hands-on to confront challenges on the ground or in the air in action-based gameplay. Every choice leads to a different path and spectacular challenges arise when “life finds a way.”



MY REVIEW
Jurassic World Evolution is a game that allows the player to create their own park and maintain the dinosaurs there.  My daughter was very excited to play this game.  She enjoyed the graphics of this game as well as the simplicity of controller layout.  The game includes building a park, digging for dinosaurs, and ensuring they are fed and cared for.  

As the park grows so does the exhibit and attractions.  It would be beneficial to include more options for dinosaurs and buildings.  My daughter would have preferred the game to include the option to do the actual digging for dinosaurs and be able to experience the park as a visitor. Overall, the design of the game was incredible including the music and sounds.  It was enjoyable to play and we would recommend this game!



Available as of June 18th, Jurassic World Evolution: Claire’s Sanctuary sees Bryce Dallas Howard return to the role of Claire Dearing – former Jurassic World Park Operations Manager, now a prominent campaigner and advocate for dinosaur well-being – in a new standalone campaign. Players will return to Isla Nublar in a race against time to rescue the island’s remaining dinosaur inhabitants from the eruption of Mt. Sibo and relocate them to Sanctuary Island, where players will be tasked with building them a new home under guidance from Claire Dearing.

Alongside the new campaign, Jurassic World Evolution: Claire’s Sanctuaryintroduces all-new structures, features and three new dinosaurs to Jurassic WorldEvolution – the Albertosaurus, Euoplocephalus and Ouranosaurus – bringing new challenges to players’ islands. New paleobotany features and a new Greenhouse facility let players research and develop extinct plant species for their dinosaurs’ feeders, and a new off-road truck ride tour for park visitors can be dispatched from its own new building.

Jurassic World Evolution: Claire’s Sanctuary is now available for $14.99 on PC, Playstation 4 and Xbox One digital stores. Downloadable content requires Jurassic World Evolution to play. Prices may vary on some digital stores.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned product at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Splitgate: Arena Warfare on Steam Review


1047 Games has officially released the fast-paced, sci-fi, competitive multiplayer first-person shooter Splitgate: Arena Warfare. Free to download and play now on Windows PC via Steam, Splitgate uses player-controlled portals to create a new dimension of arena combat.

Splitgate evokes your favorite memories of gaming’s most-revered shooters, embracing the classic feel of close-quarters arena action with a multi-directional twist. Create portals strategically around the map to cross huge distances and outmaneuver your foes in the blink of an eye. Designed with intuitive controls for both FPS newcomers and veterans to pick up and play, Splitgate’s near-limitless skill cap lets you pull off jaw-dropping, gif-worthy plays once mastered, rewarding constant jetpack movement, flanking and 360-degree ambushes.

Made with futuristically stylish visuals in Unreal Engine 4, Splitgate features a variety of ranked, unranked and custom games. Battle with friends, against rivals at your skill level in ranked multiplayer, or versus formidable AI to hone your skills. Players start each match on an equal playing field with the same loadout, but power weapons spawn regularly throughout the map to fuel your next killstreak.




MY REVIEW
Splitgate: Areana Warfare is a new take on portal re-positioning or tactical flanking, but I found many people used it to confuse their enemies and get the upper hand. For the most part this is a great game. There were no glitches and very little problems when playing. The one issue I did find when playing is that until you  reach level five, you can't match-make with other real people, you match-make with other beginners and bots, which is a good way to separate veterans and beginners, but it takes a while to find a match. 

Another small issue I found, for myself,  is that I can't look through my teammates portal, only my own. I feel like if you could see through both then you would play more like a team and share advantage points. Other than that I enjoyed the game very much and it was a blast to play.

Players can also purchase the special Splitgate: Arena Warfare Founder’s Edition, which includes cosmetic bonuses like the exclusive Dweller armor set, four additional Dweller skins, exclusive M90 weapon skin, five bonus SAW packs (which can be used to unlock other cosmetic items), and more for $19.99 on Steam.

For more information, visit 1047 Games’ website, grab the game on Steam, and follow the latest updates on Facebook, Twitter and Discord.
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned product at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Design.ME's Gloss.ME Cannabis Sativa Oil Hair Serum Review & Giveaway



I've shared with you all before how I like trying out new hair products that will help keep my hair healthy and well maintained. So when I got the opportunity to review Gloss.ME's new Cannabis Sativa Oil Hair Serum from Design.ME, I took it.

Gloss.ME offers maximum shine to all hair types making your hair beautifully silky and soft to the touch. Gloss.ME gently nourishes hair to prevent split ends and breakage while strengthening hair strands. Not only does it combat the heat but it also fights frizz and seals in moisture for an extra layer of shine. Gloss.ME does all of this with its 100% vegan and sulfate, paraben, gluten and PETA certified cruelty-free formula; guaranteed to be your hair’s new best friend!



I was skeptical at first about using hair oil at first because I've had some bad experiences in the past. The hair serums I used would always make my hair look greasy. At the worst possible time, I would have to hop in the shower to re-wash my hair because of how oily it looked.

However, Gloss.ME is the total opposite. I can use it two to three times a day and my hair looks refreshed and super healthy! I am convinced that this hair serum completely absorbs in my hair, leaving it looking fresh and well maintained. 

I use it after the washing my hair and when I was done there was no frizz and my hair didn't look greasy. It even felt softer. After just two days I could see and feel the difference. Other people would come up to me and say, " Your hair is beautiful, it looks so healthy."

I know what you are thinking, and no Gloss.ME will not make you high, as there is no CBD or THC in this hair serum. Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, also known as Hemp Seed Oil is extracted by cold-pressing hemp seeds found on the hemp plant, which does not contain any concentration of CBD or THC nor does it have any psychoactive properties. 

Gloss.ME’s original blend of Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil and Rice Bran Oil allows for even the most damaged of hair to become soft to the touch with lust worthy shine. Don’t leave your hair high and dry, add Gloss.ME to your routine and re-energize dull, fragile hair!  

I'm so excited that I was given the chance to try this serum because this will now be in my hair routine to keep my hair looking and feeling healthy. 

Gloss.ME is retailed for $22 and can be found at all Trade Secrets and Chatters locations nationwide and can be found at www.designmehair.com

We're excited to partner with Gloss.Me to offer one of our Canadian readers a chance to win this hair serum! Just comment below sharing with us your go to hair tip!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned product at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.


Disney's Cinderella: Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ Review & Giveaway



In honour of its upcoming 70th anniversary, the timeless animated classic “Cinderella” waltzes into the highly celebrated Walt Disney Signature Collection and the hearts of a whole new generation. The enchanting tale, which showed us that dreams really do come true — and inspired countless fans to reenact the Royal Ball and Cinderella’s infamous midnight dash — arrives home Digitally in HD on June 18, and on Blu-ray™ and DVD on June 25.

The Anniversary Edition of “Cinderella” offers two all-new extras: “Cinderella” trivia and fun facts, hosted by Ruth Righi and Ava Kolker from Disney Channel’s “Sydney to the Max,” and “In Walt’s Words: Enhanced Edition,” a special edition of “Cinderella” featuring fascinating production details, original storyboards, archival photos, thumbnail sketches and transcripts throughout the feature film. Hours of classic bonus material celebrates the masterful animation, memorable music and long-lasting impact of “Cinderella,” showcasing Walt Disney’s core group of animators, the art of Disney Legend Mary Blair, the original demo recording of the film’s title song and Cinderella’s iconic glass slipper.


MY REVIEW
This is one of my all time favorite Disney movies and to see it remastered on blu-ray and digital download was absolutely wonderful. As you guys are well aware, my family and I absolutely love Disney and Cinderella is such a classic. I was excited to sit down with my five year old and watch it again. It's been a couple of years since she's seen it, so now that she's older and loves to sit and watch movies, she was super pumped for this movie too. She absolutely loved it and was glued to the screen. She loved all of the songs and loved how pretty Cinderella's dress was.

 Not only did we enjoy this movie in a whole new light, but we loved the extra bonus features as well. It was fun to sit down with my family and play the new trivia game that's included in the bonus features, it even had my teen coming out of their room and guessing too.  

This special edition of the classic tale is a must have in your Disney movie collections before it returns to the vault and we're excited to partner with Disney Canada to offer one of our Canadian readers a chance to win a copy on blu-ray. Comment below and share with us who your favorite Disney princess is. 
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Cinderella Special Edition on blu-ray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Disney's Dumbo Blu-ray Review & Giveaway




In “Dumbo,” struggling circus owner Max Medici enlists former star Holt Farrier and his children to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive but sinister entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere, who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, spectacular, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland.

“Dumbo” will be released in several different formats, giving families the flexibility to watch it on a variety of devices. Viewers can watch the film in Digital 4K UHD, HD and SD, and bring home a physical copy of the film as the 4K Ultra HD Edition (4K UHD, Blu-ray and Digital Code), Multi-Screen Edition (Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Code) and a single DVD.




MY REVIEW
We are a huge Disney fan in our house and have been collecting the movies for years, so I was pretty excited when we had the opportunity to review the remake live action movie, Dumbo. The hubby and I hadn't seen the animation in a few years, but I must say we were both pretty impressed with the remake. Everything from the way the movie opens up until it ends. I absolutely enjoyed this movie and so did my kids.

I was impressed with how they made Dumbo look, so realistic flying around and how without him saying a word we could tell what and how he was feeling. I absolutely loved how they re-created the dancing elephants scene before Dumbo performed in front of a huge crowd and how we got to see a bit through his eyes. I think that was one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

I also loved how they made the little girl Milly so strong and brave. How she wanted to do something besides work in a Circus. She loves sciences. The scene where her father goes looking for her and finds her in the science building looking at female mechanical dummies working in the industry that men would be in was great to see because a little girl should be able to be whatever and whoever she wants to be when she grows up.

All and all I have to say this was a great family movie that we all enjoyed. Dumbo is now available for purchase on blu-ray, digital download and 4K Ultra HD. I'm excited to partner with Disney Canada and offer one Canadian reader a chance to win their own copy With all the Disney live action remakes out and more on the way, which one is your favorite or looking forward to seeing? To enter the giveaway comment below and let us know!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Dumbo on blu-ray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.