Q&A with Katey Taylor & Book Giveaway

Following her highly acclaimed debut novel, Inebriated, which was called as "an emotional roller coaster" "heart-wrenching" and "addictive and sexy," author Katey Taylor is bringing her readers back to California and the high-drama, high-stakes world of her characters for her sequel, Neon Nights, which was released March 24th, 2020.

I'm so excited to not only share a Q & A with Katey talking about the sequel Neon Nights and also offer both our US and Canada readers a chance to win a copy of the book. Not only will you be able to win a copy of Neon Nights, but you will be able to win a copy of the first book in the series, Inebriated as well. Below are synopsis  of both books followed by the Q & A with Katey.


Barely seventeen and as pretty as can be: the summer is their playground. Cait and her best friends Steph and Allie take on San Francisco's party scene with fake IDs and short dresses.

When Cait meets Adrien Cross, the charismatic lead singer of her favorite indie band, she's introduced to a hedonistic world of liquor and lust that she never wants to leave.

But then that world spirals out of control and the harsh realities of reckless living take a toll on Cait and the ones she loves.
What will be left when the makeup masks wash off, the bottles are empty, and Cait begins to lose her grip on everything?

Katey Taylor's heart-wrenching debut novel will have you strapped into the intense rollercoaster ride of Cait's life and one chaotic summer that will change it all.



After a harrowing summer riddled with tragedies, seventeen-year-old Cait is forced to deal with the aftermath of poor choices and failed relationships.

Will Cait be able to continue her journey despite the heavy chains from her past, or will she be dragged down by the same mistakes?

In the anticipated sequel to the heart-wrenching novel Inebriated, Neon Nights will keep you on the edge of your seat with another wild ride into Cait's life.



Q&A WITH KATEY TAYOR, AUTHOR OF THE YA NOVEL NEON NIGHTS

Question: Tell us what Neon Nights is all about.

Katey Taylor: Neon Nights is a raw and emotional story that follows seventeen-year-old main character Cait and the serious issues she has to tackle in front of her. Neon Nights is a spiral of events dealing with boys with bad intentions, drugs, and new drama.

Q: This is the second book in the series. How does Neon Nights continue the story of Cait that you began in your first book, Inebriated?

Taylor: Neon Nights picks up right where Cait left off in Inebriated but due to the life-altering incidences that took place in the previous book, Cait’s whole world is turned upside down. Readers will be able to dive right in and see the immediate new challenges she faces, and whether your rooting for her or screaming at her, you won’t be able to look away.

Q: You write about a lot of very real topics. Are these novels based on any true experiences?

Taylor: At first, I strictly denied my life had any relation to my books. Fiction is fiction. But it was getting hard to deny that was true to friends and family who had read the books. I grew up in a San Francisco Bay Area suburb and snuck away to San Francisco to party in my teen and young adult years. Like a lot of teens, I experienced or was around underage drinking, drugs and the aftermath that comes with that. Cait’s story is not my story but a lot of the emotion and experiences she goes through are similar to mine. I think Cait did take on my teenage persona maybe more than I’d like, but I also think I wrote her qualities I wish I had back then. Cait might not be able to see the bad or danger in people at first, but when she does she is willing to stand up for herself and for the ones she loves. I think her inner strength is one of her best traits.

Q: Music is an obvious theme in the books, and Adrien is a musician. Is he inspired by any real-life musicians?

Taylor: Oh boy. Adrien definitely morphed into his own real character, but I will admit when I first started to write him, I was inspired by a particular lead singer of an indie band called The 1975. His aesthetic mostly, and I’ve seen him play live many times and he exudes that sort of the slick, dark, wounded musician vibe that Adrien carries.

Q: Do you listen to any particular music while writing?

Taylor: I have to listen to music while I write, they both go hand and hand so naturally for me. When writing a scene, I usually pick a song that relates to what I’m writing, and I will play it on repeat for hours to help me visualize the setting or express a certain emotion. My music taste is quite eclectic. Indie rock is my go-to, but I love older bands like Fleetwood Mac or Van Morrison. I’m also a huge pop fan probably because I grew up listening to Britney Spears and N*sync. But when writing, I will listen to any song in any genre with deep emotions or lyrics that inspire me.

Q: Social media is such a massive part of teenagers lives these days. What message about social media did you want to portray to your readers?

Taylor: A minor plot point in Cait’s story in the books is she was admired and often criticized on social media. Yet all of those people had not a clue about the hardships she endured on a daily basis. Life isn’t always what it seems, and just because your seemingly pretty and popular doesn’t mean that life is easy or that you don’t make terrible decisions.

Q: Besides a great read, what else do you hope teens get from Neon Nights?

Taylor: Not just teens, but parents of teens could read these books as an eye opener to what teenagers are capable of getting themselves into. You might think your kid – or you! – wouldn’t do things like this but sadly those are the people who end up blindsided by addiction issues, find themselves in a toxic relationship, or make the simple mistake as getting in the car with someone under the influence. These things sadly do happen every day. I hope by tackling some of the harder topics of being a teen with truth and honestly, I’ll help my readers think about their choices when in stickier situations, and think about doing what is best for themselves and the people they love.


KATEY TAYLOR is the author behind the emotionally wrenching young adult novel, Inebriated. Katey's passion for storytelling stemmed not long after she first learned to write with a pencil. Every story she writes is infused with a piece of her heart and her absolute muses of music and travel. She's a San Francisco Bay Area native living in a house that sits on a bayside lagoon with her husband and two cats.

For more information, visit www.kateytaylor.com, and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.

Neon Nights is available through all major booksellers and online via Amazon.

GIVEAWAY
To enter the giveaway to win a copy of both books, leave a comment below sharing your favorite book series.

Celebrating Over 30 Years of Top Gun! #TopGunDay


The Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School is where the best of the best train to refine their elite flying skills. When hotshot fighter pilot Maverick (Tom Cruise) is sent to the school, his reckless attitude and cocky demeanor put him at odds with the other pilots, especially the cool and collected Iceman (Val Kilmer). But Maverick isn't only competing to be the top fighter pilot, he's also fighting for the attention of his beautiful flight instructor, Charlotte Blackwood (Kelly McGillis).


MY REVIEW
I can't believe it's been over 30 years since we first saw Tom Cruise in the movie, Top Gun. I remember watching this movie as a kid, I was born in 1983 and Top Gun came out in 1986, so I didn't actually watch this movie until years later, but I certainly remember watching it and falling in love with the handsome Maverick in this movie. He had a smile like no other and charisma that gave me butterflies.

Now, over 30 years later, we celebrate the movie and that it has been remastered and available on 4K Ultra HD Digital TODAY and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray to purchase on May 19. I was fortunate enough to get sent a copy of Top Gun on Blu-ray and I have to admit, seeing Maverick on screen all over again gave me butterflies. It was so nice to see watch a movie that reminded me of my childhood and it also got the hubby and I both excited for the Top Gun: Maverick that's set to release at the end of this year. 

Not only do you get to see Top Gun in a much better picture quality, but the bonus features are pretty awesome and include commentary on the 30th anniversary of Top Gun, along with interviews with Tom Cruise and behind the scenes footage as well. 

To join in on the celebration, head over to Twitter, to show off those aviators and tag your wingman and belt out your best version of Danger Zone. Share your favourite quotes, GIFs, and memories using #TopGunDay. Follow @TopGunMovie on Twitter and stay tuned all day for more fun!
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Top Gun on blu-ray at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. 

Band Ladies Season One Review #BandLadies

With the world still practicing social distancing, like many of you, I've been home juggling the kids school work on top of making sure they're doing okay mentally and still trying to run my household and keep it somewhat decent looking while trying to keep sane myself. I have to admit, there have been multiple times where I've cried from feeling overwhelmed from it all and just wanted to hangout with my girlfriends and vent, laugh, cry over a glass of wine.

Although we're not able to do that in person, I've been fortunate enough to have a group of girlfriends I chat with daily and we've done videochat ladies night in a few times during this quarantine, which has helped so much. It's always nice when you get to just laugh and chat with your girlfriends and I can't wait for the day when we can do that again in person.


I mention my girlfriends and I because I recently got to watch season one of the new webseries, Band Ladies, which starts streaming tonight, May 13th, at 6pm EST on the new streaming service, Highball.TV.

The show is about five middle aged women getting together for their monthly book club meetings and on a night where they have their meeting at a bar, they have a bit too much to drink, start to open up about the problems and regrets going on in their life and start to let loose. And by let loose, I mean, they all get the courage to get on stage and start rocking out and singing about their problems not knowing that they are being recorded and their video would be uploaded online for people to see. This gives them the courage to turn their book club into a punk band, but not without consequences for one of the ladies and her job.

Band Ladies is a female-driven, original web series about five women: Marnie, an uptight homemaker, Chloe, a disillusioned lawyer, Cindy,a desperate artist, Penny, an infertile millionaire and Stephanie, a love-sick flake. The show consists of six episodes that are about 10 minutes each.

THE HEROINES


UPTIGHT HOMEMAKER - MARNIE (Played by Kate Fenton) A helicopter mom yearning to take control of something more impactful than a bake sale or a Pinterest page. She sets a hurricane inmotion when her honesty inspires the book club to become the BAND LADIES. Empowered by speaking her truth, Marnie starts to push the limits in her relationships. The fragility of Marnie’s marriage and family dynamic is tested when she has to decide if her new awak-ening can exist in the strict mold that used to house her. Can Marnie really have it all or will she have to choose between the people sheloves and becoming the person that she really wants to be?

DISILLUSIONED LAWYER - CHLOE (Played by Lisa Michelle Cornelius) An electric high-profile Defense Attorney who finds her career skyrocketing while her integrity plummets. The moral compass that used to guide her has eroded after years in ‘Big Business’ and she finds herself unable to defend her choices and her clients. Defined by her career success, Chloe has an identity crisis when she is forced to step away from her all-encompassing work. As making music revives her inner anarchist, Chloe becomes a ‘breakout star’ as the band gains popularity. Can Chloe maintain some balance as she navigatesher new found fame or will her competitive edge force her to self destruct?

MIGSUIDED MANIPULATOR - CINDY (Played by Vicki Kim) A bartender at a local music venue, Cindy is a struggling musician on the outside looking in. Buried in debt with no real stability, Cindy means well but often makes the wrong moves. The band becomes her lifeline as she throws herself full force into making it a success.Some questionable decision-making begets a pattern of lies that cause more trouble than anyone could have predicted. Scrambling to keep her secrets, can Cindy navigate the band’s success or will she have made so much of a mess in the process that the BAND LADIES split and leave her to clean it all up?

INFERTILE FIRECRACKER - PENNY (Played by Dana Puddicombe) A glorious imposter and well-kept society staple, Penny is a self made Millionaire whose devoted all of her energy and resources into having a baby. A string of miscarriages put Pennys plan for children at a standstill, encouraging decadence and frivolity as she feeds her ego and labido. Penny is handsome, horny and game, making for great adventures on the road, but Penny hits a pothole when she accidentally gets exactly what she’s always wanted. Can Penny follow through or is she as deluded about what she wants as she is about what she needs?

LOVESICK FLAKE - STEPHANIE (Played by Kirsten Rasmussen) A serial monogamist suddenly alone, she’s worked for none of what she had and now has nothing. Crippled by a stability shaking break-up, Stephanie tries to pick up the pieces of her life as she unsuccessfully avoids her ex and unabashedly drowns her sorrows in booze. In the band, she finds the purpose she’s been mercilessly charged with lacking and the independence to fight for the band but as she finds her footing, can Stephanie come clean with the lies she tells herself.


This show definitely made me miss my girlfriends even more and reminded me of the show, Working Moms. It also gave me a small vibe of the hit show, Sex in the City, given no sex, but focusing on the ladies getting their band together, rocking out and discovering true friendship while dealing with their regrets in life and realizing it's not too late to reinvent yourself, no matter how old you are. 

I absoutely loved all of the characters and right now my favorite is Marnie. Out of all of the characters, I feel like she is the one that has come out of her shell the most and has grown the most throughout the season. Like her, I too am a homemaker and it can be a lot to juggle a husband, being a mom, keeping up with all the housework and trying hard to make sure that in the midst of it all you don't loose yourself. 

I would recommend this series to all of my girlfriends looking for a quick show to watch, you binge the entire season in one hour. I can't wait until season two comes out to see the second chapter of Band Ladies! For more information about Band Ladies you can follow them on online on Highball.TVInstagram, Facebook and Twitter

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received screener access to season one of Band Ladies at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. 

Bubble Guppies: The Great Guppy Games DVD Review & Giveaway


Get ready to dive into five swim-sational episodes packed with fun-filled sports and games as the Bubble Guppies take part in the Summer Camp Games, the Super Ballet Bowl, the royally awesome Glitter Games, and more!

Bubble Guppies: The Great Guppy Games! episodes:
The Summer Camp Games!
The Super Ballet Bowl!
The Elephant Trunk-A-Dunk!
Puddleball!
The Glitter Games!


MY REVIEW
My five year old has been watching Bubble Guppies for years now, so when she saw the DVD get delivered to our home she was super excited to watch The Great Guppy Games. Filled with her favorite school of fish, Molly, Gil, Deema, Oona, Nonny and Goby along with Mr. Grouper and other ocean friends, we got to see them in five awesome episodes. Filled with our favorite catchy songs and loads of swim-tastic adventure, your little one will defnitely enjoy this fun-filled DVD.

We hadn't watched Bubble Guppies in so long and now, it's been played a few times the last couple of days and my five year old even brought out all of her Bubble Guppies stuffies so that she can watch the episides while hanging out with her favorite characters! 

Bubble Guppies: The Great Guppy Games is now out on DVD for your to watch at home and I'm excited to team up with Paramount Pictures to give one of our Canadian readers a chance at winning this DVD for your home. All you need to do is comment below your child's favorite character. 

Also, please enjoy these awesome Bubble Guppies alphabet tracing pages for your little one. Maybe even have them work on the activity sheet while watching an episode of Bubble Guppies!




Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received The Great Guppy DVD at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. 


Like A Boss Blu-ray Review


Best friends, Mia and Mel (Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne) are living their best lives, running their own cosmetics company until a villainous beauty mogul (Salma Hayek) conspires to steal it from under them. When her devious plan drives the besties apart, Mia and Mel learn that sticking together is the only way to turn the tables and take their company back. The beauty business is about to get ugly. The film also stars Jennifer Coolidge and Billy Porter.


MY REVIEW
What do you get when you put Tiffany Hadish, Rose Byrne and Salma Hayek together in one movie, straight comedy! I'm a huge fan of all three ladies in this film, so I was really excited when I got a chance to watch Like A Boss. This movie will have you laughing and keeping you entertained from beginning to the end. Not only was I sent the movie, but I was also sent a few Like A Boss themed goodies that included a compact mirror and an overnight kit, similar to the one they talk about and mention in the movie. 



Mia and Mel have been best friends since they were kids, so it seemed natural for them to open up a cosmetic company together as Mia is a talented makeup artist and Mel is the brains behind the business part of the company. Right a way you can tell both these ladies love to have fun, Mia more so than Mel and we also learn that their business is in financial trouble as Mia loves to help out people buy giving them discounts to their store and her clients she does makeup for. Mel, who is more of the brains of the operation hates confrontation. She hates telling anyone bad news, so it takes her a bit to let Mia know how much financial trouble their company really is in and why they go introduce themselves to Claire Luna, a well known, millionaire in the cosmetic business. If they can get her to pay their debt for a small percentage of their company, will it work out? 

Salma Hayek as Claire Luna is unrecognizable. From her contact lens, hair colour and teeth, you wouldn't believe that it's Salma Hayek underneath. Claire is a business woman who wants to remain at the top of the cosmetics in the world, so she agrees to help the ladies by wiping out their debt, but at a cost that if their friendship ends or something goes wrong she will get a bigger cut and will own the majority of their company. Not only do they all agree to the deal, but Claire is on a mission to make sure these best friends turn on one another and make them reevaluate themselves, their friendship and their company they built together from the ground up. Through ups and downs we see these two ladies pull through and come back together, because that's what true best friends do, and show Claire where she can shove it.

This movie was so much fun to watch and definitely made me miss my best friend even more and appreciate our friendship, especally now with whats going on in the world due to Covid-19. You can find Like A Boss available now on digital, bly-ray and DVD. For more information about this movie, be sure to head over to Paramount Pictures.

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

Dolittle Blu-ray Review


After losing his wife, he hermits himself away behind the high wall of his manor but is forced to set sail on an epic adventure when the queen falls gravely ill. Helping Dolittle in search of a rare cure are his rambunctious animal friends—including Chee-Chee (Malek), an anxious, self-conscious gorilla; Dab-Dab (Octavia Spencer, The Help), an enthusiastic but bird-brained duck; the bickering duo of cynical, neurotic ostrich Plimpton (Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick, “Silicon Valley”) and chilly-but-chill polar bear Yoshi (Cena); as well as a headstrong parrot named Polynesia (Thompson).


MY REVIEW
My family and I are big fans of Robert Downey Jr., so when we saw the first trailer for the movie, DOLITTLE, my entire family was very excited to see it. My kids were pretty shocked at the role of Dolittle, especially since they're use to RDJ playing Ironman in the Marvel series. This was completely different and we loved every minute of it. 

From the beginning of the movie we are shown how Dolittle and his wife fell in love, how they owned a place specifically for helping animals in need. Once Dolittle's wife dies his entire world is sort of a blur. He no longer wants to have anything to do with the outside world, except for the animals he lives with. This is where our story unfolds as a young boy, Tommy Stubbins who's an orphan living with his uncle rushes to Dolittle in need of help saving a squirel he accidently injured. While going there he runs into Lady Rose who is also in need of Dolittle's help, but not with an animal, with the Queen of England.

After convincing him to help the Queen, Dolittle, his animal friends and his new appointed apprentice are off to find a plant to help heal the Queen from the poision she was given before it kills her. Through their travel they run into a few different people including his late wife's father, Rassouli, who doesn't quite care for him and blames Dolittle for his daughter's passing. Through the upds and downs of the adventure, we see Dolittle come alive and live again. 

This was such a great film to watch. Definitely a lot different than the 90's Eddie Murphy version of the movie, but nontheless, my family and I really enjoyed it. I think the animals and their different characterisitcs is what really made my kids love this film and I bet they will do the same for your kiddos as well. 

Available now on digital, DVD and blu-ray you can find more information about Dolittle and where to purchase the title over at Universal Pictures Canada

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


Sonic The Hedgehog Blu-ray Giveaway #SonicMovie


It's been a little over a month since our review on the movie, Sonic The Hedgehog. It was such a great movie that my family is still talking about it. My twelve year old even got out his old Sonic and Tails stuffies to start making fan-fic videos he loves to make. This has helped him pass the time while still being creative since we're all at home right now.

Speaking of everyone being at home and continuing practicing social distancing, I've teamed up with our friends over at Paramount Pictures to offer one of our Canadian readers a chance to win a copy of Sonic The Hedgehog movie on blu-ray.



Powered with incredible speed, Sonic the Hedgehog (voiced by Ben Schwartz), aka The Blue Blur, embraces his new home on Earth. That is, until he accidentally knocks out the power grid and sparks the attention of super-uncool evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Now it’s super-villain vs. super-sonic in an all-out race across the globe to stop Robotnik from using his unique power for world domination. Sonic teams up with The Donut Lord, aka Sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), to save the planet in this action-packed hit that’s fun for the whole family. Sonic The Hedgehog is now available on digital and will be available on blu-ray May 19th. 


GIVEAWAY:

To enter the giveaway all you need to do is comment below letting us know who you want to watch the movie with. That's it!