The painting book with magical illustrations by Usborne is a delightful and creative way for children to explore their artistic side. This book is not just your ordinary coloring book, it is filled with enchanting illustrations that come to life with a touch of water. **The magic is in the pages as the colors magically appear with each stroke of the paintbrush.** It is truly a captivating experience for young artists. The book is filled with a variety of themes and scenes that will keep children engaged and excited to paint. From fairies and unicorns to underwater adventures and jungle wildlife, there is something for every imagination.
This may be a short and fun read, it took me under 3 hours, but Sterling doesn’t hold back when it comes to our side characters. We have her cousin, Vivi and her husband, both of which were the main characters in the first book in the series, Sam, Cait & Parker the three witches she takes under her wing and of course Wells, neighbour, tyrant and heartthrob. But, the absolute best side character, IMO, was Sir Purrcuvil, Gwyn’s talking cat who had me absolutely howling in parts. Every single one of these characters is well built, so you can’t help but love them all, but they also all help propel Gwyn’s characters progression throughout the story. Through them we see Gwyn grow up, become more at home with herself and start letting new people into her life and heart.
But when a mysterious new coven of witches come to town and Gwyn s powers begin fading, she and Wells must work together to figure out just what these new witches want and how to restore Gwyn s magic before it s too late. She absolutely rocks, her magic helps run the town and she s quirky as heck, all of which ensured I fell a little in love with her by the end of the book.
From fairies and unicorns to underwater adventures and jungle wildlife, there is something for every imagination. **The illustrations are beautifully detailed, allowing children to create stunning masterpieces.** The painting book also includes helpful tips and suggestions on how to mix and blend colors to create different shades and effects.
Book Review: Of Curses and Kisses
For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?
His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…
As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.
Review: If you’ve ever read any of Sandhya Menon’s novels, you know she is an expert at writing slow-burning steamy romances and “Of Curses and Kisses” is no exception. The fun twist to the story is that it is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and what a unique retelling it is.
As always, Menon’s strength is in her characters and Jaya and Grey are no exception. Jaya is very headstrong and at times, can be very frustrating. She fiercely loves her family and is committed to her role as princess and future queen, which was admirable and what I loved about her. She becomes engaged to someone she doesn’t love, but is willing to sacrifice her happiness for her family and community. Grey’s story is much more heartbreaking as he is an extreme introvert due to his father’s emotional abuse. He is a very caring person but often hides that part of himself to protect his heart. Together, Jaya and Grey challenge each other while at the same time bring out the best in each other. There were so many moments where Grey made Jaya question her decision for revenge as she got to know him and there were moments where Jaya brought Grey out of his shell. Because of that, they both allowed themselves to be vulnerable with each other, which to me, were some of the best moments of the book. I feel in love with Jaya and Grey as they fell in love with each other.
I have to mention how inventive Menon’s retelling of Beauty and the Beast this is. Clearly Jaya is meant to be “Beauty” and Grey is meant to be “Beast” (he even refers to himself as a beast) however, there were moments that I felt the roles were reversed. Grey is a truly beautiful soul and sometimes Jaya was so consumed with her desire for revenge that some of her actions were “beast-like”. They way Menon used the mythical rose from the original story, as a rose shaped ruby pendant that was the start and the end of the curse, was beautiful. As the pendent falls apart Jaya and Grey relationship grows, as the two initially bond over the falling petals of the pendant. It was a beautiful balance and created a lovely tension to their relationship.
I’ve loved all of Sandhya Menon’s books and “Of Curses and Kisses” is added to that list. It was a fun, steamy, romantic novel and one that everyone should read.
The plot, however, felt a little forced. Whereas The Ex Hex was driven forward mostly by the magical elements, The Kiss Curse focused equally on Gwyn and Wells’ relationship and the loss of Gwyn’s magic. It resulted in both plots not feeling very developed and like there weren’t a lot of stakes with either. I did like the small twist toward the end, though.
This allows children to not only explore their creativity but also learn about color theory and art techniques. **It is a great way for children to develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.** One of the unique features of this book is its reusable pages. **Once the paint dries, the illustrations fade, leaving the pages blank again**, ready to be painted over and over again. This allows children to experiment and try different ideas without fear of making mistakes. It also makes this book a great travel companion, as it can be used again and again. Overall, the painting book with magical illustrations by Usborne is a fantastic way for children to express their creativity and imagination. **With its enchanting illustrations and magical paint effects, it truly brings art to life.** It is a wonderful gift for any aspiring artist and is sure to provide hours of fun and entertainment..
Reviews for "Discover the Magic Within Usborne's Painting Book and Create Your Own Enchantment"
1. Sarah - 1 star
I was really excited to get the "Painting book with magical illustrations" by Usborne, but I was severely disappointed. The illustrations were not at all what I expected. They were poorly drawn, and the colors were dull and unappealing. The magical element that was promised was completely missing. The book also lacked any sort of guidance or instructions on how to properly paint the illustrations. Overall, this book was a waste of money and I would not recommend it to anyone.
2. John - 2 stars
I bought the "Painting book with magical illustrations" by Usborne for my daughter, but she was left unimpressed. The illustrations were too simple and not engaging enough for her. The quality of the paper was also disappointing as it easily ripped when she tried to paint on it. Additionally, the book only came with six illustrations, which was not enough to keep her entertained for long. Overall, this book fell short of our expectations and did not provide the magical experience it claimed to offer.
3. Emily - 2 stars
As an avid painter, I was excited to try out the "Painting book with magical illustrations" by Usborne. However, I was left feeling underwhelmed. The illustrations were lacking in detail and looked rushed. The colors provided in the book were also limited and did not allow for much creativity. Furthermore, the book did not offer any suggestions or inspiration for different painting techniques or styles. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to fellow artists.