Adventure Planet
Director: Kompin Kemgumnird
Voice Cast: Brooke Shields, Jane Lynch, Bailee Madison, J.K. Simmons
Studio: ARC Entertainment
Release Date: August 26th, 2014
Retail: $20.99
ASIN: B00M1CFWCG
Running Time: 81 minute
Rating: PG

Review:

Arriving on DVD this week is the computer-animated family from ARC Entertainment, titled Adventure Planet. The film is directed by Kompin Kemgumnird and features the voice talents of Brooke Shields, Jane Lynch, Bailee Madison and J.K. Simmons. There are no special features or bonus features on disc.

Adventure Planet (originally released in Thailand under the title Echo Planet) centers on a Boy Scout named Sam, who happens to be the son of the president of the Capital State, but he isn't exactly your typical scout, as he is equiped with all the new electronic gadgets. Suddenly, all of his gadgets go haywire, leaving Sam a bit confused that is until he runs into a brother and sister, Norava and Jorpe, and their people living in the rainforest of Thailand, whom informs him that Mother Nature is fighting back against the world because of Global Warming.

Doctor Who: Engines of War
by George Mann
Publisher: Broadway Books
Pub. Date: September 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-0553447668
Pages: 320
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

The UK science-fiction franchise, Doctor Who, will turn 51 this November, but don't let the age fool you, as the franchise is more popular than ever, thanks to the 2005 reboot, which started its 8th season this past Saturday with the introduction of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor. Similar to other science fiction franchises, Doctor Who has found itself in the printed world of novelizations with the first book being printed in 1964.

On September 9th, Broadway Books will release Doctor Who: Engines of War by George Mann to bookstores in the United States. The novelization centers on the War Doctor that was introduced at the end of 7th season (series) episode, titled "The Name of the Doctor," and took center stage in the 50th Anniversary Special The Day of the Doctor. The War Doctor was the forgotten regeneration that took place between the Eighth and Ninth Doctor during the Great Time War.

Engines of War centers on a young woman named Cinder on the planet Moldox in the Tantalus Spiral, who for the last fifteen years has been fighting the Daleks who murdered her entire family. Over the years, she has teamed up with other survivors to fight against the invasion, but most of them have fallen to the Daleks. All hope seemed to be lost that is until a blue box appears out of nowhere, bringing Cinder a hint of hope.

The War Doctor arrives to try to figure out why a swarm of Daleks are in this area of space. Could it have something to do with the Tantalus Eye?

The Healing Quilt
Return of the Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club
by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Publisher: Barbour Publishing Inc
Pub. Date: August 5, 2014
ISBN: 978-1616260873
Pages: 320
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

I think I have said more than once on this blog that I like reading Amish fiction. My two top favorite writers of the genre are Beverly Lewis and Wanda E. Brunstetter, in which I either buy each new book by the authors or I sign up to review the books. Arriving earlier this month on paperback is Wanda E. Brunstetter's latest novel, The Healing Quilt, which is the second book in the Return of the Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club; well actually it is the third book if you count 2012's The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club. I have to admit that I have never read the other books in the series, though I do own The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club on paperback and I have  The Healing Quilt on my Kindle; I just never got around to reviewing them yet.

That being said, I still jumped at the opportunity to review The Healing Quilt, which follows the same main characters from the previous books, Lamar and Emma Yonder Miller, an Amish couple who purchased a winter home in the Pinecraft community of Sarasota, Florida. After settling into their new home, the couple decide to start another 6-week quilting class.

A wide variety of characters sign up for the quilting class. Erika is an angry teenager who was injured during a diving accident and is now wheelchair-bound; she doesn't want to take a quilting class, but her father signs her up anyway. Noreen joined the class, as she was just looking for something new to do; her husband passed away awhile back and her son and daughter-in-law lives in Texas. Jennifer is soon to be a mother for the very first time and she would love to learn how to make a quilt for the baby, but she doesn't have the money because her husband lost his job. Out of nowhere, an unknown stranger pays for the quilting class. B.J. is a widow artist with terminal-cancer taking one final vacation; he signs up for the class so he can make a wall hanging to leave behind for his granddaughter. Mike's charter boat business takes an unwanted hiatus when his boat's engine need to be repaired; leaving him spare time to take his wife's spot in the class after she had to leave to take care of her injured sister. Kim left her life in North Carolina behind to live in Florida with her boyfriend, but after they broke up, she finds herself looking to make new friends, which is the reason why she joined the quilting class.

If you want schedule next week's post, click here to find the next prompt question. To submit a question, fill out this form.

What to do:

1. Post on your blog answering this question:

  This week's question is submitted by Elizabeth!

Do you reply to comments on your blog or do you figure folks won't be stopping back to read your reply so you don't bother?

2. Enter the link to your post in the linky list below (enter your Blog Name and the direct link to your post answering this week’s question. Failure to do so will result in removal of your link).


3. Visit other blogs in the list and comment on their posts. Try to spend some time on the blogs reading other posts and possible become a new follower.  The purpose of the hop is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

  

My Answer: 

I try to reply to the Book Blogger Hop comments, if I remember. I don't normally reply on review comments unless somebody asks a question.

Eerie Elementary #1: The School is Alive!
by Jack Chabert
Illustrations by: Sam Ricks
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Pub. Date: June 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0545623926
Pages: 96
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

I don't keep up with all the middle grade books being published, so if it wasn't for NetGalley, I would have never known about the new Eerie Elementary series by Jack Chabert, which is part of the Branches line of books from Scholastic Inc.

In book one, titled The School is Alive!, Sam Graves is elected Hall Monitor for his third grade class, which is a position he never wanted, as he was elected by the school principal. His first morning as Hall Monitor turns out to be a morning he would never forget when he learns that the school is actually alive!

After nearly being killed by quicksand in the playground's sandbox, Sam encounters the school's janitor, Mr. Nekobi, who enlists Sam in helping him protect the students against the school. It seems Eerie Elementary feeds off of students and it had been up to Mr. Nekobi to stop the school, but now the responsibility has been handed to Sam.

Summer is nearly over, well at least for the kids that are heading back to school this month; meaning kids will be having the dreaded homework assignments, including book reports. I know some kids may think reading is boring, as they would probably rather be playing a video game, but reading can be a joyful experience when you find that one perfect title to read. Therefore, I am going to be featuring a few Back to School Reads on here.

Do you remember receiving those Scholastic book catalogs during your elementary years? Or attending the yearly school book fair?

I sure do remember them, as this is when I was introduce to many new authors, including those who wrote under the Point Horror title. I read these books vigorously, introducing me to the works by R.L. Stine, Diane Hoh, Richie Tankersley Cusick, Christopher Pike, and Caroline B. Cooney. The plots of Point Horror were similar to the horror movies from the 1980s, where typically a female teenager must battle some sort of bad guy, like an ex-boyfriend, a stalker, a serial killer, a ghost, a vampire, etc. Yes, the books were heavily criticized, but teenager readers loved reading them. The books became even more popular during the 90s' with ten books or more being released yearly, but toward the beginning of the 21st century the genre almost disappeared. After an eight year absence, new Point Horror titles returned in 2013.

One of the newest Point Horror releases, Wickedpedia (224 pages; ISBN:  978-0545415873) by Chris Van Etten, arrived in bookstores back in June from Scholastic Inc., and follows the similar horror premise of the original Point Horror books, except for the fact that the plot is more updated with today's trends and technology.

Wickedpedia centers on an aspiring teenage chef Cole Redeker and his best-friend Gavin. Cole has never gotten over the breakup with his ex-girlfriend Winnie, as he is still in love with her, but she already has a new boyfriend, the know-it-all Josh. It is no secret that Josh uses Wikipedia to research his class reports. Cole and Gavin thought it would be funny to alter those pages, so Josh would get into trouble. What starts out as a little harmless joke  turns into murder!

Summer is nearly over, well at least for the kids that are heading back to school this month; meaning kids will be having the dreaded homework assignments, including book reports. I know some kids may think reading is boring, as they would probably rather be playing a video game, but reading can be a joyful experience when you find that one perfect title to read. Therefore, I am going to be featuring a few Back to School Reads on here.

Available now in bookstores is James Patterson's latest novel for teens, titled Homeroom Diaries. Co-authored by Lisa Papademetriou, the book centers around teenager Cuckoo Clarke. Don't worry, her real name isn't Cuckoo, but the nickname stuck after a brief stint in a mental hospital (or as she prefers to call it - Crazytown) when her mother left her (again). She attends North Plains high school along with with the other members of the Freakshow, which are friends Brainzilla (Kate), Eggy (Hana), Zitsy (Paul), Flatso (Beverly) and Tebow (Peter).

Yes, Cuckoo and the Freakshow are the outcasts of the high school, but they don't care much. The group sticks together through thick and thin, as they try to survive high school together. From debating whether she has a crush on the new teacher or her friend Tebow, her mother's wanted or unwanted return, and the death of her foster-mother, Cuckoo has a a lot to deal with in one year, if she isn't too busy coming up with a new ending to the Twilight Saga.

A sneak peek into Cuckoo's life!

Any coin collector will know that Whitman Publishing, LLC is the best company that makes the supplies for coin collecting. From coin books to the yearly A Guide Book of United States Coins, the company manufacturing everything you would ever need.

Available to purchase now from Whitman Publishing, LLC is the 625pc Ultimate Coin Supply Kit, featuring the 2015 Red Book Price Guide, State Series Quarters Folders Volume I & II, 300 Nickel-Quarter Mylar holders, 300 Cent-Dime Mylar holders, 4 Quarter Size Storage Tubes, 5 Cent Size Storage Tubes, a Whitman Coin Storage Box, 5 Quality Thumb-cut Pages, 6 Plastic 2x2 Quarter holders, and a 3" Round Magnifier. If purchased separately, this collection would retail at over $76, but it can currently be purchased at $29.95!

Being a coin collector myself, I was excited to review a complimentary kit in exchange for my honest thoughts. Of course the main item that pops out of the kit is the 2015 Red Book, a price guide of United States Coins, which retails at $14.95 all by itself. The guide covers the current prices of Pre-Federal Issues (colonial and post-colonial), Federal Issues (from half cents to proof and mint coin sets), Bullion, United States Pattern Pieces and other coin issues. The "Welcome To Numismatics" gives a detailed introduction to the United States Coins, starting with the Spanish Milled Dollar and ending with Sunken Treasure. The 2015 Red Book gives a coin collector the current value (well at least close to it) for every coin grade.

Included in the kit are 300 Nickel-Quarter Mylar holders (a 100 psc. set retails at $5.99) and 300 Cent-Dime Mylar holders (a 100 psc. set retails at $5.99). These are great for keeping coins dust-free. To keep each cardboard holder close, I recommend taping it shut with scotch tape. There is also a 6 pcs. State Series Quarters Plastic Holders. These polystyrene holders can be used to keep any quarter in your collection safe. Each 2" x 2" holder retails about $.89. You can store these holders in the Whitman Coin Storage Box (3 dividers; box is 9 inches long), which holds 39 - 2" x  2" holders and retails at $5.99.