In THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, on Blu-ray and DVD on April 15th, the title character is a timid magazine photo manager who lives his live through vicariously through over-the-top daydreams. In honor of the movie’s home entertainment release, we’re taking a look at a few other notable daydreamers in film.






Cady has to make a lot of adjustments when starting high school after being home schooled in Africa her entire life. But when she begins to notice her new friends’ true animal instincts, she imagines them acting like the jungle wildlife she left behind.



Lester (Kevin Spacey) is way too old for his daughter’s friend Angela (Mena Suvari), but that doesn’t stop him from imagining a truly creepy dance sequence starring her in a cheerleading outfit during a high school basketball game.

Back in the late '70s thru to the late '90s, Choose Your Own Adventure type books were popular with middle-graders and young adults. In these stories, the character's fate is in the readers' hands, as they must decide where to go, what to do and which page to turn to.

Though these types of books are nearly extinct for young adults, there are several chapter book series for ages 7-12 being written with a "Choose Your Own Adventure" theme, like the new You Choose Stories starring those loveable Mystery Inc. Gang.

Scooby-Doo!: The Secret of the Sea Creature finds Fred Jones Jr., Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo arriving at the Wild-World Beach for a much needed R&R. The gang splits up upon arriving, as Fed wants to go snorkeling, Daphne wants to go kite-surfing, Daphne wants to go hunting for shells and Shaggy and Scooby-Doo just want to find something eat.

There are too many people who don't know how to cook a meal from scratch. Instead they either shove a cardboard pizza in the oven or get something at a fast-food joint. There is nothing wrong with occasionally eating pizza or grabbing a McDonald's burger, but its not healthy do this on a daily basis.

Cooking isn't rocket science. All you need is a good skillet or pan, a spatula, cooking oil of some sorts and seasonings. Then, of course, you need something to fry, like beef patties, chicken breasts, pork chops, eggs or vegetables.

If you don't already own a skillet, then you really need to get one. There are many brands on the market, some are cheap and others can be a bit pricey.

Last week, I received The Stone Earth 10-Inch Pan by Ozeri (retails at $34.95) to review. A typical frying pans use a PFOA (PerFluoroOctanoic Acid) to achieve a non-stick pan, but this chemical can cause serious healthy problems. The Stone Earth Pan uses a natural stone-derived coating from Germany called Stonehenge to achieve the non-stick perfection while being completely free of PFOA, cadmium, lead and other harmful chemicals.

The pan is meant to be durable, scratch-resistant because of the stone-derived coating, which doesn't emits any harmful fumes when heated, making it eco-friendly.

DreamWorks Dragons: Defenders Of Berk - Part 1
Voice Cast: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T. J. Miller and David Tennant
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Retail: $19.98
ASIN: B00FLAL3BO
Running Time: 220 minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

Arriving on DVD this week is DreamWorks Dragons: Defenders of Perk: Part 1, featuring ten episodes from the second season. Bonus features include Dragon Tracker Part 3, Evolution Of Screaming Death, "Superfly" Dragon Mash-Up, and World of DreamWorks Animation.

The computer-animated series, which airs on the Cartoon Network, is a sequel to 2010's How To Train Your Dragon, which is based on the children's book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell. The original voice actors Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T. J. Miller and David Tennant return for the series, which bridges the gap between the first film and this summer's sequel, How To Train Your Dragon 2.

The episodes on the two-disc set are:

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 Jack!

 

What are some of your favorite book blogs?

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: 

There are too many great book blogs, so I can't narrow them down to a favorite one.

47 Ronin
Director: Carl Rinsch
Starring: Keanu Reeves
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Retail: $34.98
ASIN: B00HEPDLFK
Running Time: 119 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack on April 1st is the fantasy-action film, 47 Ronin, directed by Carl Rinsch and stars Keanu Reeves (The Matrix Trilogy). Bonus features include delete scene and Re-forging the Legend. Blu-ray exclusives include Keanu & Kai, Steel Fury: The Fights of 47 Ronin and Myths, Magic & Monsters: The FX of 47 Ronin.

47 Ronin is loosely based on actually events that occurred during the 18th century, but this version has been Hollywoodized by adding a fantasy element, as well as CGI special effects to it. The film was filmed in 2011 with a release date scheduled for November 2012, but due to production delays and re-shoots, the film was rescheduled to February 2013, but was quickly shoved to a Christmas Day 2013 release. The film received negative reviews from critics. With a budget of a reported $175 million, the film bombed at the box-office.

Keanu Reeves plays a half-Japanese, half-British warrior named Ako, who is rejected by the samurais, but accepted by Lord Asano Naganori. After being put under a spell, Lord Naganori attacks a young woman, with the punishment for the crime is death. The Shogun allows him to die honorably by committing seppuku (suicide).

The Ronin samurais, led by Oishi (played by Hiroyuki Sanada), are disbanded. Oishi is imprisoned for a year, but when he is released, he gathers up the remaking Ronin, along with Ako (who is was put into slavery). The 47 Ronin plan on avenging Lord Naganori's death.

Delivery Man
Director: Ken Scott
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Cobie Smulders, 
Studio: Touchstone Home Entertainment/ DreamWorks Pictures
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Retail: $32.99
ASIN: B00HSM7HB8
Running Time: 105 minutes
Rating: PG-13






Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray this week from Touchstone Home Entertainment and DreamWorks Pictures is the comedy-drama Delivery Man, directed by Ken Scott (Starckbuck) and starring Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers).

Bonus Extras Include:

• Building Family - Explore the challenge and fun of creating this modern family, and learn how 142 young actors cast as biological siblings bonded both during and after production.
• Vince Vaughn: Off The Cuff - Vince Vaughn is the master of comedy, so when he says, "Do you want me to improv?" - yes, we do.
• Bloopers
• Deleted scenes

Delivery Man is a remake of the 2011 French-Canadian film, which is also directed by Ken Scott, and centers on slacker David Wozniak (played by Vince Vaughn). He happens to owe $80,000 to a few loan-sharks and of course he doesn't have the money, as his only occupation is being a deliveryman for his father's butcher shop. He's pretty much a failure in the eyes of his family and even to his girlfriend Emma (played by Cobie Smulders).

His life takes an unexpected turn when Emma announces she is pregnant and that she would rather raise the child by herself, as David isn't a reliable person. Then, out-of-nowhere, he is visited by a lawyer representing a sperm bank and delivers some startling news. David has fathered 533 children via donations he made twenty years earlier!

It Had To Be You  
A Christiansen Family novel, book two
By Susan May Warren
Publisher: Tyndale
Pub. Date: January 17, 2014
ASIN: B00E1O6UT6
Pages: 480
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/swarren
Buy Link: Paperback

Review:


As most of my blog readers already know, I prefer historical romances over most contemporary romances, but I signed up to review It Had To Be You because the cover reminded of the romance book jackets from the 80s. Plus, I'm already fan of Susan May Warren's novels.

It Had To Be You centers on Eden Christiansen, who has put a hold on her dreams to help her younger brother, Owen, get his life on track. She would rather be focusing on her writing career, but she is stuck writing obituaries. Plus, she gets sidetracked every time a family member or friend needs her help. In this case, Owen doesn't even want her help, which makes the whole situation even more stressful for Eden.

Owen is an NHL rookie and if he doesn't get the correct guidance, his life will easily run off course in a hurry. Eden steps in, less like a sister and more like a surrogate mother, when she approaches the hockey star enforcer, Jace Jacobsen, who acts tough on and off the ice. Asking this hothead to help her brother is not going to be harder than what she thought it would be.

Wildwood Creek
Moses Lake series, book 4
By Lisa Wingate
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: February 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-0764208249
Pages: 384

Review:

There are many writers in the Christian market today and, sadly, many of them don't standout of the crowd for me. If I don't recall the author's name, then the book probably didn't leave a lasting effect on me. However, I do recall reading "Never Say Never" by Lisa Wingate when I first started blogging. Though I haven't read very many of her other titles, her name stood out for me when I decided to sign up to review the title, Wildwood Creek, courtesy of Bethany House.

Wildwood Creek centers on two women, Allie Kirkland and Bonnie Rose, from two different times. Allie is a modern day woman who takes a production assistant job on a docudrama set near Moses Lake, Texas. Bonnie Rose is an Irish schoolteacher back in the year 1861.

Allie has been kinda lost. Her still mourns for her late father. Her relationship with her mother, stepfather and her step-siblings is estranged. Her father was a director and she finally has a chance to follow in his footsteps when she takes a job working on a docudrama.

She multitasks by working in the costume department and playing the part of Bonnie Rose. The docudrama is about what happened at Wildwood Creek when the townspeople mysteriously disappeared in 1861. During the production, Allie begins researching the real-life events that occurred in the town, but there is danger just around the corner for her.

Robert Ludlum's The Janson Option
By Paul Garrison
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pub. Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-0446564489
Pages: 368

Review:

Author Robert Ludlum died over a decade, but stories based on his characters and ideas are still being published; written by other authors; similar to the ghostwritten V.C. Andrews’s paperbacks or the recent continuation of Robert P. Parker's book series. Last week, Grand Central Publishing released the third installment in the Janson series, titled The Janson Option.

The first book in the series, The Janson Directive, was published posthumous, a year after the author's death. Author Paul Garrison stepped into Ludlum's shoes to pen the sequel, The Janson Command, in 2012 and returned to write the third installment.

The Janson Option centers on ex-Navy Seal and former member of the U.S. government covert agency, Consular Operations, who now spends his time as a corporate security consultant. This time around Janson is hired by the president of the petroleum division of American Synergy Corp., Kingsman Helms, to help rescue his wife, Allegra Helms.

Allegra is a 30-year-old Italian countess, whose last known whereabouts was aboard the yacht Tarantula when it was hijacked by the Somali pirate Maxammed and his goons in the Indian Ocean. This sort of rescue mission would typically be easy for Janson and his partner, Jessica Kincaid, but they encounter several twists and turns around every corner.

I'm barely awake, as I'm patiently waiting for my coffee to finish brewing, while my bed fittings are being washed in the washing machine, so it is a typical Monday morning. I fully agree with Garfield when he said, "I Hate Mondays."

It seems nothing was on television over the weekend except of the overblown coverage of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. For me there is less actually news and more wild conspiracies. At least The Walking Dead was new last night, though the season finale is next week. That leaves only Games of Thrones on Sundays, which starts up again next month. Luckily, I did receive the Beetlejuice: Seasons Two & Three DVD Saturday, but I only got around to watching one episode.

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 Kisha!

 

What is your favorite weekly meme?

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 don't have time to participate in weekly memes anymore, except for hosting the Book Blogger Hop, so I don't have any favorites.

Saving Mr. Banks
Director: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Retail: $36.99
ASIN: B00HT944D4
Running Time: 125 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray this past week is the critically acclaimed Disney film Saving Mr. Banks, starring Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins and Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. Special features includes The Walt Disney Studios: From Poppins To The Present, "Let's Go Fly A Kite" and deleted scenes. The film is also available on DVD and Digital HD.

The 1964 musical, Mary Poppins, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Almost everyone knows the tale of the nanny Mary Poppins flying down on her umbrella to babysit the Banks children. The film, along with P.L. Travers book series of the same name, has been entertaining kids for generations, but some people may not know the struggles that went into making the film.

Saving Mr. Banks is based on true events involving the creation of Mary Poppins and the tension between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers. Walt had made a promise to his daughter to make a film version of Mary Poppins, but it took twenty-years to acquire the rights.

P.L. Travers has never been impressed with anything Disney has ever created and is very skeptically on Disney's version of Mary Poppins; therefore, she travels from England to Los Angeles, where she collaborates with the Mary Poppins creative team at the Walt Disney Studio.

A Sky Without Stars
Quilts of Love, Book 15
By Linda S. Clare
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Pub. Date: February 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1426752797
Pages: 272
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/a-sky-without-stars-linda-clare
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Last year, I happen to stumble across the Quilts of Love series from Abingdon Press. Though I don't know how to quilt, I have several family members that do, so I do respect the hobby and is one of the reasons why I signed up to review the newest book in the series, A Sky Without Stars, written by Linda S. Clare.

Set in 1951, the fifteenth installment centers on a Lakota woman, Frankie Chasing Bear, who finds herself raising her son, Harold, alone after husband is suddenly killed. To honor their heritage, she is trying to pass down the Lakota ways to her son, but it is difficult for her to do with her son uninterested in his past.

Lakota decides the only way to help her son respect their ancestors is to make a Lakota Star-pattern quilt, something that can be passed down to him one day and become a reminder of his heritage.

I Know What You Did Last Summer
Director: Jim Gillespie
Starring: Jeniffer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Ryan Phillippe
When A Stranger Calls
Director: Simon West
Starring: Camilla Belle, Brian Geraghty, Katie Cassidy, Clark Gregg
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Retail: $9.98
ASIN: B00HZMZ29U
Running Time: 3 hours 6 minutes
Rating: R/PG-13

Review:

Arriving in a single-disc DVD is the horror film double feature of I Know What You Did Last Summer (starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Ryan Phillippe) and When A Stranger Calls (starring Camilla Belle, Brian Geraghty, Katie Cassidy, Clark Gregg) from Mill Creek Entertainment. There are no extras or special features on the disc.

I Know What You Did Last Summer was released in the fall of 1997, loosely based on the book of the same name by Lois Duncan; though besides from the title and characters' names, it hardly resembles the young adult novel. Kevin Williamson (he wrote the Scream movies) penned the script.

The film revolves around four seniors accidentally running over a stranger that was walking in the road. Since they had all been drinking, they decide to take the body to the nearby docks and dump the body in the water. One year goes by and Julie (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt) has never gotten over that horrifying night. She returns home from college for summer break, only to be tormented by random letters saying, "I Know What You Did Last Summer." Julie, Helen (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Barry (played by Ryan Phillippe) and Ray (played by Freddie Prinze Jr.) are all being stalked by a crazed killer. They start to suspect that whoever they dumped in the docks last summer might be still alive and wanting revenge.

Riding the backbone of the original Scream movie, I Know What You Did Last Summer was a box-office success. A sequel with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddy Prinze Jr., titled I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, was released in 1998. A direct-to-video sequel, titled I Always Know What You Did Last Summer, was released in 2006 with a brand-new cast, but was unsuccessful.

Hocus Pocus Hotel: The Thirteenth Mystery
By Michael Dahl
Illustrator: Lisa K. Weber
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Pub. Date: March 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1434265098
Pages: 214

Review:

Arriving in bookstores earlier this month is the third and final book in the Hocus Pocus Hotel trilogy.  I enjoyed reading the first two books in the series, so I was eager to read third installment from author Michael Dahl.


Charlie Hitchcock is pulled out of class by his so-called friend, Tyler Yu, because the magician, Abracadabra, is missing. Abracadabra, or as his friends call him, Brack, is a famous magician that owns the Abracadabra Hotel, and occasionally he does have a habit of faking his death.

Tyler Yu, along with his parents, lives and works at the hotel. Though he isn't exactly friends with Charlie Hitchcock, they do get together to solve the strange mysteries hidden in the hotel. And once again Tyler needs Charlie's help in finding out what happened to Brack.

If you own a business, then you need to have a web presence. To make the most of your web presence, you need to work with a qualified web hosting provider. Here are three tips for finding the best web host company available. When you are looking for a quality provider, look for a company that has a great, long-standing reputation in the area, helps you understand all of the costs, and comes highly recommended from a number of their existing customers.

One of the first things you should look for when you are finding a high-quality web host is a company that has a positive reputation in the local area, as well as one that has been operating in the area for a few years. The last thing you want to worry about is hiring a company to provide services and then have the company disappear months, a year, or even a couple years later.


Cost is obviously going to be an important consideration when you are choosing a hosting company. However, it is crucial that you determine all of the things you will be charged for. Make sure that you know what all the fine print says, as many hosting companies may try to rope you into costs that you were not expecting or were not aware of. Make sure that the services you need are those that are offered and that there are no other things you are being charged for that you did not sign up for.

The wait is over! The long-awaited Veronica Mars feature film is now in theaters and on Digital HD.

On the eve of graduating law school, Veronica Mars has put Neptune and her amateur sleuthing days behind her. While interviewing at high-end New York law firms, Veronica Mars gets a call from her ex-boyfriend Logan who has been accused of murder. Veronica heads back to Neptune just to help Logan find an attorney, but when things don't seem right with how Logan's case is perceived and handled, Veronica finds herself being pulled back into a life she thought she had left behind.

Following a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign that ended on April 12, 2013, Veronica Mars was shot over 23 days during June-July 2013. It will be released in selected theaters nationwide on March 14th, 2014.


Think you know all there is to know about Neptune, California? Test your Veronica Mars knowledge with all 3 levels of super-fan trivia and find out if you are the ultimate Marshmallow!

Out Of The Furnace
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck, Forest Whitaker, William Dafoe, Zoe Saldana, Sam Shepard
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Retail: $29.99
ASIN: B00HOGBXTU
Running Time: 116 minutes
Rating: R

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray and DVD last week was the thriller/drama Out Of The Furnace starring Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Casey Affleck, Forest Whitaker, William Dafoe, Zoe Saldana, and Sam Shepard. Special Features include Inspiration: The stars of Out Of The Furnace reveal what inspired them to become actors; A Conversation with co-writer/director Scott Copper; Crafting the Fight Scenes; and The Music of Out Of The Furnace.

The film centers on ex-con, Russell Baze (played by Christian Bale), who had went to prison for vehicular manslaughter. During the time he was locked away, his girlfriend, Lena (played by Zoe Saldana) dumped him for the local police chief (played by Forest Whitaker) and his father passed away.

After being released from prison, Russell returns to work at the town's steal mill. His younger brother, Rodney (played by Casey Affleck) had returned from Iraq prior to his incarceration, but during Russell's absence Rodney began making a few extra bucks by participating in underground fist-fighting.

Swooping on DVD on March 25th is DreamWorks Animation's Dragons: Defenders Of Berk, Part 1.

Based on the DreamWorks Animation Academy Award® nominated movie How to Train Your Dragon, DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK PART 1 continues Hiccups journey along with his fellow dragon trainers as thy battle to protect their home. The series features original voice talent from the film including Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera and Christopher Mintz-Plasse and will include, Zack Pearlman and more.

Defenders of Berk, along with the previously released Riders of Berk, is a must have for any Dragons fan and a great way to catch up before this summer's How to Train Your Dragon 2 hits theaters on June 13th!

All Things Hidden
By: Tracie Peterson & Kimberly Woodhouse
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: January 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0764211195
Pages: 352

Review:

Arriving in bookstores earlier this year is All Things Hidden written by Tracie Peterson and Kimberly Woodhouse. I'm a fan of Tracie Peterson's Heirs of Montana series, so I eagerly signed up to review this book.

All Things Hidden centers on a young nurse named Gwyn Hillerman, who has been working at her father's clinic in Alaska.
Business at the clinic picks up with the Matanuska Project occurred, where 200 families were relocated to Alaska in 1935.

The novel jumps to Chicago and centers on Dr. Jeremiah Vaughan, who has just lost his medical license after the death of a patient. Shortly after losing his job, his fiancee calls off their engagement. Out the of blue, he receives a job opportunity from Dr. Hillerman to join his clinic in the Alaska Territory. Dr. Vaughan accepts the offer, as his career doesn't have any other choice.

Remember this is a love story, so it isn't too long after Dr. Vaughan's arrival that sparks fly between him and Gwyn.

How was everybody's weekend? My weekend was decent, though the weather was a little wacky. A few days of ago it was in the 70s and then there was snow on the ground yesterday morning. I wish Mother Nature would just make up her mind whether winter is over or spring is beginning.

Over the weekend, I finally watched all eight episodes of HBO's True Detectives on On Demand. I enjoyed the limited-series and maybe I'll watch the second season next year; depending on who is starring in it.

Some of my blog readers may remember my old weekly "Great Finds" post which I would list (or more like brag) the books I bought at a thrift store. I have cut back on buying books from thrift stores, mostly because I have way too many books, but occasionally I'll pick up an interesting title, which I don't normally mention on my blog. However, I did pick up a few titles over the weekend that I wanted to share with everyone.

The Book Thief
Director: Brian Percival
Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Sophie Nelisse
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B00G15MFBU
Running Time: 131 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray last week was the American-German war drama, The Book Thief, based on the novel of the same name by Markus Zusak. The film is directed by Brian Percival and stars Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nelisse. Special Features include A Hidden Truth: Bringing The Book Thief to Life and deleted scenes.

Honestly, I had no idea the film the was set during WWII when I first saw the movie advertise last year. The only thing that caught my attention was the movie's title, as I am a huge book lover. I was aware of the fact that the film is based on a book, though I have never read the book before. I don't care to read books or watch movies set during this era, but I was still intrigued to see the film by just the title alone.

The opening and closing narration is by Death, who introduces the main character, a twelve-year-old named Liesel Meminger, who is sent to live with a German couple, Hans and Rosa Huberman (played by Geofrey Rush and Emily Watson) after her mother (a Communist) is no longer able to take care of her. The young girl is clutching a hold of a book (a gravedigger's manual) that she had found on the ground when her brother was buried. She is unable to read the book because she is illiterate.

Friend Me
By John Faubion
Publisher: Howard Books
Pub. Date: February 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1476738727
Pages: 368
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/jfaubion
Buy Link: Print, Kindle

Review:

When I sign up for a blog tour, I make it my mission to make sure my review, author interview or author guest post gets scheduled on the blog and posted, but for some odd reason I didn't get the blog tour schedule for Friend Me, as this was suppose to be published on February 14th. I must have accidentally deleted the blog tour email. I would like to apologize to the author, John Faubion, and to Liftuse Publicity Group for my lateness with my review.

It seems everyone these days has a smart phone, tablet, computer or some kind device to access the internet. In my opinion, we are all getting a little too lazy with all the advanced technology. That being said, the internet is full of online friend finders and dating sites. It can be a great place to find someone special and it can also be a place to find danger.

Friend Me centers on a troubled businessman, Scott, and his lonely housewife, Rachel, both of whom seek to find friendships on the world-wide-web through a website called Virtual Friend Me. At first neither one knows the other one is on the website, but that doesn't stop one dangerous woman, Melissa, from entering their lives.

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 Veronica!

 

What is the most creative thing you have ever done with a book?

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: 

Besides stacking books in bookshelves, closets and end tables, where they collect dust, I don't do anything creative with books, other than reading them.

The Jungle Book 2
Director: Steve Trenbirth
Starring: Haley Joel Osment, John Goodman, Mae Whitman, Bob Joles, Tony Jay Phil Collins, John Rhys-Davies, Jim Cummings
Studio: Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Retail: $36.99
ASIN: B00H2N44PK
Running Time: 72 minutes
Rating: G

Review:

In the early 1990s, Disney began releasing direct-to-video sequels to their animation classics, though the quality wasn't the same as the originals. Their direct-to-video (DVD) sequels have slowed down (except for the Tinker Bell movies) over the years, but a few of the past sequels have made their way onto the big screen, including the almost forgotten sequel, The Jungle Book 2, which is arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack for the first time this Tuesday, March 18, 2014. Bonus features include the deleted scenes "I Got You Beat" and "Braver," Sing Along Songs, Music Videos and The Legacy of The Jungle Book.

Critically panned for the cheap animation style, The Jungle Book 2 managed to take in over 135-million-dollars at the box-office. Sadly, all the original voice actors had passed away, leaving John Goodman taking over as the voice of Baloo, Haley Joel Osment as Mowgli and Bob Joles as Bagheera. The film has nothing in common with Rudyard Kipling's The Second Jungle Book.

The Jungle Book 2 picks up shortly after the original, where Mowgli is now living in the "Man Village." It is not really stated if the family that took him in are his real parents are adopted parents. (I recommend watching the alternate ending of the first movie to see what I'm referring about.) Anyway, Mowgli sneaks into the jungle from time to time to hangout with his jungle pals Baloo and Bagheera.

In The Name Of The King 3: The Last Mission
Director: Uwe Boll
Starring: Dominic Purcell, Marian Valev, Raltsa Paskaleva
Studio: 20th Century Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Retail: $29.99
ASIN: B00I01FUBA
Running Time: 86 minutes
Rating: R

Arriving on Blu-ray and DVD this week is In The Name Of The King 3: The Last Mission starring Dominic Purcell, Marian Valev and Raltsa Paskaleva. The only special feature on the Blu-ray is "The Making of In The Name Of The King 3: The Last Mission."

The first and only film in the series to be released to theaters was the 2007 (released in 2008 in United States) fantasy adventure In The Name Of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, which is loosely inspired by the Dungeon Siege video game series. With an impressive cast of Jason Statham, Leelee Sobieski, John Rhys-Davies, Ron Perlman, Claire Forlani, Kristanna Loken, Matthew Lillard, Ray Liotta and Burt Reynolds and a budget of 60 million dollars, the film should have been a blockbuster, but the film is directed by Uwe Boll - one of the worst directors since Ed Wood. Despite an interesting premise, the film was a complete flop, mostly due to bad dialogue and horrible directing.

Even though a movie flops at the theaters, it doesn't mean you can't make a franchise out it, and that is exactly what happened when in The Name Of The King 2: Two Worlds went direct-to-DVD/Blu-ray. The sequel completely ignored the first film and stars Dolph Lundgren as a modern day soldier sent back in time.

Now we have another unwanted sequel, In The Name Of The King 3: The Last Mission, starring Prison Breaks' Domnic Purcell as a contract killer, Hazen Kaine, on his final mission involving a royal family. After touching an amulet, Hazen is transported back to the Middle Ages, where he must battle an entire army and a fire-breathing dragon.

Disney's Frozen: Collector's Edition
Directors: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
Voice Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Retail: $44.99
ASIN: B00G5G7K7O
Running Time: 102 minutes
Rated: PG

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack on March 18th is Disney's smash-box-office hit and an Academy Award Winner for Best Animated Picture, Frozen, featuring cool bonus extras, such as "The Making of Frozen," D'frosted: Disney's Journey From Hans Christian Anderson to Frozen, deleted scenes, music videos and "Get a Horse" Mickey Mouse Short.

Inspired by the classic fairy tale, The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Anderson, comes Disney's newest princess animated film, Frozen, but unlike Disney's other princess' films, Frozen uses computer-animation.

Frozen tells the story Elsa the princess of Arendelle, who has the unique magical gift of creating snow and ice, but after accidentally injuring her younger sister, Anna, her parents, King and Queen of Arendelle, forbid her from using her magic again. A troll removes all Anna's memories of Elsa's magical gift. Since Elsa cannot control her magical powers, she shuts herself away in her bedroom. She hides from the outside world and from Anna.

After the King and Queen's sudden deaths, Elsa must take the crown, but her magical powers cannot be controlled, leaving her to be banished, but she leaves a winter blast over the kingdom.

Ounce of Prevention

Arriving on Blu-ray on March 25th is the 1983 film, The King of Comedy: The 30th Anniversary, starring Academy Award® Winner Robert De Niro*, Jerry Lewis and Sandra Bernhard, whom all give mesmerizing performances in this "chilling black comedy" (TV Guide's Movie Guide).

The movie explores the painfully high and often hilarious price of fame. Robert De Niro stars as a struggling stand-up comedian Rupert Pupkin, who enlists the aid of his friend Masha (played by Sandra Bernhard) to kidnap talk show host Jerry Langford (played by Jerry Lewis). What is the ransom? Pupkin wants a guest spot on the talk show.


*Actor, Raging Bull, 1980; Supporting Actor, The Godfather Part II, 1974.

The Agony And the Ecstasy
Director: Carol Reed
Starring: Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Enterainment
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Retail: $24.99
ASIN: B00HF98SNK
Running Time: 138 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Releasing on Blu-ray for the first time last week is the  1965 classic film The Agony and the Ecstasy starring Charlton Heston as Michelangelo and Rex Harrison as Pope Julius II. The film was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and 2 Golden Globe Awards. There are no extras or features on the Blu-ray.

Loosely based on Irving Stone's biographical novel of the same name, The Agony And The Ecstasy chronicles the four years it took the now legendary artist Michelangelo Buonarroti to create the Sistine Chapel's spectacular ceiling fresco, which depicts the twelve apostles.

Artists didn't have much freedom back them, especially when political religious figures are involve, so Michelangelo persuades Pope Julius II to allow him to paint the entire vault instead of just the ceiling panels.

Painting such a masterpieces came with several ups and downs, as Michelangelo was accused of blasphemy and heresy because of the Pagan-looking symbols in his painting. Plus, being exposed to lead paint caused the artist to suffer from blindness. Despite all the setbacks, he is determined to finish painting his masterpiece.

Transformers Armada: The Complete Series
Voice Cast: Michael Dobson, Terry Klassen, Ward Perry
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Retail: $44.99
ASIN: B00GSTHDCU
Running Time: 1140 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Its almost hard to believe the Transformers' franchise is thirty-years-old. Yes, there are probably a few people who think Michael Bay created the franchise with his over-bloated CGI/live-action films, but it was actually created by the American toy company Hasbro and the Japanese Takara Tomy toy company. Takara already had two transforming toylines, which were later re-branded as Transformers. Of course most adults in their 30s' remember the popular Hasbro animated series (aka - Generation 1), followed by an animated movie and countless spinoff animated series.

From 2002 to 2006, Japan aired a "Unicorn Trilogy"Transformers animated series (Armada, Energon and Cyberton), featuring a '90s design to the characters. When the trilogy was brought over to the United States, the series was dubbed with American voices. Despite getting a mixed-reaction from die hard fans upon its debut (especially with the trilogy ignoring the previous series), over time the series has been accept as part of the Transformers' lore.

This Tuesday, March 11, 2014, Shout! Factory will be releasing Transformers Armada: The Complete Series on an eight-disc DVD set, featuring all 52 episodes (three seasons) from the first installment of the "Unicorn Trilogy." Transformers Energon will be released in May, followed by Transformers Cyberton later in the year.

Typically, I would list the episodes on a DVD set, but that's a little time consuming with 52 episodes on this set. There's between six to eight episodes on each disc; so it isn't as crammed as one might expect it to be.

Distortion
Moonlighter Series, Book Two
By Terri Blackstock
Publisher: Zondervan
Pub. Date: March 11, 2014
ISBN: 978-0310283140
Pages: 352
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/tPPB8
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/tblackstock

Review:

I have seen Terri Blackstock's books in book catalogs, but I only started reading her books about two years ago. Her writing style is different than most Christian authors. Most books in the genre tend to be strictly a romantic story, but Terri Blackstock centers the majority of her books (at least the ones I have read) around a mystery of some sorts. Last spring, I reviewed her novel Truth Stained Lies, book one in the Moonlighter Series, and earlier this year I got a change to review a ARC of the second book in the series titled, Distortion.

Distortion centers on Juliet Cole, whose life is completely torn away when she witnesses her husband of fifteen-years gunned down before her very own eyes. Now a widow and the only parent to her boys, she is determined to keep them safe no matter what the costs.

What she thought was a random murder turns into something else when she discovers threatening voice-mails. Afraid for the lives of her children, Juliet turns toward her sisters, Holly and Cathy, for help, but the mystery may be too big for them to handle, so they once again enlist PI Michael Hogan to help them find the killers.

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 have a schedule set for blogging and reading time? Or do you not have a set time and just let it happen?

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've tried to set a blogging/reading schedule, but something else always comes up, which completely changes my schedule. I'm better off blogging and reading whenever I feel like it or when I can squeeze in the time.

Winnie the Pooh: Springtime With Roo
Directors: Elliot M. Bour & Saul Andrew Blinkoff
Voice Cast: Jim Cummings, Ken Sansom, Jimmy Bennett, David Ogden Stiers, Kath Soucie, John Fiedler, Peter Cullen
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Retail: $29.99
ASIN: B00H0KD438
Running Time: 65 minutes
Rating: G
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:
 
Arriving today on Blu-ray for the first time is Walt Disney Home Entertainment's 2004 direct-to-video Winnie the Pooh: Springtime With Roo, featuring the bonus feature "Get Up And Dance!" - Spring into the holiday spirit and dance to songs form the movie. There is also a free Springtime With Roo Mobile inside every Blu-ray Combo Pack.

The Charles Dickens’s classic, A Christmas Carol, gets the Disney spin in Winnie the Pooh: Springtime With Roo. Everybody, especially little Roo, in the Hundred Acre Wood is looking forward to spring when Rabbit dresses up like the Easter Bunny and gives out gifts, but Rabbit has decided to skip this year and have a "Spring Cleaning Day" instead.

To change Rabbit's thoughts about Easter, the narrator and Tigger drag Rabbit out of the storybook and travel back in time to the previous year's Easter celebration, a time where Rabbit loved the holiday. Sadly, it is going to take more than just flipping back a few chapters to show Rabbit the true meaning of Easter.

As you can see my the name of my blog, I love a good cup of coffee. Over the years, I have been able to review a variety of different coffee brands and flavors.

Last Saturday, I received four 12oz coffee bean bags from The Organic Coffee Co., which is part of the Rogers Family Company. The coffee beans I received are Hazelnut, Chocolate Almond, Hurricane Espresso and French Roast. The coffee arrived just in time, as there was a few inches of snow on the ground and there is nothing better than a hot cup of coffee on a cold winter day.

What makes organic coffee different from regular coffee? Well, all the farms that grow the coffee are organic certified; meaning all the coffee beans grown are free of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides; so the beans are grown naturally, preserving all the original flavor.


I was eagerly looking forward to trying out my new coffee grinder. The first bag I opened was the
Hurricane Espresso. The tagline on the bag is, "A whirlwind of dark roasts blended to give a patent, vibrant cup with a calm aftertaste." To me there is nothing better than the fresh scent of coffee beans and the scent alone for this bag is enough to wake you up. It has a rich flavor, enough to keep a person going for hours after only one cup.

Robert B. Parker's Bull River
A Cole and Hitch Novel 
By Robert Knott
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Pub. Date: January 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0399165269
Pages: 352
Buy Links: Hardback, Kindle

Review:

I didn't take an interest in the western genre until I was in my early 20s, when I had stumbled upon a few $5 Clint Eastwood movies at Walmart, which lead me to buy every Clint Eastwood film. I also took interests in reading a few westerns by Max Brand, Matt Braun and Zane Grey. I stumbled upon Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker after watching the film version starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen. I quickly became a fan of Robert B. Parker's writings; reading a few Spenser novels and of course the Cole and Hitch sagas (Resolution, Brimestone and Blue-Eyed-Devil).

Blue-Eyed -Devil was published after the author's death, so I thought that would be end of of Cole and Hitch's adventures, but that wasn't the case, as author Robert Knott took over series with the release of Ironhorse in 2013. The newest entry, Bull River, was released in January and I was eagerly looking forward to reading it, but a few other books arrived before this one, so it had landed in my TBR stack until I finally got to reading it last month.

In Bull River, Marshal Virgil Cole and Deputy Everett Hitch have captured the outlaw Alejandro Vasquez and have escorted him to San Cristobal to stand trail. There is no time to rest for the duo, as soon as they arrive there is a big bank robbery and they quickly go after the robbers in the hope of recovering the money and capturing the criminals, but things go a bit rocky for them.

When looking for a new Mazda in Kansas City, it is natural to want to the best deal possible. Following are three tips to help you with your search:


Taking your time is really important when searching for the best deal. If your car has been totaled in an accident or suddenly will not start, you might feel under pressure to make a fast decision. Don’t do it. If you need to, rent a vehicle for a week. The money you spend on the rental could easily be saved by getting a good purchase price. Take the time to think about what you really want in a car. Perhaps your needs have changed since you last bought a vehicle. Also, take the time to get prequalified for a loan.

The Descent
Book Three of the Taker Trilogy
By Alma Katsu
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pub. Date: January 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-1451651829
Pages: 352
Buy Links: Paperback, Kindle

Review:

I haven't been more exciting about reading a book than I have been with The Descent; book three of The Taker Trilogy. There was almost a year and a half gap between the second (The Reckoning) and the third book, The Descent, so I was patiently waiting on pins and needles for the release, which finally arrived back in January. Gallery Books kindly sent me a free copy to read and review, but, sadly, a few other books arrived before The Descent did; therefore it sat in the TBR pile longer than I wanted it to. I finally got around to reading it in late February.

There are have not been many books that have grabbed a hold of me within the first few pages, leaving the characters still in my mind years later. Alma Katsu has created a beautiful trilogy full of love, revenge, sacrifice and redemption. There has been an overload of vampire and werewolves books over the years and Alma Katsu gives us a refreshing supernatural love story without blood-sucking demons or shape-shifters.

The Taker Trilogy centers on Lanore "Lanny" McIlvrae, who fell in love with the charming, rich and older, Jonathan St. Andrew, at a young age during the 1800s. After becoming pregnant, her family sends her away to Boston to have the baby (which results in a miscarriage), but within minutes of arriving in Boston she meets the charming Adair, whom forever changes her life, introducing her to a world of immortality.

Looks like I'm finally getting over the strep-throat, as I'm feeling much better tonight. I'm looking forward to watching Justified in twenty-minutes, but I may end up making a cup of coffee before it starts. I'll need that extra boost of energy, if I'm gong to do my daily workout later tonight.

Plus, I have two books, two DVDS and one Blu-ray reviews I would like to get written before I go to bed, which will probably be in the early morning hours.

I'm planning on starting some personal reading (books I have actually bought), but I'm not for sure what book to start with, maybe I'll start with one of James Patterson's novels or maybe one of the last few V.C. Andrew's novels (well the ghostwriter). I did receive The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison yesterday. I have all of the author's books, but I haven't gotten around to reading any of them. I like the fact that almost every title is a spoof on a Clint Eastwood film.

Mark of Evil
The End Series, book 4
By Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall
Publisher: Zondervan
Pub. Date: February 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-0310334545
Pages: 416

Review:

There have been many 'end of times' fiction novels written over the years, but the best has been the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. After the series ended, Tim LaHaye teamed up with author Craig Parshall for The End Series. For some reason, I thought the series concluded with Brink of Chaos, but I was wrong, as the fourth novel, Mark of Evil arrived in bookstores last month.

Similar to the Left Behind series, the rapture has occurred and millions of people have disappeared in the blink of an eye. The non-Christians (of the sinners) are the only ones that remain on Earth, as the Antichrist reign of terror is about to begin.

Mark of Evil centers on Ethan March, who has now become a Christian after the rapture. Ethan, along with Jimmy Louder, Rivka Reuban and other believers are hiding from the Global Alliance Police, whom are under the influence of the Antichrist.

This is unlike the world we have known, there are now BID-Tag implants in people, robotic police units and flying drone-bots, in which all of these things are used to stop the believers from spreading God's message to others.

Hello Coffee Addicted Writer readers! I’m Patricia Proctor, author of the Witches of Spring Hill series. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share with you a little about my first book in the series, After the Summerland. It’s a paranormal coming of age story about teen triplets that discover the purpose of their existence, explore new powers, new relationships, and overcome family secrets, all while becoming stronger witches. Here are some facts about my book that not many people know...





1. The idea for the book came from a dream I had about three teens that discover they are the reincarnation of witches. I didn’t know what else was going to happen until I sat down to write, but the main idea came straight out of my dreams. So write down those dreams as soon as you wake up— you never know what will come of them!

2. When I initially brainstormed about this story, the Alexander triplets were all going to be girls. Then I decided it would be more interesting to throw a male witch into the mix, and voila! Kaiden was created. I think adding the male perspective gave all the characters a little more depth. It created a brother/sister relationship that added an interesting dynamic between the characters. It also gave me the chance to introduce a female witch opposite him that he could fall for!

3. Although there isn’t actually a Spring Hill, North Carolina, much of the scenery and the idea of the town is based on small towns I’ve visited when I lived in North Carolina. I lived in Greensboro, NC for three years and had the wonderful opportunity to explore the state a great deal. I was charmed by the history in the small towns, enthralled with the forests and parks, and inspired by the mountains and the ocean. And since I had my dream while I lived there, it made perfect sense for me to create Spring Hill, North Carolina as the setting for my first book.

Princess Ever After
The Royal Wedding Series
By Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Zondervan
Pub. Date: February 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-0310315506
Pages: 368
Buy Link: Paperback, Kindle
Blog Tour

Review:
 
There have been a huge surge of wonderful books being released this year, especially sequels. Last month, Rachel Hauck released the second installment in The Royal Wedding Series titled Princess Ever After. Yes, I know this is a romance novel, but if you have followed my blog regularly, then you would know I do like reading romances.

Princess Ever After is a modern day fairy tale, which centers on a simple small-town girl, Regina Beswick. (Isn't Regina the name of the wicked mayor/queen on ABC's Once Upon a Time?)  She is living an ordinary life working at classic auto restoration shop. Let doesn't know that she is actually a real life princess.

Tanner Burkhardt is the Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg, who has been assigned the task of hunting down the heir to Heseenberg - the-long-princess, Regina Beswick. It seems Regina's ancestors fled Hesseenberg in the early 1900s and she was never told about her heritage, until now.