Friday, May 30, 2014

Book Blogger Hop: May 30th - June 5th

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to the new Book Blogger Hop!

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!

How many posts do you normally publish per week?

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 actually keep count how many posts are published every week. I try to publish at least one post a day, but there are times when I take a few days off, especially on the weekend. I think it is important for every blogger to have at least two new posts published each and every week. It lets the readers know that your blog is active.


Linky List:

Review - Pimsleur Spanish Level 1

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.




The high school I attended during the late 90s only had one language class, which was a requirement for graduation. French was the only language class offered. Honestly, I doubt if anyone at the school would ever be taking a trip to France to actually use French. I struggled through the class, as I thought it was a complete waste of time. This is modern time, all schools should be teaching kids to speak Spanish, Chinese and of course English.

Colleges do have many language classes, but most require you to have a basic understand of the language before you take the class. If you do take a class, the majority of students won't remember the language. The problem is that you are studying from a text book. Teachers have lesson plans and they don't want to stay on a lesson for more than one class, meaning you'll have to learn the words in one session, which is almost impossible to achieve.

I do regret not remembering anything I learned from my high school French class. Now as an adult, I have been wanting to learn other languages, especially Spanish. Luckily, I got a chance to review the Pimsleur Spanish Level 1 Gold Edition.

The Pimsleur method was originally developed in 1963 by Dr. Paul Pimsleur, who completely changed the way languages are learned. Since then, over 25 million people have used the Pimsleur method, which uses two principles - the Principle of Graduated Interval Recall and the Principle of Anticipation. The program has been featured on PBS and has been used by the FBI.

Unlike Rosetta Stone & Fluenz, the Pimsleur method isn't a software program, but instead it is an audio-only approach. The program is meant for your brain to memorize the words in one lesson. Level 1 features 16 hours of audio lessons on 16 CDs. Each lesson is only 30-minutes long. The program requires you to complete one lesson a day. If you feel you haven't grasped a specific lesson, feel free to repeat the lesson the following day or days until you feel you have mastered it.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Review - Thankful by Shelley Shepard Gray


Thankful
Return to Sugarcreek, book two
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Publisher: Avon Inspire
Pub. Date: May 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-0062204479
Pages: 256
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/wAcFF
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/sgray

Review:

I hate to admit this, but I had forgotten about the book blog tour for Thankful by Shelley Shepard Gray, which I was suppose to post a review for two weeks ago. Typically when I receive the tour information from Litfuse, I would go ahead and set up a draft for the review with the correct schedule date. For some odd reason I had overlooked the tour email, so the book ended up at the bottom of my TBR pile. If I hadn't set up a draft for three other upcoming tours tonight, I would had missed the last day of tour, which is today! Luckily for me, the book is short and I flew through it a few hours ago.


Thankful is the second installment in the Return to Sugarcreek series and centers on Christina Kempf. She is in love with Aden Resse. She dreams of one day becoming his wife, but there is a complicated situation. Aden's parents died in a car accident ten years ago and with no other family to take him in, Christina's parents took him in and raised him as one of their own. Through the Kempfs' eyes, Aden and Christina are no more than brother and sister.

Though the grew up together as siblings, Aden has been in love in with Christina ever since he saved her from falling through a thin patch of ice. The experience has haunted Christina and she is now afraid of many things, but with her strong faith in the Lord, she might me able to overcome her fears.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Blu-ray Review - Non-Stop



Non-Stop
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Liam Neeson
Studio: Universal Studio Home Enterainment
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Retail: $34.98
ASIN: B00HLTD49C
Running Time: 107 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD Ultraviolet on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, is the thrill-ride Non-Stop, directed Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Liam Neeson. A special feature includes Suspense At 40,000 Feet - a behind-the-scenes look with the cast, producers and the director. Exclusively to Blu-ray is the special feature Non-Stop Action - a behind-the-scenes look at the film's visceral action sequences.

Liam Neeson plays Bill Marks, an alcoholic U.S. Federal Air Marshal, who finds himself aboard British Aqualantic Flight 10, a non-stop flight from New York to London. Just after takeoff, he receives several mysterious text messages on his secure air marshal cell phone. At first he thinks it is just a prank, but he quickly becomes full alert when he receives a message that one passenger will die every twenty-minutes if he doesn't transfer $150 million to a specific bank account.

With the other air marshal, Jack Hammond (played by Hell On Wheels' Anson Mount) acting a bit peculiar, Bill has no other choice but to trust the passenger sitting next to him, Jen Summers (played by Julianne Moore) and a flight attendant, Nancy Hoffman (played by Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery), with the situation.

Review - Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio


Love Finds You In Sugarcreek, Ohio by Serena Miller
Publisher: Summerside Press
Pub. Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1609360023
Pages: 320
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/smiller
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/vBQwd

Review:

Sometimes a few things will slip past a blogger; with me that would be not reading a book that has been sitting on my desk for several weeks. On Sunday, I noticed I had a review scheduled for today, so I picked up Love Finds You In Sugarcreek, Ohio. My intentions were to do a "speed read" of the book, but I was instantly engulfed into the story by the second chapter, leading me to read about three-fourths of novel by that same night.

Love Finds You is the name of a series of books form Summerside Press, which each book being written by a different author and the book settings are set in different towns. Love Finds You In Sugarcreek, Ohio was first published in 2010, but it is being re-released to tie-in with the made-for-TV adaption that will air on Up on Sunday June 1, 2014.


Most Christian romances (and I have read plenty of them) centers on a female main character with a male romantic interest being the second main character, but here it is reversed with Joe Matthews taking centered stage. He is traveling in Ohio with his young son, Bobby, in a pickup to escape their painful past. After his wallet is stolen and his truck breaks down, they encounter an Amish man, Eli, who kindly drops them off at a farmhouse.

The farmhouse is owned by the Troyer sisters ( Bertha, Lydia and Anna). Despite their advancing years, they are determined to open up their home as a Inn again, taking in a few guests in the extra bedrooms and leaving the two cabins for travelers. Typically, they would charge fifty-dollars for a room, but since Joe and Bobby were down on their luck, the sisters let them stay for free for the night. Eventually, they come to an agreement that Joe will do odd jobs to get the place up and running again in exchange for food, shelter and a little extra cash.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Monday Morning Madness #43: Monday's Rambling On a Tuesday!

 

No, you're not mistaken, today is not Monday, it is Tuesday; meaning this post is a day late, well actually, it is two months late, as my last Monday rambling was on March 25th. My intentions was to write this post yesterday, but since it was Memorial Day, I didn't have time to work on any new posts.

I did found some time to watch the Axel: The Biggest Little Hero DVD which I received an advanced copy of the computer-animated movie. Look for my review of the movie on June 3rd. And of course I watched the made-for-Lifetime Petals on the Wind, which is loosely based on the second half of the novel of the same name by V.C. Andrews. Though the acting was better than the first film, Flowers in the Attic, the sequel felt rushed and jumped around from scene to scene. If you have never read the book and did watch the movie last night, you were probably confused. The good news is that If There Be Thorns and Seeds of Yesterday will be made into movies, set to air in 2015.

I still haven't watched the Flowers on the Attic DVD that came out back in April, though I did watch it when it originally aired on television in January. I guess I keep procrastinating DVDs that I own, including Game of Thrones: Season Three, American Gothic: The Complete Series (I have had it for over two years), and the complete series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, which I have owned for several years.

Favorite Best Buy For Father's Day!


Father's Day is only a few weeks away, meaning you only have a short time time to come up with the perfect gift for your husband, father or grandfather. For me, finding a the perfect gift for my father isn't an easy task, but thanks to great stores, like Best Buy, shopping can be a fun experience.

Best Buy is having a huge Father's Day featuring the best gifts ranging from $50 to $100 and up, so you are guaranteed to find the greatest gift at an affordable price. Whether or not your father is a gizmo guru, an entertainer, fitness fanatic or a memory maker, Best Buy has perfect gifts for every father.

My father would fall into the entertainer persona, which is great, as there are many great gifts with free shipping on qualified orders.

Here are my top 5 entertainer presents from Best Buy:


  • Samsung - 48" Class - With a built-in Wi-Fi, your father can surf the Web or access Samsung Apps from this nifty LED television.

  • Apple® - TV - Your father will be able to stream your favorite movies and television series from Netflix, Youtube and the iTunes store.

Son Of God Blu-ray Giveaway!

SON OF GOD ON BLU-RAYTM AND DVD JUNE 3, ON DIGITAL HDTM TODAY!

WHO SAID THAT?

Few people know that many of the popular phrases used daily, actually derive from the Bible. Below are some of the top phrases. See how many more you recognize in the film SON OF GOD, on Blu-ray/DVD on June 3rd, on Digital HD™ today.

“A man after my own heart”
Samuel 13:14 “But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.”

“A sign of the times”
Matthew 16:3: - “And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?”

“Go the extra mile"
Matthew 5:41 – “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”

“Heart's desire”
Psalms 21:2 – “Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.”

Friday, May 23, 2014

Book Blogger Hop: May 23rd - 29th

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to the new Book Blogger Hop!

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!

Did you ever make a HUGE mistake when you posted a review? For Example: Did you have the correct book title, but the wrong author in the blog post title? If so, how long until you found your mistake?

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: 

Yes, I have made a few typos/mistakes on some of my reviews. Normally, I catch the errors right after I post it, so I quickly make the correct adjustments, but there have been a few occasions where the author/publisher noticed the typo and asked me to correct it.


Linky List:

DVD Review & Giveaway - Slugterra: Ghoul From Beyond

 
Slugterra: Ghoul From Beyond
Voice Cast: Sam Vincent, Andrew Francis, Lee Tockar, Shannon Chan-Kent
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Retail: $14.97
ASIN: B00ITAQ4U8
Running Time: 44 minutes
Rated: TV-Y7

Review:

Arriving on DVD on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, is Slugterra: Ghoul From Beyond, the first Slugetrra movie! As a bonus feature is the Slugisode - Burpy & Friends Take A Drive.

The series airs on Disney XD and centers on young Eli Shane, who is determined to become the best slug-singing hero on Slugterra. Shane, along with his friends (Pronto Geronimole, Beatrice "Trixie" Sting and Kord Zane), battle the deadly Dr. Thaddius Blakk and his goons, slugs and ghouls.

Eli finally defeated Dr. Thaddius Blakk and his slugs at the end of the third season, but evil is never too far from behind. In the first ever Slugterra move, Eli and the gang are on their way to Convertamail Cavern, where they encounter Boss Ember and the Scrap Force Gang, whom have their own megamorphs.

Eli and the gang are determined to find out how Boss Ember got a hold of the megamorphs, so they travel to the eastern caverns, but awaiting them is a new danger.


Feature & Follow 2014


This week's question: 

Have you ever convinced someone to read a book, a series, or a whole genre? What book(s) and who was it? Did they like it?

My Answer:

I pass along Amish fictions and other Christian romances to my a family friend, which she devours the books in a few weeks. Occasionally, I can get talk my grandmother into reading a book, but she doesn't read as much as she use to.

 Be sure to check out this week's Book Blogger Hop Question!


Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Review - L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 30



Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.


L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 30 
Edited by Dave Wolverton
Illustrations Art Directed by Stephen Hickman
Publisher: Galaxy Press
Pub. Date: May 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-1619862654
Pages: 400
Buy Link: Paperback, Kindle

Review:

Since 1983 many aspiring writers and illustrators have participated in the annual Writers and Illustrators of the Future competition, which was founded by the late L. Ron Hubbard. Thirteen of the best stories entered into the contest every year will appear in the L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future anthology, along with illustrations.

I'm not the biggest science fiction reader, but there is a wide variety of short stories featured in the 30th volume.

The short stories featured in the volume are:

Another Range of Mountains
by Megan E. O'Keefe
Illustrated by Sarah Webb

Shifter
by Paul Eckherat
Illustrated by Michael Talbot

Beneath the Surface of Two Kills
by Shauna O'Meara
Illustrated by Cassandre Bolan

Animal
by Terry Madden
Illustrated by Adam Brewster

Rainbow For Other Days
by C. Stuart Hardwick
Illustrated by Andrew Sonea

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Review & Giveaway - Silenced by Dani Pettrey





Silenced
Alaskan Courage, book 4
by Dani Pettrey
Publisher: Bethany House Publshers
Pub. Date: May 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-0764211959
Pages: 336

Review:

I have read many Christian fiction series and most of them tend to have a different set of main characters for every each new book. The Alaskan Courage series is the exception, which each novel centers on the McKenna family. For a reader, it is nice revisiting likeable characters.

The fourth book, Silenced, centers on the oldest McKenna sibling, Kayden, whom finds herself getting entangled in a mystery when she stumbles upon a dead body while rock climbing. The dead climber's investigation is left in the hands of Sheriff Landon Grainger, but he enlists the help from former Boston homicide detective, Jake Westin, who is someone Kayden would much rather avoid interacting with, but her feelings for Jake can't be pushed aside forever.

Besides from catching a killer, Sheriff Grainger has to deal with Reef McKenna returning to town for the sheriff's wedding to Reef's sister, Piper.

Review: Drone Strike by Dale Brown & Jim DeFelice

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.


“…Brown and DeFelice are at the top of their game…The pages fly by as fast as the quicksilver drones while Turk faces one exciting, life-threatening complication after another.” – STARRED review, Publisher’s Weekly


Authors Dale Brown and Jim DeFelice have returned with the fifteenth entry in the Dreamland aviation thriller series, titled Drone Strike. Dreamland is a top-secret government base in Nevada, where new advanced weapons, vehicles and planes are developed, including drones.

Drone Strike centers on U.S. Air Force test pilot, Captain Turk Mako, who is assigned to the new "Hyrda" drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) program. These drones are small, near the size of a desktop calculator, but in the shape of a lawn dart. These drones are future of the the Air Force.

Iran's nuclear efforts have moved forward, leading the U.S. government to take action by letting Captain Mako send out his drones in the attempt to stop Iran's attack. He is sent to Iran along with a Delta Force team to locate and destroy a hidden underground nuclear facility.

DVD Review & Giveaway - Way Of The Wicked


Way Of The Wicked
Director: Kevin Carraway
Starring: Christian Slater, Vinnie Jones, Emily Tennant, Jake Croker
Studio: Image Entertainment
Release Date: May 20, 2014
Retail: $27.97
ASIN: B00IBKXQF2
Running Time: 92 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Links: DVD,  Blu-ray

Review:

Arriving on DVD and Blu-ray this coming Tuesday, May 20, 2014, is the supernatural thriller Way Of The Wicked, directed by Kevin Carraway and starring Vinnie Jones (X-Men: The Last Stand, Snatch) and Christian Slater (Stranded, True Romance).

By the DVD cover and the tagline, "An Unholy Secret and Inhuman Evil," I thought the film would be an old-fashioned horror movie, but instead Way Of The Wicked is a teenage supernatural romance in the vein of Twilight and Beautiful Creatures. Christian Slater is billed as the star of the film, but he is barely on screen maybe five to seven minutes.

The film centers on a teenager girl named Heather Elliott (played by Emily Tennant). She is fascinated by a new student, Robbie (played by Jake Tennant), whom she was friends with years ago, until another student was mysteriously attacked, resulting in Robbie moving away. Heather is intrigued by him, which causing problems with her boyfriend Greg.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Blu-ray Review - 3 Days To Kill


3 Days To Kill
Director: McG
Starring: Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, Hailee Steinfeld
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 20, 2014
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B00JA3RPAG
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rated: PG-13

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 is the action thriller 3 Days To Kill, directed by McG and starring Kevin Costner. Special Features exclusive to Blu-ray include both the theatrical and extended versions of the film in high definition, The Making of 3 Days to Kill, McG's Method and Covert Operation.

McG's directorial outings have been a mixed-bag with a few blockbusters (Charlie's Angels, Terminator Salvation, and This Means War) and a few flops (Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, We Are Marshall). Similar to other films, 3 Days To Kill received mixed to negative reviews from most critics, but managed to a make slight profit at the box-office, making nearly $45-million on a $28-million budget.

3 Days To Kill centers on terminal-ill CIA agent Ethan Renner (played by Kevin Costner), who is putting down his gun to spend his final months alive in Paris with his wife Christine (Connie Nielsen) and daughter Zoey (played by Hailee Steinfeld). He has been separated from Connie for quite some time and they both have their own places. To his surprise, Ethan finds an African family squatting in his apartment. According to the law, he can't kick any squatters out until after winter.

Just when he attempts to reconnect with his teenager daughter, Vivi Delay (played by Amber Heard), a CIA's elite assassins, enlists Ethan's help in tracking down and killing the arms dealer called the Wolf in exchange for an experimental drug that could extend Ethan's life.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Review - Daisies are Forever by Liz Tolsma

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine.



As you have probably read before on this blog, I'm not he biggest fan of WWII dramas, but I have been reviewing a few novels set in the era if either the plot interests me or if have recognize the author's name. In this case, both those reasons are why I wanted to review Daisies are Forever by Liz Tolsma, as I had read the author's other WWII book (Snow on the Tulips) last year.

Daisies are Forever centers on an American twenty-year-old Gisela Cramer, her cousin Ella and their ailing grandmother living in Heiligenbeil in 1945; near the fall of Nazi Germany. Fearing that the Russians will invade, Ella encourages Gisela to take leave and sneak into Berlin, along with Ella's two young daughters, so they can be safe.

Review: Call the Midwife: Season Three DVD

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.


Arriving on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, is the hit BBC/PBS series, Call the Midwife, created by Heidi Thomas based on the memoirs of the late Jennifer Worth. A special feature includes "Inside Call The Midwife - Interviews With Cast and Crew."

Call the Midwife is set in the East End of London in the late 1950s and centers on a twenty-something nurse named Jenny Lee (played by Jessica Raine), whom works side-by-side with the midwives and nuns at the Nonnatus House.

The 2013 Christmas Special bridges the gap between the second and third season. A bomb is found in the district, causing the residents to be evacuated. Sister Julienne and the other Sisters help the homeless find shelter until the crisis is over. The former-nun, Shelagh, is planning her wedding to Dr Turner, but the wedding becomes in jeopardy when a family emergency occurs.

Season Three, Trixie (Helen George), Chummy (Miranda Hart), Jenny Lee (Jessica Raine) and Cynthia Miller (Bryony Hannah)

Episode One is set in 1959 and introduces the new Nonnatus House, as the old house was being torn down. There is also a new nun named Sister Winifred at the house to help out while Chummy tries to adapt at being a stay-at-home mother.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Review - Murder Simply Brewed

Murder Simply Brewed
An Amish Village Mystery
by Vannetta Chapman
Publisher: Zondervan
Pub. Date: March 25, 2014
ISBN: 978-0310326168
Pages: 368

Review:

As many of you already know, I do love my morning (or nightly) cup of coffee and one of my favorite book genres is Amish fiction; therefore it is a no-brainier why I wanted to review Murder Simply Brewed: An Amish-Murder Mystery written by Vannetta Chapman.

Set in Middlebury, Indiana, Simply Brewed centers on Amber Wright, the owner of several stores/shops (Cat's Meow, Simple Toys, Katie's Mercantile, Village Fashions, Quilting Bee and Simply Brewed) in the Middlebury’s Amish Artisan Village. Her life, as well as her businesses, are going well, that is until the manager of Simply Brewed, Ethan Gray, is found dead in the coffee shop, Simply Brewed.

The cash register still has money in it, so a robbery gone wrong is quickly ruled out, so basically everyone believes he died of a simple heart attack. Well, everyone except for Amber, who smells foul play is at hand.

Get The Best Buy For Father's Day With HBO's True Detectives on Blu-ray and DVD on June 10th!



The department stores already have the "Happy Father's Day" greeting cards in stock, and I bought a card for my father yesterday afternoon. Cards are easy to pick out, but finding the perfect present can be a bit of a chore. If your father is like my father, then he probably already has about two of everything, and getting him another wallet seems a little impractical.

I thought I would share my idea of the perfect Father's Day Present - HBO's True Detectives - Season One. The series aired on HBO earlier this year, receiving raved reviews from both critics and viewers. The series stars Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Potts, and Tory Kittles.

Book Blogger Hop: May 16th - 22nd

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to the new Book Blogger Hop!

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 RAnn!

How do you decide what blogs to follow?

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 follow other blogs that follow my blog. I also follow other blogs that review titles I'm interested in reading.


Linky List:

Review - Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews


 
Petals on the Wind
by V.C. Andrews
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pub. Date: May 20, 2014
Retail: $7.99
ISBN: 978-1476789552
Pages: 448
Buy Link: Paperback

From Fiction to Film: Pick up Petals on the Wind May 20th and watch the movie May 26th!

Petals on the Wind cast: 
Heather Graham as Corrine
Ellen Burstyn as Olivia
Dylan Bruce as Bart
Rose McIver as Young Cathy (played by Kiernan Shipka in Flowers in the Attic)
Wyatt Nash as Christopher (played by Mason Dye in Flowers in the Attic)


Watch the movie trailer below, and tune in to Lifetime on  Monday, May 26th, 9:00 pm ET to watch the World Premier of Petals on the Wind!




Enter To Win: Go to the Pocket Books Facebook page beginning May 20th to enter the sweepstakes for a prize pack of Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, and the Flowers in the Attic DVD.  Visit right before tuning into Petals on the Wind late May for the sweepstakes giveaway (date to be announced)!

Review:

Despite some heavy-duty controversy due to the incest plot of Flowers in the Attic written by V.C. Andrews, the book was a huge success; spawning three sequels and one prequel. Book two in the series, titled Petals on the Wind, was released in 1980, picking up shortly after the first novel left off and covers over fifteen years, from November 1960 to the fall of 1975.

Christopher, Cathy and Carrie Dollanganger barely escaped from their grandparents' attic; leaving their money-craving mother far behind, whom had been putting poison in their powdered donuts, resulting in the death of Carrie's twin brother, Cory. They stole enough money to buy three bus tickets to Florida, but their journey took an unexpected turn with Carrie becomes too ill to travel. Luckily, a mute housekeeper, Henrietta Beech, was on the bus and directs them to her boss, a doctor by the name of Dr. Paul Sheffield.

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: America's Covered Bridges: Practical Crossings - Nostalgic Icons


 

America's Covered Bridges: Practical Crossings - Nostalgic Icons
by Terry E. Miller & Ronald G. Knapp
Photographer: A. Chester Ong
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Pub. Date: March 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0804842655
ASIN: B00JGAINOU
Pages: 272
Buy Link: Amazon.com





Book Description (from Amazon.com):

The history of North America is in many ways encapsulated in the history of her covered bridges. The early 1800s saw a tremendous boom in the construction of these bridges, and in the years that followed as many as 15,000 covered bridges were built. Today, fewer than a thousand remain.

Without covered bridges to span the rivers and provide access to vast swaths of the interior that had previously been difficult to access—America never would have developed the way she did. In America's Covered Bridges, authors Terry E. Miller and Ronald G. Knapp tell the fascinating story of these bridges, how they were built, the technological breakthroughs required to construct them, and above all the dedication and skill of their builders. Each of the bridges, whether still standing or long gone, has a story to tell about the nature of America at the time—not only about its transportational needs, but the availability of materials and the technological prowess of the people who built it.

Central to the development of these bridges was the challenge of supporting a long spans with flat roadways. Early American bridge builders and carpenters developed revolutionary new methods of joining timbers into patterns consisting of triangles or continuous arches that resulted in structures rigid enough to span long distances. Called trusses, these systems were critical and had to be protected from the elements by a roof and siding. Few people today realize that bridges were covered to protect the trusses—not the people using the bridge! Unprotected, the trusses soon degraded and the bridge would collapse.

North American covered bridges were marvels of engineering long before modern civil engineering was invented. Self-taught carpenters and builders discovered how to shape and join timbers into patterns in just the right ways to achieve a desired strength. Over time, wooden bridges eventually gave way to ones made of iron, steel, and concrete. Many covered bridges became obsolete and were replaced—others simply decayed and collapsed. Many more were swept away by raging torrents or ice floes, or by tornados, tropical storms, and hurricanes. A few were reduced to ashes by accidental fires, or torched by arsonists. Illustrated with some 550 historical and contemporary photos, paintings, and technical drawings of nearly 400 different covered bridges, the book offers five readable chapters on the history, design, and fate of America's covered bridges, plus related bridges in Canada. Most of the contemporary photography is by master photographer A. Chester Ong of Hong Kong.

Twix Bites Movie Pack Giveaway

Twix Bites: Who Would You Share Your Bites With?

Everybody has probably had a Twix during their lifetime. The regular Twix came in two pieces; whereas a package of Twix Bites contains several delicious, rich caramel, crunchy cookie and smooth milk chocolate pieces, which you can share with your friends or family.  

TWIX Bites are unwrapped and now available nationwide in two convenient sizes – 2.83-ounce sharing size and 7.0-ounce resealable stand-up pouch – that are ideal for sharing and on the go.

TWIX wants to know “Who would you share your bites with?” 

Personally, I would probably share my bites with grandmother, as she loves candy.



Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Dragons: Defenders of Berk, Part 2 DVD Giveaway


THE “YEAR OF THE DRAGON” CONTINUES WITH 

THE AWARD WINNING ADVENTURE!

Soaring on DVD on May 27th  is DREAMWORKS DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK, PART 2 WITH Exclusive Codes for The School of Dragons Online Game and Movie Money for How to Train Your Dragon 2 in Theatres on June 1!

The DVD of the 2013 Annie Award winner for Best Animated Television Production for Children is loaded with exciting bonus content for the whole family to enjoy and contains 10 epic adventures and all-new dragons.

Based on the DreamWorks Animation Academy Award® nominated movie How to Train Your Dragon, there’s action at every turn and excitement on every ride in DREAMWORKS DRAGONS: DEFENDERS OF BERK PART 2 as Hiccup and his fearless friends embark on new adventures and battle to protect their island home. The young Vikings must put their dragon training skills to the test to defeat dangerous and surprising new enemies! 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, and the previously released Riders of Berk, is a must-own for any Dragons fan to catch up before the summer event when How to Train Your Dragon 2 hits theatres June 13th! The DVD is jam-packed with special features that dive deeper into the exciting world of Dragons, including Dragon Tracker Part 4 featuring an in-depth look at Skrill, Baby Thunderdrums and Speed Stinger dragons, along with a special sneak peek of Snaptrapper, a dragon that will be seen in How to Train Your Dragon 2; Evolution of Skrill, a featurette with visual effects supervisor David Jones who explains the history behind this mysterious and scary dragon; and the “Here Comes the Fire” Dragon Mash-up music video. When it comes to action and excitement, the sky’s the limit in this high-flying animated TV series.

Fans that purchase the DVD will also get a Digital HD UltraViolet™ code for the title and Movie Money ($7.50 value) to redeem for tickets to How to Train Your Dragon 2 when the film hits theatres in June, as well as a chance to win a free dragon racing saddle or a mystery box code for exclusive battle gear and powers to School of Dragons, the online game from JumpStart based on DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon franchise. With cinema-like graphics and an immersive 3D world, it takes more than courage to train a dragon but brains as well. For more information, visit http://www.schoolofdragons.com.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Review - Wild Storm by Richard Castle


Wild Storm
by Richard Castle
Publisher: Kingswell
Pub. Date: May 13, 2014
List Price: $25.99
ISBN: 978-1484711422
Pages: 352
Buy Link: Hardback, Kindle

Review:
 
Arriving in bookstores today is the newest media-tie-in to ABC's hit series Castle, titled Wild Storm, written by the fictional author Richard Castle, whom is played by actor Nathan Fillion on the television series. The second installment of the Derrick Storm thriller series is published by Kingswell, a new imprint of the Disney Book Group.

Derrick Storm is fictional character from Richard Castle's novels on Castle. The character suppose to have died in the novel Storm Fall (a fake novel created for the series), but was resurrected (well he faked his death and came out of hiding) in an ebook trilogy (A Brewing Storm, A Raging Storm and A Bloody Storm). After the success of the Nikki Heat novels, the Disney Book Group released Storm Front (Note: The characters Nikki Heat and Jameson Nook appear in it.) last year.

Wild Storm finds CIA Agent Derick Storm in major trouble, as the airliner he is on (Flight 937) experiences a few deadly problems, causing Derrick to help Captain Estes land the plane safely. After quickly exiting the plane before the media sees him, Derrick learns there were three others planes in different locations around the world experiencing the same situation, with one flight becoming catastrophic.

Meanwhile in Hercules, California, a retired scientist, William "Bill" McRae disappeared without a trace after going on his daily jog.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Blu-ray Review - Weekend At Bernie's



Weekend At Bernie's
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Starring: Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Catherine Mary Stewart, Terry Kiser
Studio: MGM/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Retail: $19.99
ASIN: B00IOFDJVA
Running Time: 98 minutes
Rated: PG-13

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray for the first time this month is the 1989 dark comedy Weekend At Bernie's, directed by Ted Kotcheff and starring Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman and Terry Kiser as Bernie.

Weekend at Bernie's centers on two twenty-something insurance employees, Richard Parker (played by Jonathan Silverman) and Larry Wilson (played by Andrew McCarthy), whom discover some missing money from the company and reports the situation to their boss, Bernie Lomax (played by Terry Kiser). Their boss thanks them for reporting the fraud and invites them to stay at his Hampton Island beach house for the weekend.

Richard and Larry are more than excited to get away from the city and relax on the beach, but when they arrive at the beach house, they find a huge surprise - Bernie is dead. Before they can report the murder to the police, several guests arrive at the beach house for a party.

Now afraid they will be blamed for their boss's death, they decide to make everyone believe that Bernie is still alive; that is until his murderer returns.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Book Blogger Hop: May 9th - 15th

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to the new Book Blogger Hop!

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!

When you enter a contest or request a book, how do you keep track of what the books are? or perhaps you don't keep track and just remember what you entered or requested? (submitted by Elizabeth)

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 should keep tracking of all my requests by writing them in a notebook, but I don't. If I can't remember a specific request, I go back and check my email 'sent' file/box to see what I have requested to review.


Linky List:

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Writing Tips Wednesday: 1 Simple Tip for Better Online Writing


Hello everyone, it’s Brenda from Daily Mayo, back for another Writing Tips Wednesdays!

Writing is pretty much my life- and how I make my living, which is super cool.

I’ve written online for many years now, and I’ve picked up a few tricks for how to write for an online audience. It turns out, it’s not the same method used for writing, say, for your high school English teacher.

I’m going to show you the easiest way to improve your online writing without even changing any words.

The wrong way:

This is my post. I am going to talk about fish. Fish are the best thing ever. I think fish are the best thing ever because they have fins, gills, scales, and can breathe underwater. Some fish don’t have teeth, while others do. My favorite fish are the fish that have bug-out eyes, because it is hilarious. Fish, fish, fish, fish, fish, and more fish. Seriously, fish are the best. I have a pet fish named Sammy, and it has been alive for 14 years. Crazy. In conclusion, I love fish and so should you.

Ok, so, let’s talk about this fish paragraph for a minute. What is wrong with it?

The biggest problem with the above paragraph is that it is long. Guess what doesn’t work well for online writing? Large, clunky paragraphs. People get intimidated if they think a page will take ages to read, and large chunky paragraphs look like they would take a long time to read.

So, the easiest thing to do is break up the paragraph. Watch how much easier it is to read if we break it up some:

The right way:

This is my post. I am going to talk about fish.

Fish are the best thing ever. I think fish are the best thing ever because they have fins, gills, scales, and can breathe underwater. Some fish don’t have teeth, while others do.

My favorite fish are the fish that have bug-out eyes, because it is hilarious. Fish, fish, fish, fish, fish, and more fish. Seriously, fish are the best.

I have a pet fish named Sammy, and it has been alive for 14 years. Crazy.

In conclusion, I love fish and so should you.

See? It’s easier to read in smaller chunks. In fact, you can make any of your online writing more reader-friendly simply by breaking it into smaller chunks. Imagine you are writing a picture book (adding pictures also keeps people interested), and each paragraph needs to be small enough to fit under a picture. That will keep you from making paragraphs that are too long.

Another benefit of this style of formatting is it allows readers to read every word of your post and discourages skimming. You don’t want anyone to skip the words you spend so long writing, do you?


How do you make your writing online-friendly? 

Brenda is a fellow book-lover and coffee-addict. She is a freelance writer, punctuation nerd, and grammar enthusiast. Her favorite book genres are Science Fiction, Fantasy with a Twist, and Dystopian. Brenda blogs about books, writing and more at Daily Mayo. Find her here on CaW for Writing Tips Wednesdays the first Wednesday of every month.

Follow Brenda on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to updates from Daily Mayo to keep up with all the exciting things in her life; ranging from drinking coffee to get through the day to drinking coffee just for fun.

A Beginners Guide to the Wonderful World of Subtitled Film and Television

It may seem like a controversial statement, but in my ever so humble opinion the most interesting films released in the past decade have not been produced by the Hollywood big wigs or even the esteemed UK indie filmmakers, but further afield in Korea, Japan and continental Europe. And yet for so many, the world of subtitled entertainment remains closed off due primarily to sheer, old fashioned stubbornness. A common argument is that watching a subtitled film or show feels “A little like reading a book,” but this argument is completely void, as minutes into any good film, a strong reader will cease to notice that they're even watching the subtitles and will simply fall into the story and the characters. In fact, if you are still actively aware of the fact that you're reading the subtitles, then it's either a bad film or a bad translation.

Western audiences have not always been so hesitant to the idea of foreign cinema of course. In the 60's, cinema was still very much in its infancy and as such, there wasn't the sheer choice we have today. There was none of the reverse snobbery you might find today, so great cinematic masters like Fellini and Kurosawa ruled the screen and the Oscars were rife with films 'not in the English language'. It's only really in the last few decades that subtitled films have fallen out of favour with the masses and it's a real shame. What with the global box office success of the 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' films, however, that trend appears to be reversing. Below I'll take you through some of the films and shows that introduced me to subtitled entertainment; hopefully they can do the same for you.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Review - A Promise In Pieces by Emily T. Wierenga

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.


As many of my blog readers already know, I not the biggest fan of books set during WWII, as I prefer books set in the 1800s. Nevertheless, I still signed up to review A Promise in Pieces by Emily T. Wierenga, which is the latest entry in the Quilts of Love Series. I have read a few of the other books in the series, which a few have been set during WWII, and I have enjoyed reading each one.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Blu-ray Review - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty


 

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Director: Ben Stiller
Starring: Ben Stiller,  Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Patton Oswalt, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Sean Penn
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B00H7KJTCG
Running Time: 114 minutes
Rating: PG

Review:

Available to own on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The DVD bonus features include Behind-the-Scenes of The Secret of Walter Mitty and a Still Gallery. The special features on the Blu-ray include Pre-viz, The Look of Life, deleted scenes, extended scenes, alternate scenes and the music video "Stay Alive" by Jose Gonzalez.


The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is loosely based on the 1939 short story of the same name written by James Thurber and is a remake of the1947 classic starring Danny Kaye in the lead role. In the 2013 version, Ben Stiller directs and stars as the main character, Walter Mitty, a negative assets manager for Life magazine.

Walter hasn't done much with his life, besides for being a good son to Edna (played by Shirley MacLaine) and a big-brother to wannabe-actress, Odessa (played by Kathryn Hahn). He spends most of his time daydreaming, which in reality to everyone else, he is actually "zoning out" or staring into space. He has a bit of a crush on a fellow employee, Cheryl Melhoff (Kristen Wiig). He even creates a profile on eHarmony, as he had overheard that Cheryl had a profile on there, but he has never gotten around to sending her a "wink."

Life magazine is downsizing and will become an online magazine, so the soon-to-be-released issue will be its last. Photojournalist Sean O'Connell (played by Sean Penn) had sent his latest reel of film for the magazine to Walter, with the negative 25 going to be the cover for the final issue, but there is one little problem - the negative is missing.

Blu-ray Review - Revenge of the Nerds

Revenge of the Nerds
Director: Jeff Kanew
Starring: Timothy Busfield, Robert Carradine, Curtis Armstrong, Andrew Cassese, Anthony Edwards
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Retail: $14.99
ASIN: B00IXD2MMU
Running Time: 90 minutes
Rating:  R

Review:

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is releasing the 1984 box-office smash comedy Revenge of the Nerds on Blu-ray for the first time on Tuesday, May 6, 2014.

Special Features include I'm a Nerd, and I'm Pretty Proud Of It; deleted scenes; Revenge of the Nerds TV Pilot; commentary by Director Jeff Kanew and actors Robert Carradine, Timothy Busfield and Curtis Armstrong; and the original theatrical trailer.

Before there was the American Pie teen comedy and its countless sequels, there were many teen/college rated R comedies being released in the 1980s, including the 1984 Revenge of the Nerds starring Robert Carradine as  Lewis Skolnick and Anthony Edwards as Gilbert Lowe, best-friends, nerds, who have just arrived at Adams College. The start of the freshman year hits a snag when the fraternity, The Alpha Betas, take over their dorm and tosses them, along with a few other freshman,o out.

The Alpha Betas' frat house had burned to the ground, which is reason why they took over the dorm, leading the college no other choice, but to allow fraternities to take in the freshman, but Lewis and Gilbert have a slight problem - no fraternity will accept nerds.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Book Blogger Hop: May 2nd - 8th

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to the new Book Blogger Hop!

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!

When you receive a book in the mail or from UPS, do you immediately catalog it or leave the books stacked up until the week is up and then catalog them?

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: 

Typically, I stack the books in order that they need to be read in or by the blog tour date. When I receive DVDs/Blu-rays, I stack them by their release dates. I never catalog anything; though I do set up a post draft with the basic stuff (cover image, title, author bio, buy link, etc.) before I start my review.


Linky List:

Blu-ray Review - Great Expectations


Great Expectations
Director: Mike Newell
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Holliday Grainger
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Retail: $29.99
ASIN: B00IEXX2RI
Running Time: 128 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray for the first time in the United States is the 2012 film adaption of Charles Dickens' classic tale Great Expectations. The film was directed by Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and stars Jeremy Irvine, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Holliday Grainger. Special Features include the Great Expectations Premiere and trailers.

Great Expectations first appeared in the periodical All the Year Round in 1860, as a weekly serial until August 1961. Chapman and Hall published the novel in three volumes in October 1861. At the time the novel received mixed reviews from critics, but it is now considered a classic and is a recommend read for most high school and college literature classes.

There has many film adaptions, mini-series and spin-offs based on Great Expectations over the years, the only one I had ever seen before reviewing this Blu-ray was the 1998 contemporary version starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke, which in my opinion wasn't a very good film.

Many of you probably have never heard of the 2012 version of the classic tale and there is a good , reason, as it only appeared at the BFI London Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival, followed by a limited release in the UK. The film has finally made its way to the United States, but only on DVD and Blu-ray.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

DVD Review - I Dream of Jeannie: Seasons 1 & 2



I Dream of Jeannie: Seasons 1 & 2
Starring: Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00I099K4K
Running Time: 25 hours and 48 minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

Arriving on DVD last month from Mill Creek Entertainment is Seasons One and Two of the classic sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, which the seasons can be purchased individually or as a Two Season Combo Pack.

 I Dream of Jeannie aired from 1965 to 1970; producing 139 episodes during its five season run. The series centered on Major Anthony "Tony" Nelson (played by the late Larry Hagman), an astronaut, who stumbles upon a unique bottle when his one-man capsule lands in the South Pacific. He gets a big shock when he opens the bottle and a 2,000-year-old genie, Jeannie (played by Barbara Eden), pops out of it.

In the fairy tales, genies typically gives you three wishes, but that is not the case for Major Nelson, whom is permanently stuck with Jeannie, even though he had wished for her to be free. He returns home in Florida, where he is looking forward to seeing his fiance, a general's daughter. Jeannie is already in love with Major Nelson and is determined to interfere with his relationship. Note: the fiance character was dropped after the pilot.

After the pilot, the series focused on Major Nelson, along with his pal Major Healey, covering up what antics or whatever trouble Jeannie has gotten herself into, in fear that NASA would learn that she is a genie.

The 61 episodes on the six disc set are:

DVD Review - Transformers: Energon: The Complete Series



Transformers: Energon: The Complete Series
Studio: Shout! Factory
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Retail: $44.99
ASIN: B00HRUQAKU
Running Time: 1167 minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

The Transformers franchise is expanding this year with the fourth Michael Bay feature film, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and the untitled, brand-new animated series. Until then fans will have to settle on the Shout! Factory's seven-disc DVD set of Transformers: Energon: The Complete Series, featuring all 51 episodes.

Transformers: Energon is a Japanese computer-generated animated that aired during the 2004-2005 season and is set ten years after Transformers: Armada. There has been peace between the Autobots and Decepticons ever since the deaths of Megatron and Unicron, but a new evil is about to the unleashed upon Cybertron.

The mysterious Alpha Q releases the Terrorcons on the Autobots' Cybertron cities, which the little terror bots are collecting Energons. Alpha Q creates a new robot called Scorponok, who will gather all the remaining Decepticons on Earth and lead a new army against the Autobots. Of course Megatron is resurrected (again) and has his own agenda against the Autobots.

To battle this new threat, Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots must once again use the help from the humans to defeat this new threat.

The episodes on the seven-disc set are: