Friday, August 31, 2018

Book Blogger Hop: August 31st - September 6th




Instructions: Select all code above, copy it and paste it inside your blog post as HTML


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 Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer.


Do you have a YouTube channel? If so, do you post book review vlogs?

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 have a Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/coffeeramblings), but I've never made a book review video. I have reviewed a few products on there in the past. I do want to review books & movies on the channel, but I need a better microphone and camera.


Linky List:

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Review - Sharkee and the Teddy Bear & Breamner and the Party


Ripley Publishing; 40 pages; $16.99; Amazon

Available now from Ripley Publishing are two cute picture books, titled Sharkee and the Teddy Bear & Breamner and the Party which are written by Carrie Bolin and Jessica Firpi and illustrated by John Graziano. The books are based on everyone's favorite Ripley’s Aquarium mascots - Sharkee the sand tiger shark and Bremner the pufferfish.

In Sharkee and the Teddy Bear, a teddy bear falls into the ocean and Sharkee wants it. However, there is one little problem - Sharkee doesn't know where the teddy bear went?

Along with his sidekick fish, Sharkee goes on an mission to retrieve the missing teddy bear!






Ripley Publishing; 40 pages; $16.99; Amazon







In Breamner and the Party, Breamner the pufferfish is excited about an upcoming party, but he is also worried at the same time. He's nervous that he will puff up at the party and all the other fishes will laugh at him!

Breamner gets enough courage to attend the party, but his worst fear comes true, resulting in a hilarious ending!













Final Thoughts

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Summer Reads: The View from Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble

Thomas Nelson; 340 pages; $15.99; Amazon
I was bit under the weather last week with three canker sores, so I spent a lot time indoors resting. While I didn't have a whole lot of energy, I did have enough energy to do some much needed reading, which included The View from Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble. The book is part of the Lavender Tides series. The book has been sitting in my needs-to-be-reviewed pile for awhile now. Actually, I believe I had received the book back in January, but due to a few personal issues in my life, I haven't gotten back into reading until recently, so you'll be seeing more reviews on this blog soon.

Set in the small town of Lavender Tides, the home of four thousand residents, the novel centers on Shauna McDade, a helicopter pilot and widowed mother of one child, Alex. Her husband died in a climbing accident over a year ago and she's still mourning his death. 

Shockingly, Shauna's helicopter charter business partner, Clearance, is murdered in an explosion. Shortly before his death, he had given a package to Shauna with instructions to give it to his wife, Marilyn. While it seemed to be an accident at first glance, Zach Bannister, a firefighter, believes that foul play is at play here. After Marilyn is found murdered, it's obvious that Shauna and her son are now in danger. 


Final Thoughts

Friday, August 24, 2018

Book Blogger Hop: August 24th - 30th




Instructions: Select all code above, copy it and paste it inside your blog post as HTML


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 @ Silver's Reviews.


Where do you post your reviews besides your blog? Please list them all so perhaps we can find some new sites.

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 post snippets of my reviews on Goodreads. Sometimes I will post a review on Amazon.com.


Linky List:

DVD Review - Power Rangers Ninja Steel: The Complete Season

Lionsgate; Not Rated; 8 hours 15 minutes

The Power Rangers franchise is celebrating it's 25th year with a special Super Ninja Steel anniversary episode which will air on Nickelodeon on Monday night. In the meantime, fans can spend their time watching the Power Rangers: Ninja Steel: The Complete Season  DVD, which was just released last week from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

Adapted from the Japanese Shuriken Sentai Ninninger series, Power Rangers Ninja Steel centers around an the most popular intergalactic game show called Galaxy Warriors, which the participants must battle to prove who is the greatest warrior. The reigning champion Galvanax arrives on Earth in search of the mythical Ninja Nexus Prism, which will give him the power to be invisible. To protect his two sons, Master Dane Romero split the Nexas Star into six separate stars, which were made from the Nexus metal, and he sacrifices himself. Galvanax wasn't completely defeated that day, as his minions Madame Odius and Ripcon captured Master Romero's youngest son, Brody.

Fast forward ten years,  when the Ninja Nexus Prism, which contains the Ninja Power Stars, appears on Galvanax's ship. A teenage Brody, an alien friend Mick Kanic, and a robot named Redbot escape with the Prism to Earth, where they crash land near the town of Summer Cove. Galavanax sends his best warriors to retrieve Ninja Power Stars, but it's too late!

The Prism gives Brody one of the Ninja Power Stars, which gives him the power to become the Ninja Steel Red Ranger. Four random teenagers are given their own stars as well. Preston Tien becomes the Ninja Steel Blue Ranger; Calvin Maxwell becomes the Ninja Steel Yellow Ranger; Hayley Foster becomes the Ninja Steel White Rangers; and Sarah Thompson becomes the Ninja Steel Pink Ranger.

Later, in the season a sixth Ranger is introduced - Levi Weston, who becomes the Ninja Steel Gold Ranger. Together, the Rangers battle Galvanax, his warrior contestants and minions to save Earth from being destroyed.

Power Rangers Ninja Steel: The Complete Season contains all 22 episodes from the twenty-fourth season on a 3-disc set, including the Halloween and Christmas specials. There are no special features or bonus extras. However, it does comes come with an excerpt from the upcoming Boom! Studios artist tribute book!


Final Thoughts

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Release Date News!: John Carpenter's Halloween 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack




My all-time favorite movie John Carpenter's Halloween is being released in 4K Ultra HD (plus Blu-ray) for the very first time on September 25th from Lionsgate Home Entertainment!

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the cult slasher flick, and I for one can't more excited. A new reboot "Halloween" movie will released to theaters starring Golden Globe® winner Jamie Lee Curtis on October 19th. John Carpenter is returning as a producer and music composer. Nick Castle, aka the original Michael Meyers, is also returning for a scenes.

Jamie Lee Curtis also starred in the 1978's Halloween, along with Donald Pleasence, P.J. Soles, Nancy Kyes, and Charles Cyphers. In addition with the new 4K HD resoultion, the film uses Dolby Vision™ HDR to bring the stunning cinematography to life. The suggested retail price is set at $22.99!


Here's the official synopsis for those who have never seen the 1978 classic:

On a black and unholy Halloween night years ago, little Michael Myers brutally slaughtered his sister in cold blood. But for the last fifteen years, town residents have rested easy, knowing that he was safely locked away in a mental hospital — until tonight. Tonight, Michael returns to the same quiet neighborhood to relive his grisly murder again...and again...and again. For this is a night of evil. Tonight is Halloween!

SPECIAL FEATURES
  • Audio Commentary with Writer/Director John Carpenter and Actor Jamie Lee Curtis 
  • “The Night She Came Home” Featurette 
  • “On Location: 25 Years Later” Featurette 
  • TV Version Footage Trailer 
  • TV Spots Radio Spots





Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Strike Back: Season Five DVD Review

HBO/Cinemax; TV-MA; 471 minutes

I spent my weekend binge watching Strike Back: Season Five, which landed on DVD and Blu-ray last week from HBO Home Entertainment.

If you're not already familiar with Strike Back, then let me give you a quick briefing on the series. Strike Back is loosely based on the novel of the same name by author Chris Ryan. The original season, titled Chris Ryan's Strike Back (or known in American as Strike Back: Origins), aired on Sky1 in the United Kingdom in 2010 and starred Richard Armitage (The Hobbit trilogy) and Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead).

A second season consisting of 10-episodes was ordered with a brand new cast with one little twist - it was co-produced by Cinemax, which meant more violence was added, as well as nudity, sex scenes, and adult language. Season Two was titled Strike Back: Project Dawn in the UK, but here in America it was titled Strike Back: Season One and starred Philip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton as soldiers who work for the "Section 20," an elite British military group who are responsible for tracking down terrorists. The actors returned for three more seasons - Strike Back: Vengeance (Season Two), Strike Back: Shadow Warfare (Season Three), and Strike Back: Legacy (Season Four).

After a two-year hiatus, the series returned last fall in the UK with a new cast, titled Strike Back: Retribution. Here in the America, the series aired on Cinemax earlier this year as Strike Back: Season Five. The cast include: Warren Brown as Sergeant Thomas ‘Mac’ McAllister, Daniel MacPherson as Sergeant Samuel Wyatt, Alin Sumarwatta as Lance Corporal Gracie Novan, and Roxanne McKee as Captain Natalie Reynolds.


The ten-part season centers around the escape of Omair Idrisi (played by Don Hany), a terrorist who plans on launching a deadly attack. Section 20 is assigned to track down Idrisi and his British wife, Jane Lowry (played by Katherine Kelly), which will take the unit across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Bonus Features include:
  • Strike Back Season 5: Declassified - Get an inside look at each episode.
  • The New Team - Section 20's new team and tactics they employ to fight terrorism around the globe.

Final Thoughts

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Finding Romance Later In Life!



Maybe I have read one too many romance novels over the years, as the topic of "romance" has been on mind as of late, which might explain why I review so many romance novels on this blog. Plus, I might explain why I purchased the DVD of Love & Friendship at a thrift store last week. Actually, I don't why I bought the movie, maybe it has something to do with the fact that I like reading Jane Austen's books (Pride and Prejudice is my favorite!) and I like the actress Kate Beckinsale, who starred in all those Underworld vampire flicks.

Being a male, I haven't always been interested in romance, but the older I get, the more interested I am in romance and the whole "settling down" thing; which probably explains why I have been rambling on for many months about my interest in online dating. With my 37th birthday just around the corner, I guess you can say that I've been feeling a bit lonely, which is another reason reason why my mind has been thinking about romance, marriage, kids, life, and everything else in between.

Dating near 40 or even near 50 can seem a bit difficult to many, but there any many middle age singles looking for romance, relationships, love, and even marriage. Yes, dating can be a big pain in the butt at any age, but all the myths about dating later in life shouldn't scare you off from finding true love.

One of those myths is that everyone is taken by age 40. This isn't true at all. Not all married couples end in happily every after, because, sadly, many of them end up getting a divorce. So there are a lot of divorcees available in the dating pool, which increases your odds in finding a match. That's if you're interested in dating a divorcee to begin with.

I read an article recently that once you hit middle age our brains tends to think like the opposite sex. Sounds crazy, right? Men are supposed to more open to explore serene potency and women are supposed to be enjoy postmenopausal zest. From my understanding, males are supposed to be more comfortable with our feminine side during our middle age years. It's an interesting theory, but I'm not for sure if I believe it or not.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Book Blogger Hop: August 17th - 23rd




Instructions: Select all code above, copy it and paste it inside your blog post as HTML


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 Amber @ The Literary Phoenix.


Do you follow other book blogs and if so, who are your top 3 bloggers?

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 many blogs that I follow on Blogger, but sadly I never have the time to stop by their blogs. Once in awhile I will read a few reviews on random blogs.


Linky List:

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Muppet Babies: Time To Play! DVD Review


Disney; TV-Y; 94 minutes

Available now on DVD from Disney Home Entertainment is Muppet Babies: Time To Play!, featuring 4 twenty-two minute episodes. As added bonus, there are 2 additional episodes, 10 bonus "Show and Tell" shorts, and 6 music videos.

Muppet Babies debuted back in March on Disney Junior. It's a reboot of the 1984-1991 animated series of the same name, which features the Muppets as toddlers, including Baby Kermit, Baby Piggy, Baby Fozzie, Baby Gonzo, and Baby Animal. Baby Scooter and Baby Skeeter are missing from the reboot, though they can be seen in a picture hanging in the background inside the nursery. They have been replaced by a new character named Summer Penguin.

The series is very similar to the original with the Muppet Babies having adventures at the nursery by the use of their imaginations. 

The voice cast include Matt Danner as Kermit the Frog; Melanie Harrison as Piggy; Dee Bradley Baker as Animal; Ben Diskin as Gonzo; Eric Bauza as Fozzie Bear; Jessica DiCicco as Summer Penguin; and Jenny Slate as Miss Nanny.

 Each episode has 2 eleven-minute segments. The segments featured on this DVD release are:

  • Sir Kermit The Brave - To battle his fear of darkness, Kermit imagines that he is a knight.
  • Animal Fly Airplane - The Muppet Babies use imagination to take a trip Paris, France on a plane that is piloted by Animal.
  • Hatastrophe - After Fozzie's propeller beanie flies over the fence and into Mr. Statler and Mr. Waldorf's yard, Kermit leads a mission to rescue the hat.
  • Fly South - Gonzo believes that the chickens Camilla, Priscilla, and Beep are going to fly south for the winter.
  • The Great Muppet Sport-A-Thon - The Muppet Babies put on a sporting competition, where Miss Piggy learns how to be a good sport.
  • You Say Potato, I Say Best Friend - Gonzo's new best friend is a potato!
  • Super Fabulous vs. Captain Icecube - Miss Piggy and Summer must work together as superheros to save Kermit from a band of villains.
  • Piggy's Time Machine - Miss Piggy can't wait until her birthday, so the Muppet Babies take her on a time machine adventure.

Bonus Segments
  • How Kermit Got His Groove - Rizzo the Rat moves out of his mouse hole and causes chaos in the playroom.
  • One Small Problem - Tired of being the shortest toddler, Summer has Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker to invent a Enlarge-O Ray, so they can increase her height. However, things don't go as planned, resulting in Summer being shrunken to a smaller size.
  • Playground Pirates - To find Miss Nanny's lost earring, Kermit imagines himself as Captain Greenbeard and leads the Muppet Babies on a pirate ship across the high seas in search of the earring.
  • The Blanket Fort - Miss Piggy and Summer create a blanket fort called Blanketopia.


Final Thoughts

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Avengers: Infinity War Blu-ray Review

Marvel; PG-13; 149 mins
Avengers: Infinity War, the biggest blockbuster of 2018, is arriving today on Multi-Screen Edition (Blu-ray + Digital) Code. It will also be available on 4K Cinematic Universe Edition, which includes a 4K Ultra HD disc, a Blu-ray, and a Digital Copy. The film is already available on Digital HD.

Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, the film stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, and Chris Pratt, all reprising their roles from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Inspired by 1991's The Infinity Gauntlet comic and  2013's Infinity comic, the film centers around the Marvel villain Thanos (played by Josh Brolin) and his henchmen (Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Proxima Midnight, and Corvus Glaive) on a quest to retrieve the Infinity Stones. Thanos already possesses the Power Stone, which was found on planet Xanda. The Space Stone from Tesseract is in the possession of Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston), who is on a spaceship with Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth), Bruce Banner / Hulk (played by Mark Ruffalo), and the Asgard survivors. Doctor Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) has the Time Stone in New York City and Vision (played by Paul Bettany) has the Mind Stone implanted in his forehead. The Reality Stone is in the possession of the Collector on Knowhere and the Soul Stone is being guarded by Red Skull on the planet Vormir.

Thanos and his goons attack the Asgard ship and collects the Space Stone. Before dying, Heimdall (played by Idris Elba) sends Hulk to back to Earth. Thor barely survives the attack and is later rescued by the Guardian of the Galaxy. Along with Rocket (played by Bradley Cooper) and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Thor travels to Nidavellir to create a weapon powerful enough to kill Thanos. Peter Quill (played by Chris Pratt), Gamora (played by Zoe Saldana), Drax (played by Dave Bautista), and Mantis (played by Pom Klementieff) travel to Knowhere to find the Reality Stone, but they arrive there too late.


Meanwhile, Doctor Stranger, Tony Stark / Iron Man (played by Robert Downey, Jr.), and Peter Parker / Spider-man (played by Tom Holland) get trapped aboard a spaceship after a battle in New York City against Thanos' lieutenants. The spaceship lands on the planet Titan, where they try to come up with a plan to remove Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet.


Back on Earth, Steve Rogers / Captain America (played by Chris Evans), Natasha Romanoff  / Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson), Sam Wilson / Falcon (played by Anthony Mackie), James Rhodes / War Machine (played by Don Cheadle), Vision, Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and Bruce Banner travel to Wakanda to team up with Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier (played by Sebastian Stan), T'Challa / Black Panther (played by Chadwick Boseman), and the Wakandan army, so they can battle Midnight, Obsidian, Glaive, and an army of creatures.


Special Features on the Blu-ray & Digital include:

  • Strange Alchemy (5:08)Share the thrill of characters from across the MCU meeting for the first time—and discover why some were teamed up together.
  • The Mad Titan (6:34)Explore the MCU’s biggest, baddest villain, his trail of influence through the stories, and the existential threat he represents.
  • Beyond the Battle: Titan (9:36)Dive into the climactic struggle on Thanos’ ruined world, including the epic stunts and VFX, to uncover the source of its power. 
  • Beyond the Battle: Wakanda (10:58)Go behind the scenes to find out how the filmmakers pulled off the most massive and challenging battle Marvel had ever attempted. 
  • Deleted and Extended Scenes (10:07) 
    • Happy Knows Best (1:23) Tony and Pepper spar over the details of their upcoming wedding—until a hassled Happy Hogan pulls up with an urgent request.
    • Hunt for the Mind Stone (1:24)On a darkened street, Wanda Maximoff and the wounded Vision attempt to hide from Thanos’ brutal allies.
    • The Guardians Get Their Groove Back (3:20)As Peter Quill and Drax quarrel over their failed mission to Knowhere, Mantis interrupts with news.
    • A Father’s Choice (4:00)Thanos confronts Gamora with a vision from her past—and with lying to him about the Soul Stone. 
  • Gag Reel (2:05)Watch your favorite Super Heroes make super gaffes in this lighthearted collection of on-set antics.
  • Audio Commentary (approx. 149 min.) by Anthony and Joe Russo, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. 
  • Digital Exclusive:
    • A Directors’ Roundtable (approx. 32 min.)Eight amazing directors reflect on how their movies contribute to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s larger storytelling adventure. 



Final Thoughts

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Review - Middle School: From Hero to Zero by James Patterson & Chris Tebbetts


Jimmy Patterson; 280 pages; $13.99
Published earlier this year by Jimmy Patterson (a division of Little, Brown and Company) was Middle School: From Hero To Zero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts, which I believe is the 10th entry in the series. I read the book earlier this year, but I never got around to writing the review for it; so I reread the book a few days ago and thought I would feature it as a "Back to School Reads."

The book centers on Rafe Khatchadorian, a not so-popular middle grader who's only real pal is Leo, an imaginary friend who represents Leonardo, his twin died of meningitis when they were toddlers. This time around he's headed to London with his classmates for a school trip. Well, actually it's a contest where schools from around the country will write a "Living-Learning Report." The school with the best report will win the Grand Prize of ten thousand dollars worth of books and supplies. One student on the winning team will win a thousand dollar cash prize.

What should have been a fun experience, quickly turns into a disaster when Rafe learns that his bully Miller (AKA Miller the Killer) is also coming on the trip. To make matters even worse, Rafe has to share a room with Miller, who makes him sleep in the bathroom! Then their teacher assigns Rafe as the main editor of the "Living-Learning Report." Most students would be happy about the opportunity, but Rafe isn't, as he's afraid he will mess everything up. Plus, his fellow classmates don't exactly see him as leader. They see him more as a world-class loser.

Final Thoughts

Friday, August 10, 2018

Book Blogger Hop: August 10th - 16th




Instructions: Select all code above, copy it and paste it inside your blog post as HTML


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 @ Silver's Reviews.


Can you say this about yourself? Nothing makes me happier than sitting down with a good 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:

I'm going to slightly disagree. Nothing makes me happier than the smell of printed pages. I can't explain it, but I love the aroma inside of bookstores and libraries. There is something calming about the scent of both old and newly printed books.


Linky List:

Thursday, August 9, 2018

The Evil Dead is Getting the 4K Treatment



1981's horror cult classic The Evil Dead will be arriving on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (Blu-ray + Digital) for the first time on October 9th from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The suggestive retail price is $22.99!


The Evil Dead launched the careers of director Sam Raimi and actor Bruce Campbell. The film follows five college friends who accidentally release a legion of demons and spirits. Experience four times the resolution of Full HD with 4K, as well as Dolby Vision™ HDR, to bring to life the stunning cinematography of this supernatural horror film. When compared to a standard picture, Dolby Vision can deliver spectacular colors never before seen on a screen, highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker.

Special Features:  Audio Commentary with writer-director Sam Raimi, producer Robert Tapert, and star Bruce Campbell



Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Giveaway: Strike Back: Season Five Blu-ray + Digital


Arriving next week on Blu-ray + Digital (also being released on DVD + Digital) is Cinemax's Strike Back: Season Five, featuring a brand new group of Section 20 soldiers, including Sergeant Thomas ‘Mac’ McAllister (played by Warren Brown, “The Dark Knight Rises”), Sergeant Samuel Wyatt (played by Daniel MacPherson, “Infini”), Lance Corporal Gracie Novan (played by Alin Sumarwatta, “Burning Man”) and Captain Natalie Reynolds (played by Roxanne McKee, HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” “Crossfire”)

The main focus of the season centers around terrorist Omair Idrisi escaping from Syrian authorities with plans to launch an unprecedented attack that could change the face of modern warfare. Then enters Section 20 — the elite, multinational, covert special ops team tasked with tracking down Idrisi and his British co-conspirator wife, Jane Lowry.

Their action-packed manhunt will take the unit across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe, from glitterati soirees to underworld cage fights, as they uncover and attempt to dismantle a vast global web of interconnected criminal and terrorist activity.

Bonus Features include:
  • Strike Back: Season 5: Declassified - Get an inside look at each episode.
  • The New Team: Section 20's new team and tactics they employ to fight terrorism around the globe.




Giveaway Details

Summer Reads: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Broadway; 424 pages; $9.99
Has anybody else been watching Sharp Objects on HBO?

The fifth episode of the limited series (miniseries) aired on Sunday night, and I believe there are three episodes left. The series is based on the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn, the author of Gone Girl and Dark Places. I was hooked to the series after watching the first episode and I later purchased the novel a few days later, but I didn't start reading it until a day prior to the third episode and I ended up finishing the book a few hours after the episode.

The novel centers around Chicago newspaper reporter Camille Preaker, who has a share of personal demons with alcohol and cutting words into her skin. Shortly after spending time in a hospital, her boss, Curry, encourages her to travel back to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri to cover the murder of a young girl, Ann Nash, and the disappearance of another girl, Natalie Keene.

Somewhat against her will, Camille returns to Wind Gap, where she sorta invites herself to stay at her family's home, which she hasn't visited in many years. Camille grew up with Adora, her high maintenance mother, and an emotionally estranged step-father, Alan. Her half-sister Marian, who she was very close to, died mysteriously at a young age, which sent her down an emotional roller coaster that has never stopped. She has another half-sister, Amma, a spoiled thirteen-year-old that she barely knows. Amma has a weird control over the people of Wind Gap.

After the body of Natalie Keene is found with her teeth removed (the same happened to Ann Nash), the town goes into a frenzy, pointing fingers at Natalie's brother, John. Still working on her own emotional problems, Camille works with Richard Willis, a Kansas City cop assigned to help solve the murders, to track down the killer. However, the further she investigates, the more she learns that her past is connected to the murders.


Final Thoughts

Friday, August 3, 2018

Book Blogger Hop: August 3rd - 9th




Instructions: Select all code above, copy it and paste it inside your blog post as HTML


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 Maria @ A Night's Dream of Books.


Have you ever had a bookish, nocturnal dream? If so, please share the story. If not, have you ever had a daydream related to books? If so, please tell us about it.

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 believe that I have ever had a bookish dream. Now I have had a few sleepless nights because a book that I was reading was on my mind.


Linky List:

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Counterpart: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Review

Lionsgate; Not Rated; 9 hrs 17 mins; Amazon


I have spent the last two nights binge watching Counterpart: The Complete Season Blu-ray, which arrived in stores this week from Lionsgate. It's also being released to DVD.

The pilot episode debuted on Starz in December 2017, but the series didn't officially begin until late January 2018. Despite low-ratings, the series has garnered high praises from critics.

Created by Justin Marks, the series centers around Howard Sink (played by J. K. Simmons), a kindhearted man working for the United Nations agency called the Office of Interchange in Berlin. His life is very simple, he goes to work, visits his comatose wife at the hospital, goes home, and repeats the cycle. After being denied a promotion, he meets his doppelganger who is also named Howard (or otherwise known as Howard Prime).

Howard (also known as Howard Alpha) learns that during the the latter years of the Cold War, the East Germans created a portal to a parallel universe in the basement of a building that would later become the Office of Interchange headquarters. An assassin from the Prime World named Baldwin (played by Sara Serraiocco) is loose in the Alpha World with a kill list. One of the people on that list happens to be Howard's wife, Emily (played by Olivia Williams).

Howard Prime is a field agent who retrieves anyone who goes rogue and crosses over to the Alpha World. To protect his wife, Howard Alpha switches places with Howard Prime. Though he has strict orders to stay inside Howard Prime's apartment, Howard Alpha ventures outside and intertwines with a life that doesn't belong to him.

Both Howards must work together to stop their worlds from going to war.

Special Features on the Blu-ray set include Season Outlook and Inside the World "Counterpart."



Final Thoughts