Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop! 

What To Do

1. Post on your blog answering this question:

What is your opinion of bibliotherapy? Do you think this is a useful way of dealing with psychological issues? If you've used yourself, or know someone who has, what books(s) would you recommend?

Like most '90s kids, I was first introduced to the View Askewniverse with Clerks and Mallrats during my teenage years, which featured the pot-smoking New Jersey duo, Jay and Silent Bob (played by Jay Mewes and Kevin Smith). Yes, the films are silly and raunchy but they're a lot of fun to watch.

Available to Buy on Hardcover and Kindle.

I spent the last two days reading the fantasy novel Highfire by New York Times bestselling author Eoin Colfer, which is being released today by Harper Perennial. I don't read very many dragon novels but the premise of a vodka-drinking and Flashdance-loving dragon intrigued me.

Highfire centers around the last known dragon, Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie, who now lives in the bayous of Louisiana and goes by the name Vern. He prefers to avoid the public at all costs in fear of what the humans would do him. He spends most of his time watching Netflix in a fishing shack. Well, that's until he life is turned upside after rescuing Squib.

Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer!

Good Evening, Everyone!

Once again, I'm posting my Sunday Post a little later than what I originally planned. Early yesterday morning, I woke up with a sore behind an ear and a bigger sore on my left check, which I'm guessing they're spider bites. I went along with my morning, went to the thrift store (more on that later in this post), and that's when I started to feel a bit queasy. I went back home and later felt a little bit better. I had errands to run so I got back out but I still felt a little sick. Today, I attempted to get a few things done but I was too weak to do anything. I took some aspirin and slept most of the day. Now, I almost feel like my normal self again.

While I was setting up this post, I had the newest episode of Doctor Who playing in the background. I haven't cared much for the previous two seasons so I wasn't paying much attention to the episode until John Barrowman (a.k.a. - Captain Jack Harkness). I had to wait until the episode ended before writing my Sunday Post.

Available to Buy on AMAZON.

There's nothing better to do when you cannot sleep on a cold winter's night than watching a vampire flick. Right? Especially, when it has cannibals, zombies and aliens!

I'm referring to the horror-comedy Savage Creatures (Not Rated; 76 minutes) from writer-director Richard Lowry, which just landed on DVD and movieSPREE Digital this month by ITN Distribution and  Mill Creek Entertainment. The 76-minute film was produced by Zado Productions and Andromeda Pictures.

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop! 

What To Do

1. Post on your blog answering this question:

Do you talk to strangers about books especially when you see someone reading a book?

  

My Thoughts

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

The first month of 2020 is nearly over, and I, for one, can hardly believe it. Where has the time gone?

January has been a stressful month for me, especially with this blog, which got a bit of a redesign. And when I say "redesign," I actually mean an entire "overhaul." Because I was focused on other things, it completely slipped my mind about posting my New Year's Resolutions. To be completely honest, originally I wasn't going to make any resolutions this year because for the past few years I have failed every one all of them. However, I need to make a few changes in my life so instead of having resolutions, I have set a several personal goals to accomplish.

Available to on DVD and Blu-ray!

Late last night, I watched the low-budget action flick, Primal (R; 97 minutes), starring Nicolas Cage, which was released earlier this month to Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD  by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The only special feature is The Making of Primal.

Directed by Nicholas Powell and written by Richard Ledger, Primal centers around Frank Walsh (played by Cage), an exotic animal hunter and collector who captures a rare white jaguar for a zoo. Due to the fact he doesn't have legal permits to take animals out of Brazil, he uses a cargo ship to sail all his animals to the United States. Aboard the ship is a group of U.S. soldiers who are extraditing a political assassin, Richard Loffler (played by Kevin Durand), back to the U.S. Typically, they would have flown a criminal back to the states but Loffler has a medical condition that prevents him from going into high altitudes, which is why they're on a boat. And it's the reason why Dr. Ellen Taylor (played by Famke Janssen) is with them so she can monitor Loffler's condition.

Excerpt from Chapter 1

His mind’s peaceful state allowed a clear perspective, and he scanned the thugs, making an instant assessment for the impending engagement. Two of the bikers left their jackets open with firearms concealed under their vests. The other two grasped their bike handlebars with one hand and held blades exposed against their legs with the other.

Marron jogged toward the bikers, forcing two of the rough young men to kick the starter pedals on their bikes. The armed thugs fumbled and pulled at the weapons held tightly against their chests by their vests. Marron’s SIG Sauer spat out two muffled shots, and he moved with the speed and agility of an elite athlete. The sound resonating around the concrete walls resembled the retort of a child’s cap gun. Bloody red mist filled the air, and the two bikers’ bodies slammed to the asphalt with their weapons remaining forever concealed and useless.

The young thugs armed only with blades started maneuvering their bikes one-handed to escape. Marron sighted on the first and fired then moved his aim to the second to deliver another fatal round. The hollow-point bullets penetrated their chests and erupted, finishing the skirmish in less than fifteen seconds. Brass shell casings fell to the ground and bounced on the road. Their metallic ring reminded Marron to scoop them up to drop in his pants’ pockets.

Review

I believe the old action-junkie within me started giggling as soon as I laid eyes on the outstanding cover to The Courier by Gordon J. Campbell. I mean, what's not to like about it? It features a Punisher-like character who resembles Gerald Butler shooting at what I'm assuming is the exploding gasoline tanker truck. To make a long story short, I wanted to read this book simply based on its cover alone!

The Courier is a fast-paced thriller that centers around a medical supply rep, Greg Westwood, taking a one-time job as a "courier" for the US government. What he thought would be a fun and easy job turns out to a disaster when he learns a pair of assassins are after him. Toss in an international drug ring, you basically have an old-school '80s action flick plot.

I don't read very many Indie authors nowadays as the ones I have read in the past have disappointed me with bad editing. However, I'm glad to say I didn't have any issues with The Courier, which is one of the better written Indie novels I have read in recent memory. First-time author Gordon J. Campbell has created an intriguing protagonist, lively dialogue, and entertaining action scenes.

Overall, The Courier is a well-written, action-packed thrill ride!

About the Author

Gordon Campbell is a Winnipeg born Canadian who’s spent most of his life in Japan. He's worked as an English teacher, a market entry consultant with a focus on the medical and sporting goods industries, and as a sales director for a corporation with multiple product lines.

He’s presently working on the second novel of a series initiated with The Courier, and its protagonist, Gregg Westwood. Gordon leans on his experiences built around decades working and traveling in Asia. He’s trained at several karate dojos, run full marathons, and skied black diamond hills in the Japanese Alps.

He played American football at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and started in the Canadian championship game known as the Vanier Cup. Gordon is a member of Psi Upsilon Fraternity, Sinim Masonic Lodge, and the Tokyo Valley of the AASR.  When he’s not writing, working, attending one of his daughter’s vocal concerts, pumping iron, or at a lodge meeting, you’ll find him dining with his wife Mako at their favorite local bistro.

Learn more about Gordon on his website. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Everyone needs to forgive me for taking 20 days to post my first Monday Morning Madness of the year. It's already been a busy year for me so far, which has included snow/ice storms, the flu bug, a blog redesign (more on that later in this post), unwanted weight gain, a broken dryer. On the plus side, the KC Chiefs won the AFC Championship yesterday!

Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @  Caffeinated Book Reviewer!

Good Evening, Everyone!

I have two good reasons why I'm a little late with today's post.

• 1. I've caught the flu/cold bug that's been going around my neck of the woods so I slept in a little bit this morning. 
• 2. I watched the NFL AFC Championship game. I'm not a very big football fan but I am from Missouri and the KC Chiefs are in the playoffs. I guess I should say - were in the playoffs as the Chiefs won the AFC Championship and will be going to the Super Bowl on Feb. 2nd. 

You might have noticed this blog looks a little different than what it was last week. While I loved the previous design, it wasn't mobile friendly and I kept getting complaints from readers so I had to make a major change to the layout. The layout isn't my design. I got the theme, Sora Ribbon, from Sora Templates. There's a free version and a premium version for $9.95. I go the premium version so I could make a few changes to it.

  

My Thoughts

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop! 

What To Do

1. Post on your blog answering this question:

Do you think that readers make better employees, as opposed to non-readers? Why or why not?

I've been staring at the computer screen for nearly an hour trying to come up with the right words to begin my review for the weirdest movie I have ever seen — The Lighthouse.

Produced, co-written, and directed by Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse (R; 109 minutes) is a psychological horror flick starring method actors William Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. The film was released to limited screens in October 2019 and pulled in over $13 million against a $4 million budget. It received critical acclaim with a 92% "Certified Fresh" Rotten Tomatoes rating. It's now available to own on DVD, Blu-ray, Digital, and On-Demand from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

Available on Paperback & Kindle.

I became aware of author Charlaine Harris' novels after watching the first season of True Blood on DVD in 2009, and shortly later, I hunted down all of the Sookie Stackhouse titles that were out then. Those books are well-written supernatural tales with intriguing characters. I wasn't aware the author had a new series, Gunnie Rose, out until I received an ARC of A Longer Fall from NetGalley at the tail end of 2019. It turns out it's the second installment in the series. While I have no problem jumping in the middle of a series, I ended up buying the first book, An Easy Death, on Kindle when it was on sale for $1.99.

Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @  Caffeinated Book Reviewer!

Good Morning, Everyone!

What Am I Currently Reading?

My Kindle is all charged up so I can finish reading A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris, which is being released on Tuesday. It's the second book in the Gunnie Rose series. I just finished reading the first book, An Easy Death, a few days ago. I'll be posting a review for it sometime tomorrow. Speaking of posting reviews, I still have three books I read last year that I'll be writing reviews for this week. Later today, I'll be posting the review for the graphic novel Aliens: Rescue and and the Joker Blu-ray. After I get finished with A Longer Fall, I'll either be reading Highfire by Eoin Colfer or The Courier by Gordon J. Campbell. The latter is for a book tour and my review is scheduled for the 20th.

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop! 

Why is it some so many people don't know the musical "The Phantom of the Opera" is based on the Gothic horror story Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by French author Gaston Leroux?

Originally, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra (translated as The Phantom of the Opera) was published as a serial from September 23, 1909, to January 8, 1910 in the French newspaper Le Gaulois. It was published in volume form in March 1910. The book has been reprinted many times over the last century. There have even been several retelling and sequels written by other authors. Also, there have been many stage, radio, film, and television adaptations, including the classic silent film starring Lon Chaney, Sr., and 1962's Hammer Horror version.

Digital HD Bonus Extras include:

• Deleted Scenes
•  “Lucy Teaches"
• “Mark Takes Lucy to the Roof” 
• “Lucy Leaves Erin in the Simulator” 
• “Lucy and Iris Get Pulled Over” 
• Director’s Journey 
• Creating Magical Realism 
• Making Space 
• Lucy Cola

Final Thoughts

Available on Paperback and Kindle!

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . . 

There was a little bitty science fiction film titled Star Wars, written and directed by George Lucas. Released in 1977, the film became so popular that it spawned two sequels, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, two made-for-television Ewoks movies, two short-lived Saturday morning cartoons, and the infamous (and laughable) 1978's Star Wars Holiday Special. The entire franchise was pretty much dead until 1991 when the Bantam Books published Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Hugo Award-Winner Timothy Zahan, which is book one in a three-book cycle. Dubbed the "Thrawn Trilogy," the books introduced four new characters — Mara Jade, Talon Karrde, Gilad Pellaeon, and Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @  Caffeinated Book Reviewer!

Good Morning, Everyone!

What Am I Currently Reading?

Late last night, I finished reading Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn, so expect my review for it soon. Early this morning, I finished reading The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. My review will be posted on Tuesday. Next, I'll be reading An Easy Death and A Longer Fall, which both titles are part of the of Gunnie Rose series by Charlaine Harris.

Grab a book, any book.
Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it).
Post it.
 Add your (url) post below in the Linky at: www.fredasvoice.com
Add the post url, not your blog url.

The managers did not hesitate; without wasting time in asking how these confounded communications came to be delivered in an office which they were careful to keep locked, they seized this opportunity of laying hands, on the mysterious blackmailer.

page 56%, The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

  My Thoughts

Way back in my elementary days, I was probably the only student who was well aware of the romance author Jude Deveraux because my mother was big fan of her novels. With my passion for books, naturally I ended up reading a few of the author's titles; though, reflecting back on it now, I was probably a bit too young for the steamy love scenes. Nevertheless, that was my introduction to Jude Deveraux, and now as an adult, I have become a fan

Jude Deveraux's newest novel, Met Her Match, was published in September, and I was lucky enough to get a review copy from NetGalley. Now I didn't read the book right away because I had 13 horror novels lined up for October so I didn't begin reading it until Halloween night. To be precise, I read a few paragraphs at a time while waiting to give out candy to the trick-or-treaters. I finished reading the book the following Sunday afternoon. Why did it take me so long to write my review? Due to setting up my annual Holiday Gift Guide, as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas, I was swamped during November and December so I put off writing the review until today.

Anyway, Met Her Match is sequel to 2016's The Girl From Summer Hill (Read my review here). It's set in the fictional small town of Summer Hill, Virginia and centers around Terri Rayburn, a woman who runs a summer resort, which is owned by her father. After taking a short trip, she returns home to find a stranger living in her house. That stranger happens to be Nate Taggert, who has spent the last 12 years working in the Middle East as a diplomat. After his fiancé takes a sudden trip to Italy for three weeks, he goes back home to Summer Hill with plans of opening up a business. His uncle sets it up so he can stay in a private house, which happens to belong to Terri!

This is a romance so you can pretty much guess what comes next — sparks fly between Nate and Terri. However, there are rumors that Terri is a heartbreaker, which leads Nate to investigate into her past.

Final Thoughts