10% Happier
by Dan Harris
Publisher: It Books
Pub. Date: March 11, 2014
ISBN: 978-0062265425
Pages: 256
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/vOtHE
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/dharris

Review:

As many of my readers already know, I don't read very much non-fiction; mostly due to the fact that most true-to-life stories are depressing and I would rather read a fictional tale with a happy ending. However, I do occasionally read a self-help or spiritual book, which is one of the reasons why I signed up to review 10% Happier by Dan Harris, plus, the author is news anchor, which even further my interest in reading this.

Instead of giving a quick summary of the plot, like I do with my other reviews, I am going straight to my thoughts on the book. By the title and the cover jacket, you would think this would be a self-help novel, but it was far from it. Instead it is a semi-memoir, focusing on the author's entry into the ABC news world, which lead him to drugs and other addictions to help him keep his mind clear due to his heavy work load.

Dan Harris' life changed when he had an on-the-air meltdown on ABC's Good Morning America in 2004, eventually the incident lead him to seek out other healthier ways to reduce stress in his life; mostly medication.

Gamera Legacy Collection 1963 - 1999
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Release Date: April 29, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00I099JO6
Running Time: 16 hours 29 minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

The summer blockbuster season began earlier this year with the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but one of the most anticipated summer films of 2014 is Gareth Edwards' remake of Godzilla. You would think there would be several DVD/Blu-ray releases of the older Godzilla flicks, but surprisingly only King Kong Vs. Godzilla has been released this year; though there are a few other titles scheduled for release in May. Until then, monster fans can enjoy Mill Creek's Entertainment DVD release of Gamera Legacy Collection 1963 - 1999, featuring 11 movies, minus 2006's Gamera the Brave.

After the original Godzilla (Gojira) film was released in 1954, there were a surge of monster films being released, including many sequels to Godzilla. Out of these monster flicks came the giant flying turtle, Gamera, the guardian of the universe and friend of all children!


Yes, a flying turtle may seem a little far fetch and a ripoff of Godzilla, but the Gamera became successful; though I'm surprised there was never a Godzilla Vs. Gamera ever produced.

The films on the Gamera Legacy Collection four-disc set are:

1. A desire to keep my family in butter and heat.
2. My love of libraries – With all my soul, I have loved libraries since I remember loving anything. As a kid, libraries seemed like magic palaces of possibility. The shelves seemed to hold rows and rows of moveable worlds, each one fronted by a door in the shape of a book cover. All you had to do was swing it open and walk inside. And voila! Imaginary people and situations and places and choices. Those childhood books made it clear that I had choices about what kind of person I wanted to be, how I could live, what might count as “normal” or “good”. Libraries have to rate as one of our most beautiful human inventions, especially public ones.
3. My love for Librarians - As a book-loving child, I regarded librarians with a strange kind of awe (and our local library as a sort of magical palace, stuffed with a dragon’s hoard worth of riches). Librarians were the keepers of all this treasure, and as such, mysterious and powerful custodians. There always seemed to be more to them than met the eye! Something secret and well-intended and unadvertised. Something underestimated, devoted, and heroic. My opinion didn’t change as an adult, as I began to understand that literacy, information and literature often occupied contested territory! It was easy and fun to imagine librarians – professional book protectors, literacy encouragers, and privacy champions -- as literal warriors, with swords as well as shortish pencils in their arsenals.

A Sensible Arrangement
Lone Star Brides series, book 1
by Tracie Peterson
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0764210587
Pages: 336


Review: 

I have read many titles by author Tracie Peterson, but I wasn't aware that she has published 100 books! That is a great achievement. Her newest novel, A Sensible Arrangement, is the first book in a brand new series. 

In Christian fiction, the arranged marriage plot has been done to death, as it is a simple plot device to get two strangers under the same roof. Here, there are two widowers, Jake Wythe and Marty Dandridge Olson, who is thrown into an arranged marriage.

Typically, these kinds of novels are set on a ranch or some kind of farm, but not here; though Jake would love to own his own ranch one day, until then he has to settle for working at the Morgan Bank. The bank board members don't care for Jake being single, so under pressure, he agrees to remarry.

Getting remarried wasn't the first thing on Marty's mind, as she is still grieving over the death of her husband, who died in a ranch accident. Since his death, Marty has been living with her sister and her family, but she fears she has overstayed her welcome, so she agrees to marry Jake.

Cowgirls 'N Angels 2: Dakota's Summer
Director: Timothy Armstrong
Starring: Haley Ramm, Kieth Carradine
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Retail: $29.99
ASIN: B00IEXX4XA
Running Time: 91 minutes
Rating: PG

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray and DVD last week is Cowgirls and Angles 2: Dakota's Summer, starring Oscar Winner (1975, Original Song, "I'm Easy," Nashville) Keith Carradine, Haley Ramm (X-Men: The Last Stand), Jade Pettyjohn (American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars), and Emily Bett Rickards (CW's Arrow). Timothy Armstrong returns to direct this exciting sequel to 2012's Cowgirls 'N Angels. The Blu-ray special feature is a Behind the Scenes of Dakota's Summer.

Dakota's Summer centers on seventeen-year-old, Dakota Rose, who participates as one of the riders in the Sweethearts of the Rodeo trick rider group. Her life is turned upside down when her older sister, Kristin (played by Emily Bett Rickards), tells her that she is adopted.

She leaves the Sweethearts of the Rodeo to spend the summer on her adopted grandparents' (played by Keith Carradine and Anne Lockhart), farm, where she learns who birth-parents are and eventually tracks down her birth-mother. During these summer months, she befriends a troubled young girl, Summer. As she tries to form a relationship with her birth-mother and Summer, she starts to learn a few things about herself, which might bring her back to the rodeo.

SpongeBob, You're Fired!
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: April 29, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00HJQMDQC
Running Time: 186 minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

Its hard to believe that SpongeBob SquarePants first premiered back in 1999 and its currently at the end of its ninth season with a ten season in the works. Currently, there are 188 of episodes of the animated series, along with a spinoff feature film with a second film planned for 2015.

Arriving on DVD on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, is the new DVD collection, titled SpongeBob, You're Fired!, featuring 14 exciting adventures in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom.

The episodes featured on the single-disc are:

• SpongeBob, You're Fired! (Season 9) SpongeBob must look for a new job after he is fired from the Krusty Krab.
• Neptune's Spatula (Season 1) After pulling a spatula out of a bucket of grease, SpongeBob accidentally summons King Neptune and he must challenge him to a fry cook-off.
• Welcome to the Chum Bucket (Season 2) - SpongeBob's boss, Mr. Krabs, loses SpongeBob's contract in a poker game; therefore SpongeBob is forced to work at the Chum Bucket.
• The Original Fry Cook (Season 5) The Krusty Krab's former fry cook, Jim, returns to take SpongeBob's job.
• Le Big Switch (Season 5) SpongeBob switches jobs with an executive chef, as part of a cultural exchange program.
• Model Sponge (Season 7) Fearing that he might be fired from the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob tries to become a model.
• Employee of the Month (Season 1) SpongeBob is always the employee of the month at the Krusty Krab, but this month he has competition, as Squidward wants to be the best employee.
• Bossy Boots (Season 2) The Krusty Krab as a new employee, Mr. Krab's daughter, Pearl.
• Krusty Dogs (Season 7) SpongeBob creates Krusty Dogs!
• License to Milkshake (Season 9) After SpongeBob learns that his milkshake license has expired, he must return to milk-shake academy,
• Help Wanted (Pilot Episode) - SpongeBob attempts to get a job at the Krusty Krab.
• Wet Painters (Season 3) Mr. Krab hires SpongeBob and Patrick to paint the living room of his house.
• Krusty Krab Training Video (Season 3) A Krusty Krab training video for new employees.
• Pizza Delivery (Season 1) SpongeBob and Squidward must deliver a pizza to a Krusty Krab customer.

SpongeBob, You're Fired! features the very first episode, Help Wanted, as well as two episodes from season 9, License to Milkshake and SpongeBob, You're Fired!; with the latter episode causing a bit of controversy with its portrayal of unemployment, causing a media circus over the episode. However, when the episode aired on Nickelodeon, it received high ratings.

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!

 

Are your reviews more of a rehash of the story or do you comment on writing style, characters, and reflection?

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 wouldn't say I rehash the book in my reviews, but I always give a brief synopsis of the plot in my own words. Typically, I comment on the plot, the relationship with the two main characters and then give my final thoughts on the book. Every book is different; therefore I don't always write the reviews the same way every time.

The Queen's Handmaid
By Tracy L. Higley
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: March 18, 2014
Retail: $15.99
ISBN: 978-1401686840
Pages: 400
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/uKKQP
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/thigley

Review:

I can't believe this month is half way over already. 2014 is flying by way to quickly, but I have made time to read several new titles, including The Queen's Handmaid by Tracy L. Higley.

Now, I'm mostly a fan of books set in the 1800s, but The Queen's Handmaid is set in 39BC, which is a bit of a stretch from the wild wild west era. Though I don't read books from this time period, however, I do watch movies (Gladiator) and television series (Spartacus) that are sent around that era, so I thought I would give the book a shot.

The Queen's Handmaid centers on a young woman named Lydia, who happens to be the handmaid for Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. She doesn't have a family, as she has been an orphan since birth, and she now resides in the Queen's palace, where she spends her days taking care of the Queen's children.

Age is catching up with Cleopatra and having a beautiful young handmaid is causing a few problems, as men are taking notice of Lydia, especially Herod, the Galilean governor.

Judo is one of the relatively new martial arts to come out of Japan. Developed in the late 1800s, it is similar to many other martial arts, but is considered safer for many children because it doesn’t involve punching or kicking. Judo uses certain techniques to pin an opponent and is an appropriate sport for most people—from young children to adults. Some of the more advanced techniques are only permitted for older age groups, to ensure that they’re used properly. Look for judo in Wakefield to help your child grow into a stronger, more confident young adult. It is a sport for both boys and girls, and many people who aren’t successful in traditional sports can flourish in judo.

  Physical Benefits

The obvious benefit of enrolling your child in judo classes is that they will have an opportunity to be more physically active. Instead of sitting in front of the television or video games all day long, they’ll be up and moving around throughout class. Many parents find that once their children begin attending judo classes, they learn to enjoy physical activity so much that even while they’re at home, they spend less time on the couch. Older children can also build muscle and cardiovascular endurance if they continue to attend judo classes regularly.

Book Description:

"A Place in the Son: Fitly Joined Together in Love and Growing in Christ" is a guide to growing in Christ in harmony with other true believers. Readers are urged to examine their beliefs and their lives and surrender all to Christ. The God who is Love has a calling(s) and a place in the body of Christ for every unique person. The wonderful works of God are accomplished as believers obey the Head, Jesus Christ, and love and serve with their assigned partners in the body of Christ. "A Place in the Son" calls believers to press on, to step into the realm of the supernatural, and to enjoy daily fellowship and intimacy with God. Personal experiences and testimonies of God's faithfulness combine with the Word of God to inspire readers. Both new believers and seasoned saints will find enlightenment and encouragement in the pages of this book. The call of "A Place in the Son" is loud and clear: "Search the Scriptures! Know who you are in Christ! Wake up, sleeping giants!"

About the Author:

Clarence Ogle is a retired soldier and certified public accountant living in El Paso, Texas. He has shared the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God with inmates in local jails for over twenty-five years. He currently teaches the "Growing in Christ" course at the Rogelio Sanchez State Jail. Clarence serves as an elder in his church - Destiny Family Christian Center. He and his wife Hayriye have been married for forty-four years and have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Review: