It may look like a nice summer morning, but it is dreadful outside. The humidity is so bad, that I can barely breathe, so setting on the deck and drinking a cup of coffee is out of the question. Instead I'm typing this post, halfway watching Too Close For Comfort on Antenna TV and listening to an Evanescence album, so I'm multitasking.

My original intent was to exercise the first thing this morning (which is something I have been lacking and my body is feeling it), but it seems I can't get anything done without a load of coffee in my system. Plus, I have several review posts that I want to get written up and then I want to finish reading a book, so I can write a review for it tomorrow.

I finally broke down and ordered the upcoming blu-ray release of Halloween: The Complete Collection. I've been wanting to replace my DVDs with Blu-rays and this seems to be the cheapiest route. Plus, I want to see the official Halloween 6 Producers Cut! Yes, the price is a little steep, but I have some money put back for it. My birthday is in early September and the Blu-ray set comes out in late September, so I'm buying a late birthday present for myself.

Goosebumps Most Wanted: Special Edition #1: Zombie Halloween
by R. L. Stine
Publisher: Scholastic
Pub. Date: June 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0545627764
Pages: 192 pages
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Believe it or not, R. L. Stine has been haunting and thrilling young readers with his Goosebumps books for twenty-two years. There was a popular television series based on the books that aired in the late '90s, as well as the upcoming big-screen adaption starring Jack Black, scheduled to hit theaters next summer. Though the last book was published in 1997, there has been several spinoff series published, including the newest series, Goosebumps: Most Wanted, which debuted in 2012.

The newest addition, Zombie Halloween, is the first Special Edition in the Most Wanted series and centers on twelve-year-old Kenny Manzetti and his twin sister, Tricia, whom, along with their parents, moved into an old house across from a cemetery to take care of Grandpa Mo. While Kenny has already made a new best friend, Alec Schwartzman, Tricia hasn't made any new friends, but she hopes to make a few at their "zombie" themed Halloween party.

Speaking of zombies, a few teenagers appeared on the local news, all claiming that zombies attacked them near the cemetery. Kenny and Alec are both big fans of The Walking Zombies television series and they are eager to investigate the cemetery in the attempt of finding real zombies, but Tricia and Grandpa Mo tag along with them.

Spirit Bridge 
A Wells Spring Novel, book 3
by James L. Rubart
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: May 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-1401686093
Pages: 384
Buy Link: Paperback

Review:

Ever since I have joined BookLook Bloggers (formerly called BookSneeze), I have been exposed to many great writers and book titles. Though I did miss out in reviewing book one of the A Wells Spring series, Soul's Gate, I did get a chance to review the second installment, Memory's Door, last year. Finding Christian novels with a supernatural twist may be rare, but if you look hard enough you will find a few titles, which is why is signed up to review the third novel in the series, Spirit Bridge, last month.

In this fantasy, spiritual adventure, the Warriors Riding (Reece, Dan, Brandon and Marcus) thought they had defeated Zennon and his army, but as soon as they try to rest from the last battle, a new round of vicious attacks occur. The warlord Zennon is still alive and he is bringing his wrath across all supernatural realms.

Zennon has always been one step ahead of the Warriors Riding, planting a hidden agenda long before the Warriors were ever set in motion - an agenda that will tear the Warriors Riding in half. Released from the clutches of Zennon's alternate-reality prison, Simon, a street magician, races against time to remember who he is.

The No-Gun Man
by L. Ron Hubbard
Directors: Jim Meskimen and Tait Ruppert
Voice Cast: David O'Donnell, Luke Bayback, R.F. Daley, Jim Meskimen, Tait Ruppert, Josh R. Thompson and Michael Yurchak
Studio: Galaxy Press
Release Date: June 23, 2014
Retail: $12.95
ISBN: 978-1592123834
Running Time: 2 hours 8 minutes
Buy Link: Audiobook, Paperback

Review:

Arriving in paperback and audiobook format this month is the thrilling western adventure, The No-Gun Man written by the late L. Ron Hubbard. Though the author is known for the classic science fiction epics, Battlefield Earth and the Mission Earth Series, many people have probably forgotten that Hubbard wrote countless stories during the 1930s and 1940s, or otherwise known as the Golden Age. During this era, readers devoured adventure stories. Whether it was set in WWI or on a distant planet, the Pulp magazines that contained these stories flew off the magazines racks. Galaxy Press has been releasing Hubbard's short stories and novellas on audiobooks and paperback editions.

To celebrate the upcoming National Day of the Cowboy on July 27th, Galaxy Press is releasing a few new wild west titles, including last week's release of The No-Gun Man, featuring an outstanding voice-cast and amazing sound effects.

Originally published in the May 1950 issue of Thrilling Western, The No-Gun Man centers on Monte Calhoun, a young man with a rocky past. When he was a child, his gold obsessed father dragged his ailing mother and him across the country to find riches, but his mother ended up dying, though his father did strike it rich. As soon as he was old enough, Monte left to become his own man.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Good, The Bad, And Casey Jones
Voice Cast: Jason Biggs, Rob Paulsen, Sean Astin, Greg Cipes, Mae Whitman, Hoon Lee
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: July l, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00J2T18XS
Running Time: 133 minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

Before the Michael Bay produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot hits theaters this August, fans can look forward this Tuesday's DVD release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Good, The Bad, And Casey Jones, featuring six action-packed episodes from Nickelodeon's second season. Special Features include 6 Shorts: "The Mutation of a Scene" and Meet Casey Jones.

The four teenage turtles first appeared thirty-years ago in the comic books created by Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird. It was quickly followed by a popular Playmates toy line, two animated series, one live-action series, three live-action films and one computer-animated film. The franchise seemed to be at a standstill until Nickelodeon purchased the rights and created a third animated series that premiered in 2012.

Despite a mixed-reaction to the early concept-art, Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles quickly won over old and new fans by providing great characters and an exciting storytelling with a blend of humor.

Episodes on the single-disc DVD are:

If you want schedule next week's post, click here to find the next prompt question. To submit a question, fill out this form.

What to do:

1. Post on your blog answering this question:

  This week's question is submitted by RAnn!

Do you follow a lot of blogs but rarely read them or do you follow a few you read regularly?

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 follow many blogs, but sadly I don't have much time to read them all.

Rival Hearts
Quilts of Love Series
by Tara Randel
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Pub. Date: June 17, 2014
ISBN: 978-1426773464
Pages: 240
Buy Link: paperback
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/trandel

Review:

It seems that ever little bit, there is a new installment of the Quilts of Love Series, which each book is written by a different author. The newest release, Rival Hearts, arrived in book stores just last week.

Rival Hearts centers on Molly Henderson, a writer for the Quilter's Heart magazine. She hopes to get promoted to as head editor of the upcoming magazine, American Legend, but there is one little problem - she isn't the only one after the job. Ben Weaver, the editor of Outdoor Adventures and former star of the television series Extreme Survivalist, is also after the position.

Both magazines they work for are owned by Master's Publishing and since they are more than qualified for the job, their boss gives them a simple task to see who is the best editor. They must switch jobs for one month. Molly will be in charge of the next issue of Outdoor Adventures and Ben will be in charge of Quilter's Heart.

How to Make Women Friends and Influence Them
by Dr. Saul Porat
Publisher: ?
Pub. Date: 2014
ASIN: B00KS56OLQ
Pages: 120
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

The  Hollywood industry has basically ruined the idea of what dating actually is about. Fifty year ago, movies and television shows showed a man bringing a woman flowers and candy on a first date, and possibly, there would be a kiss goodnight at the end. Times have changed and now a man is suppose to look like a soap opera actor with a chiseled body, be extremely wealthy, own an expensive car and own a fabulous home, but in reality only fifty-percent of us own a vehicle, even a less percentage own their own house, even if you have been to college most likely you are not making much more than minimum wage (if you are even employed) and we don't have enough time in the day to get a chiseled body. So your chances of finding a beautiful woman to date are slim to none.

When I noticed the eBook "How To Make Women Friends and Influence Them" by Dr. Saul Porat was available to review, of course I eagerly signed up to review it. My original thought was that this was going to be a self-help eBook that would help shy males with the ability to understand women and how to talk to them, but I couldn't be more wrong.

Witches Of East End: The Complete First Season
Starring: Julia Ormond, Mädchen Amick, Rachel Boston, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Daniel Di Tomasso, Eric Winter
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Retail: $29.98
ASIN: B00JF5GAZA
Running Time: 431 minutes
Rating: TV-14

Review:

Arriving on DVD yesterday is the supernatural Lifetime series, Witches Of East End: The First Complete Season, based on the popular book franchise by Melissa de la Cruz. Special Features include Falling Under Their Spell, deleted scenes, gag reel and cat bloopers.

The series centers around Joanna Beauchamp (played by Julia Ormond), a single mother raising her two twenty-something daughters, Freya Beauchamp (played by Jenna Dewan Tatum) and Ingrid Beauchamp (played by Rachel Boston). Ingrid works at a library, while Freya works as a bartender at The Bent Elbow and is engaged to the handsome and wealthy Dash Gardiner (played by Eric Winter). After the surprise arrival of Joannas long-estranged sister, Wendy Beauchamp (played by Mädchen Amick), Freya and Ingrid learn a startling family secret - they are actually witches!

Joanna and Wendy were both banished by their father from the magical world of Asgard. A curse was put on Joanna, where she must watch her daughters die at a young age. After their deaths, she becomes magically pregnant again with Ingrid and later with Freya. She watches them grow up with their witchcraft heritage, which eventually leads to their deaths, over and over again. Finally, Joanna came to the decision not to tell her daughters about their witchcraft abilities, but there is an evil entity that is out for blood and she has no choice but to let the girls embrace their family's magical legacy.

The ten episodes on the 3-disc set are:

The Bridge: The Complete Season One
Starring: Diane Kruger, Demián Bichir, Annabeth Gish, Thomas M. Wright, Ted Levine
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Retail: $39.98
ASIN: B00ECHBSP8
Running Time: 590 minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

Arriving on DVD yesterday is the Peabody Award-Winning FX series The Bridge: The Complete Season One. Special Features include Building The Bridge, Ciudad Juarez: The Other Side Of The Bridge With Damien Cave, deleted scenes and an audio commentary on the pilot episode.

Based on the 2011 Danish/Swedish TV series of the same name, the American version centers on a deceased body of Judge Lorraine Gates that is found on the bridge that is located between El Paso, Texas and Mexico. There is one little problem, the bottom torso belongs to Mexican Cristina Fuentes. El Paso Detective Sonya Cross (played by Diane Kruger) joins forces with Chihuahua Detective Marco Ruiz (played  by Demián Bichir) to investigate the murders.

Are these random killings? Or is there a serial killer on the loose?

These questions are quickly answered when reporter Daniel Frye (played by Matthew Lillard) sits in his car and finds a bomb ticking inside. Though the bomb was more of a test than anything else, it is clear that the killer somehow knows Daniel Frye.

Meanwhile, a loner Steven Linder (played by Thomas M. Wright) helps women that are being abused in Mexico by bringing (or sometimes kidnapping them) to a mobile home, followed by a safe house. Elsewhere, Charlotte Millwright (played by Annabeth Gish) is struggling with the recent death of her husband and the secret that he had kept from her - the tunnel underneath an old house that leads to Mexico.