You have probably been wondering where my Monday Morning Madness posts have been for the past few weeks. The truth is that I had to shove those posts aside, so I can work on some freelance writing assignments for the past two weeks. I needed the extra cash and signed up for the projects, which almost turned out to be a bigger project than I could handle. After limiting myself to only a few hours a sleep at night, I would drag myself out of bed around 3:30 AM, brew some coffee and begin typing vigorously for four to five hours. Freelance writing is only a side-job, a way to make a few extra dollars, so I have other demanding things to do during the day. If I didn't finish my writings in the morning, then I would finish it later during the day before my daily 7 PM deadline. Due to the project's workload was increased for the second week, I had to work on tomorrow's projects the night before, which limited my time to work on reviews for this blog. 

Power Rangers Megaforce: Ultra Defenders
Starring: Andrew Gray, John Mark Loudermilk, Christina Masterson, Ciara Hanna, Azim Rizk
Studio: LionsGateRelease Date: June 17, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00IKM5M58
Running Time: 92 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on DVD last week was the Power Rangers Megaforce: Ultra Defenders, the fourth volume of from the 2013 season, featuring four action-packed episodes, as five ordinary teenagers prepare to protect Earth from a future alien invasion. There are no extras or special features featured on the disc.

The concept of using bits and pieces of scenes from a Japanese children series, may have seemed a little silly or even campy at first, but Saban's Power Ranger franchise has proved to be a television phenomenon with the 21st season currently airing on Nickelodeon and a 22nd series, Dino Charge, scheduled to air next year, as well as a big-budget big-screen reboot of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in the works from Lionsgate. 

Power Rangers Megaforce was the 20th anniversary season and is meant to be a throwback to the original seasons, setting the franchise back to the fictional Angel Grove and featuring teenagers as the Power Rangers. Mentored by Gosei and aided by his robot assistant, Tensou, the Power Rangers are trained to protect Angel Grove against an alien invasion. Along the way, they ally with the robotic Earth's defender, Robo Knight.


From left to right: "Robo Knight" (far left), the Pink Ranger ("Emma," left), the Black Ranger ("Jake," left center), the Red Ranger ("Troy," right center), the Blue Ranger ("Noah," right) and the Yellow Ranger ("Gia," far right) star in Lionsgate Home Entertainment's POWER RANGERS MEGAFORCE: ULTRA DEFENDERS

 Episodes the on the single-disc are:

Seagrass Pier
The Hope Beach Series, book 3
by Colleen Coble
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: B00GNNGURA
Pages: 336
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/xAP8O
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/ccoble

Review:

Before I started reviewing books for this blog, I was only aware of a couple of Christian fiction authors, but five years later, I have been exposed to dozens of authors, including Colleen Coble, who is now one of my favorite authors. The majority of the books I have read by her have a historical setting, but that is not the case with her upcoming novel, Seagrass Pier, as it has a contemporary setting and it is the third installment in the Hope Beach series.

Seagrass Pier centers on Elin Summerall, whose life was saved when she received a heart transplant. The operation seemed to be a success and there are no side effects, except for the small fact that Elin now has flashbacks and memories that aren't her own. These flashbacks are known as "cell memories" and the memories belong to the heart donor! She is soon haunted by donor's murder.

The media and other people think these "cell memories" are nothing but a publicity stunt, but FBI Agent Marc Everton thinks otherwise and believes Elin's story, which is good thing for her because the donor's killer is hot on her trail.

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 Becca!

Do you prefer Nook, Kindle, other reader, or paper 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: 

To read eBooks, I use either Kindle or Adobe Digital Edition, but I would rather have a hardback or paperback to read.

The Facts of Life: Seasons 1 & 2
Starring: Charlotte Rae, Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields, Mindy Cohen, Nancy McKeon
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Release Date: May 20th, 2014
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00IJZW4KW
Running Time: 706 Minutes
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

Arriving on DVD from Mill Creek Entertainment last month is the Season One and Season of Two of sitcom The Facts of Life, available in individual season sets or 2-Season Combo Pack featuring all 29-episodes.

Spinning-off from NBC's Diff'rent Strokes, the series originally had housekeeper Mrs. Edna Garrett (played by Charlotte Rae) becoming a housemother to the private all-girls school, Eastland School, where Kimberly Drummond (played by Dana Plato) attended in the Diff'rent Strokes in the first season finale (The Girl's School). Though she appeared in the first official episode (Rough Housing), Kimberly was dropped from there series, Mrs. Garrett stayed on as a housekeeper to teenagers to Blair Warner (played by Lisa Whelchel), Molly Parker (played by Molly Ringwald), Natalie Green (played by Mindy Cohen), Cindy Webster (played by Julie Anne Haddock), Nancy Olsen (played by Felice Schacter), Sue Ann Weaver (played by Julie Piekarski) and Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey (played by Kim Fields).

The first season was rocky, airing only four episodes in the late summer of '79, six episodes in the spring of '80 and two episodes in the summer of '80. Ratings weren't great, but it somehow received a 16-episode second season order, but with major changes. Molly, Cindy, Nancy and Sue Ann was reduced to recurring background characters. Mrs. Garrett was upgraded to the school's dietitian. The first episode of the second introduced the new student, Jo Polniaczek (played by Nancy McKeon), a tough girl who drags Blair, Natalie and Tootie out to a bar, leading to their suspension from the school that is until Mrs. Garret agrees to be responsible for them. The four girls leave their dorm rooms and move into the storage room across from Mr. Garret's bedroom.

The changes in the series boosted the ratings incredibly, lasting 201 episodes and two television movies over the course eight seasons. Plus, there was a post-reunion television movie in 2001, minus actress Nancy McKeon.

Forever Amish
Legacy of Lancaster, book there
by Kate Lloyd
Publisher: David C. Cook
Pub. Date: June 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0781408745
Pages: 368  
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/xxswg 
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/klloyd

Review:

Yep, another week with me reviewing another Amish fiction title. You would think I would eventually get bored reading the same genre all the time. Yes, some of the plots are repeated and it gets a little cliched, but I'm never bored reading the genre. Actually, I also get a smile on my face I get a chance to review a new Amish title.

Forever Amish is written by Kate Lloyd, who has several books and novellas under her belt - all set in the Amish world, and is the the third and final book in the Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy. I recall reviewing the first book, Pennsylvania Patchwork, but missed out in reading the second installment, Leaving Lancaster.

The third installment centers on Sally Bingham, a woman who needs a break from her current life. She wonders if she is making the right choice of marrying her boyfriend, Donald, as he obviously doesn't care about her ailing father. Then there is the thing about her mother - well about who her mother is.

One thing in her life that she does has control of is her dogs. She raises them and train them for shows. Out-of-the blue, Sally receives several emails from an Amish woman, Lizzie Zook, asking her advice about buying a dog. Looking for a break from her life, Sally drives to the Lancaster County for the weekend, hoping to meet up with Lizzie.

Out Of The Ruins
Golden Gate Chronicles, book 1
by Karen Barnett
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Pub. Date: May 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-1426780578
Pages: 320
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/xlcaD
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/kbarnett

Review:

Though I do consider myself a big historical fiction reader, I'm not a fan of books set in the early 1900s, as I prefer the 1800s or what is wildly known as the 'wild wild west.' That being said, I do have a fascination about San Francisco, which is weird because I have never even visited California.

Out Of The Ruins by Karen Barnett is the first installment in the Golden Gate Chronicles and is set in San Francisco in 1905. By just looking at the cover, I thought the plot might involve a young female journalist or something in that nature, but I was completely wrong. What I got was an historical accurate look at the life during this era, along with an emotional plot involving a non-believer, Abby Fischer, whom has lost all hope that her sister, Cecelia, will ever get better from her illness.

Her sister has seen about every doctor in the area and all of them cannot help her, that is until a handsome young apprentice, Dr. Robert King, comes into their lives. Traditional doctors don't care for experimental methods, but Robert wants use a risky treatment in the attempt to save Cecelia's life.