Sunday, January 4, 2015

Review - How To Survive Middle School and Monster Bots


How To Survive Middle School and Monster Bots
by Ron Bates
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Pub. Date: September 16, 2014
ISBN: 978-0310736080
Pages: 224
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

At first glance this book may in fact look like the next entry in the "Middle School" series by James Patterson, but instead it is the second installment in the "A Howard Boward Book" series by author Ron Bates.

How To Survive Middle School and Monster Bots centers on a nerdy boy named Howard Boward, who is dreading winter as he has to dodge snowballs from some of his bullies from Dolley Madison Middle School. Plus, his best-friend, Winnie McKinney, is no longer speaking to him.

His life takes a turn for the good when he learns there is going to be a robot-building contest and everybody knows that Howard is a science genius, so of course he is going to enter the contest and try to beat his archenemy Gerald "G-Force" Forester. Unfortunately, Howard hits a few brick walls with his robot design and the only way to make it work is to use his "monster goo" formula, which has a few unwanted side effects.

Right from the first chapter something really bothered me about this book - the narration! Though the character is a kid, he sounds like an adult, similar to Charlie Brown, except for Howard is more self-centered and unlikeable, which explains why the character can't make friends. I understand why writers are creating books that deal with kids being bullied, but Howard is a horrible character with a bad ego.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Book Blogger Hop: Jan. 2nd - 8th

Book Blogger Hop

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!

What is your Blogger's New Year's Resolution?

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: 

reply to my blog's comments
schedule reviews for book blog tours ahead of time
visit other blogs more often
have less spoilers in my reviews



Linky List:

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Review - Krav Maga In No Time




It's a brand new year, which means there is plenty of time to try new things including taking a self-defense course. Of course not everyone has time to take a weekly self-defense class. Luckily, for those who have a busy schedule, we can now learn to defend ourselves at home with the Krav Maga In No Time: The Best Home Study Self Defense Course!

The course is created by Guy Dar, the Israeli Krav Maga master! He is also the founder of the full contact Krav Maga, which is used by the CIA, FBI and the Israeli army as it gives you the ability to end a fight in seconds.

The Krav Maga In No Time course is available to purchase on DVD or you can watch it online. The course also comes with the eBooks "Keeping Watch: Strategies for Non Violence Self-Defense" and "Self-Defense for Women: Threats and Strategies."

The defense included in the course are:

Part 1: Basic Stand plus Using Hand Strikes to Defend and Attack
  • Basic Stand & Making a Fist - (4 mins 43 secs)
  • Palm Strike - (2 mins 30 secs)
  • Straight Punch - (3 mins 38 secs)
  • Hook Punch - (1 min 21 secs)
  • Upper Cut - (1 min 26 secs)
  • Hammer Punch - (2 mins 13 secs)
  • Horizontal Elbow - (1 min 17 secs)
  • Elbow and Forearm - (1 min 14 secs)
  • Rear Short Elbow - (1 min 24 secs)
  • Rear Spinning Elbow - (2 mins 5 secs)

A Camera, Music and Old Spice!



While I attempted to list all my Christmas presents in this week's Monday Morning Madness, I forgot to mention a few other gifts that I received. My big present this year, and my favorite, was the Nikon Coolpix L830 Camera along with a bunch of essentials (SD cards, camera bag, etc.).

Another great gift of mine was a LIVE Sound Bar, not one of the expensive ones as it was purchased on Black Friday, but nevertheless it does work great at enhancing the sound on my 32 inch HD TV.

Of course I received three "geeky" t-shirts featuring M&M's characters, the Thundercats Logo and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I did already mention that these were "geeky" t-shirt, but it fits into my style. I also received Old Spice cologne, after shave and deodorant. In the past I have used Brute (which isn't sold in my area anymore) and AXE, which in my opinion this brand has lost its scent. Anyway, I'm going to give Old Spice a trying 2015!

While I don't typically buy my own presents, this year I did and it arrived on my doorsteps on Monday. It is one of those cheap Eclipse MP3 players. Yeah, I know I'm a little behind in technology, but I have been wanting one for awhile. Plus, I have plenty of music on my computer from Digital Copy downloads that come with every new music CD to put on the thing.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Calling All Coffee Lovers - 50% OFF of One Bag of WAVE 3 Whole Bean Coffee!

As most of my blog readers already know, I kinda like my daily cups of coffee. I thought I would share this coupon code that gives you 50% OFF of one bag of WAVE 3 Whole Bean Coffee.

All you have to do is hop on over to Amazon.com, add the WAVE 3 Whole Bean Coffee to your Amazon shopping cart and enter the promo code WAVE3SAV at checkout.

The coupon is valid for the next 30 days!




Monday Morning Madness #48: Recovering From The Christmas Mayhem


I hope everyone has recovered from the Christmas mayhem. I'm definitely ready to put the holidays behind me and start preparing for 2015!

Now before I get to my 2015 plans, I would like to list (well, brag) all the Christmas Gifts I received this year.

I'll start first with the books - Private India: City On Fire by James Patterson & Ashwin Sanghi, Dangerous Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead, Prince Lestat by Anne Rice, Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard and Revival by Stephen King. I also received all of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon - Outlander, Dragonfly In Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and AshesAn Echo In The Bone, and  Written in My Heart's Own Blood.

The DVDs include The Expendables 3, Operation Petticoat, Penny Dreadful: The Complete First Season, True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season, The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Fifth Season, The White Queen, Arrow: The Complete Second Season, The Strain: The Complete First Season, 9, World War Z and I, Frankenstein. The Blu-rays include Godzilla and X-Men: Days Of Future Past!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Short Review - Doctor Who: The Blood Cell


Doctor Who: The Blood Cell
by James Goss
Publisher: Broadway Books
Pub. Date: September 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-0804140928
Pages: 256
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

I've been a Doctor Who fan ever since I saw the first episodes of the first series (season) of the current incarnation back when it aired on the Scfi Channel (now known as Syfy). Though I have been well aware of all the novelization out there, I only started reading a few of the Doctor Who books this year.

 Doctor Who: The Blood Cell centers on the Doctor being stuck on an asteroid prison where he is known as Prisoner 428. The book primarly focuses on the warden - the Governor. The prison is cut off from civilians, so the Governor is a bit shocked when a young woman shows up pleading for Prisoner 428's release. Of course this woman is the Doctor's current companion, Clara.

While I have enjoyed reading the other recently released Doctor Who books, this one is a little bit of a disappointment. Don't get me wrong, there are a few entertaining parts here and there, but as a whole it was quite boring.


*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.


About the Author:

AMES GOSS has written three Torchwood novels, a Doctor Who novel, and two radio plays, and is the co-author, with Steve Tribe of The Dalek Handbook and Doctor Who: A History of the Universe in 100 Objects. His books Dead of Winter and First Born were both nominated for the 2012 British Fantasy Society Awards.