Friday, March 20, 2015

Book Blogger Hop: March 20th - 26th

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 Elizabeth!

Do you read more on a rainy day or on a gorgeous day so you can be outside?

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: 

 It doesn't matter what the weather is outside as I read every single day!

Linky List:

Spring Reads: Don't Stay Up Late: A Fear Street Novel


Don't Stay Up Late
A Fear Street Novel
by R.L. Stine
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: April 7, 2015
ISBN: 9781250051622
Pages: 304
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:
 
It's almost hard to imagine that the Fear Street series by R.L. Stine first started in 1989! I was an eight-year-old back then and I didn't start reading the series until several years later. I believe the first book that I read in the series was Fear Street Cheerleaders: The First Evil.

The Fear Street series was extremely successful with teens throughout the 90s', but the fad disappeared quickly that is until R.L. Stine brought the series back last year with Party Games. The second novel in the new series is arriving in bookstores on April 7th and is titled Don't Stay Up Late! As you can see by the cover, the book has an 80s' horror vibe to it.

Don't Stay Up Late centers on Lisa Brooks, a teen that almost loses everything in one single car crash. After mending her wounds, she returns to Shadyside High and reunites with her boyfriend Nate and her friends Saralynn and Isaac. While the guys plan on helping Saralynn make a horror movie for her film project for school, Lisa searches for an after-school job to help her mother pay the bills.

Thanks to her shrink, Dr. Shein, Lisa gets a job babysitting Brenda Hart's eight-year-old son, Harry. There's only one rule to follow, Harry is not allowed to stay up late. Of course, Lisa thinks absolutely nothing about this rule, that is until she sees a strange green creature in the Hart's house. Of course everyone, including her shrink thinks she's crazy, but when a few murders occur, Lisa is convinced that there's a creature on the loose on Fear Street.

Air Bar Exercises (ABX) Review


If you're a regular follower on my blog, then you know I've been trying to lose weight this year, which hasn't been easy thing for me as I have strained my lower-back and my knees. Plus, I had to slow down from exercising for last month because I had a nasty cold/flu virus.

After making a full recovery from my ailments, I decided to jump back into exercising. For the past two weeks, I have been trying out the new workout program called Air Bar Exercises (ABX), which created by Erin Buchanan. The program requires a 40" dowel rod, which can be purchased at almost any hardware store.

ABX was created for both men and women at any fitness level. The program focus on core strengthening, a healthy postural alignment, muscular endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular training. The DVD runs for about 60 minutes, but you can get a great workout by doing only 30 minutes. The creator Erin Buchanan challenges everyone to do the workout for at least 30 minutes for 30 days.

Movie Review - Confessions Of A Prodigal Son



Most faith-based films typically get ignored by Hollywood, where they are produced by smaller production companies and either premiere as a television movie or direct-to-video. However, there has been a new interest in films with biblical themes in recent years, which such big-budget titles as Noah and Exodus: Gods and Kings. Even a few low-budget films (God's Not Dead, Heaven Is for Real, Fireproof) made an impact at the box-office.

Arriving on DVD on Tuesday March 24, 2014 from Cinedigm is the Christian film Confessions Of A Prodigal Son (Retail: $14.93; ASIN: B00R8ILF06). Directed by Allan Spiers, the film stars Kevin Sorbo, Nathan Clarkson (whom also wrote the screenplay) and Rachel Lee.

The low-budget movie didn't exactly go the traditional filming route as it was funded on Kickstarter in the spring of 2013, raising nearly $14,000 over the course of 58 days.

Confessions Of QA Prodigal Son centers on a young man named Sean Matthews (played by Nathan Clarkson), whom is struggling to find who he is suppose to be. His father (played by Kevin Sorbo) is a pastor, so he grew up with religion all around him, but somewhere he has become lost. After begging his parents to give him his college tuition early, in which they only give him half of the money, he leaves his small town and heads for the city to start a new beginning, but this life isn't exactly what he wanted it to be.

For two years, he ignored his parents phone calls as he would rather party hard with his friend Cameron (played by Azel James). As his life spirals out of control, so do his college grades. If doesn't keep get his grades up, his parents won't give him the second half of the tuition. Eventually, he starts questioning the way he has been living after he meets a lovely dancer Ali (played by Rachel Lee), whom helps him finally find his way home.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Schick Hydro® 5 Disposables Review



Shaving can be a nuisance for many men, myself included. I have sensitive skin and I always breakout after shaving. As soon I was out of high school, I just grew a beard as it was much easier to maintain. Over fifteen years later, I decided to shave off my bear as part of the "A New Me In 2015" theme I have going on this blog and in my life.

While I do have a new electric razor, I still have to use a few disposable razors if I go without shaving for a few days. Razors can be a bit pricey anymore, so I typically buy the cheapest off brand I can find.

A few weeks ago I was sent a Schick Hydro® 5 Disposables (3-Pack) to review, which I have seen in stores for around $10! The razor has five blades and it is extremely flexible, so it can curve around your face and neck, giving a closer shave.

Pros: Like I already mentioned, it has five blades and it shaves pretty close to the skin;  longer lasting than other disposable razors, so you it will last for several shaves.

Quick Stitch Sewing Kit Review



You don't have to be a seamstress or a quilter to be interested in owning a sewing kit as you never know when you need a needle and thread to reattach a button to a shirt or jacket.

I received the Quick Stitch Sewing Kit a few days ago, which features a measuring tape, a thimble, 12 spools of thread (white, black, light pink, pink, tan, blue, yellow, red, green, dark blue, light blue, brown), a seam ripper, a safety pin, stainless steel scissors, three buttons, two quilting pins, two thread cutters, 16 needles in a round dispenser and a black zipper storage bag.

I'm sure many people who sew already own everything in the kit, but keeping one of these in your car or in your suitcase/bag can be a lifesaver with traveling. It also can be a great little starter kit for a new quilter or seamstress.

While I'm neither a seamstress or quilter, I do know how to cross stitch, so I was interested in the kit for the seam ripper, the needles and the scissors. I already own a seam ripper, but having an extra one can come in handy as they ends of them tend to break easily.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Blu-ray Review: Penguins of Madagascar




Penguins of Madagascar
Director: Eric Darnell & Simon J. Smith
Voice Cast: Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Jeong, Annet Mahendru, Peter Stormare, John Malkovich
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 17, 2015
Retail: $36.99
ASIN: B00SK573RU
Running Time: 92 minutes
Rating: PG
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and Digital HD today is the exciting 3D computer-animated action-comedy Penguins of Madagascar. Directed by Eric Darnell & Simon J. Smith, the film features the talented voice cast of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Jeong, Annet Mahendru, Peter Stormare and John Malkovich. The Blu-ray is loaded with Special Features, such as Top-Secret Guide to Becoming an Elite Agent, "He Is Dave" Music Video, Flipper Slap Shake Waddie and Roll, "Celebrate" Music Video by Pitbull, Do the Penguin Shake with tWitch, Deleted Scenes, Madagascar Mash-Up, Global Flight Plan, Cheezy Dibbles Ad,World of DreamWorks Animation and a Gallery. The Blu-ray Combo Pack also comes with 2 Poppin' Penguins!

After a brief flashback showing how Skipper (voiced by Tom McGarth), Kowalski (voiced by Chris Miller), and Rico (voiced by Conrad Vernon) rescued Private (voiced by Christopher Knights) just before he cracked out of his shell, the film picks up directly after the ending of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. To celebrate Private's birthday, the Penguins leave the circus and head to Fort Knox, as they want to steal enough money to buy Private the perfect birthday present - Cheesy Dibbles, which has been discontinued.

Out of nowhere, they are ambushed and taken to a submarine base in Venice, where they meet Dave (voiced by John Malkovich), an octopus who disguises himself as a human named Dr. Octavius Brine. Once upon a time, Dave was the main attraction at the Central Park Zoo that is until the penguins arrived, whom stole all his thunder. Now he plans on kidnapping all the penguins from the world and turning them all into hideous creatures. The Penguins almost become the first victims in Dave's madness that is until the North Wind saves them.