Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Review - The Red Door Inn




I have a bad habit of letting books pile up on my desk and collect dust. For the next few weeks, I'm going to make it my goal to get these books read (well, the ones I haven't read yet) and reviewed. 

Way back in the early spring, I received an advanced copy of The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson, book one in the Prince Edward Island Dreams series from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. I had never heard of the author before receiving the original press release about the title. What appealed to me the most was the the unique cover art. Plus, I like ready any story that is set at an Inn or a bed-and-breakfast.

So is the book set at a bed-and-breakfast?

Well, the novel is set on Prince Edward Island, and the main plot does involve a bed-and-breakfast.

Who are the characters?

There are two main characters:

Marie Carrington & Seth Sloane 

What is the actual plot?

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Review - Staresso Manual Coffee Maker

*This is a sponsored review. All opinion are 100% mine.

Each time I had convinced myself that I've seen almost every kind of coffee maker, something new comes to my attention. Which is exactly what happened when I learned about the new Staresso Manual Coffee Maker.

What exactly is the Staresso Manual Coffee Maker?

Well, it's kinda like a travel espresso machine that uses a vacuumed sealed pump to make a quick caffeinated shot.

Created in China, the unique manual hydraulic pumping system will give a pressure higher than 15 BAR level, which is higher than a normal espresso machine.

The Staresso unboxed!
The coffee ground basket!

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Popcorn & Coffee: Captain America: Civil War


PG-13; 147 minutes; $32.99; Amazon

Landing on Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday September 13th is one this summer's biggest movies - Marvel's Captain America: Civil War. The film is already available on buy on Digital HD. Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Captain America: Winter Solider), the film stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland, Frank Grillo,William Hurt, and Daniel Brühl.

The film is set one year after the events that occurred in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where Steve Rogers (aka Captain America - played by Chris Evans) is now in charge of the Avengers; leading the team to Lagos to hunt down and stop Crossbones (played by Frank Grillo) from stealing a biological weapon. However, things don't go as planned when Wanda Maximoff (aka Scarlet Witch - played by Elizabeth Olsen) unleashes her powers and accidentally kills many innocent lives.

Afterward, the the United Nations passes the Sokovia Accords, which gives the UN, lead by U.S. Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross (played by William Hurt), complete control over the Avengers. Tony Stark (aka Iron Man - played by Robert Downey Jr.), James Rhodes (aka War Machine - played by Don Cheadle) and Natasha Romanoff  (aka Black Widow - played by Scarlett Johansson) agree to the UN terms. However, Rogers and Sam Wilson (aka Falcon - played by Anthony Mackie) disagree with them.

After being sent a warning by Sharon Carter (played by Emily VanCamp) that the Winter Solider (aka Bucky Barnes - played by Sebastian Stan) has been located in Bucharest, Rogers attempts to help save his old friend, well, that is until the local authorities tries to apprehend them.

Now considered criminals, Rogers and Wilson put together a small team of super heroes - Scarlett Witch, Hawkeye (aka Clint Barton - played by Jeremy Renner), Ant-Man (aka Scott Lang - played by Paul Rudd) to help them find the terrorist that has set up Bucky. Standing in their way is Iron Man, War Machine, Black Widow, Vision (played by Paul Bettany), Spider-Man (aka Peter Parker - played by Tom Holland), and Black Panther (aka T'Challa - played by Chadwick Boseman), whom are dead set on stopping them.

Bonus Features on the Blu-ray includes:

Friday, September 9, 2016

Book Blogger Hop: Sept. 9th - 15th


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 @ Silver's Reviews!

When you set a yearly reading goal, do you set it high to force yourself to meet that goal or do you keep it low and normally go over that goal any way?

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: 

 At the beginning of the year, I had made a goal on Goodreads to read/review 100 titles. Currently, I have read 85 books for 2016; 17 books ahead of schedule.

2016 Reading Challenge

2016 Reading Challenge
Billy has read 85 books toward his goal of 100 books.
hide

Linky List:

Review - Brazil Santos Gourmet Coffee



There's no better way to start a rainy September morning than sipping on a strong cup of coffee, which is exactly what I've been doing today.

What kind of coffee am I drinking?

Brazil Santos Gourmet Coffee by Kaffina Kaffe Premium Gourmet, a new coffee company that is Kosher Certified. The #KaffinaKaffe can currently be purchased on Amazon.com for $16.99.

It's available in four different flavors - medium roasted Brazil Santos, medium roasted Colombian, medium roasted Guatemalan, and medium roasted Sumatra. The coffees are made from 100% pure high quality Arabica coffee beans. Each 12 oz. bag is resealable.

A peek at the "coffee grounds" inside the bag.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Fall Reads: God Bless Us Every One



Abingdon Press; 200 pages; $14.99; Buy Link; Blog Tour

There's still 109 days till Christmas Day. However, I spent my morning reading a Christmas-themed book this morning while I sipped on a cup of coffee. (FYI - Today's my birthday!)

What the title of the book?

Well, the book is called God Bless Us Every One and it's written by Eva Marie Everson, which is basically a modern day spin on the Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol."

The novella centers on a twenty-seven-year old named Charlene "Charlie" Dixon who is fired just a few days before Thanksgiving as the the activities director at an all-girls school in Florida.

Yeah, it's a great way to start the holidays!

Charlie packs her bags and heads back home to Testament, North Carolina to spend the holidays with her grandmother, who she calls "Sis." Her mother abandoned her at a young age and her father has been in and out of a jail, so her grandmother had to raise her.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Little House on the Prairie: Legacy Movie Collection Review & Giveaway


Not Rated; 287 minutes; $14.98; Amazon

Little House on the Prairie mightn’t ended it's run on  television over thirty-three years ago, but you can still find episodes of the series in syndication. Based on the children books by late Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867 - 1957), the television series kicked off with a made-for-TV movie in the spring of 1974; the first season debuted that fall. The series lasted for 204 episodes over the course 9 season, as well 4 specials. Three of those specials were 95-minute movies that aired after the series had ended in 1983.

These three movies (Look Back To Yesterday, Bless All the Dear Children, The Last Farewell) are arriving on DVD and Digital HD from Lionsgate on September 13th in the two-disc set, titled Little House and the Prairie: Legacy Movie Collection. All three movies have been restored and remastered! There are no special features or extras on the discs.

Look Back to Yesterday (first aired on December 12, 1983) was directed by Victor French (he also plays Mr. Edwards). Taking place shortly after the season nine finale, the movie centers on Albert Ingalls (played by Matthew Laborteaux) falling ill during his trip with his adopted father, Charles (played by Michael Landon). Diagnosed with a terminal blood disorder, Albert decides to spend his final day in Walnut Grove.


Bless All the Dear Children (first aired on December 17, 1984) was the second movie to be filmed after the series, but was aired after the final movie "The Last Farewell." Victor French once again directs. The film set around Christmas and centers on Laura (played by Melissa Gilbert) and Almanzo's daughter, Rose, being kidnapped.