Monday, September 29

Book Review: Sealed with a Curse by Cecy Robson

Author: Cecy Robson
Title: Sealed with a Curse (Weird Girls #1)
Genre: UF, Fantasy, Action, and Paranormal Romance
Pages: 360
First Published: December 31st, 2012 
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other twenty-something girls—with one tiny exception: They're the products of a curse that backfired and gave each of them unique powers that make them, well, a little weird…

The Wird sisters are content to avoid the local vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region—until one of them blows up a vampire in self-defense. Everyone knows vampires aren't aggressive, and killing one is punishable by death. But soon more bloodlust-fueled attacks occur, and the community wonders if the vampires of Tahoe are plague-ridden.

Celia reluctantly agrees to help Misha, the handsome leader of an infected vampire family. But Aric, the head of the werewolf pack determined to destroy Misha's family to keep the area safe, warns Celia to stay out of the fight. Caught between two hot alphas, Celia must find a way to please everyone, save everyone, and—oh, yeah—not lose her heart to the wrong guy or die a miserable death. Because now that the evil behind the plague knows who Celia is, he's coming for her and her sisters. 

This Wird girl has never had it so tough."

I'm so bad...I totally read the second one first and then the first one. 0.0 Oh well, but I am certainly glad that I went back and read the first one. I do advise to read them in order even though the second one was waaay better then the first.

Don't get me wrong, the first one is good too. It was nice to see how everyone met and how the girls managed to defeat their first major supernatural baddie. It was also nice to see Aric before he fell in love with Celia. He certainly was a man-whore. I did not like him as much as I did in the second one. If I was Celia I would be afraid to fall for him too, because I'm afraid he just wants me for one thing. Aric does prove himself later on that he genuinely likes and cares for Celia, but there is a seed of doubt in my mind. Same with Misha...he does prove that he cares for Celia too...not as much as Aric does, but still. I wish Aric wasn't so overly protective though, I would be SO annoyed after a while. I would say, "I get it bro...you care for me and don't want me to get hurt, but CALM THE F DOWN! JEEZ! AM I ALLOWED TO SNEEZE WITHOUT YOU PRESENT?!" Gah! 

Stupid Liam. >___> Emme deserves better. He is a patronizing asshole, who needs a good punch in the nose. 

I love Gemini AND Koda now. Awwwwe. :3 Koda didn't say much in the second book, but I now adore him, because he did get some spotlight to showcase how awesome he is. He did make me frown at one point, but Celia delivered him a nice punch to the nose (which Liam needs one of those badly) to make him open his eyes and see that he was being an idiot. I did love the main baddie...totally didn't expect that! 

I do tire of the love triangles between a were, vamp, and a human. This author did make the human a little less humany with cool powers, but she is still a "fragile" human and can die easily. I am glad that she is badass; she reminds me a lot of Anita Blake at times. I do wish that authors of this genre would try something different. If you MUST have a love triangle then try another combo of supernaturals. There are a million others you can try; maybe a demon and an angel. Or a fairy and a sorcerer. Just something different PLEASE!

I really, really want to know why the girls are the way they are. They do explain a "theory" on how they got their powers. It's really kind of lame and I hope that is not the reason...it would make me slightly annoyed. *fingers crossed* Hopefully, the author will not leave it at that stupid "theory" and actually give a good legit reason on how they got their weird powers. 

The ending was okay. A little fast for my liking, but it makes you want to read more. :D 

Overall, I liked this book. It was addicting just like the second one. I did enjoy the second one more then this one, which is odd, because usually the first one is better. I am tired of the love triangles, but she made it a little different, so it wasn't horribly normal. I loved the characters! The characters are what make the story! It was nice to see how everyone met and how the characters where before Cupid lands and creates chaos. I am DYING for the third book. I highly recommend this series to those that like the genre or who are looking for something a little different. Out of five stars, I shall stamp this with 4:) 

Favorite Character(s): Koda, Gemini, Aric (more towards the end), Taran, Celia, and the main baddie (ooooh I did not see you coming!).
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Misha (*sighs*) and Blonde she-wolf (I don't care to remember her name, she annoyed me with her stupid lie)




Sunday, September 28

Book Review: Ravensdale by Lucinda Elliot

Author: Lucinda Elliot
Title: Ravensdale
Genre: Historical Romance, Comedy, and Action
Pages: ebook
First Published: April 18th, 2014
Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

"When the group of highwaymen headed by the disgraced Earl of Little Dean, Reynaud Ravensdale hold up the hoydenish Isabella Murray’s coach, she knocks one of them down and lectures them all on following Robin Hood’s example.

The rascally Reynaud Ravensdale – otherwise known as the dashing highwayman Mr Fox – is fascinated by her spirit.

He escaped abroad three years back following his supposedly shooting a friend dead after a quarrel. Rumour has it that his far more respectable cousin was involved. Now, having come back during his father’s last illness, the young Earl is seeking to clear his name.

Isabella’s ambitious parents are eager to marry her off to Reynaud Ravensdale’s cousin, the next in line to his title. The totally unromantic Isabella is even ready to elope with her outlaw admirer to escape this fate – on condition that he teaches her how to be a highwaywoman herself."


Poor Reynaud. He seems to have such crappy luck. He thinks he accidentally kills his friend, so he runs off and becomes a highwayman (what a great way to prove yourself innocent). His love marries another man, so he goes to leave the country, but then his father dies. He tries to secretly attend the service, but alas, he is discovered and they try to shoot him as he runs off. Then he stumbles upon Isabella when he tries to rob their coach. He loses his heart again and can't get her off his mind. Poor guy. Why do I pity him for falling in love again? Well, Isabella is a snot. Isabella is a selfish girl and uses Reynaud to teach her how to shoot and how to become a highwaywoman. She runs off with him and marries him JUST so she can be a highwaywoman. She is so cold to him and never says she loves him back. See? Poor guy. Granted...this IS a romance, so eventually she does realize she loves him. Takes forever, but it does happen.

Ugh. I really hate the cover...it does not match the story. It's really cheesy, but the story is totally worth looking past the cover.

I really wish that the author had skipped using flashbacks until maybe the very end. IDK, it just seemed to take away from the story. I'm rather picky about flashbacks; it has to be done right and placed right. I honestly think that the flashbacks should not have existed or the important ones should have been saved for the ending. There were a couple of moments that didn't add to the story at all. 

Other then the flashbacks, I enjoyed the story. The characters were fun even though Isabella was a snot and Edmund a coward, I liked them. I didn't quite understand why some of words were capitalized...it bugged me, but the voice of the story was fun and seemed very appropriate for the time period. I really like when authors stick to the right vocabulary and etc. I especially loved the fact that the author had a dictionary for some terms that modern day people may not know, it is fantastic for people just starting the genre of Historical Fiction of the 18th century. 

Ah! The ending was fantastic!! I loved it and I'm glad it did end the way that it did. :3 Edmund made me happy and I'm glad he got a HEA...not at all who I expected, but I'm happy for him. It did seem a little bit rushed, but it oddly worked for this type of story. 

Overall, I liked this story. It was fun and the characters made the story. I didn't like Isabella for how she treated poor Reynaud, but she did get some of my respect when she realized how snotty she was. Edmund also earned my love when he redeemed himself as well; I'm so glad he got a HEA. The cover is cheesy as Hell, but look past it! The story is totally worth it. I wasn't a fan of the flashbacks and the random capitalizations, but I did adore the ending. I would recommend this to those that like Historical Fiction/Romance. I shall stamp this with 4 stars, it is honestly more like 3.5, but I don't decimals, so I rounded. ^.^

Favorite Character(s): Reynaud, Jack, and Edmund (near the end).
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Isabella and Edmund (at the beginning)


Saturday, September 27

Movie Review: Dead in Tombstone

Length: 1 hr and 40 mins
Released: 2013
Genre: Western, Action, and Science Fiction
Rating: R 
Directed By: Roel Reine 

Where I Got It: Watched on Netflix

SUMMARY: 
As a ruthless gang overruns a small mining town, they murder their own leader, Guerrero Hernandez, in a cold-blooded power grab. Sentenced to eternity in hell, Guerrero finds himself confronted by Satan himself, offering a daring proposition: deliver the six souls of his former gang and he will escape damnation. With time running out, he sets out on a brutal rampage to avenge his own death!




TRAILER: 

CAST:
Guerreo - Danny Trejo
The Blacksmith/Devil - Mickey Rourke
Red - Anthony Michael Hall
Calathea Massey - Dina Meyer
Jack Sutter - Richard Dillane
Judah Clark - Colin Mace
Baptiste - Emil Hostina
Darko - Ovidiu Niculescu
Ramos - Ronan Summers
Snake - Edward Akrout 

REVIEW:
This was def a Boyfriend movie. I came home from and work and he had this on pause. He said he was "waiting for me to come home, so I could watch this with him". I missed the first 10 minutes, but it was easy to understand what was happening.

I do love Danny Trejo and Mickey Rourke, so the combo was entertaining for me. Now...the thing with Danny Trejo is that he is NOT a great actor. He is alright, but he is totally badass and old. He's old, but he does 90% of his own stunts and fighting scenes. Kuddos to you man! That is why I like him. If I was an actress I would demand to do my own fights and the majority of my own scenes. Screw the scary ones like jumping out of burning buildings or driving fast cars. Nope.

Anyways....

The story was really intense! This guy, Guerreo is this gang (I think he was the either the leader or co-leader) and he is betrayed and killed by who he thought were his friends. Why they killed him? It is not explained or I missed it in the first 10 mins. I did ask Boyfriend and he just shrugged, so I assuming it was not explained in the 10 mins I missed. That annoyed me, but oh well. Well, this guy makes a deal with the Blacksmith aka Devil for revenge and his life. If he fails, well, the Blacksmith will own his soul and torture him for the rest of eternity. 

The action was really good and some of the acting was okay. I did think the role of the girl was totally unnecessary. She didn't help at all with anything. I think she did save Guerreo once, but she was totally in the way and getting herself kidnapped. >__> If they wanted to include this character they should have made her more badass or helpful, but she acted all tough, but ultimately was just a damsel in distress and an annoyance. I did like the fact that Guerreo was not hero...he was a bad man, who was still bad ultimately. He did help the town, but only because it benefited him. I'm glad they did that. 

In the end, this was a good action movie. The plot was missing a few key aspects and some of the characters were not needed. Some of the acting was to be desired, but some was pretty good. I would totally recommend this to those that love Western or action-y films. You'll get a kick out of it. In the end, I shall stamp this with 3 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Guerreo, Red, and The Blacksmith
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Calathea and Snake (>__>)
Rewatch? Prolly not


Thursday, September 25

Book Review: The Help

Author: Kathryn Stockett
Title: The Help 
Genre: Historical Fiction and Drama
Pages: ebook
First Published: February 2009
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed." 


This has been sitting on my TBR list for a long, long time now. I finally got the motivation to read it, because this is the book for September for my book club. :) 

Where to begin?

I wish I could say that I loved this like everyone else, but I can't. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't fantastic either. The hype seems a little over-the-top for this book. It's okay. The characters were interesting, but I wasn't a big fan of Aiblieen's and Minny's POVs. Not because I didn't like the characters, but I felt it took away from their stories and I felt like the language used was a bit over done. I get that in the 60s Black Americans had a different way of talking, but it was over done and took away from the story. The balance wasn't done right in my opinion. 

Hahahaha the poo part was funny! I can't go into details, but I was cracking up!! It made the story in my opinion - I hope they put it in the movie. 

Other then the poo part, the book was okay. I will admit...I did a lot of skimming. I just wasn't THAT invested in the characters or what was going to happen. I get how people can love this book though, but I was neutral. I'm always glad when someone writes about a controversial time period or issue, its always a risk and I must tip my hat to the author for tackling such a sensitive issue of race. 

In the end...it was alright. I can see how people adore this book, but I think it is overrated a wee bit. I loved some of the characters, they were interesting and fun - especially Minny (what a rascal and sassy lady). I do plan on watching the movie one day, because I am interested to see how they put it on screen; also, I have heard the movie is better then the book, so we shall see. I would recommend this to those that like historical fiction or for those looking for a shake up in their reading. Out of five stars, I grant this 2 stars, it is more like 2.4, but I rounded, because I don't give decimals. 


Favorite Character(s): Minny, Aibileen, and Skeeter
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Everyone else. 


Monday, September 22

Before Versailles GIVEAWAY!!!!!!



Guidelines
-Ends September 29th
-Open Internationally 
- One winner!

Summary:
Louis XIV is one of the best-known monarchs ever to grace the French throne. But what was he like as a young man—the man before Versailles?

After the death of his prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin, twenty-two-year-old Louis steps into governing France. He’s still a young man, but one who, as king, willfully takes everything he can get—including his brother’s wife. As the love affair between Louis and Princess Henriette burns, it sets the kingdom on the road toward unmistakable scandal and conflict with the Vatican. Every woman wants him. He must face what he is willing to sacrifice for love.

But there are other problems lurking outside the chateau of Fontainebleau: a boy in an iron mask has been seen in the woods, and the king’s finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, has proven to be more powerful than Louis ever thought—a man who could make a great ally or become a dangerous foe . . .

Meticulously researched and vividly brought to life by the gorgeous prose of Karleen Koen, Before Versailles dares to explore the forces that shaped an iconic king and determined the fate of an empire.


B's review: Review
My review: review

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, September 21

Book Review: Stolen by Kelley Armstrong

Author: Kelley Armstrong
Title: Stolen (Women of the Otherworld #2)
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, UF, and Action
Pages: 551
First Published: December 24th, 2002
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"In Book 2 of the Women of the Otherworld series, Elena Michaels is back-and she has company. Lending a mission of vampires, demons, shamans, and witches, Elena is lured into the net of ruthless Internet billionaire Tyrone Winsloe, who is well on his way to amassing a private collection of supernaturals. He plans to harness their powers for himself-even if it means killing them.

For Elena, kidnapped and imprisoned deep underground, unable to tell her friends from her enemies, choosing the right allies is a matter of life and death."

This is the second book of the series. I would highly advise reading the first one before tackling this one. I was on the fence for a while if I wanted to continue this series, but the plot of this one had me enthralled, so I went to my library and to my luck there was one left of the four they have, so I thought it fate and picked it up. 

This one had more of a "diary" feel to it. Yes, it is in 1st person and so was the first novel, but this one seemed more going on Elena's feelings and opinions. It's hard to explain. It's not that I didn't like it or anything, but it was a different feel then the first one. I honestly liked Elena better in this one. Maybe it was because she was a stronger character and had to be on her own and fend for herself. Maybe it was because she was more accepting of herself of a wolf and her feelings for Clay. She was just overall stronger.

Clay....I liked him a little more, but I still don't like him much. The author did indeed calm down on his descriptions, so I was able to connect to him more. I wish that the other characters got more spotlight - ie Antonio and Nick and the new characters, but this was mainly about Elena and her being all kidnapped by psychos and stuff. I know there are books that focus on this new characters and etc, so they do get their spotlight. 

It was a fun ride and I had now idea how it was all going to end. I knew Elena would get free sooner or later, but they how and why was a mystery too me. I'm glad that the author added more conflict to the story, because it added some spice and drama which made the story better. I can't really say what happens, but it was good and I'm glad the suspect of the "incidents" was not a certain character. I would've been really upset if they blamed that character.

The end was alright, but it was a little cut short and a little bit anti-climatic. Especially the quick summary in the last paragraph. Annoying, but it did leave me wanting to read the next one in the series. I am curious on learning more about characters like Paige and Adam and even Cassandra. Cassandra is a pain in butt and rude, but I kinda sorta liked her. hahaha Even though she advised the group to give up on Elena and hit on Clay. Like I said rude, but I kinda liked her. xD 

In the end, this was better then the first one in many aspects. The narrative seemed more personal and diary-ish, but it worked for this one. There is a lot of times when Elena is alone with her thoughts and feelings, so I guess the author did this on purpose. The new characters were interesting and I would like to learn more about them. The ending could have used some work, but the story was entertaining and I could barely put it down. I would recommend this to those that like UF and the fantasy genre. Out of five stars I shall stamp this with 4 stars.

Favorite Character(s): Elena, Jeremy, Cassandra, Adam, Paige, and Ruth.
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Clay (he was better in this one though), Tyrone (Psycho), Bauer (idiot), and Leah (something had bugged me throughout the book....)


Monday, September 15

Book Review: The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla by Lauren Willig

Author: Lauren Willig
Title: The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla (#11)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, & Mystery 
Pages: 496
First Published: August 5th, 2014
Where I Got It: On my shelf (From Amazon)

"In October of 1806, the Little Season is in full swing, and Sally Fitzhugh has had enough of the endless parties and balls. With a rampant vampire craze sparked by the novel The Convent of Orsino, it seems no one can speak of anything else. But when Sally hears a rumor that the reclusive Duke of Belliston is an actual vampire, she cannot resist the challenge of proving such nonsense false. At a ball in Belliston Square, she ventures across the gardens and encounters the mysterious Duke.
 
Lucien, Duke of Belliston, is well versed in the trouble gossip can bring. He’s returned home to dispel the rumors of scandal surrounding his parents’ deaths, which hint at everything from treason to dark sorcery. While he searches for the truth, he welcomes his fearsome reputation—until a woman is found dead in Richmond. Her blood drained from her throat.
 
Lucien and Sally join forces to stop the so-called vampire from killing again. Someone managed to get away with killing the last Duke of Belliston. But they won’t kill this duke—not if Sally has anything to say about it."


Egags...I cannot believe that this is the last book before the finale!!!!! I wish this series could go on forever! Alas, 'tis only a dream. Lauren Willig did say there may be some random side-stories for some of the other characters. I hope so!

Poor Lucien. :/ I felt so bad for him! His parents were murdered, he ran away from home, and he comes back to such a cold-hearted family and community! The ton certainly have outdone themselves THIS time...just because of a rumor and the new hit book about a vamp they are certain that Lucien is a vamp. >___> Because that is logical. Such silly people. At least Sally is there to save the day! In the past novels when she made an appearance, I didn't like her. I don't know why...but she was an annoyance. However, I actually grew to like her! She may be a little bossy and wants to take the lead, she was sweet. I'm so glad she didn't buy into the vamp rumors.

I hated Lucien's WHOLE family. I get them being upset that he ran away when he was a child, but they were heartless and cold and jerks. Lucien deserves better. If they had treated him better after the murder of his parents MAYBE he wouldn't have ran away. Grrr. 

I want a stoat now. 0_0 I doubt Boyfriend will be okay with that, but I want one!



Sally's stoat was adorable and a hero! haha. I will not explain that last sentence, you must read and find out. :3 Hehehe - I am evil.

ANYWAYS!! The story was fun. I even enjoyed Eloise and Collin's story in this one! The last few books have been rather bleh, but now that the relationship is moving I was totally enthralled with their story! EEEEK! The ending left me wanting more! JUST TOO DAMN CUTE!!!!!! I can't wait to see what happens in the next one for both Eloise and Jane! I'm dying to see what happens to the very elusive Jane. This book was a nice warm up to the story we all have been waiting for! 

The only thing that upset me was the villain and the reason behind the murders and trying to frame Lucien. :/ I honestly didn't expect it - which is nice to be surprised! However, I was a little let down. I expected something entirely different...it was too cliche and over-used. Meh. However, I did enjoy the journey greatly! I loved Sally and Lucien! It took forever for them to get together, but it was totally worth the wait. So cute. 

In the end, I liked this book. It wasn't my favorite out of the whole series, but I did love the couple! I didn't like Sally to begin with, but this novel made me love her. :) I also loved Eloise's story...I can't wait to see comes next for Eloise and Collin! I'm actually starting to like Collin a lot now! I was always neutral towards him, but this book has made me a Collin-fan. haha. Overall, the book was good! The ending was meh...but the rest was good. I am simply DYING to read the next one in the series - even though it is the finale. SOBS! I recommend this for those that love Historical Fiction mixed with spies, adventure, romance, and so much more. Out of five stars I stamp this with 3 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Lucien, Sally, Lady Florence (the stoat), Lizzy, and Turnip
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Hal, Clarissa, and the rest of Lucien's family (heartless jerks) 


Sunday, September 14

Book Review: Madame Picasso by Anne Girard

Author: Anne Girard
Title: Madame Picasso
Genre: Historical Fiction, 
Pages: 432
First Published: Janurary 2014
Where I Got It: Given to me by the publisher/author for my honest and unbiased opinion.

"The mesmerizing and untold story of Eva Gouel, the unforgettable woman who stole the heart of the greatest artist of our time. 

When Eva Gouel moves to Paris from the countryside, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Though young and inexperienced, she manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world.

A brilliant but eccentric artist, Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva can't help but be drawn into his web. But what starts as a torrid affair soon evolves into what will become the first great love of Picasso's life. 

With sparkling insight and passion, Madame Picasso introduces us to a dazzling heroine, taking us from the salon of Gertrude Stein to the glamorous Moulin Rouge and inside the studio and heart of one of the most enigmatic and iconic artists of the twentieth century."


Where do I even begin?

The characters where greatly done! I loved Picasso even though he was a total rogue at the very beginning. I honestly didn't know much about the man behind the art. I knew he was from Spain and he had a few lovers. That was about it. While reading, I did some of my own research on the characters, because it made me curious. I love when Historical Fictions based on real people make me want to learn more!! 

Ugh Fernande annoyed me. She was a spoiled rotten woman who took advantage of Pablo's love and money. Def his money. *shakes my head* The whole cheating on him didn't bug me much, because he was just as bad with the cheating. It was a "game" to them, but one that he grew tired of, because he just wanted a simple love. Which is where Eva comes in. It was insta-lust. It took a little bit of time for Pablo to actually love her. Yes, he was a lusty man, but then he realized Eva could offer him a true love that Fernande had lost when money and fame came into the picture. 

I did feel bad for Louis, because he loved her too, but he made me mad when he did two horrible things and hurt Eva (I will not say). The rest of he cast was also good. A lot of characters, but Anne Girard did a wonderful job balancing them and making them seem real and 3D. 

The beginning was a little slow, but once a certain event happens between Pablo and Eva the drama begins to unfold and the book became hard to put down! It took a long time for the two to get together, but it was totally worth it - even with the ending. Sighs. I was really mad, but you can't change the past! It is a true-ish story (not a lot is known about Eva and his love story). So sad, so sad. I was a little peeved with Pablo at one point near the end, because he was being self-centered and pitying himself. Not the time...Eva needs you. >_> However, everyone has flaws. 

In the end, this was a really fun adventure! I learned so much from the book and from my own research on the characters! The beginning was a wee bit slow, but once you hit a certain event the drama begins! I would recommend this for those that like historical fiction and/or for those that like Pablo and his art or art in general. Out of five stars I shall stamp this with 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s):  Eva, Sylvette, Pablo, and Charlotte
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Fernande (>__>)



Thursday, September 11

New Job Poetry

Sorry for late of posting this week. I started a new job (well, its not 100% new since I just transferred buildings) on Monday. Sighs....so in honor of that I'm doing a little free-style poetry.

New faces.
New places.
Missing the
Old faces
The
Old places.
Was this a mistake?
Should I have done this?
Why did I leave?
Where am I?
I am lost
Because I was stuck in
My own brain.
"Can I help you? You look lost?"
Asks a kindly old man.
"Oh...um...looking for
The kitchen?"
He points me down the hall.
I wasn't too far off.

Too many names to remember.
Too many different faces
Too many different places.
Why did I do this?
I try to smile,
I try to look happy.
But on the inside
I regret leaving the familiar,
I miss my old co-workers.
A nice girl is training me,
But she barely talks to me.
I feel like such a baby,
Because everything is new to me.
I don't know where the sugar
Is.
I don't know where the bathroom
Is.
I feel so stupid.
I feel so hopeless.
Honestly,
With each passing minute
It feels better.
I wish I could just skip
Forward,
So I won't be a newbie
Anymore.


Friday, September 5

Book Review: A Cursed Embrace by Cecy Robson

Author: Cecy Robson
Title: A Cursed Embrace (Weird Girls #2)
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fiction, Romance, Paranormal, and Adventure
Pages: 368
First Published: July 2nd, 2013
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"After Celia Wird and her sisters help master vampire Misha save his family, their powers are exposed to the supernatural community of the Lake Tahoe region. But fame comes at a price, and being “weird” isn’t always welcome.

To make matters worse, Celia desires the love of Alpha werewolf Aric, but his pack is bent on destroying their relationship to preserve his pureblood status. And once weres start turning up dead—with evidence pointing to the vampires—she must face the prospect of losing Aric forever. But the chaos only masks a new threat. An evil known as the Tribe has risen—and their sights are set on Celia and her sisters."


I am an idiot. xD I totally started on book two of the series. By the time I realized it, I was already four chapters in and I was totally hooked. Whoops. I had ordered book #1 and book #2 from my library. Well, this one came in first and I assumed it was book one. Whoopsies. It's okay though, because it oddly did okay as a stand alone. There were a few references I missed, but I'm okay with that. I plan on reading the first one too...once I get my hands on it.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh the ending! UGH! It was so good and made me need more. I cannot wait to get the third book in my hands. Poor Celia...I get what she did, but it made me shake my head. Honestly though, I'd probably do the same. I wish I could say more, but its a huge HUGE spoiler. Trust me though, it was good and I didn't see it coming. I especially loved the final big battle with the big baddie. Fantastic! 

Honestly, I wish I could like Misha more, but he reminded me too much of Jean Claude from the Anita Blake series for me to like him. Rich, beautiful, and the master of the vampies. Meh. >__> However, Aric ticked me off. I get the WHY, but really? The Elders shouldn't stand in his way. Yes, yes, they are the pack leaders and he HAS to do what they say, but still. Stupid pureblood status. >___> 

I loved the all the sisters, especially Taran. She was HILARIOUS and bitchy and fun. haha. Sometimes she went overboard, so I'm glad she wasn't a were because she wouldn't be able to control herself. I especially love her fights with the old lady next door. Super funny. I did want to punch Shayna (the youngest sister) in the face the first couple of chapters. I believe that the author got too carried away with having her say "dude". The first couple of chapters every single sentence she said had the word. I GET IT! The youth say that word a lot, but it was over-the-top at the beginning. Annoying. However, the author must have realized this and calmed it down and only used "dude" once in a while. Thank goodness.

I loved the sisters powers. It really fit them and their personalities. I can't wait to find out HOW they got the powers. They haven't talked about it yet. From the reviews I've read it isn't in the first book either, so someday we shall find the answers! 

*Drools* I loved Gemini the most. Lucky Taran. Aric was okay too, but he made me mad. Meh.

In the end, this was a fun adventure! Funny, sexy, scary, and so much more! This is probably one of the best UF I've read in a while. The ending was a punch in the gut, but it was great! I recommend this to those that love the genre and for those looking for something entertaining to read. I will say to not be like me....start with book 1. :) Out of five stars, I stamp this one with 5. It's more like 4.5, but I rounded. 

Favorite Character(s): Celia, Gemini, Taran, and the big baddie (he certainly was a tough-ass baddie). 
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Barbara and Liam (he annoyed me and I think Emme deserves better)

  

Thursday, September 4

Movie Review: World War Z

Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
Released: 2013
Genre: Drama, Action/Adventure, Horror, and Sci-Fi
Rating: PG-13 (but I watched the uncut version and I think that's a R)
Directed By: Marc Forster

Where I Got It: Watched on Netflix

SUMMARY:
The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane, who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself.





TRAILER:

CAST:
Gerry - Brad Pitt
Karin - Mireille Enos
Segen - Daniella Kertesz
Jurgen Warmbrunn - Ludi Boeken
Thierry Umutoni - Fana Mokoena
Andrew Fassbach - Elyes Gabel
Constance - Sterling Jerins
Rachel - Abigail Hargrove
Tomas - Fabrizio Zacharee Guido

REVIEW:
Been wanting to watch this one for a while, but I was totally over zombies for a bit. I'm glad Boyfriend forced me to watch it. It is not like any of your typical zombie movies out there! The zombie don't threaten one country or two, it threatens the entire world! It started in Korea and spread from there. Russia from what they were hinting at got it waaaaaaaay worse. Do zombies fancy snow and the cold? Who knows.

I also loved how the governments made a connection that this creatures ARE zombies. I hate how in some movies that they never really call them zombies or really make that connection. WHY? It always bugs me. So when a movie like this acknowledges what the creature is and labels them for what they are they get a star for that. hahaha. It makes it more realistic, ya know?

Poor Tomas. :/ His parents were big dumb-dumbs and he almost lost his life because of it.

I wish I could say that I didn't like Gerry for the simple fact that he is pretty much a "perfect" character...but Brad Pitt plays him and I do adore him for some reason. But yes, Gerry is a perfect character: tough, strong, family-man, compassionate, smart, lucky, and good-looking. Perhaps you need that to be a UN man. *shrugs* But yes, I did like Gerry kind of even though he was pretty much a "perfect" character. Okay...I didn't like him, but I tolerated him more then I normally do just for the simple fact Brad Pitt played him. 

The ending! OH MY GOODNESS! Even though I pretty much guessed it, but I was so happy with the ending! It was good and I'm mad that they are coming out with a sequel. CAN'T THEY LIVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Hopefully they don't make a muck of it like Boyfriend predicts. We shall see I guess.

In the end, this was really good. A little graphic, but good. The ending was a good one and I wish that they left it at that, but nooooooooooo they are making a sequel. Sighs. Brad Pitt and the rest of the cast did a fantastic job. The visual effects were good and the plot line was solid and entertaining. I feel like a dumb-dumb myself for putting this on the back-burner for so long! I highly recommend this for those that like horror and action movies. This is good and not like the atypical zombie movies out there. Out of five stars, I stamp this one with five stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Tomas, Karin (even though she almost got Gerry killed at one point for something stupid. >___<), and Thierry
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Andrew (idiot) and Tomas' parents (they should have listened to Gerry)
Favorite Quote(s): Andrew - Mother Nature is a serial killer. No one's better. More creative. Like all serial killers, she can't help the urge to want to get caught. But what good are all those brilliant crimes if no one takes the credit? So she leaves crumbs. Now the hard part, while you spent decades in school, is seeing the crumbs for the clues they are. Sometimes the thing you thought was the most brutal aspect of the virus, turns out to be the chink in its armor. And she loves disguising her weaknesses as strengths. She's a bitch.