Saturday, November 30

Movie Review: Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)





Pokémon Detective Pikachu Poster


Film Title: Pokémon Detective Pikachu
Length:    1h 56min 
Released:      10 May 2019
Genre:    Action, Adventure, Comedy 
Rating: PG
Where I Got It: Borrowed friend's copy

SUMMARY:

In a world where people collect Pokémon to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu who seeks to be a detective.










TRAILER:


REVIEW:
Been a little nervous about watching this. I grew up on Pokemon and I am still a casual fan as an adult. Live Actions tend to be 50/50 success rate. My friend decided it was time to just have me watch this. 

The story follows Tim and Pikachu. Tim's father was a detective and they were estranged while Pikachu is the Pokemon sidekick to Tim's father. After the father goes missing, Tim and Pikachu team up to solve the case. 

This really shocked me. It was MUCH better than I was thinking it was going to be. I even watched it twice. I made BF watch it too. It had a good story line and characters. The live action Pokemon were cuteeeeee!

Now - I will say the story and atmosphere is a touch dark compared to the actual show. I would for sure keep that in mind when you are deciding if it is a good movie for little, little kids. But it wasn't dark enough to be overly sad or scary. Just dark enough to keep parents and older kids from being bored by sunshine and rainbows. 

I guessed the ending pretty quickly and so did BF. It was easy to guess the twist, but I still enjoyed it. 

The acting was okay overall. No real issues there. 

Overall, I did like this a lot. The live action Pokemon were cute and I loved trying to see all the different ones walking about town. Hopefully the next one has a better mystery/thriller. Very issue to guess early on. I shall give this 4 stars. 





Friday, November 29

Book Blast & Giveaway: The Turncoat Letters by Kelly Lyman

The Turncoat Letters by Kelly Lyman

Publication Date: November 19, 2019
Blue Tulip Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 357 Pages
Series: Rebels of the Revolution, Book #2
Genre: Historical Romance



From Kelly Lyman, comes a duet filled with intrigue, suspense and heat. The adventures bring to life the time of the American Revolution. The truth always comes out in the end. If you have the courage to discover it. From the moment Nora Bishop meet Alex Foster, her life was turned upside down. Though their marriage was brought on by necessity, they have found a common ground of honesty, respect, and friendship. She has grown to depend on and love him. And he her. But both Alex and Nora have their part to play in the war, and those parts could tear their new marriage apart. Secretly, they meet when they can, but as Nora gets deeper undercover by pretending to be a single woman and a loyalist, Alex is faced with watching other men, specifically the dashing Captain Budley, give his new bride unwanted attention. Nora must play her part as a single woman. Alex must play his part as a simple acquaintance without showing his jealousy or they’ll both be caught and hung for treason. With their marriage made by necessity and being slowly built on trust, will they survive or will their relationship turn out to be as false as the role Nora plays for the British?

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Kelly Lyman is a dreamer, a planner, and a doer. Her favorite mantra is: "Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention." She writes adult historical romance and YA paranormal/fantasy. She has a degree in education from West Chester University and taught 5th grade before deciding to stay home full time. She loves, loves, loves history and can usually be found daydreaming about people who lived centuries ago...that is, when she's not taking care of her four kids. Traveling to Scotland, England, and Ireland are on her bucket list. Skydiving is not. She's mildly obsessed with mint chocolate chip ice cream, peanut butter M&MS, drinking coffee (cream only), and thinks chips and salsa is a perfectly acceptable dinner option. Her favorite color is green and if she could, she would sit on the beach and read all day long.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, November 25 Lost_in_a_book_reviewer 
  Tuesday, November 26 Rose is Reading 
  Wednesday, November 27 Liberty's Literary Loves 
  Friday, November 29 The Lit Bitch Carole's Ramblings What Is That Book About 
  Saturday, November 30 Reading is My Remedy 
  Sunday, December 1 Passages to the Past 
  Monday, December 2 @ya.its.lit 
  Tuesday, December 3 Jessica Belmont 
  Thursday, December 5 Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals Books In Their Natural Habitat

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away eBooks of The Petticoat Letters and The Turncoat Letters to one winner! To enter, please use the Gleam form below. 

Giveaway Rules. Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on December 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter. Paperback giveaway is open to US residents only. Only one entry per household.  All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen. The Turncoat Letters 

Wednesday, November 27

Audiobook Review: Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues by Molly Harper

Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues (Mystic Bayou, #2.5)Author: Molly Harper
Narrator:  Amanda Ronconi, Jonathan Davis
Title: Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues
(Mystic Bayou #2.5)
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy
Pages: Audiobook
Published: June 6th 2019
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)



Ingrid Asher is the newest resident of Mystic Bayou, a tiny town hidden in the swamp where shapeshifters, vampires, witches and dragons live alongside humans.

Ingrid doesn’t ask for much. The solitary tree nymph just wants to live a quiet life running her ice-cream shop in peace. Unfortunately, she can’t seem to shake her new neighbor, Rob Aspern, head of the League’s data science department and so good looking it just isn’t fair.

If there’s one thing Ingrid doesn’t need, it’s someone poking around in her business. But the more she gets to know the hunky mathematician, the more she finds herself letting her guard down. Can she trust him with her secrets, or will her past destroy everything? 

Been excited about continuing this series. I enjoyed the past 2! This is a small novella between 2 and 3. 

The story follows Ingrid and Rob. Ingrid is the newest resident of Mystic Bayou. She is a tree nymph who was seriously betrayed in the past. Rob is head of the data science department who is a hot nerd. Can she trust him? Can he earn her trust?

I was excited that Rob was going to get his own cute little romance. I felt bad for him previously. So I was excited. 

Ingrid was okay...I get WHY she was all paranoid and wanted to be alone, but I didn't understand WHY she really wanted to move somewhere and own a business. Her motivations confused me a bit. 

Her business DID make me want ice cream. Yummmm

Honestly, I wish this had been longer so the characters could be fleshed out more. I think we needed more. Especially since she was terribly betrayed...I don't think she would've fallen for him so quickly. More time needed for sure. 

Narrators were really good. Did they do the last two? Mmmm I think they did. 

All-in-all, this was fun. Not as good as the other two. I think this needed to be full length. We needed more time with these two characters. I'll give this 2 stars. 





Tuesday, November 26

Blog All About It: Little Kid Books I Am Thankful For






This month's prompt is:  THANKFUL

Happy November! It is that time of the month again for a prompt! What to talk about or share? Mmmm....I already did a post about what I am thankful for...so that idea is already burned. MmmmmmMMMmmmmmmm

Okay. I know what I am going to do! EEEE!

I am going to share the little kid books I am truly thankful for. They helped me become the reader I am today! I am just going to do little, little kid books that had mainly only pictures and easy words. 

Image result for ten in a bed book



Image result for fanny book

Image result for fish with shiny scales


Image result for serendipity book Image result for Misty Morgan Stephen Cosgrove


Image result for Mr happy books 

Image result for little miss books


Image result for green eggs and ham  Image result for amelia bedelia books 1990s


 


  Image result for Misty Morgan Stephen Cosgrove

Image result for caterpillar kid book Image result for brown bear kids book


Monday, November 25

Blodeuedd's Monday Review: Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

Kindle Edition, 190 pages
Published June 13th 2017 by Tor.com
Series: Wayward Children #2
Fantasy novella
Own

Wohoo, free!! Thak you TOR.

I Liked book 1, and I liked this one. This one happens before book 1, and I had honestly forgotten what happened in that novella.

Jacqueline grows up a princess, Jillian grows up a tomboy, and they both start to chafe at the roles given by their parents. They are twins, yet so different.

Jack and Jill went up a hill, and all fell apart...

I liked where they ended up, it was dark. There are doors, and all those lost children around the world, might have fallen through those doors. And the other side is not always or ever pleasant.

Great novella! I need more

Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

Sunday, November 24

Joint Review: Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop






Hello all! Blodeuedd and I will be discussing "Etched in Bone" by Anne Bishop. Blodeuedd is in red and I am in purple.





Etched in Bone (The Others, #5)
Author: Anne Bishop
Narrator: Alexandra Harris
Title: Etched in Bone
(The Others #5)
Genre: Paranormal, UF, Fantasy, & romance
Published:  March 7th 2017
Pages: Audiobook

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness…

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.

With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave


Holy meatsticks, is that Cyrus human the stupidest human in the universe? Yes he was evil, but also so dense, wtf man those are predators, you do not cut yourself and then swim among sharks.

He is an idiot!! I don’t know why (well I do know why) they wouldn’t just eat him the first time he messed up. 


So I get that they wanted to observe him, but then the rest should have taken care. Protect the weak!

Yess. I get wanting to observe him, but within 5 secs he was already causing issues. So his chances should’ve been done. 


Just eat him and that effing creepy kid of his. Gods below and beyond how much I hated him. He was just so, I wanted to shake some sense and fear into him and then let him become dinner.

Yesss. I felt so bad for the little girl. Awww. :( 

She is better without her stupid family, maybe she will stand a chance then. Let the rest rot. I could talk about how stupid Cyrus is all day long

Me too. I hated him! Hopefully she will be able to become a good person and an addition to society. I felt bad for Ciara, but I wanted to shake her. Maybe she’ll be okay now. But ugh. 

She was messed up, I felt sorry for her, he really did a number on her. Honestly, at times I worried that he had fathered her children too. I would totally have thought that of that asshole.

OMG I WAS HAVING THOSE WORRIES TOO! I wouldn’t doubt it. I guess we’ll never really know. He was terrible to her and to everyone. Especially women. How did such a strong and smart woman raise such a monster of a boy??? And how did he survive up to now?

He did seem to have the luck of a devil, and he was sure good at assigning blame to others.

True and that is what made him scary. He had luck and good at spinning webs of lies and blame. 


Ugh him. But ok, I will tryyyy and move away from him. I did have the same feeling as I had when I read these. This felt like an odd way to end the series. This felt like it should have been a previous books and then the world would break apart. I can see that this is meant to heal things, but still after the epic 4th book this felt strange.

It is hard to move from the ass since they made him such a strong story point. But yes, I did feel this was odd feeling. Like sometimes it felt like it should’ve been an earlier story, but then it felt like it was meant to be the last book of this story line. After so much time of battling bigger issues, this jerk seemed like small fry. However, it was fitting because we got to see Meg be stronger after everything. Limited cutting, using the cards, and even being able to save herself. She isn’t the little scared lamb of earlier books. 


Yes, I feel the same, but still weird. Also, I loved the howling and everything before sure brought out the emotions in me. It was so much. Poor Meg.

Awww ya. I was making the narration go faster because I wanted to see what happened. I was SO worried at the end there! 

Same, even though I had read it! And now you see why I am SOOOOOO sad that she might not write more in this world. I love this world. I will read about other places just please pleas, more!

Yessss, I want more too. Even though I am slightly bitter that we really won’t get more of Symon and Meg. I grew to adore them. I hated (annoyed more so) at the beginning. Wah! But honestly...I’ll take what I get from this world. Lots of stories to be had. 

I hear you, I felt the same when I read the books, but when I listened I loved them, but then I had had time so ;) It takes time!
And as always, excellent work by Alexandra Harris. I bow to you.


Yesss love, love, LOVE the narrator. She is amazing. More please!

Can you believe we listened/read 5 books and liked them?! Freaking liked them! Cos you know us and one great book a year, lol.


We’ve been so lucky! I was worried since I didn’t really care for book 1 but then I switched to the audio train and I’ve liked them so much more. 

Yay :D And as you know there are 2 more, one about no one we know and one about Bennett. But before that I guess we should try something boring again, sigh, it has been quite the ride.

Yes, probably save them for the new year ;) Give us some gold for 2020. Hahaha. IDK I am going to miss our little community. 

This is an amazing world. I am glad I gave them a go. And so should the rest of you!

100%! You should try at least the first two books. I promise you’ll get addicted. 

Agreed!
So, your pick?

Oh snap! Pressure is on *turns on ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen*


Mowuahahahahahhah

We got this!
The end?

The end




About the Authors
Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last few of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.


Friday, November 22

Book Review: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë


Jane EyreAuthor:  Charlotte Brontë
Title: Jane Eyre
Genre: Classic, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
Pages: 532 
Publication Date: October 16th 1847
Where I Got It: My shelf (Goodwill)



Orphaned as a child, Jane has felt an outcast her whole young life. Her courage is tested once again when she arrives at Thornfield Hall, where she has been hired by the brooding, proud Edward Rochester to care for his ward Adèle. Jane finds herself drawn to his troubled yet kind spirit. She falls in love. Hard.

But there is a terrifying secret inside the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall. Is Rochester hiding from Jane? Will Jane be left heartbroken and exiled once again?





Tried this years and years ago and it was a DNF. Now I'm back and trying this one again. I love to give 2nd and 3rd and 4th chances for some books. 

The story is a classic. Jane was orphaned as a child and she felt like an outcast her whole life. But she never gave up. Once she grows up she arrives at Thornfield Hall and is hired by Rochester to care for his ward. They seem so different but are so similar. Jane finds herself drawn to him. However, there is a terrible secret. 

The beginning was slow and everyone annoyed me as it did before. I fought through my annoyance and got past her childhood. Yayy. Brownie points there for me. Things got better for a while and then I was bored the last 100 pages or so. But I was curious enough to continue reading. 

I did really appreciate the darker overtones. It made it different and not an a-typical romance. I can for sure see why this has stuck as a classic. Intense characters, intense plot. And not a-typical lovers. Rochester has the brooding-ness going on, but he is not precisely dashing or charming. Honestly...I personally had a hard time trusting him. Jane is not the queen beauty and isn't perfect but she did scream "pure" and eh. It was refreshing overall though. 

Honestly...I did skim near the end because I just wanted to be done. Very long. 

I am glad that I did get myself to try this book again. I liked it more and actually finished it. Still not my favorite book, but I did enjoy it for what it was. 

Overall, I am glad I gave it a 2nd chance. Still some issues for me and I did skim at the end there, but it was much better than I originally believed. I'll give this a 2.