Thursday, May 31, 2012

Book Review: Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

Around the House
You know they say in Chicago you can have all the seasons in one day.  Well that is how yesterday and today felt.  It started out blissfully warm and has turned into cold and rainy.  The upside is that their is no snow in the forecast.  And yes it has rained out here in May before.  Last week sucked so I didn't most of my work outs in.  I let life get in the way.  That is not happening this week.  Actually after this I am going to head out for cardio.

My Thoughts
I have been worried about how the tales of Miss Sookie Stackhouse were going to find their way to an end.  The last two books have lost some of the fun and mystery, like Charlaine Harris was just trying to tie things up, so when the second to last Sookie Stackhouse book was published, Deadlocked, I was not excited to read it.  Now I could just kick myself.

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris brought back the joy and the mystery to the Sookie Stackhouse series.  While you can feel the wind down to the final conclusion of this fantastic series you get that old joy of twists and turns that you can and can't expect to happen.  Every reader has been dying to know how the Eric and Queen of Oklahoma situation was going to turn out, what the aftermath of victors death was going to be, and why the hell are their so many fae in Bon Temps.  You will get all those answers and few more to the body count that you didn't expect.  Now where is that next book?  It is supposed to be called Dead Ever After.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Book Review: The Shadow of the Serpent

Around the House
Nothing to say!

My Thoughts
The Shadow of the Serpent is the last book of the Kane Chronicles by Rich Riordan.  I have been looking forward to this growing fun tale of Sadie and Carter Kane as they learn to be Egyptian Magicians in the modern world.  They have reached the final battle in there quest to restore the Gods, House of Life, and Ma'at to the modern world by sending the Serpent of Chaos on a permanent vacation.  Who would have thought we got  a few more back handed Percy Jackson references at the end?  I can't wait to know head back to long Island to see what my favorite Greeks are up to.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed.  While the series as a whole was great with the entertaining spin on Egyptian Mythology in the modern world I feel that it lost something at the end.  Everything worked out a bit to perfectly.  I came into this novel expecting them to win, I expected Carter to take over, and I expected a few deaths, but when no one died it almost seemed like it was too easy of a battle.  It was missing the true sense of danger that his books usually have for the reader.  It felt safe which is not what I have come to expect from Rick Riordan.  Now is that because this really isn't the end of the series?  I am not sure, but I have the distinct feeling we are going to eventually see a Kane, Jackson, and Norse combination series showing on Hell of a God War.  I just hope he keeps the danger real, so the reader is expecting everything to get tied up nice and neatly.

Rating: 3/5

Movie Review: The Avengers

Around the House
I hate playing catch up!

My Thoughts
As a long time fan of the Marvel Franchise, I have been impatiently waiting for this movie.  I have seen all the movies leading up to this movie including Iron Man 1 & 2, Hulk, the Incredible Hulk, Captain America: the First Avenger, and Thor.  They way Marvel has worked to weave all of these into individual stories as well as part of a larger story arch was amazingly well done.  I was worried about how this movie would play out since the actor for the Hulk has now changed three times, Hawkeye and Black Window are mortals, and the forming of a team can make for characters lost and a very hap hazard story line.  Instead we got an amazing movie with continued character growth, and a smooth story.  The best part of each of the movies and The Avengers movies is that you can watch each of the individually and not feel like you have been left behind.  The only sad part was I missed not seeing the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Vision.

Joss Whedon has a talent for crafting a story on an epic scale that still drives home the team atmosphere.  This movie could have easily been just Captain America, Thor, Iron Man movie, but each character was given love with fun romps and catchy lines that will live on.  Marvel would be smart if they tied down Joss Whedon to the entire Avengers related franchise.  It definitely reminded me of his work with Buffy and Angel where you get a team dynamic and not one character over shadows the other.  I really masterpiece of directing and writing.

Rating: 5/5

Movie Review: Dark Shadows

Around the House
I hate holiday weekends.  My workout are so screwed up, I am exhausted from family, and I am not eating the best.  You can tell that by the fact I am sitting here ate work with a protein bar and a Venti Carmel Machiatto.  Yum!  Work is dead today, so I figured I wouldn't get a better opportunity to update my movie reviews.  What did I do after an all day family event in the sun (which was after work)?  Did I finish my edits?  Nope I went to a movie.  At least that was a good time.


My Thoughts
Dark Shadows is a remake of an old soap opera from back in the day.  Unlike most things, I haven't done any research on the original since I wanted a fresh perspective when I saw the movie.  While the reviews where not great, the previews looked campy, and the box office number dismal I knew I had to see it for myself.  Knowing that this was a Soap Opera vampire movie, I expected the situations to be extremely campy and fun.  I have to say I was not disappointed.  It help enough of the twisting turns of a Soap Opera that it met my expectations, while building a fresh story.  The movie was fun and full of life. 

I enjoyed the twisted dark seventies themed environment.  The fresh look at a vampire risen in the mortal world was well done.  The back story of the characters teased you enough to want to know more without long drawn out exposition.  It felt very much like flipping on a Soap Opera you have watched for years and catching up with old, odd, friends.  The only complaints is that majority of the characters motivations where a bit fuzzy.  I have a feeling from the flow of the movie that these developments ended up on the cutting room floor.  I would like to have learned more of the Matriarch of the Collins Family and the last minute twist of her daughter should have developed more throughout the movie.  The Supernatural battles where a bit much at the end, when I was hoping for more campy love and drama.

Rating: 4/5


Friday, May 18, 2012

Book Review: The Demon's Surrender

Around the House
Okay, so I am half way through reediting my last notes on my manuscript.  I don't have much else to say on that except I think I need a very large drink which I plan on getting tonight.  I will be heading into the city for a weekend of fun with my buddies.  I miss my time out and about.  I am going to drink, flirt, and have fun.  Wanna join me?

My Thoughts
The Demon's Lexicon Series by Sarah Rees Brennan came to an interesting conclusion with her new book The Demon's Surrender.  While this series originally interested me because it was acquired by the Nelson Literary Agency.  While I am not a fan of the series on a whole I found the concept very interesting.  The concept of the series is that power is corruption and to gain power magicians make deals with Demons.  They even allow Demons to possess humans as a method to gain additional power.  This final installment of the series does manage to tie up the loose ends of the book in just a twisted enough way that it allows the author the ability to twist the ending into a new series.  Will I read the new series if their is one?  Not sure, but with each additional book she wrote she has improved in style and story telling.  I look forward to seeing wonderful happy endings for Nick, Mae, Alan, and Sin.
\
Rating: 3/5

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Body for Life Week 9 and the IML Assistant

Around the House
Oh what to say about around the house?  There is a lot to say right now, and I do not know where to begin.  I made a world class mistake by hiring my own assistant a couple weeks ago.  Because of the amount of time I have spent training him things have gone a bit wrong with my book launch.  My lovely assistant was more concerned with getting the funds to attend IML; that he neglected doing anything he was trained to do, so now my book has been pushed back several weeks because he lost all my edits.  The weird part was I didn't even know what this IML was until he quit last night.  I found out by googling what it was and found out it is an interesting gay event hosted in the city of Chicago every Memorial Day weekend.  Do you want to know how I found out?  Yes you do!  It was that crazy woman Alina that I have watched on occasion on Youtube.com.  If you want to know what IML really is you should listen to her.  Anyway, I should have just continued sharing an my assistant with Katrina Rue.  Thankfully, I kept Ida on payroll, so she is helping me get all the edits finished for my book.


My Thoughts
Grrr why can't this even go right?

Week 9 Ending- The Numbers: Moving to a new beginning
Start Week 9 Change
Weight 235.6 229.0 -5.9
BMI 32.7% 31% -1.7%
Hips 44 in 43.5 in -0.5 in
Waist 42.5 in 41 in -1.5 in
Midsection 47 in 42.5 in -4.5 in
Chest 46 in 44 in -2.0 in
Arm (R) 14 in 14 in -0.0 in
Arm (L) 14 in 14 in -0.0 in
Neck 17in 16.5 in -0.5 in
Pants 36 34 - 2

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Body for Life Week 7

Around the House
I am in allergy Hell right now.  My head feels like it is going to explode.  Last week was a rough week too.  Katrina Rue was sick as a dog so she didn't make any of the work outs, and I missed all of my cardio but did get in all my lifting.

My Thoughts
Okay not to much to talk about this week.  I am living off of allegry meds right now which I hate.  I am floating mentally, and I have not had a chance to function as well as I would want.  I am looking forward to this weather stablizing and coming back to normal.
Week 7 Ending- The Numbers: Moving to a new beginning
Start Week 6 Change
Weight 235.6 229.2 -5.7
BMI 32.7% 31% -1.7%
Hips 44 in 44 in 0.0 in
Waist 42.5 in 41 in -1.5 in
Midsection 47 in 42.5 in -4.5 in
Chest 46 in 43.5 in -2.5 in
Arm (R) 14 in 13.5 in -0.5 in
Arm (L) 14 in 13.5 in -0.5 in
Neck 17in 16 in -1.0 in
Pants 36 34 - 2

Book Review: Black Heart

Around the House
I am so running behind on getting all my updates up. I forgot to publish this last week, so I had to alter the whole blog. I only noticed it after my Body for Life Update. 

My Thoughts
The thrilling and twisted conclusion to Holly Black's The Curseworkers Series: Black Heart.  While this series falls under the category of Urban Fantasy the way Holly Black tells her tales makes you truly believe the world she weaves is real and just waiting for you just outside of the pages of the book.  You sit on the edge of your seat wondering how Cassel is going to get himself out of trouble again, but you are always hoping that it will be a happy ending.  Holly Black has an amazing talent for telling her tales as if you are watching the chocolate covered reality TV while being swept into a fun furry of excitement.

I can only hope that this is not truly the end of the Curseworkers.  I am constantly intrigued about a world where a touch can change your life even if it is illegal.  The power of luck, death, love, and transformation all within the palms of your hands.  This story reminds me of bringing the old world Chicago Gangster into the modern world with a magical twist.  I highly recommend this for everyone.

Rating: 4/5