Hello Everyone!
Today Rachel Kovaciny's book Cloaked, is available for purchase! I was given permission to read it before hand, and I must say, it is one of the most enjoyable books I've this year! Many thanks to Rachel for letting me read it as an advanced reader, and congrats for writing such a fabulous book!
My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless it says so.
Cloaked - by Rachel Kovaciny:
Little Red Riding Hood retold:
Mary Rose is on her way to the Wyoming territory to meet her grandmother for the first time when she meets Mr. Linden. Her is very gentlemanly but something about his too smooth ways, and slippery smile makes Mary Rose nervious around him. He hasn't done anything wrong, and her grandmother seems to enjoy his company so she doesn't want to mess anything up. After all, she has other things to distract her, but how long will this last? "When they reached the pasture on the other side of the trees, Mary Rose again felt as bright and happy as the sunshine that greeted her." Genre: Western, Fairytale retelling. Characters: 10, they are all so detailed you love getting to know them! My favorites:
Mary Rose, I love her! A very relatable heroine with a true love of God.
Jubilee, as soon as I read this I loved her: "Afternoon sunlight transmuted the dust cloud to shimmering gold, and through it Mary Rose could see the figure of a woman, small but erect, as proud of bearing as Queen Victoria of England."
Hauer, you can't help but admire him. Words: 10, no bad words, very clean, and descriptions that are gold! I love how Pride & Prejudice is mentioned, and Jane Austen. Very good taste!
"He was looking at Hauer as if he had announced he was partial to keeping porcupines for pets." Storyline: 8, there is smoking, kissing, injury, and death, but it is all very mild. A truely excellent retelling!
"They continued on without speaking until they reached the trees, tall pines that ranged from spindly saplings to tall, broad trees with branches stretching far above Mary Rose’s head." Good For: Anyone who loves retellings! Overall Score: 9.5!
Hello Everyone!
Last year I hosted my first blog party ever, a Halloween Blog Party! This year I have decided to do it again! This years date: November 1- 4, 2017!
Here is how it works:
1. You choose a character from a book, movie, or both.
2. You read/watch, the book/movie, that the character came from.
3. You dress up as the character and take pictures (NOTE: You don't have to show your face, I don't).
4. You review the book/movie/both in a post and include photos of you dressed up!!
The Rules:
1. You don't have to celebrate Halloween to participate. I just use Halloween as an excuse to dress up.
2. You don't have to show your face.
3. If there is more than one movie version you don't have to review all of them.
4. If you want you can just choose to review something, OR show pictures, you don't have to do both.
This year, we all decided to sort of be the same thing. My younger sister is a little different, but my older sister and I are counting it. I love mysteries, so you'll have to guess. The clue is one of these buttons backgrounds is what we are going to be. Good Luck guessing! Spread the word:
Here are some buttons!
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4.
Thank you so much for reading!! See ya' in November!
Hello all you Tolkien fans!
Hamlette at The Edge of the Precipice is hosting her fifth annual Tolkien Blog Party!!! Last year this was my first blog part I had ever participated! It was so much fun, I can't wait to see what this year holds!!!!!
SPOILER ALERT! If you have not read The Lord of the Rings andThe Hobbit, do not read any further. There will be spoilers for both.
On to the tag!
1. How long have you been a Tolkien fan?
Well, sometime when I was little my family and I watched The Return of the King. I was terrified.
A few years ago my sister told me she was going to read The Lord of the Rings. I looked at her shocked, "You are going to read the creepy books?" I asked. I couldn't believe it. Why in the world would she do that.
Last year in July I decided I would read The Hobbit. I was fully in after that. I just finished reading The Lord of the Rings for the first time, I am definitely a fan now.
2. Has your love of Middle-earth affected your life?
Well, yes. I would say so. My older sister and I quote it all the time. My younger sister just stares at us "Like we have lobsters coming out of (our) ears." ("Anyone...? Anyone...? Anyone...?"). And it really is amazing how many people know about The Lord of the Rings. I have made quite a few friends through them. They are amazing books, and if you haven't read them, GO!!!!!
3. If you had to take the One Ring to Mordor, which character would you choose for your sole companion?
This is the hardest question!!! Uh, well the obvious answer is Gandalf, but we can't have him now can we? We have already set out.
To tell the truth, Legolas! Even when I saw just The Return of the King, Legolas was my favorite character. I really love archery (i.e. Robin Hood, Brave, etc.) so I have always loved the archer elf. And I love 'em even more now that I have read the book (though, there is not nearly enough of him). Awesome archery would take out Orcs.
But, now that I have read the book, I do think that Sam might be the best. I don't know.
4. Which is scarier, Shelob or the Balrog?
Wow, both are almost the scariest thing ever, but I think I could take on either if I get to have the Phial of Galadriel.
5. Which two towers do you think Tolkien was referring to in the title The Two Towers? (i.e. Orthanc, Barad-dûr, Cirith Ungol, Minas Morgul, or Minas Tirith)
You know, I never really thought of this. I always thought of Orthanc having one tower, so not that. Same for Minas Tirith. And Cirith Ungol. I guess, but my brain wasn't big enough to imagine it that way. So I'll go Barad-dûr AND Minas Morgul. I thought it meant that both sides were even, they both had two towers. (I'm very creative, I know.)
Wait a minute. I read that question wrong. I understand it now. I'm going with Barad-dûr and Minas Tirith.
6. Whose wardrobe would you like to have?
Um, this is referring to the movies and I have only see two of the movies (part of The Return of the King, and The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies.) and it has been a long time since I've seen them, so I don't really know. I'll go with what I think of from the book: I'll take whatever as long as I get an elven cloak with the leaf clasp!
7. What do you think an Ent Draught would taste like?
When I read that I thought of fresh dew and sunshine. You know the song, Morning has Broken? I have always thought that it tasted like that.
8. Where in Middle-earth would you like to live?
You are kidding me. How in the world am I supposed to answer this?
Hobbiton would be absolutely wonderful (with all the trees, please). But, my inner elf + tree climber says Lothlorien.
9. Do you have any Tolkien-related opinions that surprise other people?
Legolas is my favorite character (okay, also Sam, Gandalf, Blibo, Treebeard, and Tom Bombadil. I won't get into dwarves.).
I am not Frodo (That is the answer I always get when I take quizzes.). The Hobbit is my favorite book of them.
I have cried reading them.
I have not read the Appendices because once the book says THE END, it's the end. I am not going to read how everyone dies!
Pippin is annoying. He said don't touch it and what do you do?
I'm not sure how surprising those are, but it's what I could come up with.
10. List up to ten of your favorite lines/quotations from the books or movies.
Yes! Last year I didnt' know many, but this year I AM PREPARED. *goes to dig out books*
1.
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the skies, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their hall of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie. ~ The Lord of the Rings
Doesn't that just give you the shivers!? This isn't one of my favorites, but do you really think I could do this post without saying that. Also I am very proud of myself to say that I wrote that out from memory (okay, I forgot three words so I had to ask my sister, and I used my book to make sure I did it right, I missed a tiny bit and my little sister hates it so she made up her own version which I always get confused.) but still, I did a pretty good job.
2.
"Far over the misty mountians cold To dungeons deep and caverns old We must away, ere break of day, To claim our long-forgotten gold."
~The Hobbit
*shivers* This is what got me loving Tolkien, and it is why The Hobbit is my favorite. I know there are many different verses, but this one is my favorite.
3.
I got tired of writing these out, sorry it is a little small, if I make it any bigger it is blurry. That's what I get for being lazy.
Anyway, deep down we all love Strider, even if it is not as much as other characters. And this...!!! Beyond words.
4.
The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with weary feet, Until it joins some larger way, Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say.
~The Fellowship of the Ring
*sigh* How lovely.
5.
In Western lands beneath the Sun the flowers may rise in Spring, the trees may bud, the waters run, the merry finches sing. Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night and swaying beeches bear the Elven-stars as jewels white amid their branching hair. Though here at journey's end I lie in darkness buried deep, beyond all towers strong and high, beyond all mountains steep, above all shadows rides the Sun and Stars for ever dwell: I will not say the Day is done, nor bid the Stars farewell.
~The Return of the King
I love Sam!!
6.
"It is a lovely language, but it takes a very long time to say anything in it, because we do not say anything in it, unless it is worth taking a long time to say, and listen to."
~The Two Towers
Right so, Treebeard, right so.
7.
As far as he could remember, Sam slept through the night in deep content, if logs are contented.
Haha! I was laughing over this.
8.
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." ~The Hobbit
Oh yes, oh yes.
9.
"Bilbo Baggins, a bur--a hobbit," said poor Bilbo, shaking all over, and wondering how to make owl-noises before they throttled him.
"A burrahobbit?" said they a bit startled. Trolls are slow in the uptake, and mighty suspicious about anything new to them.
"What's a burrahobbit got to do in my pocket anyway?" said William.
10.
'Books ought to have good endings. How would this do: and they all settled down and lived together happily ever after?'
~The Fellowship of the Ring
Be sure to go check out all the fun HERE!!! Thank you so much Hamlette!!
Hello everybody!
Today is the second day, "The Mad", in Christina Wehner and Silver Screening's Movie Scientist Blogathon!
Today my focus is Dr. Nefario in Despicable Me (2010). Gru is technically a scientist, but he would be preferred to be called: evil genius, mastermind, or supervillain. And I guess "Vector" is a scientist, but, once again, he probably would like to go with a different name for it.
Yes, I know this movie is super weird, but I have two sisters so....
Despicable Me (2010):
Gru wants to be known as the best (worst) villain ever! To do that he comes up with a plan to steal.... the moon!
He first plans to steal a shrink-ray, then build a rocket and go to the moon, shrink it to a manageable size, and take it! His plans get temporarily foiled when "Vector" over hearing his plan steals the shrink-ray first. Gru adopts three girls, Margo, Edith, and Agnes, to sell cookies to "Vector" so he can get inside to steal it back. He gets in deeper then he could have imagined.
Genre: Action, Comedy. Lenth: 95 minutes (approx.) Costumes: 8, there is a scene where the annoying "Minions" have their pants pulled down. And there isn't really anything that exciting.
My sister wanted me to put a picture of what she calls the "Gru sweater"
Script: 9, a few bad words.
"Can I drink this?"
"Do you want to explode?" Crew: Directed by:
Pierre Coffin
Chris Renaud Produced by:
Chris Meledandri
John Cohen
Janet Healy Screenplay by:
Cinco Paul
Ken Daurio Starring:
Steve Carell as Gru.
Jason Segel as "Vector". "Vector: a mathematical term for both direction and magnitude, that's me, I'm committing crimes with both direction and magnitude!"
Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario. "Why..why...why...why do you have to be so old!?"
Dr. Nefario's name comes from the word "nefarious" meaning "Infamous by way of being extremely wicked." Dr. Nefario isn't exactly wicked, but he is a little mad. He is all about doing evil things, but he is very friendly. He is the (main) assistant to Gru and he really looks the part of a scientist complete with lab coat and goggles.. Even though he can be frustrating when he can't hear what is being said, he really can "bust some moves."
Miranda Cosgrove as Margo.
Dana Gaier as Edith.
This is so me, except I just smile and wave at the camera.
Elsie Fisher as Agnes.
Will Arnett as Mr. Perkins.
Kristen Wiig as Miss Hattie.
Julie Andrews as Marlena.
Pierre Coffin as Kevin, Tim, Bob, Mark, Phil and Stuart. Music: 7, it's just personal preference. Music by:
Heitor Pereira
Pharrell Williams ("roof" does not rhyme with "truth"!)
Quotes: 8,
"Why are you wearing pajamas?"
"This isn't pajamas, it's a warm-up suit."
"What are you warming up for?"
"Really cool stuff that you dont' know about."
"Like sleeping?"
"These are not pajamas!!!!" Storyline: 7, there are some suggestive things, mild violence, and some crude humor. Good For: Orphans, People who feel alone.
Overall Score: 7!
Once again, thank you so much for reading! Make sure you go check out all the fun HERE!
Hello all you movie fans!
Today is the start of Cristina Wehner's and Silver Screening's Movie Scientist Blogathon!!
I have signed up to do Inspector Gadget. As there are so many scientists in this movie I was trying to decide which one to mostly write about, I finally decided to go with the good scientist, Brenda Bradford.
This movie is actually the movie where I decided to be a movie critic! I was telling my sister all about the things that I know about this movie, and she said, "You should have a movie review blog." That's how I'm here.
My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless it says so. But the comments might have spoilers.
Inspector Gadget (1999):
Based on the TV show:
When John Brown gets into an accident in order to save him the doctors have to put in a lot of machinery. Brenda Bradsford finds this is the perfect excuse put to use her father's plan for a 'robo-cop', a living man and a robot at the same time.
Scolex (Claw) is going to get his revenge on John, because in that accident Scolex lost his hand.
John tries to be a good cop, but he has no idea how.
Genre: Action. Costumes: 8, there is a bit where some one's pants get pulled down, and where someone is just wearing a hospital nightgown. My favorite: I don't know why, but I have always like this of Penny's.
Script: 8, a few bad words.
"Go go gadget: oil slick!" Crew: Directed by: David Kellogg Produced by:
Roger Birnbaum
Andy Heyward
Jordan Kerner
Aaron Meyerson Screenplay by:
Kerry Ehrin
Zak Penn Based on: Inspector Gadget (1983 TV Show) - by Andy Heyward, Jean Chalopin, Bruno Bianchi Starring:
Matthew Broderick as Inspector Gadget/John Brown.
Joely Fisher as Dr. Brenda Brandford:
Brenda really is as good a scientist as you can get. She wants to help all the people she can with her knowledge of science. She is great at inventing things, especially things that can talk!
Rupert Everett as Sanford Scolex/Dr. Claw.
Michelle Trachtenberg as Penny Brown.
Dabney Coleman as Chief Frank Quimby III.
D. L. Hughley (voice) as the Gadgetmobile.
Cheri Oteri as Mayor Wilson.
Michael G. Hagerty as Sykes.
Howdy, y'all!
(That is seriously the first time I have ever said that!)
("She never says that!") ("Anyone...? Anyone...?")
I am here because today is the day of Rachel Kovaciny's (Hamlette) cover reveal of here new book, Cloaked!
Rachel is already the author of The Man on the Buckskin Horse, part of the Five Magic Spindles collection.
Now, for the big reveal... DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!
*drums*
*boom, boom, boom*
*ratta tatta ratta tatta*
*symbols*
TA NA! (Yes, I know it's ta da, but I have always said ta na. I must be Tiger.)
Isn't it gorgeous!!!??? It was designed by Erika Ohlendorf (bravo!!!).
Things I love about it:
The way the mountains make his hat,
The detail on the cloak,
The wolf,
The trees,
The color.
It is Little Red Riding Hood re-imagined as a western: On the way to Wyoming Territory to visit her grandmother for the first time, sixteen-year-old Mary Rose meets a charming accountant with a sinister interest in her grandmother's ranch.
Doesn't this just sound so amazing!! It will be out later this month and I can't wait to read it!!!!!!!!
Hello!
Today marks the start of Hamlette's Alan Ladd Blogathon!!!! (Wow, MC you are actually participating on the first day instead of the last minute? Shush.) Be sure to check it out HERE.
So, I had never seen anything with Alan Ladd in it but when Hamlette announced this I knew that this was my chance! Digging through our DVD and VCR collection (and it is digging, we have a lot) I found one, starring Bob Hope with a cameo by Alan Ladd. I was worried that it wouldn't be enough, but he has a big enough part to actually have a character name!
It was actually really enjoyable, and I was laughing quite a few times!
My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless it says so.
My Favorite Brunette (1946):
"All my life I wanted to be a hard boiled detective like Humphrey Bogart, or Dick Powell, or even Alan Ladd."
Ronnie Jackson, baby photographer, wants to be a detective. When Sam McCloud, the next door detective, goes away for awhile he leaves Ronnie the job of answering the calls. Ronnie is messing around in there pretending he is a detective when Baroness Carlotta Montay comes in asking for help finding her relative. Ronnie plays the part, pretending he is Sam McCloud because she is so beautiful and this is his chance. He gets into a lot more then he thought he would...
"You don't have to pull a gun on me to kiss me."
Genre: Comedy, Film Noir, Mystery, Romance. Length: 88 minutes (approx.) Costumes: 6, there are parts where people are just wearing towels or bathrobes. Costumes by: Edith Head.
Script: 9, "Well, let me tell you something...I like long drives." Crew: Directed by: Elliott Nugent Produced by: Danny Dare Screenplay by:
Edmund Beloin
Jack Rose Starring:
Bob Hope as Ronnie Jackson. "He'll take any kind of a role."
Dorothy Lamour as Carlotta Montay.
Peter Lorre as Kismet.
Lon Chaney, Jr. as Willie.
Alan Ladd as Sam McCloud.
Frank Puglia as Baron Montay
John Hoyt as Dr. Lundau
Charles Dingle as Major Simon Montague
Reginald Denny as James Collins
Ann Doran as Miss Rogers
Music: 8. Music by: Robert Emmett Dolan. Quotes: 7, "Nutty as a fruitcake with all that beautiful frosting."
Notes: Kismet at one time asks, "Can either of you tell me who the eighth president was?" But we never get the answer. Right off the top of my head I can tell you Martin Van Buren.
My favorite scene is the one where Ronnie is "looking" for evidence.
Who doesn't want a camera like that!? Storyline: 7, there is some suggestive stuff, death, kissing, smoking (bleh!), and drinking(gross!). But this is a hilarious film, and it is a good one!
Overall Score: 7!
Sorry that my pictures are sort of blurry!
Thank you so much for reading! Be sure to check out all the goings on HERE!
