A dark little backstory for one of the characters. Ramora’s faced with a difficult choice. Her parents have arranged for her to marry a merchant who’s much older and basically wants a servant. On the other hand, a shady little fairy offers her a way out for a price.
Additional Comments:
I don’t know enough about the P.A.W.S. series to get the full impact of this story. Pretty sure I’ve only read one of the books.
That said, I like the concept of backstories that flesh out the origins of each character.
Without spoiling much, one does come to sympathize with the title character. She didn’t seem to have many good options.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for more P.A.W.S., this is a good addition to the collection.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
This story picks right up from where the first in the series left off. (And it ends much the same way, with a wrap-up of this part but leaving things wide open for a sequel.) The Resistance has won their first major battle against the evil empire. No, this isn’t Star Wars. It’s slightly more traditional fantasy, less space-y.
Additional Comments:
– Having heard the first one, it was nice to get to know the sister a little better.
– It’s been a while. I think it might have been more enjoyable if I remembered who was who going into the story.
– World-building 4/5: Intriguing extension on the first story where the wyvern and dragon blood and oil makes a big difference in the battles.
– The story has quite a few interesting characters, but I feel like we don’t really get to know some of them.
– Plot 4/5: Good guys have been betrayed and need to survive the onslaught of the evil empire.
– Ending 3.5/5 The ending felt good until the final twist which basically just opened it back up to a big, fat To Be Continued sign. I’m just not a fan of the tactic. It’s not quite as bad as a true cliffhanger, but the sentiment is there.
– Narration 4.5/5: I like Reuben Corbett’s voice. Pretty sure he did the first book in the series too, so there’s consistency between the works, which is nice.
Conclusion:
If you like dragons and epic adventure sort of fantasy, this is a great series to consider trying.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Check out this big Black Friday sale. There are over 150 titles available and they are all either $.99 or FREE!
There are also a long list of paperbacks for sale at incredibly discounted prices as well! And the good news is they are all clean reads! Be sure to go check out this amazing sale here.
(If you’d like any of my titles discounted in paperback, you have to email [email protected] … I think my website only has like 2 listed at full price.) I do sell series at a discount. That’s not specific to this sale.
Enter to win stuffs too. (Grand Prize winner receives 20 paperbacks and the 2nd place winner gets 20 e-book titles)
You can sign up for the giveaway here.
Fine Print: The giveaway runs from November 22nd till November 26th @12AM ET Grand prize open to US winners only. 2nd place prize is open Internationally.
Not quite ready to jump right in?
You Could Win These 20 Paperbacks … (Grand Prize)
Leandra’s Enchanted Flute by Katy Huth Jones
Mythical Doorways by Jenelle Schmidt
Faith is the Victory by Faith Blum
Kiera by Kate Willis
Because Anonymous Diana L. Sharples
After: Book One in The Neverway Chronicles by Savannah Jezowski
Specter: Book Two in The Neverway Chronicles by Savannah Jezowski
Eagle Eyes by Tammy Lash
London in the Dark by Victoria Lynn
When Beauty Blooms by Victoria Lynn
Aerisia: Land Beyond the Sunset by Sarah Ashwood
Iced and Nailed by Avery Daniels
There Was Always Laughter in Our House by Sarah Holman
Bridgers: A Parable (paperback) by Angie Thompson
Love Blind (paperback) by Angie Thompson
Code by Angie Thompson
Christmas Eve at the Backdoor by Rebekah Morris
The Seven Drawers by Kendra E. Ardnek
He’s Making Diamonds: A Teen’s Thoughts on Faith Through Chronic Illness by Sara Willoughby
You Could Win These 20 E-books … (2nd Place)
Beyond Broken Pencils by Julie C. Gilbert
Ashlynn’s Dreams by Julie C. Gilbert
Gather Round the Fables by Erika Matthews
The Case of the Tabloid Tattler by Perry Kirkpatrick AudioBook
The Twelve Cats of Christmas by Perry Kirkpatrick Audiobook
Coffee Shop Christmas Ebook by Ryana Lynn Miller
The Land of Cotton ebook by Ryana Lynn Miller
Entertaining Angels, Entertaining Angels Book 1 by Emerald Barnes
Secret’s Kept by Jennette Mbewe
The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue
Soldier On by Vanessa Rasanen
Burning Rose by Hope Ann
Iced and Nailed by Avery Daniels
Imani Earns Her Cape by Bokerah Brumley
October by J. Grace Pennington
Disowned by Sarah Addison Fox
My Compass Home by Michaela Bush
Summer Shadows and Necessary Evil by Killarney Traynor
Check out the whole sale. Most are discounted as ebooks and/or paperbacks.
Convinced yet?
ENTER NOW.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
If clean thriller is more your thing, try Scratched Off (New Release): FBI agent Samuel Kerman takes on a serial killer.
A simple yet effective ad for the movie. I don’t own it, but I don’t really see Disney complaining about me advertising for them here by posting a favorable review.
Spoilers after ads
A Worthy Sequel to Wreck-it Ralph
Summary:
The steering wheel breaks for Vanellope Von Schweetz’s game, Sugar Rush, and there is only one place they can get a replacement part: eBay. So, Ralph and the kid set off on a grand adventure to get into the internet and track down that part.
Additional Comments:
It’s a fun sequel that is different but almost as fun as the first.
The portrayals of the internet sometimes come uncomfortably close to reality.
Themes: There’s a lot in here if you want to unpack deeper meanings. Cyber bullying, friendship, changes to friendship, loyalty, growing up, internet safety, and much more are packed in here somewhere.
Part of the middle is irksome (when Ralph’s being an idiot and doing the breaking of the internet part). Everything works out, but the dark moments are rather dark.
As with the first movie, Easter Eggs lurk everywhere. That makes for a fun movie to see a couple of times.
Coolest new character: Shanks.
My favorite parts: Will put in after the ads in the spoiler section.
The mid-credit scene was amazing and hilarious.
Conclusion:
Fun family-friendly movie.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
OR
Spoiler Section:
I like how of the two options to fix the Ralph virus, the one that ultimately works is “therapy.” Because Ralph gets to figure things out on his own.
Funnies parts: Disney princesses save Ralph by using each of their skills. Nobody can understand Merida. Vanellope first meets the Disney Princesses. Spamly tries to catch Ralph but he goes right through the car. Fix-it Felix becomes a father of 15!
I wish we could have seen more of the original side characters from the first movie.
Wasn’t the movie poster I saw but a cool one none-the-less. I do not own the pic.
Summary:
A faithful if predictable retelling of the Robin Hood tale. It’s got all the names you remember from ages past. This shows a bit more of the backstory between Robin and Little John (Jamie Foxx). This time Marian (Eve Hewson) is a commoner. Robin (Taron Egerton) is a noble. Friar Tuck (Tim Minchin) is part of the church but not very happy with what it has become in Nottingham.
Additional Comments:
– Over the years there have been countless retellings of the Robin Hood story. This particular one picks the darker road. It’s not as fun as the old cartoon fox one (still my favorite). Or as irreverent and silly as Robin Hood Men in Tights. My favorite live action retelling is actually the BBC television series.
– the sheriff is played by the same guy who portrays Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) in Rogue One. It’s almost the same character, a powerful crazy, evil guy willing to go to great lengths to gain more power.
– Fight scenes satisfied for sheer action, but the drawn out horse cart chase throughout the mines was rather pointless.
– The end twist is quite a stretch and just about as blatant a shameless plug for a sequel as I have ever seen.
– I might end up seeing it again because one of my friends couldn’t make it the first time, but it’s not a must-see-multiple-times movie.
– I am glad to have seen it.
– Jaime Dornan’s character (Will Scarlet – not sure I knew that in the movie) came across as largely useless.
– Marian’s side story didn’t make much sense. It worked out in the end though. I am not sure how a woman in her position would even know to look for what she was searching the castle for.
– The training sequences filled space and made the transition between lord and outlaw more believable.
– Costuming seemed odd. The Sherriff’s coat and Marian’s leather jacket and red shirt both looked way too modern for the story.
Conclusion:
Worth seeing once or twice. Not sure a theater is necessary if you own a decent sized television.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Generic cool promo photo I found at random. Probably copyrighted but clearly made to promote the movie.
*Spoilers after the ads*
Fun Filler Material for the Harry Potter World
Summary:
Fantastic Beasts introduced us to Eddie Redmayne’s character, Newt Scamander, and a whole host of oddball characters and creatures. The Crimes of Grindelwald picks up where the last movie left off. Presumably a few months have gone by. There’s the prologue where Grindelwald escapes and then it pulls a “3 months later” bit, but I’m not quite sure how long Grindelwald was in prison in New York.
Additional Comments:
Given the title, I honestly thought we’d see more of Grindelwald. His main crime was escaping. He’s certainly got a cult-like following, but we don’t naturally see him do much illegal.
The plot seems scattered.
Overall: It’s a mix of really cool, fast action sequences, talking, walking, talking, explaining lore to the audience, and talking some more. There are some undeniably sweet sections of the movie that keep it entertaining, but it’s not quite a perfect movie.
Humor: Cat toy. If/when you see this movie, look for the cat toy. It’s an amazing sequence.
The lady who plays Queenie still looks like Keira Knightly to me. Not sure why. The voice used is somewhat similar to the fairy in the new Nutcracker movie, but not quite as annoying.
Jacob seemed useless in the first movie, and he sort of comes across that way again.
The beasts in here are few and far between but either terrifying, awesome, or gosh-darn cute. I am starting to like the little mole-like critter who steals things.
What saves the movie? Action sequences. Easter eggs. It’s a blatant money grab, but an effective one.
Conclusion:
It’s a movie worth watching once or twice. It’s actually probably best suited for the casual Harry Potter fan. Rabid fans are going to nitpick even more than I did.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
OR
Spoiler Section:
Leta’s story is tragic. She seems like a really cool character, but you really hardly get to know the lady. I like that her fear is explained to us, but that whole journey’s quite the story info-dumping stretch. I don’t see much of a different way to deliver the twist, but that’s besides the point. With the budget they had, they ought to have done better.
Confusing points: I’m not sure if I don’t know enough lore or I know too much, but I thought in Harry Potter there was a section where Dumbledore talks about his brother with there being a mental picture of him. If Credence is the brother then how the heck could there be a picture of him. Was that just a lie on Grindelwald’s part? I feel like the writers painted themselves into a corner a few times and then were like “nope, just kidding, none of that happened … it’s really this way.”
The Nagini part also confused me. Besides being Credence’s friend, does she have any relevance?
I like that they clarified why Dumbledore couldn’t fight Grindelwald, even if the explanation’s kind of weak. They tried valiantly.
Eventful, quite violent prequel to The Crimson Claymore. Arria loves her mother so much she’s willing to use dark magic in a desperate attempt to save her.
Additional Comments:
– Content Warnings: Fantasy violence, quite a bit of it. Decapitations, torture, rape, imprisonment, blood sacrifices, if it’s violent and dark it’s probably at least talked about in here.
– This story is equally about Starlyn and her sister, Arria with a wee bit about their mother.
– World Building 4/5: The author has a complex and rich world filled with several races. The focus is not on humans, which is refreshing for a fantasy tale.
– I kind of wanted to know more about the mage. It’s been a while since I heard The Crimson Claymore, but I think it might be the same mage.
– Audio 2/5: The narrator is okay, but the audio quality is poor. There’s a tinny quality that makes it sound like it’s coming through a can.
Conclusion:
If you’ve enjoyed The Crimson Claymore, this story is a nice way to get re-acquainted with the characters.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
I do not own the pic. It’s a generic promo one created to entice people to get their behinds to the theater and see this.
*Spoiler Free
Classic Story, New Wrapping, New Voice
Summary:
This time, Benedict Cumberbatch gets to voice the classic grump. Pretty sure Max is new, as is Fred (the corpulent reindeer).
Additional Comments:
– I don’t know enough about the original story to tell if it was changed much. I’m guessing the short story doesn’t include everything that happened in the movie because it’s significantly shorter.
– Narrator: I get why you need a narrator here, but I found it somewhat jarring at times.
– Beautiful Animations (4.5/5): Besides the grinch himself who’s classically green, there are quite a bit of beautiful scenes.
– Music 3.5/5: I still love the whos Christmas song.
– I’m not sure why the movie didn’t launch 2 weeks before Christmas. It makes more sense. They might want to capitalize on the beginning of the season, but honestly, it’s going to be a footnote by the time Christmas rolls around.
– Humor 3/5: Most of the funny lines were in the trailer.
– Max is adorable. So is Fred.
– Plot/ Moral 4/5: Typical for this type of movie. Not sure there’s more to squeeze out of this, but I would have liked for something to surprise me.
– Cindy Lou Who sounds like the girl from Despicable Me (Margo, I think).
– Kid safe, though judging from the people next to me, boring for most adults. (Or they’re just phone addicts, 50-50 shot either option is correct.)
Conclusion:
If you’re a diehard stickler for being true to source material, you will likely hate this. If you’re just in it for a nice way to spend the afternoon with the kids, it fits the bill.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Thanks for checking out the second half of my explanations for the songs on the 1819 Songs for Students playlist. This half starts off pretty strong with a song about not letting life knock you down.
The Middle Songs …
Higher The Score (Atlas)
“Scraped my knees, bruised my heart
It’s where you end, not where you start”
“All my life
I have been fighting, I have been fighting for this
Dream in my soul
And I won’t let it go”
Strength to Believe (Epic Score)
Another song you could believe playing during a moment where all heck breaks loose in a situation.
Never Give Up on Your Dreams by Thomas Bergersen (Two Steps from Hell Unleashed)
Thomas Bergersen does some amazing movie trailer type music. I love the title of this one. There are a lot of fantasy themes in this piece. In this case, I like that it’s long. It’s kind of a miniature epic tale. It just makes you feel: wow, this might be hard but I can make it.
Revolution by The Score (Atlas)
Fear is a natural part of life, but don’t let it conquer you. I don’t know exactly what you’re dealing with, but odds are good that others have been where you are and can help you.
“Can’t let time keep passing me by
Run down what I’ve always been chasing
Black out every fear I’ve been facing”
The Insurgency by Henry Jackman (Uncharted: The Lost Legacy)
This is more a “hey, danger is coming” theme. Facing unknown dangers seems to be the prevailing message behind what’s here. It’s also just a fun song.
See What I’ve Become by Zach Hemsey (The Way)
This song offers a significant slow down from the previous one before moving into a rousing marching type section in the middle.
Climax Songs …
Light That Fire by Oh The Larceny
I really just discovered this band on Spotify. Much of their music sounds the same. There seems to be a good theme of not giving up in there. Not a fan of the word “ain’t” but it has its uses.
“If I am beaten, I’m not defeated
I fight back to the top
Ain’t backin’ down no, we goin’ big
Ain’t stoppin’ now, we get after it”
Free produced by Tommee Profitt (features Svrcina)
The singer’s amazing. Check out the 1718 list if you want to hear more of her.
“Secrets tell a million lies
But the night still has a thousand nights
And when the truth is brought to light
You and I
Will be free, free, free.”
Be honest with yourself and others.
End Songs …
Light is Green by Kazuma Jinnoichi (from Halo 5)
This song has a very slow build, but when you pass the midpoint, it turns into something filled with profound conviction. The last minute is gorgeous.
Wallrunner by Stephen Barton (Titanfall)
Never played any of these games, but the music is pretty. It works very well with the previous song. Sort of like the extended credits score.
Flight of the Silverbird by Thomas Bergersen (Two Steps from Hell; Battlecry)
A soft, moving way to end. This song promises that there’s more to come yet this portion has ended. Hopefully, we’ll all make it through to the end and come out triumphant. There are portions ~1:21 that speak of great victory and parts about a continuing fight (~1:45).
Conclusion:
This list is definitely a work in progress. I’m happy with most of it, but there’s probably also undiscovered music. Every class has a character. I’m still getting to know the current batch of students, but if these music choices are any indication, I want to encourage them to not give up on finding their way in life.
Pacing Note:
I tried to mix in contemplative themes and upbeat ones. The few songs at the very end might be relocated because they were added very recently.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
Ashlynn’s Dreams Shorts – a kid deals with her parents’ divorce, bullies, and the wonder of discovery.
Try The Dark Side of Science – Genetically altered kids fight for the right to live.
Claire Foy plays the part of Lisbeth Salander, a hacker who quickly slips way in over her head. She’s hired to steal back a program Balder created for the US National Security Agency. Things get complicated from there when the work is traced back to her and the bad guys come to get it with a not-so-gentle hand.
Additional Notes:
– I’ve not actually seen the other movies in the series, so I didn’t know many of the characters going into this.
– Main Character (4/5 stars): Lisbeth is not exactly a warm fuzzy character. But she is strong and capable, a survivor at heart. There’s a bit of a Lara Croft vibe about her. The actress and stunt people earned their keep.
– Side Characters (3/5 stars): Pretty much people’s names blurred or disappeared into who they were (the kid, the father, the NSA guy, the journalist, the Swedish security lady, and so forth.)
– High Tech: There’s a part near the end that relies very heavily upon technology that may or may not exist, and it’s downright awesome. I’ll explain more in the spoiler section.
– Story (3.5/5): There are a lot of coincidences and symmetry between past and present. If you saw the trailer you actually saw about 80% of the movie.
Content Warnings:
Definitely not a kids movie. I think the first thing you see is a naked lady walking by. There are also high levels of violence throughout. It depicts everything from child abuse to torture to murder. Strong language is used, though I would say they kept it limited at least to the point where it had some impact when f-bombs dropped.
Who is this movie for?:
Well, fans of the books are probably going to nitpick everything that is or isn’t faithful to the original stories, still, they’ll probably enjoy it. Newcomers who just like thrillers should be entertained if their expectations aren’t too high. It’s a thriller. They’re not exactly known to be brain busters.
The fact that it contains some very heavy hitting topics is a slight downer, but I suppose you could chalk it up to defining the character.
Conclusion:
I’m not tempted to go out and buy the books or see the other movies, but I was entertained for the 2-ish hours running time. It’s well-acted overall and contains a few surprises and shocking moments.
Associate links to follow…
(If you click through and buy something, there’s the chance I’ll earn like $0.04 … not kidding, that’s basically it.)
Amazon Prime
The Collins Case – 2 FBI agents track down a kidnapped family. Kid friendly.
If fantasy’s more your thing, go Redeemer Chronicles. The first, Awakening, is available as an audiobook.
If clean thriller is more your thing, try Scratched Off (New Release): FBI agent Samuel Kerman takes on a serial killer.
OR
Spoiler Section:
Other random comments:
– Her sister’s clothing choices leave something to be desired. The deep blood red is overkill.
– I absolutely loved the section with the NSA guy going back to his sniper training and taking people out through the house walls.
– The flashbacks to her childhood were sad. The sexual abuse was hinted at strongly in the beginning and alluded to more directly later on. It definitely messed with Camilla Salander.
– The part where they offed the father was kind of shocking. The boy being a genius is somewhat predictable yet still satisfying.
