Monday, 17 February 2014

Movie Review: The LEGO Movie



I'm going to be honest here. When I saw the trailer for this movie, I was just 'meh' about it. I had no desire to see it. Even when my 5 year old daughter asked, I told her we'd just wait for the DVD. Yeah, I'm a mean mom.
Then it was released, and everyone and their dog went to see it. And everyone I know absolutely raved about it. One person that I hold in very high esteem literally couldn't stop tweeting about its brilliance. Well, that made me curious, and so my daughter and I made a date to see it this weekend.

You guys...oh my God, you guys, everything makes sense now. I get it. I understand the raving. I understand the reviews. I understand the 'best movie of the year' talk, even thought it's only February and there are still a butt-ton of movies to be released.
This movie was perfect. It was fun and touching and hilarious and magical.

My 5 year old loved it, although it was slightly beyond her understanding. It was a bit too complicated for her to follow, but with the bazillion actions scenes, that she didn't seem to care what else was going on.
Just a small warning-- This might be too much for busy or over-excitable kids. Like I said, there's a TON of action. This movie is non-stop, and that may cause many wiggles and over-stimulation in some kids. Also, there were one or two scenes that were difficult for my daughter to watch. More sensitive kids may cry or be sad. It helped when I reminded her that it wasn't real, but there were still a few tears.
Those parts are over quickly, and little brains are also able to move on. My daughter did want to discuss one certain tough part after the movie, but the movie handles the storyline well, and that particular sad part doesn't stay sad for long.

I'm really, really glad that I was able to experience such a wonderful movie with my daughter. She's been watching the 'blooper' video (see below) and the trailer since we got home, and she won't stop talking about it.

EVERYONE should see this movie, and, yes, everything IS awesome!




Book Review: The Troop by Nick Cutter

Paperback
368 pages
Expected Release Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster Canada)
Author: Nick Cutter
HUGE thank you to S&S Canada for providing this book for review!



Boy Scouts live by the motto “Be Prepared.” However, nothing can prepare this group of young boys and their scoutmaster for what they encounter on a small, deserted island, as they settle down for a weekend of campfires, merit badges, and survival lessons.

Everything changes when a haggard stranger in tattered clothing appears out of nowhere and collapses on the campers’ doorstep. Before the night is through, this stranger will end up infecting one of the troop’s own with a bioengineered horror that’s straight out of their worst nightmares. Now stranded on the island with no communication to the outside world, the troop learns to battle much more than the elements, as they are pitted against something nature never intended…and eventually each other.





Morbid, gross, disturbing, disgusting, shocking, horrifying, and a HELL of a lot of fun!

Let me start by saying that this book is NOT FOR TEENS.
This is an adult read. through and through.
It's very graphic and NOT for the squeamish. I have a stomach of steel, but even I had to skim over some parts (especially one involving a turtle), and take short breaks while I read to look at pretty rainbows and cute puppies to wash my brain.

A group of teen boy scouts and their scoutmaster are camping on a deserted island off the shores of PEI,  when a very ill stranger shows up needing help.
I'm not going to get into the actual illness, but needless to say, what happens next is morbidly chaotic, and each boy handles it differently.

The Troop is being marketed as 'the book that scared Stephen King' and 'a cross between Lord of the Flies and 28 Days Later'.
While I didn't find it scary, I did find it delightfully gruesome and gory. The author pulls no punches with the blood and guts, and at times almost seems to be trying to 1-up himself with the shock value.

The character development is fabulous, the writing is fantastic, the pace is page-turning, and the subject matter is terrifyingly worrisome! :-O

If you're a fan of horror and psychological thrillers, you'll eat up The Troop!


Friday, 14 February 2014

Blackout Cover Reveal and Giveaway!


Blackout (T.O.E. Trilogy, Book 2)
Release Date: March 19, 2014
Centrinian Publishing Ltd

Summary from Goodreads:
What was shall no longer be. Was was not shall now become.

Despite having the protection of the talisman and the Legion, a reforming force of warrior angels and elementals, guarding his every move, things are not looking good for Charlie Blake. Tasked with the responsibility of saving mankind, finding the four diamonds to restore the talisman is all he can think of, but when his prophetic visions start to invade his reality and he suddenly can’t distinguish the dream world from the real world, the pending extinction of mankind becomes the least of his problems. Everyone assumes Charlie’s dormant powers are activating, until he starts showing symptoms of a deadly disease.

With his nemesis, Gaddis, threatening the lives of his loved ones, he faces a race against time to locate Raphael’s Stone, the air diamond, before an imminent pandemic destroys civilization. As he ventures into dangerous lands once again, he unearths shocking revelations about his past life that forces him to question his allegiance. With no one to turn to for answers, he can’t help but wonder if his purpose is truly to save mankind.


Excerpt from Blackout:

Charlie’s eyes shifted back and forth between Derkein and the knife. Derkein had a look in his eyes he didn’t recognise. This wasn’t the man he had moved in with. He wasn’t the man who was soon to become his adoptive father. This was an impostor.

‘My father always said everything happened for a reason,’ Derkein said, ‘but he never met you. What good is immortality if I’m stuck in one place?’ He stopped and dropped his arm by his side, the knife slipping out of his grasp and landing with a clunking noise on the marble floor.

Charlie stopped, leaving a few inches between him and Derkein, who was standing with a guarded stance. Charlie couldn’t help but wonder who was more afraid of whom.

‘You’ve left me to rot in this god forsaken world for the rest of my life, so forgive me if I seem a tad ungrateful,’ Derkein went on in a flat tone. His blank expression left no room for interpretation. ‘If I have to rot in hell, I don’t see why I should have to suffer alone.’

Charlie didn’t see it coming. Derkein lunged at him, grabbed him by the arms, and thrust him backwards. Charlie waited for the collision of his back with the conservatory door, but the impact didn’t occur. Instead, he found himself falling and landing hard on his back in darkness. The only source of light came from the kitchen ahead of him where Derkein was standing.

‘Why do you look so surprised?’ Derkein asked. ‘What did you expect was going to happen when you resurrected me, or did I not deserve the common courtesy of a conscious thought? I’m not like you. I’m not like them. Tell me, Charlie. What am I, exactly?’

Charlie rose up into a sitting position. He didn’t have the answers Derkein was seeking. ‘I’m sorry.’ The words barely escaped his mouth.

‘Yeah. Me too.’ In the blink of an eye, Derkein and the kitchen vanished, leaving Charlie in complete darkness. He sat in the empty silence, waiting. It wasn’t until he heard his rapid breathing that he realised panic had overcome him. Charlie scampered to his feet and charged ahead of him, ramming into the hard, rough texture of a brick wall.

‘Derkein!’ he yelled, pounding the wall with his fists. ‘Derkein, please –’

‘Sol.’

Charlie felt a crawling sensation move down his spine as a shrill voice echoed around him. With his palms braced against the wall, he remained still as the voice slowly faded. He held his breath as silence invaded the space once again. When the voice didn’t return, he made a move to the right, running his hand over the wall as he searched for the door.

Within seconds, he felt a tingle of cold air on the back of his neck that made him jump, and he released his breath. He spun around, shifting his head left and right, but his eyes couldn’t penetrate the darkness that surrounded him.

He reached up towards his neck and froze. The rhythm of his heart accelerated as he moved his hand over his chest in search of the familiar touch of the two silver rings he had become so accustomed to over the past five years, but the chain wasn’t around his neck. Although he couldn’t see anything, he suddenly felt as though the darkness was closing in on him, compressing his lungs as if attempting to stifle him.

A spotlight appeared a few feet in front of him, and his heart stopped. He gulped down the lump forming in his throat as he stared at the figure submerged in the light, dangling about two feet off the ground.


About the author Alecia Stone

Alecia Stone is a full-time writer who spends most of her days with her head in a book. She loves anything and everything paranormal - the stranger the better. Her fascination with all things supernatural sparked her obsession with books, particularly young adult fantasy fiction, which she has never grown out of. She graduated with a BA in Film & TV and has worked in television for a short period of time before branching out into storytelling.

When she's not writing, she enjoys watching movies and travelling. Blackout is the sequel to the Amazon bestselling YA fantasy novel Talisman Of El. She currently lives in the UK with her family.

Author Links:

Cover Reveal Organised by:

Blackout Cover Reveal Giveaway

Ends March 31st.

International. Open to anyone who can receive gifted ebooks from amazon.com and gift cards from either amazon.com or amazon.co.uk. Alternatively, gift card winners may opt for Paypal cash ($10) or a book of choice from The Book Depository ($10).

Tuesday, 11 February 2014

Things I'm Obsessing About Today...

Hi, guys!
So I thought I'd write a fun post about things that I've been obsessing about lately. Y'know, TV shows, music, toys, movies...whatever!
This might become a series of posts...the sky is the limit!...but for now, here's what I'm obsessing about today:

Downton Abbey



OMG, you guys, this show. This damn show! Okay, so Downton is an English primetime soap opera, but it's so much more than that.
It follows the family of an earl, including his wife, three daughters, distant cousins and his mother, the Dowager Countess.
But the twist is that is also follows the lives of their servants! So it's kinda like getting two shows in one, and it's so, so good!
I watched the first 3 seasons--there are only 9 episodes a season, and the first 2 seasons are on Netflix--in a week. I'm caught up with PBS, who is currently halfway through season 4.
Downton Abbey airs in Canada and the US on Sunday nights at 9pm ET.
Season 4 has concluded in the UK, and season 5 has been picked up.
Seriously, WATCH THIS SHOW.

Welcome to Nightvale



Welcome to Nightvale is a podcast, and it's hilariously brilliant and creepy. It's in the style of a radio show, with community announcements, local weather and news. It's hosted by a wonderful DJ, Cecil, and includes secret police, mysterious hooded figures, a glow cloud, a dangerous dog park, and so much more.
If you like creepy and funny, you'll love Nightvale.

Maple Sleigh Flavoured Coffee (Keurig)


I cannot even start my day without this coffee. It's SO GOOD. Seriously, if you love maple, and you love coffee, try it!

Peter Capaldi



Unless you're new here (and if you are, hi! Thanks for visiting!), you know that I LOVE Doctor Who. I couldn't be more excited/happy/thrilled that Capaldi is our next Doctor. I can't wait to see what he brings to the role, and I know that he's going to quickly become a favourite for me!

Low Carb Eating


Nope, you'll find no preaching here! But this is my list, and this is one thing that I'm obsessed with right now! I have a few pounds to lose, and, after trying many diets, I've found the one that works best for me. Losing weight while eating bacon, cheese, steak and butter? Yes, please!

The Olympics



Yep, I'm one of those people. I LOVE the Olympics, winter or summer, and it's on my TV 24/7 for the whole two weeks!

Reign



Although I don't have a the time I used to to write about it, I still LOVE this show. I love the story, the costumes, the hair, the boys, the cast, EVERYTHING!

And lastly,

School



I haven't mentioned here the reason WHY I don't have much time for blogging these days, but here it is.
Yup, I've gone back to school to get my high school diploma. Nope, I screwed around too much as a teen and never graduated in the first place, so this is a HUGE step for me! Also, I'm OLD you guys! So it's HARD!
But I'm on the honour roll with a 95% average, so, yay me!

And that's what I'm obsessing about today!

Thursday, 23 January 2014

Reign-- For King and Country

Image from the CW

After tonight’s episode, I had to write down a few thoughts!

Things have changed completely! Like, the whole show—changed! …I’m not sure I like it yet.

Bash and Mary were quickly found and brought back to the palace. Mary ultimatums (yes, that word is now a verb. Deal with it.) the king—To save Francis, she wants Bash legitimized, and she’ll marry him instead of Francis. Um, o…kay? Why is that good, exactly? Francis is a whiny, weak little boy. The only thing he had going for him was that he was going to be king one day. Hell, even Henry mentions how weak Frankie is! So, without the throne, without Mary…what’s going to happen to him?!

The king agrees (wat? He does? Why?), and Bash will be the new king after Henry dies. Henry is preeeetty pissed at Catherine, and he wants to kill her. Instead, he banishes her to a convent…But wait! At the very last second, he decides against that and keeps her around. He wants to keep an eye on her. Which is good, because I was FREAKING OUT. I mean, Megan Follows (and Bash’s eyes. Oh, and kitchen-boy…where the hell IS kitchen-boy anyway?!) is the BEST thing about this show, and I was seriously about to give up on it without her!

Oh, and THEN crazy bag-lady freaking STABS Nossie in the neck, yo! WHAT THE HELL, DUDE?! So…is he gonna die?!

But my question is—

When the hell is Mary going to tell Bash—the future king and her new fiancĂ©!—that she’s not a virgin?! I mean, that was NOT cool back in the day, right?! 

And lastly, WHERE THE HELL IS KITCHEN BOY?!
Oh, and poor Frankie, right? Yeah, I feel for him. But I’m Team Bash all the way. ;)

Monday, 13 January 2014

It's COLD! Here's a Simon & Schuster giveaway to warm you up!



Seriously, what better way to warm up then to win all of these goodies from my pals at S&S?!

Enter at www.staywarmbooks.ca for your chance to win everything you see in the pic above, and more!

...now get out of my way. I'm entering this puppy FIRST! ;)

Good luck, everyone!

Saturday, 28 September 2013

YA Book Review: Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Paperback
356 pages
Expected Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Series: The Internment Chronicles, Book 1
HUGE thank you to S&S Canada for sending me this book to review!


On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.
Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.


This book was my introduction to Lauren DeStefano. I have the Chemical Garden Trilogy sitting right over there on my shelf, but I haven't read it yet.
After reading Perfect Ruin, that trilogy will be moved waaaaaay up in my TBR pile.
This book was AMAZING.

You know when you read a book, and the plot just makes you go, 'WHERE DID THIS EVEN COME FROM IN SOMEONE'S BRAIN?!'? Like The Hunger Games or Harry Potter or the Uglies series? Where the author just blows your mind because you have no idea how someone could be so brilliant and have an imagination so wild that it thinks up the most wonderful things?
Yeah, THAT'S what this book is.

Hundreds of years ago (probably), a huge chunk of the earth is somehow taken from the ground and put up into the sky. Way up, like, miles and miles and miles. And it just kind of...hangs there.
The people who live on the earth have no contact with the people who live in the sky--which is called Internment.
The people who live on Internment pretty much believe that their 'sky God' is responsible for everything that happens in their lives. 
But some question that, and some feel like they want more out of life. Some even try to go to the edge--something that is strictly forbidden--and see the ground for themselves. And sometimes those people even try to jump off.

Perfect Ruin is the story of Morgan, who's brother was one of those jumpers.
Morgan is a normal girl on Internment, with normal friends and a normal boyfriend--her betrothed, because the people of Internment can't choose who they want to marry.
But Morgan, like her brother, wants more
And so the story begins.

I really enjoyed the romance in this book. It's not shoved in your face with constant make-out sessions.
It's subtle and sweet and just really normal. 
I loved pretty much every character, with the exception of Royals--who we're supposed to hate--and Thomas, but I think even he will grow on my throughout the series.
Pen, Morgan and Basil are particularly easy to relate to.

I'd definitely recommend this book to all kids 12 and up, and to their parents. 
It's definitely a great book to read together and discuss.

The only downside? 
Now I have to wait until 2015 for book two! [Vader]NOOOOOOOOOOO![/Vader]