Review for Thor: The Dark World

Here is a review. A bit overdue, but here nonetheless!


Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, language and some suggestive content




When Thor is faced with an enemy that seems undefeatable, he sets out on a quest--his most perilous and personal one yet. One that will bring him to Jane Foster and one that will force him to sacrifice everything to save mankind.


Despite what most people say, I loved this movie! I thought that it was very intense, was well done and had tons of humor. I thought the visual effects were amazing and liked all of the twists and turns. This one made me like Loki even more than in The Avengers, as before when I first was introduced to him in Thor, I didn't like him very well. That changes in Thor 2. The humorous scenes between him and Thor were absolutely hilarious!


Consensus: Thor 2 kept my attention from beginning to end. The visual effects are breathtaking, transporting you in between multiple worlds. Not short on humor, sure to make you laugh way more than once.

10/10

Cheers!

Review for The Croods

Here is a review for a movie that I loved!


Rated PG for some scary action




 Nicholas Cage, Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds lead the voice cast.


The Croods tells the story of the world's first family road trip. When their cave is destroyed, the Crood family must embark on a comedy adventure into strange and spectacular territory in search of a new home. As if patriarch Grug (Cage) didn't already have enough to handle, it goes from bad to worse when they encounter an imaginative nomad named Guy (Reynolds.) With Guy's help the Croods conquer their fear of the outside world and discover that they have exactly what it takes to survive - each other.

This movie I have to say, is hands down, one of my new most favorite movies! I didn't expect to actually laugh as hard as I did! (I usually don't laugh too hard at animated movies unless they're really funny.) The Crood family was hilarious and it was a cool adventure story. Very touching at the end.

Consensus: The Croods is a colorful, fun movie the family can have fun watching. Filled with adventure and plenty of laughs to go around, it is sure to entertain the young and young at heart.

10/10

Cheers!

Review for Monsters University (2013)

Here is another review!

Rated G








This movie goes back in time, before Mike and Sulley were best friends. It shows how they go from hating each one another, to overcoming their differences and becoming the best of friends.

I have to admit I liked this movie a lot better than I thought I would. It's a good family movie, and it's funny. It was cool to see Mike and Sulley meet for the first time, and how they were before they got their jobs as "scarers."

Consensus: Monsters U is a fun movie that the whole family can enjoy.  It shows that you can accomplish your dreams if you work hard enough, and even more so when you have friends there beside you.

8.5/10

Cheers!

Review for Wreck-It Ralph

I am really excited to review this one!

Rated PG for some rude humor and mild action/violence





Ralph has been doing the same thing for decades--being the bad guy and smashing things all the while watching Fix-It Felix steal all the glory by coming in and saving the day. Tired of being the "bad guy", he decides to break away and discover what's outside the game. As he finds himself in another game, he sets out to win a medal for himself, as he had never been given one before, and before he knows it, finds himself in yet another game--Sugar Rush. When he loses grasp of his medal once there, he stumbles upon a cute little girl name Vanellope von Schweetz, who quickly tags alongside him in Sugar Rush. Ralph soon finds himself on an adventure of a lifetime, and soon learns that he may not be all that bad after all.

This was probably the best animated movie that I have yet seen this year. I loved it! Super cute, had a great storyline and a great family movie. You immediately become attached to Ralph, and soon Felix and most definitely Vanellope. I loved the colorful, fun world of Sugar Rush and the animation was awesome. Definitely want to watch this one again!

Consensus: Wreck-It Ralph is a colorful explosion of fun (yes, it does sound like I just described Lucky Charms and Froot Loops) and is sure to entertain and capture everyone's attention. Recommended for all ages, it will have you wanting to watch it more than once!

10/10

Cheers!

Review for Oblivion (2013)

Hello! I now have some movies to blog about, as I have been watching more movies lately than I have in some time. So, as promised, here is one to start with!






2077. Earth had been ravaged from decades of war against a terrifying alien force, and the entire population has been evacuated. Except for Jack Harper, a security repairman stationed on Earth which has evolved beyond recognition. As part of a massive operation to collect vital resources after the war from the aliens who still scavenge what remains, Jack's mission is nearly complete. In two weeks, he will be able to join the survivors that remain on a lunar colony far away from the war-torn world he has long called his home. Living in and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, Jack's soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a crashed spacecraft. Drawn to Jack by a connection that transcends time and logic, her arrival sets off a chain of events that brings him to question all that he believed he knew. With the shattering reality he finds the shocking truths that tie him to Earth of the past, and will be pushed to a heroism he never knew he had within. The fate of humanity now lies solely in the hands of a man that believed that our world was to be lost forever.

I liked this quite well. It was an interesting film, and had multiple layers. It had some really cool aircraft flying scenes. Really futuristic, but a little different than most of the apocalyptic films that have been coming out recently. Only one inappropriate scene, but easily skipped over.

Consensus: Oblivion brings the post-apocalyptic view of Earth 64 years into the future into a cool perspective, with some of the famous landmarks in deterioration. It has what most sci-fi fans like, with drones and alien "Scavengers" on the loose, and aircrafts and space crafts. Romance is in there too, and there is also some breathtaking above-the-clouds (and below) scenery.

4/5

Cheers!

Hello out there.

Things have been crazy busy lately, so not much time to blog. Although, I have been watching quite a few movies lately and reading when I can, so I will be dishing out some reviews soon. I feel like it's been possibly forever since I last reviewed a book. Maybe that's because it has been forever! (There's a book that I need to review that I finished some time ago.)
Fall is now here, and that's a wonderful thing in and of itself! The leaves are turning and it's a beautiful sight to see. It's also good weather for taking walks and enjoying the sunshine, even if it has been on the warm side as of late. Fall makes me happy. Not only because of the gorgeous weather, but because it's also the time of my birthday! So, maybe I'm getting just a little excited, haha.


Cheers!

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004)

All For Fun And Fun For All

Best buddies Mickey, Donald and Goofy are small-time janitors with big dreams of becoming
Musketeers. Their lives are turned upside down when  Peg-leg Pete, captain of the Musketeers,
and his sinister lieutenant Clarabelle use them in a dastardly plot to rid the kingdom of Princess
Minnie--the only mouse standing in Pete's way of the throne. Mickey, Donald and Goofy may
not look like heroes, but they have a surprise for Pete. Powered by teamwork and friendship,
they soon learn that they can accomplish anything if they work together.





Rated G


Consensus: The Three Musketeers is a cute and fun movie that packs
adventure and humor, and is just all-around fun! A great movie to enjoy
with the whole family!

10/10

Cheers!

Review for Bending Toward the Sun

Can the Divine Quilter stitch together the torn pieces of Emilie’s heart?
Divided between the love of her father and the desires of her heart, Emilie Heinrich must rely on the love and wisdom of the women in her quilting circle for support. Since Emilie is dedicated to her education and to helping her father in his general store, she is convinced she doesn't have time for love. But when a childhood friend returns to St. Charles, Missouri, after serving in the Civil War, his smile and charm captures Emilie’s eye and her heart.

Quaid McFarland has a gentleness and humor that causes Emilie to question her indifference toward romance. But her German father sees only one thing when he looks at the young man: an Irish teamster. And Johann Heinrich is not about to let such a man court his beloved daughter.

Her father’s prejudices test Emilie’s faith in God’s ability to mend the patchwork pieces of her life. Will she be forced to choose between honoring her father and a future with a husband and family of her own?

This was a very enjoyable read! It was a short story, keeping my attention as everything was paced evenly and the story flowed nicely. It was a sweet story, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes historical romance. Very clean as well.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Lone Ranger

Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, comes The Lone Ranger, an epic train ride infused with action and humor.




Native American warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice.


This was beyond good. It was epic. Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it was a total thrill ride! Done very well, and had amazing music as well! I really liked that it had the classic Lone Ranger theme music incorporated in there too. Lots of humor, and a hilarious horse named Silver.

Consensus: The Lone Ranger is a train ride of epic proportions, infused with action and humor, taking the audience on a thrilling adventure. The masked hero is brilliantly brought to life as seen through new eyes. The music is nothing short of amazing, and you will find yourself not wanting the adventure to end.

10/10

Cheers!

Man of Steel

Hi, once again! I know that this is way behind, but nevertheless, here is another movie review!

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Henry Cavill, Amy Adams and Michael Shannon lead the cast

Rated PG-13
for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language

I loved this movie! I had gotten the chance to go to the Midnight showing in 3D, and it
did not disappoint. It was very awesome, with breathtaking visual effects, making you
feel as if you're soaring alongside Superman. The music score was sleek and flawless,
appropriately accompanying every scene. It was action-packed as well, some scenes
being very intense. A different take from any of the original Superman stories, but
I liked that it was. Worth seeing twice. (I did!)

Consensus: Man of Steel is flawlessly done, from the acting and the storyline, to the action and score. It is nothing short of epic, and is well worth the time to go and see. Different than any of the other Superman films, but in no way is it different in a negative sense. It leaves plenty of space for a sequel, and, if you're paying close enough attention, you will catch other little tidbits of DC related clues.

10/10


Cheers!

Star Trek Into Darkness

Hello once again! I bring you a new review! It seems I have been pumping out more reviews lately, what with seeing some new movies recently and more book reviews than before. (I think there was a bit of a dry spell in blogging) Anyway, I suppose I will jump into filling the page with the subject matter that I came here to blog about tonight.







After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from
within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone
world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldana lead an all-star cast.

Rated PG-13
for intense sequences of sc-fi action and violence



First off, I knew that I wanted to see this. I knew that it had potential to be
amazing. The more previews I saw, I knew that I was going to like
it. I went and saw it and I LOVED it! It's sleek, has non-stop action, and has
everything any Star Trek fan could ever dream of asking for. As I had seen the
first one a few years ago when it was available on dvd, it was, at parts,
(Star Trek fans don't hate me for saying this) hard to follow and get in to.
There were parts that I liked about it, but being as I had never really been an original
Star Trek show/movie fan, I didn't really know where it would take me. But I
knew that I would probably like it. And, I didn't really know what to expect,
other than they were going to be going on missions and such in space. This one
I could follow quite easily, minus the fact that it has been a few years since watching
the first one, though I did feel like I may have been missing something, like a
forgotten character or something from the first movie's storyline that was supposed
to carry on into this one. So perhaps I need to make a mental note to revisit it.
Maybe fill in a few gaps that would bring me through the things I might have missed.
But, I suppose that concludes this post.

Consensus: Star Trek Into Darkness has all the bells and whistles that any
Star Trek fan could hope for. It's an action-packed joyride that pulls you
in from start to finish and makes you feel as though you're part of the crew.
With its flawless score of music, and phenomenal acting from a stellar cast,
you're sure to become an overnight fan if you weren't otherwise.

10/10

Review for The Widow of Saunders Creek

Eight years after her husband Jarrod is killed in Iraq, Corrie Saunders returns to the 150-year-old
home in the Ozarks that he left to her. Not only has she come back to have the old house renovated,
she has come back to grieve his loss--to be in the one place she is sure his presence dwells. All she
wants to do is bury herself in the renovations until she begins to experience eerie occurences, and she's sure that it's Jarrod trying to reach her. Eli Murdock, Jarrod's cousin, is a strong Christian man, and he knows that the malevolent presence in the house is not Jarrod. Can his faith protect them? And furthermore, can he convince Corrie before things escalate and she comes to harm?


This was very good, it kept my focus until the very end. Very well written, and the characters are
believable. It kept me wanting to keep reading, as I liked the feel of this book, and how it made me feel. I grew to love the two main characters especially, as the author has a way of connecting you to them and pulling you in. There is however, things mentioned in the story of some magic, as some of the townspeople practice folk magic, and some of it is a part of the story. It is made very clear though, the difference between good and evil. A very good read, with a good storyline and suspense as well.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Iron Man 3 {2013}

In Marvel's Iron Man 3, brilliant but brash Iron Man/Tony Stark is plagued with nightmares following the aftermath of the battle in New York City in The Avengers. Now he is faced with fighting an unknown enemy whose reach knows no limits. When his personal world is destroyed at the hands of his mysterious enemy, Tony sets out to find those who are responsible. On this journey, every turn will test his valor. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own methods, relying on his instincts and ingenuity to protect those closest to him. Fighting his way back, he finds the answer to the one question that has secretly haunted him: Does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Rated PG-13
for sequences of intense sc-fi action and violence throughout,
brief language, and brief suggestive content


I absolutely loved it! As I had been following updates of it for months,
the excitement was growing and growing. Well, the day finally came
that I got to see it, and I will say that I was not disappointed! With amazing
special effects, coordinated sequences and an in-depth storyline and plot,
it left me with nothing to be desired. However, I do not recommend it for
children, considering that is was more violent than some of the other superhero
movies.


Consensus: Iron Man 3 is an all-out action powerhouse that is buckets of fun,
has some good twists and turns and satisfies anyone who loves Iron Man and
satisfies the craving for an awesome superhero movie.

10/10

Almond Waffles recipe from Food & Wine

 A few days ago, I came across a recipe for Buttermilk Almond waffles. As I had never heard of including almonds in the batter, I decided to give it a try, and the image of the recipe was also the selling point for me, haha. I gave the recipe a go, and I was not disappointed. The toasted, ground almonds thrown into the mix added a delightful texture, and a delicious, nutty flavor. While they do require some extra steps, versus that of preparing classic waffles, it is very much worth the extra effort, which is little. So, give them a try--if you are a fan of almonds, you won't be sorry.








Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted roasted almonds (I used sliced and toasted them myself in a 400 degree oven for 3 and a half minutes)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspon kosher salt (I used sea salt, which works well too)
4 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Vegetable oil spray

Directions

1. Heat the waffle iron until hot.
2. In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl.
Whisk in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, using
an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until medium-soft peaks form, about 1
minute.
3. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the buttermilk and melted butter.
Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then fold the beaten egg whites until
no white streaks remain.
4. Spray the waffle iron with oil. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the batter onto the iron, spreading
evenly. Cook until the waffle is golden brown, about 3 or 4 minutes.
Serve with warm syrup, and or fresh fruit. It is very delicious with toasted almonds sprinkled
on top with the combination of the fruit.

Movie review for Jack the Giant Slayer

Hello, everyone!
As it has been quite some time since I blogged about anything
film related, I thought I'd give a review for Jack the Giant Slayer.
When I first saw a preview for it quite a few months ago, I already knew
that I desperately wanted to see it. Being that I loved the fairytale story
as a small child, I was happy to find that they were making it into a movie,
with a somewhat different twist. It was fun and adventurous, with a small
amount of romance mixed in. Rated PG-13, which does include some brief
language, violence, but nothing too innapropriate. So for anyone with children,
use your own judgment. I thoroughly enjoyed it myself, and have hopes that
they will make a sequel. (Which hints at the possibility that they may)

Review for Dangerous Secrets

Dangerous Secrets by Lyn Cote ~Love Inspired Suspense, Harbor Intrigue series, book #3

FATAL ACCIDENT...OR MURDER?

That's what Sylvie Patterson wanted to know when she learned her
cousin Ginger was dead. And so did Ridge Matthews, a state homicide
detective working with Winfield's police department. Ginger's
apartment was ransacked, followed by a string of suspicious
break-ins at houses where Ginger had visited. What did Ginger own
that was so valuable someone was willing to kill her for it? It would
take all of Ridge's skills---and Sylvie's prayers---to keep Sylvie
from becoming the next victim.

Harbor Intrigue:
The calm surface of this Lake Superior community
hides dangerous secrets...

This book was really good. Very intriguing, keeping you interested until
the very end. Definitely worth reading, so glad that I did! The main
characters are believable, and you become attached to them, and you come
to feel as if they are close friends. I was very satisfied with the ending.

Review for The Girl In The Glass

The Girl In The Glass A Novel by Susan Meissner

Renaissance is a word with hope infused in every letter.

Since she was a child, Meg has dreamed of taking a promised trip to Florence,

Italy, and being able to finally step into the place captured in a picture at her

grandmother's house. But after her grandmother passes away and it falls to her

less-than-reliable father to take her instead, Meg's long-anticipated travel plans

seem permanently on hold.

When her dad finally tells Meg to book the trip, she prays that the experience

will heal the fissures left on her life by her parents' divorce. But when Meg arrives

in Florence, her father is nowhere to be found, leaving aspiring memoir-writer

Sophia Borelli to introduce Meg to the rich beauty of the ancient city. Sofia

claims to be one of the last surviving members of the Medici family and that a

long-ago Medici princess, Nora Orsini, communicates with her from within the

great masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.

When Sophia, Meg, and Nora's stories intersect, their lives will be indelibly

changed as they each answer the question: What if renaissance isn't just a word?

What if that's what happens when you dare to believe that what is isn't what

has to be.

I loved this book! From the start, it had me pulled in, and was a very easy

story to follow. It was very well written, the writer has a special talent of

making you feel as if you are in Florence yourself, you can almost feel the

balmy breeze and rosy sunsets.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.