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.