Review for A Reluctant Queen

A Reluctant Queen {The love story of Esther} by Joan Wolf

You've read it as a biblical tale of courage.

 Experience it anew as a heart-stirring love story.

She was a simple girl faced with an impossible choice.

 He was a magnificent king with a lonely heart.

Their love was the divine surprise that changed the course of history.

The beloved story of Esther springs to fresh life in this inspired
novel that vibrates with mystery, intrigue and romance.

This book was excellent. I loved how the author took the story of one of the most beloved heroines of the bible and weaved history and fiction together to craft a beautiful story full of life. You can almost feel the warm, Persian breezes flowing through the extravagant palace as you turn through the pages. As you delve into this story, you become more familiar with and come to know Esther in a more personal way and get to see the events that took place in her extraordinary life through her eyes and see how God used her to save her people. There was so much to love about this book; I've always loved this particular story, and it was exciting to experience it in a new way, as a romance novel, as well as an inspiring story of courage.

372 pages

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The Shallows

Rated PG-13  for bloody images, intense sequences of peril, and brief strong language

In the taut thriller The Shallows, when Nancy (Blake Lively) is surfing on a secluded beach, she finds herself on the feeding ground of a great white shark. Though she is stranded only 200 yards from shore, survival proves to be the ultimate test of wills, requiring all of Nancy's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and fortitude.

Dundundundundundundun...I loved this movie. It was most likely, in my opinion, the best shark movie I've ever seen, alongside Jaws, and I'd say it definitely gives that a run for its money. It builds suspense in some of the same ways, and you can feel it swimming below the surface waiting to emerge into a climatic moment. And it does, and it's awesome. It's not your typical run-of-the-mill shark movie either; no, this one has something different about it. It's well crafted and filmed well, pulling the audience in with every wave. It has amazing visuals and the location is just as beautiful. And the shark...Best one yet.

Consensus: Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...The Shallows is a well crafted shark thriller that pulls you in easily and immediately. Swimming in suspense and intensity, it'll have you on the edge of your seat until the end. 5/5

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The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Rated PG-13  for sequences of sci-fi action/violence

Peter Parker must contend with his greatest and most powerful enemy yet--Electro. Fighting between being himself or Spider-man, he realizes that being the hero is sometimes too great a price to pay to protect those he loves.

This was, hence the title, AMAZING! I loved it. Super well done from the acting to the visual effects. Even though the original ones still hold a special spot in my heart, these are a nice fresh reboot. There is so much more that I could say as far as everything that happens in this movie, but I don't want to get in too deep and spoil everything for those who haven't seen it yet.

Consensus: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is simply amazing! Has phenomenal visual effects and an all-star cast to head it up. Has a good storyline to it as well. A must see!

5/5

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Maleficent

Rated PG for fantasy action and violence, including frightening images

A vengeful fairy is driven to curse an infant princess, only to discover that the child may be the one person who can restore peace to their troubled land.

I thought this movie was very well made, had great acting and animation as well. It was a darker twist on the story; I love how they're doing that now with most of the fairy tale classics. Angelina Jolie as Maleficent was a wise choice; even though I've seen her in very little, I was very impressed with not only her acting skills as the title character, but just how she embodied her role and owned it. Alongside her, she had this lovable crow who was sometimes a man or whatever she deemed fit to turn him into at a moment's notice. And then there are the three little pixies who are beyond adorable and hilarious and have no clue about raising a baby. (Aurora/Sleeping Beauty) They are just too cute! 

Consensus: Maleficent, the darker twist on the classic fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty, is a must see! It has amazing visuals, a few good laughs and you might find yourself touched as well. 

5/5 

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Pacific Rim

Rated PG-13 Sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence throughout, and brief language

When legions of monstrous alien creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a deadly war began. To combat them, humans devised massive robots called Jaegers as weapons. Controlled simultaneously by two pilots, even the Jaegers proved nearly defenseless against the Kaiju. Now on the verge of defeat, mankind must turn to a washed-up former pilot and an untested trainee teamed in a seemingly obsolete Jaeger. These unlikely heroes are the last hope against a mounting apocalypse.

This was quite good. Decently paced and well made. Doesn't deliver much in the romance department, but hey, I think this was a movie mostly meant for guys anyway. I only wish it had more of a backstory to it, but it seemed to be one of those movies that's mainly just in-your-face action. Pretty good, though.

Consensus: Armed with amazing visual effects, Pacific Rim delivers edge-of-your-seat action. Definitely one for the guys, but some girls may like it as well. Could have had a little more personal aspects with the main characters and some backstory with them. I'll give it a 4.5 out of 5.

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The Lego Movie!

Rated PG for action and rude humor

  

An average LEGO minifigure who is mistaken as the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join in on a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing together the universe.

This was one of the best animated movies I've ever seen, turning out to be way better than I had originally thought it would be! Super funny, and it even has Batman! A great film that the whole family is sure to enjoy, and has a really good message interwoven.

Consensus: Done in awesome animation, The Lego Movie is a hilariously chaotic blend of everything LEGO and has laugh-out-loud humor. A super fun movie that kids and adults alike are sure to love.

10/10

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The Hobbit ~ An Unexpected Journey

Okay, so, I realize that I never actually put out a review for this one. I know that most people, by now, have seen this and know what it's about, but nonetheless, here's my (late) review.

Rated PG-13 Extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images


                                 


The first in a trilogy of films based on the enduring masterpiece The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who--along with the wizard Gandalf and 13 Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield--is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome Dragon Smaug. Their journey will take them into the Wild, through treacherous lands inhabited by Goblins, Orcs and deadly Wargs, as well as a mysterious and sinister figure known only as the Necromancer. Along the path, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise himself, he also gains possession of a "precious" ring tied to the fate of all Middle-Earth in ways he cannot begin to imagine.


Well, needless to say, as I am a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it's no surprise that I loved this. I had read the book beforehand, and loved it. A true classic, and it was done amazingly well as a film. Full of adventure and a few laughs along the way, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is sure to entertain. Not recommended for younger viewers, as it does contain frightening images.

Consensus: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is everything that any Lord of the Rings fan will love. It has the unmistakable feel of the other films, stays true to the story and has amazing visual effects and a masterpiece of a score.

10/10

Cheers!