The Bad Guys: Episode 2: Mission Unpluckable

From Goodreads:    The Bad Guys next mission? Rescue 10,000 chickens from a high-tech cage farm. But they are up against sizzling lasers, one feisty tarantula, and their very own Mr. Snake...who's also known as "The Chicken Swallower." What could possibly go wrong? 

Get ready to laugh up your lunch with the baddest bunch of do-gooders in town!

My Thoughts:

-    I'm all about buying eggs from cage-free/free-range chickens, and it is hilarious and awesome that the gang is going to rescue all these chickens from a chicken farm!

-    Gnome and I both loved this book. It was just as funny and clever as the first one. 

-    I liked the new member, Mr. Legs. He was fun. 

-    When Mr. Shark gets in a disguise, it cracks me up!

-    The last few pages had me giggling a lot, and I'm very eager to read the next book.

Previous Book:

Top Ten Tuesday: Winter TBR

Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Books on My Winter TBR

Some of these are repeats from the Fall TBR, and of course, this list is bound to change.

 
 
 
 
 

Coco

My Thoughts:

-    Olaf's Frozen Adventure is the short before the movie, and it is the longest "short" film ever! I enjoyed it, but when it was over, I felt ready to go home. I'd seen my movie! It is long!

-    I LOVED Coco!! It was heartwarming and fun. I went through such a range of emotions, and yes, I even cried. It has a lot of touching moments at the end.

-    The CG is beautiful! The characters eyes are amazing, and the environment is amazing! The water looked so real. 

-    This movie is rich with culture and family. I loved it!

-    I LOVE LOVE LOVE that the name of the movie is Coco! It is so awesome! You'll understand after you see it.

-    This is definitely one I'll be buying for our collection!

Screaming Citadel and Star Wars #31 - #32

Goodreads Synopsis:    "THE SCREAMING CITADEL" — PART 1 Rebel pilot and rogue archaeologist wander side by side into the darkest shadows of the galaxy as Luke Skywalker reluctantly teams up with Doctor Aphra! The Doctor makes Luke an offer he can't afford to pass up…one that leads him to a very rare gathering at the heart of the infamous Screaming Citadel. Will Luke find what he's looking for? Can Aphra be trusted? Or will they both wind up victims of the Citadel's Queen? 









My Thoughts:

-    I'm not reading the Doctor Aphra series, but I like when they crossovers like this. 

-    The artwork is wonderful! I really like how the characters are portrayed.

-    I like Doctor Aphra. I hope we get to see her in a movie sometime. 

-    The party and everything is something I haven't seen in the Star Wars universe before. It was really cool. 

-    I'm not sure what happened in the last couple of pages, but it was creepy. 


From Goodreads:    "THE SCREAMING CITADEL" — PART 2 While Luke and Aphra face the Queen of the Citadel…Han and Leia are coming…for Aphra?!
















My Thoughts:

-    I always love seeing Han on a cover.

-    That was a really fun issue.

-    I liked the dialogue between the Queen and Aphra. They were both trying to play each other. 

-    Some of the illustrations of the faces look real. It is awesome.


From Goodreads:    “THE SCREAMING CITADEL” — PART 3. The Queen’s parasites are spreading. Things don’t look good for Han.

















My Thoughts:

-    Yay! Another Han cover!

-    Why is the artwork so different? They couldn't have the same artist for Star Wars and Doctor Aphra? I'm not a fan of this cartoony look.

-    I loved the classic Han moment when he says, "I've got a blaster." Ha! 

-    I love that evil protocol droid. He cracks me up with his ruthlessness. 

-    Those parasites are creepy things. They need to be exterminated. 


Goodreads Says:    "THE SCREAMING CITADEL" – Part 4 The Queen's influence is spreading…Our only hope lies in the kindness of scoundrels.

















My Thoughts:

-    Aphra isn't in the other movies, so I'm assuming she dies at some point. I love her character, but at the same time, she is confusing. I can't pin her down. 

-    I love those murderous droids so much!

-    I really doubt the gang went through all this between two movies. I feel like their characters and skills would have been magnified a ton!


From Goodreads:    "THE SCREAMING CITADEL" — PART 5 Jedi! Symbiotes! Rebels! Murderbots! Smugglers! Archaeologists! This one has it all! But can any survive the horrors of the Screaming Citadel?















My Thoughts:

-    The switch in art style is really weird!

-    Everything wrapped up way too quickly and conveniently. 

-    I love how looked overpowered the parasite and killed the queen. Awesome!

-    I was wondering if I should buy the Doctor Aphra series, but now I'm glad I'm not reading them. Aphra just isn't for me. I'm glad I read this crossover series though. 

The Bad Guys: Episode 1

From Goodreads:    They sound like the Bad Guys, they look like the Bad Guys . . . and they even smell like the Bad Guys. But Mr Wolf, Mr Piranha, Mr Snake and Mr Shark are about to change all of that! Mr Wolf has a daring plan for the Bad Guys first good mission. The gang are going to break 200 dogs out of the Maximum Security City Dog Pound. Will Operation Dog Pound go smoothly? Will the Bad Guys become the Good Guys? And will Mr Snake please spit out Mr Piranha?








My Thoughts:

-    This book is HILARIOUS!!

-    Gnome and I were laughing so hard that tears came out. 

-    The characters are the best! I love each of their personalities, and I loved their introductions. 

-    The cat in the tree situation was SO much fun! 

-    This was a clever and funny funny book! I highly recommend it, and I'm excited to read more of these with Gnome.

-    The author is Australian! Need I say more? They have the best authors down under!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving!

My family watches the dog show, and we play video games. It is a tradition, and I love it.

What are your traditions?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Penelope March is Melting

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads Synopsis:    An icy-cold mystery adventure to warm your heart--perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library!

Something sinister has come to Glacier Cove, an icy-cold town that sits on top of an iceberg . Nothing bad ever happens here. Until now. And it's up to Penelope March to stop it.

Mmm-hmm, that Penelope--the bookworm who lives in the ramshackle house with her brother, Miles. The girl with the mom who--poof!--disappeared. The one everyone ignores . . . except strange Coral Wanamaker, a tiny thing with raven-black hair and a black coat.

When Penelope meets someone who seems to know secrets not only about Glacier Cove but about Penelope herself, she and Miles are pulled into an ancient mystery. Together, they'll face the coldest, cruelest enemy ever known. Looks like the girl who only reads about adventures is going to start living one.

Magic cookies! Volcanoes! Penguins! Sea monsters! And a girl hero with the strength and imagination to spring into action.

My Thoughts:

-    This was a cute book, but it was a little too long. 

-    I loved the world building. A town built on a glacier is genius! I also loved the ice house and the underwater stuff. It was a very fun and vivid setting. 

-    The liked all the characters. I think kids will be able to relate to them. 

-    I got a little bored. I think the book could have been cut down quite a bit. There wasn't enough adventure to keep my attention, and I think kids will feel the same. For the target audience, I really think this book needs to be a lot shorter.

-    The story had a lot of potential, and I think it just barely missed the mark. It is very frustrating when a book could be super fun, but isn't. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'm Thankful For

Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Eleven Books I'm Thankful For

 
 
 
 
 

Alien in My Pocket: Blast Off!

From Goodreads:    The adventure begins in this exciting new chapter book series!

When a four-inch-tall alien crash-lands through Zack McGee's bedroom window, Zack is sure he's about to become the first victim in a new War of the Worlds. But when the alien turns out to have weapons that are more ticklish than terrifying, Zack realizes that rather than protect the world from the alien, it's up to him to protect the alien in his pocket from the world.

My Thoughts:

-    I read this with Gnome, and I think we were both meh about it. 

-    There were a lot of silly moments, but we rarely laughed.

-    I thought the best part of the book was Amp's mind control powers. I wish there had been more of that. 

-    The ending left me feeling like the whole story was a waste of time. The characters spent all this time trying to accomplish their goal, and for what!? Nothing!

-    I didn't really love any of the characters, they were tolerable at best. 

Lord Fenton's Folly

Goodreads Synopsis:    Lord Fenton is a gambler, a dandy, and a flirt—and he must marry or else he will be disinherited, stripped of his wealth and his position. He chooses Alice Stanbridge for two simple reasons: he once knew her as a young girl, and she is the least objectionable option available to him.

However, Alice has harbored feelings for Fenton since their first meeting ten years ago, and she believes his proposal is real. When she discovers it is not, she is embarrassed and hurt. However, a match with the most-eligible bachelor in London would secure not only her future but that of her family as well.

Determined to protect herself from making a fool of herself a second time, Alice matches Lord Fenton wit for wit and insult for insult as they move toward a marriage of convenience that is anything but a happy union. Only when faced with family secrets that have shaped Fenton’s life does he let down his guard enough to find room in his heart for Alice. But can Alice risk her heart a second time?

My Thoughts:

-    This was good, but not as good as I thought it would be.

-    I didn't think Charles and Alice were a good match, not even at the end. I thing Alice could have secured a man that appreciated her more. I think Charles needed a lot more growth. I'm convinced he will resort to his childish ways. I think Charles needs Alice WAY more than Alice needs him.

-    I really liked the relationship between Alice and Lady Chariton. I love how they first bonded over Alice's mom, and then they slowly became good friends. 

-    I liked the overall theme of forgiveness and charity at the end, but it was put on a bit heavy. 

-    Since Lord Fenton had a role in A Heart Revealed, I was hoping to see a cameo from Amber or Thomas, but alas.

The Siege of Macindaw

Goodreads Says:    The kingdom is in danger. Renegade knight Sir Keren has succeeded in overtaking Castle Macindaw and is now conspiring with the Scotti. The fate of Araluen rests in the hands of two young adventurers: the Ranger Will and his warrior friend, Horace. Yet for Will, the stakes are even higher. For inside the castle, someone he loves is being held hostage. And now the time has come for this onetime apprentice to grow up.

My Thoughts:

-    I love this series! I can't say enough about it. 

-    I enjoyed the growing relationship between Will and Alyss. I wish they were able to interact more.

-    I'm so happy that Horace joined Will in this one. I liked that Will had a trusted friend by his side, and I loved the dialogue between Will and Horace when they were hashing out battle plans. 

-    I love that this is a fantasy book that uses science instead of sorcery. Will and his friend are able to use parlor tricks and science to convince the simple folk that there is sorcery going on, and I love when they use their tricks to scare people. 

-    The battle to take back Macindaw and save Alyss was fun. I loved all the different strategies and things. 

-    The end of this book just left me with a bug smile on face.

Previous Ranger's Apprentice Books

  
 

All the Truth That's in Me

Goodreads Synopsis:    Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.

Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas.

But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.

This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

My Thoughts:

-    This book was nothing like I expected, which is usually a good thing, but not this time.

-    Kudos to the marketing department for getting people to pick up this book. The cover and blurbs are gripping, but they have nothing to do with the story. The cover is very misleading.

-    I was kinda thrown with the time period and setting. I wasn't expecting it, and it took me a while to wrap my head around it. 

-    The majority of the book was slow and boring to me. I felt like everything is given away at the beginning, and the rest of the book is boring. 

-    I wasn't a fan of the writing style. I didn't like the second person. It bugged me. 

-    I didn't like any of the characters. Judith's obsession with Lucas really bugged me. I hate that she talked to him and about him in her head all the time. 

A Heart Revealed

From Goodreads:    Amber Marie Sterlington, the Rage of the Season in Regency-era London, has her pick of men, and she knows what she wants most in a husband: a title and a fortune. Why would she ever marry for something as fickle as love? And why would she ever look twice at Thomas Richards, a third son of a country lord?
 
But when Amber’s social standing is threatened, the character of her future husband becomes far more important than his position. After a public humiliation, she finds herself exiled to Yorkshire. Alone except for her maid, Amber is faced with a future she never expected in a circumstance far below what she has known all her life. Humbled and lonely, Amber begins to wonder if isolation is for the best. Who could ever love her now?

My Thoughts:

-    I enjoyed this story, not as much as other Proper Romances, but I still liked it. 

-    I liked that Amber had a very unique predicament, especially for a regency setting. It makes this book stand out.

-    The beginning is very engaging, but the middle was a little slow. It was the same days over and over again. I couldn't read the ending fast enough though.

-    This book felt like a Johnny Lingo retelling. The moral of the story was shoved in my face a little too much. It wasn't horrible, but Thomas's spiel at the end got a little tedious.

-    I really liked Amber's character development. She was such a snob at the beginning, and I love how she learns to become self sufficient, and how she learns about what really matters in life.

Thor Ragnarok

My Thoughts:

-    I haven't been a big fan of the Thor movies thus far, but this one was entertaining. 

-    I laughed a lot. There are a lot of little moments that are really funny. 

-    I felt like I was watching an 80s movie. It was visually and musically very much an 80s movie. I really liked that aspect.

-    I'm not a fan of Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner. He drives me crazy! I want Edward Norton back! 

-    Cate Blanchett's performance was perfect as usual. I loved her as Hela. I also appreciated that they modified her outfit to be more modest. 

-    I had a few issues with Valkerie.

-    Stan Lee's cameo was AWESOME!!

-    I loved seeing Heimdall fight. I was really excited that we got to see him kick butt.

-    I felt like they spent too much time on the junk planet. I just wanted them to get to Asgard and fight!

-    I think my biggest complaint is I feel like they are turning Thor's character into a joke. They are making him lesser than what he really is. It bugs me. 

-    I love that Dr. Strange made an appearance! Hooray!

The Sorcerer of the North

Goodreads Says:    Time has passed since the apprentice and his master, Will and Halt, led the Araluens to victory against invaders, and Will is now a full-fledged Ranger with his own fief to look after. The fief seems sleepy–boring, even–until the king is poisoned. Joined by his friend Alyss, Will is thrown headfirst into an extraordinary adventure propelled by fears of sorcery, and must determine who is trustworthy to the king and who is trying to take his throne. Will and Alyss must battle growing hysteria, traitors, and most of all, time. The king is fading, but when Alyss is taken hostage, Will is forced to make a desperate choice between loyalty to his mission and loyalty to his friend.






My Thoughts:

-    This book was a little slower than the previous ones, but it was still very enjoyable.

-    I wish we could read about Will becoming a full fledged Ranger. It would be fun to know what kind of things he had to pass off for his test. 

-    It was fun to see Will strike out on his own. He has grown so much since the first book, and I love that all the experiences he's had, and I've read, have given him a lot of knowledge and wisdom that he can use now. 

-    I wish Halt and Horace had bigger roles in this book. I missed them. 

-    It was fun getting to know Alyss more. She is a girl I really admire. I love her quick thinking and poise. She is so elegant and intelligent! Love that!

-    I love the introduction of Will's dog. She is such a fun character, and I like that Will has trained her to help him in his Ranger ways and for his mission. 

-    These books are SO fun!

Previous Ranger's Apprentice Books