Beastly

Goodreads Synopsis:    I am a beast.

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

My Thoughts:

-    This was a really enjoyable twist on Beauty and the Beast.  I liked how it took place in the present, and I liked that it took place from the beast's perspective.  

-    Kyle is one piece of work!!  He is the kind of guy you love to hate.  He deserved to be taught a lesson.

-    The chat room bits weren't really needed, but I enjoyed reading them.  It was fun to read about characters from other Fairy Tales.

-    Roses, especially white ones, will never be beautiful to me again.  Thank you Hunger Games.  

-    Linda's dad is the lowest sort of scum on the planet!!!!  I can't believe he sold his daughter for drugs...TWICE!!

-    There are some lines and bits that were cheesy and a bit too sappy for me.

-    There were a lot of similarities between this and Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

-    It was a quick and fun read.  I really enjoyed it!

The Maze Runner

Goodreads Description:    When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse enclosed by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them, open. Every night they are closed tight. And that every 30 days a new boy is delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. Only the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets that are buried within his mind.

My Thoughts:

-    I don't like the jargon in this book.  Words like Shuck, Shank, Klunk, etc.  It's annoying.  The characters use them like made up swear words.

-    The whole book was pretty suspenseful.  I was hooked from the first chapter.

-    It felt like Lord of the Flies and Ender's Game.

-    There were lots of unanswered questions at the end!  I'm excited and NEED to read the next book.

-    I love the Maze concept and how they solved it!!  It was awesome!

-    I got a little frustrated from all the questions and no answers

-    I couldn't really relate to any of the characters, probably because there was only 1 girl, and she didn't really do anything til later, but I still felt for the characters.  I love Thomas.  He is WAY braver than I am, and he is motivated to help others.  

Blast from the Past

My Thoughts:

-    Calvin Webber is one prepared guy.

-    I would go NUTS underground!!  I think I would be a lot like Adam's mom.

-    This was a pretty funny movie.  I laughed a lot.

-    I am not a Brendan Fraser fan.  In fact, I usually shun movies he is in, but he was good in this one. 

-    Growing up in Genola in my parents house, I kinda feel like Adam sometimes.  For instance, Abbott and Costello are my favorite comedians!  

-    I enjoyed Dave Foley's character.  He plays a fun gay man.  I want to be his friend. 

-    There were some cheesy moments. I like the first half better than the second half. 

-    I thought I wouldn't like this movie, but I did! 


Tyson's Thought:

-    Alicia Silverstone looks gassy.

Bitterblue

Goodreads Bit:    Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisers, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

My Thoughts:

-    Leck is one of the (if not the most) creepiest villains I've ever read.  He is seriously messed up!!  

-    Ask and ye shall receive!!  I'm so happy this is a sequel to Graceling!!!  All the wonderful characters are back, and they have their hands full!!

-    It feels kind of like a Maria V. Snyder book.


-    There were times when I wanted to smack Saf!!  I'm so glad he finally shaped up!

-    I LOVE Bitterblue's character!  She has become a very strong woman.  I do not envy her life, but I feel for her, and I'm really proud of her.  She didn't hide from her past or her father's atrocities.  She faced them head on, so she could repair her kingdom!  What a gal!!

-    I didn't like how many homosexual occurrences there were.

-    Why does Bitterblue think of her mother as Ashen and not as mother?

-    This story is so mysterious and intense.  It was definitely a page turner!  It killed me to put it down at times.

-    The romance part of the story was good, and I liked how it ended up.  It wasn't your typical romance, and it was nice to read something new, different, and realistic.  

-    There is some dark stuff in this book, and it gives me the willies!!  I feel sorry for everyone who had to endure the 35 years of hell under Leck's reign.  

-    This was the perfect ending to the trilogy.  I loved how this book tied the others together.  I kept thinking why Fire was so important to have in the series, but now I know, and I know how the 2 worlds are connected. 

-    I really enjoyed this book!!  It is my favorite in the series!  Even though it creeped me out a bit at times, it was still a great read.  

Analyzing Aesop #1

I love Aesop's Fables, and I'm sure everyone knows at least one of them.  I love Aesop's use of animals and symbology.  I love the lessons he teaches through parables. 

I want to start a series of Analyzing Aesop blogs.  It will be loads of thought provoking fun!  I'm going to share one of his fables, and we're going to dissect it and find the meaning and lesson behind the parable.  I'm eager to read your response! 

Ready?

A hungry fox saw some fine bunches of grapes hanging from a vine that was trained along a high trellis and did his best to reach them by jumping as high as he could into the air.  But it was all in vain, for they were just out of reach.  So he gave up trying and walked away with an air of dignity and unconcern, remarking, "I thought those grapes were ripe, but I see now they are quite sour."

My Thoughts:

-    I feel like this Fox sometimes.  I want something really bad, but it is so far out of reach, so I just pretend I really don't want it or need it right now.

-    Why didn't the fox try climbing the tree?

-    Is this a healthy way of thinking?  Do we sometimes get lazy and talk our way out of things?  I think so.  

Dark Shadows

My Thoughts:

-    It wasn't as funny as I thought it would be.  There were a few moments that were pretty funny, but not a ton.  It was more drama than comedy.

-    There were some inappropriate bits in the movie.  Nothing too terrible, but there was a couple scenes and a few lines that were iffy.

-    It started out good, but the ending was disappointing.  

-    Michelle Pfeiffer with a big ol gun was cool.

-    I wish there had been more Danny Elfman music.  They used a few 70s songs, and I would rather have more Elfman.

-    The werewolf thing at the end was lame.

-    I thought they could have done without a couple characters.  They really didn't add anything to the story.  

-    I kinda wish they had gone into Victoria's history more or done more with David's story.  Then the drama part of the movie would have had more depth.

-    It was just a fun movie, there really wasn't a message or anything deep, it was just for fun.  I wish there had been more comedy.

-    Overall, I was a little disappointed.  It definitely wasn't Tim Burton's best movie, but it was ok.  

Mr. Popper's Penguins

I had a request to review this a while ago (after I read the book), and it took me a while to get it from the library...and work up the courage to watch it. 

My Thoughts:

-    The only things that are remotely similar to the book is:

      A)  There was a Mr. Popper

      B)  There were Penguins

-    The sailing story at the beginning was WAY WAY WAY cheesy.

-    Jim Carrey is old, and it really shows in this one.

-    Angela Lansbury!!!!  She is still alive!?!?!

-    Terrible James Stewart impersonation

-    That charity/art/old people party thingy took place in a weird building.  It looked like a parking garage.

-    How the heck did the penguins find him in the city?  

-    I did laugh a few times...I admit it.

-    I liked his secretary.  

-    The penguin flying with the kite was terrible!!  TERRIBLE!!

-    The square toilet was cool.

-    The ending was pretty lame.  

The Actor and the Housewife

Goodreads Synopsis:    What if you were to meet the number-one person on your laminated list—you know, that list you joke about with your significant other about which five celebrities you’d be allowed to run off with if ever given the chance? And of course since it’ll never happen it doesn’t matter…Mormon housewife Becky Jack is seven months pregnant with her fourth child when she meets celebrity hearththrob Felix Callahan. Twelve hours, one elevator ride, and one alcohol-free dinner later, something has happened…though nothing has happened. It isn’t sexual. It isn’t even quite love. But a month later Felix shows up in Salt Lake City to visit and before they know what’s hit them, Felix and Becky are best friends. Really. Becky’s husband is pretty cool about it. H er children roll their eyes. Her neighbors gossip endlessly. But Felix and Becky have something special…something unusual, something completely impossible to sustain. Or is it? A magical story, The Actor and the Housewifeexplores what could happen when your not-so-secret celebrity crush walks right into real life and changes everything.

My Thoughts:

-    There is a lot of controversy surrounding this book, so naturally, I wanted to read it.

-    I understand why there is a lot of controversy about this book.  I am torn about it.  Can a man and woman be best friends while they are happily married to other people?  I believe so!  I am friends with a guy I met in college.  I met him the same time I met my husband.  My friend became my co-worker.  We went to lunch together, got drinks together, hung out together at work, and it was totally innocent.  There was nothing wrong with us being together as friends.  However, I believe this is a delicate line.  It depends on your circumstances.  I think Becky and Felix got a little too close to that fine line.  

-    The Exclusive magazine description of Becky made me laugh!

-    I love that Becky punched Felix in the jaw!

-    I don't get giddy over my friends.  I don't understand the giddiness.  The only people I've been excited and giddy to get a text or phone call from are guys I've been interested in.  

-    Dang it Shannon Hale!!!  You made me cry...ok...I was weeping....for like 3...maybe 4 chapters.   I don't want to spoil anything, so all I can say is that I feel the same way about my husband as Becky feels about Mike.   I've had nightmares about my hubby leaving me, cheating on me, dying, etc.  They happen often, and I always wake up sobbing and clinging to my poor confused hubby.  He has gotten used to me waking up crying in the middle of the night though, and he is so nice to just hold me and know what happened.  

-    I thought I had predicted the ending...but I didn't.  It was a shocker ending for me.  I'm not sure I liked where this story went.  I not sure if I liked this story period!  I'm internally debating about it. 

-    I didn't like how LDS people were portrayed as...well...a little nuts.   Although this book is highly accurate about of a lot of LDS people,  I just want to say all of us aren't that stereotypical.   For example, me!

-    Honestly, it is hard to put into words exactly how I feel about this book.  It was fun, but terrible.  It was good, but terrible.  It made me cry, and that was terrible.  I just don't know what to think about all of this.

-    I need a really long hug from my hubby right now.  

Fire

Goodreads Description:   She is the last of her kind...

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.

Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don’t need to have read Graceling to loveFire. But if you haven’t, you’ll be dying to read it next.

My Thoughts:

-    It wasn't too interesting to read, but it was good to listen too.  I couldn't just sit and read this story, but I enjoyed the audio book while I played Zuma.  

-    I liked the narrator's voice.  It was strong, but feminine.  

-    The prologue is interesting.  It was cool and sad to see Leck's Grace evolve.  I really want to know what happened to him between the time Fire lost him and when he becomes King.

-    This story moves a lot slower than Graceling.  It was mostly politics and hearing about the war. 

-    Besides Leck, there really wasn't anything that tied this world and the Graceling world together.  It was like reading about 2 separate worlds.  

-    The family relationships were crazy!  It was like watching a daytime talk show.  Who is the father?  That child is illegitimate!  You slept with who?  blah blah blah!

-    Fire's character was interesting.  She was really strong, but had a lot of doubts.  She had a lot to think about, and she had a pretty hard life.   I would not want to trade places with her.  

Captain America: The First Avenger

My Thoughts:

-    Awesome!!  Totally Awesome!!

-    The casting was perfect!!  These people were born for these parts.  Chris Evans captures the essence of Captain America perfectly in his mannerisms, his fighting technique, and personality.  The Red Skull...dang!  They did awesome with him.  It was like these characters just stepped off the pages of a comic book.

-    Steve Rogers wasn't a small guy.  He was your average G.I. Joe, and he volunteered for the Super Soldier Serum.  The small skinny guy thing worked out though, and I kinda liked that change.

-    I love that Dum Dum Dugan and Bucky is in this!!!

-    I really wanted a Wolverine cameo.  It would have been so awesome!  

-    There is a part where a guy gets pureed in a propeller.  It gives me the willies ever time!  

-    The whole movie is great.  The emotions, action, characters, etc are all just awesome!  Plus, it is pretty accurate.  

-    I kinda wish they had spent some more time in the present with Captain America, but we get see him more in The Avenger movies.  

-    I hope they bring back Red Skull and Hydra for an Avenger movie.  From the looks of things, they might not, but I hope they do because S.H.I.E.L.D. did fight Hydra.