Reading in Bed

Went to get my little gnome up from her nap and found this:

Can't say I blame her, I read myself to sleep too.  I was actually kinda proud.  

I love having a little bookworm!

Batman: Arkham Asylum

My Overall Thoughts:

-    I really really enjoyed this game.  Batman fans are going to love and adore it!  

-    Batman: Arkham Asylum is a sophisticated game that is challenging yet beatable.  It is everything a Batman game should be, great villains, detective solving, beating people up, dark and scary surroundings, and everything else!  I was geekin’ out the whole way through.  This game is seriously epic , and I think any gamer will enjoy playing it.

My Thoughts on Gameplay:

-    Batman has once again captured the notorious Joker, but this time, being captured was all part of Joker’s plan.  He quickly takes over Arkham Asylum and puts his plan into motion.  Several of Batman’s villains are seen throughout the game.  Some of them are working to help Joker, and others are just up to their own tricks.  It is pretty thrilling to play as Batman and take down these bad dudes using detective skills, fighting techniques, and of course, awesome gadgets.

-    I loved the different playing styles this game incorporates.  Batman becomes the ultimate predator when taking out armed thugs.  You can hide in air ducts and on top of gargoyles to take out opponents all stealthy like.  You can also take on 1-20 guys in hand to hand combat.  Final take downs are just so awesome!  The guys with knives and electric rods are annoying though.  Batman gets gassed by the Scarecrow a few times, and the game style changes to a side scrolling stealth type of play.  There is a lot more, but I don’t want to spoil it for ya.

                

-    Throughout the game you will find little riddler trophies, and you can choose to solve the riddles or not.  It will give you achievements, but it isn’t important to the main story line.  I think I solved about half of the riddles just running through the game and looking at things out of the ordinary.

-    Like I said, this game is challenging all the way through, but I never got stuck and everything is doable.  I think this game would be enjoyable for all gamers.

My Thoughts on Control:  

-    The controls are pretty sophisticated, but pretty easy to learn.  The game will prompt you what to do, so you will never forget how to do anything.  The prompting is a lot like Zelda, so it isn’t annoying or anything.

                

-    My only complaint is the hand to hand combat might have been a little too sophisticated for me.  Your basic attack button is X, but you can also counter attack with Y when a thug is about to hit you.  My problem was you couldn’t just button mash the X and use the Y when needed.  Timing is everything, and it was little hard to fight a big group of guys, especially when some of the guys had electric rods and knives.  You have to stun the knife guys before you can take them out, and you have to jump over the rod guys and take them from behind.  The key is to try to be aware of ALL the guys around you.  It gets tough, but the game is really good at being aware of Batman’s surroundings.

                

-    All the gadgets are pulled out by pushing the Left Trigger and pushing the Right Trigger uses them.  It’s really simple.  You can select which gadget to use by selecting a direction on the d-pad.  I really didn’t prefer having gadgets assigned to a diagonal direction, but it was ok.

                

-    Batman has a detective mode that is really useful throughout the game.  You can easily go in and out of the mode by hitting LB.  The mode lets you see how many thugs you have to fight, and which ones are armed.  Clues and extra things are also highlighted in this mode.  

My Thoughts on Graphics:

-    The surroundings and characters are awesome!  The programmers did a really great job with the graphics in this game.  

-    Batman’s cape effects were great, and his costume could get torn and ripped but it didn’t regenerate, so it was more realistic.  

-    The environments were really done perfectly.  The entire story happens in one night, so it is dark and creepy just like Batman stories are supposed to be. 

-    The villains were designed really well.  They were creepy and scary to fight.  I wish they had kept Harley Quinn’s and Poison Ivy’s traditional costumes though.

My Thoughts on Sound:

-    Sound effects and music were really good.  No complaints.  It kept the game suspenseful and perfect.

                

-    I absolutely LOVE that they used the same voice actors from the old original Batman cartoon!  Mark Hamill does an AMAZING job (as always) with the Joker’s voice.  It was a real treat to have the old cast back together again to make this game even more epic.

Endlessly

From Goodreads:    Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.

My Thoughts:

-    I like the color use on the cover!  The purple is pretty.

-    Disaster strikes in the first 100 pages!  The book really takes off in the beginning, and it never really slows down!  It is great!

-    I liked this one WAY better than the second.  There was more going on.  It was a great wrap up to the trilogy.

-    Evie's Christmas present to Lend was lame!  I would like to know what Lend got Evie.  He still owes her.

-    Lend and Evie's relationship was better in this book.  I got a little upset with them in the second book, but it all came together.  It got a little mushy, but most of it was fun to read.

-    This was filled with humor!  I laughed at so many things.  I loved Vivian's character.  She cracked me up.  I especially loved how she made fun of Lend and Evie at the end!  

-    I feel for Reth.  I feel bad for the guy.

-    I wish there had been an Epilogue or something.  It would have been nice to see if life went well for everyone, and if Evie's life was finally "normal". 

-    Overall, this was a fun and humorous read!  It was a great ending to a fun trilogy.  I look forward to more books from this author! 

Supernaturally

Goodreads Synoppsis:    Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be...kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

My Thoughts:

-    I can relate to Evie's rebellious side.  When someone pushes me in one direction, I want to do the exact opposite!

-    How the heck to you pronounce Grnlllll?  What kind of name is that?

-    Evie makes all sorts of bad decisions in this one!  Seems like a theme in second books.  

-    The unicorn bit made me laugh!  I loved it!

-    I also loved the part where they mock Twilight!  SO HILARIOUS!!

-    Evie is a tad too dramatic in this one.  Everything is just TOO MUCH!!  wah!  I'm glad she gets a kick in the butt and comes to her senses in the end.

-    We get to see a new character in this one.  Jack was annoying yet funny.  I couldn't decide if I hated him or liked him.  I think I know now though ;)

-    I feel like Reth is really misunderstood.  I kinda like the guy.

-    I really liked that we got to know more about Evie and where she came from and what she is. 

-    This one wasn't as good as the first.  Paranormalcy was so funny and a great read, but this one was lacking in the story area.  I wish there had been more evil plotting, and less worrying about relationships and making dumb decisions.  

Stuart Little

My Thoughts:

-    This was a cute movie.  It was a bit cheesy, but cute.

-    The CG was alright.  It was good for the time this came out.  They did a good job with the cat mouths.

-    The little boy, George, is really cute!

-    This is such a different role for Hugh Laurie.  It was weird to see him as this character.

-    I want a house like the Little house.  It is so perfect!  I wouldn't want it squished between two skyscrapers though.  Same house, different location.

-    The voice acting was great!

-    The story is cute.  I can't really remember the book very well, but I liked this movie, and I think a lot of kids would like this.  

Paranormalcy

Goodreads Bit:    Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.

But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

My Thoughts:

-    The book is filled with humor.  I love Evie's descriptions of the paranormals.  It cracked me up every time!  The Little Mermaid thing was really funny.  I completely agree, and I think I might have to dedicate a blog to Ariel one day.  I also like the sigh interpretations, such a teenage girl thing.  

-    Evie was a very believable teenage girl.  I really liked her (except for the pink).  She was a fun character.  I felt like was reading a tv sitcom, like Sabrina the Teenage Witch or something. 

-    Reth reminded me of Arial from Eyes Like Stars.  I like Arial much better though. 

-    The book is a very clean read.  I was really impressed and happy about that.  I loved how the characters said "bleep" in place of curse words, so funny!

-    This is a very refreshing take on the paranormal genre.  I liked it.  

-    It was like Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Hellboy meets Eyes Like Stars meets Gallagher Girls.  

-    The romance got a little mushy for me, and I kinda felt like "oh brother."  

-    The ending was good, and there wasn't a cliffhanger.  There are still things left undone, but I got some closure.

-    There were a few bits that were annoying, but overall it was a good/light/fun read.

Enna Isilee's Birthday Bash!

Don't miss out on the party of the year! That's right, it's time for Enna Isilee's Birthday Bash! In fact, it's not just time, it's HALF OVER! If you want to see the full awesome that is the Birthday Bash then you can click here. Enna's put together a whole schedule and information there. But take a look at what she's giving away so far, and this is only half! The next two weeks will also have a giveaway EVERY DAY!

Click on the the book you want to win to be taken to an interview with the author where you can enter to win the book pictured! Come party with me, it's a blast!

Templeton

We have been rodentless since January....that is very weird for us.

We usually have at least 1, if not multiple, rodents in our home.

It is time we had another.

It just isn't right for the Furr home to be vacant of critters.

SO!!

Introducing!

Templeton (best rat name ever!)

Isn't he a cutie!?!?!?  We love him.

We went to Smith's to get some groceries, and I wanted to walk into Petco...just to "look".

Ya...that never happens.

We stopped and looked at the rodents, and a nice employee let us hold a few rats.

The big guy just caught our attention.

He was so sweet, and he wasn't scared of us at all.

It was meant to be!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

My Thoughts:

-    Complete 80's AWESOMENESS!!!!!  I love this movie! It was one of my favorites as a kid.  SO EPIC!!

-    I think Splinter chucks a Book of Mormon at Michelangelo while he is ordering pizza.  Check it out!  It is about the right size, and has a blue cover.

-    Those turtle costumes were pretty awesome for back in the day...they are pretty awesome for now too.  I'm impressed!

-    The action is so fun to watch!  Turtle Justice!

-    I still get a bunch of laughs out of this movie even thought I've seen it a thousand times.  One of my favorite lines is, "Ninja kick the damn rabbit!"  Cracks me up every time!

-    I love how so many people are wearing sweat pants, especially Casey Jones.

-    This movie is SO quotable!  I love quoting this movie!  My brothers and I often do.  

-    Dear April, we all want to dream of Harrison Ford!

-    I like the turtle rap during the credits.  It makes me want to dance.

-    I can't believe Splinter is voiced by the same guy who does Elmo!!  So wrong on so many levels!

Tyson's Thoughts:

-    The movie was edgy and tubular!

-    Too bad April was such a plane Jane, very disappointing!

-    This was a good movie!

Hubby's Thought:

-    I'm good, I don't need a comment.

August Book Club

Sadly, I forgot to get a group picture.  Sorry friends :(

For August we read:

SPOILER ALERT!  DON'T CONTINUE READING UNLESS YOU'VE READ THE BOOK OR DON'T CARE IF YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

I wanted to serve dinner while we discussed the book.

 Fried chicken was the obvious choice!  Funny thing:  everyone was supposed to bring a side dish.  I picked up some garlic bread when I went to get the chicken, Andrea brought rolls, and Sara brought rolls.  Luckily Erin brought a salad, but she was debating between salad and crescent rolls. It was a carb night! 

For dessert, we had the terrible awful!  Just kidding...it was just chocolate pie.  When hubby came home, he asked if Marie Calendar took a dump in the pie...we had a good laugh.

Our Thoughts on The Help:

Stewart was a total jerk!  We kept hoping he would come around and Skeeter and him would end up together, but they didn't, and he was a jerk!

It is really sad/weird to think that this happened during our parent's generation!  It wasn't that long ago that people were being treated this way.

It is scary that Hilly had so much control EVERYWHERE!  In her community, in her city, etc.  She needed a swift kick in the butt!  Elizabeth was such a drone/sheep/door mat.  She just did everything Hilly told her too.  We wanted her to finally stand up against Hilly, but no!

The terrible awful was disgusting and hilarious!  Chocolate pie will never be looked at the same way.

The style back in the 60s was funny to think about.  Like shot hair was brazen, ladies wore wigs, etc.  They mentioned a lot of styles in the book.

The way it ended was realistic.  Nothing epic happened, and it was a bit sad, but realistic.

It was a bit frustrating for Sara that the author changed narration every couple of chapters.  Some situations left you hanging.  I liked the change in narration, but the cliffhangers were a bit grrr!

There was much crying while reading.

For September we are reading:

I picked this up at the UBM Party.  The ladies thought it looked interesting.  I'm a bit nervous about it, but I hope it's good.