The X-Men: Volume 4

Goodreads Description:    Collecting the original tales of Marvel's merry mutants, we have milestone after milestone prepared just for you, and it all starts off-of course-with the Juggernaut! That's not the only earth-shaking tale in store, though. There's the X-Men vs. Spider-Man; an underworld battle against the Mole Man and Tyrannus; and the culmination of the Factor Three epic featuring the Changeling and the unbelievable Mutant Master. Also featured are the "Origins of the X-Men" backup features that reveal the beginnings of Professor X and his teen mutant team supreme! And we're not afraid to go out with a bang. That's right, on top of the X-Men's cool new costumes, in our heartwrenching conclusion the brutal beast Grotesk kills Professor X before the eyes of Cyclops and the X-Men!


My Thoughts:

-    I love seeing how The X-Men comics evolved. They just keep getting better and better.

-    I really liked the Dr. Strange cameo! He is so awesome!

-    Spiderman gets an X-Men ish!?!? That was different, but fun. The X-Men still make an appearance, but the majority of the comic is about Spiderman. What is with the little web wings on Spiderman? That was weird.

-    The new costumes were a surprise! I think Cyclops' and Jean's costumes were a cool improvement, but Angel's costume is awful! He looks like a dork. I'm not digging the colors either. 

-    I love how the origins parts were added. It was fun to read about how Professor X found Scott and made him Cyclops. I hope they keep adding those at the end of each issue. I would like to see origins on all the characters.

-    Along with new costumes, The X-Men get new toned muscles as well. Each of them are more defined. 

-    The last issue is a killer cliffhanger! Professor X cannot be dead!! 

Previous X-Men Volume

(click on the cover to see my thoughts)

  

The Mystery of Lilac Inn

From Goodreads:    Teenage detective Nancy Drew finds herself in danger when she sets out to track a jewel thief.
















My Thoughts:

-    This book was really fun! It had a lot more dangers in it that the previous books.

-    Nancy is the victim of identity theft, but as the story continues Nancy find out she has a doppelganger out there!

-    Nancy's life is constantly in danger in this story. There are people out there trying to kill her! She gets a spear thrown at her, she gets run off the road, she gets a rock thrown at her head, and more!

-    I really like Nancy's relationship with her father. They are close and can openly talk with each other. I love that they trust each other implicitly. 

-    The story and mystery are more complicated than the previous ones. I really feel like this book stepped it up a notch.

Previous Nancy Drew Book

(Click on cover to see my thoughts)

   

Now You See Me

My Thoughts:

-    My mind is blown! I don't even know what just happened! I HAVE to see this movie again. I need to pick up on everything I missed. 

-    I hadn't heard much about this movie, but then I saw a review for it on the news, and it really caught my attention! I was not disappointed.

-    The magicians are always ahead in the game, and it is awesome to watch them toy with the cops. The police are just chasing their tails. 

-    The acting was great! I really enjoyed all the characters, and I was surprised at some of the cast. I didn't know who was going to be in this movie, so it was a pleasant surprise to see some of them.

-    I felt like part of the audience in crowd, not just in the theater, but in the movie. I felt like I was part of the audience watching a magic show. It was really fun!

-    I really wanted to see how the magicians pulled off everything they did. It reveals some things, but it doesn't explain everything, and that is kind of driving me nuts! 

-    The ending is crazy! I did not see it coming AT ALL! I was flabbergasted! 

-    The action was good, and it was fun!

-    This movie was very entertaining, and I recommend seeing it! 

Hubby's Thought:

-    This was definitely worth seeing, and I want to see it again.

-    It has you guessing the whole movie, and it had me entertained the whole time.

-    Good acting!

The Bungalow Mystery

From Goodreads:    While trying to help a friend out of a difficulty, teenage detective Nancy Drew has a perilous experience in and around a deserted bungalow.















My Thoughts:

-    These books are just plain old fashioned fun!

-    I love that each book is a different kind of mystery. The last book was a ghost mystery, and this one was more dangerous. 

-    I think Nancy is getting more inquisitive and bold with each case she solves. She almost has no boundaries on what she will do for clues. I enjoy seeing our young sleuth grow as a detective.

-    Like I said, this book was filled with more dangers. It had more action in it! The book starts out with Nancy almost drowning, and it isn't the last time Nancy's life is threatened.

-    I like the illustrations in these books. They are fun and old school sketches. 

-    I like how Nancy involves people in her investigations. She always lets people know where she is and what she is planning. I like how everyone helps her and cares for her. Nancy has a really nice support group going for her.

-    Nancy makes friends everywhere she goes. She is intelligent and kind. I really admire her character. 

Previous Nancy Drew Book

(Click on cover to see my thoughts)

 

True Grit

My Thoughts:

-    I was disappointed. This movie was dumb!

-    Whoever edited this movie needs to be fired! The scene jumps were awful! It made the movie feel choppy, and the story didn't flow too smoothly. If I hadn't seen the original first, I would not have known what was going on and what the story was.

-    I could not understand most of what Jeff Bridges was saying! He mumbled a lot, and I can't understand hick talk anyway, so the mumbling made it worse.

-    Does Rooster ever stop talking? He never shut up! He just rambled on and on and on, and I feel like it didn't fit his character.

-    John Wayne was better. John Wayne was WAY better. He had the true true grit!

-    After the Texas ranger bit off his tongue, I couldn't understand him either! It was frustrating.

-    What is with the rope? How does it keep snakes away? They should have explained that.

-    Barry Pepper played Ned Pepper! ha ha ha! I got a kick out of that.

-    This one just wasn't as good as the old original. 

-    I liked the Mattie in this one. She wasn't as annoying as the original. She did a good job, and I can't believe this was her first movie!

Hubby's Thought:

-    The snow in this movie is weird

Tyson's Thoughts:

-    Jeff Bridges is awesome!

-    Jeff Bridges is so full of grit that he's exploding with grit. 

Top Ten Tuesday

Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Words/Topics That Will Make You NOT Pick Up a Book

This is a tough one! I will usually try almost anything. I suppose I'll start with the obvious:

Erotica stuff
Strong language
I usually think twice about tough subjects like rape, child abuse, etc.
Anti-Mormon stuff
Super boring
Sappy
I usually won't pick up a book from an author that has written book I hate.
Twilight anything
Oprah anything
Text book

Okay, I was scarping the bottom of the barrel for those last 3, but it is true, I won't read those things.

Prince of the Blood

Goodreads Synopsis:    This Author’s Preferred Edition of Raymond E. Feist’s bestselling coming-of-age saga celebrates the fifteenth anniversary of its publication. Feist introduces a new generation of readers to his riveting novel of adventure and intrigue, revised and updated as he always meant it to be written. It is a work that explores strength and weakness, hope and fear, and what it means to be a man—in a kingdom where peace is the most precious commodity of all.

If there were two more impetuous and carefree men in the Kingdom of the Isles, they had yet to be found. Twins Borric and Erland wore that mantle proudly, much to the chagrin of their father, Prince Arutha of Krondor. But their blissful youth has come to an end. Their uncle, the King, has produced no male children. Bypassing himself, Arutha names Borric, the eldest twin by seconds, the Royal Heir. As his brother, Erland will have his own great responsibilities to shoulder. To drive home their future roles, Arutha sends them as ambassadors to Kesh, the most feared nation in the world. Borric and Erland will be presented to the Queen of Kesh—the single most powerful ruler in the known world—at her Seventy-fifth Jubilee Anniversary. 

But they have not even left Krondor when an assassination attempt on Borric is thwarted. Aware that he is being provoked into war, Arutha does not rise to the bait. His sons’ journey will not be deterred, for nothing less than peace is riding on it. Yet there is to be no peace for the young princes. When their traveling party is ambushed, Borric disappears and is presumed dead—sending Erland into spirals of rage and grief as he is forced to navigate alone the court intrigues at Kesh. But unbeknownst to anyone, Borric lives and has escaped his captors. In a strange land, with a price on his head, Borric must use all his wits and stamina to find his way back to his brother. 

On separate paths, the two men—one a fugitive and one a future king—make their journey toward maturity, honor, and duty. For every step they take could sway the fragile peace of the land, as those who crave war rally against them—and become ever more daring.

My Thoughts:

-    Wholly cow Goodreads! That synopsis is long!

-    I love that I got to read about Arutha and Anita's kids. The twins are very different but very similar to their father and mentors. I really enjoyed their character development. They started out as spoiled royal brats, but their trials and journey turned them into men!

-    Seeing James and Locklear as adults was fun. They turned out just as I knew they would. I wish Jimmy the Hand still got to spy and do thief stuff, but I suppose he has his duties now.

-    It was fun to see James fall in love and marry! I was especially pleased with whom he married!

-    There were a few deaths to some very beloved characters in this book, and I was sad, shocked, and mad! How could Feist do this!?!? Gah! 

-    I loved meeting Borric's companions. Suli won my sympathy and heart. Ghuda was a great swordsman that I think Borric really needed to help him become a man. Nakor made me laugh!

-    The culture in Kesh was fun to experience. I don't approve of all their traditions, but the exotic culture was fun to learn about and see. 

-    There was quite of a bit of love making in this book. It wasn't explicit, but it is enough to make one blush. 

-    I didn't realize this was the revised version of the book. I've never read the original, and I'm really curious about how different it is. 

-    I feel like this story wrapped up nicely, so I'm curious about what the second book has to offer! 

Sucked In

My reading, and life in general, was put on hold for the last couple days because I was sucked in to this:

I watched Season 1 on Netflix a while ago, and ABC was in the middle of showing Season 2, so I was pretty upset. I didn't want to jump in the middle of a Season, so I've been waiting. My sister finally told me I could watch Season 2 on Couch Tuner. Well, I started watching and couldn't stop. My family, home, and everything else has been ignored for the past couple days while I've devoured this show.

I finally finished the season last night, and OMG!!! Now I'm dying for Season 3! The ending is  a horrible HORRIBLE cliffhanger! At least I'm all caught up now, and I can enjoy Season 3 this Fall with the rest of you!

I should also get back to life and reading. My daughter could use some attention as well...hubby too.

Transparent

Goodreads Description:    Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

My Thoughts:

-    I've heard awesome things about this book, and I couldn't wait to read it! Everyone is right! This book was so much fun!

-    I loved the dedication page! It was my "awwwwww" for the day. It is very poetic and touching.

-    I really loved all the characters in the story. Fiona was such a great female protagonist. I really related to her and her feelings. I liked Bea a ton! Who wouldn't like Brady and Seth? They are both really great guys. I liked how Seth started out annoying, but he really grows on you.

-    I loved Fiona's character development. In the beginning she has really low self esteem, and after making some friends and learning about herself, she gains a lot of self worth and confidence. It was really great to see that kind of improvement in a young teenage girl.

-    The super powers in this story were awesome! I loved how creative they all were, and I liked the explanation about how people got their anomalies. 

-    I think this book has a fun story and a good message! I love stories with great messages. I think everyone wants to be seen for who they are. We all want to be treated like a human being and not some freak. Each of us has value.

-    I love how the author took an emotion, like feeling invisible, and made it a reality and expounded on it. This was such a great idea for a story, and I'm glad Natalie wrote this book. 

-    This was a wonderful debut novel, and I'm looking forward to more Natalie Whipple books!

Q&A

I'll ask the questions, you provide the answers.  Ready?

As book junkies, we love and crave the smell of books! So.....

Do you like the smell of old books or new books better?

Personally, I love them both, but new books are my favorite! There is nothing better than sniffing a brand new book!