The Aeronaut’s Windlass (The Cinder Spires #1) By: Jim Butcher

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The Aeronaut’s Windlass (The Cinder Spires #1) By: Jim Butcher

Plot:

Jim Butcher, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Dresden Files and the Codex Alera novels, conjures up a new series set in a fantastic world of noble families, steam-powered technology, and magic-wielding warriors…

Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity, towering for miles over the mist-shrouded surface of the world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses have ruled for generations, developing scientific marvels, fostering trade alliances, and building fleets of airships to keep the peace.

Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship, Predator. Fiercely loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting the enemy’s shipping lines by attacking their cargo vessels. But when the Predator is severely damaged in combat, leaving captain and crew grounded, Grimm is offered a proposition from the Spirearch of Albion—to join a team of agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring Predator to its fighting glory.

And even as Grimm undertakes this dangerous task, he will learn that the conflict between the Spires is merely a premonition of things to come. Humanity’s ancient enemy, silent for more than ten thousand years, has begun to stir once more. And death will follow in its wake…

Review:

One hundred and thirty-five pages into this book and I loved it. I knew it was a part of a series, but I didn’t realize the next book hadn’t been written yet, which immediately made me sad. I ended up putting the book down several times just to prolong it, something I normally only do with Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews books. It’s been a few years since I read a Dresden Files book but I seriously think I’ll have to go back to the series just to tide me over for the next book in The Cinder Spires.

I loved the fact that there were strong female characters, each of them unique and with their own weaknesses. I loved that the men worked well with them, were smart, and didn’t question their ability to do anything. I loved the way cats were used. I loved how freakin creepy the female villain was. I loved the world and the fact that the book wasn’t filled with minute detail, there was enough to paint the picture and build everything but you weren’t overloaded with all the fine details. I loved the fight scenes and the battles.

I seriously loved everything about this book. I can’t think of anything I didn’t like. There were large spider like monsters and I still loved this book and I am terrified of spiders. The only negative I can think of is that I haven’t found a release date for the next and I just don’t want to wait.

5/5

 

Side note: If anyone has any recommendations of books like this I would love them.

Paycheck (2003)

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Paycheck (2003)

Director:

John Woo

Starring:

Ben Affleck

Aaron Eckhart

Uma Thurman

Plot:

What seemed like a breezy idea for an engineer to net him millions of dollars, leaves him on the run for his life and piecing together why he’s being chased.

Review:

I really liked this movie when it came out. I actually liked it better than The Bourne Identity which came out around the same time. Pretty sure I’m the only one with that opinion though.

Re-watching it I still really enjoyed it but I realized at some point my opinion of Ben Affleck changed. I use to think he was attractive and sexy and whatever, but now I don’t really think those things when I think of him. He’s not a bad actor but he just doesn’t do it for me anymore. Watching Paycheck, though, I remember why I thought all of those things.

The action in the movie was so much better than the average action movie that comes out now a days. There wasn’t a huge abundance of it, but what was there could be seen and followed. It had a good car chase as well.

Liked the story. Liked the idea. There were some pacing issues where it slowed down and got a little boring but that was mainly with the romance. Didn’t really feel much chemistry between Affleck and Thurman. Still liked the movie despite that though.

4/5

Sweet Adventure (Klaus Brothers #3) By: Penny Watson

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Sweet Adventure (Klaus Brothers #3) By: Penny Watson

Plot:

Sven Klaus, Chief Toy Designer for Klaus Enterprises, will protect his family at any cost. He’s prepared to battle the most threatening adversaries to do it–frost flowers, snowstorms, Yeti. And beautiful tenacious tabloid journalists. Andi De Luca’s reporting career is built on lies–about corrupt politicians, greedy Hollywood stars, and Bigfoot. Now she’s determined to uncover the truth about Klaus Enterprises, and she always gets her story. Even if it means revealing her own secret desires to Santa’s son. After all the lies and deception are exposed, will Andi and Sven survive this North Pole adventure? Or will YETI MAKE THEM DEADY? Penny Watson presents a 45,000-word holiday fantasy romance, #3 in the Klaus Brothers Series. Includes paranormal phenomena, Christmas spirit, and yes…an abominable snowmonster.

Review:

Once again not really set around Christmas. However, Santa is there and so are elves and the North Pole so it’s still got that vibe. It’s a pass as a holiday book, but barely.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Sven, especially after my feelings for Oskar, but I really warmed up to him. Watson describes him as a hippy but he’s not the image of a stereotypical tree hugger that pops into my mind. At least not by the end of the book.

Andi was fine, very intrepid reporter thinking about her story until she falls in love. There was no spanking in this one so I liked that lol

Enjoyed the ending and it’s clear what the next one will be about. I’m curious to see how Gregor does with Andi’s sister and how the family thing ends up working out.

4/5

The Martian (2015)

the-martian

The Martian (2015)

Director:

Ridley Scott

Starring:

Matt Damon

Jessica Chastain

Kristen Wiig

Plot:

An astronaut becomes stranded on Mars after his team assume him dead, and must rely on his ingenuity to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.

Review:

This book has been on my radar for a while but it leans more hard science than I usually like to read so I haven’t really wanted to pick it up. However, I thought the movie would be a nice compromise.

I enjoyed the theme of hope throughout and I loved the fact that with every set back Mark, Matt Damon, didn’t succumb to despair and fought to survive. He never lost his humor and it made what could be a really depressing movie lighter.

There were a few things that I thought probably worked better in a book. Donald Glover’s character seemed kind of shoehorned in and was barely there but he seemed to have an important role. Not sure about Kristin Wiig’s character either, she was just sort of there. I also wasn’t a fan of the ending. It would have been easy to be anti-climactic but it went too far on the other side and was too over the top after a movie that seemed so grounded.

All in all I liked the movie, but it’s not one I need to own or probably even watch again.

3.5/5

Magic to the Bone (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress #7) By: Annie Bellet

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Magic to the Bone (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress #7) By: Annie Bellet

Plot:

Bruised, battered, but not even close to broken, Jade and her friends must reunite, and get ready to take out her psycho ex once and for all. Leveled up and wiser, Jade stands a chance this time.

As long as she takes out Samir BEFORE he turns into a god…

Review:

Finally the conclusion to the big bad. I was excited about that but like the last few books I thought this one was really short. There was also the whole no re-introduction to the characters so you better remember who they all are thing.

I’ve really liked the Twenty-Sided Sorceress series, a lot, but there were a few things I wish had been done better, namely the two things I just mentioned.

I love that the heroine is strong and smart and that she and her man don’t feel the need to dominate and control each other. I do think the relationship needs to be fleshed out more, at least in these last few books. Which really just adds into the whole these books became way too short. There wasn’t enough relationship or world building overall. It all felt really rushed and broken up. Maybe if the last three books had been combined into one it wouldn’t have felt that way.

I’m curious to see where Bellet goes next in this series. There’s a book about Harper as well as another about Jade showing up in this series.

4/5