Review

Lightning Blade (Ruby Callaway #1) By: D.N. Erikson

Lightning Blade (Ruby Callaway #1) By: D.N. Erikson

Plot:

After twenty years inside a supernatural internment camp, bounty hunter Ruby Callaway is granted a temporary release by FBI Agent Colton Roark to help capture a necromancer publicly killing high ranking government officials. Each year, on the same day, the necromancer kills. And today marks the eighth anniversary.

But after dying at the killer’s hand, Ruby discovers something strange: the day repeats over and over, in an endless time loop starting at midnight.

The killer has something much bigger planned for today. And Ruby, as the only one capable of seeing the necromancer’s endless time loop, must stop the psychotic necromancer from obtaining unlimited power.

But the world outside the fence has changed, the supernatural forced to live in sprawling slums lying just outside gleaming cities. And in this uneasy new world, there might be threats even greater than serial killers lurking in the shadows…

Review:

Lightning Blade is made up of things I love, time loops, futuristic settings, and a kick ass female heroine. Time loops are so rarely done, at least I seem to rarely read about them, that when I saw that was what this book was I couldn’t not buy it.

I’m still not exactly sure what Ruby Callaway is, she’s a realms something or other, but she seems to be unique but not over powered. She ages very slowly so she’s had some time to train, which explains the abilities we were shown. I’m curious to learn more, though.

The real winner, though, was the world created. A futuristic world with paranormal creatures is just so cool to me. Things, of course, aren’t peachy in the future, and our heroes must find a way to survive and break the time loop, but things are never what they seem.

I wish the villain had been better developed. The pieces were all there, but the only time I felt anything for him was when he was first introduced, after that it was just sort of, “oh yeah there he is again.” He wasn’t over the top and he had awesome motivation but I feel like he could have easily been expounded on.

Really enjoyed the book over all, though, and I’m looking forward to reading the next one.

4/5

Bad Boys II (2003)

Bad Boys II (2003)

Director:

Michael Bay

Starring:

Will Smith

Martin Lawrence

Plot:

Two loose-cannon narcotics cops investigate the flow of Ecstasy into Florida from a Cuban drug cartel.

Review:

I didn’t plan to watch this movie, but flipping through streaming services it appeared and I couldn’t not watch it. This is really Will Smith at his peak, him and Lawrence were great together. I didn’t plan on watching the full thing, but each time I started to turn it off something funny would keep me watching. I love the marriage of comedy and action. My husband says that this is the best Michael Bay movie and I think I agree with him.

4/5

Peach Pies and Alibis (Charmed Pie Shoppe #2) By: Ellery Adams

Peach Pies and Alibis (Charmed Pie Shoppe #2) By: Ellery Adams

Plot:

Ella Mae LeFaye’s Charmed Pie Shoppe is wildly popular in Havenwood, Georgia–which is not surprising since Ella Mae can lace her baked goods with enchantments. The shop’s extraordinary success seems destined to continue when Ella Mae meets an engaged couple who hire her to handle the dessert buffet at their wedding.
But Ella Mae has a lot on her plate. She is also searching for the origin of her magical powers–and hoping to determine if the spark of attraction she feels for the handsome Hugh Dylan is authentic or just her new abilities gone awry.
Then Ella Mae discovers a high-standing member of the community dead, and a wedding guest becomes seriously ill at the event she’s catering. Now she’ll have to use all her sleuthing skills and culinary talents to prove her pies don’t contain a killer ingredient . . .

Review:

This book did not disappoint, all that I liked from the first continued and more. Adams expanded on the magic in the universe and it was interesting and unique. The side characters continued to be developed and were fun.

I’m still not overly fond of Ella Mae, she’s fine, but I don’t know, kind of boring maybe, honestly I’m not sure why I don’t like her. Her ex-husband showed up which I was kind of concerned about, but I liked how he was handled. I wish whatever was going on with Hugh would figure itself out and be explained but I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.

The mystery was good, though, I did guess who done-it before the reveal, but I was kept guessing. I ended up crying at one point because of what happened. I liked the book a lot and I’ve got the next two from the library.

4/5

Pies and Prejudice (Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries #1) By: Ellery Adams

Pies and Prejudice (Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries #1) By: Ellery Adams

Plot:

When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LaFaye bakes pies. So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flakey crust. But her pies aren’t just delicious. They’re having magical effects on the people who eat them—and the public is hungry for more.

Discovering her hidden talent for enchantment, Ella Mae makes her own wish come true by opening the Charmed Pie Shoppe. But with her old nemesis Loralyn Gaynor making trouble, and her old crush Hugh Dylan making nice, she has more than pie on her plate. and when Loralyn’s fiancé is found dead—killed with Ella Mae’s rolling pin—it’ll take all her sweet magic to clear her name.

Review:

I’m not a pie fan, I like maybe three kinds of pie, not a huge fan of fruit in deserts. I’m also not good at making the ones I do like, each time I’ve tried I’ve screwed up somehow. I can bake cakes and cookies and I’m a pretty fair cook but pies have so far alluded me. All that to say, after reading this book I desperately wanted a pie. I wanted to make one, I wanted to eat one, I wanted a freaking pie, but I’ve yet to get my hands on one.

Anyway, I’ve been looking for a cozy mystery author that I like as much as Jenn McKinley and while I’m not saying Ellery Adams is there for me yet, she’s got promise. I even used birthday money and paid a full $7.99 for the sequel, that’s a lot for me to spend on an author that I’m unfamiliar with.

I enjoyed the world created, I thought the mystery was intriguing, and I loved all the baking. The characters were good, especially the side characters. This is a kind of paranormal cozy, but the magic system isn’t really defined and Ella Mae didn’t even know she had magic until the very end. She was just able to infuse her pies with feelings. It was very lite paranormal and could be interesting to see how it’s developed.

4/5

Furious 7 (2015)

Furious 7 (2015)

Director:

James Wan

Starring:

Vin Diesel

Paul Walker

Dwayne Johnson

Plot:

Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother.

Review:

I’ve seen all the Fast and Furious movies, but I’m not really a fan of them. They’re merely okay at their best, in my opinion. Furious 7 was no different.

The best part was when the Rock flexed and his cast burst off, that was pretty awesome. The rest of the movie was just eh. The action scenes are poorly shot so they could be good but you’d never know. There were also scenes where the camera was rotated and I assume I was supposed to think that was cool but it was just stupid. Since I’m not emotionally invested in any of the characters the parts where they were all being introspective were just boring. Which is just about my view of the whole movie.

I am excited about the idea of a Rock+ Jason Statham spin off.

2/5