Review

Shield of Winter (Psy-Changeling #13) By: Nalini Singh

shield of winter

Shield of Winter (Psy-Changeling #13) By: Nalini Singh

Plot:

Assassin. Soldier. Arrow. That is who Vasic is, who he will always be. His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he’s done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch—if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion. To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life.

For if the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake…

Having rebuilt her life after medical “treatment” that violated her mind and sought to stifle her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost. But Ivy Jane has never done what she should. Now, she’ll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption. But as the world turns to screaming crimson, even Ivy’s fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness…

Review:

Did I stay up until two o’clock in the morning and thus the next morning was incredibly cranky while reading this book? Yes. Yes I did.

Vasic was nowhere near as “evil” as Kaleb from the last book, there wasn’t all the hands at her neck parts so I liked it a lot of better. I know that technically speaking Kaleb isn’t evil but when all that’s keeping him from killing an entire race is the love of his woman he’s kind of evil in my book.

Vasic and Ivy were great characters and I loved that we finally got an answer to the Psy issues that have been going on in the world. Honestly the series could end at this point because the big issues are taken care of, at least all the ones I remember. However, I’m still curious to see what happens because the world created is fun and exciting.

4.5/5

Inside Out (2015)

inside-out

Inside Out (2015)

Director:

Pete Doctor

Ronnie Del Carmen

Starring:

Amy Poehler

Bill Hader

Lewis Black

Plot:

After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness – conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school.

Review:

Wow that movie was darker than I expected it to be. I don’t consider that a negative it’s just an observation. I really don’t think most children would have picked up on it, though. It was more for the adults.

I found myself crying throughout the whole thing and really wished my daughter was awake so that I could hug her. I’m apparently hormonal right now lol

It was a cute movie, I thought the concept was cool, but I don’t think I need to own it. Definitely watch it if you haven’t, but at your own leisure.

4/5

My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict’s Attempt to Discover If Not Being a Dumb Ass Is the New Black, or a Culture-Up Manifesto By: Jen Lancaster

My-Fair-Lazy-Jen-Lancaster

My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict’s Attempt to Discover If Not Being a Dumb Ass Is the New Black, or a Culture-Up Manifesto By: Jen Lancaster

Synopsis:

Readers have followed Jen Lancaster through job loss, sucky city living, weight loss attempts, and 1980s nostalgia. Now Jen chronicles her efforts to achieve cultural enlightenment, with some hilarious missteps and genuine moments of inspiration along the way. And she does so by any means necessary: reading canonical literature, viewing classic films, attending the opera, researching artisan cheeses, and even enrolling in etiquette classes to improve her social graces. In Jen’s corner is a crack team of experts, including Page Six socialites, gourmet chefs, an opera aficionado, and a master sommelier. She may discover that well-regarded, high-priced stinky cheese tastes exactly as bad as it smells, and that her love for Kraft American Singles is forever. But one thing’s for certain: Eliza Doolittle’s got nothing on Jen Lancaster-and failure is an option.

Review:

It took me a while to get into My Fair Lazy, I read The Tao of Marth fairly recently so it was difficult to get back into reading another memoir by the same person, but once I did I really enjoyed it. I got to see how much Lancaster has changed since she first started writing. This book was published in 2010 but feels like it’s older, possibly because she hadn’t yet moved to the big house in the suburbs.

Lancaster makes me want to be a better person. Not like give to charity or volunteer, but make myself better by expanding my knowledge and trying new things. While reading this I made a mental note to really tackle my non-fiction backlog and learn something new, maybe even become an expert in something.

Recently I found an old document with goals written four years ago. I felt smug when I opened it because surely I’d get to cross something off and—I didn’t. I felt deflated and couldn’t help asking what was I doing with my life? The things on the list weren’t all difficult and were things I still want to do, so why am I not doing them?

Anyway, I really enjoyed My Fair Lazy and I could relate more to his Jen than the one from Tao of Martha. The only other memoir by Lancaster I have yet to read is Jeneration X and for obvious reasons I’m not in a rush to read it.

4/5

Tomorrowland (2015)

tomorrowland

Tomorrowland (2015)

Director:

Brad Bird

Starring:

George Clooney

Britt Robertson

Hugh Laurie

Raffey Cassidy

Plot:

Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.

Review:

It makes me sad that this movie bombed and no more will be made. It has such a ridiculously positive message and I loved it so much.

I read that critics felt it had pacing issues, but I honestly don’t know what I’d change. One minute it was balls to the wall action, the next it was lots of talking, but that’s what the story called for and I don’t think it made it bad. I never got bored, I never wondered when it was going to be over, I just wanted more.

My favorite part was near the beginning when Britt Robertson’s character was being told by the cast of Stargate: Atlantis (not really they were her teachers) that the world was basically fucked in every possible way and she asked how do we fix it. I loved that.

It’s silly to say but the movie resonated with me and it could very well be my favorite movie of the year. Definite buy and re-watch and hopefully indoctrinate my daughter.

5/5

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)

Pitch Perfect 2

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)

Director:

Elizabeth Banks

Starring:

Anna Kendrick

Rebel Wilson

Hailee Steinfeld

Plot:

After a humiliating command performance at The Kennedy Center, the Barden Bellas enter an international competition that no American group has ever won in order to regain their status and right to perform.

Review:

I watched the first movie, I know I did, but apparently it was before the website. I vaguely remember liking it and that’s probably how I’m going to remember this one as well.

It was cute. It seemed to have some pacing issues where it was too slow at a couple parts and then sped through others. It’s a lot of people to follow so it’s going to move fast.

Favorite part was the underground acapella competition. Was not expecting to see all those comedians and the Packers, it was a strange combo, and hilarious.

I don’t really think this series needs any more movies, but it looks like they’re making another sequel, so we’ll see what happens.

3/5