Tag: Reviews

  • “Who We Are” by Lifehouse

    Review of the album “Who We Are” by Lifehouse

    Everyone knows what a ‘chick flick’ is, right? Well this album, “Who We Are” by Lifehouse is the musical equivalent of that ‘girls’ night out’ staple. Lifehouse’s third album offers more of their signature style—upbeat, romantic, pop ballads full of jangling guitars and soulful lyrics.

    These guys specialize in poetry set to music. For example, the track ‘Broken’:

    ‘I’m fallin’ apart, I’m barely breathing,
    With a broken heart, that’s still beating,
    In the pain there is healing,
    In your name, I find healing,
    So I’m holding on, holding on,
    I’m barely holding on to you.”

    This is the kind of music your mother would approve of, no sexual references, no drugs or suicidal thoughts. Just talk about relationships and being true to yourself and others. On ‘Easier to Be’ they sing:

    “You make it easier to be,
    Easier to be me, it’s hard to believe,
    You didn’t give up on me, I let myself go,
    You were still there, like coming up for air, yeah, yeah.”

    I know, sappy and sweet. Almost too much so. My children refuse to listen to this CD with me, they find it boring. But it is a guilty pleasure of mine, soothing in a way previously only Enya could be. It makes a great contrast to my emo AFI music and the loud Linkin Park and NIckelback albums. It’s great stuff to listen to when I’m writing about Requiem, I can see him saying these kind of things to Regina.

    By far, the best song of the batch is ‘First Time’. It’s already being used for a car commercial on television; it’s got a great hook and a catchy tune. I bet you’d recognize it if you heard it, even if you’re not familiar with Lifehouse.

    “We’re both lookin’ for something, we’ve been afraid to find.
    It’s easier to be broken, it’s easier to hide.
    Lookin’ at you, holding my breath,
    For once in my life, I’m scared to death,
    I’m taking a chance, letting you inside.”

    The lyrics in this song remind me of some of the things Julia Cameron says in her ‘Artist’s Way’ essays.

    So there you have it. Would I recommend this album? Yes, as long as you know what you’re getting; you’re gonna love the sugar rush.

  • Review for the movie ‘Wanted’

    On Friday, ‘Wanted’ opened and I must tell you I was impressed with this movie. It has been a long time since I wanted to stand up and cheer during a movie. This show had me caught up in its unrelenting pace and breathtaking action sequences. I let it take me away and just enjoyed the ride.

    Of course, I had to suspend a lot of belief as well, no matter how special these assassins are, there really is no way to make the path of a bullet curve… but once you get past that and immerse yourself in the ‘universe’ that the writer has created it’s a complete thrill.

    The story centers around a boring and ‘insignificant’ man who is taken advantage of by everyone. His girlfriend cheats on him, his boss picks on him, basically he’s a doormat. He’s filling a prescription for depression of all things when beautiful Angelina Jolie shows up and ‘saves his life’ from a mysterious killer.

    Once he’s ‘safe’, she tries to convince him he’s an assassin with ‘special talents’ and he’s of course less than accepting of her revelations. Frightening events do begin to happen and finally make him believe that he is the ‘one’ they have been looking for and he joins the fraternity of assassins.

    The action sequences in this movie are over the top, especially the train episode at the movie’s climax. But that doesn’t make them unenjoyable, if anything, it adds to the comic book experience. If you don’t enjoy a bit of bloodshed, skip this flick. The violence is gratuitous- the movie is about a bunch of assassins- but is more about ambiance than splattered gore, though there is plenty of that too.

    There are at least three ‘twists’ in the movie, they leave you wondering if you really know what’s real and what’s another lie. Paranoia and fear abound, and leave the audience unsure of who to trust, keeping us in the mindset of our hero who remains quite sympathetic throughout despite becoming a cold blooded killer.

    I enjoyed watching the ‘adorable’ James McEvoy change from a ‘doormat’ complete with panicked eyes and a blank stare of apathy into a steely eyed killer with a conscience. His face became that of a different man, more attractive and with a purpose, his posture and gait more self-assured. I was also impressed with his ability to lose his Scottish accent and sound like a Midwestern American.

    My favorite scenes were when our newly confident hero comes back to confront his cheating girlfriend, boss and best friend. All of these characters deserve their comeuppance and it’s satisfying to watch McEvoy give it to them in spades.

    So, in summary, leave your thinking mind at home when you go to see this show. Enjoy it for what it is, a living, breathing comic book with little basis in reality. It’s escapism at its best, and isn’t that why we go to summer movies in the first place?

  • Second Sight, by Debbie Mumford

    I missed my scheduled post this week due to finals overload, but, better late than never, right? I am proud to say that this amazing Wild Child/Freya’s bower rising star is my mentor through Romance Divas and has imparted plenty of valuable wisdom since we’ve been working together. But that has absolutely no bearing on this review. *grin*

    This story was a quick read. I started it once, but got peeled away from it and didn’t come back until recently. The beginning pulled me right in with an intriguing ‘occult’ type murder and a psychic investigator Angie’s peculiar reaction to it, which befuddles her fiance and (sensitive but not psychic) partner, Zach Douglass. The mystery compounds when the psychic, Angie, dies suddenly – but not before handing over a book and a message to Zach. She tells him to find Jenny Murdoch, who turns out to be a translator. Zach takes the book Angie left him to Jenny, hoping she can help him unravel the mystery.

    When they meet, there’s an indescribable attraction between Jenny and Zach. Her inner psychic ability takes the form of a tiger in her mind, and for the first time in her young, troubled life, the big cat is calm and content – thanks to Zach’s presence. Zach feels an uncanny draw to Jenny as well, and his fiances voice echoes in his mind, urging him to find out more about the mysterious translator who so carefully suppresses her obvious psychic talent.

    I don’t want to ruin any more, so I’ll stop my summary there. I was drawn in first by the mystery, but didn’t mind when it took backdrop status as the developing and conflicting feelings between Jenny and Zach took center-stage. Ms. Mumford did an exquisite job taking a very risky situation (having a man who’d just lost a fiance fall in love with someone else weeks later) and making it convincing. I was definitely rooting for the couple, and the love scenes were tender and heartfelt. The characters and their reactions felt very real, the pacing very comfortable, and the writing clear and vivid. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

    You can get this book through Freya’s Bower, or browse Debbie’s other works on her website.

  • Falling



    I recently cashed in my book voucher at Drollerie Press, and got Falling by Imogen Howson. Here’s the blurb;

    Safety is an illusion.

    When the world crumbles into chaos, only a chosen few can afford the luxury of life in towers built to soar far above the pollution and destruction on the ground. Life up in the air is full of beautiful things and beautiful people. What happens when you’re not one of them? What happens when everything you believed about the world turns out to be a lie?

    You fall. Or you learn how to fly…

    This short story retells the fairytale Rapunzel. Set in the future, Imogen weaves a split society – those who can afford to live in the towers above the poisonous smog, and those who can’t. Linnet is the only child of a rich couple, the mother obsessed with normalcy. Linnet struggles to be what her mother wants, to fit in, but Linnet has one ‘flaw’ that doesn’t fit the ideal. It takes more than a Prince Charming to get Linnet to see she is only different and far from ugly.

    I enjoyed this story, the narrative refreshing and smooth. I loved how Linnet wasn’t the cliché she so easily could have been. There was some amazing character development as Gecko and Linnet interacted. The twist towards the end was lovely, making the well-known story delightfully fresh. I would recommend this story to anyone seeking a light but intriguing and pleasurable read.

  • No Rest for the Witches – Review

    This is a title I picked up to get a sampling of different authors, and look into St. Martin’s Press. My thoughts on each novella below . . .

    MaryJanice Davidson
    “The Majicka”
    Life’s a bit crowded for Ireland and her roommates—a fairy, a werewolf, a vampire, and now a zombie…especially when a mysterious man walks through the door. Will there be any room left for love?

    I’m not usually a fan of the ‘light and quirky’ side of paranormal romance. I like it dark and angsty. The fact that I enjoyed this story so much is a testament to MaryJanice Davidson’s ability. The fact that I picked up another one of her books because of it is ‘off the charts’ unusual. Okay, I’m exagerrating. But still, I liked it very much. I think it was the sheer boldness of the voice, the inventiveness of her ‘version’ of some very old and overdone ideas, and the cast of delightful characters. She didn’t convert me from my angsty roots, but she certainly entertained me.

    Lori Handeland
    “Voodoo Moon”
    For Devil’s Fork–based FBI Agent Dana Duran, the only way to fight a supernatural serial killer just may be to embrace life. But little did she know that voodoo could be so viciously sexy…

    This was more along the lines of what I picked up this book for. Again, Ms. Handeland was a new author to me. I will definitely be picking up another title of hers. The premise was along the lines of what I like, the mystery and tension held through most of the story. The hero was dark and sexy and muchos wantable, the heroine I could relate to. The only place this story failed in my eyes was the ‘lets have sex to save the world’ ploy. Because of that, I undergrade it, because an author of Ms. Handeland’s talent should know better.

    Cheyenne McCray
    “Breath of Magic”
    San Francisco’s witches are in an epic battle. But even if Sydney can use her sultry ways and ancient Druid powers to save the world, can she risk losing her heart to handsome warrior Conlan?

    This one started off good. I was intrigued, but quickly lost interest. I’m not sure what it was specifically, but for some reason, it didn’t ring true to me. It felt forced, and the attraction between the two characters was over-emphasized. I kept expecting to read about heaving bosoms. The purple prose kicked me out, and I didn’t actually finish. Perhaps the world building that interested me at the beginning would have pulled me back in, but short on time, I didn’t give it a chance.

    Christine Warren
    “Any Witch Way She Can”
    A desperately lonely witch decides to take matters of love into her own hands when she casts a cosmic personal ad…only to find that the perfect formula for love is a strange brew indeed.

    What I liked most about this story is that it did what most novellas should, in my opinion – it focused on character development and not plot. Yes, a novella needs a mechanism or catalyst to make things happen, but it doesn’t need a full novel’s worth of plot. I liked that Ms. Warren set up one event, and the fallout that ensued threw the two characters together. She made them real, I could relate to them and understand their choices. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the heroine in this piece, and the hero definitely had me hot under the collar. Just when I thought I had maybe wasted my money, this piece redeemed the St. Martin’s editors in my eyes. I’ll be checking out Ms. Warren’s other works.

  • What Happens in Vegas…

    What Happens in Vegas…

    It’s purely coincidence that a movie with this title opened in theaters the very day that I went to Las Vegas last week. And I am going to break with this tradition and tell you about the things I saw and did while I was there.

    Creature comforts are plentiful in ‘Sin City’-every hotel boasts a swimming pool, a buffet, spa, and, oh yes, it’s own casino. It’s quite easy to indulge oneself in every way without even leaving your hotel. But if you should choose to wander ‘The Strip’, Las Vegas’ main street that is lined with the largest casinos, I have some recommendations of sights you may want to see.

    Start at Treasure Island, a pirate themed casino. Each night they stage a live action show featuring three full sized pirate ships that wage war on each other, complete with plenty of swordplay and booming cannon fire.

    Immediately next door, the Mirage has a volcano that goes off once an hour after dark. Lava spews from the mountain and spreads across a verdant oasis in a mock eruption. It’s quite impressive to watch.

    Walk a short way south to the Bellagio and you can enjoy the ‘Dancing Waters’ show.
    Every half hour the fountains in front of the hotel will perform to a beautiful piece of classical music. Each presentation is different, new music and new choreography. An added benefit is the cool mist coming off the water while you watch under the hot desert sun.

    Farther away, in the old part of Las Vegas, you can find the ‘Fremont Street Experience’. For three city blocks, the area covering Fremont Street is covered with a canopy of lights that project a music video each hour. The shows are clever, featuring loud music and scantily dressed dancers. The enclosed area, with casinos on each side, reminded me of Mardi Gras in New Orleans with its party like atmosphere.

    While I was wandering through Fremont Street, I happened on a live performance of the band Everclear, they were singing for the Miss Hawaiian Tropic beauty pageant on a stage set up in the middle of the street. Hundreds of beautiful and tan bikini clad women filled the stage between their sets and signed autographs before and after the taping of the ‘live show’.

    Well there you have it, what happened in Vegas last weekend. I am sure there are millions of things I missed but each of these activities I mentioned is completely free. The trick is to get past the millions of slot machines and table games without spending your life savings.

  • Seven Sinners

    I recently had the pleasure of reading the Ellora’s Cave release Seven Sinners, by Red Garnier.

    Here’s the blurb from Ellora’s:
    Phillip Gaston Maxwell has been a vampire for one hundred years, a long life where hot sex has certainly not been lacking. But lately Phillip is starting to feel bored. Only his luscious friend Anna can truly fulfill him, but while Anna shares her body, her heart is locked tight. So Phillip’s attention has turned to his latest obsession, Daniel — but how can a bisexual vampire seduce a handsome, reportedly straight Incubus?

    A bachelor party — with Anna willingly providing “entertainment” — and a little help from a concoction called Sin may just produce the excitement he’s looking for.

    This story is a very quick, very hot read. There’s just enough setup for you to have a good idea who all the characters are, and then no delay before diving into non-stop sex. As Ellora’s warns, there is male/male interaction, group sex and forced seduction. Phillip and Anna are very likeable and sexy characters. Daniel is too, although he left me wanting to know more about his life and what his future held at the end of the story. Red Garnier also introduces several other characters that get little page time, but who seem to have stories of their own waiting to be told.

    I would recommend Seven Sinners as a quick, steamy read. And, am hoping Ms. Garnier decides to write more from this cast and world she sets up so well in such a short time.

    Enjoy!

  • Critique of the film ‘Iron Man’

    Iron Man

    The film ‘Iron Man’ opened Friday and I will admit that I’ve been waiting eagerly to see it. Being a self-confessed Comic Book Geek that’s not surprising. I spent my childhood reading the latest
    editions of Conan the Barbarian, Justice League of America and Superman. Iron Man wasn’t one of my favorites, but when it comes to summer blockbuster movies any comic book hero calls to me.

    The director, Jon Favreau, has done a great job of giving us a complex and believable lead character in Tony Stark. Stark is a genius, the son of one of the men that worked on the Manhatten Project. He inherited his father’s arms manufacturing business at an early age and has designed most of the weapons it sells. His reputation as a womanizing, hard drinking, spoiled playboy has gained him celebrity as his face adorns the covers of magazines like Time and Newsweek.

    On a business trip to Afghanistan to promote his new bomb, the Jericho, Tony is taken hostage by terrorists using, ironically, his own weapons bought on the black market. Held for three long months, he is forced to build a bomb for them from bits and peices of other arms they have available. Seeing for himself first hand the actual face of war, death and destruction that his business is indirectly causing creates a significant change in our hero. After escaping from his captors, he announces that his company will no longer sell armaments. His friends, business partners and even his personal assistant/love interest, Pepper Potts, all question his
    unlikely change of heart and new-found conscience.

    In secret, Tony builds a suit of metal that he uses as a weapon to help in his vigilante efforts to find the terrorists that held him and attempt to undo some of the damage he feels his weapons are responsible for. He just begins his crusade to help others when he is blindsided by problems closer to home and the real action begins.

    This movie is not for children; torture, realistic war scenes and violence made me wonder how they managed a PG-13 rating. It is a mature film that will appeal to adults with its character development and is paced accordingly, it’s not just a roller coaster ride like ‘Transformers’ or ‘Die Hard’. Expect to enjoy yourself immensely, but don’t leave your brain at home, there’s plenty here to keep it busy despite the action and special effects.

  • ‘Minutes to Midnight’

    In their new album, Minutes to Midnight, bad boy alternative rockers Linkin Park show a new more somber and introspective side. Their first few albums dealt heavily with the traditional teen subjects of relationships and anger at parents, lovers, and themselves. This album sinks its teeth deeply into the emotions surrounding death and loss. Their distinctive sound of rap woven into a rock background is still present, though less obvious than before and gives way to serious lyrics and themes. It’s the same band that we enjoyed before but they’ve grown a little older and a lot more world weary.

    There are a variety of different subjects on this album. Two songs are filled with social commentary, notably about the war in Iraq with lyrics like “When the rich wage war it’s the poor that die”. Another discusses the devastation and abandonment of hurricane Katrina victims. Both have clever wording and showcase the current US President in a less than flattering light. 

    We also find two hard hitting ‘scream fests’ perfect for moshing, especially the viciously sung and worded, “Bleed it Out”, It features a man confronting his ex about their relationship by ‘ripping open old scars, digging in deep and letting the blood flow’ with cathartic and disturbing imagery. “What I’ve Done” concerns trying to change one’s life and become a better person.

    “Put to rest, what you’ve thought of me,
    While I clean the slate with the hands of uncertainty
    So let Mercy come and wash away
    What I’ve done.” 

    But the real meat of the album, by far the majority of songs, deal with death.  In “Leave out all the Rest” they muse about how their families will view the legacy they will leave when they die, will they be remembered for the few good things they’ve done or forever be thought of as the imperfect souls that they really were. “Valentines Day” is a devastatingly harsh observation about how holidays can be painful to celebrate when a loved one has passed.

    “So now you’re gone, and I was wrong 
    I never knew what it was like to be alone,
    On a Valentines Day, on a Valentines Day” 

    Listening to “The Shadow of the Day” we cope with the impending death of a loved one. In my opinion the story involves a woman who has recently given birth. Or maybe it’s just the fact that I work with new mothers that causes me to read the lyrics in that particular light. I find them hauntingly beautiful and tragic at the same time.

    “In cards and flowers on your window,
    Your friends all plead for you to stay,
    Sometimes beginnings aren’t so simple,
    Sometimes goodbye’s the only way.

    And the sun will set for you,
    And the shadow of the day,
    Will embrace the world in gray,
    And the sun will set for you.”

    I have always enjoyed Linkin Park.  Listening to them with my children gave me an appreciation of their talent; but it wasn’t until this album that I got a copy of the CD for myself to listen to while I drive. I enjoy the variety of songs and the mature themes, and there’s always the added benefit of having my kids’ friends think I’m ‘cool’ ‘cuz I listen to ‘good stuff’. 🙂 

  • Author Spotlight – Anne Bishop

    I just finished reading Tangled Webs, the latest book by Anne Bishop and I was planning on writing a review about it today, but since it is the is part of a series, I decided it would be more helpful if I did an author review instead. All information provided in this post will be spoiler-free.

    Author Spotlight – Anne Bishop

    The Black Jewels Trilogy

    I first came across Anne Bishop a couple years ago while browsing the for a big thick book to take on vacation. Fantasy fiction is my first love, and in that section I found The Black Jewels Trilogy. This 1204 page book is actually a compilation of the first three award winning books in the Black Jewels Series – Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, and Queen of the Darkness.

    In this series, Ms. Bishop takes us to a mesmerizing world where long ago a group of people known as “the Blood” were given the power and responsibility to be guardians of their realms. As with any situation involving power, some use it wisely while others become corrupt. Unfortunately, this corruption is sweeping through the realms causing a taint that has the potential to bring an end to their way of life. For more than 50,000 years, this epic battle of good versus evil has been fought on the battlefields of Earth, Hell, and everywhere in between. The only hope for the Blood is a prophecy that states that one day Witch will be born. She will be a queen powerful enough to cleanse the taint and heal the wounds of the realms. The most powerful forces in history are lined up for the culmination of this battle. Will Witch arrive in time to save the World, or will she be destroyed before she is able to come into her power.

    These stories are an example of high fantasy at its best. Ms. Bishop is able to transport the reader into a highly developed, complex world with ease. Her characters are 3-dimensional, filled with strengths, weaknesses, honor, and irreverence. She weaves a tale that draws you in and makes you eager to turn the page. I am very glad that I read these stories as part of this omnibus edition because it would have been torture to have to wait for the next book to come out to complete the story. I highly recommend this book, and I would encourage people to read this trilogy before moving on to any of the stand-alone books in the Realms of the Blood Series.

    Dreams Made Flesh

    The next instalment in the Black Jewels Series, Dreams Made Flesh, is actually a compilation of two novellas – “The Prince of Ebon Rih” and “Kaeleer’s Heart” and two short stories – “Weaver of Dreams” and “Zuulaman”.

    Normally, a reader would have to turn to fan fiction to get the vignettes and background stories that are to short to be fleshed out into a novel in there own right, but in this book, Ms. Bishop artfully gives fans the extra tidbits they crave about the characters they’ve come to love from The Black Jewels Trilogy. She manages to combine fantasy, adventure, mystery, and sensual romance together in a way that touches all of your emotions. I found this book to be incredibly satisfying, and a wonderful book to just pick up and read when you don’t have enough time to get involved with a longer novel. This book should NOT be read before The Black Jewels Trilogy as it contains spoilers that could ruin some of the wonderful surprises in the earlier book.

    The Invisible Ring

    In The Invisible Ring, Jared, a Warlord who has been turned into a pleasure slave, is sold to a mysterious queen known as “the Grey Lady,” and finds himself thrust into the middle of a struggle between some of the most powerful forces in the Realms. Nothing is as it seems, and Jared must discover the truth in order to be able to save himself, the people he cares about, and his very world from being destroyed by evil.

    Although The Invisible Ring was released after The Black Jewels Trilogy, this stand-alone novel is truly a prequel to the other stories. It gives insight into the complex world of the Realms of the Blood and supplies background about some of the pivotal characters and the reasons behind the war that threatens to tear the Realms apart. It is not quite up to the level of the original trilogy, but it is very enjoyable. It could be read at any point without spoiling any of the surprises in the rest of the series.

    Tangled Webs

    As the latest installment in the Black Jewels Series, Tangled Webs brings us back to the Realms of the Blood and continues the story while shifting the focus onto Surreal SaDiablo, a supporting character from the earlier books. It also includes a bonus short story, “By the Time the Witchblood Blooms”.

    While thoroughly enjoyable, this book is not written as smoothly as any of Ms. Bishops earlier works in the Black Jewels Series. The premise of this book is shallower and less intricate than I expected given how high the bar was set by The Black Jewels Trilogy. That said, I was pulled in by this book and read it in a single day.

    I would recommend this book to any fan of the Black Jewels Series, although it should NOT be read before The Black Jewels Trilogy or Dreams Made Flesh as it contains spoilers for pivotal plot elements in the earlier books.

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    The Landscapes of Ephemera

    From a completely different yet equally rich world, Ms. Bishop brings us the duology of Ephemera.

    A man’s journey to find his humanity.
    A woman’s journey to find her courage.
    An ever-changing world that can be saved or destroyed by the human heart.

    I think this publisher’s blurb from the jacket of the books sums up the feeling of these books very well. Sebastian follows an incubus who is struggling to find his way in a world that can literally be changed by a persons thought and intentions, while Belladonna tells the tale of a woman who must overcome the labels that have been placed on her, in order to do what must be done to save her world. Both of these books are beautifully written fantasies, filled with magic and sensual romance. These are fun, easy reads that leave you very satisfied.

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    Tir Alainn Trilogy

    I have not yet read this World of the Fae series, but because of my experience with the other worlds that Ms. Bishop has created, they are definitely near the top of my To-Be-Read list. The reviews that I’ve read leave me to believe that once again, Ms. Bishop has woven tails of fantasy, adventure, and sensual romance taking place in a rich, well developed world.

    If anyone has read these books and wants to give their review, please post a comment. I would love to hear other peoples’ opinions about the works of this impressive author!

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    While I was writing this, I was inspired by Kathleen’s Fun Writing Challenge. Check out my blog for a snippet of page 123 in Tangled Web – a Writitng Exercise.