Tuesday, February 26, 2013

My Picks of the Week (Feb. 19th-Feb. 26th)


Hello my lovely Muses!

 I never got around to posting my picks for last week, so I decided to make one big post which includes new releases from February 19th to March 2nd. 

Also, I haven't had the chance to celebrate Black History Month, but I think the image above makes a statement without words.

Enjoy these new releases in books, movies, and tv series!

Best Wishes,
  




BOOKS (February 19th-26th)



ADULT Feb. 19th-22nd


Big Bad Bite (Big Bad Bite, #1)
by: Jessie Lane

What would it be like to live in a world where you are considered abnormal to those who are above the norm?

Jenna O’ Conner has been taught her whole life to hide from everyone. Never to let anyone to close enough to know that she would prefer a shotgun for her birthday over of a bouquet of r
knoses. She’s been smothered by her over protective family so that no one learns what she truly is. Which is not human. Nor, is she considered the norm for the supernatural Other community that is benevolent enough to share this world with the humans.

In a desperate attempt to live her own life away from the small town she was raised in, Jenna obtains her dream job as the newest member on the Wilmington Police Department’s SWAT Team. What she didn’t predict was that she would run into trouble her first day on the job, in the form of a deadly, mouthwatering man named Adam McPhee. Who is also not human, but more like a wolf walking around in human skin. He’s determined to figure out exactly what Jenna is, which unbeknownst to him, could very well put her life in danger. He’s also determined to have her all to himself.

As if that wasn’t enough for Jenna to deal with, bad news blows into town. A group of extremist Shifters who think humans are cattle and factions of Others worldwide should stay within their own species - never to intermingle. Chaos ensues. Jenna has to find a way to shut them down, but in the process of trying to do that, discovers things about herself that even she never thought was possible.

Who said the wolf was what you had to worry about?
Welcome to the real world.


Release Date: 19th February 2013



Feral Sins (The Phoenix Pack, #1)
by: Suzanne Wright

If your inner wolf and your body react rather enthusiastically to a psychotic Alpha male who’s own wolf has a tendency to turn feral, it can’t be a good thing, can it? Entering into a bargain with him wouldn’t be good either. Unfortunately, Taryn Warner, a latent wolf shifter, doesn’t have many options open to her right now. Okay, she has no options. Basically it comes down to whether she’ll do what it takes to escape the arranged mating with the sick SOB that her father set up. As the answer in this case is yes, it looks as though she’ll have to agree to Trey Coleman’s deal…she’ll have to mate with him instead.

Having always disliked shifter politics, Trey Coleman hadn’t bothered trying to form alliances with other packs. Now that his uncle – a wolf with many alliances – means to take Trey’s territory and his pack, he has no option but to form some alliances of his own very quickly or he’ll be easily outnumbered in the upcoming battle. He figures that the easiest way to do that would be to mate with a female who’s Alpha is powerful and influential. There’s only one problem with that – he would then be stuck with her, and the last thing Trey wants is a mate. When he hears of Taryn’s situation, he offers her a deal – if she falsely claims he’s her true mate and allows him to claim her, he’ll save her from her arranged mating and then let her leave after the battle with his uncle is over.

Sounds like a pretty straightforward deal...but soon Taryn and Trey realize they got more than they bargained for. Their mating instincts to protect and possess are weighing on them, they crave each other’s touch and company, and their inner wolves don’t like it whenever they’re apart. Add in that they’ll have to deal with this for an entire three months until the day of the battle finally arrives, and they’ve got themselves a recipe for disaster – or maybe for something quite the opposite. 


Release Date: 19th February 2013


Fire in Her Eyes (Summer Love, #1)
by: Amanda Heath

Spencer and I have been enemies for as long as I can remember. Though it wasn't hard to fall into lust with him. And things seemed to be headed to love before unspeakable things happened to me...

Spencer was supposed to be my rock. My angel. He turned out to be none of those things. What he did hurt more then the tragedy. I don't think I will ever be able to forgive him...

Not that he hasn't tried to win me back over. His new actions leave me wondering if love can really forgive anything?

My name is Harley Maxton and this is my story


Release Date: 22th February 2013


Undercover Lover (Covert Attractions, #2)
by: Tibby Armstrong

Undercover Lover follows up on secondary characters and situations from Sheet Music.

Good girl Jenny Ainsley never hoped for more than her nine-to-five existence. But when the sinfully sexy bodyguard her famous brother hired to protect her is drawn into a plot to take down an international drug syndicate, she finds herself an unwilling participant. She soon realizes she has the opportunity to break away from her timid past and do something important. And getting her hot bodyguard into bed will be a delicious bonus. He resists her at every turn, however, and she discovers that no amount of training—or seduction—can crack the code to this man’s heart.

Ex-MI-5 agent Günter Faust is no stranger to watching over the sexy Jenny Ainsley. For years he’s seen to her safety, hiding in the shadows and pining for the woman he can never have. Bedding a client is not an option. But fate has put her by his side, working up close and personal. And with Jenny’s relentless pursuit to seduce him, it’s only a matter of time before she blows his cover—and his heart—wide open.


Release Date: 21th February 2013


Where There's Smoke
by: L.A. Witt

Anthony Hunter wonders what the hell he's gotten himself into when he agrees to manage an unproven candidate's campaign for governor of California. As soon as he meets the gorgeous, charismatic - and married - politician, attraction gives Anthony's rock-solid professionalism a run for its money, and Anthony knows he's in way over his head.

Jesse Cameron doesn't like the idea of putting himself out there as a happily married, wholesome candidate, but his retired senator uncle insists it'll give him an edge over a challenging rival. The only problem is that Jesse's marriage is over, existing only to maintain his heterosexual facade. Oh, and there's that minor detail about his undeniable attraction to his smoking hot campaign manager. Or the fact that the attraction is very, very mutual.

Before long, temptation explodes into a sizzling, secret relationship, but under the microscope of the media and the relentless scrutiny of the voting public, Anthony and Jesse can only keep their secret for so long. And this is one scandal a campaign won't survive..


Release Date: 19th February 2013




YOUNG ADULT Feb. 19th-21st

Different Girl, The
by: Gordon Dahlquist

Four nearly identical girls on a desert island. An unexpected new arrival. A gently warped near future where nothing is quite as it seems.

Veronika. Caroline. Isobel. Eleanor. One blond, one brunette, one redhead, one with hair black as tar. Four otherwise identical girls who spend their days in sync, tasked to learn. But when May, a very different kind of girl—the lone survivor of a recent shipwreck—suddenly and mysteriously arrives on the island, an unsettling mirror is about to be held up to the life the girls have never before questioned.

Sly and unsettling, Gordon Dahlquist’s timeless and evocative storytelling blurs the lines between contemporary and sci-fi with a story that is sure to linger in readers’ minds long after the final page has been turned.


Release Date: 21th February 2013



Fuse (Pure, #2)
by: Julianna Baggott

When the world ended, those who dwelled within the Dome were safe. Inside their glass world the Pures live on unscarred, while those outside—the Wretches—struggle to survive amidst the smoke and ash.

Believing his mother was living among the Wretches, Partridge escaped from the Dome to find her. Determined to regain control over his son, Willux, the leader of the Pures, unleashes a violent new attack on the Wretches. It’s up to Pressia Belze, a young woman with her own mysterious past, to decode a set of cryptic clues from the past to set the Wretches free.

An epic quest that sweeps readers into a world of beautiful brutality, Fuse continues the story of two people fighting to save their futures—and change the fate of the world.


Release Date: 19th February 2013


Mind Games (Mind Games, #1)
by: Kiersten White

Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.


Release Date: 19th February 2013


ADULT Feb. 26th


Beauty Awakened (Angels of the Dark, #2)
by: Gena Showalter

His name is Koldo. He is scarred, powerful, his control legendary-and he lives only for vengeance, determined to punish the angel who viciously removed his wings. But if he yields to the forces of hatred, he will be kicked from the heavens, eternally damned.

She is his last hope. Nicola Lane was born with a defective heart, yet this fragile human shows surprising strength as demons stalk her every move, determined to end her. She is the key to Koldo's deliverance...and his downfall. Though he fights duty, destiny and his first addictive taste of desire, his toughest battle will be the one for Nicola's life-even if he has to sacrifice his own...


Release Date: 26th February 2013


Dreams and Shadows
by: C. Robert Cargill

There is another world than our own, as close and intimate as a kiss, as terrifying and haunting as nightmares, a realm where fairies and djinns, changelings and angels, all the stuff of which dreams are made is real...and where magic awaits in the shadows, just a hidden step away. Between this realm and that other lies a veil, a gossamer web that muddles the vision of mortal man and keeps him from seeing what is all around him. Sometimes, someone pierces that protective veil. But one glimpse of this world can forever transform lives. Just ask Ewan and Colby...

Once upon the time, the pair were once bold explorers and youthful denizens of this magical realm, until they left that world behind them. Now, Ewan is a musician living in Austin, and has just met the girl he wants to marry. Colby is still coping with the consequences of an innocent childhood wish that haunts him all these years later. While their time in the Limestone Kingdom is little more than a distant memory, this supernatural world has never forgotten them. And in a world where angels relax on rooftops, whiskey-swilling genies and foul-mouthed wizards argue metaphysics, and monsters in the dark feed on fear, both will learn that fate can never be outrun.


Release Date: 26th February 2013


Edge of Dawn (Midnight Breed, #11)
by: Lara Adrian

Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn—when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them—the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.

Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior’s code of swift—and even lethal—justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order’s hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.

Kellan didn’t think he would ever see Mira again—or have to confront the truth of why he left. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides—between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts.


Release Date: 26th February 2013


Fade to Black (Rojan Dizon, #1)
by: Francis Knight

From the depths of a valley rises the city of Mahala.

It’s a city built upwards, not across—where streets are built upon streets, buildings upon buildings. A city that the Ministry rules from the sunlit summit, and where the forsaken lurk in the darkness of Under.

Rojan Dizon doesn’t mind staying in the shadows, because he’s got things to hide. Things like being a pain-mage, with the forbidden power to draw magic from pain. But he can’t hide for ever.

Because when Rojan stumbles upon the secrets lurking in the depths of the Pit, the fate of Mahala will depend on him using his magic. And unlucky for Rojan—this is going to hurt.


Release Date: 26th February 2013


Heart of the Demon (Warriors of the Rift, #3)
by:  Cynthia Garner

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world—or send it spiraling into chaos.

The next opening of the rift is coming—and its consequences will be deadly. A rogue group of human-hating preternaturals is planning an apocalyptic attack, but the Council of Preternaturals may have found the key to saving the world: Keira O'Brien, a fey with a long criminal record, whose empathic abilities once made her the queen of con artists. If she successfully infiltrates the dangerous faction, the sins of her past will be forgiven.

Keira isn't the only agent working against the rogue prets. Finn Evnissyen, a powerful demon with a dark lineage, is a hired assassin looking for a way out. If he stops the threat, he will finally earn his freedom. As the rift fast approaches, and danger escalates, Finn and Keira must discover if they're on the same side—or sleeping with the enemy


Release Date: 26th February 2013


Immortally Embraced (Monster M*A*S*H, #2)
by: Angie Fox

Even during a truce, Dr. Petra Robichaud has her hands full as the M*A*S*H surgeon to an army of warring gods—especially when Medusa herself turns up pregnant. Petra has no idea what to expect when a gorgon’s expecting, but she won’t let it turn her to stone. As the healer-hero of an ancient prophesy, it’s Petra’s job to keep the peace. But as the lover to a warrior demi-god, she knows how impossible some jobs can be…

Commander Galen is sexy, strong, and sworn to lead his team to hell and back. But when he announces to Petra that he can no longer risk her life for his love, the doctor is on her own…Until a mysterious new entity—in the form of a hot-blooded male—enters the picture. Can he be trusted? Can he be resisted? Meanwhile, an oracle delivers another prophesy that places Petra back on the frontlines with the man she may be bound to for eternity—in love, or in war…


Release Date: 26th February 2013


Night Resurrected (Envy Chronicles, #6)
by: Joss Ware

His family lost forever in The Change, Wyatt is a man with nothing left to lose. But just when he thought he'd never feel anythig again, Remington Truth came into his life. Knowing the bold beauty would face unimaginable dangers on her quest to safeguard the mysterious crystal in her possession, he joins her on her journey, never expecting her to find a way past the wall he's built.

Remy's a woman with everything at stake. While protecting the powerful crystal that is her family's secret legacy, she dares not trust anyone. Yet once she recognizes the ravaged heart beneath Wyatt's stony facade, she's willing to risk it all. Together they battle the forces of darkness, their very survival at stake.

Until Remy is forced to make a terrible decision that could destroy them...and the rest of the world.


Release Date: 26th February 2013


One Night With a Cowboy (Oklahoma Nights, #1)
by: Cat Johnson

One Sweet Ride...
Oh yeah. A single look at the leggy blonde in the stands and Tucker Jenkins is ready to buck all night long. It's time to forget all about his cheating ex and his usual hands off policy.

One Hot Night...
Becca Hart is an East Coast professor. Not a buckle bunny. But no degree can prepare her for the moves of the sexy bull rider she hooks up with at her first rodeo...or the shock of finding him at her first Oklahoma State University staff meeting.
One Happy Ending...
Tuck knows it's all about holding on, no matter how wild the ride. Now he just has to convince Becca that a rough start out of the chute doesn't mean they aren't a smokin' combination...


Release Date: 26th February 2013


YOUNG ADULT Feb. 26th


Between Two Thorns (The Split Worlds, #1)
by: Emma Newman

Something is wrong in Aquae Sulis, Bath’s secret mirror city.
The new season is starting and the Master of Ceremonies is missing. Max, an Arbiter of the Split Worlds Treaty, is assigned with the task of finding him with no one to help but a dislocated soul and a mad sorcerer.

There is a witness but his memories have been bound by magical chains only the enemy can break. A rebellious woman trying to escape her family may prove to be the ally Max needs.

But can she be trusted? And why does she want to give up eternal youth and the life of privilege she’s been born into?



Release Date: 26th February 2013


Dualed (Dualed, #1)
by: Elsie Chapman

You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.



Release Date: 26th February 2013


Fragments (Partials, #2)
by: Dan Wells

Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence--it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means--and even more important, a reason--for our survival.



Release Date: 26th February 2013


Pulse (Pulse, #1)
by: Patrick Carman

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning, action-filled triumph about the power of the mind—and the power of love



Release Date: 26th February 2013


What We Become (Those That Wake, #2)
by: Jesse Karp

Two years ago, teenagers Mal and Laura destroyed a corporate empire intent on controlling human thinking through technology. For a while, life was good. But now a new force has arisen: the Old Man. He’s hungry for power and he knows who holds the key to getting it: Mal. Mal needs his beloved Laura’s help to defeat the Old Man, but is he willing to risk her life in another battle to save humanity? What We Become combines mind-bending thrills with the hot immediacy of corporate greed. It will leave readers wondering who is really in control…


Release Date: 26th February 2013




MOVIES & TV SERIES (Feb. 19th-26th)

MOVIES Feb. 19th

Anna Karenina
Directed by: Joe Wright

Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law

The third collaboration of Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley with acclaimed director Joe Wright, following the award-winning box office successes Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, is a bold, theatrical new vision of the epic story of love, adapted from Leo Tolstoy's timeless novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard. The story powerfully explores the capacity for love that surges through the human heart. As Anna questions her happiness and marriage, change comes to all around her. 


Release Date: 19th February 2013


Argo
Directed by: Ben Affleck

Starring: Ben Affleck

Based on true events, Argo chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis-the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA "exfiltration" specialist named Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.

Release Date: 19th February 2013


Broken Roads
Directed by: Justin Chambers

Starring: Sally Kirkland

A teen's life is shattered by a tragic car accident, leaving his mother dead and him distraught and lost. He's forced to move to a small town to live with his grandmother, whom he's never met. After living together they discover that they're unable to find peace with their own demons until they've found peace with each other. BROKEN ROADS is a portrait of dealing with loss, a journey toward rediscovery and the hills climbed which forever change us.

Release Date: 19th February 2013



North Sea Texas
Directed by: Bavo Defurne

Starring: Jelle Florizoone, Eva Van der Gucht

Pim and his ex-beauty queen, single mother, Yvette, live in a small town on the Belgian coast. Trapped, geographically and emotionally, they both yearn for unattainable things. As a boy, Pim occupies his time drawing and fantasizing while keeping his emerging desires for his older neighbor friend, Gino, a secret. As a teenager, his infatuation for Gino grows, but his feelings are unrequited and Gino leaves home to move-in with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Yvette spends her time drinking and entertaining unwanted suitors, longing to travel and see the world. When things at home take a turn for the worse, Pim finds comfort and solace in Gino s family who receive him with open arms and for the first time in his life he understands what it means to be loved. NORTH SEA TEXAS is a touching coming-of-age drama about sexual discovery and navigating through the emotions of first love.

Release Date: 19th February 2013


Puppy Love
Directed by: Harvey Frost

Starring: Victor Webster

When single mom Megan Nolan moves to a new town, she feels guilty for uprooting her ten-year-old daughter Caitlin. Seeing that the little girl's only friend is a neighbor's dog, Megan decides to adopt a shelter pet for Caitlin. She immediately regrets her decision when Caitlin gravitates to the biggest, sloppiest dog in the pound, Jake. Megan's beautiful new home is now in shambles and, as Megan considers returning Jake to the shelter, handsome ballplayer Ben shows up claiming Jake is his dog, the regrettable outcome of his roommate leaving a gate open. Megan and Ben butt heads. Ben wants to take his dog and leave, until he sees that Caitlin loves Jake as much as he ever could. Now it is clear: the pound puppy everyone loves deserves no less than joint custody.

Release Date: 19th February 2013


Sinister
Directed by: Scott Derrickson

Starring: Ethan Hawk

Sinister is a frightening new thriller from the producer of the Paranormal Activity films and the writer-director of The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Ethan Hawke plays a true crime novelist who discovers a box of mysterious, disturbing home movies that plunge his family into a nightmarish experience of supernatural horror.

Release Date: 19th February 2013




TV SERIES Feb. 19th

Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome

Starring: Luke Pasqualino

An all-new chapter in the Battlestar Galactica saga, Blood & Chrome takes place in the midst of the first Cylon war. As the battle between humans and their creation, the sentient robotic Cylons, rages across the 12 colonial worlds, a young, talented fighter pilot, William Adama (Luke Pasqualino, The Borgias), finds himself assigned to one of the most powerful battlestars in the Colonial fleet: the Galactica. Though Adama quickly finds himself at odds with his co-pilot, the battle-weary officer Coker (Ben Cotton, Alcatraz), the two men must set their differences aside when a routine escort mission with an enigmatic passenger (Lili Bord n, Silent Witness) turns dangerous and becomes a pivotal one for the desperate fleet.

Release Date: 19th February 2013


Game of Thrones: Season 2

Starring: Emilia Clark, Lena Headey

Based on the best-selling book series by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones is an epic drama set in the grounded fantasy continent of Westeros, where ambitious men and women of both honor and ill-repute live in a land where summers and winters can last years. Season 2 plays out against the backdrop of a fast-approaching winter – the season of the white raven. In King’s Landing, the coveted Iron Throne is occupied by cruel young Joffrey, counseled by his conniving mother Cersei and uncle Tyrion, who has been appointed Hand of the King. But the Lannister hold on the Throne is under assault on many fronts. There’s Robb Stark, son of the slain Lord of Winterfell, Ned Stark, who seeks autonomy in the North and has taken Cersei’s brother Jaime prisoner in battle; Daenerys Targaryen, who looks to shore up her depleted power in the east through three newborn dragons; Stannis Baratheon, eldest brother of the late King Robert, who rejects Joffrey’s legitimacy and aligns with a powerful priestess to raise a naval attack; and Stannis’ brother Renly, who has maintained his own claim since fleeing King’s Landing. In the meantime, a new leader is rising among the wildlings North of the Wall, adding new perils for Jon Snow and the order of the Night’s Watch. With tensions and treaties, animosity and alliances, Season 2 of Game of Thrones is a thrilling journey through a riveting, unforgettable fictional landscape.

Release Date: 19th February 2013



Life and Times of Grizzly Adams: Season 2

Starring: Dan Haggerty

 Dan Haggerty stars in The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, an adventure/nature series that follows the exploits of an unfairly accused man who chooses to live exiled in the wilderness rather than stand trial for a crime he did not commit. Along the way, he discovers and adopts an orphaned grizzly bear cub that he names Ben. Assisted by an old trader known as Mad Jack Denver Pyle and his blood brother Nakoma Don Shanks, Adams and Ben learn to live in complete harmony with nature.

As a mid-season replacement for NBC in 1977, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams was an immediate hit. Encouraged by the show's performance against ABC's stalwart, The Bionic Woman, and the undeniable chemistry between Haggerty and Ben, the network expanded the show into a regular weekly series beginning that Fall. Though the characters and plots were undeniably simple, it was this combination that the show's audience craved and responded to by tuning in religiously.

Timeless Media Group is proud to present, for the first time and in its entirety, the second season of The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams.

Bonus Material: Interview with Dan Haggerty.

Release Date: 19th February 2013



MOVIES Feb. 26th-March 2nd

Chasing Mavericks
Directed by: Curtis Hanson

Starring: Gerard Butler

Chasing Mavericks is the inspirational true story of real life surfing phenom Jay Moriarity (played by newcomer Jonny Weston). When 15 year old Jay discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, is not only real, but exists just miles from his Santa Cruz home, he enlists the help of local legend Frosty Hesson (played by Gerard Butler) to train him to survive it. As Jay and Frosty embark on their quest to accomplish the impossible, they form a unique friendship that transforms both their lives, and their quest to tame Mavericks becomes about far more than surfing. Chasing Mavericks was made with the help of some of the biggest names in the surfing world, and features some of the most mind-blowing real wave footage ever captured on film.

Release Date: 26th February 2013



How to Survive a Plague (docu)
Directed by: David France

Starring: n/a

How to Survive a Plague is the story of two coalitions-ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group)-whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition. Despite having no scientific training, these self-made activists infiltrated the pharmaceutical industry and helped identify promising new drugs, moving them from experimental trials to patients in record time. With unfettered access to a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival footage from the 1980s and '90s, filmmaker David France puts the viewer smack in the middle of the controversial actions, the heated meetings, the heartbreaking failures, and the exultant breakthroughs of heroes in the making.

Release Date: 26th February 2013



Master, The
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring: Amy Adams, Joaquin Phoenix

A striking portrait of drifters and seekers in post World War II America, Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master unfolds the journey of a Naval veteran (Joaquin Phoenix) who arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader (Philip Seymour Hoffman).

Release Date: 26th February 2013



Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Directed by: Bill Condon

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson

Twihards, rejoice! In The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2, love for Bella and Edward is not only triumphant--it's a love story for the ages. The finale in the wildly successful Twilight teen vampire romance saga will satisfy every passionate fan, and yet is broad enough in its appeal that even those who think they aren't invested in the Bella-Edward story will be drawn in as well. Breaking Dawn, Part 2 is breathtakingly beautiful, with sumptuous cinematography showing off the stark beauty of the Pacific Northwest, especially in the dead of winter. And speaking of stark beauty, Bella (Kristen Stewart) is even more ravishing than ever. She awakens at the beginning of Breaking Dawn, Part 2 as a "newborn" vampire, having been "turned" as she was dying during the birth of her and Edward's (Robert Pattinson) half-vampire daughter. Vampire Bella flies through the forests barefoot in a royal-blue sheath, no hint of post-baby body weighing her or her new superpowers down. Bella and Edward waste no time making good use of the cozy new cottage in the woods and its enticing bedroom. "Why do we need a bedroom?" Bella asks Edward. "We're vampires, we don't sleep." Edward, adoration in his eyes, quickly shows her the answer.

And their daughter? Well, little baby Renesmee starts out as a slightly creepy computer-generated animation creature, but as she grows--very quickly--into girlhood, she's played with winsome solemnity by young Mackenzie Foy. The girl is "imprinted" at birth to werewolf Jacob (hunky Taylor Lautner, often shirtless), who will from then on be bound to the wolf pack in a deep and special way. Yet Breaking Dawn, Part 2 carries true, operatic-style action as well as the love-triangle drama from earlier films. Because of the birth of the child vampire, the powerful Volturi in Rome are alerted, and, led by Aro (played by Michael Sheen, who appears to be having entirely too much fun), come to the Northwest for a shattering showdown over the fate of the Cullens. The confrontation, as directed by the deft Bill Condon, is intense and creatively choreographed (and fairly violent, given the film's PG-13 rating), with dark, wild music accompanying the Volturi's malevolent intentions and our heroes' fierce devotion to one another. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 demonstrates that love and family can surmount nearly every obstacle. And sometimes love can truly be forever.

Release Date: 2 March 2013 



TV SERIES Feb. 26th

Client List: Season 1

Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Cybill Shepherd

Jennifer Love Hewitt stars in her sexiest role ever as Samantha Horton, a former Texas Homecoming Queen who always relied on her beauty and charm to navigate life, something her beautician mother Cassie (Golden Globe award winner Cybill Shepherd) taught her. But when the Horton family finds itself facing financial ruin, Samantha must take a job at a local massage parlor, only to discover it's a front for a high-end call girl operation - one so lucrative, she can't afford to turn it down. But when the parlor is raided, Samantha must either cooperate with police and give up her clients' identities, or lose everything she tried so hard to save. Also starring Golden Globe award winner Cybill Shepherd, The Client List is an unforgettable descent into sex, seduction and a scandal that would change the lives of one small Texas town forever.

Release Date: 26th February 2013


Law & Order: The Twelfth Year

Starring: n/a

In the twelfth season of Dick Wolf's iconic Law & Order series, crimes of passion come to the forefront as Elisabeth R”hm joins the cast as ADA Serena Southerlyn and Dianne Wiest ends her tenure as DA Nora Lewin. Tensions are running high amongst New York's finest investigative and legal professionals with cases ranging from dog maulings to revived cold cases that bring to light errors of the past. But as the season builds to a frenzy, some of the team will find themselves under attack for taking justice to the extreme. Guest stars Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon) and Joe Piscopo (Saturday Night Live) joins Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, S. Epatha Merkerson and Sam Waterston in 24 gut-wrenching episodes from the riveting season that was dedicated to the victims of 9/11, their families, and the brave firefighters and police officers that came to their aid.

Release Date: 26th February 2013

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Book Review: Stormdancer by: Jay Kristoff

Title: Stormdancer (Lotus War, #1)
Author: Jay Kristoff
ISBN: 1250001404
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Japanese Steampunk, Fantasy, Dystopian
Binding: Hardcover
Length: 336
Published: 18 Sept. 2012; Thomas Dunne Books
Buy: amazon.com


Synopsis: Griffins are supposed to be extinct. So when Yukiko and her warrior father Masaru are sent to capture one for the Shogun, they fear that their lives are over. Everyone knows what happens to those who fail him, no matter how hopeless the task.

But the mission proves far less impossible, and far more deadly, than anyone expects – and soon Yukiko finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in her country's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled griffin for company. But trapped together in the forest, Yukiko and Buruu soon discover a friendship that neither of them expected.

Meanwhile, the country around them verges on the brink of collapse. A toxic fuel is slowly choking the land; the omnipotent, machine-powered Lotus Guild is publicly burning those they deem Impure; and the Shogun cares about nothing but his own dominion. Yukiko has always been uneasy in the shadow of power, when she learns the awful truth of what the Shogun has done, both to her country and to her own family she's determined to do something about it.

Returning to the city, Yukiko and Buruu plan to make the Shogun pay for his crimes – but what can one girl and a flightless griffin do against the might of an empire?


My Rating:

My Review: I was lucky enough to snag an ARC of this book back in August, but because of an unexpected illness, I am just now getting around to reviewing it. And I'm not going to lie, I have never been so conflicted over how to rate a book. I originally gave Stormdancer a 3 star rating, but after really thinking about it and hoping the sequel will help smooth out the kinks, I'm going out on a limb and giving it 4 stars.

First and foremost, I gotta give Jay Kristoff credit for writing such an original story. Set in a feudalesque Japan, this book really is a Japanese dystopian steampunk fantasy. And isn't the cover art absolutely gorgeous???

The story follows Yukiko, a member of the fox clan and daughter of Masaru, who just so happens to be Master Hunter for the Shogun Yoritomo. Although griffins are believed to be extinct, the Shogun sends out his Master Hunter to find one of these mystical beasts. Believing the mission hopeless but unable to say no to the insane Shogun, they are shocked to come face to face with a griffin. They are able to capture the poor beast, but find themselves in trouble when a storm hits. Yukiko finds herself separated from her father and his crew...with only an injured, very pissed off griffin to keep her company. But soon these two wary enemies cannot deny a connection between them and must learn to trust each other in order to survive.

There are so many different elements that have to come together in order to make this story work,  and for the most part, Kristoff does a pretty good job making this happen. Since the story takes place in feudal Japan, there has to be some basis for historical and cultural accuracy. Using Japanese names and including a Shogun that rules with an iron fist is one way of accomplishing this. I really liked how the different animal clans were included and described (fox, dragon, etc.). Another way Kristoff helps the reader along is by including a glossary of terms. And trust me, it really does come in handy.

The author uses flashbacks throughout the novel to help the reader better understand Yukiko and her strained relationship with her father. This is also how we learn the significance of the name Buruu and why Yukiko gives the griffin this name. And let me tell you, some of those flashback scenes brought tears to my eyes. Kristoff did a great job with not going overboard with pages and pages of flashback, but at the same time the ones he included were well written and benefited the story and character development.

Here is what I had some trouble with. Kristoff is a truly gifted writer, especially when it comes to description. The way he described the gold masks/apparatuses that the Shogun and the Kazumitsu Elite wear to protect them from the burning glare of the sun and the exhaust fumes polluting the air truly paints a picture in my mind. However, one thing I noticed some other readers/reviewers complaining about is the fact that there is a lot of repetitive description used. And when that happens, readers either want to start skipping parts or find it hard to get into the story. I found myself struggling through the first 60-100 pages. It definitely was not the kind of beginning that grabs you and makes you want to stay up all night reading. However, things do smooth out and come together by the middle to the end of the story and well worth your patience.

I also had issues with abrupt character point-of-view changes. It was more prevalent in the beginning of the book, but there definitely were a few times when I would be in one character's head and then suddenly in someone else's without any warning. I also felt that many of the characters were 1 dimensional despite Yukiko being well rounded. I had trouble with the romance between Yukiko and Yamagata, the personal Samurai guard of the Shogun. Or maybe I should say, lack there of. She meets Yamagata, the boy with green eyes in the beginning of the story for a minute, thinks about him occasionally throughout the story, then in the end....well, I don't want to spoil anything.

Stormdancer really is a unique, original story with a lot of potential. Kristoff had a lot of elements to work with in order to make the story come together and I think somewhere along the way things got a little out of control. But that sometimes happens with the first book to a new series. It's hard to find just the right formula when you are trying to introduce your readers to new mythology, world building, and characters. That's why I give Stormdancer 4 stars, because I have high hopes that book 2 in the Lotus War series will smooth out the issues. Afterall, one thing that Kristoff did do well is give us characters that we care about and I absolutely can't wait to see what happens to Yokiko and Buruu in the next installment.