Have You Heard the MUSE? Releases of the Week! (Jan. 17th)

Yes, it's that time of the week already! The bad news is, the list is short today. Other then a few young adult novels and a couple of movies, I think this is a great week to catch up on books and movies instead of worrying about going over your budget. You know why? Because NEXT Tuesday (24th) is a big release day so I'm warning you, get your book/movie budget together now! Just remember that these are my personal picks. So there may be other releases that are out that I haven't mentioned.

Other Thoughts: I also just wanted to let everyone know I will be posting some reviews soon. I sort of went on a mini-hiatus-- yeah I've been a bit burnt-out-- so expect some new reviews by the end of the week!

*NOTE* All books/movies/tv series are in order by release date

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BOOKS (Jan. 17th)

YOUNG ADULT

HALFLINGS
by: Heather Burch

Split. After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret---and the wings that come with. A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys' powers, as well as her role in a scientist's dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

Date Released: 17 January 2012
Website | Buy

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HALLOWED (Unearthly #2)
Cynthia Hand

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn’t prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Date Released: 17 January 2012
Website | Buy

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NEVER EIGHTEEN
by: Megan Bostic

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go. But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

Date Released: 17 January 2012
Website | Buy

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MOVIES & TV SERIES (Jan. 17th)

MOVIES

ABDUCTION
Directed by: John Singleton

Starring: Taylor Lautner, Maria Bello, Sigourney Weaver
Taylor Lautner explodes on-screen as a young man whose secret past is set to collide with a dangerous reality. After uncovering a deadly lie, Nathan (Lautner) is propelled on a lethal, no-holds barred mission to learn the truth. Aided by a devoted family friend (Sigourney Weaver), Nathan’s hunt for the facts pits him against ruthless assassins and questionable allies.

Date Released: 17 January 2012
Website | Buy

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COURAGEOUS
Directed by: Alex Kendrick

Starring: Alex Kendrick, Kevin Downes
Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, they are confident and focused, standing up to the worst the streets can offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge they’re ill prepared to tackle: fatherhood. When tragedy strikes home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Sherwood Pictures, creators of Fireproof, returns with this heartfelt, action-packed story. Protecting the streets is second nature to these law enforcement officers. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That takes courage.

Date Released: 17 January 2012
Website | Buy

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IDES OF MARCH
Directed by: George Clooney

Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney
Ambition seduces and power corrupts in a nerve-wracking thriller from Academy Award® nominated director George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck). Idealistic campaign worker Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) has sworn to give all for Governor Mike Morris (Clooney), a wild card presidential candidate whose groundbreaking ideas could change the political landscape. However, a brutal Ohio primary threatens to test Morris's integrity. Stephen gets trapped in the down-and-dirty battle and finds himself caught up in a scandal where the only path to survival is to play both sides. The all-star cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood.

Date Released: 17 January 2012
Website | Buy

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ROMEOS
Directed by: Sabine Bernardi

Starring: Rick Okon, Liv Lisa Fries, Maximilan Befort
A twist on trans stories – a 19-year-old pre-op FTM falls for an openly gay man in Romeos , a tautly told and sexily romantic drama. Lukas is a handsome young man but was born a woman, is on hormone replacement therapy, and still has breasts that he keeps bound and hidden. His new male life is complicated when he is frustratingly assigned to a female dorm while doing community service. Stressed by the unfamiliar surroundings and insecure with his new body, Lukas is aided his lesbian friend, Ine, who keeps his secret when he reenters the world as a man. Lured by Ine and his new friends, Lukas ventures into Cologne’s gay nightlife where he meets Fabio, a cocky, dark haired gay hunk who beds whom he pleases. The two opposites strike up a friendship, but when Fabio begins to make romantic moves, Lukas is forced into making a decision: end contact or tell him and face the consequences. Lukas’s courage to live his life as he desires makes this a great film for trans audiences but it is also is a revelatory one for gay men. It is in essence a sexy, entertaining, if unconventional, story of two young men who fall in love. (English and German with English subtitles)

Date Released: 17 January 2012
Website | Buy

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TV SERIES

MERLIN: Season 3
On: SyFy

Actors: Colin Morgan, Bradley James
Merlin is back with even more magic, adventure and romance as the young wizard struggles to protect Prince Arthur in the perilous world of Camelot. While battling deadly assassins, mystical monsters and the most powerful sorcerers Camelot has ever seen, Merlin must work harder than ever to conceal his unique abilities while King Uther redoubles his war against magic. Featuring exciting new villains, white-knuckle stunt sequences, and spectacular CGI monsters, Merlin season three is more thrilling than ever.

Date Released: 17 January 2012
Website | Buy