Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Book Review: This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This Is Not a Test
Author: Courtney Summers
ISBN: 0312656742
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Horror, YA, Contemporary
Theme(s): Suicide, Zombies
Binding: Paperback (ARC)
Length: 336 pages
Published: 19 June 2012; St. Martin's Griffin

 Synopsis: It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago,
her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.

When everything is gone, what do
you hold on to?

My Rating:  

My Review: This Is Not a Test absolutely blew my mind. There is no other way to say it. I actually went into this book with low expectations. Come on, 6 students stuck in a high school while a zombie horde tries to find a way in? A protagonist who no longer wants to live? In the wrong hands, this story could have turned out a complete mess. But thanks to Courtney Summers, This Is Not a Test is a gripping, frighteningly realistic portrayal of not only human survival, but of finding the will to live.

There have been a few reviews floating around that have basically said that This Is Not a Test is not a zombie book, but a story that just so happens to have zombies in it. I would say that there is some truth to this statement. You could take the zombie aspect out and replace it with a natural disaster, an alien invasion, etc. HOWEVER, if you think this somehow makes the book less scary, think again. I had the pleasure (or displeasure depending on how you look at it) of reading the novel during a storm that knocked out my power for about 12 hours. I couldn't sleep since it was so unbearably hot, so I lit some candles and decided to give the book a shot. I finished it in less than 6 hours and it left me shaken. The title of the book combined with the eerie, blood splattered cover only intensified what lie between the pages. To put it bluntly, I was thoroughly creeped out and the feeling didn't leave me right away.

Every protagonist in a story has issues to face or overcome. And most of the time, these issues are revealed methodically and are carefully paced to keep the reader engaged. Courtney Summers does something quite different with her protagonist. Before jumping into the novel, I pretty much thought I had the story figured out. Zombies take over, Sloane's whole family is killed, therefore, she has no reason to stay alive. I couldn't have been more wrong because Summers drops a bomb on us within the first few pages of the story. Sloane's nightmare began way before zombies ever entered the picture. It started when her father began physically abusing both her and her sister Lily. What kept Sloane going was her sister's promise that they would one day run away together. However, she was never prepared for Lily to betray her by taking off and leaving her with their monster of a father.  We learn this within the first few pages of the book as well as the fact that because of this, Sloane has given up on life. She is ready to commit suicide, preferring to face death than be her father's punching bag. But before she can follow through with her plan, the world as she knows it comes to an end. The dead roam the streets looking for human flesh. If it wasn't for a small group of survivors, she would be zombie food or become one herself.  But did them saving her only prolong the inevitable? I guess this is why I find Sloane such an interesting, complex character. While the others have fond thoughts of their parents or a sibling or a significant other, all she has is the painful memories of her dead mother, abusive father, and selfish sister.

One of the most heartbreaking parts in the story is when Sloane is talking to Rhys after he discovers her desire to end her life. She says to him, "I wouldn't have left you like that. Not like [Lily] did to me...She always said I'd die without her and she left anyway."

"But you didn't die," [Rhys] says.

"I did," I say. "I'm just waiting for the rest of me to catch up.”

Here is another line that gives you a clear view of Sloane's despair. “Waiting around to be saved is like waiting to die and I have done more of both than anyone else in the room.”


This Is Not a Test is an extremely well written story that has a beautiful flow to the writing style. The chapters are short which compliments its somber tone. What absolutely amazed me about this book is the fact that not once did I wonder how the epidemic started nor was it ever mentioned or explored. 9 times out of 10, when I am reading an apocalyptic tale, I want to know why, when, and how. I think the reason it never crossed my mind with this book is because the story's main focus is not on the zombies scratching at the door. This is Not a Test is a character driven novel that focuses on the human psyche in extreme circumstances. It's about the decisions and sacrifices that have to be made, the trust that is formed and broken, etc.

That being said, I must warn you this book is not for the faint of heart. It will test you emotionally, ethically, and morally. It covers an array of controversial topics such as abuse, suicide, abandonment. But as the story progresses, and hidden truths come to surface, a whole new set of topics are introduced. If pushed to the extreme, would you sacrifice one life for another? Would the guilt of split second decision making be too much weight on your shoulders? Would you rather take your own life than try to survive in a world overrun by the dead?

If you are looking for a book that will give you a few hours of mindless entertainment, this one is not for you. However, if you want a story that will touch you emotionally, challenge you morally, and keep you on the edge of your seat, then I recommend This Is Not a Test. If you are a fan of The Walking Dead tv series or the Aftertime book series by Sophie Littlefield, then you are in for a treat. If you haven't, you definitely need to check them out, especially since Sloane reminds me of both Andrea (The Walking Dead) and Cass (Aftertime). I thank LibraryThing.com and St. Martin's Griffin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this riveting novel.

Monday, July 23, 2012

My Picks of the Week! (July 24th)


Good Monday, Muses!

July is coming quickly to an end and unfortunately there are not many titles coming out this week. BUT, that is quite alright since August is right around the corner and their are many exciting releases to come. So this is a great week to kind of sit back and save a little money. Of course there are still a few releases this week worth mentioning!

In Adult books, Seduced by Blood, the 4th novel in Laurie Landon's Sweetblood vampire series will be hitting shelves on Tuesday. For those who like erotica, the e-book Ink Lust by Jayne Kingston sounds yummy. In Young Adult, fans of Kiersten White's Paranormalcy series will be excited for the release of book 3 called Endlessly. I personally am looking forward to checking out the much talked about Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein.

In movies, Silent House might be worth checking out if you need a horror fix. Also, it is the only movie this week that comes in a Blu-ray-DVD combo pack. And lastly, in TV Series, the STARZ originally series, Boss Season 1 comes to blu-ray and dvd. I am not a huge Kelsey Grammer fan, but I've been hearing that he is absolutely amazing in this show.








BOOKS (July 24th)



ADULT

Dragon Justice (Paranormal Scene Investigations, #4)
by: Justice Anne Gilman

In my time with PUPI, formally known as Private, Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations, I've seen a lot. Learned a lot. And not all of it's been good. But what we do-make people accountable for crimes committed  with magic-is important work. Still. Even I need to take a break every now and again.  Or so I've just been told (ordered). So hey, vacation. Maybe I'll finally figure out what's going on with the "special bond" between me and the bossman, Benjamin Venec. Venec seems to like that idea-he's invited me down to join him on a jaunt to Philly. But no sooner  do I arrive in the City of Brotherly Love than we're called in  to look at a dead body. And that's when life gets really complicated..


Release Date: 24 July 2012



Ink Lust
by: Jayne Kingston

Leni Brewster should have been disappointed when her twin sister had to bail on holding her hand during her first tattoo, but going to her appointment solo means time alone with the sexy-as-hell tattoo artist who falls into the Do Not Touch category two-fold.

Only Jamie Rodriguez isn’t as off-limits as Leni thinks. Privately single for months, Jamie finds himself more than looking forward to having the hot little librarian in his chair. And when she accidentally reveals a naughty secret about herself, he can’t get his hands on her fast enough—he has to know what else she’s hiding under that buttoned-up exterior of hers.

What he discovers sets his blood to boiling, igniting a burning determination to test every single one of the boundaries, both personal and physical, that she’s set for herself.


Release Date: 25 July 2012



No Surrender, No Retreat (Archangel Chronicles, #2)
by: L.J. LaBarthe

Seventy years after it began, the war between angels and demons is over. Archangels Gabriel and Michael reunite at last, but a dangerous new challenge stands in the way of their happiness: someone is kidnapping angels and selling them as trophies on the black market. When Raphael, Archangel of Healing, goes missing, his tearful lover joins with the Brotherhood of Archangels and their lieutenants to rescue him.

Without Raphael’s healing touch, disease spreads quickly through the world’s human population. The situation only worsens when the angel Agrat is kidnapped: the number of sex crimes begins to rise and her husband, Gabriel’s lieutenant, loses himself to his grief. As they mount a rescue mission, Gabriel and Michael’s relationship will be put to the test. With the threat of the world dying around them and tragedy looming overhead, can Gabriel and Michael keep love and hope alive?


Release Date: 25 July 2012



Seduced by Blood (Sweetblood, #4)
by: Laurie London

Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, the battle for supremacy rages on between two vampire coalitions: Guardian enforcers sworn to protect humanity, and Darkbloods, rogues who kill like their ancient ancestors... Hot-blooded and hard-edged, Tristan Santiago has an uncanny ability to see beneath the surface-a power that serves him well as the Guardians' region commander. But when a deadly plot against his fellow vampires is uncovered, he must turn to the one woman he can't read: the beautiful yet mysterious Roxanne Reynolds, whose sensual presence soothes his tormented memories. Roxy had put love before duty once before, with devastating results. But to root out a dangerous traitor in their midst, she must put her faith in Santiago, the one man skilled enough to break through her defenses. Posing as lovers, Santiago and Roxy work side by side-and discover a powerful craving that threatens to consume them both...

Release Date: 24 July 2012



Technomancer (Unspeakable Things, #1)
by: B.V. Larson
  
A new kind of alien invasion…

When Quentin Draith wakes up in a private sanatorium, he has no memory of who he is or how he received the injuries riddling his body. All he knows is that he has to get out, away from the drugs being pumped into him and back to the real world to search for answers. His first question: How did his friend Tony’s internal organs fill with sand, killing him in a Las Vegas car crash?

After a narrow escape, he tracks down the basic facts: he is an investigator and blogger specializing in the supernatural—which is a good thing, because Quentin’s life is getting stranger by the minute. It seems he is one of a special breed, a person with unusual powers. He’s also the prime suspect in a string of murders linked by a series of seemingly mundane objects. The deeper he digs and the harder he works to clear his name, the more Quentin realizes that some truths are better off staying buried…


Release Date: 24 July 2012


YOUNG ADULT


Cold Fury (Cold Fury, #1)
by: T.M. Goeglein

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure

Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).

Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.

Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.


Release Date: 24 July 2012



Drain You
by: M. Beth  Bloom

Every night I'd lie there in bed and look out at the hills behind our house, listening. I knew there'd be consequences.

Actions meant reactions. Sunrises meant sunsets. My fear was too permanent, lasting longer than eyeliner, something I wore every day and didn't wash off.

Quinlan Lacey's life is a red carpet of weird fashions, hip bands, random parties, and chilling by the pool with her on-and-off BFF Libby. There's also her boring job (minimum wage), a crushed-out coworker (way too interested), her summer plans (nada), and her parents (totally clueless). Then one night she meets gorgeous James, and Quinn's whole world turns crazy, Technicolor, 3-D, fireworks, whatever.

But with good comes bad and unfortunately, Quinn's new romance brings with it some majorly evil baggage. Now, to make things right, she has to do a lot of things wrong (breaking and entering, kidnapping, lying, you name it).

There's normal, and then there's paranormal, and neither are Quinlan's cup of Diet Coke. Staying sane, cool, in love, and alive isn't so easy breezy.


Release Date: 24 July 2012



Endlessly (Paranormalcy, #3)
by: Kiersten White

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.


Release Date: 24 July 2012



Guitar Notes
by: Mary Amato

On odd days, Tripp Broody uses a school practice room to let loose on a borrowed guitar. Eyes closed, strumming that beat-up instrument, Tripp escapes to a world where only the music matters.

On even days, Lyla Marks uses the same practice room. To Tripp, she’s trying to become even more perfect—she’s already a straight-A student and an award-winning cellist. But when Lyla begins leaving notes for him in between the strings of the guitar, his life intersects with hers in a way he never expected.

What starts as a series of snippy notes quickly blossoms into the sharing of interests and secrets and dreams, and the forging of a very unlikely friendship.

Challenging each other to write songs, they begin to connect, even though circumstances threaten to tear them apart.

From beloved author Mary Amato comes a YA novel of wit and wisdom, both heartfelt and heart­breaking, about the power of music and the unexpected chords that draw us together.

Release Date: 24 July 2012



Red Heart Tattoo
by: Lurlene  McDaniel

At 7:45 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving break, a bomb goes off at Edison High. Nine people die instantly. Fifteen are critically injured. Twenty-two suffer less severe injuries. And one is blinded. Those who survive, struggle to cope with the loss and destruction. All must find new meaning for their lives as a result of something they may never understand.

Lurlene McDaniel's signature expertise and finesse in dealing with issues of violence, death, and physical as well as emotional trauma in the lives of teens is immediate and heartrending.



Release Date: 24 July 2012



Something Strange and Deadly
by: Susan Dennard

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.


Release Date: 24 July 2012





MOVIES & TV SERIES (July 24th)


MOVIES

Brake
Directed by: Gabe Torres

Starring: Stephen Dorff

Secret Service Agent Jeremy Reins (Stephen Dorff) is about to have a very bad day. He wakes up trapped in the dark, cramped trunk of a moving car with no recollection of how or why he's there. The only light comes from the blood-red digital numbers ticking away above his head that signify one thing..he's running out of time. As the captors reveal themselves and their motives while torturing their hostage mentally and physically, Jeremy realizes he is a pawn in their potentially catastrophic plot. He will not be set free until he gives up information about the President he's been trained not to reveal.

Release Date: 24 July 2012



Joint Body
Directed by: Brian Jun

Starring: Mark Pellgrino, Alicia Witt

Joint Body is a gritty noir crime drama about Nick, a recent parolee, (Pellgrino) who is abandoned by his ex-wife and barred from seeing his young daughter. Trying to move on in his new life, Nick develops a relationship with a lonely, yet troubled stripper (Witt). When someone from her past shows up unexpectedly, Nick saves her life, but once again puts him on the wrong side of the law. 

Release Date: 24 July 2012



Port City
Directed by: Andy Brown

Starring: Matt Lutz, Jodie Sweetin

David (Matt Lutz) is a recent college dropout. Nancy (Jodie Sweetin) is his romantically challenged sister. Jason (Micah Shane Ballinger) is his very talkative, very gay new neighbor. And Jeanne (Natalie Canerday) is the co-worker whose husband is about to make her snap. When the temperature rises, so does the trouble for David and everyone around him. Secrets, lies, infidelity, betrayal and one very unwanted goat...it's not just another summer for this sleepy southern town. And when a trailer park hitman sets his sights on a new target, will all their lives change forever? Set in the Cape Fear riverside city of Wilmington, N.C., this sly, surprising comedy also stars Barbara Alyn Woods and John Wesley Shipp.

Release Date: 24 July 2012



Silent House
Directed by: Chris Kentis, Laura Lau

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese

From the directors of the hit film Open Water, Silent House is a uniquely unsettling horror thriller starring Elizabeth Olsen as Sarah, a young woman who finds herself sealed inside her family's secluded lake house. With no contact to the outside world, and no way out, panic turns to terror to terror as events become increasingly ominous in and around the house. Directed by filmmaking duo Chris Kentis and Laura Lau, Silent House uses meticulous camera choreography to take the audience on a tension-filled, real time journey, experienced in a single uninterrupted shot.

Release Date: 24 July 2012


The Deep Blue Sea
Directed by: Terence Davies

Starring: Tom Hiddleton, Rachel Weisz

Master chronicler of post-War England, Terence Davies directs Rachel Weisz as a woman whose overpowering love threatens her well-being and alienates the men in her life. In a deeply vulnerable performance, Rachel Weisz plays Hester Collyer, the wife of an upper-class judge (Simon Russell Beale) and a free spirit trapped in a passionless marriage. Her encounter with Freddie Page (Tom Hiddleston), a troubled former Royal Air Force pilot, throws her life in turmoil, as their erotic relationship leaves her emotionally stranded and physically isolated. The film is an adaptation of British playwright Terence Rattigan's 1952 play, featuring one of the greatest roles for an actress in modern theatre.

Release Date: 24 July 2012


TV SERIES

Boss: Season 1

Starring: Kelsey Grammer

Mayor Tom Kane (Golden Globe® winner Kelsey Grammer) is King of Chicago, and he rules his domain with an iron fist. Deception, scandal, and betrayal go hand in hand with Kane’s form of politics. As long as he gets the job done, the people of Chicago look the other way. Despite being the most effective mayor in recent history, Kane is hiding a dark secret. A degenerative brain disorder is ripping everything away from him, and he can’t trust his memory, his closest allies, or even himself. Watch as Kane viciously fights battles on all fronts in "Boss" Season 1.

Release Date: 24 July 2012


Children's Hospital: Season 3

Starring: Rob Corddry, Malin Akerman

The courageous doctors of Childrens Hospital - brilliant, egotistical, nymphomaniacal - do whatever it takes to save sick kids' lives whether they deserve it or not. The CH team will disrobe, do Ecstasy, donate organs (except for the important one), or shoot adult films in the OR - all for the greater good. Show creator Rob Corddry stars with series regulars Malin Akerman, Lake Bell, Erinn Hayes, Rob Huebel, Ken Marino, Megan Mullally, Henry Winkler and a slew of celebrity drop-ins. Get your hands on all 14 Season Three episodes of this outlandishly incorrect, medically dope and seriously short series that'll literally get you high. Not really.

Release Date: 24 July 2012


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Book Review: Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Title: Lies Beneath
Author: Anne Greenwood Brown
ISBN: 0385742010
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance
Theme(s): Mermaids/Merman, revenge
Binding: Hardcover
Length: 320 pgs
Published: 12 June 2012; Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Buy: Amazon.com


Synopsis: Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

My Rating:



My Review: First, let it be known how much I love mermaid mythology. Yes, I started out like most young girls, fascinated with Disney's The Little Mermaid and falling in love with Splash starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah. As an English major in college, I had the opportunity to take a Legends, Fairytales, & Folklore course and was exposed to all kinds of mer tales from around the world. Some tales were sweet while others showed a very dark side to these sea creatures. It is no secret that mermaids have recently become popular in Young Adult literature and it has been exciting to read different authors' perspectives. But just like the overabundance of vampire and werewolf novels out there, it's getting harder to find a mer story that stands out from the rest. Maybe that is why I was so psyched when I came across Lies Beneath. It's just a shame that the book didn't live up to my expectations.

Here's what I liked. If you've read any of my reviews before, then you already know how much I enjoy reading books from the male perspective and how hard they are to find. I give Anne Greenwood Brown kudos for writing Lies Beneath entirely in Calder's point-of-view. Not only that, she nailed it.

I also liked the author's writing style. The chapters were not overly long and I enjoyed the poetry that was weaved throughout. It was also nice to see each chapter labeled with a title. I find it kind of fun when authors do that because I like to see how a title connects within that chapter.

One of the biggest things that drew me to this book was knowing that the author was taking what we think we know about mermaids/mermen and giving us a completely different mythology. Mermaids that survive by absorbing human emotions and energy? Cool! Cold blooded killers? Intriguing! I really liked what the author brought to the table, such as Calder not being born a merman, but being turned into one. The silver ring that appears around their necks when they are in their mer form. The depths that they will go to exact revenge and the consequences of not keeping your word if you should break a mer promise. So much potential that somehow just gets...lost.

Here is where I had issues with Lies Beneath. The story absolutely starts off strong. Calder tells us from the very first couple of pages that he is a killer, that's how he survives, but he hasn't made a kill in several months (9 months I think, right?). His three sisters, Maris, Tallulah, and Pavati, lure him to Michigan to exact revenge on Jason Hancock, the man responsible for the death of their mother. I say lure because while Calder feels bonded to his sisters, he desperately wants to be free from them. Maris, the ring leader, reluctantly agrees to cut the ties that binds him to them if he helps finish what they have set out to do. So far so good, right?

But once Calder gets to Michigan, that is sort of where the story falls flat. They decide the best way to get Jason Handcock is through his daughters. They at first think it's best to go for the youngest girl but Calder becomes fascinated with Lily, the eldest daughter of Hancock...and the story becomes boring. Seriously! The majority of the book is Calder watching, following, and...stalking Lily Hancock. He sleeps in the hammock outside her house at night. He gets a job at the same place she does. I've seen the "stalker" technique used before (for lack of a better term or phrase) and while in some books it works (Twilight, for example), it fails epically in Lies Beneath. Why you ask? I wish I could give you a good reason why. I tried going back to find some examples as to what bothers me about Calder, why I didn't feel myself swooning for him like I have for many other male lead characters. Maybe it's because he just doesn't seem fully developed, which is odd considering the book is in his point-of-view.

This also leads me to my dislike for his love interest, Lily Hancock. It's really rare for me to dislike BOTH the male and female main lead characters of a story. Actually, this may be a first. I thought Lily was going to be this rebellious, no nonsense kind of girl by the way she was first described. She annoyed me with all of the mermaid poetry and the blatant disregard for the "killing" parts. I guess I have to give it to Calder since even he was a bit annoyed that she had this romantic image in her head and no matter how he tried to redirect her back to the truth, she refused to see it. I'm not stupid, I get that in order for us to have a happily ever after, she has to forgive and come to terms with the things he has done. But to completely IGNORE it? Yeah, I have major issues with that.

Here is also a major mistake I found that became distracting. It's revealed early that Calder was born human and was made into a merman. When he was a small child, he was on a boat with his parents. A mermaid, later to become his "adopted" mother, capsized the boat and killed his parents. She showed mercy by turning him. But later in the story Calder thinks to himself, "They were out there somewhere. They might have even loved me. Did they search for me still, all these years later?" (page 241). HUH? Didn't she kill his biological parents??? If anyone has read this book and is reading this review, please feel free to let me know if I am wrong. Maybe I didn't read it correctly, but I could have sworn Calder said early in the story that they were killed.

Another thing that bothered me is how Calder and his sisters' mermaid mother died. I know she was caught in a fisherman's net. And I am assuming the fishermen never saw her? Or did they? If they did, then mermaids would be out of the closet, right? This isn't exactly a mistake but this is the kind of thing that happened a lot throughout the story. The author throws out some great ideas but doesn't fully explore them or give us enough details.

While I absolutely loved the structure of the novel such as the male point-of-view, the edgy, dark mythology, and writing style, there really wasn't a whole lot of substance to hold it together. The story focused too much on Calder spying on Lily. The characters weren't fleshed out enough. I get there is going to be a sequel but there could have been way more character development without giving away too much story. In any case, I am thankful to NetGalley and Delacorte Books for Young Readers for giving me this opportunity to read and review Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown.

Monday, July 16, 2012

My Picks of the Week! (July 17th-19th)


 Hello, my Muses!

I know, I know! It's a little late, but here is the new list of releases this week!  In Adult books, I added some really hot scorchers! If you like erotica, then you need to check out Banishing Shadows by Lorna Jean Roberts, Omega Mine by Aline Hunter, and Tattooed Tryst by Cynthia Sax! In Young Adult, I have an ARC of The Girl With Borrowed Wings by debut author Rinsai Rossetti, so I am looking forward to reading that. I somehow stumbled upon Beth Kephart's Small Damages which sounds interesting.

In Movies, there is a little bit for everyone. If you are looking for laughs, you may want to check out The Three Stooges and Will Ferrell in Casa de mi Padre (yes, it is in Spanish!). If you are looking for romance, the cute indie flick Salmon Fishing in Yemen starring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt is said to be a good one. If you like action/suspense films, check out Guy Pearce in Lockout and Mel Gibson in Get the Gringo. Yeah, I know, Mel has issues, but I've been hearing he is surprisingly good in it!

*Note* The only movies coming out this week in a blu-ray/DVD Combo set are Get the Gringo and The Three Stooges.

And finally, in TV Series, if you are looking for something new to watch, check out Syfy's Alphas: Season 1. Season 4 of both Leverage and Sanctuary come out this week. And if you are into classic tv and have been patiently waiting for the final season of Designing Women to get released on dvd, your wait is finally over. Season 7 is finally here!

Enjoy these goodies!








BOOKS (JULY 17th-19th)



ADULT 

Banishing Shadows
by: Lorna Jean Roberts

Fear is an emotion Kayla Sinclair is all too familiar with. An assault four months ago left her shaken, traumatized, scared of her own shadow. But now she’s determined to fight back. She’s taking control of her life, standing on her own two feet… Which would be so much easier if Cord Marsden hadn’t swept back into her world, knocking her feet right out from under her. Sexy as sin, dominant and bossy—he’s the one man she’s always been wildly attracted to, and the one man she’ll never trust with her heart. Not again.

Cord has returned home with one thing on his mind. Seducing Kayla. Two years ago he ran out on her, and she’s haunted him ever since. Memories of her sweet taste, her luscious scent and her innocent touch fill his dreams. He’s come back, determined to win her trust and her love.

And he will allow no one, not Kayla or whoever is threatening her, to get in his way.
Release Date: 18 July 1012


Burner
by: M.C. Mars

How far are you willing to go, and how much are you willing to sacrifice in order to realize your dream?

Jason Teal, is a hip-hop deejay and producer who dropped out in his last semester as a college astrophysics major and moved to san Francisco with his rapper friends to pursue a career in music. Three years later, the hip-hop group he co-founded has signed a major label deal – without him. Meanwhile, Jason has lost sight of his dream. He’s working a job he hates and his relationship with his stripper-girlfriend has hit rock bottom. And now, with greater frequency, he’s having hallucinations. He hallucinates walls and trains covered with graffiti pieces (burners). The burners are the work of his dead brother, PSYCHOPOMP, a great graffiti writer whose death, more than twenty years ago, has given rise to strange rumors. Some say he was murdered by the Illuminati, others believe he was in the Illuminati.

Into the chaos of Jason’s downward spiral steps a man named Cyril Magbion, a mysterious figure with ties to a secret society. Cyril has the power to transform Jason’s life overnight. He has money. He has answers.  He  seems to know everything. But first Jason must prove himself worthy of such a mentor and undergo “The TEST.”seems to know everything. But first Jason must prove himself worthy of such a mentor and undergo “The TEST.”

The TEST will take Jason Teal down the rabbit-hole into the new paradigm of wave/particle duality where quantum physics meets mysticism at the level of the unseen. In the rabbit hole, he’ll encounter a dominatrix with a chip on her shoulder, a gangster who blew off his leg making a bomb, a man in a wheelchair dressed as a pharaoh beckoning him with ESP, a ginseng store owner who looks like Peter Lorre on speed, CIA MK ULTRA experiments, and many more weird and terrifying things that will lead to a head-on collision with himself, and the Big Bang of consciousness.

Can you handle a mind-altering adjustment to the mass hallucination we call reality? If the answer is yes, then read this book.seems to know everything. But first Jason must prove himself worthy of such a mentor and undergo “The TEST.”

The TEST will take Jason Teal down the rabbit-hole into the new paradigm of wave/particle duality where quantum physics meets mysticism at the level of the unseen. In the rabbit hole, he’ll encounter a dominatrix with a chip on her shoulder, a gangster who blew off his leg making a bomb, a man in a wheelchair dressed as a pharaoh beckoning him with ESP, a ginseng store owner who looks like Peter Lorre on speed, CIA MK ULTRA experiments, and many more weird and terrifying things that will lead to a head-on collision with himself, and the Big Bang of consciousness.

Can you handle a mind-altering adjustment to the mass hallucination we call reality? If the answer is yes, then read this book.
seems to know everything. But first Jason must prove himself worthy of such a mentor and undergo "The Test."
The TEST will take Jason Teal down the rabbit-hole into the new paradigm of wave/particle duality where quantum physics meets mysticism at the level of the unseen. In the rabbit hole, he’ll encounter a dominatrix with a chip on her shoulder, a gangster who blew off his leg making a bomb, a man in a wheelchair dressed as a pharaoh beckoning him with ESP, a ginseng store owner who looks like Peter Lorre on speed, CIA MK ULTRA experiments, and many more weird and terrifying things that will lead to a head-on collision with himself, and the Big Bang of consciousness.

Release Date: 16 July 2012



Omega Mine (Alpha and Omega, #1) (Re-release)
by: Aline Hunter

A bond forged in blood. Fealty given to the one he desires above all others.

Graced with the ability to shift into any form, Diskant Black is the absolute authority when it comes to New York shifters, and as the Omega of the city, his word is law. Protecting the shifter races is more than a job, it's a predisposition ingrained since birth-nothing is more important. Until a chance encounter with a tiny female sets fire to his blood, brings him to his knees and turns his world upside down. Ava Brisbane is more than he bargained for in a mate-beautiful, fragile...human. If he wants to keep her by his side, he'll have to sacrifice a portion of his soul to establish a bond that can never be broken.

Unfortunately, the timing couldn't be worse.

Shepherds-hunters of all the shifter races-have arrived in New York. To protect the woman he can't live without, Diskant will have to stand against those who have come to start a war.


Release Date: 18 July 2012


Tattooed Tryst
by: Cynthia Sax

When a tattooed stranger strides into the diner and gazes at Lori with his flame-infused eyes, she realizes he’s someone special. Something special. There are tall, gorgeous aliens hidden among us, aliens armed with big guns and burning kisses, aliens taking what they want and whom they want, melting resistance with firm lips and rough, calloused touches. Aliens with fascinating tattoos.

Trake takes one look at the waitress serving up coffee and sultry smiles and knows she will be his. With military precision, he begins his passionate assault, using every weapon in his sexual arsenal to seduce Lori. Time is limited. He leaves Earth in nine days and his human mate can’t make the difficult journey. This is his sole chance at the ecstasy of bonding.

He will not fail.


Release Date: 18 July 2012




YOUNG ADULT

A World Away
by: Nancy Grossman

A summer of firsts.

Sixteen-year-old Eliza Miller has never made a phone call, never tried on a pair of jeans, never sat in a darkened theater waiting for a movie to start. She's never even talked to someone her age who isn't Amish, like her.
A summer of good-byes.


When she leaves her close-knit family to spend the summer as a nanny in suburban Chicago, a part of her can't wait to leave behind everything she knows. She can't imagine the secrets she will uncover, the friends she will make, the surprises and temptations of a way of life so different from her own.


A summer of impossible choice.


Every minute Eliza spends with her new friend Josh feels as good as listening to music for the first time, and she wonders whether there might be a place for her in his world. But as summer wanes, she misses the people she has left behind, and the plain life she once took for granted. Eliza will have to decide for herself where she belongs. Whichever choice she makes, she knows she will lose someone she loves.


Release Date: 17 July 2012



Small Damages 
by: Beth Kephart

It’s senior year, and while Kenzie should be looking forward to prom and starting college in the fall, she is mourning the loss of her father. She finds solace in the one person she trusts, her boyfriend, and she soon finds herself pregnant. Kenzie’s boyfriend and mother do not understand her determination to keep the baby. She is sent to southern Spain for the summer, where she will live out her pregnancy as a cook’s assistant on a bull ranch, and her baby will be adopted by a Spanish couple.

Alone and resentful in a foreign country, Kenzie is at first sullen and difficult. She begins to open her eyes and her heart to the beauty that is all around her and inside of her.


Release Date: 19 July 2012



Spark (Sky Chaser, #2)
by: Amy Kathleen Ryan

Waverly and Kieran are finally reunited on the Empyrean. Kieran has led the boys safely up to this point, and now that the girls are back, their mission seems slightly less impossible: to chase down the New Horizon, and save their parents from the enemy ship. But nothing is truly as it seems…Kieran’s leadership methods have raised Seth’s hackles— and Waverly’s suspicions. Is this really her fiancé? The handsome, loving boy she was torn from just a short time before? More and more, she finds her thoughts aligned with Seth’s. But if Seth is Kieran’s Enemy No. 1, what does that make her?

In one night, a strange explosion rocks the Empyrean—shooting them off course and delaying their pursuit of the New Horizon—and Seth is mysteriously released from the brig. Seth is the most obvious suspect for the explosion, and Waverly the most obvious suspect for releasing him. As the tension reaches a boiling point, will Seth be able to find the true culprit before Kieran locks them both away—or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? With the balance of power precarious and the clock ticking, every decision counts… every step brings them closer to a new beginning, or a sudden end..


Release Date: 17 July 2012



The Girl With Borrowed Wings
by: Rinsai Rossetti

A stunningly written tale of an isolated girl and the shape-shifting boy who shows her what freedom could be--if only she has the courage to take it.

Controlled by her father and bound by desert, Frenenqer Paje’s life is tediously the same, until a small act of rebellion explodes her world and she meets a boy, but not just a boy--a Free person, a winged person, a shape-shifter. He has everything Frenenqer doesn’t. No family, no attachments, no rules. At night, he flies them to the far-flung places of their childhoods to retrace their pasts. But when the delicate balance of their friendship threatens to rupture into something more, Frenenqer must confront her isolation, her father, and her very sense of identity, breaking all the rules of her life to become free.


Release Date: 19 July 2012



Wicked Jealous: A Love Story
by: Robin Palmer

Simone never saw herself as the “cute girl”—she was always the chunky, band tee wearing, France-obsessed smart girl. But now that Simone’s a few pounds lighter and sporting a new retro style, things have gotten, well, weird. Her crush Jason seems to actually know she exists. And when Simone’s soon-to-be stepmonster Hillary stops ignoring her, Simone knows something is up. When Simone’s brother offers to let her move in with him and his six roommates on the beach for the summer, Simone jumps at the chance. But living with seven very different college boys isn’t exactly helping her land her very own happily ever after.

Release Date: 19 July 2012





MOVIES & TV SERIES (JULY 17th)



MOVIES

 4:44 Last Days on Earth
Directed by: Abel Ferrara

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Natasha Lyonne

In a large apartment high above the city lives our couple. They're in love. She's a painter, he's a successful actor. Just a normal afternoon - except that this isn't a normal afternoon, for them or anyone else. Because tomorrow, at 4:44 am, give or take a few seconds, the world will come to an end far more rapidly than even the worst doomsayer could have imagined. The final meltdown will come not without warnings, but with no means of escape. There will be no survivors. As always, there are those who, as their last cigarette is being lit and the blindfold tightened, will still hope against hope for some kind of reprieve. For a miracle. Not our two lovers. They - like the majority of the Earth's population - have accepted their fate: the world is going to end.

Release Date: 17 July 2012



Casa de Mi Padre
Directed by: Matt Piedmont

Starring: Will Ferrell, Diego Luna

Armando Alvarez (Will Ferrell) has lived and worked on his father's ranch in Mexico his entire life. As the ranch encounters financial difficulties, Armando's younger brother Raul (Diego Luna) shows up with his new fiancée, Sonia (Genesis Rodriguez). It seems that Raul's success as an international businessman means the ranch's troubles are over as he pledges to settle all debts his father has incurred. But when Armando falls for Sonia, and Raul's business dealings turn out to be less than legit, all hell breaks loose as they find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord, the mighty Onza (Gael Garcia Bernal).

Release Date: 17 July 2012



Extraterrestrial
Directed by: Nacho Vigalondo

Starring: Julian Villagran, Michelle Jenner

When Julio wakes up in a strange apartment after a night of partying, he's pleasantly surprised to discover it belongs to a beautiful one-night-stand he can't remember - Julia. What's already an awkward situation is made even more so when they discover a giant flying saucer hovering above the city, which is now deserted. Now Julio must contend with a jealous ex-boyfriend, an eccentric neighbor - and very possibly the end of the world!

Release Date: 17 July 2012



Friends With Kids
Directed by: Jennifer Westfeldt

Starring: Adam Scott, John Hamm

Friends with Kids is a daring and poignant ensemble comedy about a close-knit circle of friends at that moment in life when children arrive and everything changes. The last two singles in the group observe the effect that kids have had on their friends' relationships and wonder if there's a better way. They decide to have a kid together - and date other people. There are big laughs and unexpected emotional truths as this unconventional 'experiment' leads everyone in the group to question the nature of friendship, family and, finally, true love.


Release Date: 17 July 2012




Get the Gringo
Directed by: Adrian Grunberg

Starring: Mel Gibson

ACADEMY AWARD Winner Mel Gibson* steals the show - and anything else he can get his hands on - in this explosive, nonstop thrill ride packed with equal parts action and attitude! A career criminal (Gibson) pulls off the heist of a lifetime, but his getaway plans go south of the border when a high-speed car chase lands him in a hard-core Mexican prison community known as "El Pueblito." Now, in order to survive, he'll have to fend off corrupt cops, take down ruthless druglords...and team up with a streetwise ten-year-old who has a few secrets of his own! 

Release Date: 17 July 2012



Here
Directed by: Braden King

Starring: Ben Foster, Lubna Azabel

Set against the gorgeous landscape of Armenia, Here chronicles a brief but intense relationship between an American satellite-mapping engineer (Foster) and an expatriate photographer (Azabal) who impulsively decide to travel across the remote countryside. As their trip comes to an end, the two must decide where to go from Here.

Release Date: 17 July 2012



Intruders
Directed by: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Starring: Clive Owen, Ella Purnell

Though no one can see him, Hollow Face lurks in the corners, desperately desiring love but only knowing how to spread fear and hate. He creeps into the life of John Farrow (Clive Owen) after Farrow s beloved 13-year-old daughter Mia (Ella Purnell) is assaulted in their home. The line between the real and the imaginary blurs as fissures start to open within the family unit. It seems that no security measure can keep Hollow Face out. From visionary filmmaker JUAN CARLOS FRESNADILLO (28 Weeks Later, the upcoming Highlander reboot), INTRUDERS is the chilling story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them. 

Release Date: 17 July 2012


Lockout
Directed by: James Mather

Starring: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace

Starring Guy Pearce and Maggie Grace and set in the near future, Lockout follows a falsely convicted ex-government agent (Pearce), whose one chance at obtaining freedom lies in the dangerous mission of rescuing the President's daughter (Grace) from rioting convicts at an outer space maximum-security prison. Lockout was directed by Stephen St. Leger and James Mather from their script co-written with Luc Besson, who is also a producer.

Release Date: 17 July 2012



 Mamitas
Directed by: Nicholas Ozeki

Starring: E.J. Bonilla, Veronica Diaz-Carranza

Beautifully shot in Echo Park and against Los Angeles' downtown skyline, this beguiling coming-of-age romance introduces two phenomenal young actors in EJ Bonilla and Veronica Diaz-Carranza. At school, Jordin (Bonilla) is a cocky but charming Latino firebrand; at home he is a doting grandson who can't seem to please his perpetually cranky father. On the day he's suspended for insulting a teacher, Jordin meets Felipa (Diaz-Carranza), a bookish, no-nonsense New York girl who sees past the swaggering facade. The two immediately embark on an unlikely friendship that inspires Jordin to find out who he really is.


Release Date: 17 July 2012



Salmon Fishing in Yemen
Directed by: Lasse Hallstrom

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt

When Britain's leading fisheries expert (Ewan McGregor) is approached by a consultant (Emily Blunt) to help realize a sheikh's (Amr Waked) vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert, he immediately thinks the project is both absurd and unachievable. But when the Prime Minister's overzealous press secretary (Kristin Scott Thomas) latches on to it as a "good will" story, this unlikely team will put it all on the line and embark on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible, possible.


Release Date: 17 July 2012


The Three Stooges
Directed by: Bobby Ferrelly


Starring: Sean Hayes, Will Sasso

Left on a nun's doorstep, Larry, Curly and Moe grow up finger-poking, nyuk-nyuking and woo-woo-wooing their way to uncharted levels of knuckleheaded misadventure. Out to save their childhood home, only The Three Stooges could become embroiled in an oddball murder plot...while also stumbling into starring in a phenomenally successful TV reality show.


Release Date: 17 July 2012





TV SERIES

Alphas: Season 1

Starring: Warren Christie, David Strathairn

Brought together to form one extraordinary team of "Alphas" - people whose unique brain anomalies imbue them with superhuman mental and physical abilities - five seemingly ordinary citizens must take the law into their own hands while working within the government to investigate a new brand of baffling crime. An action-packed thriller starring an electrifying cast led by Primetime Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominee David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum) and guest starring sci-fi icons Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman), Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and Brent Spiner (Star Trek: The Next Generation), discover a new breed of superheroes in Alphas.

Release Date: 17 July 2012



Designing Women: Final Season

Starring: Dixie Carter, Annie Potts

The seventh and final season mixes up the cast one last time with the introduction of Judith Ivey as B.J. Poteet, a rich Texas widow who invests in the Sugarbaker firm after Allison Sugarbaker pulls her money out of the business for good. Season Seven highlights include Carlene (Jan Hooks) dating a cross-dresser, Anthony (Meshach Taylor) embarking on a wild, and costly, trip to Vegas, Bernice (Alice Ghostley) fearing that Mary Jo (Annie Potts) is planning to put her to sleep, and Julia (Dixie Carter) and all of the women of Sugarbaker’s struggling to keep the business alive.


Release Date: 17 July 2012



Eureka: Season 5

Starring: Joe Morton, Colin Ferguson

They can bend the laws of nature. They can push science to the absolute limit. But there's one force they can't change: their destiny. Return to the small town with big secrets as the geniuses of Eureka venture beyond everything they've ever known in the fifth and final season of one of TV's most beloved shows. From searching for the lost Astraeus crew to experiencing a disaster drill that proves all too real, it's anything but life as usual in the seemingly idyllic town. And as the final moments tick by, one question looms large for everyone: will Eureka be shut down for good? Guest starring sci-fi fan favorites Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day, this three-disc set is a fitting, mind-boggling send-off for the community that never "officially" existed.


Release Date: 17 July 2012



Leverage: Season 4

Starring: Timothy Hutton, Christian Kane

The stakes have never been higher in this all-new season of Leverage, the thrilling crime drama that puts you at the heart of the action. Timothy Hutton returns as Nate Ford, now more determined than ever to fight injustice with the help of his elite team of crack con artists.


Release Date: 17 July 2012



Sanctuary: Season 4

Starring: Amanda Tapping, Robin Dunne

Amanda Tapping returns as Dr. Helen Magnus in the amazing fourth season of the hit Syfy series, promising bigger myths and greater surprises than ever before. The Sanctuary team realizes they cannot rely on the government to help the Hollow Earth Abnormals who have emerged as Dr. Helen Magnus tracks down Adam Worth in 1898 to stop him from destroying the current timeline.


Release Date: 17 July 2012



The Inbetweeners: Complete Series

Starring: Simon BirdBlake Harrison

Marooned in suburbia, four adolescent boys navigate the minefields of life with their hormones at full blast. Though the young lads try to convince the world they are sophisticated, sexy human beings, their obsession with girls and cheap booze is a cringe-inducing look at the humiliations of teenage life. Enormously popular British comedy series.


 Release Date: 17 July 2012