My rating on a 1-10
scale: 8.5
Genre: Fantasy
Series or set: It
should technically be the first in a four-part series, like the books…but this
is the only one they’ve made.
Primary actor: Ed
Speleers
Length: A little
under two hours
Based on: Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Time period: Fantasy
Rating: PG
Year it came out: 2006
My overall opinion: I
didn’t put this on my priority to-watch list, due to having heard so many
negative reviews of it. However, I was pleasantly surprised! Having read the
books by Paolini several years ago, I don’t know how accurate to the books this
movie actually was. However, as a movie, it wasn’t bad! The graphics weren’t
always amazing, but all in all, I enjoyed it and am not against watching it
again. Seeing characters from Once Upon a
Time and Downton Abbey was neat
too – anyone else catch that? :)
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 8
Genre: Action
Series or set: James
Bond 007
Number in series: You
can watch James Bond in any order you like!
Primary actors: Daniel
Craig, Judi Dench
Length: About two
hours
Time period: Present
Rating: PG-13
Year it came out: 2008
My overall opinion: Yet
another James Bond movie in which Daniel Craig steals my heart! Okay, he’s
actually way too old for me. But if I was…25 years older, I would be head over
heels in love. He is seriously a great hero dude in these movies. My favorite
thing about this movie? It included epic chases by plane, by boat, AND by car.
Like I said, I once again really loved Daniel Craig’s performance as James
Bond, and if you’re a fan of Craig, Bond, action movies, chase scenes, or
action - this movie is a must-see!
Title: Captive
Maiden
Author: Melanie
Dickerson
Book blurb: Gisela's
childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and
his young son. But since her father's death, each day has been filled with
nothing but servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela meets the duke's son,
Valten--the boy she has daydreamed about for years--and learns he is throwing a
ball, she vows to attend, even if it's only for a taste of a life she'll never
have. To her surprise, she catches Valten's eye. Though he is rough around the
edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces
are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in
more danger than she ever imagined.
Quick endorsement: I
love fairy tale retellings and was delighted when Melanie decided to re-tell
Cinderella! This book was lovely and I highly recommend it to all fans of fairy
tales.
Link to review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2013/12/blog-tour-captive-maiden.html
Author: Kim Vogel
Sawyer
Genre: Romance,
life
Series: Heart of
the Prairie
Number in
series: 8th
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8.5
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 348
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: This book was delightful! It perfectly entwined being humorous yet
heart-touching. I was always sad to set it down and eager to pick it up again.
The characters were amazing – extra colorful and such fun to read about! They
came to life for me. This is a sweet story, all in all, relaxing and easily
moving.
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 8.5
Genre: Chick
flick
Primary actors: Rachel
McAdams, Channing Tatum
Length: About two
hours
Based on: A true
story, if I remember right?! Anyone know for sure?
Time period: Present
Rating: PG-13
Year it came out: 2012
My overall opinion: I
liked it better than The Notebook. No,
but seriously. This was a sweet movie and melted my heart just a little bit in
some parts. If you need a sweet chick flick for an evening, consider this one!
:)
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 9
Genre: Action
Series or set: Bourne
Number in series: 4th
Primary actors: Jeremy
Renner, Scott Glenn, Edward Norton
Length: Two hours
Based on: Well,
all of Bourne was originally from books by Robert Ludlum…other than that, it’s
not really BASED on anything.
Time period: Present
Rating: PG-13
Year it came out: 2012
My overall opinion: What
a great movie! I know, it’s a little weird that I’m reviewing the fourth movie
in this set without reviewing the others – sorry. I have seen them all, just not reviewed them all. I think quite
possibly you could watch this one without seeing the first three, though you
might miss a few references. But all in all, this movie is most decidedly
enjoyable. For one thing, it has Edward Norton. It gave me a turn when he came
on screen. See, he’s the bad guy in Italian
Job and I’ve seen that movie…I’m not even sure how many times. A LOT.
Anyway. So he was in this. One great thing about this movie was that it was the
most epic dirt bike chase scene EVER. I’m pretty sure that there’s no beating
it. Seriously. The stunts they did were amazing. I was riveted to the screen
through that entire section…and actually, through this entire movie. But
especially that part. Oh, and the part that almost made me fall out of bed?
(wow that sounded weird…I watch movies in bed most of the time, so that’s why I
said that.) A dude comes driving up. He’s driving a Dodge Ram truck. (brownie
points for him right away – I love Dodge.) And then a song comes on – and it’s
Rodney Atkins singing “Cleaning This Gun” which just so happens to be one of my
favorite songs. I almost exploded with happy over that part. It was awesome.
So, all in all? Great movie! Check IMDB as there are a few things that are
objectionable. But. I’d watch this again. :)
Title: No One to
Trust
Author: Lynette
Eason
Book blurb: Summer
Abernathy wakes up one morning to find her husband missing, three men in her
home intent on finding him, and the life she's been living based on a lie.
Which Kyle Abernathy did she marry? The computer programmer she met in line at
the bank? Or the one who was apparently using that image as a cover story?
The search for her husband--and answers--takes Summer ever deeper into a world
of organized crime where people are used one moment and discarded the next. And
with her deepest relationship of trust already shattered, Summer doesn't know
who to believe.
Quick endorsement: Lynette’s
books are never a disappointment! This one was packed with action, suspense,
mystery, adventure, and romance. I couldn’t put it down!
Link to review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2014/01/revell-blog-tour-no-one-to-trust.html
Author: Kim Vogel
Sawyer
Genre: Life
Series: Heart of
the Prairie
Number in
series: 7th
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 349
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: Sadly, this book didn’t grab me as much as some of Kim’s have. She’s
had some books (like Courting Miss Amsel)
that I’ve absolutely loved. This wasn’t one of them, but I don’t regret reading
it. For one thing, I absolutely loved the Alaskan setting! Right in the shadow
of Denali (aka Mt. McKinley). It was awesome – cause I’ve been there! All in
all, this was a good book, just didn’t grab me as much. Definitely worth my
one-time read though.
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 8…I think…see my review below.
Genre: Life
Primary actors: Russell
Crowe (the reason I watched it) and who else matters?!
Length: Just over
two hours
Based on: I think
there’s a book? At any rate, the main character was a real guy. Way back when.
Time period: 1950s,
I believe
Rating: PG-13
Year it came out: 2001
My overall opinion: I
didn’t really like this one and was gonna go for a lower rating, but then I
remembered – I didn’t dislike it. And despite these slight misgivings, it kept
me watching for the whole movie. Time flew. The plot is intricate, but not hard
to understand. You will empathize with this guy! It’s an amazing story. I can’t
say much, because you’ll be more interested if you don’t know what’s going on
(same as me), but this movie – watch it. It’s worth a view. Seeing Russell
Crowe here was a delight! Recommended for fans of his. Anyone looking for a
unique drama – try this!
Authors: Karen
Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, Carol Cox
Genre: Romance
Series: A Novella
Collection
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: I’m going to rate each novella individually
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 379
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: This, as you have probably deduced by now, is a novella
collection. Four short stories by four wonderful authors! I decided the
simplest way to review this was to do each novella individually, so here we go.
A Cowboy
Unmatched by Karen Witemeyer – 9: The first words that came to mind as I
considered how to best describe this book were sweet, funny, creative, and
romantic! I loved seeing a character from some of Karen’s previous books. This
book was so enjoyable! A delight.
An
Unforeseen Match by Regina Jennings – 8: Even the title in this one is a play
on words, since the heroine is partially blind! The characters were engaging
and the story was unique and enjoyable. Especially the hero was admirable.
No Match
for Love by Carol Cox – 8.5: There was some great mystery in this,
masterfully presented for such a short story! It was a refreshing addition to
the romance. The characters were especially lovable here.
Meeting
Her Match by Mary Connealy – 9: I really loved the humor in this one!
Definitely a unique story and unique characters. It made me laugh, and I always
love that! Quite a superb book. So good!
All in all? This is a unique and delightful collection of short
romances by wonderful authors. If you’re already a fan of one (or more) of
these authors, I think you’ll definitely enjoy this collection!
**Bethany House sent me a free copy of this book in return for my
honest review. I wasn’t required to review it positively, nor was I recompensed
for my review. All opinions are my own. **
Title: Glittering
Promises
Author: Lisa T.
Bergren
Book blurb: America’s
newest heiress must decide if her potential fortune is rationale enough to give
up her freedom and all that God is leading her toward. And when her
newly-discovered siblings are threatened with ruin, her quandary deepens. Then
as Cora nears Rome, more journalists are track the news story of the
decade—“Copper Cora,” the rags-to-riches girl—and want to know more about her
family and the men vying for her attention. Meanwhile, a charming Italian countess
decides that if Cora isn’t going to claim Will’s heart, she might just try...
Quick endorsement: I
have loved so many of Lisa’s books – this one is no exception! It was a
stunning conclusion to the Grand Tour series. As I say in my review: “This book
is worth buying, worth owning, and worth reading again and again.”
Link to review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2013/10/litfuse-blog-tour-glittering-promises.html
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 8.5
Genre: Action
Series or set: James
Bond 007
Number in series: These
are awesome – you can watch them in any order. And they still work. :)
Primary actors: Daniel
Craig (falling for this guy!), Judi Dench
Length: A little
over two hours
Time period: Present
Rating: PG-13
Year it came out: 2006
My overall opinion: Ooooo.
So I started watching James Bond with Skyfall
and have now watched everything my library has. I really love Daniel Craig
and James Bond at large! This one had some lovely sets in Venice – absolutely
beautiful. There were also AMAZING sets at an airport and a construction site –
the whole chase at the construction site was one of my favorite scenes. Pretty
amazing! I also really enjoyed the soundtrack for this one. It was great. I’ve
never played poker (or whatever game it was they were using to gamble) so some
of that lingo went over my head – but I still managed to find this a great
movie. Like with all James Bond movies, be advised that there’s a little
objectionable content – look on IMDB for details. All in all though? Good
movie!
My rating on a 1-10
scale: I don’t even know. I’ve never not known what to rate something.
Genre: Life
Primary actors: Brad
Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton
Length: Almost
three hours!
Time period: 1960s,
I guess, or that’s what I’m putting…anyone have a better answer?
Rating: PG-13
Year it came out: 2008
My overall opinion: We
have a problem, y’all. I don’t know what I thought. Or what to rate it. Out of
something like 1000 reviews, I’ve never been flummoxed on what to rate
something – some were hard, but I always managed to come to a decision. Until
now. This movie was unlike anything I’ve ever seen, I guess. So here’s a random
collection of thoughts…
The concept is fascinating. A man who lives his life
backwards? Really neat. He starts old (though
baby size) and slowly grows up
with a young boy’s inquisitive brain in an old man’s body. It was fascinating.
I do need to warn you that there are some rather objectionable elements in
here, so make sure that you read about it on IMDB before watching, just to make
sure.
Benjamin’s whole relationship with the girl…never mind, I’m
not even going to try to figure out what I thought. Cate Blanchett was awesome
as the girl, though! I really liked her – she did a great job.
The ending was so moving. I cried a lot. Which means the
producers did something right. Yeah. I guess the ending almost redeemed it –
no, more just improved it for me. It was really amazing.
All in all, I don’t know if I’d say I “liked” it, but I
certainly am glad I watched it and wouldn’t be opposed to watching it again
someday. Do I recommend it? I’m not sure. Some people would love it.
Some
people wouldn’t. I can’t tell for you. I don’t even know what I thought. This
is really disconcerting. So yeah. I think I’ll just stop here. Have you seen
it, and if so, did you like it? And do you understand why I’m confused?
Author: Mesu
Andrews
Genre: Life,
romance
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8.5 high
Type: Historical
fiction
Number of
pages: 412
Time
period: 800s B. C. (Bible times)
Publisher
and price: Revell, $14.99
My overall
opinion: Contrary to what you may assume from a precursory glance at the
title, this story is not focused on Jezebel (though she is certainly a player
in the grand scheme of things). Rather, this book concentrates on her
grand-daughter, Jehosheba. As you may have noticed, it’s got over 400 pages,
and each page has a lot of words – definitely full. Despite this, it’s never
boring! Mesu managed to absolutely pack this book with Biblically accurate
information, events, and people. She brings to life characters and stories that
may otherwise seem stuffy – but truly aren’t! The whole book has a realistic
feel and a gripping story. I could definitely identify with what Jehosheba
felt. It’s absolutely worth reading! I highly recommend it for those of you who
love Biblical fiction, or anyone looking for a creative and unique story set in
Bible times.
**Revell sent me a free copy of this book for review. I wasn’t
required to post positively or paid in any way for this review. All opinions
are my own. **
Author: Janette
Oke and Laurel Oke Logan
Genre: Life
Series: Canadian
West
Number in
series: 7th
My rating
on a 1-10 scale: 8
Type: Fiction
Number of
pages: 329
Time
period: 1800s
Publisher
and price: Bethany House, $14.99
My overall
opinion: Janette Oke was one of my favorite authors many years ago when I
first started reading Christian romance, and she has remained an author whose
books I enjoy. So when the opportunity to review this one came up, I jumped at
it! While Goodreads categorizes this book as 7th in the Canadian
West series (and I copied that), it could be read as a stand-alone and it could
serve as a lovely beginning to a new series. That being said, I enjoyed seeing
(or at least hearing about) characters from some of Janette’s earlier series. The
end leaves it open for a sequel, most certainly! The story in this particular
book is almost predictable, but a few surprises make sure that it’s not quite.
A good read! Contrary to what you may think, it’s not primarily a romance, though
it has some romance within. It’s easy to enjoy. Heartwarming!
Go here to learn more about Janette Oke: http://litfusegroup.com/author/joke
**Litfuse sent me a free copy of this book for review. I wasn’t
required to post positively or paid in any way for this review. All opinions
are my own. **
Title: Head in
the Clouds
Author: Karen
Witemeyer
Book blurb: Adelaide
Proctor is a young woman with her head in the clouds, longing for a real-life
storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves
her humiliated, she interviews for a staid governess position on a central
Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her romantic yearnings behind.
When Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for
himself in America's wool industry, he never expected to become a father
overnight. And five-year-old Isabella hasn't uttered a word since she lost her
mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon--and
intrigues him at the same time. But he can't afford distractions. He has a
ranch to run, a shearing to oversee, and a suspicious fence-cutting to
investigate.
When Isabella's uncle comes to claim the child--and her inheritance--Gideon and
Adelaide must work together to protect Isabella from the man's evil schemes.
And soon neither can deny their growing attraction. But after so many
heartbreaks, will Adelaide be willing to get her head out of the clouds and put
her heart on the line?
Quick endorsement:
Confession: I’ve only read this book once so far and that was almost three
years ago. However, I loved it then – it made me laugh several times, and the
people were delightful! I did finally obtain my own copy via PaperBackSwap, and
am eagerly looking forward to re-reading this one someday. Great book!
Link to review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2011/05/head-in-clouds.html
Title: Trinity
Author: Ronie
Kendig
Book blurb: A
year ago in Afghanistan, Green Beret Heath Daniel’s career was destroyed. Along
with his faith. Now he and his military war dog, Trinity, train other dogs and
their handlers. Though his passion is to be back in action, the medical
discharge has forced Heath—and Trinity—to the sidelines. Military intelligence
officer Darci Kintz is captured while secretly tracking the Taliban. Only one
dog can handle the extreme conditions to save her. Trinity. Only one man can
handle Trinity. Time is running out on the greatest—and most dangerous—mission
of their lives.
Quick endorsement: While
this book didn’t grab me at first, by the time I was 100 pages in, I couldn’t
put it down. Modern war stories and/or dog stories aren’t usually my thing –
but this book caught and held me to the very end! SO worth your time.
Link to review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2013/05/trinity-military-war-dog.html
My rating on a 1-10
scale: 9
Genre: Adventure,
superhero (he’s not technically, but he kinda is…)
Series or set: Arrow
Number in series: 1st
Primary actors: Stephen
Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards
Length: 972
minutes; 23 episodes
Based on: The DC
Comic books
Time period: Present
Rating: TV-14
Year it came out: 2011-2012
My overall opinion: So.
Y’all. I’ve got a new favorite show to watch. And it’s this one. Wow is it
good! I don’t even know where to start! Oliver Queen is absolutely amazing.
Most episodes include a little of his present day story (in which he’s killing
bad guys in his hometown of Starling City) and a little of his back story (he
was stranded on an island for five years). It ties them together in a
fascinating way the whole way through. His sister Thea is a neat character. His
former girlfriend, Laurel, is also an interesting girl. We meet a variety of
other people through the episodes as well, good and bad. John Diggle is
Oliver’s body-guard turned friend, a delightful man – he’s awesome. And then there’s
Felicity Smoak. She’s my hands-down favorite character. Before I started this
show, I had a couple of friends tell me that I was rather similar to her. Then
I started the show and understood what they meant. We aren’t carbon copies of
each other, by any means (she’s so cool…I couldn’t be quite that cool) – but we
talk alike. And we’re both blonde. So she’s really super amazing and I love
her. All in all? There are occasionally a few objectionable things in this
show, but for the most part, I highly recommend it. I’ve already gotten into
Season 2 and it’s also amazing with some unexpected twists and turns. Watch
this, then watch that, then tell me what you think! :)
