Thursday 26 April 2018

Tome Thursday: Closed Casket


Hello everyone!

I apologise in advance if some portions of this blog may seem rambly or perhaps a little shakier than usual. I'm trying to fight off the beginnings of the flu so I'm pretty much drinking tea and vitamin C and cold medicine, coupled with a lot of honey and ginger, but my head still kind of feels like I may need a little bit of help lifting it next time I get up.

But anyway!

Yesterday (while I was feeling better than Tuesday and much better than today, being Thursday) I sneakily asked my father if I could steal a book he's currently reading. You're probably thinking GASP SO MEAN.

Not really - I asked before I nabbed it. Also, I'm a fast reader so I finished the book in one afternoon and now it's back where it belongs, waiting for my dad to continue munching through it.

The book I'm talking about is titled Closed Casket, and is the second of the New Hercule Poirot Mysteries, written by Sophie Hannah, who alone of all the writers vying for the honour of continuing Ms Christie's legacy was given that privilege.

Tuesday 24 April 2018

Talkie Tuesday: When Calls the Heart

"Captures your heart - and never lets go."


Hello everyone!

So I was debating whether or not to write about this tonight, but then decided that this is probably one of the hottest topics on the internet at the moment next to the new Royal Baby (congratulations to the Duke and Duchess!).  

Of course you'll know, if you follow my blog, that I will occasionally wrap up a season I'd been watching by reviewing it in one blog post and then moving along afterwards, so this should be no surprise.

I'm talking, of course, about When Calls the Heart.

Now if you have no idea what this is, I might enlighten you through the blog post, or I might not if you're not interested. In any event, it is a Hallmark Channel series which just wrapped up its fifth season, and BOY, was it an EXPLOSIVE wrap-up.

I suppose I better stop blabbering and get to it, right?

Thursday 19 April 2018

Tome Thursday: Angels & Demons


Hello everyone!

It's book talk time again, and with my e-reader situation still the same as it was around Christmas (aka alas, poor Kobo, I knew thee well), I have to resort to different tactics if I want to read certain books.

Luckily, however, some of them are pretty easy to grab right off my bookshelf.

Which reminds me that I should at some point continue with my bookshelf tour, but maybe not right now. Maybe I'll do it in May though?

Anyway, for this particular blog post I've decided to go with the tried-and-tested trope of an author who people love and hate at apparently the same time. For me, I tend to enjoy reading his books because I don't necessarily go into the reality of it all and just ... you know, read it for the enjoyment of reading.

I'm talking about Dan Brown, of course.

Brown is one of those authors that just LOVE stirring up the pot, and his book Angels & Demons is definitely no exception.

Tuesday 17 April 2018

Talkie Tuesday: The Last Samurai

"I think a man does what he can - until his destiny is revealed."


Hello everyone!

I can honestly say I was halfway to writing up a hiatus post when I decided, you know what, screw it. I'm going to write about a movie I've already reviewed because this is something I'm at full liberty to do. 

Which basically means you'll be seeing a bunch of links down at the bottom since, you know, been there and done that kind of thing.

Still, since reviewing the movie for the first time, both my style and my commentary have changed somewhat, so I thought I might add some extra light to the entire factor without really taking away from what I had previously already done.

I'm talking, of course, about The Last Samurai.

And yes, I'm having a Tom Cruise kind of week.

Thursday 12 April 2018

Tome Thursday: The Red Knight of Germany


Hello everyone!

Okay, so.

I'm back with another book based off World War One, and this one is slightly different than the exploration I did about the topic of what started the war.

This one is about aviation.

Also, it's about the man probably hailed as one of the greatest pilots of all time, especially because he was flying when planes certainly weren't as well-equipped as they are today.

I'm talking about a time when the aviators themselves were the ones discovering new tricks and weapons and practiced flying at high altitudes and high speeds, when soldiers in the trenches would look up above them and see the "birds" flying back and forth as they sought out their prey.

I'm also talking about a time when your first flight could pretty much also be your last, and for a large number of pilots it was exactly what happened.

The book we'll be talking about tonight is The Red Knight of Germany.

Tuesday 10 April 2018

Talkie Tuesday: Thor Ragnarok

"You cannot stop Ragnarok. Why fight it?
Because that's what heroes do!
"


Hello everyone!

So, fun story: I've actually been sitting on this movie for some time now, because, well, why would you watch it the second you can, you know? 

I think I honestly just couldn't decide if I was willing to sacrifice 2+ hours when people kept saying the third Thor movie in the Marvel franchise wasn't even close to the first two. But, because AXN has been streaming Avengers (Phase one AND two, would you believe it?), I kind of got the wanderlust to finally sit down and figure out what happens next.

Turns out though I was wrong in waiting as long as I had.

Thor: Ragnarok is, as the title says it is, basically about the end of the world - or, at least, Thor's world, which in this case doesn't necessarily mean Earth. It kind of just means Asgard, but as Asgard was one of the Nine Known Realms of the cosmos connected with Yggdrasil ... you get the idea.

Still, it was one hell of a ride! Grab on to Thor's cape, it's off to Ragnarok we go!

Thursday 5 April 2018

Tome Thursday: The Story of Son


Hello everyone!

It's time for another book review and, lo and behold, I'm actually doing much better this week than I had the last one. If you'll recall, I had to switch books right before my review because - to my everlasting shame - I hadn't finished the one I wanted to write about, originally.

This one also isn't exactly the one, BUT, and a big but, I've actually wanted to put it up here for a long while and never got to it before.

As you all know, J. R. Ward is one of my all-time favourite authors, and has been ever since I first started reading her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Despite the fact that the past couple of books involving the Brothers haven't exactly given me much satisfaction (and indeed I don't even mention one anymore!) I still thoroughly enjoy going back and reading the original stories because, well, sentimentality.

Also, the Brothers themselves.

So when I stumbled upon a novella set in the same world but not quite part of it, I figured I should read it.

That's how I nibbled on The Story of Son.

Tuesday 3 April 2018

Talkie Tuesday: Coco

"Never forget how much your family cares for you."


Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend and that you're ready for all the new challenges coming your way. 

For me, this means making sure I'm on top of my blog posts.

Tonight's will be another Disney one to amuse ourselves with, but then again, Disney seems to have figured it all out - how to both draw audiences in and keep their attention AND make lots and lots of money right along with that.

While I can honestly say it's not about the money for me, I'll admit that I like the way they're going.

I had seen some previews for their newest movie before actually sitting down to watch it, but it didn't occur to me that I'd enjoy it as much as I have.

Then again, Disney has a way with people, as I've mentioned before.

So hold on to your sombreros, amigos - it's Coco time!