Sunday, August 31, 2014

New Book Purchase and a Magazine: 4 Bookstore Finds (if you include the magazine)


I should not go to bookstores. I'm like a kid in a toy story because everywhere I look is an interesting book I really want to read. And since I can't buy them all, picking wisely is at the top of my list.

Had not planned on buying three books but after finding them I couldn't put them back. Even though, I already read Jennifer, Gwyneth & Me (borrowed for advance reading) I really liked it and wanted to read it again.

The other two (A Little Something Different and Will Grayson, Will Grayson) struck me as being different which had me wanting to read them. And before going to checkout I picked up a magazine.

I also really need to stay away from the Funko section. There was this cute Wonder Woman Funko doll but I didn't buy her. But if the doll is still there when I eventually go back to the bookstore then I'm definitely going to buy it.


Purchases:

* Jennifer, Gwyneth & Me by Rachel Bertsche

* A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

* Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

And:

* Women's Health magazine September issue

News: Joan Rivers on Life Support


It's really sad to hear about Joan Rivers. Hopefully, she will get better. She has such a bold personality and unique humor, thinking about this makes my little postal delivery problem seem insignificant.

----

Joan Rivers Remains Comatose

by Jayme Deerwester, USA Today


Comedy legend and fashion police commissioner Joan Rivers remains in serious but stable condition.

Rivers, 81, has been in a medically induced coma at Mount Sinai Hospital since going into cardiac respiratory arrest during outpatient vocal cord surgery Thursday in New York.

That day, her daughter and frequent co-star, Melissa, released a statement to E! News thanking family, friends and fans for their well wishes: "My mother would be so touched by the tributes and prayers that we have received from around the world. Her condition remains serious but she is receiving the best treatment and care possible. We ask that you continue to keep her in your thoughts as we pray for her recovery."

According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, medically induced, 24- to 48-hour comas and mild hypothermia are used to slow down metabolism and limit neurological function. This allows the brain to heal after being starved of oxygen during arrest and reducing the odds of long-term brain damage.

After this period, doctors bring the patient out of the coma to determine how much oxygen loss was suffered. After this point, life support may be withdrawn to see whether the patient is able to breathe on his or her own. However, a 2010 study at Johns Hopkins Medical Center found that patients who receive hypothermia treatment may take up to five to seven days longer to wake up.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Book Review: Lady Rawhide vol #1


Book: Lady Rawhide volume #1 (issues #1-5) by Eric Trautmann with illustrations by Milton Estevan and Rey Villegas and color by Dinei Ribeiro

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Lady Rawhide, the masked heroine of the West, returns in an all-new adventure!

This time, she faces not only the corrupt forces of the government — bent on cowing the populace through privation and cruelty — but also a new team of vigilantes: The Sisters of the White Rose.

The Sisters, inspired by Lady Rawhide's actions, have taken up the struggle against tyranny.

Although she supports the Sisters' aims, Lady Rawhide is forced to stand against their bloody methods!


Rating: 4 stars

Review:

If you can get past that ridiculous outfit that Lady Rawhide (Anita Santiago) wears, there is a good story here. But looking at that costume, I wonder why it hasn't been updated? I get why she wears it, the reason I suspect is similar to Red Sonja's chain mail bikini which she wears to distracts her would be assailants. Which is what this skimpy costume is supposed to do for Lady Rawhide. But this costume is way more tackier than Sonja's and shows far too much boob (or should I say the artist paid a great amount a detail to that area).

Costume aside, this was a well written story. It follows Lady Rawhide who became a masked vigilante to avenge her brother and to help those who can't fight back against the corrupt officials. You get a good sense of why she's out there fighting as well as the code that she goes by.

When her efforts bring her into contact with both a group of revolutionary bandits, The Sisters of the White Rose and a group of hired killers. She will have to figure out a way to keep things from getting out of hand but that's not going to be an easy task.

Currently Reading: Words for Pictures


It's no surprise why I want to read this. Comic books have always fascinated me and this should at least give me a little insight into what goes into creating one from the writing to the artwork. Hopefully this will be a good read.


Book: Words for Pictures: The Art and Business of Writing Comics and Graphic Novels by Brian Michael Bendis with foreword by Joe Quesada

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Best-selling Marvel Comics writer Brian Michael Bendis reveals the comic book writing secrets behind his work on The Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man, All-New X-Men, and more.

One of the most popular writers in modern comics, Brian Michael Bendis reveals the tools and techniques he and other top creators use to create some of the most popular comic book and graphic novel stories of all time. Words for Pictures shows readers the creative methods of a writer at the very top of his field. Bendis guides aspiring creators through each step of the comics-making process—from idea to script to finished sequential art—for fan favorite comics like The Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man, Uncanny X-Men, and more. Along the way, tips and insights from other working writers, artists, and editors provide a rare, extensive look behind the creative curtain of the comics industry. With script samples, a glossary of must-know business terms for writers, and interactive comics-writing exercises, Words for Pictures provides the complete toolbox needed to jump start the next comics-writing success story.

Book Review: Ingredients of Young Outliers


Book: Ingredients of Young Outliers: Achieving Your Most Amazing Future by John Shufeldt, MD, JD, MBA

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

The second book in the Outlier Series, Ingredients of Young Outliers: What traits contribute to a young person’s success? In Ingredients of Young Outliers: Achieving Your Most Amazing Future, author John Shufeldt explores the traits of extraordinary individuals identified over nearly three decades of his professional career. While guiding young readers through these characteristics, he inspires them to step outside of their comfort zones and join the ranks of the outliers.

John’s goal in writing Ingredients of Young Outliers was to serve as a surrogate mentor to young people, incorporating his most valuable lessons through his amusing misadventures, while also sharing the less highlighted stories of notable individuals who faced challenges on their way to success. Theses anecdotes are condensed into an approachable and humorous guide, making the pursuit of excellence a less intimidating journey for teens and young adults.




Rating: 4 stars

Review:

In a world where someone can become famous (and wealthy) for doing nothing it can be hard to see how the old advice of Hard Work = Success is helpful. But that's where this book comes in, the author shares a diverse group of stories about those who have overcome the odds or had a goal and pursued it.

This book which is aimed at young adults highlight some well known stories to the lesser known that hopefully will inspire them to achieve their own goals. The topics range from Humility to Teamwork.

It also includes quotes at the end of each chapter. Since, this isn't a long book (less that 200 pages) and it's not filled with long winded sentences, the energizing and encouraging words should keep young readers attention.

I think this is a must read for those starting high school and entering college.

Illustration of the Day: Thor vs Loki (Well...Intellectually)


Illustration: Thor vs Loki by Pronkbaggins

Book Review: Fiji Random vol #1 (Manga)


Book: Fiji Random volume #1 written and drawn by Justin Ramey

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

From the creative mind of Justin Raimey comes the debut volume of his comedy comic series!

Venture into the world of Fiji Random! A kooky comedy featuring gamer-girl Fiji Maide and her epic struggle to arrive to school on time!

This story includes its own unique style with humorous 4-panel comics splashed between the main storyline. Are you looking for an exciting tale filled to the brim with milk, sweeties and random high school hijinks? How about half-zombie girls, accidental homicide, cosplaying moms, and aliens addicted to milt (look it up)? Well, there's that and more in the amazing world of Fiji Random! Get ready for a story full of laughs, video game references, and unpredictability. Fiji Random is everything you wish your high school life could be!


Rating: 1 star

Review:

The premise for this seemed really cute and also the cover but it's a different story when I started reading it. This wasn't as funny as I thought it would be and it felt like it was trying too hard to be like some of those other crazy and zany mangas. Instead of being original. From the book description you're told that Fiji is a gamer and is always late to school. The book showed her being late but not Fiji playing any video games or why she's so hooked on playing games.

Although, there is a main story in this book it's segmented by a lot of random short stories.

What made this a disappointing read is you don't really get to know who the characters are. And most of the jokes or humor feels like the reader should already know what's going on. Also, I thought the illustrations could have been cleaned up a bit before being published. They were a little rough and the quality wasn't as good as you would expect especially with the cover art being so good.

I understand that is a web comic maybe it translates better on the website than it does in book form. I don't know, all I know is it wasn't the best read for me.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Book Review: Legends of Red Sonja


Book: Legends of Red Sonja (issues #1-5) by various writers and artists

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

In this unique collection, ongoing Red Sonja series writer Gail Simone hand-picked eleven of the fiercest, most talented, and most popular female writers from the worlds of comics, prose, games, and television, to help her tell the greatest legends in the She-Devil's long history! A group of savage mercenaries hired to hunt and kill Sonja come across campfire tales of her at every turn... and Sonja does not like to be hunted.

Tamora Pierce, Mercedes Lackey, Marjorie M. Liu, Nancy A. Collins, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Rhianna Pratchett, and many more tell fascinating bits of Sonja's legend, with a wrap-around tale by Simone herself, and art by the likes of Phil Noto, Jim Calafiore, Jack Jadson, and others.


Rating: 3 stars

Review:

The Legends of Red Sonja follows a band of mercenaries as they travel the land trying to track down Red Sonja to avenge the death of the King's son (this part of the story was written by Gail Simone). As the group travel around they are met by various people who tell various stories about the times they crossed paths with Sonja.

For me the best parts of this five part tale was the general story written by Gail Simone while some of the other stories for some reason made Sonja seem out of character. Their stories throw off the flow to the point I wished that Simone had written the entire miniseries. But don't get me wrong there are some good stories here too but it's the ones that are not good that really emphasis why they don't work.

Overall, you still get an action packed story that's easy to follow and has good artwork. From the different stories you get to see how and why Sonja is the way she is. You also to get see how her infamous chain mail was created.

This is a good read but I wish it was much better.

What Were They Thinking: Two Horrible Covers for the Spider-Woman Comic Book Series


The artwork for the regular cover is by Greg Land and it's very poorly done. Hello, what happened to Spider-Woman's legs as well as Silk's waist.

And below is the art for the variant cover by Milo Manara that is both extremely awful and truly sexist. And to make it even worse, Manara is known for creating erotic artwork. So, it makes you wonder why would Marvel hire him to create a cover for this series?



I really hate to even comment on this but it can't be helped. Who over at Marvel authorized both of these covers for the new Spider-Woman comic book series really need to rethink that decision. The news that Spider-Woman a.k.a. Jessica Drew is getting her own title should be good news but the cover art is down right bad. It's so bad it's overshadowing the good news. The new series will be available in November and will be written by Dennis Hopeless.

This series will also have Spider-Woman teaming up with Silk a.k.a. Cindy Moon.

As interested as I was in this series, that artwork has me thinking about marking this as a book of disinterest. I couldn't see myself picking up either cover especially not that variant one.

Marvel Comics, just so you know, this is not a good way to attract more female readers. Which by the way is their goal.

Horns Official Trailer



Release date: October 31, 2014


The book, Horns by Joe Hill, is sitting on the bookcase and I will make sure I read it before going to see the movie. It looks good. Anyone else planning on seeing this?

Fashion Meets Comics: Vixen's Maxi Dress


Illustration: Vixen: Return of the Lion


After invoking the spirit of the jaguar, Mari proceeded to kick butt while wearing a strapless maxi dress. If that's not style made easy then I don't know how else to describe it.

Her dress is both stylish and apparently functional.

Below are a few selections that can rival Vixen's dress for style though I'm not sure how they would hold up in a fight against villains:



Strapless Maxi Dress  $39.99 (sale, regular price $79.95)   The Limited   thelimited.com




dee elle Illusion Panel Maxi Dress  $24.98 (sale, regular price $50.00)  Nordstrom   nordstrom.com



Tularosa Dawn Dress  $124.00 (for pre-order)   Revolve  revolveclothing.com



Colorblocked Maxi Dress  $17.80  Forever21  forever21.com




Soprano Print Ruffled Bodice Maxi Dress   $28.80 (sale, regular price $48.00)  Nordstrom  nordstrom.com

Book News: Lois Lane to star in a new young adult novel (and hopefully series)



I guess it's good news for us fans of Lois Lane. The intrepid reporter will be featured in a new young adult book titled Fallout by Gwenda Bond. It's tentatively set to be released in May of 2015. The book will focus on Lois as she begins her new life in Metropolis.

Below is the official book description:

Lois Lane is starting a new life in Metropolis. An Army brat, Lois has lived all over--and seen all kinds of things. (Some of them defy explanation, like the near-disaster she witnessed in Kansas in the middle of one night.) But now her family is putting down roots in the big city, and Lois is determined to fit in. Stay quiet. Fly straight. As soon as she steps into her new high school, though, she can see it won't be that easy. A group known as the Warheads is making life miserable for another girl at school. They're messing with her mind, somehow, via the high-tech immersive videogame they all play. Not cool. Armed with her wit and her new snazzy job as a reporter, Lois has her sights set on solving this mystery. But sometimes it's all a bit much. Thank goodness for her maybe-more-than-a friend, a guy she knows only by his screenname, SmallvilleGuy . . .


Anyone else happy to hear about this good news? I am and I just added it to my wishlist. Here's hoping that this book will both be good and sell so well that it will get a sequel. As good as this news is, it does makes we wonder why Dean Trippe's Lois Lane, Girl Reporter wasn't able to be published. Because that would have been a great book as well.

Well, Lois Lane fans at least we have something good to expect for next year. I'm totally looking forward to this book.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Book Review: Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #1

Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #1

Book: Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #1

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

In the premiere issue of this most anticipated series (well at least by me), it includes two stories, I found both stories to be really good despite that hint regarding that fauxmance in the second story.


1st story: "GOTHAMAZON" by Gail Simone with illustration by Ethan Van Sciver

With Batman a bit disposed and Gotham being overrun by villains, Oracle (Barbara Gordon) contacted Wonder Woman to see if she could put a stop to all the mayhem. Diana went into this with the Amazon mindset ready to tackle the villains but the problem was they don't fear her. She needed to figure out another way to approach the problem otherwise things would get even more out of control.

One solution was to think a little more like Batman to deal with these villains. But ultimately she's going to have to figure out a way to stop them in her own way.

Not only was this story good but it was great to see Oracle in this story as well as the classic Wonder Woman.


2nd story: "Defender of Truth" by Amanda Deibert with illustrations by Cat Staggs

In this story, Diana had to stop Circe from terrorizing the men of Washington, D.C. She also helped a boy from being teased because he's a fan of Wonder Woman. Boy aren't supposed to like female superheroes well that's what those other boys thought.

This story featured a New 52 Wonder Woman but it was good to see one of Diana's old enemies instead of just the New Gods which were the focus of the Brian Azzarello/Cliff Chiang series.


For the first issue it featured two really good well written action packed stories. As a Wonder Woman fan it definitely has me really looking forward to reading the next issue.

Comic Book Wednesday: August 27th Picks

My list for this week is kind of full with a majority of the books from DC.

There are two new series (one's a mini) that I'm interested in reading. The first is POP (it's the miniseries) from Dark Horse Comics and the other is Wayward by Image Comics.

I also really want to read Batman Eternal #21, Futures End #17 and Batman/Superman #13. Batman/Superman series is usually not on my list but Lois Lane will be featured and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Anyway, here's the rest of my list:


Archie Comics

Jughead & Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #5

Book: Judhead and Archie Jumbo Comics #5

Description:

A day at the carnival is the perfect outing for good ol' Jughead! Funnel cakes, cotton candy, giant lollipops, corn dogs, and Ethel in a giant turtle suit! Ethel's volunteered to run as mascot in the carnival fun run, and she's challenged Jughead to compete!

If she wins, Jughead has to take her out to the movies, and dinner, and a bunch of other things that Jughead wouldn't be caught dead doing! Well, no problem, right? Jughead can outrun a teen girl in a turtle suit, even if there is all kinds of free food being given away on the race track! (Formerly Jughead and Archie Double Double Digest.)

Book Review: Bird & Squirrel on Ice


Book: Bird & Squirrel on Ice (Bird & Squirrel book #2) by James Burks

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: September 30, 2014

Description:

Bird and Squirrel are back and ready for adventure!

After Bird and Squirrel crash land in the South Pole during a raging blizzard, a penguin named Sakari thinks Bird has come to rid her village of a hungry Killer Whale. But when Squirrel finds out that Bird will actually be fed to the Killer Whale as a sacrifice, they hatch a crazy plan to escape. With a good timing, a little luck, and help from Sakari, they just might make it out alive. Or they might end up as whale food!



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

I seem to keep finding a lot of good books to read and Bird & Squirrel on Ice continues my good luck.

In this children's (or all-ages) comic book, Bird and Squirrel were flying through a bad snow storm when they made an impromptu landing in the South Pole. The two meet a new friend Sakari, a penguin who takes them back to her village to inform the villagers that the prophesy of the chosen one (a flying bird that falls from the sky) has finally appeared. The chosen one is supposed to free the village from their problem, a huge killer whale who is eating up all of their food.

Bird was so busy enjoying the limelight that he didn't bother figuring out a plan for how to stop the whale. It wasn't until Squirrel and Sakari saw the prophesy that they finally understood how Bird was supposed to stop the whale but to them that was not a very good plan. Especially when it will put Bird in danger.

But Sakari not wanting to go against her father the chief needed to figure out another way for her and Squirrel to not only save Bird but also rid the village of the whale.

This fast paced funny and heroic story will have children laughing at the silly things Bird and Squirrel does or seeing how cool Sakari is to cheering on the trio as they to stop the whale. I like all the characters and the artwork is so bright and colorful and cartoon like.

If your a parent and have young children interested in reading comics books I think this book is a good introduction to the genre. They get an amazing story that will not have them seeing or reading anything not age appropriate.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

DVD Tuesday: Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return


I'm a total Oz fan and even though this movie is for kids. I still want to see it. Back awhile ago, I read the prequel comic book for this movie and thought it was cute. So if it's anything like the book it should be fun to watch.

I'm going to try to pick it up sometime this week.


Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return

Description:

Dorothy's only just returned home from her first incredible journey to Oz, but she's already being called back for another adventure! After waking to post-tornado Kansas, Dorothy and Toto arMoree whisked to Oz on a magical rainbow mover sent by their old friends the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Man.

Time in Oz has passed much faster than back in Kansas, and Dorothy discovers that the Jester - the devious brother of the Wicked Witch of the West - is taking Oz over one region at a time, holding their leaders captive and casting a pall of darkness over the beloved land. Even Glinda is unable to combat the Jester's evil powers, making Dorothy their only hope.

Book Review: The Possible Police


Book: The Possible Police by Wylde Scott with illustrations by Hannah K. Shuping

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: October 15, 2014

Description:

What happens when you remove all obstacles to a child’s imagination? Anything is possible. Unless of course, you let The Possible Police stop you. They will do whatever it takes to stop children from believing. Wylde Scott believes that all children should live in a world of endless possibilities. In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Wylde takes your child into his boundless imagination as he fights off the possible police. Join him as he inspires children to truly believe, and teaches them that no one can stop them from doing what they dream.


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Oh, how sweet. Poetry never felt so inspiring. No one should ever stop dreaming especially a child and this book with its flowing words and colorful pictures should have children never wanting to give up their dreams. And maybe even inspire a few adults.

The Possible Police are tasked with stopping children from using their imagination to dream of many ideas and possibilities. They want you not to take chances and aspire for anything more than what's expected. But not Wylde Scott he has no desire to lose his creative spirit and challenges The Possible Police to think outside the box.

I would recommend this book to everyone because who doesn't need a little reminder from time to time to simply dream.

Book Review: Alex + Ada vol #1


Book: Alex + Ada volume #1 (issues #1-5) by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn with illustrations by Jonathan Luna

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

From Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn comes ALEX + ADA, a sci-fi drama set in the near future.

The last thing in the world Alex wanted was an X5, the latest in realistic androids. But when Ada is dropped into his life, he discovers she is more than just a robot.?


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

In this futuristic story, this is a world where you can communicate with your thoughts thanks to a little device. This is also a world where androids and other robots coexists as programmable friends or more. Despite all the tech conveniences that Alex enjoys he had no use for an android unfortunately his grandmother wasn't listening and bought him one as a birthday gift. She thought he was lonely and could use a friend.

The android became a new addition to his life and not really enjoying the prospects of dealing with an android he planned to return her. But for some reason when it was time to send her back he couldn't. Alex compared the experience to feeling like he was going to drown a puppy. He just couldn't send her back knowing that she would be reprogrammed.

So instead he decided to keep her and gave her a name, Ada. The androids are very human like except for they do not think or do things with out being asked. Alex thought Ada could be so much more than a robot and sought about trying to find out how he could improve her programming. Which is both dangerous and illegal. Due to a tragedy, all androids have been issued limited intelligence to prevent certain programming.

I can't say enough how much I love this story. I liked everything about it, it was smart and funny and interesting. The artwork is great you get a sense of how this sci-fi infused world operates and the colors are very vivid as if the future in some instances will be better.

There is a scene at the end that I really like, Alex and Ada are looking at a sunset and she says it's beautiful. Why is that so amazing? Because Ada is no longer trapped inside her program and can now think for herself.

I have said this before but independent comic books give you so much more variety than you would find with the big two (DC and Marvel) companies. Sad to say something this creative and awesome would probably not get published if presented at those companies.

For a story about androids and technology it has a lot of heart and compassion.

Art of the Day: The Hulk's Humurous Side


Artwork: Hulk for Fun by Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau

Love This!!!

Monday, August 25, 2014

Book Review: Meteor Men


Book: Meteor Men by Jeff Parker with illustrations by Sandy Jarrell with color by Kevin Volo

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: October 15, 2014

Description:

On a summer night, Alden Baylor sits in a field watching the largest meteor shower in human history. What begins as teenage adventure becomes something more — the celestial event brings travelers who will change the world completely, and Alden discovers a connection to one of them.

How does a young man who had to grow up fast handle the invasion of his planet?

Can Alden keep humanity from oblivion?

From writer Jeff Parker (Aquaman, Hulk) and artist Sandy Jarrell (Batman '66) comes this story of adolescence, friendship, and hard decisions.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Meteor Men was an exceptional read. The writing was very good and the story had me completely engaged. I really like the artwork. It goes perfectly with the story.

The story follows Alden Baylor as he along with several other towns people observe a meteor shower. However, they were not expecting to see one crash in a nearby field. The next morning Alden with his Uncle and his uncle's friend go and take a look at the meteor. They are surprised by the fact that it's split open and hollow inside. It wasn't long before reports from all over the world start coming in about hundreds or perhaps thousands of meteorites being found following the shower.

No one thought much about why the inside of the meteorite was hollow until reports of aliens were being seen. At first everyone thought the reports were a hoax but then Alden runs into one while checking out his property. Even though Alden was frightened he was curious enough to help which created a bond with him and the alien. I wouldn't call it a friendship but there was a sort of symbiotic connection.

This story has a Close Encounters of the Third Kind/E.T. with maybe a little dash of Independence Day (just a tiny bit) because although the appearance of the aliens may have been frightening for the people they were not what they seemed.

Although the story mostly focused on Alden I did like the other characters. Their behavior seems realistic given everything that was happening in the story.

I really enjoyed reading this. It was smart and entertaining and fun.

Currently Reading: The Mark of Athena


Okay, I'm back to reading The Mark of Athena. I postponed it to finish my library books. Now that I returned all except one (Mambo in Chinatown), I wanted to get back to reading it. So, far it's really good.


Book: The Mark of Athena (The Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan

Description:

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare....

Readers' Questions: Arrow TV series and Lois & Clark

I was delighted to find I had two questions from readers. If you have a question you would like ask me, please e-mail me at: BookGirlLoveofReading@gmail.com.

Here are the questions:


First question from SunshineGirl:


A friend talked me into watching Arrow. Didn't think I would like it (no offense I'm not into comic book stuff). Was wondering what you think of the show?


Well SunshineGirl, I tried watching the show when it first premiered but I really couldn't get into it. I even attempted to try watching it again since the first season is on Netflix but I find the acting to be really bad as well as some of the storylines. I don't really like this take on Green Arrow or any of the other characters on the show.

However, I've heard the series does get better but I haven't decided if I'm going to give it a third attempt to see if it does.



Second question from SeXyNerdGirl88:


I HATE that stupid Superman/Wonder Woman so called relationship. I know you're a fan of Lois and Clark, do you think they will ever date is this F*$D UP New 52?


SeXyNerdGirl88 I couldn't agree with you more in regards to this relationship. As for Lois and Clark dating in the New 52, your guess is as good as mine. With the attitude some of the executives over at DC Comics seem to have towards Lois Lane I'm not going to hold my breath that it will be soon. And with the way they are trying so hard to promote that fauxmance who knows how long they will tire of the pairing.

I for one hope it's soon because it makes no sense for both Clark and Diana to keep pining over other people while being in a relationship together.

I'm not sure if you read Smallvill Season 11 if not give it a read. It's a good series and it's one of the only series where Lois and Clark are still together. I truly recommend picking up the first volume, it's worth reading.

Art of the Day: Gotham City Sirens Enjoying the Summer


Artwork: An unused cover for the canceled Gotham City Sirens series, cover art by Guillem March

Seeing this cover makes me wonder what story would have been written for this. I highly doubt it would be a normal vacation with these three.

GCS was one of favorite series, I still wish it had not been canceled for the New 52 reboot.

Book Review: Outshine


Book: Outshine by Nola Decker

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

When agoraphobic Gabe and his outgoing nemesis Jessa go on a moonlit road trip to locate Gabe’s missing brother, the two teens discover they are both hiding unnatural abilities: Gabe is a living lie detector and Jessa is a kick-ass powerhouse pretending to be a delicate diva.

Gabe’s sole reason for searching for Watts, his overbearing younger brother, is to clear his own name: he’s been framed for Watts’ alleged murder. Jessa is after Watts because she is, well, after him.

They find him with Deacon, the twisted eugenicist responsible for their unusual powers. Deacon built them and other “Upgrades” to aid his efforts to protect the planet from environmental ruin. Though the goal may be noble, Deacon’s means to that end is full-on evil. Jessa and Gabe band together to stop him, but Watts may have other plans . . .




Rating: 1 star (Did Not Finish)

Review:

It's been a while since I've not finished reading a book. Who knows maybe this is a good book but I can't seem to connect with it. I find it to be mind numbingly boring and I don't like either main character Gabe or Jessa. And the story really doesn't make any sense. Also, the narrative switches back and forth from either Gabe or Jessa, which I didn't have a problem with. I just didn't like the story.

What I can gather from the story, is that Gabriel 'Gabe' Hearst is a human lie detector and whenever someone lies it gives him a horrible headache and Jessa Beech is a "super" girl who everyone thinks is this normal girl. Both have powers and are unsure why they have them.

The story opens with Gabe finding out that his younger brother Watts has gone missing. Jessa is nearly abducted but fought the guys off. It seems the guys who were going after Jessa may have something to do with Watts disappearance.

I'm sure there is more going on with this story but I really don't care and I have no desire to force myself to continue reading to find out.

I really thought this was going to be a good book but it looks like I was wrong.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Book Review: Sunne's Gift


Book: Sunne's Gift: How Sunne Overcame Bullying to Reclaim God's Gift by Ama Karikari Yawson with illustrations by Rashad Malik Davis

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

God imbues Sunne with the power of the sun. Sunne's siblings, Earth, Watre, and Winde have unique powers of their own. When Sunne is teased by siblings because of Sunne's different hair, Sunne desperately tries to change. Join Sunne as Sunne learns that there is beauty and power in difference.


Rating: 4 stars

Review:

A cute and inspiring story for children. In Sunne's Gift, a God gives the four powers of the world (Sun, Water, Wind and Earth) to four children: Sunne, Watre, Winde and Earthe. Although each have unique gifts, only Sunne has something that makes her stand out a bit more. Her hair.

One day when all four children were playing together they started to notice how different Sunne's hair was. An innocent question quickly turned into bullying leaving Sunne feeling sad and abandoned by her friends. In an attempt to look more like her friends, Sunne tried to change her hair but unknowingly her hair was a connection to her powers.

The four soon realize how their powers balance each other. A solution is found and in the end they see how important differences are.

I found the artwork to be as unique as the story, the four children are human like but leaning towards creature or ethereal beings. The artwork has a water color feel to it as if it in a dream.

This is a story that will show children that it's okay to be different as well as embrace the differences in others. I really don't think this is a religious book even though the title mentions God but the story reads more as mythology. But it could be read either way.

Also, there are group of discussion question following the end of the story parents/teachers to discuss with children.

Book Review: Genesis


Book: Genesis by Nathan Edmondson with illustrations by Alison Sampson

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

GENESIS, a new graphic novella from Image Comics by Nathan Edmondson (WHO IS JAKE ELLIS, The Punisher, Black Widow) and new comic book artist Alison Sampson (OUTLAW TERRITORY), pairs sweeping visuals with poignant writing in a story that cannot be missed.

GENESIS is a trippy journey of creation and destruction as one man finds himself with the ability to manifest anything by thinking it-only to learn that with seemingly unlimited power comes unstoppable terror.


Rating: 3 stars

Review:

This was a weird story but it wasn't bad. The problem was the story just wasn't long enough. I like that this was different but if the story had been longer I think it would have been even better.

The story is about guy who somehow found himself with powers after nearly dying. With these powers he could do anything but the underling question is should he. This reminded me of a scene from Jurassic Park and in the scene Jeff Goldblum's character Ian Malcolm was telling John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) this: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should." That's exactly how I felt as the story went on. He wanted to make the world a better place but should he.

Genesis could have benefited from a few more pages but the story is there. I guess I just wanted more pages to really explore the story. It delves into psychology and little philosophy which makes this a different type of comic.

Illustration of the Day: Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor


Illustration: Wonder Woman issue #329

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Book Review: Absolutely Now!


Book: Absolutely Now! A Futurist's Journey To Her Inner Truth by Lynne Franks

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Lynne Franks is a legendary figure in international fashion and public relations and the inspiration for the outrageous and driven character of Edina on the cult television series, ‘Absolutely Fabulous.’ Yet at the pinnacle of her success, after building a world class public relations firm by working 20-hour days, spinning off new ideas and tracking trends for her clients at the expense of her personal life, she abruptly sold her company and reclaimed her life, embarking on a quest for meaning that took her around the globe.

Lynne Franks’ journey took her to the United Nations Women’s Conference in Beijing; a holy mountain in India; the sacred Celtic sites of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales; the Californian Redwoods; and trance dancing to African drums. She addressed conferences on ethical business and spent time with many of the world’s spiritual leaders, leading environmentalists and visionaries. This book recounts that journey. For entrepreneurs; for women and men doing far too much; for those interested in socially responsible business practices; and for anyone interested in simplifying life; Franks points the way to achieving a balanced, happy life with the same dead-on intuition that has made her one of the top trend-spotters of our time.



Rating: 2 stars

Review:

Question, who has watched an episode of Absolutely Fabulous? I have and it never occurred to me that the character Edina Monsoon was actually based on someone real. And it turns out to be the author of this book. Lynne Frank.

In this eye opening book, Lynne Frank details how her successful career in PR started. And how her high flying and very stressful career was becoming so in demand that it was starting to take it's toll on her life. Not only was she one of the "It" publicists but she was also a married with two children.

It wasn't until the death of one of her good friends (she died of cancer) whose life was as fast moving as hers for Lynne to stop and really look at where her life was going.

She was already doing alternative therapies and treatments and studied various spiritualties but as she started to re-evaluated her life, she wanted to slow down and simplify and they seemed to guide her in transitioning from stressed out executive to a more peaceful way of life. And after her divorce and selling of her high profile company (which she temporarily stayed on to work for two more years) she was more than ready to start her new life. As soon as she was truly free from her former company it gave her time to find a new way of life and get to know her children better.

Although the author said the character on the show was a satirized version of herself, this book does show how close the character and real person are with how she was very into trying alternative therapies such as crystal therapy and various others.

She also goes into detail as to why her relationship with her ex-husband started to fail. And after another one of her treatments it allowed her the chance to see what happened and to move on from those memories.

I noticed that she does seem to rely on various treatments and therapies for nearly all areas of her life.

The best part of the book for me were the bold passages at the end of each chapter. They pretty much sum up the message of each chapter which can sometimes dawdle a bit. I did find chapter 7: Plugging into the Future to be interesting. Since it's what seems to be impacting people with the overrun of tech and how the media can sometimes distort information.

Lastly, I found the writing to be very dull and boring and for a person who has lived such an interesting life, it hard to imagine why this book is so blah.

Absolutely Now! may not be my cup of tea but I think those interested in New Age/alternative medicines and therapies may enjoy reading how the author gained a more positive and peaceful life as well as transforming her life into the one she wanted.

Summer Cocktail: Watermelon Cosmo Punch


I'm always looking for new recipes and I found this one while searching online. Okay, don't tell me that drink doesn't look good.


Watermelon Cosmo Punch by Geoffrey Zakarian (from The Kitchen)
Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups vodka
3 cups watermelon puree
1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup Simple Syrup, recipe follows
Hollowed-out watermelon, for serving (optional)
Fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
 
 
Directions:
 
1. Pour the vodka, watermelon puree, lime juice and Simple Syrup into a pitcher.
2. Add to a punch bowl or a hollowed-out watermelon.
3. Serve in punch glasses over ice and garnished with mint.
 
 
Simple Syrup recipe:
 
Ingredients:
 
1 cup sugar
 
 
Directions:
 
1. Combine sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
3. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
4. If kept covered in the refrigerator will last up to 1 month.
 
Yield: 1 1/2 cups


Please Remember to Drink Responsibly and Don't Drink and Drive!!!

Weekend Update: Comic Books and Career Aspirations

Hi guys,

Just a quick post, I just came back from the comic book store. Picked up my books from this week. Found out Ms. Marvel didn't ship so hopefully they'll be in the store by next Wednesday.

I also returned almost all my library books except for Mambo in Chinatown and after that I'm going to take a break from reading library books for a while. There are a lot of books I have sitting on the shelf that I need to read.

After reading both of those biographies on Gloria Steinem I've been inspired to pursue freelance writing full-time. I know it's going to take some hard work but I'm going to at least give it a try.

Lately, I've been thinking about going to the museum and checking out the exhibits. I'm thinking of making plans to go the first weekend in September.

I also bought some new nail polish (and not to mention saved money with coupons). What do you guys think? I was looking for something new, I'm still looking for a turquois but I haven't seen one I like.



Oh, before I forget I received two new questions from readers. Thank you guys for e-mailing me, I will have those answered by Monday.

I guess that's it for now,

~ Book Girl

Book Review: Batman: Black and White vol #3


Book: Batman: Black and White volume #3 by various writers and artists

Source: Library

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Review:

For the last volume in the series, I thought this featured a good group of stories. There were maybe a few that were either dull or not the best. With so many interesting stories it's hard to pick a favorite one.

I really liked the Batgirl and Poison Ivy story as well as the story that had Superman helping Batman following a shooting. I also really like the story where a photographer was trying to get a book of unique buildings in Gotham published but no one would publish it. And there were so many more stories that I like.

If I had not taken a chance with reading volumes #2 and #3 after I found volume #1 to be really bad I would have missed out a two really good books.

Book Review: The Education of a Woman: The Life of Gloria Steinem


Book: The Education of a Woman: The Life of Gloria Steinem by Carolyn G. Heilbrun

Source: Library

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Reading this was like reading an edited version of Gloria Steinem: Her Passions, Politics and Mystique by Sydney L. Stern. Although, Stern's book was good it didn't seen to capture the spirit of who Gloria Steinem is and it contained too many unimportant details that clogged up the book.

In The Education of a Woman the reader got a more concise yet still informative look into the life of the legendary activist. Many of the same points were detailed in both books but I found this one to be more personal and engaging.

Since I could see myself wanting to read this again, I immediately added this to my wishlist.

Art of the Day: Lady Sif


Artwork: Lady Sif by Krista Feranka

Friday, August 22, 2014

Book Review: Killer Ambition


Book: Killer Ambition (Rachel Knight book #3) by Marcia Clark

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

The beginning was really good with District Attorney Rachel Knight and Detective Bailey Keller trying to track down both a kidnapped teenage girl Hayley (who is the daughter of a high profile movie director Russell Antonovich) and her boyfriend Brian who is believed to be the one behind kidnapping. Out of the first three books this is probably the first time you get a sense of real urgency in the story.

Rachel and Bailey up against the clock trying to locate clues to Hayley's whereabouts before the kidnapper did anything to harm her. But Rachel was having a strong possibility that Hayley was in on her abduction as a way to get back at her dad that is until she was found dead. As they searched for more clues it was starting not to add up and maybe Brian really didn't do it but they will have find him first.

By the time the story got to the trial scenes I thought some of them may have derailed the momentum this story had working for it. And the scenes with them trying to select the jury could have been left out. I know Rachel is a lawyer and it makes sense to show her in court but some of those scenes dragged down the story.

This book had fixed some of the problems I had with the other two books, with mentioning way too much food & drink and fashion. Yes, Rachel and her friends still went out to eat and she still mentioned clothes but it wasn't as excessive as with the first two books. A new character was also introduced Declan Shackner an attorney who was assigned to be Rachel second chair during the trial. He turned out to be helpful for Rachel.

Killer Ambition is a really good read and it would have been even better if some of the trial scenes were cut. There were a lot of interesting twist in this story as well as it being more suspenseful.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Book Review: One More Last Chance


Book: One More Last Chance (A Place to Call Home book #2) by Cathleen Armstrong

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Sarah Cooley has come home to Last Chance, New Mexico, for one reason–because it doesn’t change. After an engagement gone bad with a man who wanted to change everything about her, Sarah is more than ready for the town whose motto may as well be, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Chris Reed, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to spark some change in the little town. As the new owner of the Dip ‘n’ Dine, he’s shaking things up to draw folks from all over the Southwest into his restaurant.


As it turns out, the winds of change are blowing into Last Chance–just not in the ways that Sarah or Chris might expect.

With the same evocative writing and fascinating characters that won fans for her debut novel, Cathleen Armstrong invites readers back to Last Chance for a soul-searching, romantic story of two people navigating the twists and turns of small-town life.


Rating: 2 stars

Review:

First thing, I didn't like the main character Sarah Cooley, she's rude and very narrow-minded. She went back to her hometown of Last Chance for a teaching job. And in between trying to get reacquainted with her hometown she was avoiding calls from her ex-boyfriend and being rude to the other main character Chris Reed. Who of course is attracted to her despite every time they meet she's a jerk to him. I really don't see what Chris saw in her.

Chris just recently purchased the Dip 'n' Dine, the restaurant in town and was having to deal with a lot of opposition to some of his attempts at trying to change the restaurant to make it more profitable. Chris was just too nice a guy to be stuck with those annoying townspeople. Aside from that he also found himself taking care of his 7 year old niece Olivia. So this guy had a lot going on.

The best characters in this lackluster story was Chris, Olivia and Sarah's grandmother Elizabeth. I really wish that Sarah wasn't even included in this story because besides being a jerk she was a complete idiot in regards to her ex-boyfriend who showed up.

For a romance book, there was no chemistry between Sarah and Chris. And even though the story was working it's way to a romance between the main characters I thought Sarah was a better match with her ex, they were both jerks. It took too long for Sarah to change her disposition towards Chris and it also took her too long to realize that he ex-boyfriend was a jerk. I found it a bit hypocritical that Sarah was telling her students that they should be kind and welcoming to everyone especially since she doesn't follow her own advice.

This was an okay read there was not a lot going on. The only scenes that made this worth reading were the ones with Chris and Olivia.

Entertainment News: Pamela Anderson and Carey Hart slam ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

By US Magazine

Cool it! While Hollywood has accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in droves, uploading often-creative, LOL videos and nominating each other, Pamela Anderson and Carey Hart took to their social media pages to criticize the viral campaign, meant to raise funds for Lou Gehrig's disease research.

On Wednesday Aug. 20th, Pamela Anderson, a longtime supporter of animal rights, posted a Facebook message criticizing ALS researchers for their research practices.

"Sorry, I can't bring myself to do your Ice bucket challenge," the post began. "I enjoy a good dare, It's always good to bring awareness - in fun, creative ways, I don't want to take away from that. I thought instead, I'd challenge ALS to stop animal testing."

The former "Baywatch" star, 47, then cited claims describing how animals are mistreated during medical experiments.

"Recent experiments funded by the ALS Association, mice had holes drilled into their skulls, were inflicted with crippling illnesses, and were forced to run on an inclined treadmill until they collapsed from exhaustion. Monkeys had chemicals injected into their brains and backs and were later killed and dissected."

Anderson backed her stance with a FDA statistic stating that 92 out of 100 drugs that succeed in animal trials fail once in the human trials.

"Trying to cure human diseases by relying on outdated and ineffective animal experiments isn’t only cruel—it’s a grave disservice to people who desperately need cures," she wrote.

She concluded her post by urging people to "find and support charities that never harm animals."

The next morning, on Thursday, Aug. 21st, Cory Hart similarly railed against those who have hopped on the ice bucket bandwagon.

"I went the contribution route. I figure ALS would rather have my money than see me wet," Pink's husband captioned a screenshot of his donation receipt to ALS. "I'll put the water towards washing my bike later!!"

The motocross pro, 39, also slammed those who have opted to take part in the campaign instead of giving funds on his Twitter page.

"It's extremely creepy and annoying how obsessed people are w/ this ice bucket challenge. The purposes is 2 raise money for an awful disease."

"If you are that into seeing people dump buckets of ice water over their heads, go find a wet t shirt contest," read his last post. "Time to find a hobby, people."

As of Thursday, Aug. 21, the ALS Association has amassed over $41.8 million in donations, as opposed to the $2.1 million raised during the same time frame in 2013 (from July 29 to Aug. 21). According to a press release, the donations have come from current donors as well as 739,275 new donors to join the cause.

Throwback Thursday: Julia (Diahann Carroll)


Diahann Carroll in her groundbreaking non-stereotypical role as Julia, which was also the title of the classic TV series that premiered in 1968.

Book Review: Gloria Steinem: Her Passions, Politics, and Mystique


Book: Gloria Steinem: Her Passions, Politics, and Mystique by Sydney Ladensohn Stern

Source: Library

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Review:

This was very informative but perhaps filled with too much information. Some of that information I found could be seen as unimportant and in the end all it did was lengthen the pages of this book. I thought quite a majority of that information could have been left out.

I learned a lot from this biography and it showed that Ms. Steinem wasn't an overnight success she had to work hard. Given the times, after she graduated from college she had a very difficult time trying to find work in journalism once she headed to New York City. She did eventually get assignments but most were not the serious types of articles that she really wanted to write about. According to this book, there are some speculations that her looks and who she dated may have been a door opener for her. However, she prides herself on her hard work instead.

It was some time before she found herself joining the fight for feminism despite being out spoken (which was not the norm for women back then) and supporting various social causes she just had not connected to the cause of feminism. That is until she attended an event held by the Redstockings where the discussion finally clicked for her. She was eager to join in the cause and compiled as much research as possible before entering the fight.

It wasn't long before Gloria caught the attention of others with her ease of speaking (despite her discomfort with speaking on stage) and not to mention her background and education as well as her fabulous sense of style (which wasn't that important to her but to the media it was). She was quickly becoming the new face of feminism which may have angered one particular fighter for the cause, Betty Friedan. Who up until that point was the voice of the cause.

But Gloria made a point of always stating that the fight was a group effort, she rarely took credit for any of the things that she did.

This book focused not only on Gloria's newfound purpose of feminism but also on her life as a child and later dealing with her parents divorce and her mother's mental illness. It also detailed Gloria's reluctance to marry, who eventually did marry in 2000 but since this book was published in 1997, it mainly dealt with her desire to not take that romantic step.

Ultimately, I think I would have rated this book higher if there wasn't so much attention paid to unimportant details.

Art of the Day: Spider-Man vs The Sinister Six


Artwork: Spider-Man Sure Pisses Off A Lot of Green Guys by nebezial

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Comic Book Wednesday: August 20th Picks

Happy Comic Book Wednesday!!!

I thought it would be great to put that out there. Why so happy, you might be asking? Well, the new Wonder Woman series is out today, Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman, and I can't wait to read it. Not even that little bit of Fauxmance on the cover of issue #8 of Scribblenauts is going to ruin my enthusiasm for the new WW series.

Here are the rest of my list.


Archie Comics

World Of Archie Comics Digest #42

Book: World of Archie Comics Digest #42

Description:

Pack your bags with Veronica, she's tagging along on her father's business trip to Paris! When a family friend introduces her to a handsome young French filmmaker who just so happens to share a name with Veronica's favorite redhead back home, Veronica finds herself falling for him!

When the Archie back in Riverdale hears what happened, he's ready to take drastic action! Take an international ride with a new love triangle in 'Archie or Archie?!', the lead story in this exciting digest! (Formerly World of Archie Double Digest.)

Art of the Day: Oracle (Barbara Gordon)


Artwork: Oracle by Marcio Takara

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

DVD Tuesday: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy

The Amazing Spider-Man 2




I will be picking this up because I thought this movie was great. Of course they made a few changes from the comic book (still no J. Jonah Jameson) but the changes didn't ruin the movie at all. This sequel got a lot of mixed reviews but I enjoyed it and as a Spider-Man fan it didn't disappoint.


Description:

We've always known that Spider-Man's most important battle has been within himself: the struggle between the ordinary obligations of Peter Parker and the extraordinary responsibilities of Spider-Man. But in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that a greater conflict lies ahead.

It's great to be Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield). For Peter Parker, there's no feeling quite like swinging between skyscrapers, embracing being the hero, and spending time with Gwen (Emma Stone). But being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.



Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy


Depending where you shop this movie was either available last Tuesday at Walmart or available everywhere else today. I actually thought it was a misprint in the sales paper but it turned out not to be.

I'm a Scooby-Doo fan and have seen all the animated movies, so far I have yet to see a bad one. Looking forward to seeing this.


Description:

Scooby-Doo and those "meddling kids" Shaggy, Fred, Daphne and Velma are back in this all-new original movie!

Velma discovers she's inherited her great-great-uncle Dr. Von Dinkenstein's cursed castle in the terrifying town of Transylania...Pennsylvania, that is. Just when the gang persuades Velma to go claim her in heritance, the ghost of Von Dinkenstein Castle blows up the Mystery Machine as a warning!

Now the crew must spring back into action, but this time it's personal! Who's responsible for the Von Dinkenstein monster? what family secret has Velma been hiding? Will Fred recover from the loss of his beloved Mystery Machine? Can any helpless snack survive Scooby and Shaggy's monster-sized appetites? This Scooby-Doo adventures has enough spooky fun to make the whole family come alive!

Currently Reading: Batman: Black and White vol #3 and Gloria Steinem: Her Passions, Politics and Mystique

I'm going to postpone reading The Mark of Athena until I finish reading the last few library books that I have.

So here are two books I will be reading.


Book: Batman: Black and White volume #3 by various writers and artists

Source: Library

Description:

This third and final volume (of the original series) of the Eisner Award-winning Batman: Black and White series collects thirty-three adventures of the Dark Knight by some of the hottest names in the industry.





Book: Gloria Steinem: Her Passions, Politics, and Mystique by Sydney Ladensohn Stern

Source: Library

Description:

GIoria Steinem is America's most famous feminist. An icon of modern feminism, Steinem is known to the world as a celebrity, leader, and writer. When her name appears in the media, no explanation is necessary -- the name is the message.

For this first truly revelatory account of Gloria Steinem, Sydney Ladensohn Stern spent fifty hours interviewing Steinem, in addition to conducting interviews with friends, lovers, and associates from both her past and present.

After joining the women's movement, Steinem cofounded Ms. magazine, the Ms. Foundation, the National Women's Political Caucus, and Voters for Choice. She has written innumerable articles and four books, including several major bestsellers; made hundreds of speeches every year; campaigned; organized; and raised money for an endless stream of organizations, causes, candidates, and individuals.
Yet inside the celebrity, symbol, and leader is a complex woman, a fascinating combination of contradiction -- courageous yet vulnerable, beautiful but insecure, generous and ambitious, highly intelligent yet at times willfully blind. She truly embodies the conflict between the traditional female role of "being" (pretty, charming, supportive) and the male role of "doing" (achieving success in the world).

While Steinem always wanted to be more than just another "pretty girl", she was not beyond using her looks, considerable charm, and sex appeal to both attract men and advance professionally. Her lovers include director Mike Nichols; screenwriter Robert Benton; speechwriter Ted Sorerison; and Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson.

By the time she discovered feminism in 1969 at the age of thirty-five, she had graduated from Smith Collegemagna cure laude; traveled in India; worked for a ClA front organization; gone undercover as a Bunny in New York's Playboy Club to write an expose; written a book, numerous articles, and a television satire; helped found New York magazine, for which she wrote a political column; and worked in the inner circles of political campaigns. Even then she was a celebrity, profiled everywhere, for her intriguing combination of glamour, intelligence, prominent lovers, and journalistic coups.

The fascination continues today, from her gossiped-about affair with real-estate magnate and publisher Mort Zuckerman to her power as the world's most influential feminist. Gloria Steinem: Her Passions, Politics, and Mystique examines this prominent woman in all her many and varied roles.