June 24, 2016
Blessings, Georgia 0.5: Count Your Blessings
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I got this as a free e-book from Barnes & Noble. While the story is amusing, it lacks any real draw or punch for me. The pace is slow overall despite being dramatic. It's okay because it is amusing and does a good job of painting very clear pictures. I can't rate it as more than that since it didn't really hold my attention or leave me wanting more of these characters in the end. Sad since I've really enjoyed some of Sala's other works in the past.
Note: this is also known under the title Color Me Bad.
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June 23, 2016
Whisker Haven: Tales with the Palace Pets
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Being more of a webisode series than a TV series, these clips are even shorter than usual. Despite this, the pets are cute and the variation of animals is fun for kids. It can be very confusing to remember which pet goes to which princess, especially as you get into season 2 and discover there is more than one pet per princess. Not that we ever really see them together, but it's interesting to note given their crowns and personalities often reflect something of the princess they represent (Sultan wearing a jeweled feather instead of a tiara like Jasmine would, and Treasure's love of the sea like Ariel for example).
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (2016)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's amusing how like the game this series is. The art is obviously smoother and you get more character interactions and motions. However, the flashing "objection" and "hold it" messages in kanji are the same, as are the stripes crossing the screen when the lawyers go head to head. What isn't often shown in the game, but is made abundantly clear in the anime, is the force of which these motions hit their opponents. You literally see light shows and winds blowing people around. All in all, it's entertaining. The cases themselves so far appear to follow the game pretty closely. We'll have to see if this continues to be true the longer that the series goes on (though it's not like there isn't a lot of pre-existing material with the number of games already out on the market).
June 21, 2016
Montana Born Brides 3: Bride by Mistake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I got this as a free NOOK Book from Barnes & Noble. The original story itself is rather short (end on page 109 according to my tablet). The additional short story, What a Bride Wants goes from 116-205 (I'm not counting about the author and other informational blurbs in the count).
Bride by Mistake
This was a short and sweet piece, though it goes from decently paced to light speed frighteningly quick. Really, it had to for how short it is. It's also interesting to note that Beckett's "bad seed" past is constantly brought up, but despite the general description of "mistakes" and "bad choices" is not expanded on. Rather, positive comparisons to his behavior are the only ones really mentioned to combat this apparent stigma. In contrast, Kaitlin is considered essentially the perfect saint, to the point that she and everyone around her are apparently blind. Kaitlin and Beckett seem to be excluded from these preconceptions most likely due to the fact they needled each other so much growing up that they couldn't help but see underneath the surface. Of course, being a bride book, the story ends at the wedding. Forget the fact that Beckett and Luke still need a serious sit down conversation or the fact that Beckett and Kaitlin have a baby on the way. Neither of those are obviously important, as with the scene where Kaitlin tells her parents everything despite the anguish over the idea for part of the story and them obviously being at the shot-gun wedding. It would be nice overall if some of these holes were filled in to round it all out.
What a Bride Wants
I actually liked this "additional" novella more than the original story. Ella and Sawyer are more than a match for each other, which is convenient when Sawyer's brother decides he wants another go at ruining his life. Despite still being fast paced, there is more explained and built on so despite still being a whirlwind romance, it feels like it has more build and substance overall. That's without adding in any unplanned pregnancies too (though there are a few calves delivered). Maybe it's the cowgirl in me, but their more down-to-earth perceptions and the activity on the ranch interest me a lot more than the first story.
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June 7, 2016
Big Hero 6: Fight to the Finish!
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This basically tells the story of the recently animated Disney film, Big Hero 6. It's just done in a simplified format for the "Step into Reading" series for young children. No stickers in the back, which is common with these books, but it is one of the bigger books for the type and does a good job with a long story for kids. Loving the movie, I shouldn't have been surprised this was a request at the store.
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Paw Patrol: Pirate Pups!
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Based on S01E26 "Pups and the Pirate Treasure." This book is made in the Little Golden Book style instead of the more common paperback and Step into Reading books that seem to be popular lately. The pups didn't realize saving Captain Turbot would mean they would end up going on a treasure hunt.... and finding it! Rubble especially appears to enjoy this adventure if his pirate hat is any clue. Another cute addition to the Paw Patrol collection for young kids.
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Paw Patrol: Chase's Space Case
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Based on S02E02 "Pups Save the Space Alien." As a bonus, the cover has glitter (to enhance the space beams I suppose) and "shiny stickers" (because those are obviously cooler than normal stickers if the differentiation on the cover is anything to go by). Spy Chase gets center stage rescuing other citizens of Adventure Bay from space bubbles while tracking down the little green alien. Of course, what's a rescue without a reward trip in the space craft after Rocky fixes it. Slightly amusing that the alien thinks the Lookout is another space craft. As a stage 1 "step into reading" book, the story is very simple and easy for young children to follow. If your kid likes Paw Patrol, you probably already know the tale from the TV series anyways.
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Paw Patrol: Chase is on the Case!
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Like other Paw Patrol books, this is based on one of the TV episodes (S01E04 "Pups in a Fog"). This time, Captain Turbot is out at sea with the fog rolling in and the lighthouse not working. Ryder and the pups race to the rescue, as usual. This is one of the "step into reading" series as well, so good breakdown for young children who are learning to read. Of course, as is common with many of the Paw Patrol books, there are more stickers in the back to add to your child's collection.
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Paw Patrol: Ice Team
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Based on S02E06 "The New Pup" where we meet Everest for the first time. Instead of stickers, like many other Paw Patrol books, this book features lots of glitter and a fold-out poster in the back. If your little on is a big fan of sparkles and/or Everest, they'll love this addition to the Paw Patrol lineup.
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Paw Patrol: Pup, Pup, and Away!
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Based on S01E05 part 2 by the same title. This tells the story of the hot air balloon chase in a simplified format for young children. As a bonus, this book also has both punch out cards, stickers and a fold-out poster for kids to play with. I'm not sure which is more popular with all the pieces in this book - they're all in pretty high demand.
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June 3, 2016
Falling
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Corbin, better known simply as "Major" for his previous position as a Black Hawk pilot (which is explained too many times to count in the book), ends up in the middle of a oil drilling conflict and two potential relationships (though of course only one wins in the end) when he thought he was a confirmed bachelor after losing his fiance in war. He didn't account for the draw he'd get with Jarbi and Lisette. Then there's Crystal's romance (kind of on the sidelines). It is interesting to get a "romance" story from a man's perspective as they are more common in books with a strong female lead. Perhaps because of this, a lot more of the focus is on the mystery and action. The case that Corbin and Lisette are working on has so many layers and people involved, it's a bit of a miracle they manage to sort it all out. Of course with that many kidnappings, bombs and guns, you know not everyone is going to get away unscathed on either side of the battle.
Lowered the rating because the romance, such as it is, feels more like an afterthought than anything, even though it's supposedly a huge part of the main character given the constant references to the first battle we're drawn into. As if that isn't enough, the constant fiance references and re-hashing of his old position and why he changed to his current occupation are so frequent it's a little annoying. Yes, we get that this is a big part of the character and why he is how he is now. It still does not needed to be repeated in (what feels like) every single chapter or every time a new person needs an introduction.
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June 2, 2016
Black Dagger Brotherhood 14: The Beast
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While most of the series tends to focus on a specific pair per book, this one actually is more of a revisit of Rhage and Mary while focusing overall on the concept of family within the brotherhood. While The King sort of revisited Wrath and Beth, it could be argued that it also brought in the story of Wrath's parents, making it as much their book as the original couple's. This one does not bring in any new pairing, though we do see more of Assail and Marisol briefly. Some potential there with Assail going into detox. Overall, there is a lot of family time though. Talk about L.W. with Beth and Wrath, Naala with Bella and Zhadist, the twins birth with Layla, Qhuinn and Blay, then Bitty with Mary and Rhage. Even Vhisous and Jane end up having a conversation about if they want kids or not. That doesn't even touch on the whole issue with the Omega physically showing up after a battle in the beginning and then The Scribe Virgin disappearing. Guess that's potentially even more reason to want the war over and done with so they can keep all these new young safe in the long haul. Good goal, not so sure how they're going to pull it off. Especially now that their higher power and directional compass is officially beyond reach. If they didn't think they were on their own before, it looks like they are now.
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