Book Review: Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: interesting start to a fantasy series for kids

Cons: The set up, while entertaining, feels a little slow. 

The Bottom Line:

Trip to grandparents

Hiding magical secret

Slow to start, speeds up

Unexpected Visit

My nephew has been recommending the Fablehaven series to me for a while now, and I haven’t picked it up. There are just so many books to get to, right? But when he gave me the first one for Christmas, I prioritized reading it. And I’m glad I did. 

This is a middle grade fantasy series, not my typical mystery. Of course, I’ve enjoyed middle grade fantasy over the years, and I often say I fell into mystery and I can’t get out (not that I’m trying that hard). It was a nice change of pace for me. 

This book introduces us to siblings Kendra and Seth. When their parents need to take a trip, they arrange for the pair to stay with their grandparents. You might think that sounds ideal, but Kendra and Seth barely know their grandparents, who live in the middle of nowhere in Connecticut. But slowly, the siblings begin to discover there is more to their grandparents’ property. What does the revelation mean?

Being the first in the series, this book has a certain amount of set up to do. I expect this, and it is as entertaining as it can be while doing that, but I did find my attention wandering a bit during this part. Still, I’m not sure how we could have gotten the information we needed any faster.

However, once that set up has happened, the story kicks into high gear and never lets up. I didn’t want to put the book down when I got to this point, and I found the payoff very satisfying. Yes, the story is wrapped up well here while still leaving things opened for future books in the series. 

Kendra and Seth are a study in contrast, but they are both well suited for the story we get here. While I feel like we follow Kendra the most, we do get some scenes from Seth’s third person point of view as well. I did find Seth annoying at times, but I appreciated the growth we saw in his character. I also appreciated where Kendra ended the book. And I liked the rest of the characters we met along the way. 

Some of the scenes in the back half of the book might be a little intense for sensitive kids. But I’m sure most kids will devour those pages like I did. 

Would I be opened to a return visit to Fablehaven? Absolutely. It’s easy to see why so many kids are fans of this series. 

Movie Review: Superman II

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Great action scenes as Superman’s story continues

Cons: Slow second act, Lex is useless

The Bottom Line:

Superman is back

Film still has pacing issues

Not classic for me

“Not Everyone Can Have X-Ray Vision.” “Do I Detect a Note of Jealousy?”

In my quest to watch the Christopher Reeves Superman movies, I had recorded the second when it was on cable.  As much as I had issues with the original, Superman II had its own issues.

After a bit more of the prologue with General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his two hence people on Krypton before it explodes, we get the opening credits, which also act as a refresher of what happened in the original movie.  Pretty clever, at least in my opinion.

When we are off to Paris where Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) is trying to cover some terrorists who have set up a hydrogen bomb in the Eiffel Tower.  When Superman (Christopher Reeve) takes it to space to it can explode without causing any damage, he accidentally frees General Zod and the other two prisoners from the Phantom Zone where they’ve been held prisoner all this time. 

While the trio make their way to Earth with the intent to taking it over, Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve, obviously), and Lois grow closer, leading to Clark making a choice with huge implications.  Oh, and Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) manages to escape from prison thanks to help from Eve Teschmacher (Valerie Perrine).  What havoc will he cause?

Obviously, with the backstory out of the way, this movie can get off to a faster start, and the opening act is fun and thrilling.  We know how it is going to end, but it’s still fun getting there.

It’s the second act where the movie struggles.  We get General Zod’s trio working on taking over the planet while Superman and Lois are out of touch (the wonders of life in the pre-cell phone days).  For me, it dragged.  Couldn’t Superman have learned about the threat earlier?  Because we knew where it was going to go, and I wish the movie had taken less time getting there.

Then comes the third act, which is what we have all been waiting for.  And it was worth it.  I enjoyed the fight.  Yes, we got lots of special effects, but the fight was still contained enough that we could follow what we going on.  Modern superhero movies could learn from it.

Other issues with the film?  I watched the original theatrical cut, and it had a huge plot hole in it.  I had to go back to the internet to figure out exactly what happened.  Yeah, my theory was right, but really?  A line of dialog would have resolved it.  Also, what point did Lex Luthor have in this film?  I get that it’s Lex, but we really didn’t need his character.  They could have accomplished the little bit he did in other ways.

None of what I just said is a slam on the actors.  They are all great at bringing their characters to life.  It’s the fault of the screen play.

The effects are dated; we can definitely tell when a green screen is being used.  But it’s a movie from 1980, so that’s no surprise.  As long as you keep that in mind, you’ll be fine.

I know that the next two sequels aren’t as well regarded as the first two movies, which makes me curious to watch them and see what I think.  I’m also curious to rewatch Superman Returns, which I haven’t seen since it was in the theaters almost twenty years ago.

While Superman II is by no means a bad movie, it isn’t a classic for me, either.  I think nostalgia plays a large part is how much people enjoy it.  For me, that was lacking.

Movie Review: Love in the Great Smoky Mountains

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Beautiful scenery, did enjoy the romance

Cons: Awkwardness in the script; lectures

The Bottom Line:

A dig in the park

Creates chance for love to grow

But script needed work

“Of All the Digs in All the World, You Had to Show Up at Mine.”

Since I’ve started watching Hallmark’s movies set in various National Parks, I’ve been keeping an eye opened for new ones.  Fortunately, I spotted Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Parks Romance on the channel recently so I could keep the streak of watching them all alive.  Unfortunately, the movie wasn’t nearly as good as it could have been.

As this movie opens, Haley (Arielle Kebbel) has just gotten her doctorate in archeology and is thrilled to be heading to a dig in the Great Smoky Mountains for a few weeks.  It will be a great step in her career.  However, she is less than thrilled when she discovers that her ex, Rob (Zach Roerig), is already at the dig.  They haven’t spoken since they broke up three years ago.  Will their both being on the dig cause tension?  Or will old sparks fly again?

I had seen a few previews before I watched the movie, and I was actually rather excited to see how the story unfolded.  I thought the archeology aspect would provide an interesting backdrop to the romance.  At times, it did.  It did drive a few plot points and Haley gets obsessed with an item she thinks might be in the park.

However, it also slowed things down.  I felt like we got lots of exposition at times, more so than the movie called for.  We also got some lectures about how wonderful life was for the Cherokee tribe before they were forced to leave and how awful the Trail of Tears was.  Now, please do not misunderstand me.  What happened to the tribe in the 1800’s was horrible.  It is indeed a part of American history we should be ashamed of.  However, it felt awkward here.  Part of that is how the movie was written.  And part of it is because I wasn’t sitting down to watch something on the topic.  I was sitting down for a light romance.

I mentioned the writing in the previous paragraph.  It left something to be desired.  There were some rough transitions between scenes and topics.  Plus, dialog sounded stiff.  The script needed a polish.

The acting wasn’t the best either.  Yes, I know some of it was the writing, but the actors seemed to be overly enthusiastic at times in an effort to make up for it.  This had a high dose of Hallmark cheese.

On the other hand, the scenery was beautiful.  I believe it was actually filmed in Great Smoky, and this made me want to go visit the park.  And so many waterfalls!  (At least if this movie is to be believed.)

I was pulled into the romance.  That’s part of the reason I found some of the other stuff annoying.  I wanted to see more with Haley and Rob.  There’s a second relationship that I was also rooting for, although they got more of the awkwardness of the script that Haley and Rob did.

While these movies aren’t that great, I’m still finding myself drawn to them just because of the settings.  If that’s you, you’ll want to watch Love in the Great Smoky Mountains.  Otherwise, you can skip it.

This movie is part of this two movie DVD release.

TV Show Review: Poppa's House - The Complete Series

Stars: 2 out of 5

Pros: Scenes between Poppa and Junior often lead to laughs

Cons: The characters aren’t likable and the show tries too hard for laughs. 

The Bottom Line:

Sitcom light on laughs

Badly written characters

Stories try too hard

Occasional Laughs, but Mostly Doesn’t Work

When the 2024 fall TV season hit, I picked out a few sitcoms I wanted to try. While I found a couple of shows I wound up liking, Poppa’s House was not one of them. 

The show was created as a vehicle for Damon Wayans and his son, Damon Wayans Jr. to work together. And they play father and son. Poppa is a talk show host with a show in New York City where he spouts whatever is on his mind. Things chance when the station assigns him a new cohost. Ivy (Essence Atkins) is everything Poppa isn’t, including a physiologist who better understands how people behave and how the sexes best interact. 

Meanwhile, Junior lives next to Poppa with his wife, Nina (Tetona Jackson), and their two kids, Trey and Maya (Caleb Johnson and River Blossom). He works for his father-in-law, but he is trying to get a career together as a film maker, causing tension at home. 

Over the course of the season Junior and Nina attempt to create a retrospective about Poppa’s career. The couple also try to get their parents to help them pay for private school for their kids. Poppa wants a family picture…without his ex-wife in it.  And Junior attempts to get his sister to make up with their father.

So where did things go wrong? This is another sitcom where the writers and actors are trying so hard to be funny that it isn’t funny. The situations are so over the top and the reactions are so exaggerated, it doesn’t work. And yes, I do know sitcoms. Some of my favorite shows of all time are sitcoms. This is a trend I’ve seen with many recent shows in the genre. 

Meanwhile, the show also falls into the dumb male tropes. Neither Poppa nor Junior are especially bright or aware of anyone beyond themselves. It is painful to watch. 

Not that the women fare much better. Nina comes across as a shrew (if not a nag) more often than not. Ivy fairs a bit better, although her know it all attitude can wear itself out. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. There are funny moments in each episode. They just aren’t enough to sustain a 22-minute episode. 

The show has teased a romance between Poppa and Ivy all season, which was a bit icky to me since they are obviously very different in age. But maybe that’s just me. 

I’m not blaming this on the actors, who are all fine. It’s the writing that lets them down. And I enjoyed seeing other Wayans family members show up in guest parts. 

How do I know the writers were struggling? They changed a big part of the premise early on, having Pippa and Ivy getting fired from their radio show and setting up a podcast instead. I had so many questions about the hows and whys of that, both behind the scenes and the storyline. And I could never figure out if their show was pre-recorded or live. It seemed to switch to whatever the writers needed at the time. Yes, that’s a typical thing on TV shows, especially sitcoms, but this one seemed especially blatant. 

The bright spot was any scene that just involved Poppa and Junior. The Wayans were allowed to riff and play off each other, and the results were often some of the best laughs of the episode. I would have watched much more of this every week. 

The show consisted of 18 episodes. The series wasn’t picked up for season two a few days before the series finale aired, meaning no one knew that’s what it was when they were working on it. That means we get some relationship cliffhangers, but nothing too egregious. 

Obviously, I’d already decided I wouldn’t be back if the show had returned for season two. Honestly, I couldn’t quite decide on the show for several weeks, and by the time I did decide, I figured I’d finish season one and then stop. 

So if you have yet to watch Poppa’s House, you aren’t missing anything. I suggest you find a better sitcom, maybe an old favorite, to watch instead. 

Ornament Review: Winter Fun with Snoopy #28 - Shoveling Snow - 2025 Hallmark Release

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Cute scene

Cons: But is it fun?

The Bottom Line:

Doing wintry chore

Snoopy, Woodstock make cute scene

But does not seem fun

You’ve Got a Weird Definition of Fun

Snoopy has enjoyed quite a few fun things over the course of the Winter Fun with Snoopy series.  I do have to seriously question if he’s really have fun in the twenty-eighth entry in the series since he’s shoveling snow.

The ornament itself is great as always.  Snoopy has a shovel that is about half his size, but he’s using it to push the show that has recently fallen.  Woodstock is along for the ride as always.  And, in this case, literally.  You see, he’s sitting on the snow in front of the shovel that Snoopy is pushing.  Snoopy is wearing a purple cap and blue scarf while he does this work. 

Now, I’ll be the first to confess I’m not a cold weather or snow person.  But seriously, who finds shoveling snow fun?  I feel like this might be a sign that the series is running out of ideas.

That aside, I do like the ornament itself.  It’s a cute scene and I just love the idea of Woodstock catching a ride instead of working.

Do remember that this is one of Hallmark’s miniature series.  The ornament is only about an inch tall.  So keep that in mind before you buy it.

Because Snoopy is standing on a snowy path, the ornament has a nice, solid base, so you can easily set it out to be displayed if you so desire.  You’ll find the 28 in a Christmas tree on the bottom of this base.

When you go to hang the ornament, you’ll find it tips just a little to the left.  But you have to be watching for it.

While I might have my issues with whether this is fun or not, I do enjoy this Winter Fun with Snoopy ornament overall.  If you are a Peanuts and mini ornament fan, you’ll like it, too.

Check out the rest of the Winter Fun with Snoopy ornaments.

Book Review: Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman (Leaphorn and Chee #7)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Leaphorn and Chee finally team up in a great mystery

Cons: None for me 

The Bottom Line:

Two detectives meet

In case that draws readers in

As series changes

Leaphorn and Chee Finally Team Up

When I started Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn and Chee series, I commented on how different the series is from what we get today. I get it. Not only was it a different tone in publishing, but I suspect the characters and series evolved as it was written. Either way, we are now on book seven, and the two characters are finally working on a case together. Skinwalkers was well worth the wait. 

Lt. Joe Leaphorn is concerned with the three homicides that have occurred on the Navajo Reservation this summer. They don’t appear to be connected, but he can’t help shake the idea that they are. Not that they have any clues to solve these crimes whether they are connected or not. 

Meanwhile, Officer Jim Chee barely misses being killed in the trailer where he lives. At first, Leaphorn thinks that Chee was targeted because of bad policing, but soon the two men think it ties in to the other homicides. But how?

I’ve already noticed that Hillerman likes these types of plots, the seemingly unconnected and therefore unsolvable cases. And he’s a master of them. Juggling the various homicides gives us plenty to keep us engaged, although I did have a hard time keeping the various players straight as a result. That might just be me. Either way, I appreciated how everything came together in the end. The climax was suspenseful while wrapping things up well. 

I enjoyed watching Leaphorn and Chee work together for the first time. While they knew of each other, this is the first time they have worked together, so there isn’t any history we have missed out on. Those scenes were fun for me. I also love that the two men are so different in how they feel about their heritage. It gives them distinction while also helping drive the story. I expect this will factor into future books even more. Finally, we did get an update about Chee’s personal life while finally learning something about Leaphorn’s. In his three solo books, there was very little about his life outside the case. 

These two characters really are co-leads. We got scenes from both of their third person points of view, and they each contributed to solving the case. I appreciated that. And any time the point of view changed, it was easy to follow. 

These two are the best drawn characters in the book. The rest are fine for their role, but they don’t get the page time needed to be fully fleshed out. Still, given how the plot unfolds, it works perfectly. 

Once again, I listened to the audiobook, narrated expertly by George Guidall. I always enjoy the way he brings the book to life. 

Now that the series has turned, I’m excited to see what comes next for the characters. Skinwalkers is another exciting mystery that proves why this series has been so popular over the years. 

Here are the rest of the Leaphorn and Chee Mysteries. 

Movie Review: Jaws 2

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Third act; a few creative choices

Cons: For a movie called Jaws 2, the characters are oblivious for far too long

The Bottom Line:

Shark is same waters

Characters should know sooner

But third act is great

Maybe It Helped That My Expectations Were Low

Despite the fact that I didn’t find the original Jaws to be the masterpiece that most consider it, I was still curious about the sequels.  Yeah, I know, nobody likes them.  But I still decided to give Jaws 2 a chance.  Turns out, I thought it was about as good as the first, which is faint praise.

This movie sees the return of Roy Scheider as Brody, Lorraine Gary as his wife, Ellen, and Murray Hamilton as Mayor Vaughn.  That’s right, we are back in Amity.  It’s been several years since the first movie (and three since the first movie was released).  Ellen is now working of a developer who is building condos on the island.  They are bringing in new prospective owners as things really ramp up.

Which is why the timing of another giant shark in the waters off the coast is horrid.  Of course, no one is ready to believe that this is what is happening despite missing divers and water skiers.  Is Brody being paranoid?  Or is there really another shark in the waters?

I’ve got to say, the movie falls into a trap the first movie avoided a bit.  Here, it isn’t obvious to any of the characters for far too long that there is indeed another shark in the water.  Instead, we get Brody suspecting what is going on, but without proof.  And without proof, the mayor and the others aren’t willing to cause a panic.  Honestly, I get it.  You can’t ruin businesses, aka people’s lives, without proof.  Of course, there is tension since, if you are wrong, people are going to die.

But here’s why it doesn’t work for this movie.  It is called Jaws 2.  We know going into the movie exactly what is going on here.  So waiting for the characters to catch up gets boring.  Yes, we have some nice sequences of near misses and actual attacks.  I enjoyed that, but it still made for a movie that dragged.

Brody’s two kids were recast for this film.  Mark Gruner, who players older son Mike, is significantly older than I felt like the character was in the first film, while Marc Gilpin feels about right for younger son, Sean.  Anyway, with Mike being a teen, we get quite a few teens here.  Honestly, they felt a bit like the casts of a slasher film, which were still in their infancy.  But these characters love sailing, which naturally puts them in danger.  I will say, the movie doesn’t give us enough time to really get to know all of them, or really any of them beyond Mike and Sean.  Then again, we don’t often get to know the characters in other horror movies super well.

But the sailing provides a nice way to put characters in danger in a fresh way.  While it is set up early on, this becomes the focus of the final act.  And here’s where the movie truly comes alive.  The final act is one tense moment after another with several great sequences.  Realistic?  Probably not.  But they are still very entertaining.  And that includes the climax, which I don’t think would have worked out as well for the humans as it does here.  But it’s possible I missed something.

I will give the cast this – they bring their characters to life the best they can with the script they have.  They aren’t the issue.  And I still felt the connection of the Brody family, especially Brody and Ellen.

The effects also hold up.  Yes, there are a couple of moments where it is obvious we aren’t seeing a real shark, but the shark is used sparingly again, so the little we seem him, we are ready to buy it.

Keep in mind that this movie came out in 1978.  I have a feeling it might be rated PG-13 if it were released today thanks to a few harsher swear words and the violence.  Although I don’t think the violence was as bad as the first movie overall.

As I said in the opener, I feel like this movie is about the same as the first.  I found the first to be just okay, and that’s ultimately how I feel about this one.  Even though act three is an adrenalin ride.

If you enjoy the original, you might want to check out Jaws 2.  While it has its flaws, it is a worthy sequel.

Book Review: Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart (Death on Demand #16)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Annie and Max in a solid mystery

Cons: Set up takes a bit too long

The Bottom Line:

Private island death

Who got away with murder?

Nice break in series

Will This Party Be the Death of Someone?

When cozy authors take their series characters out of the normal setting, the results can be uneven. Often, it’s the familiar supporting characters we miss. But sometimes, the time away and focus on just a couple of the main characters works well. That was the case for Death of the Party, the sixteenth book in Carolyn Hart’s Death on Demand series. 

The series features Annie Darling, the owner of a mystery bookstore on the island of Broward’s Rock off the coast of South Carolina. However, this book takes her to the smaller, private island of Golden Silk when her husband, Max, is hired to help find a killer. A year ago, media mogul Jeremiah Addison died when he fell down the stairs of his mansion. At the time, only his sister-in -law knew it was something more than an accident. But now, she’s inviting the guests from the weekend back, and she’s hoping that Max will be able to help her find the killer despite his insisting that this is a job for the police. With Annie tagging along, can they determine which guest turned it into a killer party?

To be perfectly, clear, the only regular characters we spent much time with are Annie and Max. While I did miss the other, it wasn’t as much as I might normally. Annie and Max are great leads, and new characters, aka the suspects, were given more time to develop this way. I quite enjoy that. 

Having said that, I felt like the story could have started a little faster. There was repetition before everyone got on the island and things really got started. Once that happened, I was hooked and along for every twist. The ending was a little abrupt, but it works to answer all our questions. 

I was a bit surprised to find that we hardly had any references to other mystery novels in this book. While I found it a bit overwhelming in the early entries in the series, I’ve enjoyed them in the more recent books. Here, it was almost non-existent. I hope they come back in the next. 

On the other hand, I’ve been getting tired of Annie’s antagonistic relationship with the police in the recently entries. Here, that wasn’t an issue. This is one thing I hope carries forward. Or is at least toned down. 

I loved the setting for this one. The private island came wonderfully to life. I think I’d enjoy a visit - when there isn’t a killer on the loose, of course. 

Annie and Max really do make a good detective team. As always, they are both heavily involved in the investigation, and we follow the story from both of their points of view, helping us capture every detail. 

Normally, this is the point where I mention having listened to this one as an audiobook. Except, I didn’t this time. None of the libraries I have access to have it as an audio. So I managed to find my hardcover in my condo (which was a minor miracle). It was interesting reading what I would normally listen to. Since we really didn’t see most of the regulars, I’m wondering how I would have felt reading the book if they’d been here. Normally I don’t switch up audio vs regular book like this. I’m hoping to go back to audio for future volumes, but we will see what happens. 

Death of the Party is another entertaining entry fans of the series will love. It’s been out a while, but if you haven’t read it yet, you are in for a treat. 

Demand the rest of the Death on Demand series. 

TV Show Review: Survivor - Season 49

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Memorable (in a scary way) early on

Cons: Not so memorable later, but still good

The Bottom Line:

More fun Survivor

One memorable moment

Others familiar

Another Enjoyable Season

I am a Survivor addict, having watched since episode one twenty-five and a half years ago.  (Hard to believe it’s been that long.)  I always look forward to each new season, and season 49 was no exception.

As most seasons do these days, this season started out with 18 fresh contestants divided onto three tribes for a 26-day game to see who can outwit, outplay, and outlast the others.  Along the way there will be challenges for rewards and immunity from being voted out at tribal council.

This season included some drama early on that was tense for me at home; I can only imagine how it was for those playing the game.  But it made me very impressed with the crew behind the scenes that we rarely see.

Usually, when the tribes merge in the second half of the game is my favorite part.  This season, it wasn’t.  Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed watching it.  But it was fairly easy to see what was going to happen from week to week.  It didn’t help that some of my favorite players were getting voted out as a result.  But I was happy with the winners.

The season ultimately lives or dies on the people.  Even in the second half, I was enjoying the people playing the game, even when they were voting my favorites out.

It’s easy at this point for the seasons to blend into each other.  Outside of a very memorable moment early on, I think season 49 of Survivor will be one of those that fades over time.  But, it will still be fun for fans to watch.

Movie Review: Game of Love

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Pulls you into the story

Cons: Predictable, Audrey at the beginning

The Bottom Line:

Developing game

A predictable romance

Ultimately fine

Will They Win the Game?

When I heard about Game of Love, one of Hallmark’s romance movies, I thought it sounded like it could be fun.  Due to the movies I have on my DVR, it took me a while to get to it.  It had its moments, but it was a typical romance movie overall.

Audrey (Kimberley Sustad) is a board game designer who works best as a team of one.  She’s cut out any hope of romance in her life.  So when her game company decides they are going to create a game about romance, she is less than enthused.  Even worse, she is assigned to work on it with Matthew (Brooks Darnell), a marketing wiz brought in to help the company.  Oh, and they are going to rush it through the design phase so they can submit it to an annual awards competition coming in just four weeks.

You know where the story goes from here.  And the movie does a good job of hitting the expected squares on the way to the finish.  It’s not exactly ground breaking, but it is creative in how they find the elements the game needs as the two leads build their relationship.

Of course, I had so many questions along the way.  Like is there any way a game could be ready in four weeks?  Oh, I get they needed to put pressure on the characters to make the plot work, but I just kept running up against that question.  And there’s the question of how much replay a game like this would get.

Then there’s Audrey.  She’s a self-absorbed jerk at the beginning of the movie.  Yes, I get they were going for some character growth, but I can’t tell you how much I disliked her.  They really needed to tone her down.

The film does manage to keep the Hallmark cheese to a minimum, which is a good thing.

Even with knowing how the movie would end, I got pulled into the story.  I was frustrated with the rushed ending, however.  I feel like they should have given us a bit more than a few rushed realizations to wrap things up.

All this said, I did find myself rooting for Audrey and Michael and caring about the outcome.

If you are looking for a light Hallmark romance, Game of Love is fine.  While it has weaknesses, it is a light if forgettable movie.