January 17th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

It's Friday!  And you know what that means - the longest 8 hours of the week.  It also means it is time for Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

I'm actually reading a biography this week, not the fiction I normally read.  I'm reading Gladiator: A True Story of 'Roids, Rage, and Redemption by Dan Clark, better known as Nitro from the original American Gladiators.  But that doesn't mean it doesn't have some great lines for me to share.

For example, from the Introduction:

Come at me the wrong way tonight and you may not walk out of here alive.

And chapter one starts with:

What are the worst three words a child can here?  We're getting divorced.

Jumping ahead to page 56:

Each day I feel more and more suffocated until I literally cannot breathe.  I sit on Theresa's balcony one evening under the flow of the warm Southern California sunset, so consumed with the pressures I can't see straight.  I have to remind myself to breathe.  I take a good long inhale and feel the stirring of dreams in my stomach.  I know I'm not done.  I know something good is going to happen.  I just have no idea what.

I've actually come at this book because Dan Clark started one of the mud runs I love to do.  I'm really enjoying the book, and I'm almost half way through it.

Ornament Review: The Rainbow Connection - 2013 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great sculpt and lots of song

Cons: Die hard wish it were Jim Hanson’s voice; slight tip

The Bottom Line:

Join lovers, dreams

As Kermit serenades us

Classic Muppet song

Of Frogs and Rainbows

Over the last several years, I have really been enjoying Hallmark’s unofficial Muppet series.  Even if I didn’t, I would have been a sucker for 2013’s release.  After all, even the casual Muppet fan would enjoy The Rainbow Connection.

This ornament features Kermit the Frog sitting on a log in a pond.  He’s holding a banjo and getting ready to sing.  The ornament is nice with lots of great detail on Kermit and the log.  Yes, he’s plastic, but that’s the only flaw I can find when I look at him.  I honestly expect him to feel fuzzy.  And one detail I absolutely love is the water.  It’s a translucent blue plastic that perfectly gives us the feeling of the water.  It’s much better than the opaque plastic I would have expected them to use.

As with the others in this unofficial series, this is a magic ornament.  When you press the button on the right side of the log you get a sounds clip of Kermit singing “The Rainbow Connection,” one of his classic songs.  It’s a more melodic song than “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” which is the only other song I could think of associated with Kermit.  And the nice thing is they give us a nice long clip.  We get all of the first verse and the chorus, which blew me away when I first heard it.  At just shy of a full minute, this is the longest battery operated magic ornament I’ve seen.

Speaking of batteries, it does take three button batteries, and your first set is included for you.  They fit into the bottom of the ornament quite nicely.

The bottom of this ornament is flat, so the bigger Muppet fans can leave this one out to enjoy year round.

However, those same die hard Muppet fans do have an issue with this ornament – the sound clip isn’t Jim Henson’s recording of this song.  Instead, it’s a newer recording with one of the people who has voiced Kermit since Jim's death.  Honestly, I don’t know the difference in the voices enough to notice.  I don’t know why this particular recording was made (rights? length?), but it doesn’t really bother me either.

For those who just want to hang it on their tree to enjoy in December, you’ll find the loop for hanging the ornament on the back of Kermit’s head.  It does tip slightly to the left, but by the time you get it in the branches of your Christmas tree, you'll never notice.

Okay, so The Rainbow Connection has little to do with Christmas.  I don’t care.  I love the sculpt of this ornament and the sound clip is great, in my opinion.  I’ll proudly be displaying this one for years to come.

Original Price: $19.95

TV Recap: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 1-12 - Seeds

Another mystery gets answer, but in typical good story telling fashion, it leaves us with new questions.  I love that.  And I loved the reaction, too.

This week, the revelations were for Skye.  Coulson was still reeling from his news about how long he was dead.  In fact, he spent the first few scenes he was in just staring at photos of his corpse.

But the story of the week involves ice.  We head out to the Shield school of science where the pool was suddenly turned to ice while a couple of kids were swimming in it.  One of them almost got his leg stuck, but a loner who had been standing new by helps break the ice.  Investigating, they find a machine nearby that had caused it.

Book Review: Murder with Ganache by Lucy Burdette (Key West Food Critic #4)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters in a fast paced story

Cons: Ending felt a tad rushed, although all loose ends resolved

The Bottom Line:

Missing relative

Adds to the wedding chaos

With fun mystery

Hayley’s Family Provides Mystery as I Meet Everyone

So many books, so little time is a common lament among readers.  Not only do I have a long list of books I have bought I’d like to read, but there are series that I’d love to start someday.  One such series got bumped up when I was offered an ARC of Murder With Ganache, the fourth in the Key West Food Critics Series by Lucy Burdette.  I just couldn’t resist the offer, and now I want to track down the previous three books in the series.

The series centers on Hayley Snow who makes her living reviewing restaurants for the magazine Key Zest in Key West, Florida.  In this book, Hayley is the maid of honor in her best friend Connie’s wedding.  Since Connie and Hayley’s family are so close, they are all flying in for the ceremony.  That includes Hayley’s step-brother Rory.  In the time since Hayley’s last seen him, he’s turned into a typical surly teenager who doesn’t seem that interested in spending time with family even though he wanted to come on the trip.

The night of the bride and groom shower, Rory begs to go off on his own so much that his mother and Hayley finally relent.  However, he doesn’t return by the time the party is over.  Where is he?  What kind of danger has he found in the few hours he’s been on the island?

Normally, I like to start a series from the beginning because sometimes an author does a poor job of reintroducing all the characters.  Yes, once or twice I was a little confused about a relationship at first, but that was always cleared up within a few pages.  Honestly, if it weren’t for references to past events, I could have easily forgotten I hadn’t read the earlier books in the series.  Everything I needed to know was explained and everything else was just teased, making my mouth water for the previous books.

It really helped that the characters were strong.  I had no trouble keeping any of the cast and their relationships straight as I progressed through the book.  They all felt real, and I truly cared about the outcome.

The plot was also strong.  I was enjoying things even before Rory disappeared, and once that happened, I had a hard time putting the book down.  The twists were great, and the fact that I liked the characters truly made it even harder to put down.  I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and as a result not fully developed, but that’s a minor complaint since all my questions were answered.

Yes, this is a culinary cozy, so be prepared for your mouth to water.  There were many descriptions of delicious sounding food in the book that I really want to try.  There are also recipes in the back, including one that looks like a carry over from the last book.  I don’t know if it is tweaked or included because it plays such an important part in the opening scene.  Even if you already have that one, there are still five recipes you can try, including a delicious sounding Strawberry Cream Pie.

Obviously, I have been missing out on a great series, and now I need to go back and read the previous three books.  Whether you jump in here like I did or are already a fan, you’re sure to enjoy Murder With Ganache.

I enjoyed this so much I am now in the process of backtracking and reading the Key West Food Critic Mysteries in order.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

TV Recap: Castle 6-12 - Deep Cover

What happens when you have an ultimate Frisbee game on Monday night that goes late then there is a bad accident on the way home that keeps you from getting home before midnight?  You don't watch Castle until Tuesday night, of course.  (It was worth it, we won!)  As a result, I may have to be shorter than normal tonight because I'm running behind.  But let's get to it.

Normally, Castle has a fun episode to follow a more serious one, but this was a bit more serious.  Not quite as serious as the last one and funnier lines, but still, all told, it was serious.

The episode starts with someone calling 911 from an apartment and then leaving the phone.  The cops show up to find a 20 year old shot and in his shower with the water running.  Lanie quickly figures out that the victim wasn't shot there.  Was the shower used to try to hide physical evidence?  Meanwhile, Castle discovers a computer hidden under the victim's floorboard.

Music Review: Everfound by Everfound

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Some good lyrics and fun songs

Cons: Some weakish lyrics and repetitive sound

The Bottom Line:

Impressive debut

These brothers have room to grow

Still enjoy this disc

The Brothers of Everfound Offer a Fun Debut

A few months back, I got my hands on a sample disc offering two songs each by two new groups.  I'd heard of neither, yet the sampler worked since I found myself wanting both of the discs.  Everfound has proved to be a different sound for me, but I'm really enjoying the disc.

This is the major label self-title debut for the rock band.  They've released a few independent projects over the last few years, but have recently signed with Word Records.  The band consists of four brothers who, while they grew up in Colorado, immigrated from Russia as kids.  It's an interesting back story and helps explain the names for the two short instrumental tracks on the disc.

Stylistically, the band is very rock - more rock than I normally enjoy.  I've been enjoying it here, although I do find that the songs run together a bid.  Some more variety would certainly help on future discs.

I'm also going to throw the boy band label out there.  Don't get me wrong, they are more rock than anything else, but I still here a big of the harmonies and that boy band feel, but maybe it's just me.

The young men in the band are still young, the oldest brother being early 20's, and that comes through in a few of their songs as well, which feel just a tad on the shallow side.  Still, I have such fun listening to them, it's hard to care too much.

And that certainly isn't true with "Never Beyond Repair."  This is the song that first really caught my attention, and it's still my favorite on the disc.  It's a mid-tempo anthem that really builds as the song progresses, and it reminds us that God is able to forgive anything.  That is such a comfort as I continue to stumble and struggle against sin.

At times, the band falls victim to the over-produced/voice playing sound that seems to be popular in rock music.  Personally, I've never cared for it.  For example, on "Unless" they use it once or twice.  I guess I'm old fashioned.  I just like listening to the singers sing.

On the other hand, the first real song on the disc is a great call to action with "Go."  It sets the tone with some hard rock sound that is easy to enjoy.

There really are some good songs on this disc.  "Count the Stars" is a great reminder that we are made for more than life on this earth.  "God of the Impossible" actually is a song of commitment to God because He can do anything.  And yes, "Hallelujah" is a song of praise, but it's also a commitment to turn away from sin and live for God.

Songs written from God's point of view can be very tricky to pull off, but with "Hurt" I think it works very well.  The song is about how God feels the same pain we do because of His love for us.  It starts out rather slowly, but it builds in tempo as it builds and actually works quite well with the lyrics by the chorus.

As we get into the last few songs of the disc, the lyrics tend to get a little weak in my opinion, and there is little to make these songs stand out from the rest of the disc.  That changes with the final track, "What Love Means."  Borrowing heavily from Romans 8, the song reminds us of the love Jesus showed for us when He died and how much that means He obviously still cares for us today.

I think the young men of Everfound have some maturing and growth to do yet, but they are off to a strong start.  The disc will certainly appeal to a younger crowd overall, but there are some gems here.  I look forward to watching their career build because there is the potential for great things from them in the future.

CD Length: 44:40

Tracks:

1. Pyatigorsk

2. Go

3. Unless

4. Never Beyond Repair

5. Count the Stars

6. God of the Impossible

7. Hallelujah

8. Somewhere New

9. Hurt

10. Lubit Lish Hristos Bezmerna

11. Torch

12. Take This City

13. We are Alive

14. What Love Means

Ornament Review: Linus's Big Heart - Happiness is Peanuts All Year Long #7 - 2014 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Linus and chocolate – you’ll love this one

Cons: Another character might possibly have been better

The Bottom Line:

Chocolates for sweetheart

Linus buys traditional

Gift for current crush

And a Big Heart of Chocolates for Valentine’s Day

While chocolate seems to go with many holidays (really, most of them), I’d say the one it is associated with most readily is Valentine’s Day.  Hallmark certainly thought so since they incorporated it into Linus's Big Heart, the February entry in the Happiness is Peanuts All Year Long ornament series.

The ornament depicts Linus holding a big heart shaped box of chocolate.  He’s holding it in front of him and smiling really big.  We aren’t given a clue who the chocolates are for, and since he’s had crushes on many people over the years, we can only guess.  But it is nice to see him doing something special for his current crush.

Frankly, that is one reason why I wouldn’t have minded seeing Charlie Brown in this ornament.  With Charlie Brown, we know it’s the Little Red-Headed Girl.  (Well, there was Peggy Jean in some of the later strips, but to be it will always be the Little Red-Headed Girl.)  Of course, that would give Charlie Brown three entries in the series.  Maybe it should have been Sally buying chocolate for her Sweet Babboo (aka Linus).

That’s a minor complaint, however since the ornament does look nice.  This is Linus’ second and final appearance in the series (he’s also in October), and it’s very easy to tell it’s him.  The red chocolate box is big and covers most of his front.  It's got "Be Mine" written on a pink ribbon on the front as well.

The backdrop for this particular month features a store, which is how we know Linus is buying the box of chocolates.  We can see a couple of counters behind him, but no other person.  These counters are selling such things as cards, flowers, and perfume.  (And check out the familiar wavy design on one of the vases.)  The walls of this store are pink, which seems a bit odd but does fit the month quite nicely.

Linus is standing on a piece of the store’s floor (and the pattern even matches), which is nice since it gives him a good base if you want to stand him up to display him.  I seem to actually have a choice this month since the ring on the top of Linus's head is turned such that I can hang him on my stand.  If you do hang him, he tips forward slightly, but you have to be looking at the floor to tell.  When he's standing, he actually looks like he's leaning back, so either way he's slightly off.  And if you are looking for the series marker, the 7 in a Christmas tree is on the bottom of the base.

All my complaints above are just quibbles.  Linus's Big Heart is a great Valentine’s addition to the year long Peanut’s series, and I will enjoy him for quite some time to come.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Happiness is Peanuts All Year Long series.

Original Price: $12.95

Book Review: New Lands by Geoff Rodkey (Chronicles of Egg #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great story and characters brought to life with great writing

Cons: Only if you haven’t read book one

The Bottom Line:

Continues story

With more great twists, characters

Pages just fly by

Explore New Lands with Egg

Do not start reading Egg’s adventures here.  Really, I can’t emphasize this enough.  While I am about to go on and praise New Lands, you don’t want to read this book yet.  Emphasis on yet.  Trust me on that.

The reason I say that is because this book is a continuation of what came in book 1.  Author Geoff Rodkey does a good job of filling in the back story as we go along.  I seriously doubt you’ll be lost if you jump in here.  However, it will spoil some surprises and plot points from the first book.  You really don’t want to do that.  But once you’ve read the first book, you’ll be racing to find out what happens in this one.

Egg and Guts are heading to New Lands in an attempt to follow the map that Egg has memorized to the location of the ancient treasure left hidden years ago.  However, they are warned that the people of Pella Nonna, the city in this continent, will kill them on sight because they are a different race.  Worse yet, if they somehow survive that, they will need to journey into the parts of this land inhabited by the Natives, some of whom will also kill them on sight.  Will they be able to survive long enough to get the help they need in their quest?

The book starts strongly and never really lets you go until the end.  There was once or twice when I thought things might be getting slow, but just then a twist comes and the plot was off in another new direction.  As a result, I never wanted to put the book down.  Who cares that I’m above the target middle grade age group, this was a fun adventure with plenty of twists along the way.

You can couple the great story with great characters.  Egg is a flawed but charming hero, and I really enjoyed spending time with him.  The returning characters (and there are several besides Guts) are equally as well developed and grow as the book progresses.  We also get several new characters.  One becomes an important part of the story, and she gets developed pretty well.  The rest are developed enough to serve their purpose in the story.

All this is wrapped in a conversational first person narration that flows off the page.  It was easy to get lost in the story, which makes it perfect for the target audience.  There are also bits of humor thrown in to spice things up.

Remember how I said that I never wanted to put the book down?  That actually still applied when I hit the final page.  There’s a bit of a cliffhanger that happens then, and I am quite anxious to find out how it is all going to play out.  Fortunately, the final book in the series is set for release in April of 2014, so I won’t have long to wait.

So what are you waiting for?  If you are new to Egg’s world, hunt down the first book and enjoy.  And once you’ve read that, have New Lands ready to go because you’ll want to read it as well.

NOTE: I won an ARC of this book in a contest.  The review is still my own.

This is my entry in this week's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.

Weekly TV Thoughts

Yes, I did just finish watching my shows for the week.  It's like I watched almost all of these today or something.

Intelligence - Point taken to all those who are saying that Chuck wasn't an original concept either, but I still couldn't help but think of it as another Chuck, but with the missing wife back story.  Really, it just feels like a CBS show clone.  I might give the next episode a chance just because of the actors involved, but I don't think I'll be sticking with it long term.

Psych - The first half of this one seemed slow, but then things picked up.  They actually had me going there for a while, but Despereaux got the better of Shawn and Gus again.  And again without a single Princess Bride reference, which I still think is inconceivable. 

The Big Bang Theory - At least Penny and Leonard haven't broken up, although they obvious have somethings to work through.  My favorite scene, however, was Bernadette buying the comic book at the end.  Pure comedy gold.

White Collar - I did not see that ending coming.  My mind is trying to reframe the entire season so far.  And I love the idea of Neal being conned for a change.  I also love how they are playing Peter and Neal's relationship.  While I love the two of them working together side by side, I am glad they haven't glossed over Peter's feelings right now.

The Crazy Ones - Sydney got sick right before her date?  How shocking.  The real comedy came from that doll at the end of the episode.  Great stuff.  And this show seems to be settling down into a funny show.

The Michael J. Fox Show - I should have seen that ending coming with Mike figuring out about the secret relationship and then them breaking up.  Still, it just proves how charming and fun this show really is.

Enlisted - Honestly, of all the comedies this week, I was chuckling at this one the most.  It was just so unexpected, and yes, the tender moments worked for me, too.  I know the ratings were low on this one, but you need to give it a chance.  It's lots of fun.

January 9th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

Well, it looks like I took a couple of weeks off from Book Beginnings and Friday 56.  No, not on purpose.  But I was out of town for Christmas, and then the New Year's day off messed me up last week.  But I'm back, and it's Friday, so let's get to it.

This week, I'm reading an ARC of Murder With Ganache by Lucy Burdette.  This is actually the first in the series I've read even though it is book four.  The book will come out the beginning of February, but you can read my review some time next week (I'm only about 60 pages into it right now).

So, let's get to it, shall we?  The book starts like this:

Faster than a speeding KitchenAid mixer, I scraped the freshly squeezed lime juice and lime zest into the bowl and beat the batter to a creamy pale green.

Yes, I'm already drooling.

And, from page 56, we find:

"But what if he's in trouble?" Allison asked, her worried gaze flickering from my father's from back to me.

So that my first Friday Meme post for 2014.  See you back next week.