Ornament Review: Goofy the Graduate

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Classy looking graduate ornament with unlikely character

Cons: Twists when put in display

The Bottom Line:

Goofy, diploma

Mark this spring rite of passage

Goofy against type

Goofy Graduates!

Goofy is my favorite of Mickey and his friends, so my biggest complaint has been that he only makes one appearance in the Year of Disney Magic series from Hallmark.  But he’s finally here and I can now enjoy Goofy The Graduate.

For this ornament, Goofy is dressed in graduation gown and hat.  It’s a dark blue – almost purple – in color, and you can see a gold stripe down the middle.  He’s holding a rolled up scroll and standing on some large but thin books.

My biggest question is why Goofy is involved in a graduation ornament.  But considering we have Donald being thankful and lucky in this series, we’ll just add Goofy to the list of those playing against type, right?

I definitely do like this ornament.  Even though it is Goofy, he brings a level of class to the ornament.  Possibly because, being the tallest character, this ornament looks taller than many of the others.  Tall means classy, right?  Just ask all those Greek columns.  There’s also a little white tassel hanging down the left side of the hat.  Actually, it’s mostly on the top of the hat and just barely sticking down below.  Either way, I just love that added touch.

Since Goofy is standing on flat books, the ornament is not going to tip over, so you can set it out anywhere you want to add a nice touch to a grad party decoration or some other display.

Which might be a good thing.  At least on mine, the hook on the top of Goofy’s hat is turned so that I can’t hang him straight in my ornament display stand.  Still not quite sure what I am going to do about that, but having him look to the right of the rest of the ornaments is a disappointment.  There is no tipping when you hang the ornament, which is a good thing.  I just wish he faced forward.

We’re almost done with this series, which means you can find an 11 in a Christmas tree on the bottom of the books Goofy is standing on.

The disappointing twist is the only flaw I can find with Goofy The Graduate.  Or maybe that’s not a flaw but Goofy just being, well, goofy.

What could be more magical than the entire Year of Disney Magic?

Original Price: $12.95

Announcing a Winner

We have a winner in the contest I was doing for Musseled Out by Barbara Ross.  And that winner is...

Katherine P!

Congrats!  I just sent you an e-mail, so please get in touch with me so I can connect you with your prize.

Don't forget, there are still a few more days to enter the giveaway for One Foot in the Grape.

Book Review: 14th Deadly Sin by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Women's Murder Club #14)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Action and twists to strong stories

Cons: Two characters underserved; weaker characters overall

The Bottom Line:

Hang on for fun plot

As plot based thrills continue

All fans will enjoy

Deadly Game of Cops and Robbers

I’ve gotten so I really look forward to my annual visit with the ladies of the Women’s Murder Club.  While these aren’t the best books I read, they are always fun and fast paced.  14th Deadly Sin is the latest, and a great example of strengths and weaknesses of the series.

There have recently been a couple of robberies in San Francisco where the robbers were wearing masks and SFPD jackets.  However, the case gains momentum when the owner of the latest store hit is killed.  Lindsay Boxer lands the case and must work with robbery to find these men.  Are they really cops or just disguising themselves as such?

 Meanwhile, Lindsay’s husband Joe becomes obsessed with a string of murders that take place every year in broad daylight on Claire’s birthday.  With no witnesses, all but the most recent of these murders have grown cold.  And Yuki has left her job with the DA to work for a non-profit organization.  Her first case for them finds her going up again her old boss as she sues the SFPD for wrongful arrest and death.  Can she win?

There are four main characters in this series, but sadly, the book underserves two of them.  Claire, after getting the ball rolling on the annual murders plot with a casual remark, pretty much disappears again.  But honestly, how long as it been since she had any kind of a good plot?  Likewise, Cindy is sent off on a book tour for much of the book and is irrelevant, although I did love those scenes because of the bookstores that got cameos in the book.  Not all the women getting storylines is a chief complaint of mine in the series time and time again, so fans of the series won’t find it new.

However, the stories we do get are fast paces as always.  There are plenty of twists that kept me turning pages, and the further into the book I got, the less I wanted to put it down.  The story does end with a bit of a cliffhanger, and it makes me want to visit the next in the series soon.  If only it were out already.

While I complained a moment ago that some of the characters are underserved, the characters we do see are perfectly in character.  The emphasis is on the plot, but we are given just enough about the characters to truly come to care for them and root for them to solve the cases and come out alive.

After listening to most of Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer novels in the last year, I found Yuki’s courtroom scenes especially interesting.  They are definitely legal thriller light when compared to Connelly’s books but that makes sense because they only take up part of the book.  Still, I could identify a bit more what was going on and appreciate some of the strategy that wasn’t discussed but obvious to me now.

As always, about two thirds of the book is narrated by Lindsay in first person with other chunks being told in third person by various characters, both good and bad.  The short chapters help the 350 pages fly by thanks to the added white space it provides.

While the series can be uneven, this is definitely one of the better books in the series.  If you are a fan, you’ll be glad you picked up 14th Deadly Sin.

Here are the Women's Murder Club Mysteries in order.

TV Recap: Castle 7-23 - Hollander's Woods

Don’t get me wrong – I’m thrilled Castle is coming back next season.  I’ve actually enjoyed this season over the last few, although I know many people were turned off by the Castle Disappearance storyline and dropped the show.  But, if the show were to end right here, I wouldn’t have minded at all.  That was a lovely final episode, and I could walk away happy.

Not that I’m planning to stop watching the show.  More quips and clues?  Sign me up!

Earlier this season, we’d gotten a mention of Hollander’s Woods as something from Castle’s past, and tonight, we learn what that was.  When he was an 11-year-old boy, he went into the woods during President’s Day weekend and found a dead body.  Then a man in a creepy mask warned him to run and stay silent about what he’d found.  He did report it to the police, but no body or proof was ever found.  Castle was beginning to think he’d made it all up, until a victim is found outside some woods in New York.  The markings on her face are the same as Castle remembers, and the truck driver who accidentally hit the victim as she was fleeing describes the same mask.

TV Recap: Once Upon a Time 4-21 - Operation Mongoose

Wow.  That was as much fun as I expected, but that ending was wild (if not quite the series changer we were promised).  Is it next season yet?

Before we get there, let’s recap what we saw in this alternative universe.

We start with the Author, aka Isaac, in our world in the 1960’s.  He’s a frustrated writer selling TV’s for a living until the day he gets an offer from the Sorcerer’s Apprentice to write down fairy tales.  Of course, we all know how that turned out.

In our world in the present day, everyone is trying to figure out how to stop him.  They’re looking through the books in the Sorcerer’s house, but those books are all empty.  August shows up and explains that the Apprentice might be able to stop him, and Hook recognizes the picture of the man, so the Apprentice finally gets to come out of the Hat.  Unfortunately, by the time he comes out of the Hat, it’s too late, and Isaac has finished his rewrite, taking everyone to the alternative world.

Everyone, that is, but Isaac and Henry.  Henry finds himself the only one is Storybrooke, and he soon leaves town searching for his family.  As he’s searching, he finds Isaac’s book (now in paperback!) entitles Heroes and Villains.  Henry tracks Isaac to a book signing (where he is signing hardcovers - explain that one to me).  A confrontation leads to the original Heroes and Villains book where Isaac wrote down the story.  Henry uses the key, and he and Isaac are sucked in to that copy of the book.

Book Review: Evil Spy School by Stuart Gibbs (Spy School #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Engaging story and characters wrapped in humor

Cons: Any cons are redacted

The Bottom Line:

Ben undercover

Must dig to find the secrets

Thrilling us again

Ben Finally Accepts His Place in SPYDER

I have yet to be disappointed with any of Stuart Gibbs’s books, and considering how many he’s written at this point, that’s saying something.  He’s returning to the world of spies in training with Evil Spy School, which takes Ben Ripley, his thirteen-year-old spy in training to the last place we ever expected him to go.

It’s time for a new school year, and Ben is enrolling in the Wiseman Preparatory Academy.  No, this isn’t the new cover name for the spy school he attended last semester.  This is the name of evil organization SPYDER’s school to train future agents to carry out their evil purposes.  Ben has finally accepted SPYDER’s offer to join the dark side, but only after he was kicked out of the CIA’s spy school for something that was only partially his fault.

Really, Ben thinks he is on an undercover assignment.  At least, he hopes he’s on an undercover assignment.  With no way to contact anyone outside of his new school, he’s only guessing at what he’s supposed to be doing.  Can Ben learn what SPYDER’s latest plans are?  If so, can he get the word to anyone in time to foil them?

This book takes Ben away from the familiar faces, at least for a large portion of the action.  However, the new characters we meet are pretty interesting, and this more than makes up for any loss.  In fact, these new characters are so interesting I hope we get to meet up with them in future installments in the series.  Meanwhile, Ben continues to be a fun main character, and we might have seen some growth in Erica, the super spy that Ben has a crush on.

The story moves forward at a steady pace, providing some clues and questions.  With about a third of the book left, things really explode and it becomes a fast paced sprint to the end.  Along the way, everything that has happened before comes back into play.

Those familiar with the series will be expecting a liberal dose of humor, and they won’t be disappointed.  I smiled and laughed at some of the situations and banter along the way.  In fact, I had to share a couple bits with a friend in the break room at work, and she enjoyed it as well.  I know that the target audience will definitely enjoy the laughs along the way.

Great plot, fun characters, and humor.  This book really does have it all.  Don’t hesitate to enroll in Evil Spy School today.  You’ll be thrilled you did.

And you'll want to read the rest of the Spy School series in order.

This is part of this week's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.  Be sure to check out the other stories.

May 9th's Weekly TV Thoughts

Next week is going to be killer.  I'm already dreading all the cliffhangers!  And it looks like all my shows are getting renewed for next season as well.  Since there are at least two shows I need to start watching next season, I'm not sure how that is going to work.  I don't have time for any more TV shows!

Once Upon a Time – They wrapped up a lot I wasn’t expecting, but that leaves us wide open for some fun next week.  I think I’m really going to enjoy the twist on the characters we will get thanks to Gold’s rewrite.  You can read my full recap here.

Dancing with the Stars – Nastia’s trio dance was a bit unfair to everyone else since she has been training with Sasha all along and even competed with him two weeks.  Having said that, I agree with the judges that it was wonderful.  I really do agree with the judges for the most part on the dancing and scores, in fact.  I wasn’t that surprised with who got eliminated.  Yes, they are both getting better, but they are also the weakest of the group that danced on Monday.

Castle – What was up with that cameo!  This show is above that.  The mystery was fine, but that cameo really, really bugged me.  Read more of my rantwith my full recap.

The Flash – So I get that Grodd is a big part of Flash’s story and history, but I was less than impressed.  In fact, it felt like it was forced into the storyline of the season at this point.  I’ll be interested to see if they work him in better in the future or what.

Agents of SHIELD – Well, I knew that meeting would end badly.  It just didn’t end badly for the person I thought it would.  Next week should prove interesting, that for sure.

Arrow – I’ll admit, I think I’m getting a little tired of this storyline and the darkness.  However, Oliver working from the inside to take down the league is interesting.  I figured it had to be something like that.  The cliffhanger at the end sure got me.  What in the world is Oliver up to?

Survivor – Really?  You know someone has a hidden immunity idol, and you still all vote for him?  I’m sorry, but that’s the stupidest move of all time.  Yes, even more stupid than being voted out with two idols in your pocket and giving up immunity and then being voted out COMBINED!!  Also, Rodney, quit whining.  It’s unattractive in an adult.

Young and Hungry – How can something that seems like such a good idea go so horribly wrong?  And what are the odds?  Only on TV, right?

Big Bang Theory – I sometimes feel that writers leave things open when they aren’t sure what to do with the story next and want a few months to decide.  That’s definitely the case with Penny and Leonard here.  I was certainly surprised that Sheldon had a ring for Amy.  I’ll be interested to see that develop next season.

The Odd Couple – Two episodes and some good laughs.  I do like Merv, but I also like that actor, so it’s nice to find him on a new show.  I hope he sticks around long term (assuming the show sticks around long term).  They seem to be developing an ensemble comedy.  It makes me curious what the original show was like.

The Amazing Race – So now they give us the “still racing” bit and the mid-leg elimination again.  It will be interesting if someone other than the last place teams gets eliminated this time around since, so far this season, the non-elimination legs haven’t mattered in the end.  It looked to me like the waves at the Road Block got worse as the day went on.  Another reason to get there early, I guess.

Book Review: One Foot in the Grape by Carlene O'Neil (Cypress Cover Mysteries #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters in a twisty plot

Cons: Timeline issues early on, but don’t affect story

The Bottom Line:

Some sabotaged wine

Are the prelude to murder

Page turning debut

A Grape Debut

It’s confession time.  Even though I grew up in the heart of the Sonoma/Napa wine country, I do not like wine.  Go figure, right?  But when I met author Charlene O’Neal at Bouchercon last November, I knew I had to give her new series a try.  Having just finished One Foot in the Grape, I can say that you are in for a grape ride when you pick it up.

Penny Lively has returned to the coastal town of Cyprus Cove, California, to run the winery she has inherited from the great-aunt who raised her.  She is handling the business side of things while her niece, Hayley, and her winery manager, Connor, are handling growing the grapes and the wines themselves.

Trouble arrives in the form of Antonia Martinelli, a distant relative who runs the largest winery in the area.  Someone has been sabotaging the wines that Martinelli Winery produces, however, and Antonia is afraid if the culprit isn’t caught the damage will ruin the family name.  Despite Antonia’s difficult and prickly reputation, Penny agrees to investigate only to find a dead body before she can gather any clues.  Is the murder connected to the sabotage?  Can Penny find the killer without any harm coming to her?

Let’s just start by getting my complaint out of the way, okay?  The days of the week and the timeline seemed to be all over the place in the first few chapters.  It felt like the days of the early events in the story changed, and not everything was blended into the revision correctly.  However, as the book progressed, that issue went away, and it never had any impact on the story.

And the story here is great.  There are many viable suspects with great motives, and the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end, yet everything made sense.  A few scenes had me turning pages as fast as I could to find out how Penny would escape the danger she was facing.

I always like it when the suspects are strong because it makes the conflict feel real and it keeps me confused.  The suspects here were awesome.  I could feel the tension in a few of the early scenes, and once the murder happens, that tension continued to build.  The rest of the characters were fine as well, and I’m looking forward to seeing them developed more in future books.

In fact, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Penny’s family tree explained in future books as well.  I’m a bit curious about family relationships based on what little we do learn here.  However, none of that background is needed to enjoy this book, and I actually appreciate the fact that the author didn’t slow down the story for a back story data dump.  I’m sure we will get the answers in future books.

And I will be back for future books.  Overall, One Foot in the Grape is a strong debut that promises many more fun mysteries to come.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY!!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy of this book to give away.  Because it is a physical book, the contest is limited to residence of the US.

Leave me a comment with your e-mail address so I can get in touch with you.  I will pick the winner next Friday, May 15th, so please leave your comment before 12:01AM on 5/15.

May 8th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

Friday has rolled around again, so it's time for Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

This week, I'm going with Middle School novel Evil Spy School by Stuart Gibbs.

This is the third in a very fun series, and the Spy School series will be debuting on the New York Times best seller list on Sunday!  I've been reading Stuart Gibbs since his very first book came out, so I am thrilled for him.  They really are fun for all ages.  I've enjoyed them.

I mean, really, how can you pass up quotes like these.  Here's the opening.

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, seven enemy agents in hot pursuit.

I'm going to cheat a little on the Friday 56 and use this quote from page 53 just because I loved it so much.

"So...it's kind of like evil spy school," I said.
Joshua frowned.  "I suppose.  Although we prefer to call it the Wiseman Preparatory Academy."
"Why?"
"Because 'Evil Spy School' sounds a little suspicious, don't you think?"

Seriously, if you are looking to get books for any middle graders in your life for the summer, check out Stuart's books.  I'll be reviewing this one on Sunday.

And if you are looking for the cozies I often feature, be sure to check out the two reviews with giveaways I have going on right now.  There's Musseled Out (which I featured for last week's Book Beginning and Friday 56) and One Foot in the Grape.

Music Review: Live Forever by Matthew West

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun music and encouraging lyrics

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

True stories in song

Made to encourage, uplift

Another great disc

More Hope from the Lives of Others

I wonder if Matthew West quite realized what a concept he had when he set out to create a release of songs inspired by the lives of his fans.  It proved to be such a huge hit that Live Forever is the third release he’s done this way.  And it’s just as great as the first two were.

The thing that makes these projects work is that Matthew is able to take these stories and make the themes of God’s redemption universal.  In fact, the stories aren’t included in the booklet, although you can go to his website to read them.  However, outside of a couple specific songs, I really don’t get much of the specifics behind the songs.  And even when we have specific details, the lesson is still universal.

And those messages?  They are outstanding.  The title track encourages us to live for eternity and not the pleasures of this world.  Along a similar line, “World Changers” celebrates those who do work hard to help others whether they are recognized for it or not.

A huge theme one again is God’s grace in the face of our sins.  It pops up time and time again on such songs as “Day One,” “The List,” and “Grace Wins.”  Yet each of them is different in their approach.  “Day One” is about moving forward and not letting the mistakes of the past tie you down today.  “The List” reminds us that “Love keeps no record of wrong,” so we shouldn’t either.  And “Grace Wins” is written from the perspective of someone who has hit rock bottom only to have God’s grace restore them.

But my favorite song with this theme is “Mended.”  This one is written from God’s point of view and reminds us just how powerful His love and grace can be.  “When you see broken beyond repair/I see healing beyond belief/When you see too far gone/I see one step away from home.”  The Bible and the world are filled with people God redeemed from situations everyone else said were impossible, and it’s always great to be reminded of that.

In a different vein, there’s “Tryin’” which tells the story of someone who is no longer attempting to conform to the world’s standards for anything but instead accepting who God made them to be.

The song that is most obviously tied to a story is “Anything is Possible” which tells the story of a woman who has risen from prison to a steady job, a house, and a daughter she loves.  Matthew actually speaks the verses, which makes it a bit different and put me off at first, but I’ve found it has really grown on me.

And I’ve got to touch on the final two songs.  “Oh, Me of Little Faith” is a wonderful confession of weakness be it doubt, hopelessness, worry, or any other form of weakness.  And yet, God is there no matter what we are going through.  As the chorus says, “Lord, I believe, but/Help my unbelief ‘cause/Trust and fear are fighting.”  That’s me all too often.

Finally, there’s the anthem “Heaven is the Hope,” which circles back around to the first song and reminds us that this world is not all there is.  Instead, we have God’s promise of life as it was meant to be lived in his presence in Heaven forever. 

And yes, Matthew keeps his tradition of a hidden track by his daughters at the end.  They are definitely growing up.

Musically, this is a typical soft rock release.  Most of the songs are upbeat with a few mid-tempo tracks in there.  The slowest track is the guitar based ballad “Oh, Me of Little Faith,” which is still an up-tempo ballad.  There’s plenty of guitar, piano, and drums on all the tracks.  And yet, the more I’ve listened to the disc, the more distinct the songs have become for me.  They don’t run together, and the upbeat nature of the music really drives home the hope of the lyrics.

I’m not sure if Matthew is going to keep going with this route or try something new with his next release, but I’ll be along either way.  His music is fun and encouraging.  I definitely think it will Live Forever.

CD Length: 44:46

Tracks:

1. Live Forever

2. Day One

3. The List

4. World Changers

5. Grace Wins

6. Tryin’

7. Mended

8. Anything is Possible

9. Born for This

10. Oh, Me of Little Faith

11. Heaven is the Hope