An Interview with...Me!

Just a quick post to let you know about an interview conducted with me over at Daniellaark.com.  I hope you'll take a few minutes to go over and read it.  There are some fun questions included.

Movie Review: Jurassic World

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Action, thrills, effects, acting

Cons: A few predictable plot points, thin characters

The Bottom Line:

Monsters run amok

Some flaws, but still mostly fun

Mindless thrills for us

“I Will Not Turn this Island into a War Zone.”  “You Already Have.”

After 2001’s Jurassic Park III, I thought the franchise was really and truly dead.  After all, it’s been 14 years since that film came out, and it wasn’t all that great.  But if there is money to be made, they will find a way, and they came back with Jurassic World this year.  It doesn’t really break any new ground, but that doesn’t matter.  Why?  Because it’s a lot of fun.

Brothers Gray and Zach (Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson) are being shipped off to spend part of their Christmas vacation with their aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard).  She runs Jurassic World, the theme park that has been built over the bones of the original Jurassic Park.  Gray loves dinosaurs and is thrilled at the idea, but his older brother Zach isn’t really that interested.  When the brothers arrive, they quickly get passed off to others since there is much Claire needs to take care of, including the new Indominus Rex and the enclosure that needs to be finished so its exhibit can open in a few short weeks.

Meanwhile, there’s Owen (Chris Pratt) and his work training the Velociraptors and Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio) who thinks these trained beasts will make the ultimate weapon.  Owen keeps warning that the Raptors are completely unpredictable and should not be let outside the cages, but Hoskins won’t listen.

When the unthinkable happens (as you know it will), chaos ensues with Gray and Zach in the worst possible location.  Will they be okay?  On an island full of tourists, will anyone survive?

Let’s be upfront and honest – this is a monster movie.  It may be cool with dinosaurs and wonderful special effects, but it’s really just a monster movie.  But as such, it succeeds beautifully.

The beginning of the film is great at introducing the characters and the new dinosaurs and advances in the Velociraptors.  No, the Raptors aren’t talking like I jokingly predicted after the last film.  In fact, the advances felt like they flowed well from what came before without being unbelievable.  Okay, okay, too unbelievable.  Mainly, it has to do with Owen’s training.  Does it fit with the first film?  Not really, but it’s interesting.

But when the dinosaurs start running amok, the party really gets going.  There are plenty of tense moments that will keep your eyes glued to the screen.  No, I didn’t jump, and the jump moments are kept to a minimum.  But there are still plenty of great thrills to be had as the characters try to survive the carnage happening around them.

Okay, so some of the plot points were a little predictable.  I called parts of the film before it happened.  But you know what?  I didn’t care.  I was having so much fun, it didn’t really matter.  And, the fact that it has been so long since the last one came out makes it feel fresher even though, at its heart, this is a monster movie.  There are only so many ways these films can happen, right?

Likewise, the characters are just developed enough to make us care about the outcome of the film.  I found some of that development predictable, but again, I didn’t care.  They worked for the film, and that’s all that matters.

The acting across the board is great.  The actors do a great job of making us care about their thin characters.  Considering how much of the film they are acting against effects that aren’t there, their acting is even more impressive.  I bought their terror.

Special effects?  There was one shot early on I didn’t quite buy, but for the rest of it, I was fully on board.  And for a film and franchise that is built on special effects, that’s important.

Yes, there are flaws, and it would be easy to sit here and pick them apart.  Yet, Jurassic World is fun, and that’s what it wants to be.  This is a mindless summer film.  Sit back and enjoy and you will have a wonderful time.

June 12th's Book Beginnings and Friday 56

We've made it to Friday.  As our reward, it's time for Book Beginnings and Friday 56.

This week, I'm featuring a book I actually finished up on Wednesday, Snow White Red-Handed by Maia Chance.  This is the first in the Fairy Tale Fatal Mysteries.

My review will be up next week, most likely on Tuesday, but here's a spoiler for you - I LOVED IT!  Can't wait for the sequel in September.

Shall we get to the quotes?  Here's how it begins:

Miss Ophelia Flax was neither a professional confidence trickster nor a lady's maid, but she'd played both on the stage.  In desperate circumstances like these, that would have to do.

Since page 56 is the start of a new chapter and setting the scene for the action about to take place, I'm going to take the last couple of lines from page 55 instead.

She seesawed the case back between two antique iron-girded trunks.
There.  She brushed off her hands.  Inspector Schubert would never, ever find it.

That's it for this week.  Have a wonderful weekend.

UPDATE:  On a completely different topic, I was interviewed today over at Daniellaark.  I hope you'll stop by and read it.

Book Review: Farmed and Dangerous by Edith Maxwell (now published under her Maddie Day pen name) (Local Foods Mystery #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Engrossing mystery with great characters

Cons: A little slow to start, but worth it

The Bottom Line:

The mystery grows

Into book you can’t put down

Harvest it today

Farming, and Murder, Don’t Slow Down in Winter

I’m a city boy, and I freely admit it.  As a result, I think of winter as a down time for farming when nothing happens and farmers just eat the fruits and vegetables of their labors.  That’s not the case for Cameron Flaherty in Farmed and Dangerous.  Not only is she trying to grow some crops, but she finds herself involved in her third murder in less than a year.

Cam is hoping to get a contract to supply vegetables to Moran Manor, the local assisted living facility where her great-uncle now lives.  Even though it is the off season, she is providing vegetables and some recipes as a trial this January.  If everything goes well, she will be able to provide more on a regular basis once the real growing season begins.

However, the night her produce is served, the unthinkable happens – one of the residents dies.  Worse yet, it is Bev Montgomery, who Cam has had several run ins with since taking over her great-uncle’s farn a year ago.  When the whispers begin that Cam poisoned Bev, it interrupts her budding romance with detective Pete Pappas.  In an attempt to clear her name and salvage her relationship, Cam begins to dig into the mystery.  Can she clear her reputation?

The first 50 pages or so start a little slowly.  Part of the time is used to set up suspects and ease us back into the characters we already know and love, but part of it is spent talking about what Cam is currently growing in her Hoop House and starting up in the barn and how she’s growing stuff in the middle of winter.  While I certainly expected some of that, it could have been mixed into the mystery better.  It felt like the time after you’ve planted seeds but before you actually see anything sprouting.

However, once the murder happens, things really do pick up and I was instantly hooked on the story.  From there forward, the time that Cam was spending on the work of the farm she also spent thinking about the clues and events and trying to piece together a solution.  And, of course, she spends lots of time out searching for clues and talking to suspects.  I got so caught up in the story that I had a hard time putting the book down and read just under half of it on a very enjoyable Sunday afternoon.

The characters in this series are great, and they continue to grow here.  I was thrilled with the developments in Cam’s love life.  She still struggles with her tendency toward being an introvert, but I like that character trait because it’s something different in the series I read.  The new characters introduced here are just as real as the ones we’ve gotten to know over several books.

Author Edith Maxwell is part of the Wicked Cozy group blog.  Fans of the blog will enjoy a couple of cameos by characters from her blog mate’s series.

While our weather has been a little cooler than normal in Southern California for early June, this book is set in January in Massachusetts – the middle of winter.  I found myself shivering a few times as I read the descriptions of winter weather.  Okay, so it doesn’t take much to make me cold (I am a Southern California wimp), but I still think the descriptions were great without slowing the story down.

And yes, there are recipes – three to be exact.  If you don’t normally tend to read the recipes in the back of culinary mysteries, you’ll want to make an exception here since there is a good laugh hidden in one of them.

Despite the slow start, Farmed and Dangerous grew into a fun read that I completely enjoyed.  If you take the time to dig into this book, you’ll be richly rewarded.

Be sure to read the rest of the Local Foods Mysteries in order.

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

And the winner is....

The problem with scheduling a giveaway for the time when you are busiest is you forget to pick a winner.  But I've just looked over the entries, and, with the help of random.org, selected a winner from the 15 entries.  And that winner is...

Shelley S!

Check your e-mail.  I'll be sending you one momentarily so I can connect you with your prize.

And if you haven't entered yet, there's still time to enter the Truffled to Death giveaway.

Ornament Review: The Grinch in Disguise - 2014 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great Grinchy moment

Cons: Tips forward when hung

The Bottom Line:

Creating disguise

Leaping from a classic book

Can’t go wrong with this

No Disguising This Fun Ornament

Hallmark loves ornaments based on Dr. Seuss’s Grinch and loves ornaments made to look like Dr. Seuss books.  Naturally, they combine these two quite regularly, like in 2014’s The Grinch in Disguise.  The result is almost always charming, and this ornament is no exception.

As you might guess from the title, this ornament features the Grinch putting the finishing touches on his Santa Claus costume before slinking down to Who Village to steal Christmas.  He’s actually standing outside the book putting the hat on his head.  He’s facing us, but the mirror illustration on the left hand side is directly from the book.  The two don’t quite match up, but it’s a very fun touch.  On the right hand page are a few lines of the text which caption the picture.  And around the back of the ornament?  It’s the cover of the book naturally.

Being a reader, these ornaments always appeal to me.  Essentially, they’ve taken a picture from the book and made it 3D.  It certainly helps that this was a favorite book as a kid.  The end result is just so cute and perfect, how can you not want to hang it on your tree?

Yes, there is a loop at the top of the book, so you can do just that.  He actually tips forward a little, but if you hang him up higher on your tree, that will just allow you to enjoy the detail better.

But, unlike a real book, you can set this out on any flat surface.  The platform the Grinch is standing on in front of the book adds just enough stability to keep the ornament from tipping over.

The Grinch and Seuss books are both unofficial series from Hallmark.  This means they tend to do one (or more) every year, but they don’t number them.  Still, I always enjoy seeing what their offerings for the year are.

If you have fond members of this story, you’ll be glad you tracked down The Grinch in Disguise.  It’s a fun ornament sure to bring out warm memories.

Original Price: $14.95

Book Review: I Will Take a Nap! by Mo Willems

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Creative storytelling and laughs

Cons: Not quite as good as some of Mo’s best books

The Bottom Line:

Interrupted nap

Will Gerald get needed rest?

Fun nap time reading

Sleepy Time for Gerald?

I may be well beyond picture books, but I’ve become a huge fan of Mo Willem’s excellent books.  How big a fan?  I stopped by Barnes and Noble the other night specifically to read I Will Take A Nap!  While this isn’t one of his best books, it is still very fun.

Gerald is tired and grumpy.  Clearly, he needs a nap.  However, Piggie thinks that sounds like a good idea, too.  Will she keep Gerald from getting any sleep?

These books are rather simple, even for picture books.  The illustrations are just the characters and a couple of props.  The only words are the dialogue that the characters speak to each other.  That dialogue even contains repeated words that will help beginning readers.  And yet, they fully entertain.  There are always laughs and you just never quite know what twist there will be before the end.

All of that is true here as well.  Poor Gerald doesn’t get what he is expecting when he lays down to sleep, but the result is fun.  Unlike some books in the series, there is no lesson here, but you don’t really need it.

So why the four stars?  This one just lacks the surprise that some of the others in the series have.  It’s a fun book, don’t get me wrong, and I think it will be a great nap time read.  I expect kids will absolutely enjoy it.  Honestly, I’m splitting hairs here.  This is still quite enjoyable even if it isn’t Mo Willem’s best work.

So if you and your child are looking for a new nap time book, consider I Will Take A Nap!  Gerald and Piggie will entertain you all.

Book Review: Truffled to Death by Kathy Aarons (Chocolate Covered Mysteries #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Strong characters, fun and unique plot

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Robbery, murder

Lead to fun mystery with

Page turning story

Maya Danger

There is one advantage to being behind on books you want to read.  When you find a book you enjoy, it’s not that long until the sequel comes out.  That’s what happened to me with Kathy Aarons’s Chocolate Covered Mysteries.  I just read the first a couple months ago, and I already got to enjoy the sequel, Truffled to Death.

If you’ve missed this series, it centers on Michelle and Erica, best friends who have created a combined bookstore and chocolate shop.  If I stumbled upon their small Maryland town, I doubt I’d ever leave their store.  What more do you need, right?

Michelle and Erica are thrilled that their store, Chocolate and Chapters, has been chosen for a reception to celebrate the donation of Maya pottery from the Rivers family to the local museum.  Erica has displayed books on Maya culture, and Michelle has created some appropriate chocolate treats.

The reception goes wonderfully.  However, the next morning, the entire donated collection is missing.  With local rumor and accusations pointing at them as the culprit, Michelle and Erica try to find the missing pieces.  But then a dead body turns up, and the stakes are raised even higher.  Can the friends figure out what is happening?

The book starts strongly with conflict and crime happening quickly.  The twists and turns keep coming right until the wonderful climax.  Since the plot involves stolen artifacts, it goes beyond the typical cozy murder mystery elements, and I loved it more for that.  Life got in the way of my reading time while I was reading this book.  I was always hoping to get just a little more reading in since I needed to know what would happen next.

I had enjoyed the characters in the first book, and I was again drawn to them.  The returning characters are charming and well developed with some great growth here.  While Michelle is our narrator, she and Erica really do work on the case together, and I enjoyed seeing what each of them brought to unraveling the case.  I also enjoyed the romantic sub-plots; they felt real and an outgrowth of the characters while helping develop them at the same time.  The suspects were just as real and intriguing, which helps keep me guessing until the end.  Plus those suspects are unusual and fun, which I loved.

And yes, there are dessert recipes at the end.  In this case, we get two gourmet chocolates and a recipe for Banana Foster.  Yum!

Kathy Aarons has created a world I love to go and visit.  Truffled to Death was a wonderful return trip, and I can’t wait until I get to visit again.

NOTE: I received 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 Monday, June 15th, so please leave your comment before 12:01AM on 6/15.

Weekly TV Thoughts for June 6th

So little on TV right now, and I still didn't get it all watched.  That's because I'm out of town for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run as this posts.  I'll catch up on Girl Meets World when I get home.

American Ninja Warrior – So why is it I feel like they’ve made the Venice course the hardest again?  So many finishers tonight.  Granted, I like to see people finish, so I’m not complaining.  So many inspiring stories, too.  That husband whose wife is dying really got to me.  I was thrilled to see Meaghan (sp?) get to the top first this year since I felt she was robbed just by city order last year.  Rooting for her to go far this summer.

Royal Pains – I’m a little surprised.  I thought the medical case of the week would turn out to be a misdiagnosis.  A pretty heavy one for a first episode back.  Still loving Paige and Evan, still curious about what Boris is up to, so things haven’t changed there at all (which is a good thing).  Saw the ending with Divya coming, although I don’t like it at all.  I’m sure they will drag that out all season, but I wish they wouldn’t.

Melissa & Joey – So is Ryder really leaving the show again so quickly?  I assumed he’d be around for the rest of the series since there are so few episodes left.  Still, seeing him overcome everything Joe threw at him was pretty funny.

Baby Daddy – Didn’t they promise a resolution to the love triangle this season?  And yet they keep dragging it out forever.  Oh well, still making me laugh, so that’s all that matters, right?

Book Review: "A" is for Alibi by Sue Grafton (Kinsey Millhone #1)

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Interesting characters in a good mystery

Cons: A few genre clichés along the way

The Bottom Line:

Cold, solved murder case

Do clues lead Kinsey elsewhere?

Good start to series

Kinsey Starts Her Alphabetical Career

Whether you read mysteries or not, it’s hard to have not heard about Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series.  After all, it’s been running for about 30 years and hits the best seller list quite regularly.  And yet, I haven’t really read any books in the series.  I fixed that last week when I listed to "A" is for Alibi on the way to visit my family, and I quite enjoyed it.

Laurence Fife was not well liked when he was alive.  He was a ruthless divorce lawyer who always won big for his clients.  In his personal life, he had an ex-wife and was constantly cheating on his current wife.  So when he was murdered and his current wife was convicted of the crime, no one was super surprised.

But that was eight years ago, and Nikki Fife is now out on parole.  In all this time, she’s always maintained her innocence, and now she wants to hire PI Kinsey Millhone to prove it.  Kinsey isn’t sure about taking on a case that old, but when she starts poking around, she finds another murder that might be connected.  Is Nikki innocent?  Can Kinsey pick up on the cold trail?

Many people point to Ms. Grafton and this series as one of the series that broke down walls for women writers and female characters in the mystery genre.  While that is certainly true, I appreciated the fact that the book wasn’t self-aware about that at all.  Instead, we got a great story and great characters.  In other words, this series has earned its place in literary history.

The plot was interesting from the very beginning and kept me engaged the entire way through.  The twists and clues were plentiful.  The climax was logical and suspenseful.  It was always hard to stop when my car needed gas or I needed food.

Likewise, the characters were great.  Kinsey was an interesting lead who I enjoyed getting to know.  A few of the characters only had a scene or two, but they lept off the page.  Those who had more scenes also had some great layers that kept me interested in the plot.

My only complaint about the book was the clichés.  Of course, when a book is around 30 years old, does it truly qualify as falling victim to the clichés or did it help create them?  Either way, Kinsey is another in a long line of loner PI’s.  There were another couple clichés along the way I won’t get into to avoid spoilers.  While they did keep the book from being perfect, they were minor issues overall.

And yes, the book is set in the 1980’s.  Heck, that’s when the book was written, but Ms. Grafton has decided to keep the series there as it has gone forward.  Either way, I found that trip back in time to be fun.

Mary Peiffer was the narrator of the audio version I listened to, and she did a wonderful job.  She drew me into the story and never distracted in the slightest.  I’m looking forward to more books with her as I continue the series.

And yes, I will be continuing the series.  "A" is for Alibi is a fun debut, and knowing I can continue to visit Kinsey makes me happy.

You can continue to read her further adventures with the Kinsey Millhone mysteries in order.

This review is an entry in this week's Friday's Forgotten Books.