The Summer of Naked Swim Parties Review

The Summer of Naked Swim Parties by Jessica Anya Blau

(from the back of the book)

Fourteen-year-old Jamie will never forget the summer of 1976.  It’s the summer when she has her first boyfriend, cute surfer Flip Jenkins; it’s the summer when her two best friends get serious about sex, cigarettes, and tanning; it’s the summer when her parents throw, yes, naked swim parties, leaving Jamie flushed with embarrassment.  And it’s the summer that forever changes the way Jamie sees the things that matter: family, friendship, love, and herself.

This book is okay. Just okay. And those are always books I find hardest to review. There was nothing very good or very bad about it. It had its moments. There was some humor and some serious parts. I liked the complicated relationship between the sisters, it felt very real. It did a good job of making you feel the awkward, embarrassing moments. And it made it okay to be different from your friends and everyone else you know and it let you know that you are not the only one who feels apart from everyone else. But was there a lot of sex, drugs and drinking for a bunch of 14 year olds? I think so. And if I had a daughter I don't think I would want her to read this. There was something lacking in the characters here too. I couldn't care as much about them as I think I was supposed to. There was nothing here that I can point at and say 'that is what is wrong with this book'. Nor can I pick anything out that I loved. It turns out I just don't want to read about 14 year olds having sex with boys 3 and 4 years older than them or about what happens to various naked body parts when people are swimming and jumping on diving boards.

WWW Wednesday (June 19th)

To play along just answer the following three (3) questions...

*What are you currently reading?
*What did you recently finish reading?
*What do you think you’ll read next?


Leave a link to your post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.



What are you currently reading?

Decked by Carol Higgins Clark
I wanted a light easy read and I thought this would fit the bill.


What did you recently finish reading?

The Wall by Marlen Haushofer
The book does make you think but unfortunately I wanted to be done with long before it was over.


What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m thinking about Endurance by Alfred Lansing. But I also need a Y title for my A to Z challenge so I’m also thinking about The Year of the Monkey by Carole Berry.

Win Loads of Books!

Live to Read is having a big Summer book giveaway.  Over 150 books will be given away. 50 books will be given away to 2 people.  But there is also going to be a new giveaway for every day in June and July.  I know that we've missed a few.  But don't worry you can still enter all the June ones too. 

There are a bunch of ways to enter to go on over there and get some books!

The Passage Review

The Passage by Justin Cronin

(from the book jacket)

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment.  Then, the unspeakable:  a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered.  All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear – of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary.  FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty.  Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse.  Wolgast is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors, but for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey – spanning miles and decades – toward the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

I like vampire books and had heard good things about this one so I had high hopes. Maybe that was the problem. I should have gone in blind. But I still don't think I would have loved this one. If you are going to have a book this long and expect people to come back for more it better be really good. And I just don't think it was good enough to carry all that length. There were some characters that I really liked (most of who died on me) and then some I really didn't even find interesting. There were parts of the plot that were great and then some odd little things that were thrown in there that didn't make sense and just seemed to muddle things and then were never cleared up. There were parts that made me want to keep reading when I should be sleeping and others that put me to sleep. On the whole the book was just okay. But it was slow and long and if I am going to invest this much of my time in a book I want it to be better than okay.

Every Boy Should Have a Man Review

Every Boy Should Have a Man by Preston L. Allen

(from the book jacket)

In a post-human world, a boy oaf comes home from school and finds a female man wrapped up in red ribbon. A note around her neck reads: Every boy should have a man. You’re a fine son. Love, Dad.

Preston L. Allen takes readers on a journey into uncharted territory. He traces the story of the boy and the “mans’ he loves as pets: Brown Skin who is not his, the tragic Red Sleeves who has no voice and her quick-witted daughter Red Locks whose fierceness leads her out of backbreaking drudgery in the mines into the perils of the battlefield to the savagery of cannibalism.




This is rather a hard book to review. Partly because it doesn't really fit into any category that I can name and partly because I'm not really sure how I felt about it. It is part fairy tale, part myth, part dystopian fiction and a few other parts too. It explores themes of slavery, cannibalism, war, environmentalism and other big issues. And it spans several generations. It does all this in a relatively short story. It does read quickly and it is interesting how it starts you in a world you don't recognize and works in pieces of a story every child knows. I do like how you are uncertain if this is the future of the human race or its past or happening right now. It is an interesting story and told in a deceptively simple tone so the impact of it kind of creeps up on you. But in a way that was also why I think I didn't connect with it very much. It is told like a fable. Names aren't used and although it follows particular characters they are more examples to make a point than they are individuals and left me with no one I could relate to. Which would have been fine in a fable of a couple of pages or so but in a novel left me feeling unconnected. A lot of the concepts and plotting are interesting but in the end it was more interesting than enjoyable to read.

Books That Need Your Help To Be Born

I am a firm believer that there can never be too many books.

Kickstarter is a place many people go to get money to get their project off the ground.  Many of them are authors who need a little help making their books a reality.

Ares The God of War: Rise of a Fallen God by Aris needs $10,000 by May 8th.

The Heart of Asia by Tribes Forgotten needs $12,000 by May 11th.

The Iron Poet - An Ironworker's Poems Inspired by Ground Zero by Donald Reith needs $5,000 by May 12th.

Sinjid - A Cutting Edge Science Fiction Novel by David Keesling needs $800 by May 15th.

Lucy and the Anvil by Adam Kline needs $30,000 by May 16th.

Blue Hope - An Ocean Book for the World by Sylvia Earle needs $50,000 by May 19th.

The Case Files of Harlan Falk by I Dreams Inc needs $8,000 by May 29th.

Fiddler in the Darkness by David Gutterman needs $6,000 by June 15th.


All of these projects could use your help.  These are just a few that I picked basically at random.  There are many more if none of these strike you.  They would all love any help you can give.  I can't afford to help them all but I would love to see all of them funded so these stories can be told (and maybe read be me!)

P.S. I am also a firm believer that there can never be too many sweet treats so check these out too.

Malvi: Redefining the Marshmallow Sandwich

Custom Made Cheesecakes

Fudge U

The Old Fox Deceiv'd Review

The Old Fox Deceiv’d by Martha Grimes

(from the back of the book)

There was murder in the quaint North Sea village of Rackmoor.  The body of a mysterious woman in a mummer’s costume lay sprawled on a backwater street.  Half her face had been painted black, the other half white, and the blood on her satin blouse had already turned a deep, dark red.

Who was she?  Who had killed her?  Inspector Richard Jury of Scotland Yard drank a pint with the local Yorkshire lads in a cozy pub to get some startling answers.  And he would have to join the landed gentry on a deadly ride to the hounds of he wanted to track down a very foxy killer.

It's a nice little mystery. I can't find too much to say about it. I enjoyed reading it but I didn't feel like I had to go find the rest of the series. If I happen upon them I will read them but I won't go out of my way. This has the prerequisite plot twists and red herrings and the whole whodunit thing going and it manages to throw in some humor. Not laugh out loud humor, but little smile humor. The characters are interesting enough that you wouldn't mind seeing them again. It doesn't exactly read quickly but it doesn't bog down nor is it so light and fluffy that you lose interest. It was nice while it lasted but it was nothing I would get too excited about.

Bookin' Giveaways

Booking With Bingo is giving away some books.  You should go check them out.


For Oak and Dagger by Dorothy St. James go here. Ends April 24th.

For Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka go here.  Ends April 24th.

For That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook go here.  Ends April 24th.

For The Smart One by Jennifer Close go here.  Ends April 24th.

For That Night on Thistle Lane by Carla Neggers go here.  Ends April 24th.

For the audio book Stallion by Starlight by Mary Pope Osborne go here.  Ends April 24th.

For Under Currents by Pamela Beason go here.  Ends April 30th.

For Beach House No. 9 by Christie Ridgway go here.  Ends April 30th.

For The Abundance by Amit Majmudar go here.  Ends April 30th.


All giveaways ends at 6 PM EST on the date given.  They are all open to the US only.  No PO boxes.

Snow White and the Huntsman Review

Snow White and the Huntsman with Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart

A retelling of the classic fairy tale.

So… this movie has action, fights, cool monsters and a cute huntsman.  But it still managed to be rather a bust.  It pretty much lost me before I even got through the rather lengthy introduction to the story and then never really did anything to get me back.  The people weren’t interesting enough and the plot not compelling enough to get me to really care about anyone.  Snow White is locked up all her life but within hours of getting out is sword fighting with the best of them.  And I don’t know whose idea it was for Charlize Theron to do whatever she was doing with her voice but it was not a good idea.  I don’t know what it was supposed to be and I just found it annoying and distracting.  And the big climatic scene at the end wasn’t climatic and the big dramatic line that was delivered wasn’t dramatic and left me waiting for something else that just never came.  Not one of my favorites.  

Ninja Review

Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior by John Man

(from the back of the book)

The medieval equivalent if the Special Forces, the ninjas were the original men in black, elite “shadow warriors” with nearly mystical powers.  Spies, assassins, saboteurs, and secret agents, ninjas have become the subject of countless legends that continue to enthrall us in modern movies, video games, and comics, and their arts are practiced by dedicated acolytes who study their techniques today.

Though they were not blessed with gifts of flight or invisibility as commonly mythologized, ninjas were superbly trained warriors with remarkable skills in combat, climbing, deception, disguise, and camouflage.  In Ninja, John Man goes in search of the true history of these mythological fighters.  Join him on a fascinating journey from their birth in fifteenth-century Japan during a civil war to the modern day, where a self-declared “last ninja” surfaces at the month-long ninja festival in Iga.

A meticulously researched, entertaining blend of mythology, anthropology, travelogue, and history, Ninja is a thrilling ride, as colorful and intriguing as the warriors it so vividly brings to life.

Like all history books that pull out one aspect of history to talk about, I think you could get more out of it if you are familiar with the general history of the time and place.  But it isn’t really necessary.  It is interesting to see how and why the ninja came about.  Everyone has heard of ninjas and knows the myths but to me the real history is actually more interesting even if it doesn’t make for as action packed a movie as the stories.  I liked learning about how they were farmers and how they had their own code to live by.  There is some general information and some very interesting stories about specific ninja actions. It starts at the very beginning, before the word ninja was used, right up to the present where you can see how people are trying to keep the ninja traditions alive.  There were parts that I was less interested in because he starts talking about his own personal journey or the James Bond ninja connection.   And sometimes it does go a little vague because the history just isn’t known.  There were also times when I wasn’t sure we were talking about ninjas anymore because I was having trouble following the line that connected the story being related back to the subject at hand.  I found the book interesting in general but there were times when I felt a little lost trying to put the stories in some sort of historical context because there were just so many names and so much time involved.  

The Friday 56 (March 15th)

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.

*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader.

*Find any sentence (or a few) that grabs you.

*Post it.

*Link it to Freda's Voice.

*Add your (url) post to Linky on Freda’s post

This week my book is Mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw.  Poor Jim was forcibly brought back to life after about 60 years of peaceful death and now all he wants is to get that peaceful death back.

 

"Aw, crap, Slippery John's spine is powderized," came a voice from somewhere around floor level, with the nonchalant tone of someone discovering a hangnail.

 

"Oh dear," I said, then felt pretty stupid about it,  "Do you need any help?"

 

 

And, yes, the first one talking there is Slippery John.

Into Thin Air Review

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer was on Mount Everest in May of 1996 when disaster struck his team and many others on the mountain that year.  This is his personal account of what happened on the mountain that year along with the research and interviews that he did in the time following the disaster.

Krakauer starts his story well before he gets on the mountain.  He gives you the background on the mountain: the people who have climbed it in the past, or failed to, the politics of who can climb and which side they could climb, a small background on all the people on the mountain with him.  I liked having a context to put his story into.  And it is easier to care about the people you are reading about if you know something about them.  Of course, in this case, that might not be a good thing.  You follow all these people as they climb and face all of the perils along the way.  There are some gut wrenching moments when you feel the dread of the moment.  When you feel the pull of the circumstances that they feel powerless to change.  In many ways it is a horrible story because you know it does not end well but it pulls you in and gets you involved and you can’t look away.  There are a lot of people on the mountain, all with different groups, and Krakauer can’t leave anyone out but it took me a while to sort everyone out and remember who was who.  And even though he talked to the other people after the fact you do get a feel that it is a one sided story, you don’t get the point of view of the other people involved but you also never feel that Krakauer is being untruthful or deceitful in any way to make himself look better or excuse decisions that were made.  I have never had any desire to climb a mountain myself but I kind of understand why someone would.  They were pitting themselves against nature, proving something, accomplishing something.  But after having heard this story, told so well it sometimes made me sick to my stomach, I really don’t have any idea why someone would put themselves in that position.  

The Scarlet Pimpernel Review

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

(from the back of the book)

It is 1792 and France is in the grip of a seething, bloody revolution.  Mobs roam the Paris streets hunting down royalists, barricades block any chance of escape, and every day hundreds die under the blade of Madame Guillotine.  But in the hearts of the condemned nobility there remains one last vestige of hope: rescue by the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel.  Renowned for both his unparalleled bravery and his clever disguises, the Pimpernel’s identity remains as much a mystery to his sworn enemy, the ruthless French agent Chauvelin, as to his devoted admirer, the beautiful Lady Marguerite Blakeney.

I am a fan of the masked hero type. Zorro and Batman and the like. So you might want to take what I say with a grain of salt because I think I was predisposed to like this novel. And I did like it. There are less of the heroic adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel here than you may expect. You hear about his breathless, selfless rescues more than you actually get to see them. A lot of the book is told from the point of view of Lady Blakeney so the reader stays in England with her instead of getting to go to France with the Scarlet Pimpernel. But you still get to hear how he fools the French and does all sorts of heroic things. I think the events hold more surprises for the characters than they do for the reader but I don't think that hurts the story. Sometimes the 'I just want to be able to die beside my beloved' emotion of Lady Blakeney gets to be a bit much. And I have to admit that I was getting tired of being told that she was ever so clever, even though at times she didn't act like it. Over all I really liked it. It is fun and exciting with some suspense and romance.

WWW Wednesday (March 6th)

To play along just answer the following three (3) questions...

*What are you currently reading?

*What did you recently finish reading?

*What do you think you’ll read next?

Leave a link to your post (or the answers themselves if you do not have a blog) in the comments of Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading?

Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith

I just started this so I don’t have much to say about it yet.

What did you recently finish reading?

Death in the Long Grass by Peter Capstick

Death is right.  Everyone is getting chewed on, gored, and smashed to paste. 

What do you think you’ll read next?

Lavender-Green Magic by Andre Norton

I have had this on my shelf for a long time and since I have a color reading challenge going on I think it’s about time I got to it.

Teaser Tuesdays (March 5th)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I just barely kept myself from stomping across the room and herding Edward’s teeth from his face with my fist.  Not only did he have some sort of bet going as to my brother’s ignorance, he was kissing up to the old Englishman by cutting down Americans.

Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith

Teaser Tuesdays (February 26th)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The spear seemed entirely savage, but once my hand closed on the polished wood I did feel rather fierce.  This was the first real weapon I’d possessed since losing my rifle in Tripoli, and fortified my confidence the way a primitive might have felt when going up against one of Jefferson’s woolly mammoths.

The Emerald Storm by William Dietrich

The Death Relic Review

The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski

(from the back of the book)

After being vanquished by the Spanish empire, little remains the Aztec and Mayan civilizations.  From the ashes of their cities emerged a unified legend: Their conquerors possessed a mysterious artifact so powerful – so deadly – that it was universally known as the “Death Relic.”  Despite its infamy, little else is known about it.  Like the lives of the men who carried it, the object was lost long ago.  Or was it?

When archaeologist Maria Pelati’s research team disappears in the rugged terrain of the Yucatan Peninsula, she contacts Jonathan Payne and David Jones to help track them down.  Following the clues left behind, the duo discovers a link between the research team’s work and their recent disappearance.

As Payne and Jones embark on a perilous mission to find the lost archaeologist, they realize that Maria’s research may be the key to solving one of the darkest mysteries of the New World.  But their quest may end up costing them their lives as they unearth the secret of the Death Relic.

Maybe if I had some history with the characters I might have enjoyed this more.  As it was I didn’t connect with them much.  I liked the idea of the long standing relationship between the two friends with all sorts of history that leads to friendly banter.  Unfortunately it didn’t work out as well as I’d hoped.  The banter was odd and forced and sounded awkward and ended up taking away from the story instead of adding to it.  And unfortunately there were long passages of it.  There is some good action and mystery with people who are not who they seem, plots and schemes, fire fights and ancient puzzles.  And you get to learn something about the Maya.  But after all the action and mystery, just when it seems to really be picking up, it just sort of ends.  Abruptly.  It felt like the book was leading us somewhere and then decided at the last moment not to go there.  And I was left feeling that the ending didn’t really deliver what the rest of the book promised.

Big Snake Review

Big Snake by Robert Twigger

(from the book jacket) 

Scanning the internet for poetry prizes, Robert Twigger discovers the Roosevelt prize for capturing a live snake longer than thirty feet. The $50,000 prize has been unclaimed since 1912. About to be married, Twigger sets off for the Far East, making sure his last adventure as a bachelor is a big one.

Part travelogue, part classic adventure, Big Snake grapples with the mythic symbolic status of one of the world’s most fascinating creatures. Along the way, Twigger hunts for reticulated pythons in the sewers of Kuala Lumpur, survives on greasy civet cat in the jungle, attempts to date the most beautiful woman in the world, encounters the cobweb hunters of Buru and evaluates the legacy of Alfred Russel Wallace (‘the true discoverer of evolution’). After a few close shaves with snakes of all sizes, Twigger eventually comes face to face with the big one – but the final capture is not quite what he had in mind.

Big Snake is both moving and comic – a poetic quest and a real adventure, which paints a portrait of the Malay and Indonesian archipelagos seldom even suspected.



This book is part memoir, part travelogue, and part adventure story. Twigger, who knows nothing about snakes or the jungle, decides that it would be a good idea to try to win a $50,000 prize by catching a snake over 30 feet long. Along the way he learns a lot about snakes and so do we, like why you want to carry snuff into the jungle with you. But even though there is a lot of information here he kinds of sneaks it in a little at a time and you don't always even realize that you are learning something because it fits in so well with the flow of the story. And in his quest he enlists the help of some very colorful characters who are eager to help even if they don't understand what it is he is doing. And as he introduces you to all the people he meets along the way you learn about their culture and their land. You also get a look into his own life and stories about his grandfather that make the story more personal. At turns informative, funny and exciting it is worth a look if you like stories about adventure and exploration, even if you don't care that much about snakes. The ending did seem a bit abrupt though so it was slightly unsatisfying.

Crimson Joy Review

Crimson Joy by Robert B. Parker

(from the back of the book)

Spenser is back on his home turf: a Boston of sleaze and surprises, dangerous days and deadly nights.  A serial killer is on the loose in Beantown and the cops can’t catch him.  Called the “Red Rose Killer” because he leaves a long-stemmed red rose on each woman he slays, he’s terrifying every female who has to go out after dark.  But once Spenser joins the chase, the murderer’s trail turns toward home when a rose is left for Spenser’s own Susan Silverman.

I like Spenser and I like Hawk which is what makes these books work for me.  I like the quips and the sarcasm.  Unfortunately I think there was less of that in this one.  A lot of the book took place between Spenser and Susan.  There is a lot of them working out why their relationship works so well and how they can both can do their jobs, even when they happen to intersect, and still keep their personal relationship strong.  At times it seemed to be the focus of the book even more than the serial killer and, for me, it took up a little too much of the book.  I still liked the book and I always find Spenser books to be fun quick reads.  Spenser fans will read all of the books anyway so what I say won’t make a difference to them but for people who aren’t fans yet I would suggest starting with a different one and working your way around to this one if you find you like the others.

What's in a Name Reading Challenge

I’m joining the What’s in a Name Reading Challenge hosted by Beth Fish Reads.

Here's How It Works

Between January 1 and December 31, 2013, read one book in each of the following categories:

A book with up or down (or equivalent) in the title. -- The Wolves Came Down From the Mountain by Michael Strong

A book with something you'd find in your kitchen in the title. -- Sink the Bismarck! by C.S.Forester

A book with a party or celebration in the title. -- The Summer of Naked Swim Parties by Jessica Anya Blau (review)

A book with fire (or equivalent) in the title. -- Fire by Sebastian Junger

A book with an emotion in the title. -- Crimson Joy by Robert Parker (review)

A book with lost or found (or equivalent) in the title.

I joined last year too and had fun so I’m going to try again this year.

Tea and Books Challenge

I’m joining the Tea and Books Reading Challenge sponsored by The Book Garden.

This challenge was inspired by C.S. Lewis' famous words, "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."

This is for books over 650 pages. (No large print. That’s cheating.)

There are different levels you can choose from:

2 Books - Chamomile Lover

4 Books - Berry Tea Devotee

6 Books - Earl Grey Aficionado

8 or more Books - Sencha Connoisseur


I’m going for Chamomile Lover level which is only two books. I think I can make it. Let’s hope so.

So if you like big think books then hop on over and read the rest of the rules.


1. The Passage by Justin Cronin -- 766 (review)

2. Xanth: The Quest for Magic -- 774

Colorful Reading Challenge

I’m joining the Colorful Reading Challenge sponsored by Lost in Books.

The Colorful Reading Challenge is simple:
1. Just choose 9 books with colors in the titles.
2. The books can overlap with other reading challenges
3. Post your links to your reviews each month to share with other participants.
4. The challenge runs from January 1, 2013 to December 1, 2013.
5. Read to your heart's content!

When most people think of colors they think of the basics- red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, white, black, and brown. But don't forget, as Crayola taught us, colors have a wide array of tints and shades so don't forget you can include colors such as silver, gold, plum, pink, crimson, scarlet, turquoise, blonde, gray, pumpkin, the list goes on.

So go sign up, be imaginative and have fun.

1. Crimson Joy by Robert Parker (review)

2. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy (review)

3. The Emerald Storm by William Dietrich

4. Lavender-Green Magic by Andre Norton

5. Strawberry Yellow by Naomi Hirahara

6. Black Friday by James Patterson

7. The Silver Ghost by Charlotte MacLeod

Non-Fiction Non-Memoir Challenge Completed

I’ve finished the Non-Fiction Non-Memoir Reading Challenge.

It was sponsored by My Book Retreat and you can see the original post here.

I have a few more reviews to post by since the challenge didn’t require reviews I technically finished the challenge when I finished reading the books.  Which I have.  So I’m posting this now and will get the other reviews later.

You can see my original post here where I have a list of the books I read and links to the reviews I have managed to post already.

Now I have finished all my 2012 challenges.

I entered more for 2013 so I wonder if I’ll be able to say the same thing next year.

The Eclectic Reader Challenge Completed

I’ve finished the Eclectic Reader 2012 Challenge.

It was hosted by Eclectic Reader and you can see the original post here.

You can see my original post here.  I finished the 12 books and all the reviews just in time.  And you can see the books that I read and the reviews that I wrote on my original post.

Now on to 2013 challenges.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Movie Review

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

With Nicolas Cage

Johnny Blaze must fight the devil for a chance to break his curse.

Since it is based on a comic book I expected there to be things that were slightly over the top with a plot that would probably not be acceptable anywhere else.  So I was not disappointed with any of that, even though there was plenty.  There was a lot of action with fire, gunfights and explosions.  There were a few witty lines and some good effects and times of comic book fun.  But I hate the way it was shot.  There was some split screen stuff I didn’t like, and the picture would jump around in a way I found unpleasant, some fast camera moves that didn’t make things easier to follow, and several shots that you could tell were there simply for the 3D effect and I hate when a film does that (and I saw it in 2D so the shots were even worse.)  And there were a couple of eye roll moments too.  If you are a huge Ghost Rider fan or in love with Nicolas Cage go ahead and see this one, just don’t expect too much.  If you are neither of those I wouldn’t bother.