Book Review: Water for Elephants

Book: Water for Elephants
Author: Sara Gruen
Source: Recommendation from my mom

GoodReads Summary: An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of "Riding Lessons". "Gritty, sensual and charged withd ark secrets involving love, murder and a majestic, mute heroine (Rosie the Elephant). " Q " Parade."

My Thoughts: I loved this novel. I actually ended up reading the entire thing in a day, I simply did not want to put it down.  What I enjoyed most about this novel was how well researched the historical parts were that I picked up on.  Granted, I didn't know much about how circuses were run in the 1930's except that they traveled on trains but it read really well.  Stopping and thinking about when I was reading this novel, I felt like I was actually there and witnessing everything that happened by the way that Sara Gruen wrote.  My favorite character of the entire novel is Jacob, the main character.  He's been through a lot and then he's stuck in a nursing home but in the end there's a rewarding moment that let's him get away.  Also, part of the reason my mom had recommended this to me was because it talks in little snippets about what it's like for Jacob to be in a nursing home, and how the residents are often not listened to.  My mom recommended it to me for this mostly because she's worked in a nursing home for over nine years now and I've volunteered about seven years there so I hear a lot of things from her and even have experienced them myself.  Reading those parts in this novel makes it even clearer to me about why we do the things we do at the nursing home.  All in all, this is probably my favorite thing I've read.  Also, to note, if I wasn't allowed to pick a main character as my favorite character, I would have picked Rosie, she's an interesting elephant.

Favorite Quote: "The whole thing's illusion, Jacob, and there's nothing wrong with hat. It's what people want from us. It's what they expect."

Rating: 5/5

Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane
Director: David Yates
Source: I've been a follower of the book series, the films were kind of a given.
Form: DVD

Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort's immortality and destruction - the Horcruxes.  On their own and on the run, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever... but Dark Forces in their midst threaten to tear them apart. Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place.  The long-feared war has begun and the Dark Lord has seized control over the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting all who might oppose him. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort...alive.

My Thoughts:  I'm trying to think back to the first time that I saw this film, but that was quite a while back for me to remember.  I watched it again a week or so ago and I was blown away at the details that were brought forth. Unlike many other times when I watch the Harry Potter films for the first or second times, I didn't compare the film to the book. Which, in turn I think made me enjoy the film a lot more than I would have if I had compared the film to the book while I was watching it.  I really genuinely enjoyed this film.

Extras: The DVD that I own has additional scenes with it.  I really enjoyed seeing these snippets that didn't quite make the cut.  I think sometimes that I enjoy watching the additional scenes more often than the film.

Rating: 5/5

Book Review: Chopping Spree

Book: Chopping Spree
Author: Diane Mott Davidson
Source: a cousin sent it to me

GoodReads Summary: For Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz, business isn't just booming -- it's skyrocketing. Her friend Marla is constantly warning her, "Success can kill you." But Goldy doesn't take the warning literally until her next booking: a cocktail party for the Westside Mall's Elite Shoppers Club.

While setting up, Goldy is nearly run down by a truck with no intention of stopping. Then she finds an old friend in a pile of sale shoes -- stabbed with one of Goldy's new knives. Goldy must catch the real killer between whipping up Sweethearts' Swedish Meatballs, Quiche Me Quick, and Diamond Lovers' Hot Crab Dip. Why was the victim carrying a powerful narcotic? Who hired a private investigator shortly before the murder? Goldy's gourmet instincts tell her the final course in this case will be a real killer.

My Thoughts:  I had a tough time powering through this book.  A lot of the main focus was on describing the food dishes that the main character Goldy is making for her clients.  It seemed that out of the entire book there was more of a focus on the food part of it instead of finding out what happened to Goldy's friend and who did it.  This book is labeled as 'suspense' on the spine and to be honest, there really wasn't much of a suspense to it.  There would have been at least if the food hadn't overpowered everything else in the book.  I did however enjoy how Diane Mott Davidson wrote the characters, especially Goldy and her friend who ends up with a knife to his stomach.

Favorite Quote: "Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe there were a lot of corpses with missing toes, and I was going overboard."

Rating: 1/5

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Book:  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Author: J. K. Rowling

Source: The entire series has been on my bookshelf for years, I don't think any of us know how or when they all appeared...

Summary: Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and he has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle and their abominable son, Dudley - a great big swollen spoiled bully.  Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry - and anyone who reads about him - will find unforgettable.  For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter.

My Thoughts:  I'll be up front about this, I've read this series several times.  So many in fact that my copy of Sorcerer's Stone is literally falling to pieces, and I'll have to tape it back together for the third time.  There is something to say about this, Sorcerer's Stone is the only one out of the seven books that is the most...loved.  I've concluded this is because I still find that the beginning of this series is so incredibly fascinating and it brings back so much when I read it when I remember what it was like to be reading it for the first time.  I still love all the same things about Sorcerer's Stone as I used to.  Getting to meet Harry for the first time, still wanting to kick Dudley and smack Aunt Petunia.  I especially loved when Harry meets the Weasleys for the first time at the platform, that scene stood out the most in the entire book.  The writing, as my English teacher said last week, is just amazing.  J.K. Rowling writes in such an amazing way that she draws me into her work; this is something I've liked about her series, it makes me feel like I'm there beside Harry while I'm reading.  It still does to this day.

Favorite Quote: "Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground."

Rating: 5/5

Book Review: Submarine

Book: Submarine

Author: Edward L. Beach

Source: Digging through a pile of history books in the school library trying to find an interesting read for my history book report.

Summary:  For the World War II submariner, every day was a life-or-death trial: going to sea for months at a time; existing in dank, claustrophobic conditions; enduring long stretches of monotonous silence punctuated by adrenaline-spiked episodes of paralyzing fear and victorious elation. It was a duty few men could handle -- and even fewer would survive.

This is the true story of those brave men who served and too often died under the ocean surface, written by a man who was there. Edward L. Beach masterfully weaves his gripping experiences aboard the USS Trigger with those of other boats fighting the war in the Pacific. Part action-packed combat chronicle, part testament to the courageous sacrifices made by those who never came back, this is a compelling eyewitness account of the war as few have seen it.

My Thoughts:  This book was a mediocre read in terms of understanding what was going on.  The author often used abbreviations and terminology that wasn't explained and made it difficult to understand what he was talking about specifically; at times it made it difficult to know what was happening.  However, this book had several breathtaking moments in it. I enjoyed how the author retold stories from multiple submarines and the submariners in them as well as his own experiences; it gave a greater look at how each submarine operated under different commands in each location during patrols.  Out of everything, I feel like the author really immersed himself in this piece of work and deeply cared about it.  He used descriptive words that made me as the reader feel as if I was in the submarine right alongside of the men serving. 

Favorite Quote:  "While other members of the crew are relieved from their battle stations, there is no rest or relaxation for the plotting parties. But not one of them thinks of being relieved, nor would he accept relief were it offered. The plotting parties are busy with a problem which, by virtue of nearly incessant drill, has become second nature to them. You have a target trying to get away from you. You have his approximate bearing, and you have a good idea of his speed. Also, you have a lot more speed available than he has. Problem: Find him. Problem: Keep him from sighting you. Problem: Dive in front of him so that, despite his zigzags, he will run near enough to the spot you select to give you a shot!"

Rating: 3/5

Film Review: The Little Mermaid

Film: The Little Mermaid

Actors: Voices of: Jodi Benson, Kenneth Mars, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Samuel E. Wright, Jason Marin

Directors: John Musker, Ron Clemets

Source: Family favorite

Form: VHS

Summary: Ariel, the fun-loving and mischievous mermaid, is enchanted with all things human.  Disregarding her father's order to stay away from the world above the sea, she swims to the surface and, in a raging storm, rescues the prince of her dreams. Determined to be human, she strikes a bargain with the devious seawitch, Ursula, and trades her fins and beautiful voice for legs. With her best friend, the adorable and chatty Flounder, and her reluctant chaperone Sebastion, the hilarious, reggae-singing Caribbean crab, at her side, Ariel must with the prince's love and save her father's kingdom - all in a heart-pounding race against time!

My Thoughts:  Ariel used to always be my favorite Disney princess, but years later I think that's just because she was the only ginger out of the lot, and since I was one of the few gingers around I think I bonded with Ariel because of that.  I haven't seen this film in years, and I mean years. I honestly couldn't tell you how the film started if you had asked me before I watched it again.  I enjoyed watching this film again though, the animation was great to watch and the songs were still as catchy as they've always been.  So catchy, that I was singing them as I, who was ill at the time, was signing them as I fell asleep for a nap.  I was surprised at how much I still hated Ursula. I would have thought all these years later I would have let my grudge against her go, but alas, I was still so angry with that seawitch I wanted to cry (once again, I was ill, though I think I would have felt the same way had I watched it when I wasn't ill).  The massive fight scene with Ursula, Ariel and Eric was so incredibly intense I wanted to hide under my covers; I had either forgotten about that part or had always skipped through that portion of the film when I was younger.  In the end, The Little Mermaid is still one of my favorite Disney films.

Extra Stuff:  The VHS that our family owns is the fully restored, special edition.  The special edition of this includes a "never-before-seen" music video of "Part Of Your World".  The music video consisted of Jodi Benson singing while walking barefoot on a beach with clips from the film. I enjoyed it simply because I love the song and hearing Jodi Benson's voice.

Rating: 5/5

Film Review: Apollo 18

Film: Apollo 18
Actors: Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen, Ryan Robbins
Director: Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego
Source: My dad's "need to see" list
Form: DVD

Summary: Decades-old found footage from NASA's abandoned Apollo 18 mission, where two American astronauts were sent on a secret expedition, reveals the reason the U.S. has never returned to the moon.

My Thoughts: I'll be directly up front; I didn't enjoy this film at all. It just didn't hold my attention and I often thought of non-related things while I watched this film.  The acting itself was good, I think that both Warren Christie (Ben Anderson) and Lloyd Owen (Nate Walker) both did a great job at their respective roles.  The most difficult thing for me in watching this film was the way they put the "footage" together.  There was a lot of the film cutting out in certain parts, which I understand in many places were quite intentionally considering it was an effect of plot, but there were other times where it was really unnecessary.  I can't really place my finger exactly on the main focus of why I didn't enjoy this film, but it is definitely not one I would watch again.

Rating: 1/5