I Smell Sheep

Comic Review: Snapshot #4 of 4 by Andy Diggle

2013-06-18T10:35:00.002-07:00

"Snapshot is a clever, cruel, tragic, tremendous comic series that really needs to be read to be appreciated. If hunting down single issues isn't your thing, pray for a graphic novel, because this is a must-read either way." -Gef Fox

Snapshot #4 (of 4)
Story by: Andy Diggle

Art By: Jock
Price: $2.99

Diamond ID: MAR130590

On Sale: May 01, 2013

Series: Snapshot
Image Comics

MINISERIES CONCLUSION!
It all ends here as the awful truth behind a multi-million dollar conspiracy is revealed, with deadly consequences. If young Jake is to survive , what kind of man must he become? And is it worth the price?

After three issues of this riveting series, I had to wonder just what was left for Jake to endure. Short answer: a lot.

Picking up from the point of being beat down and bloodied up at the hands of Keller, the assassin whose phone Jake found, the comic book clerk seemed destined for a bullet in the brain. He and Callie had somehow managed to discover Keller's secret facility in the middle of the woods, a prison of sorts housing many of the people Keller had been hired to kill yet now serve him for financial gain. That's a really big secret that Keller can't afford to let loose.

Too late.

In the first few pages of this fourth and final issue, Keller lets Jake and Callie know that things are going to go very, very bad for the people whose lives he spared as soon as his employers discover the truth. Keller might be the bad guy, but his bosses who have sent a ruthless and efficient team of mercenaries to capture the lot of them are even worse.

The only person on the outside who might be able to help Jake and Callie is Detective Grey, who has been piecing things together bit by bit ever since Jake showed up in his precinct with that phone and a wild story about an assassin and faked deaths. But even with Grey on the hunt for his prime suspect (Jake), it's not clear just how prepared he is for the rabbit hole he's about to fall down.

Andy Diggle and Jock wound up offering an ending that was as unexpected as it was satisfying. Nowhere near where I thought it was heading, but looking back at all four issues, it seems like this is where it was heading the whole time. This fourth issue is a bit rushed compared to the previous three, but the action is so high-octane and the revelations offered so rapidly that it's astonishing a 32-page comic can contain it all.

Snapshot is a clever, cruel, tragic, tremendous comic series that really needs to be read to be appreciated. If hunting down single issues isn't your thing, pray for a graphic novel, because this is a must-read either way.

review of Snapshot #1
review of Snapshot #2
review of Snapshot #3

4 1/2 Sheep

Guest Reviewer: Gef Fox

Wag The Fox: a den for dark fiction

Guest post: 5 Things Necromances Won't Tell You - Kirsten Weiss + giveaway

2013-06-18T00:30:00.000-07:00

"When Riga Hayworth finds a dead body in her bedroom a week before her wedding, it’s par for the course. When the corpse drives off with her fiancée… That’s a problem."

This line from the book blurb is what makes me want to read this paranormal mystery series! Please welcome author Kirsten Weiss. She is going to give you some tips in case you want to become a Necromancer. Be sure to pay attention so you can tell us if you have what it takes to control the dead!

Five Things Necromancers Won’t Tell You

First, let’s clear something up. Necromancy and necrophilia are two different things. Different. Verrry different.

Now. If you’re still interested in accessing the power of death magic, (necromancy) then check out the slide show below.

5 Things Necromancers Won't Tell You from Kirsten Weiss

Even the Supernatural Has Laws

THE INFERNAL DETECTIVE, the fourth book in the Riga Hayworth series, published by misterio press, will be available on Amazon May 21, 2013.

When Riga Hayworth finds a dead body in her bedroom a week before her wedding, it’s par for the course. When the corpse drives off with her fiancée… That’s a problem.

Riga knows dead. More intimately than she’d like. So when a murdered photographer gets up and walks away, she’s believes there’s necromancy afoot. And when she discovers that several of her wedding guests are under the influence of dark magic, she’s certain. But how can she catch a killer and stop a necromancer when even her nearest and dearest are lying to her?

THE INFERNAL DETECTIVE is a fun, fast-paced paranormal mystery based in wintertime Lake Tahoe.

About the Author:
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Kirsten Weiss is the author of the Riga Hayworth series of paranormal mysteries: the urban fantasy,The Metaphysical Detective, The Alchemical Detective, and The Shamanic Detective. Book four in the series, The Infernal Detective, will be available May 21st on Amazon.

Kirsten worked overseas for nearly fourteen years, in the fringes of the former USSR and deep in the Afghan war zone. Her experiences abroad not only gave her glimpses into the darker side of human nature, but also sparked an interest in the effects of mysticism and mythology, and how both are woven into our daily lives.

GIVEAWAY

Kirsten has two giveaways going on

1. Win an advanced copy of The Infernal Detective by playing the online scavenger hunt in the youtube video below!

2. One reader from our site will win an Infernal Detective mini-book charm!

Mini-Book Charm!

Sheep Book Review: Midnight Sacrifice by Melinda Leigh

2013-06-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

Midnight Sacrifice by romance author Melinda Leigh is the follow up to Midnight Espouser, while I didn't read book one, there was never a time I felt lost. This is a tale of secrets and intrigue set to the back drop of an off-the-beating path Inn, all mashed together with a dash of paranormal elements.

Plot:
One by one, people are mysteriously disappearing from a small Maine town.
Four months ago, a ruthless murderer killed two people and kidnapped three more, including Danny Sullivan’s sister, who barely escaped. Unfortunately so did the killer, vanishing without a trace into the vast wilderness. When the police fail to find his sister's captor, Danny returns to Maine to hunt him down.
He begins his search with another survivor, bed and breakfast owner Mandy Brown, but her refusal to cooperate raises Danny’s suspicions. What is the beautiful innkeeper hiding?
Mandy Brown has a secret. But sexy Danny Sullivan, his relentless questions, and the desire that simmers between them threaten to expose the truth. A revelation that puts her family in danger. As more people disappear, it becomes clear the killer is planning another ritual…and that he’s circling in on Mandy.

It's nice to step out of my "vampire comfort zone" once in a while, better yet when I have something off the wall and fantastic, while I enjoyed this story for what it was, I was never blown away with the wow factor. This is a story that's very scene heavy, and when you're running a B&B in the middle of a small vacation town, the focus starts heading toward the daily menu and upkeep of running a business.

While I am the daughter of self made business man, I didn't find any of this enough to keep me flying through the pages at record speeds. This is definitely a book for folks that like a story with detailed scene development and less character focous. If you're into cooking and cleaning, you'll enjoy this. Truly.

While the book is classified as a romance, it's written at a young adult level. The romance, when it finally happens, is lacking of chemistry and that real life spark you need. The dialog between our main pair felt forced and lifeless at times. With a mystery of this nature, you need that Sherlock who done it feel, that was lacking in the areas of our main pair.

On the plus side, there is a large helping of suspense that did spark my fancy. Some Druid elements and a whacko with delusions were nice touches. Some well placed nail bitter twists until the the final pages, the book overall pulls out the redeeming rating below. Though, something was missing here and while I can nit pick at the grammar, the overall plot needed a lot more work. Less going on about the Inn and all the guests, and more focus on our main pair with the building of that fragile relationship.

With a killer on the loose, you need drama and struggle to really bring it home in the end. There are bits and pieces here but not much else. I will however try this author again, I see potential and that's going to bring me back one more time.

Getting 2 and 1/2 "Dude, that's where I left my sticks" Sheep
KD

Cover Reveal: Black Arts (Jane Yellowrock #7) by Faith Hunter

2013-06-17T00:00:00.001-07:00

Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock dark urban fantasy
series continues with the release of

BLACK ARTS, book #7, on January 7, 2014.

Preorder now!

Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost....

When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he’s convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace.

Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. Her desperate search leads her deep into a web of black magic and betrayal and into the dark history between vampires and witches. But the closer she draws to Molly, the closer she draws to a new enemy—one who is stranger and more powerful than any she has ever faced.

About Faith Hunter:
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Faith Hunter, fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. Her Jane Yellowrock urban fantasy series features a Harley-riding, leather-wearing, Cherokee-Skinwalker vampire killing machine. The series begins with SKINWALKER, and continues with BLOOD CROSS, MERCY BLADE, RAVEN CURSED, DEATH’S RIVAL, BLOOD TRADE, and the upcoming BLACK ARTS.

Faith's Rogue Mage novels - BLOODRING, SERAPHS, and HOST - feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic, alternate reality, urban fantasy world, and is the basis for the Rogue Mage roleplaying game. And under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. Altogether, Faith/Gwen has 20+ books in print in 28 countries.

Southern Haunts: Spirits That Walk Among Us by Alex Brown + giveaway

2013-06-16T03:00:00.000-07:00

Author Alex Brown is one of the editors as well as a contributor to the Southern Haunts Anthology. He is here today to tell you about his very real experiences with the supernatural.

http://www.tomorrowcomesmedia.com/

By: Alex Brown

Since I was raised in a home where the paranormal was openly discussed, it was only a matter of time before I befriended paranormal groups. During my years of experiencing hauntings and writing about them, I met Shelly Paris and Angela Lucius at a horror convention in Jackson, MS, nearly four to five years ago.

I recall my first paranormal investigation and remember these two women especially. Before Southern Haunts: Spirits that Walk Among Us came to be, J. L. Mulvihill and I were attempting a paranormal documentary. Shelly and Angela were kind enough to bring their group to Vicksburg, MS, to assist with our project.

Even though the night we spent investigating likely contributed to our imagination for Southern Haunts, we have yet to write a story about that particular occurrence. The home we investigated for that project was located in Vicksburg, MS. This bed and breakfast, although beautiful and majestic during the day, becomes haunting at night as the structure is bathed in the streetlights making it look like a true spook house.

When I wrote the story The Top Floor, which is the last tale in Southern Haunts, I loosely reenacted an actual event from the investigation. Even though I have experienced the paranormal before, this particular night was the first time I actually communicated with a spirit.

During this investigation, I was shown the technique of using a Maglite flashlight set between on and off so that the tiniest of movements could turn the light on or off. When this technique was explained to me, I thought it was a joke.

The first building we investigated on the property was the chapel. There were only four of us in the chapel--J. L. Mulvihill, Sylvia Brown (my mother, not the psychic), the demonstrator, and myself. This was in the middle of August and we had turned off the air to the room in which we resided so it would be quieter. The room turned hot very quickly in the Mississippi heat. As we patiently waited in the darkness hoping for some sign that we weren’t alone, we all simultaneously experienced a gust of cold air.

The demonstrator asked the spirit if it could tap the flashlight on. Suddenly, the flashlight tapped on by itself and shone brightly. I was taken aback by such surprise that I lost my breath. For nearly an hour, we communicated with a restless entity that identified itself as a female child. Upon request, the entity would tap the flashlight on and off in response to our questions. It would even make the light flicker when asked. This was a good technique for communication. We were able to inquire, “Did you die by natural causes? If so, tap on the flashlight. Are other spirits present? If so, tap off the flashlight.”

At the end of our questioning, we listened to the E.V.P.s to see if any ghostly voices were recorded. Although there wasn’t any vocal evidence of a haunting, the flashlight continued responding to our questions on the recorder. The odd thing was that the flashlight reacted to the requests on the recordings the same way that it had when we were speaking to it directly. This experience is what prompted me to write of the flashlight technique in my story that is set in a haunted hospital.

After this event, I grew to know Angela Lucius as not only a ghost hunter but also a historian and poet. When J. L. Mulvihill and I opened submission guidelines for Southern Haunts, I immediately wanted to pull Angela on board and I am happy to say that we published her very first story, Nightmares at Moccasin Bend. This tale, like all sixteen stories in Southern Haunts, is fictional but was inspired by actual events.

Southern Haunts: Spirits that Walk Among Us is full of stories that range from the East Coast to the West Coast in the South. Published in this book are new authors as well as award winning names in fantasy and horror. The stories collected for this first volume are young adult and adult friendly and they are ideal for a stormy night.

Now that you have heard my experiences with the supernatural and you know what to expect with Southern Haunts: Spirits that Walk Among Us, please follow us on Facebook so that you may interact with our authors and join in on discussions. Southern Haunts is an anthology that will see multiple volumes, each one dedicated to a different subject than its predecessor. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Haunts/417536915003428

Genre: Paranormal/Ghost
Softcover Link
Kindle Link
Stories from the shadowed realms of the paranormal comes 16 chilling tales that dwell in the South and Southwest. Resurrected in your very hands are stories that will make you laugh, ponder, and shiver as the reader is introduced to spirits that are humorous, saddened, and vengeful.

From 16 authors, learn of haunted homes, buildings, landmarks and roads where restless entities from beyond the grave desire acknowledgement amongst the living.

Become acquainted with the aftermath of an eclipse that awakens the dead in a Memphis cemetery, see what horrors dwell in the woods at Hell’s Gate, learn the dark secrets of Sidney’s Cotton, and dare to travel down Ghost Road.

These and many other tales are sure to keep you awake as you are introduced to what makes the South and South West so unique…. History and GHOSTS!!!!!

So, sit back, dim the lights and prepare yourself to face the spirits that walk among us.

Featured stories and authors in Southern: Haunts:Windsong Levitch – “Interview for a Ghost Hunter”
H. David Blalock – “An Eclipse Over Elmwood”Richard Parks – “Sydney’s Cotton”
Jason Hughes – “Ghost Road”
Herika R. Raymer – “Cal’s Cutoff”
Diane Ward – “The Shack”
Roland Mannn – “Haints”
L.S. Nadler – “You Will Come to Meet Your Demise”
M.R. Williamson – “Hell’s Gate”
William R. Eakin – “Maddness”
Roman Merry – “Wellspring”
Kalila Smith – “The Bequest”
Miguel L. Viscarra – “The Cleansing”
J.L. Mulvihill – “Bath 10″
Angela Lucius – “Nightmares at Moccasin Bend”
Alexander S. Brown – “The Top Floor”

Editor Bios:

Alexander S. Brown is a Mississippi author who was published in 2008. His first book, Traumatized, is a short story collection that has received rave reviews from horror fans throughout America. Although, Brown began as a horror author, he has recently published two young adult steampunk tales, which can be found in the anthologies, Dreams of Steam 2: Brass and Bolts, as well as, Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells. His poem, “Maters” was later published in the magazine, Midnight Screaming Volume 3, #4. Brown says there are more works on the way as he plans to write a series of novels chronicling the lives of residents in a town that is damned. Eventually, he will pen a fantasy/horror trilogy.

J L Mulvihill is the author of the young adult fantasy novel, The Lost Daughter of Easa, published through Kerlak Publishing. Other stories J L has written and had published includes, Chilled Meat, a steampunk thriller, found in Dreams of Steam II-Of Bolts and Brass, anthology; The Leprechaun’s Story, a steampunk urban fantasy found in the anthology, Clockwork, Spells, & Magical Bells. A Real Dragon and Magic in The Ozarks, found in Memories and Dreams published by The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs, AR; Jen’s Spicy Crawfish Bisque, found in It’s All about Food with a Mississippi Twist, published through the Clinton Ink-Slingers; and The Proud Oak, published through the Gulf Coast Writer’s Association.

J L Mulvihill has written several articles for Examiner.com as the Jackson Literature Examiner. She is also an event’s coordinator for the Mississippi Chapter of Imagicopter known as the Magnolia-Tower, a volunteer organization of authors and artists who promote their own publications while lending a hand to other writers and artists. J L Mulvihill is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), Gulf Coast Writers Association (GCWA), The Mississippi Writers Guild (MWG), as well as the Arts Council of Clinton, the Clinton Ink-Slingers Writing Group, and the Java Jotters.

J L is currently working on her second novel, Elsindai, as well as her young adult steampunk series, Steel Roots, and an anthology project with horror author Alexander S. Brown entitled Southern Haunts. She also continues to write short stories in the fantasy, steampunk, horror, and sci/fi genre, as well as poetry inspired by her life in Mississippi. She has also been known to Karaoke from time to time when she thinks no one is looking.
Webpage: http://www.elsielind.com/

This anthology tour is so massive I can't put it all on this post. Here are the links to the full tour schedule

Full Tour Schedule: All Segments Included

Social Media Links for Seventh Star Press
Facebook
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Tour Wide Giveaway!

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Sunday Swag: Joss Ware/Colleen Gleason

2013-06-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday Swag Team!

Riverina Romantics

The Jeep Diva I Smell Sheep

Froggarita's Bookcase Books, Books & More Books

Now you have 5 chances to get your swagger on!

Featured author: Joss Ware/Colleen Gleason

It is a two for one deal!

About the author: Colleen Gleason
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Born in Detroit, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Colleen Gleason spent most of her adult life in Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, receiving her BA in English, and later went on to obtain her MBA from the University of Michigan in Flint.

After more than fifteen years of sales, marketing, and management experience in the health care industry, Colleen began her own health insurance agency, which she owned and operated for several years. However, her passion has always been writing fiction, and in late 2005, she sold her first two books to New American Library, a division of The Penguin Group.

Colleen currently lives near Ann Arbor and writes full-time.

About the other author: Joss Ware

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Joss Ware is the pen name of Colleen Gleason, the international best-selling author of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. She has an English degree and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

After more than fifteen years in sales and marketing, she owned her own business and worked in a variety of roles for two startup companies. She's traveled to London, Paris, and Tahiti, and currently resides with her family near Ann Arbor, where she writes full-time.

Joss loves to hear from her readers, and encourages them to visit her website for updates and sneak peeks of future Envy books.

Will add some sheep swag too!

Head over to these blogs and win more Swag!

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Book Review: The Mist-Torn Witches by Barb Hendee

2013-06-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Mist-Torn Witches (The Mist-Torn Witches #1)
by Barb Hendee

Publisher: ROC, published by the Penguin Group, New York, N.Y.
ISBN: 978-0-451-41415-1
Released: May 2013

National bestselling author Barb Hendee presents a dark, fascinating new series set in the world of the Noble Dead Saga... the story of two sisters who will discover they have far more power than they ever envisioned...
In a small village in the nation of Droevinka, orphaned sisters Céline and Amelie Fawe scrape out a living selling herbal medicines in their apothecary shop. Céline earns additional money by posing as a seer and pretending to read people’s futures.

But they exist in a land of great noble houses, all vying for power, and when the sisters refuse the orders of a warlord prince, they must flee and are forced to depend on the warlord prince’s brother, Anton, for a temporary haven.

A series of bizarre deaths of pretty young girls are plaguing the village surrounding Prince Anton’s castle. He offers Céline and Amelie permanent protection if they can use their "skills" to find the killer.

With little choice, the sisters enter a world unknown to them — of fine gowns and banquets and advances from powerful men. Their survival depends on catching a murderer who appears to walk through walls and vanish without a trace — and the danger around them seems to grow with each passing night.

One day, a young noblewoman, Rhiannon, comes by to have her fortune read as her father wants her to marry warlord Sub-Prince Damek. She wants to know if she will give him a son as noblemen expect that. Celine doesn’t remember the woman’s name in connection with her first reading at age 16, when a young man had his read. He had not given his name at the time. But what Celine doesn’t know as due to that first reading and this one, hers and the young man’s fortunes are all tied up together. At Rhiannon’s reading, Celine’s abilities her mother has as a seer comes into power and she finds that if the woman marries Damek, he will have her strangled after the birth of his son. Damek sends his tax collector and men to kill them and destroy their place, but they are saved by Jaromir, who heads Damek’s younger brother, Sub-Prince Anton. He was sent by Anton to do a service. It seems there are young, beautiful women being murdered in his kingdom, drained of all life and reduced to dry husks. Celine is asked to use her abilities as seer to read the women of the kingdom’s futures—to see who is next on the murderer’s list.

I enjoyed Barb Hendee when she wrote the Noble Dead Saga series with her husband. But going alone with this fantasy series, with touch of mystery, she really hit a winner out of the park with this (obviously) first book. I couldn't put the book down and finished in a day. If you prefer urban fantasy over fantasy, don’t worry as this fantasy reads like an urban fantasy, just set in medieval times, with a hint of romance, murder, and political intrigue.

Not like most fantasies which are large tomes, this one is a good and fast read. My favorite of the characters? Amelie and Jaromir. Not so much Celine, going hot and cold in how she acted. As for Anton, he needed more fleshing out, and hopefully in the next book it will be. Like to see more of the attraction both he and Celine are beginning to feel.

I give 5 sheep

Guest Reviewer: Author Pamela Kinney

About the author:
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Like most writers, I've worked at many jobs in my life, including teaching pre-school until I completed my master's degree in Composition Theory. Between 1993 and 2006, I taught college English while writing fiction on the side, some independently and some with my husband and life-long partner J.C.

Over the years, we've lived in Washington State, Idaho, Colorado, and now moved just south of Portland, Oregon. I love the Northwest, and it's a great place to write.

We have a lovely and talented daughter, Jaclyn, who lives in Houston, Texas along with our wonderful and talented son-in-law, Paul.

J.C. and I sold Dhampir in 2001, which changed our lives considerably. It was published in January 2003, and we've published a book in the Noble Dead Saga every year since. In May of 2006, we were both able to quit our teaching jobs and move into full time writing.

In 2008, I sold the idea for the Vampire Memories series to our editor, Susan Allison, at Roc Books. I am so glad our books have found an audience because I love to write fiction more than anything else in the world... and I'm not really good at anything else.

Series

Noble Dead Saga 1 (with J C Hendee)

1. Dhampir (2003)
2. Thief of Lives (2004)
3. Sister of the Dead (2005)
4. Traitor to the Blood (2006)
5. Rebel Fay (2007)
6. Child of a Dead God (2008)
Vampire Memories
1. Blood Memories (2008)
2. Hunting Memories (2009)
3. Memories of Envy (2010)
4. In Memories We Fear (2011)
5. Ghost of Memories (2012)

Noble Dead Saga 2 (with J C Hendee)1. In Shade and Shadow (2008)
2. Through Stone and Sea (2009)
3. Of Truth and Beasts (2011)

Noble Dead Saga 3 (with J C Hendee)1. Between Their Worlds (2012)
2. The Dog in the Dark (2012)

Tales from the world of the Noble Dead SagaHomeward, I: The Game Piece (2012)
Homeward, II: The Feral Path (2012)
Homeward, III: The Sapphire (2012)
Homeward, IV: The Keepers (2012)
Homeward, V: The Reluctant Guardian (2012)
Tales of Misbelief, I: The Forgotten Lord (2013)
Homeward: Captives (2013)
Homeward: Claws (2013)

Movie Review: Now You See Me

2013-06-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Now You See Me (2013)
115 min - Crime | Thriller

31 May 2013 (USA)Director: Louis LeterrierWriters: Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson

http://nowyouseememovie.com/

Now You See Me pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against "The Four Horsemen", a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists. "The Four Horsemen" pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law. (c) Summit/Lionsgate

Add another to the list of entertaining films of 2013! Saw this one with my husband and 12 year old daughter and we all loved it. It has a lot of action and the plot is fun, fresh and quite devious. You'll be second guessing every character and their motives throughout the movie. I can’t even begin to talk plot because that would ruin the magic of the film (see what I did there? <G>).

If you are looking for pure entertainment with mystery, suspense and WTF? Then this movie is for you. If you don’t like magic or aren't willing to suspend belief for a couple of hours then go sit in the corner with the other killjoys and let the rest of us have fun.

And because I didn’t do a top 10 (I know, keep the crying to a minimum please) I decided review the trailers.

1. Anchorman 2 – really?! Why?
2. World War Z – Brad Pitt, zombies… really nothing else needs to be said.
3. Rush – don’t care about the true story race car dude, but Thor is in it… enough said.
4. Prisoners – Holy crap it looks intense! Hugh Jackman… enough said.
5. City of Bones – hadn't read it, didn't care… Jonathan Rhys Meyers? Just got real interested.
6. Catching Fire – think it will be better than the first. My daughter was drooling.
7. Red 2 – OMG, YES! old people can still kick ass and be funny

4 “smartest in the room” Sheep

Sharon Stogner (edit by Kalpar)

Author Guest Post: Jessica Miller + Giveaway

2013-06-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Question: If supernautral creatures really did exist would you want to be one? Yes/No and why?

I totally would! After reading ‘The Shadow Falls’ series, I would love to be a Chameleon like Kylie. Being a little bit of everything would be awesome you get the best advantage. You could hear better, tell when people are lying, run super-fast, and kick some major butt. Who wouldn't want to be able to do that? I would also totally love the whole invisibility thing. Not gonna lie, would use that power to scare the crap out people and mess with them. Oh the possibilities.

What do you do when you learn your family is the one who's holding all the secrets. Secrets that could get you killed...

Ella is looking forward to starting college in the fall with her best friend Josie. She’s looking for a place where she can get away from her overbearing parents and two older annoying brothers. Unfortunately Ella realizes that sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.
Ella soon learns that the man who terrorizes her dreams is in fact real and coming after her.
When one of her classmates is murdered, Ella slowly recognizes this is not some strange coincidence. Ella fears that the boy she’s falling in love with is the one who stalks her dreams and no longer knows who she can trust.
When she finally learns the truth of her families deepest secret, Ella has to face her demons by taking out one of the people she thought she could trust…before they kill her.

Author Bio

At times I can be crazy. I tend live in my own little bubble. I have an overactive imagination which helps me constantly create new stories. I love music, book, and movies. I hate that pit bulls have a bad name because they are some of the most loveable dogs I know – three in the family and the only fear is having them lick you to death. I love the beach and could spend endless hours there as long as I had a good book. Even in the digital age I’m still old school when it comes to my electronics. My philosophy is if it works why bother? No need to waste money. My brother makes fun of me because while the rest of the world has IPods I still burn CDs to play in my car. I just like to keep things simple. I talk – a lot – and tend to ramble on and on. I make up my own words and tend to get so lost in my own thoughts I say random things making my friends sometimes question my sanity. I love what I do and will continue to write until I run out of stories, which will hopefully be never.

Links

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorJLMiller

Twitter: Jessica Miller @JLMreadingrocks

Blog: www.jesslmiller.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5989926.Jessica_Miller

***GIVEAWAY***

Jessica is giving away this beautiful necklace to one person who leaves a thoughtful comment on her post. Please include your email address so we can reach you!

Contest is for US ONLY.

Ends: June 20th at midnight

Movie Review: The Guillotines

2013-06-13T21:08:00.000-07:00

Starring: Xioming Huang, Ethan Juan, Shawn Yue, Yuchun Li, Boran Jing
Director: Andrew Lau
Limited Release: June 14, 2013
Cities: New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Phoenix, Seattle, Pasadena, San Francisco
Theatrical Distribution: Well Go USA
Runtime: 113 MIN

Mandarin with English Subtitles Rated R for
Strong Violent Content
Official website: www.TheGuillotinesMovie.com

Infernal Affairs co-director Andrew Lau takes the helm for this remake of the Shaw Brothers classic Master of the Flying Guillotine set during the fall of the Qing Dynasty, when a group of clandestine assassins are repurposed for a malevolent new cause. When Emperor Yong Zheng rules the land, he maintained his strength through the power of the Guillotines, an elite team of assassins tasked with eliminating all opposition. Though the Guillotines are deemed disposable when Emperor Qian Long comes into power, the new ruler attempts to consolidate his might by unleashing the gang of killers on the defeated Han Chinese, leading to a violent power struggle between the oppressed masses, and the malevolent monarch. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Oh, I had high hopes for this one. I mean look at that movie poster! Check out the trailer. Instead what I got was a lot of crying, slow motion, a Chinese Jesus, crying, flash backs, a random screaming goat (that was pretty cool), none to subtle symbolism, and did I mention crying?

The first 5 minutes of the film rocked. The elite group of assassins are throwing their awesome guillotine swords, cutting off heads with Matrix like moves and being bad asses. Then they did a lot of crying as they were hunted down by the government they dedicated their lives too. I mean that sucks, but man up! You are elite bad ass assassins. Stop crying! Okay, I'l stop with the crying thing.

It was hard to figure out who everyone was and how they were connected. The subtitles were sub-par. They were in a white text and hard to see most of the time. The Chinese Jesus I mentioned was called The Wolf and he led the suppressed who were called the Herders (like I said, subtle). He knew he had to die to save his followers and he accepted this fate and he... yeah, he cried.

This is a limited release and will definitely stay that way. If you got a dollar to spend and some friends to sit down with you might be able to have some fun with this one when it comes out on DVD.

1 1/2 "heads be flying, wolves be howling" Sheep

Sharon Stogner

check out the trailer. It is very good. You will see Chinese Jesus and NO crying.