November 7, 2014

Book Review: Modern Sci-Fi Films FAQ

Katie November 7, 2014 0Comment

Another FAQ book that really has no questions.  All that’s left to know about time travel, alien, robot, and out-of-this-world movies since 1970.  The book breaks down Sci-Fi into several sub categories and then basically tells you everything you could ever want to know about them, and more.  It starts with the literary roots of sci-fi and focuses on the authors and their books that became movies.  Also featured in the book are chapters on technology and the future, alternate worlds, time travel (my fave), space, aliens, experiments and my other favorite, robots.

It focuses only on the science fiction movies from the last 40 years – which is a lot. Way more than you’re probably thinking that there are – or at least way more than I was thinking that there are…  If you love Sci-Fi and want to know more about the movies of this genre, then this is the book for you.  It is about 400 pages with a lot of other great resources in the indexes at the end. Anything and everything you’d ever need to know! Everything is broken down too which is great if you’re looking for something specific – just find it in the index and you’ll be good to go!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Many science fiction movies from the last 40 years have blazed new vistas for viewers. They’ve reached further into the future, traveled longer into the past, soared deeper into the vastness of the cosmos, and probed more intently inside man’s consciousness than any other period of film before. And audiences ate them up, taking four of the top ten spots in all-time ticket sales in America while earning more than $2 billion at the box office.

Modern Sci-Fi Films FAQ takes a look at the genre’s movies from the last 40 years, where the dreams of yesterday and today may become tomorrow’s realities. This FAQ travels to a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… visits a theme park where DNA-created dinosaurs roam… watches as aliens come to Earth, hunting humans for sport… and much, much more. Filled with biographies, synopses, production stories, and images and illustrations – many seldom seen in print – the book focuses on films that give audiences two hours where they can forget about their troubles, sit back, crunch some popcorn, and visit worlds never before seen… worlds of robots, time travel, aliens, space exploration, and other far-out ideas.

Book Review: Pumpkin Cinema

Katie November 7, 2014 0Comment

I’m really not sure why I decided to check out this book. I am a HUGE scaredy cat, Halloween is probably my least favorite time of year (aside from all the awesome candy, of course) and scary movies give me nightmares for days. (And in rare cases – severe arachnophobia that I’ve yet to be able to kick…)  So reading a book about “The Best Movies for Halloween” was probably not my greatest idea ever, but at least there were only a few photographs of the movies and their posters throughout the book and I was able to flip to the next page rather quickly if I thought it might freak me out! 😉

Each movie has its own listing which includes the  Title, Director, Cast, Length, Rating and then a Synopsis.  I was happy to see that movies that seemed rather harmless like Abbott and Costello and Daffy Duck were also included.  Perhaps there are some movies out there that I can watch and not be up all night for 14 days after! I was also surprised that I had seen around 10 of the movies that were listed! (I mean – Casper? I don’t even consider that a Halloween movie – it’s hardly scary and while they are ghosts they are the cutest ghosts I’ve ever seen…)

In addition to movies there is also fun-sized mini series included, TV episodes and then some Top 5 lists.

If you love yourself some Halloween and scaring the bejesus out of yourself every year – then this is the book for you. Or, since I am posting this in November and you want to spend time making Halloween never end – pick up the book now and see how many of the movies you can watch before Halloween time rolls around again!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

People celebrate the magical holiday of Halloween in a wide variety of ways, but most will, at some point, turn off the lights and allow a movie to take the excitement to the next level. Pumpkin Cinema recommends over 100 titles that are guaranteed to make your Halloween fun and frightening! Halloween only comes once a year, so you can’t afford to waste precious thrill time on a lousy movie! However, a great horror movie doesn’t necessarily translate into a great Halloween flick, and Pumpkin Cinema uses a simple set of guidelines to help you avoid the “boo!” blues: the films included here are fast paced, have essences of autumn (if they aren’t set on Halloween itself!), and have a trim run time (under two hours). Avoiding the mean-spirited and cruel movies more typical of horror offerings, Pumpkin Cinema also includes Halloween treats from multiple genres, in addition to horror: comedy, animation, science fiction, silent era, and foreign films, all ranging in popularity from blockbusters to the obscure. The films included are, above all, fun to watch and share with others! In addition to descriptive film reviews, you’ll also find plenty of quirky trivia, various top 5 lists, and a special chapter devoted to the greatest Halloween television episodes of all time.

Book Review: A Timeline History of the Thirteen Colonies

Katie November 7, 2014 0Comment

This book is pretty neat because in addition to your typical book with paragraphs, it also tells the story through a timeline which is a bit easier to read and more to the point than reading tons and tons of books.  This book is just over 50 pages so it gives you a LOT of information in not a lot of space. I always like the history books geared more towards kids because that has always been my worst subject and while I’d like to learn more it’s just something that I can not retain the information in your typical text books.  These kids books make things a bit more fun and interesting and help me retain more information.  If only college text books were written for younger kids – I’d have done much better in my history classes! 😉

The book tells about the original Thirteen Colonies and the timeline for which they were settled.  Most of them are around here (Connecticut is one of them, if you weren’t sure) so it is always interesting to see names that are relatively local.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

In the spring of 1607, an English ship landed at modern-day Virginia. The ship’s passengers quickly built shelters and a fort. Their settlement, Jamestown, was the first permanent English colony in North America. 

This event marked the beginning of an important period in US history. Over the next 150 years, thousands of Europeans—men, women, and children—journeyed to North America. They came seeking wealth, religious freedom, or a fresh start in life. The thirteen colonies they created became the foundation for a new nation.

Explore the history of each of the thirteen colonies. Track the important events and turning points in the creation of the United States.

Book Review: Prince Harry

Katie November 7, 2014 0Comment

Prince Harry: Brother, Soldier Son is a biography about Prince Harry (my fave of the Princes, by far) by royal family biographer Penny Junior.  It’s kind of sad that it is pointed out in the beginning of the book that Harry will never be king – as the line is his father, William and eventually, Prince George.  I mean, I think we all know that anyway, but seeing it written down was a bit of a bummer.  The book goes on to talk about how wild and unpredictable Harry is now at 30 years old and how it might be better that he won’t be King!  It also talks about how when he was younger he was not nearly as outgoing as he is now.

Also, for a book about Harry, there was an awful lot of talk about Diana.  I actually ended up skimming through most of it.  While I know she is obviously important to Harry’s story, if I wanted to know more about her life I’d read a biography about her.  I’m here for Harry! It also talked a bit about how his family has as good relationship with the media and not a lot of stories get out and not a lot of his girlfriends “kiss and tell” which could be because he treats them well. (I’d looove to find out! haha)  I also liked how the book had quotes from people who know Harry best to tell the story of his life, military career, etc.

Overall a pretty good book though I could have done without the Diana talk and perhaps cutting that out would have made it a bit shorter as I think it came in at over 400 pages!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

The authoritative biography of Prince Harry by noted royal family biographer Penny Junor, author of Prince William: The Man Who Will Be King and The Firm: The Troubled Life of the House of Windsor. 

Prince Harry, one of the most popular members of the British royal family, has had a colorful life. After losing his mother at 12 years old, he spent his teenage years making questionable choices under intense international media scrutiny, becoming known for his mischevious grin, shock of red hair, and the occassional not-so-royal indiscretion. As he’s grown, he has distinguished himself through military service, flying helicopters for the RAF. He served in Afghanistan and continues to devote himself to his military career. He also follows in his mother’s footsteps with charity work–he is the founder of Sentebale, a charity to help orphans in Lesotho, and works with many other charitable organziations to help young people in society and to conserve natural resources. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, Prince Harry is proving himself a prince of the people. 

With unprecedented access to the most important figures in his life, Penny Junor is able get the truth about who this mercurial and fascinating royal son really is. A modern biography of a modern prince, this book offers an insider’s look at the life of the man who is fourth in line to Britain’s throne.