Monday, February 16, 2015

Netflix Movie Review : Stonehearst Asylum

Stonehearst Asylum

4 Stars

A recent medical school grad who takes a position at a mental institution soon finds himself taken with one of his colleagues -- though he has no initial idea of a recent, horrifying staffing change.

My take:
This movie was based on a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe called The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather. Originally names Eliza Graves the story follows a young Doctor who comes to finish his practical work at a famous countryside Asylum. Once there he is instantly attracted to the beautiful Mrs Graves. True to any Poe story it was filled with twists and turns. Some expected and some very surprising. This was a fun and fast paced movie with exceptional actors. Its worth the red box fee but now since its on Netflix you can probably watch it for free.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Gooseberry Island ~ Steven Manchester

Gooseberry IslandGooseberry Island by Steven Manchester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been lucky enough to review a few of Steven Manchester's books over the past few years. One thing I can say is that he never disappoints.

Summary:
They met at the worst possible moment...or maybe it was just in time. David McClain was about to go to war and Lindsey Wood was there at his going-away party, capturing his heart when falling for a woman was the last thing on his mind. While David was serving his country, he stayed in close contact with Lindsey. But war changes a person, and when he came home very little had the same meaning that it had before – including the romance that had sustained him. Was love truly unconquerable, or would it prove to be just another battlefield casualty?


My Take:
His characters are always extremely relatable and very, very real. As usual he brings us on an emotional journey that makes the reader search for a piece of themselves in the characters and maybe some part of the two "lovers" struggles. How many times has a chance meeting changed the course of your life, or ended up changing just enough to make a difference? Will David and Lindsey overcome distance and the brutal changes war can have on one psyche ? Or will their friendship that helped keep them going be just that and end as quickly as it began?
Settle yourself in to read this one straight through. You will be glad you did!




Sunday, February 8, 2015

City of Heavenly Fire ~ Cassandra Clare

City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, #6)City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So as you may no I was a little hesitant to start this book. Let me start off by saying how much I loved the first trilogy. As a reader I was just a little upset that the happy ending we got in book three was completely thrown out the window in book four.

Summary :
Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.


My Take:
Putting this aside I have finally made it through the rest of the series and was pleasantly surprised.
This novel finds Clary and Jace back in the thick of things. Their relationship is at a standstill due to the Heavenly Fire. As Jace struggles with controlling the fire Clary is forced to face the fact that she is Valentines daughter. Growing up is all about deciding who you are going to be, no matter where you came from. Clary's character has a lot of growth in that respect this time around.

Sebastian is up to no good, as usual. Only this time he has some pretty important company. Controlling the world seems to be his number one goal, even if he needs to burn it to the ground. He constantly flaunts his intelligence by being one step in front of the Shadow hunters at all times.

 The story line is filled fighting and the typical teenage drama. Overall it was a solid ending, which I hope is an ending, to a story line I did enjoy. You could probably wait till it comes out in paperback, since if you haven't read it yet it can't be all that pressing. Either way add it to your TBR list. The Mortal Instruments is a series worth reading.