Bad Wolf by Tim McGregor

Book Description
Detective Lara Mendes’s hard work finally pays off when she gets the chance to join the homicide detail. There’s only one catch; she has to partner up with a cop no one wants to work with.

John Gallagher is a veteran homicide detective who loves stomping bad guys and hates partners. When the Lieutenant saddles him with this green kid named Mendes, his first reaction is to ditch her but a call comes in about a body on the river bank and the rotation says they’re up.

What they find are human remains, mutilated and partially devoured. Their investigation reveals a killer stalking the city with a pack of vicious, feral dogs.
And the suspect believes he is a werewolf.

But this is Portland, where crazy bastards outnumber normal ones ten to one. Except there’s another catch. The crazy werewolf guy? He isn’t crazy...

My thoughts
Screenwriter turned novelist, Tim McGregor has written an intense story that is both a criminal suspense story and a horror story. You take your pick. Newby homicide detective is partnered with John Gallagher and their first case together is that of the boy of a young woman that was variously turned apart by feral dogs. To make matters worse, these dogs are led by one crazy guy dude who thinks he is a werewolf or is it?

Descriptive and detailed, the story begins slow but picks up towards the middle. I found the mixture of police procedures and horror elements interesting. More action and fewer narratives would have greatly increased my overall enjoyment of the book.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through bookrooster.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Shake N Bake Pork Pouch

Product Description
Kraft Foods seasoned coating for pork. Easy 10 minutes to prepare.

My thoughts
I remember those days growing up, when Mom wanted to make a quick supper with no fuss or mess. Out came the Shake N Bake. The Original Shake N Bake for pork makes it easy and quick to prepare and cook. The pork came out tasty, the flavoring just right.

But it didn’t come out as crispy as I remember (maybe I did something wrong), although the pork chops were juicy. I also remember that they supplied the bag, but not with this packaging (which was okay).

Overall, a wonderful addition to the food cabinet when you don’t want to prepare a long and drawn out meal. Went well with rice and corn.

Disclosure: I received a sample for review from the Amazon Vine program. I receive no compensation except a full stomach for my thoughts.

Deception Creek by Terry Persun

Book Description
Secrets from the past overtake a man who never knew his father. Will old wrongs destroy him or will he rebuild his life? Billy Maynard, raised by his mother and grandparents, comes home from college for the summer and meets Jack, an ex-con. When Billy's mother forbids him to speak with Jack, Billy wants to know why. The answers he unravels lead from deception to deception leading back to a terrible incident at the creek bend one spring night long ago. The truth about what happened, once uncovered, still has toxic effect on everything that Billy cares about. He will lose everything unless he can find the strength to transform a malignant past into a future of reconciliation and hope.

My thoughts
Billy Maynard comes home from college during break and learns that his life is a lie and that his family is full of secrets. He never knew his father and wonders why? What is the deal with his grandparents and why do they despise his mother? It’s a lot to take in all at once for this young man who didn’t want to come home in the first place.

The premise is good, but the characters aren’t developed enough to really care about them. And then the book ends abruptly (I thought so anyway). It didn’t take me on the journey I felt it should.

Disclosure: I received this book for review though bookrooster.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Bop It XT

A guest post review from my daughter, Jenn!

Product Description
Action-packed electronic game challenges you to keep up with the moves the Bop It voice calls out! Includes Bop It! XT game unit and instructions. Includes 3 'AAA' batteries. For 1 or more players.

It's time to get moving. Can you keep up? When you turn it on, this totally cool Bop It game calls out commands. It's up to you to 'pull it', 'bop it', 'twist it' or 'flick it', 'spin it', 'shake it'! Can you keep up as the tempo revs? Play Bop It! XT in party mode or solo you can even plug in your headphones to keep the game all to yourself. Get it right and you can keep going, but if you get the moves wrong, your turn is up. Think you've got what it takes to beat it? Then, start the action!

Jenn’s Thoughts
The Bop-It XT is an interesting twist on the original Bop-it Game. I played the original game and liked the simplicity, believing that was difficult. I also enjoyed the sound effects for your score. Bop-It XT is way more evolved than that and all of the other extreme versions. It is definitely more lightweight than the other Bop-It XT. I think this is a great feature for children and adults because it is easier to hold and great for travel. I like the new addition to XT, which is the Shake It option. Not only is there a pull-it, bop-it, twist-it, flick-it, and spin-it, but there is also a shake-it. You do not have to touch this one, but rather shake the whole game, which makes it more fun. You also do not have to use the shake-it option. If you do not press on it, it will not come out and the announcer on the game will not call it out as an action to perform. I think the choice makes the more appealing to customers because they have a choice; I know I was more intrigued.

The game speaks a lot more than it used to and there are many options. There is the solo option, pass-it option, party option, and one-on-one option. More ways to play keeps the game interesting over and over. It also speaks loud and clear and you can change the volume. This is a great edition; for example, if a child brings the game on a long road trip. The game turns off quickly when not in use to not waste batteries and actually states that it is turning off. It also tells you to play when you pull the pull-it to start it. It is efficient for all ages. It also states your score after you lose and makes comments based on how well you did. All comments are family-appropriate and mildly humorous.

If I had any complaints, I would say that it looks cheaply made compared to past games. It does seem to hold up and work well though. I also think for the Bop-It game, it starts off too fast to begin. I have not gotten very far yet to see how fast it goes, but I do believe it should start off a little slower. This way, small children can get to play for a little while before losing as well. I also believe it is very similar to the past games, with mild adjustments. I think modern updates are necessary every once and a while, but I think Bop-It XT should suffice for a while. Overall, it is an entertaining game with effective announcing and parts. I would recommend this game to people who enjoyed the original Bop-It game and new-comers who want a challenge for fun!

Disclosure: I received this product for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Bubble Room Restaurant, Captiva Island, Florida

The Bubble Room Restaurant on Captiva Island, Florida is an experience to say the least. This pink three story house is more than a restaurant. It is a museum of discarded toys and Christmas decorations.

We were seated at a table that housed statues for old time actors and comedians and the glass enclosed table had small toys and those little plastic trinkets you once got in a box of Cracker Jacks. Our Bubble Scout (waiter) was Jayson who was a student and only worked there three weeks, but he was very personable and to me that always helps. (As we walked around to check out the other floors, we did notice some of the other Bubble Scouts and they seemed bored and disinterested).

We were served bubble bread (a cheesy toasted loaf) and sticky buns. We ordered out drinks. Others have complained about the cost of drinks but we were on vacation so it didn’t matter. I ordered as a starter – The Little Rascals - Four large sautéed gulf shrimp, in garlic butter sauce. Served with homemade French bread! They were delicious. For dinner I order the Duck Ellington (catch the fancy names) - Golden Roasted Duck with a tasty tropical orange and banana sauce served with wild rice and selected vegetables. I thought the duck was a little dry (the skin was crispy) but it tasted okay with the banana sauce. I can’t recall what my wife ordered but there was plenty of food that we had to request take home containers.

And yes, their desserts are huge, about an eight of a regular size cake. We order one for the two of us, their national famous orange crunch cake. It was moist, a delightful orange frosting, and yes, we had to ask for a take home container for that also.

Overall, I gave 5 stars to our waiter, 4 star to the atmosphere and 3 stars to the food and for what it cost, we had the experience but I wouldn’t travel so far as to try it again.

Hot, Shot, and Bothered by Nora McFarland

Book Description
TV news photographer Lilly Hawkins is on the biggest assignment of her career. A deadly wildfire is racing through the California mountains toward the town of Elizabeth Lake. After barely slipping in ahead of road closures, Lilly has her hands full photographing the massive evacuation and approaching inferno. She has no time to cover the accidental drowning of a reckless party girl in the lake . . . until she learns the victim’s name.

When Lilly knew her thirteen years ago, Jessica Egan was a principled environmental activist and not a bit reckless or wild. Could she have changed that much, or is a killer exploiting the chaos surrounding the fire to disguise a murder?

Soon Lilly’s juggling the story she should be covering with the story she can’t let go. What could have been the motive for Jessica’s death? Was it sexual jealousy, long-held grudges, or just plain old-fashioned greed that got Jessica killed? Meanwhile, Lily has to contend with her station’s low-budget technology, the antics of her dodgy uncle Bud, and the alarming job offers her boyfriend is fielding from big-city competitors. Lilly is racing against the clock to get answers. If only the murderer—or the fire—doesn’t get her first . . .

My thoughts
Lilly Hawkins, a videographer for a local television studio to record a wildfire that is raging on the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains. While there, she learns that a body of a woman pulled from a lake is a former friend of hers. Intrigued by the death and doing her on investigating, she begins to believe that her friend Jessica’s death was no accident. Now she has to deal with being trapped by the fire or by the possible murderer.

Hot, Shot and Bothered is witty, energetic and good fun. Lilly is a character that this reader enjoyed getting to know. She is a determined woman who is a little sarcastic. I found the action fast paced and the story flows right to the climax. McFarland has written an entertaining thriller; not to heavy but quite enjoyable. Add this one to your summer reading list.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Child's Play by Deborah Wallis

Book Description
Eight-year-old Garrett Morrow disappears from a class field trip in New Bern, North Carolina. Within days, his body is found and seven-year-old Tyler Sullivan vanishes from Beaufort, South Carolina. Journalist Abby Weaver is at first puzzled by the striking resemblance between the two boys. But when she realizes that both boys could be carbon copies of her son, Chris, Abby's world is rocked to its core. Is this merely coincidence or could Chris be next? In a race against time, Abby's frantic search for the missing child leads her to piece together clues that point to a monster in their midst. The evil she uncovers threatens to destroy her family and even the community she loves. Every parent's nightmare comes to life in this terrifyingly-real follow-up to Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines.

My thoughts
Child’s Play deals with the selling and exploitation and selling of young boys to pedophiles. With that said, journalist Abby Weaver’s son resembles two boys that disappeared and she fears that he is next. She gets involved with the case so much that it affects her relationships and herself.

This was a suspenseful novel to a degree and the characters were interesting enough, but it didn’t hold up throughout and sometimes I caught myself losing interest. Yes, there is some editorial and grammatical errors as with those who self-publish, but I didn’t think it took away from the story.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through bookrooster.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Mad Hatter Restaurant, Sanibel Island, Florida

If you want to try a sophisticated restaurant on Sanibel Island in Florida, I would recommend the Mad Hatter Restaurant. It is a small building with limited seating (reservations are recommended) and overlooks the water. As with the name, it has an Alice in Wonderland theme when you get in, but it is nothing special. But what is special is that it overlooks the water and one side is all windows so everyone has a good view of the sun setting. Now that’s a sight to see.

There is a limited menu but very exquisite. As an appetizer I had the spiced watermelon salad (it had a kick). I had the veal chop special which was big and juicy. My wife tried the grilled filet mignon (also very good). Although a little pricey, the meals are certainly worth it. Desserts were scrumptious.

The drinks are limited to wine and beer and they had a large wine list (but I wondered where they hid their wine cellar).

Whether a romantic dinner for two and or a night out with good friends, I highly recommend this place.

Tout Sweet by Karen Wheeler

Book Description
In her mid-thirties, fashion editor Karen has it all: a handsome boyfriend, a fab flat in west London, and an array of gorgeous shoes. But when her boyfriend, Eric, leaves she makes an unexpected decision: to hang up her Manolos and wave good-bye to her glamorous city lifestyle to go it alone in a run-down house in rural Poitou-Charentes, central western France.

Tout Sweet is the perfect read for anyone who dreams of chucking away their BlackBerry in favor of real BlackBerrying and downshifting to a romantic, alluring locale where new friendships–and new loves–are just some of the treasures to be found amongst life's simple pleasures.

My thoughts
Karen Wheeler leaves her harried life in England to move to the quietness of the French countryside; mostly to escape the memories of a relationship that ended. She writes about her move, the restoration of her new home and the friends she meets in this memoir.

Doesn’t most everyone wish they could get away from the rat race and move to a simpler place? I know I would. She keeps the book light-hearted and it is funny at times. This one definitely falls into the genre of chick lit and reminded me slightly of Under the Tuscan Sun.

An easy and enjoyable read.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Puroast Low Acid Coffee Low Acid Coffee French Roast

Product Description
Puroast Low Acid Coffee introduces our great taste, low acid coffee in a single pot, 3 oz. size which is great for the office, home, or travel. Puroast Low Acid Coffee offers consumers who a great tasting, smooth coffee that is proven to give symptom relief to consumers who suffer from heartburn, reflux, and other related conditions.

 My thoughts
I have tried many coffees, but never a low acid one. Wasn’t sure what to expect. The aroma of the coffee after brewing was fine, but I felt that it tasted strong like a certain brand from Seattle. And I don’t like their coffee. For a dark French roast it tasted burnt to me. On the other hand, my wife enjoyed it (and she is big fan of DD coffee). I guess it goes to what each individual’s taste is but to me this wasn’t my cup of tea (pun intended).

Disclosure: I received this product for review through the Amazon.com Vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Hotwire by Alex Kava

Book Description
On a crisp fall evening in western Nebraska, what started as a group of kids filming their drug-fueled party ends in an explosive light show, leaving the victims apparently electrocuted, with odd scorch marks being the only evidence. While Maggie tries to make sense of the dif¬ferent stories, sifting through what is real and what is hallu-cination, she realizes that the surviving teens are being targeted and systematically eliminated.

Meanwhile on the East Coast, Maggie’s FBI partner, R.J. Tully, and Army colonel Benjamin Platt are at the scene of a deadly outbreak, desperate to identify the pathogen that has infected children at a Virginia elementary school. Despite the miles that separate them, the two cases collide as Maggie, Tully, and Platt uncover secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the remote Midwest landscape.

My thoughts
Somewhere on government property in Nebraska a group of kids are nearly electrocuted during a drug party and not far away cattle are being mutilated. This is what FBI agent Maggie O’Dell has to deal with. Meanwhile on the east coast, a group of kids get sick from eating cafeteria food and Maggie’s friend Dr. Benjamin Platt is investigating that. Are these two cases connected or are we reading two stories?

This is the first Maggie O’Dell story I read and although intrigued by the possibility of government conspiracies, I didn’t care for the jumping back from one subplot to the next. It was satisfactory.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher through Librarything.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

The Nightmare Thief by Meg Gardiner Book Giveaway

For all of you that read the physical copy of a book and not listen to them (I do both) I have another giveaway to offer you. This one is THE NIGHTMARE THIEF by Meg Gardner. Thanks to Lisa at the Penguin Group, I have one copy to give away to one of my lucky readers.

Here are the rules:
Open to US and Canadian residents only.
Leave a comment describing how you would feel if all the physical book stores and libraries closed.
Leave an email address to contact you if you win
Contest ends Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Newman's Own Organics Pomegranate Licorice Twists

Product Description
Newman’s Own Organics has created the first 70% “Made with Organic” licorice twist. All Natural - No Artificial Flavors or Colors. Available in the 2 most popular flavors, plus 2 new unique fruit varieties. These new fruit flavors will appeal to both kids and adults. Pomegranate – popular flavor of core natural food shoppers. Newman's Own is a food company that was founded by Paul Newman in 1982. The company makes all-natural salad dressing, pasta sauce, salsa, lemonade and steak sauce. Newman's Own Organics was founded in 1993 by Paul Newman's daughter, Nell Newman, as a division of Newman's Own. It became a separate company in late 2001. Their motto is "Great Tasting Food That Happens to Be Organic." Their products include organic pretzels, cookies, popcorn, chocolate bars, peppermint cups, peanut butter cups, olive oil and vinegar, dried fruit, fair trade coffee and pet food. Paul Newman has given over $200 Million to thousands of charities worldwide since 1982.

My thoughts
I really enjoyed the pomegranate flavored licorice. It had a pronounced and interesting taste. The quantity in the package made easy to share and being organic makes it healthy then the usual candy. The only problem I would have is the price, but I would certainly try the other flavors.

Disclosure: I received this product for review through the Amazon.com Vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

This book will be released on September 13, 2011

Book Description
A terrible truth has been revealed to one man: the entire human race has been drained of every emotion except one-- fear. To bring life back to the world, Rom must embark on a journey that will end either in his own demise or a reawakening of humanity. But to bring love and passion back into existence will also threaten the powers of the world with the revolution and anarchy that had nearly destroyed them previously.

After happening upon a journal through strange circumstance, Rom's world is shattered. He learns that humanity long ago ceased to "live," that it exists today in a living death of emotions. In a terrible risk, Rom exposes himself to the vial of blood folded into the old leather of the journal. His change is fearful and fraught with mind-bending emotion. A once-pious observer of the Order's passionless statues, he is filled with uncontrollable impulses. He is filled with love.

He is undone, terrified, and alone in the desolate world.

My thoughts
Set in the future, the world as we know it is gone. Geneticists have learned how to remove emotion from humans (except for fear) so that we can all live in peace. And it has been this way for 480 years. But a young man named Rom is given a box which holds the secret to bring humanity back from the ‘dead’ world they live in.

I enjoy reading Ted Dekker’s books and when I saw his name on it, I grabbed at the opportunity to read this one. I should have read more to learn what the book was about and not go by the author’s name. This was not my type of novel.

The writing is crisp and the characters engage you and I am sure there will be a lot of followers waiting for the second installment in this series. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. My fault.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher through netgalley.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Just Me Ranting

The stock market is dropping, the economy is collapsing and people are petitioning to have Bert and Ernie get married on Sesame Street. What are we; a country full of imbeciles?

Iron House by John Hart Audio Book GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Esther at Macmillan Audio, I have a copy of John Hart’s IRON HOUSE on CD. If you recall, I gave this book 5 stars when I read the hardcover back in March. You can check out my review here.


As for the giveaway, it is open to US and Canadian residents only.
Leave a comment telling me what’s the one last thing you want to do before the summer ends. Also leave your email address (that’s important) and you entered.

Contest ends Saturday, August 20, 2011

Pinch Me by Adena Hapern

Book Description
LILY MARRIED THE MAN OF HER DREAMS.THEN SHE WOKE UP. “Never marry a man unless he’s short, bald, fat, stupid, and treats you badly.” That is the advice that twenty-nine-year-old Lily Burns has heard her entire life from her grandmother Dolly and her mother, Selma. Despite this, when she meets Gogo, the handsome, successful pediatrician who treats her like a queen, she has no choice but to let her heart take over. When she agrees to marry him, Dolly and Selma are inconsolable. They decide it’s time to tell her the truth: their family is cursed. If she marries for love, there will be unimaginable consequences. Nevertheless, Lily and Gogo elope. Unable to believe her good fortune, Lily asks Gogo to pinch her—to make sure all this isn’t just a dream. The moment he does, Lily finds herself transported back to the house she lived in when she was single. Gogo is gone. When Lily tracks him down, she finds that he’s married to someone else and has no memory of her. In this modern fairy tale, Lily must find a way to break the curse and turn her nightmare back into a dream come true.

My thoughts
Lily Burn’s family is cursed. They never can find true love or there will be devastating effects. So this was told to Lily all her life by her mother and grandmother and she never dated anybody she liked or for that matter, attracted to. But then she meets Gogo and falls in love. Not such a good thing, because when she believes that he is too good to be true, he pinches her, and everything disappears. Lily is then determined to break the curse to get the man of her dreams.

This humorous present-day fairy tales is a delightful piece of fluff that will keep the ready entertained and chuckling. If you are looking for a light summer read and want to get away from the harshness of reality, this is the book for you. I found it to be an amusing piece of romantic comedy.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton

Book Description
One night after interviewing a reluctant witness at a London apartment complex, Lacey Flint, a young detective constable, stumbles onto a woman brutally stabbed just moments before in the building’s darkened parking lot. Within twenty-four hours a reporter receives an anonymous letter that points out alarming similarities between the murder and Jack the Ripper’s first murder—a letter that calls out Lacey by name. If it’s real, and they have a killer bent on re-creating London’s bloody past, history shows they have just five days until the next attempt.

No one believes the connections are anything more than a sadistic killer’s game, not even Lacey, whom the killer seems to be taunting specifically. However, as they investigate the details of the case start reminding her more and more of a part of her past she’d rather keep hidden. And the only way to do that is to catch the killer herself.

Fast paced and completely riveting, S. J. Bolton’s Now You See Me is a modern gothic novel that is nothing less than a masterpiece of suspense fiction.

My thoughts
Like many others, I have been intrigued by the Jack the Ripper legend. That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to read this novel. And the action begins right away when Constable Lacey Flint is nearly knocked down by a woman who has her throat slashed and blood gushing from her wound. Soon she is caught up in the investigation which somehow resembles that of Jack the Rippers’ killing spree of 1881. Flint is very knowledgeable in Ripper folklore and is asked to assist in the search for the killer. But Flint has secrets of her own and seems to be taunted by the killer.

This novel is quite suspenseful and makes you think. The characters are well developed and the information on Jack the Ripper makes it that more entertaining. With the various plot twists, it is wonderful read and the climax is was a surprise.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library.

Devil Wind by Deborah Shlian & Linda Reid

Book Description
Outspoken, brash New Yorker Sammy Greene needs a second chance. Fired from her job as a Washington TV producer, her midnight to 3 am show "Sammy Greene on the LA Scene" at a small progressive radio station soon has Sammy ruffling the feathers of a popular Orange County Congressman. And everyone is listening. December, 1999. 10 days before the new millennium. Already on edge with Santa Ana "devil wind" fanning fires threatening to engulf the city and Y2K looming, Sammy's callers imagine Armageddon - the perfect setting for a rogue CIA operative to manipulate fears as cover for his deadly plot. A young woman's burned body identified as the wayward daughter of old friend, Gus Pappajohn spurs the ex- campus cop to join Sammy in what may be a murder investigation, along the way exposing the seamy underbelly of Tinseltown. If Sammy's not careful this time, someone will make sure she's off the air for good.

My thoughts
It is December 1999, and the Y2K phenomenon is upon us. California’s Santa Ana winds create devastating fires throughout Los Angeles. The perfect time for a terrorist attack and to hide a murder. This is some of what is going on in Devil Wind. The main character is Sammy Greene, a late-night radio DJ, who gets caught up in the investigation.

There is some action, but I wouldn’t say it was a thriller. The characters did not do much for me and the plot was just okay. There is a mish-mash of things going on that at times I was lost.

Disclosure: I received this book for review through bookrooster.com. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Happythankyoumoreplease

Movie Description
Josh Radnor (CBS' Emmy-nominated ''How I Met Your Mother'') wrote, directed and stars in happythankyoumoreplease, a sharp comedy centered on a group of 20-something New Yorkers struggling to figure out themselves, their lives and their loves.

On his way to a meeting with a publisher, aspiring novelist Sam Wexler (Radnor) finds Rasheen, a young boy separated from his family on the subway. When the quiet Rasheen refuses to be left alone with social services, Sam learns the boy has already been placed in six previous foster homes and impulsively agrees to let the boy stay with him for a couple days. Dropped into Sam's chaotic, bachelor lifestyle, Rasheen is introduced to Sam's circle of friends; Annie (Malin Akerman) who has an unhealthy pattern of dating the wrong men, as well as an auto-immune disorder which has rendered her hairless, Mary-Catherine (Zoe Kazan) and Charlie (Pablo Schreiber) whose potential move to Los Angeles threatens their relationship, and Mississippi (Kate Mara), an aspiring singer/waitress who tests Sam's fear of commitment. When Sam's unexpected friendship with Rasheen develops, he realizes adulthood is not about waiting for the right answers to get the life you want, but simply stumbling ahead and figuring them out in the process.

Featuring a brilliant young cast and music from breaking indie musicians, happythankyoumoreplease deftly captures the uncertainty and angst of what it is to be young, vulnerable, and desperate to find out who you are - or perhaps more importantly, who you want to be.

My thoughts
happythankyoumoreplease is a film about six creative twenty-something friends living in New York that are looking for love and trying to find there place in the world. I give kudos for Josh Radnor for his first film, but it was just okay.

Although, I enjoyed watching it, I was let down at the end and didn’t really connect with any of the characters. It’s a film you’ll watch but then forget as soon as the movie is over.

Disclosure: I received this DVD for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Optimum Nutrition Essential Amino Energy

Product Description
Flavor: Fruit Fusion | Size: 30 Servings
Everybody wants a lean muscular physique. Like anything worth having, wanting it isn't enough. You have to commit to a rigorous diet and training program that will tax your strength mentally as well as physically. To help satisfy these demands, ON's Essential Amino Energy combines an optimal ratio of rapidly absorbed free form amino acids- including muscle building BCAAs and arginine for more intense vascular pump - with natural energizers, beta Alanine, and N.O. boosting ingredients to help you reach your next level. And at just 10 calories per serving it makes a big impression without denting your diet. Mix up Essential Amino Energy by itself - or stack it with your favorite powdered supplements - anytime you want to dial up mental focus, physical energy, N.O. production and recovery support.

My thoughts
This has a strong fruity taste which I like and the powder dissolves easily in water. I found it to work well. I drank it just before my runs and it gave me the boost to go further. I haven’t tried any others so I cannot compare it to anything but I liked this product.

Disclosure: I received this product for review through the amazon.com vine program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.

Disturbed by Kevin O'Brien

Book Description
Deceptive

The houses in Willow Tree Court are sleek and modern--the kind designed to harbor happy families and laughing children. No one would guess the secrets that lurk beyond the neat lawns and beautiful facades.

Depraved

Molly Dennehy is trying to fit in to her new surroundings, though her neighbors are clearly loyal to her husband's ex-wife. But that's the least of Molly's worries. Her stepson's school has been rocked by a brutal slaying, and a psychopath known as the Cul-de-Sac Killer is murdering families in Seattle homes. Homes just like Molly's.

Disturbed

With each passing day, Molly grows more convinced that someone is watching her family, someone consumed with rage and vengeance. On this quiet road, a nightmare has been unleashed, and the trail of terror will lead right to her door. . .

My thoughts
The story begins with the frolicking of two teenagers in a lake. Fast forward to the present and a school councilor is murdered at the same lake. Molly Dennehy marries a man she met a few months earlier, and he comes with baggage (not that she doesn’t have any); his ex-wife and children. They live on a cul-de-sac, which make Molly nervous since there is a serial killer on the loose. Not only does she worry about the killer, she worries that her step-children don’t like her and her neighbors don’t with (they still care for the ex-wife). And then her neighbors start showing up dead.

The beginning of this novel gripped me and pulled me in, but it is one long story with so much going on, that I started not caring about the characters (some were so phony). I wanted to know the outcome and was disappointed that it didn’t succeed in answering my questions, and tied up some things just a little too nicely.

Yes, it was suspenseful and kept me reading for two days, but I was taken in by what turned out to be a run-of-the mill soap opera.

Disclosure: I received this book for review from the publisher through the goodreads.com program. I received no compensation for my thoughts.