tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64119444653556739702024-02-19T16:34:43.956-06:00Tea and TextAnn @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.comBlogger200125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-78805530000444796132013-05-27T00:34:00.001-06:002013-05-27T00:34:39.060-06:00Review & Giveaway: Bad Mouth by Angela McCallister<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Bad Mouth by Angela McCallister</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1A8aKe4Tk79Ebn2ugQil7dETFEb2mi87R0FhrwCutHkcNjuwQ8SgLix3ZqCsbF7Ese_dP9Hg5oGDEKPrF8nZDF3eSzddnNtWDc8N7aePIJDDkOqILtO52V8Kak77ZmsrRE_u9P5BrCY/s1600/BadMouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1A8aKe4Tk79Ebn2ugQil7dETFEb2mi87R0FhrwCutHkcNjuwQ8SgLix3ZqCsbF7Ese_dP9Hg5oGDEKPrF8nZDF3eSzddnNtWDc8N7aePIJDDkOqILtO52V8Kak77ZmsrRE_u9P5BrCY/s320/BadMouth.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Angela McCallister</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>May 20, 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Entangled: Covet</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>240</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>Paranormal Romance, Vampires</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Provided by the publisher for an honest review</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>After her ex-husband’s obsession with vampires, Valerie Craig is on a mission to stop transformations. Of all vampires, Kade Rollins is the worst of the worst, but when multiple murders plague Seattle, Val is forced to enlist his aid. Kade’s crude wit and seductive nature attract her like no other, but she can’t ignore his violence toward his human servants, no matter her yearning to forget.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>She’s torn when she learns Kade may be behind the murders. Val's worked hard to protect humans from vampires, but the truth surrounding the murders could ignite a bloody battle between their races, one humans are sure to lose. Someone is pulling strings to build a vampire army and spark the war—setting Kade up to kick it off. But if she trusts the vampire prince, she risks her job, her integrity, and her heart if he betrays her as all the men in her life have.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Mouth-Entangled-Covet-ebook/dp/B00CGFCEHY/">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17834321-bad-mouth">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bad-mouth-angela-mccallister/1115161563?ean=9781622668052">Barnes and Noble</a> | <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bad-mouth/id639380665?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4">iTunes</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>TWO Giveaways at the bottom!!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b>In a new take on a popular legend, McCallister takes us on a thrilling fan-yourself ride into the not so secret world of human to vampire transformations. Set in urban Seattle, we meet the ferociously bull headed Valerie Craig - who has made it her life mission to stop transformations with extreme prejudice. From a dark underground of uneasy politics, sex and blood - a body count starts rising making it seem like Valerie has all the proof she needs to shut down vampires for good....that is until she meets one that turns her whole world upside down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The character of Valerie (Val) is (to be blunt) a glorified pencil pusher for the VLO (Vampire Liaison Organization - I'm guessing here because I don't think it ever fully states what it is). Her character is a bit insular and scarred - especially in regards to men. Her ex husband Will plays a pivotal role in this - his obsession with Vampires is what ultimately drives a wedge between them and puts her a very narrow minded political rampage against vampires. Her character wasn't particularly deep or worldly, but I think that's part of the beauty of sticking this young innocent but spunky girl into the mix with a very foul mouthed ancient vampire prince...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Kade Rollins is your typical want for nothing Vampire royalty. He's got that gruff sandpaper attitude with a swear word coming out of his mouth a mile a minute. He's used to getting what he wants, when he wants it and you'll do it with a smile, on your knees and a 'yes sir'! But when he meets Val who butts heads with him and challenges him at every turn - his own hate for humans gets a little blurred. While Kade may follow the classic bad boy who you'll love to hate and hate to love recipe, he had a really surprising and intense backstory with a hidden agenda that made him much more than just another pretty face.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The secondary characters for me took the cake. Especially Ezra, who was charming, funny and intriguing all at once. I'd seriously like to get to know him a bit more intimately...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I had just finished watching the last season of Spartacus (the Starz tv series), so when terms like <i>Dominus </i>and <i>Domina</i> started popping up I got REALLY excited. McCallister uses a very Roman-esque caste system to structure her vampire world and I LOVED it. You get that old world feeling of aristocracy and pomp, which fits in perfectly with the vampires we meet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I will admit that there's a bit of a case of insta-love here (everything happens in about a week). But it starts with an intense physical attraction that's often hard to deny (even in reality), and Val and Kade's interactions do show a lot of potential for the future. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Bad Mouth</i> has elements of a CSI murder mystery crossed with True Blood vampire/human politics. Fans of these will definitely love <i>Bad Mouth</i>. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Plus at 240 pages, filled to the brim with violence, blood and panty ripping action it's hard not to be entertained.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ABOUT ANGELA MCCALLISTER</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeuxEBnRbpSpimbhJDweAjzpB_43Z9c34P7cBUSvaZE0J4tsPCWLHmvR3XAg3tkISz5z7XgkPFqb0zNBfQY3ErN39b9L41H0ZeDnDv98h1qufhvjSWGW7tRQFDC3Yw99uNTlZrwD68FY/s1600/angelamccallister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeuxEBnRbpSpimbhJDweAjzpB_43Z9c34P7cBUSvaZE0J4tsPCWLHmvR3XAg3tkISz5z7XgkPFqb0zNBfQY3ErN39b9L41H0ZeDnDv98h1qufhvjSWGW7tRQFDC3Yw99uNTlZrwD68FY/s320/angelamccallister.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Angela McCallister is a US Navy Sailor and author of Paranormal Romance repped by the fabulous Nalini Akolekar. Spoiled by the gorgeous weather of Southern California, she spends her days reading and writing whenever she's lucky enough to be away from work. In fact, she's never to be found without a book hidden somewhere on her person. Over the past two years, her writing has finaled in multiple RWA writing competitions, and her debut Paranormal Romance, <span class="il" style="background-color: #ffffcc;">BAD</span> <span class="il" style="background-color: #ffffcc;">MOUTH</span>, won MERWA's 2012 Everything But The Kitchen Sink Competition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Find her on:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AngMcCallister">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AngelaMcCallisterAuthor">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://angelamccallister.com/">Website</a></span><br />
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<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-91441269313617223712013-05-02T23:57:00.002-06:002013-05-03T00:11:40.040-06:00Endure Cover RevealIt's been a crazy month and I haven't gotten to the blog until late late today. Better late than never!
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<b>Available June 5th </b></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17673337-endure">Endure (The Protector, #4) by M.R. Merrick</a><br />
Cover by <a href="http://parajunkee.net/">Parajunkee Design </a></div>
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YA Urban Fantasy<br />
Final book in <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/70107-the-protector">The Protector Series </a></div>
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Wrapped in darkness and woven with defeat, every action Chase has taken since being exiled from the Circle has been met with a devastating response. Now heÕs been burdened with a quest that seems impossible, and he needs to evolve into something moreÑsomething greater than he ever thought he could be.<br />
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Armed with magic, friendship, and an unbreakable will, Chase must build an army and find a weapon capable of defeating the ultimate evil. But he knows that nothing great comes without sacrifice. Blessed by the very gods who have abandoned him and carrying the fate of all the worlds on his shoulders, Chase Williams is about find out just how much one man can endure.</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17673337-endure"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugyOPW-cTKVaARtTZzMlS7jLMt2m9rTXJ_0nlFVB9IH2EPDTszAEZabUFK73sizhmRpJXUQA8MUg_YGMABi84h2boTRZRnt6p87gFZLpDY3SMwxYicKgGCfkgUwD87Mtwnj1zQ1OHq4g/s1600/AddtoGoodreads.png" /></a></div>
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What do you guys think of the cover? I LOVE it and cannot wait to see the epic conclusion of Endure!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvv2s479UJpDlYhi12sZQ8XyivkchdfjVCnLymU3CVO0fQKJ0C9X-1G7FSUXexM5FkCHhmYWDDEd21FS9bZBPyJj15Wc3GPtsSNJlGnE7Gy0rWxZDIIvIcO5TjWxWXfO_sug5Y8y5mok/s1600/PROTall_four_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvv2s479UJpDlYhi12sZQ8XyivkchdfjVCnLymU3CVO0fQKJ0C9X-1G7FSUXexM5FkCHhmYWDDEd21FS9bZBPyJj15Wc3GPtsSNJlGnE7Gy0rWxZDIIvIcO5TjWxWXfO_sug5Y8y5mok/s400/PROTall_four_banner.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Book 1 - Exiled is FREE!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/M.R.-Merrick/e/B005AN8Z18/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1367041606&sr=8-2-ent">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/m.-r.-merrick">B&N</a> | <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=%22M.R.+Merrick%22&t=none&f=author&p=1&s=none&g=both">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaH48Qt1R08fb3m0GdSqAYFVCoVFge-Ca1m4tZILMXSabu_rwKc8xnd4fGmVl7GyUyujIYDFlRoMOjAT8ygcQLqs9dFgL7oEv1T3fcrzySwWsok6qw26JrOhSQgnaJiFvuYB6aAs0csQ/s1600/MRMerrick2-221x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaH48Qt1R08fb3m0GdSqAYFVCoVFge-Ca1m4tZILMXSabu_rwKc8xnd4fGmVl7GyUyujIYDFlRoMOjAT8ygcQLqs9dFgL7oEv1T3fcrzySwWsok6qw26JrOhSQgnaJiFvuYB6aAs0csQ/s200/MRMerrick2-221x300.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
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<b>About the author:</b><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor4968404">M.R. Merrick is a Canadian
writer, and author of Exiled, the first installment in The Protector
Series. Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through
his imagination and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and
proud breakfast enthusiast, he's usually found at the computer, between a
pair of headphones and in front of a large bowl of cereal.</span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor4968404"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://mrmerrick.net/">M.R. Merrick</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4968404.M_R_Merrick">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MRMerrick">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMRMerrick">Facebook </a></span></span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-65751453218979831492013-04-25T20:54:00.000-06:002013-04-25T20:54:01.434-06:00Tea and Text's Guide to Surviving the Calgary Comic Expo Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">Survival Guide Part 3: </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Calgary Comic Expo 2013</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJCmrv5ACNMahf6uraZuGxsP7hBjGfRwfQLHah45pF571RMedzKWp0yGOnyXEmoWIMa8tyH69JGkVoWb2I1HWHA_4OiFhs6KbxeSUw2XoNpTmMFZNVhcV33nYoqoECQoO59dFTy5oaus/s1600/john.giang_orbitalharvest.expologo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJCmrv5ACNMahf6uraZuGxsP7hBjGfRwfQLHah45pF571RMedzKWp0yGOnyXEmoWIMa8tyH69JGkVoWb2I1HWHA_4OiFhs6KbxeSUw2XoNpTmMFZNVhcV33nYoqoECQoO59dFTy5oaus/s320/john.giang_orbitalharvest.expologo.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Part 1 on the Where/What/When can be found: <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/03/tea-and-texts-guide-to-surviving.html">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Part 2 on Convention Etiquette can be found: <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/04/tea-and-texts-guide-to-surviving_17.html">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This time I'll be covering the all important:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What to Bring: </span></b></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>TICKETS/BADGE </b>- you can't get in without them. Tickets will be exchanged for a badge and wristband that you must keep on you at ALL TIMES. These are NON TRANSFERABLE after you redeem the ticket - so don't go trying to pass them off to someone else because I'm pretty sure that wristband is going to have to be on your wrist all weekend - you know the kind you have to cut off?</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYoRqMAR0za0r-mT6X0p8SveQvrtqiHrvAHegxYmBdthhfu85b1AzEllKVkOEHo-hRjoMW3N1g8tO3jG9-SkV6w49k1puzGc1Eo7WVJz5trrQBN6_Y1kAqGDXG6SqklRAiWDSSCEoK-E/s1600/model-high-heel-catwalk-fail.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYoRqMAR0za0r-mT6X0p8SveQvrtqiHrvAHegxYmBdthhfu85b1AzEllKVkOEHo-hRjoMW3N1g8tO3jG9-SkV6w49k1puzGc1Eo7WVJz5trrQBN6_Y1kAqGDXG6SqklRAiWDSSCEoK-E/s320/model-high-heel-catwalk-fail.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>COMFY SHOES </b>- I cannot stress this one enough. Dr. Scholl's that bitch because you will be on your feet 90% of the time waiting in lines, running from panel to panel and chasing down the best price for that rare N64 game.</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you HAVE TO wear high heels as a part of your costume, bring some flats tucked into your bag or something. Your feet will thank you. Last year there was a smokin' hot Wonder Woman in these uber sexy leather stiletto boots with 4 inch heels on Friday, come Sunday she was in flats with a tensor bandage on her ankle (ouch!). </span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YBt5nUmq0LS2Ef6jC5VVqQ7EsJSBqVbEMt6M7eNCZkCwee2GRiCjWo3-73vPi7C99AMVxEWOHI-qZbh0pMTAcBmumbs2SyXLU5i_UE2b05Dq4OhQ6OmCZVVxVK7LvTWPYbx76BkgPlo/s1600/tumblr_m7p5olVD4b1rqfhi2o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YBt5nUmq0LS2Ef6jC5VVqQ7EsJSBqVbEMt6M7eNCZkCwee2GRiCjWo3-73vPi7C99AMVxEWOHI-qZbh0pMTAcBmumbs2SyXLU5i_UE2b05Dq4OhQ6OmCZVVxVK7LvTWPYbx76BkgPlo/s320/tumblr_m7p5olVD4b1rqfhi2o1_500.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<ul><ul>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>CASH</b> - (Canadian Dollars for those coming from abroad) most vendors deal exclusively in cash. The <b>Autographs/Photo ops</b> are done <b>ONLY IN CASH</b>. So make sure you bring enough, it's a terrible feeling to get to the front of the line for that Peter Dinklage autograph just to find out you're short $10. If you run out, there are ATM machines (they charge a fee) or if you're lucky enough to bank with BMO there's a BMO ATM right outside of the BMO center - this one is also relatively empty compared to the ones inside.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A Backpack</b> - if this is your first time and you think bringing a backpack is weird (I did), I now assure you it's not. It's a complete lifesaver. You can stuff your purchases in here, carry food, spare batteries or your very tired child (kidding..).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A Hard Cover Folder </b>- Just something to store your autographs/photos in so that they don't get lost or crushed in your bag.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Camera</b> - seeing everything will completely overwhelm you and odds are you won't remember every awesome detail. So capture the moment where you saw a great costume or actors at a panel. Bring plenty of empty SD cards and charge your battery (or bring spares) each day! Just follow the picture taking etiquette rules I laid out <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/04/tea-and-texts-guide-to-surviving_17.html">HERE</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Water Bottle/Drinks</b> - you'll be walking around all day and squeeing at nerdy things, you'll need a drink. Juice boxes are handy for a quick sugar boost, there's fountains around the outside of the Corral that you can fill your bottle. There are places to purchase drinks but the lines are extremely long and just a bottle of water is insanely expensive (upwards of $4). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Snacks and or Food</b> - in all the excitement of running around time flies and before you know it you've missed lunch. Pack some easy snacks like granola bars, dried fruit, or the all time favorite beef jerky! There is concession stands that you have to wait in line for some really small, greasy and questionable but expensive pizza and the like. The next day we just grabbed a sub from Subway for lunch later, or you could pack some sandwiches or if you're brave you can head out and try some of the restaurants around the Stampede Park. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hand Sanitizer</b> - you'll probably be touching a lot of stuff other people have handled, there's lots of people grouped together and maybe even shaking hands with your favorite celebrity. So please reduce the odds of catching a "Convention Cold" by slathering a bit of alcohol based hand sanitizer once in awhile. Last year the mini swag bag they handed out at the door came with a little bottle so that was super handy. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A Fully Charged Cell/Smartphone</b> - if you're in a group a cell will be a life saver when you get separated in the hordes of people moving from one location to another when panels get out. Just resist playing games on it, if it dies and you get separated at the end of the day and you can't remember your buddy's number and he's your ride home - it's going to be havoc trying to find them. That being said....it leads me to the next item.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Portable Gaming System</b> (optional) - to pass the time while waiting in lines.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Notebook/Pens</b> - for impromptu notes or autographs, or to doodle on while you wait. Bring a Gold or Silver Metallic craft pen - These can write on virtually any surface, and they'll show up against a black background. Most autograph tables have something like this - but better safe than sorry. </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Plan Your Weekend:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You only have 3 days to get this all in and it can be overwhelming.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lOpFJ7CuYrHZCpRBcH4qPkAY7TpcKWhGcytkMMWQG7xllN2boRa4mMqAHXYmrenlZfuEVodeNoLZAHQN-tHq6nOuuacY6IV6PkEUWJcVD86_YhktuimQDNTC5mFMHx8Ynvw7TEW82DM/s1600/boymeet.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lOpFJ7CuYrHZCpRBcH4qPkAY7TpcKWhGcytkMMWQG7xllN2boRa4mMqAHXYmrenlZfuEVodeNoLZAHQN-tHq6nOuuacY6IV6PkEUWJcVD86_YhktuimQDNTC5mFMHx8Ynvw7TEW82DM/s1600/boymeet.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Realistically you might not get to see everything you want to, or certain things will conflict with each other. So decide right now - before you even get there what you want to do and who you want to see and what sacrifices you're willing to make. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First: Check <a href="http://calgaryexpo.com/programming/">THIS SCHEDULE</a> out for all the panels and activities.</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All cell phones these days have a calendar/scheduling function - USE IT</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">plan out what panels or activities you want to see - write down the time and location!!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you want to do a photo op? - these are scheduled (Schedule <a href="https://photoops.at/calgary-expo/2013/schedule.html">HERE</a>) </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you need some planning ideas below is my tentative schedule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Friday:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I use opening day to shop, orient myself to the environment because:</span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lot of celebrities will not arrive until late in the afternoon, or until later in the weekend. <b>BUT</b> this is a great time to walk around the autograph area to find out where they'll be stationed, the autograph price is usually posted as well as a time schedule of when they'll be there - so take note of these. But if the celebrity I want happens to be there that day you can get it now.</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are also a few celebrities who use "Autograph" passes that you may have to buy in advance. This is a great day to do that. Last year you needed one of these for Stan Lee's autograph.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's generally one item per one autograph fee. So if you have more than one item you'd like to get signed you may need to pay an additional fee (One guy last year had a set of Avenger guitars and he had to pay for each one to be signed by Stan Lee)</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you came to the expo with something you wanted to buy specifically in mind - GET IT THIS DAY. Because it might not be there tomorrow - like the Camilla d'Errico canvas prints that sold out in less than a half hour into the start of the expo last year.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you've never been to the BMO center and surrounding buildings - this is a good time to find out the location of the panels you're interested in or the location of your photo ops (so you don't waste time the next day trying to find the place).</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Saturday:</b></span></div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Panels/autographs/photo ops</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Sunday:</b></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the day usually reserved for the most popular panels such as The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones - so I kind of camp out in the Corral almost all day...</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any suggestions or tips feel free to add them in the comments!</span></div>
</div>
Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-78717707817962385312013-04-17T09:52:00.002-06:002013-04-17T10:46:39.334-06:00Tea And Text's Guide to Surviving the Calgary Comic Expo Part 2<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;">Survival Guide Part 2: </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Calgary Comic Expo 2013</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0zv9ygayI8or4_yVmURbGJVjMhyphenhyphenZ3IYH0zlLgoHmyHkNGAsUq9XeebT09hCafz7q9HPRYaSTE1e2yZ0R_VP1XOeFl7QmPFwuT4AvBIXShmWfGpKxnEIl53K0BDuj3441VKpW5hwtfQw/s1600/john.giang_orbitalharvest.expologo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0zv9ygayI8or4_yVmURbGJVjMhyphenhyphenZ3IYH0zlLgoHmyHkNGAsUq9XeebT09hCafz7q9HPRYaSTE1e2yZ0R_VP1XOeFl7QmPFwuT4AvBIXShmWfGpKxnEIl53K0BDuj3441VKpW5hwtfQw/s320/john.giang_orbitalharvest.expologo.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can find Part 1 of the Survival Guide <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/03/tea-and-texts-guide-to-surviving.html">HERE</a> and it covers the Logistics such as tickets and how to get there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next Up:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0hBoR3JXjLluZ6pRjPPqKGwfpNuWHdu1ux0Zq0r-HxZuhoBa60h7V4Oqt42YXqelJ67r4rjtIicdW0NYlumcHoDqLzQroic1h-hhbvzRmLYEbPGisv-qJvutP2mb7Y5smeUpOeMm4RQ/s1600/k_128+(1).gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0hBoR3JXjLluZ6pRjPPqKGwfpNuWHdu1ux0Zq0r-HxZuhoBa60h7V4Oqt42YXqelJ67r4rjtIicdW0NYlumcHoDqLzQroic1h-hhbvzRmLYEbPGisv-qJvutP2mb7Y5smeUpOeMm4RQ/s640/k_128+(1).gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This isn't completely about saying your pleases and thank you's because you should be doing those anyways. This is more about where/when/who can you take photos of, the absolutely inexcusable line jumps and such.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First up:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtCv-E2x2a1uNh1VTuv40qHxVabCGkNoVtVBPqgtdXppli_34K7aTy6XtHdHFq1h3VS0jaKZ_XM8rR7IYhvMd_gNupMTc5D1sghxSWj3UFMVRVGgdU1CS61XkLBSXJTN0TqGZ7rMTro8/s1600/camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtCv-E2x2a1uNh1VTuv40qHxVabCGkNoVtVBPqgtdXppli_34K7aTy6XtHdHFq1h3VS0jaKZ_XM8rR7IYhvMd_gNupMTc5D1sghxSWj3UFMVRVGgdU1CS61XkLBSXJTN0TqGZ7rMTro8/s200/camera.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Photos</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You're going to see an amazing bunch of stuff and you'll want to memorialize it all in photos - but have some decency.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Cosplayers</b>: They're dressing up to be seen and to show off their fandom, but that doesn't necessarily mean they want a less than flattering photo immortalized on the internet. </span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION</b> - while one can argue that "oh they're in a public place I can take photos of them" see the explanation above. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If they say no don't argue it or try and take a sneaky photo that is just creepy and you'll probably end up on the outside of a very cool convention if it comes to blows. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now...there is a bit of a grey area. If they're posing for a horde of other people with their camera's out and flashing then it's likely okay to snap one then, otherwise see bullet point 1. </span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Celebrities</b>: There's generally a photo area for photos WITH the celebrity - and you'll pay a hefty fee for it ($25 - >$100). (Photo Op Info <a href="http://calgaryexpo.com/photo-ops/">HERE</a>). But if you don't want to go that route you can:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take photos during panels but <b>NO FLASH</b>. This is especially horrible in the smaller panel rooms where you'll ruin someone else's attempt at a photo, irritate the crowd and disorient the celebrity. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another option is if you're getting their autograph you can politely <b>ASK PERMISSION</b> to take a photo of them. Most will say yes - given that you <b>DON'T USE FLASH</b> (get the theme here people? I know a lot of you use the "auto" function on your cameras and it resets itself after you turn it off [I've been kicked out of museums for this], so really try to shift it to the no flash mode and leave it there). </span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If they don't say yes - don't take it personally or get angry people, just say thanks and move along.</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vklh2WL_TUh5AWzhasW_I0X8v5tLtOPMgWuyJb8hwW44SNEO2LuGZTwaXUEe7pox4l_DnymT8jBMxjxQlWXhf3Qj9zlCKknCXk_EFtlnjuB3JA2aT9JGqc7DjzRVu_PQohpUT2OmhAY/s1600/IMG_0872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vklh2WL_TUh5AWzhasW_I0X8v5tLtOPMgWuyJb8hwW44SNEO2LuGZTwaXUEe7pox4l_DnymT8jBMxjxQlWXhf3Qj9zlCKknCXk_EFtlnjuB3JA2aT9JGqc7DjzRVu_PQohpUT2OmhAY/s200/IMG_0872.JPG" width="149" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBAHyzzSieLEfdb0_EEvLEgVGrxHOBiVsGBdyH_yuqhkv8nXZEzqW9_ceEkLuzGzOakVMT9zxn99Iv5YXkcz8sDM78BjPwJSAgGySI-KIu0OtE4kgxuHMn-ZR6SQQ8UryJ2Hg2o0KRH8/s1600/IMG_0534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBAHyzzSieLEfdb0_EEvLEgVGrxHOBiVsGBdyH_yuqhkv8nXZEzqW9_ceEkLuzGzOakVMT9zxn99Iv5YXkcz8sDM78BjPwJSAgGySI-KIu0OtE4kgxuHMn-ZR6SQQ8UryJ2Hg2o0KRH8/s200/IMG_0534.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69vx2MR20pz6Bucd5RW-SLkoS7S7FFls96I3CKazEFVvs4AsKuMWl1RlN9pu2KLliBstNjWP0LNk1si0vFPM27uHBYsbDXx_uhwi-LrK_pT4o_YntI5hiChLU3NS5aYFVf7Se6QHzIKs/s1600/IMG_0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69vx2MR20pz6Bucd5RW-SLkoS7S7FFls96I3CKazEFVvs4AsKuMWl1RlN9pu2KLliBstNjWP0LNk1si0vFPM27uHBYsbDXx_uhwi-LrK_pT4o_YntI5hiChLU3NS5aYFVf7Se6QHzIKs/s200/IMG_0509.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Waiting in line is Hell (if you watch Supernatural you'll remember this). But as a part of conventions it is inevitable especially since the expo SOLD OUT this year!! So 60,000 people have to move around in an orderly fashion. Let's be civil folks.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you're going to a panel in one of the smaller rooms like Boyce theatre or the Palomino rooms you'll want to be at least 15-20 minutes early as the seating is <i>very</i> limited for these rooms and if it fills up - that's all there is. You should be fine to show up on time for events in the Corral - there's plenty of space and screens that project the panel up close for those who can't sit near the stage.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People with <b>VIP Passes</b> - get to go to the front of the line <b>NO MATTER WHAT</b>. So if they have a fancy schmancy badge, let them through, they paid for that exclusive access. I saw a few people get really irate when they got cut out of a panel because the only seats left were reserved for VIP's.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But on another note: if YOU have a VIP pass but your friends DON'T. That doesn't mean you get to take your friends on a ride with you to the front of the line. Either you go in without your friends, or you wait with them. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Line Jumpers</b> - you know, the people who casually stroll by and slip in where people aren't watching...or their friend is "holding" their spot for a group of 10 people?</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is really up to you, I enjoy telling people "HEY BACK OF THE LINE!!" - especially if I've been waiting there the whole time and some guy in front of me is going to let his 5 buddies budge in.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But there's always exceptions, so this is really at your own discretion. If it's a guy waiting for his girlfriend or a parent meeting up with their kid - just let it go. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're all here for the same thing: to have fun celebrating our fandom. So make friends with people in line - you'll be surprised how quickly time passes. However, if a "Which is better Star Trek vs Stargate?" (or what have you) argument comes up....just let it go.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Panels</u></b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately in the smaller panel rooms like Boyce theatre you are <b>NOT ALLOWED</b> to stay in the room if you saw one panel and want to see the next one too. They make you leave and by then you end up at the end of a very long line - Unless you have a VIP pass.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZIPtNigYQq9f9sutSNEk3RUe2frwbPau1g7X9v-SjW6YuGHbKWKNhI85xSC-vxSndHet4rCVemg1SkvxiyL3Rl0LeVD7sS5JNGPCsJdv7CkbCt_2fp6B9_RyL_RO4RqWvl9nlJ2jEZA/s1600/futurama-good-news-everyone.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZIPtNigYQq9f9sutSNEk3RUe2frwbPau1g7X9v-SjW6YuGHbKWKNhI85xSC-vxSndHet4rCVemg1SkvxiyL3Rl0LeVD7sS5JNGPCsJdv7CkbCt_2fp6B9_RyL_RO4RqWvl9nlJ2jEZA/s320/futurama-good-news-everyone.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They don't kick you out for panels happening in the Corral, so you can stay!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>Cosplay</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So you've got a costume to show off - great! I'd really like to take a closer look at your spear, but if it ends up in my eye there will be hell to pay.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Props</b> - NO SHARP OBJECTS </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">common sense people!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Long trailing robes/skirts/Wings</b></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Know where the ends are at all times, trying to walk down a hallway packed shoulder to shoulder with people is tricky enough without a wardrobe malfunction.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't forget your standard "please", "thank you" and "excuse me" and you'll be just fine! The next guide will be on what to bring to survive a day at the expo!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have any more etiquette suggestions leave them in the comments below! </span></div>
Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-31562886361488015992013-03-22T14:02:00.000-06:002013-04-17T10:49:26.024-06:00Tea and Text's Guide to Surviving the Calgary Comic Expo Part 1<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Survival Guide Part 1: </b>Calgary Comic Expo 2013</span></div>
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<a href="http://orbitalharvest.blogspot.ca/2011/06/calgary-expo.html"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBW3tAQijvfyhgw5qyo7Hjephdy_YrOvLgHjm1jLsz2cqMWExHDAdzQvI7s3Chc2-SLP8vOUEAx3ohmICL4ah6nmeqiiIV3vJbUDumiC_QO5ryMv8Ta56f6Hw3IgDLbY1lvl_QrWds44/s400/john.giang_orbitalharvest.expologo.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So last year was my first time EVER going to any kind of conventions or expo. It was an impulse decision literally weeks before the convention was set to start. Needless to say I was excited at the prospect of meeting all these amazingly talented stars and artists but terrified at the same time. So I'm just going to impart what that experience has taught me in hopes that it'll help you plan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Logistics:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>When:</b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>April 26</b> from <b>12 pm - 8 pm</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>April 27</b> from <b>10 am - 7 pm</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>April 28</b> from <b>10 am - 5 pm</b></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hint: </b>If you're travelling TO Calgary, I recommend arriving a day earlier than when the Expo starts just so you can be rested and refreshed for the day of April 26 instead of being tired and cranky from travel. Same goes for leaving - leave the day after the Expo ends (this mostly goes for if you're driving). This also gives you some time to check out some great shopping, the zoo and if you're driving - the Dinosaur museum at Drumheller. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Where: </b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">BMO Center</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">20 Roundup Way SE</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">Calgary, AB</span></b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Bring a GPS/Smartphone to map locations that you may want to see around the city. The information for getting to the Stampede Park can be found: </span><a href="http://calgaryexpo.com/hotels/" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">HERE</a></span></b></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now to drive or to take public transit?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you<b> Drive Yourself:</b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can leave your coat (you really don't need it no matter how cold it is outside, it's SCORCHING HOT inside) or drop off any bags you don't need.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's lots of public parking (check the map below), <b>last year it costed $7 for all day</b> (it's likely gone up this year) per car. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For people in costumes you don't have to worry about getting your wings ripped off in a slamming train door, or being denied transport for plastic (but pointy) weapons.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>BUT:</b> </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You need to get there early to get a parking spot, it fills up FAST</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you take <b>Public Transit:</b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You don't need to worry about parking or the extra costs associated</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To plan your trip try: <a href="http://www.calgarytransit.com/">HERE</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Save the environment! </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The BMO center houses all the exhibitors/vendors/autograph area/photo ops and the Palomino Halls A-E where some panels will be held</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Boyce Theatre and Stampede Corral is where a lot of the big panels will be held</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Tickets:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>- UPDATE -</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Expo is SOLD OUT ONLINE</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First thing's first if you're planning on going (especially if you're travelling to Calgary): <b style="color: red;">GET THE TICKETS EARLY </b>and you're <b>GUARANTEED ENTRY</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't make the mistake of waiting until you get there. Last year with the Star Trek reunion people waited until the last minute to get their tickets and they were sorely disappointed when they spent all day waiting in line to buy tickets and then finding out weren't allowed in due to the facility reaching capacity and then some (it got scary dangerous). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All the information you need to buy your tickets can be found: <a href="http://calgaryexpo.com/calgary-expo-tickets/">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hint: </b>If you can (I missed out by <i>seconds</i>) get a VIP pass (they're sold out now but for future reference). The price may seem steep, but it's worth it to save the hours upon hours of waiting in line because you get to go right to the front, you also get prime panel seating (especially in the Corral, it's where the questions for the celebrities are drawn from) - plus in Boyce theatre there's limited seating and if it's a popular panel there's a cut off for how many people they can fit into the room so you may not get into the panel at all and there's a neat swag bag. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Where to Stay:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Calgary Expo website recommends hotels that they're partnered with, this also means that they're a bit higher in the price range ($109-149 CAD) but they're generally closer to the Stampede grounds. All Hotel information they recommend can be found: <a href="http://calgaryexpo.com/hotels/">HERE</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdaFIo3Swron_TsUOtDqSYNDtHpeMKM7yqkM-AN6zDqOrT6kvqNFmC4u8UtRaSWeRNIEjqRfO8MlGbXAwGFTo-lxClbJKvZDelQPf6ZLa2wr_O1MENplA73r9oKRu54_zrMTGX4ISvRU/s1600/econo+logo_full.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdaFIo3Swron_TsUOtDqSYNDtHpeMKM7yqkM-AN6zDqOrT6kvqNFmC4u8UtRaSWeRNIEjqRfO8MlGbXAwGFTo-lxClbJKvZDelQPf6ZLa2wr_O1MENplA73r9oKRu54_zrMTGX4ISvRU/s320/econo+logo_full.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where we stayed last time was the <a href="http://www.econolodge.com/hotel-calgary-canada-CN659?sarea=28765&sname=Calgary%2C+AB%2C+CA&sstate=AB&scountry=CA&sradius=80.00&slat=51.04522&slon=-114.06301&schain=E&exp=&scity=&sort=&type=&map=n&dateFormat=mm/dd/yy&arrivalDate=04/25/13&departureDate=04/29/13&srp=RACK&nroom=1&nadult1=2&nchild1=0&nadult2=&nchild2=&nadult3=&nchild3=&nadult4=&nchild4=&nadult5=&nchild5=&sstate_country=&listpos=1">Econolodge Inn & Suites University</a> for about $80-98 a night. It's clean, has free parking, internet is included, comes with a free basic continental breakfast (cereal, breads, coffee etc) and a pool/gym/laundry area. We got a room with a kitchen suite so we got groceries and just cooked for ourselves and it's only about a 15 minute drive from the Stampede grounds with an LRT public transit station right across the street if you want. But basically we just used this room to sleep in and spent minimal time in there so it worked perfectly for us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that I've got you started on how to get there, check back for <b>Part 2:</b> <b>Convention Etiquette </b>(yes it exists!).</span><br />
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-90597437549098231612013-03-10T15:25:00.001-06:002013-03-10T15:25:51.205-06:00Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful<span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">From Con Man to King: <b>Oz the Great and Powerful</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Released: </b>March 8, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Director: </b>Sam Raimi</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Writers: </b>Mitchell Kapner, David Lindsay-Abaire & L. Frank Baum</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Rating: </b>PG</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Starring: </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0290556/?ref_=tt_cl_t1">James Franco</a> as Oz</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005109/?ref_=tt_cl_t2">Mila Kunis</a> as Theodora</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001838/?ref_=tt_cl_t3">Rachel Weisz</a> as Evanora</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931329/?ref_=tt_cl_t4">Michelle Williams</a> as Annie/Glinda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103785/?ref_=tt_cl_t5">Zach Braff</a> as Frank/Finley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1428821/?ref_=tt_cl_t7">Joey King</a> as Girl in Wheelchair/China Girl </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Full Cast and Crew <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1623205/?ref_=sr_1">HERE</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <i>Oscar Diggs (Oz) is a small time magician in a traveling circus with a penchant for weaving intricate tales with gadgets to seduce and amaze. Oz just wants to make it big like Houdini but while running from one of his schemes gone awry he gets caught up in a twister that transports him to the magical land of Oz where he finds fortune and fame within his grasp. The only catch is he has to defeat the wicked witch and save the land from darkness. An easy task for the Great Wizard of Oz right? </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b>Having loved <i>The Wizard of Oz</i> as a kid growing up I was a bit hesitant on what the result of a prequel to the classic would be. However, I was completely surprised by how much I enjoyed it and how great of an homage it was to the original! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Starting out in the classic small framed black and white resolution the audience gets a glimpse into the clever and slightly sleazy mind of Oz as he prepares for his show. If you recall in <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>, it became very evident that he wasn't a Wizard of the magical kind - but a man that relied on his smarts. It was a great introduction to the character of Oz and his backstory that would lead him to the Emerald City. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">James Franco with his goofy smile, high cheekbones and perfectly jelled hair pulled off the lies, contraptions and womanizing with a dash of conscience perfectly! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He has no shortage of 'magical' skills and in combination with a smooth talking tongue he can sell you anything while leaving a trail of broken hearts behind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mila Kunis as Theodora - is the first witch that Oz meets upon his arrival in the colorful land of Oz. Upon initially meeting her I wasn't too impressed. Mila was doing what she always does - the pretty face full of innocence. Soon Theodora develops a fast and hard attraction to Oz. As soon as that happened this was all I could think of:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> But by halfway through the movie, my initial judgement was completely turned on its head with the evolution of Theodora. Mila was freaking fantastic and maniacal! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I loved Rachel Weisz as Evanora - she was equal parts regal and clever; right up there with Michelle Williams as Glinda who was true to her gentle but firm leadership role. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Zach Braff was probably my favorite though. Being clever and goofy is his thing, but it was even better with his voice coming from the face of a monkey. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The land of Oz is breath taking in its beauty and horror. This has probably been one of the more effective uses of 3D technology that I've seen in awhile. Instead of the 3D being passive with cheap images popping once in awhile it was completely immersive. It had my heart going as we took a thrilling ride over waterfalls and I was full of awe at all the vibrant bugs and birds popping from the screen (a lot of the kids in the theater were trying to catch them). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Throughout the movie we watch Oz walking a fine line between what's right and wrong - I was never really sure what he'd do. It's filled with cheesy jokes, magic and a moral story for the kids. But there's definitely some adult innuendo, pop scares, a side plot to tug at the heart strings and nods to the original <i>Wizard of Oz</i> that will entertain and please supervising adults. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <b>Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Disney sure knows how to make a family friendly movie without completely ruining a classic. It's not a complex story, and most adults will know where it's all headed. But it is a visual feast, and will keep the kids entertained. Although you might want to save this for older kids, there were a few scares that had the kids in my theater screaming. This is definitely one worth seeing in theaters and probably owning to watch repeatedly!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-23999814044872488732013-03-09T11:12:00.000-06:002013-03-09T11:12:39.046-06:00Movie Review: Jack the Giant Slayer<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Magic Beans Solve All Your Problems:<b> Jack the Giant Slayer</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Released: </b>March 1, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Director: </b>Bryan Singer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Writers: </b>Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Rating: </b>PG</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Starring: </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0396558/?ref_=tt_cl_t1">Nicholas Hoult</a> as Jack</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1870434/?ref_=tt_cl_t2">Eleanor Tomlinson</a> as Isabelle</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000191/?ref_=tt_cl_t3">Ewan McGregor</a> as Elmont</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001804/?ref_=tt_cl_t4">Stanley Tucci</a> as Roderick</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001971/">Ewen Bremner</a> as Wicke</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0574534/">Ian McShane</a> as King Brahmwell</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Full Cast and Crew <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1351685/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast">HERE</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Synopsis:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <i>Jack, a simple farmboy sent on an errand ends up in the middle of a plot full of intrigue and desperation when a bag of magic beans ends up in his hands and sends him on a whirlwind adventure up a beanstalk to face creatures that had faded </i>into legend...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In continuing with the popular theme of re-vamping classic children's tales with a darker twist (like Snow White and the Huntsman or Hansel and Gretel); Jack the Giant Slayer seems to have gotten confused somewhere in its production. It wanted to be that violent movie with giants crushing puny humans left and right, but then it remembered it was originally a children's tale and so they tamed it down. So what we got was an oddly mixed movie stuck in the middle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> It starts with some background of this world and the legend of the giants. With a slightly religious explanation behind how humans and giants met, this short story reaches a pretty epic conclusion and sets the scene for their descendants as the giants fade back into myth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Jack was equal parts simple farmboy and an all around good guy. He does his best and is stupidly brave. His character is clever and a quick thinker, but I feel like any success he has was driven by sheer dumb luck. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Isabelle - the rebellious princess of the realm wants to experience the world and really get to know the people in order to be a "good ruler". In theory it's a great idea and something to commend her for. But in execution it becomes a train wreck. With little to no life skills she becomes a damsel in distress <i>very</i> quickly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Then we've got the valiant loyal knight Elmont, the devious plotting Roderick and his irritating sidekick Wicke. Wicke ended up sticking out most in my mind, purely because his character was that henchman that's constantly hovering over the shoulder and a bumbling idiot that you just want to be quiet already! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The actors themselves all did a good job. The characters were pretty standard good guy/bad guy so there wasn't anything new there. I happen to really love Ewan McGregor but that aside he was snarky and perfect as Elmont. The giants were reduced to emaciated brutes that looked like they could have used some vit. C to cure that scurvy. They were the basis for a few cheap booger jokes and some yelling and thrashing. Because it's rated PG, it has to be reasonably family friendly so a lot of the Giant related deaths are off screen, or you just see the blurry fast results of falling great heights. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There were so many plot holes and inconsistencies! My boyfriend and I spent the drive home asking each other questions like "What about female giants?" (The original Jack and the Beanstalk story that this move loosely takes from involved the Giant's wife), or what happened to his uncle? Or the nonsensical and awkward size of a certain crown that apparently fits two fingers (why not just make it one finger?!) of a giant, but perfectly on the head of a human. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The romance is the classic "oh you saved me, my hero!" kind of love and for a princess that wanted to take charge of her life, she sure didn't mind letting the men lead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> So invariably in these medieval fantasy stories everyone speaks in an English accent (it's like everyone Roman does too >.>), but it was for a good reason and apparently the directors were trying to tie to the mythos in original Jack the Giant Killer story - but when it happened it felt so left field that it just takes you out of the magic of the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Overall: 3/5 Drinkable Cups of Tea.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's entertaining, but the 3D aspect really did nothing to add to it (but to fluff up the movie price). The epic battle at the end fell really flat - I never felt like it got to that critical moment where you question if they're going to make it or not before the savior sweeps in. You should definitely wait until it comes out on DVD if you <i>really</i> want to see it.</span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-53300526850477860372013-02-23T10:45:00.000-06:002013-02-23T10:45:38.996-06:00Review: Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) by Tahereh Mafi<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>WARNING: If you haven't read Shatter Me the following review is going to be spoilery.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) by Tahereh Mafi</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Tahereh Mafi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>February 5, 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Harper Collins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>461</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Dystopian, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Bought It</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Goodreads Description: </b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unravel-Me-Shatter-Tahereh-Mafi/dp/0062085530/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361569574&sr=1-1&keywords=unravel+me">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13104080-unravel-me">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Unravel-Me-Tahereh-Mafi/9780062085535-item.html?ikwid=unravel+me&ikwsec=Home">Indigo</a> | <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Unravel-Me-Tahereh-Mafi/9780062085535">Book Depository</a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> After the action packed ending of <i>Shatter Me</i> where Juliette, her love Adam and the hilariously awesome Kenji make it to the rebel resistance base Omega Point; while leaving the devious Warner injured and humiliated in his attempts to recapture Juliette. With Juliette among other gifted people like herself, and finally able to have physical human contact with someone she loves, you'd think she'd be in absolute bliss! But it's not all sunshine and roses deep in an underground bunker where there are constant whispers about the girl who kills with a touch of her skin, a boyfriend who's harbouring a dangerous secret and a new player in Sector 45 that's hellbent on finding Juliette...</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Firstly, I hate cover changes in the middle of a series; but for these ones I'll make an except because they're ridiculously gorgeous and eye catching (sorry I couldn't resist).</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Juliette is having major problems adjusting and in typical teenager fashion she just wants to be completely absorbed in her beau. For a good portion of the first half of the book she was completely self depreciating, whiny and generally a downer. I really thought I was going to snap and throttle the book in frustration because I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep going, but then Juliette does this complete 180 when she taps into her powers with purpose. She becomes methodical, ruthless and a comment I made while reading was "Juliette Hulk SMASH!" because...WOW what a change. Mafi creates this incredible divide in Juliette filled with obstacles and internal struggles - at the end of the book it's almost like a rebirth and Juliette's finally chosen what kind of person she's going to be. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> What makes Juliette's depression in the first half of the book bearable was characters like the leader of Omega Point Castle and his right hand man Kenji who call Juliette out on all her excuses and force her to move out of her isolation no matter how much she resists. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Kenji -who I LOVE to bits is honestly the best character ever. We got a glimpse into his personality nearing the end of <i>Shatter Me </i>but there just wasn't enough Kenji to go around. I'm so glad that Mafi has given him a much more prominent role in <i>Unravel Me </i>and we get a good look into his equally tragic past. He's the down to earth guy that you just have to love, you can see why he inspires so much confidence and leads people so effectively. He knows when to joke to ease the tension, and when to break out the master plans. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I think that we all knew that there'd be a serious love triangle between Adam, Juliette and Warner at some point. </span><i style="line-height: 19px;">Unravel Me</i><span style="line-height: 19px;"> is equal parts heartache and passion. A secret creates a chasm between Adam and Juliette. This turns Adam into a really weird desperado that spends all this time being moody and angry - it was a radical change from the Adam we know and love in </span><i style="line-height: 19px;">Shatter Me</i><span style="line-height: 19px;">. It's a completely legitimate reason, but I got tired of his mopiness halfway through - I'm just hoping he can pull himself together in the next installment. But this leaves it wide open for Warner! Juliette and the readers discover that behind that hard slightly psychotic soldier exterior Warner can be an actual caring person - mind you he's still a bit unstable but I think I'm totally on team Warner now. Also that fabled chapter 62? Ahem...yea WOW, it was totally worth it to get to but in true YA fashion someone always ends up with a serious case of blue ....you know. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Mafi's continues with her signature languid and richly descriptive writing as it pulls the reader into the mindsets and voices of of the characters. In <i>Unravel Me</i> Mafi gives us a taste of intense action, steamy romance and one of the HUGEST TWISTS EVER. I didn't see it coming at all - Mafi buried it perfectly in the action! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Mafi gives a great recap of <i>Shatter Me</i> for those who might have forgotten the exact details. She also gets into the special gifts of people a bit more, there's a lot more character development and backstory and she introduces a new villain that is <i>worse</i> than Warner - who knew that was possible? So if you haven't read <i>Shatter Me </i>yet and you love dystopians and X-Men/Avengers/Comic Book heroes in general definitely go check it out!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Find the Author on:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/taherehmafibooks/">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/taherehmafi">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637539.Tahereh_Mafi">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.taherehbooks.com/">Website</a></b></span></span><br />
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-56346746096002061892013-02-22T13:41:00.001-06:002013-02-22T14:02:36.783-06:00Mini Review: Destroy Me (Shatter Me, #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Destroy Me (Shatter Me, #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Tahereh Mafi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>October 2, 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Harper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>103</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Dystopian, Fantasy, Paranormal</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Bought It</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Goodreads Description:</b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">In Tahereh Mafi’s </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Shatter Me</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Destroy Me</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b><span style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13623150-destroy-me">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Destroy-Me-ebook/dp/B0076790LA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1361563259&sr=1-1&keywords=destroy+me">Amazon</a></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b>Review: </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> All we really saw of Warner in <i>Shatter Me</i> was that he was a control freak hell bent on having Juliette whatever way he can. I'll admit I was equal parts scared and fascinated by Warner and in <i>Destroy Me</i> we finally get a look into Warner's twisted mind and what I found in this dark cruel dungeon was something completely unexpected...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Told from Warner's point of view we get to see the passion that drives Warner to be so obsessed with Juliette but also a bit more clear reasoning behind it (I just always figured he was a super creepy...and he still is - I just understand his motives a whole lot better). Mafi crafts intricate and deep characters full of emotions, doubts and plenty of trauma. My assumptions about Warner's brainwashed but privileged upbringing was completely turned on its head as we meet the terror that has molded</span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> and defined Warner as we </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">know him. If you thought Warner's ruthlessness was horrifying, you haven't seen anything yet! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> Mafi makes Warner human and relatable in <i>Destroy Me</i>, he ropes you in and does things that are so left field that you didn't think Warner had it in him to do. Mafi sets the stage for the Warner that you find in <i>Unravel Me</i> as his and Juliette's stories converge at a pivotal moment. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb1xPKajtw7jwLIhRyyq6Iw7OvnVJin62XUhKzq_5YEQyD0YFTGL3LU_pz0ITFWi8tFGQLJfJE0mxU8fvaUKe9k4RjsNpgzVr2onAiBCXzgHlciywAxpKz0T-ImDeK6STHgBdTldDhng/s1600/rate5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb1xPKajtw7jwLIhRyyq6Iw7OvnVJin62XUhKzq_5YEQyD0YFTGL3LU_pz0ITFWi8tFGQLJfJE0mxU8fvaUKe9k4RjsNpgzVr2onAiBCXzgHlciywAxpKz0T-ImDeK6STHgBdTldDhng/s320/rate5.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><b>Overall: 5/5 Steaming Hot Cups of Tea!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">This is a definite must read before <i>Unravel Me. </i>This isn't just a rehash of a scene from Warner's point of view; it's an in depth character development and mini prequel to the next installment. </span><br />
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-67756649313018785922013-02-09T11:00:00.001-06:002013-02-09T11:00:43.560-06:00Stacking the Shelves (17): The Sequel Releases Edition<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The past couple of weeks on Tea And Text:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review of <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/02/review-insurgent-divergent-2-by.html">Insurgent (Divergent, #2)</a> by Veronica Roth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review of <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/02/review-renegade-elysium-chronicles-1-by.html">Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles, #1)</a> by J.A. Souders</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review of <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/02/review-prodigy-legend-2-by-marie-lu.html">Prodigy (Legend, #2)</a> by Marie Lu</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tea Time Thursday: <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/02/tea-time-thursday-black-tea-orange-pekoe.html">Orange Pekoe</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/01/review-delirium-delirium-1-by-lauren.html">DELIRIUM BY LAUREN OLIVER GIVEAWAY</a> is still going on! Enter it!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been an awesome and crazy couple of weeks of releases!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Bought:</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13115995-everbound">Everbound (Everneath, #2)</a> by Brodi Ashton</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13104080-unravel-me">Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2)</a> by Tahereh Mafi <- <span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazing twists a few chapters in already!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13206760-scarlet">Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)</a> by Marissa Meyer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13414446-prodigy">Prodigy (Legend, #2)</a> by Marie Lu <- <span style="font-size: x-small;">GAHH I have to wait a whole year for the next one!</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's new in your guy's shelves this week? </span>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-67956346903960022922013-02-09T10:36:00.000-06:002013-02-09T10:36:05.964-06:00Review: Prodigy (Legend, #2) by Marie Lu<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Review: Prodigy (Legend, #2) by Marie Lu</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Marie Lu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>January 29, 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Putnam Juvenile</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>384</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Dystopian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Bought it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description from Goodreads: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prodigy-Legend-Novel-Marie-Lu/dp/0399256768">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13414446-prodigy">Goodreads</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b> </b>On the heels of their great escape June and (the presumed dead) Day try to track down the last of their friends and family before they make a run for it to the fabled Colonies - where life is supposed to be better. But their plan comes crumbling down as The Republic has its own shake up when the Elector Primo dies and his young son Anden takes his place as the new figurehead. With The Republic in such a fragile state of transition the Patriot rebels seize the opportunity and offers Day everything he could want: retribution against The Republic for his family's death, his brother back and a better life in the Colonies ... the catch? The two biggest celebrities of The Republic have to come out of hiding to very publicly execute the new Elector.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I love the cover and its more grungy spray painted feel. Like the symbol on Legend, the meaning of the falcon like bird is revealed in the book, so it's a cover with a deeper meaning! I'm also a total sucker for deckle edged binding (uneven feathery paper edges). Aesthetically my favorite part of these books is the contrasting font colors for Day and June. This time Day get's this gorgeous deep blue instead of gold. While it might not add much to the story, it's a small detail that sticks out in a reader's mind and helps mark the transition from June to Day easily while reading. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I know a lot of people were disappointed that Legend didn't tell us much about how The Republic was formed or the rest of the world. Prodigy reveals it all! Or at least everything important. We get a quick world history lesson and if you thought life in The Republic was bad, wait until you see what's outside. Lu creates a shocking and eerily probable world in The Colonies that will leave you wondering where you would rather be. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> June - the prodigy of The Republic and at one point their greatest weapon. She gave up her life of luxury and prestige to be with Day and to fight against the festering corruption and secrets that were plaguing The Republic. She grows so much in this book! While she still kicks a tonne of butt, we get to see her more analytical and political side. The way she reasons and rations situations, plots and interacts with others makes me completely forget that she's only 15 years old!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Day - the champion and hero of the poor just wants to pick up the broken pieces of his life and move on. He's willing to do anything for it, even something he hates like killing. I'm glad that even though he was a pawn in a plan he didn't forget who he was at his core, and his values. People's ideas and opinions about him and June constantly assault at him but he keeps up healthy amount of skepticism and trust in June. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> This time characters that make a somewhat brief appearance in Legend are a bit more central to the plot such as Tess and Anden. Tess - who was this innocent street urchin that was like a little sister to Day. Her attitude shift completely surprised me, the persistence and dogma in her words made her seem like a master interrogator of the Patriots. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> When I first met Anden - I approached it like a paranoid Patriot with a "kill all Republic scum!" [heh Star Wars] kind of attitude and I was just waiting for Anden to slip up and reveal his true nature. But Lu doesn't make it so easy. She creates villains that hide in plain sight and I was never sure who was going to betray whom until the big reveal!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> With these two characters Lu drives a wedge in early on between Day and June and we end up with this love 'U' that I was both uneasy and curious about at the same time. Class and wealth will always be a problem between Day and June - I just wished that it wasn't repeated so often by absolutely everyone. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Loaded with action, political tension and a few stolen moments between June and Day the ending is what took the cake. In a spectacular bout of action, death defying flight and riots Lu manages to craft an ending that gives hope for a better world but at a terrible cost. That ending, *sigh* it just gets you right in the feels. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">That ending leaves me so conflicted for what I think/want/hope for in the next installment now entitled 'Champion'.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> </span></span>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-24727160298465579692013-02-08T09:47:00.000-06:002013-02-08T11:06:32.109-06:00Review: Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles, #1) by J.A. Souders<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles, #1) by J.A. Souders</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>J.A. Souders</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>November 13, 2012 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Tor Teen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>364</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Science Fiction, Dystopian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Arc provided for review from publisher via NetGalley</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description from Goodreads:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Her memories have been altered. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Renegade-Elysium-Chronicles-J-A-Souders/dp/0765332450/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360343176&sr=8-1&keywords=renegade+souder">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468074-renegade">Goodreads</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b> </b>Renegade manages to blend old world aristocratic charm with the spectacular technological wonders that are the bones and heart of Elysium; a bubble in the deep blue sea, like the fabled lost city of Atlantis. Separated from the violent and unruly surface, the people of Elysium live a charmed and orderly life with designations for their jobs, who they have kids with and where they live. In the gardens of this paradise we meet Evelyn - the chosen Daughter of the People, where she explains that her life is "Just about perfect." But pobody's nerfect...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> The cover speaks a lot about the story itself and it's not until you read it that you realize the significance of the hair and the roses, or the drops of blood and the mix of technology and scenery blended into the cover. But to me it feels like the head to body proportion is off a bit. Almost as if the neck is too short and the hair makes everything look too heavy. It just throws me off a bit. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> We first meet Evelyn in her prized rose garden elaborating about Elysium and how everything works. It was hard to get into her narrative voice at first because it felt so stiff and rehearsed, but it wasn't until her days literally - and even the words that were coming out of her mouth started repeating themselves that I was intrigued. Being trained to lead the people of Elysium after Mother, Evelyn has to be absolutely perfect - right down to the genetics that give her the blond hair and blue eyes (sounding eerily familiar yet?) that Mother prizes. But when she steps out of line Mother has her dealt with....crafting a carefully scripted daughter every time. Under the superficial title as Daughter of the People, Evelyn is naturally curious and does what's right...even when it goes against everything she's been taught. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> Gavin, the gruff survivalist surface dweller that stumbles into their little slice of heaven is in for a rude awakening as he's hunted down ruthlessly. But upon meeting Evelyn he sees a glimmer of hope for getting out of this incredibly tough situation. I don't really have strong feelings about Gavin. He's the usual head strong, run in without forethought kind of guy that wants the girl and to live happily ever after. He has really sweet moments though, especially at the end. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> Their relationship is an unconventional one. At first Evelyn wants to save him out of pure curiosity - she's never met a surface dweller before and this might be her only chance. What starts out as a thirst for knowledge slowly starts to grow into something more as she gets to know Gavin and soon Evelyn's own loyalties are tested as Mother gets suspicious of her interest in the surface dweller. Their relationship takes on hilarious twist, but after Evelyn starts seeing the cracks in the illusion of her perfect world she throws all her chips in with Gavin in hopes of escaping Mother's clutches. However, every step closer to the surface reveals a secret about Mother and Evelyn's own past...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> I loved watching Evelyn break past the brain washing, her voice and tone noticeably changes from formal to more emotional and passionate so that when brain washing moments do happen there's a distinct demarcation in her attitude. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> For most of the book the story felt almost like a role playing video game. There is a droning monotony especially when the characters ran from one end of the dome to the other, back and forth completing little quests along the way while avoiding the authorities in order to get to their grand escape plan. It was a bit predictable unfortunately.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> But where the story really picks up and completely gripped me is the the last 1/4 of the book. It takes on a really dark tone as all of the skeleton's in Mother's closet are revealed and Evelyn's character does a complete 180 and becomes a lethal ticking time bomb while there's hordes of crazy zombie-esque creatures between them and freedom. Here Souders builds an air of desperation, intense action and where I could finally jump on the Evelyn and Gavin train to cheer for their success! </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Overall: 3/5 Drinkable Cups of Tea</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">It's a really interesting concept when it's all revealed. But it's the stuttering, repetition and awkwardness of the first half of the story that was a bit hard to get through. The whole situation at the end though was spectacular and I'm really curious as to where Souders might take the rest of the series.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> </span></span>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-3942898528628795332013-02-07T09:21:00.002-06:002013-02-07T09:21:36.428-06:00Tea Time Thursday: Black Tea: Orange Pekoe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Black Tea: Orange Pekoe</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Ingredients: </b>Black tea from Sri Lanka and India</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> OKAY. I officially have taste buds back after a horrible cold/flu/sinus death. So back to Tea Time!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> Orange Pekoe is a complete misnomer. It doesn't actually have any orange flavoring whatsoever so just be forewarned if you're expecting this to taste like a Terry's Chocolate orange or something. It's actually a grading system reserved for the 'finest of black teas'. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> But in this case....I kind of doubt that. Tea from David's usually has a very noticeable scent when you open the packaging, this one I really didn't get a whiff of anything. No deep earthy smell, nothing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> I love my black teas plain - no sugar added. Especially with an orange pekoe which should have a hint of bitterness and a slight earthy sweetness to it. But this one was really nothing special unfortunately. After steeping for the appropriate time and temperature it just wasn't wowing. It was drinkable, but there wasn't much bitterness or a sweet finish. Basically it was hot water with a hint of your basic black tea. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Overall: 2/5 Tepid Cups of Tea</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm seriously not going to remember this tea after I finish writing this.</span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-53907153306109546142013-02-02T15:34:00.001-06:002013-02-02T17:46:17.166-06:00Review: Insurgent (Divergent, #2) by Veronica Roth<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Insurgent (Divergent, #2) by Veronica Roth</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Veronica Roth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>May 1, 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>HarperTeen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>525</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Dystopian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Bought it</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description from Goodreads:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062234935/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11735983-insurgent">Goodreads</a> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Warning! If you haven't read Divergent this will be spoilery!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Picking up where </span></span><i style="color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Divergent</i><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> left off; the Factions are in varying states of chaos as the Erudite plan to wipe Abnegation off the map with mind controlled Dauntless was thwarted by Tris and her uncanny Divergent brain...But what seemed like a great victory came at a terrible personal cost to Tris and with the leaders of each nation shaken to the core - everyone has to choose their side as secrets fester and unlikely alliances are formed and an epic battle looms on the horizon. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I'm loving that the covers are following a similar Faction symbol theme, I'll be sorely disappointed if 'they' decide to change the covers midway through this series. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> At the end of <i>Divergent</i> Tris grows up fast, and in a blink of an eye she loses her parents, takes the life of a friend and is left running on the lam. She's understandably shell shocked, post traumatically stressed and ridden with guilt. Her Dauntless side takes a bit of a backseat in <i>Insurgent</i> - that's not to say that there isn't any action, because there is. LOADS OF IT and in a much deadlier sense. But we get to explore other facets of Tris' potential, like her Erudite side. She's brilliant at seeing plots and the bigger political picture, but her trauma and guilt bogs her down and makes her act really reckless. Such as</span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> bringing a knife to a gun fight. But she ends up going down a really dark path, and I really hated how it seemed like for most of the book she was stuck in this place. However, Roth was brilliant at tearing Tris down to her foundations and at the tipping point Tris finds her reason to keep going.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> I still love Four. I'll forgive the secrets and ultimatums because he's scary awesome and a natural leader. Everyone looks up to him and he never wanted that role but this time he embraces it and it was amazing! He always has that one scene that burns into my mind (like aiming deadly objects at Tris in <i>Divergent</i>), <i>Insurgent</i> took it much further. It was still a brilliantly calculated move on Four's part, but it makes you step back and re-evaluate how you feel about Four. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> What I was really surprised at was the trust that Tris and Four had built up in </span></span><i style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Divergent</i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">, which I thought would be pretty much unshakable. But their relationship; though filled with some <i>very steamy</i> scenes gets a little lost along the way. It would be too easy to just have them have a happy ending in the middle of a broken world, but at the end of <i>Insurgent</i> I think they'll finally be that strong team I was looking for in the third installment of the Divergent series. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> At the end of </span></span></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Divergent</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> we were treated to some incredible revelations about her mother but the secret motives behind the Erudite's plan was never fully revealed. So the big question to answer in </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Insurgent </i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">was the why of it all - and when we find out the answer. OH MY is it EVER a cliffhanger. Like drop your jaw - you'll probably throw the book across the room (but not really because that's mean) kind of cliffhanger. The conspiracy theory hamster in my brain is working overtime in its wheel!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Overall: 4/5 HOT Cups of Tea!</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Roth took these characters and completely reshaped what I knew about them, and I LOVED it! We get a closer look at what it means to be Divergent, and what it means to sacrifice your life for something. It was a bit long at 525 pages, and I did forget who a few minor characters were (I felt like re-reading <i>Divergent</i> before starting this would've been beneficial) but the mysteries and political intrigue and the ingeniousness of it all was worth it! One thing: is it fall yet? Why can't it be fall yet?! I need to know what happens!</span></span></span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-41322425041903068602013-01-29T10:22:00.002-06:002013-01-29T10:25:39.034-06:00Teaser Tuesday (28): Prodigy (Legend, #2)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Teaser Tuesday: Prodigy (Legend, #2) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Teaser</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of </span><a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Should Be Reading</span></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">·</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Grab your current read </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />·</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Open to a random page </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />·</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Share two (2) "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><span class="il">teaser</span>"</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"> sentences from somewhere on that page </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />·</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Marie Lu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>January 29, 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Dystopian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Description from Goodreads:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b>Teaser:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #181818; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">" </span>"Rarely has the Republic been as vulnerable as it is now. There will never be a better time to spark a revolution. ...there are two things you can give us that our other Runners can't. One: your fame, your status as the people's champion. And two"- he points his drink at June - "your lovely friend." <span style="color: red;"><b>" </b>(page 29)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">So this was just released today and I'm just a couple chapters in and gah I am LOVING it! The one thing I love about these books is the alternating text color for June and Day, and this time Day's text is this gorgeous deep blue!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">What're you reading this Tuesday? Leave a link so I can see! ALSO if you haven't read <b>Delirium by Lauren Oliver yet, enter to win a copy <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/01/review-delirium-delirium-1-by-lauren.html">HERE</a>.</b></span></span>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-89377801610923847322013-01-26T16:06:00.001-06:002013-01-26T16:06:20.413-06:00Stacking the Shelves (16): The Kate Daniels Version<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This school term has been nutso, so many labs! So I've been seriously blog slacking. But what I got done the past few weeks:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review of <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-fifty-shades-of-grey-by-el-james.html">Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review of <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-magic-bites-kate-daniels-1-by.html">Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1) by Illona Andrews</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review and <b>Giveaway</b> of <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-delirium-delirium-1-by-lauren.html">Delirium (Delirium, #1) by Lauren Oliver</a> (seriously someone take this book off my hands)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Movie Review: <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.com/2013/01/movie-review-hansel-gretel-witch-hunters.html">Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters</a></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I bought:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1811543.Magic_Burns">Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2)</a> by Illona Andrews <span style="font-size: x-small;">--> not pictured, I lent it out</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4345498-magic-strikes">Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, #3)</a> by Illona Andrews <span style="font-size: x-small;">--> took forever to get this one!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6479550-magic-bleeds">Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, #4)</a> by Illona Andrews</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8559047-magic-slays">Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5)</a> by Illona Andrews</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12288282-gunmetal-magic">Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniels World, #1)</a> by Illona Andrews </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10687840-revan">Star Wars the Old Republic: Revan</a> by Drew Karpyshyn <span style="font-size: x-small;">--> I had a nerd moment when I bought this...I really wanted to know what happened to him!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9490038-beautiful-days">Beautiful Days (Bright Young Things, #2)</a> by Anna Godbersen </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What'd you guys get this week? Link me up so I can stop by! ALSO go enter to win Delirium if you haven't read it yet!</span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-90095133587740911732013-01-26T15:41:00.002-06:002013-01-26T15:41:21.965-06:00Movie Review: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">How to turn childhood trauma into a career: <b>Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Released: </b>January 25, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Director: </b>Tommy Wirkola</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Writers: </b>Tommy Wirkola & Dante Harper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Rating: </b>18A</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Starring: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0719637/">Jeremy Renner</a> as Hansel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2605345/">Gemma Arterton</a> as Gretel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000463/">Famke Janssen</a> as Muriel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2273799/">Pihla Viitala</a> as Mina</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001780/">Peter Stormare </a>as Sheriff Berringer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0090674/">Rainer Bock </a>as Mayor Engleman</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Full cast and crew <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1428538/fullcredits#cast">HERE</a></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Synopsis: </b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>I'm sure most of you have heard the story of Hansel and Gretel by now. Did you ever wonder what their lives would be like after they escaped the witch? Well look no further, because Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters will tell you!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Traumatized, and orphaned these siblings become inseparable in their quest to rid the land of witches so that no one else has to end up on the dining table of a witch. Honing their skills and racking up the body count they build a formidable reputation for themselves. With an ominous Blood Moon approaching a small town and their children becomes the target for a coven of witches. Desperate the Mayor enlists the help of Hansel and Gretel. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>What starts out as a routine hunt soon becomes more complicated as the bread crumbs of their past is revealed...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The movie starts off with a flashback to their youth, and the infamous candy house witch. This is a great recap for people who may not be completely familiar with the story. It's kept quick, simple and has a much more action based ending for the witch than the original story. Although it did leave out some crucial details to the story, it's more of a guideline for the rest of the movie anyways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Fast forward to years later (we're never actually told but I'm guessing probably 20 or so years later?). Hansel and Gretel having never found their way home, or their parents; subsequently become orphans. Angry and bitter at the witch that captured them, they make it their life's mission to rid the world of witches. With some seriously out of the time period, but wicked looking weapons they make their name known across the land. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> First off, I was super surprised this was an 18A ('R') movie, but since you can only do so much with a story that's already well known - what they turned this into was a gore/jump scare/ silly humor/ boob fest. It was so gory, that it became cheesy gory and was hilarious at some points. There's a lot of dead-pan humor, and the modern swear words in a very medieval set felt so out of place that you had to laugh. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Jeremy Renner as Hansel, is his usual military badass self. His experiences with the candy house witch and the abandonment from his parents have definitely left their mark on him. He hunts with a singleminded focus, with no distractions (women would throw themselves at him and he seemed completely oblivious to it...), and suppresses any thoughts of his childhood. What I found as a super interesting plot device to add into his story was the detrimental effects of all the candy that he was forced to eat as a child - so you get a little bit of a health lesson while you're watching. BONUS: Jeremy Renner shirtless, do you really need to know any more?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Gemma Arterton as Gretel was awesome! She's tough, smart and you could tell that she has to take a lot of bull from drunken backwoods men who think that women are only useful in the kitchen - but she takes it with grace and a hard headed approach. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> While Hansel and Gretel worked together like a well tuned machine, I didn't feel like there was a deep sibling relationship. There were some scenes where I was just thinking - these are some really good looking people and whoaa are they going to kiss?!?! So I was slightly confused and weirded out, I had to keep reminding myself they were siblings. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> One of the glaring problems I had with this movie was the townsmen. While this movie is based on witch hunting (and all the witches are female in this universe), there's a lot of misogyny. You know how mob mentally is during witch hunts, they all start accusing the pretty single female girl. But even Gretel's strength couldn't overcome it, and I was really hoping for a super strong female smackdown with a self satisfied smirk at the end. But she ended up turning into a damsel in distress and that was really disappointing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The witches in this movie and their gruesome appearance was pretty spectacular. Seeing Famke Janssen as a witch for the first time was terrifying and damn she can whip up some creative curses. The overall plot that the witches had going was a pretty predictable one (I actually ended up guessing the "plot twist" at the beginning), but it works with the purpose of the movie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The movie was action packed in the beginning and it was off to an entertaining start. Then it tried to make Hansel and Gretel form other meaningful relationships which bogged the movie down partway through. I'm not quite sure where they were trying to go with it. There were also a lot of huge revelations about their past and what really bothered me was that it didn't seem to phase them and they didn't build on it or comment on it - it was just kind of revealed and off they went to take a witch head! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Overall: 3/5 (Rounded up from 2.5) Drinkable Cups of Tea.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I feel very 'meh' about it. I didn't hate it, but it's pretty much a movie for if you want to sit for an hour and a half and not do much thinking. If you go into this with low expectations you'll be fine. The weapons were a bit too advanced for the time period and it had a very shallow and predictable plot but if you liked Van Helsing odds are you'll find this entertaining. I think your best bet would be to wait until it's in a cheap theater or rent it when it comes out, it wasn't worth the Ultra AVX 3D price tag attached to it.</span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-17025364676937493172013-01-18T09:50:00.000-06:002013-01-18T09:58:07.262-06:00Review & Giveaway: Delirium (Delirium, #1) by Lauren Oliver<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Delirium (Delirium, #1) by Lauren Oliver</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delirium in The Wilds!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Lauren Oliver</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>February 1, 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>HarperTeen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Dystopian, Romance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>441</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Bought it</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description from Goodreads:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">THEY SAY that the cure for </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Love</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> will make me happy and safe </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">forever.</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> And I've always believed them. Until now.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Now everything has changed. Now, I'd rather be </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">infected</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">with love for the tiniest </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">sliver</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">lie.</strong></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Set in a version of the United States where the borders are closed to the rest of the world to control the spread of the deadly and rampant <i>Amor deliria nervosa - </i>aka 'love'. Strict curfews, guards and a religious government control every aspect of a teenager's life to prevent a resurgence of this disease and in return citizens live long, "healthy" and conflict free lives. The story follows Lena, months away from the procedure that'll prevent this devastating illness that has cast a dark shadow over her entire life - but then <i>someone</i> unexpected happens, and soon she finds herself torn between her perfect life and the truth...or is it just <i>Amor deliria nervosa</i> taking root?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> There was so much hype for each of the books released that I just knew I had to read this book, but at 411 pages it seemed quite daunting. So knowing I'd be spending a lot of time on the beach in Mexico I figured it'd be a perfect companion. I ended up finishing this book in a couple of sittings, it was absolutely engrossing!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> The beginning of the chapters contain a little snippet with a bit of the history of this alternate world, or facts about their society and the disease. Oliver considers every tiny detail and builds this intricate culture and an incredibly realistic disease. When I was reading the descriptions of the disease I'd end up stopping to think and compare my own life experiences with love to the checklist (I've definitely got it bad....) and marveling at the conviction of the government to control this disease.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Lena, the main character was surprisingly complex and multifaceted. On one hand she had absolute confidence in her elders, and that the path she's set on is the right one. While she regurgitates all the right answers, and does as she's told there's this wonderful rebellious spark to her that pops out unexpectedly! I loved watching her evolution from this reserved law abiding citizen, to someone who craved life and love and would do anything for it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Alex - love interest extraordinaire and just full of surprises! He's hardworking, devoted and risks everything for even the slightest chance at love. With a painful past, and full of secrets I was definitely as intrigued as Lena about this boy! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> While it took me a little bit of time to get used to the rigid style of writing that occurs in the beginning, I quickly realized that like Lena, there was a bold divide where the writing takes on the excitement and passion that the characters go through. It works wonders for contrasting the strictness of the city to the wild abandon of The Wilds! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Oliver takes these two on a whirlwind romance of summer lovin'. But<i> </i>as Lena learns more about a whole other world she was completely ignorant about, the more her own world starts to crumble as her deadline for the treatment quickly approaches. Oliver had me so captivated by the characters, and the tense situations they were in that I never even saw the major reveals and twists! Also...THAT ENDING! OH MY THAT ENDING! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Overall: 5/5 Steaming HOT Cups of Tea!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Oliver's writing is marvelously paced in a twisted world where love is a debilitating disease and with characters that live like there's no tomorrow. Go read it if you haven't already!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Speaking of which, I happen to have an extra Paperback copy of Delirium (I bought the hardcover when it was on sale), so I figured I'd do a giveaway for anyone (in the US/CAN) who hasn't had the chance to read this fabulous book yet!</span></span></div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cb43a88/" id="rc-cb43a88" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-8137353012370499192013-01-12T11:50:00.000-06:002013-01-12T11:50:03.743-06:00Review: Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1) by Illona Andrews<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1) by Illona Andrews</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Illona Andrews</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>April 1, 2007</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Penguin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>260</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>Adult, Urban Fantasy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Gifted from Karen at <a href="http://www.fwiwreviews.net/">For What It's Worth Reviews</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description from Goodreads: </b></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> In an alternate version of a Post-Apocalypse modern day Atlanta, magic wreaks havoc in waves and in its wake it brings a whole slew of magical problems from total technological failure to creatures of the dark running rampant on the streets. Task forces have formed to protect people and contain the creatures, but not many have the versatility and the skill to handle every rogue monster.... that is except for Kate Daniels.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> The covers aren't exactly eye catching and each book of this version of the series follows the same theme, and in the fantasy section they kind of blend in with every other epic hero. But after I read the story and got to know the characters on the cover, I got a little bit giddy every time I saw them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I was initially recommended this series as something to read inbetween Karen Marie Moning releases, and its proven to be a great choice! It features Kate Daniels as your no-nonsense, kick ass, smart mouthed heroine that's deadly with a sword and has a past that's just riddled with mysteries. Part mercenary and part detective, she's like a blood hound when she's got a target in mind and I dare you to try and stop her. She was an instantly likable character and her interactions with other characters with her often witty banter can sometimes get her into a world of trouble. So when the last of her family Greg ends up the victim of a grisly murder, Kate takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of it and avenge him.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> A dark evil orchestrating in the darkness starts bringing the body count up as Kate's investigation takes her all around Atlanta. She's racing against the clock to prevent an all out war between "The People" and shape-shifters. Her investigation leads her into the belly of the Beast Lord Curran. When you're first introduced to Curran there's no doubt about his status as alpha of the pack. He just oozes power, masculinity and control. Watching him butt heads with an equally strong willed Kate was hilarious, frustrating and kind of hot...</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> The story takes us on a wild action packed ride, and while at times I felt a bit confused about the lore I think I just need to get used to the relaxed Kate Daniels style of story telling. This husband-wife writing team creates a gritty dark world with a refreshing take on some old monsters (the necromancers and vampires were ingenious!). While it starts out a bit slow, they build up the world and the people in it with meticulous detail and when you get to about halfway I guarantee you won't be able to put this book down! </span></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm completely addicted to this magical post apocalypse wasteland and especially Kate Daniels and Curran. This is a definite must read for fans of Karen Marie Moning's Fever Series. I'm going to completely devour these books!</span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-57667614730889936152013-01-06T13:59:00.000-06:002013-01-06T13:59:46.328-06:00Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Note the following reviews contain mature and semi-spoilery content!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1) by E.L. James</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1300842729l/10818853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1300842729l/10818853.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>E.L. James</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>May 26, 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Vintage</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>385</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>Adult, Erotica, BDSM, Romance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Bought it<b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description from Goodreads:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> When I first heard about this book, I heard the following things: it was originally Twilight fan fiction and thus described as "mommy porn" for those Twi-hard moms and secondly it was BDSM. I'm not really into BDSM, and based on the explosions of shock and awe on Twitter and review sites I gathered that it was really dark BDSM. In my mind I was thinking Cleveland steamers, lots of anal related play and really torturous fetishes. But apparently my imagination ran wild with that one and I was envisioning far more disturbing scenarios than what it was. I should have known that the loudest proponents of this book were likely pretty sexually repressed adults that haven't really read many erotica/romance novels - let alone BDSM. But it was something new and adult themed that they could latch onto during the Twilight off season. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I read <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/13/living/fifty-shades-buzz-50-shades-success/index.html">this</a> article awhile back, that attributes the success of the series to its relatively tame covers and I definitely have to agree. The innocuousness of a tie, and a very nondescript title made it less embarrassing for the aforementioned sexually repressed readers to buy it and or read it in public without ridicule (although by now I'm pretty sure everyone knows what it's about), since there isn't a half naked man ravaging a half naked woman on the cover (I don't read these in public either because I hate having to stop reading every 5 minutes in order to listen to some old biddy yelling at me that I'm going to hell for reading smut - I live in a <i>very</i> conservative city). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Anyways, we're first introduced to shy, sexually inexperienced virgin Anastasia Steele (to be fair this sounds like a bad porno name to begin with) who in a twist of fate has to fill in for her best friend for an interview with Seattle's most eligible and successful bachelor Christian Grey. Ana has a penchant for running an internal monologue - and generally that's okay to talk to yourself in your head I mean I'm doing it now, but Ana takes it to a whole new level. She ends up splitting herself into multiple personalities - her immature sex drive the "Inner Goddess" that sounds and acts like a child with a shiny new toy and then there's her "subconscious" that's a bit abusive. These two are silly and simplistic in their exchanges with Ana, and soon it gets really bothersome. All in all, Ana irritated me from her inability to say no, to rationalizing abuse, to not even owning a freaking computer - she's easily molded and manipulated and quieted with sex. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Christian Grey, I can see why people would love this rich, charming, sophisticated, absurdly possessive and domineering man that demands subservience from his women - in some really odd ways (you <i>have </i>to eat, but you <i>have</i> to stay skinny). For me he definitely makes the book, but not for the aforementioned reasons. To me he's a psychologists (at this point it could be literally and figuratively) wet dream with all that childhood trauma, sexual abuse and psycho-sexual dysfunction that even I could see a mile away before it was even hinted at in the plot. That's what kept me reading this train wreck of a series, I wanted to know if and how he'd overcome all his mentally and physically erected barriers to intimacy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The sex and sexual acts in this is by no means anything new, okay except one thing that involves a female personal hygiene product that I can never look at the same way again, it just kills the mood right then and there. I know it's a reality, but it's not something I want to see in my fiction and there is NOTHING sexy about it. The BDSM aspect is MILD. Control freak Grey sets some stringent rules, and limits most of the interactions to getting off on physical abuse of his submissive. From my understanding BDSM is supposed to be consensual and pleasurable for both parties involve, and I'm pretty sure it's not really pleasurable when you're getting your ass beat and tears are streaming in pain and anger. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But these two are in the honey moon phase (they've just met), and like the cycle of relationship abuse they apologize, she gives him more and more chances and we keep going on. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /> As this was originally Twilight fan fiction, I spent a good portion of the book finding the correlations between the two. It's everywhere, and James is not subtle about it. It gets mixed around a bit, but it's very obvious in the music discussions and the obsessions with expensive toy cars. The style of writing is kept extremely simple, repetitive to drive home the point and dances along at an upbeat tempo. There's a lot of ups and downs, and James definitely knows how to hook the readers into the next book with a heartbreaking ending. What I think keeps, especially women reading this (I've seen a lot of guys reading this lately, and I'm really wondering what's drawing them to this, curiosity?) is the spoiling riches and the possibility that it may be possible that a guy will <i>actually change</i> drastically for the woman he loves if she just <i>tries</i> hard enough. It's started a BDSM erotica fever... and while I may not have liked this much at all, hey it's gotten people to read (and maybe be the doorway to better stories?) and get out of their shells a bit right?</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overall: Two Tepid Cups of Tea.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Read it because you're beyond curious about the fuss, then try some other erotica. Might I suggest Backstage Pass (Sinners on Tour, #1) by Olivia Cunning.</span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-79136407773632404682013-01-05T10:21:00.000-06:002013-01-05T10:21:26.484-06:00Stacking the Shelves (15): The Post Christmas Edition<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been a crazy month of December/beginning of January. I ran off to Mexico for a family wedding/vacation, then I had finals and then I was preoccupied with Christmas and all the insanity that entails and now the beginning of a new term. But boy did I ever get some awesome books that I can scratch off my wishlist now! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Past couple of week's on the blog:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tea Time: <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2012/12/tea-time-thursday-oolong-tea-happy.html">Oolong Tea: Happy Kombucha</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review: <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2012/12/review-onyx-lux-2-by-jennifer-l.html">Onyx (Lux, #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review: <a href="http://tea-and-text.blogspot.ca/2013/01/review-release-protector-3-by-mr-merrick.html">Release (Protector, #3) by M.R. Merrick</a></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gifted:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12812550-days-of-blood-starlight"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337964452l/12812550.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12568505-black-city"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345736401l/12568505.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7719248-bright-young-things"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1339953783l/7719248.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12751687-finale"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338990879l/12751687.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13125947-reached"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330717582l/13125947.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10577361-adobe-photoshop-cs5-for-photographers"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347656515l/10577361.jpg" width="153" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11300302-alice-in-zombieland"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1333628241l/11300302.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38619.Magic_Bites"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331612872l/38619.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12812550-days-of-blood-starlight">Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #2)</a> by Laini Taylor</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12568505-black-city">Black City (Black City, #1)</a> by Elizabeth Richards</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7719248-bright-young-things">Bright Young Things (Bright Young Things, #1)</a> by Anna Godberson</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12751687-finale">Finale (Hush, Hush, #4)</a> by Becca Fitzpatrick </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13125947-reached">Reached (Crossed, #3)</a> by Ally Condie</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10577361-adobe-photoshop-cs5-for-photographers">Adobe Photoshop CS5 for Photographers</a> by Martin Evening</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks to my adorkable boyfriend and his parents for all of these :D</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11300302-alice-in-zombieland">Alice in Zombieland (The White Rabbit Chronicles, #1)</a> by Gena Showalter</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38619.Magic_Bites">Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1)</a> by Illona Andrews </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Huge thanks to Karen from <a href="http://www.fwiwreviews.net/">For What It's Worth reviews</a> who was my Holiday Swap partner and who included some delicious tea and goodies in her swap box! </span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Won:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12682801-the-lucky-ones"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330542177l/12682801.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13356690-life-of-pi"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345683867l/13356690.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12682801-the-lucky-ones">The Lucky Ones (Bright Young Things, #3)</a> by Anna Godberson --> From the amazing team at Epic Reads and King Snarkles (I just need #2 now).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13356690-life-of-pi">The Life of Pi by Yan Marte</a>l --> From the awesome Random House Canada team!</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bought: </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13362536-opal"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348200300l/13362536.jpg" width="128" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13623150-destroy-me"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1340398466l/13623150.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7728889-the-diviners"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1336424966l/7728889.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13362536-opal">Opal (Lux, #3)</a> by Jennifer L. Armentrout --> So excited to start this!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13623150-destroy-me">Destroy Me (Shatter Me, #1.5)</a> by Tahereh Mafi </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7728889-the-diviners">The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)</a> by Libba Bray</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm in the midst of inventorying and sorting all my books, look for a book swap list soon, I've got too many doubles of books! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What'd you guys get over the holidays? Link me up and I'll be sure to stop by!</span></div>
Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-16720008997497114592013-01-01T23:43:00.000-06:002013-01-01T23:54:22.202-06:00Review: Release (The Protector, #3) by M.R. Merrick<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNCkfyvVjinqH1Pa2FUml0Bm4VpW_je-CXNcT-nSDxqBaDu8BMMC4J_W2VdHnDYww8-XosEA7tl4g6z6NX_eSDn50X1Iu52wSMDiyl5o4LdEqR8-YViyv2lUWTWcbpiB0D8DOKtUbt9I/s1600/ReleaseBanner+(1).gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNCkfyvVjinqH1Pa2FUml0Bm4VpW_je-CXNcT-nSDxqBaDu8BMMC4J_W2VdHnDYww8-XosEA7tl4g6z6NX_eSDn50X1Iu52wSMDiyl5o4LdEqR8-YViyv2lUWTWcbpiB0D8DOKtUbt9I/s1600/ReleaseBanner+(1).gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Valerie @ Stuck in Books for hosting this!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Release (The Protector, #3) by M.R. Merrick</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBTCbY4zToppHrd24O2_hMXlNIOEgmTXC0LVWVFvGtUvQvQJOzBKUAIlalxYsX897g9lfjkJuRvEJLDXD73WvB-m1CWaze6uRFO02nTFRKC4WdpiCkvTQe0nayruaVRUowYescWwPmWo/s1600/RELEASE+Lo-Res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBTCbY4zToppHrd24O2_hMXlNIOEgmTXC0LVWVFvGtUvQvQJOzBKUAIlalxYsX897g9lfjkJuRvEJLDXD73WvB-m1CWaze6uRFO02nTFRKC4WdpiCkvTQe0nayruaVRUowYescWwPmWo/s400/RELEASE+Lo-Res.jpg" width="256" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>M.R. Merrick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication date: </b>December 8, 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Urban Fantasy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>e-ARC provided by author for review</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description from Goodreads: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Release-The-Protector-Book-ebook/dp/B00ALIQ30M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357096250&sr=8-1&keywords=m.r+merrick">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/263542">Smashwords</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16049054-release">Goodreads</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer, and author of Exiled, the first installment in The Protector Series. Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through his imagination and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and proud breakfast enthusiast, he's usually found at the computer, between a pair of headphones and in front of a large bowl of cereal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://mrmerrick.net/">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMRMerrick">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MRMerrick">Twitter</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> For someone so young, Chase has seen a lot of death and destruction and it doesn't look like it's going to be ending soon. This time around in the third installment of Merrick's <i>Protector Series</i>, Chase's title as The Protector is heavily challenged as he's hunted by the psychotic multi-shifter Arian, while racing his father Riley from dimension to dimension to get to Ithreal's soul pieces to prevent worldwide annihilation and keeping his friends breathing. But after the events of <i>Exiled</i> and <i>Shift</i>, Chase is cut off from the Gods and now his powers start going haywire, it seems like this whole saving the world thing would have to been done the old fashioned way with a little elbow grease and a good dagger. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"> I love the covers of these series, they're always so mysterious and their full meaning isn't revealed until well into the story and everything clicks and you have an "aha!" moment. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Chase has always been pretty hot headed, and with so many elements burning in his core he needs to learn emotional control fast - but with everyone rushing to deal with the coming onslaught, I felt like he was pretty isolated and left to figure things out on his own for the most part. I was really proud that he took so much initiative and really proved his worth as a leader and The Protector in some of the most trying situations. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Sometimes intriguing secondary characters never get their day, but </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I was so surprised how much depth and history Merrick revealed in </span><i style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Released</i><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> that added to the growth of several characters and their story arcs in addition to Chase's story. This was especially true with Willy (my absolute favorite character) and his tragic past in conjunction with the vampire Vincent's familial problems that end up being a large thorn in Chase's side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I especially loved that Chase's friends end up playing a more integral role to his character development. </span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Tiki acts like The Protector's conscience, gently reminding Chase of his obligations to every poor soul in any world that needs help. They constantly clash for a while, but it's important in the road to Chase fully accepting his role as The Protector.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Since more or less solidifying their relationship in <i>Shift</i>, Rayna and Chase this time around are a bit more subdued. I was a bit sad that we didn't get to see more of them together (but this story isn't meant to be a bad teen romance), but the stolen moments that they do get are so cute and give such a bright flare of hope for Chase to keep trudging through the dark. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Merrick continues The Protector Series with his sharp wit, distinctive and alluring demonic dimensions and of course thrilling visceral action sequences. But here's the thing, I was so used to Merrick's action sequences I thought I knew how they'd play out - because it was formulaic. There's some equal sparring, a sudden dire situation and desperation but it all works out in the end because that's how a heroes story goes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I have to hand a slow appreciative clap to Merrick right here because while these sequences kept me entertained, they lulled me into such a deep sense of security that I was completely blind sided by the ending. I mean, Merrick had to have some serious cajones to pull that ending off, I am both shocked and supremely pissed and can't wait to see what happens in the next installment!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">You'll laugh, you'll bask in awe at vivid landscapes of demonic worlds, gasp at the graphic and bloody action and more likely than not, you'll cry.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Giveaway:</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCha7kcytUNA-N62LeQkmNrCIKLr5cO6b55HtryV3rkCNvryOJcJdiNkvziBQDGmBeFaq4eXVogCiy-8hogMUJXjEyazD1dnXvFx7rJLJNf6LkJasZj5kPhcRqHZpytI-JsOp3cQCuFA4/s1600/pp1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCha7kcytUNA-N62LeQkmNrCIKLr5cO6b55HtryV3rkCNvryOJcJdiNkvziBQDGmBeFaq4eXVogCiy-8hogMUJXjEyazD1dnXvFx7rJLJNf6LkJasZj5kPhcRqHZpytI-JsOp3cQCuFA4/s1600/pp1.png" /></a></div>
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<strong>Grande Prize Pack (3 Winners)</strong></div>
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3x Signed paperbacks (Exiled, Shift, Release)</div>
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3x Signed 8x10 posters (Exiled, Shift, Release)</div>
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5x Bookmarks</div>
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1x Notebook (Winner’s choice of cover)<br />
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1x Magnet</div>
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<strong>Runner-up Prize Pack (5 Winners)</strong></div>
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1x Signed paperback (Winner’s choice of Exiled, Shift, or Release) with signed poster</div>
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1x bookmark (Winner’s choice)</div>
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1x Magnet</div>
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<strong>Secondary Prizes A (10 Winners)</strong></div>
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Release eBooks</div>
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<strong>Secondary Prize B (10 Winners)</strong></div>
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1x bookmark (winner’s choice)</div>
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1x The Protector magnet</div>
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<strong>Winners will be chosen as follows</strong>: <strong>First 3 names</strong> drawn from Rafflecopter will <strong>get the grand prize</strong>. The <strong>following 5 names</strong> get the <strong>runner-up prize</strong>. The <strong>following 10 names</strong> win <strong>ebook copies of Release</strong>, and the <strong>final 10 names</strong> win the <strong>swag pack</strong>.</div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4f0bc64/" id="rc-4f0bc64" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-35661194281050511492013-01-01T10:17:00.001-06:002013-01-01T10:17:10.242-06:00Teaser Tuesday (27): Magic Burns<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Teaser Tuesday: Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Teaser</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of </span><a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #1155cc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Should Be Reading</span></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">·</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Grab your current read </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />·</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Open to a random page </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />·</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Share two (2) "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><span class="il">teaser</span>"</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"> sentences from somewhere on that page </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />·</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.921569); color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;">Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Illona Andrews</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>April, 2008</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>Adult, Urban Fantasy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Description from Goodreads:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, Celtic god Morfran supersedes goddess Morrigan for witch coven worshippers of the Crow, and sea monsters from the Underworld enter via the Cauldron of Plenty. Kate starts looking for Pack maps and 13-year old Julia's witch mother, and ends up uniting shapeshifters and vampire zombie controllers to save the world.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b>Teaser: </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #181818; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">" </span>The vampire stared at me, his mouth slack as Ghastek assessed his options. I took a couple of forms from my desk, put them into the vamp's mouth, and pulled them up by their edges.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> "What are you doing?" Ghastek asked.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> "My hole puncher broke."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"> "You have no respect for the undead." <span style="color: red;"><b>" </b>(page 117)</span>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">I got the first book for Christmas, and I just tore through it like crazy and ran out and got the rest of the series. I'm LOVING them so much, I don't know why I didn't read these sooner. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">What're you guys reading this week? Leave a link and I'll stop by!</span></span><br />
Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-92018794995230212422012-12-28T04:14:00.000-06:002012-12-28T04:14:10.164-06:00Review: Onyx (Lux, #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Onyx (Lux, #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Jennifer L. Armentrout</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publication Date: </b>August 14, 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Publisher: </b>Entangled Teen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pages: </b>366</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>YA, Sci-Fi, Paranormal Romance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Source: </b>Bought it</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Book Description from Goodreads: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">Something worse than the Arum has come to town…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">But then everything changes…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><b>Review:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b style="line-height: 19px;"> </b><span style="line-height: 19px;">After the explosive events of </span><i style="line-height: 19px;">Obsidian</i><span style="line-height: 19px;">, Katy finds herself inexplicably attached to Daemon with an invisible tether; making their attraction undeniably hard to resist. But Katy fights him off - thinking that Daemon's feelings are just a result of the connection. It just makes Daemon more determined to show her that his feelings are true - which makes him all the more alluring. But as their connection morphs into something more - weird things start to happen to Katy and with the Department of Defense closing in on the site of their fireworks show in <i>Obsidian</i> and some new characters appearing in their dreamy little town the lines become blurred on who Katy can trust and what monumental secrets people are hiding. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I'm loving that Armentrout has continued with the Pepe and Sztella featured cover models and that these two have become the hallmark images for Daemon and Katy! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> In keeping with Armentrout's trademark ability to create sexual tension between Katy and Daemon like no other we get a lot of teasing, a little smidgen of a reward and then we're left hanging with mouths open going <i>that's it?!</i> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Katy is still a bit miffed from how badly Daemon treated her in <i>Obsidian</i>, and that's fair - he was a major jerk, so she makes him work for it this time. The tension builds and builds until you just want to take Katy and push her and Daemon into a closet and have them just get it over with! But alas Armentrout keeps us on a roller coaster, and while it creates entertaining scenes and allows Katy to build a true relationship with Daemon I felt like it got dragged out a bit too long. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> This indecision about Daemon made Katy a bit annoying and whiny, but she does eventually grow into this incredibly strong character later on that's going to be incredible to see in <i>Opal</i>! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> Daemon in his determination to win Katy over is still at times a bit irritating, then a bit stalkerish and then it finally clicks in his head and he turns into this super adorable guy that will have you "aww"-ing and sighing. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"> I'm still loving Armentrout's upbeat writing filled with snarky humor, physics defying action and twists on seemingly innocuous characters that I couldn't see coming! We also get a little bit more insight into Daemon and the collective Luxen's past as it catches up to them in the form of ghosts. The biggest thing was [HOLY SMOKES] what a cliffhanger ending, good thing the third book <i>Opal</i> is already out because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Delicious sexual tension meshed with the high stakes gamble of living a secret alien life in a town where nothing is as it appears - <i>Onyx </i>is a great sequel to <i>Obsidian</i> with Armentrout's highly addictive storytelling. If you haven't read the Lux series, or anything by Armentrout - do it! You'll become 'one of us...one of us...'</span></span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411944465355673970.post-5247050782456592122012-12-27T13:23:00.002-06:002012-12-27T13:23:54.680-06:00Tea Time Thursday: Oolong Tea: Happy Kombucha<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Oolong Tea: Happy Kombucha</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.davidstea.com/happy-kombucha?&TF=&DEID=">DAVIDsTEA</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Ingredients: </b>Oolong tea, pineapple cubes, mango cubes, mango, pineapple, Kombucha Powder, safflower petals, artificial flavouring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> After a long hiatus I'm finally back to doing Tea Time Thursday, and I was lucky enough to get a few DAVIDsTea samples in the mail from <a href="http://www.fwiwreviews.net/">Karen at For What It's Worth reviews</a> and this first one that I decided to try was the perfect mid winter pick me up (it's been -30C/-22F for the past week *burrrr*). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> I had no idea what Kombucha is...so I Googled it and came up with this explanation: a symbiotic relationship of Yeast and Bacteria that ferments in a sweetened tea - could be slightly alcoholic but then I came up with this conflicting search that it might actually be dried kelp which makes just as much sense. Either way I think these might turn normal people off this tea, but the good news is that it's DELICIOUS! If there is yeast/bacteria (which is likely probiotic and good for you anyways) or kelp I couldn't even tell that it was in there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> The Oolong's earthy bitter flavor is prominent but tempered by the sweetness of all the dried fruit. Together it kind of tastes like the Trident Wild Strawberry and Tangy Citrus Layers gum (I don't know why all these teas taste like some kind of gum to me, I chew a lot of gum apparently). No sugar is required (it's too sweet if you do) and it's much better hot than cold. Just be sure not too over-steep this tea or it will become bitter and leave that weird coating in your mouth from the tannins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This is delicious sipping tea that I don't think I'd ever get tired of, right up there with Pineapple Oolong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">David's Tea markets this as a hippy/hipster resurgence tea so...mellow out dudes?</span></div>
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Ann @ Tea And Texthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05137876448952406474noreply@blogger.com0