Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday- Finders Keepers Stephen King

I am so excited for the next Stephen King book! Finder's Keepers is the second book in the Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges) trilogy.
A masterful, intensely suspenseful novel about a reader whose obsession with a reclusive writer goes far too far—a book about the power of storytelling, starring the same trio of unlikely and winning heroes King introduced in Mr. Mercedes. “Wake up, genius.” So begins King’s instantly riveting story about a vengeful reader. The genius is John Rothstein, an iconic author who created a famous character, Jimmy Gold, but who hasn’t published a book for decades. Morris Bellamy is livid, not just because Rothstein has stopped providing books, but because the nonconformist Jimmy Gold has sold out for a career in advertising. Morris kills Rothstein and empties his safe of cash, yes, but the real treasure is a trove of notebooks containing at least one more Gold novel. Morris hides the money and the notebooks, and then he is locked away for another crime. Decades later, a boy named Pete Saubers finds the treasure, and now it is Pete and his family that Bill Hodges, Holly Gibney, and Jerome Robinson must rescue from the ever-more deranged and vengeful Morris when he’s released from prison after thirty-five years. Not since Misery has King played with the notion of a reader whose obsession with a writer gets dangerous. Finders Keepers is spectacular, heart-pounding suspense, but it is also King writing about how literature shapes a life—for good, for bad, forever

Monday, February 23, 2015

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Title:  Yes Please
Author: Amy Poehler
Pages: 329
Published: October 28th 2014 by Dey St.
Source: Library
Links: goodreads, Yes Please Official
In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. Powered by Amy’s charming and hilarious, biting yet wise voice, Yes Please is a book is full of words to live by.



I have no idea why I picked this book up!  I don't like nonfiction.  But ... something about the cover of this book made me want to read it.  I am not even a regular Saturday Night Live watcher, though when I do watch it I laugh so hard.  I really enjoyed this book!  I think I have discovered that my nonfiction tastes are the books that have a little humor to them.  Or perhaps I am getting older and just enjoy learning more then I did ten years ago.  I feel that is what nonfiction is all about, learning something.   This book is heavy.... I picked it up from the library and was quite surprised. The pages are great quality and there are some great pictures included as well.

 I like Amy's attitude... one of the best quotes in the book is "Good for her, Not for me".  All women should feel like this.  I like how she isn't judging of other women's choices.  Do you work and have kids?  No kids?  Kids and stay home?  All women seem to judge each other.  It's like we can't help it. Women should be a team.  In the end we are all the same.  Want to feel loved, want to feel like we have some sort of purpose in this world, want to look pretty, want to have a friend, want to be the best mom.  But we tend to not think about what each of us are going through but instead hurt each other.  So I love how Amy talks about this.


 There is one part in the book where she talks about the day she was born.  Well, actually her mother and father write a part about it.  It was neat.  At the end of the chapter she tells us to go and ask our parents about the day we were born.  There are even blank pages in this section for the reader to go and write down what their parents say.  So I texted my parents and asked.  The answer is kind of hilarious... I love my parents!

Me: I want to know my birth story?  What happened that day?
Dad: Like what?  It was a long day.
Me:  Was mom home? Were you at work and had to get her?  Who came out to help?
Dad: She threw up and a lady came to help out.
Me: That is an amazing story!  LOL!

The first part of the book was more about things that I was relating to more... there was advice in this part and I was nodding my head along.  When the book actually got into telling her story of her acting career I began to get a little bored.  I felt like there was A LOT of name dropping in the second half of the book. I don't want Parks and Recreation (though I know I should) and so the whole section about that show was also a little dull to me.  While I enjoyed the book I got a little tired of it by the end. So really I can only give the book three stars.

The Crystal ball says:




Fog is coming.....  in the middle of the road on this book!

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Fifty Shades of Grey Movie Review

When college senior Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) steps in for her sick roommate to interview prominent businessman Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) for their campus paper, little does she realize the path her life will take. Christian, as enigmatic as he is rich and powerful, finds himself strangely drawn to Ana, and she to him. Though sexually inexperienced, Ana plunges headlong into an affair -- and learns that Christian's true sexual proclivities push the boundaries of pain and pleasure.
Fifty Shades of Grey





Well.. I did it.  I had to go and see this movie and I was lucky to find a girlfriend who wanted to go with me. If you remember from my review of the book Fifty Shades of Grey I didn't really love it. It was just so over the top for me but I also don't really enjoy romance novels so I figured that was one of the big reasons why I didn't love it.  Still I was quite curious about the film.

It is odd that it seems to be shunned upon by a lot of people. People = EVERYONE. People who have read the book/not read the book, seen the movie/not seen the movie. It's kind of funny.  I mean... for once a woman is shown enjoying herself in some sexual situations and it would seem like that is not OK.  But... I do have to agree that the parts of the movie where she (Anna) is being controlled by Christian is nuts.  I just couldn't do it in my life.   The movie itself was OK though I wouldn't watch it again.  If you read the books you already know what to expect, my friend who went with me had not read the book.  She too thought the movie was just OK. Honestly it gets kind of boring.  Really the whole movie is about Christian trying to get Anna to sign this contract about a dominant-submissive relationship.  He apparently gets off on controlling someone.  When she asks him why he keeps saying "it's just who I am".  I think he probably needs a therapist.

The sex scenes aren't that big of a deal to me and I was quite pleased that they didn't have an actress playing Anna who had huge boobs.  Thank you to having a woman with a more realistic body.  Though she is thin and people will complain that it is not a typical body.  Maybe I was happy because her body type is similar to mine. Of course no male nudity.. surprise!  Apparently the actor Dornan's contract says no penis allowed.  Boo.  I saw a couple leave during the first sex scene and never come back!

I think the actress Dakota Johnson does make the film. She is like all the other women out there.  Looking for love, trying to make it in the world, living in a little apartment and eating cheap food.  She's the actress who has to brave on the screen in her own skin and really has to do all the heavy breathing and what not in the scenes.  Sometimes the film reminded me of Pretty Woman which is sad because then I kind of felt like it was a hooker/client relationship.


 I really do enjoy the soundtrack to this movie too!! So a few good things come from this film. This song right here by the Weekend is amazing!



And this song by Annie Lenox

I give the film 2 1/2 stars Have you ventured out to see the film???

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Sunday Post


Let's chat about what's going on this week... on my blog.. on other blogs... on the internet... and just everywhere!    I link up my post to Sunday Post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Reader.

I am sitting here catching up on blogging and reading.  We were supposed to get this huge snow storm but nothing has fallen yet.  I am doing a Game of Thrones marathon this weekend to get ready for season 5 to begin.  I watched Fifty Shades of Grey this week so watch for my review tomorrow. Seriously... I've watched it all day.  Seriously I have been blogging all day.  It's crazy how much time I haven't been able to put into the blog with family and what not visiting.

Have you guys seen Jason Momoa as Aquaman???  Holy Smokes... this has me getting a little more excited about the Justice League movie coming out.



On the Blog:

Comic Adventures Issue #20
Top Ten Tuesday- Book Related Probelms
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini- Review
Get to know me- Love-A-Thon 2015

Around the Blogospere:

-I am joining in this event at the last minute.  I just saw it and it seems like a lot of fun! You should join too it goes all weekend long.Click on the button below.
Bout of Books
-Do you read Fanfiction??  Great post all about it... a lot of things that I didn't know since I don't typically read it. By The Irish Banana
-Book Nerd Score- Barnes and Noble.  Be sure to take this quiz.
-Great tips on how to start a book blog- Readers in Wonderland

Internet:

Books Books Books
Currently reading Yes Please by Amy Poehler and loving it!! 




Book Blogger Love-A-Thon 2015




I love bookish events that spreads positivity! So when I stumbled upon the Love-A-Thon I knew I had to join in.  Plus there will be the chance for all of us to get to commenting, following, tweeting, expressing gratitude and admiration, and so much more. Plus, there will be mini-challenges, two Twitter chats and a bunch of amazing giveaways!  This is hosted over at Alexa Loves Books so be sure to go over there and sign up.

If this is your first time visiting I am so glad you are here.  If you have followed me for a while, welcome back.  I always like visitors and try to always visit back.  You never know if you will find a book geek like yourself! 

So first up for the event is the Questionnaire so here we go:

What's your name?  Angie... or Angela... hence the name "Angela's Anxious Life"


Where in the world are you blogging from??   Colorado... where we are supposed to be getting a ton of snow today but there has been nothing so far.

How did you get into blogging in the first place?  Well for me it all started way back when I was first running a couple groups on Goodreads and would google possible discussion questions.  I kept coming across book blogs and thought... I want to do one of those!  Then I kind of started with a personal blog and that lasted all of 5 posts.  Then I started book blogging and had so much fun that I have never stopped.

How did you come up with your blog name?  I guess I answered that above sort of.  Since it was starting out as a personal blog the name I chose was Angela's Anxious Life.  But then I switched to a book blog but decided to continue with the name because it really does explain my life and who I am. 

What genre do you read and review the most on your blog.  I review a lot of young adult books.  But I review and read a huge variety.  For example right now I am reading Yes Please by Amy Poehler. I am really enjoying it. I also review video games and movies on the blog so don't be surprised to see a little of everything.  I try to write the reviews so that everyone reading it would enjoy it and feel that they could join in the conversation about it.

What other posts do you do on your blog, apart from reviews?  Apart from reviews???  Wow... so I do this feature called Project Disney though I am almost done with it.  It's where I go and watch a Disney Canon Movie and read the corresponding book that the film was based off of and compare them. It's so sad I think I only have like 3 movies left. Some of you may know I run two book clubs on Goodreads.  One is the Young Adult Book Club and the other is the Stephen King Fans group and so I sometimes post about those groups here on the blog as well.

Best Blogging Experience so Far??  Hummm.. well since blogging I have met some new online friends. I did try to meet some bloggers in real life but that didn't turn out so fun.  I have enjoyed learning a lot of html and computer programing.  I do feel that my writing has become so much better from when I first started blogging. I have interacted with authors online and even received a few ARCs.

Favorite Things About the Blogging Community?  For me it's events like these.  I like to sit down and write out some personal things compared the the normal books reviews I do.  I believe events like this one allows people to get to know who is behind the blog. I like learning about books I may not have known about if it weren't for other bloggers.

Name 5 books that I am most excited about for 2015?  Oh wow.. is it sad that this year I am most excited about reading books that I already own??  I have so many sitting here that just need to be read so I haven't been borrowing a lot from the library like I normally do. So... I am most excited about getting my owned books read!

What's an underrated book or series that you think everyone should read? 
Oh the pressure! Have to go and look at my goodreads read books list. Personally I think Stephen King's books are underrated.  You may scream at me.. why would you say that?  Too many people who have never read King believe his books are just horror and fluff.  King writes amazing books... they are not just horror.  They are a huge story usually inspecting human nature.  The Dark Tower series is also books that King fans skip and they are missing so much. 

Which book boy or girl would be your BFF?  Well.. Stephanie Plum of course from the Janet Evanovich series.  Love her and she seems so fun.  

Apart From Reading, What are Your Other Hobbies or Interests?  Wow .. I have so many!  Movies, NASCAR, TV, football Denver Broncos, make-up, clothes, cats, musicals, theater, symphony, concerts, I love a huge variety of things.  It is why I think I would be a good friend to people.

Apart from book shopping, what else do you shop for?  I pin so much on Pinterest of things I want to buy.  I shop a lot for make-up and recently trying to find a pair of UGGs on sale which is impossible.  I love to shop for things around the house too.

At a party, the DJ suddenly changes the song, and it's your song! What song would be playing?  I love music.  I love it so much.  I have so many songs too.  But I love the song Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac.

Pick out a book you want turned into a TV show/Movie or a TV/Movie that you want turned into a book. There are so many that I would love to see... I would really love the RA Salvatore Drizzt series turned into a show or movie.  It is based off the world of Dungeons and Dragons and I think it would be just so amazing to see on the screen.

Well that's it for the questionnaire... I hope it allowed you to get to know me a little better.

And since I'm behind I'll add my Book Spine Poetry Challenge to this post as well.

The Historian is Missing... BLOOD! Said the Cat.... The Gunslinger only found Shadow and Bone.



Friday, February 20, 2015

Comic Adventures Issue #20


I read a lot of comics and rarely review them here on the blog. That's because I really don't have a lot to say for an entire post.  So I thought I would review several comics on one post.  I will still review graphic novels on their own now and then, but this is where I will talk about super-hero type comics (DC/Marvel) or sequels to some that I have already reviewed.

 This issue we talk about Green Arrow Vol 1 the Midas Touch,   Birds of Prey Vol 4 The Cruelest Cut ,   Supergirl Vol 4 Out of the Past, and Fables Inherit the Wind Vol. 17.


First up this issue I finally get around to reading the Green Arrow New 52 series.  I have been wanting to read this one for a while since I do watch the CW show Arrow.  Which I just love.  My library never did buy the first volume but they have all the other volumes so I finally was able to get a copy of The Midas Touch through the interlibrary loan. I liked the last have of the comic way more then the first half.  At the beginning of the comic we have the Green Arrow facing off against a group of villains that I have no idea who they are.  We are kind of just thrown into the Green Arrow world ... no introduction or anything.  If I didn't already know who he was I would be so confused.  These guys were like reality TV killers.  Just not my thing and overly done.  The second half of the book has Midas (a huge toxic being) and Blood Rose a ninja robot.  This was a much more interesting story. When I first saw a picture of Blood Rose I thought maybe Katana was being thrown in the mix ... though clearly I was wrong.  The artwork is amazing.. I did really enjoy looking at it.  I do like Green Arrow's (Oliver Queen) new look.  He has lost that Robin Hood blonde beard, though I will say that was like his signature look.  3.5 out of 5

I am still continuing in the Birds of Prey comics.  I love to see a team of girls together and this issue was really good.  Mainly because it contains more of the Court of Owls which is a really interesting comic arc. I have a small problem with this one because half way through some of the story continues in the DC comic series Talon which I have not read yet. My library doesn't have it either so I went onto their site and requested it. Lots of background stories to the characters here.  And we even get a good old Batman villain Mr. Freeze included in this comic. I do think readers would enjoy this comic more if they know about the Court of Owls (though if you read Birds of Prey Volume 3 you would've realized that already).  One of my favorite things about these comics is learning more about Black Canary because she is in the Arrow show on CW and I like to learn more about her original character. 4 out of 5


I just don't know how I feel about the Supergirl comics. She seems so naive to me.  Supergirl is still confused about everything that is going on present time.  She runs away from Earth because life here sucks (don't we all go through that). The end of this comic is all over the place.  Timeline swapping.  We go from one timeline to the next.  Past, future, it's crazy.  All to make sure the future isn't messed up. So there are additions of other comics in here.  DC's crossovers are really starting to be confusing.  I am really trying to follow all these DC comics but these crossovers are nuts.  I can always tell when one is about to happen because next thing I know the story line has just totally changed course. I'll still read Vol 5 and see what it's all about. 2 out of 5


I am getting so much closer to finishing the Fables series.  I have really really enjoyed this one.  It takes fairy tales and puts them into the modern world.  I will say that this one was more of a filler volume. We have the group getting back to the Farm after the big battle, the winds trying to find out who will be the next North Wind.  So no big story plot here.  The final issues included in this volume is a few Christmas issues.  Which was kind of neat to read even though it's not Christmas as I read it. There is another odd story arc with some of the characters from OZ going to OZ which is being run by an evil emperor. This is really just a set up comic for a future story for Fables.  Though I find too many story lines may be going on at once.  Not one of my favorite Fable volumes.   3 out of 5





This counts for 8 comics towards my 2015 Graphic Novels Challenge!!



Monday, February 16, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday- Book Related Probelms




It’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! This week's topic is Book Related Problems I Have.  I do think readers have problems.. some of mine are serious.  So let's go.

1.  Being like number two hundred on the library wait list for a book I am dying to read.  I get most of my books from the library.  Almost all of them.. so when I go to the library's website and put a book on hold and see that my number is higher then ten... then that's a problem.


2.  Cover art work changes in series.  I can't stand this!  Though I did ask an author once why they did that and they said that the publisher changed and the publisher decided to go with a new cover.  Makes sense I guess but don't they know that there are those of us collecting those series books and we want them to match??



3.  Series.  Reading a series and then reading new series so then it's hard to get back and finish that first series I was reading.  Right now I have 3 or 4 series that are finished but I have been reading other books and just haven't gotten around to finishing the series I already started!  NOOOO!



4.  Wanting to just read all day long.  Yes I wish I could read all day long.  But I have things to do and TV shows to watch.. video games to play, a blog to run.  The list goes on.  I seriously don't know how some of these other bloggers read so many books. 



5.  Not having my books in the living room.  I wish I could just stare at my bookcases all day.  But alas they are up in the room I have designated as the library.  


6.  Bookmarks.  I can never hang onto a bookmark!  They get lost all over my chair.  So I end up grabbing anything in sight to use for one.



7.  Stickers on book covers!  Ughhhh I hate those price tag stickers on books and on my DVD covers.  Just drives me bonkers.  I always pick them off and my husband looks at me like I am crazy.


8. Books for gifts.  People buying me a book for a gift and I had no intention of ever reading that book.  Now that is awkward.  Though I read it anyways because they swear it's great.



9. Books and Movies. Needing to read a book as soon as you see a movie coming out that's based off that book.  I must do this.  I cannot watch a movie without reading the book first!



10.  Game of Thrones THE BIGGEST PROBLEM.  George RR Martin will not finish Game of Thrones in a timely manner.  I mean... WOW. Stephen King can push great books out super fast.




What's on your list this week????

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini- Review

Title: Inheritance
Author: Christopher Paolini
Pages: 849 pages
Published: November 8th 2011 by Alfred A. Knopf
Source: owned
Links: goodreads, The Inheritance Cycle

It began with Eragon... It ends with Inheritance. Not so very long ago, Eragon — Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider — was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders. Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chance. The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost? This is the spellbinding conclusion to Christopher Paolini's worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.
I did it! I finished this series. I read all four books in a row and it has taken me a long time to finish them. I am so glad I did. This book was almost just as good as Eragon if not better. I loved the forth book so much more then the second and third books and am so glad I held on to finish this epic fantasy.  Like this reviews of the other books in the series I will repeat this book is WORDY.  I mean WORDY.  I don't mind that though in a fantasy because I am looking for world building.  I like to put myself in the middle of a huge fantasy world.  Most of the reviews on goodreads that has less then 3 stars is because they are complaining about the descriptions... so don't read it if you don't like that.

This book was much more fast paced then the other books in the series.  I loved it.  We get to visit with all the characters we've grown to love throughout the series.  The final showdown between the mad king Galbatorix and the rest of the Alagaesia.  I had a little issue with this part of the book.  Now this part here is a spoiler so if you don't want to know how Galbatorix dies then skip to the next paragraph.  Eragon makes a spell to allow Galbatorix to know how everyone feels from what his evil deeds has been doing.  Galbatorix can't take it so he just explodes.  I wasn't even sure if I was reading it right.. I thought maybe he disappeared and was going to appear again later.   I guess that was his death scene.  I did hope there was going to be a huge dragon battle at the end.... that doesn't happen.  I mean.. Eragon finds all those dragon eggs.  I wanted them to hatch at least.

 Though... after the showdown there was another 100 pages of wrapping everything up.   I think this was almost more for the author then it was for the readers I felt like.  I still enjoyed it.  It was a long winded ending but really wrapped up most of what we would've been wondering about had Paolini not done it that way.  The ending of course is not the way I would've wanted it.  But it didn't make me mad either.  There is still a future left up in the air for us to wonder what will happen years after the book ends.  This book was published in 2011 and there still is nothing new in the book world from Paolini.  I am surprised about this.  You go to the official website for the author and he says he is working on some things.

I was reading through some reviews on goodreads and someone introduced me to this guy on youtube who reads the story... and it's great and hilarious.  Check it out for a laugh...


 I liked this series and am glad I did read the whole series. Yeah for reading books I own which is one of my big goals for this year!

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
Eldest by Christopher Paolini




Sun is shinning!!!  Great day to go outside and read this book.