Showing posts with label Julie Wright. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Julie Wright. Show all posts

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Lovely Books and Things - 12.30.17

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update

Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

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Managed to get some reading done this week of short novels, magazines and graphic novels.

I have been searching my bookshelves this week to figure out which book (excluding requested review copies) will be THE ONE to open the new year with - for First Book Of The Year 2018 hosted by Book Journey (details) Have you picked yours?

Current happy things:

1. See's nuts and chews chocolates

2. Release of Kpop song Instagram by Dean and album Her by DPR Live

3. Decorating cookies from the Trader Joe's Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookie Kit


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Library:

Lies Jane Austen Told Me
by Julie Wright
-Chick-lit, Jane Austen
Amazon | Goodreads

LOOKS like a fun one.

Small Wonders
Life Portrait in Miniature
by Tatsuya Tanaka
-Photography, Miniatures
Amazon | Goodreads

LOVE the whimsical creations and scenarios. Ready to go see the new Matt Damon film, Downsizing after looking through this.


AND watched: on AmazonPrime

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017)
season one
tv series
Creator: Amy Sherman-Palladino
Stars: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen
-Comedy, Drama | imdb | my rating: 5

A housewife in the 1950s decides to become a stand-up comic.

LOVED how this was done with its colors and soundtrack. Learned some behind the scenes stuff about comediennes.

The Big Sick (2017)
Director: Michael Showalter
Writers: Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani
Stars: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano
-Comedy, Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 5

Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani and grad student Emily Gardner fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail finds himself forced to face her feisty parents, his family's expectations, and his true feelings.

STANDS up to the hype. Enjoyable film about interracial relationships particularly in regards to the Muslim religion.

Killing Gunther (2017)
Director/Writer: Taran Killam
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cobie Smulders, Hannah Simone
-Action, Comedy | imdb | my rating: 3

A group of eccentric assassins are fed up with Gunther, the world's greatest hitman, and decide to kill him, but their plan turns into a series of bungled encounters as Gunther seems to always be one step ahead.

For post-Fall Film challenge bonus round: eight. how i met your mother. Cobie Smulders

FUNNY, cute take on hit men.


AND watched: on DVD

Ghost in the Shell (2017)
Director: Rupert Sanders
Screenplay: Jamie Moss, William Wheeler, Ehren Kruger
Based on the comic: Shirow Masamune
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Takeshi Kitano
-Action, Crime, Drama | imdb | my rating: 3

In the near future, Major is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world's most dangerous criminals.

For post-Fall Film challenge bonus round: twelve. lethal weapon. Chin Han

LIKED the visuals. The story was okay. Reminded me a bit of Blade Runner.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
Director: Tim Burton
Screenplay: Jane Goldman
Writer/based on the novel by Ransom Riggs
Stars: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Samuel L. Jackson
-Adventure, Drama, Family | imdb | my rating: 4

When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that stretches across time, he finds Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. But the danger deepens after he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.

For post-Fall Film challenge bonus round: twenty-three. the west wing. Allison Janney

INTERESTING peculiar characters. I liked the world building and curious to read the book for more details.

50/50 (2011)
Director: Jonathan Levine
Writer: Will Reiser
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick
-Comedy, Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 4

Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis, and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.

For post-Fall Film challenge bonus round: twenty-four. the x-files. Donna Yamamoto


PERSPECTIVE of young adult cancer patient is portrayed in a thoughtful way.

AND watched: online

Flight of the Living Dead (2007)
Plane Dead (original title)
Director/Writer: Scott Thomas
Writers: Sidney Iwanter, Mark Onspaugh
Stars: David Chisum, Kristen Kerr, Kevin J. O'Connor
-Action, Horror, Sci-Fi | imdb | my rating: 4

A fellow scientist accidentally escapes containment aboard a plane during turbulence. After she is gunned down by a security guard, she reanimates as a zombie, killing and infecting several passengers and crew members on board the flight. A U.S. federal air marshall, along with a police officer, a flight attendant and a handful of survivors, must ride out the horrific flight just long enough to stay alive.

For post-Fall Film challenge bonus round: ten. judging amy. Siena Goines

FOUND slithering zombies in this one. Little bit of campy, science, military and a plane load of zombies.

I did not get to watch all the Hallmark Christmas movies I had planned. But did find this SNL skit about the films in general amusing. Gotta love James Franco ;-)



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* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

:-)

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Four Chambers by Julie Wright

Four Chambers
by Julie Wright

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Blog
Twitter @scatteredjules

Just released: May 1, 2016
Publisher: Heart Stone Press
Genre: Romance (clean)
ebook
Rating: 4

First sentence(s):
"Give me the paint," I said, hoping Janette heard the threat in my voice. She was coming seriously close to getting demoted from favorite roommate to homeless person.

Every time Andra Stone crosses paths with Everett Covington, trouble follows. First she loses her scholarship, then she loses the apartment she’d wanted more than anything. But tragedy hits hardest when she loses her grandmother—the best friend Andra has ever known. She determines that Everett is a talisman of ill fortune. When Everett comes to work in her hospital and is applying for the same position she’d been working toward since residency, Andra believes him to be her personal poltergeist.

The human heart has four chambers—four chances to get it right. Andra has only one chance left.


My two-bits:

In a contemporary setting, this romance took me into the world of medical students. I liked learning about some of the details in the time and care they put into working towards becoming a medical doctor.

Despite the push-pulls of the romance, I liked how this couple built a solid friendship along the way.

The insert of Miss Pearl, her wisdom and matchmaking continues to be a treat in this Matchmaker series that I have been enjoying. I look forward to her encounters when reading this series.

About the author:
Julie Wright wrote her first book when she was fifteen. She's written over twenty novels since then. She is represented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger Inc. She is a Whitney Awards winner for best romance with her book Cross My Heart and a Crown Heart recipient for the novel The Fortune Café.

She has one husband, three kids, one dog, and a varying amount of fish, frogs, and salamanders (depending on attrition).

She loves writing, reading, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.

She hates mayonnaise.

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* courtesy of eBooks for Review -get free ebooks to review (here) -Thanks!

* part of POWER OF THE MATCHMAKER SERIES (here)

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Stacking the Shelves - 6.25.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

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For Review:

Four Chambers
by Julie Wright
-Romance
courtesy of eBooks for Review -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

Below:
Broken Sky Chronicles, Book 1
by Jason Chabot
-SciFi, YA
courtesy of Turner Publishing -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads


From BEA:

GOT some YA...

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
-Historical, Mystery, YA | Amazon | Goodreads

Spontaneous by Aaron Starmer
-YA | Amazon | Goodreads

Tiny Pretty Things Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton
-Mystery, YA | Amazon | Goodreads

The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch by Daniel Kraus
-Fantasy, YA | Amazon | Goodreads

GOT some Mystery...

Two Days Gone by Randall Silvis
-Mystery | Amazon | Goodreads

The Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders
-Mystery, Historical | Amazon | Goodreads

GOT some Historical...

The Honeymoon: A Novel About George Eliot by Dinitia Smith
-Historical | Amazon | Goodreads

The Girls by Emma Cline
-Historical, 60s | Amazon | Goodreads


=====> Booksmith, San Francisco, hosted a visit from author, Emma Cline. Her debut novel is now #3 on the New York Times Best Seller list!


AND watched: DVD

Now You See Me (2013)
Director: Louis Leterrier
Screenplay: Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin, Edward Ricourt
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman
-Crime, Mystery, Thriller | imdb | my rating: 5

An FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.

=====> Magic fun time ;-)

AND watched: in theatre

Now You See Me 2 (2016)
Director: Jon M. Chu
Screenplay:
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Lizzy Caplan, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman
-Action, Adventure, Comedy | imdb | my rating: 5

The Four Horsemen resurface and are forcibly recruited by a tech genius to pull off their most impossible heist yet.

=====> More magic fun!

Currently flipping through: from the library

Memories
by Lang Leav
-Poetry, Romance
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Love it! It is one of those few poetry books I can actually connect with.

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* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* per usual, check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Stacking the Shelves - 7.12.14

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

Free offer:

Spell Check
by Julie Wright
-witches, YA
courtesy of author
Thanks Julie!
Amazon | Goodreads

For Review:

Until You're Mine: A Novel
by Samantha Hayes
-mystery, thriller
courtesy of Blogging for Books
Thanks !
Amazon | Goodreads

Library:

These Broken Stars
by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
-dystopia, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.


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* some of these may be offered as giveaways within the next two months

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* per usual, check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers

Friday, July 4, 2014

Freebie: Spell Check by Julie Wright


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Spell Check by Julie Wright

A skeleton is rattling its way out of the closet marked “FAMILY SECRET! KEEP OUT!”

Allyson Peterson believes that being hanged by the Salem High Witches is the absolute worst thing that can happen. But when her powers, wrested from the trolls of ancient Sweden, manifest themselves, she realizes that a prank hanging by vindictive cheerleaders is the least of her worries.

Ally accidentally sends her parents to the jungle to fight anacondas, turns her brother into a mute, and curses the entire cheerleading team with an illness that has no cure, proving that her spells need a little checking. Her Swedish grandmother shows up to help her through the worst part of all—surviving the Troll Trials and saving the guy of her dreams from a vengeance that has festered through-out generations.

The power is in her, if she can just get the magic right.

 

Grab your copy on Amazon


Author Julie Wright

Julie Wright (1972-still breathing) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She's lived in LA, Boston, and the literal middle of nowhere (don't ask). She wrote her first book when she was fifteen. She's written sixteen novels--nine of which are traditionally published. Julie won the Whitney award for best romance in 2010 with her novel Cross My Heart. She is agented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger Inc.

She has one husband, three kids, two salamanders, one dog, and a varying amount of fish (depending on attrition).

She loves writing, reading, traveling, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner.

She used to speak fluent Swedish, but now speaks only well enough to cuss out her children in public.

She hates mayonnaise.

Visit Julie:
Amazon
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Twitter @scatteredjules

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* freebie post sponsored by I Am A Reader Not A Writer


 
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