Book Reviews

The Queen is Rising | Review of ‘Blood of Wonderland’ (Queen of Hearts Saga #2)

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By Cynthia Ayala

Blood of Wonderland by Colleen Oakes
HarperTeen
Image Credit: Goodreads

“Dinah has been exiled from Wonderland. The vicious father she always feared has framed her for the brutal murder of her brother and turned the kingdom against her.  Now hiding in the lush and mysterious Twisted Wood with only her war steed at her side, Dinah is faced with a choice. She could leave Wonderland forever or return and fight her father for her throne—a fight she knows would only result in bloodshed. But before Dinah can lead her people into combat, she must confront certain truths about her heart and her destiny—no matter how dark those truths may be. Revolution is rising in Wonderland. Dinah’s battle has begun.” —Goodreads

Published January 31, 2017, by HarperTeen Blood of Wonderland
by Colleen Oakes is the second novel in her Wonderland retelling that brings new life to the Queen of Wonderland.
 Continue reading The Queen is Rising | Review of ‘Blood of Wonderland’ (Queen of Hearts Saga #2) →

Reading List

Weekly Reading List #99

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By Cynthia Ayala

Hey there, people of the page, I hope that everyone is having a wonderful week. Busy, busy, weekend for me, Closing, every night at the movie theater, think about how busy it was. But other than that, it was a fun exciting weekend for this reader. Got some reading done, got some writing done. All in all, everything is pretty much the same. So check out this week’s reading list and see what I’m reading. What are you reading this week? Share your thoughts below.
 Continue reading Weekly Reading List #99 →

Movie Reviews

80s Fueled Family Fun | Review of ‘Despicable Me 3’

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By Cynthia Ayala

“Gru meets his long-lost charming, cheerful, and more successful twin brother Dru who wants to team up with him for one last criminal heist.” — IMDB

Fun and zany probably sums it up best. Despicable Me 3. Sure, the original will always be the best because it was original, but the heart isn’t lost from the original. The story expands as the story has the group discover a whole new family member. Turns out Gru has a brother, it’s Dru. Dru has the hair, and money, and a mansion. Talk about sibling rivalries. But he reveals some hidden secrets to the family legacy.
 Continue reading 80s Fueled Family Fun | Review of ‘Despicable Me 3’ →

Book Reviews

A Thoughtful Conclusion to a Delightful Series | Review of ‘The Ruby Circle’ (Bloodlines #6)

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By Cynthia Ayala

The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead
Razorbill
Image Credit: Goodreads

“Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives. But they are never supposed to see Vampires as anything other than monsters. For Sydney, she finds herself married to Adrian, her love for him binding, But when the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis.  Meanwhile, she and Adrian become enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.” —Goodreads

Published October 13, 2015, by Razorbill, The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead is the final novel in her young adult paranormal/fantasy series, Bloodlines.
 Continue reading A Thoughtful Conclusion to a Delightful Series | Review of ‘The Ruby Circle’ (Bloodlines #6) →

Reading List

Weekly Reading List #98

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By Cynthia Ayala

Hey there readers! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and weekend. It’s just been busy, busy, for me. But I’ve been making room for reading and editing and I’m almost done editing my book! Woo! In any case, I’m just happy that I’m not behind in everything anymore. So check out this week’s reading list. Happy reading!
 Continue reading Weekly Reading List #98 →

Book Reviews

Just Not Fresh | Review of ‘The Lost World’ (Jurassic Park #2)

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By Cynthia Ayala

The Lost World by Michael Crichton
Alfred A. Knopf
Image Credit: Goodreads

“It is now six years since the secret disaster at Jurassic Park, six years since the extraordinary dream of science and imagination came to a crashing end—the dinosaurs destroyed, the park dismantled, and the island indefinitely closed to the public. There are rumors that something has survived. . .” —Goodreads

Published September 17, 1995, by Alfred A. Knopf, The Lost World by Michael Crichton is the second and final book in the sci-fi adventure series Jurassic Park.
 Continue reading Just Not Fresh | Review of ‘The Lost World’ (Jurassic Park #2) →

Book Reviews

Stale Seaweed | Review of ‘Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch’ (Villains #3)

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By Cynthia Ayala

Poor Unfortunate Soul by Serena Valentino
Disney Press
Image Credit: Goodreads

“The tale of the sea king’s daughter Ariel is a beloved one of losing and then finding one’s own voice. The story has been told many times and in many ways. And yet this is only half the story. So what of Ariel’s nemesis, Ursula, the sea witch? What led to her becoming so twisted, scorned, and filled with hatred? Many tales have tried to explain her motives. Here is one account of what might have shaped the sea witch into a detestable and poor unfortunate soul.” —Amazon

Published July 26, 2016, by Disney Press Poor Unfortunate Soul by Serena Valentino is the third novel in her young adult Disney Villains series.
 Continue reading Stale Seaweed | Review of ‘Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch’ (Villains #3) →

Reading List

Weekly Reading List #97

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By Cynthia Ayala

Hey there readers! Hope everyone had a great week. This weekend is the South FL SuperCon. Woo! But anyway, not much time for reading this weekend I’m afraid, between work and SuperCon. I’m a busy, busy girl. But, I’ll catch up, I always do. So check out this weeks’ reading list.

1. Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch (Villains #3)

By Serena Valentino

The tale of the sea king’s daughter Ariel is a beloved one of losing-and then finding-one’s own voice. The story has been told many times and in many ways. But always the mergirl wants more than her world can offer, and her father demands that she live within the confines of his domain. Her rebelliousness costs the little mermaid her voice and nearly her soul. But the power of good prevails, and Ariel emerges proud and unchanged.

And yet this is only half the story. So what of Ariel’s nemesis, Ursula, the sea witch? What led to her becoming so twisted, scorned, and filled with hatred? Many tales have tried to explain her motives. Here is one account of what might have shaped the sea witch into a detestable and poor unfortunate soul.

2. The Lost World (Jurassic Park #2)

by Michael Crichton

It is now six years since the secret disaster at Jurassic Park, six years since the extraordinary dream of science and imagination came to a crashing end – the dinosaurs destroyed, the park dismantled, the island indefinitely closed to the public.

There are rumors that something has survived….

3. The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6)

by Richelle Mead

THEY WILL BE TESTED

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets – and human lives.

Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

Don’t miss their unforgettable final chapter…

LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL

*Disclaimer: All synopsis are provided by Goodreads.

Book Reviews

Breathtakingly Unique | Review of ‘Ivory and Bone’ (Ivory and Bone #1)

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By Cynthia Ayala

Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh HarperTeen Image Credit: Goodreads

“Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe—that’s the life seventeen-year-old Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to like and trust him, but any hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless mistake. However, there’s something more to Mya’s cool disdain…a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy from Mya’s past who Mya swears has ulterior motives. As Kol gets to know Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate until violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he’s trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that had been planned all along.” —Goodreads

Published June 7, 2016, by HarperTeen Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh is a prehistoric YA fantasy with allusions to Pride and Prejudice.
 Continue reading Breathtakingly Unique | Review of ‘Ivory and Bone’ (Ivory and Bone #1) →

Movie Reviews

Hail, Caesar | Review of ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’

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By Cynthia Ayala

War for the Planet of the Apes starring Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson & Steve Zahn
20th Century Fox
Image Credit: IMDB

“After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.” —IMDB

Wow. The Planet of the Apes franchise that Matt Reeves and team have given birth too is one so remarkable not only because it gives insight into the past but because it is systematically setting up the world fans know all about. But there is also a progression to the story line, a way it moves forward from the first film and develops those aspects from the first film. The series itself has led up to this amazing moment where it builds the characters, where it builds the story to this moment. There was no other way for the story to go, no other direction that would have felt so emotional and so grounded in reality as this franchise. It’s an amazing film that has the audience rooting against the humans and rooting for the apes.
 Continue reading Hail, Caesar | Review of ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ →

Bringing you the latest reviews on films & novels. – Cynthia A.

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