Review of ‘Six of Crows’
You can’t go wrong when you have six misfits, all of which have dangerous skills, tasked with one impossible heist leaving room for high tension and a great adventure. Continue reading Review of ‘Six of Crows’
Month: May 2017
Weekly Reading List #88
By Cynthia Ayala
Hey there avid readers! I hope that everyone is having a wonderful day. It’s been easygoing lately. I’ve postponed the publication of my book by a year because quality matters and I feel like I’m rushing so taking a step back taking my time. I want this novel to be good, I want it to connect to my readers. So while I’m working on my novel, taking my time, I’ll also be here on y blog catching up on my reading and my reviews. So here’s my weekly reading list, happy reading!
Continue reading “Weekly Reading List #88”
A Generic Fantasy Film | Review of ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’
By Cynthia Ayala
“Robbed of his birthright, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy – whether he likes it or not.”
—IMDB
Another film about King Arthur. Tales of his majesty and the realm of magic and swordsmanship have been adapted in many ways, from the big screen to the small screen. There hasn’t been an accurate adaptation of the tale since Excalibur and the Merlin miniseries, but pivotal characters weren’t left behind, weren’t forgotten in the telling of the stories. This film seems to have forgotten all about Merlin, Morgan Le Fay and Mordred and the pivotal parts they played in shaping up the Arthurian legend.
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Good but Beginning to Drag | Review of ‘Yellow Brick War’ (Dorothy Must Die #3)
By Cynthia Ayala
HarperCollins
Image Credit: Goodreads
Amy Gumm was swept up in a tornado just like Dorothy Gale. A higher power swept her up to destroy Dorothy and her close friends who let the power and magic of Oz corrupt them. No longer is Oz the vibrant place, now it’s a dark place full of monsters and danger. And Amy too is in danger of becoming one of those monsters. An assassin who has failed, Amy must find the light buried deep inside her to keep herself and her friends safe from Dorothy’s wrath and her own.
Published March 15, 2016, by HarperCollins Yellow Brick War
by Danielle Paige is the third in her young adult series about Amy Gumm and her trials in Oz against the wicked witch Dorothy of Kansas.
Continue reading “Good but Beginning to Drag | Review of ‘Yellow Brick War’ (Dorothy Must Die #3)”
Weekly Reading List #87
By Cynthia Ayala
Hey there readers! Guess who is finally a graduate of Emerson College! This girl! Boy was it cold, and wet, lots of rain in Boston this past weekend. My mom and grandmother took so many pictures of me and Dennis Lehane was my commencement speaker, which was super cool btw. Anyway, it was tons of fun I just wished my uncle, aunt and fiancé had been there with me, but I’ll see them soon enough. On the bright side on the 21-hour drive I took back home with my mom (because we were moving furniture back to FL from BOS) I got a lot of reading done. So check out this week’s reading list. Happy reading!
Continue reading “Weekly Reading List #87”
Unfortunately Forgettable | Review of ‘Before the Claiming’ (Beautiful Creatures: The Untold Stories #3)
By Cynthia Ayala
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Image Credit: Goodreads
“When Lena was a baby, Seer and gifted card reader Amma Treaudeau saw a terrifying future in the cards that sent her to Emmaline’s door. When a powerful Dark Caster sets fire to Lena’s house with baby Lena and her father trapped inside, Amma, Emmaline, and Macon vow to protect the child. Lena’s grandmother and her Uncle Macon whisk Lena away, protecting her and moving her to a new place at the first sign of trouble. But a Caster can only hide for so long, and Macon must rely on the teachings in an ancient book to control his Dark nature. Ultimately, it will be his job to protect Lena–and keep her from surrendering to a Dark fate.” (Goodreads)
Published October 13, 2015, by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Before the Claiming by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl is a young adult novella that revisits some of the pivotal moments that would end up defining Lena’s future.
Continue reading “Unfortunately Forgettable | Review of ‘Before the Claiming’ (Beautiful Creatures: The Untold Stories #3)”
Thought Provoking & Challenging | Review of ‘Jurassic Park’ (Jurassic Park #1)
By Cynthia Ayala
Ballantine Books
Image Credit: Goodreads
“A billionaire has created a technique to clone dinosaurs. From the DNA that his crack team of scientists extract, he is able to grow the dinosaurs in his laboratories and lock them away on an island behind electric fences, creating a sort of theme park. He asks a group of scientists from several different fields to come and view the park, but something goes terribly wrong when a worker on the island turns traitor and shuts down the power.” (Goodreads)
Published December 1991 by Ballantine Books Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is the classic novel that spawned a franchise about dinosaurs and the will of man.
Continue reading “Thought Provoking & Challenging | Review of ‘Jurassic Park’ (Jurassic Park #1)”
Weekly Reading List #86
By Cynthia Ayala
Hey there avid readers! Can’t stay to chat its graduation day! Woo! I’m so excited, I’m so excited, I’m finally done with school. Woo! Now I just have to make it across the stage without tripping. Wish me luck and happy reading! Continue reading “Weekly Reading List #86”
Hilarious, Sweet, and Downright Spectacular | Review of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’
By Cynthia Ayala
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Image Credit: IMDB
“Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ continues the team’s adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage.”
—IMDB
One word: amazing! Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 does not disappoint. The film looks at the characters allowing for character growth while also establishing a family unit for the characters. The movie goes back to trace back the origins of Peter/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt). But there’s more to this film than just that. It had heart and focuses on the Guardians not just as a group of heroes or friends, but as a family. And that’s one of the things that makes this film so good because everyone focuses on the characters and their dynamics with one another. They care about each other, they fight with one another and for one another. They are a strong unit and the cast and crew make sure that that resonates off the screen.
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Unfulfilling and Lackluster | Review of ‘The Seer Spread’ (Beautiful Creatures: The Untold Stories #2)
By Cynthia Ayala
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Image Credit: Goodreads
Still grieving over the death of Amma, Ethan receives a gift from her, the box of secrets she always kept from him. But now it’s time to open the box. The history of Amma and everything that brought her to Ethan.
Published July 14, 2015, by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, The Seer’s Spread by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl is the second in young adult paranormal Beautiful Creatures: The Untold Stories series.
Continue reading “Unfulfilling and Lackluster | Review of ‘The Seer Spread’ (Beautiful Creatures: The Untold Stories #2)”