Reading List

Weekly Reading List #93

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By Cynthia Ayala

Hey there avid readers! I’ve been staying true to my goal. Well, waking up early has been a challenge, always so hard to wake up in the morning. But I have been working out! My lower abdomen and thighs still feel sore from my workout Monday night. Progress. And I have been making time to do more reading at least. Three books that are about to expire. Gotta get to those soon.

Anyway, check out some of the titles I will be reading this week. Happy reading!
 Continue reading Weekly Reading List #93 →

Book Reviews

A Fun Retelling Full of Thoughtful Writing | Review of ‘The Seafarer’s Kiss’

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By Cynthia Ayala

The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julia Ember
Duet Books
Image Credit: Goodreads

“Having long-wondered what lives beyond the ice shelf, nineteen-year-old mermaid Ersel learns of the life she wants when she rescues and befriends Ragna, a shield-maiden stranded on the mermen’s glacier. But when Ersel’s childhood friend and suitor catches them together, he gives Ersel a choice: say goodbye to Ragna or face justice at the hands of the glacier’s brutal king.

Determined to forge a different fate, Ersel seeks help from Loki. But such deals are never as one expects, and the outcome sees her exiled from the only home and protection she’s known. To save herself from perishing in the barren, underwater wasteland and be reunited with the human she’s come to love, Ersel must try to outsmart the God of Lies.” —Goodreads

Published May 4, 2017, by Duet Books The Seafarer’s Kiss
by Julia Ember is a retelling of the classic little mermaid tale incorporating Norse Mythology and challenging the place of women in a male-dominated world.
 Continue reading A Fun Retelling Full of Thoughtful Writing | Review of ‘The Seafarer’s Kiss’ →

Book Reviews

Profound and Powerful Writing | Review of ‘Lord of Shadows’ (The Dark Artifices #2)

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By Cynthia Ayala

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Image Credit: Goodreads

Emma and Julian are in love, but the love between parabatai is the one law in the Shadowhunters that cannot ever be broken. Their only chance at happiness is finding the Black Volume of the Dead and the help of the Seelie Queen. There is a chance for the Cold Peace to end, but the dangers that lurk, the enemies are within the Shadowhunters ranks, where fear has bred hatred for the Downworlders. Emma and Julian must put their feelings aside, hunt for Annabel Blackburn before the Unseelie King gets his hands on her first.

Published May 23, 2017, by Margaret K. McElderry Books Lord of Shadows
by Cassandra Clare is the second novel in her young adult Dark Artifices series that offers readers a sophisticated plot coupled with charismatic, complex characters.
 Continue reading Profound and Powerful Writing | Review of ‘Lord of Shadows’ (The Dark Artifices #2) →

Reading List

Weekly Reading List #92

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By Cynthia Ayala

Hey there avid readers! I hope everyone is having a great week. So as it stands, I’ve become quite lazy so I’ve decided to try to mix things up…and maybe put myself on some sort of normal sleep schedule which is going to be a little hard since I work nights. Not complaining, I like working nights, the energy at work may be hectic but at least it gets my blood pumping and time flies by. But I’ve decided I’m going to make a change, work out 3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s, get up earlier, clean my room, have my cup of coffee, and then dedicate my morning to cleaning and reading before working out and working on my reviews and such. I’m hoping this change is going to make me more productive, energy building is supposed to do that right? I’m also hoping this is going to offer me a chance to focus on my reading and my writing, giving me more energy to do the things I love to do.

Anyway, that’s enough about me, here’s my reading list. Man, I’m so behind. See why I need more time?
 Continue reading Weekly Reading List #92 →

Movie Reviews

Mediocre but Entertaining | Review of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’

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By Cynthia Ayala

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales starring Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Kevin McNally, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley & Geoffrey Rush Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Image Credit: IMDB

“Captain Jack Sparrow searches for the trident of Poseidon while being pursued by an undead sea captain and his crew.”

    —IMDB

Yet another Pirates film. I missed out On Stranger Tides, although I was told I didn’t miss anything considering it was terrible. Not that I was surprised. But considering this film was returning to its roots with a ghost story, well I thought I would give it a try. What did a get? Just more of the same, nothing new, nothing fresh, only mediocrity.
 Continue reading Mediocre but Entertaining | Review of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’ →

Book Reviews

Captivating from Beginning to End | Review of ‘Out of the Shadows’ (Shadowlands #1)

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By Cynthia Ayala

Out of the Shadows by Ashlee Nicole Bye
Huntuzie Press
Image Credit: Ashlee Nicole Bye

Death. So delicately controlled by reapers of The Order of Dark and Light, is being threatened by an ancient enemy, and in the hidden streets of the Shadowlands, no one is safe while darkness and light struggle against an enemy of power. For Sachi, it’s even harder. Following the death of her friend, Sachi has not been able to cope, especially once she sees him alive again, battling against a Reaper with the keys to her heart. Sachi shouldn’t be able to see them at all, the dead and mystical. She wants answers and is willing to do whatever it takes to get them. Even die…

Published May 4, 2017, by Huntuzie Press, Out of the Shadows
by Ashlee Nicole Bye is her debut novel following mystical elements familiar to young readers who read The Mortal Instruments.
 Continue reading Captivating from Beginning to End | Review of ‘Out of the Shadows’ (Shadowlands #1) →

Reading List

Weekly Reading List #91

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By Cynthia Ayala

Hey there readers. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. So it looks like I might have to take some time off from blogging. I have all these books, 2 are ARC’s and 2 are library books all set to expire in the next few weeks. Here’s hoping I’m able to get to them all. Man or man do I need a time-turner or what. Anyway, here’s hoping I don’t need to take time off for my reading. Although, I do love reading….
 Continue reading Weekly Reading List #91 →

Movie Reviews

A DC Miracle | Review of ‘Wonder Woman’

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By Cynthia Ayala

Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen & Elena Anaya
Warner Bros. Pictures
Image Credit: IMDB

“Before she was Wonder Woman she was Diana, Princess of the Amazons, trained warrior. When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves home to fight a war to end all wars, discovering her full powers and true destiny.”

    —IMDB

As a comic book fan and reader, I tend to set my standards high, especially for DC because those are the comics I buy. But ever since The Dark Knight, there hasn’t been a decent DC film. Until now. Personally, they either miss the mark on understanding the characters (Harley Quinn being the exception) or lack the humor needed to keep the audience entertained between all the drama and darkness. Wonder Woman doesn’t do that. Wonder Woman gets everything right and let me say this, it was amazing.
 Continue reading A DC Miracle | Review of ‘Wonder Woman’ →

Book Reviews

A Beautiful Debut | Review of ‘The Girl in Between’

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By Cynthia Ayala

The Girl in Between by Sarah Carroll
Kathy Dawson Books
Image Credit: Goodreads

Homeless but not alone, a young girl lives with her mother in an abandoned mill worried every day that the authorities are going to take her away. But with developers coming their way to tear the place down, she must contend with her mothers’ personal demons and the ghosts of the past haunting them.

Published June 20, 2017, by Kathy Dawson Books, The Girl in Between is the debut novel by Sarah Carroll, a young adult tale about family, homelessness and the love between a mother and daughter.
 Continue reading A Beautiful Debut | Review of ‘The Girl in Between’ →

Reading List

Weekly Reading List #90

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By Cynthia Ayala

Hey there readers. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. Haven’t had much time to read or edit this past week so I’ve fallen behind just a bit. But nothing to worry about, I’ll always find time to read, even if it’s only 20 pages a day. And I’ll always find some time to edit my novel. Anyway, see my weekly reading list right here. Happy reading!
 Continue reading Weekly Reading List #90 →

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

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