Harry Potter Re-Read-a-Ganza!: The Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

♥ "Now, Harry you must know all about Muggles, tell me, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck?"

     -Delivered quite perfectly from Mr. Weasley; movie.

♥ "Your sons flew that car to Harry's house and back last night!" "Did you really? Did it go alright? I-I mean, that was very wrong, boys-very wrong indeed..."

     -Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's hilarious banter; book.

♥ "Hello. Who are you?" "Um...Ron Weasley." "Really! And, uh, wh-who am I?  It's an odd sort of place, this, isn't it?... Do you live here?" "No." "Really?" Clunk.

     -Lockhart and Ron's hysterical dialogue; movie.




Another day, another great read! Obviously I knew going into it that I would love the book, but I really am surprised by how completely thrilling these books continue to be, no matter how familiar I am with the story lines.

On a less obvious note, there are some things in particular that really seemed to catch me off guard in a way. They just didn't seem to be how I remembered them, or they were left out of the movie.

First of all, the Deathday party! This was a scene that I really wanted to see brought to life, and I think it would have been really cool. With all the ghosts flying around and the weird food, it would have been a hit for sure. Another really obvious difference was Gilderoy Lockhart. Although I enjoy the book version and the movie version, the two just don't really seem like the same character. The book version seemed way more obnoxious, where the movie version was stupid and conceded, but not really malicious.

Something that I really must comment on as well is the scrolls of homework. Many instances in the novel, homework or compositions were mentioned and I found the criteria so unique and interesting. Of course for wizards, who write with quills on parchment scrolls, the number of pages is irrelevant. Ergo they measure their scrolls! Bloody Brilliant! It was really one of my favourite parts!

Overall, the book was amazing and hilarious. Thrilling and hysterical. Mysterious and heartfelt. But you guys knew all that already, right?

Some of the various Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets covers:

      

Charmed--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Harry Potter Re-Read-a-Ganza!:The Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

♥ "Anything off the trolly, dears?"
     -A line I never forget, and often recite; book.

♥ "She needs to sort our her priorities!"
     -Delivered with comedic perfection by Ron; movie.

♥ "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, 
          Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!"
     -The perfectly rhymed, if uneffective, Ronald Weasley spell; book.

♥ "For God's sake, pull yourself together man. You're going into the forest after all. Got to have your wits about ya..."
     -Only Argus Filch can do this the creepy justice it deserves; movie.




Where to begin? Well I guess I should start by stating that it is remarkable and refreshing to be back in the wizarding world among some of my favourite characters. The feeling that I have rediscovered while delving into these wonderful narratives is indescribable. It's as if I've won the lottery on Christmas morning. I just didn't realize how much I missed this! For years and years I have been referencing and remembering scenes only from the movies, and after not having even read the first two books myself (they were read to me by a teacher in elementary school), I've really been missing out on the essence of the original characters, who aren't Daniel Radcliffe or Rupert Grint (even though I do luuurve the latter), but Harry Potter, the reserved and thoughtful yet brave and independent boy who rose above his horrible circumstances, and Ron Weasley, his hilarious and supportive best friend. I am even more excited to experience the Harry Potter Re-Read-a-Ganza! than I originally thought. Which is like, hardly even possible.

As I started the book, I was also caught off guard at the things that I didn't remember from the first book, and also the similarities in the dialogue to the movie. Which is awesome, if bittersweet, since all of those lines already had their own dialects and comedic delivery, and not one that I could imagine myself. One thing that really surprised me that was left out of the movie was the Hogwart's school song that seemed really silly, and as if it didn't belong in the wizarding world. 


               'Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, 
                    Teach us something please,
                    Whether is be old and bald
                    Or young with scabby knees,
                    Our heads could do with filling
                    With some interesting stuff,
                    For now they're bare and full of air,
                    Dead flies and bits of fluff,
                    So teach us things worth knowing,
                    Bring back what we've forgot,
                    Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
                    And learn until our brains all rot.' 


This also might have been attributed to the fact that it wasn't in the movie, therefore it seemed like it was added after or something.

I was also astonished when I was reminded that the book was only a little over 200 pages. It seemed impossible for my mind to interpret that so much greatness could fit into that seemingly measly amount of pages. But it did. And wonderfully. Said pages were exciting, memorable, dynamic, interesting, heartfelt, scary, triumphant, and most of all: magical!

I won't include a summary or anything, since I think that everyone should know the likes of Harry Potter, but I will say that it really is worth it to experience Harry's journey, even though you may already know it like the back of your hand. This experience so far is so rewarding, and I hope you stick around to experience all of Harry's triumphs and pitfalls with me :)

Various Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone Covers:

      
Enchanted--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Harry Potter Re-Read-a-Ganza! & Pottermore

Ok, so If you've been paying attention at all to my previous posts (what a good little kitten you are!), you would know that I am embarking on a Harry Potter filled journey, just in time for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II Movie! (And I must admit great timing as well with the Pottermore thing-but more on that later).

So the philosophy (pun intended!) is simple:

I am going to Re-Read the Harry Potter books and blog about them (review them, talk about them in regards to the movies, compare my thoughts when I originally read them, yada yada yada). 


This is mostly to refresh my memory before I see the movie, because after like, 4 years, things are kindaaaa hazy.

And also because this is the order in which I first read them:

My Mom picked up Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in the summer of 2000 when it first came out (when I was the ripe young age of 10) and was all, "Oooh, I've heard about Harry Potter, we should get this it's supposed to be good!". Thus my foray into Harry Potter, very lacklustre. I read like one chapter of The Goblet of Fire, and was like, "what the F?"

Jump ahead to the Fall of that year, when I started grade 4. My teacher decided to read us the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I liked it.

I then had the same teacher for grade 5, and she read us the second book Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I was pretty hooked.

So I went home, and was all, "Oh yeah, I have a Harry Potter book!" And thus I read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Yes, I skipped the third book.

About this time, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was just coming out, and I had finally caught up to the hype (except I was still mildly confused based on the fact that I skipped the freakin' third book! If only I could travel in time.. and slap my child self in the face!) So obvy, I read and loved Order of the Phoenix, which marked the first of the Harry Potter books that I actually bought myself, YAY :)

Finally, I decided to pick up Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. And let me tell you, it sure did clear up some of my confusances.

So then, of course, I read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, like, as soon as it came out. At this point I was beyond obsessed. The movies were in full swing, and I was just smitten.


And then came the end. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I still remember the day that it came out. I was rockin' my part time job at Forest IGA, and lovin' it. My mom came in whilst I was working to drop off the book for me♥ I finished it that night.


And the rest is history.

So I feel that, based upon the messed up Harry Potter timeline that is currently laughing at me, I will do the books a solid and read them now, in the order intended. I am so excited for this journey, and would love if you guys embarked on it with me! Comment below on your thoughts and really about anything Harry Potter related.

P.s. What do you guys think of the newly announced Pottermore thing? Pretty cool huh? I'm still a little confused about what exactly it entails, but I am already super excited, because anything Harry Potter related just has to be great, right?


Almost too excited to type--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

Delivering forensic revelations guaranteed to "chill to the bone"(Entertainment Weekly ), Kathy Reichs plunges Dr. Temperance Brennan into a shattering case from the past: her own past. As a child, she was told to forget about the missing girl. But some memories don't die....
The discovery of a skeleton in Acadia, Canada, reawakens a traumatic episode for forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan: Could the young girl's remains be those of Évangéline Landry, Tempe's friend who disappeared when Tempe was twelve? Exotic, free-spirited, and slightly older, Évangéline enlivened Tempe''s summer beach visits...then vanished amid whispers that she was "dangerous." Now, faced with bones scarred with inexplicable lesions, Tempe is consumed with solving a decades-old mystery -- while her lover, detective Andrew Ryan, urgently needs her attention on a wave of teenage abductions and murders. With both Ryan and her ex-husband making surprising future plans, Tempe may soon find that her world has painfully and irrevocably changed once again.

                                                                                                                      -Chapters Canada


Let me start out by saying that it was hard to give a rating to this book. Pretty much all of the other Kathy Reichs books that I have reviewed fall under the 4 rating category. This book was different though. I was really really good, and contained siginificantly interesting character development for Tempe, which leans me towards a 4½, but then, as dynamic as the development was, it also was something that I wasn't too happy with, warranting a 3½, ergo, the rating remains at at solid 4.

So having said that, you already get an idea about the book, obviously there was an amazing case to be solved, and, as always, Tempe gets personally involved in one way or another, always putting her safety (and the safety of someone she cares about) in jeopardy. Which quite frankly I never get sick of! The books obviously share similarities and always take on the same themes, but Reichs does so in a way that is refreshing, and has kept me hooked into book 10!

I mentioned that there is a lot of new character development, which really intensified emotions for me. I mean, these books never cease to tickle one's emotions, with such heavy themes of violent murders and often depressing content. But in this case, we really saw Tempe show immense sadness and loss, and I really felt it with her and for her. And, as always, I am ripping and ready to get into the next book.


Too bad I'm taking a hiatus from Tempe-for now--Cheers and Enjoy♥

Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs

To some, the dead are a commodity. For Tempe Brennan, they hold the key to cracking a horrific crime ring.

Among the ancient remains in a Native American burial ground, Tempe discovers a fresh skeleton -- and what began as an ordinary teaching stint at an archeology field school in Charleston, South Carolina, fast becomes a heated investigation into an alarming pattern of homicides. The clues hidden in the bones lead to a street clinic where a monstrous discovery awaits, and Tempe -- whose personal life is in upheaval, with two men competing for her -- can''t afford any distractions as she pieces together a shattering and terrifying puzzle.

                                                                                                                    -Chapters Canada

Keeping with my Kathy Reichs-a-thon, I read Break No Bones, the 9th installment in the Temperance Brennan series, and, once again, thoroughly enjoyed it. Kathy Reichs' attention to detail and wonderful imagery never let me down!

We seem to be going back and forth in the novel between Montreal and Charlotte, which I do love, and this time it was Charlotte's turn to shine. As always, the case was immensely suspenseful and equally dangerous for Tempe. We also get to see some more intense personal development for our favourite forensic anthropologist, which let's be honest, I will never shy away from. I think that the circumstances Reichs set up are ideal for an interesting theme that can carry through the next few installments, and, as always, I am looking forward to reading the next book...

Which I may or may not have already started...Cheers & Enjoy♥

1,000 Pageviews! Yipee! (and other equally important stuff)

1,000 pageviews, YAY!

So this managed to happen whilst I was not paying attention (which brings me to my next point). This is super exciting, and I hope it's just the beginning of a long time worth of awesome blogging and awesome followers! Speaking of which, I really must urge you to officially follow my blog if you like it, because it makes me smile (and also makes me look more popular-tehe).

Anywho, so I have been on hiatus for the last week or so, due to my enjoyment of a much needed vaycay-Yay! I once again returned chez-moi, and as per usual, it was relaxing and jam packed full of quality time with the fam. Which is about the only thing that I will allow to come between myself and the blog-o-sphere. I actually didn't even turn on my computer for a whole week. Which has to be some kind of record!

I actually didn't even pick up a book for an entire week either, which I must admit is quite pitiful, and in the words of Jacques from Finding Nemo (and Cait from various blogs) "I am ashamed". To add insult to injury, I also feel quite guilty, because my recent book reviews, I feel, have not been up to par, so to speak. Don't get me wrong, I love the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs, but I feel like I am cheating my faithful followers by not giving variety! So I think I'm just gonna do a few more before switching over to something new. Which, unfortunately, will not be much of a change, as I am going to be embarking on my exciting Harry Potter Re-Read-a-Ganza! (patent pending!) just in time for the release of the last installment of the movie franchise. I hope that I will not disappoint anyone with my monotony, and I promise that after that, I will be on a reading roll, and give you lots of great new reads!

Speaking of which, I really am excited for this year in books, because my shopping cart at Chapters.ca is really quite chock-full, and I have been adding books for like, literally, 6 months... so needless to say, once I finally decide I can afford to sell my soul, I will have lots of new reads. And they are ALL awesome, I promise!

Side-Note: I also will not be purchasing these books until I finish every book I own (that I have not read yet) since I made myself a deal to not purchase any books until I didn't have a single one on my shelf that is not yet read. The jury is still out on how I'm doing with this challenge :|

So as well as recuperating from being away from my apartment so long, I stupidly courageously decided it was time to gather up all my new music (new meaning all the way from last summer to last night) and make mixes for my easy listening pleasures à la my CD player. WOW. 19 burned CD's later... actually I'm currently on CD number 18, so CLOSE! But that should keep me hoppin', boppin', groovin' and croonin' till next year, I hope.

Speaking of music, I am so excited to mention that Shania Twain (one of my all time favs!-and yes I adore country. Might as well get that out the of way right now) has a new single! It is so good, and has me so excited for her new album, which should be coming out shortly. It just makes me feel so warm inside.

Almost as warm as it makes me feel thinking about how much I love Bruno Mars. Mmmm, Bruno Mars. I am actually obsessed with him. I just saw him perform at the Much Music Video Awards, and I just can't get that little cutie out of my head! He is so talented, genuine, and makes me weak in the knees. But not in a creepy way, I promise! Only enough that I want to carry him around in my pocket :)

Segueing nicely into my perfectly normal obsessions, I want to make some special shout-outs to men that have caught my attention lately:

Ami James: Ok so he's the star of the new TLC (yay-TLC!) show, NY Ink, and I love him. He is so damn attractive and just amazing. Is it just me, or is there something sooo sexy about a guy that is sooo ripped and covered in tattoos, yet he dresses in adorable cardigans and cute hats? He is just so sweet and sensitive, yet strong and capable, if you know what I mean.... YUM!

Ian Somerhalder: Ok so I know this really isn't a new obsession, but I really just had to mention him. I love The Vampire Diaries and Damon even more! Effing Sexy. 'Nuff said.

Chris Hemsworth: So being the brother of another of my favourite hotties, Liam Hemsworth, wins him bonus points after his stunning accent and amazing physique. I still haven't seen his summer blockbuster Thor and really cannot wait much longer!

I also HAVE to say a shoutout to my still hot Alex Pettyfer, who has seemed to fall off the radar, but I know that he is gonna do big things, it's only a matter of time. I still love you Alex!

Wrapping up, there are gonna be some awesome posts to come. Keep your eyes peeled for a special post about the current and upcoming Book to Movie fandangos going on, and my Harry Potter Re-Read-a-Ganza!

Until next time--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

The key to a modern murder lies in the sands of history.


Examining a badly decomposed corpse is de rigueur for forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. But puzzling damage on the body of a shooting victim, an Orthodox Jewish man, suggests this is no ordinary Montreal murder. When a stranger slips Tempe a photograph of a skeleton unearthed at an archaeological site, Tempe uncovers chilling ties between the dead man and secrets long buried in the dust of Israel. Traveling there with Detective Andrew Ryan, Tempe plunges into an international mystery as old as Jesus, and centered on the controversial discovery of Christ''s tomb. Has a mastermind lured her into an elaborate hoax? If not, Tempe may be on the brink of rewriting two thousand years of history -- if she can survive the foes dead set on burying her.

                                                                                                                         -Chapters Canada


Another hit delivered by real life forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs. This time we see Tempe jet-setting to Israel, which was great, but as you'll notice, this book got just a smidgen less of a rating due to its dense content. The writing style was spot-on Reichs: epic.

There was a very heavy religious theme that sometimes weighed down the book for me. I enjoyed it, when I was able to wrap my head around it and understand what everything meant. I think that this book was definitely targeted to a specific audience, but I still found it thoroughly entertaining with the usual Temperance Brennan mystery, intrigue, and amalgamation of her personal life and issues.

The ending, as well, I found to be slightly different than the other books in the series, and took on maybe a little bit more of a realistic quality, since not everything was tied up and solved so perfectly as it usually is. Another reason that it wasn't as exciting as its predecessors was the slight lack of romantic development. But still quite satisfactory. And I am told that the next book will get more into that, so... I'm going to go read that now!


Yay for skeletons!--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Covergasms♥ (6)

Covergasms♥ is an original Book♥Hooker feature that discusses all things cover related!

This Covergasms♥ post is going to focus on something uber-exciting: books not out yet. These special books have been selected by moi over the last little while, and have pretty much been added to my book list because of their beautiful covers. Also because the descriptions sound pretty freakin' amazing :)

The first two come out pretty soon: June 14th! Unfortunately we have to wait a little bit longer to devour the second ones. The last two both come out in October of this year.

         

          

1) Hourglass by Myra McEntire
          This cover has captivated and boggled my mind since I first viewed it a few months ago. I just cannot seem to wrap my mind around it's simplicity and puzzling beauty. It's so freaking trippy! Boasting a great plot as well, Hourglass has been on my reading list ever since I encountered it. It has a supernatural theme woven into a time travelling plot, which seems like a unique idea, and one that I would like to get my hands on. It also helps that some of my favourite blogs have given it rave reviews!

2) Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
          This cover is absolutely breathtaking! The colours contrast in a way that is sooo delicious. The photography renders me speechless with its simplicity and almost weightlessness. The font itself and the placement of the font are just perfection, and the ribbon adds just enough intrigue to make me want to buy this book, just at first glance. The book also seems to combine some of my favourite elements: mysterious murders, sisterly dynamics, and showcasing past and present events. This screams 'buy me' in the floating ethereal voice that the cover brings to my mind.

3) The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
          Another stunner! I love the effect that this cover emits. The powerful thrusting of the girl in the front that seems to blend in to almost ink or paint at the bottom wins me over completely. I just know that this book will be dynamic from this cover, it just has to! The font is seemingly simple, but I adore the two-toned quality, and how it seems to take precedence on the cover, still letting the girl almost break through though, powerfully awakened. If that makes sense... Although the main selling point of this book is ambiguously supernatural, I still want to read it, since the description also mentions the setting to be in Ireland. And I love me some Europe :)

4) Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
          I actually first came across this cover on someone else's blog as a countdown widget, and although I had never heard of the book before (I usually don't put widgets on my site unless I am dying to read it) I felt myself inexplicably needing this book, just because of the cover. I kid you not. The combination of the yellow and the interesting font immediately stole my attention, and then the seemingly animated picture and sparkly orbs sealed the deal. I just love it. The plot of the book, a girl who escapes a life full of overbearing parents and an abusive boyfriend for a 'street family', seems equally dynamic. I definitely will be picking this up as soon as humanly possible!

Well there you have it. Four amazing reads, coming to bookstores near you. Or maybe you're lucky enough to have already acquired a copy? If so, let me know if they are as good as they sound, or better!

Happy reading--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Click to MTV so they can teach me How to Dougie...

Part II

Ok, so I didn't learn how to Dougie (although maybe in future?), but last night I did happen to click over to MTV to catch the MTV Movie Awards, and some awesome upcoming Book to Movie sneak previews!

First of all, cute as a button Emma Watson presented us with a new clip of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II, which was so cool! My most favouritist scene, when Harry goes to die. Epic!

Then, towards the end of the broadcast, our favourite Twilight hotties (ok so maybe I'm the only one who likes them :| ) took the stage to show the World Premiere of the Breaking Dawn Part I movie trailer! (which I did not happen to catch earlier in the day, since it was leaked.... nope, not at all...)

All in all, a great night for sneak previews!

And also a good night for Twilight Saga: Eclipse, since it seemed to take, like, all the awards (except for Jaw Dropping Moment, which went to Justin Bieber. ?!. Soooo, let me get this straight.. Justin Bieber singing some rando song in his movie about singing, was more jaw dropping then James Franco cutting off his arm, and Natalie Portman self-mutilating??) Anywho, those Twilight actors (with the exception of Taylor Lautner. Always Taylor Lautner. Yum. Taylor Lautner :) were pretty flipping hilarious, if only because they are so awkward. I mean K-Stew has always been pretty hard to watch in real life, but it's part of her charm, she's down to earth and doesn't give an F. But Pattinson? He was the most awkward of them all! His first award could have been chalked up to the fact that he wasn't expecting it. But then the second, he ran off the stage and kissed Taylor Lautner, only to return and tell Kristen that he was going to 'take her back-stage' in a very 'I wanna bone you' manner. I wish they would just out their relationship already and stop playing mind games with my very gullible mind! So then Pattinson went on to award Reese Witherspoon the Generation Award with Patrick Dempsey and Chelsea Handler, which was almost too brutal to watch. Made for some good entertainment though. I mean, Robert Pattinson missing the punch line of his own joke, and ending up saying, "Well then I fucked her" about girl-next-door Reese was pretty funny. Only to be outdone when Reese had to correct him, saying that the punchline was that Rob playing Reese's son in Vanity Fair (apparently the part got cut) and then her lover in Water For Elephants, makes Rob 'the best Mother-Fucker in Hollywood!"

Which you have to admit, is pretty funny, am I right?

So the rest of the show wasn't bad. Jason Sudeikis hosted, and he is one of my favie favie funny actors from SNL and other movies. He seemed pretty funny, even though he did try to crack too many Arnold Swarzt-en-whatever jokes, which were not well received by the crowd. The intro that was a spoof of The Hangover Part II was pretty hilarious, Taylor Lautner (break to drool) being the one who goes missing. And he had some self-written songs about some of this year's movies, which were pretty funny.
My favourite part though, would have to be when he smoothly slipped in the little tidbit about being a father soon. Is this a reference to his ex January Jones being pregnant, and refusing to name the Baby Daddy? I hope so. I think that they would be so cute together. I love them both, and his funny would balance her beauty perfectly, in my opinion!

Also another great moment from the show was youngin' Alexys Nycole Sanchez, who won the award for Best Line From a Movie. Her acceptance speech was super-adorable and she ended with her line, "I wanna get chocolate wasted!" So cute!

Ok, so moving on. In other news, I have recently made some amazing food and I wanted to share some of the awesome deliciousness with you (mostly just wanted to brag actually-tehe). I was most recently busy whipping up, like, a hundred, cookies for a bake sale at work, and might I say that they were super-yum-o, and a huge hit! I also tried out making scalloped potatoes for the first time, which were pretty much a huge success, even though I forgot an important ingredient, 2 cups of cream. Oh well, next time I shall try it with the cream, and let you know which one is better. With the potatoes, I enjoyed ham, made in the crock-pot, marinaded in my amazing homemade BBQ sauce. And finally, probably the most popular, my recently discovered, original Holly recipe: Mac 'n' Cheese. (Which, for the record, I am still eating, and already fed about 6 people at work. And may or may not be eating right now. Huhhuh. See what I did there. Intriguing, no?). So if anyone wants the recipes, just comment below. You might also be able to see them at Cait's kick ass recipe blog Smorgasbord of Recipes (which is newly launched, along with her new book blog Reading In Love-check 'em out!)

Along with melting our apartment from the oven being on constantly, I have also managed to catch a few movies. YAY!

Something Borrowed is another Book to Movie fantango which stemmed from the book of the same name by Emily Giffin, (one of my favourite authors). This movie boasted so many good celebs and definitely did not disappoint. It is such a good summer movie, and it goes without saying that if you liked the book, I think you will love the movie. They did such a good job with the adaptation, and some of the scenes between Ginnifer Goodwin and Kate Hudson were just so funny and friendship chemistry was really evident between them. John Krasinski is always cute and goofy, and really provided so much more for the movie than his role does in the book, and it was greatly appreciated :)

Bridesmaids was a smash hit that was funny and vulgar in all the right places! I knew that I had to see this movie as soon as I saw the preview. I absolutely luuurve Kristen Wigg in anything she puts her name on, and Melissa McCarthy has been keeping me in stitches since Gilmore Girls circa the year 2000! The film did not disappoint. It actually was so much better than I had anticipated. It was hilarious, and also not a bad story-line. And I definitely enjoyed the dorky goofball love interest, Chris O'Dowd. All of the characters were great actually, which is good in a movie, and I think that the writing was excellent. Never a dull moment! I recommend this to anyone who likes to laugh hysterically :)



I know what you're gonna say. And what all the critics said. You didn't like it. It was too similar to the first one. But really, I liked it. It was similar to the first one, but that's what you get, it's the sequel. And it was different enough for me to enjoy it. To me, the similarities added to the humour, and obviously they were on purpose. But all in all, the actors were still great, and the scenes were different enough to warrant new laughter. Bradley Cooper managed to be hilarious, cute, and swoon-worthy. Zach Galifianakis was creepy and random, just how we like him. And Ed Helms was just flipping hilarious! I must say though, I don't think I'll be visiting Bangkok anytime soon. Or, like, EVER! Overall, I admit the movie was similar yes, but if you wanted to see something different, then you shouldn't have rooted for a sequel. That would be called a completely different movie with the same actors!

Morning Glory was an exceptional movie, and I can't believe I waited this long to see it! I absolutely love Rachel McAdams, and the other actors in it were amazing as well. It was funny, cute, and emotional in all the right places. Perfection! Probably the thing that I enjoyed most though, was the soundtrack. And of course it doesn't exist, because the world, apparently, likes to spite me! But anyway, the movie was incredible. Rachel McAdams does so many different kinds of movies, and I love her in all of them. This movie wasn't completely dynamic, but one that I will remember for years to come as being funny, down-to-earth, and inspirational! I just hope you didn't wait as long as I did to see it!


P.S. For more great movie reviews, check out this awesome blog dedicated to just that, Myth's Movie Corner!

Ok, keeping with the movie theme, there are also soooo many great movies coming out this summer, and I really wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't share them with you!

Just click on the link to learn all about the movie!

So I'm gonna start out with some movies that I didn't think I would want to see, but actually look pretty good. First of all Thor, which I know is already out, but I'm going to include it anyway because it looks so darn good! At first glance, this looks like some super-hero action movie that doesn't really interest me. But then I noticed two things: a) Chris Hemsworth-hubba hubba! and b) that it actually looked kinda funny, and it looks slightly romantic as well. This is a must-see for me!

Another comic-book, super-hero-ishy flick is Green Lantern, which also won me over for the same reasons! This one comes out June 17th!

Fright Night, a new vampire movie coming out August 19th, was yet another movie that I rolled my eyes at until I saw the trailer. I mean, come on, another vampire movie? Can't we get over this already?! (There can only be one Highlander!) But then I noticed that it was rocking a pretty good cast, Colin Farrell & McLovin' (umm-yesplease!), and it looks pretty good for vampire-slash-scary movie. Hmm, we will have to see...

So now on to some movies that just look really good, coming out sometime this year.

Crazy Stupid Love, a romantic comedy starring the likes of Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, to name a few! July 29th.

Bad Teacher, a sure-fire raunchy-rom-com starring Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake and Jason Segel. June 24th.

Horrible Bosses, a star-studded comedy with some of my all-time favs: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Colin Farell, Jason Bateman, Jamie Foxx, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Bowen, Charlie Day, Donald Sutherland and John Francis Daley. July 8th.

The Change-Up, a cliche comedy that I'm hoping can still make me laugh in all the right places, starring Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde. August 5th.

Friends With Benefits, a rom-com that I'm hoping will deliver, even though it does seem oddly similar to No Strings Attached. Starring Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis and Andy Samberg (swoon). July 22nd.

Monte Carlo, with some of my favourite actors, this adventure rom-com is sure to have me laughing, smiling, and swooning :) Starring Leighton Meester, Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy and Cory Monteith. July 1st.

Larry Crowne, an understated romantic comedy that I'm sure will stand in a league of its own starring Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks. July 1st.

A special shoutout goes out to two movies coming out a while from now, but I just can't get them off my mind:

New Year's Eve, the sequel to last year's Valentine's Day that boasts just as many celebrities, many of which hold a dear place in my heart: Zac Efron, Katherine Heigl, Lea Michele, Josh Duhamel, Ashton Kutcher, Sofia Vergara, Hilary Swank, Alyssa Milano, Sarah Jessica Parker, Halle Berry, and the list goes on! Look for this December 9th!

The Vow, which looks like it could be my new favourite movie, boasting two Nicholas Sparks-worthy-actors and what promises to be lots of tears with a smattering of laughter. Look for Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams in time for Valentine's Day 2012.

Well, I think that just about sums up the month of May. Stay tuned for a special Book to Movie related post with all of the movies that you thought were missing from the list ;)

Wow, that was long--Cheers & Enjoy♥

Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs

The secrets of the dead are in her hands.

The bones of three young women are unearthed in the basement of a Montreal pizza parlor, and forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan has unsolved murder on her mind as she examines the shallowly buried remains. Coming up against a homicide cop who is convinced the dead have been entombed on the site for centuries, Tempe perseveres, even with her own relationship with Detective Andrew Ryan at a delicate turning point. In the lab, the clean, well-perserved bones offer few clues. But when Carbon 14 confirms her hunch that these were recent deaths despite the antique buttons found near the bodies, Tempe's probing must produce answers quickly to stop a killer whose grisly handiwork has seen the light of day.
                                                                                      -Chapters Canada

The seventh book in the Temperance Brennan series was suspenseful, mysterious, emotional, and all-encompassing. Just like all the ones before it!

This time, we see Tempe just in Montreal (yay for Canada!) and she is investigating a case that once again she has to fight for. Tempe never gives up, and what she finds is devastating and so interesting at the same time. The subject of this particular installment in the series was particularly bone-chilling. Just so darn good.

As usual as well, we see great personal struggle for Tempe, in all things involving her friends, family, pets, and love life. And as per usual, I am never disappointed in the end :)

Kathy Reichs truly knows how to keep her audience on the edge of their seats intellectually, emotionally, and suspensefully.

Need I say more?--Cheers & Enjoy♥