Film Friday: Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven

Directed by:  Antoine Fuqua


Staring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke



The Breakdown:  Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.   (From IMDB)


My Review:  The western is back! Or at least I hope it is. I love a good classic western and I was worried that we would get a western with a modern feel...and I did not. It was done in in the classic old western style and it felt like so much detail and work was put into keeping it classic and not trying to make it modern. The visuals were breathtaking and the acting superb. I really appreciate Antoine Fuque avoiding the pull to make it gory. It didn't need to be but with the large amount of violence he could have gone for the blood and guts angle but he didn't he stuck with the story and the characters being the main focus. Also thank you Mr Fuqua for avoiding animal violence and not filling scenes with dead and disfigured horses. I don't think I saw one. The characters were the focus and the scenery was there as a beautiful backdrop to the characters' stories. It is a must see and I really hope we get more westerns with the success of this film.
I do think it needs another title "How to go out like a boss! By: Chris Pratt"


Rating: 5 Glasses

Review of the Book: Yetunde: An Ode to my Mother

Yetunde: An Ode to my mother

By: Segilola Salami

Rating: 4 Glasses

This was a very short story (only 28 pages) I love classic folk tales and stories of mothers and daughters so I was very happy with this book. I loved the blending of languages but at times even with the translations it was a struggle to understand as I needed the translation to understand the line. Still a good short story for mothers and daughters to share.

Ana

Ana's Post

Hello All time to give some more promo results:

E Readers News Today:Awesome! I got 25 sales that day and an additional 6 the next day. KDP pages read was way over 1,000. It cost $35 so I didn't break even but the sales boost and the potential for the purchase of books two and three for me consider it a WIN!

Fussy Librarian:Good Choice as well! It cost $17 and I sold 4 copies the day of and 3 the day after. KDP pages were over 1,500. So for only $17 I feel I got a lot of exposure so it is a WIN


Ana

Film Friday: The Bronze

The Bronze

Directed by:  Bryan Buckley


Staring: Melissa Rauch, Sebastian Stan, Gary Cole



The Breakdown:  A foul-mouthed former gymnastics bronze medalist with local celebrity status reluctantly trains a rising Olympics aspirant.  (From IMDB)


My Review: As a former gymnast I saw the trailer for this, laughed hysterically and decided I had to see it. I was not disappointed. Yes some gymnastics jokes you would need to have been a gymnast to really get but it was just raunchy and funny most of the time. I really liked how she didn't really change she was the same foul mouthed crazy gal at the end but with new found purpose. Melissa Rauch and Sebastian Stan played perfectly off of one another and the story was unique and fun. My only complaint is that at times it was a bit predictable and a little over the top with the vulgarity but still a very fun solid film.


Rating: 4 Glasses

Review of the Novel: Shizzle Inc.

Shizzle Inc

By: Ana Spoke

Rating: 3 Glasses

It was cute and funny but drove me nuts at times. The main character, Isa, wants to be rich and famous but puts no time into doing anything to get it. It should just come to her.....This bothers me a bit. Now I know this book was designed to be silly and ridiculous but as a fan of strong female leads in books she was nothing of the sort. She was ditzy and unqualified but got a job by shear luck.  Going back to the main point which was playful and still it at some times went to far with it and the story got to be too much. However if you love a well written joke around then this may work perfectly for you.

Ana

Ana's Post

So I am still on the topic of promotion as it is for me, as all authors, an on-going process. This past week I used:

People Reads- I ran the promotion on 9/13 and sold 1 copy. The remainder of the week I sold an additional 5 copies. In terms of KDP pages read 353. (Now these stats were only for Marie as that is the only book I promoted I did have sales of my other two books but I cannot verify that they were due to this promotion.) It was only $7.99 and those low pages read could be a bunch of people starting the book since it is impossible to tell if that is just 1 copy being read or 50. As a result the low cost and the potentially long term I will call it a Win. It may work better if the book was free.

This upcoming week I am running a promo on Ereader News Today (9/18 sorry still have to wait for results) and Fussy Librarian (9/23) I will let you know those results on my 9/26 post.

Love
Ana

Film Friday: TMNT: Out of the Shadows

TMNT: Out of the Shadows

Directed by: Dave Green

Staring: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Stephen Amell, Tyler Perry


The Breakdown: After facing Shredder, who has joined forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman and henchmen Bebop and Rocksteady to take over the world, the Turtles must confront an even greater nemesis: the notorious Krang.   (From IMDB)


My Review: I am very open minded person when it comes to re-boots and re-makes even when I don't agree that they should have happened. That being said I think this franchise is a bag of worms that no matter what they do with it people will be mad. I have seen a lot of reviews that blast it for being so childish and stupid and a dis-service to the fans who grew up with the turtles. Sooo let's go back and watch the TV shows and original moves and compare.....they are just as childish and goofy and that is why we loved it....as children. We are adults now and we want the franchise to grow up with us but news flash......Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is for CHILDREN. Yes they PG-13ed it and that confuses people but in the end this is the turtles for the new generations and will be as silly as the originals. I laughed and I love the interactions between the turtles no matter how immature it was. Stephen Amell was a great addition and Will Arnett was as always fun to watch. I really liked that Megan Fox's April O'Neal was not as whiny as she was in the first one and much for take charge and respected. Yes I agree that it was Michael Bayed with the explosions and the sexy clothing on Megan Fox but despite all of that I enjoyed it.


Rating: 3.5 Glasses

Review of the Novel: Morwich: Breaking the Rules

Morwitch: Breaking the Rules

By: Jennifer Redmile

Rating: 5 Glasses

Ok I don't say this stuff often and this is not a normal phrase for me but....this is YA gold! Mind you YA is not my genre of choice and I felt the common themes present in the popular YA novels of the day but put in a new environment with a fun new twist. I was never bored and found myself more intrigued and invested in this book than I have in many other YA books I have read. The world is well built and gives the reader plenty to work with in terms of visualization. YA fans rejoice you have a new book to love :) Give us more!

To Grab a Copy Click Here :)

Ana

Ana's Post

Hey all today I want to continue to talk about promotions that work. I have really dove head first into trying to promote my books. I tried two sites in the past couple weeks: Genre Pulse and GoodKindles.

Genre Pules- On the day it was featured I sold 4 copies and had 2,000 pages read on KU...however the rest of the week I saw a continuation of pages read on KU (6,000 additional pages) and an additional 15 copies sold. It cost me $17 so it was about a break even-ish. I would consider it a WIN

GoodKindles- On the day it was featured I sold 1 copy and had 800 pages read. The rest of the week saw 7 additional copies sold and about 2,000 additional pages read. It cost $35 so I consider it a BUST.

Stay tuned for more promo results.

Ana

Sunday Post

So I don't normally post on Sundays but today I felt the need to say something as it is Patriot Day here in the US. There has been a lot of hate being thrown around over athletes not standing for the National Anthem to protest injustice in our country. I am appalled by people's reactions to this. One of the freedoms we are so blessed to have in this country is the right to peaceful protest. That is what they are doing and they have that right and I respect it. People in the US have more rights that many countries in this world and yet we bash one another for expressing them. We get angry and call people names for freedom of speech a right that is a right we are guaranteed to have. This is Patriot Day and what makes you a "Patriot" is up for question to so many people. The idea that if you don't do...xyz..you are not an American is just wrong and a complete perversion of what is means to be an American. Let nobody tell you who you should be and what you should believe it is your right as an American and stand for what you believe in and help make this country a better place.

Love
Ana

Film Friday: Now You See Me 2

Now You See Me 2

Directed by: Jon M. Chu

Staring: Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Lizzy Caplan


The Breakdown: The Four Horsemen resurface and are forcibly recruited by a tech genius to pull off their most impossible heist yet.   (From IMDB)


My Review: I loved the first film so I was eager to see the second but it just didn't happen until it hit Vudu. Now having seen the first one made watching the second one possible. I don't think for one second you could follow the complicated plot without knowing what happened in the first. The villain would make no sense and it would leave you scratching your head. One of the things I really liked about the first one is the explanation as to how they did it. You don't get as much of that in this one but you do get some so that helps keep you intrigued in the stunts they pull. I am big fan of Mark Ruffalo and he never fails to deliver and in this go around he does a great job getting you to root for him and his band of magicians. Could it have been better? Yes. Could they have explained the ending a little better? Definitely! I actually ended the film confused and that is not a win for me, so I had to take away one but it is definitely worth you time to enjoy....as long as you have seen the first one!



Rating: 4 Glasses

Review of the Novel: Yours in a Hurry

Yours in a Hurry

By: Ann Kathleen Otto

Rating: 5 Glasses

I am history buff and a historical fiction fan so I eager to start this book. The time period addressed is not my area of emphasis when I study so I was interested to see how history and fiction were weaved in this novel. I was very happy with the outcome. A well put together tale of three siblings during the time of the exploration into flight. I never lost interest while reading and I was thrilled with the way the author was able to give us a family to follow without making it to confusing. I would recommend for anyone who loves historical fiction.

To Grab a Copy Click Here :)

Ana

Ana's Post

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Labor Day :) I intend to do as little work as possible today :)

Love
Ana

Film Friday: Soaked in Bleach

Soaked in Bleach

Directed by: Benjamin Statler

Staring: Daniel Roebuck, Sarah Scott, August Emerson


The Breakdown: Tom Grant, a private investigator once hired by Courtney Love, reveals his take on the death of Kurt Cobain.   (From IMDB)


My Review:
I want to start by saying I have no opinion on if Kurt Cobain committed suicide or was murdered and this film did not convince me to change my stance. It was very one sided and was basically trying to say it wasn't suicide but it gave no evidence as to who committed that crime. It paints Courtney Love as very unstable and drug addicted, which is something I do not doubt about her. However if so how was she able to organize a murder so successfully that it would be classified a suicide? I don't know and despite this film being well put together it just causes more questions and answers none. There is no real evidence presented other than Courtney Love, a drug addict (per the film), had inconsistent statements. The big win in this film were the performances by the actors/actresses in the re-enactments. They kept me watching the film! At the end of the day not a bad documentary but lacked substance and new information.


Rating: 3.5 Glasses