BIRTHDAY!

Today is my birthday. Yup, I'm one of those lucky people who gets screwed over at Christmas.

Nah, I'm just kidding. My family and husband have always separated the my birthday from Christmas so each day is special in its own way. :D

I don't know what I'm going to do today but hopefully I'll have fun doing it.

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes


Basic Premise
Holmes and Watson are called upon to solve a case involving black magic and the walking dead. It's just the puzzle Holmes is looking for to fill his listless days, assuming he survives the experience.

News: Psyche Nomination - ADRIENNE

The Romance Studio has posted their nominations for the CAPAs of 2009. ADRIENNE is a Psyche nominee!!

Check out the full list here:
http://www.theromancestudio.com/capa.php

Random Previews: Dec 2009

Here's the second installment. I thought I wouldn't have anything to write about but then I visited the Quicktime site and there were bunches more previews for movies I've never heard of. Who knows, I may be able to do this each month after all. :D

And away we go:

- District 13: Ultimatum (25 Feb 2010) -
Martial arts and freestyle walking used for chase scenes and combat... what's not to like!!? This movie looks like a kick ass extravaganza. If not, then it will be visually pleasing to those who love to watch stunt men work. I need to find the first movie so I can watch the second one with some sort of understanding.

- Frozen (05 Feb 2010) -
*snort* so let me get this straight... You lied to the chairlift guy so you could get free tickets to ski and then somehow got stranded on the chairlift halfway up the mountain. It's Sunday and they are closed until Friday and no one can hear you scream... Does this sound like karma to anyone else? :P I can see why this movie is coming out in February.

- 44 Inch Chest (15 Jan 2010) -
Never ever dump your husband for a younger man when your husband has ties to the mob. I don't think I'll watch this one. But for all you fans of mafioso movies, feel free.

- Daybreakers (08 Jan 2010) -
This is sort of cheating since I've seen this preview before. But I think I never got around to writing the review for the movie where I saw the preview, so I get to write it now... This movie looks kickass! I've always wondered what would happen to a society completely peopled by vampires. I'm looking forward to this one.

- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (25 Dec 2009) -
Heath Ledger??? Gee I hope he made this before he died. :P Well, that surprise aside, this looks... interesting. Is that the word I want? This is a movie I may have to wait for DVD. It looks pretty though and Johnny Depp is in it.

- Hot Tub Time Machine (March 2010) -
Okay, don't let the title turn you off. I almost didn't click this preview but this looks hilarious. 4 friends pile into a hot tub and start boozing it up, the next thing they know they are back in 1986. I think I'll go see it.

- Iron Man 2 (07 May 2010) -
I can't believe I haven't seen this preview yet. And after this (unless I see it in a movie theater) I'll never see it again because I will actively try to avoid any previews just because I know how much of the movie they give away. So what do I think after watching this preview? OH MY FRIGGIN' GOD!! This movie will so ROCK! War Machine, Black Widow, Nick Fury, Whiplash (really?)... this will be great.

- Robin Hood (14 May 2010) -
Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe (Gladitor) team up again to put Kevin Costner to shame in this adaptation of the Robin Hood legend. Looks like a nice start to the summer movies.

- Fading of the Cries (coming soon) -
I'm not sure what to make of this trailer and the fairy tale/story book music in the background didn't seem to fit with the fight sequences. I think this is a wait for DVD movie.

Manga Review: Haou Airen

Haou Airen by Mayu Shinjo
(Supreme Emperor's Lover)


Publisher: Currently unavailable in U.S.
Price: Unknown
Genre: Shoujo, Drama, Romance
Themes: High School, Hong Kong Mafia
Rating: Mature 18+
Volumes: 9
ISBNs: Unknown


Basic Premise:
Kurumi Akino is the typical high school girl trying to keep her family afloat after her father dies and her mother falls ill, leaving her to take care of her younger twin brothers as well as hold down a job and go to school. She stumbles across a man in the street who is hurt and insists on helping him. He repays her by kidnapping her to Hong Kong and holding her hostage so that she'll belong only to him because he is Hakuron, the head of one of the most powerful mafia groups in Hong Kong.

Kurumi is all prepared to be Hakuron's girlfriend but she also becomes his greatest weakness as Hakuron's enemies try to use her as a way to get at him.


Sex Shown:
Female full frontals and allusions to sexual acts with character positioning and disembodied body parts. Rape scenes and forced sex scenes as well.


Review:
When I read this, I was absolutely sure that this series came before Sensual Phrase. It seemed like a test run before Mayu-sensei wrote the 18 volume epic that I love so much. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Haou Airen actually came AFTER Sensual Phrase.

I'm not sure what happened but Haou Airen didn't live up to the standards set in Sensual Phrase, in my mind. The beginning was completely rushed. Mayu-sensei expected the reader to believe that Kurumi fell in love with Hakuron after only knowing him for a few hours, during which time he threatened to rape her on the street while he's being pursued by an unknown enemy out to kill him.

If that isn't enough, Hakuron then proceeds to kidnap her to Hong Kong where he tells her she'll never see her family again (don't forget her dad is dead, her mother is sick, and her younger twin brothers are only like 6 or 7 so they now have to fend for themselves). While their sexual relationship doesn't start off right away, it was hard to see a love relationship starting at all.

I definitely didn't like Hakuron, even if he did look a lot like Sakuya. As a hero, Mayu-sensei never really redeemed him. When a hero does something truly despicable to the heroine (like rape her or threaten to kill her, which Hakuron did more than once), it's the author's burden to find some way to redeem that hero and make him worthy of the heroine's love so the reader goes back to that warm happy place again. Mayu-sensei just uses the excuse that he's in the mafia and that's how that lifestyle is led, but he's really sensitive and caring. *skeptical look* Uh huh.

Oh, and Kurumi is no prize either. She is about three seconds away from being TSTL. The only reason she isn't completely TSTL is because she actually lived through the moments that would normally kill a typical TSTL heroine.

The ending had a twist I wasn't expecting. But the overall story wasn't something I really enjoyed. It was a typical Mayu Shinjo story with all the sex and violence and the 'not meant for younger audiences' aspects but the beginning could have been better and it would have been nice if Hakuron had been redeemed.

Manga Review: Sensual Phrase

Sensual Phrase by Mayu Shinjo


Publisher: Viz Media
Price: $9.99
Genre: Shoujo, Drama, Romance
Themes: High School, Singer, Bands
Rating: Mature 18+
Volumes: 18
ISBNs:
- 978-1591162056
- 978-1591163343
- 978-1591164494
- 978-1591164111
- 978-1591165606
- 978-1591166719
- 978-1591167341
- 978-1591168034
- 978-1591168676
- 978-1421500133
- 978-1421501079
- 978-1421502656
- 978-1421503950
- 978-1421505596
- 978-1421505602
- 978-1421505619
- 978-1421505626
- 978-1421508474


Basic Premise:
Sakuya is the lead singer of Lucifer and he's fallen for Aine, a typical high school girl. Their relationship is a roller coaster of emotions as Aine learns to deal with having an idol for a boyfriend and Sakuya learns to balance his career with his love life.


Sex Shown:
Female full frontals and allusions to sexual acts with character positioning and disembodied body parts. Rape scenes and forced sex scenes as well.


Review:
Mayu Shinjo is my kind of writer. The story of Aine and Sakuya is a long one (18 volumes long) and their relationship goes through so much that it's surprising they made it to the end. I love this series and it is on my re-read list.

But, don't think that Sensual Phrase is just about Aine and Sakuya, it also covers the relationships of the other band members of Lucifer, giving most of them (not all) a volume in the limelight.

This may be a soap opera-ish look at the world of rock stardom but it's a fun ride.

Not the typical shoujo story about a high school girl and her dream boyfriend. This story is definitely meant for an older audience.

Warning, this title contains the stuff mentioned in the "sex shown" section above as well as suicide attempts, murder attempts, kidnapping, imprisonment, blackmail, bribery, and a bunch of other stuff that makes this story an attention-getter.

Manga Review: Cause of My Teacher

Cause of My Teacher by Temari Matsumoto


Publisher: TokyoPop BLU
Price: $12.99
Genre: Yaoi, Drama, Romance
Themes: High School, Ninja, Samurai, Princes
Rating: Mature 18+
Volumes: 1
ISBN: 978-1427810830



Basic Premise:
Compilation of short stories:
- Cause of my Teacher - Torhu loves Minazuki-sensei but is troubled by why sensei always removes his glasses, which Torhu loves on him, when they kiss.
- In The Guidance Room - Kazunari Soma loves Hajime Fukuzawa-sensei but doesn't think the teacher would give him the time of day. So Kazunari will admire Hajime from afar... or will he?
- Captured By Love - Ijima has been chasing Ishikawa for years and Ijima has finally caught him. :P
- Whim of Youth - Hiiragi, a top ninja, refuses to be separated from his lover Asagi on this latest assignment which lands him in jail but ultimately proves his love to Asagi.
- Please, Young Master - Kurenai is the ninja protector of the young master and a wannabe lover. The young master challenges Kurenai to a duel where the Kurenai will get the young master's body if he wins.
- The Boy From the Palace of the Sea - Shiranui is a scholar from the mountains who rescues Izumo and wins an invitation to the coveted sea palace. That's enough for Shiranui but Izumo wants to give him so much more.


Sex Shown:
Mild bondage, lots of kissing, and sexual positions. There are a few penis shadows but no actual definition.


Review:
My favorite story was In The Guidance Room and The Boy From the Palace of the Sea simply because they were the most fleshed out. The other stories are all nibblets. You're dropped into the story in the middle and given a little explanation before jumping into the sex scene.

Whim of Youth is a continuation of a story that appears in Shinobu Kokoro. So you have to read that to get the start of their story.

Each one of the stories could have easily been fleshed out into a full volume of its own. They are cute, short stories that are quick reads for a nice thrill.

Movie: Avatar

AVATAR
(3-D IMAX)


Basic Premise:
Jake Sully is a paraplegic marine sent to Pandora (a hostile alien planet six light years away from Earth) to study the natives. Executives on Earth want a very valuable energy source whose richest vein is directly below the main village of the natives. It's Jake's job, using an avatar -- a specially grown body that combines human DNA with that of the natives -- that he pilots remotely, to learn their ways and convince the natives to move. Except, in learning their ways he finds himself torn between his job and his morality.

Manga Review: Liberty Liberty

Liberty Liberty! by Hinako Takanaga


Publisher: TokyoPop BLU
Price: $12.99
Genre: Boy's Love (BL), Drama, Romance
Themes: Television News, College, Cross-dressing
Rating: Older Teen 16+
Volumes: 1
ISBN: 978-1427816665



Basic Premise:
Itaru is down in the dumps... literally. That's where Kouki finds him while on assignment trying to catch a stalker. Kouki takes pity on Itaru and tries to help him out, breaking a $2000 camera in the process. Itaru has to find a way to pay Kouki back without calling his parents since he's run away from home and bad situation. Kouki doesn't want the aggravation but finds having Itaru around isn't so bad after all.


Sex Shown:
What sex? No really. What sex? This book is all about building the relationship. I think the rating is for the cross-dresser.


Review:
WHAT?!! What do you mean it's only ONE volume?! There has to be more. There just has to be. Don't leave me hanging like that. NOOOOOOOOO!

Okay, I got that off my chest. Yes. I did some research and there is only one volume to this story. That is totally unfair of Takanaga-sensei. I love her stuff and this story totally deserves a second volume. Itaru and Kouki are just getting started and there is so much left undone. I want more.

Suffice to say, I really enjoyed this story. It can use another volume, just because the characters were that awesome and deserve more page time, but it really isn't needed. The story is complete.

A cute little quick read.

Movie Review: Princess and the Frog

The Princess and the Frog


Basic Premise:
Tianna is a hard working woman with a firm goal in mind who doesn't have time for wishes and fairy tales. Naveen is a prince looking for a party and the cash to fund it. They both hit a brick wall when Disney spins this classic and turns them both into frogs. Now they have to work together, get to know each other, and find a way back to being human.

Manga Review: Shinshoku Kiss

Shinshoku Kiss


Publisher: TokyoPop
Price: $9.99
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Light Romance, Shoujo
Themes: High School, Doll Making, Celestial Maidens
Rating: Older Teen 16+
Volumes: 2
ISBNs:
- 978-1427803078
- 978-1427804860




Basic Premise:
Kotoko Kashiwagi wants to be a great doll maker like Fool, the top doll maker in all of Japan. She enters doll making competitions and though she doesn't win, her creation garners a personal note from Fool himself urging her to continue working hard. She sets out to do just that, taking pictures of beautiful people so she can recreate them as dolls. One man is perfect from head to toe but before she gets the chance to ask permissions to take his picture he's whisking her away to a weird warehouse where she meets... Fool!? And he wants her to be his apprentice?!!! It's a dream come true except it comes with a really big catch one that can't be denied just like Fool's offer.



Review:
I liked it. The story began quickly, moved along at a good pace, and answered all questions in the two volumes without feeling rushed or leaving anything unanswered. I loved Takuto, but then I think that was the aim of Higashiyama-sensei. Who wouldn't like a good looking, quiet man who is obedient and only eats flowers?

I would have loved for the story to be longer. It doesn't need to be, as I said before but it could have been if the author had felt like it. All-in-all, a good, quick read that is emotionally charged.

Movie Review: Boondock Saints 2

Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day


Basic Premise:
Conner and Murphy "The Saints" MacManus are back. After 8 years in hiding, they've been called back to Boston to find the killer of a priest. They meet old foes and new as well as old friends and new in their quest to mete out their form of justice.

Author Interview: Skhye Moncrief

The Basics
- Skhye Moncrief
- Brand: Fall in love beyond this reality…
- Genre(s): Paranormal (Light & Dark, Fantasy Romance)
- Publisher(s): The Wild Rose Press

To Other Authors

- What are the three MOST important pieces of advice you would give to a brand new author?

• 1. Never give up.

• 2. Decode the writing lingo you hear like stilted, contrived, etc.

• 3. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. I, personally, found something of value in everyone’s criticism. You just have to look for the gems. Or I studied geology way too long!

- What's your favorite way to advertise?

• It’s too expensive—RT magazine. So, I go with elbow grease on the internet—contests, excerpts, blog features, etc. Even if you’re shy, you can do this. Lurk on writer/reader loops and jump on promo opportunities.

- What hard-knock lesson did the publishing world teach you (can be your own experience or someone else's that you learned from)?

• To be patient. LOL. I so am NOT. I do everything half-arse backward.

For the Readers

- What are you reading, if anything, at the moment?

• SAY YOU’RE ONE OF THEM by Uwen Akpan. The writing is amazing. And it’s an incredible glimpse into African life. Or I studied anthropology longer than I studied geology! This happens to be the first book I saw on Oprah’s Reading List and read the excerpt… I ran to the store to buy a copy!

- Do you prefer ebooks or print for your reading pleasure?

• I love keeping my print books forever. You know. Up on my shelves where I can take them down and pet them. (Renee Note: I'm the same way.) But owning my e-reader is like being gifted an unfathomable amount of freedom to the one creature on this planet that despises change, stubborn humans. I have carpal tunnel and tinnitus in my wrists, fibromyalgia in my upper back and neck, and a 4 year old. Let’s just say one little gizmo in my purse is the only way I get to read anything anymore. I wouldn’t trade my e-Reader for anything. So, I’m reading all sorts of shorts I couldn’t read before e-Reader... Anyone listening, think William Wallace being disemboweled screaming "FREEDOM!" That was me fighting the change from paper to pixels. But then life was so pleasant thereafter.

- Name three of your all-time-favorite, read-them-over-and-over books.

• Bet you won’t guess these: MM Kaye’s THE FAR PAVILLIONS, Jennifer Roberson’s LADY OF THE GLEN, and James Axler’s DEATHLANDS. I know. A series is more than one. But I only read the first half dozen in the series and said the “f” word so much that I had to walk away from his books. :( It just kept popping out like I was possessed. Isn’t it amazing how something so simple can become ingrained in one’s subconscious so easily?

Idle Curiosity Compels Me to Ask

- What inspired you to be a writer?

• Laugh. I can’t think of a thing. I ran like heck the opposite direction from the literature table during registration in college. In grad school, I still lurked elsewhere. I finally took to lit classes for research… My Druids and Time Guardians time travel. I thought since the Druids are renowned as bards/orators, I’d best get my facts straight. Anyway, world-building gives me a high. I get to use both my specialties, geology and bioarchaeology, when writing. (Renee Note: I LOVE world-building. It's so fun to question why our society does things a certain way in order to create why a fictional society would do it different.)

- What do you do immediately after finishing a manuscript?

• I try to walk away like Stephen King advises. But I usually switch to synopsis mode and analyze the story’s plot. (Renee Note: Gotta write that synopsis while it's still fresh... and then I walk away.)

- Do you talk to your characters or your muse or both?

• I curse at the computer. Honestly, I’ve studied human nature too long to blame my insufficient preparation (pantsing a tale) on things I’ve created and can modify to my liking. I enjoy being in control of my own little world where I can punish and reward characters. And I’ve never had a muse. I probably should have one after writing a romance for the Greek muse of writing, ANCIENT MUSINGS. LOL. But writing is all about control. And when I hit a point where I haven’t thought beyond where the madness dumps me, I just climb onto the elliptical. All that pumping blood and oxygen during a 50-minute session usually produces the next phase of a story. So, no discussions with characters or muse here...

Promo Section

~ Most Recent Release ~

My most recent release is a Time Guardian anthology, SACRILEGIOUS SEDUCTIONS, available only in print. It contains both the novel FORBIDDEN ETERNITY & the novella THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON Moon magic is so strong that sometimes the forbidden proves the only cure. Into a Native-American shape-shifting shaman? Cochise just might prove your cup of good medicine. If you’re more into were-wolf assassins, you won’t want to miss THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON. Two soul mates are about to crash and burn in medieval northern England because one must die so the other can live… ISBN: 1601546351 BUY NOW Blurb: FORBIDDEN ETERNITY: A woman Cochise despises is his only hope for a future. He must swallow his pride and protect Druidess Mairi from a man blackmailing her into breaking time-travel Code by kidnapping her sister. But Cochise's presence tempts Mairi into risking her sister's life by falling in love. A fairy hairball and a pack of Hell Hounds force the duo to hide on an astral plane where there is no resolution beyond facing their FORBIDDEN ETERNITY. THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON: Druid Elspeth is a were-assassin sent to medieval Cumberland to kill a renegade time guardian. She never expected to find him her soul mate. All she knows is she must stop Aidan Gordon from changing history. The sexy powerful knight proves too tempting to refuse. If his noble actions convince her he was wrongly accused, she will be forced to haunt the frenzied wood under THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON. Review: "The Spell of the Killing Moon offers the best of spine-tingling suspense. The setting is perfect... Moncrief’s ability to wield magic and emotion are without compare. Her words twist together emotions and visuals until you experience this tale as if the trap were set for you. Some lines blend a kind of poetic magic: “Moonlight wove a special kind of magic, a spell so vacillating that a person never knew if reality were anything other than a dream.” Darkness and premonitions and deadly intent fill these pages... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller. 5 books" ~Snapdragon, LASR, voted LASR Best Book of the Week

~ Coming Soon ~

My next release is my most traditional romance of the Time-Guardian lot. Yes, I am guilty of straying outside the box. I hear that leaves the reader with a completely unpredictable adventure to experience. As for SWORDSONG, it’s most reminiscent of Karen Moning’s earlier series. I used to joke that my stories were Beauty & the Beast meets The Spiderwick Chronicles. SWORDSONG is neither of those… He’s arrived to help her create the perfect bride. Blurb: The most valiant Time Guardian is stuck in present-day Scotland with a bent time-travel key only she can repair. Duty requires he return to his time. His ticket home relies on a lonely woman haunted by more than apparitions. Her track record with men keeps her at a distance. And ghostly events keep pushing them closer together. Earning her trust will require the kind of patience only a valiant time guardian learns during his twenty years of apprenticeship. If time-travel duty, romance, and a bit of magic don’t help them realize their destiny resonates in mysterious fairy SWORDSONG, all known history could change. SWORDSONG will be available July 6, 2010.

Learn More
- Website http://skhyemoncrief.com or http://timeguardians.com
- Blog/Newsletter http://blog.skhyemoncrief.com
- Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief



Thanks, Skhye!!!

Manga Review: Take Me To Heaven

TAKE ME TO HEAVEN by Nase Yamamoto


Publisher: Deux Press
Price: $12.95
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Boy's Love, Romance
Themes: Ghosts, High School, Onmyouji
Rating: Mature 18+
Volumes: 1
ISBN: 978-1934496510



Basic Premise:
Fumiya lives in house right next to a Buddhist temple and his room is beside the temple graveyard. That's put him in the prime location to see ghosts and lots of them. The only one who believes him and can help him is his friend Shogo, the temple heir. But, Shogo is more interested in tormenting Fumiya than helping him. Fumiya is at his wit's end and willing to try anything, including kissing Shogo, if that will make the ghosts go away.


Sex Shown:
Even though this title has a mature rating, it didn't earn it. There is kissing and exactly two panels (not even pages) of the actual act, which consisted of positioning and no penis shots. I would have rated this book older teen instead and thus charged less. I hate to think the company called it a mature title just so they could charge more.


Review:
Yamati-sensei wrote an interesting one-shot. It defined each of the characters fully, had a great supporting cast that furthered the plot, and there was real emotion.

It's a quick, uncomplicated read that was really fun.

Manga Review: Dog Style

DOG STYLE by Modoru Motoni

Publisher: Kitty Media/Press
Price: $10.99
Genre: Drama, Romance, Yaoi
Themes: High School, Fighting
Rating: Mature 18+
Volumes: 3
ISBNs:
- 987-1-5988-3125-2
- 978-1-59883-258-7
- 978-1-5988-3455-0




Basic Premise:
Teru Chiaki is friends with Kashiwa (younger). Miki "Mikiti" Terayama is friends with Kashiwa (older). Teru likes to hang out in an old building alone and think about his problems. Miki likes to hang out in an old building alone and think about his problems. It's the same building. They've come up with a schedule so they don't intrude on each other.

More and more often their times keep overlapping and soon they find solace in each other as they deal with the Kashiwa brothers, bullying, past ghosts, and present problems.


Sex Shown:
Nude bodies. The penis has no real definition. It's just a shape. Positions are shown but no actual penetration. Lots of kissing. :P


Review:
I liked Dog Style from volume one. I had a bit of a gap between the first and second volume (didn't realize volume two was out) and had to go back and re-read the first one but that wasn't a hardship. The emotional is as big a part of this story as the physical. It was easy to see Chiaki and Miki's feelings for one another even if they spent a large chunk of the story in denial and/or confused about the object of their affection.

I also loved that Chiaki was the top even though he's shorter than Miki. They even rib each other about the height difference all through out the books. Chiaki is also the fighter in the couple, giving guys bigger than him nightmares once he's done with them. Miki constantly refers to himself as Chiaki's owner and equates Chiaki with a stray dog that he doesn't want to tame but likes having around.

I would have liked to have learned a little more about Miki and Chiaki's home lives... their families. Like what their parents think of them coming home beat up all the time and stuff like that. Motoni-sensei only scraps the surface of the past and stuff not having to do directly with the main plot and characters, preferring rather to stick with Chiaki and Miki.

The Kashiwa brothers are too funny and totally oblivious until the last minute. Chiaki's friends are little additions who bring in funny at just the right times. They could have been fleshed out a little more. Or rather, I wanted them to be fleshed out more.

All-in-all, this is not light reading. The story is emotionally heavy and, I thought, very engaging. I was happy that I got volumes two and three at the same time since volume two sort of leaves off on a... hanging point. Not a cliffhanger, nothing that dramatic. But something you want to see resolved.

Movie Review: Ninja Assassin

NINJA ASSASSIN


Basic Premise:
Raizo, raised by ninjas to be the perfect assassin, has defected. He wants revenge on his old master and he'll have to go through his former "brothers" and "sisters" to get it.