Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 201

The Greatest Showman | Review

Title: The Greatest ShowmanGenre: Historical Fiction / MusicalRelease Date: December 20th, 2017Rating: 7.8/10Cast: Huge Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron
Summary from IMDB: Celebrates the birth of show business, and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
IMDB Trailer
Review: Finally, I got my hands on a copy of The Greatest Showman. I've been dying to see this movie and it didn't disappoint. 
The movie is a musical, but not like Les Miserables where there is only singing and no actual dialogue going on. This is a nice mix of both, along with some fantastic dancing and a kick ass story line. Based on the life of P.T. Barnum, we follow the story of how his circus was born and how he brought joy to so many lives. I loved the movie and would recommend it to anyone.

Happily Ever After | All The Ever Afters by Danielle Teller

Title: All the Ever AftersBy: Danielle TellerGenre: Fantasy/RetellingPages: 384Release Date: May 22nd, 2018Publisher: William Morrow
Summary from Goodreads: In the vein of Wicked, The Woodcutter, and Boy, Snow, Bird, a luminous reimagining of a classic tale, told from the perspective of Agnes, Cinderella’s “evil” stepmother.
We all know the story of Cinderella. Or do we?

As rumors about the cruel upbringing of beautiful newlywed Princess Cinderella roil the kingdom, her stepmother, Agnes, who knows all too well about hardship, privately records the true story. . . .

A peasant born into serfdom, Agnes is separated from her family and forced into servitude as a laundress’s apprentice when she is only ten years old. Using her wits and ingenuity, she escapes her tyrannical matron and makes her way toward a hopeful future. When teenaged Agnes is seduced by an older man and becomes pregnant, she is transformed by love for her child. Once again left penniless, Agnes has no choice but to return to servitude at the manor she thought she had left behind. Her new position is nursemaid to Ella, an otherworldly infant. She struggles to love the child who in time becomes her stepdaughter and, eventually, the celebrated princess who embodies everyone’s unattainable fantasies. The story of their relationship reveals that nothing is what it seems, that beauty is not always desirable, and that love can take on many guises.

Lyrically told, emotionally evocative, and brilliantly perceptive, All the Ever Afters explores the hidden complexities that lie beneath classic tales of good and evil, all the while showing us that how we confront adversity reveals a more profound, and ultimately more important, truth than the ideal of “happily ever after.”
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Review: An amazing retelling of a favorite tale. I absolutely adored this story. We all know Cinderella's stepmother, but we never really knew why she was the way she was. This book takes us through a hard life of a normal girl, and gives us insight into the reasons she became the "evil" stepmother. It was almost a historical fiction, more than a fantasy, something that I enjoy. A great read, with many heartbreaking twists that I think would appeal to anyone who loves historical fictions.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

At any cost | The Revolution of Jack Frost by K.M Robinson

The Revolution of Jack Frost
K.M. Robinson
Published by: Bleeding Ink Publishing
Publication date: November 6th 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult

No one inside the snow globe knows that Morozoko Industries is controlling their weather, testing them to form a stronger race that can survive the fall out from the bombs being dropped in the outside world—all they know is that they must survive the harsh Winter that lasts a month and use the few days of Spring, Summer, and Fall to gather enough supplies to survive.
When the seasons start shifting, Genesis and her boyfriend, Jack, know something is going on. As their team begins to find technology that they don’t have access to inside their snow globe of a world, it begins to look more and more like one of their own is working against them.
Genesis soon discovers Morozoko Industries is to blame, but when a foreign enemy tries to destroy their weather program to make sure their destructive life-altering bombs succeed in destroying the outside world, their only chance is to shut down the machine that is spinning out of control and save the lives of everyone inside the bunker–at any cost.

Add to Goodreads—The World Portal for The Revolution of Jack Frost has just been opened up on www.kmrobinsonbooks.com with behind-the-scenes info, exclusive looks at characters, there will be interactive choose-your-own-adventure games, facebook filters and frames, videos, artwork, and more coming soon, and the information is changing every few days, so if you want to catch it all, you have to keep checking back for all the exclusives. There may even be bonus scenes and other freebies on the site as well!—

Author Bio:
K.M. Robinson is a best selling storyteller who creates new worlds both in her writing and in her fine arts conceptual photography. She is a marketing, branding and social media strategy educator who is recognized at first sight by her very long hair. She is a creative who focuses on photography, videography, couture dress making, and writing to express the stories she needs to tell. She almost always has a camera within reach.
Get free excerpts of her books at excerpt.kmrobinsonbooks.com and check out her website www.kmrobinsonbooks.com
Connect with her on social media at @kmrobinsonbooks on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. You can view videos and live replays on Youtube too!
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Mexican Week! | #WeeklyMenu Week #247

Oh Monday, how I loath thee. It seems to come too soon. My son's bus driver reminded me this morning that there are only 28 more school days until summer vacation, but who's counting. I can't wait for summer, bu then again, I'm not ready for it. 
My writing is suffering again. There is just too much stress at work and at home. It makes me not want to use my brain on my lunch break. The story needs an ending though and I'm so close. I need to buckle down and do it. Maybe this week will be better. Cross your fingers.
Enjoy this weeks menu!
Monday- Chicken Enchiladas
Tuesday- Doritos Taco Salad
Wednesday- Taco Soup
Thursday- Beef Nachos
Friday- Burrito Bowels
Saturday- Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
Sunday- Leftovers Night

It is heart-wrenching, illuminating, and unforgettable | The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Title: The Tattooist of AuschwitzBy: Heather MorrisGenre: Historical FictonPages: 206Release Date: February 1st, 2018Publisher: Echo, an imprint of Bonnier Publishing Australia
Summary from Goodreads: The incredible story of the Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist and the woman he loved. Lale Sokolov is well-dressed, a charmer, a ladies’ man. He is also a Jew. On the first transport from Slovakia to Auschwitz in 1942, Lale immediately stands out to his fellow prisoners. In the camp, he is looked up to, looked out for, and put to work in the privileged position of Tätowierer– the tattooist – to mark his fellow prisoners, forever. One of them is a young woman, Gita, who steals his heart at first glance.
His life given new purpose, Lale does his best through the struggle and suffering to use his position for good.
This story, full of beauty and hope, is based on years of interviews author Heather Morris conducted with real-life Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz- Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov. It is heart-wrenching, illuminating, and unforgettable. 
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Review: I am drawn to historical fiction and the trials that people have been put through. It makes me believe in the human will and how strong we have to be to over come the struggles of life. This story is one that we have heard many times before, but its brought to life with a new twist. There is romance and intrigue that isn't seen in stories of the holocaust. We follow a young man, as he is forced into terrible situations, and has to live with things that he should have never been a part of all to survive Auschwitz. 
This was a great read that I couldn't put down.    
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

The Center of Danger | The Outcasts by Misty Hayes

Title: The OutcastsBy: Misty HayesGenre: Urban FantasyPages: 283Release Date: December 15th, 2017

Summary from Goodreads: Mystical relics. Powerful vampires. 
Strange allies. 

It's hell being a teenager. 

Larna Collins has never understood why her dad skipped out on her and her mother when she was twelve years old. Until then, he was a devoted and loving father. 

But six years later, during a renovation of her childhood home, she unearths her father's journal from under a dusty floorboard. According to his final entry before he left, he had recently visited a small parish in England. 

The entries draw her to this seemingly quaint village, which Larna discovers isn't as charming as its blood-craving inhabitants want her to believe, and she learns that she isn't the only one trying to track her father down. 

Could this explain her father's disappearance? Or was placing her in the center of danger her dad's master plan all along?

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Review: Its always fun to pick up another vampire story and see how another author has used the world we so dearly love to tell a tale of paranormal glory. The story was entertaining, but to tell you the truth, I found it a little contrived. Everything felt so easy and laid out for the main character. And all though I enjoyed the story very much, I wish there would have been more conflict and hardship. Less telling and more showing.

The book got three starts from me for an interesting plot line and worthy characters.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Sweet Pepper Subs... | #WeeklyMenu Week #247

I have to admit that it is nearly 10 pm and I am beat. It's been a long day, so I'm going to keep this short. Have a great Monday and enjoy this weeks menu!


Monday- Spaghetti 
Tuesday- Italian Beef & Sweet Pepper Subs
Wednesday- Spring Chicken Grain Bowls
Thursday- Steak Fajitas
Friday- Crispy Chicken and Rice
Saturday- White Cheddar Grilled Cheese
Sunday- Leftovers Night

Before it's too late... | From the Earth to the Shadows by Amanda Hocking

Title: From the Earth to the ShadowsBy: Amanda HockingGenre: Urban FantasyPages: 336Release Date: April 24th, 2018Publisher: Wednesday Books
Summary from Goodreads: While dealing with dark revelations about her life and her world, Malin finds herself with new allies--and new enemies. Her quest for the truth leads her to places she never thought possible, and she's never been one to shy away from a fight. But for all her strength and determination, will it be enough to save the world before it's too late?
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Review: Super excited to grab a copy of this book. I love anything Asguard and the Valkyries in this series are awesome. The pace was fast and furious, with a lot of action to give you the chills. At time, the story did feel a little hectic, but it was easy enough to get through. I really enjoyed this read and diving into the world of the Valkyries again. I would recommend to anyone who loves urban fantasy and Thor. 
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.




AUTHOR BIO: Amanda Hocking is the author of over twenty young adult novels, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles. Her love of pop culture and all things paranormal influence her writing. She spends her time in Minnesota, taking care of her menagerie of pets and working on her next book.
Buy Links:AmazonBarnes & NobleBooks-a-MillionIndieBoundPowells
Social Links:Author Website: http://www.worldofamandahocking.com/Twitter: @Amanda_HockingFacebook: @AmandaHockingFansAuthor Blog

A satisfying bang | The Devil's Standoff by V.S. McGrath

The Devil’s Standoff
V. S. McGrath
(The Devil’s Revolver #2)
Publication date: April 2nd 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Welcome to the birthplace of the Devil’s Revolver, where untold danger lurks for Hettie Alabama and her companions…
The second book in the epic, magic-clad Devil’s Revolver series follows Hettie and her sister south of the Wall into Mexico, where they must unmake Hettie’s infernal mage gun while confronting a magic- and land-hungry army and a monster from hell drawn to the powers of the weapon. Hettie wants nothing more than to break her bond to the cursed Devil’s Revolver and find a way to keep her sister safe — but Abby’s indigo powers are growing stronger, and in the gated, walled village where they take refuge, nothing is exactly as it seems. Pursued by the Pinkertons, left without allies or guardians, Hettie has to rely on her own grit and determination to do the right thing, no matter the cost.
This second installment of V. S. McGrath’s sweeping and high-stakes saga draws its truly unforgettable gunslinger heroine to her limits and ends with a satisfying bang.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo—Grab book 1 – The Devil’s Revolver – for only $1.99!
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo—EXCERPT:By midafternoon the following day, they were in sight of the Wall’s base. The monolith stretched over the landscape like a great black viper rippling over the sand. Hettie got a strange chill just looking at it.
“The shoring crews are farther west,” Walker said, scanning the length of the Wall with narrowed eyes. “No border patrols in sight.”
“Why are they shoring up the Wall?” Hettie asked.
“Magic needs bolstering now and again,” Uncle explained. “The bigger the spell, the more magic and maintenance it needs. Nothing lasts forever.”
“Yes, but why are we fixing it from this side if it was built to keep Americans out of Mexico?”
“Walls work both ways. The folks on the losing side of the war don’t like a big old monument reminding them of their failures, so they make up their own story, make it look like we’re the ones in charge. They send out men and crews and make it seem like we’re doing something important, like we’re the ones keeping invaders out.” Uncle spat on the red earth. “Men in Washington gotta justify their wages somehow.”
“Politics aside, there’s no way for us to get through,” Walker said. “The Division and the Pinkertons will probably be looking for us at the gates.”
“So how do we get through?”
“With help.” He picked up a stick and drew several runes on the ground, whispering an incantation. Then he broke the stick in half and tossed the pieces away.
A sound like a muffled crack of thunder rolled across the land. Walker lifted his nose in the air like a hound scenting its prey. “He’s coming.”
The wind picked up, whipping dust all around them. Abby cried out and shielded her eyes, and Cymon huddled close to her, growling a warning.
Hettie put herself between her family and the rust-colored dust devil skating toward them. Walker and Uncle held their ground, unafraid even as the wind tore at their clothes and sand scoured their exposed skin. The wind died abruptly, and the swirling sand settled. From the tiny cyclone a thin man emerged, his skin dark and leathery, his face young but lined. He wore only battered leather trousers and a small vest. His neck was hung with so many charms and talismans on leather thongs, they formed a kind of shield on his chest. His hair was a matted, tangled mess festooned with bits of leaves and twigs. His eyes, the strangest shade of sulfur-yellow, glinted with devilry.
“So, the prodigal son returns.” He said it with the precise enunciation of an Englishman, surprising Hettie. “I was beginning to wonder whether you’d ever come back, Woodroffe.” He raised his eyebrow at Uncle, who stood with one hand casually resting on the grip of his holstered sidearm. “You’ve grown your family, I see.” His roving eyes landed on Abby and widened. Hettie stepped in front of her sister, propping her hands on her hips and glaring.
“We need safe passage into Mexico,” Walker said.
“Heading home, hmm? You think your people will appreciate the new additions?” He gestured at the group.
Walker growled, “What’s your price, Coyote?”
The man scratched his head and paced in a tight circle. His movements went from smooth to jerky intermittently, as if a fisherman had his limbs on a line and was trying to lure trout as he reeled the bait in. “Last time, it was just you. This lot will cost you.”
“How much?” Walker repeated tightly.
The man Walker called Coyote picked at his nails. “Six months.”
“That’s highway robbery,” the bounty hunter growled.
“I don’t have the juice to carry all of you through safely. Half of that six will probably be sapped away just moving you through the Wall.”
“You know it’s not my juice to give. Six months is impossible.”
“Then how about him?” He tipped his chin toward Uncle. “Seems you’ve got plenty to go around.”
Walker’s jaw firmed. “He’s not paying.”
“Well, if not him, the little one will do.” He smiled, his teeth surprisingly large and white. “She’s bursting with juice. I can almost taste her from here.”
Hettie had Diablo pointed at Coyote’s head before her fury registered. The derelict sorcerer stumbled back with a yelp as though he’d been smacked. “Come anywhere near my sister and I’ll blow that tongue out the back of your skull.”
“Mother of— Walker, what have you unleashed?” He looked between the bounty hunter and Hettie, hands raised. “Who is she?”
“Someone who doesn’t like you.” Walker’s lips twitched. “I’d listen to her, Coyote. She’s got an itchy trigger finger.”
“It’s not her finger I’m worried about.” His gaze stayed locked on Diablo. “Three months of juice, Walker. And only because you’re a friend.”
“Two weeks, you soul-leech.”
“Twenty days, straight from you. That’s my final offer.”
“Deal.” Walker spat in his palm and held it out. Coyote did the same, then took one of the many leather thongs from around his neck and wrapped it around his dust-covered wrist. He clasped Walker’s hand tightly, chanting in a language Hettie didn’t recognize, looping the strip of material around the bounty hunter’s forearm.
“What’s going on?” Hettie asked Uncle.
“They struck a bargain. That Coyote’s borrowing magic from Walker.”
She frowned. “But . . . what keeps him from just taking all his magic?” Her hand twitched over the ghostly form of Diablo, readying to defend the bounty hunter.
“It doesn’t work that way. Borrowing magic requires consent on both sides.” He notched his chin toward the men. “They can exchange no more, no less than what they bargained for.”
The air shifted as if the wind had momentarily changed direction. Walker gave a grunt. Coyote breathed deep. His eyes dilated, and he threw his head back, mouth slightly open. Hettie could’ve sworn she saw him inhaling a wisp of bluish smoke. He held it and then released, shoulders sagging. His spine loosened, and he smiled as his eyes went back to normal.
“Ohhh.” He reached for Walker and made to embrace him, but the much taller, much broader man pushed him away and hastily untangled the thong from around his arm. Dark bags hung beneath Walker’s eyes. Coyote laughed. “Gonna be a shame to give up all that lovely juice. Such a delicacy . . . ”
“Just get us across the Wall,” the bounty hunter grumbled. “And do it before I let the girl shoot you.”
“Of course, of course, a bargain is a bargain.” He scooped the ropes of talismans off his neck and laid them on the ground. They weren’t individual necklaces, but one long rope looped multiple times around him. He arranged the hoops on the ground.
“Bigger,” Walker instructed. “The horses and the dog are coming with us.”
Coyote looked like he was about to protest, but glanced once more at Hettie and reworked the rope pattern. Soon he had a wide circle of leather on the ground.
“I’ve never encountered a mage gun like that,” he said without looking at her. “Metals have an odd effect on my spells. Unless you want to get stuck in the Wall and become a permanent part of the masonry, you ought to leave it behind.”
“She’s not leaving it behind for you to put your grubby hands on,” Walker snapped.
A lump formed in Hettie’s stomach. “Is that a risk? Can we get stuck?”
“Stuck?” Coyote’s yellow eyes flashed, and he bared his teeth in a rictus of a grin. “It’s worse than that. If anything disturbs the spell on either side of the tunnel, matter will resolve around you, in you, turning you slowly and excruciatingly into part of it. I know men who’ve screamed for days as they turned to stone. Sometimes the patrol captures people trying to cross the border and melds them into the Wall halfway, leaving their limbs sticking out, wiggling to warn away others.”
Abby squeaked. Coyote chuckled lowly. “That won’t happen, little one. Your uncle Coyote will not fail you.”
“Where’s the exit point?” Uncle asked. He’d been silent up to now, which was odd for him. He usually tried to take charge wherever possible.
“A day’s ride from Villa del Punta. You know, for the very low cost of three months, I could drop you right in the center of the village. I have an aperture hidden away there. Not even Raúl can find it.”
Walker glared at him, and Coyote laughed. “I’m kidding. I thought you would appreciate the joke.”
“So . . . is this like a Zoom tunnel?” Hettie asked.
“It’s nothing like the Zooms,” Coyote said, irritated. “Zooms can’t go through the Wall. This is a spell I made all by myself. It’s the only way to get through the Wall around here, unless you’d rather go through one of the gates.” He eyed them speculatively. “Which I very much doubt. Only the most desperate of fugitives summon the Coyote.”
“Are you sure this is safe?” Hettie asked Uncle quietly. She glanced at Abby, who’d been watching the strange man as intently as a jackrabbit sensing a nearby predator.
“As safe as walking through solid matter is for anyone, I reckon.” Jeremiah scratched his nose. “Is this a drop and swim?”
“Ah, you’ve done this before.” Coyote peered at him, then blinked. “Do I know you?”
“Doubt it.” He looked away and kicked his toe in the dust. “Well, what’re we waiting for?”
“Hettie, stay close to Abby, but don’t hold hands.” Walker pushed them together. “You’re going to jump in after me—Abby first, then Hettie, the horses and Cymon, and then JB. Whatever you do, keep moving. It’ll feel strange at first, but don’t stop, or you might get stuck.”
Abby stared at the loop, her gaze blank. Hettie tapped her shoulder, and her sister blinked slowly up at her. “Like swimming,” she said dreamily.
A shiver skated down Hettie’s spine.

Author Bio:
Vicki So, writing as V. S. McGrath, is a published romance author (as Vicki Essex) and has six books with Harlequin Superromance: Her Son’s Hero (July 2011); Back to the Good Fortune Diner (January 2013), which was picked for the Smart Bitches Trashy Books Sizzling Book Club; In Her Corner (March 2014); A Recipe for Reunion (March 2015); Red Carpet Arrangement (January 2016); and Matinees with Miriam (November 2016). She lives in Toronto, Canada.
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Time is running out | ISAN by Mary Ting

ISAN
Mary Ting
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: May 1st 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.
SCIENTISTS WARNED IT WOULD HAPPEN.
Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into our quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.
Struggling to survive, seventeen-year-old Ava ends up in juvenile detention, until she is selected for a new life—with a catch. She must be injected with an experimental serum. The results will be life changing. The serum will make her “better.” To receive the serum, Ava agrees to join a program controlled by ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network.
While on a mission, she is abducted by a rebel group led by Rhett and told that not only does she have a history with him, but her entire past is a lie perpetuated by ISAN to ensure her compliance. Unsure of who to trust, Ava must decide if her strangely familiar and handsome captor is her enemy or her savior—and time is running out.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo—EXCERPT:When the bodyguard with the gun directed the weapon at Roxy, something dangerous ignited in me knowing my team would be next. This foreign existence in my core wanted blood. It wanted death. It wanted destruction. I became a monster. Helix transformed me into a shallow shell to servitude—a perfect model of ISAN assassin.
I pulled my gun from the side of my boot and took aim. The bodyguard who had shot Roxy’s team went down first, followed by the others.
Don’t look at their faces. Don’t make eye contact. But I did look at their faces, and I did make eye contact.
Each guard held my foster father’s cruel face, his steel malevolent eyes. I saw the man who ripped the happiness out of my soul, who towered over me into submission, and molded me into a terrified little girl. For a heartbeat I froze, knees buckling, heart palpitating with trepidation and regret. I became that little girl. A rat, he had called me, and beat me until I stopped crying from missing my mother.
No more. No more. I am no longer that petrified girl.
Then, one after the other, as hunger for revenge drove me, as if each of the men was him, I shot them until they were all down.

Author Bio:
International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.
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