Divine by Mistake

(The first book in the Divine series)
(2006)
A novel by
P C Cast

Shannon Parker while on summer vacation is doing a little shopping. At an estate auction an antique vase seems to calls to her. After seemingly impossible odds the vase is joyfully hers. On her way home Shannon finds herself without logical explanation transported to Partholon, where she’s treated like a goddess. A very temperamental goddess…


I am trying to remember who told me that I needed to read books about mythical beings. I believe it is my youngest sister-in-law. She was right! If it was you Crystal, thank-you thank-you thank-you! If it was not you, then you should read this anyway!

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the teen books this author wrote and that is why I thought I would take a chance on this besides the recommendation about mythology. Shannon in this first book is a very humorous person and school teacher of a high school English class. She pretty well speaks her mind which in our world is fairly normal. But when you take this outspoken blond and put her in a world on the other side of reality you get a comical rendition of life in Partholan. She is the incarnate of a Goddess and finds her every wish anticipated. Sounds really cool! beautiful surroundings and fine food and finer wine! She fits in fairly good with this new life with a few.... well shall we call them challenges! The person she has changed places with is selfish, cruel and obeyed out of fear. She also is betrothed to a centour!

You will find this book a delight to read. I found myself laughing out loud several times. It is not for teens or children, definitely adult fiction. It is a great way to spend en evening in front of the fire. There is drama. There is adventure. There is laughter! Everything you need to be fully entertained. I became attached to the characters and found myself drawn into this mythical place where the unbelievable comes true! You will look forward to turning page after page!

I went and bought the second book right away! Maybe I should have gotten the third too!

At it Again!

Just a note to let you know I have started another series of books. I will put a review in a day or so when I finish the first one. Have you ever read a book that just tickles you? I have found one! My husband looked at me several times like I had lost my mind because in the quiet of our home I would start laughing aloud or chuckling. He found it hard to believe that I would be having that much fun. I must get back into it for a while before work but wanted to let you all know that all life has once again come to a stand still while I delve this time into the world of centaurs goddesses and shamans!

Life is great with Grandchildren!

I just had to tell you all that my youngest Grandchild is three. She is my Lacey Boo! Earlier this week she snuggled up to me and told me she really needed a "Grandma Day". So Thursday I picked her up from the day care and spend the day with her. It is the highlight of a Grandmother's life to see the Grandchild become such an individual. She is very shy when spoken to but was very out going with the waiter. She told him "You don't have hot dogs so I have to eat a corn dog please with tea and a lid on it. Don't give me tater tots because I wont eat them"! OMG! Then we went to a book store and got us each a new book. She thought I took too long to choose and chose for me!!! (I did not buy that). Then we went to a craft store and looked for a spacific bead that I want. Could not find it and that upset her. She was tearing up and when I asked what was wrong she told me while reaching a little hand up into mine that it was very sad that I could not have what I wanted. She was the sweetest thing! Until we picked up the older sister. Violet from school. Then we see the flip side of a whinny and uncooperative child! Violet was great and I guess Lacey figured I could not have both of them great at the same time! I would not trade my Grandma Days for all the tea in China!

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

Starring: Ken Watanabe, John C. Reilly, Willem Dafoe

Director: Paul Weitz
Producer: Lauren Shuler-Donner
Producer: Paul Weitz
RELEASE DATE: 2/23/2010
Studio: Universal Studios
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 109 Minutes

Based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan, this is a fantasy about a teenager, Darren unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between the two different sets of vampires. Lured into the life of misunderstood creatures of the night, this teen will vanish from the safety of his boring existence and be drawn into a place of nightmares. A vampire named Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly) turns Darren into a half vampire where he joins the Cirque Du Freak, a touring sideshow filled with creatures considered freaks. Darren is a key player between both vampires and their deadlier counterparts while he trys to survive. Darren attempts to keep their brewing war from destroying what’s left of his humanity.


This is funny and fascinating Vampire movie taking you down a path you may not expect. It is just what it set out to be, a good followable story with a good dose of humor in it. A snakeboy, a wolfman, a bearded lady (Salma Hayek) and a gigantic barker (Ken Watanabe)are inhabitants at a place called Cirque du Freak. This place was fascinating. The sets were great! There was a lot attention to detail and the characters were all believable and in odd ways lovable. I did not read the very popular books so have no basis on how to judge the movie as a comparison. I did think it was a fun movie and definitely worth the time I spent watching it.There is some language in it and of course the violence of the intense super-natural kind. I think it is good family fun if your children are not very young. There is a good moral sense of right and wrong in this film, between the teens and the circus inhabitants. Even when they are doing wrong it is made very clear it is wrong. This is something sometimes missing in films today and here they got it right in a Vampire movie! It did leave me hoping for another movie or even a TV series! I am inspired to check out the widely read book series as well!

Couples Retreat

Starring: Jean Reno, Jason Bateman, Vince Vaughn

Director: Peter Billingsley

Producer: Vince Vaughn

Producer: Scott Stuber

Released: 2009
Studio: Universal Studios
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 114 Minutes

A couple wishing to save their marriage invite three other couples to join them at a tropical island resort. Upon arriving at the island paradise expecting to enjoy some fun in the sun, the other couples are unhappy to discover mandatory therapy sessions are required to remain at the resort and that the fun is reserved for the single side of the island.


This was a fun movie. I enjoyed it. Vince Vaughn does a great job of making this believable. Let's face it he is funny anyway. We all have times when we think our relationship could use a little help. How appealing is it to think that we could do it in thatch roofed luxury huts with lots of beautiful blue water, jet skis and drinks with little umbrellas! WhooHoo sign me up! When they get there and find out that the fear of forced therapy is real they try to make the best of it. Hilarious results and the movie actually has a wholesome ending!

I definitely recommend this movie for the over 13 crowd. You don't have to think too hard, it is just fun and entertaining!

Starting to feel like me again!

Do forgive me once again, I have not gotten back to the wonderful world of blog. Busy at work and had a cold. I have not been able to get over whatever has ailed me. I am better today and am feeling like getting back into the swing of all that I do. I was unable to really read or watch movies or make anything! I was not participating in life either! would go to work and come home and collapse! On the other hand I do remember what I did want to review and thankfully I have very good things to report on!

Thank-you to my dear friends with the kind words and emails of encouragement. You are the greatest!

Later!

Amelia Review

Amelia
Starring: Richard Gere, Hilary Swank, Ewan McGregor, Cherry Jones

Director: Mira Nair

Producer: Kevin Hyman

Producer: Lydia Dean Pilcher

Hilary Swank and Richard Gere star in the life of famed aviator Amelia Earhart, making history in 1932 by becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Five years later, as she attempts to fly around the world, her plane vanishes over the the Pacific Ocean.

As a historical film this movie hit all the marks. It is even informational telling things that we are not told in history class about the famous flights. Hilary looks so much like Amelia did in the old news reels. It is fantastic that the film can bring history alive,

I did find it a little dry. Once again I tried to stay it was because of personal preference in actors but no.... Gere did a good job playing the man who loved her. I just thought that there was little emotion in the film. Maybe because I know the outcome. When we talk about history films you know the final chapter most of the time. I don't think so. I think it was just a little slow and lacking in passion. She had to have been passionate. She was doing what no other woman had done. I think they try to put too much into it and then you loose some because there is a time limit.

Do watch this film. I liked it but don't expect to be enthralled. Remember that when they say things like mysteriously disappeared into the Pacific, remember the Pacific is a huge hole filled with salt water! It was stormy and what did they expect to find?

Bright Star review

Bright Star

Starring: Kerry Fox, Ben Whishaw, Abbie Cornish

Director: Jane Campion

Producer: Caroline Hewitt

Producer: Jan Chapman

A tragic love affair between one of the most famous of the romantic poets John Keats (Ben Whishaw) and the young Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) is played out in this romantic period drama that everyone has been waiting for!

Rated PG


I will be the first to admit that I love period dramas. I waited and waited for this one watching the previews and had the video release date memorized! I took it home and fixed my popcorn, got my tea and got ready for the enchantment of being taken back into time where romance was real!

How disappointing! It took forever for this film to get over. It dragged on and on. Don't get me wrong, the sets were perfect, the costumes were exactly as they should have been. The plot was poorly executed. Think about it,this should have been great. The famous John Keats fell for a girl of some position. She falls for him. He has a burly friend who tries to keep him from making mistakes and makes mistakes himself. John becomes ill, has to leave, the lovers are sad and then he dies. OK, I have made it sound more exciting and romantic then it was! I felt the movie left me wanting something more.

I tried to to tell myself that maybe it was because I do not particularly car for the writings of Keats. That really does not do it because they really don't have much of this writings in the movie. I believe that a movie should evoke a feeling, an emotion. The emotion I felt was relief, that it was over!

Will be back..........

I have been working very hard and my Mother-in-law came to visit and became ill which left me feeling as though I am neglecting the blog! I have read two more books and watched four more movies........... I will get on here on my day off and review all of them. Good and bad! I can even surprise myself. A movie and a book that I was very enthused about ends up leaving me feeling all blah.......blah.......and more blah!

Now that the worries about the Mother-in-law are not as pressing and that my work hours as of this week are limited to 45 a week I may have more time to add a little art to the me time! I have one project started, one thought about and another just starting to become a sparkle in my eye!

So until later this week thanks for reading and following!