Blogging from A to Z: Z is for Zoo

Well here we come to the end of another A to Z Challenge and I have survived! I will wrap up on a post about a book I read Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. Lately a lot of my reading has been inspired by movie and television. (Not all)

Reading the Dexter series, James Bond movies, The Finest Hours, adult comics and more. I was inspired to read Zoo from watching a few episodes of the CBS show on Netflix. The book is quite different from the show!

I enjoyed the book and recommend it. Looking at the reviews on Goodreads some would disagree. If you look deep enough the book has flaws. Some didn't like the short chapters. I disagree on that! I liked small chapters easier to read and put down in case you needed to. The short chapters made built in stopping points. 

The book kept my interest for the most part through out! The book entertained. It was fiction and I found it a fun read.

Here is a clip from the premiere of season 2 of the show..

Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoyed!

Thoughts on Wonder

Over the Holidays I watched the movie Wonder. The movie was picked by my daughter. The film certainly had star power with Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson among the cast.

The film was about a boy with some facial deformations who starts school for the first time in 5th grade. The book is based on the novel by R.J. Palacio.

According to my daughter the movie follows the book well and is even better than the book! Going to school can be tough, going to school when you are different can be tougher.

A scene that grabbed me  featured a kid, his parents, and a principle. At the end of the scene the kid was a better person than the parents.

If you ever feel like going back to school this film is for you!

Happy Birthday Brad Paisley

Today we are going Country on this fine Rocktober day! I am  willing to invite Brad Paisley to the party. I was thinking about blogging about him since i read his book this month. Today being Brad's birthday just pushed me over the edge.

He is a "Celebrity" you know..

His book was a fun read "Diary of a Player." It was a unique twist to the music biography as Brad tips his hats to musical friends and influence who made him into the guitar player he is today.



Here is his latest single "Today"...

Brad and Keith Urban "Start a Band"...

A little guitar geek piece thrown in..

"Mud on the Tires"

Hope you enjoyed your visit! I'll be back soon with a new post!

March Reads: The Power of Nice

  This is another book I read in March that I didn't fit into the A to Z: Challenge. You have heard the old saying "attract more bees with honey" apparently that can be true in business. The authors have a great deal of success in the advertising business so that gives them some credibility.

It is a short read, with some examples of nice and some steps to achieve the power. A lot is common sense but sometimes we need to read common sense. Can apply in business and your personal life.

Well I'll be back with a new post soon!

A to Z Challenge 2016: The Revenant

Last month my wife and I were driving around and decided to watch a movie. She goes The Revenant is playing isn't that a movie you want to see? True enough I had mentioned wanting to see the movie before. I didn't know much about the movie besides what I saw on the trailer. I knew it had won some awards and had a bear in it.



Trailer for the movie..

The award winning movie was just released on DVD on April 19th so that makes this post more timely. I did enjoy the movie though it was a bit gruesome for my wife so it was not the ideal date movie. That being said my wife did continue to watch it.

I thought the cinematography was incredible. The story line was strong. I am curious to read the novel by  Michael Punke that the movie was based on. The movie had the outdoor surviving adventure which appeals to me. The story line appealed to me. To me the movie was good and I would recommend it. That being said it is rated R for reason.

Did you see the movie? What are your thoughts on the movie? Did you read the book? If you read the book would you recommend it?

Thanks for visiting I will be back with a new post soon.

Hourglass Heights New Book Blitz

Ian David Noakes is back with his new erotic, horror, thriller Hourglass Heights.


The author...




The new book has been nominated for the People’s Book Prize in the United Kingdom and it is a contender for the National Book Awards.

IT was originally his first novel but two others have been published as this one was being tweaked and published.

Join Hourglass Heights Facebook event for a chance to talk with the author, Ian David Noakes about his exciting novel. Hang around and chat for some chances to win some signed paperbacks and some exclusive Hourglass Heights swag prizes on February 1st . The event takes place at 11:00AM EST. Here is a link to the event.

Interested in the book check it out on amazon.

Sharing about exciting new books and rising authors!

Books: Secrets of St. Vincent

I said I would get back to blogging about books again this month and here I am. I finally signed up for my library card. The library has very strange hours and I could complain about that or wish it was larger. However, I will be grateful for what they have and they still have real books.

Anyway I found another mystery book set in Florida and today I found out it is part of a trilogy. No it is not Bob Morris again. I  discovered Charles Farley. Unfortunately, I unknowingly picked the middle book. The book I am writing about Secrets of St. Vincent.

What I liked about the book was that it took place in a different time. The panhandle of Florida was quite different in the 1930s and Farley captured my imagination with panthers and 15 foot long alligators. Then there was the mystery. The book had a bit of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird with an African American blues musician accused of a crime he did not commit.



Murders, wilderness, history, race relationships, a man's fate hanging in the cell of a prison are all ingredients in this mystery plus a few more twists.

I've liked other mysteries better. Perhaps if I read the first book in the series I would have enjoyed this one more. The book didn't grab me at times. However, the book delivered a lot and overall was a pleasant read!

Into the Wild real ending

Into the Wild is a book and a movie that has been on my radar for a while. I just haven't picked up the book or watched the movie. Jon Krakauer wrote the book about Chris McCandless who gave up the material world to go live out in the wilderness. Chris died and the coroner's report stated his death was probably due to starvation.

In his book Jon had another theory. However, he may have been slightly off and in a recent article in The New Yorker a student may have discovered what really happened. I encourage you to read the article here I found it to be quite fascinating.

Earlier in the week my Mom had posted something about a guy foraging the wilds in Sweden for food. My thought was caution. Where I live there are creatures that can be lethal if you are not careful, insects that can make you itch, and I am sure some plants can do that too! So, I thought it was funny that later in the week I found this article.

The article was such a great read it made me want to read his book even more. The trailer for the movie looks like a grand adventure but the reality of his death was a slow torture.

Here is a 20/20 segment..

Thanks for visiting, I'll be back soon with a new post.

Dexter The Book

Okay, I became a fan of the show Dexter. Some dear friends knew about my TV handicapped and when I visited them they insisted I watch the first season and I was hooked. I heard the show was based on a book that was supposed to be really good.

Here is a trailer for the first season:

The book won the 2005 Dilys Award and the 2007 Book to TV Award. The book is very similar to the first season of the show. However, the show deviated from the book in some important ways. The biggest difference is at the climatic conclusion of the book. Jeff has turned the book into a series of books now and since I enjoyed this one it looks like I have six more books to read.

I'll be back soon with another post...