Monday, April 23, 2012

Out With A Bang! My Picks of the Week! (April 24th)


Good Afternoon, Muses!

April is leaving with a BANG! There are some really interesting releases this week, especially in books! Here are a few that I am looking forward to checking out. In adult, Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig is on the top of my list. I absolutely love Caris Roane's hot vampire angel Ascension series, so you may want to bookmark Obsidian Flame. In young adult, everyone is holding their breath in anticipation for Julie Kagawa's new series starter, The Immortal Rules. Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris and Storm by Brigid Kemmerer are both series openers I've personally been waiting for!

Not much is going on in film. In movies, Contraband is definitely worth a watch if you like action and are a fan of Mark Wahlberg. I enjoyed it! If you like controversial topics in film, then check out Pariah, about a young black girl who struggles with the fact that she is a lesbian. Kim Wayans, who is known for her comedic side in In Living Color, plays the girl's mother in a very dramatic role. I've been hearing a lot of buzz about her performance.

Reality TV seems to be the theme this week in the TV series category. I personally love Billy the Exterminator-- it's hard to believe he has been on the air for more than 4 seasons!
Anyway, enjoy this weeks releases!



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BOOKS (APRIL 24th)



ADULT



Black Birds (Miriam Black, #1)
by: Chuck Wendig

Miriam Black knows when you will die. She’s foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, and suicides.

But when
Miriam hitches a ride with Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be murdered while he calls her name. Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim.

No matter
what she does she can’t save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she’ll have to try.



Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Hunted (Dark Protectors, #3)
by: Rebecca Zanetti

Ready Or Not
Moira Dunne is a witch—the quantum physics kind. Time and space are her playthings. Which might explain why her one-night stand from a hundred years ago has turned up to “claim” her—and request her family’s assistance with the war he’s brewing. But the more she learns about Connlan Kayrs, the more she comes to think this is normal behavior for him…

There’s Nowhere To Hide
When Conn and Moira tumbled on the moonlit grass, Conn hadn’t meant to mark her as his mate for all time. She was only twenty! But it wasn’t easy to wait for her. It was even harder to forget her. So when he finally returns for his wicked-hot witch, he’s ready to let the sparks fl
ying. Even if he burns up in flames…


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Kiss of Pride (Deadly Angels, #1)
by: Sandra Hill

SOME MEN ARE TOO BAD TO BE TRUE...

Is he really a Viking with a vampire’s bit? An angel with the body of a thunder god? A lone wolf with love on his mind? Alexandra Kelly, his prey, thinks Vikar Sigurdsson is either flat-out crazy or he’s trying to maneuver her into his bed--which is hardly where a professional reporter should conduct an interview, tempting as that prospect might be.

SOME MEN ARE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE...

Until Vikar does something a teensy bit unexpected, and Alex begins to wonder whether her mystery
man could really be everything he says he is: a Viking Vampire Angel on a thousand-year-long mission with his pack of sinful brothers—and a man who’s finally found the woman of his dreams. By then, Vikar is already wrapping his chiseled arms around Alex’s body...and sinking his wicked fangs right into her neck. If this is sin, why does it feel so good?


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Obsidian Flame (Ascension, #5)
by: Caris Roane

For a hundred years, Marguerite has been imprisoned and used for her powerful psychic abilities. Her only relief comes from her regular visits with Thorne, her vampire lover. His every touch leaves her hungry for more..and aching for their next encounter. When Marguerite is finally set free, she returns to Mortal Earth to begin a new life for herself. She dyes her hair white-blonde, paints her nails blood-red, and seduces a sexy-hot stranger. Why can’t she stop thinking about Thorne?

Now that Marguerite is gone, Thorne craves her more than ever..and follows her to Mortal Earth. Unfortunately, he is not the only vampire who wants her. As one of three powerful women with obsidian flame abilities, Marguerite is a valuable treasure—and a dangerous weapon. For Thorne, she is a soulmate he must protect at any cost…even his own life.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Tricked (Iron Druid, #4)
by: Kevin Hearne

Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy


Warrior (The Fallen, #3)
by: Kristina Douglas

A born warrior, archangel Michael is dedicated to the Fallen’s survival. But only one woman understands the seductive hunger that he cannot forsake.

There comes a time in every angels life . . .

Every little girl imagines, now and then, that she’s a princess held captive in a tower. But Victoria Bellona is almost twenty-five. And that whole fairy-tale scenario? That’s her real life. The drop-dead gorgeous man who rescues her is no Prince Charming. He’s the gruff archangel Michael, and he insists that Tory is the Fallen’s only hope for ending Uriel’s vicious rule. She insists he’s crazy.

. . . to show his brethren what hes made of.

According to the prophecy, Michael must marry this frustrating, fascinating creature, bed her, and drink her blood. But their fate is a double-edged sword. If they give in to their urgently growing desires, Tory will die in battle. If they refuse, she will die anyway, and with her, all of mankind. Michael is determined to find another solution when a traitorous kidnapper forces him into a deadly confrontation. Even if he can save Tory from Uriel’s ruthless clutches, will they ever really be together? Or is her fatal destiny—and the world’s—written in ston

Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Warrior's Promise (Warrior King, #3)
by:
Donna Fletcher

It has been prophesied that four men, raised as brothers, will bring Scotland back to glory. The third one will first endure a lesson in humility—and passion.

Charlotte is as brave as any Highland warrior, but she can't rescue her father alone. Her sweet face could convince any man to come to her aid, but fate has a funny way of complicating things. For when she is lucky enough to land at the feet of the mighty Bryce MacAlpin, Charlotte is in disguise . . . as Charles.



Bryce can afford no distractions on his vital quest to restore Scotland's true king to the throne. It is madness to instead give his help to this desperate urchin— especially after Charlotte's secret comes to light! Now, caught between a growing passion and his dedication to the king, will Bryce turn away from love in order to fulfill his quest? Or will he discover that promising your heart is the bravest mission of all?


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy




YOUNG ADULT


Immortal Rules, The (Blood of Eden, #1)
by: Julie Kagawa

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't e
asy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Nightworld, The
by: Jack Blaine

Scraping by in classes, hanging out with his best friend Charlie, and trying to get a date with Lara Hanover, the prettiest girl in school—that was Nick Robbins’ life.

Survival was the last thing on his mind.

Then, a
strange cloud appeared over the city. A cloud that kept growing. The darkness on the horizon consumed the light around it. And Nick’s dad, a Department of Defense energy physicist, might have something to do with it. Soon, it became clear that the world Nick knew would never be the same.

Now, night
is never-ending. The temperature is falling as heat leaves the world. Plants and animals are dying and people are turning into predators waiting for any small advantage. But Nick is determined not to disappear like the fading light. Desperate to glimpse a familiar face in the shadows, Nick races to find his friends—and the one clue that’s his glimmer of hope.

Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Selection, The (The Selection, #1)
by:
Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Storm (Elemental, #1)
by: Brigid Kemmerer

Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they have more power than you dream.

Ever since
her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming . .

Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Temptation, The
by: Alisa Valdes

His touch was electric.
His eyes w
ere magnetic.
His lips wer
e a temptation....
But was
he real?

After crashing her car on an empty highway, Shane is miraculously saved by Travis, a mysterious co
wboy who walks out of nowhere. She is instantly attracted to him, and for the first time, she believes in “soul mates.” But Shane soon discovers that Travis is dead and that strict rules from the Underworld govern kindred spirits of different dimensions. Breaking these rules could destroy both their souls. And while Travis is almost impossible to resist, temptation proves to be the kindest enemy they encounter.

Can true love surpass the power of pure evil? Part love story, part supernatural thriller, this first book in the Kindred trilogy will leave readers lusting for more!


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Unraveling

by: Elizabeth Norris

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy


Zero
by: Tom Leveen

For aspiring artist Amanda Walsh, who only half-jokingly goes by the nickname Zero, the summer before college was supposed to be fun—plain and simple. Hanging out with her best friend Jenn, going to clubs, painting, and counting down the days until her escape. But when must-have scholarship money doesn't materialize, and she has a falling out with Jenn that can only be described as majorly awkward, and Zero's parents relationship goes from tense to relentless fighting, her prospects start looking as bleak and surreal as a painting by her idol Salvador Dali. Will life truly imitate art? Will her new, unexpected relationship with a punk skater boy who seems too good to be real and support from the unlikeliest of sources show Zero that she's so much more than a name.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy





MOVIES & TV SERIES (APRIL 24th)



MOVIES


Contraband
Directed by:
Baltasar Kormakur

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster

Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) long ago abandoned his life of crime, but after his brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi), Chris is forced back into doing what he does best- running contraband-to settle Andy's debt. Chris is a legendary smuggler and quickly assembles a crew with the help of his best friend, Sebastian (Ben Foster), for one final run to Panama and back, hoping to return with millions in counterfeit bills. Things quickly fall apart and with only hours to reach the cash, Chris must use his rusty skills to successfully navigate a treacherous criminal network of brutal drug lords, cops and hit men before his wife, Kate (Kate Beckinsale), and sons become their target.


Release Date: 24 April 2012


One Kine Day
Directed by: Chuck Mitsuis

Starring: Ryan Greer, Christa B. Allen

The backside of paradise is the setting for this Hawaiian coming-of-age story that features a thoroughly engaging script and superb performances. Ralsto, a 19-year-old skate-boarder with a spotty work record, has just found out that his 15-year-old girlfriend Alea is pregnant for the second time. Director Mitsui effectively evokes a redneck Hawaii of drifters and scavengers, hardscrabble living, drugs, and cockfights, as Ralsto exhausts his limited options for raising some cash for an abortion while high school student Alea uneasily tries on the idea of joining the ranks of her baby-mama friends.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Pariah
Directed by: Dee Rees

Starring: Adepero Oduye, Kim Wayans
Adepero Oduye portrays Alike (pronounced ah-lee-kay), a 17-year-old African-American woman who lives with her parents Audrey and Arthur (Kim Wayans and Charles Parnell) and younger sister Sharonda in Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood. Alike is quietly but firmly embracing her identity as a lesbian. With the sometimes boisterous support of her best friend, out lesbian Laura (Pernell Walker), Alike is especially eager to find a girlfriend. At home, her parents' marriage is strained and there is further tension in the household whenever Alike's development becomes a topic of discussion. Pressed by her mother into making the acquaintance of a colleague's daughter, Bina, Alike finds Bina to be unexpectedly refreshing to socialize with. Wondering how much she can confide in her family, Alike strives to get through adolescence with grace, humor, and tenacity - sometimes succeeding, sometimes not, but always moving forward.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy




Thor at the Bus Stop
Directed by: Mike Thompson

Starring: Barrett Applegate, Jerry Thompson

THOR AT THE BUS STOP is a comedy that begins with Thor, the Norse God of Lightning, as he makes his final journey through a suburban neighborhood on the day he is going to die fighting to save the world - and nobody cares. Thor starts a chain reaction of interweaving story-lines packed with zany characters and themes about goodness and the power of cool.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy




TV SERIES

Amazing Race: Season 5

Starring: REALITY TV

A new season, a new adventure, and a new globe-spanning race. The fifth season of Emmy-Award winning THE AMAZING RACE follows the longest race yet traveling over 72,000 miles, six continents, and twelve countries, including Uruguay, Kenya, and Tanzania. This time the race has not just one beauty queen, but two, with both a former Miss Teen USA and a former Miss Texas USA competing alongside past Big Brother contestant, Alison Irwin and the fan favorite team Mirna and Charla.

Descending into the depths of Osiris Shaft, 140 feet below sea level, contestants travel where no AMAZING RACE contestant has gone before, and a chocolate factory in San Carlos makes for the most delicious roadblock yet. The fun and excitement come to a dramatic stop for one team as an injury puts them out of the race permanently. It will take more than a passport to win this race around the world- find out who will cross the finish line first in this 3-disc DVD set.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Billy, the Exterminator: Season 4

Starring: REALITY TV

America's favorite exterminators are back for more unexpected on-the-job adventures as they travel across the country in the fourth season of A&E's hit real-life series, Billy The Exterminator. The all-new season sees Billy hit the road for the first time, in search of challenges that are bigger, better and badder than ever. Whether he's going after giant pythons in the Florida Everglades, wrestling 10-foot gators in Texas, chasing a herd of razor-toothed javelina in Arizona, or fighting off an aerial attack by 30-pound geese in North Carolina, Billy comes to the rescue with humor, compassion and a whole lot of attitude. Billy runs Vexcon, one of Louisiana's busiest pest removal companies, with the help of his brother Ricky, whom he describes as "just as crazy as me," his father Bill Sr., and his sassy mom Donnie, who runs the office. Contains all 12 episodes from the fourth season on 2 DVDs.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Marvel Anime: X-Men- Complete Series

Starring: n/a

The X-Men reunite after the death of a teammate in order to track down Hisako Ichiki (Armor), a missing teenage girl in Northern Japan. There, the X-Men encounter the fanatical anti-mutant group, the U-Men, and discover what was important enough for Xavier to bring them back together. The answer is something that could potentially bridge the gap between mutants and humans, or tear the two species apart forever.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy



Titanic Miniseries
Directed by: Jon Jones

Starring: Toby Jones, Linus Roache

The series is a four-part television series created to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the maritime disaster on 15 April 1912. It sets out to paint a portrait of a whole society, telling the stories of a wide range of characters, both real and imagined, from every social level. Their narratives are developed and gradually interwoven over the first three episodes, each of which ends in a cliffhanger as the ship begins to founder. The fourth and final episode draws all of the different stories together and reveal to the audience who survives.


Release Date: 24 April 2012
Website | Buy

4 comments:

  1. im def waiting for the Inmortal Rules that book sounds ominous hehehehe

    im yor newst follower thx for dropping by bookaddict

    BTW your blog is wicked awesome =D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, girl! Yeah, there is definitely something intriguing about Immortal Rules! I loved Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series, so I am sure this new series will be awesome! At least I hope it is!

      I'll definitely be back on your blog soon to check out more of your thoughts and reviews!

      Thanks!

      xxMia

      Delete
  2. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'm excited for the Immortal Rules! And the Selection. They both sound awesome! And I love the cover of Blackbirds!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Megan! I believe The Selection has already been comissioned for a television series! So crazy since the book hits shelves tomorrow! Check out the author's website, there is more information about the series based on the book!

      Thanks for the new follow!

      xx Mia

      Delete
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