I am so sorry!

Hey guys.
Oi. I haven't posted for a month and half, and now I feel very guilty.... So right now, I am in Texas :) we normally always, always have a trip down here every summer, but some things got in the way, and we had to postpone... But I have to say I am very happy to be here, but I do miss all my people at home something terrible. But some of the fun things I have done so far are : I have learned how to drive a four wheeler. It is flipping amazing, let me tell you. I love love love LOVE it!!! It looks pretty easy, but once you actually are in the driver's place.. you have to use your entire upper body to steer that thing. It's beautiful. :) Then we have gone out to lunch with my grandma on my dad's side several times, and I love doing that. We normally go to this restaurant,  Jason's Deli, and it is delicious. They have soups, salads, sandwiches... Yum. And it's really good quality food, and not too expensive... ) And not much else, except running, and hanging at the house. I think tomorrow we are going to a tiger exhibit with my aunt and uncle, so that should be loads of fun. I haven't been reading that much on this trip, but it'll hopefully be cured this afternoon :P I'm in the middle of This Dark Endeavor, and Les Miserables, and so far they are very enjoyable. I'll probably do a review on one of those when I finish.
So I need to go, but so sorry for not posting sooner!!!!! Love you guys! -- JAM --

Yearning to Read 2nd year BLOGOVERSARY GIVEAWAY!! part 2

Hey guys,
I apologize for not posting for sooooo incredibly unforgivably long. I'm sorry :( .
Okay, so you remember Sierra at @YearningToRead ?? Well the first part she was giving away a copy of Everneath by Brodi Ashton ( sadly, I did not win ... ;) ), but now she's giving away a book from one of her GoodRead shelves ( keep it under $18 buckeroonies), and I am soooo excited!!! Follow this link and check it out!!!!! Don't miss it! -- CLICK ME!
I am almost done with Starcrossed by Elizabeth Bunce, and I will do a review on it REALLY soon!!!
-- Jane --

The Versatile Blogger Award!

Hey guys!! Sorry for not posting for awhile, and sorry for this not being about a book. But almost as good : I got awarded the Versatile Blogger Award by Farrah at Farrah's Flavor!!!!! This is so cool!! Thanks so much, Farrah! Okay, so I think I have to post 7 random things about myself; so here they are ...
1. I used to hate pizza. What can I say?? I was a messed up kid. ;-)
2. I got bounced off a trampoline when I was 8, and had to get stitches in the back of my head.
3. I own a bow and a sword :D so don't cross me! ;-)
4. I am completely obsessed with movies. And everything about them. Or so says my sister.
5. I want to dye my hair blonde or red when I'm older.
6. I used to have a HUGE crush on the actor Jamie Bell. Sadly, I don't anymore. :-)
7. The largest amount I've read in a day is 681 pages.... I think. Maybe more.
and another just for fun : I love to sew. If I'm not a movie directer when I grow up, I want to do costume design.
...
There you go! 7 totally random facts about myself. And I would like to award :
• Hannah Joya
• Brian
• Helen
...
I'll be posting soon, I promise. Love you guys!!
-- JAM--

The Way of Kings -- Brandon Sanderson

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar’s niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan’s motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths,

Life before death.Strength before weakness.Journey before Destination.and return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.

--

First of all, can I even begin to say how mind blowing-ly beautiful and genius this book was?!?!?! It wasn't even funny. This book has everything you could ask for in a non-Christian fantasy, and I was, and am, still mind boggled. Brandon Sanderson created such an intricate world; it was this close ( I'm making a centimeter sign with my fingers) to Tolkien's Middle Earth. Yes, hard to believe. The characters were gorgeous; my favorite was hands-down Kaladin. Butttt, Syl was right up there as well. Then, Dalinor, I love you. aS you've probably already figured out, I am horrible at character descriptions. Down right awful. But, here it goes : 

Kaladin was perfect. In the beginning, he is smoldering against those who did him wrong; you don't find out what happened until a few hundreds pages until the end. Oh yeah, and did I mention the book is one thousand and one pages long?! Yes, it is quite amazing. Okay, back to Kal. He grows so much in the story; and what I really liked was a chapter here and there was a bit from his past, from when he was 8 -- I think-- until just a year from the present. Oh, and he's 18. :D Dedication is what he has. I seriously think I may die waiting for the next book.

Now to Syl. She is a spren. A spren is something like the faeries in Roshar; there is a type for everything : Firespren appear when there is a fire; anticipationspren appear when-- you guessed it --anticipation is on the wind. And painspren, when there is pain. And many many more. Basically for everything else. I won't tell you what type of spren Syl is, because you don't find out until the end of the book (as in the last 100 pages). She appears to Kaladin in the beginning, asking him questions, and basically annoying the heck out of him. But you need to remember that spren are not smart in the least. They don't have minds, really. They are dumb. But Syl sticks around Kaladin, and they become best of pals. Okay, maybe not exactly. But close.

 Okay, so there are so many peoples in this book, there is no way I can cover all of them. So read the book :-) But I will go into a few more : Dalinor, Shallan, and Szeth. 

Dalinor first. He is a highprince, a lighteyes. Now we have to go into this. A highprince is basically right under the king. They have armies, and have some rule. Dalinor is also uncle to the King. The lighteyes. The lighteyes and darkeyes define ranks. Lighteyes are the highest, darkeyes are the lowest. FYI Kaladin is a darkeyes. Just a heads up if I didn't already say that. Okay, back to Dalinor. During things called highstorms, he has visions. Now around camps it goes, and everyone thinks he is going crazy. And he himself doesn't know if he should trust the visions or what. So I really, really liked Dalinor. He is honorable. He is kind. He is always saying to himself do not ask of others what you wouldn't do. And he is awesome! Minor detail. But still...

Shallan. She wasn't my favorite, but she wasn't my least favorite. She is about 17, and a lighteyes with red hair. She also has an extreme drawing talent. She is trying to apprentice to Jasnah, sister to the king. Jasnah is a renowned heretic and scholar. Shallan was slightly annoying, in my opinion, but I could sympathize with her for the most part. She was smart and  persistent, but she has an ulterior motive..... guess you'll just have to wait and see ;-)

Okay, Szeth. The first character. He is Truthless. He is an assasin. The Assassin in White. I felt SO sad for him!!! I'm sure he could be a sweet thing if he wasn't forced to kill people :-( I really liked him; but at the end he receives assassination orders for one of the main characters >.<

There was, unfortunately, some stuff; not a lot though. Kaladin uses the word b**t**d quite a few times ( just a note : when he uses them, the people are very deserving of it), but besides that, no other language. There are a couple references to prostitutes, and there is a sequence that includes a man beating up a woman (he's stopped, FYI) and the following conversation is slightly awkward... then it is pretty violent. Nothing described in details, so you of the queasy stomach, rest at peace ;-)
The end. LONG POST. Summing it up into 4 words : GO READ IT NOW! You won't regret it. I think. I hope. :-P have fun!!!!

-- JAM --

Ps. Peter and Neal's shadow. :-) S4 started last night, and it was super good xD Can't wait till next week!!!!!

Legend -- By Marie Lu

Heya guys!
So here's the review for Legend; please stick around ;-) Haha, and speaking about "sticking", guess what I'm doing today? Harvesting honey!! It's a ton of fun, and you get to eat quite literally however much you want (provided it'd the comb and wax as well).Mmm.... I will now resist the urge to break out in "Winnie the Pooh" :-P. Back to the book I am reviewing though.....here's the synopsis :

--
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

--

Slightly strange... but i thought it was cool :)

I don't think I read this one on anyone's recommendation. It just looked totally awesome. I hadn't read the synopsis -- something I don't do anymore ; Like movie trailers nowadays, they give everything away -- so I had no clue. But, you must read this book!!!!! It is exciting, honest, realistic, sweet, most-interesting-romance-ever, and very creative. Day is just perfect. The story begins with him watching his family's house, dreading the cursed red x when the soldiers come out that trumpets the plague. I won't get into the plague -- read the book if you want to find out!-- but he is so caring. He would do anything for his family, just to keep them safe. And then June was very interesting; rebellious, genius, beautiful.... I liked her a lot. I can't really say anything more, without giving away too much, but I really liked her. Tess is such a relief. She was sweet, innocent, and caring. I wish she could be my little sister.
The violence was pretty strong. Several fairly graphic torture scenes, and some gun fights; various stuff I won't mention because it would be majorly spoilerific -- yes yes I know that's not a word. There was some kissing, not very graphic, but still there, and slightly awkward. A couple cuss words ( d--- and h---) and one or two uses of God's name. -- So you should definitely read this. It is amazing. And I honestly might have enjoyed it even the tiniest bit better than The Hunger Games (please don't kill me!); the story was just really original and worth every last word and more. 9/10
-- JAM --

YearningToRead 2 year BLOGOVERSARY GIVEAWAY!

Hey guys!!
So Sierra Abrams @YearningToRead is having her 2nd year blogoversary giveaway!! She is giving away 1 hardcover copy of Everneath signed by the authoress herself, Brodi Ashton. I am so glad I found Yearningtoread, Sierra is simply amazing at writing reviews, and GO CHECK HER OUT NOW! ;-P But seriously, do. And I want to read Everneath. :-) Make sure you go check out this beautiful giveaway, and may the odds be ever in your favour! ;-)
--JAM--

Music : Florence + the Machine & Mumford and Sons

Music. I love music. And these are the two groups I have been into for the past few months :
Florence + the Machine and Mumford & Sons.

First, F+tM. Florence Welch is the singer. She is an angel, I swear. Every song I have ever listened to by her sends shivers up my spine. Her voice.. Gah, there are no words to describe it. Deep, soulful, haunting,  I don't know. Then the harp is a very present component; It is quite beautiful. And the drums are perfect. Some ( very important to point out the 'some') favorite songs by her :

1. Cosmic Love

2. Breath of Life ( from Snow White and the Huntsman)

3.Drumming Song

4. Dog Days are Over
You should seriously listen to her. She is amazing. And the music is something epic. :-)

Mumford & Sons. I lovveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee them. Marcus Mumford's voice is so raw and soft at the same time. The banjo player is sooo talented, and I love how it makes their music stand out. Then, the lyrics actually mean something. I love how they took the faith route. Just be careful of Little Lion Man; the real version has strong swearing in the chorus, but if you look up the "messed up" version (what irony) then it's fine. :-)
Some of my favorites:

1.The Cave

2.Winter Winds

3.White Blank Page

4. Lover's Eyes

Okay, so there you have what I am into right now.
And I know that I suck at writing posts, so any help? Haha, all my adjectives in a nutshell : totally amazing.  sO see ya! -- JAM --

Next book review : Legend by Marie Lu.

Snow White and the Huntsman

In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Charlize Theron) out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin joins the cast as the prince long 
enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power.
( Synopsis from RottenTomatoes)

My good luck I saw this film. It was very good and exciting, and I thought the acting was fantabulous.

Everyone has told me what a horrid actress Kristen Stewart was, but I really did not get that impression. She was perfect for SnowWhite and all her mannerisms were perfect for the innocent girl she is portraying. And she looked perfect. Chris Hemsworth was rough, absolutely perfect, totally heart- breaking as the Huntsman (Erik). I cried at one point with him, and dude, please give me more of the scottish brogue. PLEASE! And then, of course, you can't just ignore Charlize Theron as Ravenna, the evil queen; I mean, I know her part wasn't that big, but still.... She was evil. EVIL I tell you. But she is gorgeous. And I might just have to say, she was the fairest of them all. Sorry Kristen. You're still gorgeous, believe me.

Sam Claflin was a very good love lost, heart broken Prince, and, I mean, who can't like him? Certainly not me. And I loved all the dwarves; they were very prickly but dedicated as well. The cinematography was breath-taking ( I think the location was some part of England), and something I actually appreciated that they never do : The cast actually looked cold. They had red noses and ears. THANK YOU Rupert Sanders. Some of the shots got on my nerves though; I want at least one good far out shot, so I can actually tell what's going on. 

And then there's the content : Well, in the beginning, Ravenna and the king have just gotten married, and quite a bit of, ahem, kissing, but then things take a violent turn, and that's over. Ravenna takes a buttermilk bath in front of her brother, Finn, and she is implied to be naked, but if you've seen the trailer, you should know what it will be like, 'cause basically that's all it is. Then there is a scene where ( not sexual at all) where you see Ravenna's bare back.There are 2 kisses besides that, and some cleavage. Swearing : a few of d*** and h***. The violence was sometimes disturbing : Ravenna does this weird little thing where she sucks the life out of peoples hearts, or she sucks the age out of the, so they are either dead when she's done, or very old. Sword fights, stuff like that, and that's about it. It very possibly might be disturbing to some people. 

Go go see this movie. I really, really enjoyed it. And considering it was Rupert Sanders first movie to direct, it was very fine accomplishment. 8/10. ( it could have been longer though).

--JAM--

Ranger's Apprentice : The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan ( And I think it would be kinda funny if you wrote your entire post in the title) :-)

Bracing for a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom's allies, and Will is chosen, along with his friend Horace, as special envoys to nearby Celtica. But the simple mission soon takes an unsettling turn - the Celticans have disappeared, their town abandoned. The scheming hand of Morgarath, it seems, has been far from idle. He has found a way to bring his legions over the once impassible eastern mountains and is planning to ambush the king's army in a rout. Now with help many miles away, Will and Horace are the only ones standing in the way of the dark lord's plans.They have shown great skill and courage in their training, but how will they fare in the face of true evil?
(Synopsis from GoodReads)

This was seriously amazing, guys. I mean, it literally left me holding the book limply in my hands, and my mouth agape. I really enjoy John Flanagan's writing style : He switches to characters' narratives all the time, and that's something I really love. Will is just the perfect guy. He's smart, humble, kind, and not bad with a bow and knives. Then there's Halt. I feel like such an idiot. I didn't even mention him in the previous post, when he is after all a main character. He is absolutely.... GAH. I cannot use words. One of my favorites. Horace is totally sweet; he isn't quite as smart as Will, or as daring as Will, but boy, is he good with a sword :-). And, finally, Evanlyn. I will not get into her, but I love her, and I hope she comes back into the rest of the series. I really do. The content : a couple d**m and h**l, and several uses of God's name. Overall very clean. And the end. OH MY GOSH IT WAS SO UN-EXPECTED. I was staring at the book, going, you have GOT to be joking--in a good way. A very, very good way. Overall, I recommend this series to anyone over 9; the writing style is pretty easy (I'm finishing 1 a day), and I hope you enjoy!!!!!!!!
READ THESE BOOKS!!!!!! -- JAM--

Ranger's Apprentice : The Ruins of Gorlan : Book 1 : By John Flanagan

Like the other 15-year-old wards of Castle Redmont, Will is nervous about Choosing Day, when each of them will be assigned to a different master for training. Though his dearest wish is to enter the Battleschool, his small stature prevents it. Instead, Will is apprenticed to the grim-faced, mysterious Ranger. Soon Will learns that becoming a ranger is more difficult, dangerous, and worthwhile than he had imagined. He earns the respect of his elders and the friendship of a former foe, but all this is prelude to the great adventure that follows, when his skills wielding a knife and keeping a heightened awareness of his surroundings become vital to the survival of his mentor and the safety of the kingdom.

My thoughts :
One of my friend's brother recommended this book to me. I had been wanting to read it for a pretty long time, but never did because they had never been recommended to me, so I was very excited when he told me I should read it. It was extremely enjoyable. Will was a very likable character, humble, cute, and brave. I loved Horace, from his evolving from a bully into a man. There weren't that many other major characters, but they were all awesome. Nothing bad, besides a few uses of d*** and that's it. 
The story was well developed and I think the pacing was very nice. I am in the middle of the 2nd one, and I am loving it. 
Signing off, 
JAM
(sorry for the review being so horribly short and choppy; it was written over a couple days)

Mission Impossible 3

Ethan Hunt is at it again. :-) Or, rather, it happened 6 years ago ( it was made in 2006). Hahaha. I have fallen, again, for the fast sprinters and the kick-butt, leave-me-alone-or-your'e-gonna-regret-it type guys. AKA Ethan Hunt, Jason Bourne, Aaron Cross, James Bond, Aragorn, etc.... ;-) And a ton more. But........ back to the review. Here be the synopsis (from IMDB) :


Super-spy Ethan Hunt has retired from active duty to train new IMF agents. But he is called back into action to confront the toughest villain he's ever faced - Owen Davian, an international weapons and information provider with no remorse and no conscience. Hunt assembles his team: his old friend Luther Strickell, transportation expert Declan, and background operative Zhen. They are to rescue one of his very own trainees, Lindsey who was kidnapped while on a surveillance detail of Davian. It soon becomes evident that Davian is well-protected, well-connected, and downright malicious. This forces Hunt to extend his journey back into the field in order to rescue his wife, Julia, and uncover IMF double agents in the process.

My thoughts :  I totally loved it. Ever since Ghost Protocol, I have loved Mission Impossible. My only little thing is that Ethan always has the different crew members. Okay, so 1, 2, 3 Luther is always on the team. But besides him and Ethan, different. Up there ^ in the synopsis, the new team members are Declan (acted by Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and Zhen (acted by Maggie Q). I loved Declan. Of course, JRM is really, really cute, and his irish accent is totally awesome. There wasn't much "character development" in those characters, but I liked them a lot. Zhen was cool too. A new character is Julia ( acted by Michelle Monaghan) , and she plays Ethan's fiance then wife *sniff*. I wish that she was in all the other ones. That would be an improvement..... Now to the actual film itself. JJ Abrams directed it (Super 8), and it was his first ever major film (blockbuster). I thought he did a fantastic job. The pacing was just right, the action was almost no-stop without being overwhelming, and the CGI/ cinematography was beautiful. My only thing was the camera work. There were wayyyy too many shaky, really fast, too close zoom ups. Ergh, those always get on my nerves because you can't tell what's going on! But the rest of it was neat.

For the skipping : There are several short scenes that are pretty iffy : A scene where Ethan wakes up in bed with Julia (still his fiance). Then as Ethan is being drugged, there's a flashback with Julia undressing. Then some pretty big smooching right after they get married. One part Luther is asking Ethan if him and another agent had "something going on". My sister hit the mute button, so I'm guessing he asks blatantly. The farthest the cussing gets is s**t and and h*ll. God's name is used several times. The violence (haha, it's unskippable, unless you just don't want to watch the movie) was actually a lot stronger than the other ones, because JJ made it a lot more realistic ( cuts, bruises, etc),  and the bad guy - Owen Davian - was completely sadistic and a little crazy. *Spoilers in the following paragraph* In the beginning, someone is killed by a bomb implanted in her head, and it is slightly disturbing. In the very, very beginning(first scene) there is a "torture" scene where someone's holding a gun to someone else's head, and telling Ethan to tell him something. (He shoots her in the leg, then the scene ends with him pulling the trigger at her head) Very, very intense. 

Okay for mature 12+. 
Watch. This. Movie. !!!!!!!!!
One last picture for good measure ( totally full of MI awesomness, isn't it?)

Signing off,
JAM

Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

Hey! So here's the review for the book I won (see previous post) : (summary off of Amazon)

--

In Abby’s world, magic isn’t anything special: it’s a part of everyday life. So when Abby learns that she has zero magical abilities, she’s branded an "Ord"—ordinary, bad luck, and quite possibly a danger to society. The outlook for kids like Abby isn’t bright. Many are cast out by their families, while others are sold to treasure hunters (ordinary kids are impervious to spells and enchantments). Luckily for Abby, her family enrolls her in a school that teaches ordinary kids how to get around in a magical world. But with treasure-hunting kidnappers and carnivorous goblins lurking around every corner, Abby’s biggest problem may not be learning how to be ordinary—it’s whether or not she’s going to survive the school year!

--

Oh my gosh I LOVE this book!!!!! It was so adorable and cute, and a blast to read.

So, I don't know about you, but my family doesn't do Harry Potter (and the like), and so anything with the word 'magic' in it raises some eyebrows in the house; You can guess I was slightly worried when I started that my mom was going to flag me on it, and have to read it first (which isn't a bad thing, it just takes her a  super long time to even start the book :) ) but she didn't, and I honestly wouldn't have the slightest problem with recommending this book. CRB never delved into the subject, and when it was talked about, it was just like normal everyday life-- as it's supposed to be in the book. The rest of it was very clean ( a couple references to smooching -- when they're talking about Abby's brother Gil's romance novels) and no swearing that I remember-- and I finished it less than 3 hours ago. I loved Abby, because she was funny, sarcastic -- something like me :P -- but brave ( not like me ;) ). I recommend this book 100% to anyone over 8. Thanks again to Sierra @Yearningtoread for the giveaway!!!!

~ JAM

Ordinary Magic

Hey guys,
So you might be wondering why I'm doing 3 posts in less than 24 hours....
Well, last week, I got an email from Sierra @Yearningtoread (TOTALLY check her out) notifying me that I had won her Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway giveaway!!  And today, look what I got in the mail!

Well, as you can see, I'm totally stoked. But then, when I opened the cover.....

So Sierra had said to name your favorite "ordinary" character and why. I said Roran from the Inheritance Cycle (Eragon). If you're not very good at reading mirror, here's what it says :

"Jane-

Congrats! You're right-

Roran is the most awesomely ordinary character!

Hope you enjoy the read!

Caitlen R-B "

For a second, I was like ," Who's Roran????" But then it very quickly came back, and I grinned. In fact, am still grinning. :D
Oh boy, I am so excited to dive right in!! So you can be expecting a review.... soon.
ADIEU! 
-Jane-

"Les Miserables" movie update!!

Hey guys,
So, as you may or may not know, I am a HUGE fan of the musical stage version "Les Miserables" (also just the story in general) and a previous post (here) is stating that :).
And finally they have released a teaser for the film!!!!! Here it is!!

Oh my gosh, Annie's voice..... That's the reason I am so excited fro the film. Already the stage version is filled with emotion, but just imagine Academy Award winners as the characters.....
And the sets and costume designs... O.o
Then that's another thing : The directer, Tom Hooper-- The King's Speech -- had the cast singing live on set!  I think it will be stunning. And for you who have no clue who's who, I'll mark the minutes when they appear :
0:16- Jean Val Jean   
0:19- Inspector Javier
0:20- Fantine
0:28- Young Cosette
0:48- Cosette
0:57- Marius Pontmercy
1:11- Eponine

Haha. if that doesn't show I'm a sucker for it, I don't know what will... :D
Signing off,
Jane
Ps. Sorry for being slightly eccentric about this. I'm just rather stoked about it. :)

Sherlock Holmes : A Study in Scarlet

Hey guys!
Sorry for not posting.. I was kind of busy this last week. And this will be a very short review.
Okay, so I can't find a synopsis, so here's a short one out of my head :

Recently returned from Afghanistan, Dr. John Watson is looking for a flat to share. Then an old acquaintance tells him that he knows the very man to share a flat with : A Mr. Sherlock Holmes. A private  detective consultant. A case arises that the police come to him to solve : a man found dead in an abandoned house, presumably suicide, but for the word Rache written in blood.


This was my first Sherlock Holmes novel, which I feel rather guilty because I have seen a ton of episodes and movies (which I really liked), and I had yet to read the books. It was short (only around 130 pages) but I really enjoyed it. The plot was really easy to follow, but without being predictable. I had already seen several adaptions of this story, so I already knew what had happened. But I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have been able to guess. I started The Sign of the Four yesterday, and I will do a review on that as soon as I am done. 10/10

Guess where I went this weekend (25-27) ? I went to Philadelphia with my youth group!! We went to the Franklin Institute, where they had The Dead Sea Scrolls on display!!! It was so neat! And for those who don't know what they are, it is the Old Testament that was found in some caves by the Dead Sea. Super cool right? It was awesome. And then I had an authentic phili cheesesteak. Haha :) But it was delicious! Okay, well right now it is down pouring outside, and I'd better go :)
Signing off -
Jane

A post of various things..

Hey guys! and, er, gals ;)
Okay so first things first :
Phillip Phillips won American Idol!!! YAY!!! He deserved it. Phil's attitude was just so... humble, and he was never trying to please anyone; he was just up there because he loves music. You will be an amazing artist, Phil Phillips, and I am SO ahead of everyone else in pre-ordering your first album.
And I love you wayyyyy more than those screaming fan girls because I actually keep quiet when you begin to sing ;). And I love your impeccable sense of style.
Here's I think my favorite song he sings ( it's entitled "Home"). And does anyone else think he sounds like Mumford&Sons? I love them, by the way. This song is beautiful. I hope he sings a TON more like this.

Then second thing.... I won Sierra Abrams' ( @YearningToRead - if you haven't already checked her out, DO IT!) giveaway for Ordinary Magic by Caitlin Rubino-Bradway!!! It's so exciting, this is my first giveaway ever won. :) And plus I can't wait to read the book!!! Thanks so much, Sierra!!

Thing #3 : Have you ever watched the series Sherlock? Because if you are over 13 (or a very mature 12) you must watch them. It's a modern day twist on Sir Conan Doyle's awesome books, 21-st century style. It stares Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes) and Martin Freeman (John Watson) (who coincidentally play Smaug -- the voice of-- and Bilbo :D ) They are amazing together. Benedict is stunning and lovable in the role, and Martin is just awesome. The first season is relatively clean, sprinkled with some language and a couple references.. and the violence, while there isn't much, when there is, they make it pretty realistic looking. So he get's shot, there will be blood. The second season began with a not so positive note : Irene Adler is a sex centered character, resulting in some not so good discussions and there is a nude scene( her arms and hands cover any sensitive parts) and it only around 2 minutes long. That episode is entitled "A Scandal in Belgravia", but overall (please don't judge me) it was probably one of the best if you can look past all that junk. So yes, that one is wayyyyyy mature. Just have the remote ready. Then the rest have violence, and some mild cussing, plus some might be disturbed that the main bad guy ( Jim Moriarty) is completely mad, and it sometimes it disturbing to watch.
And, the end to Season 2. O.o It was very, very, very frustrating to know that we have to wait over a year for Season 3. Ergh. It was such a cliff hanger. But I think my wise sister figured it out. Gotta wait and see...... and while I'm on this subject, do you like???????????? It was very fun to draw :)

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AS SHERLOCK!!!!

And, finally, Thing #4. I am going on a Youth Group trip tomorrow, and that should be a bunch of fun, but please keep us in your prayers, that we'll be safe :).
ADIEU! J.A.M.

Cinderella Man and The Muppets : A movie review

I'm going to review 2 very different movies in this post; hope you like them.
Out of desperation for a movie to watch last night, we got "The Muppets" from Redbox.
Here's the synopsis from imdb :

When 3 Muppet fans learn that Tex Richman wants to drill under the Muppet Theater for oil, Gary, Mary and Walter set out to find the Muppets who have been split up for years so that they can put on one last show and save the Muppet Theater. Kermit the Frog now lives in his own mansion depressed in Hollywood, The Great Gonzo is a high class plumber at Gonzo's Royal Flush, Fozzie Bear performs with a tribute band called The Moopets, Miss Piggy is the plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, and Animal is at a celebrity anger management rehab center in Santa Barbara.

Let's settle one thing first : I am a Muppets Fan. Call me what you will. I love them, especially the great Christmas classic at our house : The Muppet's Christmas Carol (one of the best!).
I'll admit, I was worried to watch this, because, if you've seen the trailers, it looked pretty cheesy; and the singing definitely caught me off guard. I was not expecting that. But, I liked it a lot. It was super fun, very clean, and had sooo many cameos I was cracking up. Especially Jack Black and Emily Blunt's ones (Jack Black as himself and Emily Blunt as Miss Piggy's secretary); then I thought it was so funny because here are some of the best actors (Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, and, sure Jack Black) and haha, they weren't even trying. But in a good way. It was very good. 7.5/10 stars.

Now for my second review, Cinderella Man (synopsis from imdb ) :

During the Great Depression, a common-man hero, James J. Braddock--a.k.a. the Cinderella Man--was to become one of the most surprising sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seemingly as broken-down, beaten-up and out-of-luck as much of the rest of the American populace who had hit rock bottom. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that mattered to him--his family--was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief. But deep inside, Jim Braddock never relinquished his determination. Driven by love, honor and an incredible dose of grit, he willed an impossible dream to come true. In a last-chance bid to help his family, Braddock returned to the ring. No one thought he had a shot. However Braddock, fueled by something beyond mere competition, kept winning. Suddenly, the ordinary working man became the mythic athlete...

Starring Russell Crowe and Renèe Zellweger, this is an Oscar worthy film.
I was seriously tempted to jump up in the air and scream when I was watching this, but being 11:30 at night, my mom would have probably killed me ;) the fights were very intense, and bloody, but if you've ever watched some of the better UFC (Ultimate Fighter Championship), it's not that bad.
The swearing was pretty bad. A lot of s-words, a**, uses of God's name in vain (and of Jesus Christ).
Sexual content?? Some kissing, but between Jimmy (James) and his wife, Mae.
And the thematic elements were intense, because it was in the Great Depression.
I love this so much. It was the very meaning of inspirational without being all goody goody, "I know it's going to be okay" type thing that seems to be in everything. Russell Crowe was outstanding as James Braddock, I mean, amazing. He is one of the best actors of the this time, honestly.
And Renèe Zellwegger will never cease to crack me up. She is awesome.
And their 3 kids were precious. So overall rating, 9/10 (1 star less because of the swearing), but I guess age would be 13 and up!! You should definitely watch it!
J.A.M.

Divergent, book 1, by Veronica Roth

You're probably thinking, finally! a book review! and, let me tell you, I am just as excited as you are.
The book is Divergent, by Veronica Roth. So here's the synopsis (from Amazon) :

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

I read Divergent off of the recommendation list for The Hunger Games. I am so glad I did. This is a new, total favorite. Veronica Roth's writing style is very gripping and enjoyable. Beatrice starts out insecure, but by the end, she is so darn strong, I loved reading her progress throughout the book. And then, bless my soul, Four. I think it's is 99.9% impossible NOT to fall in love with him ( and if you don't,well, you must a pretty weird person- no offense) . He is soooo........ incredible? intricate? I doubt there are any words that could fairly describe him. He is right up there with Peeta and Finnick, to be honest. And practically nobody passes Peeta and Finnick. And then there are the characters that I absolutely despise. I'm mostly looking at Peter and Eric. Ooohhhh.... Anyways, before anything bad happens, I'm going to move on to the content :
Violence : yuck. Someone -- I will not say who-- gets his eye stabbed with a fork. I have to say, I nearly lost my dinner at that point. Then a lot of gun fighting, and basically beating each others up. 7/10
Cussing : several uses of hell and For God's sake, and oh my God's. 4/10
Sex : There is one kind of awkward part, when Tris is groped, and some jerk! remarks about the size of her chest. Then there are 2 mentions of sex and several long kisses. 4/10
Another somewhat questionable subject, the Dauntless Faction has a lot of tattoos, piercings, getting drunk, and etc.. so that might be a big stopper for some of you..
--
Oh I love this book. I love it. I need to buy it. Okay, sure, it's not as good as The Hunger Games, but honestly, what is? So what I say : get this from the library, and read :)
9/10

And then summer!!!!!! I simply cannot wait for this last week .5. I can't wait to swim, read to my heart's content (any must reads??), and watch movies :) Oh, and of course, sketch.
I'm going to Texas later in the summer, and I am so excited!! There's a salt water pool (it's really neat) that we always get a membership to every year, so that is going to be a TON of fun. Do you have any plans??? Okay, well I need to go (finish up some school).
ADIEU!!

The Bourne Ultimatum

Hehehe. Sorry, that was me giggling from the over amazed effect I have been suffering lately from these films.Okay, here's the synopsis from imdb :


Bourne is once again brought out of hiding, this time inadvertently by London-based reporter Simon Ross who is trying to unveil Operation Blackbriar--an upgrade to Project Treadstone--in a series of newspaper columns. Bourne sets up a meeting with Ross and realizes instantly they're being scanned. Information from the reporter stirs a new set of memories, and Bourne must finally, ultimately, uncover his dark past whilst dodging The Company's best efforts in trying to eradicate him.

Absolutely fantastic! :D Edge-of-your-seat chase scene, tear wrenching flashbacks, and nail-biting fights. The acting from Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, and David Strathairn is beautiful.
And it was so neat how they did the pacing and camera work. I just loved it, I was hooked from beginning to end.
Content : A lot of uses of God's name in vain (including Jesus Christ, and Godd*mmit) and one or two s-words, but no f-words. 4/10
The violence was pretty strong, especially one part that was disturbing and slightly startling, then another part when a man is snipped and you see, from a distance, a mist of blood, and later a pool underneath his head. There are intense car chases, then one fight scene that could be disturbing, resulting in someone dying. And the flash backs were fairly disturbing. 6/10 for violence, 7/10 for disturbing content.
Sexual junk: one flashback scene with rather passionate kissing. That's all. 2/10
....
I seriously love this trilogy. There is just a feeling to them that gives you chills (and sometimes not in a good way) that it's just so amazing. And the score is so neat. So I give The Bourne Ultimatum 5/5, and
the overall trilogy 10/5. Age recommendation. Mature 13 and up. There was some serious stuff in there.
J.A.M.
P.S.  Keep a look out for a review in August for The Bourne Legacy. I am so stoked!!

The Bourne Supremacy

Hey hey hey!!! So I know my blog title contains"book-corner", but I am in the middle of "The Three Musketeers", so I don't have very much to review (yet.). And yes, here is another movie review for The Bourne Supremacy, sequel to The Bourne Identity. Here's the synopsis from IMDB (mild spoiler alert) :

After escaping from the emotional and physical pain he previously encountered. Jason Bourne and his girlfriend Marie begin a new life as far away as possible. But when an assassination attempt on Bourne goes horribly wrong, Bourne must re-enter the life he wanted to leave behind, in order to find out the truth why they are still after him. 

OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH.
This was so amazing. Seriously, I liked a lot better than the 1st. There was a ton more action and about a billion trillion times sadder. And less language and no sexual content (unless you count a kiss) whatsoever. Again, Matt Damon is so stinkin awesome!! :) He is such an amazing and talented actor, I hope he decides to come back to the role (fingers crossed). Joan Allen, who plays Pamela Landy (um, what's the proper term... ?? you'll find out) was also, so good, I'm happy she's in Ultimatum(#3).
The violence was.... violent :) Yes, but mostly the same as the 1st( guns and hand fights, plus some explosions. And more blood at one point). And the chase scenes were amazing!!
Language there was, less than than the first, but there was 1 F-word (I barely caught it, so you may, or may not), and a lot of Godd**nit's (uses of God's name in vain) and maybe an S-word or two...
But it was so incredible. You must see it!
Until next time - J.A.M.