Trailer Thursday: Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides

I wasn't a fan of the last two movies - but I love the humor in these films. The 4th movie looks EXCELLENT. I can't wait to see it. What do you think?



Plus, did you know there's a book coming out? It's a crossover book and it's a prequel to Jack Sparrow's days as a Pirate (sort-of). Most of the book takes place at sea. There are plenty of fights against pirates, double crossings, magic, an in-depth look at the slave trade, and a little romance. I reviewed it for VOYA. It appears as a republished book on May 20th 2011

Happy Hanko de Mayo

HANK GREEN: Happy 31st BIRTHDAY!

I LOVE Hank because he's fun, smart, goofy, intelligent, cares about the earth, knowledgeable, and an all around funny guy. (Did I mention that he's a smarty pants?)

Here he is as Dr. Horrible:



Here's my favorite song from Hank

Here he is dancing:



DFTBA

Teacher Appreciation Week

Do you have a favorite teacher?

My Dad is a high school history teacher and he LOVES his job - mostly he loves working with high school students. He has them write book analysis. He puts cartoons on his exams. He has a wicked sense of humor and teases his students. He makes them cookies for fun holidays. He uses war games to teacher about battles. He's been teaching for several years and it's hard going into the town he teaches with him because I always hear students calling him over and chatting with him. This happens without fail: in the mall, in the grocery store, and two weekends ago at a stoplight. He also used to coach - football and women's lacrosse. My Dad works in a different district so I never had him as a teacher (both lucky and unlucky for me). In some families, he's taught two or three generations. He's certainly touched many lives. I'm immensely proud of him.

I have had several favorite teachers.
Here are the two biggest influences on me.
What do they have in common? They both challenged me. They both taught me skills that improved my way of looking at the world. They both had a sense of humor. They were always available if I had questions, concerns, or needed help.

High School: Mr. Everett from Fair Haven Union High School

He taught me English for three years and had the reputation of being the hardest English teacher of the bunch. Some tried to switch out of his class - I switched in. He was that good. He dissected novels and short stories. It was amazing how he looked at great works of literature. He vastly improved my poor writing skills. Plus he taught drama - I was terrible at acting. However, I did end up with assisting with the school plays and because of this experience, I found a job at college working in the theater.

College: Prof. Ciletti from Hobart and William Smith Colleges


She made me fall in love with Art History. I had her my first semester in college and she rocked my world. I took every class she offered. She expected a lot from her students. She would sing in class when no one answered her questions. She came into class one day with purple streaks in her hair, explaining that she bought the kit for her niece, but couldn't give it away. She made me look at the world differently - to see beauty and it's history.

When I went to Italy years later, I saw the art we talked about in class. It was amazing. I remembered her teachings and share my knowledge with Chris. We were both happy not to have to listen to our tour guide.

Tween Tuesday Review: Vespers Rising

In the beginning of the Cahill family, there was one ring. It was very valuable. No one except for Gideon knew the power of the ring. The secret died with him, but throughout generations, the Cahill family's been extraordinarily protective of the ring.

In the beginning, there were the Cahills and Damien Vesper. At first Gideon Cahill and Damien were colleagues, almost friends. Then Gideon noticed Damien's desire for power. He began to pull away and their relationship changed.

Soon Damien became the Cahill's most powerful enemy. They've spent generations hiding from his descendants and the organization of hired goons.

Now, in present day, Amy and Dan must save the ring from the clutches of the Vespers once more.

My Thoughts: The book is divided into four parts - three ancestors of the Cahill family and then Amy and Dan. Each part is written by a different author. Each contains their own story. I wonder if this is going to be the trend of the new series, as I really like reading about the past Cahills. Plus many ended abruptly, but they still contain the secrets, action, danger, and double crossings of the previous books.

Cover Thoughts: I don't really understand the cover, but it's neat.

Source: My Library

Up Next: Medusa Plot - out in August -really loving this cover!

Book of the Month: April

My favorite read last month was:

For it's magic, romance, and feisty heroine. When I finished reading it, I sighed with happiness. Check out my review. So ready for book 2:

I Love the cover!
However, it comes out April 2012...

If You Like...House

If You Like… is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love. This week includes suggestions based on the television show House, M.D. Share your favorite medical dramas, diagnostic mysteries, and eccentric doctors.

I have to say that while I"m not a regular watcher of House, if it's on, I can't turn away from the show. I love him - for his snark, his blunt honesty, and his cynicism. He'd be a horrific boss, but he's so entertaining to watch.

Check out the recommendations for this week's IFY

Review: Sugar and Ice

Claire has so much going on her in her with her skating, coaching young skaters, school work, working on her family’s farm, and hanging out with her friends. One day all that changed when a famous Russian coach sees her skate the soul at the annual Maple Show. She lands a double toe loop, impressing him greatly.

He offers her a scholarship to skate at the school in Lake Placid for the summer.

She can’t believe it. Claire almost doesn’t take the scholarship. The drive is long. The maple sap is just starting to run, making it the busiest time of year on the farm. She’s afraid she’ll miss out on all the summer fun. Plus she’s terrified of competing.

Claire can’t let her fear dominate her life.

The camp isn’t what she expected. Claire loves skating. She loves the feel of the ice. She loves the way the music makes her move. She’s not expecting the crazy intense schedule. She’s not expecting sabotage from her teammates. She’s not expecting all the pressure from her coach.

Can she overcome all the odds and prove to herself to everyone?

My Thoughts: I was super excited to read this book as I love watching figure skating. It's something my mom and I used to do together. Watching the competitions, it does make you wonder what goes on behind the scenes. Sugar and Ice takes an entertaining in-depth look at the skating world – where mean girls, intense schedules, and self doubt fill the locker room. I enjoyed watching Claire’s transformation, her fight for her own place, and her struggle to find herself. The skating scenes transported me to the ice, right next to Claire. I loved those scenes the best and the book was fantastic!

Cover Thoughts: Sweet, Simple, and simply perfect.

Source: Reviewed for www.teensreadtoo.com