Thursday, August 30, 2012

True Blood: Season 5 Finale: What Did You Think?


No book review today, but my brain is still thinking about True Blood's Season 5 Finale. All I can say is...WOW! This season started off with potential, then somewhere in the middle things got a little shaky which scared me since I absolutely LOVE True Blood. But the last 2 episodes redeemed the hot mess in the middle.

I tried to think of a way for me to make a post without giving away major spoilers. So, below I listed some of the characters with memorable quotes from the finale. Okay, maybe they aren't all memorable lines, but think of it as a puzzle that needs to be put together!

____________________________

Bill(ith): "Vampires sometimes turn on the ones they love the most."

Sookie: "What the fuck??"

Eric: "RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Lafayette: "I did NOT see that shit coming."

Maurella: "My 'light' broke!"

Andy: "You're leaving them with me???"

Holly: "You're a DICK!"

Tara: "They got Pam."

Pam: "Mmmm...."

Jessica: "I KNEW IT!" 

Sam: "Bzzzzzzzzzzzz."

Alcide: "Tonight we choose pack!"

Jason: "I could never love a vampire."
 _____________________ 

Yup, that about sums up the Season 5 Finale. So of course I want to know what everyone thinks! Did you like this season? Did you like the finale? If not, why?


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The End is Near...My Picks of the Week! (August 28th)


Hello, Muses!

August is quickly coming to a close, but boy is it leaving with a bang!  In Adult books, the 2nd book in the Miriam Black series called Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig hits shelves today. If you are a fan of erotic romance, then you need to check out award winning author Laurann Dohner and Obsidian, book 8 in her New Species series. If you like super heroes, Adam Christopher's Seven Wonders sounds interesting. In Young Adult, I absolutely can't wait for my copy of Sara Walsh's The Dark Light to come in the mail! C.J. Redwine Defiance has been getting mixed reviews but it still may be worth a try! The book that has been creating a lot of buzz in the blog world is David Levithan's Every Day. I have no doubt it will climb up the charts.

In movies, Battleship (blu-ray-dvd combo pack) is the big budget action flick that was based off of the popular board game. I didn't care for it, but if you are looking for a couple of hours of mindless entertainment, then you may want to give it a shot. Want to impress the girlfriend? There are two romantic films out today, one called The Lucky One (blu-ray-dvd combo pack) starring Zac Efron and Think Like a Man starring a hilarious ensemble cast.

The next couple of weeks will be TV Series wonderland! Fall tv is about to start so this is when last season's tv shows start coming out on dvd and/or blu-ray. Sons of Anarchy: Season 4, Walking Dead: Season 2, Homeland: Season 1, and Once Upon a Time: Season 1 are just a few of the shows released today. There is more to be released in the coming weeks.

Enjoy!







 BOOKS (August 28-29th)


ADULT

Breakdown
by: Katherine Amt Hanna

An influenza plague decimates humanity... 
A man loses his wife and baby daughter... 
A journey begins that will cross continents and plumb the depths of one human being's ability to find redemption. 

In a world ravaged by a deadly pandemic, former rock star Chris Price leaves the ruins of his life in New York and sets out on a long journey home to England. It's been six years of devastation since the plague killed his wife and daughter, and Chris is determined to find out if any of his family has survived. His passage leaves him scarred, in body and mind, by exposure to humankind at its most desperate and dangerous. But the greatest ordeal awaits him beyond the urban ruins, in an idyllic country refuge where Chris meets a woman, Pauline, who is largely untouched by the world's horrors. Together, Chris and Pauline undertake the most difficult facet of Chris's journey: confronting grief, violence, and the man Chris has become. Together, they will discover whether the human spirit is capable of surviving and loving again in a world of unparalleled desolation.

Release Date: 28 August 2012




Chosen (Dark Breeds, #3)
by: Sable Grace

The ranks of tough, beautiful, and sexy heroines who battle supernatural evil have grown since the early days of Buffy the Vampire Slayer--and none are tougher than author Sable Grace's half Vampyre-half Lychen warrior Kyana. Paranormal romance fans who regularly devour the bestselling novels of Jeaniene Frost, Pamela Palmer, and Sherrilyn Kenyon will be mesmerized by Chosen, Grace's third breathtaking Dark Breeds adventure. This time her unstoppable avenger takes on her new role as Goddess of the Hunt, joining with Ryker--the new Zeus and Kyana's one true love--to save the world from vampires, demons, shapeshifters, and all manner of supernatural creatures of the night, in a battle that could carry them to the fiery depths of Hades itself.

Release Date: 28 August 2012





Close Enough to Touch
by: Victoria Dahl

For makeup artist Grace Barrett, Hollywood isn't the land of golden opportunity. It's the land of difficult divas, cheating boyfriends and unemployment. So when her great-aunt offers her a free place to stay in Jackson Hole, Grace thinks she'll spend a little time in the sticks to figure out her life, and then move somewhere exciting to live out her dreams. But it turns out that there are a few more thrills in this small town than Grace was expecting….Cole Rawlins is a rugged Wyoming cowboy born and bred. Yet he can't help but be drawn to the fascinating big-city girl who moves in across from him. He wants to get close enough to Grace to see past her tough facade, but if he does, she might see the real Cole. The one with a Hollywood history gone bad. As they discover a sizzling attraction, it becomes harder for him to keep his demons at bay—and those fires from long ago may burn them both.

They'll need more than scorching-hot passion to make this opposites-attract affair work. But if they can learn to trust one another enough to reveal their secrets, they just might have a chance at forever.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Devil Said Bang (Sandman Slim, #4)
by: Richard Kadrey

Getting out of hell is just the beginning.

What do you do after you've escaped Hell, gone back, uncovered the true nature of God, and then managed to become the new Lucifer?

Well, if you're James Stark, you have to figure out how to run Hell while also trying to get back out of it . . . again. Plus there's the small matter of surviving. Because everyone in Heaven, Hell, and in between wants to be the fastest gun in the universe, and the best way to do so is to take down Lucifer, a.k.a. James Stark.

And it's not like being in L.A. is any better--a serial-killer ghost is running wild and Stark's angelic alter ego is hiding among the lost days of time with a secret cabal who can rewrite reality. Starting to care for people and life again is a real bitch for a stone-cold killer.


Release Date: 28 August 2012




Fair Game (Guardian, #3)
by: Taylor Keating

Video-game designer River Weston has seen her world torn apart. The streets of Earth have filled with looting, sickness, and fighting, but River knows that she is in a unique position to help. Drawing on her Fae magic, she creates a computer-generated program called Hollow Man, designed to protect humans during battle.

Worlds away, Guardian Chase Hawkins has finally returned to his own body after years of astral projection. His mission now that he’s back: retrieve River, who is walking a dark path without even knowing it, and strip her world of the technology that has brought it to ruin.

Hawk and his team arrive on Earth only to discover that River’s new computer program endangers the world all on its own. An old human virus has resurrected and mutated with a computer virus inside of Hollow Man, and it’s spreading uncontrollably. Hawk is convinced it’s too late to save Earth…but River isn’t ready to give up hope yet.

River and Hawk find themselves on opposing sides, yet drawn together stronger than ever before. But a future with both of them in it could mean walking paths darker than either of them could ever have imagined.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Fear the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity, #9)
by: Alexandra Ivy

The Guardians of Eternity are embroiled in an epic battle for survival. They are as dangerous as they are sensual—and their lustful appetites are legendary...

Her Visions Lead Her To Danger

Beautiful Cassandra is a Were, a prophet both vulnerable and defiant, blessed with visions that portend the fate of the world. A rare and delicate creature, Cassie must be protected at all costs. Enter Caine, a powerful cur turned pureblooded Were whose recent tangles with a demon lord have left him in serious need of redemption. Caine is duty-bound to keep Cassie out of danger—and that means resisting his potent urge to seduce her.

And Only He Can Save Her

As Cassie's mysterious visions lead them in and out of danger, Caine believes he has found his true mate, the woman with whom he is bound for all eternity. Cassie is both charmed and frightened by Caine's magnetism, and unsure if he—or her feelings for him—can be trusted. But Cassie can't afford to doubt Cain now. A deadly enemy bent on destruction is closer than they realize—and only they can keep chaos from ruling the world.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Hard Street
by: John Simpson

Life as a New York City street hustler isn’t easy. Luckily Sam has the older, more experienced Frankie to guide him through the pitfalls of his new life. Together, Frankie and Sam make the best of the cards they’re dealt—but is there any room in an escort’s life for love?

Release Date: 29 August 2012







Haunted (Anna Strong Chronicles, #8)
by: Jeanne C. Stein

Anna Strong—kick-ass bounty hunter and vampire—has made some enemies in her time. But it’s not just her old foes she should be worried about…

Anna’s shape-shifting friend Culebra finally opens up to her about his life before he owned Beso de la Muerte, a bar catering to supernatural clientele. As if summoned by the conversation, Culebra’s past stumbles into his bar in the form of an old buddy cashing in a favor.

Soon Anna, Culebra and her ex, DEA agent Max, find themselves deep in Mexico, dealing with drug cartel infighting, old vendettas and missing girls. Mexico just may prove to be Anna’s best match yet…

 
Release Date: 28 August 2012





How to Lose a Demon in 10 Days (10 Days, #1)
by: Saranna DeWylde

GOT DEMON?

Grace does. She's got more demon than she can saddle. In fact, she's got a sinfully sexy Crown Prince of Hell named Caspian. She's also got ten days to get rid of him or Bad Things shall ensue. See, her Russian mobster ex-boyfriend didn't take kindly to her smutty Mephistophelean contract. It's not that she's conspiring with fiends; that was his idea. It's that she's conspiring against him with outrageous devilry that runs the gamut from embarrassing to a dead hooker turned dominatrix demon gunning for his soul.

One should never trust demons, let alone shag them. They don't have hearts. Yet Grace is buying hers some slightly tarnished armor and hoping that once he's been shoveled into it, kicking and screaming, he'll find it's just his size. This wicked witch needs a white knight--or at least a Prince of Darkness for a Happily Ever After.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Mockingbird (Miriam Black, #2)
by: Chuck Wendig

Miriam is trying. Really, she is.

But this whole "settling down thing" that Louis has going for her just isn't working out. She lives on Long Beach Island all year around. Her home is a run-down double-wide trailer. She works at a grocery store as a check-out girl. And her relationship with Louis--who's on the road half the time in his truck--is subject to the piss and vinegar Miriam brings to everything she does.

It just isn't going well. Still, she's keeping her psychic ability--to see when and how someone is going to die just by touching them--in check. But even that feels wrong somehow. Like she's keeping a tornado stoppered up in a tiny bottle.

Then comes one bad day that turns it all on her ear.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Obsidian (New Species, #8)
by: Laurann Dohner

Book 8 in the New Species series.
The books can be read as stand-alone stories, but it is advisable to read them in order to get the most enjoyment from the series.

Dr. Allison Baker is obsessed with saving the comatose New Species male. She has tried everything and there’s only one option left. Alli will break every rule and put her life in danger by tempting 880 to wake, using only her feminine scent and touch. She just has to kidnap him and crawl into bed with him to make it work.

880 wakes in a different world with a small female who’s been sleeping beside him, caressing him and wrapping her sweet body around his, teasing his senses. He lies silent and still, listening and evaluating each arousing touch, fighting his body’s reaction. Hatred flares when he discovers she’s human, but Mercile stole everything from him so he decides it’s fair to take her in return.

But things quickly change and he wants her at his side and in his bed. 880 has chosen a new name—Obsidian—the personification of dark and dangerous. He’ll fight them all to keep her and no one will stand in his way of taking a new mate as well.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Seven Wonders
by: Adam Christopher

Tony Prosdocimi lives in the bustling Metropolis of San Ventura – a city gripped in fear, a city under siege by the hooded supervillain, The Cowl.

When Tony develops super-powers and acts to take down The Cowl, however, he finds that the local superhero team Seven Wonders aren’t as grateful as he assumed they’d be…



Release Date: 28 August 2012






Soul Trade (Black London, #5)
by: Caitlin Kittredge

The crow-mage Jack Winter returns —to crash a secret gathering of ghost hunters, soul stealers, and other uninvited guests, both dead and alive… Normally, Pete Caldecott stays far away from magical secret societies. But ever since her partner and boyfriend Jack Winter stopped a primordial demon from ripping into our world, every ghost, demon, and mage in London has been wide awake—and hungry.  And the magical society in question needs their help putting things right.

SOUL TRADE

It all begins with an invitation.  Five pale figures surround Pete in the cemetery to “cordially” invite her to a gathering of the Prometheus Club. Pete’s never heard of them, but Jack has—and he’s not thrilled about it. Especially the part that says, “Attend or die.” The Prometheans wouldn’t come to London unless something big’s about to go down. So Pete and Jack decide to play it safe and make nice with the club—even if that means facing down an army of demons in the process.  But now that they’ve joined the group, they’re about to discover that membership comes at a cost…and has apocalyptic consequences


Release Date: 28 August 2012





The Demoness of Waking Dreams (Company of Angels, #2)
by: Stephanie Chong

Even ANGELS can be tough... Ex-cop Brendan Clarkson is an angel with an edge. His tough exterior is the perfect camouflage for his job-hunting down the most dangerous criminals on earth. Brendan's a self-reliant and demanding lone wolf, constantly on the brink of clashing with his superiors at the Company of Angels.

Brendan is the perfect angel to track and capture demoness Luciana Rossetti. Luciana's cool, green-eyed beauty masks her true nature: inside, she's a dangerous and malevolent killer. Yet, she sees what most people don't-that beneath the layers of Brendan's rugged shell beats the heart of a passionate lover.

They are perfectly matched. Yin and yang. Angel and demon. Man and woman. But only one of them can win the battle of wills, of strength and of desire.


Release Date: 28 August 2012







YOUNG ADULT



Blood Keeper, The (Blood Journals, #2)
by: Tessa Gratton

Paranormal romance fans who are looking to up the ante will be drawn to this tale of horror, fantasy, and romance. 

For Mab Prowd, the practice of blood magic is as natural as breathing. It's all she's ever known. Growing up on an isolated farm in Kansas with other practitioners may have kept her from making friends her own age, but it has also given her a sense of purpose—she's connected to the land and protective of the magic. And she is able to practice it proudly and happily out in the open with only the crows as her companions. Mab will do anything to keep the ancient practice alive and guard its secrets. But one morning while she is working out a particularly tricky spell she encounters Will, a local boy who is trying to exorcise some mundane personal demons. He experiences Mab's magic in a way his mind cannot comprehend and is all too happy to end their chance meeting. But secrets that were kept from Mab by the earlier generations of blood magicians have come home to roost. And she and Will are drawn back together, time again by this dangerous force looking to break free from the earth and reclaim its own dark power.

Release Date: 28 August 2012




Dark Light, The
by: Sara Walsh 

Mia is torn between two guys—and two worlds—in this epic, romantic fantasy.Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she’s concerned, that’s about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.

That is, until Sol arrives. Mia’s not one to fall for just any guy, but she can’t get Sol—or the brilliant tattoo on his back—out of her mind.

Then Mia’s brother goes missing, and Mia’s convinced that Sol knows more than he’s sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol’s not who Mia thought he was—and neither is she.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Defiance (Courier's Daughter, #1)

by:  C.J. Redwine

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Demon Catchers of Milan, The
by: Kat Beyer 

Mia's ordinary life is disrupted in the most horrifying way possible when she is possessed by a hungry and powerful demon--and only saved by the arrival of relatives from Italy, the country her grandfather fled many decades ago. Now her cousins Emilio and Giuliano say the only way to keep her safe is for her to come back with them to Milan, to live, to learn Italian, to fall in and out of love, and to master the family trade: fighting all demons with the lore of bell, book, and candle. Milan is not what Mia expected, but it will change her forever, in this stunningly well-written novel about an American girl who, fleeing an ancient evil, finds her only salvation in her ancestral home


Release Date: 28 August 2012




Don't Turn Around
by: Michelle Gagnon

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her computer-hacking skills to stay safely anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in an empty warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation threatens his life. But what Noa and Peter don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good.

Filled with action, suspense, and romance, this first book in a new trilogy offers readers nonstop thrills.


Release Date: 28 August 2012






Embers & Echoes (Wildfire Trilogy, #2)
by: Karsten Knight

Fan the flames: A teen goddess fires up her search for love and family in this sequel to Wildefire.Ashline Wilde may have needed school to learn that she is actually a reincarnated goddess, but she’s ready to move beyond books. She leaves her California boarding school behind and makes for Miami, where she meets a new group of deities and desperately seeks her sister Rose, the goddess of war. But she’s also looking for love—because even though her romance with Cole had to be snuffed, Ash is a volcano goddess—and she doesn’t get burned.
 

This sequel to the edgy and action-packed Wildefire continues a fiery drama on an immortal scale

Release Date: 28 August 2012





Enshadowed (Nevermore, #2)
by: Kelly Creagh

Varen Nethers is trapped in a perilous dream world -- a treacherous and desolate realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. Isobel Lanley, plagued by strange visions and haunted by the nightmares of Varen's creation, is the only one who can save him.

Isobel knows that her only hope lies within a Baltimore cemetery. There, in the early morning hours of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, a mysterious stranger known as the "Poe Toaster" will make his annual homage at the legendary poet's grave.


Only the Poe Toaster holds the key to the way between worlds. But even greater dangers lie ahead for Isobel. An ancient evil, draped in veils of white, is watching, challenging her for Varen's affections. When Isobel finally finds Varen, he is no longer the quiet and brooding boy who once captivated her, but a dark force, powerful and malevolent.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Erasing Time
by: C.J.Hill

In this high-action and romantic futuristic adventure, there is no escape from the future for two contemporary girls pulled out of their own time.

When twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future, they find a changed world: domed cities, no animals, and a language that’s so different, it barely sounds like English. And the worst news: They can’t go back home.

The twenty-fifth-century government transported the girls to their city hoping to find a famous scientist to help perfect a devastating new weapon. The moblike Dakine fights against the government, and somehow Taylor and Sheridan find themselves in the middle. The only way to elude them all is to trust Echo, a guy with secrets of his own. The trio must put their faith in the unknown to make a harrowing escape into the wilds beyond the city.

Full of adrenaline-injected chases and heartbreaking confessions, Erasing Time explores the strength of the bonds between twins, the risks and rewards of trust, and the hard road to finding the courage to fight for what you believe in.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Every Day
by: David Levithan

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day


Release Date: 28 August 2012





If I Lie
by: Corrine Jackson

A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Starling (Starling, #1)
by: Lesley Livingston

"Love is just the beginning... of the end."

Mason Starling is a champion fencer for Gosforth Academy, but she’s never had to fight for her life. Until now. When a ferocious storm rips through Manhattan and unleashes terrifying creatures onto Gosforth’s campus, Mason barely escapes alive. Without help from the mysterious stranger who appeared in the midst of the storm, she might not have made it at all. But now, in the aftermath, Mason’s life begins to spin dramatically, mystically out of control, and the only one who seems able to help her is the stranger who can remember nothing but his name: Fennrys Wolf.

As Mason and Fenn uncover more about Fenn’s past and the strange events that surround them, they realize that Mason’s family — and its dark allegiance to the ancient Norse gods — is at the center of everything. A predetermined fate seems to be closing in on Mason, but is it possible to change one’s destiny?

Readers who fell in love with Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange trilogy and those who love Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series will be captivated by the sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action of Starling
.

Release Date: 28 August 2012





Stone Girl
by: Alyssa B. Sheinmel

She feels like a creature out of a fairy tale; a girl who discovers that her bones are really made out of stone, that her skin is really as thin as glass, that her hair is brittle as straw, that her tears have dried up so that she cries only salt. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t hurt when she presses hard enough to begin bleeding: it doesn’t hurt, because she’s not real anymore.

Sethie Weiss is hungry, a mean, angry kind of hunger that feels like a piece of glass in her belly. She’s managed to get down to 111 pounds and knows that with a little more hard work—a few more meals skipped, a few more snacks vomited away—she can force the number on the scale even lower. She will work on her body the same way she worked to get her perfect grades, to finish her college applications early, to get her first kiss from Shaw, the boy she loves, the boy who isn’t quite her boyfriend.

Sethie will not allow herself one slip, not one bad day, not one break in concentration. Her body is there for her to work on when everything and everyone else—her best friend, her schoolwork, and Shaw—are gone.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls
by: Claire Legrand

At the Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, you will definitely learn your lesson. A dark, timeless, and heartfelt novel for fans of Coraline and The Mysterious Benedict Society.Victoria hates nonsense. There is no need for it when your life is perfect. The only smudge on her pristine life is her best friend Lawrence. He is a disaster—lazy and dreamy, shirt always untucked, obsessed with his silly piano. Victoria often wonders why she ever bothered being his friend. (Lawrence does too.)
 

But then Lawrence goes missing. And he’s not the only one. Victoria soon discovers that The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is not what it appears to be. Kids go in but come out…different. Or they don’t’ come out at all.
 

If anyone can sort this out, it’s Victoria—even if it means getting a little messy.

Release Date: 28 August 2012





The Lost Girl
by: Sangu Mandanna

Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.

From debut novelist Sangu Mandanna comes the dazzling story of a girl who was always told what she had to be—until she found the strength to decide for herself.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Vanquished (Crusade, #3)
by: Nancy Holder, Debbie Viguie

Following the “globetrotting supernatural adventure” (Publishers Weekly) of Damned, the riveting conclusion to the Crusade trilogy pushes the power of love to its limits.

Hope is in short supply, but courage runs deep as the Salamancan hunters recover from a devastating loss. Jenn knows she must rally her team against the Cursed Ones, but her focus is shattered. She’s torn between passion for Antonio, who once fought by her side, and hate for the bloodthirsty vampire he’s become. His volatility is tearing apart their team...and Jenn’s trust.

As the Cursed Ones amass new strength, Team Salamanca must strike together if they hope to survive, let alone defend humanity. Jenn wants to believe Antonio’s loyal to their cause—and their love—but she’s slowly losing her heart to Resistance fighter Noah. And if Antonio’s not careful, he may just end up with a stake in his.

This gripping conclusion to an epic trilogy pairs steamy romance with heart-stopping action, and delivers an ending as dramatic as it is unexpected.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





MOVIES & TV SERIES (August 28th)


MOVIES

A Beginner's Guide to Endings
Directed by: Jonathan Sobol

Starring: Duke White, Scott Caan

The three sons of a reckless, recently-deceased gambler make a shocking discovery that causes them to reassess their lives as they race to make the most of the precious little time they have left. A hard living father of five, Duke White (Harvey Keitel) had a bad habit of gambling away every penny that came his way. Now Duke is dead, and he's got one last surprise for his three oldest sons: years ago, Duke signed up Cal, Jacob, and Nuts for a series of drug tests that drastically reduced their life expectancies. Upon learning that his time on Earth is quickly running out, Cal (Scott Caan) goes after Miranda (Tricia Helfer), the one girl he always regretted letting slip through his fingers. Former boxer Nuts (Jason Jones), meanwhile, decides to step back into the ring to prove that he can still deliver a crowd-pleasing punch. And then there's Jacob (Paulo Costanzo), the son who stopped taking risks after settling into a comfortable career. Now, with his youngest brother Todd (Siam Yu) by his side, Jacob is going to throw caution to the wind, and do all of the things he was too afraid to do before he knew that his days were numbered.

Release Date: 28 August 2012




Battleship
Directed by: Peter Berg


Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard

Peter Berg produces and directs Battleship, an epic-scaled action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Inspired by Hasbro's classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper's fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper's older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper's crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone's superior (and Sam's father), Admiral Shane.


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Citizen Gangster
Directed by: Nathan Morlando

Starring: Scott Speedman, Kelly Reilly

The first feature from writer/director Nathan Morlando, Citizen Gangster is based on the true story of Edwin Boyd (Scott Speedman), the man who became postwar Toronto's most famous criminal. Edwin Boyd has returned from WWII and is dismayed by public indifference towards veterans and humiliated by his inability to fulfill his dream of being a Hollywood star or provide for his children and wife Doreen (Kelly Reilly). Seeing only disappointment in the face of his policeman father (Brian Cox), Eddie is desperate and starts to rob banks. But what starts as friendly and flirtatious robberies, performed while wearing thick makeup, evolves over time into a career that when mixed with a gang of small time criminals is not unlike that of Clyde Barrow or Butch Cassidy, in which crime and love are mixed to get explosive results. 

Release Date: 28 August 2012




Darling Companion
Directed by: Lawrence Kasdan

Starring: Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline

Beth (Diane Keaton) saves a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway on a wintry day in Denver. Struggling with her distracted, self-involved husband Joseph (Kevin Kline) and an empty nest at home, Beth forms a special bond with the rescued animal. When Joseph loses the dog after their daughter's (Elisabeth Moss) wedding at their vacation home in the Rockies, Beth, distraught and angry with Joseph, enlists the help of the few remaining guests (Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins, Mark Duplass) and a mysterious woman (Ayelet Zurer) in a frantic search.

Release Date: 28 August 2012




Headhunters
Directed by: Morten Tyldum

Starring: Max Manus, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Headhunters stars the talented Aksel Hennie (Max Manus) as Roger, a charming scoundrel and Norway's most accomplished headhunter. Roger is living a life of luxury well beyond his means, and stealing art to subsidize his expensive lifestyle. When his beautiful gallery owner wife introduces him to a former mercenary in the possession of an extremely valuable painting, he decides to risk it all to get his hands on it, and in doing so discovers something which makes him a hunted man. Headhunters is based on Jo Nesbø's best-selling thriller from 2008.

Release Date: 28 August 2012




Life Happens
Directed by: Kat Coiro

Starring: Krysten Ritter, Kate Bosworth

From director Kat Coiro comes Life Happens, a comedy centered on three young women - Kim (Krysten Ritter), Deena (Kate Bosworth) and Laura (Rachel Bilson) - who all live under the same roof in Los Angeles. When one of Kim's one-night-stands results in an unexpected pregnancy, things take a sudden turn for the trio. With the help of her girlfriends, Kim must cope with single motherhood as she jumps back into the dating scene amid the fear that toting around a tot can be a dating 'buzz-kill.' Also featuring Jason Biggs, Seymour Cassel, Rhys Coiro, Justin Kirk, Kristen Johnston, Andrea Savage, Geoff Stults and Fallon Goodson, L!fe Happens takes a look at single living, friendship and the joys of life's curveballs.

Release Date: 28 August 2012





Lucky One, The
Directed by: Scott Hicks

Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling

U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive--a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Learning her name is Beth (Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Nate & Margaret
Directed by: Nathan Adloff

Starring: Natalie West, Tyler Ross

Nate, a 19 year old film student, and Margaret, a 52 year old spinster, are best friends in an odd, quirky, totally working kind of way... until Nate's audacious classmate Darla sets him up on a date with James. Nate's new life shakes apart his friendship with Margaret, who goes off on her own to start a career as a stand-up comedian. 

Release Date: 28 August 2012





Think Like a Man 
Directed by: Tim Story

Starring: Steve Harvey, Gabrielle Union

Based on Steve Harvey's best-selling book, Think Like a Man follows four interconnected and diverse men whose love lives are shaken up after the ladies they are pursuing buy Harvey's book and start taking his advice to heart. When the band of brothers realize they have been betrayed by one of their own, they conspire using the book's insider information to turn the tables and teach the women a lesson of their own.

Release Date: 28 August 2012






TV SERIES


Boardwalk Empire: Season 2

Starring: Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt

Atlantic City, 1921. In a city whose fortunes have soared in the wake of Prohibition, Nucky Thompson is paying a steep price for wielding ultimate power in “the world’s playground.” Though the 1920 election is over, Nucky finds himself the target of a federal investigation for vote tampering – and an insurrection by those he counted among his closest allies. Steve Buscemi stars in the hit drama series that charts the continued rise of organized crime at the dawn of the Prohibition. 


Release Date: 28 August 2012





Homeland: Season 1

Starring: Claire Danes, Damian Lewis

Hailed as TV's best new drama by critics everywhere, the award-winning HOMELAND* delivers compelling characters, thrilling twists and breathtaking suspense. Carrie Mathison (Golden Glober winner Claire Danes), a brilliant but volatile CIA agent, suspects that a rescued American POW may not be what he seems. Is Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody_(Damian Lewis) a war hero...or an Al Qaeda sleeper agent plotting a spectacular terrorist attack on U.S. soil? Following her instincts, Mathison will risk everything to uncover the truth - her reputation, her career and even her sanity. Packed with multiple layers and hidden clues, Season One offers something new every time you see it...watch carefully. 

Release Date: 28 August 2012





In Plain Sight: Season 5

Starring: Mary McCormack

Mary McCormack stars as tough, smart and sexy U.S. Marshal Mary Shannon who works for the Witness Protection Program (WITSEC). Putting her life on the line as she relocates and protects both innocent people and ruthless criminals, Mary struggles to find a balance between work and her personal life. Riveting and refreshingly unique, In Plain Sight also stars Frederick Weller, Paul Ben-Victor and Nichole Hiltz. Experience the excitement in this two-disc set containing all eight episodes of the critically acclaimed series' fifth and final season. Hiding in plain sight was never so much fun.

Release Date: 28 August 2012





Injustice: Complete Miniseries

Starring: James Purefoy

James Purefoy (Rome) leads a distinguished cast featuring Dervla Kirwan (Ballykissangel), Charlie Creed-Miles (Five Days), and Nathaniel Parker (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries) in a taut five-part thriller of murder, conspiracy, secrets, and guilt. Created by Anthony Horowitz (Foyle's War, Collision), Injustice merges legal drama, police investigation, and high-tension suspense in an atmosphere of moral ambiguity.

Purefoy plays defense barrister William Travers, who has fled from London murder trials to the peace of the Suffolk countryside with his family. He is called upon to defend an old friend in a homicide that may be much more than it seems, even as death strikes close to home and he becomes a target of investigation himself.

Release Date: 28 August 2012




Jersey Shore: Season 5 (Uncensored)

Starring: n/a

The cast of Jersey Shore has left their Italian Holiday behind them and jetted straight to Seaside Heights, anxious to get their GTL on. From working at the T-shirt shop to trips to their beloved Karma, it's summer in Seaside and they couldn't be happier to be back.

Release Date: 28 August 2012





Once Upon a Time: Season 1

Starring: Jennifer Morrison, Jared Gilmore

Relive the complete first season of ABC's Once Upon A Time, the hit series that boasts unforgettable characters and a tangled web of romance, action and enchantment. Immerse yourself in the magic and mystery of Storybrooke - a sleepy little town where every fairytale character you've ever known is frozen in time and trapped between two worlds, victims of an evil curse. On her 28th birthday, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) meets Henry (Jared Gilmore), the son she gave up for adoption 10 years ago. Henry believes Emma is the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), prophesied to break a powerful curse. Unconvinced, Emma returns Henry to Storybrooke, where she encounters the enigmatic Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) and clashes with mayor Regina Mills (Lana Parrilla) - the boy's adoptive mother - who Henry insists is none other than the Evil Queen! Start your epic collection with all 22 captivating episodes, including never-before-seen bonus features, in this spectacular 5-disc boxed set. 

Release Date: 28 August 2012




Sons of Anarchy: Season 4

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman

Ride full-throttle with the Sons of Anarchy into the most intense, adrenaline-charged season ever! Out of prison and back in business, SAMCRO faces a powerful new nemesis as they forge an unlikely alliance and head in a dangerous new direction. As a deadly internal power struggle rocks the club to its very core, Jax struggles with the legacy of his father and makes plans for the future of his family amid chaos, corruption, betrayal, and murder. Action-packed with electrifying extended episodes, Sons of Anarchy Season Four will take you for the ride of your life!

Release Date: 28 August 2012





The Walking Dead: Season 2

Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus

When the world is ravaged by a zombie apocalypse, police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and a small group of others struggle to stay alive as 'the dead' stalk them at every turn. Can Rick and the others hold onto their humanity as they fight to live in this terrifying new world? And, amidst dire conditions and personal rivalries, will they ultimately survive one another?

Based on Robert Kirkman's hugely successful and popular comic book series, AMC's original series "The Walking Dead" is an epic, edge-of-your-seat drama where personal struggles are magnified against a backdrop of moment-to-moment crisis. A survivalist story at its core, the series explores how the living are changed by the overwhelming realization that those who survive can be far more dangerous than the mindless walkers roaming the earth. They themselves have become the walking dead. 

Release Date: 28 August 2012





Two and a Half Men: Season 9 

Starring: Jon Cryer, Ashton Kutcher

The ninth season of Two and a Half Men comes with big changes - and even bigger laughs! When hopelessly nerdish Alan (Jon Cryer) and his son Jake (Angus T. Jones) encounter a nagging cash-flow problem, their solution is to sell their newly inherited beach pad to internet gazillionaire Walden Schmidt (Ashton Kutcher). Soon, the three guys bond, form a substitute family, and experience all sorts of comedic exploits that audiences come to expect from this hilarious hit comedy!


Release Date: 28 August 2012