Give Me a K-I-L-L A Fear Street Novel by R. L. Stine

My Review:

I really love reading R.L. Stine books, and some of my favorites have been the Fear Street series especially the Fear Street Cheerleaders so when I saw that the next next Fear Street book would bring them back I was so excited. This book captures the right amount of twists and horror that is expected of the Fear Street series. I enjoyed Gretchen’s character and going through the twists and turns for her. I hope that we continue Gretchen’s story especially with that ending. Overall I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to more in the Fear Street series.

5 out of 5 stars

This book comes out April 4th, 2017

Description

At Shadyside High, cheerleading can be a scream!

For the first time since the original series, R.L. Stine brings back his most beloved characters—the cheerleaders of Shadyside High.

The cheerleading squad at Shadyside has always been strong, but now there are rumors that lack of funds may mean the end of cheerleading at Shadyside. That would be a shame for Heather Wyatt, who has just transferred from her old school, where she was a star, and is eager to join the squad. There’s only one other girl who stands in her way—rich, spoiled Devra Dalby, who is also trying out for the one open slot. The competition to join the squad is anything but friendly—and it ends in murder. Will Heather make the squad—if there’s even a squad anymore—or will she end up dead?

Packed with screams and guaranteed to send a shiver up your spine, this is a terrifying installment in Stine’s bestselling Fear Street series.

The Silent Songbird by Melanie Dickerson

My Review:

I’ve been a fan of Ms. Dickerson since reading The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, and I thoroughly enjoyed The Silent Songbird. What I loved about it is that it takes the perfect setting in England and creates this fascinating world with interesting characters in it. I really felt bad for Evangeline, and liked that she had a strength to her. In the scene with John and Westley towards the end kept me on the edge of my seat, I really felt the madness of John. Overall I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading the next book from Ms. Dickerson.

5 out of 5 stars

Description

Evangeline longs to be free, to live in the world outside the castle walls. But freedom comes at a cost.

Evangeline is the ward and cousin of King Richard II, and yet she dreams of a life outside of Berkhamsted Castle, where she might be free to marry for love and not politics. But the young king betroths her to his closest advisor, Lord Shiveley, a man twice as old as Evangeline. Desperate to escape a life married to a man she finds revolting, Evangeline runs away from the king and joins a small band of servants on their way back to their home village.

To keep her identity a secret, Evangeline pretends to be mute. Evangeline soon regrets the charade as she gets to know Wesley, the handsome young leader of the servants, whom she later discovers is the son of a wealthy lord. But she cannot reveal her true identity for fear she will be forced to return to King Richard and her arranged marriage.

Wesley le Wyse is intrigued by the beautiful new servant girl. When he learns that she lost her voice from a beating by a cruel former master, he is outraged. But his anger is soon redirected when he learns she has been lying to him. Not only is she not mute, but she isn’t even a servant.

Weighed down by remorse for deceiving Wesley, Evangeline fears no one will ever love her. But her future is not the only thing at stake, as she finds herself embroiled in a tangled web that threatens England’s monarchy. Should she give herself up to save the only person who cares about her? If she does, who will save the king from a plot to steal his throne?

Darkchylde: The Ariel Chylde Saga Based on the hit comic book series by R. Queen

My Review:

As a fan of the comic book Darkchylde I was excited to see that it was going to be a novel and it did not disappoint in any way. The book was able to capture the magic of the comic series and improve on it in the book. I really enjoyed reading it, I had forgotten how I missed Ariel. The writing itself was done very well and flowed together well. Overall I really enjoyed reading this and hope there is more for Ariel in novel form.

5 out of 5 stars

Description

Ariel Chylde is haunted by horrible dreams, and on her eighteenth birthday sheds her skin as the nightmares emerge to act out her deepest, darkest impulses.
But before Ariel can save her small town from the terror of her dreams, she must first save herself from the sinister secret of her subconscious.

A secret guarded by unspeakable evil.

The Art of Selling Movies by John McElwee

My Review:

I had such fun reading this book, it was well-researched  and I really enjoyed looking at the pictures of movie ads. I found myself excited to turn to the next page to see the next photo. The book itself was very good and interesting. I really enjoyed reading this and recommend it to fans of the history of movies or fans of non-fiction books.

5 out of 5 stars

This book comes out February 28th, 2017

Description

A Never-Before-Seen Look at How the Hearts, Minds & Wallets of Moviegoers Were Won in Hollywood’s Golden Age

RICHLY ILLUSTRATED HARDCOVER REVEALS THE COLORFUL, FASCINATING HISTORY OF AMERICAN FILM ADVERTISING

From the silents through the mid-1960s, the Classic Era of American Cinema saw men and women with no aptitude for art become artists, wizards with words, master persuaders. Unlike other ad folk, theatre operators sold nothing more tangible than a couple hours’ amusement, and gave customers nothing to carry home beyond memories each hoped would be pleasant. Creating powerful, compelling advertisements wasn’t merely a matter of friendly competition between clever marketers – it was what the very livelihood of small-town theatre managers and cinema bigwigs alike depended on.

In The Art of Selling Movies [GoodKnight Books, February 28, 2017], lifelong film enthusiast and noted historian John McElwee reveals how the promise of happy times was aggressively marketed daily amidst heated competition in the Amusement Pages of U.S. newspapers, creating a thriving industry that continues to influence American culture today.

Unlike other classic film interest books, The Art of Selling Movies shifts the spotlight away from great directors and iconic stars in favor of the “faceless folk” who awoke desire for movies in the masses. A vibrant full-color, 300-plus-page hardcover featuring hundreds of never-before-seen images and clippings (painstakingly restored using technology that has only made such restoration possible in the past decade), in The Art of Selling Movies, McElwee also explores the intersection of commercialism, folk art, fine art, newspaper production, and regional demographics.

“These ads exerted an emotional appeal,” says McElwee, “and sparked a ‘must-see’ mentality that merchandisers still seek to convey today.

“The variety of ads for an individual film were infinite. For as many bookings as Citizen Kane had, there were that many different selling approaches,” he continues. “The best of vintage theatre ads can still teach advertisers a great deal about the art of selling.”

An illuminating and entertaining exploration of how the hearts, minds, and wallets of American moviegoers were won in Hollywood’s Golden Age, The Art of Selling Movies will delight American history buffs, Classic Era film aficionados, and modern-day Don Draper types alike.

 

Superman Science The Real-World Science Behind Superman’s Powers by Agnieszka Biskup and Tammy Enz

My Review:

This book is exactly what I would expect for the science of Superman, it had the right  amount of science with pictures to keep the younger children entertained. This was really well done, and I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked that each chapter was a different power such as the first chapter is about flight. Overall this was a really fun book that I think would work great in the classroom.

5 out of 5 stars

This book comes out March 1st 2017

Description

For ages 9-12.
Superman is the World’s Greatest Hero! With super-strength, lightning speed, laser vision, and the ability to fly, he keeps Earth safe. But what is the science behind strength, speed, sight, and flight? And does anything or anyone in our world have similar abilities to Superman? Superman Science explores how real-life science and engineering relates to the Man of Steel’s famous powers—and the real-world connections may surprise you.

Werewolf by Matthew Pritchard

My Review:

This was a really suspense-filled book, the premise was great and I loved how the environment added to the suspense. I think the time-period being in Nazi Germany adds to the creepy setting and really added to the story, one of the scariest parts was towards the end and it involved a internment camp. The idea freaked me out and made me scared for the character going. Detective Inspector Payne was a great character and I enjoyed going along this mystery with him. He was the right amount of smart and being a detective, Overall I thought this was a really good book and look forward to the next book from Mr. Pritchard.

5 out of 5 stars

Description

August 1945, Germany

The Allies have won the war. Now they have to win the peace…

Post-war Germany is a disaster of epic proportions.

Between trying to rebuild a country from the ground up and capturing Nazi war criminals, British-occupied territory is under more strain than its officers care to admit – theft, assault, and illegal bribes that place daily.

But with the war over, death has begun to mean something again.

Detective Inspector Silas Payne is a Scotland Yard officer seconded to Germany to help implement the Allied policy of denazification by forming a training centre for German policemen.

When a former Waffen-SS soldier and an unidentified woman are found murdered in the cellar of a requisitioned house, Payne launches an investigation that rapidly puts him on the wrong side of the local military commander, who is determined to believe the murders are nothing more than random acts of violence.

Convinced something more sinister lies behind the deaths, and unafraid of ruffling a few feathers, Payne follows his instincts and unearths not only the murderer’s terrible history of killing, but also the everyday horrors of Germany under Nazi rule.

His investigation leads him down a torturous path through the chaos of post-war Germany and pits him against a depraved killer who will stop at nothing to protect his secret.

The Woman in the Water by Will and Sheila Barton

My Review:

This was a really enjoyable mystery novel, I loved the main character of Lizzie and had a grand time reading about her adventure. It had the right amount of mystery and suspense and was the right amount pages so it wasn’t too much to take in. Overall I really enjoyed reading this and can’t wait for more from Lizzie and from the authors.

4 out of 5 stars.

Description

Bath, 1761

Lizzie Yeo has not had an easy life…

Sent into service by her dominating father, she ends up pregnant and rejected by society.

When the baby tragically dies, her Aunt Mary secures her a job as a wet nurse, working for her own boss, the vicar Jonathan Harding.

Having lost his wife Jane, he needs someone to take care of his son.

At first things look to be going well for Lizzie, but when George is sent off to school, she finds herself without work.

But Harding helps her secure a job with the local apothecary, Mr. Leslie, delivering the curing waters of Bath to invalids.

Lizzie is smart and hardworking, and it’s not long before the Leslies offer her a room in their house, meaning she can finally escape the horrors of Avon Street once and for all.

But when a body shows up in the river, she can’t help but notice that her friend Nancy has also disappeared.

Determined to find answers, Lizzie sets out to find her friend, but she cannot shake the feeling that someone is watching her.

After Lizzie is attacked in the street one night and then finds herself caught in a deadly house fire, it’s clear that someone wants her gone.

But who?

And is it all connected to The Woman in the Water?

Sharon Tate and the Manson Murders by Greg King

My Review:

What a really well done true crimes book! It not only talks about the horrible murder but actually shows Sharon Tate as a person instead of just a headline. This book was really well researched and written, I enjoyed reading it and once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. It really captured the sadness of the event. Overall this was a really good book and I would recommend this to anybody interested in true crime books.

5 out of 5 stars

Description

The first comprehensive biography of Sharon Tate: Hollywood star, wife of Roman Polanski, victim of Charles Manson, and symbol of the death of the 1960s.

It began as a home invasion by the “Manson family” in the early hours of August 9, 1969. It ended in a killing spree that left seven people dead: actress Sharon Tate, writer Voyteck Frykowski, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, hair stylist Jay Sebring, student Steven Parent, and supermarket owner Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary.

The shock waves of these crimes still reverberate today. They have also, over time, eclipsed the life of their most famous victim—a Dallas, Texas, beauty queen with Hollywood aspirations. After more than a dozen small film and television roles, Tate gained international fame with the screen adaptation of Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls, but The Fearless Vampire Killers marked a personal turning point, as she would marry its star and director, Roman Polanski. Tate now had a new dream: to raise a family—and she was only weeks away from giving birth the night Charles Manson’s followers murdered her.

Drawn from a wealth of rare material including detective reports, parole transcripts, Manson’s correspondence, and revealing new interviews with Tate’s friends and costars as well as surviving relatives of the murder victims, Sharon Tate and the Manson Murders gives readers a vital new perspective on one of the most notorious massacres of the twentieth century. The dark legacy of the cult phenomenon is still being explored in novels (Emma Cline’s The Girls) and TV shows (NBC’s Aquarius).

In addition to providing the first full-fledged biography of Sharon Tate, author Greg King finally gives a voice to the families of the slain, notably Tate’s mother, Doris. Her advocacy for victims’ rights was recognized during President George H. W. Bush’s 1992 “A Thousand Points of Light” ceremony. This is the true story of a star who is being rediscovered by a new generation of fans, a woman who achieved in death the fame she yearned for in life.