Legend of a Clue About Who Broke the String

Legend of the Guardians - Kathryn Lasky's popular children's books are the inspiration for this captivating animated feature about Soren, a barn owl kidnapped from his peaceful forest home. His abductors bring him to an orphanage, where he must train to become a soldier. Despite the toil and hardships, Soren makes friends, and together the young birds attempt to escape. Zack Snyder (The Watchmen, 300) directs this epic adventure.

(rent/buy) Visually, this is an incredible movie, from the animation of the owls, the landscape, and the action sequences. In addition, the voice acting is great and the plot line has great potential. However, certain elements felt a little reused from films such as Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. While the plot doesn't follow either of those stories, there are similarities in the good vs evil of LotR, and some of the armor definitely harkens to it. This probably wouldn't have bothered me, but in the end there is a scene that feels like it was pulled directly from SW, but with owls instead of people. The overall story wasn't incredibly new and unique, but despite these negatives, it was still an enjoyable movie that is dark without being too dark for children. This is probably best for a younger audience, as older individuals may see the tropes coming.

Is It Just Me? - Although successful writer Blaine (Nicholas Downs) is kind and witty, he can't find true love because he's intimidated by the overt sexuality of guys such as his roommate, Cameron (Adam Huss). But all that changes when he meets the man of his dreams online -- or does it? Shy Texan Xander (David Loren) seems to be Blaine's ideal man, but when Blaine accidentally posts Cameron's picture in his profile, a battle for Xander's affections ensues.

(rent/buy) Pretty much the gay version of The Truth About Cats and Dogs, this was a cute film that some may be enticed to purchase for the same reasons someone would purchase TTACAD (which I do own, because sometimes you want a chick flick). Anyways, while the story wasn't that original, the acting was pretty good, the dialogue was just the right about of cheese (assuming you can handle cheese), and the ending was cute. While this was worth a view, it didn't really bring anything fresh to the table that The Truth About Cats and Dogs didn't already cover; however, if you're unfamiliar with that movie, you may find it more enjoyable.

The String - After returning from France to his mother's (Claudia Cardinale) home in Tunisia following his father's death, 30-year-old gay architect Malik (Antonin Stahly-Vishwanadan) has trouble readjusting to the cultural mores of his homeland and to his mother's expectation that he'll marry a local woman. But when Malik meets hot handyman Bilal (Salim Kechiouche), he embarks on a tender romance that changes everything.

(rent) This was a very strange film, a mix of reality and some type of mental health issue. While I enjoyed the film overall, not much really happens, and the ending leaves you saying, "Oh" as it sort of meanders to a finish. It felt more like a biography than anything, although I don't think it is one. The most interesting part of the film--the main character's psychological issue, felt secondary and was barely addressed, although it obviously played a large part in the film's purpose. Even so, it was played out and--assumedly--found a solution.

Breaking Dawn, part 1 - At last, Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) are getting married. When Jacob (Taylor Lautner) finds out that Bella wants to spend her honeymoon as a human, he is horrified -- for Edward's passion could accidentally kill her. Bella does indeed survive her honeymoon, but a new complication arises when she discovers that she's pregnant -- and the child is growing at an alarming rate. The pregnancy sets the wolves against Bella and Edward, but Jacob vows to protect his friend.

(???) I can't really give a rating option on this because tastes differ so drastically. Considering I laughed (raucously) through the entire first movie, this one was well done. The werewolves are interesting, all the extra characters bring their humor to the movie, and the birthing scene is pretty well done (and would keep me from wanting to have children, not that I ever wanted to in the first place). Of course, I don't really like whenever Edward and Bella are on screen, but it's bearable and their performances have improved since the first film. Yes, I saw this in theaters, but only for $5 and because we like to get together and laugh at it. I don't think I need to point out all the weaknesses, since they are well known, but this one is pretty good, if you've already gotten this far in the saga anyways.

Clue: The Movie - Director Jonathan Lynn's board game-inspired campfest finds six colorful dinner guests gathered at the mansion of their host, Mr. Boddy -- who turns up dead after his secret is exposed: He was blackmailing all of them. With the killer among them, the guests and Boddy's chatty butler (Tim Curry) must suss out the culprit before the body count rises. Lesley Ann Warren also stars in this hilarious whodunit (filmed with three different endings).

(rent/buy) Whether you rent or purchase this movie will depend on your sense of humor and how cheap you can find it. I'd seen parts of it on TV, but otherwise purchased it unseen for $5. It's from the '80s and stars Tim Curry, which will give you an idea of the humor. It's creative and fun and over the top and cheesy, but it does everything just as it's meant to without pushing the audience too far or ostracizing some viewers. Definitely cute and worth a go.

Visible Friend by KZ Snow

Visible Friend by KZ Snow
Stars: 4/5

Length: 160 pages
Blurb
Christopher Borgasian has spent the last seven months painstakingly breaking up with a lover he's adored for three years: heroin. Now he's trying to make it on his own--without the drugs, without the family that rejected him for being gay, and, seemingly, without a friend in the world. The night before Chris leaves a sober-living facility to pursue his uncertain future, a stranger named Denny shows up in his room. From then on, Denny returns whenever Chris needs him the most, always vanishing as mysteriously as he appears. Chris desperately needs emotional and physical intimacy, but who is Denny, really? And can Chris believe in him when it also means believing in unconditional love?

Overall
First off, I love this cover. It's artistic and powerful, and while it's not a traditional romance cover, this isn't really a traditional romance, although romance is a central factor. I think I would have purchased this book based on the cover alone.

This story was rating a strong 3.5, but the epilogue and cover bumped it up to a 4. It's a curious story that focuses on the struggle to regain a footing in life after going through rehab for addiction. In addition to facing all the normal struggles of being a gay ex-addict, Chris also has an imaginary friend who is very, very real. And attractive.

While I didn't really sink into this story and get absorbed by it, it was a good strong story that entertains an interesting notion.

Strengths
Interesting story and angle. The story doesn't involve anything spiritual, per se, but there is a certain level of other-worldliness as Denny is a not-so imaginary friend whose physicality is becoming harder and harder to ignore. However, even by the end, by which point the secrets have been revealed, there is still an element of mystery about Denny's origins. This half-explained reason behind Denny's presence is enough to satisfy the reader's curiosity without locking the author into one reality or truth of greater being. A basic, sweet story with a fresh idea.

Characters you feel empathetic for. Even if the characters didn't get under my skin, I still cared about them and was sympathetic to them. Chris, who is struggling to get his life back on track, and Denny, who is struggling to...well, pretty much the same thing. Denny may not have an addiction in his past, but he's coping with reality just as much as Chris is. Both more are selfish and selfless, struggling to do the best thing, even if they're unsure what that is. Honest, good characters.

Weaknesses
The only weaknesses is that the story didn't grab me and hold me captive. It was interesting, well paced, and well told, but it never got into my head or my heart. Parts also fit a little too nicely together, but in some ways this is fitting for the story, considering Denny's entire involvement.

Master Class by Rachel Haimowitz

Master Class by Rachel Haimowitz
Stars: 5/5

Length: 16,700 words
Blurb
Broadway darling Nicky Avery is a shooting star by night, but by day he bounces from one heartless one-night stand to the next. A quick flogging, a rough lay, a new whip-hand to manipulate—yet still he yearns for something he cannot even name.

He finds his first true hint of satisfaction in Devon Turner, a self-possessed film star and expert Dom. Devon knows what he wants the moment he sees it, and what he wants is Nicky Avery. Nicky’s never learned to trust and has a nasty habit of topping from the bottom, but he learns fast that in the bedroom, Devon won’t tolerate his actor’s masks.

Nicky's a broken boy, but Devon knows exactly how to put his new sub back together. With patience, care, and all the punishments his little pain slut can handle, Devon breaks Nicky down one scene at a time, revealing a mind that yearns to trust and a heart that hungers for the ecstasy of true submission.

Overall
Everything I read with Nicky and Devon makes me want more! Although Nicky plays harder than I'm often comfortable with (even in my fiction), Haimowitz' approach, especially once the reader gets through the initial rough scenes, makes the bond between Devon and Nicky overwhelm any discomfort I have with the beginning.

The first two scenes involve some heavy play, although readers who are familiar with SUBlime will know what they are getting into. For those who haven't read the previous book, I recommend reading Master Class first as it does a better job of showing the beginnings of their relationship, even though it still leaves me wanting more, more, more! Which is good, because then you can enter SUBlime with an appreciation of their standing.

Strengths
With material as sensitive and potentially difficult to handle, the writing becomes a crucial piece of the storytelling (not that it isn't important otherwise) and Haimowitz did an excellent job of exploring Nicky, who needs to feel a strong hand who won't be manipulated, and Devon, who enjoys controlling Nicky, but also who wants to help him. The scenes were handled extraordinarily well, balancing the sexual, the psychological, and the emotional so that by the end the reader is feeling what the characters have gone through. Sensual and breathtaking in some of its rawness.

There is so much potential for stories like this, that toe the line between purely erotic BDSM and story, to suffer for lack of character development. While I do want more of them and want more exploration into their relationship, I felt the amount the reader delves into Nicky and Devon's head, especially Devon's, helps get a grasp on what is happening with the story and the full depth and meaning of what is taking place. It's not just torture or sexual gratification, in fact, it's very little of either as Devon peels back Nicky's layers and reveals the true man inside.

Weaknesses
First a weakness that isn't a weakness: I want more. The ending is satisfying and gives closure, but I still want more, like a spoiled child! The nice thing is I can go back and re-read SUBlime for more Nicky and Devon adventures.

The only real weakness of this novel is that is is NOT for everyone. There is some what is described as "rape fantasy" (although it's not nearly as cruel or rape-ish as other books that have had similar warnings). I wouldn't consider it a rape fantasy, but I think the warning is good, as the first scenes involve force and humiliation and could trigger. Humiliation is a squick for me, but it's not bad enough to really push the off button for me (just to give an idea of it's level of disturbance).

Breaking Faith by M. King

Breaking Faith by M. King
Stars: 5/5

Length: 250 pages
Blurb
Brett Derwent thinks he has life all planned out. With the freedom of college life just months away, Brett’s eagerly awaiting some fun and independence… until he meets Tommy Hawks. Over the course of one northern Montana summer, an intense romance blooms between the young men, but Tommy has a painful secret—one that even first love can’t mitigate. Continually brutalized by his violent father, Tommy is pushed to the edge, torn between the desire to protect his mother and four siblings, and his fear of losing the love he never expected to find.

When the unthinkable happens and Tommy’s father is found dead, Brett is afraid to learn the truth. Appalled to think that his lover may be responsible, Brett must face impossible questions: how much of his life—of his youth—is he willing to sacrifice for Tommy, and will having faith in him be enough?

Overall
A powerful, moving story that follows two young men as they face cruel realities and the struggles of love and trust. While this tale starts off innocently as two first meet and begin to explore one another, it expands into something more, as a simple young romance is tested by external and internal forces. I enjoyed both parts of the ride, from the young love blooming to the rocky ride that follows.

A well-written and constructed piece filled with enjoyable, human (and flawed) characters and compelling emotional turmoil, this is a story that doesn't let you know until the very end if its going to have a happy ending.

Strengths
These flawed characters face difficult circumstances and while some are due to their own choices--or perhaps all are due to their own choices--they hardly complain about the situation, just work to get out of it. The lengths they go to to protect one another is touching, even if it means wanting to smack them on the head.

The struggles these characters endure and survive are more than I can imagine, and hopefully will never have to experience. But the despair and desperate hope they feel is something that most people can relate to. Because so much of this novel is a struggle against the inevitable, Brett's determination is beautiful and inspiring, a thread of silk for Tommy to hold onto when he's had to fend for himself for most his life. What are you willing to risk for love? It's a question Brett faces and answers, with surprising results. Although his attempts are not always victorious, his strength and spirit made me smile, even while I felt the same aches he did as it happened.

The emotional pull of this novel is perhaps what made me enjoy it the most as the combination of characters, situation and writing sucked me into the story and held me there, anxiously reading what happens next.

Weaknesses
I didn't really feel this book had any weaknesses, although there are two points that I would caution to readers who are one, looking for a bright, cheery book or two, hate anything that could possibly resemble dramatic life choices based on a lover you haven't known nearly long enough.

This story is not a completely happy one. There is a lot of trouble and hard emotions (I wouldn't say angst, though). For much of the later half of the book the reader is fighting (along with the characters) for their relationship but it's not clear if they will survive. It makes for a great read, but not if you're looking for a pick-me-up! I felt the resolution was pretty clear, but with everything that happened in the novel, there is always some flexibility with how it's interpreted.

Also, while the story doesn't have Insta-Love, it does have teen love that goes to some pretty far extremes (which I felt were reasonable, considering they are teens and it is pointed out within the story context). Just a warning, if this is a problem for the reader.

Requested this book for review.

Clear Water by Amy Lane

Clear Water by Amy Lane
Stars: 4/5

Length: 230 pages
Blurb
Meet Patrick Cleary: party boy, loser, and spaz. Patrick's been trying desperately to transform himself, and the results have been so spectacular, they've almost killed him. Meet Wes "Whiskey" Keenan: he's a field biologist wondering if it's time to settle down. When the worst day of Patrick's life ends with Whiskey saving it, Patrick and Whiskey find themselves sharing company and an impossibly small berth on the world's tackiest houseboat.

Patrick needs to get his life together-and Whiskey wants to help-but Patrick is not entirely convinced it's doable. He's pretty sure he's a freak of nature. But Whiskey, who works with real freaks of nature, thinks all Patrick needs is a little help to see the absolute beauty inside his spastic self, and Whiskey is all about volunteering. Between anomalous frogs, a homicidal ex-boyfriend, and Patrick's own hangups, Whiskey's going to need all of his patience and Patrick's going to need to find the best of himself before these two men ever see clear water.

Overall
It took me two reads to really appreciate this book. My first read I was in love with the beginning and mediocre on the ending, which felt seperate from the rest of the novel, initially. However, on my second read through, while the end is still very different from the beginning, they felt more like they belonged together and the story naturally flowed from one into the other.

But to me this story isn't really about the plot, it's about the characters. They take the stage and steal the spotlight just by being themselves and going through their everyday--and not so everyday--actions. The good guys may not be perfect, but they are still obviously the good guys and work hard to do what is right.

Definitely worth a read, especially if you want something happy and hopeful.

Strengths
The characters really captured me. Patrick, who has ADHD and is struggling to get his life together, is flexi-bendy and uses yoga when he can't take his meds. He's been told he's an idiot and a failure for pretty much his entire life and has a chronic case of the "I'm sorry"s, which is heart-breaking sometimes. Other times it just makes you want to wrap him in your arms and take him home with you. But it's okay, that's what Whiskey is there for.

Whiskey is a down-to-earth scientist who has spent the last ten years trying to find home without knowing what he was looking for. He's patient and more patient and good at thinking on his feet but not rushing his thoughts either. The perfect balance to Patrick, whose brain to mouth connection is short, even on the meds.

They are both rounded out by Fly Bait, who is caustic, rough and has a dry sense of humor. In some ways she's a "classic dyke" (in a completely unoffensive way), but she's definitely Whiskey's best friend. She's fun, but not silly, and is a good literary tool for helping get the boys to take their respective sticks out of their asses.

There are a few other side characters that add to the mix, but I'll refrain, lest I give something away.

Lane captured Patrick's ADHD perfectly and had some great examples for Patrick to use to describe it, which felt almost educational for those not familiar with the disorder. I also like the approach she took with comparing Patrick's ADHD to the anomolies in the frogs without going too much into the correlation of pesticides and ADHD in humans. Educational without preaching and everything was balanced out by Whiskey, who sees nothing wrong with taking meds if you need them (since some of the greatest minds need them).

The dynamic between the two main characters as Patrick acts like a spaz and Whiskey patiently helps him handle it is what made this book for me, and if you enjoy good character dynamic/interaction, I think you'll enjoy it just as much.

Weaknesses
The end, encompassing both the major climactic action and the falling action, didn't sit right with me initially. The first felt extraordinary, considering the rest of the story, and the latter felt like it worked too hard to wrap everything up perfectly. But I experienced everything differently in my second read. While the climax still felt a little extraordinary after all the frog counting, it definitely played an important role in show Patrick who he was and how he was better than he thought. The falling action, while perhaps seeming a little too perfect, does work for this book and is fitting for the genre. Also, it's not so over the top HEA that it causes cavities and tummy aches.

Requested this book for review.

City Falcon by Feliz Faber

City Falcon by Feliz Faber
Stars: 4/5

Length: 240 pages
Blurb
New York, 1994

What on earth is a live falcon doing in the middle of JFK airport? The answer to this question brings PAPD officer Mark Bowman face to face with falconer Hunter Devereaux, right in the middle of a fascinating field experiment using falcons to keep runways free of nuisance birds. The falcons are intriguing, but it’s arrogant, out-and-proud Hunter himself who really rubs Mark the right kind of wrong. Too bad Mark can’t act on the attraction: he’s deeply in the closet, and since he wants to keep his job, that’s where he's determined to stay.

However, every time their paths cross, Hunter gets a little deeper under Mark’s skin, until Mark can’t deny his feelings any longer. Giving in to his desire makes Mark happier than he can remember being, but Hunter isn't willing to hide their relationship forever. If they’re going to make a life together work, something has to give. Someday soon Mark will have to choose, or life will make the choice for him before he’s ready for it.

Overall
I picked up this book because falcons, falconry, and falconers all interest me. (I have plans for Desert Falcon, but was hesitant because it's a Bittersweet Dream.) In that regard, I was not disappointed in the least. From my knowledge, Faber did an excellent job correctly portraying the art of falconry (although I'd been told the oils from the hand can damage the oils on a falcon's feathers, so contact shouldn't be made, but that may be depending on who you talk to). I liked the falconry, the characters, and the general environment that Faber created. (Also, 1994...that's going to be a historical novel soon!)

Even though I liked this book, it won't be for everyone. It's not fast moving, and while there are moments of intense emotions, it's not a wild ride in that regard either. There are some wonderful paralleled construction between the falconry project and sexuality, and the men act like classic 1990s' men, which was fitting (and not over the top). Mark is, overall, a good guy, but he has some issues, specifically with having to deal with his sexuality in that time in America, which leads him to blow up over minor things. His struggle with his sexuality in that time period (and his unwillingness to come out) is the focus of the story, and I think it was handled well with the climax, the confrontation, and the falling action.

Strengths
While I didn't realize it until after I'd finished, there is some well-worked parallel story telling between the acceptance of falconry at the airport to handle the gull problem, and the acceptance of homosexuality by society. It's not a perfect match, but there is definitely the struggle to get something "strange" accepted by people who "don't really understand" the point.

I liked the characters because they all felt very real to me. No one was perfect, but they weren't bad people either. Even the antagonists of the story were just ignorant or close-minded, not really evil or vindictive. Most of the mess is made by Mark because of his--substantiated--fear of what would happen if he would come out, although his partner Sean is also a source of conflict as the main force of negativity toward gays in the story, which reinforces Mark's need to keep hidden and some of his behaviors toward Hunter.

The falconry was well explained, and handled in such a way that it didn't dump information and overwhelm/bore the reader, nor did it have an expectation of knowledge, aside from minor words that the reader can easily get from context. Though, I must admit I do have an interest in falconry, so I may have a slight bias.

Weaknesses
This is not a high-intensity book, it's not action packed or overly emotional. Although the characters, their interaction, and their emotions are important, they aren't overwhelming either. This wasn't a story that grabbed me and held on. However, if you're looking for a low-key, mellow read that is rather educational and feels real, then this may be a good pick.

One other minor niggle is that the end seems to happen extremely quickly and then stop. While I can understand the author's choice not to continue any further, I felt something less abrupt would have been appreciated.

Requested this book for review.