Haunted by Dark Skies

Dark Skies reaches out into your safe, normal looking neighborhood and grabs you into the unbelievable, mind boggling and just possible enough world of is-this-really-happening?  The Barretts are your everyday normal, struggling family trying to keep up appearances. When their youngest son starts talking about The Sandman, life takes a decidedly left turn for all of them.
 This very entertaining movie sucked me in even when I tried to remain emotionally disconnected. It’s been a long time since I watched a film in this genre and it really got into my head. Some weird little things happen in the story line that are tip offs that something bigger is coming. Days later, when weird little things happen around my house, I start thinking of the movie all over again.
If you're a fan of sci-fi, X Files or thoughts along those lines, you might like this. The movie was really well done and just enough special effects to keep me wondering what was around every corner… and sometimes, following th.em down the corridor. The children in Dark Skies were just as compelling as the adults. See the trailer here.

The disc contains Special features: Alternate and deleted scenes, commentary with writer/director Scott Stewart, producer Jason Blum, and others, which I can’t wait to see.

Even though it’s rated PG 13, I wouldn't recommend this as a family movie to watch with kids (or anyone) who is subject to nightmares. The cover art alone is disconcerting enough and since I saw the movie I can’t stand to look at it. It ends on a slightly fatalistic note with just enough thread hanging loose to wonder if there will be a follow up. If you like/love this sort of thriller, it’s a five star movie.

L.A. Mental

Seemingly unrelated events would have gone right by Dr. Thomas Crandall if he hadn't received a phone call from his party boy brother, Nick, in the middle of the night. Tom rushes to his aid but Nick is acting more than just a little strange. Soon Tom finds himself in the middle of a bizarre scuffle with Nick who is alternately angry and rubbing his head.
"There are worms eating my brain!" he says, then drops like a stone. Tom has to find a way to save Nick from whatever is going on in his head.
Tom finds some evidence of drugs, but the test results he gets back are not what he expected. His concern takes him back to his family and soon he realizes everyone of them has a little secret.
His brother Paul had allowed a film crew to build a strange looking set on one of their properties, with an odd scientist turned movie producer and a company called Parallax. When one of the actresses takes a liking to Tom, he wonders how all the pieces fit together.

This exciting story has been one of my best summer reads. Neil McMahon has co-authored with the prolific James Patterson and this novel has all the makings of a number one best seller. It had me guessing every inch of the way to its surprising conclusion. If you enjoy thrilles you will enjoy this up and coming author. And if you're like me, you will be waiting anxiously for his next novel.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Amazon Vine program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Fallen by Karin Slaughter

Fallen is my first Karin Slaughter novel. I have recently become a big fan of audio discs to help pass drive time. This story was read by Shannon Cochran, who gave a wonderful performance giving each character a different accent, cadence or tone. It really mirrored the sort of people I would expect to find in Georgia, (where I have relatives) so as soon as they started talking, I felt right at home.(Find more of Shannon's work on Amazon)

Most of us expect life to maintain the status quo. If we drop our kids off at mom's, then we expect to find them there, relatively intact, when we come to pick them up. But Faith Mitchell, an agent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found instead, her mother and baby daughter Emma missing, a ransacked house, a lot of blood and after an altercation with armed men, even more questions.

It sounds like an event that should never have happened, especially if your mother is Evelyn Mitchell, an ex-cop. Faith tracks one man from the crime scene, but even while she pins him to the ground and screams to know the whereabouts of her mother, he is bleeding out, refusing to tell her anything useful.

After Emma is found, safely tucked in the garage, I was able to relax enough to run with this fast paced novel. I enjoyed the character reflections that helped me flesh out who they were, how Faith Mitchell came to be a single mother, not once, but twice, and how her partner Will Trent came to be a little backward in relationships. By the time the characters were answering who did this and what did they want? and fitting all the pieces together, I still had no idea how this would all turn out. Because it kept me guessing, it kept me reading.

I give this book five stars because it was a great story, even though I'll back track and begin with the first book, I think this was a fine novel based on its own merits.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this DVD free through the Amazon Vine Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Dr. Morgan Sierra is surprised by a late-night meeting with research assistant, Matthew Fry. Fry intends to take her back to the US for a project arranged by Dr. Everett. As an unwitting keeper of one Apostle stone, she finds herself in the middle of questions surrounding it, and its potential power when reunited with the other eleven stones.

Before their meeting properly adjourns, Sierra and Fry become the target of Thanatos, a group who wants her stone. They’re willing to take it be whatever force necessary. Because of her training in the Israeli Defense Force, she is not faint hearted, but a pistol-packing femme fatale who trusts few individuals. She and Fry blast their way out and escape.
Intuitively, Morgan fears for her twin sister's safety, knowing that she too carried one of the stones. When Morgan discovers her sister and baby niece are missing, Morgan finds herself embroiled in a search for the other stones to save their lives.
Although the story is set in modern times, it takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of the Mediterranean Region. While the story leans on Church history, Penn keeps the reader turning the pages.
I enjoyed this Pentecost immensely and think it reads like watching a movie. I can’t wait to see if Penn continues the adventures of Morgan Sierra. In the days ahead, look forward to reading more from this author.