Blood and Guts and Murder, Oh My!

Freaky starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton

An Aztec curse causes a teenaged girl to switch minds with a serial killer.

So, switched bodies is not a new concept.  And horror movies are not my favorite.  But I do like Vince Vaughn, so I gave it a try.  It is bloody and gory.  It is about a serial killer so that should not surprise anyone but, it is nonstop so it is something to keep in mind.  I don't know that there were many surprises here.  You read the premise of the film and you kind of know how things are going to go.  But I like the way it was presented so I didn't mind.  Newton's character is a bit of an outcast, an unwanted by the popular kids and boys.  They try to make her look dumpy by putting her in big clothes.  But it doesn't really work.  She is supposed to be an ugly duckling turned swan, but the before and after are basically the same.  So that concept doesn't really work.  But I think the acting was pretty good.  And I thought it was fun to watch Vaughn act like a teenage girl.  There is nothing spectacular about this film but there are some funny moments and overall the film is entertaining to watch.  If you go in knowing that it does not take itself to seriously (and you shouldn't either), and that it is a little silly, a little gory and mindless entertainment I think you will enjoy this film.

Write Your Own Programming

 The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Roz, the robot, wakes up on an island with no humans, or other robots.  She is not programmed to survive in this world.  And the animal inhabitants think she is a monster.  Both Roz and the animals must adapt to survive.

This book is sad, funny, sweet and hopeful.  Roz may not have emotions but she does evoke them in the reader.  Most people can relate to feeling like they don't belong and can sympathize with Roz and will start to fall in love with her as she tries to fit in.  Most of the animals have big personalities too.  And once Roz learns how to communicate with them you can fall in love with them as well.  It is a heartwarming story as Roz learns to go beyond her programming.  I like how it isn't all Roz changing but the animals are learning and changing too.  It is a lovely story about family, learning to live together and going beyond expectations.  There are some sad moments.  Animals die.  But it is important to include the sad parts of life too.  And I don't think it ever gets too scary for children.  I would recommend this book and plan to read the others in this series.

The Wild Robot starring Lupita Nyong'o

After a shipwreck Roz, the robot, is stranded on an uninhabited island.  As she tries to navigate in a world her programming doesn't cover, where the animals think she is a monster, she also finds herself caring for an orphaned goose.  

The animation is wonderful.  The movie is full of fun moments, there are also sad times but it is mostly hopeful and loving.  It is a lot of fun watching Roz trying to fit in and learn how to survive in this strange world she doesn't understand.  You fall in love with Roz as she learns how to take care of her small goose  charge, and maybe even love him.  It is a beautiful story of learning to go beyond what you are told you are, learning to live and help others, and overcoming differences.  The ending includes some fighting and explosions that might be slightly scary for small children but it is a story about family and learning to live together with others who are not like you that everyone will enjoy. 

Movie vs Book

Once again I am left to wonder why the movie never really follows the book they are based on.  This movie is close to keeping the same themes as the book but how they get there is often different.  As usual I like the book better, but this time it is a closer call.  It was the movie that made me want to read the book, so I did enjoy the movie very much.  The movie is much more about Roz raising the baby goose and all the family problems that come from that.  I like the way the friendship between Roz and the animals is more gradual in the book and it isn't all about one big thing Roz does for the animals.  The movie has added some drama, both between Roz and Brightbill, the goose, and at the big ending.  I don't think the added drama was necessary, but I don't think it took away from the movie either.  I think they are both good and think both are worth your time, and if you like one I think you will like the other. 

Cake for Breakfast

Today (February 28, 2025) is National Pancake Day.  Who doesn't like pancakes?  Pancakes, like muffins, are an excuse to eat cake for breakfast.  And with pancakes it is acceptable to cover your cake in even more sugar, not to mention butter.  What's not to love?  

I wanted pancakes one day and decided to make them from scratch.  I found this recipe for Best Fluffy Pancakes from  Cafe Delites.  It sounded perfect.  I wanted fluffy pancakes, and nothing against buttermilk pancakes, but I didn't want buttermilk pancakes because every time I buy buttermilk I can only use about a forth of the bottle before I have to throw it out.  (Why can't I get small amounts of buttermilk?). So I don't like to buy buttermilk.

So I made them.  Several times in fact.  Now it is not a secret that I have little patience.  So although I knew (and the recipe said) that I should let the batter rest before I used it I didn't wait long enough the first few times.  The pancakes were still delicious, but when you have the patience to wait as long as you should they are better.  So I finally waited until I could see all the bubbles raised up and the batter
thick with them.  It will become so think that it will not be pourable.  The recipe says you can add milk but my pancakes are never round anyway so I left it thick plopped it in the pan and just spread it a little.

They are thick.  So once again my lack of patience is an issue.  You can not just crank the heat because they will start to burn before they are cooked through.  And once again waiting is a good thing.  Because if you can wait for the batter to rise correctly and for the thick pancake to cook though it is one of the fluffiest pancakes I have ever had.  (4 teaspoons of baking powder will do that.)

To finish them off you can do whatever.  Go traditional and use butter and maple syrup, or change it up with blueberry syrup (yum), jams and jellies, hazelnut chocolate spread, or anything else you like.  I'm sure it will all be good on this wonderful pancake base.

I love this recipe.  It is easy to make and delicious.  You can dress it up however you like to fit your tastes. And most of the ingredients are things you will probably have on hand.  I have made it a bunch of times and will continue to go back to it again and again.  I think you will too if you try it. 

Happy National Pancake day!!

The Ice Is Melting!!

 Today (February 27th 2025) is International Polar Bear Day! I hope that we will be able to celebrate next year as well.  And many years to come.  But the poor polar bears might not last that long. 

I did not want to go see a polar bear in person.  (They are awesome but they are also scary.)  So I read a book to celebrate instead.

A Blizzard of Polar Bears by Alice Henderson

Alex Carter has been offered a chance to study polar bears in the Canadian Arctic.  Of course, she has to go.  She loves the research and the potential to help polar bears survive.  But she quickly realizes that not everyone feels the same.  Someone is out to sabotage her research.  And then things get worse.  Will she be able to finish her study?  Will she even survive?

I really liked the way this book started out.  I was learning about polar bears and about what researchers did when they went out to study polar bears.  And there was the promise of a mystery.  I liked the descriptions of the location.  Then things started to happen and things got suspenseful.  And then things never stopped happening.  It was one thing on top of another and it went a little too far for me.  There were so many things happening to this one person in this one place and I felt like I needed a break to let one story develop before another took over, a moment when the life and death struggle stops so I can take a breath.  Then the action stops and there is a wrap up at the end that was all talking about what had already happened.  Being told about action we didn't see was a bit of a let down.  It went from nonstop action to no action within a page.  If you like animals A Blizzard of Polar Bears is fun to read.  It was not my favorite mystery novel I have ever read but I like the inclusion of wildlife and the mystery was good, so it grabbed my interest enough that I will read another in the series.

My Latest App Obsession

 

I tend to get obsessed with things.  I download something on my phone and it is everything for a while.  My latest obsession is Treat.  It is all about sending food to dogs in shelters.  Being an animal lover, I downloaded it right away.

When you first log on you are given a list of shelters across the country.  When you pick your shelter, you are given a list of a few dogs at that shelter and you get to pick again.  Then the virtual version of your dog is sent around a track.  You roll a die and he runs.  If he lands on the treat spot several times he earns a treat.  If he lands on the bowls of food or the game spots he earns kibbles toward meals.

The games can earn you kibbles faster.  You can pick your dog's picture out of a pack, teach your dog a trick or pick the healthiest snack (hint: it is not the avocado) among other things.

Is it free? Yes.  Do they try to get you to spend money? Of course.  The only thing you can do for free is send the treats you earn.  If you want to send the meals it will cost you $5.96 a month.  But that is for all the meals you can earn for as many dogs as you want to help.  I did that one.  That may make me a sucker but I couldn't look at the cute little faces of the dogs and not want to help.  You can also remote foster a dog and buy more rolls of the die.  

My favorite part is when I open the app and they tell me dogs have been adopted.  Then they show me pictures of all the adopted dogs.  it warms my heart to see the dogs who have found homes, even if they are not dogs I have been sending food.  

I feel a sense of satisfaction every time I earn food for a dog.  I makes me happy.

If you like animals, give it a try.  But be warned, it can become an addiction.

Feed a Squirrel Today!

Today (January 21st 2025) is National Squirrel Appreciation Day!  Now, not everyone appreciates these little guys.  My mother for one.  They ruin her garden every year and she can't stand them.  I happen to think they are kind of cute and have been known to throw them nuts sometimes.  (Don't tell my mother.) So, in honor of this special day I decided to read a book about squirrels.  

The Secret Life of Squirrels by Sue Pope

The grey squirrels are worried about having enough food for the winter.  They hear about trees that grow acorns all year long.  The only problem is these trees are on the Isle of Wight, where birth the humans and the red squirrels do not want grey squirrels.  The grey squirrels must find a way to get to this never ending food source even if it means war with the red squirrels.

I was browsing around on my local library's website and saw this book.  The story sounded fun, so I borrowed an electronic copy.  I read it on an app on my phone.  In that format the book had 681 pages.  I felt it was too long by about 400 pages.  Although the stated plot line is there, most of the book is not about that at all.  Most of the book is squirrels doing human things: going to concerts, learning to surf, ordering things on the internet, visiting the in-laws.  All of which is cute, up to a point.  But it is not enough to carry a whole book.  In an attempt to show the squirrels living their human-like lives the plot gets so lost it feels like there isn't one at all.  And it could have done with a good edit as well.  The story did have some fun moments.  It was fun to imagine squirrels having all the same problems as us and living this complex life right under the human's noses (humans who occasionally find evidence of this life and dismiss it as impossible) but, for me, it is too much.  The story never really goes anywhere.  After a while it just seems to drag on too much.  The idea had some great potential but I don't think it was realized here.

Eww, slimy!

 Amorphous Breaking the Mold by Steven Burgess

In the near future, an eclectic group of friends finds themselves in the center of an alien invasion.  When an interstellar object crashes into Earth and releases an alien lifeform that starts to subsume people the friends are surprised to find that they are the best chance to save the human race.

I can't say I didn't like this book, but it was not what I expected.  For an alien invasion story there was a lack of alien lifeforms in the first two thirds of the book.  I was also surprised by the fact that most of the book is conversation.  Even after the alien lifeform arrives, almost everyone (even the often mentioned AI) sits or stands around having philosophical discussions.  I was often left waiting for something to happen.  Anything.  Some of the discussions were interesting, but for me, it was too much.  Too much of the book takes place around a restaurant table.  I do like the interesting take on an alien invasion.  There were some fun moments.  But the write up is misleading and I was left slightly disappointed.  

I received a free copy of this book for review from Library Thing Early Reviewers.