The 39 Clues

The authors involved in writing the The 39 Clues series are Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Linda Sue Park, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Gordon Korman, and Patrick Carman.  This is a major collaboration for a series of books to ever happen!!!

The books that make up the 11 book series are The Maze of Bones, One False Note, The Sword Thief, Beyond The Grave, The Black Circle, In Too Deep, The Viper's Nest, The Emperor's Code, Storm Warning, Into The Gauntlet, and finally Vespers Rising. 


This series follows Amy and Dan Cahill and their Au pair Nellie Gomez as they travel around the world on what has got to be the most epic and dangerous scavenger hunt know to man.  The have various encounters with their own family members, some of which they barley make out of it alive. But the two siblings and their Au Pair think quick on their feet and make it out of each of those situations though at times feeling betrayed. 

They start in here in the United States and take off to so many different countries. They travel to Austria, Russia, France, South Africa, Jamaica, England. They go where ever the next hint leads them.  They learn about the last royal family of Russia, they learn about the catacombs in France.  These books seem to also teach the readers a bit of history or facts about people that we learn about in school. 

But never fear at the end of it all they manage to bring the four -err well five technically- shattered branches of the Cahill family together. Just in the nick of time to face an even greater threat than the squabbling branches. But to wind it all down an organization as old as the Cahill family makes major movements against the Cahills. 

And then in each of the books there is a hidden message. Which is really cool!! Though I have yet to figure out the one in the fifth book out and no matter how hard - or much - I try I can't figure it out...if you do, can you do me a favor and fill me in on what it is? 

I know this is a sort of childish book series but it quiets the inner adventurer in me. These are the type of books that makes reading interesting!!!

There is now the Cahills vs. Vespers series that picks up where The 39 Clues left off at.  Then there is the Unstoppable series of the The 39 Clues. Then there is also the Cahill Files. All the spin off series are apart of the The 39 Clues. But I will be doing those separately.

Deliver Us From EVIL

I have just watched Deliver Us From Evil.  Not to impressed. Very unfazed. Good actors but just not scary.


This movie stars Eric Bana as Sarchie.  Edgar Ramirez as Mendoza. Olivia Nunn as Jenn... Good looking actors.

It came out in 2014.... I give this movie like 2.5 out of 10...It could have been scarier. Directed by Scott Derrickson.

The Giver - Movie

I literally just got done watching The Giver. Which as most of you know is also a book. This is a movie adapted from the book.

The book was written by Lois Lowry.  She has written I know of at least two other books.

This movie came out in 2014 and I am just now getting around to it because I was apprehensive about it. 

I do not mind one bit that they changed the ages from twelve to about 16-18.  Because this book is usually about coming of age -or that is how I view it anyways- and we don't normally come of age till we are about 16 to 18. 

This movie stars quite a few amazing actors who I am glad got the role. 

The Giver is portrayed by Jeff Bridges, excellent choice I think for this part.  The wonderful Meryl Streep as Chief Elder.  Brenton Thwaites as the leading part of Jonas.  Alexander Skarsgard as Jonas's father. Katie Holmes as Jonas's mother. Odeya Rush as Fiona. Cameron Monaghan as Asher.  Taylor Swift as Rosemary. 

With the exception of Taylor Swift I think they choose correctly for each role. Now I do not like everything they did to CHANGE it how they did. But I did approve of some of it.

The movie was directed by Phillip Noyce. 

I give this movie a 4 out of 10.


I will be rereading The Giver as soon as I am done with my current pile of books.

The Twelve

The Twelve is written by Justin Cronin and is the sequel to The Passage . Bewarned This contains spoilers

This book follows not only the events following the outbreak, known in the books as Year Zero, it also follows the events of Amy, Peter, Alicia, and the rest of that gang from the Passgae.


If you have read The passage then you know what happens in the future.  The first part of this book is set in the same time as the passage. It picks up sometime after The Passage ends. Before it starts following the events that happened after everything went to hell in a hand basket.

You first have the book started with Dr. Lila Kyle - who later meets Grey, who she then trust enough to travel with - she was married to Brad Wolgast. But alas a tragic death sort of tears them apart and they part ways. She then gets pregnant and marries the baby's father, David.

Then you have Danny, April, and Tommy, who run into Kittridge who is also know as Last Stand in Denver.  Then as they are heading out they stumble acrossed and save Joe and Linda Robinson, and a young baby they called Boy Jr.; one Mr. Wood who appears to be a security guard, and his girl Delores; then you have the old lady Mrs. Bellamy; then you have Jamal who is about 25; then you have Pastor Don.

The there is the view of Horace Guilder, who was the Deputy Director. Who may not have been with Project Noah from the start, but he was in charge of it when shit hit the fan. 

It switches back in forth for certain parts of the book before staying in the time of Peter and his group. 

Then you have part three, with the Dee Vorhees group.  

Then you get switched to Sara's group (spoiler she is alive!!! :D).  Which is apparently also Guilder's POV as well which is cool but kind of twisted because he should be dead but he isn't so he and some others not necessarily flipped but they can't really die, Lila is apart of this group (and the only one who can control The Many that they are surrounded by). 
Where Sara is, so is Lila, Guilder, and Grey and a few others from the Year Zero.

But as you draw to a close you aren't taken back to Year Zero. You stay with Peter's time line.  So much happens in the final chapters that I kept crying and having to stop so I could calm down before moving on and crying some more. 

There is a lot of death in this book, but in a way there is also hope to be found for humanity in this book as well.  In the end there always seems to be hope. 

Apparently there is supposed to be a third book coming out. I have no Idea when but I can't wait...really hope I don't have to wait to long to get the third book!!!

I give this book a 10/10 because hell it gave me everything I wanted.

Now it took me a week to read The Passage on and off.  Normally I sit down and read a book from cover to cover no breaks except to sleep. But I figured with The Passage and The Twelve it would be a good idea to do this.  It took me roughly four days to read The Twelve. I highly suggest taking your time when reading these books.  Soak up the information so you don't get confused and have to reread parts or go back and reread whole chapters.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

This movie stars the handsome - like omg handsome (and gorgeous eyes) -  Chris Pine as Jack Ryan. The stunning Kiera Knightly as Cathy Muller. Then you Kevin Costner as Thomas Harper. Finally you have Kenneth Branagh who plays Viktor Chervin and he also directs this movie as well. This movie came out in 2014 but it hit Netflix sometime ago which is how I have seen. it.

This movie follows Jack Ryan - the protagonist - of this movie. Following the 9/11 attacks on New York, Jack Ryan drops everything and enlists in the Marines.  He is then severely wounded in 2003, he mangers to save two others with a broken back.  Against the plot set into motion by Viktor Chervin - the antagonist - to decimate the us dollar and economy all over the world.

He goes through physical therapy and meets Cathy Muller. Who he eventually you know falls in love with.

And in the rush to stop the next great depression manages to get her kidnapped but you know still get the information.  Then the race against to clock to stop it all. Economic war far is a good way to bring down countries acrossed the bored.


Obviously the good guys manage to stop the next great depression. And you know the major bad guy kills the minor bad guy who was in charge of executing a seemingly easy task.

And hey Jack Ryan gets to meet the President!!!

The lesson here: never underestimate what an American will do for our country


Honestly I tip my hat off for the creativity for this movie. But I couldn't really get into the movie. I just was bored so I personally give it like a 4 out of 10.  It just didn't really peak my interest as much as I thought it would.  But I did watch it all the way through but just barley.

The Amazing Spider Man

I love this version of Spider-Man much much more than I did for the Spider Man trilogy, This revamp is much much better.  It goes along more to the comics than the first three did. I haven't really read the Spider-Man comics but my dad has and apparently is does go along with the comics with you know the various tweaks that happen  to movies based on anything.

This movie starred Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Spider-Man, who is the protagonist of the movie. The amazing Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, who is the love interest for Peter Parker in the movie. Then of course you have the antagonist of the movie, The Lizard and Dr. Curtis Connors who is played by Rhys Ifans.

Then you have the reason Peter Parker. in my opinion, choose to truly become Spider-Man and that is because the dearly beloved Uncle Ben is murdered, playing Uncle Ben in this movie is of course Martin Sheen.

Then you have Sally Field as Aunt May, who I believe KNOWS that Peter is Spider Man but doesn't say she knows.  Who finally gets her eggs after Peter has the throw down fight with The Lizard.

The movie came out in 2012. This movie was directed by Marc Webb.

Over all I give this movie about a 7 out of 10.

Every super hero has a reason to start fighting but they always discovers a reason to KEEP fighting. 

I would also like to give a nod to the man who plays Jack's father, and that is  C. Thomas Howell. He has got to be my favorite bad guy from Criminal Minds.

I, Frankenstein

I, Frankenstein is a very interesting movie. It came out sometime in 2014, but it just recently hit Netflix.  So that will explain why I am just now seeing it.  I adore the view it takes on what could have become of Frankenstein monster! 

I love the use of good (order of the gargoyles) Vs. Evil (demons). Trapped in a constant battle until they found Frankenstein monster and fill him in on the never ending war. He chooses to not fight side by side with the good side but he still fights for the good side. The Demons are trying to recreate Adam, who is one of a kind, only on a mega scale and they do - though only briefly- and this is because of a young scientist, who is employed by the Prince of the demons, but she isn't brought into the truth until Adam fills her in. Who pretty much catches Adam's eye. 

The Scientist, Terra, is played by Yvonne Strahovski. 

The demon prince, Naberius, is played by the one and only Bill Nighy. 

Frankenstein's monster is dubbed Adam by the head of the Order.  Adam is played by Aaron Eckhart. 

The head of the Order of Gargoyles is Leonore is played by Miranda Otto. 

Other major people are: 

Gideon - Leonore's most trusted warrior - who is portrayed by Jai Courtney 

Zuriel - a demon leader - is portrayed by Socratis Otto. 

Caitlin Stasey is Keziah. 

Ophir is played by Mahesh Jadu. 

Now while there are other important characters and pawns in this movie I hit the ones that I really enjoyed seeing. 

This movie has some dark themes but it also has the theme that good trumps evil. I could have gone like the entire movie without even a hint of romance but alas it sort of made its way into the movie anyways. But that's my opinion. I personally give it about a 6 out of 10. 

The movie was directed by Stuart Beattie.  Apparently, the movie release date was pushed back a few times.

The Passage by Justin Cronin

I have just finished reading The Passage by Justin Cronin. 

It is an amazingly written book set in a post-apocalyptic setting. 

But this isn't your average post-apocalyptic book. Most of the time those book deal with zombies or some sort of walking dead, or emergent failure

There is governmental failure but instead of zombies its vampires or as they are called in the book Virals or Smokes, have pretty much decimated the human population to next to nothing and a group of people set off to try their best to save the human population. But the virals was apart of a project started by the US Government that went wrong. 

This is an amazing book and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It is a rather large book but once you get into it, it's hard to put down. 

I am currently working on the sequel to The Passage right now.