Lenni Reviews: "Oria’s Gambit" by Jeffe Kennedy

(Image Source)

*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

With her kingdom, Bara, captured by the Destrye, Oria gambles on a marriage with the conquering leader; Lonen. Since Bara is ruled by magic, the highly powerful and sensitive Oria takes a huge risk in marrying Lonen since he cannot use magic and Bara has never had a non-magic using ruler. The main reason for this gamble is Oria's cruel and despotic brother, Yar; who may likely begin another war despite the peace her kingdom has just attained.

Having not read the first part, there is enough here to make you understand there was a brutal war and that our main pair would like to spare their respective kingdoms any further bloodshed. Oria and Lonen are well developed enough and the writing is competent enough for you to get emotionally invested enough to want them to succeed. But the book does spend a great deal of time meandering around Lonen and Oria's obvious attraction to one another and their hope to overcome Oria's inability to even touch Lonen without her magic causing her pain. The pacing lost it's sense of urgency when the book spends so much time on the romance. The love story didn't distract from the major fantasy elements but once Yar came back into the picture, I felt the characters should have spent less time making gooily eyes and more time getting ready.

Don't get me wrong; Lonen and Oria have good chemistry and the overall story kept me interested enough to not only finish it but to want to know what happens in the next installment. If you like fantasy in your romance, this isn't a bad offering despite being pretty short and ending on a cliffhanger. 3.7 out of 5.

Into The Badlands (Season 1 Blu-Ray Review)

Centuries from now, civilization as we know it has ceased to exist. Billions perished and nations collapsed, but over time, a feudal society emerged where the strongest rose to wealth and power. This area, known as the Badlands, is uneasily divided among seven rival Barons who control the resources necessary to daily life. Each Baron has loyal armies of trained assassins known as Clippers. Baron Quinn's head Clipper, Sunny (Daniel Wu), grew swiftly through the ranks to become Quinn's most trusted advisor. For decades, Quinn has been unchallenged as the Badlands most powerful Baron, but there is a rising suspicion among his rivals that he is growing vulnerable. The territory s newest Baron, The Widow (Emily Beecham), has begun testing his appetite for a fight. An ambush leads Sunny to a teenage boy, M.K. (Aramis Knight), who Sunny soon learns harbors a dark secret and has a hefty bounty on his head. Sunny selects M.K. as his Colt (student) and together, they will embark on an odyssey that could mean the difference between chaos and enlightenment for everyone in the Badlands.

Into The Badlands is hands down the best action show you will see on cable television. Yes you can quote me on that. The show succeeds on all fronts in terms of storytelling, acting, choreography and cinematography. What really drew me into the show is the original story of a fallen world just trying to get buy. Things on the planet are scarce but mankind has managed to keep some type of order. I think audiences are gravitate to all of the characters in this story. Sunny, M.K., The Widow and The Baron are the main four characters I was truly invested in. The first season is only six episodes but manages to allow the main characters and supporting cast all get a healthy chunk of screentime so we can connect with the world.

Sunny's confliction of his life as a Clipper is greatly explore as he discovers things such as love and being a mentor to M.K. Daniel Wu performance is spot and he truly was the right man for the job to tell Sunny's story. M.K. is the big mystery and the main focal point of the story as he harnesses a power unseen by people in the Badlands. Questions like how did he get these powers? Where is he from? These plots will keep you watching Into The Badlands. The show also features a great theme of women empowerment. This is explained through the character of The Widow who is a my favorite character and a complete badass. She is ruthless but you can see she carries this heavy weight on her shoulders. She is one of the only female Barons and her followers are all women. She claims to fighting for equal rights for all women and wanting a better life for them by any means necessary. Her introduction to the series is the best I've seen since Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman. Finally we have the antagonist Baron Quinn I hate this guy. He is a great antagonist ruthless, cunning and powerful. He rules with an iron fist and seems to get his way. His story arc revolves around his relationship with his family. His son doesn't respect him. His wife is loyal but not a fan of him taking many wives. Baron Quinn has a very interesting arc that you will love to hate. 

Into The Badlands is a fun action pack ride with a lot of heart. The show tackles on many themes such as choices, women empowerment and destiny. There is something for late teenagers and adults. The action is breathtaking especially fights with The Widow. The acting is solid. My only complaint is I wish the Blu-Ray/DVD had more special features. Other than that this show is a must buy and tune in for season 2.

Final Rating 4.5/5 Stars

Jinsei (Life Consulting) The Complete Series Review

Yuki Akamatsu desperately needs to work on his social interactions—at least according to the 2nd Newspaper Club president. And by that, she means getting him a girlfriend! After a barrage of personal insults, she assigns him to work the Life Counseling section of the paper. Yuki has no idea what this really means for him until he meets the three cuties responsible for providing advice. Rino Endo specializes in the sciences, Fumi Kujo covers humanities, while Ikumi Suzuki handles the world of sports—and snacks! Unfortunately, these three girls cannot agree on anything. Which means Yuki has to keep them on track and guide them to the answers that will help their classmates in need. Can he survive the onslaught of their boisterous personalities and compromising positions a plenty? There’s only so much a teenage boy can take!h

Lenni Reviews: "Goodnight Batcave" by Dave Croatto and Tom Richmond

(Image Source)

*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.

In this parody of Goodnight Moon, Batman is lounging in his cave when some bad guys show up. He beats them up, then goes to bed. The whole rogue's gallery is there and the character design calls back to the Batman: The Animated Series character designs.

This book is clever and funny. The joke works better if you're familiar with Goodnight moon and I read this to my kid (who loves comics) and she laughed and did want a copy of her own.

For a book put out by MAD Magazine, it's pretty kid friendly. The art is in their typical style but there's nothing in it I would feel hesitant to show a kid who is already familiar with comics. There's a justifiable amount of violence (superheroes don't tend to cuddle the villains to jail) and I think this will give both kids and adults a few good chuckles. I read this on my Kindle but I think this is worth a hardcover purchase if you love Batman and love MAD. 4.5 out of 5.

Lenni Reviews: "A Kind of Honesty" by Lane Hayes

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated for 18+

Tim Chalmers is a drummer for an up and coming band named Spiral. The stress of his new fame and recent tabloid fodder breakup with a supermodel sends him to a dive bar for what he thinks is a one night stand. Turns out the man; Carter Hamilton-Temple, is a friend of a friend and Tim runs into him at a birthday party. As one night turns into three then four, both men find themselves wanting more but the stress of Tim's fame and Carter's painful past dealings with bisexual men keep them from taking the next step.

First the good stuff. The writing starts off strong and sets a great scene. Despite it being from Tim's perspective, you can glean a lot of what Carter's feelings are just from Tim's observations; as they are detailed and well written. Tim is just the right amount of sassy and Carter has this reserved strength and power that makes him likable and fun.

The "bad" stuff. The band is TOO good. Dropping little bombs like breaking The Beatles records felt kinda silly; like Bella being the most beautiful girl in the world. Spiral could have easily been a hugely popular band without making them seem overly perfect.

As for the relationship, this is another case of the conflict persisting because the plot demands that the characters don't offer any reasonable explanation. I think Carter gave up too easily after it was made clear to him that Tim's ex-was a manipulative liar. Yes, Tim has other issues but I feel Carter jumped the gun and could have been as understanding as he was presented at the beginning.

Overall, not terrible but not great either. The writing was OK, the setup was OK, and eve the sex scenes were OK... All of it just OK. Nothing stood out to me as being particularly memorable but I did enjoy it so I give this a 3.5 out of 5.

Lenni Reviews: "Timing" by Mary Calmes

(Image Source)

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+.

Stefan Joss has been invited to be in his best friend's wedding. Not only does his boss take this as a chance to take on a sales deal to the trip to Texas, Stefan has to deal with his friend's brother, Rand Holloway; who has made no effort to restrain his hatred of Stefan. With the chaos of the wedding and meeting with his client, Stefan learns there is more to Rand's feelings than hatred and his business deal ends up risking his life.

While meant as a romantic mystery kind of story like Mystery of Nevermore, the mystery in this book took far back seat to the romance. Not a criticism, just something I noticed. I can see either adding more of the mystery or taking it out entirely and just having the wedding be the backdrop that brings Stephan and Rand together.

Anyways, Rand as a hard-ass cowboy coming to terms with how he fucked up and will do his part to fix it and Stefan putting in effort too worked for me. I liked them both and I wanted to see them together. The smexy times are prevalent and positively indulgent so if you want a healthy dose of manluvin, this book is more than happy to dole it out along with some romantic sappiness.

When it came to the action/mystery parts, I kinda got whiplash. You're crusin along in this lovey dovey romance and WHAM! Rape! Murder! Guns!

"Well... That took an uncomfortable turn..."

Even so, I enjoyed this book. You can feel the love all over; even aside for our main pair. The details in describing ranch life (Rand owns a ranch) were written well enough to get a real feel for the setting and I ended this book with a cheesy grin because it was so damn sweet. 4 out of 5.
 

Death Note: Light Up The New World Trailer

Hey O&G fans, the trailer for the upcoming Death Note: Light Up The New World live-action movie has been released. The Japanese-language film is Nikkatsu's fourth film in its Death Note series, which is based on the manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. Here is a look at the trailer:

10 years after the Death Note murders, six Death Notes fall to the human world. Two people inherit the DNA of Light Yagami and L, and a deadly new game of cat-and-mouse begins... In Cinemas in Australia and New Zealand November 10. Book your tickets now!

Death Note: Light Up The New World will be released October 29 in Japan, with an Australia & New Zealand release scheduled for November 10. No North American release has been scheduled as of yet.

Warner Bros.'s North American adaptation of the Death Note manga is currently filming for a 2017 release.

Plox Official Star Wars Levitating Death Star Speaker

Hey O&G fans at this years PEPCOM Holiday Spectacular, we had a chance to check out PLOX. A  leader in the development of technology products in Australia, unveiled its official Star Wars™ Levitating Death Star Speaker.

The Levitating Death Star

Not bound by the laws of gravity, the Plox Levitating Death Star speaker provides amazingly clear and sharp sound while astonishing everyone as it levitates while playing music. Designed to look like the iconic Death Star, key features include:

·       Gravity-defying orb rotates above a magnetic base to truly levitate

·       360 degree uncompromising sound quality

·       Up to 5 hours of continuous playback on Bluetooth®

·       Can be used as a portable speaker without the base

·       MSRP $179.99

Wolverine 3 Trailer Titled LOGAN

Credit: James Mangold

Hey O&G Fans, today the trailer for Logan the 3rd Wolverine movie was released. The trailer shows an older Logan, Professor X, and a young girl who could be (and this is what I'm hoping for) X-23. Check out the trailer below:

Logan In Theaters - March 3, 2017 Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Dafne Keen Directed by James Mangold SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/FOXSubscribe Connect with Logan Online: Visit Logan on our WEBSITE: http://fox.co/Logan Like Logan on FACEBOOK: http://fox.co/LoganFB Follow Logan on TWITTER: http://fox.co/LoganTW Follow Logan on INSTAGRAM: http://fox.co/wponx About 20th Century FOX: Official YouTube Channel for 20th Century Fox Movies.

Logan is scheduled for a March 3, 2017 theatrical release

Latest Naruto Novel - NARUTO: ITACHI'S STORY - DAYLIGHT - Debuts From VIZ Media

VIZ Media expand its library of popular NARUTO novels with the release of NARUTO: ITACHI’S STORY – DAYLIGHT on November 1st.

Naruto’s allies and enemies take center stage in these fast-paced adventures with each book focusing on a particular clan mate, ally, team…or villain. NARUTO: ITACHI’S STORY – DAYLIGHT will be available in print and digital editions. The novel was written by Takashi Yano and features original cover art by NARUTO creator, Masashi Kishimoto.

NARUTO: ITACHI’S STORY – DAYLIGHT

MSRP: $10.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN / $6.99 Digital · Available November 1st

Uchiha Itachi, four years of age. With the hell of war burned into his eyes, the boy makes a resolution: he will rid this world of all violence. The birth of Sasuke, meeting his friend Shisui, the academy, genin, chunin, and then the Anbu – Itachi races down the path of glory toward his dream of becoming the first Uchiha Hokage, unaware of the darkness that lies ahead…

Also don’t miss the first three books in the series of NARUTO novels – NARUTO: KAKASHI’S STORY, NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY and NARUTO: SAKURA’S STORY, available now in print and digital editions.

Manga author/artist Masashi Kishimoto was born in 1974 in rural Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Like many kids, he was first inspired to become a manga artist in elementary school when he read Dragon Ball. After spending time in art school, he won the Hop Step Award for new manga artists with his story, Karakuri. After considering various genres for his next project, Kishimoto decided on a story steeped in traditional Japanese culture. His first version of NARUTO, drawn in 1997, was a one-shot story about fox spirits; his final version, which debuted in Japan in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, quickly became the most popular ninja manga in the world. The series would also spawn multiple anime series, movies, novels, video games and more. Having concluded the series in late 2014, Masashi Kishimoto has kept himself busy this year with the side story, Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring, and writing the story for the latest NARUTO movie, BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE, both of which focus on the title character's son, Boruto.

VIZ Media is the North American master licensor for NARUTO and publishes the bestselling NARUTO manga series in print and digitally and also distributes the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series and feature films. Additional information on NARUTO is available at www.Naruto.com.

For additional information on other manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visitwww.VIZ.com.

Rooster Teeth's RWBY Volume 4 Premieres October 22nd 2016

The fourth season of RWBY -- Rooster Teeth’s award-winning anime series that tells the story of four different girls brought together for one legendary purpose – launches Saturday, October 22.

Saturday 10am FIRST members only ($5 a month) - Sign up for FIRST and watch athttp://roosterteeth.com/show/rwby

 Sunday 10am RT Site Members (free to sign up) - Make a profile and watch at http://roosterteeth.com/show/rwby 

SHOW INFO

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang are students at Beacon Academy, an ancient school designed to train the monster-slayers knows as Hunters and Huntresses. Unfortunately, monsters aren’t the only threat in the world of Remnant, and if these girls want to graduate, they’ll have to learn to work together – both on the battlefield and in the classroom. The 14-episode season is directed by Gray G Haddock; voice actors include Lindsay Jones (Ruby), Barbara Dunkelman (Yang), Miles Luna(Jaune) and Kerry Shawcross (Neptune).

RWBY VOLUME 4 SYNOPSIS:

It's been several months since the Fall of Beacon, and the world of Remnant is still recovering. Tensions are high, lives have been lost, and the members of Team RWBY... are divided. Each of our heroines now faces a journey of their own. While some must search inward if they ever hope to move on, others will venture out into the world in search of answers. Alongside the remaining members of Team JNPR, Ruby Rose has begun the long trek to the kingdom of Mistral, but the road ahead is full of surprises. New friends and enemies await, while the threat of an even larger catastrophe draws near.

Character Short

Here is a recap video of Volumes 1 to 3.