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Sorcery of Thorns

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Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Publication Date: June 4, 2019
Format: Book
Who it’s for:  Teens, Adults

Elisabeth has grown up in one of the Great Libraries.  As a child she would play amongst the books and listen to them speak to her.  The Great Libraries are the home of many grimoires which are a sort of living book that will turn into monsters if they are provoked.  There is lots of magic in the Great Libraries and Elisabeth hopes to one day be a Warden, a protector of the libraries and magic contained within.

Elisabeth has been told that sorcery is evil and sorcerers are not to be trusted.  But, when she finally meets a sorcerer, Nathaniel Thorn, he doesn’t seem so bad.  Shortly after the sorcerer visits, a grimoire monster is unleashed and Elisabeth is wrongfully blamed for the death and destruction it caused.  So, she turns to her enemy, the sorcerer, for help.

Libraries, magic, books that are almost living things, a strong heroine and a little romance.  What more could you ask for??!!

Find it in the catalog

Elementary

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Recommended Series

Series Title: Elementary by CBS Television Studios
First Book: Elementary Season One
Who it’s for: [Teens, Adults,]

“Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) is a recovering addict who meets Joan Watson (Lucy Lui) as his ‘sober companion’. Initially their relationship is strictly professional, and somewhat frosty, but they grow to understand and work with one another, eventually forming a friendship and partnership. Together they assist Captain Gregson and Detective Bell of the NYPD, where Holmes’ observational abilities and deductive talent unravel a series of complicated cases. Alongside his police work, Sherlock struggles with a past he left behind in London involving an ex-girlfriend Irene Adler, a ‘nemesis’ in Moriarty, and an absent father.”- IMDb

While I as waiting for the BBC’s Sherlock to release some more mini movies, I was told about this show. The concept intrigued me- recovering addict, NYC, and Dr. Watson as a woman. In addition, I liked the lead actors from their previous work.

Elementary  did not disappoint. The episodes were the typical one-hour mystery murder show. Even though they were not buddy-buddy and there was absolutely no sexual tension between Sherlock and Watson, I really liked their comradery. They also had great comradery with the police Captain Greggson, played by veteran actor Aidan Quinn, and their assigned police liaison, Detective Marcus Bell.

I would recommend this to people who like episodic buddy-cop-mystery shows with real backstories and character arcs that run throughout the seasons.

Click to Request Season 1-6 on DVD!

P.S. Apparently, Season 7 started on May 23, 2019.  I cannot vouch for it. I thought Season 6 ended the series pretty well.

Bumblebee

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Bumblebee

Format: DVD

Rated: PG-13

Who It’s For: Adult and Young Adult

 

If you are a Transformers fan you will LOVE this DVD!

This movie is a prequel to “The Transformers” film series. It starts on the planet Cybertron as a fierce battle rages on between the good Autobots and the evil Decepticons. Optimus sends B-127 (Bumblebee) to planet Earth for refuge. Agent Jack Burns (John Cena) boasts his paint ball training exercise win to his peers, just moments before they see B-127 come crashing down to the ground.  B-127 is cornered by the agents and they demand the whereabouts of Optimus. I don’t want to spoil any surprises so we will skip the rest of that part of the movie. Onto the year 1987….. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), is dealing with the death of her father. She spent time fixing cars with her dad before his death. She finds comfort in the local junkyard. That’s where she finds Bumblebee, broken and scarred. As she is fixing him she quickly realizes he is no ordinary yellow VW bug. Get ready for action, adventure and heart warming moments.

Here are some interesting trivia facts about the movie Bumblebee.

Hailee Steinfeld is the first female lead in the film franchise.

With a budget of $102-128 million, this is the least expensive Transformers movie to date.

Bumblebee” is the only movie in the “Transformers” theatrical film series to have a running time under 2 hours (approximately 1 hour, 54 minutes). All previous films clocked in at well over 2 hours.

Hailee Steinfeld was not born until nine years after the setting of the film and had to be taught how to use some typical items of the ’80s era, such as how to work a Walkman, which was completely foreign to her. I feel really old 🙂
John Cena, who plays Agent Burns, was originally supposed to play a villain named “Scarface” as seen from behind-the-scenes photos from his stunt double Joseph Kelly. It is unclear what made the change but rumor has it, like wrestling, they did not want John Cena the heel but more the face and this would also leave John Cena’s role open for a sequel.

Killjoys

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Recommended TV Series
Series Title: Killjoys
by SyFy & Universal Studios
Format: TV Series on DVD
Who it’s for: [Teens, Adults,]

“From the producers of Orphan Black and the creator of Lost Girl comes Killjoys. This sci-fi adventure follows a fun-loving, hard living trio of interplanetary bounty hunters (a.k.a. Killjoys) sworn to remain impartial as they chase deadly warrants around the Quad, a system of planets on the brink of revolution. A motley crew that always has each other’s back, until a dark secret threatens to tear apart their trio for good. Follow their adventures and discover their secrets with all 10 episodes back-to-back and uninterrupted.”  – via SyFy and Universal Studios

I picked this up because a former coworker recommended it.  I was looking for a new Sci-fi series that was like Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, or Eureka.  The DVD cover was quite attractive and intrigued me. Plus it was produced by the SyFy channel. The show has many similar traits to Firefly, Star Wars, and other science fiction entertainment.  I really like space operas with action, adventure, mystery, a lil romance, and fun.  This show has all of those elements yet somehow they put their own unique spin on it.  It will feel familiar to regular fans of Sci-fi but not exactly, the same plot twists, friendships, villains, rebellions, romance, robots, etc. A good thing (or bad depending) is that the show was not produced in the USA. This means it is short; there are only 10 episodes per season.  You don’t have to carve out 2 months of your life to binge all four seasons. Since every episode ends with at least one cliffhanger, I would suggest you checkout all 4 seasons on DVD at one time.

(Killjoys television series is inspired by the comic series written by Gerard Way, The true lives of Killjoys. The collected issues 1-6 are available in print format in Calvert County and digital format on hoopla.)

I would recommend this to people who like a bit of magical mystery with their typical episodic adventure space show.

Click to Request Season 1-4 on DVD!

Look Big: And Other Tips for Surviving Animal Encounters of All Kinds

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Look Big: And Other Tips for Surviving Animal Encounters of All Kinds
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Teens and Adults

This easily-skimmable, illustrated wildlife survival guide, both humorous and helpful, explains what to do (or not do) in a showdown with 50 of the most feared and frustrating of North America’s creatures and critters.  As humans encroach on nature’s stomping ground, these run-ins are becoming increasingly common.  From bunnies to bull sharks, cockroaches to cows, this guide is handy for urban, suburban, and outdoor adventurers alike.  The readers can feel empowered to contain a major critter crisis or diffuse a dangerous disaster as each page contains expert tips, fascinating facts, and harrowing true tales of real-life encounters.  What I’ve learned: never turn your back on a goose, assume every moose is a serial killer, and if the mountain lion attacks, “give ’em hell.” Find it in the catalog.

Orion and the Dark

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Orion and the Dark by Emma Yarlett
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Orion is afraid of many things but his very biggest fear is the dark. Every night at bedtime he struggles to face his fear as his room gets darker and darker. Frightful noises become louder and Orion wonders what kind of creepy things are happening outside his window. Suddenly, Orion is startled when the Dark himself comes into his room! Reluctantly, Orion embarks on an adventure with the Dark and he learns to enjoy the night.
Playful illustrations with vibrant colors draw the reader to explore mysterious noises all around the house. A perfect lap sitting book, Orion and the Dark offers many options to talk with young children about the noises of the night. Through the friendly guidance of the Dark, children can explore the truth behind creepy noises they hear before bedtime.
Find it in the catalog