Roof Oasis: Book Review

I FINALLY finished this book! I literally started it when I first got the copy back in May. I just have had so much other stuff going on, I never had a chance to sit down and read it like I have had this week. Before I go into my review, I want to say congrats to my grandmom on being officially published! How exciting is that? Also, I am going to be completely, 100% honest about what I think. (I liked the book, so don't worry, grandmom!)

Roof Oasis is a sci-fi / dystopian / horror novella set in the year 2051 (if I did my math correctly). It follows the lives of Michael and Lucy, 28-year-old twins, as they attempt to survive the zombie apocalypse and reunite with their alien friend from their childhood. As the plot moves along, the twins are separated, living on two different worlds as war rages on Earth. I won't give any spoilers here, but that is a basic idea of the story.

First, I want to say that while this is not a book I would normally read, I did enjoy it. The characters were interesting - not just your typical protagonists. They each had their own lives to live and challenges they had to face. The setting was familiar, the descriptions were easy to picture in your mind's eye, and the plot was constantly moving along and keeping things interesting - not a moment was wasted in this 64-page novella.

Some things I especially liked about this book are as follows: The character Razhep was unique and interesting. I always liked it when he was in a scene. I knew the locations fairly well, having visited some of them before. The logic behind the apocalypse was sound and also a bit scary, since I remember hearing about the Antarctic life discovery in my aquatic bio class last year. The Leader, as he is known, has my interest. I want to know who he is, exactly, and more about the powerful demons who work for him. (I also want to know how the protagonists are going to kick his butt later on.)

Some things I didn't prefer about this book: I don't like language in any books, no matter who wrote them, so that's one thing. Second, there was a particular scene which described children being eaten by zombies, and that grossed me out a little. I know that if something like this were to happen, it would be accurate, but that doesn't make me like it any more. Finally, while I did like the fast-moving pace of the story, there were three or four brief sections that moved along a little too fast, I think.

Overall, I would give this book 3/5 stars for a great storyline, interesting characters, and fast-moving action. If you are interested in a zombie apocalypse tale but don't have much time to read, Roof Oasis is a good place to go. Even if you do have time to read, it's a good place to go. Congrats again to my grandmom and I anxiously await Book 2! :-)

New Ninja Turtles Design & Toy Review

So on Sunday I was walking through Walmart with my mom, and we had just left the toy section (after I found a pair of sweet Raphael earbuds) when I saw it: an entire display of the new Ninja Turtles, along with the new toys! Finally! An up-close look at what Michael Bay has done to our heroes in the half-shell.

I took a long time to really look at each of the Turtles up close, and I pulled out the toys to take a look at them, too. My mom actually continued on without me; I was taking so long. But this movie has been under wraps for so many months now...it was awesome to finally get a good look at them.

Well..."good" may not be the right word. The following paragraphs detail the four Turtles - along with some supporting characters - and give my opinion on each. Keep in mind that these are just my thoughts. I can't claim to speak for every Shellhead out there.

And we're off. First up, Leonardo. Personally, I think Leo looks the best out of the four of them. If the turtles HAVE to wear something, I think they did a good job with him. It's a simple samurai outfit. I also think that his face looks the best of the four; usually he wears a serious expression, but his eyes are calm, which really reflects who he is as a leader. Forget about the rest of him - when I look in his eyes I can see it's really Leo in there. At least they got that right.

Second, Raphael. OK, now, I know that Raph is the big, tough guy. But I think they took that to a bit of an extreme. His facial expression in almost every photo you see is anger. His eyes scream "I'm going to kill someone," and that's kind of scary, actually. I've never really been scared of Raphael (my favorite turtle), but this version of him radiates power and anger. It's kind of creepy. Plus, he's huge compared to the other turtles. Exaggerated muscles, much? Something I did notice upon closer inspection was something between a gash and a scar on his lower left cheek. Bet you can't guess where he may have gotten that. *sarcasm*

Gonna be honest...I really don't like how Donatello looks. At all. At first I thought that I was just thinking he looked bad because of the trailer and some preview pics, but when I saw him close up for the first time, I was like, "Um...no." Because it's just not him! Yes, he's the geek of the bunch, but having him wear a bunch of tech gear on his shell and carry a metal bo staff and wear nerdy glasses...that's too much. I love nerds as much as the next person, but it's way too much for Donnie. Plus his legs look way too skinny in proportion to the rest of him. It's like he's a hulk of a turtle from the waist up, but from the waist down, he's a stick person. It just looks wrong. One good thing I do have to say for him is this: I really like the Japanese writing on his bandanna. That's pretty cool.

Finally, Michelangelo. Right after Leo, he's the best looking Turtle. He wears the most of the four of them, with jeans and shoes and necklaces and sunglasses...the whole bit. It's crazy. But you know, as crazy as it is, it really does reflect him. Mikey's always been the most outgoing. It makes sense that he would wear the most human stuff and try to fit in more than the others. But again, it seems a bit much. It seems like they got his personality right, though, based on the trailer. "It's just a mask, don't freak out." *takes it off* "Right?" (And then April O'Neil faints. Way to go, Mikey.)

Now for Splinter. Holy cow. Actually, I agree with my dad on this one: he looks the least messed up of all of the redesigned characters. Yeah, the mustache is new, but everything else looks about the same. Fine, he's wearing blue instead of red or brown, but really, that's about it. He's still a rat. He looks like a shorter version of the 2012 Master Splinter. (To me, anyway.)

Shredder is a white guy. Sorry, I just can't get over that. Shredder is not Oroku Saki. He's Eric Sachs. Really? What the heck happened there? Where's Tang Shen? Did Shredder adopt Karai in this movie? Cause he's white but she's Asian, so...yeah. (I promise, I am not racist.) And where does the rivalry between him and Splinter come from now? Is there a rivalry at all? Oh, boy, we're in trouble.

It's weird to see Foot Soldiers carrying guns instead of katanas or nunchucks, but I suppose in all fairness, the original Krang never carried around alien guns with him and the 2012 Kraang do. So...just something I'll have to get used to.

I have nothing to say about April O'Neil.

Overall: ...eh. I don't know. It could be a lot worse, but it really could be a lot better, too. I don't think the Turtles are 15 in this movie. I'm convinced they have to be at least 17, probably more like 18 or 19. Honestly, they look like young adults (which is the route Michael Bay wanted in the first place), but the title says they're still teens, so...yeah...probably older teens, though. There are some smaller details I like about the redesigns, but mostly I wish they had just stuck with the Turtles we're familiar with. I don't like the idea of a white Shredder. That just seems wrong. (Again, I'm not racist.) The Foot with guns? Weird. Megan Fox as April O'Neil? Seriously, when I see her, I can't think of her as April. I can only think of her as Megan Fox. I still don't like that casting choice, but as I've said before:

I reserve judgement until August 8.

In summary: even after everything I've seen concerning this movie, I am optimistic. It won't be a perfect Ninja Turtles movie by any means, but maybe they will at least do a decent job. I am expecting to walk out of the theater with mixed feelings, probably liking some aspects of it and hating others.

Here's a fun fact for you: when I was inspecting the Turtles in the middle of Walmart, some younger kids passed by (the new generation of Turtles fans). One was a girl, probably about seven, who said she didn't like the new look at all. Two others were boys, maybe five and eight, who liked the look and were excited to see the movie. There are mixed feelings among the newest generation as well. We're not alone.

I did purchase a movie Leonardo action figure on Sunday. I was in debate for a while about whether I should get one, but when we got to the checkout line I decided to go back and grab it. After all, what kind of a Shellhead would I be if I didn't at least give this movie a chance? They're still our Turtles. They look different, yes, but they are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo.

Here's hoping Michael Bay doesn't ruin them.

A King's Arrival is Never Silent (and other Nerdy News)

It took me forever and a day, but I FINALLY managed to get to a theater to see Godzilla! If I had to summarize it in one word, I would say, "Amazing." I have never seen a Godzilla movie before, though I know at least a little about the original movies thanks to my dad. That being said, I went into the theater without a clue as to how the story would turn out, but I was impressed with how good it was - and seriously, the fight scenes were incredible! I don't know how they did it, but every time Godzilla was fighting, I was unable to tear my eyes away. Incredible!

SPOILERS (skip past this paragraph): The only thing I have is this: for a movie called "Godzilla," he wasn't on screen too much. It took almost an hour for us to see him the first time and then another half hour to see him the rest of the time. Basically, he was only on screen a full 45 minutes or so, and it's a 123-minute movie. Other than that, though, it was very well done.

If you want more info, go check out the Black Nerd's review of this movie. I agree with about 90% of what he has to say about it. It's a very spoiler-lite overview. :-)

Sonic Boom Update! So, in one of my previous posts, you may remember my mentioning a character that many Mobians thought was a redesigned Marine Raccoon. Well, I'm here to let you know (if you don't already), that it's not! The new character's name is Sticks the Jungle Badger. She seems like she will be a very unique and interesting character. Click here for a quick look into her voice, personality, and role in the show.

One more thing. A while ago I mentioned that I was watching Mumfie, a TV show I didn't even know about based on a character I loved when I was a kid. I haven't finished that show yet (I'm close), but in the meantime I have recently discovered My Little Pony. Yes, yes, I know...get it out of your system, people. As Sonic says...

Now, having put that out there, I just want to say that I love this show. I began watching just a few days ago (Tuesday, I think it was), and I'm already halfway through Season 2. It's really good! I was expecting it to be a lot fluffier and more toddler-oriented than it is. It seems like it's meant for elementary-aged girls, but the message of the show can reach anyone who is willing to listen. I know it has especially gotten to me, for personal reasons.

Anyway, my favorite characters are Rainbow Dash and Spike the Dragon. (Spike is so cute! :D)

Also, for a life update, I have been enjoying my time off from school, mostly just chilling out at home with family. It's been nice to know that I don't have to stress about homework or worry about any obligations for the moment. I have been actively searching for a job, though a lot of people probably wouldn't believe me if I told them that. I am enjoying my summer break while I can, though. Can you blame me? I worked really hard the last couple of weeks of school and have been busy the first two weeks of summer vacation. I deserve a break!

Anyway, that's all for now! Stay tuned for more nerdy updates in the near future!