Kasper's Ramblings from Kasper Beaumont

2nd story is even better. My review of Katie Cherry's Dragon Soul.

12/27/2019

Woot! So pleased Katie Cherry did a sequel and I hear there's another one coming.

Dragon Soul, published in 2019.

Synopsis: Can peace be found among humans when you bear the soul of a dragon?

It’s been two years since Myra decided to leave the life of a dragon, preferring to slide back into the comfort of the human experience. Little does she know, her past is about to come knocking…

When Rhys shows up on her doorstep, wounded and begging for help, she knows that despite her choice two years ago, she still needs to save her clan from the danger they’ve found themselves in. And, thanks to a past she knew nothing about, she may be the only one with the ability to find the Elder Dragons and request their aid.

Finding the Elders is one thing. Getting them to help her may be another, thanks to their distaste for mutts. Can she survive the trials they set before her, and prove that her soul is that of a dragon’s?

Or will Myra’s time run out, leaving her clan at the edge of utter destruction… all thanks to her?

My review: 5 stars. onward and upwards, this book soars.

Dragon Blood introduced us to Myra who was fated to turn into a dragon. If you haven't read it, then do yourselves a favour and grab that one before reading on.

Book two: Dragon Soul builds on the first one nicely and finds Myra running scared from her true nature and pretending to be a human. I do feel sorry for her boyfriend, Adam, who clearly has no idea who she really is.
Enter love interest from book 1, Rhys who needs her help to rescue some dragons in danger and Myra leaps into action - leaping with leathery wings does sound fun.
I like that the dragon lore in the 2nd book builds on the first, introducing new characters, The Elders and new dragon powers. We also have familiar characters such as Rhys and his clan.
As with the first story, it is a bit short and characters would benefit from a longer story and delving deeper into their traits and personalities. I'm not a big fan of novellas, but think the author does a great job of giving us a complete story and still waiting more at the end.
I can't say more without spoilers, but if you liked the first one, then this is 5 times better. Super!

Katie Cherry's deets:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1275626482623759/
Instagram: @katiecherryfantasy
Amazon Dragon Blood: https://amzn.to/2sbQAd3
Amazon Dragon Soul: https://amzn.to/378Cqbp

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Kasper reviews Maleficent: Mistress of Evil #Maleficent #movies #review

10/20/2019

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Movie synopsis: In Disney's "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil," a sequel to the 2014 global box office hit, Maleficent and her goddaughter Aurora begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies and dark new forces at play. The years have been kind to Maleficent and Aurora. Their relationship, born of heartbreak, revenge and ultimately love, has flourished. Yet the hatred between man and the fairies still exists. Aurora's impending marriage to Prince Phillip is cause for celebration in the kingdom of Ulstead and the neighboring Moors, as the wedding serves to unite the two worlds. When an unexpected encounter introduces a powerful new alliance, Maleficent and Aurora are pulled apart to opposing sides in a Great War, testing their loyalties and causing them to question whether they can truly be family.

KASPER'S REVIEW: OK, so there may be a couple of little spoilers here, but nothing you wouldn't get from a quick Google search of the movie. I won't tell the ending or anything.

Ooh, I did enjoy Maleficent 2: Mistress of Evil. From the original movie, we learned the our queen of darkness does have various shades of grey plus a big old soft spot for her adopted daughter, Little Beasty. Now the girl, known as Aurora, is all grown up and in love with the handsome and kind Prince Phillip.
While everything seems nice from Phillip's family at first, Queen Ingrid soon reveals her darker desires of hatred and conflict. Michelle Pfeiffer does a great job as the queen who is so fearful of the fae, she is reluctant to have the daughter of the Moors marry into her family. Strong themes of race and prejudice here.
Angelina Jolie is as gorgeous as ever in her returning role as Maleficent, who is determined to protect her fae peoples at all costs.
Throw a Romeo and Juliet-type wedding into this seething cauldron and you have the makings of a great movie.
I did find it slow to start with a few too many Days-of-our-Lives type of stares and overacted expressions, it soon whisked me away and it didn't feel like 3 hours long at all. The beautiful sights and costumes juxtaposed with dark fae themes made for a visually splendid experience.

Highlights for me were the scenery and special effects with some many gorgeous fae creatures, including new ones.
Maleficent's quest continues to a new realm and new winged creatures which I absolutely adored.
Would I take little kiddies? Hmm, probably my 11 year old wouldn't like the violence and dark themes, but many kiddies in the cinema seemed to be enjoying it. Go, try it.

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Best kids' movie of 2019: Abominable #childrens #movie #abominable #magic

10/12/2019

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When it comes to children's movies, sadly, I have learned to go in with low expectations. Many seem to have the same rehashed plot with predictable characters and leave me falling asleep in the cinema recliner.

Hubby must have drawn the short straw these school holidays, as he took our halflings to see Angry Birds and thought it was boring and predictable with nothing to inspire or make you think.

Thankfully it was my turn today and I found Abominable a breath of fresh air.
The characters had interesting backstories that were uncovered through the film and developed during its course. Yi was the one who found the Yeti, then her neighbours, Jin and Peng become caught up in the adventure. The Yeti was unpredictable and refreshingly unique. I had imagined this was going to be quite similar to the Small Foot movie we saw last year, but the 2 movies had very little in common.

I thought it was great that cultural customs were included, such as the Chinese extended family unit (granny was awesome), family responsibilities and delicious food. Yi's violin is almost a character on it's own.

I don't want to spoil the movie's surprises, but a quick look on Google will show you there's something fantastically magical about this movie (see this pic > ).

The animation is everything we've come to expect from Dreamworks and more. Just stunning!
Go, see for yourself. 5 stars from the kiddies and I.

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Choose Your Hunters of Reloria Adventure. A new book from yours truly. Complete the jigsaw to reveal the cover. #FSFRL #CoverReveal #Fantasy

8/29/2019

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Find my new release cover
I thought I’d make it a bit of a fun cover reveal where you can find it yourself.
Follow this link to the jigsaw puzzle. Comment below with your time and send me a screenshot, the fastest entry wins a copy of my new book.
Note: if you need to reset the puzzle, click the refresh button. https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=3875abd6e921

Cover pic: Elf Adventure by Hecate Jerrett

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Movie review: Captain Marvel. The latest Marvel comic hero to score a movie. #superhero #CaptainMarvel

3/17/2019

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Hubby and I headed off to the cinema yesterday for the latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Captain Marvel. The opening credits are dedicated to the late Stan Lee, which we thought a fitting and somewhat emotional touch. It is always special to see Stan's cameos in the movies and he will be missed.
Captain Marvel is one that even my comic fan of a husband hasn't read, so it was nice to go into it with no pre-conceived ideas. On a scale of Wonderwoman (my fave super hero movie ) down to Iron Man 2 (one of the worst for me), I would put Captain Marvel somewhere in the middle on the ranking pack.
It sits somewhere for me between the Star Trek and Guardians of the Galaxy science fantasy realms. It was pretty good, but not amazing.

Are we becoming desensitised to these kind of movies? Quite possibly. Several super hero movies are being released each year to saturate the market. Stay tuned for the Avengers: Endgame next month, followed yet another Spiderman movie due out in July. Seriously, I couldn't even tell you how many Spiderman movies there have been.

Was Captain Marvel made to ride off the coat tails of Wonderwoman (the hugely popular female superhero movie that broke records? Seems too much of a coincidence to say no.

Did I enjoy Captain Marvel? You bet your Nelly I did. She's independent, has to work through some major trust issues with her boss and she has a mysterious past which is uncovered through the course of the movie. I like the space scenes and rubber faces aliens (yeah, one has a cool British accent of course). This is where my Trekkie fangirl side was in heaven. There's plenty to love, including some fight scenes with cool music tracks as homage to Guardians of the Galaxy.

Is Captain Marvel overpowered? Hmm...maybe. We only get a glimpsed of her full powers, but they are pretty awesome.
It will be interesting to see what she gets up to in Avengers: Endgame. I have heard a rumour that she gets Thor, but let's wait and see on that one. Colour scheme-wise, she looks like the perfect partner for Captain America and they're both captains. Back to her with Thor, I quite like Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, so maybe a love triangle could be on the cards. BTW: don't I get my Loki fix in Endgame? He is half the reason I watch these movies. ... But I digress ... Captain Marvel, go and see it for yourself. 4 stars from me.

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Time to watch The House With a Clock it its Walls #magic #adventure #movie

9/16/2018

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School holidays are on the way here in Australia and that means one thing: Kids' Movies. Some are good, some are bad and many are just OK. Luckily this one we saw today was in the good category.

The Housde With a Clock in its Walls
Big names (and personalities) Jack Black and Cate Blanchett guide budding child star Owen Vaccaro as Lewis in the main role. Lewis's parents are killed in a tragic accident and he goes to live with his Uncle Jonathon (Black) in a spooky haunted house. As the plot progresses, Lewis discovers a world of magic and mysterious creatures, with a clock in the walls counting down to doomsday. The boy uncovers his own magical powers just in time as trouble is brewing.
Owen Vaccaro is a breath of fresh air in the role. While the plot is a little predictable, we all found lots to like and engaged with the 3 main characters. Sunny Suljic as class bully Tarby is also a highlight.

I took Miss 10 and Mr 15 who enjoyed the show and found it very entertaining.
4 and a half stars from the Beaumont clan

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Two for the price of one. Meet the Dragon Authors @DragonAuthors #FSFNet #interview

7/14/2017

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Always introduced as Erin and Steven, so I'm turning the tables and introducing Steven Brown and Erin Michelle Sky to you. Together this talented writing duo is known as the Dragon Authors and they have popped in to say Hi.
Erin confesses to being a keen fan of llamas and Anne McCaffrey.  Steven began writing at a young age when his supply of books to read ran out. A love of writing and illustration was born.

The other day I interviewed this dynamic duo for the Fantasy Sci Fi Network.
Here are a few of my fave snippets:
*   They have a new book called The Intuitives available for order
*   They work on something until they have agreement. Kudos to their patience.
*   Their next work sounds like a very exciting and creative piece of fan fiction
*   They do book reviews with a twist: video stick figure reviews
*   I love Steven's idea of writing music
*   Ice cream comes in neon colours - wow!

For all these cool insights and a whole lot more, check out the full interview on the FSFN website.

New release: The Intuitives
Genre: YA contemporary fantasy
Publisher: Trash Dogs Media LLC
Release Date: July 25, 2017

IMAGINATION JUST BECAME OUR GREATEST WEAPON.In Egypt, an archaeological team discovers the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. Seven years later, every public school student in America takes a strange new test, but only six are chosen to attend a summer program at the mysterious Institute for the Cultivation of Intuitive Cognition, where nothing is as it appears to be, including the students themselves.

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Review: Wonder Woman. The best super hero movie for a long time #WonderWoman #movie #review

6/18/2017

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So much has been said about a female super hero lead and a female director, girl power yada yada. Seriously folks, who cares? I sure don't. A good movie is a good movie and I reckon this one is mighty fine. Sure it has some world-building plot and character development which may seem a little slow in places to the adrenaline junkies, but I found it well done.
There is plenty of eye candy for all with gorgeous Gal Gadot and hunky Chris Pine wearing nothing but a few drops of water. The scenery and cinematography are visually splendid.
I went with my 15 year-old comic reading son and he said it was regrettable how much they differed from the comics, especially with the Gods and Chris Pine's character. He thought her powers weren't quite true to the comics, such as her forcefield or telekinetic powers. He also said that the action scenes were awesome, so I'm pleased he came along with me and enjoyed it. I also saw it with hubby who said much the same thing.

For me, it was a great all-rounder with lots of heart, relatable characters and really cool action. I found the backstory of Diana (Gadot) growing up with the Amazons on the hidden isle of Themyscira (I hope I spelled that correctly) all quite wonderful and it brought a cool fantasy edge to the movie for me. I guess she's a bit like a female version of Thor. I'll just step back and let the DC and Marvels fans argue that one out LOL.
I've been a Gadot fan for years from the Fast & Furious movies. I was pleasantly surprised at her emotional depth in the role and such a lovely chemistry with Chris Pine.
Also the battle scenes and horsing riding action were fantastic. The lasso work was well done. 5 stars from me.

Gee..I hope you all get this meme. It's a good one

Until next time, happy days, from Kasper :)

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Book review: Trust a Few by exciting sci-fi author E.M. Swift-Hook @emswifthook #scifi

5/31/2017

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Snubs in the air for the evil boogeyman!
Trust a Few is a great novel by E.M. Swift-Hook
Review: Avilon Revid was the 'bogeyman of ultimate evil,' Gee, I love that description.
He was, but now he isn't. Avilon is a shell of his former evil greatness. I think I would enjoy the preceding books to find out how his demise came about, for it isn't explained here, and it sounds intriguing. I'm betting his was a badass evil genius. That said, this is quite a well-rounded stand alone.
Avilon is discharged from the special military forces, just after his mentor, Jazatar Baldrik, and seeks to find his friend.

Along the way he meets other dangerous characters including Shame Cullen; murderous twins Foss and Faust, as well as Durban Chola who is more than he first appears. One character who stood out to me amid all the violence and dark scheming was Charis, who trusts Avilon and whom I found to be the most relatable character in the story. I found it difficult to connect with many of the blunt, no-nonsense fighters, but I sense that Charis will be the heart of this series. That said, I could be wrong, for I have idea where this grand space adventure will lead.
What's to like: the world-building is well done and you can almost see the snub guns, A.I. mechs, holofacade wall and picture the brain-linked data port. The characters are complex, flawed and well described. The writing style is good and easy to follow.
The downsides: I found it a bit slow in places, where so much back story, talking and character thoughts took place that the action seemed a bit slow. I would also like to have felt more of an emotional connection to the characters.
Trust a Few is the perfect name for an interesting novel. I recommend it for fans of dystopian sci-fi.
I bought this novel on the recommendation of a friend.

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Review of the exciting 'Suffrage' scifi adventure by Julian Green @jsagreenauthor #scifi

5/7/2017

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My review of Suffrage: 5 stars. A brilliant debut novel
From the very first page, I was hooked in by the tale of young Jay with her superhuman powers being rescued from a laboratory-type prison.
The setting is modern-day Earth, but the characters come from an alternative reality, where the utopian lifestyle for some comes at a harsh price for others. Our group of alternative-reality heroes wake up with amnesia in a present day air-force base. They slowly come to realise that their mission is to find a hidden world key in our reality, which can grant the wielder great powers. Unfortunately for Jay and her friends, a huge spaceship full of angry pursuers is hot on their trail and eager to destroy them.

Suffrage is very well written and edited, with a perfect balance of action and character development. At the heart of the story is the core group of friends on their mission to find the key. Each character is unique and has a part to play in the team. There are dozens of other characters introduced and I did find it overwhelming at the start, but it all comes across well as the story progresses. On character named Stanford seemed important at first, but then disappears and left me wondering why.
The author uses tension and pace very well in this multi-focal story. There are a lot of characters with differing motives and agendas. I would have liked more defined chapters and less points of view, but overall it works pretty well.
For me the standout point of the story is the harmonic time-travelling device used by the character named Snake. It shows great originality and creativity from the author.
I'll definitely read this again and eagerly await the next instalment in the World Key Chronicles.
I purchased the paperback version and posted the review on Amazon.

Suffrage's Blurb:
There is something hidden on Earth. A secret so immense it's worth killing for. In a race against time, five travellers arrive, hunting a key that will change the balance of power in their world.

Jay's birth father is a monster. He destroyed half her world and established a twisted version of utopia from the ashes, ruled by the Five Monarchs. But his blood flows in her veins, giving her power beyond any human. She has to prove that she's not him; that she's better. With the help of her teammates, she has to stop him from destroying her adoptive family and her world by finding the one thing that can make her his equal. But will the world key make her a monster, too?
Dr Stanford Ellis, an American scientist, is tasked with understanding these travellers. What does their arrival mean, for his country and the world? He must unravel the mystery before it’s too late.

Little do the travellers know, they were followed to our Earth. The Walker King has come seeking the rebels, and will let nothing stand in the way of his revenge. Freedom comes at a price.

Julian's avatar

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2nd story is even better. My review of Katie Cherry's Dragon Soul.

Kasper reviews Maleficent: Mistress of Evil #Maleficent #movies #review

Best kids' movie of 2019: Abominable #childrens #movie #abominable #magic

Choose Your Hunters of Reloria Adventure. A new book from yours truly. Complete the jigsaw to reveal the cover. #FSFRL #CoverReveal #Fantasy

Movie review: Captain Marvel. The latest Marvel comic hero to score a movie. #superhero #CaptainMarvel

Time to watch The House With a Clock it its Walls #magic #adventure #movie

Two for the price of one. Meet the Dragon Authors @DragonAuthors #FSFNet #interview

Review: Wonder Woman. The best super hero movie for a long time #WonderWoman #movie #review

Book review: Trust a Few by exciting sci-fi author E.M. Swift-Hook @emswifthook #scifi

Review of the exciting 'Suffrage' scifi adventure by Julian Green @jsagreenauthor #scifi

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