Entertainment | Page 23 of 90

Burning Magic, a great end to Shadow Magic that leaves you wanting more.

I have never read a Harry Potter book and I feel as though I’m in front of a support group when I say that. To further spread the butter of the heretics, I’ve only seen one Harry Potter film and that was the one that had the large snake in the climatic final showdown. We have most of the Harry Potter books in the home library, courtesy of my wife, as well as, those from Rick Riordan. I have to mention all of this before commenting on the third and final novel in the Shadow Magic series, Burning Magic from Joshua Khan. As with the aforementioned book series, Shadow Magic has a large and passionate fan base. They’ll also be rewarded with Burning Magic, a book that’s detail rich, action packed and has character development-with plenty of twists that will leave them clinging to the end of each chapter.

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The Ambrose Deception is middle school, entertainment reading gold

The Ambrose Deception is the kind of book that middle school students will effortlessly enjoy. It’s the story of three middle school students who have nothing in common, but are randomly chosen to compete for a $10,000 scholarship. Getting middle school students to read for fun can be challenging. If you ask them, some will respond that they read enough in school and where’s the closest video game I’m bored? To that end, The Ambrose Deception is a very fast paced book that’s smart without being (too) smarmy that has something for every kid to latch onto.

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Netflix and some streaming options for the flu and cold season

We’re part of the Stream Team for Netflix and received goods or compensation for this post. All thoughts are our own. In our house we’ve had three out of four people down, to some degree, with the flu or otherwise germy funk that is usually associated with children. The youngest one had his hand on the tablet and the adults were splitting time between the televisions. Here’s a rundown of some things that you might want to watch if you, or your kids are stuck in bed with the flu or some Petri dish of infection.

Captain Underpants/Boss Baby

These two movies are great for different reasons. When our 6YO had the flu he must have seen Boss Baby at least eight times. Captain Underpants was watched by him and I twice. Personally I prefer Captain Underpants, it’s a better film, with more depth, but kids will certainly enjoy both. Continue reading Netflix and some streaming options for the flu and cold season

Star Wars: Forces of Destiny, Tales of Hope & Courage review

At the intersection of Wimpy Kid and Star Wars lies Forces of Destiny, Tales of Hope & Courage. It’s a hardback graphic novel, with six original stories that are presented in a journal format. Moreover, the book’s narrator is Maz Kanata and has more vocabulary than illustrations, but still easily qualifies as a graphic novel.

The women of Star Wars take the lead in Tales of Hope & Courage. Princess Leia, Jyn Erso, Ahsoka Tano, Rey, Sabine Wren and Padme Amidala each have their own story. Young readers, especially Star Wars fans will enjoy the storytelling pattern that Maz Kanata. They’re presented in a home spun, folky way that young readers won’t realize, but holds their hand as they maneuver their way through the book. Older readers might equate Maz’ style to The Storyteller from Jim Henson or some other relaxed, trusted soul who’s telling tales.

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Pinckney Island needs to be on the nature lover’s stop in the lowcountry

When visiting the lowcountry in South Carolina or around Hilton Head Island it’s tempting to base your visit exclusively to the beach area. About a half mile before you cross the bridge that enters Hilton Head Island look to your left, as the turn bends to the right and you’ll see a sign for Pinckney Island. Pinckney Island is a National Wildlife Preserve that will all but transport you to another time. The first time I walked the grounds of Pinckney Island I could just imagine Jeff Goldblum or Chris Pratt telling me that I didn’t belong here and it was ‘their’ space. Between the rich audio landscape of calling birds, thick and tall pine forest and isolation it was easy to imagine a lost world.

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Win a copy of The LEGO Ninjago Movie on Blu-ray DVD, plus figures

Who wants to win a copy of The LEGO Ninjago Movie on Blu-ray DVD? Let’s up the ante, who wants to win a copy of The LEGO Ninjago Movie on Blu-ray DVD, some coloring sheets with characters from the film and some LEGO figurines? The film arrives on DVD on December 19 and here’s your chance to win it.

Win a copy of The LEGO Ninjago Movie on Blu-ray DVD, plus LEGO figures

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Enter to win a copy of The Defiant Ones on Blu-ray DVD

It’s a little ironic that The Defiant Ones starts out near the end of the story. The multi-billion dollar deal between Apple and Beats by Dre has been finalized, but not made public. Jimmy Iovine learns from Puff Daddy that reports of the deal are being bragged about on Facebook, which could scuttle the entire transaction. That was 2014, but the road leading up that moment is the true story of The Defiant Ones, which has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Music Film. It is intended for mature audiences and contains content that is not rated.

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Christmas cravings for the family to enjoy this holiday season on Netflix

We’re part of the Stream Team for Netflix and were compensated for this post. Type in a holiday, any holiday into the search box in Netflix and you’ll find buckets of options for whichever festive occasion you’re in the mood for. Christmas is no exception and there are dozens upon dozens of movies, programs and specials that’ll get you in that holiday spirit, regardless of your age. Here’s a quick rundown of eight programs that’ll suit those from young children to older viewers.

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