Short story review for "Those Devils"

I've been given the chance to read and review a short story, Those Devils, written by a friend of mine. His name is James DeSantis. He is currently moving up on Amazon's Best Seller list and is/was around 86th in line! I've mentioned him before as I read his book, Exterminators Infected. He has the great talent of writing dark but inviting tales. This one is no different.

It's about a man who has lost his mind. He has completely lost himself in this alternate reality that only he can see and that is all in his imagination. He sees other humans as being "devils" who are out to kill him. He also takes it upon himself to kill them when the chance arises. A team of military trackers are given the orders to hunt him down and eliminate him. But this guy is not the type to roll over and die. He also has training in self defense. This short story runs through the events of a single night and the outcome that you don't really see coming. He has imagined that he was dating a wonderful girl who was brutally raped and then murdered. He seeks revenge but has enough control to know that living to kill another day is more important. His hunters get closer than he would like and then the cataclysmic event that shows the truth comes about. I truly hope there is more to come from this great author. He shows promise and a unique writing style (especially with his New York accent flowing into his writing).
James has this story currently for sale on Amazon.com for .99. Its a great read if you are into dark terror and twisting plots that have you asking for more as you grip the edge of your seat. Check it out and let me know what you think! Don't want just one review? Check out this vlog review by Nick Pell.

My Gevalia House Party

Three families came together last night to share in the enjoyment of friendship while sipping the delectable Gevalia Kaffe blends.

I prepared a simple party get-together where the adults could relax and sip on the coffees while the kids ran around playing together.

They are made from real milk and come in 2 easy steps. First, you open the froth packets and pour it into your coffee cup.

Simply place your cup under your single-serve machine and put the K-cup into the top.

Select the 8 ounce size, press and watch the froth swirl to the top! Give it a quick stir when its ready and be prepared for a mini break from all you are striving to accomplish. Its a two-step process that makes something complex, become easy.

I even made a chocolate cake to share.

Being a part of House Party, they sent me a party kit that had the coffee packs, coupons to give out, and some cool stencils to play with while decorating the foam!

The Caramel Macchiato was, out of the three flavors I tried, my favorite! The scent of caramel draws you in and the taste was excellent! Its not heavy on the coffee flavor, which is what I really liked. And its only slightly sweet. I also found that my younger sister was consistently stealing sips when I turned away... I think though, part of my favorite experience with this one was having the froth already added in.

The next flavor that seemed to be enjoyed, was the Mocha Latte.

I asked my dad about his opinions.

He's the family connoisseur of coffees:

Dad: (he was drinking the Mocha Latte) Smells great. My mouth felt a little dry after drinking it. I'm not used to flavored coffee.

I tried the Cappuccino flavor. I don't think I like cappuccino at all now. It was strong and bitter to me. But then, I'm not big on coffee.

Overall, we had a great night with lots of fun memories! Our kids were worn out and promptly ready for bed too. Can't get much better than that!

If you use Cartwheel, you can currently get 30% off a box of Gevalia. Just in time for the holiday parties! This offer ends November 30th though.

Thor: The Dark World review

Now that Thor: The Dark World is available to everyone in theaters, I can tell you I saw the prescreening! What. A. Movie! Loki is his devilishly witty self with every part of his scenes rolling the jokes out. Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, is a scientist (did you know she really is a scientist in real life?!) who has been mourning the fact that her beloved Thor hasn't come back to her... Even though he did come to New York to save the world. She's as fired up as ever and let's loose on Thor and his brother, Loki. The All Father, Odin, has his hands full trying to return peace to the warring realms since Loki's last attempt at domination went awry.

Odin is played by another favorite actor of mine - Anthony Hopkins. And the Queen, Friga, desperately wishes to find the son she once knew in Loki. He of course has turned to bitter hatred and is dripping with sarcastic comebacks.

So what's the gist of the movie? First we hear the ancient history concerning the Dark Elves. They tried to cloak the entire universe in darkness with a special power that can only be unlocked when the realms align. He attempted such, but the previous All Father (Thor's grandfather), destroyed the vast majority of the dark elves and thought he had completely annihilated the threat. Except he had the powerful weapon they made buried deep where no one could find it. But someone does...
In the present - Loki is now prisoner in Asgard.

Peace is being re-established in the realms. A certain scientist is looking for Thor and can't seem to date anyone else because her mind stays on Thor. She finds a nightmare instead. Thor comes back, ready to rescue his damsel in distress. Only he gets more than he can handle.

Can he trust his brother (whom he'd have to break out of prison)?  Can he commit treason and go against his fathers law? Or will the entire universe be plunged into darkness and overruled by dark elves and the Kursed?

So much to accomplish before the Convergence of the 9 realms!

 The fight scenes are splendidly done. I saw it in 3D and was pleasantly surprised by all the intricate detail. One of my favorite parts? Stan Lee's appearance! He makes a cameo appearance in all his Marvel movies, and Thor: The Dark World was no different. In this one, Stan Lee is in the mental institution with another returning character who was arrested and put in the asylum for running nude through Stonehenge. I won't tell you, but it shouldn't be hard to guess.
 Now I'm no expert and never read the comics, so get mad and say what you want concerning the truth in the story, but so far as I can tell - it's amazing.
Bonus: should you be patient enough to watch past the credits, you will see something that could point to towards the next movie. And leads you to the truth of what really happened to Loki! I won't spoil it for you, but I do want to remind you that Loki is the master of illusion... Also, if you stay for more credits and show the last bit of patience possible... There is further storyline! Can it truly be?! Two lovers just might be reunited....

http://bcove.me/i5l7vvzf

So check it out and tell me what you think!
And just for fun ;-)
 

Allied Shirts review

I've done a review for BuildASign and Easy Canvas Prints. This next review is a partner company of theirs called Allied Shirts. It's an easy to use website that allows you to design and print shirts, sweatshirts, or hoodies. Whether you need only one for yourself, or a large amount for a group they can print up your custom design and ship it fairly quickly.

Using the website was really simple. You can add a picture and text. You choose if you want both the front and back designs or just the front. These are great for family reunions, large group gatherings and events, or anything you would want to be able to identify your members with easily.
Once you have completed the design and added it to your cart, you then verify things like shipping and payment. After that, you will see many offers of other things you could get or just Skip through them. Shipping for my shirt came in under a week.

It’s a comfy cotton Gildan shirt. I washed it once already, and the printing hasn’t worn or separated as some do. I chose a simple design. Especially since I believe that the strongest persuasion comes from the least pushing. But you could do so much more. They have many options to choose from to make your shirts memorable and long lasting.

I also received an email about a promotion they are doing. Now until October 28, 2013, you can get 30% off! Plus free standard shipping. Check out their Facebook page for information on any promotions they might have such as Giveaways. And you can also follow them on Twitter or Pinterest. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

BuildASign.com
and also
Printcopia are something to look at.

Another great set came from Pleygo!

We received another set from Pleygo this past week.

It was a Creator set #31005. You can make three different trucks (separately).

There were a few minor issues, but nothing that prevented us from building the sets. My favorite of the three was the last truck.

Its a 4 wheel drive truck with a dune buggy (that looks like it has bug eyes). My little brother even enjoyed helping me build one.

They have added some new sets to their inventory!

If you haven't checked them out yet, I suggest you do. Prices are listed on their site as well.

Artistic Rhinolin II Desk Pad review via Shoplet.com

It’s time for another review via Shoplet.com! This time it’s for a Desk Pad.

Consider it like a mouse pad on a larger scale. It fits my husband’s keyboard and mouse on. This helps keep things in place so they don’t go sliding all over the place as it has an anti-skid, suede-like backing. It also provides a flatter surface in case you have a makeshift desk like ours that has tiles on it. I love that it’s smooth, sturdy and black but has a low-glare satin black finish. It's easy to wipe off if you get something on it. It goes well in our office and is useful. It’s a large enough size to fit the important things. I also like that it protects your desk.

You can purchase this as well as many other office supplies from Shoplet.com. They also offer promotional products that get the word out about your business such as promotional shirts. I'm also happy to report that they now have office stationary for the United Kingdom!

TruMoo milk review via Bzz Agent

My kids love chocolate milk. But then… who doesn’t?

As a Bzz Agent, I was given the chance to try and share the experience for TruMoo milk. I've also been sharing the coupons with friends and families so they can try them!

They have dressed up their milk for Halloween this year and not only do they offer chocolate, but they have Vanilla milk that is colored orange!

Both were rich and creamy in taste. There is no syrup that has to be shaken from the bottom of the jug. My kids gave it the thumbs up for taste.

My husband who is hard pressed to drink anything besides soda or Gatorade... even enjoyed both.

Though his favorite would be the chocolate while I lean to the vanilla.

Still, overall we enjoyed it to the last drop.

Want to know more about TruMoo? Check out their website! They provide store locators, nutrition information,

and even a coupon or more that you can sign up to get.

And they are holding a sweepstakes for a Goosebumps Haunted Hollywood Vacation! Look under the cap of the milk and enter a code for your chance to win.