Hellloo? Is anyone still out there? I know I haven’t posted a Life with Lisa in a while, but someone has to be here!?

So things at home have been hard, the last two weeks or so. I haven’t even had time to study or do homework, I’ve been unbelievable busy!

I’ve never really talked about myself in this blogging world, until I started writing for Burn Bright and have “Life with Lisa”, where I can talk about whatever I want. Before this, my focus was books, and book reviews. That was the goal, I never considered talking about myself, I just never thought someone would want to read about a 17 year old girl’s life?

So not many people know I’m a military brat. My dad’s in the army, and has been even before I was born.

When we’re younger, your dad is your hero, he is always the one you look up to and look for, for protection. Watching movies, you’d think that not too many teenagers have good relationships with their parents, but my dad’s my best friend, I spend all day with him. I tell him anything and everything, he’s the one I come to when I have problems, need someone to talk to, and even when I’m just bored and want to hangout.

I love my mom, but I’ve never been as close to my mom as I have with my dad. That’s why, when he deployed (last Sunday) it was really hard on me. Not only did my dad leave, but also my best friend and my hero.

Since my brother is across the state, going to college, and my dad is deployed, the house is pretty quiet. The house feels empty.

But it was his choice to join the army, it was his choice to serve his country. And my family and I stand by him, no matter what he decides/chooses to do, simply because that’s what family does.

He’ll be back next November, and I’ll be praying for him every night until than.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by, and my posts will be on time from now on.

Lisa

A hat trick of fantastic books is a rare occurrence, but it is precisely what we have on hand from Kristen Painter with the House of Comarré series. Bad Blood is the most recent installment, and in my opinion, it is the best one yet.

On the cover Chrysabelle is ready for battle. Her hair has been braided well and truly out of the way, both hands wielding the deadliness of Sacres, and the kick-ass armor is in place. This girl is ready for the fight of her life.

“A spate of violent murders is plaguing Paradise City, all the victims being girls masquerading as vampire servants. The Kubai Mata have long battled othernatural atrocities, but have had their hands full as they work with the police to stop this bloodshed.

As their city becomes increasingly dangerous, Malkolm and Chrysabell hunt the Ring of Sorrow – hoping its power will provide an essential edge against dark otherworld forces. But forced to make a life and death decision, Chrysabelle realises her relationship to Malkolm could prove fatal. Meanwhile, the night of Samhain approaches, bringing the final melding of mortal and othernatural worlds. No one knows what to expect – except that the war is coming.”

If you’ve done what I suggested in the previous two book reviews for this series, you will have already read this book. If not, I do suggest consuming the series in order. That way you get the full impact of character development and the awesome story arc. Kristen Painter is an expert at action scenes and cliffhangers. Her ability to create perfectly terrible bad guys and lovable but flawed good guys is really working in her favor.

There are moments where I thought I would burst from the suspense, and I found myself yelling at the pages. *being normal is over rated*

I really can’t go into too much detail, because even to pick one thread of storyline would unravel the others. Yes, it’s woven that tightly.

This series would make the perfect gift for someone who likes off-beat vampire stories, and would be a perfect way to spend those rainy vacation days. These books are quite suitable for a Young Adult audience and adults alike.

http://kristenpainter.com/

http://www.houseofcomarre.com/

Paperback, 384 pages

Published November 2011 by Orbit

ISBN 1841499714 (ISBN13: 9781841499710)

Top 5 best music related DVD’s ~In my opinion anyway~

Some days you don’t want the high drama of a fantasy movie or a chick flick. Some days you want to sing along and have a blast; maybe even learn stuff.

I understand people have said to me in the past that my musical tastes run from the sublime to the ridiculous, with more emphasis on the ridiculous, but putting that aside, here from my own DVD collection, I give you my top 5 best music related DVD’s, in no particular order.

#5 VH1 Storytellers Meat Loaf ~ The Storytellers series is brilliant, even if you’re not so much a fan of the artist’s music. It gives insight into the writing process of songs and Meat Loaf is hilariously blunt; to the point he has a chalk board and a willow switch when pointing to the lyrics on the board. This was quite entertaining as well as educational. Though he didn’t get a great write up after his performance at the football here recently, the man can sing like an angel.

#4 Celine: Through the eyes of the world ~  I managed to see this one on the big screen when it was released. For $20 a ticket it would want to be really good. As is the norm for Celine Dion, it didn’t miss a beat and with a combination of behind the scenes footage of the Taking Chances tour, media footage and onstage performance. You feel like you are part of the audience when they are at a live concert and a part of the family when they’re in private. I had goose bumps and there were bits that had me doing the ugly cry; mainly her tour of Auschwitz. If you can fast forward through My Heart Will Go On, the rest of it is well worth your time.

#3 Metallica S&M ~ Before they sold out and went completely rubbish, Metallica combined their brand of heavy metal with classical music with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.  If your family has an impressive home theater system, this DVD is fun to play a little louder than a movie. The DVD contains 2 and a half hours of the S&M concert and a 41 minute documentary. You get a behind the scenes look at the making of S&M.

#2 The Go Go’s in Central Park ~ You haven’t lived until you have sung along with Belinda Carlisle. I’ve seen her live twice but never with the Go Go’s.
This is about as close as I’m ever going to get I reckon, and it’s a fun concert to bop along to. The disc also has 30 minutes of behind the scenes footage, which is a nice little bonus.

#1 P!nk The Funhouse Tour ~ I was in the front row for one of the Brisbane shows on this tour and the DVD is as thrilling as being there. You don’t miss a beat and her performance is the best, bar none. Between aerial high flying and the fabulous costuming, you tend to forget that there is anything else happening in the world for as long as she is onstage.  There are bonus tracks and a brilliant behind the scenes extra of the tour. I cannot wait for her to tour again.

Top 5 best fantasy movies of all time ~ In my opinion anyway~

With the school holidays heading our way like a runaway freight train; I thought I’d do a few lists of movies you can use to kill a few hours. Maybe you’re baby-sitting some tweens, or just want to escape for a while.

With the help of IMBD, here’s a quick rundown of each of my personal choices for the top 5 best fantasy movies, in chronological order.

#5 The Dark Crystal (1982) –  Another planet, another time. 1000 years ago the mysterious Dark Crystal was damaged by one of the Urskeks and an age of chaos has begun! The evil race of grotesque birdlike lizards, the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. Meanwhile, the orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of the peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal which gives the Skesis their power, and restore the balance of the universe.

Jim Henson, Frank Oz and David Odell are the genius behind this oddity. As the fame of the name Jim Henson suggests, this movie is almost purely puppets and large puppet like creatures. Probably wouldn’t show this one to anyone under about the age of 7 as it is a little trippy.

#4 Legend (1985) – A demon who seeks to create eternal night by destroying the last of the unicorns and marrying a fairy princess is opposed by the forest boy Jack and his elven allies in this magical fantasy.

Ridley Scott and William Hjortsberg brought this amazing movie to life. Starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara and Tim Curry, it’s hard to believe that this movie isn’t better known than it is.

#3 Labyrinth (1986) – Young Sarah is left home alone by her parents and she has to babysit her little brother Toby. But the baby keeps crying and Sarah, while telling him a story to make him sleep, inadvertently conjures from a fantasy world the Goblin King, who steals the child and brings him to his castle in the middle of a labyrinth.

Sarah has to rescue him before midnight, or the baby will became a goblin.

Jim Henson, Dennis Lee and Terry Jones worked meticulously to create this luscious fantastical world. The cast include one very primped and preened David Bowie, a young Jennifer Connelly and Toby Froud as Toby.

David also did the memorable soundtrack.

#2 Willow ( 1988) – Willow, a small farmer/apprentice magician, meets Mad Martigan, a great swordsman, and together they journey through a war-torn land of magic and monsters, to save a baby princess from death at the hands of an evil queen.

Ron Howard, George Lucas and Bob Dolman blew our minds with special effects that had never been seen before in this movie. Morphing is something to see in the special features if you get the right version of the DVD release. Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley and Warwick Davies top the cast list and carry you right into the storyline… again probably not for the really young kids as there is a little blood and the evil queen is REALLY evil.

#1 The Princess Bride (1988) – A kindly grandfather sits down with his ill grandson and reads him a story. The story is one that has been passed down from father to son for generations. As the grandfather reads the story, the action comes alive. The story is a classic tale of love and adventure as the beautiful Buttercup, engaged to the odious Prince Humperdinck, is kidnapped and held against her will in order to start a war. It is up to Westley (her childhood beau, now returned as the Dread Pirate Roberts) to save her. On the way he meets a thief and his hired helpers, an accomplished swordsman and a huge, super strong giant, both of whom become Westley’s companions in his quest.

Ron Reiner and William Goldman did a wonderful job making this film melt into our hearts. The cast is one to be seen, but the highlights in my opinion are Billy Crystal, André the Giant, Mandy Patinkin, Peter Fralk and Fred Savage.