Day Three of Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week: Series Recap, Part 2

Welcome to Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week here at SunnyReads!

All this week we will be celebrating The Parasol Protectorate series as a whole, and specifically the release of the concluding book in the series, "Timeless - The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Fifth."

So today we will go back to the beginning and take a quick look at the second and third books in the series, "Blameless," and "Heartless," for a brief introduction/recap of the the story so far.

For any of you who may not have read the series so far, please beware - There are spoilers below!

Blameless - The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Third
The Blurb:
"Quitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon is the scandal of the London season.  Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town.  To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London's vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.

While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars.  Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires - and they're armed with pesto."

"Blameless" may be, in my opinion, the absolute funniest novel in the series so far.  We get to learn a little bit more about Professor Lyall.  Alexia decides to proactively go in search of information to prove that she is blameless in the scandal currently afflicting her (revealed at the end of "Changeless"), and decides that Italy and the ancient order of the Templars is the best place to start.  After a brief stop in Paris, she quickly realizes that it isn't only the vampires in London who wish her dead - it seems the vampires on the continent are also intent on killing her, but she still doesn't know why!  Upon finally arriving in Italy, she hopes to learn the answers to all her questions, and in some ways she does, but certainly not in the manner she hoped.  Unexpected surprises are the order of the day, and since her husband is busy trying to stay drunk (by drinking all of Professor Lyall's experiments!), Alexia will just have to save herself this time.  And really, with the help of Floote and Madame Lefoux, how hard could that be?



Heartless - The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Fourth
The Blurb:
"Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault.  When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember that she happens to be eight months pregnant.

Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late?  Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing?  And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?"

I already loved this series when "Heartless" was released, but even if I hadn't, the moment the zombie porcupines shuffled onto the page my heart was lost!  I mean, come on!  They're zombie porcupines!!  What's not to love?!  But there's oh so much more than that.  The attempts to murder Alexia have not lessened since her return from Italy, including - but not limited to - exploding gravy boats and flaming Mongolian poodles.  But at long last a sort of truce has been reached with the vampires, and Alexia is ready to settle down again.  At least until the mad ghost shows up muttering threats against the queen!  Once again Alexia finds herself in a race against time to solve the mystery and save the realm.  But could the threat also have a more personal consequence?  Only Alexia can solve the mystery and save the day, but with vampires swarming, rampaging werewolves, and a decidedly dangerous octomaton roaming the countryside, the question isn't can Alexia save the day, but, can she save the day before the birth of her child?!

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And that's all for today!  Thanks for joining me for this short look back at the beginning of the series!  Tomorrow is Thursday, and for Day Four of "Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week" I have a special surprise!  Something so exciting I've barely been able to contain myself - an interview with the author herself, Ms Gail Carriger!  So don't forget to stop back by tomorrow.  See you then!

Day Two of Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week: Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their To Be Read (TBR) Lists if they like your teasers!

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Welcome to Day Two of "Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week!"  Today is also Teaser Tuesday, and so, due to our theme this week, we have a Teaser from each of The Parasol Protectorate books so far!
(Also, I'm cheating - each Teaser is way more than two sentences - but I'm sure you'll survive!)


The Teasers:

 "My dearest girl,' said the vampire finally, examining Lord Maccon with an exhausted but appreciative eye, 'such a banquet. Never been one to favor werewolves myself, but he is very well equipped, now, is he not?'
Miss Tarabotti gave him an arch look. 'My goodies,' she warned.
'Humans,' chuckled the vampire, 'so possessive."

 -Soulless, The Parasol Protectorate: Book the First, by Gail Carriger

"They landed just before sunset on a patch of green near the Glasgow train station.  The dirigible came to rest as lightly as a butterfly on an egg, if the butterfly were to stumble a bit and list heavily to one side and the egg to take take on the peculiar characteristics of Scotland in winter: more soggy and more gray than one would think possible."

-Changeless, The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Second, by Gail Carriger

"Alexia had also given this due consideration over her tea and toast.  If she had to leave, she was going in pursuit of information.  If she had to flee, she might as well flee toward the possibility of proving her innocence. Only one country knew anything substantial about preternaturals. "I hear that Italy is lovely this time of year."
"Italy?"
"The hotbed of anti-supernatural sentiment," spat Professor Lyall.
"The cesspit of religious fanaticism," added Tunstell.
"The Templars." That last was from Floote, and he whispered it.
"I think it's a perfectly topping idea," said Alexia, expressionless."
-Blameless, The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Third, by Gail Carriger

"Motioning Ivy to stand, Alexia handed her the handle and said, "Spin the parasol three times and repeat after me: I shield in the name of fashion.  I accessorize for one and all.  Pursuit of truth is my passion.  This I vow by the great parasol."

Ivy did as she was told, face serious and concentrated.

"Now pick the parasol up and raise it, open, to the ceiling.  Yes, just like that."

"Is that all?  Shouldn't the vow be sealed in blood or something like?"

"Oh, do you think?"

Ivy nodded enthusiastically.  Alexia shrugged. "If you insist." She took back her parasol, snapped it closed, and twisted the handle.  Two wickedly sharp spikes projected out of the tip, one of silver, the other of wood.  Ivy inhaled in appreciation."

Heartless, The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Fourth, by Gail Carriger

What's your Tease?

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 Thanks for joining me for Day Two of "Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week!"  Stop back by tomorrow on Day Three for a brief introduction/recap of "Blameless" and "Heartless."  Then on Thursday - Day Four - I'll have a very special surprise for you that you absolutely will not want to miss!  See you then!!

Day One of Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week: Series Recap

Welcome to Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week here at SunnyReads!

All this week we will be celebrating The Parasol Protectorate series as a whole, and specifically the release of the concluding book in the series, "Timeless - The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Last."

So today we will go back to the beginning and take a quick look at the first two books in the series, "Soulless," and "Changeless," for a brief introduction/recap of the the story.

Soulless - The Parasol Protectorate: Book the First
The Blurb:
"Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.
Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking."

One of the things that I liked best about "Soulless" was Alexia herself  - she's strong, independent, pragmatic, not afraid to speak her mind, and witty to the core.  Quite simply put, she's fabulous.  Ms. Carriger has created an amazing world of vampires and werewolves with a Victorian overlay, and Alexia is the perfect guide to exploring this incredible alternate England.  The book opens with the aforementioned vampire attack, and Alexia quickly finds herself drawn into the middle of a mystery, which can only be solved with the help of a cast of eclectic characters who quickly become her close friends.  And as the story progresses she suddenly also finds herself head over heels in annoyance with Lord Maccon, and the inevitable love affair blossoms, though not exactly as one might expect.  Soulless is a witty and fun romp of a a steampunk mystery with a touch of romance, and a more than generous helping of comedy.



Changeless - The Parasol Protectorate: Book the Second
The Blurb:
Alexia Maccon, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs.  Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility.  Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can.

She might even find time to track down her wayward husband - if she feels like it."

"Changeless" continues the story of Alexia and company, as she finds herself in the middle of yet another mystery.  All of the supernaturals in London have suddenly reverted to being mortal, shockingly embarrassing in and of itself, and all of London's ghosts have been instantly exorcised.  As the sphere of influence leaves London and seems to travel across the country towards Scotland, Alexia decides she must follow it - and her missing husband.  And it gives her a perfect excuse to go floating aboard a dirigible, the most modern way to travel!  All is not what she expected though, either on the journey, or upon arrival in Scotland, and it seems that the more questions she finds answers for, the more mysteries remain!  Changeless is another smashing success, and if you haven't read it yet, there's a super special surprise waiting for you at the end!

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And that's all for today!  Thanks for joining me for this short look back at the beginning of the series!  Tomorrow is Tuesday, so for Day Two of "Gail Carriger and The Parasol Protectorate Week" I'll have a special version of Teaser Tuesday, with a Teaser for each of the books in the series so far - so don't forget to stop back by tomorrow.  See you then!

Movie Review - One for the Money

One for the Money (2012) * * * *
Director: Julie Anne Robinson
Starring: Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Sherri Shepherd, Daniel Sunjata, and Debbie Reynolds

From IMDB: "Unemployed and newly-divorced Stephanie Plum lands a job at her cousin's bail-bond business, where her first assignment puts her on the trail of a wanted local cop from her romantic past."

As most of you may already know, this movie is based on the book "One for the Money" written by Janet Evanovich, which is the frist book in the Stephanie Plum series. I had been eagerly looking forward to seeing "One for the Money" for months, and while I did enjoy the movie, the months of anticipation may have raised my expectations slightly higher than they should have been.

The movie follows the character of Stephanie Plum, who convinces her cousin to give her a job as a bounty hunter.  She has no experience, few skills, and even less luck when it comes to capturing cons.  But when one of her skips turns out to be an old boyfriend, and a cop to boot, Stephanie falls headlong into a missing persons mystery that just might get her killed.

Anyone who liked the book will probably like the movie.  I certainly did.  I had been a little worried about Heigl's ability to fit into the role of Stephanie, but I think in the end she did ok.  Jason O'Mara and Sherri Shepherd were great in their parts, and while I think that Daniel Sunjata did all right as Ranger, somehow at the same time he really just WASN'T Ranger at all.  The plot is entertaining and humorous in all the right spots, the pacing is decent, and someone who hasn't read the book will have no problem following the story.

So all in all it was good, but I left the movie theater slightly disappointed that it wasn't as AWESOME as I had built it up to be in my head.  But I did enjoy it, Bob enjoyed it, and it gets 4 stars from me, mainly for just being fun.

Have you seen "One for the Money?"  What did you think?  Do you want to see it?  Let me know, down below!

Also: Don't forget that next week, February 27th through March 2nd, is "Gail Carriger & The Parasol Protectorate Week" here at SunnyReads.  Join me for lots of Parasol Protectorate goodness as we celebrate the release of the final Parasol Protectorate novel "Timeless."  

Special Announcement - Gail Carriger & The Parasol Protectorate Week!

Release Date: March 1, 2012

Hear ye, Hear ye!!  I hereby declare that next week, February 27th through March 2nd, will henceforth be known as "Gail Carriger & The Parasol Protectorate Week" here at SunnyReads! 

Join me all week long as I celebrate the release of the final novel in the Parasol Protectorate series, "Timeless," which has an official release date of March 1st.  Throughout the week I will be discussing the various books in the series, and will end the week with a very special surprise - an interview with the fabulous author herself, Gail Carriger! 

So, please stay tuned for more information, and don't forget to join me next week, February 27th through March 2nd!

Teaser Tuesday - The Hunger Games

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their To Be Read (TBR) Lists if they like your teasers!

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I absolutely LOATHE First Person Present Tense.  First Person Past Tense I don't mind quite so much, but this book is all First Person Present, which I hate.  However, the story ain't so bad... 

The Tease:

 "When I break into the clearing, she's on the ground, hopelessly entangled in a net.  She just has time to reach her hand through the mesh and say my name before the spear enters her body."

 -The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

What's your Tease?

Reading Stuff...

So, upon completion (late last night) of The Mephisto Club, by Tess Gerritsen, I have now officially finished all of the books that I either received for Christmas, been loaned, or just randomly had laying around my room that I hadn't read yet.  I've been pushing to get caught up on everything that I already HAD before I purchased anything new.

So now I'm all caught up, and that leaves me with a bit of a dilemma.

When I revived this blog a year and half ago, "Mockingjay" - the 3rd book in the Hunger Games trilogy (which I had never even heard of) - was just about a month away from publication, and the internet was wild with anticipation.  Everyone with a book blog, it seemed, was reading advance review copies and writing ecstatically loving reviews, gushing endlessly about the wonders of Panem, the horrors of the Games, the extraordinary prowess of Katniss, and running rampant with speculation of which boy she would end up with.   Team Peeta and Team Gale badges began appearing on every YA blog, and I began to seriously wonder what kind of strange world I had wandered into with my whole "Hey let's start a blog where I can talk about books!" idea.

Then "Mockingjay" was actually released.  The hubbub and commotion surrounding the series escalated by a factor of 10, reaching nauseating proportions, and I decided that this whole YA/Hunger Games/feverish obsession was simply not for me, and vowed a solemn and sacred vow that I would not be joining the crowds, would not be swayed by peer pressure, and would not be reading this series! 

A vow that I am now about to break.

Because, as I'm sure you already know, the movie is coming out in March 2012 (next month!), and every time I see a preview for it I really really really really want to see it.  I know - I'm so ashamed of myself, but sweet grilled cheezus I really do! And I have a very strict rule that, whenever possible, if a movie is based on a book, I always make a point to read the book first.  (This is the only reason I read Twilight, because I wanted to see the movie.  What a mistake that was...).

Thus you see my dilemma.  I am now required to read a book that I vowed I would not read.  I know, #FirstWorldProblems, but still...

And so it is, my dear little Little Addicts, that this weekend I will be downloading "The Hunger Games" to my NookColor and begin reading it.  Try not to think any less of me for breaking my vow.

But if this weekend you happen to notice a strange and eerie coldness emanating from beneath the ground, or see something that looks suspiciously like a pig soaring above the clouds, at least now you will know why.

Book News - The Wheel of Time: A Memory of Light

This was posted on Tor.com this morning:

"The first novel in Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time®, The Eye of the World, was released on January 15, 1990. Now more than twenty years later, Tor Books is thrilled to announce the official publication date for the final novel in the series.
A Memory of Light will release on January 8, 2013, in the final month of the Year of the Dragon."

The rest of the article can be found here.

So!!  Less than a year to go!  I first discovered the series in the mid-90's, so I haven't been waiting nearly as long as a long of other fans.  But it has been a very long journey, and I'm so glad that Brandon Sanderson has done such a wonderful job completing the series. I must admit that I didn't think this series would end in my lifetime, but I'm it will be nice to finally see how it all turns out.  I think it will also be sad to see it coming to an end, after spending so many years together as the characters have become dear, dear friends over the years.  But Hooray - only 11 months to go!!

Teaser Tuesday - The Mephisto Club

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their To Be Read (TBR) Lists if they like your teasers!

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A new week, and yet another new book!  This one is part of the mystery series that the television show Rizzoli & Isles is based on.  It isn't the first in the series, but I haven't felt lost by not reading the previous novels, which is nice. 

The Tease:

 "One look was all it took.
One glimpse of blood, of splayed arms and ruined faces.
Of Giorgio and Paolo, tangled together in a last embrace.
She backed away, hand clapped to her mouth, her vision blurred in a wash of tears.
My fault.  This is all my fault.  They were killed because of me."

 -The Mephisto Club, by Tess Gerritsen

What's your Tease?

Review - Movie Catch-up January - The Iron Lady

The Iron Lady (2011) * * * * *
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anthony Head, Jim Broadbent and Richard E. Grant

From IMDB: "A look at the life of Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with a focus on the price she paid for power."

I was looking forward to seeing this movie in the weeks before it came out - the previews made it look amazing and Meryl Streep herself is always fabulous in everything she does.  Bob and I will go see anything she does, simply because she is in it.

So I was a little surprised when we walked out of the theater and I found myself to be just a tiny bit disappointed with the film and its portrayal of Margaret Thatcher.  The story is told through Margaret as an older woman having flashbacks to her youth and the important events in her life.  Generally, I have no problem with this storytelling method, as it can be quite effective, and in this case it was as well, except that in the present Margaret Thatcher came across as more than a little mentally unbalanced, which then made her memories of her past unreliable.  Also the way the story jumps from the present to the past and back again and just skimming the events portrayed made the story feel rushed, kind of like a highlights reel instead of an actual story.  I walked into the theater with relatively few memories of the British Prime minister, but generally liking Margaret Thatcher as an individual, but I walked out of the theater not liking her very much at all, but am unsure if that's really fair, as I don't know how accurate the portrayal of her as a person really was.

Possibly someone more familiar with the history and events of her life wouldn't have this problem.  It didn't seem to bother Bob in the slightest, but I kept wondering if this was the way it "really happened" or just her unreliable interpretation of the events.

Either way Streep absolutely shines in the role.  I was amazed at how thoroughly she sinks into the role and becomes Margaret Thatcher, to the point where she no longer even sounds like herself.  This dedication to her characters is why Streep is such an amazing actress in my opinion, and it is solely due to her personal brilliance that I give the film five stars.  But without Streep I would give the film 3 stars at most.

Book Review - Ark, by Stephen Baxter

1. Flood    Stephen Baxter    3/12/2011    *****
2. Ark       Stephen Baxter    5/22/2011    *****

From Goodreads:

"It's the year 2030. The oceans have risen rapidly, and soon the entire planet will be submerged. But the discovery of another life-sustaining planet light years away gives those who remain alive hope. Only a few will be able to make the journey - Holle Groundwater is one of the candidates. If she makes the cut, she will live. If not, she will be left to face a watery death..."

My Thoughts:
I've avoided writing this review for "Ark" for months now, and I'm not exactly sure why.  It's totally not fair to the novel, which I loved, yet every time I thought of putting my thoughts about it into words, I'd put it off - partly because I'm still unsure of how to describe how I feel about this novel.

"Ark" is the sequel to "Flood," and tells the story of Ark One, (which was mentioned briefly in "Flood") and a group of young people training to fly the spaceship to a planet that has been discovered that may possibly support life.  Holle Groundwater joins the group of candidates as a child, and they train together through their teenage years, preparing for an event that they themselves cannot really even comprehend.  Outside the confines of their safe, secure, and (comparatively) luxurious training compounds, the rest of the world continues its slow decline as the oceans rise year by year, and refugees from the drowned areas of the world flock towards higher ground in a desperate bid to survive.

When the time arrives for the improbable spaceship to blastoff and begin its journey into space nothing goes as planned, as thousands of refugees storm the compound and break into the facility in an attempt to board the ship.  Holle and her companions barley board in time and the takeoff, while ultimately successful, is far from the smooth operation that they trained for.  The ship ends up overcrowded with people who are unqualified and unprepared for what is to come, and some of the greatly needed specialists don't make it on-board at all.  Everyone tries to make the best of the situation, and the journey to the stars begins.

The rest of the novel deals with the journey, and the social situations that evolve as the crew spend years in the over-crowded conditions, dealing with the complications of a second generation that has never known Earth or full gravity, and have no concept of the life their parents have left behind and the sacrifices of their elders.

At one point in the story one of the engineers has some sort of mental break and develops multiple personalities from the stress, and becomes convinced that late at night he can hear someone knocking on the outside of the ship.  This leads to some almost cult-like behavior among some of the crew, who spend hours sharing their dreams and eventually convincing themselves that they aren't even on a ship in space at all and that the flooding of Earth never happened, and that the whole thing is an elaborate "reality" show.  Believing that the "knocking" outside the walls are some sort of secret message, some of the second generation tunnel through the wall of one of the compartments, and the resulting disaster nearly destroys the entire ship.

Baxter is an amazing author, and as one reads "Ark" it seems apparent that he has done his research thoroughly, not just into the science of space and flight, but into the social sciences as well.  Some of these scenes were so well written that for several nights after finishing "Ark," I would wake up in the middle of the night totally convinced that someone had just knocked on the wall beside my bed.

While many of the scenes and events in "Ark" are horrifying and depressingly awful, there is an underlying feeling of hope and courage, as the crew struggles to do everything they can to ensure the survival of the human race, enduring unthinkable hardships and sacrificing nearly everything along the way, yet still attempting to retain that which makes them human.  Ultimately though, the ending of the novel almost felt anti-climatic - there were too many loose ends left lying about to feel certain that the sacrifices and the hardships hadn't been in vain.

However, I still give it five stars, and recommend it to people often, as an amazing example of what good science fiction can be like.  "Ark," like "Flood," will make you think, and that, along with great storytelling and characters, makes it a great book in my opinion.

Teaser Tuesday - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just:
* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their To Be Read (TBR) Lists if they like your teasers!

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I received this book for Christmas, and was finally able to start reading it.  It's amazing and I have a difficult time putting it down!  It's creepily and eerily wonderful!!

The Tease:

 ""He could see the monsters."
  The moment she said it, all the horrors I thought I'd put behind me came flooding back.  They were real.  They were real and they'd killed my grandfather.
  "I can see them, too," I told her, whispering it like a secret shame."

 -Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

What's your Tease?

Movie News - Skyfall

Today, Sony Pictures released the first official photo from "Skyfall," the newest James Bond film.  The photo shows Daniel Craig clutching a gun in a scene apparently set in Shanghai.  The usually clean shaven Craig sports a bit of a stubbly beard.

The film is directed by Sam Mendes, and reunites Daniel Craig as 007 and Judi Dench as spy chief M.  Other stars joining the cast include Javier Bardem, Albert Finney, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Naomie Harris and Berenice Marlohe as the newest Bond girls.

"Skyfall" is scheduled to hit theaters in the U.S. on Nov. 9.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in "Skyfall."

(Credit: Sony Pictures)