Concussion by Jeanne Marie Laskas (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.
 
About the book-

Soon to be a major motion picture starring Will Smith, Concussion is the riveting, unlikely story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, the pathologist who made one of the most significant medical discoveries of the twenty-first century, a discovery that challenges the existence of America's favorite sport and puts Omalu in the crosshairs of football's most powerful corporation: the NFL.

In September of 2002, in a dingy morgue in downtown Pittsburgh, a young forensic neuropathologist named Bennet Omalu picked up a scalpel and made a discovery that would rattle America in ways he never intended. Omalu was new to America, chasing the dream, a deeply spiritual man escaping the wounds of civil war in Nigeria. The body on the slab in front of him belonged to a fifty-year-old named Mike Webster—aka “Iron Mike”—a Hall of Fame center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the greatest to ever play the game. After retiring in 1990, Webster had suffered a dizzyingly steep decline. Toward the end of his life, he was living out of his van, Tasering himself to relieve his chronic pain, and fixing his rotting teeth with Super Glue. How did this happen? Omalu asked himself. How did a young man like Mike Webster end up like this? The search for answers would change Omalu's life forever and put him in the crosshairs of one of the most powerful corporations in America: the National Football League. What Omalu discovered in Mike Webster's brain—proof that his mental deterioration was no accident, but a disease, caused by relentless blows to the head, that could affect everyone playing the game—was the one truth the NFL would do anything to keep secret.

Taut, gripping, and gorgeously told, Concussion is the stirring true story of one unlikely man's courageous decision to stand up to a multibillion-dollar colossus bent on silencing him, and to tell the world the truth.

My thoughts- 

I saw a preview for the movie version of Concussion awhile back and I knew right away it would be a movie my husband and I would go and see together. I was even more excited when I found out that it was based on a book. I am not one of those people that has a problem seeing movies based on books. I think it expands the experience and sometimes offers a new perspective on the content.

Concussion was an interesting book from the get go. I found Bennet Omalu's whole story fascinating. I enjoyed that first half of the book that told us about his roots and growing up in Nigeria and about his family. It also laid out the reason he came to America and why he was  put on the career path he was. I found that interesting without the aspect of him bringing forth the information about the damage repeated blows and concussions cause to football players, but his research on these brains of football players and the trouble he had trying to bring attention to it, make this book a page turner. Omalu is an intriguing character both in his daily life and in his career. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading biographies of interesting people.

Concussion will be available on November 24. You can pre-order your copy today!

Concussion, the Major Motion Picture will be released on Christmas day. Enjoy the trailer below-

The Wonder of All Things by Jason Mott (Book Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

On an ordinary day, at an air show like that in any small town across the country, a plane crashes into a crowd of spectators. After the dust clears, a thirteen-year-old girl named Ava is found huddled beneath a pocket of rubble with her best friend, Wash. He is injured and bleeding, and when Ava places her hands over him, his wounds disappear. Ava has an unusual gift: she can heal others of their physical ailments. Until the air show tragedy, her gift was a secret. Now the whole world knows, and suddenly people from all over the globe begin flocking to her small town, looking for healing and eager to catch a glimpse of The Miracle Child. But Ava's unique ability comes at a great cost, and as she grows weaker with each healing, she soon finds herself having to decide just how much she's willing to give up in order to save the ones she loves most. Elegantly written, deeply intimate and emotionally astute, The Wonder of All Things is an unforgettable story and a poignant reminder of life's extraordinary gifts.

My thoughts-

I have been anticipating this sophomore effort from Jason Mott pretty much since I finished reading The Returned last year. When I read the plot synopsis, I was excited that this is something different than his first book, but still in the same vein of things. I really had a difficult time putting this story down. There were so many questions that I wanted the answers to and so many things that I wanted to see unfold. I enjoyed all of the parts where Wash and Ava were interacting. There were such sweet moments between these two best childhood friends and you can tell that theirs is a deep, deep bond. As I read on in the story, I found out part of that bond is shared tragedy. Another interesting part of the story is how Mott interweaves the different events of Ava's life to really give us a whole picture of what she has gone through. I was interested in reading this story to learn about Ava's gift, but that ends up being just  a small part of this story in the grand scheme of things, even though it is constantly being talked about in the book. I don't know if that makes a lot of sense, but the best way I can explain it is this story is so much bigger than Ava's gift. At the core of things, it is definitely about love and about sacrifice. I am so excited that The Wonder of All Things has already been optioned by Lion'sgate for a movie (just like The Returned, this occurred before the book is even released because Mott is just THAT good!) I will be stalking the internet to find out who will be starring in this movie and will be anticipating it's release date just as I did for this fantastic book. I recommend The Wonder of All Things to anyone who enjoys thought provoking books or love stories. 

The Wonder of All Things will be available for purchase on September 30. You can pre-order it on Amazon.com.Connect with Jason Mott on Facebook
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Jason Mott's Website  "

Veronica Mars DVD Giveaway!

*Disclosure of material connection- all material below and giveaway prize are courtesy of the sponsor.

Crowdfunding has been around for a few years now and one of the more well known websites that helps people achieve their goals through crowdfunding is Kickstarter. Crowdfunding is a great way to raise funds for a project that might not otherwise have the financial backing that it needs to be successful. One of the most well known crowdfunding campaigns is the Veronica Mars movie campaign. The huge fandom of the television show jumped on the opportunity to get this movie made, becoming a record breaking campaign for Kickstarter in April 2013 and was made in a short 23 days during the early part of summer. The Veronica Mars movie will open in theaters nationwide on March 14, 2014. In case you are wondering what the movie is about (I am guessing if you are a Veronica Mars fan, you don't need me to tell you this information, but I will anyway, just in case!) here is a short summary- "On the eve of graduating law school, Veronica Mars has put Neptune and her amateur sleuthing days behind her. While interviewing at high-end New York law firms, Veronica Mars gets a call from her ex-boyfriend Logan who has been accused of murder. Veronica heads back to Neptune just to help Logan find an attorney, but when things don't seem right with how Logan's case is perceived and handled, Veronica finds herself being pulled back into a life she thought she had left behind." Excited for the movie? To get in the spirit of things leading up to the movies release, there is a great Veronica Mars app! You can find it at the bottom of this post! Take the 3 levels of Purity Test Marshmallow Super-Fan Trivia and see where you stand! And don't forget to enter below via the Rafflecopter for your chance to win a Veronica Mars DVD.

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Find out which 10 episodes director Rob Thomas things are the ones you *must see* below!

This Is Our Time Movie Review + Giveaway

From the back of the DVD: 

Ethan, Luke, Ale, Ryder and Catherine are five friends connected by their strong faith. After graduation, they each set out to make a difference in the world for God. Their ambitions are high, their passions are strong but will they have the courage to fullfill their calling regardless of what comes their way? The sacrifice they are asked to pay may be just too high. Through Godly wisdom from an outside source, the group realized that this is not their time after all, it's all His!

"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

My thoughts:

Bring a box of tissues with you to the couch for this one ya'll. The movie starts off with 5 close friends that have just freshly graduated from college, with each trying to find their way to the calling they feel God has for them. Newly married couple Luke & Ale find theirs right away as they are invited to be a part of Embarace a Village, an outreach in India devoted to preventing and treating leprosy  as well as sharing the Christian faith with the people they are interacting with. Ryder and Catherine both find jobs right out of college as well. The only one that seems to be struggling is Ale's older brother Ethan, who already took an extra year to finish college and didn't get into any of the graduate schools he applied for. He feels like he is on the sidelines while all of his friends are in the game. He wants to do what God calls him to do, but he just doesn't know what that is. The movie is narrated by Ethan and tells of the five friends' journey after the first year of college. When tragedy strikes, they all re-evaluate what they are doing.

I really enjoyed watching this movie. I thought it had a great subject, because who hasn't struggled to figure out what they are called by God to be on this Earth for? It is interesting to see these five friends take on the world as they try to support each other in the process. They have a great adviser in a professor (portrayed by Eric Roberts) that they clearly grew close to in college. He helps nudge them, especially Ethan, to figure things out and to see that the place that you are, even if it happens to be a waiter at your dad's cafe, is the place you are meant to be at the exact moment you are there. Ethan definitely comes to see that by the end of the movie and figures out exactly why he was there. God has a purpose for everything, sometimes we just don't see it until later. Something else I really enjoyed about this movie was that although it is a fictitious account, the non profit in India that two of the characters join, Embrace a Village, is actually a real charity and they even used some of the people they have helped in the film. It adds a bit of authenticity to the movie and there is also a little special feature to explain more about what Embrace a Village is all about.

This is a great movie to watch no matter what your age or place in life is. It definitely makes you think about what you are called to do. I know that God called me to help people, but like Ethan in the film, I feel a bit sidelined right now while I have 3 preschool aged kids at home. I know I meant to help people on a more personal level, on a bigger scale, but for now, my job is to take care of my kids and teach them the same compassion and to help where I can whether it be a friend who needs an encouraging word, donating food or clothes to those in need or offering my help in whatever way someone may need it that I can do while my kids are little. This movie definitely got me thinking about how I can utilize the gifts God gave me in this season of my life and that it is okay that it isn't as big as my heart aches for it to be just yet. All in His good time.

I absolutely recommend this dvd to anyone who feels a bit lost about their direction or even someone who thinks they have it figured out. Beyond that, it is a tear jerker and if you are like me and enjoy a good movie that will make you think and cry, This Is Our Time is a great pick.

This is our Time will be released on DVD on April 16, 2013. You can pre-order it at ChristianCinema.com




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