Books, Movies, and Chinese Food

In the final book of the Restoration Series, the end of a global electrical blackout signals the beginning of the Branning family's ultimate test. Murder and affairs of the heart form the backdrop for a family sifting through the lessons they have learned--and how well they have truly learned them. I have been eagerly awaiting the finale of this Restoration series for the past few years. I really enjoyed the first book and the sequels that followed because they showcased a world that many today could not imagine living in. The story has been following one main family, The Brannings, throughout the series and readers have seen how they have had to adapt to world they are not used to. In this book, relief and a sense of back to normalcy is finally coming to the world as scientists have been able to find a way to bring back electricity and stop the global technology blackout that has been plaguing Earth. I was very surprised at some of the events that ha...

Finding light in the darkness The Brannings are now into their eight month living in a world without the comforts of electricity, mass communication or technology. After watching how the family tries to adapt to their new way of life, the story now turns towards the ugly side of this new society. What happens to the criminals and prisoners? With the jails full of those who've committed petty crimes to mass murderers, it's getting harder and harder to find those who will watch over these lowlifes. What will happen when the police stop watching and the criminals are allowed to roam around freely with no one to stop them? This was my favorite book out of the series so far. I think the characters have become more well developed. The Brannings aren't as shallow as they were in the beginning of the series. They finally act as if they want to get along well in this new society they are living in. The scenes in the jail were surprisingly realistic and difficult to read. You re...

Could you survive? The blackout story continues in the second book in the Restoration series. The town is beginning to adapt to an lifestyle without electricity. It is like living in the middle ages again, with the people having to discover new ways to survive. The Banning family has managed to create a semi-comfortable life in this new world. They have food, will soon have water, shelter, and most importantly each other. However not everyone has it this lucky, as the reader is introduced to a group of siblings trying to fend for themselves without their mother. The two groups clash with a battle about what it takes to truly survive in this new world. Reading about the filth that the children had to live in made me really uncomfortable at times. It's really amazing how we take just a working toilet for granted. This book pretty much explains survival of the fittest. Only the people who lived in communities where there was some sense of order was able to live a semi-normal ...

It's the end of the world as we know it... The world has suddenly gone dark and quiet. Something has caused all forms of power to go out, from advanced forms of technology to even the smallest battery. Communication is at a standstill, cars are left unattended, people must now walk on foot to get around. Chaos is erupting everywhere. In the midst of this, the reader is introduced to the Banning family and their struggles to adapt to this new type of world. As their town tries to live in this new society, murders keep happening forcing the community to realize the murderer is one of their own. When I read this book, I got freaked out thinking about what if this really happened today. Loss of communication would be totally devastating to our livelihood. Just when a hurricane or blizzard comes, we complain about not having electricity for a couple of days. Here in the book, the characters have no idea when or if they will ever get power again. It's scary to think about what i...