Book Review: The Directive by Matthew Quirk

The Directive by Matthew Quirk 3.25 Stars

Michael Ford is getting married, but before the wedding he wants to reconnect with his brother Jack. By going to see his con-artist brother he sets into motion a downward spiral of deception. Dragged into stealing a well-kept secret that whomever possesses could make billions. The Federal Reserve Bank controls the fate of America's stock market, his theft stands to allow whoever is pulling the strings to control more than just Michael's fate. He must make the heist in order to save everything that he holds dear, but will he manage to save it all, or let it all slip through his fingers?

The Directive starts off kind of slow, but keeps just enough of your attention to keep you reading. It has several great twists and turns and does get more intense as the book goes on. We see Michael Ford trapped in a tough situation. These twists were not always unpredictable, but were still interesting. I did feel that the characters could have used a little more work. Michael Ford is the only one really developed fully. His fiance Annie is naive, and shallow; she comes across as being dense and stupid. I wish Quirk had her being a little more supportive and Michael being more honest with her instead of treating her like she is fragile, especially in regards to her father. She would have figured out his past years before this event.
I also feel that the comment on the front of the book about if you like Ludlum then you would like this book. I am not a Ludlum fan as I find him wordy, but his books have much more depth of character and way better twists to the plot. The comparison isn't really fair to Ludlum.
Overall I likely would not pick up another of Matthew Quirks books. It was good for a one-time read, but did not grab me enough to keep me going with more of his books.

Four: A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth Review

Four: A Divergent Collection 3.25

This book just fills in little bits that were already covered in Divergent, only from Four's perspective. I really enjoyed how it fills in information that helps develop Four's character a little more. I feel like this whole book could have been combined straight into Divergent, by simply making the whole series third person. I have mentioned this in reviews of the previous books, and the book Four, just reaffirms this in my mind. I did enjoy the book, just feel that it is kind of redundant. Short stories are harder to get into, but overall I think this book was good. In the future I would actually recommend reading this once you are finished reading Divergent.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth 2.5 Stars

Tris and Tobias find themselves not happy with the outcome of their fight for freedom. Tobias' mother Evelyn takes over the tyrant role. Soon war is brewing once again. They now find the option of leaving the city as a viable option that must be explored. Leaving the city could have other unforeseen consequences and could further shatter the way of life they have always known. Sometimes finding out the truth is what destroys you, rather than setting you free.
I was a little disappointed with this book. It just did not captivate as the previous two books in this series did. I almost felt like the last three quarters of the book was not needed. The plot just seemed like it was not filled out like it should have been, and seemed rather forced at times, as if she was not sure what direction to take. Veronica Roth jumping back and forth from Tris to Tobias' perspectives was kind of distracting and annoying. If she wanted to do this then she should have written the series in 3rd person perspective to allow the freedom to do this. In fact this may have been the better way to write this anyway, it would have filled in details where they lacked. The characters as per usual for her writing, were very deep, and felt very real. I did not like the ending of this book either, it just felt dragged out, as if Veronica Roth could not decide how to end the book.
Overall I think this book actually turned me off of the whole series, this book is one I would not recommend.

The Guild Restaurant

 The Guild offers a unique dining experience. The decor and atmosphere remind me of a modernized British pub. It contained some very interesting and unique items throughout the entry and dining area. The service was decent, although not as attentive as I might like for the price of the food. That being said though, the waitress was very friendly.

 My wife at their Applewood-Roasted Half Chicken, this came with a side of poutine. She mentioned that the poutine was extremely delicious, and the chicken was very moist, but tasted like any roast chicken. My West Coast Octopus came on a bed of smoked black barley, bacon-steamed clams, green peas, samphire, and carrot puree. This was simply delightful and packed with flavours of great depth. I would order this again anytime. The Carrot Cake came on a bed of carrot puree that I feel it could have

done without. The cake itself was okay, not worth the $10 cost. My wife makes way better, as does my mother-in-law. Was light, but the cream cheese icing was not near cream cheesy enough.
Overall a decent restaurant, worth visiting for a good quality meal.

Blink Restaurant & Bar

Blink Restaurant & Bar was a very upbeat place to eat. A little noisier than the other places we have eaten in, but that was due to the very open concept in the restaurant. It's ambiance was that of hip and modern, the decor being Rustic and Antique. The servers were friendly, but maybe not as attentive as other places we have eaten in. Not the best place for a romantic dinner, but certainly one for a night out, sans children. The open kitchen allowed us to see the chefs preparing the meals, which is a kind of entertainment of its own. My wife ate a Quiche with broccoli and cheese in it, that she enjoyed though the crust was a little tougher than she is used to. My steak was served with potatoes on a bed of spinach and grilled beans. It also had an asparagus and pea puree. The beans being grilled added a bit of crunch to the meal, and the steak was beautifully seasoned with peppercorns and salt. The potatoes could have used a bit more seasoning but the vinaigrette was very tasty, as was the puree. Overall it was a pleasant meal, at reasonable prices.

Ruth's Chris Steak House- Calgary Tower

Crab Cakes

Ruth's Chris Steak House 

Lobster Tail

Lobster Bisque

Mashed Potatoes and Corn Medley

I must say I loved this Steak House, although the prices were a little steep for what you get. The atmosphere was perfect for our 10th Anniversary Celebration. Quiet, peaceful music, romantic atmosphere. They put Happy Anniversary confetti on our table and had a card for us as well. We did not even have to pay for our deserts which they customized with Anniversary Writing. We were treated very well by our waiter who was very attentive and respectful of our space. He was there when we needed him, but not hovering. My Crab Cakes were very easy to eat, the crab flavor comes through as the main focus, but could have used a tad more seasoning. The Lobster Tail was great as well, though was a little tougher than I  was thinking Lobster Tail would be. My wife's Lobster Bisque was delightful, a great way to start off her meal. The mashed potatoes were light and fluffy, though a touch of dill or garlic would have put this over the top. The corn medley was good as well, but again a touch of salt would have been all this needed. My wife's steak I would say was the highlight of this meal, as a steak should be. This had the correct amount of fat marbled throughout to make it tender, and it melted in your mouth, not much seasoning on this, but it really did not need it. And finally the best part of my meal, the desserts! My wife had Creme Brule with berries, and this was simply heavenly! Perfect! I had an amply named Sinful Chocolate Cake, that was surprisingly gluten free. This devilish cake definitely tasted so good and melted in your mouth like good chocolate should.
I would return to this restaurant again for a nice quiet evening, though prices could be shaved down considering the amount of food.

Steak

Gluten Free Sinful Chocolate Cake

 

Creme Brule

Teatro Ristorante

Atlantic Char

Lobster, Scallop, and Prawn Lasagna

Apple Cannolis

Teatro was an elegant and quiet restaurant. I liked that we could see the chefs in the kitchen and the smells were fantastic. One complaint would be that where we were seated was near the cleaning area of the kitchen that you could not see but we could smell the bleach. The waiter was attentive and kind, but at times seemed unsure of what he was doing. My Atlantic Char was delightful and vibrant, a great light lunch, a little seasoning would have been better, but overall a great mesh of flavours. The Lobster, Scallop, and Prawn Lasagna I could only sample a small bite of as it contains dairy.  The bite I did take though was amazing. So full of tastes of the sea, and packed with flavour. The Apple Cannolis were like little Apple pies and were a good way to finish off the meal. I was glad the dairy portion was on the side, that way I could eat some of the desert. Overall this is a great restaurant to visit in the arts section of downtown. 

Yellow Door Bistro

Pork Tenderloin with Spelt and Sweet Potato-Apple Puree

Chamomile Duck Breast With Mushroom-Split Pea Risotto

Apple Fritters and Gingersnaps with Rum Caramel and Vanilla Cream

My wife and I decided to take a short trip to Calgary for our 10th anniversary. The Yellow Door Bistro in Calgary, was our first downtown restaurant stop. This restaurant was very modern and provided a quiet spot to enjoy an evening out. The service was excellent, very friendly and prompt. My wife had the 3 Course Chef's Choice, which entailed an appetizer of Split Pea Ricotta Filled Pasta, entree Pork Tenderloin with Apple Sweet Potato Puree and Spelt, with a dessert of Apple Fritter and Ginger Snaps on a bed of Vanilla Cream and Rum Caramel. My meal was Chamomile Duck Breast with Mushroom-Split Pea Risotto. I must admit I had never had either duck, nor risotto before; I am definitely sold after eating it at this restaurant, it was absolutely delicious. My wife loved every course of her dinner and having sampled them myself, I must say her food was excellent as well. The fritters melted in your mouth, they were so light and airy. Was impressed with everything about the Yellow Door Bistro and would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in downtown Calgary.

Insurgent By Veronica Roth

Insurgent by Veronica Roth (4 Stars)

Tris finds herself in a fight again, this time a completely different kind of fight. Instead of fighting to get into a faction, she is fighting to find out the truth, and free society from the lies that have kept them enslaved. Tris is willing to give up everything to stop Jeanine from keeping the truth from them; Tobias, family, factions, friends, and her own life. Her sacrifices could mean freedom, or a future unknown.
The plot just gets thicker in this installment to the Divergent series. Veronica knows how to make you twist and turn with every page. She keeps you on the edge of your seat. Her characters have depth, and change as the story line demands it. I do agree with her assessment that Tris should have shown much more grief over the loss of her parents, even the betrayal of her brother. That being said, everyone grieves in different ways, so it is hard to bottle up reactions and say everyone should react in this way. I love the ending as it brings things together and sets up for a dramatic next novel.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (3 Stars)
Hazel has been battling cancer for quite sometime. Unable to breathe on her own, she relies on a breathing apparatus to help her do what most take for granted. She is in a routine that works for her family, until she meets Augustus Waters. He has been cancer-free for a while, at the cost of his leg. He provides her with happiness, something she did not even realize she was missing. Wrapped in an author who may not be what he seems, they find comfort in his novel. Life seems to be looking up again, until it all fall apart.
This is the second John Green book my wife and I have read together (Paper Towns being the other), both books seem to have the same basic issue; John Green likes to use big words. His use of big words distracts from the plot, his characters use these words in sentences where people would not use them, and he makes it seem commonplace. In the end this just comes across as ostentatious and pretentious. Rant over.
His characters are well rounded and have depth rarely seen in novels these days. The situations they are in are heartwarming at times, and heart wrenching at other times. Loved the overall plot and how things flowed. I do wonder what his obsession with his characters egging cars is? Although in this novel it was rather amusing. I must say with both this book and Paper Towns,  I enjoyed the movies more than the books, a rarity for me. 
Would I pick up another one of his books? Probably not, although I know many out there who would disagree with that!