Reviewing ‘Cornerstone’ by Misty Provencher

4/5

Meet Nalena, a girl that is known as The Waste throughout her high school due to her mother’s slight eccentricity of starting a plotline and never finishing it. Unfortunately, Nalena’s mom also refuses to get rid of any of these papers and all of their money goes to storage and all of their space in their home goes to papers. Being the outcast at school, despite her pretty looks, makes Nalena that much more nervous when Garrett takes interest in her.

Plot: While romance is a heavy, underlying plot to this novel and pretty much takes precedence, it does not overwhelm the novel itself. The story slowly, but not too slowly to make the reader lose interest, evolves into a plot of untold powers that one must choose if born with a sign. Unfortunately, no one expected the sign to be on Nalena for what she is, making everyone a bit more confused.

Characters: Nalena, the main character, is pretty much a typical teen in an outcast situation that does not seem what seems glaringly obvious because she’s been on top of the situation her whole life. Paired up with Garrett, who is extremely patient but perhaps a little dense, the two of them fumble their way through romance, powers, and growing up. Nalena has the typical arch-enemy in Jen who is just as annoying as most outcast novels write the popular cheerleader though Garrett’s real friends seem a little better than the typical males in these sort of novels.

I was prepared to give this novel five stars because the flow was nice and simple but not so overly simple that it lost interest. The characters were great, except for Jen who was almost a little too typical bad-girl-in-a-young-adult-novel, but that could be looked over. What lost this novel it’s five stars were two things. First, Addo Chad. It was mentioned he had died, then later Nalena acted as if she had not already known that. Second, the ending was almost too jarring. It was very out-of-nowhere. It was not bad, the author was brave to go with the ending and it actually suited the story, but to me it was just too much of a sudden shock.

Despite two things that brought it down a star, I recommend this novel like crazy. I enjoyed it and every time I sat to read it someone was interrupting me to the point I was growing grumpy. If I want to read a novel that badly there is something there, a certain spark. Provencher gives us that spark beautifully.

Reasons to Read This Novel:

- Excellent prose, great flow

- Great main characters who work well with each other and seem realistic

- A new twist on a plot that seems tried and true

- Nothing too atypical except one character

Reasons Not to Read This Novel

- Jen

- Shocking Ending

- You do not like Young Adult Novels

Top 4 of WWE Superstars 3/29/12

Would you buy a used car from these men?

Only two matches, and I still made a top four out of it. I’m good.

4. Matt Striker

This week, since there were only the two aforementioned matches, they taped them both before Raw. They allowed Matt Striker and Scott Stanford to do the commentating and all I can say is, “Thank goodness.” Matt Striker wakes up for Superstars this week and has someone he can make jokes with, or tease, that does not sit there like a log. The only downside to Striker is that he makes it obvious when it’s going to be a two-count and not the final pin, though I am almost positive he doesn’t realize that is what he is doing. Still, Striker was always a great commentator and he seems to rejuvenate some of that greatness during this episode.

3. Tyson Kidd vs. Justin Gabriel

Normally I would put Kidd higher up on the match list because he’s incredible every time, but I think this match was cut short due to injury. Gabriel busted open his lip and it was pretty bad. Poor guy. Before that happened in the five minutes that the two did wrestle in this main event the two of them looked great. Gabriel has been growing in my esteem and I’ve been pushing the Kidd Agenda on everyone for awhile now. Too bad Striker seemed to forget that Kidd went back to being a face again because he was pretty insulting. My least favorite part was when Scott let that roll right off of him! SCOTT! Protect Kidd! He’s not money-grubbing! Okay, personal feelings aside (sort of) this was still an excellent match, but I had to give the higher match grade to the one that lasted longer and had more back and forth.

2. Alex Riley vs. Heath Slater

Heath Slater wins this match, which caused a small discussion between my boyfriend and me. He thought Riley should have won. I, on the other hand, think Slater needed a win more than Riley did. Riley is a superstar, whether the internet community wants to admit it or not. Riley comes out and the crowd goes wild. Every show I’ve been to when Riley steps out everyone cheers. Slater is still hated, which is sad because even with the personality that is meant to be obnoxious he is quite good in the ring. Together the two of them put on quite a fun match that is full of back and forth and moves that the two have finally begun to perfect. These two have come a long way and I look forward to more.

1. Scott Stanford

Of course Scott is number one. Have you guys actually listened to me on why, though, or do you assume it’s just because I love Scott? I do love Scott, but he proves again why in this episode. It’s the Road to Wrestlemania. He and Striker were told to fill us with talk that is supposed to excite us for the show while Superstars becomes an afterthought. Striker and Scott do not allow it. They talk about Wrestlemania, they have to, but they transition fluidly from one to the other. Scott, though, shines with his usual one-liners, but he whines a bit brighter thanks to Striker. When Scott says something ridiculous Striker does not let it go and the two have a back and forth that is superb.

Scott’s Best Lines of the Week:

“You couldn’t go without the Tebow reference!”

“No! 2 count.”

“You look at Riley’s twitter account and you see hundreds of marriage proposals. You know who is date is going to be to the Hall of Fame? His mother!”

“Otay, Spanky!”

“I’ll tell you what, we’ll find out on Sunday.”

“Some would say it’s Tim Tebow.”

“That’s gotta do it!”

Top 4 of WWE NXT 3/28/12

I was going to cancel the Top 4 this week because there were only two matches and one segment, damn the Road to Wrestlemania. But then I kept looking at it wondering if I could write a straight review of the show, and the answer simply was, ‘no’. I am just not good at continually writing about things I don’t like, it’s kill me even to mention that the second match of the night was Titus O’Neil versus Jey Uso. While I love the Usos they work better as a team and my irritation with O’Neil just will not go away.

So I fixed it.

4. William Regal

He wins on commentary in this episode. Regal is always a pleasure to listen to but there was something about this episode where he sounded a bit more enthusiastic, especially when talking up Derrick Bateman. You know that’s always a winner for me. Still, this man is an expert at hating the talent while talking them up while not concentrating on the match at all and still making it sound great if he so chooses. During this week’s matches he talks up Derrick and Hunico making you believe these men are worthy of more attention than either get. There is a good reason William Regal is my second favorite commentator currently with the WWE and he proves it in this episode.

3. Darren Young

My guess is they are about to turn Darren Young face again. Why else would they have him crushing on Tamina, buying her a coconut tree because she had told Derrick she wanted one, and say that he would lie, cheat, and steal in the ring but never to a woman. Honestly, I liked Darren better as a face. Darren has that easy-going attitude and smile that works better in face situations or attitude. He also made my second favorite commentator of the night when he went and joined Regal, Mathews, and Jimmy Uso to help call the Titus O’Neil vs. Jey Uso match.

2. Maxine and Johnny

Who’d have thought that these two would turn into such entertaining characters? Maxine was my least favorite diva on NXT Season 3 and while I liked Curtis I had not watched enough of his season of NXT to really have cared that much. He was funny in his Smackdown promos but there was no real character to him and Maxine had just reiterated that she would always end up, “On top.” Now the two of them have found a flow and work well off of one another as they search for Striker, letting us know that Striker on Superstars is just a stunt double. Johnny works creepy like no one, and I mean no one, really has before while Maxine is always read for a cat fight with men three times her size. The pint-sized diva and the towering weirdo work their stuff against the other Superstars of NXT and do it well.

1. Derrick Bateman vs. Hunico

YAY! Derrick WRESTLED! His last match was a mixed tag match and, let’s be honest, gave him very little wrestling time to strut his stuff. Derrick was up against Hunico who, no matter what you think of his character, is an amazing wrestler. Together these two work miracles and bring what should have been the main event to the forefront of the show. Derrick does what has become pretty much famous to him now: dropkicks, while Hunico moves swiftly and smoothly around him. Even though Derrick loses the match I was so happy to see him wrestle, and against someone I have a good amount of respect for, that I’m fine with it. If you were only going to watch NXT for one thing this week, watch this match. (but really, watch it all) Oh, and did I mention Derrick gives Kaitlyn a ride to the ring? On his back. Somehow this was just too cute.

The Missing Wrestlemania 28 Match

Wrestlemania is so jammed pack full of gimmick matches that have little to do with storylines people care about that they left out a glaring error, because they forgot they were supposed to be pushing tag matches again. Epico and Primo hold the tag team titles but who remembers that? It’s not the men’s fault but sadly misused booking. Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins have been used better and they are on NXT.

Speaking of Reks and Hawkins… Oh yes, you knew I would go there.

Solace’s Dream Missing Match

Before the start of the show Reks and Hawkins are up to their usual antics of being bullies and utterly cool while doing so. When they run into Epico and Primo they make fun of them for not having a match even though they are tag champs and for having to be managed by a woman whose only talent is dancing. This is where Regal does his thing and comes in to announce that since there was some time to fill on the card and people want to see their tag team champs he is going to make an impromptu tag match. However, if Reks and Hawkins lose they get to clean the entire arena once everyone leaves with a pro showing them how it’s done. Reks and Hawkins agree on the condition that Regal will do the sweeping instead if they win. Regal agrees because he believes there is no chance that Reks and Hawkins can win.

Epico and Primo put on a great show, and even get a little help from their former stable-buddy Hunico, but they just can’t hold up to Reks and Hawkins. Reks and Hawkins ultimately win the tag titles from Epico and Primo. No, not because I prefer Reks and Hawkins, but because Reks and Hawkins have done more to show what tag teams should be like in the last six months than anyone else has. These men should be the two going around and crushing any and all other tag teams, while helping to build groups who want to take them down.

After the show Reks and Hawkins hand Regal his broom and wish him luck on cleaning. Oh, and they found his pro, the ever handsome Scott Stanford, who is the lone man cleaning the arena corridors. As soon as Reks and Hawkins leave, and Scott starts saying how happy he is to work with Regal and how he could use the help, Regal instantly starts making excuses. His twins need him. His wife found out about Maxine. Etc. Leaving poor Scott to sweep on his own and Regal calculating a better revenge on Reks and Hawkins.

Of course I found a way to incorporate Scott into this. What were you expecting?

Wrestlemania Prediction Guidelines

It’s that time again, and now it is for the biggest prediction challenges of the year! Wrestlemania XXVIII is here and ready to challenge everyone, or not depending on your take. There are eight announced matches and a JPEG title on the line. The current title holder is @MarkBilly. Will you be the one to steal it from him?

The matches you must predict this PPV are as follows:

John Cena vs. The Rock

Triple H vs. The Undertaker

-Tie Breaker Part 1: How many 2 counts during this match?

-Tie Breaker Part 2: Who has the most 2 counts during this match?

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho

Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus

Cody Rhodes vs. The Big Show

Randy Orton vs. Kane

Team Teddy vs. Team Johnny

Maria Menounos & Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix & Eve

 

EXAMPLES OF HOW TO WRITE THE PREDICTIONS! – There are 42 of you SO FAR. Please follow the example. It’s a lot of work for me every month to go through and fix them.

 

Triple H vs. The Undertaker

There is no way that Undertaker is going to lose his streak to Triple H when he could go out 20-0. Winner: Undertaker

Tie Breaker 1: 15

Tie Breaker 2: Undertaker

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho’s contract is said to be running out, I doubt they are giving the title to another person on their way out. Winner: CM Punk

 

You may leave your predictions in the comments below, you may dm them to me on twitter, or you may email them to me at SolaceWinter@yahoo.com

 

Top 4 of WWE Superstars 3/22/12

Tonight I’m leaving a match off of this list. The match was Titus O’Neil against Yoshi Tatsu. Both are good wrestlers, but I couldn’t care less about O’Neil and Tatsu is misused. It proves it more when this is the quickest match of the night in which Tatsu loses to O’Neil.

4. Epico and Primo vs. Alex Riley and Mason Ryan

This was a great quality match. Ryan looked dominant and Riley regained some of that charisma that made him a fan favorite during NXT seasons 2. Epico and Primo are, as always, technically sound, and Rosa does what she does best which can be either gaining heat with her sultry attitude and sub-par dancing or gaining the large following for the same things. Despite the perfections in the ring, or at least non-botchiness of wrestlers who were before known for just that, the match itself does not tell a story. Epico and Primo are our tag team champions, they should be going up other tag teams, or men who will be a tag team again next week. The seemingly random pairings on Superstars are what hold tag teams back. That and the lack of booking.

3. Eve and Beth Phoenix vs. Tamina and Natalya

Wait, you really put a divas match over a men’s match? You bet, and for the reason that I didn’t give the match before it a higher score is what helped this one out. It told a story. I was seriously prepared to be annoyed that just because Natalya is a face again, why does that mean that Beth Phoenix and her automatically have to hate one another? It doesn’t. Beth Phoenix offers to allow Natalya to leave the match, not wanting to fight her friend. Natalya, however, doesn’t want to just give up and plays around with Beth in the ring. Natalya shows an attitude that is suiting to her, completely goofy, and no fart jokes. Tamina is a strong opponent that dominates through this ring once she is tagged in. “Tamina now having her way with Eve.” When Eve first shows up for this match she is met with, “Hoe-ski! Hoe-ski!” chants and then the calling taunt of, “Hooooeskiii.” It was an entertaining match that gave the women a chance to tell a story and show off some of their rings skills, without relying on Scott to do all of the work for a match.

2. Drew McIntyre vs. Ezekiel Jackson

This match gets to show off what Drew can really do. Instead of making Drew a joke in the ring, which is not what he deserves at all if we are basing things on talent, he is able to put on what is a great match out of Ezekiel Jackson. When Drew’s music starts there is a cheer that raises through the crowd, a song that still gives me chills every time I hear it. When Drew steps out the crowd gets even louder. Josh announces that this match is, “more of a brawl than we were expecting.” While I’m not sure if that is true, it definitely is a blow-for-blow match-up that has these two men throwing punches, and each other, often. In the end, after a match of decent length and decent strengths, Drew gets to win. On Superstars. This way Teddy Long can do what he normally does and forget it ever happened, Playa!

1. Scott Stanford

You know what the Drew McIntyre vs. Ezekiel Jackson match needed? Scott Stanford. On his half of Superstars he dominates the telling of the story from the commentators side. Once again he spends his time talking up talent that is normally thrown away by the people of the internet. Mason Ryan and Alex Riley, who have of late become jokes to the twitter community, get the Scott Stanford treatment which makes these men shine a little bit brighter. As I said earlier, the women focus on telling their own story and so Scott focuses on their strengths and abilities. There is not a person who walks into that ring that Scott doesn’t have a good thing to say about, even after Eve continually breaks his boy, Zack Ryder’s, heart continually! If he can still go out to the ring and make Eve sound like a great worker then perhaps he’s still being forgotten when he should be at least doing both halves of Superstars.

Here I would normally list Scott’s best lines through Superstars, but there were so many that I just couldn’t keep up! Feel free to leave a comment of your favorite line of his for the night, would love to know what you think!

 

Reviewing The Gathering by R. Scott Whitley

3/5

Brenna is about to discover she has super powers, just in time too. Everything starts falling into a convenient place as Brenna fights to understand her situation, and never really does.

Plot: The story is about a group of people with, for lack of a better word, super powers. There is a lot of time spent explaining the plot of the story only to find out you’ve been lied to and then the next story is supposed to be the actual plot. No, wait…

Characters: Brenna is the main character of the story, a fourteen-year-old in the foster system stuck with a family that is for the most part grossly obese, which is the biggest part of who they are as characters. The fact that Brenna is rail thing makes only a little sense as she is still eating the same food they are. She is joined by Cora, Carlin, and Marc as her other associates in the program that continually lies to her. Out of the three companions Carlin has the most individual characterization. Connie and Alex are the group’s teachers, sort of. What they actually teach them still remains a question.

This novel is a brilliant idea that seems to have suffered. There are a few rules of character naming that should have been followed to keep from having Connie, Cora, and Carlin being main characters and constantly in the same scenes. In a stretch to give people a more realistic way of speaking everyone sounded the same. There was little difference in Connie’s speaking as there was in Cora’s, except that Connie did not swear as much. The biggest flaw in this novel that bothered me the entire way: why did they come for Brenna, fail because she wasn’t there, and then never try again? How am I supposed to take a group seriously as a threat if they can’t be bothered to just try to snag her again on one of the many times she’s just standing around alone?

I may sound like I hated this book and you wonder why I gave it 3 if I’m beating up on it. I did not hate it. As I said, the idea itself was brilliant, and for the first part of the novel I would have given it 5 stars. Then Brenna started screaming and no one gave her answers, and this happened more times than it should have. The author fell into a trap, not wanting to explain everything to the audience but not knowing how to keep the adults from giving the actual answers. The novel slid down to 4. The ending was coming, the author realized he had gone on too long. What happens when an author is in a hurry to finish a novel? That’s right, everything gets rushed. It became less coherent as a novel and more about the payday, which was a fizzle. It’s worse when you see such potential suddenly just thrown out because he had put himself under a deadline, or gave us the first draft.

The book also seems to be written as if it was for teens while the constant swearing makes me wonder how many parents would relinquish this novel to their fourteen-year-old. Then the plot seems more geared at adults but the style did not get me there.

Reasons to read this novel:

- Interesting plot

- Realistic fourteen-year-olds

- A great way of explaining “slowed down” time

Reasons to not read this novel:

- It starts to fall apart in the end

- It is a very obvious first novel in a series

- False answers

Love,

Solace Winter

Top 4 of WWE NXT 3/21/12

Sadly, the closest Derrick comes to making the list this week.

Let’s start off with what did not make the list, and the reasoning behind it. First, Darren Young has a crush on Tamina, and it’s sort of cute because Titus is the one who tells her, with D-Young standing right there. NXT is so full of childish antics and romance it really is it’s own wrestling sitcom, and I love every moment of it. What makes this segment a major fail is The Usos are either coming off racist because they don’t want Tamina to date below her stations (JTG and now Darren Young, and whatever happened to JTG?) That, or Tamina has a thing for black men. I do not have a problem with Tamina dating a bunch of black men, it’s that it looks like there is racism going on with the Usos being against two black men in a row.

The match between Darren Young and Jimmy Uso was a good one, but it did not make the list because compared to the other three, and the segment, it was slow. That and we were supposed to be wowed by Jey being on commentary and I forgot he was even there he said so little. Talented men overshadowed by larger talents on the show.

4. Curt Hawkins vs. Justin Gabriel

When I first heard the show was going to have four matches I wondered how they would fit four onto the less than an hour show while keeping the plot that NXT is known for. This match suffered because of it. Gabriel has been on a roll lately and Hawkins is always great in the ring but the match was not given the time these two deserved. If you judged the match by the last Smackdown and Raw, sure, the match was long, but NXT is notorious for longer, better matches and it was disappointing to see these two have the match that suffered most because of time constraints. Still, an excellent match to watch and gives Hawkins a chance to show even as a singles competitor he can hold his own… even if Gabriel won.

3. Johnny Curtis and Maxine

Curtis and Maxine are up to something, as usual. They want off NXT and onto one of the other shows and will do anything to get there. This includes lying to Josh and chloroforming Striker. “Why do you have chloroform?” Maxine asks the creepiest man currently in the WWE. With Striker and Mathews out of commission Maxine is free to join Regal on commentary for our number two of the night. Later Curtis, who was supposed to be watching the box that Striker was put into, finds the box without Striker. Not wanting to admit this to Maxine he sits on it and when he refuses to show her Striker she asks, “You killed him didn’t you?” Striker is not dead, in fact there is a note left behind telling Maxine and Curtis that someone knows what they did.

2. Tyler Reks vs. Percy Watson

After just writing a blog on why I think Reks is great (oh, you didn’t read that? Go do it after you are done here) he does not disappoint me in this match. Holding true to his character he is a beast in the ring against Watson while Watson takes advantage of Reks’ distraction. Why is Reks distracted? Well, Maxine is massaging Regal’s feet and the two of them are doing anything but talking about the match in front of them. Usually I’m an advocate for commentary being about the match but during this particular one it does work. 1) Regal and Reks are feuding a bit and Regal ignoring Reks makes perfect sense. Of course he would rather pay attention to the beautiful woman beside him than the man who called him “old” even though there is only a ten year difference. 2) Reks and Watson put on a match that is great enough that even with the distractions it is hard to not pay attention to what they are doing in the ring. Reks, though, gets distracted enough that he loses to Watson.

1. Michael McGillicutty vs. Tyson Kidd

Who would have thought I would be throwing McGillicutty up into my top 4, much less at number one? But McGillicutty (who seriously needs a new name if only because I hate typing McGillicutty!) has been brilliant since his return to NXT to feud with Tyson Kidd, and Kidd… well, he’s always been brilliant, it’s just that now people are starting to realize it. Out of the three shows I’ve watched so far this week (Raw, FCW, and NXT) this is the best match I’ve seen so far. This time Kidd picks up the win, making them 1-1. After Kidd’s win McGillicutty leaves him with a statement in a truly creepy, dastardly voice. “Tyson! Tyson! This isn’t over. You’re going to regret ever crossing me. Because I’m going to hurt you where it hurts the most. In your heaaaart.”

As much as I love Batelyn the two of them had very little to do this week. No match, not a central focus in plot, mostly used as accessories for the plots of others, but boy are they shiny accessories. Bateman did get out a good, “Let’s backpedal,” and Derrick and Kaitlyn walked backward and away from the ever increasing weirdness that is Maxine and Johnny.

Love,

Solace Winter

Top 4 of FCW 3/18/12

No matter what the rumor mills are saying, FCW still aired this week and I’m sticking with it until I can find shows no longer! The writers of FCW experiment and play around with plotlines and do things that WWE seems to have forgotten how to do.

4. Leo Kruger Promo

“I hate to be the person to tell you I told you so, but I told you so.” Leo Kruger is back with his title and standing about letting the crowd know why he is worthy to be their champion. I do not need to listen to his words, his voice is magic. For a man from South Africa that can have the best accent he actually covers it well. If I didn’t know where he was from I would never be able to place the accent. But, really, listen to him speak, let him soothe you and tell you why he’s worthy and you are nothing if you do not believe in him. I fall for it every time!

3. Kaitlyn and Audrey Marie vs. Sofia Cortez and Paige

Sadly, the less talented side on this one stars a WWE diva. Kailtyn is a great character who has grown in the ring and out, however she still does not have what two of the other women in the ring do, and that is just a natural born ability. Sofia Cortez and Paige dominate this match-up and Paige does a submission move to Audrey Marie that is so impressive I was wincing from at home. The problem, however, is that they do not want to push their new girls too fast and of course can not have Kaitlyn losing. For whatever reason Audrey Marie does not tap to the painful submission the small Paige has her in and instead Kaitlyn makes Paige tap out. The submission was a good one but this is almost typical WWE booking. Someone new comes in, they want the person to look good, so first they must lose as much as possible. Of course Paige should not win every match, but she is not established and is trying to get a step up. Putting Sofia in the submission would have done no harm as we already know that Sofia is worthy of being in that ring. After Audrey Marie and Kaitlyn win this match there is a bit of a rumble that Raquel and Caylee Turner get involved in. Regal mentions the “Anti-Divas” but I think it’s a pretty weak term. Sofia Cortez, for example, is gorgeous, but she knows how to wrestle. Paige and Raquel may not be traditionally beautiful, but they are beautiful and know how to move in the ring (though Raquel might be the greenest). Anti-Diva is not three beautiful women who know how to wrestle, but they might be a good step in the right direction.

2. Antonio Cesaro vs. Richie Steamboat

This match almost could have made it to number one except for a huge glaring flaw: the ending. It is obvious they do not want Cesaro to lose but also obvious they are not stripping the 15 Minute Champion from Steamboat yet. What do you do in this case? You give them a tie. Okay, this would not be so bad if the ending did not copy the last ending Steamboat had defending his title. During what could have been his second pin he rolled Cesaro up and one, two, bzz, three! Oh, but the three count came after the bell so it doesn’t count as a second pin. It still makes him the winner since it was a tie, but this is where FCW gets a little weak. They take a good idea and keep running with it (Ala Road Dogg throwing Kruger in the ring two weeks in a row).

1. Xavier Woods vs. Kassius Ohno

Considering all of the great things I’ve heard about Cesaro and Ohno, and then not being able to fully embrace the Cesaro love, I had my trepidations about Ohno. Especially since he was up against Xavier Woods who had not really wrestled an impressive match so far. I felt like someone was trying to surround me with big words but nothing to back them up. Oops. I spoke too soon. Ohno is a beast in the ring and he brought out some of the best in Woods. This match, to me, should have been the main event, even if I understand why it wasn’t.

What did not make it on the list this week was a match between Dante Dash (who is too large for a last name that insinuates speed) and James Bronson. There was no back and forth, it was pretty much the former psychiatrist beating up on Dash. Raquel gave a promo that was splendiferous but no better than Leo’s so… had to go with Leo this time! There was also some Summer Rae interaction. Summer looks like she should be a bubbly face and not a self-centered heel so it should be interesting to see where she goes with the character and if she can pull it off.

The other thing I should be putting on the list, but is silly since it was just an internet rumor, is that FCW is not being shut down. Huzzah! But stay tuned, because there is something going on with FCW that we should keep an eye on.

Love,

Solace Winter

Top 4 Reasons to Watch Tyler Reks

I missed Tyler Reks when he first appeared on ECW. My first experience with this man was on Smackdown when he went up against Kaval and took his spot during Bragging Rights back in 2010. Sadly, I disliked Tyler Reks then, but mostly because I had gone through NXT Season Two with Kaval and had been rooting for the man with the deep voice. Reks took the spot and I couldn’t say I was thrilled.

As time went on I stopped blaming Reks for Kaval’s treatment, and subsequent seeming bad attitude, and decided to give Reks merit for what he actually brought to the screen. Unfortunately that was short-lived as he once again seemed to disappear. Then, on September 27th, Reks made his return to being someone to watch on the computer screen as he and Hawkins debuted as a tag team on NXT. While NXT is often the lesser of the shows, this has proven quickly to be an improvement and Reks has branched out. Now, months later, as a staple of NXT Reks has proven he is a man not to be REKoned with. (Man, that was bad)

The Top 4 Reasons the man with the dreads and great taste in clothing is worthy of your adoration:

4. The Dreads

Okay, so really it’s his whole look, but I wanted to say the dreads because it would annoy so many people. The biggest reason I see for people not liking Reks is the dreads. I think it is a pretty asinine reason not to like someone, especially when he makes it work. Unlike what Regal says on a recent episode of NXT, Reks’ dreads are clean and a part of his entire look. The man knows fashion and works it around his brawn. The sculpted beard adds a flair of a crisp clean to his face and makes this man look like he belongs on the cover of magazines.

3. Fan Engagement

Even as a heel he can coax you into a reaction. Besides what he does on twitter, which is engage in conversations and encourage people to watch the shows he is on, which is a brilliant way to gather a following, when standing in the middle of that ring he knows how to make you react. He also knows how to react to it without being whispered to by someone. When he’s booed he will take it and explain why he knows you are booing him, all while not completely insulting the fans. Reks is the most engaging, non insulting heel, while still maintaining that aura of dark anger when he needs it, usually in the ring. He looks for reactions to what he is saying and knows how to work the mic to those reactions.

2. Articulation

Speaking of knowing what to do with the microphone, damn can this man speak. Reks goes from goofing off and talking about being the Xbox King when feuding with Tatsu and Barreta to in the ring with a microphone, seriously telling Regal where he can shove his janitorial duties. Reks does it all with a lilt in his tone that suggests he takes everything as seriously as needed while taking nothing too seriously. He speaks eloquently while not sounding like he’s trying too hard. This man’s voice matches the attitude and the looks, and there is so much more about him I could go on about. But really, let’s get to the main reason he deserved a Top 4.

1. The Ability

Tyler Reks does something a lot of men seem to have forgotten how to do when it comes to ability: he throws a punch. AND he makes it look good. When he fought Curt Hawkins on Superstars back in 2011 he threw two subsequent punches that looked like they landed hard and he pulled his hand back and reacted like a man who had just pummeled someone instead of simply brushing off two strong punches. But wait, there is more, because Reks does far more than punch guys. This man kicks, clotheslines, and slams the best of them with a proficiency that should make others jealous. He is calculating without moving slow, he is destructive without ending a match too soon. He seems tireless in the ring. Yes, this man is at the top of his game.

Oh, in short, Tyler Reks is more than he’s being given credit for. Whether alone, or pair with the ever fabulous Curt Hawkins, this is a man to look out for. He is already a king of NXT, in a year he will be taking over every television screen as a main eventer on at the very least Smackdown. He just needed the opportunity, and he has taken it and run with it.

Love,

Solace Winter