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Adam Silvera recommended Where Things Come Back in Books (curated)

 
Where Things Come Back
Where Things Come Back
John Corey Whaley | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I'm gonna be a good Adam and come back to review this over the weekend 'cause seriously, I was WOW'ed. This book is now on my favorites shelf. Why I put the book off this long was beyond me. I highlighted the hell out of this book to the point where my highlighter was drying out. For those who know me, you know I'm rather inhuman. I rarely cry in real life and have never cried over a book. I came close with a devastating scene in "Mockingjay", a super devastating scene in "Okay for Now", and the ending of "A Monster Calls". "Where Things Come Back" has been added to my Almost-Cried-Man-Tears List (which I think I might make a shelf for...) Hell yeah, John Corey Whaley! Big cheers to the next John Green, folks!"

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Freedom at Point Zero by Jefferson Starship
Freedom at Point Zero by Jefferson Starship
1979 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

Jane by Jefferson Starship

(0 Ratings)

Track

"This one is kind of a rare bird - it’s one that I think rock lovers from the ‘70s and ‘80s will know. It was my Dad’s favourite song and it was his karaoke song. I think I have a video somewhere of him wailing it in a car when I was growing up. He could hit all the notes and I was always in awe of him. My Dad had such a beautiful voice and a big range, and he still does to this day. We’d sing along to it and all do air guitar to the crazy guitar solos. “It brings back childhood memories, but it’s also just a badass rock ‘n’ roll song, and it was my introduction to rock music. I love southern rock and it definitely has an influence on the music I make with DNCE now."

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The Viking's Touch appears to be a sequel to an earlier book by the same author, but it can be read as a standalone novel - I know because I hadn't read the previous story!

My usual historical romances tend to tend to be set mainly in the Regency period, so this was a bit of a change for me. It took a little while to get into, but overall I thought it was a good story with strongly drawn characters. A bit more violent and bloodthirsty than your average Regency, I have to admit, but as a change I did enjoy it.

The protagonists, Anwyn and Wulfgar were both sympathetic characters, but carrying a great deal of emotional baggage from their pasts. Ignvar is maybe a character who is a bit too black to be real as he doesn't appear to have a single redeeming feature, but on the bright side you do feel like cheering when he finally gets his comeuppance, and this sort of book is really about making you feel good, so I guess that van't be a bad thing!
  
Sex, Lies and Chocolate Cakes
Sex, Lies and Chocolate Cakes
Steven Morris | 2018 | Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Online this book is described as 'a delicious laugh out loud comedy' and to be honest with you I do feel as though I have been slightly misled. Although it did make me laugh a few times I do feel as though the writing style was slightly unsophisticated for my taste.

One critisism I feel I have to mention is that the book was very short and was not advertised as so. I enjoy a long book in order to get to know the characters and really feel I can identify with them. However, this was unable to happen due to the length of the book.

Adding to this, I felt as though the book never really 'got going' and due to this it was hard to connect with the characters which I feel is necessary to really enjoy a book. However, there is a sequel which I do intend to read in order to see if the problem is rectified so keep a look out for that!

Overall, I feel as though this is a good book if you don't take it too seriously and simply want a funny addition to add to your collection. Although the writing style did lack some imagination it was an easy read and welcome after a busy night at work.
  
The Book of Boba Fett
The Book of Boba Fett
2021 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Flash backs of Boba Fett (0 more)
Good Show
I want to start this off by saying I have never been a Boba Fett fan even though I love Star Wars. My Husband is a huge Boba Fett fan and so we watched this delightful show. At first I was skeptical because the first half of season seemed to back story to explain all of what Boba Fett had to go through from when he got stuck in Sarlacc pit.

As the show progressed we got to see Boba Fett make friends with a variety of people earning loyalty and beginning to start his own rulership. I had personally never seen a soft side to Boba Fett and seeing him willing to fight for the Sandpeople was really nice and a bit touching.

I think I would have preferred a little more action as Boba Fett as I knew was a mercenary for hire. But in this show we got to see more of how he thought and deals with problems. I do believe the second half of the season was more of an interlude to the Mandalorien than having much to do with Boba Fett and it felt like they combined the two shows.

Over all I believe it was a decent show and if I am honest, it did make me like Boba Fett a little more and understand him better.
  
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ClareR (5726 KP) rated Sundial in Books

Mar 26, 2022  
Sundial
Sundial
Catriona Ward | 2022 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Horror
10
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book just blew my mind.

I read Sundial with my heart in my mouth, horrified, not knowing what could possibly happen next. Honestly, I thought I knew what type of story would be coming my way after reading The Last House on Needless Street, but this is nothing like that, yet at the same time, it’s still totally Catriona Ward! Everything seems a little off kilter, a bit strange. People don’t behave in quite the same way as ‘normal’ people would.

I mean, a bonding experience in the Mojave desert between a mother and her daughter, in the childhood home where her parents experimented on dogs (this is a horror book. Horrible things happen to not just the people, but the animals as well). How could anything possibly go wrong, I ask you!

I hadn’t read horror in quite a while before I read Needless Street, and now I seem to be on a roll. This book reminds me why I read a lot of this genre as a teenager. It’s that feeling of being transfixed, unable to turn away whilst horrific things happen. The mind games as well!

Love, love, loved this.

And now I need to go and read Ward’s backlist, and make sure I read whatever comes next!

Thanks to the marvellous Pigeonhole yet again for an amazing serialisation!! Keep it up please!
  
TD
Two Dukes and a Lady
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A historical menage a trois involving childhood friends? Sign me up please! As soon as a I read the synopsis, I requested this book immediately. This is everything I wanted. Historical erotica is the best. Childhood friends to lovers is my weakness. Throw in a menage a trois and I am sold 100%.

And the novel didn’t disappoint. Overall, it was as erotic as it was romantic. I was a little annoyed at the characters, their actions/reactions to situations, and how they handled them. I mean, they haven’t seen this woman they loved for years, and the first time they do, they practically ravage her in the street after not contacting her in forever. It felt similar to reading a YA where the couple hasn’t quite figured out how to interact with their significant other as an adult.

Barring that, it was a great read. I wish I could find more novels similar to this mold (that aren’t garbage.)
  
Aspiring novelist Lena London has been given the change of a lifetime, helping her idol, best-selling author Camilla Graham, polish up her newest novel. But Lena has hardly arrived in town when she finds the dead body of a young man near Camilla’s house. What is going on?

There is a strong element of wish fulfillment in this novel, and I must admit I enjoyed that real life fantasy. Camilla writes gothic novels, and there are elements of those here as an homage to the genre. Even though I’m not familiar with that genre, I still spotted a few; I probably missed others, but it wasn’t that big a deal to me. The characters are fun and the plot was strong. I did have some issues with the pacing at the end, but overall, I enjoyed this. It certainly left me anxious for the next one.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book in hopes I would review it.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-dark-and-stormy-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
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Erika (17788 KP) rated The Shining (1980) in Movies

Nov 25, 2018 (Updated Nov 25, 2018)  
The Shining (1980)
The Shining (1980)
1980 | Horror
I just watched this film for the first time yesterday. I don't typically watch horror films/scary movies because I have an overactive imagination and don't need any other nightmare fuel.
I was finally convinced after a conversation with a co-worker when we were talking about how sometimes people just snap, and he emphasized how Jack Torrance's actions were completely fitting with a psychological break. I had also seen various references to the film, such as the extended scene in Ready Player One, and a South Park Halloween episode when Randy Marsh buys a Blockbuster and the same situation happens.
I wouldn't actually deem this as a straight-up horror film, it was definitely more of a psychological thriller. It was so well done (haven't read the book, nor will I ever, not a fan of Stephen King). The music fitting with the cinematography and creating the mood and overall tension in the film. It's definitely one of the best films I've watched as of late, and I'm glad I finally got around to it.
  
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Andy K (10821 KP) Nov 25, 2018

It is a masterpiece for sure. You should try and find documentary Room 237 which talks a lot about The Shining and how Kubrick filmed the fake moon landing.

Animal Kingdom (2010)
Animal Kingdom (2010)
2010 | International, Drama
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"This movie is still my favorite movie of last year, and I think I have to name it because I just thought it was an extraordinary film and I still think about it a lot. I saw it in the theater and it really hit me like a ton of bricks. I think he’s a really extraordinary director, David Michôd. Ben Mendelsohn and Jackie Weaver — every single performance in that I was so impressed with, but in particular just the direction. That’s a director that I appreciate the sense that he allows his actors to just act and have these really quiet moments, and he really just created this world — the atmosphere of that movie was amazing. For a first film, too. The way that he was able to create a level of tension with actors not really saying much or doing much, it was just what he did with the camera. There are not a lot of films where you can just appreciate the camerawork and what a significant aspect of the whole film it is. It was perfectly curated."

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