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Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Claimed (Breaking Free #7) in Books
Mar 19, 2019
5 star series!!
**verified purchase Jan 2019**
This is book 7 in the Breaking Free series, although there are 8 books, with a short that spans across 3 and 4. I would STRONGLY, HIGHLY, ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY recommend that you read the other books before this one. BUT while I do say that, this one is far more a stand alone than the others. Things are recapped and caught up, but it takes a different path, as well as winding with the on-going story arc that continues through the other books.
We met Brandt, an Alpha, along the way: he is boos to the other police officers in the series, boos to ALL of them. He lost his pregnant mate, Ollie, ten years ago without a trace and has finally decided he should (mostly) move on. Going to an anonymous sex party seems the best way to get some sexual relief, without the commitment he cannot make. Meeting Little Blue, however, makes him change his mind. We met Demir, a beta, in book four, Found. He is Isa Higgs youngest son and was 15 at the time. Now an adult and betrayed by the person he thought he loved, Demir also attends said party. Big Red is just the person who pushes all of Demir's buttons and then some. There is a true connection between these two, but when they discover who Brandt is to Demir's father, they keep their relationship a secret, for now. Oliver is in the province to speak at a conference about omega trafficking. He cannot remember a time before ten years ago, when he was found in a van wreck. Meeting Brandt makes him feel . . . .something . . . .he's not sure what though. when Brandt explains who he is to Oliver, things begin to drop into place. But when Brandt tells Oliver about Demir, and that he simply cannot choose, Oliver presents a solution that will at least give them all a chance. Can they make it work?
This one, I found, was like a watching a train wreck coming at ya,it really was. You KNOW there is going to be fall out when Demir and Brandt find out who they are to each other. You KNOW there is going to be a big ole mess when Brandt and Ollie come face to face again. You KNOW that Ollie is going to fight this with every fibre of his being. You bloody well KNOW the Oliver's brother in law is not as . .pure . . in his intentions to Oliver after the death of his husband. An you KNOW, that when Isa finds out about the three of them, he is gonna go nuts. And there ain't a damn thing you can do to stop it! You just watch, and read, and wait and see how it all turns out! Amazing reading, I have to say.
I loved that it was OLLIE who came up with the solution to their predicament. That HE suggested they at least try to be a poly-family, since in his home of the last ten years it really is quite common. Loved that Ollie took Demir into his heart very quickly, the younger man making him feel as safe as Brandt did.
But Isa?? I wanted to punch Isa bloody Higgs so bad! After everything he has told his sons about being betas, that they can do anything, be anything they want to, as much as the alphas can, and he goes and says THAT to Demir! Not saying what, but if you've read these books, you can probably guess. He does redeem himself, but still, a punch was heading his way!
All the other guys pop up in this books, at some point or other, and it's great watching the babies grow up together. Seeing them already forming bonds: alpha, beta and omega all together is great. It would be amazing to catch up with these babies, as they grow and have babies of their own!
So, now, I'm sad! I only started this series because books one and two were shared with me, and I needed something to clear my head after a particularly heavy book. I thought this might be a good hangover cure! And BOY was I wrong, in the best way! Not a hangover cure, not in the least, but another deep dark book that pulled my into an eight book series, that did NOT let me go!
Thank you, Ms Arthur, for pulling into your worlds. I have some other books to read next!
5 amazing, but sad to see it end, stars
**same worded review ill appear elsewhere**
This is book 7 in the Breaking Free series, although there are 8 books, with a short that spans across 3 and 4. I would STRONGLY, HIGHLY, ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY recommend that you read the other books before this one. BUT while I do say that, this one is far more a stand alone than the others. Things are recapped and caught up, but it takes a different path, as well as winding with the on-going story arc that continues through the other books.
We met Brandt, an Alpha, along the way: he is boos to the other police officers in the series, boos to ALL of them. He lost his pregnant mate, Ollie, ten years ago without a trace and has finally decided he should (mostly) move on. Going to an anonymous sex party seems the best way to get some sexual relief, without the commitment he cannot make. Meeting Little Blue, however, makes him change his mind. We met Demir, a beta, in book four, Found. He is Isa Higgs youngest son and was 15 at the time. Now an adult and betrayed by the person he thought he loved, Demir also attends said party. Big Red is just the person who pushes all of Demir's buttons and then some. There is a true connection between these two, but when they discover who Brandt is to Demir's father, they keep their relationship a secret, for now. Oliver is in the province to speak at a conference about omega trafficking. He cannot remember a time before ten years ago, when he was found in a van wreck. Meeting Brandt makes him feel . . . .something . . . .he's not sure what though. when Brandt explains who he is to Oliver, things begin to drop into place. But when Brandt tells Oliver about Demir, and that he simply cannot choose, Oliver presents a solution that will at least give them all a chance. Can they make it work?
This one, I found, was like a watching a train wreck coming at ya,it really was. You KNOW there is going to be fall out when Demir and Brandt find out who they are to each other. You KNOW there is going to be a big ole mess when Brandt and Ollie come face to face again. You KNOW that Ollie is going to fight this with every fibre of his being. You bloody well KNOW the Oliver's brother in law is not as . .pure . . in his intentions to Oliver after the death of his husband. An you KNOW, that when Isa finds out about the three of them, he is gonna go nuts. And there ain't a damn thing you can do to stop it! You just watch, and read, and wait and see how it all turns out! Amazing reading, I have to say.
I loved that it was OLLIE who came up with the solution to their predicament. That HE suggested they at least try to be a poly-family, since in his home of the last ten years it really is quite common. Loved that Ollie took Demir into his heart very quickly, the younger man making him feel as safe as Brandt did.
But Isa?? I wanted to punch Isa bloody Higgs so bad! After everything he has told his sons about being betas, that they can do anything, be anything they want to, as much as the alphas can, and he goes and says THAT to Demir! Not saying what, but if you've read these books, you can probably guess. He does redeem himself, but still, a punch was heading his way!
All the other guys pop up in this books, at some point or other, and it's great watching the babies grow up together. Seeing them already forming bonds: alpha, beta and omega all together is great. It would be amazing to catch up with these babies, as they grow and have babies of their own!
So, now, I'm sad! I only started this series because books one and two were shared with me, and I needed something to clear my head after a particularly heavy book. I thought this might be a good hangover cure! And BOY was I wrong, in the best way! Not a hangover cure, not in the least, but another deep dark book that pulled my into an eight book series, that did NOT let me go!
Thank you, Ms Arthur, for pulling into your worlds. I have some other books to read next!
5 amazing, but sad to see it end, stars
**same worded review ill appear elsewhere**
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Totally Onix-pected
Before we begin, I must apologise for the bad pun, but if any franchise deserves a pun for their first live-action movie adaptation, it’s Pokémon. Growing up in 90s Britain, Pokémon was absolutely everywhere. You couldn’t turn a street corner without seeing Pikachu and his sidekick Ash (or should that be the other way around) emblazoned across every toy shop window or on every bus. It was a true phenomenon that took the world by storm like nothing else.
Fast forward to 2019 and perhaps even more impressively, Pokémon is still very much in people’s consciousness. The adorable Pocket Monsters, if we are referring to them with their full title, are still something of a cultural mainstay across the globe – yet true global box-office success has eluded them.
Enter Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. The first live-action movie from the universally loved series. It’s taken over 20 years to get to this point, but is the resulting film worth the wait? Or are we looking at yet another video game to move adaptation dud?
Ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son, Tim (Justice Smith), to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth Detective Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds). Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces to unravel the tangled mystery.
It was a peculiar choice for Warner Bros. and The Pokémon Company to adapt one of the lesser known video games in the franchise in which a talking Pikachu helps a young man solve the mystery of his missing father, but it ended up being a master stroke.
For those not familiar with Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow etc, the film needs no introduction and no prerequisite of Pokémon knowledge, meaning it’s suitable for Pokémon fans and Pokémon novices.
What the movie does need however, is complete immersion. The central setting of Ryme City is a thriving metropolis in which Pocket Monster and human live alongside each other, free from the battles that brought the franchise universal success. It’s a bold move, putting aside what is essentially the main money-making aspect of the series, but it works well for the most part.
The creature designs are astounding, bringing these historically cartoon animals living and breathing into the 21stCentury
Director Rob Letterman (Goosebumps) creates a vibrant world that is as immersive as anything we’ve seen on the big screen in years. You feel a part of the adventure and to be frank, it took me back to my first experiences with the trading cards and the Gameboy games.
With charm, wit and heart on its side, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is by far the best video game movie, although that’s not saying much. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’s Justice Smith plays the lead role of Tim with gusto and true emotion and his character arc throughout the film is pleasingly well-written for a film in the genre. Bill Nighy adds some class to proceedings as wealthy businessman Howard Clifford and Ken Watanabe pops up now and then as a detective inspector.
But the main star is of course, Detective Pikachu himself. Ryan Reynolds takes to the role like a Magikarp to water and brings a little of his Deadpool magnetism to the portrayal. It shouldn’t work, but it really does and the humorous little mouse is a delight to spend the film with.
The cinematography too is lovely. John Mathieson, who worked on Robin Hood with Ridley Scott and X-Men: First Class brings to life stunning locations, filled with mystery and magic – and that’s everything you could ask for in a Pokémon movie. The special effects are on the whole, very good. With a reported budget of $150million, you can see where the money has been spent. The creature designs are astounding, bringing these historically cartoon animals living and breathing into the 21stCentury. There are a couple of lapses here and there, but nothing to write home about.
It’s not all good news. The plot is both predictable and nonsensical at the same time, especially towards the film’s climax. The thrill here is definitely not in the story but rather in the exceptional world the film-makers have built. Rumour has it that a sequel is already on the cards, and with a confidently filmed, funny and emotive first outing, the Pokémon franchise continues to be in good health.
Your move Sonic.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/05/10/pokemon-detective-pikachu-review-totally-onix-pected/
Fast forward to 2019 and perhaps even more impressively, Pokémon is still very much in people’s consciousness. The adorable Pocket Monsters, if we are referring to them with their full title, are still something of a cultural mainstay across the globe – yet true global box-office success has eluded them.
Enter Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. The first live-action movie from the universally loved series. It’s taken over 20 years to get to this point, but is the resulting film worth the wait? Or are we looking at yet another video game to move adaptation dud?
Ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son, Tim (Justice Smith), to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth Detective Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds). Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces to unravel the tangled mystery.
It was a peculiar choice for Warner Bros. and The Pokémon Company to adapt one of the lesser known video games in the franchise in which a talking Pikachu helps a young man solve the mystery of his missing father, but it ended up being a master stroke.
For those not familiar with Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow etc, the film needs no introduction and no prerequisite of Pokémon knowledge, meaning it’s suitable for Pokémon fans and Pokémon novices.
What the movie does need however, is complete immersion. The central setting of Ryme City is a thriving metropolis in which Pocket Monster and human live alongside each other, free from the battles that brought the franchise universal success. It’s a bold move, putting aside what is essentially the main money-making aspect of the series, but it works well for the most part.
The creature designs are astounding, bringing these historically cartoon animals living and breathing into the 21stCentury
Director Rob Letterman (Goosebumps) creates a vibrant world that is as immersive as anything we’ve seen on the big screen in years. You feel a part of the adventure and to be frank, it took me back to my first experiences with the trading cards and the Gameboy games.
With charm, wit and heart on its side, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is by far the best video game movie, although that’s not saying much. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’s Justice Smith plays the lead role of Tim with gusto and true emotion and his character arc throughout the film is pleasingly well-written for a film in the genre. Bill Nighy adds some class to proceedings as wealthy businessman Howard Clifford and Ken Watanabe pops up now and then as a detective inspector.
But the main star is of course, Detective Pikachu himself. Ryan Reynolds takes to the role like a Magikarp to water and brings a little of his Deadpool magnetism to the portrayal. It shouldn’t work, but it really does and the humorous little mouse is a delight to spend the film with.
The cinematography too is lovely. John Mathieson, who worked on Robin Hood with Ridley Scott and X-Men: First Class brings to life stunning locations, filled with mystery and magic – and that’s everything you could ask for in a Pokémon movie. The special effects are on the whole, very good. With a reported budget of $150million, you can see where the money has been spent. The creature designs are astounding, bringing these historically cartoon animals living and breathing into the 21stCentury. There are a couple of lapses here and there, but nothing to write home about.
It’s not all good news. The plot is both predictable and nonsensical at the same time, especially towards the film’s climax. The thrill here is definitely not in the story but rather in the exceptional world the film-makers have built. Rumour has it that a sequel is already on the cards, and with a confidently filmed, funny and emotive first outing, the Pokémon franchise continues to be in good health.
Your move Sonic.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/05/10/pokemon-detective-pikachu-review-totally-onix-pected/
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Black Panther (2018) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019 (Updated Jun 10, 2019)
Is the MCU all out of surprises?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become one of the most successful movie franchises ever made, and it’s easy to see why. Featuring incredible actors, up-and-coming directors and that trademark sense of humour, each film in the MCU has something to offer.
That doesn’t mean they’re perfect however. The MCU has a distinct lack of decent villains, strong female characters and characters from ethnic minorities. In the run-up to this year’s Infinity War, Black Panther aims to turn what we know about Marvel on its head. But has it succeeded?
After the death of his father, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king – and as Black Panther – gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
The opening sequence of Black Panther is an absolute treat as the audience are given a brief history of Wakanda and the tribes from which it grew. It’s a great montage to kick off a film that’s packed with stunning visuals and gorgeous landscapes, even though some of the special effects are left wanting at times.
Cast wise, this is one of the strongest entries into the MCU. Chadwick Boseman absolutely embodies the young, naïve yet warm T’Challa beautifully and it’s nice to see his character given some reference points after his sudden inclusion in Captain America: Civil War. Elsewhere, Lupita Nyong’o is always a pleasure to see on screen and her love interest to Boseman keeps him grounded over the course of the runtime.
For me the standout character is Danai Gurira’s Okoye, leader of a group of female warriors ordered to protect Wakanda and its king no matter what the cost. She’s certainly not to be messed with and gets a pleasing arc throughout. The script also seems to work best when she’s on screen.
When it comes to the bad guy, director Ryan Coogler (Creed) gets it nearly spot on. After dozens of, shall we say, lacklustre villains, the MCU receives its best yet. Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger is, despite his ridiculous name, absolutely brilliant. Menacing and oddly charming in equal measure, he does away with the tradition of bizarre villain motives in the MCU. In fact, his motives throughout feel entirely believable and the film feels more grounded because of this.
Coogler does a good job at creating a bustling and vibrant world, even if the special effects can sometimes bring you out of the illusion
Martin Freeman’s Agent Ross is a strange addition to the cast, simply because his character isn’t essential to the plot. Freeman is always a magnetic presence but he really doesn’t have all that much to do. Finally, Andy Serkis reprises his role as arms dealer Ulysses Klaue and is great fun.
Looking at Wakanda itself, Coogler does a good job at creating a bustling and vibrant world, even if the special effects can sometimes bring you out of the illusion. It certainly feels more real than the hollow golden towers of Asgard (something thankfully fixed in last year’s Thor: Ragnarok), and Wakanda is a great addition to the many locations the Marvel Cinematic Universe has created.
So, I’ve mentioned disappointing special effects twice in this review and whilst they aren’t terrible, there are a few occasions where they are a little poor – especially evident in the film’s finale. For all his exciting filming style, Coogler’s shot choices occasionally jar with the uninspiring and lifeless CGI. Some of the landscapes also feel like a brochure for Disney’s upcoming The Lion King live-action remake.
I think it’s time to talk about film politics, because as much as Black Panther is a great addition to the MCU and a fine solo movie in itself, the legacy it will leave on the industry will be absolutely huge. With a majority black cast, strong female characters and a black director, it’s progressive and incredibly brave in its choices.
Any less of a story, director or cast wouldn’t have made it work and despite some poor CGI and slight pacing issues at the start, Black Panther is one of the best solo Marvel movies in years. Bring on Infinity War.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/02/15/black-panther-review-is-the-mcu-all-out-of-surprises/
That doesn’t mean they’re perfect however. The MCU has a distinct lack of decent villains, strong female characters and characters from ethnic minorities. In the run-up to this year’s Infinity War, Black Panther aims to turn what we know about Marvel on its head. But has it succeeded?
After the death of his father, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king – and as Black Panther – gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
The opening sequence of Black Panther is an absolute treat as the audience are given a brief history of Wakanda and the tribes from which it grew. It’s a great montage to kick off a film that’s packed with stunning visuals and gorgeous landscapes, even though some of the special effects are left wanting at times.
Cast wise, this is one of the strongest entries into the MCU. Chadwick Boseman absolutely embodies the young, naïve yet warm T’Challa beautifully and it’s nice to see his character given some reference points after his sudden inclusion in Captain America: Civil War. Elsewhere, Lupita Nyong’o is always a pleasure to see on screen and her love interest to Boseman keeps him grounded over the course of the runtime.
For me the standout character is Danai Gurira’s Okoye, leader of a group of female warriors ordered to protect Wakanda and its king no matter what the cost. She’s certainly not to be messed with and gets a pleasing arc throughout. The script also seems to work best when she’s on screen.
When it comes to the bad guy, director Ryan Coogler (Creed) gets it nearly spot on. After dozens of, shall we say, lacklustre villains, the MCU receives its best yet. Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger is, despite his ridiculous name, absolutely brilliant. Menacing and oddly charming in equal measure, he does away with the tradition of bizarre villain motives in the MCU. In fact, his motives throughout feel entirely believable and the film feels more grounded because of this.
Coogler does a good job at creating a bustling and vibrant world, even if the special effects can sometimes bring you out of the illusion
Martin Freeman’s Agent Ross is a strange addition to the cast, simply because his character isn’t essential to the plot. Freeman is always a magnetic presence but he really doesn’t have all that much to do. Finally, Andy Serkis reprises his role as arms dealer Ulysses Klaue and is great fun.
Looking at Wakanda itself, Coogler does a good job at creating a bustling and vibrant world, even if the special effects can sometimes bring you out of the illusion. It certainly feels more real than the hollow golden towers of Asgard (something thankfully fixed in last year’s Thor: Ragnarok), and Wakanda is a great addition to the many locations the Marvel Cinematic Universe has created.
So, I’ve mentioned disappointing special effects twice in this review and whilst they aren’t terrible, there are a few occasions where they are a little poor – especially evident in the film’s finale. For all his exciting filming style, Coogler’s shot choices occasionally jar with the uninspiring and lifeless CGI. Some of the landscapes also feel like a brochure for Disney’s upcoming The Lion King live-action remake.
I think it’s time to talk about film politics, because as much as Black Panther is a great addition to the MCU and a fine solo movie in itself, the legacy it will leave on the industry will be absolutely huge. With a majority black cast, strong female characters and a black director, it’s progressive and incredibly brave in its choices.
Any less of a story, director or cast wouldn’t have made it work and despite some poor CGI and slight pacing issues at the start, Black Panther is one of the best solo Marvel movies in years. Bring on Infinity War.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/02/15/black-panther-review-is-the-mcu-all-out-of-surprises/
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Dubious (The Loan Shark Duet, #1) in Books
Feb 8, 2018
<a href="http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/rosella1974/media/download_zpsalznydhx.jpg.html"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah5/rosella1974/download_zpsalznydhx.jpg~original"; border="0" alt=" photo download_zpsalznydhx.jpg"/></a>
🌟🌟🌟🌟STARS.
Dubious (The Loan Shark Duet, #1) was a delight to read and once I started there was no stopping me, I was on a mission to finish this.
So the low-down on Dubious was that Valentina Haynes a young veterinary student manages to get on the wrong side of the Louw family courtesy of her car thief neighbour, who while watching her disabled brother Charlie lets him run up gambling debt's at a local club.
Sent in on a kill order Gabriel Louw wanting Valentina for himself offers her an out, come work for him for nine years to pay off her brother's debt and he will let her brother go.
Now this book was fantastic and was such an easy read.
Despite the subject matter involved here, this was not in any way for me dark.
Gabriel rather than force Valentina (who is now working as a maid in his home).
Gradually seduces her senses with his brand of charisma and skills.
Alongside Gabriel, Valentina has to endure his mother Magda. who from day one is unhappy with her son's decision to allow the Hayne's to continue to exist and is just looking for an excuse to end Valentina.
I also loved the fact that Gabriel wasn't your typical looker and was covered in scars, this to me was an actual plus rather than a minus because I do adore me a less than perfect anti-hero.
Gabriel also came packed with a spoilt teenage daughter and I get the impression from her behaviour that she was less than aware of her father's profession.
I also thought it was a stroke of genies to set this in South Africa, Johannesburg to be precise.
This made it stand out for me from the norm, I can honestly say I don't think I've read this genre of story set in this background before.
This made this really original.
The tale told here was not very angsty but that didn't matter.
As this story progressed, two things became very clear to me, Gabriel's self-confidence in his own appeal was low, more than likely due to his scarring.
He felt that his money and power was all he had to offer besides the obvious things as well of course.
The second being Valentina has vastly underestimated how much Gabriel wants to protect and keep her, the former going to such extremes that it was bound to come crashing down around his ears just through miscommunication.
There were some very interesting side characters here Quinn and Rhett, Gabriel's bodyguards being two that grew on me and I believe they both generally liked Valentina.
Also, her friend Kris was a diamond watching her brother Charlie, maybe for the next nine years, this was definitely above and beyond.
Bet we would all love a friend like that.
So the only reason I pulled this down a star was that I feel that Gabriel himself would with this sort of reputation and power be less than inclined to allow his mother to pull his strings.
Yes, I know in the beginning she was described as having all the power.
I just fail to see, how with Gabriel's sort of nature he has allowed this status quo to go unchallenged all these years, I just can't see it.
After all, he is the muscle and scary face of the Louw's family loan shark franchise.
I actually just really wanted him to tell his mother to go screw herself.
So Would I recommend this? Hell yeah!!!
Dubious was well written with great developed characters and an interesting storyline.
It also really helped that the hero and heroine were both extremely likeable people.
Even considering the hero's occupation.
And the way this was left. well just Phew, so need that next instalment.
Dubious ended on such a fantastic cliffhanger.
I would like to say thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free ARC.
This is my own free and honest opinion of Dubious.
<a href="http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/rosella1974/media/images_zpshdbbnmle.jpg.html"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah5/rosella1974/images_zpshdbbnmle.jpg~original"; border="0" alt=" photo images_zpshdbbnmle.jpg"/></a>
Reviewed By Bookworm
www.beckiebookworm.com
🌟🌟🌟🌟STARS.
Dubious (The Loan Shark Duet, #1) was a delight to read and once I started there was no stopping me, I was on a mission to finish this.
So the low-down on Dubious was that Valentina Haynes a young veterinary student manages to get on the wrong side of the Louw family courtesy of her car thief neighbour, who while watching her disabled brother Charlie lets him run up gambling debt's at a local club.
Sent in on a kill order Gabriel Louw wanting Valentina for himself offers her an out, come work for him for nine years to pay off her brother's debt and he will let her brother go.
Now this book was fantastic and was such an easy read.
Despite the subject matter involved here, this was not in any way for me dark.
Gabriel rather than force Valentina (who is now working as a maid in his home).
Gradually seduces her senses with his brand of charisma and skills.
Alongside Gabriel, Valentina has to endure his mother Magda. who from day one is unhappy with her son's decision to allow the Hayne's to continue to exist and is just looking for an excuse to end Valentina.
I also loved the fact that Gabriel wasn't your typical looker and was covered in scars, this to me was an actual plus rather than a minus because I do adore me a less than perfect anti-hero.
Gabriel also came packed with a spoilt teenage daughter and I get the impression from her behaviour that she was less than aware of her father's profession.
I also thought it was a stroke of genies to set this in South Africa, Johannesburg to be precise.
This made it stand out for me from the norm, I can honestly say I don't think I've read this genre of story set in this background before.
This made this really original.
The tale told here was not very angsty but that didn't matter.
As this story progressed, two things became very clear to me, Gabriel's self-confidence in his own appeal was low, more than likely due to his scarring.
He felt that his money and power was all he had to offer besides the obvious things as well of course.
The second being Valentina has vastly underestimated how much Gabriel wants to protect and keep her, the former going to such extremes that it was bound to come crashing down around his ears just through miscommunication.
There were some very interesting side characters here Quinn and Rhett, Gabriel's bodyguards being two that grew on me and I believe they both generally liked Valentina.
Also, her friend Kris was a diamond watching her brother Charlie, maybe for the next nine years, this was definitely above and beyond.
Bet we would all love a friend like that.
So the only reason I pulled this down a star was that I feel that Gabriel himself would with this sort of reputation and power be less than inclined to allow his mother to pull his strings.
Yes, I know in the beginning she was described as having all the power.
I just fail to see, how with Gabriel's sort of nature he has allowed this status quo to go unchallenged all these years, I just can't see it.
After all, he is the muscle and scary face of the Louw's family loan shark franchise.
I actually just really wanted him to tell his mother to go screw herself.
So Would I recommend this? Hell yeah!!!
Dubious was well written with great developed characters and an interesting storyline.
It also really helped that the hero and heroine were both extremely likeable people.
Even considering the hero's occupation.
And the way this was left. well just Phew, so need that next instalment.
Dubious ended on such a fantastic cliffhanger.
I would like to say thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free ARC.
This is my own free and honest opinion of Dubious.
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Reviewed By Bookworm
www.beckiebookworm.com
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Summer's End in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a> in October).
As a fan of horror, I thought I'd end up loving this book. However, that wasn't the case. It was an okay read, and I use that term loosely.
Lisa Morton is a horror author who knows a vast amount about Halloween, as in she knows where the tradition started and all the variations. When she gets an email from a university professor saying they found a 1,500 year old Celtic manuscript, she's a bit skeptical. However, she decides to visit the professor and see what he has to say. After translating the manuscript, the professor is found dead. Could this be the work of the manuscript that spoke of the Sidh? It's up to Lisa and Conor ó Cuinn, an Irish archaeologist who found the manuscript, to save the world. But will they be in time?
I'm not a fan of the cover at all. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a Sidh or not. I have no idea. All I know is that the cover never really pulled me in.
As for the title, it makes me think more of a love story than a horror story. Saying that, one of the translations of Samhain is summer's end according to the book, so the title does fit in with the book.
I thought the world building was alright. I really didn't find any flaws with it. The setting is a university office and an apartment, so nothing too exciting. I though the author did a fantastic job of making the Sidh feel real and like this could actually happen. However, the ending lets the world building down. (This next sentence may be slightly spoilerish). We're led to believe that the world will be destroyed if Bal-sab (the god of death) isn't destroyed. Well, I don't want to give it away too much, but yeah, it's very anti-climatic.
The pacing is extremely slow at the beginning. I was considering adding this title to my DNF (did not finish) pile. For whatever reason, I decided to carry on. Luckily, the story did improve and picked up quickly which meant I was able to finish this book.
The plot was interesting enough. It's told from the author's point of view (although this book is a work of fiction), and she even throws in titles of her other books along the way. I did like the whole Celtic/Pagan mythology throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the little footnotes throughout the book. Anyway, the protagonist of the story needs to translate a Celtic manuscript and save the world. While, it was an interesting premise, I felt that it was poorly executed due to too much info dumping, and what I felt was too much self-promotion for the author's other works.
I felt that the characters were just too run of the mill. They weren't written poorly, but they weren't written well either. I felt that maybe some back story for the characters, especially the main character, would've helped me relate to each character, but I just found myself not really caring what happened to them. I just couldn't relate at all, and believe me, I did try, but all the characters felt too monotonous for my liking. I would've liked it if at least one character had some sort of personality instead of feeling like a cardboard cutout.
The dialogue never seemed forced, but it did feel a bit stale. As I've said before, there was way too much info dumping for my liking especially towards the beginning of the book. The info dumping isn't quite so bad once the story progresses though. As for swear words, there are a few, but it's not too bad.
Overall, Summer's End by Lisa Morton is an okay (again, I use this word loosely) story. It was a fantastic idea but poorly executed, I think.
I'm on the fence with whether or not I'd recommend this book. I'd just say to read it yourself and come to a decision especially if you're into Celtic/Pagan mythology. I'd say the age group it would best fit would be those aged 16+.
I'd give Summer's End by Lisa Morton a 2.5 out of 5.
(I received a free ARC print copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers for a fair and honest review).
As a fan of horror, I thought I'd end up loving this book. However, that wasn't the case. It was an okay read, and I use that term loosely.
Lisa Morton is a horror author who knows a vast amount about Halloween, as in she knows where the tradition started and all the variations. When she gets an email from a university professor saying they found a 1,500 year old Celtic manuscript, she's a bit skeptical. However, she decides to visit the professor and see what he has to say. After translating the manuscript, the professor is found dead. Could this be the work of the manuscript that spoke of the Sidh? It's up to Lisa and Conor ó Cuinn, an Irish archaeologist who found the manuscript, to save the world. But will they be in time?
I'm not a fan of the cover at all. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be a Sidh or not. I have no idea. All I know is that the cover never really pulled me in.
As for the title, it makes me think more of a love story than a horror story. Saying that, one of the translations of Samhain is summer's end according to the book, so the title does fit in with the book.
I thought the world building was alright. I really didn't find any flaws with it. The setting is a university office and an apartment, so nothing too exciting. I though the author did a fantastic job of making the Sidh feel real and like this could actually happen. However, the ending lets the world building down. (This next sentence may be slightly spoilerish). We're led to believe that the world will be destroyed if Bal-sab (the god of death) isn't destroyed. Well, I don't want to give it away too much, but yeah, it's very anti-climatic.
The pacing is extremely slow at the beginning. I was considering adding this title to my DNF (did not finish) pile. For whatever reason, I decided to carry on. Luckily, the story did improve and picked up quickly which meant I was able to finish this book.
The plot was interesting enough. It's told from the author's point of view (although this book is a work of fiction), and she even throws in titles of her other books along the way. I did like the whole Celtic/Pagan mythology throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the little footnotes throughout the book. Anyway, the protagonist of the story needs to translate a Celtic manuscript and save the world. While, it was an interesting premise, I felt that it was poorly executed due to too much info dumping, and what I felt was too much self-promotion for the author's other works.
I felt that the characters were just too run of the mill. They weren't written poorly, but they weren't written well either. I felt that maybe some back story for the characters, especially the main character, would've helped me relate to each character, but I just found myself not really caring what happened to them. I just couldn't relate at all, and believe me, I did try, but all the characters felt too monotonous for my liking. I would've liked it if at least one character had some sort of personality instead of feeling like a cardboard cutout.
The dialogue never seemed forced, but it did feel a bit stale. As I've said before, there was way too much info dumping for my liking especially towards the beginning of the book. The info dumping isn't quite so bad once the story progresses though. As for swear words, there are a few, but it's not too bad.
Overall, Summer's End by Lisa Morton is an okay (again, I use this word loosely) story. It was a fantastic idea but poorly executed, I think.
I'm on the fence with whether or not I'd recommend this book. I'd just say to read it yourself and come to a decision especially if you're into Celtic/Pagan mythology. I'd say the age group it would best fit would be those aged 16+.
I'd give Summer's End by Lisa Morton a 2.5 out of 5.
(I received a free ARC print copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers for a fair and honest review).
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated King Hall (Forever Evermore, #1) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
Read the most up to date version of this review over on Ramble Media http://www.ramblemedia.com/?p=20241
I received an ARC of this book and I am so very glad I was given this opportunity as this book really is something else! I devoured it in no time at all, reading until I fell asleep on my kindle, waking up and reading some more. I honestly have not read a book this well written and gripping in a while, and it is most definitely a book worth adding to your to-read list sharpish!
So I suppose you want to know why I find this book so wonderful? Well for once, I am actually rather speechless, in an incredibly good way, as there is just so much good that it's hard to know where to start. Perhaps the one thing I absolutely loved in this book is the plot. A different take on the typical YA Magical genre, the inclusion of Kings, Mys factions, heartbreak, mates and the friendship between these groups, it's all so very different from the norm. But that is one of the greatest aspects of this book, it breaks so many of the standard rules and 'norms' of this genre. It is naughty in parts, funny in others and downright heart breaking at times as well. The plot is superbly paced to guide the reader through everything that takes place, without dragging it's feet or rushing too fast - it is perfectly pitched for your enjoyment. The twists and turns in the plot is another huge advantage as it simply keeps you on the balls of your feet throughout. It's rare to find a book that does this so completely so I have to give credit to Scarlett Dawn for developing such a wonderful plot development.
Something else that is amazing in this book is the dynamic between the characters. They are wonderful. Seriously, they gel so incredibly well with each other and with you as a reader that you feel like the 5th member of the Prodigy group. They are wonderful characters in their own right, but together they truly shine. Jack, a real Jack the lad, so untamed and playful; Pearl, a beauty with a mischievous side; Ezra, dark and mysterious, he exudes sex appeal; and Lily, well what can you say? She's shorter than average, smaller than average, a fiery tempered Shifter which matches her fiery red hair. I love her to bits, mostly because she really reminds me of myself, but also because she is a strong heroine, and these types of characters are really missing from books. She's inspirational and an absolute delight to read, sucking you into her crazy world and dragging you into all their mischief together. Equally, you also get drawn into her heart break, and my heart seriously ached with her with the tragedy she faced. She is an incredibly well written character, and one I honestly cannot wait to learn more about.
Another amazing aspect of this book is the humour which weaves its way throughout. It counteracts the dark undertones of sadness and tension throughout, meaning that although the darkness is there, there is always hope and happiness not far behind. This stops the story from becoming too angsty and helps the reader have a few good belly laughs along the way. The naughtiness of the humour is excellently written, balancing on the tasteful sexual humour rather than being crude. This makes it even more enjoyable to read as it just feels so natural. It's like an old pair of jeans, the book just feels so right as you read it. Although there may be uncomfortable moments (King Kincaid and Venclaire feature in most of them), Scarlett Dawn makes them incredibly enjoyable by using a unique brand of humour to ease the tension, usually through Lily's thoughts. I can only compliment this as it is something I know isn't hard to write and balance correctly.
So I suppose I ought to wrap this on before I gush too much and end up repeating myself. IF you haven't already guessed from reading the review so far, I absolutely, positively ADORED this book (yes, the capitalisation is most definitely needed). It has everything you want in a good read, emotions of all kinds, a fab pace and plot and excellent characters. There's nothing more for me to say other than to tell you to get a copy of this book sooner rather than later and be prepared for a cliff hanger that is out of this world! Now all there is for me to do is twiddle my thumbs and wait very impatiently for the next instalment!
I received an ARC of this book and I am so very glad I was given this opportunity as this book really is something else! I devoured it in no time at all, reading until I fell asleep on my kindle, waking up and reading some more. I honestly have not read a book this well written and gripping in a while, and it is most definitely a book worth adding to your to-read list sharpish!
So I suppose you want to know why I find this book so wonderful? Well for once, I am actually rather speechless, in an incredibly good way, as there is just so much good that it's hard to know where to start. Perhaps the one thing I absolutely loved in this book is the plot. A different take on the typical YA Magical genre, the inclusion of Kings, Mys factions, heartbreak, mates and the friendship between these groups, it's all so very different from the norm. But that is one of the greatest aspects of this book, it breaks so many of the standard rules and 'norms' of this genre. It is naughty in parts, funny in others and downright heart breaking at times as well. The plot is superbly paced to guide the reader through everything that takes place, without dragging it's feet or rushing too fast - it is perfectly pitched for your enjoyment. The twists and turns in the plot is another huge advantage as it simply keeps you on the balls of your feet throughout. It's rare to find a book that does this so completely so I have to give credit to Scarlett Dawn for developing such a wonderful plot development.
Something else that is amazing in this book is the dynamic between the characters. They are wonderful. Seriously, they gel so incredibly well with each other and with you as a reader that you feel like the 5th member of the Prodigy group. They are wonderful characters in their own right, but together they truly shine. Jack, a real Jack the lad, so untamed and playful; Pearl, a beauty with a mischievous side; Ezra, dark and mysterious, he exudes sex appeal; and Lily, well what can you say? She's shorter than average, smaller than average, a fiery tempered Shifter which matches her fiery red hair. I love her to bits, mostly because she really reminds me of myself, but also because she is a strong heroine, and these types of characters are really missing from books. She's inspirational and an absolute delight to read, sucking you into her crazy world and dragging you into all their mischief together. Equally, you also get drawn into her heart break, and my heart seriously ached with her with the tragedy she faced. She is an incredibly well written character, and one I honestly cannot wait to learn more about.
Another amazing aspect of this book is the humour which weaves its way throughout. It counteracts the dark undertones of sadness and tension throughout, meaning that although the darkness is there, there is always hope and happiness not far behind. This stops the story from becoming too angsty and helps the reader have a few good belly laughs along the way. The naughtiness of the humour is excellently written, balancing on the tasteful sexual humour rather than being crude. This makes it even more enjoyable to read as it just feels so natural. It's like an old pair of jeans, the book just feels so right as you read it. Although there may be uncomfortable moments (King Kincaid and Venclaire feature in most of them), Scarlett Dawn makes them incredibly enjoyable by using a unique brand of humour to ease the tension, usually through Lily's thoughts. I can only compliment this as it is something I know isn't hard to write and balance correctly.
So I suppose I ought to wrap this on before I gush too much and end up repeating myself. IF you haven't already guessed from reading the review so far, I absolutely, positively ADORED this book (yes, the capitalisation is most definitely needed). It has everything you want in a good read, emotions of all kinds, a fab pace and plot and excellent characters. There's nothing more for me to say other than to tell you to get a copy of this book sooner rather than later and be prepared for a cliff hanger that is out of this world! Now all there is for me to do is twiddle my thumbs and wait very impatiently for the next instalment!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Kitchen (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Times are tough in Hells Kitchen, people need to diversify to stay on top. Three gangsters decide to do just that but manage to fall on the wrong side of the law on their first outing. As they are locked up their wives are left to pick up the pieces. They'll be looked after, that's the promise they hear but the money they get won't even cover their rent.
The three women are desperate but see an opportunity in the gap their imprisoned husbands have left. What the mob needs is a woman's touch.
Melissa McCarthy amuses me, her comedy really hits the spot, then she appeared in Can You Ever Forgive Me? and I was so happy to see she could do drama too. Tiffany Haddish was much the same, I've seen her in lots of comedy and find her to be entertaining (if a little over played) so when her name popped up on this I was interested to see how she handled "sensible". I was very pleased with the result, but we'll get there.
The look of everything in The Kitchen felt spot on. All the little touches really pulled the 70's feel together and gace each character their own vibe that lined up perfectly with their development through the film.
Music certainly helped on this front, though part of me was sad that they used "It's A Man's Man's Man's World." I know it fits perfectly with the tone and the subject but it felt so cliché for that to be the first thing we go and I actually sighed when it came on.
Our three wives make an interesting mix as a team, a collection that you couldn't see being friends under normal circumstances but they've been brought together out of necessity. I liked the way we got to see their lives unfold from the beginning. Their home life with their husbands and then their reactions as the men are charged. Kathy looking upset, Ruby with a look of disappointment that he should have been smarter, and Claire's smile as the court gives her a reprieve from his violence.
We see their progression to becoming a success in town happen quite quickly on screen and I thought that worked well. It left all the internal politics out until there was something bigger at stake to deal with.
The women all take on a path of their own, it diversifies their abilities but you know that something has to give. Every little piece that's added to their story felt like it was right to be there, nothing was unnecessary.
There's a certain amount of stereotype acting in The Kitchen but it works well when it comes to the gangs and their interactions together. Both Kathy (McCarthy) and Ruby (Haddish) have that in them too at one point or another but it's a little less evident in general.
As I said at the beginning, Melissa McCarthy's step into drama had been a hit with me and her portrayal of Kathy was no different. She went from an attentive wife and mother who minds her own business to a mob boss and entrepeneur, it's such a smooth transition that you'd wonder if she was doing something fishy on the side already.
Tiffany Haddish was amazing too, her dramatic skills really brought Ruby to life and it was a wonderfully believable performance.
Then there's Claire played by Elisabeth Moss. She's had great success in The Handmaid's Tale and I do binge watch that once the series is out, but truth be told I don't really like they way she brings her character in either to life. Claire is a woman abused by her husband, she's attacked by a homeless man and then "rescued" by Gabriel, a hitman who has skills that become and obsession for her. Her transition is the only one that doesn't sit right, yes I believe she'd try to take back her power wherever she could but her whole arc seems a little crazy.
As a crime drama it's probably missing something to take it over the line into an amazing effort but I enjoyed it for the most part. It didn't leave things unanswered and with so many different strands going on that was entirely possible.
Passing comment... I love Common, he needs to be in all the things.
What you should do
It's worth a watch when it hits streaming sites.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Some quality retro clothing.
The three women are desperate but see an opportunity in the gap their imprisoned husbands have left. What the mob needs is a woman's touch.
Melissa McCarthy amuses me, her comedy really hits the spot, then she appeared in Can You Ever Forgive Me? and I was so happy to see she could do drama too. Tiffany Haddish was much the same, I've seen her in lots of comedy and find her to be entertaining (if a little over played) so when her name popped up on this I was interested to see how she handled "sensible". I was very pleased with the result, but we'll get there.
The look of everything in The Kitchen felt spot on. All the little touches really pulled the 70's feel together and gace each character their own vibe that lined up perfectly with their development through the film.
Music certainly helped on this front, though part of me was sad that they used "It's A Man's Man's Man's World." I know it fits perfectly with the tone and the subject but it felt so cliché for that to be the first thing we go and I actually sighed when it came on.
Our three wives make an interesting mix as a team, a collection that you couldn't see being friends under normal circumstances but they've been brought together out of necessity. I liked the way we got to see their lives unfold from the beginning. Their home life with their husbands and then their reactions as the men are charged. Kathy looking upset, Ruby with a look of disappointment that he should have been smarter, and Claire's smile as the court gives her a reprieve from his violence.
We see their progression to becoming a success in town happen quite quickly on screen and I thought that worked well. It left all the internal politics out until there was something bigger at stake to deal with.
The women all take on a path of their own, it diversifies their abilities but you know that something has to give. Every little piece that's added to their story felt like it was right to be there, nothing was unnecessary.
There's a certain amount of stereotype acting in The Kitchen but it works well when it comes to the gangs and their interactions together. Both Kathy (McCarthy) and Ruby (Haddish) have that in them too at one point or another but it's a little less evident in general.
As I said at the beginning, Melissa McCarthy's step into drama had been a hit with me and her portrayal of Kathy was no different. She went from an attentive wife and mother who minds her own business to a mob boss and entrepeneur, it's such a smooth transition that you'd wonder if she was doing something fishy on the side already.
Tiffany Haddish was amazing too, her dramatic skills really brought Ruby to life and it was a wonderfully believable performance.
Then there's Claire played by Elisabeth Moss. She's had great success in The Handmaid's Tale and I do binge watch that once the series is out, but truth be told I don't really like they way she brings her character in either to life. Claire is a woman abused by her husband, she's attacked by a homeless man and then "rescued" by Gabriel, a hitman who has skills that become and obsession for her. Her transition is the only one that doesn't sit right, yes I believe she'd try to take back her power wherever she could but her whole arc seems a little crazy.
As a crime drama it's probably missing something to take it over the line into an amazing effort but I enjoyed it for the most part. It didn't leave things unanswered and with so many different strands going on that was entirely possible.
Passing comment... I love Common, he needs to be in all the things.
What you should do
It's worth a watch when it hits streaming sites.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Some quality retro clothing.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in Movies
Dec 20, 2019 (Updated Jan 22, 2020)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Right then... I definitely need to go and see this again to properly digest it, so my thoughts on it will probably change...
Just like TLJ before it, there are things that I liked about Rise of Skywalker, and plenty that I didn't. There are also parts that I liked overall, but we're executed poorly - this unfortunately seems to be what to expect from Star Wars these days.
The opening act of ROS, so let's say the first 40ish minutes, felt like a complete mess to me. We are thrown from scene to scene without having much time to catch breath. It feels panicky, and not in a good way.
It not really until the-bit-from-the-trailer-where-rey-jumps-over-a-tie-fighter that the narrative seems to just calm down a bit and find it's footing.
What follows is a mixed bag of humour and mild action which is a bit so so, slowly leading up to the films finale.
I have to say, I actually really enjoyed the majority of the third act. The action scene that takes place on Endor is fantastic. It looks amazing, some of the visual shots are great, and the choreography just about resists falling into prequel territory lightsaber battles.
The final battle, again is visually stunning, and though at times corny, I felt it was a suitable end scene for the saga.
In terms of characters - I once again enjoyed Rey, even i was left undecided with how her arc was left off - the same goes for Kylo Ren, and once again, Adam Driver was a massive highlight throughout.
However, I once again found myself struggling to like Finn and Poe, and it seems that after the events of TFA, both of these characters were just a bit of dead weight, still included in the larger narrative because the actors had signed contracts. Finn runs into a group of defective stormtroopers at one point, and the movie sort of half-arses them into the story, but they ultimately serve no real purpose.
The narrative is also guilty of setting up a potentially important plot beat between him and Rey, which is eventually dropped and forgotten without mention.
Leia's story felt a bit unfleshed, and that surely down to the limited footage they had to work with.
There are two moments that stuck out when it comes to bad execution - the reveal of Rey's lineage is sudden and questionable, but the dialogue used when Kylo Ren delivers the revealing line is laughable, and spoils any weight the moment may have otherwise had. The second is when we are inevitably introduced to Luke's force ghost, a moment that has been coming since the events of TLJ, is delivered with a fan-service line referencing the moment where he threw his lightsaber away at the start of said film, and this bring me to one of my main criticisms of ROS.
I was not the biggest fan of TLJ, but as I mentioned in my review for it, I have a lot of respect for Rian Johnson for trying something new, and ROS reverses a lot of what he did. It feels a bit disrespectful, and a bit spineless.
This also happens a few more times in regards to plot points to do with Chewbacca, and C3-PO - the narrative sets up a fairly ballsy move, and then reverses it and plays it safe. It's a little frustrating.
Palpatines return is something that I can just about get behind - he looked suitably terrifying - but I just wish that the groundwork had been put down a bit more in previous films (films, not the TV shows). Instead, it does have a bit of a desperate ret-con feel about it.
But enough moaning from me, have some more positives - the music score is once again fantastic, the visual effects and CGI are pretty damn good (barring a couple of dodgy shots here and there), and I once again enjoyed the locations that we visited.
Rise of Skywalker will no doubt be devisive, just like The Last Jedi, and it's a film filled to the brim with thrilling Star Wars moments, as well as really really stupid moments, but to be honest, I've come to expect no more and no less at this point. Go and see it for what it is, and try and have a good time, because for the most part, it's pretty entertaining sci-fi fluff.
Side note - Everytime Merry from Lord of the Rings popped up, I found it completely distracting...
Just like TLJ before it, there are things that I liked about Rise of Skywalker, and plenty that I didn't. There are also parts that I liked overall, but we're executed poorly - this unfortunately seems to be what to expect from Star Wars these days.
The opening act of ROS, so let's say the first 40ish minutes, felt like a complete mess to me. We are thrown from scene to scene without having much time to catch breath. It feels panicky, and not in a good way.
It not really until the-bit-from-the-trailer-where-rey-jumps-over-a-tie-fighter that the narrative seems to just calm down a bit and find it's footing.
What follows is a mixed bag of humour and mild action which is a bit so so, slowly leading up to the films finale.
I have to say, I actually really enjoyed the majority of the third act. The action scene that takes place on Endor is fantastic. It looks amazing, some of the visual shots are great, and the choreography just about resists falling into prequel territory lightsaber battles.
The final battle, again is visually stunning, and though at times corny, I felt it was a suitable end scene for the saga.
In terms of characters - I once again enjoyed Rey, even i was left undecided with how her arc was left off - the same goes for Kylo Ren, and once again, Adam Driver was a massive highlight throughout.
However, I once again found myself struggling to like Finn and Poe, and it seems that after the events of TFA, both of these characters were just a bit of dead weight, still included in the larger narrative because the actors had signed contracts. Finn runs into a group of defective stormtroopers at one point, and the movie sort of half-arses them into the story, but they ultimately serve no real purpose.
The narrative is also guilty of setting up a potentially important plot beat between him and Rey, which is eventually dropped and forgotten without mention.
Leia's story felt a bit unfleshed, and that surely down to the limited footage they had to work with.
There are two moments that stuck out when it comes to bad execution - the reveal of Rey's lineage is sudden and questionable, but the dialogue used when Kylo Ren delivers the revealing line is laughable, and spoils any weight the moment may have otherwise had. The second is when we are inevitably introduced to Luke's force ghost, a moment that has been coming since the events of TLJ, is delivered with a fan-service line referencing the moment where he threw his lightsaber away at the start of said film, and this bring me to one of my main criticisms of ROS.
I was not the biggest fan of TLJ, but as I mentioned in my review for it, I have a lot of respect for Rian Johnson for trying something new, and ROS reverses a lot of what he did. It feels a bit disrespectful, and a bit spineless.
This also happens a few more times in regards to plot points to do with Chewbacca, and C3-PO - the narrative sets up a fairly ballsy move, and then reverses it and plays it safe. It's a little frustrating.
Palpatines return is something that I can just about get behind - he looked suitably terrifying - but I just wish that the groundwork had been put down a bit more in previous films (films, not the TV shows). Instead, it does have a bit of a desperate ret-con feel about it.
But enough moaning from me, have some more positives - the music score is once again fantastic, the visual effects and CGI are pretty damn good (barring a couple of dodgy shots here and there), and I once again enjoyed the locations that we visited.
Rise of Skywalker will no doubt be devisive, just like The Last Jedi, and it's a film filled to the brim with thrilling Star Wars moments, as well as really really stupid moments, but to be honest, I've come to expect no more and no less at this point. Go and see it for what it is, and try and have a good time, because for the most part, it's pretty entertaining sci-fi fluff.
Side note - Everytime Merry from Lord of the Rings popped up, I found it completely distracting...
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Becoming Darkness in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Never have I ever read a book in which Hitler won World War II and succeeded in taking over the world.
Until now. I admit I'm a little fond of this one because of the whole alternative history thing going on right there, but I'm a little disturbed here, Lindsay Francis Brambles. You're as bad as Agatha Christie and came very close to killing everyone. Although technically, you did kill most of the characters that I grew fond of. Not cool. I don't think I can ever forgive you for this transgression of Trigger Happy Book. (More like Explosion Happy Book.)
But in the very long run, I only liked <i>Becoming Darkness</i> for a few things.
Sadistic as it may be, I did like how Brambles made Hitler won the second world war and unleashed a virus that made a lot of people turn into vampires all of that is told within the first few pages. Although the origins of Gemorrah (le virus) is revealed throughout the story and integrated in the plot, I still don't understand how the creators came up with that name in the first place. Does it mean something in German, or is it something they thought sounded sinister and cool and decided to go with it? In my humble opinion, it does not sound cool or sinister. It sounds like a Mary Poppins word.
I also really liked how Brambles didn't go completely off course from history there are some references to the war, there might be another significant historical figure who makes a cameo appearance (under a different name, but don't quote me), etc. Basically, there's not much that's thrown in completely off kilter aside from maybe the virus I still feel fishy about that.
Sophie Harkness does not take BS when there are boys hitting on her in the stupidest, cheesiest ways. Namely: "We're meant for one another because you're a girl, I'm a guy, and we have the parts to create phenomenal offspring." Sorry for the disturbing image, but that was very much implied by the character. Unfortunately for her, she sort of believes in love at first sight when she first met Val back when she was fourteen.
Sophie is also not a judgmental character she's very open-minded and believes vampires aren't exactly sinister blood sucking creatures. Every other Immune, those who can't get Gemorrah, are so judgmental and narrow-minded, it just peeves me greatly. It IS understandable, though, considering the year Brambles sets the book in.
Unfortunately, I didn't really like the whole flashbacks. For awhile in the beginning, it's a little confusing and I had to backtrack to make sure it was a flashback and not actually set in the present day. There's a "sort-of" warning and then we're in flashback mode that feels like it's set in the present but is really Sophie telling a story. On the bright side, all those flashbacks (and the journal entries written by Sophie's mom) all play a relevant role in the overall plot.
I also didn't really like Valentine. Though I eventually warmed up to him over the course of the book, something about him was really disturbing. He's not an annoying "stalker type" of character, but it IS a little weird he still tried to keep his connections to Sophie's family from grandma to mom to Sophie in the hopes of falling in love again. But considering the fact he's doesn't throw out stupidly cheesy lines at Sophie, I like him a little.
Have I mentioned I'm sick and tired of seeing the name Valentine over and over again in literature? We just can't get any more original than St. Valentine, can we?
I would totally summarize <i>Becoming Darkness</i> in a few words if only I didn't end up giving major spoilers. But in a nutshell, the book quite literally tells me all of us should be downright grateful the Third Reich didn't succeed. It also told me I'm royally screwed if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but I think I've established that in sixth grade with the whole Ramen Noodle Stove catastrophe.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-becoming-darkness-by-lindsay-francis-brambles/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Never have I ever read a book in which Hitler won World War II and succeeded in taking over the world.
Until now. I admit I'm a little fond of this one because of the whole alternative history thing going on right there, but I'm a little disturbed here, Lindsay Francis Brambles. You're as bad as Agatha Christie and came very close to killing everyone. Although technically, you did kill most of the characters that I grew fond of. Not cool. I don't think I can ever forgive you for this transgression of Trigger Happy Book. (More like Explosion Happy Book.)
But in the very long run, I only liked <i>Becoming Darkness</i> for a few things.
Sadistic as it may be, I did like how Brambles made Hitler won the second world war and unleashed a virus that made a lot of people turn into vampires all of that is told within the first few pages. Although the origins of Gemorrah (le virus) is revealed throughout the story and integrated in the plot, I still don't understand how the creators came up with that name in the first place. Does it mean something in German, or is it something they thought sounded sinister and cool and decided to go with it? In my humble opinion, it does not sound cool or sinister. It sounds like a Mary Poppins word.
I also really liked how Brambles didn't go completely off course from history there are some references to the war, there might be another significant historical figure who makes a cameo appearance (under a different name, but don't quote me), etc. Basically, there's not much that's thrown in completely off kilter aside from maybe the virus I still feel fishy about that.
Sophie Harkness does not take BS when there are boys hitting on her in the stupidest, cheesiest ways. Namely: "We're meant for one another because you're a girl, I'm a guy, and we have the parts to create phenomenal offspring." Sorry for the disturbing image, but that was very much implied by the character. Unfortunately for her, she sort of believes in love at first sight when she first met Val back when she was fourteen.
Sophie is also not a judgmental character she's very open-minded and believes vampires aren't exactly sinister blood sucking creatures. Every other Immune, those who can't get Gemorrah, are so judgmental and narrow-minded, it just peeves me greatly. It IS understandable, though, considering the year Brambles sets the book in.
Unfortunately, I didn't really like the whole flashbacks. For awhile in the beginning, it's a little confusing and I had to backtrack to make sure it was a flashback and not actually set in the present day. There's a "sort-of" warning and then we're in flashback mode that feels like it's set in the present but is really Sophie telling a story. On the bright side, all those flashbacks (and the journal entries written by Sophie's mom) all play a relevant role in the overall plot.
I also didn't really like Valentine. Though I eventually warmed up to him over the course of the book, something about him was really disturbing. He's not an annoying "stalker type" of character, but it IS a little weird he still tried to keep his connections to Sophie's family from grandma to mom to Sophie in the hopes of falling in love again. But considering the fact he's doesn't throw out stupidly cheesy lines at Sophie, I like him a little.
Have I mentioned I'm sick and tired of seeing the name Valentine over and over again in literature? We just can't get any more original than St. Valentine, can we?
I would totally summarize <i>Becoming Darkness</i> in a few words if only I didn't end up giving major spoilers. But in a nutshell, the book quite literally tells me all of us should be downright grateful the Third Reich didn't succeed. It also told me I'm royally screwed if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but I think I've established that in sixth grade with the whole Ramen Noodle Stove catastrophe.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-becoming-darkness-by-lindsay-francis-brambles/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated 27 hours: Nightside Saga Series, Book One in Books
Jan 23, 2020
DNF at a place I don't remember because I read this book ages ago and apparently I didn't upload a review. (Also will not be supporting further on after this due to reasons.)
<b><i>I received this book for free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</b></i>
I wish I could’ve enjoyed 27 Hours as much as most people I know seem to have enjoyed the book, but alas, that is not the case.
Also I’ve been keeping a wonderful streak of finishing every book this year, and I wanted to keep that streak. But...
27 Hours was an absolute pain for me to read, and this was the situation I found myself in constantly:
Me: *picks up book, starts reading*
Me (ten minutes later): Ugh, this is painful. I’m bored.
Me (while trying to read): I’m going to do some blogging and maybe quest on my balance wizard. Maybe this will motivate me.
Me (two hours later): *finishes a dungeon in game, finds myself reading maybe two sentences in between battles* Please note that I'm actually good at reading while waiting for my turn, especially when I'm in a team.
Me (two days later): Ooo shiny book! *starts new book*
Me (another two days later): Oh, yeah. I was supposed to read you, right? *eyes book warily* Let's try this again.
This cycle repeated itself for days and weeks. Eventually, I just called it quits because when I’ve been repeating the same thing over and over again and have progressed more in a game than a book, we’ve got issues and it’s time for me to move on to other books.
27 Hours has a lot of representation among the characters, I won’t deny that. But that’s honestly the only thing I can think of that’s good about this book. Anything I might have missed has been clouded over by the cons.
<b>Why 27 Hours Is Not My Cup of Tea</b>
Rumor - I’m being very nitpicky, but the name Rumor instantly reminded me of Adele’s song. Every time “Rumor” came up in the book (which is a lot, considering the fact he’s a main character), the song blasted in my brain.
The name Rumor, however, is the least of my worries.
The world building is a mass of confusion - I have no clue what things are and honestly the world is a jumbled mess of a confusion. Is a dragon the same as a gargoyle, is a chimera the same as a gargoyle, are they simply the same creatures with different names depending on which group the person belongs to… or what? Is it a group of rebellious humans? Also what is this about hellhounds and gargoyles? The world building feels like a melting pot gone very wrong on the moon hundreds of years in the future.
Not only is the world building is a mass of confusion, but it feels way too modern for a book that is supposedly set 200 years from now.
I’m mainly concerned about the world building to focus on the logistics of book year and present year, though.
Too many characters - There are too many to keep track of in 27 Hours, and the fun part? They’re introduced early. I don’t… I don’t even know who this random dude is and boom! We’ve got another one. I knew for sure there were going to be at least four POVs, which is a lot, but it’s not too much. BUT… not only do we have Jude, Rumor, Nyx, Braedon, etc. etc. we have some person named Colt, Wren, Eric, Sara… that’s just some of the characters.
This is by chapter three. Chapter freaking THREE. My brain was already hurting from the world building and then there are all of these characters being introduced and OMG I just wanted to scream.
I just… I just can’t handle all of these characters because I don’t even remember who does what by the time character #2244 pops up.
I really wished I could’ve finished 27 Hours and continued my streak for this year, but the huge cast of characters being introduced so early into the story and massively confusing world is a no go for me.
<a href="https://thenovelistics.blogspot.com/2017/11/27-hours-by-tristina-wright-arc-review.html">This review is originally posted on The Novelistics</a>
<b><i>I received this book for free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</b></i>
I wish I could’ve enjoyed 27 Hours as much as most people I know seem to have enjoyed the book, but alas, that is not the case.
Also I’ve been keeping a wonderful streak of finishing every book this year, and I wanted to keep that streak. But...
27 Hours was an absolute pain for me to read, and this was the situation I found myself in constantly:
Me: *picks up book, starts reading*
Me (ten minutes later): Ugh, this is painful. I’m bored.
Me (while trying to read): I’m going to do some blogging and maybe quest on my balance wizard. Maybe this will motivate me.
Me (two hours later): *finishes a dungeon in game, finds myself reading maybe two sentences in between battles* Please note that I'm actually good at reading while waiting for my turn, especially when I'm in a team.
Me (two days later): Ooo shiny book! *starts new book*
Me (another two days later): Oh, yeah. I was supposed to read you, right? *eyes book warily* Let's try this again.
This cycle repeated itself for days and weeks. Eventually, I just called it quits because when I’ve been repeating the same thing over and over again and have progressed more in a game than a book, we’ve got issues and it’s time for me to move on to other books.
27 Hours has a lot of representation among the characters, I won’t deny that. But that’s honestly the only thing I can think of that’s good about this book. Anything I might have missed has been clouded over by the cons.
<b>Why 27 Hours Is Not My Cup of Tea</b>
Rumor - I’m being very nitpicky, but the name Rumor instantly reminded me of Adele’s song. Every time “Rumor” came up in the book (which is a lot, considering the fact he’s a main character), the song blasted in my brain.
The name Rumor, however, is the least of my worries.
The world building is a mass of confusion - I have no clue what things are and honestly the world is a jumbled mess of a confusion. Is a dragon the same as a gargoyle, is a chimera the same as a gargoyle, are they simply the same creatures with different names depending on which group the person belongs to… or what? Is it a group of rebellious humans? Also what is this about hellhounds and gargoyles? The world building feels like a melting pot gone very wrong on the moon hundreds of years in the future.
Not only is the world building is a mass of confusion, but it feels way too modern for a book that is supposedly set 200 years from now.
I’m mainly concerned about the world building to focus on the logistics of book year and present year, though.
Too many characters - There are too many to keep track of in 27 Hours, and the fun part? They’re introduced early. I don’t… I don’t even know who this random dude is and boom! We’ve got another one. I knew for sure there were going to be at least four POVs, which is a lot, but it’s not too much. BUT… not only do we have Jude, Rumor, Nyx, Braedon, etc. etc. we have some person named Colt, Wren, Eric, Sara… that’s just some of the characters.
This is by chapter three. Chapter freaking THREE. My brain was already hurting from the world building and then there are all of these characters being introduced and OMG I just wanted to scream.
I just… I just can’t handle all of these characters because I don’t even remember who does what by the time character #2244 pops up.
I really wished I could’ve finished 27 Hours and continued my streak for this year, but the huge cast of characters being introduced so early into the story and massively confusing world is a no go for me.
<a href="https://thenovelistics.blogspot.com/2017/11/27-hours-by-tristina-wright-arc-review.html">This review is originally posted on The Novelistics</a>