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Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Of Thorns and Beauty in Books
Dec 29, 2020
Never has a retelling been so close but so unimaginabley far away from the original fairytale. Of Thorns and Beauty is a New Adult masterpiece which will reel you in from its first pages and not let you go until its cruel cliffhanger.
A quick note that this is definitely a New Adult novel. Although not written about in detail this take includes the subjects of abuse, murder and rape as well as a bucket load of sexual tension.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is written solely from the perspective of our protagonist-the beauty Zaina. Forced into an arranged marriage with the renowned beast King Einar and denied any companions to accompany her, Zaina enters the "Beast's" castle entirely on her guard and unaware as to what sort of a life lays before her.
It quickly becomes apparent that Zaina's beauty has only ever caused pain and hardship for her in the past. As a result of this, she is a far cry from the bookish village girl seeking an adventure in the great wide somewhere. Zaina is fiery, sarcastic, dangerous and her prickly, defensive demeanour makes her few friends in her new home.
The use of a first person perspective with a protagonist such as Zaina really brings this novel to life. Zaina is such a damaged character and the reader is drip fed memories so partially and so slowly that we still don't know the extent of her suffering once the book has ended.
The style of writing also allows us to share Zaina's frustration at attempting to read her husband Einar's emotions: quite ironic for someone so closed off herself. The reader does not always feel empathy though: Zaina's defences are so high that she shuns any attempt at friendship; sometimes you just want to shake her!
Elements of the original beauty and the beast tale remain: there is indeed a curse, a rose and a forbidden west wing. However, these are so cleverly twisted that the reader will finish this book with an entirely different concept of who the Beast really is.
The fact that the authors themselves apologise for the cliffhanger, explaining that the characters and storyline just required more pages and more time, shows the sheer commitment to world building and character development.
Madison and Mahle introduce us to a whole new world of scenery and creatures; they pull us into the painful past of both main characters; place slimy villains in the shadows and raise our hopes of romance before throwing them off a cliff. This book is impossible to put down and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Thank you to Booksirens for the opportunity to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A quick note that this is definitely a New Adult novel. Although not written about in detail this take includes the subjects of abuse, murder and rape as well as a bucket load of sexual tension.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is written solely from the perspective of our protagonist-the beauty Zaina. Forced into an arranged marriage with the renowned beast King Einar and denied any companions to accompany her, Zaina enters the "Beast's" castle entirely on her guard and unaware as to what sort of a life lays before her.
It quickly becomes apparent that Zaina's beauty has only ever caused pain and hardship for her in the past. As a result of this, she is a far cry from the bookish village girl seeking an adventure in the great wide somewhere. Zaina is fiery, sarcastic, dangerous and her prickly, defensive demeanour makes her few friends in her new home.
The use of a first person perspective with a protagonist such as Zaina really brings this novel to life. Zaina is such a damaged character and the reader is drip fed memories so partially and so slowly that we still don't know the extent of her suffering once the book has ended.
The style of writing also allows us to share Zaina's frustration at attempting to read her husband Einar's emotions: quite ironic for someone so closed off herself. The reader does not always feel empathy though: Zaina's defences are so high that she shuns any attempt at friendship; sometimes you just want to shake her!
Elements of the original beauty and the beast tale remain: there is indeed a curse, a rose and a forbidden west wing. However, these are so cleverly twisted that the reader will finish this book with an entirely different concept of who the Beast really is.
The fact that the authors themselves apologise for the cliffhanger, explaining that the characters and storyline just required more pages and more time, shows the sheer commitment to world building and character development.
Madison and Mahle introduce us to a whole new world of scenery and creatures; they pull us into the painful past of both main characters; place slimy villains in the shadows and raise our hopes of romance before throwing them off a cliff. This book is impossible to put down and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Thank you to Booksirens for the opportunity to read a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Charlotte (184 KP) rated The Mistake in Books
Mar 20, 2021
Although this is a review it will also serve as a letter to Mandy and any other person who has been in this or similar position.
Also this is trigger central with physical and emotional abuse, rape, bereavement, suicide attempts and self harm. If ANY of this affects you please seek help.
Let's start at the beginning.....yes maybe it was a mistake BUT remember you were being MANIPULATED. At the point you made that first 'mistake' he had already done the ground work, he'd slowly started controlling you and your environment......you didn't have a real choice.
He was a master of manipulation and deception, he already knew what words and phrases to use to get compliance........he had experience of it, he relished it. The guy had plausibility and knew how to create a good story....a believable one, well, multiple stories. The story to fool authorities, the story to fool family and friends, the story that became the script of your life.....this is NOT your fault! Whether due to generally being a trusting person or (for Mandy) being vulnerable from a previous bad relationship, you were taken advantage of.
Hope is a make or break feeling, meeting number 4 full of hope for things to get better was bittersweet. I don't have children but can only imagine what emotional trauma was caused from the very first moment of fear for the children. I take my hat off to all the survivors who steeled themselves and did what was necessary to protect their babies. Mandy did what was needed, not for her but her babies.....that's selflessness right there.
MB passing, for goodness sake! It's fluffing heartbreaking. Not going to lie I cried, for MB, for someone that deserved happiness but yet again was dealt a crap hand in life.
Totally unimpressed with flakey bake, I won't say anything else as I'll just swear a lot.
I've actually met Mandy a few times. She came across as outspoken, independent and strong in person, as well as fun (She's serious about the changing hair colours).
Having read this I have no doubt of the strength of this amazing woman. Followed for years by many demons yet still able to stand up and carry on, able to put into words, write a book, about things that most people wouldn't be capable of imagining let alone have touch their lives. A true inspiration.
I know how depression can creep up on you, stalk you, cloak itself so self doubt sets in......I also know how hard it is to ask for help but please ask, it's a lifesaver.
A story of freedom, survival, heartbreak, despair, hope and love as well as so much more.
This is a tissues and chocolate read from start to finish.
Also this is trigger central with physical and emotional abuse, rape, bereavement, suicide attempts and self harm. If ANY of this affects you please seek help.
Let's start at the beginning.....yes maybe it was a mistake BUT remember you were being MANIPULATED. At the point you made that first 'mistake' he had already done the ground work, he'd slowly started controlling you and your environment......you didn't have a real choice.
He was a master of manipulation and deception, he already knew what words and phrases to use to get compliance........he had experience of it, he relished it. The guy had plausibility and knew how to create a good story....a believable one, well, multiple stories. The story to fool authorities, the story to fool family and friends, the story that became the script of your life.....this is NOT your fault! Whether due to generally being a trusting person or (for Mandy) being vulnerable from a previous bad relationship, you were taken advantage of.
Hope is a make or break feeling, meeting number 4 full of hope for things to get better was bittersweet. I don't have children but can only imagine what emotional trauma was caused from the very first moment of fear for the children. I take my hat off to all the survivors who steeled themselves and did what was necessary to protect their babies. Mandy did what was needed, not for her but her babies.....that's selflessness right there.
MB passing, for goodness sake! It's fluffing heartbreaking. Not going to lie I cried, for MB, for someone that deserved happiness but yet again was dealt a crap hand in life.
Totally unimpressed with flakey bake, I won't say anything else as I'll just swear a lot.
I've actually met Mandy a few times. She came across as outspoken, independent and strong in person, as well as fun (She's serious about the changing hair colours).
Having read this I have no doubt of the strength of this amazing woman. Followed for years by many demons yet still able to stand up and carry on, able to put into words, write a book, about things that most people wouldn't be capable of imagining let alone have touch their lives. A true inspiration.
I know how depression can creep up on you, stalk you, cloak itself so self doubt sets in......I also know how hard it is to ask for help but please ask, it's a lifesaver.
A story of freedom, survival, heartbreak, despair, hope and love as well as so much more.
This is a tissues and chocolate read from start to finish.
Tim Booth recommended The Boatman's Call by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds in Music (curated)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Gather the Daughters in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The first thing which attracted me to this book, was the cover; I think it’s absolutely stunning and incredibly mysterious. The second reason why I picked it up, was the blurb; cult on an island, I was absolutely intrigued with this, and it absolutely drawn me in once I started it.
This book absolutely hooked me with its diverse and complex characters. This novel is told by children, sharing different perspectives of the events happening in the book, and beautifully opening up their personalities and feelings. I loved how Melamed is giving insight into different lives, first of children, and then how it feels, once you are forced into adulthood. There is a great variety of characters to choose from, and everyone will be able to find their favourite. My favourite one was Janey, I absolutely loved her strength and her wish to do something, to change the lives of young girls. All the characters are carrying so much pain and sadness that it literary breaks your heart while reading the book. That’s why, if you are sensitive towards child abuse and incest, you might want to skip this one.
The plot of this book was incredibly well thought through and very amusing. Melamed’s experience with traumatised children was shining through in this novel. The whole narrative travels through seasons, starting in spring and finishing in spring again. Every season brought in different stories and different feelings. I really enjoyed the creative twists and turns in this novel, which made it more enticing and didn’t leave me bored. The topics discussed in this book are endless; every girl shared the issue they were facing, that’s why this book is really fascinating and intriguing. Even though this is a work of fiction, there are some of the described things still happening in this world. For example, child marriage and abusing children as soon as they hit puberty, is still a common practice in South Asia and Middle East, and is absolutely horrifying.
The writing style of this novel is gorgeous and I absolutely loved it. The chapters are decent length and didn’t make me bored while reading. The ending of the book rounded up everything really nicely, leaving me satisfied, but questioning at the same time. I think it is absolutely stunning debut of Melamed and I will be looking forward to read more of her books. So, to conclude, this is a very dark and sorrowful novel filled with complex family relations and children, who want to be children as long as they can. I do strongly recommend this book and I hope people find it as fascinating, as I did.
Was given this book by publisher for honest review.
This book absolutely hooked me with its diverse and complex characters. This novel is told by children, sharing different perspectives of the events happening in the book, and beautifully opening up their personalities and feelings. I loved how Melamed is giving insight into different lives, first of children, and then how it feels, once you are forced into adulthood. There is a great variety of characters to choose from, and everyone will be able to find their favourite. My favourite one was Janey, I absolutely loved her strength and her wish to do something, to change the lives of young girls. All the characters are carrying so much pain and sadness that it literary breaks your heart while reading the book. That’s why, if you are sensitive towards child abuse and incest, you might want to skip this one.
The plot of this book was incredibly well thought through and very amusing. Melamed’s experience with traumatised children was shining through in this novel. The whole narrative travels through seasons, starting in spring and finishing in spring again. Every season brought in different stories and different feelings. I really enjoyed the creative twists and turns in this novel, which made it more enticing and didn’t leave me bored. The topics discussed in this book are endless; every girl shared the issue they were facing, that’s why this book is really fascinating and intriguing. Even though this is a work of fiction, there are some of the described things still happening in this world. For example, child marriage and abusing children as soon as they hit puberty, is still a common practice in South Asia and Middle East, and is absolutely horrifying.
The writing style of this novel is gorgeous and I absolutely loved it. The chapters are decent length and didn’t make me bored while reading. The ending of the book rounded up everything really nicely, leaving me satisfied, but questioning at the same time. I think it is absolutely stunning debut of Melamed and I will be looking forward to read more of her books. So, to conclude, this is a very dark and sorrowful novel filled with complex family relations and children, who want to be children as long as they can. I do strongly recommend this book and I hope people find it as fascinating, as I did.
Was given this book by publisher for honest review.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Split in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This story is told from multiple perspectives, but the main characters would be Felicity and Joe. Felicity is a scientist, who specialises in ice. She is an amazingly written character in my opinion. All the parts from this character’s life are filled with mystery, intrigue and mindblowing twists. Joe is a very important character in this book as well, he is a psychologist, who together with his detective mother, try to figure out Felicity and her connection to very strange events. I loved how different the characters are in this book, the police officer is an older, overweight woman who loves a pint, but great at what she does nevertheless. I am normally met with these young detectives that are so fit and superhero kind at what they do, that it is kind of refreshing to see a different type of woman that is absolutely amazing at what she does. There are many different characters coming in and out of the picture, and they all have a story to tell.
The book is set in two completely different places, it begins in the remote island of South Georgia, that is absolutely incredible! I loved the research that the author done for this book, the description of South Georgia is unbelievable, it felt like I was there with the characters, running alongside them. The other part of the book was set in Cambridge, where Felicity lives, and all the creepy and unexplained events took place. The narrative is absolutely beautifully developed and delivered. It has everything the reader might want from a thriller and more. It is full of layers, very well placed twists and turns, the suspense was overwhelming, and I was left gobsmacked on many occasions. There are some pretty important topics that the author discussed in this novel, such as homelessness and a lack of psychological help for them, obsession, stalking, child abuse, psychological trauma and many more. The mood and the atmosphere was constantly changing throughout the pages, and it was a true page-turner for me.
I love Sharon Bolton’s writing style since her first book, she knows how to lure the reader with brilliant characters and a superb plot. The audiobook I listened to was narrated by Katie Scarfe, and she did an amazing job with her voice intonations, she brought this book to life. The chapters are quite short, so I believe the pages are just going to fly by too many readers. The ending was very well written, and I was left satisfied with the outcome. I have to tell that this book has plenty of gory and disturbing things related to small children, so please approach this read with caution.
The book is set in two completely different places, it begins in the remote island of South Georgia, that is absolutely incredible! I loved the research that the author done for this book, the description of South Georgia is unbelievable, it felt like I was there with the characters, running alongside them. The other part of the book was set in Cambridge, where Felicity lives, and all the creepy and unexplained events took place. The narrative is absolutely beautifully developed and delivered. It has everything the reader might want from a thriller and more. It is full of layers, very well placed twists and turns, the suspense was overwhelming, and I was left gobsmacked on many occasions. There are some pretty important topics that the author discussed in this novel, such as homelessness and a lack of psychological help for them, obsession, stalking, child abuse, psychological trauma and many more. The mood and the atmosphere was constantly changing throughout the pages, and it was a true page-turner for me.
I love Sharon Bolton’s writing style since her first book, she knows how to lure the reader with brilliant characters and a superb plot. The audiobook I listened to was narrated by Katie Scarfe, and she did an amazing job with her voice intonations, she brought this book to life. The chapters are quite short, so I believe the pages are just going to fly by too many readers. The ending was very well written, and I was left satisfied with the outcome. I have to tell that this book has plenty of gory and disturbing things related to small children, so please approach this read with caution.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated The Kitchen (2019) in Movies
Sep 24, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
When their mobster husbands are all sent to prison, three women decide that the only way they can survive is to take over their criminal enterprise’s, the quest is can their friendship last.
The Kitchen is based on comics released by DC Vertigo and is set in ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, New York during the 1970’s and focus’ on the lives of the wives of an Irish/American mob and their struggle to maintain a basic life style once their husbands have been arrested. Each of the women have a different type of relationship with their husbands; Kathy is in a seemingly normal, loving relationship, Claire is in an abusive relationship and Ruby is in a mixed marriage which is looked down on by alto for the other characters. One of the threads of the film is how each woman reacts to their husbands being away and what will happen when they return.
First off, this is not a comedy, I have seen some reviews where people seem to have been expecting a few laughs, mainly because of the casting of Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish. The Kitchen has violence, abuse, attempted rape, bad language, lots of guns, prostitutes and shootings but no humour. I think there was only one time anyone laughed (in the cinema audience) and that was when the characters were being shown how to dispose of a dead body.
I have to say that this is a good, well written female lead film, the premise is not forced and there is a reason the characters are female and in a situation that women would not normally be in, especially for the time it is set. Even though the characters are slightly stereotyped (The beaten woman trying to get stronger, the loving wife trying to keep things together) they are not turned into a joke or overly exaggerated and is a big step up from the Ghostbuster’s remake which also had McCarthy as part of an all-female team. Like Ghostbusters there is also a male character who helps the team, Gabriel, but the Kitchen avoids turning him into a joke unlike Chris Hemsworth in ghostbusters.
It could be said that the way the male characters are portrayed is bad, most of them are either thugs, stupid or crazy but this not due to any kind of feminism agenda but is a slightly stereotyped view of how a segment of people were seen, most of the people they deal with are the Irish/American mobsters. This is also shown by the Italians; they are not portrayed in the same way.
I do get the feeling that The Kitchen will be remembered more for scenes and its characters than for the overall movie as there are some bits that seem to drag but, overall it is a film worth watching.
The Kitchen is based on comics released by DC Vertigo and is set in ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, New York during the 1970’s and focus’ on the lives of the wives of an Irish/American mob and their struggle to maintain a basic life style once their husbands have been arrested. Each of the women have a different type of relationship with their husbands; Kathy is in a seemingly normal, loving relationship, Claire is in an abusive relationship and Ruby is in a mixed marriage which is looked down on by alto for the other characters. One of the threads of the film is how each woman reacts to their husbands being away and what will happen when they return.
First off, this is not a comedy, I have seen some reviews where people seem to have been expecting a few laughs, mainly because of the casting of Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish. The Kitchen has violence, abuse, attempted rape, bad language, lots of guns, prostitutes and shootings but no humour. I think there was only one time anyone laughed (in the cinema audience) and that was when the characters were being shown how to dispose of a dead body.
I have to say that this is a good, well written female lead film, the premise is not forced and there is a reason the characters are female and in a situation that women would not normally be in, especially for the time it is set. Even though the characters are slightly stereotyped (The beaten woman trying to get stronger, the loving wife trying to keep things together) they are not turned into a joke or overly exaggerated and is a big step up from the Ghostbuster’s remake which also had McCarthy as part of an all-female team. Like Ghostbusters there is also a male character who helps the team, Gabriel, but the Kitchen avoids turning him into a joke unlike Chris Hemsworth in ghostbusters.
It could be said that the way the male characters are portrayed is bad, most of them are either thugs, stupid or crazy but this not due to any kind of feminism agenda but is a slightly stereotyped view of how a segment of people were seen, most of the people they deal with are the Irish/American mobsters. This is also shown by the Italians; they are not portrayed in the same way.
I do get the feeling that The Kitchen will be remembered more for scenes and its characters than for the overall movie as there are some bits that seem to drag but, overall it is a film worth watching.
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Baylock Residence (2019) in Movies
Sep 26, 2019
Characters – Patricia Woodhouse left this house years ago, she is drawn back during the war after her sister’s death, she wants to start a new life here, because the war has taken nearly everything else from her, but the past she spent so long trying to forget has come back to haunt her, as she looks for the truth of her sister’s death. Annabel is the help around the house, she stays after Patricia requests for her to stay and help her with the transition, she does help fill in about the past, including what happened to Susanna. Susanna is the sister that has passed away, we are left to wonder what caused her death.
Performances – Kelly Goudie in the leading role isn’t the strongest leading lady, when it comes to the reaction or horror scenes, we don’t get anything bad, it’s the everyday moments which come off flatter than they should do. Sarah Wynne Kordas is the only other main cast member that does everything needed without getting the best scenes.
Story – The story here follows a woman that returns to her home after years away to deal with a family loss, only to learn that the house has a bigger secret that hasn’t been unlock just yet. This is story that plays into the idea that your past can hold answers no matter how hard you look to forget it, it does also play into the ideas that a family can have secrets which will only disturb. The pace of the story isn’t the most convincing, with large amounts of the film being stuff happening behind characters most notable Patricia, we also end up teasing an idea to what is happening, only it just gets forgotten which would have added extra dimension to an abuse victim. The war time theme doesn’t help because the same story could easily happen at any other era too.
Horror – The horror in this film comes from how Patricia is struggling with the visions that she is having, not being able to balance reality with supernatural.
Settings – The film is set within the one house, which doesn’t look time accurate from the outside, it does show how the family home can be reunited from tragedy.
Special Effects – The film does use effects sparely, when they are used they do add an element to horror in the film.
Scene of the Movie – The secret room.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The non-horror moment conversations feel out of place.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror thriller that does have moments of strong tension, only it doesn’t keep this up for long enough to make us what to learn the truth.
Overall: Slow Burning Horror.
Performances – Kelly Goudie in the leading role isn’t the strongest leading lady, when it comes to the reaction or horror scenes, we don’t get anything bad, it’s the everyday moments which come off flatter than they should do. Sarah Wynne Kordas is the only other main cast member that does everything needed without getting the best scenes.
Story – The story here follows a woman that returns to her home after years away to deal with a family loss, only to learn that the house has a bigger secret that hasn’t been unlock just yet. This is story that plays into the idea that your past can hold answers no matter how hard you look to forget it, it does also play into the ideas that a family can have secrets which will only disturb. The pace of the story isn’t the most convincing, with large amounts of the film being stuff happening behind characters most notable Patricia, we also end up teasing an idea to what is happening, only it just gets forgotten which would have added extra dimension to an abuse victim. The war time theme doesn’t help because the same story could easily happen at any other era too.
Horror – The horror in this film comes from how Patricia is struggling with the visions that she is having, not being able to balance reality with supernatural.
Settings – The film is set within the one house, which doesn’t look time accurate from the outside, it does show how the family home can be reunited from tragedy.
Special Effects – The film does use effects sparely, when they are used they do add an element to horror in the film.
Scene of the Movie – The secret room.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The non-horror moment conversations feel out of place.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror thriller that does have moments of strong tension, only it doesn’t keep this up for long enough to make us what to learn the truth.
Overall: Slow Burning Horror.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Blood Father (2016) in Movies
Sep 2, 2019
Story: Blood Father starts as John Link (Gibson) who has recovered from his own substance abuse problems to be a tattooist while being parole. He has been searching for his daughter for years but when Lydia (Moriarty) calls him in need of help he races to her aid.
Link finds out that Lydia is in over her head which leads him into going on the run breaking his parole to protect her and locate the people who are trying to kill his daughter, using old connections along the way.
Thoughts on Blood Father
Characters – John Link is a former alcoholic convict, he has cleaned himself up but when his daughter finds herself in trouble he must go back into the routes that left him in prison, he must go after the men trying to kill his daughter, while stopping himself going off the bandwagon. Lydia is the teenager daughter runaway, she finds herself in too deep with the drug cartels but now she needs to trust her father to keep her safe. Jonah is the boyfriend of Lydia that she believes she killed cause the effects of the film. Preacher is one of the people Link turns to for help while Kirby is his support while trying to stay off the drinks.
Performances – Mel Gibson might have had troubled times recently but he shows us here the talent he holds to lead a movie in the action genre. Erin Moriarty is good in this film too because she shows us a street wise character beyond her years. Diego Luna is solid as the villain but we just don’t get enough from his character. This is a problem through the film, we don’t give the support characters enough time.
Story – The story is good, as it follows a distant father daughter relationship needing to rebuild after she finds herself in trouble with the law. This works for the story because we know how the aging hero is the new thing now, as an actor that can easily be the new one that saves his child and this gives us everything we want, we have moments of comedy as the two come from difference backgrounds but overall this is everything you would expect it to be
Action/Crime – The action is fire fights between Link and anyone that gets in his way, this does work well as the crime side of the story takes us into.
Settings – The settings show us the underworld that works for the hiding from potential trouble using no iconic landmarks which makes this fully believable.
Scene of the Movie – Showdown
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We don’t learn enough about the villains.
Final Thoughts – This is a good action film that is enjoyable, short sweet and gives you everything you want.
Overall: Action film 101.
Link finds out that Lydia is in over her head which leads him into going on the run breaking his parole to protect her and locate the people who are trying to kill his daughter, using old connections along the way.
Thoughts on Blood Father
Characters – John Link is a former alcoholic convict, he has cleaned himself up but when his daughter finds herself in trouble he must go back into the routes that left him in prison, he must go after the men trying to kill his daughter, while stopping himself going off the bandwagon. Lydia is the teenager daughter runaway, she finds herself in too deep with the drug cartels but now she needs to trust her father to keep her safe. Jonah is the boyfriend of Lydia that she believes she killed cause the effects of the film. Preacher is one of the people Link turns to for help while Kirby is his support while trying to stay off the drinks.
Performances – Mel Gibson might have had troubled times recently but he shows us here the talent he holds to lead a movie in the action genre. Erin Moriarty is good in this film too because she shows us a street wise character beyond her years. Diego Luna is solid as the villain but we just don’t get enough from his character. This is a problem through the film, we don’t give the support characters enough time.
Story – The story is good, as it follows a distant father daughter relationship needing to rebuild after she finds herself in trouble with the law. This works for the story because we know how the aging hero is the new thing now, as an actor that can easily be the new one that saves his child and this gives us everything we want, we have moments of comedy as the two come from difference backgrounds but overall this is everything you would expect it to be
Action/Crime – The action is fire fights between Link and anyone that gets in his way, this does work well as the crime side of the story takes us into.
Settings – The settings show us the underworld that works for the hiding from potential trouble using no iconic landmarks which makes this fully believable.
Scene of the Movie – Showdown
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We don’t learn enough about the villains.
Final Thoughts – This is a good action film that is enjoyable, short sweet and gives you everything you want.
Overall: Action film 101.
Becs (244 KP) rated Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) in Books
Aug 23, 2019
Captivating story that leaves you enthralled
You can also find this review along with others on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence, manipulation, death, blood, absent of parent(s), emotional abuse, anger issues, anxiety – panic attacks, talk of hallucinations
Review:
Firstly, I did not realize that Shadow and Bone was set in Russia or should I say – based on Russia and spun into a fantasy filled folklore novel. It starts off strong in the prologue and holds that captivating appeal throughout. I was enthralled with the whole basis of the story.
The one thing that knocked half of a star off of this review is the extremely overused trope of “the main character is ordinary and then finds out that they are extraordinary.” In Leigh Bardugo’s doing, this trope works perfectly well with the plot line of this story. But it made me really dislike the main character, Alina, quite a lot. Behind that awful trope, lies a girl who is not only strong, but shows intelligence and loyalty. Alina was also extremely relatable through her sarcastic perceptiveness but there was something else about her that I couldn’t put my finger on and found rather annoying.
The Darkling on the other hand was this morally gray character that fascinated me. For example: how he is willing to be ruthless just to pursue his goal of freeing Ravka from the Shadow Fold. His sarcasm that outwits Alina’s. His good looks and charms. I love to hate him! Plus that one scene had me heated from head to toe. If only The Darkling were real…
Overall, all of the characters were multidimensional and extremely interesting! The pacing of Shadow and Bone was done excruciating well and I was absorbed in this fantastical world of magic and war, love and mystery. Finding out more of who the Grisha truly were, kept me turning page after page. The chemistry between characters was even amazing! There was a bit of a love triangle style of trope, yet it wasn’t quite that exactly. All in all, Leigh did an excellent job with giving Alina more than one love interest but showing how vastly different feelings she feels for each.
The plot was extremely engaging and continued on, even after the climax. It enthralled the reader, calling them with a whisper that is interwoven with a dark energy, seeking to break your heart. I did not notice any spelling and/ or grammatical errors that took away from the story. I do however want to know more of not only Alina’s and Ravkas fate, but The Darklings as well.
Leigh Bardugo, why do you do cruel things to me…
“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence, manipulation, death, blood, absent of parent(s), emotional abuse, anger issues, anxiety – panic attacks, talk of hallucinations
Review:
Firstly, I did not realize that Shadow and Bone was set in Russia or should I say – based on Russia and spun into a fantasy filled folklore novel. It starts off strong in the prologue and holds that captivating appeal throughout. I was enthralled with the whole basis of the story.
The one thing that knocked half of a star off of this review is the extremely overused trope of “the main character is ordinary and then finds out that they are extraordinary.” In Leigh Bardugo’s doing, this trope works perfectly well with the plot line of this story. But it made me really dislike the main character, Alina, quite a lot. Behind that awful trope, lies a girl who is not only strong, but shows intelligence and loyalty. Alina was also extremely relatable through her sarcastic perceptiveness but there was something else about her that I couldn’t put my finger on and found rather annoying.
The Darkling on the other hand was this morally gray character that fascinated me. For example: how he is willing to be ruthless just to pursue his goal of freeing Ravka from the Shadow Fold. His sarcasm that outwits Alina’s. His good looks and charms. I love to hate him! Plus that one scene had me heated from head to toe. If only The Darkling were real…
Overall, all of the characters were multidimensional and extremely interesting! The pacing of Shadow and Bone was done excruciating well and I was absorbed in this fantastical world of magic and war, love and mystery. Finding out more of who the Grisha truly were, kept me turning page after page. The chemistry between characters was even amazing! There was a bit of a love triangle style of trope, yet it wasn’t quite that exactly. All in all, Leigh did an excellent job with giving Alina more than one love interest but showing how vastly different feelings she feels for each.
The plot was extremely engaging and continued on, even after the climax. It enthralled the reader, calling them with a whisper that is interwoven with a dark energy, seeking to break your heart. I did not notice any spelling and/ or grammatical errors that took away from the story. I do however want to know more of not only Alina’s and Ravkas fate, but The Darklings as well.
Leigh Bardugo, why do you do cruel things to me…
“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.”
I was a big fan of Shanti Hershenson's other poetry book You Won't Know Her Name. Even though the subject matter was heavy, the poems were written extremely well. When I saw that Hershenson had published a companion poetry book titled I Know Her Name, I knew it was something I had to read. Shanti Hershenson, again, blew me away with how talented she is with her poetry.
While I Know Her Name isn't as dark or as heavy as its first book, You Won't Know Her Name, there were still some heavy themes throughout. Hershenson admits in this book that the nameless girl in You Won't Know Her Name was actually her (which I already suspected when I read the first book) and that all the poems in You Won't Know Her Name and I Know Her Name were written about what was happening and what had happened in regards to the bullying and sexual assault done at the hands of a "friend" while she was in junior high and her school's lack of caring. While I Know Her Name isn't a very long book, it still packs a big punch. The poetry is still amazingly written, and to know that they were written by such a young girl makes it even more so.
I Know Her Name is an emotional read, and my heart really went out to Shanti Hershenson whilst reading this. Her hurt, anger, sadness, frustrations, and all over emotions are easily conveyed with each poem. It broke my heart that she (and many other children) have to face bullying and abuse while the school does nothing about it. I felt like I was right beside Hershenson as she further tells her story through poetry although I felt helpless since I could only read the words and not physically do anything.
Trigger warnings for I Know Her Name include mentions of sexual assault (but not in detail), some profanity (but not much), bullying, depression, mentions of suicide and telling someone to kill themself, and violence.
All in all, I Know Her Name is such an emotional read written by a very talented teenager. It will definitely hit you with many feels and leave you angry at how the school failed this girl. Although this book can be read as a standalone, I would still read You Won't Know Her Name first just for more background and because it's so good. I would most definitely recommend I Know Her Name by Shanti Hershenson to those aged 14+ who are being bullied, have been bullied, or are the bullies themselves. This is a poetry book that won't disappoint.
While I Know Her Name isn't as dark or as heavy as its first book, You Won't Know Her Name, there were still some heavy themes throughout. Hershenson admits in this book that the nameless girl in You Won't Know Her Name was actually her (which I already suspected when I read the first book) and that all the poems in You Won't Know Her Name and I Know Her Name were written about what was happening and what had happened in regards to the bullying and sexual assault done at the hands of a "friend" while she was in junior high and her school's lack of caring. While I Know Her Name isn't a very long book, it still packs a big punch. The poetry is still amazingly written, and to know that they were written by such a young girl makes it even more so.
I Know Her Name is an emotional read, and my heart really went out to Shanti Hershenson whilst reading this. Her hurt, anger, sadness, frustrations, and all over emotions are easily conveyed with each poem. It broke my heart that she (and many other children) have to face bullying and abuse while the school does nothing about it. I felt like I was right beside Hershenson as she further tells her story through poetry although I felt helpless since I could only read the words and not physically do anything.
Trigger warnings for I Know Her Name include mentions of sexual assault (but not in detail), some profanity (but not much), bullying, depression, mentions of suicide and telling someone to kill themself, and violence.
All in all, I Know Her Name is such an emotional read written by a very talented teenager. It will definitely hit you with many feels and leave you angry at how the school failed this girl. Although this book can be read as a standalone, I would still read You Won't Know Her Name first just for more background and because it's so good. I would most definitely recommend I Know Her Name by Shanti Hershenson to those aged 14+ who are being bullied, have been bullied, or are the bullies themselves. This is a poetry book that won't disappoint.