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Dpaint43 (16 KP) rated Codenames in Tabletop Games
May 29, 2019 (Updated May 29, 2019)
Let the right ones in
In this party game of abstracted espionage, you have the task of using clue words to have teammates figure out who they should let in and who they should keep out. There is a 5×5 grid of "codenames" that are on the table. Common words like fish, key or skipping. As the speaker for your team, you know which codenames are meant for your team and which are for the other team by using a grid representation only the two team speakers could see. 8 of the codename agents are for your team and 8 for the other (the grid also has a color around it which adds an additional agent for one team but then they get the privilege of going first). There are also 8 neutral citizens that end the turn if chosen. Then there is the dark agent. If he is chosen by the team, that team loses. Once each turn the speaker will give a one word clue (something that correlates with one or more codename cards) followed by a number (how many codename cards it correlates to). Your team has to pick at least one card on the table from the clue. Get it right and they get to choose again (one number more than the number you gave after the clue is the amount of guesses they can get a turn) or choose not to push their luck and stop. Get it wrong and that might let an agent for the other team in, a citizen or worst of all the dark agent that loses the game. This keeps going until a team successfully gets all their codename agents in. A great party game for unlimited amounts of people breaking into two teams. Laughs and accusations fly. Maybe the best party game in years and available in many forms that keep growing (basic, adult words, Disney, pictures only, marvel...etc)
Kyera (8 KP) rated King's Cage in Books
Jan 31, 2018
King’s Cage is the third book in the Red Queen series, but not the final book in the installment. I highly suggest that you read the first two books before this one, otherwise you will be incredibly confused. The overall premise of the series is very intriguing and draws you in. Unfortunately, it is a little slow at times and can be difficult to get through. Glass Sword, in particular, took a while to get its stride and I kept putting it down. As a result of the cliffhanger at the end of Glass Sword, King’s Cage is able to start more quickly.
Originally, I didn’t have very strong feelings about any of the characters in the series. They were from various worlds, had different personalities, but I just didn’t truly connect with any of them. King’s Cage made a few of the characters slightly more likable to me, but it still wasn’t enough. Whether it was an important character or a side character, I wasn’t emotionally involved enough to deeply care if something happened to them. It was a simple, oh that’s sad or unfortunate, but it didn’t tear my heart out like some writing does.
Mare’s world is turned upside down and overall the plot of this novel is more engaging than Glass Sword. The fights were described very well and I felt like I was there watching them. I still wish that there was more world building in these novels. There are such varied lands, ruled by unique leaders that I wish we knew more about them.
Overall, I enjoy this series and would recommend giving it a shot. It’s difficult to categorize between fantasy and a form of dystopian. The series is not high fantasy so the world isn’t too difficult to dive into. I’d recommend to young adult/teen fans of fantasy books or books where the characters have powers.
Originally, I didn’t have very strong feelings about any of the characters in the series. They were from various worlds, had different personalities, but I just didn’t truly connect with any of them. King’s Cage made a few of the characters slightly more likable to me, but it still wasn’t enough. Whether it was an important character or a side character, I wasn’t emotionally involved enough to deeply care if something happened to them. It was a simple, oh that’s sad or unfortunate, but it didn’t tear my heart out like some writing does.
Mare’s world is turned upside down and overall the plot of this novel is more engaging than Glass Sword. The fights were described very well and I felt like I was there watching them. I still wish that there was more world building in these novels. There are such varied lands, ruled by unique leaders that I wish we knew more about them.
Overall, I enjoy this series and would recommend giving it a shot. It’s difficult to categorize between fantasy and a form of dystopian. The series is not high fantasy so the world isn’t too difficult to dive into. I’d recommend to young adult/teen fans of fantasy books or books where the characters have powers.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Last of August (Charlotte Holmes #2) in Books
Jan 31, 2018
The Last of August introduces us to even more members of the Holmes and Moriarty families. After being framed for murder, what other trouble could Charlotte and Jamie possibly get themselves into? You’d be surprised. Charlotte and Jamie decide to spend Christmas break together in Europe. First, they visit Jamie’s mom where Charlotte gets to experience a more normal family life. Then, they travel to the Holmes manor in Sussex which is much less welcoming and far more confusing. Charlotte’s father, Alistair is imposing, her mother Emma questions Jamie’s motives, and her brother Milo rarely leaves his flat in Berlin. Charlotte’s family is not particularly warm and friendly, so it’s a welcome change when Jamie meets his father’s best friend and Charlotte’s Uncle Leander Holmes. Leander is sociable and kind, more comfortable at parties than the other members of his family and frequently hired to discover art crime/forgeries.
Their uneventful break ends suddenly when Leander disappears mysteriously and Charlotte’s mother is poisoned. These events set Charlotte and Jamie on a whirlwind adventure across Europe to discover the truth. They are joined by August Moriarty, to Jamie’s dismay and a contingent of Milo’s hired grunts. August is likable even though he is a Moriarty and we’re not always sure if we can trust him. We are introduced to his brother Hadrian and his sister Philippa, but not the more ruthless Lucien. I expect he will be the “big bad” for the third book, if not his parents so the reveal and development of their characters will wait until then.
Overall, the mystery and plot of this book were just as interested as the first in the series. There isn’t much else to add without spoilers, so just go read it. Highly recommended to young adult/teen fans of mystery, contemporary, or the classic Sherlock Holmes novels. I fell in love with this series and can’t wait to see how the series is concluded.
Their uneventful break ends suddenly when Leander disappears mysteriously and Charlotte’s mother is poisoned. These events set Charlotte and Jamie on a whirlwind adventure across Europe to discover the truth. They are joined by August Moriarty, to Jamie’s dismay and a contingent of Milo’s hired grunts. August is likable even though he is a Moriarty and we’re not always sure if we can trust him. We are introduced to his brother Hadrian and his sister Philippa, but not the more ruthless Lucien. I expect he will be the “big bad” for the third book, if not his parents so the reveal and development of their characters will wait until then.
Overall, the mystery and plot of this book were just as interested as the first in the series. There isn’t much else to add without spoilers, so just go read it. Highly recommended to young adult/teen fans of mystery, contemporary, or the classic Sherlock Holmes novels. I fell in love with this series and can’t wait to see how the series is concluded.
Kyera (8 KP) rated An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) in Books
Jan 31, 2018
An Ember in the Ashes follows Laia's attempt to rescue her brother after he has been taken in the middle of the night and her grandparents murdered. She stumbles into some rebels and manages to convince their leader to promise to help her - at a cost. Laia must become a spy, infiltrating the Commandant's place and reporting to the rebels. If she gives them good information they say that they will risk the manpower to rescue her brother. Not only is he important to Laia, but he is the only Scholar who knows the secret of martial steel. Martial steel is superior and no weapons can match it, which is why the scholars have never successfully rebelled.
Martials are the ruling people who came to the and many years ago as conquerors. They enslaved the Scholars and treated the others in the land as second class citizens. The Martials even have a place they send their children to train and become Masks, some of the most feared warriors and killers in the land. Elias and Helene are two of those future Masks - training, top of their class and about to graduate.
Each character has their own secrets and motivations. Elias hates being a Mask and doesn't want to turn into his mother, the vicious Commandant. Helene is in love with Elias and despite her commitment to the Masks, is hesitant to call Elias' out on his commitment. Laia is scared, but can't abandon her brother again. Each must go on a journey of self-discovery and find out what truly matters to them - and what they will sacrifice to make it happen.
The world is full of unique places and characters. More interestingly, there is magic and creatures like djinn and efrits. Those are some of the supernatural creatures that are not as frequently portrayed in novels, thus make this even more intriguing. This is a beautifully written book and highly recommended to young adult/teen readers that like fantasy, books with good characters, world building, magic and supernatural creatures.
Martials are the ruling people who came to the and many years ago as conquerors. They enslaved the Scholars and treated the others in the land as second class citizens. The Martials even have a place they send their children to train and become Masks, some of the most feared warriors and killers in the land. Elias and Helene are two of those future Masks - training, top of their class and about to graduate.
Each character has their own secrets and motivations. Elias hates being a Mask and doesn't want to turn into his mother, the vicious Commandant. Helene is in love with Elias and despite her commitment to the Masks, is hesitant to call Elias' out on his commitment. Laia is scared, but can't abandon her brother again. Each must go on a journey of self-discovery and find out what truly matters to them - and what they will sacrifice to make it happen.
The world is full of unique places and characters. More interestingly, there is magic and creatures like djinn and efrits. Those are some of the supernatural creatures that are not as frequently portrayed in novels, thus make this even more intriguing. This is a beautifully written book and highly recommended to young adult/teen readers that like fantasy, books with good characters, world building, magic and supernatural creatures.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
A couple weeks later and I still do not know how I feel about the book. I hated the writing, but it sucked me in. Nothing interesting happened for the first half of the novel, and yet I could not stop reading. There were so many cliches and cheesy parts, although it held so much potential.
I picked up this book for the beautiful cover. You think I would learn by now. Nothing of interests happens for about the first 150 pages. Most of it is filled with information Despain feels you should know about the world she has placed the story in and the characters who fill. It did not help that for some of the pages I felt like I was being preached at (literally). However, she keeps alluding to secrets, and non too subtly, that surround Daniel and something that happened years ago. After awhile, the not too subtle allusion becoming annoying because they are so glaringly obvious. I kept reading just because I was wanted to see how Daniel and Grace finally came together.
The fantasy and folklore that Despain portrays is interesting, but the way she went about it was kind of...well lame. All the secrets you were reading the novel to find out spill out in a matter pages at two separate times. You learn about the what Daniel really is in only a few paragraphs and what happened years ago in even less. It was so anti-climatic that I almost did not realize it had happened.
I cannot say I like the book, but it was a novel I could not stop reading. More than once I have put a young adult down after not even completing half of it because of how juvenile and ridiculous it is. While this was not a deep and thought provoking novel, I might rent the sequels to see how the rest of it plays out.
I picked up this book for the beautiful cover. You think I would learn by now. Nothing of interests happens for about the first 150 pages. Most of it is filled with information Despain feels you should know about the world she has placed the story in and the characters who fill. It did not help that for some of the pages I felt like I was being preached at (literally). However, she keeps alluding to secrets, and non too subtly, that surround Daniel and something that happened years ago. After awhile, the not too subtle allusion becoming annoying because they are so glaringly obvious. I kept reading just because I was wanted to see how Daniel and Grace finally came together.
The fantasy and folklore that Despain portrays is interesting, but the way she went about it was kind of...well lame. All the secrets you were reading the novel to find out spill out in a matter pages at two separate times. You learn about the what Daniel really is in only a few paragraphs and what happened years ago in even less. It was so anti-climatic that I almost did not realize it had happened.
I cannot say I like the book, but it was a novel I could not stop reading. More than once I have put a young adult down after not even completing half of it because of how juvenile and ridiculous it is. While this was not a deep and thought provoking novel, I might rent the sequels to see how the rest of it plays out.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Depravity (Beastly Tales, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
First off, let me say how furious I am that this is a three part series with each novel ending in a cliff hanger. Each novel has enough meat to it to count as individual novel, but they all end in maddening cliffhangers. I loathe cliff hangers more than I loathe serials.
That being said, this series had me from page one and I couldnt put it down until the very last one. I missed a lot of sleep for it I am a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, especially if there erotica involved. This is definitely one of the better retellings of Beauty and the Beast, albeit a very dark one. The female lead is almost raped more times than I can count, abused by her obnoxious sisters, manipulated by an arrogant sorceress, and subjected to dealing with a short tempered man child stuck in a beasts body. Through it all, Benella stays determined and loved her grit.
There are some themes that may not sit well with some people, especially with the Beasts treatment of Benella in the second novel. I think they are missing the point of this story, however. The premise is not just about looking beyond aesthetic value, it is about personal growth. While it is the Beautys purpose to look beyond outer appearances to appreciate what people have on the inside; it is the Beasts role to develop from well a beast to a better person. I feel that most people look past that.
This is a great series for those looking for an adult retelling of Beauty and the Beast and can handle the dark themes and cliff hangers that come with it. If you can accept an anti-hero with faults who falls for a strong woman who can hold her own in a hateful sexist world, then this is definitely the series for you.
That being said, this series had me from page one and I couldnt put it down until the very last one. I missed a lot of sleep for it I am a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, especially if there erotica involved. This is definitely one of the better retellings of Beauty and the Beast, albeit a very dark one. The female lead is almost raped more times than I can count, abused by her obnoxious sisters, manipulated by an arrogant sorceress, and subjected to dealing with a short tempered man child stuck in a beasts body. Through it all, Benella stays determined and loved her grit.
There are some themes that may not sit well with some people, especially with the Beasts treatment of Benella in the second novel. I think they are missing the point of this story, however. The premise is not just about looking beyond aesthetic value, it is about personal growth. While it is the Beautys purpose to look beyond outer appearances to appreciate what people have on the inside; it is the Beasts role to develop from well a beast to a better person. I feel that most people look past that.
This is a great series for those looking for an adult retelling of Beauty and the Beast and can handle the dark themes and cliff hangers that come with it. If you can accept an anti-hero with faults who falls for a strong woman who can hold her own in a hateful sexist world, then this is definitely the series for you.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The Geeks Guide to Unrequited Love is a fandom-lovers dream, minus the unrequited love. The story takes place predominantly at New York Comic Con, the second largest convention of pop culture fanatics (myself included) in the United States. You can tell that the author is either very familiar with the area from personal experience, or questioned a con-goer to get every detail. She mentions things like the cell service being spotty in the Artists Alley (it is) and the atmosphere you experience on the way to the Con. Its so fascinating to be walking the streets for a while when suddenly you notice a Spider-Man strolling out of a bakery, not too long after a group of wizards turn the corner and before you know it youre surrounded by a horde of enthusiastic, frequently costumed, nerds, geeks and fans of all ages outside the Javitts Center, where NYCC is held.
The atmosphere was authentic and made me feel like I was attending the Con as well, although that may be in part because Ive attended NYCC before I do believe that any reader will feel just as immersed. The world was the most enjoyable part of the book, as the characters were not as developed as they could have been. There were moments of clarity where you saw more into their motivations, but overall they werent memorable characters. Thats not to say there was anything wrong with them, they just didnt affect me as a reader.
It was an easy, enjoyable contemporary read that I think is perfect for young adult/teen readers who are fans of something and enjoy books that they can relate to on that level. You dont have to be a comic book or superhero fan to enjoy Comic Con, it is a refuge and a consolidation of all fandoms. If you love something, you will find something you can relate to at Comic Con and in this book.
The atmosphere was authentic and made me feel like I was attending the Con as well, although that may be in part because Ive attended NYCC before I do believe that any reader will feel just as immersed. The world was the most enjoyable part of the book, as the characters were not as developed as they could have been. There were moments of clarity where you saw more into their motivations, but overall they werent memorable characters. Thats not to say there was anything wrong with them, they just didnt affect me as a reader.
It was an easy, enjoyable contemporary read that I think is perfect for young adult/teen readers who are fans of something and enjoy books that they can relate to on that level. You dont have to be a comic book or superhero fan to enjoy Comic Con, it is a refuge and a consolidation of all fandoms. If you love something, you will find something you can relate to at Comic Con and in this book.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Beheld (Kendra Chronicles, #4) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Beheld by Alex Flinn is the fifth book in the Kendra Chronicles. Readers were first introduced to the witch in Flinns Beauty and the Beast retelling, Beastly. Since then she has been involved in a number of other famous fairy tales like Cinderella and Rapunzel. In this book, readers follow Kendras life as she finds the love of her life, loses him and repeats the cycle. Each time she encounters him, readers are treated to a short retelling. The first is Little Red Riding Hood, which is set in Salem, Ma during the witch trials. The second is Rumplestiltskin, which is set is Bavaria and features a Prince. The third is East of the Sun and West of the Moon, which is set primarily in Britain during the Second World War. The final tale is the Ugly Duckling, which is in modern day Miami.
My least favourite aspect of the book was actually the interludes linking each story together, or Kendras tale of trying to find her love. Each retelling would have been an interesting (if short) read, even if she were not a character and the magic was introduced in another fashion. Personally, I felt that these tales would have been better served as novellas because the thread linking them felt forced. The stories themselves felt rushed at times, perhaps because all four had to be combined into one cohesive story and if they were more detailed than the novel would be much too long.
The characters were likable and the world was believable, but neither was particularly developed. I wish that the author had taken the time to delve more deeply into the worlds and build an entrancing narrative. Overall, the book was enjoyable but there were times that it was slow and I had to force myself to pick it back up to continue.
I would recommend this novel, and the series as a whole, to young adult/teen readers who enjoy magic and fantasy in their books, as well as fairytale retellings.
My least favourite aspect of the book was actually the interludes linking each story together, or Kendras tale of trying to find her love. Each retelling would have been an interesting (if short) read, even if she were not a character and the magic was introduced in another fashion. Personally, I felt that these tales would have been better served as novellas because the thread linking them felt forced. The stories themselves felt rushed at times, perhaps because all four had to be combined into one cohesive story and if they were more detailed than the novel would be much too long.
The characters were likable and the world was believable, but neither was particularly developed. I wish that the author had taken the time to delve more deeply into the worlds and build an entrancing narrative. Overall, the book was enjoyable but there were times that it was slow and I had to force myself to pick it back up to continue.
I would recommend this novel, and the series as a whole, to young adult/teen readers who enjoy magic and fantasy in their books, as well as fairytale retellings.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Perfect Stranger in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Oh the dreaded second book! I know Miranda has written more than 2 books, but this is her second adult mystery novel, and while it wasn’t perfect (pun intended) it wasn’t bad and I think some people are giving this a bit of a harsh time!
I can understand where people are coming from, in terms of not connecting with the characters. I wasn’t particularly a fan of Leah myself, but I had enough empathy towards her to be interested in her story. Kyle, I had mixed feelings about, I didn’t like the romance element that Miranda fit in with him and Leah and I thought he was trying to play-it-cool too much while still being really clingy.
I’ve seen some people complain about the motives behind Leah’s move and “new life”, saying it was lack lustre and unworthy of all the dramatics, but I thought it was a pretty good, and quite unique, twist to the story and helped explain Leah’s reservedness well. As for the main twist – what happened to Emmy? – I half saw it coming and half didn’t. There was certainly an element of surprise there for me so I was happy with the way the plot went, for the most part. In fact, I was more surprised by this novel than I was with All the Missing Girls, which I guessed the ending of, part way through.
At times, I found my thoughts getting a little bit muddled with all the names and how everyone fit in, but when it’s all “resolved” at the end, things became clearer.
The writing in this is, as always, superbly atmospheric and descriptive. Miranda certainly knows how to write!
Overall, I actually really enjoyed this book, reading it and finishing it in the early hours of the morning. I will definitely keep my eyes open for more of Miranda’s work, clearly, she is a woman of many genres!
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
I can understand where people are coming from, in terms of not connecting with the characters. I wasn’t particularly a fan of Leah myself, but I had enough empathy towards her to be interested in her story. Kyle, I had mixed feelings about, I didn’t like the romance element that Miranda fit in with him and Leah and I thought he was trying to play-it-cool too much while still being really clingy.
I’ve seen some people complain about the motives behind Leah’s move and “new life”, saying it was lack lustre and unworthy of all the dramatics, but I thought it was a pretty good, and quite unique, twist to the story and helped explain Leah’s reservedness well. As for the main twist – what happened to Emmy? – I half saw it coming and half didn’t. There was certainly an element of surprise there for me so I was happy with the way the plot went, for the most part. In fact, I was more surprised by this novel than I was with All the Missing Girls, which I guessed the ending of, part way through.
At times, I found my thoughts getting a little bit muddled with all the names and how everyone fit in, but when it’s all “resolved” at the end, things became clearer.
The writing in this is, as always, superbly atmospheric and descriptive. Miranda certainly knows how to write!
Overall, I actually really enjoyed this book, reading it and finishing it in the early hours of the morning. I will definitely keep my eyes open for more of Miranda’s work, clearly, she is a woman of many genres!
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Thirteen (Women of the Otherworld, #13) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Well, Armstrong definitely closed the series with a bang. I enjoyed this volume so much that I'm tempted to go back and re-read the entire series just to have more right now.
All the characters we've gotten to know are back: Clay, Elena, Jaime and Jeremy, Hope and Karl, Paige and Lucas, Eve and Kristof, Adam, Sean, Bryce, and Benicio. Savannah, however, is the center of this novel while the others weave in and out of the action.
Savannah Levine was a child when she was introduced in one of the earliest books of the series, [b:Stolen|11922|Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, #2)|Kelley Armstrong|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1300923278s/11922.jpg|14289]. She is definitely a full adult now, capable of holding her own with or without spells. She is also an incredible nexus of influence — and those who want to use or influence her just don't take "no" for an answer no matter how forcefully she says it.
The Supernatural Liberation Movement (SLM) wants to use Savannah in their quest to bring supernaturals into the open, but she isn't interested. She's been fighting their agents since [b:Waking the Witch|6725785|Waking the Witch (Women of the Otherworld, #11)|Kelley Armstrong|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1265310260s/6725785.jpg|6921947], but some of the plots their primary members are associated in go all the way back to [b:Stolen|11922|Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, #2)|Kelley Armstrong|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1300923278s/11922.jpg|14289]. These are the people who killed Eve, so why would Savannah help them?
Armstrong has done a masterful job of weaving little threads together from all the different books so that they wind up in one neat package. I was enthralled from the first word through the last, but satisfied with where she left the characters. I look forward to reading any new stories she chooses to tell in the Otherworld, but I can see that this round is finished. Kudos to her for a job well done.
All the characters we've gotten to know are back: Clay, Elena, Jaime and Jeremy, Hope and Karl, Paige and Lucas, Eve and Kristof, Adam, Sean, Bryce, and Benicio. Savannah, however, is the center of this novel while the others weave in and out of the action.
Savannah Levine was a child when she was introduced in one of the earliest books of the series, [b:Stolen|11922|Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, #2)|Kelley Armstrong|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1300923278s/11922.jpg|14289]. She is definitely a full adult now, capable of holding her own with or without spells. She is also an incredible nexus of influence — and those who want to use or influence her just don't take "no" for an answer no matter how forcefully she says it.
The Supernatural Liberation Movement (SLM) wants to use Savannah in their quest to bring supernaturals into the open, but she isn't interested. She's been fighting their agents since [b:Waking the Witch|6725785|Waking the Witch (Women of the Otherworld, #11)|Kelley Armstrong|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1265310260s/6725785.jpg|6921947], but some of the plots their primary members are associated in go all the way back to [b:Stolen|11922|Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, #2)|Kelley Armstrong|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1300923278s/11922.jpg|14289]. These are the people who killed Eve, so why would Savannah help them?
Armstrong has done a masterful job of weaving little threads together from all the different books so that they wind up in one neat package. I was enthralled from the first word through the last, but satisfied with where she left the characters. I look forward to reading any new stories she chooses to tell in the Otherworld, but I can see that this round is finished. Kudos to her for a job well done.