Search
Search results
After The Empire
Tabletop Game
After the fall of Rome, Europe fell into the so-called "dark ages." From the chaos, feudalism arose...
Jeppesen Aviator
Navigation and Productivity
App
AVIATOR is the all-in-one app providing pilots with a single point of access to the independent EFB...
Kingsburg
8.2
Rate It
Tabletop Game
In Kingsburg, players are Lords sent from the King to administer frontier territories. The game...
Boardgames WorkerPlacementGames
Jambo
7.0
Rate It
Tabletop Game
From the back of the box: "Jambo is the friendly greeting Swahili traders offered their customers...
2playergames KosmosGames DornGames AfricanGames Cardgames
Bound (Dark Reflections #1)
8.0
Rate It
Book
The only thing worse than having no family at all, is having a family that is out to hurt you. That...
Young Adult Paranormal Romance Urban Fantasy
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Sins of the Father (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 3, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Set in an alternate season three, SINS OF THE FATHER features two interesting, although slightly competitive, plots. The first one has Pike (featured in the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the comic, [b:Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Omnibus, Vol. 1|271365|Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus, Vol. 1|Joss Whedon|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348752850s/271365.jpg|263081]) coming to town for Buffy's help with a stone demon, while the second deals with Giles and his past. Quite obviously, demons of all kinds are the theme of the book.
This is my first foray into the Buffy novels and I have to say it was a pretty good one to start with. The characterizations were well-done, most notably Willow and Xander (I could just hear their dialogue and see their expressions), with the exceptions of Cordy, who sounded like herself about half the time, and Giles, who just seemed off somehow. The plot moves well enough along and the action was well-written. I especially liked their new vampire equipment that you can't help but think, "Why didn't anyone come up with this before?" The banter was great and definitely had the feel of the show, it made me laugh quite a few times. The only thing I had a problem with was Buffy's indecision about Pike and Angel. While I get the part about Pike being a 'normal' guy who knows that she fights paranormal crime and isn't put off, but why does she have such strong feelings for him still? It's been two, two-and-a-half years since she even saw him, I just don't see it. Also, the 'impossible love' between Buffy and Angel was redundant. If anyone has ever seen the show (and how many are going to read the books if they aren't a fan?), they already know all the angsty melodrama on the subject. One remark on the subject was all we needed, not repeatedly using just about the same two phrases a million times. With those two quibbles said, this was an entertaining book that took me back to my favorite time of the show, the high school years.
This is my first foray into the Buffy novels and I have to say it was a pretty good one to start with. The characterizations were well-done, most notably Willow and Xander (I could just hear their dialogue and see their expressions), with the exceptions of Cordy, who sounded like herself about half the time, and Giles, who just seemed off somehow. The plot moves well enough along and the action was well-written. I especially liked their new vampire equipment that you can't help but think, "Why didn't anyone come up with this before?" The banter was great and definitely had the feel of the show, it made me laugh quite a few times. The only thing I had a problem with was Buffy's indecision about Pike and Angel. While I get the part about Pike being a 'normal' guy who knows that she fights paranormal crime and isn't put off, but why does she have such strong feelings for him still? It's been two, two-and-a-half years since she even saw him, I just don't see it. Also, the 'impossible love' between Buffy and Angel was redundant. If anyone has ever seen the show (and how many are going to read the books if they aren't a fan?), they already know all the angsty melodrama on the subject. One remark on the subject was all we needed, not repeatedly using just about the same two phrases a million times. With those two quibbles said, this was an entertaining book that took me back to my favorite time of the show, the high school years.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated They Feed in Books
Feb 21, 2019
Jason Parent’s They Feed has been on my radar for quite some time. A few months ago I snagged a galley of it. Things got in the way, but I finally found the time to sit down and straight up devour this title.
Set in Galveston National Park in Kansas, They Feed is the terrifying story of a what goes bump in the night. When a few groups, for completely different reasons, end up stranded in the dark, they quickly find themselves pitted against an unknown enemy that seems almost invincible, and every bit vicious. Can they survive until sunrise?
Let’s face it. When it comes to horror books, characters are dispensable. It’s hard to really get attached to anyone because we expect them to die. Therefore I’m always pleasantly surprised when there’s any amount of character development–and Parent’s stuffed this book with it. We’ve got a loathsome woman that, despite not being able to stand, I found myself cheering for. An angsty, delinquent teenager with redeemable qualities. A former convict. A group of frat boys behaving stupidly. All of these are present in this book, and Parent writes them in a way that had me both loving and hating several of them. (I cheered more than once.)
Plotwise, the book is pretty straightforward. It does switch perspectives, but thankfully it doesn’t alternate between past and present. This made the story flow really well, alongside perfect pacing on Parent’s part. There were also times I found my heart racing as I hoped for certain outcomes, and having that edge-of-your-seat thrill is one of my favorite feelings.
This is the first book I’ve read by Jason Parent, but it definitely won’t be the last. Let me put it this way: I’m even less likely to go camping now than I would have been last week. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Sinister Grin Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/02/20/book-review-they-feed-by-jason-parent/
Set in Galveston National Park in Kansas, They Feed is the terrifying story of a what goes bump in the night. When a few groups, for completely different reasons, end up stranded in the dark, they quickly find themselves pitted against an unknown enemy that seems almost invincible, and every bit vicious. Can they survive until sunrise?
Let’s face it. When it comes to horror books, characters are dispensable. It’s hard to really get attached to anyone because we expect them to die. Therefore I’m always pleasantly surprised when there’s any amount of character development–and Parent’s stuffed this book with it. We’ve got a loathsome woman that, despite not being able to stand, I found myself cheering for. An angsty, delinquent teenager with redeemable qualities. A former convict. A group of frat boys behaving stupidly. All of these are present in this book, and Parent writes them in a way that had me both loving and hating several of them. (I cheered more than once.)
Plotwise, the book is pretty straightforward. It does switch perspectives, but thankfully it doesn’t alternate between past and present. This made the story flow really well, alongside perfect pacing on Parent’s part. There were also times I found my heart racing as I hoped for certain outcomes, and having that edge-of-your-seat thrill is one of my favorite feelings.
This is the first book I’ve read by Jason Parent, but it definitely won’t be the last. Let me put it this way: I’m even less likely to go camping now than I would have been last week. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Sinister Grin Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/02/20/book-review-they-feed-by-jason-parent/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated A Spark Of Light in Books
Feb 24, 2019
Jodi Picoult tackles the age-old issue of abortion in her latest novel A Spark of Light. As a controversial topic, abortion is a challenging ethical problem to write about, however, with a mix of characters, Picoult manages to argue from all points of view. Full of secrets and shocking truths, the novel reveals the complexity of balancing the right to life with the right to choose.
The book begins with a horrifying shooting and hostage situation at a centre for women's reproductive health. George, the shooter, is angry with his daughter for having an abortion, but rather than blaming her, he takes it out on the doctors and nurses who perform the operations and the unfortunate women who happen to be in the waiting room. In fact, only one of the female hostages have had an abortion, the others are there for very different reasons.
A Spark of Light is written backwards, beginning with the hostage situation and gradually revealing the previous hours, describing how each character got themselves in this position. The chapters alternate between characters: the doctors and nurses who work at the Centre; the women who have come for treatment - not necessarily an abortion; and an anti-abortion campaigner. The most important storyline, however, is told through the eyes of three people: Wren, a fifteen-year-old trapped in the clinic; the gunman, and the negotiator, who happens to be Wren's father.
What begins as a two-sided debate about abortion - albeit in a deadly scenario - ends in a standoff between two fathers, both of whom only want to do what is best for their daughters. Although Nick, the negotiator, would not walk into a clinic and start shooting, he learns he has much more in common with the terrorist than he thought possible.
The prose is a little confusing to begin with, however, once the "backwards" writing style becomes clear, it is a very enjoyable story. The only problem with this style of writing is that readers are left with so many questions about what happened after the shooting. We become so invested in the lives of the characters, it feels almost mean not to know who they cope after the traumatising event.
The book begins with a horrifying shooting and hostage situation at a centre for women's reproductive health. George, the shooter, is angry with his daughter for having an abortion, but rather than blaming her, he takes it out on the doctors and nurses who perform the operations and the unfortunate women who happen to be in the waiting room. In fact, only one of the female hostages have had an abortion, the others are there for very different reasons.
A Spark of Light is written backwards, beginning with the hostage situation and gradually revealing the previous hours, describing how each character got themselves in this position. The chapters alternate between characters: the doctors and nurses who work at the Centre; the women who have come for treatment - not necessarily an abortion; and an anti-abortion campaigner. The most important storyline, however, is told through the eyes of three people: Wren, a fifteen-year-old trapped in the clinic; the gunman, and the negotiator, who happens to be Wren's father.
What begins as a two-sided debate about abortion - albeit in a deadly scenario - ends in a standoff between two fathers, both of whom only want to do what is best for their daughters. Although Nick, the negotiator, would not walk into a clinic and start shooting, he learns he has much more in common with the terrorist than he thought possible.
The prose is a little confusing to begin with, however, once the "backwards" writing style becomes clear, it is a very enjoyable story. The only problem with this style of writing is that readers are left with so many questions about what happened after the shooting. We become so invested in the lives of the characters, it feels almost mean not to know who they cope after the traumatising event.
Louise (64 KP) rated Every Last Lie in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I read ‘Don’t you cry’ by Mary Kubica last year and really enjoyed her writing so I knew that I wanted to read more from this author, that’s why I grabbed the chance at reading this book.
This book is told from dual perspective of Clara and Nick Solberg, they are husband and wife with a four-year old daughter and a new-born baby, they have a great life. Nick has his own dental practice, they have a great network of family and friends and are blissfully in love. Until one day Nick and his daughter are involved in a car crash, unfortunately Nick is killed but Maisie the daughter is unharmed. It’s only when the little girl starts mentioning ‘a bad man’ and becoming terrified of a certain car the Clara starts to investigate the death of her husband herself and unravels secrets that Nick has been keeping from her.
Ahhh this book, I have mixed feelings. The story telling was great, the tension and the mystery had me questioning and trying to second guess everything that was going on… I was really invested in the story and then it came to the ending – oh it was so anti-climatic, I felt a bit cheated, I am not going to say much because I don’t want to give anything away but be warned.
I liked the characters and the alternate POV kept things interesting, we have Clara and then Nicks POV before the accident happened so we get an idea of what their life was like before.Clara’s character was really well written you could feel the anxiety and feel how exhausted she was from the writing, but she also did some things that were questionable and downright stupid. There was something lacking in this story which I can’t put my finger on and obviously the ending.
Overall this is an enjoyable read, a great build up and tension for a mystery/thriller.
I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
I read ‘Don’t you cry’ by Mary Kubica last year and really enjoyed her writing so I knew that I wanted to read more from this author, that’s why I grabbed the chance at reading this book.
This book is told from dual perspective of Clara and Nick Solberg, they are husband and wife with a four-year old daughter and a new-born baby, they have a great life. Nick has his own dental practice, they have a great network of family and friends and are blissfully in love. Until one day Nick and his daughter are involved in a car crash, unfortunately Nick is killed but Maisie the daughter is unharmed. It’s only when the little girl starts mentioning ‘a bad man’ and becoming terrified of a certain car the Clara starts to investigate the death of her husband herself and unravels secrets that Nick has been keeping from her.
Ahhh this book, I have mixed feelings. The story telling was great, the tension and the mystery had me questioning and trying to second guess everything that was going on… I was really invested in the story and then it came to the ending – oh it was so anti-climatic, I felt a bit cheated, I am not going to say much because I don’t want to give anything away but be warned.
I liked the characters and the alternate POV kept things interesting, we have Clara and then Nicks POV before the accident happened so we get an idea of what their life was like before.Clara’s character was really well written you could feel the anxiety and feel how exhausted she was from the writing, but she also did some things that were questionable and downright stupid. There was something lacking in this story which I can’t put my finger on and obviously the ending.
Overall this is an enjoyable read, a great build up and tension for a mystery/thriller.
I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
Necole (36 KP) rated The Wife Between Us in Books
Aug 25, 2018
Assume Nothing
Assume Nothing …. Perfect description of The Wife Between Us!!! An unreliable narrator (the alcoholic, unhinged, scorned, jealous ex-wife) a young, beautiful new bride to be who questions the ex wife's behavior maybe event to the point of stalking status, and a wealthy man in the middle all make up this twisted love triangle!! But are they all who they appear to be??? Who is the good character, who is the bad, who do you believe, and who do you trust?? All these questions make this psychothriller a roller coaster of a ride in this page turner... At times it's slow but as you flip and read through the pages it picks up again and again. And can we say um huh after the first part of the book. It makes you sit there and say did I miss something and did they really just reveal one of the juiciest parts of the book in the middle after the first part!!! With the end of each chapter, you are sitting there wondering what clues are going to be revealed … how much more can there be. Whose side am I on?
I loved the writing style because it made the reader assume things that may or not be what you thought. The reader really can connect to each character because they were so well developed and so untrustworthy and trustworthy and various points in the book. I love that this book was broken into 3 parts that all made sense why The Wife Between Us was written in this format!!! It wasn't hard to follow at all .. everything seemed to have a purpose for the most part and flow into the development of the story.
A perfect summary from the book is this :
In my marriage, there were three truths, three alternate and sometimes competing realities. There was Richard’s truth. There was my truth. And there was the actual truth, which is always the most elusive to recognize. This could be the case in every relationship, that we think we’ve entered into a union with another person when, in fact, we’ve formed a triangle with one point anchored by a silent but all-seeing judge, the arbiter of reality.
I loved the writing style because it made the reader assume things that may or not be what you thought. The reader really can connect to each character because they were so well developed and so untrustworthy and trustworthy and various points in the book. I love that this book was broken into 3 parts that all made sense why The Wife Between Us was written in this format!!! It wasn't hard to follow at all .. everything seemed to have a purpose for the most part and flow into the development of the story.
A perfect summary from the book is this :
In my marriage, there were three truths, three alternate and sometimes competing realities. There was Richard’s truth. There was my truth. And there was the actual truth, which is always the most elusive to recognize. This could be the case in every relationship, that we think we’ve entered into a union with another person when, in fact, we’ve formed a triangle with one point anchored by a silent but all-seeing judge, the arbiter of reality.