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Merissa (12051 KP) rated Pestilence (The Four Horsemen #1) in Books
Apr 25, 2023
This book starts with Aldo 'waking up' after a successful attempt at killing himself, so to say he was a bit confused should be taken as given. He finds out that he is now Pestilence, the White Horseman. It is his job to go where he is sent and spread epidemics in order to keep the balance between Heaven and Hell. He was a doctor in his life, so it is both ironic and heartbreaking for him to now be spreading disease. In an effort to distance himself from the human population, he lives in the middle of the Amazon jungle. So you can imagine his surprise when he sees a man stumble into his clearing, full of fever and virus.
Bart was left in the middle of the jungle by his lover and the rest of the research team. He doesn't know how he has made it to the clearing, but he is glad that he did when Pestilence looks after him and helps him to make a long and slow recovery. Pestilence is riddled with guilt over the deaths of his wife and son due to the Bubonic Plague, and his 'job'. Bart comes into his life like a dervish and Pestilence starts to question if he can actually have a relationship.
I thoroughly enjoyed the world-building and characters in this book. It is the first of a new series, and I am looking forward to reading the others. Although I really liked Pestilence and Bart, I personally loved the scenes with Death, as I really enjoyed his dry wit and personality.
With a relationship that grows and develops, as well as forgiveness, guilt, love, and disease, this book is certainly worth the read. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 10, 2015
Bart was left in the middle of the jungle by his lover and the rest of the research team. He doesn't know how he has made it to the clearing, but he is glad that he did when Pestilence looks after him and helps him to make a long and slow recovery. Pestilence is riddled with guilt over the deaths of his wife and son due to the Bubonic Plague, and his 'job'. Bart comes into his life like a dervish and Pestilence starts to question if he can actually have a relationship.
I thoroughly enjoyed the world-building and characters in this book. It is the first of a new series, and I am looking forward to reading the others. Although I really liked Pestilence and Bart, I personally loved the scenes with Death, as I really enjoyed his dry wit and personality.
With a relationship that grows and develops, as well as forgiveness, guilt, love, and disease, this book is certainly worth the read. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 10, 2015
London Tales (Short Stories #2)
8.0
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This collection of eleven tales offers dramatic pinpricks in the rich tapestry of London’s...
Short Stories Historical Fiction
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Refuge (Relentless, #2) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
O.M.G.!!! It's been a while since I read Relentless and now I've got a major urge to read it again, just so I can immerse myself in Sara's story right from the word go.
This is one of those books that I bought immediately after I finished Relentless, but just never got the chance to read before life got in the way. Let me just say, that since I've finished this, life isn't going to get a chance to get in the way as I am starting Rogue straight away!!
In Refuge, Sara is living in a 'military-style compound' where she was dumped by Nikolas. Let's just leave it at he is not her favourite person right now. She is struggling in training as she fears losing control of her Mori demon. She hasn't really made new friends, instead stays in phone contact with Roland, Peter, and of course, Uncle Nate.
There is too much to give you a rundown of this book, and seriously, why on earth would I do that? That's what the synopsis is for!! Suffice it to say, Sara has a big learning curve in front of her. With her magic, she is learning new 'tricks', as well as receiving her very own early warning vampire radar.
So many bits made me smile, so many bits made me frustrated for Sara, but most of all, I can't wait to see where it will go next. With one heckuva cliffhanger that really Nikolas should have seen coming a mile off knowing Sara (remember, I'm writing this before reading Rogue so I have no idea if he realises or not!)
If you want a paranormal romance that is full of Mori demons, the fae, griffins, Alex the wyvern (love him!), hellhounds, vampires, shifters, absolutely gripping, full of action and adventure, romance, and 'real-life' reactions, then look no further. I really can't recommend this highly enough!!!
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 7, 2016
This is one of those books that I bought immediately after I finished Relentless, but just never got the chance to read before life got in the way. Let me just say, that since I've finished this, life isn't going to get a chance to get in the way as I am starting Rogue straight away!!
In Refuge, Sara is living in a 'military-style compound' where she was dumped by Nikolas. Let's just leave it at he is not her favourite person right now. She is struggling in training as she fears losing control of her Mori demon. She hasn't really made new friends, instead stays in phone contact with Roland, Peter, and of course, Uncle Nate.
There is too much to give you a rundown of this book, and seriously, why on earth would I do that? That's what the synopsis is for!! Suffice it to say, Sara has a big learning curve in front of her. With her magic, she is learning new 'tricks', as well as receiving her very own early warning vampire radar.
So many bits made me smile, so many bits made me frustrated for Sara, but most of all, I can't wait to see where it will go next. With one heckuva cliffhanger that really Nikolas should have seen coming a mile off knowing Sara (remember, I'm writing this before reading Rogue so I have no idea if he realises or not!)
If you want a paranormal romance that is full of Mori demons, the fae, griffins, Alex the wyvern (love him!), hellhounds, vampires, shifters, absolutely gripping, full of action and adventure, romance, and 'real-life' reactions, then look no further. I really can't recommend this highly enough!!!
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 7, 2016
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Just Like in the Movies (Summer Heat) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
This review was originally posted over on Lily Loves Indie here - http://lilylovesindie.co.uk/?p=201
As with 'Right Click, Love', I really don't know where to start showering praise on this story. A happy ever after but with all the integrity and realism of the life of someone who just got lucky. Quirky, easy to relate to, completely believable and just a delight to read. There are so many things I just loved about it that I'm struggling to put them into words. That being said, you might need to wade through some gushing from myself as I try to pin down just a few key features for you....
I guess I'll start with Ava. She is so like me it is unbelievable, down to the relationships and everything (the books, the pets, the house). But I don't think that is the only reason I love her, it's her down to earth attitude to life and her personality as a whole. She's just so likeable! And so utterly believable as well! It's like she just hops out the page and starts talking to you, like a friend we probably all have (or the person we are in my case), she's just a delightful lead character. Her relationship with Morgan, and her friendship with Erica are also incredibly well written, again believable, realistic and enjoyable interactions throughout. They're all characters that we could encounter at work or amongst friends, and as a result of that we can engage with them so much easier, welcoming them into our lives like we would their real life counterparts. I've digressed, and waffled (no change there!) but what I'm getting at is that they are all fabulous characters, but especially Ava, she just has a certain something that makes her that extra bit more wonderful.
Another thing which I loved was the style in which this was written. Feeney includes everything we need to know, yet cleverly leaves little gaps to stimulate our imagination. I love finding this in a book as it gives the reader a little scope to make the characters their own, there's that little bit of wriggle room for interpretation. There's also a wonderfully dry sense of humour to Feeney's writing, a sort of wit and sarcasm that feels so natural and enjoyable to read. It makes it feel familiar, and it's more like chatting with a friend rather than reading a book. It's very well done and is so enjoyable to read, a much needed change from the ooey-gooey romances that line the shelves at the moment!
When you consider the length of the book, and the amount of content included, plus the space for your own ideas, Feeney shows great skill in developing a wonderful plot and cast of characters in such a relatively short amount of pages. This makes it so much easier for you to read because you get all the enjoyment and detail you'd find in a full length novel, yet you could easily read the story in a day without feeling you were being cheated or missing any of the action. I've not encountered many authors who has grasped such a skill for this genre and length, but Feeney is definitely one of them. She pitches it perfectly every time, doesn't miss a beat or opportunity to seize on a plot development point yet still keeps us guessing as to exactly what is going to happen. Even though I had an inkling Ava and Morgan would get it on, I in no way expected the ending that occurred!
In conclusion, I guess what I'm trying to say is that this book is rather amazing. I experienced a wide range of emotions, from warm fuzzies, to anger, laughing and crying, tutting at characters and cheering them on. For such a short story it doesn't half pack a punch, but I'm learning that this is Feeney's style. I cannot recommend this story highly enough, and really, truly, honestly think you should all go add it to Goodreads lists, and one-click it on Amazon UK or Amazon US.
As with 'Right Click, Love', I really don't know where to start showering praise on this story. A happy ever after but with all the integrity and realism of the life of someone who just got lucky. Quirky, easy to relate to, completely believable and just a delight to read. There are so many things I just loved about it that I'm struggling to put them into words. That being said, you might need to wade through some gushing from myself as I try to pin down just a few key features for you....
I guess I'll start with Ava. She is so like me it is unbelievable, down to the relationships and everything (the books, the pets, the house). But I don't think that is the only reason I love her, it's her down to earth attitude to life and her personality as a whole. She's just so likeable! And so utterly believable as well! It's like she just hops out the page and starts talking to you, like a friend we probably all have (or the person we are in my case), she's just a delightful lead character. Her relationship with Morgan, and her friendship with Erica are also incredibly well written, again believable, realistic and enjoyable interactions throughout. They're all characters that we could encounter at work or amongst friends, and as a result of that we can engage with them so much easier, welcoming them into our lives like we would their real life counterparts. I've digressed, and waffled (no change there!) but what I'm getting at is that they are all fabulous characters, but especially Ava, she just has a certain something that makes her that extra bit more wonderful.
Another thing which I loved was the style in which this was written. Feeney includes everything we need to know, yet cleverly leaves little gaps to stimulate our imagination. I love finding this in a book as it gives the reader a little scope to make the characters their own, there's that little bit of wriggle room for interpretation. There's also a wonderfully dry sense of humour to Feeney's writing, a sort of wit and sarcasm that feels so natural and enjoyable to read. It makes it feel familiar, and it's more like chatting with a friend rather than reading a book. It's very well done and is so enjoyable to read, a much needed change from the ooey-gooey romances that line the shelves at the moment!
When you consider the length of the book, and the amount of content included, plus the space for your own ideas, Feeney shows great skill in developing a wonderful plot and cast of characters in such a relatively short amount of pages. This makes it so much easier for you to read because you get all the enjoyment and detail you'd find in a full length novel, yet you could easily read the story in a day without feeling you were being cheated or missing any of the action. I've not encountered many authors who has grasped such a skill for this genre and length, but Feeney is definitely one of them. She pitches it perfectly every time, doesn't miss a beat or opportunity to seize on a plot development point yet still keeps us guessing as to exactly what is going to happen. Even though I had an inkling Ava and Morgan would get it on, I in no way expected the ending that occurred!
In conclusion, I guess what I'm trying to say is that this book is rather amazing. I experienced a wide range of emotions, from warm fuzzies, to anger, laughing and crying, tutting at characters and cheering them on. For such a short story it doesn't half pack a punch, but I'm learning that this is Feeney's style. I cannot recommend this story highly enough, and really, truly, honestly think you should all go add it to Goodreads lists, and one-click it on Amazon UK or Amazon US.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006) in Movies
Jun 18, 2019
Mandy Lane (Amber Heard) becomes the most desirable girl in high school over one fateful summer; she's definitely not like the other girls her age though. While most guys want to do everything imaginable to her, she's turned them all down. The only guy she really gives the time of day is her best friend, Emmet (Michael Welch). That is until a certain incident at a pool party comes between them. Now nine months later, Mandy has distanced herself from Emmet and has a group of new friends. These friends have decided to invite Mandy to a ranch out in the middle of nowhere for a few days and the guys who tag along hope to accomplish what, up to this point, has been impossible. But when people begin to turn up missing, they soon realize that they're not alone and someone is taking their obsession with Mandy Lane a little too far.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane was like an urban myth for the longest period of time. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006 and released in the UK in 2008. It seemed to be released in every country other than the US shortly thereafter and it took another excruciating five years since it didn’t debut stateside until October of 2013. For a film that was originally shot in 2006, taking seven years to finally see distribution is bizarre and disheartening. The horror film originally caught the eye of The Weinstein Company immediately after debuting at TIFF, but the Weinstein brothers couldn’t come to a decision regarding its release (Harvey wanted a wide theatrical distribution while Bob thought the “artsy” film deserved more of a limited release). Rights to the film were eventually sold to a German company called Senator Entertainment US, who released the film in Germany and Austria and had the intention of premiering the film in the US. But the US branch of Senator Entertainment US went under in 2009 and rights to the film were dead in the water until The Weinstein Company reacquired distribution rights in 2013. The film was released on demand on September 6th with a limited theatrical run October 11th the same year.
The crew for the film consisted of college students freshly graduated from the American Film Institute. Producer Chad Feehan had the film as his thesis during college as work on the project initially began in 2003. Written by Jacob Forman and directed by Jonathan Levine (50/50, Warm Bodies), the film garnered an unbelievable amount of positive buzz online that accumulated into this massive pile of insurmountable expectations. Reading about the film for so long and hearing about how good it was from the biggest of horror sites probably inadvertently hurt the film more than it escalated interest for it.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane takes a Dazed and Confused approach to the first half of the film. Similar to how Wolf Creek had you swimming through 45-minutes of character development before the actual horror began (or how Hatchet was silly for the same amount of time before diving into awesome practical gore effects), All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is mostly high school kids getting into typical teenager shenanigans; drinking alcohol, doing drugs, and having sex. The second half of the film is pure horror and is essentially a slasher film. The horror is teased at first with little glimpses of terror before diving right back into high school mode, but the film is able to intensify its sense of dread to the point where it’s eventually beautifully horrific in every scene.
For a film that is made by first time filmmakers for less than $1 million, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane has beautiful cinematography. Vivid colors jump off the screen and seem even lusher once the film begins to cover itself in mud and dirt. Cinematographer Darren Genet has an eye for dynamic angles and utilizing when to focus and blur menacing figures in the background (or foreground) for maximum impact. The film also has a tendency to overlap shots in order to create an entirely new, which can probably be contributed to the talent of film editor Josh Noyes (The Wackness). These impressive filming techniques shine brightest when Bird (Edwin Hodge) is on-screen; when he goes to start the generator after the power goes out, when he confronts the killer, and the car chase. Like other successful film genres, horror can often become formulaic not only when it comes to its writing or how its acted but how it’s shot. It’s always a breath of fresh air when you can say a film is unique in some capacity; especially horror.
With Michael Welch mostly being associated with portraying popular high school student Mike Newton in the Twilight franchise, your expectations for a memorable performance from Welch in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane are probably fairly low. Around the time Mandy Lane was in peak hype mode, Welch was in the abysmal Day of the Dead remake. Directed by Steve Miner (Halloween H20) and also starring Nick Cannon, Day of the Dead is an atrocious remake (but maybe 2018’s remake Day of the Dead: Bloodline is worse). However, Welch’s portrayal of Emmet in Mandy Lane is exceptional. His performance, especially during the closing moments of the film, is captivating. He has this American Psycho quality to his psychotic behavior that is hauntingly mesmerizing.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane puts a different spin on the slasher film that would have had way more of an impact had it originally been released ten years ago instead of five. The film does require patience from the audience as the film takes a slow and steady approach to its eventual slasher nature. While the outcome is likely fairly predictable, watching how everything unfolds in Mandy Lane is where it shines. The ending is the film’s crown jewel and even though the killer is revealed its open ending suits the film’s already ambiguous nature. Now that All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is readily available at your fingertips, its originality seemed much more promising when it felt like it was the holy grail of horror films (kind of like The Poughkeepsie Tapes). The film’s consistency to offer a slasher that cuts in a different direction than most horror films along with Michael Welch’s brilliantly unbalanced performance makes All the Boys Love Mandy Lane a worthwhile experience.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is currently free to stream on Amazon if you have Starz with Prime Video Channels. It’s also currently available to rent via Amazon Video ($2.99), Vudu ($2.99), and iTunes ($3.99). The film is can be purchased on DVD ($9.91) and Multi-Format Blu-ray ($12.99) on Amazon and is even cheaper on eBay (the Blu-ray is available for $8.99 and the DVD is $7.98, both have free shipping).
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane was like an urban myth for the longest period of time. The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006 and released in the UK in 2008. It seemed to be released in every country other than the US shortly thereafter and it took another excruciating five years since it didn’t debut stateside until October of 2013. For a film that was originally shot in 2006, taking seven years to finally see distribution is bizarre and disheartening. The horror film originally caught the eye of The Weinstein Company immediately after debuting at TIFF, but the Weinstein brothers couldn’t come to a decision regarding its release (Harvey wanted a wide theatrical distribution while Bob thought the “artsy” film deserved more of a limited release). Rights to the film were eventually sold to a German company called Senator Entertainment US, who released the film in Germany and Austria and had the intention of premiering the film in the US. But the US branch of Senator Entertainment US went under in 2009 and rights to the film were dead in the water until The Weinstein Company reacquired distribution rights in 2013. The film was released on demand on September 6th with a limited theatrical run October 11th the same year.
The crew for the film consisted of college students freshly graduated from the American Film Institute. Producer Chad Feehan had the film as his thesis during college as work on the project initially began in 2003. Written by Jacob Forman and directed by Jonathan Levine (50/50, Warm Bodies), the film garnered an unbelievable amount of positive buzz online that accumulated into this massive pile of insurmountable expectations. Reading about the film for so long and hearing about how good it was from the biggest of horror sites probably inadvertently hurt the film more than it escalated interest for it.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane takes a Dazed and Confused approach to the first half of the film. Similar to how Wolf Creek had you swimming through 45-minutes of character development before the actual horror began (or how Hatchet was silly for the same amount of time before diving into awesome practical gore effects), All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is mostly high school kids getting into typical teenager shenanigans; drinking alcohol, doing drugs, and having sex. The second half of the film is pure horror and is essentially a slasher film. The horror is teased at first with little glimpses of terror before diving right back into high school mode, but the film is able to intensify its sense of dread to the point where it’s eventually beautifully horrific in every scene.
For a film that is made by first time filmmakers for less than $1 million, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane has beautiful cinematography. Vivid colors jump off the screen and seem even lusher once the film begins to cover itself in mud and dirt. Cinematographer Darren Genet has an eye for dynamic angles and utilizing when to focus and blur menacing figures in the background (or foreground) for maximum impact. The film also has a tendency to overlap shots in order to create an entirely new, which can probably be contributed to the talent of film editor Josh Noyes (The Wackness). These impressive filming techniques shine brightest when Bird (Edwin Hodge) is on-screen; when he goes to start the generator after the power goes out, when he confronts the killer, and the car chase. Like other successful film genres, horror can often become formulaic not only when it comes to its writing or how its acted but how it’s shot. It’s always a breath of fresh air when you can say a film is unique in some capacity; especially horror.
With Michael Welch mostly being associated with portraying popular high school student Mike Newton in the Twilight franchise, your expectations for a memorable performance from Welch in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane are probably fairly low. Around the time Mandy Lane was in peak hype mode, Welch was in the abysmal Day of the Dead remake. Directed by Steve Miner (Halloween H20) and also starring Nick Cannon, Day of the Dead is an atrocious remake (but maybe 2018’s remake Day of the Dead: Bloodline is worse). However, Welch’s portrayal of Emmet in Mandy Lane is exceptional. His performance, especially during the closing moments of the film, is captivating. He has this American Psycho quality to his psychotic behavior that is hauntingly mesmerizing.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane puts a different spin on the slasher film that would have had way more of an impact had it originally been released ten years ago instead of five. The film does require patience from the audience as the film takes a slow and steady approach to its eventual slasher nature. While the outcome is likely fairly predictable, watching how everything unfolds in Mandy Lane is where it shines. The ending is the film’s crown jewel and even though the killer is revealed its open ending suits the film’s already ambiguous nature. Now that All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is readily available at your fingertips, its originality seemed much more promising when it felt like it was the holy grail of horror films (kind of like The Poughkeepsie Tapes). The film’s consistency to offer a slasher that cuts in a different direction than most horror films along with Michael Welch’s brilliantly unbalanced performance makes All the Boys Love Mandy Lane a worthwhile experience.
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane is currently free to stream on Amazon if you have Starz with Prime Video Channels. It’s also currently available to rent via Amazon Video ($2.99), Vudu ($2.99), and iTunes ($3.99). The film is can be purchased on DVD ($9.91) and Multi-Format Blu-ray ($12.99) on Amazon and is even cheaper on eBay (the Blu-ray is available for $8.99 and the DVD is $7.98, both have free shipping).
Ross (3284 KP) rated Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) in Movies
Dec 4, 2017
No attempt to explain the background of ... anyone really (1 more)
No Rose Byrne
"Chapter 3" is a prequel to the first 2 Insidious films and follows a young girl, Quinn attempting to contact her dead mother, who eventually calls in the help of Elise Rainier (a former psychic who since her husband passed away has become a weird cat lady, played by the weird dog lady from There's Something About Mary), a key character of the first 2 films.
Quinn thinks her mother is attempting to respond to her and wants help breaking through, but after she is hit by a car, breaking both legs, she starts to realise it isn't her mother trying to contact her.
The demon in the film clearly has a backstory (tar footprints, breathing apparatus in his mouth, hospital gown) but there is no attempt to explain this at all. One of the best bits of the second film was the exposition of the demon haunting Josh his whole life and what he had been in life. That is completely absent here. Fan theories abound on the internet but these all seem like nonsense and clutching at straws.
This in itself is a half-decent horror film, there is enough atmosphere and the acting is (in places) decent, but for me was quite a disappointment based on the first film (and to a lesser extent the second chapter). It just be me being grumpy having paid for this film (despite having Sky Cinema, Netflix and Amazon Prime) and didn't feel like I got my £3.49 worth, but I felt a little disappointed at the end.
There was an annoying little teaser at the end of the film where the main demon from the first film appears. This was a bit "Prometheus" as it kind of felt like a prequel but didn't really make sense, and Elise seeing this demon should have meant she was expecting it in the first movie, which didn't quite sit right.
There was a similar teaser at the end of the second film which bore no relation to this film, so plenty of pressure on 2018's conclusion to tie up the loose ends!
Quinn thinks her mother is attempting to respond to her and wants help breaking through, but after she is hit by a car, breaking both legs, she starts to realise it isn't her mother trying to contact her.
The demon in the film clearly has a backstory (tar footprints, breathing apparatus in his mouth, hospital gown) but there is no attempt to explain this at all. One of the best bits of the second film was the exposition of the demon haunting Josh his whole life and what he had been in life. That is completely absent here. Fan theories abound on the internet but these all seem like nonsense and clutching at straws.
This in itself is a half-decent horror film, there is enough atmosphere and the acting is (in places) decent, but for me was quite a disappointment based on the first film (and to a lesser extent the second chapter). It just be me being grumpy having paid for this film (despite having Sky Cinema, Netflix and Amazon Prime) and didn't feel like I got my £3.49 worth, but I felt a little disappointed at the end.
There was an annoying little teaser at the end of the film where the main demon from the first film appears. This was a bit "Prometheus" as it kind of felt like a prequel but didn't really make sense, and Elise seeing this demon should have meant she was expecting it in the first movie, which didn't quite sit right.
There was a similar teaser at the end of the second film which bore no relation to this film, so plenty of pressure on 2018's conclusion to tie up the loose ends!
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Becoming in Books
May 15, 2018
Glenn Rolfe jumps right into action in his novel Becoming which is a nice change of pace from the majority of novels I read. Set in a small town by the name of Avalon, Rolfe introduces readers to an array of characters ranging from despicable to endearing. Some of them you’ll be happy to see go and others you’ll find yourself loathing Rolfe for getting rid off; one thing’s for sure: he has no qualms about killing off anyone in this fast paced book.
As I’ve said before: I don’t make a habit of researching writers before I read their work. In a way, it can be a spoiler as to their style or mannerisms. That said, either Rolfe has done a lot of research or he knows what small town life is like, because Avalon most definitely mimics the intricacies of rural life. Reading Becoming felt very much like being in my hometown. For that, I applaud Rolfe.
Normally I summarize the plot of the book. This time I’ll skip that for the sake of length since it can be read in the synopsis above regardless of whether this is posted on my site, Goodreads, or Amazon. It should be noted that there is no pause in the story for a breather; Rolfe forges onward without a single breather in his story, filling each page with non-stop action. This makes for a great read and a welcome relief from the tedium of many stories.
The downside to this is that some characters are only half finished. For instance, Crowley and the Lady of the Lake have sinister origins. We know they are baddies and the reason for what goes wrong, but we don’t really get any answers. We don’t know why Clint ends up sick and doesn’t function like he should or why a journal somehow ended up in his house or how Avalon came to be, just that it is.
Overall, Becoming is a pretty solid story if you don’t ask too many questions. There are a few typos that made it past final editing as well (I read the Kindle Unlimited versión instead of the ARC sent to me by the author since the file was lost due to technical difficulties).
As I’ve said before: I don’t make a habit of researching writers before I read their work. In a way, it can be a spoiler as to their style or mannerisms. That said, either Rolfe has done a lot of research or he knows what small town life is like, because Avalon most definitely mimics the intricacies of rural life. Reading Becoming felt very much like being in my hometown. For that, I applaud Rolfe.
Normally I summarize the plot of the book. This time I’ll skip that for the sake of length since it can be read in the synopsis above regardless of whether this is posted on my site, Goodreads, or Amazon. It should be noted that there is no pause in the story for a breather; Rolfe forges onward without a single breather in his story, filling each page with non-stop action. This makes for a great read and a welcome relief from the tedium of many stories.
The downside to this is that some characters are only half finished. For instance, Crowley and the Lady of the Lake have sinister origins. We know they are baddies and the reason for what goes wrong, but we don’t really get any answers. We don’t know why Clint ends up sick and doesn’t function like he should or why a journal somehow ended up in his house or how Avalon came to be, just that it is.
Overall, Becoming is a pretty solid story if you don’t ask too many questions. There are a few typos that made it past final editing as well (I read the Kindle Unlimited versión instead of the ARC sent to me by the author since the file was lost due to technical difficulties).
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated As Shadows Scream in Books
May 16, 2018
This review was published first on <a href="http://theghastlygrimoire.com/"; target="_new"> The Ghastly Grimoire</a>.
As Shadows Scream by Kylen Coetzee is the first title I received as a request through The Ghastly Grimoire. Originally published on Wattpad, I’ve decided to approach this review a little differently than I typically do. First, because I do not have access to a final published copy, there is no way for me to tell whether or not the many grammatical errors I encountered were fixed. For those that haven’t used Wattpad, much of the work posted there does not go through the usual editing process from what I’ve read. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; however, it can negatively impact the story. That said, I’ve refrained from making my usual judgments on editing this time around and instead focused on the contents of this book.
Coetzee’s work, though flawed in some ways, brings to the table an interesting concept – one I feel could easily be adapted into a film. Throughout his book, Coetzee explores several mental illnesses, most of which deal with personality disorders. Whether or not this is intentional outside of the main baddie is hard to tell, but it gives an unexpected depth to the characters readers meet.
The pacing is quick and urgent, fitting given the content of As Shadows Scream. As usual, I feel that this book could have benefit from a bit more length, which would have allowed Coetzee to truly expand upon this world he’s created that is riddled with references of good and evil.
In regards to the death scenes – because all horror typically has at least one (though there are exceptions to this rule) – Coetzee does a beautiful job at rendering the scenes disgustingly gory. In fact, several times Coetzee shows moments of eloquence in the writing of his book, which speaks volumes to his ability to write. I think a little refinement would go a long way.
As stated at the beginning of this review, I chose to mostly overlook the glaring editing errors, thus giving the author the benefit of the doubt. If you’re interested in reading this tale, you can find it on Wattpad or purchase the paperback copy via Amazon.
As Shadows Scream by Kylen Coetzee is the first title I received as a request through The Ghastly Grimoire. Originally published on Wattpad, I’ve decided to approach this review a little differently than I typically do. First, because I do not have access to a final published copy, there is no way for me to tell whether or not the many grammatical errors I encountered were fixed. For those that haven’t used Wattpad, much of the work posted there does not go through the usual editing process from what I’ve read. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; however, it can negatively impact the story. That said, I’ve refrained from making my usual judgments on editing this time around and instead focused on the contents of this book.
Coetzee’s work, though flawed in some ways, brings to the table an interesting concept – one I feel could easily be adapted into a film. Throughout his book, Coetzee explores several mental illnesses, most of which deal with personality disorders. Whether or not this is intentional outside of the main baddie is hard to tell, but it gives an unexpected depth to the characters readers meet.
The pacing is quick and urgent, fitting given the content of As Shadows Scream. As usual, I feel that this book could have benefit from a bit more length, which would have allowed Coetzee to truly expand upon this world he’s created that is riddled with references of good and evil.
In regards to the death scenes – because all horror typically has at least one (though there are exceptions to this rule) – Coetzee does a beautiful job at rendering the scenes disgustingly gory. In fact, several times Coetzee shows moments of eloquence in the writing of his book, which speaks volumes to his ability to write. I think a little refinement would go a long way.
As stated at the beginning of this review, I chose to mostly overlook the glaring editing errors, thus giving the author the benefit of the doubt. If you’re interested in reading this tale, you can find it on Wattpad or purchase the paperback copy via Amazon.