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RavenclawPrincess913 (253 KP) rated Blade of secrets in Books
Jun 15, 2022
Title: Blade of Secrets
Author: Tricia Levenseller
This book and it's cover were both amazing. Thank you to Bookishfirst for sending me a copy of it to review.
The book starts off as Ziva a magical bladesmoth dealing with a Karen customer who hurt himself on his blade.
Quote: "It's not nearly as hurt as your pride else you would be at a healers and not here." Page 5. I agree this is very true and he is acting like a two year old which I found hilarious.
Quote: "How can a man who injures himself with his own weapon be dangerous?" Page 7. This had me laughing.
Than the story went on to Ziva meeting Petrik who specializes in ancient magic and wants her help writing the book he's working on. He's an important character in this book so pay attention. I didn't trust him at first he gave bad vibes but in the end he was on Zivas side.
Quote: "This mace steals the breathe of surrounding enemies! It can kill without even touching an opponent, and yet it sits above the mantel as though it were a-a-decoration!" I agree I would have been mad to putting a good magical weapon to no use. Can just use a normal non-magicked mace for a decoration. Ansel goes to try to kiss her and doesn't understand no means no. Quote: "You think saying a few nice words to me earns you a kiss? That's not how it works." This is 100% true and many people need to learn to understand this. He goes on to have a fit but his parents end up believing her. She also meets Warlord Kymora Avedin during this time. She can't be trusted and I also found it funny Ansel didn't get his way.
When Ziva is making the sword for Kymora she sees Kellyn who is important in this story for the first time. The swords magic is made from her feelings for him and her telling it all her secrets. Which was amazing I loved it that part was intense. When showing Kymora it cuts Kymora and Ziva finds out she can hear the victims secrets when it cuts them.
Two of Kymoras secrets are:
Quote "This weapon will make me unbeatable in combat." Which can be a good thing if your a good guy she's not.
Quote "I will crush Ghadra's pathetic rulers and reunite the regions under one rule once more: my own. The people will be enslaved to my will. The royal family will all bow before me. Right before I remove their heads." This is where I couldn't put it down. For the safety of her country and sister they decided to run. Their journey was fun and interesting. I loved it. Ziva and Kellyn fall for each other and she finally opens up about her anxiety which I can relate to. I loved this story and can't wait to read the next one. It has an amazing but sad cliffhanger ending.
P.S. It's on my favorites shelf now.
Author: Tricia Levenseller
This book and it's cover were both amazing. Thank you to Bookishfirst for sending me a copy of it to review.
The book starts off as Ziva a magical bladesmoth dealing with a Karen customer who hurt himself on his blade.
Quote: "It's not nearly as hurt as your pride else you would be at a healers and not here." Page 5. I agree this is very true and he is acting like a two year old which I found hilarious.
Quote: "How can a man who injures himself with his own weapon be dangerous?" Page 7. This had me laughing.
Than the story went on to Ziva meeting Petrik who specializes in ancient magic and wants her help writing the book he's working on. He's an important character in this book so pay attention. I didn't trust him at first he gave bad vibes but in the end he was on Zivas side.
Quote: "This mace steals the breathe of surrounding enemies! It can kill without even touching an opponent, and yet it sits above the mantel as though it were a-a-decoration!" I agree I would have been mad to putting a good magical weapon to no use. Can just use a normal non-magicked mace for a decoration. Ansel goes to try to kiss her and doesn't understand no means no. Quote: "You think saying a few nice words to me earns you a kiss? That's not how it works." This is 100% true and many people need to learn to understand this. He goes on to have a fit but his parents end up believing her. She also meets Warlord Kymora Avedin during this time. She can't be trusted and I also found it funny Ansel didn't get his way.
When Ziva is making the sword for Kymora she sees Kellyn who is important in this story for the first time. The swords magic is made from her feelings for him and her telling it all her secrets. Which was amazing I loved it that part was intense. When showing Kymora it cuts Kymora and Ziva finds out she can hear the victims secrets when it cuts them.
Two of Kymoras secrets are:
Quote "This weapon will make me unbeatable in combat." Which can be a good thing if your a good guy she's not.
Quote "I will crush Ghadra's pathetic rulers and reunite the regions under one rule once more: my own. The people will be enslaved to my will. The royal family will all bow before me. Right before I remove their heads." This is where I couldn't put it down. For the safety of her country and sister they decided to run. Their journey was fun and interesting. I loved it. Ziva and Kellyn fall for each other and she finally opens up about her anxiety which I can relate to. I loved this story and can't wait to read the next one. It has an amazing but sad cliffhanger ending.
P.S. It's on my favorites shelf now.
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated The Band 4: The Air We Breathe in Books
Sep 10, 2019
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Page Count: 324 pages (of nauseation)
Average Goodreads Rating: 3/5 stars (why, Goodreads? You’re usually so tough on books)
My Rating: 1.5/ 5 stars
Truthfully, this is actually a great story. Yeah. So great. It’s the perfect backstory for its horror sequel: The Martins Trump Manson on Body Count.
As a romance it fucking sucks.
I don’t even know where to begin. This book is so full of sugary sap that it makes pasta covered in maple and chocolate syrup and marshmallows look appetizing.
original
Still not as sweet as The Air We Breathe
Here’s the thing: I’m not actually a bitter and cynical person. I like sap and fluff. I smile and giggle during romance scenes, I’ve obsessively written cute and romantic fanfiction and my boyfriend and I were arguably the most nauseatingly cute couple to ever walk the halls of John Bapst Memorial High School.
But I gagged reading this book for the amount of love-doveyness.
Marguerite is on holiday in London, recovering from the sudden deaths of her parents which liberated her from 27 years of being suffocated and controlled by them. While there, she has a random chance encounter with Chase Martin, a depressed rock star exhausted from touring with his band. Chase and Marguerite are drawn together by a strange unknown force. They don’t know why they have such a strong connection to each other, but they do know that life without the other would not be living at all.
I actually really liked the beginning and thought that it would shape up to be an interesting and sweet romance. We see them before they meet in the coffee shop, miserable and depressed, and then while sipping her drink and reading her book, Marguerite feels Chase’s anxiety. So she buys him a decaf drink and gives it to him, saying she could feel his anxiety from across the shop. That’s great.
The two of them realize they’re drawn together and can find each other happiness and Marguerite ends up spending the night at Chase’s house just so they can find comfort in having another human being near them. That’s great, too.
The beginning is by far my favorite part because it has promise for a good story and has more vivid scenes than any other part of the book.
But then it moves too quickly from there.
From that moment on, the two of them are so deep in love they make Romeo and Juliet look reserved and cautious. They are constantly “blown away” by each other and moved to tears every minute by each other. They “get a kick out of” every little joke they make to each other, and they start living together immediately after they meet. After a week (that’s right, a flipping week), Chase proposes to her.
And if I had a pin for every time one of those quoted phrases appeared in this novel, I could pulverize a voodoo doll. The repeated phrases and excessive emotion of the characters is definitely the worst part.
I’m still not that aggravated with this book, yet. Yeah, the insta love irks me, but I figure there will be a great plot with lots of trouble between the two of them after they marry. After all, they barely know each other and they need to figure out what this psychic connection means. Maybe they’re the incarnated souls of Hawkgirl and Hawkman and they’re about to get killed by an immortal psychopath (did I mention I’m a huge nerd?).
Nope. The two of them agree on everything, right down to how to decorate the house and the new rule that shoes are off upon entering. And things continue to be hunky dory for practically forever. All of Chase’s friends, and their girlfriends, love Marguerite and nobody questions their whirlwind romance. Yeah, because a severely depressed person getting engaged after a week of dating isn’t a cry for help or anything.
And there is so much to dislike about Chase’s and Marguerite’s decisions. Marguerite is forced to quit her job so she can move to London to be with Chase.
Never mind that she liked her job in Pennsylvania and didn’t express any wish to be a housewife. Never mind that Chase was getting tired of touring and thinking about quitting the band anyway. It’s her life that gets turned upside down.
Also, so much for her newfound freedom following her parents’ deaths! Now she’s shadowed by a bodyguard wherever she goes, needs to sneak into the backs of restaurant when she wants to eat out, and can’t even walk to the store for fear of being accosted by her husbands’ fans.
Yes, Chase’s life gets changed too. He now has a wife that cooks meals for him, cleans for him, furnishes and decorates his house for him, and hands him a cold towel when he walks off stage. He made some real damn sacrifices when he married Marguerite.
bitch_please_by_teslapunk-d32znko
But life goes on. With a lot of summary and over thirty years, it goes on.
Aside from dialogues and scenes peppered here and there, the book is mostly sweet and sappy summary of their lives. Dark things happen now and then but they’re glossed over and smothered in fluff.
If this storyline was done by a competent writer, this actually could have been an entertaining series about the Martin family. There is actually plenty of material between the psychic connection, Marguerite’s tragic background, a miscarriage, a huge celebrity drugging conspiracy, two sets of twins, a near death experience, and a baby on the doorstep.
But somehow it becomes boring and plotless when it’s all crammed into one book that seems to drag on forever. During all of this my main concern, the psychic connection, was never explained. It’s just a gift from God. One that turns their “perfect” (as in creepily well behaved and mature) children into kids from The Shining. Because they also have a psychic connection. They can “feel” each other and their parents. Oh, and talk to their dead sister, apparently, when their dead sister wants to tell them about babies being left on their doorstep.
“This is Baby Sarah,” Matt said.
“Baby Sarah?” Marguerite asked.
(Both sets of twins) said “Yes. We knew she was coming.”
Chase asked, “How did you know?”
“Baby Margaret told us,” Mark said.
Also, when Chase and Marguerite choose Sarah’s full name, all four children, in a different room, wake up from a dead sleep, sit up in unison, and announce that the baby is named.
May I present the newest additions to the Martin family?
If you want to read a rockstar romance, I recommend Love’s Rhythm by Lexxie Couper, which isn’t perfectly crafted, but leagues beyond The Band 4: The Air We Breathe.
Page Count: 324 pages (of nauseation)
Average Goodreads Rating: 3/5 stars (why, Goodreads? You’re usually so tough on books)
My Rating: 1.5/ 5 stars
Truthfully, this is actually a great story. Yeah. So great. It’s the perfect backstory for its horror sequel: The Martins Trump Manson on Body Count.
As a romance it fucking sucks.
I don’t even know where to begin. This book is so full of sugary sap that it makes pasta covered in maple and chocolate syrup and marshmallows look appetizing.
original
Still not as sweet as The Air We Breathe
Here’s the thing: I’m not actually a bitter and cynical person. I like sap and fluff. I smile and giggle during romance scenes, I’ve obsessively written cute and romantic fanfiction and my boyfriend and I were arguably the most nauseatingly cute couple to ever walk the halls of John Bapst Memorial High School.
But I gagged reading this book for the amount of love-doveyness.
Marguerite is on holiday in London, recovering from the sudden deaths of her parents which liberated her from 27 years of being suffocated and controlled by them. While there, she has a random chance encounter with Chase Martin, a depressed rock star exhausted from touring with his band. Chase and Marguerite are drawn together by a strange unknown force. They don’t know why they have such a strong connection to each other, but they do know that life without the other would not be living at all.
I actually really liked the beginning and thought that it would shape up to be an interesting and sweet romance. We see them before they meet in the coffee shop, miserable and depressed, and then while sipping her drink and reading her book, Marguerite feels Chase’s anxiety. So she buys him a decaf drink and gives it to him, saying she could feel his anxiety from across the shop. That’s great.
The two of them realize they’re drawn together and can find each other happiness and Marguerite ends up spending the night at Chase’s house just so they can find comfort in having another human being near them. That’s great, too.
The beginning is by far my favorite part because it has promise for a good story and has more vivid scenes than any other part of the book.
But then it moves too quickly from there.
From that moment on, the two of them are so deep in love they make Romeo and Juliet look reserved and cautious. They are constantly “blown away” by each other and moved to tears every minute by each other. They “get a kick out of” every little joke they make to each other, and they start living together immediately after they meet. After a week (that’s right, a flipping week), Chase proposes to her.
And if I had a pin for every time one of those quoted phrases appeared in this novel, I could pulverize a voodoo doll. The repeated phrases and excessive emotion of the characters is definitely the worst part.
I’m still not that aggravated with this book, yet. Yeah, the insta love irks me, but I figure there will be a great plot with lots of trouble between the two of them after they marry. After all, they barely know each other and they need to figure out what this psychic connection means. Maybe they’re the incarnated souls of Hawkgirl and Hawkman and they’re about to get killed by an immortal psychopath (did I mention I’m a huge nerd?).
Nope. The two of them agree on everything, right down to how to decorate the house and the new rule that shoes are off upon entering. And things continue to be hunky dory for practically forever. All of Chase’s friends, and their girlfriends, love Marguerite and nobody questions their whirlwind romance. Yeah, because a severely depressed person getting engaged after a week of dating isn’t a cry for help or anything.
And there is so much to dislike about Chase’s and Marguerite’s decisions. Marguerite is forced to quit her job so she can move to London to be with Chase.
Never mind that she liked her job in Pennsylvania and didn’t express any wish to be a housewife. Never mind that Chase was getting tired of touring and thinking about quitting the band anyway. It’s her life that gets turned upside down.
Also, so much for her newfound freedom following her parents’ deaths! Now she’s shadowed by a bodyguard wherever she goes, needs to sneak into the backs of restaurant when she wants to eat out, and can’t even walk to the store for fear of being accosted by her husbands’ fans.
Yes, Chase’s life gets changed too. He now has a wife that cooks meals for him, cleans for him, furnishes and decorates his house for him, and hands him a cold towel when he walks off stage. He made some real damn sacrifices when he married Marguerite.
bitch_please_by_teslapunk-d32znko
But life goes on. With a lot of summary and over thirty years, it goes on.
Aside from dialogues and scenes peppered here and there, the book is mostly sweet and sappy summary of their lives. Dark things happen now and then but they’re glossed over and smothered in fluff.
If this storyline was done by a competent writer, this actually could have been an entertaining series about the Martin family. There is actually plenty of material between the psychic connection, Marguerite’s tragic background, a miscarriage, a huge celebrity drugging conspiracy, two sets of twins, a near death experience, and a baby on the doorstep.
But somehow it becomes boring and plotless when it’s all crammed into one book that seems to drag on forever. During all of this my main concern, the psychic connection, was never explained. It’s just a gift from God. One that turns their “perfect” (as in creepily well behaved and mature) children into kids from The Shining. Because they also have a psychic connection. They can “feel” each other and their parents. Oh, and talk to their dead sister, apparently, when their dead sister wants to tell them about babies being left on their doorstep.
“This is Baby Sarah,” Matt said.
“Baby Sarah?” Marguerite asked.
(Both sets of twins) said “Yes. We knew she was coming.”
Chase asked, “How did you know?”
“Baby Margaret told us,” Mark said.
Also, when Chase and Marguerite choose Sarah’s full name, all four children, in a different room, wake up from a dead sleep, sit up in unison, and announce that the baby is named.
May I present the newest additions to the Martin family?
If you want to read a rockstar romance, I recommend Love’s Rhythm by Lexxie Couper, which isn’t perfectly crafted, but leagues beyond The Band 4: The Air We Breathe.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant in Books
May 23, 2017
Unconventional Field Guide
This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
There comes a time when novelists, as with any creative professional, become unmotivated or at a loss as to what to write about – writer’s block. Such an occurrence happened to children’s novelist, Kyo Maclear. Through the work of her songwriter husband, Maclear discovers a musician struggling with the demands of his career in a competitive world, causing anxiety and depression. In order to distance himself from the stresses of his employment, the musician finds solace in bird watching. Intrigued as to what prompted his ardent interest in birds, Maclear tags along with him for a year, and thus, Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant was born.
To preempt any confusion, despite what the title may suggest, this book is not a field guide about birds. When Maclear began talking to the musician (who remains anonymous except for a mention in the acknowledgements), she was completely nescient on the subject of birds and had a lot to learn. Although some facts are stated in the narrative, Birds Art Life Death is more a reflective memoir of the author’s life. Using bird watching as a key example, Maclear explores the ways artists of all kinds have retreated from the pressures of everyday life in order to take time to appreciate the smaller, less celebrated aspects.
Bird watching, in particular, provides the musician and Maclear the opportunity to sit still (literally) and just be. Paying attention to the numerous habitats of the winged-creatures provides the author with a new outlook on life, and fodder to include in future works (hence this book). It also gives her the opportunity to reflect on her past, her parents – particularly her anticipatory grief toward her elderly father – her husband, and her sons. In fact, the author’s own life features as heavily as the bird watching trips she goes on.
Written in chronological order from winter through to autumn, Maclear’s knowledge of birds increases, as does her awareness of the world and life around her. However, her sequence of events is often interrupted by retrospective thought and additional research, which causes the book to head in too many directions at once. It is as though the author’s disorganized mind has been spilled onto the page for everyone to see.
It is clear, however, that Maclear has put an exceptional amount of time into researching the topic of birds. She does not regurgitate factual, mundane information about the species; instead she has delved deeper and from an artistic point of view, to discover so much more than an encyclopedic textbook would provide.
From a myriad of resources, Maclear has pulled out quotes from bird enthusiasts and creative individuals alike to emphasise the effects birds have had on people’s lives and artistic careers. Interestingly, many artists and authors have found the delicate creatures fascinating and included them in their works, for example: Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner and Iris Murdoch.
Birds Art Life Death is unlikely to increase your knowledge of birds or bird watching, however it may inspire you to take time out to explore and enjoy nature. Whether you are a creative individual in need of a break, or an office worker desperately wanting some fresh air, Maclear encourages you to step back from the trials of life and find pleasure in the little, but highly significant, facts of being.
There comes a time when novelists, as with any creative professional, become unmotivated or at a loss as to what to write about – writer’s block. Such an occurrence happened to children’s novelist, Kyo Maclear. Through the work of her songwriter husband, Maclear discovers a musician struggling with the demands of his career in a competitive world, causing anxiety and depression. In order to distance himself from the stresses of his employment, the musician finds solace in bird watching. Intrigued as to what prompted his ardent interest in birds, Maclear tags along with him for a year, and thus, Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant was born.
To preempt any confusion, despite what the title may suggest, this book is not a field guide about birds. When Maclear began talking to the musician (who remains anonymous except for a mention in the acknowledgements), she was completely nescient on the subject of birds and had a lot to learn. Although some facts are stated in the narrative, Birds Art Life Death is more a reflective memoir of the author’s life. Using bird watching as a key example, Maclear explores the ways artists of all kinds have retreated from the pressures of everyday life in order to take time to appreciate the smaller, less celebrated aspects.
Bird watching, in particular, provides the musician and Maclear the opportunity to sit still (literally) and just be. Paying attention to the numerous habitats of the winged-creatures provides the author with a new outlook on life, and fodder to include in future works (hence this book). It also gives her the opportunity to reflect on her past, her parents – particularly her anticipatory grief toward her elderly father – her husband, and her sons. In fact, the author’s own life features as heavily as the bird watching trips she goes on.
Written in chronological order from winter through to autumn, Maclear’s knowledge of birds increases, as does her awareness of the world and life around her. However, her sequence of events is often interrupted by retrospective thought and additional research, which causes the book to head in too many directions at once. It is as though the author’s disorganized mind has been spilled onto the page for everyone to see.
It is clear, however, that Maclear has put an exceptional amount of time into researching the topic of birds. She does not regurgitate factual, mundane information about the species; instead she has delved deeper and from an artistic point of view, to discover so much more than an encyclopedic textbook would provide.
From a myriad of resources, Maclear has pulled out quotes from bird enthusiasts and creative individuals alike to emphasise the effects birds have had on people’s lives and artistic careers. Interestingly, many artists and authors have found the delicate creatures fascinating and included them in their works, for example: Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner and Iris Murdoch.
Birds Art Life Death is unlikely to increase your knowledge of birds or bird watching, however it may inspire you to take time out to explore and enjoy nature. Whether you are a creative individual in need of a break, or an office worker desperately wanting some fresh air, Maclear encourages you to step back from the trials of life and find pleasure in the little, but highly significant, facts of being.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in Movies
Apr 30, 2018
Non-stop action (2 more)
Tugs at the heart strings
Moments of goosebumps
Scenes in Edinburgh Waverley station reminded me of my morning commute and therefore work :( (1 more)
Obvious impermanence
Just stops short of perfect
Contains spoilers, click to show
Contains spoilers, look away now.
You have been warned.
OK, here goes. On leaving the cinema I felt a mix of emotions. Excitement at the events I had witnessed, Anxiety for the wait for the next film, Thoughtful over the conclusion (Thanos, work complete, settling down for some time on the farm). But no sadness. Not a jot. I had just watched some of my favourite characters perish: the excellent new incarnation of Spider-man, the strong principled leader of Black Panther, all of GotG except the rabbit one, etc etc. One click of Thanos' fingers and they were gone. But ... I just didn't really care. I knew that the next film is going to involve another click of his (or more likely someone else's - my money is on Nebula) fingers and all his actions will be un-done and it turns out nobody died after all, because Disney.
The fact that it was all the new members of the team/universe that perished and all the original avengers survived (hawkeye TBC) was a total cop-out. I am so bored of Captain America and Iron Man (though I like Stark's comedy quips), and Hulk is fatally flawed as a hero due to being totally uncontrollable. Prior to Ragnarok I strongly disliked Thor, but now I do seem to dislike him less. Plus it is hard to see how any of those are strong enough to overpower Thanos and fix what he has done (if it comes down to a sombre, from-the-heart Cap speech that makes Thanos see the error of his ways then the cinema will see ROSS SMASH).
The whole movie is outstanding, don't get me wrong. The action, the pacing, the different new interactions, the story and backstory and the humour. Oh my, the humour. I think this is possibly the funniest MCU film yet - the writers really have nailed the one-liners this time. It could be that there is more tension and the humour cuts through it, that you notice it more, but so funny. The scenes with Spider-man (IRON SPIDER!!!), Iron Man and Star Lord and Drax were awesome.
Outstanding moments for me:
Thor's appearance in Wakanda (kicking names and taking asses) - proper goose-bumps
The first conflict in New York - Spidey, Iron Man and Dr Strange against Ebony Maw
The battle on Titan
Annoying moments for me:
Star-Lord ruining everything - twice! All he had to do was kill Gamora when she asked him to (before Thanos realised and made his gun shoot bubbles!). And then when they were so close to getting the gauntlet off Thanos (I was convinced they would get it off and Nebula would take it and be so much worse than Thanos). I guess this showed the human side and how emotional attachments are what define us blah blah but it was another moment where an illogical action from one person ruined the endeavours.
Still, the emotional rollercoaster was better than I expected and I am so looking forward to Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel and part 2.
You have been warned.
OK, here goes. On leaving the cinema I felt a mix of emotions. Excitement at the events I had witnessed, Anxiety for the wait for the next film, Thoughtful over the conclusion (Thanos, work complete, settling down for some time on the farm). But no sadness. Not a jot. I had just watched some of my favourite characters perish: the excellent new incarnation of Spider-man, the strong principled leader of Black Panther, all of GotG except the rabbit one, etc etc. One click of Thanos' fingers and they were gone. But ... I just didn't really care. I knew that the next film is going to involve another click of his (or more likely someone else's - my money is on Nebula) fingers and all his actions will be un-done and it turns out nobody died after all, because Disney.
The fact that it was all the new members of the team/universe that perished and all the original avengers survived (hawkeye TBC) was a total cop-out. I am so bored of Captain America and Iron Man (though I like Stark's comedy quips), and Hulk is fatally flawed as a hero due to being totally uncontrollable. Prior to Ragnarok I strongly disliked Thor, but now I do seem to dislike him less. Plus it is hard to see how any of those are strong enough to overpower Thanos and fix what he has done (if it comes down to a sombre, from-the-heart Cap speech that makes Thanos see the error of his ways then the cinema will see ROSS SMASH).
The whole movie is outstanding, don't get me wrong. The action, the pacing, the different new interactions, the story and backstory and the humour. Oh my, the humour. I think this is possibly the funniest MCU film yet - the writers really have nailed the one-liners this time. It could be that there is more tension and the humour cuts through it, that you notice it more, but so funny. The scenes with Spider-man (IRON SPIDER!!!), Iron Man and Star Lord and Drax were awesome.
Outstanding moments for me:
Thor's appearance in Wakanda (kicking names and taking asses) - proper goose-bumps
The first conflict in New York - Spidey, Iron Man and Dr Strange against Ebony Maw
The battle on Titan
Annoying moments for me:
Star-Lord ruining everything - twice! All he had to do was kill Gamora when she asked him to (before Thanos realised and made his gun shoot bubbles!). And then when they were so close to getting the gauntlet off Thanos (I was convinced they would get it off and Nebula would take it and be so much worse than Thanos). I guess this showed the human side and how emotional attachments are what define us blah blah but it was another moment where an illogical action from one person ruined the endeavours.
Still, the emotional rollercoaster was better than I expected and I am so looking forward to Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel and part 2.
Amanda (96 KP) rated The Woman in the Window in Books
Mar 11, 2019
Anna has what's called Agoraphobia, meaning that she has anxiety leaving her house. Therefore, anything that needs to be done outside the house, she has done for her. Any medications she needs, groceries, etc., they are delivered to her house. She can't even bare to open a window because it would trigger her phobia. You learn there are different reasons for this kind of phobia.
Loss of a loved one.
Tragic accident.
Or...it could be something else entirely.
Ann also talks to other people with the same phobia and tries to also council them. You don't find out till much later as to why Anna who was a child psychologist now cannot bare to leave her home. She suffers from depression and is on multiple medications. She's separated from her husband, whom also has their daughter with him.
And she drinks...a lot.
One of the things I liked about Anna is her love for old movies. I loved how Finn incorporated some lines from different movies, including Alfred Hitchcock. Anna witnesses a murder in her neighbors house across the street. Try as she may, nobody takes her seriously and blame it on the medication she takes with alcohol.
“You can hear someone’s secrets and their fears and their wants, but remember that these exist alongside other people’s secrets and fears, people living in the same room.”
I kind of felt bad for her, but sometime during the story, I started to get frustrated with her as well. I really got a Girl on a Train feel. The main character always needs a drink or has to drink something in order to keep herself together, even though the alcohol doesn't help her situation at all.
On a different note, Girl on a Train was highly depressing.
The more the story progressed the more intrigued I got because there were quite a few twists that I honestly didn't see coming and I found myself yelling, 'WHAT?' Glad I was only listening to a book in the car and not in my house where someone could look at me funny. Not that people don't do that anyway, but such as life as a bookworm, I don't care.
“The definition of insanity, Fox, Wesley used to remind me, paraphrasing Einstein, is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different result.”
I've read a few psychological thrillers and while they were good, none kept me on my toes like this one. So many things happen with Anna and they come in bits and pieces but eventually make up a whole puzzle. You almost start to believe that perhaps Anna didn't see someone being murdered...maybe she did have an illusion.
Did it happen?
You have to read and find out.
I'd definitely give this 4 1/2 stars. Finn's writing in Anna's point of view is brilliant. You are inside her head and you are seeing everything through her eyes. She may start to ramble from time to time, but that just shows that she's still someone who is suffering. Other characters that play a major role in her life you don't know all that much...but you learn who they are in the end.
It's a long book, but every minute of it was well worth the listen. I will say that toward the beginning it was more like Girl on a Train, but it slowly morphs into Alfred Hitchcock's, Rear Window. I will say that I look forward to A.J. Finn's next novel.
Loss of a loved one.
Tragic accident.
Or...it could be something else entirely.
Ann also talks to other people with the same phobia and tries to also council them. You don't find out till much later as to why Anna who was a child psychologist now cannot bare to leave her home. She suffers from depression and is on multiple medications. She's separated from her husband, whom also has their daughter with him.
And she drinks...a lot.
One of the things I liked about Anna is her love for old movies. I loved how Finn incorporated some lines from different movies, including Alfred Hitchcock. Anna witnesses a murder in her neighbors house across the street. Try as she may, nobody takes her seriously and blame it on the medication she takes with alcohol.
“You can hear someone’s secrets and their fears and their wants, but remember that these exist alongside other people’s secrets and fears, people living in the same room.”
I kind of felt bad for her, but sometime during the story, I started to get frustrated with her as well. I really got a Girl on a Train feel. The main character always needs a drink or has to drink something in order to keep herself together, even though the alcohol doesn't help her situation at all.
On a different note, Girl on a Train was highly depressing.
The more the story progressed the more intrigued I got because there were quite a few twists that I honestly didn't see coming and I found myself yelling, 'WHAT?' Glad I was only listening to a book in the car and not in my house where someone could look at me funny. Not that people don't do that anyway, but such as life as a bookworm, I don't care.
“The definition of insanity, Fox, Wesley used to remind me, paraphrasing Einstein, is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different result.”
I've read a few psychological thrillers and while they were good, none kept me on my toes like this one. So many things happen with Anna and they come in bits and pieces but eventually make up a whole puzzle. You almost start to believe that perhaps Anna didn't see someone being murdered...maybe she did have an illusion.
Did it happen?
You have to read and find out.
I'd definitely give this 4 1/2 stars. Finn's writing in Anna's point of view is brilliant. You are inside her head and you are seeing everything through her eyes. She may start to ramble from time to time, but that just shows that she's still someone who is suffering. Other characters that play a major role in her life you don't know all that much...but you learn who they are in the end.
It's a long book, but every minute of it was well worth the listen. I will say that toward the beginning it was more like Girl on a Train, but it slowly morphs into Alfred Hitchcock's, Rear Window. I will say that I look forward to A.J. Finn's next novel.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Eighth Grade (2018) in Movies
Apr 10, 2019
Eighth Grade had its US release back in July last year and since then, I've seen nothing but praise and high ratings for it online. Only now is it heading to UK cinemas and, for some reason, the powers that be have decided to go and release it at the same time as Avengers: Endgame later this month. Cineworld showed it earlier this week as one of their unlimited screenings, so I thought I'd give it a go before it gets lost among all the Avengers hype when it goes on general release.
Eighth Grade is the directorial debut of comedian and former YouTube star, Bo Burnham. It stars Elsie Fisher as Kayla, a young girl lacking in confidence, awkward around her fellow students at school and generally very quiet by nature. So quiet she even lands the award at school for being the quietest, nominated by fellow students in an awards ceremony held during assembly. The movie basically follows the daily struggles of Kayla and her life as a teenager. By night she endlessly scrolls through social media feeds and records her own YouTube videos. Her posts are confident, self help motivational videos about teenage issues, but rarely get more than a single like. She spends her days attempting to follow her own advice and dealing with the anxiety and heartbreak that brings. You feel genuinely awkward with her and spend the majority of the movie totally rooting for her, hoping she'll make it through this tough period of life. Even at home she struggles - mum is no longer on the scene and conversations with her dad are just strained and awkward. All of what makes this feel so natural and believable is down to Elsie Fisher, who is incredible as Kayla, a real star in the making. It all goes to show that growing up can be so hard, girls can be real bitches and boys can be absolute dicks!
I guess your overall enjoyment of the movie kind of depends on whether you can relate to, or appreciate, any of the experiences or feelings that Kayla has. Being a socially awkward father of two daughters, I guess I was hoping to find a lot more to relate to and enjoy than I actually did. To be fair, there are plenty of perfectly observed, wonderfully acted and genuinely beautiful moments throughout, but the movie plays too much like a documentary and that worked against it for me. Far too many moments, particularly around the middle section, when the movie really dragged. And at only 93 minutes long, I shouldn't really be checking my watch and hoping for it to end in the way that I did.
Probably only about 15 or so people attended the large screening of this at my local Cineworld, and around half a dozen of those got up and left during the movie. I wondered if this was indicative of the other screenings around the country but, judging by the reaction online afterwards, approximately 90% of Cineworld Unlimited members seem to have really loved it, with many declaring it their favourite movie so far this year! So I guess this is one of those movies that's really going to divide people. Worth checking out though, and hopefully you'll enjoy it a lot more than I did.
Eighth Grade is the directorial debut of comedian and former YouTube star, Bo Burnham. It stars Elsie Fisher as Kayla, a young girl lacking in confidence, awkward around her fellow students at school and generally very quiet by nature. So quiet she even lands the award at school for being the quietest, nominated by fellow students in an awards ceremony held during assembly. The movie basically follows the daily struggles of Kayla and her life as a teenager. By night she endlessly scrolls through social media feeds and records her own YouTube videos. Her posts are confident, self help motivational videos about teenage issues, but rarely get more than a single like. She spends her days attempting to follow her own advice and dealing with the anxiety and heartbreak that brings. You feel genuinely awkward with her and spend the majority of the movie totally rooting for her, hoping she'll make it through this tough period of life. Even at home she struggles - mum is no longer on the scene and conversations with her dad are just strained and awkward. All of what makes this feel so natural and believable is down to Elsie Fisher, who is incredible as Kayla, a real star in the making. It all goes to show that growing up can be so hard, girls can be real bitches and boys can be absolute dicks!
I guess your overall enjoyment of the movie kind of depends on whether you can relate to, or appreciate, any of the experiences or feelings that Kayla has. Being a socially awkward father of two daughters, I guess I was hoping to find a lot more to relate to and enjoy than I actually did. To be fair, there are plenty of perfectly observed, wonderfully acted and genuinely beautiful moments throughout, but the movie plays too much like a documentary and that worked against it for me. Far too many moments, particularly around the middle section, when the movie really dragged. And at only 93 minutes long, I shouldn't really be checking my watch and hoping for it to end in the way that I did.
Probably only about 15 or so people attended the large screening of this at my local Cineworld, and around half a dozen of those got up and left during the movie. I wondered if this was indicative of the other screenings around the country but, judging by the reaction online afterwards, approximately 90% of Cineworld Unlimited members seem to have really loved it, with many declaring it their favourite movie so far this year! So I guess this is one of those movies that's really going to divide people. Worth checking out though, and hopefully you'll enjoy it a lot more than I did.
Tamsin Clark (15 KP) rated Facebook in Apps
Jan 20, 2018
Ability to keep in touch (2 more)
Pages for groups and local business
Ability to add photos and movies
Messenger and Facebook separate apps (6 more)
Facebook pushes their agenda
Adverts and content montoring
Report system only acknowledges what it wants
Enables cyber bullying
Site changes harmed small business
'Fake news' is a thing.
How much fear would you like today?
I used to really enjoy using Facebook, but over the years I've watched the site and the app(s) sink further and further into the doldrums of commercialism and sly financial gain. It's now easier to be reported and banned for making a nonsensical sentence than it is for threatening to kill someone. Pictures of female nipples are immediately banned but pictures of people torturing animals aren't.
Business pages have to pay to be seen and if they make posts and don't pay for them, they find their reach grossly reduced. Certain news outlets are encouraged and bolstered while others are all but hidden, and the 'trending' news always shows the very worst of the worst stories. There is also a lot of this 'fake news' around, where articles will show up with stories that are entirely untrue but made to look real, which takes even more time to research than it does to read in the first place. I'd say another 50% of posts are clickbait too. Feeds have been altered over and over again to the point that they're now almost impossible to customise to see what YOU want to see and not what Facebook wants you to see. And all the while, each click you make, each comment you write is read by the site and used to customise adverts and content to you, whether you like it or not. Even in messenger.
When it comes to content, Facebook does provide a good amount. On a personal level, if you restricted your feed to ONLY people you know in person and they didn't join any groups or flood your feed with game updates, then it would be a fine site to use for actual social interaction. It's possible to upload multiple images and videos, use links to display pages, media or otherwise that are of interest. You can set up alerts too but beware of being inundated by a million alerts every moment. There is a messaging service too; if you use a browser then it's all on the same site but if you use the apps, you have to have a separate app for Facebook and messenger and they don't work together, even though the Facebook app has a messenger icon as part of its design. It takes up a LOT of room on a phone, especially if you don't have much to start with. Also, if you block someone on messenger (even for a laugh) it automatically unfriends you on Facebook, yet supposedly the two are not connected so go figure.
I recently stopped using the site. I have a profile still as I have a lot of images and life events that I want to keep but I now barely browse once a week. Every thread descended into an argument, too many people use it as a troll hub to release the tensions of their unhappy lives on others while avoiding all responsibility for it. It ended up a bad way to waste time and made my anxiety issues a lot worse too.
Business pages have to pay to be seen and if they make posts and don't pay for them, they find their reach grossly reduced. Certain news outlets are encouraged and bolstered while others are all but hidden, and the 'trending' news always shows the very worst of the worst stories. There is also a lot of this 'fake news' around, where articles will show up with stories that are entirely untrue but made to look real, which takes even more time to research than it does to read in the first place. I'd say another 50% of posts are clickbait too. Feeds have been altered over and over again to the point that they're now almost impossible to customise to see what YOU want to see and not what Facebook wants you to see. And all the while, each click you make, each comment you write is read by the site and used to customise adverts and content to you, whether you like it or not. Even in messenger.
When it comes to content, Facebook does provide a good amount. On a personal level, if you restricted your feed to ONLY people you know in person and they didn't join any groups or flood your feed with game updates, then it would be a fine site to use for actual social interaction. It's possible to upload multiple images and videos, use links to display pages, media or otherwise that are of interest. You can set up alerts too but beware of being inundated by a million alerts every moment. There is a messaging service too; if you use a browser then it's all on the same site but if you use the apps, you have to have a separate app for Facebook and messenger and they don't work together, even though the Facebook app has a messenger icon as part of its design. It takes up a LOT of room on a phone, especially if you don't have much to start with. Also, if you block someone on messenger (even for a laugh) it automatically unfriends you on Facebook, yet supposedly the two are not connected so go figure.
I recently stopped using the site. I have a profile still as I have a lot of images and life events that I want to keep but I now barely browse once a week. Every thread descended into an argument, too many people use it as a troll hub to release the tensions of their unhappy lives on others while avoiding all responsibility for it. It ended up a bad way to waste time and made my anxiety issues a lot worse too.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Keeper (DCI Antonia Hawkins, #3) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read it here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-keeper-by-alastair-gunn
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<i>No interesting quote for this book I'm afraid...</i>
This started badly, for me. Theres nothing like starting a new detective book and being planted in the middle of a therapy session. Who would have thought a senior police officer who has enough baggage to need therapy? Well I never! Thats something Ive only seen done 1 million times before <i>sigh.</i> Thank God it picked up with the excitement afterwards because I wasnt interested in Hawkins anxiety or love life.
This was by no means unique to other detective novels out there. They all have the same sort of plot and characters and themes, but this one did keep me more interested than some of the others Ive read, purely because there was a humorous side to it as well as the serious side too.
This had some really exciting moments and it had some really drawn out, drab moments where we were repeatedly updated on how the case was going, even though we already knew cause we were reading the book so I think a lot of this novel could have been cut down to make a shorter novel. 400 pages is quite a lot for a detective series novel, especially one where theres not a lot of evidence or leads to the case. This really was up and down, up and down, the whole way through. I lost interest so much in some places that I was completely distracted while reading it but then when we got onto a big reveal or breakthrough part, I rushed through it to know what happened next! There were some really great edge of the seat, nail biting moments! It was quite the hit and miss story.
As far as characters go, there werent any that I really connected with very well, but none of them were dislikable people. It could get a bit confusing to remember who was who because theyd go from their first name to their last name, back to their first name and then their last name again etc etc. It would have been nice to have some consistency with what the author called them.
This was by far a 3 star read until the twist at the end. I mean, really, I should have seen it coming, Ive read a million crime thrillers before, but I just hadnt suspected this one! Really, there were two twists at the end of this, the first one shocked me and then the second one I was expecting because of the first. The ending of this novel was really thrilling and nerve-wracking, it was a great way to finish it off.
Also, considering this is the third novel in a series (something Netgalley hadnt made me aware of when I requested it!) this did really well as a standalone novel. I didnt feel like I was missing any part of the characters stories, even when it came to the subject of Hawkins therapy sessions.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<i>No interesting quote for this book I'm afraid...</i>
This started badly, for me. Theres nothing like starting a new detective book and being planted in the middle of a therapy session. Who would have thought a senior police officer who has enough baggage to need therapy? Well I never! Thats something Ive only seen done 1 million times before <i>sigh.</i> Thank God it picked up with the excitement afterwards because I wasnt interested in Hawkins anxiety or love life.
This was by no means unique to other detective novels out there. They all have the same sort of plot and characters and themes, but this one did keep me more interested than some of the others Ive read, purely because there was a humorous side to it as well as the serious side too.
This had some really exciting moments and it had some really drawn out, drab moments where we were repeatedly updated on how the case was going, even though we already knew cause we were reading the book so I think a lot of this novel could have been cut down to make a shorter novel. 400 pages is quite a lot for a detective series novel, especially one where theres not a lot of evidence or leads to the case. This really was up and down, up and down, the whole way through. I lost interest so much in some places that I was completely distracted while reading it but then when we got onto a big reveal or breakthrough part, I rushed through it to know what happened next! There were some really great edge of the seat, nail biting moments! It was quite the hit and miss story.
As far as characters go, there werent any that I really connected with very well, but none of them were dislikable people. It could get a bit confusing to remember who was who because theyd go from their first name to their last name, back to their first name and then their last name again etc etc. It would have been nice to have some consistency with what the author called them.
This was by far a 3 star read until the twist at the end. I mean, really, I should have seen it coming, Ive read a million crime thrillers before, but I just hadnt suspected this one! Really, there were two twists at the end of this, the first one shocked me and then the second one I was expecting because of the first. The ending of this novel was really thrilling and nerve-wracking, it was a great way to finish it off.
Also, considering this is the third novel in a series (something Netgalley hadnt made me aware of when I requested it!) this did really well as a standalone novel. I didnt feel like I was missing any part of the characters stories, even when it came to the subject of Hawkins therapy sessions.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
There comes a time when novelists, as with any creative professional, become unmotivated or at a loss as to what to write about – writer’s block. Such an occurrence happened to children’s novelist, Kyo Maclear. Through the work of her songwriter husband, Maclear discovers a musician struggling with the demands of his career in a competitive world, causing anxiety and depression. In order to distance himself from the stresses of his employment, the musician finds solace in bird watching. Intrigued as to what prompted his ardent interest in birds, Maclear tags along with him for a year, and thus, <i>Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant</i> was born.
To preempt any confusion, despite what the title may suggest, this book is not a field guide about birds. When Maclear began talking to the musician (who remains anonymous except for a mention in the acknowledgements), she was completely nescient on the subject of birds and had a lot to learn. Although some facts are stated in the narrative, <i>Birds Art Life Death</i> is more a reflective memoir of the author’s life. Using bird watching as a key example, Maclear explores the ways artists of all kinds have retreated from the pressures of everyday life in order to take time to appreciate the smaller, less celebrated aspects.
Bird watching, in particular, provides the musician and Maclear the opportunity to sit still (literally) and just be. Paying attention to the numerous habitats of the winged-creatures provides the author with a new outlook on life, and fodder to include in future works (hence this book). It also gives her the opportunity to reflect on her past, her parents – particularly her anticipatory grief toward her elderly father – her husband, and her sons. In fact, the author’s own life features as heavily as the bird watching trips she goes on.
Written in chronological order from winter through to autumn, Maclear’s knowledge of birds increases, as does her awareness of the world and life around her. However, her sequence of events is often interrupted by retrospective thought and additional research, which causes the book to head in too many directions at once. It is as though the author’s disorganized mind has been spilled onto the page for everyone to see.
It is clear, however, that Maclear has put an exceptional amount of time into researching the topic of birds. She does not regurgitate factual, mundane information about the species; instead she has delved deeper and from an artistic point of view, to discover so much more than an encyclopedic textbook would provide.
From a myriad of resources, Maclear has pulled out quotes from bird enthusiasts and creative individuals alike to emphasise the effects birds have had on people’s lives and artistic careers. Interestingly, many artists and authors have found the delicate creatures fascinating and included them in their works, for example: Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner and Iris Murdoch.
<i>Birds Art Life Death</i> is unlikely to increase your knowledge of birds or bird watching, however it may inspire you to take time out to explore and enjoy nature. Whether you are a creative individual in need of a break, or an office worker desperately wanting some fresh air, Maclear encourages you to step back from the trials of life and find pleasure in the little, but highly significant, facts of being.
There comes a time when novelists, as with any creative professional, become unmotivated or at a loss as to what to write about – writer’s block. Such an occurrence happened to children’s novelist, Kyo Maclear. Through the work of her songwriter husband, Maclear discovers a musician struggling with the demands of his career in a competitive world, causing anxiety and depression. In order to distance himself from the stresses of his employment, the musician finds solace in bird watching. Intrigued as to what prompted his ardent interest in birds, Maclear tags along with him for a year, and thus, <i>Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant</i> was born.
To preempt any confusion, despite what the title may suggest, this book is not a field guide about birds. When Maclear began talking to the musician (who remains anonymous except for a mention in the acknowledgements), she was completely nescient on the subject of birds and had a lot to learn. Although some facts are stated in the narrative, <i>Birds Art Life Death</i> is more a reflective memoir of the author’s life. Using bird watching as a key example, Maclear explores the ways artists of all kinds have retreated from the pressures of everyday life in order to take time to appreciate the smaller, less celebrated aspects.
Bird watching, in particular, provides the musician and Maclear the opportunity to sit still (literally) and just be. Paying attention to the numerous habitats of the winged-creatures provides the author with a new outlook on life, and fodder to include in future works (hence this book). It also gives her the opportunity to reflect on her past, her parents – particularly her anticipatory grief toward her elderly father – her husband, and her sons. In fact, the author’s own life features as heavily as the bird watching trips she goes on.
Written in chronological order from winter through to autumn, Maclear’s knowledge of birds increases, as does her awareness of the world and life around her. However, her sequence of events is often interrupted by retrospective thought and additional research, which causes the book to head in too many directions at once. It is as though the author’s disorganized mind has been spilled onto the page for everyone to see.
It is clear, however, that Maclear has put an exceptional amount of time into researching the topic of birds. She does not regurgitate factual, mundane information about the species; instead she has delved deeper and from an artistic point of view, to discover so much more than an encyclopedic textbook would provide.
From a myriad of resources, Maclear has pulled out quotes from bird enthusiasts and creative individuals alike to emphasise the effects birds have had on people’s lives and artistic careers. Interestingly, many artists and authors have found the delicate creatures fascinating and included them in their works, for example: Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner and Iris Murdoch.
<i>Birds Art Life Death</i> is unlikely to increase your knowledge of birds or bird watching, however it may inspire you to take time out to explore and enjoy nature. Whether you are a creative individual in need of a break, or an office worker desperately wanting some fresh air, Maclear encourages you to step back from the trials of life and find pleasure in the little, but highly significant, facts of being.
