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Natacha (374 KP) rated Half the World in Books
Dec 15, 2019 (Updated Dec 15, 2019)
As with the first book, the main story is very basic. I group of misfits that are thrown together to complete a quest to find allies. But I still had a blast reading this book.
Things I liked:
-Because the main plot is so simple all characters and their developments are amazing. All of them have their own voice, their own personality and keep evolving and keep you intrigued until the end.
-Thorn. Thorn is a strong female character but with a twist. She is not the typical strong female character that is the best fighter to ever walk this earth, the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth and who think that loves is something stupid and not for her. No, she tall, muscular, with scars and a weird hair cut. She is a fighter and a killer but you get to see her become one through hard training and strong will. And when she falls in love? She is afraid of it, yes, but when the times comes she doesn't shy away from it, she embraces it and doesn't mind showing a more gentle side of her. That was very nice to see.
-Brand is our second main character and the opposite of Thorn. He is a sweet boy that wants to be a soldier but deep down he just wants to be a good person and do good no matter what.
-There is a love story but it's not the main theme of the story and it's a slow burn one. Initially, I was a little annoyed just because at some point there is a misunderstanding that could have easily been solved by simply talking but the way things evolve later makes up for it.
-The ending left me with the feeling that something big is coming with the next book and made we want to pick it right away.
-We got to see magic! One of my complaints in the first book was that we had elves and magic being mention but never saw any of it.
Things I didn't like
-The main reason why my rating is (4.5 instead of 5 goodreads rating) 9/10 instead of 10/10 if this one. As I mention the main plot is very basic. I group of misfits that are thrown together. They travel a lot, get to know each other, bond and fight bad guys. Unfortunately, although I loved the characters, for more than half of the book I felt disappointed because what I was reading felt very similar to what I had read in book one. In Half a King you had again a group of misfits thrown in a boat together that travelled a lot, had to find a way to survive, they get to know each-other bond and fight bad guys. It sounds like a minor thing but when I picked because it picked up this book straight after the first one it felt repetitive.
Things I liked:
-Because the main plot is so simple all characters and their developments are amazing. All of them have their own voice, their own personality and keep evolving and keep you intrigued until the end.
-Thorn. Thorn is a strong female character but with a twist. She is not the typical strong female character that is the best fighter to ever walk this earth, the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth and who think that loves is something stupid and not for her. No, she tall, muscular, with scars and a weird hair cut. She is a fighter and a killer but you get to see her become one through hard training and strong will. And when she falls in love? She is afraid of it, yes, but when the times comes she doesn't shy away from it, she embraces it and doesn't mind showing a more gentle side of her. That was very nice to see.
-Brand is our second main character and the opposite of Thorn. He is a sweet boy that wants to be a soldier but deep down he just wants to be a good person and do good no matter what.
-There is a love story but it's not the main theme of the story and it's a slow burn one. Initially, I was a little annoyed just because at some point there is a misunderstanding that could have easily been solved by simply talking but the way things evolve later makes up for it.
-The ending left me with the feeling that something big is coming with the next book and made we want to pick it right away.
-We got to see magic! One of my complaints in the first book was that we had elves and magic being mention but never saw any of it.
Things I didn't like
-The main reason why my rating is (4.5 instead of 5 goodreads rating) 9/10 instead of 10/10 if this one. As I mention the main plot is very basic. I group of misfits that are thrown together. They travel a lot, get to know each other, bond and fight bad guys. Unfortunately, although I loved the characters, for more than half of the book I felt disappointed because what I was reading felt very similar to what I had read in book one. In Half a King you had again a group of misfits thrown in a boat together that travelled a lot, had to find a way to survive, they get to know each-other bond and fight bad guys. It sounds like a minor thing but when I picked because it picked up this book straight after the first one it felt repetitive.
Christina Haynes (148 KP) rated The lost girl in Books
Feb 10, 2018
LOST GIRL By CHANDA HAHN
Contains spoilers, click to show
Neverwood Chronicles Book 1
328 pages
Fantasy / Young Adult / Retelling
Sypnosis:
Wendy doesn't remember anything about Neverland—or the experiments done to her there as a child. Seven years later, all she wants is a normal life, but shape-shifting shadows plague her dreams and turn her life into a waking nightmare. When the shadows attack at a football game and a boy disappears right in front of her, she realizes these wraith-like shadows are real. They’re not just haunting—they’re hunting.
A mysterious boy named Peter, his foul-mouthed sidekick, and a band of misfit boys intervene before Wendy faces a similar fate. But can they trust Wendy enough to take her to Neverwood Academy and reveal all of their hidden secrets when she's hiding a secret of her own, or will the dreaded Red Skulls find her and drag her back to Neverland?
Main characters:
Wendy Darling
Peter Pan
Tink
Jax
Red Skulls
Main events:
Neverland is a place where these orphans live. There they are experimented on and given powers by the Doctors who are ordered by the Red Skulls. When the Doctors no longer want to be apart of the experiments they decided they need to help save as many children as they can, including a girl called Wendy. But Wendy drowns in the process of escaping.
Ten years later Wendy is alive and well, except she sees shadows and thinks they are after her. Which her adoptive parents believe that she may be mad, they plan on taking her back to the mental hospital, where she was before, called Wonderland.
After she meets the Lost Boys. they take her under their wing because if the shadows are out there looking for her, then she is in danger. The only place now safe for her is with them. But danger is on its way in the form of the Red Skulls and their leader Hook, because he is after Wendy.
Most exciting part:
Probably when you see inside Neverwood Academy and meet the Lost Boys.
My favourite part:
I don’t really know my favourite part, but I liked reading about Peter Pan and the other characters from the original story in a different way.
My summary:
This book is about Wendy and Neverland, but not the Neverland we all know and love. This Neverland is a place where orphan children live. A place where children are experimented on, a place where they are given powers. Wendy feels that she is going crazy and her parents think this too. Because she can see shadows and not the kind we all see. She see’s them all gather around her and she is scared.
At a football game at her school, she there meets Peter Pan and realises that seeing the shadows is normal. Well normal for them at least.
Peter tells her a bit about Neverland and the Red Skulls. But not too much, as Wendy isn’t a Lost 'Girl' like Peter and the Lost Boys. Because Wendy died and Peter saw her die, he doesn't believe that Wendy is the same girl as the one he knew before. So Wendy is an outsider, who happens to see shadows. The Lost Boys are in hiding from the Red Skulls because they all escaped from Neverland. However, they are more interested now in Wendy.
My Review:
I really liked the idea of this book, I love fairytale retellings and Peter Pan. I loved the idea of the story and the characters within the book and Chanda Hahn did a great job at not changing the personalities of the characters so Tink who is Tinkerbell didn't suddenly become a sweet dark haired tall girl, she had the same sarcastic sassy personality
But the ending for me was a bit of a letdown. The ending basically brings the whole book round into a big circle, so in a way, nothing needed to happen.
I really loved Chanda Hahn’s ‘Unfortunate Fairytale Series’ and I still do. But I honestly thought this book would have been better.
Rating:
3 ★ – NOT A BAD BOOK
I loved the idea of this story, but there was definitely something about it I didn’t like. I've bought the next book ‘Lost Boy’ so I’m hoping I get a better feeling from this one.
Love, Christina ?
328 pages
Fantasy / Young Adult / Retelling
Sypnosis:
Wendy doesn't remember anything about Neverland—or the experiments done to her there as a child. Seven years later, all she wants is a normal life, but shape-shifting shadows plague her dreams and turn her life into a waking nightmare. When the shadows attack at a football game and a boy disappears right in front of her, she realizes these wraith-like shadows are real. They’re not just haunting—they’re hunting.
A mysterious boy named Peter, his foul-mouthed sidekick, and a band of misfit boys intervene before Wendy faces a similar fate. But can they trust Wendy enough to take her to Neverwood Academy and reveal all of their hidden secrets when she's hiding a secret of her own, or will the dreaded Red Skulls find her and drag her back to Neverland?
Main characters:
Wendy Darling
Peter Pan
Tink
Jax
Red Skulls
Main events:
Neverland is a place where these orphans live. There they are experimented on and given powers by the Doctors who are ordered by the Red Skulls. When the Doctors no longer want to be apart of the experiments they decided they need to help save as many children as they can, including a girl called Wendy. But Wendy drowns in the process of escaping.
Ten years later Wendy is alive and well, except she sees shadows and thinks they are after her. Which her adoptive parents believe that she may be mad, they plan on taking her back to the mental hospital, where she was before, called Wonderland.
After she meets the Lost Boys. they take her under their wing because if the shadows are out there looking for her, then she is in danger. The only place now safe for her is with them. But danger is on its way in the form of the Red Skulls and their leader Hook, because he is after Wendy.
Most exciting part:
Probably when you see inside Neverwood Academy and meet the Lost Boys.
My favourite part:
I don’t really know my favourite part, but I liked reading about Peter Pan and the other characters from the original story in a different way.
My summary:
This book is about Wendy and Neverland, but not the Neverland we all know and love. This Neverland is a place where orphan children live. A place where children are experimented on, a place where they are given powers. Wendy feels that she is going crazy and her parents think this too. Because she can see shadows and not the kind we all see. She see’s them all gather around her and she is scared.
At a football game at her school, she there meets Peter Pan and realises that seeing the shadows is normal. Well normal for them at least.
Peter tells her a bit about Neverland and the Red Skulls. But not too much, as Wendy isn’t a Lost 'Girl' like Peter and the Lost Boys. Because Wendy died and Peter saw her die, he doesn't believe that Wendy is the same girl as the one he knew before. So Wendy is an outsider, who happens to see shadows. The Lost Boys are in hiding from the Red Skulls because they all escaped from Neverland. However, they are more interested now in Wendy.
My Review:
I really liked the idea of this book, I love fairytale retellings and Peter Pan. I loved the idea of the story and the characters within the book and Chanda Hahn did a great job at not changing the personalities of the characters so Tink who is Tinkerbell didn't suddenly become a sweet dark haired tall girl, she had the same sarcastic sassy personality
But the ending for me was a bit of a letdown. The ending basically brings the whole book round into a big circle, so in a way, nothing needed to happen.
I really loved Chanda Hahn’s ‘Unfortunate Fairytale Series’ and I still do. But I honestly thought this book would have been better.
Rating:
3 ★ – NOT A BAD BOOK
I loved the idea of this story, but there was definitely something about it I didn’t like. I've bought the next book ‘Lost Boy’ so I’m hoping I get a better feeling from this one.
Love, Christina ?
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Devil's Apprentice (The Great Devil War, #1) in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2695415697">The Devil's Apprentice</a> - ★★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2695416625">The Die of Death</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://i1.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/New-blog-banner-9.png?w=560&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>Possibly the best Young-Adult Fantasy I have read this year. Enter and discover Hell and see how it works, meet the Devil and learn why we need evil in order to be good! A fantastic story and great adventures await in Hell. Read this at your own risk!</i></b>
I was lucky enough to receive the first two books of The Great Devil War Series by the author himself. I haven’t heard about Kenneth B. Andersen before, but after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to have these books - I knew I had to read the whole series.
Meet Phillip - he is a good boy. An angel. He helps his mum with the chores, he helps his friends with their homework, he loves and takes care of animals, and he never lies. But one day, he is sent to Hell by mistake, and he has to become the Devil’s Apprentice. The Devil is ill and before he dies he has to make sure to teach Phillip the worst tricks in Hell’s history, and teach him to be evil - but Phillip is simply terrible at being bad and keeps failing all his tests.
With very little time left for the Devil to teach Phillip everything, Phillip begins to make friends and enemies in this place. And on top of it all - someone might want the Devil’s throne for themselves…
I loved this book so much! The best thing about it is the setting. We enter a world and we get to see Hell through Phillip’s eyes. Everyone has their own place and role, there is a system of how they designate people and where they go - we meet Death and see the process of how he chooses who dies, and how they place people in either Heaven or Hell, depending on the actions people take throughout their lives, and also, how the Devil throws the dice as well.
Phillip is a typical boy, who goes to school, tries to be a good boy wherever he can. I loved Phillip’s character and could easily relate to him. When he gets in an unusual place, he begins to wonder, and discover and explore, and the way the author writes the scenes just keep you engaged in the book and you can’t put it down before you know what happens next.
The world in Hell is full of adventures, different creatures, lots of scenes where we can’t help but wonder what does ‘’EVIL’’ actually mean, and is it really true that we do need a little bit of evil in order to see the good in ourselves and others? Many moral messages are discovered through Phillip’s adventures, and I loved seeing him grow throughout the book. He keeps learning things and he kept growing. Do you really need to be evil to succeed in Hell?
I am so glad I have read this book, and I can’t wait to read the second book. <b>If you enjoy Young-Adult fantasy, and if you even enjoyed Dante’s Inferno, this book will probably be something you might enjoy. It will make you giggle, and even make you wonder, and it will leave you restless with all the adventures, page after page.</b>
Until next time! x
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2695415697">The Devil's Apprentice</a> - ★★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2695416625">The Die of Death</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://i1.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/New-blog-banner-9.png?w=560&ssl=1"/>;
<b><i>Possibly the best Young-Adult Fantasy I have read this year. Enter and discover Hell and see how it works, meet the Devil and learn why we need evil in order to be good! A fantastic story and great adventures await in Hell. Read this at your own risk!</i></b>
I was lucky enough to receive the first two books of The Great Devil War Series by the author himself. I haven’t heard about Kenneth B. Andersen before, but after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to have these books - I knew I had to read the whole series.
Meet Phillip - he is a good boy. An angel. He helps his mum with the chores, he helps his friends with their homework, he loves and takes care of animals, and he never lies. But one day, he is sent to Hell by mistake, and he has to become the Devil’s Apprentice. The Devil is ill and before he dies he has to make sure to teach Phillip the worst tricks in Hell’s history, and teach him to be evil - but Phillip is simply terrible at being bad and keeps failing all his tests.
With very little time left for the Devil to teach Phillip everything, Phillip begins to make friends and enemies in this place. And on top of it all - someone might want the Devil’s throne for themselves…
I loved this book so much! The best thing about it is the setting. We enter a world and we get to see Hell through Phillip’s eyes. Everyone has their own place and role, there is a system of how they designate people and where they go - we meet Death and see the process of how he chooses who dies, and how they place people in either Heaven or Hell, depending on the actions people take throughout their lives, and also, how the Devil throws the dice as well.
Phillip is a typical boy, who goes to school, tries to be a good boy wherever he can. I loved Phillip’s character and could easily relate to him. When he gets in an unusual place, he begins to wonder, and discover and explore, and the way the author writes the scenes just keep you engaged in the book and you can’t put it down before you know what happens next.
The world in Hell is full of adventures, different creatures, lots of scenes where we can’t help but wonder what does ‘’EVIL’’ actually mean, and is it really true that we do need a little bit of evil in order to see the good in ourselves and others? Many moral messages are discovered through Phillip’s adventures, and I loved seeing him grow throughout the book. He keeps learning things and he kept growing. Do you really need to be evil to succeed in Hell?
I am so glad I have read this book, and I can’t wait to read the second book. <b>If you enjoy Young-Adult fantasy, and if you even enjoyed Dante’s Inferno, this book will probably be something you might enjoy. It will make you giggle, and even make you wonder, and it will leave you restless with all the adventures, page after page.</b>
Until next time! x
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Broken Realms (The Chronicles of Mara Lantern, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
<i>Broken Realms</i> is a brilliant science fiction novel and first installment of <i>The Chronicles of Mara Lantern</i> by D. W. Moneypenny. Set in present day Oregon it deals with metaphysical ideas and bizarre creatures – a very intriguing read.
Mara Lantern is a young adult who has left school to work in a gadget repair shop where her amazing natural talent for restoring machinery is put to good use. At the commencement of the book she is being driven to the airport by her New Age obsessed mother in order to fly out to San Francisco to visit her father. Once the plane is airborne it is clear there is something terribly wrong. Bright blue light flashes throughout the aircraft and the passengers around Mara appear to be distorting: growing fangs and snouts, and changing eye colour. What is even stranger is a redheaded boy is running down the aisle closely pursued by a clone of Mara.
In an attempt at an emergency landing, the plane crashes into the Columbia River – a crash impossible to survive – however everyone does. All the passengers and crew are pulled out of the river unharmed; all except Mara who is strangely found unconscious on the pavement with a head wound.
Detective Daniel Bohannon is assigned to the case investigating the cause of the crash, but when some of the survivors start displaying super-human or animalistic traits it becomes clear this was no ordinary situation.
Whilst the investigation continues, Mara begins to deal with what she saw on the plane. With the help of a fellow survivor, Ping, and the redheaded boy, Sam (who claims he is her brother) she begins to learn that her world, her life and human existence in general is not all she believed it to be.
Although <i>Broken Realms</i> is accurately described as a science fiction and fantasy novel there were times, particularly during the police investigations, that it also felt a little like a crime thriller. There is nothing particularly bad about that but to begin with it was as though there were two different genres competing with each other depending on which character point of view was being read.
What helped to make this book so great were the excellent writing skills of D. W. Moneypenny. It was written so clearly that vivid images came to mind whilst reading. The pace of the narrative was fairly quick and at no point did it ever stop being exciting.
Another good thing (admittedly others may not see it as such) was that there were no romantic attachments between any of the characters to detract from the main storyline. This meant the novel was completely focused on the plot without any unnecessary interruptions.
<i>Broken Realms</i> is a highly recommended book for science fiction and fantasy lovers. It does, however, leave the reader wanting to know what is going to happen next. So now the wait for the next book in <i>The Chronicles of Mara Lantern</i> begins.
<i>Broken Realms</i> is a brilliant science fiction novel and first installment of <i>The Chronicles of Mara Lantern</i> by D. W. Moneypenny. Set in present day Oregon it deals with metaphysical ideas and bizarre creatures – a very intriguing read.
Mara Lantern is a young adult who has left school to work in a gadget repair shop where her amazing natural talent for restoring machinery is put to good use. At the commencement of the book she is being driven to the airport by her New Age obsessed mother in order to fly out to San Francisco to visit her father. Once the plane is airborne it is clear there is something terribly wrong. Bright blue light flashes throughout the aircraft and the passengers around Mara appear to be distorting: growing fangs and snouts, and changing eye colour. What is even stranger is a redheaded boy is running down the aisle closely pursued by a clone of Mara.
In an attempt at an emergency landing, the plane crashes into the Columbia River – a crash impossible to survive – however everyone does. All the passengers and crew are pulled out of the river unharmed; all except Mara who is strangely found unconscious on the pavement with a head wound.
Detective Daniel Bohannon is assigned to the case investigating the cause of the crash, but when some of the survivors start displaying super-human or animalistic traits it becomes clear this was no ordinary situation.
Whilst the investigation continues, Mara begins to deal with what she saw on the plane. With the help of a fellow survivor, Ping, and the redheaded boy, Sam (who claims he is her brother) she begins to learn that her world, her life and human existence in general is not all she believed it to be.
Although <i>Broken Realms</i> is accurately described as a science fiction and fantasy novel there were times, particularly during the police investigations, that it also felt a little like a crime thriller. There is nothing particularly bad about that but to begin with it was as though there were two different genres competing with each other depending on which character point of view was being read.
What helped to make this book so great were the excellent writing skills of D. W. Moneypenny. It was written so clearly that vivid images came to mind whilst reading. The pace of the narrative was fairly quick and at no point did it ever stop being exciting.
Another good thing (admittedly others may not see it as such) was that there were no romantic attachments between any of the characters to detract from the main storyline. This meant the novel was completely focused on the plot without any unnecessary interruptions.
<i>Broken Realms</i> is a highly recommended book for science fiction and fantasy lovers. It does, however, leave the reader wanting to know what is going to happen next. So now the wait for the next book in <i>The Chronicles of Mara Lantern</i> begins.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Lake Placid (1999) in Movies
Sep 5, 2018
The Toothless Croc Adventure that bit off more than it could chew
If you are big horror fan, like I am, then you will no doubt have seen and loved Jaws at some point.
The spectacular fear of something huge and unseen in the water, a perfectly evolved marine predator capable of tremendous power and speed, with a jaw size capable of cutting you in half.
Jaws hit on a very primal fear, that there is an unreasoning, prehistoric simplicity to the shark, that reminds us that until the last few thousand years, we were just another form of food for many creatures on this planet, and that we could be again, in the right circumstances.
It is this fear that also informs our love of Zombie movies, our disgust at cannibals and keeps us watching endless episodes of dirty, tired-looking people arguing in 'The Walking Dead'.
Where Jaws created a whole genre of horror in 'Killer Shark' movies, their reptilian counterparts have had to make do with a somewhat less successful series of outings, with Alligator, Croc etc
They just haven't quite hit our imagination in the same way, whether that be because of their comical waddle on land, or having watched an excited Australian man jumping all over them on TV (RIP Steve Irwin)...
Regardless, Lake Placid is the one that most remember from recent history, and having listened to a 'Horrow Show' Podcast on the film recently, I mentioned to my better half I wouldn't mind seeing it again, to see if it is as bad as it sounded.
Well last night, said better half suggested we watch it and boy oh boy...
So first off, Brendan Gleeson was by far the best thing about this movie, his one liners and grumpy demeanor were, for long periods, the best thing about this movie, shortly followed by the hilarious Betty White.
Stan Winstone, legendary physical creature effects maestro turns in some great stuff, and when they are dealing withe the physical creature, it is very effective but all too often they resort to CGI, which is passable but still tends to take you out of the moment..
Oliver Platt's casting as a crocodile expert playboy is amusing at first, then confusing and eventually just...well not laughable exactly as it isnt very funny, but strange certainly.
The movie languishes for long periods, focusing on the incredibly inert chemistry between leading lady Fonda, and wooden cardboard cut out Pullman, giving you poorly written rom com scripts where we signed up to see a giant Croc eat people.
Long story short, this movie is light on tension and action, heavy on clumsy exposition and strange casting choices, and it a poor relation to Jaws, which is more worthy of your time.
The spectacular fear of something huge and unseen in the water, a perfectly evolved marine predator capable of tremendous power and speed, with a jaw size capable of cutting you in half.
Jaws hit on a very primal fear, that there is an unreasoning, prehistoric simplicity to the shark, that reminds us that until the last few thousand years, we were just another form of food for many creatures on this planet, and that we could be again, in the right circumstances.
It is this fear that also informs our love of Zombie movies, our disgust at cannibals and keeps us watching endless episodes of dirty, tired-looking people arguing in 'The Walking Dead'.
Where Jaws created a whole genre of horror in 'Killer Shark' movies, their reptilian counterparts have had to make do with a somewhat less successful series of outings, with Alligator, Croc etc
They just haven't quite hit our imagination in the same way, whether that be because of their comical waddle on land, or having watched an excited Australian man jumping all over them on TV (RIP Steve Irwin)...
Regardless, Lake Placid is the one that most remember from recent history, and having listened to a 'Horrow Show' Podcast on the film recently, I mentioned to my better half I wouldn't mind seeing it again, to see if it is as bad as it sounded.
Well last night, said better half suggested we watch it and boy oh boy...
So first off, Brendan Gleeson was by far the best thing about this movie, his one liners and grumpy demeanor were, for long periods, the best thing about this movie, shortly followed by the hilarious Betty White.
Stan Winstone, legendary physical creature effects maestro turns in some great stuff, and when they are dealing withe the physical creature, it is very effective but all too often they resort to CGI, which is passable but still tends to take you out of the moment..
Oliver Platt's casting as a crocodile expert playboy is amusing at first, then confusing and eventually just...well not laughable exactly as it isnt very funny, but strange certainly.
The movie languishes for long periods, focusing on the incredibly inert chemistry between leading lady Fonda, and wooden cardboard cut out Pullman, giving you poorly written rom com scripts where we signed up to see a giant Croc eat people.
Long story short, this movie is light on tension and action, heavy on clumsy exposition and strange casting choices, and it a poor relation to Jaws, which is more worthy of your time.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
GUYS, THIS IS THE LAST REVIEW I'M EVER WRITING THIS YEAR. (Totally not the last post.)
In the Martial Empire, Laia lives as a scholar – until her brother is arrested by Masks. To save her brother, Laia looks for the rebellion, going undercover as a slave in an academy for Masks and spying for the rebellion in exchange for her brother's safety. She meets Elias, a soldier at the academy who has no desire to become one of them.
<i>An Ember in the Ashes</i> took forever to <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">read</span> listen – and I mean <em>forever</em> (which basically means two months).
I'm not exactly as hyped as everyone else. Primarily, I think this is just due to the fact <i>An Ember in the Ashes</i> is <em>sooo</em> bleeping long and my attention span is equivalent of a fly's when it comes to debut novels that are really long (I'm a lot more tolerant to authors whose works I'm familiar with). In Tahir's case, though, I just feel the descriptions and details are a little too long – but I certainly can't complain about it because I adore details that mean world building is taking place.
I will, however, complain about the academy in general, and the love triangle. Favoritism by the Commandant is obviously being played here – there are just so many levels of wrong when no explanation is needed when you're caught doing something wrong. >_<
And well... Keenan. He still feels like a stranger to me, so if I'm going to ship, I'll go ship Laia and Elias. I understand Elias, and I understand Laia. I secretly adore them, even if the book is whoppishly huge. And I will go down with that ship until I warm up to stranger boy Keenan who seems to not have a desire to be a part of a corrupt-ish rebellion, but does not seem to have a life otherwise.
And if the sequel does not have me warming up to stranger boy, then I will make a stranger danger sign.
Anyways, not jumping on the hype train.... (aside from best title ever).
It could also just be due to the fact Fiona Hardingham and Steve West (the entire narration, honestly) are just really, really quiet and I had to bring the volume to top notch to even hear clearly. I know audiobooks are more quiet compared to music – I just think bringing the volume up to the maximum is a horrible, horrible thing for me to have to do for clarity (it's all about my ears). In all honesty, though, they're not bad narrators – they bring out the perfect amount of accent without being too heavy.
Hands down, though, I think I would have enjoyed <i>An Ember in the Ashes</i> immensely if it weren't so daunting and didn't take so years.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-an-ember-in-the-ashes-by-sabaa-tahir/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
In the Martial Empire, Laia lives as a scholar – until her brother is arrested by Masks. To save her brother, Laia looks for the rebellion, going undercover as a slave in an academy for Masks and spying for the rebellion in exchange for her brother's safety. She meets Elias, a soldier at the academy who has no desire to become one of them.
<i>An Ember in the Ashes</i> took forever to <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">read</span> listen – and I mean <em>forever</em> (which basically means two months).
I'm not exactly as hyped as everyone else. Primarily, I think this is just due to the fact <i>An Ember in the Ashes</i> is <em>sooo</em> bleeping long and my attention span is equivalent of a fly's when it comes to debut novels that are really long (I'm a lot more tolerant to authors whose works I'm familiar with). In Tahir's case, though, I just feel the descriptions and details are a little too long – but I certainly can't complain about it because I adore details that mean world building is taking place.
I will, however, complain about the academy in general, and the love triangle. Favoritism by the Commandant is obviously being played here – there are just so many levels of wrong when no explanation is needed when you're caught doing something wrong. >_<
And well... Keenan. He still feels like a stranger to me, so if I'm going to ship, I'll go ship Laia and Elias. I understand Elias, and I understand Laia. I secretly adore them, even if the book is whoppishly huge. And I will go down with that ship until I warm up to stranger boy Keenan who seems to not have a desire to be a part of a corrupt-ish rebellion, but does not seem to have a life otherwise.
And if the sequel does not have me warming up to stranger boy, then I will make a stranger danger sign.
Anyways, not jumping on the hype train.... (aside from best title ever).
It could also just be due to the fact Fiona Hardingham and Steve West (the entire narration, honestly) are just really, really quiet and I had to bring the volume to top notch to even hear clearly. I know audiobooks are more quiet compared to music – I just think bringing the volume up to the maximum is a horrible, horrible thing for me to have to do for clarity (it's all about my ears). In all honesty, though, they're not bad narrators – they bring out the perfect amount of accent without being too heavy.
Hands down, though, I think I would have enjoyed <i>An Ember in the Ashes</i> immensely if it weren't so daunting and didn't take so years.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-an-ember-in-the-ashes-by-sabaa-tahir/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Made You Up in Books
Jun 22, 2021
I'm big into books that deal with mental illnesses. When I heard about Made You Up by Francesca Zappia, I knew it was a book that was right up my alley. I was not left feeling disappointed.
The plot and world building felt very realistic although I'm not Schizophrenic nor do I know anyone who is. I could not tell what was real and what was a delusion by Alex. Kudos to Zappia for giving us a brief glimpse into how a Schizophrenic would feel. I kept second guessing myself throughout Made You Up. Sometimes it would be obvious that Alex was hallucinating, but there were many times everything felt too real to be a hallucination. I would be wrong, and something realistic would be a hallucination. As you can imagine, there were many plot twists throughout this book. There was one major plot twist which I had predicted towards the beginning which turned out to be true thanks to subtle hints the author would throw in, so be sure to be attention to every word on the page to try to grasp what is Alex's reality and what is not. I did feel like the main storyline of Made You Up was whether or not Miles, the boy Alex met briefly when she was a young child, was actually real or not since she meets him again her senior year of high school. It was fun trying to guess if Miles was real or not and if he was the same boy Alex met as a child.
All of the characters in Made You Up had a lot of depth to them. They were all easy for me to imagine as real people instead of characters in a book. I enjoyed reading about Alex and her thought process and what all she had to go through all the time due to her Schizophrenia. Alex, like all the characters in this book, was a very likable character. Miles was interesting. I didn't really know what to make of him throughout the book (mainly because I was trying to figure out if he was real or imaginary). I did enjoy him, and I was definitely intrigued by his back story. It was great learning about him. I loved little Charlie and how much she seemed to love her big sister, Alex. Alex loved Charlie so much as well, and I loved reading about the tight sisterly bond between them.
Trigger warnings for Made You Up include some profanity, some violence, death, minor gore, some child abuse, mental illness, a minor sexual situation, bullying, references to Nazis, attempted murder, and death.
All in all, Made You Up is a very interesting read with a fantastic plot and well developed characters. It's obvious the author did her homework before writing this novel. I would definitely recommend Made You Up by Francesca Zappia to those aged 16+ who are seeking a book full of twists and turns. Just be warned that this book will have you second guessing almost everything (which isn't a bad thing).
The plot and world building felt very realistic although I'm not Schizophrenic nor do I know anyone who is. I could not tell what was real and what was a delusion by Alex. Kudos to Zappia for giving us a brief glimpse into how a Schizophrenic would feel. I kept second guessing myself throughout Made You Up. Sometimes it would be obvious that Alex was hallucinating, but there were many times everything felt too real to be a hallucination. I would be wrong, and something realistic would be a hallucination. As you can imagine, there were many plot twists throughout this book. There was one major plot twist which I had predicted towards the beginning which turned out to be true thanks to subtle hints the author would throw in, so be sure to be attention to every word on the page to try to grasp what is Alex's reality and what is not. I did feel like the main storyline of Made You Up was whether or not Miles, the boy Alex met briefly when she was a young child, was actually real or not since she meets him again her senior year of high school. It was fun trying to guess if Miles was real or not and if he was the same boy Alex met as a child.
All of the characters in Made You Up had a lot of depth to them. They were all easy for me to imagine as real people instead of characters in a book. I enjoyed reading about Alex and her thought process and what all she had to go through all the time due to her Schizophrenia. Alex, like all the characters in this book, was a very likable character. Miles was interesting. I didn't really know what to make of him throughout the book (mainly because I was trying to figure out if he was real or imaginary). I did enjoy him, and I was definitely intrigued by his back story. It was great learning about him. I loved little Charlie and how much she seemed to love her big sister, Alex. Alex loved Charlie so much as well, and I loved reading about the tight sisterly bond between them.
Trigger warnings for Made You Up include some profanity, some violence, death, minor gore, some child abuse, mental illness, a minor sexual situation, bullying, references to Nazis, attempted murder, and death.
All in all, Made You Up is a very interesting read with a fantastic plot and well developed characters. It's obvious the author did her homework before writing this novel. I would definitely recommend Made You Up by Francesca Zappia to those aged 16+ who are seeking a book full of twists and turns. Just be warned that this book will have you second guessing almost everything (which isn't a bad thing).
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Twisted Luck in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Twisted Luck was one of them reads where I'm slightly on the fence in regards to its characters It did keep my interest but there were just a few niggles that dragged it down a star for me.
This for me is more of an individual preference than a black mark for the book and this no way takes away from the flow of the writing as Twisted Luck was expertly written, It is just a personal opinion and might not be an issue for anyone else reading this.
So here we go, Olivia has had a string of bad luck, enter Leo WELL WELL!!! upon first meeting Leo as Oliva is drowning herself in tequila at a local bar I thought, here we go, real bad boy, won't take no crap from no one yay my type of anti-hero this is going to be epic and here lies my problem, apart from the fact that Leo is an honest to god Demon and not just in the sack I found him just a bit, well, wussy. I wanted him to stand up to his kind of a dad Sam and stop wimping out, grow a pair you're a demon for god's sake.
I also didn't think our Leo would have forgotten how to have a pee even if it has been years this is just something that you don't forget and finally the use of the word the magic, it was the magic this, the magic that, it got a bit irritating after a bit, would have liked to see a different word occasionally maybe my powers or I would have even settled for Va Va Voom for a change rather than the magic.
now I have that out of the way I'm going to explain why you should read this. Twisted luck was apart from my above points a page turner. I may be slightly biased in regard to Leo as I prefer a slightly darker hero or in my case anti-hero to drool over, but if you like a more human hero this book is for you.
I really do get what Mia was trying to convey Our Demon Leo transforming into a more human version of himself in a way un-demonising Leo and showing a warmer more flawed version of him as he slowly learned what it was like to love and be loved by Olivia and also reside without the use of here we go lol THE MAGIC!!!!.
And this was accomplished and pulled off with finesse and humour so if you like stories where the girl redeems the guy and they live HEA then this is the book for you I passed a very enjoyable few hours immersed in this and that's what Twisted Luck is Enjoyable and not too hard, an easy warm read that you can snuggle up with when you just want some R & R and some downtime.
I received an e-copy of this book free from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
This for me is more of an individual preference than a black mark for the book and this no way takes away from the flow of the writing as Twisted Luck was expertly written, It is just a personal opinion and might not be an issue for anyone else reading this.
So here we go, Olivia has had a string of bad luck, enter Leo WELL WELL!!! upon first meeting Leo as Oliva is drowning herself in tequila at a local bar I thought, here we go, real bad boy, won't take no crap from no one yay my type of anti-hero this is going to be epic and here lies my problem, apart from the fact that Leo is an honest to god Demon and not just in the sack I found him just a bit, well, wussy. I wanted him to stand up to his kind of a dad Sam and stop wimping out, grow a pair you're a demon for god's sake.
I also didn't think our Leo would have forgotten how to have a pee even if it has been years this is just something that you don't forget and finally the use of the word the magic, it was the magic this, the magic that, it got a bit irritating after a bit, would have liked to see a different word occasionally maybe my powers or I would have even settled for Va Va Voom for a change rather than the magic.
now I have that out of the way I'm going to explain why you should read this. Twisted luck was apart from my above points a page turner. I may be slightly biased in regard to Leo as I prefer a slightly darker hero or in my case anti-hero to drool over, but if you like a more human hero this book is for you.
I really do get what Mia was trying to convey Our Demon Leo transforming into a more human version of himself in a way un-demonising Leo and showing a warmer more flawed version of him as he slowly learned what it was like to love and be loved by Olivia and also reside without the use of here we go lol THE MAGIC!!!!.
And this was accomplished and pulled off with finesse and humour so if you like stories where the girl redeems the guy and they live HEA then this is the book for you I passed a very enjoyable few hours immersed in this and that's what Twisted Luck is Enjoyable and not too hard, an easy warm read that you can snuggle up with when you just want some R & R and some downtime.
I received an e-copy of this book free from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
Darren (1599 KP) rated Eight Legged Freaks (2002) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Story: Eight Legged Freaks starts by showing us the Mike Parker (Terra) visiting Joshua the spider expert of the town who has been feeding his spiders enlarged crickets and of course they now escape. One week later when Mike goes to return his mother Sheriff Samantha Parker (Wuhrer) stops the visit because of waste being dumped into the local watering hole.
With this we get to see the rebellious teenage daughter Ashley (Johansson) who is dating bad boy biker Bret (Czuchry) step-son of Mayor Wade (Rippy) who is trying to cover up the fact the town is nearly broke. Chris McCormick (Arquette) a local who returned to town after his father’s death refusing to sell the mine in a deal which could save the town.
When Mike makes it back to Joshua’s he learns of the super-sized spiders that have been released into this small town, the resident must now fight against the spiders that have infested the town.
Thoughts on Eight Legged Freaks
Characters/Performance – Chris McCormick returns to his hometown to claim what is his, the mine, he also needs to make up for the mistakes he has made and this gives him the perfect chance too. Sheriff Parker is a single mother of two trying to keep the local community together and being the former love interest of Chris. Mike is the expert on everything going on playing out as the reminder to all the different spiders attacking styles. Ashley is the bad girl daughter of Samantha who is mostly trying to discover who she is. We have the rest of the town which includes the conspiracy crazed radio host, the greedy mayor the comic relief deputy.
Performance wise, David Arquette is great in this leading role managing the comedy side of everything as well as the action horror when needed. Kari Wuhrer fits the part of sexy sheriff very well too. Both Scott Terra and Scarlett Johansson are good choices too. The rest of the actors all give good performances to fit the films mentality.
Story – Small town gets invaded by giant spiders thanks to cost cutting measures. We do have a reluctantly hero needing to help save the day but otherwise this is everything you need in a creature feature, plenty of potential victims, plenty of creature and plenty of laughs.
Action/Comedy/Horror – The action is all big and plans into the idea of the comedy being used in the creature feature side of the film.
Settings – The small town setting helps with the story telling here because they have no communication with the outside world after the attack starts and not many escape routes of places to hide.
Special Effects – We have a mix of practical and CGI here which all help create the low budget feel behind this film and while moments have dated other parts are all fun.
Final Thoughts – This is by far one of my favourite creature features out there, it is fun, over the top and filled with perfect comic timing, never trying to be serious.
Overall: Purely fun creature feature.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/10/27/a-z-halloween-horror-eight-legged-freaks-2002/
With this we get to see the rebellious teenage daughter Ashley (Johansson) who is dating bad boy biker Bret (Czuchry) step-son of Mayor Wade (Rippy) who is trying to cover up the fact the town is nearly broke. Chris McCormick (Arquette) a local who returned to town after his father’s death refusing to sell the mine in a deal which could save the town.
When Mike makes it back to Joshua’s he learns of the super-sized spiders that have been released into this small town, the resident must now fight against the spiders that have infested the town.
Thoughts on Eight Legged Freaks
Characters/Performance – Chris McCormick returns to his hometown to claim what is his, the mine, he also needs to make up for the mistakes he has made and this gives him the perfect chance too. Sheriff Parker is a single mother of two trying to keep the local community together and being the former love interest of Chris. Mike is the expert on everything going on playing out as the reminder to all the different spiders attacking styles. Ashley is the bad girl daughter of Samantha who is mostly trying to discover who she is. We have the rest of the town which includes the conspiracy crazed radio host, the greedy mayor the comic relief deputy.
Performance wise, David Arquette is great in this leading role managing the comedy side of everything as well as the action horror when needed. Kari Wuhrer fits the part of sexy sheriff very well too. Both Scott Terra and Scarlett Johansson are good choices too. The rest of the actors all give good performances to fit the films mentality.
Story – Small town gets invaded by giant spiders thanks to cost cutting measures. We do have a reluctantly hero needing to help save the day but otherwise this is everything you need in a creature feature, plenty of potential victims, plenty of creature and plenty of laughs.
Action/Comedy/Horror – The action is all big and plans into the idea of the comedy being used in the creature feature side of the film.
Settings – The small town setting helps with the story telling here because they have no communication with the outside world after the attack starts and not many escape routes of places to hide.
Special Effects – We have a mix of practical and CGI here which all help create the low budget feel behind this film and while moments have dated other parts are all fun.
Final Thoughts – This is by far one of my favourite creature features out there, it is fun, over the top and filled with perfect comic timing, never trying to be serious.
Overall: Purely fun creature feature.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/10/27/a-z-halloween-horror-eight-legged-freaks-2002/
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Tyger Tyger (Goblin Wars, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Teagan is sure she’s just your average girl… until a horrible twist of events convinces her that she is being hunted by goblins, for a reason she doesn’t understand, and her father is kidnapped by them. She and her quirky brother, Aiden, and her cousin-by-adoption Finn set off into the world she never knew existed to try and solve the mysteries of her past.
And it would be a whole lot easier if Finn wasn’t so darn distracting. Because it’s really hard to concentrate on hiding and finding food and running from hell hounds when you’re head over heels in love.
I tore through Tyger Tyger as fast as Finn swept Teagan off her feet (very fast). The story is fast-paced, exciting, and irresistible, with a great combination of mystery, suspense, and romance.
Finn is the bad boy we all want… rough, tough, and willing to do anything from skipping a meal to breaking an arm for the girl he loves. His rough exterior and his cold demeanor only make his love for Teagan more special. He was certainly my favorite character, followed closely by Teagan’s little brother, Aiden. He’s a funny quirky sort of kid who seems to be able to cause problems and solve them at the same time.
The plot and the pacing were fantastic! There were so many secrets and questions, and the way they were revealed was perfect.
The things that weren’t perfect about the book were these: The writing was clear and descriptive, though a little hard to understand at times. The only thing that felt lacking was Teagan and Finn’s relationship. It felt like it just barely got started… and the book ended. But on the other hand, it was definitely real, and not any of that sappy love based solely on attraction stuff. Lastly, I don’t really think the title describes the book, and the cover—though breathtakingly artistic—doesn’t say much about the book either. But none of this really took away from the enjoyment and the satisfaction at the end—the end was really cute, by the way!
I adored Tyger Tyger and can’t wait for the next book in the series!
And it would be a whole lot easier if Finn wasn’t so darn distracting. Because it’s really hard to concentrate on hiding and finding food and running from hell hounds when you’re head over heels in love.
I tore through Tyger Tyger as fast as Finn swept Teagan off her feet (very fast). The story is fast-paced, exciting, and irresistible, with a great combination of mystery, suspense, and romance.
Finn is the bad boy we all want… rough, tough, and willing to do anything from skipping a meal to breaking an arm for the girl he loves. His rough exterior and his cold demeanor only make his love for Teagan more special. He was certainly my favorite character, followed closely by Teagan’s little brother, Aiden. He’s a funny quirky sort of kid who seems to be able to cause problems and solve them at the same time.
The plot and the pacing were fantastic! There were so many secrets and questions, and the way they were revealed was perfect.
The things that weren’t perfect about the book were these: The writing was clear and descriptive, though a little hard to understand at times. The only thing that felt lacking was Teagan and Finn’s relationship. It felt like it just barely got started… and the book ended. But on the other hand, it was definitely real, and not any of that sappy love based solely on attraction stuff. Lastly, I don’t really think the title describes the book, and the cover—though breathtakingly artistic—doesn’t say much about the book either. But none of this really took away from the enjoyment and the satisfaction at the end—the end was really cute, by the way!
I adored Tyger Tyger and can’t wait for the next book in the series!