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Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest
Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest
G.L. Davies | 2018 | Horror, Paranormal, Thriller
10
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
everything; based on his own true experience (0 more)
creepy, scary haunted house
Blissful beginnings for a young couple turn into a nightmare after purchasing their dream home in Wales in 1989. Their love and their resolve are torn apart by an indescribable entity that pushes paranormal activity to the limit. Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest is the prequel to the bestselling A Most Haunted House. Dare you step inside...
Whether you are a believer in the paranormal or not you shall enjoy reading this book. This is a very well written story and it is based around the authors’ own experience he had living in a haunted house in Wales. The writer had over 20 years’ worth of evidence. There are incidents and events that still linger long after you finish reading that will keep you thinking long into the night.
This book for me is just brilliant and I love the paranormal as I grew up in a haunted house and have my own experiences as well. This book just grabs you and doesn’t let go. The atmosphere of the book is not for the faint hearted and easily scared but if you are be sure to read with all the lights on. You simply cannot go wrong if what you're looking for is an intense and spooky story.
Many thanks to John Hunt Publishing and Net Galley for an ARC.
  
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David McK (3369 KP) rated Sharpe's Waterloo (1997) in Movies

Jan 8, 2023 (Updated Jan 8, 2023)  
Sharpe's Waterloo (1997)
Sharpe's Waterloo (1997)
1997 |
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The final part in the original run of TV movies based on the Bernard Cornwell books of the same name (although there was another such book to go at the time - 'Sharpe's Devil'), in which the now-retired Sharpe - alongside Harper, Hagman and Harris - find themselves partaking in the final decisive battle of the Napoleonic Wars: that of Waterloo.

As befits such an epic battle, this is an epic retelling of the events of the same (although, as always, liberties are taken and the lack of budget sometimes shows!)
  
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AT (1676 KP) rated Howl's Moving Castle in Books

Mar 26, 2020 (Updated Mar 26, 2020)  
Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle
Diana Wynne Jones | 1989 | Children
9
9.3 (17 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book has been on my to-read list for a long time. I love the Studio Ghibli movie version, but I had heard that the book was different. It's definitely worth reading if you liked Howl, Sophie, and Calcifer! The story was fairly similar in the beginning to the movie, but then it definitely changed toward the last 3/4 of the book. I really enjoyed the story, all the way through. I think it's difficult to write a story based on fantasy and have it make sense. To write one for a younger audience, have it make sense, AND have the characters stay interesting, that's even more improbable. Diana Wynne Jones did a marvelous job at creating a fantasy world that a reader of any age could step into without feeling lost or confused! I look forward to reading the other two books in the series, that I was unaware of until I finally read this one.
  
Elizabeth is Missing
Elizabeth is Missing
Emma Healey | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
7
8.1 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Informative but far too long
Listened on Audible.
While I loved the concept of raising awareness for dementia sufferers and how frustrating it can be to lose oneself, listening to this gave me a bit of a headache as it was far too long. This is definitely better as a book and not for Audible - you lose track of the Maud's meandering. And while it is based on the tragic circumstances of her sister's disappearance - I actually ended up losing focus over who she was actually talking about after a while. A good effort.
  
Charlie Chaplin's Own Story
Charlie Chaplin's Own Story
Charlie Chaplin | 2015 | Film & TV
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I was astonished to realize, relatively recently, that Charlie Chaplin had been a homeless teenager before he became the most famous film artist of his time — and that his character the Little Tramp was based, in part, on his past. As a child watching his films, I was merely entertained, but reading this book, not his “official” biography, (which I find slightly starchy), enlightened me on the daily sufferings and joys of what it was like for him before he became famous. It was published in 1916 — and yet is still so relevant today."

Source
  
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Glitch (Glitch, #1)
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I absolutely loved this book!! I was a bit scared thinking I wouldn't like it based on the majority of reviews, but I loved it!

It does start off a bit slow. I was about halfway through it before it started picking up. After that, it was hard to put down!

I love dystopian novels. (Brave New World being my favourite). This one didn't disappoint me either.

I could actually imagine something like this happening in the future. It's quite scary to think about.

I loved the characters of Zoe and Adrien. They are so cute together!!

However, I couldn't stand Max! I was secretly hoping throughout the book that he'd be killed off.

The one thing that really annoyed me about this book was the made up swear words. I understand that it's in the future, but still...surely they could've just been left out. Eventually, about 75% through the book, I just got used to it.

I would definitely recommend this book. I thought it was fantastic! I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
  
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness
Erik Larson | 2004 | Crime, History & Politics, Reference
8
7.0 (16 Ratings)
Book Rating
Erik Larson is one of the popular historian writers that I really like. He builds a very big picture of the times, and what was going on in general, outside of H.H. Holmes' murder house. I enjoy knowing the whole picture to put everything into context. Holmes himself is terrifying, and creepily sophisticated for his time.
If you're expecting a book purely based upon Holmes murders, I would not suggest this. Larson builds a huge picture with rich historical detail, which isn't some people's jams. This book is more so about the Worlds' Fair, and how the murder house took advantage of the slight upheaval.
  
Clash of cultures within one civilisation
A fascinating look into how Russia has essentially used contemporary and western culture to reconstruct the same Soviet system. It's not so much an evolution but adaptation to bolster their former glory.

Peter Pomerantsev is a veteran reporter for Russia, and his tongue and cheek yet informative look into the country is engaging, concerning and at times just plain insane.

The book itself meanders through a variety of topics, mostly based on the writer's experiences of working on various television programmes for state sponsored networks, therefore doesn't strictly stick to the nitty gritty political system.
  
The Shell Collector
The Shell Collector
Hugh Howey | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Promising but ultimately disappointing
I've loved some of Hugh Howey's other works and I had high hopes for his take on a romantic novel, but sadly this was pretty disappointing. It had promise, with an interesting plot based around a romance taking place in a near future where the sea levels have risen and shells are becoming extinct. Howey writes very well and I can't fault him for that, I just felt he concentrated too much on the predictable romance side than developing the scientific future aspect. The characters too were nothing special, and the whole book just felt very rushed.
  
AA
Aliens: Alien Harvest
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Based, apparently, on a dark horse comic of the same name and released before Alien: Resurrection, this book is really only a light read that adds nothing new or exciting to the whole Alien concept: if anything, some of it detracts from that concept (eg the Alien hive easily being penetrated by a small group of characters).

I think I bought it in a sale years ago for round about £2.50 (that's the price written on the inside cover): I'm quite glad that I didn't pay full price for it, which would have felt like a major waste of money!