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The CMO's Periodic Table: A Renegade's Guide to Marketing
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Imagine how much you would learn if you could converse with 64 of the brightest minds in marketing....
Retromancer
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There is big and evil magic abroad upon the face of the Earth. History has been changed. The Germans...
Vitality (Vitality #1)
10.0
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To Ava, love is about as real as fairytales. But it might be that fairytales, myths, and magic have...
Dark Paranormal Romance
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Conjure Women in Books
Aug 6, 2023
102 of 235
Book
Conjure Women
By Afia Atakora
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The pale-skinned, black-eyed baby is a bad omen. That’s one thing the people on the old plantation are sure of. The other is that Miss Rue – midwife, healer, crafter of curses – will know what to do.
But for once Rue doesn’t know. Times have changed since her mother Miss May Belle held the power to influence the life and death of her fellow slaves. Freedom has come. The master’s Big House lies in ruins. But this new world brings new dangers, and Rue’s old magic may be no match for them.
When sickness sweeps across her tight-knit community, Rue finds herself the focus of suspicion. What secrets does she keep amidst the charred remains of the Big House? Which spells has she conjured to threaten their children? And why is she so wary of the charismatic preacher man who promises to save them all?
Rue understands fear. It has shaped her life and her mother’s before her. And now she knows she must face her fears – and her ghosts – to find a new way forward for herself and her people.
I liked it but it didn’t completely grab me I lost my way a little in the middle. The story and telling we’re really interesting. I just couldn’t pick back up from where it lost me.
Book
Conjure Women
By Afia Atakora
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The pale-skinned, black-eyed baby is a bad omen. That’s one thing the people on the old plantation are sure of. The other is that Miss Rue – midwife, healer, crafter of curses – will know what to do.
But for once Rue doesn’t know. Times have changed since her mother Miss May Belle held the power to influence the life and death of her fellow slaves. Freedom has come. The master’s Big House lies in ruins. But this new world brings new dangers, and Rue’s old magic may be no match for them.
When sickness sweeps across her tight-knit community, Rue finds herself the focus of suspicion. What secrets does she keep amidst the charred remains of the Big House? Which spells has she conjured to threaten their children? And why is she so wary of the charismatic preacher man who promises to save them all?
Rue understands fear. It has shaped her life and her mother’s before her. And now she knows she must face her fears – and her ghosts – to find a new way forward for herself and her people.
I liked it but it didn’t completely grab me I lost my way a little in the middle. The story and telling we’re really interesting. I just couldn’t pick back up from where it lost me.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Dark Net in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I really think that the synopsis for this book is not up to scratch! Although, yes, the synopsis is what initially drew me to this book, after reading it I can say that the book is <i><b>WAY</b></i> better than the synopsis would make you believe!
This book tackles the subject of good and evil, with references to demons and black magic which I didnt get at all from the synopsis! I was expecting this to have a much deeper involvement with the dark net, whats on it and how its used. While yes, there is that to the book, its not necessarily its main focus.
To begin with, this lack of talk about the dark net actually made me hesitant about the book. I was expecting something so much different to what I was reading, I felt really disappointed. But, that feeling didnt last for long. This is so unlike anything Ive ever read before and that made everything about this book really exciting. Not to mention, this is a super clever book! It uses real life scenarios that we can all relate to, or at least know about, and explains it with a black magic twist.
For example, when talking about demon possession, it explains how small demons can take over and that causes a man to plow a lorry through a busy crowd, or a school shooting a one off awful occasion in history. But when a big, strong demon comes along, it can posses not only a person, but a nation. It uses examples of the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide, which I thought was really smart!
Characters in this book were excellent, but there were quite a lot of them that we needed to get to know. Juniper was by far my favourite of the bunch, Sarin coming in at a close second. I loved that there was a strong, bad-ass female character who wasnt irritating (Lela, Im looking at you!).
As for the story, I will say that it feels a bit all over the place at times. Its not difficult to wrap your head around but there are a lot of things pulled in to the story at different times and this sometimes got a bit manic. This is classed as a horror novel, and for me, there definitely were some creepy bits. The hounds especially made my skin crawl.
Overall, I ended up really loving this novel. It was short and sweet (although it almost took me a whole 7 days to read), and it was exciting, creepy and fast-paced! A great novel for anyone who likes a darker thriller. Lots of gruesome deaths and bad-ass characters.
<i>Thanks to BookBridgr and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>
This book tackles the subject of good and evil, with references to demons and black magic which I didnt get at all from the synopsis! I was expecting this to have a much deeper involvement with the dark net, whats on it and how its used. While yes, there is that to the book, its not necessarily its main focus.
To begin with, this lack of talk about the dark net actually made me hesitant about the book. I was expecting something so much different to what I was reading, I felt really disappointed. But, that feeling didnt last for long. This is so unlike anything Ive ever read before and that made everything about this book really exciting. Not to mention, this is a super clever book! It uses real life scenarios that we can all relate to, or at least know about, and explains it with a black magic twist.
For example, when talking about demon possession, it explains how small demons can take over and that causes a man to plow a lorry through a busy crowd, or a school shooting a one off awful occasion in history. But when a big, strong demon comes along, it can posses not only a person, but a nation. It uses examples of the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide, which I thought was really smart!
Characters in this book were excellent, but there were quite a lot of them that we needed to get to know. Juniper was by far my favourite of the bunch, Sarin coming in at a close second. I loved that there was a strong, bad-ass female character who wasnt irritating (Lela, Im looking at you!).
As for the story, I will say that it feels a bit all over the place at times. Its not difficult to wrap your head around but there are a lot of things pulled in to the story at different times and this sometimes got a bit manic. This is classed as a horror novel, and for me, there definitely were some creepy bits. The hounds especially made my skin crawl.
Overall, I ended up really loving this novel. It was short and sweet (although it almost took me a whole 7 days to read), and it was exciting, creepy and fast-paced! A great novel for anyone who likes a darker thriller. Lots of gruesome deaths and bad-ass characters.
<i>Thanks to BookBridgr and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Grace Year in Books
Sep 26, 2019
For Tierney and the other girls in Garner County, their sixteenth year is when they are banished from the county. Their grace year. In the county, women have magic, and the girls are sent away to rid themselves of it. While away, they could supposedly be nabbed by poachers any chance they get, who sell their parts on the black market. Many don't return home, or if they do, they are missing body parts (ugh, I know). Tierney has always wanted a different life. Not an arranged marriage, nor a world where women are inferior to men. But she realizes as the grace year nears, her fellow girls may pose the greatest threat of all.
"No one speaks of the grace year. It's forbidden."
I really liked the premise of this book. I'm sure you've heard all the comparisons by now. This is "The Handmaid's Tale" plus "Lord of the Flies." Throw a little "Hunger Games" in. Sold, right? The idea that society sends girls away at sixteen to rid themselves of their "magic"--it sounds really cool. A society that fears women and takes away their status, yet relies on their parts (literally) as medicine. Yes. So much of this book is really amazing. I highlighted so many powerful lines.
But, I don't know, guys... I am still wrapping my brain around this one. I just couldn't get into it. I never wanted to pick it up--I should have cared deeply for Trinity, and I did. Sometimes. Part of the reason I had problems going back to the book was because it stressed me out. These girls were mean. Sometimes I was confused. We were thrown into the story without any backstory--what time period, why they think women have magic, why medicine consists of body parts, who are the poachers, what are the outskirts, why is the original language flowers, etc. I guess that adds to the mystique, but I don't like reading when I can't figure anything out.
"But not all of us will make it home... not in one piece."
It seemed like this was going to be a power anthem. The girls rise against society. Or maybe just Trinity escapes and the outskirts rise against society. Someone should be revolting, right? And yes, Trinity definitely had her awesome moments. But it also seemed like there were lots of moments that involved rescue--by men. There's also a really convenient insta-romance in here. Everything just seemed a little jumbled and crazy for my taste. There's some amazing, underlining worthy lines and then some that just make you cringe a bit.
So, overall, I'm not totally sold, though there's potential here. I rate based on my enjoyment, so this is a 3-star read for me. But it's getting lots of rave reviews from others, so don't let my review necessarily hold you back.
"No one speaks of the grace year. It's forbidden."
I really liked the premise of this book. I'm sure you've heard all the comparisons by now. This is "The Handmaid's Tale" plus "Lord of the Flies." Throw a little "Hunger Games" in. Sold, right? The idea that society sends girls away at sixteen to rid themselves of their "magic"--it sounds really cool. A society that fears women and takes away their status, yet relies on their parts (literally) as medicine. Yes. So much of this book is really amazing. I highlighted so many powerful lines.
But, I don't know, guys... I am still wrapping my brain around this one. I just couldn't get into it. I never wanted to pick it up--I should have cared deeply for Trinity, and I did. Sometimes. Part of the reason I had problems going back to the book was because it stressed me out. These girls were mean. Sometimes I was confused. We were thrown into the story without any backstory--what time period, why they think women have magic, why medicine consists of body parts, who are the poachers, what are the outskirts, why is the original language flowers, etc. I guess that adds to the mystique, but I don't like reading when I can't figure anything out.
"But not all of us will make it home... not in one piece."
It seemed like this was going to be a power anthem. The girls rise against society. Or maybe just Trinity escapes and the outskirts rise against society. Someone should be revolting, right? And yes, Trinity definitely had her awesome moments. But it also seemed like there were lots of moments that involved rescue--by men. There's also a really convenient insta-romance in here. Everything just seemed a little jumbled and crazy for my taste. There's some amazing, underlining worthy lines and then some that just make you cringe a bit.
So, overall, I'm not totally sold, though there's potential here. I rate based on my enjoyment, so this is a 3-star read for me. But it's getting lots of rave reviews from others, so don't let my review necessarily hold you back.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Power Rangers (2017) in Movies
Feb 10, 2018 (Updated Feb 10, 2018)
Mmm, Doughnuts
I had no idea I'd been waiting all my life for a film which combined juvenile sci-fi, plastic karate, diversity-friendly teen angst, industrial levels of product placement for Krispy Kreme, and jokes about jerking off bulls, but it turned out that I was and here it is.
A bunch of high school kids discover magic medallions that turn them into (basically) action figures, tasked with stopping the evil Rita Repulsa from locating a mystical crystal hidden in a vital location somewhere on Earth (the vital location may or may not be connected to selling a range of delicious fried-dough confectionary), helped by the ghost of an ancient alien hero (the producers must have some juicy dirt on Bryan Cranston and have blackmailed him into appearing).
Now, the high school kids are all played by actors who are clearly in their 20s, the tone is all over the place (to put it mildly), and long before the end it has quietly transformed itself into a massive advert for toys, but this is still a weirdly diverting and undeniably fun film, mainly because - underneath all the complete nonsense - the script is solid and no-one seems to be taking it too seriously. All right, much of it makes no sense at all, but it does so in a rather charming way. The finest kind of bad movie. Best line - Bryan Cranston: 'Have you ever morphed before?' Black Power Ranger: 'Only in the shower.'
A bunch of high school kids discover magic medallions that turn them into (basically) action figures, tasked with stopping the evil Rita Repulsa from locating a mystical crystal hidden in a vital location somewhere on Earth (the vital location may or may not be connected to selling a range of delicious fried-dough confectionary), helped by the ghost of an ancient alien hero (the producers must have some juicy dirt on Bryan Cranston and have blackmailed him into appearing).
Now, the high school kids are all played by actors who are clearly in their 20s, the tone is all over the place (to put it mildly), and long before the end it has quietly transformed itself into a massive advert for toys, but this is still a weirdly diverting and undeniably fun film, mainly because - underneath all the complete nonsense - the script is solid and no-one seems to be taking it too seriously. All right, much of it makes no sense at all, but it does so in a rather charming way. The finest kind of bad movie. Best line - Bryan Cranston: 'Have you ever morphed before?' Black Power Ranger: 'Only in the shower.'
Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music
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Burt Bacharach is one of the most celebrated and legendary song-writers of the twentieth century....
Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising
8.5
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Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising captures the difficulties and terrors Harry Potter, Ron Weasley...
Willa of Dark Hollow
10.0
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This enchanting companion to Robert Beatty's instant #1 New York Times bestseller Willa of the Wood...