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RəX Regent (349 KP) rated Network (1976) in Movies
Feb 19, 2019
“I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore!”
…the lasting legacy of Peter Finch’s rants, which began with a breakdown and became the ratings winner in the 1970’s Network driven news media. This is of course, fiction but the commentary on the changing and more corporate driven American media industry of the the time is not without merit.
Smartly scripted, on the ball cynicism and yet harking back to the rose tinted nostalgia common with American media movies in whcih the industry was supposedly filled with Walter Cronkites,
the notion that American press was once beyond reproach is clearly a fallacy, in contrast, the notion that American news media was becoming so ratings driven that the news gave way to outlandish editorialism, is not.
Howard Beale (Finch) has an on air breakdown and whilst his best friend and producer, Max Schumacher (William Holden) tries to pull him from the air waves, allowing him to bow out with some dignity, the new wave of corporate management lead by CEO Frank Hackett (Robert Duval) and Holden’s replacement and eventual lover, Diana, (Faye Dunaway), have other ideas.
She sees an opportunity in the ratings spike gained by Beale’s rants which speak to the peoples growing frustrations and takes advantage, only driven by ratings.
Though the screenplay and performances are nothing less than brilliant, there are two core problems with this movie.
The first being that it is too long. The plot seems to be dragged out and repetitive as we approach the almost inevitable conclusion and the second is the level of preaching. But this is a symptom of the first, opening with a good argument, with old school journalism versus the TV generation and as the film goes on, the arguments need to escalate but since this was covered in the first half an hour, the points become laboured and over started.
The notion that the TV generation is shallow and amoral is put at odds with the middle aged newspaper reader, where time and decency are standard. This is a point which I refuse to accept since some of the 20th centuries most amoral acts where committed either before 1936, the birth of television and in the first couple of decades there after, by the very generation whcih is being held up as the moral standard here.
large_network_blu-ray_3The press has always had its paymasters, always had to sell newspapers and whilst the medium and methods may have changed, this does feel like sour grapes by the end. Criticising the characters motivations is one thing, but this film seems to imply that the modern world of television is making sociopaths of us all, dumbing us down and numbing our emotions to the point of accepting nothing but pure spectacle.
In many ways this is true but is also a very flawed argument and comes across as bunch old men crying into there Scotch in some dimly lit bar, in a way not too dissimilar to the print or broadcast media of today, hitting out at the blogging and twitter generation.
The ending was amusing though with the quote “This was the story of Howard Beale, the only known case of a man killed because of poor ratings”.
Very droll.
Smartly scripted, on the ball cynicism and yet harking back to the rose tinted nostalgia common with American media movies in whcih the industry was supposedly filled with Walter Cronkites,
the notion that American press was once beyond reproach is clearly a fallacy, in contrast, the notion that American news media was becoming so ratings driven that the news gave way to outlandish editorialism, is not.
Howard Beale (Finch) has an on air breakdown and whilst his best friend and producer, Max Schumacher (William Holden) tries to pull him from the air waves, allowing him to bow out with some dignity, the new wave of corporate management lead by CEO Frank Hackett (Robert Duval) and Holden’s replacement and eventual lover, Diana, (Faye Dunaway), have other ideas.
She sees an opportunity in the ratings spike gained by Beale’s rants which speak to the peoples growing frustrations and takes advantage, only driven by ratings.
Though the screenplay and performances are nothing less than brilliant, there are two core problems with this movie.
The first being that it is too long. The plot seems to be dragged out and repetitive as we approach the almost inevitable conclusion and the second is the level of preaching. But this is a symptom of the first, opening with a good argument, with old school journalism versus the TV generation and as the film goes on, the arguments need to escalate but since this was covered in the first half an hour, the points become laboured and over started.
The notion that the TV generation is shallow and amoral is put at odds with the middle aged newspaper reader, where time and decency are standard. This is a point which I refuse to accept since some of the 20th centuries most amoral acts where committed either before 1936, the birth of television and in the first couple of decades there after, by the very generation whcih is being held up as the moral standard here.
large_network_blu-ray_3The press has always had its paymasters, always had to sell newspapers and whilst the medium and methods may have changed, this does feel like sour grapes by the end. Criticising the characters motivations is one thing, but this film seems to imply that the modern world of television is making sociopaths of us all, dumbing us down and numbing our emotions to the point of accepting nothing but pure spectacle.
In many ways this is true but is also a very flawed argument and comes across as bunch old men crying into there Scotch in some dimly lit bar, in a way not too dissimilar to the print or broadcast media of today, hitting out at the blogging and twitter generation.
The ending was amusing though with the quote “This was the story of Howard Beale, the only known case of a man killed because of poor ratings”.
Very droll.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Perfect Harmony in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<h2><em><strong>Perfect Harmony</strong></em><strong> speaks of two things: cuteness and music.</strong></h2>
In fact, it is probably the embodiment of a dream my mom once had for me when<strong> </strong>I used to play the violin when I was 10-years-old. Maybe I've mentioned this at one point in my blogging career, who knows. She wanted me to be famous <span style="font-size: 8pt;">(well, actually, she still does)</span> and as a result, I stopped playing after a year because of too much pressure to practice, practice, practice <span style="font-size: 8pt;">(and 10-year-old me probably didn't care about fame more than actually enjoying the instrument itself).</span>
<strong>But I do like the violin when I think about it!</strong> It's such a delicate and tiny instrument making pretty music. But I digress - <em>Perfect Harmony</em> reminded me a lot about my orchestra memories.
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Soooo What Can We Expect From <em>Perfect Harmony?</em></strong></h2>
Because that's the most important question of them all.
<h3>Lots of music!</h3>
Pippa is super passionate about playing the cello - it's become a part of who she is as a person, and if someone takes it away from her, it's like they're taking away her soul. Music to Pippa allows her to express her emotions much like words allow writers to express their emotions. There is not a page that goes by without some reference to music in <em>Perfect Harmony</em>.
<h3>Cuteness (or rather, a cute and fictional boy)!</h3>
Pippa's life seems perfect until she meets her competition in the form of Declan during her senior year, who is just as good at the cello as she is and seems determined to keep her dreams as dreams. Declan is the cutest and sweetest boy ever - omg he did not deserve the harshness of his life. He's a precious cinnamon roll, and I'll keep him forever if Pippa ruins his soul.
<h3>Sometimes there were too many love crises.</h3>
It was hard to keep track who was attracted to who and who was pissing off who deeper into the story. I'm sorry I get confused so easily.
<h3>Friendship! Family! Siblings!</h3>
All of these play a huge role in addition to the musical competition and passion. Since a lot of the characters grew up together or watched each other grow, it was fun to see them get through all the obstacles life throws at them and find their path to each other, whatever it may be.
<h3>Writing that is meh?</h3>
The writing style is why I rated the book lower than I wanted to since I enjoyed the novel. A lot! But it was so hard to look past and see into the book itself because I just didn't like the writing for some reason - maybe it's just me. It is, however, easy and quick to read. It just didn't ring well with my reading preferences.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/perfect-harmony-by-emily-albright-musical-and-cute/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<h2><em><strong>Perfect Harmony</strong></em><strong> speaks of two things: cuteness and music.</strong></h2>
In fact, it is probably the embodiment of a dream my mom once had for me when<strong> </strong>I used to play the violin when I was 10-years-old. Maybe I've mentioned this at one point in my blogging career, who knows. She wanted me to be famous <span style="font-size: 8pt;">(well, actually, she still does)</span> and as a result, I stopped playing after a year because of too much pressure to practice, practice, practice <span style="font-size: 8pt;">(and 10-year-old me probably didn't care about fame more than actually enjoying the instrument itself).</span>
<strong>But I do like the violin when I think about it!</strong> It's such a delicate and tiny instrument making pretty music. But I digress - <em>Perfect Harmony</em> reminded me a lot about my orchestra memories.
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Soooo What Can We Expect From <em>Perfect Harmony?</em></strong></h2>
Because that's the most important question of them all.
<h3>Lots of music!</h3>
Pippa is super passionate about playing the cello - it's become a part of who she is as a person, and if someone takes it away from her, it's like they're taking away her soul. Music to Pippa allows her to express her emotions much like words allow writers to express their emotions. There is not a page that goes by without some reference to music in <em>Perfect Harmony</em>.
<h3>Cuteness (or rather, a cute and fictional boy)!</h3>
Pippa's life seems perfect until she meets her competition in the form of Declan during her senior year, who is just as good at the cello as she is and seems determined to keep her dreams as dreams. Declan is the cutest and sweetest boy ever - omg he did not deserve the harshness of his life. He's a precious cinnamon roll, and I'll keep him forever if Pippa ruins his soul.
<h3>Sometimes there were too many love crises.</h3>
It was hard to keep track who was attracted to who and who was pissing off who deeper into the story. I'm sorry I get confused so easily.
<h3>Friendship! Family! Siblings!</h3>
All of these play a huge role in addition to the musical competition and passion. Since a lot of the characters grew up together or watched each other grow, it was fun to see them get through all the obstacles life throws at them and find their path to each other, whatever it may be.
<h3>Writing that is meh?</h3>
The writing style is why I rated the book lower than I wanted to since I enjoyed the novel. A lot! But it was so hard to look past and see into the book itself because I just didn't like the writing for some reason - maybe it's just me. It is, however, easy and quick to read. It just didn't ring well with my reading preferences.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/perfect-harmony-by-emily-albright-musical-and-cute/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Shatter Me in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Lupe and I made a random, out of the blue deal where I read <i>Shatter Me</i> (the entire series), and she finally gets her act together to read the amazingness called <i>Harry Potter</i> (the entire series). <b>She's trekking her way merrily - I've made a fan out of her yet. #SophiaIsProud</b>
<b>Let’s be honest here: she gets the better deal.</b> This trilogy and I will have a strong love/hate relationship that knows no bounds because all I wanted to do was:
<ul>
<li>Throw my iPad at Lupe if she shows herself (not literally)</li>
<li>Hug the book</li>
<li>Die of laughter</li>
<li>Stop torturing myself</li>
<li>Repeat</li>
</ul>
<i>Shatter Me</i> is straight up the alley of everything I will read because a character who kills anything they touch is a golden novel. It’s like King Midas’s curse gone completely wrong.
But unfortunately, it’s my cup of tea with way too much sugar and other weird flavors.
<b>
</b> <b>There is a massive amount of numbers.</b> The first 5-6 chapters had my eyes crying because 1) I really hate numbers, 2) numbers just remind me of math, 3) I don’t like math, 4) it reminds me of Calculus, which went POORLY (AKA failed the final with a giant fish flop) and 5) I think I’m allergic to numbers.
<b>
</b> <b>There is also a lot of strikeouts.</b> Honestly, I can’t complain, because I use strikeouts on my own blog and if I say I hated them I would be contradicting myself. I’ve basically learned that strikeouts take up space and are sometimes unnecessary, which is the case with <i>Shatter Me</i>.
There are fewer numbers and strikeouts as the book progresses, but they remain. My eyes cry less, and I <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">whine</span> complain less about the massive use of numbers to Lupe. Poor Anelise had to witness this (as it is the tragedy of being a coblogger and dealing with two beans who actually know each other personally and outside blogging).
<b>
</b> <b>I don’t care about Adam or Warner.</b> I think Adam is a shallow cheese ball (it might be his romance with Juliette because I cringed every time they’re doing romance things) and Warner is a creepy pervert, so I don’t understand why Lupe swoons over Warner. If he’s still a creepy pervert by book three, I might have to <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">interrogate</span> question Lupe on her fictional boy choices.
<b>
</b> <b>But thanks to Adam, I know about Juliette as a person, so that’s a plus.</b> <b>Does this mean I care about Juliette? No...</b>
If there’s one thing I’ll agree with Lupe on this series, it’s Kenji. He is a precious little bean who deserves so much more page time than he got.
There are a lot of birds. So many birds and no explanation (not even a little). I like metaphors and all, but I still don’t get the concept of a million birds mentioned throughout the book, and Lupe isn’t too helpful. I have to go wallow in misery and torture myself some more.
I’ll be reading the rest of the series for the following reasons:
<ul>
<li>It’s Lupe’s fault</li>
<li>Kenji the precious bean</li>
<li>Why are there so many birds</li>
<li>Mainly it’s just for the sake of Lupe</li>
<li>It brought my reviewing soul back I think</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/shatter-me-by-tahereh-mafi-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<b>Let’s be honest here: she gets the better deal.</b> This trilogy and I will have a strong love/hate relationship that knows no bounds because all I wanted to do was:
<ul>
<li>Throw my iPad at Lupe if she shows herself (not literally)</li>
<li>Hug the book</li>
<li>Die of laughter</li>
<li>Stop torturing myself</li>
<li>Repeat</li>
</ul>
<i>Shatter Me</i> is straight up the alley of everything I will read because a character who kills anything they touch is a golden novel. It’s like King Midas’s curse gone completely wrong.
But unfortunately, it’s my cup of tea with way too much sugar and other weird flavors.
<b>
</b> <b>There is a massive amount of numbers.</b> The first 5-6 chapters had my eyes crying because 1) I really hate numbers, 2) numbers just remind me of math, 3) I don’t like math, 4) it reminds me of Calculus, which went POORLY (AKA failed the final with a giant fish flop) and 5) I think I’m allergic to numbers.
<b>
</b> <b>There is also a lot of strikeouts.</b> Honestly, I can’t complain, because I use strikeouts on my own blog and if I say I hated them I would be contradicting myself. I’ve basically learned that strikeouts take up space and are sometimes unnecessary, which is the case with <i>Shatter Me</i>.
There are fewer numbers and strikeouts as the book progresses, but they remain. My eyes cry less, and I <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">whine</span> complain less about the massive use of numbers to Lupe. Poor Anelise had to witness this (as it is the tragedy of being a coblogger and dealing with two beans who actually know each other personally and outside blogging).
<b>
</b> <b>I don’t care about Adam or Warner.</b> I think Adam is a shallow cheese ball (it might be his romance with Juliette because I cringed every time they’re doing romance things) and Warner is a creepy pervert, so I don’t understand why Lupe swoons over Warner. If he’s still a creepy pervert by book three, I might have to <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">interrogate</span> question Lupe on her fictional boy choices.
<b>
</b> <b>But thanks to Adam, I know about Juliette as a person, so that’s a plus.</b> <b>Does this mean I care about Juliette? No...</b>
If there’s one thing I’ll agree with Lupe on this series, it’s Kenji. He is a precious little bean who deserves so much more page time than he got.
There are a lot of birds. So many birds and no explanation (not even a little). I like metaphors and all, but I still don’t get the concept of a million birds mentioned throughout the book, and Lupe isn’t too helpful. I have to go wallow in misery and torture myself some more.
I’ll be reading the rest of the series for the following reasons:
<ul>
<li>It’s Lupe’s fault</li>
<li>Kenji the precious bean</li>
<li>Why are there so many birds</li>
<li>Mainly it’s just for the sake of Lupe</li>
<li>It brought my reviewing soul back I think</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/shatter-me-by-tahereh-mafi-review/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated A Place Beyond (The Danaan Trilogy, #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I fully enjoyed the last few months of reading the first two books in the Danaan trilogy – The Forgotten Ones and Stone of Destiny. After reading the second book, I was extremely excited to read the final book in the trilogy just to see what Laura Howard had in mind for some of my favorite characters of the summer – emphasis on some – because I was hoping for something huge, spectacular, and out of this world. Of course, I have high expectations for the last books of a series. You guys are special (read: reallyyyy special)!
Oh, and The Forgotten Ones did land in one of my best reads of 2014.
Sadly, A Place Beyond suffered a little bit of what I call "Last Book Syndrome," in which compared to the prior books, the last book didn't exceed my expectations. Let me repeat: The last books are special. Simply because most of the time, I rarely get to the last book of the series, reason or no reason.
There are probably a few reasons why Laura Howard's ending to her debut series didn't exactly meet up to my expectations:
First, I feel as though A Place Beyond is questioning all of the Danaans' loyalties and where it lies – are the characters on the same side, or are the characters puppets and there's a puppeteer behind the scenes (aside from the author, who actually created the world) playing all the characters? It seems to particularly question royalty, especially Saoirse.
Second, the ENDING (aka final battle). Third, the villain. I'm putting both reasons together – in a way – because they go interchangeably.
If anything, I find the ending pretty important. It's the final battle! Who shall prevail?!?!?! All fans are sitting at the edge of their seats, flipping the pages, waiting to see what the author would throw at them next, anticipating the next move. Drama! Hooray! We all love drama in a way.
But in A Place Beyond, the villain gives up. Typical "NOOOOO." Roar.
The villain agrees to break the curse she had on Allison's mother and father – it's been there since The Forgotten Ones. There doesn't seem to be a bit of a fight. Again, I point to the villain giving up. It's like Aoife readily agreed – if she was going to give up, why even bother in the first place? Or maybe I'm just one of those weirdos who think you should go down fighting. It's funny, honestly. I have this tendency to ask for a draw sometimes in a chess match at a tournament, but I choose not to in the end.
Which is precisely why I'm probably currently one of the worst chess players in my state (I'm not the competitive type – competitive hardly goes well). And I honestly don't care too much because I'm too busy being scholarly to study chess. School, work and books are my priorities. Obviously, blogging is part of it.
But I repeat (for like the third time): the villain basically gives up. I would have loved to see her trapped in a fey globe again if you ask me – are there stronger ones out there? After making Aoife break the geis first, of course.
Oh, and Aoife's so nonchalant about sacrificing herself. It's total irony, guys. Just complete irony. Now that I think about it, the villain is so bad, it's good. Not to be so critical or anything – I'm absolutely peachy.
But hey, I still enjoyed A Place Beyond while it lasted. That's all that matters, right? No, A Place Beyond wasn't a great end to a trilogy, but it was a happy read (read: Ever After by Chloe Miles is just one of those happy reads I'm talking about). A quick read that gave me a break from the essays and projects I had earlier this month (yeah, yeah. I have more things to worry about in December. 8th graders, stop complaining so much. I worry about your future in three years). And really, I needed a good, quick read.
-------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-tour-place-beyond-by-laura-howard-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Oh, and The Forgotten Ones did land in one of my best reads of 2014.
Sadly, A Place Beyond suffered a little bit of what I call "Last Book Syndrome," in which compared to the prior books, the last book didn't exceed my expectations. Let me repeat: The last books are special. Simply because most of the time, I rarely get to the last book of the series, reason or no reason.
There are probably a few reasons why Laura Howard's ending to her debut series didn't exactly meet up to my expectations:
First, I feel as though A Place Beyond is questioning all of the Danaans' loyalties and where it lies – are the characters on the same side, or are the characters puppets and there's a puppeteer behind the scenes (aside from the author, who actually created the world) playing all the characters? It seems to particularly question royalty, especially Saoirse.
Second, the ENDING (aka final battle). Third, the villain. I'm putting both reasons together – in a way – because they go interchangeably.
If anything, I find the ending pretty important. It's the final battle! Who shall prevail?!?!?! All fans are sitting at the edge of their seats, flipping the pages, waiting to see what the author would throw at them next, anticipating the next move. Drama! Hooray! We all love drama in a way.
But in A Place Beyond, the villain gives up. Typical "NOOOOO." Roar.
The villain agrees to break the curse she had on Allison's mother and father – it's been there since The Forgotten Ones. There doesn't seem to be a bit of a fight. Again, I point to the villain giving up. It's like Aoife readily agreed – if she was going to give up, why even bother in the first place? Or maybe I'm just one of those weirdos who think you should go down fighting. It's funny, honestly. I have this tendency to ask for a draw sometimes in a chess match at a tournament, but I choose not to in the end.
Which is precisely why I'm probably currently one of the worst chess players in my state (I'm not the competitive type – competitive hardly goes well). And I honestly don't care too much because I'm too busy being scholarly to study chess. School, work and books are my priorities. Obviously, blogging is part of it.
But I repeat (for like the third time): the villain basically gives up. I would have loved to see her trapped in a fey globe again if you ask me – are there stronger ones out there? After making Aoife break the geis first, of course.
Oh, and Aoife's so nonchalant about sacrificing herself. It's total irony, guys. Just complete irony. Now that I think about it, the villain is so bad, it's good. Not to be so critical or anything – I'm absolutely peachy.
But hey, I still enjoyed A Place Beyond while it lasted. That's all that matters, right? No, A Place Beyond wasn't a great end to a trilogy, but it was a happy read (read: Ever After by Chloe Miles is just one of those happy reads I'm talking about). A quick read that gave me a break from the essays and projects I had earlier this month (yeah, yeah. I have more things to worry about in December. 8th graders, stop complaining so much. I worry about your future in three years). And really, I needed a good, quick read.
-------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-tour-place-beyond-by-laura-howard-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Benevolent in Books
Aug 25, 2019
I first heard of Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen through the blogging community. It sounded very interesting especially the more I heard about it. When an opportunity to review Benevolent came about, I jumped at the chance. Although Benevolent does mention the television show Supernatural throughout the book, you don't have to be a fan of Supernatural or know anything about the show to enjoy this novel. I will admit that I've only seen a few episodes of Supernatural back when it first began, but my limited knowledge of Supernatural did not take away my enjoyment of Benevolent. I'm really glad I got the chance to read Benevolent because it truly is a gem of a book!
The plot of Benevolent was a truly interesting one that really tugged at my heartstrings throughout. Benevolent begins with a teenage girl, Abigail (or Abbie as she's sometimes called) losing her best and only friend to cancer. She is comforted by an angel who appears in the form of Castiel from the television show Supernatural (her and her best friend's favorite). The reader is then taken through a journey throughout Abbie's life including all the ups and downs. Her angel, Castiel, plays a big role in her life's journey, and Abbie's left wondering if Castiel is real or if he's just a figment of her imagination. Benevolent is more than just that though. It's a gripping and emotional love story, but not in the romantic sense.
I could not put Benevolent down! In fact, I pretty much read this book in one sitting. It's a fairly short story, but the pacing was absolutely perfect throughout. I love how each chapter title was a song title. In fact, it makes for a great playlist whilst reading the chapter that features it or before and/or after that chapter. I was pulled into Abigail's world as soon as I started reading the first page. I loved how every loose end is tied up before Benevolent ends, and every question I had was answered. The world building is fantastic, and I can't fault anything about it. Erin A. Jensen is such a talented writer based on Benevolent!
I absolutely enjoyed every character in Benevolent. Abigail felt like an old friend. In fact, I felt like I was reading a true life biography about Abigail instead of just a work of fiction. Everything about Abigail's character was just laid bare for everyone to read about, and I think that's what made me love her so much. She had been through a lot, and I could relate to her on so many levels. The character of Castiel was written perfectly too. Like I said, I had only watched a few episodes of Supernatural before they introduced the character of Castiel, so I can't comment on how much Benevolent's character of Castiel was like the one on Supernatural. However, it is mentioned in the beginning of Benevolent that Abigail's angel took on the form of Castiel and his name and mannerisms to make Abbie feel more comfortable. It is said that he isn't the actual Castiel from Supernatural. We also get to know Danny, Abbie's childhood best friend, through Abbie's memories. Danny seemed like such an awesome person, and even I was saddened by his death.
Trigger warnings for Benevolent include death, cancer, attempted suicide, overdosing, drug use, alcohol, and some profanity but nothing too bad.
Overall, Benevolent is one of those books that will stick with you long after you've stopped reading. It's a book that tugs on your heart strings and won't let go until the very end. Benevolent has such a fantastic plot with such a relatable main character that it just makes for an awesome read. What makes Benevolent even more awesome (which is saying something since Benevolent is highly awesome already) is that 100 percent of the profits from its sales will be donated to Random Acts charity. I would wholeheartedly recommend Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen to everyone aged 15+ no matter what genre of book they like. I feel like this book will touch everyone who gives it a read.
--
(A special thank you to Erin A. Jensen for providing me with a paperback of Benevolent in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot of Benevolent was a truly interesting one that really tugged at my heartstrings throughout. Benevolent begins with a teenage girl, Abigail (or Abbie as she's sometimes called) losing her best and only friend to cancer. She is comforted by an angel who appears in the form of Castiel from the television show Supernatural (her and her best friend's favorite). The reader is then taken through a journey throughout Abbie's life including all the ups and downs. Her angel, Castiel, plays a big role in her life's journey, and Abbie's left wondering if Castiel is real or if he's just a figment of her imagination. Benevolent is more than just that though. It's a gripping and emotional love story, but not in the romantic sense.
I could not put Benevolent down! In fact, I pretty much read this book in one sitting. It's a fairly short story, but the pacing was absolutely perfect throughout. I love how each chapter title was a song title. In fact, it makes for a great playlist whilst reading the chapter that features it or before and/or after that chapter. I was pulled into Abigail's world as soon as I started reading the first page. I loved how every loose end is tied up before Benevolent ends, and every question I had was answered. The world building is fantastic, and I can't fault anything about it. Erin A. Jensen is such a talented writer based on Benevolent!
I absolutely enjoyed every character in Benevolent. Abigail felt like an old friend. In fact, I felt like I was reading a true life biography about Abigail instead of just a work of fiction. Everything about Abigail's character was just laid bare for everyone to read about, and I think that's what made me love her so much. She had been through a lot, and I could relate to her on so many levels. The character of Castiel was written perfectly too. Like I said, I had only watched a few episodes of Supernatural before they introduced the character of Castiel, so I can't comment on how much Benevolent's character of Castiel was like the one on Supernatural. However, it is mentioned in the beginning of Benevolent that Abigail's angel took on the form of Castiel and his name and mannerisms to make Abbie feel more comfortable. It is said that he isn't the actual Castiel from Supernatural. We also get to know Danny, Abbie's childhood best friend, through Abbie's memories. Danny seemed like such an awesome person, and even I was saddened by his death.
Trigger warnings for Benevolent include death, cancer, attempted suicide, overdosing, drug use, alcohol, and some profanity but nothing too bad.
Overall, Benevolent is one of those books that will stick with you long after you've stopped reading. It's a book that tugs on your heart strings and won't let go until the very end. Benevolent has such a fantastic plot with such a relatable main character that it just makes for an awesome read. What makes Benevolent even more awesome (which is saying something since Benevolent is highly awesome already) is that 100 percent of the profits from its sales will be donated to Random Acts charity. I would wholeheartedly recommend Benevolent by Erin A. Jensen to everyone aged 15+ no matter what genre of book they like. I feel like this book will touch everyone who gives it a read.
--
(A special thank you to Erin A. Jensen for providing me with a paperback of Benevolent in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated 27 hours: Nightside Saga Series, Book One in Books
Jan 23, 2020
DNF at a place I don't remember because I read this book ages ago and apparently I didn't upload a review. (Also will not be supporting further on after this due to reasons.)
<b><i>I received this book for free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</b></i>
I wish I could’ve enjoyed 27 Hours as much as most people I know seem to have enjoyed the book, but alas, that is not the case.
Also I’ve been keeping a wonderful streak of finishing every book this year, and I wanted to keep that streak. But...
27 Hours was an absolute pain for me to read, and this was the situation I found myself in constantly:
Me: *picks up book, starts reading*
Me (ten minutes later): Ugh, this is painful. I’m bored.
Me (while trying to read): I’m going to do some blogging and maybe quest on my balance wizard. Maybe this will motivate me.
Me (two hours later): *finishes a dungeon in game, finds myself reading maybe two sentences in between battles* Please note that I'm actually good at reading while waiting for my turn, especially when I'm in a team.
Me (two days later): Ooo shiny book! *starts new book*
Me (another two days later): Oh, yeah. I was supposed to read you, right? *eyes book warily* Let's try this again.
This cycle repeated itself for days and weeks. Eventually, I just called it quits because when I’ve been repeating the same thing over and over again and have progressed more in a game than a book, we’ve got issues and it’s time for me to move on to other books.
27 Hours has a lot of representation among the characters, I won’t deny that. But that’s honestly the only thing I can think of that’s good about this book. Anything I might have missed has been clouded over by the cons.
<b>Why 27 Hours Is Not My Cup of Tea</b>
Rumor - I’m being very nitpicky, but the name Rumor instantly reminded me of Adele’s song. Every time “Rumor” came up in the book (which is a lot, considering the fact he’s a main character), the song blasted in my brain.
The name Rumor, however, is the least of my worries.
The world building is a mass of confusion - I have no clue what things are and honestly the world is a jumbled mess of a confusion. Is a dragon the same as a gargoyle, is a chimera the same as a gargoyle, are they simply the same creatures with different names depending on which group the person belongs to… or what? Is it a group of rebellious humans? Also what is this about hellhounds and gargoyles? The world building feels like a melting pot gone very wrong on the moon hundreds of years in the future.
Not only is the world building is a mass of confusion, but it feels way too modern for a book that is supposedly set 200 years from now.
I’m mainly concerned about the world building to focus on the logistics of book year and present year, though.
Too many characters - There are too many to keep track of in 27 Hours, and the fun part? They’re introduced early. I don’t… I don’t even know who this random dude is and boom! We’ve got another one. I knew for sure there were going to be at least four POVs, which is a lot, but it’s not too much. BUT… not only do we have Jude, Rumor, Nyx, Braedon, etc. etc. we have some person named Colt, Wren, Eric, Sara… that’s just some of the characters.
This is by chapter three. Chapter freaking THREE. My brain was already hurting from the world building and then there are all of these characters being introduced and OMG I just wanted to scream.
I just… I just can’t handle all of these characters because I don’t even remember who does what by the time character #2244 pops up.
I really wished I could’ve finished 27 Hours and continued my streak for this year, but the huge cast of characters being introduced so early into the story and massively confusing world is a no go for me.
<a href="https://thenovelistics.blogspot.com/2017/11/27-hours-by-tristina-wright-arc-review.html">This review is originally posted on The Novelistics</a>
<b><i>I received this book for free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</b></i>
I wish I could’ve enjoyed 27 Hours as much as most people I know seem to have enjoyed the book, but alas, that is not the case.
Also I’ve been keeping a wonderful streak of finishing every book this year, and I wanted to keep that streak. But...
27 Hours was an absolute pain for me to read, and this was the situation I found myself in constantly:
Me: *picks up book, starts reading*
Me (ten minutes later): Ugh, this is painful. I’m bored.
Me (while trying to read): I’m going to do some blogging and maybe quest on my balance wizard. Maybe this will motivate me.
Me (two hours later): *finishes a dungeon in game, finds myself reading maybe two sentences in between battles* Please note that I'm actually good at reading while waiting for my turn, especially when I'm in a team.
Me (two days later): Ooo shiny book! *starts new book*
Me (another two days later): Oh, yeah. I was supposed to read you, right? *eyes book warily* Let's try this again.
This cycle repeated itself for days and weeks. Eventually, I just called it quits because when I’ve been repeating the same thing over and over again and have progressed more in a game than a book, we’ve got issues and it’s time for me to move on to other books.
27 Hours has a lot of representation among the characters, I won’t deny that. But that’s honestly the only thing I can think of that’s good about this book. Anything I might have missed has been clouded over by the cons.
<b>Why 27 Hours Is Not My Cup of Tea</b>
Rumor - I’m being very nitpicky, but the name Rumor instantly reminded me of Adele’s song. Every time “Rumor” came up in the book (which is a lot, considering the fact he’s a main character), the song blasted in my brain.
The name Rumor, however, is the least of my worries.
The world building is a mass of confusion - I have no clue what things are and honestly the world is a jumbled mess of a confusion. Is a dragon the same as a gargoyle, is a chimera the same as a gargoyle, are they simply the same creatures with different names depending on which group the person belongs to… or what? Is it a group of rebellious humans? Also what is this about hellhounds and gargoyles? The world building feels like a melting pot gone very wrong on the moon hundreds of years in the future.
Not only is the world building is a mass of confusion, but it feels way too modern for a book that is supposedly set 200 years from now.
I’m mainly concerned about the world building to focus on the logistics of book year and present year, though.
Too many characters - There are too many to keep track of in 27 Hours, and the fun part? They’re introduced early. I don’t… I don’t even know who this random dude is and boom! We’ve got another one. I knew for sure there were going to be at least four POVs, which is a lot, but it’s not too much. BUT… not only do we have Jude, Rumor, Nyx, Braedon, etc. etc. we have some person named Colt, Wren, Eric, Sara… that’s just some of the characters.
This is by chapter three. Chapter freaking THREE. My brain was already hurting from the world building and then there are all of these characters being introduced and OMG I just wanted to scream.
I just… I just can’t handle all of these characters because I don’t even remember who does what by the time character #2244 pops up.
I really wished I could’ve finished 27 Hours and continued my streak for this year, but the huge cast of characters being introduced so early into the story and massively confusing world is a no go for me.
<a href="https://thenovelistics.blogspot.com/2017/11/27-hours-by-tristina-wright-arc-review.html">This review is originally posted on The Novelistics</a>
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Love, Simon (2018) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Time to Exhale.
I saw this as a Cineworld “Secret Unlimited Screening” event (for non-UK readers, Cineworld is one of the main movie-theater chains), so went in – like the majority of the audience I suspect – predicting early sight of Lara Croft in skin tight shorts! This was a bit different! A secret screening is an interesting concept, and really tests the metal of a film in engaging its audience early. This one failed to some degree, with seven people (I was counting) walking out in the first 10 minutes. (To be fair on those seven, the film’s first 20 minutes are rather laborious; and to be fair on the film, this was a pretty full auditorium so as a percentage drop out it was low).
Teen heartthrob Nick Robinson (the older brother from “Jurassic World“) plays the eponymous hero who has a well-buried secret: he’s gay. Growing up in Pleasantville (I almost expected someone to yell “Cat!” and the fire brigade turn up) he feels unable to come out to either his high-school friends or his loving family (“Apple pie cooling on the window-sill anyone?”). But striking up an email relationship with another closeted male from the same high school – nicknamed “Blue” – allows him to explore his feelings about his sexuality and fall in love all at the same time. But neither coming out or love run terribly smoothly for Simon…
Happy families. From left, Nick Robinson, Talitha Bateman, Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel.
I am forty years adrift from being able to directly relate to the stresses and strains of modern high-school life (though I AM still 17 on the inside people!) But even to me, this film doesn’t feel like it should be set in the present day. While it needs to be for its tweeting and blogging story-line, surely there are few backwaters in either America or Western Europe where gay people have to stay so silent? An 80’s or early 90’s setting would, I think, have worked so much better. (Ironically, its not his gay-ness or otherwise that his friends get upset by, but something far more fundamental in the human condition).
Definitely set in the present day.
That aside, this is a sweet and ultimately quite engaging film that I’m sure will be a big hit with a teenage audience. While for me it didn’t come close to ticking all of the coming-of-age boxes that the inestimable “Lady Bird” did, it does cover old ground in a new and refreshing way, and I’m sure it WILL be very helpful for many gay people in getting the courage to come out. Times are different today, but I still can imagine few things requiring more bravery than declaring you are gay to your parents and closest friends (even though, deep down, they surely already suspect).
So, it’s sweet, but also for me (although far from its target audience) rather flat. As a comedy drama, the moments of comedy are few and far between, with only one or two of the lines making me chuckle rather than smile. A quiet auditorium is not a good sign for a film with “Comedy” in its imdb description. It does however occasionally break through with something memorable: a full on college “La La Land” scene (“Not that gay” – LoL) is a case in point. And all of the scenes featuring comedy actress Natasha Rothwell as drama teacher Ms Allbright add much needed energy and humour to the film.
Someone should tell him… regardless of gender preference, sex is never going to work like this.
Of the teen actors, Robinson is fine but it is Katherine Langford as Simon’s friend Leah who stood out for me. Talitha Eliana Bateman (“The 5th Wave“; looking a whole lot younger than her 16 years!) is also impressive as Simon’s culinary sister Nora. Simon’s parents are played by Jennifer Garner (“Dallas Buyers Club“) and Josh Duhamel (a new one on me… he’s been in the “Transformers” films apparently).
Simon says walk this way. From left, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Nich Robinson, Alexandra Shipp and Katherine Langford.
The screenplay is by movie virgins Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, and is a slightly patchy affair. There are scenes that worked well (a cringe inducing sports stadium scene for example) but other times where it seems to be trying too hard for T-shirt captions…. a line from Ethan (Clark Moore) about hate crime was a “Ye-what?” moment.
Some of the characters really don’t quite work either: Tony Hale (so memorable as the useless PA in “Veep”) plays almost a school-ified version of Stephen Stucker’s Johnny from “Airplane”. Perhaps that would work as some sort of whacky hall monitor guy… but it transpires that he is the headmaster. No, I don’t think so.
A bit OTT. Veep’s Tony Hale as the principal with a surfeit of bonhomie.
So, in summary, after a bit of a bumpy start, its a pleasant watch that culminates in a feel-good ending. Feel good, that is, providing you have liberal views: I can’t see it pleasing many Trump supporters. I also can’t see it getting a cinema release in Gambia or Nigeria, though God only knows they could use one. If I could give half stars I would give this one an extra half as I applaud both the theme its trying to promote and for bringing something fresh to the screen…
Teen heartthrob Nick Robinson (the older brother from “Jurassic World“) plays the eponymous hero who has a well-buried secret: he’s gay. Growing up in Pleasantville (I almost expected someone to yell “Cat!” and the fire brigade turn up) he feels unable to come out to either his high-school friends or his loving family (“Apple pie cooling on the window-sill anyone?”). But striking up an email relationship with another closeted male from the same high school – nicknamed “Blue” – allows him to explore his feelings about his sexuality and fall in love all at the same time. But neither coming out or love run terribly smoothly for Simon…
Happy families. From left, Nick Robinson, Talitha Bateman, Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel.
I am forty years adrift from being able to directly relate to the stresses and strains of modern high-school life (though I AM still 17 on the inside people!) But even to me, this film doesn’t feel like it should be set in the present day. While it needs to be for its tweeting and blogging story-line, surely there are few backwaters in either America or Western Europe where gay people have to stay so silent? An 80’s or early 90’s setting would, I think, have worked so much better. (Ironically, its not his gay-ness or otherwise that his friends get upset by, but something far more fundamental in the human condition).
Definitely set in the present day.
That aside, this is a sweet and ultimately quite engaging film that I’m sure will be a big hit with a teenage audience. While for me it didn’t come close to ticking all of the coming-of-age boxes that the inestimable “Lady Bird” did, it does cover old ground in a new and refreshing way, and I’m sure it WILL be very helpful for many gay people in getting the courage to come out. Times are different today, but I still can imagine few things requiring more bravery than declaring you are gay to your parents and closest friends (even though, deep down, they surely already suspect).
So, it’s sweet, but also for me (although far from its target audience) rather flat. As a comedy drama, the moments of comedy are few and far between, with only one or two of the lines making me chuckle rather than smile. A quiet auditorium is not a good sign for a film with “Comedy” in its imdb description. It does however occasionally break through with something memorable: a full on college “La La Land” scene (“Not that gay” – LoL) is a case in point. And all of the scenes featuring comedy actress Natasha Rothwell as drama teacher Ms Allbright add much needed energy and humour to the film.
Someone should tell him… regardless of gender preference, sex is never going to work like this.
Of the teen actors, Robinson is fine but it is Katherine Langford as Simon’s friend Leah who stood out for me. Talitha Eliana Bateman (“The 5th Wave“; looking a whole lot younger than her 16 years!) is also impressive as Simon’s culinary sister Nora. Simon’s parents are played by Jennifer Garner (“Dallas Buyers Club“) and Josh Duhamel (a new one on me… he’s been in the “Transformers” films apparently).
Simon says walk this way. From left, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Nich Robinson, Alexandra Shipp and Katherine Langford.
The screenplay is by movie virgins Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, and is a slightly patchy affair. There are scenes that worked well (a cringe inducing sports stadium scene for example) but other times where it seems to be trying too hard for T-shirt captions…. a line from Ethan (Clark Moore) about hate crime was a “Ye-what?” moment.
Some of the characters really don’t quite work either: Tony Hale (so memorable as the useless PA in “Veep”) plays almost a school-ified version of Stephen Stucker’s Johnny from “Airplane”. Perhaps that would work as some sort of whacky hall monitor guy… but it transpires that he is the headmaster. No, I don’t think so.
A bit OTT. Veep’s Tony Hale as the principal with a surfeit of bonhomie.
So, in summary, after a bit of a bumpy start, its a pleasant watch that culminates in a feel-good ending. Feel good, that is, providing you have liberal views: I can’t see it pleasing many Trump supporters. I also can’t see it getting a cinema release in Gambia or Nigeria, though God only knows they could use one. If I could give half stars I would give this one an extra half as I applaud both the theme its trying to promote and for bringing something fresh to the screen…
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Loving Mr. Daniels in Books
Jan 30, 2019
This book was mentioned several times in the blogging community, and I finally decided to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. I���d never read anything by Brittainy Cherry before, and the book sounded promising. Then I went on Goodreads and saw the slew of 5 star reviews (many were from my friends). As soon as payday rolled around I sat on my couch with my list of books to one click, and Loving Mr. Daniels was on the top of my list. I was determined to have this book. So, I bought it, and I couldn���t wait to start it. That day on my first break at work I started in on page 1 ���Absorbed in a stream of murky thoughts������ ooo this sounds promising already. Fifteen minutes later I had devoured the prologue and most of chapter 1, and I was trying to keep myself from crying. Sigh. From that point on sitting at my desk and trying to focus on my work was impossible. I kept looking at my kindle and I could hear it calling to me. ���Jessica���Jessica, you know you want to read me.��� I fought the good fight, but lunch hit and I was out of my seat scurrying to the break room hoping to get 45 minutes alone. I wanted to be alone with these amazing characters and pages.
The story of Ashlyn and Daniel was so fresh, which is exactly what I needed. Lately it seems like all the contemporary romance, new adult romance, and even the erotica books are all the same, and I was demanding something fresh. This was that story! Yes, it is a boy meets girl, woos her with Shakespeare inspired music, falls for her, and finds out she���s his student���WHAT?!?! Immediately, I thought of Pretty Little Liars, which I LOVE! Aria and Ezra���s story started like this���minus the Shakespeare band. This story has a twist to it, and I loved it. I loved that the author didn���t leave us hanging.
The characters in this book were phenomenally written. I felt like I knew them. I felt like the loss of a sister and a dear friend was changing me the same way it did Ashlyn. I laughed with her, I cried with her, and I regained faith in mankind with her. I loved that she had that one person for her that completely changed her world. Loving Mr. Daniels turned her world on its axis and changed her views on everything she held true.
<p><b>���I was convinced that everyone in the world had a form of weirdness to them. And the cool thing, at least I hoped so, was the idea that there was someone out there just as quirky as you were. The idea of finding your other weirdo was so attractive to me.���</b></p>
Ashlyn and Daniel are written in such a way that you feel like they are two people cut from the same mold. Ashlyn is young and hurting, torn apart by the death of her twin sister. She���s trying to move on, but is suddenly ripped out of her world and forced to live with her absentee father and his new family. Daniel is an English teacher and he is reeling from the recent death of both of his parents. Neither one knows how to move on and move past it, but together they forge ahead in this strange new world.
Hailey, Ryan, and Gabby are amazing supporting characters. Hailey and Ryan are brother and sister and they are the children of Ashlyn���s father���s new family. When they all first meet Ashlyn doesn���t like this dynamic duo. She doesn���t hate them but doesn���t really know what to think. As the book goes on there is a wonderful bond that forms between these three characters pulling them closer together, and has them sharing secrets with each other they never thought possible. Gabby is Ashlyn���s twin sister who loses her battle to leukemia at the opening of the book. She isn���t present in the physical sense, but she very much has a presence in this book. Each of the characters gets a chance to know Gabby in their own way.
<p><b>���You���re the reason people believe in tomorrow. You���re the voice that scares the shadows away. You���re the love that makes me breathe. So for the next few seconds, I���m going to be selfish. I���m going to say things that I don���t want you to listen to���Don���t go. Stay with me forever. Please, Ashlyn. Let me be your everything. Make me your golden. Don���t go.���</b></p>
If you���re a romance junkie like me, love Pretty Little Liars, or even a fan of P.S. I love you, than I implore you to go out and buy this book. If there is one book you read this summer, make it this one. Let yourself get swept up in this brilliantly beautiful love story. Spend time with these astoundingly well written characters and remember what first love feels like.
I give this book not just 5 stars, but all of the stars in the sky. Brittainy Cherry deserves every one of them. It���s been a long time since a book has stayed with me the way this one has. Loving Mr. Daniels will be my absolute favorite book of 2014 and possibly ever, I guarantee it. I���ve got a book hangover that's going to take me months to recover from.
The story of Ashlyn and Daniel was so fresh, which is exactly what I needed. Lately it seems like all the contemporary romance, new adult romance, and even the erotica books are all the same, and I was demanding something fresh. This was that story! Yes, it is a boy meets girl, woos her with Shakespeare inspired music, falls for her, and finds out she���s his student���WHAT?!?! Immediately, I thought of Pretty Little Liars, which I LOVE! Aria and Ezra���s story started like this���minus the Shakespeare band. This story has a twist to it, and I loved it. I loved that the author didn���t leave us hanging.
The characters in this book were phenomenally written. I felt like I knew them. I felt like the loss of a sister and a dear friend was changing me the same way it did Ashlyn. I laughed with her, I cried with her, and I regained faith in mankind with her. I loved that she had that one person for her that completely changed her world. Loving Mr. Daniels turned her world on its axis and changed her views on everything she held true.
<p><b>���I was convinced that everyone in the world had a form of weirdness to them. And the cool thing, at least I hoped so, was the idea that there was someone out there just as quirky as you were. The idea of finding your other weirdo was so attractive to me.���</b></p>
Ashlyn and Daniel are written in such a way that you feel like they are two people cut from the same mold. Ashlyn is young and hurting, torn apart by the death of her twin sister. She���s trying to move on, but is suddenly ripped out of her world and forced to live with her absentee father and his new family. Daniel is an English teacher and he is reeling from the recent death of both of his parents. Neither one knows how to move on and move past it, but together they forge ahead in this strange new world.
Hailey, Ryan, and Gabby are amazing supporting characters. Hailey and Ryan are brother and sister and they are the children of Ashlyn���s father���s new family. When they all first meet Ashlyn doesn���t like this dynamic duo. She doesn���t hate them but doesn���t really know what to think. As the book goes on there is a wonderful bond that forms between these three characters pulling them closer together, and has them sharing secrets with each other they never thought possible. Gabby is Ashlyn���s twin sister who loses her battle to leukemia at the opening of the book. She isn���t present in the physical sense, but she very much has a presence in this book. Each of the characters gets a chance to know Gabby in their own way.
<p><b>���You���re the reason people believe in tomorrow. You���re the voice that scares the shadows away. You���re the love that makes me breathe. So for the next few seconds, I���m going to be selfish. I���m going to say things that I don���t want you to listen to���Don���t go. Stay with me forever. Please, Ashlyn. Let me be your everything. Make me your golden. Don���t go.���</b></p>
If you���re a romance junkie like me, love Pretty Little Liars, or even a fan of P.S. I love you, than I implore you to go out and buy this book. If there is one book you read this summer, make it this one. Let yourself get swept up in this brilliantly beautiful love story. Spend time with these astoundingly well written characters and remember what first love feels like.
I give this book not just 5 stars, but all of the stars in the sky. Brittainy Cherry deserves every one of them. It���s been a long time since a book has stayed with me the way this one has. Loving Mr. Daniels will be my absolute favorite book of 2014 and possibly ever, I guarantee it. I���ve got a book hangover that's going to take me months to recover from.
Writing (3 more)
Characters
Inconsistencies
Not a horror book, as marketed
What if a powerful virus was released in the air? What if you had to be tested for it every time you tried to walk into a building? Does this sound a little familiar? What if I told you this scenario was written about back in 2010?
In her novel Feed, writer Mira Grant gives readers this very scenario of an airborne, blood transferred virus; something that seems very familiar in today's environment and day-to-day living- - - just minus the zombies.
Grant started out as an urban fantasy writer known as Seanan McGuire, with her first full-length novel being Rosemary and Rue. She received the 2010 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, as well as many other awards for her work in fiction. There are four books in the Newsflash series (Feed being the first of these).
We meet our main characters, Georgia and Shaun, while they're out in the 'field' filming some zombies for their blog. Shaun is the more careless one, as we witness him poking at zombies with his hockey stick. The two suddenly have to leave when the zombies become a pack. This is where it gets a little strange- - -Georgia explains to the readers that when zombies are in a pack, they become stronger and somehow smarter, but throughout the rest of the book, it's never really explained how this happens.
In this world, blogging and your view count determines your quality of life. Georgia and Shaun have spent years making their blog- - - After the End Times- - - into a popular blog. Every blogger's dream is to be picked to follow the campaign trail of any upcoming politician, and that is exactly what happens to our main characters. Unfortunately, this is when the book turns into a political thriller- - - this happens within the first fifty pages. Zombies end up taking a backseat from here-on-out.
We still get to learn about the virus (Kellis-Amberlee) throughout the book. We're told that any animal that weighs more than 40 pounds is capable of having the virus, and that some people are even born with a dormant-type of the virus inside of them, but this is also never explained in the entire story, at least in book one. Georgia makes it quite clear throughout the novel that she is completely against anyone owning pets that weigh over 40 pounds, but this is due-to her family having lost their younger son to a pet that went viral. This becomes extremely repetitive. Every time that an animal is brought up or seen, Georgia has to retell her stance on owning pets, when once or twice was enough to let the readers know where she stands on the subject.
There are moments of zombie attacks- - - such as after a political rally in a small town where Georgia and her crew are following Senator Ryman on his race to become President, when bodyguards are attacked by a small group of the undead, and Georgia and Shaun become cornered by a few of them- - - these scenes read as if to just keep the zombie trope going, not to actually make the story better. Grant continually repeats herself throughout the book, and because of this, the story didn't have to be as long as it is. Such as with these few zombie attacks, the reader never feels much danger for the characters. And I found that the characters turn out to just not be that likable.
One such character that had potential is Buffy; the backbone of the After the End Times blog. Scenes that were meant to make the reader care for her fell short. Unlike scenes with Georgia and Shaun, including the bond between them, is not felt with Buffy's scenes; she merely seems like a filler character to make certain parts of the story make sense by constantly disappearing and reappearing wherever need be.
Georgia does have an interesting quirk in the book. She harbors the dormant Kellis-Amberlee virus, which has effected her eyes. She can't be in bright lights because they give her blinding headaches, so she wears sunglasses nearly everywhere: " I collapsed onto our bed at the local four-star hotel a little after dawn, my aching eyes already squeezed shut. Shaun was a bit steadier on his feet and he stayed upright long enough to make sure the room's blackout curtains were drawn. "
The technical side of the story - - - the computer world and the electronic usage- - - in Feed is done pretty well. It's like the movie Nightcrawler meets 28 Days Later, but with a lot less zombies. We get to see the seedy underbelly of journalism- - - where bloggers are willing to do anything to get their view count high. Readers also get to witness how life is like living in a world held hostage by a virus - - -something that is very relatable today.
Georgia constantly reminds readers that she doesn't care about other people, and that Shaun is the only person she cares for- - - and, of course, the view count. She continually blames her lack of empathy on their adoptive parents, stating that they only took them in for the their own blog view counts. Oddly after such information, Shaun doesn't seem to be the immature one in the duo.
I haven't read the other three books, one which is a republishing of Feed, but from a different point-of-view. This story was disguised as a horror novel, but just ended up being a political thriller with some zombies thrown in for a much wider reading audience. The book skims over what life would be like after a devastating virus takes over, but focuses on what politics would be like. I can't recommend Feed as a horror novel; the tagline is also misleading: " 'The good news: we survived. The bad news: so did they. " Unless Grant was talking about politicians....
I didn't give the story a low rating because it wasn't exactly a horror book, but instead for these reasons: throughout the story, Grant repeats a lot of information that was explained earlier in the book (and only needed to be explained once); she also had inconsistencies throughout, sometimes even in the very next sentence. Adding things that needed to be explained which weren't, and the afterthoughts that broke up the flow of the story, I just couldn't enjoy it. But, if you like political thrillers, then you might like this one. I won't be continuing this series.
In her novel Feed, writer Mira Grant gives readers this very scenario of an airborne, blood transferred virus; something that seems very familiar in today's environment and day-to-day living- - - just minus the zombies.
Grant started out as an urban fantasy writer known as Seanan McGuire, with her first full-length novel being Rosemary and Rue. She received the 2010 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, as well as many other awards for her work in fiction. There are four books in the Newsflash series (Feed being the first of these).
We meet our main characters, Georgia and Shaun, while they're out in the 'field' filming some zombies for their blog. Shaun is the more careless one, as we witness him poking at zombies with his hockey stick. The two suddenly have to leave when the zombies become a pack. This is where it gets a little strange- - -Georgia explains to the readers that when zombies are in a pack, they become stronger and somehow smarter, but throughout the rest of the book, it's never really explained how this happens.
In this world, blogging and your view count determines your quality of life. Georgia and Shaun have spent years making their blog- - - After the End Times- - - into a popular blog. Every blogger's dream is to be picked to follow the campaign trail of any upcoming politician, and that is exactly what happens to our main characters. Unfortunately, this is when the book turns into a political thriller- - - this happens within the first fifty pages. Zombies end up taking a backseat from here-on-out.
We still get to learn about the virus (Kellis-Amberlee) throughout the book. We're told that any animal that weighs more than 40 pounds is capable of having the virus, and that some people are even born with a dormant-type of the virus inside of them, but this is also never explained in the entire story, at least in book one. Georgia makes it quite clear throughout the novel that she is completely against anyone owning pets that weigh over 40 pounds, but this is due-to her family having lost their younger son to a pet that went viral. This becomes extremely repetitive. Every time that an animal is brought up or seen, Georgia has to retell her stance on owning pets, when once or twice was enough to let the readers know where she stands on the subject.
There are moments of zombie attacks- - - such as after a political rally in a small town where Georgia and her crew are following Senator Ryman on his race to become President, when bodyguards are attacked by a small group of the undead, and Georgia and Shaun become cornered by a few of them- - - these scenes read as if to just keep the zombie trope going, not to actually make the story better. Grant continually repeats herself throughout the book, and because of this, the story didn't have to be as long as it is. Such as with these few zombie attacks, the reader never feels much danger for the characters. And I found that the characters turn out to just not be that likable.
One such character that had potential is Buffy; the backbone of the After the End Times blog. Scenes that were meant to make the reader care for her fell short. Unlike scenes with Georgia and Shaun, including the bond between them, is not felt with Buffy's scenes; she merely seems like a filler character to make certain parts of the story make sense by constantly disappearing and reappearing wherever need be.
Georgia does have an interesting quirk in the book. She harbors the dormant Kellis-Amberlee virus, which has effected her eyes. She can't be in bright lights because they give her blinding headaches, so she wears sunglasses nearly everywhere: " I collapsed onto our bed at the local four-star hotel a little after dawn, my aching eyes already squeezed shut. Shaun was a bit steadier on his feet and he stayed upright long enough to make sure the room's blackout curtains were drawn. "
The technical side of the story - - - the computer world and the electronic usage- - - in Feed is done pretty well. It's like the movie Nightcrawler meets 28 Days Later, but with a lot less zombies. We get to see the seedy underbelly of journalism- - - where bloggers are willing to do anything to get their view count high. Readers also get to witness how life is like living in a world held hostage by a virus - - -something that is very relatable today.
Georgia constantly reminds readers that she doesn't care about other people, and that Shaun is the only person she cares for- - - and, of course, the view count. She continually blames her lack of empathy on their adoptive parents, stating that they only took them in for the their own blog view counts. Oddly after such information, Shaun doesn't seem to be the immature one in the duo.
I haven't read the other three books, one which is a republishing of Feed, but from a different point-of-view. This story was disguised as a horror novel, but just ended up being a political thriller with some zombies thrown in for a much wider reading audience. The book skims over what life would be like after a devastating virus takes over, but focuses on what politics would be like. I can't recommend Feed as a horror novel; the tagline is also misleading: " 'The good news: we survived. The bad news: so did they. " Unless Grant was talking about politicians....
I didn't give the story a low rating because it wasn't exactly a horror book, but instead for these reasons: throughout the story, Grant repeats a lot of information that was explained earlier in the book (and only needed to be explained once); she also had inconsistencies throughout, sometimes even in the very next sentence. Adding things that needed to be explained which weren't, and the afterthoughts that broke up the flow of the story, I just couldn't enjoy it. But, if you like political thrillers, then you might like this one. I won't be continuing this series.