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Ross (3284 KP) rated Blackwing in Books

May 7, 2018  
Blackwing
Blackwing
Ed McDonald | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Gritty narrative (1 more)
Twisting turning plot
Fantastic dystopian fantasy
This book came highly rated by people on the fantasy faction facebook group and goodreads, so I had high expectations when I started reading. The reader is thrown straight into the thick of this strange post-apocalyptic magical world and the terms and creatures therein.
The story follows Ryhalt Galharrow, a captain in the Blackwing, a group of soldiers and enforcers working for the supreme magician Crowfoot. They are charged with keeping order along the Range and tracking down dissenters and run-aways.
Galharrow quickly finds himself embroiled in a plot and a battle to save the republic from itself and the evil Deep Kings and their hordes of mutated zombies.
The narrative is extremely gritty and at times you can almost smell the filth and second-hand brandy.
While you are thrown into it without warning and without preamble, this is to McDonald's credit, as the reader pieces things together quite quickly, or can make up their own mind about how things look and work.
To sum this up, I would say it was like Mark Lawrence or Joe Abercrombie ghost-writing a Brandon Sanderson plot - with the best aspects of both sides (the gritty dialogue from the grimdark authors with the intricately designed magic system and urban landscape of the plotter).
A superbly crafted story with excellent flowing prose.
  
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Jade (8 KP) rated Moneybox in Apps

Aug 29, 2018  
Moneybox
Moneybox
Finance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
App Rating
Modern (3 more)
Easy
Excellent Platform
Informational
Non-Historic (0 more)
Easy Savings
Moneybox is an extremely useful personal financial app focusing on investment. Any finance and savings 'expert' article always seems to start with the phrase 'save first and spend layer's - Moneybox adopts this method making it easier for the user to do this.

Each week, money is taken from my account and invested into a Stocks and Shares ISA where I can watch my savings grow. Not only this, you have the opportunity to purchase from your invested companies with special discount codes.

With any investment: there is always a risk. However, after a little bit of perseverance and some tweaks in investment percentages I'm now able to see a modest profit which will hopefully carry on.

Moneybox also offers different 'investment boosts'. Alongside your weekly investment amount you can also increase your investment on payday or round up your spending to the nearest pound to add this to your pot, too.

I've only had a positive experience with Moneybox up to now and I hope that this will continue. It's allowed me to set up a little personal savings pot with minimal effort. In my mid-twenties, if I ever make an investment loss, I'm happy to say that it would've been spent on something ridiculous anyway.
  
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Danny Boyle recommended Eureka (1983) in Movies (curated)

 
Eureka (1983)
Eureka (1983)
1983 | Drama, Thriller

"I can guarantee you this film isn’t on anyone else’s list. It stars Gene Hackman and it’s made by my favorite British film director, even more than Nick Park. He’s a guy named Nick Roeg, and he’s most famous, probably, for Don’t Look Now. Eureka is the film that probably ended his American career. I think it was a disaster when it was released. The first half of this movie is as good as you’ll ever get in a movie. It’s about a guy who discovers, literally, liquid gold. He becomes the richest man in the world and the man who has everything and the man who has nothing. The second half of the film is a trial and takes place in a courtroom and that part doesn’t work as well, which is what probably led to it being a flop, but the first half is as good as it gets. And I love Nick Roeg. He’s idiosyncratic, highly individual and yet for a ten year period he was working in the studio system with big stars like Gene Hackman. Hackman’s never been better. People say “Hackman” and think of The Conversation but he’s never better than he is in Eureka. If you can imagine a man who has everything and he (Hackman) just plays it as a guy who has nothing."

Source
  
TY
The Year's Work at the Zombie Research Center
Edward P. Comentale, Aaron Jaffe | 2014 | Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I had to read this book for my zombie film course at UCI and I can honestly say it was incredibly interesting. I loved seeing all these ideas about how deep the zombie narrative is because it made me think in ways I would not have otherwise.

There are essays on race, post feminism, the health care system, and so many more.

I loved how it related to both zombie films from the 1930s as well as the more prevalent films known about today. These essays took into consideration the history of zombies and the actual cultural significance of these monsters instead of ignoring it. Many of these essays made references to the Haitian culture surrounding zombies which was awesome.

I enjoyed seeing the different cultural and gender perspectives on all of these issues. Instead of only seeing the viewpoint of some middle aged white male, we get to see women and men of color all engaging in this scholarship and being able to keep it entertaining enough to keep the readers engaged.

If you like reading essays on popular culture connecting to both social and political issues of the time period, then definitely pick this book up, it is worth the read. Honestly, even if you don't like reading those types of books, pick it up because it could give you a different perspective on something you feel like you already know.
  
Northern Lights
Northern Lights
Philip Pullman | 2015 | Children
9
7.8 (14 Ratings)
Book Rating
A child's perspective written well (1 more)
Imaginative but believable world
Lyra's character sometimes irked me (0 more)
Absolutely loved it!
I loved this book, I have been meaning to read it for years and have finally gotten around to embracing all those childhood favourites.
We follow Lyra a girl from Oxford who is looked after by the scholars of Jordan college. We are introduced to her deamon 'Pan' (for short because I couldn't for the life of me work out how to say his name) and the workings of this world, of this child's world. Before being thrown as Lyra is into the politics and shenanigans of adults.
Lyra's character is a complex one she is a feisty intelligent girl but at times the way she behaved and is described to talk is unrealistic for a child her age, however these small things can be overlooked.
As I had only ever seen the movie before, which pales in comparison, I was shocked by the twist at the end of the book concerning Ms Coulter and Lord Asriel, and made me feel as if my journeying with Lyra through the north, meeting Iorek and the witches and the Gyptians had all been worth it and there was another adventure ahead, as it is not over at the end of this book rather it tells you loud and clear that you've barely begun... and I love it.
  
Cheap Trick At Budokan by Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick At Budokan by Cheap Trick
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"When I was young I always dug listening to live concerts. It was like we were there. I always think that live albums are a good way to represent a body of work anyway because it shows the songs as part of a collection better than, say, a greatest hits record. It wasn't so much that Cheap Trick At Budokan was live, it was more the selection of songs. Rick [Nielsen] was really an amazing showman as a guitar player as far as the tricks that he did were concerned. Plus, the power that he had despite being essentially a three-piece rhythm outfit was amazing. Then you had Tom [Petersson] with his twelve-string bass… Whoever thought someone would play something like that? I could have done without some of the squealing but having gone to Japan so much; I get it. That's their way of showing you that they loved you. I never really considered Cheap Trick to be a glam rock band. People forget that Rick used to have long hair before he transitioned to having short hair and wearing baseball caps when they supported KISS in 1977. Take a song like 'Hello There'. It has such a killer, punk rock attitude. It reminds me of Mötley Crüe doing a song like 'Live Wire': you don't expect that kind of aggression and when you hear it you think, ""Alright, you dudes can let it rip when you want to.""

Source
  
Gilded Palace of Sin by The Flying Burrito Brothers
Gilded Palace of Sin by The Flying Burrito Brothers
1969 | Rock
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"It's such a beautiful record. What can I say? Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman from The Byrds did these soul songs like 'Do Right Woman', which was originally recorded by Aretha Franklin and they played it like a country rock song. Also, they took like 'Dark End Of The Street', which was written by Dan Penn, originally for the soul singer James Carr on Goldwax, a Memphis label, which they also recorded in the style of a country rock song. Country rock is often a dirty term, but to turn that into something else, that transformation was incredible. Gram's gentle, soulful voice completely slays me every time! I'm in love with Gram Parsons. I feel like I know him. When I hear him sing, his voice fills me up and makes me feel loved. Admitting that you're broken and sad that a woman left you, feeling vulnerable was rare in music, apart from maybe soul and blues. But rock music was so macho. Gram turned up and wrote these beautiful original songs. It's okay to admit you're weak, it's okay to admit you have a broken heart. A huge influence on me and Primal Scream. Also, when I got married to my wife Katy England, I had Alexander McQueen design for myself and my wife a suit with satin lapels and hemmed embroidery in the trousers and jacket with roses, in tribute to Gram Parsons."

Source
  
His Mate By Defiance (Lunetti Pack #4)
His Mate By Defiance (Lunetti Pack #4)
Mel Aitchess | 2026 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
HIS MATE BY DEFIANCE is the fourth book in the Lunetti Pack series, and after thirteen years of patiently waiting, Doc Rafe is about to claim his mate.

Rafe and Adri originally met in To Defy His Mate, but you don't need to worry if you haven't read it, as there is a prologue that brings you up to speed. Suffice to say, Rafe knows Adri is his mate, but being a contrary cat means Adri won't admit it and keeps Rafe as far away as he possibly can.

Rafe and Adri make a great pair, and I loved the cat mannerisms that Adri had, as well as him reaching the stage where he didn't care if anyone saw him claim Rafe. I was afraid it would be a little one-sided, but it's not. Adri just needed some time to catch up.

The overarching story continues to move forward, this time dragging Adri along with it. I am interested to know how it will come to a head.

This was a great addition to the series, and I look forward to Marco and Seth's story. Definitely recommended by me.

** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 11, 2026
  
Fractured Energy (Energy Series #3)
Fractured Energy (Energy Series #3)
Lynn Vroman | 2015 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The third instalment of the Energy series starts off with Lena still desperately trying to cope without Wilma and pushing everyone away, including Tarek. They are still fighting the good fight and their numbers on Arcus are growing but they find out that things aren't always as they seem which starts the ball rolling on a whole new adventure.

This book simply blew me away. There is every emotion you could possibly think of, including guilt, shame, love and bravery, to name just a few. It has had me laughing out loud on one page, whilst crying on the next. The characters have all gotten under my skin until I actually care about each of them.

This is writing at its best. When an author can make the characters real and make the reader care about what happens to them, I have nothing else to say! The plot is as well-structured as ever and if there were any grammatical errors, I'm afraid I was too engrossed with the story to notice.

This series gets better and better and I can't wait for book 4 to find out if my beaten-up, wreck of a heart will beat again. Highly recommended!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 30, 2015