Search
Search results
David McK (3562 KP) rated Morbius (2022) in Movies
Apr 13, 2022
Morbius, the living vampire.
What can I say, other than it is getting terrible reviews?
Starring Jared Leto and Matt Smith, you think the former would have learned from his abysmal Suicide Squad role, with the latter not seeming to have much luck at all with his Hollywood choices despite starring as one of the biggest names in British TV: that of The Doctor.
Basically? Leto plays a scientist suffering from a rare blood disorder who, in an attempt to cure himself by splicing Vampire Bat DNA to his own (don't think too hard about the science!) manages to turn himself into (more or less) a vampire. Anti-hero, basically.
Set in the same universe as Venom - with those films getting a wink wink nudge nudge moment - if not the main MCU this is relatively short, very murkily shot (I still haven't got a clue what went on during the final scenes) and lacks the draw of Tom Hardy completely over acting.
What can I say, other than it is getting terrible reviews?
Starring Jared Leto and Matt Smith, you think the former would have learned from his abysmal Suicide Squad role, with the latter not seeming to have much luck at all with his Hollywood choices despite starring as one of the biggest names in British TV: that of The Doctor.
Basically? Leto plays a scientist suffering from a rare blood disorder who, in an attempt to cure himself by splicing Vampire Bat DNA to his own (don't think too hard about the science!) manages to turn himself into (more or less) a vampire. Anti-hero, basically.
Set in the same universe as Venom - with those films getting a wink wink nudge nudge moment - if not the main MCU this is relatively short, very murkily shot (I still haven't got a clue what went on during the final scenes) and lacks the draw of Tom Hardy completely over acting.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Queen of Light ( The Chosen # 4) in Books
Feb 21, 2023
19 of 235
Kindle
Queen of Light (The Chosen #4)
By Meg Anne
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Only one of them can win.
Kiri Helena Solene is done burying her loved ones. She is going to put an end to this war, one way or another.
Even if it means she loses herself in the process.
But in matters of war, Rowena has no intention of losing. The Corruptor knows Helena's greatest strength is also her weakness, and she has every intention of exploiting it.
Especially if that means removing key players from the board.
The path ahead is fraught with betrayal. The only thing that's certain....
It won't end until one of them is dead.
Couldn’t have asked for a better ending! Also we had a happy start instead of one with death! Was so lovely to see nial get his make. I won’t say much because I wouldn’t want to spoil the end! I’m certainly ready to move on to the Keepers stories.
Kindle
Queen of Light (The Chosen #4)
By Meg Anne
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Only one of them can win.
Kiri Helena Solene is done burying her loved ones. She is going to put an end to this war, one way or another.
Even if it means she loses herself in the process.
But in matters of war, Rowena has no intention of losing. The Corruptor knows Helena's greatest strength is also her weakness, and she has every intention of exploiting it.
Especially if that means removing key players from the board.
The path ahead is fraught with betrayal. The only thing that's certain....
It won't end until one of them is dead.
Couldn’t have asked for a better ending! Also we had a happy start instead of one with death! Was so lovely to see nial get his make. I won’t say much because I wouldn’t want to spoil the end! I’m certainly ready to move on to the Keepers stories.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
First off, a disclaimer: I have not read the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting; nor do I have any kids of my own. That being said….
This film shows you five different stories that are not all connected, but they do intersect each other’s paths several times. The stories follow different scenarios that you can expect when you, as a couple, are expecting a baby. These five stories are the easy pregnancy, the difficult on the woman’s body pregnancy, the difficult on the relationship pregnancy, the miscarriage and the adoption.
The film has a stellar lineup for the cast. Cameron Diaz (There’s Something About Mary, Bad Teacher) plays celebrity Jules who is on a Dancing-with-the-Stars-esque show, who ends up in a relationship with her dance partner Evan, played by Matthew Morrison (Glee, Music and Lyrics). Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri, The Hunger Games) is Wendy, the owner of a baby store and author of a baby’s book who has been desperately trying to get pregnant with her husband Gary played by Ben Falcone (Bridesmaids). Anna Kendrick (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Up In The Air) is Rosie, the owner of a food truck who has a one-night stand with high school crush Marco, played by Chace Crawford (The Covenant, Gossip Girl). Jennifer Lopez (American Idol, Out of Sight) is Holly, a photographer who is attempting to go the Brangelina route by adopting a baby from Ethiopia with her husband Alex, played by Rodrigo Santoro (300, I Love You Phillip Morris). Lastly, we have Skyler who is portrayed by Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It, Battleship). She is a stay-at-home wife married to retired NASCAR driver Ramsey, who is played by Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow, Vantage Point).
Aside from the main cast, there is also a great supporting cast with the likes of Chris Rock (Grown Ups, Death At A Funeral), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), Thomas Lennon (Reno 911, I Love You, Man), Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids) and many more.
Based on the trailers for What to Expect When You’re Expecting, the movie looked to be a very promising comedy. I am sad to say, I was very disappointed. The trailers make it look like “The Dudes Group” is a main focus of the story, but it is only a reprieve from the main story lines. This is a shame because for me, “The Dudes Group” had the funniest moments in the movie. The rest of the film, while heart-warming at moments, seemed to lack any real attempt to make a connection with the audience. To me, the relationships just seemed unreal.
This is not to say that there are not those out there who will not enjoy the film. The ladies behind me in the theatre seemed to be laughing the whole time, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I once heard my editor (Gareth Von Kallenbach) say that this was a great idea, but it may have been better presented as a TV show. I have to say that I agree whole-heartedly. It would have made a great weekly sitcom, probably with the series centered on “The Dudes Group” (as I said, funniest moments in the movies). But it looks like there may be something along these lines on the horizon any way with the upcoming NBC comedy: Guys With Kids.
This film shows you five different stories that are not all connected, but they do intersect each other’s paths several times. The stories follow different scenarios that you can expect when you, as a couple, are expecting a baby. These five stories are the easy pregnancy, the difficult on the woman’s body pregnancy, the difficult on the relationship pregnancy, the miscarriage and the adoption.
The film has a stellar lineup for the cast. Cameron Diaz (There’s Something About Mary, Bad Teacher) plays celebrity Jules who is on a Dancing-with-the-Stars-esque show, who ends up in a relationship with her dance partner Evan, played by Matthew Morrison (Glee, Music and Lyrics). Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri, The Hunger Games) is Wendy, the owner of a baby store and author of a baby’s book who has been desperately trying to get pregnant with her husband Gary played by Ben Falcone (Bridesmaids). Anna Kendrick (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Up In The Air) is Rosie, the owner of a food truck who has a one-night stand with high school crush Marco, played by Chace Crawford (The Covenant, Gossip Girl). Jennifer Lopez (American Idol, Out of Sight) is Holly, a photographer who is attempting to go the Brangelina route by adopting a baby from Ethiopia with her husband Alex, played by Rodrigo Santoro (300, I Love You Phillip Morris). Lastly, we have Skyler who is portrayed by Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It, Battleship). She is a stay-at-home wife married to retired NASCAR driver Ramsey, who is played by Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow, Vantage Point).
Aside from the main cast, there is also a great supporting cast with the likes of Chris Rock (Grown Ups, Death At A Funeral), Joe Manganiello (True Blood), Thomas Lennon (Reno 911, I Love You, Man), Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids) and many more.
Based on the trailers for What to Expect When You’re Expecting, the movie looked to be a very promising comedy. I am sad to say, I was very disappointed. The trailers make it look like “The Dudes Group” is a main focus of the story, but it is only a reprieve from the main story lines. This is a shame because for me, “The Dudes Group” had the funniest moments in the movie. The rest of the film, while heart-warming at moments, seemed to lack any real attempt to make a connection with the audience. To me, the relationships just seemed unreal.
This is not to say that there are not those out there who will not enjoy the film. The ladies behind me in the theatre seemed to be laughing the whole time, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I once heard my editor (Gareth Von Kallenbach) say that this was a great idea, but it may have been better presented as a TV show. I have to say that I agree whole-heartedly. It would have made a great weekly sitcom, probably with the series centered on “The Dudes Group” (as I said, funniest moments in the movies). But it looks like there may be something along these lines on the horizon any way with the upcoming NBC comedy: Guys With Kids.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated A Girl Named Willow Krimble (Willow Krimble, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
Okay, so I'm addicted to blog book comps. That's no secret. When I came across a blog giving away a copy of a book entitled A Girl Named Willow Krimble, I was intrigued by the whole synopsis. It sounded super cool, and I definitely was not disappointed one bit after reading this book.
Willow Krimble is a 13 year old girl with a big heart. She tries to see the best in everyone and tries to help out in whatever she can. One day, when a neighbor falls ill, Willow realizes that she's got the unique ability to heal others. Not knowing where these powers came from, Willow must keep her ability from others lest they think she is crazy.
I love the simplicity of the title. The book is about exactly what it says in the title: A Girl Named Willow Krimble. Okay, I know it's not very original, but it definitely suits this book.
I love the cartoon style of the cover. I think a lot of middle graders would find this cover very appealing instead of just some photo of a random girl. The artwork on the cover is amazing even if Willow does appear to be older on the cover than just 13 years.
The world building is very much believable. Willow sees her world as I imagine a 13 year old girl would. The situations Willow found herself in seemed to be very real, and I had no problems imagining the scenes.
I thought the pacing in this novel was superb! Usually, when I read middle grade novels, I try to put myself in that sort of mind frame. However, as an adult, I still loved the pacing. Not one point in the book did I find myself becoming bored or wishing I hadn't started reading this book.
I loved all the characters and thought Mr. Biano did an excellent job bringing them to life. I loved the fact that Willow had a disability but didn't let that stop her. She had a big heart and wanted to share her happiness with the world. I found Razzel, Willow's best friend, to be quite the character. I loved her feistiness and the way she was very protective of Willow. Razzel was such a strong kick-butt character, and I fell in love with how funny and great she was. I'd say she was definitely my favorite character. Wyatt, Willow's older brother, made me chuckle a lot of the time as well. I love how he was constantly eating all the time...well, most of the time. Shayla was definitely an interesting character that I enjoyed. I won't go into too much detail though because I don't want to give anything away.
The dialogue between characters was fun to read. I loved the dialogue between Razzel and Willow the most though because of the chemistry between them. You could definitely tell how much they cared for each other. Do be aware that there are a couple of swear words but nothing major.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading A Girl Named Willow Krimble by Giuseppe Bianco. It is such a heartwarming read, and one I think everyone will enjoy. The only minor annoyance I had was most of the characters had such unusual names. But as I stated previously, that's just a minor thing that doesn't really take anything away from the book.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ as it's such a lovely and warming read.
Overall, I'd give A Girl Named Willow Krimble (Willow Krimble #1) by Giuseppe Bianco a 4.75 out of 5.
Okay, so I'm addicted to blog book comps. That's no secret. When I came across a blog giving away a copy of a book entitled A Girl Named Willow Krimble, I was intrigued by the whole synopsis. It sounded super cool, and I definitely was not disappointed one bit after reading this book.
Willow Krimble is a 13 year old girl with a big heart. She tries to see the best in everyone and tries to help out in whatever she can. One day, when a neighbor falls ill, Willow realizes that she's got the unique ability to heal others. Not knowing where these powers came from, Willow must keep her ability from others lest they think she is crazy.
I love the simplicity of the title. The book is about exactly what it says in the title: A Girl Named Willow Krimble. Okay, I know it's not very original, but it definitely suits this book.
I love the cartoon style of the cover. I think a lot of middle graders would find this cover very appealing instead of just some photo of a random girl. The artwork on the cover is amazing even if Willow does appear to be older on the cover than just 13 years.
The world building is very much believable. Willow sees her world as I imagine a 13 year old girl would. The situations Willow found herself in seemed to be very real, and I had no problems imagining the scenes.
I thought the pacing in this novel was superb! Usually, when I read middle grade novels, I try to put myself in that sort of mind frame. However, as an adult, I still loved the pacing. Not one point in the book did I find myself becoming bored or wishing I hadn't started reading this book.
I loved all the characters and thought Mr. Biano did an excellent job bringing them to life. I loved the fact that Willow had a disability but didn't let that stop her. She had a big heart and wanted to share her happiness with the world. I found Razzel, Willow's best friend, to be quite the character. I loved her feistiness and the way she was very protective of Willow. Razzel was such a strong kick-butt character, and I fell in love with how funny and great she was. I'd say she was definitely my favorite character. Wyatt, Willow's older brother, made me chuckle a lot of the time as well. I love how he was constantly eating all the time...well, most of the time. Shayla was definitely an interesting character that I enjoyed. I won't go into too much detail though because I don't want to give anything away.
The dialogue between characters was fun to read. I loved the dialogue between Razzel and Willow the most though because of the chemistry between them. You could definitely tell how much they cared for each other. Do be aware that there are a couple of swear words but nothing major.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading A Girl Named Willow Krimble by Giuseppe Bianco. It is such a heartwarming read, and one I think everyone will enjoy. The only minor annoyance I had was most of the characters had such unusual names. But as I stated previously, that's just a minor thing that doesn't really take anything away from the book.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ as it's such a lovely and warming read.
Overall, I'd give A Girl Named Willow Krimble (Willow Krimble #1) by Giuseppe Bianco a 4.75 out of 5.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Cold Pursuit (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
What can I say about Cold Pursuit? It's bad. Unfortunately it's not in the "so bad it's good" category.
From its opening with an Oscar Wilde quote and music that sounds like a mix of the 80s and Sherlock Holmes I was intrigued. I knew I wasn't expecting a masterpiece but I had hoped for something entertaining at the very least.
One thing that I was quickly baffled by was the between scene captions, a terrible font pops up with the relevant information and then it blows away as if made by snow... but not every time. I did wonder if even the graphics people got bored of doing it.
SOP for me and new movie releases is that I make 2 A5 sides of notes, for Cold Pursuit I made 7... SEVEN... and the general consensus of most of them was "WTF", "ridiculous" and "why?!" In fact those were probably the most used words on all the pages.
The characters are all over the place. Viking's relationship with his son, the token gay relationship that felt like it had just been wedged in and White Bull's gang dubious frolicking... I just don't even know what to say about it.
I can't sit here and list all the bizarre things, neither of us have the time for that so let's skip to the things I enjoyed. There are just three things, much quicker than covering the other stuff!
Wingman's wife was a star for me, and that nail sharpening technique was inspired... totally stealing that.
One of the scenes has Coxman chasing his next target with his snowplow. He comes up on him quite menacingly and then the film did a great job of fooling me, I was expecting one thing and given another. That part of the scene came together quite well, it's just a shame about what followed.
Viking's son was surprisingly wise in almost all of his scenes, very laid back, just going with the flow. Out of all of it though I loved the scene about fantasy football when he's talking with Mustang. It was was a nice little addition.
That's it, I'm done with the things I liked.
The cinema was "full" when I saw it. There were 30-40 people, which for our cinema and this type of film on opening night in a small screen, wasn't bad at all. There were old and young, there were people who snored and people who laughed, I fell into neither of those last categories. Honestly I was in too much shock to do anything other than pick my jaw up off the floor.
Ultimately Cold Pursuit is another prime example of why you shouldn't put some of your best scenes in the trailers. The whole thing could probably have been sold on lesser scenes in the trailer and then the impact of the bigger ones would have potentially given it a few more stars.
What you should do
I can't in good conscience recommend this to anyone, Neeson has performed much better acts of revenge in many of his other films... just watch one of those... perhaps from behind a snow globe to make it seem like you're watching Cold Pursuit.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Please could I have Coxman's ability to get into places where he clearly doesn't meet the dress code.
From its opening with an Oscar Wilde quote and music that sounds like a mix of the 80s and Sherlock Holmes I was intrigued. I knew I wasn't expecting a masterpiece but I had hoped for something entertaining at the very least.
One thing that I was quickly baffled by was the between scene captions, a terrible font pops up with the relevant information and then it blows away as if made by snow... but not every time. I did wonder if even the graphics people got bored of doing it.
SOP for me and new movie releases is that I make 2 A5 sides of notes, for Cold Pursuit I made 7... SEVEN... and the general consensus of most of them was "WTF", "ridiculous" and "why?!" In fact those were probably the most used words on all the pages.
The characters are all over the place. Viking's relationship with his son, the token gay relationship that felt like it had just been wedged in and White Bull's gang dubious frolicking... I just don't even know what to say about it.
I can't sit here and list all the bizarre things, neither of us have the time for that so let's skip to the things I enjoyed. There are just three things, much quicker than covering the other stuff!
Wingman's wife was a star for me, and that nail sharpening technique was inspired... totally stealing that.
One of the scenes has Coxman chasing his next target with his snowplow. He comes up on him quite menacingly and then the film did a great job of fooling me, I was expecting one thing and given another. That part of the scene came together quite well, it's just a shame about what followed.
Viking's son was surprisingly wise in almost all of his scenes, very laid back, just going with the flow. Out of all of it though I loved the scene about fantasy football when he's talking with Mustang. It was was a nice little addition.
That's it, I'm done with the things I liked.
The cinema was "full" when I saw it. There were 30-40 people, which for our cinema and this type of film on opening night in a small screen, wasn't bad at all. There were old and young, there were people who snored and people who laughed, I fell into neither of those last categories. Honestly I was in too much shock to do anything other than pick my jaw up off the floor.
Ultimately Cold Pursuit is another prime example of why you shouldn't put some of your best scenes in the trailers. The whole thing could probably have been sold on lesser scenes in the trailer and then the impact of the bigger ones would have potentially given it a few more stars.
What you should do
I can't in good conscience recommend this to anyone, Neeson has performed much better acts of revenge in many of his other films... just watch one of those... perhaps from behind a snow globe to make it seem like you're watching Cold Pursuit.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Please could I have Coxman's ability to get into places where he clearly doesn't meet the dress code.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Nightmare City in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
When I read the blurb to Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan, I knew it was a book I had to read! While it wasn't a fantastic read, it was still decent enough.
I think the title of this book suits it quite well. What the main character is in is a city made from his nightmares!
At first I wasn't sure if I liked the cover, but it's kind of grown on me. Now I do like it. I like how we see the monsters coming out of the fog. Definitely creepy!
I thought the world building was done really well. It has a super creepy and sinister feel about it. In fact, the world felt so real at times, it was like I was Tom.
The pacing does let the book down somewhat, I felt. For the first three quarters of the book, I felt that the pacing was a bit slow. In fact, there were times when I would just skim paragraphs as I became bored. However, the pacing did pick up in the last quarter of the book, of which I was thankful. From there until the end, I couldn't put the book down!
I thought the whole idea for the plot was interesting. It's not an original idea, but Klavan put his own spin on it making it a bit different. I'd go into more detail, but I don't want to give any spoilers away. Oh, and as for the mystery part of the book, I would've never guessed who the culprit was! There's no cliff hangers, so I believe this book may just be a stand alone.
I thought all the characters were written superbly! Though most of the book, the only character featured is Tom. Tom seemed to me like a typical 17 year old male. He likes cars and girls, but he also quests for the truth which puts his life in jeopardy. I liked how down to Earth Tom was and how he couldn't be intimidated when it came to letting the truth be known. Even though she isn't featured very much, I did like the character of Lisa. I liked how friendly she was, and I felt like she was just a very warm person. There's also the character of Marie, Tom's crush, which I liked to begin with, but I'm not going to say anything due to spoilers.
The dialogue flowed very well, as did the character interactions. Nothing felt disjointed or awkward at all. There's no swearing in this book and only mild violence.
Overall, Nightmare City is a decent read. The pacing does let it down a bit, but I think most people would like the book.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who are fans of horror or those who want to be a bit creeped out.
I'd give Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan a 3.5 out of 5.
(I received a hardback copy of this book for free from booksneeze.com in exchange for a a fair and honest review).
When I read the blurb to Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan, I knew it was a book I had to read! While it wasn't a fantastic read, it was still decent enough.
I think the title of this book suits it quite well. What the main character is in is a city made from his nightmares!
At first I wasn't sure if I liked the cover, but it's kind of grown on me. Now I do like it. I like how we see the monsters coming out of the fog. Definitely creepy!
I thought the world building was done really well. It has a super creepy and sinister feel about it. In fact, the world felt so real at times, it was like I was Tom.
The pacing does let the book down somewhat, I felt. For the first three quarters of the book, I felt that the pacing was a bit slow. In fact, there were times when I would just skim paragraphs as I became bored. However, the pacing did pick up in the last quarter of the book, of which I was thankful. From there until the end, I couldn't put the book down!
I thought the whole idea for the plot was interesting. It's not an original idea, but Klavan put his own spin on it making it a bit different. I'd go into more detail, but I don't want to give any spoilers away. Oh, and as for the mystery part of the book, I would've never guessed who the culprit was! There's no cliff hangers, so I believe this book may just be a stand alone.
I thought all the characters were written superbly! Though most of the book, the only character featured is Tom. Tom seemed to me like a typical 17 year old male. He likes cars and girls, but he also quests for the truth which puts his life in jeopardy. I liked how down to Earth Tom was and how he couldn't be intimidated when it came to letting the truth be known. Even though she isn't featured very much, I did like the character of Lisa. I liked how friendly she was, and I felt like she was just a very warm person. There's also the character of Marie, Tom's crush, which I liked to begin with, but I'm not going to say anything due to spoilers.
The dialogue flowed very well, as did the character interactions. Nothing felt disjointed or awkward at all. There's no swearing in this book and only mild violence.
Overall, Nightmare City is a decent read. The pacing does let it down a bit, but I think most people would like the book.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who are fans of horror or those who want to be a bit creeped out.
I'd give Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan a 3.5 out of 5.
(I received a hardback copy of this book for free from booksneeze.com in exchange for a a fair and honest review).
Alice (12 KP) rated Ocean Light in Books
Jul 4, 2018 (Updated Jul 7, 2018)
A fantastic installment to a great series
This review was originally posted on my blog raptureinbooks.com
It feels like I’ve been waiting for Ocean Light for 20 years, when in reality it’s probably only 5 or 6 but Ocean Light not only marks the second installment to the Psy-Changeling Trinity it marks a pretty huge milestone in the fantabulous world of the Psy-Changeling. I have one word: BlackSea.
The BlackSea Changelings have been that mystery group for a great many and finally, Ocean Light opens the doors to the black and Nalini Singh drops us in the deep end – figuratively speaking.
This book has my favourite human in it – Bowen Knight. He’s rough, he’s ready, he’s an alpha and he’s dying. Ocean Light is the story of Bowen’s recovery and his ultimate kick-assery of the things that go bump in the night.
After the previous shit-storm where Bowen is gravely injured, we see his rise through the blackness of despair and see him take on the chip that is currently destroying his brain like a boss.
Nothing will take him down. Especially not his own choices.
Our lovely lady of the book is Kaia Luna, a shy, mysterious cook with a scientific background and a really smart pet mouse.
Their growing relationship is beautiful from the outset and Bo brings the shyness out of Kaia really well. She becomes a woman to reckon with under the sweet ministrations of Bowen Knight and I implore you to fuck with her.
Nalini’s writing style is, as always, pretty perfect with nothing bad that I can say about it. She has a way with words and characters that are to die for, plots that I’ve never seen before her and probably never will again.
Ocean Light brings us – as readers – into the deepness that is the black and into the darkness that is The Vanishings. We’re introduced to characters we’ve seen before and to new characters and species that are quite frankly sometimes not what you expect – Bebe I’m looking at you.
Ocean Light has the traditional Psy-Changeling-Human interaction that signature with Nalini’s books and that is threaded throughout each book. We’re 17 books in to the story and I just know Nalini has more to give and there is more for us to learn.
The unique plot base of the Psy-Changeling universe is something that is ever growing and ever evolving with each book. If you’ve never read one of these books I suggest you do. Although you can start with Silver Silence the first in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series – as Nalini Singh gives you plenty of background into the previous history- I highly recommend that you start from the beginning with Slave to Sensation as you will get the full force and magnitude of what is happening in the series and you’ll get the full experience of Nalini Singh’s work.
One of my favourite characters from the preceding books – Kaleb Krychek reappears as the badass that he is in Ocean Light and what I love is that He still retains the badass around everyone but his Sahara. It’s beautiful.
I always give Nalini’s books 5 stars purely because they deserve it. There’s never anything I genuinely say I didn’t like and for a series with this many books that is saying something. Other long running series I’ve read I can lose interest in. Nalini Singh’s books I await with bated breath for the next release.
It feels like I’ve been waiting for Ocean Light for 20 years, when in reality it’s probably only 5 or 6 but Ocean Light not only marks the second installment to the Psy-Changeling Trinity it marks a pretty huge milestone in the fantabulous world of the Psy-Changeling. I have one word: BlackSea.
The BlackSea Changelings have been that mystery group for a great many and finally, Ocean Light opens the doors to the black and Nalini Singh drops us in the deep end – figuratively speaking.
This book has my favourite human in it – Bowen Knight. He’s rough, he’s ready, he’s an alpha and he’s dying. Ocean Light is the story of Bowen’s recovery and his ultimate kick-assery of the things that go bump in the night.
After the previous shit-storm where Bowen is gravely injured, we see his rise through the blackness of despair and see him take on the chip that is currently destroying his brain like a boss.
Nothing will take him down. Especially not his own choices.
Our lovely lady of the book is Kaia Luna, a shy, mysterious cook with a scientific background and a really smart pet mouse.
Their growing relationship is beautiful from the outset and Bo brings the shyness out of Kaia really well. She becomes a woman to reckon with under the sweet ministrations of Bowen Knight and I implore you to fuck with her.
Nalini’s writing style is, as always, pretty perfect with nothing bad that I can say about it. She has a way with words and characters that are to die for, plots that I’ve never seen before her and probably never will again.
Ocean Light brings us – as readers – into the deepness that is the black and into the darkness that is The Vanishings. We’re introduced to characters we’ve seen before and to new characters and species that are quite frankly sometimes not what you expect – Bebe I’m looking at you.
Ocean Light has the traditional Psy-Changeling-Human interaction that signature with Nalini’s books and that is threaded throughout each book. We’re 17 books in to the story and I just know Nalini has more to give and there is more for us to learn.
The unique plot base of the Psy-Changeling universe is something that is ever growing and ever evolving with each book. If you’ve never read one of these books I suggest you do. Although you can start with Silver Silence the first in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series – as Nalini Singh gives you plenty of background into the previous history- I highly recommend that you start from the beginning with Slave to Sensation as you will get the full force and magnitude of what is happening in the series and you’ll get the full experience of Nalini Singh’s work.
One of my favourite characters from the preceding books – Kaleb Krychek reappears as the badass that he is in Ocean Light and what I love is that He still retains the badass around everyone but his Sahara. It’s beautiful.
I always give Nalini’s books 5 stars purely because they deserve it. There’s never anything I genuinely say I didn’t like and for a series with this many books that is saying something. Other long running series I’ve read I can lose interest in. Nalini Singh’s books I await with bated breath for the next release.
ClareR (5906 KP) rated Ayesha At Last in Books
Apr 4, 2019
A book that deserves to be read A LOT!!
I absolutely adored this book. If I could unread it and then read it again for the first time, I would!
It’s Pride and Prejudice set in modern Canada with a Muslim cast. Ayesha wants to work to pay her Uncle back for all the help he has given her and her family, but her real love is poetry, not teaching High School. She is asked by her rather spoilt cousin, Hafsa, to cover for her at a mosque event meeting under the guise of being Hafsa. There, she meets Khalid, and finds herself falling for a devout, conservative Muslim - something she doesn’t want to do - who is also shy, kind and handsome. However, when Khalid’s controlling mother organises marriage between the real Hafsa and Khalid, knowing the identity of the Hafsa that Khalid has met, both Khalid and Ayesha realise that they haven’t necessarily got what they want.
There was so much heart in this story - I particularly loved the characters of Nani and Nana. They acted as the voice of reason on more than one occasion. I also loved the Shakespeare quotations: Nani always had the right quote at exactly the right time (and it was all very meta - Shakespeare quotes in an Austen retelling!).
Even the more unsavoury characters were written in such a way that I felt sorry for them - life and experiences clearly making them the way they were.
I read this on The Pigeonhole app (one section, or stave, per day for ten days) and I can honestly say that I looked forward to every single stave. If I’d had the book in my hand, I would have read it in one sitting. So I’m actually glad that The Pigeonhole forced me to savour and enjoy this gorgeous book for longer. It deserves to be savoured, and it deserves to be read a lot too!!
I really do highly recommend this book!
It’s Pride and Prejudice set in modern Canada with a Muslim cast. Ayesha wants to work to pay her Uncle back for all the help he has given her and her family, but her real love is poetry, not teaching High School. She is asked by her rather spoilt cousin, Hafsa, to cover for her at a mosque event meeting under the guise of being Hafsa. There, she meets Khalid, and finds herself falling for a devout, conservative Muslim - something she doesn’t want to do - who is also shy, kind and handsome. However, when Khalid’s controlling mother organises marriage between the real Hafsa and Khalid, knowing the identity of the Hafsa that Khalid has met, both Khalid and Ayesha realise that they haven’t necessarily got what they want.
There was so much heart in this story - I particularly loved the characters of Nani and Nana. They acted as the voice of reason on more than one occasion. I also loved the Shakespeare quotations: Nani always had the right quote at exactly the right time (and it was all very meta - Shakespeare quotes in an Austen retelling!).
Even the more unsavoury characters were written in such a way that I felt sorry for them - life and experiences clearly making them the way they were.
I read this on The Pigeonhole app (one section, or stave, per day for ten days) and I can honestly say that I looked forward to every single stave. If I’d had the book in my hand, I would have read it in one sitting. So I’m actually glad that The Pigeonhole forced me to savour and enjoy this gorgeous book for longer. It deserves to be savoured, and it deserves to be read a lot too!!
I really do highly recommend this book!
Merissa (13015 KP) rated Surfacing Secrets (Elemental Evidence #3) in Books
Apr 4, 2018
Surfacing Secrets (Elemental Evidence #3) by Bellora Quinn & Sadie Rose Bermingham
Surfacing Secrets is the third book in the Elemental Evidence series, and I looked forward to reuniting with Jake and Mari to see how things have moved on for them. Mari is surfing online to try and find an answer to his 'problem'. Instead, he finds a video of someone being murdered. He shows it to Jake, who passes it on to the police, but it looks like Mari is finding it hard to stop connecting online. It is becoming an addiction, one he denies having.
I thoroughly enjoy these books! It isn't just romance, there is plenty here for everyone to enjoy. I do have to say though that Mari once again pings on my radar for acting like a jerk. The addiction part I tried to ignore, as he couldn't exactly control what he was saying or thinking at the time. But he does insist on knocking Jake down all the time, even in his thoughts. Poor Jake! I love his character, and although I can see the love he has for Mari, I just want it reciprocated. I am longing for the book where Mari doesn't act like an ass and becomes the man Jake deserves.
A story with a dark twist, told amazingly well by these two authors. With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, it was simply Mari who jolted me. The flow was smooth, and the pacing perfect. I love the interaction between all of the characters, yes - even Mari and Jake. Absolutely recommended for those who love a bit of mystery mixed in with their paranormal.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I thoroughly enjoy these books! It isn't just romance, there is plenty here for everyone to enjoy. I do have to say though that Mari once again pings on my radar for acting like a jerk. The addiction part I tried to ignore, as he couldn't exactly control what he was saying or thinking at the time. But he does insist on knocking Jake down all the time, even in his thoughts. Poor Jake! I love his character, and although I can see the love he has for Mari, I just want it reciprocated. I am longing for the book where Mari doesn't act like an ass and becomes the man Jake deserves.
A story with a dark twist, told amazingly well by these two authors. With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, it was simply Mari who jolted me. The flow was smooth, and the pacing perfect. I love the interaction between all of the characters, yes - even Mari and Jake. Absolutely recommended for those who love a bit of mystery mixed in with their paranormal.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Fantasy in Death (In Death, #30) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
<i>Fantasy in Death</i> is an interesting take on the death-by-gaming plot that has previously been done by a couple of fantasy and science fiction authors, most notably in Niven and Barnes' Dream Park series. I doubt that most of Robb's readers will be familiar with the other books, as they're probably coming from the romance world (crossing over from her Nora Roberts titles) instead of the science fiction genre.
What hit me the most, though, was nostalgia for the dot com boom. The portrayal of the hot start-up company with its open, cheerful offices full of tech toys and energy, well-paid employees on fire with ideas and enthusiasm happily burning the midnight oil to work on exciting projects—I remember those days! Okay, the technology wasn't as advanced as the stuff in the book, but I can relate.
I always enjoy the portrayal of Dallas and Roarke's relationship as a mature partnership. It is a bit clich&ecuted at this point that every case has some aspect that justifies bringing in Roarke as a civilian consultant, but it's part of the formula. The sex is somewhat paint by numbers by now, too, but as prolific as Robb/Roberts is, I'm wondering if she has templates for different series and she has her own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratemeyer_Syndicate">Stratemeyer Syndicate</a>-type operation going on somewhere. (I've never read anything but the Eve Dallas books, so please take that as the joke it's meant to be!)
I was a little disappointed in the reveal, as I felt that the bad guy was too obvious. I won't say more, as I don't want to give anything away. I'll probably continue reading the series, but I'm past feeling an urgent need to grab them as soon as they come out, and this definitely isn't one of the few series that I could re-read and enjoy.
What hit me the most, though, was nostalgia for the dot com boom. The portrayal of the hot start-up company with its open, cheerful offices full of tech toys and energy, well-paid employees on fire with ideas and enthusiasm happily burning the midnight oil to work on exciting projects—I remember those days! Okay, the technology wasn't as advanced as the stuff in the book, but I can relate.
I always enjoy the portrayal of Dallas and Roarke's relationship as a mature partnership. It is a bit clich&ecuted at this point that every case has some aspect that justifies bringing in Roarke as a civilian consultant, but it's part of the formula. The sex is somewhat paint by numbers by now, too, but as prolific as Robb/Roberts is, I'm wondering if she has templates for different series and she has her own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratemeyer_Syndicate">Stratemeyer Syndicate</a>-type operation going on somewhere. (I've never read anything but the Eve Dallas books, so please take that as the joke it's meant to be!)
I was a little disappointed in the reveal, as I felt that the bad guy was too obvious. I won't say more, as I don't want to give anything away. I'll probably continue reading the series, but I'm past feeling an urgent need to grab them as soon as they come out, and this definitely isn't one of the few series that I could re-read and enjoy.