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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Madison Avery doesn't believe in fate—until a combination of fate and free will brings her to live with her dad (which her mom thinks is a good thing for her since she can't stay out of trouble at home), gets her a pity-date ("you got your boss to get his son to ask me out? what?"), and kills her (at her junior prom. On her seventeenth birthday. of all the luck.). Now, after having claimed the amulet of the timekeeper who killed her (which is the only thing that keeps her looking like she's alive), she has to learn how to live with death. If that's even possible.
But the dark timekeeper who killed her isn't happy, because she's got his amulet, and she's not all the way dead (just sort of dead). Teaming up with Barnabas—who may or may not be a fallen angel—and the light time keeper, Chronos (or Ron for short), a guardian angel (who she forces to guard someone else) and enlisting the human help of her ex-prom date Josh (who she didn't realize she had a crush on), she has to attempt to save her soul.
All in a day's work for a dead high-schooler… right?
This was the second time I've read Once Dead, Twice Shy. I still can't figure out what the title means. Whatever it means, it was a pretty exciting book. There wasn't a second of "down-time." Madison was always up to something, learning something, running to—or from—something, or saving someone. Every chapter had little pieces of the puzzle, and the way it all fit together at the end, was priceless, hilarious, and promising.
I will say that I don't like where the story picks up. I think Harrison should have actually included the beginning of the story, where she gets killed. I read it before I read this book and I would have been rather lost without it. It was a short story included in Prom Nights from Hell. I don't care if this is technically a "book 1" in the series. It should have been book 2, or at least had the beginning of the story included in it.
I really liked Madison. I liked her character (though not some of her choices—but hey, if I was a dead seventeen year old trying to keep her dad from knowing that she could bend time, I probably would have made those same choices) and I liked her interior monologue. She was serious enough to be nerve-wracking and exciting, but sarcastic enough to give everything a touch of comic relief. I really didn't like Josh in the short prequel to this book, but as his character began to be more clear, I really started to like him. I hope things turn out well between him and Madison. I would have liked a little more romantic tension between them, but what was there was clean and innocent—a little too innocent for Madison Avery.
I don't particularly like Kim Harrison's writing style. It's very casual, it has those dreaded fragments, and it's nothing out of the ordinary. However, her way of describing both physical images and emotional feelings was very good, and I could see everything, hear everything, and feel everything her characters were experiencing. As I mentioned above, I liked the comic relief. I also liked her lack of language through the story. Madison had her own set of "words" and phrases that she used that weren't offensive in any way, and it made the story much more enjoyable. However, the only word I can think of to describe her writing is mediocre, and that and the lack of tension between Madison and Josh are the only reasons I don't give this book five stars.
Content: clean of language, violence, and sexuality of any kind. Thank you Harrison, for writing clean YA fiction!
Recommendation: Ages 12+ to lovers of sci-fi, fantasy, and general YA fiction.
This review is copyright Haley Mathiot and Night Owl Reviews.
But the dark timekeeper who killed her isn't happy, because she's got his amulet, and she's not all the way dead (just sort of dead). Teaming up with Barnabas—who may or may not be a fallen angel—and the light time keeper, Chronos (or Ron for short), a guardian angel (who she forces to guard someone else) and enlisting the human help of her ex-prom date Josh (who she didn't realize she had a crush on), she has to attempt to save her soul.
All in a day's work for a dead high-schooler… right?
This was the second time I've read Once Dead, Twice Shy. I still can't figure out what the title means. Whatever it means, it was a pretty exciting book. There wasn't a second of "down-time." Madison was always up to something, learning something, running to—or from—something, or saving someone. Every chapter had little pieces of the puzzle, and the way it all fit together at the end, was priceless, hilarious, and promising.
I will say that I don't like where the story picks up. I think Harrison should have actually included the beginning of the story, where she gets killed. I read it before I read this book and I would have been rather lost without it. It was a short story included in Prom Nights from Hell. I don't care if this is technically a "book 1" in the series. It should have been book 2, or at least had the beginning of the story included in it.
I really liked Madison. I liked her character (though not some of her choices—but hey, if I was a dead seventeen year old trying to keep her dad from knowing that she could bend time, I probably would have made those same choices) and I liked her interior monologue. She was serious enough to be nerve-wracking and exciting, but sarcastic enough to give everything a touch of comic relief. I really didn't like Josh in the short prequel to this book, but as his character began to be more clear, I really started to like him. I hope things turn out well between him and Madison. I would have liked a little more romantic tension between them, but what was there was clean and innocent—a little too innocent for Madison Avery.
I don't particularly like Kim Harrison's writing style. It's very casual, it has those dreaded fragments, and it's nothing out of the ordinary. However, her way of describing both physical images and emotional feelings was very good, and I could see everything, hear everything, and feel everything her characters were experiencing. As I mentioned above, I liked the comic relief. I also liked her lack of language through the story. Madison had her own set of "words" and phrases that she used that weren't offensive in any way, and it made the story much more enjoyable. However, the only word I can think of to describe her writing is mediocre, and that and the lack of tension between Madison and Josh are the only reasons I don't give this book five stars.
Content: clean of language, violence, and sexuality of any kind. Thank you Harrison, for writing clean YA fiction!
Recommendation: Ages 12+ to lovers of sci-fi, fantasy, and general YA fiction.
This review is copyright Haley Mathiot and Night Owl Reviews.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Art of Escaping 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>
Hold on a second while I scream in my corner about how I am finally <em>on time</em> to write a review before a book actually releases. Just barely, but you know, it's still relatively on time. 😱
Maybe it's because I've decided to give up on the four books that have been there since 2016 and reset my priorities.
Okay, back on topic.
<em>The Art of Escaping</em> by Erin Callahan is a book that Roberta first introduced to me in sometime in a year far ago and honestly? Well, let's find out.
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Few Things About <em>The Art of Escaping</em></strong></h2>
Erin Callahan's latest novel is about escapology, and maybe the title explains what escapology is, but there's probably multiple layers of meaning with the title aside from literally. (I approve of this approach.)
But here: I almost DNFed this one. But I wanted to know the end, so curiosity got better of me.
<h3><strong>Multiple POVs was meh but okay.</strong></h3>
<em>The Art of Escaping</em> is told in two views: Mattie and Will. Three, if you count diary entries as an intermission between chapters. I'm not against multiple views and maybe I was tired, but I struggled sometimes with this one.
There were times where it felt like the story was being told right now as it is happening, and then there were times where it felt the story was being told by a future version of the characters. And then there were times the story kind of repeated itself, then went onwards. 🤷🏻♀️
<h3><strong>Occasionally I liked a line or two. Or three.</strong></h3>
There are some great one-liners in here, but a lot of the writing I glossed over. To be honest, sometimes I was bored and maybe it was just me in a very bad time (I felt like doing nothing for the past few weeks if my lack of posts say anything).
But I was also reading another book, and it was more interesting? Lack of motivation did nothing there. So maybe I'm not the only one who felt meh about the writing.
<h3><strong>There is NO romance.</strong></h3>
Well, not exactly. There are snippets here and there, but it's not a part of the storyline, which is 11/10 okay with me because every book and its sequel has a romance somehow these days. (Am I complaining? Not really. I like books with no romance sometimes.) But the main point is, it's not a <i>huge</i> plot bunny.
<h3><strong>Friendship and sibling dynamics.</strong></h3>
Okay, so I can live for the friendship and sibling dynamics because they were developed quite well, or at least, in the few months timeframe. The brother/sister relationship isn't much, but the friendship is a huge part of the book for both new and old relationships. It was lovely seeing Will and Mattie grow a friendship over escapology and then bringing the other characters in.
<h3><strong>Miyu is a precious bean.</strong></h3>
Early on in <em>The Art of Escaping</em>, Callahan introduces readers to Miyu, who ends up being Mattie's mentor who is Crabby<sup>TM</sup>. Honestly though, I absolutely love Miyu - she's a crab, but deep down, she's a soft cookie filled with chocolate chips. Plus 95% of the best sentences in the book come from Miyu, so there is never a boring moment with her on the page.
<h2><strong>Honestly I was hoping <i>The Art of Escaping</i> would be good, but there were a few things missing to make it to that level. It wasn't a mess, but maybe a few sweeps needed.</strong></h2>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-art-of-escaping-by-erin-callahan-thank-you-death-come-again/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Hold on a second while I scream in my corner about how I am finally <em>on time</em> to write a review before a book actually releases. Just barely, but you know, it's still relatively on time. 😱
Maybe it's because I've decided to give up on the four books that have been there since 2016 and reset my priorities.
Okay, back on topic.
<em>The Art of Escaping</em> by Erin Callahan is a book that Roberta first introduced to me in sometime in a year far ago and honestly? Well, let's find out.
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Few Things About <em>The Art of Escaping</em></strong></h2>
Erin Callahan's latest novel is about escapology, and maybe the title explains what escapology is, but there's probably multiple layers of meaning with the title aside from literally. (I approve of this approach.)
But here: I almost DNFed this one. But I wanted to know the end, so curiosity got better of me.
<h3><strong>Multiple POVs was meh but okay.</strong></h3>
<em>The Art of Escaping</em> is told in two views: Mattie and Will. Three, if you count diary entries as an intermission between chapters. I'm not against multiple views and maybe I was tired, but I struggled sometimes with this one.
There were times where it felt like the story was being told right now as it is happening, and then there were times where it felt the story was being told by a future version of the characters. And then there were times the story kind of repeated itself, then went onwards. 🤷🏻♀️
<h3><strong>Occasionally I liked a line or two. Or three.</strong></h3>
There are some great one-liners in here, but a lot of the writing I glossed over. To be honest, sometimes I was bored and maybe it was just me in a very bad time (I felt like doing nothing for the past few weeks if my lack of posts say anything).
But I was also reading another book, and it was more interesting? Lack of motivation did nothing there. So maybe I'm not the only one who felt meh about the writing.
<h3><strong>There is NO romance.</strong></h3>
Well, not exactly. There are snippets here and there, but it's not a part of the storyline, which is 11/10 okay with me because every book and its sequel has a romance somehow these days. (Am I complaining? Not really. I like books with no romance sometimes.) But the main point is, it's not a <i>huge</i> plot bunny.
<h3><strong>Friendship and sibling dynamics.</strong></h3>
Okay, so I can live for the friendship and sibling dynamics because they were developed quite well, or at least, in the few months timeframe. The brother/sister relationship isn't much, but the friendship is a huge part of the book for both new and old relationships. It was lovely seeing Will and Mattie grow a friendship over escapology and then bringing the other characters in.
<h3><strong>Miyu is a precious bean.</strong></h3>
Early on in <em>The Art of Escaping</em>, Callahan introduces readers to Miyu, who ends up being Mattie's mentor who is Crabby<sup>TM</sup>. Honestly though, I absolutely love Miyu - she's a crab, but deep down, she's a soft cookie filled with chocolate chips. Plus 95% of the best sentences in the book come from Miyu, so there is never a boring moment with her on the page.
<h2><strong>Honestly I was hoping <i>The Art of Escaping</i> would be good, but there were a few things missing to make it to that level. It wasn't a mess, but maybe a few sweeps needed.</strong></h2>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-art-of-escaping-by-erin-callahan-thank-you-death-come-again/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Frost 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>
Ah, my first Norse mythology book (okay, I have another one by another author, but I'm a little hesitant on reading another of their works...).
For a debut novelist who started the book on Wattpad, <i>Frost</i> isn't that bad of a book. Latimer does a great job with building the world of Jotunheim (there's another name, but that's the easiest I remember) it's an icy world with frost giants, and there's magic to keep the ice palace from falling apart, etc. I personally think the entire world is really cool, and I would totally hop on an airplane to visit the place if it were real and I wouldn't get hypothermia from the moment I actually step off the plane.
Regardless, though, <i>Frost</i> had a decent grasp on a lot of elements that didn't make too much of an impact on me, not to mention the fact there aren't much Norse mythology going on here. The author is really using Norse mythology as a base and using the usual tropes of young adult fiction to fluff it up.
The writing style? I feel like there's something missing, but maybe it's because there's this gap when it comes to my relationship with Wattpad works. I'm not exactly used to Wattpad works, so I'm a little lenient in this department.
The characters? Petty, petty, petty. Too much pettiness going on here. Too much flawlessness and perfection going on with the jotun. I swear there is so much perfection going on with them, the only flaw they probably have is they're assholes. It's enough that "jerk" is not simply not good enough of a word to describe those jotun.
Most, if not all, hate Megan simply because she is the queen's favorite. They strive to take her down and pretty much urge her to leave, and they do it through threats and attacks. Meanwhile, the queen is completely unbelievable for doting on Megan MEGAN IS A STRANGER, FOR GODS' SAKES. But Latimer establishes the fact her frosty majesty is perhaps a little cuckoo in the head you're forgiven, I suppose.
And then there's Megan and Amora where do the boundaries between them end? Megan is called Amora, Amora is Amora, Megan is Megan. With all of the characters calling Megan, "Amora," it took a long while to get used to the fact Megan's "given" name by her frosty majesty is "Amora." However, at no point in the book does Latimer mention why Megan was given the name of Amora. Thus, assumptions must be made, and I personally believe it's grief and guilt.
Megan, on the other hand, is not exactly as insecure as she thinks. She's secretly brave, and I like her. I would like to say, however, that she is quite naïve in the beginning when she is running from Loki. She makes poor decisions that are worth facepalming using a credit card, even if it is not her own? Bad idea. They can still track you. (Must be a media hermit.)
The plot and storyline? Weak, but not that weak. I personally think the jotun being vengeful for a good part of the book probably played a big role in the weak plot. In the long run, I think Latimer probably didn't go into much detail with the overall plot because there seems to be a sequel coming in the future.
If anything, <i>Frost</i> is really just a book where the main character learns something unusual about herself and discovers who, or what, she really is. As mentioned before, there really isn't much from Norse mythology coming from this one, but I sure hope if there is a sequel, there are a lot more mythological elements used.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-frost-by-e-latimer/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Ah, my first Norse mythology book (okay, I have another one by another author, but I'm a little hesitant on reading another of their works...).
For a debut novelist who started the book on Wattpad, <i>Frost</i> isn't that bad of a book. Latimer does a great job with building the world of Jotunheim (there's another name, but that's the easiest I remember) it's an icy world with frost giants, and there's magic to keep the ice palace from falling apart, etc. I personally think the entire world is really cool, and I would totally hop on an airplane to visit the place if it were real and I wouldn't get hypothermia from the moment I actually step off the plane.
Regardless, though, <i>Frost</i> had a decent grasp on a lot of elements that didn't make too much of an impact on me, not to mention the fact there aren't much Norse mythology going on here. The author is really using Norse mythology as a base and using the usual tropes of young adult fiction to fluff it up.
The writing style? I feel like there's something missing, but maybe it's because there's this gap when it comes to my relationship with Wattpad works. I'm not exactly used to Wattpad works, so I'm a little lenient in this department.
The characters? Petty, petty, petty. Too much pettiness going on here. Too much flawlessness and perfection going on with the jotun. I swear there is so much perfection going on with them, the only flaw they probably have is they're assholes. It's enough that "jerk" is not simply not good enough of a word to describe those jotun.
Most, if not all, hate Megan simply because she is the queen's favorite. They strive to take her down and pretty much urge her to leave, and they do it through threats and attacks. Meanwhile, the queen is completely unbelievable for doting on Megan MEGAN IS A STRANGER, FOR GODS' SAKES. But Latimer establishes the fact her frosty majesty is perhaps a little cuckoo in the head you're forgiven, I suppose.
And then there's Megan and Amora where do the boundaries between them end? Megan is called Amora, Amora is Amora, Megan is Megan. With all of the characters calling Megan, "Amora," it took a long while to get used to the fact Megan's "given" name by her frosty majesty is "Amora." However, at no point in the book does Latimer mention why Megan was given the name of Amora. Thus, assumptions must be made, and I personally believe it's grief and guilt.
Megan, on the other hand, is not exactly as insecure as she thinks. She's secretly brave, and I like her. I would like to say, however, that she is quite naïve in the beginning when she is running from Loki. She makes poor decisions that are worth facepalming using a credit card, even if it is not her own? Bad idea. They can still track you. (Must be a media hermit.)
The plot and storyline? Weak, but not that weak. I personally think the jotun being vengeful for a good part of the book probably played a big role in the weak plot. In the long run, I think Latimer probably didn't go into much detail with the overall plot because there seems to be a sequel coming in the future.
If anything, <i>Frost</i> is really just a book where the main character learns something unusual about herself and discovers who, or what, she really is. As mentioned before, there really isn't much from Norse mythology coming from this one, but I sure hope if there is a sequel, there are a lot more mythological elements used.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-frost-by-e-latimer/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Jurassic Park (1993) in Movies
Jul 23, 2018
The music!!! (3 more)
Incredible cast
The dinosaurs look incredible
The writing
Are there any flaws to this movie? I think not!
Wow what can I say about this? A classic. A masterpiece. The greatest dinosaur movie of all time by far....in fact 1 of the greatest movies in general of all time.
The soundtrack is iconic. John Williams is a genius. You hear that song anywhere and you immediately know what movie it is.
Sam neills greatest role, shirtless Jeff goldblum, a young(er) Samuel l Jackson and a great Richard attenborough. The cast is great with fantastic writing. In a film about dinosaurs the acting is believable, I love the relationships between the characters.
We can't forget the other main cast member.....the dinosaurs. The looked incredible. The use of animatronics were genius mixed with some visual effects. They looked believable, they were scary and there were many different types to keep you interested. The sounds were perfect along with the intense feeling of seeing water shake letting you know something big is coming.
Spielburgs directing is on top form for this movie and is easily 1 of his best and that is saying a lot. Only he can present a scene to you that invokes both awe and fear at the same time.
It does make you think too even now about where technology is going and Jeff goldblum says it best in 1 seen. "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that didn't stop to think if they should" this line has stuck with me for a long time because it's true even today.
Fantastic movie that belongs in anyone's top 10. It is the only Dino movie worth watching. Nothing else comes close.
The soundtrack is iconic. John Williams is a genius. You hear that song anywhere and you immediately know what movie it is.
Sam neills greatest role, shirtless Jeff goldblum, a young(er) Samuel l Jackson and a great Richard attenborough. The cast is great with fantastic writing. In a film about dinosaurs the acting is believable, I love the relationships between the characters.
We can't forget the other main cast member.....the dinosaurs. The looked incredible. The use of animatronics were genius mixed with some visual effects. They looked believable, they were scary and there were many different types to keep you interested. The sounds were perfect along with the intense feeling of seeing water shake letting you know something big is coming.
Spielburgs directing is on top form for this movie and is easily 1 of his best and that is saying a lot. Only he can present a scene to you that invokes both awe and fear at the same time.
It does make you think too even now about where technology is going and Jeff goldblum says it best in 1 seen. "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that didn't stop to think if they should" this line has stuck with me for a long time because it's true even today.
Fantastic movie that belongs in anyone's top 10. It is the only Dino movie worth watching. Nothing else comes close.
Carma (21 KP) rated A Nanny For the Reclusive Billionaire in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Mallory Worthington needs a change of scenery. She is tired of being labeled the sick kid or handle with care. What she needs is an escape from the stigma that a cancer diagnosis brings. She signs up with a temp agency and finds herself flying to Southern Florida to be a nanny to a Billionaire. It is a far cry from being a chef but it might be just what she needs.
Rhys Dalton is reclusive to say the least. Living in Flamingo Key with his son Oliver and a handful of trusted employees is just what he needs after losing his wife 3 years ago. He couldnt protect Beth but he will do whatever it takes to protect Oliver including cutting them off from civilization. Hiring a nanny to help with Olivers needs while he works seems the perfect solution, until Mallory shows up on his doorstep. Werent nannies old and wrinkled with wool dresses?
Mallory and Rhys find themselves needing each other more than they are willing to admit. Together they bring out the best of each other and can offer more live lessons and love to Oliver. But Mallory is reluctant to share her past with Rhys given his personal history with cancer. That can only mean trouble ahead, right?
A Nanny for the Reclusive Billionaire is the first book Ive read by Regina Kyle after meeting her in Cincinnati earlier this year. I am regretting now, not having known about her before because her writing style is wonderful. Believable characters with great storyline flow and humor. If you havent read anything by Ms. Kyle before make this a one click immediately. I voluntarily read an advance copy without expectation for review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own.
Rhys Dalton is reclusive to say the least. Living in Flamingo Key with his son Oliver and a handful of trusted employees is just what he needs after losing his wife 3 years ago. He couldnt protect Beth but he will do whatever it takes to protect Oliver including cutting them off from civilization. Hiring a nanny to help with Olivers needs while he works seems the perfect solution, until Mallory shows up on his doorstep. Werent nannies old and wrinkled with wool dresses?
Mallory and Rhys find themselves needing each other more than they are willing to admit. Together they bring out the best of each other and can offer more live lessons and love to Oliver. But Mallory is reluctant to share her past with Rhys given his personal history with cancer. That can only mean trouble ahead, right?
A Nanny for the Reclusive Billionaire is the first book Ive read by Regina Kyle after meeting her in Cincinnati earlier this year. I am regretting now, not having known about her before because her writing style is wonderful. Believable characters with great storyline flow and humor. If you havent read anything by Ms. Kyle before make this a one click immediately. I voluntarily read an advance copy without expectation for review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2478 KP) rated Here Comes the Body in Books
Feb 26, 2020
Debut You Won’t Want to Refuse
Mia Carina has returned home after her adulterous husband’s mysterious disappearance to work in the family business. Or, I should say, the family’s new business. Her father, reputed mobster Ravello, has recently acquired the Belle View catering hall in the Queens borough of New York City, and Mia is going to help him run it as a 100% real business. Her first week on the job, Mia is in charge of a bachelor party when disaster strikes. Not only does the stripper not jump out of the cake, she’s dead in the cake. With the police showing interest in the new business and especially her father, Mia begins poking around, hoping to figure out what happened. Can she do it?
The mob? New York City? Yes, this is indeed still a cozy. While those are the elements that help make up this different take on the genre, they only help provide the background. The heart of the book is still a great puzzle and charming characters. Mia already knows some of the supporting players in the book, and we can tell right away how much they love each other. The rest of the characters are entertaining, and the suspects are strong. The plot weaves in some interesting directions before we reach the logical and satisfying conclusion. We get some great humor as Mia deals with a return home that isn’t as smooth as she thought it would be. Being a culinary cozy, we get some delicious sounding recipes at the end and a fun party idea. I took advantage of a lazy Sunday afternoon to finish this book, and I enjoyed every page of it. I’m already anxious for the sequel. It would be a mistake to refuse this excellent debut.
The mob? New York City? Yes, this is indeed still a cozy. While those are the elements that help make up this different take on the genre, they only help provide the background. The heart of the book is still a great puzzle and charming characters. Mia already knows some of the supporting players in the book, and we can tell right away how much they love each other. The rest of the characters are entertaining, and the suspects are strong. The plot weaves in some interesting directions before we reach the logical and satisfying conclusion. We get some great humor as Mia deals with a return home that isn’t as smooth as she thought it would be. Being a culinary cozy, we get some delicious sounding recipes at the end and a fun party idea. I took advantage of a lazy Sunday afternoon to finish this book, and I enjoyed every page of it. I’m already anxious for the sequel. It would be a mistake to refuse this excellent debut.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Hunt (2020) in Movies
Mar 25, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
I've been looking forward to this since before it was cool.
A group of strangers wake up in the middle of nowhere, gagged and confused. The last thing they remember is being home in their respective states and then waking up in a clearing with each other.
It's no mystery to some why they're there, it's the Hunt. The bored elite pick up 12 strangers to hunt for sport and now it's their turn. A box full of weapons an open field and danger in every direction. Will the prey survive?
Mindless violence like this is right up my street, usually because it's so ridiculous it's funny and shocking in the most unexpected ways. It reminds me a lot of The Condemned, although there's no amazing role for Vinnie in this.
The trailers... ugh. One gives away a lot of key points and the other misleadingly splices together a lot of footage, the latter doesn't bother me nearly as much as the first. Had they only used the international trailer it would have avoided a lot of those problems and I think it would have left a bit more surprise.
Admittedly, I probably wouldn't have noticed how many reveals there were if I hadn't gone back to find something out after seeing the film. I could not for the life of me understand why they insisted on only showing the back of Hilary Swank's head in the opening, in the plane, partially during her meeting... why? If they had kept the role a secret until a reveal at the very end of the film (I still wouldn't have understood it but) I would have kind of been okay with it... but they show her face in the trailer... so why the hidden face all the time?
We get quite a big cast here with a lot of faces to recognise, all be it very briefly at times. I'm a little impressed that they decided to knock out as many as they did so early on, and especially their choices.
We have Betty Gilpin in the lead as Crystal fighting back against her would be murderers. I've only come across Gilpin (knowingly) in Elementary where she also played a character with many quirks. There's a certain kick-assery quality to Crystal, and those bits are great, but when she gets intense and mentions she might have issues it seems odd and at times not at all clear what she might be alluding to. She seemed to handle the role well but the occasional loopy moment didn't really fit.
Hilary Swank's performance as Athena was okay but the character had a lot of different issues throughout that I personally think would have made any attempt at this role mediocre.
I'll cover some of the flaws in the movie briefly, very briefly because there are a lot of things that just don't make sense. The text message that starts the whole thing... horrendously specific and doesn't seem like a likely response in that conversation. To then cause her to rage out in her meeting and decide to have the invented rampage seems even more ridiculous. When the prey can roam anywhere, why are a big chunk of them staying in the bunker on the original drop point, and how would they have known in advance that having someone with refugees would pan out in the end? And why after being so furious about the whole thing does Athena stay in her manor? Those are some of the things to quibble about, but I'll move on.
The film appears to say a lot but honestly doesn't really say anything at all. No point is ever really followed through with and explained, so the fact I wasn't "in tune" with it I didn't take anything away from those scenes anyway. At one point they throw so many topics into a conversation that it became quite annoying. I found it interesting to read up about why the film was pulled in the first place, under the veils of some terrible incidents in America at the time when it seems that the media influence was trying to crush it even before that because of all these hot topics. I don't know why anyone would be in their case if they'd actually seen the film, but as I said, this isn't my area of expertise so I don't intend to debate on the point.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, all I can say is that that sandwich would definitely have been burnt.
There are a lot of threads to pick at in The Hunt but none of them actually made the film fall apart, it has some humour, including some of those moments that aren't really funny but they're shocking and you laugh as a defense mechanism. It has one moment in particular that is so far off course that I wondered if it would go all out spoof. Even with the issue I still enjoyed it, there's something in these films (like Bloodshot had been) that relieves the stress of having to think.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-hunt-movie-review-spoilers.html
A group of strangers wake up in the middle of nowhere, gagged and confused. The last thing they remember is being home in their respective states and then waking up in a clearing with each other.
It's no mystery to some why they're there, it's the Hunt. The bored elite pick up 12 strangers to hunt for sport and now it's their turn. A box full of weapons an open field and danger in every direction. Will the prey survive?
Mindless violence like this is right up my street, usually because it's so ridiculous it's funny and shocking in the most unexpected ways. It reminds me a lot of The Condemned, although there's no amazing role for Vinnie in this.
The trailers... ugh. One gives away a lot of key points and the other misleadingly splices together a lot of footage, the latter doesn't bother me nearly as much as the first. Had they only used the international trailer it would have avoided a lot of those problems and I think it would have left a bit more surprise.
Admittedly, I probably wouldn't have noticed how many reveals there were if I hadn't gone back to find something out after seeing the film. I could not for the life of me understand why they insisted on only showing the back of Hilary Swank's head in the opening, in the plane, partially during her meeting... why? If they had kept the role a secret until a reveal at the very end of the film (I still wouldn't have understood it but) I would have kind of been okay with it... but they show her face in the trailer... so why the hidden face all the time?
We get quite a big cast here with a lot of faces to recognise, all be it very briefly at times. I'm a little impressed that they decided to knock out as many as they did so early on, and especially their choices.
We have Betty Gilpin in the lead as Crystal fighting back against her would be murderers. I've only come across Gilpin (knowingly) in Elementary where she also played a character with many quirks. There's a certain kick-assery quality to Crystal, and those bits are great, but when she gets intense and mentions she might have issues it seems odd and at times not at all clear what she might be alluding to. She seemed to handle the role well but the occasional loopy moment didn't really fit.
Hilary Swank's performance as Athena was okay but the character had a lot of different issues throughout that I personally think would have made any attempt at this role mediocre.
I'll cover some of the flaws in the movie briefly, very briefly because there are a lot of things that just don't make sense. The text message that starts the whole thing... horrendously specific and doesn't seem like a likely response in that conversation. To then cause her to rage out in her meeting and decide to have the invented rampage seems even more ridiculous. When the prey can roam anywhere, why are a big chunk of them staying in the bunker on the original drop point, and how would they have known in advance that having someone with refugees would pan out in the end? And why after being so furious about the whole thing does Athena stay in her manor? Those are some of the things to quibble about, but I'll move on.
The film appears to say a lot but honestly doesn't really say anything at all. No point is ever really followed through with and explained, so the fact I wasn't "in tune" with it I didn't take anything away from those scenes anyway. At one point they throw so many topics into a conversation that it became quite annoying. I found it interesting to read up about why the film was pulled in the first place, under the veils of some terrible incidents in America at the time when it seems that the media influence was trying to crush it even before that because of all these hot topics. I don't know why anyone would be in their case if they'd actually seen the film, but as I said, this isn't my area of expertise so I don't intend to debate on the point.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, all I can say is that that sandwich would definitely have been burnt.
There are a lot of threads to pick at in The Hunt but none of them actually made the film fall apart, it has some humour, including some of those moments that aren't really funny but they're shocking and you laugh as a defense mechanism. It has one moment in particular that is so far off course that I wondered if it would go all out spoof. Even with the issue I still enjoyed it, there's something in these films (like Bloodshot had been) that relieves the stress of having to think.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-hunt-movie-review-spoilers.html
Kyera (8 KP) rated Daughter Of The Burning City in Books
Jan 31, 2018
There were more twists and turns in the story than the labyrinthine paths through the Gomorrah Festival. I was impressed that this was Amanda Foody's debut novel, but that does not mean it was without its faults. Overall, I felt that the Festival itself as a setting was the most intriguing part of the story.
I didn't feel that the magic system was as developed as it should have been, or perhaps it was too developed. It wasn't always clear what people could have as abilities. The added element of being able to have multiple abilities that alter how each other works or each ability manifesting itself completely differently in people made following how the magic worked very difficult. There were also rules or examples that you read that seem to contradict one another. You just had to accept that it wasn't entirely clear and anything could happen.
The setting was certainly the most intriguing part of this story. The Gomorrah Festival, also known as the City of Burning Desires, is a traveling Carnival full of thieves, strumpets, charlatans, performers and fortune tellers. The gates of the city have ever burning flames and the cloying scent of smoke, perfume, and sugar cloak the tents. Amanda Foody's writing brilliantly brings the city to life, although we sadly see very little of the actual Festival. I loved the performance elements of the Night Circus and Caraval, so I was a little disappointed that the locale didn't play a bigger role.
I never really connected with the main character, Sorrina, our thread through the entire story. She is a magic worker who can create illusions with her mind, despite having no eyes to see for herself. Since coming to the Festival, she has begun creating illusions to become her family. They perform with her and despite not being truly real, are quite beloved by Sorrina. Unfortunately, one night a member of her illusion family is killed - but how can illusions be killed?
Sorrina vows to discover who hurt her family and protect the remaining members no matter what. Soon she meets an Up-Mountainer named Luca who is definitely the best character in the book. At first, he seems like the stereotypical sassy, "bad boy" love interest, but he is actually incredibly intelligent. I really enjoyed the dimension he brought to the story and how he balanced out Sorrina's more romantic, unfocused, indecisive character.
Despite the fact that Sorrina's family are illusions, they do feel like real people. Some are more developed than others. You feel for two of her sisters, one who bears the weight of the family on her shoulders and the other who just wants to be a real person. Those two will tug at your heartstrings and make you forget that they are illusions. I didn't feel like I got to know the other family members as well and that was a shame. They were such unique creations that they deserved that connection and time.
The story was fantastical, yet I enjoyed the mystery element as you puzzled through the clues with the characters to discover who killed an illusion, and how. The plot was a little convoluted so at times my attention waned, but overall I enjoyed the book. There were some pacing issues that could have been resolved by some additional editing/culling of scenes. Sometimes when I sat down I was completely engrossed in the plot, but there were also others where I picked the book up and put it down moments later.
I felt that the story was tied up satisfactorily and it didn't leave me with too many questions, but I won't lie and say I wouldn't enjoy another book set in that world with different characters. The level of development is still impressive for a debut novel and I cannot wait to see more from Amanda Foody.
I would definitely recommend this to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy novels with really intriguing worlds, but don't expect too much of the carnival element to be present in the plot.
I didn't feel that the magic system was as developed as it should have been, or perhaps it was too developed. It wasn't always clear what people could have as abilities. The added element of being able to have multiple abilities that alter how each other works or each ability manifesting itself completely differently in people made following how the magic worked very difficult. There were also rules or examples that you read that seem to contradict one another. You just had to accept that it wasn't entirely clear and anything could happen.
The setting was certainly the most intriguing part of this story. The Gomorrah Festival, also known as the City of Burning Desires, is a traveling Carnival full of thieves, strumpets, charlatans, performers and fortune tellers. The gates of the city have ever burning flames and the cloying scent of smoke, perfume, and sugar cloak the tents. Amanda Foody's writing brilliantly brings the city to life, although we sadly see very little of the actual Festival. I loved the performance elements of the Night Circus and Caraval, so I was a little disappointed that the locale didn't play a bigger role.
I never really connected with the main character, Sorrina, our thread through the entire story. She is a magic worker who can create illusions with her mind, despite having no eyes to see for herself. Since coming to the Festival, she has begun creating illusions to become her family. They perform with her and despite not being truly real, are quite beloved by Sorrina. Unfortunately, one night a member of her illusion family is killed - but how can illusions be killed?
Sorrina vows to discover who hurt her family and protect the remaining members no matter what. Soon she meets an Up-Mountainer named Luca who is definitely the best character in the book. At first, he seems like the stereotypical sassy, "bad boy" love interest, but he is actually incredibly intelligent. I really enjoyed the dimension he brought to the story and how he balanced out Sorrina's more romantic, unfocused, indecisive character.
Despite the fact that Sorrina's family are illusions, they do feel like real people. Some are more developed than others. You feel for two of her sisters, one who bears the weight of the family on her shoulders and the other who just wants to be a real person. Those two will tug at your heartstrings and make you forget that they are illusions. I didn't feel like I got to know the other family members as well and that was a shame. They were such unique creations that they deserved that connection and time.
The story was fantastical, yet I enjoyed the mystery element as you puzzled through the clues with the characters to discover who killed an illusion, and how. The plot was a little convoluted so at times my attention waned, but overall I enjoyed the book. There were some pacing issues that could have been resolved by some additional editing/culling of scenes. Sometimes when I sat down I was completely engrossed in the plot, but there were also others where I picked the book up and put it down moments later.
I felt that the story was tied up satisfactorily and it didn't leave me with too many questions, but I won't lie and say I wouldn't enjoy another book set in that world with different characters. The level of development is still impressive for a debut novel and I cannot wait to see more from Amanda Foody.
I would definitely recommend this to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy novels with really intriguing worlds, but don't expect too much of the carnival element to be present in the plot.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Ensnared (Splintered, #3) in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I read the first novel of the Splintered series and immediately fell in love with it - purchasing the entire series as paperbacks. This is book #3 in the series by A.G. Howard.
If you haven't read the first two novels then I don't want to spoil anything for you. But I will say what I can about the plot and character development (of which there is plenty).
Alyssa takes us on another crazy journey, from the human realm through AnyElsewhere and, of course, Wonderland. Again, she finds herself stuck between her two halves - and between her two loves.
Along with her parents, Morpheus and Jeb, Alyssa must banish Red's spirit forever, return Wonderland to its former glory, and find a way to balance the two halves of her heart. But the travel to this magical realm has changed Jeb, and he's found something he's not willing to leave behind anymore.
There's a lot of madness and magic in this, which is my favourite part. The pure craziness and mystery of Carroll's Wonderland is captured beautifully by Howard. There are weird and terrifying creatures - my favourite being the strange butterflies native to AnyElsewhere, even if they do endanger the life of one of our beloved characters - as well as beautiful landscapes and clever backstories. The whole origin of Carroll's story is put into question, Alyssa slowly uncovering how he discovered the magical land all those years ago.
The main part of this is about Alyssa trying to placate the two halves of her heart. After her previous run-in with Queen Red, there's something strange going on inside her heart - something that hurts when her human side and netherling side are fighting. What's wrong with her? How can she live like this?
And Morpheus and Jeb still aren't the best of friends, either. They're almost constantly competing for her affections - despite being stuck alone together for who knows how long. I'm always routeing for Morpheus, even if he is a bit of a troublemaker.
The ending is quite a nice compromise, a clever and clean way to stitch everything together. And the epilogue is really good, in my opinion. I won't tell you what happens. But it's short and brief, leaving so many questions and opportunities at the end that makes me reeeally want to read the next book.
It is sometimes a little too perfect, if you know what I mean, but it's not sickeningly good or sweet. I think the solutions they conjure are really creative and clever, and when they're in trouble I'm always wondering what they'll come up with this time.
As for development, Jeb and Morpheus have a clear "epiphany" sort of moment toward the end. But I found that Alyssa also developed a lot, slowly - little realisations that shape her being over time, shape her as a queen.
I do love a good Wonderland story. This isn't, in my personal opinion, quite as the first novels, but I still really enjoyed it. 4 stars for Ensnared.
If you haven't read the first two novels then I don't want to spoil anything for you. But I will say what I can about the plot and character development (of which there is plenty).
Alyssa takes us on another crazy journey, from the human realm through AnyElsewhere and, of course, Wonderland. Again, she finds herself stuck between her two halves - and between her two loves.
Along with her parents, Morpheus and Jeb, Alyssa must banish Red's spirit forever, return Wonderland to its former glory, and find a way to balance the two halves of her heart. But the travel to this magical realm has changed Jeb, and he's found something he's not willing to leave behind anymore.
There's a lot of madness and magic in this, which is my favourite part. The pure craziness and mystery of Carroll's Wonderland is captured beautifully by Howard. There are weird and terrifying creatures - my favourite being the strange butterflies native to AnyElsewhere, even if they do endanger the life of one of our beloved characters - as well as beautiful landscapes and clever backstories. The whole origin of Carroll's story is put into question, Alyssa slowly uncovering how he discovered the magical land all those years ago.
The main part of this is about Alyssa trying to placate the two halves of her heart. After her previous run-in with Queen Red, there's something strange going on inside her heart - something that hurts when her human side and netherling side are fighting. What's wrong with her? How can she live like this?
And Morpheus and Jeb still aren't the best of friends, either. They're almost constantly competing for her affections - despite being stuck alone together for who knows how long. I'm always routeing for Morpheus, even if he is a bit of a troublemaker.
The ending is quite a nice compromise, a clever and clean way to stitch everything together. And the epilogue is really good, in my opinion. I won't tell you what happens. But it's short and brief, leaving so many questions and opportunities at the end that makes me reeeally want to read the next book.
It is sometimes a little too perfect, if you know what I mean, but it's not sickeningly good or sweet. I think the solutions they conjure are really creative and clever, and when they're in trouble I'm always wondering what they'll come up with this time.
As for development, Jeb and Morpheus have a clear "epiphany" sort of moment toward the end. But I found that Alyssa also developed a lot, slowly - little realisations that shape her being over time, shape her as a queen.
I do love a good Wonderland story. This isn't, in my personal opinion, quite as the first novels, but I still really enjoyed it. 4 stars for Ensnared.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated A Deadly Education: Lesson One of the Scholomance in Books
Sep 22, 2021
Rough start for a new series but shows promise
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik was given eighth place in the Goodreads choice awards for fantasy last year and has been nominated again this year. Unfortunately this book will not be receiving my vote although at this time I have not yet decided which book I will be voting for. This is the first book in a new series and I do have high hopes that future editions to the series will be better as it shows a lot of promise.
The basic idea here is that magical children are teleported away to The Scholomace for education and safety from the mals ( evil creatures attracted to the easy target of young magic user) though not all make it into the school. The school itself is dangerous as well yet even with the horde of mals waiting at the graduation gates to feast on everyone trying to leave the school once a year and the few who make it into the rest of the building the survival rate os those inside the school is still better than if they were left in the general magical population.
While completing school work is important it only because the school will attack those who don't complete their work the samation of alliances is almost more important. This is problematic thoug for those who don't come from an enclave and who are not interested n making friends in the first place.
What I liked about this book was that it is relatively unique. The fact that the main character actually goes through a very clear mental and maturity growth is a plus as well. She really improves as she learns about herself and her classmates. Unfortunately that is pretty much everything good I can say about this book. I enjoyed reading the book when I first started it but around halfway through it became clear that a lot of the book is repetitive. The book ended up becoming slow with the group just fighting off mals and not making much progress on the storyline for a while.it actually got to the point that I was about ready to put the book down.it is also rather predictable.
The ideal target audience for this book is teens to some young adults. I believe the book is too much for most readers younger than teens but at the same time it lacks the detail and depth needed to really capture the attention of older readers. I can only rate this book a 2 out of 5 at best with the hope that it is just a slow start to a good series.
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To see about having your book reviewed a message on any of the above platforms or email me at bookreviewsatnight@gmail.com
Thank you, Melissa
The basic idea here is that magical children are teleported away to The Scholomace for education and safety from the mals ( evil creatures attracted to the easy target of young magic user) though not all make it into the school. The school itself is dangerous as well yet even with the horde of mals waiting at the graduation gates to feast on everyone trying to leave the school once a year and the few who make it into the rest of the building the survival rate os those inside the school is still better than if they were left in the general magical population.
While completing school work is important it only because the school will attack those who don't complete their work the samation of alliances is almost more important. This is problematic thoug for those who don't come from an enclave and who are not interested n making friends in the first place.
What I liked about this book was that it is relatively unique. The fact that the main character actually goes through a very clear mental and maturity growth is a plus as well. She really improves as she learns about herself and her classmates. Unfortunately that is pretty much everything good I can say about this book. I enjoyed reading the book when I first started it but around halfway through it became clear that a lot of the book is repetitive. The book ended up becoming slow with the group just fighting off mals and not making much progress on the storyline for a while.it actually got to the point that I was about ready to put the book down.it is also rather predictable.
The ideal target audience for this book is teens to some young adults. I believe the book is too much for most readers younger than teens but at the same time it lacks the detail and depth needed to really capture the attention of older readers. I can only rate this book a 2 out of 5 at best with the hope that it is just a slow start to a good series.
For more reviews on popular books and independent authors check out these locations
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/40248897-melissa-espenschied
To see about having your book reviewed a message on any of the above platforms or email me at bookreviewsatnight@gmail.com
Thank you, Melissa