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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Unremembered (Unremembered, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>Unremembered</i> is the first in a young adult, science-fiction trilogy by American author, Jessica Brody. Set in current day California, <i>Unremembered</i> is told from the point of view of a sixteen-year-old girl, Seraphina, who has no memories of anything prior to the first page of the book.
Whilst it may be imagined that a first person narrative of someone who does not know anything may hinder the telling of the story, it actually connects the audience with the main character. As readers we also have no knowledge of what happened before the first page of the story. We learn everything as Seraphina does, the only difference being that we are aware of what certain items are – particularly technological ones – as well as being able to communicate and understand other people, not just through words but also with sarcasm and body language.
What we learn at the start is that there has been a plane crash into the Pacific Ocean with only one survivor, an unidentifiable girl with serious amnesia. Further on it transpires that there was never any record of her being on the plane in the first place. This is where all the question and mysteries begin. Temporarily given the name Violet, she is placed with a foster family, the Carson family, whose thirteen-year-old son Cody is intimidated by her flawless beauty. He begins to connect with her more after it emerges that she is a mathematical genius. So yet another question arises, how comes she can remembered how to solve complicated equations yet cannot even remember who she is?
There are also mysteries surrounding a peculiar tattoo on her wrist; a boy named Lyzender who keeps appearing, claiming to know who Violet, or should we say Sera, is; her uncanny ability to speak fluently in a range of languages; and the number 1609. What is the significance of this number? Not only is it the year Sera believes it is after recovering from the crash, it is also engraved onto a locket she was wearing along with the initials “S + Z”.
<i>Unremembered</i> is a fast paced novel whose mysteries get solved at the same time as more questions develop. It shows us how people with no experience of the modern world would struggle to understand the things we take for granted. It also poses the question of what it truly makes a human human.
I definitely recommend this novel and believe that it is something young adult girls would certainly enjoy. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy to find out what happens to Seraphina next.
Whilst it may be imagined that a first person narrative of someone who does not know anything may hinder the telling of the story, it actually connects the audience with the main character. As readers we also have no knowledge of what happened before the first page of the story. We learn everything as Seraphina does, the only difference being that we are aware of what certain items are – particularly technological ones – as well as being able to communicate and understand other people, not just through words but also with sarcasm and body language.
What we learn at the start is that there has been a plane crash into the Pacific Ocean with only one survivor, an unidentifiable girl with serious amnesia. Further on it transpires that there was never any record of her being on the plane in the first place. This is where all the question and mysteries begin. Temporarily given the name Violet, she is placed with a foster family, the Carson family, whose thirteen-year-old son Cody is intimidated by her flawless beauty. He begins to connect with her more after it emerges that she is a mathematical genius. So yet another question arises, how comes she can remembered how to solve complicated equations yet cannot even remember who she is?
There are also mysteries surrounding a peculiar tattoo on her wrist; a boy named Lyzender who keeps appearing, claiming to know who Violet, or should we say Sera, is; her uncanny ability to speak fluently in a range of languages; and the number 1609. What is the significance of this number? Not only is it the year Sera believes it is after recovering from the crash, it is also engraved onto a locket she was wearing along with the initials “S + Z”.
<i>Unremembered</i> is a fast paced novel whose mysteries get solved at the same time as more questions develop. It shows us how people with no experience of the modern world would struggle to understand the things we take for granted. It also poses the question of what it truly makes a human human.
I definitely recommend this novel and believe that it is something young adult girls would certainly enjoy. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy to find out what happens to Seraphina next.
Becs (244 KP) rated Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) in Books
Aug 23, 2019
Captivating story that leaves you enthralled
You can also find this review along with others on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence, manipulation, death, blood, absent of parent(s), emotional abuse, anger issues, anxiety – panic attacks, talk of hallucinations
Review:
Firstly, I did not realize that Shadow and Bone was set in Russia or should I say – based on Russia and spun into a fantasy filled folklore novel. It starts off strong in the prologue and holds that captivating appeal throughout. I was enthralled with the whole basis of the story.
The one thing that knocked half of a star off of this review is the extremely overused trope of “the main character is ordinary and then finds out that they are extraordinary.” In Leigh Bardugo’s doing, this trope works perfectly well with the plot line of this story. But it made me really dislike the main character, Alina, quite a lot. Behind that awful trope, lies a girl who is not only strong, but shows intelligence and loyalty. Alina was also extremely relatable through her sarcastic perceptiveness but there was something else about her that I couldn’t put my finger on and found rather annoying.
The Darkling on the other hand was this morally gray character that fascinated me. For example: how he is willing to be ruthless just to pursue his goal of freeing Ravka from the Shadow Fold. His sarcasm that outwits Alina’s. His good looks and charms. I love to hate him! Plus that one scene had me heated from head to toe. If only The Darkling were real…
Overall, all of the characters were multidimensional and extremely interesting! The pacing of Shadow and Bone was done excruciating well and I was absorbed in this fantastical world of magic and war, love and mystery. Finding out more of who the Grisha truly were, kept me turning page after page. The chemistry between characters was even amazing! There was a bit of a love triangle style of trope, yet it wasn’t quite that exactly. All in all, Leigh did an excellent job with giving Alina more than one love interest but showing how vastly different feelings she feels for each.
The plot was extremely engaging and continued on, even after the climax. It enthralled the reader, calling them with a whisper that is interwoven with a dark energy, seeking to break your heart. I did not notice any spelling and/ or grammatical errors that took away from the story. I do however want to know more of not only Alina’s and Ravkas fate, but The Darklings as well.
Leigh Bardugo, why do you do cruel things to me…
“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence, manipulation, death, blood, absent of parent(s), emotional abuse, anger issues, anxiety – panic attacks, talk of hallucinations
Review:
Firstly, I did not realize that Shadow and Bone was set in Russia or should I say – based on Russia and spun into a fantasy filled folklore novel. It starts off strong in the prologue and holds that captivating appeal throughout. I was enthralled with the whole basis of the story.
The one thing that knocked half of a star off of this review is the extremely overused trope of “the main character is ordinary and then finds out that they are extraordinary.” In Leigh Bardugo’s doing, this trope works perfectly well with the plot line of this story. But it made me really dislike the main character, Alina, quite a lot. Behind that awful trope, lies a girl who is not only strong, but shows intelligence and loyalty. Alina was also extremely relatable through her sarcastic perceptiveness but there was something else about her that I couldn’t put my finger on and found rather annoying.
The Darkling on the other hand was this morally gray character that fascinated me. For example: how he is willing to be ruthless just to pursue his goal of freeing Ravka from the Shadow Fold. His sarcasm that outwits Alina’s. His good looks and charms. I love to hate him! Plus that one scene had me heated from head to toe. If only The Darkling were real…
Overall, all of the characters were multidimensional and extremely interesting! The pacing of Shadow and Bone was done excruciating well and I was absorbed in this fantastical world of magic and war, love and mystery. Finding out more of who the Grisha truly were, kept me turning page after page. The chemistry between characters was even amazing! There was a bit of a love triangle style of trope, yet it wasn’t quite that exactly. All in all, Leigh did an excellent job with giving Alina more than one love interest but showing how vastly different feelings she feels for each.
The plot was extremely engaging and continued on, even after the climax. It enthralled the reader, calling them with a whisper that is interwoven with a dark energy, seeking to break your heart. I did not notice any spelling and/ or grammatical errors that took away from the story. I do however want to know more of not only Alina’s and Ravkas fate, but The Darklings as well.
Leigh Bardugo, why do you do cruel things to me…
“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.”
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“OMG when is Purple Phoenix Games gonna review another Harry Potter game??” We listened. So here is the next installment of our unofficial Harry Potter games series. In Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle – Defence Against the Dark Arts (which I will gladly reduce to Defence throughout the review, even though my American English Spidey-Senses are all over that spelling), players will be playing through a duel in the classroom using spells, allies, and items to push back and stun their opponent. Have you got the wand strength to stand up to your rival?
Like I just mentioned, Defence pits two players against each other in a sparring scenario. Players will be drafting cards that represent Spells to sling, Allies to aid, and Items to help knock opponents off their balance. The winner of Defence is the wizard who can stun their opponent three times. Only then will they be able to stand a chance against their dark foes.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup a game, follow the rulebook instructions to lay out the main duel board and its shuffled decks that will surround it. These include the Hogwarts deck (from which players will be purchasing cards to add to their discard piles), the Library deck (which includes only Books cards that add influence or the ability to draw the top card of the player deck), Hexes (which are placed directly in the opponent’s discard pile and must be dealt with first when in hand), and Banished cards. Each player will choose a House card and a matching mover token to be placed on the board. Likewise, each player will have a starting hand of seven Alohomora! cards, one Wand, one Cauldron, and one starter Ally: Owl, Toad, or Cat. Each player will shuffle their starting deck, drawing five for their starting hand. Determine the starting player and the duel may begin!
On a player’s turn they will first deal with any Hex cards they have acquired, following the instructions written on the card. Once cleared, the active player will play cards from their hand in any order they wish to gain Influence to purchase cards from the Classroom (market), Attack points to push back their opponent towards the Stun space, or Health points to move their own mover token one space closer to the Starting space on the board.
Cards that are purchased from the Classroom can be Items, Spells, or even Allies. Items and Spells typically provide Influence, Health, or Attack, and some will have House bonuses in addition to normal effects. In order to take advantage of the House bonus, a player will either need to be from the affiliated House, or have an active Ally belonging to the affiliated House. This is a new mechanic in this game and adds another layer of strategy to a player’s purchasing.
As wizards duel back and forth slinging Spells, recruiting and activating Allies, and using Items to push back their opponent, one wizard will be stunned. When this happens the players will reset their play areas by combining all of their cards they have in their possession. Shuffle the lot of them, draw another hand of five cards and reset their mover token back to the Starting space. The next round is ready to begin and the wizard who stuns their opponent thrice will be crowned champion! Or get an A for the day… or whatever the Common Core equivalent is nowadays.
Components. I have many great things to say about the components in this box and a couple little gripes. Gripelets, really. First gripe: the box comes with a cardstock sleeve. It is very cool and looks great, but it’s unnecessary and I find it keeps snagging on other boxes and such. Not a big deal, as I can always get rid of it, but that’s an opinion. Second, the board is very dark. It features a very dark purple (yay purple!) with black spaces upon which players move their tokens. The colors are very close under certain lighting and I wish there was even just a faint outline of the spaces in a white or gray. Lastly, and probably just me and the way I play, the Attack and Health trackers are almost completely unnecessary. I know you are supposed to take a token every time you “Gain” a Health or Attack point, but I always just keep track in my head thus negating the need for the tokens.
But onto the great. Literally everything else is great. I have always enjoyed the components in the original game, and as this one contains many of the same, I also enjoy these. The art style is interesting and pretty cool, and I really don’t mind screencaps as much as many others do. So for me, overall, I really enjoy the components here.
All in all I truly love this game. I am almost always in the mood to play Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle, but it is cooperative and my wife doesn’t really enjoy the OG HP game. This one, however, she does enjoy because she can just flex on me and stun me into oblivion with her superior deckbuilding abilities. This one is quicker to setup and play, and holds a much smaller footprint. The mechanics are familiar without being totally duplicating, and I just love deckbuilders in general. So this one was bound to be a big hit with me from the start.
If you are looking for a great Harry Potter-themed deckbuilding game and are not completely sold on the bigger cooperative game, take a look at this much smaller two-player competitive title. Do try to take some of the cards with a grain of salt, as I am sure it is difficult to imagine having both Hermione and Draco as allies simultaneously, but it can happen in the game. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a very enthusiastic 11 / 12. Just a word of caution, try not to Flipendo your table when you lose. It won’t end well.
Like I just mentioned, Defence pits two players against each other in a sparring scenario. Players will be drafting cards that represent Spells to sling, Allies to aid, and Items to help knock opponents off their balance. The winner of Defence is the wizard who can stun their opponent three times. Only then will they be able to stand a chance against their dark foes.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup a game, follow the rulebook instructions to lay out the main duel board and its shuffled decks that will surround it. These include the Hogwarts deck (from which players will be purchasing cards to add to their discard piles), the Library deck (which includes only Books cards that add influence or the ability to draw the top card of the player deck), Hexes (which are placed directly in the opponent’s discard pile and must be dealt with first when in hand), and Banished cards. Each player will choose a House card and a matching mover token to be placed on the board. Likewise, each player will have a starting hand of seven Alohomora! cards, one Wand, one Cauldron, and one starter Ally: Owl, Toad, or Cat. Each player will shuffle their starting deck, drawing five for their starting hand. Determine the starting player and the duel may begin!
On a player’s turn they will first deal with any Hex cards they have acquired, following the instructions written on the card. Once cleared, the active player will play cards from their hand in any order they wish to gain Influence to purchase cards from the Classroom (market), Attack points to push back their opponent towards the Stun space, or Health points to move their own mover token one space closer to the Starting space on the board.
Cards that are purchased from the Classroom can be Items, Spells, or even Allies. Items and Spells typically provide Influence, Health, or Attack, and some will have House bonuses in addition to normal effects. In order to take advantage of the House bonus, a player will either need to be from the affiliated House, or have an active Ally belonging to the affiliated House. This is a new mechanic in this game and adds another layer of strategy to a player’s purchasing.
As wizards duel back and forth slinging Spells, recruiting and activating Allies, and using Items to push back their opponent, one wizard will be stunned. When this happens the players will reset their play areas by combining all of their cards they have in their possession. Shuffle the lot of them, draw another hand of five cards and reset their mover token back to the Starting space. The next round is ready to begin and the wizard who stuns their opponent thrice will be crowned champion! Or get an A for the day… or whatever the Common Core equivalent is nowadays.
Components. I have many great things to say about the components in this box and a couple little gripes. Gripelets, really. First gripe: the box comes with a cardstock sleeve. It is very cool and looks great, but it’s unnecessary and I find it keeps snagging on other boxes and such. Not a big deal, as I can always get rid of it, but that’s an opinion. Second, the board is very dark. It features a very dark purple (yay purple!) with black spaces upon which players move their tokens. The colors are very close under certain lighting and I wish there was even just a faint outline of the spaces in a white or gray. Lastly, and probably just me and the way I play, the Attack and Health trackers are almost completely unnecessary. I know you are supposed to take a token every time you “Gain” a Health or Attack point, but I always just keep track in my head thus negating the need for the tokens.
But onto the great. Literally everything else is great. I have always enjoyed the components in the original game, and as this one contains many of the same, I also enjoy these. The art style is interesting and pretty cool, and I really don’t mind screencaps as much as many others do. So for me, overall, I really enjoy the components here.
All in all I truly love this game. I am almost always in the mood to play Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle, but it is cooperative and my wife doesn’t really enjoy the OG HP game. This one, however, she does enjoy because she can just flex on me and stun me into oblivion with her superior deckbuilding abilities. This one is quicker to setup and play, and holds a much smaller footprint. The mechanics are familiar without being totally duplicating, and I just love deckbuilders in general. So this one was bound to be a big hit with me from the start.
If you are looking for a great Harry Potter-themed deckbuilding game and are not completely sold on the bigger cooperative game, take a look at this much smaller two-player competitive title. Do try to take some of the cards with a grain of salt, as I am sure it is difficult to imagine having both Hermione and Draco as allies simultaneously, but it can happen in the game. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a very enthusiastic 11 / 12. Just a word of caution, try not to Flipendo your table when you lose. It won’t end well.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Voltage in Tabletop Games
Jan 8, 2022
One thing that I truly love about the board gaming hobby is the ability to discover new games at nearly every turn. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, I come across a post on BGG or a social media game group that blows my mind. Either with unique gameplay, or sweet components, I’m always in awe at how many games are new to me every day. Enter Voltage. I came across this game at The Table when I visited Travis in Tennessee this summer. This game has apparently been around since 2006, but I never came across it until 2021. The box was unassuming on the shelf, but the gameplay seemed interesting. Added bonus: it’s a 2-player game that doesn’t take forever to play, which was perfect for a quick game night out. So I guess I am very late to the Voltage party, but as you can tell from my rating above, I think it’s a pretty stellar game. Keep reading to find out why!
Voltage is a competitive game for 2 players in which players are trying to be the first to earn 4 total points. To setup for the game, place the board between the two players. Take the double-sized Terminal blocks and place them on their corresponding spaces of the board. The starting orientation for the Terminal blocks should read + – – + horizontally across the board. Shuffle the deck of cards and deal 4 to each player. Each player selects a Score Marker and places it on the first space of their score track. Choose a starting player, and the game is ready to begin! Pictured below is the starting setup for a game.
Over a series of turns, players will be playing cards to their corresponding colored Terminals in an attempt to win the set. If the Terminal is set to a + then the player with the highest value will win the set. Alternately, if the Terminal is set to a – then the player with the lowest value will win the set. Cards are played to Terminals until a Terminal has a set of 5 total cards. The Terminal is then scored, the cards used are discarded, and the winning player earns a point. The game continues in this fashion until one player has earned 4 total points.
On your turn, you must perform one of these three actions: Play a card & draw a card, Play 2 cards, or Draw 2 cards. Simple enough, but the strategy is what makes this game. When playing cards to the different Terminals, there are a few placement rules to keep in mind. Of course, you may only play cards to the Terminal of the matching color. You are allowed to play cards on your side of the Terminal, or on your opponent’s side. Now to get to the actions themselves. If you choose to play a card and draw a card, you must do so in that order. If you choose to play 2 cards, you must play both cards on different colors – you cannot play both to the same Terminal. The last action, draw 2 cards, is self-explanatory.
The cards of the game are numbered from 1-3, and are of the 4 Terminal colors. There are 3 types of special cards: Bypass, Blown Fuse, and Transformer. A Bypass card allows you to move a card from your opponent’s side to your side of the Terminal, and a Blown Fuse allows you to remove a card from your opponent’s side completely from play. Both of these types of cards count toward the 5-card maximum of the Terminals, so use them wisely. A Transformer is identified by the card back – if the V logo is colored Yellow. When you draw a Transformer, you must then flip one of the Terminal blocks to its opposite side. Since the draw deck is always visible, you can see when a Transformer card is next, so that could help inform your strategy for your turn. The game continues in this fashion of alternating player turns until one player has earned 4 total points. They are declared the winner!
I have to say that the gameplay of Voltage really surprised me. I went into my first play expecting a light little game, and what I got was so much more. There really is a pretty decent strategic element to this game that caught me a little off guard at first. The gameplay itself seems simple – draw cards, play cards, win sets to earn points. But how you accomplish that is more challenging that it seems. The ability to play cards to your side or your opponent’s allows you to try to tip the scales in your favor. You can’t simply focus on your side alone, you need to keep tabs across the entire board to inform your next move. And then if your opponent draws a Transformer, they could just as easily reverse the polarity of that Terminal and now you’re on the wrong end! When playing 2 cards, they must be played to different colored Terminals, so how can you place your cards so they are most beneficial to you? Do you risk placing the big numbers right away in hopes of winning a + Terminal, or do you play lower-numbered cards in case that Terminal gets flipped? All things to consider throughout the game. Along with the strategy, one thing that I love about Voltage is that there really is no runaway winner each time – the direction of a set can literally change with one card, and neither player can really feel secure during the game. You have to anticipate your opponent’s moves while trying to complete sets that are currently favorable to you. That all being said, I guess there is a bit of a ‘take that’ element in the gameplay that might seem a little aggressive to some players, but that’s kind of just the nature of this head-to-head gameplay.
To touch on components, this game is pretty basic. The cards are nice quality, and the artwork is electrical and thematic. The board itself is nice and thick, and the spaces are all clearly marked. The Terminal blocks are probably my favorite components of this game. They are nice chunky plastic blocks, and the colors are bright neon colors – some of my favorites! For a game with such few components, the quality of them is appreciated.
After playing Voltage with Travis at The Table, I actually came home and found a copy for myself – that’s how much I liked it! I don’t think it’s my all-time favorite 2-player game yet, but it’s certainly working its way up the list…. If you’re in the market for a fast, yet strategic, 2-player game, I would highly recommend giving Voltage a try. The simplicity of the gameplay coupled with the vast strategic options makes for an engaging and entertaining game. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one an electrifying 9 / 12.
Voltage is a competitive game for 2 players in which players are trying to be the first to earn 4 total points. To setup for the game, place the board between the two players. Take the double-sized Terminal blocks and place them on their corresponding spaces of the board. The starting orientation for the Terminal blocks should read + – – + horizontally across the board. Shuffle the deck of cards and deal 4 to each player. Each player selects a Score Marker and places it on the first space of their score track. Choose a starting player, and the game is ready to begin! Pictured below is the starting setup for a game.
Over a series of turns, players will be playing cards to their corresponding colored Terminals in an attempt to win the set. If the Terminal is set to a + then the player with the highest value will win the set. Alternately, if the Terminal is set to a – then the player with the lowest value will win the set. Cards are played to Terminals until a Terminal has a set of 5 total cards. The Terminal is then scored, the cards used are discarded, and the winning player earns a point. The game continues in this fashion until one player has earned 4 total points.
On your turn, you must perform one of these three actions: Play a card & draw a card, Play 2 cards, or Draw 2 cards. Simple enough, but the strategy is what makes this game. When playing cards to the different Terminals, there are a few placement rules to keep in mind. Of course, you may only play cards to the Terminal of the matching color. You are allowed to play cards on your side of the Terminal, or on your opponent’s side. Now to get to the actions themselves. If you choose to play a card and draw a card, you must do so in that order. If you choose to play 2 cards, you must play both cards on different colors – you cannot play both to the same Terminal. The last action, draw 2 cards, is self-explanatory.
The cards of the game are numbered from 1-3, and are of the 4 Terminal colors. There are 3 types of special cards: Bypass, Blown Fuse, and Transformer. A Bypass card allows you to move a card from your opponent’s side to your side of the Terminal, and a Blown Fuse allows you to remove a card from your opponent’s side completely from play. Both of these types of cards count toward the 5-card maximum of the Terminals, so use them wisely. A Transformer is identified by the card back – if the V logo is colored Yellow. When you draw a Transformer, you must then flip one of the Terminal blocks to its opposite side. Since the draw deck is always visible, you can see when a Transformer card is next, so that could help inform your strategy for your turn. The game continues in this fashion of alternating player turns until one player has earned 4 total points. They are declared the winner!
I have to say that the gameplay of Voltage really surprised me. I went into my first play expecting a light little game, and what I got was so much more. There really is a pretty decent strategic element to this game that caught me a little off guard at first. The gameplay itself seems simple – draw cards, play cards, win sets to earn points. But how you accomplish that is more challenging that it seems. The ability to play cards to your side or your opponent’s allows you to try to tip the scales in your favor. You can’t simply focus on your side alone, you need to keep tabs across the entire board to inform your next move. And then if your opponent draws a Transformer, they could just as easily reverse the polarity of that Terminal and now you’re on the wrong end! When playing 2 cards, they must be played to different colored Terminals, so how can you place your cards so they are most beneficial to you? Do you risk placing the big numbers right away in hopes of winning a + Terminal, or do you play lower-numbered cards in case that Terminal gets flipped? All things to consider throughout the game. Along with the strategy, one thing that I love about Voltage is that there really is no runaway winner each time – the direction of a set can literally change with one card, and neither player can really feel secure during the game. You have to anticipate your opponent’s moves while trying to complete sets that are currently favorable to you. That all being said, I guess there is a bit of a ‘take that’ element in the gameplay that might seem a little aggressive to some players, but that’s kind of just the nature of this head-to-head gameplay.
To touch on components, this game is pretty basic. The cards are nice quality, and the artwork is electrical and thematic. The board itself is nice and thick, and the spaces are all clearly marked. The Terminal blocks are probably my favorite components of this game. They are nice chunky plastic blocks, and the colors are bright neon colors – some of my favorites! For a game with such few components, the quality of them is appreciated.
After playing Voltage with Travis at The Table, I actually came home and found a copy for myself – that’s how much I liked it! I don’t think it’s my all-time favorite 2-player game yet, but it’s certainly working its way up the list…. If you’re in the market for a fast, yet strategic, 2-player game, I would highly recommend giving Voltage a try. The simplicity of the gameplay coupled with the vast strategic options makes for an engaging and entertaining game. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one an electrifying 9 / 12.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Music Boxes in Books
Oct 24, 2019
Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker seemed like the perfect chilling read for right around Halloween. A creepy middle grade mystery? Sign me up! Music Boxes lived up to my expectations for sure!
Twelve year old Lindsey has just moved from Nebraska to New York City in order for her younger sister to attend Julliard. In Nebraska, she was part of a fantastic ballet school. In New York, she only gets to dance at the drab community center. When a world renowned ballerina offers to give her free ballet lessons in exchange for dancing in her secret midnight shows, Lindsey can't believe her luck. She's tired of living in her younger sister's talented shadow, so she quickly obliges. However, Lindsey soon realizes that dancers given private lessons are going missing. What's even more worrying is after they disappear, a music box appears with a little ballet figure that looks like the missing dancer. Is there something sinister about Lindsey's new ballet teacher, or can everything be put down to a coincidence?
The plot for Music Boxes reminded me of a Goosebumps book which is saying a lot because I loved the whole Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine. I was quickly absorbed in the story from the very first page. Believe me when I say my eyes devoured this novel. Although somewhat predictable for adults, its target audience of middle schoolers will enjoy the many plot twists peppered throughout the book. If the pacing was perfect for me, I believe it will also keep younger readers interested. One of my favorite things about the world of Music Boxes was the dance school and how magical it really was. Another good thing about Music Boxes is there aren't any cliff hanger endings. All loose ends are tied up by the end of the story.
Ballet dancers will really enjoy Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker as there are quite a few ballet terms in it. I had no idea what they meant, but it didn't distract from the story. It would have been nice to have a glossary of ballet terms or some kind of description for those of us who aren't dancers. Plus, the whole story mainly takes place in a ballet school. However, I think non dancers will really enjoy the story too as it has elements that anyone can relate to such as friendship, family, and doing the right thing.
For a middle grade novel, I felt that all the characters felt really alive. Although I would have liked some more back story for a few more of the dancers from Madame Destinee's school, I felt like the most important characters in the novel had enough back story. Lindsey feels like a character that most young girls will be able to connect with whether they are interested in ballet or not. With her conflicting feelings of listening to her parents and wanting to do what she loves, it's easy to see why Lindsey is a relatable character. Lindsey is also very brave and comes across as just a nice girl in general. Bridget, Lindsey's 8 year old sister, was my favorite character. She's a very talented violinist and the reason Lindsey and her family moved to New York City. Even though the family seemed more focused on Bridget, Bridget never came across as having an over-inflated ego or like she was better than Lindsay. I loved how sweet Bridget was and how she wanted what was best for Lindsey. Madame Destinee was an interesting character for sure. I never trusted her from the get go, but it was easy to see why a young child would especially when she's offering them their chance to shine at doing something they really love. I also loved Broussard because I love dogs!
Trigger warnings for Music Boxes include kidnapping, witches, minor violence, and death (although done in a non-scary way).
All in all, Music Boxes is a fantastic story full of intrigue and mystery that readers of all ages will enjoy. The plot is creepy in a good way, and the characters are written superbly! I would definitely recommend Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker to everyone aged 10+. Yes, the target audience is probably 10 - 13 year olds, but I really think everyone would enjoy it. It's written that well!
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(A special thank you to Silver Dagger Book Tours for providing me with an eBook of Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Twelve year old Lindsey has just moved from Nebraska to New York City in order for her younger sister to attend Julliard. In Nebraska, she was part of a fantastic ballet school. In New York, she only gets to dance at the drab community center. When a world renowned ballerina offers to give her free ballet lessons in exchange for dancing in her secret midnight shows, Lindsey can't believe her luck. She's tired of living in her younger sister's talented shadow, so she quickly obliges. However, Lindsey soon realizes that dancers given private lessons are going missing. What's even more worrying is after they disappear, a music box appears with a little ballet figure that looks like the missing dancer. Is there something sinister about Lindsey's new ballet teacher, or can everything be put down to a coincidence?
The plot for Music Boxes reminded me of a Goosebumps book which is saying a lot because I loved the whole Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine. I was quickly absorbed in the story from the very first page. Believe me when I say my eyes devoured this novel. Although somewhat predictable for adults, its target audience of middle schoolers will enjoy the many plot twists peppered throughout the book. If the pacing was perfect for me, I believe it will also keep younger readers interested. One of my favorite things about the world of Music Boxes was the dance school and how magical it really was. Another good thing about Music Boxes is there aren't any cliff hanger endings. All loose ends are tied up by the end of the story.
Ballet dancers will really enjoy Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker as there are quite a few ballet terms in it. I had no idea what they meant, but it didn't distract from the story. It would have been nice to have a glossary of ballet terms or some kind of description for those of us who aren't dancers. Plus, the whole story mainly takes place in a ballet school. However, I think non dancers will really enjoy the story too as it has elements that anyone can relate to such as friendship, family, and doing the right thing.
For a middle grade novel, I felt that all the characters felt really alive. Although I would have liked some more back story for a few more of the dancers from Madame Destinee's school, I felt like the most important characters in the novel had enough back story. Lindsey feels like a character that most young girls will be able to connect with whether they are interested in ballet or not. With her conflicting feelings of listening to her parents and wanting to do what she loves, it's easy to see why Lindsey is a relatable character. Lindsey is also very brave and comes across as just a nice girl in general. Bridget, Lindsey's 8 year old sister, was my favorite character. She's a very talented violinist and the reason Lindsey and her family moved to New York City. Even though the family seemed more focused on Bridget, Bridget never came across as having an over-inflated ego or like she was better than Lindsay. I loved how sweet Bridget was and how she wanted what was best for Lindsey. Madame Destinee was an interesting character for sure. I never trusted her from the get go, but it was easy to see why a young child would especially when she's offering them their chance to shine at doing something they really love. I also loved Broussard because I love dogs!
Trigger warnings for Music Boxes include kidnapping, witches, minor violence, and death (although done in a non-scary way).
All in all, Music Boxes is a fantastic story full of intrigue and mystery that readers of all ages will enjoy. The plot is creepy in a good way, and the characters are written superbly! I would definitely recommend Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker to everyone aged 10+. Yes, the target audience is probably 10 - 13 year olds, but I really think everyone would enjoy it. It's written that well!
-
(A special thank you to Silver Dagger Book Tours for providing me with an eBook of Music Boxes by Tonja Drecker in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Nun (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Having nun of it
#thenunmovie is a camp & #silly mainstream #horror movie that while not great its still an enjoyable & ok watch. After hating every single film so far in the #thecounjuring universe I was tempted to boycott #nun, but after seeing it now I can say its the best film in the franchise (thats still not saying much really). Its defiantly a #fun watch but I wouldn't call it a horror at all (Commercial horror these days is more action orientated & Nun is no different). Relying on big set pieces full of #jumpscares & lots going on these films should be put in a new genre called 'Action Horror' they are essentially the #transformers of horror films. Although there is some awesome #creepy imagery here & some neat practical effects Nun fails at creating a creepy/unnerving atmosphere & the over use on poor cgi at times fails to keep the film feeling grounded. Sets also while impressive lack that dirty, grimey, damp, old, worn & lived in look making then feel like... well a set from a film. Everything's to perfect & neat & even lighting feels unrealistic too. Ideas/cinematography are all stolen straight from other horror films eg #darioargento films, #theexorcist or #nosferatu & while ok they are nothing in comparison. Acting is forgettable, either with characters either being over or under acted by the cast & half way into the film plot seems to be neglected in favour of set piece after set piece. I feel #TheNun will please its target audience (teenage girls looking for jump scares that will most likely talk throughout all the story & character development parts). While far from a good film its an ok film to watch if your not in the mood for thinking & want to see a nun that looks like #marilynmanson running round screaming at people. Oh & just a side note the ending is bad, like tacked on & abrupt bad. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmreview #filmcritic #thursdaythoughts #gore #hell #conjuring #annabelle #ghost #demon #devil #exorcist #crusafix #satan
Merissa (13749 KP) rated Abroad in the Stars (Galaxia Pirates #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
Abroad in the Stars (Galaxia Pirates #1) by A.M. Halford
Abroad in the Stars is the first book in the Galaxia Pirates series, and we get a very thorough look at just what being a Galaxia pirate involves. Tony is their navigator, and has done a magnificent job of it so far, earning his place among the crew. Only a select few know of his 'real' identity of Antonio Santiago. Personally, I would say that Tony is more real than Antonio, but there you go. When the Captain's brother returns to the ship, sparks fly between him and Tony. Actually it was more than sparks that flew when they first met in a dark alley, but you'll read that bit for yourself. When Tony's parents decide they want him back, the crew of the Galaxia will do all they can to get their crewman back. And Craig will stop at nothing until he gets his lover back.
This is a brilliant story, HOWEVER if you are looking for rainbows and unicorns, then you're probably going to be disappointed! Personally, I loved the rough and tumble of it. Tony wanted exactly what Craig wanted to give. Both of them understood each other with no miscommunication. The steamy scenes are intense and brilliantly written. The world-building is mostly about the ship and Tony's family, but really, that is all you need for this story. You get an exceedingly good idea of the troubles the pirates face, and how much being a crew member means to them, and just what they will do if one of them is in danger.
Well written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, this story grabbed me from the beginning. Fantastic start to the series, fantastic story, can't wait for more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
This is a brilliant story, HOWEVER if you are looking for rainbows and unicorns, then you're probably going to be disappointed! Personally, I loved the rough and tumble of it. Tony wanted exactly what Craig wanted to give. Both of them understood each other with no miscommunication. The steamy scenes are intense and brilliantly written. The world-building is mostly about the ship and Tony's family, but really, that is all you need for this story. You get an exceedingly good idea of the troubles the pirates face, and how much being a crew member means to them, and just what they will do if one of them is in danger.
Well written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, this story grabbed me from the beginning. Fantastic start to the series, fantastic story, can't wait for more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated 31 (2016) in Movies
Feb 3, 2018 (Updated Feb 3, 2018)
Richard Brake (2 more)
Some interesting dialogue
Cliffhanger ending
Blood, guts and profanity... my 3 favorite things
I am and always will be a horror movie fan. And a Rob Zombie fan as well. While most in the horror community dispose the man, and do their best to ignore his reimagining of John Carpenter's beloved Halloween. I get his vision. I understand his process.
In 31, Zombie goes out of his way to remind us all of why he is here in this genre and why he should be here to stay.
The script penned for this flick is nothing short of dreadful, but in a good horror film That's what you want. His dialogue is full of pull no punches vulgarity that would make anyone blush. And his pattern of killing off his stars is brutal to say the least.
Capped with an amazing performance by Richard Brake, who from the beginnng of movie, let's you know that he "ain't no fucking clown!!!".
His ability to capture the true disgustingness that lives in every single one of us, that fire that burns in your body when someone cuts you off when your driving to work. Or bumps into you while walking by. That feeling that says, "Fuck, I'd love to kill that person,"... well he lets the beast out in this film.
He turns 5 mild mannered hippie carnies into vicious animalistic slashers. Killing at first out of that need for survival. Then killing because they had to do it. And finally killing because they were starting to enjoy it.
Zombie does what he does, sets them up to be knocked down as only he can. Chuck I'm some great one liners and awesome profanity filled dialogue, sprinkle it with some over the top kickass blood filled deaths and an acting performance by Richard Brake that I can't help but praise and you have a recipe for a disturbing good time. As Doomhead suggests in the opening sequence of 31. In hell everyone loves popcorn.
In 31, Zombie goes out of his way to remind us all of why he is here in this genre and why he should be here to stay.
The script penned for this flick is nothing short of dreadful, but in a good horror film That's what you want. His dialogue is full of pull no punches vulgarity that would make anyone blush. And his pattern of killing off his stars is brutal to say the least.
Capped with an amazing performance by Richard Brake, who from the beginnng of movie, let's you know that he "ain't no fucking clown!!!".
His ability to capture the true disgustingness that lives in every single one of us, that fire that burns in your body when someone cuts you off when your driving to work. Or bumps into you while walking by. That feeling that says, "Fuck, I'd love to kill that person,"... well he lets the beast out in this film.
He turns 5 mild mannered hippie carnies into vicious animalistic slashers. Killing at first out of that need for survival. Then killing because they had to do it. And finally killing because they were starting to enjoy it.
Zombie does what he does, sets them up to be knocked down as only he can. Chuck I'm some great one liners and awesome profanity filled dialogue, sprinkle it with some over the top kickass blood filled deaths and an acting performance by Richard Brake that I can't help but praise and you have a recipe for a disturbing good time. As Doomhead suggests in the opening sequence of 31. In hell everyone loves popcorn.
Jessica Erdas (463 KP) rated Black in TV
Dec 10, 2018 (Updated Dec 10, 2018)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I started watching this drama since it was recommended by Netflix after I finished Strong Girl Bong Soon. First off, this is not the mostly happy or comedic love story of the aforementioned that the previous show was. It was immediately dark and gut wrenching, at times horrifying, with splashes of humor wrapped up in it. It was interesting to watch the story develop and to watch the slow progression of romance between the characters. Each episode delved deeper and deeper into a mystery which unfolded into something bigger with each and every turn. However, the ending made absolutely no sense to the storyline and felt like a rushed close to the story. If you're reading further, be aware that there are spoilers to come:
My first complaint is that Joon being erased from existence would not have stopped Ha-ram from having the ability to see the shadows of death. His existence had nothing to do with the fact that her dad was a reaper nor that she was the result of a reaper and a human creating a child. Her living a normal life after Joon has himself removed was very forced and didn't satisfy the overwhelming desire for real solid romantic progression. Also, if he were erased from existence, he should not have been able to come to retrieve her soul when she finally passed away. I was really happy with the series in general but the ending was disappointing, to say the least.
It was interesting to find out at the end that the basis for the show was based on an actual tragic incident that occured and warned about how greed and the like can lead to awful outcomes for a multitude of people. I would still recommend giving this a watch as it was a good show overall but just be ready for the disappointment of the end.
My first complaint is that Joon being erased from existence would not have stopped Ha-ram from having the ability to see the shadows of death. His existence had nothing to do with the fact that her dad was a reaper nor that she was the result of a reaper and a human creating a child. Her living a normal life after Joon has himself removed was very forced and didn't satisfy the overwhelming desire for real solid romantic progression. Also, if he were erased from existence, he should not have been able to come to retrieve her soul when she finally passed away. I was really happy with the series in general but the ending was disappointing, to say the least.
It was interesting to find out at the end that the basis for the show was based on an actual tragic incident that occured and warned about how greed and the like can lead to awful outcomes for a multitude of people. I would still recommend giving this a watch as it was a good show overall but just be ready for the disappointment of the end.