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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Good Neighbor in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Recently divorced, Izzy finds herself right back where she started -- literally, she's living in the house she grew up in (her parents have moved on to retirement), struggling to take care of her young son Noah, and dealing with the fact that her ex, Bruce, is dating again. A school counselor by day, Izzy finds solace in blogging about her woes and dating life online at night. But when she starts writing about an imaginary boyfriend, "Mac," to make herself feel better about Bruce's new girlfriend, things go south quickly, especially when Izzy's blog takes off after her friend hires her to write for her up and coming "Philly Over 40" site. The only person Izzy can confide in is her next door neighbor, Mrs. Feldman, but her sweet 80-something neighbor may have a few secrets of her own.
I must confess, I almost gave up on this book in the beginning. It just seemed to start slowly for me. There is a lot of hand wringing from Izzy about her life and her blog. Eventually things take off and the plot gets more exciting. My biggest issue is that, in many ways, Izzy's fabrication of "Mac" doesn't really seem to be the huge deal that she makes it out to be. Sure, she shouldn't be lying to everyone, but really, her lie is going to supposedly bring down her friends' business, destroy all her friendships, and ruin Izzy's life? It is just a blog after all. Some of that just seems to be a stretch. Compare to the heartwarming and heartbreaking storyline with Mrs. Feldman -- it truly can't compare.
However, because I'm a total sucker, I kept imagining this movie as a romantic comedy or sitcom. I was sort of tense reading this novel, because you knew eventually the lie would be revealed, everything would get crazy, and all would be for naught... but you hoped like any "good" romantic comedy or sitcom, it would still tie up pretty neatly with a bow at the end, right? (And I won't lie, I sort of like that sometimes. There's enough uncertainty in real life.)
(Note: I received an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
I must confess, I almost gave up on this book in the beginning. It just seemed to start slowly for me. There is a lot of hand wringing from Izzy about her life and her blog. Eventually things take off and the plot gets more exciting. My biggest issue is that, in many ways, Izzy's fabrication of "Mac" doesn't really seem to be the huge deal that she makes it out to be. Sure, she shouldn't be lying to everyone, but really, her lie is going to supposedly bring down her friends' business, destroy all her friendships, and ruin Izzy's life? It is just a blog after all. Some of that just seems to be a stretch. Compare to the heartwarming and heartbreaking storyline with Mrs. Feldman -- it truly can't compare.
However, because I'm a total sucker, I kept imagining this movie as a romantic comedy or sitcom. I was sort of tense reading this novel, because you knew eventually the lie would be revealed, everything would get crazy, and all would be for naught... but you hoped like any "good" romantic comedy or sitcom, it would still tie up pretty neatly with a bow at the end, right? (And I won't lie, I sort of like that sometimes. There's enough uncertainty in real life.)
(Note: I received an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Pretty Girls: A Novel in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Claire Scott leads a seemingly perfect life - she's beautiful and adored by her wealthy husband, Paul. However, Claire's life is shadowed by the disappearance of her eldest sister, Julia, over twenty years ago. Julia went missing while in college and was never seen again. In the aftermath, Claire lost not only Julia, but her other sister, Lydia, as the sisters have been estranged for years. As a result, Claire has clung to Paul and the comfort and security he provides . However, a new tragic event changes everything for Claire - and will eventually lead her to look at everything in her life differently, including Julia's disappearance and her relationship with Lydia.
I really enjoyed this novel - it's engaging and suspenseful: filled with twists and turns. Sometimes you see them coming and other times you don't. It's a quick read, but not a particularly light one - be prepared for a dark read. The book is raw, violent, and even heartbreaking at points. Most of the story unfolds from Julia and Claire's point of view, but we also hear a little bit from their father between chapters. As the novel progresses, we learn not only about the present day mystery (which is captivating) but what happened to their sister, Julia, so long ago.
The book's strength is that it presents not only a compelling and interesting mystery tale, but a chilling portrait of its characters, as well. You get a good look into the lives of Lydia and Claire and their own psychological motivations. It goes beyond a thriller into a story of parenthood and sisterhood. Frankly, as a parent, there are parts of this book that break my heart and made me want to never let my children out of my sight! But, truly, that was what made it so good - it deftly portrayed the evil that can befall them in the world.
Some of the plot points are a bit fantastical and it suffers from the trope where Claire and Paul Scott just have unlimited financial resources, but overall, I found this one fascinating. Definitely a worthy read.
I really enjoyed this novel - it's engaging and suspenseful: filled with twists and turns. Sometimes you see them coming and other times you don't. It's a quick read, but not a particularly light one - be prepared for a dark read. The book is raw, violent, and even heartbreaking at points. Most of the story unfolds from Julia and Claire's point of view, but we also hear a little bit from their father between chapters. As the novel progresses, we learn not only about the present day mystery (which is captivating) but what happened to their sister, Julia, so long ago.
The book's strength is that it presents not only a compelling and interesting mystery tale, but a chilling portrait of its characters, as well. You get a good look into the lives of Lydia and Claire and their own psychological motivations. It goes beyond a thriller into a story of parenthood and sisterhood. Frankly, as a parent, there are parts of this book that break my heart and made me want to never let my children out of my sight! But, truly, that was what made it so good - it deftly portrayed the evil that can befall them in the world.
Some of the plot points are a bit fantastical and it suffers from the trope where Claire and Paul Scott just have unlimited financial resources, but overall, I found this one fascinating. Definitely a worthy read.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Greenfield in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Jack Clayton is retiring from the police force and dreaming about a calm life in retirement. All that changes when he meets Officer Yolanda Tilden, a young hotshot officer on the force he's just left. Once a prospective FBI Detective, Yolanda had to leave the FBI after getting injured and she's not happy about it. Jack's former boss, Chief Varner, convinces (tricks?) Jack into coming back for a special assignment to work with Yolanda for thirty days as a mentor. At first, the set-in-his-ways Jack and the angry Yolanda clash, but eventually the two work together on a drug case and start forming a true partnership.
Full disclosure - I only read this book because the author is a friend of a friend, and my friend bought the book for me. I knew the author wrote the book in his spare time, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
The first part of the book wasn't my favorite. It lagged and was totally unrealistic (let's completely solve the drug wars in 48 hours!), but did a good job of setting up Jack and Yolanda's friendship and partnership. The writing can be a little stilted at times (must Yolanda say Jack's name every time she speaks to him?), with a few typos. Still, as I thought about it, the plot certainly wasn't any more outlandish than the New Adult romances that are all the rage right now.
Things certainly improved with Part 2, and I found myself staying up late to find out what happened. Part 2 sets up what appears to the "Cold Case Series" that Krammes writes (he has several books after this one). I really enjoyed Part 2 and found the plot to be engaging and interesting. While Jack and Yolanda's relationship is still a little far-fetched, the two are rather endearing at times, and amusing. The mystery portion was interesting and very solid. Overall, it was a fun book and Part 2 probably pulled it to a solid 3 to 3.5 stars. I look forward to reading the next one, since it's basically set in my hometown!
Full disclosure - I only read this book because the author is a friend of a friend, and my friend bought the book for me. I knew the author wrote the book in his spare time, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
The first part of the book wasn't my favorite. It lagged and was totally unrealistic (let's completely solve the drug wars in 48 hours!), but did a good job of setting up Jack and Yolanda's friendship and partnership. The writing can be a little stilted at times (must Yolanda say Jack's name every time she speaks to him?), with a few typos. Still, as I thought about it, the plot certainly wasn't any more outlandish than the New Adult romances that are all the rage right now.
Things certainly improved with Part 2, and I found myself staying up late to find out what happened. Part 2 sets up what appears to the "Cold Case Series" that Krammes writes (he has several books after this one). I really enjoyed Part 2 and found the plot to be engaging and interesting. While Jack and Yolanda's relationship is still a little far-fetched, the two are rather endearing at times, and amusing. The mystery portion was interesting and very solid. Overall, it was a fun book and Part 2 probably pulled it to a solid 3 to 3.5 stars. I look forward to reading the next one, since it's basically set in my hometown!
Grumpy Goblin (123 KP) rated Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of Ashardalon Board Game in Tabletop Games
Mar 27, 2018
Can be expanded with other games in this series. (3 more)
Is set in the world of D&D
Can be played as 1 player
Easy to learn
Not much depth to the game itself (3 more)
No real character progression
Badly moulded miniatures
1 Player mode is very tedious
Good but not great.
This is the first "standalone" tabletop game I have bought from Wizards of The Coast.
I am a D&D fan, so was quite looking forward to playing this, the packaging and content of the game really caught my attention when the game arrived, I was definitely very excited to start playing.
I read through the rules fairly quickly and set the game up ready to play, the first run through was OK although I messed up the rules a little and felt it would be better to start again, after a quick re-read I was ready to go again. Just bare in mind, the rules are easy, but there are a few things you end up forgetting, so it is handy to read them through a couple of times and have them handy when playing.
I carried on through the game a little longer and soon realised it was quite a tedious process, as I was playing on my own and not with others the game needed to keep me entertained, and it really didn't do that.. I was actually starting to wish it would end (I am someone who has to finish a game and can't stop half way through) and when I finally died, I was actually quite relieved.
I ended up putting it away and not coming back to it for a while.. until one day when a couple of friends were over and we weren't in the mood for a really intense style game, I decided to pull it out and see how it played with others. It was certainly a much different experience, it seemed to flow better and just having the others there to have a bit of fun with definitely made the game much more enjoyable.
I would say it is worth buying the game to play with your friends but as a solo game, I really wouldn't bother.
I am a D&D fan, so was quite looking forward to playing this, the packaging and content of the game really caught my attention when the game arrived, I was definitely very excited to start playing.
I read through the rules fairly quickly and set the game up ready to play, the first run through was OK although I messed up the rules a little and felt it would be better to start again, after a quick re-read I was ready to go again. Just bare in mind, the rules are easy, but there are a few things you end up forgetting, so it is handy to read them through a couple of times and have them handy when playing.
I carried on through the game a little longer and soon realised it was quite a tedious process, as I was playing on my own and not with others the game needed to keep me entertained, and it really didn't do that.. I was actually starting to wish it would end (I am someone who has to finish a game and can't stop half way through) and when I finally died, I was actually quite relieved.
I ended up putting it away and not coming back to it for a while.. until one day when a couple of friends were over and we weren't in the mood for a really intense style game, I decided to pull it out and see how it played with others. It was certainly a much different experience, it seemed to flow better and just having the others there to have a bit of fun with definitely made the game much more enjoyable.
I would say it is worth buying the game to play with your friends but as a solo game, I really wouldn't bother.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Wife Between Us in Books
Feb 12, 2018
Not the spellbinding thriller promised but still a twisty read
I never do this, but I'm copying in the tagline for this one, because I don't want to give away any spoilers:
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.
This was a fascinating and twisted thriller, I'll give you that. It flew under my radar for a while, enough that I wasn't interested enough to ask for an ARC. Finally, I read enough GR reviews that I caved and grabbed a copy from the local library. Now I don't know if I'm just cynical or jaded or what, but while I enjoyed this one, I didn't find it to be the rave-worthy thriller that so many others did. Perhaps if I'd picked it up in the ARC stage, before reading so many reviews, it would have been a little different, but I think maybe I went in looking for all the twists.
The book is divided into a couple of parts (4 or 5) and I guessed the big twist of the first part flat out. It's well-executed, but I saw it coming from a mile away. The rest were a little harder to guess, so kudos to the authors for those. I won't lie--this one is quite the compulsively readable thriller, no matter what. I am, however, a little tired of unreliable, female alcoholic protagonists, by now--this trend was kicked off by The Girl on the Train, and I'm sort of over it.
I won't go into much more, because I don't want to reveal anything for those yet uninitiated. I'm still glad I picked up the book - it was a good diversion for a couple of evenings and a fun thriller. Not quite the most amazing book ever I was promised, but still a twisty read. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.
This was a fascinating and twisted thriller, I'll give you that. It flew under my radar for a while, enough that I wasn't interested enough to ask for an ARC. Finally, I read enough GR reviews that I caved and grabbed a copy from the local library. Now I don't know if I'm just cynical or jaded or what, but while I enjoyed this one, I didn't find it to be the rave-worthy thriller that so many others did. Perhaps if I'd picked it up in the ARC stage, before reading so many reviews, it would have been a little different, but I think maybe I went in looking for all the twists.
The book is divided into a couple of parts (4 or 5) and I guessed the big twist of the first part flat out. It's well-executed, but I saw it coming from a mile away. The rest were a little harder to guess, so kudos to the authors for those. I won't lie--this one is quite the compulsively readable thriller, no matter what. I am, however, a little tired of unreliable, female alcoholic protagonists, by now--this trend was kicked off by The Girl on the Train, and I'm sort of over it.
I won't go into much more, because I don't want to reveal anything for those yet uninitiated. I'm still glad I picked up the book - it was a good diversion for a couple of evenings and a fun thriller. Not quite the most amazing book ever I was promised, but still a twisty read. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Animators in Books
Jun 18, 2018
I hadn't actually intended this to be one of my Pride Month reads, but Mel, the main character's best friend and business partner, is lesbian, so it turns out that it counts! I read this book as part of Litsy's "Buddy Reads" program, where everyone participating reads the same section of the book and discusses it before moving on to the next section. So I've been slowly reading this one over the past month. I'm not sure I would have read this if not for the Buddy Read.
This book surprised me! I enjoyed it, and I wasn't sure I would. Mel and Sharon have been friends since college, spurring each other to greater artistry in their chosen field of adult cartooning. (Not porn, just not childish themes.) They work well together, with Mel coming up with most of the beginning ideas and Sharon hammering them into a shape that will work and keeping them on track through projects. But Mel has a drug and alcohol problem, and Sharon has a stroke, and working through all of those things are really what the book deals with.
The two go back to visit Sharon's hometown in Kentucky at one point, and the way Sharon describes the town, and how surreal it is and how she never felt like she belonged, even when she lived there - that was a really hard-hitting passage for me. I went back to my own hometown last Christmas, and I felt the same feelings Sharon has in the book. Seeing those feelings actually put into words was....strange.
I honestly didn't like either Mel or Sharon for the first few chapters, but as the story unfolds, they begin to open up. The book is about growing up in some ways; the two of them, though advancing in their careers, haven't had to do a lot of maturing emotionally until the events of the book. I thought they both become much more likable as that happened.
The writing was excellent in this book, the character development outstanding, and the plot heartbreaking in places. Even though it's not my typical reading fare, I really liked it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
This book surprised me! I enjoyed it, and I wasn't sure I would. Mel and Sharon have been friends since college, spurring each other to greater artistry in their chosen field of adult cartooning. (Not porn, just not childish themes.) They work well together, with Mel coming up with most of the beginning ideas and Sharon hammering them into a shape that will work and keeping them on track through projects. But Mel has a drug and alcohol problem, and Sharon has a stroke, and working through all of those things are really what the book deals with.
The two go back to visit Sharon's hometown in Kentucky at one point, and the way Sharon describes the town, and how surreal it is and how she never felt like she belonged, even when she lived there - that was a really hard-hitting passage for me. I went back to my own hometown last Christmas, and I felt the same feelings Sharon has in the book. Seeing those feelings actually put into words was....strange.
I honestly didn't like either Mel or Sharon for the first few chapters, but as the story unfolds, they begin to open up. The book is about growing up in some ways; the two of them, though advancing in their careers, haven't had to do a lot of maturing emotionally until the events of the book. I thought they both become much more likable as that happened.
The writing was excellent in this book, the character development outstanding, and the plot heartbreaking in places. Even though it's not my typical reading fare, I really liked it.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Overwatch in Video Games
Jul 22, 2018
So many different and interesting characters (4 more)
Different ways to play
Incredible lore
All new maps and characters are free
Amazing graphic style
My favourite game of the generation
This is by far my favourite game of the generation and that's saying a lot because there are some amazing games I've played.
It may not be for everyone. There is no single player story campaign. The story and lore are things you kinda have to work out for yourself through voice lines, online comics, animated shorts etc
There will always be a character for someone whether your a medic or a tank protecting everyone or someone who goes running in guns blazing. You have a character who uses a jump jet and shoots rockets but then you have a robot who can turn itself into a turret.
You can play this game for hours and hours and it's an easy game to get into for all newcomers. You used to call of duty? There's a character there with an assault rifle, you got snipers and shotgun users. There are 27 heroes to choose from right now.
And the beauty of this is, no paid dlc. All maps and characters in the future are 100% free. There is no leveling up characters so everyone is on an even playing field. Only reason you level up is to win loot boxes. I know theres a huge controversy surrounding them but you only get comsrtics and they are fun to collect.
The game itself is 6v6 with different modes. Control, escort payload, capture. The usual stuff, then some extra stuff in arcade like mystery heroes where you become a random hero everytime you die, 3v3 elimination, death match. You have the usually quick play games but once you become level 25 you can start playing competitive if that's your thing.
It's a game you are constantly getting better at. Blizzard are constantly tweaking it with patches to keep it fresh. Plus there's a new character coming soon which is a hamster in a mech!!! What's not to love about that????
I do recommend playing it. Its fun to play on your own AND in a group.
It may not be for everyone. There is no single player story campaign. The story and lore are things you kinda have to work out for yourself through voice lines, online comics, animated shorts etc
There will always be a character for someone whether your a medic or a tank protecting everyone or someone who goes running in guns blazing. You have a character who uses a jump jet and shoots rockets but then you have a robot who can turn itself into a turret.
You can play this game for hours and hours and it's an easy game to get into for all newcomers. You used to call of duty? There's a character there with an assault rifle, you got snipers and shotgun users. There are 27 heroes to choose from right now.
And the beauty of this is, no paid dlc. All maps and characters in the future are 100% free. There is no leveling up characters so everyone is on an even playing field. Only reason you level up is to win loot boxes. I know theres a huge controversy surrounding them but you only get comsrtics and they are fun to collect.
The game itself is 6v6 with different modes. Control, escort payload, capture. The usual stuff, then some extra stuff in arcade like mystery heroes where you become a random hero everytime you die, 3v3 elimination, death match. You have the usually quick play games but once you become level 25 you can start playing competitive if that's your thing.
It's a game you are constantly getting better at. Blizzard are constantly tweaking it with patches to keep it fresh. Plus there's a new character coming soon which is a hamster in a mech!!! What's not to love about that????
I do recommend playing it. Its fun to play on your own AND in a group.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Wife Between Us in Books
Aug 20, 2018
Wow!
I must admit that I was skeptical about this book after 50 pages in. It was really slow paced at first. I wondered if I had made a mistake by reading it. I decided to read more of the book just in case it got better, and I am glad I did. By part two of the book (about a third of the way in), the pacing quickened, and I found myself immersed in the world of The Wife Between Us.
The whole setup of the plot was done very well. At times, it seemed a little extreme and intense, but it was believable. There are a few plot twists, more than I've ever read in a book. I did predict one early on, but the others, I never saw coming. The plot twists will definitely surprise you. I'd go into more detail, but I really don't want to give anything away. This is one book where you'll just have to read it to learn everything. This book does give you plenty of closure. No stone is left unturned. I'm happy there wasn't any cliff hangars or any unanswered questions.
I enjoyed the characters. Each one was believable, and each one definitely brought a story of their own to the book. I loved the character of Vanessa the most. She seemed really caring. I don't want to say any more about why I liked her because I'm afraid that would give away spoilers.
There is some swearing in the book although I didn't feel like it was a lot. There are sexual references, mental health references, alcohol/alcoholism references, a few drug (marijuana) references as well as violence although nothing too graphic. All of this was written tastefully. Nothing was over the top or seemed to be written in just for the sake of mentioning it.
I would recommend The Wife Between Us to those 18+ especially those who love a good thriller with a lot of plot twists. Although this book does start out really slow, it soon picks up. The writing is excellent, the story line is great, and the characters are amazing! Definitely read this book if you get a chance!
The whole setup of the plot was done very well. At times, it seemed a little extreme and intense, but it was believable. There are a few plot twists, more than I've ever read in a book. I did predict one early on, but the others, I never saw coming. The plot twists will definitely surprise you. I'd go into more detail, but I really don't want to give anything away. This is one book where you'll just have to read it to learn everything. This book does give you plenty of closure. No stone is left unturned. I'm happy there wasn't any cliff hangars or any unanswered questions.
I enjoyed the characters. Each one was believable, and each one definitely brought a story of their own to the book. I loved the character of Vanessa the most. She seemed really caring. I don't want to say any more about why I liked her because I'm afraid that would give away spoilers.
There is some swearing in the book although I didn't feel like it was a lot. There are sexual references, mental health references, alcohol/alcoholism references, a few drug (marijuana) references as well as violence although nothing too graphic. All of this was written tastefully. Nothing was over the top or seemed to be written in just for the sake of mentioning it.
I would recommend The Wife Between Us to those 18+ especially those who love a good thriller with a lot of plot twists. Although this book does start out really slow, it soon picks up. The writing is excellent, the story line is great, and the characters are amazing! Definitely read this book if you get a chance!
Meghan and Brandon met in college and became good friends. Some might say they are from opposite sides of the tracks so how could they have anything in common. But those are some of the things that bonded them early in their relationship. Graduation is coming and Meghan is finally going to put her feelings for Brandon on the line and see if he feels the same for her.
Brandon has been in love with Meghan since the first day he saw her. Their friendship means the world to him and he doesnt want to do anything to mess it up, especially not by admitting his feelings. Tonights party is the last time he will see her, at least for a while so he wants to enjoy every single second left with her. When she tells him she feels the same way about him he cant believe his luck. They make love but then something happens and she kicks him out afterward.
Years go by without contact between the two, they resumed their real lives and are both miserable. Brandon has returned to the family business which has become all consuming and Meghan works odd jobs to pay for a crappy apartment and take care of her son, Eaton. When a medical emergency threatens her sons life she does what she needs to do to secure the money needed for his surgery.
Brandon and Meghan move past misunderstanding, betrayal and lost years to forge their relationship again. Will they be able to let the past be the past and move forward together, without repercussions? Although this is the second book of the series Saving Samantha (Book 1) does not need to be read first as they are both standalone. Some characters overlap but it isnt confusing as to who is who. The author once again weaves a romantic, second chance at love story with wonderful characters who capture our imagination. I received an advance copy without expectation for review, any and all opinions expressed are my own. Solid 4 star read again from the author.
Brandon has been in love with Meghan since the first day he saw her. Their friendship means the world to him and he doesnt want to do anything to mess it up, especially not by admitting his feelings. Tonights party is the last time he will see her, at least for a while so he wants to enjoy every single second left with her. When she tells him she feels the same way about him he cant believe his luck. They make love but then something happens and she kicks him out afterward.
Years go by without contact between the two, they resumed their real lives and are both miserable. Brandon has returned to the family business which has become all consuming and Meghan works odd jobs to pay for a crappy apartment and take care of her son, Eaton. When a medical emergency threatens her sons life she does what she needs to do to secure the money needed for his surgery.
Brandon and Meghan move past misunderstanding, betrayal and lost years to forge their relationship again. Will they be able to let the past be the past and move forward together, without repercussions? Although this is the second book of the series Saving Samantha (Book 1) does not need to be read first as they are both standalone. Some characters overlap but it isnt confusing as to who is who. The author once again weaves a romantic, second chance at love story with wonderful characters who capture our imagination. I received an advance copy without expectation for review, any and all opinions expressed are my own. Solid 4 star read again from the author.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Super Nasty
Brightburn is a short film that moves at a blistering pace but its the calm moments where the movie truly shines. Brightburn successfully turns the entire superhero genre on its head going almost full horror movie on us & while it does fall into the trap of using to many horror cliches its a really interesting, fun & stand out movie. If I were to compare it I'd say its a mix of A Quiet Place, Midnight Special & The Children leaning towards the horror side of things more than anything else but there are sprinkles of Scifi & obviously dabs of Superhero here & there. Visually its such a looker the screen often painted fully in deep inky blackness with the only thing breaking it up being the warm glow of natural light coming from a lamp or street light. This not only helps create great atmosphere but heightens tension by limiting the viewers vision perfectly. There are neat swaps between camera techniques too eg from an almost raw found footage style to a really cool slightly obstructed first person scene. Action doesnt disapoint & the film makes the viewer wait for its violence & big pay offs making it more impactful when it finally hits. Acting is great & Elizabeth Banks clearly steals the show here. Theres a running comparison of Brandon to predatory animals such as a wasp, jellyfish or Wolf & I found the creepiest elements of the film were the slower paced scenes where we see him discover, adapt & learn how to evolve into a more successful killing machine (ie studying human anatomy) & also the impact of his actions begin to tear up his happy home & constantly disappoint his loving parents. Theres a big metaphore about adoption & the difficulties it can bring for both the new parents & the child (especially when the child hits the age where questions need to be answered) & at one point I wondered if that was really the overall message the film was actually trying to relay because this scene was so full of realistic emotion. Brightburn at times can be very predictable & show its budget constrains too but as a first film I really did dig its format & would definitely like to see a sequel or two to it for sure.