Search
Search results
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
10.0
Rate It
Book
Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework...
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Evergreen Desires (Wildheart Chronicles #1) in Books
Aug 5, 2025
EVERGREEN DESIRES is the first book in the Wildheart Chronicles and features Beau, a Sasquatch shifter who runs a Christmas tree and Cannabis farm, and Jake, on the run from his abusive ex. Throw in a corrupt politician, and it's all going on.
This is the first release by this author, and it definitely has potential! I loved the descriptions of Beau when he was in his other form, as well as the connection he has with the land. These two were perfectly paired, with neither of them willing to push past the other's boundaries, but also not being shy about stating that they wanted more.
There were a few things that irritated me though. The first was Jake's bank account and inheritance. His abusive ex drains them and nothing is done about it?! Seriously?! Jake tells us how he has nothing, but he won't even file a report to 'try' and get HIS money back? And the whole 'I'm breaking up with you for your own good, even though I love you' trope is never a good one. Some of the conversations between characters were repeated in different parts of the story. And the final thing is the sheer silliness of Beau and Jake not considering anyone would come to the farm, when they've got hard evidence that people have, and they have even spotted them before. The assumption that the farm is safe, when they know it's not, causes more than one problem!
A good debut novel by this author. I would definitely be interested in continuing with the series, both for the characters and also to see how her craft develops.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 5, 2025
This is the first release by this author, and it definitely has potential! I loved the descriptions of Beau when he was in his other form, as well as the connection he has with the land. These two were perfectly paired, with neither of them willing to push past the other's boundaries, but also not being shy about stating that they wanted more.
There were a few things that irritated me though. The first was Jake's bank account and inheritance. His abusive ex drains them and nothing is done about it?! Seriously?! Jake tells us how he has nothing, but he won't even file a report to 'try' and get HIS money back? And the whole 'I'm breaking up with you for your own good, even though I love you' trope is never a good one. Some of the conversations between characters were repeated in different parts of the story. And the final thing is the sheer silliness of Beau and Jake not considering anyone would come to the farm, when they've got hard evidence that people have, and they have even spotted them before. The assumption that the farm is safe, when they know it's not, causes more than one problem!
A good debut novel by this author. I would definitely be interested in continuing with the series, both for the characters and also to see how her craft develops.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 5, 2025
Craig Davidson (18 KP) rated Aliens (1986) in Movies
May 11, 2019 (Updated May 11, 2019)
Hudson (3 more)
Pulse rifle
Alien queen
Marines
Stop ya grinning and drop ya linen
Contains spoilers, click to show
So what can I say about aliens. Since its release in 1986 it's become probably one of my favourite and go to films. James Cameron at his best.
The whole cast are amazing and although the movie is a little yawn until the marines come in to it I just adore it.
The movie picks up where alien finished finding Riley in the escape craft form the nostromo 57 years later. She is picked up by a salvage craft and taken back to be grilled by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation (nooooo) as to why she destroyed the nostromo.
As usual the big wigs do not believe the story and inform Ripley that the planet LV-426 is now inhabited by terraformers who are changing the planet to be more earth kike. Soooo after the grilling Ripley gets Carter Burke (slimey weasel corporate man ) sends people from Hadleys Hope station to investigate the coordinates where the alien ship was first encountered. And of course Newts dad ends up with a beauty of a face hugger on his mush. This starts the chain of events that basically wipes out the whole station.
So after a while Burke and Lt Gorman. track down Ripely to ask her to join them as an advisor and go back to LV-426. She of course says no until she has a dream and leaves her ginger pussy at home.
So now the film really begins and the USS Sulaco comes in to shit looking like a giant gun.
We then meet the colonial marines including Android bishop and my favourite film character of all time hudson.
They all arrive and on the planet and eventually come across the little girl Newt (Rebecca but no body calls her that ,except her brother ) who has survived the alien invasion by crawling around the air ducts.
The marines eventually find the rest of the colony via there trackers and head to collect them. Of course they find the colony people stuck to the walls by some sort of secreted resin ( but secreted by why what ?) With there chest cavities well open exposing there inner organs. They then find a live one ( in a shit ya pants moment) and we get to see the alien push through the poor woman's chest.
The marines torch the little git and then all hell breaks loose. But we get to hear the iconic sound of the pulse rifle and get to hear Vasquez shout "let's rock" as they try to sort out the pesky bug problem by spraying the whole place with bullets.
We loose slot of the secondary cast in this scene and they also crack one of the nuclear reactors which will blow up soon.
The marines fight hard but they end up loosing the drop ship and are stranded. So the plan is hatched to remote a new drip ship down from the sulaco.
The android bishop has to crawl down a very long pipe in a very claustrophobic scene to get a signal to use the remote control.
The rest of the people left alive Ripley ,Hicks ,Gorman ,Hudson ,Vasquez ,Newt and the horrible Burke at left in the station to set up and defend themselves and fortify the area.
But the alien have there clever mama and they attack in force.
It's is in this attack we see how brave the loudmouth marine Hudson is in what is my opinion one of the greatest last scenes ever of a character "fuck you " being his last words.
After this the rest are lost apart from Hicks and Ripley and newt and bishop .
Newt takes a slide down a vent and gets lost , Ripley then goes and gets her and comes across the bad ass bitch that's has been laying the alien eggs . A fight happens and Ripley gets newt out and back to the drop ship and back to USS Sulaco with hicks and bishop. But ohhhhh no the mama alien was on board and rips bishop in half and covers the place in milk. Ripley beats the crap out of the mama alien with a really cool fork lift then they all go to sleep.
Aliens for me is a classic and better than the original.
The whole cast are amazing and although the movie is a little yawn until the marines come in to it I just adore it.
The movie picks up where alien finished finding Riley in the escape craft form the nostromo 57 years later. She is picked up by a salvage craft and taken back to be grilled by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation (nooooo) as to why she destroyed the nostromo.
As usual the big wigs do not believe the story and inform Ripley that the planet LV-426 is now inhabited by terraformers who are changing the planet to be more earth kike. Soooo after the grilling Ripley gets Carter Burke (slimey weasel corporate man ) sends people from Hadleys Hope station to investigate the coordinates where the alien ship was first encountered. And of course Newts dad ends up with a beauty of a face hugger on his mush. This starts the chain of events that basically wipes out the whole station.
So after a while Burke and Lt Gorman. track down Ripely to ask her to join them as an advisor and go back to LV-426. She of course says no until she has a dream and leaves her ginger pussy at home.
So now the film really begins and the USS Sulaco comes in to shit looking like a giant gun.
We then meet the colonial marines including Android bishop and my favourite film character of all time hudson.
They all arrive and on the planet and eventually come across the little girl Newt (Rebecca but no body calls her that ,except her brother ) who has survived the alien invasion by crawling around the air ducts.
The marines eventually find the rest of the colony via there trackers and head to collect them. Of course they find the colony people stuck to the walls by some sort of secreted resin ( but secreted by why what ?) With there chest cavities well open exposing there inner organs. They then find a live one ( in a shit ya pants moment) and we get to see the alien push through the poor woman's chest.
The marines torch the little git and then all hell breaks loose. But we get to hear the iconic sound of the pulse rifle and get to hear Vasquez shout "let's rock" as they try to sort out the pesky bug problem by spraying the whole place with bullets.
We loose slot of the secondary cast in this scene and they also crack one of the nuclear reactors which will blow up soon.
The marines fight hard but they end up loosing the drop ship and are stranded. So the plan is hatched to remote a new drip ship down from the sulaco.
The android bishop has to crawl down a very long pipe in a very claustrophobic scene to get a signal to use the remote control.
The rest of the people left alive Ripley ,Hicks ,Gorman ,Hudson ,Vasquez ,Newt and the horrible Burke at left in the station to set up and defend themselves and fortify the area.
But the alien have there clever mama and they attack in force.
It's is in this attack we see how brave the loudmouth marine Hudson is in what is my opinion one of the greatest last scenes ever of a character "fuck you " being his last words.
After this the rest are lost apart from Hicks and Ripley and newt and bishop .
Newt takes a slide down a vent and gets lost , Ripley then goes and gets her and comes across the bad ass bitch that's has been laying the alien eggs . A fight happens and Ripley gets newt out and back to the drop ship and back to USS Sulaco with hicks and bishop. But ohhhhh no the mama alien was on board and rips bishop in half and covers the place in milk. Ripley beats the crap out of the mama alien with a really cool fork lift then they all go to sleep.
Aliens for me is a classic and better than the original.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Blade Runner 2049 (2017) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
A Visual Treat
It was always going to be a tricky proposition to craft a sequel to Ridley Scott’s divisive 1982 film, Blade Runner. By divisive, I mean that while it has gained a cult following in the decades since its initial release, the film’s initial box-office run resulted in a gross that many would label ‘disappointing.’
Stuck in development hell for well over 20 years, Blade Runner 2049 as it’s now known entered the hands of sci-fi aficionado Denis Villeneuve since 2015. But has a wait of over three decades been kind to the finished film?
Officer K (Ryan Gosling), a new blade runner tasked with tracking down old replicants for the Los Angeles Police Department, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. His discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former blade runner who’s been missing for 30 years.
Visually, Blade Runner 2049 is an absolute masterpiece but from the director of the equally stunning Arrival, this was to be expected. Tasked with taking the first film and crafting a worthy sequel was never going to be an easy ride for Villeneuve and he almost makes it out the other side unscathed, almost.
Our cast is one of the film’s strongest suits with Gosling in particular being as magnetic a presence as ever. It’s also nice to see the wonderful Dave Bautista sink his teeth into something a little grittier than his well-worn Drax persona. Unfortunately, despite being an ever-present feature in the trailers, Harrison Ford is disappointingly underused, though he does appear in 2049’s best sequences.
The cinematography is absolutely beautiful, there really is no other word for it. Bizarrely grounded in reality, the year 2049 is a place that doesn’t feel too far away from the world as we know it. Villeneuve’s metropolis’ live and breathe right before our very eyes with a desolate Las Vegas in particular being a highlight, bathed in an eerie orange glow.
The CGI too is staggering and some of the best seen in the genre. Holograms litter the cityscapes and detail pours out of every frame – Blade Runner 2049 has been meticulously crafted to an incredibly high standard by someone who clearly cares about the legacy this film will leave.
Elsewhere, the score by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch is exquisite. Blending nostalgic tones with a modern edge, the music is one of the film’s high points and couples with each frame almost perfectly.
So, to look at and to listen to, it’s spectacular. But how does the rest of this sequel fare? Well, not too bad at all really. The story feels linked to the first film in a way that doesn’t tread on its toes. Many long-awaited sequels feel it necessary to shred what came before and try far too hard to craft their own paths. Thankfully, 2049 honours its predecessor in more ways than just sickly nostalgia.
Unfortunately, it’s far too long. At 163 minutes, this is a real slog by anyone’s standards and while it’s true the pacing is spot on, there’s no getting away from the fact that this is a long film and feels it. It would’ve been pretty easy to shave a couple of minutes from the run-time here and there, though it’s not too much of an issue.
My only other bugbear is a pretty big one. Ridley Scott’s ’82 masterpiece was a film that had a soul, despite its plot focusing on those to the contrary. Here, the sheen, the glitz and the polish are all super impressive but much like the replicants our blade runner must hunt, it all feels a touch soulless.
Ultimately, Blade Runner 2049 is a fine sequel to a film that’s been crying out for one since 1982. Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford make a fine pairing despite the latter’s limited screen time but what this film is lacking is heart, and that’s something that can’t be made with stunning cinematography.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/10/06/blade-runner-2049-review/
Stuck in development hell for well over 20 years, Blade Runner 2049 as it’s now known entered the hands of sci-fi aficionado Denis Villeneuve since 2015. But has a wait of over three decades been kind to the finished film?
Officer K (Ryan Gosling), a new blade runner tasked with tracking down old replicants for the Los Angeles Police Department, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. His discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former blade runner who’s been missing for 30 years.
Visually, Blade Runner 2049 is an absolute masterpiece but from the director of the equally stunning Arrival, this was to be expected. Tasked with taking the first film and crafting a worthy sequel was never going to be an easy ride for Villeneuve and he almost makes it out the other side unscathed, almost.
Our cast is one of the film’s strongest suits with Gosling in particular being as magnetic a presence as ever. It’s also nice to see the wonderful Dave Bautista sink his teeth into something a little grittier than his well-worn Drax persona. Unfortunately, despite being an ever-present feature in the trailers, Harrison Ford is disappointingly underused, though he does appear in 2049’s best sequences.
The cinematography is absolutely beautiful, there really is no other word for it. Bizarrely grounded in reality, the year 2049 is a place that doesn’t feel too far away from the world as we know it. Villeneuve’s metropolis’ live and breathe right before our very eyes with a desolate Las Vegas in particular being a highlight, bathed in an eerie orange glow.
The CGI too is staggering and some of the best seen in the genre. Holograms litter the cityscapes and detail pours out of every frame – Blade Runner 2049 has been meticulously crafted to an incredibly high standard by someone who clearly cares about the legacy this film will leave.
Elsewhere, the score by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch is exquisite. Blending nostalgic tones with a modern edge, the music is one of the film’s high points and couples with each frame almost perfectly.
So, to look at and to listen to, it’s spectacular. But how does the rest of this sequel fare? Well, not too bad at all really. The story feels linked to the first film in a way that doesn’t tread on its toes. Many long-awaited sequels feel it necessary to shred what came before and try far too hard to craft their own paths. Thankfully, 2049 honours its predecessor in more ways than just sickly nostalgia.
Unfortunately, it’s far too long. At 163 minutes, this is a real slog by anyone’s standards and while it’s true the pacing is spot on, there’s no getting away from the fact that this is a long film and feels it. It would’ve been pretty easy to shave a couple of minutes from the run-time here and there, though it’s not too much of an issue.
My only other bugbear is a pretty big one. Ridley Scott’s ’82 masterpiece was a film that had a soul, despite its plot focusing on those to the contrary. Here, the sheen, the glitz and the polish are all super impressive but much like the replicants our blade runner must hunt, it all feels a touch soulless.
Ultimately, Blade Runner 2049 is a fine sequel to a film that’s been crying out for one since 1982. Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford make a fine pairing despite the latter’s limited screen time but what this film is lacking is heart, and that’s something that can’t be made with stunning cinematography.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/10/06/blade-runner-2049-review/
Ravit - Ravelry on the hop
Lifestyle
App
Ravit is a fun new app that enables you to discover inspirational patterns and yarns, and update...
Kaysee Hood (83 KP) rated Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp in Apps
Nov 22, 2017 (Updated Dec 26, 2017)
Crafting (2 more)
Market
Decorating
I Mayored A Town, So I Can Manage A Campsite!
12/26/17
So, I've played for a whole month. The updates were nice and errors were fixed, but I have to say I'll have to knock down some because I became bored with the app.
11/22/17
I've played the game for a few hours on and off now.
When I first downloaded the app previous night there were no issues with the error other than a little lag here and there. This morning the error has been popping up left and right. It took a few tries to be able to get connected through, but it was slow going and it would pop up often. Hopefully an issue that will be fixed soon and I can revise my review.
Overall I do love the app. The basics are there from the previous games. You build up your friendship with villagers (or animals as they call it in the app though I think the use of campers was missed) by doing requests and you'll get things in exchange. The better the level of friendship the more things you gain and unlock. By forming friendships with the animals your level is raised, which is how other things are unlocked and other animals.
Each animal and item has a certain type (natural, cute, hip, sporty, and cool). This helps you figure out what will attract certain animals to visit so you can than craft or purchase the furniture at the Market.
I do like the Market and how you can buy items from people in their own boxes if you do not have the item you need yourself. The Market is also where you can get help from Isabelle or purchase clothes.
All in all, so far it feels like Pocket Camp is a condensed form of the system games and that doesn't make it a bad thing. They've done well with turning Animal Crossing into an app. I cannot wait to play more and discuss it more.
So, I've played for a whole month. The updates were nice and errors were fixed, but I have to say I'll have to knock down some because I became bored with the app.
11/22/17
I've played the game for a few hours on and off now.
When I first downloaded the app previous night there were no issues with the error other than a little lag here and there. This morning the error has been popping up left and right. It took a few tries to be able to get connected through, but it was slow going and it would pop up often. Hopefully an issue that will be fixed soon and I can revise my review.
Overall I do love the app. The basics are there from the previous games. You build up your friendship with villagers (or animals as they call it in the app though I think the use of campers was missed) by doing requests and you'll get things in exchange. The better the level of friendship the more things you gain and unlock. By forming friendships with the animals your level is raised, which is how other things are unlocked and other animals.
Each animal and item has a certain type (natural, cute, hip, sporty, and cool). This helps you figure out what will attract certain animals to visit so you can than craft or purchase the furniture at the Market.
I do like the Market and how you can buy items from people in their own boxes if you do not have the item you need yourself. The Market is also where you can get help from Isabelle or purchase clothes.
All in all, so far it feels like Pocket Camp is a condensed form of the system games and that doesn't make it a bad thing. They've done well with turning Animal Crossing into an app. I cannot wait to play more and discuss it more.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Mask: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #5) in Books
May 10, 2018
When I decided to read and review this book, I was not aware that it was part of a series. Number five in the series to be exact. I'm a big fan of thrillers especially when there is a character like Vanessa Michael Munroe. I can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series.
Vanessa Michael Munroe is very good at what she does. Just off a recent job, she decides to spend some time with a very special person in her life, Miles Bradford. They were in the same line of work, but their personal relationship was something different. On assignment in Japan, Bradford's on the hunt for a thief at ALTEQ. Munroe asks several times to join Miles at work and help with the assignment. More times than not, he refuses. When Miles is framed for murdering a Chinese woman at the company, Vanessa, the girlfriend takes a backseat and Michael the mercenary takes over. Not just to finish the job Bradford started, but also find the real killer. Not sure who she can trust, Munroe, disguised as a man takes on this arduous task. Will she be able to find the killer before she herself is killed?
I'm really upset that I haven't read this series chronologically. I feel like there are parts of Vanessa Michael Munroe that I am missing. I want to know more about her relationship with Bradford. Munroe is the kind of woman we all wish we could be. Able to evoke fear with just a glance, can read people like a book. She is strong, intuitive, resourceful, and smart. I'm not sure if it was love or devotion to the job/craft that made her go to the length she did to save Miles.
This book takes you on a journey where you are unsure of what is going to happen next. In a foreign country where you're not sure who is in charge and who you can trust, it's difficult to get help. The way Munroe handles herself shows the skill in her profession.
Vanessa Michael Munroe is very good at what she does. Just off a recent job, she decides to spend some time with a very special person in her life, Miles Bradford. They were in the same line of work, but their personal relationship was something different. On assignment in Japan, Bradford's on the hunt for a thief at ALTEQ. Munroe asks several times to join Miles at work and help with the assignment. More times than not, he refuses. When Miles is framed for murdering a Chinese woman at the company, Vanessa, the girlfriend takes a backseat and Michael the mercenary takes over. Not just to finish the job Bradford started, but also find the real killer. Not sure who she can trust, Munroe, disguised as a man takes on this arduous task. Will she be able to find the killer before she herself is killed?
I'm really upset that I haven't read this series chronologically. I feel like there are parts of Vanessa Michael Munroe that I am missing. I want to know more about her relationship with Bradford. Munroe is the kind of woman we all wish we could be. Able to evoke fear with just a glance, can read people like a book. She is strong, intuitive, resourceful, and smart. I'm not sure if it was love or devotion to the job/craft that made her go to the length she did to save Miles.
This book takes you on a journey where you are unsure of what is going to happen next. In a foreign country where you're not sure who is in charge and who you can trust, it's difficult to get help. The way Munroe handles herself shows the skill in her profession.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Mask (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #5) in Books
Apr 9, 2019
When I decided to read and review this book, I was not aware that it was part of a series. Number five in the series to be exact. I'm a big fan of thrillers especially when there is a character like Vanessa Michael Munroe. I can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series.
Vanessa Michael Munroe is very good at what she does. Just off a recent job, she decides to spend some time with a very special person in her life, Miles Bradford. They were in the same line of work, but their personal relationship was something different. On assignment in Japan, Bradford's on the hunt for a thief at ALTEQ. Munroe asks several times to join Miles at work and help with the assignment. More times than not, he refuses. When Miles is framed for murdering a Chinese woman at the company, Vanessa, the girlfriend takes a backseat and Michael the mercenary takes over. Not just to finish the job Bradford started, but also find the real killer. Not sure who she can trust, Munroe, disguised as a man takes on this arduous task. Will she be able to find the killer before she herself is killed?
I'm really upset that I haven't read this series chronologically. I feel like there are parts of Vanessa Michael Munroe that I am missing. I want to know more about her relationship with Bradford. Munroe is the kind of woman we all wish we could be. Able to evoke fear with just a glance, can read people like a book. She is strong, intuitive, resourceful, and smart. I'm not sure if it was love or devotion to the job/craft that made her go to the length she did to save Miles.
This book takes you on a journey where you are unsure of what is going to happen next. In a foreign country where you're not sure who is in charge and who you can trust, it's difficult to get help. The way Munroe handles herself shows the skill in her profession.
Vanessa Michael Munroe is very good at what she does. Just off a recent job, she decides to spend some time with a very special person in her life, Miles Bradford. They were in the same line of work, but their personal relationship was something different. On assignment in Japan, Bradford's on the hunt for a thief at ALTEQ. Munroe asks several times to join Miles at work and help with the assignment. More times than not, he refuses. When Miles is framed for murdering a Chinese woman at the company, Vanessa, the girlfriend takes a backseat and Michael the mercenary takes over. Not just to finish the job Bradford started, but also find the real killer. Not sure who she can trust, Munroe, disguised as a man takes on this arduous task. Will she be able to find the killer before she herself is killed?
I'm really upset that I haven't read this series chronologically. I feel like there are parts of Vanessa Michael Munroe that I am missing. I want to know more about her relationship with Bradford. Munroe is the kind of woman we all wish we could be. Able to evoke fear with just a glance, can read people like a book. She is strong, intuitive, resourceful, and smart. I'm not sure if it was love or devotion to the job/craft that made her go to the length she did to save Miles.
This book takes you on a journey where you are unsure of what is going to happen next. In a foreign country where you're not sure who is in charge and who you can trust, it's difficult to get help. The way Munroe handles herself shows the skill in her profession.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Castle Rock in TV
Oct 23, 2018 (Updated Oct 23, 2018)
Good cast (2 more)
Some cool ideas
Stephen King references
Ups and Downs
Castle Rock is an interesting show, it wasn't what I thought it would be at all. I went in expected a creepy, atmospheric thriller and instead I got a slow burning character study. Don't get me wrong, it is a very well told character study, with plenty of interesting characters and plot threads.
The cast is made up of a few actors that have been used in Stephen King adaptions in the past, as well as a few newcomers to the King adaption universe. Everybody is great in their role, with Sissy Spacek and Bill Skarsgard being the standouts.
The liberties that the show takes with it's inspiration is weirdly inconstant, with some episode whoring out King references left and right and some ignoring the writer's influence altogether. I get the feeling that this was due to the creators wanting to please King fans in the audience while still trying to craft a show that can stand on it's own independently, which is fine, but I kinda wish that they had committed one way or the other.
The show starts off strong, then drags a bit in the middle, but if you can get to episodes 8 & 9, they are possible contenders for some of the best episodes of TV broadcast in 2018. Unfortunately the last episode is very underwhelming after this awesome build up of intrigue that precedes it.
The ending was the biggest negative that the show had. Without giving too much away, it leaves the audience feeling like everything they just witnessed was pretty pointless and leaves you feeling unfulfilled and fairly disappointed. It is clearly trying to set things up for a second season, but does so to the point that it forgets to end the first season in any significant way.
Overall, if you are a King fan you will get a kick out of this. Alternatively, if you are in the mood for a well told, slow burning character study full of intrigue, with elements of psychological horror, then this show is perfect for you. Just don't go in expecting an intense, chilling atmosphere to be present throughout.
The cast is made up of a few actors that have been used in Stephen King adaptions in the past, as well as a few newcomers to the King adaption universe. Everybody is great in their role, with Sissy Spacek and Bill Skarsgard being the standouts.
The liberties that the show takes with it's inspiration is weirdly inconstant, with some episode whoring out King references left and right and some ignoring the writer's influence altogether. I get the feeling that this was due to the creators wanting to please King fans in the audience while still trying to craft a show that can stand on it's own independently, which is fine, but I kinda wish that they had committed one way or the other.
The show starts off strong, then drags a bit in the middle, but if you can get to episodes 8 & 9, they are possible contenders for some of the best episodes of TV broadcast in 2018. Unfortunately the last episode is very underwhelming after this awesome build up of intrigue that precedes it.
The ending was the biggest negative that the show had. Without giving too much away, it leaves the audience feeling like everything they just witnessed was pretty pointless and leaves you feeling unfulfilled and fairly disappointed. It is clearly trying to set things up for a second season, but does so to the point that it forgets to end the first season in any significant way.
Overall, if you are a King fan you will get a kick out of this. Alternatively, if you are in the mood for a well told, slow burning character study full of intrigue, with elements of psychological horror, then this show is perfect for you. Just don't go in expecting an intense, chilling atmosphere to be present throughout.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated The Guardians (The MORE Trilogy, #2) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
I have to be honest when I say I abso-freaking-lutely LOVE this author, her style, and her books. SheÕs just absolutely amazing, and I really, really cannot sing her praises highly enough. That said, IÕd best give some justification for my gushiness ;)
Firstly, there is an amazing transition from the first book, with the drama and tension carrying over perfectly and just, well, seamlessly if IÕm honest. I read a lot of series (theyÕre like good shoes, you find a good one and you just keep going with it) and this is most definitely one of the best I have seen for a long while. This is all linked in with an absolutely incredible plot line. The twists and turns are immense, well developed and truly amazing from start to finish. The perspectives of the different characters are always completely crystal clear, showing a very good grasp of the craft.
Characterisation, as with in the first story, is incredibly well written and just, quite frankly amazing. They are all so enigmatic and developed slowly to make sure you really do invest and get to know them. It was great to see more of Tiernan and Emma is such a dark horse! I shanÕt say more so as not to spoil it, but she is most definitely a good addition to the character lists! Caleb and Ava are, as always, a delight to read and are perfect for each other, even if outside events are trying to meddle in that. Throw in the brilliant intrigue and mystery surrounding Ava and you have exceedingly compelling reading.
To conclude, I can do nothing more than repeat my words from my first review Ð EPIC, PHENOMENAL, AMAZING (capitals most necessary!) and I loved it. I devoured this book, reading in every available minute (even lulls in conversation in the staff room) and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I honestly could not wait to read the final installment and I was truly gripped by the book from start to finish.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
Firstly, there is an amazing transition from the first book, with the drama and tension carrying over perfectly and just, well, seamlessly if IÕm honest. I read a lot of series (theyÕre like good shoes, you find a good one and you just keep going with it) and this is most definitely one of the best I have seen for a long while. This is all linked in with an absolutely incredible plot line. The twists and turns are immense, well developed and truly amazing from start to finish. The perspectives of the different characters are always completely crystal clear, showing a very good grasp of the craft.
Characterisation, as with in the first story, is incredibly well written and just, quite frankly amazing. They are all so enigmatic and developed slowly to make sure you really do invest and get to know them. It was great to see more of Tiernan and Emma is such a dark horse! I shanÕt say more so as not to spoil it, but she is most definitely a good addition to the character lists! Caleb and Ava are, as always, a delight to read and are perfect for each other, even if outside events are trying to meddle in that. Throw in the brilliant intrigue and mystery surrounding Ava and you have exceedingly compelling reading.
To conclude, I can do nothing more than repeat my words from my first review Ð EPIC, PHENOMENAL, AMAZING (capitals most necessary!) and I loved it. I devoured this book, reading in every available minute (even lulls in conversation in the staff room) and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I honestly could not wait to read the final installment and I was truly gripped by the book from start to finish.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*