Search

Search only in certain items:

The Stars Now Unclaimed (The Universe After #1)
The Stars Now Unclaimed (The Universe After #1)
Drew Williams | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Full on outer space entertainment!
I really enjoyed this: it took me longer than a book this size usually takes me to read, but there was a lot of detail in it that you need to 'get' to understand what's going on.
This has been compared to Firefly, Star Wars and some other science fiction stories and worlds, but I think it's a good story in its own right.
I really liked the main character - a female lead (who we don't learn the name of until near the end) who travels the universe after 'The Pulse" puts most planets back to the dark ages, to find children who have developed gifts because of this phenomenon. The Pax seem to be following her every move (I'm hoping the reason for this will be explained in the next instalment), and they're not good news (think mindless fascist zealots. If you're not with them, you're dead). The unnamed pilot/ soldier/ pilot has some great friends, who along with the telekinetic teen she saves at the beginning, must all work together to save their homeward. It's exciting stuff, believe me!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this fantastic book to read!
  
40x40

Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Outsider in Books

Jul 13, 2018  
The Outsider
The Outsider
Stephen King | 2018 | Thriller
9
8.7 (31 Ratings)
Book Rating
King does it again
My main worry about this book was that it didn't sound enough like King - on paper it almost sounded like a bog standard crime thriller. Fortunately though that wasn't the case!

This is yet another brilliantly written King novel, filled with intrigue, suspense and a lot of fairly gruesome horror. The characters are, as always, well written and the story centres mainly around the lovable detective Ralph Anderson (although chapters centred around other characters offer some nice variety). The central supernatural plot is one that I've seen/read before in other works of fiction, but it definitely doesn't get boring seeing it from King's point of view. There are some unexpected links to some other of King's stories - one obvious and direct, but another link for me was more of a similarity to a previous character - neither of which is a bad thing.

My only criticisms of this book are fairly minor. The first is that the ending seems fairly rushed in comparison with the slow build of the rest of the book. And the second is that although it is a very good and enthralling read, it doesn't quite have the impact of some of his older epic novels (The Dark Tower series, The Stand, Needful Things etc).
  
Clouds of Sils Maria (2015)
Clouds of Sils Maria (2015)
2015 | Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"I always come back to this idea of chaotic femininity or chaotic femme. It’s a discourse I have with some of my nerdier friends, like a standard for representations of women that we gravitate to and are driven crazy by. What Assayas does in this film, with the layers of fiction and reality, and representation of representations of representations, is similar to Mulholland Dr.: he interrogates this idea of the actress and the very idea of a character, and leaves you with a queasy feeling about what it all adds up to. What I love about this, particularly as embodied in Juliette Binoche’s performance, is the idea of a woman who is resigned to a downfall and is just fascinated to see how it all plays out. What is this thing that leads women with stable socioeconomic circumstances and certain amounts of privilege (in this case, fame and fortune) to self-destruct? It’s an endlessly fascinating question to me, and I love the way this film explores it. I also immensely enjoy seeing American stars like Kristen Stewart and Chloë Grace Moretz in this complicated, dark, serpentine French film. Those are some of my favorite performances by each of the three women. I love films about actresses; they always hit me right where it hurts."

Source
  
Stalkers is the third book in the Dark Webs series and, trust me, it beggars belief. It reads like it is straight out of Hollywood, the scene of the first telling of stalker behaviour. In here, we have two stories from America and two from the U.K. They are all horrible in their own way and yet show how easy it is, if you are that way inclined, to become a stalker.

The book itself is well-written with each story almost have a fiction-like quality to it. There are facts and figures, police reports, and verdicts given though, just to prove this actually happened. They will all twist your mind but the Craigslist one is just unbelievable! I felt sorry for all the 'victims' in this book but, mostly, I feel sorry for 'Mark'.

This is the first book by this author I have read but it will not be the last. If you like #TrueCrime then this is one I definitely recommend you don't miss.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
The Fountains of Silence
The Fountains of Silence
Ruta Sepetys | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Fountains of Silence is about Texan teen Daniel visiting Francisco Franco's Spain in the 1950's. Franco is a dictator who needs business men to invest in his country so he opens it to Americans. Daniel visits with his parents to see his mother's birthplace. Ana works at the hotel Daniel and his parents are staying in and is assigned to their rooms. Daniel and Ana quickly become friends but Ana is guarded with him. Her family were Republicans, those who were against Franco's rein, and now are either shunned to live as second class citizens or died horrific deaths. Daniel quickly learns that Spain isn't what the government likes to show and there are secrets everyone is hiding.

I was fascinated with this novel as it's something I have never really learned of this time in history in school. I knew of before, during World War II, but never afterward with Franco's dictation. I cared about the characters and wanted to know the outcome. I could tell when some things would happen and cried during some of them too.

It was a heartfelt novel set in a dark time that had family and love and exploration. A must read for historical fiction readers and lovers of Ruta Sepetys.