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The Ostin Prince (Isle of Ostin #2)
8.0
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When he was nine years old, Arbor Ostin ran for his life, even though the memories of that fateful...
Paranormal MM Romance
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Hellboy (2019) in Movies
Nov 14, 2019
This sort of soft reboot of Hellboy is a truly mixed bag. It's just about watchable, and there are some things I liked, and a whole heap of things I didn't like.
Let's start with the negatives - the absolute biggest problems with Hellboy is the editing and pacing.
The quick cuts and bizzarre transitions that happen often are incredibly jarring, and stops the narrative running smoothly for much of the duration.
It almost feels as if the film has been designed for someone who gets bored easily, and will shoehorn in a new scene before giving you the chance to take in the previous one.
It also plays havoc with a lot of the already mediocre (and sometimes cringe-worthy) script - a good example of this comes right at the beginning, as Hellboy is introduced us, searching for an MIA fellow agent.... Its here that Ian McShane's character explains to Hellboy over the phone, what this agent was doing when he went missing, only for Hellboy to himself repeat it to another character seconds later - it's weird and feels lazy.
Another issue is something I seem to complain about a lot recently - CGI. A lot of the CGI throughout is not great, and it's again, a complete mixed bag. Some of the practical effects look fine. The big demons glimpsed in the trailer look fine. And then everywhere else it just shits the bed, most glaringly when it comes to Ben Daimio, a character from the comics who should be an exciting inclusion, but is dragged down buy just how awful it looks.
Another thing I also disliked was the insistence of having 'cool' rock songs playing every two minutes, especially in fight scenes that would otherwise have been entertaining. At times, it felt like I was watching Suicide Squad all over again, which is never a good thing.
A lot of the acting throughout Hellboy is also stale and unenthused. Milla Jovovich is particularly uninspiring as The Blood Queen (a villain from the comics that never enthralled me in the first place), Daniel Dae Kim (Ben Daimio) and Sasha Lane (Alice Monaghan) just seem embarrassed to be involved at all.
This does bring me on to the things a liked about Hellboy though - David Harbour won me over pretty quickly as the titular half demon, he provides the movies sparse humour, and the make up work is great - he does his absolute best to hold it all together.
Ian McShane is good also, but come on, it's Ian McShane man.
Even if they aren't represented perfectly, I still liked seeing a lot of characters from the comic book, and my love for Lobster Johnson is strong.
The monster designs are pretty great for the most part, Baba Yaga looks skin crawling, and as I said, the big demons seen in the trailers are pretty horrifying.
The violence and gore is unfortunately, mostly CGI, but is pretty effective for the most part, even if it does feel like the movie is sometimes packing in an R rating to disguise the averageness of everything else.
As mentioned above, some of the action pieces are pretty fun, but I must say, the climax of the movie is pretty underwhelming.
I didn't find Hellboy as horrible as some people made it out to be - it's certainly not as good as the original two films (although I find the first one to be quite average as it is!) but it still has some credibility, even if it's a small amount.
Unfortunately, for every step Hellboy takes forward, it's takes two back, resulting in a messy and muddled film that struggles to find an identity, and it's reeks of studio meddling.
Still though, Big Mo Harris shooting an Uzi is always a pleasure đź‘Ť
Let's start with the negatives - the absolute biggest problems with Hellboy is the editing and pacing.
The quick cuts and bizzarre transitions that happen often are incredibly jarring, and stops the narrative running smoothly for much of the duration.
It almost feels as if the film has been designed for someone who gets bored easily, and will shoehorn in a new scene before giving you the chance to take in the previous one.
It also plays havoc with a lot of the already mediocre (and sometimes cringe-worthy) script - a good example of this comes right at the beginning, as Hellboy is introduced us, searching for an MIA fellow agent.... Its here that Ian McShane's character explains to Hellboy over the phone, what this agent was doing when he went missing, only for Hellboy to himself repeat it to another character seconds later - it's weird and feels lazy.
Another issue is something I seem to complain about a lot recently - CGI. A lot of the CGI throughout is not great, and it's again, a complete mixed bag. Some of the practical effects look fine. The big demons glimpsed in the trailer look fine. And then everywhere else it just shits the bed, most glaringly when it comes to Ben Daimio, a character from the comics who should be an exciting inclusion, but is dragged down buy just how awful it looks.
Another thing I also disliked was the insistence of having 'cool' rock songs playing every two minutes, especially in fight scenes that would otherwise have been entertaining. At times, it felt like I was watching Suicide Squad all over again, which is never a good thing.
A lot of the acting throughout Hellboy is also stale and unenthused. Milla Jovovich is particularly uninspiring as The Blood Queen (a villain from the comics that never enthralled me in the first place), Daniel Dae Kim (Ben Daimio) and Sasha Lane (Alice Monaghan) just seem embarrassed to be involved at all.
This does bring me on to the things a liked about Hellboy though - David Harbour won me over pretty quickly as the titular half demon, he provides the movies sparse humour, and the make up work is great - he does his absolute best to hold it all together.
Ian McShane is good also, but come on, it's Ian McShane man.
Even if they aren't represented perfectly, I still liked seeing a lot of characters from the comic book, and my love for Lobster Johnson is strong.
The monster designs are pretty great for the most part, Baba Yaga looks skin crawling, and as I said, the big demons seen in the trailers are pretty horrifying.
The violence and gore is unfortunately, mostly CGI, but is pretty effective for the most part, even if it does feel like the movie is sometimes packing in an R rating to disguise the averageness of everything else.
As mentioned above, some of the action pieces are pretty fun, but I must say, the climax of the movie is pretty underwhelming.
I didn't find Hellboy as horrible as some people made it out to be - it's certainly not as good as the original two films (although I find the first one to be quite average as it is!) but it still has some credibility, even if it's a small amount.
Unfortunately, for every step Hellboy takes forward, it's takes two back, resulting in a messy and muddled film that struggles to find an identity, and it's reeks of studio meddling.
Still though, Big Mo Harris shooting an Uzi is always a pleasure đź‘Ť
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Ethereal Custody: Anthologies in Books
Aug 3, 2020
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Ethereal Custody: Anthologies is a story about a young man, who was born in an underground slum and decides to risk his life for a chance to reach the surface. During his pursuit, he discovers that he is part of a much larger scheme of a supernatural nature, in an alternate reality. To escape his world, he grasps the opportunity to create utopia. But paradise has a dark side too.
While we follow this main character, we also follow different characters, who are part of the alternative world that this man created in his dreams - with their own stories of supernatural nature, Angels and people with animalistic tendencies involved as well.Â
<b><i>“We don’t hold grudges against Angels who didn’t save us. Our self-held grudges stem from the idea that we should have been able to save ourselves.”</i></b>
The story follows a few different planets, with a lot of different characters.
The book is written in the form of a journal. For me, it was very difficult to keep track of the planets and characters. I was losing interest very quickly, re-reading the same page a few times, seeking for adventures and plot twists, when all I could see were descriptions of places and objects. Sometimes there were good parts, where the story was really intriguing. Other times, I had to put the book down and read something else.
<b><i>“I don’t know if it’s forgiveness or love or grieving. But life feels like this slow and heartbroken process of learning to live without something we wanted so badly that we cannot have. To go on without those loved people we miss so much and all the precious moments we could have shared and knowing those futures will never be. It’s having to learn how to trek forward in a new life without a part of yourself; that missing fragment of a loving heart we surrendered and gave away as a gift to someone who’s no longer here with us.”</i></b>
There were many descriptions of places being repeated with the exact words. This made me wonder and question myself whether I’ve read this before. I then needed to go back in the book and reassure myself. It was very irritating to go back and find the same paragraph a few chapters earlier, with the same description of a place.Â
<b><i>“If there’s anything I learned tonight, it is this: I want to die with a smile on my face.”</i></b>
I am sad to say I didn’t enjoy this book.
Honestly, I liked the idea and where it was intended to go. I also liked the way it was written in the form of a journal. However, the writing was bad. Not only from a grammar and editing point of view, but also the skill to keep the reader intrigued. This book put me through a big reading slump. I am not a fan of DNFing books, but I was close with this one. I recommend Ethereal Custody: Anthologies, if you enjoy multiple planets, a lot of characters and a bit of supernatural sprinkles on top, but this book wasn’t for me.Â
<b><i>“We are afraid to be silent, yet afraid to speak. We fear to be alone with our demons in the dark, yet we are terrified of those demons being seen in the light among friends. Afraid to be powerless; afraid to be influential. I don’t understand it. I just don’t want to be afraid of myself anymore.”</i></b>
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<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Book-Review-Banner-60.png"/>;
Ethereal Custody: Anthologies is a story about a young man, who was born in an underground slum and decides to risk his life for a chance to reach the surface. During his pursuit, he discovers that he is part of a much larger scheme of a supernatural nature, in an alternate reality. To escape his world, he grasps the opportunity to create utopia. But paradise has a dark side too.
While we follow this main character, we also follow different characters, who are part of the alternative world that this man created in his dreams - with their own stories of supernatural nature, Angels and people with animalistic tendencies involved as well.Â
<b><i>“We don’t hold grudges against Angels who didn’t save us. Our self-held grudges stem from the idea that we should have been able to save ourselves.”</i></b>
The story follows a few different planets, with a lot of different characters.
The book is written in the form of a journal. For me, it was very difficult to keep track of the planets and characters. I was losing interest very quickly, re-reading the same page a few times, seeking for adventures and plot twists, when all I could see were descriptions of places and objects. Sometimes there were good parts, where the story was really intriguing. Other times, I had to put the book down and read something else.
<b><i>“I don’t know if it’s forgiveness or love or grieving. But life feels like this slow and heartbroken process of learning to live without something we wanted so badly that we cannot have. To go on without those loved people we miss so much and all the precious moments we could have shared and knowing those futures will never be. It’s having to learn how to trek forward in a new life without a part of yourself; that missing fragment of a loving heart we surrendered and gave away as a gift to someone who’s no longer here with us.”</i></b>
There were many descriptions of places being repeated with the exact words. This made me wonder and question myself whether I’ve read this before. I then needed to go back in the book and reassure myself. It was very irritating to go back and find the same paragraph a few chapters earlier, with the same description of a place.Â
<b><i>“If there’s anything I learned tonight, it is this: I want to die with a smile on my face.”</i></b>
I am sad to say I didn’t enjoy this book.
Honestly, I liked the idea and where it was intended to go. I also liked the way it was written in the form of a journal. However, the writing was bad. Not only from a grammar and editing point of view, but also the skill to keep the reader intrigued. This book put me through a big reading slump. I am not a fan of DNFing books, but I was close with this one. I recommend Ethereal Custody: Anthologies, if you enjoy multiple planets, a lot of characters and a bit of supernatural sprinkles on top, but this book wasn’t for me.Â
<b><i>“We are afraid to be silent, yet afraid to speak. We fear to be alone with our demons in the dark, yet we are terrified of those demons being seen in the light among friends. Afraid to be powerless; afraid to be influential. I don’t understand it. I just don’t want to be afraid of myself anymore.”</i></b>
Bloodlust (The Rise Of Iliri #1)
5.0
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"Bloodlust, and the Rise of the Iliri series as a whole, will blow you mind, break your heart, and...
Young adult Vampire Vampyre Ilirri Young adult Teen
Charmed & Dangerous
10.0
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Magic takes many forms. From malignant hexes to love charms gone amok, you’ll find a vast array of...
Urban Fantasy Paranormal MM Romance
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated I Flipping Love You in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Rian has not had the easiest life so far. She and her twin sister, Marley are finally getting their lives where they want them. Their real estate business is going well and they will soon have the money they need to do their first flip. Along comes, Pierce, the dashing city boy who seems to be the perfect match. But when Pierce starts showing up everywhere Rian is to show or flip a house, she becomes suspicious of whether he is really interested in her or if he just wants an in on the properties on the beach in the Hamptons. Determined not to let her past ruin her future, Rian keeps forward with her quest despite Pierce's efforts to thwart her. Rian is not interested in men right now, her only objective is to be able to start flipping houses with her sister in an attempt to acquire the Mission Mansion which used to be in their family. Will she fall for this guy or leave him alone to continue with her own dreams?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
At first I wasn't sure how this book was going to turn out. I'm a big fan of HGTV and house flipping shows, but how would that translate into a romance novel. It's true that Rian has her share of demons in her closet, but her past shouldn't dictate her future, especially when it comes to love. I really enjoyed this book. It had me hooked from the start and I didn't want to put it down. There were times when I found the main character a little whinny, but we, as independent women, can get that way sometimes when things seem to be going our way and then an obstacle comes into play. A very handsome and determined obstacle at that.
This is a great story about family and overcoming your past to make room for love and happiness in your future.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
At first I wasn't sure how this book was going to turn out. I'm a big fan of HGTV and house flipping shows, but how would that translate into a romance novel. It's true that Rian has her share of demons in her closet, but her past shouldn't dictate her future, especially when it comes to love. I really enjoyed this book. It had me hooked from the start and I didn't want to put it down. There were times when I found the main character a little whinny, but we, as independent women, can get that way sometimes when things seem to be going our way and then an obstacle comes into play. A very handsome and determined obstacle at that.
This is a great story about family and overcoming your past to make room for love and happiness in your future.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Wonder Park (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Wonder or blunder?
#wonderpark is multilayered #kids film that offers goofy humor mixed with some at times rather heavy & extreamly mature themes. Today we took my sisters little ones to see Wonder Park (a film i was at first i was struggling to stay awake for if I'm honest) & with an fairly generic start i was struggling to see where it was headed. Then bam after about 20 minutes i found myself hit hard with an #emotional punch of a plot twist that comes completely out of nowhere. After this heavy scene the film continues to ride onwards dealing with many #adult themes such as #depression, battling inner #demons, dealing with grief/loss, maturing/growing up, balancing/suppressing & dealing with #emotions such as anger guilt frustration & sadness. Me & my #mum found all these themes extremely prominent & in your face but from a kids point of view they just seemed to go straight over their heads as there was more than enough bright/loud & colourfully explosive set pieces/characters distracting them from the heavy overtones. Visually its a great looking film but i couldn't help notice a dusty wash over everything tainting & muting the colour pallet. This made the overall tone feel bleak to me & made the films ideas seem conflicted especially when you already have a mix of deep adult themes & really #silly #humor there too. Set pieces are actually quite #fun/#creative & stakes are high at times too which really got the kids feeling tense & excited. #Musical numbers are also catchy & both the #boys came out #dancing, #smiling & #singing which was nice to see. Overall its nothing really that you've not seen a million times before but it at least tries to tell a more mature story in a way both kids & adults can enjoy so for that i commend it. Short & #sweet, happy & bleak a perfectly ok experience. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic #halfterm #schoolholidays #animals #kenjeong #kenanthompson #milakunis #fantasy #themepark
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated First Man (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Hotter than the sun
#firstman is tense, awe inspiring, #breathtaking & a visually splendor continuing #damienchazelle streak of mind blowing films. I won't pretend I know a lot about the #moonlanding & the #spacerace because I don't so I will be giving my opinion here on the film itself not its historical accuracy. Where First Man really succeeds it its visuals & sound design, there are times when you would actually believe some scenes were archive footage it looks that authentic. Grain covers the screen giving the film an #oldfashioned feel but at the same time the film feels light years ahead & current too. Sound is crisp & punchy with the desolate & intimidating silence of #space to the screeches, roars & rattles heard from inside the space capsule, its scary stuff really putting you in the boots of the astronauts. There's some damn right insane cinematography here too with stand outs being a pov crash & the moon landing its self which is such a #beautiful & impact full scene my entire screening held their breath & cheered just like watching the real thing. #ryangosling is so good here as #neilarmstrong he's a troubled man dealing with loss, #family commitment, dedication to his mission & his own personal #demons. Ryan doesnt say much but his face shows all the pain, tiredness, loneliness, how smart he is & his #passion constantly. The effects the mission has on his & his family's #mental state is explored greatly & #clairefoy is also mesmerising as his worried wife showing the effects from here side too. We all know the basic story of the #moon landing yet Damien makes it a fresh, tense, deep & exciting in a film so full of wonder & exploration into the unknown that as we watch the camera dance around space its dazzling & almost dreamy especially with its #gorgeous almost #lalaland esque score. There's also so much #nostalgia here with scenes reminiscent of #alien, 2001 a space odyssey, #retro #scifi films & even old #musicals. Everyone needs to see this film & see it big. Its award worthy thats for sure. #stevenspielberg #fridaythe13th #fridayfeeling #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Indecent/Wicked in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I was not expecting this omnibus to be as great as it was. When I requested it, I thought it was just going to be another run of the mill erotic novel. And while there really wasnÂ’t anything special about it, I still love it more than I should.
First, I loved the complication of the characters. They each have their story, their dirty little secrets, and what makes them tick. There was nothing glamorous or fairytale like to this story. It showed the ugly side of the relationships along with the good, which was usually the sex. The erotic scenes were pretty spicy, but nothing fantastic. I was reading it more for the story than the erotic factor.
The first story has to do with Lucky and Colin. Lucky has her own inner demons and a past that has messed with her perception of men. Colin is a psychologist who seem to canÂ’t turn it off when interacting with Lucky who doesnÂ’t want him digging in her brain. It was interesting to see how their relationship developed and how they dealt with each otherÂ’s faults.
The second story concerns LuckyÂ’s co-worker and friends Renae and ColinÂ’s best friend Will. Will thinks Renae is a lesbian which is was initially stopped him from chasing her tail. Currently, he is courting someone else, but when Renae makes the first move, Will is certainly not passing up the chance. Will and RenaeÂ’s relationship is less complicated than Colin and LuckyÂ’s, but that still doesnÂ’t mean they donÂ’t have their issues to work through.
This novel was so realistic to me in terms of relationships, the troubles that come with them, and how the couple works through them. It was something refreshingly new, especially since, while they didnÂ’t get the happy endings we normal expect from such novels, everything still worked out in the end.
First, I loved the complication of the characters. They each have their story, their dirty little secrets, and what makes them tick. There was nothing glamorous or fairytale like to this story. It showed the ugly side of the relationships along with the good, which was usually the sex. The erotic scenes were pretty spicy, but nothing fantastic. I was reading it more for the story than the erotic factor.
The first story has to do with Lucky and Colin. Lucky has her own inner demons and a past that has messed with her perception of men. Colin is a psychologist who seem to canÂ’t turn it off when interacting with Lucky who doesnÂ’t want him digging in her brain. It was interesting to see how their relationship developed and how they dealt with each otherÂ’s faults.
The second story concerns LuckyÂ’s co-worker and friends Renae and ColinÂ’s best friend Will. Will thinks Renae is a lesbian which is was initially stopped him from chasing her tail. Currently, he is courting someone else, but when Renae makes the first move, Will is certainly not passing up the chance. Will and RenaeÂ’s relationship is less complicated than Colin and LuckyÂ’s, but that still doesnÂ’t mean they donÂ’t have their issues to work through.
This novel was so realistic to me in terms of relationships, the troubles that come with them, and how the couple works through them. It was something refreshingly new, especially since, while they didnÂ’t get the happy endings we normal expect from such novels, everything still worked out in the end.
Debbiereadsbook (1303 KP) rated Room For Recovery (Hearts and Health #4) in Books
Mar 22, 2018
excellent addition to the series
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 4 in the Hearts and Health series, but you don't need to have read the others first, they are all stand alones.
I don't usually much care for younger main characters; end of high school, beginning of college age; probably because I'm far older than that, but while I KNEW Beau and Wade were that age, it never really sunk in, you know?? I KNEW they were 18 and 19, but they did not SEEM that age.
Wade and Beau have crushed on each other for as long as they can remember, but Wade's coming out led to disastrous consequences, and he doesn't want to admit that he's gay, not to himself, nor to anyone else. Beau, while not fully OUT, certainly aware of what and who he wants. When Beau is attacked, Wade goes all protective and the two get to really know each other.
I can't quite file this book on the warm and fuzzies shelf, like Bedside Manner, because Wade carries a lot of guilt about one thing and another BUT it is a fantastic read. Watching Wade and Beau getting to know each other properly, after being around each other for years, watching Wade deal with his demons, and watching them both fall, and fall far is excellent reading.
Wade pops up in Urgent Care, he is Trent's nephew and Wade is ANGRY at everything and everyone. We get just WHY he is so angry here and its painful reading, listening to Wade deal internally with everything, it really is.
An excellent addition to this series, and it introduces us to Dr Casper Rollins, who has his story next. I look forward to reading it.
5 not quite warm and fuzzie stars, but very nearly.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 4 in the Hearts and Health series, but you don't need to have read the others first, they are all stand alones.
I don't usually much care for younger main characters; end of high school, beginning of college age; probably because I'm far older than that, but while I KNEW Beau and Wade were that age, it never really sunk in, you know?? I KNEW they were 18 and 19, but they did not SEEM that age.
Wade and Beau have crushed on each other for as long as they can remember, but Wade's coming out led to disastrous consequences, and he doesn't want to admit that he's gay, not to himself, nor to anyone else. Beau, while not fully OUT, certainly aware of what and who he wants. When Beau is attacked, Wade goes all protective and the two get to really know each other.
I can't quite file this book on the warm and fuzzies shelf, like Bedside Manner, because Wade carries a lot of guilt about one thing and another BUT it is a fantastic read. Watching Wade and Beau getting to know each other properly, after being around each other for years, watching Wade deal with his demons, and watching them both fall, and fall far is excellent reading.
Wade pops up in Urgent Care, he is Trent's nephew and Wade is ANGRY at everything and everyone. We get just WHY he is so angry here and its painful reading, listening to Wade deal internally with everything, it really is.
An excellent addition to this series, and it introduces us to Dr Casper Rollins, who has his story next. I look forward to reading it.
5 not quite warm and fuzzie stars, but very nearly.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**