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    Zoo Craft: Build & Design

    Zoo Craft: Build & Design

    Games and Entertainment

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    New zoo games! Trip to the zoo with kids! Build zoo, care about animals, become a zoo tycoon! Theme...

Todd (Tangled Tentacles #3) by JP Sayle & Lisa Oliver
Todd (Tangled Tentacles #3) by JP Sayle & Lisa Oliver
JP Sayle, Lisa Oliver | 2022 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
doesn't quite hit the spot the other two do!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the Tangled Tentacles series, and you really SHOULD read books one, Alexi and two, Victor, before this one. There is stuff that happens in those books that is referenced here, but not fully explained. And, cos, you know, I said so!

I loved, I mean LOVED Alexi and Victor, and was looking forward to Todd, especially once I knew he gets 2 mates, dragons no less. But while I rally really REALLY liked this one, it doesn't quite hit the spot the other two do.

AND I can say, with fair certainty, why too. Which for me and a Sayle book?? Unheard of! The woman messes with my book head, and leaves me with so many freaking questions!

This book revolves around Todd, who is the youngest of 5, and an Omega. For the most part, being Omega means you are smaller, and weaker. Todd hates being Omega. So I was expecting a huge battle with Todd, finding his place with 2 mates, any mates really. But Todd, apart from the meeting and it's aftermath, just kinda goes with it, you know? Once Todd got the full story of Lucas and Ki, it was like "oh, ok then!)

AND

The search for the missing shifters is hardly mentioned here. The story focuses on the missing dragon EGGS and where they went, and who has been taking for so very long. The missing eggs mystery was all wrapped up with a big fat bow FAR too easily for my liking, I'm afraid!

THAT said, however, the way things develop between Todd, Lucas and Ki is sweet and smexy and hella hot! And the baby thing surprised me! Dragon eggs AND baby kracken?? So cute.

And we get the insight into the final two brothers and their stories. Markov, who is currently missing, and that darn commander. And then there is Kelvin and the F-B-freaking-I-guy who has got him all a-fluster.

I will read them, because I feel (book feelings, people, are very important!) there are some things we don't know about these boys yet, and what happened to their parents and whether they really ARE the final kracken alive on the planet (NOT counting babies, of course!)

I gave this 4.5 stars, but can't log that in some places so I'm rounding it . . . .

up to 5 full stars, cos I did love Todd, Lucas and Ki together.

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Strange world (2022)
Strange world (2022)
2022 | Adventure, Animation
6
6.1 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Takes Too Long To Find It's Legs
If a film is going to be 1/2 good and 1/2 bad, is it better to have the good part first (which will get you to watch until the end) or last (which will leave you with a good feeling, if you make it that far). With the new Disney Animated Film STRANGE WORLD it is bad first, good second. So, if you stick through the disjointed first part of this film, you’ll be rewarded for your persistence with an interesting and satisfying finale.

A nod to the “Pulp Magazine” Science Fiction works of the 1950’s, STRANGE WORLD follows the adventures of the Clade clan as they try to find out what is beyond the hills of their land with the central conflict of this movie being that the Grandfather - the great explorer Jaeger Clade - wanting to explore. His son, Searcher Clade, wanting to stay put and the Grandson, Ethan Clade, caught between the 2.

It is pretty standard fare that is made all the more confusing by the setup of the premise and the clumsy introduction of the myriad of characters and situations that leads the audience to the exploration adventure that is to come.

Written and Co-Directed by Qui Nguyen (and directed by Don Hall) - both of whom are responsible for the criminally under-rated RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON - Strange World stumbles out of the gate and spends the first 1/2 (maybe even the first 2/3) trying to recover from that stumble.

It finally does get it’s legs under itself and the end is worth the patience one must have to get through the beginning.

The voice cast is steady - but unspectacular. Jake Gyllenhaal (Searcher), Gabrielle Union (Meridian Clade - the Mom and pilot), Jaboukie Young-White (Ethan, the Grandson), Lucy Liu (explorer Callisto Mal) and Dennis Quaid (Jaeger, the Grandfather) all put in “professional” work, but none of them stick out - which is especially disappointing in Quaid’s case, for his character looks like it was written to be the quirky, different, interesting character.

Disney animation has had a mixed bag with “action/adventure” animated films. For every BIG HERO 6, there are TREASURE PLANET attempts that seemed earnest and well-meaning, but just don’t hit the mark.

If you are in the mood for a good Disney/Animated adventure that comes from Hall and Nguyen, skip STRANGE WORLD and, instead, check out RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON.

Letter Grade: C+

5 1/2 stars (out of 10) - and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Uprooted
Uprooted
Naomi Novik | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.4 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
Just yes!
I was a bit skeptical about this book but thought I'd give it a go because it sounded a bit like a take on St George and the Dragon or Beauty and the Beast and I am so glad I did as this is now one of my favourite books to re-read!

I loved that it wasn't easy for the main character to learn magic, that the characters progressed in a more likely timeline than other books I've read and that it wasn't always a happy ending for the characters in the book. I don't like to give spoilers away but I nearly ripped apart the prince in the book for what he was about to do and for how pig headed he is in sacrificing so many for one person that is very likely heavily corrupted and unsaveable.

The world is incredibly vivid without over explaining or being over descriptive. I know what is going to happen in the book but I am constantly in suspense over what is going to happen next in the book every time I read it... I will have to re-read it again soon after this review as I now have it on my mind.
  
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect: Andromeda
2017 | Role-Playing
Gameplay, cast, updates (0 more)
Original animation (0 more)
A flawed launch...
When I started playing this fourth installment in the Mass Effect franchise, I was struck by some of the daring departures from the original trilogy's gameplay. The ability to choose your hero(ine)'s role based on situation. The hub system for worlds that was more reminiscent of Dragon Age: Inquisition than ME. The departure from the truly galactic scale of Commander Shepard's battle against the Reapers to focus on a seemingly weaker adversary.

I was fortunate to avoid most of the initial bugs in the animation, but was disappointed in the limited exploration available. While I liked the Angara, they couldn't get me to care about them as much as the original games caused me to care about the Quarians and Krogan.

I was tickled by the interactions between the members of the cast, which were dynamic and as detailed as the crew of the Normandy's had been. In the end, it was the team supporting the Pathfinder that sold me on the game, and kept me going to the madcap pell-mell race to the ending.

Yes, it was rushed. Yes, it felt incomplete. But a mediocre installment in the Mass Effect universe still is better than the majority of RPGs out there.
  
Way of the Dragon (1972)
Way of the Dragon (1972)
1972 | Action, International
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
This film is a bit more lighthearted in comparison to other Bruce Lee films as there is a lot more humor and silliness than I expected during my first viewing. That's not necessarily a bad thing either. Most Bruce Lee movies have that 70s action movie cheese anyway and the weird thing is that it feels like that cheesiness is used to its maximum potential in any film Lee's a part of. Lee also doesn't actually fight in this film until about thirty minutes in, but it makes that first fight sequence and everything after so much better since you have to wait a bit for it. The payoff really doesn't get any sweeter than in this film either. Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee squaring off against each other to the death. Stop reading here if you want to avoid spoilers, but from the information gathered online Chuck Norris has only played a villain two times in his career and this is the only time his character has died. Besides where would the world be without Chuck Norris jokes? The man can blow bubbles with beef jerky, but we're getting off-topic. The Way of the Dragon is definitely worth seeing and/or owning for Bruce Lee and martial arts film fans.
  
Toy Story 4 (2019)
Toy Story 4 (2019)
2019 | Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Animation (1 more)
Voicework
Simple story (0 more)
Fun for kids and adults alike
The animation is absolutely exquisite and probably the best to have ever graced the big screen. With this and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, animated films have never looked better and the bar has been set very high indeed. Everything from the glisten in Woody’s eyes to the rope-like fabric of Jessie’s hair is astounding and needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. There are shots here that wouldn’t look out of place on your living room wall, they are breath-taking.

Of course, the main test of a good Pixar movie is how it makes you feel. And Toy Story 4 delivers heart and humour in spades with a witty script and beautiful send-off to these beloved characters. If Disney makes good on its promise that this IS the final part of a quadrilogy, then they’ve created something very special indeed. We may have lost two animated series’ in 2019, but boy did they go out with a bang.

Now pass me the tissues for god’s sake.

More at: https://moviemetropolis.net/2019/06/21/toy-story-4-review-this-is-the-end/
  
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Merissa (11950 KP) rated Wildfire in Books

Dec 17, 2018  
W
Wildfire
Mina Khan | 2013
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received this book free from StoryCartel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love books about shifters and if you throw in a bit of romance as well then I'm happy. I wasn't too sure about the mystery part of this book but I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did. This is a fast paced, funny, action packed book.

Lynn is a wonderful main female who is trying to figure out how to go one when the one rock in her life has been killed and she was accused of killing her. Then she gets a feeling that her best friend is in danger so of she goes. Lynn spends a lot of time second-guessing herself, both as human and as dragon, but seriously, if you've been through what she has, I think you'd take a step backwards too.

I loved the "tempting firefighter" and hated the "flirty city developer" so it didn't really come as a surprise that he was the bad guy. However, how it was wrapped into the story was wonderful and a delight to read.

If you want to read about dragons, firefighters, hormones, mystery then give this one a go!

http://archaeolibrarianologist.blogspot.de/2014/02/wildfire-paranormal-mystery-with.html