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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Chasing the Dragon in Books
Feb 14, 2024
28 of 220
ARC
Chasing the Dragon
By Mark Towse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A town on its knees, dread's bony fingers wrapping around its throat and squeezing, death rattles soon to follow.
Drugs, filth, and a lack of human decency are starving it of hope.
Introducing Simon Dooley, our trauma-driven wannabe superhero, the relentless voice of his dead mother pleading with him to "end the chaos." Dressed in a leotard and armed only with a dozen dog poop bags, Simon's plight will find him falling in love and going head to head with the seediest characters walking the streets.
The town needed a hero... it got Reformo.
This was honestly such a fun read. This dude has some parental issues that’s for certain. So Simon decided on the advice of his dead mother that he’s going to clean house and the neighbourhood. So he invents Reformo the super hero everyone needs. Now all the way through this book I couldn’t stop laughing which when you’re on a bus full of people you get crazy looks. You can tell the author has poured everything into this book and it really has paid off. It’s dark, funny, bloody , violent and even a little emotional at the end there. Please read any trigger warnings as it does touch a few and it is dark and violent with some graphic details.
I was kindly given this to me by the author in return for an honest review.
ARC
Chasing the Dragon
By Mark Towse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A town on its knees, dread's bony fingers wrapping around its throat and squeezing, death rattles soon to follow.
Drugs, filth, and a lack of human decency are starving it of hope.
Introducing Simon Dooley, our trauma-driven wannabe superhero, the relentless voice of his dead mother pleading with him to "end the chaos." Dressed in a leotard and armed only with a dozen dog poop bags, Simon's plight will find him falling in love and going head to head with the seediest characters walking the streets.
The town needed a hero... it got Reformo.
This was honestly such a fun read. This dude has some parental issues that’s for certain. So Simon decided on the advice of his dead mother that he’s going to clean house and the neighbourhood. So he invents Reformo the super hero everyone needs. Now all the way through this book I couldn’t stop laughing which when you’re on a bus full of people you get crazy looks. You can tell the author has poured everything into this book and it really has paid off. It’s dark, funny, bloody , violent and even a little emotional at the end there. Please read any trigger warnings as it does touch a few and it is dark and violent with some graphic details.
I was kindly given this to me by the author in return for an honest review.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Red Sparrow (2018) in Movies
Mar 26, 2018
Better Than I Hoped
Red Sparrow is one of those films where I respectfully disagree with the overall opinion of the critics. It's not perfect but it gets a lot of things right and is definitely worth your time if you're thinking of checking it out. After Dominika Egrova (Jennifer Lawrence) takes a career-ending fall during a ballet routine, she has to turn to seedier means of keeping her family afloat.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Red Sparrow doesn't take long to take off, giving you just enough to keep you intrigued. You're introduced to Dominika who is just trying to do what she needs to do to take care of her mom. You see the world through her eyes and you feel her struggle.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
A lot of moving parts succeed as a whole to keep the film's hooks in you. You're trying to piece together just what the hell is happening and you can't turn away in fear you might miss something. The action won't overwhelm you with its frequency, but there is an underlying intensity from the stakes and the possibilities of what could happen.
Genre: 6
As a dramatic film, I've seen better, but I've also seen a lot worse. If I'm comparing this to other films, movies like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo come to mind. Dragon Tattoo would get the nod for me because of a stronger, cohesive story. I didn't leave saying it was the best drama I had ever seen, but it was pretty solid nonetheless.
Memorability: 10
There is a gritty realism about this film that will probably keep a lot of its images in my head for a long time to come. Its sensual in an unsettling, predatory kind of way. The twists will leave you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you've got something figured out, you're hit from another angle.
Pace: 9
The only time the film really trips over itself is when it starts to overthink things and get too confusing. Those brief moments created a pace slowdown that took me out of the enjoying the film for a bit. For the most part, the film moves at a consistent, solid pace.
Plot: 6
One of the weaker aspects of the film from an entirety standpoint. Not saying there were holes, but certain parts made it hard to figure out what was currently happening. Sure, I figured it out eventually but not before thinking of the number of different ways they could have presented the same information in an easier fashion.
Resolution: 5
Loved the ending. Hated it at the same time. Hard to explain without spoiling it so I won't go into too much detail here, but I'll just say that it connects to tying up loose ends. I felt that, compared to the rest of the film, the ending could have served to be a little less sloppy.
Overall: 86
Red Sparrow currently sits at a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes right now. While it's not the perfect film, there are solid moments of action and intrigue that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. Thumbs up in my book.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Red Sparrow doesn't take long to take off, giving you just enough to keep you intrigued. You're introduced to Dominika who is just trying to do what she needs to do to take care of her mom. You see the world through her eyes and you feel her struggle.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
A lot of moving parts succeed as a whole to keep the film's hooks in you. You're trying to piece together just what the hell is happening and you can't turn away in fear you might miss something. The action won't overwhelm you with its frequency, but there is an underlying intensity from the stakes and the possibilities of what could happen.
Genre: 6
As a dramatic film, I've seen better, but I've also seen a lot worse. If I'm comparing this to other films, movies like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo come to mind. Dragon Tattoo would get the nod for me because of a stronger, cohesive story. I didn't leave saying it was the best drama I had ever seen, but it was pretty solid nonetheless.
Memorability: 10
There is a gritty realism about this film that will probably keep a lot of its images in my head for a long time to come. Its sensual in an unsettling, predatory kind of way. The twists will leave you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you've got something figured out, you're hit from another angle.
Pace: 9
The only time the film really trips over itself is when it starts to overthink things and get too confusing. Those brief moments created a pace slowdown that took me out of the enjoying the film for a bit. For the most part, the film moves at a consistent, solid pace.
Plot: 6
One of the weaker aspects of the film from an entirety standpoint. Not saying there were holes, but certain parts made it hard to figure out what was currently happening. Sure, I figured it out eventually but not before thinking of the number of different ways they could have presented the same information in an easier fashion.
Resolution: 5
Loved the ending. Hated it at the same time. Hard to explain without spoiling it so I won't go into too much detail here, but I'll just say that it connects to tying up loose ends. I felt that, compared to the rest of the film, the ending could have served to be a little less sloppy.
Overall: 86
Red Sparrow currently sits at a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes right now. While it's not the perfect film, there are solid moments of action and intrigue that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. Thumbs up in my book.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Life Of Pi (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
When I heard that one of my favorite books was being converted into a movie, I was a little skeptical. Add one of my favorite directors, Ang Lee, and my skepticism started to recede. As many know, Lee is renowned for his artistic vision and cinematography. I fell in love with his vision of “Sense and Sensibility,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” and “Brokeback Mountain.” To me, if there was a director who could capture the beauty and imagery of this book, it was Lee.
The movie and the book are great parallels of one another. The story revolves around a young Indian boy named Piscine (“Pool” in French) who spent much of his youth in Pondicherry, a French colony of India. Much of the book, and movie, include flash-backs of Pi’s life in India – the ridicule of his name, his father’s ownership of a zoo, etc. When Pi and his family decide to move to Canada due to political concerns (the book covers much more of this, including Pi’s exploration of various spiritualties/religions), they are chartered on a ship. En route, they encounter a fierce storm which capsizes their vessel, leaving Pi on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an injured zebra, and an orangutan.
Being the only human on board with said animals, Pi naturally fears for his welfare. He observes the hyena killing the injured zebra and then turning on the orangutan. The orangutan, as one should note, cares for Pi in a very motherly fashion (remember that Pi’s whole family had drowned in the ship), and her death was very difficult for Pi to endure. Eventually, the hyena succumbs to death by the tiger. As further explained in the movie and novel, Pi names the tiger “Richard Parker” and the two of them set out to endure their lives aboard the ship in some strange sort of symbiotic relationship.
Lee’s vision transforms this novel into a brilliant masterpiece. Like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” you will be awed by the cinematography and artistic interpretation he presents. The young actors employed for the role of Pi (Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon, Suraj Sharma & Irrfan Khan) are downright perfect and I particularly enjoyed Gerard Depardieu as the grizzled and difficult French cook (not a difficult stretch for him as one can imagine). Overall, as an avid lover of Yann Martel’s novel and Ang Lee’s work, I can say this is a beautiful movie and one many will enjoy (even if you haven’t read the novel – which you MUST do).
My only complaint is that while it is a beautiful representation of CGI technology, sometimes it looked a bit too manufactured and fantastical. Their work on the tiger, however, was downright genius (and I personally hate when they create CGI animals instead of working with the real thing – but in this instance it worked very well). The ending and symbolism of this work is what makes it truly a piece of art. If you’re a fan of “Inception” and “The Sixth Sense,” you will enjoy the twist at the end.
Overall, I think this is a lovely representation of the novel and a great movie all around. I highly suggest checking it out.
The movie and the book are great parallels of one another. The story revolves around a young Indian boy named Piscine (“Pool” in French) who spent much of his youth in Pondicherry, a French colony of India. Much of the book, and movie, include flash-backs of Pi’s life in India – the ridicule of his name, his father’s ownership of a zoo, etc. When Pi and his family decide to move to Canada due to political concerns (the book covers much more of this, including Pi’s exploration of various spiritualties/religions), they are chartered on a ship. En route, they encounter a fierce storm which capsizes their vessel, leaving Pi on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an injured zebra, and an orangutan.
Being the only human on board with said animals, Pi naturally fears for his welfare. He observes the hyena killing the injured zebra and then turning on the orangutan. The orangutan, as one should note, cares for Pi in a very motherly fashion (remember that Pi’s whole family had drowned in the ship), and her death was very difficult for Pi to endure. Eventually, the hyena succumbs to death by the tiger. As further explained in the movie and novel, Pi names the tiger “Richard Parker” and the two of them set out to endure their lives aboard the ship in some strange sort of symbiotic relationship.
Lee’s vision transforms this novel into a brilliant masterpiece. Like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” you will be awed by the cinematography and artistic interpretation he presents. The young actors employed for the role of Pi (Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon, Suraj Sharma & Irrfan Khan) are downright perfect and I particularly enjoyed Gerard Depardieu as the grizzled and difficult French cook (not a difficult stretch for him as one can imagine). Overall, as an avid lover of Yann Martel’s novel and Ang Lee’s work, I can say this is a beautiful movie and one many will enjoy (even if you haven’t read the novel – which you MUST do).
My only complaint is that while it is a beautiful representation of CGI technology, sometimes it looked a bit too manufactured and fantastical. Their work on the tiger, however, was downright genius (and I personally hate when they create CGI animals instead of working with the real thing – but in this instance it worked very well). The ending and symbolism of this work is what makes it truly a piece of art. If you’re a fan of “Inception” and “The Sixth Sense,” you will enjoy the twist at the end.
Overall, I think this is a lovely representation of the novel and a great movie all around. I highly suggest checking it out.
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Fire Born (The Guardian Series Book 1) in Books
Nov 24, 2017
Fire Born (The Guardian #1) by Rayanne Haines
Fire Born is the first book in The Guardian series, and we start off with Alex. She is just a normal girl, living a normal life - so of course you know that everything is about to explode into the unknown for her! And it does, but it brings with it a dragon Guardian, who is incredibly sexy! Collum is very old, and has his own opinions on how things should be. Alex throws numerous spanners in the works simply because she has her own opinions, and won't change them 'just because'.
This is an intricate story, guaranteed to keep your interest as you learn, along with Alex, just exactly how her life is about to change. The characters are all three-dimensional and have their own quirks. Mar is a fantastic character and I can't wait to read more about her. Alex and Collum have a HFN ending, with a promise from Collum. (Why can't I read his name without thinking of Golum instead?!?!?)
For a first book, there is enough world-building to satisfy, elemental thrills all the way through, and sexiness by the dozen. A very good start to a series, and I look forward to continuing with the story.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=25905
This is an intricate story, guaranteed to keep your interest as you learn, along with Alex, just exactly how her life is about to change. The characters are all three-dimensional and have their own quirks. Mar is a fantastic character and I can't wait to read more about her. Alex and Collum have a HFN ending, with a promise from Collum. (Why can't I read his name without thinking of Golum instead?!?!?)
For a first book, there is enough world-building to satisfy, elemental thrills all the way through, and sexiness by the dozen. A very good start to a series, and I look forward to continuing with the story.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=25905
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #2) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
First off, I enjoyed this book much more than the first book. I was familiar with the background, so I did not need to take time to understand everything, and I was already familiar with the main characters of the brotherhood, so I knew who I liked and wanted to know more about.
This book focused on Rhage and his love interest, Mary. Rhage is the one nicknamed "Hollywood" for both his good looks and promiscuous behavior. That, plus the violent habits of the brotherhood allow him to keep the dragon-like beast inside in check, but the appearance of Mary puts a new spin on an old curse. Just like the theme in the first book, the desire to claim Mary for his wife changes Rhage permanently - I detect a commonality throughout the series with this theme.
Rhage has a very frank and forward way of communicating, which I like, though it can sometimes throw me off in the reading. Mary sometimes got quite annoying with how low her self-image is. The way that the book ends and how the Scribe Virgin plays into Rhage and Mary's romance seemed a bit out of place and over-compensating, but it did cause things to work out well, so I won't complain.
The subplot of the lessers also progresses with the introduction of a secondary character under Mr. X, a Mr. O who seems to resent being a lesser and possesses a weakness. This, combined with a subplot dedicated to the brother, Zsadist, leads into the next book in the series, Lover Awakened.
This book focused on Rhage and his love interest, Mary. Rhage is the one nicknamed "Hollywood" for both his good looks and promiscuous behavior. That, plus the violent habits of the brotherhood allow him to keep the dragon-like beast inside in check, but the appearance of Mary puts a new spin on an old curse. Just like the theme in the first book, the desire to claim Mary for his wife changes Rhage permanently - I detect a commonality throughout the series with this theme.
Rhage has a very frank and forward way of communicating, which I like, though it can sometimes throw me off in the reading. Mary sometimes got quite annoying with how low her self-image is. The way that the book ends and how the Scribe Virgin plays into Rhage and Mary's romance seemed a bit out of place and over-compensating, but it did cause things to work out well, so I won't complain.
The subplot of the lessers also progresses with the introduction of a secondary character under Mr. X, a Mr. O who seems to resent being a lesser and possesses a weakness. This, combined with a subplot dedicated to the brother, Zsadist, leads into the next book in the series, Lover Awakened.
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Dream Sight (Dream Waters #3) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Dream Sight is the third book in the Dream Waters Series. We go straight back into the thick of the action, with Charlie shouldering (literally) the weight of the mirage, whilst the Dragon King searches for his lost princess. There are red herrings, and diversions aplenty, as the pieces of the puzzle slowly come together. There are also fresh happenings that will be surprising, and enjoyable (and no, I'm not talking about the same events!)
Whilst this book feels like it is being wrapped up, there are also more loose ends, which lead nicely to the fourth book. Rose plays more of a part in this book, and Nellie also plays her part, with sorrowful consequences. Tristan plays a role in Mia's life (new character) and I can't wait to find out more about that.
I won't give out anything about the story, as I do feel you need to read these to get the full effect. Suffice it to say, the old favourites are there, new characters are introduced, and old enemies are there to despise.
As with books one and two, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The scenes flowed where they should, and kept my attention. Most definitely recommended by me, and I can't wait to continue with this series.
* 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!
Whilst this book feels like it is being wrapped up, there are also more loose ends, which lead nicely to the fourth book. Rose plays more of a part in this book, and Nellie also plays her part, with sorrowful consequences. Tristan plays a role in Mia's life (new character) and I can't wait to find out more about that.
I won't give out anything about the story, as I do feel you need to read these to get the full effect. Suffice it to say, the old favourites are there, new characters are introduced, and old enemies are there to despise.
As with books one and two, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The scenes flowed where they should, and kept my attention. Most definitely recommended by me, and I can't wait to continue with this series.
* 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!
CarolCorps1592 (21 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of Dragon Age Inquisition in Video Games
Jan 21, 2019
Dragons for All
I am a huge fan of the Dragon Age games and was so excited to play this one. Even though it had a lot of great aspects, there were a few problems that made it so it is my least favorite of the games. DAI is amazing because it takes the things everyone loved about the first two and expanded on them. The characters and story lines are so spectacular. I loved how they played into the last two games and each of the characters are unique and fun. The romances are fantastic and have you laughing your butt off at times. However, they were a lot more limited this time. While it was more realistic for the romances options to have preferences, it's still kind of disappointing to not be able to romance everyone regardless of race or gender. That also leads to the disappointment in character customization. I love that they added a new race, but felt that they should have added more than that. I also love how the game is more open world, however I wonder if they were quite ready for it. For me there were a lot of areas that took me way too long to get into (not due the area being closed). There were also quite a few bugs throughout the game that made it really hard to play at times. Regardless of any issues, I still love to play the game and can't wait for the next in the series.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Curses of Scale in Books
Jan 25, 2019
Curses of Scale
”Dreams starve and die if not fed by imagination.”
A uniquely designed plot, intriguing and different. I was so excited to read this book. The cover was mesmerising and the synopsis was promising. It made me eager to start the book and I couldn’t wait to dive into this fantasy world.
The first couple of chapters were very slow for me. I had to re-read chapters twice, and I didn’t quite understand what is happening. After a while, things became clearer, and I started to enjoy the story a bit more.
I loved Niena’s character. She was a typical being, where one part gasps with bravery, and the rest gasps with fear. I loved how realistic she was at moments, knowing to be scared when supposed to, and fierce when needed of her.
The story gasps with a lot of intense scenes, full of adventures, that I am sure you will all love and appreciate. From trying to fight a dragon, to running away, to the amazing plot twist right at the very end, this book made me restless, after I started enjoying it.
The only reason I am taking two stars away is because I had to read the first 60-ish pages two-three times, until I finally dived in and started enjoying the story.
”A fairy bargain can live no deeper than your lips, it always dies before reaching the heart.”
A beautiful tale, full of magic, adventure and time travel. And a cover that suits it so well.
A uniquely designed plot, intriguing and different. I was so excited to read this book. The cover was mesmerising and the synopsis was promising. It made me eager to start the book and I couldn’t wait to dive into this fantasy world.
The first couple of chapters were very slow for me. I had to re-read chapters twice, and I didn’t quite understand what is happening. After a while, things became clearer, and I started to enjoy the story a bit more.
I loved Niena’s character. She was a typical being, where one part gasps with bravery, and the rest gasps with fear. I loved how realistic she was at moments, knowing to be scared when supposed to, and fierce when needed of her.
The story gasps with a lot of intense scenes, full of adventures, that I am sure you will all love and appreciate. From trying to fight a dragon, to running away, to the amazing plot twist right at the very end, this book made me restless, after I started enjoying it.
The only reason I am taking two stars away is because I had to read the first 60-ish pages two-three times, until I finally dived in and started enjoying the story.
”A fairy bargain can live no deeper than your lips, it always dies before reaching the heart.”
A beautiful tale, full of magic, adventure and time travel. And a cover that suits it so well.
Nick Beaty (70 KP) rated The Witcher - Season 1 in TV
Jan 25, 2020 (Updated Jan 25, 2020)
A massive hit for Netflix...
I received The Witcher 3 videogame a few years back for my birthday, so when I first heard they were making a TV series I was pretty excited.
Henry Cavill does a decent enough job as The Witcher, Geralt of Rivia (Even if he does do his best Christian Bale Batman impression for the whole season). Joey Batey is annoying at times but does bring some much needed charm and humour as Jaskier. I didn't really buy in to Freya Allen's character Ciri, although it is pretty obvious she is going to be a much bigger part of future seasons. The standout of season one has to be Anya Charlotta as Yennefer. As Geralt's vocabulary seems to be limited to the words hmmm & fuck, these side characters are incredibly important to the shows structure and hers was by far the best and most intriguing story.
The one major negative that everyone is talking about is the shows very confusing timeline. Although it does make sense later in the season, I don't think they executed it properly and the viewer shouldn't be left to guess what is happening. One other slight gripe I had was how poor the CGI looked on the dragon in one particular scene.
Overall I thought it was just an average start to The Witcher series but as there is so much source material from both the books and videogames. I can only see this getting better and going on to become a massive hit for Netflix.
Henry Cavill does a decent enough job as The Witcher, Geralt of Rivia (Even if he does do his best Christian Bale Batman impression for the whole season). Joey Batey is annoying at times but does bring some much needed charm and humour as Jaskier. I didn't really buy in to Freya Allen's character Ciri, although it is pretty obvious she is going to be a much bigger part of future seasons. The standout of season one has to be Anya Charlotta as Yennefer. As Geralt's vocabulary seems to be limited to the words hmmm & fuck, these side characters are incredibly important to the shows structure and hers was by far the best and most intriguing story.
The one major negative that everyone is talking about is the shows very confusing timeline. Although it does make sense later in the season, I don't think they executed it properly and the viewer shouldn't be left to guess what is happening. One other slight gripe I had was how poor the CGI looked on the dragon in one particular scene.
Overall I thought it was just an average start to The Witcher series but as there is so much source material from both the books and videogames. I can only see this getting better and going on to become a massive hit for Netflix.
Truyen Tranh: Doc truyện tranh manga cuoi phim hay blogtruyen vechai
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Mobi Truyện là ứng dụng đọc truyen tranh cho người dùng Việt trên hệ điều...