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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch, #1) in Books
May 16, 2018
The Bone Witch is set in a fantasy world comprised of eight kingdoms, each with their own distinct customs. Some of these kingdoms echo the cultures of the Middle East and others, namely Kion and the asha-ka, the home of the female magic users, are heavily influenced by Asian traditions. In fact, reading The Bone Witch was, in a way, a lot like reading Memoirs of a Geisha, only instead of preparing a girl's virginity for auction, the Houses of the asha-ka sell a much cleaner form of entertainment: performances and magic, to be specific. When they are discovered, the soon-to-be asha are taken away and trained so that they can properly use their abilities. Because of their talents, they are often respected - except for the bone witches, or Dark asha. These are the necromancers of the world that Chupeco has created.
Chupeco has spared nothing in the creation of her world, from elaborate cities and countries, to detailed garb, to the daeva, creatures of supposedly evil origin. She's even created a unique tradition among the denizens of her world, where they quite literally wear their hearts - only it is on their necks, rather than their sleeves. An individual's heartsglass reflects who and what they are, allowing potential asha and Deathseekers to begin their training early in their lives.
It is because of the daeva that bone witches are an unwanted necessity among the eight kingdoms, and it is by accident that we are introduced to Tea, a young girl who, after learning of her older brother's death, becomes so distraught that she accidentally raises him from his grave. From there, we follow Tea's journey to becoming a full-fledged asha, and while the story does have a bit of a lull in its center where nothing happens (I would have put it down if it weren't for the fact that I tend to do my best to finish advance copies), the ending picks up and twists in ways that are surprising. In fact, I found myself completely surprised by not one, but two of the revelations the reader encounters near the end of the book.
The Bone Witch switches between two perspectives in each chapter, with the first portion, the "flashback" for lack of a better word, told from Tea's perspective. At the end of each chapter, in italics, is a few short passages told from the perspective of a bard that has been exiled from his homeland. The italics take place in present day and hint at something much, much larger arriving in the near future while introducing the reader to the young woman that Tea has become.
There does seem to be lack of depth to many of the characters. Tea's brother, Fox, after he is risen from the grave, appears to lack personality. His only drive seems to be protecting his sister, though it is alluded to that in the future, we may see a lot of development to his character (or so I hope). Aside from those asha that belong to House Valerian, only a few of the characters seem to have truly dynamic characteristics.
In regards to that "lull" in the book, I must admit that it is nearly impossible to get through - especially if the reader has a short attention span. Too much time is spent on details that appear to be largely unimportant to the story - such as the fine tuning of Tea's training. Also, while the descriptions of the hua, the garb worn by the asha, are beautifully written, they are a bit too detailed. I could do with a bit less exposition in that regard.
Needless to say, it is going to be a long wait for the next book, and I can't wait for it - those last few chapters really made a difference. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Rin Chupeco for providing me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
Chupeco has spared nothing in the creation of her world, from elaborate cities and countries, to detailed garb, to the daeva, creatures of supposedly evil origin. She's even created a unique tradition among the denizens of her world, where they quite literally wear their hearts - only it is on their necks, rather than their sleeves. An individual's heartsglass reflects who and what they are, allowing potential asha and Deathseekers to begin their training early in their lives.
It is because of the daeva that bone witches are an unwanted necessity among the eight kingdoms, and it is by accident that we are introduced to Tea, a young girl who, after learning of her older brother's death, becomes so distraught that she accidentally raises him from his grave. From there, we follow Tea's journey to becoming a full-fledged asha, and while the story does have a bit of a lull in its center where nothing happens (I would have put it down if it weren't for the fact that I tend to do my best to finish advance copies), the ending picks up and twists in ways that are surprising. In fact, I found myself completely surprised by not one, but two of the revelations the reader encounters near the end of the book.
The Bone Witch switches between two perspectives in each chapter, with the first portion, the "flashback" for lack of a better word, told from Tea's perspective. At the end of each chapter, in italics, is a few short passages told from the perspective of a bard that has been exiled from his homeland. The italics take place in present day and hint at something much, much larger arriving in the near future while introducing the reader to the young woman that Tea has become.
There does seem to be lack of depth to many of the characters. Tea's brother, Fox, after he is risen from the grave, appears to lack personality. His only drive seems to be protecting his sister, though it is alluded to that in the future, we may see a lot of development to his character (or so I hope). Aside from those asha that belong to House Valerian, only a few of the characters seem to have truly dynamic characteristics.
In regards to that "lull" in the book, I must admit that it is nearly impossible to get through - especially if the reader has a short attention span. Too much time is spent on details that appear to be largely unimportant to the story - such as the fine tuning of Tea's training. Also, while the descriptions of the hua, the garb worn by the asha, are beautifully written, they are a bit too detailed. I could do with a bit less exposition in that regard.
Needless to say, it is going to be a long wait for the next book, and I can't wait for it - those last few chapters really made a difference. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Rin Chupeco for providing me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
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Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Final Space in TV
Jul 7, 2020
Everything You Could Ask For In A Cool Space Cartoon
Contains spoilers, click to show
At first I thought this show was just going to be a comedy. Kind of like a Futurama type but in space, instead of in the future. I've never been happier to come into a show like Final Space not really knowing what I was getting myself into. I was pretty hyped for the show when I saw the original tv spots and the clip(s) when Olan Rogers came out on the Conan O'Brian show, but that first episode really set the tone. I really like when a show has good story arc and you can tell it's going in a certain direction where the episodes are not meaningless and Final Space does that but doesn't sacrifice on character or become too deeply plot driven. The plot is there and it feels like the characters motivations just naturally move the plot. For instance Gary's backstory of why he's a prisoner, which is hilarious by the way, and how he's been alone for nearly 5 years totally plays into why he has cabin fever and wants to get out/off the ship and be around actual people. KVN, as annoying as he is, actually made sense to me because someone like that, that can drive you crazy, probably would keep you sane if you were by yourself for years. For some people Gary might come off as a little annoying at first but I've dealt with more annoying characters who I totally grew to love like Naruto or Asta from Black Clover. I also enjoyed the character development and introduction of additional characters and how things change on the show from episode to episode and season 1 to season 2. What I wasn't prepared for was the emotional scenes, more than once this show has made my eyes misty. One thing that surprised me was the amount of action in the show and how it depicts violence. The show isn't shy when it comes to blood or guts and Gary even loses his arm in a fight against the Lord Commander who "force" rips it off of his body. There's a part where Gary must wear the skin of a dead alien to go incognito. Even Mooncake goes on a killing spree when he's put in gladiator style animal fight club. Definitely give this show a chance if you haven't already. As I said above I give it 8/10 and my "Must See Seal Of Approval".
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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Murder House in Books
May 10, 2018
7 Ocean Drive also known as The Murder House, gives Detective Jenna Murphy the creeps. She used to play on the beaches right outside this house when she was little. Since she has been away from Southhampton Township for so long, she can't recall why. When two dead bodies are found in the house, Detective Murphy is on the case to find the killer. The number one suspect, Noah Walker has strong ties to the house and is known for his past crimes. The story behind the house is a good setting for any haunted house, but this house isn't exactly haunted as it is just strange for all the death in encapsulates.
The Murder House is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You get to a point where you think you know what is going to happen next, and chances are you will be wrong. You don't know who to route for to be the bad guy or the good guy. I found myself yelling at the book and gasping on a few occasions because I couldn't believe what was happening. I thought I had it all figured out from the beginning. It's been a while since I've read a James Patterson book where I was wrong about who the killer was going to be. I was really stumped on this one. I was truly immersed in the story. I have always been a big James Patterson fan and this book I will have to say will be one of my favorites. It has everything you want from a good thriller. I always will recommend a book by James Patterson, they are usually quick to read and entertaining, but this one is highly recommended.
The Murder House is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You get to a point where you think you know what is going to happen next, and chances are you will be wrong. You don't know who to route for to be the bad guy or the good guy. I found myself yelling at the book and gasping on a few occasions because I couldn't believe what was happening. I thought I had it all figured out from the beginning. It's been a while since I've read a James Patterson book where I was wrong about who the killer was going to be. I was really stumped on this one. I was truly immersed in the story. I have always been a big James Patterson fan and this book I will have to say will be one of my favorites. It has everything you want from a good thriller. I always will recommend a book by James Patterson, they are usually quick to read and entertaining, but this one is highly recommended.
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated The Black Lily (Vampire Blood, #1) in Books
Feb 8, 2018
The Black Lily By Juliette Cross is my first book by this author.
It's a kind of Vampire Twist on the whole cinderella story and seeing as I love fairy tales and am a sucker (sucker get it he he ) for vampires this seemed a win-win.
We have a fairy tale world ruled by vampires, nobles and then the poor peasants
Our Prince Mariel is a vampire and he's having a ball for all the nobility to attend to find his latest bleeder.
Enter Arabelle AKA The Black Lily she's at the ball until midnight to entice the prince so she can drive a gold edged dagger through his vampire heart.
Arabelle is part of the underground movement to stop vampire tyranny.
fleeing the scene of the crime just after midnight. Arabelle thinks she's succeeded in her mission.
Prince Marius wants to find the enchantress bearing a tattoo of a lily and proceeds to start a hunt across the kingdom for the mysterious woman.
Now It took me a while to get into this book, this might have been because I was in a bit of a reading slump, or just plain I wasn't sure about it.
anyway, something must have clicked for me as this changed for me around chapter seven and them a steamrolled through the rest.
so in conclusion, fantastic original plotline, I don't think I've ever seen cinderella imagined with vampires, a great narrative and excellent world building.
this was a fun read with great fleshed out characters my only issue was my inability to originally connect with the story this pulled it down slightly for me and my rating reflected this.
saying that this is still a great read.
I received a free e-copy of The Black Lily from NetGalley and this is my own honest opinion.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
It's a kind of Vampire Twist on the whole cinderella story and seeing as I love fairy tales and am a sucker (sucker get it he he ) for vampires this seemed a win-win.
We have a fairy tale world ruled by vampires, nobles and then the poor peasants
Our Prince Mariel is a vampire and he's having a ball for all the nobility to attend to find his latest bleeder.
Enter Arabelle AKA The Black Lily she's at the ball until midnight to entice the prince so she can drive a gold edged dagger through his vampire heart.
Arabelle is part of the underground movement to stop vampire tyranny.
fleeing the scene of the crime just after midnight. Arabelle thinks she's succeeded in her mission.
Prince Marius wants to find the enchantress bearing a tattoo of a lily and proceeds to start a hunt across the kingdom for the mysterious woman.
Now It took me a while to get into this book, this might have been because I was in a bit of a reading slump, or just plain I wasn't sure about it.
anyway, something must have clicked for me as this changed for me around chapter seven and them a steamrolled through the rest.
so in conclusion, fantastic original plotline, I don't think I've ever seen cinderella imagined with vampires, a great narrative and excellent world building.
this was a fun read with great fleshed out characters my only issue was my inability to originally connect with the story this pulled it down slightly for me and my rating reflected this.
saying that this is still a great read.
I received a free e-copy of The Black Lily from NetGalley and this is my own honest opinion.
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Spirited Away (2001) in Movies
Nov 24, 2019
Never Recovered After a Slow Start
When a girl gets separated from her parents during a family outing, she ends up in an abandoned amusement park that is a gateway to the spirit world. After her parents get turned into pigs, she has to figure out a way to save them and get home.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Gets off to a pretty slow start. Literally every single time I watch the first ten minutes, I get sleepy. I don’t know if it’s the music or the slow drive through the country, but I wish things would move a bit faster.
Characters: 10
The spirit world is definitely not lacking in originality, particularly when it comes to the characters. I appreciated the level of detail here as every single spirit, good or bad, had their own way of moving, talking, and interacting with the world around them. In Spirited Away, you get crazy witches, dragons, and a professor-looking dude that has spider-like limbs. There is so much to see, I keep seeing new things each time I go back and watch the movie.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 7
Memorability: 5
Pace: 3
Plot: 7
Resolution: 4
Although the ending is better than the beginning, that’s not saying much. it felt dry and lacking of a definitive conclusion. Was definitely hoping for more.
Overall: 67
Sometimes I will watch a movie multiple times and appreciate it more the second or third time around. Unfortunately, for me, Spirited Away doesn’t quite hit that mark. It’s a good that my opinion isn’t the end-all be-all because these Hayao Mayazaki movies have a huge following. Maybe I’ll try this one again someday, but, for now, I’m good.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Gets off to a pretty slow start. Literally every single time I watch the first ten minutes, I get sleepy. I don’t know if it’s the music or the slow drive through the country, but I wish things would move a bit faster.
Characters: 10
The spirit world is definitely not lacking in originality, particularly when it comes to the characters. I appreciated the level of detail here as every single spirit, good or bad, had their own way of moving, talking, and interacting with the world around them. In Spirited Away, you get crazy witches, dragons, and a professor-looking dude that has spider-like limbs. There is so much to see, I keep seeing new things each time I go back and watch the movie.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 7
Memorability: 5
Pace: 3
Plot: 7
Resolution: 4
Although the ending is better than the beginning, that’s not saying much. it felt dry and lacking of a definitive conclusion. Was definitely hoping for more.
Overall: 67
Sometimes I will watch a movie multiple times and appreciate it more the second or third time around. Unfortunately, for me, Spirited Away doesn’t quite hit that mark. It’s a good that my opinion isn’t the end-all be-all because these Hayao Mayazaki movies have a huge following. Maybe I’ll try this one again someday, but, for now, I’m good.
