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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
Debbiereadsbook (1069 KP) rated I'm With The Band (Rock My World #3) in Books
Jun 1, 2023
doesn't quite work for me!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I'm kinda on the fence about this one, and I really cannot pinpoint why, so this review will be short and I'm sorry for that.
Only Tawny gets a say. 99.9% of the time, I will say I wanted to hear from everyone, and I stand by that here. I didn't much like Tawny to be honest!
What I DID like, was being kept on my toes. You don't get the full story as to what happened between Tawny and Marsh, all those years ago, in one fell swoop. Oh no. You get a hint and a clue, and a randomly placed thought that makes you put the pieces together in totally the wrong way and then when we DO get the full story, you go, like DUH! Of COURSE that's what happened! The clues are all there, and I loved being shown that I really did NOT put the pieces together in the right order.
I liked the band guys, and they seem like they all have a great story to tell.
It's only a short book, less than 100 pages, but because I didn't much like Tawny, it took me far longer than it should to read.
There is on page stalking and talk of past drug abuse. It's really quite necessary to the story, cos you need to know what happened to everyone, and how they came out the other side, or not, in some cases. Please be mindful of your triggers.
First I've read of this author. I'd like to read something else, not this series, at some point. This one just didn't float my boat.
3 good, but not for me, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
I'm kinda on the fence about this one, and I really cannot pinpoint why, so this review will be short and I'm sorry for that.
Only Tawny gets a say. 99.9% of the time, I will say I wanted to hear from everyone, and I stand by that here. I didn't much like Tawny to be honest!
What I DID like, was being kept on my toes. You don't get the full story as to what happened between Tawny and Marsh, all those years ago, in one fell swoop. Oh no. You get a hint and a clue, and a randomly placed thought that makes you put the pieces together in totally the wrong way and then when we DO get the full story, you go, like DUH! Of COURSE that's what happened! The clues are all there, and I loved being shown that I really did NOT put the pieces together in the right order.
I liked the band guys, and they seem like they all have a great story to tell.
It's only a short book, less than 100 pages, but because I didn't much like Tawny, it took me far longer than it should to read.
There is on page stalking and talk of past drug abuse. It's really quite necessary to the story, cos you need to know what happened to everyone, and how they came out the other side, or not, in some cases. Please be mindful of your triggers.
First I've read of this author. I'd like to read something else, not this series, at some point. This one just didn't float my boat.
3 good, but not for me, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales (The Snuggle Series #1) in Books
Jul 28, 2021
I usually try to stay away from books featuring short stories because usually they aren't that great. However, there was something about Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales by Liane Carter that jumped out at me. I felt compelled to read it, and I'm glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all the short stories.
I didn't really know what to expect with Snuggle with the Strange except that the stories would be a bit out there. The first two stories gave me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz vibes but for adults. These stories were more paranormal/supernatural in nature, and I really enjoyed them. The next six stories were more realistic in the fact that they could actually happen to anyone (which is a scary thought!). The last story returned to being supernatural again. I loved each and every story, and I thought the pacing and world building for each was done very well. Each story has an original feel and isn't like any of the other stories in the book. Even though this is a fairly short book, all the suspense makes it seem as if time has stood still. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Strange were "Life in the Shed" and "He Looked Like My First Mistake." Although all the stories are written very well, I just loved those a little extra. Oh, and something else I loved was that the cover of the book links each of the nine stories. I thought that was very cool!
All of the characters are well fleshed out in each story. There's just enough information on each character so you can love them or love to hate them. At times, I felt like I was the main character in the story!
As this is an adult horror book, there are quite a few trigger warnings for Snuggle with the Strange which include demons, underage drug use (a few mentions of marijuana), implied rape, implied child rape, attempted rape, death, murder, violence, attempted murder, domestic abuse, child abuse, and profanity.
Overall, Snuggle with the Strange is a breath of fresh air for those who love the genre horror. With it's interesting cast of characters and original short stories, this is one book that every horror lover should read. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales by Liane Carter for those aged 16+ who like their horror with a flair of originality instead of rehashed fiction. If that sounds like you, this is your kind of book!
--
(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
I didn't really know what to expect with Snuggle with the Strange except that the stories would be a bit out there. The first two stories gave me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz vibes but for adults. These stories were more paranormal/supernatural in nature, and I really enjoyed them. The next six stories were more realistic in the fact that they could actually happen to anyone (which is a scary thought!). The last story returned to being supernatural again. I loved each and every story, and I thought the pacing and world building for each was done very well. Each story has an original feel and isn't like any of the other stories in the book. Even though this is a fairly short book, all the suspense makes it seem as if time has stood still. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Strange were "Life in the Shed" and "He Looked Like My First Mistake." Although all the stories are written very well, I just loved those a little extra. Oh, and something else I loved was that the cover of the book links each of the nine stories. I thought that was very cool!
All of the characters are well fleshed out in each story. There's just enough information on each character so you can love them or love to hate them. At times, I felt like I was the main character in the story!
As this is an adult horror book, there are quite a few trigger warnings for Snuggle with the Strange which include demons, underage drug use (a few mentions of marijuana), implied rape, implied child rape, attempted rape, death, murder, violence, attempted murder, domestic abuse, child abuse, and profanity.
Overall, Snuggle with the Strange is a breath of fresh air for those who love the genre horror. With it's interesting cast of characters and original short stories, this is one book that every horror lover should read. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales by Liane Carter for those aged 16+ who like their horror with a flair of originality instead of rehashed fiction. If that sounds like you, this is your kind of book!
--
(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The House: The Terrifying Thriller That's Keeping Readers Up All Night in Books
Sep 24, 2020
More reviews can be found at https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
When I read the description of this book, it sounded so exciting and riveting, and I was prepared for this mystery and crime solving, but when I read this book, everything what was written in the blurb happened waaaaay slower and more confusing than I expected.
The main characters in this book are Syd and Jack, and this whole novel is told from their perspectives. Even though this novel is told from two people’s perspectives, they are describing lives of many other characters as well. All the characters chosen for this book are really diverse, complex, and incredibly disturbed, that’s what made this book so interesting, and gave a wide variety of characters to choose from. In this novel, I could not pick my favourite one, all of the characters have their charm and charisma. Personally, I would’ve loved, if author would’ve add Syd’s father’s thoughts in this book, I would’ve loved to pick his brains and understand why he did, what he did.
The narrative of this novel starts pretty slow, Jack’s main concentration was on the house, and he was the one who finds those ghostly things about the house. Meanwhile, Syd was telling the story of her life, comparing it with the teenage girl Elsie, whom she is trying to save from abusive father. Even though both characters are telling quite different stories, it all entangles later in the book, making perfect sense. This book is pretty intense psychological thriller, because there are a lot of mind games involved, and the detailed child abuse scenes, makes this book pretty disturbing. So, if you are sensitive to this topic, you might want to skip this one, as it might make you really upset and angry. I really loved topics which Simon Lelic discussed in this book, such as: child physical and psychological abuse; drug addiction; complicated but deep love; difficult child – parent relationships.
The writing style of this novel is not very easy to understand, there are a lot of jumps, but eventually it makes perfect sense and it is pleasant to read, with decent length chapters, which didn’t leave me bored. I am thankful, that author explained everything at the end of the book and didn’t leave a cliffhanger, that would’ve made me furious. So, to conclude, it is quite confusing book, but do not give up on it, it will make sense as you read it, and I hope you will not be disappointed. It is really intense psychological thriller, filled with plenty of twists and turns, which creates tension and incredibly well thought through mind games, and I do strongly recommend reading it.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
When I read the description of this book, it sounded so exciting and riveting, and I was prepared for this mystery and crime solving, but when I read this book, everything what was written in the blurb happened waaaaay slower and more confusing than I expected.
The main characters in this book are Syd and Jack, and this whole novel is told from their perspectives. Even though this novel is told from two people’s perspectives, they are describing lives of many other characters as well. All the characters chosen for this book are really diverse, complex, and incredibly disturbed, that’s what made this book so interesting, and gave a wide variety of characters to choose from. In this novel, I could not pick my favourite one, all of the characters have their charm and charisma. Personally, I would’ve loved, if author would’ve add Syd’s father’s thoughts in this book, I would’ve loved to pick his brains and understand why he did, what he did.
The narrative of this novel starts pretty slow, Jack’s main concentration was on the house, and he was the one who finds those ghostly things about the house. Meanwhile, Syd was telling the story of her life, comparing it with the teenage girl Elsie, whom she is trying to save from abusive father. Even though both characters are telling quite different stories, it all entangles later in the book, making perfect sense. This book is pretty intense psychological thriller, because there are a lot of mind games involved, and the detailed child abuse scenes, makes this book pretty disturbing. So, if you are sensitive to this topic, you might want to skip this one, as it might make you really upset and angry. I really loved topics which Simon Lelic discussed in this book, such as: child physical and psychological abuse; drug addiction; complicated but deep love; difficult child – parent relationships.
The writing style of this novel is not very easy to understand, there are a lot of jumps, but eventually it makes perfect sense and it is pleasant to read, with decent length chapters, which didn’t leave me bored. I am thankful, that author explained everything at the end of the book and didn’t leave a cliffhanger, that would’ve made me furious. So, to conclude, it is quite confusing book, but do not give up on it, it will make sense as you read it, and I hope you will not be disappointed. It is really intense psychological thriller, filled with plenty of twists and turns, which creates tension and incredibly well thought through mind games, and I do strongly recommend reading it.
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
SG
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Darren Fisher (2436 KP) rated Island of Death (1976) in Movies
Jan 11, 2021 (Updated Jan 11, 2021)
70's Exploitation At Its Best
Story has it that Greek director Nico Mastorakis saw the Texas Chainsaw Massacre at the cinema and was impressed that such a violent low budget horror film could make so much money. So with that in mind Nico decided to make an even more depraved feature than Tobe Hooper and therefore make even more money! He succeeded in the latter but as for make more money? Well, we can only guess not. I won't bother going into the plot as I assume most people already know about this depraved and sick little flick. All that I will say is that as far as 70's exploitation flicks go this is one of the best. Depravity has never been in so much abundance as is on show here. This will not be to many viewers taste (and a big "no, no" for the Snowflake Generation) as we are subjected to rape, gay rape, incest, drug abuse, beastiality, torture, urinating on pensioners and even a fart in the face as a downright insult. The list of depravity doesn't stop there but to list them all would take some time and spoil it for those that want to watch it for the first time...
The gore is kept to a mimimum and the acting is pretty bad, but as the film progresses this is not really an issue (there are some great bits of crazy dialogue throughout). The majority of death scenes are very imaginative, including deaths involving a plane flight, bulldozer and a pot of paint.
Also there is a cracking soundtrack provided by the legendery Nikos Lavranos (Destination Understanding being the obvious favourite of the 'cult elite').
I cannot recommend this film enough, it is superb, but if you are easily offended I would suggest giving this one a very wide berth. Maybe I need psychiatric help... A MUST SEE.
The gore is kept to a mimimum and the acting is pretty bad, but as the film progresses this is not really an issue (there are some great bits of crazy dialogue throughout). The majority of death scenes are very imaginative, including deaths involving a plane flight, bulldozer and a pot of paint.
Also there is a cracking soundtrack provided by the legendery Nikos Lavranos (Destination Understanding being the obvious favourite of the 'cult elite').
I cannot recommend this film enough, it is superb, but if you are easily offended I would suggest giving this one a very wide berth. Maybe I need psychiatric help... A MUST SEE.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated True (True Believers, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
I absolutely adored this book! This is the first book of Erin McCarthy's that I've ever read, and I just loved the whole thing. The characters were real, the plot was believable, and it left me with a renewed sense of hope in love and the human race.
The pace of the story seemed right on track; although, I have to say I felt like it ended too quickly. I wasn't ready for the book to be over, and wanted to know more about what happened with Rory & Tyler. I was pleased to see that there will be another book coming out based on the lives of one of the characters featured in this book.
Rory & Tyler's love didn't feel forced or faked at all which I really enjoyed. McCarthy was able to capture the internal frustration that young women feel in relationships, and showed that sometimes if you often just open your mouth and say how you feel things can turn out for the best!
The supporting characters were phenomenal and believable. Jessica & Kylie seemed like your typical party girl college students, and I just loved the way McCarthy managed to poke and have a little fun with them. I hope that McCarthy will take the opportunity to expand on these characters in her upcoming books.
There were three topics that were covered in this book, and I think they are extremely important and deserve mentioning here. The most obvious one would be teen sex. McCarthy did a great job covering this. I feel like she really showed young girls that it was okay to wait until you were ready and you didn't have to do anything you didn't want to do. I think that Tyler was a great advocate and on several occasions it was obvious that he was worried about the affect that his relationship with Rory would have on her life. I have nothing but praise for the way McCarthy handled this topic. She was able to write about it without making the book a list of dos and don'ts for teens. The second big topic that was addressed was drug use. McCarthy addressed this in two ways first with Tyler's family, and secondly with Jessica (Rory's roommate). She was able to show in both these instances how drug use can affect your life, and the lives of those around you. And, finally another topic that was brought up is bullying (I am saying bullying because I feel that this can encompass both the child abuse and the bullying of Tyler's mom on his younger brother for having Down Syndrome). These are some pretty hefty topics that McCarthy chose to tackle in this book and she pulled if off with flying colors. She was able to address them all with a good amount of importance and tie the story up with a pretty bow at the end. My hats off to you Ms. McCarthy!
The pace of the story seemed right on track; although, I have to say I felt like it ended too quickly. I wasn't ready for the book to be over, and wanted to know more about what happened with Rory & Tyler. I was pleased to see that there will be another book coming out based on the lives of one of the characters featured in this book.
Rory & Tyler's love didn't feel forced or faked at all which I really enjoyed. McCarthy was able to capture the internal frustration that young women feel in relationships, and showed that sometimes if you often just open your mouth and say how you feel things can turn out for the best!
The supporting characters were phenomenal and believable. Jessica & Kylie seemed like your typical party girl college students, and I just loved the way McCarthy managed to poke and have a little fun with them. I hope that McCarthy will take the opportunity to expand on these characters in her upcoming books.
There were three topics that were covered in this book, and I think they are extremely important and deserve mentioning here. The most obvious one would be teen sex. McCarthy did a great job covering this. I feel like she really showed young girls that it was okay to wait until you were ready and you didn't have to do anything you didn't want to do. I think that Tyler was a great advocate and on several occasions it was obvious that he was worried about the affect that his relationship with Rory would have on her life. I have nothing but praise for the way McCarthy handled this topic. She was able to write about it without making the book a list of dos and don'ts for teens. The second big topic that was addressed was drug use. McCarthy addressed this in two ways first with Tyler's family, and secondly with Jessica (Rory's roommate). She was able to show in both these instances how drug use can affect your life, and the lives of those around you. And, finally another topic that was brought up is bullying (I am saying bullying because I feel that this can encompass both the child abuse and the bullying of Tyler's mom on his younger brother for having Down Syndrome). These are some pretty hefty topics that McCarthy chose to tackle in this book and she pulled if off with flying colors. She was able to address them all with a good amount of importance and tie the story up with a pretty bow at the end. My hats off to you Ms. McCarthy!
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