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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Looking Glass (The Looking Glass, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
When I read the blurb to this book, I didn't really know what to expect. I liked that it dealt with mirrors and ghosts. That's what drew me in. Luckily, I found this book to be super interesting!
I do like the title of this book. It pays homage to Lewis Carroll, and even some scenes in the book do the same.
I'm not a big fan of the cover although it does have to do with the story. I would've liked to see something spooky on the cover such as Elizabeth Blackwell staring out from the mirror or something similar, but that is just a personal opinion.
I did enjoy the world building and found it to be believable. However, I was a bit confused as to why and how Alice always ended up at the hotel's swimming pool at midnight for just an hour every night. Perhaps that could've been explained better. I was also a little big confused about the fog and how it differed for the witch and for Alice, but I won't go into details as I don't want to give away any spoilers. I do like how Alice's version of the hotel is different from the actual hotel and how she sees the real world through mirrors.
The pacing was brilliant in The Looking Glass! I'll be honest. I wasn't expecting this book to instantly catch my attention from the very first page, but it did just that. From the first sentence, I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next to Alice.
I enjoyed the plot very much, and I felt it was fairly original. (Don't worry, the next few sentences aren't spoilers). Alice dives into the hotel swimming pool and hits her head. She almost drowns and ends up in a coma. However, her spirit is stuck at the hotel where she must figure out the mystery of Elizabeth Blackwell if she's to reunite her body with her spirit. While I didn't feel that there were any major plot twists in the story, I still really enjoyed it. Oh, and don't worry. There's no cliff hangars either.
I found the characters to be very well written and likable. Alice is a very down to Earth, normal teenage girl. She was easy to relate to and had a likable personality. She is a very curious about everything, but that ultimately comes to her advantage. I also really liked Tony and how he was so willing to help Alice. He came across as a real sweetheart and a very brave person. George is another character who I wasn't really sure of to begin with but ended up liking.
I enjoyed the dialogue and felt it was appropriate for a young adult book. It flowed smoothly and never once felt forced. My favorite bits of dialogue were when Alice was thinking to herself. There's no swearing in this book, but there is some minor violence.
Overall, The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold is a highly interesting read. The plot will keep readers very much immersed in the book. The world building is very detailed albeit some minor confusing details.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 13+ who are after a book that's a little bit scary but not too much and for those who are after a book with a brilliant story line.
<b>I'd give The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold a 4.5 out of 5.</b>
(I received an free ebook of this title from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
When I read the blurb to this book, I didn't really know what to expect. I liked that it dealt with mirrors and ghosts. That's what drew me in. Luckily, I found this book to be super interesting!
I do like the title of this book. It pays homage to Lewis Carroll, and even some scenes in the book do the same.
I'm not a big fan of the cover although it does have to do with the story. I would've liked to see something spooky on the cover such as Elizabeth Blackwell staring out from the mirror or something similar, but that is just a personal opinion.
I did enjoy the world building and found it to be believable. However, I was a bit confused as to why and how Alice always ended up at the hotel's swimming pool at midnight for just an hour every night. Perhaps that could've been explained better. I was also a little big confused about the fog and how it differed for the witch and for Alice, but I won't go into details as I don't want to give away any spoilers. I do like how Alice's version of the hotel is different from the actual hotel and how she sees the real world through mirrors.
The pacing was brilliant in The Looking Glass! I'll be honest. I wasn't expecting this book to instantly catch my attention from the very first page, but it did just that. From the first sentence, I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next to Alice.
I enjoyed the plot very much, and I felt it was fairly original. (Don't worry, the next few sentences aren't spoilers). Alice dives into the hotel swimming pool and hits her head. She almost drowns and ends up in a coma. However, her spirit is stuck at the hotel where she must figure out the mystery of Elizabeth Blackwell if she's to reunite her body with her spirit. While I didn't feel that there were any major plot twists in the story, I still really enjoyed it. Oh, and don't worry. There's no cliff hangars either.
I found the characters to be very well written and likable. Alice is a very down to Earth, normal teenage girl. She was easy to relate to and had a likable personality. She is a very curious about everything, but that ultimately comes to her advantage. I also really liked Tony and how he was so willing to help Alice. He came across as a real sweetheart and a very brave person. George is another character who I wasn't really sure of to begin with but ended up liking.
I enjoyed the dialogue and felt it was appropriate for a young adult book. It flowed smoothly and never once felt forced. My favorite bits of dialogue were when Alice was thinking to herself. There's no swearing in this book, but there is some minor violence.
Overall, The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold is a highly interesting read. The plot will keep readers very much immersed in the book. The world building is very detailed albeit some minor confusing details.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 13+ who are after a book that's a little bit scary but not too much and for those who are after a book with a brilliant story line.
<b>I'd give The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold a 4.5 out of 5.</b>
(I received an free ebook of this title from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Fears and Scars
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Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) created a post
May 26, 2019
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Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated So This is Love in Books
May 16, 2020
Never has a title of a book made me sing one verse over and over (and over) again. Seriously, I have been wandering around the house humming “So this is love” so much my husband probably thinks I have got myself a new fella!
‘So This is Love’ is the latest in the Disney Twisted Tale series and has been eagerly awaited by yours truly. The latest novel, by Elizabeth Lim (who also wrote the Mulan inspired tale ‘Reflection’) explores what would happen to the classic Cinderella tale if Cinders did not try on the glass slipper for the Grand Duke and scamper off towards her happily ever after. How would Cinderella fare if a dramatic stand off resulted in the remaining slipper shattering into a million pieces?
However, it is not, as you may suspect, Lady Tremaine who smashes the second glass slipper but Cinders herself. Lim’s Cinderella has her head firmly on her shoulders and is all too aware what the power of possessing this shoe may mean to herself, the Prince and the kingdom if it fell into the greedy hands of her relatives. Thus, in an act of bravery, she destroys her ticket to a happily ever after and faces the wrath of her stepmother in the process.
This is the first point in the twisted tale where we see a completely different Cinderella than we have ever seen before. After a dramatic turn of events Cinderella leaves her family home for good and finds herself at risk of a life living on the streets. However, Elizabeth Lim has not abandoned all aspects of a fairy tale: a chance encounter and a new friend present Cinders with the opportunity to find work within the palace where she once danced the night away.
In my opinion, the traditional Cinderella would go running straight to the Prince, explain her story, rely on her beautiful face and live happily ever after. Thankfully for the realists amongst us, our twisted tale Cinderella agonises over the possibility that the Prince is more in love with the idea of the “runaway princess”: she decides that their relationship would never work and that she should focus on her career and creating an independent life for herself.
This was such a refreshing character trait: I loved the fact that, although Elizabeth Lim did not change the time period of the novel, she modernised the main character into a young woman who does not need rescuing. Quite the opposite, as Cinderella soon finds herself witnessing corruption within the palace: can this Disney Princess become a hero and save the kingdom?
Lim’s Cinderella is truly a modern role model: she is resilient, sometimes stubborn but altogether kind and most importantly, she faces her fears despite overwhelming periods of anxiety in some of the most emotive and beautifully written pieces I have read in a long time.
In an Instagram post to Elizabeth Lim (@elimpix) I told her that this Cinderella is the version I would prefer my boys to chase after. However, on reflection that isn’t true. This Cinderella doesn’t deserve to be chased and hunted down in order to fit into a pretty shoe. This Cinderella is a partner in every aspect: working for the good of the kingdom and a ruler in her own right. This is the Cinderella I would want my boys to be worthy of.
‘So This is Love’ is the latest in the Disney Twisted Tale series and has been eagerly awaited by yours truly. The latest novel, by Elizabeth Lim (who also wrote the Mulan inspired tale ‘Reflection’) explores what would happen to the classic Cinderella tale if Cinders did not try on the glass slipper for the Grand Duke and scamper off towards her happily ever after. How would Cinderella fare if a dramatic stand off resulted in the remaining slipper shattering into a million pieces?
However, it is not, as you may suspect, Lady Tremaine who smashes the second glass slipper but Cinders herself. Lim’s Cinderella has her head firmly on her shoulders and is all too aware what the power of possessing this shoe may mean to herself, the Prince and the kingdom if it fell into the greedy hands of her relatives. Thus, in an act of bravery, she destroys her ticket to a happily ever after and faces the wrath of her stepmother in the process.
This is the first point in the twisted tale where we see a completely different Cinderella than we have ever seen before. After a dramatic turn of events Cinderella leaves her family home for good and finds herself at risk of a life living on the streets. However, Elizabeth Lim has not abandoned all aspects of a fairy tale: a chance encounter and a new friend present Cinders with the opportunity to find work within the palace where she once danced the night away.
In my opinion, the traditional Cinderella would go running straight to the Prince, explain her story, rely on her beautiful face and live happily ever after. Thankfully for the realists amongst us, our twisted tale Cinderella agonises over the possibility that the Prince is more in love with the idea of the “runaway princess”: she decides that their relationship would never work and that she should focus on her career and creating an independent life for herself.
This was such a refreshing character trait: I loved the fact that, although Elizabeth Lim did not change the time period of the novel, she modernised the main character into a young woman who does not need rescuing. Quite the opposite, as Cinderella soon finds herself witnessing corruption within the palace: can this Disney Princess become a hero and save the kingdom?
Lim’s Cinderella is truly a modern role model: she is resilient, sometimes stubborn but altogether kind and most importantly, she faces her fears despite overwhelming periods of anxiety in some of the most emotive and beautifully written pieces I have read in a long time.
In an Instagram post to Elizabeth Lim (@elimpix) I told her that this Cinderella is the version I would prefer my boys to chase after. However, on reflection that isn’t true. This Cinderella doesn’t deserve to be chased and hunted down in order to fit into a pretty shoe. This Cinderella is a partner in every aspect: working for the good of the kingdom and a ruler in her own right. This is the Cinderella I would want my boys to be worthy of.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016) in Movies
Jul 15, 2019
As a huge fan of supernatural horror films I was really looking forward to screening Ouija: Origins of Evil. I had hoped that this film would make up to it’s unsuccessful predecessor. I think the last big box horror movie that I thoroughly enjoyed was The Conjuring 2. I can’t say that I was surprised with being a little disappointed with this film.
As always, some of the best scenes in any film are usually displayed in the trailer to reel us in and that’s precisely what happened.
The film is based in 1965 with a young widowed mother Alice (Elizabeth Reaser) raising two daughters Paulina and Doris. Alice and the girls use old school seance scams to make ends meet.
The somewhat rebellious teen daughter Paulina sneaks out to a party where a Ouija board is used and suggests that her mother should buy one and add it to the act. Her mother decides that it just might be what they need to liven up the show. Thinking that this would only be one of her many parlor tricks she buys one.
While setting up the board for a practice session she decides to see if it might actually work. She doesn’t realize that she has now opened a can of worms and her youngest daughter Doris is in the throws of a malevolent force.
Is it the board, is it the house, is it their father. With the help of their school priest they are able to understand what is truly happening.
The film in a whole was just okay, not the best but not the worst either. The problem that I had with it specifically was how long you have to get through to get to the scary parts of the film. I was hopeful that it would get better and to my surprise it did.
Yes the lines weren’t great but the cast seemed fitting for their characters. Elizabeth Reaser who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting was perfect as Alice and the young girls as well. I don’t usually go on about editing and lighting but I must say that I really enjoyed the cinematography in the film. The drab colors and filming techniques were very well executed and added to the 60’s style horror films of the past.
In all honesty I would recommend seeing this in theaters. With the energy of the audience and darkness of the theater it makes for a fun and spooky Halloween event.
Just be aware that the build up to the better scenes is long and drawn out. The jump scares are few and far between however it still is worth a watch.
As always, some of the best scenes in any film are usually displayed in the trailer to reel us in and that’s precisely what happened.
The film is based in 1965 with a young widowed mother Alice (Elizabeth Reaser) raising two daughters Paulina and Doris. Alice and the girls use old school seance scams to make ends meet.
The somewhat rebellious teen daughter Paulina sneaks out to a party where a Ouija board is used and suggests that her mother should buy one and add it to the act. Her mother decides that it just might be what they need to liven up the show. Thinking that this would only be one of her many parlor tricks she buys one.
While setting up the board for a practice session she decides to see if it might actually work. She doesn’t realize that she has now opened a can of worms and her youngest daughter Doris is in the throws of a malevolent force.
Is it the board, is it the house, is it their father. With the help of their school priest they are able to understand what is truly happening.
The film in a whole was just okay, not the best but not the worst either. The problem that I had with it specifically was how long you have to get through to get to the scary parts of the film. I was hopeful that it would get better and to my surprise it did.
Yes the lines weren’t great but the cast seemed fitting for their characters. Elizabeth Reaser who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting was perfect as Alice and the young girls as well. I don’t usually go on about editing and lighting but I must say that I really enjoyed the cinematography in the film. The drab colors and filming techniques were very well executed and added to the 60’s style horror films of the past.
In all honesty I would recommend seeing this in theaters. With the energy of the audience and darkness of the theater it makes for a fun and spooky Halloween event.
Just be aware that the build up to the better scenes is long and drawn out. The jump scares are few and far between however it still is worth a watch.
Pride and Prejudice: Oxford Bookworms Stage 6 Reader (for iPhone)
Education and Book
App
This is the iPhone version. Enjoy this famous story, adapted for learners of English, and improve...
Merissa (14160 KP) rated Jewel Cave (Circles #3) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
Jewel Cave (Circles #3) by Elizabeth Noble
Jewel Cave is the third book in the Circles series, but you can quite easily read it as a standalone as I did. The story focuses Clint and Griff. They have been together for ten years, and are happy with each other. Griff is a US Marshall and Clint is a writer. They have their own issues to deal with, but the main story is about a writer friend of Clint's who goes waaaaay too far.
This was a great story I was really able to enjoy. With plenty of snippets into a writer's life, plus the procedural side of things, there was always something happening for me to get to grips with. I loved how Clint was so strong all the way through, and yet proved himself to be human too. I thought how it was written for both him and Griff afterwards was completely believable, and certainly kept the tension going.
A fantastic read, full of intrigue and danger, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. The pacing was smooth, and the transition from one scene to another was seamless. Thoroughly enjoyed every word, and definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
This was a great story I was really able to enjoy. With plenty of snippets into a writer's life, plus the procedural side of things, there was always something happening for me to get to grips with. I loved how Clint was so strong all the way through, and yet proved himself to be human too. I thought how it was written for both him and Griff afterwards was completely believable, and certainly kept the tension going.
A fantastic read, full of intrigue and danger, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. The pacing was smooth, and the transition from one scene to another was seamless. Thoroughly enjoyed every word, and definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Hidden Hope ( Hope book 1) in Books
Dec 7, 2022
219 of 230
Kindle
Hidden Hope ( Hope book 1)
By Elizabeth Knight
⭐️⭐️⭐️
It all started with a naked man in an alley….
Oh did that get your attention?
Good, now listen up. For years I’ve been fighting to be on my own and out from under my father’s control. I thought I’d finally managed it after I got my dream job in a London emergency room. Things were going great. I was making good money and even had a place of my own. I should have known the good times wouldn’t last. I apparently was engaged to a man my father picked out and soon found myself kidnapped, tortured, and forced into becoming someone else.
My whole life I’ve been lied to and something was hidden inside me... and now it’s set free.
It was good. Easy to follow exactly what you come to expect from this type of book and subject. I liked her writing style. My only issues if without being to harsh and it’s not necessarily just this book, why oh why when it’s a newly turned female wolf alpha or not to they turn her in to a raging nympho who has to mate every male in site? It gets a bit tedious and I’m not taking anything away from this author as I actually liked the book but this is becoming a bugbear of mine.
Kindle
Hidden Hope ( Hope book 1)
By Elizabeth Knight
⭐️⭐️⭐️
It all started with a naked man in an alley….
Oh did that get your attention?
Good, now listen up. For years I’ve been fighting to be on my own and out from under my father’s control. I thought I’d finally managed it after I got my dream job in a London emergency room. Things were going great. I was making good money and even had a place of my own. I should have known the good times wouldn’t last. I apparently was engaged to a man my father picked out and soon found myself kidnapped, tortured, and forced into becoming someone else.
My whole life I’ve been lied to and something was hidden inside me... and now it’s set free.
It was good. Easy to follow exactly what you come to expect from this type of book and subject. I liked her writing style. My only issues if without being to harsh and it’s not necessarily just this book, why oh why when it’s a newly turned female wolf alpha or not to they turn her in to a raging nympho who has to mate every male in site? It gets a bit tedious and I’m not taking anything away from this author as I actually liked the book but this is becoming a bugbear of mine.