Search

Search only in certain items:

40x40

Kyera (8 KP) rated Crown of Midnight in Books

Feb 1, 2018  
Crown of Midnight
Crown of Midnight
Sarah J. Maas | 2013 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
9.1 (48 Ratings)
Book Rating
Crown of Midnight is the second book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas. Please don't read this review unless you've read Throne of Glass because you will be spoiled.

Having won the title of King's Champion, Celaena must do the King's bidding or risk the lives of her friends. Despite having trained at the Assassin's Keep and being called Adarlaine's Assassin, Celaena is reluctant to kill the King's enemies and instead comes up with a plan. She spends the majority of the book embroiled in a plot to end the King's rule, as she tries to obtain information that she can give to the King with the hopes of shortening her contract as his Champion.

This book takes you on a much more emotional journey with romance, betrayal, an unexpected (and brutal) character death, and a big reveal in its final pages. The characters are developed more in this novel and we also learn more about their histories. It was nice to see the development so that the characters felt more like real people with unique events that shaped them as people.

While there is continued mention of places other than Adarlaine, the story does not journey beyond the capital and continue to world-build, yet. The author mainly focuses on weaving in plot points that will later be incredibly important to the story.

Overall, the writing feels a little more mature than her previous book which at times came across as juvenile. The story ends in such a way that you immediately need to read the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy books.
  
TI
Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you don't know by now, I am a huge fan of the Beatles. Both of my children have their own Beatles song (Hey Jude and Help), however my general knowledge of their history is not so great. So when I saw Tune In, I didn't hesitate at the opportunity to read it. Being born in the late 80s I can only imagine what it was like to live in the world of Beatlemania, endure the sorrow of their breakup, and all the years in between. Which is why I am so excited about this book. Something else about me, is that I value history, learning the facts and details about people and time periods. Tune In is an extremely in depth look at the men that changed music forever.

Beginning with their family histories, we learn everything there is to know about the background, the life, the creation of the Beatles. Each chapter covers a few years to a few months, and a single day in some cases, beginning in 1845-1945 with the histories of their families, going through their childhood years in the next chapter (1945-1954), and taking us through to the end of 1962.

I have only begun to scratch the surface of this book and I think it is safe to say...Mind...Blown. So much detail, so much history. I love it! With about 80 pages of Notes and another 10 for Credits Mark Lewisohn has definitely done his research to give us such an in depth account of Beatles history. If you are a fan of the Beatles, you are sure to love reading Tune In. Now to wait for volume two...

I received a free copy of Tune In (The Beatles: All These Years) Volume 1, from the publisher through Blogging for Books. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
2003 | Action
Bloody Brilliant
A woman seeks revenge on the man that tried to kill her along with his gang of deadly assassins. Director Quentin Tarantino is known for producing masterpieces and this is definitely one of his finest.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 10
Talk about a movie that sucks you in right from the very beginning. The opening scene is jarring and so amazing. I was anxious and excited to see what would happen next.

Characters: 10

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The cinematic appeal of Kill Bill Volume 1 is out of this world. The fight scenes are shot with flare and an intensity that ramps as each battle works towards the climax. I love how daring Tarantino is, even incorporating animated scenes to flesh out the story. One of my favorite moments is the main character’s final showdown against an assassin shot against the backdrop of a snowy landscape in Japan. It’s so incredibly beautiful, even as droplets of blood spatter against the snow.

Conflict: 10

Entertainment Value: 10
Captivating from beginning to end. This is why we watch movies. There was never a dull moment as intensity lingers around every corner. The entertainment comes from a combination of conflict and sheer originality. As you sit there, you realize you are seeing something you have never seen before. I loved every minute of it.

Memorability: 10
Tarantino operates with the flare of a man who has been there and done that. I appreciate the fact that he’s not afraid to try new things. As a result, we get something new in every single scene. It’s brilliant how all the puzzle pieces come together. We think we are watching something simple and straightforward, but it ends up being amazingly intricate.

Pace: 10

Plot: 10

Resolution: 10
You already know going in there’s going to be a sequel as the title indicates. But this movie wraps up quite nicely with a beautiful cliffhanger that gets you stoked for the sequel. No matter how many times I’ve watched this movie, the ending always pushes me into watching the sequel right after. Not many movies can say that.

Overall: 100
I’m not saying this lightly: Kill Bill Volume 1 is one of the greatest movies ever made. See it. I’ll end it there.
  
    Dragons: Rise of Berk

    Dragons: Rise of Berk

    Games and Entertainment

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    ***Reached No.1 App in Over 85 Countries!*** Build your OWN Berk! Rescue, hatch and train your...

Dredd (2012)
Dredd (2012)
2012 | Action, Sci-Fi
I'am the law
Contains spoilers, click to show
Dredd- is a non stop action film from beginning to end. Karl urban was the perfect choice for dredd.

Mega City One is a vast, violent metropolis where felons rule the streets. The only law lies with cops called "judges," who act as judge, jury and executioner, and Dredd is one of the city's most feared. One day, Dredd is partnered with Cassandra, a rookie with powerful psychic abilities. A report of a terrible crime sends Dredd and Cassandra to a dangerous area controlled by Ma-Ma, a drug lord who will stop at nothing to protect her empire.

Once dredd and his parter are stuck inside a building no way in or out, thats when the real action begins, killing everyone in the way to reach ma-ma and stop her from releasing the slow mo drug to the world.

Its sad to see that dredd didnt do well in the box office or in theaters, because dredd was a great movie. Its also sad that we havent gotting a sequel to dredd.

Dredd is a highly reccomendation.
  
40x40

Vince Clarke recommended Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel in Music (curated)

 
Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel
1968 | Folk
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I saw the film The Graduate when I was 15 and heard the track 'The Sound Of Silence' and I immediately went out and bought the songbook and learned every song. Hearing Simon & Garfunkel was the thing that made me decide I would really like to make music for a living. I could play the songs, and suddenly music seemed much less foreign to me. Before that it was watching people on Top Of The Pops doing their thing, and it was just another world to me, it didn't seem like something that could be homegrown or that I could possibly achieve. At the time I'd just started going to the school guitar club and learning basic chords, and this music came along and I thought, ""Ah, I can learn that"". I like the simplicity of the lyrics, and there's a naivety to the songwriting, and when they write about New York and that, now I live here and have been visiting for years, I can see where their inspirations came from. You can't deliberately be naive, you write simple songs I guess, and hopefully something that you do happens in the writing process. I'm really into melody, I couldn't listen to a jazz fusion record for instance, I'm the opposite end of the scale, that's all."

Source
  
Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children #1)
Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children #1)
L.J. Epps | 2016 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
7
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
1st book in the Extinction Of All Children trilogy
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

Extinction Of All Children is the 1st book in a trilogy by L.J. Epps. I have seen it referred to as both the Extinction and the Extinction of All Children trilogy. If I really like a book I hate to wait for more in the series. Fortunately, all 3 books have been published.

At first, I am not sure why but the series reminded me of the Shadow Children 7 book series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. (If you have not read the Shadow Children you should definitely check it out.) Both were written well and involved societies in which children were not allowed to be born. That is where the similarities end.

In Extinction, the world is divided into 3 classes - the rich, the working class, and the poor - in which they live in separate territories and are not allowed to mix. The poor are forbidden to have any children. This series focuses on Emma, the last child born in Territory L. Any children born after her were taken to be killed. She is the last to turn 18. She knows this is wrong and you will need to read the book to find out what she does about it.


Review published on Philomathinphila.com on 4/10/19.