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Michael Mitcheson (16 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Apex Legends in Video Games
Feb 27, 2019
Solid game but will it survive the long run.
Apex legends is another battle royal game that has taken the world by storm. Some would say its a watered down genre however apex legends redefines the format adding its own spin on the mode.
Graphically it is stunning. A good amount of fauna, desert, buildings and caverns to showcase different textures whilst not quite being as cartoon like as fortnite.
The player handling is fantastic with vaulting, sliding and using zip lines. It does not feel clunky but rather smooth and fluid.
Sound is fantastic. Weapons sound so good and you can distinguish weapons prior to a fight just from hearing them. Footsteps alter from the terrain that is being ran on and dulled by crouching.
Currently the game is 3 person squads and has a max player count at 60 lower than the 4 person squad and 100 player count. This works well for the pace of the game and map size. You are never too far away from getting in the action should you wish after surviving the initial 5 minute onslaught for areas and that sweet precious loot.
You'll notice I put squad / team work in both positive and negative. The positive is it semi forces you to land as a squad. This can be cancelled by those who aren't the jump master and want to go rogue. I have noticed this but not is often as other games of the genre. 3 players allows for a good amount of mutual support, mixing and matching legend abilities to secure a win and having a diverse amount of weapons to cover all ranges. I have also negatived it due to the rogues, item/weapon/ammo stealing, lack of pinging (more on this after) and absolute lack of microphone communication. That last one is not a fault of the game or dev but merely an observation for the ps4 platform.
The ping system is the single point that makes this game fantastic. If you have a child or a broken mic you can opt to ping. Let's travel here, I'm watching here, enemy sighted and so forth. If you're not talking use the feature it's fantastic and also ends the classic e emy over there, where? There group conversation.
Legends have unique abilities but in a nutshell play what you like. Pick a character that has perks that fit your style. You can pick up that elusive 'dub' in any combination of legends. I still haven't settled. On one but enjoy 3-4 that I switch around. Its also good to have that incase someone rudely steals your character.
Minor bugs so far that I've encountered are falling through the floor (now patched allegedly and in fairness it hasn't happened to me in a while), items fallingb, through building/ dropship floor, death boxes dissapearing and falling through floors. The devs are however extremely good currently at updating and listening to the community.
Weapon balance is pretty damn bad (personal opinion). Peacekeeper is a beast shotgun at close range and mid range. The range for me needs dropping and that's prior to finding the attachment hop ups to strengthen it. The Mozambique is just a dreadful shotgun that you will find left on the floor to rust by just about everyone.
Very quickly on microtransactions. They are cosmetic only. You can warn everything including new legends in time but prepare to grind. Real money does not need to be used.
Time will tell if this game will survive the test of time as the devs release the battle pass and future content. Currently I'd give it 7/10. Solid game and worth a try by anyone. It is free after all.
Graphically it is stunning. A good amount of fauna, desert, buildings and caverns to showcase different textures whilst not quite being as cartoon like as fortnite.
The player handling is fantastic with vaulting, sliding and using zip lines. It does not feel clunky but rather smooth and fluid.
Sound is fantastic. Weapons sound so good and you can distinguish weapons prior to a fight just from hearing them. Footsteps alter from the terrain that is being ran on and dulled by crouching.
Currently the game is 3 person squads and has a max player count at 60 lower than the 4 person squad and 100 player count. This works well for the pace of the game and map size. You are never too far away from getting in the action should you wish after surviving the initial 5 minute onslaught for areas and that sweet precious loot.
You'll notice I put squad / team work in both positive and negative. The positive is it semi forces you to land as a squad. This can be cancelled by those who aren't the jump master and want to go rogue. I have noticed this but not is often as other games of the genre. 3 players allows for a good amount of mutual support, mixing and matching legend abilities to secure a win and having a diverse amount of weapons to cover all ranges. I have also negatived it due to the rogues, item/weapon/ammo stealing, lack of pinging (more on this after) and absolute lack of microphone communication. That last one is not a fault of the game or dev but merely an observation for the ps4 platform.
The ping system is the single point that makes this game fantastic. If you have a child or a broken mic you can opt to ping. Let's travel here, I'm watching here, enemy sighted and so forth. If you're not talking use the feature it's fantastic and also ends the classic e emy over there, where? There group conversation.
Legends have unique abilities but in a nutshell play what you like. Pick a character that has perks that fit your style. You can pick up that elusive 'dub' in any combination of legends. I still haven't settled. On one but enjoy 3-4 that I switch around. Its also good to have that incase someone rudely steals your character.
Minor bugs so far that I've encountered are falling through the floor (now patched allegedly and in fairness it hasn't happened to me in a while), items fallingb, through building/ dropship floor, death boxes dissapearing and falling through floors. The devs are however extremely good currently at updating and listening to the community.
Weapon balance is pretty damn bad (personal opinion). Peacekeeper is a beast shotgun at close range and mid range. The range for me needs dropping and that's prior to finding the attachment hop ups to strengthen it. The Mozambique is just a dreadful shotgun that you will find left on the floor to rust by just about everyone.
Very quickly on microtransactions. They are cosmetic only. You can warn everything including new legends in time but prepare to grind. Real money does not need to be used.
Time will tell if this game will survive the test of time as the devs release the battle pass and future content. Currently I'd give it 7/10. Solid game and worth a try by anyone. It is free after all.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The City of Brass: Daevabad Trilogy in Books
Mar 25, 2018
Fantastic world-building (1 more)
Character Development
So much to say about this outstanding debut novel! First I'd like to address the issues around the author, then I'll delve into the book itself. (It's fantastic, though!)
So the book has been touted as an "own voices" novel, seemingly much to the author's chagrin. She is Muslim, but she's a white convert (Chakraborty is her married name). She has striven to correct the misconception about her ethnicity when she finds it, tweeting about it and talking about it in interviews. (This interview is a good example.) Because the book is pure fantasy, in a fantasy realm after the first few chapters, I'm not too worried about it not actually being written by a middle-eastern author. She does note in the interview I linked that she's not qualified to write some stories because of her ethnicity, and I appreciate that recognition of privilege. As far as I can tell, (as a white person myself) she did justice to the bits of mythology that she included. (Given the reception by people who were so excited about it being an Own Voices book, I think I'm probably right.) Her twitter (@SChakrabs) is FULL of links to minority authors and retweets about their books. I am very impressed by the level of her advocacy for minority authors.
So that aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I almost always enjoy fantasy inspired by non-western mythology: Children of Blood and Bone was fantastic, and though Forest of a Thousand Lanterns had a western fairytale at its heart, being reimagined through an Asian lense was really neat to read. The Bear and The Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower were Russian inspired, as were The Crown's Game/The Crown's Fate. I really do try to pick up non-western inspired fantasy when I can. City of Brass scratched that itch perfectly.
City of Brass opens in Cairo, where our heroine, Nahri, is a con-woman with small healing magics. When a ritual goes awry, she's thrust into the world of the djinn. It's when Nahri and her accidental bodyguard, Dara, arrive at the Djinns' city of Daevabad that the story really gets started.
I'm still a little confused about the difference between djinn and Daeva; Daeva seem to be one of the tribes but also the name for the entire race, and some of them get offended at being called djinn but some of them don't? I'm not really sure about that distinction. There is a clear line between djinn and Ifrit, though - Ifrit are immensely powerful, immortal beings who refused to subject themselves to punishment many centuries ago. I'm not sure I actually see a downside to being Ifrit, other than the djinn all think they're evil. The Ifrit, however, are out to get Nahri, and Dara's not having any of THAT.
I love Dara - he's a fascinating character, with a violent, mysterious backstory. I'm very eager to read more about him and figure out exactly what's up with his background. Nahri is also awesome - a little arrogant, but by the end of the book she's starting to learn she might need help from those around her. Unfortunately, also by the end of the book she doesn't know who to trust. The naive djinn prince, Ali, is the third main character of the book, and while I can see him having an interesting story, his personality is still a little flat. Hopefully the second book will see advancement in all three of these characters' personalities.
And I can't WAIT for the second book! City of Brass didn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but it did leave many questions unanswered and our main characters' fates uncertain. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on the sequel, just that it's being edited. No release date or title yet.
Read this book. It's fantastic.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
So the book has been touted as an "own voices" novel, seemingly much to the author's chagrin. She is Muslim, but she's a white convert (Chakraborty is her married name). She has striven to correct the misconception about her ethnicity when she finds it, tweeting about it and talking about it in interviews. (This interview is a good example.) Because the book is pure fantasy, in a fantasy realm after the first few chapters, I'm not too worried about it not actually being written by a middle-eastern author. She does note in the interview I linked that she's not qualified to write some stories because of her ethnicity, and I appreciate that recognition of privilege. As far as I can tell, (as a white person myself) she did justice to the bits of mythology that she included. (Given the reception by people who were so excited about it being an Own Voices book, I think I'm probably right.) Her twitter (@SChakrabs) is FULL of links to minority authors and retweets about their books. I am very impressed by the level of her advocacy for minority authors.
So that aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I almost always enjoy fantasy inspired by non-western mythology: Children of Blood and Bone was fantastic, and though Forest of a Thousand Lanterns had a western fairytale at its heart, being reimagined through an Asian lense was really neat to read. The Bear and The Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower were Russian inspired, as were The Crown's Game/The Crown's Fate. I really do try to pick up non-western inspired fantasy when I can. City of Brass scratched that itch perfectly.
City of Brass opens in Cairo, where our heroine, Nahri, is a con-woman with small healing magics. When a ritual goes awry, she's thrust into the world of the djinn. It's when Nahri and her accidental bodyguard, Dara, arrive at the Djinns' city of Daevabad that the story really gets started.
I'm still a little confused about the difference between djinn and Daeva; Daeva seem to be one of the tribes but also the name for the entire race, and some of them get offended at being called djinn but some of them don't? I'm not really sure about that distinction. There is a clear line between djinn and Ifrit, though - Ifrit are immensely powerful, immortal beings who refused to subject themselves to punishment many centuries ago. I'm not sure I actually see a downside to being Ifrit, other than the djinn all think they're evil. The Ifrit, however, are out to get Nahri, and Dara's not having any of THAT.
I love Dara - he's a fascinating character, with a violent, mysterious backstory. I'm very eager to read more about him and figure out exactly what's up with his background. Nahri is also awesome - a little arrogant, but by the end of the book she's starting to learn she might need help from those around her. Unfortunately, also by the end of the book she doesn't know who to trust. The naive djinn prince, Ali, is the third main character of the book, and while I can see him having an interesting story, his personality is still a little flat. Hopefully the second book will see advancement in all three of these characters' personalities.
And I can't WAIT for the second book! City of Brass didn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but it did leave many questions unanswered and our main characters' fates uncertain. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on the sequel, just that it's being edited. No release date or title yet.
Read this book. It's fantastic.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Book 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> towards the end of December).
The Book by Jessica Bell is a book that I've been wanting to read for awhile. The synopsis really intrigued me. I was thrilled when I won a copy of The Book. Luckily, this book didn't disappoint.
Bonnie is a 5 year old girl. While her mother Penny is pregnant with Bonnie, John, Bonnie's dad, starts a journal (referred to as the book) where he writes his thoughts and wishes for Bonnie. However, Penny is the one who starts writing in it more than John. However, things don't go as planned. When John and Penny split up, the book becomes Penny's release for her feelings. Bonnie notices that her mom always cries when writing in the book, so she thinks the book is what is causing Penny's sadness. Bonnie sees her mom and her mom's boyfriend, Ted, fighting over the book, so Bonnie just wants to get rid of the book. Little do all the adults know how their actions will affect Bonnie.
I love the title! It's super mysterious but such a fitting tile. I think Ms. Bell did a fantastic job at picking this title.
I'm also a fan of the cover. I like the shadow of the child, which I believe to be Bonnie, with words written over it. I also like the pink (my favorite color) and the font.
Jessica Bell does a fantastic job with the world building. I felt like she creates the world of a 5 year old almost perfectly. I did find it strange that Bonnie's parents refer to themselves by their first name instead of mom and dad when writing things to Bonnie, but that's just me.
The pacing starts off a little slow, but before I realized it, it had really grabbed me and pulled me into the story. After that, the pace never slows down nor does it speed up where I didn't know what was going on.
The plot was very original which made for a refreshing read. It was interesting to read everyone's thoughts through journal entries (Penny and John) and through Bonnie's point of view. I also would've never predicted the ending of The Book!
The characters were all well written and rounded. I felt for Penny when she was torn between two men and doing what was best for Bonnie. I felt for John who wanted to be there for his daughter yet his hands were tied. I felt for Ted who was oblivious to what was going on around him through no fault of his own. I mostly felt for Bonnie who, due to her age, didn't know why everyone was acting the way they were over this book. Bell captures the emotion of each character perfectly!
Bell writes like a 5 year old would think when it came time for Bonnie's point of view. I found this annoying sometimes, but I understand why it needed to be done. It needed to be done to really capture the essence of Bonnie. There were times when I felt that Bonnie was acting or thinking like that of an older child, but this could've just been a personal thing as all children develop at different levels. Other then that, I found the dialogue to be very interesting. It also flows very smoothly and never feels rushed.
Overall, The Book is a fantastic and emotional read. It has an original plot line with memorable characters and fantastic dialogue.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 18+ who are after a read with an original story with a lesson to be learned.
I'd give The Book by Jessica Bell a 4.5 out of 5.
The Book by Jessica Bell is a book that I've been wanting to read for awhile. The synopsis really intrigued me. I was thrilled when I won a copy of The Book. Luckily, this book didn't disappoint.
Bonnie is a 5 year old girl. While her mother Penny is pregnant with Bonnie, John, Bonnie's dad, starts a journal (referred to as the book) where he writes his thoughts and wishes for Bonnie. However, Penny is the one who starts writing in it more than John. However, things don't go as planned. When John and Penny split up, the book becomes Penny's release for her feelings. Bonnie notices that her mom always cries when writing in the book, so she thinks the book is what is causing Penny's sadness. Bonnie sees her mom and her mom's boyfriend, Ted, fighting over the book, so Bonnie just wants to get rid of the book. Little do all the adults know how their actions will affect Bonnie.
I love the title! It's super mysterious but such a fitting tile. I think Ms. Bell did a fantastic job at picking this title.
I'm also a fan of the cover. I like the shadow of the child, which I believe to be Bonnie, with words written over it. I also like the pink (my favorite color) and the font.
Jessica Bell does a fantastic job with the world building. I felt like she creates the world of a 5 year old almost perfectly. I did find it strange that Bonnie's parents refer to themselves by their first name instead of mom and dad when writing things to Bonnie, but that's just me.
The pacing starts off a little slow, but before I realized it, it had really grabbed me and pulled me into the story. After that, the pace never slows down nor does it speed up where I didn't know what was going on.
The plot was very original which made for a refreshing read. It was interesting to read everyone's thoughts through journal entries (Penny and John) and through Bonnie's point of view. I also would've never predicted the ending of The Book!
The characters were all well written and rounded. I felt for Penny when she was torn between two men and doing what was best for Bonnie. I felt for John who wanted to be there for his daughter yet his hands were tied. I felt for Ted who was oblivious to what was going on around him through no fault of his own. I mostly felt for Bonnie who, due to her age, didn't know why everyone was acting the way they were over this book. Bell captures the emotion of each character perfectly!
Bell writes like a 5 year old would think when it came time for Bonnie's point of view. I found this annoying sometimes, but I understand why it needed to be done. It needed to be done to really capture the essence of Bonnie. There were times when I felt that Bonnie was acting or thinking like that of an older child, but this could've just been a personal thing as all children develop at different levels. Other then that, I found the dialogue to be very interesting. It also flows very smoothly and never feels rushed.
Overall, The Book is a fantastic and emotional read. It has an original plot line with memorable characters and fantastic dialogue.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 18+ who are after a read with an original story with a lesson to be learned.
I'd give The Book by Jessica Bell a 4.5 out of 5.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Alternity in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review is also on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
When I read the synopsis of Alternity by Mari Mancusi, I knew I would probably love this book! I wasn't wrong. This book is amazing!
Skye is just your average 18 year old girl. There's nothing that different about her. She has a fantastic boyfriend, she goes to school, and she works as a video games tester. She's been having these strange nightmares about being in a weird place. They're making her lose sleep until one day she actually wakes up in the place from her nightmare. Now she doesn't know who to trust. And why do people keep calling her Mariah?? Skye soon discovers she's arrived on another planet, and something sinister is going on.
The title to this book is great!! Alternity - like an alternative reality. It definitely fits right in with the story. From what I've heard, this book was originally released under the title of Moongazing. I'm glad the author decided to change the title as Alternity sounds like a much more interesting title.
I love the sci-fi feel of this cover. The picture of Skye on the front with a katana and the moon in the background is perfect for this story. I'm usually not a fan of just putting a pretty face on the cover, but it seems to work with this book.
I thought the world building and setting were fantastic!! The author has us believe that the planet of Terra is very much like Earth would be if there was to be some sort of post apocalyptic event. There's no sun, no sky...just bleakness. The underground bit of Terra is portrayed rather well with it being full of the poor people of Terra and those who have been mutated by radiation due to having to mine for the rich people.
The pacing for Alternity is beyond fantastic! In fact, I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter had me looking forward to the next as everything just flowed really well. Never, not even for one moment, was I even remotely bored reading Alternity.
The dialogue is fantastic in this book. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Dawn and Skye. There are a few swear words but not many. The only minor annoyance I found was that at two points in the book, the author goes from using present tense to past tense.
The characters in this book are very believable. Skye was a great protagonist. She felt like a real person. In fact, I found myself wanting to be friends with her especially as we both have a love for video games! I love the fact that she started out a bit unsure of herself but throughout the story, she became a strong person. Dawn came across as a lovely guy. He wants what's best for his people, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Duske makes an excellent villain. He's very charming, but he can be very very vile. He is very believable as being a bad guy, and he plays the role excellently.
Alternity by Mari Mancusi is a well executed book that will leave you feeling as if you are a part of the book. This is definitely one of those books that you have to read as you will not be disappointed!
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+, especially those who are fans of dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. However, I feel this is one of those books that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
When I read the synopsis of Alternity by Mari Mancusi, I knew I would probably love this book! I wasn't wrong. This book is amazing!
Skye is just your average 18 year old girl. There's nothing that different about her. She has a fantastic boyfriend, she goes to school, and she works as a video games tester. She's been having these strange nightmares about being in a weird place. They're making her lose sleep until one day she actually wakes up in the place from her nightmare. Now she doesn't know who to trust. And why do people keep calling her Mariah?? Skye soon discovers she's arrived on another planet, and something sinister is going on.
The title to this book is great!! Alternity - like an alternative reality. It definitely fits right in with the story. From what I've heard, this book was originally released under the title of Moongazing. I'm glad the author decided to change the title as Alternity sounds like a much more interesting title.
I love the sci-fi feel of this cover. The picture of Skye on the front with a katana and the moon in the background is perfect for this story. I'm usually not a fan of just putting a pretty face on the cover, but it seems to work with this book.
I thought the world building and setting were fantastic!! The author has us believe that the planet of Terra is very much like Earth would be if there was to be some sort of post apocalyptic event. There's no sun, no sky...just bleakness. The underground bit of Terra is portrayed rather well with it being full of the poor people of Terra and those who have been mutated by radiation due to having to mine for the rich people.
The pacing for Alternity is beyond fantastic! In fact, I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter had me looking forward to the next as everything just flowed really well. Never, not even for one moment, was I even remotely bored reading Alternity.
The dialogue is fantastic in this book. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Dawn and Skye. There are a few swear words but not many. The only minor annoyance I found was that at two points in the book, the author goes from using present tense to past tense.
The characters in this book are very believable. Skye was a great protagonist. She felt like a real person. In fact, I found myself wanting to be friends with her especially as we both have a love for video games! I love the fact that she started out a bit unsure of herself but throughout the story, she became a strong person. Dawn came across as a lovely guy. He wants what's best for his people, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Duske makes an excellent villain. He's very charming, but he can be very very vile. He is very believable as being a bad guy, and he plays the role excellently.
Alternity by Mari Mancusi is a well executed book that will leave you feeling as if you are a part of the book. This is definitely one of those books that you have to read as you will not be disappointed!
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+, especially those who are fans of dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. However, I feel this is one of those books that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Treachery of Beautiful Things in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I had been wanting to read this book since I had first heard about it. I was lucky enough to win it in a blog competition. I'm so glad I did because I loved every second of this book!! It reminded me a little bit like Snow White; not the Disney version but the Grimm's Fairy Tales version.
Jenny is 10 years old when she sees the forest swallow her older brother into the ground. She tries to tell everyone around her that the forest took her brother, but yet, no one believes her. Seven years later, Jenny is walking by the forest when she hears flute music like her brother used to play. Thinking she may be able to find him, she ventures into the very same forest. Little does she know what danger lurks in the forest. Will she be able to save her brother or will she be too late?
The Treachery of Beautiful Things is such a wonderful title for this book! Beautiful things can be dangerous despite their beauty, and how right that is!! The forest is full of beautiful creatures, but not everything is as it seems.
The cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous!! Instead of being just some random picture on the cover, the cover is from a scene in the book, and it fits in beautifully with the title. Well done to the cover artist and the author for choosing this cover. I am entranced by it!
The world building and setting of the forest where the majority of this story takes place is done really well. The author uses great descriptions to make the reader feel as if he/she is a part of it. I easily lost myself in this book and in the forest thanks to the fantastic world building.
The pacing in The Treachery of Beautiful Things is absolutely fantastic! Not once in the story did I feel my attention waning. I was enthralled in the story from the very first page. I reluctantly had to put the book down to do real life things. However, when I had free time, I was devouring this book!
The dialogue is perfect for readers of teen years on up. The dialogue between the characters was very interesting. I especially loved the dialogue between Puck and Jenny.
The author does a great job with character building. I felt the characters were well-developed, and each had their own unique personalities. I loved the character of Jenny. I loved how determined she was to stop at nothing to protect those she loved. Jack was a fantastic character as well. I love how the author made him out to be conflicted but in a believable way. Jack comes across as being a real person instead of a character in a book. Puck was definitely my favourite character by far. He was the one who interjected a lot of humour into this story. I'm thinking the author got the inspiration for Puck from A Midsummer's Night's Dream by Shakespeare. Puck was loyal to a fault to the king, yet he has a heart of gold. Tatania/Mab made an excellent baddie. She reminded me a lot of the queen from Snow White. Oberon was a great baddie as well although he didn't feature as much as Tatania/Mab. We don't learn much about his character until towards the end of the book.
The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long is a fantastic story of romance, fairy tale, and suspense. It will keep you wanting more long after you've finished the book.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+. It's such a lovely read!
I had been wanting to read this book since I had first heard about it. I was lucky enough to win it in a blog competition. I'm so glad I did because I loved every second of this book!! It reminded me a little bit like Snow White; not the Disney version but the Grimm's Fairy Tales version.
Jenny is 10 years old when she sees the forest swallow her older brother into the ground. She tries to tell everyone around her that the forest took her brother, but yet, no one believes her. Seven years later, Jenny is walking by the forest when she hears flute music like her brother used to play. Thinking she may be able to find him, she ventures into the very same forest. Little does she know what danger lurks in the forest. Will she be able to save her brother or will she be too late?
The Treachery of Beautiful Things is such a wonderful title for this book! Beautiful things can be dangerous despite their beauty, and how right that is!! The forest is full of beautiful creatures, but not everything is as it seems.
The cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous!! Instead of being just some random picture on the cover, the cover is from a scene in the book, and it fits in beautifully with the title. Well done to the cover artist and the author for choosing this cover. I am entranced by it!
The world building and setting of the forest where the majority of this story takes place is done really well. The author uses great descriptions to make the reader feel as if he/she is a part of it. I easily lost myself in this book and in the forest thanks to the fantastic world building.
The pacing in The Treachery of Beautiful Things is absolutely fantastic! Not once in the story did I feel my attention waning. I was enthralled in the story from the very first page. I reluctantly had to put the book down to do real life things. However, when I had free time, I was devouring this book!
The dialogue is perfect for readers of teen years on up. The dialogue between the characters was very interesting. I especially loved the dialogue between Puck and Jenny.
The author does a great job with character building. I felt the characters were well-developed, and each had their own unique personalities. I loved the character of Jenny. I loved how determined she was to stop at nothing to protect those she loved. Jack was a fantastic character as well. I love how the author made him out to be conflicted but in a believable way. Jack comes across as being a real person instead of a character in a book. Puck was definitely my favourite character by far. He was the one who interjected a lot of humour into this story. I'm thinking the author got the inspiration for Puck from A Midsummer's Night's Dream by Shakespeare. Puck was loyal to a fault to the king, yet he has a heart of gold. Tatania/Mab made an excellent baddie. She reminded me a lot of the queen from Snow White. Oberon was a great baddie as well although he didn't feature as much as Tatania/Mab. We don't learn much about his character until towards the end of the book.
The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long is a fantastic story of romance, fairy tale, and suspense. It will keep you wanting more long after you've finished the book.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+. It's such a lovely read!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Since audiences last visited the crime busting quartet, the group has become media darlings, and the impending wedding of two of the team members, Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), and Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), has become media frenzy.
As plans for the wedding move forward, and Sue is confident that the wedding will not be postponed by another crisis, unaware that the greatest threat the earth has ever known is about to put very existence of the world in their hands.
When a mysterious Silver Surfer arrives on Earth leaving a path of chaos in his wake, it falls to the Fantastic Four, to get to the bottom of the threat and stop it as only they can. A chance encounter with the Surfer leads Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), on a high-speed race across the land which ultimately leads to a startling and at times comedic discovery. The surfer has the ability to disrupt what it touches and in the chase of Johnny, causes him to swap powers with any team member he touches.
While this is a potential disaster for Johnny, it does lead to some hilarious moments between him, Sue, and the Rock Laden The Thing, (Michael Chiklis), and ultimately leads Mr. Fantastic to devise a new way to track when and where the Surfer will appear.
The Silver Surfer is not the only danger facing the team, as the arrival of the Surfer has somehow revived the teams arch nemesis Dr. Doom (Julian Mc Mahon), who becomes obsesses with the Surfer and his secrets and forms a tenuous alliance with the Fantastic Four, despite their serious misgivings about trusting Doom.
Eventually it is learned that the Surfer is simply a harbinger for a much greater threat, Galactus, a being who eats planets to survive and who has determined the earth to be his next feats.
With the clock ticking, the team must battle, Dr. Doom, The Surfer, and each other as they try to unlock the mystery behind the surfer and save the world before it is too late.
The film though light on plot and character development, is a lot of fun and is a surprisingly enjoyable summer popcorn film. It does not try to be as haughty and pretentious as some past comic book film, and makes the most of its 89 minute run time without dragging itself out unnecessarily.
The cast works well with one another, and there are some good moments of humor to go with some well done action sequences that stay within themselves and the story rather than being the only point of the film.
If I had to find fault with the film, it would be that Dr. Doom is not really used much in the film and seems almost an afterthought to the story. He is supposed to be the ultimate villan but his real motives are only explained on a very superficial level which really detract from his effective use in the story. Another issue that the action was a bit less than I had expected it to be, especially the fact that the team is rarely seen in combat, and instead use the bulk of their powers in comedic or rescue efforts. I really would have liked to have seen the full power of the team used against a bad guy in an ongoing battle, instead of a few moments here or there.
In a summer where most of the offerings have failed to live up to expectations, this is a film that knows what it is, and does not try to be anything more than that. In doing so, the audience is treated to a briskly paced action adventure that delivers the goods, and does not promise more than it can deliver.
As plans for the wedding move forward, and Sue is confident that the wedding will not be postponed by another crisis, unaware that the greatest threat the earth has ever known is about to put very existence of the world in their hands.
When a mysterious Silver Surfer arrives on Earth leaving a path of chaos in his wake, it falls to the Fantastic Four, to get to the bottom of the threat and stop it as only they can. A chance encounter with the Surfer leads Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), on a high-speed race across the land which ultimately leads to a startling and at times comedic discovery. The surfer has the ability to disrupt what it touches and in the chase of Johnny, causes him to swap powers with any team member he touches.
While this is a potential disaster for Johnny, it does lead to some hilarious moments between him, Sue, and the Rock Laden The Thing, (Michael Chiklis), and ultimately leads Mr. Fantastic to devise a new way to track when and where the Surfer will appear.
The Silver Surfer is not the only danger facing the team, as the arrival of the Surfer has somehow revived the teams arch nemesis Dr. Doom (Julian Mc Mahon), who becomes obsesses with the Surfer and his secrets and forms a tenuous alliance with the Fantastic Four, despite their serious misgivings about trusting Doom.
Eventually it is learned that the Surfer is simply a harbinger for a much greater threat, Galactus, a being who eats planets to survive and who has determined the earth to be his next feats.
With the clock ticking, the team must battle, Dr. Doom, The Surfer, and each other as they try to unlock the mystery behind the surfer and save the world before it is too late.
The film though light on plot and character development, is a lot of fun and is a surprisingly enjoyable summer popcorn film. It does not try to be as haughty and pretentious as some past comic book film, and makes the most of its 89 minute run time without dragging itself out unnecessarily.
The cast works well with one another, and there are some good moments of humor to go with some well done action sequences that stay within themselves and the story rather than being the only point of the film.
If I had to find fault with the film, it would be that Dr. Doom is not really used much in the film and seems almost an afterthought to the story. He is supposed to be the ultimate villan but his real motives are only explained on a very superficial level which really detract from his effective use in the story. Another issue that the action was a bit less than I had expected it to be, especially the fact that the team is rarely seen in combat, and instead use the bulk of their powers in comedic or rescue efforts. I really would have liked to have seen the full power of the team used against a bad guy in an ongoing battle, instead of a few moments here or there.
In a summer where most of the offerings have failed to live up to expectations, this is a film that knows what it is, and does not try to be anything more than that. In doing so, the audience is treated to a briskly paced action adventure that delivers the goods, and does not promise more than it can deliver.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Good Girl, Bad Girl in Books
Aug 8, 2019
While browsing the books in my local library, I stumbled across Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham. I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis. A teenager with a mysterious past, yes please! A murder mystery, heck yes! Good Girl, Bad Girl did not disappoint.
I felt like the synopsis was wrong a little. The story doesn't focus on Evie as much as the synopsis makes it seem. Good Girl, Bad Girl does start out focused on Evie though. No one knows Evie's past or even how old Evie really is. All anyone knows is that Evie knows when another person is lying. From there, the book seemed like it was going to be a paranormal read, but it wasn't. Not very long after we are introduced to Evie, we learn about Jodie Sheehan, a 15 year old girl who was a very talented figure skater and the girl next door type. When Jodie is found murdered, psychologist Cyrus Haven starts to piece together Jodie's life before her murder and realizes that she wasn't as squeaky clean as everyone thought she was which puts Cyrus and others in danger. Jodie Sheehan's life and murder is what Good Girl, Bad Girl mainly focuses on throughout the novel.
I did enjoy the plot, and I found it to be very intriguing. There were quite a few plot twists peppered throughout Good Girl, Bad Girl that I never predicted. I would think I had the story figured out, but then there would be another fantastic twist that always had me second guessing myself. All my questions were answered about Jodie's disappearance and murder, but I still was left wondering about Evie and her past. Michael Robotham leaves Evie a mystery on purpose, but I would have liked some closure on knowing Evie's past. It's obvious she remembers somewhat. (Goodreads has Good Girl, Bad Girl as a series, but I can't find anything on the actual cover of the book or on any book retailer that has this book as part of a series. I really hope it will be a series though so I can learn more about Evie.) One good thing about this book is that there are no cliff hanger endings. Also, the pacing is done fantastically throughout Good Girl, Bad Girl. This was one book that I really couldn't put down. I'd say it could even be read in one sitting. It is just so good, and it flows so well!
I felt like all the characters, even the supporting ones, were very well written and very fleshed out in Good Girl, Bad Girl. I liked the character of Evie. I liked the fact she was this mysterious force to be reckoned with. She was pretty hardcore, yet she still had that childlike vulnerability about her. I really enjoyed the character of Cyrus. He was such a fantastic main character. He had been dealt a bad hand, but he was able to rise above it. I thought it was fantastic to read about how much he cared for Evie as well as his perseverance to learn the truth about Jodie even when the police were ready to close the case.
Trigger warnings for Good Girl, Bad Girl include violence, drugs, drinking (both adult and underage), sexual references, profanity, death, abduction, attempted murder, and attempted rape.
Overall, Good Girl, Bad Girl is such a fun and thrilling read! I can't fault this book at all. It's got such a great plot as well as fantastic characters with interesting backstories. The plot twists will definitely keep you guessing throughout. I would wholeheartedly recommend Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham to those aged 17+ who love thrilling and suspenseful novels. You will not be disappointed.
I felt like the synopsis was wrong a little. The story doesn't focus on Evie as much as the synopsis makes it seem. Good Girl, Bad Girl does start out focused on Evie though. No one knows Evie's past or even how old Evie really is. All anyone knows is that Evie knows when another person is lying. From there, the book seemed like it was going to be a paranormal read, but it wasn't. Not very long after we are introduced to Evie, we learn about Jodie Sheehan, a 15 year old girl who was a very talented figure skater and the girl next door type. When Jodie is found murdered, psychologist Cyrus Haven starts to piece together Jodie's life before her murder and realizes that she wasn't as squeaky clean as everyone thought she was which puts Cyrus and others in danger. Jodie Sheehan's life and murder is what Good Girl, Bad Girl mainly focuses on throughout the novel.
I did enjoy the plot, and I found it to be very intriguing. There were quite a few plot twists peppered throughout Good Girl, Bad Girl that I never predicted. I would think I had the story figured out, but then there would be another fantastic twist that always had me second guessing myself. All my questions were answered about Jodie's disappearance and murder, but I still was left wondering about Evie and her past. Michael Robotham leaves Evie a mystery on purpose, but I would have liked some closure on knowing Evie's past. It's obvious she remembers somewhat. (Goodreads has Good Girl, Bad Girl as a series, but I can't find anything on the actual cover of the book or on any book retailer that has this book as part of a series. I really hope it will be a series though so I can learn more about Evie.) One good thing about this book is that there are no cliff hanger endings. Also, the pacing is done fantastically throughout Good Girl, Bad Girl. This was one book that I really couldn't put down. I'd say it could even be read in one sitting. It is just so good, and it flows so well!
I felt like all the characters, even the supporting ones, were very well written and very fleshed out in Good Girl, Bad Girl. I liked the character of Evie. I liked the fact she was this mysterious force to be reckoned with. She was pretty hardcore, yet she still had that childlike vulnerability about her. I really enjoyed the character of Cyrus. He was such a fantastic main character. He had been dealt a bad hand, but he was able to rise above it. I thought it was fantastic to read about how much he cared for Evie as well as his perseverance to learn the truth about Jodie even when the police were ready to close the case.
Trigger warnings for Good Girl, Bad Girl include violence, drugs, drinking (both adult and underage), sexual references, profanity, death, abduction, attempted murder, and attempted rape.
Overall, Good Girl, Bad Girl is such a fun and thrilling read! I can't fault this book at all. It's got such a great plot as well as fantastic characters with interesting backstories. The plot twists will definitely keep you guessing throughout. I would wholeheartedly recommend Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham to those aged 17+ who love thrilling and suspenseful novels. You will not be disappointed.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Lock Every Door in Books
Aug 12, 2019
I had previously read Final Girls and The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager. I wasn't that impressed with those books, but I feel a loyalty to Riley Sager since I had read his previous books. When I heard about Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, the synopsis sounded interesting enough, so I decided to give it a try. I'm really glad I did because I feel that it's Sager's best book yet, and it was really good!
Jules has just lost her job and walked in on her boyfriend cheating on her. Almost penniless and practically homeless, when she comes across a wanted ad advertising a job for an apartment complex called the Bartholomew, a place for the very rich and wealthy, Jules jumps at the chance. The apartment is lush, and the pay is $1000 a week. Sure, there are some strange rules, but it's easy money. However, when apartment sitters start vanishing in the middle of the night, Jules feels as if something evil is going on at the Bartholomew. Jules decides to find out the truth despite putting herself in danger. Will she succeed or will she become another missing apartment sitter?
I really enjoyed the plot of Lock Every Door, and I found it fairly original. Riley Sager does a fantastic job at making this book feel as if something like this could happen in real life. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to hear about something like this in the news. Even though the action doesn't really take place until almost the end of the book, I still found myself grossly immersed in this book. I also was playing detective alongside Jules the whole time. I did figure out some of what was going on, but there were still some plot twists that I never predicted. The story flows very well and never feels rushed anywhere. At no point did this book lose my attention. I was heavily invested in finishing Lock Every Door as soon as possible. Every question I had was answered by the end of the book although there was one mystery that I would have liked to know more about, but even this mystery is touched upon at the end of the book.
I enjoyed reading about every character in Lock Every Door from even the minor characters to the major ones. Jules was a fantastic main character. She was fairly relatable. Actually, I would go as far as to say that she's the most relatable character in a book that I've read. I could sympathize with her financial struggles and her desperation when it came to making money. It was the same with the character of Ingrid. I could also relate to her struggle for money. My heart went out to all of the apartment sitters because I knew what they were feeling when it came to money. I felt like Nick was a bit predictable and cliched as the hunky neighbor, but he was still written well. Greta was my favorite character. She was definitely interesting, that's for sure! My favorite scenes always involved Greta.
Trigger warnings for Lock Every Door include profanity, sexual references (though not many and not graphic), violence (not graphic), death, kidnapping, murder, drinking, and some drug references.
All in all, Lock Every Door is a thrilling read that ticks all the right boxes to make it fantastic! With such a interesting plot and a fantastic cast of characters, this is one book not to miss. I would definitely recommend Lock Every Door by Riley Sager to those who crave a great mystery as well as those that love thrillers.
Jules has just lost her job and walked in on her boyfriend cheating on her. Almost penniless and practically homeless, when she comes across a wanted ad advertising a job for an apartment complex called the Bartholomew, a place for the very rich and wealthy, Jules jumps at the chance. The apartment is lush, and the pay is $1000 a week. Sure, there are some strange rules, but it's easy money. However, when apartment sitters start vanishing in the middle of the night, Jules feels as if something evil is going on at the Bartholomew. Jules decides to find out the truth despite putting herself in danger. Will she succeed or will she become another missing apartment sitter?
I really enjoyed the plot of Lock Every Door, and I found it fairly original. Riley Sager does a fantastic job at making this book feel as if something like this could happen in real life. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to hear about something like this in the news. Even though the action doesn't really take place until almost the end of the book, I still found myself grossly immersed in this book. I also was playing detective alongside Jules the whole time. I did figure out some of what was going on, but there were still some plot twists that I never predicted. The story flows very well and never feels rushed anywhere. At no point did this book lose my attention. I was heavily invested in finishing Lock Every Door as soon as possible. Every question I had was answered by the end of the book although there was one mystery that I would have liked to know more about, but even this mystery is touched upon at the end of the book.
I enjoyed reading about every character in Lock Every Door from even the minor characters to the major ones. Jules was a fantastic main character. She was fairly relatable. Actually, I would go as far as to say that she's the most relatable character in a book that I've read. I could sympathize with her financial struggles and her desperation when it came to making money. It was the same with the character of Ingrid. I could also relate to her struggle for money. My heart went out to all of the apartment sitters because I knew what they were feeling when it came to money. I felt like Nick was a bit predictable and cliched as the hunky neighbor, but he was still written well. Greta was my favorite character. She was definitely interesting, that's for sure! My favorite scenes always involved Greta.
Trigger warnings for Lock Every Door include profanity, sexual references (though not many and not graphic), violence (not graphic), death, kidnapping, murder, drinking, and some drug references.
All in all, Lock Every Door is a thrilling read that ticks all the right boxes to make it fantastic! With such a interesting plot and a fantastic cast of characters, this is one book not to miss. I would definitely recommend Lock Every Door by Riley Sager to those who crave a great mystery as well as those that love thrillers.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Dear White People - Season 1 in TV
Oct 11, 2017 (Updated Oct 11, 2017)
Intelligent, diverse, well made series
I wasn't sure what to expect from a college related series, as I'm usually sceptical of that scene, however I was pleasantly surprised by this show. The cast is smart, the dialogue is intelligent, the content is noteworthy and the production is high-end.
Sam, the feisty radio host of Dear White People and activist on campus, is one of the main characters, split between six others, showcasing an array of diverse voices and talent. The name is self-explanatory but all I can say it begins on the premise of a "blackface" party held by some of the white students on site. It is horrifying, but it is current and highlights racial tensions in America today.
From gay black characters, to interracial relationships - there is a plethora of storylines weaved into each episode. Fantastic series.
Sam, the feisty radio host of Dear White People and activist on campus, is one of the main characters, split between six others, showcasing an array of diverse voices and talent. The name is self-explanatory but all I can say it begins on the premise of a "blackface" party held by some of the white students on site. It is horrifying, but it is current and highlights racial tensions in America today.
From gay black characters, to interracial relationships - there is a plethora of storylines weaved into each episode. Fantastic series.
Natalie (23 KP) rated Trainspotting (1996) in Movies
Nov 13, 2017 (Updated Nov 13, 2017)
Great cast (3 more)
Fantastic dialogue
Some amazing visuals
Brilliant soundtrack
Finally watched this film in the last month or so! Not sure how I have avoided it for all these years, though I'm kind of glad I did, as I've gotten to experience it with my fully-adult-drifting-through-life-mind, rather than my scatty-wild-drunk-university-mind. The visuals are amazing (at most points) and draw you into a world that most people cannot imagine. The characters are brilliantly portrayed with a stellar cast. This film shot into my Top 10 immediately when I realised that I instantly couldn't wait until the next time I watch it. It's grimy and unforgiving, with just the right amount of humour. Even though it gets disturbing, you are glued to the screen with irresistible charisma. I've never quite experienced anything like it.