Search
Search results
Debbiereadsbook (1457 KP) rated Kiss Me Again in Books
Jun 28, 2019
difficult, but enjoyable
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Aiden fell from the tree he was working on, and ended up in hospital. The only person who seemed to be ale to get through to Aiden was Ludo. Ludo is fighting his own demons again, and Aiden seems to make him all . . well . . he doesn;t know the word but Aiden makes him feel good. And GOOD is not a thing Ludo has had for some time. When Aiden is released and Ludo not, things for oth of them spiral downhill. A chance meeting puts bth men back on track, but can they really be HAPPY? Either of them?
I found this a difficult read. But a very good one!
Ludo is bi-polar, and tries to keep up with his meds, but they keep changing his doses, and the type of meds he is taking, and he knows when he is going down, he can feel it. He can equally feel his highs. And these are the bits I struggled with the most. I have someone close to me who is bi-polar, and they are never able to voice how things make them feel. Getting into Ludo's head, difficult as it was, gave me a bit more insight into my friend's head. Scared me a bit, to be honest, but I really did not fully get what my friend was trying to tell me before. I do a bit better now. So hopefully I can be a better friend.
Aiden is GRUMPY! Oh he made me laugh, he really is a grumpy git, and he knows it! Ludo though, Ludo makes him want to NOT be and he tries, he really does. It just takes him time, since he's been so grumpy for so long.
The relationship between Ludo and Aiden moves at an even pace, steady and solid along the book. Its not overly sexy, but their is heat and steam aplenty. But its not about the sex between these two, it's about learning to love another, and what that menas for them.
Both Ludo and Aiden have their say. While both men are difficult to read, I did love them to pieces. I wanted to wrap them both up and be mum to them, I really did!
I loved the way Ms Leigh tells her tales. It takes time for Ludo's full medical history to come clear, and you get hints and snippets to put together your own version, not always correctly, mind!
I've not read anything else by Ms Leigh before, and this is what love most about reviewing for the blog. NEW to me authors pop up all the time. These authors have published many books, but not crossed my path before. So I'd love to read more by this author.
A thoroughly difficult but very enjoyable
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Aiden fell from the tree he was working on, and ended up in hospital. The only person who seemed to be ale to get through to Aiden was Ludo. Ludo is fighting his own demons again, and Aiden seems to make him all . . well . . he doesn;t know the word but Aiden makes him feel good. And GOOD is not a thing Ludo has had for some time. When Aiden is released and Ludo not, things for oth of them spiral downhill. A chance meeting puts bth men back on track, but can they really be HAPPY? Either of them?
I found this a difficult read. But a very good one!
Ludo is bi-polar, and tries to keep up with his meds, but they keep changing his doses, and the type of meds he is taking, and he knows when he is going down, he can feel it. He can equally feel his highs. And these are the bits I struggled with the most. I have someone close to me who is bi-polar, and they are never able to voice how things make them feel. Getting into Ludo's head, difficult as it was, gave me a bit more insight into my friend's head. Scared me a bit, to be honest, but I really did not fully get what my friend was trying to tell me before. I do a bit better now. So hopefully I can be a better friend.
Aiden is GRUMPY! Oh he made me laugh, he really is a grumpy git, and he knows it! Ludo though, Ludo makes him want to NOT be and he tries, he really does. It just takes him time, since he's been so grumpy for so long.
The relationship between Ludo and Aiden moves at an even pace, steady and solid along the book. Its not overly sexy, but their is heat and steam aplenty. But its not about the sex between these two, it's about learning to love another, and what that menas for them.
Both Ludo and Aiden have their say. While both men are difficult to read, I did love them to pieces. I wanted to wrap them both up and be mum to them, I really did!
I loved the way Ms Leigh tells her tales. It takes time for Ludo's full medical history to come clear, and you get hints and snippets to put together your own version, not always correctly, mind!
I've not read anything else by Ms Leigh before, and this is what love most about reviewing for the blog. NEW to me authors pop up all the time. These authors have published many books, but not crossed my path before. So I'd love to read more by this author.
A thoroughly difficult but very enjoyable
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Greatest Showman (2017) in Movies
Dec 28, 2017
Music (1 more)
Hugh Jackman
Heartwarming with a fantastic soundtrack
I'll be honest and say that I'm a sucker for musicals, so it was pretty unlikely that I was ever not going to like this. And unsurprisingly, I did think it was really good.
It's a genuinely feel good and enjoyable film, with a fantastic soundtrack. The plot is interesting and they speed through the storyline instead of dwelling and trying to drag it out beyond the 2 hour mark. Hugh Jackman is probably one of the best and most loveable leading men in Hollywood and he puts on another fine show here. It's so entertaining to watch him sing and dance. It was refreshing too to see Zac Efron singing and dancing again since his High School Musical days.
Parts of the script and some scenes seem a little bit cheesy and cringeworthy, but fortunately the true star of this film is the music. All the songs were catchy and made me really want to sing along. They were that good that I have a feeling the soundtrack is going to be on repeat in my car now for quite some time to come.
I tend to rate films based on whether I'd go out and buy them, and I would definitely fork out some cash for this. Although it isn't the best musical I've ever seen, it's still hugely enjoyable with brilliant music.
It's a genuinely feel good and enjoyable film, with a fantastic soundtrack. The plot is interesting and they speed through the storyline instead of dwelling and trying to drag it out beyond the 2 hour mark. Hugh Jackman is probably one of the best and most loveable leading men in Hollywood and he puts on another fine show here. It's so entertaining to watch him sing and dance. It was refreshing too to see Zac Efron singing and dancing again since his High School Musical days.
Parts of the script and some scenes seem a little bit cheesy and cringeworthy, but fortunately the true star of this film is the music. All the songs were catchy and made me really want to sing along. They were that good that I have a feeling the soundtrack is going to be on repeat in my car now for quite some time to come.
I tend to rate films based on whether I'd go out and buy them, and I would definitely fork out some cash for this. Although it isn't the best musical I've ever seen, it's still hugely enjoyable with brilliant music.
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2) in Books
Aug 11, 2018
Can I just say everything (6 more)
No seriously everything
The characters
The setting
The plot
The plot twists
That fucking ending.
Put down what your reading and pick up this series!
Okay when I read Scythe it was the book that finally got me out of my 5 month reading slump it was just so damn good and unputdownable that I was kind of hesitant to read the sequal Thunderhead because it's just so rare that a second book can be not only as good as the first but some how even be better. So finally I picked up Thunderhead and let me tell you from the very beginning you can tell that it's going to be even better then book one.
To sum up my feeling on Thunderhead my goodreads review which I updated not even five minutes after finishing the book consists of one single word which I feel completely sums up my feelings after reading the final page and that was....
"FUCK!"
The thing that really got to me about the ending is not even the fact that it came out of left field no I had a feeling where it was going from book one and even through out the second book but the execution was just so Flawless and everything leading up to it just had you holding your breath I even had to reread some sections cuz it was just that damn good.
To sum up my feeling on Thunderhead my goodreads review which I updated not even five minutes after finishing the book consists of one single word which I feel completely sums up my feelings after reading the final page and that was....
"FUCK!"
The thing that really got to me about the ending is not even the fact that it came out of left field no I had a feeling where it was going from book one and even through out the second book but the execution was just so Flawless and everything leading up to it just had you holding your breath I even had to reread some sections cuz it was just that damn good.
Merissa (13000 KP) rated Freezing Aversion (Consortium Trilogy #2) in Books
Dec 29, 2021 (Updated Jul 9, 2023)
FREEZING AVERSION is the second book in the Consortium Trilogy and I would absolutely recommend you read it as a series, rather than a set of standalones.
I haven't read the first book and, as such, I was lost for a while. There is obviously a connection between those in the first and second books. Not only that but the Consortium itself. Because Benjamin was sent on a hunt without knowing the name of the vampire he tracked, it also made the beginning slightly confusing as I had no idea who was who until the story picked up and I was able to put the pieces together.
The link between Ben and Leon is a good one, but seemed to change overnight, as Ben goes from saying he likes Leon but doesn't feel the pull, to wanting nothing but him without any reason or circumstances given.
All in all, this was a good vampire read that may work better for those who have read the first book. B.L. Maxwell is an author who has written plenty of books that I have thoroughly enjoyed, and I have no hesitation in recommending her work, even if this one didn't fully work for me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Dec 28,2021
I haven't read the first book and, as such, I was lost for a while. There is obviously a connection between those in the first and second books. Not only that but the Consortium itself. Because Benjamin was sent on a hunt without knowing the name of the vampire he tracked, it also made the beginning slightly confusing as I had no idea who was who until the story picked up and I was able to put the pieces together.
The link between Ben and Leon is a good one, but seemed to change overnight, as Ben goes from saying he likes Leon but doesn't feel the pull, to wanting nothing but him without any reason or circumstances given.
All in all, this was a good vampire read that may work better for those who have read the first book. B.L. Maxwell is an author who has written plenty of books that I have thoroughly enjoyed, and I have no hesitation in recommending her work, even if this one didn't fully work for me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Dec 28,2021
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated The Returners in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I have a vague recollection of reading this some time in the past which is kind of ironic considering the topic of the book itself. While I felt a repeated deja vu throughout this book, I can't seem to remember when I actually would have read it before. I also couldn't remember much of the main plot, which is pretty weird.
Anyway, the review.
It's a good book. honestly, the opening paragraph of this review sums the book up quite well - it's good, but not overly memorable. When you read it, you often think, "this is good" or "cool" or whatever, but a few months later you'll forget all about it. At least, that's how I felt.
Gemma Malley is an author I used to love when I was in my preteens, and I'm not sure if that's why her books feel very adolescent to me, or if it's because they actually are. Basically, I feel too old for them now. The protagonists are usually "cool" mid-teens, who the reader is supposed to look up to in some way. But I'm older than most characters and actually find their attitudes a bit pathetic and petty.
The story was good but I felt like there were a few loopholes, honestly. The idea of the "Returners" is interesting but not developed enough - who actually 'controls' them? Where did they come from? What is their real purpose? I felt like their purpose was a bit wishy-washy. Douglas's refusal to change his attitude because it "isn't their role" or whatever just sounded a bit... lame. Like a cop-out, I guess. I really would've liked to know more about the Returners and why they actually exist.
It's only short and this may contribute to it feeling quite young, but it is well written and really enjoyable to read. Will is almost an anti-hero, and as the reader I both loved and hated him. His thoughts and attitudes were quite sporadic and it was sometimes hard to keep up, but that may have been the intention. I did like how we learned things at the same time as Will - we followed him through his own story. It was also really interesting how Will decided to handle the life he'd been forced into.
4 stars.
Anyway, the review.
It's a good book. honestly, the opening paragraph of this review sums the book up quite well - it's good, but not overly memorable. When you read it, you often think, "this is good" or "cool" or whatever, but a few months later you'll forget all about it. At least, that's how I felt.
Gemma Malley is an author I used to love when I was in my preteens, and I'm not sure if that's why her books feel very adolescent to me, or if it's because they actually are. Basically, I feel too old for them now. The protagonists are usually "cool" mid-teens, who the reader is supposed to look up to in some way. But I'm older than most characters and actually find their attitudes a bit pathetic and petty.
The story was good but I felt like there were a few loopholes, honestly. The idea of the "Returners" is interesting but not developed enough - who actually 'controls' them? Where did they come from? What is their real purpose? I felt like their purpose was a bit wishy-washy. Douglas's refusal to change his attitude because it "isn't their role" or whatever just sounded a bit... lame. Like a cop-out, I guess. I really would've liked to know more about the Returners and why they actually exist.
It's only short and this may contribute to it feeling quite young, but it is well written and really enjoyable to read. Will is almost an anti-hero, and as the reader I both loved and hated him. His thoughts and attitudes were quite sporadic and it was sometimes hard to keep up, but that may have been the intention. I did like how we learned things at the same time as Will - we followed him through his own story. It was also really interesting how Will decided to handle the life he'd been forced into.
4 stars.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated When It's Real in Books
Apr 4, 2019
Sometimes you just need a story with a ridiculous, rather implausible situation to soothe your soul.
This book was tons of fun and really compelling. I couldn't put it down and read it in 24 hours. Both Vaughn and Oakley were really interesting characters with a lot of depth behind their silly situation. As he was probably supposed to, Oakley irritated me in the beginning; yes, we are supposed to feel sorry for him, but he was also really good in his role of being a jerk.
"Am I already the washed-up pop star before I hit my twenties?"
The first person point of view in this one makes it very easy to read. The chapters alternate between Oakley and Vaughn and just slide by. The book is a slow burner (no immediate romance here) and fun and hot. Sure, it's a little predictable and you know nothing will go smoothly at first, but it's really enjoyable seeing how things play out. For me to enjoy a romance, I have to like the characters, and I have to be invested in their story--both of those things were definitely happening here. I fell for Vaughn and her family and then for Oakley, too, as I got to know him. There was some good depth and background to both characters, and I empathized with Vaughn as she struggled to find herself, especially after her family's tragedy.
"I’m good at pretending, but not so great at living."
There's even some fun twists in this one, with things not always happening exactly as you might think. Overall, it's really fun, with two great main characters and a really humorous supporting cast. The story has its serious moments, and it's easy to get invested in Vaughn and Oakley's romance. It's a fast read and a good one. 4 stars.
This book was tons of fun and really compelling. I couldn't put it down and read it in 24 hours. Both Vaughn and Oakley were really interesting characters with a lot of depth behind their silly situation. As he was probably supposed to, Oakley irritated me in the beginning; yes, we are supposed to feel sorry for him, but he was also really good in his role of being a jerk.
"Am I already the washed-up pop star before I hit my twenties?"
The first person point of view in this one makes it very easy to read. The chapters alternate between Oakley and Vaughn and just slide by. The book is a slow burner (no immediate romance here) and fun and hot. Sure, it's a little predictable and you know nothing will go smoothly at first, but it's really enjoyable seeing how things play out. For me to enjoy a romance, I have to like the characters, and I have to be invested in their story--both of those things were definitely happening here. I fell for Vaughn and her family and then for Oakley, too, as I got to know him. There was some good depth and background to both characters, and I empathized with Vaughn as she struggled to find herself, especially after her family's tragedy.
"I’m good at pretending, but not so great at living."
There's even some fun twists in this one, with things not always happening exactly as you might think. Overall, it's really fun, with two great main characters and a really humorous supporting cast. The story has its serious moments, and it's easy to get invested in Vaughn and Oakley's romance. It's a fast read and a good one. 4 stars.
Lose Weight for Good: Full-flavour Cooking for a Low-Calorie Diet
Book
`It's impossible to stick to a diet if the food you're expected to eat is boring and doesn't fill...
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Spider-Men in Books
Nov 30, 2020
So, here's the thing.. Brian Michael Bendis . When his writing is good, like on ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN or his own creator-owned projects like JINX and POWERS, the man is quite good. When he is regrettable, like he was on his run on ALL-NEW X-MEN and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (Peter Quill + Kitty Pryde? Really?!? Um, no..), his writing stank like yesterday's diapers! Fortunately, that was not the case with this little gem!
Let me frank here: THIS WAS A FUN READ! It was great to see Miles Morales and Earth-616's Peter Parker, <b>our/my</b> Double-P, working together. Still riding on the good++ vibe generated by INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (seriously, if you have not seen it yet, you totally need to see it), this was just what I wanted.
And that art? Wowwowwoweeewow! I sure do love me some Sara Pichelli! I never really tire of seeing her work! And the perfect compliment to her art? The always-perfect coloring by the late Justin Ponsor! Man, I am gonna miss him! Rest in peace, Justin! #cancersucks
If there was anything I could find wrong with the story as a whole was Mysterio. Look, I am a 50-year-old comic fan who got all sorts of happy when I saw the clip of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME and Mysterio was in it -- with his fishbowl head! But, here in this story, while cool to see him used, I felt he was not really memorable. His performance in the story didn't really feel like Mysterio, you know? Other than that, the book was all aces for me!
If you are looking for a Spider-Fix, and you want to read some of the good Bendis, look no further than this one! Enjoy!
Let me frank here: THIS WAS A FUN READ! It was great to see Miles Morales and Earth-616's Peter Parker, <b>our/my</b> Double-P, working together. Still riding on the good++ vibe generated by INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (seriously, if you have not seen it yet, you totally need to see it), this was just what I wanted.
And that art? Wowwowwoweeewow! I sure do love me some Sara Pichelli! I never really tire of seeing her work! And the perfect compliment to her art? The always-perfect coloring by the late Justin Ponsor! Man, I am gonna miss him! Rest in peace, Justin! #cancersucks
If there was anything I could find wrong with the story as a whole was Mysterio. Look, I am a 50-year-old comic fan who got all sorts of happy when I saw the clip of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME and Mysterio was in it -- with his fishbowl head! But, here in this story, while cool to see him used, I felt he was not really memorable. His performance in the story didn't really feel like Mysterio, you know? Other than that, the book was all aces for me!
If you are looking for a Spider-Fix, and you want to read some of the good Bendis, look no further than this one! Enjoy!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
There's a fun bunch of actors in the cast of this one. I was a little disappointed that Jack Black wasn't doing the whole film, but his little piece in it is entertaining. There's also a fun little cameo by R.L. Stine in there too. It was a little off putting seeing Chris Parnell, it hurt my brain a bit. Walter was a great character but all I could hear were Jerry and Cyril Figgis.
I always feel like I'm getting old when I watch a kids film and think, "that's quite scary for little 'uns". But there are a few good moment that give you a little jump.It's exactly what you'd expect from the film, fun spooky stuff. Nothing more, nothing less.
My favourite part of the whole movie is the last red gummy bear... keep and eye out for it.
Sorry this is such a short review, but honestly there isn't much to say about it. That's not a bad thing. The acting was good for this sort of film, it's a fun story line, the effects are quite good (thankfully no baby Jack Black like his last film) and you come away feeling like you've been entertained.
What you should do
A good halloween movie to see as a family, it's worth seeing but you could probably wait until it's out for home viewing.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'd say a talking gummy bear, but they're a little homicidal, and if they weren't I'd probably be in danger of eating the squishy little thing anyway. If it were possibly to get something from the film that wasn't actively trying to kill me then I'd probably books that bring things to life.
I always feel like I'm getting old when I watch a kids film and think, "that's quite scary for little 'uns". But there are a few good moment that give you a little jump.It's exactly what you'd expect from the film, fun spooky stuff. Nothing more, nothing less.
My favourite part of the whole movie is the last red gummy bear... keep and eye out for it.
Sorry this is such a short review, but honestly there isn't much to say about it. That's not a bad thing. The acting was good for this sort of film, it's a fun story line, the effects are quite good (thankfully no baby Jack Black like his last film) and you come away feeling like you've been entertained.
What you should do
A good halloween movie to see as a family, it's worth seeing but you could probably wait until it's out for home viewing.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I'd say a talking gummy bear, but they're a little homicidal, and if they weren't I'd probably be in danger of eating the squishy little thing anyway. If it were possibly to get something from the film that wasn't actively trying to kill me then I'd probably books that bring things to life.
Debbiereadsbook (1457 KP) rated The Princess of Draga (Draga Court #1) in Books
Feb 28, 2018
a slow burner
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
A bit of a slow burner, long build up kinda book, this one!
It reminds me a little of reading Game of Thrones, NOT in the content, not at all but in the way the stage is set with many players, who have their own agendas. Many players who have a say. Many players who did NOT get a say too!
But my overwhelming reaction to finishing this was, I missed something. Something was missing and I cannot figure out what.
There is a book before this one, Royal Guard of Draga, but reading the blurb, it isn't what I'm missing. I think what I'm missing is more history of Draga, more about the original invasion of the Neprijat monsters who have returned to take over the galaxy. We get bits and pieces, but not enough for me to get the whole picture, the whole history. Maybe that will come with future books, I dunno. That's just how I feel, and ya'll know I love to share how I feel!
I did think it would be a little more on the explicit side, given how we are introduced to Nadyah and why she is in court with Adelina, but it isn't overly.
It's a GOOD book, well written from lots of those players, it just didn't grab me and it took far longer for me to read the 276 pages than it should have. Maybe book two will be better. Off to read it now!
A good solid 3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
A bit of a slow burner, long build up kinda book, this one!
It reminds me a little of reading Game of Thrones, NOT in the content, not at all but in the way the stage is set with many players, who have their own agendas. Many players who have a say. Many players who did NOT get a say too!
But my overwhelming reaction to finishing this was, I missed something. Something was missing and I cannot figure out what.
There is a book before this one, Royal Guard of Draga, but reading the blurb, it isn't what I'm missing. I think what I'm missing is more history of Draga, more about the original invasion of the Neprijat monsters who have returned to take over the galaxy. We get bits and pieces, but not enough for me to get the whole picture, the whole history. Maybe that will come with future books, I dunno. That's just how I feel, and ya'll know I love to share how I feel!
I did think it would be a little more on the explicit side, given how we are introduced to Nadyah and why she is in court with Adelina, but it isn't overly.
It's a GOOD book, well written from lots of those players, it just didn't grab me and it took far longer for me to read the 276 pages than it should have. Maybe book two will be better. Off to read it now!
A good solid 3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**