Search
Search results
Sam (74 KP) rated The Dead Fathers Club in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Philip’s father has just died in a car crash, but he doesn’t think it was an accident. His father’s ghost comes back and tells him that he must have been murdered because he is part of the Dead Fathers Club – just for murdered fathers. He tells Philip that it must have been his Uncle Alan who murdered him, and tells him that he must get revenge.
In an odd take on Hamlet, The Dead Fathers Club follows Philips hunt for revenge for the death of his father.
It’s definitely a disturbing read. Philip is a young boy whose father has just died unexpectantly, and now he sees his father’s ghost, telling him to do awful things, to the point where he is listing ways he could kill his uncle.
The novel is written like it was Philips diary, so the childish grammar with the disturbing thoughts that Philip is experiencing work together to create a definitely troubling novel.
I was definitely questioning Philip’s mental health throughout the novel and wondering whether his father’s ghost was all in his imagination or it was actually happening.
Philip is a misfit with no friends, a girlfriend in part of the novel (which I’m not too sure what that did to the plot) and he’s bullied constantly. He found comfort in the fact that he had the chance to change his own life. He knew he could kill his uncle if he tried, and he saw that as the only way ahead. In killing his uncle, he would get revenge for his father’s death and stop his father from suffering and finally send him to heaven. He could get everything he needed and at the same time feel like he had a friend in his father’s ghost.
It was definitely a good read, but a big change to Matt Haig’s usual writing style.
In an odd take on Hamlet, The Dead Fathers Club follows Philips hunt for revenge for the death of his father.
It’s definitely a disturbing read. Philip is a young boy whose father has just died unexpectantly, and now he sees his father’s ghost, telling him to do awful things, to the point where he is listing ways he could kill his uncle.
The novel is written like it was Philips diary, so the childish grammar with the disturbing thoughts that Philip is experiencing work together to create a definitely troubling novel.
I was definitely questioning Philip’s mental health throughout the novel and wondering whether his father’s ghost was all in his imagination or it was actually happening.
Philip is a misfit with no friends, a girlfriend in part of the novel (which I’m not too sure what that did to the plot) and he’s bullied constantly. He found comfort in the fact that he had the chance to change his own life. He knew he could kill his uncle if he tried, and he saw that as the only way ahead. In killing his uncle, he would get revenge for his father’s death and stop his father from suffering and finally send him to heaven. He could get everything he needed and at the same time feel like he had a friend in his father’s ghost.
It was definitely a good read, but a big change to Matt Haig’s usual writing style.
Sam (74 KP) rated Aftercare Instructions in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I was actually quite disappointed by this one. I felt like I expected more from it, especially with it dealing with more serious subjects such as abortion right from the start.
The reason I don’t read much YA any more is the way that everything is glazed over and ignored. I feel like Aftercare Instructions had the chance to be a really good, deep novel about an issue that rarely makes it into YA, but in reality, it brushed over it.
I need to point out I only made it 1/3 of the way through before giving up.
Everything seemed to happen slowly and the narration seemed too whiney to be realistic. The main character, Gen is unlikable and annoying. Within the first 1/3 of the book her character is barely built and does nothing other than complain.
The plot didn’t move, and when nothing happens and I’m that far into the book, I know it’s time to give up.
The book is set out with alternating chapters being in a script format laying out the backstory of the characters. The first YA book I read with this format was cute. The second – fun. But when I’ve now read countless YAs set out in this format, it’s much less quirky and now seems a bit like it’s something to do to fill the pages without adding a decent description or trying to set a scene. It’s a space filler and it just ruins YAs for me.
I always hate DNF-ing books from Netgalley, especially ones by new authors but I just felt like this one could have been a lot more than it was, and it just seemed too much like the stereotypical YA I want to avoid reading and that I wish wasn’t taking over the genre lately.
The reason I don’t read much YA any more is the way that everything is glazed over and ignored. I feel like Aftercare Instructions had the chance to be a really good, deep novel about an issue that rarely makes it into YA, but in reality, it brushed over it.
I need to point out I only made it 1/3 of the way through before giving up.
Everything seemed to happen slowly and the narration seemed too whiney to be realistic. The main character, Gen is unlikable and annoying. Within the first 1/3 of the book her character is barely built and does nothing other than complain.
The plot didn’t move, and when nothing happens and I’m that far into the book, I know it’s time to give up.
The book is set out with alternating chapters being in a script format laying out the backstory of the characters. The first YA book I read with this format was cute. The second – fun. But when I’ve now read countless YAs set out in this format, it’s much less quirky and now seems a bit like it’s something to do to fill the pages without adding a decent description or trying to set a scene. It’s a space filler and it just ruins YAs for me.
I always hate DNF-ing books from Netgalley, especially ones by new authors but I just felt like this one could have been a lot more than it was, and it just seemed too much like the stereotypical YA I want to avoid reading and that I wish wasn’t taking over the genre lately.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated A Gathering Of Secrets in Books
Apr 10, 2019
Kate Burkholder is the chief of police for the small town of Painter's Mill in Ohio. When a young Amish man is found burned to death in his family's barn, Kate is determined to find out who is responsible. Being ex-Amish herself, Kate has a strong connection to the people. But trying out to find out who would have wanted Daniel Gingerich dead is turning into quite a list. You see, Daniel wasn't the good Amish boy every portrayed him to be. He had a dirty secret and once Chief Burkholder is able to uncover his secrets, she may be able to find his killer.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I first heard about this book, I was quite intrigued by the story line. I didn't know that this was a part of a series, so that was a little disappointing, but I don't feel like I missed out on too much. I definitely want to go back and read the rest of the series.
Daniel Gingerich is in the period of an Amish person's life called Rumspringa. This is a time once Amish reach adulthood that they take the time to "find themselves". Daniel had a serious girlfriend and had plans to marry her. But he was a young man and attractive. He could have almost any girl he wanted. So why was he killed and who did it? When Kate finds out Daniel's secret, the suspect pool grows bigger and bigger the more she digs into this young man's life. The Amish community is so tight knit that no one wants to tell anyone's secrets.
This book was very hard to put down, and there were surprises I didn't see coming. I look forward to reading more books by Linda Castillo.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I first heard about this book, I was quite intrigued by the story line. I didn't know that this was a part of a series, so that was a little disappointing, but I don't feel like I missed out on too much. I definitely want to go back and read the rest of the series.
Daniel Gingerich is in the period of an Amish person's life called Rumspringa. This is a time once Amish reach adulthood that they take the time to "find themselves". Daniel had a serious girlfriend and had plans to marry her. But he was a young man and attractive. He could have almost any girl he wanted. So why was he killed and who did it? When Kate finds out Daniel's secret, the suspect pool grows bigger and bigger the more she digs into this young man's life. The Amish community is so tight knit that no one wants to tell anyone's secrets.
This book was very hard to put down, and there were surprises I didn't see coming. I look forward to reading more books by Linda Castillo.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Smashing
#legomovie2 is a sequel that manages to out brick the first film & fly straight into your #heart #spaceship first. I loved the first lego movie & absolutely adored the #legoninjago movie but wasn't entirely sure if we needed anymore of them. That being said Im happy to report that the second lego movie is infact really #awesome & while not laugh out loud funny its by far the most interesting & varied one out of the bunch. This time the story is centred around #love, change & the inner battles we all face on a day to day basis with strong themes of battling #depression, realising self worth, being who you are/trying to fit in & trust it gets #pretty complex at times too & as i left i overheard kids telling their parents that they didnt get it. That being said there is enough visual variety, visual pop & #crazy #music numbers to keep people of all ages engrossed the entire run time too. Talking of visuals the #beauty/complexity of the animation & textures has been severely ramped up this time, figures have dust, muck, scratches & chipped paint galore making the real world connection to these plastic blocks even more prominent. Riding on movie cliches & poking fun of other films is a big part of this film too as are various #popculture #cameos & they fit perfectly/bring a #smile (there are some really niche one too like #starshiptroopers & #2001aspaceodyssey which isreally #cool to see). #legomovie 2 really is a lot of #fun & with a good over all message letting us all know that sometimes not everything is awesome.... but that's ok is something i feel a lot of us can certainly learn from. Take the #family to see it you'll all have a blast i promise. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic #lego #weekend #kids #family #funny #silly #saturday
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated I Feel Pretty (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
More like I feel shitty
#ifeelpretty is a dull, unfunny #film with so many mixed messages and conflicting tones that it just ends up being a massive waste time. First off I may not find #amyshumer #funny but she is a without a doubt a #pretty woman, so trying to sell me on the fact that she's not just didnt work at all. Then there's the message about believing in yourself, being yourself and having more #confidence in who you are and what your capable of but this is then cancelled out by a the message that so called 'pretty' people are all selfish, arrogant nasty and horrible people that dont work hard for anything and are just out to make us 'ugly' peasant lives miserable. I also just didn't get what it wanted to be tone wise either, its to serious to be funny but its also to #silly to be serious and it doesn't really succeed at either. Acting is alright over all its just the story plods along at such a dull place with nothing really happening that these characters just become uninteresting. #Music and directing are both also completely forgettable and with a run time of nearly 2 hours (of which we stayed just over an hour) the film seemed to be going nowhere interesting and thus failed to hold our attention any longer. I didnt expect this film to be a good one but I at the very least expected a bit of fun and a half decent message. With nothing to offer I can't really recommend this lifeless film to anyone and you'd probably have more #fun seeing #sherlockgnomes instead. #odeon #odeonlimitless #weekend #sunny #sundayfunday #sunday #workout #beautiful #comedy #lifestyle #coffee #girls #cinifile #cinema #hot #body #sexy #ifeelprettythemovie
Sarah (7799 KP) rated Game Of Thrones - Season 8 in TV
May 20, 2019
Bit of disappointment
I guess it's true what they say that when you get to the top the only way is down, and sadly it appears as though this is also true for Game of Thrones. Whilst Thrones hasn't fallen quite to the bottom, this final series proves to be a bit of a disappointment.
The first two episodes start off well, slow but full of detail and some great character based scenes that are exactly what you'd expect from GoT. The problem is that the remainder of the episodes feel very very rushed, which considering this series has been 2 years in the making, is a bit of a concern. There are some plot 'oddities' - not really holes but just moments of why the 'F' did they do that? Admittedly there are some brilliant moments too but I think sadly these are sometimes outweighed by the oddities. This series is meant to wrap everything up and provide some much needed satisfaction to the viewers. But the issue is that it doesn't seem like the writers have been paying too much attention to what the viewers wanted. There are some characters and storylines that are wrapped up well, others that are rather underwhelming either way and some that had me screaming at the screen in anger and frustration.
It seems that despite the mostly feature length episodes, these still weren't long enough and from episode 3 onwards the whole thing just feels totally rushed and lacking in the detail I've grown to expect. The final episode does at least provide some satisfaction, but for me it wasn't good enough to right some of the earlier issues.
While this isn't a bad series, it isn't great either and I came away feeling severely underwhelmed.
The first two episodes start off well, slow but full of detail and some great character based scenes that are exactly what you'd expect from GoT. The problem is that the remainder of the episodes feel very very rushed, which considering this series has been 2 years in the making, is a bit of a concern. There are some plot 'oddities' - not really holes but just moments of why the 'F' did they do that? Admittedly there are some brilliant moments too but I think sadly these are sometimes outweighed by the oddities. This series is meant to wrap everything up and provide some much needed satisfaction to the viewers. But the issue is that it doesn't seem like the writers have been paying too much attention to what the viewers wanted. There are some characters and storylines that are wrapped up well, others that are rather underwhelming either way and some that had me screaming at the screen in anger and frustration.
It seems that despite the mostly feature length episodes, these still weren't long enough and from episode 3 onwards the whole thing just feels totally rushed and lacking in the detail I've grown to expect. The final episode does at least provide some satisfaction, but for me it wasn't good enough to right some of the earlier issues.
While this isn't a bad series, it isn't great either and I came away feeling severely underwhelmed.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Bedrock (Bedrock #1) in Books
May 22, 2019
Addison Greyer knows better.
Or at least she should.
Never in a million years would she have guessed she'd wind up agreeing to the sinister side-gig her tough-as-nails new boss proposes.
Until she does.
Turns out, one bad decision often leads to another.
He's troubled.
She's married.
It's a dangerous game, for sure--one in which she stands to lose the most. Soon,
she learns desire is not only dangerous but deadly and there's a price to be paid for her mistakes.
A pound of flesh.
Never in a million years would she have guessed how far her picturesque little suburban life would unravel.
Until it does.
She should have known better.
Too bad she didn't.
Intelligently written story of choices and the consequences of those choices. All choices have consequences, some good, some bad.
This is the story of Addison.
A typical house wife, Addison wishes she had continued with her career and not stayed at home with her 3 boys. Although she is desperately in love with them, she feels like their is a part of her that is missing. Her husband is involved with his career that he does not notice that she is a different person to the one he married.
Addison has many threads to her life and not what you would expect. You slowly peel back her layers.
I found myself drawn to reading in order to find out what was going to happen next.
The characters are interesting and the many twists and turns keep you wanting to know more and make you feel engaged with their lives.
This is a must read book and I recommend it to anyone.
Can't wait to find out what happens next.
I received my copy free from the Author and this is my own honest voluntary review.
Or at least she should.
Never in a million years would she have guessed she'd wind up agreeing to the sinister side-gig her tough-as-nails new boss proposes.
Until she does.
Turns out, one bad decision often leads to another.
He's troubled.
She's married.
It's a dangerous game, for sure--one in which she stands to lose the most. Soon,
she learns desire is not only dangerous but deadly and there's a price to be paid for her mistakes.
A pound of flesh.
Never in a million years would she have guessed how far her picturesque little suburban life would unravel.
Until it does.
She should have known better.
Too bad she didn't.
Intelligently written story of choices and the consequences of those choices. All choices have consequences, some good, some bad.
This is the story of Addison.
A typical house wife, Addison wishes she had continued with her career and not stayed at home with her 3 boys. Although she is desperately in love with them, she feels like their is a part of her that is missing. Her husband is involved with his career that he does not notice that she is a different person to the one he married.
Addison has many threads to her life and not what you would expect. You slowly peel back her layers.
I found myself drawn to reading in order to find out what was going to happen next.
The characters are interesting and the many twists and turns keep you wanting to know more and make you feel engaged with their lives.
This is a must read book and I recommend it to anyone.
Can't wait to find out what happens next.
I received my copy free from the Author and this is my own honest voluntary review.
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated B is for Burglar (Kinsey Millhone, #2) in Books
May 29, 2019
Ok mystery bogged down in detail
I listened to the audio book of this read by Mary Peiffer.
Another outing with the independent PI Kinsey Millhone. This time she is approached to track down the missing sister of Beverly Danziger in what appears to be a straightforward case. It quickly starts to look a lot more suspicious when even the sister herself doesn't seem to want Kinsey to get to the bottom of the matter. A lot of different threads appear for Kinsey to try and unravel.
I found this book to really get bogged down in minor details and excessive descriptions of every little thing, making it a bit of a drag. The strong female lead was wasted on a bit of a drawn out story line, I felt it lacked something to keep the reader engaged (descriptions of egg sandwiches just doesn't cut it).
Written in the 80s I do love the nostalgia of a world pre mobile phones, saving the “battery died” line most books feel the need to throw in now. I also like having a female protagonist that doesn't get bogged down in a romantic relationship storyline which seems to be a habit in crime books with a female lead.
Kinsey has a good level of dogged determination and we were given numerous avenues of investigation to explore keeping the mystery engaging (although her missing an obvious clue which seemed totally unfathomable for her or any PI to miss drove me a little potty.). The main let down with this book though was the ending where it just seemed to go off the tracks a bit with unnecessary risk taking and crazy plot device.
The audio-book is a nice easy listen so I’ll probably continue on with Kinsey in that format.
Another outing with the independent PI Kinsey Millhone. This time she is approached to track down the missing sister of Beverly Danziger in what appears to be a straightforward case. It quickly starts to look a lot more suspicious when even the sister herself doesn't seem to want Kinsey to get to the bottom of the matter. A lot of different threads appear for Kinsey to try and unravel.
I found this book to really get bogged down in minor details and excessive descriptions of every little thing, making it a bit of a drag. The strong female lead was wasted on a bit of a drawn out story line, I felt it lacked something to keep the reader engaged (descriptions of egg sandwiches just doesn't cut it).
Written in the 80s I do love the nostalgia of a world pre mobile phones, saving the “battery died” line most books feel the need to throw in now. I also like having a female protagonist that doesn't get bogged down in a romantic relationship storyline which seems to be a habit in crime books with a female lead.
Kinsey has a good level of dogged determination and we were given numerous avenues of investigation to explore keeping the mystery engaging (although her missing an obvious clue which seemed totally unfathomable for her or any PI to miss drove me a little potty.). The main let down with this book though was the ending where it just seemed to go off the tracks a bit with unnecessary risk taking and crazy plot device.
The audio-book is a nice easy listen so I’ll probably continue on with Kinsey in that format.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Carpenter Road in Books
Jun 5, 2019
I first met Leighton Jones in Carpenter Road, N.M. Brown’s second book featuring this character. I have not read the previous story, The Girl on the Bus, but believe me you don’t need to for this one to make sense, as this easily reads as a standalone and is still a very good read.
When by chance Leighton comes across a prostitute kicking up a fuss about her stolen coat that had some money in, and discovers the girl who was seen last seen wearing it has now gone missing, Jones a traffic cop, decides to take it upon himself to investigate if the two are connected.
So what did I think? Detective Jones is such a caring, lovable character, I instantly found myself drawn to him.
Rochelle, the prostitute, is an unlikely sidekick who gets roped into Leighton’s investigations, and she’s also a fantastic character. I was so invested in her part of the story and the danger she’d been inadvertently thrown into. I too, hoped she’d eventually get out of the prostitution racket to achieve her goals and turn her life around, just how she had wished for.
N.M. Brown’s writing really grabbed my attention from the first page, and kept me up all night reading. I especially liked hearing from the serial killer’s point of view. He was so creepy, it really added a new dimension to the story and kept me hooked throughout.
The ending was a bit of a shock. I honestly, didn’t expect to feel a little choked up by a Bloodhound crime book! But there, I said it, N.M. Brown really took me by surprise with that twist!
This is an unputdownable, well-written crime novel that’s distinctive, compelling and memorable!
When by chance Leighton comes across a prostitute kicking up a fuss about her stolen coat that had some money in, and discovers the girl who was seen last seen wearing it has now gone missing, Jones a traffic cop, decides to take it upon himself to investigate if the two are connected.
So what did I think? Detective Jones is such a caring, lovable character, I instantly found myself drawn to him.
Rochelle, the prostitute, is an unlikely sidekick who gets roped into Leighton’s investigations, and she’s also a fantastic character. I was so invested in her part of the story and the danger she’d been inadvertently thrown into. I too, hoped she’d eventually get out of the prostitution racket to achieve her goals and turn her life around, just how she had wished for.
N.M. Brown’s writing really grabbed my attention from the first page, and kept me up all night reading. I especially liked hearing from the serial killer’s point of view. He was so creepy, it really added a new dimension to the story and kept me hooked throughout.
The ending was a bit of a shock. I honestly, didn’t expect to feel a little choked up by a Bloodhound crime book! But there, I said it, N.M. Brown really took me by surprise with that twist!
This is an unputdownable, well-written crime novel that’s distinctive, compelling and memorable!
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Starting Over by Niykee Heaton in Music
Jun 7, 2019
Niykee Heaton is a Chicago-born and South Florida-based singer-songwriter/producer. Not too long ago, she released a lovely 3-song EP, entitled, “Starting Over”.
NiyKee Heaton – “Mascara”
‘Mascara’ tells the tale of a woman who’s in a new relationship with a guy she’s feeling. She’s been hurt before and takes pride in wearing make-up because it makes her feel good about herself. Also, when they are being romantic, he’s allowed to ruin her lipstick, bed, hair, her body, but not her life and mascara.
‘Mascara’ contains a unique storyline, soft vocals, and a guitar-driven instrumentation perfumed with sentimental elements.
NiyKee Heaton – “Bad Guy”
‘Bad Guy’ tells a bitter tale of a woman who’s being blamed for something she ‘allegedly’ did. Apparently, her relationship with her significant other is on the rocks and he’s blaming her for the ugly breakup and hates her because of that. But she wears the ‘bad guy’ tag well and tells a different story of why their relationship didn’t work.
“Bad Guy” contains a relatable storyline, soft vocals, and a slow-bouncing instrumentation embedded with dark undertones.
NiyKee Heaton – “Starting Over”
‘Starting Over’ tells the tale of a woman who wants to exit her current relationship. Apparently, it’s problematic, and every time she puts some space between her and her ex, he shows up when she’s almost over him. Eventually, he convinces her for them to start all over again, which is something she doesn’t want to do anymore.
‘Starting Over’ contains a relatable storyline, melodic vocals, and a charming instrumentation oozing with sonic passion.
In conclusion, Niykee Heaton’s “Starting Over” EP is a short and sweet relationship-themed project with replay value. Also, listeners can experience different stages of a relationship, plus gain strength to start all over anew if things turn sour.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/niykee-heaton-starting-ep/
NiyKee Heaton – “Mascara”
‘Mascara’ tells the tale of a woman who’s in a new relationship with a guy she’s feeling. She’s been hurt before and takes pride in wearing make-up because it makes her feel good about herself. Also, when they are being romantic, he’s allowed to ruin her lipstick, bed, hair, her body, but not her life and mascara.
‘Mascara’ contains a unique storyline, soft vocals, and a guitar-driven instrumentation perfumed with sentimental elements.
NiyKee Heaton – “Bad Guy”
‘Bad Guy’ tells a bitter tale of a woman who’s being blamed for something she ‘allegedly’ did. Apparently, her relationship with her significant other is on the rocks and he’s blaming her for the ugly breakup and hates her because of that. But she wears the ‘bad guy’ tag well and tells a different story of why their relationship didn’t work.
“Bad Guy” contains a relatable storyline, soft vocals, and a slow-bouncing instrumentation embedded with dark undertones.
NiyKee Heaton – “Starting Over”
‘Starting Over’ tells the tale of a woman who wants to exit her current relationship. Apparently, it’s problematic, and every time she puts some space between her and her ex, he shows up when she’s almost over him. Eventually, he convinces her for them to start all over again, which is something she doesn’t want to do anymore.
‘Starting Over’ contains a relatable storyline, melodic vocals, and a charming instrumentation oozing with sonic passion.
In conclusion, Niykee Heaton’s “Starting Over” EP is a short and sweet relationship-themed project with replay value. Also, listeners can experience different stages of a relationship, plus gain strength to start all over anew if things turn sour.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/niykee-heaton-starting-ep/