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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Morbius (2022) in Movies
Apr 5, 2022
The latest Marvel offering is Morbius. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) grew up in Greece under the care of Dr.Emil Nikols (Jared Harris). In this universe, Emil is Michael’s Mentor. This story takes
bits from the comic book but it clearly isn’t canon. It is an adequate anti-hero origin story for Phase 4 which gives us the backstory of Morbius’ creation.
Morbius has a rare blood disease. As a child, he made his best friend Milo/Lucien (Matt Smith), a promise to find the cure for their shared illness. Michael, in his quest for the cure, became the youngest scientist to win the Nobel Prize from his development of artificial blood.
He works with fellow scientist Martine Bancroft (Adria Arjona) who becomes his love interest.
Morbius has been working on vampire bats and the abilities within their blood. Once the formula has stabilized, he begins human trials on himself. In doing so, the serum that he has developed transforms him into a vampire that needs human blood to sustain his existence.
The film seems to have dropped the trail to lead the audience to logical conclusions. There are questions that need to be answered which would help flesh out the actions of the characters.
Why the serum, if the reason is to create a cure, why did the bat and human combination mutate instead of the blood changing?
There are points throughout the film that feel like critical explanatory lines were edited out.
Some scenes had witty banter between Michael and Milo. It would have been good to see Morbius enjoy his transformation from his weak, ill state to the Vampire.
The film was good. It definitely could have been better with more information. I wanted to understand motivation by the actors indicating motive or have red herrings thrown through the film.
The best parts for me were the moments where he stumbled upon his new abilities. He observes them like the scientist he is and takes it as data, in order to understand the changes.
The CGI was muddy, in trying to show movement as quick. What it looked like was trying to
convey speed, but in doing so, ended up having what showed up as squiggly lines instead.
I liked it, but didn’t love it mainly for what it seemed to lack, continuity. I think for an origin film, the character needs to be brought out as clean as possible in order to develop solid character traits.
If you go see the movie, there are two end credit scenes. There are a couple situations that you go see the movie, there are two end credit scenes. There are a couple situations that lead into the Multiverse of Magic. I am definitely looking forward to that film.
3 stars out of 5
bits from the comic book but it clearly isn’t canon. It is an adequate anti-hero origin story for Phase 4 which gives us the backstory of Morbius’ creation.
Morbius has a rare blood disease. As a child, he made his best friend Milo/Lucien (Matt Smith), a promise to find the cure for their shared illness. Michael, in his quest for the cure, became the youngest scientist to win the Nobel Prize from his development of artificial blood.
He works with fellow scientist Martine Bancroft (Adria Arjona) who becomes his love interest.
Morbius has been working on vampire bats and the abilities within their blood. Once the formula has stabilized, he begins human trials on himself. In doing so, the serum that he has developed transforms him into a vampire that needs human blood to sustain his existence.
The film seems to have dropped the trail to lead the audience to logical conclusions. There are questions that need to be answered which would help flesh out the actions of the characters.
Why the serum, if the reason is to create a cure, why did the bat and human combination mutate instead of the blood changing?
There are points throughout the film that feel like critical explanatory lines were edited out.
Some scenes had witty banter between Michael and Milo. It would have been good to see Morbius enjoy his transformation from his weak, ill state to the Vampire.
The film was good. It definitely could have been better with more information. I wanted to understand motivation by the actors indicating motive or have red herrings thrown through the film.
The best parts for me were the moments where he stumbled upon his new abilities. He observes them like the scientist he is and takes it as data, in order to understand the changes.
The CGI was muddy, in trying to show movement as quick. What it looked like was trying to
convey speed, but in doing so, ended up having what showed up as squiggly lines instead.
I liked it, but didn’t love it mainly for what it seemed to lack, continuity. I think for an origin film, the character needs to be brought out as clean as possible in order to develop solid character traits.
If you go see the movie, there are two end credit scenes. There are a couple situations that you go see the movie, there are two end credit scenes. There are a couple situations that lead into the Multiverse of Magic. I am definitely looking forward to that film.
3 stars out of 5
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated The Mandalorian in TV
Jan 22, 2021 (Updated Jan 22, 2021)
Being a child of Star Wars, born in ’73, whose first memory of a cinema was A New Hope in ’77, of course the entire franchise is still close to my heart. I am no superfan, however. I do not need to remember every name of every character, or know the obscure names of planets to enjoy it. I remember that deeply competitive nature back in the playground – how important it was to prove Star Wars was yours by knowing more than any other kid! Fortunately I managed to let that go shortly after The Return of the Jedi. Ok, maybe 1995.
The Mandalorian is definitely for all Star Wars fans, but it is mostly for the kids that never grew up and need those details of “the canonical Star Wars” universe in their lives. And there are plenty of them. It is a geek’s wet dream! With chat rooms and fan sites going wild in debate and argument over the smallest of Easter eggs and hints to connections across the medium. As if this is a lost historical document that sheds light on the truth of many characters and events, that until now were shrouded in darkness and speculation only.
I find that phenomenon weird and a little creepy, but I do appreciate where it comes from. For me, I am merely glad it isn’t crap. It is nice to be in the Star Wars universe without holding your face in your hands for shame of lazy storytelling and moments that shit on the spirit of the original trilogy. The first thing that pleased me about The Mandolorian is how close it is in feel to the old school trilogy. In fact it surprised me, because, despite the very modern effects and full budget of Disney behind it, it feels very old fashioned, like a TV show from around 1986, maybe. And I wonder how they have achieved that every time I watch it. It has an intangible magic about it.
In fact, the feel of the show as a whole is often a little cheap, shockingly – the posters and toys and all associated media is as glossy and crisp as all money can afford, creating an image of the show that isn’t actually what the show is. In reality it is a cross between old spaghetti westerns, with The Mandalorian cast as The Man With No Name, and episodes of The A-Team or Knightrider. I kinda like it; very nostalgic, and a smart move by Jon Favreau and the other show-runners. It appeals to middle aged audiences and new alike, because it is a knowing hybrid of all things cool and nerdy!
Design-wise, the look of The Mandalorian himself is perfect fan bait and very cool. The music goes a long way to drawing you in – Ludwig Göransson, known for his work on Black Panther and Tenet, has hit on a career defining theme that blends Clint Eastwood and Star Wars in perfect harmony. I can’t imagine the show working half as well without that theme music! The spaceships and detail of every alien and weapon and costume is meticulous (if at times a little wobbly or cheap looking), and the wider feel of background and tertiary characters is pretty damn good.
But, let’s face it… The Mandalorian is the success it has been predominantly for one reason. I could give him his real name, but if you haven’t finished it yet that would count as a huge spoiler, so I will refer to him as The Child. The temptation to use the phrase Baby Yoda is hard to resist, and has been a cultural phenomenon that only comes along once or twice in a decade, but on this I agree with the fans: it is inaccurate and misleading. The Child is fine. It’ll do until you learn his true moniker.
In season one, where the build up of story, character and mystery is superb, we see very little of The Child at first. But we cannot take our eyes off him for every second he is on screen. The whole concept is so beyond cute and incredibly strong as a hook for a Star Wars story it is almost impossible not to squeal out loud at everything he does. Who is he? Why is he? What is he capable of? How will he fit in to the longterm idea for the story? So exciting, and total genius to keep everyone watching.
It isn’t all about The Child on his own though. It is about the unlikely symbiotic bond, like father and son, that develops between the tiny, vulnerable and childlike focal point, and the increasingly confident and loyal antihero, who will stop at nothing to protect his ward, as he struggles to find his own place in the universe. After a very short time, we care more about this relationship than 90% of all romances in all of TV history.
Through danger, mayhem and a touch of comedy, we grow to adore the two of them together, and can’t bear to think of them being apart. Some trick when you realise The Child is as much a mini-muppet style prosthetic as it is added CGI for expression and detail. Perhaps another callback to our 80s sensibilities, when we accepted ETs and Gremlins and all of the residents of Mos Eisley’s cantina as real without hesitation. It doesn’t have to look real, is the point, as long as it fits the story, is cool and is fun! Which The Child totally is – for entertainment value they have got the tone of the show so right.
What doesn’t hold up that strongly to critical scrutiny though is quite a lot of the scripts, the repetitive nature of the context of many episodes and missions the duo find themselves on, the mismatch quality of the guest directors abilities, and quite a lot of the dodgy acting by supporting characters. It’s as if at some production meeting at one early point they all said, look it’s Star Wars, we make the aliens and the spaceships and the weapons look good and we can’t fail… plus we have The Child and Boba Fett’s (yes, I know) armour, we can’t fail!
The basic storyline is enough to hook it on, just about, it is the detail that sometimes feels weak and lazy. But don’t worry, any minute something cool to look at and a big fight will happen, so we’re all good! I’m sure Pedro Pascal (the actor under the armour) can’t believe his luck! He is one of the biggest stars in TV all of a sudden, for basically doing a fairly monotone voice-over performance of some seriously dodgy dialogue. That is the magic of Star Wars.
So, I came to season one late, having no access at that time to Disney plus. In fact, I watched all of season one in a day the day before the launch of season two, so the switch to a new episode to look forward to suited me well. It gave me something to look forward to on a Friday between Halloween and Christmas. Trouble was that, although still having fun with the exploits of The Kid, I was starting to weary of the plotlines, and put my viewing on hold after S2E4 in favour of the far superior scripting of His Dark Materials on BBC.
I must have needed the hiatus, because when I came back to mop it up and finish season two a few days ago I realised that I had in fact missed it. It also helped that episode 5 onwards is when the season gets really good again. Rosario Dawson as Ashoka Tano (known well by fans of The Clone Wars) was a truly great addition that the show much needed by that point.
I had no trouble after that in bingeing to the end. You could feel a climax and a revelation coming, and although the character of Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) crumbled disappointly away into nothing much, the last 15 minutes of the final episode had me slack jawed in fan wonderment. I felt 9 years old again, and I loved it! I had been amazingly lucky not to stumble upon spoilers, I guess. Amazing ending, and all faults forgiven for that unforgettable moment and feel. Wonderful stuff!
To say any more, again, is to spoil. So, let’s just talk about it privately, or, you know, in about a year when season 3 is over and it is old news. Hmmm, season 3…? I wonder where they will take that now…? Actually, properly exciting, in a back in the playground kind of way.
The Mandalorian is definitely for all Star Wars fans, but it is mostly for the kids that never grew up and need those details of “the canonical Star Wars” universe in their lives. And there are plenty of them. It is a geek’s wet dream! With chat rooms and fan sites going wild in debate and argument over the smallest of Easter eggs and hints to connections across the medium. As if this is a lost historical document that sheds light on the truth of many characters and events, that until now were shrouded in darkness and speculation only.
I find that phenomenon weird and a little creepy, but I do appreciate where it comes from. For me, I am merely glad it isn’t crap. It is nice to be in the Star Wars universe without holding your face in your hands for shame of lazy storytelling and moments that shit on the spirit of the original trilogy. The first thing that pleased me about The Mandolorian is how close it is in feel to the old school trilogy. In fact it surprised me, because, despite the very modern effects and full budget of Disney behind it, it feels very old fashioned, like a TV show from around 1986, maybe. And I wonder how they have achieved that every time I watch it. It has an intangible magic about it.
In fact, the feel of the show as a whole is often a little cheap, shockingly – the posters and toys and all associated media is as glossy and crisp as all money can afford, creating an image of the show that isn’t actually what the show is. In reality it is a cross between old spaghetti westerns, with The Mandalorian cast as The Man With No Name, and episodes of The A-Team or Knightrider. I kinda like it; very nostalgic, and a smart move by Jon Favreau and the other show-runners. It appeals to middle aged audiences and new alike, because it is a knowing hybrid of all things cool and nerdy!
Design-wise, the look of The Mandalorian himself is perfect fan bait and very cool. The music goes a long way to drawing you in – Ludwig Göransson, known for his work on Black Panther and Tenet, has hit on a career defining theme that blends Clint Eastwood and Star Wars in perfect harmony. I can’t imagine the show working half as well without that theme music! The spaceships and detail of every alien and weapon and costume is meticulous (if at times a little wobbly or cheap looking), and the wider feel of background and tertiary characters is pretty damn good.
But, let’s face it… The Mandalorian is the success it has been predominantly for one reason. I could give him his real name, but if you haven’t finished it yet that would count as a huge spoiler, so I will refer to him as The Child. The temptation to use the phrase Baby Yoda is hard to resist, and has been a cultural phenomenon that only comes along once or twice in a decade, but on this I agree with the fans: it is inaccurate and misleading. The Child is fine. It’ll do until you learn his true moniker.
In season one, where the build up of story, character and mystery is superb, we see very little of The Child at first. But we cannot take our eyes off him for every second he is on screen. The whole concept is so beyond cute and incredibly strong as a hook for a Star Wars story it is almost impossible not to squeal out loud at everything he does. Who is he? Why is he? What is he capable of? How will he fit in to the longterm idea for the story? So exciting, and total genius to keep everyone watching.
It isn’t all about The Child on his own though. It is about the unlikely symbiotic bond, like father and son, that develops between the tiny, vulnerable and childlike focal point, and the increasingly confident and loyal antihero, who will stop at nothing to protect his ward, as he struggles to find his own place in the universe. After a very short time, we care more about this relationship than 90% of all romances in all of TV history.
Through danger, mayhem and a touch of comedy, we grow to adore the two of them together, and can’t bear to think of them being apart. Some trick when you realise The Child is as much a mini-muppet style prosthetic as it is added CGI for expression and detail. Perhaps another callback to our 80s sensibilities, when we accepted ETs and Gremlins and all of the residents of Mos Eisley’s cantina as real without hesitation. It doesn’t have to look real, is the point, as long as it fits the story, is cool and is fun! Which The Child totally is – for entertainment value they have got the tone of the show so right.
What doesn’t hold up that strongly to critical scrutiny though is quite a lot of the scripts, the repetitive nature of the context of many episodes and missions the duo find themselves on, the mismatch quality of the guest directors abilities, and quite a lot of the dodgy acting by supporting characters. It’s as if at some production meeting at one early point they all said, look it’s Star Wars, we make the aliens and the spaceships and the weapons look good and we can’t fail… plus we have The Child and Boba Fett’s (yes, I know) armour, we can’t fail!
The basic storyline is enough to hook it on, just about, it is the detail that sometimes feels weak and lazy. But don’t worry, any minute something cool to look at and a big fight will happen, so we’re all good! I’m sure Pedro Pascal (the actor under the armour) can’t believe his luck! He is one of the biggest stars in TV all of a sudden, for basically doing a fairly monotone voice-over performance of some seriously dodgy dialogue. That is the magic of Star Wars.
So, I came to season one late, having no access at that time to Disney plus. In fact, I watched all of season one in a day the day before the launch of season two, so the switch to a new episode to look forward to suited me well. It gave me something to look forward to on a Friday between Halloween and Christmas. Trouble was that, although still having fun with the exploits of The Kid, I was starting to weary of the plotlines, and put my viewing on hold after S2E4 in favour of the far superior scripting of His Dark Materials on BBC.
I must have needed the hiatus, because when I came back to mop it up and finish season two a few days ago I realised that I had in fact missed it. It also helped that episode 5 onwards is when the season gets really good again. Rosario Dawson as Ashoka Tano (known well by fans of The Clone Wars) was a truly great addition that the show much needed by that point.
I had no trouble after that in bingeing to the end. You could feel a climax and a revelation coming, and although the character of Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) crumbled disappointly away into nothing much, the last 15 minutes of the final episode had me slack jawed in fan wonderment. I felt 9 years old again, and I loved it! I had been amazingly lucky not to stumble upon spoilers, I guess. Amazing ending, and all faults forgiven for that unforgettable moment and feel. Wonderful stuff!
To say any more, again, is to spoil. So, let’s just talk about it privately, or, you know, in about a year when season 3 is over and it is old news. Hmmm, season 3…? I wonder where they will take that now…? Actually, properly exciting, in a back in the playground kind of way.
Luke (12 KP) rated Ghostbusters (1984) in Movies
Oct 3, 2017
Great comedic writing from Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd (4 more)
Imaginative ghost designs
Great chemistry between the stars
That iconic theme song from Ray Parker Jr.
Mostly everything is explained through science
Some special effects haven't aged all that well (2 more)
Some younger viewers may be frightened by some imagery- parental discretion is advised
Some sexual references.
Ghostbusters is a comedy horror film from 1984 directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis who also star in the film. The film follows three ex-university professors as they go into business to catch ghosts. This was Ghost Hunters before it was cool. One of their first clients, Dana Barrett played by Sigourney Weaver, hires Dr. Peter Venkman, played by Bill Murray, to investigate a haunting in her apartment. The chemistry between Murray and Weaver here is great. Murray is clearly a womanizer and wants nothing more than to go out with Weaver. Weaver plays hard to get of course. The monster designs are very imaginative for the time, some of them being a little bit creepy. When the movie uses practical effects, it looks really good. But when it instead goes for other special effects, it really breaks the illusion that these monsters are real. You can really see it with the demon dogs if you know what to look for. There is one scene in which Dana Barrett is possessed by the demon known as Zuul where she tries to seduce Peter Venkman, but it never goes anywhere. There's another scene where a demon hand comes out of a lounge chair that Dana is sitting in. And it literally cops a feel. No joke. Go watch that scene. It really looks like Dana is getting molested there. I don't know why that is in there but there it is. Be warned. Some scenes may frighten younger children. Parents be advised. But nonetheless, Ghostbusters is still a classic to watch during Halloween. Cause I ain't afraid of no ghost.
Rosealinea (589 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) in Movies
Jan 3, 2018
Plenty of comedy aspects. (1 more)
It will leave you feeling on edge.
Throughly enjoyable movie.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I went to see this movie with some of our family for our yearly cinema get together. I have to say, I was extremely impressed with the film. I admit, I was a little nervous as I have heard quite a lot of bad things about it, but surprise surprise, it was actually pretty good!
Plenty of the usual action packed scenes, although some of them did feel you leave you feeling a bit dizzy. It was nice to see the characters again and there is plenty of comedy aspects as well, such as the little penguin trying to growl like chewbacca and also a few comedy comments that are made.
One of the things that was mentioned about the film was about the poor CGI, I would have to disagree with that, as I felt that it did go with the film, the little penguins and also the sparkley frozen foxes where incredible and to me, it felt like it added a little something to it. I must say that I am not a fan of the CGI, however, when it is done well, I can appreciate it and this is the case in this film.
The only bad point I would say is that Chewbacca seems to have become very slim and not as heavily built as he has been in the past, I think that this is a let down as it makes him look a bit odd, out of proportion. I'm not sure though that it might just be me, but he didn't look right.
Throught the film, it leaves you feeling on edge, some of the scenes such as when Rey and Kylo are fighting, leave you gasping. Is there still a chance that he will not go over fully to the Darkside...we will see.
Id definitely recommend this film. It's incredible and I look forward to the next installment.
Plenty of the usual action packed scenes, although some of them did feel you leave you feeling a bit dizzy. It was nice to see the characters again and there is plenty of comedy aspects as well, such as the little penguin trying to growl like chewbacca and also a few comedy comments that are made.
One of the things that was mentioned about the film was about the poor CGI, I would have to disagree with that, as I felt that it did go with the film, the little penguins and also the sparkley frozen foxes where incredible and to me, it felt like it added a little something to it. I must say that I am not a fan of the CGI, however, when it is done well, I can appreciate it and this is the case in this film.
The only bad point I would say is that Chewbacca seems to have become very slim and not as heavily built as he has been in the past, I think that this is a let down as it makes him look a bit odd, out of proportion. I'm not sure though that it might just be me, but he didn't look right.
Throught the film, it leaves you feeling on edge, some of the scenes such as when Rey and Kylo are fighting, leave you gasping. Is there still a chance that he will not go over fully to the Darkside...we will see.
Id definitely recommend this film. It's incredible and I look forward to the next installment.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Mork And Mindy in TV
Apr 20, 2017
Classic Comedy (2 more)
Feel Good show
Life Lessons
Na-nu Na-nu
Now here's a show that not many people know, especially someone of my age because it's a show that's been off the air for 3 decades. However if you are a fan of the late great Robin Williams, this show is a must see.
The show is actually a spin off, after the character of Mork appeared in an episode of Happy Days. After the then unknown Robin Williams became so popular in his role that the producers decided to give him his own show.
One great thing about Mork and Mindy is that we learn life lessons through Mork learning about human life. With lessons about lying to people, talking to strangers, and the importance of laws etc. It's packed to the brim with humour both scripted by the writers, and some improvised by the brilliantly entertaining Robin Williams which made him really popular with the audience.
Mork from Ork, gets himself into all kinds of trouble on the show and the show is filled with memorable words and phrases such as "Na-Nu Na-Nu" which, from how it's used in the show, is used as "Hello" and "Goodbye". There's also "Shazbot" which seems to be a curse word, meaning something along the lines of "Damn".
Some of the special effects of the show are, to this day and age, very bad. However some of the effects are brilliant and practical including the moving furniture when Mork uses his 'alien abilities'.
One of my favourite aspects of the show is seeing the other cast members trying not to laugh too much at Robin Williams' performance especially when he improvises.
At the end of each episode, Mork must report back to his world leader Orson (voiced by Ralph James) and tell him about what he's learned on Earth.
The show ran for 4 seasons and remains as one of the funniest shows I have seen.
The show is actually a spin off, after the character of Mork appeared in an episode of Happy Days. After the then unknown Robin Williams became so popular in his role that the producers decided to give him his own show.
One great thing about Mork and Mindy is that we learn life lessons through Mork learning about human life. With lessons about lying to people, talking to strangers, and the importance of laws etc. It's packed to the brim with humour both scripted by the writers, and some improvised by the brilliantly entertaining Robin Williams which made him really popular with the audience.
Mork from Ork, gets himself into all kinds of trouble on the show and the show is filled with memorable words and phrases such as "Na-Nu Na-Nu" which, from how it's used in the show, is used as "Hello" and "Goodbye". There's also "Shazbot" which seems to be a curse word, meaning something along the lines of "Damn".
Some of the special effects of the show are, to this day and age, very bad. However some of the effects are brilliant and practical including the moving furniture when Mork uses his 'alien abilities'.
One of my favourite aspects of the show is seeing the other cast members trying not to laugh too much at Robin Williams' performance especially when he improvises.
At the end of each episode, Mork must report back to his world leader Orson (voiced by Ralph James) and tell him about what he's learned on Earth.
The show ran for 4 seasons and remains as one of the funniest shows I have seen.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Triangles in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The thing about Ellen Hopkins is she writes about the stuff that everyone knows happens, but nobody is willing to admit to. She gives emotion and reason to why people make the choices we do, and what they feel like in the middle of a messy hurtful situation. She is the opposite of happyland syndrome. She tells it how it is.
I had read a little bit of Hopkins's work before: I started Crank (When I say started I mean read the first few pages) and loved it, but I was busy and never got the chance to get into it. But I got an ARC of Triangles, so I sat down and read it—and after one page I was hooked.
If you've been reading my blog at all, you know I'm not a person who likes stories about love gone wrong and marriages failing and extramarital sex etc. because I'm a Christian, and a romantic, and a softie (read 'wimp'). But I went ahead and dove into this book, because I knew Hopkins is a good writer.
It surpassed my expectations. I should have expected her to be this awesome, since obviously she's pretty famous and everyone else figured it out before I did, but I really am blown away, not only by her blunt yet graceful storytelling, but by her nerve to tackle the stories nobody wants to tell: a dying child, a gay son, a pregnant teen, sexual disease, threesomes, a woman sleeping with her best friend's husband… it's all in here. Yet, it's not plot overkill. She made it work. Somehow.
Though, be warned. Since she does say it like it is, this book is not for the easily offended. But if you're willing to look past the content, there's a gem waiting for you about forgiveness, hope, and what love really means.
Content/recommendation: explicit sexual content, swearing. Ages 18+
I had read a little bit of Hopkins's work before: I started Crank (When I say started I mean read the first few pages) and loved it, but I was busy and never got the chance to get into it. But I got an ARC of Triangles, so I sat down and read it—and after one page I was hooked.
If you've been reading my blog at all, you know I'm not a person who likes stories about love gone wrong and marriages failing and extramarital sex etc. because I'm a Christian, and a romantic, and a softie (read 'wimp'). But I went ahead and dove into this book, because I knew Hopkins is a good writer.
It surpassed my expectations. I should have expected her to be this awesome, since obviously she's pretty famous and everyone else figured it out before I did, but I really am blown away, not only by her blunt yet graceful storytelling, but by her nerve to tackle the stories nobody wants to tell: a dying child, a gay son, a pregnant teen, sexual disease, threesomes, a woman sleeping with her best friend's husband… it's all in here. Yet, it's not plot overkill. She made it work. Somehow.
Though, be warned. Since she does say it like it is, this book is not for the easily offended. But if you're willing to look past the content, there's a gem waiting for you about forgiveness, hope, and what love really means.
Content/recommendation: explicit sexual content, swearing. Ages 18+
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Musical Chairs in Books
Apr 27, 2018
This is probably one of the best books I’ve read in a while. It brought reality down to earth, and reminded me how blessed and safe and sheltered I am.
Jen’s story is not something that can really be summed up in a quick explanation, it is something that needs to be seen in the whole. Her story was absolutely addicting in a sad, scary, painful way, and it gave me a whole new respect for recovered alcoholics, ex-smokers, and those who have been through other awful situations like Jen has, such as rape, strip dancers, the homeless, and those shuffling from one job to another.
I rate it high for writing and prose (it’s always nice to read a novel by someone who knows how to write!), Jen told her story clearly and well. Obviously as it is a memoir I'm not going to say anything about the plot ;) however the pacing of the book was very good—i didn’t feel any dragging at all, at the same time it wasn’t too fast either. I would have given it five stars but it was a bit depressing at times, and sometimes I had to stop and take a break and read something sappy and lighthearted. (but that’s probably just me.)
The end of the story, where Jen’s life is turned around and she starts really living, is beautiful. I felt proud of her. I grew very connected to the people in her story, to the point that it almost felt that I knew them personally.
this book is not for people who want a light quick read—it’s the opposite. Musical Chairs is not a book to read if you’re trying to lift your spirits, but it’s not extremely depressing either. It makes you think, it makes you grateful, and it gives you hope.
Recommendation: Ages 16+ (for language and some sexual content.)
**Thank you to Jen for providing my review copy**
More reviews at <a href="http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com">; my blog </a>
Jen’s story is not something that can really be summed up in a quick explanation, it is something that needs to be seen in the whole. Her story was absolutely addicting in a sad, scary, painful way, and it gave me a whole new respect for recovered alcoholics, ex-smokers, and those who have been through other awful situations like Jen has, such as rape, strip dancers, the homeless, and those shuffling from one job to another.
I rate it high for writing and prose (it’s always nice to read a novel by someone who knows how to write!), Jen told her story clearly and well. Obviously as it is a memoir I'm not going to say anything about the plot ;) however the pacing of the book was very good—i didn’t feel any dragging at all, at the same time it wasn’t too fast either. I would have given it five stars but it was a bit depressing at times, and sometimes I had to stop and take a break and read something sappy and lighthearted. (but that’s probably just me.)
The end of the story, where Jen’s life is turned around and she starts really living, is beautiful. I felt proud of her. I grew very connected to the people in her story, to the point that it almost felt that I knew them personally.
this book is not for people who want a light quick read—it’s the opposite. Musical Chairs is not a book to read if you’re trying to lift your spirits, but it’s not extremely depressing either. It makes you think, it makes you grateful, and it gives you hope.
Recommendation: Ages 16+ (for language and some sexual content.)
**Thank you to Jen for providing my review copy**
More reviews at <a href="http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com">; my blog </a>
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated King's Cage in Books
May 16, 2018
The third installment in Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series, King’s Cage, is probably my favorite so far. Once again, Aveyard proves she is more focused on telling a story than describing a romance – something my readers know I really like. Especially when it comes to young adult fantasy. In fact, I feel labeling this series as “romance” is a stretch – especially given how little Aveyard focuses on actual material meant to draw in readers of that genre.
King’s Cage begins where Glass Sword left off: Mare’s deal with Maven. While she spends her time in prison, we finally get to learn more about other characters in the story – namely Cameron and (later) Evangeline. Though the latter takes place more toward when the action begins to kick up. Naturally, the story is more focused on Mare even from these perspectives, but it provides a refreshing look at the rebellion.
Surprisingly, there are several turns in King’s Cage that caught me entirely off guard. This is a good thing: I hate when books and stories become predictable. I won’t divulge more than that, for fear of spoilers, but I will say this: so far, this book is my favorite in the series and though I am so angry at the ending I could burn it, part of me wants to open it back up to page one and start again. I don’t imagine the library will like it much if I burn their book.
Until the fourth book hits shelves, I guess I’ll have to satisfy my hunger for more by reading the two novellas that Aveyard wrote for her post-apocalypse universe. Oh, and as a side note? This is the first one I read physically so I finally got to see a map of the lands. As I suspected, it takes place in the ruins of what was once the United States.
King’s Cage begins where Glass Sword left off: Mare’s deal with Maven. While she spends her time in prison, we finally get to learn more about other characters in the story – namely Cameron and (later) Evangeline. Though the latter takes place more toward when the action begins to kick up. Naturally, the story is more focused on Mare even from these perspectives, but it provides a refreshing look at the rebellion.
Surprisingly, there are several turns in King’s Cage that caught me entirely off guard. This is a good thing: I hate when books and stories become predictable. I won’t divulge more than that, for fear of spoilers, but I will say this: so far, this book is my favorite in the series and though I am so angry at the ending I could burn it, part of me wants to open it back up to page one and start again. I don’t imagine the library will like it much if I burn their book.
Until the fourth book hits shelves, I guess I’ll have to satisfy my hunger for more by reading the two novellas that Aveyard wrote for her post-apocalypse universe. Oh, and as a side note? This is the first one I read physically so I finally got to see a map of the lands. As I suspected, it takes place in the ruins of what was once the United States.
Sarah (126 KP) rated Shores of the Marrow (The Haunted #6) in Books
Feb 18, 2019
A Rushed Ending to a Rushed Series
The author's note at the end of this book mentions "six books and one year" - which I think lends real credence to the fact that, as I was reading through Shores of the Marrow, it felt as if the whole series, but this book in particular, had been rushed.
Whether it was the author's or the publisher's decision to put out six books in such a short period of time, I don't think it was necessarily a good one. A lot more work was needed to "polish" the books, in terms of picking up errors (e.g. waddle used in place of wattle), and, personally, I think there were too many characters brought in, with a lot of focus placed on them for a time, for them to just be cast aside and forgotten about, or for there to be fleeting references made to them in later books. Similarly, main characters have big chunks of backstory missing that leaves them feeling quite unrounded, given that there have been six books (to date) in the series.
I really do think that this would have been better served as a more focussed storyline in fewer books, which would have been a meatier tale to get stuck into, with really well-defined and explored characters. As it is, I was left feeling like so much of the story was kind of "frothy" and lacked a certain depth - it never really drew me in and made me feel anything, which was quite a disappointment for me.
It's also something of a disappointment to come to the end of the book, without any real conclusion, find a link to a pre-order for the next book in the series and there be no such page when the link is clicked! Whether I'll come back to the series if and when Book 7 is released is, in all honesty, looking somewhat doubtful
Whether it was the author's or the publisher's decision to put out six books in such a short period of time, I don't think it was necessarily a good one. A lot more work was needed to "polish" the books, in terms of picking up errors (e.g. waddle used in place of wattle), and, personally, I think there were too many characters brought in, with a lot of focus placed on them for a time, for them to just be cast aside and forgotten about, or for there to be fleeting references made to them in later books. Similarly, main characters have big chunks of backstory missing that leaves them feeling quite unrounded, given that there have been six books (to date) in the series.
I really do think that this would have been better served as a more focussed storyline in fewer books, which would have been a meatier tale to get stuck into, with really well-defined and explored characters. As it is, I was left feeling like so much of the story was kind of "frothy" and lacked a certain depth - it never really drew me in and made me feel anything, which was quite a disappointment for me.
It's also something of a disappointment to come to the end of the book, without any real conclusion, find a link to a pre-order for the next book in the series and there be no such page when the link is clicked! Whether I'll come back to the series if and when Book 7 is released is, in all honesty, looking somewhat doubtful
ClareR (5950 KP) rated A Spark Of Light in Books
Feb 21, 2019
A thought-provoking, emotional novel
My first Jodi Picoult book, and what a way to start. This has had some extreme reviews - people who really enjoyed it, and others who hated it and considered it to be too 'preachy'. I didn't feel that way about it. I felt that it gave a measured representation to all sides of abortion: pro-choice and anti-abortion/ pro-life.
It showed that those who have abortions don't see it as a lifestyle choice, but as a last resort. That those who are pro-life believe that they are fighting for what they strongly believe in. And both of those views are valid. There will always be people who will not have abortions for religious reasons, and there will be those who have abortions because they believe it's the only option open to them - and this is well described in this book.
We also see the desperation of fathers who will do anything to protect their daughters - whether it's taking hostages in an abortion clinic, or trying to talk that same man down.
This book hasn't changed my stance on the subject, but I can see that both sides of the story have people who believe that they are right in what they do (even if that means killing people to save a life not yet begun) and Picoult represents them both well. The Authors Note at the end of the book is really interesting as well, and I would urge the reader to read this part. It goes in to her research, the people she talked to: she spoke to a lot of people, watched abortions and made sure that she spoke to those who represented all sides of the story.
I can see why Jodi Picoult has so many fans, her writing is so good - this is well worth reading and is very thought provoking.
Many thanks to Smashbomb for providing me with a copy of this book in their giveaway competition. It was a prize well worth winning!!
It showed that those who have abortions don't see it as a lifestyle choice, but as a last resort. That those who are pro-life believe that they are fighting for what they strongly believe in. And both of those views are valid. There will always be people who will not have abortions for religious reasons, and there will be those who have abortions because they believe it's the only option open to them - and this is well described in this book.
We also see the desperation of fathers who will do anything to protect their daughters - whether it's taking hostages in an abortion clinic, or trying to talk that same man down.
This book hasn't changed my stance on the subject, but I can see that both sides of the story have people who believe that they are right in what they do (even if that means killing people to save a life not yet begun) and Picoult represents them both well. The Authors Note at the end of the book is really interesting as well, and I would urge the reader to read this part. It goes in to her research, the people she talked to: she spoke to a lot of people, watched abortions and made sure that she spoke to those who represented all sides of the story.
I can see why Jodi Picoult has so many fans, her writing is so good - this is well worth reading and is very thought provoking.
Many thanks to Smashbomb for providing me with a copy of this book in their giveaway competition. It was a prize well worth winning!!