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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Last Sanctuary (The Last Sanctuary, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
This review is also on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>
The Last Sanctuary is such a sweet story! I enjoyed it very much. It also has faeries in it which I'm obsessed with =D
The Last Sanctuary by P.S. Mokha is a middle grade fantasy story. It's about three twelve year old girls, (Lily, Olivia, and Rose) who have been orphaned and their adventures trying to find the Hidden Room. On the way, they learn a lot about themselves and get themselves into many dangerous predicaments as well as finding out that they're part of a prophecy "Three will arrive. One to give...One to die...One to Live."
My favourite character was Lily. I could relate a lot to her. She seemed to be the most empathetic. I like the way she's cautious about everything and worried about getting into trouble. She's also aware of everyone's feelings. Rose was great as well. She is the brains behind the group, always working out problems and finding a way out of them. She's the one with a good head on her shoulders. Olivia is the one who's always more worried about her stomach than anything else. Of this, I can relate with her. She's always wanting to eat something and is always snacking. She, to me, seems to be the more funnier one.
I thought the world building was fantastic! The school is set in London but is hidden from the outside world. It sounds ridiculous, but the author made it believable in this book. The description of London is perfect. You can definitely tell the author lived in London. The world of Amassaya was also built beautifully. It actually sounded like a place I'd love to visit. It sounds so magical as it's supposed to.
I found the pacing to be just right for a middle grade book. It's just the right pace to keep the reader interested.
The dialogue was easy to understand. However, there were a few words, and when I say few, I mean about 5 or less, that would probably be a bit difficult for middle graders to understand. Most could be understood using context clues though.
Now I have to talk about the cover - How cool does that cover look!?! I love the faery that's on fire on the cover!!! I don't want to give too much away, but the cover shows some of the main elements of the book. The title of the book also fits the plot as well.
This book left me with a magical feeling. It had perfect comic timing but knew when to be serious. This book definitely made me feel warm =)
I'd definitely recommend this book to all those that are fans of middle grade or YA fantasy.
The Last Sanctuary is such a sweet story! I enjoyed it very much. It also has faeries in it which I'm obsessed with =D
The Last Sanctuary by P.S. Mokha is a middle grade fantasy story. It's about three twelve year old girls, (Lily, Olivia, and Rose) who have been orphaned and their adventures trying to find the Hidden Room. On the way, they learn a lot about themselves and get themselves into many dangerous predicaments as well as finding out that they're part of a prophecy "Three will arrive. One to give...One to die...One to Live."
My favourite character was Lily. I could relate a lot to her. She seemed to be the most empathetic. I like the way she's cautious about everything and worried about getting into trouble. She's also aware of everyone's feelings. Rose was great as well. She is the brains behind the group, always working out problems and finding a way out of them. She's the one with a good head on her shoulders. Olivia is the one who's always more worried about her stomach than anything else. Of this, I can relate with her. She's always wanting to eat something and is always snacking. She, to me, seems to be the more funnier one.
I thought the world building was fantastic! The school is set in London but is hidden from the outside world. It sounds ridiculous, but the author made it believable in this book. The description of London is perfect. You can definitely tell the author lived in London. The world of Amassaya was also built beautifully. It actually sounded like a place I'd love to visit. It sounds so magical as it's supposed to.
I found the pacing to be just right for a middle grade book. It's just the right pace to keep the reader interested.
The dialogue was easy to understand. However, there were a few words, and when I say few, I mean about 5 or less, that would probably be a bit difficult for middle graders to understand. Most could be understood using context clues though.
Now I have to talk about the cover - How cool does that cover look!?! I love the faery that's on fire on the cover!!! I don't want to give too much away, but the cover shows some of the main elements of the book. The title of the book also fits the plot as well.
This book left me with a magical feeling. It had perfect comic timing but knew when to be serious. This book definitely made me feel warm =)
I'd definitely recommend this book to all those that are fans of middle grade or YA fantasy.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Love, Hate, and Other Filters in Books
Jun 18, 2018
This book made a big splash when it came out in January, and rightly so, as I've finally discovered for myself! Written by an Indian-American, Love, Hate, and Other Filters follows Maya Aziz, a seventeen-year-old born in America to Indian immigrant parents. She's the only Muslim girl at her school, and while she feels like she sticks out, she doesn't feel discriminated against until a terrorist attack happens in her state. She had -just- gotten most of her issues worked out before the attack, but in the aftermath of the attack, and the community's response to it, her parents clamp down on her freedom, and she struggles to get her life back.
I really loved Maya in this book; I can understand her parents' fears, but also her rebellion when they take away the freedom she values. I think my favorite character, though, was the side character Kareem. I kind of hope Ahmed writes another book and tells us his story. He was just so NICE.
I loved the writing and the characters overall, but there were a few sentences that made me pause and repeat them in my head because they were just outstanding.
"The vows are simple, the same kind of pledges I've heard at weddings of every faith. Except at the end, there is no kiss. I close in for the money shot anyway, hoping for a moment of rebellion from Ayesha and Saleem. But no. No public kissing allowed. Full stop. The no kissing is anticlimactic, but some taboos cross oceans, packed tightly into the corners of immigrant baggage, tucked away with packets of masala and memories of home."
And also, about arranged marriages and being a good Indian daughter:
"And the Muslim? The Indian? That girl, she doesn't even get the dream of the football captain. She gets a lifetime of being stopped by the FAA for random bag searches every time she flies. She gets the nice boy, the sensible boy, the one her parents approve of and who she will grow to love over years and children and necessity."
Maya is a whip-smart young girl who wants to be a film maker, and she spends most of her time behind a camera, observing. Her observations are really what make this book shine, and her snark had me laughing throughout the book.
I really loved this book, if you couldn't tell! I love minority-driven YA, and this one reminds me quite a lot of Saints and Misfits. Given how much I loved both of these, I really need to read When Dimple Met Rishi!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
I really loved Maya in this book; I can understand her parents' fears, but also her rebellion when they take away the freedom she values. I think my favorite character, though, was the side character Kareem. I kind of hope Ahmed writes another book and tells us his story. He was just so NICE.
I loved the writing and the characters overall, but there were a few sentences that made me pause and repeat them in my head because they were just outstanding.
"The vows are simple, the same kind of pledges I've heard at weddings of every faith. Except at the end, there is no kiss. I close in for the money shot anyway, hoping for a moment of rebellion from Ayesha and Saleem. But no. No public kissing allowed. Full stop. The no kissing is anticlimactic, but some taboos cross oceans, packed tightly into the corners of immigrant baggage, tucked away with packets of masala and memories of home."
And also, about arranged marriages and being a good Indian daughter:
"And the Muslim? The Indian? That girl, she doesn't even get the dream of the football captain. She gets a lifetime of being stopped by the FAA for random bag searches every time she flies. She gets the nice boy, the sensible boy, the one her parents approve of and who she will grow to love over years and children and necessity."
Maya is a whip-smart young girl who wants to be a film maker, and she spends most of her time behind a camera, observing. Her observations are really what make this book shine, and her snark had me laughing throughout the book.
I really loved this book, if you couldn't tell! I love minority-driven YA, and this one reminds me quite a lot of Saints and Misfits. Given how much I loved both of these, I really need to read When Dimple Met Rishi!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Kindle Paperwhite E-reader in Tech
Jul 14, 2018
Looks like paper (3 more)
Supports many formats
Easy to use
Great battery
Great product, decent price
If you want to read ebooks then this is the perfect device. The battery lasts weeks, the brightness is perfect, the weight is just right.
The screen makes it feel like your reading on paper and you only have to touch the screen to change the page. You have the ability to change font and size to make it easier for yourself. The lighting and screen is great allowing to read in direct sunlight and in the dark.
It supports different formats like e-pub and also gives you access to the Amazon store to download from there. You can sort all your books into collection to make everything easy to find. Your also given access to Goodreads to help you find recommendations.
The only downside for me is the lack of colour because I would have loved to be able to read comics on here but I can use my phone for that so it's not too big of a deal. They have kept the screen and specs simple to let the battery last which is important.
The device is a good size. Big enough so your not struggling to read but small enough for it to be easy to take it out with you. I wish it came in different colours except black because it does seem to scratch or get dirty easy but since then I have gotten a case.
I'd say height wise it's about the same size as my hand but a tiny bit bigger width. Screen a little smaller due to the bezzells. (I think that's the right word and hopefully right spelling)
It charges fairly quickly using a typical android charger and the price is fairly decent too.
You can get 2 types. 1 with ads and 1 without. I got the type with and I have to say it doesn't make a difference. All it does is show ads on the screen when you put it in standby. Doing this allows amazon to sell it cheaper. You can remove the ads for a payment of £10 which is the price difference between the 2 devices anyway.
At time of writing it is currently £110 in uk with ads and WiFi only. I do not see the point of 3G when all you have to do is download the books at home. Free WiFi is all over now anyways. Ad-free is £120 but like I say the ads are not distracting so I'd say go for the cheaper.
Overall I highly recommend. Only reason for it not being a 10 is the not option for comics and the lack of colours.
The screen makes it feel like your reading on paper and you only have to touch the screen to change the page. You have the ability to change font and size to make it easier for yourself. The lighting and screen is great allowing to read in direct sunlight and in the dark.
It supports different formats like e-pub and also gives you access to the Amazon store to download from there. You can sort all your books into collection to make everything easy to find. Your also given access to Goodreads to help you find recommendations.
The only downside for me is the lack of colour because I would have loved to be able to read comics on here but I can use my phone for that so it's not too big of a deal. They have kept the screen and specs simple to let the battery last which is important.
The device is a good size. Big enough so your not struggling to read but small enough for it to be easy to take it out with you. I wish it came in different colours except black because it does seem to scratch or get dirty easy but since then I have gotten a case.
I'd say height wise it's about the same size as my hand but a tiny bit bigger width. Screen a little smaller due to the bezzells. (I think that's the right word and hopefully right spelling)
It charges fairly quickly using a typical android charger and the price is fairly decent too.
You can get 2 types. 1 with ads and 1 without. I got the type with and I have to say it doesn't make a difference. All it does is show ads on the screen when you put it in standby. Doing this allows amazon to sell it cheaper. You can remove the ads for a payment of £10 which is the price difference between the 2 devices anyway.
At time of writing it is currently £110 in uk with ads and WiFi only. I do not see the point of 3G when all you have to do is download the books at home. Free WiFi is all over now anyways. Ad-free is £120 but like I say the ads are not distracting so I'd say go for the cheaper.
Overall I highly recommend. Only reason for it not being a 10 is the not option for comics and the lack of colours.
Rhys (240 KP) rated The Outsider in Books
Jun 30, 2018 (Updated Jul 7, 2018)
Contains spoilers, click to show
‘The Outsider’ is a crime/horror novel of four distinct parts. The first is the murder and investigation described in the blurb. This part is more traditionally crime novel than horror and introduces the main characters, giving them all distinct personalities and building up to the twist. Part two takes place after said twist (obviously, giving this away would destroy the enjoyment of the first part) and involves a new focus on the ‘antagonist’ of the third part: Ralph Anderson.
Part three introduces Holly, a character from the Finders Keepers books (that I have not read at this time) and continues for most of the book. This part is heavily inspired by several vampire novels and series including ‘Dracula’ and ‘The Strain’ but keeps a distinct Stephen King feeling.
(Part four is epilogue, which ties up loose ends and ensures that the characters who survive, as well as some who do not, have a happy ending.)
Previous King novels can feel forced, or full of ‘fluff’ that exists only to pad out the time between gruesome murders and intense horror. In this novel, every piece of dialogue has a purpose, whether to build on a character’s.... character... or to make the world seem more real, ground the supernatural in reality.
Despite what is said on the ‘bad’ section, this novel works well as a stand alone. Holly, the character that connects this to previous works, is written as though it will be a reader’s first encounter with her. She is built up from scratch and goes through development at the same rate as the other characters (her previous appearances are described enough that a reader will know the gist, but do not give away anything from the ‘Mr. Mercedes’ trilogy other than that Bill Hodges at some point dies.)
(For context, I am not a regular reader of King’s novels, having tried ‘It’ and ‘Insomnia’ but quickly loosing interest in both.)
Why not full marks? Around half way through the novel there is a scene that simply does not fit in with the rest of the story. The character that will eventually become King’s equivalent of Renfield from ‘Dracula’ meets the Outsider in the bathroom, with said character appropriately terrified. Why is this such an odd scene? Throughout the tense conversation (in which the Outsider’s powers are shown in full) Jack is suffering from an upset stomach (and King seems strangely obsessed with describing.) Horrible, yes, but horror it is not.
Overall, I would recommend this novel to a fan of Stephen King or to someone who wants to get into his writing.
Part three introduces Holly, a character from the Finders Keepers books (that I have not read at this time) and continues for most of the book. This part is heavily inspired by several vampire novels and series including ‘Dracula’ and ‘The Strain’ but keeps a distinct Stephen King feeling.
(Part four is epilogue, which ties up loose ends and ensures that the characters who survive, as well as some who do not, have a happy ending.)
Previous King novels can feel forced, or full of ‘fluff’ that exists only to pad out the time between gruesome murders and intense horror. In this novel, every piece of dialogue has a purpose, whether to build on a character’s.... character... or to make the world seem more real, ground the supernatural in reality.
Despite what is said on the ‘bad’ section, this novel works well as a stand alone. Holly, the character that connects this to previous works, is written as though it will be a reader’s first encounter with her. She is built up from scratch and goes through development at the same rate as the other characters (her previous appearances are described enough that a reader will know the gist, but do not give away anything from the ‘Mr. Mercedes’ trilogy other than that Bill Hodges at some point dies.)
(For context, I am not a regular reader of King’s novels, having tried ‘It’ and ‘Insomnia’ but quickly loosing interest in both.)
Why not full marks? Around half way through the novel there is a scene that simply does not fit in with the rest of the story. The character that will eventually become King’s equivalent of Renfield from ‘Dracula’ meets the Outsider in the bathroom, with said character appropriately terrified. Why is this such an odd scene? Throughout the tense conversation (in which the Outsider’s powers are shown in full) Jack is suffering from an upset stomach (and King seems strangely obsessed with describing.) Horrible, yes, but horror it is not.
Overall, I would recommend this novel to a fan of Stephen King or to someone who wants to get into his writing.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Delusions in Books
Sep 14, 2018
A must-have for all the lovers of psychological thrillers and mysteries – this is a book that will show you a twisted side of a human being so well, that you will not know what happened once you reach the end! A masterpiece of a thriller – a delight for all the murder solvers out there!
''She remembered now. The deaths. They weren't just delusions planted in her mind by others. They were real.''
This book starts in an interrogation room, where two detectives are questioning Abigale about the murders that happened - and she is the main suspect. As the interrogation happens in the present, we follow the story in the past from Abigale's point of view, from the moment she moves into the new town.
The story and plot are so well set, and the past and present are so well connected that give you clues step by step, until you reach the grand ending, and nothing is as you expected. Even though I realised what is happening around the middle of the book, I still had to keep reading to find out whether it was true in the end.
This is, for certain, the best ending of a mystery book I have read so far!
The characters - some of them - are so twisted, and so psychologically unstable and scary, that it makes you wonder. Such possessiveness and anger, and twisted mind - Amy managed to perfectly such a rare condition. ( I am trying so hard here to stay away from all the spoilers.)
''Abigale wasn't the outgoing type. She'd rather sit in her room with her nose buried in a book than socialise with anyone outside her inner circle of friends, which was small to begin with.''
I wish I could connect with Abigale's character - but I just couldn't. That was the only flaw I had with this book. I didn't care enough for her, and for what was happening to her. The side characters were amazingly portrayed though - I enjoyed reading about Julia and Mike, and Damien - what an interesting character!
''There was something about him that made her feel alive and ready for anything, but there was another part that screamed danger. She wasn't sure she liked either half.''
The ending, as I already mentioned, was the best one I have read - it was so unexpected and so amazing - I can't explain that feeling of satisfaction when all the little pieces from the puzzle throughout the book finally come together - spectacular!
If you love mystery, psychological thrillers and good book that keeps you on your toes all the time - this is the book for you. I highly recommend it!
Thank you to the author, Amy Crandall, for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
''She remembered now. The deaths. They weren't just delusions planted in her mind by others. They were real.''
This book starts in an interrogation room, where two detectives are questioning Abigale about the murders that happened - and she is the main suspect. As the interrogation happens in the present, we follow the story in the past from Abigale's point of view, from the moment she moves into the new town.
The story and plot are so well set, and the past and present are so well connected that give you clues step by step, until you reach the grand ending, and nothing is as you expected. Even though I realised what is happening around the middle of the book, I still had to keep reading to find out whether it was true in the end.
This is, for certain, the best ending of a mystery book I have read so far!
The characters - some of them - are so twisted, and so psychologically unstable and scary, that it makes you wonder. Such possessiveness and anger, and twisted mind - Amy managed to perfectly such a rare condition. ( I am trying so hard here to stay away from all the spoilers.)
''Abigale wasn't the outgoing type. She'd rather sit in her room with her nose buried in a book than socialise with anyone outside her inner circle of friends, which was small to begin with.''
I wish I could connect with Abigale's character - but I just couldn't. That was the only flaw I had with this book. I didn't care enough for her, and for what was happening to her. The side characters were amazingly portrayed though - I enjoyed reading about Julia and Mike, and Damien - what an interesting character!
''There was something about him that made her feel alive and ready for anything, but there was another part that screamed danger. She wasn't sure she liked either half.''
The ending, as I already mentioned, was the best one I have read - it was so unexpected and so amazing - I can't explain that feeling of satisfaction when all the little pieces from the puzzle throughout the book finally come together - spectacular!
If you love mystery, psychological thrillers and good book that keeps you on your toes all the time - this is the book for you. I highly recommend it!
Thank you to the author, Amy Crandall, for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated The Fifth Doll in Books
Oct 1, 2018
*3.5 stars, rounded up to 4*
I originally requested this after coming across it on Netgalley during a random browse thru the sci-fi/fantasy category. The description sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a shot. It sat on my Kindle carousel for a good while (so many books, so little time…) so it was a few days after it was released before I actually got around to starting it. I had seen The Fifth Doll mentioned in several posts and compared to Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Catherynne Valente's Deathless, two books that I love dearly. I decided to go back and check the Goodreads reviews to get an idea of the accuracy of that comparison and from there decided to read the first chapter or two to see if it hooked me like those two had. I was about 40% thru before I realized that it absolutely did have that “unputdownable” quality like the others and had to force myself to put it down and go to bed lol. After finishing it, I can say with certainty that the comparisons do indeed fit.
I have a weak spot for anything 'fairytale-esque’ and this definitely falls into that category, as it is a retelling of the origin of Russian matryoshka dolls. The mc’s name, Matrona, is a nod to this as well. This story is very well written and so imaginative. It definitely kept me guessing until close to the end when the truth about Slava, the creator of the dolls, is revealed. I liked that the Japanese nesting doll is where Slava found the inspiration to create his dolls, it's a small detail but one that ties this retelling to the real history of the matryoshka dolls.
I thought Matrona was developed pretty well but others, especially Slava, could have used a little more fleshing out. I would have also liked a little more backstory on Pavel and Oleg and the symbolism of the white horse. The writing style was solid and the pacing was just right in my opinion. The romance was subtle and didn't overshadow the main plot, which was nice for a change. The main thing I wasn't really happy with was the magic system. There's very little explanation of any of it or how it really works, only that it does. As a fan of fantasy and fairytales, I appreciate a well developed magic system as part of solid world building and that was sorely lacking here for me. Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I feel there was potential for it to be more.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.**
I originally requested this after coming across it on Netgalley during a random browse thru the sci-fi/fantasy category. The description sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a shot. It sat on my Kindle carousel for a good while (so many books, so little time…) so it was a few days after it was released before I actually got around to starting it. I had seen The Fifth Doll mentioned in several posts and compared to Naomi Novik's Uprooted and Catherynne Valente's Deathless, two books that I love dearly. I decided to go back and check the Goodreads reviews to get an idea of the accuracy of that comparison and from there decided to read the first chapter or two to see if it hooked me like those two had. I was about 40% thru before I realized that it absolutely did have that “unputdownable” quality like the others and had to force myself to put it down and go to bed lol. After finishing it, I can say with certainty that the comparisons do indeed fit.
I have a weak spot for anything 'fairytale-esque’ and this definitely falls into that category, as it is a retelling of the origin of Russian matryoshka dolls. The mc’s name, Matrona, is a nod to this as well. This story is very well written and so imaginative. It definitely kept me guessing until close to the end when the truth about Slava, the creator of the dolls, is revealed. I liked that the Japanese nesting doll is where Slava found the inspiration to create his dolls, it's a small detail but one that ties this retelling to the real history of the matryoshka dolls.
I thought Matrona was developed pretty well but others, especially Slava, could have used a little more fleshing out. I would have also liked a little more backstory on Pavel and Oleg and the symbolism of the white horse. The writing style was solid and the pacing was just right in my opinion. The romance was subtle and didn't overshadow the main plot, which was nice for a change. The main thing I wasn't really happy with was the magic system. There's very little explanation of any of it or how it really works, only that it does. As a fan of fantasy and fairytales, I appreciate a well developed magic system as part of solid world building and that was sorely lacking here for me. Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I feel there was potential for it to be more.
**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.**
Lee (2222 KP) rated A Discovery of Witches - Season 1 in TV
Nov 8, 2018 (Updated Nov 8, 2018)
Bit of a slow burn, some good potential though.
A Discovery of Witches is based on the first book of the 'All Souls Trilogy', by Deborah Harkness. We're in a world where witches, vampires and demons all live among us, carrying out normal human jobs and duties. Obviously these creatures are all aware of each other, and it becomes clear that there is a long, complex and very tense history between them all. While us humans remain blissfully unaware.
The show begins in Oxford, England with Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer), a witch working as a historian. While carrying out research in the local library she discovers a book which had long been considered missing, and mysteriously only shows itself to Diana. It's return triggers a lot of interest within the supernatural community and she finds herself attracting a lot of unwanted attention, beginning with Matthew Clairmont (Matthew Goode), a local geneticist and vampire. They eventually forge a romantic relationship and begin working together to try and solve the mysteries within the book.
My wife absolutely loves this show and looking at some of the reviews for it on IMDB I know I'm in the minority here, but I mostly found A Discovery Of Witches to be a bit dull. The whole thing is very stylishly done, highlighting Oxford as the beautiful city it is, and we also spend a lot of time in Venice, and various other exotic international locations. But it's the slow burn and the characters themselves that didn't really do it for me. The vampires are mostly moody, throwing their weight around and showing off their lightning speed and reactions along with their heightened senses. The witches are generally wise and supposedly more powerful, but rarely exhibit any more power than setting something on fire, rattling something, or making it a bit windy to the point where people get knocked off their feet. And the demons... well, the demons don't really seem to do anything at all, acting and appearing just like normal humans throughout the entire show. There's a lot of dodgy acting, and as much as I've loved Teresa Palmer in other roles prior to this, I don't really feel she's well suited here. It's all just slow burn and forbidden love. Twilight, but with grown-ups and less special effects.
It's just been granted another two seasons, so I'm definitely in the minority with my opinions. To be fair though, there have been some enjoyable moments, and I'm certainly interested in the direction the show appeared to be heading in. The finale cliffhanger definitely opened up some fun and interesting potential for next season too.
The show begins in Oxford, England with Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer), a witch working as a historian. While carrying out research in the local library she discovers a book which had long been considered missing, and mysteriously only shows itself to Diana. It's return triggers a lot of interest within the supernatural community and she finds herself attracting a lot of unwanted attention, beginning with Matthew Clairmont (Matthew Goode), a local geneticist and vampire. They eventually forge a romantic relationship and begin working together to try and solve the mysteries within the book.
My wife absolutely loves this show and looking at some of the reviews for it on IMDB I know I'm in the minority here, but I mostly found A Discovery Of Witches to be a bit dull. The whole thing is very stylishly done, highlighting Oxford as the beautiful city it is, and we also spend a lot of time in Venice, and various other exotic international locations. But it's the slow burn and the characters themselves that didn't really do it for me. The vampires are mostly moody, throwing their weight around and showing off their lightning speed and reactions along with their heightened senses. The witches are generally wise and supposedly more powerful, but rarely exhibit any more power than setting something on fire, rattling something, or making it a bit windy to the point where people get knocked off their feet. And the demons... well, the demons don't really seem to do anything at all, acting and appearing just like normal humans throughout the entire show. There's a lot of dodgy acting, and as much as I've loved Teresa Palmer in other roles prior to this, I don't really feel she's well suited here. It's all just slow burn and forbidden love. Twilight, but with grown-ups and less special effects.
It's just been granted another two seasons, so I'm definitely in the minority with my opinions. To be fair though, there have been some enjoyable moments, and I'm certainly interested in the direction the show appeared to be heading in. The finale cliffhanger definitely opened up some fun and interesting potential for next season too.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Alienated (2016) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Alienated starts as we follow married couple Nate (Katt) & Paige (Burry) as they go about their everyday lives, we see the ups and downs in their communication which every couple has. When Nate believes he sees a space craft and Paige brushes off Nate’s request to watch the video leading to a fight between the two. We see how they have to rebuild their friendship and whether Paige wants to believe Nate did really see a spacecraft.
Alienated gives us a very interesting drama that bottles down to what people want to believe when a loved one believes in something. I will admit that I was expecting more sci-fi element involved as this while very entertaining follows only the conversations between the couple. This showed how to make an ultra-interesting film between the characters giving them a natural feel throughout.
Actor Review
George Katt: Nate is an artist meaning he spends most of his time at home, he is a conspiracy theorist making him believe. He has a smaller social circle compared to his wife and once he believes he sees a spacecraft the relationship with his wife is pushed to the limits as they deal with what is real. George is great in this role as we
Jen Burry: Paige is the successful business woman who comes home everyday to her husband Nate who can easily be pushed into believing in many different conspiracies. She wants to be noticed more by her husband instead of dealing with his theories on a daily basis. Jen is great in this role showing great chemistry with George.
Taylor Negron: Griffin is the neighbour of the couple, he comes off very strange but we don’t see too much of the character. Taylor is good giving us mystery about the character.
Director Review: Brian Ackley – Brian gives us one of the most interesting story driven film of the year.
Thriller: Alienated keeps us on edge as we wait to see what is the truth throughout.
Settings: Alienated keeps the setting in the home of the couple showing how this could come off as an everyday conversation but it could also be something bigger.
Suggestion: Alienated is one to try, I do think the casual fans might find this slightly hard to enjoy but once you start you just don’t want to stop. (Try It)
Best Part: Natural feeling throughout.
Worst Part: Not everything you think it will be.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 21 Minutes
Overall: Very interesting thriller that takes away the action only to give us an engrossing story.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/02/25/alienated-2015/
Alienated gives us a very interesting drama that bottles down to what people want to believe when a loved one believes in something. I will admit that I was expecting more sci-fi element involved as this while very entertaining follows only the conversations between the couple. This showed how to make an ultra-interesting film between the characters giving them a natural feel throughout.
Actor Review
George Katt: Nate is an artist meaning he spends most of his time at home, he is a conspiracy theorist making him believe. He has a smaller social circle compared to his wife and once he believes he sees a spacecraft the relationship with his wife is pushed to the limits as they deal with what is real. George is great in this role as we
Jen Burry: Paige is the successful business woman who comes home everyday to her husband Nate who can easily be pushed into believing in many different conspiracies. She wants to be noticed more by her husband instead of dealing with his theories on a daily basis. Jen is great in this role showing great chemistry with George.
Taylor Negron: Griffin is the neighbour of the couple, he comes off very strange but we don’t see too much of the character. Taylor is good giving us mystery about the character.
Director Review: Brian Ackley – Brian gives us one of the most interesting story driven film of the year.
Thriller: Alienated keeps us on edge as we wait to see what is the truth throughout.
Settings: Alienated keeps the setting in the home of the couple showing how this could come off as an everyday conversation but it could also be something bigger.
Suggestion: Alienated is one to try, I do think the casual fans might find this slightly hard to enjoy but once you start you just don’t want to stop. (Try It)
Best Part: Natural feeling throughout.
Worst Part: Not everything you think it will be.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 21 Minutes
Overall: Very interesting thriller that takes away the action only to give us an engrossing story.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/02/25/alienated-2015/
Kayleigh (12 KP) rated The Lightning Thief in Books
Jan 2, 2019
This one has been on my ‘to-read’ list for a couple of years now, since the film came out and I saw how much enthusiasm my teenage American cousins showed for the books. I must say, I enjoyed it and I’ll be reading further in the series.
It’s probably for the best that Percy finds out about everything at the same time as the reader – I only know the basics of Greek mythology, and it kept me reading to find out why Percy (or Perseus, to use his full name) was coming so much under attack. I should probably mention that when I’m reading books on my Kindle, I have usually downloaded a lot of books at once, and then don’t bother re-reading the blurb before I start the book. It’s well paced, with a lot of action making it a book I got through quickly, although I also think it would have worked well slowed down a little.
I must say, I was struggling a little to talk about this book. While it is good, I think the characterisation could be worked on just a weeny bit more. Throughout, Percy refers to people as either friends or bullies, and, whilst he is immersed in camp and the reader is ‘just’ reading, I don’t think I was told quite enough about characters like Clarisse and Luke for them to have much of an impact in terms of how I should feel about them for Percy’s sake. Then, though I really liked that nothing romantic was introduced between 12 year-olds Percy and Annabeth, and I also liked her feistiness, I wasn’t all the way there in rooting for Annabeth either. I could even have hated Smelly Gabe (Percy’s detested stepfather) more. This may just be me, or possibly because I’ve just read The Hunger Games, which I find has so far beaten off competitors fairly well! Saying that though, I reckon this will get a lot better in the following Percy Jackson books.
I thought it was a great idea to use Greek mythology, and it was a great part of the plot to see gods using the trio as pawns to get their own way and/or create havoc. I loved the sub-plot about Medusa, and often wondered how Percy was going to get out of certain situations. I’ve just read a great <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/28756899">review</a>; that links the similarities of The Lightning Thief to Harry Potter, particularly the first book. They are definitely big similarities, and as the review author puts it, The Lightning Thief is like methadone when trying to come off Harry Potter. I thought that was an awesome way to put it, and probably accurate – Percy Jackson is a watered down version of Harry Potter!
It’s probably for the best that Percy finds out about everything at the same time as the reader – I only know the basics of Greek mythology, and it kept me reading to find out why Percy (or Perseus, to use his full name) was coming so much under attack. I should probably mention that when I’m reading books on my Kindle, I have usually downloaded a lot of books at once, and then don’t bother re-reading the blurb before I start the book. It’s well paced, with a lot of action making it a book I got through quickly, although I also think it would have worked well slowed down a little.
I must say, I was struggling a little to talk about this book. While it is good, I think the characterisation could be worked on just a weeny bit more. Throughout, Percy refers to people as either friends or bullies, and, whilst he is immersed in camp and the reader is ‘just’ reading, I don’t think I was told quite enough about characters like Clarisse and Luke for them to have much of an impact in terms of how I should feel about them for Percy’s sake. Then, though I really liked that nothing romantic was introduced between 12 year-olds Percy and Annabeth, and I also liked her feistiness, I wasn’t all the way there in rooting for Annabeth either. I could even have hated Smelly Gabe (Percy’s detested stepfather) more. This may just be me, or possibly because I’ve just read The Hunger Games, which I find has so far beaten off competitors fairly well! Saying that though, I reckon this will get a lot better in the following Percy Jackson books.
I thought it was a great idea to use Greek mythology, and it was a great part of the plot to see gods using the trio as pawns to get their own way and/or create havoc. I loved the sub-plot about Medusa, and often wondered how Percy was going to get out of certain situations. I’ve just read a great <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/28756899">review</a>; that links the similarities of The Lightning Thief to Harry Potter, particularly the first book. They are definitely big similarities, and as the review author puts it, The Lightning Thief is like methadone when trying to come off Harry Potter. I thought that was an awesome way to put it, and probably accurate – Percy Jackson is a watered down version of Harry Potter!
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Wolf Blood in Books
Jan 31, 2019
Wolf Blood is a fresh, new take on the apocalypse–free of zombies and nuclear fallout. It’s a welcome breath of fresh air in a market that’s already overly saturated with the same tropes, and for that Steve Morris deserves props. That’s not to say that there aren’t issues with Wolf Blood. There are several, actually. It does, however, mean that this is a title worth taking the time to read if you’re sick of the same washed up material.
Professor Wiseman and his three students, Samuel, Leann, and Adam, have tucked themselves away in the Carpathians after a poorly received publication foretelling of a werewolf apocalypse is met with widespread mockery and criticism. His reputation ruined, the Professor and his students continue their research in quiet solitude–until things go wrong. All three students become infected, soon returning to London to bring back the superiority of wolves.
Let’s be honest, this idea is pretty interesting and in execution, Morris does a pretty decent job. I didn’t find any outwardly obvious plot holes, and that’s a plus too. The book is fast-paced, making for an easy and quick read. It isn’t bogged down with too much exposition, either. In fact, it might not have enough in some cases. Fortunately, it doesn’t detract too much from what’s going on.
Also, characters. There are too many characters whose purpose isn’t revealed in this book. Granted it’s the first of a series and they probably have a reason to exist later on down the road, but ultimately I feel it would have been better if those characters were introduced later. Instead we end up with a handful of people we don’t care about, and not enough time to develop feelings for those we do meet.
Morris’s werewolves are an important topic of discussion too. They are somewhere in-between the romanticized version and the truly monstrous. As a fan of gore and horror, I was hoping for purely the latter–especially since it is an apocalypse book. While there is some sappiness to this crew of mangy mutts, much of their desires lean toward the more primal nature of a wolf.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this; I devoured it in just over twenty-four hours and, considering all that’s going on in my life, that’s a good thing. Rating wise, I’m stuck between three and four. Considering how much fun I had reading it, I’ve decided to lean toward the higher rating. This is definitely a fun book.
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Professor Wiseman and his three students, Samuel, Leann, and Adam, have tucked themselves away in the Carpathians after a poorly received publication foretelling of a werewolf apocalypse is met with widespread mockery and criticism. His reputation ruined, the Professor and his students continue their research in quiet solitude–until things go wrong. All three students become infected, soon returning to London to bring back the superiority of wolves.
Let’s be honest, this idea is pretty interesting and in execution, Morris does a pretty decent job. I didn’t find any outwardly obvious plot holes, and that’s a plus too. The book is fast-paced, making for an easy and quick read. It isn’t bogged down with too much exposition, either. In fact, it might not have enough in some cases. Fortunately, it doesn’t detract too much from what’s going on.
Also, characters. There are too many characters whose purpose isn’t revealed in this book. Granted it’s the first of a series and they probably have a reason to exist later on down the road, but ultimately I feel it would have been better if those characters were introduced later. Instead we end up with a handful of people we don’t care about, and not enough time to develop feelings for those we do meet.
Morris’s werewolves are an important topic of discussion too. They are somewhere in-between the romanticized version and the truly monstrous. As a fan of gore and horror, I was hoping for purely the latter–especially since it is an apocalypse book. While there is some sappiness to this crew of mangy mutts, much of their desires lean toward the more primal nature of a wolf.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this; I devoured it in just over twenty-four hours and, considering all that’s going on in my life, that’s a good thing. Rating wise, I’m stuck between three and four. Considering how much fun I had reading it, I’ve decided to lean toward the higher rating. This is definitely a fun book.
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.