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Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Homunculus and the Cat in Books
Jun 24, 2019
First of all, I'd like to say thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. I've got tons of books from the site, ready to review. Can't wait!
So I've been reading this book for quite some time now, and honestly I nearly gave up on it a few times. But for the sake of the review, I managed to keep on at it until the end.
What I managed to gather from this book is that it takes place in a whole different universe, where myths and gods are real. Winged cats with nine lives, flying carpets, even homunculi. The main characters include the Ennedi Ankh' Si, a flying cat, Tyro, a simple human, and homunculi such as Mina and Herakles. A homunculus sanctuary, fighting for equal rights for their kind, is caught in a fire. In desperate need of help, the crew end up travelling all over the place - including to an underwater palace of a goddess, where they participate in a huge battle.
If I'm really honest, I can't tell you much more than that. There's some suspicious dude called Manga, and Tyro tries to rescue his friend Herakles - requiring a trip back to good ol' America. But other than that, I'm not quite sure what happened.
The writing itself is actually pretty good. The descriptions and metaphors are great, and there's a good deal of underlying humour in places. And the whole idea of this universe full of gods and demons and creatures both beautiful and terrible is wonderful. It's just a shame that I couldn't get into it. I felt like I was reading most of it through a daze, just trying to get it over with.
I will give this the benefit of the doubt - maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it, or I just wasn't paying enough attention. Others may enjoy this a lot more than I did. But I'm going to give it just two stars, which honestly feels like I'm pushing the bar a little already.
So I've been reading this book for quite some time now, and honestly I nearly gave up on it a few times. But for the sake of the review, I managed to keep on at it until the end.
What I managed to gather from this book is that it takes place in a whole different universe, where myths and gods are real. Winged cats with nine lives, flying carpets, even homunculi. The main characters include the Ennedi Ankh' Si, a flying cat, Tyro, a simple human, and homunculi such as Mina and Herakles. A homunculus sanctuary, fighting for equal rights for their kind, is caught in a fire. In desperate need of help, the crew end up travelling all over the place - including to an underwater palace of a goddess, where they participate in a huge battle.
If I'm really honest, I can't tell you much more than that. There's some suspicious dude called Manga, and Tyro tries to rescue his friend Herakles - requiring a trip back to good ol' America. But other than that, I'm not quite sure what happened.
The writing itself is actually pretty good. The descriptions and metaphors are great, and there's a good deal of underlying humour in places. And the whole idea of this universe full of gods and demons and creatures both beautiful and terrible is wonderful. It's just a shame that I couldn't get into it. I felt like I was reading most of it through a daze, just trying to get it over with.
I will give this the benefit of the doubt - maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it, or I just wasn't paying enough attention. Others may enjoy this a lot more than I did. But I'm going to give it just two stars, which honestly feels like I'm pushing the bar a little already.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Song of the Fireflies in Books
Sep 6, 2019
Though I've loved previous books by the author, The Edge of Never and Killing Sarai (with The Edge of Always waiting on my kindle and Reviving Izabel on my wish list), I have to admit I wasn't as into this as I was the other two.
I didn't feel much of a connection to the characters or their predicament and I wasn't sure I understood their actions. Well, I did understand but at the same time I knew it would only make things worse for them and I spent the rest of the book waiting for everything to catch up with them.
I liked Elias, he was so in love with Bray from such an early age and he'd do anything to keep her safe. It was sweet to read at times and heart-breaking for him at others. Then there's Bray, who's had a tough life. I didn't really get her, she seemed pretty messed up mentally and did/allowed strange to happen at times.
Secondary characters like Tate were cool, he was pretty laid back and looked out for his friends and family, though I didn't like his brother Caleb too much, he seemed a little...creepy at times, but maybe that was the drugs he used.
An appearance by one of the author's other couples was nice too, though the scene didn't necessarily end well, and I'm looking forward to continuing their story soon, when I get time.
Song of the Fireflies came across as very dark with lots of drugs, sex and several scenes of violence (mainly fighting) and I just couldn't connect with it, I'm afraid. Admitting that almost feels like blasphemy since I love the author's writing but on this, I just didn't feel it. I was okay, I wasn't blown away by it by any stretch of the imagination.
I read books for the romance aspect and I feel like I missed out on it in this, or maybe it just got lost under everything else that happened.
I didn't feel much of a connection to the characters or their predicament and I wasn't sure I understood their actions. Well, I did understand but at the same time I knew it would only make things worse for them and I spent the rest of the book waiting for everything to catch up with them.
I liked Elias, he was so in love with Bray from such an early age and he'd do anything to keep her safe. It was sweet to read at times and heart-breaking for him at others. Then there's Bray, who's had a tough life. I didn't really get her, she seemed pretty messed up mentally and did/allowed strange to happen at times.
Secondary characters like Tate were cool, he was pretty laid back and looked out for his friends and family, though I didn't like his brother Caleb too much, he seemed a little...creepy at times, but maybe that was the drugs he used.
An appearance by one of the author's other couples was nice too, though the scene didn't necessarily end well, and I'm looking forward to continuing their story soon, when I get time.
Song of the Fireflies came across as very dark with lots of drugs, sex and several scenes of violence (mainly fighting) and I just couldn't connect with it, I'm afraid. Admitting that almost feels like blasphemy since I love the author's writing but on this, I just didn't feel it. I was okay, I wasn't blown away by it by any stretch of the imagination.
I read books for the romance aspect and I feel like I missed out on it in this, or maybe it just got lost under everything else that happened.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Terrifier (2017) in Movies
Sep 9, 2019
When two women see a creepy clown in a pizza place they soon find themselves fighting for their livers in an abandoned building.
Terrifier could easily be mistaken for an 80’s or 90’s slasher movie as Art the Clown (never actually named in the film) cut’s, stabs, shoots and strangles his way through the rest of the cast using a variety of different weapons. Art the Clown seems to stand out in a genre that could almost be called over saturated, he speaks less than either Mike Myers or Jason Voorhees but carries out his kills with a comedic joy that almost matches Freddy Kruger, acting out his pleasure through mime which seems to intensify the silence he exudes.
The film seems to have a homemade feel about it, that’s not saying that it seems cheap but that the cast seem to get along well and that it could almost be something that was shot for fun by a group of friends in the same way the ‘Evil Dead’ or the original ‘Night of the Living Dead’ was. This is helped by a small cast and limited locations.
Being a slasher there is, of course; blood, violence, screaming and a bit of nudity but no sex, in fact the reason one character gets involved it to avoid being in the room with a couple who are getting amorous. Art dispatched his victims in a number of ways, most of which have been done before, after all there are only so many ways to stab or shoot someone, however, Art brings a joyfulness to his actions and, although I have already compared him to Freddy Kruger, Art seems to really see a funny side to what he is doing unlike Freddy who just enjoys the kill.
I have seen that there is a sequel slated for 2020 and given the being/end of Terrifier I think that is could be very interesting.
Terrifier could easily be mistaken for an 80’s or 90’s slasher movie as Art the Clown (never actually named in the film) cut’s, stabs, shoots and strangles his way through the rest of the cast using a variety of different weapons. Art the Clown seems to stand out in a genre that could almost be called over saturated, he speaks less than either Mike Myers or Jason Voorhees but carries out his kills with a comedic joy that almost matches Freddy Kruger, acting out his pleasure through mime which seems to intensify the silence he exudes.
The film seems to have a homemade feel about it, that’s not saying that it seems cheap but that the cast seem to get along well and that it could almost be something that was shot for fun by a group of friends in the same way the ‘Evil Dead’ or the original ‘Night of the Living Dead’ was. This is helped by a small cast and limited locations.
Being a slasher there is, of course; blood, violence, screaming and a bit of nudity but no sex, in fact the reason one character gets involved it to avoid being in the room with a couple who are getting amorous. Art dispatched his victims in a number of ways, most of which have been done before, after all there are only so many ways to stab or shoot someone, however, Art brings a joyfulness to his actions and, although I have already compared him to Freddy Kruger, Art seems to really see a funny side to what he is doing unlike Freddy who just enjoys the kill.
I have seen that there is a sequel slated for 2020 and given the being/end of Terrifier I think that is could be very interesting.
I was contacted by Lindzi herself to review her novel Maga High, the first in the Jodie Trilogy. I was excited and ready to have a fun easy-going read that dwindled my worries of stress. This novel didn’t quite hit home but it also didn’t really leave me disappointed. Just a big ole fat “meh” about it.
First off, there are quite a bit of grammatical errors and sentences/ paragraphs that don’t make any sense. I was utterly confused half of the time and I feel like there is so much that is missing from the story line. The writing is also very juvenile, where it kind of works in some parts but not in others. The characters feel more fake than what they are supposed to be, like they’re trying too hard. Wait, that’s not the word I’m looking for. The word I’m looking for is that they are lacking depth. They have no care in the world and seem destructive.
The story is a slow burn, yet it’s not really a burn at all. Just really a smolder that doesn’t feed the hunger in your brain at all. Also, why are there so many damn exclamation points?! It seriously takes away from the entirety of the novel. Well that, the juvenile writing style, and the lack of depth to the characters.
Reasons why I rated it 3 stars:
1. The characters lacked depth and background.
2. There was an over use of exclamation points and it really took away from the novel.
3. There were a ton of grammatical errors and sentences/ paragraphs that didn’t make any sense.
4. The story was interesting and it somehow captivated my attention long enough for me to finish reading it.
5. It was a fun read that packed tons of drama into it.
“It doesn’t matter what battle you might be fighting, everybody has their own going on. I suppose it’s how you handle it that counts.”
First off, there are quite a bit of grammatical errors and sentences/ paragraphs that don’t make any sense. I was utterly confused half of the time and I feel like there is so much that is missing from the story line. The writing is also very juvenile, where it kind of works in some parts but not in others. The characters feel more fake than what they are supposed to be, like they’re trying too hard. Wait, that’s not the word I’m looking for. The word I’m looking for is that they are lacking depth. They have no care in the world and seem destructive.
The story is a slow burn, yet it’s not really a burn at all. Just really a smolder that doesn’t feed the hunger in your brain at all. Also, why are there so many damn exclamation points?! It seriously takes away from the entirety of the novel. Well that, the juvenile writing style, and the lack of depth to the characters.
Reasons why I rated it 3 stars:
1. The characters lacked depth and background.
2. There was an over use of exclamation points and it really took away from the novel.
3. There were a ton of grammatical errors and sentences/ paragraphs that didn’t make any sense.
4. The story was interesting and it somehow captivated my attention long enough for me to finish reading it.
5. It was a fun read that packed tons of drama into it.
“It doesn’t matter what battle you might be fighting, everybody has their own going on. I suppose it’s how you handle it that counts.”
Becs (244 KP) rated Max Einstein: Rebels with a Cause in Books
Oct 8, 2019
fast-paced (2 more)
adventure packed
lessons that are taught within
Amazing sequel to Max Einstein: the Genius Experiment
You can also find this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: a bit of violence, anger issues, absent parent(s), manipulation, kidnapping
REVIEW:
Rebels with a Cause is book two (2) of the Max Einstein series and it was just as great as book one (1)! The adventures that were packed into this little novel along side Max Einstein still being a great role model was seriously so refreshing.
In Rebels with a Cause, we get to see more of Max thinking on her feet and implementing crazy plans to save not only herself, but her team and the world as well. You also learn more about the villains in this novel, which made for an interesting addition to the plot!
Again, James Patterson really knows how to write a captivating story that is not only well-written but fast-paces as well. There are more math/science lessons in Rebels with a Cause and I really enjoyed that they were applied to real life problems. The way that each were explained were written in an extremely easy to understand way so that the reader, young or old, can know what is being put into the solution.
The task that Max and her team were given to fix was a water crisis and I really loved that this was the main problem in the story. Having clean water available to all is a real world crisis. Water is an extremely important part of the human survival and this topic really hit the spot while reading. James wrote Rebels with a Cause again with a fast-paced, adventure packed, and informative nature. I highly recommend to all!
"I believe that Ghandi's views were the most enlightened among all the political men of our time. We should strive to do things in his spirit; not to use violence in fighting for a cause, but by non-participation and what we believe is evil. - Albert Einstein”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: a bit of violence, anger issues, absent parent(s), manipulation, kidnapping
REVIEW:
Rebels with a Cause is book two (2) of the Max Einstein series and it was just as great as book one (1)! The adventures that were packed into this little novel along side Max Einstein still being a great role model was seriously so refreshing.
In Rebels with a Cause, we get to see more of Max thinking on her feet and implementing crazy plans to save not only herself, but her team and the world as well. You also learn more about the villains in this novel, which made for an interesting addition to the plot!
Again, James Patterson really knows how to write a captivating story that is not only well-written but fast-paces as well. There are more math/science lessons in Rebels with a Cause and I really enjoyed that they were applied to real life problems. The way that each were explained were written in an extremely easy to understand way so that the reader, young or old, can know what is being put into the solution.
The task that Max and her team were given to fix was a water crisis and I really loved that this was the main problem in the story. Having clean water available to all is a real world crisis. Water is an extremely important part of the human survival and this topic really hit the spot while reading. James wrote Rebels with a Cause again with a fast-paced, adventure packed, and informative nature. I highly recommend to all!
"I believe that Ghandi's views were the most enlightened among all the political men of our time. We should strive to do things in his spirit; not to use violence in fighting for a cause, but by non-participation and what we believe is evil. - Albert Einstein”
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies
Aug 16, 2020
1917 is a remarkable film through and through, and I can't praise it enough.
The cast, the cinematography, the set pieces, the music score are all outstanding.
The plot revolves around Lance Corporals Schofield (George McKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) embarking on a seemingly impossible mission across no man's land in Northern France, deep into enemy territory to deliver a message to a fellow regiment, with the aim of preventing them from walking into a trap and potentially losing 1600 soldiers.
The two lead actors are fantastic, portraying two soldiers leaning on each other to achieve their goal.
The journey that takes place is tough and harrowing at times. There's a point about half way through the movie where the pace just doesn't slow down once. It's extremely intense, and bolstered infinitely by the shooting style.
The film is shot in a way that gives the viewer the impression of a one take movie. It's edited together so well that it appears seamless, and allows for some truly breathtaking moments, and never lets you break away from events unfolding. It caught my attention immediately and never lost it for one second.
This method allows for a very stylish looking experience, but it's a kind of style that never detracts or takes away from the horror of war. It's a perfect combination, ensuring that scenes of action feel relentless, whilst sadder moments are suitably poignant and perfectly executed. The emotional beats in 1917 are something else and took me by surprise. I have no shame in saying that I was fighting back tears a couple of times.
By the times the credits rolled, I was just sat in stunned silence, something that has only happened to me a few times before when it comes to movies.
1917 is pretty much perfect. A great war film, a great drama, and en effective exploration of what friendship and duty really mean.
Make the time to watch it if you haven't already!
The cast, the cinematography, the set pieces, the music score are all outstanding.
The plot revolves around Lance Corporals Schofield (George McKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) embarking on a seemingly impossible mission across no man's land in Northern France, deep into enemy territory to deliver a message to a fellow regiment, with the aim of preventing them from walking into a trap and potentially losing 1600 soldiers.
The two lead actors are fantastic, portraying two soldiers leaning on each other to achieve their goal.
The journey that takes place is tough and harrowing at times. There's a point about half way through the movie where the pace just doesn't slow down once. It's extremely intense, and bolstered infinitely by the shooting style.
The film is shot in a way that gives the viewer the impression of a one take movie. It's edited together so well that it appears seamless, and allows for some truly breathtaking moments, and never lets you break away from events unfolding. It caught my attention immediately and never lost it for one second.
This method allows for a very stylish looking experience, but it's a kind of style that never detracts or takes away from the horror of war. It's a perfect combination, ensuring that scenes of action feel relentless, whilst sadder moments are suitably poignant and perfectly executed. The emotional beats in 1917 are something else and took me by surprise. I have no shame in saying that I was fighting back tears a couple of times.
By the times the credits rolled, I was just sat in stunned silence, something that has only happened to me a few times before when it comes to movies.
1917 is pretty much perfect. A great war film, a great drama, and en effective exploration of what friendship and duty really mean.
Make the time to watch it if you haven't already!
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020) in Movies
Sep 1, 2020
Scorpion's Revenge is an animated re-tread of a story that has been told countless times by now. The attempt to fit a narrative around a standard fighting game, especially one that exclusively deals with straight up murder, had never really worked with me until recently. I'm one of the few who doesn't really like the 1995 movie, even ironically, and have always found the stories in the Mortal Kombat franchise kind of forced.
Recently however, the backstory has been fleshed out pretty well, especially with last year's Mortal Kombat 11. This movie deals with the events of the first tournament once again, but it benefits from the aforementioned good story-telling. Characters like the titular Scorpion, and Sub-Zero are no longer simple colour pallette swaps, they have proper, well realised back stories, and Scorpion's Revenge relishes in it.
What happens to Scorpion in the opening of the film is just horrible, and the whole runtime I really wanted him to DESTROY the people who wronged him.
Lots of fan favourites appear here - Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, Raiden, Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, Baraka, Reptile, Kano, Kitana, Jax, Goro - and all are represented just as much as they need to me, none of them feel like dead weight, it's well balanced. It has a decent voice cast as well, including Jennifer Carpenter and Joel McHale.
The animation is ok. I found myself disliking it at times, and then loving it at other times. It just didn't seem too consistent to me, but it's not a massive negative. There's plenty of action, and a truly staggering amount of gore, which is really all you could want from a Mortal Kombat film.
Truth be told, I would much rather watch this than the live action stuff any day of the week. It's pretty entertaining and a must for any fans of the game series.
Recently however, the backstory has been fleshed out pretty well, especially with last year's Mortal Kombat 11. This movie deals with the events of the first tournament once again, but it benefits from the aforementioned good story-telling. Characters like the titular Scorpion, and Sub-Zero are no longer simple colour pallette swaps, they have proper, well realised back stories, and Scorpion's Revenge relishes in it.
What happens to Scorpion in the opening of the film is just horrible, and the whole runtime I really wanted him to DESTROY the people who wronged him.
Lots of fan favourites appear here - Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, Raiden, Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, Baraka, Reptile, Kano, Kitana, Jax, Goro - and all are represented just as much as they need to me, none of them feel like dead weight, it's well balanced. It has a decent voice cast as well, including Jennifer Carpenter and Joel McHale.
The animation is ok. I found myself disliking it at times, and then loving it at other times. It just didn't seem too consistent to me, but it's not a massive negative. There's plenty of action, and a truly staggering amount of gore, which is really all you could want from a Mortal Kombat film.
Truth be told, I would much rather watch this than the live action stuff any day of the week. It's pretty entertaining and a must for any fans of the game series.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Before the Crown in Books
Jun 14, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Flora Harding for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Before the Crown is a beautiful historical novel which delves deep into the romance between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece, perhaps better known as Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
However, this is not a traditional romance and Harding does not hold back in laying out all the struggles Elizabeth and Philip faced. From the King and Queen's disapproval of the match for their daughter to the effects of public opinion on the relationship, Flora Harding covers it all.
Nor does this novel present the engagement as all hearts and flowers. Despite Elizabeth being attracted to Philip from a young age, this is initially a one-sided crush and a political arrangement for the couple. However, due to Flora Harding presenting her novel from the perspective of both Elizabeth and Philip, the reader is able to experience first hand the doubts, worries, longing and evolution of this infamous relationship.
I will be honest it is hard not to envision the Netflix series when you read this novel but it is by no means a copy cat situation. Harding provides such interesting insights into Philip's lifestyle and his family that it is hard not to pity the sacrifices that he makes in order to be with Elizabeth.
In 'The Crown' young Philip was a bit of a dirt bag and, although Harding's Prince is no angel, he is clearly fighting an uphill battle against the aristocracy's view of him. It is difficult not to sympathise.
I would have liked an author's note to know how much of the story is fact and how much is fiction or speculation. However, given the privacy of the Royal Family I imagine any factual insights are rare.
In summary, 'Before the Crown' is a captivating read, exploring the sacrifices and struggles where we often blindly see prejudice, all against the backdrop of WWII Europe.
Before the Crown is a beautiful historical novel which delves deep into the romance between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece, perhaps better known as Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
However, this is not a traditional romance and Harding does not hold back in laying out all the struggles Elizabeth and Philip faced. From the King and Queen's disapproval of the match for their daughter to the effects of public opinion on the relationship, Flora Harding covers it all.
Nor does this novel present the engagement as all hearts and flowers. Despite Elizabeth being attracted to Philip from a young age, this is initially a one-sided crush and a political arrangement for the couple. However, due to Flora Harding presenting her novel from the perspective of both Elizabeth and Philip, the reader is able to experience first hand the doubts, worries, longing and evolution of this infamous relationship.
I will be honest it is hard not to envision the Netflix series when you read this novel but it is by no means a copy cat situation. Harding provides such interesting insights into Philip's lifestyle and his family that it is hard not to pity the sacrifices that he makes in order to be with Elizabeth.
In 'The Crown' young Philip was a bit of a dirt bag and, although Harding's Prince is no angel, he is clearly fighting an uphill battle against the aristocracy's view of him. It is difficult not to sympathise.
I would have liked an author's note to know how much of the story is fact and how much is fiction or speculation. However, given the privacy of the Royal Family I imagine any factual insights are rare.
In summary, 'Before the Crown' is a captivating read, exploring the sacrifices and struggles where we often blindly see prejudice, all against the backdrop of WWII Europe.
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