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Unlikely Hero (AUDIO)
Unlikely Hero (AUDIO)
Sean Michael | 2017 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
excellent narration of a great book!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the audio version of this book.

Brock never got over Eric leaving him, but he understood why Eric needed to go. When Eric calls, 9 years later, Brock drops everything and calls upon his considerable resources to find Eric's 3 year old daughter , who has been kidnapped. But having Eric and Josie under his roof, to keep them safe, has Brock thinking about all the things he missed out on.

I loved this!!

Brock loved Eric, never stopped so of course he's gonna help him find his daughter! I loved that, right from Eric turning up at his office, Brock is calling him baby. I don;'t usually, so it surprised me here that I did love it! I think it surprised Brock too, the first time he did it!

Brock makes no apologies for his wealth and power and he pulls no punches in using both to keep Eric and Josie safe, and in finding out who is doing this.

But we don't get Eric, at all. This is told entirely from Brock's POV in the third person. And I really REALLY needed to hear from Eric at key points along the way: when Josie is first discovered gone; when he walks into Brock's office and when he finds out just who is behind it all. This is the only reason I gave the book 4 stars, because Eric is not given a voice, and he needed one.

I loved the supporting cast, especially Max and Gordon. They have a tale to tell, not least because of what goes down here!

Jeff Gelder narrates. This is the first, as far as I can see, that I have listened to of his work and I was very impressed. His reading voice is deep and even, and his voices consistent and easily identifiable in multi person conversations. Loved his voice for Josie, who sounded just like a 3 year old should, with all the funny things they say. Gelder gets over all of Brock's emotions in all the right places.

I cannot fault the narration. Gelder is firmly on my to listen list!

4 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration.
4.5 (rounded down to 4) overall.

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
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Becs (244 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books

Oct 2, 2019  
Ready Player One
Ready Player One
Ernest Cline | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
7
8.9 (161 Ratings)
Book Rating
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy

Audience: Young Adult

Reading level: High School +

Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s

Style: Sci-Fi

Point of view: First person.

Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!

Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world

Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.

Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.

Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.

This was me:

Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?

“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.

“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.

Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.

“People are more than just the way they look.”
  
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Dean (6925 KP) rated Cloverfield (2008) in Movies

Nov 16, 2017 (Updated Nov 16, 2017)  
Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield (2008)
2008 | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Original (1 more)
Something for everyone
Immersive experience
WOW! This film is brilliant! What can I say believe the hype. This is such an engaging film you won't be able to take your eyes off the screen for a second. This is a mix of action, drama, disaster, and sci-fi all rolled into one and even with a touch of romance too. It was much better than I expected it to be given all the hype around it. The film is viewed through the playback of a camcorder after an event in New York, Kinda Blair Witch like but better. The first person feel of it really brings you into the action, panic and confusion as the events unfold. This is set to be a cult classic! If you haven't seen it yet put it to the top of your to watch/rental list! It feels like a roller-coaster ride you don't want to end!
  
Baby Driver (2017)
Baby Driver (2017)
2017 | Action, Comedy
Great Music (3 more)
Amazing Acting
Amazing Driving
Jon Hamm
Fast Paced, Adrenalin Pumping Movie
If you are going to see one movie this summer, make it this one. When you going to the theater do not be late, because the first 6 minutes of this movie are flat out fast paced and amazing. After the opening credits nothing slows down.

The best part of this movie though is how they incorporate the music into the movie. Every time Baby is on the screen and wear his headphones, we not only hear the music in his head but we can feel the way it plays into the scene. Because of the ringing in his ears he needs the music to balance himself out and stay focused. This plays a big part towards the end of the movie.


This movie from front to back is nonstop and has an interesting story to follow. Every person should go see this movie, then own it.
  
I’m not a huge fan of short stories: I like to really get into the characters lives and the anticipation and the crescendo of a novel. Short stories, to me, feel like I’m thrown into a story, see a snippet of it, and am then jerked out. But one thing that really helped this collection not feel like that was how all the stories were about the same thing. Not the same plot, not the same people… but the same concept. A machine that tells you how you will die, and is absolutely never wrong? That’s a sticky situation. And each person had to figure out how to deal with it and it revealed a lot of humanity.

I was very pleased with this collection as a whole. I didn’t read the first one, and I don’t think you’d need to in order to enjoy it. I definitely liked some stories and some writers better than other, but all in all, it was very satisfying.
  
TS
The Secret of the Wooden Chest
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When Mrs Oberto arrives at the nursing home where Hannah and her nurse and odd job man parents live it is the beginning of a whole new adventure for them both. Hannah, a friendly and curious schoolgirl, is inquisitive about the new lady and although things don't get off to the best of starts they soon work things out and a school project creates a close friendship. But the mystery of the chest that stays on Mrs Oberto's bedside is a constant draw to Hannah and when she is given the opportunity to see what's inside, then a whole new world is opened up to her.
A good read for middle school age boys and girls, especially if an elderly relative is spending time in a hospital or a nursing home, this first part of a series of stories shows them how special and rewarding a close relationship with an older person can be.
  
Queen of Always (Stolen Empire, #3)
Queen of Always (Stolen Empire, #3)
Sherry D. Ficklin | 2015 | History & Politics, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
7
9.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was the conclusion to the series. As the title would suggest this is the book where we see Catherine take the throne and finally become queen.

This book started a few months after the last one finished which meant the first part was spent catching up on what had happened.

Unfortunately there becomes a love triangle in this book which is something I just don’t enjoy and became frustrated with Catherine and her inability to just pick and commit to one person.

This book was a great conclusion to the series and tied the story up nicely. It left at a good point and where history would be able to fill in. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed and didn’t like the one chapter change in POV although I do know why it happened.

Personally I still enjoyed this book just not quite as much as the previous two.
  
AS
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
In a lot of ways I liked <i>A Summer to Remember</i> better than it's predecessor, <i>One Night for Love</i>. Lauren turned out better than I had hoped (or feared, rather :P), and the love story between her and Kit was very sweet, realistic, and lovely. I couldn't ask for more! I loved how Lauren gradually opened herself up and became a whole person - it was just wonderful. Pure magic in this book. That's all I have to say - definitely a keeper for me. :)

Now...I'm not sure how I'll be able to like Freyja with how she is written in this book. I wish her book was the first in the Bedwyn series so I can get it over with. I'll just have to have faith in Ms. Balogh and how she writes her and her story, because I didn't like her in the least here. I'll cautiously go in. :D
  
Salvation (Protectors #2)
Salvation (Protectors #2)
Sloane Kennedy | 2018 | Crime, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
can't split narration from the book!
When I listen to a book, I try really REALLY hard to write a bit about the book then a separate bit about the narration.

However! Part of the reason I am enjoying these Protectors stories is the narration by Joel Leslie! So I cannot split them!

I'm not a fan of READING first person books and I make no apologies for that but LISTENING to them is becoming a firm favourite! Joel Leslie put so much emotion, feeling so much of the character's very soul into his work, and by god you feel for these guys, you really do!

I have no doubt, no doubt at all, hat I WILL be listening to the others books as they come out in audio. I don't want to switch to reading, I might not enjoy them so much!

5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration.

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
TS
The Syndrome (Kingdom Keepers, #7.5)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When Amanda can’t reach any of the Kingdom Keepers for a few days, she travels from California to Florida to try to find them – only when she arrives, she discovers it is worse than she feared. Meanwhile, Jess is having visions again that show Amanda might be in danger. What is going on?

How could this DisNerd not love this series, and the transition book to a new story is filled once again with twists, danger, and lots of fun. The scenes in the parks are exceptionally well done as always, plus I felt that we really got to know Amanda and Jess in this book. The first person narration does alternate between several people, and it works well, although at times I feel like it needlessly repeats scenes. My biggest complaint is sloppy editing, however.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/08/book-review-syndrome-by-ridley-pearson.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.