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Connie (244 KP) rated Bird Box (2018) in Movies
Jan 2, 2019
Didn’t live up to its promise
I really wanted to like this movie. I wanted it to be awesome, to make me shiver and look over my own shoulder. But despite three thrilling trailers, I found the back and forth style of narrative to be distracting from the story. I’d have preferred just straight narrative, beginning to end.
Other than that, it was cool that everyone sees something different, but not knowing what they are seeing made the horror less for me. Good try, but it just didn’t quite make it in my book.
Other than that, it was cool that everyone sees something different, but not knowing what they are seeing made the horror less for me. Good try, but it just didn’t quite make it in my book.
Katey Bassett (610 KP) rated The Unremembered Girl in Books
Dec 10, 2018
This was a kindle first pick for me a long time ago, I really liked this story, be it that it was very hard to follow at first. Even though it was short and some details were glossed over that could have welcomed more attention paid to them I found the love story endearing. Because, afterall, this was a love story. I thought it could have focused more on PTSD and PPD but it was a love story and not something that was supposed to focus on the realities of these disorders.
David McK (3369 KP) rated The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia, #3) in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Depending on which version of reading order you go by, this is either the 3rd book in the Narnian chronicles (publication order), or the 5th (by setting) and, personally, I found not to be as engaging as the previous 4 I'd read (going by setting).
I think this is also the last time any of the Pevensie children ever travel to Narnia, with the whole plot - concerning, as the title says, the Voyage of Prince (now King) Caspian's ship - owing more than a faint nod to Homer's Odyssey!
I think this is also the last time any of the Pevensie children ever travel to Narnia, with the whole plot - concerning, as the title says, the Voyage of Prince (now King) Caspian's ship - owing more than a faint nod to Homer's Odyssey!
David McK (3369 KP) rated Scourged (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #9) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The final entry in Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series, that closes out the story of Atticus, Oberon and companions as they attempt to stop Ragnarok (yes, that Ragnorak: the Norse end of the world)
I have to say, I also found this one not quite as enjoyable as the previous: I'm not sure why, but for some reason this just didn't grip me as much. This one largely takes it chapter about to move between the main characters: this is no longer just Atticus (and his faithful hound Oberon) story as the earlier entries were.
I have to say, I also found this one not quite as enjoyable as the previous: I'm not sure why, but for some reason this just didn't grip me as much. This one largely takes it chapter about to move between the main characters: this is no longer just Atticus (and his faithful hound Oberon) story as the earlier entries were.
David McK (3369 KP) rated The Good, The Bad and The Undead (The Hollows, #2) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The second of Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan books, I actually found this to be a better and more enjoyable read than the first (Dead Witch Walking): perhaps because it is now free of the constraints of needing to set up the world and characters?
In any case, and like previously, the majority of the book (the first 2/3rds or so) deals with the setup of the plot, tying it all up in the latter portion: I sometimes wish she'd get to the point a lot faster than she does!
In any case, and like previously, the majority of the book (the first 2/3rds or so) deals with the setup of the plot, tying it all up in the latter portion: I sometimes wish she'd get to the point a lot faster than she does!
David McK (3369 KP) rated Fight for Freedom in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The second 'pirate'y book I've read this year - the first being Michael Crichton's "Pirate Latitudes" and, I'm afraid to say, neither of those two books have really impressed me that much.
Despite being sold with the quote 'Set the be the Sharpe of the High Seas', I found 'Fight For Freedom' (previously sold as 'The Pirate Devlin' - not a good sign that they changed the title!) to be harder to get into, and nowhere near as enjoyable, as any of the Sharpe novels: I just couldn't get into this one at all.
Despite being sold with the quote 'Set the be the Sharpe of the High Seas', I found 'Fight For Freedom' (previously sold as 'The Pirate Devlin' - not a good sign that they changed the title!) to be harder to get into, and nowhere near as enjoyable, as any of the Sharpe novels: I just couldn't get into this one at all.
David McK (3369 KP) rated Praetorian (Eagle, #11) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The newest entry (and book # 11) in Simon Scarrow's <i>Cato and Macro</i> series which, in a change from setting, sees the two characters back in Rome proper and getting embroiled in the politics of Rome (undercover in the Praetorian Guard) rather than in the battles with the Legions.
I found this particular novel to be a return to form after the last couple of books - while they were enjoyable, they were in danger of becoming a bit 'samey'. Further prrof that a change is as good as a rest!
I found this particular novel to be a return to form after the last couple of books - while they were enjoyable, they were in danger of becoming a bit 'samey'. Further prrof that a change is as good as a rest!
David McK (3369 KP) rated Conquest (Making of England, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
A fictionalised retelling of the life story of Hereward of Bourne (also known as Hereward the Wake): an Anglo-Saxon who lead the resistance against William the Conqueror following his victory against Harold at Senlac Ridge, in what would become known as the Battle of Hastings.
While it is a name I had heard before, I have to say it's not a story that I was familiar with (unlike that of, say, Robin Hood or King Arthur) - this, however, I actually found to be rather a dry read.
While it is a name I had heard before, I have to say it's not a story that I was familiar with (unlike that of, say, Robin Hood or King Arthur) - this, however, I actually found to be rather a dry read.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated The Wicked + the Divine: The Faust Act: Volume 1 in Books
Jan 30, 2019
This was my first time reading a graphic novel and the plot of this story sounded interesting but I found that I was quickly confused and losing interest. There didn't seem to be much to the story in this first volume and I don't even feel as though the author did a good job of setting up the plot for future volumes. Originally I had given this story a 4 star rating, and I have since dropped it to a 2 star rating the more I thought about it.
Deborah (162 KP) rated Forensic Shakespeare in Books
Dec 21, 2018
Forensic doesn't mean this is the Shakespeare equivalent of Silent Witness - this is a book looking at a group of Shakespeare's plays (and one poem), of which several are often considered 'problem' plays and the use of rhetoric within them. Skinner argues that this is deliberate and relates to a re-emerging interest in the Roman Rhetoricians in the Tudor period. The book is based on a series of lectures given by Skinner, so although as a casual reader I found it interesting, it was also hard work at times, particularly the opening chapters.