Search

Search only in certain items:

FL
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).

I read the blurb to this book, and I was instantly hooked! A spooky ghost story involving ghost hunters? Yes, please! Luckily, I wasn't disappointed by this book.

Kaylyn and her sister Cole both work for a company called Aicil as paranormal investigators. When Kaylyn gets the opportunity to investigate the creepy and old Teague Hotel, she jumps at the chance. However, bad things start happening to Kaylyn. She's being attacked by an unseen force, having blackouts as well as very strange dreams. Kaylyn can't understand whys he's being trageted specifically, but with her job, as well as her life on the line, she'd better figure it out...and quickly.

I love the cover of Fractured Legacy! It has a really creepy look to go with the rest of the book. I think the cover suits the book well, and with a cover like that, you know the contents will be creepy as well.

The world building was definitely believable. I felt like I was Kaylyn, and it was a book about me. That's how great of a job the author did. I was feeling scared right along Kaylyn and feeling frustrated when she did. I also loved the setting. A creepy hotel is one of my top places for spookiness.

The pacing did start out a bit slow, and I was wondering if I had made a mistake in agreeing to review this. Then, I felt as if the pacing just zoomed, and I was left wondering what had happened. Thankfully, after the first few chapters, the pacing settles down, and I couldn't read this story fast enough. It's definitely a page turner!

The plot was fantastic! Creepy stories with bad entities in them have been done a lot, but Skye Callahan turns that classic plot into her own. There are also a few plot twists which I didn't predict until a few chapters before they are revealed. As for the ending, it's not a big cliff hanger, but since this is going to be a series, it is left open for another book (which I can't wait to read). Oh, and there isn't much romance in this book. In fact, I can't think of any, but I'm not a big romance fan so I enjoyed that this story focused solely on what was going on with Kaylyn.

I loved Kaylyn. There were times I just wanted to hug her because I liked her that much. She endures a lot and often times feels like she is going insane. However, she's a very strong character and bounces back. I also like Jonah. At first, I found him to be a bit arrogant, but my heart melted towards him, and I found myself thinking what a kind and caring man he was. I was hoping he and Kaylyn would get together throughout the book because they seemed so great together. I did like Cole, but there's not a lot of her after the first few chapters. She does seem like a very caring sister though.

I enjoyed the dialogue and found that it flowed smoothly. It goes back and forth between Kaylyn's point of view and Jonah's. There are a few grammatical mistakes but nothing major. There are a few swear words, but nothing over the top.

Overall, Fractured Legacy is a creepy read that will leave you wanting more...and wanting to leave the lights on! It has a fantastic plot, a creepy setting, and well rounded characters.

I'd recommend this book to those age 17+ who truly want to read something spooky!

(I received a free ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
  
My Name Is Venus Black
My Name Is Venus Black
Heather Lloyd | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Totally not what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed My Name is Venus Black. I really liked most of the characters, I loved that this was set in the 80s as my childhood was as well, and I'm a big fan of books that show fractured lives can have hope to become whole again.

Venus Black did a bad thing and she's probably going to pay for it, for the rest of her life. The choices she made will interwine, spread, and eventually affect so many other people's lives - including a whole slew of complete strangers. People will talk about her for a long time and she will always have her decisions hanging over her.

I loved how the story unfolded, skipping and summarizing mundane spans of life, and POV from one character to another. I especially loved Leo's point of view, Venus' little brother who is a developmentally disabled child struggling since Venus, his most favorite person, did this bad thing. I enjoyed his descriptive feelings: "The cello makes a yellow sound" - and anger is red. The simplicity in which he views the world is sad, but also a bit refreshing. I thought the space and solar system references throughout were a fun addition to the story as well.

The story proves that being a parent is just as difficult as being a kid in this world, and there is kindness in lots of people that comes out in different ways, and family isn't always who shares your blood, but who shares your love. There is also evil in the world that sometimes isn't always as cut and dry as most believe.

I had some issues with some parts of the story.- they were a bit unbelieveable and I wanted more detail - but I tried to let them go and just enjoy the story and all it's twist and turns. Overall I'm really glad I took a chance and read it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.
  
Beastly (2011)
Beastly (2011)
2011 | Drama, Sci-Fi, Romance
4
6.6 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The beauty and the beast story has officially entered the world of modern fashion in the new film Beastly. In this adaptation we meet Kyle (Alex Pettyfer) a rich kid who believes that a handsome exterior is all that counts in this world. That is until he slights emo student witch Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen). Kyle soon finds himself with a beastly appearance, cursed until he can overcome his new fractured form and make someone fall in love with him. Adding to the cast is Kyle’s love interest and all around nice girl, Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens). Also notable is Kyle’s mentor/tutor Will played by Neil Patrick Harris.

Sticking closely to the predictable and extremely overdone plot, Beastly offers audiences very little they have not seen before. Kyle is overdramatic. Lindy is suspiciously like the character Vanessa Hudgens played in “High School Musical”. And we learn that Neil Patrick Harris, while always funny, does not play a convincing blind man.

The film does have good scenery and a soundtrack that is high school appropriate. Moreover, the wardrobe is strikingly impressive. But trite dialogue and poorly paced emotional cues give the film a juvenile comedic result. Beastly is amusing and a little funny, however it completely misses the emotional connection expected from a teen adaptation of a famous romantic tale.

Further distracting from the film’s romantic plot are the numerous hollow side stories and plethora of unnecessary character details. From the sudden trip to Kyle’s family cabin to the violent fight between Lindy’s father and a drug dealer, the movie includes numerous scenes that should have been cut.

But still, even with all the downsides, I had no interest in leaving the theater, because Beastly was a high budget train wreck. Not unlike a B-movie in quality and dialogue yet with an impressive budget, an Olsen sister, and some serious face tattoos, “Beastly” is simply cheesy.
  
40x40

ClareR (5721 KP) rated One Year Later in Books

Aug 18, 2019  
One Year Later
One Year Later
Sanjida Kay | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
One Year Later by Sanjida Kay is a psychological thriller that had my heart in my mouth from the first page. It starts with an emotive subject: the death of a child - 3 year old Ruby. The family becomes fractured, no one deals well with Ruby’s death, and so Nick, her uncle, convinces his sister and her husband that it would be a good idea for the whole family to celebrate or mark the anniversary of Ruby’s death abroad and away from the bad memories. So they all go to a small island off the coast of Italy. But instead of this being the healing holiday that everyone needs and hopes for, secrets are revealed and it looks as though fractures within the family will become even worse.

I really think that Sanjida Kay has the voices of the characters just right: the mother who is barely able to function and hides alcohol around the house, just to get by and to be able to function for her two living children; the father who distances himself from everyone; the uncle who constantly thinks about his dead niece, and blames himself even though he couldn’t possibly be to blame; the sister who seems completely wrapped up in her own world of TV and her looks; and the grandfather who is responsible for the death of his granddaughter, but can’t remember what happened.

It’s such an emotional subject and so well written. I found myself very involved with these characters, and I couldn’t help but empathise with them. I was never quite sure if the person they all thought was responsible for Ruby’s death actually was, but I have to admit that I changed my mind a few times. The twist revealing the actual culprit came as a total shock and surprise.

A really very impressive book, in my opinion, and I’ll be telling everyone to read it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
  
Moon Justice (Aurelia Fridell #2)
Moon Justice (Aurelia Fridell #2)
Ryanne Hawk, E.R. Pierce | 2015 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This story picks up where Fractured Moon finished. Ceithin and Aurelia travel to Alaska for some much-needed time alone, where Aurelia can spend time learning about her wolf. Things are never that easy though and their time in Alaska is interrupted in the form of a Kodiak shapeshifter. They are also pressed to return home where they find that things have changed in their absence, and not always for the better.

There is a lot that goes on in this book and it will keep your interest as you turn the pages. However, I will say that there were a couple of things that 'niggled' at me once I had finished it. Firstly, the whole 'thing' in Alaska - I'm really hoping that it will lead to a more developed story with Garrett and Mars as I felt that it ended rather abruptly and without actually going anywhere. Then there was the whole 'madman raising an army' situation. It seemed like a lot of hot air about nothing. Now, don't get me wrong. The storyline itself was fast-paced and well-written. It's just that I felt parts of it could have been 'more', bigger somehow. It felt like a big build-up, with a good action scene before and then... poof, it was all over.

Don't get me wrong though, this story isn't rushed and does come to a satisfactory close. On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed it which is why it gets four stars. I felt the story ended nicely for Ceithin and Aurelia and would love to know more about this family and their friends, hopefully starting with Garrett and Mars as they go to Alaska.

Recommended for fans of the paranormal and shapeshifters.
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 5, 2016
  
Year One (2009)
Year One (2009)
2009 | Action, Comedy
5
4.1 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I had no idea what to expect with “Year One”. Would it be another flop like “Nacho Libre”? How does Michael Cera fit into this kind of film? Could this be unexpected comedy gold reminiscent of the 1981 Mel Brook’s classic “History of the World: Part I”?

“Year One” follows the journey of two cavemen, Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera), through a comedic adaptation of early mankind. Zed and Oh are lowly members of their tribe rebuffed by the women they desire. Desperate to be something more Zed consumes the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge and is immediately out casted from his tribe. Oh joins Zed and the two begin a trip encountering fractured Biblical stories and characters.

Eventually our heroes are led into the lecherous city of Sodom, where they find the tribe and their ladyloves have been taken as slaves. As the two attempt to free the women from a life of slavery eccentric vaguely plotted comedy ensues.

The cast, filled with the usual silly suspects, includes Paul Rudd as Abel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Issac, and Vinnie Jones as Sargon. But do not expect their normal brand of comedy because it has been replaced with visually graphic potty humor.

The sets and costumes are well created but near impossible to notice when there is a pile of sheep innards being interpreted by Oliver Platt, who plays the High Priest. The few interesting one-liners fail to save “Year One” from an aura similar to “Austin Powers in Goldmember“.

Why after great films like “School of Rock” and “Be Kind Rewind” is Jack Black purposely trying to end his career? Moreover, why has he decided to take Michael Cera with him? As for Michael Cera this awful sort of humor is not going to lead him out of the valley of “Juno” fandom.

The flick is better than “Nacho Libre”, but it is not comedy gold. If you enjoy simple potty humor you should definitely see the film, but if not plan to borrow the DVD from a friend only to be happy you did not purchase it.