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Gypsy Blood (All The Pretty Monsters #1)
Gypsy Blood (All The Pretty Monsters #1)
Kristy Cunning | 2020 | Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
193 of 200
Kindle
Gypsy Blood ( All the pretty monsters book 1)
By Kristy Cunning

 
I'm not all that special, really. Or uncommon. I'm sure there are a lot of girls with old gypsy blood who see the dead, have killer cults hunting their family, and turn into something that gets scary when they panic. Yep. Completely unoriginal, if I do say so myself.
Move along. Nothing to see here. Nope. I'm just an ordinary girl.

I wish people would believe that.

I've been labeled as one thing or another for most of my life:
Death Girl.
Crazy Gypsy Girl.
Gothic Chick.
Monster...

It took my mother's death for me to finally start getting answers about what's really been going on. Unfortunately, most of the answers come from men...who aren't just men. Somehow, I've gone and landed myself in a world truly filled with monsters, and I'm starting to think this is where I should have been all along.

Only...I don't understand what's going on. I'm walking into the middle of a story that's thousands of years old, and I'm the new girl on the block who doesn't have a clue how this world even works. My only guides happen to be the most lethal of the bunch.

They decide who lives or dies. They decide who gets stabbed or tortured.
Yeah...

I've gone and drawn attention to myself, and the ones paying attention are the ones everyone else seems to fear.

How do these things always happen to me?


I didn’t know what to except but found myself totally involved! I love the idea of these alphas and I love her Gypsy powers and how she still has so much to learn! We get to learn with her because this is written so you want to keep going! Anna her ghost is so bloody funny I laughed quite a bit woke my husband several times from sleep! I do think Ace was a bit obvious and she was a bit stupid there but now things get a bit more interesting
  
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ClareR (6037 KP) rated The Deep in Books

May 29, 2020  
The Deep
The Deep
Alma Katsu | 2020 | History & Politics, Horror, Thriller
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a book that starts off in a pretty harmless, if tragic way, and goes on to weave the stories of the Titanic and the Britannic together. Annie Hebley is an ex-stewardess from the Titanic, and when we first meet her she is a patient in an asylum. A fellow stewardess invites her to work on the Britannic some years later (1916), after it has been converted in to a hospital ship. Without any nursing experience, other than what she has watched the nurses do in the asylum, Annie accepts the job.

As soon as she sets foot on the Britannic, the memories of that fateful Titanic journey come flooding back to her. The atmosphere on the voyage in the lead up to the Titanic's destruction, can only be described as menacing. The passengers are fascinating - there's a real mix of people that we learn about. There is something definitely not quite right about the ship, but I was never able to put my finger on it (and I think that was intended). And that feeling follows Annie on to the Britannic.

I always think the unseen menace is far more frightening than what can be seen, and I really enjoyed this approach. I loved learning the backstories of the passengers, and the eventual reveal of Annie's story too. It really is historical fiction with a twist (that twist leaving me with a reluctance to ever get on a ship, if I'm honest). How Annie ever gets up the courage to board the Britannic, I'll never know.

If you know your history surrounding these two boats, you'll have a pretty good idea how this all ends, but it's the journey, isn't it? And it's also the way in which Alma Katsu manipulates that history that I really enjoyed. If you like your historical fiction a bit dark, a bit gothic, then you'll really like this. I did.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
  
Venom: The Last Dance (2024)
Venom: The Last Dance (2024)
2024 |
7
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A Chaotic Farewell with Flashes of Brilliance
Venom: Last Dance marks the end of Eddie Brock’s wild, symbiotic saga, and while it doesn’t entirely stick the landing, it’s a fittingly chaotic swan song for the antihero. With Tom Hardy once again embracing the absurdity of his dual role, the film offers plenty of the franchise’s trademark blend of humor, action, and madness—but it’s also weighed down by an uneven plot and overambitious storytelling.

One of the highlights of this film is, unsurprisingly, Tom Hardy. His commitment to playing both the brooding Eddie and the wisecracking, gluttonous Venom remains the beating heart of this franchise. Their banter is sharper than ever, delivering both laughs and surprisingly tender moments as their unconventional “relationship” reaches new levels of complexity. Hardy’s performance makes it easy to forgive some of the film’s narrative shortcomings.

Visually, Last Dance is a mixed bag. The action sequences are bigger and flashier than ever, with symbiote battles that explode across the screen in frenetic bursts of CGI. Some of these moments are thrilling, but others veer into sensory overload, leaving me wishing for a bit more clarity and restraint. The film’s attempt to lean into darker, more gothic visuals works in some scenes but feels inconsistent overall.

The plot, while ambitious, tries to juggle too many elements at once. A new villain, played with gusto by a high-profile (but slightly underutilized) actor, brings menace to the story, but their motivations are murky and underdeveloped. Meanwhile, the film’s exploration of Venom’s origins is intriguing but feels rushed, leaving me craving more depth and fewer loose ends.

Despite its flaws, Venom: Last Dance manages to deliver an entertaining and emotional farewell to the character. It’s messy, but there’s a charm in its willingness to embrace the absurd. Fans of the series will find plenty to enjoy, though it’s unlikely to win over newcomers. For me, it’s a 7/10—an imperfect but enjoyable final ride with one of Marvel’s most unpredictable antiheroes.