Search
Kristina (502 KP) rated Pretty Girls: A Novel in Books
Dec 7, 2020
Wow. Let me start by saying that there is definitely reason enough for this book to come with warning labels, such as ⚠ graphic scenes, extreme violence, descriptive sexual assault ⚠
However, I am not easily traumatized, so I read on, even though I'd been told by several readers how gruesome it is. They were not wrong. Pretty Girls is without a doubt the most gruesome book I've ever read. That aside, all-in-all, I loved it. It certainly kept me on my toes, had my heart pounding, halted my breathing once or twice. The only reason I have 4 instead of 5 stars is because, every now and then, I felt myself go almost numb. Not bored, oh no, but in a trance-like state where I'd still be reading, but I couldn't absorb the words, causing me to go back a page or so. It was definitely overload. There was also one particular event that, if I'm honest, kind of irritated me with it's simplicity. Overall, however, I enjoyed the thrill!
However, I am not easily traumatized, so I read on, even though I'd been told by several readers how gruesome it is. They were not wrong. Pretty Girls is without a doubt the most gruesome book I've ever read. That aside, all-in-all, I loved it. It certainly kept me on my toes, had my heart pounding, halted my breathing once or twice. The only reason I have 4 instead of 5 stars is because, every now and then, I felt myself go almost numb. Not bored, oh no, but in a trance-like state where I'd still be reading, but I couldn't absorb the words, causing me to go back a page or so. It was definitely overload. There was also one particular event that, if I'm honest, kind of irritated me with it's simplicity. Overall, however, I enjoyed the thrill!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Marshall (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Marshall is the biopic of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, and it focuses on one of the first cases of his career.
I was enthralled by this film. It popped up on my listings and I went to it without knowing anything more than the fact it was a biopic. Just like Hidden Figures, this was an interesting, heart-breaking and moving tale.
Chadwick Boseman, who some of us will know as Black Panther in the Marvel Universe, was a brilliant lead. Josh Gad felt like such an odd choice, I've only ever seen him in comedy films or staring as our favourite feathered or Frozen friends, but the two of them together brought this powerful story to life on the screen.
There aren't many films where I come out knowing that I didn't miss a second of what happened, but this one had me on the edge of my seat. Not so much for the guy across the aisle though, I'm fairly certain that he was snoring at one point.
I was enthralled by this film. It popped up on my listings and I went to it without knowing anything more than the fact it was a biopic. Just like Hidden Figures, this was an interesting, heart-breaking and moving tale.
Chadwick Boseman, who some of us will know as Black Panther in the Marvel Universe, was a brilliant lead. Josh Gad felt like such an odd choice, I've only ever seen him in comedy films or staring as our favourite feathered or Frozen friends, but the two of them together brought this powerful story to life on the screen.
There aren't many films where I come out knowing that I didn't miss a second of what happened, but this one had me on the edge of my seat. Not so much for the guy across the aisle though, I'm fairly certain that he was snoring at one point.
Blessings by Aled Jones
Album
For 2020, and his 40th album, one of our most loved singers Aled Jones presents Blessings. An idea...
Add Romance and Mix
8.0
Rate It
Book
Briley Anderson hasn’t been in a serious relationship for the past two years. The pain of her last...
Lesbian
Water Bound (Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart, #1)
6.0
Rate It
Book
The last thing Lev Prakenskii remembered was being lost in the swirling currents of the ocean and...
paranormal romance romance
Farm to Fabre
8.0
Rate It
Book
When Andriana Milne-Marchetti kisses an old family friend under an apple tree, she never imagines...
Contemporary Romance
Bethr1986 (305 KP) rated Constitution Check (Dungeons and Dating #4) by Katherine McIntyre in Books
Sep 24, 2022
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is book number 4 in the Dungeons and Dating series and I have to say I have loved every one so far. The series is centred on a group of people who run a business called the Tabletop Tavern and have come together through their love of board games, particularly Dungeons and Dragons.
Each book focuses on different characters and their love life and life in general. This book focuses on Kelly who is trying to get over a domestically violent relationship that ended with the death of her then-girlfriend and Tabby who has never felt any good for anybody.
Katherine is an absolute wizard with words and you get a clear understanding of what each character is going through. She tackles the tougher subjects abuse/homophobia/grief etc in such a delicate but powerful way. It is a pleasure to read even though some of it is heart-breaking.
I 100% recommend reading not just this book but the whole series. Fantastic Katherine.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
This is book number 4 in the Dungeons and Dating series and I have to say I have loved every one so far. The series is centred on a group of people who run a business called the Tabletop Tavern and have come together through their love of board games, particularly Dungeons and Dragons.
Each book focuses on different characters and their love life and life in general. This book focuses on Kelly who is trying to get over a domestically violent relationship that ended with the death of her then-girlfriend and Tabby who has never felt any good for anybody.
Katherine is an absolute wizard with words and you get a clear understanding of what each character is going through. She tackles the tougher subjects abuse/homophobia/grief etc in such a delicate but powerful way. It is a pleasure to read even though some of it is heart-breaking.
I 100% recommend reading not just this book but the whole series. Fantastic Katherine.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
Sealed with a Curse
10.0
Rate It
Book
The kingdom of Melthkior was rich in both resources and people. The Royal Family were admired by one...
Fairytale Retelling Fantasy Romance Mythology Brothers Grimm The Six Swans
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Night Olivia Fell in Books
Mar 15, 2019
Wow!
I had been wanting to read The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald for awhile. I was beyond thrilled when I was able to borrow the eBook from my library. Luckily, the book lived up to the hype I had built in my mind.
I found the plot of The Night Olivia Fell to be very intriguing and well written. There were so many feelings with this novel. I enjoyed reading things from Abi's perspective and then going back in time to read flashbacks in Olivia's perspective. I found myself trying to decide if Olivia really was murdered or if she killed herself. There were so many times I thought I had figured out who pushed Olivia just to be wrong. I did find myself hoping that by some miracle, Olivia would go back to being the same before she fell off the bridge. (Hope springs eternal with me.) This was more than just the mystery of Olivia's fall. Olivia was also trying to figure out who her father was, and there was also Olivia's blossoming romance with Derrick. There were a few plot twists which were enjoyable. My only complaint is that I wish there would have been information on the court case. I just felt that I needed closure and to make sure justice was served. Other than that, I felt like the story was written perfectly.
I felt that the characters in The Night Olivia Fell were very fleshed out and realistic. My heart went out to both Olivia and Abi. I could understand how Abi just wanted to make sure Olivia was safe and doing well, but I could also sympathize with out Olivia felt like Abi was smothering her a lot of the time. Olivia was very much like a typical teenager to begin with, but once she found out she was pregnant, I felt like she really blossomed. Olivia would have been an excellent mother, and it was sweet to see how she was willing to protect her unborn baby. Abi just wanted what was best for Olivia being as she was a single mother. She worked her behind off to make sure Olivia was okay. It was obvious how much Abi loved Olivia. Kendall was a bit of a wild card. I liked her, but I was always wondering if she had an endgame. Gavin was another wild card. I wanted to believe he wouldn't stoop so low as to hurt a young innocent girl, but then the more I read about him, the more I wasn't sure of his character. I started out feeling sorry for Tyler with how much he had going on with him, but I was glad that Olivia chose Derek. Derek seemed to be really sweet, and it was sad that people judged him based on a some stretched truths.
The pacing was done brilliantly for The Night Olivia Fell. Not once did I ever feel like the story dragged on or was becoming too predictable. I felt as if each page was an adventure which made this book an easy read.
Trigger warnings for The Night Olivia Fell include violence, threats, blackmail, profanity, and a semi-graphic sex scene between a 17 year old girl and her boyfriend.
All in all, The Night Olivia Fell was a great read! It had such an interesting plot as well as fantastically written characters. This book grabs you by the hand and never lets you go. I would definitely recommend The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald to those aged 17+. It's one of those books that leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished it.
I found the plot of The Night Olivia Fell to be very intriguing and well written. There were so many feelings with this novel. I enjoyed reading things from Abi's perspective and then going back in time to read flashbacks in Olivia's perspective. I found myself trying to decide if Olivia really was murdered or if she killed herself. There were so many times I thought I had figured out who pushed Olivia just to be wrong. I did find myself hoping that by some miracle, Olivia would go back to being the same before she fell off the bridge. (Hope springs eternal with me.) This was more than just the mystery of Olivia's fall. Olivia was also trying to figure out who her father was, and there was also Olivia's blossoming romance with Derrick. There were a few plot twists which were enjoyable. My only complaint is that I wish there would have been information on the court case. I just felt that I needed closure and to make sure justice was served. Other than that, I felt like the story was written perfectly.
I felt that the characters in The Night Olivia Fell were very fleshed out and realistic. My heart went out to both Olivia and Abi. I could understand how Abi just wanted to make sure Olivia was safe and doing well, but I could also sympathize with out Olivia felt like Abi was smothering her a lot of the time. Olivia was very much like a typical teenager to begin with, but once she found out she was pregnant, I felt like she really blossomed. Olivia would have been an excellent mother, and it was sweet to see how she was willing to protect her unborn baby. Abi just wanted what was best for Olivia being as she was a single mother. She worked her behind off to make sure Olivia was okay. It was obvious how much Abi loved Olivia. Kendall was a bit of a wild card. I liked her, but I was always wondering if she had an endgame. Gavin was another wild card. I wanted to believe he wouldn't stoop so low as to hurt a young innocent girl, but then the more I read about him, the more I wasn't sure of his character. I started out feeling sorry for Tyler with how much he had going on with him, but I was glad that Olivia chose Derek. Derek seemed to be really sweet, and it was sad that people judged him based on a some stretched truths.
The pacing was done brilliantly for The Night Olivia Fell. Not once did I ever feel like the story dragged on or was becoming too predictable. I felt as if each page was an adventure which made this book an easy read.
Trigger warnings for The Night Olivia Fell include violence, threats, blackmail, profanity, and a semi-graphic sex scene between a 17 year old girl and her boyfriend.
All in all, The Night Olivia Fell was a great read! It had such an interesting plot as well as fantastically written characters. This book grabs you by the hand and never lets you go. I would definitely recommend The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald to those aged 17+. It's one of those books that leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished it.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(Review also on my blog <a href="themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
This is one of those books that sort of caught me by surprise. I expected it to be fantastic as it was very high on my TBR list. It wasn't that fantastic as I thought it was going to be, but it was good.
Rose Zarelli is having a hard time in her first year of high school. Her dad's just died recently, her best friend has turned into a "cheer-witch" , her guy friend has a crush on her which she just wants to be friends with, and she's ended up kissing the boyfriend of Regina, one of the meanest girls in the school. Regina is now dead set on making Rose's life as miserable as possible. This book is about the ups and mostly downs of Rose Zarelli's freshman year of high school.
I really don't know how I feel about the characters. I felt like there wasn't enough character building for me to care about each character 100%. There were times when I felt like I didn't really care what happened to Rose. Other times, my heart went out to her because I could relate to some of things that were happening to her. The character of Regina was good although she was made out to be a stereotypical mean cheerleader type. I really couldn't stand Regina simply because she was a mean girl. I feel like the author didn't really show us enough of Jamie and Tracey's personalities. Why did everyone think Jamie was a bad boy? This was never really explained in the book. As for Tracey, she just came across as sort of a chameleon character, basically blending in with whomever she was with.
The pacing of the book is another thing I had a problem with. Most of the time it was way too slow. A lot of the chapters I had a hard time really getting in to. Don't get me wrong, there were some chapters that the pacing was done spot on. However, the majority of the time, the pacing felt really slow.
I think the dialogue was well suited to a YA novel for teens between the ages of 14 to 17. There are a few swear words but not so many that it becomes too much. There's just enough swearing to make it believable...I'm basing this on my teenage years though, lol.
I do like the title, and I admit that the title definitely did catch my attention. However, I don't really feel that Rose was an angry girl. I felt like she was more of a bullied girl. She didn't really come across as that angry to me until right around the end where her mother asks her about it. The whole "anger" conversation in the book felt as if the author just threw it in so the title would make sense.
I believe the cover suits the book. The girl on the front (which I believe is Rose) looks a bit unsure of herself which is what I felt that Rose was feeling throughout the book.
Like I said, I did like the book even if there were some major issues. It made me feel like I needed to know what was going to happen. I'm definitely getting the second book in the series just because of how this book ended.
I would recommend this book to a high school girl. I wouldn't really recommend it to adult fans of YA though.
All in all, I would give Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett a 3.5 out of 5.
This is one of those books that sort of caught me by surprise. I expected it to be fantastic as it was very high on my TBR list. It wasn't that fantastic as I thought it was going to be, but it was good.
Rose Zarelli is having a hard time in her first year of high school. Her dad's just died recently, her best friend has turned into a "cheer-witch" , her guy friend has a crush on her which she just wants to be friends with, and she's ended up kissing the boyfriend of Regina, one of the meanest girls in the school. Regina is now dead set on making Rose's life as miserable as possible. This book is about the ups and mostly downs of Rose Zarelli's freshman year of high school.
I really don't know how I feel about the characters. I felt like there wasn't enough character building for me to care about each character 100%. There were times when I felt like I didn't really care what happened to Rose. Other times, my heart went out to her because I could relate to some of things that were happening to her. The character of Regina was good although she was made out to be a stereotypical mean cheerleader type. I really couldn't stand Regina simply because she was a mean girl. I feel like the author didn't really show us enough of Jamie and Tracey's personalities. Why did everyone think Jamie was a bad boy? This was never really explained in the book. As for Tracey, she just came across as sort of a chameleon character, basically blending in with whomever she was with.
The pacing of the book is another thing I had a problem with. Most of the time it was way too slow. A lot of the chapters I had a hard time really getting in to. Don't get me wrong, there were some chapters that the pacing was done spot on. However, the majority of the time, the pacing felt really slow.
I think the dialogue was well suited to a YA novel for teens between the ages of 14 to 17. There are a few swear words but not so many that it becomes too much. There's just enough swearing to make it believable...I'm basing this on my teenage years though, lol.
I do like the title, and I admit that the title definitely did catch my attention. However, I don't really feel that Rose was an angry girl. I felt like she was more of a bullied girl. She didn't really come across as that angry to me until right around the end where her mother asks her about it. The whole "anger" conversation in the book felt as if the author just threw it in so the title would make sense.
I believe the cover suits the book. The girl on the front (which I believe is Rose) looks a bit unsure of herself which is what I felt that Rose was feeling throughout the book.
Like I said, I did like the book even if there were some major issues. It made me feel like I needed to know what was going to happen. I'm definitely getting the second book in the series just because of how this book ended.
I would recommend this book to a high school girl. I wouldn't really recommend it to adult fans of YA though.
All in all, I would give Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett a 3.5 out of 5.