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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Curse of Chucky (2013) in Movies
Dec 6, 2019
A horror franchise this many movies in should be on its arse at this point, but the Child's Play series still manages to be entertaining with it's sixth entry.
After the silliness if Bride and Seed, Curse of Chucky steps back in to horror territory a bit more.
The majority of the film takes place in a creepy old house, as Chucky stalks an entirely new set of victims.
The characters this time around aren't hugely likable, except for Nica (played by Fiona Dourif, Brad Dourif's daughter). Not only is she likable and realistic final girl type, but she pretty badass as well. She is also wheelchair bound, which is a refreshing direction to take in this kind of film, and her disability adds a whole new dynamic to the Chucky series and just makes her more badass.
The plot itself is straightforward slasher material, but the last 20 minutes or so, really hammer home the movies connections to the original film, and the rest of the series. The ret con of Charles Lee Ray's origins and work a treat, and learning about more about him is an unexpected highlight.
The Chucky doll this time around looks weird. Really unsettling actually. There's a semi twist halfway through that actually has something to do with the way Chucky looks, and he's still pretty horrible looking.
The effects are mostly passable - there's a kill quite early on involving a car, that boasts some genuinely impressive practical effects, but it does mean towards CGI after that. Not always a bad thing mind, but there's one shit in particular of Chucky walking down a staircase... It's could have been so so good, but the obvious CGI is horrible...bleughh.
Other than that though, Don Mancini throws some decent camera work at us (the title card is an early highlight) and he successfully makes Curse of Chucky into a decent little horror movie.
After the silliness if Bride and Seed, Curse of Chucky steps back in to horror territory a bit more.
The majority of the film takes place in a creepy old house, as Chucky stalks an entirely new set of victims.
The characters this time around aren't hugely likable, except for Nica (played by Fiona Dourif, Brad Dourif's daughter). Not only is she likable and realistic final girl type, but she pretty badass as well. She is also wheelchair bound, which is a refreshing direction to take in this kind of film, and her disability adds a whole new dynamic to the Chucky series and just makes her more badass.
The plot itself is straightforward slasher material, but the last 20 minutes or so, really hammer home the movies connections to the original film, and the rest of the series. The ret con of Charles Lee Ray's origins and work a treat, and learning about more about him is an unexpected highlight.
The Chucky doll this time around looks weird. Really unsettling actually. There's a semi twist halfway through that actually has something to do with the way Chucky looks, and he's still pretty horrible looking.
The effects are mostly passable - there's a kill quite early on involving a car, that boasts some genuinely impressive practical effects, but it does mean towards CGI after that. Not always a bad thing mind, but there's one shit in particular of Chucky walking down a staircase... It's could have been so so good, but the obvious CGI is horrible...bleughh.
Other than that though, Don Mancini throws some decent camera work at us (the title card is an early highlight) and he successfully makes Curse of Chucky into a decent little horror movie.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Death with a Dark Red Rose in Books
Feb 29, 2020
Mysterious Disappearance
Life is going well for Lena London. Her latest collaboration with bestselling novelist Camilla Graham is doing well, she and her fiance, Sam West, are just starting to plan their wedding, and she enjoys spending time with her new friends in Blue Lake. The only shadow is the new factory that is being built just outside of town. It looks like the building is going to be an eye sore, and Lena is not happy about it and other ways it might change this area she considers home. However, a cold wind blows in when someone vanishes. Soon, Lena and her friends are caught up in another race to figure out what is happening before things turn deadly. Will they solve things in time?
I thought this novel’s beginning was weak, but it was the weakest part of the story. Even then, that is a minor complaint since I was hooked from the very first page and could hardly put the book down until I reached the end. If real life didn’t interfere, I could have easily finished it in one sitting. I did see one or two twists coming, but there were plenty others I didn’t suspect, but they made perfect sense by the time we reached the end of the story. I love Lena and her friends, and we got plenty of time with them in these pages. Their relationships are fantastic. Each chapter starts with a quote from the projects that Lena and Camilla are currently working on, and I found they helped me better understand just how this series works Gothic elements into each book. Honestly, I’d love to read their books if they were real. It is best to read this series in order since some events of previous books are spoiled by necessity. That’s not an issue since all the books in this series are great. Set aside plenty of time when you pick up this book because you won’t want to put it down until you’ve read every thrilling page.
I thought this novel’s beginning was weak, but it was the weakest part of the story. Even then, that is a minor complaint since I was hooked from the very first page and could hardly put the book down until I reached the end. If real life didn’t interfere, I could have easily finished it in one sitting. I did see one or two twists coming, but there were plenty others I didn’t suspect, but they made perfect sense by the time we reached the end of the story. I love Lena and her friends, and we got plenty of time with them in these pages. Their relationships are fantastic. Each chapter starts with a quote from the projects that Lena and Camilla are currently working on, and I found they helped me better understand just how this series works Gothic elements into each book. Honestly, I’d love to read their books if they were real. It is best to read this series in order since some events of previous books are spoiled by necessity. That’s not an issue since all the books in this series are great. Set aside plenty of time when you pick up this book because you won’t want to put it down until you’ve read every thrilling page.
Toppr - JEE Main, NEET, CBSE
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Personalized learning for class 5 to 12. Learn with lovely videos, customized questions and 24x7...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Boy with the Painful Tattoo (Holmes & Moriarity,#3) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
This review and more can be found at my blog https://aromancereadersreviews.blogspot.com A Romance Reader's Reviews
This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited library.
It's been a good five years or so since I read books one and two in this series and I honestly can't remember that much other than their initial hostility during that first murder in book one and them hashing things out until they ended up together and then in the second one them going through a lot of ups and downs. Oh, and the dead bodies of course.
They're now moving in together and as J.X. goes off to a writers convention, Kit stays home to unpack and ends up finding a dead body in one of the boxes. As police come to investigate, they identify the body as a wanted art thief and that's when the mystery begins. Who killed him? Who stowed his body in the van? Where are the missing coins?
Once again, things aren't the smoothest for our couple. They argue and fight about stupid things, about important things and then realise they might have been wrong and try and make things right again. It was a bit of a rollercoaster.
As for the mystery of the murder and the missing coins? I didn't see it coming but at the same time I wasn't all that caught up in it all. I was more interested in Kit and J.X's relationship.
I found Jerry rather creepy in the way he kept appearing but I won't go into too much detail about him or it will spoil it for you.
I enjoyed seeing Adrien and Jake make an appearance in this. I never read the full series - unfortunately! - only books 4 and 5 and really fell for the couple, though I soon realised they'd been through some crap so to see them happy is great.
I'm unsure as of yet if I will continue the series.
This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited library.
It's been a good five years or so since I read books one and two in this series and I honestly can't remember that much other than their initial hostility during that first murder in book one and them hashing things out until they ended up together and then in the second one them going through a lot of ups and downs. Oh, and the dead bodies of course.
They're now moving in together and as J.X. goes off to a writers convention, Kit stays home to unpack and ends up finding a dead body in one of the boxes. As police come to investigate, they identify the body as a wanted art thief and that's when the mystery begins. Who killed him? Who stowed his body in the van? Where are the missing coins?
Once again, things aren't the smoothest for our couple. They argue and fight about stupid things, about important things and then realise they might have been wrong and try and make things right again. It was a bit of a rollercoaster.
As for the mystery of the murder and the missing coins? I didn't see it coming but at the same time I wasn't all that caught up in it all. I was more interested in Kit and J.X's relationship.
I found Jerry rather creepy in the way he kept appearing but I won't go into too much detail about him or it will spoil it for you.
I enjoyed seeing Adrien and Jake make an appearance in this. I never read the full series - unfortunately! - only books 4 and 5 and really fell for the couple, though I soon realised they'd been through some crap so to see them happy is great.
I'm unsure as of yet if I will continue the series.
When the Stars Fall (The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series Book 2)
Book
Madison Reynolds is rebuilding her life, one obstacle at a time. But the building blocks aren’t...
romance adult mystery cozy mystery fiction series
I have found the series to be lots of fun. It features a spunky heroine who is at home in all the great cities in Europe, is great at her job, and takes the more than occasional murder in stride.
The thing I find most intriguing and also most inviting about this series is the fact that the murder takes place so late in the story that you almost forget that this is supposed to be a murder mystery. Instead, you get to meet all the characters, learn their secrets and affiliations, begin to develop feelings for them. It is very Agatha Christie like and very cool. The great characters added to the brilliant descriptions of European cities, tour stops, and culture makes the reader feel like they are taking part in the tour and gives them a personal stake in discovering whodunnit.
Death of Leprechaun is no exception. Lana has secured a spot on her current tour for dear friends of hers and she is really looking forward to touring Dublin. Unbeknownst to her, almost every member of the tour has a connection to a corrupt reporter who ends up dead. Everyone he has written about or even for has a motive to want him dead, but only Lana’s tour group had access to the murder weapon.
Beyond the search for the murderer, I have to admit my favorite part of this book is when Dottie and later Lana hang a lantern on the fact that guests in Lana’s tours always seem to turn up dead. Though I will give kudos for the switch up here in that the tour group is still suspect, but the victim, is an outsider.
Readers who enjoy travel fiction, epic character development, and clever mysteries will enjoy this series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
The thing I find most intriguing and also most inviting about this series is the fact that the murder takes place so late in the story that you almost forget that this is supposed to be a murder mystery. Instead, you get to meet all the characters, learn their secrets and affiliations, begin to develop feelings for them. It is very Agatha Christie like and very cool. The great characters added to the brilliant descriptions of European cities, tour stops, and culture makes the reader feel like they are taking part in the tour and gives them a personal stake in discovering whodunnit.
Death of Leprechaun is no exception. Lana has secured a spot on her current tour for dear friends of hers and she is really looking forward to touring Dublin. Unbeknownst to her, almost every member of the tour has a connection to a corrupt reporter who ends up dead. Everyone he has written about or even for has a motive to want him dead, but only Lana’s tour group had access to the murder weapon.
Beyond the search for the murderer, I have to admit my favorite part of this book is when Dottie and later Lana hang a lantern on the fact that guests in Lana’s tours always seem to turn up dead. Though I will give kudos for the switch up here in that the tour group is still suspect, but the victim, is an outsider.
Readers who enjoy travel fiction, epic character development, and clever mysteries will enjoy this series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Chained Omega (Black Creek Pack #3)
8.0
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An Omega on the run An Alpha chaining his catch An attraction that won't be denied All the steam!...
Omegaverse Erotic 18+ MM Romance
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Shadow Bound (Shadow #1) in Books
Oct 20, 2023
SHADOW BOUND is the first book in the Shadow series, starting off with the Daughter of Death, Talia. Not only that, but you get a nice prologue that tells you about the love between her father and mother, and just what their situation was. I really liked that.
After the prologue, you move forward twenty-six years to find Talia packing for a new job after successfully defending her dissertation. All that changes when two Wraiths force their way into her home and kill her flatmate. Talia goes on the run, successfully hiding for a few months until her luck seems to run out. While this has been going on, Adam has been searching for her. She is the only one so far he has found that mentions 'Shadowman' and he is desperate to find her. He does, in the nick of time, and that's when the fun really starts.
Talia doesn't simply turn into a kick-ass bad-ass b!tch. Nope, she claws her way through her instincts to run and hide, only really coming into her own during the last part of the book. Adam is a bitter, arrogant jerk (with reason) who wants to use Talia at the beginning and, by the end, will do anything to protect her.
This is a fast-paced story that will keep you turning the pages. The world-building was great and really helped to set the scene, not only for this book but also for the others in the series. Talia and Adam are ably supported by a fascinating group of characters that I hope will be in later books. I found it to be a great start to the series and look forward to Custo's story, which is next.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Oct 20, 2023
After the prologue, you move forward twenty-six years to find Talia packing for a new job after successfully defending her dissertation. All that changes when two Wraiths force their way into her home and kill her flatmate. Talia goes on the run, successfully hiding for a few months until her luck seems to run out. While this has been going on, Adam has been searching for her. She is the only one so far he has found that mentions 'Shadowman' and he is desperate to find her. He does, in the nick of time, and that's when the fun really starts.
Talia doesn't simply turn into a kick-ass bad-ass b!tch. Nope, she claws her way through her instincts to run and hide, only really coming into her own during the last part of the book. Adam is a bitter, arrogant jerk (with reason) who wants to use Talia at the beginning and, by the end, will do anything to protect her.
This is a fast-paced story that will keep you turning the pages. The world-building was great and really helped to set the scene, not only for this book but also for the others in the series. Talia and Adam are ably supported by a fascinating group of characters that I hope will be in later books. I found it to be a great start to the series and look forward to Custo's story, which is next.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Oct 20, 2023
BEARLY GOLD is the second in the Fairy Tale Fatale series and is a very imaginative retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
'Goldilocks' is a young, incredibly brave girl who has seen and suffered more than any should do. Our main character, Fayola, is a lightning bird of legend, an impundulu. She is on her fortieth mission, after which she will be free to do what she wants with her life. But that fortieth mission brings untold action and the saving of children from a war-torn area. Initially, she doesn't want to. She wants to finish her mission and go home. But how can she leave them?
Featuring bear and elephant shifters, plus impundulu, as well as humans, this is an intricate and twisting story, telling the dark tale of child trafficking. It is lightened in places by Fay's musings, her friends and family, plus romantic elements with Jelani - her long-term partner. It is also violent in places but, I can honestly say, I really didn't care because it couldn't happen to nicer people!!!
This series is simply amazing, covering dark topics. I can't wait to read the next in this series, whichever story it is. HIGHLY recommended by me.
As an aside, there is a simply amazing line spoken in the book which rings true. I'm using the words as written by the author in her notes at the end:
"Heroes are needed in this fight. Not vampiric lightning birds of lore but informed and caring human beings. Child trafficking is not inconsequential but bringing the crime to its overdue end requires people to, like Fayola, engage in the fine art of giving a shit."
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Jun 19, 2022
'Goldilocks' is a young, incredibly brave girl who has seen and suffered more than any should do. Our main character, Fayola, is a lightning bird of legend, an impundulu. She is on her fortieth mission, after which she will be free to do what she wants with her life. But that fortieth mission brings untold action and the saving of children from a war-torn area. Initially, she doesn't want to. She wants to finish her mission and go home. But how can she leave them?
Featuring bear and elephant shifters, plus impundulu, as well as humans, this is an intricate and twisting story, telling the dark tale of child trafficking. It is lightened in places by Fay's musings, her friends and family, plus romantic elements with Jelani - her long-term partner. It is also violent in places but, I can honestly say, I really didn't care because it couldn't happen to nicer people!!!
This series is simply amazing, covering dark topics. I can't wait to read the next in this series, whichever story it is. HIGHLY recommended by me.
As an aside, there is a simply amazing line spoken in the book which rings true. I'm using the words as written by the author in her notes at the end:
"Heroes are needed in this fight. Not vampiric lightning birds of lore but informed and caring human beings. Child trafficking is not inconsequential but bringing the crime to its overdue end requires people to, like Fayola, engage in the fine art of giving a shit."
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Jun 19, 2022
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Dissent ( Rise of the Iliri 7) in Books
May 28, 2024
106 of 220
Kindle
Dissent ( Rise of the Iliri 7)
By Auryn Hadley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even before Sal joined the Black Blades, they were the best of her country’s elite forces, bred to be ferocious predators and trained to be deadly soldiers. They think as one, feel as one, yet possess their own special abilities--and Sal is their center. Their deepest secret, that the Black Blades are all crossbred iliri, is now out in the open. With the addition of Sal, a purebred iliri, they have become the most deadly creatures on the continent. Now the country that disbanded them needs them to defeat the invading Terrans. Sal desperately wants to defeat the Terrans and their leader, who will stop at nothing to wipe out the iliri. Ironically, saving the country that enslaved her people is the only way to save them.
As the strain begins to show, Sal is trying to let herself lean on the Blades, a band of brothers, some of whom share her bed – and it’s getting really crowded in the bedroom! The more of them there are, the more adorable these guys get, like puppies piled up around a warm fire. Although some of the human males in Sal’s world aren’t quite used to the reverse harem model of family life the iliri favor, the smoking (but tasteful) sex scenes are guaranteed to please readers.
Have you ever read a series that hooks you in from the first word to the last? Where all the books are consistently brilliant? This is mine!! Iwill forever rave about this series. It was never going to be easy going back home especially when she was about to turn it upside down. Sal is an amazing character the love these people have for her is just a joy to read. The world building is brilliant, the characters are so well thought out. I will recommend this series to every fantasy reader it’s just so good.
Kindle
Dissent ( Rise of the Iliri 7)
By Auryn Hadley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even before Sal joined the Black Blades, they were the best of her country’s elite forces, bred to be ferocious predators and trained to be deadly soldiers. They think as one, feel as one, yet possess their own special abilities--and Sal is their center. Their deepest secret, that the Black Blades are all crossbred iliri, is now out in the open. With the addition of Sal, a purebred iliri, they have become the most deadly creatures on the continent. Now the country that disbanded them needs them to defeat the invading Terrans. Sal desperately wants to defeat the Terrans and their leader, who will stop at nothing to wipe out the iliri. Ironically, saving the country that enslaved her people is the only way to save them.
As the strain begins to show, Sal is trying to let herself lean on the Blades, a band of brothers, some of whom share her bed – and it’s getting really crowded in the bedroom! The more of them there are, the more adorable these guys get, like puppies piled up around a warm fire. Although some of the human males in Sal’s world aren’t quite used to the reverse harem model of family life the iliri favor, the smoking (but tasteful) sex scenes are guaranteed to please readers.
Have you ever read a series that hooks you in from the first word to the last? Where all the books are consistently brilliant? This is mine!! Iwill forever rave about this series. It was never going to be easy going back home especially when she was about to turn it upside down. Sal is an amazing character the love these people have for her is just a joy to read. The world building is brilliant, the characters are so well thought out. I will recommend this series to every fantasy reader it’s just so good.