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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.
Pete Wareham recommended Habibi by Ali Hussan Kuba in Music (curated)
Billy Gibbons recommended Invite the Light by Dam-Funk in Music (curated)
colin... (64 KP) rated Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) in Movies
Sep 30, 2020
This remake of the spinoff of Jumanji is definitely worse than the spinoff of Jumanji.
Yet, the original Jumanji is better than the spinoff of Jumanji and the remake of the spinoff of Jumanji.
I honestly cant believe this film is real. Not an original or authentic bone in its body. The only thing I can give it is that it is shot better than its predecessor, but I cant even remotely see the hype behind this garbage can. The, hey we are other characters but in other bodies, bit can only go so far, and not even that far at that. This is about as shillesque that a blockbuster can possibly get. The high point was Dwayne Johnson as Danny Devito and even that got old halfway through.
I'd love some discourse in the comments. Let me know, if you even liked the film, why you liked it and what you found good about it. Unless I'm convinced otherwise, however, this is a flaming trash can that isn't even an entertaining flaming trash can.
Yet, the original Jumanji is better than the spinoff of Jumanji and the remake of the spinoff of Jumanji.
I honestly cant believe this film is real. Not an original or authentic bone in its body. The only thing I can give it is that it is shot better than its predecessor, but I cant even remotely see the hype behind this garbage can. The, hey we are other characters but in other bodies, bit can only go so far, and not even that far at that. This is about as shillesque that a blockbuster can possibly get. The high point was Dwayne Johnson as Danny Devito and even that got old halfway through.
I'd love some discourse in the comments. Let me know, if you even liked the film, why you liked it and what you found good about it. Unless I'm convinced otherwise, however, this is a flaming trash can that isn't even an entertaining flaming trash can.
Weave Them And Reap (Weavers Of The Ether #1)
8.0
Rate It
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As a world-hopping tour guide, I can take you to places you’ve never even imagined. But I’ve...
Paranormal Romance Reverse Harem Fated Mates Why Choose? Opposites Attract
Mothergamer (1604 KP) rated Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch in Video Games
Apr 3, 2019
As mentioned in my last post, I am going through my backlog of video games and playing them. I picked Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch and I feel this was a great choice because this game had a lot of things I enjoyed immensely.
The hero of the story is a young boy named Oliver who is kind to everyone who lives in Motorville City with his mother. Oliver's kindness is an important aspect to the plot of the story because this isn't about his physical strength, but the strength of his heart. Oliver's adventure leads him to not only an entirely different world, but a myriad of great characters and as the story progresses you come to care about him even more as you see how much he cares for others and genuinely wants to help those in need.
Oliver and his mother
The battle system reminds me a bit of a Tales game with planning out tactics and figuring out an enemy's weakness in real time. There is also a Pokemon feel with trying to charm various creatures you fight in battle and make them your familiar. You can choose different familiars to fight alongside you and even evolve them into stronger forms. The system menu is quite easy to navigate which is always a plus with me. Level grinding did not seem like a chore because the way the game has been designed actually made it fun.
The world of Ni No Kuni is beautiful, and I was delighted to see the Studio Ghibli art and animation incorporated into the game. The musical soundtrack is also inspiring with fantastic orchestral arrangements that fit very well with the different moments of the story. I found that I loved exploring all the different areas because there was always something fantastic to see and plenty to do. I never found myself bored while playing the game at all and found that I really liked having that freedom of exploring.
Of course there are side quests in Ni No Kuni known as errands and you get various awards for them and something known as Merit Stamps. When you complete a quest, you get a certain number of stamps on Merit Cards. The more difficult the task, the more stamps you receive. You can trade in 10 merit stamps for rewards such as capturing familiars more easily, or gaining more experience in battle. While some of the quests are fetch this or that; many of the quests are about mending a person's heart and you get to see just how kind a person Oliver truly is.
There are quests known as Hunts too given by a character named Derwin in the game which involves capturing the specific types of beasts that he asks for and showing them to him for rewards. While the rewards and stamps are pretty great, this is the one thing about the game I did not like. Derwin's Hunts is one of the most infuriating quests because some of the beasts have a ridiculously low charm rate. One of the beasts requested had a drop rate of 4% so of course it took a very long time to get it. This led me to wonder why the character whose talent was charming beasts wasn't at least given a spell to capture them rather than leaving it entirely random and up to chance. It became very frustrating and I almost didn't finish all of the Hunt quests because of it. I did finish however, but that was my least favorite part of the game.
Once the game is finished, there is still more to do as you get some spiffy new spells and you get some post game side quests you can do. There's even a bounty hunt with Derwin that offers some pretty great rewards if you choose to do them. These side quests do add a little more to Oliver's story and are actually fun except for that Derwin quest because those are a bit tedious.
Overall Ni No Kuni is a great RPG and I would recommend it highly to fellow RPG game lovers. It has a great story with amazing characters. The game play is actually fun, with gorgeous artwork and music which makes for a game that is quite enjoyable. I'm definitely glad I picked it up because it is a nearly perfect game and one worth playing.
The hero of the story is a young boy named Oliver who is kind to everyone who lives in Motorville City with his mother. Oliver's kindness is an important aspect to the plot of the story because this isn't about his physical strength, but the strength of his heart. Oliver's adventure leads him to not only an entirely different world, but a myriad of great characters and as the story progresses you come to care about him even more as you see how much he cares for others and genuinely wants to help those in need.
Oliver and his mother
The battle system reminds me a bit of a Tales game with planning out tactics and figuring out an enemy's weakness in real time. There is also a Pokemon feel with trying to charm various creatures you fight in battle and make them your familiar. You can choose different familiars to fight alongside you and even evolve them into stronger forms. The system menu is quite easy to navigate which is always a plus with me. Level grinding did not seem like a chore because the way the game has been designed actually made it fun.
The world of Ni No Kuni is beautiful, and I was delighted to see the Studio Ghibli art and animation incorporated into the game. The musical soundtrack is also inspiring with fantastic orchestral arrangements that fit very well with the different moments of the story. I found that I loved exploring all the different areas because there was always something fantastic to see and plenty to do. I never found myself bored while playing the game at all and found that I really liked having that freedom of exploring.
Of course there are side quests in Ni No Kuni known as errands and you get various awards for them and something known as Merit Stamps. When you complete a quest, you get a certain number of stamps on Merit Cards. The more difficult the task, the more stamps you receive. You can trade in 10 merit stamps for rewards such as capturing familiars more easily, or gaining more experience in battle. While some of the quests are fetch this or that; many of the quests are about mending a person's heart and you get to see just how kind a person Oliver truly is.
There are quests known as Hunts too given by a character named Derwin in the game which involves capturing the specific types of beasts that he asks for and showing them to him for rewards. While the rewards and stamps are pretty great, this is the one thing about the game I did not like. Derwin's Hunts is one of the most infuriating quests because some of the beasts have a ridiculously low charm rate. One of the beasts requested had a drop rate of 4% so of course it took a very long time to get it. This led me to wonder why the character whose talent was charming beasts wasn't at least given a spell to capture them rather than leaving it entirely random and up to chance. It became very frustrating and I almost didn't finish all of the Hunt quests because of it. I did finish however, but that was my least favorite part of the game.
Once the game is finished, there is still more to do as you get some spiffy new spells and you get some post game side quests you can do. There's even a bounty hunt with Derwin that offers some pretty great rewards if you choose to do them. These side quests do add a little more to Oliver's story and are actually fun except for that Derwin quest because those are a bit tedious.
Overall Ni No Kuni is a great RPG and I would recommend it highly to fellow RPG game lovers. It has a great story with amazing characters. The game play is actually fun, with gorgeous artwork and music which makes for a game that is quite enjoyable. I'm definitely glad I picked it up because it is a nearly perfect game and one worth playing.
Merissa (13524 KP) rated Under A Lavender Moon (Nightingale Songs #1) in Books
Feb 9, 2021
UNDER A LAVENDER MOON is the first book in the Nightingale Songs series, and we enter a world where magic is called tin-chai and can take many forms. Rilla has kept her tin-chai a secret but is found by scouts anyway. With no options available to her, she is taken to the emperor, along with a group of other girls, to compete for the 'honour' of becoming one of his wives,
There are hints of romance in this book, between Rilla, Friend, and Carrick. However, that is very much in the background as the story moves along. The main characters are fully supported by an interesting group of secondary characters, some you will like, some you definitely won't. This is part and parcel of the story though, and is what will keep you turning the pages.
The pacing is smooth, leading you to the cliff-hanger ending, and will also leave you wanting more. For a debut novel, this is incredibly intricate and intriguing. I can't wait to continue with this series, and have no hesitation in recommending it.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
There are hints of romance in this book, between Rilla, Friend, and Carrick. However, that is very much in the background as the story moves along. The main characters are fully supported by an interesting group of secondary characters, some you will like, some you definitely won't. This is part and parcel of the story though, and is what will keep you turning the pages.
The pacing is smooth, leading you to the cliff-hanger ending, and will also leave you wanting more. For a debut novel, this is incredibly intricate and intriguing. I can't wait to continue with this series, and have no hesitation in recommending it.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Kremlin Conspiracy in Books
Feb 27, 2019
I will be honest and tell you, this is not my normal type of book to read. I prefer romantic suspense or romantic thriller, not political thrillers. I am just not a big political person. That said, I have to say, Mr. Rosenberg is extremely, extremely talented, and really knew what to put into a phenomenally written novel. This book truly surprised me at how well it captivated me.
The great detail and research that Mr. Rosenberg has put into this novel is incredible. It really helped draw me to the intensity of the story. I was drawn to Marcus Ryker, the Kremlin and all of the edge of your seat, nail biting plot twists that he hadded to the story. I found myself often holding my breath, holding my book with a white knuckled grip. That, to me, is what makes an amazing thriller!
This is definitely a 5 star worthy novel to the greatest proportions. Mr. Rosenberg absolutely blew me away with this novel and I am already looking forward to another thrilling, God filled, gripping novel from this fantabulously talented author. You heard it here folks. A non-political person, loving this absolutely gripping political Christian thriller. Hats off to Mr. Rosenberg!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
The great detail and research that Mr. Rosenberg has put into this novel is incredible. It really helped draw me to the intensity of the story. I was drawn to Marcus Ryker, the Kremlin and all of the edge of your seat, nail biting plot twists that he hadded to the story. I found myself often holding my breath, holding my book with a white knuckled grip. That, to me, is what makes an amazing thriller!
This is definitely a 5 star worthy novel to the greatest proportions. Mr. Rosenberg absolutely blew me away with this novel and I am already looking forward to another thrilling, God filled, gripping novel from this fantabulously talented author. You heard it here folks. A non-political person, loving this absolutely gripping political Christian thriller. Hats off to Mr. Rosenberg!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Morgan Sheppard (989 KP) rated Wind Warrior (World Aflame #1) in Books
Apr 29, 2020
First things first, I thoroughly enjoyed this story! There were parts that didn't quite sit straight with me but, on the whole, I found this to be a great read.
Xander is a twenty-year-old college student who doesn't know what he wants to major in. He is best-friends with Sean, and has some sort of weird relationship with Jessica, a sorority president. He lives at home and doesn't have a job. His life changes when he suddenly gains some powers over the Air.
I loved the Elemental aspect of this book. No surprise to some of you, I'm sure. I thought the part that says only one Element can live on the earth at one time was a good one. I'm not completely sure why Fire is always cast as the bad guy but there you go.
Sammy (a Fire Elemental) is a very intriguing character and I would love to learn more about her backstory. A lot goes on with her in this story and I can't wait to see where she goes next.
This was an easy read that kept me turning the pages. Like I said, some of it didn't quite fit with the background/story but not enough to disrupt my reading. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a YA/NA Elemental story!
Xander is a twenty-year-old college student who doesn't know what he wants to major in. He is best-friends with Sean, and has some sort of weird relationship with Jessica, a sorority president. He lives at home and doesn't have a job. His life changes when he suddenly gains some powers over the Air.
I loved the Elemental aspect of this book. No surprise to some of you, I'm sure. I thought the part that says only one Element can live on the earth at one time was a good one. I'm not completely sure why Fire is always cast as the bad guy but there you go.
Sammy (a Fire Elemental) is a very intriguing character and I would love to learn more about her backstory. A lot goes on with her in this story and I can't wait to see where she goes next.
This was an easy read that kept me turning the pages. Like I said, some of it didn't quite fit with the background/story but not enough to disrupt my reading. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a YA/NA Elemental story!
Merissa (13524 KP) rated Write Christmas in Books
Dec 1, 2020 (Updated Aug 8, 2023)
WRITE CHRISTMAS is a seasonal story about someone who doesn't like Christmas due to an unfortunate event that shaped her life. Abby has chipped away at Christmas, slowly but surely, until her company and her home have no lights, no decorations, no nothing. Then she gets the opportunity to see what it would be like without it and the game changes.
I'm going to be honest here and say I struggled with this one. It reminded me a lot of It's a Wonderful Life which isn't one of my favourite films and the writing style took me a while to get into.
However, because I have an intense dislike for not finishing a book, I kept at it and almost against my will I found myself becoming gripped by the story. Just what would happen? How would it happen? When? You get the idea.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ending and thought it was perfect for the story as it gives everyone that seasonal glow and warm fuzzies.
I would recommend this book if you like the whole what-if part of Christmas.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 1, 2020
I'm going to be honest here and say I struggled with this one. It reminded me a lot of It's a Wonderful Life which isn't one of my favourite films and the writing style took me a while to get into.
However, because I have an intense dislike for not finishing a book, I kept at it and almost against my will I found myself becoming gripped by the story. Just what would happen? How would it happen? When? You get the idea.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ending and thought it was perfect for the story as it gives everyone that seasonal glow and warm fuzzies.
I would recommend this book if you like the whole what-if part of Christmas.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 1, 2020