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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Rules for Disappearing (The Rules for Disappearing, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(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>).
When I first read about The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston, I knew I had to read this book. I was thrilled when I won an ARC copy from a blog giveaway. I was even happier that the book was even better then I thought it was going to be.
Thankfully, the book synopsis does an excellent job in describing what the book is going to be about. I'm super thankful because a lot of book blurbs these days tend to just give you the bare minimum of what the book will be about or something completely different. Anyway, since you've read above what the book is about, I won't try to tell you again since most people find it boring.
I absolutely love the title! It screams out at you to check this book out (okay, it did to me). The title is also what the chapter names are called. With each chapter, you also get a rule for disappearing, so this title is perfect!
Whilst I loved the title, I wasn't thrilled with the cover. I just felt that with what this books about and everything contained within the pages, the cover would've been better. Yes, I get that it's about up and leaving, but just showing a pair of legs running is a bit too bland. In fact, I wasn't going to bother with this book when I saw the cover, but I thought I'd give the book blurb a read which is what changed my mind. So please don't let the cover fool you into thinking this is a dull book because it's not.
I thought the world building was fantastic. I enjoyed reading about how it'd be living in the Witness Protection Program, and I must say, I'm glad that I never had to do something like that even if it would be cool to pick your own name. Elston gives us an up close and personal look into the life of someone who has to deal with this. I felt, at times, that it was me in the place of Meg. That's how real the world building felt. One thing that bothered me though was how trusting one of the adults was in this book. I won't go into details because I don't want to go into spoilers, but I just couldn't imagine any adult would let someone take off with hardly any questions asked.
The pacing was absolutely perfect! This whole book was one big page-turner. I kept telling myself I'd only read one more chapter and then get back to real life. Before I knew it, I'd finished the book. I had to know what was going to happen next. Not once does the pacing become dull.
The plot was fantastic! I'd never read a book that had to do with the Witness Protection Program. I loved the way the plot was written and the predicament of Meg getting close to Ethan. It was very interesting to read about everything and to see how things would play out. I did, however, predict who the baddie really was, and I was right. I had pretty much seen it coming since that character was mentioned, but the story was still interesting to read. I just wish the ending would've explained a bit more, but I've just read that there will be a sequel out next year so hopefully things will be explained more then.
I absolutely loved the characters! Meg was a very strong character throughout the whole book. The way she handled things was very interesting to read about. I liked how she was torn and how she'd rationalize things especially when it came to getting close to Ethan. I enjoyed how much Ethan was willing to put on the line to get close to Meg. He was a true gentleman, but not over the top like you get in cheesy romance novels. I loved his dedication to Meg. Teeny seemed to act like that of an 8 year child instead of an 11 year old girl. The book says she acts younger because of what she's been through with having to move house and change lives every so many weeks. I just didn't buy it. She acted too young almost all the time! While I did enjoy the character of Teeny, I just wish she would've acted her age a little more throughout the book. Pearl was definitely my favorite character, and while she isn't mentioned a lot, I still loved whenever she'd show up in the book. I loved her sweet nature and how she was willingly to help anyone out.
The interactions between the characters was very believable and never felt forced. Even the swearing never felt forced. The dialogue is very enjoyable, and I enjoyed it the most when Meg was forced with a problem. I loved reading about how she was going to solve it. Like I said, there is some bad language, but I'd say it's only moderate.
Overall, The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston is an interesting, refreshing read as well as a book that keeps you hooked until the very end.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who just want a good book to read.
I'd give The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston a 4.5 out of 5.
When I first read about The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston, I knew I had to read this book. I was thrilled when I won an ARC copy from a blog giveaway. I was even happier that the book was even better then I thought it was going to be.
Thankfully, the book synopsis does an excellent job in describing what the book is going to be about. I'm super thankful because a lot of book blurbs these days tend to just give you the bare minimum of what the book will be about or something completely different. Anyway, since you've read above what the book is about, I won't try to tell you again since most people find it boring.
I absolutely love the title! It screams out at you to check this book out (okay, it did to me). The title is also what the chapter names are called. With each chapter, you also get a rule for disappearing, so this title is perfect!
Whilst I loved the title, I wasn't thrilled with the cover. I just felt that with what this books about and everything contained within the pages, the cover would've been better. Yes, I get that it's about up and leaving, but just showing a pair of legs running is a bit too bland. In fact, I wasn't going to bother with this book when I saw the cover, but I thought I'd give the book blurb a read which is what changed my mind. So please don't let the cover fool you into thinking this is a dull book because it's not.
I thought the world building was fantastic. I enjoyed reading about how it'd be living in the Witness Protection Program, and I must say, I'm glad that I never had to do something like that even if it would be cool to pick your own name. Elston gives us an up close and personal look into the life of someone who has to deal with this. I felt, at times, that it was me in the place of Meg. That's how real the world building felt. One thing that bothered me though was how trusting one of the adults was in this book. I won't go into details because I don't want to go into spoilers, but I just couldn't imagine any adult would let someone take off with hardly any questions asked.
The pacing was absolutely perfect! This whole book was one big page-turner. I kept telling myself I'd only read one more chapter and then get back to real life. Before I knew it, I'd finished the book. I had to know what was going to happen next. Not once does the pacing become dull.
The plot was fantastic! I'd never read a book that had to do with the Witness Protection Program. I loved the way the plot was written and the predicament of Meg getting close to Ethan. It was very interesting to read about everything and to see how things would play out. I did, however, predict who the baddie really was, and I was right. I had pretty much seen it coming since that character was mentioned, but the story was still interesting to read. I just wish the ending would've explained a bit more, but I've just read that there will be a sequel out next year so hopefully things will be explained more then.
I absolutely loved the characters! Meg was a very strong character throughout the whole book. The way she handled things was very interesting to read about. I liked how she was torn and how she'd rationalize things especially when it came to getting close to Ethan. I enjoyed how much Ethan was willing to put on the line to get close to Meg. He was a true gentleman, but not over the top like you get in cheesy romance novels. I loved his dedication to Meg. Teeny seemed to act like that of an 8 year child instead of an 11 year old girl. The book says she acts younger because of what she's been through with having to move house and change lives every so many weeks. I just didn't buy it. She acted too young almost all the time! While I did enjoy the character of Teeny, I just wish she would've acted her age a little more throughout the book. Pearl was definitely my favorite character, and while she isn't mentioned a lot, I still loved whenever she'd show up in the book. I loved her sweet nature and how she was willingly to help anyone out.
The interactions between the characters was very believable and never felt forced. Even the swearing never felt forced. The dialogue is very enjoyable, and I enjoyed it the most when Meg was forced with a problem. I loved reading about how she was going to solve it. Like I said, there is some bad language, but I'd say it's only moderate.
Overall, The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston is an interesting, refreshing read as well as a book that keeps you hooked until the very end.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who just want a good book to read.
I'd give The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston a 4.5 out of 5.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Tabula Rasa (Tabula Rasa, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I was extremely curious about Tabula Rasa when I found out what it meant (Latin: Scraped Tablet. AKA, a newborn basically.) I also thought it would be a really interesting read I mean, girl has a tragic past, and is basically a lab rat in a procedure to erase those memories. Oh, and what's even more intriguing? Most of the "rats" are delinquents. I suppose from a delinquent's view, one would want to erase memories. Better than sitting in juvie, right? :p
It's certainly a cause for curiosity. I mean, we're reading the story from a possible criminal! I know I shouldn't be excited, but can you blame me? I've never actually read a story from a delinquent! ^o^
Not to burst any exciting bubbles bubbling up, but truth is, Sarah, our main character, isn't. That was highly disappointing when I found out. Instead, I found out she was some idol of sorts in New York, famous for uncovering a scam. Um... not too exciting. Plus, she seems much too fearless. I could have sworn she wasn't afraid of death even throughout the entire book. If there's one question I want to ask Sarah, it's "Are you even afraid of anything?"
<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uGUfnIbJtyY/U5yh6n3z6iI/AAAAAAAADe4/BU4P9O2rlTg/s1600/giphy+(12).gif"; border="0">
During the earlier parts of the book though, I sort of wanted to just toss Tabula Rasa aside and mark it as DNF. It felt a little too creepy, and confusing. The creepy part probably worked to an advantage, seeing how the surgery was quite detailed. *shudders*
<blockquote>Improvising seems familiar. Like it's my style.</blockquote>
Now the confusing part, that was just randomly thrown in. And I mean the quote. Not me randomly throwing the word confusing around and about. Sarah's going to a tool closet and putting things in her pocket. I'm not sure that's improvising. She's not making anything from what I read, aside from noticing a door. Does noticing a door count as improvising?
The romance between Thomas and Sarah. Really odd. Just... really odd. I felt like Thomas was trying a bit too hard on being funny at the beginning. Later he tends to be more "relaxed" and the humor felt more natural. But for a hacker with a father formerly in the Russian Intelligence Agency do they call it RIA? Thomas just seems too carefree. It was as though hacking just isn't... him. I suppose a new career is on the horizons for said character.
I did learn some new things though. I'm done with truth serums. What's with authors after Veronica Roth throwing serums around? They're popping up in so many places. O_o Oh, and apparently it actually snows in Hawaii. In the mountains. Wait, there are mountains in Hawaii? MIND = BLOWN.
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_L4F_cUFsRc/U5yiXj5ftDI/AAAAAAAADfA/n9f9CgNd_H4/s1600/giphy+(13).gif"; border="0" height="179" width="320">
The Bourne Identity? I haven't read it myself, even though that sounds really familiar. Divergent? I'm not too sure. Even the folks of Dauntless are afraid of something. I guess the former's more of a bull's eye with Tabula Rasa than the latter. Tabula Rasa reminded me more of Nikita, Au Revoir Crazy European Chick, and apparently something else I can't remember with all the action and secret plots/schemes (it has something to do with operations).
------------------------
Advanced review copy provided by EgmontUSA for review
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/09/arc-review-tabula-rasa-by-kristen-lippert-martin.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
It's certainly a cause for curiosity. I mean, we're reading the story from a possible criminal! I know I shouldn't be excited, but can you blame me? I've never actually read a story from a delinquent! ^o^
Not to burst any exciting bubbles bubbling up, but truth is, Sarah, our main character, isn't. That was highly disappointing when I found out. Instead, I found out she was some idol of sorts in New York, famous for uncovering a scam. Um... not too exciting. Plus, she seems much too fearless. I could have sworn she wasn't afraid of death even throughout the entire book. If there's one question I want to ask Sarah, it's "Are you even afraid of anything?"
<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uGUfnIbJtyY/U5yh6n3z6iI/AAAAAAAADe4/BU4P9O2rlTg/s1600/giphy+(12).gif"; border="0">
During the earlier parts of the book though, I sort of wanted to just toss Tabula Rasa aside and mark it as DNF. It felt a little too creepy, and confusing. The creepy part probably worked to an advantage, seeing how the surgery was quite detailed. *shudders*
<blockquote>Improvising seems familiar. Like it's my style.</blockquote>
Now the confusing part, that was just randomly thrown in. And I mean the quote. Not me randomly throwing the word confusing around and about. Sarah's going to a tool closet and putting things in her pocket. I'm not sure that's improvising. She's not making anything from what I read, aside from noticing a door. Does noticing a door count as improvising?
The romance between Thomas and Sarah. Really odd. Just... really odd. I felt like Thomas was trying a bit too hard on being funny at the beginning. Later he tends to be more "relaxed" and the humor felt more natural. But for a hacker with a father formerly in the Russian Intelligence Agency do they call it RIA? Thomas just seems too carefree. It was as though hacking just isn't... him. I suppose a new career is on the horizons for said character.
I did learn some new things though. I'm done with truth serums. What's with authors after Veronica Roth throwing serums around? They're popping up in so many places. O_o Oh, and apparently it actually snows in Hawaii. In the mountains. Wait, there are mountains in Hawaii? MIND = BLOWN.
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_L4F_cUFsRc/U5yiXj5ftDI/AAAAAAAADfA/n9f9CgNd_H4/s1600/giphy+(13).gif"; border="0" height="179" width="320">
The Bourne Identity? I haven't read it myself, even though that sounds really familiar. Divergent? I'm not too sure. Even the folks of Dauntless are afraid of something. I guess the former's more of a bull's eye with Tabula Rasa than the latter. Tabula Rasa reminded me more of Nikita, Au Revoir Crazy European Chick, and apparently something else I can't remember with all the action and secret plots/schemes (it has something to do with operations).
------------------------
Advanced review copy provided by EgmontUSA for review
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/09/arc-review-tabula-rasa-by-kristen-lippert-martin.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Smart Wi-Fi LED Light Bulb in Tech
Sep 19, 2021
Easily turn on/off light bulb anywhere you have wi-fi through app. (2 more)
Control light bulb by voice using Alexa, Google assistant or Cortana.
Set light bulb to automatic conditions like weather, time, or device status.
Will sometimes go back to setup mode where it just keeps flashing and you have to connect or setup again. (2 more)
You have to have the switch turned on for it to be online or else you cannot turn the bulb on/off through app.
Confusing packaging.
Convenient, But How Convenient Really?
The Merkury Innovations Smart Wi-Fi LED Bulb (Dimmable*White/A19 Bulb) is made to replace your traditional light bulb where you can now control, dim and schedule your lights by app (geeni app) from anywhere you have your smart phone. The one I purchased was the 9W=60W, brightness 800 lumens, A19 bulb. The smart wi-fi bulb can be controlled from anywhere with wi-fi access by the app, voice or can even be set to a pre-set schedule and can easily share access with other family members. The life of the bulb based on 3 hours a day is 22.8 years.
So the other day I was at my grandmother's house with my Dad. The family has been doing some renovations over there and I saw my Aunt messing with a lamp and her phone. She told me she had bought one of those smart light bulbs and that she could use an app on her phone to control it. I have seen commercials for different similar products like the smart A/C thermostat and thought it was pretty cool. So I decided next time I was at the store to have a look at them and see if there was something affordable and not too expensive to give it a try and that's how I found this product.
This is my first time buying a smart bulb so I didn't really know what to expect. Inside the box was just the light bulb and instructions. The instructions didn't seem to complicated, download the "geeni" app, create an account and password, login and then setup the bulb. There were 3 ways to setup the bulb, bluetooth, easy mode and backup AP mode. I was doing it by bluetooth but somehow wound up not being able to get it. So then I tried easy mode and still wasn't able to get it and that's when I saw the small print that says, "Note: Geeni can't connect to 5GHz networks." Once I connected to the right network everything went smoothly.
In the app on the "My Home" tab, it shows you which light bulbs you have connected. If they are off it will show a message that says "device offline". If on it will show an on/off button and will also show a "Quick Actions" link where you can control the brightness from 1% - 100%. via dimmer. The next tab in the app is the "Smart Scenes" tab, under the Tap-to-Run page you can control multiple devices with one tap or with voice assistance like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Microsoft Cortana. On the Automation page you can execute actions automatically, and setup them up by specifications based on weather conditions, device status or time. The next tab is the "Notification Center", and there are pages for Alarms, Home, and Alerts. The last tab is the "Profile" tab and is where you can set your name, find the help center, the settings tab and manage your home so you can organize your light bulbs by house hold.
Pro:
Easily turn on/off light bulb anywhere you have wi-fi through app.
Control light bulb by voice using Alexa, Google assistant or Cortana.
Set light bulb to automatic conditions like weather, time, or device status.
Con:
Will sometimes go back to setup mode where it just keeps flashing and you have to connect or setup again.
You have to have the switch turned on for it to be online or else you cannot turn the bulb on/off through app.
Confusing packaging.
Rating: 7/10
Conclusion:
I have to say that these light bulbs can be pretty convenient and an awesome way to setup some lights at home to turn on when it's dark to make people think you're home. It's also good for when you are getting home at night and want to turn on the lights so you don't walk into a pitch dark room. It's awesome to just use the app to dim the lights without having to get up or even turn them off when your sitting down about to watch a movie. When I purchased them there was a 3-pack that was more expensive then buying 3 bulbs separately and I couldn't understand why. In retrospect I think maybe those were non-dimmable which really doesn't make sense. So I would say shopping for light bulbs is already confusing enough and getting a smart bulb might just cause more headaches for some people. But if you're looking to try it out I got this bulb for under $10 at Wal-Mart and think they are pretty cool. I give the Merkury Innovations Smart Wi-Fi- LED bulb a 7/10.
So the other day I was at my grandmother's house with my Dad. The family has been doing some renovations over there and I saw my Aunt messing with a lamp and her phone. She told me she had bought one of those smart light bulbs and that she could use an app on her phone to control it. I have seen commercials for different similar products like the smart A/C thermostat and thought it was pretty cool. So I decided next time I was at the store to have a look at them and see if there was something affordable and not too expensive to give it a try and that's how I found this product.
This is my first time buying a smart bulb so I didn't really know what to expect. Inside the box was just the light bulb and instructions. The instructions didn't seem to complicated, download the "geeni" app, create an account and password, login and then setup the bulb. There were 3 ways to setup the bulb, bluetooth, easy mode and backup AP mode. I was doing it by bluetooth but somehow wound up not being able to get it. So then I tried easy mode and still wasn't able to get it and that's when I saw the small print that says, "Note: Geeni can't connect to 5GHz networks." Once I connected to the right network everything went smoothly.
In the app on the "My Home" tab, it shows you which light bulbs you have connected. If they are off it will show a message that says "device offline". If on it will show an on/off button and will also show a "Quick Actions" link where you can control the brightness from 1% - 100%. via dimmer. The next tab in the app is the "Smart Scenes" tab, under the Tap-to-Run page you can control multiple devices with one tap or with voice assistance like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Microsoft Cortana. On the Automation page you can execute actions automatically, and setup them up by specifications based on weather conditions, device status or time. The next tab is the "Notification Center", and there are pages for Alarms, Home, and Alerts. The last tab is the "Profile" tab and is where you can set your name, find the help center, the settings tab and manage your home so you can organize your light bulbs by house hold.
Pro:
Easily turn on/off light bulb anywhere you have wi-fi through app.
Control light bulb by voice using Alexa, Google assistant or Cortana.
Set light bulb to automatic conditions like weather, time, or device status.
Con:
Will sometimes go back to setup mode where it just keeps flashing and you have to connect or setup again.
You have to have the switch turned on for it to be online or else you cannot turn the bulb on/off through app.
Confusing packaging.
Rating: 7/10
Conclusion:
I have to say that these light bulbs can be pretty convenient and an awesome way to setup some lights at home to turn on when it's dark to make people think you're home. It's also good for when you are getting home at night and want to turn on the lights so you don't walk into a pitch dark room. It's awesome to just use the app to dim the lights without having to get up or even turn them off when your sitting down about to watch a movie. When I purchased them there was a 3-pack that was more expensive then buying 3 bulbs separately and I couldn't understand why. In retrospect I think maybe those were non-dimmable which really doesn't make sense. So I would say shopping for light bulbs is already confusing enough and getting a smart bulb might just cause more headaches for some people. But if you're looking to try it out I got this bulb for under $10 at Wal-Mart and think they are pretty cool. I give the Merkury Innovations Smart Wi-Fi- LED bulb a 7/10.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Chalet in Books
Oct 10, 2020
For a debut novel, I think this worked pretty well and it was a nice, quick read.
The plot is set in two time frames - 1998 follows the story of the death of a young man whilst on a skiing holiday with his brother and their girlfriends. Fast forward to 2020 and we find ourselves in the same ski resort, with a group of people who are somehow connected to that death. It's told from multiple points of view so you do have to keep your wits about you but it does work well for the story. In amongst this, we have a mystery narrator - that of a child and her difficult childhood spent in and out of foster care which I found heart breaking - how does she fit into the story?
I am not going to give away any of the plot or provide any spoilers as to do so would ruin it for others but what I will say is that I did see the twist coming from a mile away which took a bit of the suspense and head-scratching away somewhat. Having said that, it is a very clever plot which did make me second-guess myself a couple of times but in the end, I was right.
The characters are thoroughly awful; I think if I was stuck with them, I'd do away with the lot of them! I'm not sure whether it was the author's intention to make them so unlikeable but I felt it actually worked really well in the context of the story and I admit to secretly hoping something bad would befall them all!
Overall, this is a creditable debut and I will be looking out for more from this author in the future and I should thank HarperCollins UK / HarperFiction via NetGalley who invited me to read The Chalet in return for an unbiased review.
The plot is set in two time frames - 1998 follows the story of the death of a young man whilst on a skiing holiday with his brother and their girlfriends. Fast forward to 2020 and we find ourselves in the same ski resort, with a group of people who are somehow connected to that death. It's told from multiple points of view so you do have to keep your wits about you but it does work well for the story. In amongst this, we have a mystery narrator - that of a child and her difficult childhood spent in and out of foster care which I found heart breaking - how does she fit into the story?
I am not going to give away any of the plot or provide any spoilers as to do so would ruin it for others but what I will say is that I did see the twist coming from a mile away which took a bit of the suspense and head-scratching away somewhat. Having said that, it is a very clever plot which did make me second-guess myself a couple of times but in the end, I was right.
The characters are thoroughly awful; I think if I was stuck with them, I'd do away with the lot of them! I'm not sure whether it was the author's intention to make them so unlikeable but I felt it actually worked really well in the context of the story and I admit to secretly hoping something bad would befall them all!
Overall, this is a creditable debut and I will be looking out for more from this author in the future and I should thank HarperCollins UK / HarperFiction via NetGalley who invited me to read The Chalet in return for an unbiased review.
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated The Martian in Books
Jun 6, 2018
Fantastic novel! One of my all time favorite books.
Mark Watney is a snarky, foul-mouthed, crude nerd that’s stuck on Mars and forced to survive by himself. He’s beyond awesome. He takes a pounding from Mars right from the beginning. Has to be able to utilize all his skills and fix all his problems by himself (“Martian taters” “Cannibalized it so much it looks like I left it in a bad part of town”), deal with countless months by himself, and basically frantically try not to die. Through it all, he keeps a sense of humor that still (yes, still, I’m on my 12th listen or so) makes me snicker, and is obviously brilliant in a MacGuyver sort of way, yet utterly relate-able. At this point, I’ve listened to The Martian so much that he’s like a dear friend that I’m constantly rooting for. His reactions are utterly believable .
Andy Weir did a FANTASTIC job with this book.
If you like scifi at all, you will love this book. If you need a hero you can root for, you will love this book. Also, if you're looking for an audio book that is fast-paced, great quality, with an easy to understand and wonderful narrator, you will love the audio book version.
Now, to be fair, some people have complained that there's a lot of science in this book, and that it can be kind of hard to get through because of that. Here's my take on that. Is there a lot of science? Yes. BUT, its not overwhelming. Weir doesn't bombard you with pages upon pages of incomprehensible technobabble. He tells you what's going on in a way that, even if you don't understand the precise details behind what's happening, you still know what's going on. I don't believe at any point that its excessive, and most of the time I found it downright fascinating!
I'm sure this book has a few negatives, but... not any that I can identify.
PS: Lots of F-bombs dropped in the book. Don’t read if you’re sensitive to that.
Andy Weir did a FANTASTIC job with this book.
If you like scifi at all, you will love this book. If you need a hero you can root for, you will love this book. Also, if you're looking for an audio book that is fast-paced, great quality, with an easy to understand and wonderful narrator, you will love the audio book version.
Now, to be fair, some people have complained that there's a lot of science in this book, and that it can be kind of hard to get through because of that. Here's my take on that. Is there a lot of science? Yes. BUT, its not overwhelming. Weir doesn't bombard you with pages upon pages of incomprehensible technobabble. He tells you what's going on in a way that, even if you don't understand the precise details behind what's happening, you still know what's going on. I don't believe at any point that its excessive, and most of the time I found it downright fascinating!
I'm sure this book has a few negatives, but... not any that I can identify.
PS: Lots of F-bombs dropped in the book. Don’t read if you’re sensitive to that.
RavenclawPrincess913 (253 KP) rated Star Splitter in Books
Jul 14, 2023
Star Splitter by Matthew J Kirby was one of my favorite books I have read this year. My favorite character in this book would be Duncan, the ships captains sixteen year old son. I like the character due to him being a great friend with an amazing personality. I also love how him and the main character Jessica formed a friendship and how protective he was over her. My favorite part of the book was when they were together. I really loved the part when he saved her. I also loved all the other parts with them together which made the book interesting. This book was very well written kept me interested, and I loved the plot. I honestly had a hard time putting the book down. The author should write more books like this one.
Even though I loved this book and gave it a five out of five stars, the ending made me mad. I just don't like how it ended. It leaves many questions unanswered. Also, the back and forth between Jessica one and Jessica two got me very confused at times. One scene I disliked was when the two crew members talked about Jessica and her family behind her back. Also, the scene where her father killed the ships doctor was scary to me. Her dad's transfer was corrupted, which made him very violent. Another part I didn't like was the fact that Jessica's mother is the reason the ship was destroyed since she didn't leave Jessica's violent Dad locked up like she was supposed to. In my opinion, Jessica and her mother should have just left the ship alone and left her corrupted father behind. Jessica's relationship with her parents was bad from the start, but I imagine this made it even worse. Duncan also had a bad relationship with his dad, so I'm pretty sure them having that in common helped their relationship grow. In conclusion, I can definitely see myself rereading this book. If you love young adult science fiction with teleportation to another planet, you would love this book too.
Star Splitter was my favorite book read this year, so here's some fun facts about the book. Jessica refers to Carver 1061c as Hades, which I found hilarious and very fitting after everything that happened. Jessica's Mom was a geologist, and her dad a biological studying Hades surface. The rest you will just have to read to find out.
Even though I loved this book and gave it a five out of five stars, the ending made me mad. I just don't like how it ended. It leaves many questions unanswered. Also, the back and forth between Jessica one and Jessica two got me very confused at times. One scene I disliked was when the two crew members talked about Jessica and her family behind her back. Also, the scene where her father killed the ships doctor was scary to me. Her dad's transfer was corrupted, which made him very violent. Another part I didn't like was the fact that Jessica's mother is the reason the ship was destroyed since she didn't leave Jessica's violent Dad locked up like she was supposed to. In my opinion, Jessica and her mother should have just left the ship alone and left her corrupted father behind. Jessica's relationship with her parents was bad from the start, but I imagine this made it even worse. Duncan also had a bad relationship with his dad, so I'm pretty sure them having that in common helped their relationship grow. In conclusion, I can definitely see myself rereading this book. If you love young adult science fiction with teleportation to another planet, you would love this book too.
Star Splitter was my favorite book read this year, so here's some fun facts about the book. Jessica refers to Carver 1061c as Hades, which I found hilarious and very fitting after everything that happened. Jessica's Mom was a geologist, and her dad a biological studying Hades surface. The rest you will just have to read to find out.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Mr. Nobody in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Emma Lewis is neuropsychiatrist, who is surprised when she's asked to work on a case for a newsworthy patient. Dubbed "Mr. Nobody," he's a man found on a British beach, in wet clothes and without any identification. He won't speak and the hospital staff are all drawn to him. But for Emma to take the case, it means returning to a place that she left fourteen years ago in disgrace--a place she's worked to leave behind and erase any signs of herself from.
"Why can't I remember? Why can't I remember my name? The weight of what this means bears down on him with each cold snatched breath he takes. Fear pumping through him, primal and quickening. Oh God. It's all gone. His world shrinks to a pinhead and then dilates so wide, suddenly terrifyingly borderless."
This book started out like gangbusters. Alternating between Emma and Mr. Nobody, whom the hospital staff quickly dubs Matthew, I was drawn in immediately. Who on earth is Matthew, why can't he remember who he is, and what is his deal? But there were a few issues. Emma clearly has a backstory. Yes, something happened to her fourteen years ago. To me, this is the equivalent of "vaguebooking"--you know when someone posts something on Facebook or social media: "Something horrible has happened. Oh woe is me." And then all their friends have to either guess, or say "Oh I'm so sorry," but the poster never actually tells you what happened? I'm sorry, but in books, after a while, dragging this all out is too much. Just freaking tell us what happened to you, Emma, or stop alluding to it!
So Emma and Matthew, of course, surpass patient/doctor boundaries, finding each other fascinating. There are, accordingly, twists in the book. Some, I will hand it to Steadman, are pretty darn good. Much of the book is quite readable and moves at a good pace--Emma's allusions to her past not withstanding. It's certainly intriguing. There are some interesting side characters: a local police officer and his nosy reporter wife; a benevolent nurse, etc. Emma's kind and patient brother.
But then the ending and biggest reveal comes along and eh. I found it a little anticlimactic. After all we've been through together, Emma?! I don't know. I was hoping for more, especially after all the fuss about Something in the Water, which I still haven't read. (I know, I know. It's on my TBR.)
So, in the end, this is an intriguing one. The plot is definitely original, I'll give you that. But throw in a slightly irritating main character and a somewhat disappointing ending and it was a 3.5 star read for me-just barely.
"Why can't I remember? Why can't I remember my name? The weight of what this means bears down on him with each cold snatched breath he takes. Fear pumping through him, primal and quickening. Oh God. It's all gone. His world shrinks to a pinhead and then dilates so wide, suddenly terrifyingly borderless."
This book started out like gangbusters. Alternating between Emma and Mr. Nobody, whom the hospital staff quickly dubs Matthew, I was drawn in immediately. Who on earth is Matthew, why can't he remember who he is, and what is his deal? But there were a few issues. Emma clearly has a backstory. Yes, something happened to her fourteen years ago. To me, this is the equivalent of "vaguebooking"--you know when someone posts something on Facebook or social media: "Something horrible has happened. Oh woe is me." And then all their friends have to either guess, or say "Oh I'm so sorry," but the poster never actually tells you what happened? I'm sorry, but in books, after a while, dragging this all out is too much. Just freaking tell us what happened to you, Emma, or stop alluding to it!
So Emma and Matthew, of course, surpass patient/doctor boundaries, finding each other fascinating. There are, accordingly, twists in the book. Some, I will hand it to Steadman, are pretty darn good. Much of the book is quite readable and moves at a good pace--Emma's allusions to her past not withstanding. It's certainly intriguing. There are some interesting side characters: a local police officer and his nosy reporter wife; a benevolent nurse, etc. Emma's kind and patient brother.
But then the ending and biggest reveal comes along and eh. I found it a little anticlimactic. After all we've been through together, Emma?! I don't know. I was hoping for more, especially after all the fuss about Something in the Water, which I still haven't read. (I know, I know. It's on my TBR.)
So, in the end, this is an intriguing one. The plot is definitely original, I'll give you that. But throw in a slightly irritating main character and a somewhat disappointing ending and it was a 3.5 star read for me-just barely.
Mothergamer (1586 KP) rated Yakuza Kiwami SteelBook Edition in Video Games
Jun 21, 2019
I had never played any of the Yakuza games, but I had always been curious about them so when Yakuza Kiwami was one of the free games offered up with my Playstation Plus I picked it up. The introduction at the beginning of the story is interesting and I really liked Kazuma Kiryu because of his sense of honor and doing his best to protect his friends. I was glad to see that there are a range of difficulty settings in the game options and went with easy so I could get a feel for the game and just enjoy the story.
The story begins with Kiryu taking the fall for a friend and emerging from prison ten years later. This opens up a small tutorial for how the game controls work. Exploration and level grinding are a big part of Yakuza Kiwami as you progress in the main story and there are side quests as well. The night life of Tokyo is vibrant and colorful in the game adding to the atmosphere. I found myself stopping often just to look around at all the different things.
This wouldn't be Yakuza without the brawls of course and there are many. Often gangs roaming the streets will pick fights with Kiryu and this is where the game really shines. The fights are fun and being able to switch between Kiryu's four fighting styles; brawler, rush, and beast give you a feel for the fighting mechanics while feeling that raw criminal underworld vibe. However, there are times where the game fails to give you an idea about which fighting style works best and how they differ from each other. I did a lot of trial and error with many fights because of this. That didn't make the game any less fun for me though and successfully winning a fight felt great.
There is one thing that really bugged me about the game and that is all the fights with the character Majima. While I understood that Kiryu being forced to fight Majima was a way to get him back to his original top tier fighting shape after his long stint in prison, I felt incredibly annoyed at how often Majima turned up demanding a brawl especially when I was trying to get somewhere in the story. I did not want to have a constant detour of fighting him and yet he kept popping up everywhere. Majimi is an interesting character don't get me wrong, but I found these fights tedious. Of course the reward for all these fights is it unlocks Kiryu's dragon fighting form which is great, but the irritation of Majima fights sucked a bit of fun out of the game for me.
I enjoyed the story for Yakuza Kiwami a lot because I liked Kiryu and was invested in his journey. There are a lot of flashbacks explaining what happened to certain characters and shines a light on how they came to be where they are in the present. Sometimes the story feels a little slow in places, but it is well thought out and well done. Where it really stands out is with the intrigue and drama with plot reveals that give amazing cinematic cutscenes that feel like you're watching a movie. Overall the game is great and while it's not necessarily a long game, there is plenty to do with the side quests, mini games, and exploration of the city. Once you finish the game, you can also try new game plus which carries over all your learned abilities, mini games, and side quest stories. Yakuza Kiwami was a lot of fun for me to play and I'm glad I checked it out. Thanks for reading, see you at the next adventure!
The story begins with Kiryu taking the fall for a friend and emerging from prison ten years later. This opens up a small tutorial for how the game controls work. Exploration and level grinding are a big part of Yakuza Kiwami as you progress in the main story and there are side quests as well. The night life of Tokyo is vibrant and colorful in the game adding to the atmosphere. I found myself stopping often just to look around at all the different things.
This wouldn't be Yakuza without the brawls of course and there are many. Often gangs roaming the streets will pick fights with Kiryu and this is where the game really shines. The fights are fun and being able to switch between Kiryu's four fighting styles; brawler, rush, and beast give you a feel for the fighting mechanics while feeling that raw criminal underworld vibe. However, there are times where the game fails to give you an idea about which fighting style works best and how they differ from each other. I did a lot of trial and error with many fights because of this. That didn't make the game any less fun for me though and successfully winning a fight felt great.
There is one thing that really bugged me about the game and that is all the fights with the character Majima. While I understood that Kiryu being forced to fight Majima was a way to get him back to his original top tier fighting shape after his long stint in prison, I felt incredibly annoyed at how often Majima turned up demanding a brawl especially when I was trying to get somewhere in the story. I did not want to have a constant detour of fighting him and yet he kept popping up everywhere. Majimi is an interesting character don't get me wrong, but I found these fights tedious. Of course the reward for all these fights is it unlocks Kiryu's dragon fighting form which is great, but the irritation of Majima fights sucked a bit of fun out of the game for me.
I enjoyed the story for Yakuza Kiwami a lot because I liked Kiryu and was invested in his journey. There are a lot of flashbacks explaining what happened to certain characters and shines a light on how they came to be where they are in the present. Sometimes the story feels a little slow in places, but it is well thought out and well done. Where it really stands out is with the intrigue and drama with plot reveals that give amazing cinematic cutscenes that feel like you're watching a movie. Overall the game is great and while it's not necessarily a long game, there is plenty to do with the side quests, mini games, and exploration of the city. Once you finish the game, you can also try new game plus which carries over all your learned abilities, mini games, and side quest stories. Yakuza Kiwami was a lot of fun for me to play and I'm glad I checked it out. Thanks for reading, see you at the next adventure!
Joally (1 KP) rated the PlayStation 3 version of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in Video Games
Jan 30, 2019
Visuals (5 more)
Mechanics
Characters
Quests
Quality
Free to roam
Glitches (1 more)
Voice actors
Too good to miss!
The game starts at the main quest where the MC (main character) is about to be executed when a dragon appears within the village. It is very instructive as to your controls and how you play the game. I found it relatively easy and I was a beginner to gaming at this point. The story progressed as does the side quests. Characters are almost fledged as if they could be real and there are things in the game which you can have your MC marry an NPC and build your own house etc. It is truly a work of art. There are glitches which make the game frustrating, the combat is simple and easily boring, and they reuse the same voice actors for many of the characters which makes it unbelievable in some cases. Other than that.. Skyrim is beautifully made. (It says PS3 cause there was no PS4 option)
Awix (3310 KP) rated Mary Queen of Scots (2018) in Movies
Jan 23, 2019 (Updated Jan 23, 2019)
There's Something About Mary
Yet another crack at the famous life-story of Mary Stuart. It's all a bit complicated and has to do with religious conflict and dynastic succession; if I understood it better I could probably get higher scores on Crusader Kings 2. This is a period of history that everyone sort-of knows a bit about without really understanding the details, and it would have been great if the film had really got to the heart of the politics and personalities involved, but instead the director seems more interested in giving the story more of a modern resonance than it really requires.
Still, good frocks, and many incidental pleasures to be found, especially amongst the supporting performances. Saoirse Ronan doesn't quite dominate the film as you might imagine; Margot Robbie is at least as impressive in a rather smaller part. In the end it's kind of okay if you just like costume dramas, but it doesn't really bring the story to life.
Still, good frocks, and many incidental pleasures to be found, especially amongst the supporting performances. Saoirse Ronan doesn't quite dominate the film as you might imagine; Margot Robbie is at least as impressive in a rather smaller part. In the end it's kind of okay if you just like costume dramas, but it doesn't really bring the story to life.