Search
Search results
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Saguaro in Books
Oct 31, 2024
Danger at Rangerfest
Jack Prester is already in the area before the trouble begins this time. He’s in Tucson for Rangerfest, an annual gathering of those who work in the parks. When two grad students’ bodies are found in one part of Saguaro, his boss asks him to look into it. Jack quickly finds that there are multiple local agencies trying to get in on the investigation, which makes things more complicated. But the greatest complication is the attack on Jack. If he survives, can he figure out what is going on?
It was great as always to be back visiting a National Park with Jack and the rest of the cast. Yes, all the supporting characters are here again and I love watching them all work together to solve things. I thought the opening scene might have given away a little too much, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Instead, we got plenty of twists along the way to the climax. Some strong subplots definitely helped. There is a scattering of foul language, but it was kept to a minimum. As always, the writing is poetic without getting in the way of the story, which is something I love. I’m hoping this isn’t our last visit with Jack (after all, there are still plenty of parks to visit), but if it is, this is one fans will love. And if you haven’t started this series yet, you really should.
It was great as always to be back visiting a National Park with Jack and the rest of the cast. Yes, all the supporting characters are here again and I love watching them all work together to solve things. I thought the opening scene might have given away a little too much, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Instead, we got plenty of twists along the way to the climax. Some strong subplots definitely helped. There is a scattering of foul language, but it was kept to a minimum. As always, the writing is poetic without getting in the way of the story, which is something I love. I’m hoping this isn’t our last visit with Jack (after all, there are still plenty of parks to visit), but if it is, this is one fans will love. And if you haven’t started this series yet, you really should.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated A Means to an End in Books
Sep 13, 2019
Cold Case Detective Lauren Riley is back on the job after being stabbed in the line of duty. She and her partner, Shane Reese, find themselves investigating a body dumped in the woods in the exact same site as a victim from one of Lauren's previous cases. She quickly recognizes the tie to David Spencer, a clever kid whom Lauren helped get off on a murder charge while she was working as a Private Investigator. Once he was acquitted, Lauren realized he was a cold-blooded psychopath, and she's been haunted by it (and him) ever since. Lauren is put on a Task Force investigating the killing--and the unsolved murders of two cops--but she quickly realizes she may be the only one who can stop David, for once and for all.
I really like the character of Lauren Riley--she's a tough yet vulnerable cop who knows her stuff, and I've been following her since the beginning of this series. This book tied up some things, but left others hanging, and I have to admit, I hope there is a book four out there? I also have to say, to prove my devotion to Lauren, my ARC copy had issues with the "f"s in the book (e.g. Sheriff = Sheri; office = offce; files = les, etc.) and none of the text messages were in there, and I still read it, because I needed to know what was happening to Lauren. A final copy will be fine--just pointing out how much I care about these characters!
We have a small cast here, but do get some new blood, mainly in the form of the task force gents. Two, of course, suspect Lauren for the cop killings that happened in the second novel, but one, Jack Nolan, seems to be a good guy. Poor Lauren, she can't catch a break. I would mention that this book will make more sense if you've read the first two. Redmond explains things, but the backstory is easier to comprehend (and those first two books are good). Still, don't let that scare you away from this one.
These cases are personal for Lauren, and I found some of this book stressful, as I care about her and Reese, and I was worried about them both! If you're less invested, you may not be as concerned. No matter what, it's an interesting book--we think we know our suspect (David), but we're never quite sure, and there's a lot of angst and intrigue in trying to track him down. I always enjoy how the city of Buffalo is almost another character in these books, and it's very clear that Redmond knows her police procedures.
"She'd been waging a one-person war against him, and she was losing. She had to take this further before anyone else got hurt."
Overall, I definitely recommend this one, especially if you've read the earlier books, enjoy a good police procedural, or are on the hunt for a strong female protagonist. Redmond's stories are always interesting and sure to suck you in. 4 stars.
I really like the character of Lauren Riley--she's a tough yet vulnerable cop who knows her stuff, and I've been following her since the beginning of this series. This book tied up some things, but left others hanging, and I have to admit, I hope there is a book four out there? I also have to say, to prove my devotion to Lauren, my ARC copy had issues with the "f"s in the book (e.g. Sheriff = Sheri; office = offce; files = les, etc.) and none of the text messages were in there, and I still read it, because I needed to know what was happening to Lauren. A final copy will be fine--just pointing out how much I care about these characters!
We have a small cast here, but do get some new blood, mainly in the form of the task force gents. Two, of course, suspect Lauren for the cop killings that happened in the second novel, but one, Jack Nolan, seems to be a good guy. Poor Lauren, she can't catch a break. I would mention that this book will make more sense if you've read the first two. Redmond explains things, but the backstory is easier to comprehend (and those first two books are good). Still, don't let that scare you away from this one.
These cases are personal for Lauren, and I found some of this book stressful, as I care about her and Reese, and I was worried about them both! If you're less invested, you may not be as concerned. No matter what, it's an interesting book--we think we know our suspect (David), but we're never quite sure, and there's a lot of angst and intrigue in trying to track him down. I always enjoy how the city of Buffalo is almost another character in these books, and it's very clear that Redmond knows her police procedures.
"She'd been waging a one-person war against him, and she was losing. She had to take this further before anyone else got hurt."
Overall, I definitely recommend this one, especially if you've read the earlier books, enjoy a good police procedural, or are on the hunt for a strong female protagonist. Redmond's stories are always interesting and sure to suck you in. 4 stars.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Spy School Goes South in Books
Nov 12, 2018
Spring Break in Mexico - Spy School Style
Spy in training Ben Ripley is shocked when Murray Hill asks to speak to him. This junior SPYDER agent hasn't said a word since he's been captured several weeks ago, but now he has agreed to lead Ben to the evil organization's secret headquarters, but he will only reveal this location to Ben and Erica Hale after they have left. Unfortunately, Ben's suspicion that it might be a trap are proved true, and he and his friends find themselves stranded in Mexico. Is SPYDER really nearby? Can Ben stop their newest plan? Or will they even make it back to civilization?
Those familiar with this series will know exactly what to expect from this book, and they won't be disappointed. If you haven't found Ben's wonderful adventures, you are in for a treat. The action is non-stop with plenty of twists along the way that keep the pages flying. Yet there is still enough time for the characters to get some development. There is definitely more to them than we see on the surface. And there is plenty of humor; in fact, I might have been laughing out loud while reading one part. If you are new to the series, you might want to back up and read them in order. Trust me, you'll find yourself reading all of them and thinking of some kids you can pass these great books on to.
Those familiar with this series will know exactly what to expect from this book, and they won't be disappointed. If you haven't found Ben's wonderful adventures, you are in for a treat. The action is non-stop with plenty of twists along the way that keep the pages flying. Yet there is still enough time for the characters to get some development. There is definitely more to them than we see on the surface. And there is plenty of humor; in fact, I might have been laughing out loud while reading one part. If you are new to the series, you might want to back up and read them in order. Trust me, you'll find yourself reading all of them and thinking of some kids you can pass these great books on to.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Altered (Crewel World, #2) 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>).
First off, I don't think Altered would work as a stand alone novel, so therefore, I'd suggest reading Crewel first so as not to be too confused. Oh, and if you haven't read Crewel, this review may contain some spoilers for it.
I really enjoyed Crewel, the first book in this series. I'd been wanting to read Altered since I finished Crewel. While this book takes a different direction from Crewel, I still really enjoyed it.
I like the title. It suits the book rather well. Even the Earth in this book has been altered from the Earth we know.
I really love the cover! I love the photo off Adelice within the whole sand timer thing. Adelice is running on borrowed time, and the cover depicts this perfectly.
The world building was done fantastically! It is quite a different world then that of Arras. Yes, I know it takes place on Earth, but this is a post apocalyptic type Earth with a sort of alternate history. In fact, there is one famous figure from history who makes an appearance in Altered which I didn't expect.
The pacing was done really well, and I was instantly drawn back into Adelice's world. I never wanted to put the book down!
Again, the plot is very original. I was confused a little bit through out the book, but I think that was because it had been awhile since I had read Crewel (well over a year ago). I had to try to remember how Adelice can weave and her abilities. Saying that though, I did enjoy the whole plot throughout especially the whole alternate history take. The cliff hanger at the end of this book leave it open for another book in the seires (which I will be reading). There's also the whole love triangle with Jost and Eric again. With the last book, I was team Jost, but this book, I was team Eric!
Again, Albin does a fantastic job in writing well developed characters. Adelice feels like she's grown a lot emotionally in this book. She's more of a stronger female lead and less sarcastic in this book. Jost, to me, shows his true colors in Altered. We also get to learn more about Eric and his background. We are also introduced to another baddie in this book named Kincaid. Kincaid is more of a snake in the grass compared to Cormac who was an up front, in your face, sleazeball.
The dialogue is fantastic and never once feels awkward. I don't remember any swear words, and there is minor violence.
Overall, Altered is a much different book from its predecessor, but that's not a bad thing. There's more gritty, fast paced action as well as a whole new cast of characters.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who are into science fiction and post apocalyptic worlds.
<center><b>I'd give Altered (Crewel World #2) by Gennifer Albin a 4.75 out of 5.</b></center>
(I won this hardback book in a competition. I was not required to write a review).
First off, I don't think Altered would work as a stand alone novel, so therefore, I'd suggest reading Crewel first so as not to be too confused. Oh, and if you haven't read Crewel, this review may contain some spoilers for it.
I really enjoyed Crewel, the first book in this series. I'd been wanting to read Altered since I finished Crewel. While this book takes a different direction from Crewel, I still really enjoyed it.
I like the title. It suits the book rather well. Even the Earth in this book has been altered from the Earth we know.
I really love the cover! I love the photo off Adelice within the whole sand timer thing. Adelice is running on borrowed time, and the cover depicts this perfectly.
The world building was done fantastically! It is quite a different world then that of Arras. Yes, I know it takes place on Earth, but this is a post apocalyptic type Earth with a sort of alternate history. In fact, there is one famous figure from history who makes an appearance in Altered which I didn't expect.
The pacing was done really well, and I was instantly drawn back into Adelice's world. I never wanted to put the book down!
Again, the plot is very original. I was confused a little bit through out the book, but I think that was because it had been awhile since I had read Crewel (well over a year ago). I had to try to remember how Adelice can weave and her abilities. Saying that though, I did enjoy the whole plot throughout especially the whole alternate history take. The cliff hanger at the end of this book leave it open for another book in the seires (which I will be reading). There's also the whole love triangle with Jost and Eric again. With the last book, I was team Jost, but this book, I was team Eric!
Again, Albin does a fantastic job in writing well developed characters. Adelice feels like she's grown a lot emotionally in this book. She's more of a stronger female lead and less sarcastic in this book. Jost, to me, shows his true colors in Altered. We also get to learn more about Eric and his background. We are also introduced to another baddie in this book named Kincaid. Kincaid is more of a snake in the grass compared to Cormac who was an up front, in your face, sleazeball.
The dialogue is fantastic and never once feels awkward. I don't remember any swear words, and there is minor violence.
Overall, Altered is a much different book from its predecessor, but that's not a bad thing. There's more gritty, fast paced action as well as a whole new cast of characters.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who are into science fiction and post apocalyptic worlds.
<center><b>I'd give Altered (Crewel World #2) by Gennifer Albin a 4.75 out of 5.</b></center>
(I won this hardback book in a competition. I was not required to write a review).
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Falling Short in Books
Oct 2, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
When I first found out about Falling Short, written by Lex Coulton, the blurb promised to be ''fresh, funny and life-affirming''. I am sorry, but no. That is not correct. This book was none of those things. It wasn’t bad at all, but I would prefer describing it as a slow-paced, and confusingly complex in an unsatisfying way.
About the book:
Frances Pilgrim’s father went missing when she was five, and ever since all sorts of things have been going astray: car keys, promotions, a series of underwhelming and unsuitable boyfriends . . . Now here she is, thirty-bloody-nine, teaching Shakespeare to rowdy sixth formers and still losing things.
But she has a much more pressing problem. Her mother, whose odd behaviour Frances has long put down to eccentricity, is slowly yielding to Alzheimer’s, leaving Frances with some disturbing questions about her father’s disappearance, and the family history she’s always believed in. Frances could really do with someone to talk to. Ideally Jackson: fellow teacher, dedicated hedonist, erstwhile best friend. Only they haven’t spoken since that night last summer when things got complicated . . .
As the new school year begins, and her mother’s behavior becomes more and more erratic, Frances realizes that she might just have a chance to find something for once. But will it be what she’s looking for?
My thoughts:
I am usually good at explaining why I don’t like a certain book, or why I feel the way I feel, and believe me, with this one, I have spent two days and 6 sittings in front of this draft (now published post) to try and write about it. So I am doing my best now…
First of all, there has to be something about a certain book to make me want to read it. With this one – there were two things:
I love romance and intrigue, and the blurb promised two people not really talking to each other, but sparks flying around… so yes, that got me.
The Alzheimer’s disease – as a person that has worked with people suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer’s, this subject is very close to my heart. I couldn’t miss this book for this reason.
Now – the romance part disappointed me, as there was no romance. No romance at all. Unless, of course, you count as a romance a person in their mid-forties sleeping around with drunk teens, and is then too complicated of a character to even realise who he loves, and why, and the moment he does, he still has no idea what to do with that information.
The other disappointment I had was that I expected to read about the Alzheimer’s, and not only that they weren’t there, but also some of the symptoms mentioned were not correct at all. There were only sex relationships and sex scenes, and that was supposed to define their relationship in the end. Not realistic at all.
Even though it seems that we follow Frances’s story throughout, we actually follow Jackson’s story as well. Their characters were too complicated and confusing for me, and it let me to now feel nor care about them at all. I honestly cared about Frances’s dog the most in this book.
The plot wasn’t perfect – there were times when the information given didn’t match.
[SPOILER ALERT]
The scene how Frances searches on Google to find the address of her dad. We are then told that she found out his address through Jean. Which one is it, then?
I am actually quite sad that I didn’t enjoy this book, but I will still be curious about new works from Lex Coulton, because, somehow, I really liked her writing style, despite all the flaws.
About the book:
Frances Pilgrim’s father went missing when she was five, and ever since all sorts of things have been going astray: car keys, promotions, a series of underwhelming and unsuitable boyfriends . . . Now here she is, thirty-bloody-nine, teaching Shakespeare to rowdy sixth formers and still losing things.
But she has a much more pressing problem. Her mother, whose odd behaviour Frances has long put down to eccentricity, is slowly yielding to Alzheimer’s, leaving Frances with some disturbing questions about her father’s disappearance, and the family history she’s always believed in. Frances could really do with someone to talk to. Ideally Jackson: fellow teacher, dedicated hedonist, erstwhile best friend. Only they haven’t spoken since that night last summer when things got complicated . . .
As the new school year begins, and her mother’s behavior becomes more and more erratic, Frances realizes that she might just have a chance to find something for once. But will it be what she’s looking for?
My thoughts:
I am usually good at explaining why I don’t like a certain book, or why I feel the way I feel, and believe me, with this one, I have spent two days and 6 sittings in front of this draft (now published post) to try and write about it. So I am doing my best now…
First of all, there has to be something about a certain book to make me want to read it. With this one – there were two things:
I love romance and intrigue, and the blurb promised two people not really talking to each other, but sparks flying around… so yes, that got me.
The Alzheimer’s disease – as a person that has worked with people suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer’s, this subject is very close to my heart. I couldn’t miss this book for this reason.
Now – the romance part disappointed me, as there was no romance. No romance at all. Unless, of course, you count as a romance a person in their mid-forties sleeping around with drunk teens, and is then too complicated of a character to even realise who he loves, and why, and the moment he does, he still has no idea what to do with that information.
The other disappointment I had was that I expected to read about the Alzheimer’s, and not only that they weren’t there, but also some of the symptoms mentioned were not correct at all. There were only sex relationships and sex scenes, and that was supposed to define their relationship in the end. Not realistic at all.
Even though it seems that we follow Frances’s story throughout, we actually follow Jackson’s story as well. Their characters were too complicated and confusing for me, and it let me to now feel nor care about them at all. I honestly cared about Frances’s dog the most in this book.
The plot wasn’t perfect – there were times when the information given didn’t match.
[SPOILER ALERT]
The scene how Frances searches on Google to find the address of her dad. We are then told that she found out his address through Jean. Which one is it, then?
I am actually quite sad that I didn’t enjoy this book, but I will still be curious about new works from Lex Coulton, because, somehow, I really liked her writing style, despite all the flaws.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated How to Survive Your Freshman Year in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Rating: 3.75
How To Survive Your Freshman Year contains a truckload of information: at nearly 400 pages and contributions from tons of college students all over the world, it’s not exactly a fast read. How To Survive Your Freshman Year is like an encyclopedia of tips and tricks for Freshman on every topic you can think of, and probably some you didn’t think of.
Twenty chapters and an appendix full of useful information, This book is a great tool for upper class High-schoolers and college Freshman—and even parents—who have questions and concerns, or are just curious and looking for information, or just don’t know what to expect.
I would, however, use with caution. How To Survive Your Freshman Year gathers advice from everyone—Jews, Christians, Atheists, Homosexuals, etc. so there are contradictory pieces of advice, sometimes right next to each other. The thing about this book is you have to know yourself pretty well in order to use it. You have to decide which pieces of advice are suitable for you, which follow your beliefs, and which you should pretend you never heard. The book does post this disclaimer inside it:
Warning: This Guide contains differing opinions. Hundreds of Heads will not always agree. Advice taken in combinations may cause unwanted side effects. Use your Head when selecting advice.
I think this is a reasonable disclaimer, as it’s very true that there are some very opposite viewpoints in here.
Also, some of the information in here is common sense—then again, it may be common to me but not to someone else because of the way I was raised—and those pieces of advice are just taking up space on a page.
And then there was, in my opinion, also a lot of really dumb advice: like sleep with people, it’s ok to goof off your first term, college is about having fun, bring a fake ID. (note these are not direct quotes, they are summaries of various reoccurring pieces of advice.)
All in all, however, the book is beneficial and worth the buy, especially to brand new college students. I don’t attend a university yet, I attend a community college. I’ve found that a lot of the information and advice I have already gone through and experienced, but there were some other helpful things on topics I’ve yet to encounter, such as large lectures and dorms and vacations/study abroad and a few other things.
Content/Recommendation: There is some colorful language used to prove points in some quotes. There is a chapter on dating and sex. But, the age recommendation is to highschool and Freshman college students and parents, so it’s age appropriate. There is also some mention of religions and beliefs, and the word God is changed to G-d, probably to keep from offending some people.
How To Survive Your Freshman Year contains a truckload of information: at nearly 400 pages and contributions from tons of college students all over the world, it’s not exactly a fast read. How To Survive Your Freshman Year is like an encyclopedia of tips and tricks for Freshman on every topic you can think of, and probably some you didn’t think of.
Twenty chapters and an appendix full of useful information, This book is a great tool for upper class High-schoolers and college Freshman—and even parents—who have questions and concerns, or are just curious and looking for information, or just don’t know what to expect.
I would, however, use with caution. How To Survive Your Freshman Year gathers advice from everyone—Jews, Christians, Atheists, Homosexuals, etc. so there are contradictory pieces of advice, sometimes right next to each other. The thing about this book is you have to know yourself pretty well in order to use it. You have to decide which pieces of advice are suitable for you, which follow your beliefs, and which you should pretend you never heard. The book does post this disclaimer inside it:
Warning: This Guide contains differing opinions. Hundreds of Heads will not always agree. Advice taken in combinations may cause unwanted side effects. Use your Head when selecting advice.
I think this is a reasonable disclaimer, as it’s very true that there are some very opposite viewpoints in here.
Also, some of the information in here is common sense—then again, it may be common to me but not to someone else because of the way I was raised—and those pieces of advice are just taking up space on a page.
And then there was, in my opinion, also a lot of really dumb advice: like sleep with people, it’s ok to goof off your first term, college is about having fun, bring a fake ID. (note these are not direct quotes, they are summaries of various reoccurring pieces of advice.)
All in all, however, the book is beneficial and worth the buy, especially to brand new college students. I don’t attend a university yet, I attend a community college. I’ve found that a lot of the information and advice I have already gone through and experienced, but there were some other helpful things on topics I’ve yet to encounter, such as large lectures and dorms and vacations/study abroad and a few other things.
Content/Recommendation: There is some colorful language used to prove points in some quotes. There is a chapter on dating and sex. But, the age recommendation is to highschool and Freshman college students and parents, so it’s age appropriate. There is also some mention of religions and beliefs, and the word God is changed to G-d, probably to keep from offending some people.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Fifth Petal in Books
May 16, 2018
I finally finished reading The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry. It wasn’t quite my thing, though. Despite being labeled as a fantasy mystery, The Fifth Petal hovers a little too heavily on romance for me to find it enjoyable. There’s also a ridiculous amount of repetition which, if you read my thoughts on List of 10, you’ll know I abhor it when writers think their readers are going to forget something major within the plot after a few pages.
Many times throughout my reading of The Fifth Petal, I felt things were dragging. In fact, very little of the book focuses on the murders mentioned in its blurb. More of it focuses on an abstract idea of new age healing, with only the overly obvious blooming romance breaking up the monotony. As a reader, when I pick up a book that’s labeled fantasy or mystery, that’s what I expect. Couple that with an unrealistic, “out of the wild blue yonder” twist at the end, and it seriously just falls flat.
Characterwise, there’s a distinct feeling of “woe is me! I am the victim” throughout this book, alongside several of your stereotypical wealthy snobs. Because of this, I found it hard to become attached to any of the characters – but this is my opinion. For other readers, namely those that favor the flavor of romance, this is perfect.
To be honest, I’d like to rate this book a two for the sheer fact that, like The Cutaway, its genre is based more on the plot’s outline than its actual content. The thing is, the writing isn’t horrible – nor is the romance. There’s not really any detailed sexual encounters either, which is a plus for some. In fact, it’s a pretty safe read all around. I do admire Barry’s ideology behind some of her witches, i.e., lace readers. Because I can see others enjoying this and it’s not downright horrid, I’ve decided to go with a median rating. Besides, the cover is fantastic.
I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
Many times throughout my reading of The Fifth Petal, I felt things were dragging. In fact, very little of the book focuses on the murders mentioned in its blurb. More of it focuses on an abstract idea of new age healing, with only the overly obvious blooming romance breaking up the monotony. As a reader, when I pick up a book that’s labeled fantasy or mystery, that’s what I expect. Couple that with an unrealistic, “out of the wild blue yonder” twist at the end, and it seriously just falls flat.
Characterwise, there’s a distinct feeling of “woe is me! I am the victim” throughout this book, alongside several of your stereotypical wealthy snobs. Because of this, I found it hard to become attached to any of the characters – but this is my opinion. For other readers, namely those that favor the flavor of romance, this is perfect.
To be honest, I’d like to rate this book a two for the sheer fact that, like The Cutaway, its genre is based more on the plot’s outline than its actual content. The thing is, the writing isn’t horrible – nor is the romance. There’s not really any detailed sexual encounters either, which is a plus for some. In fact, it’s a pretty safe read all around. I do admire Barry’s ideology behind some of her witches, i.e., lace readers. Because I can see others enjoying this and it’s not downright horrid, I’ve decided to go with a median rating. Besides, the cover is fantastic.
I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Rocketeer (1991) in Movies
Feb 12, 2018
Hated it
Me trying to find something I liked about The Rocketeer: "Well that part was cool. Yeah, but it was quickly ruined by x,y, and z. Besides, the terrible part that happened right after made it all for nothing. Ok, but what about...Nope, that was pretty crappy too."
If Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice has taught us anything it's that sometimes superhero movies get it wrong. Not only does The Rocketeer get it wrong, it steps on its own feet before it can even get off the blocks properly. Oftentimes we have the case of decent actors getting placed with a dud of a script, but that's far from the situation here. Sure the actors didn't have much of a chance with the awful writing, but I have the strangest feeling that even if the writing had been superb these actors still would have found a way to muck it up. It's that bad. I'm talking grind your teeth bad.
To its credit, the film doesn't dupe you as it gets off to a terrible start almost immediately. Twenty minutes in and I was already thinking of the number of different things that I could have been doing rather than watching The Rocketeeer. Was it all bad? No, but mostly. The redeemable parts were quickly ruined by their own contradictions. Perfect example, everytime main character Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) donned the Rocketeer suit, the action was pretty sweet to watch. Considering the fact that he wasn't in the suit for even a full half hour, things soured pretty quickly.
Corny moments abound in the film. I was hoping for a base that was more serious and less campy and all I can say is: Mission Not Accomplished. Between the absolute joke of a villain, the lame plot twist, and a number of other things, I don't know what bothered me the most.
The Rocketeer is the story of an aviator who is on the run from the mob after discovering a jet pack in the 1930's. Yeah, now that I think about it, the plot should have told me everything I needed to know about expectations. Skip it. I give it a 10.
If Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice has taught us anything it's that sometimes superhero movies get it wrong. Not only does The Rocketeer get it wrong, it steps on its own feet before it can even get off the blocks properly. Oftentimes we have the case of decent actors getting placed with a dud of a script, but that's far from the situation here. Sure the actors didn't have much of a chance with the awful writing, but I have the strangest feeling that even if the writing had been superb these actors still would have found a way to muck it up. It's that bad. I'm talking grind your teeth bad.
To its credit, the film doesn't dupe you as it gets off to a terrible start almost immediately. Twenty minutes in and I was already thinking of the number of different things that I could have been doing rather than watching The Rocketeeer. Was it all bad? No, but mostly. The redeemable parts were quickly ruined by their own contradictions. Perfect example, everytime main character Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) donned the Rocketeer suit, the action was pretty sweet to watch. Considering the fact that he wasn't in the suit for even a full half hour, things soured pretty quickly.
Corny moments abound in the film. I was hoping for a base that was more serious and less campy and all I can say is: Mission Not Accomplished. Between the absolute joke of a villain, the lame plot twist, and a number of other things, I don't know what bothered me the most.
The Rocketeer is the story of an aviator who is on the run from the mob after discovering a jet pack in the 1930's. Yeah, now that I think about it, the plot should have told me everything I needed to know about expectations. Skip it. I give it a 10.
Louise (64 KP) rated The Heart's Invisible Furies in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
As always I do things back to front, John Boyne is famously known for writing ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’,I have not got round to reading this book but have watched the film adaptation and found it heart-breaking. Anyway on to his newest book on the market. This book is delightful, laugh out loud hilarious, an emotional rollercoaster and you will no doubt fall in love with Cyril Avery.
The story is told from our protagonist Cyril Avery, the story starts off when he is still in the womb and how he came to be put up for adoption and then every 7 years thereafter. The whole book follows Cyril throughout his whole life and the struggles he comes across living in Dublin in the 1950’s and coming to terms with his identity and sexuality.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I adored Cyril Avery, he had this awkwardness about him, and seemed to get in some truly awful situations. For him growing up was anything but ordinary, he was adopted by ‘The Avery’s’ but was continuously told that he wasn’t a real Avery and never would be. With his strange adoptive parents, Cyril takes everything in his stride until he meets Julian Woodbead and realises that he might just be attracted to boys.
John Boyne’s writing was breath-taking and I was enchanted from the start – I slowly read this book as I didn’t want it to end. The characters in this book were great and all had amazing personalities. It also shows how homophobic the country was back in the 1950’s and how people were scared to ‘come out’ for fear of being attacked and disowned by family members.
This book does delve in to Irish politics and was something that I had not read before but due to my lack of knowledge was not something that interested me.
This story told by Cyril Avery is about Love, Relationships, Politics, Religion, Violence and Identity.
I rated this 4.25 out of 5 stars
As always I do things back to front, John Boyne is famously known for writing ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’,I have not got round to reading this book but have watched the film adaptation and found it heart-breaking. Anyway on to his newest book on the market. This book is delightful, laugh out loud hilarious, an emotional rollercoaster and you will no doubt fall in love with Cyril Avery.
The story is told from our protagonist Cyril Avery, the story starts off when he is still in the womb and how he came to be put up for adoption and then every 7 years thereafter. The whole book follows Cyril throughout his whole life and the struggles he comes across living in Dublin in the 1950’s and coming to terms with his identity and sexuality.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I adored Cyril Avery, he had this awkwardness about him, and seemed to get in some truly awful situations. For him growing up was anything but ordinary, he was adopted by ‘The Avery’s’ but was continuously told that he wasn’t a real Avery and never would be. With his strange adoptive parents, Cyril takes everything in his stride until he meets Julian Woodbead and realises that he might just be attracted to boys.
John Boyne’s writing was breath-taking and I was enchanted from the start – I slowly read this book as I didn’t want it to end. The characters in this book were great and all had amazing personalities. It also shows how homophobic the country was back in the 1950’s and how people were scared to ‘come out’ for fear of being attacked and disowned by family members.
This book does delve in to Irish politics and was something that I had not read before but due to my lack of knowledge was not something that interested me.
This story told by Cyril Avery is about Love, Relationships, Politics, Religion, Violence and Identity.
I rated this 4.25 out of 5 stars
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Not by Sight in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Espionage is at its height during WWI. The slightest piece of evidence, whether legitimate or not, can mean the difference between life and death.
Grace Mabry is full of patriotic ideals. She believes there is no excuse for fit and able young men to stay home and drink champagne and attend fancy parties. Grace sneaks into a masquerade ball to hand out white feathers of cowardice in her efforts to aide the war. She slips a feather into the hands of Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrook. Unbeknownst to her the events that are set into motion by that one act. Both Jack and Grace are soon forced to learn the true meaning of walking by faith, not by sight.
"She taught me to never back down and to always stand up for what I believed in."
Not by Sight has to be one of the most spellbinding books that I have read. On multiple occasions I had to remind myself to breathe. I couldn't even put the book down to walk from point A to point B. And my eyes kept sliding to the end of each page, and therefore causing me to reread the whole page again. The depth of feeling and emotion between the characters is very real. I found the personalities very developed and would love it if Grace were to ring me up and we could discuss her whole adventure. The story line changes perspectives between more characters than I had expected, but it gave valuable insight into the circumstances that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. I was constantly reminded of the BBC show Land Girls (Netflix) which is set during WWII. There is another show called Bomb Girls (Netflix), also WWII, that is similar but set in a munitions factory rather than on a farm. Both are excellent, and I highly recommend them. Pick up a copy of Not by Sight and be transported to the middle of WWI. Say goodbye to housework and sleep, because this intriguing story will completely pull you in. I am on my way to re-watch both shows now!
I received a free copy of Not by Sight from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
Grace Mabry is full of patriotic ideals. She believes there is no excuse for fit and able young men to stay home and drink champagne and attend fancy parties. Grace sneaks into a masquerade ball to hand out white feathers of cowardice in her efforts to aide the war. She slips a feather into the hands of Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrook. Unbeknownst to her the events that are set into motion by that one act. Both Jack and Grace are soon forced to learn the true meaning of walking by faith, not by sight.
"She taught me to never back down and to always stand up for what I believed in."
Not by Sight has to be one of the most spellbinding books that I have read. On multiple occasions I had to remind myself to breathe. I couldn't even put the book down to walk from point A to point B. And my eyes kept sliding to the end of each page, and therefore causing me to reread the whole page again. The depth of feeling and emotion between the characters is very real. I found the personalities very developed and would love it if Grace were to ring me up and we could discuss her whole adventure. The story line changes perspectives between more characters than I had expected, but it gave valuable insight into the circumstances that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. I was constantly reminded of the BBC show Land Girls (Netflix) which is set during WWII. There is another show called Bomb Girls (Netflix), also WWII, that is similar but set in a munitions factory rather than on a farm. Both are excellent, and I highly recommend them. Pick up a copy of Not by Sight and be transported to the middle of WWI. Say goodbye to housework and sleep, because this intriguing story will completely pull you in. I am on my way to re-watch both shows now!
I received a free copy of Not by Sight from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.