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We're Alive - A "Zombie" Story of Survival
We're Alive - A "Zombie" Story of Survival
Arts
9
9.3 (8 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
Fear aspect. Good use of sound and allowing the imagination to fill in the gaps. Good balance between drama and action. (0 more)
Difficult to hear at times :this rarely happened. (0 more)
I found this podcast years ago and it didn't have all the episodes then. But now I just finished it and it was amazing! There was a good amount of drama to action. The story keeps you guessing about what's going to happen next. The story does a good job at making you hate and love characters. Also the voice actors are amazing!
Only struggle I had was near the end conversations felt rushed sometimes and at other times it was hard to hear what other people were saying. Overall an amazing podcast for the zombie/apocalypse enthusiast.
  
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Hello Again in Books

Dec 26, 2018 (Updated Dec 26, 2018)  
Hello Again
Hello Again
Stan Schatt | 2018 | Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Held my Interest (1 more)
Interesting Premise
Not enough character backstory (2 more)
Pacing all over the place
Not very paranormal
Not Very Paranormal
I love the premise of Hello Again by Stan Schatt. I'm very much into ghosts, so I knew I had to read this book. When it came up for review, I knew I had to read it. Unfortunately, this book was just okay, nothing special.

The plot for Hello Again sounded interesting enough. I loved the idea of a guy getting texts from his dead girlfriend. However, there just wasn't enough of the paranormal aspect for me which was disappointing. Personally, I wouldn't really label Hello Again as a paranormal read at all. It was fun to read about though. I kept trying to figure out who was sending the texts from Amber's phone after she died especially since they were coming from her apartment. I also found it interesting to read about Bill's cafe and how he was struggling to get the money to renew the lease. Anyway, the story did take awhile to get going before he meets his girlfriend, Amber Love, at a speed dating event. Amber is very mysterious and doesn't reveal too much of herself to Ben. I found their relationship to be a bit forced and stagnant myself. They hadn't even been on very many dates before she is blown up by a car bomb. What I found weird was that Ben never even googled Amber's name when he found out she had given him a false last name. If it were me, this day in age, I would have been googling her as soon as I had free time. I also felt like we need more information about how Ben found out about Amber's funeral. I will say that by the time this book ended, all of my questions were answered. There are no cliff hangers, and I felt like what was supposed to be the plot twist was too predictable.

I never really connected to any of the characters in Hello Again, and as much as I tried, I never really found myself caring for any of them. I would have liked a bit more backstory into Ben and Amber. I would have liked it if Ben and Amber's relationship had a chance to flourish instead of them just going on about 3 or 4 dates. I would have even liked more backstory for Josh, the psychic. It was hard to connect to these characters when I didn't know much about them. Oh, one of the characters is described as looking like a terrorist and of Middle Eastern descent. I found this to be stereotypical and thought that some readers may find this offensive.

The pacing for Hello Again starts out slow. About halfway through, the pacing does pick up, but I feel it does go too fast in many places which left scratching my head wondering what had happened. Sometimes, I had to go back to see if I missed anything which I didn't. The pacing just didn't flow very well in the second half. However, this book did hold my attention until the very end though, but I wasn't in a rush to finish it. Luckily, it's a short read.

Trigger warnings for Hello Again include some profanity, a couple of sex scenes although they aren't graphic, violence, murder, and alcoholic drinking.

All in all, Hello Again was an okay albeit disappointing read for me. I had been expecting more of a paranormal read which this really wasn't. I could never connect to the characters which left me feeling empty. However, I did find that this book held my attention on the plus side. Because it held my attention and was a short read, I would recommend Hello Again by Stan Schatt for those aged 18+ who are looking for a short read.
--
(A special thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an eBook of Hello Again in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
  
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Kurt Vile recommended Good Old Boys by Randy Newman in Music (curated)

 
Good Old Boys by Randy Newman
Good Old Boys by Randy Newman
1974 | Singer-Songwriter
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"And then after that I got into Good Old Boys, which is a more refined thing, and at first I was like, no, I like Sail Away better, but Good Old Boys: he'll be singing like a love song, like a song like 'Marie', best love song ever, but then if you listen close, he's like, ""I love you the first time I saw you, and I will always love you Marie"". And then you realise, y'know, ""I don't listen to a word you say, when you're in trouble I just turn away"". You realise it's a love song from an asshole, a Southern asshole basically! There's another song on there, called 'Guilty', and that killed me. You've got to listen to the lyrics on that song. He starts out: ""Yes, baby, I been drinking, and I shouldn't come by I know, but I found myself in trouble, and I had nowhere else to go"", but then the production's amazing, it just kicks in with the drums and he's like: ""Got some whisky from the barman, got some cocaine from a friend"", and then it builds up and builds up, he's talking to his girlfriend. He's obviously a shit and he's shown up drunk at her doorway, and the punchline at the end is: ""You know I just can't stand myself and it takes a whole lot of medicine for me to pretend that I'm somebody else."" It's incredible! He always mocked the singer-songwriter thing, even though he was inspired by it. I say that in his moments like 'Guilty' and 'Marie', he says it better than Bob Dylan or anybody, or even Neil Young; obviously they're still talented at being real, they're both clever, they can put you on psychedelically any time they want and say [their lyrics] mean something or not and give a very cool response - not too cool, they can just answer any way they want, just be immortal. But Randy Newman has the concise moment that hits you in the gut; sometimes, I think, he's nailed it better than Bob Dylan. I totally think it's important to have humour in records. That's my personality anyway, but that's the best thing you can do, really. Because I was sometimes sad or melancholy, but I think the people that just ran that home, like in the grunge era, fucking like Smashing Pumpkins - I liked them when I was a kid - or even Eddie Vedder - no offence on them really, but at the same time they're victims of thinking there was this movement, like in the '70s, that there was this utopian dream that they'd change the world, like Crosby or something. But it's too one-sided after a while. Like fucking darkness in grunge - I don't know, no relief whatsoever? It's bullshit, it's too one-sided, it's not the way life is: life isn't that fucked, but it is. I just think that people, when they get too dramatic, it comes off like a bummer."

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The Captive Heart
The Captive Heart
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
There are a few times that I change-up my review schedule to accommodate a book. The Captive Heart is one such book. I kept hearing my friends praising Michelle Griep, and figured, I had better give it a try. WOW, I am so very glad I did. A compelling story of love and forgiveness. You will find a lot of adventure, mishaps, romance, and passion within these pages.

I found this story not only tender and passionate between our hero and heroine, but also filled with the love and forgiveness of our Lord. His fierce love for us and His undying forgiveness is portrayed through this story. No matter what we go through, the trials that we see, the heartache we endure, the choices we make, He will never leave our side. Yet we must make the choice to walk in the light. To walk in His forgiveness and forgive ourselves.

The minute you open The Captive Heart, you will find yourself transported back to Revolutionary America, and the tensions are high. With non stop adventures, you will find yourself unable to set this book down to you know, eat, cook, clean...With an excellent storyline and gracefully composed with an elegant hand, Michelle Griep has indeed captured my heart with this book.

I received a complimentary copy of The Captive Heart through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
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Method Man recommended Snow On Tha Bluff (2011) in Movies (curated)

 
Snow On Tha Bluff (2011)
Snow On Tha Bluff (2011)
2011 | Crime, Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"It looked like a documentary. It’s like a found footage movie, but in the hood, and this s–t is incredible, the way he flipped it, because you could tell some of the elements were reenacted, but some of those elements look real as s–t. No lie. And this guy that’s starring in it — his last name is Snow; I don’t remember his first name — he’s not an actor. Not an actor. This is his real life. I’m tellin’ you man, this movie…"

Source
  
The Crêpes of Wrath (A Pancake House Mystery Book 1)
The Crêpes of Wrath (A Pancake House Mystery Book 1)
Sarah Fox | 2016 | Mystery
8
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
With this installment, the Pancake House Mystery series is off to a great start. I loved the characters, the sea-side setting, and the suspense. Throw in some delicious sounding recipes and a little romance, and this was an all-around wonderful cozy mystery. There were enough suspects to keep me guessing right up to the end, and I couldn’t put it down until I found out “who did it”. Cozy fans shouldn’t miss this one.

A word of warning about this book – if you are a fan of pancakes, waffles, and other such breakfasty goodies, then don’t read it on an empty stomach! :)

<i>NOTE: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.</i>
  
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Andy Bell recommended Court & Spark by Joni Mitchell in Music (curated)

 
Court &amp; Spark by Joni Mitchell
Court & Spark by Joni Mitchell
2009 | Folk, Pop, Singer-Songwriter
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"My first girlfriend used to listen to Joni Mitchell, and the album that she got me into was Court And Spark. I was 15 or 16 when I first heard it, and the acoustic playing is more like a jazzy sort of thing. I found that really cool. “I love her style as a guitarist, and I love the songs on that album, too. They’re quite funny, and they put you in a certain mood, like Free Man In Paris and People’s Parties. I like it a lot more than Blue and a lot more than Hejira, and the other ones that people go on about. It’s just really good. “Nick Drake’s Pink Moon [1972] also deserves a mention as a very important acoustic album for me. Can we have it as a bonus record?"

Source
  
Too Close: A new kind of thriller that will leave you breathless
Too Close: A new kind of thriller that will leave you breathless
Natalie Daniels | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
10
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
How close is too close?
Connie and Ness met in the park while their children played. As they talked, they realised they were neighbours. Perhaps it was only natural that they and their families would become entirely inseparable.
But when Ness’s marriage ends in a bitter divorce, she is suddenly at Connie’s house all the time. Connie doesn’t have a moment to herself, no time alone with her husband, not a second to chat to her kids.
It’s all too much. Something has to give.
Connie has woken up in a psychiatric hospital. They say she committed a terrible crime but she says she can’t remember a thing.

This novel is gripping and absorbing that you won't be able to put this down. I found the pace just right and the dark story well told .
I found myself crying with some of the parts and in others laughing out loud at some of the things said. There are so many emotions covered in this story including mental illness.
I loved the characters development, the plot of the story and oh my that surprising ending you don't see coming.
I don't want to say anymore as I don't want to spoil it for anyone!

I received this debut novel via NetGalley in return for an honest review but I still turned around an purchased this as I truly am astounded with this novel.
  
Siren&#039;s Fury
Siren's Fury
Mary Weber | 2017 | Children
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
**Please note that this is the second book in The Storm Siren Series. While I always strive to keep my reviews spoiler-FREE, if you have not read the first book, you MAY encounter unknown information in this review**

Mary Weber's unique world is completely incredible. Rich with colorful descriptions and details, I feel like this is a real place I would read about in my history books. Granted...the magical elements kind of give it away as being fiction.

One thing that I have come to appreciate in Young Adult Fiction is the use of symbolism. Reminds me a lot of Ted Dekker's circle trilogy. The evil and darkness vs. The good and pure. The struggle that can occur when we open ourselves to the darkness...And the power that it can have over us IF WE LET IT! Ahh! SO GOOD!!!! And this story just keeps getting more and more intense. This book has a much more steam punk feel to it vs the first book. Different country, different culture, different feel. I LOVE IT!

I do enjoy a book series that continues the story line because it gives the author a chance to develop the characters and thicken the plot. And also makes me glad that I usually wait till these books are all released before I dive into them...So I can, you know...BINGE READ!!!

As Nym continues on her journey of harnessing her powers and stopping a war before it starts...We meet a few new characters and a few old ones tag along. Forget everything you think you know.......And be prepared to be enchanted by this tale of good vs. evil. Make sure you have book 3 ready to go before you start this one...TRUST ME...You are going to want to keep reading.

I found Siren's Fury at my local library. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Misery in Books

Mar 15, 2018  
Misery
Misery
Stephen King | 1987 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror, Thriller
10
8.7 (86 Ratings)
Book Rating
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/misery-by-stephen-king

<b><i>”Annie Annie oh Annie please please no please don’t Annie I swear to you I’ll be good I swear to God I’ll be good please give me a chance to be good OH ANNIE PLEASE LET ME BE GOOD -”
“Just a little pain. Then this nasty business will be behind us for good Paul.”</b></i>

Well hot fucking damn. Is this the best book I’ve read all year? <b>I think it might be.</b> I am officially a Stephen King fan. A “Stephen King convert” as my mother is calling me. Misery is a goddamn masterpiece. It’s <i>so</i> tense. I don’t know how anyone can write so well that I’m actually squirming. <b>LEGIT SQUIRMING AS I READ.</b>

Misery is about a bestselling author, Paul Sheldon, who, after celebrating his completion of his next (and best) book, drinks a little too much champagne and gets himself into a nasty car accident in the middle of nowhere. He wakes to find his legs shattered but splintered (splinted???) in a mysterious house. Luckily, or unluckily, he’s found himself saved and in the capable hands of his number one fan and ex-nurse, Annie Wilkes.

I put off reading Misery for, oh I don’t know, maybe 5 years? I watched the film, of course, because disliking a film can be down to a number of variables, the wrong director, actors you dislike, bad script etc, but not liking a book, <i>a Stephen King book</i>, is down to one and one thing only, the author. And I was <i>so</i> terrified I wouldn’t like Stephen King! Honestly, terrified is this right word for it. I didn’t want to turn around in a house, no, a society, that claims Stephen King is a modern day Charles Dickens, of sorts, and say “nah, not that into him myself”. But lo and behold, I ended up liking both the film and the book, thank Christ. The book more so than the film, but isn’t that usually the case? Although the actors for both Paul and Annie in the film version were <i>spot on.</i>

I don’t think I’ve ever been so vocal whilst reading a book. Misery had me yelping and oohing and arring and laughing and yucking all the way through. King’s writing is so vivid you <i>are</i> Paul Sheldon for the duration of the book. You’re Paul, rolling around in his wheelchair, holding your breath and crying and sweating, hoping that car you hear isn’t Annie’s. Hoping she’s holding those Godsent Novril tablets every few hours to subdue your pain. Wondering how the hell you’re ever going to be able to escape. You completely immerse yourself in the nail biting story, page by page. This is a perfect novel from start to finish, that’s all I have left to say.

If you’ve never read Stephen King before, start with Misery. <b>I double donkey dare you.</b>