Search
Search results
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Those Across the River in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I won a copy of this book on Goodreads. I was very much anticpating its arrival and I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed!
If you are not afraid of being out in the woodsat night, you will be after you read this book! Hell you may even be scared of forests in the daylight too. The characters throughoutbthe book are weel developed. While there were a few "typical" characters many of them were shown to have quirks or traits thatnare not typical of a suspense novel.
The plot was well paced. The suspense factor was always high...I found myself constantly wondering who would be next. Yet at the same time it wasn't too over the top. The story contained enough events that were reality based that you even found yourself convinced that the fantastical elements were just as likely to be real.
If you are not afraid of being out in the woodsat night, you will be after you read this book! Hell you may even be scared of forests in the daylight too. The characters throughoutbthe book are weel developed. While there were a few "typical" characters many of them were shown to have quirks or traits thatnare not typical of a suspense novel.
The plot was well paced. The suspense factor was always high...I found myself constantly wondering who would be next. Yet at the same time it wasn't too over the top. The story contained enough events that were reality based that you even found yourself convinced that the fantastical elements were just as likely to be real.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Blizzard of '88 in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Dave Mustaine recommended Ace of Spades by Motorhead in Music (curated)
ashezbookz (32 KP) rated RoseBlood in Books
Jul 5, 2018
I - had words for this book - and my husband had to sit there and just listen to me rage lol
I didn't mind the last portion of the book but this one, though beautifully written, had strange coloured text, which I DESPISED, and was slow, agonizing in some areas, but alas.... did I hate it, no.
Oh Thorn and his adorableness was just... I couldn't help but fall for that character so I guess that's the point - I did enjoy reading mostly his parts of the book, her parts were meh for the most part. I really loved the cat too - I'm a sucker for pets in books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall not bad !
I didn't mind the last portion of the book but this one, though beautifully written, had strange coloured text, which I DESPISED, and was slow, agonizing in some areas, but alas.... did I hate it, no.
Oh Thorn and his adorableness was just... I couldn't help but fall for that character so I guess that's the point - I did enjoy reading mostly his parts of the book, her parts were meh for the most part. I really loved the cat too - I'm a sucker for pets in books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall not bad !
Bethr1986 (305 KP) rated Vitality (Vitality #1) in Books
Nov 28, 2022
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is the first in the series of vitality and what a first it is!
It seems like a true love story with lots of twists. I do not want to say too much as I don't want to give anything away, I was hooked when I first started reading and really didn't want to put it down. I honestly can't wait till the second instalment even though my head feels mushed right now!
There are some rather dark moments and an absolute whirlwind of emotion.
I recommend reading it. I thought it was brilliant.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
This is the first in the series of vitality and what a first it is!
It seems like a true love story with lots of twists. I do not want to say too much as I don't want to give anything away, I was hooked when I first started reading and really didn't want to put it down. I honestly can't wait till the second instalment even though my head feels mushed right now!
There are some rather dark moments and an absolute whirlwind of emotion.
I recommend reading it. I thought it was brilliant.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Duchessina: A Novel of Catherine de' Medici (Young Royals, #5) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<u>Duchessina</u> was a fairly good young adult take on Catherine de' Medici. The historical details are flawlessly added, and while it's <i>too</i> sympathic towards Catherine, I understand the need for the heroine to be that way in this type of book. My only major complaint is the end, where there was too much left in the book to wrap up so quickly. I thought the whole book was just going to be the first twenty or so years of her life, which would have made the book more cohesive. Instead the last thirty pages were rushed with the rest of her marriage and then the historical notes after Henri II died.
However, I do appreciate authors bringing history to younger readers in the hope that they will want to read more about certain people and times. Especially in the case of Catherine de' Medici, whom I feel history was more vicious to than she deserved. She was a woman of her times and she survived as best she could. Was she a saint? No, far from it, but I don't believe she was evil either.
3.5 stars
However, I do appreciate authors bringing history to younger readers in the hope that they will want to read more about certain people and times. Especially in the case of Catherine de' Medici, whom I feel history was more vicious to than she deserved. She was a woman of her times and she survived as best she could. Was she a saint? No, far from it, but I don't believe she was evil either.
3.5 stars
Erika (17789 KP) rated At Eternity's Gate (2018) in Movies
Dec 9, 2018
Willem Dafoe is TOO OLD to be Vincent (1 more)
Accents?!?!
I did have high expectations going into this film, Van Gogh is my favorite painter. The direction was... interesting. There was a lot of shaky-cam work, and I understood that the director was trying to depict things as slightly confused because it was supposed to be from Vincent's point-of-view, but, I don't think it was effective in the end. I liked Rupert Friend as Theo, and Oscar Isaac as Gauguin, and they were close to the actual ages of the characters. BUT, I had a problem with a 60+ year old actor playing Vincent, who was only 37 when he passed away. Dafoe did well at portraying a slightly-off Vincent, but he just looked way too old for me. And finally, the accents. Theo and Vincent had strange American accents? I'm not sure why they didn't opt for Dutch accents? It was very weird, and almost to the point of distracting.
In the end, this film was just ok, and I'm glad I used Regal points for the ticket, and not my own money.
In the end, this film was just ok, and I'm glad I used Regal points for the ticket, and not my own money.
Sonofdel (6291 KP) rated 77 Shadow Street in Books
Jun 3, 2022
I have always loved Dean Koontz because of the way he immerses you in the situations in his book. Its not many authors that make you feel as if you are actually in the book not just reading it. Loved this book because whilst it is a work of fiction there are a lot of instances that ring true, particularly the way we are giving AI too much power and information. At first glance this is just your run of the mill horror house novel, but once you get into it, its so much more. Great character and development and i love the way that he does not concentrate on just one persons story. There are lots of different characters ranging from a small girl with autism to a contract killer and its blended in well to create an atmospheric, horrific and frightening novel. Its split into two books and i must admit that when i was about half way through i thought it was drawing to a close, how wrong i was. Well worth a read A++++
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Espressologist in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Thoughts: Ok, so if you like to sit down on the couch in front of your Christmas tree with a cup of hot chocolate or a coffee, a blanket, and a cute fun light-hearted book that will make you smile and laugh a bit, this one is for you. There was a grand total of two kisses (no sex!), and no (zero!) bad words. It’s appropriate for ages 8-14.
But I wouldn’t go higher than 14. With that in mind, I’m 18. I guess I didn’t see what was great about this book. Maybe I’m hard to please (though I doubt it, because I was pleased by Perfect Chemistry. That sucked too.) but really, this book was pretty lame. There were parts where I thought “oh that’s cute” or “oh no!” but that’s about as exciting as it got, and that was the extent of my interaction with the plot. There was a lot of drama, and all of it was ridiculously unrealistic. The characters were shallow and had no relatability, and had what I call “happyland syndrome” when it came to their dialogue. I just didn’t like the dialogue—the things they said were either too perfectly thought out to be realistic, or just sounded silly. The writing was very mediocre, even for a contemporary YA novel. Lastly, the ending was weak.
Again, in for a light-hearted-relax-goof-off-waste-my-time kind of book? The Espressologist is for you. If not? Skip it. You aren’t missing much.
**Thank you to Kathryn from Henry Holt In Group for supplying my review copy**
But I wouldn’t go higher than 14. With that in mind, I’m 18. I guess I didn’t see what was great about this book. Maybe I’m hard to please (though I doubt it, because I was pleased by Perfect Chemistry. That sucked too.) but really, this book was pretty lame. There were parts where I thought “oh that’s cute” or “oh no!” but that’s about as exciting as it got, and that was the extent of my interaction with the plot. There was a lot of drama, and all of it was ridiculously unrealistic. The characters were shallow and had no relatability, and had what I call “happyland syndrome” when it came to their dialogue. I just didn’t like the dialogue—the things they said were either too perfectly thought out to be realistic, or just sounded silly. The writing was very mediocre, even for a contemporary YA novel. Lastly, the ending was weak.
Again, in for a light-hearted-relax-goof-off-waste-my-time kind of book? The Espressologist is for you. If not? Skip it. You aren’t missing much.
**Thank you to Kathryn from Henry Holt In Group for supplying my review copy**
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Wicked Years, #1) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I was warned off of this book by a friend of mine, but I figured since I am FINALLY going to see the musical in January I'd give it a shot. Boy am I ever glad I did! I really enjoyed it!! This is another book that should allow half stars, because truly it is a 4.5 not a 4. The only reason it isn't 5 is that there are a few parts that drag, but not enough that I didn't enjoy the book as a whole.
Wicked tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West. It is incredibly interesting to see the famous story from another character's point of view. I must admit there were things that surprised me completely. I was always fascinated by the Witch when I was younger & now she makes so much more sense. I was never afraid of her, but her Flying Monkeys were another story.
I don't want to say too much & give anything away, but let's just say the Wicked Witch never intended to be wicked, nor was she really a witch! Mind blown!!! :)
Wicked tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West. It is incredibly interesting to see the famous story from another character's point of view. I must admit there were things that surprised me completely. I was always fascinated by the Witch when I was younger & now she makes so much more sense. I was never afraid of her, but her Flying Monkeys were another story.
I don't want to say too much & give anything away, but let's just say the Wicked Witch never intended to be wicked, nor was she really a witch! Mind blown!!! :)