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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated King of Bad (Super Villain Academy #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>).
This book has been on my TBR (to be read) list for awhile. It sounded very intriguing, so when I was offered the chance to review it, I automatically said yes. Luckily, the book didn't disappoint.
I think the title is an excellent fit for this book. Even Jeff's sister refers to him as the king of bad at one point. It's also an ironic fit for Jeff as we soon discover. (And don't worry, that wasn't a spoiler).
The cover is alright. I like the whole fire and ice thing going on with the cover which fits nicely with the book. I just wish there was less person and more scenery in the forefront.
I loved the world building! It made me wish I was part of it. Strand does a fantastic job of making the world of King of Bad seem like it's a real thing. The setting takes place in the United States although there are super villain and super hero academies all around the world. I like that Strand kept her novel set in the real world instead of some made up fantasy world. It makes it feel more real. The only thing I found confusing was the end. To me, it just felt a bit rushed, and just left me scratching my head wondering what had just happened.
The pacing is very enjoyable, and I found myself becoming more and more immersed with what was and what would happen to Jeff. Like the world building, the pacing does speed up a bit too much towards the end for my liking. Personally, I felt that things should've been better explained.
I loved the plot! It's about time we see the perspective of the world from a super villain! All too often, books tend to focus on the super hero. I liked the idea of a Super Villain Academy and seeing how the children were all trained to be bad. When a super hero academy attacks Jeff's school, I was actually rooting for the bad guys although it didn't feel wrong. There is a plot twist which I really enjoyed. There's no cliff hangers in this book that I noticed, so it can be read as a stand alone.
The characters were fantastic. It was hard not to love Jeff. He had fantastic manners for a baddie, and he was also very sarcastic which was my favorite thing about him. Source was probably my favorite character. I loved his nerdiness, and I could totally relate to him feeling that he didn't really fit in although Jeff felt that way as well. Oceanus came across as conflicted which I believe was intentional. She didn't want Jeff to think of her as a nice girl because she was supposed to be a villain. However, I did like Oceanus very much, and I kept rooting for her and Jeff to get together. Mystic is a fantastic character, and I never really trusted her. The author does a fantastic job in making the reader feel conflicted about Mystic which is also intentional. She had the power of suave which I thought was a fantastic ability. She also comes across as a caring and sweet girl for the most part.
The dialogue and character interactions flow very smoothly. Nothing ever felt forced or awkward writing wise. There is some swearing in this book as well as some sexual references and violence in case that isn't your thing.
Overall, King of Bad is an enjoyable and original read. My favorite thing about this book were the characters and reading about super villains as opposed to super heroes.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who are feeling a little bit bad although they're really good. If you enjoy great characters and a fantastic plot, then this is the book for you!
(I received this ebook for free from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
This book has been on my TBR (to be read) list for awhile. It sounded very intriguing, so when I was offered the chance to review it, I automatically said yes. Luckily, the book didn't disappoint.
I think the title is an excellent fit for this book. Even Jeff's sister refers to him as the king of bad at one point. It's also an ironic fit for Jeff as we soon discover. (And don't worry, that wasn't a spoiler).
The cover is alright. I like the whole fire and ice thing going on with the cover which fits nicely with the book. I just wish there was less person and more scenery in the forefront.
I loved the world building! It made me wish I was part of it. Strand does a fantastic job of making the world of King of Bad seem like it's a real thing. The setting takes place in the United States although there are super villain and super hero academies all around the world. I like that Strand kept her novel set in the real world instead of some made up fantasy world. It makes it feel more real. The only thing I found confusing was the end. To me, it just felt a bit rushed, and just left me scratching my head wondering what had just happened.
The pacing is very enjoyable, and I found myself becoming more and more immersed with what was and what would happen to Jeff. Like the world building, the pacing does speed up a bit too much towards the end for my liking. Personally, I felt that things should've been better explained.
I loved the plot! It's about time we see the perspective of the world from a super villain! All too often, books tend to focus on the super hero. I liked the idea of a Super Villain Academy and seeing how the children were all trained to be bad. When a super hero academy attacks Jeff's school, I was actually rooting for the bad guys although it didn't feel wrong. There is a plot twist which I really enjoyed. There's no cliff hangers in this book that I noticed, so it can be read as a stand alone.
The characters were fantastic. It was hard not to love Jeff. He had fantastic manners for a baddie, and he was also very sarcastic which was my favorite thing about him. Source was probably my favorite character. I loved his nerdiness, and I could totally relate to him feeling that he didn't really fit in although Jeff felt that way as well. Oceanus came across as conflicted which I believe was intentional. She didn't want Jeff to think of her as a nice girl because she was supposed to be a villain. However, I did like Oceanus very much, and I kept rooting for her and Jeff to get together. Mystic is a fantastic character, and I never really trusted her. The author does a fantastic job in making the reader feel conflicted about Mystic which is also intentional. She had the power of suave which I thought was a fantastic ability. She also comes across as a caring and sweet girl for the most part.
The dialogue and character interactions flow very smoothly. Nothing ever felt forced or awkward writing wise. There is some swearing in this book as well as some sexual references and violence in case that isn't your thing.
Overall, King of Bad is an enjoyable and original read. My favorite thing about this book were the characters and reading about super villains as opposed to super heroes.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who are feeling a little bit bad although they're really good. If you enjoy great characters and a fantastic plot, then this is the book for you!
(I received this ebook for free from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Saw III (2006) in Movies
Jan 10, 2020
The Consquence's: One's Pain and One's suffering
Saw III- continues the story from the last film, continues the games, continues the touture and contiues to have good/great charcters like Jigsaw and Amanda. You really care about these charcters but at the same time, feel sick by these charcters actions.
The Plot: Dr. Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) becomes a pawn in the Jigsaw Killer's (Tobin Bell) latest gory game. Kidnapped and taken to an abandoned warehouse, she finds Jigsaw bedridden and dying. Her task is to keep the maniac alive long enough for Jeff (Angus Macfadyen), a fellow victim, to complete his own task. Each is unaware that Jigsaw has much bigger -- and deadlier -- plans in store.
Jeff's charcter- after his son is killed by a drunk driver, is put through a series of tests by Jigsaw in order to try to get him to let go of his vengeance for the man that killed his son. You care about Jeff, you feel his pain and suffering, you want him to survivie Jigsaw's games. You want to know who killed his son and by the end you will find out.
I liked this movie, i liked this sequel, i liked the story, i like psychological espect, the twist and turns and i liked the ending of all three movies so far.
The Plot: Dr. Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) becomes a pawn in the Jigsaw Killer's (Tobin Bell) latest gory game. Kidnapped and taken to an abandoned warehouse, she finds Jigsaw bedridden and dying. Her task is to keep the maniac alive long enough for Jeff (Angus Macfadyen), a fellow victim, to complete his own task. Each is unaware that Jigsaw has much bigger -- and deadlier -- plans in store.
Jeff's charcter- after his son is killed by a drunk driver, is put through a series of tests by Jigsaw in order to try to get him to let go of his vengeance for the man that killed his son. You care about Jeff, you feel his pain and suffering, you want him to survivie Jigsaw's games. You want to know who killed his son and by the end you will find out.
I liked this movie, i liked this sequel, i liked the story, i like psychological espect, the twist and turns and i liked the ending of all three movies so far.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Iron Man (2008) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Jon Favreau (The Jungle Book) helmed Marvel’s first foray into creating a mass-market, shared universe with wonderful results. The casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark was inspired and Gwenyth Paltrow was a great choice to play Pepper Potts.
The film still holds up to this day with great action sequences, cracking special effects and a decent story to boot. Negatives? Well, Jeff Bridges’ villain is a little underdeveloped and quite frankly, a bit dull (something Marvel still struggles with to this day), but Iron Man is the one that started it all and it’s a great film.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/04/21/the-entire-marvel-cinematic-universe-ranked/
The film still holds up to this day with great action sequences, cracking special effects and a decent story to boot. Negatives? Well, Jeff Bridges’ villain is a little underdeveloped and quite frankly, a bit dull (something Marvel still struggles with to this day), but Iron Man is the one that started it all and it’s a great film.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/04/21/the-entire-marvel-cinematic-universe-ranked/
Jcadden76 (64 KP) rated Tell 'Em Steve-Dave in Podcasts
Jun 12, 2018
Walt, Bryan and BQQuin (3 more)
Overdrive
Sunday Jeff
The Baron
When it drops it goes to the top of the playlist
I am a completest with this podcast. I have listened through all of the available episodes twice. Even the original shows, though they had not nailed down the format yet, were excellent.
There is something about the connection between Walt, Bry and BQ that is unmistakably good and makes for great podcasting. Also, I don't know who I enjoy hearing going off on a rant more. Add to the connection the games, the contests and the side-hustle and you have a show that makes me laugh every time.
There is something about the connection between Walt, Bry and BQ that is unmistakably good and makes for great podcasting. Also, I don't know who I enjoy hearing going off on a rant more. Add to the connection the games, the contests and the side-hustle and you have a show that makes me laugh every time.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) in Movies
Oct 8, 2019
The Invasion
Invasion of the Body Snatchers- is one of the best remakes of all time. Its horrorfying, terrorfying, spooky, creepy and excellent.
The Plot: This remake of the classic horror film is set in San Francisco. Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland) assumes that when a friend (Brooke Adams) complains of her husband's strange mood, it's a marital issue. However, he begins to worry as more people report similar observations. His concern is confirmed when writer Jack Bellicec (Jeff Goldblum) and his wife (Veronica Cartwright) discover a mutated corpse. Besieged by an invisible enemy, Bennell must work quickly before the city is consumed.
I would highly reccordmend this film.
The Plot: This remake of the classic horror film is set in San Francisco. Matthew Bennell (Donald Sutherland) assumes that when a friend (Brooke Adams) complains of her husband's strange mood, it's a marital issue. However, he begins to worry as more people report similar observations. His concern is confirmed when writer Jack Bellicec (Jeff Goldblum) and his wife (Veronica Cartwright) discover a mutated corpse. Besieged by an invisible enemy, Bennell must work quickly before the city is consumed.
I would highly reccordmend this film.
Adrian VanderMolen (11 KP) rated Jurassic Park (1993) in Movies
Feb 17, 2018
Best movie ever!
Okay seriously this is the greatest movie of all time and if you disagree with me you're wrong. Sam Neil? Yep! Laura Dern? Yep! Jeff Goldblum? Yep! I could go on. Oh yeah, and it has dinosaurs and everything goes wrong because well obviously and they had to find a way out of that park to escape all of the dangerous dinosaurs that would kill them. Maybe it wasn't the best idea bringing back the dinosaurs but it sure does make for a great movie, let's leave it that way scientists on the big screen. “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Benjamin's Parasite in Books
Jun 16, 2018
Black comedy wrapped in body horror
I love body horror. I always have. And I like Jeff Strand. He's funny and articulate, and his stories pack a hell of a punch. Benjamin's Parasite is no different. Benjamin, an unassuming English teacher, is infected by a parasite that both ravages his body and makes him want to do Bad Things. He's kidnapped by Julie, a beautiful but inept bounty hunter, as they're tracked across the country by people who want the specimen back.
Imagine Nick Cutter's "The Troop" if it was written by Simon Pegg. This is a really fun read, and I recommend it to anyone who isn't too squeamish and loves a good horror comedy.
Imagine Nick Cutter's "The Troop" if it was written by Simon Pegg. This is a really fun read, and I recommend it to anyone who isn't too squeamish and loves a good horror comedy.
Vicki Sloan (6 KP) rated War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne in Music
Dec 4, 2018
A Real Piece of Art
Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds is an enduring classic, with stunning storytelling lyrics & drama building music aplenty. From the first bars I was hooked from first listen.
This takes the story to a new level, with a narration from the velvety voice of Richard Burton - it transports you from the fear of the unknown, to the depths of terror and finishes with hope and the sheer resilience of the human spirit. Great as a whole and some real stand out pieces, Forever Autumn being a hit in it’s own right & The Eve of the War being the ring tone choice of many (including me). Just unmissable.
This takes the story to a new level, with a narration from the velvety voice of Richard Burton - it transports you from the fear of the unknown, to the depths of terror and finishes with hope and the sheer resilience of the human spirit. Great as a whole and some real stand out pieces, Forever Autumn being a hit in it’s own right & The Eve of the War being the ring tone choice of many (including me). Just unmissable.
Anne (15117 KP) rated Flight of the Raven in Books
Nov 4, 2019
This book and the previous in the series, The Mark Of The Raven are both amazing and I Love them!
The characters are great, their development and the romance - and I usually am not big on romance, slow burn. The inner turmoil and fight with good and bad choices was fantastic. Well developed, great story and plot and everything. I cant wait to read the next book or maybe reread the first two again.
This series is reminding me so much of Muirwood series by Jeff Wheeler that I LOVE so much!
If you havent checked this out, Get on it! You dont want to miss these fab books!
The characters are great, their development and the romance - and I usually am not big on romance, slow burn. The inner turmoil and fight with good and bad choices was fantastic. Well developed, great story and plot and everything. I cant wait to read the next book or maybe reread the first two again.
This series is reminding me so much of Muirwood series by Jeff Wheeler that I LOVE so much!
If you havent checked this out, Get on it! You dont want to miss these fab books!
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Comedown (2012) in Movies
Apr 13, 2020
It's fun getting High, but the comedown is a killer.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Jacob Anderson, Jessica Barden, Duane Henry, Callum Macnab, Sophie Stuckey, Adam Deacon & Jeff Bell star as 6 friends who agree to setup an aerial on the roof of an abandoned tower block In exchange for free drugs & cash.
After Breaking into the building & completing the Job, they begin an excessive night of drugs, booze and Tunes.
Unfortunately for them, the Tower block isn't as empty as they thought, as they quickly realise that this is someone's home and trespassers will be killed....
A perfectly dark & serious tone, with a Saw meets Scream feel that definitely is one you'll happily rewatch.
After Breaking into the building & completing the Job, they begin an excessive night of drugs, booze and Tunes.
Unfortunately for them, the Tower block isn't as empty as they thought, as they quickly realise that this is someone's home and trespassers will be killed....
A perfectly dark & serious tone, with a Saw meets Scream feel that definitely is one you'll happily rewatch.