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ClareR (6236 KP) rated The Passengers in Books
Apr 2, 2019
What would it be like if the whole of the UKs road networks operated on electric, driverless cars? What would happen if those driverless cars, operated by a computer programme, we’re hacked in to by a person who seemed bent on the destruction of those inside them? Well, John Marrs asks (and answers) that exact question in this book.
Eight people get in to their cars one morning, thinking they’re going to the destinations that they’ve programmed in, only to discover that they no longer have any control over their cars. In fact, they’re on a crash course with one another, and only one person will survive. That person will be chosen by the public, who are all seeing what’s happening in real time on social media and news outlets. That was actually the part that terrified me the most - the fact that the public was in charge of their lives!
This was a real roller coaster ride, it was so exciting! If I hadn’t have been reading it on The Pigeonhole, I would’ve read it in one sitting (I’d highly recommend doing that, by the way!). I must have changed my mind about the characters at least half a dozen times, and the ending really was just right!
Eight people get in to their cars one morning, thinking they’re going to the destinations that they’ve programmed in, only to discover that they no longer have any control over their cars. In fact, they’re on a crash course with one another, and only one person will survive. That person will be chosen by the public, who are all seeing what’s happening in real time on social media and news outlets. That was actually the part that terrified me the most - the fact that the public was in charge of their lives!
This was a real roller coaster ride, it was so exciting! If I hadn’t have been reading it on The Pigeonhole, I would’ve read it in one sitting (I’d highly recommend doing that, by the way!). I must have changed my mind about the characters at least half a dozen times, and the ending really was just right!
Brian Eno recommended Grande Liturgie Orthodoxe Slave by Choer Bulare Svetoslav Obretenov in Music (curated)
David McK (3801 KP) rated Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in Books
May 22, 2020
Novelisation of the final entry in 'The Skywalker Saga', that seeks to add context and rationale behind some of the decisions made in that movie.
And, for the most part, it works.
It's just a pity that the film needed this added to it …
It's here we learn that Palpatine (in the movie) is a failing clone body inhabited by the spirit of the 'original' Palpatine, and that Lando's daughter was kidnapped and raised by The First Order (giving greater context to his decision at the end of the movie to go off with Jannah). We also get a bit more insight into Rey (and her 'Dark Rey' vision) although, bafflingly, there's still no explanation of how she can be so powerful in the Force.
The biggest problem, to me, with the sequel trilogy is that it is clear there was no guiding hand, making The Rise of Skywalker feel like a massive retcon after Rian Johnson through out all of the good work in The Force Awakens with his The Last Jedi - even a hint that Palpatine had been pulling the strings the entire time in either of those two earlier movies would have helped somewhat! It's here that Rae Carson attempts to tie the narrative into a coherent whole, with mixed results.
And, for the most part, it works.
It's just a pity that the film needed this added to it …
It's here we learn that Palpatine (in the movie) is a failing clone body inhabited by the spirit of the 'original' Palpatine, and that Lando's daughter was kidnapped and raised by The First Order (giving greater context to his decision at the end of the movie to go off with Jannah). We also get a bit more insight into Rey (and her 'Dark Rey' vision) although, bafflingly, there's still no explanation of how she can be so powerful in the Force.
The biggest problem, to me, with the sequel trilogy is that it is clear there was no guiding hand, making The Rise of Skywalker feel like a massive retcon after Rian Johnson through out all of the good work in The Force Awakens with his The Last Jedi - even a hint that Palpatine had been pulling the strings the entire time in either of those two earlier movies would have helped somewhat! It's here that Rae Carson attempts to tie the narrative into a coherent whole, with mixed results.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales (The Snuggle Series #1) in Books
Jul 28, 2021
I usually try to stay away from books featuring short stories because usually they aren't that great. However, there was something about Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales by Liane Carter that jumped out at me. I felt compelled to read it, and I'm glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all the short stories.
I didn't really know what to expect with Snuggle with the Strange except that the stories would be a bit out there. The first two stories gave me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz vibes but for adults. These stories were more paranormal/supernatural in nature, and I really enjoyed them. The next six stories were more realistic in the fact that they could actually happen to anyone (which is a scary thought!). The last story returned to being supernatural again. I loved each and every story, and I thought the pacing and world building for each was done very well. Each story has an original feel and isn't like any of the other stories in the book. Even though this is a fairly short book, all the suspense makes it seem as if time has stood still. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Strange were "Life in the Shed" and "He Looked Like My First Mistake." Although all the stories are written very well, I just loved those a little extra. Oh, and something else I loved was that the cover of the book links each of the nine stories. I thought that was very cool!
All of the characters are well fleshed out in each story. There's just enough information on each character so you can love them or love to hate them. At times, I felt like I was the main character in the story!
As this is an adult horror book, there are quite a few trigger warnings for Snuggle with the Strange which include demons, underage drug use (a few mentions of marijuana), implied rape, implied child rape, attempted rape, death, murder, violence, attempted murder, domestic abuse, child abuse, and profanity.
Overall, Snuggle with the Strange is a breath of fresh air for those who love the genre horror. With it's interesting cast of characters and original short stories, this is one book that every horror lover should read. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales by Liane Carter for those aged 16+ who like their horror with a flair of originality instead of rehashed fiction. If that sounds like you, this is your kind of book!
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(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
I didn't really know what to expect with Snuggle with the Strange except that the stories would be a bit out there. The first two stories gave me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz vibes but for adults. These stories were more paranormal/supernatural in nature, and I really enjoyed them. The next six stories were more realistic in the fact that they could actually happen to anyone (which is a scary thought!). The last story returned to being supernatural again. I loved each and every story, and I thought the pacing and world building for each was done very well. Each story has an original feel and isn't like any of the other stories in the book. Even though this is a fairly short book, all the suspense makes it seem as if time has stood still. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Strange were "Life in the Shed" and "He Looked Like My First Mistake." Although all the stories are written very well, I just loved those a little extra. Oh, and something else I loved was that the cover of the book links each of the nine stories. I thought that was very cool!
All of the characters are well fleshed out in each story. There's just enough information on each character so you can love them or love to hate them. At times, I felt like I was the main character in the story!
As this is an adult horror book, there are quite a few trigger warnings for Snuggle with the Strange which include demons, underage drug use (a few mentions of marijuana), implied rape, implied child rape, attempted rape, death, murder, violence, attempted murder, domestic abuse, child abuse, and profanity.
Overall, Snuggle with the Strange is a breath of fresh air for those who love the genre horror. With it's interesting cast of characters and original short stories, this is one book that every horror lover should read. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales by Liane Carter for those aged 16+ who like their horror with a flair of originality instead of rehashed fiction. If that sounds like you, this is your kind of book!
--
(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Strange: 9 Twisted Tales in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Insanitus in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Insanitus: Into the Darkness by William P. Thomson has a writing style that almost reminds me of H. P. Lovecraft. What might surprise unsuspecting readers is that this is a collection of three short stories.
What if vampires were real but not in the way society typically thinks of them? What if someone detached from themselves decides to commit suicide by means of the judicial system? What if a secret group of military scientists created something that appeared human but had no emotion and could be programmed? These are the horrors readers will find within these pages. This book makes readers question just what it is that makes someone or something human, and what happens when you take that factor away.
What I liked best is that this book is disturbing and creepy without being outright scary. The short stories build tension extremely well without dragging anything out. They were also creative and believable, making them all the more disturbing. What I didnt like was that the writing was very dry, almost so much so that it felt like reading a report or biography. This style almost made me judge the book too harshly at first and I wanted to set the book aside early.
Although the content is disturbing I see no reason why young adults couldnt handle reading this book. It may be more ideal for older audiences that won't be upset by the odd and bazaar. I rate this book 2 out of 4 as an interesting and creepy book. It introduces readers to believable concepts that are also extremely strange. The dry style is defiantly a major negative point but if readers can power through it they will be rewarded with a truly interesting read.
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/insanitus
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
What if vampires were real but not in the way society typically thinks of them? What if someone detached from themselves decides to commit suicide by means of the judicial system? What if a secret group of military scientists created something that appeared human but had no emotion and could be programmed? These are the horrors readers will find within these pages. This book makes readers question just what it is that makes someone or something human, and what happens when you take that factor away.
What I liked best is that this book is disturbing and creepy without being outright scary. The short stories build tension extremely well without dragging anything out. They were also creative and believable, making them all the more disturbing. What I didnt like was that the writing was very dry, almost so much so that it felt like reading a report or biography. This style almost made me judge the book too harshly at first and I wanted to set the book aside early.
Although the content is disturbing I see no reason why young adults couldnt handle reading this book. It may be more ideal for older audiences that won't be upset by the odd and bazaar. I rate this book 2 out of 4 as an interesting and creepy book. It introduces readers to believable concepts that are also extremely strange. The dry style is defiantly a major negative point but if readers can power through it they will be rewarded with a truly interesting read.
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/insanitus
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
Rat Scabies recommended Caravanserai by Santana in Music (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Yes Please in Books
Feb 1, 2018
I wasn't sure how to feel about this book. In some ways, I appreciated that it was more serious than some of the other "funny people" memoirs going around. I am not a huge fan of books written by silly people full of silly things that pretend to tell the story of their life. What's the point? At least Amy makes an attempt to write a memoir, chronicling bits and pieces of her life and actually detailing true thoughts and feelings about things, rather than just jokey things that have no meaning. I found myself sort of rushing through some of the silly lists and spending more time on the actual writing, though some of the funny bits were good - fake acceptance speeches and the like.
The problem is that the book jumps around a lot and never really delves too much into anything. Not wanting to cover her divorce - okay, I get that. There is a really sweet chapter on her sons, which was lovely. You get a rough chronicle of how she became a kid from New England who wound up in New York by way of Chicago. But there's not a lot of detail. I also, selfishly, wish there had been more Tina Fey.
I enjoy that you get the impression that Amy is a deep person with deep thoughts - and isn't even perhaps always nice. She's not afraid to tell stories that don't necessarily flatter her. You get an idea of her as multifaceted person - actress, writer, mom, etc., and not just someone who tells funny stories. There are also some good stories that feature celebrities, which you are always looking for in a celebrity memoir. Finally, there's a fun bit annotated with notes by Parcs & Rec creator Mike Schur. He and Amy talk about a holiday gift Mike gave all his family and friends containing every email, text, and phone message he received during the Red Sox's successful World Series run in 2004. I was left thinking I want to read *that* book.
Anyway, the book just felt a little flat to me, as if it was missing something. It was a little disjointed in its presentation and content. Because it jumps the line between serious and funny, you're left without a full idea of who Amy is, but yet it's not funny enough to just make you laugh and forget all the other flaws.
The problem is that the book jumps around a lot and never really delves too much into anything. Not wanting to cover her divorce - okay, I get that. There is a really sweet chapter on her sons, which was lovely. You get a rough chronicle of how she became a kid from New England who wound up in New York by way of Chicago. But there's not a lot of detail. I also, selfishly, wish there had been more Tina Fey.
I enjoy that you get the impression that Amy is a deep person with deep thoughts - and isn't even perhaps always nice. She's not afraid to tell stories that don't necessarily flatter her. You get an idea of her as multifaceted person - actress, writer, mom, etc., and not just someone who tells funny stories. There are also some good stories that feature celebrities, which you are always looking for in a celebrity memoir. Finally, there's a fun bit annotated with notes by Parcs & Rec creator Mike Schur. He and Amy talk about a holiday gift Mike gave all his family and friends containing every email, text, and phone message he received during the Red Sox's successful World Series run in 2004. I was left thinking I want to read *that* book.
Anyway, the book just felt a little flat to me, as if it was missing something. It was a little disjointed in its presentation and content. Because it jumps the line between serious and funny, you're left without a full idea of who Amy is, but yet it's not funny enough to just make you laugh and forget all the other flaws.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Painkiller in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/painkiller-by-n-j-fountain
<i><b>I cannot go on like this. I feel such a burden to you. You are young and can start again. You deserve that chance. By the time you read this I will be dead. Do not grieve for me, for I am now without pain.</i></b>
This was a real page-turner from page one! Would have been unputdownable if it hadnt been for the fact that I <i>had</i> to put it down while at work.
I found myself absolutely loving Monicas character. Ive seen a couple of reviews that state her as unlikable but I thought she was very likable! She was a really unique character due to her constant pain and the way that affects her daily life and relationships. I loved that she could be sassy, lovely, and angry all in one go, she was a really fun character to immerse yourself in.
The plot of the unreliable narrator, the secretive husband etc wasnt unique, Ive read several books very similar to it in the past year in fact, but there was a certain edge to this book that made it so much more intriguing than some of the others Ive read. Its not that the twists were much better or more unpredictable than those in the other novels, its just simply that I enjoyed the writing style, characters and pace of this book more. For a mystery like this, novels usually try to cram as much as they can into the story to make the biggest number of twists possible, to get the reader excited, but this was nice and slow paced. It had just the right amount of shock moments in it, you didnt feel overwhelmed by it at all.
The ending really got to me and was certainly not how I expected this book to end up. Ill admit that I got a little emotional. If youre a mystery thriller junkie like me, I definitely recommend this, its one of the best Ive read this year.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
<i><b>I cannot go on like this. I feel such a burden to you. You are young and can start again. You deserve that chance. By the time you read this I will be dead. Do not grieve for me, for I am now without pain.</i></b>
This was a real page-turner from page one! Would have been unputdownable if it hadnt been for the fact that I <i>had</i> to put it down while at work.
I found myself absolutely loving Monicas character. Ive seen a couple of reviews that state her as unlikable but I thought she was very likable! She was a really unique character due to her constant pain and the way that affects her daily life and relationships. I loved that she could be sassy, lovely, and angry all in one go, she was a really fun character to immerse yourself in.
The plot of the unreliable narrator, the secretive husband etc wasnt unique, Ive read several books very similar to it in the past year in fact, but there was a certain edge to this book that made it so much more intriguing than some of the others Ive read. Its not that the twists were much better or more unpredictable than those in the other novels, its just simply that I enjoyed the writing style, characters and pace of this book more. For a mystery like this, novels usually try to cram as much as they can into the story to make the biggest number of twists possible, to get the reader excited, but this was nice and slow paced. It had just the right amount of shock moments in it, you didnt feel overwhelmed by it at all.
The ending really got to me and was certainly not how I expected this book to end up. Ill admit that I got a little emotional. If youre a mystery thriller junkie like me, I definitely recommend this, its one of the best Ive read this year.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Perfect Creature (2006) in Movies
Oct 24, 2019
Characters – Silus is the vampire from the brotherhood, he has a connection with his brother Edgar and will not let him take over once he becomes the blood thirty infected version of himself. Lilly is the nonsense cop that has suffered her own share of heartache with the viruses in the world, she doesn’t take any shit from anyone she believes to be guilty. Edgar is the brother of Silus that has become infected while trying to find the next cure for the human and Brotherhood medical problems which makes him the first member of the brotherhood to kill a human.
Performance – Dougray Scott is fine without being that impactful in the leading role and the same could be said for Saffron Burrows, the highlight of the film would be Leo Gregory as the Edgar the bloody thirsty crazy vampire.
Story – The story does feel like it could be another chapter of the Underworld saga, it has the vampires of the world living in peace with the humans but when one goes rogue it becomes personal. This isn’t the most original and strays too far into the middle of the fantasy world we are trying so desperately to head towards. We don’t find enough time to create the fantasy world that could become a franchise let alone a new story because in the end this could have just been a crime thriller.
Action/Fantasy/Horror – The action is fine, it mostly contains fights that try to offer an extra punch where needed but isn’t the most original, while the fantasy world doesn’t click for the story we are experiencing, the horror is tame too with it only being a couple of vampire like moments.
Settings – We have murky settings which is designed to show us the different in class between the two races.
Special Effects – The effects are all fine and at least the film doesn’t turn into a bad CGI moment film.
Scene of the Movie – The special gun that instant sleeps and enemy.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It just doesn’t seem to feel fresh in any way.
Final Thoughts – Disappointing movie that doesn’t connect with the audience on the levels it could have because it wants to be a fantasy film but plays out only like a dark crime thriller.
Overall: Disappointing film.
Performance – Dougray Scott is fine without being that impactful in the leading role and the same could be said for Saffron Burrows, the highlight of the film would be Leo Gregory as the Edgar the bloody thirsty crazy vampire.
Story – The story does feel like it could be another chapter of the Underworld saga, it has the vampires of the world living in peace with the humans but when one goes rogue it becomes personal. This isn’t the most original and strays too far into the middle of the fantasy world we are trying so desperately to head towards. We don’t find enough time to create the fantasy world that could become a franchise let alone a new story because in the end this could have just been a crime thriller.
Action/Fantasy/Horror – The action is fine, it mostly contains fights that try to offer an extra punch where needed but isn’t the most original, while the fantasy world doesn’t click for the story we are experiencing, the horror is tame too with it only being a couple of vampire like moments.
Settings – We have murky settings which is designed to show us the different in class between the two races.
Special Effects – The effects are all fine and at least the film doesn’t turn into a bad CGI moment film.
Scene of the Movie – The special gun that instant sleeps and enemy.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It just doesn’t seem to feel fresh in any way.
Final Thoughts – Disappointing movie that doesn’t connect with the audience on the levels it could have because it wants to be a fantasy film but plays out only like a dark crime thriller.
Overall: Disappointing film.