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Joseph Rogers (13 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in Movies
Jan 14, 2020
Another Star Wars Movie, And It's Great!
The Good:
The saga is over and we finally know where Rey comes from! Would have preferred not to have known but who cares!
A lot of people dislike this movie, almost more than Last Jedi I feel but I take it for what it is: a Star Wars movie. If they didn't make it people would be mad but they did and you can dislike the movie but it's the facetious reviews I can't stand.
We see a lot of older characters return and it really felt like a reunion of old and new.
The Bad:
The editing felt really wonky in places, the first 30mins alone was too much to handle in one sitting (had to see it twice).
I did feel like they suffered slightly by getting a different director in for Last Jedi as they're bound to have a different outlook on Star Wars. That's not discrediting Rian Johnson's directing at all. I'm just a purest and completeist, if you're going to start a trilogy with one director, keep that director for the rest of the movies.
All in all a movie worth watching over and over if you're a star wars fan. I tend to rate a movie 10/10 if it's part of a franchise like star wars that I know I'd watch over and over but as it just came out I'll leave it at 9 for now 😉
The saga is over and we finally know where Rey comes from! Would have preferred not to have known but who cares!
A lot of people dislike this movie, almost more than Last Jedi I feel but I take it for what it is: a Star Wars movie. If they didn't make it people would be mad but they did and you can dislike the movie but it's the facetious reviews I can't stand.
We see a lot of older characters return and it really felt like a reunion of old and new.
The Bad:
The editing felt really wonky in places, the first 30mins alone was too much to handle in one sitting (had to see it twice).
I did feel like they suffered slightly by getting a different director in for Last Jedi as they're bound to have a different outlook on Star Wars. That's not discrediting Rian Johnson's directing at all. I'm just a purest and completeist, if you're going to start a trilogy with one director, keep that director for the rest of the movies.
All in all a movie worth watching over and over if you're a star wars fan. I tend to rate a movie 10/10 if it's part of a franchise like star wars that I know I'd watch over and over but as it just came out I'll leave it at 9 for now 😉
Andrew Kennedy (199 KP) rated Alien: Covenant (2017) in Movies
Aug 31, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
A new Alien film is something I look forward too. They promised we would find out about xeno origins and see new strains. Plus, Ridley was directing, what could go wrong?
You could end up making a film that feels like a remake of the first film.
The set up to get us to the planet, crew interaction and things going badly wrong on the planet feels so familiar.
So the positives, Michael Fassbender is outstanding in his performance as Walter/David. He seriously acts rings round anybody else.
The score is fabulous and rich.
Danny McBride is also noteworthy for his performance.
Katherine Waterston is likeable but feels like trying to be Ripley but not.
Negatives the Xenos get very little screen time. I think were 45 mins+ in before we see one.
Billy Crudup is very unlikeable and his death barely made me care.
The origin story ending up been David created the xenos. I don't know this stuck in my craw a bit. I just feel vengeful synthetic created the ultimate organism is a bit of a let down.
After, the first film Scott said he expected other sequels to ask "where did the xeno come from?" question.
The problem is that question is difficult to give a satisfactory answer too. Like most fandom people have there own theories and in truth does it matter?
Covenant has big ideas, it just doesn't execute them all properly.
You could end up making a film that feels like a remake of the first film.
The set up to get us to the planet, crew interaction and things going badly wrong on the planet feels so familiar.
So the positives, Michael Fassbender is outstanding in his performance as Walter/David. He seriously acts rings round anybody else.
The score is fabulous and rich.
Danny McBride is also noteworthy for his performance.
Katherine Waterston is likeable but feels like trying to be Ripley but not.
Negatives the Xenos get very little screen time. I think were 45 mins+ in before we see one.
Billy Crudup is very unlikeable and his death barely made me care.
The origin story ending up been David created the xenos. I don't know this stuck in my craw a bit. I just feel vengeful synthetic created the ultimate organism is a bit of a let down.
After, the first film Scott said he expected other sequels to ask "where did the xeno come from?" question.
The problem is that question is difficult to give a satisfactory answer too. Like most fandom people have there own theories and in truth does it matter?
Covenant has big ideas, it just doesn't execute them all properly.
Debbiereadsbook (1630 KP) rated How to Chain Your Dragons in Books
Aug 15, 2025
good but I felt much was missing
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
For the most part, I really REALLY enjoyed this book but my review will be short and sweet cos if I leave myself free reign, it might come across as negative and it really was a good book!
I loved Jaz. She is strong willed and determined, but really just wants to be cut a break! These dragons, though, want more from her. She isn't sure she can give it, not to the invaders of Earth.
The dragons themselves are very different, with stron personalities and differing skills and fears. Zyair, Rhodes and Xandros all want one thing: their fated mate. Finding out she is human, kinda throws a spanner in the works but they really do all go in, eventually.
I was expecting a space romp here, and I get a lot more.
BUT
I feel like there is much MUCH that was not said here. It feels like there should've been a book before this one, giving all the information about Earth being invaded and all that jazz, or Jaz! I just felt it needed MORE, you know??
It also felt like the beginning of a series, there are many characters who I want to read about, so I hope we get more, I really do.
4 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
For the most part, I really REALLY enjoyed this book but my review will be short and sweet cos if I leave myself free reign, it might come across as negative and it really was a good book!
I loved Jaz. She is strong willed and determined, but really just wants to be cut a break! These dragons, though, want more from her. She isn't sure she can give it, not to the invaders of Earth.
The dragons themselves are very different, with stron personalities and differing skills and fears. Zyair, Rhodes and Xandros all want one thing: their fated mate. Finding out she is human, kinda throws a spanner in the works but they really do all go in, eventually.
I was expecting a space romp here, and I get a lot more.
BUT
I feel like there is much MUCH that was not said here. It feels like there should've been a book before this one, giving all the information about Earth being invaded and all that jazz, or Jaz! I just felt it needed MORE, you know??
It also felt like the beginning of a series, there are many characters who I want to read about, so I hope we get more, I really do.
4 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Finding Esme in Books
Jan 25, 2020
I love reading middle grade fiction, so when the chance to read and review Finding Esme by Suzanne Crowley came up, I jumped at the chance! I was really glad I got a chance to read Finding Esme because it was such an amazing book!
Esme is a 12 year old girl growing up in the 1970's. Her home life isn't very traditional. Her dad is out somewhere being a wanderer, and her mom is too busy worrying about her dad to look after Esme. The only person that really looks after Esme is her grandma Bee. When Esme finds dinosaur bones (which she'd like to keep secret) on a hill by her house, things start changing for Esme.
I really loved the plot of Finding Esme. There is a touch of magical realism within this book that written very well. Esme and her grandmother have certain gifts. They can find lost things and/or people usually. There's also sightings of ghosts although not spooky ghostly sightings. Suzanne Crowley does such a fantastic job of making the magical realism element seem like it's an every day happening in real life. She also does a fantastic job with Esme's dealing of loss and just with the whole plot overall. Although Finding Esme does start out a bit slow, as well as a bit confusing with a bunch of different names, it quickly picks up the pacing. Also, it because clear which character is which quickly. The wording may be confusing for some as it's written in semi-heavy Texas twang and slang throughout. However, context clues help. It was easyish for me to understand being as I was born and raised in Texas.
I must gush now on the characters found in Finding Esme! They were all so fleshed out and felt like they were actual people I was reading about instead of just being fictitious characters. Bee, Esme's grandmother, was probably my favorite character because I loved her no-nonsense approach to things. June Rain was always in la la land since her husband was always up and missing. My heart ached for her, but at the same time, I was angry with her for not paying more attention to her children, Esme and Bo. Sweetmaw was another great character, and I loved her for watching out for Esme when Esme felt she had no one. Finch, Esme's best friend, cared for Esme very much, and it was obvious throughout the novel. He only wanted what was best for Esme even if she had a hard time figuring that out. I loved little Bo, Esme's younger brother. I can't remember if Bo's age is ever mentioned in Finding Esme. I guessed Bo to be around 7 or so based on how he acted. Esme was a fantastically written main character. I could relate to her on so many levels especially when it came to not feeling loved or wanted. I'm sure we've all felt like this at some point in our lives. Esme was wanting to keep her dinosaur bones (which she endearingly refers to as Louella Goodbones) secret just so she could have at least one thing that was just hers. I was angered when her secret bones were no longer her secret (not a spoiler). I just wanted to hug Esme to let her know that she wasn't alone. She seemed like such a sweet girl who had already had to put up with more things than most children her age.
One main thing I feel that I must mention is this is Finding Esme is listed as being a middle grade book. I guess this is because the main character is 12 years old. I felt like this wasn't a typical middle grade read as it lacks a middle grade feel. The wording and narrative seemed to be written towards more of an older audience especially with mentions of things that happened in the past that a middle grade audience may not know about or understand. I feel like Finding Esme would probably go over most middle grader's head with the language and events that happened. Even though Esme is only 12, I feel like adults would enjoy this more or at least a young adult audience.
Trigger warnings for Finding Esme include death, depression, gun violence (although not graphic), an absent father, and profanity (although it was just the word damnation used once).
Overall, Finding Esme is a fantastical read which will tug at your heartstrings and leave you breathless. It's a quick read that you won't want to put down. At least, I didn't! I never wanted it to end if I'm being honest. I would definitely recommend Finding Esme by Suzanne Crowley to those aged 15+. Yes, it's supposed to be a middle grade read, but as I mentioned before, I really think adults and possibly teens would enjoy it more.
--
(A special thank you to Suzanne Crowley for sending me a hardback of Finding Esme in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Esme is a 12 year old girl growing up in the 1970's. Her home life isn't very traditional. Her dad is out somewhere being a wanderer, and her mom is too busy worrying about her dad to look after Esme. The only person that really looks after Esme is her grandma Bee. When Esme finds dinosaur bones (which she'd like to keep secret) on a hill by her house, things start changing for Esme.
I really loved the plot of Finding Esme. There is a touch of magical realism within this book that written very well. Esme and her grandmother have certain gifts. They can find lost things and/or people usually. There's also sightings of ghosts although not spooky ghostly sightings. Suzanne Crowley does such a fantastic job of making the magical realism element seem like it's an every day happening in real life. She also does a fantastic job with Esme's dealing of loss and just with the whole plot overall. Although Finding Esme does start out a bit slow, as well as a bit confusing with a bunch of different names, it quickly picks up the pacing. Also, it because clear which character is which quickly. The wording may be confusing for some as it's written in semi-heavy Texas twang and slang throughout. However, context clues help. It was easyish for me to understand being as I was born and raised in Texas.
I must gush now on the characters found in Finding Esme! They were all so fleshed out and felt like they were actual people I was reading about instead of just being fictitious characters. Bee, Esme's grandmother, was probably my favorite character because I loved her no-nonsense approach to things. June Rain was always in la la land since her husband was always up and missing. My heart ached for her, but at the same time, I was angry with her for not paying more attention to her children, Esme and Bo. Sweetmaw was another great character, and I loved her for watching out for Esme when Esme felt she had no one. Finch, Esme's best friend, cared for Esme very much, and it was obvious throughout the novel. He only wanted what was best for Esme even if she had a hard time figuring that out. I loved little Bo, Esme's younger brother. I can't remember if Bo's age is ever mentioned in Finding Esme. I guessed Bo to be around 7 or so based on how he acted. Esme was a fantastically written main character. I could relate to her on so many levels especially when it came to not feeling loved or wanted. I'm sure we've all felt like this at some point in our lives. Esme was wanting to keep her dinosaur bones (which she endearingly refers to as Louella Goodbones) secret just so she could have at least one thing that was just hers. I was angered when her secret bones were no longer her secret (not a spoiler). I just wanted to hug Esme to let her know that she wasn't alone. She seemed like such a sweet girl who had already had to put up with more things than most children her age.
One main thing I feel that I must mention is this is Finding Esme is listed as being a middle grade book. I guess this is because the main character is 12 years old. I felt like this wasn't a typical middle grade read as it lacks a middle grade feel. The wording and narrative seemed to be written towards more of an older audience especially with mentions of things that happened in the past that a middle grade audience may not know about or understand. I feel like Finding Esme would probably go over most middle grader's head with the language and events that happened. Even though Esme is only 12, I feel like adults would enjoy this more or at least a young adult audience.
Trigger warnings for Finding Esme include death, depression, gun violence (although not graphic), an absent father, and profanity (although it was just the word damnation used once).
Overall, Finding Esme is a fantastical read which will tug at your heartstrings and leave you breathless. It's a quick read that you won't want to put down. At least, I didn't! I never wanted it to end if I'm being honest. I would definitely recommend Finding Esme by Suzanne Crowley to those aged 15+. Yes, it's supposed to be a middle grade read, but as I mentioned before, I really think adults and possibly teens would enjoy it more.
--
(A special thank you to Suzanne Crowley for sending me a hardback of Finding Esme in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Dana (24 KP) rated Crooked Kingdom in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This post will 100% be full of spoilers for both the first book and this book, so if you have not read either, please leave the post now, because you need to read this series. The review will be here when you get back, I promise.
Can I just say that Leigh Bardugo is a phenomenal writer? I just want to put that out there first, so we can move on to some more interesting stuff, but damn. That woman is a genius when it comes to the written word! Her plot lines are almost always amazing and her characters are just, wow!
Okay, so let's start off with the overall plot arc. As much as I hated the beginning because Inej wasn't with the crew, it was so cool to get the other characters working together to try to help save her. I do enjoy the fact that saving her wasn't the biggest aspect of the plot. If it was, I don't think it would have been as convincing of a story. Then we move on to revenge as the rest of the plot. I just want to say that I freaking love revenge plots. They give purpose to everything that each character does, and just moves the story along well!
The fact that we weren't just tied to this book was great too! I loved how we got characters from the Grisha Trilogy in here. I was hoping that we would get more than just the mention that was given to us in the last book, but we got Genya, Zora and freaking Nikolai! They were amazing and brought more depth to the story that we may not have gotten without them.
I loved how Kaz was able to plan out every step in detail, assuming what people would do next. He is a master at his craft, I will tell you that.
Okay, so now onto some character studies:
I am going to start out with Nina. That girl has been through so much already, and it never fully gets better for her. From having to deal with the side effects of the withdrawls from Jurda Parem, having her best friend kidnapped, to having to find out her powers have been altered, to having the love of her life ripped from her, she does not have a good time in this book! I just wanted to wrap her up in a coat and feed her waffles, but she doesn't even really get those either! I just hope that she is able to find peace in Ravka with her fellow Grisha.
Now onto Matthias. He was honestly one of my favorite characters. The way he would try not to like or agree with the Dregs' way of doing things was just so hilarious and when he would try to fend off Nina's advances, I would actually cackle. He was the signal of change in the book. The proof that things could get better, but even that failed him. In his attempt to share the light of truth onto another Druskelle, he was inevitably killed for his beliefs. At least he finally got to kiss Nina, even if it was one of his final acts.
Now we are moving on to Jeseper. We got to meet his dad! Woo!! That was a really interesting relationship and backstory. I really like how sassy he is at all times, even if his sarcasm gets him in to trouble more times than not. Also, I love how he is a great shot because of his innate Grisha abilities. That was freaking amazing and I am so damn happy about it. I also love how smitten he is with Wylan. Like, for Christ's sake he calls him Wy when he starts crying. They are each others' rocks in the seas of shit that they cling to for dear life.
It's Wylan's turn! I hated how he wasn't fully himself for most of the book, but mostly I hated how inadequate he made himself feel. He is a genius and he shouldn't think anything less of himself. His relationship with his mother (who ISN'T dead?!?!?!?) is so sweet. But his brutality and unforgiving nature that shows up throughout the book was kind of a shock. He had been so mousy and quiet in the first book, but boy did that boy spit fire once he found out his father's assholishness. His back story is so tragic, like his father tried to straight up have him murdered when he thought he was just going off to a school that could actually make him happy. Jan Van Ick (lol) deserved every bit of punishment he got. I am glad he got what he wanted out of life. I also am in love with how he and Jesper first met.
Kuwei's got to get a little paragraph too. He is kind of annoying. I decided I didn't overly like him when he tricked Jesper into kissing him. Like, I totally understand, Jes is amazing, but he is TAKEN by my favorite ginger. Step back! I do, however, hope he is successful in finding a cure for Parem and making sure it does not get into the wrong hands.
Off to my boy Kaz. He makes himself out to be this stone cold guy with no feelings, but we all know how much of a lie that is. Holy hell, that boy is smitten with Inej. He takes every precaution he possibly can with her, much to her chagrin, but he just wants her safe. I was constantly yelling at my book, and therefore at him, to just take a chance! Tell Inej how you feel and why you are the way you are, but he wouldn't!!! It was so frustrating! But then, that moment when he is changing her bandages was so freaking tense. Like, they didn't even do anything, but damn, the tension in that room could have hurt someone. And then, at the end when he got her the boat AND found her parents, I almost died. I was so freaking happy he finally did something with his feelings, even if he didn't fully tell her, I think she got the hint. He even got the Menagerie to be shut down and burned, if that doesn't scream romance (from him), I don't know what does! And him getting the Dregs back was such a cool power move! He got every bit of revenge he wanted, including scaring the shit out of Pekka Rollins. So freaking good! Brick by brick bitches!
And finally, it's time for my favorite: Inej. Just like Nina, she has been through too much shit for her being such a youngin'. I am so glad she is okay and that she got her family (all of her family, including the Dregs) back in her life! She has a boat and she gets to go stop human trafficking (something that is really important and actually needs to be done in real life! Go to GAATW.org to find more information on how to stop this human rights violation). I think Inej is so strong in everything she does, but she still has those moments of doubt. When she goes against her "shadow" as she calls her, there are hesitations. She is only able to succeed when she gives in to all of her, both the Wraith and the Acrobat. That is something I think is really striking about her as a character. She isn't just one thing, she compartmentalizes herself, but once she comes together as a whole person, she is better for it. I think Leigh did a great job making Inej into someone to emulate toward (you know, minus the killing thing).
I'm going to write some of my favorite quotes out here, so bear with me for a bit:
"You are forsaken. As you have turned your back on me, so will they turn their backs on you." Inej, 64
"People point guns at each other all the time in Ketterdam. It's basically a handshake." Jesper, 79.
"Vile, ruthless, amoral. Isn't that why you hired Kaz in the first place? Becouse he does the things that no one else dares? Go on, Van Eck. Break my legs and see what happens. Dare him." Inej, 104
"When you were outgunned and out manned, you sought the less defended targets." Matthais, 107
"I would come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together--knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting." Kaz, 185
"Because through it all, he'd believed that he deserved his father's contempt, and now he could admit that somewhere, in some buried place, he'd hoped there might still be a way back to his father's good favor. Well, his father could keep that good favor and see what it brought him when Kaz Brekker was finished." Wylan, 223
"You aren't a flower, you're every blossom in the world blooming at once. You are a tidal wave. You're a stampede. You are overwhelming." Matthias, 233
"When Inej was on the high wire, it became her world. She could feel its tilt and pull. It was a planet and she was its moon. There was a simplicity to it that she never felt on the swings, where she was carried away by momentum. She loved the stillness she could find on the wire, and it was something no one else understood." Inej, 272
"After all she'd endured, he was the weak one. But she would never know what it was like for him to see Nina pull her close, watch Jesper loop his arm though hers, what it was to stand in doorways and against walls and know he could never draw nearer." Kaz, 364
"Wylan summoned every bit of bravado he'd learned from Nina, the will he's learned from Matthias, the focus he'd studied in Kax, the courage he'd learned from Inej, and the wild, reckless hope he learned from Jesper, the belief that no matter the odds, somehow they would win." Wylan, 427
"But just as surely as life connected everything, so did death. It was that endless, fast-running river. She'd dipped her fingers into its current, held the eddy of its power n her hand. She was the Queen of Mourning, and in its depths, she would never drown." Nina, 455
"But what about the rest of us? What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. That was how you survived when you weren't chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway." Inej, 460
Overall, I freaking loved this series. I am so sad to see it go, but I was glad to be a part of it. Leigh, if you read this (which I doubt you will, but whatever) I want to thank you for your phenomenal writing in this world and I cannot wait to see what you do next!
Can I just say that Leigh Bardugo is a phenomenal writer? I just want to put that out there first, so we can move on to some more interesting stuff, but damn. That woman is a genius when it comes to the written word! Her plot lines are almost always amazing and her characters are just, wow!
Okay, so let's start off with the overall plot arc. As much as I hated the beginning because Inej wasn't with the crew, it was so cool to get the other characters working together to try to help save her. I do enjoy the fact that saving her wasn't the biggest aspect of the plot. If it was, I don't think it would have been as convincing of a story. Then we move on to revenge as the rest of the plot. I just want to say that I freaking love revenge plots. They give purpose to everything that each character does, and just moves the story along well!
The fact that we weren't just tied to this book was great too! I loved how we got characters from the Grisha Trilogy in here. I was hoping that we would get more than just the mention that was given to us in the last book, but we got Genya, Zora and freaking Nikolai! They were amazing and brought more depth to the story that we may not have gotten without them.
I loved how Kaz was able to plan out every step in detail, assuming what people would do next. He is a master at his craft, I will tell you that.
Okay, so now onto some character studies:
I am going to start out with Nina. That girl has been through so much already, and it never fully gets better for her. From having to deal with the side effects of the withdrawls from Jurda Parem, having her best friend kidnapped, to having to find out her powers have been altered, to having the love of her life ripped from her, she does not have a good time in this book! I just wanted to wrap her up in a coat and feed her waffles, but she doesn't even really get those either! I just hope that she is able to find peace in Ravka with her fellow Grisha.
Now onto Matthias. He was honestly one of my favorite characters. The way he would try not to like or agree with the Dregs' way of doing things was just so hilarious and when he would try to fend off Nina's advances, I would actually cackle. He was the signal of change in the book. The proof that things could get better, but even that failed him. In his attempt to share the light of truth onto another Druskelle, he was inevitably killed for his beliefs. At least he finally got to kiss Nina, even if it was one of his final acts.
Now we are moving on to Jeseper. We got to meet his dad! Woo!! That was a really interesting relationship and backstory. I really like how sassy he is at all times, even if his sarcasm gets him in to trouble more times than not. Also, I love how he is a great shot because of his innate Grisha abilities. That was freaking amazing and I am so damn happy about it. I also love how smitten he is with Wylan. Like, for Christ's sake he calls him Wy when he starts crying. They are each others' rocks in the seas of shit that they cling to for dear life.
It's Wylan's turn! I hated how he wasn't fully himself for most of the book, but mostly I hated how inadequate he made himself feel. He is a genius and he shouldn't think anything less of himself. His relationship with his mother (who ISN'T dead?!?!?!?) is so sweet. But his brutality and unforgiving nature that shows up throughout the book was kind of a shock. He had been so mousy and quiet in the first book, but boy did that boy spit fire once he found out his father's assholishness. His back story is so tragic, like his father tried to straight up have him murdered when he thought he was just going off to a school that could actually make him happy. Jan Van Ick (lol) deserved every bit of punishment he got. I am glad he got what he wanted out of life. I also am in love with how he and Jesper first met.
Kuwei's got to get a little paragraph too. He is kind of annoying. I decided I didn't overly like him when he tricked Jesper into kissing him. Like, I totally understand, Jes is amazing, but he is TAKEN by my favorite ginger. Step back! I do, however, hope he is successful in finding a cure for Parem and making sure it does not get into the wrong hands.
Off to my boy Kaz. He makes himself out to be this stone cold guy with no feelings, but we all know how much of a lie that is. Holy hell, that boy is smitten with Inej. He takes every precaution he possibly can with her, much to her chagrin, but he just wants her safe. I was constantly yelling at my book, and therefore at him, to just take a chance! Tell Inej how you feel and why you are the way you are, but he wouldn't!!! It was so frustrating! But then, that moment when he is changing her bandages was so freaking tense. Like, they didn't even do anything, but damn, the tension in that room could have hurt someone. And then, at the end when he got her the boat AND found her parents, I almost died. I was so freaking happy he finally did something with his feelings, even if he didn't fully tell her, I think she got the hint. He even got the Menagerie to be shut down and burned, if that doesn't scream romance (from him), I don't know what does! And him getting the Dregs back was such a cool power move! He got every bit of revenge he wanted, including scaring the shit out of Pekka Rollins. So freaking good! Brick by brick bitches!
And finally, it's time for my favorite: Inej. Just like Nina, she has been through too much shit for her being such a youngin'. I am so glad she is okay and that she got her family (all of her family, including the Dregs) back in her life! She has a boat and she gets to go stop human trafficking (something that is really important and actually needs to be done in real life! Go to GAATW.org to find more information on how to stop this human rights violation). I think Inej is so strong in everything she does, but she still has those moments of doubt. When she goes against her "shadow" as she calls her, there are hesitations. She is only able to succeed when she gives in to all of her, both the Wraith and the Acrobat. That is something I think is really striking about her as a character. She isn't just one thing, she compartmentalizes herself, but once she comes together as a whole person, she is better for it. I think Leigh did a great job making Inej into someone to emulate toward (you know, minus the killing thing).
I'm going to write some of my favorite quotes out here, so bear with me for a bit:
"You are forsaken. As you have turned your back on me, so will they turn their backs on you." Inej, 64
"People point guns at each other all the time in Ketterdam. It's basically a handshake." Jesper, 79.
"Vile, ruthless, amoral. Isn't that why you hired Kaz in the first place? Becouse he does the things that no one else dares? Go on, Van Eck. Break my legs and see what happens. Dare him." Inej, 104
"When you were outgunned and out manned, you sought the less defended targets." Matthais, 107
"I would come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together--knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting." Kaz, 185
"Because through it all, he'd believed that he deserved his father's contempt, and now he could admit that somewhere, in some buried place, he'd hoped there might still be a way back to his father's good favor. Well, his father could keep that good favor and see what it brought him when Kaz Brekker was finished." Wylan, 223
"You aren't a flower, you're every blossom in the world blooming at once. You are a tidal wave. You're a stampede. You are overwhelming." Matthias, 233
"When Inej was on the high wire, it became her world. She could feel its tilt and pull. It was a planet and she was its moon. There was a simplicity to it that she never felt on the swings, where she was carried away by momentum. She loved the stillness she could find on the wire, and it was something no one else understood." Inej, 272
"After all she'd endured, he was the weak one. But she would never know what it was like for him to see Nina pull her close, watch Jesper loop his arm though hers, what it was to stand in doorways and against walls and know he could never draw nearer." Kaz, 364
"Wylan summoned every bit of bravado he'd learned from Nina, the will he's learned from Matthias, the focus he'd studied in Kax, the courage he'd learned from Inej, and the wild, reckless hope he learned from Jesper, the belief that no matter the odds, somehow they would win." Wylan, 427
"But just as surely as life connected everything, so did death. It was that endless, fast-running river. She'd dipped her fingers into its current, held the eddy of its power n her hand. She was the Queen of Mourning, and in its depths, she would never drown." Nina, 455
"But what about the rest of us? What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. That was how you survived when you weren't chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway." Inej, 460
Overall, I freaking loved this series. I am so sad to see it go, but I was glad to be a part of it. Leigh, if you read this (which I doubt you will, but whatever) I want to thank you for your phenomenal writing in this world and I cannot wait to see what you do next!
Dana (24 KP) rated The Great Gatsby in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I had to reread this book for one of my classes in college, so this, I believe, is the second or third time I have had to read this book.
I understand why it is a lot of people's favorite book, it is very good, especially with all of the hidden meanings and themes throughout the novel. The only thing is that I feel like it is kind of overrated. Don't hate me, I have reasons.
So many students in the United States have to read this book in high school, most in their Junior year, but I don't know if they are fully able to grasp all of the hidden depths to it. People will go around quoting the book over an over and not stop to question or analyze what they are saying. I understand that not everyone is an English major and that they don't all want to analyze everything they are saying, but at least thinking about it should be done a bit more.
That being said, I really do enjoy this book. Each sentence is so complex in its own way and I love it when books are like that. It would be so easy to be able to write a whole paper on just a small portion of this book in this review, but I promise I'm not going to do that.
So for the class I am reading this for, we are studying it less in the context of what is going on in the novel and more on the period it was written in: the Modernist period. In looking at the style and the cultural and historical influences on F Scott Fitzgerald, I feel like I am able to get more out of the book and the reasons behind each plot point and character. This is a book that is studying people's deficiencies and culture's issues in a not so subtle way.
The characters are really fun to study because they are all not so great people. They all have flaws that are so noticeable to the readers, but it is trying to understand why they are the way they are that is the most fun, at least for me.
If you ever get a chance to study this in a class that is not your high school English course, I would highly recommend it because it almost starts to feel like a whole new book!
I understand why it is a lot of people's favorite book, it is very good, especially with all of the hidden meanings and themes throughout the novel. The only thing is that I feel like it is kind of overrated. Don't hate me, I have reasons.
So many students in the United States have to read this book in high school, most in their Junior year, but I don't know if they are fully able to grasp all of the hidden depths to it. People will go around quoting the book over an over and not stop to question or analyze what they are saying. I understand that not everyone is an English major and that they don't all want to analyze everything they are saying, but at least thinking about it should be done a bit more.
That being said, I really do enjoy this book. Each sentence is so complex in its own way and I love it when books are like that. It would be so easy to be able to write a whole paper on just a small portion of this book in this review, but I promise I'm not going to do that.
So for the class I am reading this for, we are studying it less in the context of what is going on in the novel and more on the period it was written in: the Modernist period. In looking at the style and the cultural and historical influences on F Scott Fitzgerald, I feel like I am able to get more out of the book and the reasons behind each plot point and character. This is a book that is studying people's deficiencies and culture's issues in a not so subtle way.
The characters are really fun to study because they are all not so great people. They all have flaws that are so noticeable to the readers, but it is trying to understand why they are the way they are that is the most fun, at least for me.
If you ever get a chance to study this in a class that is not your high school English course, I would highly recommend it because it almost starts to feel like a whole new book!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Leave Me in Books
Apr 9, 2019
As a mother, there are many days that I dream about packing a bag and leaving town for a few days. But I can't do that, not without a plan and a few weeks notice. Maribeth Klein, on the other hand, does just that. She packs her bags, leaves her cell phone and laptop, and a note for her husband and off she goes. When she boards the train in New York, she's not sure where exactly she is headed, but she'll figure it out when she gets there. Two weeks post heart attack and emergency bypass surgery, she's not getting the help she needs at home and so she decides, just to pack it up and move it out and doesn't communicate with anyone for weeks. Not only does she leave behind her husband, but also their two children. Will she be able to get away and find herself again? Will she ever return home? And if she does, will things just go back to being the same way they were before.
Leave Me is a book all women who feel overworked and underappreciated will enjoy. I know I have threatened my family many times to run away from home, but I would never do it. For starters, I don't have the courage and I would feel extremely guilty about doing it. Luckily for Maribeth, she doesn't feel that way. This book was so hard to put down. I could feel myself in Maribeth's shoes. Enjoying the feeling of not having to worry about anyone but herself and getting things done for herself. As mother's we always put ourselves last in everything that we do. There have been many days that my dinner was cold when I ate it making sure that everyone else around the table was taken care of first, or I missed out on something because there was just enough for everyone else.
This is the second book I have read by Gayle Forman. Usually her books are targeted to a slightly younger audience, but she really hit this one on the head. I hope she has plans to continue to write for women like this.
A couple of my favorite lines from the book are:
The first line of the book, "Maribeth Klein was working late, waiting to sign off on the final page proofs of the December issue, when she had a heart attack."
And this line that reminded me of my husband: "My husband used to say that scars were like tattoos but with better stories."
Overall, this is one of the best books I have read this year and will be doing on my favorites list. I hope that every woman with a family will read this book and be able to appreciate the ability to run away.
Leave Me is a book all women who feel overworked and underappreciated will enjoy. I know I have threatened my family many times to run away from home, but I would never do it. For starters, I don't have the courage and I would feel extremely guilty about doing it. Luckily for Maribeth, she doesn't feel that way. This book was so hard to put down. I could feel myself in Maribeth's shoes. Enjoying the feeling of not having to worry about anyone but herself and getting things done for herself. As mother's we always put ourselves last in everything that we do. There have been many days that my dinner was cold when I ate it making sure that everyone else around the table was taken care of first, or I missed out on something because there was just enough for everyone else.
This is the second book I have read by Gayle Forman. Usually her books are targeted to a slightly younger audience, but she really hit this one on the head. I hope she has plans to continue to write for women like this.
A couple of my favorite lines from the book are:
The first line of the book, "Maribeth Klein was working late, waiting to sign off on the final page proofs of the December issue, when she had a heart attack."
And this line that reminded me of my husband: "My husband used to say that scars were like tattoos but with better stories."
Overall, this is one of the best books I have read this year and will be doing on my favorites list. I hope that every woman with a family will read this book and be able to appreciate the ability to run away.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Assassination Nation (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Well... this film really had its ups and downs. I can't say I was entirely a fan of this cinematic offspring of Mean Girls and The First Purge though.
Almost everything in this felt like is was just being brash and outrageous for the sake of it. As part of the opening sequence we're treated to a handy list of all the upcoming offenseive things we'll get to see in the movie. What was the point? Is it daring us to be offended in advance? Or is it just playing offensive bingo with us? "Oh yeah, homophobia! Bingo!"
The beginning of Assassination Nation introduces us to our quartet of girls in a horrible awkward teen drama kind of a way. Even taking into account the type of film this was it wasn't a believeable exchange and I was glad when everything finally moved along.
Luckily the middle of this film is quite good. Not all of the characters get as much of a story as they might deserve, in fact Lily and Bex are the only ones of the four that I could really tell you about after coming out of the screening, but it all flows well and you can see how the events are filtering through the community.
Then there's the bit after the middle (but not including the ending). As we get into the action side of Assassination Nation... honestly I think I just like typing out the title, it's a bit like when you're spelling Mississippi, lots of places you could muck it up... it's like we're on a rollercoaster, it goes downhill pretty fast.
I like mindless violence in movies, it generally has that over the top amusement factor as you see the characters devolve and have a little overacted rampage. This however is pure mob mentality at its worst with no real voice of reason apart from our main "heroine", Lily. Even far fetched things I can sort of see as "realistic", but no real resistence against what was happening? Yet another reason to think they were just going for shock factor.
I could almost have forgiven this film it's faux pas had it not been for the predictable and are-you-kidding-me ending.
What you should do
It's an amusing watch if you can dissect it and shout at the TV at te same time. I personally think it would be better for watching with a group of friends at home rather than the cinema.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would like Lily's excellent skills with a shovel.
Almost everything in this felt like is was just being brash and outrageous for the sake of it. As part of the opening sequence we're treated to a handy list of all the upcoming offenseive things we'll get to see in the movie. What was the point? Is it daring us to be offended in advance? Or is it just playing offensive bingo with us? "Oh yeah, homophobia! Bingo!"
The beginning of Assassination Nation introduces us to our quartet of girls in a horrible awkward teen drama kind of a way. Even taking into account the type of film this was it wasn't a believeable exchange and I was glad when everything finally moved along.
Luckily the middle of this film is quite good. Not all of the characters get as much of a story as they might deserve, in fact Lily and Bex are the only ones of the four that I could really tell you about after coming out of the screening, but it all flows well and you can see how the events are filtering through the community.
Then there's the bit after the middle (but not including the ending). As we get into the action side of Assassination Nation... honestly I think I just like typing out the title, it's a bit like when you're spelling Mississippi, lots of places you could muck it up... it's like we're on a rollercoaster, it goes downhill pretty fast.
I like mindless violence in movies, it generally has that over the top amusement factor as you see the characters devolve and have a little overacted rampage. This however is pure mob mentality at its worst with no real voice of reason apart from our main "heroine", Lily. Even far fetched things I can sort of see as "realistic", but no real resistence against what was happening? Yet another reason to think they were just going for shock factor.
I could almost have forgiven this film it's faux pas had it not been for the predictable and are-you-kidding-me ending.
What you should do
It's an amusing watch if you can dissect it and shout at the TV at te same time. I personally think it would be better for watching with a group of friends at home rather than the cinema.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would like Lily's excellent skills with a shovel.
James Dean Bradfield recommended Tolerance by The Blue Aeroplane in Music (curated)
Amanda (96 KP) rated The Diary: Book One of Cursed in Books
Mar 25, 2019
So this is a first in an upcoming series. Reading it kind of gave me a Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets vibe - that's my favorite book in the series by the way. Anyway, two girls named Ana and Sophie come across a new shop that has opened. It sells crystals, some dresses, and spell books. Ana comes across this blank book, a diary, and decides to purchase it and record everything going on in her life - like most teenage girls want to do. I certainly did, and I still do to an extent.
It seems like everything Ana writes in this diary seems to come true - for instance, wanting her friend to finally stop whining about a boy she likes and asks him out. It's pointed out quite a few times how 'out of character' it was for Sophie to ask a boy out. She describes it as an out of body experience where she was watching herself just simply go up to the the boy and ask him on a date.
In a sense of 'be careful what you wish for' in this case it's, 'be careful what you write.' The diary, however, has a mind of its own and it slowly starts to take over Ana.
Does anybody else hear Smeegal's voice and wishing that Ana would once say, 'My Precious!'? No? Okay, I'm really that nerdy, but I don't care. I wear it like a badge of honor.
I won't lie it say it wasn't a tad but cheesy. Almost like watching some parts of it as a Disney show, at least the ones that include someone falling from a Ferris wheel or getting an allergic reaction. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, because it's not overpowering like the new Disney shows these days are, gag me.
The writing style was simplistic and it's one that I liked. It wasn't told from Ana's point of view, which is surprising because most of the YA novels I've read are told from the main character's point of view. It's not a terrible thing, but it's not always the best. In this book, you get more than just Ana's views which is important to a story like this.
The ending did, of course, leave a cliffhanger and a small excerpt for the next book in the series.
All in all, the book was a quick read for the most part. I like the three main characters of the story and I enjoyed how it was written. Can you imagine finding a diary and it making things you write in it come true? The good will come with bad.
It seems like everything Ana writes in this diary seems to come true - for instance, wanting her friend to finally stop whining about a boy she likes and asks him out. It's pointed out quite a few times how 'out of character' it was for Sophie to ask a boy out. She describes it as an out of body experience where she was watching herself just simply go up to the the boy and ask him on a date.
In a sense of 'be careful what you wish for' in this case it's, 'be careful what you write.' The diary, however, has a mind of its own and it slowly starts to take over Ana.
Does anybody else hear Smeegal's voice and wishing that Ana would once say, 'My Precious!'? No? Okay, I'm really that nerdy, but I don't care. I wear it like a badge of honor.
I won't lie it say it wasn't a tad but cheesy. Almost like watching some parts of it as a Disney show, at least the ones that include someone falling from a Ferris wheel or getting an allergic reaction. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, because it's not overpowering like the new Disney shows these days are, gag me.
The writing style was simplistic and it's one that I liked. It wasn't told from Ana's point of view, which is surprising because most of the YA novels I've read are told from the main character's point of view. It's not a terrible thing, but it's not always the best. In this book, you get more than just Ana's views which is important to a story like this.
The ending did, of course, leave a cliffhanger and a small excerpt for the next book in the series.
All in all, the book was a quick read for the most part. I like the three main characters of the story and I enjoyed how it was written. Can you imagine finding a diary and it making things you write in it come true? The good will come with bad.