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Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I will be the first to admit that I am not a big fan of Bill O'Reilly's views on many things, but there is no arguing that he can write an excellent book. This is the second of his "Killing" series that I've read, the first being Killing Jesus. They were both wonderful & so easy to lose yourself in.
This particular book made me forget that I was reading about actual events. I was so immersed in the story. JFK & Jackie are fascinating people & their life together makes them all the more intriguing. This book isn't just about the assassination, but the years, months, & days leading up to that fateful day in November. Both for the Kennedy family & the Oswalds. I found myself at times, thinking, "No don't do that." Or, "Yes, listen to your gut & your advisors & cancel that trip." Almost hoping that somehow it would turn out differently, but knowing full well how it was going to end.
Despite knowing the end before even cracking the book open, I was hooked from the very first word. It is rare to read a non-fiction book that reads like a spy novel & political thriller. That's what makes the reader forget that the events really happened. It doesn't falter into all the conspiracy theories or speculation on the events leading up to it. It is remarkably well researched & based on the countless records, videos, transcripts, & documents from the era. This is a must read for anyone, even if you aren't fascinated with the Kennedys as I was.
This particular book made me forget that I was reading about actual events. I was so immersed in the story. JFK & Jackie are fascinating people & their life together makes them all the more intriguing. This book isn't just about the assassination, but the years, months, & days leading up to that fateful day in November. Both for the Kennedy family & the Oswalds. I found myself at times, thinking, "No don't do that." Or, "Yes, listen to your gut & your advisors & cancel that trip." Almost hoping that somehow it would turn out differently, but knowing full well how it was going to end.
Despite knowing the end before even cracking the book open, I was hooked from the very first word. It is rare to read a non-fiction book that reads like a spy novel & political thriller. That's what makes the reader forget that the events really happened. It doesn't falter into all the conspiracy theories or speculation on the events leading up to it. It is remarkably well researched & based on the countless records, videos, transcripts, & documents from the era. This is a must read for anyone, even if you aren't fascinated with the Kennedys as I was.
Micah Ulibarri (79 KP) rated Everything Sucks - Season 1 in TV
Apr 3, 2018
It's a dramedy that takes place in the 90s. I'm talking so 90's it hurts. Three high school freshmen in Boring, Oregan start off their first year of high school in a big way. Hopefully they wont embarrass themselves.
I absolutely fell in love with this show. First of all, it is funny and feels more like a comedy. Nevertheless, the characters are complex and the situations are interesting and emotional.
The young actors, Peyton Kennedy, Jahi Winston, and Rio Mangini especially, do some great work. I think it's great that they actually look like young high school kids. Nonetheless, the are able to bring the emotion.
The show has themes of relationships, self-discovery, growing up, and how the 90s influenced that. There are some very positive representations of discovering sexuality. Not only as a young adult, but some of the older adults recently out of long term relationships also learn what it is to love and trust again.
Finally, one of the big plot points is the making of a movie in the kids AV club. It's actually really impressive when you see just how intensive a process that was not even 20 years ago.
All in all, the characters are the ones that sell the show. The show often ends on cliff hangers making you wanting to come back. My wife and I watched it through twice in one week. It's only 10 episodes and every single one of them is well worth it.
Also, shout out to the 90s tunes. Most of which are still songs on pretty much any of my playlists.
I absolutely fell in love with this show. First of all, it is funny and feels more like a comedy. Nevertheless, the characters are complex and the situations are interesting and emotional.
The young actors, Peyton Kennedy, Jahi Winston, and Rio Mangini especially, do some great work. I think it's great that they actually look like young high school kids. Nonetheless, the are able to bring the emotion.
The show has themes of relationships, self-discovery, growing up, and how the 90s influenced that. There are some very positive representations of discovering sexuality. Not only as a young adult, but some of the older adults recently out of long term relationships also learn what it is to love and trust again.
Finally, one of the big plot points is the making of a movie in the kids AV club. It's actually really impressive when you see just how intensive a process that was not even 20 years ago.
All in all, the characters are the ones that sell the show. The show often ends on cliff hangers making you wanting to come back. My wife and I watched it through twice in one week. It's only 10 episodes and every single one of them is well worth it.
Also, shout out to the 90s tunes. Most of which are still songs on pretty much any of my playlists.
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Shaman's Seduction in Books
Oct 19, 2018
Shaman's Seduction by Kathryne Kennedy
Shaman's Seduction is a delightful collection of three short stories, all set in the world, but set at different times. We start off with Inaluck, who has worked hard to earn the respect of her father's warriors, and her place as Chieftain's Daughter. When The Great Cold comes, Inaluck is sent to the outlying villages for reinforcements. Going to one of them, with a reputation of being cowards, she finds more than she bargains for, and takes her first step to becoming a Shaman. Then we meet Za'lla, who dreams of a sister she never knew, which leads her on her big adventure, finding love on the way. Lastly, we have Kalaka, an apprentice Shaman who needs to learn more than the basics, and will help to figure out who she is in the process.
These are quick reads, but all of them without any editing or grammatical errors. There was enough world-building that it is all clear, without taking over the essence of the stories. If I had one criticism, it would be that I felt a bit lost with the two following stories. I had no idea if they were after Inaluck, or before. That is only a small thing though, and probably wouldn't bother the majority of people!
A thoroughly enjoyable read, divided into three bite-size chunks, which make this perfect for a coffee break book. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
These are quick reads, but all of them without any editing or grammatical errors. There was enough world-building that it is all clear, without taking over the essence of the stories. If I had one criticism, it would be that I felt a bit lost with the two following stories. I had no idea if they were after Inaluck, or before. That is only a small thing though, and probably wouldn't bother the majority of people!
A thoroughly enjoyable read, divided into three bite-size chunks, which make this perfect for a coffee break book. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Scream (1996) in Movies
Apr 22, 2020 (Updated May 9, 2020)
1996 was a time where slasher horror had become boring. The quality of countless sequels for certain franchises had dipped dramatically, and Wes Craven intended to give the whole thing a jump start with Scream. It's safe to say that he succeeded in that respect.
I was 8 years old when Scream release, and I remember the buzz around it. Other kids in my school would talk about how their older siblings had managed to rent a copy, and just how shocking it was, and in the years since it released, Scream has gone from that excitable buzz to a bonafide genre classic.
Obviously, the screenplays self awareness was a game changer. Characters constantly talking about horror movie 'rules' whilst doing the exact opposite, dialogue about upcoming sequels etc. Even the antagonist Ghostface has a slightly goofy look, and it's this tongue in cheek approach that was immediately imitated by others, although never quite as well.
That's not to say that Scream doesn't have it's fair share of horror. It's a bloody film for sure, and even though it's scares aren't major by today's standards, it's easy to see why it gained the clout it did.
The cast is headed up by Neve Campbell, as extremely likable final girl Sidney Prescott. Sidney is fleshed out enough for the viewer to really get inside, and isn't just there for eye candy. She is joined by the likes of Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Rose McGowan, Jamie Kennedy and Drew Barrymore in an all round decent cast.
Honestly though, I can't heap enough praise at Matthew Lillard for his absolute batshit crazy performance. Guy deserves more recognition for that commitment.
Scream isn't the best horror movie I've ever seen, but as I said above, it's a genre classic, and certainly changed the face of horror. A definite win for Wes Craven.
I was 8 years old when Scream release, and I remember the buzz around it. Other kids in my school would talk about how their older siblings had managed to rent a copy, and just how shocking it was, and in the years since it released, Scream has gone from that excitable buzz to a bonafide genre classic.
Obviously, the screenplays self awareness was a game changer. Characters constantly talking about horror movie 'rules' whilst doing the exact opposite, dialogue about upcoming sequels etc. Even the antagonist Ghostface has a slightly goofy look, and it's this tongue in cheek approach that was immediately imitated by others, although never quite as well.
That's not to say that Scream doesn't have it's fair share of horror. It's a bloody film for sure, and even though it's scares aren't major by today's standards, it's easy to see why it gained the clout it did.
The cast is headed up by Neve Campbell, as extremely likable final girl Sidney Prescott. Sidney is fleshed out enough for the viewer to really get inside, and isn't just there for eye candy. She is joined by the likes of Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Rose McGowan, Jamie Kennedy and Drew Barrymore in an all round decent cast.
Honestly though, I can't heap enough praise at Matthew Lillard for his absolute batshit crazy performance. Guy deserves more recognition for that commitment.
Scream isn't the best horror movie I've ever seen, but as I said above, it's a genre classic, and certainly changed the face of horror. A definite win for Wes Craven.
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) in Movies
Feb 9, 2022 (Updated Feb 9, 2022)
Visual effects (4 more)
Casting choices
Over enthusiastic plot
Missing key plot points
Characteristic changes
The beginning of the end...
Contains spoilers, click to show
OK first of all I watched this movie with hope, after the original 6 Paul W.S Anderson movies were very hit and miss (although RE Apocalypse was epic) I had faith that this would be done right, and although I'd never thought I'd be one of those fans who points out numerous flaws in a videogame movie adaption, here we are...
Set in the fictional destination of Racoon City, the movie quickly introduces characters Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Leon. S. Kennedy, Jill Valentine and Albert Wesker amongst others.
The plot trotts along nicely for a short while before it begins racing between Two crammed together story's, RE1 & RE2 (with traces of RE3 plotted around).
Jumping between Claire and Leon wandering around RPD and Chris, Wesker and Jill lost wandering the halls of Spencer Mansion.
The visual effects are rather shoddy in places and the characters other than Claire seem to have a low IQ and a hard-on for danger.
The characters origin story's are unnecessary and mostly pointless, especially Leon's making them all seem like post grad high-school students.
There was no big bad showdown and no explanation or hint for the city's destruction other than 'umbrella fucked up'.
The direction is sloppy at best and everything is rushed, the characters looked almost nothing like their videogame counterparts and key plot points were missing throughout and the final scene looked like something from a teenage expendables movie...
I was unsure what to rate this but an overall out of 10, for me it's a 2.5.
As for this movie, my name is Lee, and I remember everything, lol.
Set in the fictional destination of Racoon City, the movie quickly introduces characters Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Leon. S. Kennedy, Jill Valentine and Albert Wesker amongst others.
The plot trotts along nicely for a short while before it begins racing between Two crammed together story's, RE1 & RE2 (with traces of RE3 plotted around).
Jumping between Claire and Leon wandering around RPD and Chris, Wesker and Jill lost wandering the halls of Spencer Mansion.
The visual effects are rather shoddy in places and the characters other than Claire seem to have a low IQ and a hard-on for danger.
The characters origin story's are unnecessary and mostly pointless, especially Leon's making them all seem like post grad high-school students.
There was no big bad showdown and no explanation or hint for the city's destruction other than 'umbrella fucked up'.
The direction is sloppy at best and everything is rushed, the characters looked almost nothing like their videogame counterparts and key plot points were missing throughout and the final scene looked like something from a teenage expendables movie...
I was unsure what to rate this but an overall out of 10, for me it's a 2.5.
As for this movie, my name is Lee, and I remember everything, lol.
Carma (21 KP) rated Sweet Home Louisiana (Boys of the Bayou, #2) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Explosive together, tortured apart. Will Maddie and Owen have the same fiery passion a decade plus later. Reunited on the Bayou can only lead them to rediscover who they were, where their lives have gone and who theyve become. Im loving these Bayou boys and girls.
Maddie left the Bayou about 12 years ago, she never wanted to return but then her brother died. She retunred for the funeral but ran again back to the west coast. It isnt that she hated her hometown, she hated how her hometown made her feel. Wild, unencumbered, no filter, she needed to feel more in control of herself. It didnt help that the bayou had Owen.
Owen is a bayou boy through and through. Maddie was his first real love and they were dangerous together. The passion and fire when the two of them got near each other could set the room on fire, and pretty much did. When Maddie wants to sell her shares of Boys of the Bayou she first must return home for 30 days as per the agreement made years before. Owen sees his chance to remind her whats in her blood, who she is down deep.
Owen and Maddie together are full of passion and spark. You can almost see the flames jumping off the pages when they come together. But will that be enough to get Maddie to want to stay home and run the company with them? She has an investor that is a good fit for the company that wants to jump head first into helping grow the company but the boys arent that open to a new person coming into their tight fold, especially with him having majority ownership along with Sawyer. Kennedy doesnt want Bennett there but for much different reasons (I see a juicy story unfolding).
This series has me dying in between releases. The author has the ability to pull me right into not only the pages and scenes but I can feel the heat of the bayou, the smells the bayou, the noise of the airboats. Sawyer is next up and it is going to be so so good, I can feel that too.
Maddie left the Bayou about 12 years ago, she never wanted to return but then her brother died. She retunred for the funeral but ran again back to the west coast. It isnt that she hated her hometown, she hated how her hometown made her feel. Wild, unencumbered, no filter, she needed to feel more in control of herself. It didnt help that the bayou had Owen.
Owen is a bayou boy through and through. Maddie was his first real love and they were dangerous together. The passion and fire when the two of them got near each other could set the room on fire, and pretty much did. When Maddie wants to sell her shares of Boys of the Bayou she first must return home for 30 days as per the agreement made years before. Owen sees his chance to remind her whats in her blood, who she is down deep.
Owen and Maddie together are full of passion and spark. You can almost see the flames jumping off the pages when they come together. But will that be enough to get Maddie to want to stay home and run the company with them? She has an investor that is a good fit for the company that wants to jump head first into helping grow the company but the boys arent that open to a new person coming into their tight fold, especially with him having majority ownership along with Sawyer. Kennedy doesnt want Bennett there but for much different reasons (I see a juicy story unfolding).
This series has me dying in between releases. The author has the ability to pull me right into not only the pages and scenes but I can feel the heat of the bayou, the smells the bayou, the noise of the airboats. Sawyer is next up and it is going to be so so good, I can feel that too.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) in Movies
Dec 4, 2021
Well then, colour me surprised because I didn't absolutely hate this.
I'm a big fan of the Resident Evil games. So much so that the entirety of the original movie franchise actively annoyed me with every passing entry. This reboot makes a decent effort to stay faithful to the source material, and that alone commands some semblance of respect. The general atmosphere is very Resident Evil, many of the set pieces seem familiar, but there's just something missing. The cast boasts some great talent - Donal Logue, Hannah John-Kamen, and Neal McDonough are amongst the ranks - but all of them seem to be doing the best they can with a poor script, a script which is pretty much all the characters saying their names to eachother, and spouting exposition like there's no tomorrow. There's also the issue of the narrative content. Honestly, I'm just longing for a straight up adaption of the first game, a minimilast tense-as-hell thriller set in the original mansion. Welcome to Raccoon City sort of delivers in that respect, but also opts to cram in the plot of the second game, and even smatterings of the third. For a film that seems to be setting up a new series, that's a whole lot of content to burn through in one film. It results in a narrative that comes across as choppy. There's a little too much going on for it to flow properly. I also hated how Leon Kennedy was portrayed as a big dumb fuck. Show the man some respect! On top of this, the CGI is pretty damn atrocious throughout. The practical effects here and there look genuinely great, but there's a lot of undercooked effects work that managed to pull me out proceedings, especially in the final set piece.
Despite its shortcomings however, WTRC is a pretty entertaining video game adaption. It can be underwhelming at times, but it's aesthetic is pretty spot on, and it's so far removed from the initial film series that I can't help but kind of dig it, and I'll happily take it over any of those movies. Genuinely hoping a sequel happens.
I'm a big fan of the Resident Evil games. So much so that the entirety of the original movie franchise actively annoyed me with every passing entry. This reboot makes a decent effort to stay faithful to the source material, and that alone commands some semblance of respect. The general atmosphere is very Resident Evil, many of the set pieces seem familiar, but there's just something missing. The cast boasts some great talent - Donal Logue, Hannah John-Kamen, and Neal McDonough are amongst the ranks - but all of them seem to be doing the best they can with a poor script, a script which is pretty much all the characters saying their names to eachother, and spouting exposition like there's no tomorrow. There's also the issue of the narrative content. Honestly, I'm just longing for a straight up adaption of the first game, a minimilast tense-as-hell thriller set in the original mansion. Welcome to Raccoon City sort of delivers in that respect, but also opts to cram in the plot of the second game, and even smatterings of the third. For a film that seems to be setting up a new series, that's a whole lot of content to burn through in one film. It results in a narrative that comes across as choppy. There's a little too much going on for it to flow properly. I also hated how Leon Kennedy was portrayed as a big dumb fuck. Show the man some respect! On top of this, the CGI is pretty damn atrocious throughout. The practical effects here and there look genuinely great, but there's a lot of undercooked effects work that managed to pull me out proceedings, especially in the final set piece.
Despite its shortcomings however, WTRC is a pretty entertaining video game adaption. It can be underwhelming at times, but it's aesthetic is pretty spot on, and it's so far removed from the initial film series that I can't help but kind of dig it, and I'll happily take it over any of those movies. Genuinely hoping a sequel happens.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Macbeth (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Directed by Justin Kurzel, the 2015 release of Macbeth stars Michael
Fassbender
as Macbeth and Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth.
There are a ton of blood and guts in this movie. Many of the action
scenes have slow-motion insets, which for me were better than the jerky
camera movement of the close-up fighting scenes, but still felt weird
inside the film.
This is the traditional Macbeth story-line, with the typical language of
the original play. The accents of most of the actors were very heavy,
making it quite difficult to follow the actual dialogue.
I was able to follow the story because I know the basic premise of
Hamlet (who doesn’t?) but if I hadn’t basically known what the story was
about, and had to rely solely on the spoken words in the film, I would
have been dreadfully lost.
Marion Cotillard plays a very good conniving, plotting Lady Macbeth, and
Michael Fassbender does a great job of portraying a manipulated, power
hungry man, being driven mad by his atrocities.
The supporting cast gave great performances as well. The three witches
were played by Lynn Kennedy, Seylan Baxter, and Seylan Mhairi Baxter.
They were sufficiently creepy and mysterious to add the right amount of
darkness to their roles, without overpowering the concept that had
Hamlet interpreted their predictions differently, the entire story may
have gone differently.
There were parts of the movie that I held my breath at, and felt myself
responding emotionally to, but it would be very hard NOT to feel some
sort of emotion at watching a family being burned at the stake at the
whim of a mad-man.
If I were a die-hard Macbeth or Shakespeare fan, I likely would have
enjoyed the film far more. On the other hand, a die-hard Shakespeare fan
probably would have been upset at some of the pieces that were trimmed
from the famous lines of the original (“something wicked this way comes”
was noticeably absent)
Overall I would give this movie 2 out of 5 stars, based on the hard time
I had understanding the dialogue. If I had been able to not have had to
concentrate so hard to understand what was being said, I would have
given it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Fassbender
as Macbeth and Marion Cotillard as Lady Macbeth.
There are a ton of blood and guts in this movie. Many of the action
scenes have slow-motion insets, which for me were better than the jerky
camera movement of the close-up fighting scenes, but still felt weird
inside the film.
This is the traditional Macbeth story-line, with the typical language of
the original play. The accents of most of the actors were very heavy,
making it quite difficult to follow the actual dialogue.
I was able to follow the story because I know the basic premise of
Hamlet (who doesn’t?) but if I hadn’t basically known what the story was
about, and had to rely solely on the spoken words in the film, I would
have been dreadfully lost.
Marion Cotillard plays a very good conniving, plotting Lady Macbeth, and
Michael Fassbender does a great job of portraying a manipulated, power
hungry man, being driven mad by his atrocities.
The supporting cast gave great performances as well. The three witches
were played by Lynn Kennedy, Seylan Baxter, and Seylan Mhairi Baxter.
They were sufficiently creepy and mysterious to add the right amount of
darkness to their roles, without overpowering the concept that had
Hamlet interpreted their predictions differently, the entire story may
have gone differently.
There were parts of the movie that I held my breath at, and felt myself
responding emotionally to, but it would be very hard NOT to feel some
sort of emotion at watching a family being burned at the stake at the
whim of a mad-man.
If I were a die-hard Macbeth or Shakespeare fan, I likely would have
enjoyed the film far more. On the other hand, a die-hard Shakespeare fan
probably would have been upset at some of the pieces that were trimmed
from the famous lines of the original (“something wicked this way comes”
was noticeably absent)
Overall I would give this movie 2 out of 5 stars, based on the hard time
I had understanding the dialogue. If I had been able to not have had to
concentrate so hard to understand what was being said, I would have
given it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
I would rate this 3.5/5 stars.
I’ve never been able to find myself wanting to read Stephen King, and after a few attempts when I was younger to start one of his novels, I still couldn’t and so until this book I have never finished a Stephen King. I persevered through this one because it had been lent to me by a friend with a good review and I had watched the tv series based on it a few years ago.
The start of this novel was very slow and confused me in a few points (but I think that was intentional as our main character – Jake Epping – was also pretty confused at the same time). But because not much was happening, I kept putting the book down, distracted to do something else and really having to force myself to pick it back up. Once I managed to get to part 2, I found that I was much more interested in the story and the plot line and it wasn’t such a chore to make the time to read it. I then had a difficult time to put the book down, and most nights I was only putting it down because I was falling asleep in the middle of a sentence! I read the last quarter of the book in a day, because I just wanted to know what was going to happen and whether he was going to be able to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Overall, I found the concept very interesting and not just the time travel. I found the concept of the past not wanting to be changed and actively trying to stop someone from changing it interesting, and sometimes it was quite comical the amount of things that went wrong when Jake was trying to change the past. I did, however, find the ending very disappointing. It felt like it was starting to be set up for a different ending and then at the last minute the author decided to change it completely. It just didn’t seem to fit with the set up of the last chapter or so, but I can see why it was done and that the ending that was being set up wouldn’t work in terms of not changing the past.
A very interesting read, but with a disappointing ending, but I would still recommend it!
I’ve never been able to find myself wanting to read Stephen King, and after a few attempts when I was younger to start one of his novels, I still couldn’t and so until this book I have never finished a Stephen King. I persevered through this one because it had been lent to me by a friend with a good review and I had watched the tv series based on it a few years ago.
The start of this novel was very slow and confused me in a few points (but I think that was intentional as our main character – Jake Epping – was also pretty confused at the same time). But because not much was happening, I kept putting the book down, distracted to do something else and really having to force myself to pick it back up. Once I managed to get to part 2, I found that I was much more interested in the story and the plot line and it wasn’t such a chore to make the time to read it. I then had a difficult time to put the book down, and most nights I was only putting it down because I was falling asleep in the middle of a sentence! I read the last quarter of the book in a day, because I just wanted to know what was going to happen and whether he was going to be able to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Overall, I found the concept very interesting and not just the time travel. I found the concept of the past not wanting to be changed and actively trying to stop someone from changing it interesting, and sometimes it was quite comical the amount of things that went wrong when Jake was trying to change the past. I did, however, find the ending very disappointing. It felt like it was starting to be set up for a different ending and then at the last minute the author decided to change it completely. It just didn’t seem to fit with the set up of the last chapter or so, but I can see why it was done and that the ending that was being set up wouldn’t work in terms of not changing the past.
A very interesting read, but with a disappointing ending, but I would still recommend it!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Fire Lord's Lover (The Elven Lords, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Dominic has spent years perfecting his rock-hard shell, keeping his human heart under lock and key, for fear of getting hurt again. His brutal horrible father has tortured him for his softness and lack of black fire magic for years, and Dominic can’t handle any more. So he isn’t prepared for a kind, sweet, tender-hearted wife…
Cassandra has been raised in the catholic school, but trained in to fight in the rebellion as a death-dance assassin. She is sent to marry the son of the Imperial Fire Lord, so that she can get close enough to the Fire Lord to kill him. She knows it’s a death mission, and she’s fully prepared… but she’s not so sure she wants to part with Dominic once she breaks down his hard exterior shell.
As Dominic and Cassandra begin to love each other, Dominic starts to worry about Cassandra’s mission, and Cassandra worries about Dominic’s father trying to kill him. How can two people who love each other protect each other, if protection of the one ends with death for the other? And what of the evil Fire Lord’s hate towards the people and the rebellion against the elves?
I enjoyed The Fire Lord’s Lover from start to finish. The characters were developed quickly and I liked them, the dialogue felt right, and the pacing was great.
The most important thing about The Fire Lord’s Lover, the thing that made it good, was the character’s love for each other. It didn’t feel sappy and fake, centered around physical attraction. It was real and it had reason behind it. Cassandra and Dominic needed each other, and the people needed them together.
At first, I didn’t really like the ending. I almost got a little annoyed at it… but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it—a lot like It’s Not Summer Without You. I didn’t quite like it at first, even though I knew why Kennedy had done what she did… but then I thought back over it again, envisioned in my mind how it would play out, and was very pleased. I won’t spoil it! But I will say that it was surprisingly satisfying.
Content: I thought the love scenes were slightly overkill… I was literally skipping chunks of pages at a time (I don’t read the scenes). There was a little bit of language, but it wasn’t bad and I felt it was appropriate.
Recommendation: Ages 18+
I’ve got a giveaway for 2 copies of The Fire Lord’s Lover up for grabs, and (soon) my ARC will be available for swap at ARC Swap.
Cassandra has been raised in the catholic school, but trained in to fight in the rebellion as a death-dance assassin. She is sent to marry the son of the Imperial Fire Lord, so that she can get close enough to the Fire Lord to kill him. She knows it’s a death mission, and she’s fully prepared… but she’s not so sure she wants to part with Dominic once she breaks down his hard exterior shell.
As Dominic and Cassandra begin to love each other, Dominic starts to worry about Cassandra’s mission, and Cassandra worries about Dominic’s father trying to kill him. How can two people who love each other protect each other, if protection of the one ends with death for the other? And what of the evil Fire Lord’s hate towards the people and the rebellion against the elves?
I enjoyed The Fire Lord’s Lover from start to finish. The characters were developed quickly and I liked them, the dialogue felt right, and the pacing was great.
The most important thing about The Fire Lord’s Lover, the thing that made it good, was the character’s love for each other. It didn’t feel sappy and fake, centered around physical attraction. It was real and it had reason behind it. Cassandra and Dominic needed each other, and the people needed them together.
At first, I didn’t really like the ending. I almost got a little annoyed at it… but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it—a lot like It’s Not Summer Without You. I didn’t quite like it at first, even though I knew why Kennedy had done what she did… but then I thought back over it again, envisioned in my mind how it would play out, and was very pleased. I won’t spoil it! But I will say that it was surprisingly satisfying.
Content: I thought the love scenes were slightly overkill… I was literally skipping chunks of pages at a time (I don’t read the scenes). There was a little bit of language, but it wasn’t bad and I felt it was appropriate.
Recommendation: Ages 18+
I’ve got a giveaway for 2 copies of The Fire Lord’s Lover up for grabs, and (soon) my ARC will be available for swap at ARC Swap.