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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Immortal Writers in Books

Dec 17, 2018  
IW
Immortal Writers
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

Words are the most powerful form of magic. Jill Bowers creates a unique fantasy concept in this soon to be published adventure novel. When <i>Immortal Writers</i> begins, the genre is similar to many contemporary novels: characters living normal day-to-day lives. Eighteen-year-old Liz has just landed back in her hometown after touring to promote her new novel, the next in a popular fantasy series that won her the Best Young Fantasy Award. All she wants is to return to her apartment and go to bed, so being kidnapped was not part of her plan. Especially not being kidnapped by the formidable William Shakespeare.

What Liz and readers both learn next is a brilliant, awe-inspiring idea. Imagine that all the world’s most famous authors were immortal and lived together in a magical castle manipulated by the science fiction novelists. That is what Liz suddenly has to come to terms with. Although she is only young, her books show so much potential that she is already initiated into the Immortal Writers. But it is not only legendary writers inhabiting this fortress. When an author becomes immortal, their characters become real. Liz is shocked to come face to face with the handsome hero of her story as well as a few of her supporting characters. However that is not all that has crossed over into reality.

As well as the goodies, the evil characters have also been brought into the world. Kenric, Liz’s antagonist, has hidden himself nearby with hundreds of dragons. He wants dominion over the entire planet and the only person that can stop him is Liz herself. So begins an adventure of learning to use magic, sword fights, dragon attacks and inevitable, heart wrenching causalities.
As a writer, Jill Bowers has not quite got the level of standard that the top authors have achieved. This is evident from the lack of description and awkwardness of the prose throughout the first few chapters. Once the storyline is well under way it becomes a lot easier to read; whether her writing improves is debatable, but her imagination captures the readers attention and provides a thoroughly entertaining narrative.

It is not solely the plot, characters and action that will stay in readers’ minds – the overall concept is fantastic. Who would not want their favourite authors to live forever? I would love to meet a William Shakespeare who has adapted himself to modern day living. Even more exciting is the possibility of meeting fictional characters. Each reader is bound to start daydreaming about which of their most loved books they would like to become real. How great would it be to meet Harry Potter, or see a unicorn, or eat some chocolate made by Willy Wonka, or… the possibilities are endless.

<i>Immortal Writers</i> is the first novel in a series so there will be more books that focus on this amazing idea. From the preview at the end of this copy, it appears that the following book will be about different authors/characters, therefore will provide a whole new outline to wrap our heads around.

Fantasy fans should definitely seek out this series. The writing may not exactly be up to par, but the general storyline is unquestionably worth it. Encompassing, contemporary, adventure and romance genres, <i>Immortal Writers</i> is an incredible fantasy story based in the “real” world.
  
Glass (2019)
Glass (2019)
2019 | Drama, Thriller
James Mcavoy (0 more)
Plot holes and unnecessary twist (0 more)
So close to a super super film
Contains spoilers, click to show
I try to not publish spoilers they're unavoidable here to explain why this only a 7/10 film. The first hour is great, building up the story leading to what you think will be an epic climax. The story starts with James McAvoy's 24 personalities having kidnapped 4 cheerleaders and Bruce Willis' David Dunn on the hunt to rescue them. After a confrontation they're taken to a psych hospital for evaluation which happens to be where they're keeping Samuel L Jackson's Mr Glass. All of this is awesome with the star of the show being McAvoy flowing through his personalities is a truly epic piece of acting. So the film plays out and leads to a good fight towards the end but then it goes a bit weird. You start to notice plot holes like this psych hospital only seems to have 1 orderly or security guard on duty at any one time. Or when McAvoy and Jackson are trying to escape they go through a security gate and get buzzed through straight away even though neither has their faces covered. It's like 'those 2 guys kinda look like 2 of the 3 highly dangerous multiple murderers that we're here guarding? Oh well!'...then we get into the obligatory M.Mike Salmonhands twist involving a secret society that just seemed uneeded and tacked on for no other reason than the film didn't have a twist...so there you have it. So close to being a truly great film but sloppy writing let it down.
  
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Tara (6 KP) rated Ink Iron and Glass in Books

Jul 3, 2018  
II
Ink Iron and Glass
Gwendolyn Clare | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
8
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Has some twists you don't see coming! Keeps you guessing. Keeps building to the end. Makes you wish you had the next book ready so you can find out what happens next. (1 more)
Wasn't a complete cliffhanger, but it did leave you with questions. General curiosity to how the story will continue.
Starts off slow. A lot of characters appear at once. A few times I got a character mixed up with another. (0 more)
Keep with it!
Book Sleeve Description -
Can she write a world gone wrong?
A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation, where her mother - a noted scriptologist - constantly alters and expands their reality.
But when her home is attacked and her mother kidnapped, Elsa is forced to cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative Victorian Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of young scientists with a gift for mechanics, alchemy, or scriptology - and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.
In this thrilling debut, worlds collide as Elsa unveils a deep political conspiracy seeking to unlock the most dangerous weapon ever created - and only she can stop it.

Wish I had the second book so I can find out what happens!
New type of YA story.
Refreshing.
Can start off slow...trust me...stick with it!
  
Caraval
Caraval
Stephanie Garber | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.1 (97 Ratings)
Book Rating
A good read
Contains spoilers, click to show
Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic.

It was good!
Lots of twists and turns as Scarlett tries to find her sister in a world created by magic. After escaping her father Tally takes on a whole new persona to save both her and her sister from a life where they are beaten and tormented by a father that is pure evil. Scarletts search for Tally pairs her up with Julien who she falls for although promised to a count! Both her father and count track them down at the caraval in an attempt to drag them home so Scarlett can be married off to the count that's paid a lot of money for her!
Here Scarlett discovers the whole plot put into motion by her sister and the legend.
Looking forward to book 2!

Recommended

⭐⭐⭐

  
Hark! The Village Wait by Steeleye Span
Hark! The Village Wait by Steeleye Span
1970 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This one's not quite as contemporary as Electrelane – in fact, that's putting it mildly! It's an old folk song that dates back to the seventeenth century, so it's been passed down through the generations. “This is the version that fits the mood of this collection of songs the best I think. It's another one about losing somebody; it's about a young woman who's lover has been kidnapped by a press gang and taken out to sea and she's not going to see him again - it's a terrible, terrible tragedy. “Steeleye Span are a funny band; they came out of a scene that's not too far removed from Kevin Ayers and that electric folk movement of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. They evolved into something that perhaps wasn't so cool later on - there's a record called All Around My Hat that's a bit Alan Partridge - but those early albums are really great. “I definitely have a personal connection to ‘The Lowlands of Holland’. It's an unusual song, actually, in that I can never figure out whether it's Scottish or Irish in origin. It doesn't really matter, but it has significance for me because I live and have my studio in Dumfries and Galloway, and in the song, Gabe Woods is singing about the man from Galloway. “So I imagine it's where I am and when I'm hundreds or thousands of miles away from home, I hear that song and I imagine being back in Scotland. It generates a degree of homesickness and wistfulness and it's good to feel that, because it reminds you of what home is, and why you should return there.”"

Source
  
The Heatwave
The Heatwave
Katerina Diamond | 2020 | Mystery, Thriller
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The protagonists in this book were Jasmine and Felicity, and the story was told from their perspectives. Felicity is telling the story at the present day, she has to go back to her home-town where she grew up, to find a girl that has been kidnapped. Because “only she knows how to find her”. Felicity is a very troubled character, she has a drinking problem, and suffers from quite a few mental health problems. Jasmine and Felicity were best friends at school, and Jasmine is a person who tells the story from the past. I really liked Jasmine’s story, it is more intriguing and gripping compared to Felicity’s.

The narrative was very well balanced, in my opinion. Felicity keeps kindling the suspense with “her big secret” and “what have I done?” moments, making me restless to find out what this huge secret is. And Jasmine is telling a really absorbing story, leading very cleverly to all these huge discoveries. The topics discussed in this book were alcoholism, teenagers and their behaviour, mental health issues, forbidden romance and many more.

I really enjoyed the author’s clever writing style. The book feels quite calm and smooth, there is no police involved and it is only alone, an ordinary woman trying to uncover what actually happened. But at the same time, this book is carrying a shroud of mystery, that my curious side could not wait to unravel. The chapters felt quite short, and the dual perspective made this book very entertaining. The culmination of this novel did not disappoint me, I was not expecting the “Big Secret” to be this awesome.
  
I'll start by saying I LOVE THIS SERIES! Darynda Jones has written such an amazing likeable but slightly dumb, sometimes genius character in Charley Davidson. You can't help but like her.

This starts with Charley sitting in a psychiatrist's office as she equally does a job and confesses everything that she's learned about herself over the last ten books to the doctor in the chair. Turns out the shrink is dead and haunting the office. There is one big case that Charley is working on in this and it's the couple who kidnapped Reyes when he was a baby. There's a few other smaller things thrown in and we see Charley learn how to be who she was born to be with a little help from Reyes.

As I've already mentioned, I love this series. It is right up my street with it's snark, humour and romance. Characters that we've grown to love over the last ten books make reappearances, some new characters pop up and some that have been mentioned peripherally make themselves known. It's hard to give too many details without spoiling it for those who haven't got this far in the series.

If you've not at least started this series, then I can't recommend it enough, really. That is, if you like urban fantasy/paranormal romances. Or demons. Gods...

I have book 12 in paperback, too, and haven't decided whether to read it straight away yet - despite that bit of a cliff hanger that happened at the end! - as I feel I would immediately want to read book 13 to finish the series and I don't have it yet. It's on my to-buy list.