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Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Ashes of Glass in Books
Jan 4, 2021
Contains spoilers, click to show
Ashes of Glass is a gorgeous retelling of Cinderella, and you all know what a sucker I am for a retelling!
Arella's upbringing is one we have heard numerous times, both through print and on screen. For this reason Emma Hill presents this chapter of Arella's life almost as a misty, memory montage; preferring to focus on the upcoming tale she has to tell. I must say I greatly appreciated this originality and confindence: Hill knows she has an absolute gem of a story here and doesn't need to pad it out with the sad turn of events we all know.
Anyone who has read "So, This is Love" by Elizabeth Lim will see some similarities within the two storylines in that Ella begins working in the Palace. However, Hill's Ella is , in my opinion, a much stronger character from the outset. She has no qualms in challenging Prince Freddie's prejudices in respects to gypsies and, on the whole, does not change her behaviour towards Freddie once she discovers he is the Prince.
Ella and Freddie are only two of a whole cast of characters who are beautifully portrayed within this novel. I really loved the added details such as the King's interest in elephants, the fact that the Duke was nicer (but still quite strict) and the fact that Ella had a friend alongside her. All of these factors made the story a lot more real than the classic fairy tale. Hill made it so easy for the reader to fall in love with Ella and Freddie as a couple, especially because they were not perfect and experienced real emotions such as doubt and jealousy. If anything, our love for these two made it even easier for us to hate the villain, Lord DiFortunato.
Now, we all love to hate the sleazy, slimy villain in a story, but this guy was something else! Emma Hill's villain literally made my skin crawl and, at the point in the story where Ella's curiosity puts her in a whole heap of danger, the suspense was too much I had to skim read just to know whether she was going to be OK.
The one character I did want a bit more of was Lady Izabella: I suspect she was likely Freddie's godmother due to her friendship with the Queen and I think this could have been cleverly played on a little more. Don't get me wrong she was a charming (and necessary) background character but I would have liked to see her a little more.
EJ Hill also included a lot of nods to the original fairy tale which were really appreciated. Of course the iconic pink dress becomes ruined and the ballgown is a must but Ella's affectionate use of Prince Charming as a nickname for Freddie was just gorgeous. Oh and losing the shoe: genius!
This is not to say this story lacks originality though. There is a thrilling sub plot into the investigation into the King's death which moves alongside and intersects Arella's plotline beautifully.
I would say that the chapters do shift from Arella to Freddie quite often and this could be quite confusing at times. Also faith plays a huge part within the story. I already knew Emma Hill was a Christian so this wasn't a surprise and it didn't put me off the story at all. I do think that it was included quite heavily though.
If you want the story of Cinderella, with a swoon-worthy Prince, more action, less Stepmother/sisters and an underlying murder mystery. This is the book for you!
Arella's upbringing is one we have heard numerous times, both through print and on screen. For this reason Emma Hill presents this chapter of Arella's life almost as a misty, memory montage; preferring to focus on the upcoming tale she has to tell. I must say I greatly appreciated this originality and confindence: Hill knows she has an absolute gem of a story here and doesn't need to pad it out with the sad turn of events we all know.
Anyone who has read "So, This is Love" by Elizabeth Lim will see some similarities within the two storylines in that Ella begins working in the Palace. However, Hill's Ella is , in my opinion, a much stronger character from the outset. She has no qualms in challenging Prince Freddie's prejudices in respects to gypsies and, on the whole, does not change her behaviour towards Freddie once she discovers he is the Prince.
Ella and Freddie are only two of a whole cast of characters who are beautifully portrayed within this novel. I really loved the added details such as the King's interest in elephants, the fact that the Duke was nicer (but still quite strict) and the fact that Ella had a friend alongside her. All of these factors made the story a lot more real than the classic fairy tale. Hill made it so easy for the reader to fall in love with Ella and Freddie as a couple, especially because they were not perfect and experienced real emotions such as doubt and jealousy. If anything, our love for these two made it even easier for us to hate the villain, Lord DiFortunato.
Now, we all love to hate the sleazy, slimy villain in a story, but this guy was something else! Emma Hill's villain literally made my skin crawl and, at the point in the story where Ella's curiosity puts her in a whole heap of danger, the suspense was too much I had to skim read just to know whether she was going to be OK.
The one character I did want a bit more of was Lady Izabella: I suspect she was likely Freddie's godmother due to her friendship with the Queen and I think this could have been cleverly played on a little more. Don't get me wrong she was a charming (and necessary) background character but I would have liked to see her a little more.
EJ Hill also included a lot of nods to the original fairy tale which were really appreciated. Of course the iconic pink dress becomes ruined and the ballgown is a must but Ella's affectionate use of Prince Charming as a nickname for Freddie was just gorgeous. Oh and losing the shoe: genius!
This is not to say this story lacks originality though. There is a thrilling sub plot into the investigation into the King's death which moves alongside and intersects Arella's plotline beautifully.
I would say that the chapters do shift from Arella to Freddie quite often and this could be quite confusing at times. Also faith plays a huge part within the story. I already knew Emma Hill was a Christian so this wasn't a surprise and it didn't put me off the story at all. I do think that it was included quite heavily though.
If you want the story of Cinderella, with a swoon-worthy Prince, more action, less Stepmother/sisters and an underlying murder mystery. This is the book for you!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Companion in Books
Jan 8, 2021
I've been a fan of Katie Alender's since I first read her book Bad Girls Don't Die. I haven't read a bad book from her yet, and reading Alender's latest book, The Companion, was no different. I enjoyed reading it.
After losing her parents and two younger sisters in a car accident, Margot is sent to the state institution as she has no other family. There, she has vivid nightmares that leave her screaming at night. The other orphans at the institution call her lucky although Margot isn't sure she'd consider herself lucky. When she is chosen by a rich family to come live with them at their large and gorgeous home, Margot's luck may be changing. However, it doesn't seem like it's for the better. Strange things are happening at Margot's new home. Plus, she's meant to play companion for the sick and mute Agatha. On the plus side, her nightmares have seemed to stop but at what price?
The plot of The Companion was a very strong one and had quite the creepy vibe to it which I thoroughly enjoyed. Everything about about the plot was solid and flowed smoothly. The pacing was superb, and I found myself dying to know what would happen next. In fact, I felt like I was actually part of the narrative the whole time. There are a few plot twists although I felt that most were easy to figure out long before they were revealed. While the majority of The Companion was a great read, the last 100 or so pages let this book down. Margot, the protagonist of the story, seems to lose her brain and common sense towards the ending of the novel. She does some really dumb things that put her life in danger. I had a hard time believing that anyone could be that dumb. Other than that, the rest of the story is really great! Loose ends are tied up by the end of the book. However, I would have liked to know how the flowers grew so quickly by a certain grave, but that's probably just a me thing.
All of the characters in The Companion were fleshed out enough to feel realistic. The only exception was Margot towards the end of the book as stated earlier. She started out so strong and smart, it was kind of a shock to see her dumbed down towards the ending. I had really enjoyed her character and her hunger to find out what was really going on when it came to Agatha as well as what happened to Lily. Agatha was definitely my favorite character. I loved how helpful and strong she tried to be despite what was going on with her. I liked Barrett, but I just wish he would have fought a bit harder to try to help Margot instead of just giving in all the time to his mom. Laura was definitely an interesting character for sure. I enjoyed trying to figure out her story alongside Margot. I felt that Laura was the best written character in The Companion.
Trigger warnings for The Companion include minor violence, death, murder, attempted murder, some heavy kissing, drugging, and gaslighting.
Although the last hundred pages do take away from the book a little, The Companion is still a worthwhile read. It does have an interesting plot and characters and will have you hooked from the very first page. I would recommend The Companion by Katie Alender to those aged 13+ who love a suspenseful story.
After losing her parents and two younger sisters in a car accident, Margot is sent to the state institution as she has no other family. There, she has vivid nightmares that leave her screaming at night. The other orphans at the institution call her lucky although Margot isn't sure she'd consider herself lucky. When she is chosen by a rich family to come live with them at their large and gorgeous home, Margot's luck may be changing. However, it doesn't seem like it's for the better. Strange things are happening at Margot's new home. Plus, she's meant to play companion for the sick and mute Agatha. On the plus side, her nightmares have seemed to stop but at what price?
The plot of The Companion was a very strong one and had quite the creepy vibe to it which I thoroughly enjoyed. Everything about about the plot was solid and flowed smoothly. The pacing was superb, and I found myself dying to know what would happen next. In fact, I felt like I was actually part of the narrative the whole time. There are a few plot twists although I felt that most were easy to figure out long before they were revealed. While the majority of The Companion was a great read, the last 100 or so pages let this book down. Margot, the protagonist of the story, seems to lose her brain and common sense towards the ending of the novel. She does some really dumb things that put her life in danger. I had a hard time believing that anyone could be that dumb. Other than that, the rest of the story is really great! Loose ends are tied up by the end of the book. However, I would have liked to know how the flowers grew so quickly by a certain grave, but that's probably just a me thing.
All of the characters in The Companion were fleshed out enough to feel realistic. The only exception was Margot towards the end of the book as stated earlier. She started out so strong and smart, it was kind of a shock to see her dumbed down towards the ending. I had really enjoyed her character and her hunger to find out what was really going on when it came to Agatha as well as what happened to Lily. Agatha was definitely my favorite character. I loved how helpful and strong she tried to be despite what was going on with her. I liked Barrett, but I just wish he would have fought a bit harder to try to help Margot instead of just giving in all the time to his mom. Laura was definitely an interesting character for sure. I enjoyed trying to figure out her story alongside Margot. I felt that Laura was the best written character in The Companion.
Trigger warnings for The Companion include minor violence, death, murder, attempted murder, some heavy kissing, drugging, and gaslighting.
Although the last hundred pages do take away from the book a little, The Companion is still a worthwhile read. It does have an interesting plot and characters and will have you hooked from the very first page. I would recommend The Companion by Katie Alender to those aged 13+ who love a suspenseful story.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Paper Dolls (Dark Carousel #2) in Books
Nov 7, 2020
I really loved Dollhouse, the first book in the Dark Carousel series by Anya Allyn. I couldn't wait to dive into the next book in the series, Paper Dolls. I wanted to love Paper Dolls as much as Dollhouse, but it just wasn't as great.
Paper Dolls takes place right after Dollhouse although Paper Dolls also goes back to 1920 to focus more on Jessamine's back story and to thicken the modern day plot. While I loved Jessamine's story, Cassie's narrative is a bit lackluster. The pacing for Cassie's plot feels very slow moving. While there were a few plot twists regarding Cassie's story, the main one was the most predictable from early on. Don't get me wrong, Allyn's writing is fantastic, but Cassie's plotline just didn't wow me as before. Jessamine's, on the other hand, was fantastic! I loved learning more about Jessamine and how she become like she was in Dollhouse. Jessamine's narrative moved at a great pace, and I would get so excited when her chapters would come up. I also loved how Jessamine's chapters involved more backstory for Henry and Audette and explains how they became ghosts. It also talks more about the mysterious Donovan Fiveash. Many of the other characters, even characters with small parts, from Dollhouse are mentioned again in Paper Dolls. We get a bit more of their back story as well which was nice. There is a big cliffhanger at the end of this book which will lead into the next book in the series, Marionette. Although this book is intended for young adults, I would say it's more aimed towards a mature young adult audience as it's a lot more dark compared to Dollhouse.
As with the first book in the series, Anya Allyn did a fantastic job keeping her characters realistic relatable. Even though I found Cassie's story a little boring, I still enjoyed Cassie's character. I did find her a bit naïve in this book, but she is a teenager, so I could understand why she'd trust the first boy that showed her attention. I felt like I was Cassie's babysitter and was mentally urging her not to trust anyone! Jessamine was my obviously my favorite character. I just wanted to hug her as she had such a sad life for the most part. After reading her story, I understood why she was the way she was in Dollhouse. I really wanted to protect Jessamine throughout the whole book especially when she was still alive although I already knew she'd end up as a ghost. Henry was a character I didn't think I'd end up liking since he seemed like a bad guy in the first book. However, the audience is shown a whole different side of Henry in Paper Dolls. I just wanted Audette to disappear though. Not because she was written poorly but just because how vile and horrible she was to Jessamine. Although they were nice, I had a hard time trusting the Batiste family. They just seemed a little too nice for my liking.
Trigger warnings for Paper Dolls include death, murder, attempted rape, violence, occult activity, and mentions of sex (though not graphic).
Despite being a bit of a slow read, I still enjoyed Paper Dolls. Learning more about many of the ghosts' backstory was extremely interesting, and I loved all the characters. I would recommend Paper Dolls by Anya Allyn to those aged 16+ who love supernatural horror. I have already started reading Marionette, the next book in the Dark Carousel series, since I'm loving this series!
Paper Dolls takes place right after Dollhouse although Paper Dolls also goes back to 1920 to focus more on Jessamine's back story and to thicken the modern day plot. While I loved Jessamine's story, Cassie's narrative is a bit lackluster. The pacing for Cassie's plot feels very slow moving. While there were a few plot twists regarding Cassie's story, the main one was the most predictable from early on. Don't get me wrong, Allyn's writing is fantastic, but Cassie's plotline just didn't wow me as before. Jessamine's, on the other hand, was fantastic! I loved learning more about Jessamine and how she become like she was in Dollhouse. Jessamine's narrative moved at a great pace, and I would get so excited when her chapters would come up. I also loved how Jessamine's chapters involved more backstory for Henry and Audette and explains how they became ghosts. It also talks more about the mysterious Donovan Fiveash. Many of the other characters, even characters with small parts, from Dollhouse are mentioned again in Paper Dolls. We get a bit more of their back story as well which was nice. There is a big cliffhanger at the end of this book which will lead into the next book in the series, Marionette. Although this book is intended for young adults, I would say it's more aimed towards a mature young adult audience as it's a lot more dark compared to Dollhouse.
As with the first book in the series, Anya Allyn did a fantastic job keeping her characters realistic relatable. Even though I found Cassie's story a little boring, I still enjoyed Cassie's character. I did find her a bit naïve in this book, but she is a teenager, so I could understand why she'd trust the first boy that showed her attention. I felt like I was Cassie's babysitter and was mentally urging her not to trust anyone! Jessamine was my obviously my favorite character. I just wanted to hug her as she had such a sad life for the most part. After reading her story, I understood why she was the way she was in Dollhouse. I really wanted to protect Jessamine throughout the whole book especially when she was still alive although I already knew she'd end up as a ghost. Henry was a character I didn't think I'd end up liking since he seemed like a bad guy in the first book. However, the audience is shown a whole different side of Henry in Paper Dolls. I just wanted Audette to disappear though. Not because she was written poorly but just because how vile and horrible she was to Jessamine. Although they were nice, I had a hard time trusting the Batiste family. They just seemed a little too nice for my liking.
Trigger warnings for Paper Dolls include death, murder, attempted rape, violence, occult activity, and mentions of sex (though not graphic).
Despite being a bit of a slow read, I still enjoyed Paper Dolls. Learning more about many of the ghosts' backstory was extremely interesting, and I loved all the characters. I would recommend Paper Dolls by Anya Allyn to those aged 16+ who love supernatural horror. I have already started reading Marionette, the next book in the Dark Carousel series, since I'm loving this series!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Plain Bad Heroines in Books
Dec 17, 2020
Plain Bad Heroines was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I am a sucker for a lesbian tale. Add in a Gothic New England boarding school for girls? Sold.
The story centers around two time periods. The first, 1902, at the Brookhants School for Girls, run by Libbie Brookhants. A book by a young writer, Mary MacLane has come out--one that's incredibly scandalous for the times. Two Brookhants girls, Flo and Clara, are obsessed with it and establish The Plain Bad Heroine Society. The two are in love, meeting in secret--until they are attacked by yellow jackets at their hiding spot, a copy of the book found with them. A few years later the school closes, but not until after more scandal and death. Now, our second period, over a hundred years later, where Merritt Emmons, a young writer, publishes a book about Flo and Clara's story. It inspires a horror film starring Harper Harper, a famous lesbian actress. Harper will be playing Flo and B-list actress Audrey Wells, Clara. Filming on-site at the abandoned Brookhants site, the three women converge. But soon, weird things start happening, and the curse of Brookhants seems back to haunt the set--and our three modern-day heroines.
This book is absolutely enthralling at times. I flew through these 619 pages, that's for sure. My notes state "very lesbian," which is, of course, a major plus for me. Believe me, we don't get a lot of books starring ourselves. And you know, where we are killed off by swarms of yellow jackets. I honestly found both storylines compelling. It's hard not to fall a bit in love with Harper Harper, the charismatic celebrity (out!) lesbian. And 1902 isn't just about Clara and Flo, but Libbie Brookhants and her life trying to run a cursed school in the early 1900s. Honestly, the pages really flew by most of the time. Though, there are certainly moments where I felt some of the story could have been cut.
And yes, the narrative style is different, though it really adds to the uniqueness of the book. It's basically told by an omnipresent narrator, talking directly to the reader. There are footnotes, often humorous ones, and the end result is something you don't often find. For the most part, I felt like Danforth pulled it off, too. I do think Libbie was a little more fully developed than Merritt, Harper, and Audrey, but that also may have been because that trio could come across as a bit spoiled at times.
Probably my two biggest issues with this book (regretfully): for a Gothic horror novel, it's not really that scary. There are a few creepy and eerie moments, especially in the beginning, but it never really builds up to that terrifying moment that you're expecting. And, somewhat related, the ending. We read and stick with our various tales for the entire time and then... poof! Everything just fizzles out. I was so bummed. The ending was such a disappointment after all I'd read and kept this from being a full-fledged 4 or 4.5-star read. I couldn't believe it after what we'd been through. It was like even the author was tired.
So, overall, this is an original and fascinating read. I'm certainly still advising you to read it (especially if you're queer or enjoy reading queer fiction). Just be prepared that the ending may not have that big scary moment you're expecting. 3.5 stars.
The story centers around two time periods. The first, 1902, at the Brookhants School for Girls, run by Libbie Brookhants. A book by a young writer, Mary MacLane has come out--one that's incredibly scandalous for the times. Two Brookhants girls, Flo and Clara, are obsessed with it and establish The Plain Bad Heroine Society. The two are in love, meeting in secret--until they are attacked by yellow jackets at their hiding spot, a copy of the book found with them. A few years later the school closes, but not until after more scandal and death. Now, our second period, over a hundred years later, where Merritt Emmons, a young writer, publishes a book about Flo and Clara's story. It inspires a horror film starring Harper Harper, a famous lesbian actress. Harper will be playing Flo and B-list actress Audrey Wells, Clara. Filming on-site at the abandoned Brookhants site, the three women converge. But soon, weird things start happening, and the curse of Brookhants seems back to haunt the set--and our three modern-day heroines.
This book is absolutely enthralling at times. I flew through these 619 pages, that's for sure. My notes state "very lesbian," which is, of course, a major plus for me. Believe me, we don't get a lot of books starring ourselves. And you know, where we are killed off by swarms of yellow jackets. I honestly found both storylines compelling. It's hard not to fall a bit in love with Harper Harper, the charismatic celebrity (out!) lesbian. And 1902 isn't just about Clara and Flo, but Libbie Brookhants and her life trying to run a cursed school in the early 1900s. Honestly, the pages really flew by most of the time. Though, there are certainly moments where I felt some of the story could have been cut.
And yes, the narrative style is different, though it really adds to the uniqueness of the book. It's basically told by an omnipresent narrator, talking directly to the reader. There are footnotes, often humorous ones, and the end result is something you don't often find. For the most part, I felt like Danforth pulled it off, too. I do think Libbie was a little more fully developed than Merritt, Harper, and Audrey, but that also may have been because that trio could come across as a bit spoiled at times.
Probably my two biggest issues with this book (regretfully): for a Gothic horror novel, it's not really that scary. There are a few creepy and eerie moments, especially in the beginning, but it never really builds up to that terrifying moment that you're expecting. And, somewhat related, the ending. We read and stick with our various tales for the entire time and then... poof! Everything just fizzles out. I was so bummed. The ending was such a disappointment after all I'd read and kept this from being a full-fledged 4 or 4.5-star read. I couldn't believe it after what we'd been through. It was like even the author was tired.
So, overall, this is an original and fascinating read. I'm certainly still advising you to read it (especially if you're queer or enjoy reading queer fiction). Just be prepared that the ending may not have that big scary moment you're expecting. 3.5 stars.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Westing Game in Books
Dec 13, 2020
While looking for my next read, I came across The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. I had never heard of it before, but the synopsis sounded interesting. I decided to give it a read, and I'm glad I did.
Sixteen people all move into Sam Westing's apartment building after receiving a letter inviting them to move in. They are the only tenants in the building. Little do they know that they were picked to play in a game where they could potentially win a lot of money. However, they must play hard to win if they want to inherit millions even if the game may be dangerous.
I didn't realize it while reading The Westing Game, but this book is considered middle grade fiction. The way it is written, I think every age group would enjoy it. It's a fun and easy read. The plot flows smoothly, and the story progresses with ease. Each page is filled with mystery. I found myself guessing who was the murderer and which person would figure out the clues to inherit Sam Westing's inheritance. I will say that The Westing Game's mystery had me stumped. I never could guess who was who which made me love this book even more. This book is chock full of mystery and intrigue. It will leave you scratching your head as you read it trying to figure out who killed Sam Westing. There's plenty of plot twists, and just when you think you have figured everything out, you will find out how wrong your guess was. I've never read a book that stumped me so much while trying to figure out everything! However, by the end of the book, everything is revealed. All questions are answered, and the author lets us know how each character got on in life. One minor annoyance (and I believe it's a personal thing) was that the writing seemed a little choppy to me in how it was written. Maybe it is just that style, but I found it a bit peculiar. However, that didn't take away my interest in the story that much.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game. I enjoyed the diversity of the characters in the book. I do wish there was a bit more backstory for each of the characters though. It's not that they didn't feel fleshed out because they did, but I would have enjoyed learning more about each one of them a bit more before they moved in to Westing's apartment building. I enjoyed Turtle's character the most. Although she was often looked over, her determination to prove herself was admirable. I like how, despite her young age, she threw herself into Sam Westing's game. Sydelle was my least favorite character. It wasn't because she wasn't written well, quite the opposite. I just found her personality annoying. I kept hoping she was somehow be kicked out. Even though she wasn't mentioned as much, I really liked Madame Hoo. I enjoyed her scenes and her personality on the pages she was mentioned in.
Trigger warnings for The Westing Game include minor violence, death, suicide, drinking, and minor racism from one of the characters.
With it's mysterious plot and interesting cast of characters, The Westing Game is one of those books that you will love reading while trying to figure out its plot. It will keep you on your toes at all times! I would definitely recommend The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin to those aged 13+ who are after an unpredictable and well written mystery novel.
Sixteen people all move into Sam Westing's apartment building after receiving a letter inviting them to move in. They are the only tenants in the building. Little do they know that they were picked to play in a game where they could potentially win a lot of money. However, they must play hard to win if they want to inherit millions even if the game may be dangerous.
I didn't realize it while reading The Westing Game, but this book is considered middle grade fiction. The way it is written, I think every age group would enjoy it. It's a fun and easy read. The plot flows smoothly, and the story progresses with ease. Each page is filled with mystery. I found myself guessing who was the murderer and which person would figure out the clues to inherit Sam Westing's inheritance. I will say that The Westing Game's mystery had me stumped. I never could guess who was who which made me love this book even more. This book is chock full of mystery and intrigue. It will leave you scratching your head as you read it trying to figure out who killed Sam Westing. There's plenty of plot twists, and just when you think you have figured everything out, you will find out how wrong your guess was. I've never read a book that stumped me so much while trying to figure out everything! However, by the end of the book, everything is revealed. All questions are answered, and the author lets us know how each character got on in life. One minor annoyance (and I believe it's a personal thing) was that the writing seemed a little choppy to me in how it was written. Maybe it is just that style, but I found it a bit peculiar. However, that didn't take away my interest in the story that much.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game. I enjoyed the diversity of the characters in the book. I do wish there was a bit more backstory for each of the characters though. It's not that they didn't feel fleshed out because they did, but I would have enjoyed learning more about each one of them a bit more before they moved in to Westing's apartment building. I enjoyed Turtle's character the most. Although she was often looked over, her determination to prove herself was admirable. I like how, despite her young age, she threw herself into Sam Westing's game. Sydelle was my least favorite character. It wasn't because she wasn't written well, quite the opposite. I just found her personality annoying. I kept hoping she was somehow be kicked out. Even though she wasn't mentioned as much, I really liked Madame Hoo. I enjoyed her scenes and her personality on the pages she was mentioned in.
Trigger warnings for The Westing Game include minor violence, death, suicide, drinking, and minor racism from one of the characters.
With it's mysterious plot and interesting cast of characters, The Westing Game is one of those books that you will love reading while trying to figure out its plot. It will keep you on your toes at all times! I would definitely recommend The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin to those aged 13+ who are after an unpredictable and well written mystery novel.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Bumblebee (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I'm really torn by this film. I enjoyed it but at the same time it isn't amazing. It's got all the classic formulas in it. Charlie is still trying to make sense of her father's death. Bumblebee is trying to remember who he is. Together they help each other... it really could be one of many films.
Something I'm pleased to discover is that other people were getting Herbie vibes from this. In the notes I was jotting down for my review I put "this would make a pretty good Herbie story". And then I pondered the possibility that Herbie was a Transformer who was broken and stuck in his Beetle shape.
The opening battle on Cyberton is surprisingly natural considering it's made up of CGId robots. It makes for a great opening. But I wasn't wowed. I should have been blown away by the effects and I just wasn't.
Bumblebee as a character was a real joy. After his memory is damaged he's basically back to being a scared little boy and the animation reflects that incredibly well. Everything about him is inquisitive and childlike, and all the little touches are there to really bring him to life. He's very human in the moments before he gets his memory back.
There are so many of his scenes that were genuinely pleasing to watch. Him waving at Charlie as she chases after them. The cassette tapes. The extended toilet paper prank and house demolition scenes. Probably my favourite bit though is where he's sitting in the forest and she's trying to fix him, his fidgeting is adorable.
When it comes to the cast feels like we've got the members of a comedy working on a drama/action film. They work well with what they've got and we get some enjoyable performances but there's nothing that really sticks in the memory.
I still enjoyed Bumblebee but I can't say that I found it to be any better than previous films in the franchise, certainly not on the action and graphics side of things. The soundtrack is full of some classic tunes that are very well placed, and the overall vibe of that combined with everything else is spot on for the 80s. You do forget it's set in 1987 though, which means that little things pop up like the TV and the technology that the military have and you feel like the films has already dated.
This is the first Transformers movie to get a PG rating in the UK, previously they've all been rated 12. It's definitely family friendly... but... it reminds me more and more of Herbie every moment I think about it.
As a last thought... seriously, Charlie? You have your moments. "If we're driving down the street and we see someone you have to hide"... if you're driving down the street he's a car anyway, hiding would make it more obvious that he's not just a car. You draw more attention to Bee than he does. Blindfolding yourself with Memo's shirt (weird moment in the film by the way, creepily out of place) and then standing out the sunroof? That won't make you more noticeable to passersby.
What you should do
It's an enjoyable film and should make for a fun family outing. I don't think there's any particular rush to see it in the cinema though.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Who wouldn't want they're own Transformer who can change into any car it wants AND can dance?!
Something I'm pleased to discover is that other people were getting Herbie vibes from this. In the notes I was jotting down for my review I put "this would make a pretty good Herbie story". And then I pondered the possibility that Herbie was a Transformer who was broken and stuck in his Beetle shape.
The opening battle on Cyberton is surprisingly natural considering it's made up of CGId robots. It makes for a great opening. But I wasn't wowed. I should have been blown away by the effects and I just wasn't.
Bumblebee as a character was a real joy. After his memory is damaged he's basically back to being a scared little boy and the animation reflects that incredibly well. Everything about him is inquisitive and childlike, and all the little touches are there to really bring him to life. He's very human in the moments before he gets his memory back.
There are so many of his scenes that were genuinely pleasing to watch. Him waving at Charlie as she chases after them. The cassette tapes. The extended toilet paper prank and house demolition scenes. Probably my favourite bit though is where he's sitting in the forest and she's trying to fix him, his fidgeting is adorable.
When it comes to the cast feels like we've got the members of a comedy working on a drama/action film. They work well with what they've got and we get some enjoyable performances but there's nothing that really sticks in the memory.
I still enjoyed Bumblebee but I can't say that I found it to be any better than previous films in the franchise, certainly not on the action and graphics side of things. The soundtrack is full of some classic tunes that are very well placed, and the overall vibe of that combined with everything else is spot on for the 80s. You do forget it's set in 1987 though, which means that little things pop up like the TV and the technology that the military have and you feel like the films has already dated.
This is the first Transformers movie to get a PG rating in the UK, previously they've all been rated 12. It's definitely family friendly... but... it reminds me more and more of Herbie every moment I think about it.
As a last thought... seriously, Charlie? You have your moments. "If we're driving down the street and we see someone you have to hide"... if you're driving down the street he's a car anyway, hiding would make it more obvious that he's not just a car. You draw more attention to Bee than he does. Blindfolding yourself with Memo's shirt (weird moment in the film by the way, creepily out of place) and then standing out the sunroof? That won't make you more noticeable to passersby.
What you should do
It's an enjoyable film and should make for a fun family outing. I don't think there's any particular rush to see it in the cinema though.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Who wouldn't want they're own Transformer who can change into any car it wants AND can dance?!
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Claiming Her Highway in Books
Sep 10, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Genre: Historical
Words: 17,970
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5 stars
My rating: 2/5 stars
Cass runs one of the greatest band of highwaymen around. Despite being a woman, she’s respected by her crew, and every night they return to camp richer than they were and she can enjoy being in the arms of her second-in-command, Will Carpenter. But that all changes when Will accepts a position in the King’s Guard. Cass knows Will wants more than what she can give him. He wants marriage and kids, as well as honest work instead of thieving. But Cass doesn’t know if she can ever give him up.
Claiming Her Highwayman is free on Smashwords.
I found myself underwhelmed by this story. When it starts, Will and Cass are already a couple, and the chemistry between them already feels forced, as well as the heist they’re about to go on. It’s like a bad first draft that hasn’t developed into something greater yet. Cass and Will feel more like paper dolls than people and unfortunately, I never get that attached to them. They just don’t have the chemistry.
It doesn’t help that my suspension of disbelief took a huge beating when Will’s offered a job with the King’s Guard, as the princess’s personal guard. He’s a highwayman! Since when do they let criminals guard princesses? Um, never. Not only that, but he’s still in contact with his old gang, and he’s not even in training to be a soldier! He just is. Apparently the standards for becoming a member of the King’s Guard is really low.
It would make a hell of a lot more sense to me if there was a scarcity of guards for some reason, like the country was at war, and that’s why they’re turning to criminals to keep up with the demand of soldiers. That would flesh out the plot, too. But nope. Apparently we’re supposed to accept that a robber can become a princess’s bodyguard easily after mugging her with his gang of bandits. Oh, and he almost becomes her husband. Because every king wants his little girl to marry a common criminal.
Despite everything wrong with the story, I like Will’s and Cass’s characters. Even though Will only exists to be Cass’s lover, he’s got some pretty charming lines in the story. His need to protect her is incredibly sexy.
Cass’s character is a little more complex. She’s strong and independent, and she knows what she wants in life. She’s the type of girl who would be bored to death in most respectable professions for a woman, instead enjoying being a bandit. But I hated her when Bryce, one of her men, attacked her in her tent. All she did to defend herself was bide her time until she could scream for help
What. The. Fuck.
She’s a damn gang leader and she doesn’t know how to defend herself against one man who gets too handsy? Please. That’s fucking ludicrous, and all of my respect for her is just gone because of that one scene. How the hell did she become a leader in the first place if she needs to scream like a damn damsel whenever she gets attacked? Not cool.
This book really didn’t do much for me. While it’s all right, it’s not that good. The characters aren’t good, and neither is the writing. I suggest you look elsewhere for your historical romance bad boy.
Words: 17,970
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5 stars
My rating: 2/5 stars
Cass runs one of the greatest band of highwaymen around. Despite being a woman, she’s respected by her crew, and every night they return to camp richer than they were and she can enjoy being in the arms of her second-in-command, Will Carpenter. But that all changes when Will accepts a position in the King’s Guard. Cass knows Will wants more than what she can give him. He wants marriage and kids, as well as honest work instead of thieving. But Cass doesn’t know if she can ever give him up.
Claiming Her Highwayman is free on Smashwords.
I found myself underwhelmed by this story. When it starts, Will and Cass are already a couple, and the chemistry between them already feels forced, as well as the heist they’re about to go on. It’s like a bad first draft that hasn’t developed into something greater yet. Cass and Will feel more like paper dolls than people and unfortunately, I never get that attached to them. They just don’t have the chemistry.
It doesn’t help that my suspension of disbelief took a huge beating when Will’s offered a job with the King’s Guard, as the princess’s personal guard. He’s a highwayman! Since when do they let criminals guard princesses? Um, never. Not only that, but he’s still in contact with his old gang, and he’s not even in training to be a soldier! He just is. Apparently the standards for becoming a member of the King’s Guard is really low.
It would make a hell of a lot more sense to me if there was a scarcity of guards for some reason, like the country was at war, and that’s why they’re turning to criminals to keep up with the demand of soldiers. That would flesh out the plot, too. But nope. Apparently we’re supposed to accept that a robber can become a princess’s bodyguard easily after mugging her with his gang of bandits. Oh, and he almost becomes her husband. Because every king wants his little girl to marry a common criminal.
Despite everything wrong with the story, I like Will’s and Cass’s characters. Even though Will only exists to be Cass’s lover, he’s got some pretty charming lines in the story. His need to protect her is incredibly sexy.
Cass’s character is a little more complex. She’s strong and independent, and she knows what she wants in life. She’s the type of girl who would be bored to death in most respectable professions for a woman, instead enjoying being a bandit. But I hated her when Bryce, one of her men, attacked her in her tent. All she did to defend herself was bide her time until she could scream for help
What. The. Fuck.
She’s a damn gang leader and she doesn’t know how to defend herself against one man who gets too handsy? Please. That’s fucking ludicrous, and all of my respect for her is just gone because of that one scene. How the hell did she become a leader in the first place if she needs to scream like a damn damsel whenever she gets attacked? Not cool.
This book really didn’t do much for me. While it’s all right, it’s not that good. The characters aren’t good, and neither is the writing. I suggest you look elsewhere for your historical romance bad boy.
An interesting story but lacked in parts
Contains spoilers, click to show
You can also find this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Talk of death, violence
Review:
I want to thank The Parliament House for sending me an eBook ARC to read and review for my honest opinion. I originally rated this a 4 out of 5 stars but after much thought and consideration, I am dropping it to a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Summoned follows Alton, a bored and seventeen year old who wishes to have a new tutor that allows a more challenging experience in Alton’s magic studies. This is where Professor Victor Orvius comes into play. He recruits Alton and another, named Reagan. The only rule these two must follow is that they follow all of Orvius’ rules. If the two do that, they will be taught magic without any limits.
What Alton wasn’t expecting was to be met with such a sarcastic and brash young witch. He becomes star struck with Reagan and the two clash, becoming rivals. That is until the two must join forces because a greater threat has been summoned, a demon.
When I first picked up Summoned by McKayla Eaton, I wasn’t fully invested into the story. I didn’t get into the story until the half way point, and that was when the plot actually started getting good. Don’t get me wrong, this was an extremely easy read and I ended up blowing through it with the little spurts of time I was able to read. But something was lacking a bit.
Alton and Reagan were both relatable and not at the same time. They seemed almost “two perfect for relatability” yet they did things that I could see a teenager doing now-a-days. The whole story gave an almost Harry Potter like feel with the rebellious and angsty teenager (Reagan basically was Draco), the studious and rule follower (Alton was basically Harry Potter mixed with Hermione Granger), and the adult who maintained a large distance from his students and seemed wise beyond his years (Orvius was basically Dumbledore). I loved the vibes I was getting and I wanted to continue reading to find out what happened.
But I was met with a bit of disappointment and a cringe fest. The humor and banter was a bit much at times. The action was interesting and progressed the plot but there were also times where it seemed to slow the plot of the story. There was a ton of character development that helped even some of the plot holes but those missing plot holes really put a damper on reading.
The ending on the other hand was good and left on a major cliffhanger, but it also really felt like it was moving extremely fast. This is where some of those plot holes come into play. This is the first book in the series, so it could have been just groundwork being laid but some may find the plot holes to be a determent from picking up this book.
Is it worth the read? Yes.
Would I reread? Probably not. Don’t get me wrong, it was good and entertaining, but the plot holes really were a determent for me.
Will I continue the series? I’m honestly not 100% sure. I would like to know more about the story and see how the rest of the story unfolds, but I’m also not rushing to read them.
“Life wouldn’t be any fun if you didn’t break the rules sometimes, Alton.“
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Talk of death, violence
Review:
I want to thank The Parliament House for sending me an eBook ARC to read and review for my honest opinion. I originally rated this a 4 out of 5 stars but after much thought and consideration, I am dropping it to a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Summoned follows Alton, a bored and seventeen year old who wishes to have a new tutor that allows a more challenging experience in Alton’s magic studies. This is where Professor Victor Orvius comes into play. He recruits Alton and another, named Reagan. The only rule these two must follow is that they follow all of Orvius’ rules. If the two do that, they will be taught magic without any limits.
What Alton wasn’t expecting was to be met with such a sarcastic and brash young witch. He becomes star struck with Reagan and the two clash, becoming rivals. That is until the two must join forces because a greater threat has been summoned, a demon.
When I first picked up Summoned by McKayla Eaton, I wasn’t fully invested into the story. I didn’t get into the story until the half way point, and that was when the plot actually started getting good. Don’t get me wrong, this was an extremely easy read and I ended up blowing through it with the little spurts of time I was able to read. But something was lacking a bit.
Alton and Reagan were both relatable and not at the same time. They seemed almost “two perfect for relatability” yet they did things that I could see a teenager doing now-a-days. The whole story gave an almost Harry Potter like feel with the rebellious and angsty teenager (Reagan basically was Draco), the studious and rule follower (Alton was basically Harry Potter mixed with Hermione Granger), and the adult who maintained a large distance from his students and seemed wise beyond his years (Orvius was basically Dumbledore). I loved the vibes I was getting and I wanted to continue reading to find out what happened.
But I was met with a bit of disappointment and a cringe fest. The humor and banter was a bit much at times. The action was interesting and progressed the plot but there were also times where it seemed to slow the plot of the story. There was a ton of character development that helped even some of the plot holes but those missing plot holes really put a damper on reading.
The ending on the other hand was good and left on a major cliffhanger, but it also really felt like it was moving extremely fast. This is where some of those plot holes come into play. This is the first book in the series, so it could have been just groundwork being laid but some may find the plot holes to be a determent from picking up this book.
Is it worth the read? Yes.
Would I reread? Probably not. Don’t get me wrong, it was good and entertaining, but the plot holes really were a determent for me.
Will I continue the series? I’m honestly not 100% sure. I would like to know more about the story and see how the rest of the story unfolds, but I’m also not rushing to read them.
“Life wouldn’t be any fun if you didn’t break the rules sometimes, Alton.“
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