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Kyera (8 KP) rated The It Girl (It Girl, #1) in Books

Feb 1, 2018

The It Girl series follows Gossip Girl character, Jenny Humphries at her new boarding school, Waverly. The sophomore must navigate an entirely new set of social rules in her attempt to become New Jenny - an it-girl. But life at Waverly isn't always what Jenny dreamed for herself and sometimes it's so much better.

Overall, the book is enjoyable in a simple, YA, guilty read way. It's not going to win any literary awards, but if you enjoy books about privileged kids, boarding schools or volatile relationship dynamics you will like this read. Although it is fiction, sometimes I am astounded by the level of debauchery surrounding these students.

The first book, It Girl, introduces us to the large cast of characters. New girl, Jenny, who is looking to reinvent herself. Junior class prefect, Brett, who seems to have it all together. Privileged princess, Callie, who thinks appearances are everything. True it-girl, Tinsley, who is the puppet-master of Waverly. As well as all their girlfriends and the rotating batch of potential boyfriends.

School seems perfect - the guy she has her eye on seems to be crushing back, her roommates seem great and she's been invited to join the advanced art class. What could go wrong? {{spoiler}}Tinsley returns to school and is none too happy about the new girl in her bed.

Kudos

Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Ararat in Books

Mar 15, 2018

Ararat

Christopher Golden | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror, Thriller

7.3

(3 Ratings)

Book Rating

"Popcorn" books can be a lot of fun no matter what time of year it is, but they seem especially appropriate in the Summer time, and this latest horror offering from Christopher Golden is a pretty perfect Summer book. Engaged, moutain-climbing authors / documentary filmmakers Adam and Meryam are in a race to be first up Mt. Ararat into a cavern that has opened up as the result of an earthquake, possibly revealing Noah's Ark. Unsurprisingly they make it and discover that the cavern appears to actually be the ark itself, and it contains a rather disturbing discovery inside. Nevertheless, they assemble a team of international archaeologists, religious experts, mountain guides, and government representatives and get to work studying their findings. As a blizzard approaches, effectively trapping them inside the Ark, things begin to take a turn for the worse at the site as the body count begins piling up, and the tone of the book switches from adventure mixed with some mystery to a straight-up frightfest. This is one of the scarier books I've read in a while, using some pretty shocking violence to really up the fear factor. As a result, while not likely to win any literary rewards, Mr. Golden has created one of the year's most entertaining books, and written a story that would make a great Summer blockbuster.

Kudos

David McK (3773 KP) rated Watchmen in Books

Jan 28, 2019

Watchmen

Dave Gibbons, Alan Moore | 1986 | Comics & Graphic Novels

8.8

(22 Ratings)

Book Rating

Often cited as one of the most influential comic-books/graphic novels, alongside the likes of [b:V for Vendetta|5805|V for Vendetta|Alan Moore|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1343668985s/5805.jpg|392838]'V for Vendetta' and [b:Batman: The Dark Knight Returns|59960|Batman The Dark Knight Returns (The Dark Knight Saga, #1)|Frank Miller|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327892039s/59960.jpg|1104159]'The Dark Knight Returns', this was, if I'm honest, one such that I'd never even heard of until the 2009 movie of the same name.

Set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superhero's are (were) real but have since been outlawed, there's a definite argument to be made that this would inspire the Pixar film The Incredibles: family drama, costumed superheroes coming out of retirement, conspiracies afoot ... see what I mean?

But whereas The Incredibles is aimed at a family audience, this is anything but: violent throughout, slow (at times seemingly glacial) moving and even dealing with the effects of (and fallout from) rape, this is definitely not one for the younger reader!

On the plus side, it does have a stunningly realised world alongside a compelling backstory to several of the characters: like several other literary classics, this is one that I can now say that I've read but wouldn't really be rushing back to do so again anytime soon.