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Alice (12 KP) rated The Suffragette Scandal (Brothers Sinister, #4) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
This is definitely the best book of the series and the only thing that disappointed was that it was the last of the series.
The Suffragette Scandal follows the story of Frederica “Free” Marshall and Edward Clark. Edward is a scoundrel of the highest order and I positively love him. His character is amazing, and he’s got flaws but he admits them – flaunts them even.
“Which of my myriad flaws is making you uneasy, Miss Marshall?” He gave her a long, slow smile. “Is it my arrogant conceit or my wicked sense of humour?”
“I’m Edward Clark. Born Edward Delacey. Now apparently, Viscount Claridge.” He shut his eyes “You can address me by my preferred title: you idiot.”
The thing with Edward is that he isn’t afraid of admitting he’s wrong about something. I like how this book was told from equal POVs and that the whole book was about winning the girl but was instead about saving the day, winning the girl and then trying to save their marriage.
∞
Free’s character was amazingly astute as well and so laid back but also very upfront – “Huzzah! Suffragettes!” – she meshes with Edward right from the beginning which was lovely, there wasn’t a massive overhaul of her principles after the marriage and in fact Edward tries to give her back her life.
The dynamic between them was amazing and Edward says the best thing about Free:
“I married her to unleash her on the world, not to keep her under wraps “
I’m pretty much just rambling about the characters because they were just that good. So well written and the relationship between them was amazing and it flowed expertly.
I’m kind of sad that the series has ended now after reading them all but they were very, very good. Highly recommended.
The Suffragette Scandal follows the story of Frederica “Free” Marshall and Edward Clark. Edward is a scoundrel of the highest order and I positively love him. His character is amazing, and he’s got flaws but he admits them – flaunts them even.
“Which of my myriad flaws is making you uneasy, Miss Marshall?” He gave her a long, slow smile. “Is it my arrogant conceit or my wicked sense of humour?”
“I’m Edward Clark. Born Edward Delacey. Now apparently, Viscount Claridge.” He shut his eyes “You can address me by my preferred title: you idiot.”
The thing with Edward is that he isn’t afraid of admitting he’s wrong about something. I like how this book was told from equal POVs and that the whole book was about winning the girl but was instead about saving the day, winning the girl and then trying to save their marriage.
∞
Free’s character was amazingly astute as well and so laid back but also very upfront – “Huzzah! Suffragettes!” – she meshes with Edward right from the beginning which was lovely, there wasn’t a massive overhaul of her principles after the marriage and in fact Edward tries to give her back her life.
The dynamic between them was amazing and Edward says the best thing about Free:
“I married her to unleash her on the world, not to keep her under wraps “
I’m pretty much just rambling about the characters because they were just that good. So well written and the relationship between them was amazing and it flowed expertly.
I’m kind of sad that the series has ended now after reading them all but they were very, very good. Highly recommended.
Debbiereadsbook (1570 KP) rated Black Sky Morning (Mind + Machine #3) in Books
Aug 14, 2019
doesn't quite hit THAT spot!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Mind + Machine series, and it's not totally necessary to read the other two books first, but I personally think it would give you a bigger better picture of Jonathan, and his work.
I LOVED books one adn two, this one though, did not quite hit THAT spot, you know? And it pains me, deeply, when I cannot figure out why!
Jonathan is Rylan's brother (book one, Metal Machine Magic) and Xin pops up on both previous books (I think!) they just haven't crossed paths just yet. Not til Jonathan enlists Xin in a mission that goes a bit wrong. But then Xin enlists Jonathan in a mission of his own and the pair end up stranded on a distant planet, faced with possible death. They have to work together to get free. Neither is used to trusting though.
I liked the way the story developed, at an even pace, fast enough to keep up but not so fast you miss something. I liked that there wasn't rally any attraction brewing between them (at least I didn't pick it up!) until Xin brings up a possible physical relationship to get them through their predicament. I liked the way that things crept up on them both.
It's well told, from both Jonathan and Xin's point of view, in the third person. Each voice is clear and distinctive, given their very different upbringings.
I liked the way their story unfolded. I just didn't LOVE it like the other two!
So, gonna leave it with this, a good solid sci-fi read, that I did read in one sitting!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 3 in the Mind + Machine series, and it's not totally necessary to read the other two books first, but I personally think it would give you a bigger better picture of Jonathan, and his work.
I LOVED books one adn two, this one though, did not quite hit THAT spot, you know? And it pains me, deeply, when I cannot figure out why!
Jonathan is Rylan's brother (book one, Metal Machine Magic) and Xin pops up on both previous books (I think!) they just haven't crossed paths just yet. Not til Jonathan enlists Xin in a mission that goes a bit wrong. But then Xin enlists Jonathan in a mission of his own and the pair end up stranded on a distant planet, faced with possible death. They have to work together to get free. Neither is used to trusting though.
I liked the way the story developed, at an even pace, fast enough to keep up but not so fast you miss something. I liked that there wasn't rally any attraction brewing between them (at least I didn't pick it up!) until Xin brings up a possible physical relationship to get them through their predicament. I liked the way that things crept up on them both.
It's well told, from both Jonathan and Xin's point of view, in the third person. Each voice is clear and distinctive, given their very different upbringings.
I liked the way their story unfolded. I just didn't LOVE it like the other two!
So, gonna leave it with this, a good solid sci-fi read, that I did read in one sitting!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
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Alan Tudyk recommended Grown Man by Loudon Wainwright, III in Music (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated With or Without You in Books
Sep 17, 2020
Stella and Simon have been together nearly twenty years. Simon, a rock musician, has spent most of those waiting for his one big break. He thinks he's found it now, but right before he and Stella are set to leave for California for the show that could change his life, she falls into a coma. Now Simon faces a choice: get on the plane with his band, or remain behind with his love. As for Stella, she's aware of the world around her while in the coma, and when she emerges, she's different, with a newfound artistic talent. Together, Simon and Stella must reexamine their relationship and figure out the path forward.
What a beautiful and striking novel. I discovered Caroline Leavitt through the power of ARCs in 2016, falling in love with her work through Cruel Beautiful World. She gives us another book filled with compelling characters here. I so enjoyed reading a book with a different plot, especially knowing that the coma story was somewhat based on Leavitt's own life. She's a remarkable writer in so many ways.
With or Without You is incredibly well-written--almost poetic at times. It's told from both Simon and Stella's perspectives, including while Stella's in her coma, and some of those moments are quite profound and touching. Both Stella's realizations as she struggles to realize where she is, and Simon's, as he tries to grapple with the idea of his partner being ill, as well as the awareness that he may be losing his last chance at fame and fortune as his band moves on without him.
"It's a kind of blankness. She's been erased for a while and then redrawn. When she comes back, she always feels a little bit better..."
Even worse for both Simon and Stella is the fact that they fought shortly before she fell into the coma. What kind of relationship, each wonders, would they come back into should Stella awake? In this way, Leavitt gives a beautiful character study: an in-depth observation into a flawed relationship. It just happens to be a relationship where a woman enters and exits a coma. It's an amazing look into love, loyalty, and loss. The novel makes you think, drawing you into the characters. What would you do in Simon's situation, you think? Or Stella's?
"Mostly she thought of all the things that she herself wanted, and like Simon's dreams, they had an expiration date she couldn't ignore."
Overall, I quite enjoyed this novel. It's so well-done and such a different and intriguing look at two people trying to find happiness. I love Leavitt's way with words. 4 stars.
What a beautiful and striking novel. I discovered Caroline Leavitt through the power of ARCs in 2016, falling in love with her work through Cruel Beautiful World. She gives us another book filled with compelling characters here. I so enjoyed reading a book with a different plot, especially knowing that the coma story was somewhat based on Leavitt's own life. She's a remarkable writer in so many ways.
With or Without You is incredibly well-written--almost poetic at times. It's told from both Simon and Stella's perspectives, including while Stella's in her coma, and some of those moments are quite profound and touching. Both Stella's realizations as she struggles to realize where she is, and Simon's, as he tries to grapple with the idea of his partner being ill, as well as the awareness that he may be losing his last chance at fame and fortune as his band moves on without him.
"It's a kind of blankness. She's been erased for a while and then redrawn. When she comes back, she always feels a little bit better..."
Even worse for both Simon and Stella is the fact that they fought shortly before she fell into the coma. What kind of relationship, each wonders, would they come back into should Stella awake? In this way, Leavitt gives a beautiful character study: an in-depth observation into a flawed relationship. It just happens to be a relationship where a woman enters and exits a coma. It's an amazing look into love, loyalty, and loss. The novel makes you think, drawing you into the characters. What would you do in Simon's situation, you think? Or Stella's?
"Mostly she thought of all the things that she herself wanted, and like Simon's dreams, they had an expiration date she couldn't ignore."
Overall, I quite enjoyed this novel. It's so well-done and such a different and intriguing look at two people trying to find happiness. I love Leavitt's way with words. 4 stars.
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) in Movies
Jun 20, 2020
The trailer for Dora looked like fun but I went in cautious, luckily I came out having really enjoyed myself. Dora is the step before the new Jumanji films, it's packed with fun daft stuff and it's difficult to hold anything against it.
Dora and her parents live in the jungle where they can explore and learn about everything around them. When her best friend Diego leaves for the city she's left with only Boots, a cheeky monkey, to go on a daily adventure with.
Years later after a breakthrough with their research Dora's parents send her to stay with Diego and his family in the city as they go off looking for their lost Inca civilisation. High school is a bit like a jungle, but not like the one Dora is used to, she muddles through the best she can trying to stay positive.
When the school goes on a field trip to the museum Dora and her friends get cornered by a strange group of people and trapped in a packing crate headed back to the jungle. Dora isn't the only one wanting to know where her parents are, this group of mercenaries are after them too, and the treasure.
Something great about Dora And The Lost City Of Gold is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. The TV series was after my time but it's one of those things you still know about. I was pre-worried about the terrible animation on Boots, it didn't exactly look ground-breaking in the trailer, but once the cute little thing got going I didn't really care. Obviously there are lots of things that happen in the cartoon that don't really lend themselves to the big screen. Possibly the most amusing one is Dora breaking the fourth wall to ask if we can say "delicioso", the reaction from everyone in the scene is hilarious and I'm impressed they decided to do it that way.
Isabela Moner made an excellent impression earlier this year in Instant Family and seeing her name on this was brilliant. The age difference to the show makes sense and I love the way they handled it. There's infectious enthusiasm that it was difficult not to succumb to. Having to act with things that aren't there is incredibly difficult to do realistically but you wouldn't know it to watch her in this.
Dora's parents are played by Michael Peña and Eva Longoria, it seems like an odd pairing but they were really fun together. You know I love Michael Peña, and he's so goofy and fun in this that it made me very happy. His extended rave music piece was thankfully better than the short clip in the trailer. Eva Longoria was much more down to earth and sensible and the dynamic between them worked really well.
The film managed to incorporate the cartoon in quite a fun way. I'm not sure how they expect parents to explain what happened but that's not my problem so I'm purely entertained by it all. I briefly mentioned the animation of Boots, it's not good but the character is amusing, Swiper the fox has a similar animation issue. He's more annoying to watch and see other characters interact with him, but a fox that talks and walks on his hind legs isn't going to be great in this style of film whatever way you try.
Dora And The Lost City Of Gold really feels like it brings together all the values that the show tries to put across, friendship, learning and good behaviour. It has captured it all in a bright and engaging format while keeping the content amusing and suitable for everyone. I'm very pleased I got to see this it's one of the more amusing releases this year.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/08/dora-and-lost-city-of-gold-movie-review.html
Dora and her parents live in the jungle where they can explore and learn about everything around them. When her best friend Diego leaves for the city she's left with only Boots, a cheeky monkey, to go on a daily adventure with.
Years later after a breakthrough with their research Dora's parents send her to stay with Diego and his family in the city as they go off looking for their lost Inca civilisation. High school is a bit like a jungle, but not like the one Dora is used to, she muddles through the best she can trying to stay positive.
When the school goes on a field trip to the museum Dora and her friends get cornered by a strange group of people and trapped in a packing crate headed back to the jungle. Dora isn't the only one wanting to know where her parents are, this group of mercenaries are after them too, and the treasure.
Something great about Dora And The Lost City Of Gold is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. The TV series was after my time but it's one of those things you still know about. I was pre-worried about the terrible animation on Boots, it didn't exactly look ground-breaking in the trailer, but once the cute little thing got going I didn't really care. Obviously there are lots of things that happen in the cartoon that don't really lend themselves to the big screen. Possibly the most amusing one is Dora breaking the fourth wall to ask if we can say "delicioso", the reaction from everyone in the scene is hilarious and I'm impressed they decided to do it that way.
Isabela Moner made an excellent impression earlier this year in Instant Family and seeing her name on this was brilliant. The age difference to the show makes sense and I love the way they handled it. There's infectious enthusiasm that it was difficult not to succumb to. Having to act with things that aren't there is incredibly difficult to do realistically but you wouldn't know it to watch her in this.
Dora's parents are played by Michael Peña and Eva Longoria, it seems like an odd pairing but they were really fun together. You know I love Michael Peña, and he's so goofy and fun in this that it made me very happy. His extended rave music piece was thankfully better than the short clip in the trailer. Eva Longoria was much more down to earth and sensible and the dynamic between them worked really well.
The film managed to incorporate the cartoon in quite a fun way. I'm not sure how they expect parents to explain what happened but that's not my problem so I'm purely entertained by it all. I briefly mentioned the animation of Boots, it's not good but the character is amusing, Swiper the fox has a similar animation issue. He's more annoying to watch and see other characters interact with him, but a fox that talks and walks on his hind legs isn't going to be great in this style of film whatever way you try.
Dora And The Lost City Of Gold really feels like it brings together all the values that the show tries to put across, friendship, learning and good behaviour. It has captured it all in a bright and engaging format while keeping the content amusing and suitable for everyone. I'm very pleased I got to see this it's one of the more amusing releases this year.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/08/dora-and-lost-city-of-gold-movie-review.html
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Tiny Ninjas in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
We at Purple Phoenix Games love Kickstarting games. We probably do it more than we should, but I am sure we are not alone in this. I, myself, have backed 59 games or game-related products to date (as of February 2019). Not all of them have been that good (I’m looking at you Shadow Days, IncrediBrawl, and A Duel Betwixt Us!), but some have been simply amazing. Where does this game about dueling ninjas rate? Pretty dang good.
So this one is a riff off the old regular deck of cards game “War.” In War you simply blindly compare cards from your personal deck and the highest number wins… essentially. In Tiny Ninjas, however, that concept has expanded this very familiar game and made it really sexy. Well, as sexy as you can make a game with chibi-esque ninja artwork.
There is still comparison of strength, but you take turns being the attacker and the defender. As the attacker, you decide how many of your hand of 5 cards you wish to play this round, resolve their effects, and then you become the defender. On defense, you are able to use only the cards you didn’t use as the attacker, whereas the attacker refills their hand back to the hand limit of 5 cards. Uh oh. Did I plan well enough to have plenty of defense, or will my hit points be depleted?? This is essentially the game’s skeleton.
Each card has a special attack or defense ability and sometimes it requires you to roll one of the two dice that comes with the game to determine strength or proc abilities. We all know that once dice are invited to the game a certain amount of luck is also introduced. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing here. I like a small amount of luck in my games. For me, it’s just another little wrinkle to be applied to my perfect strategy.
But let’s talk about those dice. The dice themselves are really great quality, and the stamping is great, and the icons on the dice are really really good. But I have problems with the card iconography that corresponds with the dice. On the cards, icons are printed in a variation of a circle. The circle looks a certain way if you are to use the white die. And then the circle looks differently to indicate usage of the red die. But then there are circles that correspond to the ink colors of the white and red dice that are also different but the same. That irks me just a bit because I think there could be other ways to do that. I found myself constantly looking at the reference card (which, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING THIS) but maybe that’s just me and my preferences. After a while I caught on and it didn’t impede my enjoyment of the game any longer, but it was annoying at first.
I have not mentioned any of the other components because, frankly, they are really really great. The ingenious box-becomes-the-game-board idea is wonderful, the life trackers that hang out on the sides of the dice tray are great, the dojo sensei trackers, the cards and art on them are all top notch. For such an affordable package, you really do get quite a production.
I have no other qualms about the components, or the game play. It’s truly a fun experience. That said, Purple Phoenix Games gives Tiny Ninjas a stealthy 15 / 18. Don’t let this one sneak under your radar!
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/22/tiny-ninjas-review/
So this one is a riff off the old regular deck of cards game “War.” In War you simply blindly compare cards from your personal deck and the highest number wins… essentially. In Tiny Ninjas, however, that concept has expanded this very familiar game and made it really sexy. Well, as sexy as you can make a game with chibi-esque ninja artwork.
There is still comparison of strength, but you take turns being the attacker and the defender. As the attacker, you decide how many of your hand of 5 cards you wish to play this round, resolve their effects, and then you become the defender. On defense, you are able to use only the cards you didn’t use as the attacker, whereas the attacker refills their hand back to the hand limit of 5 cards. Uh oh. Did I plan well enough to have plenty of defense, or will my hit points be depleted?? This is essentially the game’s skeleton.
Each card has a special attack or defense ability and sometimes it requires you to roll one of the two dice that comes with the game to determine strength or proc abilities. We all know that once dice are invited to the game a certain amount of luck is also introduced. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing here. I like a small amount of luck in my games. For me, it’s just another little wrinkle to be applied to my perfect strategy.
But let’s talk about those dice. The dice themselves are really great quality, and the stamping is great, and the icons on the dice are really really good. But I have problems with the card iconography that corresponds with the dice. On the cards, icons are printed in a variation of a circle. The circle looks a certain way if you are to use the white die. And then the circle looks differently to indicate usage of the red die. But then there are circles that correspond to the ink colors of the white and red dice that are also different but the same. That irks me just a bit because I think there could be other ways to do that. I found myself constantly looking at the reference card (which, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING THIS) but maybe that’s just me and my preferences. After a while I caught on and it didn’t impede my enjoyment of the game any longer, but it was annoying at first.
I have not mentioned any of the other components because, frankly, they are really really great. The ingenious box-becomes-the-game-board idea is wonderful, the life trackers that hang out on the sides of the dice tray are great, the dojo sensei trackers, the cards and art on them are all top notch. For such an affordable package, you really do get quite a production.
I have no other qualms about the components, or the game play. It’s truly a fun experience. That said, Purple Phoenix Games gives Tiny Ninjas a stealthy 15 / 18. Don’t let this one sneak under your radar!
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/22/tiny-ninjas-review/
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Sky Is Everywhere in Books
Jan 7, 2021
So I finally knuckled down to finish this since it's been two weeks since I started it...and I wasn't all that impressed.
The writing was so...poetically pretty? It wasn't how I'd have expected a 16/17 year old girl to think, although now that I think about it Wuthering Heights is her favourite book and her family life seems a little boho-y/care free. And her vocabulary? Stultifyingly? Dildonic? Ornery? Messessentialist? I think she must eat a dictionary for breakfast or something because I had no idea what any of those words meant at that age, and I'm still not sure about three of them now.
Getting the writing out of the way, I wanted her to be happy with Joe but I didn't understand the whole Toby thing either. And I kind of agree with Grams that Lennie was a little selfish. You'd all lost Bailey, it wasn't just you and Toby.
The bit I liked most was probably the bit near the middle where she described herself/her love as being like a flower that bloomed in 15 seconds, and then a few paragraphs later in 3 seconds. It was a really nice picture and I can imagine Lennon doing that.<br/><br/>I don't think I'll be reading more of this authors books.
The writing was so...poetically pretty? It wasn't how I'd have expected a 16/17 year old girl to think, although now that I think about it Wuthering Heights is her favourite book and her family life seems a little boho-y/care free. And her vocabulary? Stultifyingly? Dildonic? Ornery? Messessentialist? I think she must eat a dictionary for breakfast or something because I had no idea what any of those words meant at that age, and I'm still not sure about three of them now.
Getting the writing out of the way, I wanted her to be happy with Joe but I didn't understand the whole Toby thing either. And I kind of agree with Grams that Lennie was a little selfish. You'd all lost Bailey, it wasn't just you and Toby.
The bit I liked most was probably the bit near the middle where she described herself/her love as being like a flower that bloomed in 15 seconds, and then a few paragraphs later in 3 seconds. It was a really nice picture and I can imagine Lennon doing that.<br/><br/>I don't think I'll be reading more of this authors books.
