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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Magical Midlife Dating ( Levelling Up book 2) in Books
Feb 9, 2022
24 of 230
Kindle
Magical Midlife Dating ( Leveling Up book 2)
By K.F. Breene
She must learn to fly, but can she withstand the allure of the handsome new teacher?
A Wall Street Journal bestseller and Top 3 book in the entire Amazon Kindle store!
The decision has been made. Jessie has taken the magic, and all the weird that goes with it. Including wings.
There's only one problem - she can't figure out how to access them.
Through a series of terrible decisions, Jessie realizes she must ask for help. Gargoyle help.
But she could've never predicted who answers her call - he's an excellent flier, incredibly patient, and a good trainer. He's also incredibly handsome. And interested.
Maybe flying isn't the only thing she needs help with. Maybe she needs help getting back on that saddle, too, emerging into the dating pool.
Except, the new gargoyle is also an alpha, just like Austin, and the town isn't big enough for two.
Turns out, flying is the least of her problems.
I love this series for so many reasons it’s just so funny. Niamh is just hilarious I love her! I love how they call human men and women Dicks and Janes there is just so much to grab onto and each chapter and character brings a smile. It’s so well written I highly recommend it especially if you need a break from those all to serious books.
Kindle
Magical Midlife Dating ( Leveling Up book 2)
By K.F. Breene
She must learn to fly, but can she withstand the allure of the handsome new teacher?
A Wall Street Journal bestseller and Top 3 book in the entire Amazon Kindle store!
The decision has been made. Jessie has taken the magic, and all the weird that goes with it. Including wings.
There's only one problem - she can't figure out how to access them.
Through a series of terrible decisions, Jessie realizes she must ask for help. Gargoyle help.
But she could've never predicted who answers her call - he's an excellent flier, incredibly patient, and a good trainer. He's also incredibly handsome. And interested.
Maybe flying isn't the only thing she needs help with. Maybe she needs help getting back on that saddle, too, emerging into the dating pool.
Except, the new gargoyle is also an alpha, just like Austin, and the town isn't big enough for two.
Turns out, flying is the least of her problems.
I love this series for so many reasons it’s just so funny. Niamh is just hilarious I love her! I love how they call human men and women Dicks and Janes there is just so much to grab onto and each chapter and character brings a smile. It’s so well written I highly recommend it especially if you need a break from those all to serious books.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Map That Leads to You in Books
May 10, 2018
Heather Mulgrew is on a summer trip with two of her closest friends from college. They have just graduated from Amherst College and Heather has a job waiting for her at Bank of America in New York City. This trip is exactly what they need before beginning the rest of their lives. On the train to Amsterdam she meets Jack and from that moment forward, her life will never be the same. Jack has a freedom that Heather has never experienced and together they build a great friendship that quickly turns to so much more.
Thank you to St. Martins Press along with Karen Masnica and Caitlin Dareff for sharing their reading, discussing and experiences with this love story. I received two copies from them along with a letter that told me to share my second copy and I did that with my mother. I can't wait to share my thoughts with her on this book.
The story starts with the three girls traveling across Europe after graduating from college. This is something I have always wanted dreamed of doing. When Heather meets the handsome stranger on the train to Amsterdam, he changes her life forever. He makes her think about her future and life in general in a entirely different way. Their connection is instant but the trip won't last forever. What is going to happen when the time comes for Heather to return home. Will Jack change his plans for her or will this just be a summer fling?
This book evoked a lot of emotion in me. Heather is following Hemingway's story through Europe while Jack is following his grandfather's journal from after WWII. I gave this book a 3 star rating because it didn't really grab me the way I thought it would. The story was interesting and the flow was good, but there were parts that had me confused. Some of the language seemed European even though the main characters were American. I'm not sure if that was because of their education and love of books, or as the writing was intended. For those who like a good love story will enjoy this book. Get your tissues though!
Thank you to St. Martins Press along with Karen Masnica and Caitlin Dareff for sharing their reading, discussing and experiences with this love story. I received two copies from them along with a letter that told me to share my second copy and I did that with my mother. I can't wait to share my thoughts with her on this book.
The story starts with the three girls traveling across Europe after graduating from college. This is something I have always wanted dreamed of doing. When Heather meets the handsome stranger on the train to Amsterdam, he changes her life forever. He makes her think about her future and life in general in a entirely different way. Their connection is instant but the trip won't last forever. What is going to happen when the time comes for Heather to return home. Will Jack change his plans for her or will this just be a summer fling?
This book evoked a lot of emotion in me. Heather is following Hemingway's story through Europe while Jack is following his grandfather's journal from after WWII. I gave this book a 3 star rating because it didn't really grab me the way I thought it would. The story was interesting and the flow was good, but there were parts that had me confused. Some of the language seemed European even though the main characters were American. I'm not sure if that was because of their education and love of books, or as the writing was intended. For those who like a good love story will enjoy this book. Get your tissues though!
Spider Solitaire by MobilityWare
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The classic Spider Solitaire card game you love is now available to play on your Apple device!...
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated the Playstation 5 version of Guardians of the Galaxy in Video Games
Oct 25, 2021
YOU GOT THE TOUCH. YOU GOT THE POWER... YEAH!
This game is absolutely fantastic and a contender for one of my favourite games of this year. In fact I actually prefer Starlord in this game to how he's portrayed in the films. I guess it's also safe to say Im really enjoying this game as I've played it solidly now for two days, I'm only on chapter 8 and there's apparently 16 chapters so I'd say if that's true it's a pretty meaty game. I'm honestly having and absolute blast with it and if you are a fan of the characters, the world and the lore you really should pick it up for sure. Id say is a cross between The Order a light version of Mass Effect and Tales Of Arise If you need a comparison and more importantly it's nothing really like the recent Avengers game. It's not overly challenging however on medium anyway unless you let enemies overwhelm you (I've died roughly 4 times I'd say) but that's not bothering me at all because it's so much fun and if you want more of a challenge you can crank it up. Graphics are awsome, voice acting is great and the humour is on point, controls are responsive and characters have a nice weight to them and overall it's an incredibly polished game that's clearly had a lot of love put into it by huge fans of the source material. The soundtrack also kickass and really does add to it alot really getting you going when it all kicks off action wise. Ive only had 3 really annoying bugs one where I got stuck in the floor and had to restart, one where a character was stood on a bar with his head in the roof and the other where a tutorial message got stuck in the middle of the screen but reloading sorted them. Like I said earlier however it's the lore, environments, characters and creatures that have mainly pulled me and it's a joy to explore the different detailed areas (even though they are quite linear experiences) and it's absolutely crammed to the teeth with dialogue, collectables, costumes and little details everywhere from the films and comics. The end of the day it's quite a casual affair but to me that doesn't matter I'm just loving spending more time with these characters and essentially living in a rich and dense sci-fi world (it's almost like a Star Wars game at times and is better than any of the Star Wars games we have had so far if I'm honest). An absolute must buy for any sci-fi or Guardians fan.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Daughter Of The Burning City in Books
Jan 31, 2018
There were more twists and turns in the story than the labyrinthine paths through the Gomorrah Festival. I was impressed that this was Amanda Foody's debut novel, but that does not mean it was without its faults. Overall, I felt that the Festival itself as a setting was the most intriguing part of the story.
I didn't feel that the magic system was as developed as it should have been, or perhaps it was too developed. It wasn't always clear what people could have as abilities. The added element of being able to have multiple abilities that alter how each other works or each ability manifesting itself completely differently in people made following how the magic worked very difficult. There were also rules or examples that you read that seem to contradict one another. You just had to accept that it wasn't entirely clear and anything could happen.
The setting was certainly the most intriguing part of this story. The Gomorrah Festival, also known as the City of Burning Desires, is a traveling Carnival full of thieves, strumpets, charlatans, performers and fortune tellers. The gates of the city have ever burning flames and the cloying scent of smoke, perfume, and sugar cloak the tents. Amanda Foody's writing brilliantly brings the city to life, although we sadly see very little of the actual Festival. I loved the performance elements of the Night Circus and Caraval, so I was a little disappointed that the locale didn't play a bigger role.
I never really connected with the main character, Sorrina, our thread through the entire story. She is a magic worker who can create illusions with her mind, despite having no eyes to see for herself. Since coming to the Festival, she has begun creating illusions to become her family. They perform with her and despite not being truly real, are quite beloved by Sorrina. Unfortunately, one night a member of her illusion family is killed - but how can illusions be killed?
Sorrina vows to discover who hurt her family and protect the remaining members no matter what. Soon she meets an Up-Mountainer named Luca who is definitely the best character in the book. At first, he seems like the stereotypical sassy, "bad boy" love interest, but he is actually incredibly intelligent. I really enjoyed the dimension he brought to the story and how he balanced out Sorrina's more romantic, unfocused, indecisive character.
Despite the fact that Sorrina's family are illusions, they do feel like real people. Some are more developed than others. You feel for two of her sisters, one who bears the weight of the family on her shoulders and the other who just wants to be a real person. Those two will tug at your heartstrings and make you forget that they are illusions. I didn't feel like I got to know the other family members as well and that was a shame. They were such unique creations that they deserved that connection and time.
The story was fantastical, yet I enjoyed the mystery element as you puzzled through the clues with the characters to discover who killed an illusion, and how. The plot was a little convoluted so at times my attention waned, but overall I enjoyed the book. There were some pacing issues that could have been resolved by some additional editing/culling of scenes. Sometimes when I sat down I was completely engrossed in the plot, but there were also others where I picked the book up and put it down moments later.
I felt that the story was tied up satisfactorily and it didn't leave me with too many questions, but I won't lie and say I wouldn't enjoy another book set in that world with different characters. The level of development is still impressive for a debut novel and I cannot wait to see more from Amanda Foody.
I would definitely recommend this to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy novels with really intriguing worlds, but don't expect too much of the carnival element to be present in the plot.
I didn't feel that the magic system was as developed as it should have been, or perhaps it was too developed. It wasn't always clear what people could have as abilities. The added element of being able to have multiple abilities that alter how each other works or each ability manifesting itself completely differently in people made following how the magic worked very difficult. There were also rules or examples that you read that seem to contradict one another. You just had to accept that it wasn't entirely clear and anything could happen.
The setting was certainly the most intriguing part of this story. The Gomorrah Festival, also known as the City of Burning Desires, is a traveling Carnival full of thieves, strumpets, charlatans, performers and fortune tellers. The gates of the city have ever burning flames and the cloying scent of smoke, perfume, and sugar cloak the tents. Amanda Foody's writing brilliantly brings the city to life, although we sadly see very little of the actual Festival. I loved the performance elements of the Night Circus and Caraval, so I was a little disappointed that the locale didn't play a bigger role.
I never really connected with the main character, Sorrina, our thread through the entire story. She is a magic worker who can create illusions with her mind, despite having no eyes to see for herself. Since coming to the Festival, she has begun creating illusions to become her family. They perform with her and despite not being truly real, are quite beloved by Sorrina. Unfortunately, one night a member of her illusion family is killed - but how can illusions be killed?
Sorrina vows to discover who hurt her family and protect the remaining members no matter what. Soon she meets an Up-Mountainer named Luca who is definitely the best character in the book. At first, he seems like the stereotypical sassy, "bad boy" love interest, but he is actually incredibly intelligent. I really enjoyed the dimension he brought to the story and how he balanced out Sorrina's more romantic, unfocused, indecisive character.
Despite the fact that Sorrina's family are illusions, they do feel like real people. Some are more developed than others. You feel for two of her sisters, one who bears the weight of the family on her shoulders and the other who just wants to be a real person. Those two will tug at your heartstrings and make you forget that they are illusions. I didn't feel like I got to know the other family members as well and that was a shame. They were such unique creations that they deserved that connection and time.
The story was fantastical, yet I enjoyed the mystery element as you puzzled through the clues with the characters to discover who killed an illusion, and how. The plot was a little convoluted so at times my attention waned, but overall I enjoyed the book. There were some pacing issues that could have been resolved by some additional editing/culling of scenes. Sometimes when I sat down I was completely engrossed in the plot, but there were also others where I picked the book up and put it down moments later.
I felt that the story was tied up satisfactorily and it didn't leave me with too many questions, but I won't lie and say I wouldn't enjoy another book set in that world with different characters. The level of development is still impressive for a debut novel and I cannot wait to see more from Amanda Foody.
I would definitely recommend this to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy novels with really intriguing worlds, but don't expect too much of the carnival element to be present in the plot.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated La La Land (2016) in Movies
Jun 2, 2020
Let me give you the background on this one. Many years ago (when La La Land was due out in the cinemas) ITV2 were showing the new series of Scorpion in their prime time drama spot, this feature was sponsored by something and quite often that's a film. For the season's entire run it was sponsored by... you guessed it... La La Land. Every episode you'd have to see up to 8 clips of the film without any real context about what it was, and worst of all there was very little deviation, you could be seeing the same clip over and over again for 20 or so episodes. I love musicals and I love Emma Stone but this pushed me so far over the edge that I swore I'd never watch it. (The same goes for Moulin Rouge which I also now have to watch) Evidently though I'm a grown ass adult and can't hold petty grudges against films so now I have to watch them... partially so I can make other people watch films they don't want to watch in an underhanded deal on Twitter.
But I digress.
When Mia and Sebastian's lives cross unexpectedly it is impossible to know how much the future will change for both of them. What at first is a wholesome whirlwind of romance begins to fall apart as their careers progress and pull them apart.
At its heart it's a simple romance story for Mia and Sebastian as they build each other up for the lives they want and the perils that that brings, but when you add the extra depth into it all with the music it takes on a whole other dimension. As a spoiler alert for my take on the film, at one point I had to stop and I just wrote in my notes "oh god, why am I crying?!" That wasn't a feeling I had throughout the film though, in fact, straight off the bat I thought I was going to hate the film because of that opening musical number. That number made no impact on me and I was massively concerned, thankfully that didn't hold true for the next number.
On the acting... Emma Stone is glorious and should be in everything... end of review... okay, fine. I loved the way she made Mia come to life, she's fun, got some sass to her and I loved the way she behaved through her auditions. Emma Stone may be my spirit animal, I absolutely love her.
And then there's Ryan Gosling... As an indication of how I feel about him please accept this reenactment of a recent conversation:
Friend: Did you see they're talking about the new Wolfman movie?
Me: Oh my god, really?! Yay! It'll be great!
Friend: Yeah, it's going to have Ryan Gosling in it!
Me: *crickets chirp and a tumbleweed bounces past*
His acting does nothing for me. It's very much the Brad Pitt style of acting without the humour, he always acts the same way, but... I would genuinely say this is the first of his films I've seen where it felt like he was acting. I genuinely enjoyed him in it, it didn't feel like he was hiding all his emotions in a box in his dressing room. I was so thankful.
The chemistry between the pair was brilliant and that really helped carry me through the film. With lots of musical numbers and elaborate looking sets to deal with I was worried that it might end up looking more like theatre than film, it obviously does have that vibe because that's part of the idea but it flowed incredibly well.
La La Land has a wonderful feel to it with vibrant sets and costumes, it gives a glow of the old school and this works incredibly well with the jazz side of the story. This, however, is part of my main problem with the film.
You've got the golden age vibe with the colours and the music, but the modern creeps in everywhere and I wasn't a fan of this mix. Every time it popped up I noticed it and it made me frown. That being said, I don't know if it would have worked being an entirely modern film but it could easily have gone back in time and lived happily ever after.
Even with me disliking that part of the film's story I really enjoyed watching La La Land. It's stunning visually, the music is (mainly) beautiful and I was incredibly surprised by the acting. The moral of this story is don't let excessive advertising put you off something.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/la-la-land-movie-review.html
But I digress.
When Mia and Sebastian's lives cross unexpectedly it is impossible to know how much the future will change for both of them. What at first is a wholesome whirlwind of romance begins to fall apart as their careers progress and pull them apart.
At its heart it's a simple romance story for Mia and Sebastian as they build each other up for the lives they want and the perils that that brings, but when you add the extra depth into it all with the music it takes on a whole other dimension. As a spoiler alert for my take on the film, at one point I had to stop and I just wrote in my notes "oh god, why am I crying?!" That wasn't a feeling I had throughout the film though, in fact, straight off the bat I thought I was going to hate the film because of that opening musical number. That number made no impact on me and I was massively concerned, thankfully that didn't hold true for the next number.
On the acting... Emma Stone is glorious and should be in everything... end of review... okay, fine. I loved the way she made Mia come to life, she's fun, got some sass to her and I loved the way she behaved through her auditions. Emma Stone may be my spirit animal, I absolutely love her.
And then there's Ryan Gosling... As an indication of how I feel about him please accept this reenactment of a recent conversation:
Friend: Did you see they're talking about the new Wolfman movie?
Me: Oh my god, really?! Yay! It'll be great!
Friend: Yeah, it's going to have Ryan Gosling in it!
Me: *crickets chirp and a tumbleweed bounces past*
His acting does nothing for me. It's very much the Brad Pitt style of acting without the humour, he always acts the same way, but... I would genuinely say this is the first of his films I've seen where it felt like he was acting. I genuinely enjoyed him in it, it didn't feel like he was hiding all his emotions in a box in his dressing room. I was so thankful.
The chemistry between the pair was brilliant and that really helped carry me through the film. With lots of musical numbers and elaborate looking sets to deal with I was worried that it might end up looking more like theatre than film, it obviously does have that vibe because that's part of the idea but it flowed incredibly well.
La La Land has a wonderful feel to it with vibrant sets and costumes, it gives a glow of the old school and this works incredibly well with the jazz side of the story. This, however, is part of my main problem with the film.
You've got the golden age vibe with the colours and the music, but the modern creeps in everywhere and I wasn't a fan of this mix. Every time it popped up I noticed it and it made me frown. That being said, I don't know if it would have worked being an entirely modern film but it could easily have gone back in time and lived happily ever after.
Even with me disliking that part of the film's story I really enjoyed watching La La Land. It's stunning visually, the music is (mainly) beautiful and I was incredibly surprised by the acting. The moral of this story is don't let excessive advertising put you off something.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/la-la-land-movie-review.html
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Howling (1981) in Movies
Oct 30, 2020
A fair few werewolf horror movies came out during the 80s, but whilst American Werewolf in London is generally considered to be the best of the bunch, The Howling definitely deserves a look in for that honour.
The plot takes a little while to kick in, but the slow first half actually allows the audience time to get to know the characters. Karen White (Dee Wallace) takes the lead, and is a hugely likable protagonist to carry the story forward. By the time the monstrous shenanigans kick off, you genuinely want her to win. Everyone else is a little disposable, allowing the rest of the focus to go towards werewolf characters, mainly Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo) and Marsha (Elisabeth Brooks), two characters that are sick of hiding their true nature, and want to live free, like wild animals should, feeding in humans and all. Unfortunately, the slow burn first half leaves little time to properly explore this aspect of the narrative.
The transformation effects are fucking great. Do they look dated? Sure, but considering that this released in 1981, the practical effects used are fantastic. I'm a fan of the bubbling effects in particular. When the transformation is complete, the aesthetic mostly avoids looking like a guy in a suit (not completely mind) and this is probably down to the make up work on the faces. The creatures look pretty damn mean.
A solid screenplay, a decent cast, and some great effects work ensure that The Howling stands out in a decade of gratuitous horror. Love it.
The plot takes a little while to kick in, but the slow first half actually allows the audience time to get to know the characters. Karen White (Dee Wallace) takes the lead, and is a hugely likable protagonist to carry the story forward. By the time the monstrous shenanigans kick off, you genuinely want her to win. Everyone else is a little disposable, allowing the rest of the focus to go towards werewolf characters, mainly Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo) and Marsha (Elisabeth Brooks), two characters that are sick of hiding their true nature, and want to live free, like wild animals should, feeding in humans and all. Unfortunately, the slow burn first half leaves little time to properly explore this aspect of the narrative.
The transformation effects are fucking great. Do they look dated? Sure, but considering that this released in 1981, the practical effects used are fantastic. I'm a fan of the bubbling effects in particular. When the transformation is complete, the aesthetic mostly avoids looking like a guy in a suit (not completely mind) and this is probably down to the make up work on the faces. The creatures look pretty damn mean.
A solid screenplay, a decent cast, and some great effects work ensure that The Howling stands out in a decade of gratuitous horror. Love it.
Gail (4 KP) rated Chasing Ever After in Books
Jun 4, 2018
I was so excited to get to read more about this dysfunctional family. In this book we see hope of something new and beautiful. Ace and Sadie have been dancing around the possibilities of an “us” for two years now. Jax and Ky are getting married in Hawaii and it seems like the perfect time for Ace to make a move. Sadie doesn’t trust Ace and she is an ice queen every time he is near. One word from his mouth and she is disgusted. Is that really how she feels or is it a cover for her true feelings?
I have to confess that I was disappointed in how the guys past was held against them. Sure they should’ve been less willing to poke anything but it shouldn’t be used as a tool to make them feel less about themselves. We all have a past and that past shouldn’t be a weapon to hold back our future. Why should I wish to change my past just to win your love and affection? You should accept me for me and if I am showing you how I have changed and continue to change, you shouldn’t be upset about something that happened before I met you and wanted a relationship.
From Sadie's view I didn’t agree with how she handled any of their time together. She was always cold and pushing him away. Yet he stayed and kept trying. I don’t think she appreciated that. Yes she was hurting and man it flipping sucked what happened to her. (Gosh how can you write about so much loss?) But there was nothing in her past that gave me the impression that she couldn’t trust Ace. Yes his past was yuck but for two years the guy was practically your shadow.
I loved his loyalty and his willingness to just keep trying no matter how she tried to shake him off. Sadie had redeeming qualities also they just got overshadowed by her attitude. I haven’t lost a child but I have lost someone I loved. So I feel her pain but it didn’t stop me from loving again. Ace had issues but not enough for me to understand Sadie's side. I’m glad it ended well. If she would’ve dragged him along anymore I would’ve had to slap her. Maybe I missed the point but the whole waiting for sex isn't for everyone.
I have to confess that I was disappointed in how the guys past was held against them. Sure they should’ve been less willing to poke anything but it shouldn’t be used as a tool to make them feel less about themselves. We all have a past and that past shouldn’t be a weapon to hold back our future. Why should I wish to change my past just to win your love and affection? You should accept me for me and if I am showing you how I have changed and continue to change, you shouldn’t be upset about something that happened before I met you and wanted a relationship.
From Sadie's view I didn’t agree with how she handled any of their time together. She was always cold and pushing him away. Yet he stayed and kept trying. I don’t think she appreciated that. Yes she was hurting and man it flipping sucked what happened to her. (Gosh how can you write about so much loss?) But there was nothing in her past that gave me the impression that she couldn’t trust Ace. Yes his past was yuck but for two years the guy was practically your shadow.
I loved his loyalty and his willingness to just keep trying no matter how she tried to shake him off. Sadie had redeeming qualities also they just got overshadowed by her attitude. I haven’t lost a child but I have lost someone I loved. So I feel her pain but it didn’t stop me from loving again. Ace had issues but not enough for me to understand Sadie's side. I’m glad it ended well. If she would’ve dragged him along anymore I would’ve had to slap her. Maybe I missed the point but the whole waiting for sex isn't for everyone.