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Dean Connelly (17 KP) rated F1 2017 Day One Edition in Video Games
Jan 10, 2018
More depth then last year (6 more)
AI is better
Tougher then last year
No German Grand Prix
It makes you think more
Feels like a proper F1 game
More to do besides campaign
Ai still isn’t perfect (3 more)
Biased stewarding
McLaren is constantly cursed
Never be Hamilton’s team mate
Still got it to be at the top
I went off F1 games when I played F1 2011 for the Wii, so after I took a chance on F1 2016, which I love for the gameplay the graphics the engine, the pit stops, the drivers AI (well some of the AI.) i just loved how Codemasters made an F1 game that was worth paying for, so I suppose this one is the same right? Wrong, this is way way better the 2016, The high scores it has got, are validated. I’ve never seen graphics this smooth or advanced, even my other half who has no interest in games whatsoever went “wow” when she saw them. The R&D part of F1 2017 is bigger by all means. Last year you had 5 departments with 5 upgrades, this year, you have 4 but you have at least 20 upgrades per department with separate goals for achievements, like do 20 pits stops your pit crew gets quicker or you race 60 races as first driver you get 15% points back from what you earn all race weekends. The most challenging part of this R&D is what do you upgrade first? (If you race a McLaren, I’d recommend reliability then speed.) not only that but do you save up your points and buy quality control and/or make everything cheaper (it’s a long road but it is worth it.) The biggest change this year is reliability, last year you could put fill your car up, put it in rich and that’s it. Not so this year, you have to manage your parts, and every engine has to last you at least 6 races, same with the parts, otherwise more then 4 engines or parts, grid penalties I’m afraid. There are More ways to get R&D points this year, track acclimatisation, Tyre management team objectives and Qualifying pace now they've added fuel saving and Race Strategy. They don’t take as long as they used to too. The teams you can pick have been put into 3 categories. (Your McLarens and Saubers make the bottom, Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes make the top and everyone else makes the middle.) each team has different objectives, (so Mercedes is to stay top of the pile, Williams is challenging for podiums, Saubers is to challenge for points you get the idea.)
If youre bored with a season theres more to it there's the traditional multiplayer, events, time trials New for this year, there is a championship mode. Using cars using older and newer cars and invitational events. Ranging from overtake challenge (overtake cars in say 3 minutes) to pursuit (AI in slower cars but you have to pass them) to time attack (cover say 3 laps in 5 minutes.) There's also multiple championships (ranging from a championship in classic cars to a double header tour to an international street series. Agent wise, you still get the option of changing teams every year and half way through a season. She’s presented a lot more in this year.
Bad news, well if you’re thinking of driving a McLaren, be afraid to be disappointed. I’ve heard more complaints about McLaren being as bad in the game then they are in real life, dare I say worse. The Ai still decide to take you off but it’s not as bad as 2016s AI. Your engineer is not as useless as last year but he still needs work on, agent is stil the same as last year so could have her doing more. Marshall’s still are biased and can’t tell the difference
It’s definitely an upgrade on last season but AI still isn’t perfect and there is so much more that could’ve been done. But as far as a game goes, this is more Mercedes then McLaren.
If youre bored with a season theres more to it there's the traditional multiplayer, events, time trials New for this year, there is a championship mode. Using cars using older and newer cars and invitational events. Ranging from overtake challenge (overtake cars in say 3 minutes) to pursuit (AI in slower cars but you have to pass them) to time attack (cover say 3 laps in 5 minutes.) There's also multiple championships (ranging from a championship in classic cars to a double header tour to an international street series. Agent wise, you still get the option of changing teams every year and half way through a season. She’s presented a lot more in this year.
Bad news, well if you’re thinking of driving a McLaren, be afraid to be disappointed. I’ve heard more complaints about McLaren being as bad in the game then they are in real life, dare I say worse. The Ai still decide to take you off but it’s not as bad as 2016s AI. Your engineer is not as useless as last year but he still needs work on, agent is stil the same as last year so could have her doing more. Marshall’s still are biased and can’t tell the difference
It’s definitely an upgrade on last season but AI still isn’t perfect and there is so much more that could’ve been done. But as far as a game goes, this is more Mercedes then McLaren.
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Faster (2010) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Jun 23, 2019)
I've always wanted to like Dwayne Johnson as an actor. He was so entertaining when he was The Rock, why can't his movies be just as entertaining? Unfortunately his best received films are the more family oriented ones and watching an ex-wrestler who used to talk about his love for pie and "laying the smackdown on all your candy asses" seems a bit bittersweet. Films like Faster are what Johnson should be sticking to, but it doesn't live up to its potential and results in another flat action film.
Wasted potential is the perfect way to describe Faster. Dwayne Johnson spends more time walking around looking pissed off than he does killing anyone or actually saying anything at all. Billy Bob Thornton doesn't do much of anything either as his character struggles between being a drug addict who doesn't amount to anything to a police officer who's about to retire and get full benefits who is also trying to get his family back together again. He spends most of his screen time drowning in his pathetic life. Then there's Dexter's Jennifer Carpenter who seems to be brought into the film to do nothing more than show up, cry a little, and say stupid things. Nothing the actors did really helped drive the story forward.
The cinematography fluctuated between being interesting and being incredibly annoying. Right when something like the way the camera was placed while the driver was driving or something as simple as reloading a gun was done in a way that seemed original to catch your attention, the film would turn around and throw shaky camera techniques at you for no reason or the scenes that caught your eye would be too brief to really make up for the mediocrity of the rest of the film. The most interesting aspect lies within the final minutes and relates to the hired killer going after the driver. That concept alone that's about the length of a one minute conversation is better than Faster as a whole.
Dwayne Johnson seems to have better luck with family films, but I think his fans would rather see him in R-rated action films since his physique and film presence fit that genre best. If he could find a film that was like Faster with a meatier role that gave him more lines and had better writing, it'd probably be a lot more satisfying. The kills in Faster should have been the highlight since the film revolved around the driver gaining revenge for his brother, but they fell short. Everything about Faster did. I was completely expecting Johnson to either turn himself over to the authorities or kill himself to be with his brother at the end of the film. The driver received the revenge he so desperately seeked and did it in a nonchalant, hot-shot vigilante kind of way to let everyone know it was him doing it. Yet police can't seem to keep up with him and he just kind of drives off into the sunset at the end. It felt like Faster was left open ended for nothing more than sequel purposes alone, which is the weakest form of a cop out for a movie ending. Coincidentally, a film called Faster managed to feel twice as long as its 98 minute duration.
In the end, Faster contains elements from both Gone in Sixty Seconds and Taxi Driver, which should result in an excellent film. Instead we're left with an action film that uses these elements at face value; it contains the fast cars and intense chases of Gone in Sixty Seconds with the uneasy and unpredictable shootouts that are reminiscent of Taxi Driver but Faster lacks the depth, star power, enjoyment factor, strong cast, or lasting value these two films still have today. If you plan on seeing this film, you better be sure because that's a long dark road you're headed down (sorry, couldn't resist) and that road is nothing more than a pointless detour from greater things.
Wasted potential is the perfect way to describe Faster. Dwayne Johnson spends more time walking around looking pissed off than he does killing anyone or actually saying anything at all. Billy Bob Thornton doesn't do much of anything either as his character struggles between being a drug addict who doesn't amount to anything to a police officer who's about to retire and get full benefits who is also trying to get his family back together again. He spends most of his screen time drowning in his pathetic life. Then there's Dexter's Jennifer Carpenter who seems to be brought into the film to do nothing more than show up, cry a little, and say stupid things. Nothing the actors did really helped drive the story forward.
The cinematography fluctuated between being interesting and being incredibly annoying. Right when something like the way the camera was placed while the driver was driving or something as simple as reloading a gun was done in a way that seemed original to catch your attention, the film would turn around and throw shaky camera techniques at you for no reason or the scenes that caught your eye would be too brief to really make up for the mediocrity of the rest of the film. The most interesting aspect lies within the final minutes and relates to the hired killer going after the driver. That concept alone that's about the length of a one minute conversation is better than Faster as a whole.
Dwayne Johnson seems to have better luck with family films, but I think his fans would rather see him in R-rated action films since his physique and film presence fit that genre best. If he could find a film that was like Faster with a meatier role that gave him more lines and had better writing, it'd probably be a lot more satisfying. The kills in Faster should have been the highlight since the film revolved around the driver gaining revenge for his brother, but they fell short. Everything about Faster did. I was completely expecting Johnson to either turn himself over to the authorities or kill himself to be with his brother at the end of the film. The driver received the revenge he so desperately seeked and did it in a nonchalant, hot-shot vigilante kind of way to let everyone know it was him doing it. Yet police can't seem to keep up with him and he just kind of drives off into the sunset at the end. It felt like Faster was left open ended for nothing more than sequel purposes alone, which is the weakest form of a cop out for a movie ending. Coincidentally, a film called Faster managed to feel twice as long as its 98 minute duration.
In the end, Faster contains elements from both Gone in Sixty Seconds and Taxi Driver, which should result in an excellent film. Instead we're left with an action film that uses these elements at face value; it contains the fast cars and intense chases of Gone in Sixty Seconds with the uneasy and unpredictable shootouts that are reminiscent of Taxi Driver but Faster lacks the depth, star power, enjoyment factor, strong cast, or lasting value these two films still have today. If you plan on seeing this film, you better be sure because that's a long dark road you're headed down (sorry, couldn't resist) and that road is nothing more than a pointless detour from greater things.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Titanfall - Expedition in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Fans of Titanfall can celebrate the release of three new maps in the brand-new Titanfall Expedition DLC. The collection retails for $9.99 but is available for $24.99 for those who wish to save some money and purchase all three of the planned content packs ahead of time at a reduced price.
While the collection does not offer anything new in terms of gameplay modes, weaponry, or significant upgrades, what it does offer is three new highly enjoyable and highly detailed maps which can be played in both attrition and variety pack modes.
Attrition is the classic Team Death Match where essentially if it moves, shoot it, while the variety pack is like having the game on iTunes shuffle as you could be playing Capture the Flag one moment and attrition the next.
Swamplands is the first pack that I played and this is an interesting mix of combat in the Temple as well as within a swamp as the name would suggest. With plenty of roots, trees, and various to hide it could be a sniper’s delight but for those stealthy enough to take advantage the cloaking abilities you can point your opponents and rack up some impressive streaks. I found that alternating between my Wingman side arm and machine gun work very well and I was not against using some up-close melee combat to finish enemies off.
For me setting my Titan in auto mode was the best option due to some tricky terrain that time could create bottlenecks and leave your Titan a sitting duck.
Wagames takes the best of Titanfall’s industrial maps and combines them into a combat simulator complete with holographic displays and environments. There were some Tron-esque elements to the landscaping and I love the elevated platforms it allowed me to take out enemies arriving via dropship below and pouncing down upon them and enemy Titans that passed by. With a nice mix of street combat as well as rooftop and building interiors this is ideal for run and gun gameplay enthusiasts such as myself.
Runoff is the final map and the least unique of the new offerings. That being said it is extremely well designed in that the feature of the map is that it is best suited for gamers who were on the move. Set in a water filtration plant, everything from Walks and towers, to ditches and drains make up this environment and the ability to leap from one environment into the water is very enjoyable.
There is a nice mix between close quarter and ranged combat and having a nice variety in your combat areas does allow for a welcome change of pace.
While none of the new maps are certain to be items that push you over the top if you’re already on the fence about purchasing the game, remember you are essentially paying $3.33 per map, less if you purchase a season pass. So in summary, while it is not necessary to have it certainly adds to the enjoyment level of the game in that you get three new diverse and enjoyable environments in which to test your skills at a very affordable price which makes it very easy for me to recommend.
The collection is available for the PC, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 versions of the game.
http://sknr.net/2014/06/02/titanfal-expedition/
While the collection does not offer anything new in terms of gameplay modes, weaponry, or significant upgrades, what it does offer is three new highly enjoyable and highly detailed maps which can be played in both attrition and variety pack modes.
Attrition is the classic Team Death Match where essentially if it moves, shoot it, while the variety pack is like having the game on iTunes shuffle as you could be playing Capture the Flag one moment and attrition the next.
Swamplands is the first pack that I played and this is an interesting mix of combat in the Temple as well as within a swamp as the name would suggest. With plenty of roots, trees, and various to hide it could be a sniper’s delight but for those stealthy enough to take advantage the cloaking abilities you can point your opponents and rack up some impressive streaks. I found that alternating between my Wingman side arm and machine gun work very well and I was not against using some up-close melee combat to finish enemies off.
For me setting my Titan in auto mode was the best option due to some tricky terrain that time could create bottlenecks and leave your Titan a sitting duck.
Wagames takes the best of Titanfall’s industrial maps and combines them into a combat simulator complete with holographic displays and environments. There were some Tron-esque elements to the landscaping and I love the elevated platforms it allowed me to take out enemies arriving via dropship below and pouncing down upon them and enemy Titans that passed by. With a nice mix of street combat as well as rooftop and building interiors this is ideal for run and gun gameplay enthusiasts such as myself.
Runoff is the final map and the least unique of the new offerings. That being said it is extremely well designed in that the feature of the map is that it is best suited for gamers who were on the move. Set in a water filtration plant, everything from Walks and towers, to ditches and drains make up this environment and the ability to leap from one environment into the water is very enjoyable.
There is a nice mix between close quarter and ranged combat and having a nice variety in your combat areas does allow for a welcome change of pace.
While none of the new maps are certain to be items that push you over the top if you’re already on the fence about purchasing the game, remember you are essentially paying $3.33 per map, less if you purchase a season pass. So in summary, while it is not necessary to have it certainly adds to the enjoyment level of the game in that you get three new diverse and enjoyable environments in which to test your skills at a very affordable price which makes it very easy for me to recommend.
The collection is available for the PC, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 versions of the game.
http://sknr.net/2014/06/02/titanfal-expedition/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Invited in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Helen and Nate have a nice, settled life as teachers at a private school in Connecticut. But they also have aspirations for a simpler life. So using their savings and an inheritance, they buy 40+ acres in the tiny village of Hartsboro, Vermont and decide to build their own dream house themselves. Helen, a history teacher, wants a house and land with history--and she gets her wish when she discovers the story of Hattie Breckenridge, a woman who apparently lived (and died) on their property over a hundred years ago. Marked by the villagers as a witch, Hattie was killed, leaving behind her young daughter, Jane. Helen becomes fascinated with Hattie's past and begins trying to find out what happened to her--and her family members. But a series of more and more weird events start happening once they move in. Is it just the people of Hartsboro, who don't like outsiders? Or is it Hattie? And are Helen and Nate in danger?
I just love Jennifer McMahon's books and she's someone whom I will read anything they write. This was such a good book that drew me from the very beginning. I started it while on vacation in Vermont, so I was really excited that it happened to take place in Vermont--a place I'd never been until this year. McMahon's descriptive language makes it so easy to visualize her (often eerie) settings, as well as her characters.
Along with Helen and Nate, our slightly hippyish couple, we have Olive, a teenage girl from Hartsboro, and her dad and aunt, plus various Hartsboro townsfolk. Olive was a very compelling character; she's been abandoned by her mother and is teased and bullied terribly by her schoolmates, since the town all believes her mom ran off with another man. Her bereft father isn't much help, leaving her to raise herself or rely on her aunt. She has one friend, Mike, who is a good guy, but annoys our feisty heroine with his wimpy-ness. It's hard not to fall for Olive, believe me. Even Helen will grow on you, too. And no matter what, they are so easy to picture.
The novel is told from a variety of points of view, but mainly Olive and Helen. We learn a lot about each of them. As I said, it drew me in from the beginning and kept me reading. As with most of McMahon's books, it's layered with that creepy, mysterious edge. In many ways, it's a proper ghost story. But she always manages to write it so that instead of rolling your eyes, you feel a little creeped out, or find yourself looking over your shoulder at night. Hattie herself plays a really strong role in this book, and I liked how well the story set up the idea of how much people (and small towns) fear what they don't know.
"What people don't understand, they destroy."
It's funny, I could guess where a lot of this book was leading, yet it in no way diminished my enjoyment of it. I could see how that might annoy some, but it didn't bother me in the least. I was completely immersed in the characters, the eerie ghost story, and trying to piece together all the plot pieces. Hattie's story--and that of her descendants--is fascinating. There was just something about this book that I loved: that intangible piece that makes you a part of the story, keeps you flipping the pages, and makes you feel both sad and amazed when you finish the book. 4.5 stars.
I just love Jennifer McMahon's books and she's someone whom I will read anything they write. This was such a good book that drew me from the very beginning. I started it while on vacation in Vermont, so I was really excited that it happened to take place in Vermont--a place I'd never been until this year. McMahon's descriptive language makes it so easy to visualize her (often eerie) settings, as well as her characters.
Along with Helen and Nate, our slightly hippyish couple, we have Olive, a teenage girl from Hartsboro, and her dad and aunt, plus various Hartsboro townsfolk. Olive was a very compelling character; she's been abandoned by her mother and is teased and bullied terribly by her schoolmates, since the town all believes her mom ran off with another man. Her bereft father isn't much help, leaving her to raise herself or rely on her aunt. She has one friend, Mike, who is a good guy, but annoys our feisty heroine with his wimpy-ness. It's hard not to fall for Olive, believe me. Even Helen will grow on you, too. And no matter what, they are so easy to picture.
The novel is told from a variety of points of view, but mainly Olive and Helen. We learn a lot about each of them. As I said, it drew me in from the beginning and kept me reading. As with most of McMahon's books, it's layered with that creepy, mysterious edge. In many ways, it's a proper ghost story. But she always manages to write it so that instead of rolling your eyes, you feel a little creeped out, or find yourself looking over your shoulder at night. Hattie herself plays a really strong role in this book, and I liked how well the story set up the idea of how much people (and small towns) fear what they don't know.
"What people don't understand, they destroy."
It's funny, I could guess where a lot of this book was leading, yet it in no way diminished my enjoyment of it. I could see how that might annoy some, but it didn't bother me in the least. I was completely immersed in the characters, the eerie ghost story, and trying to piece together all the plot pieces. Hattie's story--and that of her descendants--is fascinating. There was just something about this book that I loved: that intangible piece that makes you a part of the story, keeps you flipping the pages, and makes you feel both sad and amazed when you finish the book. 4.5 stars.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Lord Of Shadows in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Lord of Shadows is the second book in the Dark Artifices trilogy by Cassandra Clare. The book is fantastically written and follows our main characters as they deal with the aftermath of Lady Midnight. Be sure that you read Lady Midnight before delving into this book as there will be many spoilers.
The storylines come together and diverge beautifully in this story, allowing each character to shine. Even though Julian and Emma are the main characters, we get to spend more time with the other Blackthorns, Kit, Cristina, Diana and the others. Each character grows over the course of the novel and we get to know them better. My heart goes out to Dru because although she has her family, she doesn’t have a best friend or someone to truly talk to – like Julian and Emma or Ty and Livvy. She clearly longs for that connection, or to at least be included more by her family and I think many can relate to that.
I loved getting to know Ty and Livvy more because they have such a unique and precious bond. It was also great to see Kit join in with their adventures, even though he is not new to the Shadow World he is new to being a Shadowhunter. They made him feel like part of the family and he understood Ty immediately in a way that most outsiders don’t take the time to. He fits in perfectly with them and I couldn’t wait to see how they would grow as a trio throughout the novel.
Mark has come into his own in this novel – the events he went through in Lady Midnight and with the Wild Hunt changed him, made him less sure of himself. Since he has been back with his family, he is learning to trust again and view himself as a Shadowhunter. He must reconcile his feelings about Kieran with the faerie’s betrayal in Lady Midnight, become more responsible and hopefully take some of the burdens off Julian.
Emma is dealing with the aftermath of discovering who killed her parents and why. As that pursuit has fueled her for the last five years, it’s a strange transition for her. It doesn’t help that her relationship with Julian is as complicated as ever. The two are battling with their emotions and letting it affect them as parabatai. The characters that Cassie has created are so real that you hurt when they hurt and just wish for a happy ending for all of them.
It was fantastic to see the cameos from some of the beloved characters we know from the other Shadowhunter Chronicles series. I personally miss them and always wonder what they’re up to now, how their lives are and what shenanigans they’re embroiled in. Cassie does not disappoint and the cameos were lengthy and detailed enough that I feel satisfied (although of course, I would be happy with several spin-off books chronicling their adventures).
Lord of Shadows takes our heroes outside of Los Angeles, which was brilliant because it allowed Cassie to continue to build and artfully illustrate her world. My favourite new location was Faerie, which we have visited before in the books but was allowed to flourish in this novel. The land was described in greater detail and the Fae themselves were given more depth. Previously, we witnessed interactions between the Seelie Queen and the Nephilim, but now we were able to learn more about the Unseelie.
I didn’t feel that there were any pacing issues in this story – the stories were interwoven with one another masterfully and action was interspersed with storytelling and world building elements. Each action made by the characters purposefully brought us down a road that while we won’t understand fully yet, you can sense the plot points are being introduced and will be fully realized in Queen of Air and Darkness. There are elements that feel like foreshadowing, but we won’t understand them until the series has concluded.
The final chapter was a rollercoaster that brought together several storylines and found all our characters together – but nothing played out as expected. Cassie is skilled at subverting our expectations and yet not leaving us unsatisfied with the conclusion. While I cannot believe some of the things that happened over the course of the novel, I appreciate the beauty of the plot and story, while not feeling like the book left me with a torturous cliffhanger.
I’ve mentioned it before, but Cassie’s books continue to get better and Lord of Shadows was fantastic. I highly recommend reading this book (after Lady Midnight, of course, and perhaps the rest of the Shadowhunter Chronicles as well) because in my humble opinion you will not regret it. I am absolutely in love with the book and utterly destroyed that we have to wait until 2019 to read the conclusion.
The storylines come together and diverge beautifully in this story, allowing each character to shine. Even though Julian and Emma are the main characters, we get to spend more time with the other Blackthorns, Kit, Cristina, Diana and the others. Each character grows over the course of the novel and we get to know them better. My heart goes out to Dru because although she has her family, she doesn’t have a best friend or someone to truly talk to – like Julian and Emma or Ty and Livvy. She clearly longs for that connection, or to at least be included more by her family and I think many can relate to that.
I loved getting to know Ty and Livvy more because they have such a unique and precious bond. It was also great to see Kit join in with their adventures, even though he is not new to the Shadow World he is new to being a Shadowhunter. They made him feel like part of the family and he understood Ty immediately in a way that most outsiders don’t take the time to. He fits in perfectly with them and I couldn’t wait to see how they would grow as a trio throughout the novel.
Mark has come into his own in this novel – the events he went through in Lady Midnight and with the Wild Hunt changed him, made him less sure of himself. Since he has been back with his family, he is learning to trust again and view himself as a Shadowhunter. He must reconcile his feelings about Kieran with the faerie’s betrayal in Lady Midnight, become more responsible and hopefully take some of the burdens off Julian.
Emma is dealing with the aftermath of discovering who killed her parents and why. As that pursuit has fueled her for the last five years, it’s a strange transition for her. It doesn’t help that her relationship with Julian is as complicated as ever. The two are battling with their emotions and letting it affect them as parabatai. The characters that Cassie has created are so real that you hurt when they hurt and just wish for a happy ending for all of them.
It was fantastic to see the cameos from some of the beloved characters we know from the other Shadowhunter Chronicles series. I personally miss them and always wonder what they’re up to now, how their lives are and what shenanigans they’re embroiled in. Cassie does not disappoint and the cameos were lengthy and detailed enough that I feel satisfied (although of course, I would be happy with several spin-off books chronicling their adventures).
Lord of Shadows takes our heroes outside of Los Angeles, which was brilliant because it allowed Cassie to continue to build and artfully illustrate her world. My favourite new location was Faerie, which we have visited before in the books but was allowed to flourish in this novel. The land was described in greater detail and the Fae themselves were given more depth. Previously, we witnessed interactions between the Seelie Queen and the Nephilim, but now we were able to learn more about the Unseelie.
I didn’t feel that there were any pacing issues in this story – the stories were interwoven with one another masterfully and action was interspersed with storytelling and world building elements. Each action made by the characters purposefully brought us down a road that while we won’t understand fully yet, you can sense the plot points are being introduced and will be fully realized in Queen of Air and Darkness. There are elements that feel like foreshadowing, but we won’t understand them until the series has concluded.
The final chapter was a rollercoaster that brought together several storylines and found all our characters together – but nothing played out as expected. Cassie is skilled at subverting our expectations and yet not leaving us unsatisfied with the conclusion. While I cannot believe some of the things that happened over the course of the novel, I appreciate the beauty of the plot and story, while not feeling like the book left me with a torturous cliffhanger.
I’ve mentioned it before, but Cassie’s books continue to get better and Lord of Shadows was fantastic. I highly recommend reading this book (after Lady Midnight, of course, and perhaps the rest of the Shadowhunter Chronicles as well) because in my humble opinion you will not regret it. I am absolutely in love with the book and utterly destroyed that we have to wait until 2019 to read the conclusion.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Shatter Me in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Shatter Me is one of those books that will stick with me forever. I may even re-read it just because I enjoyed it so much! I mean, I never re-read books! But I may very well re-read this one! It's one that I can pick up the next one after not having read it for a year, and I can jump right back in because I remember it all. I can't wait until the next book comes out! Oh my gosh! Why on earth did I wait so long to read it? Oh yeah. College.
The writing was magnificent (man has it been a long time since I've been able to say that). It was interesting, and different, and felt like a free flowing train of thought instead of conscious sentences or pages from a diary. It was beautiful and poetic, and full of metaphors about nature and beauty and pain that were so honest and true that I couldn't figure out why I hadn't thought them up myself first. Sometimes there would be a phrase that Juliette thought to herself that was true but she refused to admit to thinking, and it would be crossed out. (like that ^). I really liked this, because it showed what she was really thinking, but it also showed what kind of person she wanted to be.
The plot was fantastic. It never stopped moving forward. There were brief times of rest in the thriller aspect of the story, but the tension itself never went away, and there were no dead plot fillers thrown in.
I really liked Juliette. She wants to be strong, but after a long life of being emotionally abused, she's a weak broken pitiful creature who just wants to be loved and nurtured back to health. She will do anything to be on good terms with someone she loves. She's dying to be touched, but she knows she can't be because she'll kill whoever touches her. And she doesn't want to hurt anyone. She wants to help people and comfort them, but she knows she'll kill them. What a horrible place to be in!
I won't say too much about her love interest, Adam, but I will say he is so going on my list of favorite literary crushes. He is hott stuff. And because of that, I'm going to put my recommendation as ages 16+. If you can't read Hush Hush or Hourglass, I'd hold off on this one for a while…
Content/recommendation: Some hot kissing scenes, and I'm seeing a potential for more in the later books. Ages 16+
The writing was magnificent (man has it been a long time since I've been able to say that). It was interesting, and different, and felt like a free flowing train of thought instead of conscious sentences or pages from a diary. It was beautiful and poetic, and full of metaphors about nature and beauty and pain that were so honest and true that I couldn't figure out why I hadn't thought them up myself first. Sometimes there would be a phrase that Juliette thought to herself that was true but she refused to admit to thinking, and it would be crossed out. (like that ^). I really liked this, because it showed what she was really thinking, but it also showed what kind of person she wanted to be.
The plot was fantastic. It never stopped moving forward. There were brief times of rest in the thriller aspect of the story, but the tension itself never went away, and there were no dead plot fillers thrown in.
I really liked Juliette. She wants to be strong, but after a long life of being emotionally abused, she's a weak broken pitiful creature who just wants to be loved and nurtured back to health. She will do anything to be on good terms with someone she loves. She's dying to be touched, but she knows she can't be because she'll kill whoever touches her. And she doesn't want to hurt anyone. She wants to help people and comfort them, but she knows she'll kill them. What a horrible place to be in!
I won't say too much about her love interest, Adam, but I will say he is so going on my list of favorite literary crushes. He is hott stuff. And because of that, I'm going to put my recommendation as ages 16+. If you can't read Hush Hush or Hourglass, I'd hold off on this one for a while…
Content/recommendation: Some hot kissing scenes, and I'm seeing a potential for more in the later books. Ages 16+
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Runes (Runes, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
I received this book through Newgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Runes is the story of a teenage girl who has everything should could possibly want until her father's plane crashes, and a mysterious guy moves in next door. Raine has a great relationship with her parents, she is on the school swimming team, and she has the start of a great relationship with her best friend Eirik. Then, Torin moves in next door and her world starts changing. She sees things no one else can see, and she begins to have feelings for the mysterious new neighbor.
Raine is a character you can easily love. She is a good girl who always tries to do the right thing; especially, when it comes to her friends. She always has a positive outlook, and you can't help but cheer for her. Raine is a very well rounded character, but the rest of the characters seem extremely flat or one dimensional to me. Her best friend Cora seems like she is constantly jumping from guy to guy and is never happy. Eirik is a very vague character, he's around but pretty much only to hang off of Raine. I would like to see more development with these characters in the next book.
The idea of Torin, Andris, Meliina, and Ingrid being Reapers was not something I saw coming. I purposefully didn't read any information about this book because I didn't want the surprise to be ruined, and I'm glad I waited. The idea of reapers is refreshing and not something that is currently popular with currently paranormal romance.
The pacing of the story is just right, there is always something happening and it left me wanting more, more, more! I couldn't put the book down, and I actually read it in 1 day.
The one thing that kept this book from receiving 5 stars from me was the ENORMOUS amount of grammatical errors and missing words I encountered while reading. I think the author needs to have someone else proof read the next book, or hopefully I received an early enough copy that it wasn't finished with the process.
Overall, this book is a wonderful adventure that I was truly lucky to get my hands on. I absolutely can't wait for book 2! You won't want to miss this book!
Runes is the story of a teenage girl who has everything should could possibly want until her father's plane crashes, and a mysterious guy moves in next door. Raine has a great relationship with her parents, she is on the school swimming team, and she has the start of a great relationship with her best friend Eirik. Then, Torin moves in next door and her world starts changing. She sees things no one else can see, and she begins to have feelings for the mysterious new neighbor.
Raine is a character you can easily love. She is a good girl who always tries to do the right thing; especially, when it comes to her friends. She always has a positive outlook, and you can't help but cheer for her. Raine is a very well rounded character, but the rest of the characters seem extremely flat or one dimensional to me. Her best friend Cora seems like she is constantly jumping from guy to guy and is never happy. Eirik is a very vague character, he's around but pretty much only to hang off of Raine. I would like to see more development with these characters in the next book.
The idea of Torin, Andris, Meliina, and Ingrid being Reapers was not something I saw coming. I purposefully didn't read any information about this book because I didn't want the surprise to be ruined, and I'm glad I waited. The idea of reapers is refreshing and not something that is currently popular with currently paranormal romance.
The pacing of the story is just right, there is always something happening and it left me wanting more, more, more! I couldn't put the book down, and I actually read it in 1 day.
The one thing that kept this book from receiving 5 stars from me was the ENORMOUS amount of grammatical errors and missing words I encountered while reading. I think the author needs to have someone else proof read the next book, or hopefully I received an early enough copy that it wasn't finished with the process.
Overall, this book is a wonderful adventure that I was truly lucky to get my hands on. I absolutely can't wait for book 2! You won't want to miss this book!
BookInspector (124 KP) rated 19 Souls in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I really liked the cover of this book, I think it is simple but at the same time it is dark and mysterious, and I knew it is going to bring a good story to read.
The protagonist of this story is Jim Bean, a private investigator, who was summoned by a female customer (Sophie) to find her brother. But when he starts his investigation, he uncovers so many surprises, that gets him into great trouble. Now, he has to protect the person, whom he was looking for…
I really loved the characters chosen for this book, all of them are very intriguing and charismatic personalities, and the author has done a great job by developing them throughout the book. The story is told from a dual perspective: Jim’s and Sophie’s. I really liked reading all the details about Jim’s investigation, and where the evidence took him. I liked that he had to visit some dark and dangerous places to get his information, and I was really sucked in with all the unexpected twists and turns which Allen incorporated into the story. I absolutely loved Sophie’s parts, I think she is such an interesting and delusional character, and to read her thoughts and plans was an absolute treat. I love when authors include negative character’s perspectives, it makes the book way more interesting and absorbing. One thing that bothered me was that I don’t like when authors create drug using characters and make it sound like it is ok, and they are so cool. :/ I don’t see the need to promote drugs.
The narrative is set in the US, and the setting is always changing. The investigation is pretty adventurous, but sometimes the whole story tended to slow down a little by sharing Jim’s thoughts and inner fights, which was quite nice. I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, it is easy to read, with pretty short chapters, constantly changing situations and new findings, and it is a really entertaining book. The ending of this novel rounded up the story nicely and I will be waiting for more of Jim Bean’s adventures in the future. So, if you enjoy detective investigations and character-driven stories, this book will not disappoint you. Give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
The protagonist of this story is Jim Bean, a private investigator, who was summoned by a female customer (Sophie) to find her brother. But when he starts his investigation, he uncovers so many surprises, that gets him into great trouble. Now, he has to protect the person, whom he was looking for…
I really loved the characters chosen for this book, all of them are very intriguing and charismatic personalities, and the author has done a great job by developing them throughout the book. The story is told from a dual perspective: Jim’s and Sophie’s. I really liked reading all the details about Jim’s investigation, and where the evidence took him. I liked that he had to visit some dark and dangerous places to get his information, and I was really sucked in with all the unexpected twists and turns which Allen incorporated into the story. I absolutely loved Sophie’s parts, I think she is such an interesting and delusional character, and to read her thoughts and plans was an absolute treat. I love when authors include negative character’s perspectives, it makes the book way more interesting and absorbing. One thing that bothered me was that I don’t like when authors create drug using characters and make it sound like it is ok, and they are so cool. :/ I don’t see the need to promote drugs.
The narrative is set in the US, and the setting is always changing. The investigation is pretty adventurous, but sometimes the whole story tended to slow down a little by sharing Jim’s thoughts and inner fights, which was quite nice. I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, it is easy to read, with pretty short chapters, constantly changing situations and new findings, and it is a really entertaining book. The ending of this novel rounded up the story nicely and I will be waiting for more of Jim Bean’s adventures in the future. So, if you enjoy detective investigations and character-driven stories, this book will not disappoint you. Give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
ClareR (6256 KP) rated The Last Thing To Burn in Books
Jan 12, 2021
The Last Thing to Burn is the first of Will Dean’s books that I’ve read, and it most definitely won’t be my last. I had to keep reminding myself to breathe throughout this book - ‘suspense’ is not a strong enough word! If I could have read through my hands covering my eyes, I would have, because you could see what was coming next , and you just couldn’t stop it from coming! And then it would be even more horrific than I thought it was going to be. I mean, Will Dean seems to be such a nice person on Twitter, his St Bernard, Bernie, is gorgeous - how can things like this even come out of his head and on to paper?!
My dad lives in Lincolnshire, and to get to where he lives (Boston), we have to drive through what seems to be miles and miles of flat farmland (filled mainly with cruciferous vegetables, if my nose remembers correctly!), so it was easy to see how hard it would be for Jane to escape. You can see for a long way - uninterrupted by hills, or indeed anything else at all! This was such a good choice of location. It was that feeling of being trapped by your environment, even though Jane wasn’t exactly locked away. Jane’s every move is monitored on CCTV when her ‘husband’ isn’t there. And if she breaks any of his rules, she is punished. Not physically - instead he takes one of her very few belongings, and burns it whilst she watches.
This is a story of abuse, imprisonment and survival. No matter how much he seeks to control her, “Jane” is free to think and remember what it was like to be free. Whilst I was reading this, that’s all I wanted for her - freedom.
I don’t know whether the phrase “I loved every minute of this book” reflects all that well on me. I mean, it’s pretty horrific. But love it I did. I’d recommend this book to anyone - and then rub my hands together, whilst cackling evilly... Ok, that is a bit weird. But really. Just read the book.
Many thanks to the Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.
My dad lives in Lincolnshire, and to get to where he lives (Boston), we have to drive through what seems to be miles and miles of flat farmland (filled mainly with cruciferous vegetables, if my nose remembers correctly!), so it was easy to see how hard it would be for Jane to escape. You can see for a long way - uninterrupted by hills, or indeed anything else at all! This was such a good choice of location. It was that feeling of being trapped by your environment, even though Jane wasn’t exactly locked away. Jane’s every move is monitored on CCTV when her ‘husband’ isn’t there. And if she breaks any of his rules, she is punished. Not physically - instead he takes one of her very few belongings, and burns it whilst she watches.
This is a story of abuse, imprisonment and survival. No matter how much he seeks to control her, “Jane” is free to think and remember what it was like to be free. Whilst I was reading this, that’s all I wanted for her - freedom.
I don’t know whether the phrase “I loved every minute of this book” reflects all that well on me. I mean, it’s pretty horrific. But love it I did. I’d recommend this book to anyone - and then rub my hands together, whilst cackling evilly... Ok, that is a bit weird. But really. Just read the book.
Many thanks to the Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.