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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Shelter in Place in Books
Jan 12, 2021
I bought two chucky paperbacks by Nora Roberts at the same time a few months ago, this and Come Sundown.
This one starts with Simone and her two friends going to the cinema to watch a film together. Simone goes to the toilet and minutes later hears screams and gunshots coming from the room she'd just left. She phones the police as three people go through the mall, killing as many people as they can. Simultaneously, Reed is working at one of the restaurants in the mall and as the shooters begin their killing spree he comes to the rescue of a little boy who's crying for his mum and keeps him safe until the cops arrive and take out the shooters.
Fast forward several years and survivors of the attack start to be killed off one by one and it seems Simone and Reed are on the killers list
I will start by saying that romantic suspense's are not my favourite genre. It has taken me about a month and a half to finish this. The romance definitely felt like an afterthought since it only kicked in about the half way point by which point I was just reading to see them take down the bad guy - whose POV we saw regularly throughout - and whose comeuppance felt like a bit of a disappointment. It all happened within about five pages from them making themselves known to Simone to them being incapacitated.
It's a 500+ page book! The first half was the two main survivors growing up and finding their calling in life - and I was rather bored, hence it taking me over a month to read! - the second half was a really played down romance while the killer made her way through the rest of the survivors on her meandering journey to them on Tranquillity Island.
I normally really enjoy reading Nora Roberts' books but I think I'll stick to her traditional romances and away from romantic suspense's in the future. Come Sundown and this one will be making there way to a charity shop for others to enjoy.
This one starts with Simone and her two friends going to the cinema to watch a film together. Simone goes to the toilet and minutes later hears screams and gunshots coming from the room she'd just left. She phones the police as three people go through the mall, killing as many people as they can. Simultaneously, Reed is working at one of the restaurants in the mall and as the shooters begin their killing spree he comes to the rescue of a little boy who's crying for his mum and keeps him safe until the cops arrive and take out the shooters.
Fast forward several years and survivors of the attack start to be killed off one by one and it seems Simone and Reed are on the killers list
I will start by saying that romantic suspense's are not my favourite genre. It has taken me about a month and a half to finish this. The romance definitely felt like an afterthought since it only kicked in about the half way point by which point I was just reading to see them take down the bad guy - whose POV we saw regularly throughout - and whose comeuppance felt like a bit of a disappointment. It all happened within about five pages from them making themselves known to Simone to them being incapacitated.
It's a 500+ page book! The first half was the two main survivors growing up and finding their calling in life - and I was rather bored, hence it taking me over a month to read! - the second half was a really played down romance while the killer made her way through the rest of the survivors on her meandering journey to them on Tranquillity Island.
I normally really enjoy reading Nora Roberts' books but I think I'll stick to her traditional romances and away from romantic suspense's in the future. Come Sundown and this one will be making there way to a charity shop for others to enjoy.
Narcoland: The Mexican Drug Lords and Their Godfathers
Roberto Saviano and Anabel Hernandez
Book
Narcoland describes a disastrous 'war on drugs' that has led to more than 80,000 deaths in half a...
Debbiereadsbook (1608 KP) rated Fetching (Unleashed Romance #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2021
There is steam a-plenty, but not ever so explicit
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
The man drove her nuts, making negative comments about her business! But Lord he was preety to look at. Wyatt has an opinion about everything, and it riles Sydney up no end. When Sydney finds out why he was sent to help, she ain't happy, not at all. She can't mis business and pleasure, can she?
I enjoyed this, a lot. I didn't love it though and I'll tell you why shortly.
I loved Sydney, I really did. She won't let Wyatt help, because it's HER business, it belongs to her family. She knows she needs help, she just doesn't want Wyatt's.
Wyatt is a bit more difficult to like, especially until we get his say. He really does rile Sydney up, and at points he riles ME up, but once we get into his head, his motivation becomes clear: Sydney could well be the one for him to fix the heart that was broken 3 years ago.
There is steam a-plenty, but not ever so explicit. As much as I enjoy the down and oh-so-dirty books, sometimes, it's not needed.
You can see what's gonna happen when Sydney finds out what Wyatt does like a train wreck you can't stop, but I do like that.
Why not loved it? Simple. First person. Present tense. AND multi point of view. Quite possibly my trifecta of hell BUT I am trying to give books written as such a chance, and I'm glad I did with this one.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
The man drove her nuts, making negative comments about her business! But Lord he was preety to look at. Wyatt has an opinion about everything, and it riles Sydney up no end. When Sydney finds out why he was sent to help, she ain't happy, not at all. She can't mis business and pleasure, can she?
I enjoyed this, a lot. I didn't love it though and I'll tell you why shortly.
I loved Sydney, I really did. She won't let Wyatt help, because it's HER business, it belongs to her family. She knows she needs help, she just doesn't want Wyatt's.
Wyatt is a bit more difficult to like, especially until we get his say. He really does rile Sydney up, and at points he riles ME up, but once we get into his head, his motivation becomes clear: Sydney could well be the one for him to fix the heart that was broken 3 years ago.
There is steam a-plenty, but not ever so explicit. As much as I enjoy the down and oh-so-dirty books, sometimes, it's not needed.
You can see what's gonna happen when Sydney finds out what Wyatt does like a train wreck you can't stop, but I do like that.
Why not loved it? Simple. First person. Present tense. AND multi point of view. Quite possibly my trifecta of hell BUT I am trying to give books written as such a chance, and I'm glad I did with this one.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated The Wild Storm, Vol. 2 in Books
Nov 30, 2020
I am old enough to remember when Jean Grey became Dark Phoenix. I am also old enough to remember reading all the Image Comics titles in the 90's, because they were cool! Not all of them (*cough* Rob Liefeld's YOUNGBLOOD and assorted other titles he helmed) were good, but some, like WILDC.A.T.s and WETWORKS, were a little cooler and better other than the aforementioned titles. Those "cooler" books split off and became a separate publishing imprint, Wildstorm. Unfortunately, some things, not unlike THE A-TEAM or THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO, don't hold up as well, but they will always hold a "special spot" in our nerdy, li'l hearts!
In the late 90's, a writer came onboard looking to revamp one of the so-so books, STORMWATCH. That writer was Warren Ellis, and the series that spun out of the revamped STORMWATCH was THE AUTHORITY. With that book, Ellis made one hell of an impression with a lot of people, myself included, earning him, and THE AUTHORITY, a very high spot on the Nerd Chart.
I skipped out when, in 2017 (I think), DC Comics absorbed the Wildstorm characters/books, making them "exist" in the same comics universe as Superman and Batman!
Jump ahead to 2018. Warren Ellis approaches DC, offering THE WILD STORM, a massive (24 issues!) reboot of the Wildstorm universe. They greenlight it. And, what a ride!
Forget everything about the 90s WILDC.A.T.s, Grifter, even THE AUTHORITY. This is a blank slate, with so much potential!
Volume 2, reprinting issues 7-12, is just.. words elude me. It's not mind-numbing like a lot of what Marvel and DC are churning out of late, but it certainly makes my brain itch. Watching familiar faces being reworked and presented in a totally different way is fun and interesting at the same time. It's also equally entertaining to see equally familiar plots and sub-plots taken apart and put back together in an uniquely satisfying way.
The series is not TOO wordy, yet wordy enough that the story gives us much to chew on and reflect long after this volume, or any of the individual issues themselves, are read. My hat goes off to Warren Ellis, for he has clear outdone himself, something I did not think could be done!
However, as much as I was taken in by Ellis' writing, it is also worth noting Jon Davis-Hunt's art. At times, he reminded me of Keith Giffen's LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES work (back when Tom and Mary Bierbaum were writing it), simple, at first viewing, but further study shows so much more in each panel. I felt his art suits the angle that Ellis is shooting for, and for that, I am glad that he seems to be invested in the art until the 24th, and final, issue of the series is completed.
Look, plain and simple. Go read Volume, because you will most certainly want to read this volume, and then, Volume 3, when it comes out in March. This is a smart series, and if you are old enough to remember the 90s Wildstorm characters (like me), you'll be sorry if you don't check it out! 'Nuff said!
In the late 90's, a writer came onboard looking to revamp one of the so-so books, STORMWATCH. That writer was Warren Ellis, and the series that spun out of the revamped STORMWATCH was THE AUTHORITY. With that book, Ellis made one hell of an impression with a lot of people, myself included, earning him, and THE AUTHORITY, a very high spot on the Nerd Chart.
I skipped out when, in 2017 (I think), DC Comics absorbed the Wildstorm characters/books, making them "exist" in the same comics universe as Superman and Batman!
Jump ahead to 2018. Warren Ellis approaches DC, offering THE WILD STORM, a massive (24 issues!) reboot of the Wildstorm universe. They greenlight it. And, what a ride!
Forget everything about the 90s WILDC.A.T.s, Grifter, even THE AUTHORITY. This is a blank slate, with so much potential!
Volume 2, reprinting issues 7-12, is just.. words elude me. It's not mind-numbing like a lot of what Marvel and DC are churning out of late, but it certainly makes my brain itch. Watching familiar faces being reworked and presented in a totally different way is fun and interesting at the same time. It's also equally entertaining to see equally familiar plots and sub-plots taken apart and put back together in an uniquely satisfying way.
The series is not TOO wordy, yet wordy enough that the story gives us much to chew on and reflect long after this volume, or any of the individual issues themselves, are read. My hat goes off to Warren Ellis, for he has clear outdone himself, something I did not think could be done!
However, as much as I was taken in by Ellis' writing, it is also worth noting Jon Davis-Hunt's art. At times, he reminded me of Keith Giffen's LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES work (back when Tom and Mary Bierbaum were writing it), simple, at first viewing, but further study shows so much more in each panel. I felt his art suits the angle that Ellis is shooting for, and for that, I am glad that he seems to be invested in the art until the 24th, and final, issue of the series is completed.
Look, plain and simple. Go read Volume, because you will most certainly want to read this volume, and then, Volume 3, when it comes out in March. This is a smart series, and if you are old enough to remember the 90s Wildstorm characters (like me), you'll be sorry if you don't check it out! 'Nuff said!
Sam (74 KP) rated Notes on a Nervous Planet in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Let’s just start off with the compulsory statement: I would read absolutely anything written by Matt Haig. I’ll link my reviews of his other books at the end of this post.
Notes is a follow-on book to Reasons to Stay Alive, and focuses on her the world is effecting your mental health. It’s in quite small chapters so it’s really easy to get along with and read in short bursts rather than being a book you need a large amount of free time to read.
I really loved Haig’s commentary on the roles of social media towards your mental health. He points out how social media can both help and hinder people’s mental health, and how social media is full of the best parts of people, not every part.
The thing I love about his writing is that he’s straight-talking. He says it as it is throughout the book, and definitely puts a strong point forward about exactly what can make a large difference to your mental health.
I’m happy that in Notes, Haig points out that there is no difference between mental and physical health in their effects, making a brilliant argument on why mental health should be taken more seriously by everyone.
When this book came in the post I told myself I was going to savour it, because I was so excited to get a new book by Matt Haig that I didn’t want to rush it. So in the end I read it in two days instead of one!
Notes on a Nervous Planet is definitely necessary reading for everyone, whether you have mental health struggles or not. It gives many ways to stop letting the world into your head and not wasting your energy worrying. It’s made me glad I read it.
Notes is a follow-on book to Reasons to Stay Alive, and focuses on her the world is effecting your mental health. It’s in quite small chapters so it’s really easy to get along with and read in short bursts rather than being a book you need a large amount of free time to read.
I really loved Haig’s commentary on the roles of social media towards your mental health. He points out how social media can both help and hinder people’s mental health, and how social media is full of the best parts of people, not every part.
The thing I love about his writing is that he’s straight-talking. He says it as it is throughout the book, and definitely puts a strong point forward about exactly what can make a large difference to your mental health.
I’m happy that in Notes, Haig points out that there is no difference between mental and physical health in their effects, making a brilliant argument on why mental health should be taken more seriously by everyone.
When this book came in the post I told myself I was going to savour it, because I was so excited to get a new book by Matt Haig that I didn’t want to rush it. So in the end I read it in two days instead of one!
Notes on a Nervous Planet is definitely necessary reading for everyone, whether you have mental health struggles or not. It gives many ways to stop letting the world into your head and not wasting your energy worrying. It’s made me glad I read it.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Hairy Hand in Books
May 22, 2019
A gothic adventure for 8 -12 year olds, full of jokes, magical familiars and a gruesome cast of characters. When Septimus inherits a magical, treasure-finding Hairy Hand from his uncle, life suddenly becomes a lot more exciting - and dangerous!
Septimus feels out-of-place in his village where everyone else his age is called Darg or Smerg or Blaarg. Good, honest names that sound like you are have just swallowed something pointy or are sneezing into custard. Even his parents make him feel like a complete stranger. Especially his parents. Then he inherits something strange and frightening from his uncle. A Hairy Hand. It has the magical ability to find buried treasure which suits his parents (thieves by trade) down to the ground. However, instead of making his life better, it suddenly gets a lot more dangerous.
So, it is up to Sept to find out what else the Hand knows and put things right.
I enjoyed this humorous and moderately gruesome read which, I think, will appeal to its target audience.
Theres an amazing cast of ghastly characters, including Septs parents, Plog the Sneaker and Gertrude!
A fun and adventurous fantasy story of good versus bad, determination and resisting temptation.
The Characters and story line are varied and kept me guessing, laughing my way through the book at the antics and mishaps throughout, with a few cleverly woven in messages for those reading it.
If you are looking to introduce your children to Fantasy Adventure or yourselves or just as gift for someone then this truly would make someone very happy!
I highly recommend this fun book!!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Monster Books and Robin Bennett for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Septimus feels out-of-place in his village where everyone else his age is called Darg or Smerg or Blaarg. Good, honest names that sound like you are have just swallowed something pointy or are sneezing into custard. Even his parents make him feel like a complete stranger. Especially his parents. Then he inherits something strange and frightening from his uncle. A Hairy Hand. It has the magical ability to find buried treasure which suits his parents (thieves by trade) down to the ground. However, instead of making his life better, it suddenly gets a lot more dangerous.
So, it is up to Sept to find out what else the Hand knows and put things right.
I enjoyed this humorous and moderately gruesome read which, I think, will appeal to its target audience.
Theres an amazing cast of ghastly characters, including Septs parents, Plog the Sneaker and Gertrude!
A fun and adventurous fantasy story of good versus bad, determination and resisting temptation.
The Characters and story line are varied and kept me guessing, laughing my way through the book at the antics and mishaps throughout, with a few cleverly woven in messages for those reading it.
If you are looking to introduce your children to Fantasy Adventure or yourselves or just as gift for someone then this truly would make someone very happy!
I highly recommend this fun book!!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Monster Books and Robin Bennett for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Little Veggie Patch Co. DIY Garden Projects: Easy Activities for Edible Gardening and Backyard Fun
Mat Pember and Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
Book
The Little Veggie Patch Company is a Melbourne based business that specializes in everything that...
Structure and Space: Giles & Pike Architects
Matt Giles, Tom Pike and Dominic Bradbury
Book
Structure and Space traces the 35-year history of London-based practice Giles & Pike Architects,...
Socialize Your Patient Engagement Strategy: How Social Media and Mobile Apps Can Boost Health Outcomes
John Mack and Letizia Affinito
Book
Socialize Your Patient Engagement Strategy makes the case for a fundamentally new approach to...
Ronyell (38 KP) rated Coraline (2009) in Movies
Aug 4, 2020 (Updated Aug 4, 2020)
The Darkside of Wonderland
I remembered reading Neil Gaiman's book on this classic story about a young girl wanting a better life, but finding out the hard way that sometimes it's good to be satisfied with what you have rather than having a life that's not real and I have always loved how this story was set up and how creepy it was! So, when I heard that they were finally making a movie about this novel, I was super excited and my excitement was definitely not misplaced in this movie! I just loved how the animation really fit with the creepy tone of this story as it was jerky in your typical stop motion way and yet gorgeous to gaze at! I also loved the story itself as it was about Coraline learning that not all things are paradise when she visits the other world and I also loved the fact that Coraline took it upon herself to rescue her parents when they were kidnapped as it showed great courage in her character! I also loved Coraline's neighbors in both the real world and the other world, as they were eccentric yet helpful towards Coraline, especially Mr. Bobinsky, who was probably one of the most interesting characters in this movie!
The only problem I had with this movie was that the beginning was sort of slow and I wished that there was more action at the beginning that would have capture my attention of this movie from the beginning.
Overall, "Coraline" is definitely one movie you should check out, especially if you are a huge fan of Neil Gaiman's books or if you are a huge fan of weird and creepy animated films in general!
The only problem I had with this movie was that the beginning was sort of slow and I wished that there was more action at the beginning that would have capture my attention of this movie from the beginning.
Overall, "Coraline" is definitely one movie you should check out, especially if you are a huge fan of Neil Gaiman's books or if you are a huge fan of weird and creepy animated films in general!