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Kelly MacDonald recommended Love, Nina: Despatches from Family Life in Books (curated)
Beth Ditto recommended Nunsexmonkrick by Nina Hagen in Music (curated)
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Stars Never Rise (The Stars Never Rise, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest
The Stars Never Rise</i> is the first book in an exciting new dystopian series. Since the war, the rise of soul sucking demons has been reduced, but instead of worrying about the remaining few, Nina Kane spends her time trying to provide food and clothing for herself and her younger sister Melanie. That is until she comes face to face with a demon – a degenerate – that she barely escapes from. Believing that it was a one off encounter and that she is safe within the walled in town of New Temperance run by the Unified Church, Nina turns her focus back to her sister who has her own troubles.
Before Nina gets the chance to help Melanie try to resolve her problem she encounters her second demon in the physical form of someone she has known all her life. While trying to protect herself, Nina unleashes a power she never knew she had. She is an exorcist who can rid bodies of demons, however the Church paints her as a wanted person with suspicions of being possessed.
The story gets exciting when Nina meets Finn, a fugitive, and his friends who help her to escape from the clutches of the Church. The mysterious Finn reveals the truth about Nina’s abilities and the lies the Church want people to believe. Within twenty-four hours the world is no longer the place Nina knew it to be.
Rachel Vincent has filled this book with lots of original ideas from her interpretation of demons to the character Finn, who is not human in the traditional sense. Not only does the story have fantasy/supernatural themes, it also deals with other more realistic issues such as poverty and teenage pregnancy.
<i>The Stars Never Rise</i> is bound to make an impression in the young adult market and become popular with dystopian lovers of all ages. Those who love this book will be eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
The Stars Never Rise</i> is the first book in an exciting new dystopian series. Since the war, the rise of soul sucking demons has been reduced, but instead of worrying about the remaining few, Nina Kane spends her time trying to provide food and clothing for herself and her younger sister Melanie. That is until she comes face to face with a demon – a degenerate – that she barely escapes from. Believing that it was a one off encounter and that she is safe within the walled in town of New Temperance run by the Unified Church, Nina turns her focus back to her sister who has her own troubles.
Before Nina gets the chance to help Melanie try to resolve her problem she encounters her second demon in the physical form of someone she has known all her life. While trying to protect herself, Nina unleashes a power she never knew she had. She is an exorcist who can rid bodies of demons, however the Church paints her as a wanted person with suspicions of being possessed.
The story gets exciting when Nina meets Finn, a fugitive, and his friends who help her to escape from the clutches of the Church. The mysterious Finn reveals the truth about Nina’s abilities and the lies the Church want people to believe. Within twenty-four hours the world is no longer the place Nina knew it to be.
Rachel Vincent has filled this book with lots of original ideas from her interpretation of demons to the character Finn, who is not human in the traditional sense. Not only does the story have fantasy/supernatural themes, it also deals with other more realistic issues such as poverty and teenage pregnancy.
<i>The Stars Never Rise</i> is bound to make an impression in the young adult market and become popular with dystopian lovers of all ages. Those who love this book will be eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Butterfly Summer in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The Butterfly Summer</i> is the latest novel by the Sunday Times bestselling author Harrier Evans. It is a story full of mystery and secrets that, although primarily set in 2011, whizzes back and forth in time. In London 2011 the narrator, Nina Parr, a young divorced woman of 25, is living with her mother and stepfather in the house she grew up in. In 1986 her father went on an expedition to Venezuela in search of the Glasswinged butterfly where he supposedly met his fate, thus never returned. However, after a brief but strange encounter with a confused old lady, Nina questions the truth about her father’s death.
Other mysteries begin to crop up from this moment forth. Nina hears of a woman named Teddy who she apparently looks like, and learns that the mansion from her favourite childhood book is a real place. But how are these things connected to Nina’s father?
As Nina begins to unravel her previously unaware of family secrets, the reader also learns more about Teddy – her past, her experiences and her connection with a house called Keepsake.
To begin with <i>The Butterfly Summer </i>was exciting and refreshing, the cryptic storyline pulling you in and not letting go. However from the midway point it began to considerably slow down and become rather dull, stale. Nina is such an interesting character that, by contrast, the snippets (rather extensive ones) about Teddy’s past were difficult to plow through.
One thing to commend the author on – although others may disagree – is the limit she put on romantic affairs. For me there was just the right amount of reference to these relationships to provoke the feeling of heartbrokenness yet not to detract from the main storyline.
For those who enjoy women’s fiction of a similar nature (e.g. Jill Mansell, perhaps) <i>The Butterfly Summer </i>is definitely a book to look out for. For me however, even though the first half I really enjoyed (four stars out of five), I had begun to work out the remaining mysteries myself and found the latter half less exciting.
The Butterfly Summer</i> is the latest novel by the Sunday Times bestselling author Harrier Evans. It is a story full of mystery and secrets that, although primarily set in 2011, whizzes back and forth in time. In London 2011 the narrator, Nina Parr, a young divorced woman of 25, is living with her mother and stepfather in the house she grew up in. In 1986 her father went on an expedition to Venezuela in search of the Glasswinged butterfly where he supposedly met his fate, thus never returned. However, after a brief but strange encounter with a confused old lady, Nina questions the truth about her father’s death.
Other mysteries begin to crop up from this moment forth. Nina hears of a woman named Teddy who she apparently looks like, and learns that the mansion from her favourite childhood book is a real place. But how are these things connected to Nina’s father?
As Nina begins to unravel her previously unaware of family secrets, the reader also learns more about Teddy – her past, her experiences and her connection with a house called Keepsake.
To begin with <i>The Butterfly Summer </i>was exciting and refreshing, the cryptic storyline pulling you in and not letting go. However from the midway point it began to considerably slow down and become rather dull, stale. Nina is such an interesting character that, by contrast, the snippets (rather extensive ones) about Teddy’s past were difficult to plow through.
One thing to commend the author on – although others may disagree – is the limit she put on romantic affairs. For me there was just the right amount of reference to these relationships to provoke the feeling of heartbrokenness yet not to detract from the main storyline.
For those who enjoy women’s fiction of a similar nature (e.g. Jill Mansell, perhaps) <i>The Butterfly Summer </i>is definitely a book to look out for. For me however, even though the first half I really enjoyed (four stars out of five), I had begun to work out the remaining mysteries myself and found the latter half less exciting.
[D.R. Martin] does an excellent job continuing the adventures of young boy photographer, Johnny Graphic and his friends. I [Johnny Graphic and the Attack of the Zombies] Johnny, Mel, Nina, and Dame Honoria continue the battle against Percy. This time Percy has created an army of zombies.
The classic style of the writing reminds me of Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew mysteries. It is a great throw back with a modern twist. I really enjoyed the style and the characters. The new characters that [Martin] added fit very well into the plot and enhanced the story line. I really recommend this book and feel it would be great in a classroom.
The classic style of the writing reminds me of Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew mysteries. It is a great throw back with a modern twist. I really enjoyed the style and the characters. The new characters that [Martin] added fit very well into the plot and enhanced the story line. I really recommend this book and feel it would be great in a classroom.
Merissa (11704 KP) rated Girl in the Mist in Books
May 2, 2018
Girl in the Mist by S.T. Young
Girl in the Mist is an exceptional book that tells the story of Rory and Nina/Lena/Thyra/Octavia/Joey. Nina was a child soldier and has ended up being locked away in a very dodgy mental institution where she is subjected to 'treatment' including drugging and electric shock. Due to everything she goes through, her personality splinters and become separate. Rory is trying to find these child soldiers and will do all he can to help her. Not that easy to start with, but especially not when you have someone on your tail, and even manages to get one step ahead.
The writing is simply outstanding as each of these personalities have their part to play, and are completely different from the others. The story is well-told, with a smooth pace and action packed. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The story itself is interesting and full of twists and turns that will keep your attention glued to the page. I can only imagine how much research must have gone into the making of this novel, and I applaud the authors for the outstanding results. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The writing is simply outstanding as each of these personalities have their part to play, and are completely different from the others. The story is well-told, with a smooth pace and action packed. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The story itself is interesting and full of twists and turns that will keep your attention glued to the page. I can only imagine how much research must have gone into the making of this novel, and I applaud the authors for the outstanding results. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated 555 by Ainjo in Music
Jun 18, 2019
Ainjo is a singer-songwriter based in San Diego, California. Not too long ago, she released a chill contemporary R&B tune, entitled, “Toxic”, which is featured on her 5-track EP, entitled, “555”.
“What you wanna fuss and fight for? You can make ya way out the door. I don’t really understand why we keep on arguing. This is toxic you’re so hectic. I do not recommend this sh*t.” – lyrics
‘Toxic’ tells an interesting tale of a young woman who shares a very toxic relationship with her significant other.
Apparently, she’s unhappy because she’s tired of riding on the same emotional rollercoaster attached to their failing relationship.
‘Toxic’ contains a relatable storyline and ultra-sultry vocals. Also, the likable tune possesses laidback instrumentation flavored with contemporary R&B and neo-soul elements.
“My goal is to create songs people can relate to and turn on whenever they want to get into their feelings.” – Ainjo
Ainjo began her music career in 2017 when she released her debut single, entitled, “Cash Flaws”.
Her music inspirations influences include great artists such as Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, and Eartha Kitt.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/ainjo-toxic/
“What you wanna fuss and fight for? You can make ya way out the door. I don’t really understand why we keep on arguing. This is toxic you’re so hectic. I do not recommend this sh*t.” – lyrics
‘Toxic’ tells an interesting tale of a young woman who shares a very toxic relationship with her significant other.
Apparently, she’s unhappy because she’s tired of riding on the same emotional rollercoaster attached to their failing relationship.
‘Toxic’ contains a relatable storyline and ultra-sultry vocals. Also, the likable tune possesses laidback instrumentation flavored with contemporary R&B and neo-soul elements.
“My goal is to create songs people can relate to and turn on whenever they want to get into their feelings.” – Ainjo
Ainjo began her music career in 2017 when she released her debut single, entitled, “Cash Flaws”.
Her music inspirations influences include great artists such as Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, and Eartha Kitt.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/ainjo-toxic/
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Love Hard (2021) in Movies
Jul 31, 2022
Contains spoilers, click to show
After many failed online dates, a young woman turns her disasters into a columnist job. This doesn't stop her again trying to get a date though, she's matches with a guy on a dating app called josh and they really hit it off. They talk and text all the time and he seems a really great guy. After 2 weeks of speaking with him, she believes she has found the perfect guy, and flies 3000 miles to surprise him......... Only to find she has been catfished. In disgust she leaves and goes for a drink at a local bar, where the real josh turns up. After a disastrous attempt to seduce Tag (real josh), Josh offers to set Natalie up with Tag as long as she pretends to be his girlfriend until Xmas.
Despite the predictable outcome of the movie, I really enjoyed it. Nina dobrev is fab and plays a really likeable character who is also pretty funny, and Jimmy o. Yang who plays Josh fits well with Ninas character too as the awkward shy guy, who just wants to find love. This has definitely been added as one of my fav Xmas movies.
Despite the predictable outcome of the movie, I really enjoyed it. Nina dobrev is fab and plays a really likeable character who is also pretty funny, and Jimmy o. Yang who plays Josh fits well with Ninas character too as the awkward shy guy, who just wants to find love. This has definitely been added as one of my fav Xmas movies.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Flame Never Dies (The Stars Never Rise, #2) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Rachel Vincent’s first novel<i> The Stars Never Rise</i> introduced Young Adult readers to a whole new dystopian concept. The world as we know it has been invaded by demons who can possess the human body. After discovering she has the power of exorcism, seventeen-year-old Nina joins other teenage exorcists, including the disembodied Finn, who aim to rid their town of the parasitic creatures. However the totalitarian Unified Church, the rulers of what was once the USA, have been secretly taken over by demons and will stop at nothing to get rid of Nina and her friends.
<i>The Flame Never Dies</i> continues five months after the Anathema (the name the demons gave to the group of exorcists) escaped from the clutches of the Church. Whilst exorcising all the demons they come across, Nina and company are desperately seeking food and supplies to sustain themselves as well as nourish Nina’s heavily pregnant sister.
The story is fast paced and contains a multitude of climaxes and plot twists. Vincent omits all the mundane details resulting in a tale that appears to take place over a few days rather than weeks and months. With bombshell following bombshell it is impossible to get bored of reading or predict the final conclusion. The ending, however, is the only part of the novel that is a little disappointing. After such a build up, the speed and ease that the final burst of action takes leads to a slightly unsatisfying finale.
The key characters from the first book are all involved in <i>The Flame Never Dies</i> as well as a welcome selection of new and splendid faces. Vincent emphasises the importance of teamwork, the effects of love and the notion of hope through religious belief. Although unique, the beliefs expressed by some of the characters are not much different from the monotheistic faiths of today. As a result there is something in this book that almost everyone will be able to relate to.
<i>The Flame Never Dies</i>, in my opinion, is much more exciting and engaging than its predecessor, so if you loved <i>The Stars Never Rise</i> you can guarantee you will enjoy this too. Sadly the ending does not do the story justice, readers are left with no knowledge of how the characters survive the future, and, as this is a duology, no one will ever know. Yet despite all this, Rachel Vincent has created a fantastic piece of fiction that will no doubt be as popular as other books in its genre.
Rachel Vincent’s first novel<i> The Stars Never Rise</i> introduced Young Adult readers to a whole new dystopian concept. The world as we know it has been invaded by demons who can possess the human body. After discovering she has the power of exorcism, seventeen-year-old Nina joins other teenage exorcists, including the disembodied Finn, who aim to rid their town of the parasitic creatures. However the totalitarian Unified Church, the rulers of what was once the USA, have been secretly taken over by demons and will stop at nothing to get rid of Nina and her friends.
<i>The Flame Never Dies</i> continues five months after the Anathema (the name the demons gave to the group of exorcists) escaped from the clutches of the Church. Whilst exorcising all the demons they come across, Nina and company are desperately seeking food and supplies to sustain themselves as well as nourish Nina’s heavily pregnant sister.
The story is fast paced and contains a multitude of climaxes and plot twists. Vincent omits all the mundane details resulting in a tale that appears to take place over a few days rather than weeks and months. With bombshell following bombshell it is impossible to get bored of reading or predict the final conclusion. The ending, however, is the only part of the novel that is a little disappointing. After such a build up, the speed and ease that the final burst of action takes leads to a slightly unsatisfying finale.
The key characters from the first book are all involved in <i>The Flame Never Dies</i> as well as a welcome selection of new and splendid faces. Vincent emphasises the importance of teamwork, the effects of love and the notion of hope through religious belief. Although unique, the beliefs expressed by some of the characters are not much different from the monotheistic faiths of today. As a result there is something in this book that almost everyone will be able to relate to.
<i>The Flame Never Dies</i>, in my opinion, is much more exciting and engaging than its predecessor, so if you loved <i>The Stars Never Rise</i> you can guarantee you will enjoy this too. Sadly the ending does not do the story justice, readers are left with no knowledge of how the characters survive the future, and, as this is a duology, no one will ever know. Yet despite all this, Rachel Vincent has created a fantastic piece of fiction that will no doubt be as popular as other books in its genre.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Housemaid (The Housemaid #1) in Books
Nov 9, 2022
I had been in a book funk for awhile especially when it came to psychological thrillers. I love psychological thrillers, but I am very picky about which ones I'll read. When I came across The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, the synopsis really caught my attention. I decided to give it a read and ended up loving it!
The Housemaid tells the story of Millie, a young woman down on her luck. With a prison background, getting a decent paying job has been hard to find. Millie's been living in her car for awhile after being let go from her most recent job. When a high paying job arises working for the Winchesters, Millie can hardly believe her luck when she's offered the job. All she has to do is keep the house clean, take care of the Winchesters' daughter Cecelia, and cook for them. It's not too bad considering how much she's being paid. Plus, she'll be able to finally sleep in a bed! However, things drastically take a turn for the worst on Millie's first day. Nina Winchester, the wife, is constantly berating Millie and leaving big messes for her. She's gaslighting Millie at every turn. Is there a method to Nina's madness or is Nina really out to get Millie?
I loved the plot of The Housemaid. I was definitely scratching my head trying to figure out what was going on at first. While I have read similar stories to this one, Freida McFadden adds varying elements to keep her story line original. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout. In fact, one twist happens within the first few chapters. Nothing is as it seems when it comes to the story line of this novel. I was sucked into the world McFadden had created. I felt like I was a character hiding in the shadows watching all the drama unfold. While there is a small cliffhanger, I feel like The Housemaid is a book that can be read as a standalone despite it being part of a series. I say this because all my questions and wonderings I had throughout reading The Housemaid were tied up nicely by the end of the book. (Although I would have liked to know a bit more about how Andrew Winchester, the husband, had amassed such a large fortune.)
Every single character main and secondary character in The Housemaid was well written. It was actually quite easy to picture each character in my mind. Each character's personality shown through with each page. I never knew what to expect with Nina. I kept trying to figure out why she was one way while interviewing Millie yet a whole different person from the very first day Millie started her job. I couldn't figure out why she kept gaslighting Millie and why she would hire her only to ridicule and belittle her at every given opportunity. I did like reading about Nina though and to finally get her perspective on why she was the way she was to Millie. Andrew seemed like a nice guy. He was always wanting to protect Millie from Nina's craziness, and I did keep finding myself wanting Andrew and Millie to become a couple as there was so much chemistry between them. I also thought Nina didn't deserve Andrew with how mean she was. Millie seemed like a sweet young woman that had been handed some bad cards throughout her life. I was wishing nothing but the best for Millie throughout the book. It was obvious that she was trying to get her life on track after all the bad she had endured. Enzo, the gardener, was the wild card. I never knew if I should trust him or not. While he seemed oblivious to everything around him, I was always left wondering if he knew more than he let on. One character I would have liked to know more about was Cecelia. She came across as a bit of a brat, and it becomes obvious why she would act that way, but I would have liked to know more about her life growing up in the Winchester residence such as what she would go through while she was away and what not. Saying all that about the characters, I will say that no one in this book is quite as they seem. What you see is not what you get with the people in The Housemaid.
Trigger warnings for The Housemaid include gaslighting, blackmail, profanity, torture, violence, murder, and captivity.
Overall, The Housemaid is a solid story that will leave you guessing which each page read. You won't know which character to trust or what is real. It will be all too easy to stay up late into the night to finish this book because it's just that good! I would definitely recommend The Housemaid by Freida McFadden to those aged 18+ who love being fully immersed in whatever they are reading. This book will suck you right into its pages from the get go. It'll also leave you with a distrust of attic rooms at the top of stairs!
The Housemaid tells the story of Millie, a young woman down on her luck. With a prison background, getting a decent paying job has been hard to find. Millie's been living in her car for awhile after being let go from her most recent job. When a high paying job arises working for the Winchesters, Millie can hardly believe her luck when she's offered the job. All she has to do is keep the house clean, take care of the Winchesters' daughter Cecelia, and cook for them. It's not too bad considering how much she's being paid. Plus, she'll be able to finally sleep in a bed! However, things drastically take a turn for the worst on Millie's first day. Nina Winchester, the wife, is constantly berating Millie and leaving big messes for her. She's gaslighting Millie at every turn. Is there a method to Nina's madness or is Nina really out to get Millie?
I loved the plot of The Housemaid. I was definitely scratching my head trying to figure out what was going on at first. While I have read similar stories to this one, Freida McFadden adds varying elements to keep her story line original. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout. In fact, one twist happens within the first few chapters. Nothing is as it seems when it comes to the story line of this novel. I was sucked into the world McFadden had created. I felt like I was a character hiding in the shadows watching all the drama unfold. While there is a small cliffhanger, I feel like The Housemaid is a book that can be read as a standalone despite it being part of a series. I say this because all my questions and wonderings I had throughout reading The Housemaid were tied up nicely by the end of the book. (Although I would have liked to know a bit more about how Andrew Winchester, the husband, had amassed such a large fortune.)
Every single character main and secondary character in The Housemaid was well written. It was actually quite easy to picture each character in my mind. Each character's personality shown through with each page. I never knew what to expect with Nina. I kept trying to figure out why she was one way while interviewing Millie yet a whole different person from the very first day Millie started her job. I couldn't figure out why she kept gaslighting Millie and why she would hire her only to ridicule and belittle her at every given opportunity. I did like reading about Nina though and to finally get her perspective on why she was the way she was to Millie. Andrew seemed like a nice guy. He was always wanting to protect Millie from Nina's craziness, and I did keep finding myself wanting Andrew and Millie to become a couple as there was so much chemistry between them. I also thought Nina didn't deserve Andrew with how mean she was. Millie seemed like a sweet young woman that had been handed some bad cards throughout her life. I was wishing nothing but the best for Millie throughout the book. It was obvious that she was trying to get her life on track after all the bad she had endured. Enzo, the gardener, was the wild card. I never knew if I should trust him or not. While he seemed oblivious to everything around him, I was always left wondering if he knew more than he let on. One character I would have liked to know more about was Cecelia. She came across as a bit of a brat, and it becomes obvious why she would act that way, but I would have liked to know more about her life growing up in the Winchester residence such as what she would go through while she was away and what not. Saying all that about the characters, I will say that no one in this book is quite as they seem. What you see is not what you get with the people in The Housemaid.
Trigger warnings for The Housemaid include gaslighting, blackmail, profanity, torture, violence, murder, and captivity.
Overall, The Housemaid is a solid story that will leave you guessing which each page read. You won't know which character to trust or what is real. It will be all too easy to stay up late into the night to finish this book because it's just that good! I would definitely recommend The Housemaid by Freida McFadden to those aged 18+ who love being fully immersed in whatever they are reading. This book will suck you right into its pages from the get go. It'll also leave you with a distrust of attic rooms at the top of stairs!