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No Way Home (A Science Fiction Anthology)
Lucas Bale | 2015
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received [No Way Home] from author [Harry Manners] in exchange for a honest review. This collection of short stories with the theme of being stranded, in one way or another, was a thought provoking read.

[To Sing of Chaos and Eternal Night] by [Lucas Bale] took me a few days to get past the beginning. The concept of a soldier who has lost all being and is just thought sent to robotic bodies and told to fight the enemy was interesting. As I stated, unfortunately, it was a slow start but the ending was worth the read.

[XE, or People Are Strange] by [S. Elliot Brandis]gave a new meaning to getting away from it all. The main character, Bradley, volunteers to be put in a shuttle to find a new habitable plant. His mission is one way and he is to send a signal back to Earth if it is a safe place. Apparently, though, he is not the first, or only, person on the new planet. I really liked the twist in this story.

[Grist] by [J.S. Collyer] is a futuristic view where one entity has taken control and all others are forced to work for them, often underground. Wyatt was not born into this so he remembers fresh air and sun. He wants to escape and be free again. Just daring to think this way can be deadly and he must know who to trust. The question this story had me asking was what is life worth?

[Merely A Madness] by [S.W. Fairbrother] was one I was really excited to see in this collection because I had read [The Secret Dead] and loved it. [Merely A Madness] did not disappoint in anyway. Earth has become a hostile place but most people have escaped off planet. Hannah loves old earth and Mullen sets up a holiday because he aims to please. This would be like current day people going to a wild west ranch, real but not too real. Things go horribly wrong and Mullen must make a hard choice. This story was one of my favorites by far.

[Revolver] by [Michael Patrick Hicks] was the most overtly political and also one of the most enjoyable. The concept of reality TV and politics preying on the unfortunates is so scary because it is not far from our current reality. I really loved the statement made in this one.

[The Happy Place] by [Harry Manners] was a story of a dream gone horribly wrong. Michael has always dreamed of going to the stars and with his wife this dream becomes a reality as he is chosen to colonize Mars. Years later he realizes his dream may be a nightmare as he begins to lose everything he loves. The only thing that keeps him going is 'the Happy Place', a virtual reality of his memories from Earth, but keeping this secret from those he loves may cost him even more. This is the third work I have read from [Harry Manners] and I love how he handles loneliness and making hard decisions. His characters are always deeper than they first appear.

[Renata] by [Nadine Matheson] is a futuristic spy story wrapped in a mob hit with political intrigue. Yes, I enjoyed this one as well. Kaoru is an assassin who gets his assignments from his brother. His latest target is in the past. This is the assignment that may just kill him.

[Cold Witness] by [A.S. Sinclair] was a mental thriller. John Marshall is sent to check out an abandoned military complex that he is told little about. When he arrives there he hears rumors of strange things involving the final project at the base. Upon arrival he begins hallucinating and his memories begin to meld with others. The question of what is reality is constant throughout.

All the stories were well written and enjoyable. I also liked how each author wrote an "Afterword" that explained a little of how they came up with the concept they did. I recommend this to any fan of futuristic and science fiction.
  
Hard Time (Responsible Adult #2)
Hard Time (Responsible Adult #2)
C.F. White | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hard Time (Responsible Adult #2) by C.F. White
Hard Time is the second book in the Responsible Adult set, and get ready for your socks to be knocked off! Now, you do need to have read book one as this one follows straight after. I said for book one that it is quite dark and gritty, well, that remains true for this one.

Micky has everything going on - a court appearance, his deadbeat dad back in town, still feeling unworthy of Dan, you name it, it's probably here. Dan is determined to stick around, no matter how Micky may push him away. And Flynn is still as adorable as ever.

This book is, quite simply, amazing. It doesn't shy away from the nastier side of life, nor indeed of how people can be drawn into it just through circumstances. Gwen did an amazing job in the circumstances for her boys, but she wasn't wonder woman. The rest of the journey is up to them, and Micky got lost for a while. Luckily for him, Dan is there to show him the right way to go. I said it last time, I'll say it again - these two are perfect for each other. Seeing Micky come out of his shell towards Dan? Perfect.

One thing I will say, is that the courtroom scene was brilliantly written. Part of me wanted to dislike Micky for being able to 'play' it the way he did, whilst the other part of me respected him like hell for knowing how it works, and doing the best he can for Flynn in those circumstances.

Reading this book, without any editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, was anything but a Hard Time. It finished off Micky and Dan's story perfectly, although I still want more! A fantastic story, and definitely 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!
  
Stolen (Saving Setora #1)
Stolen (Saving Setora #1)
Raven Dark, Petra J. Knox | 2020 | Dystopia, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
180 of 200
Kindle
Stolen ( saving setora book 1)
By Raven Dark and Petra J. Knox

 
It all began when the road warriors found me outside Hell's Burning, lost and dehydrated. When the bikers took me into The Compound, I thought I was saved.

Especially when, as a Violet - a rare genetic anomaly prized above all - I'm taken in and raised by one of the wealthiest men in the world. Educated and groomed by the best teachers money could buy, I mistakenly thought he had a great future planned for me, one in which I'd be cared for and cherished.

I was wrong.

For centuries, women have been sold as slaves. In my 18th year, my benefactor reveals a truth that shatters my world. I'm to be put on display before the wealthiest of society at one of the biggest auctions this world has ever seen... as a slave.

But that night at the auction, something goes wrong. I am stolen by members of the infamous Dark Legion, a road warrior crew feared the world over. Torn from the only world I have ever known, now I have not one master, but four.

I shouldn't want these dangerous, deadly men with their leather cuts and their growling bikes, but the deeper my captors draw me into their dark and twisted world, the more I crave what they do to me. They stole me from a powerful man who'll stop at nothing to get me back. If I don't find a way to escape soon, my new masters might just steal my heart.

* trigger warning for this book *

Not quite sure where I stand on this book! It definitely needs a trigger warning for several reasons! I was searching somewhere through for one of these “men” to redeem yea Hawk isn’t as bad as the others. I did enjoy the writing style I’m just still not sure of where it’s going I like a bit of dark but is this too dark?
  
40x40

JT (287 KP) rated Halloween (1978) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020  
Halloween (1978)
Halloween (1978)
1978 | Horror
Without a doubt Halloween was one of the finest horror films ever made, John Carpenter was spot on with his portrayal of a serial killer descending on a small American town.

Michael Myers was to become a horror icon and even though it spanned seven sequels, the original will always be the best in many people’s eyes. It is certainly my all time favourite horror film. Carpenter’s cinematic vision of Halloween was brilliant right from the opening credits. The long and short camera angles coupled with the “was he there or wasn’t he” shots of Myers were sublime.

The sinister musical score as well is paramount in making this film a household name in its genre. Jamie Lee Curtis was a scream queen for the 70s and although the acting talents were not up to scratch, it made no difference to the overall outcome of the film. Michael Myers was a disturbed child and after committing a horrific murder when he was just six years old he was committed to a mental institution where he escaped to stalk Laurie Strode, his long lost sister.

His the perfect boogeyman, and during the first part of the film he stalks Laurie sometimes just appearing out of shot as a blur between trees of a faceless driver passing by in his car. Laurie of course has no idea who he is but starts to feel like she is being watched, and her fears are finally realised one night descends and Carpenter ramps up the tension to breaking point.

What I love about this film is the pure simplicity of it, with a budget of just $320,000 it grossed $60m world world and was a massive hit with horror fans the world over. It didn’t want for fancy special effects, and the musical score was hardly a masterpiece but it did the job and it did it well. It is the model slasher flick and most of what has preceded it (maybe with the exception of the first Scream) have not been able to stand up in competition.

We’ve had Freddy and Jason, and we’re still having to sit and watch teenagers heading to remote and desolate locations to be butchered in a variety of unique ways while pints of blood are splashed across the screen. Halloween doesn’t require that, it will have you jumping out of your seat at least more than once and it just goes to prove that simple scares are the most effective.
  
The Litigators
The Litigators
John Grisham | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
When I first started reading this book, I was disappointed that there wasn't a gripping story in the first chapter. I'm used to that with Grisham novels.

David Zinc a thirty something attorney at a big law firm in Chicago has just lost it. He has thrown away a secure job at a lucrative firm. After a day of drinking, he finds himself at the law firm of Finley & Figg. A firm with two lawyers, Oscar Finley and Wally Figg, who are ambulance chasers. When David jumps into action during an accident in front of the firm, he makes a decision he probably should have made when he was sober. The next morning he becomes the third associate at Finley & Figg and the only one never to be in a court room. David had spent much of his time shuffling papers at his other firm and was anxious to get in on the action.

David comes to the firm just as Wally stumbles upon a tort case involving a drug company. According to Wally, they are all going to get rich and Finley and Figg will become a respectable law firm. Much to the chagrin of Oscar andd David, this drug case seems to be more than they can handle. David is trying to make a name for himself as well, by helping out a friend and her housekeeper. Her grandson had been hospitalized for months for what the doctors assumed was lead poisoning.

Which case will help the firm? Which attorney will bring it down? How will David hold up in court?

The book overall was good. The ending is pretty predictable with a couple of surprise twists in the middle. If you are a John Grisham fan, you will enjoy this book. It's not one of my favorite's of his, but still enjoyable.
  
Lower World (Infernal Regions for the Unprepared #2)
Lower World (Infernal Regions for the Unprepared #2)
Maya Daniels | 2021 | Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
LOWER WORLD is the second book in the Infernal Regions for the Unprepared series and remember how I said the first one wasn't too fast-paced? Yeah, well, we're back to the crazy and frantic pace Maya Daniels is known for!

Don't get me wrong, it is still smoking-hot, and I love how Ms Daniels drags you along into her story, but for me, it just lost a bit of 'something' in the pace. Brooklyn and Dominic are heating up and the trust is building, but with all the action going on, I felt like I missed part of that. Alice is a cracker, as always, and I am loving her role in this.

Now, I was warned about the ending of this book, so I was expecting something. Usually, I end up throwing my Kindle away in disgust at the typical cliffhanger endings, but this time, this time I was okay with it. Maybe it's because I was warned, or maybe it's because although I know Brooklyn is in danger, she is too tough to go down easy, PLUS she has her crew coming for her. And then there is the whole question mark about her mum. So, yeah, cliffhanger but one I'm happy with.

I am still loving this series, and can't wait to see where it goes next. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and lie down, get my heart rate down, and be ready to start the world at a normal pace, not superspeed!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 15, 2021
  
Greenland (2020)
Greenland (2020)
2020 | Action, Thriller
Predictable but entertaining.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I love disaster films. 2012, Day After Tomorrow, San Andreas, I can't get enough. So of course I had to watch this film. Gérard Butler? Yes please!
The thing I liked about this one in particular was how believable it was. Of course in a global disaster, governments weren't going to save everyone. Of course they are going to pick the strongest most useful bunch. And obviously they would turn away the sick because why save someone who could die in a week when you could save a healthy teen that was probably going to solve world hunger? I also liked that they added the kidnapping. Not going to lie, if it was my one shot at survival, I would probably try too.
Now what I didnt love. If you know your husband has gone to the car, and would more than likely go back to the car if he found out you had left. Stay at the car!!! If you also know you are very likely to end up at the same destination, does it really matter that he's not on your plane? Its all her fault they got kicked out the facility. Its also his fault the plane got blew up and everyone had lost their chance. Also if one random guy knew there was a plane in Canada going to the bunker, how did nobody else know? And also, everyone knew if you had a wristband, you had a code. Of course you couldn't steal someone elses...

And then towards the end when they had wormed their way to the safety of the Canadian plane, I said to my sister 'I bet they get there, and even though they shouldn't they are let in, and in probably 6 weeks or soemthing, they will open the doors and a bird will fly past or soemthing and everything is happy.' Low and behold, I was right about everything except the time. They spent 9 month in a bunker they didn't think they would use? Yeah right.

But overall, an okay film. I am just really good at guessing movie twists and endings!
  
Will (The Books of the Five #2)
Will (The Books of the Five #2)
S.F. Burgess | 2014 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
You know when you read the first book in a series, fall in love with it, and presume that the next book won't be anywhere near as good... just because?! That's how I felt when I started Will. I had loved Eleanor and devoured every word. There was no way that Will could be that good, could it? OMG, yes it could be that good and even better. This book completely surpassed my expectations and took me on a poignant, raw and intense journey alongside the main character.

This lady is simply amazing as an author because she will make you dislike a character intensely and yet, within a few phrases, you will feel sorry for or like the same character. There is so much detail in her writing that you are left in no doubt as to the surroundings, expressions or feelings.

Now, it was a while ago that I read Eleanor so a few things were lost to me when I started but I quickly picked up again and proceeded to thoroughly enjoy this story. Because of the time delay though, it was unclear to me just what the problem was with Will. I was almost hoping that it wasn't simply his age because every time he said about being old, I winced as I am older than he is! This story actually hit me hard when all the secrets are revealed and I was sobbing big, ugly tears. I just can't tell you how good this story is, to have it affect me in that way.

One thing I will add though is that if you visit the author's website - http://www.mydren.com/ - you will find information about Eleanor and Will plus loads of other interesting snippets so you quickly come up to speed.

S.F. Burgess has put the Epic back into Fantasy. This book is worth every moment of your time and I can't imagine it being any shorter. Every word is needed and used with great effect.

One warning I will give and it's the same reason I have put Dark down as one of the genres - this book deals with some dark subjects, torture being one of them, and there is violence. None of this is gratuitous though and is definitely needed to make the story a better one.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for all Epic Fantasy fans out there who like a darker tale. If you want all glitter and rainbows then maybe you should try something else. For me personally, I will be waiting with bated breath for the release of Amelia, book 3. I really can't wait!!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 30, 2016