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Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge
Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge
Lisa Jensen | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
3
3.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Almost ruined my childhood favorite
One of my favorite books while I was growing up was the Beauty and the Beast. I usually love retellings,as they show me a different side of the story that might be, that I have never considered before. This book, however, almost ruined it all for me. The only reason it didn't was because I wouldn't let one bad retelling to ruin my childhood favorite!

The story is about Lucie, who is a servant in Jean Leup's palace. Through Lucie's story, we see Jean Leup as a horrible person who only cares about money and the respect he received from his aristocratic community. He treats the servants badly and doesn't even bother to look at them.
Lucie likes the thought of him. He is a very handsome man, and all she dreams about is for him to notice her. And one day, he does. And something really bad happens. Jean Leup does something horrible to Lucie.

[SPOILER - PLEASE CONTINUE CAUTIOUSLY]

He rapes her. And not only that this scene was very disturbing, it was also three pages long, with broad descriptions and it made be cringe badly. It made me hate everything and this was the part where I almost quit on reading this book.

[SPOILER FINISHED - YOU CAN CONTINUE READING]

After this big spoiler scene, the first reaction Lucie has is to kill herself. I am aware that this was a huge trauma for her, and people react differently, but if the author gives me this as a solution to her problem, do I want to continue reading? Is this really the lesson she learns?

With a bit of help of magic and wisdom words, she decides that now she wants for Jean Leup to suffer, and she wants to be able to see this happen. Suddenly, wish becomes a reality and the next thing we know, she is a candle that can't move, and Jean Leup has turned into a Beast.
Do you get the Beauty and the Beast reference now? We see the story from the candle's point of view, who is Lucie.

Well - not really!

Because here's the twist - the Beast doesn't remember what happened before. He doesn't know he was Jean Leup. He doesn't know he was bad in the past. The Beast is good by default, and a bit sad that he's alone in a big castle. So I have to ask again - Where is the lesson? Where is the punishment? If he can't remember he was bad, he'll never learn why he is a Beast.

To continue and shorten the story - Lucie (the candle) can talk to the Beast through her mind. The Beauty (Rose) comes to the castle and the story goes on. Lucie decides that she is in love with the Beast, and I won't reveal the rest, in case you want to read the book and see for yourself.

Now - I know that the author's point wasn't the lesson that the Beast learns as in the original story. Her point was to tell the story of the Beast, and Lucie, and how this tale can have a different plot, and ending, and back story. But I really believe that this was the wrong way of saying it, and it didn't leave a clear message.

The writing was poor, and it went from one moment to another, leaving me there in the middle, wondering what happened. One scene begins, and another starts before anything is finished. It was disorientated, and I felt lost in the first 40 pages.

This is a no from me, and I will give it 2 stars because I managed to finish it.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for providing me with an ARC e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
Illumined Shadows (Treble and the Lost Boys #3)
Illumined Shadows (Treble and the Lost Boys #3)
G.R. Lyons | 2018 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Illumined Shadows (Treble and the Lost Boys #3) by G.R. Lyons
Illumined Shadows is the third and final book in the Treble and the Lost Boys series, and we finally get Vic's story. You know something big is behind him, due to how he was with Ryley, however, in this book you get the full tragedy of just what exactly happened.

Everything is brought back to Vic when he rescues Colby from the 'Bad Man'. This was a perfect example of how monsters can hide in the light, when Colby only felt safe in the dark. These two have one helluva road to travel, and the rest of the Treble gang are there to help whenever needed.

This book has a trigger warning for a reason! This is a dark story, that doesn't hold its punches, so be warned. However, it is also excellently written, being descriptive enough to get the full horror, without being gratuitous.

I have loved this series, and have no hesitation in recommending it. I will say the only reason this is a 4-star book is simply because I couldn't quite get my head around Colby's age. Due to his lack of growth, he was small for his age (Vic is able to carry him around on his hip!). Due to his lack of education, and the atrocities that happened to him, his mindset is slightly child-like. Couple this with Vic calling him 'My sweet boy', and it became slightly uncomfortable for me to read. I had to keep reminding myself he was actually 22-years-old.

On the whole, this is a fantastic book that finishes off this series with aplomb. 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 the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
NW
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