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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Awake in Books

Jan 23, 2020

Awake

Natasha Preston | 2015 | Thriller, Young Adult (YA)

5.0

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Well, Awake is completely different from The Cellar.

(Once upon a time, I was bored at Walmart and The Cellar seemed interesting compared to all the "millions" of Fifty Shades of Grey and Divergent and the like. Oh, and there has to be something about Natasha Preston if a publisher swooped up her book from Wattpad, right?)

It's no brainer that Natasha Preston writes about the dark parts of human nature that make you shiver and shudder in fear – it's shown in the third I read in The Cellar (I did buy a copy on Amazon later) and the sick beliefs of Eternal Light in her newest novel. From reading Awake, there's obviously something in Preston's writing that I liked, but Awake seems to be a bit of a downfall compared to The Cellar.

In the process of trying to decide if Awake should get a good rating or not, I literally had to check my notes multiple times, reread a few passages to make sure I'm not making a whopping mistake by letting Awake fall in this ever-growing land called "The Grey Area" that books fall into more often than not.

But in the long run, Awake, unfortunately, falls in that ever-growing land that will probably be forgotten within the next year. Let's get into whole detail shenanigans.

The romance. I have a few choice words about Scarlett's relationship with Noah.

<ol>
<li>Noah makes his entrance in the book by staring unnervingly at Scarlett. How in the world is Scarlett not disturbed? She MAY be a little uncomfortable, but cheeks turning pinky pink is NOT exactly uncomfortable.</li>
<li>Noah's first day with Scarlett: yip, yip, yip – all about learning Scarlett. I'm a little perplexed as to how she's not a little creeped out by the whole interrogation-like questions that I imagine Noah to be asking. Doesn't it raise a red flag?</li>
<li>How long were they together? I mean, it may seem a little longer than actuality, but in rereading some parts.... they've probably been together for probably a month or two before they got close together. And I mean really, really close together. I won't be surprised if it's just a few weeks.</li>
<li>Scarlett's kind of obsessed with Noah from the get-go. Over a hundred texts exchanged in the week they met, nonstop thinking about Noah, yada yada.</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>I slapped it, earning a glare from the guy I couldn't seem to get out of my head.</blockquote>
The romance doesn't overshadow the plot – I probably wouldn't have noticed how fast their relationship was going if I didn't make a really random note at a really random place that later raised a flag.

Awake is a little slow – definitely slower than The Cellar – in the whole development. Preston takes time to build up and uses Scarlett's and Noah's relationship as a filler, among Scarlett questioning a four-year gap of memories missing and Noah beginning to question Eternal Light's values. It's not a book that'll make me rage, but it's not a book I'll praise either.

Hence, Gray Area Book.

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-awake-by-natasha-preston/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>

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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Undercover Princess in Books

Feb 3, 2020

The Undercover Princess

Connie Glynn | 2017 | Children, Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

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Rosewood Chronicles

#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2598018490">Undercover Princess</a> - ★★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2761943995">Princess in Practice</a> - ★★★★

<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/New-blog-banner-12.png"/>;

I am lucky to have the best sister ever, who keeps giving me books I love! She gave me Undercover Princess for my birthday back in November last year, and I finally managed to get to it. Thank you, sis!

Even though Undercover Princess has great resemblance to The Princess Diaries and The Princess Protection Program, this book is unique in its own way, and the story is very different and positively surprising. I was in love with the characters and loved this book a lot. I will definitely be reading the second book of the series!

The story focuses on two main characters:

* Lottie Pumpkin - the ordinary girl
* Ellie Wolf - the princess

And I wish it was all so easy. But you see, Lottie is an ordinary girl, she grew up in England and her mother passed away when she was little. Before she passes away, she gives Lottie a tiara for her birthday and makes her promise that she will always be brave. Lottie’s only goal in life is to attend Rosewood Hall, no matter what. And she makes it, with a scholarship.

On the other side, we have Ellie, the princess of Maradova. All she ever wants to be is ordinary, but she is surrounded by servants and shiny items. She wants to go to Rosewood Hall, only to avoid all her royal duties. And the only way of her parents letting this happen is if she attends the college undercover.

Then we have these two girls being roommates. A rumour spreads around the school and everyone thinks that Lottie is the princess. And in this whole mystery, the real princess is in danger, but no one must know that the real princess is Ellie. And this is only the beginning.

The story is full of adventures and hilarious scenes, where we see Lottie and Ellie building their friendship, and trying to figure out the mystery behind all the threats they are receiving, all while they attend classes and go to parties like ordinary college girls.

While they play this game of swapping identities, they realise that this is more than a game, it is a lifestyle. And if Lottie is the undercover princess, she has to do everything to protect the real princess and her identity. Is this what she really wants? Is their friendship worth it?

There was a LGBT reference with a couple in this book, and maybe it was me, but I could also see a few sparks between Lottie and Ellie. I honestly expected something to happen between Lottie and Ellie's bodyguard. There were sparks though, so perhaps in the next book?

I loved how the partially-romantic scenes were building up to the real moment and made me want to read more. The writing skills this author has is truly amazing, and I praise her for it. It was a pleasure to read each chapter.

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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated The Irishman (2019) in Movies

Mar 3, 2020

The Irishman (2019)

2019 | Biography, Crime, Drama

8.2

(37 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

If anyone tells me they didn’t enjoy The Irishman, I would have to say, fair enough. There are reasons not to. As an entertainment it isn’t Goodfellas, as a thriller it isn’t The Departed, and as a classic gangster tale it isn’t anywhere near The Godfather, of course. It sags in the middle, ends morbidly, and, at three and a half hours, even in its brightest moments, you can find yourself waiting for it to finish. But, anyone who tells me The Irishman isn’t a great film is blind to the artistry at work here from a gang of septegenarians with a mighty track record. If it is one thing, it is Epic!

Also in the negative column is the ageing and de-ageing technology, which whilst pretty damn good is noticable and sometimes distracting. Myself, I was willing to forgive these faults, just for the privilege of being swept away once more by Scorsese’s eye for a shot and moments of pure mood, of which there are too many to count.

De Niro hasn’t been this good for years, that seems to be accepted knowledge. Pacino is Pacino, what else would you want him to be? But, it is the return from retirement of Joe Pesci that really impressed me. Almost certainly a career best performance at the age of 77 – always underplayed and menacing, there were times he acted the big two under the table. Of the 10 nominations at the 92nd Oscars, this is the one I hope lands.

If Scorsese also wins for best director, I wouldn’t complain either. Looking at his body of work, I count this as the 20th film I would class as very good or better. And although less “fun” it is certainly a better, classier film than The Departed, his only win to date. Other gongs I would give serious weight to are Thelma Schoonmaker for editing, and production design, which is as rich and detailed as it could possibly be, at times breath-takingly so.

There has been much made of the idea that this is Scorsese atoning for his sins in using violence as entertainment. And it is true that this film seems to meditate more or regret and loneliness as a side effect of a violent life. There is blood, people die violently, but these moments are often brief and unshowey, keeping the focus on the men (and it is always the men) who choose to live this way. In the end, we all age and grow weak; time advances and we are left with nothing but memories, surrounded by people who can’t remember who we are and what we did in our Golden days.

I found the last half hour very moving and somewhat depressing. I think we are meant to. No big climax, just a fading away. It felt like the hours after a party, full of joy and noise, when you are finally left alone with only yourself for company. More than any other emotion, this is what I have taken from this experience; and it’s a good trick, fully intended, that I applaud. And it is what ultimately makes the film feel mature and meaningful.

However, for all the praise it deserves, this isn’t a film I will choose to watch again in a hurry. And I think that will be common. It lacks the tension of a tighter, shorter film, and emotionally it is often difficult to connect to these men and their brutal deeds. If that is the point, then I get it… but there are plenty of films to go to, as already mentioned that have a more satisfying and rounded feel. Recommended highly, but with reservations.

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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Magic Mike XXL (2015) in Movies

Aug 6, 2019

Magic Mike XXL (2015)

2015 | Comedy

4.7

(3 Ratings)

Movie Rating

When we last saw Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) he was trading in his g-string and the adulation of grown women with lots of dollar bills to spare, for a custom furniture business of his own and a serious relationship with a girl named Brooke. He said goodbye to his band of magical, muscular men (and by magical, we mean in the art of making clothes disappear) and headed off into a better future.

Or so he thought.

Three years later, we find Mike has found a little success, his company has grown by one employee. The empty apartment with no sign of a roommate suggests his future no longer includes Brooke. A phone call from Tarzan (Kevin Nash) has Mike donning a suit to attend a “wake”. Cue the reunion with his old gang that is far from somber, and more of a ruse to see him. Apparently, his orphaned crew is set on one last hurrah before they follow in Mike’s footsteps and go after their own entrepreneurial dreams.

Does Mike want in on the swan song of stripteases at Myrtle Beach’s stripper convention? Of course not. He has a business to run, employees to pay, he postures. But considering this movie is a sequel entitled “Magic Mike XXL” you know he changes his mind. And, boy, how he changes his mind! With a little help from power tools and Genuwine’s “Pony”, natch.

Magic Mike XXL is a road trip of discovery for Mike, Tarzan, Tito (Adam Rodriguez), Ken (Matt Bomer), Tobias (Gabriel Iglesias) and Big Dick Richie (Joe Mangeniello). There were a few times I wondered where exactly this story was going, but as ensemble features go, the insightful peeks into the guys’ individual stories distracted from the meandering plot. Okay, why I was looking for a plot in a movie clearly made to titillate fans of sculpted male phsyiques, I don’t know. Sorry. Not sorry.

The road to Myrtle Beach is littered with conquests, old and new, and epiphanies fueled by pharmaceuticals inspire the Kings of Tampa to learn a few new tricks along the way. XXL actually achieves that rare feat of being better than the original. I know, that may not exactly be high praise, but it delivers more of what fans enjoyed in the original – the male entertainment.

XXL has the same awkward, but slightly improved banter between Mike and the females he encounters, but it also has new routines, a sexier emcee in Jada Pinkett-Smith (with all due respect to Matthew McConaughey) and it doesn’t require Kevin Nash to dance like a lost mannequin. There are some eyebrow-raising casting choices for a couple of new strippers. You may find yourself asking “Hey, is that who I think it is jumping all over that woman?” And “Okay…so he doesn’t actually strip. He just sings?” But don’t worry, that singer inspires Matt Bomer to do both. Very well. How did I not know Matt Bomer could sing?

The finale is one the screener audience, the majority of which were female, of course, did not want to end. I admit I could’ve stayed in my seat for more Channing Tatum and professional dancer, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who could make his own Magic Malik movie. As my girlfriends and I left the theater, one commented that her face hurt from smiling the whole time. At the risk of sounding extremely shallow, we all agreed that the only way the movie could have been better is if it was shown on the IMAX screen in 3D. Maybe in Dbox seats.

Probably not a movie women will want to take their significant others to, but their girlfriends for a ladies night out? Hell to the yeah.

For story, acting and plot? Ummm 2 out of 5
For sheer, eye-candy entertainment? 4 stars.