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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The First Shot ( Last Mrs Parish book 0.5) in Books
Feb 10, 2022
25 of 230
Kindle
The First Shot ( Last Mrs Parish 0.5)
By Liv Constantine
In this gripping prequel to the blockbuster best seller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish, listeners will discover exactly how Amber Patterson transformed from small-town girl to master manipulator - after all, practice makes perfect.
Amber Patterson has many secrets. This much is clear when she sneaks out of her home in the dead of night and hitchhikes across state lines to meet up with a man she hasn’t seen or spoken to since high school graduation. So begins her desperate attempt to leave her old life behind, and she’ll use everything and everyone at her disposal, from social media stalking to the kindness of unsuspecting strangers, to get where she needs to go. It’s not long before she’s ready for the main event: armed with a new identity and a new purpose, she heads to Gunnison, Colorado, preparing herself to meet her future husband among the wealthy vacationers.
Even the smallest misstep could derail this carefully-laid plan, and in the end, can you ever truly outrun your past? The First Shot is an absorbing, binge-able thriller that shows just how far some will go to build the lives they want.
This is the prequel to The Last Mrs Parish and I absolutely loved that book. This was very good too getting a bit on how Lana/ Amber started and her first victim! I really love Liv. Constantine’s writing style.
Kindle
The First Shot ( Last Mrs Parish 0.5)
By Liv Constantine
In this gripping prequel to the blockbuster best seller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish, listeners will discover exactly how Amber Patterson transformed from small-town girl to master manipulator - after all, practice makes perfect.
Amber Patterson has many secrets. This much is clear when she sneaks out of her home in the dead of night and hitchhikes across state lines to meet up with a man she hasn’t seen or spoken to since high school graduation. So begins her desperate attempt to leave her old life behind, and she’ll use everything and everyone at her disposal, from social media stalking to the kindness of unsuspecting strangers, to get where she needs to go. It’s not long before she’s ready for the main event: armed with a new identity and a new purpose, she heads to Gunnison, Colorado, preparing herself to meet her future husband among the wealthy vacationers.
Even the smallest misstep could derail this carefully-laid plan, and in the end, can you ever truly outrun your past? The First Shot is an absorbing, binge-able thriller that shows just how far some will go to build the lives they want.
This is the prequel to The Last Mrs Parish and I absolutely loved that book. This was very good too getting a bit on how Lana/ Amber started and her first victim! I really love Liv. Constantine’s writing style.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Steelheart in Books
Sep 4, 2017
I enjoyed reading a superhero story rather than the traditional graphic novel format, and feel it was quite well delivered.
The narration is a little too fan-boy for my liking and at times is quite irritating.
The plot is great and action rolls along at a good pace, with mostly good characters introduced, though they all feel a little clichéd.
I did like the premise where those with superpowers are in charge and the world does their bidding. I would love to read a prequel book where the superheroes fought and divided the world up into fiefdoms for all the most powerful, though at the same time having little on the "origin story" works out quite well in this case.
The narration is a little too fan-boy for my liking and at times is quite irritating.
The plot is great and action rolls along at a good pace, with mostly good characters introduced, though they all feel a little clichéd.
I did like the premise where those with superpowers are in charge and the world does their bidding. I would love to read a prequel book where the superheroes fought and divided the world up into fiefdoms for all the most powerful, though at the same time having little on the "origin story" works out quite well in this case.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Insidious : The Last Key (2018) in Movies
Oct 3, 2018
Time to throw away the key for this franchise...
So wow we are onto the 4th film huh?
Oh its another prequel based off of the psychic woman...
This movie is lacklustre, not great on scares, adds little to the mythos other than a few more questions, and is just plain weak.
I don't really have a lot to say on this, I mean its not terrible...its watchable...the sidekicks are starting to really grate by this point...and all the best moments are essentially versions of moments from other Insidious movies.
Only watch if you are a big fan of the series!
Oh its another prequel based off of the psychic woman...
This movie is lacklustre, not great on scares, adds little to the mythos other than a few more questions, and is just plain weak.
I don't really have a lot to say on this, I mean its not terrible...its watchable...the sidekicks are starting to really grate by this point...and all the best moments are essentially versions of moments from other Insidious movies.
Only watch if you are a big fan of the series!
David McK (3801 KP) rated The Rise of Robin Hood (Outlaw Chronicles, #0.5) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Short prequel to the first of Angus Donald's <i>Outlaw</i> series about Robin Hood.
Whereas the books proper are all presented as an ageing Alan-a -Dale remembering his time with Robin and were told in the first person, this is told in third person and is not 'book-ended' in such a manner. While there are a few other characters than the already-living-in-the-woods Robin and John, it also does not have such a wide range of characters as in the novels proper, and feels maybe a little bit rushed.
In short: an OK entry for anyone who hasn't read any of the novels proper, but I would still advise the reader to start with the first book rather than this novella.
Whereas the books proper are all presented as an ageing Alan-a -Dale remembering his time with Robin and were told in the first person, this is told in third person and is not 'book-ended' in such a manner. While there are a few other characters than the already-living-in-the-woods Robin and John, it also does not have such a wide range of characters as in the novels proper, and feels maybe a little bit rushed.
In short: an OK entry for anyone who hasn't read any of the novels proper, but I would still advise the reader to start with the first book rather than this novella.
David McK (3801 KP) rated Earth Unaware (The First Formic War, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
A prequel to Orson Scott Card's classic [b:Ender's Game|8782597|Ender's Game|Frederic P. Miller|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348614228s/8782597.jpg|11571577], with the events of this taking place before Ender is even born.
This thus takes the opportunity to flesh out the background to that novel, filling in the gaps of what had previously happened, in particular how the First Formic War had come about. It was also, I believer, written alongside a comic-book series, which might explain the sometimes fractured nature of the narrative!
While not the best 'new' (to me) sci-fi book I've read, this is also not he worst: I also have to say that, picking it up for only £1 in a local Bargain books I can't really complain!
This thus takes the opportunity to flesh out the background to that novel, filling in the gaps of what had previously happened, in particular how the First Formic War had come about. It was also, I believer, written alongside a comic-book series, which might explain the sometimes fractured nature of the narrative!
While not the best 'new' (to me) sci-fi book I've read, this is also not he worst: I also have to say that, picking it up for only £1 in a local Bargain books I can't really complain!
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in Books
Nov 20, 2019
I read this book as a precursor to reading Ulysses and it was recommended to me by a professor. I enjoyed reading this book a great deal. James Joyce has an amazing sense of voice in his work and his writing is beautiful. Knowing a little bit about Ulysses made it interesting to go back and read about the character’s beginnings. I also thought it was really interesting that this book was written first, although often called a prequel because of the success of Ulysses. I at times found it hard to connect to the main character and his struggles which in turn would pull me out fo the story but the writing is so magnificent that I couldn’t put the book down.
David McK (3801 KP) rated Bumblebee (2018) in Movies
Apr 28, 2020
Prequel film to Michael Bay's Transformers series of films based on 80s cartoons, and a strong contender for the best of the bunch!
With Michael Bay handing over directing duties to Travis Knight, it's actually possible to see what is happening on most of the action sequences now, with those sequences not as frenetic or as bombastic as before.
This is also smaller in scale, with only Bumblebee (that's the yellow Transformer) himself and a few Decepticons sharing the screen, although Optimus Prime does get a cameo and a few mentions!
I also got a very 80s, very Amblin-esque vibe from the whole thing, very much due to it's small self-contained setting and themes of family and growing up!
With Michael Bay handing over directing duties to Travis Knight, it's actually possible to see what is happening on most of the action sequences now, with those sequences not as frenetic or as bombastic as before.
This is also smaller in scale, with only Bumblebee (that's the yellow Transformer) himself and a few Decepticons sharing the screen, although Optimus Prime does get a cameo and a few mentions!
I also got a very 80s, very Amblin-esque vibe from the whole thing, very much due to it's small self-contained setting and themes of family and growing up!
First Touch
Book
Can she find the missing girl before it’s too late? Detective Shannon Martin believes Autumn...
David McK (3801 KP) rated Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) in Movies
Jun 9, 2024 (Updated Jun 9, 2024)
I kinda get why this was subtitled 'A Mad Max saga'.
That was to get the punters in.
I kinda don't.
He isn't in it, in either incarnation (Mel Gibson, or Tom Hardy)
Instead, we have a prequel to the breakout character from Fury Road - that of Imperator Furiosa - but here re-cast to be played by Anya Taylor-Joy instead of by Charlize Theron.
This also takes place over a longer period of time - something like 15 years - than Fury Road does, and so sacrifices the break-neck speed of that previous film for something a bit more sedate.
We also, here, have Chris Hemsworth absolutely chewing up the scenery (and loving every second of it!) as the villain Dementus!
That was to get the punters in.
I kinda don't.
He isn't in it, in either incarnation (Mel Gibson, or Tom Hardy)
Instead, we have a prequel to the breakout character from Fury Road - that of Imperator Furiosa - but here re-cast to be played by Anya Taylor-Joy instead of by Charlize Theron.
This also takes place over a longer period of time - something like 15 years - than Fury Road does, and so sacrifices the break-neck speed of that previous film for something a bit more sedate.
We also, here, have Chris Hemsworth absolutely chewing up the scenery (and loving every second of it!) as the villain Dementus!
David McK (3801 KP) rated Transformers Rise of the Beasts (2023) in Movies
Dec 1, 2024
I heard this is something like the 7th entry in the main 'Transformers' non-cartoon movie series.
7.
I still remember the first.
This is also a prequel, of sorts, set during the 1990s instead of the more contemporary setting of the earlier (mid 2000) movies, with a new cast of human characters alongside the Autobots and - here - the Terracons and the Maximals.
For some reason, however, I found it not to be as engaging as those earlier (maximum Bayhem!) entries, even though it is clearer on just what is happening - maybe it's the fusion of sound and vision that's missing?
Anyway, it's not bad but I still prefer the first two entries in particular (before it all went massively downhill).
7.
I still remember the first.
This is also a prequel, of sorts, set during the 1990s instead of the more contemporary setting of the earlier (mid 2000) movies, with a new cast of human characters alongside the Autobots and - here - the Terracons and the Maximals.
For some reason, however, I found it not to be as engaging as those earlier (maximum Bayhem!) entries, even though it is clearer on just what is happening - maybe it's the fusion of sound and vision that's missing?
Anyway, it's not bad but I still prefer the first two entries in particular (before it all went massively downhill).