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Merissa (12058 KP) rated Psychic Whispers (Woodward Hill #1) in Books
Sep 16, 2020
Psychic Whispers is the first book in the Woodward Hill series and I LOVED IT! This was just the right book at the right time and I fell in love with the characters of this small, gossipy, quirky town.
Inara has the ability to talk to the animals, she even calls herself Dr DoLittle. Unfortunately, before she was old enough to fully understand or use her ability, she was attacked by a pitbull. This left scars, both seen and unseen, that she is determined to work past. Nik has been the 'son gone bad' for too long in the town. The son of a man accused (but cleared) of murder, his reputation has always hung over him like a shroud. He thinks Inara is too good for him. She thinks he is put off by her scars.
Aww, come on, people. You know these two will end up together but it's not a smooth road by any stretch of the imagination. With fears on both sides, a small-town mindset working against them, oh, and plus a murder to solve whilst staying alive, these two have their work cut out for them.
There are a whole host of supporting characters that I loved and, fair warning Ms Burnz and Ms Nuest, I'll be wanting stories for all of them! 😉
The world-building is excellent with just the right attention to detail that I needed. The pacing is smooth and the steamy scenes are hot! Nik is pure alpha but Inara is no pushover.
All in all, this was a brilliant read and a fantastic opening to a new series that I will be following closely and reading ALL of them! Highly 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!
Inara has the ability to talk to the animals, she even calls herself Dr DoLittle. Unfortunately, before she was old enough to fully understand or use her ability, she was attacked by a pitbull. This left scars, both seen and unseen, that she is determined to work past. Nik has been the 'son gone bad' for too long in the town. The son of a man accused (but cleared) of murder, his reputation has always hung over him like a shroud. He thinks Inara is too good for him. She thinks he is put off by her scars.
Aww, come on, people. You know these two will end up together but it's not a smooth road by any stretch of the imagination. With fears on both sides, a small-town mindset working against them, oh, and plus a murder to solve whilst staying alive, these two have their work cut out for them.
There are a whole host of supporting characters that I loved and, fair warning Ms Burnz and Ms Nuest, I'll be wanting stories for all of them! 😉
The world-building is excellent with just the right attention to detail that I needed. The pacing is smooth and the steamy scenes are hot! Nik is pure alpha but Inara is no pushover.
All in all, this was a brilliant read and a fantastic opening to a new series that I will be following closely and reading ALL of them! Highly 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!
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Doctor Sleep in Books
Oct 9, 2019
Doctor Sleep is the sequel to ‘The Shining’. Following the life of Dan Torrance (the little boy from The Shining) the book quickly covers what happens after the events at the Overlook Hotel where Dan finds his lifestyle copying that of his alcoholic farther. His life starts to turn around when he arrives at a small town in New Hampshire where the now middle aged Dan finds a number of things; Help with his alcohol problem, A job in a nursing home, good friends and, with the help of his Shinning a child in need of help.
Doctor Sleep Focus’ on the power of the Shinning, what it can do and how it affects not only the people with the power but others around it. Unlike the first book ghost’s do not play a major part in most of the story, there is a bit in the beginning which ties up events at the Overlook but, although ghosts are mentioned they have been (Mostly) replaced by a group called The True Knot, a group of vampire like beings who feed off the Shining instead of blood. As Dan finds himself caught up with The True Knot he finds that he is being pulled back to the site of the Overlook.
A big part of the book is about how you can’t escape your past and that, until you accept your mistakes you will never really be able to move forward. It is also about acceptance and the fact that you are never really alone, that other people have experienced what you are going through and that they can help you get through life if you let them and it is about family, accepting the one you have but also find a new one, finding people who will accept you as you are but it is mostly about psychic Vampires and the power of the Shining.
Doctor Sleep Focus’ on the power of the Shinning, what it can do and how it affects not only the people with the power but others around it. Unlike the first book ghost’s do not play a major part in most of the story, there is a bit in the beginning which ties up events at the Overlook but, although ghosts are mentioned they have been (Mostly) replaced by a group called The True Knot, a group of vampire like beings who feed off the Shining instead of blood. As Dan finds himself caught up with The True Knot he finds that he is being pulled back to the site of the Overlook.
A big part of the book is about how you can’t escape your past and that, until you accept your mistakes you will never really be able to move forward. It is also about acceptance and the fact that you are never really alone, that other people have experienced what you are going through and that they can help you get through life if you let them and it is about family, accepting the one you have but also find a new one, finding people who will accept you as you are but it is mostly about psychic Vampires and the power of the Shining.
Ronyell (38 KP) rated Quasi and the Quackadero (1976) in Movies
Aug 4, 2020
The Weirdest Place on Earth!
Wow! I can't believe that I've never seen this animated short before until just recently! I bet that if I had watched this animated short when I was little, I would have loved it! "Quasi at the Quackadero" is certainly one of the WEIRDEST animated shorts I have ever seen! Sally Cruikshank (who had also done animation work for "Sesame Street" during the 1980s) had done an awesome job at animating this short as the characters and the wacky world that they live in come to life and I have to say that this animation was very well done for the 1970s! I also loved the fact that there are so many details going on in the animation like there was one scene where a circus master of sorts was yelling at his crew and you can see a strange creature pop out of his pants for no reason at all. I was also entertained by the bantering between Quasi and Anita, as I found it interesting that while they went out to the Quackadero together, it seems like they can't stand each other and I was interested in seeing how Anita and Rollo will get rid of Quasi towards the end of the short.
The only problem with this short is that it can be rather confusing at times, especially during the scenes where Quasi, Anita and Rollo go to the Quackadero. Also, if you are not a huge fan of bizarre imagery, this short has plenty of bizarre imagery that might creep out some viewers. And another thing, even though this aspect is probably not that important to the story, I would have loved to see more from Anita, Quasi and Rollo's relationship with each other since I wanted to know why they treat each other so terribly.
Overall, "Quasi at the Quackadero" is one of the most bizarre yet creative animated shorts I have ever seen and I can't wait to check out the sequel "Make Me Psychic" someday!
The only problem with this short is that it can be rather confusing at times, especially during the scenes where Quasi, Anita and Rollo go to the Quackadero. Also, if you are not a huge fan of bizarre imagery, this short has plenty of bizarre imagery that might creep out some viewers. And another thing, even though this aspect is probably not that important to the story, I would have loved to see more from Anita, Quasi and Rollo's relationship with each other since I wanted to know why they treat each other so terribly.
Overall, "Quasi at the Quackadero" is one of the most bizarre yet creative animated shorts I have ever seen and I can't wait to check out the sequel "Make Me Psychic" someday!
The Book of Delights: Essays
Book
“Ross Gay’s eye lands upon wonder at every turn, bolstering my belief in the countless small...
Death Be Blue (Terra Vane #1)
9.0
Rate It
Book
Enforcer Field Agent Terra Vane is a human psychic who is trying to prove herself in a world where...
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Mindhealer (The Watchers, #5) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
<p>I'm actually reviewing all five of the Watcher books. They're quite short—novella length, really—and very much interrelated (especially the first four). I read all of them in about a day and a half, despite doing other things. I do advise taking them all in row, which is the equivalent of reading one "normal" novel.</p>
<p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/268186.Dark_Watcher">Dark Watcher</a> opens in Santiago City (aka Saint City), with a quartet of witches. Mindhealer is the only book that takes place outside of Santiago City, which seems to be the primary setting for all of Saintcrow's novels (from what I've read in the descriptions). </p>
<p>
Theodora, earth witch and healer, runs the Cauldron, an occult book and supply store. Mariamne Niege (water witch, prognosticator) and Elise Nicholson (fire witch) work for her in addition to being, respectively, a graduate student and a musician. Suzanne (air witch, I don't believe we ever learn her last name) is Elise's foster mother and their teacher, something of a high priestess to the little group.</p>
<p>The four women know that they're psychic and that "magick" is real. They don't know that they are "Lightbringers," that there are groups and creatures in the world that hunt them, or that a group called Circle Lightfall trains and sends out "Watchers" to protect (and recruit) Lightbringers in order to counterbalance the darkness in the world.
</p>
<p>Watchers are formerly wicked men with some psychic talents who have been given a chance to redeem themselves. They are bonded with a tanak, a dark symbiote that gives them supernatural speed, strength, healing power, and longevity. The tanak also makes it possible for them to sense darkness, but it causes the Watchers to experience pain whenever they're around Lightbringers.
</p>
<p>The catch is that for every Watcher, there is one Witch whose presence and touch will be intensely pleasurable instead of torturous. The hope of finding that one witch is what keeps each Watcher going, fighting and surviving horrific wounds for one chance at happiness.
</p>
<p>The use of the tired soulmate meme (though that specific word is never used) is annoying, and it detracts from what is otherwise a fairly original concept. The fact that there are only male Watchers, though there are a few (mostly queer) male lightbringers, is a bigger disappointment. The reasoning given is that women do not have the viciousness to kill without hesitation. That's simplistic, at best. Male lightbringers are also painted as weaker than females, and that, in combination with the pedestal upon which Watchers place Lightbringers, unbalances the novels.
</p>
<p>Theodora is the main subject of the first book. Mariamne is the focus of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/268188.Storm_Watcher">Storm Watcher</a>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/268189.Fire_Watcher">Fire Watcher</a>, of course, is primarily about Elise. We meet a new air witch, Anya Harris, in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/268190.Cloud_Watcher">Cloud Watcher</a>. And finally, Mindhealer is about Caro Robbins, whose brother plays a small part in Fire Watcher.
</p>
<p>The books should certainly be classified as romances first, although they do have very strong paranormal themes. Every book follows the classic romance novel formula. The fact that I kept reading despite my dislike of romances is a testament to Saintcrow's talent.
</p>
<p>I suspect that the author either is pagan, or is very familiar with pagan practices. The rituals in each novel are nicely done, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear people using some of the invocations used in Circle.</p>
<p>I do have to propose the Watcher drinking game. Take a shot every time there's any mention of treating a Watcher "dreadfully," and every time a Watcher moans about how unworthy he is to be in the presence of a Lightbringer. You'll be past noticing any formulae in no time!</p>
<p>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/268186.Dark_Watcher">Dark Watcher</a> opens in Santiago City (aka Saint City), with a quartet of witches. Mindhealer is the only book that takes place outside of Santiago City, which seems to be the primary setting for all of Saintcrow's novels (from what I've read in the descriptions). </p>
<p>
Theodora, earth witch and healer, runs the Cauldron, an occult book and supply store. Mariamne Niege (water witch, prognosticator) and Elise Nicholson (fire witch) work for her in addition to being, respectively, a graduate student and a musician. Suzanne (air witch, I don't believe we ever learn her last name) is Elise's foster mother and their teacher, something of a high priestess to the little group.</p>
<p>The four women know that they're psychic and that "magick" is real. They don't know that they are "Lightbringers," that there are groups and creatures in the world that hunt them, or that a group called Circle Lightfall trains and sends out "Watchers" to protect (and recruit) Lightbringers in order to counterbalance the darkness in the world.
</p>
<p>Watchers are formerly wicked men with some psychic talents who have been given a chance to redeem themselves. They are bonded with a tanak, a dark symbiote that gives them supernatural speed, strength, healing power, and longevity. The tanak also makes it possible for them to sense darkness, but it causes the Watchers to experience pain whenever they're around Lightbringers.
</p>
<p>The catch is that for every Watcher, there is one Witch whose presence and touch will be intensely pleasurable instead of torturous. The hope of finding that one witch is what keeps each Watcher going, fighting and surviving horrific wounds for one chance at happiness.
</p>
<p>The use of the tired soulmate meme (though that specific word is never used) is annoying, and it detracts from what is otherwise a fairly original concept. The fact that there are only male Watchers, though there are a few (mostly queer) male lightbringers, is a bigger disappointment. The reasoning given is that women do not have the viciousness to kill without hesitation. That's simplistic, at best. Male lightbringers are also painted as weaker than females, and that, in combination with the pedestal upon which Watchers place Lightbringers, unbalances the novels.
</p>
<p>Theodora is the main subject of the first book. Mariamne is the focus of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/268188.Storm_Watcher">Storm Watcher</a>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/268189.Fire_Watcher">Fire Watcher</a>, of course, is primarily about Elise. We meet a new air witch, Anya Harris, in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/268190.Cloud_Watcher">Cloud Watcher</a>. And finally, Mindhealer is about Caro Robbins, whose brother plays a small part in Fire Watcher.
</p>
<p>The books should certainly be classified as romances first, although they do have very strong paranormal themes. Every book follows the classic romance novel formula. The fact that I kept reading despite my dislike of romances is a testament to Saintcrow's talent.
</p>
<p>I suspect that the author either is pagan, or is very familiar with pagan practices. The rituals in each novel are nicely done, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear people using some of the invocations used in Circle.</p>
<p>I do have to propose the Watcher drinking game. Take a shot every time there's any mention of treating a Watcher "dreadfully," and every time a Watcher moans about how unworthy he is to be in the presence of a Lightbringer. You'll be past noticing any formulae in no time!</p>
Ross (3284 KP) rated Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) in Movies
Dec 4, 2017
No attempt to explain the background of ... anyone really (1 more)
No Rose Byrne
"Chapter 3" is a prequel to the first 2 Insidious films and follows a young girl, Quinn attempting to contact her dead mother, who eventually calls in the help of Elise Rainier (a former psychic who since her husband passed away has become a weird cat lady, played by the weird dog lady from There's Something About Mary), a key character of the first 2 films.
Quinn thinks her mother is attempting to respond to her and wants help breaking through, but after she is hit by a car, breaking both legs, she starts to realise it isn't her mother trying to contact her.
The demon in the film clearly has a backstory (tar footprints, breathing apparatus in his mouth, hospital gown) but there is no attempt to explain this at all. One of the best bits of the second film was the exposition of the demon haunting Josh his whole life and what he had been in life. That is completely absent here. Fan theories abound on the internet but these all seem like nonsense and clutching at straws.
This in itself is a half-decent horror film, there is enough atmosphere and the acting is (in places) decent, but for me was quite a disappointment based on the first film (and to a lesser extent the second chapter). It just be me being grumpy having paid for this film (despite having Sky Cinema, Netflix and Amazon Prime) and didn't feel like I got my £3.49 worth, but I felt a little disappointed at the end.
There was an annoying little teaser at the end of the film where the main demon from the first film appears. This was a bit "Prometheus" as it kind of felt like a prequel but didn't really make sense, and Elise seeing this demon should have meant she was expecting it in the first movie, which didn't quite sit right.
There was a similar teaser at the end of the second film which bore no relation to this film, so plenty of pressure on 2018's conclusion to tie up the loose ends!
Quinn thinks her mother is attempting to respond to her and wants help breaking through, but after she is hit by a car, breaking both legs, she starts to realise it isn't her mother trying to contact her.
The demon in the film clearly has a backstory (tar footprints, breathing apparatus in his mouth, hospital gown) but there is no attempt to explain this at all. One of the best bits of the second film was the exposition of the demon haunting Josh his whole life and what he had been in life. That is completely absent here. Fan theories abound on the internet but these all seem like nonsense and clutching at straws.
This in itself is a half-decent horror film, there is enough atmosphere and the acting is (in places) decent, but for me was quite a disappointment based on the first film (and to a lesser extent the second chapter). It just be me being grumpy having paid for this film (despite having Sky Cinema, Netflix and Amazon Prime) and didn't feel like I got my £3.49 worth, but I felt a little disappointed at the end.
There was an annoying little teaser at the end of the film where the main demon from the first film appears. This was a bit "Prometheus" as it kind of felt like a prequel but didn't really make sense, and Elise seeing this demon should have meant she was expecting it in the first movie, which didn't quite sit right.
There was a similar teaser at the end of the second film which bore no relation to this film, so plenty of pressure on 2018's conclusion to tie up the loose ends!
Rachel Maria Berney (114 KP) rated The Little Shop of Found Things in Books
Dec 9, 2018
Plot (1 more)
Writing
A nice story that is a little too obvious
I was looking forward to reading this, the story sounded very interesting and something that is right up my alley. However, I was underwhelmed and dissapointed.
The Main character is like a cardboard cutout, glossy blonde ringlets, Dr Martens, beautiful singing voice, antique expert and a psychic gift, but no real depth till the end. You want to like her, her gist is interesting. You want to feel for her, looking after her sick mother, innocent and sent to jail, she has had a trying time. You want to root for her, but you can't, she's too 2 dimensional. I found Xanthe tinny and annoying, with an impulse to slap her, had she been real.
I wanted to like the story, love it, it was such a good idea. There are so many good elements, that put together right, should've made the book shine. But the whole book just hangs there, hollow. You don't feel anything much for the characters or their plight, it maybe stirs you a little in the second half of the book, but too little too late. The story plods along and doesn't build up intrigue like it should.
I was dissapointed, expecting so much more, it failed to deliver that imaginational jump. it is nothing more than words on a page, with no depth or room for your imagination. I found Blackburns writing too descriptive, she has a tendency to state the obvious to the reader when readers are not stupid, it is annoying and takes something away from the story. From the descriptions it is clear Blackburn has done her historical research and in that respect, she does bring to life the past.
One of the saving graces of the story is the telling of the relationshop between Xanthe and Samuel, it brings an emotional aspect to the book, that up until that point, was lacking.
Overall the story is predicatable, the writing ok, and the only reason you read to end is the optimistic hope that there will be some kind of twist or an unxpected resolution; you are left feeling underwhelmed and frustrated.
The Main character is like a cardboard cutout, glossy blonde ringlets, Dr Martens, beautiful singing voice, antique expert and a psychic gift, but no real depth till the end. You want to like her, her gist is interesting. You want to feel for her, looking after her sick mother, innocent and sent to jail, she has had a trying time. You want to root for her, but you can't, she's too 2 dimensional. I found Xanthe tinny and annoying, with an impulse to slap her, had she been real.
I wanted to like the story, love it, it was such a good idea. There are so many good elements, that put together right, should've made the book shine. But the whole book just hangs there, hollow. You don't feel anything much for the characters or their plight, it maybe stirs you a little in the second half of the book, but too little too late. The story plods along and doesn't build up intrigue like it should.
I was dissapointed, expecting so much more, it failed to deliver that imaginational jump. it is nothing more than words on a page, with no depth or room for your imagination. I found Blackburns writing too descriptive, she has a tendency to state the obvious to the reader when readers are not stupid, it is annoying and takes something away from the story. From the descriptions it is clear Blackburn has done her historical research and in that respect, she does bring to life the past.
One of the saving graces of the story is the telling of the relationshop between Xanthe and Samuel, it brings an emotional aspect to the book, that up until that point, was lacking.
Overall the story is predicatable, the writing ok, and the only reason you read to end is the optimistic hope that there will be some kind of twist or an unxpected resolution; you are left feeling underwhelmed and frustrated.
BackToTheMovies (56 KP) rated The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019
With it being 50 years since the tragic Manson murders in California we have a year of Manson movies. We have the independent film Charlie Says which explores Manson and his cult in sensitive detail before the tragic night. We have Tarantino’s Once Up A Time In Hollywood which has been given the go-ahead from Sharon Tate’s sister to be made. Then we have this. The Haunting of Sharon Tate. An overly exploitative piece that twists truths to create a narrative and completely trashes the legacy of the late actress.
August 8, 1969, the night that Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger and Steven Parent were brutally murdered. The film focuses on the days before the tragic event. The movie dramatizes the slayings and plays on the notion that Sharon Tate predicted her own death in the days leading up to the slaughter.
Surrounded by bad acting and awful scripting it was a very poor choice to make this film in the first place. Writer-director Daniel Farrands has created an offensive and frankly insulting ‘thriller’. Hilary Duff stars as Sharon Tate and whilst she somewhat looks the part, she doesn’t have that raw magic and flair that Sharon had. This tragic event has been turned into some stock-horror slash um up movie with a psychic paranormal twist.
At one point Manson’s song ‘Cease to Exist’ plays to Sharon over a tape player and the Manson Family stalks Tate and her friends around her home. It really is that bad. The introduction of the movie shows real-life footage as a black and white Hilary Duff talks about her own death. The opening scene of the movie is enough to want me to turn off the film instantly.
The Haunting of Sharon Tate still
With no care or respect being paid to the real-life counterparts, the movie has very little to say other than ‘you’re going to die soon’. There’s no feeling of empathy. The Haunting of Sharon Tate is just a 90-minute exploitation of a horrific night in Hollywood’s history.
https://backtothemovies.com/exploitative-trash-the-haunting-of-sharon-tate-review/
August 8, 1969, the night that Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger and Steven Parent were brutally murdered. The film focuses on the days before the tragic event. The movie dramatizes the slayings and plays on the notion that Sharon Tate predicted her own death in the days leading up to the slaughter.
Surrounded by bad acting and awful scripting it was a very poor choice to make this film in the first place. Writer-director Daniel Farrands has created an offensive and frankly insulting ‘thriller’. Hilary Duff stars as Sharon Tate and whilst she somewhat looks the part, she doesn’t have that raw magic and flair that Sharon had. This tragic event has been turned into some stock-horror slash um up movie with a psychic paranormal twist.
At one point Manson’s song ‘Cease to Exist’ plays to Sharon over a tape player and the Manson Family stalks Tate and her friends around her home. It really is that bad. The introduction of the movie shows real-life footage as a black and white Hilary Duff talks about her own death. The opening scene of the movie is enough to want me to turn off the film instantly.
The Haunting of Sharon Tate still
With no care or respect being paid to the real-life counterparts, the movie has very little to say other than ‘you’re going to die soon’. There’s no feeling of empathy. The Haunting of Sharon Tate is just a 90-minute exploitation of a horrific night in Hollywood’s history.
https://backtothemovies.com/exploitative-trash-the-haunting-of-sharon-tate-review/
Ghost Files: The Face of Guilt
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FANTASTIC HIDDEN OBJECT PUZZLE ADVENTURE GAME FROM THE CREATORS OF ENIGMATIS AND GRIM LEGENDS! ...