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Kate Seger (9 KP) rated A Darker Shade of Magic in Books
Dec 22, 2019
Super engaging and well rounded characters (2 more)
Great world building
Crisp readable writing
WONDERFUL Fantasy book!
Gotta recommend this one! It was SO GOOD. The writing is clean and addictive, the characters are unique and engaging, the magic is... well... magically magical and unlike most of the generic magic floating around out there.
A cross-dressing pick pocket pirate, a promiscuous prince, a moody magician with a forgotten past,
a pair of twin villains who make the Lannister twins look like snowflakes, and a vicious blood-enslaved magician. How's that for a cast? Side note -- even the bit players in this book are well drawn and stir emotions when they die. Yes. People actually die in this one...I've read several books lately where SOMEONE obviously should have died SOMEWHERE along the journey and no one did. I was SO ready for some "let's get real and kill people so the stakes are high" reading.
Four different versions of London exist on different planes... each magical in varying degrees, all in danger of destruction from a magical artifact that accidentally smuggled between the veils. This is the scene for the grand adventure.
I was really struggling to get over my book hangover after finishing Queen of Nothing and this was like the nectar that healed me. I can't wait to dive into book 2!
Also, Kell is my new fictitious boyfriend. Move over Rhysand from ACOTAR, we're starting a reverse harem.
A cross-dressing pick pocket pirate, a promiscuous prince, a moody magician with a forgotten past,
a pair of twin villains who make the Lannister twins look like snowflakes, and a vicious blood-enslaved magician. How's that for a cast? Side note -- even the bit players in this book are well drawn and stir emotions when they die. Yes. People actually die in this one...I've read several books lately where SOMEONE obviously should have died SOMEWHERE along the journey and no one did. I was SO ready for some "let's get real and kill people so the stakes are high" reading.
Four different versions of London exist on different planes... each magical in varying degrees, all in danger of destruction from a magical artifact that accidentally smuggled between the veils. This is the scene for the grand adventure.
I was really struggling to get over my book hangover after finishing Queen of Nothing and this was like the nectar that healed me. I can't wait to dive into book 2!
Also, Kell is my new fictitious boyfriend. Move over Rhysand from ACOTAR, we're starting a reverse harem.
Deborah (162 KP) rated The Children of Henry VIII in Books
Dec 21, 2018
I was surprised to see that this book, covering a fair subject - the four known children of Henry VIII - had only about 200 pages of actual text. A rather different prospect to Guy's weighty biography of Mary Queen of Scots. As reams of paper and oceans of ink of already been expended on the Tudors, I'm not sure quite what the impetus behind this book was. It's not that it wasn't well written, because it was, but that I felt that it offered up almost nothing new. As an introduction to the subject to a reader new to the period I think I would recommend it, but to someone for whom this is already an area of interest, you've probably heard it all before.
The one new point that Guy does bring up, is the theory that Henry VIII belonged to a rare blood group, which resulted in problems with offspring surviving. We can see that no one woman appears to have more than one surviving child by him, but I would have liked a little more detail to support this - how did Henry come by his rare blood group? He was one of several siblings who survived infancy and his surviving sisters themselves had more than one surviving child.
A good brief guide to the subject, probably more suited to a reader fairly new to the subject. I felt disappointed as there was nothing new in here for me.
The one new point that Guy does bring up, is the theory that Henry VIII belonged to a rare blood group, which resulted in problems with offspring surviving. We can see that no one woman appears to have more than one surviving child by him, but I would have liked a little more detail to support this - how did Henry come by his rare blood group? He was one of several siblings who survived infancy and his surviving sisters themselves had more than one surviving child.
A good brief guide to the subject, probably more suited to a reader fairly new to the subject. I felt disappointed as there was nothing new in here for me.
Leigh J (71 KP) rated The Final Girls (2015) in Movies
Dec 3, 2019
Cruel, Cruel Summer
Still grieving for the death of her Scream Queen Mother, Max is coaxed into attending a screening of her Mother's Movies (called Camp Bloodbath) where she will also answer any questions the fans have. However, whilst they're all watching the Movie, an accidental fire breaks out. Max and her group of friends all escape from it and mysteriously wake up in a Forest... the Forest in the Camp Bloodbath Movies. Even more strange... alll the Camp Bloodbath characters are also there, and Max comes face to face with her deceased Mother. But the killer is also there, and Max and her friends know who's going to be murdered and when. They also get caught in a timeloop if they don't go along with the Movie's plot. But can they intervene in any way? Will Max be able to change the plot and possibly save her Mother? Or will the Killer start to come after them?
Final Girls is very tongue in cheek whilst also dealing with the fatality of Max's Mother and Max's subsequent grief with sensitivity and tact. It's a Slasher with a unique perspective and I totally appreciate that it stands apart from what's become the norm. It's definitely a must see for those of us who enjoy Movies like Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp, but for me it's a one watch wonder. I'm very glad I've seen it but don't really see myself reaching for it.
Final Girls is very tongue in cheek whilst also dealing with the fatality of Max's Mother and Max's subsequent grief with sensitivity and tact. It's a Slasher with a unique perspective and I totally appreciate that it stands apart from what's become the norm. It's definitely a must see for those of us who enjoy Movies like Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp, but for me it's a one watch wonder. I'm very glad I've seen it but don't really see myself reaching for it.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Two Popes (2019) in Movies
Dec 6, 2019 (Updated Dec 6, 2019)
'And it's in nomine patris from me...' '...et in spiritus sancti from him.' Slightly oddball true-life drama doesn't go quite as far as that, but is still much funnier and lighter than it sounds from the capsule synopsis - any film which sees the college of cardinals going into conclave while Dancing Queen plays on the soundtrack, and droll enough to show the two pontiffs watching the World Cup final together (Germany-Argentina, of course) obviously has something to say for itself.
The question is what that is. No doubt the decision to make the film a comedy-drama was partly inspired by concerns it could be offputtingly talky, but the talk works when it's delivered by two actors like Pryce and Hopkins, working with a very good script. The film is arguably biased in favour of Jorge Bergoglio, who is presented as warm, human, and compassionate; his life story is explored in much more detail than that of Joseph Ratzinger - but then again you could say the film does Ratzinger a big favour by largely ignoring the elephant in the room and his role in covering it up. Most of the film is very plausible, and it's only near the end that you begin to suspect how much of it is complete fiction. Still, it's engaging and plausible fiction, and - some distracting hand-held camerawork aside - mostly very well played and filmed.
The question is what that is. No doubt the decision to make the film a comedy-drama was partly inspired by concerns it could be offputtingly talky, but the talk works when it's delivered by two actors like Pryce and Hopkins, working with a very good script. The film is arguably biased in favour of Jorge Bergoglio, who is presented as warm, human, and compassionate; his life story is explored in much more detail than that of Joseph Ratzinger - but then again you could say the film does Ratzinger a big favour by largely ignoring the elephant in the room and his role in covering it up. Most of the film is very plausible, and it's only near the end that you begin to suspect how much of it is complete fiction. Still, it's engaging and plausible fiction, and - some distracting hand-held camerawork aside - mostly very well played and filmed.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Tower Of Dawn in Books
Dec 11, 2019
Everything
Contains spoilers, click to show
Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea's last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.
After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need—and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.
I have been following this series for almost 2 years now and I absolutely love it! Sarah J. Maas has created this amazing world with Amazing exciting characters who's lives are so entwined it makes for brilliant reading. Book 6 has us following Chaol and Nesryn on the journey to Antica to convince Khagan to join Aelin in the battle that's brewing, also to heal Chaol. They both find out a lot about themselves on this journey leading them away from each others arms to another. Sexual tension runs high in this book but as a YA it's so tastefully handled! I'm so looking forward to the whole gang reunion especially yrene finding the mystery woman is actually the new queen!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need—and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.
I have been following this series for almost 2 years now and I absolutely love it! Sarah J. Maas has created this amazing world with Amazing exciting characters who's lives are so entwined it makes for brilliant reading. Book 6 has us following Chaol and Nesryn on the journey to Antica to convince Khagan to join Aelin in the battle that's brewing, also to heal Chaol. They both find out a lot about themselves on this journey leading them away from each others arms to another. Sexual tension runs high in this book but as a YA it's so tastefully handled! I'm so looking forward to the whole gang reunion especially yrene finding the mystery woman is actually the new queen!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Lady Midnight in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lady-Midnight.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1"/>;
I was lucky enough to be approached by LoveReading to review and join the blog tour for The Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare. Starting today, and posting every Wednesday, you will get to see what I thought about this series.
<b><i>Series: The Dark Artifices</i></b>
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2843390110">Lady Midnight</a> - ★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2865130437">Lord of Shadows</a> - ★★★★★
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2865131320">Queen of Air and Darkness</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Review-Banner-2.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1"/>;
Welcome back to a whole new series about the Shadowhunter world. If you haven’t read the Mortal Instruments, you will find this book full of spoilers on what happened before. You could still read it, though, but you will miss a lot of hidden gems throughout the book. I will try not to spoil a lot, but please proceed at your own risk
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lady-Midnight.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1"/>;
I was lucky enough to be approached by LoveReading to review and join the blog tour for The Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare. Starting today, and posting every Wednesday, you will get to see what I thought about this series.
<b><i>Series: The Dark Artifices</i></b>
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2843390110">Lady Midnight</a> - ★★★★
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2865130437">Lord of Shadows</a> - ★★★★★
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2865131320">Queen of Air and Darkness</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Book-Review-Banner-2.png?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1"/>;
Welcome back to a whole new series about the Shadowhunter world. If you haven’t read the Mortal Instruments, you will find this book full of spoilers on what happened before. You could still read it, though, but you will miss a lot of hidden gems throughout the book. I will try not to spoil a lot, but please proceed at your own risk
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