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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Where the Crawdads Sing in Books
Feb 3, 2019
The beautiful prose (2 more)
The interesting plot
The well written characters
A Beautifully Written Novel
I have to admit that when I first heard about Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, it didn't sound like a book I'd want to read. However, as I kept seeing rave reviews for it, I decided to take a chance on it, and I am so glad I did because this book was amazing!
The plot for Where the Crawdads Sing was an interesting one. I found myself immersed in it throughout, even the parts about nature and poetry which I'm not into. Delia Owens wrote this book beautifully where ever piece fit together perfectly. Where the Crawdads Sing felt so realistic and like I was there every step on the way. The prose was amazing, and I can honestly say that I have not read a more beautifully written book. There are a few plot twists, and I didn't see them coming! I didn't even get the death of Chase right! There are no cliff hangers in this book, and all of my questions where answered.
I thought each and every character in Where the Crawdads Sing were written superbly. I loved the main character of Kya. It was so interesting watching her grow up without a family and turn into a beautiful, intelligent, and kind young lady. Her innocence was reassuring even if did get her in trouble. The character of Kya was such a breath of fresh air. It was amazing how she was able to look after herself when she had no one else even at a young age. Jumpin' was another one of my favorite characters. He was such a larger than life character, and he always seemed so optimistic was was fantastic! I loved how caring Tate was and how patient he was with Kya. I was always hoping those two would end up together. I didn't trust Chase from the get go, but even he was written really well. I loved how the author, Delia Owens, even included what happened to most of the characters years in the future. The only minor thing that bothered me was that when the characters spoke, they spoke in their own dialect which could be annoying at times, but it did not ruin this book for me at all.
The pacing in Where the Crawdads Sing was done so well. I was hooked from the very first page. Never once did the pacing slow down where I found myself bored. I was constantly enthralled by every page in this book. I could not get enough! The words flowed beautifully.
Trigger warnings for Where the Crawdads Sing include profanity, child neglect and abandonment, child abuse, attempted rape, violence, possible murder, sexual situations, alcoholism, racial slurs, and overly judgmental people.
All in all, Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautifully written book through and through. The writing was brilliant, and the characters were written beautifully. The plot is just as fantastic and very interesting. I would definitely recommend Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens to everyone aged 16+. This is one of those books that needs to be read!
The plot for Where the Crawdads Sing was an interesting one. I found myself immersed in it throughout, even the parts about nature and poetry which I'm not into. Delia Owens wrote this book beautifully where ever piece fit together perfectly. Where the Crawdads Sing felt so realistic and like I was there every step on the way. The prose was amazing, and I can honestly say that I have not read a more beautifully written book. There are a few plot twists, and I didn't see them coming! I didn't even get the death of Chase right! There are no cliff hangers in this book, and all of my questions where answered.
I thought each and every character in Where the Crawdads Sing were written superbly. I loved the main character of Kya. It was so interesting watching her grow up without a family and turn into a beautiful, intelligent, and kind young lady. Her innocence was reassuring even if did get her in trouble. The character of Kya was such a breath of fresh air. It was amazing how she was able to look after herself when she had no one else even at a young age. Jumpin' was another one of my favorite characters. He was such a larger than life character, and he always seemed so optimistic was was fantastic! I loved how caring Tate was and how patient he was with Kya. I was always hoping those two would end up together. I didn't trust Chase from the get go, but even he was written really well. I loved how the author, Delia Owens, even included what happened to most of the characters years in the future. The only minor thing that bothered me was that when the characters spoke, they spoke in their own dialect which could be annoying at times, but it did not ruin this book for me at all.
The pacing in Where the Crawdads Sing was done so well. I was hooked from the very first page. Never once did the pacing slow down where I found myself bored. I was constantly enthralled by every page in this book. I could not get enough! The words flowed beautifully.
Trigger warnings for Where the Crawdads Sing include profanity, child neglect and abandonment, child abuse, attempted rape, violence, possible murder, sexual situations, alcoholism, racial slurs, and overly judgmental people.
All in all, Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautifully written book through and through. The writing was brilliant, and the characters were written beautifully. The plot is just as fantastic and very interesting. I would definitely recommend Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens to everyone aged 16+. This is one of those books that needs to be read!
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Things We Cannot Say in Books
Jun 5, 2019
The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer delves into how loved ones are never forgotten within the backdrop of WWII. At the drop of a hat someone’s life can change all of sudden, which is what happened to a family after the Nazis occupied Poland.
Based on her own family, Rimmer tells how “my grandparents were Polish Catholic. They never spoke a lot about what happened to them before they immigrated to Australia. We did not know about how they lived. They would not talk about the war and seemed to put it behind them. I saw this picture of my grandparents in the sunshine and so relaxed. This got me thinking about their story, how they had hope and despair. I decided to travel to the village where they lived in Poland with my aunt and sister. I was able to capture what life was like including Auschwitz and Birkenau, which was such a shocking experience. It is impossible to get my head around the violence of that era, the utter brutality and cruelty.”
The story alternates between war-torn Poland in the 1930s and 1940s and modern-day Florida. The main characters are Alina, having to endure the horrific Nazi occupation; Alice, and her grandmother Hanna, who has made a dying wish, find Tomasz, her soul mate in Poland.
Alice is living in Florida, juggling between being the mother of a six-year-old boy, Eddie, who has autism and her ten-year-old daughter, Callie, who is extremely gifted. Hanna, her grandmother, at the age ninety-five, has suffered a debilitating stroke where she can no longer speak. These present-day characters are somehow related to the past through Alina.
Enduring the Nazis, Alina is struggling to survive and find hope that she and Tomasz can marry at the war’s conclusion. But as their situation gets worse hope begins to dwindle and they wonder, after being separated, will they ever see each other again. This story does not spare the reader all the horrors of the Nazis where they killed in cold blood and used the tools of starvation, rape, and disease.
What makes this story stand out are the relationships. It is heartwarming to read how Eddie has connected with his grandmother and the love between them. Alice and Hanna also have a special relationship since she was the one who gave her granddaughter unconditional love and support, while Alice’s mother became a career mom. Alina and Tomasz also had a special love that was deep and touching.
“I wanted to write about autism and how Eddie is a real person who had the people around him benefit from his life. He and Hanna understood and accepted each other. I also wanted to show how technology helped both he and Hanna communicate through an App. I had some experience with not being able to communicate. Just before I left for Poland I collapsed from a seizure of temporal lobe epilepsy, and was not able to speak for half an hour. I realized how frustrating it is and how scary.”
This emotional historical novel brings together the present and the past. It encompasses loyalty, love, and devotion.
Based on her own family, Rimmer tells how “my grandparents were Polish Catholic. They never spoke a lot about what happened to them before they immigrated to Australia. We did not know about how they lived. They would not talk about the war and seemed to put it behind them. I saw this picture of my grandparents in the sunshine and so relaxed. This got me thinking about their story, how they had hope and despair. I decided to travel to the village where they lived in Poland with my aunt and sister. I was able to capture what life was like including Auschwitz and Birkenau, which was such a shocking experience. It is impossible to get my head around the violence of that era, the utter brutality and cruelty.”
The story alternates between war-torn Poland in the 1930s and 1940s and modern-day Florida. The main characters are Alina, having to endure the horrific Nazi occupation; Alice, and her grandmother Hanna, who has made a dying wish, find Tomasz, her soul mate in Poland.
Alice is living in Florida, juggling between being the mother of a six-year-old boy, Eddie, who has autism and her ten-year-old daughter, Callie, who is extremely gifted. Hanna, her grandmother, at the age ninety-five, has suffered a debilitating stroke where she can no longer speak. These present-day characters are somehow related to the past through Alina.
Enduring the Nazis, Alina is struggling to survive and find hope that she and Tomasz can marry at the war’s conclusion. But as their situation gets worse hope begins to dwindle and they wonder, after being separated, will they ever see each other again. This story does not spare the reader all the horrors of the Nazis where they killed in cold blood and used the tools of starvation, rape, and disease.
What makes this story stand out are the relationships. It is heartwarming to read how Eddie has connected with his grandmother and the love between them. Alice and Hanna also have a special relationship since she was the one who gave her granddaughter unconditional love and support, while Alice’s mother became a career mom. Alina and Tomasz also had a special love that was deep and touching.
“I wanted to write about autism and how Eddie is a real person who had the people around him benefit from his life. He and Hanna understood and accepted each other. I also wanted to show how technology helped both he and Hanna communicate through an App. I had some experience with not being able to communicate. Just before I left for Poland I collapsed from a seizure of temporal lobe epilepsy, and was not able to speak for half an hour. I realized how frustrating it is and how scary.”
This emotional historical novel brings together the present and the past. It encompasses loyalty, love, and devotion.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Vendetta in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Vendetta by Iris Johansen brings back characters introduced in the Eve Duncan books. Although it is billed as an “Eve Duncan” she is only mentioned briefly. But, this does not take anything away from the plot and the main characters, Rachel Venable and Jude Brandon. The story centers on these two and their attempts to bring down Max Huber, the head of Red Star, a terrorist organization with immense power.
The story begins with the shooting of a top CIA official, Carl Venable. His dying breath to the operative, Jude Brandon, to save his daughter, Dr. Rachel Venable, and give her the choice of eliminating Huber to prevent him from wreaking further havoc on a global scale. Huber wants revenge on Rachel, believing that she killed his father by poisoning him. Enlisting the help of her good friend, CIA operative Catherine Ling and her on again, off again boyfriend, Richard Cameron, they work together to bring Huber down.
Johansen noted, “Every other chapter has a choice come into play. It is all about making choices. Rachel had to decide if she would go after the bad guys. Brandon whether he would involve himself emotionally with Rachel. Catherine made the choice not to hide from her desire for Cameron, as well as knowing she had to give Rachel space and control over her own destiny. The bad guy Huber is pure evil without redeeming qualities and his choice was to inflict as much collateral damage as possible. Even though I have a choice as a writer, I just wanted to kill Huber for doing terrible things to the people I love in my books.”
Both Rachel and Catherine had similar experiences of having to overcome rape. At the age of fifteen Rachel was captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan, watched them kill her mother and brother, and was brutally raped as well as tortured. What Johansen does wonderfully is to show how Rachel is determined to overcome her past experiences. One of the reasons she becomes a medical doctor is to heal people. Both Catherine and Rachel are intelligent, tough, strong, independent, and stubborn.
The book quote has Rachel determined to not be seen as a cripple. “I wrote that because I consider it the bravest thing she ever said. She went through a terrible event, but she fought and conquered it. Catherine also had a tough life, growing up on the Hong Kong waterfronts. She learned from it to become stronger. These two women are more similar than different. They had rough teenage years that they had to overcome. I think they are more sisters than friends and will always go to bat for each other. I think Catherine is more like the older sister because she has a son, which makes a big difference.”
Johansen writes female characters that are something other than constant damsels in distress. They find a way to survive and have come out even stronger. This story shows how a character’s past and the decisions made influence the present and future, sometimes to the point of getting revenge by pursuing a vendetta.
The story begins with the shooting of a top CIA official, Carl Venable. His dying breath to the operative, Jude Brandon, to save his daughter, Dr. Rachel Venable, and give her the choice of eliminating Huber to prevent him from wreaking further havoc on a global scale. Huber wants revenge on Rachel, believing that she killed his father by poisoning him. Enlisting the help of her good friend, CIA operative Catherine Ling and her on again, off again boyfriend, Richard Cameron, they work together to bring Huber down.
Johansen noted, “Every other chapter has a choice come into play. It is all about making choices. Rachel had to decide if she would go after the bad guys. Brandon whether he would involve himself emotionally with Rachel. Catherine made the choice not to hide from her desire for Cameron, as well as knowing she had to give Rachel space and control over her own destiny. The bad guy Huber is pure evil without redeeming qualities and his choice was to inflict as much collateral damage as possible. Even though I have a choice as a writer, I just wanted to kill Huber for doing terrible things to the people I love in my books.”
Both Rachel and Catherine had similar experiences of having to overcome rape. At the age of fifteen Rachel was captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan, watched them kill her mother and brother, and was brutally raped as well as tortured. What Johansen does wonderfully is to show how Rachel is determined to overcome her past experiences. One of the reasons she becomes a medical doctor is to heal people. Both Catherine and Rachel are intelligent, tough, strong, independent, and stubborn.
The book quote has Rachel determined to not be seen as a cripple. “I wrote that because I consider it the bravest thing she ever said. She went through a terrible event, but she fought and conquered it. Catherine also had a tough life, growing up on the Hong Kong waterfronts. She learned from it to become stronger. These two women are more similar than different. They had rough teenage years that they had to overcome. I think they are more sisters than friends and will always go to bat for each other. I think Catherine is more like the older sister because she has a son, which makes a big difference.”
Johansen writes female characters that are something other than constant damsels in distress. They find a way to survive and have come out even stronger. This story shows how a character’s past and the decisions made influence the present and future, sometimes to the point of getting revenge by pursuing a vendetta.
Interesting and very intriguing
Trigger Warnings: talk of rape, drug abuse, torture
When I first put this on, I was just putting it on as background noise while I worked on art. But I ended up becoming drawn into the thriller and mysteriousness of the story.
Chambers begins with the MC, Sasha Yazzie telling her father, Frank, that she is going out to study. But in reality, she's going out with her boyfriend TJ Locklear - in the hopes that she will lose her virginity. The couple goes into a mattress shop to do the deed when Sasha's head starts pounding. She ends up passing out and rushed to the hospital.
Months later, we see the scar from a heart transplant. Sasha had a heart attack, which was very random and rare. She is miserable from missing a ton of school, having to be on anti-rejection pills for the rest of her life, and for everyone treating her like a porcelain doll.
One day, she walks into Frank's shop and meets Ben Lefevre who was the father of Becky, the teenage girl who gave Sasha her heart. Sasha is deeply creeped out when Ben asks for Frank and her to come to dinner. But when she goes to refuse, Frank agrees since he empathizes with the family.
When they arrive, Sasha is peppered with questions about her ambitions from Nancy, Becky's mother and snarky comments from Becky's brother, Elliot. The Lefevres tell Sasha that they are taking Becky's college fund and establishing a scholarship that they want her to have. Sasha soon sees a picture of Becky and eventually starts having visions, a major one happens during an Arizona dust storm that forces the Yazzies to stay at the Lefevres' house.
Sasha accepts the scholarship where she attends Becky's old school. This new school is very upper class, I mean it has "nap rooms" and "life coaches" and not all of Becky's old friends are reluctant to be friends. Sasha finds out via a few of Becky's old friends how exactly Becky died, but it doesn't make sense at all. The show continues on with a few twists and turns, a few trigger scenes, and was captivating.
Chambers is an odd yet enthralling show that also gives a foreboding tone. The creator doesn't hide some of the messages you see in the first episode, but it's all things we've seen done before. Like the Lefevres having it all while the Yazzies are a working-class family. The main reason why I kept watching until the very end was the mystery surrounding Becky's death and Rose's performance as Sasha. Throughout the episodes, you can see that Sasha doesn't go around "stopping and smelling the roses" all because she was given another chance to live. She resents the heart and just wants to be a normal teen again. Which is totally understandable. Getting an organ transplant is a hard thing to go through, especially at such a young age like under 17 years old.
If you're into thrilling mysteries that have a bit foreshadowing, I highly recommend Chambers. You can stream it on Netflix!
When I first put this on, I was just putting it on as background noise while I worked on art. But I ended up becoming drawn into the thriller and mysteriousness of the story.
Chambers begins with the MC, Sasha Yazzie telling her father, Frank, that she is going out to study. But in reality, she's going out with her boyfriend TJ Locklear - in the hopes that she will lose her virginity. The couple goes into a mattress shop to do the deed when Sasha's head starts pounding. She ends up passing out and rushed to the hospital.
Months later, we see the scar from a heart transplant. Sasha had a heart attack, which was very random and rare. She is miserable from missing a ton of school, having to be on anti-rejection pills for the rest of her life, and for everyone treating her like a porcelain doll.
One day, she walks into Frank's shop and meets Ben Lefevre who was the father of Becky, the teenage girl who gave Sasha her heart. Sasha is deeply creeped out when Ben asks for Frank and her to come to dinner. But when she goes to refuse, Frank agrees since he empathizes with the family.
When they arrive, Sasha is peppered with questions about her ambitions from Nancy, Becky's mother and snarky comments from Becky's brother, Elliot. The Lefevres tell Sasha that they are taking Becky's college fund and establishing a scholarship that they want her to have. Sasha soon sees a picture of Becky and eventually starts having visions, a major one happens during an Arizona dust storm that forces the Yazzies to stay at the Lefevres' house.
Sasha accepts the scholarship where she attends Becky's old school. This new school is very upper class, I mean it has "nap rooms" and "life coaches" and not all of Becky's old friends are reluctant to be friends. Sasha finds out via a few of Becky's old friends how exactly Becky died, but it doesn't make sense at all. The show continues on with a few twists and turns, a few trigger scenes, and was captivating.
Chambers is an odd yet enthralling show that also gives a foreboding tone. The creator doesn't hide some of the messages you see in the first episode, but it's all things we've seen done before. Like the Lefevres having it all while the Yazzies are a working-class family. The main reason why I kept watching until the very end was the mystery surrounding Becky's death and Rose's performance as Sasha. Throughout the episodes, you can see that Sasha doesn't go around "stopping and smelling the roses" all because she was given another chance to live. She resents the heart and just wants to be a normal teen again. Which is totally understandable. Getting an organ transplant is a hard thing to go through, especially at such a young age like under 17 years old.
If you're into thrilling mysteries that have a bit foreshadowing, I highly recommend Chambers. You can stream it on Netflix!
Jade Clarke-Mackintosh (7 KP) rated Come Sundown in Books
Jan 22, 2018
Brilliant but a harrowing read!
I am a big fan of Nora Roberts, and this book undoubtedly shows just why she has become such a top seller. Romantic suspense or crime thrillers aren't usually my thing but this author has a way of dragging me, and I know whatever I read will be worth it.
This book was very hard to read in places and extremely dark, some of the subject matters were hard hitting and I had to put the book down and walk away for a for a while. I am surprised it didn't come with a bit more of a warning to readers.
The story centres around the Bodine family who have a ranch resort in Montana. Like all her books it is based on family values and the healing powers of friendships formed. The story centres around Bodine Longbow manager of the resort side, which her family have had for generations. Due to circumstances out of her control she is in need of a horseman, and it just so happens here brothers best friend is back in town after a stint in Hollywood with his show horse Sundown. She has had a crush on him since they were at school and it is very sweet to watch the romance blossom between the two.
Alongside of this in true Nora style, there is another darker, more sinister story developing. One member of the Bodine family Alice, has be gone for years, expected of being a run away and giving up on the family as she was always strong willed and somewhat of a free spirit, was actually kidnapped whilst making her way home and has been in confinement in a room for years, being brutally beaten and raped repeatedly by a religious nut, who believes women are for bearing children and doing as their husbands tell them. Most of these scenes reduced me to tears.
<i>“He told her she was his property now. Though she’d clearly been a whore before he’d saved her on the side of the road, she was his responsibility now. And his to do with as he pleased.
He suggested she read the Bible, as it was written a woman was to be under a man’s dominance, how God had created woman from Adam’s rib to serve as his helpmate and to bear his children.”</i>
These scenes and many like them, within the book are very graphic, and there are a lot of triggers. As mentioned earlier in my review I had to put the book down and go do other things to get my mind off what was happening. Time and time again Nora shows how the love of family and friends can mend almost anything.
There are lots of parallel story lines running throughout the book, which all come together towards the end, making the darker parts more bearable. Another brilliant book by the author, the only reason I didn't give it five stars is because of how much I struggled with parts of the brutality and abuse.
This book was very hard to read in places and extremely dark, some of the subject matters were hard hitting and I had to put the book down and walk away for a for a while. I am surprised it didn't come with a bit more of a warning to readers.
The story centres around the Bodine family who have a ranch resort in Montana. Like all her books it is based on family values and the healing powers of friendships formed. The story centres around Bodine Longbow manager of the resort side, which her family have had for generations. Due to circumstances out of her control she is in need of a horseman, and it just so happens here brothers best friend is back in town after a stint in Hollywood with his show horse Sundown. She has had a crush on him since they were at school and it is very sweet to watch the romance blossom between the two.
Alongside of this in true Nora style, there is another darker, more sinister story developing. One member of the Bodine family Alice, has be gone for years, expected of being a run away and giving up on the family as she was always strong willed and somewhat of a free spirit, was actually kidnapped whilst making her way home and has been in confinement in a room for years, being brutally beaten and raped repeatedly by a religious nut, who believes women are for bearing children and doing as their husbands tell them. Most of these scenes reduced me to tears.
<i>“He told her she was his property now. Though she’d clearly been a whore before he’d saved her on the side of the road, she was his responsibility now. And his to do with as he pleased.
He suggested she read the Bible, as it was written a woman was to be under a man’s dominance, how God had created woman from Adam’s rib to serve as his helpmate and to bear his children.”</i>
These scenes and many like them, within the book are very graphic, and there are a lot of triggers. As mentioned earlier in my review I had to put the book down and go do other things to get my mind off what was happening. Time and time again Nora shows how the love of family and friends can mend almost anything.
There are lots of parallel story lines running throughout the book, which all come together towards the end, making the darker parts more bearable. Another brilliant book by the author, the only reason I didn't give it five stars is because of how much I struggled with parts of the brutality and abuse.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Watching Edie in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also find my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/watching-edie-by-camilla-way
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>TRIGGER WARNING: <spoiler>Rape</spoiler></b>
Firstly Id like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the opportunity to read this book in an exchange for a review.
<b><i>"... they do remain a part of us, those people who have hurt us very deeply, or who we have hurt, never letting us go, not entirely."</b></i>
This is the tale of a fractured friendship between two young ladies from broken families. Edie is popular and beautiful, Heather is awkward and shy. To begin with they seem to be the best of friends, but one night, something terrible happens that tears them apart. Fast forward 17 or so years and Edie is alone, working as a waitress and struggling to cope with new motherhood. Luckily, Heather steps out of Edies past and into her present, just at the right time to keep Edie afloat. But, somethings not right, theres a darkness in their past that cant be overlooked in the future.
From the get go, I thought this wasnt going to be my sort of book, Im not really into thrillers where the past and present are skipped between and an intense love story is the main focus. I tend to find them samey and cringey - the love of an 18 year old still haunting lives at the age of 33 just seems to only happen in novels. But, this one intrigued me a little more than the others have done. At 50% I started getting a little more excited at what was going to happen next. In the end, I actually got quite into the book, reading it in 24 hours.
Our two main characters of the novel, Edie and Heather, have really terrible stories attached to them and we can sympathise with them both, but its difficult to pick a side . Lets just say that what youre thinking throughout the book may be completely turned on its head once the twist has come out.
There were aspects of this book that were very predictable and for a while the only reason I wanted to continue reading was because I wanted to know the full details of what happened that night at the quarry, so it had me more interested than <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1474373840">In a Dark, Dark Wood.</a> But then <b>BAM</b> were smacked with the truth of that awful night and we have to take the book and its characters in a whole new light. The twist in the novel is so far from what I was expecting it to be, its absolutely brutal in comparison to other novels with the same kind of plot.
I ended up really enjoying this after being so skeptical to begin with and I think its an excellent fast paced, twisty-turny read but I know it wont be for everybody, it features too many dark subjects for all psychological thriller lovers to enjoy.
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>TRIGGER WARNING: <spoiler>Rape</spoiler></b>
Firstly Id like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the opportunity to read this book in an exchange for a review.
<b><i>"... they do remain a part of us, those people who have hurt us very deeply, or who we have hurt, never letting us go, not entirely."</b></i>
This is the tale of a fractured friendship between two young ladies from broken families. Edie is popular and beautiful, Heather is awkward and shy. To begin with they seem to be the best of friends, but one night, something terrible happens that tears them apart. Fast forward 17 or so years and Edie is alone, working as a waitress and struggling to cope with new motherhood. Luckily, Heather steps out of Edies past and into her present, just at the right time to keep Edie afloat. But, somethings not right, theres a darkness in their past that cant be overlooked in the future.
From the get go, I thought this wasnt going to be my sort of book, Im not really into thrillers where the past and present are skipped between and an intense love story is the main focus. I tend to find them samey and cringey - the love of an 18 year old still haunting lives at the age of 33 just seems to only happen in novels. But, this one intrigued me a little more than the others have done. At 50% I started getting a little more excited at what was going to happen next. In the end, I actually got quite into the book, reading it in 24 hours.
Our two main characters of the novel, Edie and Heather, have really terrible stories attached to them and we can sympathise with them both, but its difficult to pick a side . Lets just say that what youre thinking throughout the book may be completely turned on its head once the twist has come out.
There were aspects of this book that were very predictable and for a while the only reason I wanted to continue reading was because I wanted to know the full details of what happened that night at the quarry, so it had me more interested than <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1474373840">In a Dark, Dark Wood.</a> But then <b>BAM</b> were smacked with the truth of that awful night and we have to take the book and its characters in a whole new light. The twist in the novel is so far from what I was expecting it to be, its absolutely brutal in comparison to other novels with the same kind of plot.
I ended up really enjoying this after being so skeptical to begin with and I think its an excellent fast paced, twisty-turny read but I know it wont be for everybody, it features too many dark subjects for all psychological thriller lovers to enjoy.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Teacher (DS Imogen Grey, #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This book was fucking awesome.
A lot of the plot was predictable and I was pretty sure I knew what was going on very soon into the book, but that didn't take away any of the shock factor this books gave out.
"Most definitely *not* for the faint-hearted!" I have to agree with this warning, a lot of this book was absolutely brutal. I'm a big fan of blood and guts, in movies and books, but even this made me wince a few times. Diamond really knows how to describe a gory bloodbath!
To begin with this book is a little confusing, each chapter tells the story of a different character and to begin with there just seems to be thousands of narratives and no explanation, but it quickly wraps that up for you and that's when the ball really gets rolling. I warn you, you will get hooked on this book, it's one of those stories where you just want to keep reading and reading and reading.
Miles and Grey were such an excellent duo together. The fact they were both damaged in some way really made them click but not bring the mood of the book down at all. <spoiler> I also love the fact that these two didn't get it on! Finally, a female and male character who can remain buddies without having to fuck each other!</spoiler> Miles was definitely my favourite of the two, he was flawed and withdrawn but he had a good heart and a good brain and he knew what he needed to do at all times, no fucking about.
Abbey's story really hit me hard and I found it quite difficult to read... the things she went through (tw//r*pe) were absolutely horrific and the people who reacted to it were awful. People reacted in the worst possible way after the admission of a r*pe victim and I think Diamond's writing really reflected a problem a lot of society have in understanding where the blame lies. Women (and occasionally men) are never <i> ever</i> asking for it. I wish we knew a little more about the darker things in Abbey's life, it would have nice to have known what became of her dad. I also would have liked to know whether anyone ever found out about the bad things she did... <spoiler> for example, would they not have found Christian's body in the Samurai if they were pulling the museum apart? </spoiler>
Parker's tale broke my heart and I'm so happy with how everything turned out for him, those men got what they deserved! <spoiler>Though it would have been nice to see Morris get what he deserved!</spoiler>
I've already gone on to recommend the book to friends and family, though if you're sensitive to gore and/or rape then this is definitely a book to steer clear from! Really enjoyable book to read (not in a morbid way) and definitely the best book I've read in what feels like forever! Would have been 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact I guessed everything <spoiler> apart from Abbey killing and hiding Christian!</spoiler> before it happened.
A lot of the plot was predictable and I was pretty sure I knew what was going on very soon into the book, but that didn't take away any of the shock factor this books gave out.
"Most definitely *not* for the faint-hearted!" I have to agree with this warning, a lot of this book was absolutely brutal. I'm a big fan of blood and guts, in movies and books, but even this made me wince a few times. Diamond really knows how to describe a gory bloodbath!
To begin with this book is a little confusing, each chapter tells the story of a different character and to begin with there just seems to be thousands of narratives and no explanation, but it quickly wraps that up for you and that's when the ball really gets rolling. I warn you, you will get hooked on this book, it's one of those stories where you just want to keep reading and reading and reading.
Miles and Grey were such an excellent duo together. The fact they were both damaged in some way really made them click but not bring the mood of the book down at all. <spoiler> I also love the fact that these two didn't get it on! Finally, a female and male character who can remain buddies without having to fuck each other!</spoiler> Miles was definitely my favourite of the two, he was flawed and withdrawn but he had a good heart and a good brain and he knew what he needed to do at all times, no fucking about.
Abbey's story really hit me hard and I found it quite difficult to read... the things she went through (tw//r*pe) were absolutely horrific and the people who reacted to it were awful. People reacted in the worst possible way after the admission of a r*pe victim and I think Diamond's writing really reflected a problem a lot of society have in understanding where the blame lies. Women (and occasionally men) are never <i> ever</i> asking for it. I wish we knew a little more about the darker things in Abbey's life, it would have nice to have known what became of her dad. I also would have liked to know whether anyone ever found out about the bad things she did... <spoiler> for example, would they not have found Christian's body in the Samurai if they were pulling the museum apart? </spoiler>
Parker's tale broke my heart and I'm so happy with how everything turned out for him, those men got what they deserved! <spoiler>Though it would have been nice to see Morris get what he deserved!</spoiler>
I've already gone on to recommend the book to friends and family, though if you're sensitive to gore and/or rape then this is definitely a book to steer clear from! Really enjoyable book to read (not in a morbid way) and definitely the best book I've read in what feels like forever! Would have been 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact I guessed everything <spoiler> apart from Abbey killing and hiding Christian!</spoiler> before it happened.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated My Sister's Bones in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/my-sisters-bones-by-nuala-ellwood
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>Trigger warnings are noted in the first paragraph.</b>
<b><i>Were all of us, every day, just a hairbreadth away from evil. If Ive learnt anything from fifteen years of reporting, its that. But I couldnt expect these people to understand.</b></i>
This is a really heavy read as it deals with some really dark and depressing subjects, <b>such as the war and refugees in Syria, domestic & child abuse, rape, death, mental illness, alcoholism and miscarriages.</b> Dont read this if youre having a low period in your life because this is not going to make you feel any better, throughout its a rather distressing and upsetting story.
Each character in this novel was well developed, no matter how small a part they played in the plot. Ellwood has done a fantastic job with her research into PTSD as Kates fears and anxieties seem so real to the reader. Though Ive never experienced anything even close to PTSD, I can really imagine how terrifying and disturbing it would be, from reading this book. Its definitely the best and most harrowing description of the condition Ive ever read in a fiction novel.
This was a really well presented novel and Im amazed that its a debut! It was excellently written and thought out. My only issue being that sometimes, the timings in this book felt a little off. When Kate and Paul were together, one minute they'd be serving dinner and the next, after a small 5 lined conversation, it would be midnight and time for Paul to leave and Kate to get into bed. It seemed like large chunks of the day would just disappear.
Maybe I shouldnt have read some other peoples reviews on this beforehand, but because I was expecting all these super duper amazing twists, I kind of didnt feel that they were super duper amazing. I also found some of them to be a little far fetched and silly, rather than surprising.
I can definitely see why this has gained so many 5 star ratings, but its all down to personal preference at the end of the day, and this one was just a little too dark for my liking. That's not to say I didn't like this...I enjoyed this a lot, hence the 4 stars. I found myself not wanting to put it down, even when my eyes were telling me it was definitely time for sleep. It was certainly a thrilling and page turning read, but I dont know if I could recommend this to anyone because of all the dark subject matters. It seems like the sort of book some people are going to love for its dark realism and others are going to hate that and find it too distressing to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>Trigger warnings are noted in the first paragraph.</b>
<b><i>Were all of us, every day, just a hairbreadth away from evil. If Ive learnt anything from fifteen years of reporting, its that. But I couldnt expect these people to understand.</b></i>
This is a really heavy read as it deals with some really dark and depressing subjects, <b>such as the war and refugees in Syria, domestic & child abuse, rape, death, mental illness, alcoholism and miscarriages.</b> Dont read this if youre having a low period in your life because this is not going to make you feel any better, throughout its a rather distressing and upsetting story.
Each character in this novel was well developed, no matter how small a part they played in the plot. Ellwood has done a fantastic job with her research into PTSD as Kates fears and anxieties seem so real to the reader. Though Ive never experienced anything even close to PTSD, I can really imagine how terrifying and disturbing it would be, from reading this book. Its definitely the best and most harrowing description of the condition Ive ever read in a fiction novel.
This was a really well presented novel and Im amazed that its a debut! It was excellently written and thought out. My only issue being that sometimes, the timings in this book felt a little off. When Kate and Paul were together, one minute they'd be serving dinner and the next, after a small 5 lined conversation, it would be midnight and time for Paul to leave and Kate to get into bed. It seemed like large chunks of the day would just disappear.
Maybe I shouldnt have read some other peoples reviews on this beforehand, but because I was expecting all these super duper amazing twists, I kind of didnt feel that they were super duper amazing. I also found some of them to be a little far fetched and silly, rather than surprising.
I can definitely see why this has gained so many 5 star ratings, but its all down to personal preference at the end of the day, and this one was just a little too dark for my liking. That's not to say I didn't like this...I enjoyed this a lot, hence the 4 stars. I found myself not wanting to put it down, even when my eyes were telling me it was definitely time for sleep. It was certainly a thrilling and page turning read, but I dont know if I could recommend this to anyone because of all the dark subject matters. It seems like the sort of book some people are going to love for its dark realism and others are going to hate that and find it too distressing to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Story: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri starts as Mildred Hayes (McDormand) puts up three billboards in a quiet road questioning how Willoughby (Harrelson) hasn’t solved the case of her daughter’s rape and murder. Fellow officer Dixon (Rockwell) who has a chequered past is enraged by the signs, while officer Willoughby tries to clean up the situation and prove there isn’t enough to solve the case, but with his dying he does want to solve the case before he goes.
As the billboards stay up longer, the town starts to become divided on the support in catching the killer and Mildred does to extremes in her battle with Dixon to get the case solved.
Thoughts on Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Characters – Mildred Hayes is a mother that has run out of patience when it comes to the police finding the killer off her daughter, she did have the full support of the town, but this stunt pushes the people away even if it could get her the killer to identify themselves. Willoughby is the lead investigator in the case, he has done everything he could to solve the case, but he is now facing his own battle with cancer, while keeping the peace in the town. Dixon is the hot-headed police officer that clashes with Mildred and anyone who supports her in finding out the truth.
Performances – Frances McDormand shows us that she can reach the Fargo levels whenever the material is given to her, as she shines through as the best part of this movie. Woody Harrelson is great again this year, showing us he can step into any role and be great. Sam Rockwell is wonderful too as we see that this cast is filled with talent character performers.
Story – The story shows the extremes of losing a child, the stress of noting being able to solve one of the worst cases in the town. This does turn into a character studio on the people involved and how their lives need to move on without a chance of every being able to. It is hard to describe this story in much more depth because it is interesting, it does have a lot going on that keeps us wanting to see where the film will go.
Comedy/Crime – This does use dark humour throughout as we are seeing the effects of the crime on people’s lives, don’t expect to see an investigation though, we are focusing on the relationship between the mother of the victim and the police.
Settings – The film takes place in this small town where everyone seems to know everyone, so they have all felt the effects of the crime, this helps when things start to get exposed.
Scene of the Movie – Window smashing, it is a well shot single looking take.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The answer is frustrating.
Final Thoughts – This is a dark humour that can be enjoyed by the fans of that genre, it does have a good subject matter but doesn’t get to a level in the story that I enjoyed watching.
Overall: Dark comedy through a serious subject matter.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/01/12/three-billboards-outside-ebbing-missouri-2017/
As the billboards stay up longer, the town starts to become divided on the support in catching the killer and Mildred does to extremes in her battle with Dixon to get the case solved.
Thoughts on Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Characters – Mildred Hayes is a mother that has run out of patience when it comes to the police finding the killer off her daughter, she did have the full support of the town, but this stunt pushes the people away even if it could get her the killer to identify themselves. Willoughby is the lead investigator in the case, he has done everything he could to solve the case, but he is now facing his own battle with cancer, while keeping the peace in the town. Dixon is the hot-headed police officer that clashes with Mildred and anyone who supports her in finding out the truth.
Performances – Frances McDormand shows us that she can reach the Fargo levels whenever the material is given to her, as she shines through as the best part of this movie. Woody Harrelson is great again this year, showing us he can step into any role and be great. Sam Rockwell is wonderful too as we see that this cast is filled with talent character performers.
Story – The story shows the extremes of losing a child, the stress of noting being able to solve one of the worst cases in the town. This does turn into a character studio on the people involved and how their lives need to move on without a chance of every being able to. It is hard to describe this story in much more depth because it is interesting, it does have a lot going on that keeps us wanting to see where the film will go.
Comedy/Crime – This does use dark humour throughout as we are seeing the effects of the crime on people’s lives, don’t expect to see an investigation though, we are focusing on the relationship between the mother of the victim and the police.
Settings – The film takes place in this small town where everyone seems to know everyone, so they have all felt the effects of the crime, this helps when things start to get exposed.
Scene of the Movie – Window smashing, it is a well shot single looking take.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The answer is frustrating.
Final Thoughts – This is a dark humour that can be enjoyed by the fans of that genre, it does have a good subject matter but doesn’t get to a level in the story that I enjoyed watching.
Overall: Dark comedy through a serious subject matter.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/01/12/three-billboards-outside-ebbing-missouri-2017/
Darren (1599 KP) rated I Spit On Your Grave: Vengeance (2015) in Movies
Oct 24, 2019
Characters – Jennifer/Angela, is the victim from the first movie that got her revenge on her rapist, now back in the real world, she is still experiencing nightmares from sexual assault and fantasies of killing anyone that shows any sexual interest, be it a look or inappropriate touching. This becomes a reality once her new friend is killed and now she sets out to kill anyone that has victimised members of the rape support group. Marla is the new friend Angela makes, she has been a victim of an abusive ex-boyfriend and gets to show a looser side when working with Angela to get their message across to the guys in their lives. Oscar is a member of the support group that has seen his daughter raped before she killed herself and the rapist walked free, he talks the revenge game, never sure whether to take the step. Detective McDylan is investigating the murder of Marla and tries to help Angela when the suspect gets murdered, this is a generic cop figure.
Performances – Sarah Butler returns to the franchise (that what it is now?) she is clearly the star of the show here and continues to bring us a strong character in every scene. Jennifer Landon is good in her supporting role getting to be wild at times. Sadly, the rest of the cast are just fine, while the characters they are playing are interesting, we don’t get to see much from them as the film is centred around Sarah’s character and interactions with these characters.
Story – The story here picks up with the life of Jennifer as she has tried to start a new life after the events in the previous film, yes, we skip the second films events all together. This brings us back to the real world where the hate she feels is still strong, though the motive to act on it is being held back, until her friend is murdered and now she needs to get back to her blood vengeance she is going through to help clean up the streets.
Horror – The horror from this film comes from the horrors that the victims have been through and how Angela goes out to get her own justice.
Settings – The film being set in the big city, is a big change, it shows us how the city can be filled with people you would never know their darker secrets and how cleaning them up can be difficult.
Special Effects – The effects in this movie are used lightly, but when they are used they are brutal and effective to show the horror being put on the victim.
Scene of the Movie – The first real murder, it is graphic as they come.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many dream sequences.
Final Thoughts – This is a good sequel to a film that didn’t feel like it needed one, showing the lasting effects of what happened to Jennifer is the highlight of the film and something you do want to continue watching.
Overall: Nice sequel that works in the right ways.
Performances – Sarah Butler returns to the franchise (that what it is now?) she is clearly the star of the show here and continues to bring us a strong character in every scene. Jennifer Landon is good in her supporting role getting to be wild at times. Sadly, the rest of the cast are just fine, while the characters they are playing are interesting, we don’t get to see much from them as the film is centred around Sarah’s character and interactions with these characters.
Story – The story here picks up with the life of Jennifer as she has tried to start a new life after the events in the previous film, yes, we skip the second films events all together. This brings us back to the real world where the hate she feels is still strong, though the motive to act on it is being held back, until her friend is murdered and now she needs to get back to her blood vengeance she is going through to help clean up the streets.
Horror – The horror from this film comes from the horrors that the victims have been through and how Angela goes out to get her own justice.
Settings – The film being set in the big city, is a big change, it shows us how the city can be filled with people you would never know their darker secrets and how cleaning them up can be difficult.
Special Effects – The effects in this movie are used lightly, but when they are used they are brutal and effective to show the horror being put on the victim.
Scene of the Movie – The first real murder, it is graphic as they come.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many dream sequences.
Final Thoughts – This is a good sequel to a film that didn’t feel like it needed one, showing the lasting effects of what happened to Jennifer is the highlight of the film and something you do want to continue watching.
Overall: Nice sequel that works in the right ways.