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The Most Dangerous Game (1932)
The Most Dangerous Game (1932)
1932 | Classics, Drama, Horror

"Made on the wonderful jungle sets of King Kong while that epic’s special effects were being finished, this is one of the great action-horror films and has provided a template for many “rich sicko” melodramas—the entire “torture porn” subgenre springs from the obsessions of its villain, Count Zaroff (Leslie Banks). Adapted from a short story by Richard Connell and codirected by Kong’s Ernest B. Schoedsack and character actor Irving Pichel, it has one of the most perfect plots in horror: a big-game hunter (Joel McCrea) changes his mind about how much fun his preferred sport is when he’s shipwrecked on an island where a mad Russian who’s grown tired of lesser game has opted to hunt human beings. Fay Wray, another Kong holdover, screams on the sidelines, and a pack of baying hounds provides additional menace."

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Vegas (725 KP) rated The Husband in Books

Jul 12, 2019  
The Husband
The Husband
Dean Koontz | 2006 | Thriller
9
8.1 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
Easy reading (2 more)
The action
The characters
A thrill a minute
I have only read one Koontz book before and that was a very early one, so didn't know what I was going to get. The blurb on the cover grabbed me which is why I had to try it and I am glad I did... I found the story well written and composed and the short paragraph blocks made it an easy read, if an unusual style... It reminded me of Richard Laymons style of writing which I really enjoy...

The plot although far fetched is enjoyable and makes you think what you would do if you were put in the same position. It is suspenseful, action packed and violent in places but you do find yourself drawn in to the situation and feel for the characters involved.

For a quick and easy read it is worth giving a go.
  
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AJaneClark (3962 KP) Jul 13, 2019

Thank you, I will add this to my holiday reading

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Vegas (725 KP) Jul 13, 2019

Look forward to hearing what you think… Hopefully it won't disappoint

    Steeple

    Steeple

    Jon Wallace

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    Book

    Another high action SF dystopia perfect for fans of Richard Morgan and Alfred Bester alike. The...

Gwendy's Button Box
Gwendy's Button Box
Stephen King, Richard Chizmar | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
8.8 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
Interesting Plot (2 more)
Great Characters
An Easy Read
A Nice Short Read
I was on the hunt for my next great read from my local library. While browsing the books, I came across Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar. The synopsis definitely caught my attention. I'm glad I found this book because I loved it! I also loved the illustrations peppered throughout the book.

The pacing for Gwendy's Button Box was spot on. It flowed at such a nice even pace. Not once did I find myself becoming too bored or wondering what had just happened.

The world building and plot are written superbly. This is a short read, and all of the chapters are short as well. However, the plot is still strong and told in a way that answered all my questions. The world building is believable, and I found myself wanting a button box but also wondering if I'd want all that responsibility. The plot is as follows. Gwendy, an overweight 12 year old is tired of being made fun of because of her size. One day while exercising, she encounters a man in a black hat. He gives her a box with button on top. It is not a normal box though. It seems to have powers. Before long, Gwendy is popular, thin, beautiful, and everything is going swimmingly for her. In time, events start to happen that make her think the box isn't all it's cracked up to be. Gwendy is left wondering what life would have been like without the box, and she comes to resent it. Will Gwendy be able to live life without the box after it's done so much for her?

Gwendy's Button Box focuses mainly on the titular character. We get to see her starting out as a 12 year old, and we read about her growing up throughout the years. I loved Gwendy, and I loved her thought process and how curious she was about the box. It was interesting seeing the change in her through the years and how she matured. I found her to be fleshed out well enough to be enjoyable to read about. The minor characters mentioned throughout the book are also well written, and each adds something to the story however minor. I enjoyed Mr. Farris. I still can't figure out his motives for giving Gwendy the button box or where he came from, but I believe that's the beauty of Gwendy's Button Box. It does leave it up for speculation on purpose.

Trigger warnings for Gwendy's Button Box include swearing (although not much), violence, attempted rape (though not graphic), mentions of nudity, and murder.

Overall, Gwendy's Button Box is a short yet interesting read. It held my attention throughout and was very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar to everyone aged 16+.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Second Chances in Books

Dec 17, 2018  
SC
Second Chances
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

<i>Second Chances</i> is a short story by Leigh-Ann Singh about two people who have had rather difficult pasts. Firstly there is Emily Watson who moves to Bay Brook to become the new editor of the <i>Bay Brook Times</i>. She has moved there from New York thus escaping from a bad relationship. The second person is Richard Cambridge whose family owns the newspaper. He initially appears to be a cold-hearted person until it is revealed he has recently lost his wife in a tragic accident.

The tale focuses on Emily and Richard’s relationship, which starts off on shaky ground but improves over time. During the story both characters turn to God to help them with their troubles and begin to find peace with the help of the Saviour. It is not a particularly religious book as the main emphasis is on pointing out that both characters receive the opportunity to have a second chance at life: Richard moving on from the past and returning to the present; and Emily being given the chance at new relationships and becoming “the woman God intended her to be”.

Admittedly <i>Second Chances</i> is very poorly written and ideally ought to have had a lot of editing before publication however the overall storyline is good. It is a shame that more was not done with it.