The Taken (Spirit Walkers #3)
Book
All Jenna Langley wanted was a chance to finally marry the man of her dreams. But when the spirit of...
Paranormal Mystery Romance
The Seer (Legends of Pern Coen: Fated #3)
10.0
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Will they rise or will they burn? She had no choice but to brand him a traitor. With her clan...
Fantasy Romance Celtic-inspired Fade to Black
The Scout (Legends Of Pern Coen: Fated #2)
10.0
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Can they survive Fianna's flames? Seren has saved Bran's life, but their hardest battle is yet to...
Fantasy Romance
Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown
9.0
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A second son, not born to rule, becomes a man, and a king... In grand royal palaces, Prince Harry...
Historical fiction Tudor England
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Icons (Icons, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
There are only two reasons why. Which is really too bad because like I said, there was A LOT of potential here.
1. Emotionally sappy. Sap city, guys. "It was like “Our wrists touched and I felt it tingling down my arm and into my toes to the depths of my soul” kind of sappy. Overdramatic is another way to say it. I’ve talked about this before, and I’m sure I’ll talk about it again… romantic scenes are hard to write. But if you suck at them, find a way to tell the romantic story without writing sucky scenes.
2. The story itself was almost a repeat of The Hunger Games. Now I know, there are a lot of major differences, but let’s look at the similarities: An evil all-powerful and all-controlling government, a creepy government leader, a boy and a girl who are totally in love with each other but won’t admit it are trying to bring it down and just get back to the way things are supposed to be, they get brought to the main city and forced to participate in something they don’t want to do but don’t have a choice in… etc. Also, love triangle. Yeah. It’s The Hunger Games but more sci-fi technically advanced.
It just wasn’t for me. That being said, there were a lot of good things about it! It was exciting, it drew you in right away, the characters were distinct, the setting and descriptions were excellent. It was just those two things that kept coming back to me, and I knew there was no way I was going to be able to finish listening to it.
Content/Recommendation: occasional use of light language. Ages 13+
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Beastly (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Sticking closely to the predictable and extremely overdone plot, Beastly offers audiences very little they have not seen before. Kyle is overdramatic. Lindy is suspiciously like the character Vanessa Hudgens played in “High School Musical”. And we learn that Neil Patrick Harris, while always funny, does not play a convincing blind man.
The film does have good scenery and a soundtrack that is high school appropriate. Moreover, the wardrobe is strikingly impressive. But trite dialogue and poorly paced emotional cues give the film a juvenile comedic result. Beastly is amusing and a little funny, however it completely misses the emotional connection expected from a teen adaptation of a famous romantic tale.
Further distracting from the film’s romantic plot are the numerous hollow side stories and plethora of unnecessary character details. From the sudden trip to Kyle’s family cabin to the violent fight between Lindy’s father and a drug dealer, the movie includes numerous scenes that should have been cut.
But still, even with all the downsides, I had no interest in leaving the theater, because Beastly was a high budget train wreck. Not unlike a B-movie in quality and dialogue yet with an impressive budget, an Olsen sister, and some serious face tattoos, “Beastly” is simply cheesy.
Rome Marco Polo Pocket Guide
Book
Fully revised and updated for 2016. Now with new Discovery Tours chapter. Experience all Rome's...
Germany: Beyond the Enchanted Forest: A Literary Anthology
Book
'German military figures had a certain terrifying glamour,' wrote Patrick Leigh Fermor, recalling...
The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me
5.0
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The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me by Lucy Robinson, author of A Passionate Love Affair with a...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Beach Read in Books
Jan 7, 2021
Author January Andrews is 29, miserable, broke, single, and semi-homeless. She's had her entire life view shattered. Now she's arriving at her late father's secret lakeside home. The one he just happened to share, secretly, with a second woman that wasn't her mother. There she finds herself living next door to her college rival--now a successful author--Augustus Everett. But soon the two discover they're both struggling with writer's block and strike a deal: Augustus will write something cheery and happy (January's style) and she'll attempt something serious (his style). To assist in this endeavor, they'll take each other on field trips: for instance, she'll bring him to theaters showing old romantic comedies, and he'll take her to interview cult members. And, under no circumstances, will they fall in love.
"Here’s the thing about writing Happily Ever Afters: it helps if you believe in them. Here’s the thing about me: I did until the day of my father’s funeral."
I adored this romance, which isn't a fun and easy love story, but instead a tale of two broken people trying to find their way again in the world. The book focuses almost solely on January and "Gus," as she knows him from college, and oh these characters are just so amazing, popping from the pages as you get to know them. There are great wonderful side characters as well, particularly Gus' aunt.
The banter in this book is unbelievable, as January and Gus first continue their college rivalry and then slowly get to know each other. In fact, I challenge you to find another romance with such wonderful gradual sexy chemistry. And January is simply hilarious and wonderful and inspiring despite the fact that's grieving--not just the loss of her father, but the loss of the idea of him, the person she'd known and idealized.
Overall, this is just an amazing book. Sad yet humorous and sexy and romantic. I can't recommend it enough. 4.5+ stars.