Search
Search results
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Arrival (The Eslite Chronicles, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
So... it's been roughly a year since I read The Arrival's prequel, well before the author actually made it into a series. I even mentioned that it had potential to be a good series, and here we are: it's actually a series!!! I signed up ASAP when I saw it available to be reviewed on David Estes Fans and YA Book Lover's R&R program, despite the fact I should probably be knocking out some books on a certain reading challenge. *coughs* 2014 TBR Pile Challenge *coughs*
Plus, I'm really surprised I actually read this really quickly, and I'm personally thinking it's probably because I must be getting tired of not going to school or something. Or maybe my mind is still in devouring mode after reading The Forever Song and The Body In the Woods (review in June).
Either way, it's a quick read, and the prequel is actually set after the prologue in The Arrival, but before Chapter 1. It's set about 3 years after the events in the prequel, and Miranda and the other girls in Nidus are ready to break free from the compound because they discover the Eslites are there for different reasons entirely.
This is no sappy romance you usually find in other alien stories where the alien falls in love with the human while trying to get away from an enemy species that's not by the name of human. This is pure "aliens are going to take over the world, and they're a dominant species with high-tech technology." It's not like Lux or the Lorien Legacies, where the aliens are trying to be inconspicuous. The Arrival is completely different from that, even though there are romantic elements mixed in. Miranda is a determined heroine wanting to break both her and the girls currently in the compound away from the Eslites true reasons. And she's preventing other girls meeting similar fates.
Then there are a few curve balls thrown at you, which is always the biggest plus in the bowl. And there's the ending, in which I'm extremely curious about because it probably does some more table turning. Actually, that ending did do a table flip, so all I'm doing is blinking rapidly and wondering if that really just happened and the book is over. o_o
Oh, and a random thought, but Dimas really isn't as bad as I thought he would be from the prequel.
------------------------
Review copy provided by author (R&R)
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This Review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Plus, I'm really surprised I actually read this really quickly, and I'm personally thinking it's probably because I must be getting tired of not going to school or something. Or maybe my mind is still in devouring mode after reading The Forever Song and The Body In the Woods (review in June).
Either way, it's a quick read, and the prequel is actually set after the prologue in The Arrival, but before Chapter 1. It's set about 3 years after the events in the prequel, and Miranda and the other girls in Nidus are ready to break free from the compound because they discover the Eslites are there for different reasons entirely.
This is no sappy romance you usually find in other alien stories where the alien falls in love with the human while trying to get away from an enemy species that's not by the name of human. This is pure "aliens are going to take over the world, and they're a dominant species with high-tech technology." It's not like Lux or the Lorien Legacies, where the aliens are trying to be inconspicuous. The Arrival is completely different from that, even though there are romantic elements mixed in. Miranda is a determined heroine wanting to break both her and the girls currently in the compound away from the Eslites true reasons. And she's preventing other girls meeting similar fates.
Then there are a few curve balls thrown at you, which is always the biggest plus in the bowl. And there's the ending, in which I'm extremely curious about because it probably does some more table turning. Actually, that ending did do a table flip, so all I'm doing is blinking rapidly and wondering if that really just happened and the book is over. o_o
Oh, and a random thought, but Dimas really isn't as bad as I thought he would be from the prequel.
------------------------
Review copy provided by author (R&R)
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This Review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Neptune's Tears (Timedance, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a title="Neptune's Tears by Susan Waggoner" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/05/arc-review-neptunes-tears-by-susan-waggoner.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>.
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is not influenced in any way.</i>
In a futuristic London, England, seventeen-year-old Zee McAdams is an empath a psychic healer working at the Royal London Hospital. As an empath, she can't afford distractions getting in the way of her career, such as falling in love or even reading (oh, wait, reading? *squeak of horror*). But then she meets a cute patient who pretty much breaks down her wall of calm that she has earned throughout her career. During that time of anarchist bombings, Zee is also experiencing other psychic abilities relating to the bombings.
As soon as the word "alien" appeared, I pretty much freaked out. I assumed it was going to be another I Am Number Four type of alien story where a mortal girl falls in love with super hot alien dude and it's forbidden but the alien dude hasn't told her the truth yet until something totally out of the ordinary happens and he has to tell her the truth (that was a mouthful... I think). Then when she finds out the truth, she doesn't freak out. It's pretty much, "Oh. Okay. You're an alien. Cool. I still like you, and we'll fight to the end, side by side." Not that I mind, really, but it's just the very fact that the mortal doesn't even have the slightest bit of panic.
In this case, it's not exactly that type of alien story. It finally (FINALLY!) happens that someone actually seemed to panic and run off freaking out (er, more like a what-just-happened-I-don't-think-I-heard-right type of way) about an alien race merging with us fellow Earthlings. I was so happy to read that, having a slice of Dauntless cake right then and there would have been perfect timing.
Zee's friend, Rani, is a fashionista, and a romantic. I find her to be a caring and supportive friend to Zee when she needs it. I also find that she's caring due to what she does for Zee near the end. I find it really sad, since Rani is actually one of my favorite characters in Neptune's Tears.
Waggoner creates an amazingly exciting futuristic world with a lot of new technologies. The very fact that email is being used with a stick and that there's an interactive theater along with many others is truly amazing. I would love to live in that type of world and experience it one day.
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is not influenced in any way.</i>
In a futuristic London, England, seventeen-year-old Zee McAdams is an empath a psychic healer working at the Royal London Hospital. As an empath, she can't afford distractions getting in the way of her career, such as falling in love or even reading (oh, wait, reading? *squeak of horror*). But then she meets a cute patient who pretty much breaks down her wall of calm that she has earned throughout her career. During that time of anarchist bombings, Zee is also experiencing other psychic abilities relating to the bombings.
As soon as the word "alien" appeared, I pretty much freaked out. I assumed it was going to be another I Am Number Four type of alien story where a mortal girl falls in love with super hot alien dude and it's forbidden but the alien dude hasn't told her the truth yet until something totally out of the ordinary happens and he has to tell her the truth (that was a mouthful... I think). Then when she finds out the truth, she doesn't freak out. It's pretty much, "Oh. Okay. You're an alien. Cool. I still like you, and we'll fight to the end, side by side." Not that I mind, really, but it's just the very fact that the mortal doesn't even have the slightest bit of panic.
In this case, it's not exactly that type of alien story. It finally (FINALLY!) happens that someone actually seemed to panic and run off freaking out (er, more like a what-just-happened-I-don't-think-I-heard-right type of way) about an alien race merging with us fellow Earthlings. I was so happy to read that, having a slice of Dauntless cake right then and there would have been perfect timing.
Zee's friend, Rani, is a fashionista, and a romantic. I find her to be a caring and supportive friend to Zee when she needs it. I also find that she's caring due to what she does for Zee near the end. I find it really sad, since Rani is actually one of my favorite characters in Neptune's Tears.
Waggoner creates an amazingly exciting futuristic world with a lot of new technologies. The very fact that email is being used with a stick and that there's an interactive theater along with many others is truly amazing. I would love to live in that type of world and experience it one day.
Anne (15117 KP) rated Sensational in Books
Feb 12, 2020
Intriguing and Engaging
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge -Tor Teen for letting me read and review this book. I enjoyed it and could follow along easily with the same characters and such from having read the first book, Spectacle, which if you haven't read that one - you should go get it and read it now to get ready for this one!
This was another engrossing, fun and delightful read by Jodi Lynn Zdrok - I enjoyed the first book and this one was awesome too.
In this sequel to Spectacle, Nathalie is still using her powers as an Insightful to help out at the morgue with murder investigations while also trying to figure things out in regards to her Aunt and her Aunt's powers in relation to her powers. She is, in general, trying to investigate and understand what it means to be an Insightful and to be herself and what she wants out of life as well.
In this story, there's another crazy murderer who this time is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Guillotine and writing a play to go with their murders and victims while beheading them and leaving them around in the Exposition Universelle in Paris to be found. Nathalie tries to help find this murderer using her powers while helping out at the morgue with the cases, but this time around it seems to catch her and others off guard as well as myself as the reader. I had no clue who the murderer was until the end and I was also a bit more invested in the other parts of the story like the events with Nathalie's Aunt and her coming to terms with her grief over her friend, Agnes.
Another major part of the story that I was invested in was that in this book, Nathalie has a beau, Jules, and what happens with him and their relationship as well as what happens with Christophe, which if you've read the first book, you'll know more about the relationship issues, etc. between Christophe and Nathalie. I finally got the ending I was hoping for with her and her romantic relationships with this book.
Once I got to the end and everything was resolving itself and I realized this was the end, I was a bit upset because I have enjoyed reading about Nathalie, Christophe, Simone, Louis, Jules, all the characters and about Insightfuls and their powers. I wish there was going to be more stories with these great characters and would love to know more about them and their futures as well as more info on Insightfuls and their powers.
If you've read Spectacle, then you need to read this sequel, if you haven't read Spectacle, go read it so you are ready for this Sensational book when it comes out!
This was another engrossing, fun and delightful read by Jodi Lynn Zdrok - I enjoyed the first book and this one was awesome too.
In this sequel to Spectacle, Nathalie is still using her powers as an Insightful to help out at the morgue with murder investigations while also trying to figure things out in regards to her Aunt and her Aunt's powers in relation to her powers. She is, in general, trying to investigate and understand what it means to be an Insightful and to be herself and what she wants out of life as well.
In this story, there's another crazy murderer who this time is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Guillotine and writing a play to go with their murders and victims while beheading them and leaving them around in the Exposition Universelle in Paris to be found. Nathalie tries to help find this murderer using her powers while helping out at the morgue with the cases, but this time around it seems to catch her and others off guard as well as myself as the reader. I had no clue who the murderer was until the end and I was also a bit more invested in the other parts of the story like the events with Nathalie's Aunt and her coming to terms with her grief over her friend, Agnes.
Another major part of the story that I was invested in was that in this book, Nathalie has a beau, Jules, and what happens with him and their relationship as well as what happens with Christophe, which if you've read the first book, you'll know more about the relationship issues, etc. between Christophe and Nathalie. I finally got the ending I was hoping for with her and her romantic relationships with this book.
Once I got to the end and everything was resolving itself and I realized this was the end, I was a bit upset because I have enjoyed reading about Nathalie, Christophe, Simone, Louis, Jules, all the characters and about Insightfuls and their powers. I wish there was going to be more stories with these great characters and would love to know more about them and their futures as well as more info on Insightfuls and their powers.
If you've read Spectacle, then you need to read this sequel, if you haven't read Spectacle, go read it so you are ready for this Sensational book when it comes out!
Naples & the Amalfi Coast Marco Polo Guide
Book
Marco Polo Naples & the Amalfi Coast: the Travel Guide with Insider Tips Experience all of Naples &...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Target in the Sun (Carlos & Mia #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The provided description of the book hardly leaves much out, but there is way more to this book. There are three main characters in the book: FBI detective Lucia, Carlos and Mia. While reading this book, I found that the characters chosen in this book are really interesting and disturbed in their own way. I really liked that a character is retelling the story of other characters, which makes two stories going on at the same time. I really liked Carlos as a character; he is this bad boy with incredibly kind heart in a way, and always trying to help. He is very interesting to read about. After reading about the author, Mia’s life story somehow reminds me of the author’s life story. Was the author writing about her wishes and experiences??? Let’s leave that to your imagination. I’m very grateful, that author gave voice to more than one character, it was great to see the story from their perspective and it makes the whole book more interesting to read.
While reading this book, I really enjoyed the plot itself. This exotic life in Mexico and the daily struggle, which ordinary people have to go through, really fascinated me. Even though the story was interesting, I missed some twists and turns in this story, it kind of plodded along. The writing style in this publication was really interesting; it was like a diary with this very naive way of writing. The language was very easy to read, but there were some Spanish phrases for which you might need to use some sort of translator. I am not a fan of long chapters as it gets me bored really easy, that’s why I was very happy to see that chapters in this novel are short and quick to read. This book is not very suitable for young people; it does contain a lot of sexual scenes and talks about sex. I really liked that this book discussed the situations which are everyday life in Mexico. The struggles which ordinary Mexicans have to face to feed their families and how easy it is to slip into a criminal’s life. I really enjoyed that author was discussing the drug problems and how it is influencing all people down the trafficking chain. The ending of the book was really well thought through and concluded the book really nicely. When I heard that there is a second book, I was surprised but at the same time intrigued. So to conclude, if you are looking for something related with Mexican drug cartels, exotic and romantic, give this book a go and you might be pleasantly surprised.
While reading this book, I really enjoyed the plot itself. This exotic life in Mexico and the daily struggle, which ordinary people have to go through, really fascinated me. Even though the story was interesting, I missed some twists and turns in this story, it kind of plodded along. The writing style in this publication was really interesting; it was like a diary with this very naive way of writing. The language was very easy to read, but there were some Spanish phrases for which you might need to use some sort of translator. I am not a fan of long chapters as it gets me bored really easy, that’s why I was very happy to see that chapters in this novel are short and quick to read. This book is not very suitable for young people; it does contain a lot of sexual scenes and talks about sex. I really liked that this book discussed the situations which are everyday life in Mexico. The struggles which ordinary Mexicans have to face to feed their families and how easy it is to slip into a criminal’s life. I really enjoyed that author was discussing the drug problems and how it is influencing all people down the trafficking chain. The ending of the book was really well thought through and concluded the book really nicely. When I heard that there is a second book, I was surprised but at the same time intrigued. So to conclude, if you are looking for something related with Mexican drug cartels, exotic and romantic, give this book a go and you might be pleasantly surprised.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Tin Man in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I would like to begin by saying, that I heard so much about this novel and I didn’t expect this book to be so tiny. It is only around 197 pages, but it has a really powerful punch to throw.
This novel carries a story of two friends, Ellis and Michael. They are the main characters in this book and the whole book was told from their perspectives. I shouldn’t forget Annie as well, even though she is kind of a silent character, she plays an integral part in the essence of this novel. All the characters are exceptionally crafted and incredibly complex. The whole novel got my brain working and imagination just flew free. I loved that author allowed the reader to paint the characters themselves, she allows you to know the story, but at the same time, there are so many details missing and so many questions left unanswered. I am not really sure whether I liked those gaps or not… because everything made so much sense. I found all the characters very likable and their internal relationship very amusing.
The narrative of this book was very confusing to me, it always keeps jumping between present and past, filling this book with romantic, but at the same time heartbreaking stories. I really enjoyed all the twists which author brought in, it made this book even more deeper and unexpected. I really liked the topics Sarah Winman was highlighting in this novel, such as homosexuality, friendship, HIV, family issues, loneliness etc. HIV hasn’t been discussed in the books for a while now, and I am great full for this reminder.
This was my first encounter with Sarah Winman’s writing, but there is no doubt that her writing style is very unique and absolutely masterful. The thing is, even though I admire her writing gift and I strongly believe she should be awarded for it, I am not a very big fan of it. Too many unanswered questions and I was not very satisfied with the closure of this book. Another thing what nagged me was the length of the chapters. Even though the book is not very long, the chapters were pretty long for my liking and it kind of dragged sometimes. So, to conclude, even though there were some things which were not for me, I truly think this book is a must-read, the characters and the plot are absolutely unique and very creative, and the prose is absolutely gorgeous and mentally challenging. Get it, read it, and I hope you will enjoy it! 🙂 (I know it is a confusing review and sometimes sentences contradict themselves, but that how this book made me feel… 🙂 )
This novel carries a story of two friends, Ellis and Michael. They are the main characters in this book and the whole book was told from their perspectives. I shouldn’t forget Annie as well, even though she is kind of a silent character, she plays an integral part in the essence of this novel. All the characters are exceptionally crafted and incredibly complex. The whole novel got my brain working and imagination just flew free. I loved that author allowed the reader to paint the characters themselves, she allows you to know the story, but at the same time, there are so many details missing and so many questions left unanswered. I am not really sure whether I liked those gaps or not… because everything made so much sense. I found all the characters very likable and their internal relationship very amusing.
The narrative of this book was very confusing to me, it always keeps jumping between present and past, filling this book with romantic, but at the same time heartbreaking stories. I really enjoyed all the twists which author brought in, it made this book even more deeper and unexpected. I really liked the topics Sarah Winman was highlighting in this novel, such as homosexuality, friendship, HIV, family issues, loneliness etc. HIV hasn’t been discussed in the books for a while now, and I am great full for this reminder.
This was my first encounter with Sarah Winman’s writing, but there is no doubt that her writing style is very unique and absolutely masterful. The thing is, even though I admire her writing gift and I strongly believe she should be awarded for it, I am not a very big fan of it. Too many unanswered questions and I was not very satisfied with the closure of this book. Another thing what nagged me was the length of the chapters. Even though the book is not very long, the chapters were pretty long for my liking and it kind of dragged sometimes. So, to conclude, even though there were some things which were not for me, I truly think this book is a must-read, the characters and the plot are absolutely unique and very creative, and the prose is absolutely gorgeous and mentally challenging. Get it, read it, and I hope you will enjoy it! 🙂 (I know it is a confusing review and sometimes sentences contradict themselves, but that how this book made me feel… 🙂 )
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated In a Holidaze in Books
Oct 29, 2020
A joyful and flirty holiday romance
Maelyn Jones spends every Christmas at her favorite place in the world: a cabin owned by her parents' friends in Utah. She joins her (divorced) parents, younger brother Miles, and two other families for a magical Christmas experience--cookie baking, snow creature making contests, holiday scavenger hunts, and more. She's been sleeping in the basement in the "kid bunk beds" with Miles and family friends Theo and Andrew for years, despite the fact that they are adults now. But this year, it's all ruined: their friends are selling the cabin and Mae is humiliated after an embarrassing encounter with Theo. As her family drives away from the cabin one last time, she makes a desperate plea for happiness. Then she sees a car headed straight toward theirs, and it all goes black. When she awakes, she's back on a plane headed to Utah, headed to the same holiday trip. As various disasters return Mae to the plane over and over, she realizes she's in a time loop--she needs to break free, and figure out to find true love and happiness, once and for all.
"So I ask the universe, simply: Can you show me what will make me happy?"
I know I must have read this synopsis when I requested this book, but I didn't reread it before starting, because hello, CLo, enough said. So I was slightly surprised by the Groundhog Day-esque story to this one, but I went with the flow. Luckily Mae is funny and charming enough to make just about anything fly, even a crazy time loop plot where you're not exactly sure how or why she's in it or quite what she's supposed to do to get out of it.
"'I think it's possible I'm in the past, repeating the same holiday, and I'm the only one who knows it.'"
It took a little while for the romance to heat up here, but once it did, the book was off and running. And boom! It's a sweet read, but flirty and romantic too. I loved Mae and her crush--they crackled and simmered. Honestly, the time loop piece was secondary to their joyful love. Seeing Mae come into her own made everything else less important, including Mae's reliving of her holiday. (And I enjoyed how she took to it so quickly--don't eat that, you're going to need this, tell me a secret so I can prove this to you next time--you go girl, embrace the loop!).
So, yes, while this book is a little crazy, it's also sweet and happy, too. It's a perfect Christmas read for a snowy day (or a fall day when you feel like the world is falling apart). 4 stars.
"So I ask the universe, simply: Can you show me what will make me happy?"
I know I must have read this synopsis when I requested this book, but I didn't reread it before starting, because hello, CLo, enough said. So I was slightly surprised by the Groundhog Day-esque story to this one, but I went with the flow. Luckily Mae is funny and charming enough to make just about anything fly, even a crazy time loop plot where you're not exactly sure how or why she's in it or quite what she's supposed to do to get out of it.
"'I think it's possible I'm in the past, repeating the same holiday, and I'm the only one who knows it.'"
It took a little while for the romance to heat up here, but once it did, the book was off and running. And boom! It's a sweet read, but flirty and romantic too. I loved Mae and her crush--they crackled and simmered. Honestly, the time loop piece was secondary to their joyful love. Seeing Mae come into her own made everything else less important, including Mae's reliving of her holiday. (And I enjoyed how she took to it so quickly--don't eat that, you're going to need this, tell me a secret so I can prove this to you next time--you go girl, embrace the loop!).
So, yes, while this book is a little crazy, it's also sweet and happy, too. It's a perfect Christmas read for a snowy day (or a fall day when you feel like the world is falling apart). 4 stars.
Becs (244 KP) rated Mom's Perfect Boyfriend in Books
Sep 4, 2019
Not what I was expecting but overall decent read
You can also find this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: fixation on weight and appearance
Review:
Thank you to Galbadia Press for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy of Mom's Perfect Boyfriend for review purposes and my honest opinion.
Mom's Perfect Boyfriend is a fast-paced romantic comedy set in an epistolary format that tells the story of a mother-daughter relationship and the pitfalls of trying to please overly demanding parents. It's told through mostly emails, texts, and journal entries and makes for a perfect summer read! It released on July 16, 2019 and is similar to Where'd You Go, Bernadette and Bridget Jones. Mom's Perfect Boyfriend is also perfect for those who are fans of Sophie Kinsella and Meg Cabot.
Crystal and her mother, Margot are at the core of this story and it follows their relationship with one another and others. Margot is a bit demanding of her daughter Crystal, calling and texting all the time. She wants to be in the middle of everything in Crystal's life but Crystal wants limits and to live her own life without having an overbearing mother. One day her boyfriend leaves on an adventure by himself and Crystal loses her job, resulting in her having to move back in with her mom.
I ended up giving Mom's Perfect Boyfriend a 3.5 out of 5 star rating because I found it to be a really strange read. It wasn't a bad type of strange, but I also don't think it was generally a style of book I'd normally pick up.
This was supposed to be a book about a cyborg boyfriend and that didn't come into play until almost halfway through the book. Once it did though, nothing really interesting happened. This wasn't a detriment though as I stilled pretty much enjoyed the read. I did enjoy watching Crystal and Margot grow not only closer but also within themselves as well. They both had their own journeys and watching them navigate through their relationship was a fun perspective!
Mom's Perfect Boyfriend was a fun read at times but I also found it a bit boring in other parts. One thing that really urked me was how the characters fixated on their weights and appearances and I know that's a reality that most people go through, but it was a bit too much at times.
When I first read the synopsis of Mom's Perfect Boyfriend I was intrigued and was not expecting how the story actually unfolded. It was fun in parts and the messages were comical at times. The pacing could have used a bit of oomph, but the different formats provided an easy and light read.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: fixation on weight and appearance
Review:
Thank you to Galbadia Press for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy of Mom's Perfect Boyfriend for review purposes and my honest opinion.
Mom's Perfect Boyfriend is a fast-paced romantic comedy set in an epistolary format that tells the story of a mother-daughter relationship and the pitfalls of trying to please overly demanding parents. It's told through mostly emails, texts, and journal entries and makes for a perfect summer read! It released on July 16, 2019 and is similar to Where'd You Go, Bernadette and Bridget Jones. Mom's Perfect Boyfriend is also perfect for those who are fans of Sophie Kinsella and Meg Cabot.
Crystal and her mother, Margot are at the core of this story and it follows their relationship with one another and others. Margot is a bit demanding of her daughter Crystal, calling and texting all the time. She wants to be in the middle of everything in Crystal's life but Crystal wants limits and to live her own life without having an overbearing mother. One day her boyfriend leaves on an adventure by himself and Crystal loses her job, resulting in her having to move back in with her mom.
I ended up giving Mom's Perfect Boyfriend a 3.5 out of 5 star rating because I found it to be a really strange read. It wasn't a bad type of strange, but I also don't think it was generally a style of book I'd normally pick up.
This was supposed to be a book about a cyborg boyfriend and that didn't come into play until almost halfway through the book. Once it did though, nothing really interesting happened. This wasn't a detriment though as I stilled pretty much enjoyed the read. I did enjoy watching Crystal and Margot grow not only closer but also within themselves as well. They both had their own journeys and watching them navigate through their relationship was a fun perspective!
Mom's Perfect Boyfriend was a fun read at times but I also found it a bit boring in other parts. One thing that really urked me was how the characters fixated on their weights and appearances and I know that's a reality that most people go through, but it was a bit too much at times.
When I first read the synopsis of Mom's Perfect Boyfriend I was intrigued and was not expecting how the story actually unfolded. It was fun in parts and the messages were comical at times. The pacing could have used a bit of oomph, but the different formats provided an easy and light read.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Nightworld (2017) in Movies
Sep 16, 2019
Characters – Brett Anderson is a grief stricken for police officer, he retired from the force after his wife’s death, he takes a job as a security guard in an apartment in Bulgaria which leads him to get caught up in a mystery about the apartment which brings him past back to haunt him. Jacob is a former guard that lost his eye sight, he knows the mystery about the apartment and helps guide Brett through the strange events. Martin is the apartment manager and needs to find a new guard to watch over any problems in the apartment when he is away. Zara is the waitress at the local café that offer a romantic angle for Brett, while filling in the blanks about the history of the apartment.
Performances – Jason London is solid enough in the leading role, most of what he does is ask questions which is how the audience must learn what is going on. Robert Englund as the elderly figure that is trying to help works well because he is the biggest draw for the film. Gianna Capaldi and Lorina Kamburova are both fine they never get out of first gear for their performances though.
Story – The story here follows a man that needs to rebuild his life, get given a job as a security guard for an apartment building that has secrets he can’t even imagine. The pace of the story is slow, because we have a lot of building up with little to no hints to what the big conclusion will be, the final third of the film lets everything go, making the early parts of the story more interesting, the time loss angle does feel tagged in for no reason and by the end you still won’t completely understand what just happened. The reveals in the film are big, though they could be considered overkill for what could have be a much more subtle story.
Horror – The horror comes from the nightmares Brett suffers before the big reveal in the final act which shows us just what has been going on.
Settings – The whole film is set in one building, it shows how the layers can hold secrets and the mystery about the building is key t the story being told.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are used well when needed, we don’t go over the top with them and the best one are used for the final act.
Scene of the Movie – Behind the door.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Starts too slow for the ending.
Final Thoughts – This is a slow burning horror thriller, it does reward us with a manic ending which is worth the wait for, only it does take too long to get there with little hints to help us understand the ending.
Overall: Slow though rewarding.
Performances – Jason London is solid enough in the leading role, most of what he does is ask questions which is how the audience must learn what is going on. Robert Englund as the elderly figure that is trying to help works well because he is the biggest draw for the film. Gianna Capaldi and Lorina Kamburova are both fine they never get out of first gear for their performances though.
Story – The story here follows a man that needs to rebuild his life, get given a job as a security guard for an apartment building that has secrets he can’t even imagine. The pace of the story is slow, because we have a lot of building up with little to no hints to what the big conclusion will be, the final third of the film lets everything go, making the early parts of the story more interesting, the time loss angle does feel tagged in for no reason and by the end you still won’t completely understand what just happened. The reveals in the film are big, though they could be considered overkill for what could have be a much more subtle story.
Horror – The horror comes from the nightmares Brett suffers before the big reveal in the final act which shows us just what has been going on.
Settings – The whole film is set in one building, it shows how the layers can hold secrets and the mystery about the building is key t the story being told.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are used well when needed, we don’t go over the top with them and the best one are used for the final act.
Scene of the Movie – Behind the door.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Starts too slow for the ending.
Final Thoughts – This is a slow burning horror thriller, it does reward us with a manic ending which is worth the wait for, only it does take too long to get there with little hints to help us understand the ending.
Overall: Slow though rewarding.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Our Kind of Traitor (2016) in Movies
Sep 16, 2019
Characters – Perry is a university professor, he is trying to make amends with his wife on a romantic holiday, he reluctantly gets involved in the information trade with his good nature being used by both sides. Gail is the lawyer wife of Perry, she has become distant from him while still loving him and does question his decision to help Dima. Dima is the Russian mafia handling the accounts, but he wants out to help his own children become safe, he uses his connection with Perry to get MI6 involved in the truth. Hector is the MI6 agent that is willing to work with Dima for the information in exchange for the family, he does have his own grudge with the man they are trying to take down too.
Performances – The performances through the film show us just what Le Carre does with his characters, he gives them good moments, without making them stand out. McGregor is good, but you feel a younger up and comer would have been perfect here, Harris is good and doesn’t put a foot wrong, while Skarsgard enjoys his role, shady but loyal. Damian Lewis brings back his true English role which at times does feel weird knowing how often he has been an American character recently.
Story – The story comes from a John Le Carre novel, so instantly we know we are going to get a thriller that keeps us guessing on what everyone’s motivation will be. The idea that a normal couple get mixed up in the middle of an international information exchange is different and does work for the film because it helps us stay on edge thinking and wondering if they do have a bigger involvement. The story does feel like that one moment to make it great is missing, as everything does end up feeling just normal and good only.
Crime – The crime side of the film follows a criminal looking for a safe way out of the life for his family in exchange for bringing down the mafia’s dealings in London.
Settings – The film splits the settings between London, for the deals, Morocco for the exchanges and the final location for the next chapter of the lives, they work because they show how this world would operate.
Scene of the Movie – The escape.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It lacks the edge of your seat style of Le Carre novels have given us.
Final Thoughts – This is a solid thriller even if it lacks that final factor to make it one of the best ones, it does the by the book material well, but never develops the characters enough to understand the situation they put themselves in.
Overall: Simple thriller.
Performances – The performances through the film show us just what Le Carre does with his characters, he gives them good moments, without making them stand out. McGregor is good, but you feel a younger up and comer would have been perfect here, Harris is good and doesn’t put a foot wrong, while Skarsgard enjoys his role, shady but loyal. Damian Lewis brings back his true English role which at times does feel weird knowing how often he has been an American character recently.
Story – The story comes from a John Le Carre novel, so instantly we know we are going to get a thriller that keeps us guessing on what everyone’s motivation will be. The idea that a normal couple get mixed up in the middle of an international information exchange is different and does work for the film because it helps us stay on edge thinking and wondering if they do have a bigger involvement. The story does feel like that one moment to make it great is missing, as everything does end up feeling just normal and good only.
Crime – The crime side of the film follows a criminal looking for a safe way out of the life for his family in exchange for bringing down the mafia’s dealings in London.
Settings – The film splits the settings between London, for the deals, Morocco for the exchanges and the final location for the next chapter of the lives, they work because they show how this world would operate.
Scene of the Movie – The escape.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It lacks the edge of your seat style of Le Carre novels have given us.
Final Thoughts – This is a solid thriller even if it lacks that final factor to make it one of the best ones, it does the by the book material well, but never develops the characters enough to understand the situation they put themselves in.
Overall: Simple thriller.