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The Red Dragon of Oxford (Wings over Albion #1)
The Red Dragon of Oxford (Wings over Albion #1)
Joy Lynn Fielding | 2024 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cute and Sweet and fairly low on the angst scale.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Mark is in Oxford to get his doctorate. He never expected to find an injured DRAGON on his walk. But the dragon was real, he spoke to Mark. Then, it was gone and Mark couldn't find it. The library provides him with the solitude to do his research. It helps, though, that the librarian, Rufus, is so hawt. But Rufus has a secret, one that might destroy everything.

I have read a couple of Fielding's books, and I think this was my favourite. She writes very easy to read books, and sometimes, that's just what you need.

I enjoyed this, greatly. Lots of descriptions of Oxford, and the university. Having never been, I did like them.

I liked how the relationship between Mark and Rufus developed and once they went in, they went ALL in! Steamy in places and emotional in others. Mark is dealing with his feelings about not being intelligent enough to be in Oxford and Rufus about his being a red dragon. Cos in this world, red dragons are not good.

But then WHITE dragons appear and Rufus' red dragon has a skill he didn't see coming.

I didn't fully get the point of the white dragons appearing, and the problems they were causing til that was all explained. There is also the issue of the cyber attacks on the Mortimer finances that Nate, Rufus' brother, is off dealing with.

It's cute and sweet and fairly low on the angst scale. But steamy and smexy in places!

An easy read that landed in my queue right when I needed it. I'd like to read more of this series as they come out, cos Nate needs a story, given his current job chasing the cyber attacks.

4 good solid stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
John Jennings, Octavia E. Butler, Damian Duffy | 2017 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction & Poetry
10
9.3 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
Kindred is the story of a black woman who is repeatedly transported from her 1970s apartment to Antebellum Maryland - and it’s not a place where any black person would really want to be.

I haven’t read the original novel, so I can’t compare them - but this is really good in its own right. It’s rich in both dialogue and artistry - the pictures are at times graphic (when Dana, the lead character, is whipped and her ensuing injuries), and there is talk of the white plantation owner raping ‘his’ slaves. Dana learns that her purpose is to keep the plantation owners son, Rufus, alive - which isn’t easy when he seems set on doing things that put his life in danger. Dana learns that Rufus is in fact her great great (great?) grandfather, and he has yet to sire the child that will ensure Dana’s existence.

This isn’t a book for the faint-hearted, and I’m so glad I’ve read it - all thanks go to my local library, who have started providing graphic novel ebooks. A graphic novel habit is an expensive one, so it’s great that they’re able to do this!
  
They Both Die At The End
They Both Die At The End
Adam Silvera | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.0 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved how each of the stories intertwined together! This was my first Silvera book and I was not disappointed, now I'm reading all of them, of course.

I kept waiting for them to die, how morbid, but that's the point of the book right? I think it would both be a pleasure and a horror to know what day you're going to die but not exactly how or when in the day, like imagine that torture!

I thought the difference in Mateo and Rufus was awesomely written too, each personality was unique and a pleasure to read, and mad cool ;)

I did not cry - perhaps I have no soul..............maybe the next book. Thanks for an amazing read though!!!!!!!
  
GD
Grace Doll
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl).

Wow, wow, wow! I finished this book in less than 12 hours!! Yes, it was so good. Okay, yeah, I had won this book from a blog comp some time last year, and it had just been sitting on my shelf for awhile. I'm so glad that I decided to read it.

Grace Doll is Rufus Solomon's creation. He is a big movie director who has made her what she is. She should be thankful, right? Not so because Rufus has taken away her freedom. She has no family to turn to. One night, Rufus decides to give Grace the gift of immortality, a gift that Grace doesn't want. Luckily, Grace's friends help her escape from the clutches of Rufus, but Rufus is always just around the corner.

I think the title of Grace Doll is a cute one. I would say it more than suits the book because it's about Grace.

The cover of Grace Doll is what first caught my attention when I saw this book. I liked the way it was designed. Plus, it fits in with the book as the chair Grace is sitting in is mentioned in the book. I also like the way the photo of Grace is within a film strip.

The world building was a little bit weak. I found it hard to believe that a side effect of the whole eternal youth thing was that Grace would go crazy sexually from the touch of a man she was attracted to. That was what really bothered me. Also, I like the way there are photographs of Grace throughout the book, but, the girl in the photos is not drop dead gorgeous like as described in the book. Apparently, wherever Grace went, men and women alike would stare at her because of her beauty. The photos of the girl in the book look just like a plain looking girl. There's nothing special. I mean, the girl is cute, but she's not drop dead beautiful. Another thing that annoyed me about the world building was the fact that Grace kept saying how she was stuck in the mind set of a 17 year old girl. However, the treatment she had allowed her to keep her beautiful, youthful appearance. It didn't mess with her mind. You would think that after she's been alive for over 80 years, she'd act a bit more grown up than a 17 year old girl. There's also the dreaded insta-love happening. It's called lust, not love!!! You can't just instantly fall in love with someone you've just met. You have to get to know them first!

I absolutely thought the pacing was fantabulous! I would've read the book in one sitting if I wouldn't have had to cook dinner. I totally devoured this book, and I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen in the next chapter even before I finished the chapter I was on.

I did love all the characters in this book! I felt so bad for how Rufus treated Grace. I was constantly wishing bad things to happen to Rufus. I did like how Grace and Brenden didn't trust each other to begin with and how the author played that out between them. I did wish we got to know a bit more about Jonathon though.

The dialogue was interesting and worked for the ages of the characters for the most part. There were some times that I was thinking that Brenden spoke like an older person, not like someone who is 18 years old. However, the dialogue between the characters did flow quite well. I did enjoy reading the book from both Grace's and Brenden's point of view. It was interesting to see what each character was thinking and feeling. As for swear words, I only counted one, and it wasn't a bad one either.

Grace Doll by Jennifer Laurens is a fun and fast read that will leave its readers feeling breathless and wanting more but in a good way. The world building does take away some from the book, but overall, this book is highly enjoyable.

I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15+ that's looking for something lighthearted and interesting to read.
  
They Both Die At The End
They Both Die At The End
Adam Silvera | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
Heartwrenchingly good
It's truly a sign of a good book when you get to the end feeling emotionally battered and drained, yet ultimately satisfied and this is exactly what this book manages.

The idea behind this is fantastic and such a unique one. The notion of a an entity called Death-Cast notifying people that they'll die today is a frightening yet thought provoking idea. I spent the entire wondering what I'd do. Whilst this is obviously a book about dying, it focuses really on the two main characters attempts at living within their last hours and it's a truly wonderful read. Rufus and Mateo are likeable and well rounded characters and you get so invested in their lives, but with the added foresight that you know they will die at the end. And there's also intrigue in trying to figure out how they're going to die - I'll admit I didnt predict it and the ending in general is just so sad and bittersweet. This is the first book I've read of Adam Silvera's but I'll definitely be reading more, his writing style is so easy to read and simple yet effective. No overcomplicated prose here.

Yes this is about death but it's also about life and love and really does get you thinking about everything you take for granted. I dont see how anyone could read this book and not shed a tear by the end.
  
They Both Die At The End
They Both Die At The End
Adam Silvera | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
They Both Die at the End. That tells you exactly what is going to happen in the book, yet you hope the entire time that it won't be true. This book made me so happy and sad. The journey was hopeful despite the dark theme and you really connect with the characters. This was my first Adam Silvera novel and I am definitely interested in reading more of his books now.

I also listened to the audiobook for this, rather than physically reading it. I really enjoyed the two narrators who voiced the main characters, Mateo and Rufus. Both Silvera's words and the narrator's execution made the characters come to life. My one negative for the narration was the women who voiced the supporting characters when the chapters switched to their points of view.

I would have been happy with the story being told from just Mateo and Rufus' points of view. Some of the alternative viewpoints added an interesting note to the story or helped weave seemingly unrelated events and lives together, but I didn't feel that they were all relevant and occasionally took me out of the story.

I felt that the two main characters were very well fleshed out and seemed like teenage boys living out their last day. Mateo's anxiety was unique and nicely represented. I also loved that this was an own voices novel, so there was diversity and representation. The novel completely revolves around these two and it's perfect that way. I also feel that Silvera's side characters were decently developed, you could see that they were each unique people but they weren't so detailed that they took away from Mateo and Rufus' stories.

Honestly, even though you know what's coming the book manages to keep you completely emotionally engaged and on your toes. Right in the beginning of the book one of Rufus' friends starts to cry because he didn't get to hug his best friend. It was so sad, so soon and we hadn't even experienced hundreds of pages of development and heart-string tugging yet. I knew right then that I was in for a book that would have an affect.

I am not entirely sure how I feel about the world-building. The contemporary aspects of it were fantastic and I could completely see each place that the two visited. It was the Death-Cast aspect of it that felt a little flimsy to me. I think that part of the story is the mystery of it, but I do wish we learned more. It one of the few things that I felt could be improved in this book.

I really enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it if you like character-driven novels and don't mind a good cry at the end..
  
They Both Die At The End
They Both Die At The End
Adam Silvera | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.0 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
Stop and imagine for just one minute what it would be like if you received a phone call telling you that you were going to die within the next 24 hours. How would you live your last 24 hours? Would you have a funeral with your family and friends so that you have a chance to say goodbye, or would you try and make a new friend going through the same thing you were so that you don’t have to be alone on your last day on this planet? This is exactly what happens to both Rufus and Mateo.
Rufus is outgoing and not afraid to stand up for himself. He’s had a pretty crappy few years but he’s managed to make friends with the other kids in his foster home. They have become his family. He gets the call that everyone dreads informing him that he’s going to die today. He decides to download the Last Friend app so that he can get paired up with someone to spend his last 24 hours with.
Mateo is a quiet and somewhat sheltered teenager who has been living on his own since his dad is currently in a coma. He gets the call that he is going to die today and he is instantly terrified to leave his apartment. He quickly decides that he doesn’t want to die alone, so he downloads the Last Friend App in hopes that he will come out of his shell on his last day.
Mateo and Rufus meet through the Last Friend App and have an amazingly memorable final 24 hours together. The bring about change in each other that they never thought was possible.
These characters are so easy to relate to and its so hard not to love them. I couldn’t help but laugh with them and cheer for them, and though I did everything in my power not to cry with them I couldn’t stop myself from crying crocodile tears over their trials and tribulations. This story is about growing, changing as a person and allowing yourself to love and be loved in the wake of great adversity.
They Both Die at the End is the first book I’ve read by Adam Silvera, and I can’t wait to read more. Silvera has a way with words that can suck the air from your lungs, bring you to your knees and in the next sentence completely revive you. After turning the final page of this book and wiping the tears from my eyes I closed the book with a new found appreciation for the life I have and the awareness that it can all be taken away in a moment.
  
Gods Of Egypt (2016)
Gods Of Egypt (2016)
2016 | Action, Sci-Fi
7
5.5 (15 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Gods of Egypt is a visually stunning fantasy film that teeters on the edge of being campy.
The trailers for this film set high expectations, promising a story of the mythical, god-like beings that come from Egyptian lore. But they also raised questions: would the story keep in tune with common mythos, or branch out into a whole new realm?
With Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau taking the lead, along with 300’s Gerard Butler, the film starts off in a beautiful, ancient Egypt, ruled over by Osiris and his Queen. Horus, Osiris’s son (Coster- Waldau), is ready to assume the crown, but Set (Butler), brother to Osiris, has other plans. He feels scorned for having to live in the desert, and decides it is his time to rule all of Egypt. He murders Osiris, but leaves Horus alive, taking his eyes instead of his life.
Enter a thief, who wants to rescue his beloved from the clutches of Set’s architect (Rufus Sewell). The love of his life somehow talks him into rallying a dejected Horus to fight Set.
All the gods of Egypt are represented in some form or fashion, even if in minor capacity.
The gods have the ability to morph into larger, more powerful beings. They are nigh invincible, but still age, and die. They pray to Ra, god of the sun and grandfather to Horus.
This two-hour movie is filled to the brim with star-power, and superb acting. The special effects are a sight to behold, and they instill a sense of wonderment. The adventure is grand indeed, and will certainly leave you entertained.
That said, the script is sub-par. There are moments where emotional lines could be delivered, but aren’t. This is not from lack of trying on the part of the actors; the writers simply failed to find the proper words. In these moments, there was laughter from the audience at my viewing — during scenes clearly not meant for humor. This is the precarious knife-edge the movie walks between greatness and campy.
I’ve read several articles about how moviegoers are upset at the very Caucasian-looking cast. I shared this sentiment, to a certain degree. It seemed odd that a movie about a specific time and place in history made little effort to be ethnically accurate.
In the end, I let it go. The movie’s lore turned out to be so far from a real-world tie in that it no longer mattered. It was clear this was some sort of alternate universe; one of the major plot holes is a lack of connection to planet Earth.
If you can divorce yourself from some of these elements, you can really enjoy the film for what it is.
My screener companion said he didn’t care for the graphics, because they were obviously fake. I experienced this movie using animated films as my frame of reference, and that made it easier to watch. It is also clearly a High Fantasy film.
In summary: great acting is the glue that holds this film together. Without that talent, it wouldn’t stand up. It is, however, worth seeing if you love fantasy films. You will be entertained, for sure.
3.5 out 5 stars