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Lindsay (1693 KP) rated A Heart's Danger (A Journey of the Heart, #3) in Books

Aug 30, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)  
Things get even more strange as the story continues. Ben and Jessica both want Sarah away from Rand for their own reason. Ben has a little bit of a different plan for his himself. There seems to be something going on and Sarah hear a part of the plan that Ben is talking with Jessica. She could not figure out what they are talking about.

Ben wants to get back at Sarah for what she did to save a friend. He got a plan to get rid of Rand for good. Jessica finds Sarah and invites her and Amelia with her and her mother to a picnic. Sarah feels like something is up with Jessica but needs to get out of camp for a bit.

There a stage while Rand is out for a few days to get wood for the fort. What do the Indians want with him? Rands see an Indian that looks like his younger brother and he does not shoot. What do they want with Sarah when they got her. Will they save Sarah and Rand or what will they do with them?

A Heart's Danger is quite an adventure and Colleen put it together quite well. Will Rand and Sarah see that their love is still strong? Will Rand goes on with his wedding with Jessica? Will Ben and Jessica's plan work?
  
A Heart's Danger by Colleen Coble Things get even more strange as the story continues. Ben and Jessica both want Sarah away from Rand for their own reason. Ben has a little bit of a different plan for his himself. There seems to be something going on and Sarah hear a part of the plan that Ben is talking with Jessica. She could not figure out what they are talking about. Ben wants to get back at Sarah for what she did to save a friend. He got a plan to get rid of Rand for good. Jessica finds Sarah and invites her and Amelia with her and her mother to a picnic. Sarah feels like something is up with Jessica but needs to get out of camp for a bit. There a stage while Rand is out for a few days to get wood for the fort. What do the Indians want with him? Rands see an Indian that looks like his younger brother and he does not shoot. What do they want with Sarah when they got her. Will they save Sarah and Rand or what will they do with them? A Heart's Danger is quite an adventure and Colleen put it together quite well. Will Rand and Sarah see that their love is still strong? Will Rand goes on with his wedding with Jessica? Will Ben and Jessica's plan work?
  
Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (2021)
Fear Street Part Three: 1666 (2021)
2021 | Horror
7
6.9 (12 Ratings)
Movie Rating
We get a recap of what has happened so far, much like in the previous film.
Deena has woken up in 1666,only her name is now Sarah and she is not the only person to be in this century. Every character from the past 2 movies are here too but all with different names, apart from Tommy who is now Thomas. It's all very confusing.
Anyway after a night of passion with the pastors daughter, strange things start to happen such as food going mouldy, a pig eating their young and Sarah's dog throws itself in the well. This leads to Sarah believing this is all her fault, and that she's being punished by the devil for her sins, and after a rather disturbing scene both hannah and Sarah are accused of being witches, and a witch hut begins to rid them from the earth.
Meanwhile, Sarah plans to save them both by making a deal with the devil revealing the truth about Sarah Friers curse.
I was surprised to find that only the first half of the movie was in 1666, as we are thrown back to 1994 as Deena comes out of her vision and realises what needs to be done to save shady side.
As I'm not really a fan of old time movies, I went into this expecting to hate it, but I actually ended up liking it. I liked that every moment throughout the series is answered and nothing is left hanging in the air. I thought the accents in 1666 were strange though, I couldn't tell what the accent was meant to be, Irish maybe!?!
I did enjoy the second half of the movie more than the first, it has a few light hearted funny moments which wasn't present in 1666, did they not have a sense of humour back then??
I liked that at the end of the movie it made way for another possible movie which would be interesting to see.
  
The Green Dress (True Colors #6)
The Green Dress (True Colors #6)
Liz Tolsma | 2020 | Crime, History & Politics
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Green Dress is about a woman who is staying with the Robinson family. There seem to be strange illnesses or deaths occur. It seems to be about a woman named Sarah Jane Robinson. What is going on in the house is strange.

Harriet seems to bring in a Dr. Weaton. She moved into the Robinson family household but things seem to happen more once Lizzie passes away. But we do not know who it is. As the story goes on and more death occurs. The suspicions rise. Who is killing the Robinson family members and why?

The author does a wonderful job of having you trying to figure out the culprit. You get a history of some of the members. What a way to show some true colors in some folks. This story has you wanting to turn the pages and rooting for the heroes to save the day. You are pulled in emotionally as well. I was guessing Dr. Beers or even Mrs. Robinson. Can Michael and Harriet save the Robinson family members or will it all go bad?
  
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Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Ghosted in Books

Jun 27, 2018  
Ghosted
Ghosted
Rosie Walsh | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Really great story (0 more)
Character drive you nuts! (0 more)
Great Story - Awesome Blindsides
This book had some serious 'holy-crap' shockers! I was riveted from start to finish, gobbled up every word, and felt like I got smacked in the face several times with total blindsiding plot twists!

Sarah's been ghosted. If you don't know what that means - well... she literally fell in love with Eddie after ONE WEEK. They meet, by chance, spend an entire week with no-one but each other, the connection is insane, they are meant for each other, they both seem to be in love - it's that much of a connection. He leaves to go on an already planned holiday, with promises to call, to stay in touch, to possibly start lives together afterwards... aaaaaaand GHOSTED. Eddie is gone. He doesn't call or email, he hasn't been on Facebook, her texts go unanswered. He's just GONE.

Weeks go by and Sarah is a HOT MESS. She knows Eddie was THE ONE. She knows he felt the same, but Where. The heck. Did he go?

Her friends think she's losing her mind. It was one week! You are barely divorced! Guys suck! Get over it! But Sarah knows in her bones that something is wrong. Something happened to Eddie and she won't give up until he is back in her life and found safe and sound.

But seriously Sarah, Get a grip. This chick is going looney tunes. She's obsessed with this guy and it's getting a bit weird. It's just about the only problem I had with the book. Tone it down Sarah! For goodness sake - it was a WEEK! The obsession and neurosis she goes through is a bit embarrassing! Yikes!

But then, things start happening: Clues. Messages. Strange people watching her. And really old wounds are opened. Who is Eddie and why did he disappear??

I really really really enjoyed this (as much as I wanted to smack the living daylights out of Sarah and tell her to "stop it! he's just a dude! dudes do this sort of thing ALL the time!) but I really did have a great time with this book! It's interspersed with texts, and letters and flips between characters really seamlessly and it's worth a read just for the really shocking and fun blindsides. Definitely recommend!!

Thanks to Penguin Random House for the advanced copy to read and review!
  
TS
The Secret Diary of Sarah Chamberlain
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).


When I read the blurb, I knew this was a book I wanted to read and review. I thought it'd be a YA (young adult) book since the main character is 15, but it read more like a MG (middle grade) book. Because it reminded me more of a MG read, I will be reviewing it as such. However, this was still a great read!

The title didn't catch my attention, but I think to a middle grade student, the title would be very catchy.

The cover is alright. It's nothing special, but I do feel it would appeal to a younger age group.

The world building was fantastic! Sarah Norkus does an awesome job at making the world building very believable. I'm no history buff, but Miss Norkus brings the Civil War era come alive. I enjoyed reading about life during the Civil War. It's obvious that Miss Norkus has done some research on this time period.

The pacing was slow at the very beginning. I really wanted to like this book, so I hung in there, and I was greatly rewarded. The pacing picks up when Em gets transported to Sarah Chamberlain's time, and after that, I was hooked on this book!

I loved the plot! Em finds a diary belonging to Sarah Chamberlain in an old house. When Em starts blaming God for everything, she is transported to the Civil War era. However, she ends up losing her memory and can't remember where she came from or anything from her modern life. Being Christian, I loved how the plot of this book had Christian themes.

I thought the characters were written fairly well. Em is supposed to be 15 years old, but I felt she acted and spoke like she was around 12 years old. I had to constantly remind myself that she was a 15 year old girl. Eventually, I just stopped reminding myself of her age and just thought of her as being 12. Em is a very likable girl even if she does act young. Sarah Chamberlain and Abby were both likable characters as well. I found them to both be very sweet natured. I loved how Moses was so protective of Sarah and her family and friends. My favorite character was Rachael. I loved how caring she was and how she would do anything for Sarah or for anyone for that matter. I constantly wanted to just hug her.

As I've said before, the dialogue suits a middle grade book more than it does a young adult book. I did find the way Em speaks, as in the words she uses, sometimes to be a little on the strange side. Other then that, the dialogue is good, and it does flow smoothly. It's just written a little young. There's no swearing and only some violence.

Overall, The Secret Diary of Sarah Chamberlain is a very enjoyable read. It could've been a bit better had the main character's age been lowered or if the writing had been more young adultish. It's a great story with a good message and interesting characters. Plus, there's a history lesson in it!

I'd recommend this book those aged between 10 - 14 although any age would enjoy it. Those who are interested in history and mysteries would enjoy this book the most.

I'd give The Secret Diary of Sarah Chamberlain by Sarah Norkus a 4.25 out of 5.


(I was provided with a free paperback copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
  
Absence of Alice
Absence of Alice
Sherry Harris | 2020 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Seeking Stella
Sarah Winston is happily preparing a garage sale for her latest client, Alice Krandle, when she gets a phone call claiming to be from someone who has kidnapped Sarah’s landlady and friend, Stella. With clear instructions not to contact the police, she sets out to find Stella while also following the kidnapper’s strange demands. Can she find her friend in time?

Yes, this book is part thriller, but it is still part cozy as well. The balance truly works. The twists and turns kept me glued to the page. Because of the plot, the book is a bit darker than a typical cozy, but it is just a shade or two darker. One reason this book still feels cozy is the locations and characters we love are front and center. How this plot impacts the characters and their relationships is realistic and does a great job of building on what we’ve seen in previous books. There are discussions of some of the Sarah’s other cases, and they are vague enough to avoid most spoilers, but I still recommend reading the books in order. If you aren’t already a fan, you’ll be hooked in no time. And those who already know and love Sarah will be thrilled with her latest adventure.
  
The Hole in the Ground (2019)
The Hole in the Ground (2019)
2019 | Horror
Verdict: Suspenseful

Story: The Hole in the Ground starts as Sarah (Kerslake) and her son Chris (Markey) are getting used to their new home in the Irish countryside, they learn they have a disturbed neighbour Noreen Brady (Outinen) and a giant hole in the middle of a woodland area surrounding the house.
After losing her son in the woods one night, Sarah is trying to be more protective, but the disturbed neighbour Noreen, doesn’t believe that is her son anymore, similar to what she experienced herself, years before.

Thoughts on The Hole in the Ground

Characters – Sarah is the single mother who has moved away from her previous life, which does have hints of abuse, she has started a simpler life in a small village with her son and soon starts to learn about something strange that has happened to her son, with her needing to figure out the truth before it is too late. Chris is the son who isn’t happy trying to make new friends, he is terrified of spiders and after he goes missing one night, when he returns something has changed in him. Noreen Brady went through a similar experience to Sarah, which has seen her branded crazy by the locals, she can sense more being wrong, though it has haunted her whole life.
Performances – Seana Kerslake in the leading role adds so much to this film, her performance shows the pain her character has been through, despite showing the strength she is carrying on with. James Quinn Markey is great for a young actor, showing the innocent side to his character and the change he has been through. The supporting cast don’t get many scenes but do a good job when called up.
Story – The story here follows a single mother who starts to see a strange change in her son and must decide what has caused this and what she is going to do about it. The story does dive into one of the most famous horror myths, which is clear to see early on, though never directly uses the name, we won’t say just to stop any spoilers. We have the themes of an abuse victim trying to rebuild their own life, while remaining strong for her child. We only focus on the two characters, with any others only offer hints to what is happening. What the story offers, would be the slowly building moments that Sarah is going through, where she is torn about the truth, we focus on dread feeling over any shock value.
Horror – The horror in this film does give us a clear look at dread and gloom, instead of playing of the jump scares, it so easily could have turned too.
Settings – The film takes us to a small Irish countryside village, the house is outside the village surrounded by woodland, which only adds to the unknown coming from inside the woods.
Special Effects – The effects being used in the film are kept to a minimum, which does help when we need to see them happening.

Scene of the Movie – What is Chris up to.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We only get the hints of the former life they lived.
Final Thoughts – This is a dread filled horror that will keep us wondering what is happening, with strong performances from the lead actors.

Overall: Dread Filled Horror.
  
OW
Other Words for Smoke
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
75 of 235
Kindle
Other Words for Smoke
By Sarah Maria Griffin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Twins Mae and Rossa’s summer away from home becomes life altering when they discover a house full of witches, experience devastating first love, and face a dark power beyond any imagining.

Sarah Maria Griffin’s haunting and literary sophomore novel explores the balance between love and fear, weakness and power, and the lengths one will go to claim one’s freedom. For fans of Libba Bray’s The Diviners and Maggie Stiefvater’s All the Crooked Saints.

When the women from the house at the end of the lane went missing, none of the townspeople knew what happened. A tragedy, they called it. Only twins Mae and Rossa know the truth about that fateful summer.

Only they know about the owl in the wall, the uncanny cat, the insidious creatures that devour love and fear. Only they know the trials of loving someone who longs for power, for freedom, for magic. Only they know what brought everything tumbling down around them. And they’ll never, ever breathe a word.


This was the strangest book I think I’ve read in a long time. I really enjoyed it. The story was so strange but had you needing to read more. At first I have to admit I did think of not continuing with it but I’m so glad I did. The talking cat completely through me well worth a read.
  
The Prodigy  (2019)
The Prodigy (2019)
2019 | Horror
Contains spoilers, click to show
A woman is seen running away from something or someone and ends up being almost hit by an elderly driver, we discover the woman has had her hand cut off, how did this happen? Why did it happen?
Forward to the present day and a pregnant woman is going into early labour, in between scenes of her giving birth we see this guy who gets shot down by police, he is holding a severed hand (remember the lady at the beginning?)....
Within months of baby Miles being born, his mother starts to notice strange things such as not crying during his shots and even saying words. It is put down to him being a genius. However, he is not really a genius at all he noticeably quite evil. This is evident when he squashes a bug in his bare hands at 5 years old, harms his babysitter at age 8, and starts speaking a strange language in his sleep.
One day Miles end up receiving psychiatric help after beating a child in his class with a wrench. Nobody can understand what's going on though and it seems Miles is hearing voices in his head and reacting to what they tell him to do. Miles' mother Sarah is eventually informed that Miles has a spirit living inside of him and that spirit is dangerous, Sarah refuses to believe this at first but after a disturbing situation happens at home she begins to believe that it must be true and after a series of events, finally gets him help to try and rid him of the evil inside of him.
I do find it shocking sometimes what they get young children to say in movies, but especially in this one. Considering the type of movie it is though its understandable and the boy who plays Miles does a fantastic job, down to the facial expressions, so you always know when it is Miles and when it's the spirit.
The movie very much reminds me of 'orphan' - another film with an evil adult/child. The ending was quite a bummer though and makes everything that happened in the movie a complete waste of time. It was interesting watching it unfold though and the end does leave it open for a sequel.