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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Housemates in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I cant put it into words how much I enjoyed this book. There are only a select few books that I cant help talking about with my family and work colleagues, whether they want to hear about it or not, but this is one of them
I just couldnt help myself!
Be warned, there is gratuitous violence throughout!
Im not going to give anything away about the story-line but basically, its a twisted Big Brother with a bit of Saw thrown in for good measure where the contestants have to take part in tasks and eliminations with the last person standing having the chance of walking away with £2 million.
The contestants inside the house are a mix of characters some of which more likeable than others and some thoroughly despicable we learn more about each person as time goes on and it can be a bit of an eye-opener in some cases.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to put your brain cells to work extra hard nor am I going to say that the twist is a massive surprise but what I will say is that if you, like me, are a little bit sick of the raft of reality TV programmes being rammed down our throats and just wish they would up the anti just a little, then this is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review. I will, most definitely, read more from Mr Wright as I do like a bit of gore every now and then 😃.
Be warned, there is gratuitous violence throughout!
Im not going to give anything away about the story-line but basically, its a twisted Big Brother with a bit of Saw thrown in for good measure where the contestants have to take part in tasks and eliminations with the last person standing having the chance of walking away with £2 million.
The contestants inside the house are a mix of characters some of which more likeable than others and some thoroughly despicable we learn more about each person as time goes on and it can be a bit of an eye-opener in some cases.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to put your brain cells to work extra hard nor am I going to say that the twist is a massive surprise but what I will say is that if you, like me, are a little bit sick of the raft of reality TV programmes being rammed down our throats and just wish they would up the anti just a little, then this is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review. I will, most definitely, read more from Mr Wright as I do like a bit of gore every now and then 😃.
Merissa (12841 KP) rated Twell and the Army of Powers (Como Chronicles #1) in Books
Jun 21, 2017
Twell and the Army of Powers (Como Chronicles #1) by Kate O'Leary
Twell and the Army of Powers is the first book in the Como Chronicles. It gives us an in-depth view into the lives of those who live there, how their lives are regulated, what is forbidden, and what isn't. Twell is the main character, and the story is told from her perspective, and yet is still rounded out enough that you don't feel like you are missing out on anything.
Twell is a bit of a brat at the start of the book, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Her character grows in ways unforeseen, by her own actions and by the 'gentle' advice from her friends. All of the characters have grit though, whether you like them or not. There is not a weak character amongst them, and they all grow and change throughout the book.
There is so much I want to say about this book, but won't in case of spoilers. Things happened that I never saw coming; my heart was broken on more than one occasion; it jumped into my mouth as I desperately held onto hope (even knowing that the author wouldn't make it so easy). The story is concise and gripping, thrilling and action-packed, ending on a cliffhanger that had me shouting out "NO!" even though I had already suspected the outcome!
This is a fantastic Young Adult Dystopian story with a dash of romance, that is guaranteed to enthral the reader. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Twell is a bit of a brat at the start of the book, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Her character grows in ways unforeseen, by her own actions and by the 'gentle' advice from her friends. All of the characters have grit though, whether you like them or not. There is not a weak character amongst them, and they all grow and change throughout the book.
There is so much I want to say about this book, but won't in case of spoilers. Things happened that I never saw coming; my heart was broken on more than one occasion; it jumped into my mouth as I desperately held onto hope (even knowing that the author wouldn't make it so easy). The story is concise and gripping, thrilling and action-packed, ending on a cliffhanger that had me shouting out "NO!" even though I had already suspected the outcome!
This is a fantastic Young Adult Dystopian story with a dash of romance, that is guaranteed to enthral the reader. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
tonidavis (353 KP) rated 13 Reasons Why - Season 1 in TV
Jul 11, 2017
It not afraid to go there (1 more)
Clay
There are better YA book about suicded i would of prefered be made (1 more)
Triggery for self harmers and those who attempted suicde
There are better adaptions of suicide premise in YA
From the age off 11 i self harmed at 23 that changed into worse depression and suicide attempts. At the time of these events i never really heard of people my age doing that so i think that seeing this series could of helped in some way not feeling alone. I did read the book 10 years ago and as it wasn't visually as graphic as the TV series it made me release other people go through bad stuff and get into suicidal places. My problem with the show isn't the suicide it about the blame she forces onto everyone else. For me when i made the transition from self harming and depression to truly ending it other people didn't come into play, The suicide was merely the only option to my own though no matter what had or happened in the past nobody else should be taken down for it. I know know that it will always affect others in ways you cant know but at the time I never saw it. So for me books about suicide in YA fictional field that handle it better are books like All The Bright Places are better at exploring this premise and i look forward to the film as its been optioned.
As for the Tv version of this show I loved Clay and the boy who played him the acting was superb and I enjoyed the series however for people who still self harm or are suicidal this show is very very triggory.
As for the Tv version of this show I loved Clay and the boy who played him the acting was superb and I enjoyed the series however for people who still self harm or are suicidal this show is very very triggory.
Merissa (12841 KP) rated Oversight (The Community #2) in Books
Jul 24, 2017
Oversight (The Community #2) by Santino Hassell
Oversight is the second book in The Community series, and you do have to read book one to fully understand what is going on as events that happened in Insight are constantly referenced. The story this time focuses on Holden. He is the owner/manager of Evolution, the LGBT club that featured in book one. The fall out from those events are still going on, but Holden is doing his best with what he has. His father turns up (and caring and emotional are NOT words I would use to describe him!) and basically gives Holden to a babysitter. Six is someone Holden remembers from his youth, but it is hard to equate the two as Six has changed - or been changed - so much.
Once again, the story is full of mystery and suspense. I think I know who one of the mystery characters is, and now I just need to wait to see if I am correct! We also reacquainted ourselves with Trent and Nate, who continue to be favourites of mine. This story is excellently written, with major character development, especially in Holden. I didn't much like him in the first book, but saw a different side to him in this one. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, so I would not hesitate to recommend this book.
One difference to book one though is no epilogue for our main characters Instead, it ends with things very much in the air, which will definitely leave you wanting more!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Once again, the story is full of mystery and suspense. I think I know who one of the mystery characters is, and now I just need to wait to see if I am correct! We also reacquainted ourselves with Trent and Nate, who continue to be favourites of mine. This story is excellently written, with major character development, especially in Holden. I didn't much like him in the first book, but saw a different side to him in this one. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, so I would not hesitate to recommend this book.
One difference to book one though is no epilogue for our main characters Instead, it ends with things very much in the air, which will definitely leave you wanting more!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken in Books
Jan 15, 2018
All right let me first say that I am so not a self help book kind of person. I mean at all...ever! Then the most surreal experience of my life happened. My boyfriend of almost 10 years (yup, YEARS) went on a "business trip" for a week. I texted & called to no avail. While he was gone I cried, cleaned, & cried some more. Then I thought, "Wait! You can't even call me? Well f@$% you!"
A friend saw pictures of this "business trip" that apparently involved a beach front hotel & a blonde girl who just happened to let her tongue slip down his throat. I confronted him when he finally got home & needless to say he's history. But that didn't change the fact that I was scared, sad, hurt, & confused. I was pissed but handling it pretty well considering. But I also felt the need to commiserate with someone who got it. This book did just that.
It offered me a bit of a kick in the ass when I needed it but it also gave me some good laughs too. Not to mention really forced me to wrap my head around things I had been turning a blind eye to for years. It didn't tame itself too seriously but at the same time it was not all cheerleading either. I bought it on a whim on my Nook because I felt like I needed something to hold on to that wasn't his neck! It did the trick. By all means I don't feel over it but I sure as hell have some great ideas on how to get myself on that path. That was what I was looking for at the time.
A friend saw pictures of this "business trip" that apparently involved a beach front hotel & a blonde girl who just happened to let her tongue slip down his throat. I confronted him when he finally got home & needless to say he's history. But that didn't change the fact that I was scared, sad, hurt, & confused. I was pissed but handling it pretty well considering. But I also felt the need to commiserate with someone who got it. This book did just that.
It offered me a bit of a kick in the ass when I needed it but it also gave me some good laughs too. Not to mention really forced me to wrap my head around things I had been turning a blind eye to for years. It didn't tame itself too seriously but at the same time it was not all cheerleading either. I bought it on a whim on my Nook because I felt like I needed something to hold on to that wasn't his neck! It did the trick. By all means I don't feel over it but I sure as hell have some great ideas on how to get myself on that path. That was what I was looking for at the time.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Along Came a Spider (Alex Cross, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
where to start.
I fell in love with J.Pat after reading his Maximum Ride series in about... a week. then i read his other kids book, the dangerous days of Daniel X. very good.
but Along Came a Spider surprised me.
he continued his style that i love-- not being afraid to write from anyone's perspective, good guy, bad guy, minor or random character that he'll never mention again.
his characters, as always, are very defined and specific immediately. i had an understanding of Alex Cross right away. i could see how he thought, how Samson thought, how the other characters thought. except Jezzie.
i didn't expect the twists he put in here. Jezzie being a double agent, Michael Goldberg being killed. and I still don't know for sure about the Soneji/Murphey. multiple personality disorder, or not? idk. but whatever he really was, he was a genius.
at the end of the book, when i found out about Jezzie and when i saw Soneji escape, and when Jezzie died, it left my mind reeling. my heart was beating hard from chapter 80 on up, and i really couldn't stop reading this.
J.Pat is a good writer. not just a creative and fearless genius, but his writing is good. i could associate with the characters, i could see what was happening. his words sounded good (save the occasional foul language, which did tick me off quiet a bit.)
and about that-- honestly, does he have to use so much language? because really it isn't necessary. i took a pen to my copy of the book. good thing i bought it used and i wasn't afraid to mark it up-- because i did a lot of marking. more than i'd have preferred.
I can't wait to see what happens to Alex Cross.
I fell in love with J.Pat after reading his Maximum Ride series in about... a week. then i read his other kids book, the dangerous days of Daniel X. very good.
but Along Came a Spider surprised me.
he continued his style that i love-- not being afraid to write from anyone's perspective, good guy, bad guy, minor or random character that he'll never mention again.
his characters, as always, are very defined and specific immediately. i had an understanding of Alex Cross right away. i could see how he thought, how Samson thought, how the other characters thought. except Jezzie.
i didn't expect the twists he put in here. Jezzie being a double agent, Michael Goldberg being killed. and I still don't know for sure about the Soneji/Murphey. multiple personality disorder, or not? idk. but whatever he really was, he was a genius.
at the end of the book, when i found out about Jezzie and when i saw Soneji escape, and when Jezzie died, it left my mind reeling. my heart was beating hard from chapter 80 on up, and i really couldn't stop reading this.
J.Pat is a good writer. not just a creative and fearless genius, but his writing is good. i could associate with the characters, i could see what was happening. his words sounded good (save the occasional foul language, which did tick me off quiet a bit.)
and about that-- honestly, does he have to use so much language? because really it isn't necessary. i took a pen to my copy of the book. good thing i bought it used and i wasn't afraid to mark it up-- because i did a lot of marking. more than i'd have preferred.
I can't wait to see what happens to Alex Cross.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Blue Monday (Frieda Klein, #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
I probably would have given this book 5 stars if I would have read it first. I would recommend that anyone who is interested in reading these books would start here with Blue Monday. I read [b:Tuesday's Gone|13613568|Tuesday's Gone (Frieda Klein, #2)|Nicci French|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335652266s/13613568.jpg|19213552] first, so when I was reading this book, I just wanted to get to the end since I knew what was coming.
Freida Klein is a psychotherapist in London. Her main focus is to help her patients. She is also a very private person and letting people into her life is very difficult for her. She has a boyfriend who hasn't even been to her apartment.
When Freida agrees to take on Alan Dekker as a patient, he tells her about dreams and fantasies he has been having that are keeping him awake at night and affecting his relationship with his wife and work colleagues. The dream involves a small boy with bright red hair, that Alan is imagining as his son. He and his wife have been unable to have children, so this thought has consumed him. It gives him terrible anxiety as if the boy should be with them.
So, it becomes very strange a few days after Freida takes Alan on, that a boy matching the boy that Alan is describing goes missing. Freida feels inclined to take this information to the police. The discoveries that come from that inquiry will uncover a whole lot of things no one saw coming.
This book is really good. It will leave you on the edge of your seat. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Freida Klein is a psychotherapist in London. Her main focus is to help her patients. She is also a very private person and letting people into her life is very difficult for her. She has a boyfriend who hasn't even been to her apartment.
When Freida agrees to take on Alan Dekker as a patient, he tells her about dreams and fantasies he has been having that are keeping him awake at night and affecting his relationship with his wife and work colleagues. The dream involves a small boy with bright red hair, that Alan is imagining as his son. He and his wife have been unable to have children, so this thought has consumed him. It gives him terrible anxiety as if the boy should be with them.
So, it becomes very strange a few days after Freida takes Alan on, that a boy matching the boy that Alan is describing goes missing. Freida feels inclined to take this information to the police. The discoveries that come from that inquiry will uncover a whole lot of things no one saw coming.
This book is really good. It will leave you on the edge of your seat. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Ghost Stories (2018) in Movies
Apr 19, 2018
More horror films should be like this
Most modern horror films nowadays I think are usually rubbish. They're full of obvious jump scares and unnecessary gore, without really instilling any real fear into the watcher. Ghost Stories however is different.
It's a straightforward, simple premise with the paranormal debunker and the 3 unexplained cases. It starts off well but it's only when it starts detailing each of the 3 cases that this film really gets going. The three stories are bizarre, creepy and actually pretty scary. They do have some of the obligatory jump scares, but for me these weren't as obvious and predictable as other horror films. As the stories progress and it all starts to get a bit weird, there are a number of WTF moments which really start to make you feel uneasy. There's also a few moments of dark humour thrown in, to be expected from Jeremy Dyson.
The final act however seems to halt some of the momentum the film has gained. There's a reveal that I saw coming a mile off, and then a good 15 mins or so of complete bizarreness before culminating in a very satisfying final ending. This little dip right at the end annoyed me slightly as it gets a little too weird, although it is explained away with the great final twist ending. For me it's just a shame that this slight dip into weirdness right at the end has lost a bit of what could have been a fantastic horror film.
I personally think the best horror films are those that don't rely too heavily on obvious jump scares, and instead use more subtle methods. True fear comes from the unknown, from the confusion and strange goings on in the background, and this is where Ghost Stories does very well.
It's a straightforward, simple premise with the paranormal debunker and the 3 unexplained cases. It starts off well but it's only when it starts detailing each of the 3 cases that this film really gets going. The three stories are bizarre, creepy and actually pretty scary. They do have some of the obligatory jump scares, but for me these weren't as obvious and predictable as other horror films. As the stories progress and it all starts to get a bit weird, there are a number of WTF moments which really start to make you feel uneasy. There's also a few moments of dark humour thrown in, to be expected from Jeremy Dyson.
The final act however seems to halt some of the momentum the film has gained. There's a reveal that I saw coming a mile off, and then a good 15 mins or so of complete bizarreness before culminating in a very satisfying final ending. This little dip right at the end annoyed me slightly as it gets a little too weird, although it is explained away with the great final twist ending. For me it's just a shame that this slight dip into weirdness right at the end has lost a bit of what could have been a fantastic horror film.
I personally think the best horror films are those that don't rely too heavily on obvious jump scares, and instead use more subtle methods. True fear comes from the unknown, from the confusion and strange goings on in the background, and this is where Ghost Stories does very well.
Simon Theo Cutter (2 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Feb 10, 2019
Amazing world building (1 more)
Jaw dropping special effects
A master class in science fiction
So I saw this movie Friday and I loved it ,this is the kind of movie you have to see on the biggest screen possible ,and beautiful to look at ,I completely forgot that the character of ALITA is completely rendered in I computer there are times where you swear that ALITA is a real human being ,the action is top notch it has some of the most exciting action set pieces I've seen in a movie period especially the motor ball scene ,it was a joy to watch that entire scene play out and my mouth was on the floor the entire time ,that scene alone is worth the ticket admission,the acting is great across the board you could tell that everyone involved was passionate about this project and they wanted to make the best movie possible ,there is however an aspect of this movie I thought didn't work and that was the love story it felt it was unnecessary but it did pay off in the end ,I'm not going to go into spoilers because I believe the best way to see this spectacular movie is to go in knowing next to nothing and just experience it ,I will say this Alita battle angel is a fast paced ,epic ,science fiction adventure and I came out of the screening wanting more ,this movie is a passion project for James Cameron and you can really tell ,after seeing this I can't wait to see what he brings to the table with his avatar sequels..I loved this movie !!!!
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Patti's Luck (Sleepover Friends, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
My rating is based on how much I would have liked this as a ten-year-old. For some reason, I never read any books in the Sleepover Friends' series, even though it's a kind of a cousin-once-removed to the Baby-Sitter's Club series. So when I saw this and another one at a recent library book sale, I figured, why not?
This book has a little of everything most girls like: sleepovers (duh), junk food and baking, talk of boys, games, makeovers with purple hair gel, movies, the paranormal, school fairs, field trips, new friends, and who knows what I've forgotten! Plus, a moment when Stephanie's father cross-dresses as fortune teller at the school fair. That gave me some thoughts about secrets in that family. Maybe that's why they moved from "The City." There's some moments of suspended belief, the biggest is when Patti and Lauren chase after a car (homework was put on the bumper and apparently it stuck real good :P), Lauren (the narrator) loses track of Patti, gets back to school and tells their teacher that Patti's lost. The teacher, being told of a new student unaware of the area being lost, says not to worry(!), that someone will point her back to the school. What?! All I'm thinking is good thing this isn't the real world! Abduction, anybody? There's also a lot of baking these fifth-graders do, they talk surprisingly well, probably better than I do, and have heaps of common sense, but hey, it's a harmless kids' book that I would have gobbled up when I was that age. Overall, it's a cute book that I think even girls today would enjoy.
This book has a little of everything most girls like: sleepovers (duh), junk food and baking, talk of boys, games, makeovers with purple hair gel, movies, the paranormal, school fairs, field trips, new friends, and who knows what I've forgotten! Plus, a moment when Stephanie's father cross-dresses as fortune teller at the school fair. That gave me some thoughts about secrets in that family. Maybe that's why they moved from "The City." There's some moments of suspended belief, the biggest is when Patti and Lauren chase after a car (homework was put on the bumper and apparently it stuck real good :P), Lauren (the narrator) loses track of Patti, gets back to school and tells their teacher that Patti's lost. The teacher, being told of a new student unaware of the area being lost, says not to worry(!), that someone will point her back to the school. What?! All I'm thinking is good thing this isn't the real world! Abduction, anybody? There's also a lot of baking these fifth-graders do, they talk surprisingly well, probably better than I do, and have heaps of common sense, but hey, it's a harmless kids' book that I would have gobbled up when I was that age. Overall, it's a cute book that I think even girls today would enjoy.