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<a href="http://fuzzysparrow.tumblr.com/post/96277346177">This was my Book of the Month for August 2014.</a>
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
The recently televised novel <i>The 100</i> by Kass Morgan is the first in a unique dystopian series set centuries into the future. Cataclysmic nuclear and biological wars rendered Earth uninhabitable forcing humans to create a new life in space on a very large ship. Three hundred years later scientists judge that the harmful radiation that destroyed Earth may have reduced or even completely disappeared meaning that the planet would finally be safe for humans. To test this theory the Colony sends one hundred adolescent lawbreakers with the mission to begin to recolonize Earth.
The novel is told from the point of view of four characters: Clarke, Wells, Bellamy and Glass. The first three are on the drop ship to Earth, however Glass escapes at the very last second and remains behind. Although there may be a hundred people on this mission, none of them have any idea what to expect or how to live on a planet. It does not help matters when the drop ship crash lands leaving them, particularly Clarke, the only one with medical knowledge, with an even more difficult situation than they were anticipating. Meanwhile, back on ship Glass is discovering that human life may be in as much danger there as they would be on Earth.
Each character also has flashbacks to their life on the ship, which gradually reveals the events that led up to them being convicted as criminals and thus sent to their new lives, or even possible deaths. Due to this there was less action set on Earth than there could have been – there was not enough time for a <i>Lord of the Flies</i> situation to arise. However it was fascinating to imagine their reaction to the first time they saw the sun set or felt the rain; being mesmerized by bird song and enjoying their first ever piece of meat.
As with most young adult novels there is the inevitable romance theme consisting of conflicting feelings and love triangles. The overall situation the main characters found themselves in was, in part, due to actions they committed in the name of love. Sometimes this theme could get a little annoying and hinder the dystopian side of the story, however it would not have been able to function without these elements.
Kass Morgan concludes <i>The 100</i> at the peak of the climax leaving us desperately wanting to find out what happens next. This is a highly recommended book for young adult readers with a love for science fiction.
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
The recently televised novel <i>The 100</i> by Kass Morgan is the first in a unique dystopian series set centuries into the future. Cataclysmic nuclear and biological wars rendered Earth uninhabitable forcing humans to create a new life in space on a very large ship. Three hundred years later scientists judge that the harmful radiation that destroyed Earth may have reduced or even completely disappeared meaning that the planet would finally be safe for humans. To test this theory the Colony sends one hundred adolescent lawbreakers with the mission to begin to recolonize Earth.
The novel is told from the point of view of four characters: Clarke, Wells, Bellamy and Glass. The first three are on the drop ship to Earth, however Glass escapes at the very last second and remains behind. Although there may be a hundred people on this mission, none of them have any idea what to expect or how to live on a planet. It does not help matters when the drop ship crash lands leaving them, particularly Clarke, the only one with medical knowledge, with an even more difficult situation than they were anticipating. Meanwhile, back on ship Glass is discovering that human life may be in as much danger there as they would be on Earth.
Each character also has flashbacks to their life on the ship, which gradually reveals the events that led up to them being convicted as criminals and thus sent to their new lives, or even possible deaths. Due to this there was less action set on Earth than there could have been – there was not enough time for a <i>Lord of the Flies</i> situation to arise. However it was fascinating to imagine their reaction to the first time they saw the sun set or felt the rain; being mesmerized by bird song and enjoying their first ever piece of meat.
As with most young adult novels there is the inevitable romance theme consisting of conflicting feelings and love triangles. The overall situation the main characters found themselves in was, in part, due to actions they committed in the name of love. Sometimes this theme could get a little annoying and hinder the dystopian side of the story, however it would not have been able to function without these elements.
Kass Morgan concludes <i>The 100</i> at the peak of the climax leaving us desperately wanting to find out what happens next. This is a highly recommended book for young adult readers with a love for science fiction.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Birthday Mystery in Books
Dec 29, 2018
Strong characters (2 more)
Good mystery
Great for food-lovers
Great Whodunit!
Over recent months I've become a great fan of cozy mysteries so, when I saw a new series featuring Jenny Starling being launched, I knew I had to read "The Birthday Mystery." Also, it has a culinary theme which I love and a little light humour.
First, we are introduced to Jenny who is catering for the twenty-first birthday party of upper-class twins, Alicia and Justin. In her late twenties, Jenny is an impressive woman. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living the lifestyle that suits her – that of a travelling cook. Her famous father is a ‘celebrity’ cook, divorced from Jenny’s mother. Jenny is happy travelling the country catering for events and cooking great food. She is on a mission to bring back traditional home cooked food and to offer new and exciting recipes made with fresh ingredients. She arrives at the twins family country house located in a picturesque and charming village and is immediately met by the police. A young man has drowned in the pond. Was it an accident or murder?
The birthday party goes ahead and then, just after midnight, everyone gathers for a champagne toast . . . and one of the guests falls down dead. The police are baffled and there is a whole party full of suspects.
Jenny finds crime very distracting, especially when there is chocolate to temper or pike to poach. She is very observant, with an agile mind and an amazing ability to interpret clues and hidden meanings. Her wit and sense of humour help her sanity when all around her, people are dropping like flies. When it comes to someone possibly adding the extra ingredient of poison to her own precious recipes, Jenny isn't going to take it lying down. She has a reputation to protect.
Jenny Starling won't stop until the murderer is found.
There are many suspects in this mystery, clues a-plenty and red herrings all the way through this book. It was a thoroughly satisfying read and I often found myself asking the same questions as Jenny and I was kept in suspense to the end. The pacing in "The Birthday Mystery" was very good and I never lost interest, as it wasn't long before something intriguing would happen. Things came together for a great finish and wrapped everything up very neatly.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next novel featuring Jenny Starling very soon and other books by the author, Faith Martin. "The Birthday Mystery" whets your appetite for more to come.
My thanks to NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel.
First, we are introduced to Jenny who is catering for the twenty-first birthday party of upper-class twins, Alicia and Justin. In her late twenties, Jenny is an impressive woman. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living the lifestyle that suits her – that of a travelling cook. Her famous father is a ‘celebrity’ cook, divorced from Jenny’s mother. Jenny is happy travelling the country catering for events and cooking great food. She is on a mission to bring back traditional home cooked food and to offer new and exciting recipes made with fresh ingredients. She arrives at the twins family country house located in a picturesque and charming village and is immediately met by the police. A young man has drowned in the pond. Was it an accident or murder?
The birthday party goes ahead and then, just after midnight, everyone gathers for a champagne toast . . . and one of the guests falls down dead. The police are baffled and there is a whole party full of suspects.
Jenny finds crime very distracting, especially when there is chocolate to temper or pike to poach. She is very observant, with an agile mind and an amazing ability to interpret clues and hidden meanings. Her wit and sense of humour help her sanity when all around her, people are dropping like flies. When it comes to someone possibly adding the extra ingredient of poison to her own precious recipes, Jenny isn't going to take it lying down. She has a reputation to protect.
Jenny Starling won't stop until the murderer is found.
There are many suspects in this mystery, clues a-plenty and red herrings all the way through this book. It was a thoroughly satisfying read and I often found myself asking the same questions as Jenny and I was kept in suspense to the end. The pacing in "The Birthday Mystery" was very good and I never lost interest, as it wasn't long before something intriguing would happen. Things came together for a great finish and wrapped everything up very neatly.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next novel featuring Jenny Starling very soon and other books by the author, Faith Martin. "The Birthday Mystery" whets your appetite for more to come.
My thanks to NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Justice League: War (2014) in Movies
Aug 16, 2019
February 4th saw the release of another Warner Bros. Animation film in the
Justice League franchise titled ‘War.’ DC Comics is continuing to bolster
its brand with regular animated releases, and they are doing a great job.
The film opens as an obvious origin story. Fans of the previous animated
films or TV series will notice some overt departures from the standard fare
of the last few years.
Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Batman lead off the film with their first
meeting in Gotham City, working quickly to solve a strange spree of
criminal abductions. As the two broker a tenuous peace and learn to work
together, they realize the Mother Box they found is linked to others like
it, and they head to Metropolis.
Wonder Woman, on her way to meet the President of the United States,
encounters winged beasts similar to ones fought by Green Lantern, Batman,
and Superman. What’s unusual is that this time she uses a sword to
dispatch her enemies. It’s something I’ve rarely seen in previous comics
or animated works.
The Flash, Shazam, and Cyborg all make appearances, and the team’s
structure gradually comes together. Meanwhile, the villain reveals himself:
Darkseid (who is one of my favorite DC villains).
This story is told wonderfully, with great action sequences and voice
acting (Sean Astin and Alan Tudyk – notable names). Overall, I was pleased
and entertained.
That said, there are a few major oddities within the film that stuck out as
strong deviations from the norm.
First, Superman kills someone. Despite the circumstances, I was still
shocked to see his character taken in that direction.
Second, somebody drops the S-bomb. I’ve never seen swearing in a “young
adult” film before, and though it was only used once, I was still taken
aback.
Third, the portrayal of Darkseid. He’s a great villain because of his
physical prowess, omega beams, and intellect. The first two were
represented in fine fashion, but the last was woefully lacking. Nothing
about this film showcased his intellect at all.
Fourth, Shazam seems to favor his lightening powers over his physical
assaults, which again, is in contradiction to most other comics and
animations.
While I found all of these examples strange and uncharacteristic with
respect to the usual formula, none of them were significant enough to be
considered a problem. I’m curious to see where this new trend goes. Will
DC use this as a platform to start a new chain of films or TV shows? Will
the language and body count continue to escalate? These are questions for
the ages.
Bottom line: if you are a fan of the genre, please watch it. You won’t be
disappointed.
Justice League franchise titled ‘War.’ DC Comics is continuing to bolster
its brand with regular animated releases, and they are doing a great job.
The film opens as an obvious origin story. Fans of the previous animated
films or TV series will notice some overt departures from the standard fare
of the last few years.
Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Batman lead off the film with their first
meeting in Gotham City, working quickly to solve a strange spree of
criminal abductions. As the two broker a tenuous peace and learn to work
together, they realize the Mother Box they found is linked to others like
it, and they head to Metropolis.
Wonder Woman, on her way to meet the President of the United States,
encounters winged beasts similar to ones fought by Green Lantern, Batman,
and Superman. What’s unusual is that this time she uses a sword to
dispatch her enemies. It’s something I’ve rarely seen in previous comics
or animated works.
The Flash, Shazam, and Cyborg all make appearances, and the team’s
structure gradually comes together. Meanwhile, the villain reveals himself:
Darkseid (who is one of my favorite DC villains).
This story is told wonderfully, with great action sequences and voice
acting (Sean Astin and Alan Tudyk – notable names). Overall, I was pleased
and entertained.
That said, there are a few major oddities within the film that stuck out as
strong deviations from the norm.
First, Superman kills someone. Despite the circumstances, I was still
shocked to see his character taken in that direction.
Second, somebody drops the S-bomb. I’ve never seen swearing in a “young
adult” film before, and though it was only used once, I was still taken
aback.
Third, the portrayal of Darkseid. He’s a great villain because of his
physical prowess, omega beams, and intellect. The first two were
represented in fine fashion, but the last was woefully lacking. Nothing
about this film showcased his intellect at all.
Fourth, Shazam seems to favor his lightening powers over his physical
assaults, which again, is in contradiction to most other comics and
animations.
While I found all of these examples strange and uncharacteristic with
respect to the usual formula, none of them were significant enough to be
considered a problem. I’m curious to see where this new trend goes. Will
DC use this as a platform to start a new chain of films or TV shows? Will
the language and body count continue to escalate? These are questions for
the ages.
Bottom line: if you are a fan of the genre, please watch it. You won’t be
disappointed.
James P. Sumner (65 KP) rated Yesterday (2019) in Movies
Jul 18, 2019
The best British film in years!
Despite not really being a fan of The Beatles or their music, when I first saw the trailer for this at the start of the year, I was genuinely intrigued by the concept. An aspiring musician (and huge Beatles fan) is hit by a bus during an inexplicable global blackout, only to wake up to a world in which The Beatles seemingly never existed. As the only one who remembers their songs, he releases them as his own and conquers the music world.
The trailer did a good job of letting you know what to expect without giving too much away, believe it or not. There are a few twists and turns along the way, which were a nice surprise. Ultimately, this IS a British rom-com underneath it all, and the final third is as predictable as every other film in the genre.
Yet this film oozes charm and whimsicality, and sets itself apart from everything that's come before it. Say what you want about Love Actually, but for me, that was the last British film to really make a splash on this level - which was 16 years ago!
The script is amazing. No scene feels unnecessary. No dialogue feels pointless. Richard Curtis, yet again, proves he's a true master of his craft. The lead roles are perfectly cast. Lily James, in particular, puts in another great performance, showing she's worthy of more heavyweight roles (although she's definitely found her niche in this type of film).
What I really loved about this film was how thought-provoking it was. Relative newcomer, Himesh Patel's portrayal of Jack Malek is spot-on, playing with your own emotions and morals, forcing you to ask yourself if you could remain as grounded and humble as he did if something like this happened to you. Despite being over the top at times, it all felt surprisingly real. I can imagine this is exactly how it would play out if something like this were to happen to someone - the media frenzy, the explosion of popularity online, the whirlwind of life-changing moments...
The film is about big moments in your life, and what you choose to do with them when they happen. It's about chasing your dreams and what you would do if you caught them. It's about how to follow your heart when it wants two things at once. I left the cinema smiling, but also genuinely thinking about my entire outlook on life.
Danny Boyle has done an excellent job with this film, and it deserves to go down as one of the best British films in recent years. Whether you're a fan of the music or not, this should not be missed. Near perfect!
The trailer did a good job of letting you know what to expect without giving too much away, believe it or not. There are a few twists and turns along the way, which were a nice surprise. Ultimately, this IS a British rom-com underneath it all, and the final third is as predictable as every other film in the genre.
Yet this film oozes charm and whimsicality, and sets itself apart from everything that's come before it. Say what you want about Love Actually, but for me, that was the last British film to really make a splash on this level - which was 16 years ago!
The script is amazing. No scene feels unnecessary. No dialogue feels pointless. Richard Curtis, yet again, proves he's a true master of his craft. The lead roles are perfectly cast. Lily James, in particular, puts in another great performance, showing she's worthy of more heavyweight roles (although she's definitely found her niche in this type of film).
What I really loved about this film was how thought-provoking it was. Relative newcomer, Himesh Patel's portrayal of Jack Malek is spot-on, playing with your own emotions and morals, forcing you to ask yourself if you could remain as grounded and humble as he did if something like this happened to you. Despite being over the top at times, it all felt surprisingly real. I can imagine this is exactly how it would play out if something like this were to happen to someone - the media frenzy, the explosion of popularity online, the whirlwind of life-changing moments...
The film is about big moments in your life, and what you choose to do with them when they happen. It's about chasing your dreams and what you would do if you caught them. It's about how to follow your heart when it wants two things at once. I left the cinema smiling, but also genuinely thinking about my entire outlook on life.
Danny Boyle has done an excellent job with this film, and it deserves to go down as one of the best British films in recent years. Whether you're a fan of the music or not, this should not be missed. Near perfect!
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Truth (2015) in Movies
Aug 11, 2019
The truth is out there...
Doubtful anyone from outside the United States (or even many within the US) would remember "Rathergate", the subject this film explores, but I found it fascinating nonetheless.
The US during the 2004 presidential election between George W Bush and John Kerry saw the usual mudslinging back and forth, but this film is not really about that. The film focuses on a news story by CBS news involving then airmen George W Bush and his "attempt" to get out of going to Vietnam and certain important military paper which were supposed to have corroborated these events.
Producer Mary Mapes and then anchor Dan Rather decided to air the story on 60 Minutes before they had flushed out all their sources and may have brushed aside criticism which happened to be against their political beliefs and ran with the story anyways. After airing in the fall of 2004 certain aspects of the documents came into question as to whether they could've been written with typewriters of the time or whether these documents were forgeries made by someone who could've merely used Microsoft Word instead.
Repeated attempts to legitimize their accuracy ended up having the opposite effects having witnesses change their stories, allegiances or even admit they had not been honest when presenting their original facts.
Since this is based on actual events, I can say this ended up costing producer Mapes and Rather their careers and sullied their reputations for the rest of their lives.
Even though the film has a very specific set of facts it has to deal with, I found it just as interesting when the director showed scenes of the audience viewing the story when it aired and then began to think about the state of modern news.
Nowadays, most people get their news cycle from internet headlines, scrolling information at the bottoms of television screens and even siloed one-sided stories that support only their own personal political beliefs
I think the broader message this film is trying to convey is that news organizations have the utmost responsibility to not only the report the news, but to keep their biases out of the mix and to make sure every fact is checked and rechecked to make sure they report accurately. News can change public opinion and even though they mostly get things correct, mostly isn't good enough.
I love Cate Blanchett and the legend Robert Redford and they don't disappoint here. The screenplay by writer and first time director James Vanderbilt is pointed and mostly avoids injecting opinion into the facts and presents an interesting and fascinating film I would easily recommend.
The US during the 2004 presidential election between George W Bush and John Kerry saw the usual mudslinging back and forth, but this film is not really about that. The film focuses on a news story by CBS news involving then airmen George W Bush and his "attempt" to get out of going to Vietnam and certain important military paper which were supposed to have corroborated these events.
Producer Mary Mapes and then anchor Dan Rather decided to air the story on 60 Minutes before they had flushed out all their sources and may have brushed aside criticism which happened to be against their political beliefs and ran with the story anyways. After airing in the fall of 2004 certain aspects of the documents came into question as to whether they could've been written with typewriters of the time or whether these documents were forgeries made by someone who could've merely used Microsoft Word instead.
Repeated attempts to legitimize their accuracy ended up having the opposite effects having witnesses change their stories, allegiances or even admit they had not been honest when presenting their original facts.
Since this is based on actual events, I can say this ended up costing producer Mapes and Rather their careers and sullied their reputations for the rest of their lives.
Even though the film has a very specific set of facts it has to deal with, I found it just as interesting when the director showed scenes of the audience viewing the story when it aired and then began to think about the state of modern news.
Nowadays, most people get their news cycle from internet headlines, scrolling information at the bottoms of television screens and even siloed one-sided stories that support only their own personal political beliefs
I think the broader message this film is trying to convey is that news organizations have the utmost responsibility to not only the report the news, but to keep their biases out of the mix and to make sure every fact is checked and rechecked to make sure they report accurately. News can change public opinion and even though they mostly get things correct, mostly isn't good enough.
I love Cate Blanchett and the legend Robert Redford and they don't disappoint here. The screenplay by writer and first time director James Vanderbilt is pointed and mostly avoids injecting opinion into the facts and presents an interesting and fascinating film I would easily recommend.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
Jan 15, 2019
Very Satisfying
When Miles Morales gets bit by a radioactive spider he assumes the role of Spider-Man. Except there’s more than one Spider-Man from separate dimensions crashing into one. The superheroes have to get to the bottom of what put them together and figure out how to right those wrongs for the sake of the universe.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
Characters: 10
Easily one of the shining moments of this movie is learning about each spider character. Their differing personalities make the team-ups and dialogue scenes hilarious. Peter B. Parker shows us what kind of man a hero becomes when his life completely falls apart. He’s nonchalant and sloppy, but not because he doesn’t care anymore. Meanwhile, Spider-Ham was just perfect in every single way. I won’t spoil any of his moments like trailers have already done, but his featured scenes don’t disappoint in the least.
Villains are solid as well. Kingpin is a coldhearted badass who intimidates everyone in his path. As the story progresses, you understand what helped to make him who he becomes. This movie did an excellent job of fleshing out each character and giving them purpose.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 10
Genre: 8
Animated film or not, this movie is as good as it gets. Though not in my upper echelon of superhero films, it still ranks right up there with some of the best. Incredibles 2 gets the nod for best animated superhero film this year, but Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is not too far behind.
Memorability: 9The animation style alone is enough to make this movie one that sticks around in your head long after you’ve watched it. The action sequences are long and satisfying, really popping off the screen. A positive message puts a nice little bow on top of everything.
Pace: 10
Entertaining from beginning to end, Into the Spider-Verse sets a swift pace and doesn’t slow down. Even scenes between the action have something important or funny happening that keeps the audience involved in the story. No slow-downs or lulls, the movie remains fresh deep into its runtime.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 5
Ending was meh. Wasn’t bad, but it didn’t give me that Cherry On Top feel that I typically look for in an ending. It left me feeling a little…empty.
Overall: 88
When I first put Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on my radar, I had no idea what to expect. I saw it as more of Sony trying to cash in on their one main Marvel character. After seeing it, I’m happy to report that I was dead wrong. I really enjoyed the movie and I can’t wait to check it out again at home in 4K!
Acting: 10
Beginning: 8
Characters: 10
Easily one of the shining moments of this movie is learning about each spider character. Their differing personalities make the team-ups and dialogue scenes hilarious. Peter B. Parker shows us what kind of man a hero becomes when his life completely falls apart. He’s nonchalant and sloppy, but not because he doesn’t care anymore. Meanwhile, Spider-Ham was just perfect in every single way. I won’t spoil any of his moments like trailers have already done, but his featured scenes don’t disappoint in the least.
Villains are solid as well. Kingpin is a coldhearted badass who intimidates everyone in his path. As the story progresses, you understand what helped to make him who he becomes. This movie did an excellent job of fleshing out each character and giving them purpose.
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 10
Genre: 8
Animated film or not, this movie is as good as it gets. Though not in my upper echelon of superhero films, it still ranks right up there with some of the best. Incredibles 2 gets the nod for best animated superhero film this year, but Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is not too far behind.
Memorability: 9The animation style alone is enough to make this movie one that sticks around in your head long after you’ve watched it. The action sequences are long and satisfying, really popping off the screen. A positive message puts a nice little bow on top of everything.
Pace: 10
Entertaining from beginning to end, Into the Spider-Verse sets a swift pace and doesn’t slow down. Even scenes between the action have something important or funny happening that keeps the audience involved in the story. No slow-downs or lulls, the movie remains fresh deep into its runtime.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 5
Ending was meh. Wasn’t bad, but it didn’t give me that Cherry On Top feel that I typically look for in an ending. It left me feeling a little…empty.
Overall: 88
When I first put Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse on my radar, I had no idea what to expect. I saw it as more of Sony trying to cash in on their one main Marvel character. After seeing it, I’m happy to report that I was dead wrong. I really enjoyed the movie and I can’t wait to check it out again at home in 4K!
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 Merlin's Children in Books
Jan 23, 2020
First off, allow me to commend Megan for making it past what I would call the Snowpocalyspse level, in which case the weather was nastily for a week in early January. I'm sure that says a lot, and that was not sarcasm whatsoever.
Merlin's Children starts off pretty much exactly where Taliesin Ascendant left off, and we finally get answers from the prologue of Book 1.
Or maybe I just now realized the answer to the question and it was in my face the entire time. *shrugs* I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter since as long as the question is answered, then it's all good.
I still have to applaud the author for continuing to be practically flawless in grammar/spelling (I make it a point to mention these things :p).
But I do find it really weird that the characters seem to draw their eyebrows downward a lot. I'm not sure if it's possible or I'm just those peeps who can only raise my eyebrows, but each time it was mentioned, I was pretty tempted to run into the bathroom, stare at the mirror and see if it was possible.
My mother would have thought I was insane if she saw me so I didn't do it.
HEY! HERE'S A POSSIBLE HUGE SPOILER! I sort of wanted what happened to Jamison to be something else. Maybe because I was thinking of what I read about the Nikita finale in TV Guide, in which I sorrily missed. -_- I am glad that some of the characters from the very first book return though. ^_^
On a final note, Megan has upped her game a bit compared to the last 2 books (yes, I'm staring at the raw ratings for the series). It's more fast paced, has more action and if anything, I sort of have a short attention span. A semi one, since I can tolerate SOME boring books to the end. :D But then the review turns out bad. I think that was irrelevant.
For some reason, I keep reading Ermengarde's name as "Er Ma Gawd" so I ended up reading "so and so and Ermagawd..." every so often. That might actually be how the name is pronounced, but I'm honestly not sure so I'll just call her OMG. :D
Another thing irrelevant I suppose.
---------------------
Original Rating: 4.5
Review copy provided by the author for review
Formatting has been lost due to copy and paste.
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/02/review-merlins-children-by-megan-joel-peterson.html">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>
Merlin's Children starts off pretty much exactly where Taliesin Ascendant left off, and we finally get answers from the prologue of Book 1.
Or maybe I just now realized the answer to the question and it was in my face the entire time. *shrugs* I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter since as long as the question is answered, then it's all good.
I still have to applaud the author for continuing to be practically flawless in grammar/spelling (I make it a point to mention these things :p).
But I do find it really weird that the characters seem to draw their eyebrows downward a lot. I'm not sure if it's possible or I'm just those peeps who can only raise my eyebrows, but each time it was mentioned, I was pretty tempted to run into the bathroom, stare at the mirror and see if it was possible.
My mother would have thought I was insane if she saw me so I didn't do it.
HEY! HERE'S A POSSIBLE HUGE SPOILER! I sort of wanted what happened to Jamison to be something else. Maybe because I was thinking of what I read about the Nikita finale in TV Guide, in which I sorrily missed. -_- I am glad that some of the characters from the very first book return though. ^_^
On a final note, Megan has upped her game a bit compared to the last 2 books (yes, I'm staring at the raw ratings for the series). It's more fast paced, has more action and if anything, I sort of have a short attention span. A semi one, since I can tolerate SOME boring books to the end. :D But then the review turns out bad. I think that was irrelevant.
For some reason, I keep reading Ermengarde's name as "Er Ma Gawd" so I ended up reading "so and so and Ermagawd..." every so often. That might actually be how the name is pronounced, but I'm honestly not sure so I'll just call her OMG. :D
Another thing irrelevant I suppose.
---------------------
Original Rating: 4.5
Review copy provided by the author for review
Formatting has been lost due to copy and paste.
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/02/review-merlins-children-by-megan-joel-peterson.html">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 The Polaris Uprising (Polaris, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Another bystander review yet again. T_T But throughout the story, I was making connections – yet again – to movies and books:
Corsets – Incarceron. Mercifully no prisons.
Probe Bots – *that seriously cute voice from that one movie* Wall-E! Of course, those robots had inflection and it's not Wall-E's voice I'm calling cute.
Arranged Marriages – At the time I started The Polaris Uprising, I completed Delirium not too long ago and it turned out to be a TERRIBLE experience. Fortunately, this book fared better off and it's not similar to Delirium. *phew* In fact... this quote got me quite worried:
<blockquote>When you’re president, this will all be a distant memory.</blockquote>
Is this similar to "When you're cured, this will all be a distant memory" or what? I could have sworn I saw that exact same sentence in Delirium a million times maybe. O_O (Obviously I didn't let that stop me from continuing).
Truth Serum – Welcome to the Candor faction. Need I say more?
That one sentence before this: And then all hell broke loose – Similar to The Hunger Games, but different. And no, that's no spoiler. Close, but no.
<blockquote>Alanna! Alanna!</blockquote>
e_e 1984's B! B! B! That book was quite dreadful, so I'm surprised I still remember the letter B! (that was not me in exclamation).
Now that I've gone through my dreadful (and some positive) experiences with some dystopians, let's get on with some positive notes and why I gave The Polaris Uprising a high rating:
~ The message comes across clearly throughout the book. Maybe confusing at first (switching views from the prologue and first chapter), but everything fits in nicely later.
~ Here's the big plus: it's different from other dystopians. As in really different. How? It's like many years later, a dystopian AFTER another dystopian failed. At least, that's what I assume. The signs were there, which brings me to my next point.
~ Dare to be different. I would've had to choose a faction back in September if I were in Divergent (Movie's out in 28 DAYS). Here, you're an adult at 25. That gives me what? 7-8 years to be a semi-kid? Yippee.
~ This might actually take a different end from other dystopians. Of course, there's no guarantee, so don't take that word for granted.
But overall, an impressive debut novel for Jennifer Ibarra.
-----------------------
Review copy provided by the author for review on the blog tour
Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/02/blog-tour-the-polaris-uprising-by-jennifer-ibarra-review-and-giveaway.html">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>
Corsets – Incarceron. Mercifully no prisons.
Probe Bots – *that seriously cute voice from that one movie* Wall-E! Of course, those robots had inflection and it's not Wall-E's voice I'm calling cute.
Arranged Marriages – At the time I started The Polaris Uprising, I completed Delirium not too long ago and it turned out to be a TERRIBLE experience. Fortunately, this book fared better off and it's not similar to Delirium. *phew* In fact... this quote got me quite worried:
<blockquote>When you’re president, this will all be a distant memory.</blockquote>
Is this similar to "When you're cured, this will all be a distant memory" or what? I could have sworn I saw that exact same sentence in Delirium a million times maybe. O_O (Obviously I didn't let that stop me from continuing).
Truth Serum – Welcome to the Candor faction. Need I say more?
That one sentence before this: And then all hell broke loose – Similar to The Hunger Games, but different. And no, that's no spoiler. Close, but no.
<blockquote>Alanna! Alanna!</blockquote>
e_e 1984's B! B! B! That book was quite dreadful, so I'm surprised I still remember the letter B! (that was not me in exclamation).
Now that I've gone through my dreadful (and some positive) experiences with some dystopians, let's get on with some positive notes and why I gave The Polaris Uprising a high rating:
~ The message comes across clearly throughout the book. Maybe confusing at first (switching views from the prologue and first chapter), but everything fits in nicely later.
~ Here's the big plus: it's different from other dystopians. As in really different. How? It's like many years later, a dystopian AFTER another dystopian failed. At least, that's what I assume. The signs were there, which brings me to my next point.
~ Dare to be different. I would've had to choose a faction back in September if I were in Divergent (Movie's out in 28 DAYS). Here, you're an adult at 25. That gives me what? 7-8 years to be a semi-kid? Yippee.
~ This might actually take a different end from other dystopians. Of course, there's no guarantee, so don't take that word for granted.
But overall, an impressive debut novel for Jennifer Ibarra.
-----------------------
Review copy provided by the author for review on the blog tour
Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/02/blog-tour-the-polaris-uprising-by-jennifer-ibarra-review-and-giveaway.html">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>
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Hope Gap (2020) in Movies
Mar 8, 2020
When picking things to watch at the London Film Festival the criteria was simple... read the synopsis and choose from that. If I got bogged down in anything more I was going to miss things that could have been "hidden gems", my list would also have been never-ending... but when you spot Annette Bening and Bill Nighy in a film together you can't say no really.
Edward and Grace have been married for 29 years but the humdrum living has become too monotonous, for Edward at least. He's felt like his life needs something different for a while, knowing that Grace will react badly he invites their son to aid in his plan to leave, but he too is in the dark about what on the cards for his visit.
I was keen to enjoy this one but I think sadly the film doesn't hit all the right notes. The set up of Edward (Nighy) and Grace (Bening) in the house together perfectly reflects their relationship. Everything is together and yet they're separate. They work in different rooms, their backs to each other and while they acknowledge each other and interact it's more habit than anything else.
I'm not the best at picking up subtle things when watching films the first time around, but I noted down a couple of times that there seemed to be a lot of colour coordination. Both main characters seemed to match with parts of the house and yet those colours never seemed to cross together at any time... one of the perils od not being able to rewind a film to check is that I'm left wondering if I actually saw something or not. Perhaps I imagined it! The similarities also extended to their son Jamie and his room... according to my unverifiable notes.
I thought that Josh O'Connor and Bill Nighy had a great dynamic together, their characters share many "inherited" traits together and that played out well on screen. Annette Bening's performance was strong at times and you could definitely see the progression clearly in Grace... but...
With those good touches came a lethargic pace. The laid back sense of the whole film with just Grace as the energetic feature was a struggle to watch. I can see that it could be exactly how it would happen in reality but that doesn't mean it will work on film when you aren't invested in the parties involved.
Hope Gap touches on some strong points but never seems to address them very directly. I'm not sure I can see another way that this would have jumped off the screen, in my head it feels more suited for the intimate setting of a theatre.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/hope-gap-movie-review.html
Edward and Grace have been married for 29 years but the humdrum living has become too monotonous, for Edward at least. He's felt like his life needs something different for a while, knowing that Grace will react badly he invites their son to aid in his plan to leave, but he too is in the dark about what on the cards for his visit.
I was keen to enjoy this one but I think sadly the film doesn't hit all the right notes. The set up of Edward (Nighy) and Grace (Bening) in the house together perfectly reflects their relationship. Everything is together and yet they're separate. They work in different rooms, their backs to each other and while they acknowledge each other and interact it's more habit than anything else.
I'm not the best at picking up subtle things when watching films the first time around, but I noted down a couple of times that there seemed to be a lot of colour coordination. Both main characters seemed to match with parts of the house and yet those colours never seemed to cross together at any time... one of the perils od not being able to rewind a film to check is that I'm left wondering if I actually saw something or not. Perhaps I imagined it! The similarities also extended to their son Jamie and his room... according to my unverifiable notes.
I thought that Josh O'Connor and Bill Nighy had a great dynamic together, their characters share many "inherited" traits together and that played out well on screen. Annette Bening's performance was strong at times and you could definitely see the progression clearly in Grace... but...
With those good touches came a lethargic pace. The laid back sense of the whole film with just Grace as the energetic feature was a struggle to watch. I can see that it could be exactly how it would happen in reality but that doesn't mean it will work on film when you aren't invested in the parties involved.
Hope Gap touches on some strong points but never seems to address them very directly. I'm not sure I can see another way that this would have jumped off the screen, in my head it feels more suited for the intimate setting of a theatre.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/hope-gap-movie-review.html