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Roxanne (13 KP) rated The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #1) in Books
Nov 14, 2018
___ <b>3 Star Rating</b> ___
I just had to read this one as I fell in love with the front cover, it looked great so I expected a great story.
I had a love/hate relationship with this book, there were bits that were so good I wanted to shout from the rooftops but there were also parts that were so bad I wanted to run to a dark corner and cry.
<u>The bits I loved</u>
1. The suspense - Oh my life and soul I thought my heart was going to give out! That tension was fantastic! The way the author wrote the action scenes were great, the extra long description filled build ups which make you sweat and then straight into the action. The action was always really good with a nice bit of gore and clever tactics...very well done!
2. The dog - You have to have a dog in there somewhere, I love dogs! If the dog survives then that's extra points from me, I just want the animals to be ok...f*ck anyone else!
3. The Unconsecrated - Very well described, I liked the idea of 'The Fast One' and yeah I know they're Zombies...but I like Zombies.
<u>The bits I hated</u>
1. Mary! Mary! Aaaaand...Mary! - Oh what a pain in the ass! I did not like the MC one little bit. She was incredibly selfish, self centred and just plain rude. She was willing to step on anybody to get her own way. Everything was...love, love, love, OMG Mary I love you!
Mary: *Like I give a shit! I just wanna go to the Beach!*
People whom she supposedly loved were dropping like flies around her but oh well that's one less person in the way of her ocean filled dreams.
I'm sorry but I just hoped for this...
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/TJ9LVsr.jpg"; width="300" height="210"/>
2. Lack of character development - Actually, there was none. I still know nothing about the other characters, it's like they were just there to show how 'amazing' Mary really was. I so wanted at least one of the other characters to take centre stage for a while, just so I could see things from a different perspective...but no.
3. Lack of story building - So...why? When? Who? What? Did they live? Die? How did the dog get across the rope the second time?
Why the gates? The fences? Why are there Unconsecrated? What is the Sisterhood all about? What are they hiding? How did this all happen? WTF is Mary's problem?
Ok...so I know there's a second book and I've heard that it doesn't even carry the story on, if that is true I think I'm gonna scream. So many questions!
I just had to read this one as I fell in love with the front cover, it looked great so I expected a great story.
I had a love/hate relationship with this book, there were bits that were so good I wanted to shout from the rooftops but there were also parts that were so bad I wanted to run to a dark corner and cry.
<u>The bits I loved</u>
1. The suspense - Oh my life and soul I thought my heart was going to give out! That tension was fantastic! The way the author wrote the action scenes were great, the extra long description filled build ups which make you sweat and then straight into the action. The action was always really good with a nice bit of gore and clever tactics...very well done!
2. The dog - You have to have a dog in there somewhere, I love dogs! If the dog survives then that's extra points from me, I just want the animals to be ok...f*ck anyone else!
3. The Unconsecrated - Very well described, I liked the idea of 'The Fast One' and yeah I know they're Zombies...but I like Zombies.
<u>The bits I hated</u>
1. Mary! Mary! Aaaaand...Mary! - Oh what a pain in the ass! I did not like the MC one little bit. She was incredibly selfish, self centred and just plain rude. She was willing to step on anybody to get her own way. Everything was...love, love, love, OMG Mary I love you!
Mary: *Like I give a shit! I just wanna go to the Beach!*
People whom she supposedly loved were dropping like flies around her but oh well that's one less person in the way of her ocean filled dreams.
I'm sorry but I just hoped for this...
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/TJ9LVsr.jpg"; width="300" height="210"/>
2. Lack of character development - Actually, there was none. I still know nothing about the other characters, it's like they were just there to show how 'amazing' Mary really was. I so wanted at least one of the other characters to take centre stage for a while, just so I could see things from a different perspective...but no.
3. Lack of story building - So...why? When? Who? What? Did they live? Die? How did the dog get across the rope the second time?
Why the gates? The fences? Why are there Unconsecrated? What is the Sisterhood all about? What are they hiding? How did this all happen? WTF is Mary's problem?
Ok...so I know there's a second book and I've heard that it doesn't even carry the story on, if that is true I think I'm gonna scream. So many questions!
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Red Eye (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
For some people, being on an airplane is one of the most terrifying and traumatic experiences they will have to endure. For Lisa Reisert, (Rachel Mc Adams), her trauma is about to extend far beyond her dislike of flying.
Rachel works at a fancy Miami hotel where here main focus is taking care of all manner of high end clients such as the Secretary of Homeland Security. Lisa is forced to take the Red-Eye flight from Dallas to Miami to return to work on time following the funeral of her Grandmother, and as it tends to go with travels, there are all manner of delays that keep her from departing at the scheduled time.
It is during one such delay that Rachel meets the charismatic Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy), and as fate has it, they end up sitting next to one another after spending some time in a restaurant bar waiting for their flight to board.
As their plane ascends into the dark and stormy weather, a change occurs in Jackson, and he reveals that he is on the plane to ensure that Lisa follows his instructions, as failure to do so will result in the death of her beloved father.
Jackson reveals to Lisa that he works for interests who want to send a message so as the person in charge at the hotel, and then she must reassign the visiting Secretary of Homeland Security and his family to a room other than his usual one.
Trapped at 30,000 FT, with a psychotic Killer, Lisa must face her fears and find a way to outwit the killer in order to save her father the Secretary and perhaps herself from a situation borne of insanity and desperation.
Director Wes Craven is best known as the man behind the “Scream” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” series as well as countless other horror and suspense films has crafted a mix bag with “Red-Eye”, as the first half of the film is hampered by the uninspired final segments of the film.
What starts out as an interesting premise with many opportunities for suspense and tension are lost as the film unwinds. Early to middle segments of the film do have moments of suspense and some great exchanges between the two leads which makes the saggy and uninspired finale all the more disappointing.
Mc. Adams and Murphy are very good in their parts as is Jayma Mays in a supporting role as all three are talents to keep an eye on for the future.
That being said, the early moments of the film do deliver the goods and if you can get around the by the numbers finale, then you might find yourself enjoying the film.
Rachel works at a fancy Miami hotel where here main focus is taking care of all manner of high end clients such as the Secretary of Homeland Security. Lisa is forced to take the Red-Eye flight from Dallas to Miami to return to work on time following the funeral of her Grandmother, and as it tends to go with travels, there are all manner of delays that keep her from departing at the scheduled time.
It is during one such delay that Rachel meets the charismatic Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy), and as fate has it, they end up sitting next to one another after spending some time in a restaurant bar waiting for their flight to board.
As their plane ascends into the dark and stormy weather, a change occurs in Jackson, and he reveals that he is on the plane to ensure that Lisa follows his instructions, as failure to do so will result in the death of her beloved father.
Jackson reveals to Lisa that he works for interests who want to send a message so as the person in charge at the hotel, and then she must reassign the visiting Secretary of Homeland Security and his family to a room other than his usual one.
Trapped at 30,000 FT, with a psychotic Killer, Lisa must face her fears and find a way to outwit the killer in order to save her father the Secretary and perhaps herself from a situation borne of insanity and desperation.
Director Wes Craven is best known as the man behind the “Scream” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” series as well as countless other horror and suspense films has crafted a mix bag with “Red-Eye”, as the first half of the film is hampered by the uninspired final segments of the film.
What starts out as an interesting premise with many opportunities for suspense and tension are lost as the film unwinds. Early to middle segments of the film do have moments of suspense and some great exchanges between the two leads which makes the saggy and uninspired finale all the more disappointing.
Mc. Adams and Murphy are very good in their parts as is Jayma Mays in a supporting role as all three are talents to keep an eye on for the future.
That being said, the early moments of the film do deliver the goods and if you can get around the by the numbers finale, then you might find yourself enjoying the film.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Killers Anonymous (2019) in Movies
Jan 3, 2021
A killers' support group? Ooooooh, this could be fun.
A group of killers come together to talk about their problems on the night a US Senator is assassinated in London. As they introduce themselves a bigger picture starts to unfold.
Spoiler alert (though the score will have given that away), this COULD have been fun.
The beginning of this film holds little to no... anything. I was 11 minutes in and had absolutely no idea what was happening. There seemed to be no story, no personality, nothing that made me want to carry on watching. At 22 minutes in I wrote, "what is even the point of this" in my notes. By the end I still couldn't see the point.
This lack of interest was a serious hindrance, neither of the two main storylines had an impact. I'm sitting here now wondering whether the film was too complicated, or not complicated enough... it genuinely could be either. After having finished the film I'm concerned that there are so many things in it that scream "sequel incoming". Please, no.
Talent was crammed into this film though, you just have to look at the poster for the movie to see that, even some of those not featured you'd recognise from other things. And all of those actors weren't that bad, we know they can act well, so the question is... why are they in this? With this cast, I think it says something when even they couldn't save this film from the lacklustre material.
We're introduced to the characters in the group one at a time, giving us an overview of their backstory... I had lots of feelings about this. Firstly, it reminded me of an imitation Bad Times At The El Royale. But beyond that mild excitement that maybe we were about to see something good it was a mish-mash of lots of different things. The style was all over the place, and that seemed to be a theme throughout.
Single lit characters, merging scenes that are happening in different locations, graphic novel drawing, it has a lot happening. That along with the madness of some of the scenes made everything rather choppy.
I'm genuinely trying to think of things to say, but every point I look at makes me sigh... that sad sort of sign that makes you disappointed. There are no redeeming features to this apart from the idea, which is so sad, a killers' support group has so many possibilities and this is what we got. And I've just seen the estimated budget was $26 million... that seems like a lot.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/01/killers-anonymous-movie-review.html
A group of killers come together to talk about their problems on the night a US Senator is assassinated in London. As they introduce themselves a bigger picture starts to unfold.
Spoiler alert (though the score will have given that away), this COULD have been fun.
The beginning of this film holds little to no... anything. I was 11 minutes in and had absolutely no idea what was happening. There seemed to be no story, no personality, nothing that made me want to carry on watching. At 22 minutes in I wrote, "what is even the point of this" in my notes. By the end I still couldn't see the point.
This lack of interest was a serious hindrance, neither of the two main storylines had an impact. I'm sitting here now wondering whether the film was too complicated, or not complicated enough... it genuinely could be either. After having finished the film I'm concerned that there are so many things in it that scream "sequel incoming". Please, no.
Talent was crammed into this film though, you just have to look at the poster for the movie to see that, even some of those not featured you'd recognise from other things. And all of those actors weren't that bad, we know they can act well, so the question is... why are they in this? With this cast, I think it says something when even they couldn't save this film from the lacklustre material.
We're introduced to the characters in the group one at a time, giving us an overview of their backstory... I had lots of feelings about this. Firstly, it reminded me of an imitation Bad Times At The El Royale. But beyond that mild excitement that maybe we were about to see something good it was a mish-mash of lots of different things. The style was all over the place, and that seemed to be a theme throughout.
Single lit characters, merging scenes that are happening in different locations, graphic novel drawing, it has a lot happening. That along with the madness of some of the scenes made everything rather choppy.
I'm genuinely trying to think of things to say, but every point I look at makes me sigh... that sad sort of sign that makes you disappointed. There are no redeeming features to this apart from the idea, which is so sad, a killers' support group has so many possibilities and this is what we got. And I've just seen the estimated budget was $26 million... that seems like a lot.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/01/killers-anonymous-movie-review.html
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Scorched (Sapphire City, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I received this ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The cover drew me in. Isn’t it a thing of beauty?
When I requested this I assumed it would be more paranormal than it was. In fact it was more fantasy than anything. People who go around using their powers–known as the Augmented–to stop evil, dressed up in disguise. Superheroes?
I was quickly drawn into the story within the first chapter when we see Verity struggle to remember who she is and that she isn’t a bad person after being tortured by her arch nemesis’ minions in a mental asylum and her escape from there. She runs to a safe house and bumps into her brother who tells her she’s been MIA for nine months.
Can I just stop there for a minute and mention the Fortune siblings’ names? The eldest is Equity, then Adonis, then there is Verity and baby brother Chance. I love their names! If they don’t scream Superhero, I don’t know what does :D
Anyway, back to the story. On Verity’s return to her family, things don’t go smoothly and she realises things don’t add up. Is there a conspiracy in the works?
Throughout the story we see flashbacks of the night that Verity was captured and it is all very intriguing. At just over half way through I had my suspicions of what they would end up showing and I was right in my assumption about what some of it would show. I’m not going into detail as it would totally ruin in for you.
We meet a lot of other Augmented people: Iceclaw, Weasel, Glimmer. Some are good and some not so much. I liked the description of each and how they earned their names. They were thought out and I could picture them easily.
I grew to really like Glimmer, he seemed like a really nice guy. Verity, on the other hand, I couldn’t decide about. She seemed to like pushing people away and was full of self-loathing a lot of the time, unable to justify some of the things she’d done.
To start with I didn’t mind the lack of romance, as I was so caught up in the drama surrounding Verity, but the more I read the book the more I missed it. There was a bit; some kisses exchanged and nice words but nothing like the amount I like to read in books and that’s reflected in my rating.
It was full of action and intrigue. I liked the superhero vs. bad guys aspect. If you like the sound of it, then I’d suggest you go grab a copy.
The cover drew me in. Isn’t it a thing of beauty?
When I requested this I assumed it would be more paranormal than it was. In fact it was more fantasy than anything. People who go around using their powers–known as the Augmented–to stop evil, dressed up in disguise. Superheroes?
I was quickly drawn into the story within the first chapter when we see Verity struggle to remember who she is and that she isn’t a bad person after being tortured by her arch nemesis’ minions in a mental asylum and her escape from there. She runs to a safe house and bumps into her brother who tells her she’s been MIA for nine months.
Can I just stop there for a minute and mention the Fortune siblings’ names? The eldest is Equity, then Adonis, then there is Verity and baby brother Chance. I love their names! If they don’t scream Superhero, I don’t know what does :D
Anyway, back to the story. On Verity’s return to her family, things don’t go smoothly and she realises things don’t add up. Is there a conspiracy in the works?
Throughout the story we see flashbacks of the night that Verity was captured and it is all very intriguing. At just over half way through I had my suspicions of what they would end up showing and I was right in my assumption about what some of it would show. I’m not going into detail as it would totally ruin in for you.
We meet a lot of other Augmented people: Iceclaw, Weasel, Glimmer. Some are good and some not so much. I liked the description of each and how they earned their names. They were thought out and I could picture them easily.
I grew to really like Glimmer, he seemed like a really nice guy. Verity, on the other hand, I couldn’t decide about. She seemed to like pushing people away and was full of self-loathing a lot of the time, unable to justify some of the things she’d done.
To start with I didn’t mind the lack of romance, as I was so caught up in the drama surrounding Verity, but the more I read the book the more I missed it. There was a bit; some kisses exchanged and nice words but nothing like the amount I like to read in books and that’s reflected in my rating.
It was full of action and intrigue. I liked the superhero vs. bad guys aspect. If you like the sound of it, then I’d suggest you go grab a copy.
Fred (860 KP) rated Mother! (2017) in Movies
Jul 10, 2019
What the hell did I just watch?
Contains spoilers, click to show
Okay, so normally as soon as I watch a film, I review it. That keeps my initial thoughts fresh. But with "Mother", I just couldn't. Because I don't know what the hell I just watched. It was only at the very end, when I realized Javier Bardem was God, that I knew I had to think back & figure out what this mess was about. And so, I slept on it. And here's the way I see it.
Bardem is God, Jennifer Lawrence is Mother Earth, Ed Harris is Adam, Michelle Pfeiffer is Eve. Their sons are of course, Cain & Able & everyone else is the human race. So, now it clicks and I understand what the movie is about. It's a great premise. However, it's a terrible movie.
Let's start with the acting. It is terrible. Normally greats like Lawrence, Harris & Bardem would light up the screen, but here they come across as over-the-top novice actors. I blame the dialogue & the direction, of course. At no point during the film did I feel that any of the actors were even acting. This brings me to the next point.
No one in the film acts like they should act. Now, I get that they are playing people who are the interpretation of biblical beings. But come on. These people barge in to your home and you're like "Can you please...." and "Go downstairs..." when it should be "Get the f*ck out of my house!!!" Perhaps if I knew the meaning before I watched the movie, I would have picked up on the way they were acting in these situations, but even now knowing, I find it so goddamn annoying. That may be the one word that best describes this movie. Annoying. When you want to scream at the screen to tell people how to act in a situation, it's just annoying. There's nothing worse than a movie where someone is treated like shit & they don't do anything about it. That's the entire movie.
Sure, you can sit back & think that people are over-populating the Earth. And that God is super-interested in being worshipped and some people are trying to help the Earth, while others treat it like garbage. Blah blah blah. The movie is still not a good movie. The idea is great & should have made for a great movie, but it's execution is terrible. I would actually think about watching it again, knowing what I know now, but thinking about how bad the movie is, I doubt that would happen. This would probably have been better as a book. I'm giving it 4 points for the idea, but 0 extra points for the movie.
Bardem is God, Jennifer Lawrence is Mother Earth, Ed Harris is Adam, Michelle Pfeiffer is Eve. Their sons are of course, Cain & Able & everyone else is the human race. So, now it clicks and I understand what the movie is about. It's a great premise. However, it's a terrible movie.
Let's start with the acting. It is terrible. Normally greats like Lawrence, Harris & Bardem would light up the screen, but here they come across as over-the-top novice actors. I blame the dialogue & the direction, of course. At no point during the film did I feel that any of the actors were even acting. This brings me to the next point.
No one in the film acts like they should act. Now, I get that they are playing people who are the interpretation of biblical beings. But come on. These people barge in to your home and you're like "Can you please...." and "Go downstairs..." when it should be "Get the f*ck out of my house!!!" Perhaps if I knew the meaning before I watched the movie, I would have picked up on the way they were acting in these situations, but even now knowing, I find it so goddamn annoying. That may be the one word that best describes this movie. Annoying. When you want to scream at the screen to tell people how to act in a situation, it's just annoying. There's nothing worse than a movie where someone is treated like shit & they don't do anything about it. That's the entire movie.
Sure, you can sit back & think that people are over-populating the Earth. And that God is super-interested in being worshipped and some people are trying to help the Earth, while others treat it like garbage. Blah blah blah. The movie is still not a good movie. The idea is great & should have made for a great movie, but it's execution is terrible. I would actually think about watching it again, knowing what I know now, but thinking about how bad the movie is, I doubt that would happen. This would probably have been better as a book. I'm giving it 4 points for the idea, but 0 extra points for the movie.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Battlefield Earth (2000) in Movies
Oct 2, 2019
Ight Imma Head Out
When an alien species takes over Earth, the humans finally decide to rise up and fight back. Watching Battlefield Earth is like taking a shit that just doesn’t want to come out. It’s frustrating, it’s messy, and it only serves to screw up your day. In fact, this movie is so painful that I am forcing myself to watch it until I finish this review. Man, you should see how fast I’m typing right now.
Acting: 3
Less than two minutes in, the movie has one of those bloodcurdling “NO!” screams after main character Jonnie Goodboy Tyler (Barry Pepper) finds out someone close to him has died. That’s when I remember saying to myself: “What the hell did I just get myself into? I gotta sit through the rest of this?” You would think, “Well, it’s only uphill from here.” You, madam or sir, would be wrong. From John Travolta and Forest Whitaker’s painful performances as aliens to the rest of this horrid cast, I can’t really decide who did the worst job. I gave them a 3 because, well, I’m assuming they showed up on set everyday.
Beginning: 0
Cinematography/Visuals: 3
Fast forward to four minutes after the “scream”. You see a bunch of cavemen (ish) beating up a prop from a broken down minigolf fun center. You see this happening with weird cut shots and slow motion, all while focusing on the anger and intent of the cavemen who see it as a threat. It is quite possibly one of the dumbest scenes I have seen in film. It angers me even now just thinking about it.
Conflict: 6
Entertainment Value: 0
Memorability: 0
The only thing I need to remember is this movie is garbage and to run if someone ever mentions watching it. There is nothing about this movie I will ever treasure.
Pace: 2
Let me watch paint dry and see if I’m not more entertained. My wife captured a caterpillar in a jar recently because she thinks it may become a butterfly. I’m pretty sure it’s dying because it only moves an inch every few hours. That inch outpaces the speed at which this movie drags along. Give me the DMV. Give me the longest wait at any Disneyworld ride. Give me the lines for the 2008 voting stations. I will take any of these things over Battlefield Earth.
Plot: 0
Resolution: 1
Ended just like it began: As a failed movie with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Overall: 17
I usually don’t judge people on tastes. We’re all different and we all like different things. But if you enjoyed this movie in any shape or fashion and you profess to be my friend, please lose my number. The passion with which I hate this movie has no end.
Acting: 3
Less than two minutes in, the movie has one of those bloodcurdling “NO!” screams after main character Jonnie Goodboy Tyler (Barry Pepper) finds out someone close to him has died. That’s when I remember saying to myself: “What the hell did I just get myself into? I gotta sit through the rest of this?” You would think, “Well, it’s only uphill from here.” You, madam or sir, would be wrong. From John Travolta and Forest Whitaker’s painful performances as aliens to the rest of this horrid cast, I can’t really decide who did the worst job. I gave them a 3 because, well, I’m assuming they showed up on set everyday.
Beginning: 0
Cinematography/Visuals: 3
Fast forward to four minutes after the “scream”. You see a bunch of cavemen (ish) beating up a prop from a broken down minigolf fun center. You see this happening with weird cut shots and slow motion, all while focusing on the anger and intent of the cavemen who see it as a threat. It is quite possibly one of the dumbest scenes I have seen in film. It angers me even now just thinking about it.
Conflict: 6
Entertainment Value: 0
Memorability: 0
The only thing I need to remember is this movie is garbage and to run if someone ever mentions watching it. There is nothing about this movie I will ever treasure.
Pace: 2
Let me watch paint dry and see if I’m not more entertained. My wife captured a caterpillar in a jar recently because she thinks it may become a butterfly. I’m pretty sure it’s dying because it only moves an inch every few hours. That inch outpaces the speed at which this movie drags along. Give me the DMV. Give me the longest wait at any Disneyworld ride. Give me the lines for the 2008 voting stations. I will take any of these things over Battlefield Earth.
Plot: 0
Resolution: 1
Ended just like it began: As a failed movie with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Overall: 17
I usually don’t judge people on tastes. We’re all different and we all like different things. But if you enjoyed this movie in any shape or fashion and you profess to be my friend, please lose my number. The passion with which I hate this movie has no end.
Christine (14 KP) rated Me Before You in Books
Jul 4, 2017
Ham Handedly Dealing with Sensitive Materials
Contains spoilers, click to show
I did NOT like this book. In fact, there were several sections of this book where I actively hated the book. Before you continue reading, note that I do intend to spoil the story.
First, the only character that has more than 5 lines that I didn't think was awful was Nathan the nurse. Lou, Will and their whole families were terrible! Selfish, rude, cold and uncaring. Maybe my sister is too supportive even at the worst of times, but Treena made me want to scream with her selfishness.
Second, I feel as though they took an exceptionally sensitive subject and kicked it around in the dirt for a while. I would be interested in sitting around discussing the concept of euthanasia. However, I feel like this story focused on all the wrong arguments.
Third, this book did a huge disservice to the paraplegic and quadriplegic community. Even with the addition of the chat rooms with the other members of the community, there is a lot of emphasis on how life will inevitably blow until the end of time if you're in a wheelchair. It felt like a book that was intended to educate and inform people who maybe don't know much about this life and instead, they wrote an extremely whiny story about one man who's a giant asshole.
Fourth, Louisa's rape should have been a major plot point, treated as a juxtaposition to Will's accident. Instead, the treat Lou getting raped by a group of men as an after thought that Will cures with one conversation.
Fifth, the writing was lazy and the pacing was bad. It felt overly long and things were dragged out farther than they needed to be. Also, Will's family's money was a bit of an easy fix. Will could have top of the line everything. He could afford to go on fancy expensive trips. He could afford a nurse to come over several times a day. Imagine how much more real this story would be if Lou was the disabled person. Lou's mom would be the one responsible for her care. This would be a much more dire situation. Will comes across whiny because he has to rely on other people. He doesn't seem like a sad man in a bad situation. He seems like a whiny selfish asshole
Finally, what do these people have against therapy. When someone has been through an experience as traumatic as a car accident that leaves you paralyzed, you should probably speak to a therapist. I do not mean Nathan, the physical therapist. I mean a psychologist. I'm not saying Will wouldn't have ultimately made the same decision, but somehow I think trained licensed professional might have been a better option for Camilla Traynor to hire as opposed to unemployed waitress.
I know I'm apparently in the minority in this, but I HATED this book.
First, the only character that has more than 5 lines that I didn't think was awful was Nathan the nurse. Lou, Will and their whole families were terrible! Selfish, rude, cold and uncaring. Maybe my sister is too supportive even at the worst of times, but Treena made me want to scream with her selfishness.
Second, I feel as though they took an exceptionally sensitive subject and kicked it around in the dirt for a while. I would be interested in sitting around discussing the concept of euthanasia. However, I feel like this story focused on all the wrong arguments.
Third, this book did a huge disservice to the paraplegic and quadriplegic community. Even with the addition of the chat rooms with the other members of the community, there is a lot of emphasis on how life will inevitably blow until the end of time if you're in a wheelchair. It felt like a book that was intended to educate and inform people who maybe don't know much about this life and instead, they wrote an extremely whiny story about one man who's a giant asshole.
Fourth, Louisa's rape should have been a major plot point, treated as a juxtaposition to Will's accident. Instead, the treat Lou getting raped by a group of men as an after thought that Will cures with one conversation.
Fifth, the writing was lazy and the pacing was bad. It felt overly long and things were dragged out farther than they needed to be. Also, Will's family's money was a bit of an easy fix. Will could have top of the line everything. He could afford to go on fancy expensive trips. He could afford a nurse to come over several times a day. Imagine how much more real this story would be if Lou was the disabled person. Lou's mom would be the one responsible for her care. This would be a much more dire situation. Will comes across whiny because he has to rely on other people. He doesn't seem like a sad man in a bad situation. He seems like a whiny selfish asshole
Finally, what do these people have against therapy. When someone has been through an experience as traumatic as a car accident that leaves you paralyzed, you should probably speak to a therapist. I do not mean Nathan, the physical therapist. I mean a psychologist. I'm not saying Will wouldn't have ultimately made the same decision, but somehow I think trained licensed professional might have been a better option for Camilla Traynor to hire as opposed to unemployed waitress.
I know I'm apparently in the minority in this, but I HATED this book.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Force of Nature (Aaron Falk #2) in Books
Mar 2, 2018
Suspenseful (2 more)
Tense and fascinating
Intricate characters
Sucks you in immediately
Aaron Falk doesn't receive the voicemail until the morning. It's mostly garbled anyway, but he feels like he hears the strains of "hurt her" at the end. He doesn't think much of it until the woman who left the message, Alice Russell, doesn't return from a corporate retreat. Alice and four of her female colleagues went into the woods together. But when the women come out--bruised and battered--Alice isn't with them. Their stories don't quite match up about what happened, either. Aaron joins the investigation about Alice's disappearance as she's related to a case he's working with his partner, Carmen. He quickly realizes that nothing is as it seems deep inside the bushland. But is Alice simply missing, or worse?
I absolutely adored Jane Harper's first Aaron Falk novel, The Dry, and was really excited to see Aaron back again. He's a wonderful, complex character. Indeed, all the characters in THE DRY were so intricate and deep. Here, I was definitely sucked into the world Harper created again. I won't lie, beyond Aaron, most of the characters in FORCE OF NATURE are not easy to like. The five women who head off on this retreat are often despicable, whiny, and just plain mean. But, as the novel continues, we learn more about their motives and what drives them to act as they do. They may still be, well, despicable and mean, but there's a reason for it. There is no unformed character in a Jane Harper novel. Each comes with a backstory and a reason for every action.
It's nearly impossible not to get sucked into this book. The chapters alternate between the present, from Aaron's point of view as he tries to unravel things, and then flip to the near-past, slowly ticking down the events of the women at the retreat. The result is a nearly unbearable suspense at times, where I found myself wanting to scream, "What happened to Alice?!!" It's a slow, tense, fascinating build as we watch things fall apart for the group--getting lost in the deep woods--and seeing events unfold from there. We also see Aaron figuring out his own chain of events. The format works quite persuasively. Even better is that we get Aaron and Carmen's financial investigation thrown in as well. It adds a nuanced layer to the plot and the overall apprehension.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The characters are complex, and I really liked how their intricate personal lives intertwined. I'm not sure I loved this one quite as much as THE DRY, but part of that is because you can never quite replicate the joy and surprise of discovering a new, talented author again. Nonetheless, this is a great thriller that keeps you guessing with its nuanced characters. I certainly hope Aaron will be back for a third book.
I absolutely adored Jane Harper's first Aaron Falk novel, The Dry, and was really excited to see Aaron back again. He's a wonderful, complex character. Indeed, all the characters in THE DRY were so intricate and deep. Here, I was definitely sucked into the world Harper created again. I won't lie, beyond Aaron, most of the characters in FORCE OF NATURE are not easy to like. The five women who head off on this retreat are often despicable, whiny, and just plain mean. But, as the novel continues, we learn more about their motives and what drives them to act as they do. They may still be, well, despicable and mean, but there's a reason for it. There is no unformed character in a Jane Harper novel. Each comes with a backstory and a reason for every action.
It's nearly impossible not to get sucked into this book. The chapters alternate between the present, from Aaron's point of view as he tries to unravel things, and then flip to the near-past, slowly ticking down the events of the women at the retreat. The result is a nearly unbearable suspense at times, where I found myself wanting to scream, "What happened to Alice?!!" It's a slow, tense, fascinating build as we watch things fall apart for the group--getting lost in the deep woods--and seeing events unfold from there. We also see Aaron figuring out his own chain of events. The format works quite persuasively. Even better is that we get Aaron and Carmen's financial investigation thrown in as well. It adds a nuanced layer to the plot and the overall apprehension.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The characters are complex, and I really liked how their intricate personal lives intertwined. I'm not sure I loved this one quite as much as THE DRY, but part of that is because you can never quite replicate the joy and surprise of discovering a new, talented author again. Nonetheless, this is a great thriller that keeps you guessing with its nuanced characters. I certainly hope Aaron will be back for a third book.
Jimmy Ray Davis (0 KP) created a post
Mar 4, 2018
Kristin (149 KP) rated When the Siren Calls (The Siren, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Infidelity, fraud, and just plain ol' lying: That's what Julian "Jay" Brooke is all about. Whether he's running around with his mistress Lucy, trying to get into the pants of assistant Gina or the married Isobel, or selling timeshares at inflated prices to the filthy rich, Jay always has something up his sleeve. Can he get away with it all, or is it just a house of cards, waiting to come down?
Isobel Roberts is a married woman, on vacation with her husband in Morocco when she first encounters Jay, who saves her from an unsightly development in the market. From that point on, she thinks of him, her feelings growing into more than she's ready for, or so she thinks. What will she choose to do: Stay committed to her husband, or stray into the arms (and bed) of another (married) man?
There are so many characters in this book whose stories grab your attention (aside from Jay and Isobel). Lucy's feisty in trying to get her way in her relationship with Jay; Isobel's friend Maria is the no-nonsense birdie on Isobel's shoulder, helping her along throughout her decisions, whether good or bad; Andy Skinner is always trying to figure out just what Jay has pulled him into with this timeshare business in Tuscany, and whether or not he's getting screwed in the process; and so many more. With all the people involved, how long will it take for Jay's lies to come to the surface, or will he get away with everything?
Honestly, almost from the jump I wanted Jay to get caught at something, whether it was the infidelity, the fraud in Tuscany, just something. There's so many people in the world just like him, who think they're above everything and everyone and nothing can touch them, and I REALLY wanted someone to knock him down a peg (or several). There's schemes going on, underhanded business deals, price-gouging against "holiday tourists", and so much more. For the life of me, I wanted to just scream at all the characters to get them to catch onto it all.
The reason I dropped to 4 stars is because I got a little confused in the beginning as to the timeline, as weeks/months would pass between chapters, which bounce back and forth between characters, so I had a hard time keeping track for a little while. However, the time frame slows down, and it's easier to tell what's going on after the first quarter or so of the story.
Now, all that being said, DOES Jay ever get caught? Do his lies catch up to him, either in his personal or professional life, or does he get away scot-free? You'll have to read and see! =)
4 stars
Infidelity, fraud, and just plain ol' lying: That's what Julian "Jay" Brooke is all about. Whether he's running around with his mistress Lucy, trying to get into the pants of assistant Gina or the married Isobel, or selling timeshares at inflated prices to the filthy rich, Jay always has something up his sleeve. Can he get away with it all, or is it just a house of cards, waiting to come down?
Isobel Roberts is a married woman, on vacation with her husband in Morocco when she first encounters Jay, who saves her from an unsightly development in the market. From that point on, she thinks of him, her feelings growing into more than she's ready for, or so she thinks. What will she choose to do: Stay committed to her husband, or stray into the arms (and bed) of another (married) man?
There are so many characters in this book whose stories grab your attention (aside from Jay and Isobel). Lucy's feisty in trying to get her way in her relationship with Jay; Isobel's friend Maria is the no-nonsense birdie on Isobel's shoulder, helping her along throughout her decisions, whether good or bad; Andy Skinner is always trying to figure out just what Jay has pulled him into with this timeshare business in Tuscany, and whether or not he's getting screwed in the process; and so many more. With all the people involved, how long will it take for Jay's lies to come to the surface, or will he get away with everything?
Honestly, almost from the jump I wanted Jay to get caught at something, whether it was the infidelity, the fraud in Tuscany, just something. There's so many people in the world just like him, who think they're above everything and everyone and nothing can touch them, and I REALLY wanted someone to knock him down a peg (or several). There's schemes going on, underhanded business deals, price-gouging against "holiday tourists", and so much more. For the life of me, I wanted to just scream at all the characters to get them to catch onto it all.
The reason I dropped to 4 stars is because I got a little confused in the beginning as to the timeline, as weeks/months would pass between chapters, which bounce back and forth between characters, so I had a hard time keeping track for a little while. However, the time frame slows down, and it's easier to tell what's going on after the first quarter or so of the story.
Now, all that being said, DOES Jay ever get caught? Do his lies catch up to him, either in his personal or professional life, or does he get away scot-free? You'll have to read and see! =)
4 stars