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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2163 KP) rated Haunted House Murder in Books
Aug 17, 2022
Weak Novella
Halloween is coming, but everyone in Tinker’s Cove is talking about the old, abandoned house in town. While it looks run down from the outside, someone has bought it and moved in during the middle of the night. However, they aren’t very friendly, rebuffing Lucy’s and other’s attempts to welcome them to town. Then the rumors start flying and strange events start happening. What is really going on in this house?
I know that the Lucy Stone series is extremely popular, but I struggle to get through the stories I have read. Part of it is Lucy’s family. I haven’t spent enough time with them to look past their faults and love them, I guess. And, let’s face it, that is often what we have to do with people in real life. In this case, I found the story to be better suited to a short story than even a novella. It’s not bad, but it felt drawn out and a little forced.
NOTE: This story is a novella, roughly 100 pages, and was originally part of the novella collection Haunted House Murder. If you have that book, there is no need to buy this ebook. If you haven’t read the story, now is the time consider this Halloween trip to Maine.
I know that the Lucy Stone series is extremely popular, but I struggle to get through the stories I have read. Part of it is Lucy’s family. I haven’t spent enough time with them to look past their faults and love them, I guess. And, let’s face it, that is often what we have to do with people in real life. In this case, I found the story to be better suited to a short story than even a novella. It’s not bad, but it felt drawn out and a little forced.
NOTE: This story is a novella, roughly 100 pages, and was originally part of the novella collection Haunted House Murder. If you have that book, there is no need to buy this ebook. If you haven’t read the story, now is the time consider this Halloween trip to Maine.
Gareth von Kallenbach (974 KP) rated The Box (2009) in Movies
Aug 9, 2019
Norma Lewis (Cameron Diaz) and her husband, Arthur Lewis (James Marsden), are having a bad day. She just found out her educational scholarship will be ending and he is not going to become an astronaut even when he fits the bill. It is on this particularly challenging day that a mysterious box arrives on their doorstep. The package contains a button which when pressed is worth a million dollar payout but also will kill a random person unknown to the button pusher. Should they push the button and what happens if they do?
Based on the short story Button, Button by Richard Mathason, “The Box” stays true to Mathason’s one of a kind style. It is an interesting premise, and would make an interesting television episode, but falters as a full-length film.
“The Box” gives almost nothing to viewers, running so far off the original ‘push the button, don’t push the button’ issue as to baffle audiences. The more time goes on the more ridiculous the plot becomes and as a viewer you begin to wonder if the movie will ever end.
Furthering the joylessness of “the Box” is the overabundant use of 1970s décor and objects. Not at all subtle, the film’s need to beat you over the head with the time period is distracting from the plot of this already shaky film. Far to blatant to be unnoticeable, you leave the film not entirely sure what has happened but very sure it happened in the 1970s.
This is not to say that the film doesn’t offer some satisfaction, but the work put into stretching this short story into a full-length feature film leaves many lingering questions for the viewer.
So if you really enjoy a yellowish tint to your film going experience or overly blatant references to the 1970s you should definitely go see “The Box” but if you lack these offbeat qualities I suggest quickly reading the short story.
Based on the short story Button, Button by Richard Mathason, “The Box” stays true to Mathason’s one of a kind style. It is an interesting premise, and would make an interesting television episode, but falters as a full-length film.
“The Box” gives almost nothing to viewers, running so far off the original ‘push the button, don’t push the button’ issue as to baffle audiences. The more time goes on the more ridiculous the plot becomes and as a viewer you begin to wonder if the movie will ever end.
Furthering the joylessness of “the Box” is the overabundant use of 1970s décor and objects. Not at all subtle, the film’s need to beat you over the head with the time period is distracting from the plot of this already shaky film. Far to blatant to be unnoticeable, you leave the film not entirely sure what has happened but very sure it happened in the 1970s.
This is not to say that the film doesn’t offer some satisfaction, but the work put into stretching this short story into a full-length feature film leaves many lingering questions for the viewer.
So if you really enjoy a yellowish tint to your film going experience or overly blatant references to the 1970s you should definitely go see “The Box” but if you lack these offbeat qualities I suggest quickly reading the short story.
HannahN93 (1 KP) rated Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) in Books
Aug 19, 2018
Character development (2 more)
Plot twist
Ability to envision world
My most recommended book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, in the short time I was reading it (I couldn't put it down!). This was the first dystopia book I have purchased and would definitely do so again.
I had fun getting to know the characters and understanding how their world worked, relating it to our world now and wondering how we would cope in the same situation.
I felt like I knew where the story was going all the time, until, PLOT TWIST after plot twist was thrown my way! I think this is what made it difficult to put down. I just wanted to know the next part of the story.
I will definitely be buying the next book to read, I hope it's just as good as this one was.
I had fun getting to know the characters and understanding how their world worked, relating it to our world now and wondering how we would cope in the same situation.
I felt like I knew where the story was going all the time, until, PLOT TWIST after plot twist was thrown my way! I think this is what made it difficult to put down. I just wanted to know the next part of the story.
I will definitely be buying the next book to read, I hope it's just as good as this one was.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Thanos Rising in Books
Oct 24, 2018
Decent short backstory for the big screen super-baddie
This 5 issue collection gives a backstory to Thanos and adds some explanation for why he is the way he is. Certain elements of this fit in with the Jim Starlin Infinity Gauntlet/War books but add an interesting few viewpoints and aspects of his persona.
Around half of the story deals with Thanos' childhood, growing up different on the perfect Titan and how this started to warp his mind, and then leads in to him travelling the universe exploring as a pacifist and siring numerous children (this section fitting in nicely with the Jonathan Hickman Infinity epic), finishing with his final arrival at Mad Tyrant Central.
Strong artwork throughout and a decent story make this a good attempt at putting some meat on the bones of Thanos' backstory.
Around half of the story deals with Thanos' childhood, growing up different on the perfect Titan and how this started to warp his mind, and then leads in to him travelling the universe exploring as a pacifist and siring numerous children (this section fitting in nicely with the Jonathan Hickman Infinity epic), finishing with his final arrival at Mad Tyrant Central.
Strong artwork throughout and a decent story make this a good attempt at putting some meat on the bones of Thanos' backstory.
Roxanne (13 KP) rated We Are All Completely Fine in Books
Nov 14, 2018
<i>I got an ARC of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.</i>
<b>4 Star Rating</b> ____
So many of my Goodreads friends were reading this book and very much enjoying it so I thought I would give it a go too.
I was very pleasantly surprised after I devoured this grim story, I liked it A LOT!
What starts out as a group therapy session turns into something ever so dark and sinister and it was wonderfully executed. I felt for every character within the story and I really didn't want it to end. This leads me on to the only negative that I found which was that it was so short...I was really getting into it when it ended, however, I am very hopeful that there will be a sequel.
<b>4 Star Rating</b> ____
So many of my Goodreads friends were reading this book and very much enjoying it so I thought I would give it a go too.
I was very pleasantly surprised after I devoured this grim story, I liked it A LOT!
What starts out as a group therapy session turns into something ever so dark and sinister and it was wonderfully executed. I felt for every character within the story and I really didn't want it to end. This leads me on to the only negative that I found which was that it was so short...I was really getting into it when it ended, however, I am very hopeful that there will be a sequel.
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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Christmas in the Park in Books
Sep 24, 2020
When I read the description of this book I was really excited to read it. But what I noticed that the book description provided, actually gives away all book, no mystery left. This is a short light love story which would be great as a movie script for Hallmark Channel. Unfortunately it did not impress me. The characters in the book were quite weak and not very interesting. I thought this book supposed to be festive, but all festivity was wrapped up into one chapter, last chapter to be accurate. It would’ve been good if some twists and drama would’ve been involved. I think it was quite corny and not very original story. To conclude, it is a good book if you into something to pass your time with a little bit of fun and romance.
What Remains Of Edith Finch
8.1
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What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of short stories about a cursed family in Washington...