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Tami (7 KP) rated Out of the Shadows in Books
Jul 15, 2018
I was very pleased with this book. The characters were likable and brought me great joy when things worked out for them in the end.
The storyline kept me wanting more from page one.
I appreciated that the love scene was further into the book (steamy too) because it gave you something to process their love interets before totally turning it into a sex fest (not that this book is a sex fest, I just hate books that do that.)
I wish the story would have had a little bit more meat on it, it is a short read. I would have liked to have had more backstory on the characters and more of the ex-boyfriend storyline.
I know that the Aztec gods were depicted based on the actual gods, but I, personally, wished that they were a little more pronouceable. I spend a lot of time skimming over the names which left me a little confused as to which god was doing what.
3 1/2 stars leaning toward 4. I plan on reading book 2, so it couldn’t have been that bad.
The storyline kept me wanting more from page one.
I appreciated that the love scene was further into the book (steamy too) because it gave you something to process their love interets before totally turning it into a sex fest (not that this book is a sex fest, I just hate books that do that.)
I wish the story would have had a little bit more meat on it, it is a short read. I would have liked to have had more backstory on the characters and more of the ex-boyfriend storyline.
I know that the Aztec gods were depicted based on the actual gods, but I, personally, wished that they were a little more pronouceable. I spend a lot of time skimming over the names which left me a little confused as to which god was doing what.
3 1/2 stars leaning toward 4. I plan on reading book 2, so it couldn’t have been that bad.
CassidyTristyn (189 KP) rated Escaping the Holocaust: A True Story in Books
Aug 14, 2018
Content (2 more)
Good length for young readers
Quick read
Contains spoilers, click to show
I have read several Holocaust novels and each one never fails to give me new insight into that dark period of history. This book was no different. Having very recently read The Book Thief I was curious as to how much I'd like this book since I loved the other, and overall I enjoyed the read. Overall it took me maybe three hours to read the book. It is suggested for 5th-7th graders and I agree that is an appropriate age group despite the content. While it discusses World War 2 and the Holocaust it doesn't have any gory or too intense content that younger readers couldn't enjoy it. The story itself is a narrative of ones boys experience of his time in Poland when World War 2 began. He details him and his mother's journey across Poland and eventually into Hungary. It gives an innocents perspective on the events of war. It's a short read if you are just looking for something quick and entertaining. It would also be a good book to use to introduce your child or any young reader to dark topics such as the Holocaust.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) in Movies
Nov 9, 2018
The 2016 adaptation of one of the best-known, most iconic graphic novels of all time had massive shoes to fill. For me, it fell a little short, but was saved by the voice-acting and by, largely, sticking to the storyline it had to work with.
Before we get into the Killing Joke story proper, there is an added storyline following the relationship between Batman and Batgirl. This, plus the more cartoon-y style of the animation were a definite downer for a first 20 minutes. It doesn't really add anything to the overall piece, there is no apparent impact on Batman's actions as a result of their relationship.
That aside, this is a thrilling, gripping adaptation of the book, which sticks close to it. We learn about the Joker's backstory and first interaction with Batman, and we see that he has got into Batman's head as he always wanted.
The use of Mark Hamill as Mr J is excellent, his voice totally captures the Joker's madness, softness and violence.
A great spend of an hour, but something of a let-down from the book.
Before we get into the Killing Joke story proper, there is an added storyline following the relationship between Batman and Batgirl. This, plus the more cartoon-y style of the animation were a definite downer for a first 20 minutes. It doesn't really add anything to the overall piece, there is no apparent impact on Batman's actions as a result of their relationship.
That aside, this is a thrilling, gripping adaptation of the book, which sticks close to it. We learn about the Joker's backstory and first interaction with Batman, and we see that he has got into Batman's head as he always wanted.
The use of Mark Hamill as Mr J is excellent, his voice totally captures the Joker's madness, softness and violence.
A great spend of an hour, but something of a let-down from the book.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Selfless (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
I’ll keep this short.
What if the extremely brilliant minds, could live another 50 years on this earth after their body is about to expire by transporting their mind into a new, younger body…could those minds continue to create amazing legacy? This is the premise for the film Self/less. Ben Kingsley plays Damian, a wealthy business tycoon type who is dying of cancer decides to “shed” his body for a younger healthy body. That body is played by Ryan Reynolds. But when things do not exactly turn out as they appear to be, Damian has a crisis of conscience and has to decide what is right.
That being said, somewhere in this film there is a good story…they just forgot to show us the right chapters. And thus a movie about identity, doesn’t know what it is. Instead of a great nuanced psychological thriller, we get a ho-hummed derivate small action film that is not something terrible to watch, but not something encouraging you to seek it out. In the end, this is really a redbox movie. And that’s a shame
http://sknr.net/2015/07/10/selfless/
What if the extremely brilliant minds, could live another 50 years on this earth after their body is about to expire by transporting their mind into a new, younger body…could those minds continue to create amazing legacy? This is the premise for the film Self/less. Ben Kingsley plays Damian, a wealthy business tycoon type who is dying of cancer decides to “shed” his body for a younger healthy body. That body is played by Ryan Reynolds. But when things do not exactly turn out as they appear to be, Damian has a crisis of conscience and has to decide what is right.
That being said, somewhere in this film there is a good story…they just forgot to show us the right chapters. And thus a movie about identity, doesn’t know what it is. Instead of a great nuanced psychological thriller, we get a ho-hummed derivate small action film that is not something terrible to watch, but not something encouraging you to seek it out. In the end, this is really a redbox movie. And that’s a shame
http://sknr.net/2015/07/10/selfless/
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Hasty for the Dark in Books
Aug 9, 2019
Must read for horror fans
This is a book with selected short stories from Adam Nevill. All dark and twisted in their own right.
<strong>Brilliant</strong>
Wow my anxiety levels reading these stories were through the roof! From the very first to the very last, each story had a new way of making me want to close the book and find something fluffy and happy to read.
Adam Nevill has such an amazing way of bringing you right into the world he's created. Being from Birmingham reading Always in our hearts really struck home as I read about familiar roads I travel daily I was able to feel the anxiety he built up travelling those roads too. The character creation is next to none I just can't believe it's taken this long to read these brilliant stories!!
I had a few sleepless nights also throw a few nightmares in too. They are so dark and twisted playing on emotional and mental well-being of the characters, which are done so well.
Definitely a must read for any Horror fan!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

<strong>Brilliant</strong>
Wow my anxiety levels reading these stories were through the roof! From the very first to the very last, each story had a new way of making me want to close the book and find something fluffy and happy to read.
Adam Nevill has such an amazing way of bringing you right into the world he's created. Being from Birmingham reading Always in our hearts really struck home as I read about familiar roads I travel daily I was able to feel the anxiety he built up travelling those roads too. The character creation is next to none I just can't believe it's taken this long to read these brilliant stories!!
I had a few sleepless nights also throw a few nightmares in too. They are so dark and twisted playing on emotional and mental well-being of the characters, which are done so well.
Definitely a must read for any Horror fan!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fred (860 KP) rated Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) in Movies
Jan 22, 2019
Almost all of the classic characters are here! (2 more)
Roger is a great new "classic" character
Bob Hoskins & Christopher Lloyd are great!
A masterpiece of American animation
The movie starts with a cartoon that could just about pass as one of our favorite cartoons from the 40s (if not for the computer-hand-drawn objects within) & from there, it's non-stop. We're treated to a noir, but very colorful, detective story filled with American animations best characters. Characters from different studios share the screen for the first time ever. Bugs & Mickey, Donald & Daffy & a scene at the end which has just about everybody. The mixture of live-action with animation is nothing short of remarkable & a great technical achievement. Of course, they would not seem to interact so well if not for the human actors themselves. A lot of times, even today, when actors are working against nothing, they seem to stare to the wrong spot or past the character. But in Roger Rabbit, it's not the case. Hoskins is great at keeping this illusion. I heard there may be a sequel in the works & hope that it's true. Hopefully, they get the rights to Popeye this time.
Deborah (162 KP) rated The River of No Return in Books
Dec 21, 2018
At nearly 600 pages, this isn't a short read (although the font is quite large.....) and although, after a slowish start, I did really get into the book, the ending left me feeling disappointed - not enough to give 4 starts this time. The right ingredients are all there, it's just that this is a pretty long book and at the end of it we got very little explanation or resolution of story threads. It was more like Part One of a larger novel than book one of a series because so little is resolved at the end of this, so it doesn't really work as a standalone novel.
My more usual reading matter tends towards historical fiction/mystery/romance, do maybe this was why I was happier once we were back in the Georgian period than in the modern, or maybe it just took a while to get going. We are nearly a third into the book before the big jump back in time takes place, so maybe it wasn't just a feeling. A lot of the stuff beforehand is trying to explain and set up the plot rather than just let it happen.
My more usual reading matter tends towards historical fiction/mystery/romance, do maybe this was why I was happier once we were back in the Georgian period than in the modern, or maybe it just took a while to get going. We are nearly a third into the book before the big jump back in time takes place, so maybe it wasn't just a feeling. A lot of the stuff beforehand is trying to explain and set up the plot rather than just let it happen.
Jake (52 KP) rated Morning Star in Books
Jul 25, 2019
Woah. Sheer intensity in written form.
Let me preface why I gave this only 4 stars instead of 5.
The series overall was riddled with crude humor and repulsive language, the depth and level of which blew past my personal tolerance levels. Also, human life was never so cheap: from the immensely violent bloody beheadings to the mass deaths and gory fight scenes, grisly death could be found in probably every other chapter. In short, I could not recommend this book to my mother.
That being said, the story and saga of Darrow pulled at my heart like no book I've ever read. The themes of death, destruction, and despair that surrounded Darrow crushed me. It was only the pure dream of the "good guys" fighting for a better world that made it possible to read through the extreme agony. The themes of love, betrayal, friendship, and trust left me emotionally drained sometimes. These elements made it so that I literally couldn't put the book down.
It is an epic journey, it is a moving (although harsh) masterpiece, and I will never forget this book or series.
Let me preface why I gave this only 4 stars instead of 5.
The series overall was riddled with crude humor and repulsive language, the depth and level of which blew past my personal tolerance levels. Also, human life was never so cheap: from the immensely violent bloody beheadings to the mass deaths and gory fight scenes, grisly death could be found in probably every other chapter. In short, I could not recommend this book to my mother.
That being said, the story and saga of Darrow pulled at my heart like no book I've ever read. The themes of death, destruction, and despair that surrounded Darrow crushed me. It was only the pure dream of the "good guys" fighting for a better world that made it possible to read through the extreme agony. The themes of love, betrayal, friendship, and trust left me emotionally drained sometimes. These elements made it so that I literally couldn't put the book down.
It is an epic journey, it is a moving (although harsh) masterpiece, and I will never forget this book or series.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated One Past Midnight: The Langoliers in Books
Mar 28, 2020
Just Because
Stephen King does it once again with this book. The first short story in Four Past Midnight will keep readers up well past midnight trying to finish it in one sitting.
When a plane flies through a natural phenomenon mistaken for the Aurora Boralice something very strange happens. All of the passengers (including the piolet) who were awake disappear and only those who were asleep find themselves still on the plane. This mismatched group must figure out how to land the plane safely and decide what just happened. They manage to land in a strange area that resembles an airport like what they are used to but there are no people, sounds carry weird, and the food is tasteless, plus there is a chewing noise getting closer and closer to them.
When a plane flies through a natural phenomenon mistaken for the Aurora Boralice something very strange happens. All of the passengers (including the piolet) who were awake disappear and only those who were asleep find themselves still on the plane. This mismatched group must figure out how to land the plane safely and decide what just happened. They manage to land in a strange area that resembles an airport like what they are used to but there are no people, sounds carry weird, and the food is tasteless, plus there is a chewing noise getting closer and closer to them.
AT (1676 KP) rated Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma in Books
Apr 23, 2020
I know that the anime is popular, but I haven't gotten around to watching it yet. I wasn't sure that I'd like the manga, but I grabbed volume 1 recently, and was pleasantly surprised! I had expected it to be like a textbook cookbook type of manga that gets too into the recipes and ends up being boring. However, Food Wars is a good mix and keeps the storyline light and interesting. You're not turning page after page of the same diagrammed, cutely drawn recipe. The main characters do talk their way through their cooking times, but it's not overly drawn out. Some manga series have that magical "it" factor, and some definitely don't. This one seems to have it. It's cute, funny, has a good protagonist, and everything that revolves around him on the outskirts is interesting in its own way, as well. There's enough to carry an actual story, and enough motion in the plot to keep the action moving. Volume 1 also includes the short that was originally featured in Shonen Jump, but I'm glad the details were reworked. Overall, I think it will be a cute series.