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Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Once Upon A Wolf (Wayward Wolves #1) in Books
Feb 16, 2018
MAHOOSIVE sugar rush!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This book is the first in a new series by Rhys Ford. You all know I love her work, and this one is no exception! It came with a warning though, and I was curious as to how that warning would play out.
The warning?? It is "sweet, dammit!"
And it really is!
It's only short. just under 100 pages, but it packs such a sugar rush, I didn't even notice it was nearly finished, til I ran out of bloody book!
Gibson is looking after his brother, Ellis, who is stuck as his wolf. Something happened that trapped him there, we are not told what exactly, just hints are thrown, and I expect that (insert puppy dog eyes, all begging like at Ms Ford) Ellis will get his own story and all will then become clear. Ellis chases Zach, new owner of local bed and breakfast into the freezing lake, and Gibson has to save him from hypothermia. The fact the Zach pushes every single one of Gibson's buttons is not lost on Gibson, and all becomes clear as to why Ellis choose Zach later in the book.
Both Gibson and Zach have their say, and you get just enough of them both to fully engage you in their story, their here and now and their past.
It is sweet, almost sickly, but I think for these two guys, it is right their story be this way. There is very little actual physical stuff between the guys, and I was kinda expecting it to be totally clean, but it isn't, not quite. I think, maybe, even if it HAD been clean, I would still have loved it!
And love it I did! I had just finished a much longer, heavier book, and this was just what I needed at that time, hence the hang over cure tag.
So, a much needed, perfectly written, perfectly delivered, MAHOOSIVE sugar rush....
5 stars
ps, just remember, it IS sweet, dammit!
**same worded review will appear elsewehere**
This book is the first in a new series by Rhys Ford. You all know I love her work, and this one is no exception! It came with a warning though, and I was curious as to how that warning would play out.
The warning?? It is "sweet, dammit!"
And it really is!
It's only short. just under 100 pages, but it packs such a sugar rush, I didn't even notice it was nearly finished, til I ran out of bloody book!
Gibson is looking after his brother, Ellis, who is stuck as his wolf. Something happened that trapped him there, we are not told what exactly, just hints are thrown, and I expect that (insert puppy dog eyes, all begging like at Ms Ford) Ellis will get his own story and all will then become clear. Ellis chases Zach, new owner of local bed and breakfast into the freezing lake, and Gibson has to save him from hypothermia. The fact the Zach pushes every single one of Gibson's buttons is not lost on Gibson, and all becomes clear as to why Ellis choose Zach later in the book.
Both Gibson and Zach have their say, and you get just enough of them both to fully engage you in their story, their here and now and their past.
It is sweet, almost sickly, but I think for these two guys, it is right their story be this way. There is very little actual physical stuff between the guys, and I was kinda expecting it to be totally clean, but it isn't, not quite. I think, maybe, even if it HAD been clean, I would still have loved it!
And love it I did! I had just finished a much longer, heavier book, and this was just what I needed at that time, hence the hang over cure tag.
So, a much needed, perfectly written, perfectly delivered, MAHOOSIVE sugar rush....
5 stars
ps, just remember, it IS sweet, dammit!
**same worded review will appear elsewehere**
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Ballad of Sandy McNab in Books
Jan 9, 2020
The Ballad of Sandy McNab by Colin Mackenzie is an interesting childrens book with a very different art style. The back of the book claims that this book will be available as a childrens song (I have not looked for it as of yet). The way the book flows definitely lends itself to being a song.
A little green crab is minding his own business in his home when a shark shows up. The shark tries to trick the crab into going outside by asking him to come out and play. When the crab refuses the shark breaks in and tries to attack him. The little crab is quicker than the shark and pinches it until the shark leaves. With the shark gone the little crab can live peacefully again.
It is hard to pick out just one thing as my favorite when I think the entire book is great. The little crab pinching the sharks nose made me smile and a whale swallowing the shark was an ironic twist I was not expecting. As for what I did not like, its not exactly a complaint this time but more of something that people should be aware of when getting a book (or anything really) that is not from their country. On two pages there was a word that just felt wrong to me. One was barmy which given the context I believe means stupid. The other was nippers which I believe to be claws. While this is not a problem with this book people (like myself) should be prepared for language differences.
Parents will enjoy reading this short book to their children and may find that is is difficult to read it without singing it or adding emphasis on the verbal patterns. Also as children get older this is a book that they will still enjoy reading themselves. I give this childrens book a 4 out of 4 rating like so many others. The story is not overly long or detailed and the author clearly took time to structure a story around the rhymes. It keeps a steady rhythm that is frequently hard to accomplish. The story itself is cute with a crab besting a much larger opponent.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.come
A little green crab is minding his own business in his home when a shark shows up. The shark tries to trick the crab into going outside by asking him to come out and play. When the crab refuses the shark breaks in and tries to attack him. The little crab is quicker than the shark and pinches it until the shark leaves. With the shark gone the little crab can live peacefully again.
It is hard to pick out just one thing as my favorite when I think the entire book is great. The little crab pinching the sharks nose made me smile and a whale swallowing the shark was an ironic twist I was not expecting. As for what I did not like, its not exactly a complaint this time but more of something that people should be aware of when getting a book (or anything really) that is not from their country. On two pages there was a word that just felt wrong to me. One was barmy which given the context I believe means stupid. The other was nippers which I believe to be claws. While this is not a problem with this book people (like myself) should be prepared for language differences.
Parents will enjoy reading this short book to their children and may find that is is difficult to read it without singing it or adding emphasis on the verbal patterns. Also as children get older this is a book that they will still enjoy reading themselves. I give this childrens book a 4 out of 4 rating like so many others. The story is not overly long or detailed and the author clearly took time to structure a story around the rhymes. It keeps a steady rhythm that is frequently hard to accomplish. The story itself is cute with a crab besting a much larger opponent.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.come
Vera Brittain and the First World War: The Story of Testament of Youth
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Vera Brittain and the First World War tells the remarkable story of the author behind Testament of...
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
8.2
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'THE POLITICAL BOOK OF THE YEAR' Sunday Times SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE by director Ron...
VI
Vatican II Behind the Iron Curtain
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A substantial historiography has emerged across national and linguistic boundaries documenting the...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Killing Choice in Books
Jul 1, 2021
This novel is told from multiple perspectives, sharing the thoughts of a very wide variety of characters. The detectives Finn and Paulsen are the ones tasked to solve murders that happened in a very strange circumstances. This crime story is very strongly driven by it’s characters. There are a lot of thoughts shared not only by police, but by the victims’ family as well. The characters are very different and all of them troubled, none of the character is happy in this book. 😀 Every character analise different topic and different feelings, and it does become a little overwhelming sometimes. I really enjoyed the diversity and inclusion of the characters in this book, I like wider representation of people.
As I mentioned before, this novel is more character driven than the plot, that is why, I think the investigation part was quite thin in this book. The surprising discoveries just kind of appear, missing the juicy surprises while investigating. I think all the thinking parts made this book seem quite slow, but on the other hand it allowed the reader to get to know the characters better. I liked that this book has different storylines, and it was interesting to see how all the stories get connected at the end. The topics discussed in this book were all possible aspects of grief, family relationships, drug dealing, guilt, council estate life, mental health issues, revenge, and many more.
The writing style of this book is enjoyable and easy to read. The setting of this book keeps changing, depending on the character, and I really enjoyed that. When the book has many perspectives, I find it difficult to know who is who, especially when their names and surnames are being used without one another. Personally, I prefer either names or surnames, otherwise I am wondering who that person is. 😀 The chapters are pretty short and the pages just flew by for me. I liked the ending of this novel, it rounded up the story very nicely.
So, to conclude, it is a very thought provoking crime story, filled with complex and deeply troubled characters as well as a layered plot. It is a slow burner, that allows the reader to delve deeply into the character’s world.
As I mentioned before, this novel is more character driven than the plot, that is why, I think the investigation part was quite thin in this book. The surprising discoveries just kind of appear, missing the juicy surprises while investigating. I think all the thinking parts made this book seem quite slow, but on the other hand it allowed the reader to get to know the characters better. I liked that this book has different storylines, and it was interesting to see how all the stories get connected at the end. The topics discussed in this book were all possible aspects of grief, family relationships, drug dealing, guilt, council estate life, mental health issues, revenge, and many more.
The writing style of this book is enjoyable and easy to read. The setting of this book keeps changing, depending on the character, and I really enjoyed that. When the book has many perspectives, I find it difficult to know who is who, especially when their names and surnames are being used without one another. Personally, I prefer either names or surnames, otherwise I am wondering who that person is. 😀 The chapters are pretty short and the pages just flew by for me. I liked the ending of this novel, it rounded up the story very nicely.
So, to conclude, it is a very thought provoking crime story, filled with complex and deeply troubled characters as well as a layered plot. It is a slow burner, that allows the reader to delve deeply into the character’s world.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Girlfriend in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This whole story was told from three different perspectives, and I think Laura and Cherry shared the spotlight as the main characters, and Daniel was kind of supporting actor. I really enjoyed reading these different perspectives, I like to see what different characters think and how they analyze the situations. One thing was very obvious to me, that no one would be excepted into the “rich circle” with the name like Cherry. It just sounds trashy to me. I really enjoyed the unique personalities, which characters brought to this novel, as well as the complex relationships between each other. If I would have to pick my favourite in this book, I think it would be Daniel, I liked his personality and was feeling pity, that he was stuck in this crossfire.
Even though the narrative was sometimes quite repetitive to me, I enjoyed it. I liked the twists and turns which author incorporated in this novel, they made me more curious about what else the author has up her sleeve. I can easily see authors personal experience in this book. This book felt like some of the movies I saw, I think that’s where author’s knowledge of scripts and film industry comes in, as well as details of the TV serials which Laura was creating. I think that the daughter-in-law – mother-in-law relationship was quite realistic and relatable to some of the readers, I heard plenty of stories about evil mother-in-laws/ daughter-in-law.
I really enjoyed the easy flowing writing style of this novel, as well as great knowledge of London and rich people’s lifestyle. I loved the short chapters of this book, which kept me interested of what will happen next, till the last page. Even though the ending was quite predictable, I think it rounded up the story nicely and left me very satisfied with it. So, to conclude, it is a chilling thriller filled with unique characters and interesting story, which really hooked me, as I really wanted to see how this mother-in-law – daughter-in-law relationship will evolve. I really enjoyed it and I do recommend to give this book a try.
Even though the narrative was sometimes quite repetitive to me, I enjoyed it. I liked the twists and turns which author incorporated in this novel, they made me more curious about what else the author has up her sleeve. I can easily see authors personal experience in this book. This book felt like some of the movies I saw, I think that’s where author’s knowledge of scripts and film industry comes in, as well as details of the TV serials which Laura was creating. I think that the daughter-in-law – mother-in-law relationship was quite realistic and relatable to some of the readers, I heard plenty of stories about evil mother-in-laws/ daughter-in-law.
I really enjoyed the easy flowing writing style of this novel, as well as great knowledge of London and rich people’s lifestyle. I loved the short chapters of this book, which kept me interested of what will happen next, till the last page. Even though the ending was quite predictable, I think it rounded up the story nicely and left me very satisfied with it. So, to conclude, it is a chilling thriller filled with unique characters and interesting story, which really hooked me, as I really wanted to see how this mother-in-law – daughter-in-law relationship will evolve. I really enjoyed it and I do recommend to give this book a try.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Bombshell (2019) in Movies
Sep 12, 2020
Powerful viewing
I'd really wanted to see this at the cinema but sadly never got round to it as it had such a limited run at my local, and to be honest seeing it now I'm a little frustrated I never got the chance.
This is a powerful film in more than one way - powerful story, powering acting and powerful in it's way of highlighting a very real problem. The acting is tremendous by everyone involved, even those with smaller bit parts like Kate McKinnon, Alison Janney etc, they all shone with whatever they had to work with. The three leads, Theron and Robbie especially, were brilliant. I'll admit it took me a while to get used to Theron's prosthetics and voice, and to be frank whilst I rate Nicole Kidman as an actress, her botox and far too smooth skin with an inability to emote really lets her down. And then there's John Lithgow too, he's faultless and nails that slimy yet charming and likeable character that Ailes is portrayed as being.
The main thing that let this down was the beginning. The direct address to camera/breaking 4th wall might have worked in The Big Short for writer Charles Randolph, it really didn't work here. It was no doubt meant to lighten the mood and provide some comic relief as it did in TBS, but here it just felt inappropriate. This is a serious issue and a serious story, and shouldn't be made light of.
Once it gets over this initial blip, this film really gets going. I was gripped by this fascinating story that I didnt know a huge amount about and this was helped by the decent pace and under 2 hour runtime - have filmmakers finally realised a film doesn't have to be over 2 hours to be good?!
Whilst 'enjoyed' isn't probably the right word considering the subject matter, this is a fantastic and powerful film. I found it gave me a massive sense of empowerment and if it hadn't have been for the initial blip in storytelling device, I wouldve rated this higher.
This is a powerful film in more than one way - powerful story, powering acting and powerful in it's way of highlighting a very real problem. The acting is tremendous by everyone involved, even those with smaller bit parts like Kate McKinnon, Alison Janney etc, they all shone with whatever they had to work with. The three leads, Theron and Robbie especially, were brilliant. I'll admit it took me a while to get used to Theron's prosthetics and voice, and to be frank whilst I rate Nicole Kidman as an actress, her botox and far too smooth skin with an inability to emote really lets her down. And then there's John Lithgow too, he's faultless and nails that slimy yet charming and likeable character that Ailes is portrayed as being.
The main thing that let this down was the beginning. The direct address to camera/breaking 4th wall might have worked in The Big Short for writer Charles Randolph, it really didn't work here. It was no doubt meant to lighten the mood and provide some comic relief as it did in TBS, but here it just felt inappropriate. This is a serious issue and a serious story, and shouldn't be made light of.
Once it gets over this initial blip, this film really gets going. I was gripped by this fascinating story that I didnt know a huge amount about and this was helped by the decent pace and under 2 hour runtime - have filmmakers finally realised a film doesn't have to be over 2 hours to be good?!
Whilst 'enjoyed' isn't probably the right word considering the subject matter, this is a fantastic and powerful film. I found it gave me a massive sense of empowerment and if it hadn't have been for the initial blip in storytelling device, I wouldve rated this higher.
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Same Time Next Year in Books
Sep 10, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Genre: Contemporary
Word Count: 4,560
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.27/5 stars
My rating: 4.5/5 stars
It’s not often a book can surprise me. But Same Time Next Year totally took me off guard.
Every year, for the past either years, Regina White and Tyler Harrison meet at the same hotel, in two connecting rooms for one night.
The receptionist, Elizabeth, thinks she has the whole situation figured out. But she doesn’t know what this night means to the mysterious couple. And somehow she can’t stop thinking about them anyway.
You can read Same Time Next Year for free on Smashwords.
At first I thought I wasn’t going to like this story. I thought it was about two people leaving their depressing and dull lives to have one night of infidelity and debauchery a year, like some sort of modern day fairy tale. On top of that, the “good” character, Elizabeth, is kind of a bitch who is quick to condemn and judge Regina, but smile and admire Tyler.
It’s one thing to disapprove of adultery, it’s another thing to have double standards about it.
But despite my misgivings at first, I got sucked into the very hot sex scene quickly.
“No, I don’t want champagne. I want you. Naked. And wet. And begging.”
Gotta love good dirty talk. Unfortunately the scene ends abruptly and before the couple gets to the really good part, if you know what I mean. 😉
For such a short story there is actually a lot of character development. We learn that Tyler and Regina met at a conference years ago, when they had those two hotel rooms by coincidence. Tyler loves how Regina’s strong and confident in public, but a little submissive in the bedroom. Regina loves how Tyler still wants her, and how he’s always willing to please her. They have great chemistry together and I love how they’re still attracted to each other after all those years, and always come back to the same hotel.
My only complaint, aside from the abrupt end to the sex scene, is Elizabeth. I get why she’s necessary to the story, but she’s undeveloped and unlikeable, and I wish she was gone.
Word Count: 4,560
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.27/5 stars
My rating: 4.5/5 stars
It’s not often a book can surprise me. But Same Time Next Year totally took me off guard.
Every year, for the past either years, Regina White and Tyler Harrison meet at the same hotel, in two connecting rooms for one night.
The receptionist, Elizabeth, thinks she has the whole situation figured out. But she doesn’t know what this night means to the mysterious couple. And somehow she can’t stop thinking about them anyway.
You can read Same Time Next Year for free on Smashwords.
At first I thought I wasn’t going to like this story. I thought it was about two people leaving their depressing and dull lives to have one night of infidelity and debauchery a year, like some sort of modern day fairy tale. On top of that, the “good” character, Elizabeth, is kind of a bitch who is quick to condemn and judge Regina, but smile and admire Tyler.
It’s one thing to disapprove of adultery, it’s another thing to have double standards about it.
But despite my misgivings at first, I got sucked into the very hot sex scene quickly.
“No, I don’t want champagne. I want you. Naked. And wet. And begging.”
Gotta love good dirty talk. Unfortunately the scene ends abruptly and before the couple gets to the really good part, if you know what I mean. 😉
For such a short story there is actually a lot of character development. We learn that Tyler and Regina met at a conference years ago, when they had those two hotel rooms by coincidence. Tyler loves how Regina’s strong and confident in public, but a little submissive in the bedroom. Regina loves how Tyler still wants her, and how he’s always willing to please her. They have great chemistry together and I love how they’re still attracted to each other after all those years, and always come back to the same hotel.
My only complaint, aside from the abrupt end to the sex scene, is Elizabeth. I get why she’s necessary to the story, but she’s undeveloped and unlikeable, and I wish she was gone.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Elephant Mountains in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book is set in New Orleans and the surrounding areas, which is near where I am from, so I was intrigued by the book. The post-apocalyptic story line is reminiscent of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, but on a grander scale. The language, the culture, the people -- all are true to the New Orleans area.
Right away I was struck by the simplistic nature of the writing. This is Scott Ely's first book in the Young Adult genre, which I could easily guess from what the writing lacked. One major thing that bothered me throughout the book was Ely's habit of "telling" instead of "showing." He repeatedly made statements in the book like this: "She went on to tell him that their house was close by, on high ground, and they thought they could live upstairs." (page 38) Why couldn't Ely have written this out in dialogue. This kind of writing is littered throughout the text, and it left me feeling like I had been shorted a proper book. At a little over 200 pages in length, this book was too short for my expectations. I normally love dystopia, but this one was disappointing.
The main character Stephen was a likable character, but he seemed to be both extremely lucky and a kind of talisman for death. I understand that the conditions of the area that Stephen was traveling through were extremely dangerous with very limited resources, but did just about every single person that Stephen came across have to die? That strikes me as overkill, pardon the pun.
I also did not understand the ending. If there really was as much flooding as the radio continuously announced, then Stephen would have needed to travel much further than he did to find dry ground.
I gave the book three stars because I really liked the premise of the book, though it fell short of my expectations.
Right away I was struck by the simplistic nature of the writing. This is Scott Ely's first book in the Young Adult genre, which I could easily guess from what the writing lacked. One major thing that bothered me throughout the book was Ely's habit of "telling" instead of "showing." He repeatedly made statements in the book like this: "She went on to tell him that their house was close by, on high ground, and they thought they could live upstairs." (page 38) Why couldn't Ely have written this out in dialogue. This kind of writing is littered throughout the text, and it left me feeling like I had been shorted a proper book. At a little over 200 pages in length, this book was too short for my expectations. I normally love dystopia, but this one was disappointing.
The main character Stephen was a likable character, but he seemed to be both extremely lucky and a kind of talisman for death. I understand that the conditions of the area that Stephen was traveling through were extremely dangerous with very limited resources, but did just about every single person that Stephen came across have to die? That strikes me as overkill, pardon the pun.
I also did not understand the ending. If there really was as much flooding as the radio continuously announced, then Stephen would have needed to travel much further than he did to find dry ground.
I gave the book three stars because I really liked the premise of the book, though it fell short of my expectations.