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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Disjointed Lives in Books
Jul 20, 2018
An unexpected gem
I won a copy of this in a Smashbomb giveaway (thank you @Smashbomb!) and am now giving my entirely honest and unbiased review.
This is the first time ive read any of Morgan Sheppard’s work, and I can safely say that I will be doing again going forwards. I read this in its entirety on a very long and tedious train journey for work, and I can honestly say it really brightened up my commute!
This is only a short story, but it is very well written with a surprisingly simple premise. On the surface the premise seems almost too basic, but it really works. It’s surprising how effective and interesting a story about someone reciting their past can be. The two main characters are likeable and relatable and I’m sure most readers would recognise parts of themselves in this. The situation and story itself has a lot of relevance to relationships and today’s society.
I do have a couple of criticisms but these are pretty minor. One issue is some of the dialogue comes across as a little stilted and awkward and doesn’t flow quite as well as a normal real life conversation would. My other criticism actually has a massive compliment wrapped up in it - this story is far too short! I enjoyed reading this very much and wasn’t happy when it ended as I wanted more and would happily have read more. I feel like this could have been made into a much longer and more detailed story and it still could’ve been just as good. There’s a lot of potential here!
This is the first time ive read any of Morgan Sheppard’s work, and I can safely say that I will be doing again going forwards. I read this in its entirety on a very long and tedious train journey for work, and I can honestly say it really brightened up my commute!
This is only a short story, but it is very well written with a surprisingly simple premise. On the surface the premise seems almost too basic, but it really works. It’s surprising how effective and interesting a story about someone reciting their past can be. The two main characters are likeable and relatable and I’m sure most readers would recognise parts of themselves in this. The situation and story itself has a lot of relevance to relationships and today’s society.
I do have a couple of criticisms but these are pretty minor. One issue is some of the dialogue comes across as a little stilted and awkward and doesn’t flow quite as well as a normal real life conversation would. My other criticism actually has a massive compliment wrapped up in it - this story is far too short! I enjoyed reading this very much and wasn’t happy when it ended as I wanted more and would happily have read more. I feel like this could have been made into a much longer and more detailed story and it still could’ve been just as good. There’s a lot of potential here!
ClareR (6238 KP) rated Blanket of Snow in Books
Apr 29, 2019
This picks up where The Eye of the Storm ended. If you’ve wondered what happened to Lydia and her mates, then this short story begins to tell you just that. Lydia seems much more at home in her own (wolf) skin, but she still has a secret that she’s keeping from her mates. This was only an hour long read, but it was such a GOOD read! I’m really looking forward to more from the Surrey pack in the future!
Alex Trybus (79 KP) rated For One More Day in Books
Jan 27, 2018
Told from a fantastic point of view (1 more)
Very easy to understand, yet very deep and meaningful
Beautiful, sad story that will make you hug your loved ones a little longer
"I adored this book. In typical Mitch Albom fashion, it was short and to the point (only around 200 pages), but it still brought on countless emotions about desire, regret, longing, and wasting time. For One More Day will make you hug your loved ones a little longer." -from my Bookstagram account, rorythereader .
Cynthia Armistead (17 KP) rated The Dragons of Hazlett in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Eh. I'm trying to be gentle, assuming that this must be a very early effort. The magic system simply didn't make sense to me. The entire society, in fact, seems nonsensical. A world in which magic reigns supreme, and the simplest devices (like wheels and levers) are regarded as diabolical? Nonsense. By the end, it felt like an intellectual exercise carried to an extreme. I can see using the conceit for a short story, but it just can't support a novel.
Dean (6927 KP) rated The Lawnmower Man (1992) in Movies
Jun 29, 2018
Wow looking so outdated now, and Virtual reality is barely used these days. Didn't take off like it was predicted. This is based on a short story by Stephen King, surprised to see a young Pierce Brosnan in this. The graphics for the virtual reality scenes look like an arcade game from the era. It's not very original, yet some how got a sequel a few years later. For a good film about Virtual reality check out the much better eXistenZ!
Rachel Maria Berney (114 KP) rated The Long Walk in Books
Dec 5, 2018
The main character (1 more)
The idea
One of my favourite King stories
This is one of the best Stephen King stories I have read. It has an eerie, creepy feel to it, which keeps you hanging on till the end. Not everything is explained, but that's what makes a good short story, when they leave it up to your magination to fill in the gaps. All the Bachman Books are good, this one is the best; it is King at his best.
David McK (3801 KP) rated Soldier of Fortune (Captain Rawson, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
I picked this book up for something like £2 in The Works (kinda like Bargain Books), and now I know why.
Set during the Wars of Marlborough, I was hoping for an exciting and interesting story during which I might learn something new. Unfortunately, the novel was pretty bland: both in plot and execution. The prose was never really that gripping; none of the characters were that interesting and elements of the plot were just, well, silly.
In short: meh.
Set during the Wars of Marlborough, I was hoping for an exciting and interesting story during which I might learn something new. Unfortunately, the novel was pretty bland: both in plot and execution. The prose was never really that gripping; none of the characters were that interesting and elements of the plot were just, well, silly.
In short: meh.
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated A Wrinkle in Time in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Firstly, this was the second time I have read this book, having read it during my childhood. I decided to re-read it in honor of the new movie. I find myself liking this story mostly out of nostalgia. It is a fun adventure and I enjoy the characters and scientific theme. It is a short fun book well worth a read. One of these days I will get around to reading the rest of the books in the series.
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