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Monster: A Novel of Extreme Horror and Gore
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There are scenes of domestic abuse. But hidden underneath it all is also a chilling story. Please do...
10 Things I Hate About Pinky
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The delightful follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie, which...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Housemates in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I cant put it into words how much I enjoyed this book. There are only a select few books that I cant help talking about with my family and work colleagues, whether they want to hear about it or not, but this is one of them
I just couldnt help myself!
Be warned, there is gratuitous violence throughout!
Im not going to give anything away about the story-line but basically, its a twisted Big Brother with a bit of Saw thrown in for good measure where the contestants have to take part in tasks and eliminations with the last person standing having the chance of walking away with £2 million.
The contestants inside the house are a mix of characters some of which more likeable than others and some thoroughly despicable we learn more about each person as time goes on and it can be a bit of an eye-opener in some cases.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to put your brain cells to work extra hard nor am I going to say that the twist is a massive surprise but what I will say is that if you, like me, are a little bit sick of the raft of reality TV programmes being rammed down our throats and just wish they would up the anti just a little, then this is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review. I will, most definitely, read more from Mr Wright as I do like a bit of gore every now and then 😃.
Be warned, there is gratuitous violence throughout!
Im not going to give anything away about the story-line but basically, its a twisted Big Brother with a bit of Saw thrown in for good measure where the contestants have to take part in tasks and eliminations with the last person standing having the chance of walking away with £2 million.
The contestants inside the house are a mix of characters some of which more likeable than others and some thoroughly despicable we learn more about each person as time goes on and it can be a bit of an eye-opener in some cases.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to put your brain cells to work extra hard nor am I going to say that the twist is a massive surprise but what I will say is that if you, like me, are a little bit sick of the raft of reality TV programmes being rammed down our throats and just wish they would up the anti just a little, then this is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in return for an honest and unbiased review. I will, most definitely, read more from Mr Wright as I do like a bit of gore every now and then 😃.
Merissa (12704 KP) rated Kiss of Forever (Shadow Creek #3) in Books
Aug 24, 2017
Kiss of Forever (Shadow Creek #3) by Leah Blake
The Shadow Creek series is one that I am loving. Kiss of Forever is the third book in the series, and this time we focus on the Alpha of Shadow Creek, Raul, and the enigmatic vampire, Victor. After reading Vuk and Ashly's book, you know that these two are intertwined somehow, but it's only once you start reading Raul's side of things that you learn just what he has done for the past 20 years to protect Victor. Yeesh, that man has a will of iron! Okay, so he had some magical help, but still...
Victor doesn't know why Raul has rejected him for so long, and now that Raul is sick, and getting sicker by the hour, he can't bear to see him in pain. Not once does Victor come across as a 'poor me' type of guy, desperately clinging onto someone who doesn't want. Instead, we see someone who has a will just as strong as the Alpha, who just wants the truth.
The story is more in-depth in this one, as we learn the twists and turns that have landed Raul and Victor in their positions. Pairs from previous stories also play a part in this story, although Vuk and Ashly get more of a mention simply due to who they are. This was exceedingly well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I think there is still so much more to come, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book and the series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Victor doesn't know why Raul has rejected him for so long, and now that Raul is sick, and getting sicker by the hour, he can't bear to see him in pain. Not once does Victor come across as a 'poor me' type of guy, desperately clinging onto someone who doesn't want. Instead, we see someone who has a will just as strong as the Alpha, who just wants the truth.
The story is more in-depth in this one, as we learn the twists and turns that have landed Raul and Victor in their positions. Pairs from previous stories also play a part in this story, although Vuk and Ashly get more of a mention simply due to who they are. This was exceedingly well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I think there is still so much more to come, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book and the series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Steven Sklansky (231 KP) rated A Monster Calls (2016) in Movies
Sep 17, 2017
The acting (2 more)
The CGI
The tree was like a giant Groot
Imaginative, fun and emotional
This was a fantastic film. I did not know much going into this movie other then there being a giant tree monster. This movie took my breath away. From the acting to the CGI. The animation sequences made to look like water colors was just brilliant.
You just never new what to expect out of the movie which is always a good thing. You don't know if the tree is good or if it is evil. Something you think the tree is just a big jerk trying to pull one over on Conner. I like how they made it seem that the monster was growing inside of Conner, showing that Conner was the monster, even though I never thought that during the movie. I thought he was just a kid in trouble. Bully's at school, dad not there, mom sick and a Grandma that treated him like a baby. Eventually you new he was just going to act out. When he did there was no punishment. They just told him why bother. I thought this was either because he could learn from his mistakes or that everyone felt sorry that his mom was dying. I think he just wanted to be punished for acting out. But no punishment did seem like his punishment.
The water color stories in the movie were done really well, it felt like you were falling into the story. It showed there is many ways to take life or how to interpret life experiences. What you do is what matters most. In the end Conner just had to learn the truth.
There is a monster tree lurking in all of us, we just have to listen for it. See the movie and you will know why.
You just never new what to expect out of the movie which is always a good thing. You don't know if the tree is good or if it is evil. Something you think the tree is just a big jerk trying to pull one over on Conner. I like how they made it seem that the monster was growing inside of Conner, showing that Conner was the monster, even though I never thought that during the movie. I thought he was just a kid in trouble. Bully's at school, dad not there, mom sick and a Grandma that treated him like a baby. Eventually you new he was just going to act out. When he did there was no punishment. They just told him why bother. I thought this was either because he could learn from his mistakes or that everyone felt sorry that his mom was dying. I think he just wanted to be punished for acting out. But no punishment did seem like his punishment.
The water color stories in the movie were done really well, it felt like you were falling into the story. It showed there is many ways to take life or how to interpret life experiences. What you do is what matters most. In the end Conner just had to learn the truth.
There is a monster tree lurking in all of us, we just have to listen for it. See the movie and you will know why.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Secret of Joy in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Thoughts: This is such a sweet heart-warming story about life and love, and takes the drama of ex-wives and love-sick ladies to a whole new level, giving it life and plausibility at the same time. How did Melissa do it? No idea. But she won me over.
This book asks a lot of questions about marriage, relationships, and love. Does the author answer all the questions? Not really—but she answers the ones that she needs to, and as for others, she lets her readers decide the answers for themselves. THE SECRET OF JOY makes the reader think about what forgiveness really is, what it means to love someone, and the responsibility of loving them.
Characters: Joy was my favorite character. She was a rough-tough-don’t-mess-with-me-you-cant-make-me-cry kinda girl. She held her facade well (most of the time) but when she showed her true colors, she was a gem. Michael, Rebecca’s boyfriend, was a bit of a confusing character. At first I really liked him but as the story went on, I got fed up with him and kept thinking “Rebecca, dump him, please.” I almost cried when Rebecca’s dad died. These characters in this story will beckon you.
Writing: Melissa held me captive with her unique writing style. It was relaxed and smooth, and flowed well, something that could be read aloud without too much problem.
Content: There was only an occasional swear word, and some mention of sex, but no details.
Recommendation: Ages 14+ to anyone craving a light-hearted sit-by-the-fire-with-tea kind of book.
**Thank you to Sarah from Pocketbooks for supplying my review copy!**
This book asks a lot of questions about marriage, relationships, and love. Does the author answer all the questions? Not really—but she answers the ones that she needs to, and as for others, she lets her readers decide the answers for themselves. THE SECRET OF JOY makes the reader think about what forgiveness really is, what it means to love someone, and the responsibility of loving them.
Characters: Joy was my favorite character. She was a rough-tough-don’t-mess-with-me-you-cant-make-me-cry kinda girl. She held her facade well (most of the time) but when she showed her true colors, she was a gem. Michael, Rebecca’s boyfriend, was a bit of a confusing character. At first I really liked him but as the story went on, I got fed up with him and kept thinking “Rebecca, dump him, please.” I almost cried when Rebecca’s dad died. These characters in this story will beckon you.
Writing: Melissa held me captive with her unique writing style. It was relaxed and smooth, and flowed well, something that could be read aloud without too much problem.
Content: There was only an occasional swear word, and some mention of sex, but no details.
Recommendation: Ages 14+ to anyone craving a light-hearted sit-by-the-fire-with-tea kind of book.
**Thank you to Sarah from Pocketbooks for supplying my review copy!**
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Moon Called in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I recently recieved the fifth book in the Mercy Thompson series, Silver Borne, for reviewing purposes, and decided to start the series at the beginning like a good bookworm. I was not sure if I would like the series, but imagine my surprise when mechanically-inclined, shapeshifter Mercy Thompson has a penchant for the Christian religion! She likes to attend church, and she chooses to wear a lamb on a necklace instead of a cross because she finds it sick to display the instrument of Christ's torture, and one of Christ's names is the Lamb of God. I gotta say, how cool is that?
Anyways, I find it interesting how non-chalant Mercy is about what she is and can do. She does not seem to know much about being a "walker", but it doesn't bother her. It's the other preternatural beings who give her bits of information about her kind in well-timed accidents. She reminds me a bit of Rachel Morgan from the Kim Harrison series. (Oooh, cross-over potential...)
I also liked the complexities of the different cultures that the various preternatual beings originate from, and most expecially the impossible-to-pronounce names to match, such as Elizaveta Arkadyevna Vyshnevetskaya and Siebold Adelbertsmiter. The book was heavy on politics and violence, while light on romance, which I can appreciate in light of the storyline, but I look forward to things heating up between Mercy Thompson and her two wanna-be boyfriends, Adam and Samuel. I got a bit confused when trying to remember who's who in the cast of characters, especially since many of the lesser werewolves all tended to behave the same, and I really hope that future books will explain who or what the Gray Lords are.
Anyways, I find it interesting how non-chalant Mercy is about what she is and can do. She does not seem to know much about being a "walker", but it doesn't bother her. It's the other preternatural beings who give her bits of information about her kind in well-timed accidents. She reminds me a bit of Rachel Morgan from the Kim Harrison series. (Oooh, cross-over potential...)
I also liked the complexities of the different cultures that the various preternatual beings originate from, and most expecially the impossible-to-pronounce names to match, such as Elizaveta Arkadyevna Vyshnevetskaya and Siebold Adelbertsmiter. The book was heavy on politics and violence, while light on romance, which I can appreciate in light of the storyline, but I look forward to things heating up between Mercy Thompson and her two wanna-be boyfriends, Adam and Samuel. I got a bit confused when trying to remember who's who in the cast of characters, especially since many of the lesser werewolves all tended to behave the same, and I really hope that future books will explain who or what the Gray Lords are.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Lightkeeper's Daughters in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This is the first book I received from Thomas Nelson for reviewing, and because of shipping problems, by the time I recieved it I had forgotten why I originally picked it. I started reading the book out of obligation, and at first, had a hard time actually enjoying what I was reading. It felt a bit like a school assignment for the first 80 pages, which is generally how far I will go in a book before I decide whether or not I want to finish it. Luckily, at that point the book actually started to get interesting as Addie became snoopy around the house and began unearthing clues about her mother. I am not much for the mystery genre, but I found the detective-like aspects of this novel much more entertaining than the chaste romance between Addie Sullivan and Lieutenant North, which led up to a climax that was so exciting I chose finishing the novel to sleeping when I was sick with a cold.
Regarding the more religious aspects of the novel, I thought that the depiction of Addie's faith in God to be somewhat watered down and simplified with possibly not enough attention given to its place in her life. Often I find ithis is the case with literature in the genre of Christian fiction. The single time that scripture from the Bible is quoted, it's merely a few lines out of Psalms, and each time that we see Addie praying, she only spends a few moments in prayer before something else requires her attention. This is not to say that all Christian fiction - categorized works do this, as I have read some truly excellent portrayals of faith in Jesus, but this book certainly did.
Overall, I would recommend the book more for its plot elements of mystery and intrigue, not for its religious aspects.
Regarding the more religious aspects of the novel, I thought that the depiction of Addie's faith in God to be somewhat watered down and simplified with possibly not enough attention given to its place in her life. Often I find ithis is the case with literature in the genre of Christian fiction. The single time that scripture from the Bible is quoted, it's merely a few lines out of Psalms, and each time that we see Addie praying, she only spends a few moments in prayer before something else requires her attention. This is not to say that all Christian fiction - categorized works do this, as I have read some truly excellent portrayals of faith in Jesus, but this book certainly did.
Overall, I would recommend the book more for its plot elements of mystery and intrigue, not for its religious aspects.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Hidden Flame (Acts of Faith, #2) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I loved this book as much as I loved the first one in the series, The Centurion's Wife. I felt I could easily relate to the doubts and fears that Abigail dealt with on an almost daily basis, even though her world is far different from mine. Her humility and compassion are something for me to admire and aspire to, and I sympathized with her feelings of helplessness both in her struggle to work and her imminent betrothel. This book helped me to understand better the differences between the Pharisees and the members of the Sanhedrin, as well as the political climate of that time. I cried twice while reading the book, first while reading about Peter's shadow healing the sick and mamed as he walked and then at the point of Stephen's death. Despite the runny nose, I count this as a mark of well-written literature.
It's exciting to see how all of the names I know so well from Bible scriptures are introduced into the plotline of the novel, and it feels like taking a fresh look at events that I have read and studied over and over again, such as what happened to Ananias and Saphira. I feel like I am looking behind the scenes to what happened in between the lines of scripture, such as the events that led up to Stephen's death, the daily tasks of the members of the fledging church, as well as how the Apostles went about their daily lives, manifesting miracles as easily as shaking hands but still never taking for granted what Power worked through them. I appreciate the delicate nature of interpreting these Scriptures in a fictional text, and while there are some I know that would consider doing such as verging on blasphemous, I feel that such works serve a purpose in the "grand scheme" and hold merit.
It's exciting to see how all of the names I know so well from Bible scriptures are introduced into the plotline of the novel, and it feels like taking a fresh look at events that I have read and studied over and over again, such as what happened to Ananias and Saphira. I feel like I am looking behind the scenes to what happened in between the lines of scripture, such as the events that led up to Stephen's death, the daily tasks of the members of the fledging church, as well as how the Apostles went about their daily lives, manifesting miracles as easily as shaking hands but still never taking for granted what Power worked through them. I appreciate the delicate nature of interpreting these Scriptures in a fictional text, and while there are some I know that would consider doing such as verging on blasphemous, I feel that such works serve a purpose in the "grand scheme" and hold merit.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Vision (Harrison Investigation, #3) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
While at the beginning I wasn't too sure I would like Thor -- he was too arrogant and jerky -- and then I wasn't too sure about Gen -- can you say prickly? -- I ended up liking them and their story all the same. Actually the plot and mystery is what really kept me reading. I liked that it was harder to figure out whodunnit than the others in this series, but I did have it narrowed down to two suspects and ended up picking the right one (go me!). Although I'm still not sure exactly why they did it, but then again, when you're a serial killer, do you really need a reason?
The only thing that really bothered me was everyone's outlook on Gen. She's a frickin' Mary-Sue when it goes to someone else's point-of-view or if they're talking about her when she's not around, so I really got sick of hearing how sensual she is, how perfect, how tall and slim, how her smile is perfect -- gag me. When it was through her eyes, everything was fine and I liked her, but really, I can only take so much of hearing about what utter perfection she is. At one point, a local musician said something to the affect that she's Key West's 'jewel' (or gem, something like that) and it was like come on, give me a break. Talk about overkill. There was nothing in the book to even get the impression that she's that well known about the island.
Anyway, aside from my rant, I liked it and thought that the mystery aspect was the best part of the book and it kept me guessing and hooked until the end.
The only thing that really bothered me was everyone's outlook on Gen. She's a frickin' Mary-Sue when it goes to someone else's point-of-view or if they're talking about her when she's not around, so I really got sick of hearing how sensual she is, how perfect, how tall and slim, how her smile is perfect -- gag me. When it was through her eyes, everything was fine and I liked her, but really, I can only take so much of hearing about what utter perfection she is. At one point, a local musician said something to the affect that she's Key West's 'jewel' (or gem, something like that) and it was like come on, give me a break. Talk about overkill. There was nothing in the book to even get the impression that she's that well known about the island.
Anyway, aside from my rant, I liked it and thought that the mystery aspect was the best part of the book and it kept me guessing and hooked until the end.