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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Carriers (2009) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Brian and Danny grew up as two brothers who were relatively close to one another. They cherish the memories they have of Turtle Beach, a beach their family vacationed to every summer. The abandoned motel in Turtle Beach may be their best bet of surviving the highly contagious disease that now plagues the entire country and possibly the world. Not much is known about the virus other than the victims coughing up blood and bleeding from the ears as their condition worsens. Brian actually came up with a few rules that will hopefully get him, his girlfriend Bobby, his brother Danny, and Danny's friend Kate through this disease ridden world to Turtle Beach clean. The rules include avoiding the infected at all costs, disinfecting anything they've touched in the past 24 hours, and that the infected are already dead as there is no cure. You may survive if you stick to the rules, but actually abiding by them is an entirely different story.
Right off the bat, people are probably going to compare Carriers to Zombieland because of the rules. Carriers was released a full month before Zombieland, but Paramount Vantage folded upon its initial release causing its wide release to be an extremely limited one at the last minute (I think it wound up playing at only two theaters in the country). Expectations rise unintentionally in situations such as this. "This is that horror film that was practically shelved earlier this year and is finally being released." The result is a horror film that is well worth watching, but may not be entirely what you're expecting.
Carriers is more about establishing an atmosphere than anything else. Everything is abandoned and rightfully so as most people were picked off handfuls at a time by this pandemic. The entire film is more like the first half hour of 28 Days Later where Jim wakes up in an abandoned hospital and realizes how empty the streets of London are. There aren't masses of the infected running around lusting for brains or wanting to tear humans apart in Carriers. The story follows these four friends as they journey across the country to this supposed sanctuary where they hope to tough it out until this disease runs its course. Carriers is more of a slow burn as things turn from bad to worse very slowly and snowball as the film goes on.
Chris Pine is really the drawing factor of the film. His role as Brian is kind of like a more intense version of his role as Kirk in Star Trek from earlier this year. Brian comes off as an inconsiderate prick the first half of the film and seems to only do things that benefit himself. The second half is where his character gets interesting though. The speech he gives Danny about their parents and telling Danny that he only told him what he wanted to hear is the turning point for Brian. Chris Pine shines as things begin to roll downhill for Brian as his emotions take center stage and his true demeanor is revealed.
Everything else in the film pretty much feels like routine manuevers when it comes to films revolving around viral outbreaks as some main characters contract the disease, they resort to drastic measures to survive, and begin to question their humanity along the way. The most disappointing part of the film is the ending as things just seem to kind of stop without much of a resolution. It seems like films like this either end this way or have a really depressing ending and that's its biggest flaw. Movie buffs who have seen films concerning pandemics already have a rough idea of how the film is going to end and it's about time to mix that up a bit. There's got to be a decent way to end the film that offers something a bit different that could wrap everything up until that point, but also leave enough room open for a sequel if need be.
Carriers may be a bit slow at first and doesn't really offer anything you probably haven't seen before in a film like this, but is still worth seeing for Chris Pine's performance. It's kind of a more serious take on Zombieland without actual zombies running or stumbling around with an atmosphere similar to the one established in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. If you're a fan of films involving a virus that has wiped out most of the human population, then this is still worth a watch.
Right off the bat, people are probably going to compare Carriers to Zombieland because of the rules. Carriers was released a full month before Zombieland, but Paramount Vantage folded upon its initial release causing its wide release to be an extremely limited one at the last minute (I think it wound up playing at only two theaters in the country). Expectations rise unintentionally in situations such as this. "This is that horror film that was practically shelved earlier this year and is finally being released." The result is a horror film that is well worth watching, but may not be entirely what you're expecting.
Carriers is more about establishing an atmosphere than anything else. Everything is abandoned and rightfully so as most people were picked off handfuls at a time by this pandemic. The entire film is more like the first half hour of 28 Days Later where Jim wakes up in an abandoned hospital and realizes how empty the streets of London are. There aren't masses of the infected running around lusting for brains or wanting to tear humans apart in Carriers. The story follows these four friends as they journey across the country to this supposed sanctuary where they hope to tough it out until this disease runs its course. Carriers is more of a slow burn as things turn from bad to worse very slowly and snowball as the film goes on.
Chris Pine is really the drawing factor of the film. His role as Brian is kind of like a more intense version of his role as Kirk in Star Trek from earlier this year. Brian comes off as an inconsiderate prick the first half of the film and seems to only do things that benefit himself. The second half is where his character gets interesting though. The speech he gives Danny about their parents and telling Danny that he only told him what he wanted to hear is the turning point for Brian. Chris Pine shines as things begin to roll downhill for Brian as his emotions take center stage and his true demeanor is revealed.
Everything else in the film pretty much feels like routine manuevers when it comes to films revolving around viral outbreaks as some main characters contract the disease, they resort to drastic measures to survive, and begin to question their humanity along the way. The most disappointing part of the film is the ending as things just seem to kind of stop without much of a resolution. It seems like films like this either end this way or have a really depressing ending and that's its biggest flaw. Movie buffs who have seen films concerning pandemics already have a rough idea of how the film is going to end and it's about time to mix that up a bit. There's got to be a decent way to end the film that offers something a bit different that could wrap everything up until that point, but also leave enough room open for a sequel if need be.
Carriers may be a bit slow at first and doesn't really offer anything you probably haven't seen before in a film like this, but is still worth seeing for Chris Pine's performance. It's kind of a more serious take on Zombieland without actual zombies running or stumbling around with an atmosphere similar to the one established in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later. If you're a fan of films involving a virus that has wiped out most of the human population, then this is still worth a watch.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Annabelle Comes Home (2019) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
Enjoyable, not as good as Annabelle Creation
Annabelle Comes Home is the third standalone movie for the creepy looking doll since her introduction during the original Conjuring movie. It's also the seventh feature movie from the ever expanding 'Conjuring Universe', a series of movies that have seen wildly varying degrees of quality and success thus far. I tend to start my reviews for this series of movies by declaring my love for the first Conjuring, before wishing that the latest release I'm reviewing might actually match that. But so far the only other movie in the series to come anywhere close to doing that for me was the last Annabelle movie - Annabelle Creation. So, I had very high hopes for this next Annabelle installment.
After venturing into the past with the previous Annabelle movies, Annabelle Comes Home begins by expanding on the events of The Conjuring. The Warrens take the Annabelle doll into their care in order to keep it safe in their home, under lock and key in their famous artefact room. The car journey home is an eventful one though and it is a real joy to be back in the company of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga and their portrayal of paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren. Their characters, and their performances, have been the most enjoyable aspect of these movies for me and this opening chapter with them gets things off to a great start. With Annabelle in the artefact room, blessed by the local priest and contained in a cabinet made out of chapel glass, the evil is contained. And Annabelle is now home.
From there we shift forward a year, where the focus of the movie turns to the Warren's 10 year old daughter Judy (Mckenna Grace). Her parents occupation and reputation is clearly having an effect on her life, with other children at school poking fun at her and refusing to come to her birthday party at the creepy Warren house. That uncomfortable, uneasy feeling of having a room in your house where unspeakable evil is being contained probably doesn't help things either! When her parents have to go away one night, friendly babysitter Mary Ellen comes over to take care of Judy, stepping in to the role of much needed friend. Mary Ellen's friend Daniela arrives to join them a little bit later, uninvited and proving to be a little less straight-laced than Mary Ellen is.
Daniela is currently grieving from the recent loss of her father and is suffering with strong feelings of guilt surrounding the circumstances of his death. She is clearly fascinated and intrigued by the work of the Warrens, so while Mary Ellen and Judy are outside rollerskating, she wastes no time in hunting down the keys to the artefact room so that she can take a poke around inside. As Daniela slowly and carefully examines the room and its many contents for us, it's clear that we're getting a pretty good introduction to the variety of horrors set to be unleashed on the girls in some form later on in the movie. It's a slow buildup though, and on top of the babysitter buildup we've had so far, it's probably a good 45 minutes into the movie before anything substantial happens. I read my review of Annabelle Creation before seeing this movie, and I'd noted that following a similar pattern, with very good results, so I wasn't overly concerned by all of that if the payoff was worth it.
The thing is though, when things do start going a little crazy, the results aren't entirely successful. To be fair, there are some genuinely creepy and very well executed scares. But there are also plenty that don't work so well too. Some new spirits are introduced too, no doubt destined to have their own spin-off movie at some point - 'The Ferryman', who guides souls into the afterlife and requires payment of two coins placed on the eyes of the dead, and the 'Hellhound of Essex'. One of those works considerably well, the other just being distracting and silly.
Despite it's slow-burn start, and it's generic baby-sitter horror setting, I definitely enjoyed Annabelle Comes Home. It's certainly not as good as either of The Conjuring movies, or Annabelle Creation, but it's definitely much better than The Nun or The Curse of La Llorona.
After venturing into the past with the previous Annabelle movies, Annabelle Comes Home begins by expanding on the events of The Conjuring. The Warrens take the Annabelle doll into their care in order to keep it safe in their home, under lock and key in their famous artefact room. The car journey home is an eventful one though and it is a real joy to be back in the company of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga and their portrayal of paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren. Their characters, and their performances, have been the most enjoyable aspect of these movies for me and this opening chapter with them gets things off to a great start. With Annabelle in the artefact room, blessed by the local priest and contained in a cabinet made out of chapel glass, the evil is contained. And Annabelle is now home.
From there we shift forward a year, where the focus of the movie turns to the Warren's 10 year old daughter Judy (Mckenna Grace). Her parents occupation and reputation is clearly having an effect on her life, with other children at school poking fun at her and refusing to come to her birthday party at the creepy Warren house. That uncomfortable, uneasy feeling of having a room in your house where unspeakable evil is being contained probably doesn't help things either! When her parents have to go away one night, friendly babysitter Mary Ellen comes over to take care of Judy, stepping in to the role of much needed friend. Mary Ellen's friend Daniela arrives to join them a little bit later, uninvited and proving to be a little less straight-laced than Mary Ellen is.
Daniela is currently grieving from the recent loss of her father and is suffering with strong feelings of guilt surrounding the circumstances of his death. She is clearly fascinated and intrigued by the work of the Warrens, so while Mary Ellen and Judy are outside rollerskating, she wastes no time in hunting down the keys to the artefact room so that she can take a poke around inside. As Daniela slowly and carefully examines the room and its many contents for us, it's clear that we're getting a pretty good introduction to the variety of horrors set to be unleashed on the girls in some form later on in the movie. It's a slow buildup though, and on top of the babysitter buildup we've had so far, it's probably a good 45 minutes into the movie before anything substantial happens. I read my review of Annabelle Creation before seeing this movie, and I'd noted that following a similar pattern, with very good results, so I wasn't overly concerned by all of that if the payoff was worth it.
The thing is though, when things do start going a little crazy, the results aren't entirely successful. To be fair, there are some genuinely creepy and very well executed scares. But there are also plenty that don't work so well too. Some new spirits are introduced too, no doubt destined to have their own spin-off movie at some point - 'The Ferryman', who guides souls into the afterlife and requires payment of two coins placed on the eyes of the dead, and the 'Hellhound of Essex'. One of those works considerably well, the other just being distracting and silly.
Despite it's slow-burn start, and it's generic baby-sitter horror setting, I definitely enjoyed Annabelle Comes Home. It's certainly not as good as either of The Conjuring movies, or Annabelle Creation, but it's definitely much better than The Nun or The Curse of La Llorona.
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Blade Runner (1982) in Movies
Jul 13, 2017
Dark and gorgeous setting (4 more)
Harrison Ford
Thought-provoking premise
That moody Vangelis score
Rutger Hauer
Best in Class Cyberpunk Neo-Noir
Most Sci-Fi fans these days probably rank Blade Runner somewhere in their top five favorites. Its status and influence on Sci-Fi, especially in the Cyberpunk sub-genre, is undeniable. When it was first released in 1982, however, it was not so well appreciated. It was met with polarized reviews and underwhelming domestic box office figures. This was probably due to some misplaced expectations of the movie. The studio erroneously marketed Blade Runner as an action/adventure, and not to mention, Harrison Ford was riding the fame of another Sci-Fi franchise that was much more action-oriented. It's no surprise then, that audiences and critics alike were initially turned off by the slow-burn pacing of detective noir that Blade Runner pulled into a science fiction setting. Today, Blade Runner is a celebrated masterpiece of filmmaking and adored by fans around the world. However, with a sequel coming soon, those new to the franchise might be a little confused due to the existence of multiple versions of the film. Let's clear that up a bit.
Fast-forward ten years to 1992, when the world received the Director's Cut of the film. At the time, Blade Runner had picked up in popularity through video rental and the international market, and the studio was prompted to release an official Director's Cut after an unofficial version was being made available from a workprint. The Director's Cut was the first introduction to Blade Runner for a whole new generation, including myself.
Fast-forward fifteen more years to 2007, when Ridley Scott brought Blade Runner fans his definitive version of the movie, the Final Cut. Blade Runner: The Final Cut was digitally remastered and reworked by Ridley Scott with complete artistic freedom, whereas the Director's Cut was created by the studio without his involvement. This version fixes some technical problems that persisted from the theatrical version to the Director's Cut, and adds back a little story to better fulfill Ridley Scott's original vision for the film.
If you're looking to get into Blade Runner before Blade Runner 2049 hits theatres in October, the Final Cut is probably the best place to start. It offers the most cohesive viewing experience, complete with restored visuals. Believe me when I tell you there is no movie quite like Blade Runner. Watching Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) track down and "retire" replicants on the streets of a dystopian Los Angeles awash in neon signs never ceases to fill me with awe. Rutger Hauer's performance as the main antagonist, Roy Batty, is both chilling and thought-provoking, making viewers question what being human truly means.
Blade Runner is now widely considered to be not just the first example of Cyberpunk in film, but also the best. And for good reason, as every frame is a work of art, and the philosophical questions it first posed 35 years ago are still being debated today. Us die-hard fans can only pray the upcoming sequel doesn't completely obliterate the mystery and pathos of the replicant condition.
Fast-forward ten years to 1992, when the world received the Director's Cut of the film. At the time, Blade Runner had picked up in popularity through video rental and the international market, and the studio was prompted to release an official Director's Cut after an unofficial version was being made available from a workprint. The Director's Cut was the first introduction to Blade Runner for a whole new generation, including myself.
Fast-forward fifteen more years to 2007, when Ridley Scott brought Blade Runner fans his definitive version of the movie, the Final Cut. Blade Runner: The Final Cut was digitally remastered and reworked by Ridley Scott with complete artistic freedom, whereas the Director's Cut was created by the studio without his involvement. This version fixes some technical problems that persisted from the theatrical version to the Director's Cut, and adds back a little story to better fulfill Ridley Scott's original vision for the film.
If you're looking to get into Blade Runner before Blade Runner 2049 hits theatres in October, the Final Cut is probably the best place to start. It offers the most cohesive viewing experience, complete with restored visuals. Believe me when I tell you there is no movie quite like Blade Runner. Watching Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) track down and "retire" replicants on the streets of a dystopian Los Angeles awash in neon signs never ceases to fill me with awe. Rutger Hauer's performance as the main antagonist, Roy Batty, is both chilling and thought-provoking, making viewers question what being human truly means.
Blade Runner is now widely considered to be not just the first example of Cyberpunk in film, but also the best. And for good reason, as every frame is a work of art, and the philosophical questions it first posed 35 years ago are still being debated today. Us die-hard fans can only pray the upcoming sequel doesn't completely obliterate the mystery and pathos of the replicant condition.
Louise (64 KP) rated The Unseeing in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I am a lover of Historical fiction especially Victorian London so when I read the synopsis of ‘The Unseeing’ I knew I had to read it. This is Anna Mazzola’s debut novel and I can tell you it certainly delivered.
The year is 1837 and Sarah Gale is sentenced to be hung, she is believed to have aid and abet James Greenacre in the death of Hannah Brown. Sarah Gale was having an on/off relationship with Greenacre and living with him in his home until he met Hannah. Hannah Brown was a spinster with a bit of money and business’s in her possession,until her body parts were found randomly around London.Greenacre a conniving man that he is only wanted Hannah for her money and threw Sarah out a few days before Christmas. A few days after Christmas Hannah Brown is gone and Sarah Gale is back in Greenacre’s bed. Sarah is adamant that she knows nothing about the disappearance or death of Hannah Brown, but no-one believes her.
Sarah Gale and a Women’s institute have requested Sarah to be pardoned as she is to be hung but is adamant she knows nothing. Edmund Fleetwood has been assigned the case, his job is to see if she will talk or if there is any new evidence. This is one of the most spoken about cases of the time and this could be the career break that Edmund needs, however Sarah Gale is still adamant that she knows nothing. Can this meek, pale women really be involved in a murder?
This book was amazing, I felt like I had been transported to London in 1837. The writing was so atmospheric, the descriptions of the sounds, the streets and the way the characters spoke just blew me away, and it was consistent throughout the book. The Unseeing is a slow burn book that drip feeds you information slowly and you start piecing it together like a jigsaw puzzle. I was definitely hooked and needed to know how Hannah had come to be in pieces around London and what was going to happen to Sarah. There is a twist and I didn’t see it coming whatsoever and was left shocked for some time.
This book is based on a true crime that happened in 1837 and is known as the Edgeware Murder. Sarah Gale and John Greenacre are the names of the actual people involved and the court scripts can be seen at the Old Bailey website. You can definitely tell that the Mazzola had knowledge of the justice system as it was very well researched. I loved that Mazzola managed to make a fictional book out of a true crime and it makes it even more intriguing to read. It does make you think of how the justice system failed a lot of people back in Victorian times.
I will definitely be reading anything else Anna Mazzola release and recommend this book you are interested true crime and historical fiction.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
The year is 1837 and Sarah Gale is sentenced to be hung, she is believed to have aid and abet James Greenacre in the death of Hannah Brown. Sarah Gale was having an on/off relationship with Greenacre and living with him in his home until he met Hannah. Hannah Brown was a spinster with a bit of money and business’s in her possession,until her body parts were found randomly around London.Greenacre a conniving man that he is only wanted Hannah for her money and threw Sarah out a few days before Christmas. A few days after Christmas Hannah Brown is gone and Sarah Gale is back in Greenacre’s bed. Sarah is adamant that she knows nothing about the disappearance or death of Hannah Brown, but no-one believes her.
Sarah Gale and a Women’s institute have requested Sarah to be pardoned as she is to be hung but is adamant she knows nothing. Edmund Fleetwood has been assigned the case, his job is to see if she will talk or if there is any new evidence. This is one of the most spoken about cases of the time and this could be the career break that Edmund needs, however Sarah Gale is still adamant that she knows nothing. Can this meek, pale women really be involved in a murder?
This book was amazing, I felt like I had been transported to London in 1837. The writing was so atmospheric, the descriptions of the sounds, the streets and the way the characters spoke just blew me away, and it was consistent throughout the book. The Unseeing is a slow burn book that drip feeds you information slowly and you start piecing it together like a jigsaw puzzle. I was definitely hooked and needed to know how Hannah had come to be in pieces around London and what was going to happen to Sarah. There is a twist and I didn’t see it coming whatsoever and was left shocked for some time.
This book is based on a true crime that happened in 1837 and is known as the Edgeware Murder. Sarah Gale and John Greenacre are the names of the actual people involved and the court scripts can be seen at the Old Bailey website. You can definitely tell that the Mazzola had knowledge of the justice system as it was very well researched. I loved that Mazzola managed to make a fictional book out of a true crime and it makes it even more intriguing to read. It does make you think of how the justice system failed a lot of people back in Victorian times.
I will definitely be reading anything else Anna Mazzola release and recommend this book you are interested true crime and historical fiction.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated Enclave in Books
Aug 14, 2018
Book Review by Cari Mayhew. Rating 6/10.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this book is a cross between Lord of the Flies, and City of Embers. You know you’re reading a YA novel when it starts with a coming-of-age ritual, and all the characters are under 25 years old.
The central character, Deuce, is a 15 year old young lady who grew up in an underground enclave, who has trained all her life to catch food to eat and protect the rest of the enclave from sharp-toothed zombie-like creatures (AKA Freaks) who also live underground.
The power within the enclave is held by a minority few and they operate by hard and fast rules. Everyone is designated their own purpose when they come of age. Deuce’s role is “Huntress” and other roles include “Builder” for those who make the items needed by the enclave, and “Breeder” for those who lack the skills to be put to any other use.
The enclave motto is “The Strong Survive” and the unspoken implication is that the weak are not valued. Any random object found by the members has to be declared to the elders and kept by the Wordkeeper. Hoarding is punishable by death. The enclave’s beliefs and way of life are all that Deuce has ever known.
Shortly after her naming ceremony and teaming up with Fade to carry out patrols, Deuce starts to see the set-up for the cold way of life that it is. One thing leads to another and the 2 of them are exiled. And so, the second half of the book continues above ground, where they face a different set of challenges.
In the beginning of the book, the descriptions of the fights with the Freaks are detailed, but this soon changes (which I was glad of, as that would have put me off the rest of the book).
The story is fast-paced and I didn’t get bored, but, as you may expect in a post-apocalyptic world, much of the story revolves around fighting zombies, finding food to eat, and water with which to drink and wash. So it felt repetitive in places.
There is a barely-there slow burn romance between Deuce and her “partner” Fade. They have each other’s back when fighting the mutants, and when Deuce got exiled from the enclave, but there’s little in the way of desire for each other.
At one point, the book seemed to form the beginning of a mystery novel, as Deuce and Fade tried to piece together how the world had got this way, but when a yellowing newspaper revealed an old story, there seemed nothing mysterious about the state of affairs.
This book is the first in the 3-book series, Razorland. Strangely the first book doesn’t really end in a cliff-hanger, so I didn’t feel compelled to read the next one. Although I’d imagine some of the earlier characters will re-appear. To be honest, I felt the story so far is unimaginative, but that’s not to say the rest of the series is the same.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this book is a cross between Lord of the Flies, and City of Embers. You know you’re reading a YA novel when it starts with a coming-of-age ritual, and all the characters are under 25 years old.
The central character, Deuce, is a 15 year old young lady who grew up in an underground enclave, who has trained all her life to catch food to eat and protect the rest of the enclave from sharp-toothed zombie-like creatures (AKA Freaks) who also live underground.
The power within the enclave is held by a minority few and they operate by hard and fast rules. Everyone is designated their own purpose when they come of age. Deuce’s role is “Huntress” and other roles include “Builder” for those who make the items needed by the enclave, and “Breeder” for those who lack the skills to be put to any other use.
The enclave motto is “The Strong Survive” and the unspoken implication is that the weak are not valued. Any random object found by the members has to be declared to the elders and kept by the Wordkeeper. Hoarding is punishable by death. The enclave’s beliefs and way of life are all that Deuce has ever known.
Shortly after her naming ceremony and teaming up with Fade to carry out patrols, Deuce starts to see the set-up for the cold way of life that it is. One thing leads to another and the 2 of them are exiled. And so, the second half of the book continues above ground, where they face a different set of challenges.
In the beginning of the book, the descriptions of the fights with the Freaks are detailed, but this soon changes (which I was glad of, as that would have put me off the rest of the book).
The story is fast-paced and I didn’t get bored, but, as you may expect in a post-apocalyptic world, much of the story revolves around fighting zombies, finding food to eat, and water with which to drink and wash. So it felt repetitive in places.
There is a barely-there slow burn romance between Deuce and her “partner” Fade. They have each other’s back when fighting the mutants, and when Deuce got exiled from the enclave, but there’s little in the way of desire for each other.
At one point, the book seemed to form the beginning of a mystery novel, as Deuce and Fade tried to piece together how the world had got this way, but when a yellowing newspaper revealed an old story, there seemed nothing mysterious about the state of affairs.
This book is the first in the 3-book series, Razorland. Strangely the first book doesn’t really end in a cliff-hanger, so I didn’t feel compelled to read the next one. Although I’d imagine some of the earlier characters will re-appear. To be honest, I felt the story so far is unimaginative, but that’s not to say the rest of the series is the same.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated People We Meet on Vacation in Books
May 27, 2021
So excited to be part of the Blog Tour for this wonderful intense and emotional romance!!
Poppy has her dream job, working at one of the top travel magazines. She has a nice apartment and a good friend in New York. But she's not happy. She knows clearly when she last was: two years ago, on a trip with Alex Nilsen. Poppy and Alex have been best friends since college. This despite the fact that they are very different and spend most of the year apart. She works in New York City. He teaches in their small hometown. But every summer, they reunite for one amazing week-long vacation. Until two years ago, when they ruined everything and stopped speaking. Poppy knows she needs to get back to that happiness she shared with Alex. So she plans one more trip. She has one week to repair her friendship with Alex and to make everything right. No big deal, right?
"On vacation, you can be anyone you want. Like a good book or an incredible outfit, being on vacation transports you into another version of yourself."
Like most people, I adored Emily Henry's book BEACH READ and was quite excited to read PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION. She's back with another unique romance. I'm not sure I enjoyed this one quite as much as BEACH READ, but I still loved it. This book is intense and emotional yet hilarious at times. A section on Poppy helping Alex rework his Tinder profile had me actually laughing out loud.
"I know right away when when I was last truly happy. Two years ago, in Croatia, with Alex Nilsen. But there's no finding my way back to that, because we haven't spoken since."
VACATION has a small cast of characters, which means the spotlight is focused on Alex and Poppy throughout. It's incredibly easy to get swept up in their story. I flew through this book in a day (on vacation, ironically). It goes back and forth in time, with some chapters revolving around "this summer," which tells us about Poppy's trip and her attempt to save her friendship with Alex. Past chapters look at other summers and their other trips. We know something happened on their Croatia vacation, but don't find out until we get to that chapter. That melodrama was a bit much for the actual "big" reveal, but that was my only major issue with the book.
This is a slow burn, with Poppy and Alex's story unfurling in bits and pieces, thanks to the back-in time-format. However, it was incredibly effortless to become lost in the plot and become part of this book. Henry is an amazing storyteller, and I felt like I was a piece of Alex and Poppy's journey and their trips. I was invested in their friendship from the start. Henry's romances are different, but the lust, passion, and intensity just ooze from the pages nonetheless.
Overall, this is a different and intense story. Our main characters are complete opposites, and it's fun being a part of their journey. 4 stars.
"On vacation, you can be anyone you want. Like a good book or an incredible outfit, being on vacation transports you into another version of yourself."
Like most people, I adored Emily Henry's book BEACH READ and was quite excited to read PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION. She's back with another unique romance. I'm not sure I enjoyed this one quite as much as BEACH READ, but I still loved it. This book is intense and emotional yet hilarious at times. A section on Poppy helping Alex rework his Tinder profile had me actually laughing out loud.
"I know right away when when I was last truly happy. Two years ago, in Croatia, with Alex Nilsen. But there's no finding my way back to that, because we haven't spoken since."
VACATION has a small cast of characters, which means the spotlight is focused on Alex and Poppy throughout. It's incredibly easy to get swept up in their story. I flew through this book in a day (on vacation, ironically). It goes back and forth in time, with some chapters revolving around "this summer," which tells us about Poppy's trip and her attempt to save her friendship with Alex. Past chapters look at other summers and their other trips. We know something happened on their Croatia vacation, but don't find out until we get to that chapter. That melodrama was a bit much for the actual "big" reveal, but that was my only major issue with the book.
This is a slow burn, with Poppy and Alex's story unfurling in bits and pieces, thanks to the back-in time-format. However, it was incredibly effortless to become lost in the plot and become part of this book. Henry is an amazing storyteller, and I felt like I was a piece of Alex and Poppy's journey and their trips. I was invested in their friendship from the start. Henry's romances are different, but the lust, passion, and intensity just ooze from the pages nonetheless.
Overall, this is a different and intense story. Our main characters are complete opposites, and it's fun being a part of their journey. 4 stars.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 5, 2019 (Updated Oct 5, 2019)
You were never really here.
Joker buries a knife deep into your chest right from the start and just when you feel it might finally be pulled out to give you relief it twists it in a little deeper. Make no mistake about it Joker is a slow burn drama/character study so those expecting big action and Batman are in for a real shock here but then again thats also what I think is so special. Joker works hard and earns its big explosive moments with such a steady, progresive, careful character build up that ensures when vilolence hits its shocking, powrful, cold and chilling and thats whats so refreshing and brave about it especially for a mainstream film. Theres no hand holding, no sugar coating and no holding back here and its absolutely riveting and glorious to behold playing out a cross between taxi driver and you were never really here joaquin phoenix plays an already dangerously unstable man pushed over his breaking point by life and society. From the moment we first set eyes on Arthur we see his pain seeping out through his pupils and an insight into his tortured mind. Its a story about an already fragile mind being pushed to a point where it finally snaps and shows how especially without the right help and support an avoidable monster is unleashed. We have all become so uncaring and selfish because of our own problems in life we fail to care and empathise with each other but its lack of care and understanding of mental ilness (treating it esentially like a joke) that leads Arther to finally snap. When he does finaly give its like a release for him all his sadness, anxiety and lack of confidence vanishes and we see man reshaped and reborn. Then theres his uncontrolable laugh which seems to come about when he's anxious or stressed and actually feels like it physicaly pains him everytime its released. Character progression is steady and realistic this man is clearly sick, had a rough upbringing, suffering from mental illness and he longs for a father figure and just to be loved which he tries to achieve from performing. Theres so many themes explored here the big one being how society and the media are partaily responsible for glamorising and encouraging violent behavior/serial killers making them popular/trendy and swaying other fragile tried and tested minds to rise up a follow the lead. Theres just so much to say about this film and its frying my head trying to get it all down and in readable state. At the end of the day Joker is fantastic and without a doubt the best comic book movie we have had to date setting the bar for all those that follow now. Its mature, graphic, highly depresing, intricate, unnerving, relevant and iteligent leaving such a thought provoking lasting impression that you cant help but be fearful and worried about the current state of the world we live in and how its changing for the worse becoming such a terifying and unsafe place.
Mine, Body and Soul: Trilogy (The Playroom #1-3)
8.0
Rate It
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Part One Was it possible that there was a man out there who could see past Lenny’s damaged body...
Contemporary MM Romance BDSM
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Ruby's Fire in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review will be available on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a> in August).
You know when you get a book, and it's much better than you thought it was going to be? Well, Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine was definitely one of those books! I absolutely loved it, and it's definitely one of my favorite books that I've read in 2013!
Ruby is a 17 year old girl who, with her 8 year old brother Thorn, escapes from a cult which pairs young girls with much older men. Ruby and Thorn arrive at a school known as The Greening. Here she meets a whole cast of characters. When an act of bullying goes horribly wrong, Ruby and her brother Thorn are left with extreme changes that alter their DNA. When a contest in announces with a prize of a hefty cash sum, all the students are The Greening are excited! However, this competition reveals that all is not what it seems.
I do like the title, and I find it very interesting! However, I don't really get the meaning of it. Maybe I'm just being thick, but it makes no sense to me.
I think the cover does an amazing job at depicting the plot of the book. In fact, this is one of the best book covers I've ever seen that is actually relevant to the book. Whoever came up with this idea for the cover is a genius!
I enjoyed the setting of this book very much! I like the futuristic/dystopian world that Stine has created. Catherine Stine does an awesome job at making this world come alive. The world in which Ruby lives has become unbearably hot, and people must wear masks and burn suits if they don't want to burn. The author paints a vivid picture of this throughout the book. I can very much see this happening in the future.
The pacing was done really well! Not once in the book did I feel like the pacing was going too slow or too fast for my liking. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. If it was possible to eat books by reading them quickly because they are amazing, this would would've been gone in flash!
What an amazing plot! Besides the main plot, there were lots of sub-plots! Will Ruby figure out what is wrong with her and Thorn? Will she choose Armonk or Blane since she cares for both? Can she escape her past? That's just some of the questions answered in the book. Also, there is a fantastic plot twist that I didn't see coming!
All of the characters were written superbly! I loved Ruby and how willing she was to take care of her little brother. Ruby was a very down to Earth character who had went through a lot of hardships. I believe this made her a better person. What I didn't like about her was the fact that she kept going on about how beautiful she was. However, this is probably just a personal thing. I found Thorn to be so cute!! It would've been interesting to see things from his point of view as the book is told from Ruby's point of view. Armonk seems like such a sweet guy, and I loved how he was willing to defend his friends. I feel like Armonk was an all around nice guy. I really loved Blane! I like how he grew as a person going from a mean brute to a gentle warrior. It was nice to see this change in him. Like Armonk, I loved how he was willing to protect his friends at all cost.
The dialogue was fantastic! It is told in a first person point of view with Ruby being the narrator. I usually don't enjoy first person reads as much as third person ones, but this one was done fantastically! Some books that take place in the future have really cheesy dialogue, but Ruby's Fire wasn't one of those books. The dialogue was also easy to understand with no futuristic terms getting in the way. There are a few swear words though.
Overall, Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine is such an amazing and interesting read! While it is a part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I usually don't read books out of series order because I feel like I'll miss so much information, but this book can actually be read as a standalone without missing much. (The first book in the series talks about a minor character in this book).
I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who want some adventure in their life!
I'd give Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine a 5 out of 5.
(I received a free paperback copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
You know when you get a book, and it's much better than you thought it was going to be? Well, Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine was definitely one of those books! I absolutely loved it, and it's definitely one of my favorite books that I've read in 2013!
Ruby is a 17 year old girl who, with her 8 year old brother Thorn, escapes from a cult which pairs young girls with much older men. Ruby and Thorn arrive at a school known as The Greening. Here she meets a whole cast of characters. When an act of bullying goes horribly wrong, Ruby and her brother Thorn are left with extreme changes that alter their DNA. When a contest in announces with a prize of a hefty cash sum, all the students are The Greening are excited! However, this competition reveals that all is not what it seems.
I do like the title, and I find it very interesting! However, I don't really get the meaning of it. Maybe I'm just being thick, but it makes no sense to me.
I think the cover does an amazing job at depicting the plot of the book. In fact, this is one of the best book covers I've ever seen that is actually relevant to the book. Whoever came up with this idea for the cover is a genius!
I enjoyed the setting of this book very much! I like the futuristic/dystopian world that Stine has created. Catherine Stine does an awesome job at making this world come alive. The world in which Ruby lives has become unbearably hot, and people must wear masks and burn suits if they don't want to burn. The author paints a vivid picture of this throughout the book. I can very much see this happening in the future.
The pacing was done really well! Not once in the book did I feel like the pacing was going too slow or too fast for my liking. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. If it was possible to eat books by reading them quickly because they are amazing, this would would've been gone in flash!
What an amazing plot! Besides the main plot, there were lots of sub-plots! Will Ruby figure out what is wrong with her and Thorn? Will she choose Armonk or Blane since she cares for both? Can she escape her past? That's just some of the questions answered in the book. Also, there is a fantastic plot twist that I didn't see coming!
All of the characters were written superbly! I loved Ruby and how willing she was to take care of her little brother. Ruby was a very down to Earth character who had went through a lot of hardships. I believe this made her a better person. What I didn't like about her was the fact that she kept going on about how beautiful she was. However, this is probably just a personal thing. I found Thorn to be so cute!! It would've been interesting to see things from his point of view as the book is told from Ruby's point of view. Armonk seems like such a sweet guy, and I loved how he was willing to defend his friends. I feel like Armonk was an all around nice guy. I really loved Blane! I like how he grew as a person going from a mean brute to a gentle warrior. It was nice to see this change in him. Like Armonk, I loved how he was willing to protect his friends at all cost.
The dialogue was fantastic! It is told in a first person point of view with Ruby being the narrator. I usually don't enjoy first person reads as much as third person ones, but this one was done fantastically! Some books that take place in the future have really cheesy dialogue, but Ruby's Fire wasn't one of those books. The dialogue was also easy to understand with no futuristic terms getting in the way. There are a few swear words though.
Overall, Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine is such an amazing and interesting read! While it is a part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I usually don't read books out of series order because I feel like I'll miss so much information, but this book can actually be read as a standalone without missing much. (The first book in the series talks about a minor character in this book).
I'd recommend this book to those aged 14+ who want some adventure in their life!
I'd give Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine a 5 out of 5.
(I received a free paperback copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Debbiereadsbook (1536 KP) rated Wild as the West Texas Wind (Love Across Time #3) in Books
May 16, 2019
my fav of the three
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book three in the Love Across Time series. You don’t NEED to have read the others before this one, but PERSONALLY, I think you should read book 2, Honey From The Lion before this one. There are things that happen in that book that lead up to this one. And you, know, they are really rather good!
This one, I think, is my favourite of the three!
Zach is looking for his friend, Laurie (Honey From The Lion) and gets caught in a freak rain storm. Waking up in 1892 and then crossing the Ketchum Gang, Zach finds himself on the way to be sold. Layton is part of the gang, but he doesn’t want to be anymore. When Zach comes along, those feelings intensify, to a point that Layton will go against the gang leader, Tom, and maybe cost him his life, along with Zach’s. But Zach makes Layton want other things, things that require them both to be alive. Can he get away, saving himself AND Zach?
Like I said, my favourite of the three!
What I particularly loved about this one, was the SLOW burn between Zach and Layton! I mean, I'm all for insta-love and masses of naughtiness but HERE?? I LOVED that it wasn’t like that! It creeps up on both Layton AND Zach, the feelings, the attraction (although Zach does have that instant attraction feeling) the wanting MORE than being on the run. It’s really fabulous reading, watching these two fall for each other. It’s on the less explicit side, but very proper for this book that it is.
Layton, especially, surprised me! Don’t ask me WHY he did, I can’t say exactly, but that’s' how I feel and you know I like to share those book feelings. He doesn’t really question what he starts to feel for Zach, at all, and being of a begone age, I would have thought that he might. I’m not complaining, . . . .oh! THIS is why he surprised me! The fact he doesn’t question, he just lets himself begin to fall, and fall hard.
I loved that, right from the start, Layton wanted away from the gang, from the leader, Tom. Tom has a vicious streak a mile wide, and both Zach and Layton fall foul of his wrath. Not nice reading, but I think, it really is needed. This is why I tagged it darker, cos Tom is not a very nice person, but then again, stagecoach hijackers and robbers don’t tend to be! He really is a nasty piece of work.
I love love LOVE the way Honey from The Lion melds itself into this one! Trying NOT for spoilers, so other than that, I’m not saying how, but very well played there, Ms North, VERY well played!
I want to tag this book warm and fuzzies and too stinking, but not sure how I can with the darker tag! Such decisions! Ah stuff it, tagging it as so!
Are there more? I don’t know, I want to read them, regardless. Loving them!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book three in the Love Across Time series. You don’t NEED to have read the others before this one, but PERSONALLY, I think you should read book 2, Honey From The Lion before this one. There are things that happen in that book that lead up to this one. And you, know, they are really rather good!
This one, I think, is my favourite of the three!
Zach is looking for his friend, Laurie (Honey From The Lion) and gets caught in a freak rain storm. Waking up in 1892 and then crossing the Ketchum Gang, Zach finds himself on the way to be sold. Layton is part of the gang, but he doesn’t want to be anymore. When Zach comes along, those feelings intensify, to a point that Layton will go against the gang leader, Tom, and maybe cost him his life, along with Zach’s. But Zach makes Layton want other things, things that require them both to be alive. Can he get away, saving himself AND Zach?
Like I said, my favourite of the three!
What I particularly loved about this one, was the SLOW burn between Zach and Layton! I mean, I'm all for insta-love and masses of naughtiness but HERE?? I LOVED that it wasn’t like that! It creeps up on both Layton AND Zach, the feelings, the attraction (although Zach does have that instant attraction feeling) the wanting MORE than being on the run. It’s really fabulous reading, watching these two fall for each other. It’s on the less explicit side, but very proper for this book that it is.
Layton, especially, surprised me! Don’t ask me WHY he did, I can’t say exactly, but that’s' how I feel and you know I like to share those book feelings. He doesn’t really question what he starts to feel for Zach, at all, and being of a begone age, I would have thought that he might. I’m not complaining, . . . .oh! THIS is why he surprised me! The fact he doesn’t question, he just lets himself begin to fall, and fall hard.
I loved that, right from the start, Layton wanted away from the gang, from the leader, Tom. Tom has a vicious streak a mile wide, and both Zach and Layton fall foul of his wrath. Not nice reading, but I think, it really is needed. This is why I tagged it darker, cos Tom is not a very nice person, but then again, stagecoach hijackers and robbers don’t tend to be! He really is a nasty piece of work.
I love love LOVE the way Honey from The Lion melds itself into this one! Trying NOT for spoilers, so other than that, I’m not saying how, but very well played there, Ms North, VERY well played!
I want to tag this book warm and fuzzies and too stinking, but not sure how I can with the darker tag! Such decisions! Ah stuff it, tagging it as so!
Are there more? I don’t know, I want to read them, regardless. Loving them!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**