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Sam (74 KP) rated The Poet X in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I actually didn’t flick through the book before buying it, so I didn’t realise that the whole story is told through poems. I was a bit unsure with this to begin with because I tend to struggle quite a bit with understanding poetry, but I was glad to see that this was really easy to understand!
I wish I’d had this when I decided that I really hated poetry throughout school and college because I feel that this teaches how form and structure can change the mood a poem better than any teacher can explain it to you. The form is constantly changing throughout the book and it always reflects the poet’s mood, which I found fascinating.
I do feel that the format did hold the plot back a bit, mainly because the plot had room for development but I felt that it was held back by being written in poetry format. There were a few parts that remained ambiguous because of the format meaning that events were sometimes lacking in detail.
I loved X, she’s strong and won’t let anyone tell her what to do, and she really just needs some love. However, it did annoy me how Aman took her back straight away after the way she treated him. I found that part frustrating because she acted horribly to him, but he seemed to just not care. I also wondered how she even had friends with the way she treated people around her. I understand that she had family problems, but she was absolutely horrible to some of her friends but they still stuck by her.
Even though I did get frustrated by these things, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the novel. The format made it fun and I did somehow finish it all in one day because it had me hooked.
It’s definitely worth reading, especially if you are into poetry – or even if you’re not!
I wish I’d had this when I decided that I really hated poetry throughout school and college because I feel that this teaches how form and structure can change the mood a poem better than any teacher can explain it to you. The form is constantly changing throughout the book and it always reflects the poet’s mood, which I found fascinating.
I do feel that the format did hold the plot back a bit, mainly because the plot had room for development but I felt that it was held back by being written in poetry format. There were a few parts that remained ambiguous because of the format meaning that events were sometimes lacking in detail.
I loved X, she’s strong and won’t let anyone tell her what to do, and she really just needs some love. However, it did annoy me how Aman took her back straight away after the way she treated him. I found that part frustrating because she acted horribly to him, but he seemed to just not care. I also wondered how she even had friends with the way she treated people around her. I understand that she had family problems, but she was absolutely horrible to some of her friends but they still stuck by her.
Even though I did get frustrated by these things, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the novel. The format made it fun and I did somehow finish it all in one day because it had me hooked.
It’s definitely worth reading, especially if you are into poetry – or even if you’re not!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated I Flipping Love You in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Rian has not had the easiest life so far. She and her twin sister, Marley are finally getting their lives where they want them. Their real estate business is going well and they will soon have the money they need to do their first flip. Along comes, Pierce, the dashing city boy who seems to be the perfect match. But when Pierce starts showing up everywhere Rian is to show or flip a house, she becomes suspicious of whether he is really interested in her or if he just wants an in on the properties on the beach in the Hamptons. Determined not to let her past ruin her future, Rian keeps forward with her quest despite Pierce's efforts to thwart her. Rian is not interested in men right now, her only objective is to be able to start flipping houses with her sister in an attempt to acquire the Mission Mansion which used to be in their family. Will she fall for this guy or leave him alone to continue with her own dreams?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
At first I wasn't sure how this book was going to turn out. I'm a big fan of HGTV and house flipping shows, but how would that translate into a romance novel. It's true that Rian has her share of demons in her closet, but her past shouldn't dictate her future, especially when it comes to love. I really enjoyed this book. It had me hooked from the start and I didn't want to put it down. There were times when I found the main character a little whinny, but we, as independent women, can get that way sometimes when things seem to be going our way and then an obstacle comes into play. A very handsome and determined obstacle at that.
This is a great story about family and overcoming your past to make room for love and happiness in your future.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
At first I wasn't sure how this book was going to turn out. I'm a big fan of HGTV and house flipping shows, but how would that translate into a romance novel. It's true that Rian has her share of demons in her closet, but her past shouldn't dictate her future, especially when it comes to love. I really enjoyed this book. It had me hooked from the start and I didn't want to put it down. There were times when I found the main character a little whinny, but we, as independent women, can get that way sometimes when things seem to be going our way and then an obstacle comes into play. A very handsome and determined obstacle at that.
This is a great story about family and overcoming your past to make room for love and happiness in your future.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Line of Duty - Season 1 in TV
Apr 22, 2019 (Updated Apr 22, 2019)
Deserving of the hype
Over the past few months, one of the shows that I kept getting told to watch is Line of Duty. Nearly everyone I know is raving about this, and despite the fact that they’re all on series 5, I decided to give this a go from the very first series. And for the most part, this is fairly deserving of the hype.
Police dramas have inundated our screens over the past few years, and it’s unusual to find ones that rise above average - Luther is one, and now I think Line of Duty is another. This has at least found a new angle on the police instead of the usual murder mystery, focusing on the Anti Corruption unit. Whilst I’m pretty sure AC isn’t anywhere nearly as interesting in real life (and indeed the real life name of Professional Standards used for the unit by most actual police forces isn’t as catchy either), Line of Duty at least makes this highly entertaining and intriguing. Corruption sounds boring, but in this it really isn’t and is full of twists and turns and reveals throughout the series. It has a great cast too that really helps and isn’t afraid to show a bit of blood and violence. As sad as I am, I also enjoyed the little nods to real police - the modern glass plated buildings and the police lanyards etc - these made this a lot more relatable.
This isn’t perfect though. I sometimes found some of the jumps in storyline confusing and I don’t feel like everything was wrapped up at the end of the series. I also found that the three main AC12 character weren’t very well developed and there could have been more done to show their backgrounds or personal lives. I don’t doubt that this will be expanded in later series, but it would’ve been nice to see it here! I am however very much looking forward to seeing the next few series.
Police dramas have inundated our screens over the past few years, and it’s unusual to find ones that rise above average - Luther is one, and now I think Line of Duty is another. This has at least found a new angle on the police instead of the usual murder mystery, focusing on the Anti Corruption unit. Whilst I’m pretty sure AC isn’t anywhere nearly as interesting in real life (and indeed the real life name of Professional Standards used for the unit by most actual police forces isn’t as catchy either), Line of Duty at least makes this highly entertaining and intriguing. Corruption sounds boring, but in this it really isn’t and is full of twists and turns and reveals throughout the series. It has a great cast too that really helps and isn’t afraid to show a bit of blood and violence. As sad as I am, I also enjoyed the little nods to real police - the modern glass plated buildings and the police lanyards etc - these made this a lot more relatable.
This isn’t perfect though. I sometimes found some of the jumps in storyline confusing and I don’t feel like everything was wrapped up at the end of the series. I also found that the three main AC12 character weren’t very well developed and there could have been more done to show their backgrounds or personal lives. I don’t doubt that this will be expanded in later series, but it would’ve been nice to see it here! I am however very much looking forward to seeing the next few series.
Damian Sutton (4 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
May 3, 2019
A decent adaptation of a great book
Contains spoilers, click to show
From the get go, I think I'd best say I came to this with a pre-concieved notion that I was going to enjoy it, having read the book several times and having a long term love affair with Steven Spielberg (child of the 80s, so most of my formative years were spent sitting worshipping at the alter of Spielberg and Lucas) so I was aware that I was going to enjoy this film regardless, that said, there are moments in the film that fell flat for me, but on the whole....its a very enjoyable little action/adventure romp....with plenty in it for film lovers (the whole shining sequence had me grinning from ear to ear) and gamers too ( the whole film is deeply rooted in gamer culture and there are more gaming Easter eggs than you can shake a stick at) there's plenty of heart to this film too, and by the time the credits rolled I left the theatre thoroughly entertained, had this film come out a few years back, it would have been lauded as a sci-fi/adventure classic, however we now live in a post marvel world where every film they release seem to raise the bar very high, and films like this get lost in the shuffle a little, does this make it a worse movie....not at all, but it probably didn't get the acclaim it deserved because of being released in a sea of blockbusters.
So in closing, if you're looking for that perfect Sunday afternoon adventure film....you could do a lot worse than giving this a watch....see how many movie/gaming references you can spot
So in closing, if you're looking for that perfect Sunday afternoon adventure film....you could do a lot worse than giving this a watch....see how many movie/gaming references you can spot
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Rules of Burken in Books
May 22, 2019
Twenty-four-year-old Charlotte Stahl would do anything for her older brother, Ian. After all, hed done everything for her growing up.He played Burken with hera hide-and-seek game they made up as kids.He comforted her when their mom deserted them. He raised her when their dad went to prison for murder. To Charlotte, Ian is the only reason shes still alivehes her rock. So when Ian asks her to play Burken in the isolated woods of Cadillac, Michigan, Charlotte feels she could use the nostalgia and agrees. Burkenits the one thing that never changes
...until Ian threatens to kill her in the middle of the game.
More than the rules have changed as Brother turns to Predator, Sister turns to Prey, and shes navigating the forests of Northern Michigan on foot with nothing but the clothesand a targeton her back.
If Charlotte wants to stay alive, she knows she has to untangle the web of her haunting past to find out where things went wrong, and at what point she lost sight of reality. With no other choice but to reopen old woundsand with Ian hot on her trailCharlotte learns that sometimes evil has to manifest in order for good to succeed. Which makes her wonder
Is Ian really a monster? Or her savior?
WOW!! This was a totally dark and twisted thriller that will keep you riveted until the very end.
This story was nothing that I expected.
I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading right from the start.
This book reveals in horrifying detail the unraveling of a seriously toxic family. Toxic for each other and those who come into contact with them.
The characters are intriguing and complicated. The plot is full of twists.
The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.
Highly Recommend!!!
Many Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for a surprisingly superb read!!!
...until Ian threatens to kill her in the middle of the game.
More than the rules have changed as Brother turns to Predator, Sister turns to Prey, and shes navigating the forests of Northern Michigan on foot with nothing but the clothesand a targeton her back.
If Charlotte wants to stay alive, she knows she has to untangle the web of her haunting past to find out where things went wrong, and at what point she lost sight of reality. With no other choice but to reopen old woundsand with Ian hot on her trailCharlotte learns that sometimes evil has to manifest in order for good to succeed. Which makes her wonder
Is Ian really a monster? Or her savior?
WOW!! This was a totally dark and twisted thriller that will keep you riveted until the very end.
This story was nothing that I expected.
I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading right from the start.
This book reveals in horrifying detail the unraveling of a seriously toxic family. Toxic for each other and those who come into contact with them.
The characters are intriguing and complicated. The plot is full of twists.
The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.
Highly Recommend!!!
Many Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for a surprisingly superb read!!!
Dpaint43 (16 KP) rated Codenames in Tabletop Games
May 29, 2019 (Updated May 29, 2019)
Let the right ones in
In this party game of abstracted espionage, you have the task of using clue words to have teammates figure out who they should let in and who they should keep out. There is a 5×5 grid of "codenames" that are on the table. Common words like fish, key or skipping. As the speaker for your team, you know which codenames are meant for your team and which are for the other team by using a grid representation only the two team speakers could see. 8 of the codename agents are for your team and 8 for the other (the grid also has a color around it which adds an additional agent for one team but then they get the privilege of going first). There are also 8 neutral citizens that end the turn if chosen. Then there is the dark agent. If he is chosen by the team, that team loses. Once each turn the speaker will give a one word clue (something that correlates with one or more codename cards) followed by a number (how many codename cards it correlates to). Your team has to pick at least one card on the table from the clue. Get it right and they get to choose again (one number more than the number you gave after the clue is the amount of guesses they can get a turn) or choose not to push their luck and stop. Get it wrong and that might let an agent for the other team in, a citizen or worst of all the dark agent that loses the game. This keeps going until a team successfully gets all their codename agents in. A great party game for unlimited amounts of people breaking into two teams. Laughs and accusations fly. Maybe the best party game in years and available in many forms that keep growing (basic, adult words, Disney, pictures only, marvel...etc)
TheBookMother (105 KP) rated Why Mummy Drinks in Books
May 30, 2019
The perfect parent pick me up!
This little gem I got from a charity shop as I have had the sequel This Mummy Swears sitting on my TBR pile for yonks and decided to give it a whirl.
I do actually follow the Peter and Jane blog from the author and thought it would be very similar to other mummy blogger turn author books that I've read in the past such as The UnMumsy Mum diaries and Hurrah For Gin books.
I was quite surprised although it takes a diary format but does resemble more of a story than I imagined it to be.
I write a parent blog myself and I did really enjoy the ability to relate to alot of what was being discussed and I did enjoy the humour element (although a tad exaggerated and unrealisitc at times) but did leave me chuckling out loud a few times.
I devoured this book in two sittings, it would have been one but I myself have two moppets who did require some supervision and feeding at various points during the day!
Despite the laughs this book also tackles some fundamental darker parts of parenthood such as judgement from other parents, the guilt of being a working mum, the working mum Vs stay at home divide, resentment and balance of power in relationships and the monotony of motherhood.
It's so important to talk about these topics and it's brilliant that it can be done in a way that makes you laugh too.
After a long day of looking after my two boys and this is the perfect little pick me up to help you realise you aren't alone in this crazy parenting malarky and sometimes that's all you need! I cannot wait to pass it onto my other mum friends as I know they will find it relatable and funny too!
I do actually follow the Peter and Jane blog from the author and thought it would be very similar to other mummy blogger turn author books that I've read in the past such as The UnMumsy Mum diaries and Hurrah For Gin books.
I was quite surprised although it takes a diary format but does resemble more of a story than I imagined it to be.
I write a parent blog myself and I did really enjoy the ability to relate to alot of what was being discussed and I did enjoy the humour element (although a tad exaggerated and unrealisitc at times) but did leave me chuckling out loud a few times.
I devoured this book in two sittings, it would have been one but I myself have two moppets who did require some supervision and feeding at various points during the day!
Despite the laughs this book also tackles some fundamental darker parts of parenthood such as judgement from other parents, the guilt of being a working mum, the working mum Vs stay at home divide, resentment and balance of power in relationships and the monotony of motherhood.
It's so important to talk about these topics and it's brilliant that it can be done in a way that makes you laugh too.
After a long day of looking after my two boys and this is the perfect little pick me up to help you realise you aren't alone in this crazy parenting malarky and sometimes that's all you need! I cannot wait to pass it onto my other mum friends as I know they will find it relatable and funny too!
Peter_mark84 (59 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Mafia III in Video Games
May 31, 2019
A Deep and complex protagonist. (3 more)
Nice combination of ideas from other sources worked into a fresh new title.
Amazing soundtrack that feels right for time and the game.
Interesting way to tell the story
Not enough side activities when put next to GTA, Watch Digs or Sleeping Dogs (2 more)
Slower pacing than other games in genre.
Sometimes but repeative
A Thrilling Crime Thriller
Still on progress!
I have been playing Mafia 3 for few hours so far. I do really like this game. Adds something to the genre and is missing from GTA or Sleeping Dogs. That is seeing someone go from War Hero to Crimeload.
So far I am just building the Crime Empire up. But from the moment I saw Lincoln I was drawn in by this character who seems to be falling into the darkness. Much like CJ from GTA San Andreas, Lincoln has a shady past, du to his up bringing. However unlike CJ who was a gang-banger. Lincoln has that Crime Syndicate sense of 'honour' and 'respect'. The characters he meets from good of Father James to Cassandra and the other allies are interesting to meet and get to know.
Game play is interesting, not totally original however combine mechanics from other games makes for a unique experience. The stealth had the best parts of Assassin's Creed being able to lure targets into ambushes. Having visual indicates that the law can see you helps also.
I just wish there was more to do away from the main story. GTA, Watch Dogs and Sleeping Dogs all offer a staggering amount of side quests and activities. Mafia 3 seems a bit more linear, which is sad as the characters and world are well developed and flushed out. Even the missions are interesting if a little samey in parts. Overall I am still playing through this and I am hoping for more twists and turns. The story has me roped in and in an age where there are loads of games out there with great stories. That is important
I have been playing Mafia 3 for few hours so far. I do really like this game. Adds something to the genre and is missing from GTA or Sleeping Dogs. That is seeing someone go from War Hero to Crimeload.
So far I am just building the Crime Empire up. But from the moment I saw Lincoln I was drawn in by this character who seems to be falling into the darkness. Much like CJ from GTA San Andreas, Lincoln has a shady past, du to his up bringing. However unlike CJ who was a gang-banger. Lincoln has that Crime Syndicate sense of 'honour' and 'respect'. The characters he meets from good of Father James to Cassandra and the other allies are interesting to meet and get to know.
Game play is interesting, not totally original however combine mechanics from other games makes for a unique experience. The stealth had the best parts of Assassin's Creed being able to lure targets into ambushes. Having visual indicates that the law can see you helps also.
I just wish there was more to do away from the main story. GTA, Watch Dogs and Sleeping Dogs all offer a staggering amount of side quests and activities. Mafia 3 seems a bit more linear, which is sad as the characters and world are well developed and flushed out. Even the missions are interesting if a little samey in parts. Overall I am still playing through this and I am hoping for more twists and turns. The story has me roped in and in an age where there are loads of games out there with great stories. That is important
p3anut (62 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Dauntless in Video Games
Jun 1, 2019
Customization (2 more)
Hack and slash fun
Voice acting
Beta (1 more)
Tutorial
Dauntless+dash of monster Hunter+ rpg mmo=
I want to start out by saying if it wasn't for Xbox game share I never would have discovered dauntless. I saw my buddy had downloaded it so I decided to give it a go.
At first glance I was a little put off since it was made by epic, had fortnite looking character models and I didn't know anything about the game. And right now I'm a little burnt out on the fortnite craze.
After about 10mins of playtime, I found myself really enjoying the hunting aspect of the game. The monsters are huge and sometimes they have little ones around them that you have to kill before attacking the bigger ones. The battles range from 5min to 30min so far which is pretty nice depending on your time constraints.
The world hub that you visit in between hunts is fairly decent sized and full of human characters. They have this cool little icon feature where you can see if the player is on pc or Xbox. The hub is full of what you would expect from an RPG games as a service title. It has your typical weapon master, grenade master, potions master, and armor master. And of course looped into all of those are micro transactions for skins and dye packs etc.
Which if you're like me you don't really care about customizing the color of your hat etc. Enough to spend actual money on.
I've only played about 4 hrs of dauntless and so far I'm pretty into it. I do feel like eventually the grind will get repetitive but I will update once I have at least 10hrs put into it. As I mentioned in my tags it is in a beta stage so don't be surprised from some lag from time to time or quests not showing on the screen as completed because even tho it doesn't show, it does complete them
At first glance I was a little put off since it was made by epic, had fortnite looking character models and I didn't know anything about the game. And right now I'm a little burnt out on the fortnite craze.
After about 10mins of playtime, I found myself really enjoying the hunting aspect of the game. The monsters are huge and sometimes they have little ones around them that you have to kill before attacking the bigger ones. The battles range from 5min to 30min so far which is pretty nice depending on your time constraints.
The world hub that you visit in between hunts is fairly decent sized and full of human characters. They have this cool little icon feature where you can see if the player is on pc or Xbox. The hub is full of what you would expect from an RPG games as a service title. It has your typical weapon master, grenade master, potions master, and armor master. And of course looped into all of those are micro transactions for skins and dye packs etc.
Which if you're like me you don't really care about customizing the color of your hat etc. Enough to spend actual money on.
I've only played about 4 hrs of dauntless and so far I'm pretty into it. I do feel like eventually the grind will get repetitive but I will update once I have at least 10hrs put into it. As I mentioned in my tags it is in a beta stage so don't be surprised from some lag from time to time or quests not showing on the screen as completed because even tho it doesn't show, it does complete them
Rikki Hammond (33 KP) rated X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) in Movies
Jun 9, 2019
Dull plot (3 more)
Contrived tropes
Extremely poor ending to the franchise
Villains aren't threatening in the slightest
Blame Game: The Movie
Contains spoilers, click to show
I've just come back from watching Dark Phoenix, and boy, was I let down! This certainly wasn't the way X-Men should end!
After the brilliant Days of Future Past and Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix falls very short of the mark in terms of plot, character development, and action.
The plot revolves around the X-Men going to space to rescue some astronauts, and Jean Grey getting caught in what we are led to believe is a solar flare, giving her unimaginable power. What follows is basically a gigantic blame game, where Jean blames Charles Xavier for hiding her past, Beast blaming Charles for Raven's death (due to Jean losing control, accidently killing Raven, who blames herself for it,) Magneto blaming Jean for the same thing, etc etc, all the while, Jean gets angry sometimes and destroys stuff.
Then some random aliens (the D'Bari) show up who want to use Jean for her powers, and these guys are supposed to be the villains of the film, however, they are the least threatening villains to come out in a long time, and there's no big finale to their demise at the end, they are literally disintegrated by Jean/Phoenix.
The biggest problem with Dark Phoenix is that there really isn't much in the way of story here, and it certainly doesn't add to the X-Men universe much at all. Even after Jean 'dies' no one grieves or mourns for her, we simply see Charles and Magneto playing chess, then the film ends.
The only positives I can really give are that the acting was decent enough, especially from James McAvoy, and there were a couple of good action scenes, but overall, this will end up being another highly forgettable film, and a very disappointing end to the X-Men franchise.
After the brilliant Days of Future Past and Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix falls very short of the mark in terms of plot, character development, and action.
The plot revolves around the X-Men going to space to rescue some astronauts, and Jean Grey getting caught in what we are led to believe is a solar flare, giving her unimaginable power. What follows is basically a gigantic blame game, where Jean blames Charles Xavier for hiding her past, Beast blaming Charles for Raven's death (due to Jean losing control, accidently killing Raven, who blames herself for it,) Magneto blaming Jean for the same thing, etc etc, all the while, Jean gets angry sometimes and destroys stuff.
Then some random aliens (the D'Bari) show up who want to use Jean for her powers, and these guys are supposed to be the villains of the film, however, they are the least threatening villains to come out in a long time, and there's no big finale to their demise at the end, they are literally disintegrated by Jean/Phoenix.
The biggest problem with Dark Phoenix is that there really isn't much in the way of story here, and it certainly doesn't add to the X-Men universe much at all. Even after Jean 'dies' no one grieves or mourns for her, we simply see Charles and Magneto playing chess, then the film ends.
The only positives I can really give are that the acting was decent enough, especially from James McAvoy, and there were a couple of good action scenes, but overall, this will end up being another highly forgettable film, and a very disappointing end to the X-Men franchise.