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The Arrival (BirthRight Trilogy #1)
The Arrival (BirthRight Trilogy #1)
Nicole MacDonald | 2010 | Contemporary, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
163 of 250
Kindle
The Arrival ( Birthright trilogy book 1)
By Nicole MacDonald

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

Bound by love, drawn by magick, happily ever after won’t come without a fight.
Looking for love, four friends cast a spell. Thrust into a terrifying new world, they find themselves fighting for their lives, until help drops in. Now, alongside the Griffon Guard, they must learn to use powers they never knew they had, to save a world they never knew existed
Love might be an option, but only if they defeat an ancient darkness hell bent on ruling the world...

So I almost gave up on this book 3 times but I thought no give it a chance. It was incredibly hard to read for the first 10 chapters and you never knew what character was talking as it jumped from one to the other with any indication. This drove me crazy!!! But you can feel the authors passion in this book so I thought it deserved a good chance. As you can see it took me a few nights to read. However after saying all the negative there are some major positives!!
The characters are likeable the story line is very good and shows so much promise! Towards the end you become slightly hooked so much so the bloody thing ends on a cliffhanger that had me shouting nooooooo! I do recommend to any readers please stick with it!
  
R(
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
55 of 220
Kindle
Ruthless ( The Privileged of Pembroke High 4)
By Ivy Fox
⭐️⭐️

Since before I could even spell the name Grayson, I only had eyes for one boy—my perfect, larger than life best friend, who always managed to bring his bright light into my very dark existence with just one of his boyish smiles.

With Chad, I could forget the dismal life I had of being the flawless privileged daughter of a cruel, evil man.

He was my escape.

My solace.

My hope that one day I’d be free of it all and live how I always envisioned with my green-eyed boy at my side.

He was my everything until the devil’s piercing black eyes seduced him away from me.

They call him Saint, but heaven is not at fault for his pitiful creation.

Only the devil could produce such mouth-watering beauty to hide the ugliness that dwells inside.

He’s the demon that terrorizes my days and haunts my restless nights.

Saint wants to steal all that I love, believing he can beat me, but the fool has another thing coming.

I’m Eleanor Grayson, b*tch.

You want a fight, Saint?

Well, I’ll give you one you’ll never forget.

I was born and bred to be ruthless.

By the time I’m through, not even hell will recognize you.

Got to admit I wasn’t keen on this one! Think i expected more as the I really enjoyed the first 3 something was missing. This is the start of Elles story but I honestly struggled.
  
The Wicked Deep
The Wicked Deep
Shea Ernshaw | 2018 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
Everything a contemporary fantasy should be
I got a copy of The Wicked Deep in a book sub box, I had seen it around but didn't know much about it which is perfect because sometimes knowing can turn me away, as i'm often a creature of habit. I'm not really a fan of fantasy in a contemporary setting but this book changed my mind completely! I think that this is because the small town of Sparrow doesn't feel contemporary. Forgotten for most of the year, it's a crumbling town being slowly reclaimed by the sea. With no chain stores or high street names it's kind of trapped in time, which all ends up adding to the authenticity of Swan Season - A short time each year where it's said that the drowned witch Swan sisters return to the shore to claim the lives of men in the town. Despite there actually being annual deaths, tourists still flock to Sparrow every year. The story is also nicely interposed with chapters about the history of the town and the Swan sisters time there, which also gives it a less contemporary feel.

Before I go any further I want to cut to one thing, this book has been published by Simon and Schuster's Children's Division - so set your sights here. Yes this is a tale of darkness, murder and revenge, but don't expect it to be graphic or horrifying - I mention this as I have seen some people complain that it isn't enough of those things. YA covers a large age range and sometimes it's going to be towards the lower end and to be honest, the story telling is so fantastic that it doesn't need to be graphic or over the top. I think Shea Ernshaw does an amazing job of conveying dread without resorting to shock. That's also evident that despite the subject matter this is a really easy and captivating read, I couldn't put it down and read it in a day!

There isn't a character I disliked. The sisters were portrayed brilliantly, all reacting differently to the 200 years of vengeance and I found it a really interesting take on how they can become either weary or sharpened by this. The children of the town as well were thoughtfully considered with how they have come to accept the fate of the town they were born into, and almost embrace it like a birthright, despite knowing what the fates could have in store. I want to be careful of saying too much about the characters as there is some brilliant misdirection and a twist to this tale, which kept me on my toes.

The story feels very ethereal, from the mists of the sisters song to the decrepit lighthouse island and the run down township. Even the antics of the children at the start of Swan Season seems as if they are already under a spell rather than the elaborate dares they look to be playing - perhaps that is a spell over the whole town, in that they float along knowing what is coming yet seem in no hurry to change or move to do anything about it.

I loved this book for so many reasons and it's beautifully not afraid to be a stand alone which is so refreshing at the moment. The cover is gorgeous too! I have no hesitation in giving this book 5*
  
Brave (2012)
Brave (2012)
2012 | Animation, Comedy, Family
The digital wizards at Pixar have an incredible dossier of Academy award-winning animated films. Their latest film “Brave“, is a prime example of the bold new direction for the company behind such classics as “Finding Nemo“, “Toy Story“, “The Incredible’s“, and “Monsters, Inc.” just to name a few. This time out Scotland provides the setting for the animation masters to weave their magic, and they do in a splendid 3-D feast of sight, sound, and color that captures the breathtaking beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

For Princess Merida (Kelly Madonald), life is filled with joy and frustration. As the daughter to King Fergus (Billy Connolly), and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), she has to walk a fine line between the duties and expectation of her mother and her freewheeling lifestyle of daring and adventure. The young Princess is content to ride through the countryside astride her horse Angus, and perfect her already admirable archery skills.

When Merida learns that her parents have summoned the other major clans so that a worthy suitor can be chosen, Merida rebels openly at their plan and causes great embarrassment to her family during a competition. In a fit of rebellious anger, Merida rides into the woods, and comes upon a witch who promises to create for the young princess a spell that will forever change her destiny. Although not done out of malice, the spell has some on expected consequences that threatens the future of the kingdom as well as the safety of Merida’s family.

The film has some outstanding performances, not the least of which is Connolly, who was an absolute delight whenever his character was on screen. Supporting work by Craig Ferguson and Robbie Coltrane complement the leads well. Since my mother is a Scot, I am all-too-familiar with not only the history but culture of Scotland. I had been concerned when I first heard the project that it would play up on certain stereotypes and miss the true complexity and splendor of Scotland and its people, as well as it’s extremely rich history which is filled with numerous technical and literary achievements over the centuries.

Thankfully my concerns were allayed very early in the film not simply because of the amazing visual detail of the movie but also because of the lovable but quirky characters. The writers and animators managed to capture the very nature of the people and the culture, which is no easy thing in an animated film. Kudos for the casting of the mostly Scottish cast who played their roles with relish. I can honestly say hearing King Fergus address the clans brought to mind my aunts, uncles and cousins thanks to the distinct Scottish brogue. I especially liked the fact that when conflict erupted (of course) amongst even the best of friends, there are some very clever ways that laughs were gained without turning the characters into buffoons or being overly cute.

While the film plays it fairly safe with the story, Pixar’s first female heroine gives us a very fun and enjoyable tale that offers something for the entire family without talking down to the audience or having to resort to crude humor. A few scenes may be a bit intense for youngsters and while it will not be cited for any technological breakthroughs Brave, nonetheless, is highly entertaining.