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Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in Video Games
Jul 17, 2017
Huge Character Roster (5 more)
48 Vibrant and Delightful Tracks
The Best Couch Multiplayer Game for Switch
Excellent Music and Sound Design
The F-Zero Homages!
Battle Mode is Back!
Not Just the Biggest, but Best Mario Kart Ever
Everybody loves Mario Kart right? My wife even loves Mario Kart, and that's saying something. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is currently the only game we play together, and it's awesome. I've personally experienced Mario Kart's power of bringing family and friends together since I was 5 years old and owned a Nintendo 64. I still own Mario Kart 64, and even have Super Mario Kart for the SNES. While these games are much simpler than the current iteration, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still retains that blissful split-screen couch multiplayer magic. I never played Nintendo's handheld entries for that very reason; for me, Mario Kart has always been best experienced with other people. With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch, however, fans of the series can have it both ways. The game is excellent, and it's simply a must-own on the Nintendo Switch.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Emperor of Thorns in Books
Sep 13, 2017
The conclusion of the first of Mark Lawrence's trilogies, the Broken Empire, sees Jorg once again travel across the empire, and is once again split into 2 timelines.
Again, the pace at which events of the past are revealed and their implications for the present timeline emerge is just right, allowing enough to be worked out in advance by the eager reader.
I didn't much like the present timeline story, it really was just a long dragged out roadtrip and didn't add much to the overall plot. Luckily enough focus was given to Jorg's adventures through the radioactive fallout zones and Afrique that this didn't detract from enjoyment too much.
Once more, the introduction of elements of the distant past (our future) was a risk worth taking for the author, as it helps explain so much of the mysterious yet familiar world we are travelling through.
The ending felt slightly rushed for me and the final encounter should really have been given much more attention, but I was happy enough with the conclusion and intend to revisit this world for the Red Queen's War trilogy in due course.
Again, the pace at which events of the past are revealed and their implications for the present timeline emerge is just right, allowing enough to be worked out in advance by the eager reader.
I didn't much like the present timeline story, it really was just a long dragged out roadtrip and didn't add much to the overall plot. Luckily enough focus was given to Jorg's adventures through the radioactive fallout zones and Afrique that this didn't detract from enjoyment too much.
Once more, the introduction of elements of the distant past (our future) was a risk worth taking for the author, as it helps explain so much of the mysterious yet familiar world we are travelling through.
The ending felt slightly rushed for me and the final encounter should really have been given much more attention, but I was happy enough with the conclusion and intend to revisit this world for the Red Queen's War trilogy in due course.
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Surprise Me in Books
May 25, 2018
I usually like Sophie Kinsella books, but I have to say this one was not a favorite. I felt like I was reading two different books - one about a couple trying to add Surprise to their marriage (so the title works) and one about a secret between another couple. The two just did not mesh. The Surprise Me part got lost along the way. And WHAT COUPLE goes into marriage not thinking FOREVER?? and one minute they're crazy in love and in a split second hes brooding and mean and terrible to her?!! It just doesn't work. Sorry. Granted though - it got 3 stars because I was dying to know why the hell the switch flipped and Dan became psycho. I couldn't put it down cause I wanted to know what the secret was. It was so annoyingly crazy that I just wanted to get it over with and find out WTF was going on. The job thing almost felt like a third story and the neighbor and her son a 4th story! Things were just not meshed together very well and I felt like I was all over the place, with no real ties.
BadgerMuffin (48 KP) rated Codenames: Deep Undercover in Tabletop Games
Jun 2, 2019
Cheap (1 more)
Easy To Pickup
For Your Eyes Only.
Codenames: Deep Undercover is the NSFW Adult Only team game.
This game is simple, Split into teams, and try to guess the words.
Your Spymasters role is to give you a single word and a number (ie. Ball 4)
As the agents your team must try to work out the 4 cards on the table that link to the word 'Ball', without picking any of the other teams words, or god forbid, The Assassin.
This game is simple to pick up and easy to play, however this game does require some aspect of thought. It's just as fun while drunk however it does make this game considerably more difficult.
Honestly, no game room is complete without some variation of this game. It's easy to set up, and games take from between 10-30 minutes.
A good way to start a night in (or even pre drinks for a night out).
The print quality is high, and game pieces are substantial enough to last a long time.
TL;DR
-Quick Games
-Easy to Learn
-Easiest sober, but possible drunk
-A must have
This game is simple, Split into teams, and try to guess the words.
Your Spymasters role is to give you a single word and a number (ie. Ball 4)
As the agents your team must try to work out the 4 cards on the table that link to the word 'Ball', without picking any of the other teams words, or god forbid, The Assassin.
This game is simple to pick up and easy to play, however this game does require some aspect of thought. It's just as fun while drunk however it does make this game considerably more difficult.
Honestly, no game room is complete without some variation of this game. It's easy to set up, and games take from between 10-30 minutes.
A good way to start a night in (or even pre drinks for a night out).
The print quality is high, and game pieces are substantial enough to last a long time.
TL;DR
-Quick Games
-Easy to Learn
-Easiest sober, but possible drunk
-A must have
Dana (24 KP) rated Y No Se Lo Trago LA Tierra and the Earth Did Not Devour Him in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This book is split in half. The first half is written entirely in Spanish while the second half is in English. As a person who speaks no Spanish, it was cool to go back and forth from the two halves to get an understanding to what the words meant.
This book gave a very interesting view into the migrant workers of the United States. Not only are there the testimonials from the people themselves, there are also little vignettes into each person's life.
There are small aspects of dark humor throughout the novel. Some instances, like when the child is trying to evoke the devil by cursing at him, made me laugh while I was reading it.
I really enjoyed how true the characters were to themselves in their stories. Even though we weren't following a single character the entire way through, all of the stories were connected in some way. Even still, we got great glimpses into their lives and the lives of a lot of immigrants in the United States.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was quick and didn't seem very drawn out.
This book gave a very interesting view into the migrant workers of the United States. Not only are there the testimonials from the people themselves, there are also little vignettes into each person's life.
There are small aspects of dark humor throughout the novel. Some instances, like when the child is trying to evoke the devil by cursing at him, made me laugh while I was reading it.
I really enjoyed how true the characters were to themselves in their stories. Even though we weren't following a single character the entire way through, all of the stories were connected in some way. Even still, we got great glimpses into their lives and the lives of a lot of immigrants in the United States.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was quick and didn't seem very drawn out.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Lost Legacy in Books
Sep 5, 2018
Suspicious Suicide Unearths Questions from Zoe’s Past
When paramedic Zoe Chambers arrives at the scene of an apparent suicide, she can’t help but draw parallels to the death of her great uncles several decades ago in the same barn. Meanwhile, Police Chief Pete Adams uncovers another tie to Zoe’s past in the investigation. Is the modern death a murder or a suicide? What is the connection to Zoe?
I’m sorry I waited so long to return to Zoe’s world, but it was fantastic to be back. Zoe and Pete really are co-leads in the series since they split time as our viewpoint characters. In this case, they both have sub-plots involving their parents, as well. The rest of the characters are just as fully developed as our leads. The plot is compelling, always pulling me in and making me reluctant to set the book down. The tone of the book is definitely more somber, and the smattering of language coupled with a few scenes on the edge of being graphic keep it on the traditional side of the spectrum. While not as light as many of the cozies I read, it is still wonderful reading.
I’m sorry I waited so long to return to Zoe’s world, but it was fantastic to be back. Zoe and Pete really are co-leads in the series since they split time as our viewpoint characters. In this case, they both have sub-plots involving their parents, as well. The rest of the characters are just as fully developed as our leads. The plot is compelling, always pulling me in and making me reluctant to set the book down. The tone of the book is definitely more somber, and the smattering of language coupled with a few scenes on the edge of being graphic keep it on the traditional side of the spectrum. While not as light as many of the cozies I read, it is still wonderful reading.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Salem's Lot in Books
Sep 14, 2018
King's fantastic take on vampires
Despite being a massive King fan, I've never read Salem's Lot. Its just one of his books that it never occurred to me to read, until i started to collect his entire works and read everything I hadn't read before.
I never knew that this book was about vampires, and whilst this becomes fairly obvious quite early into the book, it was a pleasant surprise. As with most of King's books, this is extremely well written, and has his usual mix of varied and interesting characters, with the writing style split between all of them. There are some good and obvious references to Dracula in this, but its a fantastic modern(ish - 1970s) take on a classic vampire story. And unusually for King, this story isn't an epic novel like some of his others. It doesn't seem to go into as much detail either storywise and characterwise as some of his other bigger novels (The Stand, Needful Things etc), and this is really my only criticism. The story is still detailed and a very good, it just isn't what I'd come to expect from a King novel especially with a plot like this.
I never knew that this book was about vampires, and whilst this becomes fairly obvious quite early into the book, it was a pleasant surprise. As with most of King's books, this is extremely well written, and has his usual mix of varied and interesting characters, with the writing style split between all of them. There are some good and obvious references to Dracula in this, but its a fantastic modern(ish - 1970s) take on a classic vampire story. And unusually for King, this story isn't an epic novel like some of his others. It doesn't seem to go into as much detail either storywise and characterwise as some of his other bigger novels (The Stand, Needful Things etc), and this is really my only criticism. The story is still detailed and a very good, it just isn't what I'd come to expect from a King novel especially with a plot like this.
ClareR (5681 KP) rated Light Years in Books
Nov 13, 2018
A new YA Science Fiction series
This is a new YA Science Fiction series, following 4 students at the Quatra Fleet Academy - an academy that has only just allowed students from planets other than the main Tridian planet. This book centres around themes of friendship, prejudice and subterfuge.
Students are split in to teams, where they man their own practice craft, and there is someone from pretty much each of the planets in their system: Cormack is from Deva, and has taken his dead brothers place, unbeknownst to the academy; Vesper is the daughter of a Tridian Commander and teacher at the academy. She is finding it difficult to live up to her mothers expectations; Arran is from Chetire, and is very intelligent, something that caused him untold trouble at home; and Orelia, who says she's from Loos, but hides a greater secret.
This is a great start to a new series, lots of diversity, excitement, and a fast read. It sets up the next book really well, with a very interesting ending - what a cliffhanger!!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.
Students are split in to teams, where they man their own practice craft, and there is someone from pretty much each of the planets in their system: Cormack is from Deva, and has taken his dead brothers place, unbeknownst to the academy; Vesper is the daughter of a Tridian Commander and teacher at the academy. She is finding it difficult to live up to her mothers expectations; Arran is from Chetire, and is very intelligent, something that caused him untold trouble at home; and Orelia, who says she's from Loos, but hides a greater secret.
This is a great start to a new series, lots of diversity, excitement, and a fast read. It sets up the next book really well, with a very interesting ending - what a cliffhanger!!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Glass (2019) in Movies
Jan 22, 2019 (Updated Jan 22, 2019)
More Than Half Empty
Long-awaited sequel to Unbreakable; also not-quite-so-long-awaited sequel to Split, as M Night Shyamalan's various superheroes and villains assemble in a nuthouse: roll-call includes Bruce Willis (special power: being, um, unbreakable), James McAvoy (special power: one of his multiple personalities is a bit of an animal), and Samuel L Jackson (special power: being older than his own mum - it's true, I checked Wikipedia).
Starts off very promisingly but soon collapses into a saggy and self-indulgent mess in the traditional Shyamalan style; many long-winded scenes and much mysto-babble. Another bravura performance from McAvoy, and Jackson (when he finally turns up) carves himself a thick slice of ham, but the consequence of this is that Bruce Willis mostly vanishes into the background. The climax is remarkably portentous considering it's mostly just two guys wrestling each other fairly clumsily in a car park. Not sure three half-assed plot twists add up to a decent ending. All in all, a curious attempt to make a superhero movie in the style of a horror film, but ultimately rather disappointing given the potential and the talent involved.
Starts off very promisingly but soon collapses into a saggy and self-indulgent mess in the traditional Shyamalan style; many long-winded scenes and much mysto-babble. Another bravura performance from McAvoy, and Jackson (when he finally turns up) carves himself a thick slice of ham, but the consequence of this is that Bruce Willis mostly vanishes into the background. The climax is remarkably portentous considering it's mostly just two guys wrestling each other fairly clumsily in a car park. Not sure three half-assed plot twists add up to a decent ending. All in all, a curious attempt to make a superhero movie in the style of a horror film, but ultimately rather disappointing given the potential and the talent involved.
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