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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Last House on the Cliff [Audiobook] in Books
Sep 11, 2022
![The Last House on the Cliff [Audiobook]](/uploads/profile_image/916/14f63193-1f77-4f72-910d-7f9dc767e916.jpg?m=1662905541)
This is a dark and creepy mystery/thriller that kept me engaged from the start.
Lowri hasn't had the happiest lives so far and when she returns to Anglesey on the death of her beloved aunt, Gwyn, she thinks this might be the start of a better life for her and her daughter, Ruby. Little does she know what nightmare awaits.
The location and setting of this story is genius; the author captures the small island village and the ever present dangerous cliffs together with the dark and creepy atmosphere of the house perfectly and I was transported there by her excellent and vivid descriptions.
There are quite a few characters and it did take me a while to get a grasp on them all but they are an interesting and eclectic bunch and not all of them are particularly likeable but all fit in and have their place in the story.
The story itself is a complex one of historical family trauma that spans generations. There is a pervading sense of the creepy and the unsettling from the start with some great twists culminating in a very satisfying ending that brought everything together.
The narrator was excellent; her voice was absolutely perfect for the story and I actually think I enjoyed it more because of her narration. Would I have enjoyed it had I read it rather than listened? I think so but I would definitely have had trouble with pronouncing the Welsh words!
Overall, a great audio book to keep you company whilst driving, cleaning or doing just about anything that doesn't need a lot of thought and many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts on The Last House on the Cliff.
Lowri hasn't had the happiest lives so far and when she returns to Anglesey on the death of her beloved aunt, Gwyn, she thinks this might be the start of a better life for her and her daughter, Ruby. Little does she know what nightmare awaits.
The location and setting of this story is genius; the author captures the small island village and the ever present dangerous cliffs together with the dark and creepy atmosphere of the house perfectly and I was transported there by her excellent and vivid descriptions.
There are quite a few characters and it did take me a while to get a grasp on them all but they are an interesting and eclectic bunch and not all of them are particularly likeable but all fit in and have their place in the story.
The story itself is a complex one of historical family trauma that spans generations. There is a pervading sense of the creepy and the unsettling from the start with some great twists culminating in a very satisfying ending that brought everything together.
The narrator was excellent; her voice was absolutely perfect for the story and I actually think I enjoyed it more because of her narration. Would I have enjoyed it had I read it rather than listened? I think so but I would definitely have had trouble with pronouncing the Welsh words!
Overall, a great audio book to keep you company whilst driving, cleaning or doing just about anything that doesn't need a lot of thought and many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts on The Last House on the Cliff.
Merissa (12897 KP) rated Smith's Corner: Delilah & Dallas (The Heartwood Series #1) in Books
Jun 17, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
SMITH'S CORNER: DELILAH & DALLAS is the first book in the Heartwood series. Delilah is young but with a mature head on her shoulders. She knows what she wants to do and isn't afraid to work hard to get it. Dallas is older and has played the field, but when Delilah arrives on the scene, his playboy days are over, his eyes and heart are now Delilah's if only he can convince her to take a chance on him.
This was a great story that took the unusual turn of knowing who the stalker was but waiting for him to be caught. I loved that as it didn't detract from the main story, but also kept you on your toes for the next time he would turn up.
There were a couple of minor issues that I didn't understand, but that in no way detracted from the story. It's definitely a case of it's me, not the story! I loved all the brothers and hope we get all of them. Layla and Levi are up next, but I have high hopes for Ash and Alora, Stone and Storm, Holden and Harper, but no idea yet about Fox, and I really REALLY want his story. Of course, these may not be the official couples, but are the ones I have in my head!
With a smooth pace throughout, this story definitely kept my attention. With some steamy moments, along with banter between the brothers, the pages turned themselves.
Absolutely recommended by me, and I can't wait to continue the series.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 17, 2021
This was a great story that took the unusual turn of knowing who the stalker was but waiting for him to be caught. I loved that as it didn't detract from the main story, but also kept you on your toes for the next time he would turn up.
There were a couple of minor issues that I didn't understand, but that in no way detracted from the story. It's definitely a case of it's me, not the story! I loved all the brothers and hope we get all of them. Layla and Levi are up next, but I have high hopes for Ash and Alora, Stone and Storm, Holden and Harper, but no idea yet about Fox, and I really REALLY want his story. Of course, these may not be the official couples, but are the ones I have in my head!
With a smooth pace throughout, this story definitely kept my attention. With some steamy moments, along with banter between the brothers, the pages turned themselves.
Absolutely recommended by me, and I can't wait to continue the series.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 17, 2021
Nikki Allegretti (6 KP) rated A Court of Wings and Ruin in Books
Oct 13, 2017
When is Paraphrasing Bad....Always.
Contains spoilers, click to show
There are a couple reasons why I rated ACOWAR 6 stars. In all honesty, it's the weakest of the three books in the trilogy. In order of strongest to weakest it's: ACOMAF, ACOTAR, ACOWAR.
The first reason: it was rushed. This story would have been 100 times better if she had taken her time and split it into two books. I absolutely adore SJM's writing and her initials are inked on my body forever, so it's not like I'm bashing her writing. I love her. It was just rushed. There were things that would have been better to have been spread out.
The second reason: unnecessary deaths and unnecessary revivals. I won't go into details on that because I don't want to spoil anything specific.
The third reason: this one hurts me the most. I've seen the movie Troy about 432451542 times. (Yes exaggerations.) There were lines from Troy that were paraphrased in this book and that bothers me. It is one thing to get inspired by a movie, it's another to paraphrase it. I will show my work.
-in the meeting with the high lords, Tamlin says something along the lines of ..leave in the middle of the night...blah blah...but Feyre says "The sun was shining when I left you."
--in the movie, Troy, Helen's husband says something along the lines of I see no prince I see someone who would take a man's wife in the middle of the night. Paris responds with "the sun was shining when your wife left you."
My other example:
-Mor and Feyre are standing on a hill watching a battle and Mor is pacing and says "get the men back into lines"
--in Troy, Achilles is on a hill watching a battle and he says "get them back into lines" while Odysseus yells "Get the men back into lines."
It's all small things that would go unnoticed if you didn't watch the movie 53751432 times. So it just bothered me, a lot. I'll still read her work. I'll still love her, but those two scenes bothered me to no end
The first reason: it was rushed. This story would have been 100 times better if she had taken her time and split it into two books. I absolutely adore SJM's writing and her initials are inked on my body forever, so it's not like I'm bashing her writing. I love her. It was just rushed. There were things that would have been better to have been spread out.
The second reason: unnecessary deaths and unnecessary revivals. I won't go into details on that because I don't want to spoil anything specific.
The third reason: this one hurts me the most. I've seen the movie Troy about 432451542 times. (Yes exaggerations.) There were lines from Troy that were paraphrased in this book and that bothers me. It is one thing to get inspired by a movie, it's another to paraphrase it. I will show my work.
-in the meeting with the high lords, Tamlin says something along the lines of ..leave in the middle of the night...blah blah...but Feyre says "The sun was shining when I left you."
--in the movie, Troy, Helen's husband says something along the lines of I see no prince I see someone who would take a man's wife in the middle of the night. Paris responds with "the sun was shining when your wife left you."
My other example:
-Mor and Feyre are standing on a hill watching a battle and Mor is pacing and says "get the men back into lines"
--in Troy, Achilles is on a hill watching a battle and he says "get them back into lines" while Odysseus yells "Get the men back into lines."
It's all small things that would go unnoticed if you didn't watch the movie 53751432 times. So it just bothered me, a lot. I'll still read her work. I'll still love her, but those two scenes bothered me to no end
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated The Astonishing Color of After in Books
Jan 30, 2019
FEELS!!!!!!!! ALL THE FEELS!!!!!!!!!! The Astonishing Color of After brought to light feelings for me that I didn’t know I was feeling. I cried tears I didn’t know I needed to cry. This book resonated with me in ways I’ve never experience before while reading. This book rebroke my heart but it also healed it in ways I couldn’t heal myself.
Let me start at the beginning… Leigh’s mother commits suicide. Her mom’s name is Dorothy and goes by Dory for short. While my mom didn’t commit suicide, she did die unexpectedly in August of 2016. I know, I know you’re thinking what does this have to do with the book but just put your patient pants on. My mom’s name was Doria, and she went by Dory. While Leigh was lucky enough to be the one that didn’t find her mom, I wasn’t lucky enough to have the same luxury. I could relate to how Leigh was feeling on so many levels. So much so, it felt like the author had interviewed me and then written the book based on that interview. Leigh feels like she is to blame partly for her mother’s death. She feels like if she would have only done x better, if only she’d been in y place at z time she would have been able to save her mom. I know because I had these same thoughts and still do until this day. After reading this book and realizing there just wasn’t anything I could have done to change the outcome of what was destined to happen. But just because my mom isn’t physically here anymore doesn’t mean she’s gone forever. I still see her in myself every time I look in the mirror. She is always with me.
The magical realism aspect of this book brought the journey and the imagery to life for me. I could picture this big beautiful red bird soaring around Leigh. The more I read of this book the more I found myself looking to the sky to see what is out there for me, and then I realized that looking to the sky is something that I’ve done since the day my mom died. I find myself looking around at the clouds and the sky seeing if there is a trace of her looking down on me. Now my favorite time to look to the sky is at night and I imagine her as one of the stars looming overhead keeping an eye on me.
The characters in this book are so real. Leigh, her grandparents, her dad, and Axel. Though, I must admit I feel as though the story could have been just as good without Axel. Sometimes he just seemed to crowd the story and take away from what was happening. I think my most favorite character was Feng, and all the she represents. I absolutely loved this aspect of the book. I also loved Ghost Month as this was something I had never heard of before and it and it reminds me of one of my other favorite holidays El Dia de los Muertos. I loved learning about the Taiwanese culture.
The way the author wove this story together through her words brought the magic and the storytelling to life. Her writing style worked extremely well for the subject of this story and I can’t wait to see what she is going to write in the future. The only aspect of this story that just didn’t mesh for me was all the colors sprinkled throughout the story. Honestly though, that is such a minute detail that it’s barely worth mentioning.
As you can see this story hit me very close to home, and I am so incredibly grateful to the author for writing it. It rebroke my heart and then helped to heal that same broken heart.
Now, on to the important bits… Suicide… If you are ever in a position where you feel that you just absolutely can’t go on do me one solid. Pause. Pick up your phone, and text HELP to 741741. This is the number for the Crisis Text Line. You will be connected to one of their trained Crisis Counselors. I am a trained Crisis Counselor on the CTL and I can guarantee you that you are not alone in how you’re feeling. Ask for help, we’re here to listen, we’re trained to help you. You are not alone. Just remember 741741 and HELP. That’s all it takes and someone will be there for you.
Let me start at the beginning… Leigh’s mother commits suicide. Her mom’s name is Dorothy and goes by Dory for short. While my mom didn’t commit suicide, she did die unexpectedly in August of 2016. I know, I know you’re thinking what does this have to do with the book but just put your patient pants on. My mom’s name was Doria, and she went by Dory. While Leigh was lucky enough to be the one that didn’t find her mom, I wasn’t lucky enough to have the same luxury. I could relate to how Leigh was feeling on so many levels. So much so, it felt like the author had interviewed me and then written the book based on that interview. Leigh feels like she is to blame partly for her mother’s death. She feels like if she would have only done x better, if only she’d been in y place at z time she would have been able to save her mom. I know because I had these same thoughts and still do until this day. After reading this book and realizing there just wasn’t anything I could have done to change the outcome of what was destined to happen. But just because my mom isn’t physically here anymore doesn’t mean she’s gone forever. I still see her in myself every time I look in the mirror. She is always with me.
The magical realism aspect of this book brought the journey and the imagery to life for me. I could picture this big beautiful red bird soaring around Leigh. The more I read of this book the more I found myself looking to the sky to see what is out there for me, and then I realized that looking to the sky is something that I’ve done since the day my mom died. I find myself looking around at the clouds and the sky seeing if there is a trace of her looking down on me. Now my favorite time to look to the sky is at night and I imagine her as one of the stars looming overhead keeping an eye on me.
The characters in this book are so real. Leigh, her grandparents, her dad, and Axel. Though, I must admit I feel as though the story could have been just as good without Axel. Sometimes he just seemed to crowd the story and take away from what was happening. I think my most favorite character was Feng, and all the she represents. I absolutely loved this aspect of the book. I also loved Ghost Month as this was something I had never heard of before and it and it reminds me of one of my other favorite holidays El Dia de los Muertos. I loved learning about the Taiwanese culture.
The way the author wove this story together through her words brought the magic and the storytelling to life. Her writing style worked extremely well for the subject of this story and I can’t wait to see what she is going to write in the future. The only aspect of this story that just didn’t mesh for me was all the colors sprinkled throughout the story. Honestly though, that is such a minute detail that it’s barely worth mentioning.
As you can see this story hit me very close to home, and I am so incredibly grateful to the author for writing it. It rebroke my heart and then helped to heal that same broken heart.
Now, on to the important bits… Suicide… If you are ever in a position where you feel that you just absolutely can’t go on do me one solid. Pause. Pick up your phone, and text HELP to 741741. This is the number for the Crisis Text Line. You will be connected to one of their trained Crisis Counselors. I am a trained Crisis Counselor on the CTL and I can guarantee you that you are not alone in how you’re feeling. Ask for help, we’re here to listen, we’re trained to help you. You are not alone. Just remember 741741 and HELP. That’s all it takes and someone will be there for you.
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Jenn (9 KP) rated Behind Her Eyes in Books
Nov 13, 2017 (Updated Nov 13, 2017)
Really liked this book..
Dont generally read this genre of books they have to really peak my interest for me to want too buy this genre - i read the back and the bits that are saying what other authors think of it and i thought i'd give it a go.
Alot of people were going on about the end and i was sceptical like it cant be hard too figure out but omg was i wrong, this book takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. You follow 3 people and you dont know whose side to be on or who to feel sorry for.
Its a really easy read, it doesnt take long to get into and i personally couldnt put it down though the end is a bit far fetched to some people it fits in keeping with the book and it really made me think, and makes you want to read the book again to see if anytging pops out now you do know. it was so hard after because i had no one too discuss this with and i really wanted too.
I really really enjoyed this and would reccomend to anyone would also like to have a discussion with anyone who didnt like it (if there is anyone)
Alot of people were going on about the end and i was sceptical like it cant be hard too figure out but omg was i wrong, this book takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. You follow 3 people and you dont know whose side to be on or who to feel sorry for.
Its a really easy read, it doesnt take long to get into and i personally couldnt put it down though the end is a bit far fetched to some people it fits in keeping with the book and it really made me think, and makes you want to read the book again to see if anytging pops out now you do know. it was so hard after because i had no one too discuss this with and i really wanted too.
I really really enjoyed this and would reccomend to anyone would also like to have a discussion with anyone who didnt like it (if there is anyone)
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Parasite (Parasitology, #1) in Books
May 16, 2018
Whew, Parasite by Mira Grant is definitely a refreshing take on the end of the world. Even better? The audio book version of this story is narrated by Christine Lakin. Lakin also narrated Holly Black’s The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and this officially marks my first time of recognizing an voice while listening to a book. For those who are picky about a reader’s voice like I am, Lakin is definitely easy to listen to.
Parasite is pretty self-explanatory if you go by its name. It deals with… well, parasites. The characters are a little stereotypish – okay, really they are a lot. There’s that whole super villain monologue thing going on that irks the hell out of me. Fortunately, the plot more than makes up for it. This is the first book I’ve listened to/read by Mira Grant, so I can’t really compare it to Newsflesh, which is on my to-read list.
Aside from griping about the villains, there’s not a whole lot for me to complain about here. It’s nice to see more than just two factions when the world is ending; in fact, it’s nice to see a series that’s not about zombies taking off at the beginning of the apocalypse where there’s still a chance for humankind. Maybe.
Seriously, it’s a pretty solid book. Gonna knock off a skull for the villain speeches though.
Parasite is pretty self-explanatory if you go by its name. It deals with… well, parasites. The characters are a little stereotypish – okay, really they are a lot. There’s that whole super villain monologue thing going on that irks the hell out of me. Fortunately, the plot more than makes up for it. This is the first book I’ve listened to/read by Mira Grant, so I can’t really compare it to Newsflesh, which is on my to-read list.
Aside from griping about the villains, there’s not a whole lot for me to complain about here. It’s nice to see more than just two factions when the world is ending; in fact, it’s nice to see a series that’s not about zombies taking off at the beginning of the apocalypse where there’s still a chance for humankind. Maybe.
Seriously, it’s a pretty solid book. Gonna knock off a skull for the villain speeches though.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Little Women (2019) in Movies
Dec 30, 2019
If I’m honest, Little Women probably isn’t the kind of movie I’d generally watch. But I’d heard great things about it, and my wife and daughter both wanted to watch it, so I decided to give it a shot. I haven’t read Little Women the book, and I haven’t seen any of the numerous adaptations prior to this one either, so you should probably take my opinion with a pinch of salt.
Little Women switches between two different periods in the lives of four sisters - their current lives and their lives seven years earlier. And I quite often struggled to tell when it switched, leaving me slightly confused on more than one occasion. I eventually learned to identify which timeframe we were in depending on which of the sisters Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) was currently hitting on, but there was a lengthy period around the middle where the meandering story, and the rather hot cinema, saw me gently closing my eyes for a short while
But, after my short power nap, I actually grew to enjoy the last third of the movie. I’m a big fan of Saoirse Ronan and, along with Florence Pugh, who is currently having the most amazing year, they really make this movie. Relaxed, authentic dialogue and great chemistry between the sisters and the other characters made this a lot more bearable than I was expecting!
Little Women switches between two different periods in the lives of four sisters - their current lives and their lives seven years earlier. And I quite often struggled to tell when it switched, leaving me slightly confused on more than one occasion. I eventually learned to identify which timeframe we were in depending on which of the sisters Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) was currently hitting on, but there was a lengthy period around the middle where the meandering story, and the rather hot cinema, saw me gently closing my eyes for a short while
But, after my short power nap, I actually grew to enjoy the last third of the movie. I’m a big fan of Saoirse Ronan and, along with Florence Pugh, who is currently having the most amazing year, they really make this movie. Relaxed, authentic dialogue and great chemistry between the sisters and the other characters made this a lot more bearable than I was expecting!
