Search
Search results
Not what I expected
I need to start off by saying that I wasnt a fan of Get Out, and I hadn't even see the trailer for Us, so I went into this with low/no expectations, and I was actually pleasantly surprised.
The first half an hour or so is a bit of a slow burn introduction to the family, almost lulling you into a false sense of security before abruptly flipping into full on horror film mode. There are a lot of things I liked about this film; it doesn't rely on obvious jump scares and instead focuses on being massively creepy and almost downright terrifying. I liked the pop culture references like Home Alone, and for me the bits of humour thrown in worked quite well to lighten up an otherwise tense film. And going against the usual horror movie tropes (I.e. victims not being so helpless after all) was refreshing. I also thought this was going to be a bog standard home invasion film, and it really isn't. The wider plot and story going on here is a great idea and the twist at the end too was brilliant, entirely unexpected and I usually pride myself on being able to spot these things coming a mile off.
However there are some things I really didn't like about this film which have led me to mark it down. The cast were great, but I could not stand the voice that Lupita Nyong'o gave Red. For me it wasn't creepy or scary, it was just silly and verging on the hysterically funny. I couldn't take her seriously every time she was speaking on screen. Also, I didn't like some of the more animalistic behaviours and vocalisms they gave the rest of the doppelgangers. It detracted from their overall creepy and terrifying appearance and I think they could have maybe made them a little quieter for a better effect. I hated the soundtrack - it seemed far too dramatic and over the top and not in keeping with the tone of the rest of the film. And I think the dancing scene in the final act, was very stylish but completely unnecessary and I found myself getting very irritated by it as it was just silly and a little confusing.
Overall this film isn't perfect by any means, but it was a lot better than I had ever expected. I feel like going into a film without having seen dozens of trailers etc beforehand actually makes for a far more enjoyable experience.
The first half an hour or so is a bit of a slow burn introduction to the family, almost lulling you into a false sense of security before abruptly flipping into full on horror film mode. There are a lot of things I liked about this film; it doesn't rely on obvious jump scares and instead focuses on being massively creepy and almost downright terrifying. I liked the pop culture references like Home Alone, and for me the bits of humour thrown in worked quite well to lighten up an otherwise tense film. And going against the usual horror movie tropes (I.e. victims not being so helpless after all) was refreshing. I also thought this was going to be a bog standard home invasion film, and it really isn't. The wider plot and story going on here is a great idea and the twist at the end too was brilliant, entirely unexpected and I usually pride myself on being able to spot these things coming a mile off.
However there are some things I really didn't like about this film which have led me to mark it down. The cast were great, but I could not stand the voice that Lupita Nyong'o gave Red. For me it wasn't creepy or scary, it was just silly and verging on the hysterically funny. I couldn't take her seriously every time she was speaking on screen. Also, I didn't like some of the more animalistic behaviours and vocalisms they gave the rest of the doppelgangers. It detracted from their overall creepy and terrifying appearance and I think they could have maybe made them a little quieter for a better effect. I hated the soundtrack - it seemed far too dramatic and over the top and not in keeping with the tone of the rest of the film. And I think the dancing scene in the final act, was very stylish but completely unnecessary and I found myself getting very irritated by it as it was just silly and a little confusing.
Overall this film isn't perfect by any means, but it was a lot better than I had ever expected. I feel like going into a film without having seen dozens of trailers etc beforehand actually makes for a far more enjoyable experience.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated A Margin of Lust (The Seven Deadly Sins, Book One) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This is the definition of a throwaway thriller. Its fast paced and exciting, but its not clever and its not particularly unique.
I liked the premise being about an estate agent trying to sell a million-dollar home, while someone else, our killer, wanted to keep the house off the market for himself. It was unique enough and what initially drew me into requesting this. Another big part of this story was marriage under stress, between our two main characters, Gwen & Art. I found this part of the story a little bit annoying and the way things happened between them at times, felt unrealistic. I understand that this book was supposed to represent the pressures of work life, marriage life and lusting after what you think you deserve, but it wasnt necessary. It could have made a more unique book without the domestic part to it.
In terms of characters, there are quite a few to keep up with, but it doesnt ever become confusing as to who is who. Gwen, our main character was a little hysterical, which definitely got on my nerves on more than one occasion, and I think she treated her husband unfairly, but it was fun to see her playing detective. Arts character was OK, nothing special. Honestly the story could have been just as good without his character. Side characters like Maricela and Lance were interesting and well developed, but all complete cliches.
For me, this is definitely one of the easiest to guess thrillers. At 44% there is a scene where Boris practically hands you the killers name on a plate. Usually, this annoys me, but I didnt mind it so much with this one because I didnt think it was going to be shockingly twisty and turny from the start.
This book is a perfect holiday read. Its good but not great. Youll find yourself whizzing through it, but it wont take up too much headspace.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Fawkes Press for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
I liked the premise being about an estate agent trying to sell a million-dollar home, while someone else, our killer, wanted to keep the house off the market for himself. It was unique enough and what initially drew me into requesting this. Another big part of this story was marriage under stress, between our two main characters, Gwen & Art. I found this part of the story a little bit annoying and the way things happened between them at times, felt unrealistic. I understand that this book was supposed to represent the pressures of work life, marriage life and lusting after what you think you deserve, but it wasnt necessary. It could have made a more unique book without the domestic part to it.
In terms of characters, there are quite a few to keep up with, but it doesnt ever become confusing as to who is who. Gwen, our main character was a little hysterical, which definitely got on my nerves on more than one occasion, and I think she treated her husband unfairly, but it was fun to see her playing detective. Arts character was OK, nothing special. Honestly the story could have been just as good without his character. Side characters like Maricela and Lance were interesting and well developed, but all complete cliches.
For me, this is definitely one of the easiest to guess thrillers. At 44% there is a scene where Boris practically hands you the killers name on a plate. Usually, this annoys me, but I didnt mind it so much with this one because I didnt think it was going to be shockingly twisty and turny from the start.
This book is a perfect holiday read. Its good but not great. Youll find yourself whizzing through it, but it wont take up too much headspace.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Fawkes Press for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Scent Keeper in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Scent is the strongest sense tied to memory. One smell can conjure up a whole moment in your life, that you thought you had completely forgotten about. "When you change a scent, you change the memory..."(Quote taken from advanced copy)
Emmeline and her father live on a remote island. It's just the two of them and Emmeline has learned all she knows from her father, but the greatest thing she has learned, is how to use scents to determine what is going on in the world. Cut off from the rest of society, people are just objects in books, and her father is the only other physical person she knows. When she turns 13 and is forced into the "real" world, she quickly discovers that it's more than scents that she will need to make it in life.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I first heard about this book, I was quite intrigued. A whole book about a cottage filled with drawers of scents. How was this going to play out? Would it hold my attention? Boy did it ever. will admit, when I started reading, I was skeptical about which direction the book would take me. The journey was exciting and thrilling and it left me wanting more.
The Scent Keeper is the first book I have read by Erica Bauermeister, but I do look forward to reading more books by her. This is the type of book that is kind of hard to review without giving too much of the story away. This is a story that you will feel in your heart. You will start to understand and smell scents in a different way.
This book has something for everyone in it. A little bit of magic, thrills, just a touch of romance, and scents from all over. I think that if you pick up this book you will enjoy it. I wasn't sure after the description and reading the first couple of chapters, but this story really grew on me and it will stay with me for a while.
Emmeline and her father live on a remote island. It's just the two of them and Emmeline has learned all she knows from her father, but the greatest thing she has learned, is how to use scents to determine what is going on in the world. Cut off from the rest of society, people are just objects in books, and her father is the only other physical person she knows. When she turns 13 and is forced into the "real" world, she quickly discovers that it's more than scents that she will need to make it in life.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I first heard about this book, I was quite intrigued. A whole book about a cottage filled with drawers of scents. How was this going to play out? Would it hold my attention? Boy did it ever. will admit, when I started reading, I was skeptical about which direction the book would take me. The journey was exciting and thrilling and it left me wanting more.
The Scent Keeper is the first book I have read by Erica Bauermeister, but I do look forward to reading more books by her. This is the type of book that is kind of hard to review without giving too much of the story away. This is a story that you will feel in your heart. You will start to understand and smell scents in a different way.
This book has something for everyone in it. A little bit of magic, thrills, just a touch of romance, and scents from all over. I think that if you pick up this book you will enjoy it. I wasn't sure after the description and reading the first couple of chapters, but this story really grew on me and it will stay with me for a while.
Jonathan Donahue recommended track I'm a Fool to Want You by Billie Holiday in Ultimate Collection: 8 Original Albums by Billie Holiday in Music (curated)
Knight to Castle Two (Diviner's Game #2)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Loki: Surviving as a human in the world of Non-Humans means that every breath I’ve taken for...
MM Paranormal Romance Step-Brothers
My Sweetheart Surprise
10.0
Rate It
Book
Parker: Everything was going fine. So what if my ex-boyfriend cheated on me and then took everything...
Contemporary MM Romance
Sam (74 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I love it when the edges of the pages in a book are bright colours! It makes me so happy to find books that look like this, and it automatically makes me want to read the book more. It’s a lovely touch.
However, I feel like the cover could have been better. It definitely doesn’t sell the book with how simplistic it is and I feel that it doesn’t fit the novel too well. This is just my opinion, but for a whodunnit I expected a darker colour scheme for the cover.
I’ve actually never read a whodunnit within the YA genre, and I really feel like it’s a gap that wants covering more.
It did take me a short while to get into the book, but after the first hundred pages, I quickly finished the book within a few hours. It had me gripped with all of the twists and turns.
I was making theories all the way through of who killed Simon, but I wasn’t ever even close to being right. This is so cleverly written that you really have no idea at all until the final few pages.
The characters were definitely realistic. I really liked that there was a real mixture of personalities rather than sticking with just one clichéd group.
The only reason that I can’t get past three stars with this one is just the fact that I almost gave up on it. The start seems to drag a bit and get a bit boring.
Other than that, though, One Of Us Is Lying is really thrilling and mysterious, and definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something different to read.
However, I feel like the cover could have been better. It definitely doesn’t sell the book with how simplistic it is and I feel that it doesn’t fit the novel too well. This is just my opinion, but for a whodunnit I expected a darker colour scheme for the cover.
I’ve actually never read a whodunnit within the YA genre, and I really feel like it’s a gap that wants covering more.
It did take me a short while to get into the book, but after the first hundred pages, I quickly finished the book within a few hours. It had me gripped with all of the twists and turns.
I was making theories all the way through of who killed Simon, but I wasn’t ever even close to being right. This is so cleverly written that you really have no idea at all until the final few pages.
The characters were definitely realistic. I really liked that there was a real mixture of personalities rather than sticking with just one clichéd group.
The only reason that I can’t get past three stars with this one is just the fact that I almost gave up on it. The start seems to drag a bit and get a bit boring.
Other than that, though, One Of Us Is Lying is really thrilling and mysterious, and definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something different to read.
Debbiereadsbook (1608 KP) rated The Princess of Draga (Draga Court #1) in Books
Feb 28, 2018
a slow burner
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
A bit of a slow burner, long build up kinda book, this one!
It reminds me a little of reading Game of Thrones, NOT in the content, not at all but in the way the stage is set with many players, who have their own agendas. Many players who have a say. Many players who did NOT get a say too!
But my overwhelming reaction to finishing this was, I missed something. Something was missing and I cannot figure out what.
There is a book before this one, Royal Guard of Draga, but reading the blurb, it isn't what I'm missing. I think what I'm missing is more history of Draga, more about the original invasion of the Neprijat monsters who have returned to take over the galaxy. We get bits and pieces, but not enough for me to get the whole picture, the whole history. Maybe that will come with future books, I dunno. That's just how I feel, and ya'll know I love to share how I feel!
I did think it would be a little more on the explicit side, given how we are introduced to Nadyah and why she is in court with Adelina, but it isn't overly.
It's a GOOD book, well written from lots of those players, it just didn't grab me and it took far longer for me to read the 276 pages than it should have. Maybe book two will be better. Off to read it now!
A good solid 3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
A bit of a slow burner, long build up kinda book, this one!
It reminds me a little of reading Game of Thrones, NOT in the content, not at all but in the way the stage is set with many players, who have their own agendas. Many players who have a say. Many players who did NOT get a say too!
But my overwhelming reaction to finishing this was, I missed something. Something was missing and I cannot figure out what.
There is a book before this one, Royal Guard of Draga, but reading the blurb, it isn't what I'm missing. I think what I'm missing is more history of Draga, more about the original invasion of the Neprijat monsters who have returned to take over the galaxy. We get bits and pieces, but not enough for me to get the whole picture, the whole history. Maybe that will come with future books, I dunno. That's just how I feel, and ya'll know I love to share how I feel!
I did think it would be a little more on the explicit side, given how we are introduced to Nadyah and why she is in court with Adelina, but it isn't overly.
It's a GOOD book, well written from lots of those players, it just didn't grab me and it took far longer for me to read the 276 pages than it should have. Maybe book two will be better. Off to read it now!
A good solid 3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Vampire Games in Books
Jan 12, 2021
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
The beginning was a little rocky, I didn’t know what was happening and the style of how it was written felt a little awkward. By the quarter point it had smoothed out a little and I could read it easily and quickly.
Being the sucker that I am for romance books, the first hint of something, even the slightest hint of something, gets me excited. So that meeting of gazes had me smiling like a loony. I like my paranormal romances. From then I was scouring every page for more interactions between Bianka and Phillip. I quickly fell into their story. I was kind of on tenterhooks near the end wondering what she was going to choose.
The other part of the storyline; the fights, was an interesting take. It reminded me of The Hunger Games in the sort of “kill or be killed” way but this is with vampires so it’s all a little more intense. It was also filled with political undercurrents of the vampire society.
I loved the names the author came up with for the fiefdoms: Twilight Falls, Dawn Hold, Nightfall Keep…they just make me think of dark places but at the same time they sound pretty cool, right?
I liked some bits a lot more than others, but I do think I’d be interested in continuing the story at some point in the future when they’re released.
If you like paranormal romances or vampires or dystopian, maybe all three, then you’ll probably like this.
The beginning was a little rocky, I didn’t know what was happening and the style of how it was written felt a little awkward. By the quarter point it had smoothed out a little and I could read it easily and quickly.
Being the sucker that I am for romance books, the first hint of something, even the slightest hint of something, gets me excited. So that meeting of gazes had me smiling like a loony. I like my paranormal romances. From then I was scouring every page for more interactions between Bianka and Phillip. I quickly fell into their story. I was kind of on tenterhooks near the end wondering what she was going to choose.
The other part of the storyline; the fights, was an interesting take. It reminded me of The Hunger Games in the sort of “kill or be killed” way but this is with vampires so it’s all a little more intense. It was also filled with political undercurrents of the vampire society.
I loved the names the author came up with for the fiefdoms: Twilight Falls, Dawn Hold, Nightfall Keep…they just make me think of dark places but at the same time they sound pretty cool, right?
I liked some bits a lot more than others, but I do think I’d be interested in continuing the story at some point in the future when they’re released.
If you like paranormal romances or vampires or dystopian, maybe all three, then you’ll probably like this.
The Heart Knows What the Mind Cannot See
Book
This is a thought-provoking and enlightening exploration of spirituality and perception. The text...
Self Help Mind-Body-Spirit