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Ti West recommended The Unforgiven (1960) in Movies (curated)
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Cypher (The Dragon's Bidding #2) in Books
Aug 9, 2021
read book 1 first!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in The Dragon’s Bidding series, and it cannot be read as a stand-alone. You NEED to read A Hero For an Empire before this one and I would recommend you read them back to back. It’s been 4 years since I read the first one, and I think that’s why I feel as I do about this one. I did not have time to reread book one before reading this one!
I found this a much more difficult read, to follow. It’s heavy on the technical stuff and at times I struggled to keep up.
It moves fast, and even though I had to slow down my reading (which is usually a good thing!) I still struggled a bit.
Fitz and Wolf’s relationship is intense in book one, and that flows over into this one. That fact, and the fact we meet Cypher here, are what made me able to finish this book.
Cypher takes over Wolf’s body, his muscles and his bones but not his mind. He can see what Cypher is doing and is helpless to stop it. He has to trust his love for Fitz, Ari and the others in his life will tide him through and THEY will get to the bottom of it all.
It is HEAVY on the fighting/violence scale. While I enjoyed that in book one, it was a not so much here.
Things are still not where Wolf, Fitz and Ari want them to be, and I expect it may take more than one more book to make it so.
I have Cypher’s book to read next, and given what happens here, I’m looking forward to that.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 2 in The Dragon’s Bidding series, and it cannot be read as a stand-alone. You NEED to read A Hero For an Empire before this one and I would recommend you read them back to back. It’s been 4 years since I read the first one, and I think that’s why I feel as I do about this one. I did not have time to reread book one before reading this one!
I found this a much more difficult read, to follow. It’s heavy on the technical stuff and at times I struggled to keep up.
It moves fast, and even though I had to slow down my reading (which is usually a good thing!) I still struggled a bit.
Fitz and Wolf’s relationship is intense in book one, and that flows over into this one. That fact, and the fact we meet Cypher here, are what made me able to finish this book.
Cypher takes over Wolf’s body, his muscles and his bones but not his mind. He can see what Cypher is doing and is helpless to stop it. He has to trust his love for Fitz, Ari and the others in his life will tide him through and THEY will get to the bottom of it all.
It is HEAVY on the fighting/violence scale. While I enjoyed that in book one, it was a not so much here.
Things are still not where Wolf, Fitz and Ari want them to be, and I expect it may take more than one more book to make it so.
I have Cypher’s book to read next, and given what happens here, I’m looking forward to that.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Room (2015) in Movies
Oct 26, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
A 5 year old Jack wakes up on his birthday next to his mum. It is clear that their life isn't great as they are in a dark and dingey room which includes a bed, bath, sink, oven and TV. Jack's own bed is the bottom of a closet.
It is soon evident that they must be held captive, as every night when Jack is in bed some guy comes in and has sex with his mum, but also brings her and Jack items. Jack and his mum also have a daily ritual of screaming through the vents to the outside world, which as far as Jack is concerned is to get the attention of aliens.
Jack's mum soon comes to the conclusion that they can't live like that forever and tries to tell Jack that there is more to the world than room but he refuses to believe her, after a day of fending for himself though he begins to believe her and mum can finally put her plan to escape into action with Jack's help.
I suppose you're wondering how on earth a 5 year old can help with an escape plan? You'll have to watch and see, but it's very interesting how it unfolds. It's also interesting watching the aftermath and despite the movie being called room, it doesn't all take place in room, which I initially thought it would.
Jack does come across as quite obnoxious but given the circumstances it's understandable, and I liked that it showed how a child probably would react in this situation rather than sugar coat it like many movies would do. The child actor gives a very good performance as does the mother. It's probably not a movie I would watch again but entertaining enough to keep me interested for a one time watch.
It is soon evident that they must be held captive, as every night when Jack is in bed some guy comes in and has sex with his mum, but also brings her and Jack items. Jack and his mum also have a daily ritual of screaming through the vents to the outside world, which as far as Jack is concerned is to get the attention of aliens.
Jack's mum soon comes to the conclusion that they can't live like that forever and tries to tell Jack that there is more to the world than room but he refuses to believe her, after a day of fending for himself though he begins to believe her and mum can finally put her plan to escape into action with Jack's help.
I suppose you're wondering how on earth a 5 year old can help with an escape plan? You'll have to watch and see, but it's very interesting how it unfolds. It's also interesting watching the aftermath and despite the movie being called room, it doesn't all take place in room, which I initially thought it would.
Jack does come across as quite obnoxious but given the circumstances it's understandable, and I liked that it showed how a child probably would react in this situation rather than sugar coat it like many movies would do. The child actor gives a very good performance as does the mother. It's probably not a movie I would watch again but entertaining enough to keep me interested for a one time watch.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Just One Look in Books
Dec 17, 2020
This is the tenth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
When Grace Lawson picks up a set of photos from the store, she finds a strange photo in the envelope. It shows a group of four people she doesn't know. But one, she does: her husband, long before she knew him. When she shows him that evening, he leaves their home mysteriously. Soon a crazy series of events kicks off, and while Grace doesn't realize it, there are people who would do anything--even kill--to keep that photo from seeing the light of day.
This was my first Harlan Coben read--I have a bunch of Coben books I've collected sitting on my shelves, so it seemed like a great choice for my challenge. This was the supreme page turner. I had no idea where this book was going most of the time! It's filled with twists and turns, and it kept me guessing! There are a few real "coincidences," but they didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story at all. This was one of those plain 'ol good mysteries. I hadn't realized it was set in the mid-1990s (the development of film should have been a dead giveaway, ha), but it stood the test of time. There are creepy bad guys who fight the good guys. Sometimes you just need a tale of good versus evil with lots of twists to take your mind off of things.
Overall, an enjoyable and puzzling read. 3.5 stars. I'll definitely need to read more of the Coben books on my shelves.
When Grace Lawson picks up a set of photos from the store, she finds a strange photo in the envelope. It shows a group of four people she doesn't know. But one, she does: her husband, long before she knew him. When she shows him that evening, he leaves their home mysteriously. Soon a crazy series of events kicks off, and while Grace doesn't realize it, there are people who would do anything--even kill--to keep that photo from seeing the light of day.
This was my first Harlan Coben read--I have a bunch of Coben books I've collected sitting on my shelves, so it seemed like a great choice for my challenge. This was the supreme page turner. I had no idea where this book was going most of the time! It's filled with twists and turns, and it kept me guessing! There are a few real "coincidences," but they didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story at all. This was one of those plain 'ol good mysteries. I hadn't realized it was set in the mid-1990s (the development of film should have been a dead giveaway, ha), but it stood the test of time. There are creepy bad guys who fight the good guys. Sometimes you just need a tale of good versus evil with lots of twists to take your mind off of things.
Overall, an enjoyable and puzzling read. 3.5 stars. I'll definitely need to read more of the Coben books on my shelves.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Prom Night (1980) in Movies
Sep 19, 2019
Halloween 1.5
Fairly forgettable slasher/horror film with a lot of similarities to the original Halloween which had been released only 2 years earlier also starring Jamie Lee Curtis. Maybe at the time, all the now predictable horror cliches had not been overdone as they have been these days, but it was still mostly a bore.
After several children murder another girl in an abandoned building, they decide to keep their crime as a secret. Years later the children are now in high school when a mysterious stranger now decides to look them up and make them pay for the dastardly deed. They don't notice subtle clues immediately as the stranger starting calling them with his "spooky voice". The night of the prom is different though, as he decides to take his revenge on them one at a time after there is plenty of disco dancing of course.
Were audiences easier to please back in 1980? Clearly this was a cash grab of a film coming right on the heels of a much better ground breaking entry into the horror genre. This killer is pretty boring in comparison to others even of the same time period. No Captain Kirk or hockey masks here. The guy just wears all black with a black ski mask.
The soundtrack of disco tunes and the prom dancing scene with Jamie Lee strutting her stuff with her date was the highlight for me. It was also funny, yet not funny to see Leslie Nielsen in a dramatic role. It's hard to believe his career would change forever the same year when Airplane! was released.
I would pass if I were you.
After several children murder another girl in an abandoned building, they decide to keep their crime as a secret. Years later the children are now in high school when a mysterious stranger now decides to look them up and make them pay for the dastardly deed. They don't notice subtle clues immediately as the stranger starting calling them with his "spooky voice". The night of the prom is different though, as he decides to take his revenge on them one at a time after there is plenty of disco dancing of course.
Were audiences easier to please back in 1980? Clearly this was a cash grab of a film coming right on the heels of a much better ground breaking entry into the horror genre. This killer is pretty boring in comparison to others even of the same time period. No Captain Kirk or hockey masks here. The guy just wears all black with a black ski mask.
The soundtrack of disco tunes and the prom dancing scene with Jamie Lee strutting her stuff with her date was the highlight for me. It was also funny, yet not funny to see Leslie Nielsen in a dramatic role. It's hard to believe his career would change forever the same year when Airplane! was released.
I would pass if I were you.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Dark Feed (2012) in Movies
Oct 14, 2019
Characters – The characters are all designed to be different members of a film crew from actors to special effects guys, we just get to learn which part of the movie they are involved in without getting to see much else about the characters themselves. We don’t see to learn enough about any of the characters making it hard to figure out just who is meant to be the lead character.
Performance – The performances are not great which does reflect the idea of the film but by the end you are just left wondering if the lead character is going to take over the performing but no.
Story – The story is film crew in former mental hospital that once did experiments on the patients is haunted and now they are about to become the latest victims of the hospital, this is fine but sadly it just doesn’t reach the levels it should do with scares which are mostly messing around between the crew and just something we have seen before.
Horror – There is little to no scares going on through this movie, we have moments that build up but in the end most are false scares which just make you not care about later ones.
Settings – The setting is the highlight of the film as we get to see the haunted abandoned location making for the scares.
Special Effects – The effects are not that impressive either.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not knowing who was the main character until too late into the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror film with a good idea but sadly turns into something that gets confusing as we are left wondering who to root for and just if anything scary will happen.
Overall: Messy Horror Film
Performance – The performances are not great which does reflect the idea of the film but by the end you are just left wondering if the lead character is going to take over the performing but no.
Story – The story is film crew in former mental hospital that once did experiments on the patients is haunted and now they are about to become the latest victims of the hospital, this is fine but sadly it just doesn’t reach the levels it should do with scares which are mostly messing around between the crew and just something we have seen before.
Horror – There is little to no scares going on through this movie, we have moments that build up but in the end most are false scares which just make you not care about later ones.
Settings – The setting is the highlight of the film as we get to see the haunted abandoned location making for the scares.
Special Effects – The effects are not that impressive either.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not knowing who was the main character until too late into the film.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror film with a good idea but sadly turns into something that gets confusing as we are left wondering who to root for and just if anything scary will happen.
Overall: Messy Horror Film
Vegas (725 KP) rated Litte Fires Everywhere in TV
Aug 7, 2020
Very strong cast (2 more)
Story progression
The soundtrack
Fantastic, but not an easy watch
Not knowing anything about this show except that it kept pestering me to watch it on Prime, I thought I'd give it a go, for some reason not expecting it to be as heavy as it was.
It started quite slowly, and I almost gave up on it after the first episode, which, as with all of the episodes felt a lot longer than it was.
However, I persevered, and am glad I did.
The story progressed at quite a slow speed but it was a pace that suited it, the ups and downs of all of the characters and the changes to their lives are handled in a way to draw you into their lives without feeling rushed...
The two leading ladies Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon are fantastic, playing the two mothers in such a way that you never know which person is in the right or wrong, and who to side with, both win you over at different points of the story and their backstory flashbacks are equally well handled by the actresses who played their younger versions and give you a real sense of how they became what they are now.
The supporting cast are equally strong from Joshua Jackson as Witherspoon's husband, to the five children of the main characters there isn't a weak performance.
A powerful and moving story examining relationships, lies, sexuality, and loyalties there is a lot to take in, it's not an easy series to binge watch quickly, I had to do it only a couple of episodes at a time, but I highly recommend watching it, just don't expect laughs and an easy time...
It also has a great soundtrack which is also a bonus...
It started quite slowly, and I almost gave up on it after the first episode, which, as with all of the episodes felt a lot longer than it was.
However, I persevered, and am glad I did.
The story progressed at quite a slow speed but it was a pace that suited it, the ups and downs of all of the characters and the changes to their lives are handled in a way to draw you into their lives without feeling rushed...
The two leading ladies Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon are fantastic, playing the two mothers in such a way that you never know which person is in the right or wrong, and who to side with, both win you over at different points of the story and their backstory flashbacks are equally well handled by the actresses who played their younger versions and give you a real sense of how they became what they are now.
The supporting cast are equally strong from Joshua Jackson as Witherspoon's husband, to the five children of the main characters there isn't a weak performance.
A powerful and moving story examining relationships, lies, sexuality, and loyalties there is a lot to take in, it's not an easy series to binge watch quickly, I had to do it only a couple of episodes at a time, but I highly recommend watching it, just don't expect laughs and an easy time...
It also has a great soundtrack which is also a bonus...
Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder That Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man's Faith, and Shocked a Nation
8.5
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Book
At 3:00 a.m. on March 1, 2008, Terry Caffey awoke to find his daughter’s boyfriend standing in his...
VivaJava: The Coffee Game: The Dice Game
7.0
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Tabletop Game
VivaJava: The Coffee Game: The Dice Game – or, more simply, VivaJava Dice – is the successor to...
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Merissa (11950 KP) rated The Hellion is Tamed (League of Lords #4) in Books
Sep 14, 2021
THE HELLION IS TAMED is the fourth book in the League of Lords series. We jump forward a few years in this one, to ensure Simon is now an adult. It is made very clear that he has spent the past years searching for a way to find, and bring back, Emma. Although, saying that, he is still hurt by her not coming back to him after stealing the stone from Sebastian. As for Emma, well, she did return but, being as she doesn't have full control of her gift, she caught Simon in a compromising situation and hightailed it out of there.
Miscommunication and avoidance are the two words I would use to describe this book. Now, of course, if love ran smoothly then there would be no romance books to read but Simon and Emma seemed to take it to the extreme.
The focus is also on Emma's gift, not so much Simon's. I would like to have learnt more about him and his gift. How the ghosts see him as their benefactor/protector. Why? How? What does he do? And how do they protect him in return? We saw one example but are there others?
I would definitely recommend reading this as a series, rather than a set of standalones as I do feel the other books help set the situation up for the next one along. And as Simon and Emma are fourth, then it was good to have some background information on them, and the world they inhabit.
Still, a good addition to the series that I enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!
Miscommunication and avoidance are the two words I would use to describe this book. Now, of course, if love ran smoothly then there would be no romance books to read but Simon and Emma seemed to take it to the extreme.
The focus is also on Emma's gift, not so much Simon's. I would like to have learnt more about him and his gift. How the ghosts see him as their benefactor/protector. Why? How? What does he do? And how do they protect him in return? We saw one example but are there others?
I would definitely recommend reading this as a series, rather than a set of standalones as I do feel the other books help set the situation up for the next one along. And as Simon and Emma are fourth, then it was good to have some background information on them, and the world they inhabit.
Still, a good addition to the series that I enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!