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ClareR (5608 KP) rated My Mother’s Secret in Books
May 13, 2018 (Updated May 13, 2018)
Lizzie Bradshaw witnessed a terrible crime and had to pay the ultimate price. Emma Taylor has a terrible secret that she seems to have hidden even from herself. Stella Taylor, Emma’s teenaged daughter, knows that something is going on with her mum.
This is such a good story with lots of twists and turns. It’s quite sad, really. Even when you think everything is going to be all right, well, it’s not.
I didn’t see the end coming at all!!
Kay writes teenagers really well: how confused they are, and ultimately, vulnerable. Speaking of vulnerability, Emma is a sad character who clearly has a lot of issues.
A very entertaining story.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for their serialisations of this book, and the publisher Corvus for making it available!
This is such a good story with lots of twists and turns. It’s quite sad, really. Even when you think everything is going to be all right, well, it’s not.
I didn’t see the end coming at all!!
Kay writes teenagers really well: how confused they are, and ultimately, vulnerable. Speaking of vulnerability, Emma is a sad character who clearly has a lot of issues.
A very entertaining story.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for their serialisations of this book, and the publisher Corvus for making it available!
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
Skipping forward 28 years, John Hughes’ jewel in the crown owes a lot to Billy Wilder. It also borrows from every genre in the book. Reflecting its charming protagonist, this film is smart – so much smarter than it first appears. It allows you to be part of it from the very start, directing dialogue right at you out of the screen, and hopes you get every wink, nod and irreverent moment. We’ve all been teenagers, we all sing in the shower, we all lied to our parents, we all wished we could join a parade as guest of honour and drive a Ferrari into a ditch! Cool but geeky. Great music, great laughs, great dialogue, and the character Matthew Broderick will always be. An influence on every teen movie worth its salt ever since!
Charlotte (184 KP) rated The Gatekeeper of Pericael in Books
Feb 26, 2021
A well written story that pulls you into another world..... literally.
To say the book focuses on and around teenagers it's anything but aimed purely at young folk. If it hadn't have been for references to age I would have spent most of the book thinking I was reading about early twenty-something's.
There's plenty of magic and fraught situations that had me almost holding my breath and wishing that I could perform magic.
I enjoyed journeying with Porter (The Gatekeeper's son/future Gatekeeper) and his cousin Ames. It was nice seeing how each of them grew throughout and gained a better understanding of each other and themselves. Especially learning self belief and trusting their new friends.
A good fantasy that will keep you and your mini mes entertained and enthusiastic for an adventure.
To say the book focuses on and around teenagers it's anything but aimed purely at young folk. If it hadn't have been for references to age I would have spent most of the book thinking I was reading about early twenty-something's.
There's plenty of magic and fraught situations that had me almost holding my breath and wishing that I could perform magic.
I enjoyed journeying with Porter (The Gatekeeper's son/future Gatekeeper) and his cousin Ames. It was nice seeing how each of them grew throughout and gained a better understanding of each other and themselves. Especially learning self belief and trusting their new friends.
A good fantasy that will keep you and your mini mes entertained and enthusiastic for an adventure.
Kristina (502 KP) rated Heart Bones in Books
Dec 7, 2020
Colleen always gives me ALL the feels! I felt so connected to Beyah, it was eerie. I love how Colleen makes her characters so relatable. Beyah and Samson didn't feel like teenagers (I'm aware Beyah was 19, but the amount of stories I've read about people that age who act like they're 15 is ridiculous) and it was nice to read about mature people and adult situations. Granted, their maturity is due to the tragedies they've faced and hardships they've endured, but it was still a relief for me. I felt every single emotion in this book, so deep, I felt like my own heart bone broke right along with Beyah's. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it so long as it's true: Colleen never disappoints!
Sam (74 KP) rated The Hate u Give in Books
Mar 27, 2019
It’s got five-star reviews everywhere, has won so many awards, and literally, everyone is talking about it. So, of course, it’s worth a try.
Only I didn’t enjoy it to the point where I got halfway through and couldn’t finish it. I wasn’t even sure whether to post the review because I know that lots of people will disagree with me over this.
I was so excited for a book to be out that’s about police brutality in America towards black teenagers, and was surprised, to begin with, that something as serious as this was in a YA book, but also happy that it was being told to teenagers. It sounded like my ideal book.
But I just couldn’t get along with it at all. The whole idea with the book is to show what casual racism is doing to America, but at the same time on every few pages, there’s another part talking about how horrible and funny and evil white people are. If a book wants to make a stand against racism, make a stand against it from both sides, not just one. You cannot end racism by calling the other race.
I just found it really one-sided in its battle against racism. I am definitely not saying that the police shooting was right, let me just say that, and Starr has every right to hate the police for shooting her best friend. However, this does not mean that every few pages there needs to be a comment about how awful white people are.
A much healthier focus for the book would have been equality, not switching the racism to the other side in a ‘how-do-you-like-it-now’ move.
Only I didn’t enjoy it to the point where I got halfway through and couldn’t finish it. I wasn’t even sure whether to post the review because I know that lots of people will disagree with me over this.
I was so excited for a book to be out that’s about police brutality in America towards black teenagers, and was surprised, to begin with, that something as serious as this was in a YA book, but also happy that it was being told to teenagers. It sounded like my ideal book.
But I just couldn’t get along with it at all. The whole idea with the book is to show what casual racism is doing to America, but at the same time on every few pages, there’s another part talking about how horrible and funny and evil white people are. If a book wants to make a stand against racism, make a stand against it from both sides, not just one. You cannot end racism by calling the other race.
I just found it really one-sided in its battle against racism. I am definitely not saying that the police shooting was right, let me just say that, and Starr has every right to hate the police for shooting her best friend. However, this does not mean that every few pages there needs to be a comment about how awful white people are.
A much healthier focus for the book would have been equality, not switching the racism to the other side in a ‘how-do-you-like-it-now’ move.
Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Halloween (1978) in Movies
Sep 5, 2018 (Updated Sep 5, 2018)
John Carpenter's Slasher still stands tallest
Contains spoilers, click to show
That theme song starts.
You feel it somewhere deep inside, that feeling that something special is going to happen.
Halloween is THE Slasher, with a silent antagonist, an over-the-top performance from Donald Pleasance, the introduction of Jamie Lee Curtis, and the establishment of John Carpenter as one of the foremost purveyors of horror.
Patiently paced, with little time given to explanation of exposition, we are taken on the slow build up of tension as we go from the legendary intro sequence, to a breakout at the asylum, through to the stalking of teenagers by the man in the William Shatner mask.
Lots of shots of Myers just watching, waiting, judging, which could be interpreted as boring on paper, but it is just the right side of unnerving, and it is this constant threat which means the viewer is constantly scanning the edges of the screen, looking for our antagonist.
It contrasts beautifully with the naivety and innocence of his victims, who are just trying to enjoy Halloween as most teenagers are wont to do.
Yes this film is relatively tame compared to the films that have come after, but few can touch the pure sinister feel and atmosphere that Carpenter creates, and it is a simply iconic entry in cinema history.
Watch it for what it is, a genre changing horror film, that changed all that followed it.
No Myers, No Friday 13th, No Scream, No Nightmare On Elm Street.
Its that important.
You feel it somewhere deep inside, that feeling that something special is going to happen.
Halloween is THE Slasher, with a silent antagonist, an over-the-top performance from Donald Pleasance, the introduction of Jamie Lee Curtis, and the establishment of John Carpenter as one of the foremost purveyors of horror.
Patiently paced, with little time given to explanation of exposition, we are taken on the slow build up of tension as we go from the legendary intro sequence, to a breakout at the asylum, through to the stalking of teenagers by the man in the William Shatner mask.
Lots of shots of Myers just watching, waiting, judging, which could be interpreted as boring on paper, but it is just the right side of unnerving, and it is this constant threat which means the viewer is constantly scanning the edges of the screen, looking for our antagonist.
It contrasts beautifully with the naivety and innocence of his victims, who are just trying to enjoy Halloween as most teenagers are wont to do.
Yes this film is relatively tame compared to the films that have come after, but few can touch the pure sinister feel and atmosphere that Carpenter creates, and it is a simply iconic entry in cinema history.
Watch it for what it is, a genre changing horror film, that changed all that followed it.
No Myers, No Friday 13th, No Scream, No Nightmare On Elm Street.
Its that important.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Cabin in the Woods (2012) in Movies
Jan 6, 2018
Unique (1 more)
Funny yet horrible
When it comes to unique comedy/horror, Cabin in the Woods ranks right up there with The Evil Dead, Shaun of the Dead and the other classic comedy horror films.
It kind of a tale of two halves as the standard teenagers stranded in the woods tale starts to unravel with splashes of other scenes which seem unrelated when you first watch them. Then it slowly comes together.
The elevator ride midway through the film embarks the remaining characters on a descent to another world where all sorts of other unique creatures, ghouls and goblins reside.
The climax of the film has to be seen to be believed, but will not be forgotten once you see it. There is no formula here and is truly one-of-a=kind.
It kind of a tale of two halves as the standard teenagers stranded in the woods tale starts to unravel with splashes of other scenes which seem unrelated when you first watch them. Then it slowly comes together.
The elevator ride midway through the film embarks the remaining characters on a descent to another world where all sorts of other unique creatures, ghouls and goblins reside.
The climax of the film has to be seen to be believed, but will not be forgotten once you see it. There is no formula here and is truly one-of-a=kind.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Feast of Fools (The Morganville Vampires, #4) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Yet another fast, fun, and easy read featuring Claire, her friends, and the town of Morganville (and all it's vampy inhabitants!). I enjoyed this foray and was pleasantly surprised the 'rental units' weren't in it much at all. The story held my attention and I do look forward to the next installment. However, I am so over the cliff-hanger endings. Does Ms. Caine think teenagers won't read the next book if there isn't that 'to be continued...' aspect of a T.V. show? Because I remember as a teen I did <i>not</i> need that incentive to read the next book in a series, and frankly, it's kind of insulting. There is a way to tie up a book <i>and</i> leave the reader (even a young adult *gasp*) wanting to read the book. I wish the author would realize that.
Madbatdan82 (341 KP) rated Hell Fest (2018) in Movies
Mar 5, 2019
This generations scream? No - but still ok!
Not to be confused with the very similar 'Blood fest' this slasher has a group of teenagers who go to a horror theme park at Halloween where they start to get picked off my a masked killer. This film is better than 'Blood fest' mainly due to better/cleverer gore and death scenes and a much better killer. What let's it down is highly forgettable and annoying characters (yes - I'm looking at you Bex Taylor Klaus) so you don't really care who survives. The real highlight is the killer and the film keeps them wrapped in mystery and hands us one of the most interesting endings in a long time. Nowhere near a game changer but definitely worth a watch.
Dean (6925 KP) rated Attack the Block (2011) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018
Original
A great little low budget, English comedy horror! This has a good B movie feel to it, featuring a young, largely unknown cast it has a good balance of laughs at the silliness of it all, followed by moments of danger. I also like these type of films when they are grounded in a real setting, this being an every day council estate in South London. Also unexpected for this type of film is how well shot it is, good use of light and cinematography is plain to see in most scenes. The creature design while simple is pretty good. The only downer for me was some of the over use, of so much slang, but again there are teenagers who do talk like that! An enjoyable small budget film that will put a big smile on your face!