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LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated The Maze Runner (2014) in Movies

Sep 21, 2020

The Maze Runner (2014)

2014 | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi

7.5

(29 Ratings)

Movie Rating

There's absolutely no excuse to not have utilized the actual maze more (we get like three action scenes in it?) but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a ball with this otherwise thoroughly fun and often thrilling popcorn entertainment. Dylan O'Brien is tremendous in it, even when it wears the dystopian YA format a little too prominently. For a while I couldn't tell if the simplicity helped or hurt this in the end - I mean on the one hand this has precious nothing to say about the implications of its brutal story/world, but then again on the other it 110% forgoes the usual heavy-handed yet jejune moralizing that normally sugar-coat these films. I'm sure you could have found a decent medium between the two but Wes Ball's direction is sturdy, and I kind of like the idea of all these random 18/20-somethings nonchalantly trapped in this ludicrous scenario who just see this giant, mechanical deathtrap maze as a way of life lol. So I had more than enough fun with it. Try to picture a 2014 blockbuster "Lord of the Flies" without the obvious symbolism meets a market-tested 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘦 where a bunch of extras get PG-13-ed to death by huge mechanical alien spiders. Plus no one even takes their shirt off I mean that's *gotta* be a first for one of these.

Kudos

Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Oct 4, 2020

Are you a fan of Young Adult fantasy or magical realism books? If so, you have to check out ESCAPE FROM WHEEL by Author Michael Scott Clifton on my blog. There's also a GIVEAWAY to win a signed copy or eBook of ESCAPE FROM WHEEL and/or a $15 Amazon gift card!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2020/10/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-escape-from.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
New Life, New World, New Problems

Alexandria Duvalier’s new life on the magical world of Meredith takes a shattering twist when her father, the Duke of Wheel, pledges her hand in marriage to the cruel lord, Rodric Regret. Desperate to escape his clutches, Alex flees the city with the help of her friend, Tell Tollet, a handsome lieutenant in the city guard. But their freedom is short-lived when Rodric’s brutal brother, Stefan, joins in the pursuit.

Hotheaded Prince Tal, heir to the throne of Meredith, has but one goal: kill the Dark Queen and destroy the Veil, the enchanted barrier which has ensnared generations of his people. He discovers a breach in the magical wall and leads an army through, bent on completing his mission.

When an unusual and potent magic calls to him, he follows its trail back to Alex. Thrown together by circumstances and chased across the wilderness by the ruthless Lord Stefan, Tal and Alex are drawn to each other by the greatest magic of all—love. Now they just need to stay alive . . .

Kudos Comment

Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Code: (Virals 3) in Books

Jun 24, 2019

This is the third book in Kathy Reichs' Virals series. Code follows the familiar gang of kids on yet another wild adventure - one far more sinister that it first seems. Do they have what it takes to complete each challenge they are faced with, before the countdown ends? Only time will tell.

Tory is stuck in the middle of Ben and Jason, close friends of hers between which tensions are boiling high. They'd never got on, but things are getting serious. Tory is determined to discover the link between them, the reason for their hateful words and behaviour towards each other.

Along with this and the pressing issue of codes and puzzles yet to be solved, Tory must prepare herself for her débutante ball. She wasn't looking forward to it in the first place, but it turns out to be far more eventful than any of the kids anticipated...

And to top it all off, the Virals are this close to discovering what could be the last remaining piece of information on their bizarre situation. What secrets were being held, so close yet so far?

There are tons of side-stories and plot-twists in this book, just as there was in the first couple of books. A very exciting series, with numerous links and discoveries to be made throughout. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book! 4 stars for this one.

Kudos

Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Amber (Red Hot Love #1) in Books

Sep 3, 2019

I've read a handful of Elle Casey's books and have found that more often than not, I really enjoy them.

This one started off a little crazy with a lawyer visiting Amber and her families farm to tell them that their dads want to meet them in New York. Amber appears to have never left the farm before to visit big cities and is wowed by some things and horrified by others in the Big Apple.

Amber and Ty certainly rubbed each other the wrong way to start but you could see a tentative connection between them from pretty early on. I actually really liked Ty, and Amber's intuitiveness; the way she picked up on little things and tried to solve problems was great. It was a very good plotline and I loved that part of the story.

And the romance, of course. It was very sweet. I was "aaahh"ing and smiling like a loon with the gentleness of it all. Super cute. Not what I was expecting but I really liked it.

Now I've finished the story, I still find the beginning and that part of the story with the hippie compound a little strange/out there but the rest of the story? I liked it, though I would have liked more band stuff included.

I can't help wondering if Red Hot's story will continue through Emerald and Rose's romances which I will buy and read at some point in the future.