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Debbiereadsbook (1174 KP) rated The Alpha's Warlock (Mismatched Mates #1) in Books
Mar 27, 2020
great read, but I NEEDED Ian!
Independent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Nate is a warlock, and getting kidnapped and cursed by the Shimball werewolf pack wasn't in his plans for the day. When he manages to drag himself to tell the Armitage pack of the Shimball pack plans, mating the Alpha's brother wasn't in his plans either. But the only way to break the curse is to build a mate bond with an Alpha, so mate with Ian he does. There is just the minor detail that Ian hates Nate, and Nate has been attracted to Ian for such a long time. When the Shimball pack come for the Armitage pack, Ian has to keep Nate safe, even if it just gives him a chance to kill Nate himself!
I really REALLY enjoyed this!
Nate is quirky, and witty, and so bloody funny! Because the book is only told from his point of view, and in the first person, we get all of his wit and humour, but also, all of his terror at what his father did to him. His pain at realizing he might not be good enough for anyone. His reaction to the bond to Ian surprised him, and we get all of that. We get his dawning knowledge of what Ian has become to him.
The story moves along at pace in places, a little slower in others. The bigger picture, I think, isn't clear yet, and I have no idea what that picture might be, but I look forward to reading more.
The only thing, for ME, why I didn't give it 5 stars when I enjoyed it so much?
Single person person of view. Only Nate has a voice. I really REALLY needed Ian, at key points along the way, and I don't get him. I needed to know what he felt about having to mate Nate, although there were clues to that early on. I needed to know if the mate bond affected him as much as it did Nate. I needed to know just what his brother's betrayal means to him, and how much it hurts him. And I don't get him!
BUT!
A great read, and the first I've read of this author. I like the way they spin the tales. I look forward to reading more, especially after the epilogue here!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Nate is a warlock, and getting kidnapped and cursed by the Shimball werewolf pack wasn't in his plans for the day. When he manages to drag himself to tell the Armitage pack of the Shimball pack plans, mating the Alpha's brother wasn't in his plans either. But the only way to break the curse is to build a mate bond with an Alpha, so mate with Ian he does. There is just the minor detail that Ian hates Nate, and Nate has been attracted to Ian for such a long time. When the Shimball pack come for the Armitage pack, Ian has to keep Nate safe, even if it just gives him a chance to kill Nate himself!
I really REALLY enjoyed this!
Nate is quirky, and witty, and so bloody funny! Because the book is only told from his point of view, and in the first person, we get all of his wit and humour, but also, all of his terror at what his father did to him. His pain at realizing he might not be good enough for anyone. His reaction to the bond to Ian surprised him, and we get all of that. We get his dawning knowledge of what Ian has become to him.
The story moves along at pace in places, a little slower in others. The bigger picture, I think, isn't clear yet, and I have no idea what that picture might be, but I look forward to reading more.
The only thing, for ME, why I didn't give it 5 stars when I enjoyed it so much?
Single person person of view. Only Nate has a voice. I really REALLY needed Ian, at key points along the way, and I don't get him. I needed to know what he felt about having to mate Nate, although there were clues to that early on. I needed to know if the mate bond affected him as much as it did Nate. I needed to know just what his brother's betrayal means to him, and how much it hurts him. And I don't get him!
BUT!
A great read, and the first I've read of this author. I like the way they spin the tales. I look forward to reading more, especially after the epilogue here!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
ClareR (5686 KP) rated The Ninth Child in Books
May 1, 2020
Victorian Scotland, where reality meets myth.
The Ninth Child is a mesmerising mix of reality and fairytale. Neither of them are the pretty version, either. The story itself is set in Glasgow and the Trossachs between 1856 and 1859, where Isabel Aird is the wife of a young doctor. She has miscarried all seven of the babies she has carried so far, and is struggling to find meaning in her life. Her husband is very protective of her, but she can’t seem to forgive him for his apparent ability to shake off the loss of their babies.
We also get little glimpses in to the private lives of Queen Victoria and Albert, and the reason for this becomes clear as the story progresses. The link between the two families seems to be a strange character called Robert Kirke. Strange things seem to have been happening since the digging and tunnelling began. Isabel meets this strange man not long after she moves near to the site of the Loch Katrine Waterworks. This is no place for a lady brought up in all the comforts of a well-to-do Glaswegian home. But Isabel finds solace in the wildness, and the descriptions of the lochs and landscapes makes it easy to understand why.
This was such a surprising book, it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I WAS expecting a good story - I loved The Sealwoman’s Gift. The mix of real, hard life and the fairy elements were really well done, and I loved that these weren’t the pretty, twee, friendly fairies that we seem to hear of so much of these days. I like my fairies to be tricksters, untrustworthy, always looking for an angle that they can work, a little grotesque.
I really enjoyed this book, and seemed to read it far too quickly. I’m a lover of history, myths and the unexplained, and this certainly delivered in these areas. The writing is gorgeous - the descriptions are such that you feel you’re there. We were supposed to be going on holiday this year to the Highlands, and this has made me hope even more that we’ll still be able to go. It’s one thing reading a description, it’s quite another to be there, experiencing the landscape for yourself.
This is a wonderful book, and one to tell my friends about!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Two Roads for my copy of this book to read and review.
We also get little glimpses in to the private lives of Queen Victoria and Albert, and the reason for this becomes clear as the story progresses. The link between the two families seems to be a strange character called Robert Kirke. Strange things seem to have been happening since the digging and tunnelling began. Isabel meets this strange man not long after she moves near to the site of the Loch Katrine Waterworks. This is no place for a lady brought up in all the comforts of a well-to-do Glaswegian home. But Isabel finds solace in the wildness, and the descriptions of the lochs and landscapes makes it easy to understand why.
This was such a surprising book, it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I WAS expecting a good story - I loved The Sealwoman’s Gift. The mix of real, hard life and the fairy elements were really well done, and I loved that these weren’t the pretty, twee, friendly fairies that we seem to hear of so much of these days. I like my fairies to be tricksters, untrustworthy, always looking for an angle that they can work, a little grotesque.
I really enjoyed this book, and seemed to read it far too quickly. I’m a lover of history, myths and the unexplained, and this certainly delivered in these areas. The writing is gorgeous - the descriptions are such that you feel you’re there. We were supposed to be going on holiday this year to the Highlands, and this has made me hope even more that we’ll still be able to go. It’s one thing reading a description, it’s quite another to be there, experiencing the landscape for yourself.
This is a wonderful book, and one to tell my friends about!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Two Roads for my copy of this book to read and review.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Long and Dark in Books
Apr 20, 2020
From the moment I read the synopsis for The Long and Dark, I was intrigued by this mysterious place and the bravery of this man to commence this adventure, knowing it may cost his life.
Gareth has always played by the books. Paid to do whatever people tell him to do. Never thinking deeper than what lies on the surface. Never needed to. Satisfied in his day to day world, his perfect bubble bursts when his wife and kid are infected with a disease that will kill them sooner or later.
Knowing this is the only solution, Gareth is commencing on an adventure to the mysterious Dineothan and its capital, Upelstbohr, a place unknown to many. Rumours are that this place is populated with the greatest minds alive. Other rumours are that this place is cursed and cut off from the outside world.
With no other options, our hero goes into this adventure, hoping for the best, but the path is not that easy…
My Thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed The Long and Dark. As a character, I liked Gareth. I admired his dedication and motivation to keep going. His will to never give up to save his family left me deeply troubled, knowing how rare these characteristics are to be found in people nowadays. His sacrifice reminded me of today’s selfish humans walking on Earth, and reminded me of how precious this trait really is.
“Please feel free to visit again if you are so inclined. You will find me here. As a man with all the time in the world, reading is the only pleasure I have left.”
Gareth is also a character that does what he is told. That is what he has done all his life, and I was so bored to see him getting in trouble over and over again in this book, because he followed other people’s advice. However, he does learn from this, and we can see a huge character development of him by the end of this book. That scene was remarkable. A pleasure to read.
Apart from Gareth, I couldn’t really connect with any other character. They were all coming and going as far as I was concerned. I didn’t invest any emotions into them whatsoever. At times, I was also bored with the plot, as it felt we are not going anywhere for a couple of pages.
An interesting adventure read for sure, but not a remarkable one, unfortunately. It is a great book to spend your free time on, but you might not remember it after a year. I still recommend The Long and Dark to the adventure seekers!
Gareth has always played by the books. Paid to do whatever people tell him to do. Never thinking deeper than what lies on the surface. Never needed to. Satisfied in his day to day world, his perfect bubble bursts when his wife and kid are infected with a disease that will kill them sooner or later.
Knowing this is the only solution, Gareth is commencing on an adventure to the mysterious Dineothan and its capital, Upelstbohr, a place unknown to many. Rumours are that this place is populated with the greatest minds alive. Other rumours are that this place is cursed and cut off from the outside world.
With no other options, our hero goes into this adventure, hoping for the best, but the path is not that easy…
My Thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed The Long and Dark. As a character, I liked Gareth. I admired his dedication and motivation to keep going. His will to never give up to save his family left me deeply troubled, knowing how rare these characteristics are to be found in people nowadays. His sacrifice reminded me of today’s selfish humans walking on Earth, and reminded me of how precious this trait really is.
“Please feel free to visit again if you are so inclined. You will find me here. As a man with all the time in the world, reading is the only pleasure I have left.”
Gareth is also a character that does what he is told. That is what he has done all his life, and I was so bored to see him getting in trouble over and over again in this book, because he followed other people’s advice. However, he does learn from this, and we can see a huge character development of him by the end of this book. That scene was remarkable. A pleasure to read.
Apart from Gareth, I couldn’t really connect with any other character. They were all coming and going as far as I was concerned. I didn’t invest any emotions into them whatsoever. At times, I was also bored with the plot, as it felt we are not going anywhere for a couple of pages.
An interesting adventure read for sure, but not a remarkable one, unfortunately. It is a great book to spend your free time on, but you might not remember it after a year. I still recommend The Long and Dark to the adventure seekers!
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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Circus Maximus: Race to the Death in Books
Jul 1, 2021
The protagonist in this book is Dido, a twelve-year-old girl in ancient Rome, and this story is told from her perspective. Dido was raised with horses and chariot racers, and her dream was to become a racer herself. After her father gets murdered, she has to flee Rome to survive. But she left a lot behind, and she will need to return to claim what was hers. I really liked Dido, she is so stubborn and not scared of hard work. I also really admired her self confidence and bravery in a very male-dominated environment. I had a love-hate relationship with some of the characters, I loved the ones that supported Dido, and hated all of those who were cruel to the horses. I really liked the sheer amount of horses in this book, their different personalities and their ability to work so well as a team. They are truly impressive animals. 🙂
The narrative of this book was very fast-paced and very intriguing. There were plenty of turns and unexpected surprises, that I thoroughly enjoyed. This book talks about four factions/teams: Green (everyone’s favourite), Blue (biggest Green’s competitor), White and Red (these teams were the least mentioned in this book). I have to say, that I am a supporter of the Blue faction. 🙂 There are plenty of reasons but if I will tell, it will spoil the reading experience. The topics discussed in this book are chariot racing, cheating in sports, gender power playing, mental health issues, very slight romance, animal cruelty and many more.
I was a little scared to read this book because when I saw the character listing at the beginning of the book, I thought that there will be a very wide variety of characters and I will have difficulty knowing who is who. But I was very wrong indeed. This book is beautifully written and very easy to read. The chapters have medium length, but they just flew by for me, I was very absorbed with this story. I have to throw in a warning, that this book contains animal cruelty, so if anyone is like me, tears and anger will be happening while reading. The ending of this novel rounded this story very nicely, and I can not wait for the next book in this series.
So, to conclude, the protagonist of this story is very likeable, and I was cheering her all the way till the end. All the characters in this book are very well crafted and delivered, and the plot of this book is fast-paced and absorbing.
The narrative of this book was very fast-paced and very intriguing. There were plenty of turns and unexpected surprises, that I thoroughly enjoyed. This book talks about four factions/teams: Green (everyone’s favourite), Blue (biggest Green’s competitor), White and Red (these teams were the least mentioned in this book). I have to say, that I am a supporter of the Blue faction. 🙂 There are plenty of reasons but if I will tell, it will spoil the reading experience. The topics discussed in this book are chariot racing, cheating in sports, gender power playing, mental health issues, very slight romance, animal cruelty and many more.
I was a little scared to read this book because when I saw the character listing at the beginning of the book, I thought that there will be a very wide variety of characters and I will have difficulty knowing who is who. But I was very wrong indeed. This book is beautifully written and very easy to read. The chapters have medium length, but they just flew by for me, I was very absorbed with this story. I have to throw in a warning, that this book contains animal cruelty, so if anyone is like me, tears and anger will be happening while reading. The ending of this novel rounded this story very nicely, and I can not wait for the next book in this series.
So, to conclude, the protagonist of this story is very likeable, and I was cheering her all the way till the end. All the characters in this book are very well crafted and delivered, and the plot of this book is fast-paced and absorbing.
Jonathan Higgs recommended Electro-Shock Blues by Eels in Music (curated)
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Assassination Nation (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Well... this film really had its ups and downs. I can't say I was entirely a fan of this cinematic offspring of Mean Girls and The First Purge though.
Almost everything in this felt like is was just being brash and outrageous for the sake of it. As part of the opening sequence we're treated to a handy list of all the upcoming offenseive things we'll get to see in the movie. What was the point? Is it daring us to be offended in advance? Or is it just playing offensive bingo with us? "Oh yeah, homophobia! Bingo!"
The beginning of Assassination Nation introduces us to our quartet of girls in a horrible awkward teen drama kind of a way. Even taking into account the type of film this was it wasn't a believeable exchange and I was glad when everything finally moved along.
Luckily the middle of this film is quite good. Not all of the characters get as much of a story as they might deserve, in fact Lily and Bex are the only ones of the four that I could really tell you about after coming out of the screening, but it all flows well and you can see how the events are filtering through the community.
Then there's the bit after the middle (but not including the ending). As we get into the action side of Assassination Nation... honestly I think I just like typing out the title, it's a bit like when you're spelling Mississippi, lots of places you could muck it up... it's like we're on a rollercoaster, it goes downhill pretty fast.
I like mindless violence in movies, it generally has that over the top amusement factor as you see the characters devolve and have a little overacted rampage. This however is pure mob mentality at its worst with no real voice of reason apart from our main "heroine", Lily. Even far fetched things I can sort of see as "realistic", but no real resistence against what was happening? Yet another reason to think they were just going for shock factor.
I could almost have forgiven this film it's faux pas had it not been for the predictable and are-you-kidding-me ending.
What you should do
It's an amusing watch if you can dissect it and shout at the TV at te same time. I personally think it would be better for watching with a group of friends at home rather than the cinema.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would like Lily's excellent skills with a shovel.
Almost everything in this felt like is was just being brash and outrageous for the sake of it. As part of the opening sequence we're treated to a handy list of all the upcoming offenseive things we'll get to see in the movie. What was the point? Is it daring us to be offended in advance? Or is it just playing offensive bingo with us? "Oh yeah, homophobia! Bingo!"
The beginning of Assassination Nation introduces us to our quartet of girls in a horrible awkward teen drama kind of a way. Even taking into account the type of film this was it wasn't a believeable exchange and I was glad when everything finally moved along.
Luckily the middle of this film is quite good. Not all of the characters get as much of a story as they might deserve, in fact Lily and Bex are the only ones of the four that I could really tell you about after coming out of the screening, but it all flows well and you can see how the events are filtering through the community.
Then there's the bit after the middle (but not including the ending). As we get into the action side of Assassination Nation... honestly I think I just like typing out the title, it's a bit like when you're spelling Mississippi, lots of places you could muck it up... it's like we're on a rollercoaster, it goes downhill pretty fast.
I like mindless violence in movies, it generally has that over the top amusement factor as you see the characters devolve and have a little overacted rampage. This however is pure mob mentality at its worst with no real voice of reason apart from our main "heroine", Lily. Even far fetched things I can sort of see as "realistic", but no real resistence against what was happening? Yet another reason to think they were just going for shock factor.
I could almost have forgiven this film it's faux pas had it not been for the predictable and are-you-kidding-me ending.
What you should do
It's an amusing watch if you can dissect it and shout at the TV at te same time. I personally think it would be better for watching with a group of friends at home rather than the cinema.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I would like Lily's excellent skills with a shovel.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Judy (2019) in Movies
Oct 2, 2019
If I am a legend, then why am I so lonely?
Judy is a fabulous and dazzling look into the finally years of an all time greats life and while it maybe paint by numbers at times Judy takes the surprisingly darker and more depressing route that many other biopics dont dare to. I was gobsmacked to find after that renee zellweger played judy garland as at no stage of the movie could you tell at all. Never been a real fan of Zellweger but here she really has surpassed herself and you literally would be forgiven for believing she was the actual Judy Garland at times, an award wining performance for sure. Judy's pain/struggles are plain to see here and the way Renee manages to portray the sheer depression behind those eyes as well as the switching on of 'the act' when she steps out onto stage to perform are both saddening and admirable (the way the camera shows her eyes change really is impressive). Its clear as a person she just longs to be loved, to belong/find happiness and to live a happy life with her children who adore her and bring her joy and completeness. Seemingly forced into showbusiness at a young age she never had a real chance to discover who she really is and what she enjoys and everyone she gets close to uses her as a puppet adding to the weight on her mind. Yet somewhere in all the sadness I find it so inspirational that she still found the strength and drive to put on a confident happy face and deliver powerful performances. Maybe deep down in a way being loved by the audience was her only glimpse of feeling true real love from someone when away from her children. Cinematography really impressed me as well giving a warm glamorous look when on stage with colours and lights that simply boom off the screen and then a cold, isolated and lonely feel when off stage really giving the movie a unique and immersive atmosphere. Costumes and sets also stun and dazzle as does the music which is filmed so well you feel at times you are sat in the room. Some dialog annoyed me near the beginning and two characters ruined the tone/felt forced but other than that I really did enjoyed this movie dare I say it more than I did Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody. A tragic/sad story that is well worth seeing