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Merissa (14030 KP) rated The Poison Keeper in Books
Jun 11, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
THE POISON KEEPER is the first book about Giulia Tofana, a real historical figure, known for her poison Aqua Tofana which could both heal and harm. In this book, we grow with her from a young woman - chomping at the reins and not liking the constrictions placed upon her by her mother, to a strong woman with an agenda and life of her own with extremely difficult circumstances.
I cannot tell you the amount of research that must have gone into this book! There is just so much. Incredible details of clothing, hair, jobs, places, you name it. Also, you find out about the pomanders used, plus other 'recipes'. All of which help to draw you into an intriguing story. There are hints of a possible romance between Giulia and Fabio but only hints.
Make no mistake, Giulia Tofana is a killer. She provides the means, knowing full well what she's doing, even if she doesn't actually do the deed herself. However, after reading her story, you will understand just why she did it. She is a figure from history I have always been interested in, and this story helped to bring her alive.
The first in a series, I now have The Silkworm Keeper on my To-Be-Read list, and I can highly recommend this book.
** 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!
Jun 11, 2021
I cannot tell you the amount of research that must have gone into this book! There is just so much. Incredible details of clothing, hair, jobs, places, you name it. Also, you find out about the pomanders used, plus other 'recipes'. All of which help to draw you into an intriguing story. There are hints of a possible romance between Giulia and Fabio but only hints.
Make no mistake, Giulia Tofana is a killer. She provides the means, knowing full well what she's doing, even if she doesn't actually do the deed herself. However, after reading her story, you will understand just why she did it. She is a figure from history I have always been interested in, and this story helped to bring her alive.
The first in a series, I now have The Silkworm Keeper on my To-Be-Read list, and I can highly recommend this book.
** 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!
Jun 11, 2021
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Serial Killer's Sister in Books
May 14, 2023
This might be the third in the series but can definitely be read as a standalone; they are not linked and you can read them in any order.
Once again, Alice Hunter has created an intriguing story. Anna hasn't had the best start in life but she has managed to shake that off and build a good life with her husband and all is looking good until the police turn up on her doorstep to tell her that her brother is a serial killer and she may hold the key to catching him or could she be the next victim?
Written over two timelines and mostly from Anna's perspective, the short chapters make this feel fast paced and despite there not being a lot of the usual gruesome descriptions that are the norm with serial killer books, Alice Hunter uses the growing sense of tension to put you on tenterhooks and racing to find out what's going to happen. This is a great story with unexpected twists and just when you think you've got it, another one happens that turns the story on it's head.
I don't think I actually liked any of the main characters but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book and I would recommend to those who enjoy a good serial killer book without a plethora of violence and gore and my thanks must go to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Serial Killer's Sister.
Once again, Alice Hunter has created an intriguing story. Anna hasn't had the best start in life but she has managed to shake that off and build a good life with her husband and all is looking good until the police turn up on her doorstep to tell her that her brother is a serial killer and she may hold the key to catching him or could she be the next victim?
Written over two timelines and mostly from Anna's perspective, the short chapters make this feel fast paced and despite there not being a lot of the usual gruesome descriptions that are the norm with serial killer books, Alice Hunter uses the growing sense of tension to put you on tenterhooks and racing to find out what's going to happen. This is a great story with unexpected twists and just when you think you've got it, another one happens that turns the story on it's head.
I don't think I actually liked any of the main characters but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book and I would recommend to those who enjoy a good serial killer book without a plethora of violence and gore and my thanks must go to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Serial Killer's Sister.
Merissa (14030 KP) rated Sloth (Seven Princes of Sin #3) in Books
May 31, 2023
SLOTH is the third book in the Seven Princes of Sin series. It's Linneas' turn and, oh boy, does he have a story to tell. He first senses his mate, Sylvia, as she is being transported to her new quarters to await her new master. He follows, on foot, not knowing what he's going into but knowing his mate is there. Gabriel also follows because Sylvia is his charge. Once these three get together, the story explodes with nuances and emotions, plus a whole load of hotness.
Now, before you do into it thinking it's all hearts and roses, it's not. Most definitely not. This is dark in a lot of places, so if things like abuse, non-consent, underage, slavery, and violence affect you, then this is definitely not the book for you.
This IS the third book and, as such, you really should read it as a series. You will learn things in this book that have relevance to what has gone on before.
I love that the storyline continues to hold my interest, that some of the angels are now questioning, and that as soon as I finish one book, I immediately want the next.
This is a fantastic series, and SLOTH is a brilliant addition to it. Highly recommended by me.
** 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!
Aug 10, 2022
Now, before you do into it thinking it's all hearts and roses, it's not. Most definitely not. This is dark in a lot of places, so if things like abuse, non-consent, underage, slavery, and violence affect you, then this is definitely not the book for you.
This IS the third book and, as such, you really should read it as a series. You will learn things in this book that have relevance to what has gone on before.
I love that the storyline continues to hold my interest, that some of the angels are now questioning, and that as soon as I finish one book, I immediately want the next.
This is a fantastic series, and SLOTH is a brilliant addition to it. Highly recommended by me.
** 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!
Aug 10, 2022
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Matryoshka in Tabletop Games
Apr 8, 2022
I don’t know about you, but I have always been fascinated by Russian nesting dolls, known as Matryoshka dolls. Something about opening the outer-most doll and finding an exact replica, but smaller, just brings me so much joy and satisfaction. I could play with them all day. So whilst perusing Miniature Market, I came across this little card game. Does Matryoshka give me the same sense of satisfaction as playing with physical nesting dolls? Or does it leave me feeling empty, like a Matryoshka that is missing its inner dolls? (This analogy is a stretch, but I’m sticking with it)
Matryoshka is a card game of hand management and set collection in which players are antique collectors attempting to gather complete sets of valuable Matryoshka dolls. Over the course of 4 rounds, players will be trading (in a sort of auction/bidding way) cards in their attempts to collect different sets of numerically ascending Matryoshka dolls. To setup for a game, you will first create the game deck. Depending on the player count, you will use a specific number of Matryoshka sets for the game – each set ranging from values 1-7. Shuffle the deck and deal 6 cards to each player, placing the remaining cards in the middle of the play area in a face-down draw deck. Players will then select 2 cards from their hand to place in their Display (tableau), organized as described in the rules. Cards in your display are visible to all players, and provide information as to what cards you have, and what cards you may be looking for. So deciding which cards to Display is part of your strategy. Select a starting player, and the game is ready to begin! Pictured below is the setup for a four-player game.
Each round is consists of 3 phases: Draw, Exchange, and Display. To begin the round, all players will draw 2 new cards from the deck. The Exchange phase is played in turns, beginning with the starting player as the active player. The active player will select one card from their hand to be placed face-up in the middle of the table. This is the card that is up for trade. All other players must then choose one card from their hands to be offered in exchange. Players keep their offer cards hidden, and the active player will secretly look at all offer cards. The active player then chooses one of the offer cards to take into their hand, and the player whose card was chosen takes the active player’s face-up card. All other players take their offer cards back into their own hand. Play then moves clock-wise, beginning another Exchange with a new active player.
When all players have had the opportunity to be the active player, the game moves to the Display phase. Players take all cards from their Display into their hand, and will then create a new Display. As the game rounds progress, the number of cards in each Display increases. To start the game, all players Display 2 cards. After the first round, the Display will have 4 cards, then 6, 8, and finally 13 to end the game. Again, cards in your Display are visible to all players, and that information could be used strategically when Exchanging cards in the second game phase. After the fourth and final round, players will have a total of 13 cards in their Display. Each Display is now scored, earning points for consecutive cards per row as well as sets of the same size of doll. The player with the highest total score is the winner of the game!
I should probably start by saying that I’m a sucker for set collection. So when I stumbled across Matryoshka, the theme drew me in and the set collection mechanic prompted me to hit ‘Add to Cart.’ And I have to say that I am loving this game. One major element that I like about Matryoshka is the simplicity of the gameplay. Draw 2 cards each round, offer cards from your hand in Exchange for others, create Displays of your sets. Easy as pie.
What really takes this game above and beyond for me are the strategic elements. Deciding which cards to Display at the end of each round is a major strategy point of the game. You have to be careful with which cards you choose to Display, because they are visible to all players. So maybe you’ve got a set of 5 consecutive cards, but do you really want your opponents to know that? Is it better to only Display a couple and use other sets to finish your Display? Or maybe you do want people to know you’re gunning for that set, as it may prompt them to offer any of those cards from their hand, for which you would pay a pretty price. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours, right? Along with that comes the negotiation tactic. During every Exchange, players are allowed to try to influence the active player for certain trades. Take my card now and I’ll owe you a favor later sort of thing. It’s neat to see what strategies players will try with each passing round.
ALSO it pays to pay careful attention to all opponents each round. When creating your Display at the end of every round, you do not have to use the same cards as in your last Display. So you can strategize to bait opponents to giving you cards you want, or to try and keep your chosen sets secret. That being said, paying attention to opposing Displays can be a good tactic. Maybe your neighbor just had a consecutive run of 3 cards in their Display, but now are choosing to only Display 1 of those cards – just because you can’t see the others, doesn’t mean they’re not necessarily there. So changing up Displays can be a way to maybe trick your opponents into thinking you do or do not have specific cards. If you keep a careful eye out, you may be able to deduce what everyone is hiding…
A quick note on components – this game is a stack of cards in a small magnetically-closing box. The artwork is thematic and unique, the rules and scoring aids are understandable, and the box itself is nice and sturdy. The cards are not the most high-quality I’ve seen in games, but as long as my players are gentle, that shouldn’t be a problem in the long run.
So all in all, I think you can tell that I love Matryoshka. The gameplay is simple and fast, yet the strategic options really get you thinking and perhaps second-guessing every Exchange that is made. I really like the element of changing Displays at the end of every round, as it allows players to adapt their strategy for the coming round. I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I picked up this game, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s one that I’m definitely happy to have, and can see myself pulling it out often for a quick, yet strategic game between some of the bigger games out there. To bring back my analogy from my intro (yep, I’m committed to this joke), I would say that Matryoshka is nearly as satisfying as playing with a physical set of nesting dolls. If you’re looking for something light yet engaging, I would definitely recommend picking this one up. Purple Phoenix Games gives Matryoshka a nestled 5 / 6.
Matryoshka is a card game of hand management and set collection in which players are antique collectors attempting to gather complete sets of valuable Matryoshka dolls. Over the course of 4 rounds, players will be trading (in a sort of auction/bidding way) cards in their attempts to collect different sets of numerically ascending Matryoshka dolls. To setup for a game, you will first create the game deck. Depending on the player count, you will use a specific number of Matryoshka sets for the game – each set ranging from values 1-7. Shuffle the deck and deal 6 cards to each player, placing the remaining cards in the middle of the play area in a face-down draw deck. Players will then select 2 cards from their hand to place in their Display (tableau), organized as described in the rules. Cards in your display are visible to all players, and provide information as to what cards you have, and what cards you may be looking for. So deciding which cards to Display is part of your strategy. Select a starting player, and the game is ready to begin! Pictured below is the setup for a four-player game.
Each round is consists of 3 phases: Draw, Exchange, and Display. To begin the round, all players will draw 2 new cards from the deck. The Exchange phase is played in turns, beginning with the starting player as the active player. The active player will select one card from their hand to be placed face-up in the middle of the table. This is the card that is up for trade. All other players must then choose one card from their hands to be offered in exchange. Players keep their offer cards hidden, and the active player will secretly look at all offer cards. The active player then chooses one of the offer cards to take into their hand, and the player whose card was chosen takes the active player’s face-up card. All other players take their offer cards back into their own hand. Play then moves clock-wise, beginning another Exchange with a new active player.
When all players have had the opportunity to be the active player, the game moves to the Display phase. Players take all cards from their Display into their hand, and will then create a new Display. As the game rounds progress, the number of cards in each Display increases. To start the game, all players Display 2 cards. After the first round, the Display will have 4 cards, then 6, 8, and finally 13 to end the game. Again, cards in your Display are visible to all players, and that information could be used strategically when Exchanging cards in the second game phase. After the fourth and final round, players will have a total of 13 cards in their Display. Each Display is now scored, earning points for consecutive cards per row as well as sets of the same size of doll. The player with the highest total score is the winner of the game!
I should probably start by saying that I’m a sucker for set collection. So when I stumbled across Matryoshka, the theme drew me in and the set collection mechanic prompted me to hit ‘Add to Cart.’ And I have to say that I am loving this game. One major element that I like about Matryoshka is the simplicity of the gameplay. Draw 2 cards each round, offer cards from your hand in Exchange for others, create Displays of your sets. Easy as pie.
What really takes this game above and beyond for me are the strategic elements. Deciding which cards to Display at the end of each round is a major strategy point of the game. You have to be careful with which cards you choose to Display, because they are visible to all players. So maybe you’ve got a set of 5 consecutive cards, but do you really want your opponents to know that? Is it better to only Display a couple and use other sets to finish your Display? Or maybe you do want people to know you’re gunning for that set, as it may prompt them to offer any of those cards from their hand, for which you would pay a pretty price. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours, right? Along with that comes the negotiation tactic. During every Exchange, players are allowed to try to influence the active player for certain trades. Take my card now and I’ll owe you a favor later sort of thing. It’s neat to see what strategies players will try with each passing round.
ALSO it pays to pay careful attention to all opponents each round. When creating your Display at the end of every round, you do not have to use the same cards as in your last Display. So you can strategize to bait opponents to giving you cards you want, or to try and keep your chosen sets secret. That being said, paying attention to opposing Displays can be a good tactic. Maybe your neighbor just had a consecutive run of 3 cards in their Display, but now are choosing to only Display 1 of those cards – just because you can’t see the others, doesn’t mean they’re not necessarily there. So changing up Displays can be a way to maybe trick your opponents into thinking you do or do not have specific cards. If you keep a careful eye out, you may be able to deduce what everyone is hiding…
A quick note on components – this game is a stack of cards in a small magnetically-closing box. The artwork is thematic and unique, the rules and scoring aids are understandable, and the box itself is nice and sturdy. The cards are not the most high-quality I’ve seen in games, but as long as my players are gentle, that shouldn’t be a problem in the long run.
So all in all, I think you can tell that I love Matryoshka. The gameplay is simple and fast, yet the strategic options really get you thinking and perhaps second-guessing every Exchange that is made. I really like the element of changing Displays at the end of every round, as it allows players to adapt their strategy for the coming round. I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I picked up this game, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s one that I’m definitely happy to have, and can see myself pulling it out often for a quick, yet strategic game between some of the bigger games out there. To bring back my analogy from my intro (yep, I’m committed to this joke), I would say that Matryoshka is nearly as satisfying as playing with a physical set of nesting dolls. If you’re looking for something light yet engaging, I would definitely recommend picking this one up. Purple Phoenix Games gives Matryoshka a nestled 5 / 6.
Larry Eisner (2082 KP) rated Tomb Raider (2018) in Movies
Jul 18, 2018
Vikander. She is excellent and plays this two-dimensional character far beyond the script. (3 more)
The supernatural elements
Did I mention Vikander’s superb performance?
Damn, Vikander was spectacular!
The script (3 more)
The tropes
The characters’ lack of dimension
Low hope for a sequel
It’s action. It’s rife with plot holes. It’s got an AMAZING lead.
Note: I was given a copy by SmashBomb to review.
Note 2: I hate spoilers so you can count on this to have none as with all my reviews.
Tomb Raider, like all video game adaptations for the screen, tend to suck horribly (I’m looking directly at you, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat 2).
That said, the Angelina Jolie versions had huge budgets, large CGI setpieces to amaze and star power at the fairly flat lead role of Lara Croft. They were throwaway summer action fodder. They were fun and worth a watch, but never a second viewing.
Sadly, the new Tomb Raider won’t change anyone’s mind about the genre. It’s still mindless action throwaway, but this had a lot of potential for much much more.
Why? Because Alicia Vikander is SPECTACULAR and brings dimension, fragility, and a brutal ness to the action that you’d never see in the original sexually charged games, or the blockbuster megamillions Jolie versions.
The story itself is flat, full of holes (except the one that’s missing? I won’t say, but damn...) and contains the typical tropes of the lone hero in a jungle against baddies and nature. There’s booby traps, there’s danger at every corner, natural and man-made, and there’s intrigue behind the scenes. Nothing new there and sadly this script adds nothing at all (even an iota) to the genre. However, amazingly, Vikander’s subtle and fragile performance escalates the dull action into something believable. It takes the very false “high stakes” danger and makes it dangerous and raises the stakes because of the vulnerability and believability of this Lara Croft.
This is why I enjoyed the film. In the film world, everything is on Lara’s shoulders. And in reality, the film is carried SOLELY on Alicia Vikander’s shoulders. And she carries it well.
Lu Ren (Daniel Wu) is another great character played by a great actor, though he has far too little quality screen time. The relationship between them isn’t believable because of this lack of time spent in development, and therefore the stakes between them seem more false than they should. It is a lot of wasted potential.
Here’s my hope (though my expectations are low unless DVD/Blu-Ray sales/rentals skyrocket): this film demands a sequel. This flimsy summer fodder has what it takes to make a franchise and a lead that can become a true action icon, but it demands a better and more character-driven script.
The potential here is insane, but only time will tell if this mediocre (but fun) B-movie will get a serious sequel. It wouldn’t require so much money, as the strength of this Lara Croft is not in special effects and masculine explosions. This Croft is crafty, exudes strength in endurance rather than power, and has a realism to her that makes me believe she actually isn’t just a rich person with a privileged upbringing. She’s real, three-dimensional and you want her to succeed. Because of her, not because of the plot.
But put an actual plot and characters with depth and dialogue behind her? Wow. That would be amazing.
So, perhaps this review doesn’t seem like a 7/10. But here’s why: Wu brings the film to a 4-5, and Vikander makes this film every point above to the 7. In fact she had a 10 performance, but the script and direction just bring it down.
It’s a fun B-film. It’s summer action fodder. It’s worth a view, if not a purchase. And it is worth a sequel. Let’s hope and pray that Vikander’s Lara Croft returns to tell more tales.
Note 2: I hate spoilers so you can count on this to have none as with all my reviews.
Tomb Raider, like all video game adaptations for the screen, tend to suck horribly (I’m looking directly at you, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat 2).
That said, the Angelina Jolie versions had huge budgets, large CGI setpieces to amaze and star power at the fairly flat lead role of Lara Croft. They were throwaway summer action fodder. They were fun and worth a watch, but never a second viewing.
Sadly, the new Tomb Raider won’t change anyone’s mind about the genre. It’s still mindless action throwaway, but this had a lot of potential for much much more.
Why? Because Alicia Vikander is SPECTACULAR and brings dimension, fragility, and a brutal ness to the action that you’d never see in the original sexually charged games, or the blockbuster megamillions Jolie versions.
The story itself is flat, full of holes (except the one that’s missing? I won’t say, but damn...) and contains the typical tropes of the lone hero in a jungle against baddies and nature. There’s booby traps, there’s danger at every corner, natural and man-made, and there’s intrigue behind the scenes. Nothing new there and sadly this script adds nothing at all (even an iota) to the genre. However, amazingly, Vikander’s subtle and fragile performance escalates the dull action into something believable. It takes the very false “high stakes” danger and makes it dangerous and raises the stakes because of the vulnerability and believability of this Lara Croft.
This is why I enjoyed the film. In the film world, everything is on Lara’s shoulders. And in reality, the film is carried SOLELY on Alicia Vikander’s shoulders. And she carries it well.
Lu Ren (Daniel Wu) is another great character played by a great actor, though he has far too little quality screen time. The relationship between them isn’t believable because of this lack of time spent in development, and therefore the stakes between them seem more false than they should. It is a lot of wasted potential.
Here’s my hope (though my expectations are low unless DVD/Blu-Ray sales/rentals skyrocket): this film demands a sequel. This flimsy summer fodder has what it takes to make a franchise and a lead that can become a true action icon, but it demands a better and more character-driven script.
The potential here is insane, but only time will tell if this mediocre (but fun) B-movie will get a serious sequel. It wouldn’t require so much money, as the strength of this Lara Croft is not in special effects and masculine explosions. This Croft is crafty, exudes strength in endurance rather than power, and has a realism to her that makes me believe she actually isn’t just a rich person with a privileged upbringing. She’s real, three-dimensional and you want her to succeed. Because of her, not because of the plot.
But put an actual plot and characters with depth and dialogue behind her? Wow. That would be amazing.
So, perhaps this review doesn’t seem like a 7/10. But here’s why: Wu brings the film to a 4-5, and Vikander makes this film every point above to the 7. In fact she had a 10 performance, but the script and direction just bring it down.
It’s a fun B-film. It’s summer action fodder. It’s worth a view, if not a purchase. And it is worth a sequel. Let’s hope and pray that Vikander’s Lara Croft returns to tell more tales.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Smallfoot (2018) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
The movie features Channing Tatum as Migo, James Corden as Percy,
Zendaya as Meechee, Common as Stonekeeper, LeBron James and Gwangi and
Danny DeVito and Dorgie, Migos father.
The movie is centered around a group of characters (the Yeti) and the
rules that surround their existence and are literally “set in stone” ,
carried around by (and, one surmises, enforced by) the Stonekeeper.
If it isn’t in the Stones, it just isn’t so.
Conversely, if it IS in the stones, it MUST be so, even if your eyes and
experiences tell you differently.
Each member of the village has a job, and even though the jobs are
monotonously repetitive, and even though at the bottom of it all, they
don’t really know the “why” behind what they are doing, all the Yeti
happily go about their days and participate to make the village run
smoothly.
Until, that is, Migo sees and chases down an airplane that crash lands
into their mountaintop sanctuary. There are legends of Smallfoot in the
Yeti’s folklore, but the stones emphatically state that Smallfoot do NOT
exist.
Migo brings his exciting news of the Smallfoot sighting back to the
village, only to be met by the Stonekeeper questioning whether Migo
could have ACTUALLY seen a Smallfoot, since the stones say they do not
exist. Migo does not let go of his story of seeing the Smallfoot, and is
subsequently banished from the village until he can “see the truth”.
(Maybe he REALLY saw a new breed of Yak!)
Migo leaves the village not knowing where his path should take him now,
and is intercepted by the members of the SES (Smallfoot Evidentiary
Society) who tell him that they believe him and show him the reasons
why, as backed by evidence that they have found over the years.
The three members of the SES are Meechee (Zendaya), who happens to be
the Stonekeepers daughter (!!), Kolka (Gina Rodriguez), Gwangi (LeBron
James), and Fleem (Ely Henry). The four encourage Migo to follow his
curiosity to find the Smallfoot and see what he can find out about them.
With trepidation, Migo heads down the mountain to see what he can find.
Once he has made his way down the mountain, Migo meets a videographer
named Percy, who has been lamenting his recent dismal ratings and lack
of viewers. Percy was going to go so far as to fabricate a story to get
“hits” online and to make a story go viral. Meeting Migo changes all
that and what follows is a heartwarming story about overcoming
differences, learning how to communicate, friendship & sacrifice.
The movie is colorful, and has great, catchy songs. The characters are
funny, there are lots of jokes, and I didn’t feel like there was any
“dead space” in the movie. The story was easy to follow but not boring.
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about some sort of outcry raised by a
certain segment of the population, saying that the movie is
“anti-religious”, but I found it entirely refreshing for a kids movie to
send the message of not believing something someone tells you just
because “they say so” or just because “that’s the way its always been”,
or even “we do it this way for your own good (because you can’t be
trusted to think for yourself)” . Critical thinking skills are highly
lacking in today’s society, and I think that this movie is a great
example of finding out the truth by asking questions and not just
blindly following where you are told to.
My 10 year old son loved the movie, and I would go see it again in the
theatre, just to watch it again!
Zendaya as Meechee, Common as Stonekeeper, LeBron James and Gwangi and
Danny DeVito and Dorgie, Migos father.
The movie is centered around a group of characters (the Yeti) and the
rules that surround their existence and are literally “set in stone” ,
carried around by (and, one surmises, enforced by) the Stonekeeper.
If it isn’t in the Stones, it just isn’t so.
Conversely, if it IS in the stones, it MUST be so, even if your eyes and
experiences tell you differently.
Each member of the village has a job, and even though the jobs are
monotonously repetitive, and even though at the bottom of it all, they
don’t really know the “why” behind what they are doing, all the Yeti
happily go about their days and participate to make the village run
smoothly.
Until, that is, Migo sees and chases down an airplane that crash lands
into their mountaintop sanctuary. There are legends of Smallfoot in the
Yeti’s folklore, but the stones emphatically state that Smallfoot do NOT
exist.
Migo brings his exciting news of the Smallfoot sighting back to the
village, only to be met by the Stonekeeper questioning whether Migo
could have ACTUALLY seen a Smallfoot, since the stones say they do not
exist. Migo does not let go of his story of seeing the Smallfoot, and is
subsequently banished from the village until he can “see the truth”.
(Maybe he REALLY saw a new breed of Yak!)
Migo leaves the village not knowing where his path should take him now,
and is intercepted by the members of the SES (Smallfoot Evidentiary
Society) who tell him that they believe him and show him the reasons
why, as backed by evidence that they have found over the years.
The three members of the SES are Meechee (Zendaya), who happens to be
the Stonekeepers daughter (!!), Kolka (Gina Rodriguez), Gwangi (LeBron
James), and Fleem (Ely Henry). The four encourage Migo to follow his
curiosity to find the Smallfoot and see what he can find out about them.
With trepidation, Migo heads down the mountain to see what he can find.
Once he has made his way down the mountain, Migo meets a videographer
named Percy, who has been lamenting his recent dismal ratings and lack
of viewers. Percy was going to go so far as to fabricate a story to get
“hits” online and to make a story go viral. Meeting Migo changes all
that and what follows is a heartwarming story about overcoming
differences, learning how to communicate, friendship & sacrifice.
The movie is colorful, and has great, catchy songs. The characters are
funny, there are lots of jokes, and I didn’t feel like there was any
“dead space” in the movie. The story was easy to follow but not boring.
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about some sort of outcry raised by a
certain segment of the population, saying that the movie is
“anti-religious”, but I found it entirely refreshing for a kids movie to
send the message of not believing something someone tells you just
because “they say so” or just because “that’s the way its always been”,
or even “we do it this way for your own good (because you can’t be
trusted to think for yourself)” . Critical thinking skills are highly
lacking in today’s society, and I think that this movie is a great
example of finding out the truth by asking questions and not just
blindly following where you are told to.
My 10 year old son loved the movie, and I would go see it again in the
theatre, just to watch it again!
StickyStudy Japanese
Education and Productivity
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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Similo: Spookies in Tabletop Games
Mar 11, 2022
Anyone who knows my gaming preferences will tell you that I am not at all a fan of many party games. I just find them less that gratifying, with usually little to no skill or strategy involved, and also typically invites lewd and disgusting suggestions and behaviors. No thanks. However, upon seeing many reviewers that I trust showing off their hauls from recent conventions including games from the Similo series, I just had to find out why. Have I been missing out, or is this just another lame excuse for a “party game?”
Similo: Spookies (which I will just call Similo from here on out, as they are all basically the same, but with different themes) is a party card game where one player knows information and attempts to persuade the other players to choose the correct character SILENTLY. One game lasts five rounds or less, and many times players will want to play multiple games in a row.
To setup, shuffle the deck of cards and place it face-down on the table. The player chosen to be the “Clue Giver” will then secretly look at the top card. This card will be the secret character for the entire game. Along with this card, the Clue Giver will draw an additional 11 cards and shuffle them. Next, lay out the 12 characters face-up in a 4×3 grid, so that all players can see. Finally, the Clue Giver draws another five cards to act as their starting hand of clues. The game may now begin in earnest!
The game lasts no more than five rounds, and each round is played mostly the same. During the first round the Clue Giver will place a card from their hand onto the table in either Portrait or Landscape mode (I know there are different words to describe these orientations, but they are failing me now). When a card is in Portrait mode, the Clue Giver is letting the players know that the secret character has similarities to the played card. Landscape placement means that the secret character has differences from the card played.
At the end of the first round, the other players must discuss and decide one card from the grid to remove from play, based on the Clue Giver’s information. If the card removed is the secret character (or at any time the secret character is removed in this way) the players all immediately lose the game. However, if the players have removed an appropriate character card, then the game moves to the second round. Each subsequent round is played exactly the same way, except the number of cards removed will match the round number being played. For example, during the third round three cards will be removed. The only exception here is the very last fifth round. During this round there will only be two cards remaining, and the players will need to choose the correct one to win the game. Win or lose, all players will most likely request to play another game with a different Clue Giver.
Components. This game is 30 cards in a tuckbox. The cards are all great quality with excellent linen finish. They each have the character’s name on the upper left corner and a small thematic quip on the lower right corner. The big thing here is the utterly amazing character art by Naiade (Seasons, Tokaido, Isla Dorada, etc). They are each so wonderfully illustrated, and they have to be, considering the entire game is based on the similarity or differences of each card. I was so very pleasantly surprised to see this beautiful set of cards pop out of the box when I opened it. Zero issues with components here.
This game is low-key a thinking person’s puzzle. How can I get the group to exclude one card specifically and throw away all the others? What the heck is this Clue Giver trying to tell us? What exactly is an Oni? With the right group of gamers, especially those that share many inside jokes and experiences, this could be a nightly hit. Now, determining the difference between Frankenstein’s Monster and a Zombie may be harder than you thought, so do be careful with those technicalities.
This one really reminds me of a much more compact version of Deception: Murder in Hong Kong. There is a silent Clue Giver in both trying to guide the other players to the right answer using cards. If I can get the same feeling from a game featuring 30 cards versus about 300 I might have a replacement situation on my hands here.
For its tiny table presence, excellent artwork, and overall game play, Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a bone-chilling 4 / 6. I know at this very second that my score is hanging in the balance. I want it to be a 5 so very badly, and I feel that it may actually get there, assuming I can play with larger groups of people and a variety of types of gamers. For now, I am happy with the 4 it is assigned. If you are like me and didn’t know you needed a smaller game in your collection that can give similo experiences to bigger boxes, give this one a shot.
Oh PS – You can also combine the different sets into a larger and more chaotic game. I’m not sure I have the huevos for that quite yet, but I think a good counterpart to this Halloween-themed set may be the Fables or Myths sets. Let me know if you have combined these two and if my hunch is correct. I’m going to go fanboy over Naiade’s art now.
Similo: Spookies (which I will just call Similo from here on out, as they are all basically the same, but with different themes) is a party card game where one player knows information and attempts to persuade the other players to choose the correct character SILENTLY. One game lasts five rounds or less, and many times players will want to play multiple games in a row.
To setup, shuffle the deck of cards and place it face-down on the table. The player chosen to be the “Clue Giver” will then secretly look at the top card. This card will be the secret character for the entire game. Along with this card, the Clue Giver will draw an additional 11 cards and shuffle them. Next, lay out the 12 characters face-up in a 4×3 grid, so that all players can see. Finally, the Clue Giver draws another five cards to act as their starting hand of clues. The game may now begin in earnest!
The game lasts no more than five rounds, and each round is played mostly the same. During the first round the Clue Giver will place a card from their hand onto the table in either Portrait or Landscape mode (I know there are different words to describe these orientations, but they are failing me now). When a card is in Portrait mode, the Clue Giver is letting the players know that the secret character has similarities to the played card. Landscape placement means that the secret character has differences from the card played.
At the end of the first round, the other players must discuss and decide one card from the grid to remove from play, based on the Clue Giver’s information. If the card removed is the secret character (or at any time the secret character is removed in this way) the players all immediately lose the game. However, if the players have removed an appropriate character card, then the game moves to the second round. Each subsequent round is played exactly the same way, except the number of cards removed will match the round number being played. For example, during the third round three cards will be removed. The only exception here is the very last fifth round. During this round there will only be two cards remaining, and the players will need to choose the correct one to win the game. Win or lose, all players will most likely request to play another game with a different Clue Giver.
Components. This game is 30 cards in a tuckbox. The cards are all great quality with excellent linen finish. They each have the character’s name on the upper left corner and a small thematic quip on the lower right corner. The big thing here is the utterly amazing character art by Naiade (Seasons, Tokaido, Isla Dorada, etc). They are each so wonderfully illustrated, and they have to be, considering the entire game is based on the similarity or differences of each card. I was so very pleasantly surprised to see this beautiful set of cards pop out of the box when I opened it. Zero issues with components here.
This game is low-key a thinking person’s puzzle. How can I get the group to exclude one card specifically and throw away all the others? What the heck is this Clue Giver trying to tell us? What exactly is an Oni? With the right group of gamers, especially those that share many inside jokes and experiences, this could be a nightly hit. Now, determining the difference between Frankenstein’s Monster and a Zombie may be harder than you thought, so do be careful with those technicalities.
This one really reminds me of a much more compact version of Deception: Murder in Hong Kong. There is a silent Clue Giver in both trying to guide the other players to the right answer using cards. If I can get the same feeling from a game featuring 30 cards versus about 300 I might have a replacement situation on my hands here.
For its tiny table presence, excellent artwork, and overall game play, Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a bone-chilling 4 / 6. I know at this very second that my score is hanging in the balance. I want it to be a 5 so very badly, and I feel that it may actually get there, assuming I can play with larger groups of people and a variety of types of gamers. For now, I am happy with the 4 it is assigned. If you are like me and didn’t know you needed a smaller game in your collection that can give similo experiences to bigger boxes, give this one a shot.
Oh PS – You can also combine the different sets into a larger and more chaotic game. I’m not sure I have the huevos for that quite yet, but I think a good counterpart to this Halloween-themed set may be the Fables or Myths sets. Let me know if you have combined these two and if my hunch is correct. I’m going to go fanboy over Naiade’s art now.
Neil Goddard (3 KP) rated Hellboy (2019) in Movies
Feb 27, 2020
It all looked soooo promising
Contains spoilers, click to show
Let me say this upfront; David Harbour looks f---ing boss as Hellboy. The makeup is far superior to that of Ron Perlman, not that there was anything wrong with Ron Perlman’s, but with this new incarnation it’s all in the eyes. Deep red, sunken, pained. Sadly, that is all I can say about this movie that is one hundred percent genuinely positive. There are positives however, but they come with a big ‘however’.
I was initially a little concerned that we were getting a re-boot and not a direct sequel to Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), especially as it still seemed so recent and was so well made. I know it was over a decade ago but quality is timeless, yeah? Then David Harbour was cast and Neil Marshall announced as director. Great, thought I, an actor I like and a director who’s put out some solid genre material. I saw the first picture of Harbour as Hellboy and I was genuinely excited. I saw the trailer and again, excited. Then I watched the film.
Eurgh, where to start?
Firstly, Ian McShane’s initial voice over is clunky and ill fitting, then they throw in some b@llocks about King Arthur and Excalibur. I had my first wobble here, as some of the effects seemed less than special.
Cue opening titles.
The film starts with a Mexican wrestling match that is purely exposition to let us know Hellboy is a hard drinking and hard fighting anti-hero working for an organisation that deals with the paranormal. The make up for his vampiric opponent is also great (can’t fault the makeup department), but the scene seemed superfluous. We get the nubbin of the story forming now; some horrible witchy wench from way back when was cut into bits and flung around jolly old England to prevent her from spreading a right ‘orrible plague. Turns out a potty-mouthed Liverpudlian pig-monster is collecting said bits in the hope of putting her back together in exchange for his normal appearance. Scouse pig-monster is quite entertaining.
Hellboy goes to England at the request of an upper-class paranormal society to help them kill giants; this goes t1ts up. Again, this seems like unnecessary exposition to introduce Alice, a medium who he rescued as a baby, who now rescues him in a transit van. We also get introduced to M11’s Agent Daimio. There something wrong with him, he keeps injecting himself with a serum to stop something happening. I knew at this point we’d get to see what it was eventually, probably at a juncture where something is needed to rescue someone important. However, at this point I had a feeling it would be bad, I just didn’t know how bad.
There some more fighting, some good effects, some mediocre effects and some terrible effects. There’s some good one-liners, there’s some dull and/or terrible dialogue and then we get the film’s conclusion.
There’s something I’ve been putting off mentioning as I didn’t want the entire review to be about it, and it could have been; the witchy wench at the heart of all this paranormal consternation, Nimue, is played by Milla Jovovich and she is terrible. From when she first opens her mouth to her predictable demise, she is terrible. Terrible. TERRIBLE.
I love some of the Resident Evil films but all she’s required to do is some slow-motion scissor kicks and shoot zombies and zombie-dogs in the face. She is tolerated, rather than enjoyed. Here she is emoting, or at least I think that’s what she was going for, and as a depiction of an evil entity bent of the destruction of all mankind, she is, for want of a better word, cack.
David Harbour and the Hellboy franchise deserve better than this. To be blunt, the franchise has better than this and Mike Mignola should be a bit more f---ing precious with his creation.
Hellboy (2004) was genuinely exciting; it was an origin story that bought that story full circle for its thrilling and apocalyptical conclusion. It has a wonderful nemesis, great support and breath-taking visuals. The re-tread of the origin story in Hellboy (2019) is, again, one more unnecessary diversion from a sketchy plot, which, for all its meagre bones takes a f-ck load of time to tell.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) was equally impressive. It also introduced a fully formed community of creatures and customs hiding alongside mankind. It did so with nonchalant aplomb. Nothing seemed irrelevant or forced. For two films with almost identical running times, Hellboy (2019) tells less of a story with way more waffle.
So, I did mention there were some positives. David Harbour is great. He’s dour, sarcastic, defiant and funny, he just has no engaging story in which to be all those things. Ian McShane is good as the father figure but he is overshadowed by memories of the late, unbelievably great John Hurt. The story of a witch trying to destroy mankind is solid fantasy movie gold and the unleashing of her plague late in the final act is suitably hellish; bizarre demons emerging from city streets and tearing humans limb from limb, it’s bloody wonderful and wonderfully bloody. They all could have come straight out of a Clive Barker fever dream. However, it’s too little too late, by this point in the story we’ve had too many cutaways, too much shoddy CGI, and Agent Daimio stinking up many a scene with his ‘will he won’t he’ turn into something rubbish… he does.
The worst part of all this is I don’t know if they can come back from this. The film may have sunk the franchise at least for the next few years.
I do however, look forward to a re-boot in a decade or so, if we haven’t all been assimilated by aliens, overrun by AI robots or decimated by a supernatural plague bought on by some witchy wench with an axe to grind.
THREE WORD SUMMATION: Big Red Turd.
I was initially a little concerned that we were getting a re-boot and not a direct sequel to Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), especially as it still seemed so recent and was so well made. I know it was over a decade ago but quality is timeless, yeah? Then David Harbour was cast and Neil Marshall announced as director. Great, thought I, an actor I like and a director who’s put out some solid genre material. I saw the first picture of Harbour as Hellboy and I was genuinely excited. I saw the trailer and again, excited. Then I watched the film.
Eurgh, where to start?
Firstly, Ian McShane’s initial voice over is clunky and ill fitting, then they throw in some b@llocks about King Arthur and Excalibur. I had my first wobble here, as some of the effects seemed less than special.
Cue opening titles.
The film starts with a Mexican wrestling match that is purely exposition to let us know Hellboy is a hard drinking and hard fighting anti-hero working for an organisation that deals with the paranormal. The make up for his vampiric opponent is also great (can’t fault the makeup department), but the scene seemed superfluous. We get the nubbin of the story forming now; some horrible witchy wench from way back when was cut into bits and flung around jolly old England to prevent her from spreading a right ‘orrible plague. Turns out a potty-mouthed Liverpudlian pig-monster is collecting said bits in the hope of putting her back together in exchange for his normal appearance. Scouse pig-monster is quite entertaining.
Hellboy goes to England at the request of an upper-class paranormal society to help them kill giants; this goes t1ts up. Again, this seems like unnecessary exposition to introduce Alice, a medium who he rescued as a baby, who now rescues him in a transit van. We also get introduced to M11’s Agent Daimio. There something wrong with him, he keeps injecting himself with a serum to stop something happening. I knew at this point we’d get to see what it was eventually, probably at a juncture where something is needed to rescue someone important. However, at this point I had a feeling it would be bad, I just didn’t know how bad.
There some more fighting, some good effects, some mediocre effects and some terrible effects. There’s some good one-liners, there’s some dull and/or terrible dialogue and then we get the film’s conclusion.
There’s something I’ve been putting off mentioning as I didn’t want the entire review to be about it, and it could have been; the witchy wench at the heart of all this paranormal consternation, Nimue, is played by Milla Jovovich and she is terrible. From when she first opens her mouth to her predictable demise, she is terrible. Terrible. TERRIBLE.
I love some of the Resident Evil films but all she’s required to do is some slow-motion scissor kicks and shoot zombies and zombie-dogs in the face. She is tolerated, rather than enjoyed. Here she is emoting, or at least I think that’s what she was going for, and as a depiction of an evil entity bent of the destruction of all mankind, she is, for want of a better word, cack.
David Harbour and the Hellboy franchise deserve better than this. To be blunt, the franchise has better than this and Mike Mignola should be a bit more f---ing precious with his creation.
Hellboy (2004) was genuinely exciting; it was an origin story that bought that story full circle for its thrilling and apocalyptical conclusion. It has a wonderful nemesis, great support and breath-taking visuals. The re-tread of the origin story in Hellboy (2019) is, again, one more unnecessary diversion from a sketchy plot, which, for all its meagre bones takes a f-ck load of time to tell.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) was equally impressive. It also introduced a fully formed community of creatures and customs hiding alongside mankind. It did so with nonchalant aplomb. Nothing seemed irrelevant or forced. For two films with almost identical running times, Hellboy (2019) tells less of a story with way more waffle.
So, I did mention there were some positives. David Harbour is great. He’s dour, sarcastic, defiant and funny, he just has no engaging story in which to be all those things. Ian McShane is good as the father figure but he is overshadowed by memories of the late, unbelievably great John Hurt. The story of a witch trying to destroy mankind is solid fantasy movie gold and the unleashing of her plague late in the final act is suitably hellish; bizarre demons emerging from city streets and tearing humans limb from limb, it’s bloody wonderful and wonderfully bloody. They all could have come straight out of a Clive Barker fever dream. However, it’s too little too late, by this point in the story we’ve had too many cutaways, too much shoddy CGI, and Agent Daimio stinking up many a scene with his ‘will he won’t he’ turn into something rubbish… he does.
The worst part of all this is I don’t know if they can come back from this. The film may have sunk the franchise at least for the next few years.
I do however, look forward to a re-boot in a decade or so, if we haven’t all been assimilated by aliens, overrun by AI robots or decimated by a supernatural plague bought on by some witchy wench with an axe to grind.
THREE WORD SUMMATION: Big Red Turd.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Surreal (The Divine Trilogy, #3) in Books
Nov 5, 2018
I can still remember the first time I met Jayden and Catherine, and it thrills me to this day. As a result, I allowed myself a little quiet time before starting this book, to remind myself of not just the journey the characters had already been on, but the journey I had been on as a result of reading these books. You see, Ms Hargrave was the one to introduce me to BDSM and the thrills you could get from reading a book of this nature. Before that very first time (just about 18 months ago) when I picked up the first installment, I never would have dreamed I'd be as hooked on Jayden and Erin's story as I am today. And so, without further ado, I'm going to tell you why Surreal was my best read of 2014, and why I seriously doubt it will ever move from my top 5 books. Ever.
One thing I adored about this book (and there were plenty, so bear with me if I get my ordinals in a tizz), was how beautifully it continued on from the rest of the series. As someone who had read the first two books, I knew what was going on, but that doesn't mean I didn't appreciate the little recap to bring me back up to speed. This was perfectly pitched - someone like me had just enough to open the floodgates and rekindle the love, but a new reader would have ample to keep them going through the book (although if that were me, I'd have gone back to the beginning right there).
The character development through this novel was another piece of exemplary writing. Jayden and Erin both faced very different and unique challenges to what they had in the previous novels, and to watch them work through these together made for brilliant reading. They've both reached a new stage in their lives where perspectives change, their wants and needs as individuals and couples are different, but still Hargrave writes them with a realism and beauty that surpasses most other authors out there.
Well, let's get to the point of it - the sex. Wow. Oh my. Jaydenisoneseriouslyhotpieceofass. Oh, my bad, no spaces? But seriously. Oh. My. Goodness. Quite simply, the sex is phenomenal. The stuff these two get up to is inspirational, honestly. If I had a guy half as good as Jayden (or maybe if I even had a guy....) I'd be reading this as a couple and reenacting certain parts! It's so well written, pacy, detailed and above all exciting. I wanted to be Erin, I wanted Jayden to be my Master and above all, I wanted this to all be real because that's how it felt. At times I have to admit that I reached for cold water and a fan, it was that hot, but it's all safe, consensual, within their own limits. That's something that not all authors take the care to convey, but Hargrave clearly shows a responsibility to her readers - she knows that some will want to go out and try this stuff, so she gives them the signs and tips to make sure that they don't hurt themselves. I have learned more about sex and safe practice through her books than any sex ed class at school - fact.
Something else I loved about this book was that Hargrave left those odd few spaces which allow the reader to have their own questions. You want to keep reading, but you can hear your cogs ticking as you are thinking over that last scene or plot twist. And when you've put the book down, it leaves you thinking even more, it literally consumes so many moments in thought that you could live in this world. That's a super positive for me as I like a book to suck me in, hold me captive in the world created by the author, and Hargrave does this so much better in Surreal than all of her other works combined. Of course, the only downside to this is the book hangover - and be prepared cause it's a doozie (I lost nearly a week mooning over Jayden). You truly didn't expect, or want, the book to finish. Even now, much later on, I'm still wanting (and hoping) for more of Jayden and Erin because I adore them so much.
But for all my mooning and love of the sex scenes, it was actually some of the most vanilla parts of the book that were my favourite. Ms Hargrave is without a doubt one of the best and most skilled authors I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Certain scenes (and I shan't spoil here) were utterly mind blowing, taking my breath away and flooring me with their brilliance. Hargrave truly is a master of her craft.
And so, sadly, just like the trilogy all things must end, but boy did this end on a high. Surreal is, by far, the crowing glory of this trilogy and Hargrave should be immensely proud of what she has created. I recommended these books to all I met, but I do so with an added vigour after reading Surreal. Thankyou for this book, this series, for opening my eyes.
But above all, thankyou for writing and for letting me have this experience. It's been divine, sublime, surreal from start to finish.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
One thing I adored about this book (and there were plenty, so bear with me if I get my ordinals in a tizz), was how beautifully it continued on from the rest of the series. As someone who had read the first two books, I knew what was going on, but that doesn't mean I didn't appreciate the little recap to bring me back up to speed. This was perfectly pitched - someone like me had just enough to open the floodgates and rekindle the love, but a new reader would have ample to keep them going through the book (although if that were me, I'd have gone back to the beginning right there).
The character development through this novel was another piece of exemplary writing. Jayden and Erin both faced very different and unique challenges to what they had in the previous novels, and to watch them work through these together made for brilliant reading. They've both reached a new stage in their lives where perspectives change, their wants and needs as individuals and couples are different, but still Hargrave writes them with a realism and beauty that surpasses most other authors out there.
Well, let's get to the point of it - the sex. Wow. Oh my. Jaydenisoneseriouslyhotpieceofass. Oh, my bad, no spaces? But seriously. Oh. My. Goodness. Quite simply, the sex is phenomenal. The stuff these two get up to is inspirational, honestly. If I had a guy half as good as Jayden (or maybe if I even had a guy....) I'd be reading this as a couple and reenacting certain parts! It's so well written, pacy, detailed and above all exciting. I wanted to be Erin, I wanted Jayden to be my Master and above all, I wanted this to all be real because that's how it felt. At times I have to admit that I reached for cold water and a fan, it was that hot, but it's all safe, consensual, within their own limits. That's something that not all authors take the care to convey, but Hargrave clearly shows a responsibility to her readers - she knows that some will want to go out and try this stuff, so she gives them the signs and tips to make sure that they don't hurt themselves. I have learned more about sex and safe practice through her books than any sex ed class at school - fact.
Something else I loved about this book was that Hargrave left those odd few spaces which allow the reader to have their own questions. You want to keep reading, but you can hear your cogs ticking as you are thinking over that last scene or plot twist. And when you've put the book down, it leaves you thinking even more, it literally consumes so many moments in thought that you could live in this world. That's a super positive for me as I like a book to suck me in, hold me captive in the world created by the author, and Hargrave does this so much better in Surreal than all of her other works combined. Of course, the only downside to this is the book hangover - and be prepared cause it's a doozie (I lost nearly a week mooning over Jayden). You truly didn't expect, or want, the book to finish. Even now, much later on, I'm still wanting (and hoping) for more of Jayden and Erin because I adore them so much.
But for all my mooning and love of the sex scenes, it was actually some of the most vanilla parts of the book that were my favourite. Ms Hargrave is without a doubt one of the best and most skilled authors I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Certain scenes (and I shan't spoil here) were utterly mind blowing, taking my breath away and flooring me with their brilliance. Hargrave truly is a master of her craft.
And so, sadly, just like the trilogy all things must end, but boy did this end on a high. Surreal is, by far, the crowing glory of this trilogy and Hargrave should be immensely proud of what she has created. I recommended these books to all I met, but I do so with an added vigour after reading Surreal. Thankyou for this book, this series, for opening my eyes.
But above all, thankyou for writing and for letting me have this experience. It's been divine, sublime, surreal from start to finish.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*