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Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Upside Down (Off the Map, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
*** I received this book in exchange for an honest review. ***
Let me first start off with... WOW! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The pacing was perfect! The characters are so great! The journey was beautiful. The story on some levels almost made me feel like I was reading a Jessica Park novel.
The setting of Australia was an awesome choice, and something I'm completely unfamiliar with. Also, the way Lia Riley uses slang terms that Australians use really brought the atmosphere and setting to life for me.
I was so happy when I saw Lia Riley was going to tackle OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), and I wasn't sure how this was going to work, especially with love story and making sure that all the pieces fit perfectly in place. She did it. Boy, did she do it.
Talia its a great character. When you first meet her she's sad, safe, reserved and mourning the loss of her sister Pippa. Talia is on a mission, and going to Australia might be the answer to her problems, but she has no idea. See, Talia has OCD, and her father and her therapist is worried about her trying to move around the world for six months. But she's confidant that this is what she needs to create Talia 2.0.
Enter Bran. He's the perfectly hot surfer, and when he crosses paths with Talia his world changes forever. Bran has his own demons to try and escape, and he's been so emotionally damaged that he doesn't do love. He doesn't get close to people. Bran calls his parents by their first names, and he's slept with more girls than he can count.
The relationship that Talia and Bran have evolves so much throughout this book, and its a beautiful thing watching it grow. It isn't insta love, just add water. Nope, they are both damaged and trying to relearn love at it's basic most primitive level.
Upside Down is the first book in the Off the Map series, and I can't wait for the second book! I am sad I have to part with Bran and Talia, but I know more is coming soon. I gave this book four stars for its creativity and freshness. Upside Down is a beautiful tale of life, death, love, and two lives from opposite sides of the planet that bring two people together who fit perfectly.
Let me first start off with... WOW! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The pacing was perfect! The characters are so great! The journey was beautiful. The story on some levels almost made me feel like I was reading a Jessica Park novel.
The setting of Australia was an awesome choice, and something I'm completely unfamiliar with. Also, the way Lia Riley uses slang terms that Australians use really brought the atmosphere and setting to life for me.
I was so happy when I saw Lia Riley was going to tackle OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), and I wasn't sure how this was going to work, especially with love story and making sure that all the pieces fit perfectly in place. She did it. Boy, did she do it.
Talia its a great character. When you first meet her she's sad, safe, reserved and mourning the loss of her sister Pippa. Talia is on a mission, and going to Australia might be the answer to her problems, but she has no idea. See, Talia has OCD, and her father and her therapist is worried about her trying to move around the world for six months. But she's confidant that this is what she needs to create Talia 2.0.
Enter Bran. He's the perfectly hot surfer, and when he crosses paths with Talia his world changes forever. Bran has his own demons to try and escape, and he's been so emotionally damaged that he doesn't do love. He doesn't get close to people. Bran calls his parents by their first names, and he's slept with more girls than he can count.
The relationship that Talia and Bran have evolves so much throughout this book, and its a beautiful thing watching it grow. It isn't insta love, just add water. Nope, they are both damaged and trying to relearn love at it's basic most primitive level.
Upside Down is the first book in the Off the Map series, and I can't wait for the second book! I am sad I have to part with Bran and Talia, but I know more is coming soon. I gave this book four stars for its creativity and freshness. Upside Down is a beautiful tale of life, death, love, and two lives from opposite sides of the planet that bring two people together who fit perfectly.
In Pine Bluff Arkansas, Jeffrey comes home from travel to find his wife, Sabine, missing. Her car has been left behind, and she's seemingly vanished into thin air. As Detective Marcus Durand begins his investigation, things quickly become complicated. Sabine and Jeffrey's marriage wasn't what it seemed, and all signs appear to Jeffrey wanting her gone. What was he doing between his flight and arriving home, for instance? Meanwhile, several hundred miles away, Beth Murphy is on the run, carefully executing a meticulous plan to escape her violent husband. One slip, one mistake, and Beth knows he will find her--and kill her.
"Four hours on the road, two hundred and eight-three miles of space between us, and it's nowhere near enough. I still hear the clink of your keys when you toss them on the table, still tense at the thud of your shoes when you come closer to the kitchen. Still feel the fear slithering, snake-like, just under the surface of my skin. You have three moods lately: offensive, enraged, or violent."
This was a really enjoyable, compulsively readable thriller. It pulls you in nearly immediately and never lets you go--I was completely sucked up in the various stories. The book alternates between the points of view of Beth, Jeffrey, and Marcus. Beth is focused on escaping her husband, Jeffrey on figuring out what happened to his wife, and Marcus on solving the case. Each has their own unique voice, but you're never quite sure of who is telling you the truth or what is happening.
"People don't just fall off the face of the planet. They run, they hide, or they are taken. I should know, because I am one of them."
The result of hearing each person's individual take is a really exciting, twisty story. Where is Sabine? Who exactly is Beth? There are a bunch of fun "aha" moments throughout. I figured out some ahead of time; others were great surprises. No matter what, I enjoyed every moment and was kept interested and guessing. I especially liked and was intrigued by the character of Beth. (Please note that there is a domestic violence trigger in this book.)
Overall, this is a quick, suspenseful read that will keep you flipping the pages. I recommend this well-executed and entertaining thriller! 4+ stars.
"Four hours on the road, two hundred and eight-three miles of space between us, and it's nowhere near enough. I still hear the clink of your keys when you toss them on the table, still tense at the thud of your shoes when you come closer to the kitchen. Still feel the fear slithering, snake-like, just under the surface of my skin. You have three moods lately: offensive, enraged, or violent."
This was a really enjoyable, compulsively readable thriller. It pulls you in nearly immediately and never lets you go--I was completely sucked up in the various stories. The book alternates between the points of view of Beth, Jeffrey, and Marcus. Beth is focused on escaping her husband, Jeffrey on figuring out what happened to his wife, and Marcus on solving the case. Each has their own unique voice, but you're never quite sure of who is telling you the truth or what is happening.
"People don't just fall off the face of the planet. They run, they hide, or they are taken. I should know, because I am one of them."
The result of hearing each person's individual take is a really exciting, twisty story. Where is Sabine? Who exactly is Beth? There are a bunch of fun "aha" moments throughout. I figured out some ahead of time; others were great surprises. No matter what, I enjoyed every moment and was kept interested and guessing. I especially liked and was intrigued by the character of Beth. (Please note that there is a domestic violence trigger in this book.)
Overall, this is a quick, suspenseful read that will keep you flipping the pages. I recommend this well-executed and entertaining thriller! 4+ stars.
Big Little Lies
8.6
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Secret Files: Sam Peters
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[ The acclaimed point and click adventure Secret Files Sam Peters has now found its way back onto...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Favorite in Books
Dec 1, 2018
Interesting Characters (1 more)
Good Pacing
Underdeveloped Plot (1 more)
Unbelievable World Building
Just Okay
The synopsis to Favorite by Karen McQuestion sounded intriguing. I love thrillers, so this seemed like a good book to read. However, why it wasn't that bad, it wasn't that great either. It was just okay.
The plot to Favorite was interesting although it seemed a bit all over the place in some areas. Angie is attacked. The attacker's mother, Mrs. Bittner, calls and gets a hold of Angie to invite her over to apologize. Angie reluctantly goes, but she winds up stuck at the house. This is where the story goes from Angie being attacked to Angie trying to find out what happened to her mother to Angie trying to escape from Mrs. Bittner's house. The world building was believable for the most part until Angie finds medival weaponry such as battleaxes and what not. I thought that was a bit too convenient and a little weird that a house would just have this kind of weaponry lying around. I also found it strange that all of Angie's and her brother's friends would all be out and not wanting to help. They must have some selfish friends! I think the plot and world building were just a tad underdeveloped for my liking. There are a couple of plot twists, but they were fairly easy to figure out. The good thing is that all of my questions were answered, and there was no cliff hanger.
I did feel like most of the characters in Favorite were well written. I enjoyed the character of Angie, and I liked reading about what she was thinking at each moment. Her feelings felt genuine. I liked how protective Angie's brother Jason was. I even enjoyed Angie's and Jason's dad. I loved the rock star angle. Mrs. Bittner was definitely an intriguing character, and I always felt like their was something strange about her from the beginning. The character of Hank reminded me of Lurch from The Addams Family.
Even though the plot and world building were a little bit of a disappointment in Favorite, the pacing flowed very well. The book held my attention throughout.
Trigger warnings for Favorite include violence, mentions of suicide, drugging characters, and violence.
Overall, Favorite lacks a well developed world and plot. The idea is interesting, but it is sort of poorly executed. However, I would recommend Favorite by Karen McQuestion to those aged 13+ because the pacing is good, and the characters are interesting.
The plot to Favorite was interesting although it seemed a bit all over the place in some areas. Angie is attacked. The attacker's mother, Mrs. Bittner, calls and gets a hold of Angie to invite her over to apologize. Angie reluctantly goes, but she winds up stuck at the house. This is where the story goes from Angie being attacked to Angie trying to find out what happened to her mother to Angie trying to escape from Mrs. Bittner's house. The world building was believable for the most part until Angie finds medival weaponry such as battleaxes and what not. I thought that was a bit too convenient and a little weird that a house would just have this kind of weaponry lying around. I also found it strange that all of Angie's and her brother's friends would all be out and not wanting to help. They must have some selfish friends! I think the plot and world building were just a tad underdeveloped for my liking. There are a couple of plot twists, but they were fairly easy to figure out. The good thing is that all of my questions were answered, and there was no cliff hanger.
I did feel like most of the characters in Favorite were well written. I enjoyed the character of Angie, and I liked reading about what she was thinking at each moment. Her feelings felt genuine. I liked how protective Angie's brother Jason was. I even enjoyed Angie's and Jason's dad. I loved the rock star angle. Mrs. Bittner was definitely an intriguing character, and I always felt like their was something strange about her from the beginning. The character of Hank reminded me of Lurch from The Addams Family.
Even though the plot and world building were a little bit of a disappointment in Favorite, the pacing flowed very well. The book held my attention throughout.
Trigger warnings for Favorite include violence, mentions of suicide, drugging characters, and violence.
Overall, Favorite lacks a well developed world and plot. The idea is interesting, but it is sort of poorly executed. However, I would recommend Favorite by Karen McQuestion to those aged 13+ because the pacing is good, and the characters are interesting.
Terminator Genisys: Guardian
Games and Entertainment
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The year is 2028 and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Help John Connor in the war to save...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) in Movies
Oct 27, 2020
Fun Ride
Solo: A Star Wars Story is the origin story of Han Solo before his life with the Rebel Alliance. What I expected to be a cheesy and lame attempt to cash in on a successful series actually turned out to be a pretty fun romp.
Acting: 10
Solid cast here with Alden Ehrenreich playing the leading man Han. He captures the vibe and feel of the character perfectly and has a charisma perfect for the screen. The rest of the cast carries their weight as well. I especially loved the voice performance of Phoebe Waller-Bridge lending her voice to the awesome droid L3-37. Her comedic timing is spot-on.
Beginning: 10
The story jumps in with a harrowing escape from the sewers of an alien planet. You are quickly thrown into the adventure at a moment’s notice and things continue to ramp up from there. My worry of this being a bad movie started to dissipate after the first ten minutes.
Characters: 10
L3-37 aside, other great characters help carry the movie as well. Paul Bettany’s Dryden Vos is a dashing antagonist, a madman who definitely puts off infinite creepy vibes. He adds flare to the story for sure. It’s also refreshing to meet a young Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) who seems to be just as suave now as he is in the future. The creative characters fill the story with more depth than I was expecting.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
The action is nonstop and very entertaining, never letting up for longer than a few moments. Between the numerous chase scenes and blaster battles there is always something to keep you entertained. I especially loved the train heist, so fun and heartracing at the same time.
Entertainment Value: 9
Memorability: 5
Pace: 10
Plot: 7
Outside of a couple twists and turns, the story is pretty straightforward. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a fun ride, there was just nothing storywise that blew my mind. I do appreciate Han’s journey and his maturation as the story progresses. It makes the story worth telling. My biggest gripe was with one major coincidence in the story thrown in for the sake of advancing the plot. I won’t give anything away, I’ll just say there were better ways they could have made that connection.
Resolution: 7
Decent ending. Not in love with how it ended, but I knew things had to transpire this way in order to pave the way for future happenings in other movies. Still, I was hoping for a bit more.
Overall: 88
If you’re facing Star Wars overload and still wondering as to whether or not you want to add more movies into the mix, Solo: A Star Wars Story is a blast. I was pleasantly surprised by how well done it was done. A fun adventure from beginning to end.
Acting: 10
Solid cast here with Alden Ehrenreich playing the leading man Han. He captures the vibe and feel of the character perfectly and has a charisma perfect for the screen. The rest of the cast carries their weight as well. I especially loved the voice performance of Phoebe Waller-Bridge lending her voice to the awesome droid L3-37. Her comedic timing is spot-on.
Beginning: 10
The story jumps in with a harrowing escape from the sewers of an alien planet. You are quickly thrown into the adventure at a moment’s notice and things continue to ramp up from there. My worry of this being a bad movie started to dissipate after the first ten minutes.
Characters: 10
L3-37 aside, other great characters help carry the movie as well. Paul Bettany’s Dryden Vos is a dashing antagonist, a madman who definitely puts off infinite creepy vibes. He adds flare to the story for sure. It’s also refreshing to meet a young Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) who seems to be just as suave now as he is in the future. The creative characters fill the story with more depth than I was expecting.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
The action is nonstop and very entertaining, never letting up for longer than a few moments. Between the numerous chase scenes and blaster battles there is always something to keep you entertained. I especially loved the train heist, so fun and heartracing at the same time.
Entertainment Value: 9
Memorability: 5
Pace: 10
Plot: 7
Outside of a couple twists and turns, the story is pretty straightforward. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a fun ride, there was just nothing storywise that blew my mind. I do appreciate Han’s journey and his maturation as the story progresses. It makes the story worth telling. My biggest gripe was with one major coincidence in the story thrown in for the sake of advancing the plot. I won’t give anything away, I’ll just say there were better ways they could have made that connection.
Resolution: 7
Decent ending. Not in love with how it ended, but I knew things had to transpire this way in order to pave the way for future happenings in other movies. Still, I was hoping for a bit more.
Overall: 88
If you’re facing Star Wars overload and still wondering as to whether or not you want to add more movies into the mix, Solo: A Star Wars Story is a blast. I was pleasantly surprised by how well done it was done. A fun adventure from beginning to end.
Andy K (10827 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies
Sep 10, 2019
It started with a dog and a car...
If you are expecting to be wowed by unusual plot twists, stray from the formula or an exceptional screenplay then this isn't the film for you. If you are expecting all the elements that worked in the first two Wick tales, then this one will fill you up with a maelstrom of goodness!
I do enjoy when a sequel picks up right when the other film ends which is the case with Wick 3. John has just defied his superiors by performing his usual routine of dispensing the baddies at the Continental hotel which has caused him to now be considered "excommunicado" or free reign for other villains to find and kill him. After a round or two of assassinations, John tries to get his footing and figure out what to do next.
Simultaneously, a strange woman shows up at the hotel telling the Manager he has 7 days to remove himself from the premises since he had allowed Wick to escape and aided him in doing so. The same ultimatum is given to the Bowery King among his rooftop full of birds.
John makes his way to Morocco and meets up with Sofia and her cool two attack dogs who help him get in front of another man who knows where the head of the High Table can be found. Wick ends up back in the US after wandering through the desert to have a final showdown with yet another mega posse of hooligans.
The "Wick" trilogy certainly is gushing with style, great looking facades and non stop action which lets me forgive the repetitive nature of this film of the trilogy especially. The screenplay won't win any awards especially the way Wick seems to wander through the story talking with random bystanders on his "quest" to fulfill his destiny. The Halle Berry character was not really necessary as I enjoyed seeing her killer attack dogs dive at opponents gonads more than seeing her shooting thugs the same as Wick.
The choreography is the reason we watch as it is like a ballet of bullets and this film does not disappoint there. This time we get an impressive knife throwing barrage as well as a sword fight motorcycle chase (both stunning) which keeps things interesting and moving quickly through the lack of an intricate plot.
There really isn't even an assigned antagonist other than maybe the Adjudicator, but even she has others perform her dirty work for her. I am assuming we will see more of her in John Wick 4 - 10.
No real complaints as the 130 minute run time rushed by and I was enthused the entire time other than when I was yelling at my dog every time she jumped down from sitting on me to watch other canines kicking human asses.
I think this was her favorite film of all time!
I do enjoy when a sequel picks up right when the other film ends which is the case with Wick 3. John has just defied his superiors by performing his usual routine of dispensing the baddies at the Continental hotel which has caused him to now be considered "excommunicado" or free reign for other villains to find and kill him. After a round or two of assassinations, John tries to get his footing and figure out what to do next.
Simultaneously, a strange woman shows up at the hotel telling the Manager he has 7 days to remove himself from the premises since he had allowed Wick to escape and aided him in doing so. The same ultimatum is given to the Bowery King among his rooftop full of birds.
John makes his way to Morocco and meets up with Sofia and her cool two attack dogs who help him get in front of another man who knows where the head of the High Table can be found. Wick ends up back in the US after wandering through the desert to have a final showdown with yet another mega posse of hooligans.
The "Wick" trilogy certainly is gushing with style, great looking facades and non stop action which lets me forgive the repetitive nature of this film of the trilogy especially. The screenplay won't win any awards especially the way Wick seems to wander through the story talking with random bystanders on his "quest" to fulfill his destiny. The Halle Berry character was not really necessary as I enjoyed seeing her killer attack dogs dive at opponents gonads more than seeing her shooting thugs the same as Wick.
The choreography is the reason we watch as it is like a ballet of bullets and this film does not disappoint there. This time we get an impressive knife throwing barrage as well as a sword fight motorcycle chase (both stunning) which keeps things interesting and moving quickly through the lack of an intricate plot.
There really isn't even an assigned antagonist other than maybe the Adjudicator, but even she has others perform her dirty work for her. I am assuming we will see more of her in John Wick 4 - 10.
No real complaints as the 130 minute run time rushed by and I was enthused the entire time other than when I was yelling at my dog every time she jumped down from sitting on me to watch other canines kicking human asses.
I think this was her favorite film of all time!
Darren (1599 KP) rated Zulu (2013) in Movies
Aug 5, 2019
Story: Zulu starts when a young woman is murdered, police officer Ali Sokhela (Forest) and his team that includes the washed up Brian Epkeen (Bloom) and rookie Dan Fletcher (Kemp) must start to investigate the case.
As the investigation deepens Brian must hold himself together while Ali must face his demons from his past which becomes deadly as they fall into an illegal drug dealing ring with a new devasting drug on the market.
Thoughts on Zulu
Characters – Brian Epkeen is a washed-up police officer, he is great at solving crimes, he tends to have a different woman every night, which has made him distant from his son. He never looks professional but will always do the right thing for his team. Ali Sokhela is scared by his childhood in the racial torn country, now he is a captain in the police force which sees him needing to forgive the men his father fought against to work in the same team, he does have connections which helps him through the city, with his own demons he must locate the killer. Dan is a rookie officer that is part of the team, his innocence isn’t ready to be in the field with the seasoned vets. Ruby is Brian’s ex-wife that hates him and that Brian hassle when he feels like it.
Performances – Orlando Bloom does show us that he can still be a leading man, an edgy side to his character is a big plus too, we could happily watch more of his work here. Forest Whitaker is great too, he has the darker backstory which pushes him into his decisions and hits the accent. The rest of the cast don’t get as much screen time as he does, but you do feel like they hired a lot of local talent which helps make the film feel authentic.
Story – The story follows two cops, one with a dark past because of his skin colour as a child, the other lives in darkness because of his addiction that must use their skills to solve a crime which starts simple enough until things get out of hand to a much bigger problem running through the city. This does feel gritty with how we investigate things, it doesn’t hold back with what happens to the characters and shows us just how far the criminal underworld will go to keep a secret. While this doesn’t rely on twists to get the final outcome, it does show us just how far these two would go to solve a crime and bring the criminals to justice.
Crime – The crime world we enter here shows us just how both sides in a drug war are waging against each other, we get bodies piling up that will only increase the battle with a racial tension that just increases the tension between the twos.
Settings – The film is set in South Africa, we get to see how difficult the drug war is with the racial tension still between the people in the city.
Scene of the Movie – Brian’s escape plan.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The scene where the head turns up, there is such a pointless line here.
Final Thoughts – This is a gritty crime drama that shows us the harsh reality of the drug world, the two cops must overcome demons that will put them through a major test to get to the bottom of a crime.
Overall: Crime fans surprise.
As the investigation deepens Brian must hold himself together while Ali must face his demons from his past which becomes deadly as they fall into an illegal drug dealing ring with a new devasting drug on the market.
Thoughts on Zulu
Characters – Brian Epkeen is a washed-up police officer, he is great at solving crimes, he tends to have a different woman every night, which has made him distant from his son. He never looks professional but will always do the right thing for his team. Ali Sokhela is scared by his childhood in the racial torn country, now he is a captain in the police force which sees him needing to forgive the men his father fought against to work in the same team, he does have connections which helps him through the city, with his own demons he must locate the killer. Dan is a rookie officer that is part of the team, his innocence isn’t ready to be in the field with the seasoned vets. Ruby is Brian’s ex-wife that hates him and that Brian hassle when he feels like it.
Performances – Orlando Bloom does show us that he can still be a leading man, an edgy side to his character is a big plus too, we could happily watch more of his work here. Forest Whitaker is great too, he has the darker backstory which pushes him into his decisions and hits the accent. The rest of the cast don’t get as much screen time as he does, but you do feel like they hired a lot of local talent which helps make the film feel authentic.
Story – The story follows two cops, one with a dark past because of his skin colour as a child, the other lives in darkness because of his addiction that must use their skills to solve a crime which starts simple enough until things get out of hand to a much bigger problem running through the city. This does feel gritty with how we investigate things, it doesn’t hold back with what happens to the characters and shows us just how far the criminal underworld will go to keep a secret. While this doesn’t rely on twists to get the final outcome, it does show us just how far these two would go to solve a crime and bring the criminals to justice.
Crime – The crime world we enter here shows us just how both sides in a drug war are waging against each other, we get bodies piling up that will only increase the battle with a racial tension that just increases the tension between the twos.
Settings – The film is set in South Africa, we get to see how difficult the drug war is with the racial tension still between the people in the city.
Scene of the Movie – Brian’s escape plan.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The scene where the head turns up, there is such a pointless line here.
Final Thoughts – This is a gritty crime drama that shows us the harsh reality of the drug world, the two cops must overcome demons that will put them through a major test to get to the bottom of a crime.
Overall: Crime fans surprise.