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Out of Time
Book
From the hugely respected journalist Miranda Sawyer, a very modern look at the midlife crisis -...
A Code of Knights and Deception (Swords of Time #1)
Book
She thought it was real. She was wrong. When Sophia wakes up in 15th-century England, she expects...
Historical Time Travel Romance
Merissa (13590 KP) rated Val (The Hawks #2) in Books
Jul 9, 2021
VAL is the second book in The Hawks series, and to get the most out of this story, I would recommend you read Tristan first. We start where Tristan finished - Val has been rescued but Alanna is still in the castle.
Val is... I would say disheartened but it's so much more than that. He's broken. He believes his brothers left him when he needed them the most. It didn't help when they started to believe the hype and lies told about Alanna, when he alone knew the truth. Of course, he could have opened his mouth, but then he wouldn't be the tortured hero.
Alanna is stronger than she realises. When you find out her back story and just what she went through? Horrible! I was really rooting for Alanna and Val to get together, but Ballanor is on their tail all the way. Val and Lanni have a slow-burn romance, which drove me insane, as I really wanted them to do the do, but it was all for a very good reason which I only figured out at the same time as the other characters! Loved that.
There are new characters introduced in this book, and Ramiel and Haniel are my favourites (so far!) I can't wait to see them in future books.
The pacing is smooth and the story is well maintained, both with Val and Lanni's individual story plus the overall arc. Oh, and if you thought Ballanor was bad, brace yourself. There's someone far worse!
A fantastic addition to the series and 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!
Val is... I would say disheartened but it's so much more than that. He's broken. He believes his brothers left him when he needed them the most. It didn't help when they started to believe the hype and lies told about Alanna, when he alone knew the truth. Of course, he could have opened his mouth, but then he wouldn't be the tortured hero.
Alanna is stronger than she realises. When you find out her back story and just what she went through? Horrible! I was really rooting for Alanna and Val to get together, but Ballanor is on their tail all the way. Val and Lanni have a slow-burn romance, which drove me insane, as I really wanted them to do the do, but it was all for a very good reason which I only figured out at the same time as the other characters! Loved that.
There are new characters introduced in this book, and Ramiel and Haniel are my favourites (so far!) I can't wait to see them in future books.
The pacing is smooth and the story is well maintained, both with Val and Lanni's individual story plus the overall arc. Oh, and if you thought Ballanor was bad, brace yourself. There's someone far worse!
A fantastic addition to the series and 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!
Because You're Mine
Book
An “insidious, suspenseful tale” (J.T. Ellison) with a “shocker of an ending you won’t see...
Madbatdan82 (341 KP) rated Lords of Chaos (2018) in Movies
Apr 2, 2019
Based on the truth, lies and what actually happened.
I don't pretend to be a massive fan of black metal but I know who Mayhem and Bazurm are and I know of Norwegian Black Metal so when I saw this film advertised I was very interested. The story of Norweigan black metal is that of murder, suicide, arson, corpse desecration, possible cannibalism and a massive middle finger to normal society so I was expecting pure shocking filth. Unfortunately I was left very disappointed. The film focuses on Euronimus, founder and guitarist of the band Mayhem and tells his story and his relationships particularly that with lead singer Dead and Buzurm founder and one time Mayhem bassist Varg Vikennes. Its shot very well and looks good and the soundtrack is great. Theres one particularly nasty murder scene but other than that its a mess. It just doesn't know what tone to take and makes Euronimus and Vikennes look stupid. One minute they're intimidating the next they look like idiots. So when events happen you just don't really care what happens to them. Varg Vikennes has been likened to the Norwegian Charles Manson and should be the focus of this film but instead is portrayed as a bumbling fanboy rather than the pure psychopath he is. The only character that I really clicked with and cared about was Dead and his arc was really good. Basically this film is a missed opportunity to tell a story that should be genuinely shocking. Black Metal was suppose to repulse conventional society but this film repulses in another way.
The Last Star
6.8
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Book
The Last Star is the heart-stopping finale to the bestselling 5th Wave series by award-winning...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Hope to Die (DI Adam Fawley #6) in Books
Aug 14, 2022
I have just finished the previous book in this series, The Whole Truth, and dived into this the 6th outing for DI Fawley and his team and, let me tell you, what a treat it is.
I have said it before and I will say it again, what an absolute cracker of a book this is and, once again, an excellent addition to this excellent series. Please be reassured that you don't have to have read the others as this works well as a standalone however, I recommend you do ... you won't be disappointed.
DI Fawley and his team are called after the violent death of an unidentified young man shot dead in an isolated farmhouse in an apparent burglary but things just don't add up and so begins a complex, challenging and thrilling investigation which uncovers secrets and lies and so, so much more.
Cara Hunter uses, very cleverly, other media to provide different perspectives to the story including Netflix and voicemail transcripts. This helps the story to flow and provides another element and makes it feel current and relevant. The only thing that I have a small quibble about is that some of this didn't work very well on my Kindle as it's quite small writing and I found myself constantly adjusting the font size but that may have been because I received an advance copy so I felt it was a small price to pay for what is an excellent addition to the way of telling the story.
Highly recommended to lovers of police procedurals with twists and turns that keep you guessing ... roll on number 7!
Many thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for enabling me to read Hope to Die and share my thoughts.
I have said it before and I will say it again, what an absolute cracker of a book this is and, once again, an excellent addition to this excellent series. Please be reassured that you don't have to have read the others as this works well as a standalone however, I recommend you do ... you won't be disappointed.
DI Fawley and his team are called after the violent death of an unidentified young man shot dead in an isolated farmhouse in an apparent burglary but things just don't add up and so begins a complex, challenging and thrilling investigation which uncovers secrets and lies and so, so much more.
Cara Hunter uses, very cleverly, other media to provide different perspectives to the story including Netflix and voicemail transcripts. This helps the story to flow and provides another element and makes it feel current and relevant. The only thing that I have a small quibble about is that some of this didn't work very well on my Kindle as it's quite small writing and I found myself constantly adjusting the font size but that may have been because I received an advance copy so I felt it was a small price to pay for what is an excellent addition to the way of telling the story.
Highly recommended to lovers of police procedurals with twists and turns that keep you guessing ... roll on number 7!
Many thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for enabling me to read Hope to Die and share my thoughts.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Way Down Dark (The Australia Trilogy, #1) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Way Down Dark</i> is the first in the <i>Australia</i> trilogy by J.P. Smythe, a brand new dystopian series for young adult readers. The world has been destroyed and humans boarded space ships in order to find somewhere to live, however, generations later the passengers aboard <i>Australia</i> have not found anywhere. The years have taken their toll on the ship, which is slowly falling to pieces, it’s inhabitants reduced to scavengers.
Recently orphaned Chan is living alone and trying to fend for herself as the Lows, an ever-increasing band of murderous thugs, wage war on everyone else. Nowhere is safe and quite often Chan finds herself in a situation where it is either kill or be killed. When Chan’s mother died her last instructions were to stay out of trouble, be selfish and don’t die. Chan on the other hand finds it extremely difficult to be selfish when she sees other people in life threatening situations. Thankfully she has Angela, a fifty something woman, looking out for her. But then Angela introduces Chan to a part of the ship no one has ever been to before, a part that challenges the truth behind the stories believed by everyone about the destruction of Earth. This new knowledge fuels Chan’s determination to save the lives of as many she can, thus finding herself in perilous situations.
Despite being set in the distant future, the characters at the beginning are living lives similar to those of the past – making clothes, shoes and weapons from scratch, picking fruit in the arboretum in order to eat. So although many dystopian novels involve some kind of enhanced technology, <i>Way Down Dark</i> does not, which separates it from other books of the same genre.
As well as Chan’s narrative, the novel also contains Angela’s stories of the past when Chan’s mother was young. These help to explain some of the situations the characters find themselves in now. It is also through Angela that Chan begins to discover the truth about the ship <i>Australia</i> and the lies they have been led to believe.
The main characters are very likable and display a range of personalities, each adding something different to the story. Chan is quick thinking, strong-willed and unselfish whereas, although Angela cares and protects, she keeps more to herself rather than jump into the fight in order to be a hero. Finally, Jonah, a young man who teams up with Chan and Angela, is a mix of Chan’s personalities with a religious streak, or what passes as religious on the <i>Australia</i>.
Although it is less futuristic than other popular young adult novels such as <i>Divergent</i> or <i>The Hunger Games</i>, readers are bound to enjoy <i>Way Down Dark</i> and its sequels. It is full of action, violence and survival told from the point of view of a teenage girl. <i>Way Down Dark</i> is a highly recommended, gripping novel, which promises to satisfy the needs of dystopian lovers.
Way Down Dark</i> is the first in the <i>Australia</i> trilogy by J.P. Smythe, a brand new dystopian series for young adult readers. The world has been destroyed and humans boarded space ships in order to find somewhere to live, however, generations later the passengers aboard <i>Australia</i> have not found anywhere. The years have taken their toll on the ship, which is slowly falling to pieces, it’s inhabitants reduced to scavengers.
Recently orphaned Chan is living alone and trying to fend for herself as the Lows, an ever-increasing band of murderous thugs, wage war on everyone else. Nowhere is safe and quite often Chan finds herself in a situation where it is either kill or be killed. When Chan’s mother died her last instructions were to stay out of trouble, be selfish and don’t die. Chan on the other hand finds it extremely difficult to be selfish when she sees other people in life threatening situations. Thankfully she has Angela, a fifty something woman, looking out for her. But then Angela introduces Chan to a part of the ship no one has ever been to before, a part that challenges the truth behind the stories believed by everyone about the destruction of Earth. This new knowledge fuels Chan’s determination to save the lives of as many she can, thus finding herself in perilous situations.
Despite being set in the distant future, the characters at the beginning are living lives similar to those of the past – making clothes, shoes and weapons from scratch, picking fruit in the arboretum in order to eat. So although many dystopian novels involve some kind of enhanced technology, <i>Way Down Dark</i> does not, which separates it from other books of the same genre.
As well as Chan’s narrative, the novel also contains Angela’s stories of the past when Chan’s mother was young. These help to explain some of the situations the characters find themselves in now. It is also through Angela that Chan begins to discover the truth about the ship <i>Australia</i> and the lies they have been led to believe.
The main characters are very likable and display a range of personalities, each adding something different to the story. Chan is quick thinking, strong-willed and unselfish whereas, although Angela cares and protects, she keeps more to herself rather than jump into the fight in order to be a hero. Finally, Jonah, a young man who teams up with Chan and Angela, is a mix of Chan’s personalities with a religious streak, or what passes as religious on the <i>Australia</i>.
Although it is less futuristic than other popular young adult novels such as <i>Divergent</i> or <i>The Hunger Games</i>, readers are bound to enjoy <i>Way Down Dark</i> and its sequels. It is full of action, violence and survival told from the point of view of a teenage girl. <i>Way Down Dark</i> is a highly recommended, gripping novel, which promises to satisfy the needs of dystopian lovers.
Pandemic (The Extinction Files #1)
8.0
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Book
Around the world, a deadly outbreak spreads. The CDC and WHO race to stop it, but they soon learn...
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated The Woman in the Window (2021) in Movies
Jul 26, 2021
A woman, Anna, wakes up and we get a view around her home, followed by a conversation with her daughter and her husband. We see her watching her neighbours before engaging in a therapy session. It is soon clear that Anna has problems. She has attempted suicide, has a drinking problem and is agrophobic meaning she is too scared to leave the house.
One evening her new neighbours son Ethan, comes over to introduce himself and they get talking, but something is worrying him. The next day his judgemental mum, Jane, comes over after Anna's House is egged on Halloween and they also get talking, but she is worried about her son and husband. That same evening, the husband comes over asking her if his family had come to see her, she lies and says no.
One evening whilst in the bath, Anna hears a scream coming from her new neighbours house, she speaks to Ethan who is clearly distraught but won't say why. Then whilst watching them again, she witnesses a brutal crime where a Russell family member is stabbed, but when she reports it nobody believes her, so she decides to try and find out what happened, which isn't going to be easy for someone with agrophobic.
I want to say I have never seen a movie like this before, and in truth I haven't, but I have seen a very similar storyline on the simpsons, when Bart thinks ned flanders has killed maude, it even plays out in a similar way.
It was an interesting movie though, with so many twists that I didn't see coming and it kept me interested right to the end. I did feel the end wasn't In keeping with the tone of the movie though, it started off like a psychological thriller but ended like a teen Slasher.
One evening her new neighbours son Ethan, comes over to introduce himself and they get talking, but something is worrying him. The next day his judgemental mum, Jane, comes over after Anna's House is egged on Halloween and they also get talking, but she is worried about her son and husband. That same evening, the husband comes over asking her if his family had come to see her, she lies and says no.
One evening whilst in the bath, Anna hears a scream coming from her new neighbours house, she speaks to Ethan who is clearly distraught but won't say why. Then whilst watching them again, she witnesses a brutal crime where a Russell family member is stabbed, but when she reports it nobody believes her, so she decides to try and find out what happened, which isn't going to be easy for someone with agrophobic.
I want to say I have never seen a movie like this before, and in truth I haven't, but I have seen a very similar storyline on the simpsons, when Bart thinks ned flanders has killed maude, it even plays out in a similar way.
It was an interesting movie though, with so many twists that I didn't see coming and it kept me interested right to the end. I did feel the end wasn't In keeping with the tone of the movie though, it started off like a psychological thriller but ended like a teen Slasher.