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John Wyndham's final novel revisits a number of his themes and has the odd good passage, but you can tell the author has struggled with it. A group of idealists looking to create a perfect society discover they have made a bad choice of site: the location in question, a remote Pacific island, is already overrun by vast swarms of social spiders - possibly the result of nuclear testing in the region (or, failing that, a curse from the original islanders, displaced by the colonial powers).
Sounds like it has promise, but it takes a very long time to properly get going (the spiders don't appear until the second half of the book) and it's a bit unclear what points Wyndham is trying to make. Some of the divergences from the classic Wyndham formula are a little curious; the protagonist is older, and the general tone more fatalistic than in his better-known books. Fairly readable, but it lacks the big ideas and memorable imagery of his best novels.
Sounds like it has promise, but it takes a very long time to properly get going (the spiders don't appear until the second half of the book) and it's a bit unclear what points Wyndham is trying to make. Some of the divergences from the classic Wyndham formula are a little curious; the protagonist is older, and the general tone more fatalistic than in his better-known books. Fairly readable, but it lacks the big ideas and memorable imagery of his best novels.
365Flicks (235 KP) rated Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Monsters vs Monsters... Epic
After the sour taste the last big screen adaptation left in my mouth I wasn’t overly enthusiastic for this one. I mean hyping your entire movie around Bryan Cranston to just kill him in the first 20 minutes leaving second best Quicksilver to hold the movie up was just Mental.
BUT this movie did promise one thing, more Kaiju more Godzilla instead of the pitiful 10 minutes screen time on our last outing. boy did it deliver of the Kaiju battles in spades.
That’s all I wanted was to see Godzilla battle it out with Mothra, Ghiadora and whoever else, just take me back to my childhood and give me epic scale monster fights. I felt this movie delivered that unapologetically so it’s a win.
Also I kinda love seeing Kyle Chandler in things.
BUT this movie did promise one thing, more Kaiju more Godzilla instead of the pitiful 10 minutes screen time on our last outing. boy did it deliver of the Kaiju battles in spades.
That’s all I wanted was to see Godzilla battle it out with Mothra, Ghiadora and whoever else, just take me back to my childhood and give me epic scale monster fights. I felt this movie delivered that unapologetically so it’s a win.
Also I kinda love seeing Kyle Chandler in things.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Love's Faithful Promise (Courage to Dream #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
With tears in my eyes and a smile on my face, I closed the pages of the final book in the Courage to Dream series. My heart is filled with warmth, yet filled with sadness that this series is now complete. I have enjoyed watching the O'Leary family grow in numbers and in love. Love's Faithful Promise begins in September 1922 and is a beautiful conclusion. Filled with trials and heartache, we see God's hand leading them closer together and closer to Him. I absolutely fell in love with Deirdre and Matthew...And Phoebe! Matthew carries so much guilt and unforgiveness towards himself that was so hard for me to witness. The compassion I felt for him was overwhelming. We are reminded though that we don't need to walk through the shadows of our past alone.
Oh I just love Deirdre and Matthew's journey of love! Keep your fan nearby. Because let me tell you...Their romance is so pure, passionate, precious, and sweet. But don't let my starry eyed, romance gushing fool you, this book gets INTENSE! I was literally sweating with anticipation right around page 281...trust me...you will know what I mean. Definitely put my stress ball "heart" I got from CFRR to good use (thank you Just Commonly).
Will you cry? Maybe. Will you want to smack some sense into people? Probably. Will you fall in love with Irish Meadows and the O'Leary clan? Without a doubt...Yes!!! Make sure you start your journey with the beginning of the series, Irish Meadows. Within these pages I pray you find hope and courage to live out the dreams the Lord has placed in your heart.
I received a free copy of Love's Faithful Promise in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Oh I just love Deirdre and Matthew's journey of love! Keep your fan nearby. Because let me tell you...Their romance is so pure, passionate, precious, and sweet. But don't let my starry eyed, romance gushing fool you, this book gets INTENSE! I was literally sweating with anticipation right around page 281...trust me...you will know what I mean. Definitely put my stress ball "heart" I got from CFRR to good use (thank you Just Commonly).
Will you cry? Maybe. Will you want to smack some sense into people? Probably. Will you fall in love with Irish Meadows and the O'Leary clan? Without a doubt...Yes!!! Make sure you start your journey with the beginning of the series, Irish Meadows. Within these pages I pray you find hope and courage to live out the dreams the Lord has placed in your heart.
I received a free copy of Love's Faithful Promise in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
While the idea of Legend is in no way unique, with the recent influx of post-apocalyptic/dystopian storylines in YA fiction, it is still an enjoyable read. It was nice to have the two varied perspectives - the boy from the street and the girl of means. Their story is full of highs and lows, deception, hurt, betrayal and death. Each deals with events in their own way and comes out of the series as a very different person. (Series-wise) <spoiler>I was not entirely satisfied with the ending. It left the reader with the temptation of promise and a what-if, but felt like an afterthought. The epilogue didn't seem as pulled together as the rest of the novel. It felt more like the readers raged against the conclusion of the book and the author tacked this story on at the end to appease them. Remember what tragic things, what relationships, what changes happened at the end that you didn't like? Just kidding, I take it back. Here's a glimpse of the storyline you actually wanted. </spoiler> Other than that I really enjoyed the series and would recommend it.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Mated with the Cyborg (Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance, #2) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
I learned the hard way that cyborg/android stories tend to either be good, or absolutely horrible. There seems to be no in between. Therefore, I am hesitant to read them. However, Mated with the Cyborg seemed interested and held promise. I was not disappointed.
While not a new plot, Mated with the Cyborg has a cast of appealing characters set inside an equally interesting world. Bristol creates a story balanced between action and romance. There is no lack of plot, but there was just as much heat. If you want some steam with your cyborg hero, this is definitely the story for you.
I was pleasantly surprised. This is the first story I have ever read from Bristol but it wont be the last. It isnt necessary to read the first in the series to enjoy this novel, I definitely want to pick it up after enjoying Mated so much.
I learned the hard way that cyborg/android stories tend to either be good, or absolutely horrible. There seems to be no in between. Therefore, I am hesitant to read them. However, Mated with the Cyborg seemed interested and held promise. I was not disappointed.
While not a new plot, Mated with the Cyborg has a cast of appealing characters set inside an equally interesting world. Bristol creates a story balanced between action and romance. There is no lack of plot, but there was just as much heat. If you want some steam with your cyborg hero, this is definitely the story for you.
I was pleasantly surprised. This is the first story I have ever read from Bristol but it wont be the last. It isnt necessary to read the first in the series to enjoy this novel, I definitely want to pick it up after enjoying Mated so much.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Caramel Crush (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #9) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Mel’s college roommate has finally come to collect on a favor that Mel owes her, and Diane wants Mel to deliver break up cupcakes to her ex-fiance. However, the delivery doesn’t go as planned when Mel finds Mike’s body. With the police looking at Diane as the killer, suddenly Mel finds herself with a new favor – keep Diane out of prison.
Who can you not love a book that starts out with break up cupcakes? The story that follows delivers on the promise with plenty of viable suspects and some good twists. I did feel Mel was foolish at the end of the book, but that was my only complaint. All the usual supporting characters are here, and they are their usual charming selves. I just love them! And there is one scene guaranteed to melt your heart.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-caramel-crush-by-jenn.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Who can you not love a book that starts out with break up cupcakes? The story that follows delivers on the promise with plenty of viable suspects and some good twists. I did feel Mel was foolish at the end of the book, but that was my only complaint. All the usual supporting characters are here, and they are their usual charming selves. I just love them! And there is one scene guaranteed to melt your heart.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-caramel-crush-by-jenn.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mike Carlson (115 KP) rated Marvel's Iron Fist - Season 1 in TV
Mar 16, 2018
Rand vs. Hand
This show isn't nearly as bad as I had heard. It does have its moments, though.
Throughout the season, Danny Rand swings between two opposing mentalities. He's either moving forward in self-righteous pursuit (one born of being the Iron Fist) or wracked by crippling doubt (which happens whenever he's proven, or told, that he is wrong). That, combined with a shell game of villains, makes this show a little more difficult than the others (Netflix/MARVEL) to concentrate on. I found myself easily distracted while viewing at times.
On the plus side, the action was decent. The villains were good, as numerous as they were (it's almost like they took their turns), and even some of the featured Hand fighters offered promise. There were a couple that I wished had bigger roles than just set-piece obstacles.
All in all, it was entertaining. Hopefully a second season will offer a more captivating story.
Throughout the season, Danny Rand swings between two opposing mentalities. He's either moving forward in self-righteous pursuit (one born of being the Iron Fist) or wracked by crippling doubt (which happens whenever he's proven, or told, that he is wrong). That, combined with a shell game of villains, makes this show a little more difficult than the others (Netflix/MARVEL) to concentrate on. I found myself easily distracted while viewing at times.
On the plus side, the action was decent. The villains were good, as numerous as they were (it's almost like they took their turns), and even some of the featured Hand fighters offered promise. There were a couple that I wished had bigger roles than just set-piece obstacles.
All in all, it was entertaining. Hopefully a second season will offer a more captivating story.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated 20th Century Ghosts in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This turned out to be an ideal read for the Halloween season. While many of the short stories here have a pretty "literary" feel, and some don't necessarily qualify as horror, they each have a haunting quality about them. The characters are always engaging, and I found myself caring for most of them, which is quite a feat given how few pages some were given in which to develop. And don't mistake my earlier comments to mean there is nothing scary in this book. There are quite a few tales here that left me creeped out enough that I will likely remember them for some time to come. This collection isn't perfect, but it really shows the promise of just how great a storyteller Mr. Hill would ultimately evolve into.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) created a post
Mar 17, 2020
