Search
Search results
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Girl from Everywhere (The Girl from Everywhere, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Heiligs debut novel is inspired by Hawaiian myth and folklore and has an entirely diverse cast with a biracial main character, a Persian love interest, etc. (Ive completely forgotten about everyone else).
Have I mentioned time traveling is through maps?! If the Hawaiian myth and folklore don't grab you, then the maps definitely should.
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Paradise is a promise no god bothers to keep. Theres only now, and tomorrow nothing will be the same, whether we like it or not.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/some-of-those-arcs-from-last-year/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Heiligs debut novel is inspired by Hawaiian myth and folklore and has an entirely diverse cast with a biracial main character, a Persian love interest, etc. (Ive completely forgotten about everyone else).
Have I mentioned time traveling is through maps?! If the Hawaiian myth and folklore don't grab you, then the maps definitely should.
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Paradise is a promise no god bothers to keep. Theres only now, and tomorrow nothing will be the same, whether we like it or not.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/some-of-those-arcs-from-last-year/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Magicians: Book 1 in Books
Mar 14, 2021
37 of 250
Book
The Magicians ( Magicians book 1)
By Lev Grossman
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Quentin Coldwater's life is changed forever by an apparently chance encounter: when he turns up for his entrance interview to Princeton he finds his interviewer dead - but a strange envelope bearing his name leads him down a very different path.
Omg I struggled all the way through this book! It’s so jump and fas forwarded so fast I felt whiplash!! Apart from one instance nothing really happened until book 2 within the whole book!! Very disappointed in all of it char were so very weak. I’m genuinely gutted because it shows so much promise!
Book
The Magicians ( Magicians book 1)
By Lev Grossman
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Quentin Coldwater's life is changed forever by an apparently chance encounter: when he turns up for his entrance interview to Princeton he finds his interviewer dead - but a strange envelope bearing his name leads him down a very different path.
Omg I struggled all the way through this book! It’s so jump and fas forwarded so fast I felt whiplash!! Apart from one instance nothing really happened until book 2 within the whole book!! Very disappointed in all of it char were so very weak. I’m genuinely gutted because it shows so much promise!
Lee (2222 KP) rated Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) in Movies
Jul 3, 2018
Not quite as good as the original
Before watching Sicario 2, I really wanted to try and watch the original movie again, but never got a chance. I remember it being brutal and intense, with outstanding performances from Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro. I remember it gripping me from beginning to end. But, strangely, I couldn't remember very much about it at all other than basic plot details. I know I would recommend it in a heartbeat though, so I was excited for what the sequel would bring.
In Sicario: Day of the Solado (or just Sicario 2: Soldado here in the UK...), the brutal intensity is introduced right from the start. A suicide bomber blows himself up at the U.S. - Mexican border. Then, in a Kansas supermarket, terrorists enter and detonate two bombs, followed by a third which is detonated while a woman and child plead to be set free. It's shocking, upsetting, and sticks with you uncomfortably for a while, serving as a push to get you behind federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) as he's brought in to start a war between the Mexican drug cartels. The plan has something to do with securing the border from terrorists, which kind of doesn't make much sense, but after the events in the opening scenes, you just want somebody to get out there and kick some ass. And with the promise that he's allowed to play things "dirty", you know that Josh Brolin is more than capable. He locates and recruits Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to help him out, with the promise of getting revenge against the family responsible for the death of his own family. They kidnap the daughter of a top gang boss, and attempt to blame it on a rival gang. But things don't go according to plan.
Like the original, there are plenty of intense, well executed scenes, but this just didn't grip me in the same way as the first movie did. Benicio Del Toro is just brilliant, but the lack of Emily Blunt was noticeable. Still a very enjoyable movie though.
In Sicario: Day of the Solado (or just Sicario 2: Soldado here in the UK...), the brutal intensity is introduced right from the start. A suicide bomber blows himself up at the U.S. - Mexican border. Then, in a Kansas supermarket, terrorists enter and detonate two bombs, followed by a third which is detonated while a woman and child plead to be set free. It's shocking, upsetting, and sticks with you uncomfortably for a while, serving as a push to get you behind federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) as he's brought in to start a war between the Mexican drug cartels. The plan has something to do with securing the border from terrorists, which kind of doesn't make much sense, but after the events in the opening scenes, you just want somebody to get out there and kick some ass. And with the promise that he's allowed to play things "dirty", you know that Josh Brolin is more than capable. He locates and recruits Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to help him out, with the promise of getting revenge against the family responsible for the death of his own family. They kidnap the daughter of a top gang boss, and attempt to blame it on a rival gang. But things don't go according to plan.
Like the original, there are plenty of intense, well executed scenes, but this just didn't grip me in the same way as the first movie did. Benicio Del Toro is just brilliant, but the lack of Emily Blunt was noticeable. Still a very enjoyable movie though.
Carma (21 KP) rated Second Chances (Second Chances, #1) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Carter wishes he could go back in time, 10 years, and make a whole lot of changes. At the top of the list is never letting Kenzie go. He was stupid for choosing work over her. If only there was a way to get a do over. McKenzie is in town for a book signing and Carter decides its time to try again.
After getting help from a holiday spirit, Carter finds himself back in time with a perfect do over. Unfortunately his new (old) life is less than perfect. He has made most of the same mistakes only this time he is married to Kenzie with 2 small children. Will he finally be able to right the wrongs and win back the love of his life.
Solid 4 star read for a magical story full of hope and promise, I really enjoyed this first read by the author.
After getting help from a holiday spirit, Carter finds himself back in time with a perfect do over. Unfortunately his new (old) life is less than perfect. He has made most of the same mistakes only this time he is married to Kenzie with 2 small children. Will he finally be able to right the wrongs and win back the love of his life.
Solid 4 star read for a magical story full of hope and promise, I really enjoyed this first read by the author.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Nomads (1986) in Movies
Aug 11, 2019
Excitable LA-set horror-fantasy. A French anthropologist (Brosnan) becomes obsessed with his discovery that Los Angeles is infested with evil Eskimo spirits, apparently disguised as bikers and punks, one of whom is played by Adam Ant. (Yes, this really is the plot.)
Starts off showing signs of promise but becomes thoroughly unravelled well before the end; the presence of a frame story about a doctor (Down) investigating the French guy's death clutters rather than deepens the story. Stylish in a very mid-80s way: lots of drum machines, synth music, and indiscriminate use of slow motion. Brosnan's allo-ah-ahm-Fronsh performance is, well, interesting; he does the accent about as well as he sings. It just about stays watchable but isn't quite bad enough to be fun. Apparently Arnie saw it and was impressed enough to hire McTiernan to do Predator, which probably justifies its existence.
Starts off showing signs of promise but becomes thoroughly unravelled well before the end; the presence of a frame story about a doctor (Down) investigating the French guy's death clutters rather than deepens the story. Stylish in a very mid-80s way: lots of drum machines, synth music, and indiscriminate use of slow motion. Brosnan's allo-ah-ahm-Fronsh performance is, well, interesting; he does the accent about as well as he sings. It just about stays watchable but isn't quite bad enough to be fun. Apparently Arnie saw it and was impressed enough to hire McTiernan to do Predator, which probably justifies its existence.
Peter G. (247 KP) rated Angel Heart (1987) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
Dark and brooding occult movie that reveals its hand pretty early on and throughout its runtime, but you may miss this due to being totally engrossed by the fine performances especially from Mickey Rourke who turns in what I believe is a career best as the detective who decends into madness whilst investigating a case.
It's quite an effective thriller/detective story dripping with genuine dread and its share of disturbing and intricate scenes that will still spook you, even in today's era of CGI trickery.
Rourke really surprises here and you wonder what really happened to his star over the years as he showed real promise as an emerging new talent at the time and showed some glimpses of this greatness in 'The Wrestler' much later on in his career.
Robert De Niro plays only a small but extremely memorable and effective role that will chill you to the bone.
It's quite an effective thriller/detective story dripping with genuine dread and its share of disturbing and intricate scenes that will still spook you, even in today's era of CGI trickery.
Rourke really surprises here and you wonder what really happened to his star over the years as he showed real promise as an emerging new talent at the time and showed some glimpses of this greatness in 'The Wrestler' much later on in his career.
Robert De Niro plays only a small but extremely memorable and effective role that will chill you to the bone.
Ross (3284 KP) rated American Psycho by Misfits in Music
Nov 9, 2017
Some of the best misfits songs are on here (1 more)
Jerry Only still not singing
This, the first "Misfits" album without founding member and singer Glenn Danzig, was always going to be divisive. People who loved Glenn Danzig would not love this. But taken in its own right it had a lot of promise.
I personally really like Michale Graves' voice but I do have to remind myself they are in theory the same band as he makes the songs sound very different to the Danzig-era ones. The songs here are a lot more fun, more sing-a-long than the old incarnation of the band but at the same time there feels like a lot less substance.
If in a certain mood, I would pick this album over Static Age or one of the Collections, but would probably skip a few songs in the middle.
But in hindsight, knowing what was to come later with Jerry singing I think we can all agree it could have been worse!
I personally really like Michale Graves' voice but I do have to remind myself they are in theory the same band as he makes the songs sound very different to the Danzig-era ones. The songs here are a lot more fun, more sing-a-long than the old incarnation of the band but at the same time there feels like a lot less substance.
If in a certain mood, I would pick this album over Static Age or one of the Collections, but would probably skip a few songs in the middle.
But in hindsight, knowing what was to come later with Jerry singing I think we can all agree it could have been worse!
What started off as a promising well-written story with a lot of promise of intrigue and mystery as we learn who the "other Wives" are. Unfortunately, it lost me completely at the halfway mark and turned into something that looked like it had been picked up by a totally different author who decided to just go wild.
Our protagonist is in an agreed polygamist relationship with Seth and two other women all of whom know of the other's existence but not who they are. Seth splits his time between the 3 and all seems happy in her world until she decides to look into who the other women are. This is the part of the book that worked for me and it sounds crazy enough so trust me when I say it then goes off the hinges but not in an enjoyable way.
I slogged through until the even less satisfying end - sorry not for me.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC.
Our protagonist is in an agreed polygamist relationship with Seth and two other women all of whom know of the other's existence but not who they are. Seth splits his time between the 3 and all seems happy in her world until she decides to look into who the other women are. This is the part of the book that worked for me and it sounds crazy enough so trust me when I say it then goes off the hinges but not in an enjoyable way.
I slogged through until the even less satisfying end - sorry not for me.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Nevernight in Books
Jan 30, 2024
19 of 220
Kindle
Nevernight ( Book 1)
By Jay Kristoff
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mia Corvere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.
Destined to destroy empires, the child raised in shadows made a promise on the day she lost everything: to avenge herself on those that shattered her world.
But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, and Mia must become a weapon without equal. Before she seeks vengeance, she must seek training among the infamous assassins of the Red Church of Itreya.
Inside the Church's halls, Mia must prove herself against the deadliest of opponents and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and daemons at the heart of a murder cult.
The Church is no ordinary school. But Mia is no ordinary student.
Oh I just loved it! It was dark and dangerous. I love his writing and this did not disappoint. It was everything I expected it to be, the story and characters were just so interesting I didn’t want to stop reading.
Kindle
Nevernight ( Book 1)
By Jay Kristoff
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mia Corvere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.
Destined to destroy empires, the child raised in shadows made a promise on the day she lost everything: to avenge herself on those that shattered her world.
But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, and Mia must become a weapon without equal. Before she seeks vengeance, she must seek training among the infamous assassins of the Red Church of Itreya.
Inside the Church's halls, Mia must prove herself against the deadliest of opponents and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and daemons at the heart of a murder cult.
The Church is no ordinary school. But Mia is no ordinary student.
Oh I just loved it! It was dark and dangerous. I love his writing and this did not disappoint. It was everything I expected it to be, the story and characters were just so interesting I didn’t want to stop reading.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Murder on Mulberry Bend in Books
Jun 16, 2018
Murder of a Poor Teen
Midwife Sarah Brandt has gotten involved with the work of the Prodigal Son Mission which helps teenage women learn skills to keep them off the streets. That’s how she is able to identify the body that Detective Sergeant Frank has found in a park – it’s one of the girls from the mission. With no one to push the police to find justice for this girl, Sarah insists that Frank figure out what happened, with a little help from her. Will they find the killer?
I was compelled to read this book soon after I read the previous one with the promise of an update on an ongoing storyline. We do get quite a twist there before this book is over. The main mystery was a little weak, however. I didn’t feel like it had the twists we normally get, although maybe that’s because I had an idea what was going early in the book. The pages still flew by since the characters are strong and the time period comes to vivid life. Any time spent in this series is time well spent.
I was compelled to read this book soon after I read the previous one with the promise of an update on an ongoing storyline. We do get quite a twist there before this book is over. The main mystery was a little weak, however. I didn’t feel like it had the twists we normally get, although maybe that’s because I had an idea what was going early in the book. The pages still flew by since the characters are strong and the time period comes to vivid life. Any time spent in this series is time well spent.