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Normal by Homeless Gospel Choir
Album
Derek Zanetti, also known as The Homeless Gospel Choir, is a protest singer, author and artist based...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Binding Room in Books
Jul 17, 2022
After having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first in this series, The Jigsaw Man, I was itching to get my grubby little eyes on this and I wasn't disappointed.
This can be read as a standalone but you will get more out of this book if you've read The Jigsaw Man but I wouldn't say it was essential.
Once again we are treated to a great story, fantastic characters, twists and tension all told at a great pace. Warning! There are some pretty grim scenes and gruesome descriptions so if that's not your thing, I would probably give this a miss.
This is quite a long book and I can usually lose a bit of interest part way through but not with this; I was totally invested from start to finish and I would happily recommend this to others who enjoy dark police procedurals.
I am looking forward to the next instalment to find out what other twisted thoughts Ms Matheson can come up with to intrigue and shock and I must give thanks to HQ and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Binding Room and to share my thoughts.
This can be read as a standalone but you will get more out of this book if you've read The Jigsaw Man but I wouldn't say it was essential.
Once again we are treated to a great story, fantastic characters, twists and tension all told at a great pace. Warning! There are some pretty grim scenes and gruesome descriptions so if that's not your thing, I would probably give this a miss.
This is quite a long book and I can usually lose a bit of interest part way through but not with this; I was totally invested from start to finish and I would happily recommend this to others who enjoy dark police procedurals.
I am looking forward to the next instalment to find out what other twisted thoughts Ms Matheson can come up with to intrigue and shock and I must give thanks to HQ and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Binding Room and to share my thoughts.
Fire Witch (Witches of Westwood Academy #3)
8.0
Rate It
Book
Can Westwood Academy handle the blazing inferno that erupts when these two touch? Tana McKenna...
Paranormal Romance
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Houses of Knowledge in Tabletop Games
Mar 26, 2020 (Updated Mar 26, 2020)
Museums. You know, the places you go with your family for, “fun bonding and learning experiences.” I have always been a big fan of museums. Art, Science & History, Aquariums, all of them! I like to stop and read the plaques too, but many times I am rushed along because EVERYTHING has to be seen. But did you know that museum curation could be interesting and cutthroat? I did not. Not until I played Houses of Knowledge, that is.
Houses of Knowledge pits 2-4 players against each other as museum curators desperately trying to fill their museums with interesting rooms and curious artifacts. In fact, a curator can end the competition once they are able to display eight lovely pieces in their halls. Beware, however, as the competition is also trying to gather the best gallery and may even attempt to pilfer your displayed items!
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, but the final components will be exactly the same as these shown, if the pending Kickstarter campaign is successful. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, but to give our readers a general feel for how the game plays. You can back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, order from your FLGS, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
Setting up a game of Houses of Knowledge is quite a feat, as different decks need to be assembled according to player count. Refer to the rules to setup each deck. Once the decks are prepared and starting cards dealt to each player, create the Items and Actions markets by revealing six cards from each deck and assigning cost discs in decending order from the draw decks. Furthest away from the two draw decks will be placed the deck of Room cards, with two visible and available for purchase. These rooms will receive the leftover 5-value cost disc. Set the monicash aside to be used as a central bank. Determine the starting player and you are ready to begin!
Luckily, the game furnishes the players with reference cards so that all players have access to all options they are afforded on their turns. The first thing that happens on a turn is collecting income. Each turn a player earns 3 monicash (MC) plus the amounts earned from Rooms in their tableau. From here a turn has several options: buying Items or Actions from the market to your hand, paying 2 MC to play a card from your hand to your tableau, selling two cards for 2 MC, and buying Room cards.
When a player buys an Item or Action card from the market the new card is taken in hand, paying the cost shown on the cost disc either above or below the card taken. To play a card from hand, the player pays 2 MC to the bank and places an Item onto a corresponding Room card, or plays an Action card either on their own tableau or against an opponent.
Play continues in this fashion until one player is displaying eight Items in their Rooms or the draw decks are depleted. The round finishes completely so all players have an equal amount of turns, and then points are tallied and summed to determine the greatest curator and winner of Houses of Knowledge!
Components. As I mentioned in my disclaimer, we were provided a copy of this game for this preview. All components we were provided are finalized, so everything you see pictured here is how it will be upon a successful Kickstarter campaign. That said, the components are fantastic! The cards are good quality, the cost discs are good cardboard chips, and the money is the faux-paper money we are starting to see in games nowadays – and thank heavens for that! No more cheap Monopoly money! Oh by the way, the art on this one is superb and very chic. I love it!
So the game looks and feels great, but does it play well? YES. This one is excellent! At first it feels too simple because it is relatively easy to collect Rooms and Items to fit on those Rooms, so you think, “Heck, I can get eight Items in like four rounds!” That is, until your opponents hit you with some of the Action cards they’ve been hoarding unseen by you. One “friend” maybe steals one of your Items because you neglected to assign Guards to it, or the “pal” just before you in initiative order rearranges the Item cards so that the ones you wanted are now much more expensive, thus throwing your carefully-planned tactics down the drain. Ooh, it’s great tension! My one gripe: I wish it was longer so that I could really stick it to my enem- uhh, friends.
If you are a fan of card games that pack more of a punch than it first seems, and games that keep you wanting more, whilst giving you a grand feeling of quirky opulence, then you should certainly check out Houses of Knowledge. We are happy to recommend this one. Go back it on Kickstarter when the campaign begins!
Houses of Knowledge pits 2-4 players against each other as museum curators desperately trying to fill their museums with interesting rooms and curious artifacts. In fact, a curator can end the competition once they are able to display eight lovely pieces in their halls. Beware, however, as the competition is also trying to gather the best gallery and may even attempt to pilfer your displayed items!
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, but the final components will be exactly the same as these shown, if the pending Kickstarter campaign is successful. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, but to give our readers a general feel for how the game plays. You can back the game through the Kickstarter campaign, order from your FLGS, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
Setting up a game of Houses of Knowledge is quite a feat, as different decks need to be assembled according to player count. Refer to the rules to setup each deck. Once the decks are prepared and starting cards dealt to each player, create the Items and Actions markets by revealing six cards from each deck and assigning cost discs in decending order from the draw decks. Furthest away from the two draw decks will be placed the deck of Room cards, with two visible and available for purchase. These rooms will receive the leftover 5-value cost disc. Set the monicash aside to be used as a central bank. Determine the starting player and you are ready to begin!
Luckily, the game furnishes the players with reference cards so that all players have access to all options they are afforded on their turns. The first thing that happens on a turn is collecting income. Each turn a player earns 3 monicash (MC) plus the amounts earned from Rooms in their tableau. From here a turn has several options: buying Items or Actions from the market to your hand, paying 2 MC to play a card from your hand to your tableau, selling two cards for 2 MC, and buying Room cards.
When a player buys an Item or Action card from the market the new card is taken in hand, paying the cost shown on the cost disc either above or below the card taken. To play a card from hand, the player pays 2 MC to the bank and places an Item onto a corresponding Room card, or plays an Action card either on their own tableau or against an opponent.
Play continues in this fashion until one player is displaying eight Items in their Rooms or the draw decks are depleted. The round finishes completely so all players have an equal amount of turns, and then points are tallied and summed to determine the greatest curator and winner of Houses of Knowledge!
Components. As I mentioned in my disclaimer, we were provided a copy of this game for this preview. All components we were provided are finalized, so everything you see pictured here is how it will be upon a successful Kickstarter campaign. That said, the components are fantastic! The cards are good quality, the cost discs are good cardboard chips, and the money is the faux-paper money we are starting to see in games nowadays – and thank heavens for that! No more cheap Monopoly money! Oh by the way, the art on this one is superb and very chic. I love it!
So the game looks and feels great, but does it play well? YES. This one is excellent! At first it feels too simple because it is relatively easy to collect Rooms and Items to fit on those Rooms, so you think, “Heck, I can get eight Items in like four rounds!” That is, until your opponents hit you with some of the Action cards they’ve been hoarding unseen by you. One “friend” maybe steals one of your Items because you neglected to assign Guards to it, or the “pal” just before you in initiative order rearranges the Item cards so that the ones you wanted are now much more expensive, thus throwing your carefully-planned tactics down the drain. Ooh, it’s great tension! My one gripe: I wish it was longer so that I could really stick it to my enem- uhh, friends.
If you are a fan of card games that pack more of a punch than it first seems, and games that keep you wanting more, whilst giving you a grand feeling of quirky opulence, then you should certainly check out Houses of Knowledge. We are happy to recommend this one. Go back it on Kickstarter when the campaign begins!
Maths Rockx EDU: Times Tables!
Education
App
This is the Rock Star Teacher that everyone wants! Your children will learn their Multiplication...
Darkest Dungeon: The Board Game
Tabletop Game
Ruin has come to our family.” In this adaptation of Red Hook’s acclaimed Darkest Dungeon...
Lee (2222 KP) rated The Ron Burgundy Podcast in Podcasts
Feb 15, 2019
By the beard of Zeus! Ron Burgundy has himself a podcast!
Will Ferrell brings his popular Anchorman character, Ron Burgundy, back for a 12 episode season of 'The Ron Burgundy Podcast'. So far, we're only 2 episodes in, so I'm possibly a little premature in reviewing and rating this. Hopefully so, as I feel there is currently a lot of room for improvement.
I'm a fan of the original Anchorman movie, but I don't love it anywhere near as much as a lot of other people do. There's a lot I find funny about it, but I think it only worked as well as it did because of the team of characters surrounding Ron (ie Brian, Brick and Champ), enabling some fun banter and improvisation. In the podcast though, it's pretty much just Ron, although he is accompanied on each episode by his quietly spoken producer Carolina and a guest 'expert'. It's basically down to Ron to carry the whole show, and so far it's very hit and miss. Don't get me wrong, I've laughed out loud on a couple of occasions, making myself look like an idiot as I'm walking home from work, but the rest of it definitely doesn't provide anywhere near the level of humour that the movies do. Still, it's early days, and I'll modify my review if things improve.
I'm a fan of the original Anchorman movie, but I don't love it anywhere near as much as a lot of other people do. There's a lot I find funny about it, but I think it only worked as well as it did because of the team of characters surrounding Ron (ie Brian, Brick and Champ), enabling some fun banter and improvisation. In the podcast though, it's pretty much just Ron, although he is accompanied on each episode by his quietly spoken producer Carolina and a guest 'expert'. It's basically down to Ron to carry the whole show, and so far it's very hit and miss. Don't get me wrong, I've laughed out loud on a couple of occasions, making myself look like an idiot as I'm walking home from work, but the rest of it definitely doesn't provide anywhere near the level of humour that the movies do. Still, it's early days, and I'll modify my review if things improve.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Monkey Around in Tabletop Games
Jun 18, 2019 (Updated Dec 12, 2019)
The Kids Table series from Purple Phoenix Games seeks to lightly explore games that are focused toward children and families. We will do our best to give some good insight, but not bog your down with the millions of rules…
Monkey Around is basically Kids’ Quelf. Never played Quelf? Meh, it’s okay if you are part of a silly group that will do anything asked of them. This game is similar in that you draw a circular card, and simply do what it asks you to do. As adults, some of the requests might be strange, but to a child, it’s all just silly fun. Many times you are asked to use the included stuffed banana in your tricks. Examples: lie on the floor with the banana on your belly button. Or: walk around the room while balancing the banana on your head. It’s silly.
I play this with my 3 year old boy and we have a great time with it. He is learning balance, improvisation, following instructions, motor skills, and interaction with others. It may make you feel silly but that’s what kids love, man. Just play this with your kids and have a really great time with zero pressure. Drop the banana? Oh well, try again with a different card. They will be cracking up and you will be strengthening that bond with your kids and fostering the love of board games early.
Monkey Around is basically Kids’ Quelf. Never played Quelf? Meh, it’s okay if you are part of a silly group that will do anything asked of them. This game is similar in that you draw a circular card, and simply do what it asks you to do. As adults, some of the requests might be strange, but to a child, it’s all just silly fun. Many times you are asked to use the included stuffed banana in your tricks. Examples: lie on the floor with the banana on your belly button. Or: walk around the room while balancing the banana on your head. It’s silly.
I play this with my 3 year old boy and we have a great time with it. He is learning balance, improvisation, following instructions, motor skills, and interaction with others. It may make you feel silly but that’s what kids love, man. Just play this with your kids and have a really great time with zero pressure. Drop the banana? Oh well, try again with a different card. They will be cracking up and you will be strengthening that bond with your kids and fostering the love of board games early.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Frozen (2013) in Movies
Nov 21, 2019
It's nearly the end of 2019, and I have only just watched Frozen...and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would!
I would say that I've been actively avoiding watching it, but I guess I heard 'Let it Go' when it was EVERYWHERE and just assumed this wasn't for me.
But I'm glad I out that to one side and gave it a watch.
Firstly, Frozen is filled with heart. It has a whole host of immediately likable characters, and a straightforward plot that gives room for witty and genuinely funny dialogue.
It feels familiar yet fresh, with a typical Disney story of princesses and castles and people being afraid of what they don't understand, but then openly mocks one of the characters for immediately falling for a prince charming, and replaces true love between a princess and prince with the true love shared between sisters
The animation is great, and the whole film is really pleasant to watch.
The songs for the most part are ok, and serve as devices to move the plot along, but I've never been a huge fan of musicals, so this is a weird negative for me, as it's something that's on me, not on the movie.
Frozen isn't anywhere near my favourite Disney film, but it's genuinely enjoyable, and hard to watch without smiling for most of the runtime. All I know is that I would do anything for Sven and I love him 😭
I would say that I've been actively avoiding watching it, but I guess I heard 'Let it Go' when it was EVERYWHERE and just assumed this wasn't for me.
But I'm glad I out that to one side and gave it a watch.
Firstly, Frozen is filled with heart. It has a whole host of immediately likable characters, and a straightforward plot that gives room for witty and genuinely funny dialogue.
It feels familiar yet fresh, with a typical Disney story of princesses and castles and people being afraid of what they don't understand, but then openly mocks one of the characters for immediately falling for a prince charming, and replaces true love between a princess and prince with the true love shared between sisters
The animation is great, and the whole film is really pleasant to watch.
The songs for the most part are ok, and serve as devices to move the plot along, but I've never been a huge fan of musicals, so this is a weird negative for me, as it's something that's on me, not on the movie.
Frozen isn't anywhere near my favourite Disney film, but it's genuinely enjoyable, and hard to watch without smiling for most of the runtime. All I know is that I would do anything for Sven and I love him 😭
Houseplant Success: an Essential Guide to Growing Beautiful Plants in Your Home Throughout the Year
Book
This is an essential guide to growing beautiful plants in your home throughout the year. It includes...