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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated We Are the Goldens in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
There was something about this book that intrigued me. Maybe it was the forbidden romance between a student and her teacher. I decided to give this book a try. Although it wasn't as great as I thought it would be, it was still an alright read.
I love the title, and I feel that it fits in really well with the book. These two sisters have always had each other's back and have done nearly everything together.
The cover is okay. I think it looks a bit too cavemanish though instead of two beautiful girls as what is described in the book. Maybe if both girls were looking up and the lighting was different, the cover photo wouldn't look like I was looking at two cavemen.
I enjoyed the world building. We learn about the world through Nell's letters to her sister Layla. (At least it sounded like she was writing a letter(s) to her sister. The author made it easy to understand Nell's and Layla's relationship from the beginning through her fantastic prose.
I thought the pacing held up rather well. There were times when I thought I'd be able to put the book down so I could go to bed or do something else, but I'd always end up reading a few more chapters. It thoroughly held my attention. Plus, I enjoyed the back story leading up to everything immensely.
The plot of the whole teacher-student relationship has been done before. However, Reinhardt makes her story interesting and unlike the other stories. I liked the close relationship that Nell and Layla used to have before Layla started dating her teacher. I was saddened to see it start to unravel over a forbidden romance. There's no plot twists that I read about, but that doesn't hurt the book any. The only thing that annoyed me was the ending. I would've liked to know a bit more such as what happened to Mr. Barr and Layla. That's all I'm saying because I don't want to give away anything that could be deemed as a spoiler.
Nell was instantly likable. There was a certain innocence and vulnerability with her. It was easy to empathize with what she was going through, and I felt like her struggle with keeping her sister's secret was my own as well. I also thought Layla was a fantastic character as well. We get to know her through Nell's letters, and we learn that she too is also very vulnerable and just wants to find her one true love. I loved the character of Felix except that I had a hard time believing that he was into girls as it said in the book. I found his speech to be very effeminate. He reminded me of Damian from the film Mean Girls. Every time Felix was in a scene, I always was picturing Damian. We don't really learn too much about Mr. Barr (the teacher in a relationship with Layla) other that his students all think he's the coolest teacher and the best looking. We also learn that there's rumors about him being with other students previously.
The dialogue flows very smoothly and is never awkward. The speech fits my perception of how teenagers speak. It suits a young adult book. There is some swearing and some sexual references although none that are graphic. There is no violence in this book.
Overall, We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt is an enjoyable read save for the ending. The characters are well written as is the whole entire book. This book deals with subject matter that happens at every school.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who enjoy realistic fiction and characters that are easy to relate to.
<b>I'd give We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt a 3.5 out of 5.</b>
(I was provided with a free ebook of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review).
There was something about this book that intrigued me. Maybe it was the forbidden romance between a student and her teacher. I decided to give this book a try. Although it wasn't as great as I thought it would be, it was still an alright read.
I love the title, and I feel that it fits in really well with the book. These two sisters have always had each other's back and have done nearly everything together.
The cover is okay. I think it looks a bit too cavemanish though instead of two beautiful girls as what is described in the book. Maybe if both girls were looking up and the lighting was different, the cover photo wouldn't look like I was looking at two cavemen.
I enjoyed the world building. We learn about the world through Nell's letters to her sister Layla. (At least it sounded like she was writing a letter(s) to her sister. The author made it easy to understand Nell's and Layla's relationship from the beginning through her fantastic prose.
I thought the pacing held up rather well. There were times when I thought I'd be able to put the book down so I could go to bed or do something else, but I'd always end up reading a few more chapters. It thoroughly held my attention. Plus, I enjoyed the back story leading up to everything immensely.
The plot of the whole teacher-student relationship has been done before. However, Reinhardt makes her story interesting and unlike the other stories. I liked the close relationship that Nell and Layla used to have before Layla started dating her teacher. I was saddened to see it start to unravel over a forbidden romance. There's no plot twists that I read about, but that doesn't hurt the book any. The only thing that annoyed me was the ending. I would've liked to know a bit more such as what happened to Mr. Barr and Layla. That's all I'm saying because I don't want to give away anything that could be deemed as a spoiler.
Nell was instantly likable. There was a certain innocence and vulnerability with her. It was easy to empathize with what she was going through, and I felt like her struggle with keeping her sister's secret was my own as well. I also thought Layla was a fantastic character as well. We get to know her through Nell's letters, and we learn that she too is also very vulnerable and just wants to find her one true love. I loved the character of Felix except that I had a hard time believing that he was into girls as it said in the book. I found his speech to be very effeminate. He reminded me of Damian from the film Mean Girls. Every time Felix was in a scene, I always was picturing Damian. We don't really learn too much about Mr. Barr (the teacher in a relationship with Layla) other that his students all think he's the coolest teacher and the best looking. We also learn that there's rumors about him being with other students previously.
The dialogue flows very smoothly and is never awkward. The speech fits my perception of how teenagers speak. It suits a young adult book. There is some swearing and some sexual references although none that are graphic. There is no violence in this book.
Overall, We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt is an enjoyable read save for the ending. The characters are well written as is the whole entire book. This book deals with subject matter that happens at every school.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 15+ who enjoy realistic fiction and characters that are easy to relate to.
<b>I'd give We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt a 3.5 out of 5.</b>
(I was provided with a free ebook of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review).
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Thorn in Books
Aug 3, 2020
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3214627135">Thorn</a>; - ★★★★★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Book-Review-Banner-56.png"/>;
Thorn by Intisar Khanani is such a powerful story about finding your true self, fighting against the injustice and loving with your whole heart.
<b>Synopsis</b>
Princess Alyrra grew up in a cruel family, fearing that her brother might hurt her every day. She despises the fact that she needs to behave in a certain way to appeal to the court. Her despise grows even more when she learns that she's been betrothed to the powerful Prince Kestrin, a stranger from another kingdom.
But when a sorceress robes Alyrra of her true identity, she sees this as an opportunity to start a new life as a goose girl, where she doesn't have to pretend in front of everyone and be her true self.
Soon enough, she realises what is actually going on with the regular people in the kingdom. The poverty, the crimes, the fact that the royal guards don't care at all. The fact that the street thieves have to make their own sets of rules in order to keep the peace on the streets.
When a big tragedy hits home, Alyrra knows she needs to make a choice. Stay here and give up the identity of the princess forever, or go back to being a princess, only for the sake of saving the people.
<b><i>"It is rare for someone who wants power to truly deserve it."</i></b>
<b>My Thoughts:</b>
Thorn is the first book of the Dauntless Path series, and I am so happy I had the chance to read it! Very powerful book, with a very strong female character, who is not afraid to say what she thinks and fight for what she believes in!
<b><i>"I've found that acting when you are afraid is the greatest sign of courage there is."</i></b>
What I loved about Alyrra's character is that it shows us how much of a hardship it can be to make a certain choice. It is not just black and white. At first, we all root for the - get your identity back. However, Alyrra has been abused all her life. Her brother abused her physically and her mother mentally. She then had to deal with the pressure of being a princess. Following rules. Not saying what she really thinks, but what others want to hear. She is then promised to marry someone she doesn't know and pretend to be someone she is not, again.
<b><i>And suddenly, she can be someone else.</i></b>
She has the chance to start a brand new life. A person that is not in the spotlight. She can think and speak freely. And that is why I understand her choice to want to stay as a goose girl forever.
<b><i>"We all have our unspoken sorrows, hopes we cannot mention, choices we may yet regret."</i></b>
But then she sees the true picture of how people are treated in the kingdom. How people live. The injustice that happens on the streets every single day. And then she also gets the attention of the prince and being who she is, she is not afraid to say her mind.
But to truly change things, she needs to become a princess again. And making such a choice comes not only with consequences, but with huge sacrifices too.
The ending of Thorn was very well written and very satisfying. I am looking forward to reading more about Alyrra's story and get more answers in the next book. I cannot recommend Thorn enough!
Thank you to ReadersFirst and Hot Key Books, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3214627135">Thorn</a>; - ★★★★★
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Book-Review-Banner-56.png"/>;
Thorn by Intisar Khanani is such a powerful story about finding your true self, fighting against the injustice and loving with your whole heart.
<b>Synopsis</b>
Princess Alyrra grew up in a cruel family, fearing that her brother might hurt her every day. She despises the fact that she needs to behave in a certain way to appeal to the court. Her despise grows even more when she learns that she's been betrothed to the powerful Prince Kestrin, a stranger from another kingdom.
But when a sorceress robes Alyrra of her true identity, she sees this as an opportunity to start a new life as a goose girl, where she doesn't have to pretend in front of everyone and be her true self.
Soon enough, she realises what is actually going on with the regular people in the kingdom. The poverty, the crimes, the fact that the royal guards don't care at all. The fact that the street thieves have to make their own sets of rules in order to keep the peace on the streets.
When a big tragedy hits home, Alyrra knows she needs to make a choice. Stay here and give up the identity of the princess forever, or go back to being a princess, only for the sake of saving the people.
<b><i>"It is rare for someone who wants power to truly deserve it."</i></b>
<b>My Thoughts:</b>
Thorn is the first book of the Dauntless Path series, and I am so happy I had the chance to read it! Very powerful book, with a very strong female character, who is not afraid to say what she thinks and fight for what she believes in!
<b><i>"I've found that acting when you are afraid is the greatest sign of courage there is."</i></b>
What I loved about Alyrra's character is that it shows us how much of a hardship it can be to make a certain choice. It is not just black and white. At first, we all root for the - get your identity back. However, Alyrra has been abused all her life. Her brother abused her physically and her mother mentally. She then had to deal with the pressure of being a princess. Following rules. Not saying what she really thinks, but what others want to hear. She is then promised to marry someone she doesn't know and pretend to be someone she is not, again.
<b><i>And suddenly, she can be someone else.</i></b>
She has the chance to start a brand new life. A person that is not in the spotlight. She can think and speak freely. And that is why I understand her choice to want to stay as a goose girl forever.
<b><i>"We all have our unspoken sorrows, hopes we cannot mention, choices we may yet regret."</i></b>
But then she sees the true picture of how people are treated in the kingdom. How people live. The injustice that happens on the streets every single day. And then she also gets the attention of the prince and being who she is, she is not afraid to say her mind.
But to truly change things, she needs to become a princess again. And making such a choice comes not only with consequences, but with huge sacrifices too.
The ending of Thorn was very well written and very satisfying. I am looking forward to reading more about Alyrra's story and get more answers in the next book. I cannot recommend Thorn enough!
Thank you to ReadersFirst and Hot Key Books, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I tried to avoid much about this before seeing it and despite the internet being what it is I somehow managed to avoid spoilers.
Harley is fresh off a breakup and she's looking for something to help her bounce back. When she finds the perfect way it's liberating, she's a whole new woman... she's also the managed to declare open season on herself. The who's who of Gotham villainy are looking for revenge and there's no one to protect her.
In the inevitable chaos she leaves in her wake she comes across a group of ladies who are all in need of some new friends.
I went in expecting something with a bit of sass, that's all I really had in mind before seeing it, violence and sass. It certainly didn't disappoint on that level. But there was some confusion for me because there was a lot of film without actually feeling we were into the meat of the story... or what I had assumed was the main point of the film. That fact left me pondering about whether this should have had a different title.
The opening was a particular surprise, it was so different and it really worked. It provided a quick recap on what we'd missed between previous offerings and did it in such a fun way. I loved the animation style and it had some nods of nostalgia in there too.
Being the villain with a touch of hero puts Harley on a level with other characters and films, there are many little flashes throughout that remind me of Deadpool and Suicide Squad. Even with those nods it definitely takes on its own twist. There's no denying that Harley is a great character, and Robbie plays her fantastically, but she's been done wrong by being given a film without the proper credit of it... Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn... As I said above, perhaps this name was misplaced. Giving the Birds Of Prey headline billing makes you think you're getting something very different. Traditionally you would go from existing content to new... here's Harley and introducing Birds Of Prey... but while the story does that the title does the complete opposite. I don't know why they wouldn't just have given the honour to Harley instead of a rather fanciful footnote of a subtitle.
Harley has some great moments in this film, the emotion on her face when she works out how to get closure and then this...
[sadly no amazing gif in this review, you can see it on my blog, link below]
I can see the whole thing as being within her personality, but somehow not the end of the film, that's the bit that didn't feel right to me.
The whole film feels like a set up for an actual Birds Of Prey film, but I'm not sure any of the characters really got their due. Renee Montoya was originally a character made for Batman's part of Gotham, not Harley's, she was affected by the corruption of the Police Department and her story feels like it was much more serious and dark there than it was here. Black Canary, again, doesn't seem to live up to existing backstory, though her caring nature in this is a welcome addition and she probably does the best out of the story. Huntress' story is a general amalgam of existing things, but she doesn't develop much, the fact that she's "new" to this lifestyle is played on a lot and her inexperience is used for humour most of the time. Cassandra Cain is probably the worst pickpocket in Gotham and yet somehow manages to steal a lot of stuff, what's more frustrating here is that the name holds a lot of weight in the DCEU but not in this film.
There are a lot of "main" characters and that doesn't help matters, but when they interact they all work quite well together. I don't think it would have hurt to have Montoya there in a lesser capacity, and the same goes for Cain. Neither character in this incarnation do a lot, though Cain physically has an important part to play.
Ewan McGregor's Roman Sionis/Black Mask. From the trailer I was keen to see what McGregor would do with this villainous role. It looked like it was going to be great, but the final product wasn't what I'd hoped for. Whether it was the reshoots or it was never there in the first place I don't know but it's a chaotic performance that probably should have been left to a new character. Naming him would have been fine if they'd actually given him the necessary story to explain him. As it is we get a glimpse of Black Mask and his gang but it doesn't mean a lot, and in the end it's a rather wasted opportunity.
There are a lot of things I want to say so I think I'm just going to list them off for a bit and then get back to something sensible...
Bojana Novakovic scene where she's on the table. It's completely out of place, there are plenty of ways to show Roman's paranoia and his bizarrely toxic relationship with Zsasz and any of them would have been better than this. The only good thing to take from it is that Black Canary has a really strong performance in it.
LGBT representation. There's so much of it and yet none whatsoever. They show us that Harley had a girlfriend in the past. Montoya is gay and we see the tatters of her relationship with Ellen Yee in a couple of brief exchanges. Roman and Zsasz... their relationship is an odd one, while not acknowledged as being gay they do have a very close bond. It could just be that they enable the destructive kindred spirit in each other, but Zsasz does have a jealous side that appears randomly. So like I said, there's a lot of inclusivity and yet none of it really get much airtime, and certainly not positive airtime.
Harley's narration and what it means for the story. The internet loves its controversy and one of the things with Birds Of Prey is that it's feminism gone made because all men are depicted as bad in the film. What I would say to that is that Harley is the narrator. She's fresh off her breakup with the Joker and she's angry... if she's telling this story the men are either going to be non-descript (police officers minding their own business in her attack) or bad (actual villains, minions or people who have wronged her friends who would therefore be bad in her mind). By that logic it's a really consistent narrative.
I think I've covered most of the random musings there.
Action in Birds Of Prey is really fun, but a little frustrating at times. The police station raid that we see in the trailer is brilliant and I love Harley's fun gun, it's a magical thing to watch and the explosions of colour add a great twist. It's really well choreographed and I actually think it builds well on Harley's changing nature from Suicide Squad. I do have issues with this same sequence though. Those sprinklers, there's no need for it apart from some added flair when they fight... and of course the bad guys all queue up to fight her one by one, very considerate. It then progresses to the evidence room and I don't think they took enough advantage of that for comedic effect, though I did like that it taught me a great technique for escaping an attacker and Harley got a great trick shot in.
The other big sequence is the finale where our leading ladies face off against those evil men inside the fun house (not the Pat Sharp one). There are a lot of oversized props and Cain is just kind of tossed around the set like a ragdoll but there are some amusing moments to be had out of it. My issue with this one is that they don't think things through and they get themselves into something that was entirely avoidable.
Design of everything from costumes to sets is fabulous, the colours in particular really jump out. The camerawork is great too and I enjoyed the slightly hyper nature to it with the way it switches up within scenes. Music choices are brilliant too and I've been on Spotify and got the songs to listen to, none of this album malarkey though, I found a list online of all the song, don't do it by halves... Barracuda and Black Betty need to be on your playlist!
I know I kind of fluffed over those bits very quickly but honestly I don't know how you're still reading this review at this point.
So, in conclusion... there are a lot of flaws, on first viewing I loved the beginning but felt let down by the end. My second viewing went a very similar way, though the divide blurred away a little bit. Even with these issues I really enjoyed Birds Of Prey, the acting is all good (it's only the characters I have problems with) and it's just crazy fun. People pick at the way DCEU films have been going, but honestly, I'm loving it.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/02/birds-of-prey-movie-review.html
Harley is fresh off a breakup and she's looking for something to help her bounce back. When she finds the perfect way it's liberating, she's a whole new woman... she's also the managed to declare open season on herself. The who's who of Gotham villainy are looking for revenge and there's no one to protect her.
In the inevitable chaos she leaves in her wake she comes across a group of ladies who are all in need of some new friends.
I went in expecting something with a bit of sass, that's all I really had in mind before seeing it, violence and sass. It certainly didn't disappoint on that level. But there was some confusion for me because there was a lot of film without actually feeling we were into the meat of the story... or what I had assumed was the main point of the film. That fact left me pondering about whether this should have had a different title.
The opening was a particular surprise, it was so different and it really worked. It provided a quick recap on what we'd missed between previous offerings and did it in such a fun way. I loved the animation style and it had some nods of nostalgia in there too.
Being the villain with a touch of hero puts Harley on a level with other characters and films, there are many little flashes throughout that remind me of Deadpool and Suicide Squad. Even with those nods it definitely takes on its own twist. There's no denying that Harley is a great character, and Robbie plays her fantastically, but she's been done wrong by being given a film without the proper credit of it... Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn... As I said above, perhaps this name was misplaced. Giving the Birds Of Prey headline billing makes you think you're getting something very different. Traditionally you would go from existing content to new... here's Harley and introducing Birds Of Prey... but while the story does that the title does the complete opposite. I don't know why they wouldn't just have given the honour to Harley instead of a rather fanciful footnote of a subtitle.
Harley has some great moments in this film, the emotion on her face when she works out how to get closure and then this...
[sadly no amazing gif in this review, you can see it on my blog, link below]
I can see the whole thing as being within her personality, but somehow not the end of the film, that's the bit that didn't feel right to me.
The whole film feels like a set up for an actual Birds Of Prey film, but I'm not sure any of the characters really got their due. Renee Montoya was originally a character made for Batman's part of Gotham, not Harley's, she was affected by the corruption of the Police Department and her story feels like it was much more serious and dark there than it was here. Black Canary, again, doesn't seem to live up to existing backstory, though her caring nature in this is a welcome addition and she probably does the best out of the story. Huntress' story is a general amalgam of existing things, but she doesn't develop much, the fact that she's "new" to this lifestyle is played on a lot and her inexperience is used for humour most of the time. Cassandra Cain is probably the worst pickpocket in Gotham and yet somehow manages to steal a lot of stuff, what's more frustrating here is that the name holds a lot of weight in the DCEU but not in this film.
There are a lot of "main" characters and that doesn't help matters, but when they interact they all work quite well together. I don't think it would have hurt to have Montoya there in a lesser capacity, and the same goes for Cain. Neither character in this incarnation do a lot, though Cain physically has an important part to play.
Ewan McGregor's Roman Sionis/Black Mask. From the trailer I was keen to see what McGregor would do with this villainous role. It looked like it was going to be great, but the final product wasn't what I'd hoped for. Whether it was the reshoots or it was never there in the first place I don't know but it's a chaotic performance that probably should have been left to a new character. Naming him would have been fine if they'd actually given him the necessary story to explain him. As it is we get a glimpse of Black Mask and his gang but it doesn't mean a lot, and in the end it's a rather wasted opportunity.
There are a lot of things I want to say so I think I'm just going to list them off for a bit and then get back to something sensible...
Bojana Novakovic scene where she's on the table. It's completely out of place, there are plenty of ways to show Roman's paranoia and his bizarrely toxic relationship with Zsasz and any of them would have been better than this. The only good thing to take from it is that Black Canary has a really strong performance in it.
LGBT representation. There's so much of it and yet none whatsoever. They show us that Harley had a girlfriend in the past. Montoya is gay and we see the tatters of her relationship with Ellen Yee in a couple of brief exchanges. Roman and Zsasz... their relationship is an odd one, while not acknowledged as being gay they do have a very close bond. It could just be that they enable the destructive kindred spirit in each other, but Zsasz does have a jealous side that appears randomly. So like I said, there's a lot of inclusivity and yet none of it really get much airtime, and certainly not positive airtime.
Harley's narration and what it means for the story. The internet loves its controversy and one of the things with Birds Of Prey is that it's feminism gone made because all men are depicted as bad in the film. What I would say to that is that Harley is the narrator. She's fresh off her breakup with the Joker and she's angry... if she's telling this story the men are either going to be non-descript (police officers minding their own business in her attack) or bad (actual villains, minions or people who have wronged her friends who would therefore be bad in her mind). By that logic it's a really consistent narrative.
I think I've covered most of the random musings there.
Action in Birds Of Prey is really fun, but a little frustrating at times. The police station raid that we see in the trailer is brilliant and I love Harley's fun gun, it's a magical thing to watch and the explosions of colour add a great twist. It's really well choreographed and I actually think it builds well on Harley's changing nature from Suicide Squad. I do have issues with this same sequence though. Those sprinklers, there's no need for it apart from some added flair when they fight... and of course the bad guys all queue up to fight her one by one, very considerate. It then progresses to the evidence room and I don't think they took enough advantage of that for comedic effect, though I did like that it taught me a great technique for escaping an attacker and Harley got a great trick shot in.
The other big sequence is the finale where our leading ladies face off against those evil men inside the fun house (not the Pat Sharp one). There are a lot of oversized props and Cain is just kind of tossed around the set like a ragdoll but there are some amusing moments to be had out of it. My issue with this one is that they don't think things through and they get themselves into something that was entirely avoidable.
Design of everything from costumes to sets is fabulous, the colours in particular really jump out. The camerawork is great too and I enjoyed the slightly hyper nature to it with the way it switches up within scenes. Music choices are brilliant too and I've been on Spotify and got the songs to listen to, none of this album malarkey though, I found a list online of all the song, don't do it by halves... Barracuda and Black Betty need to be on your playlist!
I know I kind of fluffed over those bits very quickly but honestly I don't know how you're still reading this review at this point.
So, in conclusion... there are a lot of flaws, on first viewing I loved the beginning but felt let down by the end. My second viewing went a very similar way, though the divide blurred away a little bit. Even with these issues I really enjoyed Birds Of Prey, the acting is all good (it's only the characters I have problems with) and it's just crazy fun. People pick at the way DCEU films have been going, but honestly, I'm loving it.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/02/birds-of-prey-movie-review.html
Becs (244 KP) rated How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord in TV
Jul 22, 2019
Catching and Action-Packed!
TRIGGER WARNINGS: memory loss, anger issues, agoraphobia, graphic injuries, fat-shaming, body-shaming, forced marriage, incest, manipulation, toxic relationship, mind control, misogynistic language, slavery, torture, violence, executions
I was generally worried at whether this show was going to be good or if it was going to be one of those trashy anime's that are just 'alright'. I randomly put it on as I had just finished my hundredth re-watch of Vampire Knight and was shocked. This was crafted into a rather enjoyable story that had an amazing cast of main characters. There was silliness, softcore (ecchi) content, action, and adventure.
Throughout the show, there are scenes that are deemed inappropriate and the first episode contains one of those "whoa there" scenes. I wouldn't recommend watching if you don't want somewhat sexual scenes littered throughout the show. Besides those moments, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord is pretty fun and an enjoyable series that fits with the genre of the show.
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord captures the whole overpowered main character but balances it with a main character that has limits to his power. There is also the whole sense of danger to those that are close to the main character. The story is told really well and wraps up nicely, leaving the ending open so that if more seasons do end up getting made it would work perfectly with continuing the story on. But if this was the end, then it ended on a good note.
You won't see much of the modern world in the show except for the very beginning. The setting is set in a parallel fantasy world (isekai) where the main character is instantly sucked into a world similar to the game that he was playing. There isn't much connection between the game world and the modern world, but it really isn't an issue as it happened early on in the show.
The show itself is about the main character, who plays an all-mighty powerful Demon Lord in a game in the modern world, but then gets physically summoned into this parallel fantasy world. The twist: the main character is actually stuck in the body of his character Diablo. The story follows a pretty typical plotline where the main character adapts to being in a new body, a new world, how he deals with his surroundings, and how he tackles the issues that arise.
The biggest plot point revolves around the two summoners: Rem and Shera. Each had their own reason for summoning Diablo and he even gets involved with those same issues, seeking to help them. It's insinuated incredibly well that these two young women are main characters alongside Diablo, but some issues arise. Like the slave collars that are around the women's necks should have been around Diablo's neck. The issues that these young women have are as weighty as the salve collars. Slavery is apparently legal in this world, but Diablo doesn't abuse his power and actually allows the women to do as they please, even going as far as forming a bond with both of them.
Overall, I enjoyed watching the story unfold and seeing the producers establish the difference between the modern world and the game that Diablo was experiencing. And even seeing Diablo overpower so many of the opponents he encountered throughout the world. I was entertained throughout every episode and ended up binging this in an entire night!
Generally, when you have a show like this, the characters have to carry a ton to really make the show good. In How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, they do an exceptional job at portraying that. Diablo is a pretty solid main character, even being likable! The problem with action-packed shows like this with an overly powerful main character is that the character isn't likable and that makes the show rather boring. With this show, you do not get that vibe one bit. Diablo actually works because he's a generally nice guy at heart, never resorting to using his powers right away or even stop caring about whether or not he kills someone. His strength is evenly matched with his lack of communication and his heavy social anxiety. I mean, you get inside his head quite often and he uses both his brains and brawn to help in a rough spot, instead of just randomly firing about as most power main characters do. This really adds to the appeal of Diablo.
The other two main characters, Rem and Shera are two girls with their own reasons for summoning a powerful demon to aid them. Both are entertaining and even have their own backstories that really add to the story. Rem's backstory is a bit more emotional compared to Shera's but the watcher is able to emphasize with both excruciatingly well. Especially when all three main characters develop a sturdy friendship and gain the trust of the others. Shera is the glue that holds both Rem and Diablo together when they start doubting themselves.
There are a wide variety of antagonists and side characters that don't get a ton of focus, but they do help push the main cast and story along. These antagonists have their own goals and that causes serious conflict with the goals Diablo, Rem, and Shera have/want to do. But then there are also the side characters that are actually on the side of the three mains and do play important roles in various points of the story.
The art and visual effects were well down and it wasn't the same graphic scenes and spells as most anime's do. For instance, Diablo doesn't just spam the same spell over and over (like I do when I'm playing a game because I'm a button smasher haha) instead, he uses different attacks and spells for each occasion. The show doesn't shower blood around like it's rain *cough cough Game of Thrones cough cough*, but it does a good enough job letting the watcher know when someone gets hurt/ dies.
My final thoughts:
Overall, this was a well-done show that held the action and made the characters very likable, without rushing the story. There is comedy, action, magic, and a bit of a push on the boundary with softcore (ecchi) content but you get a good sense from the main characters and story that it's defiantly worth checking out.
I was generally worried at whether this show was going to be good or if it was going to be one of those trashy anime's that are just 'alright'. I randomly put it on as I had just finished my hundredth re-watch of Vampire Knight and was shocked. This was crafted into a rather enjoyable story that had an amazing cast of main characters. There was silliness, softcore (ecchi) content, action, and adventure.
Throughout the show, there are scenes that are deemed inappropriate and the first episode contains one of those "whoa there" scenes. I wouldn't recommend watching if you don't want somewhat sexual scenes littered throughout the show. Besides those moments, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord is pretty fun and an enjoyable series that fits with the genre of the show.
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord captures the whole overpowered main character but balances it with a main character that has limits to his power. There is also the whole sense of danger to those that are close to the main character. The story is told really well and wraps up nicely, leaving the ending open so that if more seasons do end up getting made it would work perfectly with continuing the story on. But if this was the end, then it ended on a good note.
You won't see much of the modern world in the show except for the very beginning. The setting is set in a parallel fantasy world (isekai) where the main character is instantly sucked into a world similar to the game that he was playing. There isn't much connection between the game world and the modern world, but it really isn't an issue as it happened early on in the show.
The show itself is about the main character, who plays an all-mighty powerful Demon Lord in a game in the modern world, but then gets physically summoned into this parallel fantasy world. The twist: the main character is actually stuck in the body of his character Diablo. The story follows a pretty typical plotline where the main character adapts to being in a new body, a new world, how he deals with his surroundings, and how he tackles the issues that arise.
The biggest plot point revolves around the two summoners: Rem and Shera. Each had their own reason for summoning Diablo and he even gets involved with those same issues, seeking to help them. It's insinuated incredibly well that these two young women are main characters alongside Diablo, but some issues arise. Like the slave collars that are around the women's necks should have been around Diablo's neck. The issues that these young women have are as weighty as the salve collars. Slavery is apparently legal in this world, but Diablo doesn't abuse his power and actually allows the women to do as they please, even going as far as forming a bond with both of them.
Overall, I enjoyed watching the story unfold and seeing the producers establish the difference between the modern world and the game that Diablo was experiencing. And even seeing Diablo overpower so many of the opponents he encountered throughout the world. I was entertained throughout every episode and ended up binging this in an entire night!
Generally, when you have a show like this, the characters have to carry a ton to really make the show good. In How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, they do an exceptional job at portraying that. Diablo is a pretty solid main character, even being likable! The problem with action-packed shows like this with an overly powerful main character is that the character isn't likable and that makes the show rather boring. With this show, you do not get that vibe one bit. Diablo actually works because he's a generally nice guy at heart, never resorting to using his powers right away or even stop caring about whether or not he kills someone. His strength is evenly matched with his lack of communication and his heavy social anxiety. I mean, you get inside his head quite often and he uses both his brains and brawn to help in a rough spot, instead of just randomly firing about as most power main characters do. This really adds to the appeal of Diablo.
The other two main characters, Rem and Shera are two girls with their own reasons for summoning a powerful demon to aid them. Both are entertaining and even have their own backstories that really add to the story. Rem's backstory is a bit more emotional compared to Shera's but the watcher is able to emphasize with both excruciatingly well. Especially when all three main characters develop a sturdy friendship and gain the trust of the others. Shera is the glue that holds both Rem and Diablo together when they start doubting themselves.
There are a wide variety of antagonists and side characters that don't get a ton of focus, but they do help push the main cast and story along. These antagonists have their own goals and that causes serious conflict with the goals Diablo, Rem, and Shera have/want to do. But then there are also the side characters that are actually on the side of the three mains and do play important roles in various points of the story.
The art and visual effects were well down and it wasn't the same graphic scenes and spells as most anime's do. For instance, Diablo doesn't just spam the same spell over and over (like I do when I'm playing a game because I'm a button smasher haha) instead, he uses different attacks and spells for each occasion. The show doesn't shower blood around like it's rain *cough cough Game of Thrones cough cough*, but it does a good enough job letting the watcher know when someone gets hurt/ dies.
My final thoughts:
Overall, this was a well-done show that held the action and made the characters very likable, without rushing the story. There is comedy, action, magic, and a bit of a push on the boundary with softcore (ecchi) content but you get a good sense from the main characters and story that it's defiantly worth checking out.
KittyMiku (138 KP) rated Her Last Goodbye in Books
May 23, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
As with any mystery, it is amazing to have that suspense with a tad bit of danger. After all, the excitement is in the wondering who did what and what may have caused an event to happen. However, Her Last Goodbye is more than just that. It allows the reader to see into some of the worries and dangers it is to be a parent, how romance can lead to vulnerable states of mind (which we all know can lead to some acts of intimacy), as well as how some people have some complicated views on how a relationship should work. It was even more shocking and terrifyingly real than the first book in the Morgan Dane series. I found myself ridden with anxiety, fear, and concern through out the book. Having so many difficult situations to have to sort through and ideas, I found this book hard to put down, even when it got too intense to keep reading at the moment.
First of all, Morgan having three children is always nice to see. With her concern about her children's livelihood always about her, it wasn't hard for her to connect with the missing woman, Chelsea, who was a mother of 2 small children, and how she wasn't likely to leave her children that she adored so much. It was, however, rough for her to try to come up with clues and facts to prove that the woman just didn't run away from her family. To see Morgan struggle through that idea and then to end up having her own children threatened on multiple occasions by a variety of men, only made things worse. I found those parts exceptionally hard to read. Having a child myself, I don't think I would have been as rational or as brave as she was. Just the thought of the things she went through and the ideas of a mother just abandoning her children, has me shaken. Even though, as stated in the book, mothers sometimes do strange things like that, it still isn't easy to process or understand. Then to watch a mother go into Mama Bear mode to protect her own, kept my own mind whirling. I like to think I would do anything to protect my daughter, but my own problem with conflict would have been enough to make sure I got out of whatever situation that would put me in that rough spot. It had fuel Morgan even more though. She pushed harder to find and get rid of the person behind her own children's danger. This only makes her even more loveable. It is actually inspiring to have such a strong woman character, who would do anything to protect her loved ones. I can't help but feel more drawn to her in this book, and I feel that my admiration and love for her will grow in the future. Even so, I still found a lot of other disturbing things within the story.
We all know that there are people out there who believe women should be completely submissive to men, but it was still really hard to read and stomach a character who had this belief. To kidnap, condition, and even train another person seems extremely harsh, yet a they existed. I found it harder to read how they would torture another human being to break their mind and their spirit, just to train a woman to think and be something they weren't. Especially when said person was supposedly in love with their prey. I did find it inspiring on how, even being tortured, a woman can overcome it and try to escape and get back to her family. In fact, the thought of her family propelled her and kept her trying to get back home. It really made me happy to see that family was her motivation. Though, it was rough to get through, it made me wonder how many women could go through what she had and still find the courage and strength to keep trying to figure out a way to escape and get home. Even though, it was clear she was traumatized, it was clear she was more concerned with getting home to her children than how she could be caught and tortured and punished for trying. I found this to be a pleasant idea to have about someone who was captured. After all, wouldn't you end up within just a few days of being hurt over and over, give up and just conform to whoever was trying to condition you was ways? I probably would have. But this woman character definitely shed some light how nothing else mattered where your family is concern.
I found how strong feelings for someone and their family can really change how you view things to be a nice delight. I hadn't expected Lance to end up falling for Morgan's children the way he did to happen. It had been hinted that he loved and wanted a relationship with Morgan, but to see him fall in love with her girls and want to protect them as much as Morgan did, was really a pleasant sight. I know there are men out there like that, but its still rare and to see how his love for Morgan ends up extending to her children was just the right about of sentiment and love the book need to keeps things from going overboard. I enjoyed how he tried his best to make sure her girls were safe and even let them into his house to keep them protected, to be exhilarating and touching. It is always nice to have some wholesome love and concern to help break up some of the tension in a storyline and Leigh's way of adding this to Lance's character was a nice call. It helped keep the danger presented while showing a parental side to Lance and offering up how your friends and potential lover's can easily adore your children as much as you do.
Overall, I would rate Melinda Leigh's Her Last Goodbye 5 stars out of 5 stars for how well written and emotional filled the book was. It could stand alone as it gives refreshers on what happened in the last book, as well as had its own storyline. Though, the character developments increased and they continued to grow through out the story, the reader wouldn't feel like they missed a whole lot by reading this book first. I have to say that has to be something that is delightful. After all, wouldn't is just bite if you had to read the first book to even think about picking up the second. Sometimes you don't always realize what you are grabbing and having a series that has books that could stand alone if they needed to, makes it so much easier to start by whatever book you happen to pick up first. I definitely recommend this book to all our thrill seekers. Its not for the faint of heart, but is still extremely excellent to read.
First of all, Morgan having three children is always nice to see. With her concern about her children's livelihood always about her, it wasn't hard for her to connect with the missing woman, Chelsea, who was a mother of 2 small children, and how she wasn't likely to leave her children that she adored so much. It was, however, rough for her to try to come up with clues and facts to prove that the woman just didn't run away from her family. To see Morgan struggle through that idea and then to end up having her own children threatened on multiple occasions by a variety of men, only made things worse. I found those parts exceptionally hard to read. Having a child myself, I don't think I would have been as rational or as brave as she was. Just the thought of the things she went through and the ideas of a mother just abandoning her children, has me shaken. Even though, as stated in the book, mothers sometimes do strange things like that, it still isn't easy to process or understand. Then to watch a mother go into Mama Bear mode to protect her own, kept my own mind whirling. I like to think I would do anything to protect my daughter, but my own problem with conflict would have been enough to make sure I got out of whatever situation that would put me in that rough spot. It had fuel Morgan even more though. She pushed harder to find and get rid of the person behind her own children's danger. This only makes her even more loveable. It is actually inspiring to have such a strong woman character, who would do anything to protect her loved ones. I can't help but feel more drawn to her in this book, and I feel that my admiration and love for her will grow in the future. Even so, I still found a lot of other disturbing things within the story.
We all know that there are people out there who believe women should be completely submissive to men, but it was still really hard to read and stomach a character who had this belief. To kidnap, condition, and even train another person seems extremely harsh, yet a they existed. I found it harder to read how they would torture another human being to break their mind and their spirit, just to train a woman to think and be something they weren't. Especially when said person was supposedly in love with their prey. I did find it inspiring on how, even being tortured, a woman can overcome it and try to escape and get back to her family. In fact, the thought of her family propelled her and kept her trying to get back home. It really made me happy to see that family was her motivation. Though, it was rough to get through, it made me wonder how many women could go through what she had and still find the courage and strength to keep trying to figure out a way to escape and get home. Even though, it was clear she was traumatized, it was clear she was more concerned with getting home to her children than how she could be caught and tortured and punished for trying. I found this to be a pleasant idea to have about someone who was captured. After all, wouldn't you end up within just a few days of being hurt over and over, give up and just conform to whoever was trying to condition you was ways? I probably would have. But this woman character definitely shed some light how nothing else mattered where your family is concern.
I found how strong feelings for someone and their family can really change how you view things to be a nice delight. I hadn't expected Lance to end up falling for Morgan's children the way he did to happen. It had been hinted that he loved and wanted a relationship with Morgan, but to see him fall in love with her girls and want to protect them as much as Morgan did, was really a pleasant sight. I know there are men out there like that, but its still rare and to see how his love for Morgan ends up extending to her children was just the right about of sentiment and love the book need to keeps things from going overboard. I enjoyed how he tried his best to make sure her girls were safe and even let them into his house to keep them protected, to be exhilarating and touching. It is always nice to have some wholesome love and concern to help break up some of the tension in a storyline and Leigh's way of adding this to Lance's character was a nice call. It helped keep the danger presented while showing a parental side to Lance and offering up how your friends and potential lover's can easily adore your children as much as you do.
Overall, I would rate Melinda Leigh's Her Last Goodbye 5 stars out of 5 stars for how well written and emotional filled the book was. It could stand alone as it gives refreshers on what happened in the last book, as well as had its own storyline. Though, the character developments increased and they continued to grow through out the story, the reader wouldn't feel like they missed a whole lot by reading this book first. I have to say that has to be something that is delightful. After all, wouldn't is just bite if you had to read the first book to even think about picking up the second. Sometimes you don't always realize what you are grabbing and having a series that has books that could stand alone if they needed to, makes it so much easier to start by whatever book you happen to pick up first. I definitely recommend this book to all our thrill seekers. Its not for the faint of heart, but is still extremely excellent to read.
Hadley (567 KP) rated Hannibal (Hannibal Lecter, #3) in Books
Apr 6, 2019
Written well (1 more)
Interesting characters
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was excited to read this book because Hannibal Lecter is one of my favorite fictional horror characters.
We get to follow Special Agent Clarice Starling through her troubles in the FBI,Hannibal Lecter's life while on the lamb (yes,that was intentional),one Italian detective's need for retribution,and a family's empire thirsty for revenge all inside of Harris' well-written 'Hannibal.'
The transition between this cast of characters is easily done with quick chapters,but Harris never loses a stride,keeping the momentum going from page to page.
The book begins with Special Agent Starling having made her place in the FBI. This soon becomes a controversy after a shootout pushes Starling into the headline spotlight,dubbed as the: Death Angel. Her career begins to fall apart,but not unnoticed by the one and only,Hannibal Lecter.
We meet a new and unforgettable character named Mason Verger. Verger is one of Lecter's earlier victims (pre-Silence of the Lambs),who survived and offers a high reward for the capture of his attacker. Verger is a memorable character --- "Mason Verger,noseless and lipless,with no soft tissue on his face,was all teeth,like a creature of the deep,deep ocean. Inured as we are to masks,the shock in seeing him is delayed. Shock comes with the recognition that this is a human face with a mind behind it. It churns you with its movement,the articulation of the jaw,the turning of the eye to see you. To see your normal face." But finding out the things he had done during his lifetime stays with the reader.
"I'm not ashamed anymore.I'll tell you about anything. It's all okay now. I got a walk on those trumped-up molestation counts if I did five hundred hours of community service,worked at the dog pound and got therapy from Dr. Lecter."
Even I couldn't blame Lecter for what he did to Mason.
"He went over to the mirror I looked at myself in,and kicked the bottom of it and took out a shard. I was flying. He came over and gave me the piece of glass and looked me in the eyes and suggested I might like to peel off my face with it."
Although most would have a revelation after such an attack,Mason continues to be the person he had always been,especially towards the children in his family's 'day care.'
"Do you know what will happen to Kitty Cat? The policemen will take Kitty Cat to the pound and a doctor there will give her a shot. Did you get a shot at day care? Did the nurse give you a shot? With a shiny needle? They'll give Kitty Cat a shot. She'll be so scared when she sees the needle. They'll stick it in and Kitty Cat will hurt and die."
Another interesting character we meet is named Rinaldo Pazzi,an Inspector in Florence,Italy. Pazzi is well known for working high profile cases,including the infamous serial killer,Il Mostro. It is Pazzi who identifies Lecter hiding in Florence. He makes a deal with Verger to help capture him for a nice lump sum,but at the chance of being killed by Lecter.
Eventually,we get a small insight into Lecter's psychological makeup by reliving the death of his sister,Mischa. This memory plays on and off throughout the rest of the book,but it's the only glimpse the reader gets into the dark side of Lecter's mind palace.
Harris beautifully transitioned from 'Silence of the Lambs' to 'Hannibal,' keeping readers on their toes from chapter to chapter. Interesting and dark characters intertwine to bring an end to Hannibal Lecter's series ('Hannibal Rising' is a prequel detailing Lecter's life as a young man).
I wouldn't say that you HAVE to read 'Silence of the Lambs' to understand the book 'Hannibal.' Harris did a great job of reminiscing over events that happened in 'Silence . . ." Yet,having read 'Silence. . .,' I will say you would get a better picture of Hannibal and Starling's view of one another,which would make the ending of 'Hannibal' make more sense to the reader.
Overall,I enjoyed 'Hannibal' more than 'Silence of the Lambs.' I find Starling's maturity in 'Hannibal' refreshing compared to her insecurities in 'Silence. . .' The book is very fluid,but a heavy read - this is not a read-in-a-day kind of book (484 pages). I found myself stopping and allowing what I read to settle in because it just seemed the right thing to do. My only annoyance was that during the entire part two that takes place in Florence,there is a lot of Italian being used without an english translation (I am not fluent,not even a little,so all of those sentences went right over my head). I feel like I may have missed out on some dialogue because of this.
We get to follow Special Agent Clarice Starling through her troubles in the FBI,Hannibal Lecter's life while on the lamb (yes,that was intentional),one Italian detective's need for retribution,and a family's empire thirsty for revenge all inside of Harris' well-written 'Hannibal.'
The transition between this cast of characters is easily done with quick chapters,but Harris never loses a stride,keeping the momentum going from page to page.
The book begins with Special Agent Starling having made her place in the FBI. This soon becomes a controversy after a shootout pushes Starling into the headline spotlight,dubbed as the: Death Angel. Her career begins to fall apart,but not unnoticed by the one and only,Hannibal Lecter.
We meet a new and unforgettable character named Mason Verger. Verger is one of Lecter's earlier victims (pre-Silence of the Lambs),who survived and offers a high reward for the capture of his attacker. Verger is a memorable character --- "Mason Verger,noseless and lipless,with no soft tissue on his face,was all teeth,like a creature of the deep,deep ocean. Inured as we are to masks,the shock in seeing him is delayed. Shock comes with the recognition that this is a human face with a mind behind it. It churns you with its movement,the articulation of the jaw,the turning of the eye to see you. To see your normal face." But finding out the things he had done during his lifetime stays with the reader.
"I'm not ashamed anymore.I'll tell you about anything. It's all okay now. I got a walk on those trumped-up molestation counts if I did five hundred hours of community service,worked at the dog pound and got therapy from Dr. Lecter."
Even I couldn't blame Lecter for what he did to Mason.
"He went over to the mirror I looked at myself in,and kicked the bottom of it and took out a shard. I was flying. He came over and gave me the piece of glass and looked me in the eyes and suggested I might like to peel off my face with it."
Although most would have a revelation after such an attack,Mason continues to be the person he had always been,especially towards the children in his family's 'day care.'
"Do you know what will happen to Kitty Cat? The policemen will take Kitty Cat to the pound and a doctor there will give her a shot. Did you get a shot at day care? Did the nurse give you a shot? With a shiny needle? They'll give Kitty Cat a shot. She'll be so scared when she sees the needle. They'll stick it in and Kitty Cat will hurt and die."
Another interesting character we meet is named Rinaldo Pazzi,an Inspector in Florence,Italy. Pazzi is well known for working high profile cases,including the infamous serial killer,Il Mostro. It is Pazzi who identifies Lecter hiding in Florence. He makes a deal with Verger to help capture him for a nice lump sum,but at the chance of being killed by Lecter.
Eventually,we get a small insight into Lecter's psychological makeup by reliving the death of his sister,Mischa. This memory plays on and off throughout the rest of the book,but it's the only glimpse the reader gets into the dark side of Lecter's mind palace.
Harris beautifully transitioned from 'Silence of the Lambs' to 'Hannibal,' keeping readers on their toes from chapter to chapter. Interesting and dark characters intertwine to bring an end to Hannibal Lecter's series ('Hannibal Rising' is a prequel detailing Lecter's life as a young man).
I wouldn't say that you HAVE to read 'Silence of the Lambs' to understand the book 'Hannibal.' Harris did a great job of reminiscing over events that happened in 'Silence . . ." Yet,having read 'Silence. . .,' I will say you would get a better picture of Hannibal and Starling's view of one another,which would make the ending of 'Hannibal' make more sense to the reader.
Overall,I enjoyed 'Hannibal' more than 'Silence of the Lambs.' I find Starling's maturity in 'Hannibal' refreshing compared to her insecurities in 'Silence. . .' The book is very fluid,but a heavy read - this is not a read-in-a-day kind of book (484 pages). I found myself stopping and allowing what I read to settle in because it just seemed the right thing to do. My only annoyance was that during the entire part two that takes place in Florence,there is a lot of Italian being used without an english translation (I am not fluent,not even a little,so all of those sentences went right over my head). I feel like I may have missed out on some dialogue because of this.
The nerdy birdie (67 KP) rated Girls' Night Out in Books
Jul 2, 2018
First & foremost thank you very much to Netgalley & Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review ❤️??.
I MUST start off by saying that when I browse through Netgalley and choose which books I'd like to review I always go by the synopsis of the book and don't really pay attention to the cover or the author(s). I absolutely love a good thriller, so when I read what this book was about I couldn't hit the "request" button fast enough. When asked what appealed to me...I indicated the subject matter. How could I not relate to going on a trip with two of my best girlfriends? Sign me up! Then, since I am very new to this process, only joining as of May 30th, I was approved for a large amount of novels all at once and this one got lost somewhere in amongst the crowd. I read 15 books BEFORE this one, which would not have been the case had I taken a brief moment to contemplate where I had heard the two authors names Lisa Steinke & Liz Fenton before.
To continue on with my story...I was ready to select my next book to read last night and came across
" Girls' Night Out" somewhere in the middle of my shelf and thought to myself, " Awesome...Download!" It wasn't until I was flipping through the beginning pages ( you know, the ones that are usually passed by and disregarded until you find page 1 or " prologue.") when I saw other books listed by these co-authors. There in plain sight was " The Status of All Things," one of my favorite books of all time! My review of this book clearly indicates " definitely in my top 20 books of all time" and it's categorized in my favorites folder on goodreads! Total fan-girl moment!!!!! Kate was one of my favorite characters, I saw so much of myself in her! So...before I review this new book I must also insist that if you're reading this to please also pick up their other book " The Status of All Things" which I have already recommended to every single one of my friends. It is about a girl in her thirties that is obsessed with social media ( who isn't?) who is able to keep changing her life & the lives of those around her based on her Facebook status updates! It reminds me of Lauren Oliver's "Before I Fall" meets "The Butterfly Effect" movie. End rant, sorry! But read it ?
Now onto my review of " A Girls' Night Out!" Whew! The suspense was almost too much to bear in this one! Just imagine...you go on a much needed vaca to a beautiful island with two of your best girl friends and one of them disappears!!! Yes, you wake up and she's gone..one friend can't remember because she was so intoxicated and the other basically left her to fend for herself and went home with some random bartender. Which one would you rather be? The missing? The drunk? The sexaholic? Not very good friends if you ask me.
I started reading around 9 pm and read for so long that I fell asleep with my kindle on my face, woke up at 4 am and read some more, and couldn't put it down all day today! I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner all the while flip, flip, flipping through the pages and devouring every word! It was like this book was my oxygen and I needed it to survive.
I had myself talked into various scenarios because I so desperately wanted to figure out what was going on! At one point I thought that Marco was a setup from the beginning, a plant to take Ashley away and cause problems for her marriage. Payback time? Then I thought that Lauren had drugged Natalie and done something to Ashley herself. I also thought that Ben, Jason & Natalie were in on something together against Ashley because they all wanted the money from the business. I also thought Marco wasn't even real and maybe someone that both girls made up to get away with murder! Man does my head hurt! This book gave me whiplash ?? I won't give away any spoilers or endings but what I will say is that when they showed up at the morgue to identify the body my heart was pounding like I was right there with them. Please don't let it be her.
How can these two best friends perfect two completely different genres? I don't know, but they did! A great team! Can't wait to read ALL of their other books! Another one to add to my favorites shelf.
I MUST start off by saying that when I browse through Netgalley and choose which books I'd like to review I always go by the synopsis of the book and don't really pay attention to the cover or the author(s). I absolutely love a good thriller, so when I read what this book was about I couldn't hit the "request" button fast enough. When asked what appealed to me...I indicated the subject matter. How could I not relate to going on a trip with two of my best girlfriends? Sign me up! Then, since I am very new to this process, only joining as of May 30th, I was approved for a large amount of novels all at once and this one got lost somewhere in amongst the crowd. I read 15 books BEFORE this one, which would not have been the case had I taken a brief moment to contemplate where I had heard the two authors names Lisa Steinke & Liz Fenton before.
To continue on with my story...I was ready to select my next book to read last night and came across
" Girls' Night Out" somewhere in the middle of my shelf and thought to myself, " Awesome...Download!" It wasn't until I was flipping through the beginning pages ( you know, the ones that are usually passed by and disregarded until you find page 1 or " prologue.") when I saw other books listed by these co-authors. There in plain sight was " The Status of All Things," one of my favorite books of all time! My review of this book clearly indicates " definitely in my top 20 books of all time" and it's categorized in my favorites folder on goodreads! Total fan-girl moment!!!!! Kate was one of my favorite characters, I saw so much of myself in her! So...before I review this new book I must also insist that if you're reading this to please also pick up their other book " The Status of All Things" which I have already recommended to every single one of my friends. It is about a girl in her thirties that is obsessed with social media ( who isn't?) who is able to keep changing her life & the lives of those around her based on her Facebook status updates! It reminds me of Lauren Oliver's "Before I Fall" meets "The Butterfly Effect" movie. End rant, sorry! But read it ?
Now onto my review of " A Girls' Night Out!" Whew! The suspense was almost too much to bear in this one! Just imagine...you go on a much needed vaca to a beautiful island with two of your best girl friends and one of them disappears!!! Yes, you wake up and she's gone..one friend can't remember because she was so intoxicated and the other basically left her to fend for herself and went home with some random bartender. Which one would you rather be? The missing? The drunk? The sexaholic? Not very good friends if you ask me.
I started reading around 9 pm and read for so long that I fell asleep with my kindle on my face, woke up at 4 am and read some more, and couldn't put it down all day today! I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner all the while flip, flip, flipping through the pages and devouring every word! It was like this book was my oxygen and I needed it to survive.
I had myself talked into various scenarios because I so desperately wanted to figure out what was going on! At one point I thought that Marco was a setup from the beginning, a plant to take Ashley away and cause problems for her marriage. Payback time? Then I thought that Lauren had drugged Natalie and done something to Ashley herself. I also thought that Ben, Jason & Natalie were in on something together against Ashley because they all wanted the money from the business. I also thought Marco wasn't even real and maybe someone that both girls made up to get away with murder! Man does my head hurt! This book gave me whiplash ?? I won't give away any spoilers or endings but what I will say is that when they showed up at the morgue to identify the body my heart was pounding like I was right there with them. Please don't let it be her.
How can these two best friends perfect two completely different genres? I don't know, but they did! A great team! Can't wait to read ALL of their other books! Another one to add to my favorites shelf.
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Daybreakers (2009) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Jun 23, 2019)
In the not too distant future, the majority of the population are vampires and the world has been modified to adjust to the daylight. Remaining humans are "farmed" for blood, but the supply is running thin and the human race is on the verge of extinction. Dr. Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) is a hematologist that works at Bromley Marks, the empire of Charles Bromley (Sam Neill), and is put in charge of finding a blood substitute, but has come up empty handed up until this point. Dalton is convinced that the vampire race has its work cut out for them with the blood supply being so low. He runs into a small group of humans one night at work and is eventually introduced to Lionel "Elvis" Cormac (Willem Dafoe), a former vampire who has something better than a blood substitute; a cure. Now Dalton finds himself risking everything on an experimental treatment that could be the key to saving mankind.
Daybreakers had all the ingredients of a film that should be loved by any horror fan. First and foremost, it's a new vampire movie that isn't Twilight. On top of that, it's R-rated so it doesn't pull any punches when it comes to blood and gore (and trust me, there's quite a bit). It also offers a bit of a new twist on what was otherwise exhausted when it comes to stories relating to vampires. With all that being said, however, it still wasn't as good as it should have been.
It was great to see Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill not only as part of the cast, but also both have decent amounts of screen time. Sam Neill was in John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness, which is a favorite of mine that managed to make me a fan of the Irish actor. Willem Dafoe just seems underrated and doesn't get the credit he deserves. Not that his role in this will really change anyone's minds regarding him as a great actor or anything, but that's jumping the gun a bit. The story is the film's strong point, but is still pretty flawed. Humans being farmed for blood and dying out is a great concept. The cure is rather different and unique than what you've become used to in vampire films, which lead to an interesting third act. The ending is probably where the film could potentially make someone dislike the film. Not everyone is going to like the finale, but it was a nice change of pace to not have the same recycled storyline or ending for once.
Regarding the acting though, there isn't much of it. Willem Dafoe shows a little personality and has a one-liner or two that will get a few laughs. Sam Neill also shows some signs of life and fits the role as the main villain of the film rather well. Every other character felt rather flat and showed no depth at all. While the blood used in the film was a fantastic color, some of the special effects seemed rather cheesy at times. Mainly the scene where a vampire is hanging from the ceiling fighting Ethan Hawke and his brother comes to mind. The cuts were quick, which seemed to try and cover up the fact, but it still stuck out. That may be nitpicking a bit since it was pretty top notch the rest of the time. The Underworld films (at least the first two) come to mind as they left the same kind of bitter aftertaste and seemed to suffer similar problems.
It's a shame Daybreakers didn't live up to its potential. It contains a strong cast and delivers an original take on something that's been associated with horror for nearly 200 years. The acting is what seems to hurt the film the most though since the way everyone says their lines makes it seem like they don't want to be there. It's still worth viewing, but you may want to rent before buying. In all honesty, it may be worth supporting just to get an R-rated vampire film a bit more recognition and slightly dim the spotlight currently shining on whatever teenage vampire franchise is currently taking off for whatever reason.
Daybreakers had all the ingredients of a film that should be loved by any horror fan. First and foremost, it's a new vampire movie that isn't Twilight. On top of that, it's R-rated so it doesn't pull any punches when it comes to blood and gore (and trust me, there's quite a bit). It also offers a bit of a new twist on what was otherwise exhausted when it comes to stories relating to vampires. With all that being said, however, it still wasn't as good as it should have been.
It was great to see Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill not only as part of the cast, but also both have decent amounts of screen time. Sam Neill was in John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness, which is a favorite of mine that managed to make me a fan of the Irish actor. Willem Dafoe just seems underrated and doesn't get the credit he deserves. Not that his role in this will really change anyone's minds regarding him as a great actor or anything, but that's jumping the gun a bit. The story is the film's strong point, but is still pretty flawed. Humans being farmed for blood and dying out is a great concept. The cure is rather different and unique than what you've become used to in vampire films, which lead to an interesting third act. The ending is probably where the film could potentially make someone dislike the film. Not everyone is going to like the finale, but it was a nice change of pace to not have the same recycled storyline or ending for once.
Regarding the acting though, there isn't much of it. Willem Dafoe shows a little personality and has a one-liner or two that will get a few laughs. Sam Neill also shows some signs of life and fits the role as the main villain of the film rather well. Every other character felt rather flat and showed no depth at all. While the blood used in the film was a fantastic color, some of the special effects seemed rather cheesy at times. Mainly the scene where a vampire is hanging from the ceiling fighting Ethan Hawke and his brother comes to mind. The cuts were quick, which seemed to try and cover up the fact, but it still stuck out. That may be nitpicking a bit since it was pretty top notch the rest of the time. The Underworld films (at least the first two) come to mind as they left the same kind of bitter aftertaste and seemed to suffer similar problems.
It's a shame Daybreakers didn't live up to its potential. It contains a strong cast and delivers an original take on something that's been associated with horror for nearly 200 years. The acting is what seems to hurt the film the most though since the way everyone says their lines makes it seem like they don't want to be there. It's still worth viewing, but you may want to rent before buying. In all honesty, it may be worth supporting just to get an R-rated vampire film a bit more recognition and slightly dim the spotlight currently shining on whatever teenage vampire franchise is currently taking off for whatever reason.
Debbiereadsbook (1069 KP) rated Lost in Indigo (Colors of Love #1) in Books
Mar 7, 2019
loved this!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Faced with the end of his hockey career, Mathieu goes home to heal. His long time friend brings his 20 year old son to help Matt around. But Matt is not prepared fro how he feels about Indigo, especially as he has managed to keep his sexuality a secret. But Indigo is a unique young man, genderflux, out and proud. Can Matt recover enough to play again, can he and Indigo be happy in secret?
Ordinarily, I would say here that I wanted to hear from both main characters. Indigo does not have a voice here, and ORDINARILY that would be a major gripe of mine.
BUT!!
I actually rather enjoyed this, with only Matt having a say! I made a new shelf for it and everything!
Matt is deep in the closet, he knows it, and up to now, has just made do. Breaking his leg, and going back to Canada and meeting the now grown up Indigo again makes Matt question a lot of things. And as time goes on, he realises that maybe being in the closet is not a good thing, especially when he wants Indigo in his life, and Indigo wants to be in that life, but Indigo will NOT be a dirty secret.
I loved that Matt has a dawning revelation about Indigo. His feelings grow, over time, but Indigo was all in, right from the start! Loved that his NEIGHBOUR, of all people, had Matt sussed, right from way back when they first met, but his AGENT, who knew him so much longer, had not a clue! I loved that Indigo's dad, Matt long time friend, was, while not totally against Matt and Indigo being together, he was "don't hurt my boy, or I'll break the other leg" on Matt. Papa Bear at his very best!
I loved that, when called on it, Indigo gives Matt a deadline, and Matt delivers! Loved the way he does that!
I read another series by this author, The Point Shot trilogy, and I said in that review, that I loved it because it was single person point of view, so Ms Vocey has a way of negating my dislike of single person points of view, with strong minded, loud voiced characters! I need MORE of this author, I really do!
There are a few pages of hockey commentary, I skipped those, I'm not any kinds of sports fan, at all, but I didn't feel I missed anything by doing so. Just don't hate me!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Faced with the end of his hockey career, Mathieu goes home to heal. His long time friend brings his 20 year old son to help Matt around. But Matt is not prepared fro how he feels about Indigo, especially as he has managed to keep his sexuality a secret. But Indigo is a unique young man, genderflux, out and proud. Can Matt recover enough to play again, can he and Indigo be happy in secret?
Ordinarily, I would say here that I wanted to hear from both main characters. Indigo does not have a voice here, and ORDINARILY that would be a major gripe of mine.
BUT!!
I actually rather enjoyed this, with only Matt having a say! I made a new shelf for it and everything!
Matt is deep in the closet, he knows it, and up to now, has just made do. Breaking his leg, and going back to Canada and meeting the now grown up Indigo again makes Matt question a lot of things. And as time goes on, he realises that maybe being in the closet is not a good thing, especially when he wants Indigo in his life, and Indigo wants to be in that life, but Indigo will NOT be a dirty secret.
I loved that Matt has a dawning revelation about Indigo. His feelings grow, over time, but Indigo was all in, right from the start! Loved that his NEIGHBOUR, of all people, had Matt sussed, right from way back when they first met, but his AGENT, who knew him so much longer, had not a clue! I loved that Indigo's dad, Matt long time friend, was, while not totally against Matt and Indigo being together, he was "don't hurt my boy, or I'll break the other leg" on Matt. Papa Bear at his very best!
I loved that, when called on it, Indigo gives Matt a deadline, and Matt delivers! Loved the way he does that!
I read another series by this author, The Point Shot trilogy, and I said in that review, that I loved it because it was single person point of view, so Ms Vocey has a way of negating my dislike of single person points of view, with strong minded, loud voiced characters! I need MORE of this author, I really do!
There are a few pages of hockey commentary, I skipped those, I'm not any kinds of sports fan, at all, but I didn't feel I missed anything by doing so. Just don't hate me!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Natacha (374 KP) rated Kings of the Wyld in Books
Sep 29, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
This was another book that I picked after it was recommended from one of my favourite Youtuber, Holly Heats Books, and as always I wasn't disappointed.
Kings of the Wyld is a "getting out of retirement of one last job" story. A band of five getting back together to save the daughter of one of them. The story is very well written, action-packed with a touch on humour here and there.
Things I liked:
-All the characters are very well written. They all have their own unique voice, personality and they offer something different to the band as well as the story.
-The relationships between all the characters are well crafted. By the end, you know and feel how close this band is and how much they love each other.
-I generally adore when an action/adventure book or movie has just a hint of comic relief without going overboard and turning it into stupid moments. And the author knows exactly when and where to add this little moment of humour to make you laugh without turning the story into ridicule. Love, love that!
-You never get bored. There is always something happening, twists and turns and obstacles being thrown to our heroes, without the story getting repetitive.
-They weren't a lot of twists and most were obvious but one of them I didn't see it coming. Maybe if I had paid more attention I could have seen it coming but I didn't so I was quite surprised.
-The final battle. I spend the entire book wondering how 5 guys will manager to fight a whole army. And the answer wasn't something that I was expecting and it was epic! Maybe with some clichés, like the "final speech to get people to follow you", but they were all so well done!
Things I didn't like:
-The fantasy world contains EVERY creature ever mentioned in fantasy, folk stories, and mythologies. From dragons and orcs to merpeople to vampires and werewolves. Which is amazing and interesting but... because there are so many creatures mentioned some of them are not described maybe because we should know how they look (?) and if you add all the author places and his own fantasy creature some time I got confused and overwhelmed and didn't necessarily know what kind of creature the author is talking about and I couldn't picture the scene properly in my mind.
-Magic has no rules. Which I don't really mind but.... [Spoiler] at some point it was used in a way that kind of put me off. Towards the end, our primary MC loses his hand and I liked the fact that the author didn't shy away from injuring his character but... this was fixed a chapter later with a magic potion that just made his hand grow back. What? Why? And this is where a draw the line on the "magic with no rules". Don't use random magic as a way to "fix" your character because you didn't want them to be hurt after all! Scars are witness to our own story and our past. Those guys went through a crazy adventure they should have scares and injuries, so if one of them loses his hand during a battle why go back on that a chapter later with a convenient magic potion. I was quite mad about that part but it was just a minor part of the story.
Despite a couple of tiny details, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It was one of the best books I've read so far this year.
The review can also be found here: https://natachainreviewland.wordpress.com/2019/09/29/king-of-the-wyld-by-nicholas-eames/
Kings of the Wyld is a "getting out of retirement of one last job" story. A band of five getting back together to save the daughter of one of them. The story is very well written, action-packed with a touch on humour here and there.
Things I liked:
-All the characters are very well written. They all have their own unique voice, personality and they offer something different to the band as well as the story.
-The relationships between all the characters are well crafted. By the end, you know and feel how close this band is and how much they love each other.
-I generally adore when an action/adventure book or movie has just a hint of comic relief without going overboard and turning it into stupid moments. And the author knows exactly when and where to add this little moment of humour to make you laugh without turning the story into ridicule. Love, love that!
-You never get bored. There is always something happening, twists and turns and obstacles being thrown to our heroes, without the story getting repetitive.
-They weren't a lot of twists and most were obvious but one of them I didn't see it coming. Maybe if I had paid more attention I could have seen it coming but I didn't so I was quite surprised.
-The final battle. I spend the entire book wondering how 5 guys will manager to fight a whole army. And the answer wasn't something that I was expecting and it was epic! Maybe with some clichés, like the "final speech to get people to follow you", but they were all so well done!
Things I didn't like:
-The fantasy world contains EVERY creature ever mentioned in fantasy, folk stories, and mythologies. From dragons and orcs to merpeople to vampires and werewolves. Which is amazing and interesting but... because there are so many creatures mentioned some of them are not described maybe because we should know how they look (?) and if you add all the author places and his own fantasy creature some time I got confused and overwhelmed and didn't necessarily know what kind of creature the author is talking about and I couldn't picture the scene properly in my mind.
-Magic has no rules. Which I don't really mind but.... [Spoiler] at some point it was used in a way that kind of put me off. Towards the end, our primary MC loses his hand and I liked the fact that the author didn't shy away from injuring his character but... this was fixed a chapter later with a magic potion that just made his hand grow back. What? Why? And this is where a draw the line on the "magic with no rules". Don't use random magic as a way to "fix" your character because you didn't want them to be hurt after all! Scars are witness to our own story and our past. Those guys went through a crazy adventure they should have scares and injuries, so if one of them loses his hand during a battle why go back on that a chapter later with a convenient magic potion. I was quite mad about that part but it was just a minor part of the story.
Despite a couple of tiny details, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It was one of the best books I've read so far this year.
The review can also be found here: https://natachainreviewland.wordpress.com/2019/09/29/king-of-the-wyld-by-nicholas-eames/