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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious #3) in Books
Mar 19, 2020
The finale to the Truly Devious trilogy does not disappoint. Stevie Bell believes she has solved the famous Truly Devious case. But she hasn't really told anyone yet. After all, yet another person is dead, someone else (whom she has kissed) has disappeared, and then another accident strikes Ellingham Academy. All while a giant snowstorm is about to hit the school. Stevie is sure everything is tied together--the deaths in the past, the deaths in the present. But it's finally too much for Ellingham. The school is being evacuated. Stevie is being sent home. It's over. So she makes the only rational choice. Time to stay at the school in the face of an insane storm--and a potential murderer.
Oh I love this series so very much. I highly recommend it. Stevie is such a wonderful character, filled with real flaws and amazing skills. Johnson's treatment of Stevie's anxiety across the trilogy is spot-on, and she just captures Stevie so perfectly. Her love of crime, her intelligence, her wit. It's impossible not to adore this girl.
Book three starts off with a bang--the format alternates between the present and parts of the past, depicting scenes involving the Truly Devious case that Stevie has worked so hard to solve. Filling in the pieces of that famous case--the disappearance of Albert Ellingham's wife and daughter. It works perfectly and it's captivating, finally finding out exactly what happened to Iris and Alice--and all the other players in the 1930s.
I don't want to say much more and spoil anything, except to say it was all perfect. Stevie and the cast of characters is great--I've come to care for so many of them now. And Johnson excels at having a diverse group in her books, which I love. The conclusion of the mystery is excellent; I was frantically flipping pages and caught on every word. The ending is quite fitting for a beloved series. 4.5 stars.
Oh I love this series so very much. I highly recommend it. Stevie is such a wonderful character, filled with real flaws and amazing skills. Johnson's treatment of Stevie's anxiety across the trilogy is spot-on, and she just captures Stevie so perfectly. Her love of crime, her intelligence, her wit. It's impossible not to adore this girl.
Book three starts off with a bang--the format alternates between the present and parts of the past, depicting scenes involving the Truly Devious case that Stevie has worked so hard to solve. Filling in the pieces of that famous case--the disappearance of Albert Ellingham's wife and daughter. It works perfectly and it's captivating, finally finding out exactly what happened to Iris and Alice--and all the other players in the 1930s.
I don't want to say much more and spoil anything, except to say it was all perfect. Stevie and the cast of characters is great--I've come to care for so many of them now. And Johnson excels at having a diverse group in her books, which I love. The conclusion of the mystery is excellent; I was frantically flipping pages and caught on every word. The ending is quite fitting for a beloved series. 4.5 stars.
The Chickamauga Campaign-Barren Victory: The Retreat into Chattanooga, the Confederate Pursuit, and the Aftermath of the Battle, September 21 to October 20, 1863
Book
Now in paperback, Barren Victory is the third and concluding volume of the magisterial Chickamauga...
The Cultural Revolution: A People's History, 1962-1976
Book
Acclaimed by the Daily Mail as 'definitive and harrowing' , this is the final volume of 'The...
All This I Do for Glory by Colin Stetson
Album Watch
"All this I do for glory" is a reasoning and exploration of the machinations of ambition and legacy,...
alternative rock
Ross (3284 KP) rated How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) in Movies
Feb 25, 2019
Fitting conclusion
The conclusion to the trilogy sees the dragon population under threat from poachers, and their use of a female "light fury" to lure toothless and all the dragons who follow him to their capture.
The plot sees Hiccup struggling to accept his inevitable marriage to Astrid, at the same time as Toothless seems besotted with his new female acquaintance. Toothless's reluctance to leave Hiccup behind is won over by his desire to get to know the female; whereas with Hiccup his head wins out and he doesn't seem ready to focus on anything other than leading the clan.
The visuals are excellent, with some scenes that rival Coco for beautiful other-worldly colours.
The story is enough to keep all entertained, and this might have been my 4 year old son's first real emotional film (at the end he turned to me with wet eyes and said "its ok sometimes to cry when a happy thing happens instead of a sad one").
The plot sees Hiccup struggling to accept his inevitable marriage to Astrid, at the same time as Toothless seems besotted with his new female acquaintance. Toothless's reluctance to leave Hiccup behind is won over by his desire to get to know the female; whereas with Hiccup his head wins out and he doesn't seem ready to focus on anything other than leading the clan.
The visuals are excellent, with some scenes that rival Coco for beautiful other-worldly colours.
The story is enough to keep all entertained, and this might have been my 4 year old son's first real emotional film (at the end he turned to me with wet eyes and said "its ok sometimes to cry when a happy thing happens instead of a sad one").
Entertainment Editor (1988 KP) rated Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game in Tabletop Games
Mar 7, 2018
Next to the iconic light saber battles, nothing excites a Star Wars fan more than the epic space battles. The original Star Wars trilogy had some of the most unique and beautifully designed space ships in all of science fiction. For its time, the X-Wing was a truly iconic piece of special effects. With the introduction of Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures game from Fantasy Flight Games, players can now have their own space battles with these memorable ships. Does Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures have what it takes to score a victory on you table top or should it be encased in carbonite? Read on to find out!
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures is a miniatures game of space combat for 2 players. The game players in about 30-60 minutes and can be expanded to accommodate more players.
Reviewer: Tony MastrangeliRead the full review here: https://www.boardgamequest.com/x-wing-miniatures-board-game-review/
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures is a miniatures game of space combat for 2 players. The game players in about 30-60 minutes and can be expanded to accommodate more players.
Reviewer: Tony MastrangeliRead the full review here: https://www.boardgamequest.com/x-wing-miniatures-board-game-review/
Awix (3310 KP) rated 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
Kubrick and Clarke's proverbial good SF movie encompasses the entire history of the human race in 142 minutes (it takes the Fifty Shades trilogy 343 minutes to say considerably less about slightly more trivial matters). Much of the plot is left for the viewer to infer: where do we come from? Where are we going? What is our essential nature? What does it all mean? Probably appears to concern uplift of human race from primitive apes to transcendent star-beings by extraterrestrial forces, with the odd problem along the way.
Not the warmest or paciest of films, but still fabulous to look at and displaying a consummate mastery of image and sound. Probably says something about the film that the only performance most people can remember is that of Hal the computer. Not so much a film with a story as a series of unforgettable linked audio-visual experiences; one of those movies that everyone should see at least once, preferably on the big screen.
Not the warmest or paciest of films, but still fabulous to look at and displaying a consummate mastery of image and sound. Probably says something about the film that the only performance most people can remember is that of Hal the computer. Not so much a film with a story as a series of unforgettable linked audio-visual experiences; one of those movies that everyone should see at least once, preferably on the big screen.
☽LUNA☾ RAMBLING (2 KP) rated Twilight's Dawn (The Black Jewels, #9) in Books
Sep 24, 2018
I am so disappointed with this ending. I recently came across this series and absolutely devoured the beginning trilogy. I was in love. Bought the rest of the books in the series and was slowly poisoned. The other books did not produce the same feelings I got with the first three. The Shalador novellas finally gave me some feels and felt well thought out. But this ending for WITCH!?! I think not. Why build such an intense, strong and facetted character to give her such a weak ending. I really don't feel it jibed with this character that was the reason in this world. And poor Surreal, she was such a great character as well, she deserved a better ending. I feel like this was an ending that would arise if an author had a knife against their throat being threatened to get an ending wrapped up in an afternoon lol. Okay rant over....
Lee (2222 KP) rated Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018) in Movies
Nov 2, 2018 (Updated Nov 2, 2018)
Absolutely awful
A fracking site close to a private school deep in the countryside causes a sinkhole to appear. From which, a bunch of subterranean creatures emerge and begin munching on the teachers and pupils. It's then up to a group of them to band together and do whatever it takes in order to save the school.
Slaughterhouse Rulez boasts an impressive cast, including Michael Sheen, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Pegg and Frost are even credited as executive producers, so you'd be forgiven for expecting something along the lines of the brilliant three flavours Cornetto trilogy. Unfortunately, it comes nothing close, and I cannot believe those 3 had anything to do with this. The characters are mostly lazily written stereotypes and it's not at all funny. The creatures themselves have good potential, but due to poor editing they don't even come across as scary. It's just not very good at all. Such a disappointment.
Slaughterhouse Rulez boasts an impressive cast, including Michael Sheen, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Pegg and Frost are even credited as executive producers, so you'd be forgiven for expecting something along the lines of the brilliant three flavours Cornetto trilogy. Unfortunately, it comes nothing close, and I cannot believe those 3 had anything to do with this. The characters are mostly lazily written stereotypes and it's not at all funny. The creatures themselves have good potential, but due to poor editing they don't even come across as scary. It's just not very good at all. Such a disappointment.