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Amy Christmas (171 KP) rated Half the World in Books
Dec 20, 2017 (Updated Dec 22, 2017)
Amazing character development (2 more)
Fast paced scenes along with slow scenes
Writing style is easy to follow
Starting is slow to get in to (1 more)
Spelling and grammatical mistakes
An unexpectedly good middle book
In the second book following from Half a King we follow two new characters, Thorn and Brand. Thorn is a girl in a man's world fighting in the ring with the desire to become a gettland warrior, while Brand is a man who despite fighting in the ring hesitates and only wants to do 'good'.
In the first few chapters we learn that Thorn is disliked for her desire to fight and Master Hunnan, their trainer, sets 3 men on her at once for her warriors test. Thorn is beaten down by the men until she accidentally kills one of them. Named a murderer and shamed she's taken to the king and sentenced to death.
Meanwhile Brand while disliking Thorn doesn't want her to be punished due to the unfairness of the situation. Then we get our first look at Yarvi as Brand confesses the true situation and asks him to save Thorn.
At first Yarvi comes off as a cold closed and cunning man but we soon learn that he is the same old Yarvi just with a few more tricks.
Following these events Thorn and Brand find themselves on Yarvi's ship as he sails out to find allies against The High King who angers at Gettland not bending their knee to him. Skifr a warrior trains Thorn in battle until Thorn is as deadly as a knives edge.
We meet king Fynn of Throvenland and sail up the divine and denied and carry a ship over the fall hauls to arrive at the first city. Here we meet the new empress of the South and find that they too have political disturbances leading to death and chaos.
Through this journey we find Brand is a good but uncertain man and Thorn is bold, and deadly yet broken and Yarvi doesn't keep to all of his oaths.
This is a fantastic follow on from the first book as the new characters are well developed as well as the world itself. As the stake rise and allies are found I can't wait to read the third book to finish this story off.
In the first few chapters we learn that Thorn is disliked for her desire to fight and Master Hunnan, their trainer, sets 3 men on her at once for her warriors test. Thorn is beaten down by the men until she accidentally kills one of them. Named a murderer and shamed she's taken to the king and sentenced to death.
Meanwhile Brand while disliking Thorn doesn't want her to be punished due to the unfairness of the situation. Then we get our first look at Yarvi as Brand confesses the true situation and asks him to save Thorn.
At first Yarvi comes off as a cold closed and cunning man but we soon learn that he is the same old Yarvi just with a few more tricks.
Following these events Thorn and Brand find themselves on Yarvi's ship as he sails out to find allies against The High King who angers at Gettland not bending their knee to him. Skifr a warrior trains Thorn in battle until Thorn is as deadly as a knives edge.
We meet king Fynn of Throvenland and sail up the divine and denied and carry a ship over the fall hauls to arrive at the first city. Here we meet the new empress of the South and find that they too have political disturbances leading to death and chaos.
Through this journey we find Brand is a good but uncertain man and Thorn is bold, and deadly yet broken and Yarvi doesn't keep to all of his oaths.
This is a fantastic follow on from the first book as the new characters are well developed as well as the world itself. As the stake rise and allies are found I can't wait to read the third book to finish this story off.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Keridan's Journey in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I stopped reading this book at page 88. I just could not stand the blatant lack of proper grammar and punctuation so prevalent on every page. Since I could not understand how something so bad could actually get published, I looked up the "book imprint" and realized that this is self-publishing at its worst. Michelle Peterson runs an art website and teaches art, then conceives of the idea to write her own book and create her own Imprint so that the book can be considered published. Really??
There are so many examples of bad grammar in this book, I don't know where to begin. Commas are so lacking, I want to cry. Specifically, when using prepositions or preposition-like modifiers, commas are needed. Also, compound sentences require the use of a comma. You would be surprised at how much a simple comma allows the reader to garner the true meaning of a sentence. Another example that illustrates how badly this book needed an editor is found on page 86: "I was left to wonder wear my tough skin went." Yes, you read that correctly.
Another huge problem I had with the book is the author's complete disregard for the writer's tool of "show, don't tell." While I understand that sometimes the rule can be disregarded, this book lacks in "showing" so much that I have no connection to any of the characters, and none of the events transpiring can compel any interest or emotional response in me. For example, on page 13, Keridan is thrust into a dream to speak with her mother. It reads "The smells, the colors are only this vibrant in a dream." That's it. No description, no picture painted with words, nothing is detailed, except in the most basic of words, such as "forest grove with flowers", "fairy dress", etc. I don't know what any of the characters look like, nor can I tell the difference between any of them.
I usually love fantasy, especially because of the imaginative descriptions that defy reality and convention, but (see? Comma!) even with a great concept of using the Greek myths of Sirens to build a world, this book is too disappointing and frustrating to be worth my time and energy. In all honesty, this book reads like a first draft of a novel after NanoWrimo -- messy, disorderly, and badly in need of a rewrite.
There are so many examples of bad grammar in this book, I don't know where to begin. Commas are so lacking, I want to cry. Specifically, when using prepositions or preposition-like modifiers, commas are needed. Also, compound sentences require the use of a comma. You would be surprised at how much a simple comma allows the reader to garner the true meaning of a sentence. Another example that illustrates how badly this book needed an editor is found on page 86: "I was left to wonder wear my tough skin went." Yes, you read that correctly.
Another huge problem I had with the book is the author's complete disregard for the writer's tool of "show, don't tell." While I understand that sometimes the rule can be disregarded, this book lacks in "showing" so much that I have no connection to any of the characters, and none of the events transpiring can compel any interest or emotional response in me. For example, on page 13, Keridan is thrust into a dream to speak with her mother. It reads "The smells, the colors are only this vibrant in a dream." That's it. No description, no picture painted with words, nothing is detailed, except in the most basic of words, such as "forest grove with flowers", "fairy dress", etc. I don't know what any of the characters look like, nor can I tell the difference between any of them.
I usually love fantasy, especially because of the imaginative descriptions that defy reality and convention, but (see? Comma!) even with a great concept of using the Greek myths of Sirens to build a world, this book is too disappointing and frustrating to be worth my time and energy. In all honesty, this book reads like a first draft of a novel after NanoWrimo -- messy, disorderly, and badly in need of a rewrite.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated A Promise Forged (Ohio Brides #3) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
Kat transformed in front of him. Her chin came up, her fingers stopped twitching with the fabric of her gown, and a real sparkle bubbled in her eyes. It was like watching Snow White come to life when the prince kissed her. A heartwarming WWII historical from award-winning author Cara Putman: Kat Miller has dreamed of playing baseball her entire life. When she earns a spot on a team in the All-American Girls Professional Softball League, she finds that things aren’t as glamorous as she imagined. She struggles with long road trips, grueling practices, and older teammates who are jealous of her success. And to top it all off, an irritating reporter is constantly getting under Kat’s skin. Events in Jack Raymond’s career have left him cynical and distanced from God. He never wanted to write at a small paper, and he certainly didn’t want to be assigned to something as inconsequential as a women’s softball team. Then Kat walks into his life. The fiery, young softball player somehow climbs the walls around his heart and makes him want to hope again. When lies fly and the league appears to fail, will Kat and Jack’s new love survive?
My Thoughts: Every girl has a dream, and this time it's Kat's turn to have hers come true! A chance to play professional baseball. Cara Putman has weaved history and fiction in an entertaining storyline; s based the all women's league that was formed during the second world war.
Kat is the youngest member on the team and as I read the book, I wanted to take her under my wing and protect her from her jealous teammates. Kat had to suffer being away from her family, the jealousy of some of her teammates, traveling, grueling schedules and falling in love for the first time.
This was a very entertaining novel. I truly enjoyed it and it was a pleasure to read. One of the things I enjoyed about the book, was that Kat wanted to make a difference. She wanted to be a light for the Lord where ever she went. Her actions actually made Jack turn back to the Lord.
Even though I hadn't read the first two books, this was easy to follow on its own. I would love to read more from Cara Putman.
My Thoughts: Every girl has a dream, and this time it's Kat's turn to have hers come true! A chance to play professional baseball. Cara Putman has weaved history and fiction in an entertaining storyline; s based the all women's league that was formed during the second world war.
Kat is the youngest member on the team and as I read the book, I wanted to take her under my wing and protect her from her jealous teammates. Kat had to suffer being away from her family, the jealousy of some of her teammates, traveling, grueling schedules and falling in love for the first time.
This was a very entertaining novel. I truly enjoyed it and it was a pleasure to read. One of the things I enjoyed about the book, was that Kat wanted to make a difference. She wanted to be a light for the Lord where ever she went. Her actions actually made Jack turn back to the Lord.
Even though I hadn't read the first two books, this was easy to follow on its own. I would love to read more from Cara Putman.
ClareR (5955 KP) rated So Much Life Left Over in Books
Sep 8, 2018
The aftermath of World War 1 in true de Bernieres style.
Louis de Bernieres has been one of my favourite authors ever since I stumbled across The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts in 1990. As soon as I see that he has a book coming out, I avidly wait until I can buy it, trying to get as much information about the subject matter as I can (yes, I'm a fan-girl). This novel has not disappointed me.
So Much Life Left Over takes us back in to the lives of Rosie and Daniel Pitt after the First World War has come to an end. We go as far as Ceylon, back to London and to Germany in the 1930's. We catch up with all of the characters that we first encountered in The Dust That Falls From Dreams (and if you haven't read that yet, you're seriously missing out), and learn about what happens to Rosie's sisters, parents and those that they have met along the way.
I love the dialogue in this book: it's punchy, quick-witted and emotional. The first of Oily Wragge's chapters (each chapter, when about a different person, is written from their perspective, sometimes in first person, sometimes in third person - but I like this. It seems so personal) haunting, terribly sad and filled with the violence and horror of war and being a prisoner of war.
Daniel and Wragge go to work in Germany, and set up a business with the two fighter pilots that Daniel captured in the war. Here we get a look at the Germany of the early 1930's: the poverty, deprivation, and Hitlers rise to power. Daniel correctly predicts another war.
However, the truly heart wrenching events happen in the last thirty pages or so. I strongly suggest you get your handkerchief ready. The emotion in these last pages is what really makes this a truly stand out book for me (if the rest of the book hadn't already been enough to do that!). The sensitivity in the way that the subject matter is handled, and the emotions that this invokes in the reader is so well done.
I would thoroughly recommend this novel, I so enjoyed it, and I will be looking forward to the last part of this story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
So Much Life Left Over takes us back in to the lives of Rosie and Daniel Pitt after the First World War has come to an end. We go as far as Ceylon, back to London and to Germany in the 1930's. We catch up with all of the characters that we first encountered in The Dust That Falls From Dreams (and if you haven't read that yet, you're seriously missing out), and learn about what happens to Rosie's sisters, parents and those that they have met along the way.
I love the dialogue in this book: it's punchy, quick-witted and emotional. The first of Oily Wragge's chapters (each chapter, when about a different person, is written from their perspective, sometimes in first person, sometimes in third person - but I like this. It seems so personal) haunting, terribly sad and filled with the violence and horror of war and being a prisoner of war.
Daniel and Wragge go to work in Germany, and set up a business with the two fighter pilots that Daniel captured in the war. Here we get a look at the Germany of the early 1930's: the poverty, deprivation, and Hitlers rise to power. Daniel correctly predicts another war.
However, the truly heart wrenching events happen in the last thirty pages or so. I strongly suggest you get your handkerchief ready. The emotion in these last pages is what really makes this a truly stand out book for me (if the rest of the book hadn't already been enough to do that!). The sensitivity in the way that the subject matter is handled, and the emotions that this invokes in the reader is so well done.
I would thoroughly recommend this novel, I so enjoyed it, and I will be looking forward to the last part of this story.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated On a Summer Tide (Three Sisters Island #1) in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Sometimes love hurtsand sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way. Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. Moving on is Cams mantra. But theres a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on . . . and one who keeps moving. Cams full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the islanda dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cams surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, along with the localsand one in particular. Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher harbors more than a few surprises. With On a Summer Tide, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher begins a brand-new contemporary romance series that is sure to delight her fans and draw new ones.
My Thoughts: This is a wonderful story about how family roles and events mold a person and their life. Welcome to a story that brings a family back together again, where they begin to see each other for who they are and what their abilities or gifting is; how they learn to work together and learn to love one another again. It is also a story about learning to forgive, that people do grow as they live their life; that people do learn from their mistakes. It is a story about being honest with one another.
Suzanne Woods Fisher will does not disappoint in this novel. Once again she has spun a wonderful true to life tale. Living on a small island is quaint. I know, I come from a small island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay; Smith Island. This novel reminds me so much of where I come from, no police, a small school, etc. and a small population. The author has spun a tale that makes the reader want to come to visit this place and take home some of the distinctiveness it gives the residents and visitors.
Readers will enjoy this new series, I certainly look forward to more from Suzanne Woods Fisher!
My Thoughts: This is a wonderful story about how family roles and events mold a person and their life. Welcome to a story that brings a family back together again, where they begin to see each other for who they are and what their abilities or gifting is; how they learn to work together and learn to love one another again. It is also a story about learning to forgive, that people do grow as they live their life; that people do learn from their mistakes. It is a story about being honest with one another.
Suzanne Woods Fisher will does not disappoint in this novel. Once again she has spun a wonderful true to life tale. Living on a small island is quaint. I know, I come from a small island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay; Smith Island. This novel reminds me so much of where I come from, no police, a small school, etc. and a small population. The author has spun a tale that makes the reader want to come to visit this place and take home some of the distinctiveness it gives the residents and visitors.
Readers will enjoy this new series, I certainly look forward to more from Suzanne Woods Fisher!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Terminator: Resistance in Video Games
Dec 15, 2019
Reef Entertainment and Teyon are to be congratulated for bringing one of the best Terminator games ever to fans.
The game casts players as a member of the Resistance in the post-apocalypse L.A. area who must content with a nightmare world of cybernetic killers.
Playing from a First Person Perspective; players must explore, salvage, construct, and survive a series of missions ranging from recon, salvage, exploration and others.
Players will find themselves in the company of civilians looking to simply survive and thanks to a branching dialogue option; players will also have some control over whom they interact with and the direction of the story as well as how those characters will view and interact with you in the future.
Naturally players expect some action in a Terminator game and the game delivers plenty of it. Starting with pistols and rifles; players can take down Drones and Silverfish; but the larger Terminator units require something more advanced. When you finally get a Phased Plasma Rifle in the 40 Watt Range; it is a true delight to mow down the T-800 and other units but you will quickly learn that they can and do take a great deal of punishment before they go down and that your ammunition supply is not infinite.
As such; players often have to resort to stealth options and I can think of missions through a hospital and decimated town where the enemies were abundant and required some real tactics to evade.
The story also offers plenty of side missions for players looking for an optional challenge as well. I especially liked the references to people and events that were hinted at or mentioned in the film series as it really added an extra thrill to the gameplay.
The graphics are solid but not groundbreaking but capture the world and characters well which helps add to the immersion in the game.
I would have liked to have seen a multiplayer option as it would be great fun to do a Co-Op mission with other players where some would have to distract and engage enemies while others used a Stealth option.
Regardless; Terminator: Resistance is a solid and enjoyable game which provides gamers with a solid and enjoyable Terminator experience.
4 stars out of 5.
The game casts players as a member of the Resistance in the post-apocalypse L.A. area who must content with a nightmare world of cybernetic killers.
Playing from a First Person Perspective; players must explore, salvage, construct, and survive a series of missions ranging from recon, salvage, exploration and others.
Players will find themselves in the company of civilians looking to simply survive and thanks to a branching dialogue option; players will also have some control over whom they interact with and the direction of the story as well as how those characters will view and interact with you in the future.
Naturally players expect some action in a Terminator game and the game delivers plenty of it. Starting with pistols and rifles; players can take down Drones and Silverfish; but the larger Terminator units require something more advanced. When you finally get a Phased Plasma Rifle in the 40 Watt Range; it is a true delight to mow down the T-800 and other units but you will quickly learn that they can and do take a great deal of punishment before they go down and that your ammunition supply is not infinite.
As such; players often have to resort to stealth options and I can think of missions through a hospital and decimated town where the enemies were abundant and required some real tactics to evade.
The story also offers plenty of side missions for players looking for an optional challenge as well. I especially liked the references to people and events that were hinted at or mentioned in the film series as it really added an extra thrill to the gameplay.
The graphics are solid but not groundbreaking but capture the world and characters well which helps add to the immersion in the game.
I would have liked to have seen a multiplayer option as it would be great fun to do a Co-Op mission with other players where some would have to distract and engage enemies while others used a Stealth option.
Regardless; Terminator: Resistance is a solid and enjoyable game which provides gamers with a solid and enjoyable Terminator experience.
4 stars out of 5.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Mr. Peabody and Sherman were first introduced to the world via the
1950s-1960s legendary kids cartoon "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show." Mr.
Peabody (Ty Burell), a Nobel prize winning brainiac canine, whose
intelligence is beyond that of any human being; there is nothing this
Beagle cannot do. He was able to put his brilliant mind to use and adopt
a young boy named Sherman (Max Charles) and he also invents a time
travelling machine he calls the WABAC (pronounced way-back). He uses the
WABAC as a teaching tool by travelling back in time with Sherman to
experience some of the most famous moments in history.
On Sherman's first day school, he finds that some of the history lessons
being taught in school were not accurate to how the events actually took
place. Remember, he traveled in time and witnessed it all first hand.
Sherman finds himself clashing with his classmate Penny (Ariel Winter),
who spends most of her time teasing and bullying Sherman for 'knowing too
much' and for being raised by a dog. In an attempt to bring peace among
Sherman's classmates and to also avoid the impending threat from child
services who would like nothing more than to prove that a dog does not have
the right to raise human child, Mr. Peabody invites Penny and her parents
over to their home for dinner. Sherman tries to impress Penny by breaking
Mr. Peabody's rules and introduces Penny to the WABAC. Nothing good comes
of two kids travelling in time and disrupting the space time continuum.
Enter Mr. Peabody, who uses the WABAC to try and rectify the disruptions
that were caused by Penny and Sherman's adventure through time.
This movie is not the story of "man's best friend!" It is geared more
towards the father-son relationship. A very likeable film that brings us
back to some significant moments in history, such as Leonardo DaVinci's
painting of the Mona Lisa, the Trojan War, the time when King Tut ruled
Ancient Egypt, and the French Revolution. In true Dreamwork fashion, there
was just the perfect of amount of humor for kids and adults alike to
enjoy. What sets this movie apart from others is its ability to embrace
education as an adventure and how it challenges the 'traditional' family
stereotype and that love can be found in all creatures and at any time.
4 out of 5 stars.
1950s-1960s legendary kids cartoon "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show." Mr.
Peabody (Ty Burell), a Nobel prize winning brainiac canine, whose
intelligence is beyond that of any human being; there is nothing this
Beagle cannot do. He was able to put his brilliant mind to use and adopt
a young boy named Sherman (Max Charles) and he also invents a time
travelling machine he calls the WABAC (pronounced way-back). He uses the
WABAC as a teaching tool by travelling back in time with Sherman to
experience some of the most famous moments in history.
On Sherman's first day school, he finds that some of the history lessons
being taught in school were not accurate to how the events actually took
place. Remember, he traveled in time and witnessed it all first hand.
Sherman finds himself clashing with his classmate Penny (Ariel Winter),
who spends most of her time teasing and bullying Sherman for 'knowing too
much' and for being raised by a dog. In an attempt to bring peace among
Sherman's classmates and to also avoid the impending threat from child
services who would like nothing more than to prove that a dog does not have
the right to raise human child, Mr. Peabody invites Penny and her parents
over to their home for dinner. Sherman tries to impress Penny by breaking
Mr. Peabody's rules and introduces Penny to the WABAC. Nothing good comes
of two kids travelling in time and disrupting the space time continuum.
Enter Mr. Peabody, who uses the WABAC to try and rectify the disruptions
that were caused by Penny and Sherman's adventure through time.
This movie is not the story of "man's best friend!" It is geared more
towards the father-son relationship. A very likeable film that brings us
back to some significant moments in history, such as Leonardo DaVinci's
painting of the Mona Lisa, the Trojan War, the time when King Tut ruled
Ancient Egypt, and the French Revolution. In true Dreamwork fashion, there
was just the perfect of amount of humor for kids and adults alike to
enjoy. What sets this movie apart from others is its ability to embrace
education as an adventure and how it challenges the 'traditional' family
stereotype and that love can be found in all creatures and at any time.
4 out of 5 stars.
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