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Merissa (11961 KP) rated Never Again in Books

Jun 8, 2023  
Never Again
Never Again
Heather Starsong | 2015 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book is simply amazing and it should be read by everybody. I can't put it any plainer than that!

We start of with Clara, an old lady in her garden, feeling all the aches and pains of being over 80-years-old. Then she starts to tell a story, which will quickly enfold you and have you completely entranced, hanging onto every word. She has a tale to tell and she won't finish until she has.

This book raises some important issues, gives you questions, also gives you answers that I personally would love to be true, and makes you ponder. All of this is a good thing as far as I am concerned. I loved how she wasn't comfortable with her 'old-fashioned' values, inside the body of a younger woman. I thought Zachary was a jerk, and refused to admit that I was the same generation as him! I adored Lenny and his eyebrows.

I will not give out anymore to do with the story, except to say that this book blindsided me. I honestly thought I'd just be getting a 'normal, run-of-the-mill' science fiction. What I got was a biographical account, a fascinating story that tore at my heartstrings and emotions. I loved every moment of reading this and certainly didn't want it to end, especially not once it became clear what would happen at the end.

A fascinating concept, executed with perfection, and definitely one to keep. Absolutely recommended. (ps, don't forget the Kleenex)

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 5, 2016
  
Trust Me
Trust Me
Hank Phillippi Ryan | 2018 | Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Claustrophobic Game of Cat and Mouse
Mercer Hennessey is a former reporter who is getting over a deep personal loss. Her life is altered when her former editor, Katherine, asks her to cover the Baby Boston trial. Ashlyn Bryant is about to go on trial for the death of her daughter, Tasha Nicole. Mercer is among those who is certain that Ashlyn is guilty, and Katherine is asking Mercer to write a book about the case and the trial. With the way it grabbed headlines, it is certain to be a best seller. Mercer reluctantly agrees, but Ashlyn’s constant claims of innocence begin to get to Mercer. As Mercer delves further into the book, Ashlyn begins to get into her head. What is true? Is Ashlyn guilty?

I had intended to read Hank Phillippi Ryan’s stand-alone suspense novels before now, but I’m glad I picked up this first one. The book starts out a little slowly. Yes, we are getting needed background, but it feels like it could have been shortened a little. However, once things really get going, I was completely hooked. This is a strong psychological suspense story as Mercer is forced to question everything she thinks is true. The almost claustrophobic feeling of this part of the book certainly helps with that. To pull this off, the characters have to be strong, and they absolutely are, making me question what I thought was going on the entire time. Once you start, you’ll have to know how this book ends.
  
Investigation 13 (2019)
Investigation 13 (2019)
2019 |
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Characters – Layla Parrish is the owner of the asylum, she will welcome the guests in to investigate, give the warnings and the history to the building. Melanie is the leader of the team, she has put in the requests for the investigation, brings the team together and is the one trying to prove the most for her class. Jerod is the other lead on front of the cameras in the investigation and like the rest of the team, we are getting Ernie and Nate who are the generic cameraman, while Terry is the one operating the remote cameras.

Performances – Stephanie Hernandez in the leading role of the investigation team is fine, which is going to be said for the whole cast, nobody does anything standout and most just struggle to make the true impact needed to make us understand the fear they are going through. Meg Foster does give us the creepy landlady performance, which is mostly explaining what has happened before in the asylum.

Story – The story here follows a group of paranormal investigators that are looking into an abandon asylum in an attempt to redeem their own reputation after the last investigation went wrong. Well, where do we start with this one, for the most part this is everything we have seen in any and all paranormal investigation in an asylum movie, we get next to nothing original in this story, mainly because it is a location and story that has been done way too much before. We get the routine, set up the cameras, walk around a lot, watch the cameras, hear noises, before something big happens after one of the team goes missing. While this story does have an element which does come off original, it is the fact we have to get through the usual material to get here. We do get animation used to fill the back story, which is strange to watch at times, though it does give us the unsettling feeling the live action side lacks.

Horror – The horror side of this film does rely on how you react to people trying to investigate an abandon asylum, it isn’t something we haven’t seen before when it comes to the horror though.

Settings – The film is set in the asylum which is filled with the rooms we would expect to see, it does only have one way in and out, which does leave us wondering why they would agree to investigate a place without knowing the escape.

Special Effects – The effects are limited, we don’t need to many, with a lot of the scene that do involve the animation, which covers up any effects needed.


Scene of the Movie – The animation spices up the generic story.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – We don’t get much new for the paranormal investigation side of the film.

Final Thoughts – This is a by the book paranormal investigation in an asylum movie, with the exception of the animation filling in the history of the asylum, we are given nothing new to type of movie.

Overall: By the book paranormal investigation movie.