Smashbomb

* I received an advance copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

The sequel to the highly praised Blackwing sees Ryhalt Galharrow trying to move on from losing the love of his life and investigating the theft of a magical artefact from a heavily protected vault.

For the first few chapters this book felt like a Captain Vimes Discworld novel (in a good way) with the humour toned down a little. We were exploring the pre-industrial city and investigating a crime that could have dire consequences for the safety of the city.

The book spends significantly more time in the city than in the Misery (the strange, twisting wasteland) than was the case for the first book, which gives it a very different feel. Plotting and intrigue abound as an evil sorcerer's plot to achieve ultimate power starts to unfold.

The book felt slightly less dark than the first, and has quite a different feel to it than Blackwing, but is still absolutely superb. The flowing prose and cracking dialogue make this a true page-turner and one of the best fantasy books I have read in quite some time.

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Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Stealing Home in Books

Feb 27, 2019

This was a quick, and fun read. This is my first Becky Wallace book, and it certainly won’t be my last. Her writing style is both captivating and unique and really pulled me in, as a reader.

Wallace’s characters, Ryan and Sawyer were so awesome together. The sweet chemistry that you instantly feel between their quirky characters is fantastic. It’s just enough to spark the romance between them, while not being crazy and wild. Definitely what I like to see in a young adult read.

Seeing Ryan and Sawyer work together to help Ryan’s dreams come true was another refreshing point to the story. I felt like I was right there with them, cheering from the side lines we call life.

If you like a young adult read that has just the right combination of fast paced reading, gripping characters, and sparks of romance, then this is definitely a 4 star book you don’t want to miss. This baseball read has me ready for summer to come and another amazing book from this talented author. Great job on hitting a home run with this fan, Ms. Wallace!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

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Awix (3310 KP) rated Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971) in Movies

Feb 9, 2018 (Updated Feb 9, 2018)

Gender on the Agenda

Hammer's second swing at a Jekyll and Hyde movie boasts a good cast, a capable director, and an inventive script that takes what sounds like a risible premise just seriously enough to keep it interesting. Dr Jekyll, intent on finding the universal cure for all diseases, realises he will die long before he completes the project, and so starts searching for an immortality serum - the recipe for which happens to include large quantities of female hormones. When he drinks it the inevitable happens.

Well, what ensues is a struggle between the moral but weak Jekyll and his ruthless, psychotic alter-ego, which somehow develops to include the real-life grave-robbers Burke and Hare and a somewhat unlikely solution to the mystery of Jack the Ripper's true identity. It's not exactly the subtlest or most refined piece of work, but neither is it completely sleazy or ridiculous.

The cast, director, and production values give the movie a touch of class (the punishingly low budget is concealed rather well) and the main weakness is that the script often seems to almost be treating the idea as a black joke, and doesn't explore some of the potential of the premise. Still, far from the travesty or spoof it sounds like.

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Andy K (10823 KP) rated The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) in Movies

Mar 31, 2018

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

2017 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller

7.4

(14 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Unique and wonderful

Certainly not for everyone, The Killing of a Sacred Deer tells the story of a cardiologist and his family who befriend a teenage boy only to discover he has secrets to tell. His involvement with the family becomes more profound having grim consequences once his true motives are revealed. The doctor has to make some extremely difficult choices, not only to clear his conscience, but to save his family as well.

The screenplay for the film was remarkable in many ways mostly using awkward conversations and unique and interesting situations to move along the plot. The deadpan acting choices by the actors and "The Lobster" director Yorgos Lanthimoskeep you from being bored as the story moves through as you don't know where the twists and turns are going.

I would equate somewhat to the recent films, "Mother!" or maybe "Under the Skin" as in reactions to this film will tend to be extreme in loving it or hating it. Having seen so many films throughout my life, I am at the point now where anything interesting and unusual stands out.

I enjoy the occasional CGI explosionfest as much as anyone, but usually strive for something more interesting.