Search
Search results
Bai Ling recommended Red Corner (1997) in Movies (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Ace of Spades in Books
Jul 22, 2021
A dark thriller that delves into racism
Devon and Chiamaka are both Senior Prefects at Niveus Private Academy, a super elite school for the wealthy. Chiamaka has been working her entire life to attain success and popularity at Niveus, while Devon, a scholarship student, focuses on his music. The only black students in their school, they aren't exactly friends. But then the two of them suddenly become the target of Aces--an anonymous texter and bully who seems determined to ruin their lives. Aces knows all their secrets, ones that could destroy everything they've worked for. This seems beyond a high school prank. Who is Aces and what do they want?
This was a very hyped book and while I enjoyed it, it didn't live up to the hype for me. This is a really rare opinion, so please take it with a grain of salt. It got better over time, but I had a hard time getting into it, finding it slow and choppy. The plot seemed disjointed and when the big twists are revealed, they seem off with the earlier pieces of the story. I understood the concept, but couldn't really see how it all related, or believe that it all worked together so seamlessly.
The book certainly is timely and its themes of racism and hatred are strong and well-done. It's terrifying because it's true, so to speak. You'll feel for Chia and Devon, though I found myself wishing I knew more about them and that their stories didn't jump from one place to another. Perhaps taking a step back, seeing the tale as an allegory, helps more, but even then I'm not sure (trying to avoid spoilers).
Overall, this is an interesting story, but it was jumpy and made some crazy leaps at times. 3.5, rounded up to 4 stars here.
This was a very hyped book and while I enjoyed it, it didn't live up to the hype for me. This is a really rare opinion, so please take it with a grain of salt. It got better over time, but I had a hard time getting into it, finding it slow and choppy. The plot seemed disjointed and when the big twists are revealed, they seem off with the earlier pieces of the story. I understood the concept, but couldn't really see how it all related, or believe that it all worked together so seamlessly.
The book certainly is timely and its themes of racism and hatred are strong and well-done. It's terrifying because it's true, so to speak. You'll feel for Chia and Devon, though I found myself wishing I knew more about them and that their stories didn't jump from one place to another. Perhaps taking a step back, seeing the tale as an allegory, helps more, but even then I'm not sure (trying to avoid spoilers).
Overall, this is an interesting story, but it was jumpy and made some crazy leaps at times. 3.5, rounded up to 4 stars here.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Twisted in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This book is a first stand-alone novel, written by Steve Cavanagh, following Maria, Paul, and Daryl in finding out who is the true LeBeau, a mysterious author, who writes amazing thrillers, but nobody ever saw him, and no one knows who that man really is. The book is told from multiple perspectives, and I really enjoyed the ability to read all the character’s thoughts. The characters chosen for this book were not very likeable and quite flawed as well, but the author manipulated them perfectly.
The plot of this book was absolutely insane. (In a good way!) It did not allow my mind to settle even for a moment. When I thought I knew what was going on, the author threw in gigantic twists, which changed EVERYTHING! This book was the twistiest book I ever read! The plot changes constantly and I really didn’t know what to believe anymore! 😀 I really liked, that the writer writes about a writer’s life. It is interesting to see, how much of the reality goes into the books. 🙂
Steve Cavanagh proved multiple times that he is amazing at what he does, and his writing style is absolutely absorbing. The chapters have a very decent length and didn’t leave me bored whatsoever. The book is set in a very peaceful environment, but it is not peaceful at all. The ending was an absolute jaw-dropper and I loved it!
To conclude, it is hard to review it without spoilers because this novel is a mirage, incredibly twisted, suspenseful, and you can not believe a single word you read. 😀 I absolutely loved this book, it left me shook and book hungover for at least a few days! Just get it and read it, I am pretty sure you won’t regret it.
The plot of this book was absolutely insane. (In a good way!) It did not allow my mind to settle even for a moment. When I thought I knew what was going on, the author threw in gigantic twists, which changed EVERYTHING! This book was the twistiest book I ever read! The plot changes constantly and I really didn’t know what to believe anymore! 😀 I really liked, that the writer writes about a writer’s life. It is interesting to see, how much of the reality goes into the books. 🙂
Steve Cavanagh proved multiple times that he is amazing at what he does, and his writing style is absolutely absorbing. The chapters have a very decent length and didn’t leave me bored whatsoever. The book is set in a very peaceful environment, but it is not peaceful at all. The ending was an absolute jaw-dropper and I loved it!
To conclude, it is hard to review it without spoilers because this novel is a mirage, incredibly twisted, suspenseful, and you can not believe a single word you read. 😀 I absolutely loved this book, it left me shook and book hungover for at least a few days! Just get it and read it, I am pretty sure you won’t regret it.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
I found Horror Noire, a documentary that focuses on the role and impact of black creators and actors within horror cinema, to be an incredibly insightful watch.
It's covers a wide range of media, from 40s originals like I Walked with a Zombie, all the way up to present day entries like Us, and everything in between. My only criticism stems from this actually - with so many movies to cover, the pacing moves quite quickly, and results in a fairly short feature - I could have happily watched a few more hours!
The documentary features interviews with some genre icons such as Tony Todd, Keith David, Ernest R. Dickerson, Jordan Peele, Rachel True, Tananarive Due, just to name a few!
Listening to them talk about this subject which such fondness is wholesome, but not always comfortable - whereas Horror Noire is of course a celebration of black horror, none of the cast shy away from talking about the difficulties faced by the black community in film, including how they are portrayed, especially in earlier decades.
In 2020, these issues ring truer than ever.
As a white male, the biggest thing I've learned through recent events is that it's not enough to be not racist, - it's important and essential to be actively anti-racist. As a fan of horror for a lot of my life, I, perhaps ignorantly, haven't really attributed these issues to the genre before, so it's refreshing for me to learn about these kind of things and take them on board.
Horror Noire is a truly interesting watch, and has given me some films to add to my watchlist (Ganja & Hess is one I'll be checking out pretty soon). It's eye opening, and certainly deserves attention.
It's covers a wide range of media, from 40s originals like I Walked with a Zombie, all the way up to present day entries like Us, and everything in between. My only criticism stems from this actually - with so many movies to cover, the pacing moves quite quickly, and results in a fairly short feature - I could have happily watched a few more hours!
The documentary features interviews with some genre icons such as Tony Todd, Keith David, Ernest R. Dickerson, Jordan Peele, Rachel True, Tananarive Due, just to name a few!
Listening to them talk about this subject which such fondness is wholesome, but not always comfortable - whereas Horror Noire is of course a celebration of black horror, none of the cast shy away from talking about the difficulties faced by the black community in film, including how they are portrayed, especially in earlier decades.
In 2020, these issues ring truer than ever.
As a white male, the biggest thing I've learned through recent events is that it's not enough to be not racist, - it's important and essential to be actively anti-racist. As a fan of horror for a lot of my life, I, perhaps ignorantly, haven't really attributed these issues to the genre before, so it's refreshing for me to learn about these kind of things and take them on board.
Horror Noire is a truly interesting watch, and has given me some films to add to my watchlist (Ganja & Hess is one I'll be checking out pretty soon). It's eye opening, and certainly deserves attention.
Ghost in Photo Studio Editor – Prank Pic Montage Maker with Scary Ghosts Camera Stickers Free
Lifestyle and Photo & Video
App
Scare your friends right now! Make ghost photos with fantastic photo montage maker free and have a...
Good That Transcends: How Us Culture Undermines Environmental Reform
Book
Since the birth of the modern environmental movement in the 1970s, the United States has witnessed...
Star Wars: Aftermath: Empire's End
7.0
Rate It
Book
Following Star Wars: Aftermath and Star Wars: Life Debt, Chuck Wendig delivers the exhilarating...
Science fiction
Ladivine: A Novel
Book
From the hugely acclaimed author of Three Strong Women—“a masterpiece of narrative ingenuity and...
Fiction
The Rescuer (The Rescuer #1)
Book
Christopher’s striking green eyes and handsome good looks didn't buy him happiness, but he learned...
Contemporary MM Romance