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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Bitter Demons (The Shadow Demons Saga #3) in Books
Jul 30, 2018
Full review of this book and others can be found on my blog: www.diaryofdifference.com
Bitter Demons is the third book from The Shadow Demons Saga, and the third book of my challenge to read my sister’s books. If you haven’t read the two parts, you can read my reviews on my blog :
Beautiful Demons (The Shadow Demons Saga #1) - ★★★★
Inner Demons (The Shadow Demons Saga #2) - ★★★★
As a third book of this series, I have to be honest and say that this one didn’t deliver. I expected so much more to happen, and so many more questions to be answered.
The story continues where the second book ends, and now we have Harper, that knows she is a Prima and has great powers. She also really likes this handsome guy, who happens to be a Demon. And Demons can’t have relationships with Primas, because demons are supposed to be slaves, and witches are supposed to use their power.
When two Prima sisters come into town and Harper meets them, she becomes friends with Caroline, one of the sisters. They decide to play a game and swap their looks. But Caroline, who looks like Harper is attacked, which means that someone wants Harper dead - and Harper has to keep this a secret and resolve the mystery by herself.
Now, of course we get to see a lot of Harper in the book - after all, this book is about her. But we don’t get to see her character or story improve in any meaningful way.
We learn a lot about Jackson and his past, and his brother (ooooh… spooky), and how he tries very hard to resist Harper in any way, but ends up doing the exact opposite.
On another note, we are introduced to new characters, but also some of the old characters are given more time in this book and we get to know them better - which I might of not liked so much. Give me more Harper - please!
We meet Caroline - I loved their friendship with Harper and I loved how nice and cute she was. A bit naive, just like Harper, which maybe got her in trouble.
Mary Anne…Oh, Mary Anne... Even though we don’t get to meet her much and she always only shines in the end of the book, I loved the mysterious bit about her, and her will to make the sacrifice that she did. She was the hero for me in this book!
Brook - We got to see the mean side of her, and wow, how fast she changed! Can people really change that quickly and fall under pressure so easily?
I still love the story so much, and will of course read the rest of the books, but I didn’t enjoy this book as much I enjoyed the first two parts. I am hoping the next book will pleasantly surprise me.
Bitter Demons is the third book from The Shadow Demons Saga, and the third book of my challenge to read my sister’s books. If you haven’t read the two parts, you can read my reviews on my blog :
Beautiful Demons (The Shadow Demons Saga #1) - ★★★★
Inner Demons (The Shadow Demons Saga #2) - ★★★★
As a third book of this series, I have to be honest and say that this one didn’t deliver. I expected so much more to happen, and so many more questions to be answered.
The story continues where the second book ends, and now we have Harper, that knows she is a Prima and has great powers. She also really likes this handsome guy, who happens to be a Demon. And Demons can’t have relationships with Primas, because demons are supposed to be slaves, and witches are supposed to use their power.
When two Prima sisters come into town and Harper meets them, she becomes friends with Caroline, one of the sisters. They decide to play a game and swap their looks. But Caroline, who looks like Harper is attacked, which means that someone wants Harper dead - and Harper has to keep this a secret and resolve the mystery by herself.
Now, of course we get to see a lot of Harper in the book - after all, this book is about her. But we don’t get to see her character or story improve in any meaningful way.
We learn a lot about Jackson and his past, and his brother (ooooh… spooky), and how he tries very hard to resist Harper in any way, but ends up doing the exact opposite.
On another note, we are introduced to new characters, but also some of the old characters are given more time in this book and we get to know them better - which I might of not liked so much. Give me more Harper - please!
We meet Caroline - I loved their friendship with Harper and I loved how nice and cute she was. A bit naive, just like Harper, which maybe got her in trouble.
Mary Anne…Oh, Mary Anne... Even though we don’t get to meet her much and she always only shines in the end of the book, I loved the mysterious bit about her, and her will to make the sacrifice that she did. She was the hero for me in this book!
Brook - We got to see the mean side of her, and wow, how fast she changed! Can people really change that quickly and fall under pressure so easily?
I still love the story so much, and will of course read the rest of the books, but I didn’t enjoy this book as much I enjoyed the first two parts. I am hoping the next book will pleasantly surprise me.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Give Me Your Hand in Books
Mar 10, 2019
Dark, intense, and compelling psychological thriller
Kit Owens is surviving high school but not living up to her true potential when Diane Fleming arrives at her school. Diane awakens a fire in Kit and the two form an unlikely friendship that propels Kit to academic success in her senior year. She and Diane study together and push each other to reach to be the best. Kit can't help but feel bad for her friend, who lives with her grandfather after the death of her dad. But all that changes when Diane shares an explosive secret with Kit, one that changes the way she views Diane and basically ends their friendship. Ten years later, Kit has tried to put Diane (and her secret) behind her. She's working in the lab of a female scientist, Dr. Severin, whom she's idolized for years--a woman Diane first helped introduce her to. But when Dr. Severin earns a prestigious grant and Kit learns that Diane is suddenly in the running for one of the coveted spots to work with the Doctor on the research, the past comes rushing back. Soon Diane and Kit find themselves over their head, with secrets and horror lurking around every corner.
So, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this one as I started it, but it grew on me. It's not really a pleasant read, at all, and none of the characters are ones you'll really love, but it's very compelling and there's a slow, foreboding creepiness that keeps you reading. I read this one quickly, as it's dark, twisty, and intense and very easy-to-read (as in, a page-turner, not the subject matter).
"My mom always say, you don't have a self until you have a secret." ~Diane
The novel flips between the "then" and "now" format, with Kit narrating to us. It's a female-centered book, and it easily depicts women's uphill battle in the workplace. It also shows the complicated feelings of our female characters: Kit has a lot of thoughts. Her struggle from a poor high school student to doctor is a fascinating one, even if I found her hard to empathize with. You won't necessarily agree with a lot of these characters' (sometimes outlandish) choices, but you'll find them oddly fascinating. I enjoyed how the novel delved into the darkness of friendship--and some of the competition that can come with it. Diane and Kit's relationship is dark and intense, as is the entire novel, really. The secrets that layer this book unravel slowly and eerily, and it really does keep you reading.
I especially thought this one was redeemed or bolstered by its ending; often a thriller is so good and then deflates at the end, but I actually thought this one got a little better at the end. The ending is really well-done, and I didn't feel let down whatsoever.
Overall, this is a dark, intense, and compelling psychological thriller. It's not exactly packed with loveable characters, but they are flawed, interesting, and--at times--quite creepy. You'll be drawn in by its twisty plot and complicated portrayal of friendship and secrets.
So, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this one as I started it, but it grew on me. It's not really a pleasant read, at all, and none of the characters are ones you'll really love, but it's very compelling and there's a slow, foreboding creepiness that keeps you reading. I read this one quickly, as it's dark, twisty, and intense and very easy-to-read (as in, a page-turner, not the subject matter).
"My mom always say, you don't have a self until you have a secret." ~Diane
The novel flips between the "then" and "now" format, with Kit narrating to us. It's a female-centered book, and it easily depicts women's uphill battle in the workplace. It also shows the complicated feelings of our female characters: Kit has a lot of thoughts. Her struggle from a poor high school student to doctor is a fascinating one, even if I found her hard to empathize with. You won't necessarily agree with a lot of these characters' (sometimes outlandish) choices, but you'll find them oddly fascinating. I enjoyed how the novel delved into the darkness of friendship--and some of the competition that can come with it. Diane and Kit's relationship is dark and intense, as is the entire novel, really. The secrets that layer this book unravel slowly and eerily, and it really does keep you reading.
I especially thought this one was redeemed or bolstered by its ending; often a thriller is so good and then deflates at the end, but I actually thought this one got a little better at the end. The ending is really well-done, and I didn't feel let down whatsoever.
Overall, this is a dark, intense, and compelling psychological thriller. It's not exactly packed with loveable characters, but they are flawed, interesting, and--at times--quite creepy. You'll be drawn in by its twisty plot and complicated portrayal of friendship and secrets.
Darren (1599 KP) rated S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale (2009) in Movies
Nov 25, 2019
Verdict: Pointless Sequel
Story: S. Darko starts seven years after the events of Donnie Darko, Samantha (Chase) his little sister has grown up to become a lost soul in the world, drifting with Corey (Evigan), still struggling with the grief of what happened to her brother’s unsolved death. The two women find themselves in a small country town while their car is getting fix.
As the two spend the time in the town, they learn about the secrets, including the estranged war veteran known as Iraq Jack (Lafferty) who is considered a danger in the local area, though he starts getting visits from Samantha talking about the end, will the rest of the town’s secrets get revealed.
Thoughts on S. Darko
Characters – Samantha is the younger sister of Donnie Darko, she has seen her family destroyed by what happened to him, seeing her left alone in the world, drifting with her friend, she has always been spaced out, but now she starts to experience the same visions that Donnie once did, sleepwalking and visiting people with warnings of an impending doom coming to this town. This is a strange twist for the character that starts of shier and more innocent, but soon is trying to find the truth about her own visions. Corey is the confident of the two friends, she likes to party and flirt, which has seen her getting tired of Samantha’s awkwardness. Iraq Jack is a war veteran that has been branded a creep in the town, the police are just waiting to blame him for any crime to get rid of him, but he has a story to tell, one that Samantha can connect too. Randy is the local bad boy that befriends the two girls, he has lost his brother and this has turned him to drink for comfort, while he battles his own demons once the girls arrive in the town.
Performances – Daveigh Chase is the only actors to return to the franchise, she doesn’t give us a bad performance, she does look like the innocent lost soul she is meant to be playing. Briana Evigan as the confident flirty best friend is strong through the film, while the rest of the cast really do what they can with the material, this isn’t one that the actors should be criticised for.
Story – The story here follows the sister of Donnie Darko as she discovers that she has her own journey with the time travelling universe saving rabbit figure that is desperately trying to put the warning out there to this small town. Well that is about as much as I could figure out, much like Donnie Darko, we do get a town filled with secrets that the time travelling is meant to expose or save, but we just try to get an overly diluted version of the genius of the original story. The idea that somebody in this town has their own bunny mask confuses more than anything and by the end you will be left wondering what the point in the story here was, the sequel ideas never seem to understand the uniqueness of the original, losing the direction it is trying to show.
Mystery/Sci-Fi – The mystery in this film comes what is going on, though it doesn’t even feel solved by the conclusion of the film, while the sci-fi side of the film follows the idea of time travel.
Settings – The film is set in a small town which does have a few secrets that people want to keep secret, but are about to be exposed.
Special Effects – The effects are fine they have the keep the goo water trail that we had in the first film.
Scene of the Movie – Umm, pass.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – So many plot holes.
Final Thoughts – This is a sequel that just seems to become pointless, he doesn’t dig any deeper and only confuses the timeline with plot holes everywhere.
Overall: Hopeless Sequel.
Story: S. Darko starts seven years after the events of Donnie Darko, Samantha (Chase) his little sister has grown up to become a lost soul in the world, drifting with Corey (Evigan), still struggling with the grief of what happened to her brother’s unsolved death. The two women find themselves in a small country town while their car is getting fix.
As the two spend the time in the town, they learn about the secrets, including the estranged war veteran known as Iraq Jack (Lafferty) who is considered a danger in the local area, though he starts getting visits from Samantha talking about the end, will the rest of the town’s secrets get revealed.
Thoughts on S. Darko
Characters – Samantha is the younger sister of Donnie Darko, she has seen her family destroyed by what happened to him, seeing her left alone in the world, drifting with her friend, she has always been spaced out, but now she starts to experience the same visions that Donnie once did, sleepwalking and visiting people with warnings of an impending doom coming to this town. This is a strange twist for the character that starts of shier and more innocent, but soon is trying to find the truth about her own visions. Corey is the confident of the two friends, she likes to party and flirt, which has seen her getting tired of Samantha’s awkwardness. Iraq Jack is a war veteran that has been branded a creep in the town, the police are just waiting to blame him for any crime to get rid of him, but he has a story to tell, one that Samantha can connect too. Randy is the local bad boy that befriends the two girls, he has lost his brother and this has turned him to drink for comfort, while he battles his own demons once the girls arrive in the town.
Performances – Daveigh Chase is the only actors to return to the franchise, she doesn’t give us a bad performance, she does look like the innocent lost soul she is meant to be playing. Briana Evigan as the confident flirty best friend is strong through the film, while the rest of the cast really do what they can with the material, this isn’t one that the actors should be criticised for.
Story – The story here follows the sister of Donnie Darko as she discovers that she has her own journey with the time travelling universe saving rabbit figure that is desperately trying to put the warning out there to this small town. Well that is about as much as I could figure out, much like Donnie Darko, we do get a town filled with secrets that the time travelling is meant to expose or save, but we just try to get an overly diluted version of the genius of the original story. The idea that somebody in this town has their own bunny mask confuses more than anything and by the end you will be left wondering what the point in the story here was, the sequel ideas never seem to understand the uniqueness of the original, losing the direction it is trying to show.
Mystery/Sci-Fi – The mystery in this film comes what is going on, though it doesn’t even feel solved by the conclusion of the film, while the sci-fi side of the film follows the idea of time travel.
Settings – The film is set in a small town which does have a few secrets that people want to keep secret, but are about to be exposed.
Special Effects – The effects are fine they have the keep the goo water trail that we had in the first film.
Scene of the Movie – Umm, pass.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – So many plot holes.
Final Thoughts – This is a sequel that just seems to become pointless, he doesn’t dig any deeper and only confuses the timeline with plot holes everywhere.
Overall: Hopeless Sequel.
Becs (244 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy
Audience: Young Adult
Reading level: High School +
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s
Style: Sci-Fi
Point of view: First person.
Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!
Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world
Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.
Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.
Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.
This was me:
Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Audience: Young Adult
Reading level: High School +
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s
Style: Sci-Fi
Point of view: First person.
Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!
Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world
Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.
Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.
Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.
This was me:
Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Wolfenstein: The Old Blood in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is the latest entry into the long running series which saw its origins back in the days of the Commodore and Apple computers.
Following up last year’s Wolfenstein: The New Order, Old Blood serves as a prequel to the last game but players do not need to own the previous game in order to play.
The game follows series hero William BJ Blazkowicz as he must escape from the deadly Castle Wolfenstein and then recover some secret documents while thwarting the latest Nazi campaign of evil.
Old Blood brings more of the run and gun mayhem that the series has become famous for and does not deviate much from the successful formula of previous games in the series. Players still grab health, ammunition; armor, health, and overcharge all around them and off fallen enemies and the enemies are as nasty and endless as ever.
The game has some serious challenge even on the easier settings at times and players will find themselves with plenty of solid graphics and interesting locales in which to battle. I loved one battle from cable cars and another in a small village was quite thrilling. Enemies are varied from Commanders who can call in support to the standard soldiers and super soldiers who require some up close combat to bring down faster.
The game has a sense of humor as there are rest areas where players can take a break and play levels form the old Wolfenstein 3D with all of its pixelated graphics form the days before 3D cards which shows just how far games have progressed.
The game uses the same weapons from The New Order with the addition of a pipe which is a real universal go to in the game. The pipe can be used as a single piece to club enemies and be used as a pry bar for vents and grates as well as to slide across wires.
When it is used in two parts, the pipe is a great weapon to impale and beat down enemies and is also a valuable climbing tool which will come in handy throughout the game.
Like The New Order, Old Blood does not offer a multiplay feature but it does offer great graphics, a challenge, and plenty of action.
The game has a short run time as I was able to finish it in five hours, but considering the $19.99 price and the fact that the campaign portion of the last few Call of Duty games is roughly the same length you more than get your money’s worth.
Playing on the PC version I did experience two technical issues where the game locked up, but they were minor and did not hinder my completion of the game.
As the game built to a satisfying finale, I was reminded of just how much fun the series is and how we will hopefully see more games in the series in the near future.
For now, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is a fun game that will keep fans of the series and action games in general happy.
http://sknr.net/2015/05/12/wolfenstein-the-old-blood/
Following up last year’s Wolfenstein: The New Order, Old Blood serves as a prequel to the last game but players do not need to own the previous game in order to play.
The game follows series hero William BJ Blazkowicz as he must escape from the deadly Castle Wolfenstein and then recover some secret documents while thwarting the latest Nazi campaign of evil.
Old Blood brings more of the run and gun mayhem that the series has become famous for and does not deviate much from the successful formula of previous games in the series. Players still grab health, ammunition; armor, health, and overcharge all around them and off fallen enemies and the enemies are as nasty and endless as ever.
The game has some serious challenge even on the easier settings at times and players will find themselves with plenty of solid graphics and interesting locales in which to battle. I loved one battle from cable cars and another in a small village was quite thrilling. Enemies are varied from Commanders who can call in support to the standard soldiers and super soldiers who require some up close combat to bring down faster.
The game has a sense of humor as there are rest areas where players can take a break and play levels form the old Wolfenstein 3D with all of its pixelated graphics form the days before 3D cards which shows just how far games have progressed.
The game uses the same weapons from The New Order with the addition of a pipe which is a real universal go to in the game. The pipe can be used as a single piece to club enemies and be used as a pry bar for vents and grates as well as to slide across wires.
When it is used in two parts, the pipe is a great weapon to impale and beat down enemies and is also a valuable climbing tool which will come in handy throughout the game.
Like The New Order, Old Blood does not offer a multiplay feature but it does offer great graphics, a challenge, and plenty of action.
The game has a short run time as I was able to finish it in five hours, but considering the $19.99 price and the fact that the campaign portion of the last few Call of Duty games is roughly the same length you more than get your money’s worth.
Playing on the PC version I did experience two technical issues where the game locked up, but they were minor and did not hinder my completion of the game.
As the game built to a satisfying finale, I was reminded of just how much fun the series is and how we will hopefully see more games in the series in the near future.
For now, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is a fun game that will keep fans of the series and action games in general happy.
http://sknr.net/2015/05/12/wolfenstein-the-old-blood/
Becca Major (96 KP) rated Secret Healer in TV
Jan 25, 2018
Writing (2 more)
Story
Characters
Not What I Expected
I admit that I went into this drama expecting it to be a light, happy romp through Joseon-era Korea, with a nice romance and a fair bit of drama. Something to lift my spirits after watching a downer series the week before. This is not what I got.
Secret Healer is definitely more of a drama than a romance. Yes, the romance is there and it is important to the plot. Hell, it's even developed reasonably well. However, it is not the main focus of the story. Which, after a while, I appreciated because I didn't need the romance to keep me invested, the plot did that well enough.
The true focus of the plot is Yoon-hee, the princess, and the trials she has to overcome to be free of her curse. Without getting too spoiler-y, the villain, Hong-joo, does literally everything she can to make Yoon-hee fail. And Hong-joo is a legitimately engaging and terrifying villain; she has power, dozens of skilled swords-women under her command and control, and is ruthless to the point of cold-blooded murder. The dynamic between these two really carries the better part of the plot.
Yoon-hee's love interest, Jun, also has an interesting story-arc that is, thankfully, all his own. He comes into the story with his own baggage involving his relationships with his mother and half-brother that he needs to overcome. It is also really nice to see a couple that complements each other equally. They support each other and receive support in turn. In a sea of douchbags with money winning over nice, supportive guys, he is a breath of fresh air.
The other characters that pepper this drama provide just the right amount of flavor. They are, for the most part, well written and well realized by their actors. My personal favorite character was Yo-gwang, Yoon-hee's "bodyguard."
I would recommend this series to anyone desiring a well-written, well-acted story that has more going for it than a simple love story.
Secret Healer is definitely more of a drama than a romance. Yes, the romance is there and it is important to the plot. Hell, it's even developed reasonably well. However, it is not the main focus of the story. Which, after a while, I appreciated because I didn't need the romance to keep me invested, the plot did that well enough.
The true focus of the plot is Yoon-hee, the princess, and the trials she has to overcome to be free of her curse. Without getting too spoiler-y, the villain, Hong-joo, does literally everything she can to make Yoon-hee fail. And Hong-joo is a legitimately engaging and terrifying villain; she has power, dozens of skilled swords-women under her command and control, and is ruthless to the point of cold-blooded murder. The dynamic between these two really carries the better part of the plot.
Yoon-hee's love interest, Jun, also has an interesting story-arc that is, thankfully, all his own. He comes into the story with his own baggage involving his relationships with his mother and half-brother that he needs to overcome. It is also really nice to see a couple that complements each other equally. They support each other and receive support in turn. In a sea of douchbags with money winning over nice, supportive guys, he is a breath of fresh air.
The other characters that pepper this drama provide just the right amount of flavor. They are, for the most part, well written and well realized by their actors. My personal favorite character was Yo-gwang, Yoon-hee's "bodyguard."
I would recommend this series to anyone desiring a well-written, well-acted story that has more going for it than a simple love story.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Valley of the Moon in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
For fans of <i>The Time Traveler’s Wife</i> (Niffenegger, 2003) this captivating story by Melanie Gideon is an alluring, spellbinding work of fiction about loving, being loved and finding somewhere you belong. With a touch of time travel in an otherwise typical reality,<i> Valley of the Moon </i>will excite, enrapture and touch readers’ hearts.
It is difficult to give a synoptic review without giving too much of the plot away. In short, the book contains the two lives of complete strangers who meet under extremely unlikely circumstances. It is 1975 and Lux Lysander is struggling to make ends meet as a single mother in San Francisco. Estranged from her parents, Benno has become her life; Lux would do anything for him. The other half of the story begins in 1906 in the Californian Sonoma Valley. Joseph has achieved his dream of creating an Edenic community where races and classes can live in harmony. Greengage is a self-sufficient society where everyone is seen as equal, however, something happens to shake up the peace – literally. A huge earthquake mysteriously leaves the valley unharmed but completely surrounded by a deadly fog. No one can leave and no one can enter, that is until Lux does.
Until the two characters’ lives collide, the narrative is fairly typical, but it quickly takes on a theme that most minds would attempt to debunk. Through a wall of fog, Lux can pass between 1975 and 1906, whereas Joseph and his friends can only stay in their own timeline. Lux begins to live a double life: one with her son Benno and one with the antiquated lifestyle of the Greengage community. Unfortunately, it is only possible to pass through the fog on a fall moon, and not necessarily every month.
Lux’s modern appearance and colloquialisms baffle the community but she soon finds herself a place amongst the inhabitants. For a while, Lux is able to keep her two lives separate, but one slip up causes her to temporarily lose the love and trust of her only son. Torn between her own flesh and blood and the only place she feels she belongs, Lux has to decide how far she would go for the people she loves.
One of the key themes of the novel is relationship. Although romance develops toward the latter stages of the story, the majority is focused on familial love and love between friends. Lux and Benno’s relationship is particularly important, especially when their love becomes strained by Lux’s secret dalliance with the past. The other significant theme is about finding oneself. Lux lives in an era where, despite developments in women’s equality, single mothers are still shunned. Conversely, in 1906 where historically things were worse for women, the egalitarian society feels much more like home.
Lux’s temerity is to be admired as she continues to visit the past despite it being beyond the bounds of possibility. More applaudable is her determination to win back her son as well as her distant parents.
Despite being set for the most part in the 1970s and 80s, <i>Valley of the Moon</i> has a futuristic air about it, with an element of fantasy and science fiction. It is almost a version of <i>The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</i> (Lewis, 1950) but for adults, with more realistic themes. Melanie Gideon admits that she got the idea for the novel from the film <i>Brigadoon</i> (1954) in which the protagonist stumbles across a magical land in the woods. With similarities, Gideon has created her own version of this fairy-tale-like scenario.
Journeying through a range of emotions, <i>Valley of the Moon</i> is a story that engages readers from beginning to end. With ups and downs, the author explores the lives and personalities of the main characters, which develop beautifully over time. This book is not one likely to disappoint its readers.
For fans of <i>The Time Traveler’s Wife</i> (Niffenegger, 2003) this captivating story by Melanie Gideon is an alluring, spellbinding work of fiction about loving, being loved and finding somewhere you belong. With a touch of time travel in an otherwise typical reality,<i> Valley of the Moon </i>will excite, enrapture and touch readers’ hearts.
It is difficult to give a synoptic review without giving too much of the plot away. In short, the book contains the two lives of complete strangers who meet under extremely unlikely circumstances. It is 1975 and Lux Lysander is struggling to make ends meet as a single mother in San Francisco. Estranged from her parents, Benno has become her life; Lux would do anything for him. The other half of the story begins in 1906 in the Californian Sonoma Valley. Joseph has achieved his dream of creating an Edenic community where races and classes can live in harmony. Greengage is a self-sufficient society where everyone is seen as equal, however, something happens to shake up the peace – literally. A huge earthquake mysteriously leaves the valley unharmed but completely surrounded by a deadly fog. No one can leave and no one can enter, that is until Lux does.
Until the two characters’ lives collide, the narrative is fairly typical, but it quickly takes on a theme that most minds would attempt to debunk. Through a wall of fog, Lux can pass between 1975 and 1906, whereas Joseph and his friends can only stay in their own timeline. Lux begins to live a double life: one with her son Benno and one with the antiquated lifestyle of the Greengage community. Unfortunately, it is only possible to pass through the fog on a fall moon, and not necessarily every month.
Lux’s modern appearance and colloquialisms baffle the community but she soon finds herself a place amongst the inhabitants. For a while, Lux is able to keep her two lives separate, but one slip up causes her to temporarily lose the love and trust of her only son. Torn between her own flesh and blood and the only place she feels she belongs, Lux has to decide how far she would go for the people she loves.
One of the key themes of the novel is relationship. Although romance develops toward the latter stages of the story, the majority is focused on familial love and love between friends. Lux and Benno’s relationship is particularly important, especially when their love becomes strained by Lux’s secret dalliance with the past. The other significant theme is about finding oneself. Lux lives in an era where, despite developments in women’s equality, single mothers are still shunned. Conversely, in 1906 where historically things were worse for women, the egalitarian society feels much more like home.
Lux’s temerity is to be admired as she continues to visit the past despite it being beyond the bounds of possibility. More applaudable is her determination to win back her son as well as her distant parents.
Despite being set for the most part in the 1970s and 80s, <i>Valley of the Moon</i> has a futuristic air about it, with an element of fantasy and science fiction. It is almost a version of <i>The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</i> (Lewis, 1950) but for adults, with more realistic themes. Melanie Gideon admits that she got the idea for the novel from the film <i>Brigadoon</i> (1954) in which the protagonist stumbles across a magical land in the woods. With similarities, Gideon has created her own version of this fairy-tale-like scenario.
Journeying through a range of emotions, <i>Valley of the Moon</i> is a story that engages readers from beginning to end. With ups and downs, the author explores the lives and personalities of the main characters, which develop beautifully over time. This book is not one likely to disappoint its readers.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Long Call in Books
Sep 13, 2019
Well, this was an excellent police procedural; one of those mysteries that you get caught up in from the start. I'll be honest that I've never heard of Ann Cleeves or any of her previous series. That's clearly my loss, and I'm definitely interested in her other works now.
I won't go into too many details here and spoil the plot, but I'll say that this is a great read, filled with all the little details and nuances that you get from a strong writer. I was heartened from the beginning to find our protagonist, DI Venn, to be gay. You don't get a lot of that in the mystery world. His sexuality is a part of the book, but not the focus, and it was just really nice to read about a gay detective. Matthew is a fascinating character, who is grappling with facing members of the Barum Brethren, a religious sect that he grew up in, but of whom he is no longer a member. He is also a straight-laced policeman, and a strong leader who can admit his faults. It will be nice to follow him in a new series.
His team is interesting as well--quirky Jen and annoying Ross are the main two--and I hope they come along in the second book. Cleeves is quite adept at creating her characters, and all are easy to imagine. There's a wide cast of characters in this one, and plenty of suspects, but not so many as to get confused or lost. There's a main plotline (murdered man) and a secondary one--that may be related--and both are intriguing and keep you guessing. We learn things along with the team, as they investigate, which is always a favorite of mine. It's a small-town setting, and many folks are complicated, many have secrets, and it's difficult to work out which secret may have led to murder! (Though I'm proud that I had an inkling about some things!)
In the end, this was a really strong mystery. It quietly keeps you guessing and invested in the story. The characters are excellent, and I'm just so heartened to find a gay lead! It's thoughtful and smart, without any gimmicks. Definitely recommend. 4+ stars.
I won't go into too many details here and spoil the plot, but I'll say that this is a great read, filled with all the little details and nuances that you get from a strong writer. I was heartened from the beginning to find our protagonist, DI Venn, to be gay. You don't get a lot of that in the mystery world. His sexuality is a part of the book, but not the focus, and it was just really nice to read about a gay detective. Matthew is a fascinating character, who is grappling with facing members of the Barum Brethren, a religious sect that he grew up in, but of whom he is no longer a member. He is also a straight-laced policeman, and a strong leader who can admit his faults. It will be nice to follow him in a new series.
His team is interesting as well--quirky Jen and annoying Ross are the main two--and I hope they come along in the second book. Cleeves is quite adept at creating her characters, and all are easy to imagine. There's a wide cast of characters in this one, and plenty of suspects, but not so many as to get confused or lost. There's a main plotline (murdered man) and a secondary one--that may be related--and both are intriguing and keep you guessing. We learn things along with the team, as they investigate, which is always a favorite of mine. It's a small-town setting, and many folks are complicated, many have secrets, and it's difficult to work out which secret may have led to murder! (Though I'm proud that I had an inkling about some things!)
In the end, this was a really strong mystery. It quietly keeps you guessing and invested in the story. The characters are excellent, and I'm just so heartened to find a gay lead! It's thoughtful and smart, without any gimmicks. Definitely recommend. 4+ stars.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Night Circus in Books
Oct 2, 2020
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I don’t even know how to start my book review for The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It was too magical, that I feel like everything I write will not do this book justice. To me, it felt like I was a part of one big secret. And in this book, Widget has something to say about secrets:
<b><i>“Secrets have power," Widget begins. "And that power diminishes when they are shared, so they are best kept and kept well. Sharing secrets, real secrets, important ones, with even one other person, will change them. Writing them down is worse, because who can tell how many eyes might see them inscribed on paper, no matter how careful you might be with it. So it’s really best to keep your secrets when you have them, for their own good, as well as yours.”</i></b>
Therefore, I feel like everything I might say will make this magical book a little less magical than it already is. I feel like this is an experience that you need to read for yourself, get acquainted with this Circus, with its characters, and feel like a part of it.
Two people, brought up in different circumstances, have been getting ready for the challenge all their lives. They can’t avoid it, they are bonded to it. Their task is to be better than the other person, be a better magician, be a better illusionist. Their destiny is magical and dangerous, and the circus is their arena.
<b><i>“You need to understand your limitations so you can overcome them.”</i></b>
The circus is a beautiful place.It is magical. It is everything you’ve ever wanted as a kid. The lights, the music, the mystery, the performers… Everything that happens in the circus has its own story. Many characters involved and their own adventures mix, get tangled and interfere with the two competitor’s destiny. I loved the descriptions of the different tents, the ice garden, the labyrinth, the cloud maze, the tent with the bottles...
<b><i>“People see what they wish to see. And in most cases, what they are told that they see.”</i></b>
The writing in The Night Circus is beautiful. It is slow-paced and very imaginative. Slowly, it takes you to a place where people perform illusions, read tarot and foresee the destiny, tell stories, build magical clocks. If you’ve ever been to a circus, you will feel like you are there again. If you haven’t experienced that before, this book will give you the best possible introduction. A story of magic, love, destiny and storytelling like you’ve never seen before and you’re unlikely to see soon. It’s no wonder this book receives such hype.
<b><i>"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."
- Oscar Wilde, 1888</i></b>
The Night Circus is a favourite. The ultimate favorite. Today, tomorrow, and probably until the rest of my life. For all the characters inside it that mattered. For the happy ever afters. But most importantly, for the storytellers. For my grandma, for Widget and for Erin. And for the other storytellers like them - because without them, we wouldn’t be able to truly find magic.
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I don’t even know how to start my book review for The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It was too magical, that I feel like everything I write will not do this book justice. To me, it felt like I was a part of one big secret. And in this book, Widget has something to say about secrets:
<b><i>“Secrets have power," Widget begins. "And that power diminishes when they are shared, so they are best kept and kept well. Sharing secrets, real secrets, important ones, with even one other person, will change them. Writing them down is worse, because who can tell how many eyes might see them inscribed on paper, no matter how careful you might be with it. So it’s really best to keep your secrets when you have them, for their own good, as well as yours.”</i></b>
Therefore, I feel like everything I might say will make this magical book a little less magical than it already is. I feel like this is an experience that you need to read for yourself, get acquainted with this Circus, with its characters, and feel like a part of it.
Two people, brought up in different circumstances, have been getting ready for the challenge all their lives. They can’t avoid it, they are bonded to it. Their task is to be better than the other person, be a better magician, be a better illusionist. Their destiny is magical and dangerous, and the circus is their arena.
<b><i>“You need to understand your limitations so you can overcome them.”</i></b>
The circus is a beautiful place.It is magical. It is everything you’ve ever wanted as a kid. The lights, the music, the mystery, the performers… Everything that happens in the circus has its own story. Many characters involved and their own adventures mix, get tangled and interfere with the two competitor’s destiny. I loved the descriptions of the different tents, the ice garden, the labyrinth, the cloud maze, the tent with the bottles...
<b><i>“People see what they wish to see. And in most cases, what they are told that they see.”</i></b>
The writing in The Night Circus is beautiful. It is slow-paced and very imaginative. Slowly, it takes you to a place where people perform illusions, read tarot and foresee the destiny, tell stories, build magical clocks. If you’ve ever been to a circus, you will feel like you are there again. If you haven’t experienced that before, this book will give you the best possible introduction. A story of magic, love, destiny and storytelling like you’ve never seen before and you’re unlikely to see soon. It’s no wonder this book receives such hype.
<b><i>"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."
- Oscar Wilde, 1888</i></b>
The Night Circus is a favourite. The ultimate favorite. Today, tomorrow, and probably until the rest of my life. For all the characters inside it that mattered. For the happy ever afters. But most importantly, for the storytellers. For my grandma, for Widget and for Erin. And for the other storytellers like them - because without them, we wouldn’t be able to truly find magic.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated The King's Man (2021) in Movies
Dec 14, 2021
After being delayed multiple times from a planned November 2019 release; Writer/Director Matthew Vaughn has released the third film in the “Kingsman “film series with “The King’s Man”. This time around the movie looks back to the origins of the society dedicated to peace and solving global conflicts before they can escalate.
In pre-World War I Europe; wealthy pacifist Orlando Oxford (Ralph Finnes); looks to raise his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson); following the tragic loss of his wife some years earlier on a Red Cross mission.
When events kick off the war; Conrad wishes to enlist and fight and his father is able to keep this from happening as he wants his son to avoid the horrors of war. At the same time; a secret Cabal has been plotting to start the war and manipulate the outcome and one of the agents named Rasputin (Rhys Ifans); looms prominently due to his influence over the Czar of Russia.
As the years pass and the war unfolds; Conrad and Orlando soon find themselves at odds and being pulled into opposite directions which sets a chain of events into action and puts the fate of the world in the balance.
The film is at times more retrained than the prior two films but the action sequences when they arrive are entertaining and mix the humor and violence that the series is known for. The cast is solid and the way that historical events were used but given an alternate perspective really added to the enjoyment of the film.
The movie does have a decent amount of humor but does spend a great deal of time on character development and exposition which can lead to some long gaps between the action, but the engaging stories and characters hold your interest throughout.
The film sets up further adventures in the Prequel timeline well and it appears that this is the direction that future films may go which would be more than fine as the film delivered what fans have come to expect from the series.
4 stars out of 5
In pre-World War I Europe; wealthy pacifist Orlando Oxford (Ralph Finnes); looks to raise his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson); following the tragic loss of his wife some years earlier on a Red Cross mission.
When events kick off the war; Conrad wishes to enlist and fight and his father is able to keep this from happening as he wants his son to avoid the horrors of war. At the same time; a secret Cabal has been plotting to start the war and manipulate the outcome and one of the agents named Rasputin (Rhys Ifans); looms prominently due to his influence over the Czar of Russia.
As the years pass and the war unfolds; Conrad and Orlando soon find themselves at odds and being pulled into opposite directions which sets a chain of events into action and puts the fate of the world in the balance.
The film is at times more retrained than the prior two films but the action sequences when they arrive are entertaining and mix the humor and violence that the series is known for. The cast is solid and the way that historical events were used but given an alternate perspective really added to the enjoyment of the film.
The movie does have a decent amount of humor but does spend a great deal of time on character development and exposition which can lead to some long gaps between the action, but the engaging stories and characters hold your interest throughout.
The film sets up further adventures in the Prequel timeline well and it appears that this is the direction that future films may go which would be more than fine as the film delivered what fans have come to expect from the series.
4 stars out of 5