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The Painted Man
Peter V. Brett and Dominik Broniek
Book
The stunning debut fantasy novel from author Peter V. Brett. The Painted Man, book one of the Demon...
The Painted Man (the Demon Cycle, Book 1)
7.4
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Book
The stunning debut fantasy novel from author Peter V. Brett. The Painted Man, book one of the Demon...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Ready or Not (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Bloody Good Fun
Ready Or Not is a 2019 black comedy/horror movie directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olphin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay by Gus Busick and R. Christopher Murphy. Producers on the film included Tripp Vinson, James Vanderbilt, Willem Sherak, and Bradley J. Fischer. It was produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures, Mythology Entertainment, Vinson Films and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film stars Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Henry Czerny and Andie MacDowell.
Grace couldn't be happier after she marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxurious estate. There's just one catch -- at midnight on the wedding night, the wealthy Le Domas family hosts a generations long tradition of playing a game with each new addition to the family. Tony, her new father-in-law explains that Grace must participate in a session where she must draw a card from a mysterious wooden box and play the game to be a full-fledged member of the family. She must now hide from midnight until dawn while her new in-laws hunt her down with guns, crossbows, and other weapons s she desperately tries to survive the night,
This movie was great. I liked it quite a bit. It was a fresh take on one of my favorite genres. The movie was also pretty funny and had a good way of mixing the horror with comedy. The acting was also really good with Samara Weaving doing a great job and a solid performance from Adam Brody too. The script and plot could have been a little more solid but it's a enjoyable ride. There were some inconsistencies with the plot and some humor that fell flat but overall a good mashup of genres and fresh take on some stereotypes and cliches. I give this movie a 8/10. Not necessarily a horror movie but more aligned with survival horror, I recommend it for people who like movies like that.
Grace couldn't be happier after she marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxurious estate. There's just one catch -- at midnight on the wedding night, the wealthy Le Domas family hosts a generations long tradition of playing a game with each new addition to the family. Tony, her new father-in-law explains that Grace must participate in a session where she must draw a card from a mysterious wooden box and play the game to be a full-fledged member of the family. She must now hide from midnight until dawn while her new in-laws hunt her down with guns, crossbows, and other weapons s she desperately tries to survive the night,
This movie was great. I liked it quite a bit. It was a fresh take on one of my favorite genres. The movie was also pretty funny and had a good way of mixing the horror with comedy. The acting was also really good with Samara Weaving doing a great job and a solid performance from Adam Brody too. The script and plot could have been a little more solid but it's a enjoyable ride. There were some inconsistencies with the plot and some humor that fell flat but overall a good mashup of genres and fresh take on some stereotypes and cliches. I give this movie a 8/10. Not necessarily a horror movie but more aligned with survival horror, I recommend it for people who like movies like that.
The Girl on the Velvet Swing: Sex, Murder, and Madness at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century
6.5
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From New York Times bestselling author Simon Baatz, the first comprehensive account of the murder...
crime non-fiction
Merissa (12066 KP) rated Wait Until Dawn (Southern Spirits #4) in Books
Apr 19, 2023
So Wait Until Dawn is Rich's story. Like many, I assumed he would be getting together with Matt, but that obviously wasn't the case. What I love about Bailey Bradford's stories, is that she leads you one way before giving you a complete about-turn, but it completely works! Carlin is the perfect mate for Matt, and Chris - the gorgeous, pierced pacifist, who looks tough but is a teddy bear - is perfect for Rich.
Rich has been through hell and the start of this book reflects that. This is not for the faint-hearted as the torture that Rich has been living with is described in gruesome detail. Chris is the one person that refuses to take any c**p from Rich. Now, to be fair, this may well be because he is actually face-to-face with him. It is a lot easier to lie to people over the phone when they can't see you. I would have liked his friends to try to reach Rich on a more personal note over the past year, but then if they had, this story wouldn't have gone the way it did.
The ending for this one felt a bit rushed to me, with the actual fight to get McAllister and Trenton out of Rich glossed over. They have been fighting in his body throughout the whole story, causing him to contemplate suicide, but it's all over and done within a paragraph or two, but I still don't really know how.
Apart from that, I loved this book and am very happy now that Rich can start to heal. I did like how he and Matt sorted things out. Definitely recommended and a good, solid addition to this series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 26, 2015
Rich has been through hell and the start of this book reflects that. This is not for the faint-hearted as the torture that Rich has been living with is described in gruesome detail. Chris is the one person that refuses to take any c**p from Rich. Now, to be fair, this may well be because he is actually face-to-face with him. It is a lot easier to lie to people over the phone when they can't see you. I would have liked his friends to try to reach Rich on a more personal note over the past year, but then if they had, this story wouldn't have gone the way it did.
The ending for this one felt a bit rushed to me, with the actual fight to get McAllister and Trenton out of Rich glossed over. They have been fighting in his body throughout the whole story, causing him to contemplate suicide, but it's all over and done within a paragraph or two, but I still don't really know how.
Apart from that, I loved this book and am very happy now that Rich can start to heal. I did like how he and Matt sorted things out. Definitely recommended and a good, solid addition to this series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 26, 2015
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Better Part of Darkness (Charlie Madigan, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS by Kelly Gay
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Crime Thriller, Romance
Rating: 5/5
My Summary: Charlie isn’t your average detective/police officer—she works for the new futuristic law enforcement department called ITF. The world has changed since the other dimensions have been discovered. Aliens (who hate being called aliens) now live on earth with humans, and some humans possess supernatural powers. Charlie and her Siren-partner, Hank, have been working on a disastrous case—trying to track down the source and destroy a new drug that is putting people all over Atlanta in comas. But after they begin digging deeper, they discover a whole new level of their assignment: one that puts Charlie, her ex-husband, her daughter whom she loves more than anyone or anything in the whole world, everyone in Atlanta, and the rest of the world, at stake… and only Charlie Madigan can save them.
The Better Part of Darkness is a fast-paces riveting debut novel that holds you by the neck until the last page. I’ve never enjoyed science fiction so much in my life.
This book had the perfect combination of sci-fi, crime, thriller, and romance to make it an addicting read to lover of any genre. The writing makes it wonderfully plausible and incredibly witty, and the characters were the kinds that you cheered for.
Charlie was my kind of girl—totally kick-butt in every way, shape, and form. She was tough as nails, rock-hard, dedicated to her job, but she had her soft spots for those that she held closest to her.
I will be sitting on the edge of my seat for the sequel of this book, titled “The Darkest Edge of Dawn.” 5 stars and two thumbs up to you, Kelly Gay: you just made my bookshelf.
Content: This book is not for the easily offended. There was language and sexual aspects of the book that make it an adult novel, though there were no sex scenes.
Recommendation: Ages 17+ to anyone who wants to read a really exceptional book.
**Thank you to Sarah from pocketbooks for supplying my review copy!**
~Haleyknitz
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Crime Thriller, Romance
Rating: 5/5
My Summary: Charlie isn’t your average detective/police officer—she works for the new futuristic law enforcement department called ITF. The world has changed since the other dimensions have been discovered. Aliens (who hate being called aliens) now live on earth with humans, and some humans possess supernatural powers. Charlie and her Siren-partner, Hank, have been working on a disastrous case—trying to track down the source and destroy a new drug that is putting people all over Atlanta in comas. But after they begin digging deeper, they discover a whole new level of their assignment: one that puts Charlie, her ex-husband, her daughter whom she loves more than anyone or anything in the whole world, everyone in Atlanta, and the rest of the world, at stake… and only Charlie Madigan can save them.
The Better Part of Darkness is a fast-paces riveting debut novel that holds you by the neck until the last page. I’ve never enjoyed science fiction so much in my life.
This book had the perfect combination of sci-fi, crime, thriller, and romance to make it an addicting read to lover of any genre. The writing makes it wonderfully plausible and incredibly witty, and the characters were the kinds that you cheered for.
Charlie was my kind of girl—totally kick-butt in every way, shape, and form. She was tough as nails, rock-hard, dedicated to her job, but she had her soft spots for those that she held closest to her.
I will be sitting on the edge of my seat for the sequel of this book, titled “The Darkest Edge of Dawn.” 5 stars and two thumbs up to you, Kelly Gay: you just made my bookshelf.
Content: This book is not for the easily offended. There was language and sexual aspects of the book that make it an adult novel, though there were no sex scenes.
Recommendation: Ages 17+ to anyone who wants to read a really exceptional book.
**Thank you to Sarah from pocketbooks for supplying my review copy!**
~Haleyknitz
The 5th Wave: Book 1
8.0
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Book
*NOW A MAJOR FILM by Sony Pictures, starring Chloe Grace Moretz* 'Wildly entertaining ...I couldn't...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Alternity in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review is also on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
When I read the synopsis of Alternity by Mari Mancusi, I knew I would probably love this book! I wasn't wrong. This book is amazing!
Skye is just your average 18 year old girl. There's nothing that different about her. She has a fantastic boyfriend, she goes to school, and she works as a video games tester. She's been having these strange nightmares about being in a weird place. They're making her lose sleep until one day she actually wakes up in the place from her nightmare. Now she doesn't know who to trust. And why do people keep calling her Mariah?? Skye soon discovers she's arrived on another planet, and something sinister is going on.
The title to this book is great!! Alternity - like an alternative reality. It definitely fits right in with the story. From what I've heard, this book was originally released under the title of Moongazing. I'm glad the author decided to change the title as Alternity sounds like a much more interesting title.
I love the sci-fi feel of this cover. The picture of Skye on the front with a katana and the moon in the background is perfect for this story. I'm usually not a fan of just putting a pretty face on the cover, but it seems to work with this book.
I thought the world building and setting were fantastic!! The author has us believe that the planet of Terra is very much like Earth would be if there was to be some sort of post apocalyptic event. There's no sun, no sky...just bleakness. The underground bit of Terra is portrayed rather well with it being full of the poor people of Terra and those who have been mutated by radiation due to having to mine for the rich people.
The pacing for Alternity is beyond fantastic! In fact, I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter had me looking forward to the next as everything just flowed really well. Never, not even for one moment, was I even remotely bored reading Alternity.
The dialogue is fantastic in this book. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Dawn and Skye. There are a few swear words but not many. The only minor annoyance I found was that at two points in the book, the author goes from using present tense to past tense.
The characters in this book are very believable. Skye was a great protagonist. She felt like a real person. In fact, I found myself wanting to be friends with her especially as we both have a love for video games! I love the fact that she started out a bit unsure of herself but throughout the story, she became a strong person. Dawn came across as a lovely guy. He wants what's best for his people, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Duske makes an excellent villain. He's very charming, but he can be very very vile. He is very believable as being a bad guy, and he plays the role excellently.
Alternity by Mari Mancusi is a well executed book that will leave you feeling as if you are a part of the book. This is definitely one of those books that you have to read as you will not be disappointed!
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+, especially those who are fans of dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. However, I feel this is one of those books that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
When I read the synopsis of Alternity by Mari Mancusi, I knew I would probably love this book! I wasn't wrong. This book is amazing!
Skye is just your average 18 year old girl. There's nothing that different about her. She has a fantastic boyfriend, she goes to school, and she works as a video games tester. She's been having these strange nightmares about being in a weird place. They're making her lose sleep until one day she actually wakes up in the place from her nightmare. Now she doesn't know who to trust. And why do people keep calling her Mariah?? Skye soon discovers she's arrived on another planet, and something sinister is going on.
The title to this book is great!! Alternity - like an alternative reality. It definitely fits right in with the story. From what I've heard, this book was originally released under the title of Moongazing. I'm glad the author decided to change the title as Alternity sounds like a much more interesting title.
I love the sci-fi feel of this cover. The picture of Skye on the front with a katana and the moon in the background is perfect for this story. I'm usually not a fan of just putting a pretty face on the cover, but it seems to work with this book.
I thought the world building and setting were fantastic!! The author has us believe that the planet of Terra is very much like Earth would be if there was to be some sort of post apocalyptic event. There's no sun, no sky...just bleakness. The underground bit of Terra is portrayed rather well with it being full of the poor people of Terra and those who have been mutated by radiation due to having to mine for the rich people.
The pacing for Alternity is beyond fantastic! In fact, I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter had me looking forward to the next as everything just flowed really well. Never, not even for one moment, was I even remotely bored reading Alternity.
The dialogue is fantastic in this book. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Dawn and Skye. There are a few swear words but not many. The only minor annoyance I found was that at two points in the book, the author goes from using present tense to past tense.
The characters in this book are very believable. Skye was a great protagonist. She felt like a real person. In fact, I found myself wanting to be friends with her especially as we both have a love for video games! I love the fact that she started out a bit unsure of herself but throughout the story, she became a strong person. Dawn came across as a lovely guy. He wants what's best for his people, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Duske makes an excellent villain. He's very charming, but he can be very very vile. He is very believable as being a bad guy, and he plays the role excellently.
Alternity by Mari Mancusi is a well executed book that will leave you feeling as if you are a part of the book. This is definitely one of those books that you have to read as you will not be disappointed!
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+, especially those who are fans of dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. However, I feel this is one of those books that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Playstation 4 in Tech
Feb 26, 2019
Incredible games (4 more)
Easy to use
Very comfortable controller
Brings in a new audience for affordable vr
Great value
My favourite console of all time?
Yes i know im a bit late reviewing this. This is a system that has been out for over 5 years. But what better time to reciew when a large bulk of games have come out and we have come to see most, if not all, of wha ps4 has to offer.
First off we have to talk about the games. Last of us remastered, uncharted 4, god of war, spiderman, detroit, bloodborne, ratchet and clank, until dawn, horizon zero dawn.......i can keep going and going. The list just cant seem to end. The amount of games on this sysem is astounding, the list of exclusives even more so. There is a game for everyone and they will blow you away. We are nearly the end of its life cycle now and i have to see this has been 1 of my favourife systems, if not THE favourite system and ive been playing since sega master system.
I dont want to speak too much about vr, ill most likely do a seperate review but ps4 managed to bring in an audience like myself into vr at an affordable price. Is it the best vt experience on the market, of course not but at the price they other you can certainly have a lot of fun with it with a bunch of different games. Just being able to offer vr at all makes the ps4 an impressive machine.
The ps4 controller is vastly upgraded since ps3 and feels incredibly comfortable in my hands. The touch pad was a nice touch but i feel very underused. Not many games utilise the touch pad aspect, its mainly just used as a button to open maps in games or in some cases change camera angle.
The ui is slick and simple. Its easy to find specific things and this has been updated over time to make things even easier. The addition of making folders, while small, was a huge help with organising my digital library. There are countless themes on the store which change the icons, text and background of the ui. Some will will even have their own tones and music to give a more relaxing vibe.
The playstation store is so much more improved since ps3. Its no longer an app to be booted into. You just find it to the far left on the main menu and your on the store in seconds. It appears its constanly open which is a huge help. It can be a little difficult to navigate but once you get the hang of it it gets easier. The constant sales and the many categories on the main page in the stores means i am always in here. It can just be a little tough to find the free ps plus games for example.
Ps plus is a must have for this system. Its an expensive subscription at about £50 a year but it is a must have if you want to play online. You do also get free ps4, ps3 and ps vita fames every month but as of March 2019 it will only be ps4. The games can be hit and miss. Amazing 1 month but meh the next or so sometimes they will be games i already own.
There are so many things i can still talk about but i dont want to make this too long so for now ill make a list of any other things and may expand on them in future.
Comes with 500gb or 1tb hard drive but can easily be upgrades
External hard drive support
Fun apps like youtube (now with vr support), media player, bbc iplayer
Ability to share clips, screenshot or stream gameplay
Boost mode and supersampling (ps4 pro only)
Party chat with friends
Overall if your a gamer you need this system. Its amazing and needed for all the incredible exclusives that have come out and yet to be released.
First off we have to talk about the games. Last of us remastered, uncharted 4, god of war, spiderman, detroit, bloodborne, ratchet and clank, until dawn, horizon zero dawn.......i can keep going and going. The list just cant seem to end. The amount of games on this sysem is astounding, the list of exclusives even more so. There is a game for everyone and they will blow you away. We are nearly the end of its life cycle now and i have to see this has been 1 of my favourife systems, if not THE favourite system and ive been playing since sega master system.
I dont want to speak too much about vr, ill most likely do a seperate review but ps4 managed to bring in an audience like myself into vr at an affordable price. Is it the best vt experience on the market, of course not but at the price they other you can certainly have a lot of fun with it with a bunch of different games. Just being able to offer vr at all makes the ps4 an impressive machine.
The ps4 controller is vastly upgraded since ps3 and feels incredibly comfortable in my hands. The touch pad was a nice touch but i feel very underused. Not many games utilise the touch pad aspect, its mainly just used as a button to open maps in games or in some cases change camera angle.
The ui is slick and simple. Its easy to find specific things and this has been updated over time to make things even easier. The addition of making folders, while small, was a huge help with organising my digital library. There are countless themes on the store which change the icons, text and background of the ui. Some will will even have their own tones and music to give a more relaxing vibe.
The playstation store is so much more improved since ps3. Its no longer an app to be booted into. You just find it to the far left on the main menu and your on the store in seconds. It appears its constanly open which is a huge help. It can be a little difficult to navigate but once you get the hang of it it gets easier. The constant sales and the many categories on the main page in the stores means i am always in here. It can just be a little tough to find the free ps plus games for example.
Ps plus is a must have for this system. Its an expensive subscription at about £50 a year but it is a must have if you want to play online. You do also get free ps4, ps3 and ps vita fames every month but as of March 2019 it will only be ps4. The games can be hit and miss. Amazing 1 month but meh the next or so sometimes they will be games i already own.
There are so many things i can still talk about but i dont want to make this too long so for now ill make a list of any other things and may expand on them in future.
Comes with 500gb or 1tb hard drive but can easily be upgrades
External hard drive support
Fun apps like youtube (now with vr support), media player, bbc iplayer
Ability to share clips, screenshot or stream gameplay
Boost mode and supersampling (ps4 pro only)
Party chat with friends
Overall if your a gamer you need this system. Its amazing and needed for all the incredible exclusives that have come out and yet to be released.
