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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Creepy and Maud in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I wanted to love this book, I really did. The blurb made me think of Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park. However, this book just fell a bit flat for me.
The title did catch my attention especially since it had the word Creepy in it.
I like the cover of the book. It's just so simple, yet interesting. I think it definitely fits in with the book since the two characters converse from their bedroom windows.
The world building was believable. Most of the story takes place within the confines of Creepy's window and sometimes from Maud's window. It's a very believable setting.
The pacing was really slow. I kept hoping it would pick up at some point, but it never did. At no point, did it pick up even a little bit.
I think the plot had the potential to be interesting. Creepy watches Maud from his bedroom window. Eventually, Maud notices, and they start writing notes to each other and put them in their bedroom window. Maud has a disorder where she pulls out the hair on her body. Creepy is just a strange teen. I just felt that their was no plot development. I kept waiting for some action or plot twist to happen, but nothing did. It's just two teens conversing from their windows.
I liked Maud and Creepy. They have their problems, but they are still likable enough. However, I felt there was no character development either. It would've been nice to have a bit more back story on both characters. All we're told is that Maud and Creepy's families hate each other. It is explained a little bit as to why at least.
Some of the wording is Australian phrasing which I had a hard time understanding. However, it only happens now and again, so the book is easy to understand for other cultures. There is some swearing, but nothing too bad. There is a little bit of violence but no sex or sexual references.
Overall, Creepy & Maud by Dianne Touchell just falls flat from lack of character and plot development. The writing itself wasn't bad though.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book unless it has some tweaking when it comes to the characters and the plot.
(I won this book from a competition. I was not required to write a review).
I wanted to love this book, I really did. The blurb made me think of Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park. However, this book just fell a bit flat for me.
The title did catch my attention especially since it had the word Creepy in it.
I like the cover of the book. It's just so simple, yet interesting. I think it definitely fits in with the book since the two characters converse from their bedroom windows.
The world building was believable. Most of the story takes place within the confines of Creepy's window and sometimes from Maud's window. It's a very believable setting.
The pacing was really slow. I kept hoping it would pick up at some point, but it never did. At no point, did it pick up even a little bit.
I think the plot had the potential to be interesting. Creepy watches Maud from his bedroom window. Eventually, Maud notices, and they start writing notes to each other and put them in their bedroom window. Maud has a disorder where she pulls out the hair on her body. Creepy is just a strange teen. I just felt that their was no plot development. I kept waiting for some action or plot twist to happen, but nothing did. It's just two teens conversing from their windows.
I liked Maud and Creepy. They have their problems, but they are still likable enough. However, I felt there was no character development either. It would've been nice to have a bit more back story on both characters. All we're told is that Maud and Creepy's families hate each other. It is explained a little bit as to why at least.
Some of the wording is Australian phrasing which I had a hard time understanding. However, it only happens now and again, so the book is easy to understand for other cultures. There is some swearing, but nothing too bad. There is a little bit of violence but no sex or sexual references.
Overall, Creepy & Maud by Dianne Touchell just falls flat from lack of character and plot development. The writing itself wasn't bad though.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book unless it has some tweaking when it comes to the characters and the plot.
(I won this book from a competition. I was not required to write a review).
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Sound of Freedom in Books
Jun 18, 2018
The Sound of Freedom by Kathy Kacer is a middle-grade novel about a Jewish family in Krakow, Poland in 1936. Life has become increasingly dangerous, as the violence and persecution of Jews increase. Anna is afraid if they don’t escape soon, something really bad will happen. Her father is a talented clarinetist in the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra. They hear that Bronislaw Huberman is auditioning Jewish musicians from all over Europe for a new orchestra in Palestine. If her father auditions and is accepted, she and her grandmother can leave Poland with her father for a new life in Palestine.
Stories of Jews in the Holocaust have fascinated me since I was a kid. The first book about the Holocaust I read was Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, then later A Diary of Anne Frank, and many more. My interest in the Holocaust is why I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley.
The Sound of Freedom is an introduction to the beginning of the Holocaust for middle-grade students. The story is told through the eyes of Anna, focusing on the growing anti-Semitism she sees going on around her and that eventually happens to her. It is set in 1936, before Germany’s invasion of Poland and as Hitler is rising in power, so the real horrors of the Holocaust have not yet started.
While the story of Anna’s family is fiction, Bronislaw Huberman really was a world-renown violinist and did create the Palestine Philharmonic Orchestra to save over a thousand Jews by recruiting them for the newly formed orchestra. Anna’s story is representative of the lives saved by Bronislaw Huberman.
While the story is for middle-grade student, it tells the harsh reality of the what was happening. Readers will be faced with the problems and issues of the era. Some of the families leave the orchestra to go back to their homeland, and Anna is concerned for their safety and the reader is left to wonder what happened to them. The story also mentions the tensions between the Arabs and the Jewish peoples in Palestine. Anna's family may have escaped Poland, but they are faced with issues in Palestine.
I give the story 4.5 stars. I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the time-period. The Sound of Freedom would make an excellent addition to a Holocaust study.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Annick Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Stories of Jews in the Holocaust have fascinated me since I was a kid. The first book about the Holocaust I read was Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, then later A Diary of Anne Frank, and many more. My interest in the Holocaust is why I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley.
The Sound of Freedom is an introduction to the beginning of the Holocaust for middle-grade students. The story is told through the eyes of Anna, focusing on the growing anti-Semitism she sees going on around her and that eventually happens to her. It is set in 1936, before Germany’s invasion of Poland and as Hitler is rising in power, so the real horrors of the Holocaust have not yet started.
While the story of Anna’s family is fiction, Bronislaw Huberman really was a world-renown violinist and did create the Palestine Philharmonic Orchestra to save over a thousand Jews by recruiting them for the newly formed orchestra. Anna’s story is representative of the lives saved by Bronislaw Huberman.
While the story is for middle-grade student, it tells the harsh reality of the what was happening. Readers will be faced with the problems and issues of the era. Some of the families leave the orchestra to go back to their homeland, and Anna is concerned for their safety and the reader is left to wonder what happened to them. The story also mentions the tensions between the Arabs and the Jewish peoples in Palestine. Anna's family may have escaped Poland, but they are faced with issues in Palestine.
I give the story 4.5 stars. I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the time-period. The Sound of Freedom would make an excellent addition to a Holocaust study.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Annick Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Year Old Girl</a>).
I remember reading the child friendly version of this book to my son last year. However, I wasn't made aware of the adult version of this book until the film came out and when my cousin told me I should read the book because it was really good. I really wanted to see the movie, so I thought I'd read the book first. All I can say about this book is WOW! It was very touching and such a great read!
I like the title. It has such a child like innocence about it which is fitting since it's about a little boy visiting Heaven.
I love the cover with the photo of little Colton. He was such an adorable little boy! I would've liked to see a drawing of Heaven or something behind him, but the cover, on its own, does work quite well.
I thought the way that Todd Burpo (Colton's father) sets up the scenes was done quite well. It was easy to picture everything happening in my mind. I could even picture Heaven in my mind with Colton's descriptions although I know Heaven will be much better then what I can actually imagine.
The pacing throughout this book is fantastic. In fact, I would've read the book in one setting, but I had a husband and a 10 year old to look after, so I had to stop. However, the next day, when everyone was at school and work, I finished it then. I couldn't wait to see what little Colton had to say next about Heaven. It was just astounding!
This book just blew my mind. It was so amazing to be getting a glimpse into Heaven thanks to Colton. The things he described whilst in Heaven were just breath taking. I believe that Colton did see what he described. Saying that, there were times I was thinking that maybe Colton could've been exaggerating especially when he would say things two years later. Perhaps he was telling the whole truth though. We'll never know until we reach Heaven. But I do believe that most of what Colton saw whilst in Heaven was and is true.
There's no violence in this book, no sex and no swearing especially as this is a Christian non-fiction book. There is a near death experience though.
I'd recommend this book to everyone, young and old. You will be amazed with what Colton has seen and heard. I know I was.
I remember reading the child friendly version of this book to my son last year. However, I wasn't made aware of the adult version of this book until the film came out and when my cousin told me I should read the book because it was really good. I really wanted to see the movie, so I thought I'd read the book first. All I can say about this book is WOW! It was very touching and such a great read!
I like the title. It has such a child like innocence about it which is fitting since it's about a little boy visiting Heaven.
I love the cover with the photo of little Colton. He was such an adorable little boy! I would've liked to see a drawing of Heaven or something behind him, but the cover, on its own, does work quite well.
I thought the way that Todd Burpo (Colton's father) sets up the scenes was done quite well. It was easy to picture everything happening in my mind. I could even picture Heaven in my mind with Colton's descriptions although I know Heaven will be much better then what I can actually imagine.
The pacing throughout this book is fantastic. In fact, I would've read the book in one setting, but I had a husband and a 10 year old to look after, so I had to stop. However, the next day, when everyone was at school and work, I finished it then. I couldn't wait to see what little Colton had to say next about Heaven. It was just astounding!
This book just blew my mind. It was so amazing to be getting a glimpse into Heaven thanks to Colton. The things he described whilst in Heaven were just breath taking. I believe that Colton did see what he described. Saying that, there were times I was thinking that maybe Colton could've been exaggerating especially when he would say things two years later. Perhaps he was telling the whole truth though. We'll never know until we reach Heaven. But I do believe that most of what Colton saw whilst in Heaven was and is true.
There's no violence in this book, no sex and no swearing especially as this is a Christian non-fiction book. There is a near death experience though.
I'd recommend this book to everyone, young and old. You will be amazed with what Colton has seen and heard. I know I was.
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Monster Hunter International in Books
Jun 2, 2018
One book - I'm hooked!
Well, heck. That’s just what I needed. Another bloody series to get hooked on. If the second book is as good as the first, I’ll be well and truly hooked. So, honestly, I’m kind of hoping the second book sucks a bit so I can get off this fan train and save myself some money.
So, in case that first paragraph wasn’t very clear: I loved Monster Hunter International. I was hooked from the beginning, and happily went along for the whole crazy, monster-killing ride. It was just different enough to keep me interested. Oliver Wyman did a great job with the narration. His regular reading voice is soothing, and his voices are very different from each other. He never made me wince like some readers (ie: the guy who read King’s IT) do.
I’m not a gun nut. Not really. I mean, I don’t currently own one. I don’t see the need for automatic rifles. Blah, blah, blah. I do, however, like to shoot them and I like book and screen violence. Therefore, the sheer amount of shoot-em-ups and physical thumpings that went on in this book made me very happy. Pitt, Holly, and Harbinger (and the plot) were just a happy bonus.
One of the things that surprised me was that Monster Hunter International hit what would normally be a climax and cliffhanger scene with about six hours left to go in the audio. After how intense that particular scene was, I wondered how Correia could go on for six more hours. But, I trusted him, and his ass-kicking game had been strong so far, so I listened on. He managed quite well.
This book hit all the high points for me. The main character (Pitt) wasn’t perfect, wasn’t even sure of himself, didn’t feel like he was God’s gift to women, etc. Julie seemed a bit too perfect, but she didn’t have a lot of screen time, so she was easy to forget about. Holly and Trip were great side-kicks. However, Harbinger was the one that won me over. I spent half the novel going “Okay, something’s definitely not right about him? What..” and then when it was revealed, I was totally “HOLY CRAP!” Because I did not expect that.
I am telling you right now, if Harbinger dies in one of the Monster Hunter International books, I will immediately stop reading the series.
Epic fights, interesting story, fun characters, and a great narrator all combined to make Monster Hunter International a clear winner. Highly recommend this book!
So, in case that first paragraph wasn’t very clear: I loved Monster Hunter International. I was hooked from the beginning, and happily went along for the whole crazy, monster-killing ride. It was just different enough to keep me interested. Oliver Wyman did a great job with the narration. His regular reading voice is soothing, and his voices are very different from each other. He never made me wince like some readers (ie: the guy who read King’s IT) do.
I’m not a gun nut. Not really. I mean, I don’t currently own one. I don’t see the need for automatic rifles. Blah, blah, blah. I do, however, like to shoot them and I like book and screen violence. Therefore, the sheer amount of shoot-em-ups and physical thumpings that went on in this book made me very happy. Pitt, Holly, and Harbinger (and the plot) were just a happy bonus.
One of the things that surprised me was that Monster Hunter International hit what would normally be a climax and cliffhanger scene with about six hours left to go in the audio. After how intense that particular scene was, I wondered how Correia could go on for six more hours. But, I trusted him, and his ass-kicking game had been strong so far, so I listened on. He managed quite well.
This book hit all the high points for me. The main character (Pitt) wasn’t perfect, wasn’t even sure of himself, didn’t feel like he was God’s gift to women, etc. Julie seemed a bit too perfect, but she didn’t have a lot of screen time, so she was easy to forget about. Holly and Trip were great side-kicks. However, Harbinger was the one that won me over. I spent half the novel going “Okay, something’s definitely not right about him? What..” and then when it was revealed, I was totally “HOLY CRAP!” Because I did not expect that.
I am telling you right now, if Harbinger dies in one of the Monster Hunter International books, I will immediately stop reading the series.
Epic fights, interesting story, fun characters, and a great narrator all combined to make Monster Hunter International a clear winner. Highly recommend this book!
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated The Ones Who Got Away (The Ones Who Got Away, #1) in Books
Jul 12, 2018
I first heard about this book on Bookish First and I was enraptured by the first few chapters. I just knew I had to read this book. I was lucky enough to be accepted as an ARC reader and I know this review has come out after the book was released but that was because I received it last week via Bookish First though I will admit, I was accepted as a Netgalley reader too (yes, I was that in love with just the preview I asked to read the book on NetGalley too which is really completely rare for me.
I was really scared this book was going to hit all of the wrong buttons but I was so completely impressed. Roni Loren has a way about writing that makes you feel like you are sitting on the sidelines watching this all take place. I felt the emotions of the characters and they were realistic. I love how each character was unique and relatable in a way. The characters were well thought out and I loved the personalities of each one. I also loved the friendship and comradery that was in this book between the main characters. I felt like I was hanging out with some of my friends while I was reading it.
Liv & Finn were by far my favorite characters (which tends to happen with main characters). The banter they had was amazing and I found myself swooning for Finn many times while also cursing his name at other times. I honestly just loved the chemistry between the two of them. It made me want to live passionately too.
The plot of this book is unfortunately realistic and I loved that it humanized the survivors of this horrid act of violence. Too many times we think of survivors as props in a way. I've never been in a situation like this but I know people who have. I was a grade schooler in Colorado when the Columbine shooting happened and I graduated from Arapahoe High School about 10 years ago so I see a lot of the press that happens when an anniversary happens. It's a constant barrage of news articles anytime April or December come around. I love how this book made the characters, the survivors, all be humans who are messed up and yet surviving. I loved that.
All in all, I loved this book. This book is messy, beautiful, heart wrenching, and just spectacular. If any part of this book sounds like it's up your alley, pick up the book and read it. It's wonderful.
I was really scared this book was going to hit all of the wrong buttons but I was so completely impressed. Roni Loren has a way about writing that makes you feel like you are sitting on the sidelines watching this all take place. I felt the emotions of the characters and they were realistic. I love how each character was unique and relatable in a way. The characters were well thought out and I loved the personalities of each one. I also loved the friendship and comradery that was in this book between the main characters. I felt like I was hanging out with some of my friends while I was reading it.
Liv & Finn were by far my favorite characters (which tends to happen with main characters). The banter they had was amazing and I found myself swooning for Finn many times while also cursing his name at other times. I honestly just loved the chemistry between the two of them. It made me want to live passionately too.
The plot of this book is unfortunately realistic and I loved that it humanized the survivors of this horrid act of violence. Too many times we think of survivors as props in a way. I've never been in a situation like this but I know people who have. I was a grade schooler in Colorado when the Columbine shooting happened and I graduated from Arapahoe High School about 10 years ago so I see a lot of the press that happens when an anniversary happens. It's a constant barrage of news articles anytime April or December come around. I love how this book made the characters, the survivors, all be humans who are messed up and yet surviving. I loved that.
All in all, I loved this book. This book is messy, beautiful, heart wrenching, and just spectacular. If any part of this book sounds like it's up your alley, pick up the book and read it. It's wonderful.
Louise (64 KP) rated Paper Girls: Volume 1 in Books
Jul 2, 2018
This is really tricky to review as I don't want to give too much away, but I want people to read it because I found it good but also at the same time, I am not 100% sure what I just read.
I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, it was weird but in a good way. I haven't read a graphic novel for a while and this just appealed to me... especially as it's written by the same author as Saga.
It all starts with four 12-year-old girls in 1988 doing their paper rounds on the aftermath of Halloween, they get caught up in a war of the worlds, time traveling galactic war between monsters, demons, aliens and a godlike man. With everybody vanishing, the presence of pterodactyls and not knowing who to trust or which way to turn,will they survive?
There are a lot of things that I enjoyed about this graphic novel, first off I shall start with the artwork the palette mostly consists of purples,pinks and blues and the drawings fit in with the 80's theme. I loved that it was set in the 80's and that the girls were doing paper rounds on their bikes and had cassette tapes, I really just like anything set in this era. The characters are all very different and each have their own personalities, they are sassy, have attitude and funny at the same time.
There are some things that let this down for me, not many but I think are quite important. First off there was not much background stories to the girls or character development. There is also the fact that the things they encounter are not fully explained or where they actually come from. The plot also can be a bit jumpy in parts and can be slightly confusing. I am hoping that the second volume gives us more of an understanding as to where the characters are coming from, what they are fighting and more world/character building.
This is the is a bind up of issues 1-5 and I will definitely be reading the second volume as I have a feeling this is just going to get better and better. Even though this is a story of four 12 year olds girls there is strong language and violence so not suitable for children or the easily offended.
Overall I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
**I received a copy of this graphic novel from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review**
I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, it was weird but in a good way. I haven't read a graphic novel for a while and this just appealed to me... especially as it's written by the same author as Saga.
It all starts with four 12-year-old girls in 1988 doing their paper rounds on the aftermath of Halloween, they get caught up in a war of the worlds, time traveling galactic war between monsters, demons, aliens and a godlike man. With everybody vanishing, the presence of pterodactyls and not knowing who to trust or which way to turn,will they survive?
There are a lot of things that I enjoyed about this graphic novel, first off I shall start with the artwork the palette mostly consists of purples,pinks and blues and the drawings fit in with the 80's theme. I loved that it was set in the 80's and that the girls were doing paper rounds on their bikes and had cassette tapes, I really just like anything set in this era. The characters are all very different and each have their own personalities, they are sassy, have attitude and funny at the same time.
There are some things that let this down for me, not many but I think are quite important. First off there was not much background stories to the girls or character development. There is also the fact that the things they encounter are not fully explained or where they actually come from. The plot also can be a bit jumpy in parts and can be slightly confusing. I am hoping that the second volume gives us more of an understanding as to where the characters are coming from, what they are fighting and more world/character building.
This is the is a bind up of issues 1-5 and I will definitely be reading the second volume as I have a feeling this is just going to get better and better. Even though this is a story of four 12 year olds girls there is strong language and violence so not suitable for children or the easily offended.
Overall I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
**I received a copy of this graphic novel from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review**
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Upgrade (2018) in Movies
Oct 2, 2018 (Updated Oct 3, 2018)
World Building (2 more)
VFX
Logan Marshall-Green
A Fresh, Fun Dose of Sci-Fi Fun
For years, I have been wanting to see what Leigh Whannell could do outside of the Horror genre. He wrote the first 3 Saw movies, (AKA the good ones,) and the Insidious trilogy, so he has proved himself as a titan in that genre, but I have been wanting to see him expand to another style, in a similar way that we have seen James Wan do.
Well this is it.
Upgrade is a Sci-Fi movie that doesn't follow the most unique concept in the genre, but does it in such a fresh and fun way that it works incredibly well. Upgrade also does a really good job at making you feel some genuine emotions of sadness and pity, something that I really didn't expect to get from a movie like this. When it comes to the action and violence in the movie, Upgrade embraces it's B-movie inspiration and gives us some awesome grisly practical effects along with some cool action choreography to go with it.
There are some elements to the plot that may seem bizarre to those not familiar with the more campy side of this genre and the movie does slightly feel like a video game at times. However, I don't feel that this is to the movie's detriment and instead, actually adds to the fun ride that the film is taking you on.
I also like the way the movie ended, although I saw the reveal of who the big bad was going to be coming a mile away, what happened afterward was really surprising and pretty bold and risky. I don't want to spoil anything here if I can help it, but let's just say I thought that they were going one way, which would have been a really poor, cliché ending for a movie like this and then they went in totally the opposite direction, subverting expectations and instead, choosing to end the film on a genuinely unexpected note. Whether you like the ending or not, I think that the guts it took to pull it off, deserves some praise.
Overall, Upgrade is a really fun watch. It has it's high octane action sequences as advertised in the trailer and it also has some surprisingly tender, heartfelt moments to go along with all of the stunts and gore. Definitely worth a watch if you are a sci-fi fan looking for a thrilling, bloody good time.
Well this is it.
Upgrade is a Sci-Fi movie that doesn't follow the most unique concept in the genre, but does it in such a fresh and fun way that it works incredibly well. Upgrade also does a really good job at making you feel some genuine emotions of sadness and pity, something that I really didn't expect to get from a movie like this. When it comes to the action and violence in the movie, Upgrade embraces it's B-movie inspiration and gives us some awesome grisly practical effects along with some cool action choreography to go with it.
There are some elements to the plot that may seem bizarre to those not familiar with the more campy side of this genre and the movie does slightly feel like a video game at times. However, I don't feel that this is to the movie's detriment and instead, actually adds to the fun ride that the film is taking you on.
I also like the way the movie ended, although I saw the reveal of who the big bad was going to be coming a mile away, what happened afterward was really surprising and pretty bold and risky. I don't want to spoil anything here if I can help it, but let's just say I thought that they were going one way, which would have been a really poor, cliché ending for a movie like this and then they went in totally the opposite direction, subverting expectations and instead, choosing to end the film on a genuinely unexpected note. Whether you like the ending or not, I think that the guts it took to pull it off, deserves some praise.
Overall, Upgrade is a really fun watch. It has it's high octane action sequences as advertised in the trailer and it also has some surprisingly tender, heartfelt moments to go along with all of the stunts and gore. Definitely worth a watch if you are a sci-fi fan looking for a thrilling, bloody good time.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated I Found You in Books
Nov 19, 2018
Great Characters (1 more)
Interesting Plot
A Thrilling Read!
I found out about I Found You by Lisa Jewell in a magazine about upcoming books. When I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it. It sounded really good! Luckily, it didn't disappoint.
The pacing was a little slow in places. However, it was still decently paced enough to hold my attention. The last quarter of the book was fast paced, but not in a bad way where I didn't know what was going on. For the last quarter of I Found You, I found myself fully immersed within the pages. I had to know what was going to happen next.
The world building is very believable. It's not something that happens every day, but I can still picture it happening. The plot of I Found You was very enjoyable. I don't think I've ever read anything like it. It was interesting to read about the past as well as the story from two different women's point of view. It was also very interesting to see how their worlds were about to collide. There are a couple of plot twists that I had been trying to figure out from the the beginning which I got wrong. All of my questions about the story were answered by the end of the book as well as any loose ends.
I thought the characters in I Found You were very well written and fleshed out perfectly. All of them felt very real. I would have liked to learn more about Alice's past, but she was still a well written character. I enjoyed reading about Frank as he tried to get his memory back, and it was very interesting going along for the ride with Lily as she tried to find her missing husband. I loved how protective Gray was of his sister Kirsty and how much he loved her. I hated Mark, but that was the point. Mark was written to be a horrible person.
Trigger warnings include drug use, underage and of age alcohol use, violence, swearing, sexual assault, death, and implied sex.
Overall, I Found You was an enjoyable read. The plot was very interesting, and the characters felt very real. The pacing was a bit slow sometimes, but it always held my attention. I would definitely recommend I Found You by Lisa Jewell to everyone aged 16+. It is a thrilling read for sure!
The pacing was a little slow in places. However, it was still decently paced enough to hold my attention. The last quarter of the book was fast paced, but not in a bad way where I didn't know what was going on. For the last quarter of I Found You, I found myself fully immersed within the pages. I had to know what was going to happen next.
The world building is very believable. It's not something that happens every day, but I can still picture it happening. The plot of I Found You was very enjoyable. I don't think I've ever read anything like it. It was interesting to read about the past as well as the story from two different women's point of view. It was also very interesting to see how their worlds were about to collide. There are a couple of plot twists that I had been trying to figure out from the the beginning which I got wrong. All of my questions about the story were answered by the end of the book as well as any loose ends.
I thought the characters in I Found You were very well written and fleshed out perfectly. All of them felt very real. I would have liked to learn more about Alice's past, but she was still a well written character. I enjoyed reading about Frank as he tried to get his memory back, and it was very interesting going along for the ride with Lily as she tried to find her missing husband. I loved how protective Gray was of his sister Kirsty and how much he loved her. I hated Mark, but that was the point. Mark was written to be a horrible person.
Trigger warnings include drug use, underage and of age alcohol use, violence, swearing, sexual assault, death, and implied sex.
Overall, I Found You was an enjoyable read. The plot was very interesting, and the characters felt very real. The pacing was a bit slow sometimes, but it always held my attention. I would definitely recommend I Found You by Lisa Jewell to everyone aged 16+. It is a thrilling read for sure!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
When we last saw John Wick (Keanue Reeves), the former elite assassin had just completed a bloody and brutal mission of revenge after being pulled
back into a world he risked everything to leave behind. In “John Wick: Chapter 2”, the film picks up with Wick tying off some loose ends from the
first film and then returning to his home to finally find peace and leave his old life behind forever.
Sadly, a marker from his past is called in and John is not so subtly reminded of the consequences of failing to repay a marker, and is tasked with a no win situation.
John soon finds himself in Rome where he must eliminate a person of position despite having no real reason to do so other than to repay his debt. The fact that he knows his target is an even more of a challenge for him to contend with.
As if this was not bad enough, John upon completing his task is soon double crossed and finds that a bounty of 7 million dollars has been placed on him, and he know has every assassin in the greater New York area gunning for him.
The film maintains the frantic and breathlessly intense and sustained combat of the first film without ever being stale or repetitive. Guns, knives, and other implements all became part of a symphony of violence and destruction that is captivating to watch.
The film also goes deeper into the characters around John and the world in which he lives such as Winston (Ian McShane), who runs the Continental Hotel where rules for conduct are set, and those in John’s line of work find refuge and supplies for their “work”.
The film is one of the rare sequels that is as good if not better than the original and sets up a third outing very well. Reeves owns the character and you can sense his conflict as one who wants to leave his past behind but who cannot escape his past.
The very physical and demanding nature of the part shows the passion he has for the character and watching the fury and smoothness of how he dispatches his foes really underscores that this is pretty much everything you would want in an action film and more.
The very satisfying action sequences and performances combine well to make a compelling, exciting, and highly entertaining adrenaline rush, and I cannot wait to see what they come up with for the next outing.
http://sknr.net/2017/02/09/john-wick-chapter-2/
back into a world he risked everything to leave behind. In “John Wick: Chapter 2”, the film picks up with Wick tying off some loose ends from the
first film and then returning to his home to finally find peace and leave his old life behind forever.
Sadly, a marker from his past is called in and John is not so subtly reminded of the consequences of failing to repay a marker, and is tasked with a no win situation.
John soon finds himself in Rome where he must eliminate a person of position despite having no real reason to do so other than to repay his debt. The fact that he knows his target is an even more of a challenge for him to contend with.
As if this was not bad enough, John upon completing his task is soon double crossed and finds that a bounty of 7 million dollars has been placed on him, and he know has every assassin in the greater New York area gunning for him.
The film maintains the frantic and breathlessly intense and sustained combat of the first film without ever being stale or repetitive. Guns, knives, and other implements all became part of a symphony of violence and destruction that is captivating to watch.
The film also goes deeper into the characters around John and the world in which he lives such as Winston (Ian McShane), who runs the Continental Hotel where rules for conduct are set, and those in John’s line of work find refuge and supplies for their “work”.
The film is one of the rare sequels that is as good if not better than the original and sets up a third outing very well. Reeves owns the character and you can sense his conflict as one who wants to leave his past behind but who cannot escape his past.
The very physical and demanding nature of the part shows the passion he has for the character and watching the fury and smoothness of how he dispatches his foes really underscores that this is pretty much everything you would want in an action film and more.
The very satisfying action sequences and performances combine well to make a compelling, exciting, and highly entertaining adrenaline rush, and I cannot wait to see what they come up with for the next outing.
http://sknr.net/2017/02/09/john-wick-chapter-2/
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Two Can Keep a Secret in Books
Jan 5, 2019
Great plot twists (1 more)
Great Characters
A Good Mystery!
When I read about Karen M. McManus' new book Two Can Keep a Secret, I added it to the top of my to read list. I loved her previous book One of Us is Lying, so I figured her new book would be just as good. Luckily, Ms. McManus did not let me down.
The synopsis of Two Can Keep a Secret really drew me in. I enjoyed they mystery behind who had killed the first homecoming queen, Lacey, and who was responsible for the current missing homecoming queen nominee as well as the mystery surrounding Ellery's and Ezra's aunt Sarah. Every time I thought I had figured out who the culprit was, another spanner was thrown into the works, and I would suspect someone else. This book definitely kept me guessing throughout, and I was wrong about who was responsible. The plot twist are great, and I can't say that I ever saw any of the plot twists coming.
The pacing starts out slow up until Chapter 14, and I found myself wondering if I had made a mistake with reading Two Can Keep a Secret. Once I got to Chapter 14, the pacing picked up, and I found myself fully immersed in what was happening. Not once did the pacing become too slow again. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.
The characters in Two Can Keep a Secret were all believable and fully fleshed out although I would have liked to know more about Sarah. There was some closure to Sarah's disappearance, but I felt like more information would have been nice. My favorite characters were Malcolm, Ellery, and Katrin. I loved watching Malcolm's and Ellery's relationship bloom. There was just something about Kartin that I really liked. I also liked the character of Brooke.
Trigger warnings for Two Can Keep a Secret include some underage drinking, profanities, some sexual innuendos, violence, attempted murder, and murder.
Overall, Two Can Keep a Secret isn't as good as One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus. However, it's still a great read. It has some great plot twists and well written characters. I would definitely recommend Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus to those aged 16+ who love a good mystery.
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(A special thank you to Delacorte Press for providing me with a hardback of Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The synopsis of Two Can Keep a Secret really drew me in. I enjoyed they mystery behind who had killed the first homecoming queen, Lacey, and who was responsible for the current missing homecoming queen nominee as well as the mystery surrounding Ellery's and Ezra's aunt Sarah. Every time I thought I had figured out who the culprit was, another spanner was thrown into the works, and I would suspect someone else. This book definitely kept me guessing throughout, and I was wrong about who was responsible. The plot twist are great, and I can't say that I ever saw any of the plot twists coming.
The pacing starts out slow up until Chapter 14, and I found myself wondering if I had made a mistake with reading Two Can Keep a Secret. Once I got to Chapter 14, the pacing picked up, and I found myself fully immersed in what was happening. Not once did the pacing become too slow again. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.
The characters in Two Can Keep a Secret were all believable and fully fleshed out although I would have liked to know more about Sarah. There was some closure to Sarah's disappearance, but I felt like more information would have been nice. My favorite characters were Malcolm, Ellery, and Katrin. I loved watching Malcolm's and Ellery's relationship bloom. There was just something about Kartin that I really liked. I also liked the character of Brooke.
Trigger warnings for Two Can Keep a Secret include some underage drinking, profanities, some sexual innuendos, violence, attempted murder, and murder.
Overall, Two Can Keep a Secret isn't as good as One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus. However, it's still a great read. It has some great plot twists and well written characters. I would definitely recommend Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus to those aged 16+ who love a good mystery.
--
(A special thank you to Delacorte Press for providing me with a hardback of Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)