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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Liberator (The Liberators #1) in Books
Nov 19, 2019
Fast. Loud. Violent. Fun. All good adjectives to use in relation to this book. This is the summer blockbuster of science fiction novels.
It is the far future. Corporate business rules and takeovers and mergers are often done facing down the barrel of a gun - or the threat of destruction from orbit from a massive spaceship.
When Skye Pennington is kidnapped by a rival company in order to gain business advantage, her friend Orlanda Nixon tries to rescue her. After her initial attempt is thwarted, she turns to the only place she can, the old mercenary unit she and Skye were both part of. The Liberators.
However, the former large and fearsome force is now a tattered remnant after one battle too far, kept alive only by their leader, JJ Tristan and a few final loyal members who have nowhere else to go. Tristan must gather as much of the team as he can muster at short notice and get his mighty - and badly damaged - ship back in action. It's a tall order for a disparate group who don't always get on with each other.
In the end the plot is not of any particular consequence. It is a very handy hook to hang the story off of, the initial stirring battles introducing Orlanda and Skye, the introduction and gathering of the Liberators after Orlanda's plea and the adrenaline fuelled fight sequences as they attempt to recapture Skye. There is also some sneaking around by the team's deadly assassin and flashbacks to show the glory days of the team, and some of the history between the characters.
The result is a terrific ensemble piece, the Liberators may be battered and dog-eared, old and tired but they have an instinct for survival and fighting that is only matched by their ability to cause destruction and mayhem. The pace runs fast through most of the book - it does slow in the middle as the characters are introduced but is never dull and certainly never predictable.
Every character is well thought out and at first glance some appear to be simplistic ciphers - the cyborg, the tech specialist with the weird sense of humour, the grizzled commander - but once they start interacting and (most importantly) fighting each comes entirely into their own.
This book doesn't take itself too seriously - it exists for the excellent set pieces rather than for any detailed introspection on future society - and the scenes of the good guys running around in big armour with even bigger guns will bring a smile to your face. In particular the sequence when their ship takes off is a total tour de force and one of the best action scenes I have seen in print.
This is a terrific introduction to what will hopefully be a series of novels. Certainly what happens next to the Liberators will be of interest. Any Hollywood producers looking for the next great summer blockbuster could do worse as well.
Rating: Lots of violence. Then some more. And some bad language
It is the far future. Corporate business rules and takeovers and mergers are often done facing down the barrel of a gun - or the threat of destruction from orbit from a massive spaceship.
When Skye Pennington is kidnapped by a rival company in order to gain business advantage, her friend Orlanda Nixon tries to rescue her. After her initial attempt is thwarted, she turns to the only place she can, the old mercenary unit she and Skye were both part of. The Liberators.
However, the former large and fearsome force is now a tattered remnant after one battle too far, kept alive only by their leader, JJ Tristan and a few final loyal members who have nowhere else to go. Tristan must gather as much of the team as he can muster at short notice and get his mighty - and badly damaged - ship back in action. It's a tall order for a disparate group who don't always get on with each other.
In the end the plot is not of any particular consequence. It is a very handy hook to hang the story off of, the initial stirring battles introducing Orlanda and Skye, the introduction and gathering of the Liberators after Orlanda's plea and the adrenaline fuelled fight sequences as they attempt to recapture Skye. There is also some sneaking around by the team's deadly assassin and flashbacks to show the glory days of the team, and some of the history between the characters.
The result is a terrific ensemble piece, the Liberators may be battered and dog-eared, old and tired but they have an instinct for survival and fighting that is only matched by their ability to cause destruction and mayhem. The pace runs fast through most of the book - it does slow in the middle as the characters are introduced but is never dull and certainly never predictable.
Every character is well thought out and at first glance some appear to be simplistic ciphers - the cyborg, the tech specialist with the weird sense of humour, the grizzled commander - but once they start interacting and (most importantly) fighting each comes entirely into their own.
This book doesn't take itself too seriously - it exists for the excellent set pieces rather than for any detailed introspection on future society - and the scenes of the good guys running around in big armour with even bigger guns will bring a smile to your face. In particular the sequence when their ship takes off is a total tour de force and one of the best action scenes I have seen in print.
This is a terrific introduction to what will hopefully be a series of novels. Certainly what happens next to the Liberators will be of interest. Any Hollywood producers looking for the next great summer blockbuster could do worse as well.
Rating: Lots of violence. Then some more. And some bad language
Becs (244 KP) rated An Unholy Magick in Books
Dec 2, 2019
the enemies to lovers (3 more)
the plot
the characters are relatable
there are not any "good guys" or "heroes"; everybody is a "bad guy" or "villain"
An enthralling read that will leave you wanting more
You can also find this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
“The desire for power is a murderer.”
Trigger Warnings: death, injury, murder, gore, loss of a parent(s), talk of enslavement, crucification, talk of torture, talk of war, beheading, violence
Thoughts:
I haven’t read many “dark fantasy” books and An Unholy Magick really makes me want to start reading more. It was gruesome, it had gore, it was dark, and it was witchy. Everything I love in a book!
Now, this isn’t your typical “main character is the hero” sort of story. Elena Salas was a complicated, morally gray protagonist with a dark past. You could almost say she was a bit villainous with the career she took: assassin-for-hire. Elena wasn’t likable at times but with everything she had been through, she and her actions were relatable.
One thing I really liked about this story’s plot was that there was no standard “hero” or “good guys.” Everybody was considered a “bad guy” or a “villain” in their own way. This really made the whole story more realistic. More relatable to today’s standard’s. And with the tasks and complications Elena encounters at what seems like every turn, it makes it seem like the plot is out to tear her down. This causes an extremely headstrong protagonist to form in a mere few chapters.
Now, if you are anything like me and always crave a bit of romance in a fantasy book, you totally get it with An Unholy Magick. There’s a bit of a love triangle and enemies to lovers situation between three (3) of the main characters – Elena, Matvey, and Zoran. I was seriously rooting for all of them and I absolutely despise love triangles. So that was a bit of a first for me! All three of these characters also shared a common theme: pain. At some point in their lives, they had something traumatic happen to them. To me, this just really put the icing on the cake. Even making these three characters along with Elena’s brother, Jamie, all the more likeable, relatable, and realistic.
An Unholy Magick was imaginative, fun, and unique. The world was constructed beautifully and kept making me want more of it. The magick system was also constructed in a way that made it understandable from the get go. The only reason why I didn’t rate this enchanting book a five out of five stars, is due to the beginning being a bit difficult to get into because it read awfully slow. Also, because the format I received the book in was all wanky and hard to read at times. It was an eARC, so that could be why. But other than that, this complex and unique read is one that I feel most will enjoy!
“The desire for power is a murderer.”
Trigger Warnings: death, injury, murder, gore, loss of a parent(s), talk of enslavement, crucification, talk of torture, talk of war, beheading, violence
Thoughts:
I haven’t read many “dark fantasy” books and An Unholy Magick really makes me want to start reading more. It was gruesome, it had gore, it was dark, and it was witchy. Everything I love in a book!
Now, this isn’t your typical “main character is the hero” sort of story. Elena Salas was a complicated, morally gray protagonist with a dark past. You could almost say she was a bit villainous with the career she took: assassin-for-hire. Elena wasn’t likable at times but with everything she had been through, she and her actions were relatable.
One thing I really liked about this story’s plot was that there was no standard “hero” or “good guys.” Everybody was considered a “bad guy” or a “villain” in their own way. This really made the whole story more realistic. More relatable to today’s standard’s. And with the tasks and complications Elena encounters at what seems like every turn, it makes it seem like the plot is out to tear her down. This causes an extremely headstrong protagonist to form in a mere few chapters.
Now, if you are anything like me and always crave a bit of romance in a fantasy book, you totally get it with An Unholy Magick. There’s a bit of a love triangle and enemies to lovers situation between three (3) of the main characters – Elena, Matvey, and Zoran. I was seriously rooting for all of them and I absolutely despise love triangles. So that was a bit of a first for me! All three of these characters also shared a common theme: pain. At some point in their lives, they had something traumatic happen to them. To me, this just really put the icing on the cake. Even making these three characters along with Elena’s brother, Jamie, all the more likeable, relatable, and realistic.
An Unholy Magick was imaginative, fun, and unique. The world was constructed beautifully and kept making me want more of it. The magick system was also constructed in a way that made it understandable from the get go. The only reason why I didn’t rate this enchanting book a five out of five stars, is due to the beginning being a bit difficult to get into because it read awfully slow. Also, because the format I received the book in was all wanky and hard to read at times. It was an eARC, so that could be why. But other than that, this complex and unique read is one that I feel most will enjoy!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Secret Santa (2018) in Movies
Dec 8, 2019
As alternative Christmas films go this one is way out there and probably the most Christmassy of them all. We've got actual Christmas events which is more than some.
Christmases in the family are always an over the top affair, snowy location, enormous turkey, secret Santa gifts and competition. But where there should be fun and merriment there's always a little bit of resentment, bitterness and not so friendly jabs.
April has turned over a new leaf and this Christmas is meant to be a way to apologise for past wrongs and bring everyone back together for some much needed family bonding, what she doesn't know is that someone else has other ideas. The family doesn't need more pleasantries, it needs a bit of truth.
Secret Santa is just pure batshit crazy and takes dysfunctional family to another level, there's so much going on that you'll certainly never be bored watching it. We obviously have a lot of gratuitous violence and there's also some nudity and sex thanks to Jackson, his girlfriend, and a... well, I won't spoil that bit. These are all selling points, right!?
What kick starts the craziness is the punch being spiked with an experimental military-grade truth serum, the effects start with what appears just to be their normal family bitchiness but it soon progresses into something a lot more homicidal. I liked that they kept a bit of a mix, not everyone showed the same sort of rage and it really depended on their original demeanour. The most extreme was definitely Jackson, and Nathan Hedrick certainly gives a fantastic, if disturbing, performance in the role. But everyone really commits to their parts and that's the thing that stopped this film from sliding into a bad made-for-TV affair.
There are so many things I want to mention but I don't want to spoil the fun to be had from watching this, so I'll just say that something wacky and nuts happens approximately every two minutes.
The film is done in such a way that you really get pulled into the action of it all by being up close and personal, and throughout there's a real contrast between the good and the bad, even in the opening titles. We're also treated to some great musical choices throughout and the festive vibe shines through. Make sure you watch into the credits as there are some great little additions to the story in them.
If you've brought the DVD then you'll also have a "making of" featurette, you absolutely need to watch this. It's almost as long as the film but it was really interesting to watch. Finding out the background to some of these films really does help you have a different appreciation for them and listening to the story begin Secret Santa was a real bonus.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/12/secret-santa-movie-dvd-review.html
Christmases in the family are always an over the top affair, snowy location, enormous turkey, secret Santa gifts and competition. But where there should be fun and merriment there's always a little bit of resentment, bitterness and not so friendly jabs.
April has turned over a new leaf and this Christmas is meant to be a way to apologise for past wrongs and bring everyone back together for some much needed family bonding, what she doesn't know is that someone else has other ideas. The family doesn't need more pleasantries, it needs a bit of truth.
Secret Santa is just pure batshit crazy and takes dysfunctional family to another level, there's so much going on that you'll certainly never be bored watching it. We obviously have a lot of gratuitous violence and there's also some nudity and sex thanks to Jackson, his girlfriend, and a... well, I won't spoil that bit. These are all selling points, right!?
What kick starts the craziness is the punch being spiked with an experimental military-grade truth serum, the effects start with what appears just to be their normal family bitchiness but it soon progresses into something a lot more homicidal. I liked that they kept a bit of a mix, not everyone showed the same sort of rage and it really depended on their original demeanour. The most extreme was definitely Jackson, and Nathan Hedrick certainly gives a fantastic, if disturbing, performance in the role. But everyone really commits to their parts and that's the thing that stopped this film from sliding into a bad made-for-TV affair.
There are so many things I want to mention but I don't want to spoil the fun to be had from watching this, so I'll just say that something wacky and nuts happens approximately every two minutes.
The film is done in such a way that you really get pulled into the action of it all by being up close and personal, and throughout there's a real contrast between the good and the bad, even in the opening titles. We're also treated to some great musical choices throughout and the festive vibe shines through. Make sure you watch into the credits as there are some great little additions to the story in them.
If you've brought the DVD then you'll also have a "making of" featurette, you absolutely need to watch this. It's almost as long as the film but it was really interesting to watch. Finding out the background to some of these films really does help you have a different appreciation for them and listening to the story begin Secret Santa was a real bonus.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/12/secret-santa-movie-dvd-review.html
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Rochester Runes in Books
Jan 9, 2020
The Rochester Ruins is the second book in the series Freiyon Fables by Justin Hunt, too which the first book only received a 2 from me. The timeline this book and the first appear to overlap to some extent at the beginning. Old friends and foes, as well as new, make an appearance in this book as well.
Unlike the first book that detailed a lightning-tailed squirrel's journey through Freiyon this story follows the three human Rochester siblings. The three siblings., Robert, Charles, and Sarah move with their mother into their grandparents old manor. None of the children are exactly thrilled about the move and are surprised to find the manor to have traps in it. After finding a mysterious stone that unlocks a door at the end of a secret passage the children find themselves in Freiyon.
It is in this world of talking animals and sentient trees that they search for the rune stones that will lift their familys curse. The rune stones, once gathered together also have the ability to grant wishes. The Rochester siblings. use these wishes to aid them in protecting Freiyon from The Grabbers, who are also in search of the rune stones. This is an adventure that will bring their entire family together, but it may also tear some of them apart.
What I liked best was Freiyon still feeling a lot like Narnia. Then there is also the fact that this book is tied very nicely in with the first one. Some of the human characters even made me question if they are in any way related to the unnamed boy at the end of the first book, but that is just speculation on my part. What I did not like is just like the first book the writing felt oversimplified. At times it did seem like maybe this was on purpose with the goal of preventing the book from being too long. If that is the case than the book suffers from it. The ending also felt very confusing and as if it was unnecessary for things to turn out the way the did, but I dont want to give any major spoilers.
Once again I would suggest that middle school-aged children and some elementary students can visit the would of Freiyon. The violence that made me question how some parents of younger children might perceive this series even appeared to be a little less graphic this time around. I rate this book a 2 out of 4 just like the first. Once again the book seems to jump from one major sequence of events to another with only minimal transitioning. Still, the world itself is intriguing if only it was given a better description. The ending of this one also made it lose major points.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
Unlike the first book that detailed a lightning-tailed squirrel's journey through Freiyon this story follows the three human Rochester siblings. The three siblings., Robert, Charles, and Sarah move with their mother into their grandparents old manor. None of the children are exactly thrilled about the move and are surprised to find the manor to have traps in it. After finding a mysterious stone that unlocks a door at the end of a secret passage the children find themselves in Freiyon.
It is in this world of talking animals and sentient trees that they search for the rune stones that will lift their familys curse. The rune stones, once gathered together also have the ability to grant wishes. The Rochester siblings. use these wishes to aid them in protecting Freiyon from The Grabbers, who are also in search of the rune stones. This is an adventure that will bring their entire family together, but it may also tear some of them apart.
What I liked best was Freiyon still feeling a lot like Narnia. Then there is also the fact that this book is tied very nicely in with the first one. Some of the human characters even made me question if they are in any way related to the unnamed boy at the end of the first book, but that is just speculation on my part. What I did not like is just like the first book the writing felt oversimplified. At times it did seem like maybe this was on purpose with the goal of preventing the book from being too long. If that is the case than the book suffers from it. The ending also felt very confusing and as if it was unnecessary for things to turn out the way the did, but I dont want to give any major spoilers.
Once again I would suggest that middle school-aged children and some elementary students can visit the would of Freiyon. The violence that made me question how some parents of younger children might perceive this series even appeared to be a little less graphic this time around. I rate this book a 2 out of 4 just like the first. Once again the book seems to jump from one major sequence of events to another with only minimal transitioning. Still, the world itself is intriguing if only it was given a better description. The ending of this one also made it lose major points.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
JT (287 KP) rated World War Z (2013) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Zombies, they’ve been around for a while now in all shapes and sizes, yet like the walking undead the genre shows no signs of dying out. Director Marc Forster teams up with Brad Pitt for a zombie horror (if you can really call it that) which travels the world in search of a vaccine that will stop the world’s population being wiped out.
It doesn’t take long for the first action set piece to explode into life, as Pitt and his family face a race against time to get out of New York city and off the streets as the zombie pandemic takes a grip. It’s certainly enough to hold your attention as we watch the transformation. People scampering this way and that as hordes of zombies swarm the streets like rats coming up from the sewer.
Gerry secures safety on board one of the few remaining battleships and is told that he must join the fight to find a cure, or head back to hell with his family in tow. He then jets off on a whistle stop tour taking him to South Korea, Israeli and of all places Wales (that got a chuckle from the audience) where each destination kicks off another exciting and thoroughly enjoyable zombie set piece.
However one thing is missing from this film, something vital that sets it apart from others, gore. Given the PG-13 rating certain scenes cut away from anything resembling graphic violence, which was a massive shame. The lack of flesh eating action which fans are used to seeing is a real disappointment. It is an element that could have taken this film from good to great and I felt like I had been cheated out of my ticket price.
Forster’s CG zombie hordes are impressive, particularly rampaging through the Israeli back streets and the film certainly delivers on some slick tension with one or two jump out of your seat moments. But for me it’s not enough to carry the entire film through, and when things quieten down you’re not left with much else to fill the time before the next shit hitting fan moment.
The occasional plot hole threatens to rear its ugly head, and given the size of the budget the ending is a real let down, but it clearly hints at a potential sequel. If they choose to go down that route then blood must be spilled and lots of it. The acting in World War Z is hardly filled with standouts, and with the exception of Pitt, most only pop up from time to time. Like Matthew Fox’s paratrooper which pretty much feels like a cameo and James Badge Dale’s Captain Speke, around for minutes before taking one to the head.
Visually it’s great there is no question about that, the zombies are terrifying but it needed just a little bit more to push it into the front as one of the better zombie flicks.
It doesn’t take long for the first action set piece to explode into life, as Pitt and his family face a race against time to get out of New York city and off the streets as the zombie pandemic takes a grip. It’s certainly enough to hold your attention as we watch the transformation. People scampering this way and that as hordes of zombies swarm the streets like rats coming up from the sewer.
Gerry secures safety on board one of the few remaining battleships and is told that he must join the fight to find a cure, or head back to hell with his family in tow. He then jets off on a whistle stop tour taking him to South Korea, Israeli and of all places Wales (that got a chuckle from the audience) where each destination kicks off another exciting and thoroughly enjoyable zombie set piece.
However one thing is missing from this film, something vital that sets it apart from others, gore. Given the PG-13 rating certain scenes cut away from anything resembling graphic violence, which was a massive shame. The lack of flesh eating action which fans are used to seeing is a real disappointment. It is an element that could have taken this film from good to great and I felt like I had been cheated out of my ticket price.
Forster’s CG zombie hordes are impressive, particularly rampaging through the Israeli back streets and the film certainly delivers on some slick tension with one or two jump out of your seat moments. But for me it’s not enough to carry the entire film through, and when things quieten down you’re not left with much else to fill the time before the next shit hitting fan moment.
The occasional plot hole threatens to rear its ugly head, and given the size of the budget the ending is a real let down, but it clearly hints at a potential sequel. If they choose to go down that route then blood must be spilled and lots of it. The acting in World War Z is hardly filled with standouts, and with the exception of Pitt, most only pop up from time to time. Like Matthew Fox’s paratrooper which pretty much feels like a cameo and James Badge Dale’s Captain Speke, around for minutes before taking one to the head.
Visually it’s great there is no question about that, the zombies are terrifying but it needed just a little bit more to push it into the front as one of the better zombie flicks.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Nice Guys (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
This is how it’s supposed to be done. Though it’s not the most original flick to grace the silver screen, Shane Black’s follow-up to his instant cult classic Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has everything you could want in an action/comedy romp. A solid dynamic between its two charming yet flawed leads, a strong plot that has enough twists and turns to keep you thrilled but not lost, and plenty of quotably razor-sharp dialogue. Imagine the Lethal Weapon type meets a less obtuse Inherent Vice. Besides the return of Jason Bourne in July, it will undoubtedly be the most entertaining thing you’ll see in another summer season of mediocrity. Is anybody really that interested in a ninth X-Men film?
Russell Crowe is the muscle-for-hire opposite Ryan Gosling as the P.I. referred to by his daughter as “the worst detective in the world”. They are thrust together by circumstance and, after a couple of amusing altercations, come to find out they are both involved in a larger case of conspiracy and cover-up as they race to find the girl at the center of it all. Crowe and Gosling make a winning team with chemistry in spades and, though the dialogue they’re given may not feel as fresh as what Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. had to work with in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang; they still pull it off marvelously. Between Gosling’s unfortunate directorial debut, Lost River, and Crowe’s string of misfires since 2010’s Robin Hood, these were the type of roles their fading stars were in dire need of and they both certainly look at home in a 70’s-era Hollywood detective story. For Gosling especially, this is probably the most likable he’s ever been. Well done also to the casting department for finding Angourie Rice. As Gosling’s daughter, she’s does an admirably fine job of playing a girl who can stand up to an incredibly hostile world and give some back. Here’s hoping she’s got a decent agent that will keep her in rich, multi-dimensional characters.
Shane Black, already having proved that he knows his way around a screenplay or two, is firmly coming into his own as a director (though the Christmas thing has got to stop), and I’ll be eagerly anticipating his next foray behind the camera. It’s also another excellent job from Warner’s marketing team, with a trailer that gave just enough of the one-liners and snippets of action without spoiling too many of the fun and twisty plot points. The action beats and moments of violence themselves, due to a tightly-structured script, feel earned and well-placed. Not once did I get that overwhelming feeling of action fatigue I’ve been experiencing so much in film lately (I’m looking at you, Marvel). The Nice Guys is all-around great filmmaking and one I can’t wait to revisit. I wouldn’t doubt it’ll be a day-one buy for me when it hits the home video market.
Russell Crowe is the muscle-for-hire opposite Ryan Gosling as the P.I. referred to by his daughter as “the worst detective in the world”. They are thrust together by circumstance and, after a couple of amusing altercations, come to find out they are both involved in a larger case of conspiracy and cover-up as they race to find the girl at the center of it all. Crowe and Gosling make a winning team with chemistry in spades and, though the dialogue they’re given may not feel as fresh as what Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. had to work with in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang; they still pull it off marvelously. Between Gosling’s unfortunate directorial debut, Lost River, and Crowe’s string of misfires since 2010’s Robin Hood, these were the type of roles their fading stars were in dire need of and they both certainly look at home in a 70’s-era Hollywood detective story. For Gosling especially, this is probably the most likable he’s ever been. Well done also to the casting department for finding Angourie Rice. As Gosling’s daughter, she’s does an admirably fine job of playing a girl who can stand up to an incredibly hostile world and give some back. Here’s hoping she’s got a decent agent that will keep her in rich, multi-dimensional characters.
Shane Black, already having proved that he knows his way around a screenplay or two, is firmly coming into his own as a director (though the Christmas thing has got to stop), and I’ll be eagerly anticipating his next foray behind the camera. It’s also another excellent job from Warner’s marketing team, with a trailer that gave just enough of the one-liners and snippets of action without spoiling too many of the fun and twisty plot points. The action beats and moments of violence themselves, due to a tightly-structured script, feel earned and well-placed. Not once did I get that overwhelming feeling of action fatigue I’ve been experiencing so much in film lately (I’m looking at you, Marvel). The Nice Guys is all-around great filmmaking and one I can’t wait to revisit. I wouldn’t doubt it’ll be a day-one buy for me when it hits the home video market.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The New Husband in Books
Feb 19, 2020
I love a good thriller, so when I found out about The New Husband by D.J. Palmer, I was all over it! This was a book that I knew I had to read. Luckily, I was not disappointed at all.
Nina's husband Glen disappeared after going out on his boat. No one was ever able to locate Glen's body although Nina presumes him to be dead. About two years later, Nina finds love with Simon Fitch, a teacher at her daughter's middle school. Simon is absolutely perfect for Nina, but Maggie, Nina's daughter, knows something is very wrong with Simon. Is Simon actually who he says he is or is Nina over her head?
I found the plot for The New Husband to be entertaining even though I also found it fairly predictable. While the plot is similar to other books, Palmer does a fantastic job at adding his own voice to the story. There were a couple of little plot twist I didn't predict to be fair, and the pacing was done brilliantly. I felt like every loose end was tied up by the end of the book and was explained very well. The descriptive use of text has me transported right into the middle of the setting for every scene in The New Husband.
The characters in The New Husband all had plenty of depth and were very fleshed out. I loved Nina, but so many times I wanted her to really pry more into Simon's background instead of taking him at face value. It was easy to see why she wanted to trust him since she was in love with him though. I loved how Nina's curiosity eventually got the better of her, and she did start digging up info on Simon. Simon seemed like a complete psychopath to me. I loved how well he was written, but I was constantly second guessing everything Simon said. I wanted to be wrong about him. I loved how Maggie was willing to investigate Simon from the get go. Something about him didn't sit right with her, and she acted on it. Whenever everyone else was jaded when it came to Simon, Maggie saw right through him. I did feel that Maggie sometimes acted younger than her actual age though based on how her thoughts were written.
Trigger warnings include profanity, gas-lighting, mentions of sex (although not graphic), gun use, alcohol use, violence, attempted murder, and murder.
The New Husband will definitely leave you on your toes as well as turning the page wanting to know more. Although the plot is fairly predictable, it has a great cast of characters who hold their own. I would definitely recommend The New Husband by D.J. Palmer to those who love a story that sucks them right in!
--
(A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a paperback ARC of The New Husband by D.J. Palmer. I was not required to write a review.)
Nina's husband Glen disappeared after going out on his boat. No one was ever able to locate Glen's body although Nina presumes him to be dead. About two years later, Nina finds love with Simon Fitch, a teacher at her daughter's middle school. Simon is absolutely perfect for Nina, but Maggie, Nina's daughter, knows something is very wrong with Simon. Is Simon actually who he says he is or is Nina over her head?
I found the plot for The New Husband to be entertaining even though I also found it fairly predictable. While the plot is similar to other books, Palmer does a fantastic job at adding his own voice to the story. There were a couple of little plot twist I didn't predict to be fair, and the pacing was done brilliantly. I felt like every loose end was tied up by the end of the book and was explained very well. The descriptive use of text has me transported right into the middle of the setting for every scene in The New Husband.
The characters in The New Husband all had plenty of depth and were very fleshed out. I loved Nina, but so many times I wanted her to really pry more into Simon's background instead of taking him at face value. It was easy to see why she wanted to trust him since she was in love with him though. I loved how Nina's curiosity eventually got the better of her, and she did start digging up info on Simon. Simon seemed like a complete psychopath to me. I loved how well he was written, but I was constantly second guessing everything Simon said. I wanted to be wrong about him. I loved how Maggie was willing to investigate Simon from the get go. Something about him didn't sit right with her, and she acted on it. Whenever everyone else was jaded when it came to Simon, Maggie saw right through him. I did feel that Maggie sometimes acted younger than her actual age though based on how her thoughts were written.
Trigger warnings include profanity, gas-lighting, mentions of sex (although not graphic), gun use, alcohol use, violence, attempted murder, and murder.
The New Husband will definitely leave you on your toes as well as turning the page wanting to know more. Although the plot is fairly predictable, it has a great cast of characters who hold their own. I would definitely recommend The New Husband by D.J. Palmer to those who love a story that sucks them right in!
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(A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a paperback ARC of The New Husband by D.J. Palmer. I was not required to write a review.)
Russell Evans (179 KP) rated Tyrants of the Underdark in Tabletop Games
Feb 24, 2020 (Updated Feb 24, 2020)
Interesting deck building mechanics (3 more)
Several different viable strategic options
Quick paced, easy to learn to play
Great artwork on cards
A quick paced game of fantasy deck building strategy, skilfully mixed with area control
This game mixes up a couple of game genres, but it balances them really well. I brought this game as my teenage son is a D&D fan and we have played it many times now. We’ve enjoyed it, so we also brought the expansion decks – which, for me, is always the sign of a good game. The game is pretty easy to learn, and once you have the grasp of the game mechanics, the turns flow smoothly and quickly. A 3 player game takes us just over an hour to play.
A brief overview of the Game
Each player controls a Drow house in the Underdark, competing to take control by getting the most Victory Points at the end of the game. Victory points are gained from various sources, for example, controlling locations on the board, assassinating your rivals troops, card abilities, cards owned in your deck or promoted.
Each turn the player draws cards from their own deck that determine what they can do in their turn. There are several different strategies you can pursue to try and win – subterfuge, violence, using spies, gathering a powerful deck etc. You can use influence that you gain in the game to buy new cards from the communal market to expand your deck and buy new minions with a range of different abilities. Random card drawers in the market can be frustrating when your opponents get the card you want straight after your turn, but that’s the nature of the game. Some of the cards can seem super–powered but there are several of these, so we find it balances out overall.
The promotion mechanic is rather interesting - it gives you the dilemma of promoting a card to gain increased victory points but means that the card (and its abilities) aren’t available for you to use for rest of the game. Do you hang on to it a bit longer to use that awesome ability and risk the game ending before you can promote that card for loads more victory points?
There are 4 decks included in the base game; Drow, Dragons, Elementals and Demons and they all play very differently. You use a mix of 2 decks each game, so that adds a bit of variety and re-playability. (Add in the 2 from the expansion for a bit more – Aberrations and Undead.)
Also worth mentioning; the artwork on the cards is nice and the board is good too.
I think Tyrants of the Underdark is a very enjoyable game and it gets a solid 9/10. I just wish there were some more expansions for it.
A brief overview of the Game
Each player controls a Drow house in the Underdark, competing to take control by getting the most Victory Points at the end of the game. Victory points are gained from various sources, for example, controlling locations on the board, assassinating your rivals troops, card abilities, cards owned in your deck or promoted.
Each turn the player draws cards from their own deck that determine what they can do in their turn. There are several different strategies you can pursue to try and win – subterfuge, violence, using spies, gathering a powerful deck etc. You can use influence that you gain in the game to buy new cards from the communal market to expand your deck and buy new minions with a range of different abilities. Random card drawers in the market can be frustrating when your opponents get the card you want straight after your turn, but that’s the nature of the game. Some of the cards can seem super–powered but there are several of these, so we find it balances out overall.
The promotion mechanic is rather interesting - it gives you the dilemma of promoting a card to gain increased victory points but means that the card (and its abilities) aren’t available for you to use for rest of the game. Do you hang on to it a bit longer to use that awesome ability and risk the game ending before you can promote that card for loads more victory points?
There are 4 decks included in the base game; Drow, Dragons, Elementals and Demons and they all play very differently. You use a mix of 2 decks each game, so that adds a bit of variety and re-playability. (Add in the 2 from the expansion for a bit more – Aberrations and Undead.)
Also worth mentioning; the artwork on the cards is nice and the board is good too.
I think Tyrants of the Underdark is a very enjoyable game and it gets a solid 9/10. I just wish there were some more expansions for it.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Home Before Dark in Books
Mar 26, 2021
I've read all of Riley Sager's books so far, so when I saw that he had released Home Before Dark, I knew I had to read that book too. While it wasn't Sager's best work, I still enjoyed reading it.
After Maggie's father dies, she inherits Baneberry Hall, a place Maggie and her family escaped many years ago when she was 5 years old. Maggie's father has written a best seller about their stay in Baneberry Hall, but Maggie doesn't believe it. However, when she returns to Baneberry Hall, strange things start happening...things that Maggie's father wrote about in the book. Could it be ghosts or is Maggie just imagining things?
The plot of Home Before Dark is certainly intriguing. However, the first three quarters of the book were a bit too slow of a pace for my liking. I only kept reading because I was hoping the book would get better. My patience was rewarded in the last quarter of Home Before Dark when the pacing sped up, and I couldn't put this book down. I kept trying to figure out if Maggie was experiencing a haunting and who the ghosts could be. Home Before Dark has a great plot twist (that I didn't see coming). Even its plot twist had a plot twist which was exciting! I also thought it was pretty cool how Home Before Dark reads as two books since we get to read the book Maggie's father wrote as well as what is happening to Maggie in the here and now. Both stories flow together smoothly. At the end of the book, my jaw was left on the floor after what all had happened. All loose ends are tied up nicely, and there are no cliffhangers.
I enjoyed the characters in Home Before Dark. Each character was fleshed out well and had enough backstory where it was easy to picture each individual one. I enjoyed reading about Maggie. Her skepticism was a nice touch, and her thought process was interesting. I could totally relate with her wanting to know if her father's book was actually true and wanting to find out the mystery of why her family actually left Banebury Hall when she was 5 without taking any belongings. I also loved reading about Maggie's father and her mother Jess through Maggie's father's book. (I felt like their story was a bit more interesting than Maggie's.) I get why they did what they did many years ago even if I didn't agree with what they did.
Trigger warnings for Home Before Dark include violence, death, murder, talks of suicide, attempted murder, some profanity, and the occult.
Although Home Before Dark starts out slow, it definitely makes up for it towards the end. With an intriguing plot and well written characters, Home Before Dark is a book worth reading. I would recommend Home Before Dark by Riley Sager to those aged 16+ who are after a creepy thrilling read.
After Maggie's father dies, she inherits Baneberry Hall, a place Maggie and her family escaped many years ago when she was 5 years old. Maggie's father has written a best seller about their stay in Baneberry Hall, but Maggie doesn't believe it. However, when she returns to Baneberry Hall, strange things start happening...things that Maggie's father wrote about in the book. Could it be ghosts or is Maggie just imagining things?
The plot of Home Before Dark is certainly intriguing. However, the first three quarters of the book were a bit too slow of a pace for my liking. I only kept reading because I was hoping the book would get better. My patience was rewarded in the last quarter of Home Before Dark when the pacing sped up, and I couldn't put this book down. I kept trying to figure out if Maggie was experiencing a haunting and who the ghosts could be. Home Before Dark has a great plot twist (that I didn't see coming). Even its plot twist had a plot twist which was exciting! I also thought it was pretty cool how Home Before Dark reads as two books since we get to read the book Maggie's father wrote as well as what is happening to Maggie in the here and now. Both stories flow together smoothly. At the end of the book, my jaw was left on the floor after what all had happened. All loose ends are tied up nicely, and there are no cliffhangers.
I enjoyed the characters in Home Before Dark. Each character was fleshed out well and had enough backstory where it was easy to picture each individual one. I enjoyed reading about Maggie. Her skepticism was a nice touch, and her thought process was interesting. I could totally relate with her wanting to know if her father's book was actually true and wanting to find out the mystery of why her family actually left Banebury Hall when she was 5 without taking any belongings. I also loved reading about Maggie's father and her mother Jess through Maggie's father's book. (I felt like their story was a bit more interesting than Maggie's.) I get why they did what they did many years ago even if I didn't agree with what they did.
Trigger warnings for Home Before Dark include violence, death, murder, talks of suicide, attempted murder, some profanity, and the occult.
Although Home Before Dark starts out slow, it definitely makes up for it towards the end. With an intriguing plot and well written characters, Home Before Dark is a book worth reading. I would recommend Home Before Dark by Riley Sager to those aged 16+ who are after a creepy thrilling read.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Snuggle with the Shadows: 8 Strange Stories (The Snuggle Series #2) in Books
Aug 5, 2021
After loving the first book in The Snuggle Series, I was really looking forward to reading Snuggle with the Shadows by Liane Carter. Just like with the first book in the series, I was not left disappointed.
I found Snuggle with the Shadows to be a little different than Snuggle with the Strange (the first book in the series). In this book, there were a couple of feel good stories unlike the first book in the series. Even though there were some supernatural/paranormal stories, those elements weren't as present in Snuggle with the Shadows. That wasn't a bad thing though! Although the pacing was slower for some stories in this book, I still found myself not wanting to put this book down. The world building was still done fantastically, and I found myself instantly transported to the setting of each story. There were even some plot twists in many of the stories. Even though there are no real cliff hangers with each story, some are open to speculation such as Raisha's Reason. I loved that The Tragedy of the Tides and I was Bought at a Garage Sale were feel good stories which changed up the tone of the series a little. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Shadows were I was Bought at a Garage Sale and A Bump in the Night. Both of these stories really held my attention, and I was enthralled throughout trying to figure out what would happen. Just like with the first book in the series, Snuggle with the Shadows has a mixture of realistic stories as well as paranormal/supernatural stories.
Liane Carter kills it again with how great her characters are! They are all well written and feel like they could actually be real life people instead of a character in a book. I had no problems picturing each and every character in my mind. I actually found myself wanting to be friends with some of the characters in Snuggle with the Shadows.
Snuggle with the Shadows is a dark adult horror book, so there are quite a few heavy triggers. These include mentions of drug use, profanity, sexual comments, sexual situations, human (child) trafficking, implied child rape and molestation, death, murder, mentions of suicide, and gun violence.
All in all, Snuggle with the Shadows is an interesting read full of entertaining characters and plots. I really believe all horror lovers (and even non-horror lovers) will enjoy all the stories in this book. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Shadows by Liane Carter to those aged 16+ who like all sub-genres of horror. This book will not disappoint!
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(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Shadows: 8 Strange Stories in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
I found Snuggle with the Shadows to be a little different than Snuggle with the Strange (the first book in the series). In this book, there were a couple of feel good stories unlike the first book in the series. Even though there were some supernatural/paranormal stories, those elements weren't as present in Snuggle with the Shadows. That wasn't a bad thing though! Although the pacing was slower for some stories in this book, I still found myself not wanting to put this book down. The world building was still done fantastically, and I found myself instantly transported to the setting of each story. There were even some plot twists in many of the stories. Even though there are no real cliff hangers with each story, some are open to speculation such as Raisha's Reason. I loved that The Tragedy of the Tides and I was Bought at a Garage Sale were feel good stories which changed up the tone of the series a little. My favorite stories in Snuggle with the Shadows were I was Bought at a Garage Sale and A Bump in the Night. Both of these stories really held my attention, and I was enthralled throughout trying to figure out what would happen. Just like with the first book in the series, Snuggle with the Shadows has a mixture of realistic stories as well as paranormal/supernatural stories.
Liane Carter kills it again with how great her characters are! They are all well written and feel like they could actually be real life people instead of a character in a book. I had no problems picturing each and every character in my mind. I actually found myself wanting to be friends with some of the characters in Snuggle with the Shadows.
Snuggle with the Shadows is a dark adult horror book, so there are quite a few heavy triggers. These include mentions of drug use, profanity, sexual comments, sexual situations, human (child) trafficking, implied child rape and molestation, death, murder, mentions of suicide, and gun violence.
All in all, Snuggle with the Shadows is an interesting read full of entertaining characters and plots. I really believe all horror lovers (and even non-horror lovers) will enjoy all the stories in this book. I would definitely recommend Snuggle with the Shadows by Liane Carter to those aged 16+ who like all sub-genres of horror. This book will not disappoint!
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(A special thank you to Liane Carter and Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with a paperback of Snuggle with the Shadows: 8 Strange Stories in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)