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Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Falling for the Beast in Books
May 5, 2019
**I Received this book in exchange for an honest review**
Falling for the Beast is the second novella in the “A Modern Fairy Tale Duet.” I rated the first book, Beauty and the Professor, 3 1/2 Caffeinated Stars, and though there were some faults, I was excited to continue on in the series. I love Skye Warren as an author & I’m a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast, so I really thought this duet would be perfect for me. Unfortunately, I really did struggle with this series.
Going into part two, I was hoping for more character development but I never really got that. The characters though likable were not my favorite. I liked that both characters were open and honest with each other, but I also struggled with their relationship. It seemed that every time there was a conflict it was solved by sex. Don’t get me wrong, sex is fantastic, but it shouldn’t be used as the sole way to resolve a conflict.
Something else that struck me as weird and out of place was being blindsided by specific characteristics. We have the entire first novella where PTSD isn’t really mentioned, and then, we’re hit with him having PTSD nightmares. It was a little off-putting to me that we’re just now learning about his nightmares. The same thing can be said about him “holding back” his need for rough sex.
Though I had a few things that I didn’t like about his novella, I had some stuff I loved. I really liked that Blake always had Erin’s back. He constantly wanted to be there for her and supported her in whatever way he could. I loved that though they both had insecurities, their relationship wasn’t one of them. They both were willing to fight for what they had & shut down some of the antagonists in this book.
Even though this book wasn’t perfect, I did enjoy it. I do recommend reading some of Skye Warren’s latest books instead of this series. You can tell that her writing has grown & improved since this book was first released. One of my personal favorites of hers is Prisoner.
Falling for the Beast is the second novella in the “A Modern Fairy Tale Duet.” I rated the first book, Beauty and the Professor, 3 1/2 Caffeinated Stars, and though there were some faults, I was excited to continue on in the series. I love Skye Warren as an author & I’m a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast, so I really thought this duet would be perfect for me. Unfortunately, I really did struggle with this series.
Going into part two, I was hoping for more character development but I never really got that. The characters though likable were not my favorite. I liked that both characters were open and honest with each other, but I also struggled with their relationship. It seemed that every time there was a conflict it was solved by sex. Don’t get me wrong, sex is fantastic, but it shouldn’t be used as the sole way to resolve a conflict.
Something else that struck me as weird and out of place was being blindsided by specific characteristics. We have the entire first novella where PTSD isn’t really mentioned, and then, we’re hit with him having PTSD nightmares. It was a little off-putting to me that we’re just now learning about his nightmares. The same thing can be said about him “holding back” his need for rough sex.
Though I had a few things that I didn’t like about his novella, I had some stuff I loved. I really liked that Blake always had Erin’s back. He constantly wanted to be there for her and supported her in whatever way he could. I loved that though they both had insecurities, their relationship wasn’t one of them. They both were willing to fight for what they had & shut down some of the antagonists in this book.
Even though this book wasn’t perfect, I did enjoy it. I do recommend reading some of Skye Warren’s latest books instead of this series. You can tell that her writing has grown & improved since this book was first released. One of my personal favorites of hers is Prisoner.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Through Waters Deep (Waves of Freedom, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Tensions run high as a saboteur begins to wreck havoc at the Boston Naval Yard. America is on the brink of entering the second World War and there are those who will stop at nothing to make sure the nation stays out of it.
Mary Stirling is content with her job as a secretary at the Boston Naval Yard, so long as she can stay out of the spotlight. Mary is determined to remain in the shadows and keep her pride suppressed. On her journey, she learns that using the talents and gifts that God has given her, is not a sin. And it brings glory to the One who gave her those gifts. The last thing Mary expected was Ensign Jim Avery, a childhood friend now assigned to the USS Atwood. As they investigate the strange goings on at the Naval Yard, they become increasingly attached to one another. But will they ever get to tell each other how they feel? Or will they be separated forever?
First of all, I am completely in love with the cover of this book! I admit that I am a sucker for a good cover. And I would have to rate this as one of my all time favorites. Watch the photo shoot for the cover here. I could not stop reading this book. I was hooked from page one! There is so much going on in the story line that there is never a dull moment. It was interesting to watch Mary and Jim's relationship grow. There were a few times that I got very upset (you'll know what I'm talking about when you get there), but Sarah did an excellent job of bringing it all together in the end. The history within these pages is incredible. Although the author did take some creative license, she explains it in her notes at the end. Overall an excellent read and one I will be sharing with my friends! Through Waters Deep is the beginning of Sarah Sundin's third series, but the first book of hers that I have read. I look forward to reading the rest of her books!
I received a free copy of Through Waters Deep from Revell in exchange for my honest review.
Mary Stirling is content with her job as a secretary at the Boston Naval Yard, so long as she can stay out of the spotlight. Mary is determined to remain in the shadows and keep her pride suppressed. On her journey, she learns that using the talents and gifts that God has given her, is not a sin. And it brings glory to the One who gave her those gifts. The last thing Mary expected was Ensign Jim Avery, a childhood friend now assigned to the USS Atwood. As they investigate the strange goings on at the Naval Yard, they become increasingly attached to one another. But will they ever get to tell each other how they feel? Or will they be separated forever?
First of all, I am completely in love with the cover of this book! I admit that I am a sucker for a good cover. And I would have to rate this as one of my all time favorites. Watch the photo shoot for the cover here. I could not stop reading this book. I was hooked from page one! There is so much going on in the story line that there is never a dull moment. It was interesting to watch Mary and Jim's relationship grow. There were a few times that I got very upset (you'll know what I'm talking about when you get there), but Sarah did an excellent job of bringing it all together in the end. The history within these pages is incredible. Although the author did take some creative license, she explains it in her notes at the end. Overall an excellent read and one I will be sharing with my friends! Through Waters Deep is the beginning of Sarah Sundin's third series, but the first book of hers that I have read. I look forward to reading the rest of her books!
I received a free copy of Through Waters Deep from Revell in exchange for my honest review.
Merissa (13481 KP) rated Wants And Needs (Fan Service #7) in Books
Jul 18, 2025
WANTS AND NEEDS is the seventh and final book in the Fan Service series, although you can read it as a standalone, as I did. Did it impact my understanding of the characters and storyline? If I were being completely pedantic, then yes, but only because I kept getting Wolf and Hawk mixed up in my mind through not having read their books. Otherwise, a resounding no!
Carter is a sweet character whom we first meet in London, as he prepares to sell the family home. After he has completed that task, he catches a flight back to LA, where he saves a sixteen-year-old girl from the sleazy attentions of an older man. Her brother, Liam, is meeting her at the airport and is understandably concerned when he sees her being friendly with a man he doesn't know. Liam is also autistic and has some problems picking up facial expressions and social cues.
The slow-burn relationship between Carter and Liam was written so perfectly! Liam's version of autism was so clear, it made it easily understandable to anyone unfamiliar with it. And I say his version of it, because it isn't a one-size-fits-all situation. Carter's acceptance of Liam was pure, and I loved how he wasn't afraid to ask others for help when he didn't fully understand the situation or know what the best thing to do was.
This is the first book by this author I have read, and it won't be the last. If I don't read anything else, I need to read the other books in this series! I loved all of the characters and absolutely need to read their stories!!! If they are written half as well as this one is, I know I will love them all. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 18, 2025
Carter is a sweet character whom we first meet in London, as he prepares to sell the family home. After he has completed that task, he catches a flight back to LA, where he saves a sixteen-year-old girl from the sleazy attentions of an older man. Her brother, Liam, is meeting her at the airport and is understandably concerned when he sees her being friendly with a man he doesn't know. Liam is also autistic and has some problems picking up facial expressions and social cues.
The slow-burn relationship between Carter and Liam was written so perfectly! Liam's version of autism was so clear, it made it easily understandable to anyone unfamiliar with it. And I say his version of it, because it isn't a one-size-fits-all situation. Carter's acceptance of Liam was pure, and I loved how he wasn't afraid to ask others for help when he didn't fully understand the situation or know what the best thing to do was.
This is the first book by this author I have read, and it won't be the last. If I don't read anything else, I need to read the other books in this series! I loved all of the characters and absolutely need to read their stories!!! If they are written half as well as this one is, I know I will love them all. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 18, 2025
Debbiereadsbook (1576 KP) rated Velvet in Books
Aug 2, 2025
I cannot stress the point highly enough: I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Forgive me, if this review runs away with itself! I loved this book, and it might get said a time or three!!
AJ runs Velvet, a cocktail lounge. He meets Blake when he spills drinks all down him! A very amusing meet cute, I tell ya. And then?? They get together, and fall in love and THAT, peeps, is the most simplest blurb you ever did get!
But this book? It is not simple, no ma'am.
It's deep: both men carry some baggage, but AJ's is a little more emotional. Blake seems to have it all, but all he wants is someone to love him. The fact that he'd been dating women for so long meant he never put a man in that position, though. AJ's heart was broken, and he trusted slowly.
It's smexy: While AJ is openly gay, Blake is not. So Blake sets the pace of their relationship and once he gets a taste of AJ, he is smitten!
It's a lot of fun: I found this, while emotional in places, a lot of fun in others and it meant I was able to catch my breath from the deeper bits, and laugh and these two, and their group of friends.
I loved that there was no make-up/breakup/ These two really are perfect for each other and they fit into each other's lives and hearts perfectly!
The friends made me chuckle. They all knew something was going on, but since AJ and Blake were both quiet about it at first, neither knew exactly what. I also enjoyed catching up with the owners of The V Lounge, too!
Did I say?? I bloody loved this book!
No?? Maybe I should say it again for those at the back!
It really was a delightful read and I cannot stress the point highly enough: I LOVED THIS BOOK!
5 full and shiny stars! (if I didn't make myself clear enough!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Forgive me, if this review runs away with itself! I loved this book, and it might get said a time or three!!
AJ runs Velvet, a cocktail lounge. He meets Blake when he spills drinks all down him! A very amusing meet cute, I tell ya. And then?? They get together, and fall in love and THAT, peeps, is the most simplest blurb you ever did get!
But this book? It is not simple, no ma'am.
It's deep: both men carry some baggage, but AJ's is a little more emotional. Blake seems to have it all, but all he wants is someone to love him. The fact that he'd been dating women for so long meant he never put a man in that position, though. AJ's heart was broken, and he trusted slowly.
It's smexy: While AJ is openly gay, Blake is not. So Blake sets the pace of their relationship and once he gets a taste of AJ, he is smitten!
It's a lot of fun: I found this, while emotional in places, a lot of fun in others and it meant I was able to catch my breath from the deeper bits, and laugh and these two, and their group of friends.
I loved that there was no make-up/breakup/ These two really are perfect for each other and they fit into each other's lives and hearts perfectly!
The friends made me chuckle. They all knew something was going on, but since AJ and Blake were both quiet about it at first, neither knew exactly what. I also enjoyed catching up with the owners of The V Lounge, too!
Did I say?? I bloody loved this book!
No?? Maybe I should say it again for those at the back!
It really was a delightful read and I cannot stress the point highly enough: I LOVED THIS BOOK!
5 full and shiny stars! (if I didn't make myself clear enough!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Finding Steve McQueen (2019) in Movies
Nov 9, 2020
This heist comedy (we'll come to that later) sounds pretty good from the synopsis, I can't really elaborate much on it like I normally would because, for once, it's spot on!
I had a big issue almost straight off the bat... "In 1972"... that's how the synopsis starts. I had reread it just before starting the film and as it begins it actually flashes up "1980", very quickly it's explained (and it makes sense) but I didn't enjoy starting the film with that confusion. Now, if I was seeing this in the cinema it wouldn't have been an issue because you don't tend to sit there in the trailers reading the synopsis before it starts, but with it hitting digital you will be instantly seeing it before you press play... I know it's a really minor thing to be bugged by... but it did bug me.
The reason for the jump in years is that we're seeing Harry Barber telling his girlfriend, Molly, the story of his past and the heist. Flashbacks are a time-honoured tradition in films, but they're difficult to get right. The story jumps several times, but there's very little differentiation between time unless the diner is involved on one side of the jump. At one point it jumps because he talks at the camera and we hop back to Molly talking, it stuck out... it either never happened again or it blended in so well that I didn't notice it. It wouldn't be the first film to add something random like that and abandon the style choice. Some else will have to let me know if it happened more than I think it did.
These two things, combined with some free moving camerawork (that you know I hate) meant that I found the beginning of Finding Steve McQueen, especially when the heist that is pushed in the marketing doesn't appear for quite a while.
IMDb lists crime thriller as a guide... thriller is definitely the wrong word. Heist comedy (as per the PR I saw) is definitely more accurate, though I didn't find it particularly funny. It did bring a mild laugh out of me, but not enough to stamp it with the comedy tag. Even "heist" feels like it doesn't fit well, it may be about one but what's presented is much heavier on other parts of the story. It's more like a biopic with romance than crime. In the end that's a little bit disappointing when you're looking forward to crime.
William Fichtner was an instant standout for me, I thought he handled the role of Enzo Rotella particularly well, and there was a great dynamic with Louis Lombardi as Pauly. Rachael Taylor as Molly Murphy was great too, when she wasn't freaking me out with how much she looked like Nicole Kidman. Somehow I've never noticed that before so I'll have to put it down to a cunning makeup artist.
From there though I was underwhelmed. I'm not familiar with Travis Fimmel, and sadly, from this performance I've not been convinced to check out anything in his back catalogue. Apart from two well-played emotional scenes I didn't enjoy the character of Harry Barber at all.
Had this been advertised as a biography instead of a crime/heist then I probably would have had a more favourable opinion, but we're presented with a slow and light film. I'm not expecting all crime films to be gritty and dark, but I do expect them to focus more on the actual crime and investigation. That's also where I found the flashback idea falling apart because we're shown things for context that Harry wouldn't have known and been able to tell Molly.
What I did love about this film was the setting and the look of everything. It had a wonderful freshness about it and that coupled with the costumes felt natural and like it captured the era perfectly.
I by no means hated this film, but I was extremely disappointed. The way the story was balanced means that the heist gets lost in everything else that's happening and although it's hailed as an amazing feat in American history it doesn't feel all that impressive in this portrayal. The only real criminal thing about this film was the underuse of Forest Whitaker.
As a biography I could have seen clear to give this a 3, maybe a 3.5, but as a crime I can't give it more than a 2. It feels entirely misrepresented, had it not been for the few excellent performances, and the hope of exciting crime drama, I think I would have turned it off.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/11/finding-steve-mcqueen-movie-review.html
I had a big issue almost straight off the bat... "In 1972"... that's how the synopsis starts. I had reread it just before starting the film and as it begins it actually flashes up "1980", very quickly it's explained (and it makes sense) but I didn't enjoy starting the film with that confusion. Now, if I was seeing this in the cinema it wouldn't have been an issue because you don't tend to sit there in the trailers reading the synopsis before it starts, but with it hitting digital you will be instantly seeing it before you press play... I know it's a really minor thing to be bugged by... but it did bug me.
The reason for the jump in years is that we're seeing Harry Barber telling his girlfriend, Molly, the story of his past and the heist. Flashbacks are a time-honoured tradition in films, but they're difficult to get right. The story jumps several times, but there's very little differentiation between time unless the diner is involved on one side of the jump. At one point it jumps because he talks at the camera and we hop back to Molly talking, it stuck out... it either never happened again or it blended in so well that I didn't notice it. It wouldn't be the first film to add something random like that and abandon the style choice. Some else will have to let me know if it happened more than I think it did.
These two things, combined with some free moving camerawork (that you know I hate) meant that I found the beginning of Finding Steve McQueen, especially when the heist that is pushed in the marketing doesn't appear for quite a while.
IMDb lists crime thriller as a guide... thriller is definitely the wrong word. Heist comedy (as per the PR I saw) is definitely more accurate, though I didn't find it particularly funny. It did bring a mild laugh out of me, but not enough to stamp it with the comedy tag. Even "heist" feels like it doesn't fit well, it may be about one but what's presented is much heavier on other parts of the story. It's more like a biopic with romance than crime. In the end that's a little bit disappointing when you're looking forward to crime.
William Fichtner was an instant standout for me, I thought he handled the role of Enzo Rotella particularly well, and there was a great dynamic with Louis Lombardi as Pauly. Rachael Taylor as Molly Murphy was great too, when she wasn't freaking me out with how much she looked like Nicole Kidman. Somehow I've never noticed that before so I'll have to put it down to a cunning makeup artist.
From there though I was underwhelmed. I'm not familiar with Travis Fimmel, and sadly, from this performance I've not been convinced to check out anything in his back catalogue. Apart from two well-played emotional scenes I didn't enjoy the character of Harry Barber at all.
Had this been advertised as a biography instead of a crime/heist then I probably would have had a more favourable opinion, but we're presented with a slow and light film. I'm not expecting all crime films to be gritty and dark, but I do expect them to focus more on the actual crime and investigation. That's also where I found the flashback idea falling apart because we're shown things for context that Harry wouldn't have known and been able to tell Molly.
What I did love about this film was the setting and the look of everything. It had a wonderful freshness about it and that coupled with the costumes felt natural and like it captured the era perfectly.
I by no means hated this film, but I was extremely disappointed. The way the story was balanced means that the heist gets lost in everything else that's happening and although it's hailed as an amazing feat in American history it doesn't feel all that impressive in this portrayal. The only real criminal thing about this film was the underuse of Forest Whitaker.
As a biography I could have seen clear to give this a 3, maybe a 3.5, but as a crime I can't give it more than a 2. It feels entirely misrepresented, had it not been for the few excellent performances, and the hope of exciting crime drama, I think I would have turned it off.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/11/finding-steve-mcqueen-movie-review.html
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Robin Hood (2018) in Movies
Jan 28, 2019 (Updated Jan 28, 2019)
A Middling Reboot
This is another movie from late 2018 that I am only just getting a chance to see. After my girlfriend and I sat through this one, she turned to me and asked what I thought of it. In response, I just shrugged my shoulders and went, "It was alright." That is genuinely the best way that I can think of to sum up my feeling on this film.
It's a mediocre action movie based around the basic concept of the old tale of Robin Hood. It is extremely cheesy and has bags of whatever the opposite of subtle is. It tries to tell a gritty, 'Year One,' type of story for the character and treats the Robin Hood moniker as a dual identity for Robin Loxley, which draws heavy comparisons to the Batman/Bruce Wayne dynamic. Unfortunately, not much of it lands due to the lack of risk-taking involved.
The movie also feels weirdly dated, especially considering that it's only a few months old. There are an abundance of overindulgent slow motion shots in the style of 300; a movie that was 12 years old at the time of this movie's release. The use of green-screen in this film is actually pretty atrocious judging by today's standards and actually might be some of the worst out of any 2018 movie I saw. This is noticeable throughout the whole movie, but is especially rough-looking during a carriage chase that happens around two thirds into the film.
The cast are all phoning it in as well. Taron Egerton does nothing special with the lead role and Ben Mendlesohn hams it up as the Sheriff Of Nottingham, doing pretty much the same villainous shlock that he did in Ready Player One and Star Wars: Rogue One, way to not get typecast Mendo!
That's the other weird thing about this movie, is that it's not sure what era it wants to be set in. Some of the accents, language and costumes are suitable for the period that the movie is set in, but other elements and other lines and costumes etc feel like they are from 2018, the year that this movie was made. The end result that they were aiming for may have been a sort of rolling timeline that transcends the days of the Crusades that the movie is set in but what we get is just a scattered mess.
There were a few positives in this thing. Some cool shots, Some of the stunt archery is, (while super unrealistic,) pretty cool to watch. I know that 'Real Life Legolas,' Lars Andersen was hired to teach the cast some archery and I believe he helped out with the action choreography as well, which is pretty cool. There are also some glimpses of creativity in some of the shots. One in particular that stood out to me was a shot that gradually panned out from behind a solitary soldiers shield to show the intensity and scale of the battle that was taking place. It's just unfortunate that in so many other places in the movie, all we get is lazy, generic camera angles that add nothing to the scene taking place.
Overall, this is an okay action romp. Don't go in expecting anything of substance or you will most definitely come away disappointed. Though, if all that you are looking for is something to stick on in the background while you do other things or if you are just after an easy, straightforward action adventure popcorn flick, then you could probably do worse than this.
It's a mediocre action movie based around the basic concept of the old tale of Robin Hood. It is extremely cheesy and has bags of whatever the opposite of subtle is. It tries to tell a gritty, 'Year One,' type of story for the character and treats the Robin Hood moniker as a dual identity for Robin Loxley, which draws heavy comparisons to the Batman/Bruce Wayne dynamic. Unfortunately, not much of it lands due to the lack of risk-taking involved.
The movie also feels weirdly dated, especially considering that it's only a few months old. There are an abundance of overindulgent slow motion shots in the style of 300; a movie that was 12 years old at the time of this movie's release. The use of green-screen in this film is actually pretty atrocious judging by today's standards and actually might be some of the worst out of any 2018 movie I saw. This is noticeable throughout the whole movie, but is especially rough-looking during a carriage chase that happens around two thirds into the film.
The cast are all phoning it in as well. Taron Egerton does nothing special with the lead role and Ben Mendlesohn hams it up as the Sheriff Of Nottingham, doing pretty much the same villainous shlock that he did in Ready Player One and Star Wars: Rogue One, way to not get typecast Mendo!
That's the other weird thing about this movie, is that it's not sure what era it wants to be set in. Some of the accents, language and costumes are suitable for the period that the movie is set in, but other elements and other lines and costumes etc feel like they are from 2018, the year that this movie was made. The end result that they were aiming for may have been a sort of rolling timeline that transcends the days of the Crusades that the movie is set in but what we get is just a scattered mess.
There were a few positives in this thing. Some cool shots, Some of the stunt archery is, (while super unrealistic,) pretty cool to watch. I know that 'Real Life Legolas,' Lars Andersen was hired to teach the cast some archery and I believe he helped out with the action choreography as well, which is pretty cool. There are also some glimpses of creativity in some of the shots. One in particular that stood out to me was a shot that gradually panned out from behind a solitary soldiers shield to show the intensity and scale of the battle that was taking place. It's just unfortunate that in so many other places in the movie, all we get is lazy, generic camera angles that add nothing to the scene taking place.
Overall, this is an okay action romp. Don't go in expecting anything of substance or you will most definitely come away disappointed. Though, if all that you are looking for is something to stick on in the background while you do other things or if you are just after an easy, straightforward action adventure popcorn flick, then you could probably do worse than this.
Natacha (374 KP) rated Red Rising in Books
Jan 23, 2020
More reviews on my blog: https://natachainreviewland.wordpress.com/
Red Rising is another book that I struggle to rate. I did enjoy the book but it didn't blow my mind. I think it's just an "It's not you, it's me" kind of situation. For the best part of the story, I felt like I was reading a retelling of the Hunger Games (and it was a movie I felt it was just ok, haven't read the books) and mixed with The Punisher (guys loses his wife and needs to get his revenge). I had fun but that's all.
Things I liked:
-The writing was very good. Simple, clear, just the right amount of information and exposition to make us understand the world and characters.
-We have a cast of charters with different and distinct personalities and well fleshed out.
-I really enjoyed the fourth part of the book. At this point, I felt like it lost the Hunger Game vibe. We don't have just one person that needs to take down the system but a whole army that marches against corruption.
-Towards the end, we had two nice twists. One of them had been foreshadowed for a while and the second one I personally saw it coming. Although to be honest when you have 20 pages left you can guess that things will go in a different direction what the author is making you believe. Despite that, I really liked those twists.
-I really like Darrow and Mustang dynamic and relationship. I thought it was well done and it felt natural.
-Now that the Huger Game part of the story is done I'm curious to see what Darrow will do outside in the world and how his plan will unfold.
Things I didn't like
I don't have many negatives. There was nothing wrong with the story but I'll try to point some aspect that bothered me.
-As I mention I didn't care about Hunger Game and throughout a large part of the story I couldn't help but thinking of the similarities.
-I'm a little tired of the "They kill my wife and I need to get revenge and keep her dream alive" trope.
-The story is written in first-person POV and present tense and this is really my least favourite way to tell a story.
-I feel like Darrow is a little bit of a Gary Stu. On so many occasion we have Darrow say things like "I'm stronger, I'm taller, I'm faster than he/she, I know better than them" etc. This is why I don't like first-person POV. When it's the author or another person telling us that the main character is stronger or taller or whatever it feels like an observation. When we have the main character telling us about the fact that they are better than everyone else, for me, they become across as obnoxious and annoying. And because of that, I struggle to really connect with Darrow.
-Rape is used a couple of times to move the plot forward. I don't mind when it's used once but when it's used again and again it feels like the author didn't know what else to do to get the plot going.
So here you have it. It wasn't a bad book there was nothing wrong with it and I understand why so many people rave about it. But personally, I couldn't get into the "this is a great book" place. I'm curious about the rest of the series, I don't feel the need to start right away like with other series, but I will get to the second book eventually.
Red Rising is another book that I struggle to rate. I did enjoy the book but it didn't blow my mind. I think it's just an "It's not you, it's me" kind of situation. For the best part of the story, I felt like I was reading a retelling of the Hunger Games (and it was a movie I felt it was just ok, haven't read the books) and mixed with The Punisher (guys loses his wife and needs to get his revenge). I had fun but that's all.
Things I liked:
-The writing was very good. Simple, clear, just the right amount of information and exposition to make us understand the world and characters.
-We have a cast of charters with different and distinct personalities and well fleshed out.
-I really enjoyed the fourth part of the book. At this point, I felt like it lost the Hunger Game vibe. We don't have just one person that needs to take down the system but a whole army that marches against corruption.
-Towards the end, we had two nice twists. One of them had been foreshadowed for a while and the second one I personally saw it coming. Although to be honest when you have 20 pages left you can guess that things will go in a different direction what the author is making you believe. Despite that, I really liked those twists.
-I really like Darrow and Mustang dynamic and relationship. I thought it was well done and it felt natural.
-Now that the Huger Game part of the story is done I'm curious to see what Darrow will do outside in the world and how his plan will unfold.
Things I didn't like
I don't have many negatives. There was nothing wrong with the story but I'll try to point some aspect that bothered me.
-As I mention I didn't care about Hunger Game and throughout a large part of the story I couldn't help but thinking of the similarities.
-I'm a little tired of the "They kill my wife and I need to get revenge and keep her dream alive" trope.
-The story is written in first-person POV and present tense and this is really my least favourite way to tell a story.
-I feel like Darrow is a little bit of a Gary Stu. On so many occasion we have Darrow say things like "I'm stronger, I'm taller, I'm faster than he/she, I know better than them" etc. This is why I don't like first-person POV. When it's the author or another person telling us that the main character is stronger or taller or whatever it feels like an observation. When we have the main character telling us about the fact that they are better than everyone else, for me, they become across as obnoxious and annoying. And because of that, I struggle to really connect with Darrow.
-Rape is used a couple of times to move the plot forward. I don't mind when it's used once but when it's used again and again it feels like the author didn't know what else to do to get the plot going.
So here you have it. It wasn't a bad book there was nothing wrong with it and I understand why so many people rave about it. But personally, I couldn't get into the "this is a great book" place. I'm curious about the rest of the series, I don't feel the need to start right away like with other series, but I will get to the second book eventually.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated No Time To Die by Billie Eilish in Music
Mar 3, 2020 (Updated Aug 6, 2020)
Congratulations to The Wasteland’s favourite new artist for sweeping 5 awards at yesterday’s Grammy’s. I hate to say I told you so, but I kinda did, a long way out. It just makes sense to me, that if you have a musical ear, this is the best pop music that has been made for 20 years.
Best new artist, best song (Bad Guy), record of the year, best pop vocal album of the year, and the cherry, best album of the year, for the extraordinary When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go. Oh, and her brother won one for best producer… so, not a terrible night out!
Not only is she now the youngest person ever to win a Grammy, beating Taylor Swift to that, mostly meaningless, accolade, but more significantly she is the the first artist to sweep the big 4 awards since Christopher Cross in 1981. That is 39 years ago!
From the few acceptance clips I have seen, you can see how genuinely stunned and thrilled she is to win, which is refreshing after a generation of too cool for school egos that were more persona than person, often holding their emotions in check for the sake of image.
I think there is a long, long way to go before talking about Billie Eilish as a great artist – she has to keep it up! But, for sure the music industry wants to make a point that this is the real deal, and have paved the path for an unlimited potential. What these awards do, is create the stamp on her being a superstar. What she and Finneas do with that now is up to them. I have a feeling they are not going to blow it; it just doesn’t feel like this story ends badly.
Billie’s Bond Theme
In the interest of this blog not turning into the Billie Eilish appreciation society, I am adding on my thoughts about the new release of her theme tune for the new 007 movie, No Time To Die. We all have a favourite Bond song from the years past, so how does this one size up?
Working in conjunction with Oscar winning composer, Hans Zimmer can’t be all bad when you just turned 18, and it certainly helps with this sombre, slow building song, utilising full orchestra and a bundle of small motifs that make it seem 100% Bond. Make no mistake, it is a Billie Eilish song, her moody vibe is all over it, but I love how faithful to the brand she has been, avoiding the temptation to do something too weird with the gig.
The first time I heard it was enough for me to be able to say “cast-iron hit!” And I haven’t changed my mind 20 listens later. It is just mind-blowing how the ball of success keeps rolling for her and Finneas. Having the honour of singing the in memoriam song at the Academy awards, with an emotional rendition of the Beatles’ Yesterday would be enough attention for one week for any ordinary superstar, but no, here’s the best Bond theme for 20 years for you too! Astonishing.
It even has folk that were a bit cautious at first saying, actually that is a great tune. Just yesterday I was listening to a radio interview where Billie talked about how she gets fan mail from all demographics, including 80 year old grandfathers! I find that not only reassuring, but apt. This is an artist of universal appeal wrapped up in the media hype of a teenage pop-idol, but doing a great job of denying that narrow image and idea.
What can I say? Just carry on, Billie. It’s going quite well!
Best new artist, best song (Bad Guy), record of the year, best pop vocal album of the year, and the cherry, best album of the year, for the extraordinary When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go. Oh, and her brother won one for best producer… so, not a terrible night out!
Not only is she now the youngest person ever to win a Grammy, beating Taylor Swift to that, mostly meaningless, accolade, but more significantly she is the the first artist to sweep the big 4 awards since Christopher Cross in 1981. That is 39 years ago!
From the few acceptance clips I have seen, you can see how genuinely stunned and thrilled she is to win, which is refreshing after a generation of too cool for school egos that were more persona than person, often holding their emotions in check for the sake of image.
I think there is a long, long way to go before talking about Billie Eilish as a great artist – she has to keep it up! But, for sure the music industry wants to make a point that this is the real deal, and have paved the path for an unlimited potential. What these awards do, is create the stamp on her being a superstar. What she and Finneas do with that now is up to them. I have a feeling they are not going to blow it; it just doesn’t feel like this story ends badly.
Billie’s Bond Theme
In the interest of this blog not turning into the Billie Eilish appreciation society, I am adding on my thoughts about the new release of her theme tune for the new 007 movie, No Time To Die. We all have a favourite Bond song from the years past, so how does this one size up?
Working in conjunction with Oscar winning composer, Hans Zimmer can’t be all bad when you just turned 18, and it certainly helps with this sombre, slow building song, utilising full orchestra and a bundle of small motifs that make it seem 100% Bond. Make no mistake, it is a Billie Eilish song, her moody vibe is all over it, but I love how faithful to the brand she has been, avoiding the temptation to do something too weird with the gig.
The first time I heard it was enough for me to be able to say “cast-iron hit!” And I haven’t changed my mind 20 listens later. It is just mind-blowing how the ball of success keeps rolling for her and Finneas. Having the honour of singing the in memoriam song at the Academy awards, with an emotional rendition of the Beatles’ Yesterday would be enough attention for one week for any ordinary superstar, but no, here’s the best Bond theme for 20 years for you too! Astonishing.
It even has folk that were a bit cautious at first saying, actually that is a great tune. Just yesterday I was listening to a radio interview where Billie talked about how she gets fan mail from all demographics, including 80 year old grandfathers! I find that not only reassuring, but apt. This is an artist of universal appeal wrapped up in the media hype of a teenage pop-idol, but doing a great job of denying that narrow image and idea.
What can I say? Just carry on, Billie. It’s going quite well!
Lee (2222 KP) rated Daddy's Home 2 (2017) in Movies
Dec 8, 2017
Starts off great but soon veers off into not so great territory.
This year hasn't been good for the comedy movie genre. Will Ferrell in particular managed to star in one of the worst 'comedy' movies I've seen in a long time with 'The House' and even the anticipated sequel to one of the better comedies in recent years, Bad Moms, turned out to be a complete dud. So when a similar, Christmas themed sequel to what was essentially one of the more average movies in recent years came along, my hopes weren't exactly high. The original Daddys Home coasted along on the likeable pairing of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg but did feature a handful of funny elements, obviously enough to greenlight a sequel.
As mentioned previously, Daddys Home 2 is set at Christmas time. Brad and Dusty (Ferrell and Wahlberg) have worked out their differences from the first movie and are getting along just fine as 'co-dads' to the kids. When their own dads (Mel Gibson and John Lithgow) pay a visit, they decide to have a 'together' family Christmas, and Kurt (Gibson) even manages to book a luxury cabin in the snow for them to enjoy it all in. It's a bit of a whirlwind setup, but for a while it all works surprisingly well. I found myself really laughing at some scenes, it was like watching a classic Christmas family disaster along the lines of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.
But sadly, the momentum soon drops. Scene after scene fails to hit home, and some scenes even leave you wondering what the hell they were thinking by including them in the movie in the first place. Mel Gibsons character becomes increasingly annoying and it's all just a bit of a shame really. Things manage to get back on track towards the end of the movie but it's disappointing that it doesn't retain the high level of laughs and entertainment that kicked off the first third or so.
As mentioned previously, Daddys Home 2 is set at Christmas time. Brad and Dusty (Ferrell and Wahlberg) have worked out their differences from the first movie and are getting along just fine as 'co-dads' to the kids. When their own dads (Mel Gibson and John Lithgow) pay a visit, they decide to have a 'together' family Christmas, and Kurt (Gibson) even manages to book a luxury cabin in the snow for them to enjoy it all in. It's a bit of a whirlwind setup, but for a while it all works surprisingly well. I found myself really laughing at some scenes, it was like watching a classic Christmas family disaster along the lines of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.
But sadly, the momentum soon drops. Scene after scene fails to hit home, and some scenes even leave you wondering what the hell they were thinking by including them in the movie in the first place. Mel Gibsons character becomes increasingly annoying and it's all just a bit of a shame really. Things manage to get back on track towards the end of the movie but it's disappointing that it doesn't retain the high level of laughs and entertainment that kicked off the first third or so.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Night Pleasures (Dark-Hunter, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Okay, before I start my review, I have a little pet peeve about Sherrilyn Kenyon's writing: She'll switch from one character to another without warning. There I am, happily reading along from Amanda's viewpoint, when all of a sudden it's Kyrian. Ugh! I know I've read other authors who do the same thing, but somehow it flows better and isn't like - what just happened?! Okay, end rant.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I did like Fantasy Lover more than this one. While I don't always think Ms. Kenyon is the best writer (it sometimes feels disjointed to me) her world is very imaginative and interesting. The creatures/characters are intriguing, and the story was just plain fun to read. Hey, there's a tortured hero, what more do you need? I was really into it close to 200 pages in, then I had to put it down. The next day I picked it up and it didn't grab me as much as the day before. Though towards the end it started to pick up for me, and of course I'm a big sap for happy endings. That's why I read romances more than anything else. I don't know about other romance readers, but I've had a hard life and I need a little lightness in it. That's where romances help. Now that I've bared my soul (no pun intended - hopefully you'll get it if you've read the book), I think I'll get back to the review. Now where was I? I know that Talon will be in the next book in the series, but I can't wait to read about Acheron. If he doesn't have a book out now, Ms. Kenyon needs to start writing his story. Well, as I said before (I think), it was a fast and fun read!
Please excuse me if my review is a little disjointed (haha), I can't quite put into words how to explain how I felt about the book. Ah, oh well; can't win them all!
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I did like Fantasy Lover more than this one. While I don't always think Ms. Kenyon is the best writer (it sometimes feels disjointed to me) her world is very imaginative and interesting. The creatures/characters are intriguing, and the story was just plain fun to read. Hey, there's a tortured hero, what more do you need? I was really into it close to 200 pages in, then I had to put it down. The next day I picked it up and it didn't grab me as much as the day before. Though towards the end it started to pick up for me, and of course I'm a big sap for happy endings. That's why I read romances more than anything else. I don't know about other romance readers, but I've had a hard life and I need a little lightness in it. That's where romances help. Now that I've bared my soul (no pun intended - hopefully you'll get it if you've read the book), I think I'll get back to the review. Now where was I? I know that Talon will be in the next book in the series, but I can't wait to read about Acheron. If he doesn't have a book out now, Ms. Kenyon needs to start writing his story. Well, as I said before (I think), it was a fast and fun read!
Please excuse me if my review is a little disjointed (haha), I can't quite put into words how to explain how I felt about the book. Ah, oh well; can't win them all!