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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated ICECOOL in Tabletop Games
Jun 25, 2019 (Updated Aug 13, 2020)
Moving components around the board/play area is a staple of most board games. As board games have evolved, that mechanic has maintained an integral role in many games. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Well just because it’s not broken, doesn’t mean it can’t use a little innovation….and that’s where ICECOOL comes into play.
You and your Penguin buddies are so hungry that you decide to skip out on class early to go grab some snacks. But you’ve forgotten about the Hall Monitor! Their mission is to catch any unauthorized hall wanderers and send them back to class. Can you outmaneuver the Hall Monitor, or will you be caught and forced to go hungry until the end of class?
Disclaimer: I do not intend to rehash the rulebook in its entirety in this review, but rather provide a general overview of the rules and gameplay. To read the rules more in-depth, grab a copy of the game from your FLGS! -L
ICECOOL is a dexterity game in which players are trying to amass the most points over a number of rounds. Here’s how a round plays out. Select one player to be the Hall Monitor (called the Catcher) for the first round, and place their Penguin pawn in the kitchen box. All other players, aka the Runners, take their 3 colored fish tokens and attach them to the three corresponding doorways, and begin with their Penguin pawns in the classroom box. As a Runner, your goal is to collect your 3 fish tokens from their doorways. How do you do that? Flick your Penguin through a fish doorway to collect your snack. Yes, you read that right – flick. In this game, all movement is achieved by literally flicking your pieces throughout the boxes. To collect a fish, you must pass through the corresponding doorway completely in one single flick. Each time you collect a fish, draw the top card from the fish deck and keep it hidden from your opponents. Your other goal? Avoid the Catcher. If at any point, your Penguin comes into contact with the Catcher, you must forfeit your Hall Pass to the Catcher.
As the Catcher, your goal is to collect the Hall Pass of every other player. You achieve this goal by flicking your Penguin into any of the Runners. Turn order is as follows: Runners-Catcher, Runners-Catcher, etc., until the end of the round is triggered. The round is over when the Catcher has collected Hall Passes from every other player, or any Runner has collected all 3 of their fish. At the end of the round, each player collects 1 fish card per Hall Pass in their possession. So if you were caught by the Catcher, you’re outta luck! For the next round a new player is selected to be the Catcher, and play continues as above. The game ends once every player has taken a turn as the Catcher. Count up the points from your collected fish cards, and the player with the most points wins!
So a game of flicking Penguins around some boxes – sounds pretty simple, right? Yes and no. ICECOOL admittedly does not really require any serious strategy. Yes, you are trying to collect all 3 of your fish, but you’re mainly playing keep-away from the Catcher. And as the Catcher, you’re “It” in this quasi-game of Tag. So strategic, this is not. On the other hand, mastering the art of flicking your Penguin is a long and arduous process. Ok, it’s not arduous, but it is tricky to master! ICECOOL really puts your dexterity to the test to see if you have the proper form and control to move your Penguin to exactly where you want it to go. Half of the fun of this game is all the whiffed flicks and the comically accidental misdirections. The rulebook offers some flicking techniques to try out before your first game, and they are actually pretty helpful. I’ve not yet been able to achieve the jumping flick, but maybe one day I will rise to that level.
One other super neat thing about ICECOOL is the game setup. You’re playing with boxes of varying sizes. But here’s the kicker: they all nest into each other!!! So for storing, it looks like you just have one box. But in reality, there are 4 other boxes hidden inside. This concept is not one I’ve seen before in any other game, so that just makes ICECOOL a little bit more unique and interesting for me. Since I’m talking about the boxes, let me touch on components. The boxes are all of great quality, and are sturdy enough to hold up to clashing penguins. The Penguins themselves are good solid plastic, and I know they will last forever. Be careful though, flicking too hard might hurt your fingers! The deck of fish cards are a standard card quality. The artwork of the game is cute and thematic, and overall it’s a fun, immersive experience.
ICECOOL is not a game that I pull off the shelf at every game night. But it is one that is light enough, and entertaining enough, that it certainly gets a good amount of gameplay from my collection. Whether you are using it as a nice, short filler game, or you’re playing with some young’uns, it makes for a happy atmosphere full of energy and happiness. And that’s why Purple Phoenix Games gives ICECOOL a brrrrrrrrrilliant 18 / 24.
You and your Penguin buddies are so hungry that you decide to skip out on class early to go grab some snacks. But you’ve forgotten about the Hall Monitor! Their mission is to catch any unauthorized hall wanderers and send them back to class. Can you outmaneuver the Hall Monitor, or will you be caught and forced to go hungry until the end of class?
Disclaimer: I do not intend to rehash the rulebook in its entirety in this review, but rather provide a general overview of the rules and gameplay. To read the rules more in-depth, grab a copy of the game from your FLGS! -L
ICECOOL is a dexterity game in which players are trying to amass the most points over a number of rounds. Here’s how a round plays out. Select one player to be the Hall Monitor (called the Catcher) for the first round, and place their Penguin pawn in the kitchen box. All other players, aka the Runners, take their 3 colored fish tokens and attach them to the three corresponding doorways, and begin with their Penguin pawns in the classroom box. As a Runner, your goal is to collect your 3 fish tokens from their doorways. How do you do that? Flick your Penguin through a fish doorway to collect your snack. Yes, you read that right – flick. In this game, all movement is achieved by literally flicking your pieces throughout the boxes. To collect a fish, you must pass through the corresponding doorway completely in one single flick. Each time you collect a fish, draw the top card from the fish deck and keep it hidden from your opponents. Your other goal? Avoid the Catcher. If at any point, your Penguin comes into contact with the Catcher, you must forfeit your Hall Pass to the Catcher.
As the Catcher, your goal is to collect the Hall Pass of every other player. You achieve this goal by flicking your Penguin into any of the Runners. Turn order is as follows: Runners-Catcher, Runners-Catcher, etc., until the end of the round is triggered. The round is over when the Catcher has collected Hall Passes from every other player, or any Runner has collected all 3 of their fish. At the end of the round, each player collects 1 fish card per Hall Pass in their possession. So if you were caught by the Catcher, you’re outta luck! For the next round a new player is selected to be the Catcher, and play continues as above. The game ends once every player has taken a turn as the Catcher. Count up the points from your collected fish cards, and the player with the most points wins!
So a game of flicking Penguins around some boxes – sounds pretty simple, right? Yes and no. ICECOOL admittedly does not really require any serious strategy. Yes, you are trying to collect all 3 of your fish, but you’re mainly playing keep-away from the Catcher. And as the Catcher, you’re “It” in this quasi-game of Tag. So strategic, this is not. On the other hand, mastering the art of flicking your Penguin is a long and arduous process. Ok, it’s not arduous, but it is tricky to master! ICECOOL really puts your dexterity to the test to see if you have the proper form and control to move your Penguin to exactly where you want it to go. Half of the fun of this game is all the whiffed flicks and the comically accidental misdirections. The rulebook offers some flicking techniques to try out before your first game, and they are actually pretty helpful. I’ve not yet been able to achieve the jumping flick, but maybe one day I will rise to that level.
One other super neat thing about ICECOOL is the game setup. You’re playing with boxes of varying sizes. But here’s the kicker: they all nest into each other!!! So for storing, it looks like you just have one box. But in reality, there are 4 other boxes hidden inside. This concept is not one I’ve seen before in any other game, so that just makes ICECOOL a little bit more unique and interesting for me. Since I’m talking about the boxes, let me touch on components. The boxes are all of great quality, and are sturdy enough to hold up to clashing penguins. The Penguins themselves are good solid plastic, and I know they will last forever. Be careful though, flicking too hard might hurt your fingers! The deck of fish cards are a standard card quality. The artwork of the game is cute and thematic, and overall it’s a fun, immersive experience.
ICECOOL is not a game that I pull off the shelf at every game night. But it is one that is light enough, and entertaining enough, that it certainly gets a good amount of gameplay from my collection. Whether you are using it as a nice, short filler game, or you’re playing with some young’uns, it makes for a happy atmosphere full of energy and happiness. And that’s why Purple Phoenix Games gives ICECOOL a brrrrrrrrrilliant 18 / 24.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2097 KP) rated Murder in the Mystery Suite (Book Retreat Mysteries, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Jane Steward is trying to get more income to her family’s Storyton Hall, already famous as a retreat for readers. But her idea of a Mystery and Mayhem Week begins with a murder and a stolen book. What secrets will she uncover?
This book attempts to do something a little different with the cozy genre, and I’ll admit it took me a little while to get on board, but once I did I found I liked the idea. I also really did love the characters. Unfortunately, the plot came up short, leaving us with some loose threads and a plot hole or two along the way. I wanted to like this book more, but the weak plot really does bother me.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/02/book-review-murder-in-mystery-suite-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book attempts to do something a little different with the cozy genre, and I’ll admit it took me a little while to get on board, but once I did I found I liked the idea. I also really did love the characters. Unfortunately, the plot came up short, leaving us with some loose threads and a plot hole or two along the way. I wanted to like this book more, but the weak plot really does bother me.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/02/book-review-murder-in-mystery-suite-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Dean (6925 KP) rated The Night House (2020) in Movies
Jun 11, 2022
Slightly disappointing plot (1 more)
Weak ending
OK Chiller Thriller
Been wanting to see this for a while as it didn't get a long cinema run, currently on Disney+. From the trailer it looked intriguing, a smart Thriller different from the norm. I really thought the House would play a bigger role in the plot, some things are hinted at without a great deal of explanation. It starts well and one scene will send a chill down the spine and hairs stand up. Later though the plot starts to unravel in a more trusted way. Probably more in common with the likes of What lies beneath for an idea of the type of film it is.
An OK Chiller, Thriller that had real potential to be something more ground breaking runs out of steam before the end.
An OK Chiller, Thriller that had real potential to be something more ground breaking runs out of steam before the end.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall in Books
Jun 7, 2018
I loved Katie Alender’s Bad Girls Don’t Die series. I was ecstatic to find out she had written another horror ghost story. Miss Alender did not disappoint me with the Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall.
This was a book I didn’t want to put down. I would have read it all in one sitting too had it not been for real life getting in they way.
I loved all the characters and felt they were well written. Florence was my favorite character though for some reason.
The story line was well written. Plus, I love horror stories where an old house is involved.
Yes, some of the plot twists are predictable, and there were times I had some unanswered questions, but I still loved the book.
I would definitely recommend this book. I’m hoping Miss Alender will write another horror ghost story soon. She’s definitely one of my favorite authors.
This was a book I didn’t want to put down. I would have read it all in one sitting too had it not been for real life getting in they way.
I loved all the characters and felt they were well written. Florence was my favorite character though for some reason.
The story line was well written. Plus, I love horror stories where an old house is involved.
Yes, some of the plot twists are predictable, and there were times I had some unanswered questions, but I still loved the book.
I would definitely recommend this book. I’m hoping Miss Alender will write another horror ghost story soon. She’s definitely one of my favorite authors.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Moons Flower ( Kingdom 6) in Books
Mar 3, 2024
43 of 220
Kindle
Moons Flower (Kingdom 6)
By Marie Hall
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Once upon a time, long, long ago a flower fairy looked up to the sky and dared to fall in love with the Man in the Moon...
Or so goes the tale that Danika weaves for the gathered fae children. Tonight is the night to learn a hidden tale of Kingdom. A story long forgotten, remembered by few. A tale of treachery, of love, betrayal and woe... but there's more to the story than meets the eye. This isn't just a tale of Jericho and Calanthe and their doomed Shakespearean romance, for tonight the truth of one beloved Kingdom character will be revealed
I thought this was a really sad story but now certainly now more about our fairy godmother. This series has is so easy an enjoyable to read.
Kindle
Moons Flower (Kingdom 6)
By Marie Hall
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Once upon a time, long, long ago a flower fairy looked up to the sky and dared to fall in love with the Man in the Moon...
Or so goes the tale that Danika weaves for the gathered fae children. Tonight is the night to learn a hidden tale of Kingdom. A story long forgotten, remembered by few. A tale of treachery, of love, betrayal and woe... but there's more to the story than meets the eye. This isn't just a tale of Jericho and Calanthe and their doomed Shakespearean romance, for tonight the truth of one beloved Kingdom character will be revealed
I thought this was a really sad story but now certainly now more about our fairy godmother. This series has is so easy an enjoyable to read.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Redeemed ( Jenny Cooper 3) in Books
Apr 2, 2023
39 of 235
Book
The Redeemed (Jenny Cooper 3)
By M.R. Hall ( Matthew Hall)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A man's body is discovered in a church yard, the sign of the cross carved into his abdomen. Later he is found to be Alan Jacobs, a troubled psychiatric nurse. It seems to Jenny Cooper, Severn Vale District Coroner, this is likely to be an open and shut suicide case, but something tells her to probe a little deeper ...Then an enigmatic young priest, Father Lucas Starr, entreats Jenny to hold an inquest into the death of reformed porn actress, Eva Donaldson. Jenny's investigations will lead her to a powerful new religious group The Mission Church of God; and when it later emerges that Jacobs was also a member of the church, Jenny realises that more could link the deaths of these victims than she could have realised. Meanwhile Jenny must finally confront the demons of her past; and as her private life threatens to shatter, faces intense pressure from all angles to cease her investigations. But to Jenny Cooper, whose whole life has been governed by deception, the truth is everything..
I really like this series I really do but this one while it was good and I enjoyed it to a point it was just lacking a little. Seemed very rushed at the end and I’m not quite sure that the ending with Craven was needed. Maybe it’s just me? Overall I like the writing style and detail in his books I just wanted more from this. Still a decent read.
Book
The Redeemed (Jenny Cooper 3)
By M.R. Hall ( Matthew Hall)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A man's body is discovered in a church yard, the sign of the cross carved into his abdomen. Later he is found to be Alan Jacobs, a troubled psychiatric nurse. It seems to Jenny Cooper, Severn Vale District Coroner, this is likely to be an open and shut suicide case, but something tells her to probe a little deeper ...Then an enigmatic young priest, Father Lucas Starr, entreats Jenny to hold an inquest into the death of reformed porn actress, Eva Donaldson. Jenny's investigations will lead her to a powerful new religious group The Mission Church of God; and when it later emerges that Jacobs was also a member of the church, Jenny realises that more could link the deaths of these victims than she could have realised. Meanwhile Jenny must finally confront the demons of her past; and as her private life threatens to shatter, faces intense pressure from all angles to cease her investigations. But to Jenny Cooper, whose whole life has been governed by deception, the truth is everything..
I really like this series I really do but this one while it was good and I enjoyed it to a point it was just lacking a little. Seemed very rushed at the end and I’m not quite sure that the ending with Craven was needed. Maybe it’s just me? Overall I like the writing style and detail in his books I just wanted more from this. Still a decent read.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Jinni's Wish (Kingdom, #4) in Books
Nov 20, 2021
193 of 250
Kindle
Jinni’s Wish ( Kingdome Chronicles book 4)
By Marie Hall
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
A long, long time ago there lived a man. A Jinni, who had one wish. To know love. But the woman he thought he knew betrayed him and the love he thought they shared. Tortured for his crimes, he was cast out of Kingdom, stripped of all his powers, left to langour in pain and solitude, until eventually he becomes nothing but a ghost...
Paz Lopez is an artist with a dream. To buy a ridiculously large penthouse in the swankiest section of Chicago. But there's just one hitch, she has no man to share her dream with. A fateful visit to a carnival and Madam Pandora's tent sends Paz on a mission to find the love of her life before it's too late.
But the Madam forgot to tell Paz one very important detail... to meet him, Paz will have to die first.
I enjoyed it. It was sweet little story could have been longer got a bit of a rushed feel from it that I didn’t from the first 3 books. Definitely a spin on these fairly tales and finding love!
Kindle
Jinni’s Wish ( Kingdome Chronicles book 4)
By Marie Hall
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
A long, long time ago there lived a man. A Jinni, who had one wish. To know love. But the woman he thought he knew betrayed him and the love he thought they shared. Tortured for his crimes, he was cast out of Kingdom, stripped of all his powers, left to langour in pain and solitude, until eventually he becomes nothing but a ghost...
Paz Lopez is an artist with a dream. To buy a ridiculously large penthouse in the swankiest section of Chicago. But there's just one hitch, she has no man to share her dream with. A fateful visit to a carnival and Madam Pandora's tent sends Paz on a mission to find the love of her life before it's too late.
But the Madam forgot to tell Paz one very important detail... to meet him, Paz will have to die first.
I enjoyed it. It was sweet little story could have been longer got a bit of a rushed feel from it that I didn’t from the first 3 books. Definitely a spin on these fairly tales and finding love!
AJaneClark (3962 KP) rated Forever Pucked (Pucked #4) in Books
Jan 18, 2020
Happy Ever Afters
Book 4 in the series brings us back round to the original characters. Alex “MC” Waters and his beautiful fiancée Violet Hall!
Alex ends up spectacularly getting injured out of the NHL when he has a run in with another team, whilst Violet gets a promotion at work.
After the scare that Alex’s injuries caused, they have both reassessed what they want in life and Violet finally agrees to set a date for the wedding. But in true typical Violet style, things will have to change... much like Alex’s mums hair!
We see again all the other characters we have been introduced to in the series, and it’s so nice to be able to follow the progression of the relationships, and how they all interlink and interact with one another.
The series continues to be well written and doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the ongoing humour and individual character styles. Helena is nothing if not consistent! I look forward to finishing the series!
Alex ends up spectacularly getting injured out of the NHL when he has a run in with another team, whilst Violet gets a promotion at work.
After the scare that Alex’s injuries caused, they have both reassessed what they want in life and Violet finally agrees to set a date for the wedding. But in true typical Violet style, things will have to change... much like Alex’s mums hair!
We see again all the other characters we have been introduced to in the series, and it’s so nice to be able to follow the progression of the relationships, and how they all interlink and interact with one another.
The series continues to be well written and doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the ongoing humour and individual character styles. Helena is nothing if not consistent! I look forward to finishing the series!
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Gift (2015) in Movies
Jul 1, 2020
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
The Gift- is a unique psychological horror film directed by Joel Edgerton. This is Joel's directoral debut and he did a excellent job. Joel also produced it, wrote it and acted in it. I love the psychological espect of this film, and also the twist and turns throught it until the very end of the film.
The plot: When married couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) unexpectedly encounter Gordo (Joel Edgerton), an acquaintance from Simon's past, little do they know that their perfect lives will be thrown into a terrifying tailspin. At first, Simon doesn't recognize Gordo, but after a troubling series of uninvited encounters and mysterious gifts, a horrifying secret emerges. As Robyn learns what really happened between Simon and Gordo, she begins to question how well she knows her spouse.
The Gift is a excellent psychological horror film with twist and turns throught it.
The plot: When married couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) unexpectedly encounter Gordo (Joel Edgerton), an acquaintance from Simon's past, little do they know that their perfect lives will be thrown into a terrifying tailspin. At first, Simon doesn't recognize Gordo, but after a troubling series of uninvited encounters and mysterious gifts, a horrifying secret emerges. As Robyn learns what really happened between Simon and Gordo, she begins to question how well she knows her spouse.
The Gift is a excellent psychological horror film with twist and turns throught it.