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Amy Christmas (171 KP) rated The Subtle Knife in Books

Jan 18, 2019 (Updated Jan 19, 2019)  
The Subtle Knife
The Subtle Knife
Philip Pullman | 2015 | Children
9
7.4 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well paced (2 more)
Information is introduced quickly and effectively
Lyra having no idea how to function in our world
Lee scoresby (if you've read it you know why) (1 more)
A lack of Iorek Byrnison
Short so sweet and informative
Contains spoilers, click to show
For a conventional middle filler book this is beautiful, just as good as the first and possibly better?
It was extremely well paced for being only 15 chapters the shortest of all three books while still managing to introduce a myriad of new concepts and information without it being overwhelming for the reader.
At the start of the book we are introduced to will (AKA Roger 2.0 in my opinion) I loved will, his character and his back story. Will is a boy coming into his own being thrust into duties he doesn't want but duties he accepts and carries the burden of. We learn that will's father went missing on an exploration when he was a baby and it becomes clear that he didn't just die and no body was recovered, but something else.

Pullman beautifully builds on the religious background of Lyras world into the wider context of the universe with the introduction of angels and The Authority as he is primarily called.

Lyra's character doesn't unfortunately do much growing in this book as Will takes the focus, which I think was a good decision as it allows for each character to have their moment per sé.

But Lee scoresby, I loved Lee, our favourite drunken aeronaut, and we had to say farewell.

Going onto the third and final installment however, promises some more Iorek after his absence for all but one part of this book, more witches, angels and Mrs Coulter and her dreaded monkey.

I can't wait to see Will grow further as well as Lyra, nor can I wait for that crescendo that is a final battle.
  
Spirited Away (2001)
Spirited Away (2001)
2001 | Animation, Fantasy
7
8.4 (62 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Never Recovered After a Slow Start
When a girl gets separated from her parents during a family outing, she ends up in an abandoned amusement park that is a gateway to the spirit world. After her parents get turned into pigs, she has to figure out a way to save them and get home.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 1
Gets off to a pretty slow start. Literally every single time I watch the first ten minutes, I get sleepy. I don’t know if it’s the music or the slow drive through the country, but I wish things would move a bit faster.

Characters: 10
The spirit world is definitely not lacking in originality, particularly when it comes to the characters. I appreciated the level of detail here as every single spirit, good or bad, had their own way of moving, talking, and interacting with the world around them. In Spirited Away, you get crazy witches, dragons, and a professor-looking dude that has spider-like limbs. There is so much to see, I keep seeing new things each time I go back and watch the movie.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 10

Entertainment Value: 7

Memorability: 5

Pace: 3

Plot: 7

Resolution: 4
Although the ending is better than the beginning, that’s not saying much. it felt dry and lacking of a definitive conclusion. Was definitely hoping for more.

Overall: 67
Sometimes I will watch a movie multiple times and appreciate it more the second or third time around. Unfortunately, for me, Spirited Away doesn’t quite hit that mark. It’s a good that my opinion isn’t the end-all be-all because these Hayao Mayazaki movies have a huge following. Maybe I’ll try this one again someday, but, for now, I’m good.
  
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YTUK (1118 KP) Nov 25, 2019

Still need to watch this...

Devil's Cry : Shade of Devil Book 2
Devil's Cry : Shade of Devil Book 2
Shayne Silvers | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you like Classic Vampires mixed with a bit of Urban Fantasy then you will love this book (0 more)
If you dont like Fantasy or are easily offended then dont read it. (0 more)
I'd Follow This Devil Anywhere!
What a great Continuation of Sorin's story.
Gosh! I loved every minute of this book. Shayne has a true talent for making us fall In love with his main characters. Sorin Is no different! He is powerful, charismatic and Sexy with a very human side that makes him extremely endearing for a Vamp. You either want to bed him or be his best mate and frankly, when you see who he hangs out with you will be biting at the bit ... or the neck ...to join the gang!

The story continues with Sorin's quest to take Down Dracula, but straight of the bat several new threats make themselves known, the least of them the Witches who complicate matters For Sorin and add some great action scenes to this story.

The emotional and sexual build up in this book creates a lovely tension that sits nicely in between the action and all the story driven sequences and I found that I flitted from emotion to emotion. From feeling sad for his losses, Angry that he was wronged, Affection for his love Interests.... and a couple of spicy scenes that made me sit up a little straighter in my seat.

All In all I really enjoyed this book. It had a feeling of familiarity as it very much reminds me of a classic vampire tale.... but then it surprises you with some lovely new mysteries.
I really can't recommend this book enough!
And Can't wait to see were the next book takes me!
  
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Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel
Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel
A.W. Jantha | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
6.8 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
It's a very sad thing when the book you were so excited about lets you down. Such is the case with Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel. The book, written by A. W. Jantha is split into two parts.

Then.

Now.

Then is a novelization of the movie which I very much enjoyed. 90 percent of the dialogue is taken directly from the movie while there's just enough added detail to give the characters some new depth and set up for the second half of the book.

Now: the second half of the book, the sequel was...

well, It was disappointing.

How?

First, there's the bizarre jump from third person to first and later second POV.

It just throws you into Poppy's world with minimal backstory on who she is and why we should like her or her friends, Travis and Isabella.

Secondly, the characters are STUPID!

Stupid choices left, right, and, center.

As a writer, I understand there needs to be some way to kickstart the conflict but going to the Sanderson house has danger written all over it.

Oh, let's talk about the Sandersons,

The witches are back in all their evil glory with added sister Elizabeth who turned her back on the family legacy of darkness.

Then there's their mother. Their mother who they could not shut up about. Mother this and Mother that.

All the hype got me excited about Sanderson's sister's flashbacks. Backstory. Entire chapters dedicated to them.

it didn't happen.

I was treated to brief remembrances but no backstory.

Then the Mother who was so hyped up made a one chapter appearance before going kersplat.

WHAT WAS THE POINT??

You don't hype a character that much for them to do NOTHING.

The book gets by on nostalgia alone.

Don't even get me started on the bizarre and unneeded cliffhanger.

Very sad.