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Louise (64 KP) rated A Court of Thorns and Roses in Books

Jul 2, 2018 (Updated Oct 16, 2018)  
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas | 2015 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.7 (107 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
Feyre is the sole breadwinner for her family,with two sisters and her father to feed she trains herself to hunt. When out hunting on one of the coldest days in winter, she finds she has competition in the form of a wolf, hungry and knowing that she won’t get her chance again for a while she kills the wolf and her prey. She manages to sell the pelt from the wolf she killed and gets a pretty penny too but days later a beast/lion crashes through her door demanding to know who killed the wolf and that the killer must live in the immortal lands by the Fae law or die. When Feyre is taken to land of immortals (Prythian) she is shocked to see how beautiful everything is and also that her captor is not a beast but a handsome High Fae that is known as Tamlin. As Feyre grows to be more accustomed with her surroundings and finds a mutual interest with Tamlin, their companionship evolves into something more… A LOT MORE! There is a sickness that is spreading causing the fae to become weak, Feyre wants to help to stop this sickness but first she has to find….HER!

Why oh why have I waited so long to read this? I am always the last one on the hype train, but this didn’t disappoint me and is worth all the hype.

This is the first Sarah J Maas book that I have read and now I have a thirst for more. I don’t read a lot of retellings as I have this feeling that they are going to be totally different from the original. This really did feel like beauty and the beast with a twist and faeries. I have not read a lot of books involving fae, so I didn’t know what to expect but with Maas’ descriptive writing I was able to gather a good idea of what they looked like.

I had a hard time getting into this book, I don’t read a lot of fantasy and where I am so new to the genre I was a little worried that I wasn’t going to know what was going on. There are a lot of characters in this book and different types of Fae and creatures which was definitely interesting. I needn’t have worried as after reading this book I really wanted to delve into more fantasy, where anything can happen, where you have all types of creatures and just let your imagination go wild.

Feyre is a huntress, she is fearless, courageous, stubborn and a pretty good protagonist, however saying that some of the things she did, just made me shake my head and shout WHY? at my book. She would do some pretty stupid stuff and get herself into trouble even when she was warned by Tamlin that she shouldn’t do something or stay away.

Tamlin is the lord/high fae of the spring court and is able to shape shift into the lion/beast that Feyre encountered back in the mortal lands. He’s brooding, secretive, stubborn like Feyre and handsome obviously. I am100% team Tamlin, you grow to love him and the interactions between him and Feyre

Lucien, I was not sure about him, he was funny in parts but then he did things that put Feyre in jeopardy, however he had more of a back story to him which was interesting but I wasn’t a massive fan of his.

Rhysand he is good looking and he knows it, but he is devious and you are left wondering whose side he is really on. He is definitely a likeable character and seen as a contender for Feyre’s affections

Aramantha! What a bitch! What a badass! She is a great villain, she is pure evil and I loved it. She has everyone wrapped around her finger, she was cunning and sly.

I loved the romance in this book, it is verging on new adult with some scenes that are quite steamy between Feyre and Tamlin. There is a build up to the romance and so much tension between the two its palpable. Feyre despises Tamlin at first and then they find mutual interests(art) and become closer.

And for people who have read the book if you were like me. I was shouting at Feyre, at my book…..JUST SAY IT! SAY IT! And then afterwards WHY OH WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY IT!(Hopefully you know what I am on about)

I will definitely be continuing on with the sequel I need more Tamlin and the world. Sarah J Maas you legend!

If you are looking for a YA retelling that has a twist and makes it its own then you should definitely pick this up. If you love romance with tension then pick this book,it’s definitely an all the feels kinda book.

I rated this 4.25 out of 5 stars
  
Alpha (2018)
Alpha (2018)
2018 | Action, Drama, Thriller
Columbia Pictures new release Alpha stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as Keda, and
Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) as Tau, his father.

Tau is the tribe leader, and must determine whether the young male tribe
members are ready for the annual hunt. He tests all the spear points
crafted by the boys, and passes or fails them based on the craftsmanship
of the arrowheads.

Keda is one of the only two young men that pass the test, and in spite
of his mothers (and his own) reservations, joins the hunt.

Keda isn’t a strong figure, like his father Tau, and the movie shows
some of the tension and strife this causes the father and son. Tau is
trying to teach Keda to be a leader, and Keda seems too soft-hearted to
be able to bear the task. Keda has a hard time with the killing of
animals, even though it is needed to sustain the tribe.

The annual hunt consists of tracking down a herd of bison over a span of
days, and then creeping up on them on their grazing grounds and spooking
them into headlong flight over the edge of a high cliff. The hunters
must keep the herd from turning back to the open plain by throwing their
spears and running full-tilt at the bison. The run to push the bison
over the cliffs edge starts off well, and then takes a tragic turn when
one of the bison turns towards the hunters and charges at Keda. Kedas
confidence breaks and he turns tail to run, with the bison chasing him
down. When the bison lowers his head to charge at Keda, the bisons horn
catches in Kedas clothing and the bison turns towards the cliff face and
dump Keda over the edge.
Keda miraculously lands on a rock outcropping about half way down the
cliff face, but it is still too far for Tau to reach him. Keda is
unconscious, and does not respond to his fathers calls.

Tau is convinced that he must leave his son for dead and head towards
home in order to be able to provide for the tribe.

A day later, Keda wakes and finds himself alone, with broken bones, and
no way to get off the cliff face.

What follows is a story of coming of age and determination. Keda must
find his way off the cliff face, and using the tools given to him by his
father on the way to the bison hunting grounds, find his way home. He
finds unlikely companionship in a wolf that he injured while the wolf
pack was hunting him down to try to eat him, which he nurses back to
health. He names the wolf “Alpha”, but in truth, it is Keda who is
learning to become the alpha, or leader of the pack.

The scenery in the movie is breathtaking, and the movie really comes to
life with the 3D option. I can only imagine that it would be even better
in IMAX.

There were pieces of the film that were entirely un-realistic, but they
were rather quickly covered up by the fast-paced nature of the film.

The only part I really groaned at was the very end scene, but I will let
you draw your own conclusions on that so that I don’t ruin it for you!

My son just turned 10 and he liked it a lot, but did mention that a few
parts were not 100% “kid-friendly” due to the scare-factor. He was
specifically referring to one scene that made us both literally jump in
our seats. He said over all the movie was great and that he enjoyed it
immensely.

I would give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars, and recommend that you see
it in IMAX 3D if you are able!
  
WT
Wolf Tales (Wolf Tales #1)
2
2.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the worst piece of trash I have ever read. I have read better smut on Literotica.

 It was like Douglas tried to take something that was taboo (bestiality) and make it okay. She failed. HARD. Not only did she manage to write about bestiality, but rape, too. Within the first ten page of the book, the lead female wakes up in the dark to have sex with some naked wolfman stranger she can't even see and then goes on to make him let her live with him where they continue to have more sex for about 2 week. Apparently that's enough to fall in love with someone and not care about life anymore. Not only that, but the reason sex is so fantastic with him is because he has the penis of a DOG, knot and all, which she begs him to keep. Meanwhile, our little wolfman is lusting after the sorcerer who exposed him all to this, actually wanting the man to pretty much rape the wolfman (which isn't really rape since he wants it). Upon meeting the sorcerer, the wolfman is then "raped" by the sorcerer while the sorcerer is a wolf.

I stopped reading there.

In all the 76 pages that I read, the bestiality wasn't actually what made me hate this book. There was such an utter lack of plot line that this book couldn't even be considered a guilty pleasure book. I felt as if Douglas was trying to create plot line to explain the random sex that seemed to happen every chapter. Douglas also manipulated the characters responses and inner dialogue to make it seem as if their own feelings and thoughts conflict with what they really desire. The characters know that what they are doing is taboo, yet they still want to be raped by a wolf or have sex with a man with a dog penis.


Unfortunately for Douglas, the fact that she took something so socially taboo and tried to pass it off as an erotic novel without creating a realistic reason why any of it was happening made this book not only painful to read, but also near impossible to finish.

And before you bash me for not even finishing the book, I will tell you that I did read more than just the 76 pages. I know all about the Chanku and how the novel ends. I just couldn't force myself to read this piece of utter garbage in whole.
  
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Hush (2009) in Movies

Jun 20, 2019 (Updated Jun 22, 2019)  
Hush (2009)
Hush (2009)
2009 |
6
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Zakes Abbot has a unique job. He's the guy that travels to gas stations and changes out the posters that advertise cars. His girlfriend, Beth, has tagged along for this particular trip. Their relationship is strained, to say the least, and it winds up erupting into several arguments. Just then, a white truck pulls in front of them and the door slides open for a moment to reveal a naked women chained inside before slamming down again. After doing everything within their power, they make the last stop on Zakes' trip. Zakes and Beth have their most heated argument and Beth decides to travel back to Manchester alone. As Zakes is sitting in the car, the white truck pulls up and Zakes runs inside to find Beth but can't find her. Zakes finds Beth's necklace outside as he realizes that whoever is driving that truck has just abducted his girlfriend and he'll do whatever it takes to get her back.

Hush is a thriller that is practically overflowing with suspense, which is good because that's pretty much exactly what the trailer would lead you to believe it would be. While I was watching it, I couldn't help getting this slight High Tension and Wolf Creek vibe from the film. The action doesn't take long to get rolling like in Wolf Creek, but once it starts it just snowballs into the worst situation (almost) anyone could possibly imagine. Everything that can go wrong for Zakes as he's tracking down Beth pretty much winds up happening. The guy can't seem to catch a break. The film doesn't necessarily bring anything new to the table, but it delivers in what it advertised which is all that really matters. While some situations in the film seem a bit unbelievable and the ending is a bit anticlimactic, it doesn't really take away from the overall entertainment value of the film.

Hush is not a horror film. I'll throw that out there, right now. It's a suspenseful thriller that is sure to get your heart racing at times. It's not necessarily something I'd highly recommend. It's not a bad film, but you're not going to miss anything spectacular if you skip it. It's the type of film to not expect a lot out of and then wind up finding it on demand, watching it, and being a bit surprised by it. No matter how bad someone's day is, he or she could pop this in and remind themself that it could've been a hell of a lot worse.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Do No Harm in Books

Feb 25, 2021  
Do No Harm
Do No Harm
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A dark look into how far a mother would go to save her child
After a tough childhood, where she was orphaned and spent time in foster care, Emma finally has the life she's always wanted. A successful doctor, she has a loving husband, Nate, and a young son, Josh. But that all stands to change when Josh, who is only five, is diagnosed with leukemia. Even with her hospital insurance, Josh's potential life-saving treatment will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Determined to save Josh no matter what, Emma makes the decision to sell opioids. Her choice puts her directly against Nate, a local police officer, who is investigating the death of a potential drug dealer. Emma will do anything to save Josh--does that include murder?

"I felt like I'd been dropped down a rabbit hole with the wolf sitting right outside. And the wolf was my husband."

This is a brutal dark read that pulls you into Emma and Nate's dilemma immediately. Personally, I found it hard to read about Josh's illness. I have a difficult time with books about kids being sick. But, McDonald is an excellent writer, and she does a wonderful job portraying stricken parents, pushed to the brink, who would do anything for their child. For Emma, it's turning to selling drugs. For Nate, it's working constantly to solve his current case, which means a promotion that could brings additional money for their family. The story is told from each of their perspectives, ratcheting up the tension with each chapter.

Emma, it seems, really has no limits on what she would do for Josh. McDonald makes the reader question: how far would you go to save your child? The book also offers a nuanced perspective on the opioid crisis, versus the usual "drugs bad" stance we get in many novels, which I appreciated. The entire novel makes you think and question standard perspectives in so many ways. It turns good versus evil and right versus wrong on its heels. And it offers a dark and insightful look into drug addiction and chronic pain and how families support each other (or don't).

Overall, this isn't an easy read, but it's a well-written and compelling one. It's timely, with an excellent perspective on the drug problems facing Americans and leaves the reader questioning much about right versus wrong. 4 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review. It is available on 2/16/2021.
  
A Touch of Flame (Flame #5)
A Touch of Flame (Flame #5)
Caris Roane | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Touch of Flame (Flame #5) by Caris Roane
A Touch of Flame is the fifth book in the Flame series. This one deals with (Mark) Braden and Maeve. He is an alpha wolf, beaten near to death before his attackers were interrupted. Maeve is the one who saves him, and refuses to leave his side until he is well. They are both on a mission - to bring down the dark witch, Veyda. Maeve has been held prisoner by her in the past, but has gaps in her memory. Braden's wife was killed whilst being tortured by Veyda, so both of them have a vested interest.

This is a fast-paced, full of action, book that will hold your interest from beginning to end. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The storyline is smooth and well-rounded, and you definitely have a vested interest in the characters. Seeing Maeve's confidence grow in her own abilities was a great piece of writing. The flame world, with the alters who live there, continues to amaze. Absolutely recommended.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
In the Mouth of the Wolf
In the Mouth of the Wolf
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
In this short book, “In the Mouth of the Wolf” , we’re privy to fascinating insights into the life of children’s fiction author Michael Morpurgo’s Uncle Francis who narrates in the first person at the age of ninety years, reminiscing about his life. It is a heartfelt TRUE story (hence the reason why this has made into my non-fiction category over at Goodreads) and one that is aimed at kids and young adults, but adults will get plenty from this, too.

The artwork within is tremendously well-done by award-winning artist Barroux, and set against a backdrop of World War Two. You’ll find it packs an emotion punch, whilst being a fast-paced read filled with outstanding wartime courage and love. Brotherly love, too.

What a treat this was to discover, since it reads like an fictional story, yet has some intriguing, real people pictures at the back of the book, so you can meet the real characters of these true events. It’s no wonder Morpurgo is such a talented storyteller if he’s heard family stories like this.

In fact, this is such a lovely story, it brought tears to my eyes on more than on occasion. Damn you, Micheal Morpurgo and your wonderfully tear-inducing story-telling skills!
  
SW
Sebastian's Wolves (Among Wolves #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
*Disclaimer* I received this book from Reading Alley in return for a fair and honest review.

The title of this book tells you the start of the tale. Sebastian is a wolf who leaves his pack to be with his mate, Tim. 8 years down the line and tragedy happens, Tim dies. Sebastian has to deal with this and, for me, this is where the story picked up.

I have to say that the relationship between Tim and Sebastian didn't really do much for me. It seemed too inbalanced with Sebastian doing most of the loving. This didn't really sit well with me as I already viewed Sebastian as an alpha male. Once he meets up with his new pack then he really starts to come into his own. And then Eshan is the cherry on the icing on the cake.

This book has nice parts and not so nice parts - so don't read this if you're expecting or wanting something that is light and fluffy. We're talking murder, abuse and rape (although not in graphic detail).

Sebastian's Wolves is a well-written, steady-paced novel full of action that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to anyone who enjoys some M/M action with a paranormal twist.
  
Ricochet (The Wolfborne Saga #2)
Ricochet (The Wolfborne Saga #2)
Cheree Alsop | 2018 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ricochet is the second book in The Wolfborne Saga and we return to Zev and Alia, plus family. As the blurb says, Zev knows that fighting back one wave of wolves isn't the end of it, and his view becomes fact when the wolf he let go before shows back up, with dire warnings to Zev and his newfound family and friends.

This really is a great take on wolves and vampires. I know I've said it before, and no doubt, I'll say it again, but it is! As the book moves on you find out about different types of vampire. And the wolves start to make a pack, something they had been denied.

There is one scene - I'll call it the spaghetti and naming scene - that really stood out to me. So many different parts to it, all fantastically written. And can I just say? Naming something and then it dying is NOT good!! LOL

A brilliant addition to the series and I really can't wait to see where it goes next. I just hope Zev finds someone for himself!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!