Search

Search only in certain items:

40x40

Little Ray Of Sunshine (41 KP) rated A Monster Calls in Books

Jan 11, 2019 (Updated Feb 10, 2019)  
A Monster Calls
A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness | 2016 | Children
10
8.6 (40 Ratings)
Book Rating
Book Review | A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Blurb
An extraordinary novel of love, loss and hope. Conor has the same dream every night, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's ancient,elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.


It wants the truth.

Review
I read this book with my friend/sister Christine. We read a few chapters a day. But we wanted to read more as this book is beautifully written. The story is about Conor he's mother is ill with cancer and hes dad as a new family in America. I felt really sorry for him as the one person who should be there is hes dad. But it had to take care of hes mum and get is self to school. School as been tough as people make him feel invisible and 3 lads bully him and while this is happening he's mum aint going to get better and he have to live with hes Grandma who he doesn't like. All these problems make him have a dream of a Yew tree that starts to talk to him and tells him 3 tales and the Yew tree tells him when he tells him the 3 stories he need to tell him the fourth story and it will be the truth.
I feel the Yew tree is making him stronger and face what is going to eventually happen to him. I won't tell you what happens as you will need to read it for yourself.
I felt this book made me realise what every child is going through while their loved ones are going through cancer, I hope it does for you.


Patrick Ness took Siobhan Dowd idea and helped by writing and publishing this book to show what she went through. As she sadly died from breast cancer back in 2007. All the royalties from this book go to the Siobhan Down Trust www.siobhandowdtrust.com

Thanks for the read x
  
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Action/Adventure
Scary Spooky
Condemned: Criminal Origins (known in Europe as Condemned) is a first-person survival horror video game, that is very good but underrated.

Condemned: Criminal Origins places an emphasis on melee combat and puzzle solving, including searching for fingerprints and gathering evidence. Lets talk more about the crime scene's, and gathing evidence.

Condemned directly involves the player in crime scene investigations, offering the ability to, at the press of a context-sensitive button, call upon a suite of forensic tools to find and record evidence. The player character is linked to an FBI lab via his mobile phone throughout the investigation, allowing (almost immediate) remote examination and analysis by his support worker, Rosa. Crime scene evidence can be used to solve puzzles, allowing the player to pass previously impassable barriers, and provide clues to the overall mysteries of the story.

Examples of evidence include fingerprints, footprints, fibers, fluids (such as blood or chemicals), particles, residues, markings/etchings, material, imprints, wounds, small objects, documents, and body parts.

The player character is gifted with the instinctual ability to detect when forensic evidence is nearby, allowing players to bring up the detection and collection tools when appropriate. However, the "instincts" of the character only vaguely highlight the area in which the evidence resides; it is up to the player to methodically sweep the scene and catalog any findings.

Lets talk about the plot: Condemned: Criminal Origins is set in the fictional American city of Metro. The player takes on the role of Ethan Thomas, a crime scene investigation agent with the FBI's Serial Crime Unit, as he traverses the seedier sides of the city. His journey takes him through a number of condemned buildings as he searches for the one who framed him for murder, the evasive Serial Killer X. Along the way, Ethan must use his investigative intuition and technology to examine evidence left behind by SKX, all the while fighting off the violently psychotic denizens of Metro City, who seem to be driven to such madness by a mysterious, yet seemingly extraneous force.

Their are two different ends: but really its the same ending.

If you do like psychological, crime solving horror games than you will like this one.
  
Suicide Squad (2016)
Suicide Squad (2016)
2016 | Action
Jai Courtney, Margot Robbie, Will Smith. Soundtrack. (0 more)
Story can be a bit incoherent in places. (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I'll say from the outset, I'm a lifelong comic book fan. During my teenage years back in the 80's I collected John Ostrander's Suicide Squad title and absolutely loved it. It was always a given for me therefore that I would jump at the prospect of a movie based on my favourite title.

You know the synopsis I'm guessing (if you're reading this review) - government official Amanda Waller assembles a group of the baddest incarcerated criminals to go up against the potential of a metahuman crisis should the 'next' Superman not share our values. This is deemed more relevant following the demise of the man of steel himself at the climax of Dawn Of Justice. Amongst those villains are Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), and Enchantress/Dr June Moone (Carla Delevigne). Heading up the group is Colonel Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman), albeit reluctantly.

The story essentially revolves around Enchantress going rogue and converting a subway station in Midway City into a warzone as she resurrects her brother Incubus and the two attempt to destroy the world. The only criticism I have with the movie concerns the simplicity within which Enchantress 'turns' on the group shortly after it is her actions that cause the senate committee to approve the founding of Task Force X only a couple of scenes earlier in the movie. It just feels a bit rushed. It's also interesting to note that the events of the movie would never have taken place had Waller not established her little 'pet project' to begin with!

The dialogue is witty and sharp and the characters are highly likeable (despite them being arch-villains and - in some cases, murderers). Will Smith is the core of the group as Deadshot and his cold-bloodedness as an assassin is softened by the connection he has to his daughter (how the audience is expected no doubt to warm to him?). Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flagg is also key to the story's heart with his flawed relationship with Dr June Moone - Enchantress's alter ego. Margot Robbie is superb as Harley Quinn although at times it seems as if her rear's the star of the show.

What do I need to say about Jared Leto that hasn't been said before? You'll either love or hate his portrayal of Mr.J!