Search
Search results
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Musical Mayhem (Totally Twins, #1) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Musical Mayhem</i> is the first book in the <i>Totally Twins</i> series aimed at ten-year-old girls. Subtitled <i>The Fabulous Diary of Persephone Pinchgut</i>, the series is about the life of identical sisters from one twin’s point of view. Portia and Persephone may look the same, share friends and borrow each other’s clothes, but inside they are polar opposites. Starting a diary is the only way Persephone can have something that is entirely her own, where she can write about how she really feels.
The main storyline revolves around the upcoming end of term musical at the twins’ school. Persephone only joined the drama class at Portia’s insistence, whereas in reality she is a shy girl with absolutely no singing ability. Persephone writes about her dread of the auditions and the hurtful teasing from her perfect sister.
Many young girls (and boys), like the author herself, wish at some point to have a twin. Portia and Persephone may have a special connection that other siblings do not, but as this diary reveals, having a twin is not all sunshine and rainbows. Persephone also writes about her parents’ divorce, her alternate therapy obsessed Mum and her hopes and dreams for the future. There are many things for young girls to relate to.
Illustrator Serena Geddes completes the book with her simple drawings. <i>Musical Mayhem</i> is not a children’s’ picture book; it is a step between child and teenager novels. For an adult reader the storyline is uninspiring, however a child of ten would enjoy the characters, humour and the issues expressed.
<i>Totally Twins: Musical Mayhem</i> is a great start to a unique series of short books for girls. It is something that junior school children will love to collect to build up their own personal library. The book jackets are attractive and will look great when all together as a set. If you are looking for a present for a young girl, I recommend considering this book.
Musical Mayhem</i> is the first book in the <i>Totally Twins</i> series aimed at ten-year-old girls. Subtitled <i>The Fabulous Diary of Persephone Pinchgut</i>, the series is about the life of identical sisters from one twin’s point of view. Portia and Persephone may look the same, share friends and borrow each other’s clothes, but inside they are polar opposites. Starting a diary is the only way Persephone can have something that is entirely her own, where she can write about how she really feels.
The main storyline revolves around the upcoming end of term musical at the twins’ school. Persephone only joined the drama class at Portia’s insistence, whereas in reality she is a shy girl with absolutely no singing ability. Persephone writes about her dread of the auditions and the hurtful teasing from her perfect sister.
Many young girls (and boys), like the author herself, wish at some point to have a twin. Portia and Persephone may have a special connection that other siblings do not, but as this diary reveals, having a twin is not all sunshine and rainbows. Persephone also writes about her parents’ divorce, her alternate therapy obsessed Mum and her hopes and dreams for the future. There are many things for young girls to relate to.
Illustrator Serena Geddes completes the book with her simple drawings. <i>Musical Mayhem</i> is not a children’s’ picture book; it is a step between child and teenager novels. For an adult reader the storyline is uninspiring, however a child of ten would enjoy the characters, humour and the issues expressed.
<i>Totally Twins: Musical Mayhem</i> is a great start to a unique series of short books for girls. It is something that junior school children will love to collect to build up their own personal library. The book jackets are attractive and will look great when all together as a set. If you are looking for a present for a young girl, I recommend considering this book.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
A Vast Improvement
The Young Adult genre has, for the last few years, been dominated by Jennifer Lawrence and her imposing Katniss Everdeen, and as fans prepare for the conclusion of Mockingjay in November, they can whet their appetites for the conclusion of another YA trilogy.
The Maze Runner was a decent, albeit muddled attempt at getting the coveted young adult audience interested in another series and its sequel, The Scorch Trials promises more of the mind-blowing storytelling of its predecessor, but is it a success?
The plot of Scorch Trials takes place immediately after the events of the previous instalment as a group of teenagers battle against the sinister W.C.K.D, an organisation intent on finding a cure for a virus that has ravished Earth.
Amongst them is leader Thomas (Teen Wolf’s Dylan O’Brien), the Katniss Everdeen of this particular series, Theresa (Skins’ Kaya Scodelario) and Newt (Love Actually’s Thomas Brodie-Sangster). There are numerous other characters in the group but they aren’t fleshed out enough to make an impact on screen.
Unfortunately, character development is a serious problem throughout, with only a handful of the large cast having enough of a backstory to make the memorable. O’Brien is particularly likeable as the confused Thomas and his more reserved persona is a pleasant change to the majority of lead characters in the genre.
Of the adult cast, Aidan Gillen does a sterling effort as the mysterious Janson and Giancarlo Esposito is perhaps the best character in the entire film with his portrayal of Jorge – a bargain hunter and ally of the group.
A much larger budget has done wonders for the series’ set-pieces. This is a particularly striking movie with numerous heart-racing action sequences filmed with a mixture of stunning CGI and breath-taking practical effects, a desert thunderstorm is beautifully filmed and a particular highlight.
The desolate landscapes and ruined cities give the film more than a whiff of Mad Max and I Am Legend with the latter being very similar.
These pulse-raising scenes do not do Scorch Trials’ dialogue any good however. The characters don’t get much to say apart from “Run” and “Look out” and the series lacks the powerful communication that The Hunger Games has become known for.
Nevertheless, those coming to the series without reading the books will find much to enjoy here as the plot is impossible to guess – there’s simply no way of knowing what is going to happen from one moment to the next.
It’s worth noting that this is a very dark film with a tone unlike anything else seen in the genre. The 12A certification given to it seems a little too lenient and in parts The Scorch Trials is deeply unnerving.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is, on the whole, a fantastically enjoyable romp in spite of its excessive length and flat characters. It’s not quite up to the standards of The Hunger Games series but surpasses its Divergent franchise counterparts by some margin and is well worth a trip to the cinema.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/09/13/a-vast-improvement-maze-runner-the-scorch-trials-review/
The Maze Runner was a decent, albeit muddled attempt at getting the coveted young adult audience interested in another series and its sequel, The Scorch Trials promises more of the mind-blowing storytelling of its predecessor, but is it a success?
The plot of Scorch Trials takes place immediately after the events of the previous instalment as a group of teenagers battle against the sinister W.C.K.D, an organisation intent on finding a cure for a virus that has ravished Earth.
Amongst them is leader Thomas (Teen Wolf’s Dylan O’Brien), the Katniss Everdeen of this particular series, Theresa (Skins’ Kaya Scodelario) and Newt (Love Actually’s Thomas Brodie-Sangster). There are numerous other characters in the group but they aren’t fleshed out enough to make an impact on screen.
Unfortunately, character development is a serious problem throughout, with only a handful of the large cast having enough of a backstory to make the memorable. O’Brien is particularly likeable as the confused Thomas and his more reserved persona is a pleasant change to the majority of lead characters in the genre.
Of the adult cast, Aidan Gillen does a sterling effort as the mysterious Janson and Giancarlo Esposito is perhaps the best character in the entire film with his portrayal of Jorge – a bargain hunter and ally of the group.
A much larger budget has done wonders for the series’ set-pieces. This is a particularly striking movie with numerous heart-racing action sequences filmed with a mixture of stunning CGI and breath-taking practical effects, a desert thunderstorm is beautifully filmed and a particular highlight.
The desolate landscapes and ruined cities give the film more than a whiff of Mad Max and I Am Legend with the latter being very similar.
These pulse-raising scenes do not do Scorch Trials’ dialogue any good however. The characters don’t get much to say apart from “Run” and “Look out” and the series lacks the powerful communication that The Hunger Games has become known for.
Nevertheless, those coming to the series without reading the books will find much to enjoy here as the plot is impossible to guess – there’s simply no way of knowing what is going to happen from one moment to the next.
It’s worth noting that this is a very dark film with a tone unlike anything else seen in the genre. The 12A certification given to it seems a little too lenient and in parts The Scorch Trials is deeply unnerving.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is, on the whole, a fantastically enjoyable romp in spite of its excessive length and flat characters. It’s not quite up to the standards of The Hunger Games series but surpasses its Divergent franchise counterparts by some margin and is well worth a trip to the cinema.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/09/13/a-vast-improvement-maze-runner-the-scorch-trials-review/
Merissa (13950 KP) rated Black (The Silver #2) in Books
Feb 17, 2020
Black is the second book in the Silver series and this time the focus is on Jet. He was stolen from his family at a very young age and given to the Woman, who only wanted him for deathmatches. There was no love, care, or attention in Jet's life from that moment. All that changes when Jaze rescues him and takes him in. It doesn't all suddenly become sunshine and roses though and THAT is what made this book so good!
Jet has issues, he really does, and let's face it, you would do too if you'd gone through what he did. He proves he is intelligent by teaching himself English, Spanish, and lip-reading. He shows compassion by not killing someone until he realises that it just doesn't work that way and understands the pact made by the other wolves. My heart broke for him in so many ways and yet I was proud of him too. He didn't stop trying and would do anything to protect those he called his own.
This was incredibly written and I read it in one sitting. I was literally unable to stop reading until I knew all was good in Jet's world. The world-building just gets better as it becomes clearer with each book. The characters grow and change, becoming 'more'. I loved hearing about Jaze and Nikki and I hope we continue hearing about past couples as the series progresses.
A darker fantastic young adult paranormal that I absolutely recommend! The only thing I don't know is what happened to Shadow's Curse. I'm presuming he's dead but I really wish he wasn't!
* 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!
Jet has issues, he really does, and let's face it, you would do too if you'd gone through what he did. He proves he is intelligent by teaching himself English, Spanish, and lip-reading. He shows compassion by not killing someone until he realises that it just doesn't work that way and understands the pact made by the other wolves. My heart broke for him in so many ways and yet I was proud of him too. He didn't stop trying and would do anything to protect those he called his own.
This was incredibly written and I read it in one sitting. I was literally unable to stop reading until I knew all was good in Jet's world. The world-building just gets better as it becomes clearer with each book. The characters grow and change, becoming 'more'. I loved hearing about Jaze and Nikki and I hope we continue hearing about past couples as the series progresses.
A darker fantastic young adult paranormal that I absolutely recommend! The only thing I don't know is what happened to Shadow's Curse. I'm presuming he's dead but I really wish he wasn't!
* 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!
Save the Date
8.0
Rate It
Book
All first editions will be signed by the author--available while supplies last! Father of the...
young adult
Debbiereadsbook (1724 KP) rated Cabbages & Kings in Books
Feb 3, 2022
wonderful retelling of a local legend
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
As a Nottingham girl, I grew with tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. So, finding this tale having tipped those tales on their heads was a delight!
The story tells of Alana Dale, and her new husband, Will Scathlock and how they came to suffer at the hands of Robin and Guy, and just how, after all that, THEY came to be the bad guys!
This is a delightful tale, set in places in and around Nottinghamshire, so I know these places, and I love reading books about places I really know.
It's wonderfully written, with detailed descriptions of the things needed to get by, with Alana having ideas wise beyond her years, especially when it comes to health matters.
Alana is a strong-minded young lady (only 16 here!) and she will stand up for herself in a time when it wasn't the done thing. I loved Alana, and her teasing of Will, but to be fair, he gave as good as he got. Alana's deepest fears come to life here, and how she manages to hold it together to keep Will safe BEFORE she loses it, I have no idea.
There is some violence, Alana and Will's village is destroyed in the beginning of the book and the attack's aftermath is described in some detail. Because of this, I would class it as upper young adult, maybe 14+.
Tipping the Robin Hood legend on its head, Ms Sheppard made new heroes, and new bad guys. She tells of everyday life in Medieval England, and just how the common folk survived.
4 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
As a Nottingham girl, I grew with tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. So, finding this tale having tipped those tales on their heads was a delight!
The story tells of Alana Dale, and her new husband, Will Scathlock and how they came to suffer at the hands of Robin and Guy, and just how, after all that, THEY came to be the bad guys!
This is a delightful tale, set in places in and around Nottinghamshire, so I know these places, and I love reading books about places I really know.
It's wonderfully written, with detailed descriptions of the things needed to get by, with Alana having ideas wise beyond her years, especially when it comes to health matters.
Alana is a strong-minded young lady (only 16 here!) and she will stand up for herself in a time when it wasn't the done thing. I loved Alana, and her teasing of Will, but to be fair, he gave as good as he got. Alana's deepest fears come to life here, and how she manages to hold it together to keep Will safe BEFORE she loses it, I have no idea.
There is some violence, Alana and Will's village is destroyed in the beginning of the book and the attack's aftermath is described in some detail. Because of this, I would class it as upper young adult, maybe 14+.
Tipping the Robin Hood legend on its head, Ms Sheppard made new heroes, and new bad guys. She tells of everyday life in Medieval England, and just how the common folk survived.
4 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Kyera (8 KP) rated Rise of the Elgen (Michael Vey, #2) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Michael is a 14-year-old who has electrical powers and is joined in this novel by his fellow Electro-Clan members. In this book, Michael and his friends must battle the Elgen again in order to save his mother from their clutches. It was nice to see the world we had come to inhabit in the first book expanded in the second. We got a deeper look into the Elgen, their plans and one of their other secret locations. If you haven't read the first book, this may spoil you so please read that (or my first review) before you read the second book's review.
I felt the same way about the second book as I did the first. The overall idea of this story was very intriguing, although I found the writing to be lacking at times. One of the biggest elements that drew me out of the story was the author's inability to choose a word other than <i>said</i> to describe when a person was speaking. It became frustrating to listen to the characters talk when the entire page just repeated, "he said... she said... then they said... he said again." By that point, I was pretty over the word said. It definitely detracted from the story, which I found enjoyable overall.
There was a little more character development in this novel than the first, as I found myself connecting to the characters more. Although I still don't find that they are three-dimensional enough, I do care if they succeed or not. The relationship between Michael and Taylor was very insta-love-y in the first book, but I liked seeing more support for it in this book. It is starting to feel more authentic and less like an overused trope.
As there are five other books in the series, I hope that the character development and world building will be improved upon. It definitely continued from the first to the second book and I felt more knowledgeable about the world as the story continued. The author definitely writes for a younger audience; the writing style was not as developed or mature as I would expect for a young adult reader.
I would recommend it to middle-grade readers, as well as young adult/teen readers who enjoy their fantasy books in a familiar setting. Don't expect flowery writing or deep characterization, just let the story take you on a fun, easy journey.
I felt the same way about the second book as I did the first. The overall idea of this story was very intriguing, although I found the writing to be lacking at times. One of the biggest elements that drew me out of the story was the author's inability to choose a word other than <i>said</i> to describe when a person was speaking. It became frustrating to listen to the characters talk when the entire page just repeated, "he said... she said... then they said... he said again." By that point, I was pretty over the word said. It definitely detracted from the story, which I found enjoyable overall.
There was a little more character development in this novel than the first, as I found myself connecting to the characters more. Although I still don't find that they are three-dimensional enough, I do care if they succeed or not. The relationship between Michael and Taylor was very insta-love-y in the first book, but I liked seeing more support for it in this book. It is starting to feel more authentic and less like an overused trope.
As there are five other books in the series, I hope that the character development and world building will be improved upon. It definitely continued from the first to the second book and I felt more knowledgeable about the world as the story continued. The author definitely writes for a younger audience; the writing style was not as developed or mature as I would expect for a young adult reader.
I would recommend it to middle-grade readers, as well as young adult/teen readers who enjoy their fantasy books in a familiar setting. Don't expect flowery writing or deep characterization, just let the story take you on a fun, easy journey.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Window in the Wall in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
<i>The Window in the Wall</i> by Ginny Merritt is based upon the bible story of Rahab and the spies, and the fall of Jericho. Although most Christians will know this story well it is probably not as well known amongst children. By making the main character a young girl, Talia, Merritt makes it suitable for young readers to enjoy.
Talia lives with her parents and brother within the walls of Jericho and loves helping her father in the flax fields. An approaching army strikes fear into her heart despite reassurances that nothing can destroy the strong walls and get into the city. However Talia’s aunt, Rahab, has been told different by a couple of Israelite spies who promise her and all her family safety as a reward for helping them. As many family members that Rahab can persuade sit and wait in Rahab’s room to see what happens and hopefully be saved. Unfortunately there are a few people who refuse to believe in what Rahab is saying nor that there is a God that is Lord of all.
Those familiar with the story will know the outcome of the story, but children will race through this book eagerly wanting to discover what happens to Talia and her family.
As an adult reading <i>The Window in the Wall</i> the references to Rahab’s characteristics will make more sense whereas they will most likely go over children’s heads. Having it written from a child’s perspective will help children to learn this bible story. Talia has many questions, which adults will not answer, as will the readers!
Merritt has helpfully included a pronunciation guide at the back of the book to help readers with the tricky foreign names that they encounter in the story. As an adult these names were not particularly difficult, but this would be a great benefit to younger readers.
Adults that read this book need to keep in mind the age of the target audience. The story does not go into much depth and may not be that engaging to those familiar with their bible stories.
The story of Rahab is not an easy one to rewrite for children but Merritt has done an excellent job. Books such as <i>The Window in the Wall</i> would be a great way of teaching Christian children about their faith without boring them with sermons.
<i>The Window in the Wall</i> by Ginny Merritt is based upon the bible story of Rahab and the spies, and the fall of Jericho. Although most Christians will know this story well it is probably not as well known amongst children. By making the main character a young girl, Talia, Merritt makes it suitable for young readers to enjoy.
Talia lives with her parents and brother within the walls of Jericho and loves helping her father in the flax fields. An approaching army strikes fear into her heart despite reassurances that nothing can destroy the strong walls and get into the city. However Talia’s aunt, Rahab, has been told different by a couple of Israelite spies who promise her and all her family safety as a reward for helping them. As many family members that Rahab can persuade sit and wait in Rahab’s room to see what happens and hopefully be saved. Unfortunately there are a few people who refuse to believe in what Rahab is saying nor that there is a God that is Lord of all.
Those familiar with the story will know the outcome of the story, but children will race through this book eagerly wanting to discover what happens to Talia and her family.
As an adult reading <i>The Window in the Wall</i> the references to Rahab’s characteristics will make more sense whereas they will most likely go over children’s heads. Having it written from a child’s perspective will help children to learn this bible story. Talia has many questions, which adults will not answer, as will the readers!
Merritt has helpfully included a pronunciation guide at the back of the book to help readers with the tricky foreign names that they encounter in the story. As an adult these names were not particularly difficult, but this would be a great benefit to younger readers.
Adults that read this book need to keep in mind the age of the target audience. The story does not go into much depth and may not be that engaging to those familiar with their bible stories.
The story of Rahab is not an easy one to rewrite for children but Merritt has done an excellent job. Books such as <i>The Window in the Wall</i> would be a great way of teaching Christian children about their faith without boring them with sermons.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Half a War (Shattered Sea, Book 3) in Books
Nov 14, 2019
This is the third book of the Shattered Sea trilogy and takes place a couple of years after the previous book, Half the World. The long forecast war between Gettland and the High King commences with the High King's champion, Bright Yilling, invading Throvenland. Princess Skara manages to escape to Gettland where she joins the allies so that she can take her homeland back from the invaders.
Father Yarvi is also determined to strike back, to carry out the oath of vengeance he swore against his father's killers. To do this he must defeat Bright Yilling and his army and then take on the High King himself. But just how far is he prepared to go in order to secure victory?
I actually can't say too much in detail about this book without giving anything away. Much like the previous book, this one seems like a fairly conventional epic fantasy style story for a good half. But then Abercrombie starts to twist the knife as the reader's expectations based on the usual fantasy tropes are knocked down one by one.
Certainly there is much here that is unconventional in many ways and I confess to having a rather mad smile on my face at one point due to the utter craziness of what is going on - but Abercrombie handles it well having laid the groundwork well in advance. It is never clear who is going live and who is going to die, and who is going to win and who is going to lose.
After the first two books, which have quite a lot of conversations and philosophy, this is essentailly one long drawn out battle against various parties in various locations. Some battles are fought with swords and others with words, but both are just as deadly for the loser. The fight scenes are very violent and as expected it's pretty grim and dark at times.
There is plenty of scope left at the end for more stories set in the world of the Shattered Sea and these would be welcome but it also clear that the story of Yarvi and his revenge has been completed.
Not the best of the series, the first half is probably too conventional but the second half turns so much on its head it redeems the book completely.
Rating: Lots of violent battles and deaths, some scatalogical phrases and some non-explict sexual scenes. Young Adult but more at the Adult than Young end of that spectrum
Father Yarvi is also determined to strike back, to carry out the oath of vengeance he swore against his father's killers. To do this he must defeat Bright Yilling and his army and then take on the High King himself. But just how far is he prepared to go in order to secure victory?
I actually can't say too much in detail about this book without giving anything away. Much like the previous book, this one seems like a fairly conventional epic fantasy style story for a good half. But then Abercrombie starts to twist the knife as the reader's expectations based on the usual fantasy tropes are knocked down one by one.
Certainly there is much here that is unconventional in many ways and I confess to having a rather mad smile on my face at one point due to the utter craziness of what is going on - but Abercrombie handles it well having laid the groundwork well in advance. It is never clear who is going live and who is going to die, and who is going to win and who is going to lose.
After the first two books, which have quite a lot of conversations and philosophy, this is essentailly one long drawn out battle against various parties in various locations. Some battles are fought with swords and others with words, but both are just as deadly for the loser. The fight scenes are very violent and as expected it's pretty grim and dark at times.
There is plenty of scope left at the end for more stories set in the world of the Shattered Sea and these would be welcome but it also clear that the story of Yarvi and his revenge has been completed.
Not the best of the series, the first half is probably too conventional but the second half turns so much on its head it redeems the book completely.
Rating: Lots of violent battles and deaths, some scatalogical phrases and some non-explict sexual scenes. Young Adult but more at the Adult than Young end of that spectrum
Lindsay (1812 KP) rated The Thirteenth Guardian in Books
Jun 11, 2019
"The Thirteenth Guardian" is written really well. It is for the young adult genre but it really seem like it could be for adults as well. I was really captive while reading this book. The story is really good. Yes, it does not go into the characters to much as to detail. That is okay with me given that I am thinking the events that is taking place around the world is what this book is mostly about.
It made it so real. I am not wondering if this could happen to our world in a few months. Are we getting close the the end times as it suggest in the bible. Where their will be a new world to come? The author put you into the story and start to wonder is what going to happen now. It pulls you think about our own history.
The six characters that are to go on a mission have special traits. They all have them which is the shuttering's, blinding headaches and one other thing. We get a history text that might bring the past and present and the future together. The book is worth reading. What a story. I felt like this could be real. I was left with sleepless nights.
It made it so real. I am not wondering if this could happen to our world in a few months. Are we getting close the the end times as it suggest in the bible. Where their will be a new world to come? The author put you into the story and start to wonder is what going to happen now. It pulls you think about our own history.
The six characters that are to go on a mission have special traits. They all have them which is the shuttering's, blinding headaches and one other thing. We get a history text that might bring the past and present and the future together. The book is worth reading. What a story. I felt like this could be real. I was left with sleepless nights.