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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Precious Blood (The Blessed, #1) in Books

Jun 7, 2018 (Updated May 18, 2019)  
Precious Blood (The Blessed, #1)
Precious Blood (The Blessed, #1)
Tonya Hurley | 2013 | Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
Precious Blood was a book I'd been dying to read since it first became available to buy. Everything about it sounded super interesting. Whilst a lot of other reviewers didn't really care for the book, I absolutely loved it! This book had so many feels for me, and it's definitely one of my favorites so far this year.

Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy are all admitted to the emergency room on the same night. Agnes has slit her wrists, Cecilia had drowned (and has been resuscitated), and Lucy has overdosed on some pills. On that fateful night, they are all given bracelets by the mysterious Sebastian. They seek him out and find him at a church. Sebastian tells the girls they are saints, but Sebastian has escaped from a mental institution and is listed as being very dangerous. Is Sebastian telling the truth or are the girls' lives in danger?

The world building, like the cover, was creepy and beautiful all at the same time. For the most part, it was easy to picture everything that was happening to Sebastian, the girls, and everyone else in my head. I love how Hurley makes it seem like something such as what happened in Precious Blood could actually happen at any time. The one thing that sort of bothered me was the insta-love between Sebastian and the girls. Perhaps it was more of hero worship, but it still happened quite quickly.

The pacing is what lets Precious Blood down a bit, but not by much. The pacing is not slow at all, yet it's the opposite. There are a few times where the pacing just totally takes off which left me feeling very confused and wondering what had just happened. In fact, I counted this happening as three times during the story. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention, but the story did seem to be missing some leeway those few times. Other then those times, the pacing really worked and definitely held my attention especially during the first two-thirds of the story.

I loved the plot! It was super interesting reading about these three girls' lives. They each brought their own baggage to the table. I was constantly wondering if Sebastian was delusional when he told the girls that they were reincarnated as martyred saints and were in danger or if he was actually being serious. I really enjoyed the way the story played out.

I thought the characters were very well written. I loved the innocence that Agnes seemed to have. The only thing I didn't like about Agnes was how she treated her mother. She was very rude to her. I don't know if there's more of a back story between Agnes and her mother, but if there was, it wasn't mentioned much in the book. My favorite character was Cecelia. She came across as being very hardcore and like she didn't care about many things, but she was actually quite a loving and caring person. Even when she had no money, she'd still buy some food and a drink for the homeless guy who lived on the top of her building. Cecelia had a very big heart. Lucy started off being selfish, but even she has a change of heart. Sebastian was very charismatic. I like how dedicated he was to his cause and how he was willing to risk everything for it.

Trigger warnings include profanity, death, and some graphic violence.

Overall, Precious Blood is a very creepy but beautifully written book. Yes, there were some pacing problems but nothing too serious. I would definitely recommend Precious Blood by Tonya Hurley to those aged 17+. The plot is interesting and the characters are likable. I loved this book so much that I bought the next in the series after finishing this one.
  
Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer
Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer
Rick Riordan | 2016 | Children
10
9.4 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Talking Sword (3 more)
Sassiness
Strange Gods
Elf and Drawf BFF
Norse Gods and a new sassy half-blood? Why yes I would like to sign my life over for this.

Magnus Chase has had it tough enough living on the streets after wolves killed his mother, but then it all goes down the toilet when he dies attempting to do something for his estrange uncle. Next thing you know he is in the afterlife for other great heroes, Valhalla, trying to grasp being the living dead and who is actually is. On top of having to save the world, prove he is worth being part of Odin's army, and overcoming what happened to him.
  
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Rachel (2 KP) rated Supernatural in TV

Nov 6, 2017 (Updated Nov 6, 2017)  
Supernatural
Supernatural
2005 | Drama
The best of the fantasy horror shows on TV!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Better special effects than True Blood, this show is the new and better Buffy, that uses actual folklore in adding to the creativity of the Supernatural created universe, unlike its predecessor who relied on created folklore to fill in plot holes. The later seasons have their ups and downs in terms of new humor and repetitiveness, but it is well worth the journey!

An episode to highlight would be when Sam and Dean face off against Famine, one of the four horses of the apocalypse.


Grab a canister of Morton Salt, a piece of pie and a blanket to snuggle in and enjoy the inside jokes!
  
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
1992 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cast,director,story (0 more)
Diamond heist goes bust
With one of the best assembled casts this story is amazing. The story of a group of guys who get different color code names and don't know each other are put together because of the set of skills to rob a diamond exchange. Through out the movie we learn of the individual stories of who they are and why they are picked. It would be impossible to ever remake this film because you can't get blood from a stone. The cast was just that great. I don't want to give away too too much because if you haven't seen it one slip ruins the movie
  
The Shallows (2016)
The Shallows (2016)
2016 | Drama, Mystery
It does grip you (when you are eventually introduced to the shark) (3 more)
Blake Lively does well to pull off the role as the movie's almost exclusive focus
Some beautifully shot scenes
You genrerally share the fear. It's a simple premise - stuck in the ocean with a big shark!
The first part of the movie exists to develop Lively's character but takes far too long (5 more)
Endless, unnecessary shots of Lively's 'rear end' cheapens the movie in its early stages
You get a LOT of blood from from a leg wound
Nothing new here - feels like an amalgamation of a few other better known movies
Some plot holes
That electronic music!
Jaws meets Castaway
  
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tonidavis (353 KP) rated Red Queen in Books

Jun 29, 2017  
Red Queen
Red Queen
Victoria Aveyard | 2015 | Young Adult (YA)
7
8.0 (64 Ratings)
Book Rating
Red Blood
Contains spoilers, click to show
The first time I read Red Queen I loved the book. However since the release of the next two in the series my love of the book has been seriously diminished. Where the original story of Mare Barrow finding out she has powers, in a world where silver bloods are supposed to be the only ones who have it, Mare suddenly finding herself into a world of cover ups and betrayals. I really enjoyed the twist and turns of the first book. Unfortunely the same cover ups and beytrals happen in the same way and get dragged out each book. So whilst I love the first one unfortunetly the later books destroy my love of the first.
  
TD
The Dysasters (The Dysasters #1)
P.C. Cast | 2019
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really loved the premise of this book. Science mixed with magic and what happens when you don't exactly know the problems that could arise. The action was abundant and exciting. I mean it starts with a tornado and people dying. If that isn't throwing you right into the middle of it.

The book includes artwork that is reminiscent of comic books and give you a sense of what the characters look like in the authors mind. It helped me picture a lot of things that weren't properly shown.
The ending was enjoyable and showed that not all family is blood.
If you liked any of the other books by these authors then definitely check it out.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) in Movies

Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Feb 15, 2018)  
Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
1970 | Horror
8
7.3 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Mmmm, Blood of Dracula
Superior Hammer horror movie. Victorian hypocrites looking for naughty kicks get mixed up with one of Dracula's disciples, inadvertently bring him back. Dracula is not grateful and uses their own children to get them.

Usual strong Hammer cast, polished production values, lush James Bernard score - topical (for the time) subtext about the generation gap, and the depiction of Dracula as an avenging angel of darkness is an interesting new twist on a character who seemed in danger of running out of things to do. Dracula was originally supposed to be reincarnated as Ralph Bates, but the distributors insisted they get Lee back, much against his will as usual.