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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Raccoon Tycoon in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
ALERT! This game has railroads! ALERT #2! This is NOT a train game! That makes ME feel lots better. Right now in my life train games and war games scare me. I don’t have the time, and frankly I do not think I am quite smart enough for either. But then this game comes along and it looks intimidating at first. Like games I am not smart enough to play, and that’s a huge compliment. Not because I think I am smart, but because this game seems like it would be way more complex than it actually is.
Technically, the players are these cute little Victorian-era anthropomorphized animals trying to become the wealthiest of all Astorians (the city is called Astoria). This is measured by Victory Points. You gain VPs in several ways and the actions you take on your turn are limited.
What are these actions you can take on your turn? You may take one action on your turn: play a card from your hand to receive commodities (in really great meeples) and increase the price of commodities to be sold, sell commodities from your supply and decrease the price of the commodities by the number sold, purchase a town card using commodities, purchase a building using money earned, or begin an auction of a railroad using money. Each of these actions ultimately affects your opponents as they either adjust the market price of commodities, removes certain coveted assets from the offer, or otherwise depletes their resources. Also, there are mission cards in the box that are just not referenced in the rulebook, but two are to be dealt to the players and one chosen as a hidden goal for endgame scoring.
I will be honest. I would not normally be attracted to this style of game, and I may not have ever purchased it in the wild based on the box. I have zero games like it in my collection, and have not really played many that are similar. BUT, I absolutely love this game. Once you get the hang of the different actions you can really start planning ahead and creating your strategy based on what your opponents are doing and how the commodity market is shaping up. You can block opponents from monopolizing similar types of railroads, preventing them from scoring bulk points. You can just concentrate on liquidating assets for maximum return. All of this can be done by completing just one action on your turn, and it keeps you interested in what your opponents are doing as well. That is a mark of a great game. This isn’t just multiplayer solitaire at all.
Components. The box has really really great artwork on it. In fact, the whole game LOOKS incredible. I have seen some remarks that the artwork on the building tiles is in a different style from the rest of the game and it detracts from their enjoyment and immersion. I disagree. When we played the first time I asked if my opponent noticed the difference in art style and if it detracted from the enjoyment of the game. Nope. The game board is good quality and laid out well. The commodities tokens are really great. I do wish, however, that the meeple shape matched that of the icon shown throughout the game. This is apparent in coal and iron, specifically. The others are fine and they match well enough, but there is a missed opportunity. The town and railroad cards are of good quality, and the building tiles are very thick and chunky – and ultimately not necessary to be so since you don’t really handle them much, but it’s always nice to have deluxe-feeling components. The paper money is of good quality – for paper money, that is. The best component of the game – the 1st player marker. I didn’t get it in the shot below because it just woodent (I did that on purpose) fit! It is a HUGE brown raccoon meeple and it’s marvelous. Know what else I really appreciate? THERE IS NO INSERT. Nothing to throw away as soon as you open the box because undoubtedly once you punch everything and try to put it in the useless insert there is no way so you just throw it away anyway and are left feeling like maybe they could have saved some time and money not worrying about an insert that is actually pointless and detrimental to setup and teardown (I’m looking at you, pointless Fantasy Flight box-space-eater inserts).
I don’t know if you can tell from my verbosity in this review, but I adore this game. It is sleek, it is well-produced, and ultimately it is incredibly fun to play. We at Purple Phoenix Games give this one a VERY enthusiastic 14 / 18.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/03/01/raccoon-tycoon-review/
Technically, the players are these cute little Victorian-era anthropomorphized animals trying to become the wealthiest of all Astorians (the city is called Astoria). This is measured by Victory Points. You gain VPs in several ways and the actions you take on your turn are limited.
What are these actions you can take on your turn? You may take one action on your turn: play a card from your hand to receive commodities (in really great meeples) and increase the price of commodities to be sold, sell commodities from your supply and decrease the price of the commodities by the number sold, purchase a town card using commodities, purchase a building using money earned, or begin an auction of a railroad using money. Each of these actions ultimately affects your opponents as they either adjust the market price of commodities, removes certain coveted assets from the offer, or otherwise depletes their resources. Also, there are mission cards in the box that are just not referenced in the rulebook, but two are to be dealt to the players and one chosen as a hidden goal for endgame scoring.
I will be honest. I would not normally be attracted to this style of game, and I may not have ever purchased it in the wild based on the box. I have zero games like it in my collection, and have not really played many that are similar. BUT, I absolutely love this game. Once you get the hang of the different actions you can really start planning ahead and creating your strategy based on what your opponents are doing and how the commodity market is shaping up. You can block opponents from monopolizing similar types of railroads, preventing them from scoring bulk points. You can just concentrate on liquidating assets for maximum return. All of this can be done by completing just one action on your turn, and it keeps you interested in what your opponents are doing as well. That is a mark of a great game. This isn’t just multiplayer solitaire at all.
Components. The box has really really great artwork on it. In fact, the whole game LOOKS incredible. I have seen some remarks that the artwork on the building tiles is in a different style from the rest of the game and it detracts from their enjoyment and immersion. I disagree. When we played the first time I asked if my opponent noticed the difference in art style and if it detracted from the enjoyment of the game. Nope. The game board is good quality and laid out well. The commodities tokens are really great. I do wish, however, that the meeple shape matched that of the icon shown throughout the game. This is apparent in coal and iron, specifically. The others are fine and they match well enough, but there is a missed opportunity. The town and railroad cards are of good quality, and the building tiles are very thick and chunky – and ultimately not necessary to be so since you don’t really handle them much, but it’s always nice to have deluxe-feeling components. The paper money is of good quality – for paper money, that is. The best component of the game – the 1st player marker. I didn’t get it in the shot below because it just woodent (I did that on purpose) fit! It is a HUGE brown raccoon meeple and it’s marvelous. Know what else I really appreciate? THERE IS NO INSERT. Nothing to throw away as soon as you open the box because undoubtedly once you punch everything and try to put it in the useless insert there is no way so you just throw it away anyway and are left feeling like maybe they could have saved some time and money not worrying about an insert that is actually pointless and detrimental to setup and teardown (I’m looking at you, pointless Fantasy Flight box-space-eater inserts).
I don’t know if you can tell from my verbosity in this review, but I adore this game. It is sleek, it is well-produced, and ultimately it is incredibly fun to play. We at Purple Phoenix Games give this one a VERY enthusiastic 14 / 18.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/03/01/raccoon-tycoon-review/
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Chocolat (Chocolat #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I have lost count of the number of times I have watched the movie that is based off of this book, so I figured it was time for me to read the book. Like most movies based on books, the movie is only about half true to the book. In this case though, that did not really bother me.
Joanne Harris has a way of writing that has me savoring every word like one of Vianne Rocher's fine chunks of dark chocolate. What I would have given for a few recipes of the dishes she served in La Celeste Praline, especially the pots of chocolate that were served as frequently as coffee. The descriptions of the various confectioneries and even the non-chocolate dishes were detailed with a light touch, so that I never felt too overwhelmed -- but I still wanted to dive into the pages all the same.
All of the characters, large parts and small, were unique and original, even down to the quirky preferences and hidden burdens. I could easily relate to Armande's attraction to the color red and her unrefined mannerisms, as well as Guillaume's indulgence of his pet dog. So many of the characters could pass for people that I encounter every day -- from Roux's skepticism to Josephine's renewed independence to Caro's need to control. These characters will stay with me for a long time.
Probably the most interesting character, aside from Vianne Rocher, is the town's priest, Pere Reynaud. Like most of the rest of the town, he masks inner demons and makes up for them with his profession of choice. Though those inner torments are slowly revealed through the course of the book, I don't feel that his story was completely resolved, or that he even experienced any true character growth.
Vianne Rocher is certainly the most creative character in the book, both easily likeable and eternally mysterious. Haunted by memories of a nomadic lifestyle with her mother, she intermittently addresses her conflicting desires to both travel and put down roots even as her simple, self-taught cooking and hospitality brings about subtle and lasting change in the village of Lansquenet. A thread of fantasy runs through the plot as Vianne hints at the ability to read people's thoughts, choosing not to influence them, and consults her mother's tarot cards in her darker hours of contemplation. She even adds a touch of magic and mystery to her Chocolaterie to draw the wary villagers into the shop. Oh, what I would give to pay a visit to that amazing place myself.
Joanne Harris has a way of writing that has me savoring every word like one of Vianne Rocher's fine chunks of dark chocolate. What I would have given for a few recipes of the dishes she served in La Celeste Praline, especially the pots of chocolate that were served as frequently as coffee. The descriptions of the various confectioneries and even the non-chocolate dishes were detailed with a light touch, so that I never felt too overwhelmed -- but I still wanted to dive into the pages all the same.
All of the characters, large parts and small, were unique and original, even down to the quirky preferences and hidden burdens. I could easily relate to Armande's attraction to the color red and her unrefined mannerisms, as well as Guillaume's indulgence of his pet dog. So many of the characters could pass for people that I encounter every day -- from Roux's skepticism to Josephine's renewed independence to Caro's need to control. These characters will stay with me for a long time.
Probably the most interesting character, aside from Vianne Rocher, is the town's priest, Pere Reynaud. Like most of the rest of the town, he masks inner demons and makes up for them with his profession of choice. Though those inner torments are slowly revealed through the course of the book, I don't feel that his story was completely resolved, or that he even experienced any true character growth.
Vianne Rocher is certainly the most creative character in the book, both easily likeable and eternally mysterious. Haunted by memories of a nomadic lifestyle with her mother, she intermittently addresses her conflicting desires to both travel and put down roots even as her simple, self-taught cooking and hospitality brings about subtle and lasting change in the village of Lansquenet. A thread of fantasy runs through the plot as Vianne hints at the ability to read people's thoughts, choosing not to influence them, and consults her mother's tarot cards in her darker hours of contemplation. She even adds a touch of magic and mystery to her Chocolaterie to draw the wary villagers into the shop. Oh, what I would give to pay a visit to that amazing place myself.
Amanda (96 KP) rated Between the Sea and Stars in Books
Mar 11, 2019
Who doesn't love mermaids? If you don't...well you're entitled to your wrong opinion.
So, I had the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of this book. I enjoy Gadoury's stories. This one was, of course, no exception.
Lena is a merrow (mermaid) helping her brother take care of their father. They aren't rich or poor, but they get by with Javelin's (brother) sell techniques for the market and Lena's hunting skills. Lena dreams of exploring the human world. She hears stories of the merrow queen and how she traded her fin for legs for the love of her life. Tragedy strikes, however, when Lena must flee from the sea to avoid punishment, or worse, death. With the help of the merrow queen, Lena is bestowed a pair of legs and must leave her only family.
Lena is taken in by a poor family and begins working at an inn. Lena soon finds that not all humans are evil, like other merrows believe, but there are some that are truly awful.
First and foremost, do NOT go into this book thinking it's based on Disney. Disney did not write The Little Mermaid. Although the artwork is beautiful and the songs are catchy, it's not the original story. It is a Little Mermaid retelling, but not Disney. So there will be no crabby sidekick, lol.
I loved Lena. She was headstrong and while she had to adjust to whole other world, she was still the same Lena, just heart broken and trying to manage. Merrows have the same views for female merrows. They are expected to marry and bare children and be taken care of. While Lena toyed with the idea when she is proposed to by an old family friend, she's still hesitant.
Lena meets Edwin, a blind old man who can read cards...and knows what she is. We like Edwin, so don't judge. Jace (young son) was the one who found Lena on the beach and brought her to the inn. I'll try to stop there so I don't spoil anything.
I love Gadoury's writing style. You get a clear picture of Lena as a merrow and as a human and what she experiences, good and bad. There are these connections to Lena's life that involve the merrow queen, and her mother. You have to read the story.
My only complaint...
I must wait for a second book!! Oh well.
Grab this book and experience a new story under the sea.
So, I had the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of this book. I enjoy Gadoury's stories. This one was, of course, no exception.
Lena is a merrow (mermaid) helping her brother take care of their father. They aren't rich or poor, but they get by with Javelin's (brother) sell techniques for the market and Lena's hunting skills. Lena dreams of exploring the human world. She hears stories of the merrow queen and how she traded her fin for legs for the love of her life. Tragedy strikes, however, when Lena must flee from the sea to avoid punishment, or worse, death. With the help of the merrow queen, Lena is bestowed a pair of legs and must leave her only family.
Lena is taken in by a poor family and begins working at an inn. Lena soon finds that not all humans are evil, like other merrows believe, but there are some that are truly awful.
First and foremost, do NOT go into this book thinking it's based on Disney. Disney did not write The Little Mermaid. Although the artwork is beautiful and the songs are catchy, it's not the original story. It is a Little Mermaid retelling, but not Disney. So there will be no crabby sidekick, lol.
I loved Lena. She was headstrong and while she had to adjust to whole other world, she was still the same Lena, just heart broken and trying to manage. Merrows have the same views for female merrows. They are expected to marry and bare children and be taken care of. While Lena toyed with the idea when she is proposed to by an old family friend, she's still hesitant.
Lena meets Edwin, a blind old man who can read cards...and knows what she is. We like Edwin, so don't judge. Jace (young son) was the one who found Lena on the beach and brought her to the inn. I'll try to stop there so I don't spoil anything.
I love Gadoury's writing style. You get a clear picture of Lena as a merrow and as a human and what she experiences, good and bad. There are these connections to Lena's life that involve the merrow queen, and her mother. You have to read the story.
My only complaint...
I must wait for a second book!! Oh well.
Grab this book and experience a new story under the sea.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated On My Life in Books
Mar 15, 2019
Framed. Imprisoned. Pregnant.
Jenna thought she had the perfect life: a loving fiancé, a great job, a beautiful home. Then she finds her stepdaughter murdered; her partner missing.
And the police think she did it...
Locked up to await trial, surrounded by prisoners who'd hurt her if they knew what she's accused of, certain someone close to her has framed her, Jenna knows what she needs to do:
Clear her name
Save her baby
Find the killer
But can she do it in time?
This is the first time I have read any novels by this author and I really loved this book.
I could not put this novel down. I read it from cover to cover in the space of a day. It was gripping, compulsive and a truly engaging and absorbing read!
This book is beautifully written, full of red herrings and her description of prison life for a Nonce was well researched. All the way through this book I had to stop reading as it was very distressing at times.
The novel opens with Jenna under arrest for the murder of Emily, her partners 14-year old daughter, after being found covered in blood cradling her dead body. Her partner, Robert, is missing, presumed also murdered and shocking images have been found on her laptop.
She is placed on remand and locked up in HMP Fallenbrook surrounded by prisoners who would certainly harm her if they learn of the crimes that she is accused of. Fearing that she has been framed by someone close to her, she then discovers that she is pregnant. Jenna is determined to clear her name and find the killer. An almost impossible task from inside prison with almost no resources. The cards certainly seem stacked against her.
Along with Jennas harrowing experiences in the prison, there are also flashbacks to her developing relationship with Robert and Emily.
What made this novel different from other novels in the thriller genre is the engagement with social issues associated with inmates, including new and expectant mothers, incarcerated in the U.K. prison system. In her Authors Note Clarke cites her sources and influences. In addition, she visits and teaches in prisons and was provided with firsthand accounts so that she can depict authentically the day-to-day life in a U.K. prison.
I would like to thank the author, Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for giving an honest review.
Jenna thought she had the perfect life: a loving fiancé, a great job, a beautiful home. Then she finds her stepdaughter murdered; her partner missing.
And the police think she did it...
Locked up to await trial, surrounded by prisoners who'd hurt her if they knew what she's accused of, certain someone close to her has framed her, Jenna knows what she needs to do:
Clear her name
Save her baby
Find the killer
But can she do it in time?
This is the first time I have read any novels by this author and I really loved this book.
I could not put this novel down. I read it from cover to cover in the space of a day. It was gripping, compulsive and a truly engaging and absorbing read!
This book is beautifully written, full of red herrings and her description of prison life for a Nonce was well researched. All the way through this book I had to stop reading as it was very distressing at times.
The novel opens with Jenna under arrest for the murder of Emily, her partners 14-year old daughter, after being found covered in blood cradling her dead body. Her partner, Robert, is missing, presumed also murdered and shocking images have been found on her laptop.
She is placed on remand and locked up in HMP Fallenbrook surrounded by prisoners who would certainly harm her if they learn of the crimes that she is accused of. Fearing that she has been framed by someone close to her, she then discovers that she is pregnant. Jenna is determined to clear her name and find the killer. An almost impossible task from inside prison with almost no resources. The cards certainly seem stacked against her.
Along with Jennas harrowing experiences in the prison, there are also flashbacks to her developing relationship with Robert and Emily.
What made this novel different from other novels in the thriller genre is the engagement with social issues associated with inmates, including new and expectant mothers, incarcerated in the U.K. prison system. In her Authors Note Clarke cites her sources and influences. In addition, she visits and teaches in prisons and was provided with firsthand accounts so that she can depict authentically the day-to-day life in a U.K. prison.
I would like to thank the author, Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for giving an honest review.
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