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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated In a Cottage In a Wood in Books
Mar 15, 2018
It didnt take me very long to get into this book, but unfortunately, a mix of irritating characters and clunky writing found me not loving this book in the end.
This book is definitely one that gets straight into the mystery and piques your intrigue quickly. From the moment we met Isabelle on the bridge and the strange encounter she had with Neve, I couldnt wait to find out why and what was happening! The plot for this one definitely drew me in straight away, and thats something I really loved about this book. The plot was presented to us so suddenly and so mysteriously, you really wanted to know what was happening and it so it keeps you reading!
I did find that some of this story was really drawn out and I felt there were parts that could have been missed out. For example, when Never first arrives at the cottage and goes for a walk, she stops of at a clearing on the beach and the writing makes it in to a really big deal. I thought look out for this same spot later on in the story then!, yes nothing comes of it! It was just extra fluff to add to the word count.
To begin with, I didnt mind the characters in this novel. The fiestiness of Neve felt sassy and fun, but after a while a character that doesnt grow in personality can become really irritating and laborious to read about. There werent really many other big characters in this one, we mainly focused on Neve and her daily potterings-about. With the other characters that did feature in this novel, it was easy to spot what their motives were, or if they were placed in the novel for the purpose of being a scapegoat. Its not fun when you can see through the characters this easily!
I liked the descriptions and scenery in this one, but the writing became repetitive in terms of phrases or things said by characters, which is always a negative in my eyes! Theres no need to repeat things over and over again throughout a book, it just feels like a waste of time to read.
Despite all my whinging, I did enjoy this book more than not, and I think other less fussy readers would love this! Im am a super picky reader, I know this, and I know I pick faults in books that are really niche, but thats just the kind of reader I am!
<i>Thanks to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!</i>
This book is definitely one that gets straight into the mystery and piques your intrigue quickly. From the moment we met Isabelle on the bridge and the strange encounter she had with Neve, I couldnt wait to find out why and what was happening! The plot for this one definitely drew me in straight away, and thats something I really loved about this book. The plot was presented to us so suddenly and so mysteriously, you really wanted to know what was happening and it so it keeps you reading!
I did find that some of this story was really drawn out and I felt there were parts that could have been missed out. For example, when Never first arrives at the cottage and goes for a walk, she stops of at a clearing on the beach and the writing makes it in to a really big deal. I thought look out for this same spot later on in the story then!, yes nothing comes of it! It was just extra fluff to add to the word count.
To begin with, I didnt mind the characters in this novel. The fiestiness of Neve felt sassy and fun, but after a while a character that doesnt grow in personality can become really irritating and laborious to read about. There werent really many other big characters in this one, we mainly focused on Neve and her daily potterings-about. With the other characters that did feature in this novel, it was easy to spot what their motives were, or if they were placed in the novel for the purpose of being a scapegoat. Its not fun when you can see through the characters this easily!
I liked the descriptions and scenery in this one, but the writing became repetitive in terms of phrases or things said by characters, which is always a negative in my eyes! Theres no need to repeat things over and over again throughout a book, it just feels like a waste of time to read.
Despite all my whinging, I did enjoy this book more than not, and I think other less fussy readers would love this! Im am a super picky reader, I know this, and I know I pick faults in books that are really niche, but thats just the kind of reader I am!
<i>Thanks to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!</i>
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated All Systems Down in Books
Feb 28, 2018
Great fast paced reading
So let’s start with the actual review first. This book was a quick read and an enjoyable one. It was action packed and although it’s a thin book to start with, it makes the reading even quicker.
Those who love plot hooks where the world runs amok and hell breaks loose will love this book. It immediately starts in the first few chapters and sets the ball rolling. The background story as to how the world (or to be exact the USA) goes downhill is explained by having North Korean hackers finding a way to plant viruses into the web which pretty much breaks down society. It’s a good “what if” scenario and further chapters show how fast society just crumbles when things we rely on daily vanish before our eyes.
There’s a variety of characters in the book that are easy to follow. Each have their own share their own spot in the plot and eventually converge and meet together (albeit a bit coincidentally but well, they’d have to meet somewhere right?)
My favourites would have to be Brandon, Vailea , and Carmen. Although the survivors of the crisis have their own strengths, these three stood out for me the most. They’re likeable, and as mentioned before showed their strengths to survive to protect their loved ones (or avenge them in some cases)
Orion and Xandra would be my two least favorite ones. Orion because he was just so whiny, Xandra because although I know she’s supposed to be analytical and a computer whiz, her personality was blah and just downright unlikable. She has her uses but she’s not really someone I would ideally have tea with if I had a choice.
So overall, a really good plot, filled with action and fun to read. The ending does result in a cliffhanger but it was a really good one. I’d love to know what’s going to happen next. It does play out almost like a movie and it’s well done.
Now for the next part of my review. Why did I like this so much? Well considering I just moved to Portland, it got me recognizing street names, bridges (still haven’t memorized all of them yet) and asking my husband (who’s lived in Portland all his life) all sorts of questions (ie: “Where is <enter name of street here>” in which he replies with a sigh and says: “Oh god you’re reading a book that’s set in Portland aren’t you?!?!?”) so because I’m familiar with the setting, it even made the reading experience twice as special.
I greatly enjoyed this one. I can’t wait for the second.
Those who love plot hooks where the world runs amok and hell breaks loose will love this book. It immediately starts in the first few chapters and sets the ball rolling. The background story as to how the world (or to be exact the USA) goes downhill is explained by having North Korean hackers finding a way to plant viruses into the web which pretty much breaks down society. It’s a good “what if” scenario and further chapters show how fast society just crumbles when things we rely on daily vanish before our eyes.
There’s a variety of characters in the book that are easy to follow. Each have their own share their own spot in the plot and eventually converge and meet together (albeit a bit coincidentally but well, they’d have to meet somewhere right?)
My favourites would have to be Brandon, Vailea , and Carmen. Although the survivors of the crisis have their own strengths, these three stood out for me the most. They’re likeable, and as mentioned before showed their strengths to survive to protect their loved ones (or avenge them in some cases)
Orion and Xandra would be my two least favorite ones. Orion because he was just so whiny, Xandra because although I know she’s supposed to be analytical and a computer whiz, her personality was blah and just downright unlikable. She has her uses but she’s not really someone I would ideally have tea with if I had a choice.
So overall, a really good plot, filled with action and fun to read. The ending does result in a cliffhanger but it was a really good one. I’d love to know what’s going to happen next. It does play out almost like a movie and it’s well done.
Now for the next part of my review. Why did I like this so much? Well considering I just moved to Portland, it got me recognizing street names, bridges (still haven’t memorized all of them yet) and asking my husband (who’s lived in Portland all his life) all sorts of questions (ie: “Where is <enter name of street here>” in which he replies with a sigh and says: “Oh god you’re reading a book that’s set in Portland aren’t you?!?!?”) so because I’m familiar with the setting, it even made the reading experience twice as special.
I greatly enjoyed this one. I can’t wait for the second.
Carma (21 KP) rated Rainy Day Friends (Wildstone, #2) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Rainy Day Friends by Jill Shalvis is a Wildstone series book and of course another great one from this author. I loved the format of this book, and I really dont think Ive seen it before, of each page having an interaction between Lanie and her anxiety.
Lanie (Delaney) Jacobs is 30, starting a new job 2 ½ hours away from her old life and leaving everything behind (including her anxiety) for 2 months. Unfortunately her anxiety decides to come along for the ride. Lanie just lost her husband and what she finds out about her husband after his death would send anyone packing for a quick getaway. She agrees to take on a temporary job helping a family business re-brand their business and quickly finds herself in the middle of a real Walton family family.
Mark Capriotti is as rough and rugged as they come. He is an ex military man, an assistant sheriff, but at the end of the day, this tough guys heart has long been captured by his twin daughters. Having to move back home with his family to be a single dad to his girls was the last thing he ever thought would happen. He is grateful to have his mom, 2 sisters, uncles and more to pick up the slack of helping to care for Samantha and Sierra. He never wants to fall in love again, and isnt that just what happens.
With a back story for Lanie that comes out piece by piece and secondary characters to help push it along, this story was really well told. My only gripe about this entire book was the abrupt ending. I dont know if it was due to reading on an ereader that it felt more abrupt but it stopped and I was feeling like I missed some pages. As I said above I loved the anxiety quotes on each page, how many of us have those same thoughts on a daily or weekly basis. I loved how this family came together and stayed together through thick and thin. Being sarcastic myself, I enjoyed Mias sarcastic humor most of all. Even Uncle Jack, though sometimes behaving like a overgrown frat boy, had insightful wisdom to share with anyone who asked (or even those who didnt).
Overall this story was well written for each character both main or secondary. I enjoyed following along on their journey of escape, attraction, hiding, and eventually not fighting the feelings. I received an advance copy of this novel without any expectations for review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own (whether you like them or not ha).
Lanie (Delaney) Jacobs is 30, starting a new job 2 ½ hours away from her old life and leaving everything behind (including her anxiety) for 2 months. Unfortunately her anxiety decides to come along for the ride. Lanie just lost her husband and what she finds out about her husband after his death would send anyone packing for a quick getaway. She agrees to take on a temporary job helping a family business re-brand their business and quickly finds herself in the middle of a real Walton family family.
Mark Capriotti is as rough and rugged as they come. He is an ex military man, an assistant sheriff, but at the end of the day, this tough guys heart has long been captured by his twin daughters. Having to move back home with his family to be a single dad to his girls was the last thing he ever thought would happen. He is grateful to have his mom, 2 sisters, uncles and more to pick up the slack of helping to care for Samantha and Sierra. He never wants to fall in love again, and isnt that just what happens.
With a back story for Lanie that comes out piece by piece and secondary characters to help push it along, this story was really well told. My only gripe about this entire book was the abrupt ending. I dont know if it was due to reading on an ereader that it felt more abrupt but it stopped and I was feeling like I missed some pages. As I said above I loved the anxiety quotes on each page, how many of us have those same thoughts on a daily or weekly basis. I loved how this family came together and stayed together through thick and thin. Being sarcastic myself, I enjoyed Mias sarcastic humor most of all. Even Uncle Jack, though sometimes behaving like a overgrown frat boy, had insightful wisdom to share with anyone who asked (or even those who didnt).
Overall this story was well written for each character both main or secondary. I enjoyed following along on their journey of escape, attraction, hiding, and eventually not fighting the feelings. I received an advance copy of this novel without any expectations for review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own (whether you like them or not ha).
Darren (1599 KP) rated Alienated (2016) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Alienated starts as we follow married couple Nate (Katt) & Paige (Burry) as they go about their everyday lives, we see the ups and downs in their communication which every couple has. When Nate believes he sees a space craft and Paige brushes off Nate’s request to watch the video leading to a fight between the two. We see how they have to rebuild their friendship and whether Paige wants to believe Nate did really see a spacecraft.
Alienated gives us a very interesting drama that bottles down to what people want to believe when a loved one believes in something. I will admit that I was expecting more sci-fi element involved as this while very entertaining follows only the conversations between the couple. This showed how to make an ultra-interesting film between the characters giving them a natural feel throughout.
Actor Review
George Katt: Nate is an artist meaning he spends most of his time at home, he is a conspiracy theorist making him believe. He has a smaller social circle compared to his wife and once he believes he sees a spacecraft the relationship with his wife is pushed to the limits as they deal with what is real. George is great in this role as we
Jen Burry: Paige is the successful business woman who comes home everyday to her husband Nate who can easily be pushed into believing in many different conspiracies. She wants to be noticed more by her husband instead of dealing with his theories on a daily basis. Jen is great in this role showing great chemistry with George.
Taylor Negron: Griffin is the neighbour of the couple, he comes off very strange but we don’t see too much of the character. Taylor is good giving us mystery about the character.
Director Review: Brian Ackley – Brian gives us one of the most interesting story driven film of the year.
Thriller: Alienated keeps us on edge as we wait to see what is the truth throughout.
Settings: Alienated keeps the setting in the home of the couple showing how this could come off as an everyday conversation but it could also be something bigger.
Suggestion: Alienated is one to try, I do think the casual fans might find this slightly hard to enjoy but once you start you just don’t want to stop. (Try It)
Best Part: Natural feeling throughout.
Worst Part: Not everything you think it will be.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 21 Minutes
Overall: Very interesting thriller that takes away the action only to give us an engrossing story.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/02/25/alienated-2015/
Alienated gives us a very interesting drama that bottles down to what people want to believe when a loved one believes in something. I will admit that I was expecting more sci-fi element involved as this while very entertaining follows only the conversations between the couple. This showed how to make an ultra-interesting film between the characters giving them a natural feel throughout.
Actor Review
George Katt: Nate is an artist meaning he spends most of his time at home, he is a conspiracy theorist making him believe. He has a smaller social circle compared to his wife and once he believes he sees a spacecraft the relationship with his wife is pushed to the limits as they deal with what is real. George is great in this role as we
Jen Burry: Paige is the successful business woman who comes home everyday to her husband Nate who can easily be pushed into believing in many different conspiracies. She wants to be noticed more by her husband instead of dealing with his theories on a daily basis. Jen is great in this role showing great chemistry with George.
Taylor Negron: Griffin is the neighbour of the couple, he comes off very strange but we don’t see too much of the character. Taylor is good giving us mystery about the character.
Director Review: Brian Ackley – Brian gives us one of the most interesting story driven film of the year.
Thriller: Alienated keeps us on edge as we wait to see what is the truth throughout.
Settings: Alienated keeps the setting in the home of the couple showing how this could come off as an everyday conversation but it could also be something bigger.
Suggestion: Alienated is one to try, I do think the casual fans might find this slightly hard to enjoy but once you start you just don’t want to stop. (Try It)
Best Part: Natural feeling throughout.
Worst Part: Not everything you think it will be.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 21 Minutes
Overall: Very interesting thriller that takes away the action only to give us an engrossing story.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/02/25/alienated-2015/
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Color Project in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<b>Five Reasons Why You Should Drop Everything on July 18 and Read <i>The Color Project</i></b>
Lately I've been in a reviewing funk/slump, so I am back again with another list of reasons why you should totally drop everything, and I mean <i>everything</i> (except for homework and other real-life priorities despite the fact you'd rather read all day) on July 18 (WHEN THE BOOK COMES OUT!) and read Sierra Abrams's debut novel.
<b>The Use of Apps</b> - I think this is a <i>really</i> minor detail, but I almost never see books that actually uses smartphone apps, and Abrams incorporates the use of at least one app I think almost everyone uses on a daily basis if not more.
<b>Gorgeous Writing</b> - I currently don't have the copy with me by side as I'm writing this review, but Abrams has some <i>amazing</i> descriptors in her novel (most of which having to do with stars and constellations, which I adore). Have I mentioned the chapters are based on songs?!
<b>Family and Friendship</b> - Aside from the obvious romance, family and friendship plays an important role in <i>The Color Project</i>, and I <i>loved</i> how Abrams incorporated those two elements together seamlessly with romance.
<b>So Much Emotional Feels</b> - If anyone knows me well enough, I am <i>not</i> an emotional person when it comes to the books I read and the movies/TV shows I see. <i>The Color Project</i> brings out my emotional side, and I had so many tears as I got closer to the end of the novel. (Granted, I might have been watching far too many <i>Boys Over Flowers</i> episodes and reading about three other contemporary novels at the same time, but <i>I never cryyy</i>.)
<b>Cute Characters</b> - I am <i>alll</i> for adorable characters. <i>Imperfect Chemistry</i> is valid proof of that, along with many others I've been reading lately (from <i>I Believe in a Thing Called Love</i> to <i>When Dimple Met Rishi</i>). Bee and Levi are so adorable, I just want to pick them up from <i>The Color Project</i> and adopt them.
It was an absolute delight to read Bee's and Levi's story in <i>The Color Project,</i> and is perfect for those looking for a contemporary novel that has gorgeous writing and bring so much emotion.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-color-project-by-sierra-abrams/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<b>Five Reasons Why You Should Drop Everything on July 18 and Read <i>The Color Project</i></b>
Lately I've been in a reviewing funk/slump, so I am back again with another list of reasons why you should totally drop everything, and I mean <i>everything</i> (except for homework and other real-life priorities despite the fact you'd rather read all day) on July 18 (WHEN THE BOOK COMES OUT!) and read Sierra Abrams's debut novel.
<b>The Use of Apps</b> - I think this is a <i>really</i> minor detail, but I almost never see books that actually uses smartphone apps, and Abrams incorporates the use of at least one app I think almost everyone uses on a daily basis if not more.
<b>Gorgeous Writing</b> - I currently don't have the copy with me by side as I'm writing this review, but Abrams has some <i>amazing</i> descriptors in her novel (most of which having to do with stars and constellations, which I adore). Have I mentioned the chapters are based on songs?!
<b>Family and Friendship</b> - Aside from the obvious romance, family and friendship plays an important role in <i>The Color Project</i>, and I <i>loved</i> how Abrams incorporated those two elements together seamlessly with romance.
<b>So Much Emotional Feels</b> - If anyone knows me well enough, I am <i>not</i> an emotional person when it comes to the books I read and the movies/TV shows I see. <i>The Color Project</i> brings out my emotional side, and I had so many tears as I got closer to the end of the novel. (Granted, I might have been watching far too many <i>Boys Over Flowers</i> episodes and reading about three other contemporary novels at the same time, but <i>I never cryyy</i>.)
<b>Cute Characters</b> - I am <i>alll</i> for adorable characters. <i>Imperfect Chemistry</i> is valid proof of that, along with many others I've been reading lately (from <i>I Believe in a Thing Called Love</i> to <i>When Dimple Met Rishi</i>). Bee and Levi are so adorable, I just want to pick them up from <i>The Color Project</i> and adopt them.
It was an absolute delight to read Bee's and Levi's story in <i>The Color Project,</i> and is perfect for those looking for a contemporary novel that has gorgeous writing and bring so much emotion.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-color-project-by-sierra-abrams/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Target in the Sun (Carlos & Mia #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The provided description of the book hardly leaves much out, but there is way more to this book. There are three main characters in the book: FBI detective Lucia, Carlos and Mia. While reading this book, I found that the characters chosen in this book are really interesting and disturbed in their own way. I really liked that a character is retelling the story of other characters, which makes two stories going on at the same time. I really liked Carlos as a character; he is this bad boy with incredibly kind heart in a way, and always trying to help. He is very interesting to read about. After reading about the author, Mia’s life story somehow reminds me of the author’s life story. Was the author writing about her wishes and experiences??? Let’s leave that to your imagination. I’m very grateful, that author gave voice to more than one character, it was great to see the story from their perspective and it makes the whole book more interesting to read.
While reading this book, I really enjoyed the plot itself. This exotic life in Mexico and the daily struggle, which ordinary people have to go through, really fascinated me. Even though the story was interesting, I missed some twists and turns in this story, it kind of plodded along. The writing style in this publication was really interesting; it was like a diary with this very naive way of writing. The language was very easy to read, but there were some Spanish phrases for which you might need to use some sort of translator. I am not a fan of long chapters as it gets me bored really easy, that’s why I was very happy to see that chapters in this novel are short and quick to read. This book is not very suitable for young people; it does contain a lot of sexual scenes and talks about sex. I really liked that this book discussed the situations which are everyday life in Mexico. The struggles which ordinary Mexicans have to face to feed their families and how easy it is to slip into a criminal’s life. I really enjoyed that author was discussing the drug problems and how it is influencing all people down the trafficking chain. The ending of the book was really well thought through and concluded the book really nicely. When I heard that there is a second book, I was surprised but at the same time intrigued. So to conclude, if you are looking for something related with Mexican drug cartels, exotic and romantic, give this book a go and you might be pleasantly surprised.
While reading this book, I really enjoyed the plot itself. This exotic life in Mexico and the daily struggle, which ordinary people have to go through, really fascinated me. Even though the story was interesting, I missed some twists and turns in this story, it kind of plodded along. The writing style in this publication was really interesting; it was like a diary with this very naive way of writing. The language was very easy to read, but there were some Spanish phrases for which you might need to use some sort of translator. I am not a fan of long chapters as it gets me bored really easy, that’s why I was very happy to see that chapters in this novel are short and quick to read. This book is not very suitable for young people; it does contain a lot of sexual scenes and talks about sex. I really liked that this book discussed the situations which are everyday life in Mexico. The struggles which ordinary Mexicans have to face to feed their families and how easy it is to slip into a criminal’s life. I really enjoyed that author was discussing the drug problems and how it is influencing all people down the trafficking chain. The ending of the book was really well thought through and concluded the book really nicely. When I heard that there is a second book, I was surprised but at the same time intrigued. So to conclude, if you are looking for something related with Mexican drug cartels, exotic and romantic, give this book a go and you might be pleasantly surprised.
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated Trusting a Warrior (Loving a Warrior #3) in Books
Nov 26, 2020
Hansen can grab you, by the heart strings, and drag you kicking and screaming through every single emotion known to man
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Loving A Warrior, and I STRONGLY suggest you read both books one, Loving A Warrior, and book 2, Keeping A Warrior, before you read this one. There is much referenced here that is not fully recapped. And you know, cos I said so! Both are 5 star reads.
As is this one!
Lani meets Geo on possibly the worst day of her life. Geo's ain't much better. Together they begin to navigate a relationship, while dealing with a huge amount of grief at the death of their loved ones.
Hansen has a knack of roping you in, pulling you close, and not letting you go. She can grab you, by the heart strings, and drag you kicking and screaming through every single emotion known to man, and then expect you to write a coherent review after!
I mean, I loved this book, I really did. It carries some difficult story lines, but again, Ms Hansen delivers them in a way that you cannot fault. Grief is a fickle thing, and everyone deals with that differently. I know, my sister and I dealt with my mother and father's death very different, but there is no right or wrong way. Here, Lani's grief is a decade old, but she still suffers. Geo's is much fresher, and it's HIS pain that hit me the most.
I have no personal experience of war, or those who serve. I can only imagine the horrors that are presented on a daily basis. It's to be expected that some will struggle with that, but put on a "brave face" The way Hansen describes Geo's grief and his own spiral downwards is heartbreaking, it really is. Only his relationship with Lani saves him.
I loved how the others in this series; Matt and Shane and Rhys and Devon, play a huge part here. I loved that Devon and Lani become such good friends, even if Lani is Rhys' ex.
What I want to know now, Ms Hansen, is this! Will we be privvy to want happened in Keeping A Warrior, and here, to Matt and Shane?? Cos let me tell ya, I does NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED to know! We get an inkling of what Matt suffers here, but not enough. So, please, write a followup!
Love, love LOVED the epilogue! And I loved Bosch, Geo's military dog.
I can't, in any honesty, give this book any less than. . .
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 3 in the Loving A Warrior, and I STRONGLY suggest you read both books one, Loving A Warrior, and book 2, Keeping A Warrior, before you read this one. There is much referenced here that is not fully recapped. And you know, cos I said so! Both are 5 star reads.
As is this one!
Lani meets Geo on possibly the worst day of her life. Geo's ain't much better. Together they begin to navigate a relationship, while dealing with a huge amount of grief at the death of their loved ones.
Hansen has a knack of roping you in, pulling you close, and not letting you go. She can grab you, by the heart strings, and drag you kicking and screaming through every single emotion known to man, and then expect you to write a coherent review after!
I mean, I loved this book, I really did. It carries some difficult story lines, but again, Ms Hansen delivers them in a way that you cannot fault. Grief is a fickle thing, and everyone deals with that differently. I know, my sister and I dealt with my mother and father's death very different, but there is no right or wrong way. Here, Lani's grief is a decade old, but she still suffers. Geo's is much fresher, and it's HIS pain that hit me the most.
I have no personal experience of war, or those who serve. I can only imagine the horrors that are presented on a daily basis. It's to be expected that some will struggle with that, but put on a "brave face" The way Hansen describes Geo's grief and his own spiral downwards is heartbreaking, it really is. Only his relationship with Lani saves him.
I loved how the others in this series; Matt and Shane and Rhys and Devon, play a huge part here. I loved that Devon and Lani become such good friends, even if Lani is Rhys' ex.
What I want to know now, Ms Hansen, is this! Will we be privvy to want happened in Keeping A Warrior, and here, to Matt and Shane?? Cos let me tell ya, I does NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED to know! We get an inkling of what Matt suffers here, but not enough. So, please, write a followup!
Love, love LOVED the epilogue! And I loved Bosch, Geo's military dog.
I can't, in any honesty, give this book any less than. . .
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated The System (Killables, #3) in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I finally got round to reading the conclusion to The Killables trilogy!
It's been quite a long time since I read the first books, so I had forgotten some of the details. But as I read, I started to remember what had happened previously and was able to appreciate the current story.
After escaping the City, Evie, Raffy, Linus and Benjamin are now trapped in a world where everyone is being Watched. People actually made a living off of being Watched by strangers around the world, by having people see their daily lives and every thought. But Thomas, the leader of Infotec, isn't satisfied; he still wants Linus to create the System he had originally thought of.
Frankie is one of the most Watched girls; her boyfriend, Milo, is high-up within Infotec and has really boosted her Watcher numbers. But an anonymous message encourages Frankie to write a blog post about the UK, and Milo suddenly turns pretty hostile. Suddenly Frankie is being thrown in the back of a van, her ID chip removed and given to some random doppelganger now claiming her identity. Frankie isn't about to go down without a fight, though, and with the help of the anonymous messager, she escapes the Infotec enforcers.
There are a lot of switches between the POV this story is being told by, but after few chapters, the characters start to come together in one story.
A group of people are determined to tell the rest of the world about the UK - which was believed to have been destroyed by the Horrors. But Thomas is not going to let that happen easily - he's more than happy to dispose of anyone threatening his company.
The future Malley has created is, in my opinion, quite plausible. Vlogs on YouTube are already super popular, and this isn't that big a step up from that. And the System Thomas wants from Linus is probably not too far-fetched, either.
Frankie and Milo are probably the most important new characters in this book. Frankie was developed pretty well throughout the story, slowly discovering the truth and realising how she had been manipulated by Infotec. She's not a big fan of Evie when they first meet, though, and I kind of thought Malley emphasised that more than was necessary. Milo also developed a bit, but with more of a sudden switch being flicked later in the book.
This was a good conclusion to the trilogy, and I enjoyed reading it. It maybe tries a bit too hard to be edgy, with swear words being thrown around and things like that. Still, I liked it. I felt a bit of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies coming through at times, but not enough that it felt samey or anything. 4 stars for the final Killables book.
It's been quite a long time since I read the first books, so I had forgotten some of the details. But as I read, I started to remember what had happened previously and was able to appreciate the current story.
After escaping the City, Evie, Raffy, Linus and Benjamin are now trapped in a world where everyone is being Watched. People actually made a living off of being Watched by strangers around the world, by having people see their daily lives and every thought. But Thomas, the leader of Infotec, isn't satisfied; he still wants Linus to create the System he had originally thought of.
Frankie is one of the most Watched girls; her boyfriend, Milo, is high-up within Infotec and has really boosted her Watcher numbers. But an anonymous message encourages Frankie to write a blog post about the UK, and Milo suddenly turns pretty hostile. Suddenly Frankie is being thrown in the back of a van, her ID chip removed and given to some random doppelganger now claiming her identity. Frankie isn't about to go down without a fight, though, and with the help of the anonymous messager, she escapes the Infotec enforcers.
There are a lot of switches between the POV this story is being told by, but after few chapters, the characters start to come together in one story.
A group of people are determined to tell the rest of the world about the UK - which was believed to have been destroyed by the Horrors. But Thomas is not going to let that happen easily - he's more than happy to dispose of anyone threatening his company.
The future Malley has created is, in my opinion, quite plausible. Vlogs on YouTube are already super popular, and this isn't that big a step up from that. And the System Thomas wants from Linus is probably not too far-fetched, either.
Frankie and Milo are probably the most important new characters in this book. Frankie was developed pretty well throughout the story, slowly discovering the truth and realising how she had been manipulated by Infotec. She's not a big fan of Evie when they first meet, though, and I kind of thought Malley emphasised that more than was necessary. Milo also developed a bit, but with more of a sudden switch being flicked later in the book.
This was a good conclusion to the trilogy, and I enjoyed reading it. It maybe tries a bit too hard to be edgy, with swear words being thrown around and things like that. Still, I liked it. I felt a bit of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies coming through at times, but not enough that it felt samey or anything. 4 stars for the final Killables book.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Mister in Books
Sep 1, 2019 (Updated Sep 3, 2019)
I'll start by saying that I enjoyed the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy. Yes, the sex scenes got a little repetitive after a while but I skipped a lot of it anyway because BDSM is not one of my favourite subgenres. BUT for the romance aspect, that's the bit I enjoyed.
So now I'm trying The Mister and let's see...
So Maxim Trevelyan has just inherited a noble title after the death of his older brother, a job he never wanted or expected to hold. Maxim has been a bit of a playboy up until this point, never having a proper job, sleeping with a new women almost every other day...and now he has responsibilities. He struggles with it all. And then he meets his new daily--his illegal immigrant cleaner/home help--and has an instant fascination with her that just grows every day.
The romance was slow going--a little too slow since it took nearly half the book before they slept together. I'm not sure about Albanian customs and stuff but Alessia seemed very prim and proper, very innocent having never even kissed a man. Her thoughts got a little annoying after a while when she kept thinking of her disapproving parents back home.
I also wasn't a fan of the constant switching between viewpoints. We could have one or two paragraphs--yes, paragraphs!--from Alessia's POV and then we'd switch back to Maxim for a few pages and then we'd switch back and forth for each others view on whatever was happening. It got a little tiring after a while.
Honestly, I struggled to get to the half way point but I flicked through waiting for Alessia's traffickers to find them again or for something to happen that didn't involve sex and luckily it was only about 70 pages away. And then it got a little more exciting. We had a little showdown or two but it wasn't enough to truly get my attention. I think the book could have been half as many pages if the beginning had been shortened where he's a bit of a man-whore and the middle with all sex.
On a side note: I loved how British this was, seeing familiar swearing like "f*ck a duck", "f*cking hell" and "b*llocks". Most of the books I read tend to be set in the US so this was a nice change in that respect. Cornwall seems to be a popular setting for books lately, with The Last Piece of My Heart being set there too.
If E.L. James releases another book, I'm not sure if I'll be reading it.
So now I'm trying The Mister and let's see...
So Maxim Trevelyan has just inherited a noble title after the death of his older brother, a job he never wanted or expected to hold. Maxim has been a bit of a playboy up until this point, never having a proper job, sleeping with a new women almost every other day...and now he has responsibilities. He struggles with it all. And then he meets his new daily--his illegal immigrant cleaner/home help--and has an instant fascination with her that just grows every day.
The romance was slow going--a little too slow since it took nearly half the book before they slept together. I'm not sure about Albanian customs and stuff but Alessia seemed very prim and proper, very innocent having never even kissed a man. Her thoughts got a little annoying after a while when she kept thinking of her disapproving parents back home.
I also wasn't a fan of the constant switching between viewpoints. We could have one or two paragraphs--yes, paragraphs!--from Alessia's POV and then we'd switch back to Maxim for a few pages and then we'd switch back and forth for each others view on whatever was happening. It got a little tiring after a while.
Honestly, I struggled to get to the half way point but I flicked through waiting for Alessia's traffickers to find them again or for something to happen that didn't involve sex and luckily it was only about 70 pages away. And then it got a little more exciting. We had a little showdown or two but it wasn't enough to truly get my attention. I think the book could have been half as many pages if the beginning had been shortened where he's a bit of a man-whore and the middle with all sex.
On a side note: I loved how British this was, seeing familiar swearing like "f*ck a duck", "f*cking hell" and "b*llocks". Most of the books I read tend to be set in the US so this was a nice change in that respect. Cornwall seems to be a popular setting for books lately, with The Last Piece of My Heart being set there too.
If E.L. James releases another book, I'm not sure if I'll be reading it.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Killer Sofa (2019) in Movies
Sep 16, 2019
Characters – Francesca is a dancer that has had problems in the past with the men in her life, most have become stalkers, with her needing to put restraining orders on them, she is left a recliner from one, as the police look into her past to see if she has a connection to the murder of one of them. Maxi is the best friend of Francesca, she supports her on a daily basis and will stand with her in her fight against the sofa. Inspector Gravy is leading the investigation into the crimes which sees him spending time with Francesca learning about her past. Rabbi Jack is Maxi’s grandfather that gets an uneasy vision from the sofa and starts trying to figure out how he could stop the evil behind it.
Performances – The lead in the film is Piimio Mei and she does well in the leading role, as the one being haunted by the soda, seeing her friends taken from around her. The rest of the cast are strong with what they are doing, they do know this does have elements of cheesy horror, which does work for the film.
Story – The story here follows the unusual event surrounding a sofa that starts killing people at the woman that finds herself the main target of the evil needing to stop it before their friends get taken. This is a film that knows exactly what it wants to be, a wildly over the top story that isn’t afraid to go into the full cheesy area, which will get the story over to the level it needs to. For a horror it is a film that follows the traditions when it comes to picking off the victims one at a time, with an element of the story behind the having a supernatural feel.
Horror – The horror side of the film does pick up like most serial killer style slashers, with one victim being alone getting picked off by the killer, in this case, the sofa, which does it look creepy throughout.
Settings – The film uses the apartment settings to show how the sofa can move around without looking completely out of place, using the environment to help with its kills.
Special Effects – The effects are mixed with the fact they make the sofa look terrifying being a huge plus, it is the CGI moments that look like the weakest part of the film.
Scene of the Movie – The sofa look.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The CGI moments.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror comedy that understands completely what it wants to be, it will get laughable kills from a sofa that uses its how frame as a weapon.
Overall: Funny horror comedy.
Performances – The lead in the film is Piimio Mei and she does well in the leading role, as the one being haunted by the soda, seeing her friends taken from around her. The rest of the cast are strong with what they are doing, they do know this does have elements of cheesy horror, which does work for the film.
Story – The story here follows the unusual event surrounding a sofa that starts killing people at the woman that finds herself the main target of the evil needing to stop it before their friends get taken. This is a film that knows exactly what it wants to be, a wildly over the top story that isn’t afraid to go into the full cheesy area, which will get the story over to the level it needs to. For a horror it is a film that follows the traditions when it comes to picking off the victims one at a time, with an element of the story behind the having a supernatural feel.
Horror – The horror side of the film does pick up like most serial killer style slashers, with one victim being alone getting picked off by the killer, in this case, the sofa, which does it look creepy throughout.
Settings – The film uses the apartment settings to show how the sofa can move around without looking completely out of place, using the environment to help with its kills.
Special Effects – The effects are mixed with the fact they make the sofa look terrifying being a huge plus, it is the CGI moments that look like the weakest part of the film.
Scene of the Movie – The sofa look.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The CGI moments.
Final Thoughts – This is a horror comedy that understands completely what it wants to be, it will get laughable kills from a sofa that uses its how frame as a weapon.
Overall: Funny horror comedy.