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RavenclawPrincess913 (253 KP) rated Teardrop (Teardrop Trilogy, #1) in Books
May 26, 2019
Forgot to post this last month
I chose to read this book because it's by my favorite author. I ended up loving it and it's now one of my favorite series. If you loved her book Fallen you will love this one as well. The book begins slowly as Fallen does but if you keep reading you will not regret it.
Spoilers below
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Growing up Eureka's mother told her to never cry and she ended up dying in a freak accident at the start of the book. This left Eureka puzzled and alone in the world until the boy who saved her in the accident came along who is named Ander. Her mother left her three inheritance a locket, thunderstone and book which end up making better sense later in the story. When Eureka, her best friend Brooks, her sister and brother go to the beach one day something weird happens to Brooks after the strange wave which leads to him acting weird which later on in the book Eureka discovers her best friend has been processed by someone from the sunken island of Atlantis. The person who processed him Eureka will end up having to go head to head with in the next book. She also discovered there's something special in her bloodline about tears. If you'd like to know more read the book.
Spoilers below
.
.
.
Growing up Eureka's mother told her to never cry and she ended up dying in a freak accident at the start of the book. This left Eureka puzzled and alone in the world until the boy who saved her in the accident came along who is named Ander. Her mother left her three inheritance a locket, thunderstone and book which end up making better sense later in the story. When Eureka, her best friend Brooks, her sister and brother go to the beach one day something weird happens to Brooks after the strange wave which leads to him acting weird which later on in the book Eureka discovers her best friend has been processed by someone from the sunken island of Atlantis. The person who processed him Eureka will end up having to go head to head with in the next book. She also discovered there's something special in her bloodline about tears. If you'd like to know more read the book.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Odin's Ravens (second edition) in Tabletop Games
Sep 8, 2021
Getting the group together for game nights has always been a struggle – especially now (at time of writing) in this Covid world. So finding good games for 1-2 players has become a priority for me recently. Enter Odin’s Ravens, a 2-player race across the world. Does this game soar to meet my expectations, or does it fall flat in the end? Keep reading to find out.
Odin’s Ravens is a light game of strategy and hand management in which 2 players are racing to be the first of Odin’s ravens (duh) to travel around the world. To setup the game, shuffle the land cards and place a line of 16 cards directly between the two players. Land cards are divided into two halves, each depicting a different landscape. This line of Land cards acts as the route around the world for both Ravens. Players choose one end to be the start/finish lines, and place their Raven meeple on their corresponding side of the starting Land card. During play, the Ravens will travel down their side of the Land cards, and will switch to the opponent’s side for the flight back to the finish. Each player receives a set of 25 Flight cards and 8 Loki cards, to be shuffled and kept separate from each other. Both players then draws 5 cards into their hand, in any combination of Flight and Loki cards. Choose a starting player, and the game is ready to begin!
On a typical game turn, you will play as many cards from your hand as you want, either Flight cards, Loki cards, or combinations of the two. Flight cards allow you to move your raven down the path. In order to move your raven, you must play a Flight card that matches the landscape of the next Land card on your path. (Ex. if the next space is a Forest, you must play a Forest Flight card). If you have no Flight cards in hand that match the next card on your path, then you may discard any two flight cards of the same type to move forward one space. Loki cards allow you to perform Trickery actions, which alter the flight paths of both players. Some actions include rotating Land cards, moving ravens forward/backward a number of spaces, swapping Land cards, etc. It is important to note that once a Loki card has been played, it is removed from the game entirely – you only have 8 Loki cards total, so use them wisely! After you have played all the cards you wish on your turn, you will then draw 3 cards (in any combination of Flight/Loki cards), and end your turn. You may never have more than 7 cards in hand. Play continues in this fashion until one player has reached the end of their flight path – resulting in victory!
Seems simple enough, right? Well, it is and it isn’t. The overall gameplay itself is simplistic – draw and play cards to move your raven towards victory. The implementation of Loki cards adds a strategic twist to the game that keeps each player on their toes. Flight cards alone leave you at the mercy of the luck of the draw, but Loki cards give players a little more control over their game strategy. They provide ways to alter the flight path to benefit yourself or inhibit your opponent at various points throughout the game. Add in the fact that each player only has 8 Loki cards total, and that ups the strategy as well . You only have a finite amount of trickery to pull, so you have to be sure to use it at the perfect time. Was your opponent able to counteract your attempted trickery, or did you execute it perfectly for them to fall into your trap?
The components of this game are pretty standard and straightforward. The cards are good quality and are easy to manipulate, and the wooden raven meeples are big and chunky. Nice and simple! The artwork of the game, although clear and effective, is pretty basic and leaves much to be desired. It is clear in the way that it is easy to identify each type of landscape and determine the actions of Loki cards, but overall it feels a little too simplistic and not as immersive as it could be.
Odin’s Ravens is a decent 2-player game, although not my favorite. If I needed something simple, light, and relatively fast for 2 players, it is definitely one that I would pull off the shelf. But I have other 2-player games that I would rather play instead. Will it stay in my collection forever? Hard to say, but for the time being it has a spot on my shelves. If you are looking for something that is relatively simple, but has opportunities for strategy, check out Odin’s Ravens. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a flighty 13 / 18 – you just gotta keep your eye on that Loki…
Odin’s Ravens is a light game of strategy and hand management in which 2 players are racing to be the first of Odin’s ravens (duh) to travel around the world. To setup the game, shuffle the land cards and place a line of 16 cards directly between the two players. Land cards are divided into two halves, each depicting a different landscape. This line of Land cards acts as the route around the world for both Ravens. Players choose one end to be the start/finish lines, and place their Raven meeple on their corresponding side of the starting Land card. During play, the Ravens will travel down their side of the Land cards, and will switch to the opponent’s side for the flight back to the finish. Each player receives a set of 25 Flight cards and 8 Loki cards, to be shuffled and kept separate from each other. Both players then draws 5 cards into their hand, in any combination of Flight and Loki cards. Choose a starting player, and the game is ready to begin!
On a typical game turn, you will play as many cards from your hand as you want, either Flight cards, Loki cards, or combinations of the two. Flight cards allow you to move your raven down the path. In order to move your raven, you must play a Flight card that matches the landscape of the next Land card on your path. (Ex. if the next space is a Forest, you must play a Forest Flight card). If you have no Flight cards in hand that match the next card on your path, then you may discard any two flight cards of the same type to move forward one space. Loki cards allow you to perform Trickery actions, which alter the flight paths of both players. Some actions include rotating Land cards, moving ravens forward/backward a number of spaces, swapping Land cards, etc. It is important to note that once a Loki card has been played, it is removed from the game entirely – you only have 8 Loki cards total, so use them wisely! After you have played all the cards you wish on your turn, you will then draw 3 cards (in any combination of Flight/Loki cards), and end your turn. You may never have more than 7 cards in hand. Play continues in this fashion until one player has reached the end of their flight path – resulting in victory!
Seems simple enough, right? Well, it is and it isn’t. The overall gameplay itself is simplistic – draw and play cards to move your raven towards victory. The implementation of Loki cards adds a strategic twist to the game that keeps each player on their toes. Flight cards alone leave you at the mercy of the luck of the draw, but Loki cards give players a little more control over their game strategy. They provide ways to alter the flight path to benefit yourself or inhibit your opponent at various points throughout the game. Add in the fact that each player only has 8 Loki cards total, and that ups the strategy as well . You only have a finite amount of trickery to pull, so you have to be sure to use it at the perfect time. Was your opponent able to counteract your attempted trickery, or did you execute it perfectly for them to fall into your trap?
The components of this game are pretty standard and straightforward. The cards are good quality and are easy to manipulate, and the wooden raven meeples are big and chunky. Nice and simple! The artwork of the game, although clear and effective, is pretty basic and leaves much to be desired. It is clear in the way that it is easy to identify each type of landscape and determine the actions of Loki cards, but overall it feels a little too simplistic and not as immersive as it could be.
Odin’s Ravens is a decent 2-player game, although not my favorite. If I needed something simple, light, and relatively fast for 2 players, it is definitely one that I would pull off the shelf. But I have other 2-player games that I would rather play instead. Will it stay in my collection forever? Hard to say, but for the time being it has a spot on my shelves. If you are looking for something that is relatively simple, but has opportunities for strategy, check out Odin’s Ravens. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a flighty 13 / 18 – you just gotta keep your eye on that Loki…
Home and Away: Writing the Beautiful Game
Sean Kinsella, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Don Bartlett and Fredrik Ekelund
Book
This book is selected as a Book of the Year 2016 in the Times and Evening Standard. Karl Ove...
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Gates of Thread and Stone (Gates of Thread and Stone #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Much as I actually read the synopsis once when I first saw it months ago on Goodreads and then again before I clicked "Read Now" on Netgalley, I ended up forgetting the synopsis <i>entirely</i> by the time I started.
Except for one word: Labyrinth. Needless to say, I actually thought for awhile that <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> would be about a labyrinth. <i>The</i> Labyrinth of the Greek myths, per say, and when I actually read <i>Gates of Thread of Stone</i>, I checked the synopsis again to set myself on the right track (because when there's no one being sent as sacrifice, you know there's something wrong).
<i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> is really about a girl named Kai <i>living</i> with her "brother," Reev, in a place called the Labyrinth, named so by its maze-like structure, and where the lowest of the lowest in Ninurta live out their daily lives. But one day, Reev disappears just like many others and Kai is determined to find her brother.
There's something about <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> that I really like. It's definitely not the world, even though I highly enjoyed Lee's world-building each section (East Quarter, White Court, Void, Outlands, etc.) in Ninurta were set apart from one another and most even had their own nicknames (East Quarter = Labyrinth, North Quarter = Purgatory). It's most certainly not the amount of possible f-bombs in here as well, or what I'll assume as f-bombs, because "drek" by itself is certainly not sounding like crap or hell.
The characters were tolerable Kai is a determined and persistent character who has an admirable strength and may sometimes be a little feisty. Irra is perhaps one of my favorite characters by far, being a dramatic yet eccentric advisor in assisting Kai and Avan finding Reev. In fact... he's a bit of an oddity compared to the other Infinites, who seem to be similar to gods and goddesses based on their description.
The plot was a little predictable and I was just waiting for a couple of parts to play out (I really should stop being Sherlock Holmes and just enjoy reading the book, but I can't help myself). While the end is similar to the end of <i>Senshi</i> and the beginning of <i>Shinobi</i> and doesn't seem to have a bigger plot that spans over to the sequel or more books.
Now that I actually took the time to write all that down, maybe it's the world-building that I liked the most. With the ending of <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> seeming to be a solid ending, I may read the sequel just to for the pure fun of seeing what Ninurta will be like.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gates-of-thread-and-stone-by-lori-m-lee/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Much as I actually read the synopsis once when I first saw it months ago on Goodreads and then again before I clicked "Read Now" on Netgalley, I ended up forgetting the synopsis <i>entirely</i> by the time I started.
Except for one word: Labyrinth. Needless to say, I actually thought for awhile that <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> would be about a labyrinth. <i>The</i> Labyrinth of the Greek myths, per say, and when I actually read <i>Gates of Thread of Stone</i>, I checked the synopsis again to set myself on the right track (because when there's no one being sent as sacrifice, you know there's something wrong).
<i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> is really about a girl named Kai <i>living</i> with her "brother," Reev, in a place called the Labyrinth, named so by its maze-like structure, and where the lowest of the lowest in Ninurta live out their daily lives. But one day, Reev disappears just like many others and Kai is determined to find her brother.
There's something about <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> that I really like. It's definitely not the world, even though I highly enjoyed Lee's world-building each section (East Quarter, White Court, Void, Outlands, etc.) in Ninurta were set apart from one another and most even had their own nicknames (East Quarter = Labyrinth, North Quarter = Purgatory). It's most certainly not the amount of possible f-bombs in here as well, or what I'll assume as f-bombs, because "drek" by itself is certainly not sounding like crap or hell.
The characters were tolerable Kai is a determined and persistent character who has an admirable strength and may sometimes be a little feisty. Irra is perhaps one of my favorite characters by far, being a dramatic yet eccentric advisor in assisting Kai and Avan finding Reev. In fact... he's a bit of an oddity compared to the other Infinites, who seem to be similar to gods and goddesses based on their description.
The plot was a little predictable and I was just waiting for a couple of parts to play out (I really should stop being Sherlock Holmes and just enjoy reading the book, but I can't help myself). While the end is similar to the end of <i>Senshi</i> and the beginning of <i>Shinobi</i> and doesn't seem to have a bigger plot that spans over to the sequel or more books.
Now that I actually took the time to write all that down, maybe it's the world-building that I liked the most. With the ending of <i>Gates of Thread and Stone</i> seeming to be a solid ending, I may read the sequel just to for the pure fun of seeing what Ninurta will be like.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-gates-of-thread-and-stone-by-lori-m-lee/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Beyond Impossible: How an Ordinary Mum Became a Record-Breaking Ultrarunner
Book
When Mimi first started jogging on a treadmill as an unfit 36-year-old mother-of-three, she never...
Awix (3310 KP) rated Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) in Movies
Feb 17, 2018 (Updated Feb 17, 2018)
Four's a crowd
Twenty-sixth Godzilla movie (also eleventh Mothra movie, eighth Ghidorah movie and third Baragon movie, in case anyone's counting) recruits director Shusuke Kaneko, helmsman of the brilliant 90s Gamera trilogy; results are (perhaps inevitably) disappointing. A new incarnation of Godzilla threatens Japan, but a young tabloid TV journalist encounters a mysterious old man in an equestrian safety helmet who tells her of three legendary Guardian Monsters who will defend the country against this menace (Baragon is also a Guardian Monster but not famous enough to get his name in the title).
Some interesting innovations: first film to address (even obliquely) issues of Japanese culpability for events of the Second World War, first film where King Ghidorah is a good guy, first film with a scene set in Godzilla's intestinal tract. However, the end result is let down by a fatally uncertain tone - seemingly serious scenes of death and carnage are intercut with knockabout cheesy humour and in-jokes (in the English dub at least). The retro feel of the movie, hearkening back to the 60s films of the series, is not unwelcome, but its take on the formula is just plain weird. Most importantly it lacks the mythic grandeur of the Kaneko Gamera trilogy. Still better than the films which immediately preceded it, though.
Some interesting innovations: first film to address (even obliquely) issues of Japanese culpability for events of the Second World War, first film where King Ghidorah is a good guy, first film with a scene set in Godzilla's intestinal tract. However, the end result is let down by a fatally uncertain tone - seemingly serious scenes of death and carnage are intercut with knockabout cheesy humour and in-jokes (in the English dub at least). The retro feel of the movie, hearkening back to the 60s films of the series, is not unwelcome, but its take on the formula is just plain weird. Most importantly it lacks the mythic grandeur of the Kaneko Gamera trilogy. Still better than the films which immediately preceded it, though.
Algerian Chronicles
Albert Camus, Alice Kaplan and Arthur Goldhammer
Book
More than fifty years after Algerian independence, Albert Camus' Algerian Chronicles appears here in...
Merissa (11830 KP) rated Bad Moon Rising (The Crown's Wolves #1) in Books
Nov 8, 2021 (Updated Jul 10, 2023)
BAD MOON RISING is the first book in The Crown's Wolves series, and let's start with the fact that the Crown is a complete douche with (probably) criminal ties to a syndicate.
Okay, moving on. Nova wakes with no memory of who or what she is. She just has a name tattooed on her wrist, plus a mobile that keeps giving her instructions. She follows the instructions (possibly the only time in the book) and finds Roman. Then the story really gets going as people blow up and we enter a world of lycanthropes and magic.
Now, stick with me here because this may not sound good, but this was a confusing book. There is SO much going on and the reader has no idea about any of it. This is normal though for the first book in the series. There is always a lot of world-building to do, but there is a LOT in here. Bad Moon Rising hosts a number of characters, some dead, that you will learn about, plus lifestyles, weaknesses, etc.
Don't think you will walk away knowing what's going on though. Oh, no! This is not a book for those who like everything tied with a neat bow at the end. This series is only just getting started and you will be left with more questions than answers.
A great book though with an individual storyline and take on the paranormal world, and one I can't wait to continue.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Nov 8, 2021
Okay, moving on. Nova wakes with no memory of who or what she is. She just has a name tattooed on her wrist, plus a mobile that keeps giving her instructions. She follows the instructions (possibly the only time in the book) and finds Roman. Then the story really gets going as people blow up and we enter a world of lycanthropes and magic.
Now, stick with me here because this may not sound good, but this was a confusing book. There is SO much going on and the reader has no idea about any of it. This is normal though for the first book in the series. There is always a lot of world-building to do, but there is a LOT in here. Bad Moon Rising hosts a number of characters, some dead, that you will learn about, plus lifestyles, weaknesses, etc.
Don't think you will walk away knowing what's going on though. Oh, no! This is not a book for those who like everything tied with a neat bow at the end. This series is only just getting started and you will be left with more questions than answers.
A great book though with an individual storyline and take on the paranormal world, and one I can't wait to continue.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Nov 8, 2021
Zombie (The Cursed Manuscripts)
7.0
Rate It
Book
On December 21, 2012, according to the Mayan Calendar, the world was supposed to end. It didn't. But...
The Private Heinrich Himmler
Katrin Himmler and Michael Wildt
Book
At the end of World War II, it was assumed that the letters of Heinrich Himmler were lost. Yet sixty...