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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Five Total Strangers in Books
Dec 24, 2020
Browsing for my next digital read, I came across Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards. The synopsis definitely had my interest piqued. I'm glad I decided to read this story because I enjoyed it very much.
High school senior Mira is trying to get home to her mother for Christmas. However, a severe snowstorm means that Mira's connecting flight has been cancelled until further notice. Desperate to get home to her mother, Mira decides to take a chance with the college girl who was sat beside her on the plane named Harper. Somehow, Harper manages to snag a rental car, but there are three other people besides Harper and Mira. When personal items start going missing and strange things begin happening, Mira wonders who can she actually trust that's sharing a car with her and just what is the end game.
I loved, loved, loved the plot. It sounds like it's such a simplistic storyline with just five people travelling together, but it was so much more than that. It's a mystery, horror, thriller, and suspense story all in one which are all of my favorite genres. The pacing was absolutely spot on, and I found myself closely following each word on the page to find out what would happen next. I felt like I was one of the people in the car. I started getting paranoid about who to trust in the car. There were a couple of plot twists which were interesting. I never could figure out who was the sender of the letters to Mira until it was revealed at the end, and I wasn't sure who the saboteur was either until the end. There were many times I realized I was holding my breath in anticipation while reading Five Total Strangers. I pretty much read the whole book in one sitting. The only thing that was a small disappointment was the ending. It didn't feel like it was rushed, but I felt like there could have been a bit more information. I would have loved to know what the other occupants of the car got up to after their disastrous trip. There were no cliffhangers though which I was grateful for.
I felt like the characters were fleshed out perfectly for Five Total Strangers. There isn't much backstory for Harper, Brecken, Kayla, and Josh besides little tidbits here and there, but that's what makes this book even better. It gives it more of a mysterious feel. I liked the book being in Mira's perspective. I felt like I was feeling everything right along with Mira. Even though she was only eighteen, she came across as much older. Sure, she still made some decisions with a teen brain, but for the most part, she did have a good head on her shoulders. I liked Harper, and I admired her bravado. However, I also liked the times she showed her human side and her vulnerability. I admired Josh and Brecken's desire to help out when things got really rough. I did love Kayla's dry humor peppered within the book. I would even go as far as saying she was my favorite character in Five Total Strangers.
Trigger warnings for Five Total Strangers include swearing, attempted murder, death, some violence, and some drug use.
All in all, Five Total Strangers is a fantastic read which will leave you guessing who to trust throughout the book. With a great set of characters and fantastic world building, this is not a book you want to miss. I would definitely recommend Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards to those aged 15+ who are after a story that will captivate them the entire time.
High school senior Mira is trying to get home to her mother for Christmas. However, a severe snowstorm means that Mira's connecting flight has been cancelled until further notice. Desperate to get home to her mother, Mira decides to take a chance with the college girl who was sat beside her on the plane named Harper. Somehow, Harper manages to snag a rental car, but there are three other people besides Harper and Mira. When personal items start going missing and strange things begin happening, Mira wonders who can she actually trust that's sharing a car with her and just what is the end game.
I loved, loved, loved the plot. It sounds like it's such a simplistic storyline with just five people travelling together, but it was so much more than that. It's a mystery, horror, thriller, and suspense story all in one which are all of my favorite genres. The pacing was absolutely spot on, and I found myself closely following each word on the page to find out what would happen next. I felt like I was one of the people in the car. I started getting paranoid about who to trust in the car. There were a couple of plot twists which were interesting. I never could figure out who was the sender of the letters to Mira until it was revealed at the end, and I wasn't sure who the saboteur was either until the end. There were many times I realized I was holding my breath in anticipation while reading Five Total Strangers. I pretty much read the whole book in one sitting. The only thing that was a small disappointment was the ending. It didn't feel like it was rushed, but I felt like there could have been a bit more information. I would have loved to know what the other occupants of the car got up to after their disastrous trip. There were no cliffhangers though which I was grateful for.
I felt like the characters were fleshed out perfectly for Five Total Strangers. There isn't much backstory for Harper, Brecken, Kayla, and Josh besides little tidbits here and there, but that's what makes this book even better. It gives it more of a mysterious feel. I liked the book being in Mira's perspective. I felt like I was feeling everything right along with Mira. Even though she was only eighteen, she came across as much older. Sure, she still made some decisions with a teen brain, but for the most part, she did have a good head on her shoulders. I liked Harper, and I admired her bravado. However, I also liked the times she showed her human side and her vulnerability. I admired Josh and Brecken's desire to help out when things got really rough. I did love Kayla's dry humor peppered within the book. I would even go as far as saying she was my favorite character in Five Total Strangers.
Trigger warnings for Five Total Strangers include swearing, attempted murder, death, some violence, and some drug use.
All in all, Five Total Strangers is a fantastic read which will leave you guessing who to trust throughout the book. With a great set of characters and fantastic world building, this is not a book you want to miss. I would definitely recommend Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards to those aged 15+ who are after a story that will captivate them the entire time.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Promenade (The Dark Nocturne #3) in Books
Aug 30, 2022
After reading and loving the first two books in the Dark Nocturne series by Morgan Shamy, Serenade and Etude, I jumped right into reading the final book in the trilogy, Promenade. Promenade was the best book in the series which is saying a lot since I loved the first two! I was just sad that the trilogy was ending.
In Promenade, November and Vincent are in two separate eras in time. After an attack on November's life that lives others she cares about dead, she enlists the help of the Fae to help her get back in time to help stop Vincent's death in the present time. However, there's the shadow wraith that keeps coming after her to send her back to her time. November must convince Vincent, who's a totally different person than his present self, to somehow change the future to prevent his death in her time. However, things don't go as planned. More lives are lost, and November's plan is left in shambles.
I very much loved the plot of Promenade! I was hooked right from the start. Yes, the first two books in the series are fantastic, but Promenade really blew me away! There's so much action and adventure packed in each and every page throughout this book. It's hard not to get sucked right back into November's world. There was a few time where the pacing took off without me, and I was left confused, but that was not very often. Other than those few times, the pacing was perfect, and I found myself fully immersed in the story. I loved the setting of early 20th century London, England. With Shamy's great descriptions of everything that was around, I was easily transported back with November. It was easy to imagine everything going on around November. The world building was so good! The time travel aspect was written superbly, and it was done in a way that wasn't extremely confusing. In Promenade, we still had some mentions of blood walkers, shifters, and witches, but now November was also dealing with the Fae, the Shadow Fae, and a shadow wraith. I loved all the new types of fantasy beings in this book. There were a few plot twist throughout the book, and I loved how the whole trilogy was tied up nicely by the end of the book.
Where do I start with the characters in Promenade? Just like in the previous two books in the trilogy, Shamy does an amazing job at breathing life into each and every one of her characters no matter how big or small of a role they play. November redeemed herself in Promenade after annoying me in Etude. I admired her love and strong bond with Vincent. I loved how she'd risk everything just to try to make sure he and her friends would be alright (even if it would sometimes have the opposite effect). The depth of November's emotions felt very realistic, and I felt myself having the same feelings as November. I enjoyed reading about the Vincent of 1901. He was much different from the present day Vincent, and it was interesting to read how different they were. I liked how we got to know Quincey a little better in this book as well. I enjoyed learning more about him. Cam was also heavily featured, and I was thrilled! I've always had a soft spot for Cam after the first book in the trilogy when he turns over a new leaf. We are also introduced to the characters of Rowan and Hazel. Although they weren't featured a lot, they were still awesome characters. We also get to meet Vincent's father. Let's just say he is definitely a piece of work! Shamy does a fantastic job of making us kind of sympathize with him for wanting to protect his land and people but at the same time, hating him for what he's done to the people he thinks disobey him.
Trigger warnings for Promenade include murder, attempted murder, torture, violence, and blackmail.
Overall, Promenade is one of the best books I've read in awhile. With it's exciting plot and well developed characters, you'd be hard pressed not to like this book. I would definitely recommend Promenade by Morgan Shamy to those aged 14+ who are willing to stay up all night to finish a book due to how great it is!
In Promenade, November and Vincent are in two separate eras in time. After an attack on November's life that lives others she cares about dead, she enlists the help of the Fae to help her get back in time to help stop Vincent's death in the present time. However, there's the shadow wraith that keeps coming after her to send her back to her time. November must convince Vincent, who's a totally different person than his present self, to somehow change the future to prevent his death in her time. However, things don't go as planned. More lives are lost, and November's plan is left in shambles.
I very much loved the plot of Promenade! I was hooked right from the start. Yes, the first two books in the series are fantastic, but Promenade really blew me away! There's so much action and adventure packed in each and every page throughout this book. It's hard not to get sucked right back into November's world. There was a few time where the pacing took off without me, and I was left confused, but that was not very often. Other than those few times, the pacing was perfect, and I found myself fully immersed in the story. I loved the setting of early 20th century London, England. With Shamy's great descriptions of everything that was around, I was easily transported back with November. It was easy to imagine everything going on around November. The world building was so good! The time travel aspect was written superbly, and it was done in a way that wasn't extremely confusing. In Promenade, we still had some mentions of blood walkers, shifters, and witches, but now November was also dealing with the Fae, the Shadow Fae, and a shadow wraith. I loved all the new types of fantasy beings in this book. There were a few plot twist throughout the book, and I loved how the whole trilogy was tied up nicely by the end of the book.
Where do I start with the characters in Promenade? Just like in the previous two books in the trilogy, Shamy does an amazing job at breathing life into each and every one of her characters no matter how big or small of a role they play. November redeemed herself in Promenade after annoying me in Etude. I admired her love and strong bond with Vincent. I loved how she'd risk everything just to try to make sure he and her friends would be alright (even if it would sometimes have the opposite effect). The depth of November's emotions felt very realistic, and I felt myself having the same feelings as November. I enjoyed reading about the Vincent of 1901. He was much different from the present day Vincent, and it was interesting to read how different they were. I liked how we got to know Quincey a little better in this book as well. I enjoyed learning more about him. Cam was also heavily featured, and I was thrilled! I've always had a soft spot for Cam after the first book in the trilogy when he turns over a new leaf. We are also introduced to the characters of Rowan and Hazel. Although they weren't featured a lot, they were still awesome characters. We also get to meet Vincent's father. Let's just say he is definitely a piece of work! Shamy does a fantastic job of making us kind of sympathize with him for wanting to protect his land and people but at the same time, hating him for what he's done to the people he thinks disobey him.
Trigger warnings for Promenade include murder, attempted murder, torture, violence, and blackmail.
Overall, Promenade is one of the best books I've read in awhile. With it's exciting plot and well developed characters, you'd be hard pressed not to like this book. I would definitely recommend Promenade by Morgan Shamy to those aged 14+ who are willing to stay up all night to finish a book due to how great it is!
Spreaker Studio
Music and Social Networking
10.0
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It's a broadcasting studio that fits in your pocket. Take over the entire production of your own...
Supermarket Management 2 HD (Full)
Games and Entertainment
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Have you played the prequel to this fascinating game? Don’t miss Supermarket Management - on iPad...
Merissa (11950 KP) rated The Ashes That Remain (Cimmerian Moon #2) in Books
Apr 7, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
This book continues with Sinta's tale - Jason is still in DC as far as she knows, Wade still wants to be with her, and she is still trying to leave Jason behind emotionally and find something more than brotherly love for Wade. Throw in the lizards, trying to find out information, surviving plus the general angst of living underground in conditions as best as can be made for weeks on end. Sinta's mum doesn't want her to become one of the 'hunters' but wants her to remain in the enclosure where she is safe. Sinta doesn't want that as she knows that she is good at what she can do.
Sinta has grown up a lot in the time gone by since the first book. She doesn't hesitate to put her hand up to go 'outside' to find other survivors although Wade has a few words to say about this. The action that continues in this book is gripping and full on - you never feel that anything isn't happening for a reason though which makes it wonderful to read.
I won't give any of the story away except to say that it had me holding my breath in places as I read as fast as I could to find out what the result was. An absolutely brilliant, breathtaking venture into Sinta's dystopian world. This is a five-star series and I can't wait for In Danger's Embrace, book 3, to be released hopefully in October.
* 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!
August 3, 2016
Sinta has grown up a lot in the time gone by since the first book. She doesn't hesitate to put her hand up to go 'outside' to find other survivors although Wade has a few words to say about this. The action that continues in this book is gripping and full on - you never feel that anything isn't happening for a reason though which makes it wonderful to read.
I won't give any of the story away except to say that it had me holding my breath in places as I read as fast as I could to find out what the result was. An absolutely brilliant, breathtaking venture into Sinta's dystopian world. This is a five-star series and I can't wait for In Danger's Embrace, book 3, to be released hopefully in October.
* 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!
August 3, 2016
Pinball HD (iPhone) Classic Arcade,Zen,Space Games
Games and Sports
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This unique table features pinball bumpers and targets, plus a color monitor where you can take on a...
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated The Queen of the Tearling in Books
Feb 19, 2018
I finished this audiobook a while ago and put off writing the review because I couldn't decide how I felt about it. I went back and forth between 2 and 3 stars for a while. There were several things about the story that really bothered me (making me feel like it only deserved 2 stars), but then there were times when I was interested enough to think that I would need to read book two to see what happens. When all was said and done, I did decide I might read the next book at some point, so three stars it is.
A note about setting
The book sounds like any other fantasy novel. This story actually takes place in a future where for some reason (we are never told exactly what happened), a group of people have fled America and moved to a new land (again, we don't know how there was a new land available for them to colonize...) leaving all technology and modern conveniences behind them.
What bothered me about the book
Is it young adult or not? Occasionally the language, violence, or other crudeness seemed inappropriate for all but the most mature of teens, but then Kelsea would act like a nineteen year old girl, she spent an awful lot of time obsessing over her plain appearance, how handsome each of her guards happened to be, etc..., so I could never really tell.
Where / when is it? We get bits and pieces mentioning "the crossing", but why? What happened? Is there still an America with technology somewhere? Where are the main characters now? If the Capital is New London, are they anywhere near old London? How is there magic? And who is this enemy, this evil Mort/Red Queen who seems to have an abundance of it? I can go on and on here, and the lack of details or explanation about this world they are living in is my biggest complaint.
What I liked about the book
Kelsea, when she could remember not to worry about her plain face or how greasy her hair looked, actually had a decent moral compass and wanted to do what was right for her new-found kingdom, not just what was easy or convenient for her. She was stubborn and idealistic, and I admired those traits in her. I even eventually grew to like some of her guards, the Mace and Pen in particular, as they finally learned to respect her and some of her ideas near the end of the story.
Will you like this book?
I wish I could say yes, but the best I can do is maybe. If you go into it knowing that you are not going to understand exactly where this world is, how it came about, or why, and that doesn't bother you, then you just might. I will give book two a try to see if there are more details forthcoming, but not right away.
A note about setting
The book sounds like any other fantasy novel. This story actually takes place in a future where for some reason (we are never told exactly what happened), a group of people have fled America and moved to a new land (again, we don't know how there was a new land available for them to colonize...) leaving all technology and modern conveniences behind them.
What bothered me about the book
Is it young adult or not? Occasionally the language, violence, or other crudeness seemed inappropriate for all but the most mature of teens, but then Kelsea would act like a nineteen year old girl, she spent an awful lot of time obsessing over her plain appearance, how handsome each of her guards happened to be, etc..., so I could never really tell.
Where / when is it? We get bits and pieces mentioning "the crossing", but why? What happened? Is there still an America with technology somewhere? Where are the main characters now? If the Capital is New London, are they anywhere near old London? How is there magic? And who is this enemy, this evil Mort/Red Queen who seems to have an abundance of it? I can go on and on here, and the lack of details or explanation about this world they are living in is my biggest complaint.
What I liked about the book
Kelsea, when she could remember not to worry about her plain face or how greasy her hair looked, actually had a decent moral compass and wanted to do what was right for her new-found kingdom, not just what was easy or convenient for her. She was stubborn and idealistic, and I admired those traits in her. I even eventually grew to like some of her guards, the Mace and Pen in particular, as they finally learned to respect her and some of her ideas near the end of the story.
Will you like this book?
I wish I could say yes, but the best I can do is maybe. If you go into it knowing that you are not going to understand exactly where this world is, how it came about, or why, and that doesn't bother you, then you just might. I will give book two a try to see if there are more details forthcoming, but not right away.
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Gaining Trust (Kiss of Leather #5) in Books
May 3, 2018
straight back up to 5 stars
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
And just like that, back up to 5 stars!
This is book 5 in the Kiss of Leather series, and you really REALLY should read the previous books first. There is an ongoing story arc and you need to be able to follow what's going on with that. And they are 4 and 5 stars reads ?
Chuck has been undercover in another BDSM establishment, and has come to the conclusion he needs to be in this world. A world where these guys are so totally and utterly in love with each other, that he NEEDS that too. Master Jordan has been waiting to get his hands on Chuck, waiting for Chuck to admit what he wants to experience. Master Jordan knows that once he gets his hands on the handsome man, he might never be able to let go.
Master Jordan is, quite possibly, my most favourite of the Doms in this series. He is so laid back, any further and he would be horizontal! While very much a Dom, he is much more relaxed about it, calling Chuck things like babe, and sweetheart. He loves Chuck, right from the start and that shows in his careful handling of Chuck.
Chuck takes to Master Jordan very quickly, and I love watching these guys: Doms and subs alike, fall fast and fall HARD. Loving that it usually takes a major traumatic event to make the Doms see who they really want but not so much here.
I'm loving that each and every one of them from previous books play some part in future books. Loving the gentle introduction of the new guys. Loving the ongoing story arc that seems to be coming to a head. Loving that I have no idea when or where this is going to end!
I said in a previous review, that I'm loving the differences between the subs, but that all the Doms are these big guys and the subs are all younger and smaller. I still AM loving that, but I find myself thinking, what if?? What if there was a brand new Dom, who needs training with an older bigger sub?? Cos, you know, that would just bean amazing addition to this series!
Off to read book 6, trying really hard NOT to read them back to back but it's getting harder!!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
And just like that, back up to 5 stars!
This is book 5 in the Kiss of Leather series, and you really REALLY should read the previous books first. There is an ongoing story arc and you need to be able to follow what's going on with that. And they are 4 and 5 stars reads ?
Chuck has been undercover in another BDSM establishment, and has come to the conclusion he needs to be in this world. A world where these guys are so totally and utterly in love with each other, that he NEEDS that too. Master Jordan has been waiting to get his hands on Chuck, waiting for Chuck to admit what he wants to experience. Master Jordan knows that once he gets his hands on the handsome man, he might never be able to let go.
Master Jordan is, quite possibly, my most favourite of the Doms in this series. He is so laid back, any further and he would be horizontal! While very much a Dom, he is much more relaxed about it, calling Chuck things like babe, and sweetheart. He loves Chuck, right from the start and that shows in his careful handling of Chuck.
Chuck takes to Master Jordan very quickly, and I love watching these guys: Doms and subs alike, fall fast and fall HARD. Loving that it usually takes a major traumatic event to make the Doms see who they really want but not so much here.
I'm loving that each and every one of them from previous books play some part in future books. Loving the gentle introduction of the new guys. Loving the ongoing story arc that seems to be coming to a head. Loving that I have no idea when or where this is going to end!
I said in a previous review, that I'm loving the differences between the subs, but that all the Doms are these big guys and the subs are all younger and smaller. I still AM loving that, but I find myself thinking, what if?? What if there was a brand new Dom, who needs training with an older bigger sub?? Cos, you know, that would just bean amazing addition to this series!
Off to read book 6, trying really hard NOT to read them back to back but it's getting harder!!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law return once again as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows“. In this installment, a series of bombings across Europe has positioned the nations of the world on the brink of war. Holmes is convinced that there is a criminal mastermind behind the numerous, seemingly unrelated events and he believes it is renowned scholar James Moriarty (Jared Harris).
Watson, well-accustomed to Holmes’ eccentric and erratic behavior, is dubious of Holmes claims. Besides, Watson has his upcoming wedding to focus on, and only deigns to spend time with Holmes at the promise of a stag party at an upscale gentlemen’s club. While the bachelor party includes an entertaining Stephen Fry playing Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, Holmes has ulterior motives for taking Watson to this particular club. Early in the film, Holmes had cleverly intercepted a message from Irene Adler (Amy McAdams), that led him to a fortuneteller named Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace), a woman Holmes believes has been targeted for death by Moriarty, who just happens to be working at the gentlemen’s club.
Eventually a meeting with Moriarty is arranged for Holmes. The two intellectuals spar with one another verbally in a civilized manner, with menacing undertones. Holmes isn’t able to convince Moriarty that Watson is no longer a partner in any of his endeavors and, Holmes is forced to take drastic measures to ensure the doctor and his new wife stay out of harm’s way. From Paris to Germany and other European locales, Holmes, Watson, and Simza and her gypsy friends race against time to uncover the diabolical plot that Moriarty has set for their demise in his quest to drive nations to war.
The film is an absolute delight and is a rare sequel that is even better than the previous film in the series. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law have amazing chemistry with one another and their timing is absolutely perfect. The duo deftly mix action and comedy as well as the serious subject matter of the plot line and are utterly captivating and enjoyable to watch every step of the way. Rapace continues to impress in a much softer character than her Lisbeth Salandar role in the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Swedish trilogy. and is poised to become one of Hollywood’s new leading ladies.
Having become familiar with Harris’ work on the series Mad Men, I was delighted to see him expertly portray such a complex character as Moriarty: a gentleman scholar of impeccable upbringing and education who is also a twisted and evil genius. Harris plays Moriarty perfectly and never lets you forget the dark and sinister side of him without ever becoming a campy or cartoony vaudeville villain.
Guy Ritchie returns as director and lets his stars carry the film. The action has been ramped up this time around with some spectacular action sequences but the action never overshadows the character-driven story. The film was well-paced and an absolute thrill ride from beginning to end mixing fantastic action and some great humor for a very winning combination that is not to be missed. I am already looking forward to future outings of Holmes and Watson on the big screen as this was a truly enjoyable experience that shows you how action comedies are supposed to be made.
Watson, well-accustomed to Holmes’ eccentric and erratic behavior, is dubious of Holmes claims. Besides, Watson has his upcoming wedding to focus on, and only deigns to spend time with Holmes at the promise of a stag party at an upscale gentlemen’s club. While the bachelor party includes an entertaining Stephen Fry playing Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, Holmes has ulterior motives for taking Watson to this particular club. Early in the film, Holmes had cleverly intercepted a message from Irene Adler (Amy McAdams), that led him to a fortuneteller named Madam Simza Heron (Noomi Rapace), a woman Holmes believes has been targeted for death by Moriarty, who just happens to be working at the gentlemen’s club.
Eventually a meeting with Moriarty is arranged for Holmes. The two intellectuals spar with one another verbally in a civilized manner, with menacing undertones. Holmes isn’t able to convince Moriarty that Watson is no longer a partner in any of his endeavors and, Holmes is forced to take drastic measures to ensure the doctor and his new wife stay out of harm’s way. From Paris to Germany and other European locales, Holmes, Watson, and Simza and her gypsy friends race against time to uncover the diabolical plot that Moriarty has set for their demise in his quest to drive nations to war.
The film is an absolute delight and is a rare sequel that is even better than the previous film in the series. Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law have amazing chemistry with one another and their timing is absolutely perfect. The duo deftly mix action and comedy as well as the serious subject matter of the plot line and are utterly captivating and enjoyable to watch every step of the way. Rapace continues to impress in a much softer character than her Lisbeth Salandar role in the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Swedish trilogy. and is poised to become one of Hollywood’s new leading ladies.
Having become familiar with Harris’ work on the series Mad Men, I was delighted to see him expertly portray such a complex character as Moriarty: a gentleman scholar of impeccable upbringing and education who is also a twisted and evil genius. Harris plays Moriarty perfectly and never lets you forget the dark and sinister side of him without ever becoming a campy or cartoony vaudeville villain.
Guy Ritchie returns as director and lets his stars carry the film. The action has been ramped up this time around with some spectacular action sequences but the action never overshadows the character-driven story. The film was well-paced and an absolute thrill ride from beginning to end mixing fantastic action and some great humor for a very winning combination that is not to be missed. I am already looking forward to future outings of Holmes and Watson on the big screen as this was a truly enjoyable experience that shows you how action comedies are supposed to be made.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Second Siege (The Tapestry, #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a title="The Second Siege by Henry H. Neff" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-the-second-siege-by-henry-h-neff.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Owls
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
In the second book to The Tapestry series, Astaroth has already been released from his confinement and is causing trouble in the outside world with his allies. Max McDaniels and his roommate David Menlo are traveling to different worlds on a quest to acquire the dangerous Book of Thoth before Astaroth gets to it first.
I'm sorry if I can't help but compare the series to Harry Potter (actually, I can't help but compare a lot of books to another book/series...). Both series are just so... similar in so many ways. It may sound ironic, but in my humble opinion, Astaroth isn't that... villainy. I mean, sure, he's cunning and evil when necessary, but I'm pretty sure that if Voldy and Astaroth had a face off, Voldy would probably crush him. Big time. Even if he's noseless. Basically because Voldy is evil 24/7.
<img src="http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll152/Contele_Draqula/VoldemortandDeathEaters.jpg"; width="200" height="143" />
On the other hand, Astaroth's "minions" are well... completely the opposite of the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters are pretty loyal, but there's always these little loose knots here and there when it comes to loyalty. Apparently, Astaroth's minions are too loyal to the demon, that there are practically no loose ends at all. One big happy family in taking over the world? Possibly... but don't take my word for granted. I may be wrong for all I know and all of his minions will soon overthrow him as leader of Malevolency.
In a nutshell, you can say I'm sadly disappointed that Astaroth just doesn't seem like a villain at certain times. I don't know. Maybe he'll be more evil later in the series, but for now, I think I'll categorize him a bit as Mr. Nice Guy. I'll nominate him as Dr. Evil II when he has more of the muahaha added in (okay, not exactly muahaha, but closer).
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OjrbRW6e1VE/THP3sett2tI/AAAAAAAAFBw/rsQC8kBELBw/s200/Dr_Evil.jpg"; />
So, the ending. Er, not exactly. Kind of a happy-sad ending, but not exactly an ending that will make me emotional that I'll need a Kleenex in hand and hide someplace so no one sees me crying, because if I get seen crying, it'll be as embarrassing as saying something in an awkward silence.. But I'm pretty glad that Max and his father saw someone they deeply cared for at least one more time after so many years. It's also not an ending where there's this lovely cliffhanger that keeps you at the edge of the seat, eager to read the next book.
As much as I hate cliffhangers, I just feel that there needs to be some sort of cliff waiting to catch more "victims" at the end when it comes to a series (maybe I'm so used to that frame of mind...), which I find missing in The Second Siege. Though hopefully I'm just missing that cliffhanger and just need to dig deeper...
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Owls
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste
In the second book to The Tapestry series, Astaroth has already been released from his confinement and is causing trouble in the outside world with his allies. Max McDaniels and his roommate David Menlo are traveling to different worlds on a quest to acquire the dangerous Book of Thoth before Astaroth gets to it first.
I'm sorry if I can't help but compare the series to Harry Potter (actually, I can't help but compare a lot of books to another book/series...). Both series are just so... similar in so many ways. It may sound ironic, but in my humble opinion, Astaroth isn't that... villainy. I mean, sure, he's cunning and evil when necessary, but I'm pretty sure that if Voldy and Astaroth had a face off, Voldy would probably crush him. Big time. Even if he's noseless. Basically because Voldy is evil 24/7.
<img src="http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll152/Contele_Draqula/VoldemortandDeathEaters.jpg"; width="200" height="143" />
On the other hand, Astaroth's "minions" are well... completely the opposite of the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters are pretty loyal, but there's always these little loose knots here and there when it comes to loyalty. Apparently, Astaroth's minions are too loyal to the demon, that there are practically no loose ends at all. One big happy family in taking over the world? Possibly... but don't take my word for granted. I may be wrong for all I know and all of his minions will soon overthrow him as leader of Malevolency.
In a nutshell, you can say I'm sadly disappointed that Astaroth just doesn't seem like a villain at certain times. I don't know. Maybe he'll be more evil later in the series, but for now, I think I'll categorize him a bit as Mr. Nice Guy. I'll nominate him as Dr. Evil II when he has more of the muahaha added in (okay, not exactly muahaha, but closer).
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OjrbRW6e1VE/THP3sett2tI/AAAAAAAAFBw/rsQC8kBELBw/s200/Dr_Evil.jpg"; />
So, the ending. Er, not exactly. Kind of a happy-sad ending, but not exactly an ending that will make me emotional that I'll need a Kleenex in hand and hide someplace so no one sees me crying, because if I get seen crying, it'll be as embarrassing as saying something in an awkward silence.. But I'm pretty glad that Max and his father saw someone they deeply cared for at least one more time after so many years. It's also not an ending where there's this lovely cliffhanger that keeps you at the edge of the seat, eager to read the next book.
As much as I hate cliffhangers, I just feel that there needs to be some sort of cliff waiting to catch more "victims" at the end when it comes to a series (maybe I'm so used to that frame of mind...), which I find missing in The Second Siege. Though hopefully I'm just missing that cliffhanger and just need to dig deeper...