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Comealongpond180 (13 KP) rated Lie to Me (Rising Star#1) in Books
Jul 14, 2018
You need this book now!!!
Please go to: http://ramblingbookaddict.blogspot.com/2018/07/lie-to-me-lee-piper.html : transfer goodreads loses editing in transfer.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS BOOK!!!!
So this book ya'll *note to those of you not from the south* *ya'll, you'ins, you people, yo everybody fool is the same thang.* This has been a PSA from the Book Addict. You're welcome.
I'm perfectly aware I stopped mid-sentence to give you a PSA, that's the definition of a PSA. Ahem.
Now that we have that over with, my sarcasm aside, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS BOOK, I REPEAT. Are you looking for a gorgeous bad boy drummer and a friggin' amazing female MC that isn't a damsel in distress!?
THIS IS THE BOOK YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LOOKING FOR.
Okay so this dang book (not an insult at all), made me laugh so much throughout it, and it also made me love the sweet moments between Shiloh and Reid.
Reid, oh dear sweet heaven, is the best kind of bad boy. He seems so rough and bad but ddddddddddang boy got deep. hehe.
Where can I get one and STAT!
Movinggggggggggggggg OOOOOON!
Sooo we will talk about Shiloh, she has been like my favorite female main character I have read about in a long, LONG time. She wasn't weak even though she did have some problems, that did not make her weak. A mental health condition, it does not make someone weak! I love that the author went this route and made a strong female character, who was brave and faced her fears! Coming from someone that struggles with strong anxiety and depression, I loved getting to read about a strong, funny and beautiful female main character!
So with that, I end my review! I give Lie to Me 5 out of 5 stars. or should say 5 out of 5 Rising Stars??
Maddy
Aka - The Ramblings of a Book Addict
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS BOOK!!!!
So this book ya'll *note to those of you not from the south* *ya'll, you'ins, you people, yo everybody fool is the same thang.* This has been a PSA from the Book Addict. You're welcome.
I'm perfectly aware I stopped mid-sentence to give you a PSA, that's the definition of a PSA. Ahem.
Now that we have that over with, my sarcasm aside, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS BOOK, I REPEAT. Are you looking for a gorgeous bad boy drummer and a friggin' amazing female MC that isn't a damsel in distress!?
THIS IS THE BOOK YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LOOKING FOR.
Okay so this dang book (not an insult at all), made me laugh so much throughout it, and it also made me love the sweet moments between Shiloh and Reid.
Reid, oh dear sweet heaven, is the best kind of bad boy. He seems so rough and bad but ddddddddddang boy got deep. hehe.
Where can I get one and STAT!
Movinggggggggggggggg OOOOOON!
Sooo we will talk about Shiloh, she has been like my favorite female main character I have read about in a long, LONG time. She wasn't weak even though she did have some problems, that did not make her weak. A mental health condition, it does not make someone weak! I love that the author went this route and made a strong female character, who was brave and faced her fears! Coming from someone that struggles with strong anxiety and depression, I loved getting to read about a strong, funny and beautiful female main character!
So with that, I end my review! I give Lie to Me 5 out of 5 stars. or should say 5 out of 5 Rising Stars??
Maddy
Aka - The Ramblings of a Book Addict
Erika (17788 KP) rated Anyone: A Novel in Books
Feb 13, 2021
I read this book probably right after I read @Recursion , that was a little in the same vein. The were just too close in my brain, and I liked Recursion more. The main commonality was that the main female character was attempting to find a cure for Alzheimer's because of a parent.
The thing that this scientist invents is the transfer of consciousness between bodies, and if they to switch bodies, the original body's consciousness just stays dormant. This used the trope of, switching bodies to perform... services of certain types. Not really all that original, and when you find out the true situation, it will disgust you even more.
Anyway, I recommend reading Recursion over this novel, or, at the very least, read Recursion first.
The thing that this scientist invents is the transfer of consciousness between bodies, and if they to switch bodies, the original body's consciousness just stays dormant. This used the trope of, switching bodies to perform... services of certain types. Not really all that original, and when you find out the true situation, it will disgust you even more.
Anyway, I recommend reading Recursion over this novel, or, at the very least, read Recursion first.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Silence Before Dawn (WW2 Resistance Series Book 1) [Audiobook] in Books
Oct 9, 2022
![The Silence Before Dawn (WW2 Resistance Series Book 1) [Audiobook]](/uploads/profile_image/e1b/7f40e687-8bd3-42f4-ad91-b230424c3e1b.jpg?m=1665321953)
I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook which, although a work of fiction, is based on the true stories of women secret agents during World War II.
As you can imagine, there is an abundance of tension as the Resistance and SOE (Special Operations Executive) undertake their dangerous missions with the ever present threat of being discovered by the Gestapo.
The main character of Marianne is excellent and such a strong character as, in fact, are the rest of the cast. What I particularly liked is that the central focus is on the female protagonists and it depicted their bravery, commitment and sense of duty excellently.
The story, as you can imagine given the subject matter, is intense but riveting and compelling and I cannot praise the narrator enough - what an excellent job Sofia Zervudachi has done; there are quite a lot of characters, both male and female, and she made each one unique.
This is the first in a series and I very much look forward to finding out what happens next and I must give my thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The Silence Before Dawn.
As you can imagine, there is an abundance of tension as the Resistance and SOE (Special Operations Executive) undertake their dangerous missions with the ever present threat of being discovered by the Gestapo.
The main character of Marianne is excellent and such a strong character as, in fact, are the rest of the cast. What I particularly liked is that the central focus is on the female protagonists and it depicted their bravery, commitment and sense of duty excellently.
The story, as you can imagine given the subject matter, is intense but riveting and compelling and I cannot praise the narrator enough - what an excellent job Sofia Zervudachi has done; there are quite a lot of characters, both male and female, and she made each one unique.
This is the first in a series and I very much look forward to finding out what happens next and I must give my thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The Silence Before Dawn.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Black Panther (2018) in Movies
Feb 25, 2018
Different to other Marvel films (1 more)
Strong female characters
CGI (2 more)
Some under developed characters
Weak villain
Good but a little overrated
Considering the general praise for this film, I had been expecting great things and although for a Marvel origins film it's pretty good, I still found it a bit disappointing.
I like T'Challa as a main character and I love some of the strong female characters in this film. His sister especially is fantastic and brings some welcome humour too. This isn't your typical Marvel film, and feels like it has more meaning and depth, although this means the humour side is a little lacking. Its also good not to have this bogged down with other characters from the universe.
My problems were that it felt like it dragged a bit and I was almost getting bored. The CGI is very patchy in places to the point it gets distracting and despite some good characters, I feel a lot of others are very under developed, like Forest Whitaker and Daniel Kaluuya. Martin Freeman's character could have been removed from the film entirely with no impact. Also I felt Erik was a bit of a weak villain and Andy Serkis was much more better placed and would have brought a bit more character.
All in all its a good and different origin story, but not one of my favourites.
I like T'Challa as a main character and I love some of the strong female characters in this film. His sister especially is fantastic and brings some welcome humour too. This isn't your typical Marvel film, and feels like it has more meaning and depth, although this means the humour side is a little lacking. Its also good not to have this bogged down with other characters from the universe.
My problems were that it felt like it dragged a bit and I was almost getting bored. The CGI is very patchy in places to the point it gets distracting and despite some good characters, I feel a lot of others are very under developed, like Forest Whitaker and Daniel Kaluuya. Martin Freeman's character could have been removed from the film entirely with no impact. Also I felt Erik was a bit of a weak villain and Andy Serkis was much more better placed and would have brought a bit more character.
All in all its a good and different origin story, but not one of my favourites.
Kaz (232 KP) rated Never Say Spy- Book 1 of the 'Never Say Spy' Series in Books
May 18, 2019 (Updated May 18, 2019)
A Real Page Turner
This book was given to me as a present by a friend and is the first in the 'Never Say Spy' Series.
Firstly, what I really liked about this novel, was that the main character was a woman. This is a book set within a crime/spy environment and it's unusual to have a female main character, within this genre. I also really liked how Aydan Kelly was not portrayed as a weak, helpless victim, who was waiting to be rescued. She had guts and could definitely hold her own in a tricky situation.
This is a very fast- paced novel, from the very beginning. I liked this because you felt like you were finding out things, as Aydan was. This is so gripping, that I found it difficult to put this book down.
I also liked the Sci-Fi element to this novel. Usually I don't like books mixing genres too much, but actually., I wish that it could have been used a bit more, because it makes this different from every other novel within this genre.
I enjoyed reading about the male characters within this novel. They are all very distinctive and I liked that they all had their own identities. I loved the dynamics of the two main male characters with Aydan and it kept me wanted to know how this was going to resolve.
Due to the fact that Aydan Kelly is such as strong character, she has some very funny one liners and I really cared what happened to her. However, my only criticism of this novel would be that, as well as being a feisty woman, she also has a lustful mind. This is good because it's realistic, but, I did feel that these thoughts crept into her mind at the most inappropriate times, particularly when she had just been in an intense, dangerous situation.
This is also violent and gory in places. Although I wouldn't say that these parts were not inappropriate to the story.
I'm generally not a fan of spy novels and films, but I really enjoyed this one. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series.
Firstly, what I really liked about this novel, was that the main character was a woman. This is a book set within a crime/spy environment and it's unusual to have a female main character, within this genre. I also really liked how Aydan Kelly was not portrayed as a weak, helpless victim, who was waiting to be rescued. She had guts and could definitely hold her own in a tricky situation.
This is a very fast- paced novel, from the very beginning. I liked this because you felt like you were finding out things, as Aydan was. This is so gripping, that I found it difficult to put this book down.
I also liked the Sci-Fi element to this novel. Usually I don't like books mixing genres too much, but actually., I wish that it could have been used a bit more, because it makes this different from every other novel within this genre.
I enjoyed reading about the male characters within this novel. They are all very distinctive and I liked that they all had their own identities. I loved the dynamics of the two main male characters with Aydan and it kept me wanted to know how this was going to resolve.
Due to the fact that Aydan Kelly is such as strong character, she has some very funny one liners and I really cared what happened to her. However, my only criticism of this novel would be that, as well as being a feisty woman, she also has a lustful mind. This is good because it's realistic, but, I did feel that these thoughts crept into her mind at the most inappropriate times, particularly when she had just been in an intense, dangerous situation.
This is also violent and gory in places. Although I wouldn't say that these parts were not inappropriate to the story.
I'm generally not a fan of spy novels and films, but I really enjoyed this one. I will definitely be reading the rest of this series.
Erika (17788 KP) rated The Huntress in Books
May 4, 2019
To start out with, I wish I could give this a perfect 10, but one of the main characters, Nina, was completely insufferable and easily, her chapters could have been cut out.
Alright, so, I don't consider books post WWI to be historical fiction, and I normally steer clear of WWII/aftermath fiction because bookstores and goodreads are inundated with hundreds of novels. But, I decided to pick up this book anyway.
Essentially, it's a Nazi hunt. There are three viewpoints from three different characters. As I mentioned, Nina was insufferable. Most of the reviews I read talked about their love of this character and the origin of the Night Witches (AKA female, Russian pilots). Ian was one of the other main characters, a former war correspondent who's a Nazi hunter, trying to find 'The Huntress', who murdered his brother. Then, there's Jordan, an American teenager whose father marries a mysterious German woman with a daughter.
I won't spoil the plot, but basically, you can work out the entire plot within the first few chapters. What kept me reading was the writing style, and every other character but Nina.
Alright, so, I don't consider books post WWI to be historical fiction, and I normally steer clear of WWII/aftermath fiction because bookstores and goodreads are inundated with hundreds of novels. But, I decided to pick up this book anyway.
Essentially, it's a Nazi hunt. There are three viewpoints from three different characters. As I mentioned, Nina was insufferable. Most of the reviews I read talked about their love of this character and the origin of the Night Witches (AKA female, Russian pilots). Ian was one of the other main characters, a former war correspondent who's a Nazi hunter, trying to find 'The Huntress', who murdered his brother. Then, there's Jordan, an American teenager whose father marries a mysterious German woman with a daughter.
I won't spoil the plot, but basically, you can work out the entire plot within the first few chapters. What kept me reading was the writing style, and every other character but Nina.
Kelly (279 KP) rated The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2019
A fantastic start to an epic tale
Contains spoilers, click to show
The Eye of the World is the first of many books in The Wheel of Time series, firstly wrote by Robert Jordan, and finalised by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s death, following the story of several characters from Emonds Field.
In my opinion The Eye of the World is the strongest book in the series, and is a fantastic hook to get you to read the following books. Although the series centres around many characters, the true main character of the first book is Rand al’Thor, a reluctant hero, who discovers he has magical abilities, which could ultimately destroy him. In an attempt to save Emonds Field, Rand and his friends flee, accompanied by an Aes Sedai (a female with magical powers). The story primarily details the journey of the group (either together or in smaller groups), detailing regular encounters with the dark ones forces. As such the story does follow the predictable fantasy format of -unlikely hero discovers that they have magical powers, and then goes on a journey to save the world, however it is an enjoyable tale.
The male characters in the book are diverse and entertaining- I struggled to decide which was my favourite character as they all had likeable features. One thing about the book, which does takeaway from
It’s score is Jordan’s portrayal of female characters. I found a lack of diversity amongst those female characters who were on the side we are led to route for, and some stereotyping of women. This was evident even amongst female characters that were meant to be in power. The women as a whole in the novel always needed a man to support them (for
Example Moiraine needing Lan, Egwene needing Rand, there are a few isolated incidents of independence amongst these female characters, but this was often as an exception to the rule. This is addressed a little in later books in the series, but not in the The Eye of the World.
In my opinion The Eye of the World is the strongest book in the series, and is a fantastic hook to get you to read the following books. Although the series centres around many characters, the true main character of the first book is Rand al’Thor, a reluctant hero, who discovers he has magical abilities, which could ultimately destroy him. In an attempt to save Emonds Field, Rand and his friends flee, accompanied by an Aes Sedai (a female with magical powers). The story primarily details the journey of the group (either together or in smaller groups), detailing regular encounters with the dark ones forces. As such the story does follow the predictable fantasy format of -unlikely hero discovers that they have magical powers, and then goes on a journey to save the world, however it is an enjoyable tale.
The male characters in the book are diverse and entertaining- I struggled to decide which was my favourite character as they all had likeable features. One thing about the book, which does takeaway from
It’s score is Jordan’s portrayal of female characters. I found a lack of diversity amongst those female characters who were on the side we are led to route for, and some stereotyping of women. This was evident even amongst female characters that were meant to be in power. The women as a whole in the novel always needed a man to support them (for
Example Moiraine needing Lan, Egwene needing Rand, there are a few isolated incidents of independence amongst these female characters, but this was often as an exception to the rule. This is addressed a little in later books in the series, but not in the The Eye of the World.
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated A is for .... Alibi in Books
May 21, 2019
Good time-killing mystery
This is the first book in the Kinsey Millhone "Alphabet" mystery series by Sue Grafton. I listened to the audio-book narrated by Mary Peiffer.
Kinsey Millhone is a Private Investigator based in the fictional city of Santa Teresa in California in the 1980s. In this outing she is hired by Nikki who is out on parole for her husband's murder and despite doing the time is still wanting to establish her innocence and find out the real killers identity.
The tough headed Kinsey goes head long into picking up the cold case digging up old secrets and ruffling a few feathers. I liked her as a strong female lead who, despite this being written and based in the 80s, is a lot more independent than many recent female leads I’ve read.
The main story isn’t the most exciting and the book suffers from a lot of unnecessary waffly descriptions and talk of her jogging (it’s a taboo word to me.)
I’ll be carrying on with this series as the audio-book was a pleasant distraction and I think Kinsey has a lot of potential to be a great character.
Kinsey Millhone is a Private Investigator based in the fictional city of Santa Teresa in California in the 1980s. In this outing she is hired by Nikki who is out on parole for her husband's murder and despite doing the time is still wanting to establish her innocence and find out the real killers identity.
The tough headed Kinsey goes head long into picking up the cold case digging up old secrets and ruffling a few feathers. I liked her as a strong female lead who, despite this being written and based in the 80s, is a lot more independent than many recent female leads I’ve read.
The main story isn’t the most exciting and the book suffers from a lot of unnecessary waffly descriptions and talk of her jogging (it’s a taboo word to me.)
I’ll be carrying on with this series as the audio-book was a pleasant distraction and I think Kinsey has a lot of potential to be a great character.
Cumberland (1142 KP) rated Dumplin' (2018) in Movies
Dec 10, 2018
Netflix is killing it
I absolutely loved this movie. It featured a great main character trying to find her place in the world. I have really enjoyed this trend I've noticed lately where young female characters find there confidence. It's a nice change from the classic handsome boy shows up and solves all the problems.
The supporting characters were also great, and helped add to the comedy of the movie. Each one was extremely unique, and they all truly added something to the story.
The only reason I am giving this movie a 9 and not a 10 is because, in a few places it was hard to tell what the actors were saying. Other than that it was great, and I would highly recommend.
The supporting characters were also great, and helped add to the comedy of the movie. Each one was extremely unique, and they all truly added something to the story.
The only reason I am giving this movie a 9 and not a 10 is because, in a few places it was hard to tell what the actors were saying. Other than that it was great, and I would highly recommend.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002) in Movies
Apr 27, 2022
The first five Hellraiser movies range from love to like for me, which means that Hellseeker is the first in the series that I downright dislike.
The narrative is purposefully confusing, but not in a clever way. It's frustrating and has an underwhelming payoff, whilst not even trying to make any sense. Something will happen to the painfully bland main dude, and then it's like "lol, that didn't actually happen you mad bastard" over and over again for 90 minutes, whilst every female character inexplicably tries to shag him. Most importantly, it manages to be horrifically boring. It's nice to see Ashley Laurence back, but she's under utilised, as is Pinhead with his 3 seconds of screentime.
An absolute chore of an experience.
The narrative is purposefully confusing, but not in a clever way. It's frustrating and has an underwhelming payoff, whilst not even trying to make any sense. Something will happen to the painfully bland main dude, and then it's like "lol, that didn't actually happen you mad bastard" over and over again for 90 minutes, whilst every female character inexplicably tries to shag him. Most importantly, it manages to be horrifically boring. It's nice to see Ashley Laurence back, but she's under utilised, as is Pinhead with his 3 seconds of screentime.
An absolute chore of an experience.