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Merissa (11961 KP) rated Trapped (Blood Rose Tales #1) in Books
Apr 12, 2023
Alesia has suffered a personal tragedy and because of that feels that Invictus pairs should be caught and rehabilitated. Zephyr firmly believes in "kill on sight" and although he knows that Alesia is completely against his viewpoint, after all, this is why they split up in the first place, he doesn't know why.
Things change when they are attacked though and sometimes it takes the confusion of battle for you to see clearly.
A quick read but a thoroughly enjoyable one. I love the Blood Rose Tales and will be reading more.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2015
Things change when they are attacked though and sometimes it takes the confusion of battle for you to see clearly.
A quick read but a thoroughly enjoyable one. I love the Blood Rose Tales and will be reading more.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2015
Shadowed (Hollow City Coven #2)
8.0
Rate It
Book
A frightful destination. A love that is destined. A fight to stay together. As Gillian and Shayne...
Adult Paranormal Romance Menage
Jpb (34 KP) rated The Matrix Resurrections (2021) in Movies
Dec 23, 2021
Matrix is back
Every one loved the first film. Resurrections reminds us why. While not the revolution we would have loved, Resurrections does offer us fans of the franchise that what we were clamoring for more action after the disasterous duology of Reloaded and Revolutions a second chance. The action is a bit slower but the pacing is really smooth. There's plenty of call backs to the past films and some fun laughs about things people hated in the sequels.
Seeing Neo and Trinity back together is fun and exciting.
The third act is stellar action. While nothing tops the lobby shootout or anything, there's some fun "Whoa!" moments that make you go "Wow, the Matrix has risen up and no longer suck anymore!
Seeing Neo and Trinity back together is fun and exciting.
The third act is stellar action. While nothing tops the lobby shootout or anything, there's some fun "Whoa!" moments that make you go "Wow, the Matrix has risen up and no longer suck anymore!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Power of Three (Charmed, #1) in Books
Jul 25, 2022
130 of 230
Book
The power of Three ( charmed book 1)
By Eliza Willard and Constance M. Burge
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first in a new series about three gorgeous sisters who disover they are the most powerful of all witches. Prue, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell didn't think reading a mgical incantation would work, but now Prue can move things with her mind, Piper can freeze time and Phoebe can see into the future.
Oh this was like putting a warm blanket round myself. I love this series and until recently I didn’t know I could get the books. It’s never going to win awards but I loved it. I’m an emotional reviewer I always review on how a book makes me feel once it’s finished and what’s better then nostalgia on paper?!
Book
The power of Three ( charmed book 1)
By Eliza Willard and Constance M. Burge
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first in a new series about three gorgeous sisters who disover they are the most powerful of all witches. Prue, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell didn't think reading a mgical incantation would work, but now Prue can move things with her mind, Piper can freeze time and Phoebe can see into the future.
Oh this was like putting a warm blanket round myself. I love this series and until recently I didn’t know I could get the books. It’s never going to win awards but I loved it. I’m an emotional reviewer I always review on how a book makes me feel once it’s finished and what’s better then nostalgia on paper?!
Dragon's Path
10.0
Rate It
Book
Fantasy M/M romance Hunted by a dragon. Captured by slavers. Things have been a little exciting...
m/m romance fantasy romance romance bookbuzz
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Lights out Liverpool (Pearl Street #1) in Books
Feb 26, 2023
22 of 235
Book
Lights out Liverpool (Pearl Street #1)
By Maureen Lee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The folk of one small Liverpool street cope with the first year of World War II. They find the war affects each of them in a different way. One woman worries about her twin sons who are called up, another is liberated from a loveless marriage, whilst Jessica Fleming's life is changed irrevocably.
I love a good saga! This one kind of hit home with the start of WW2 and in comparison to what we are dealing with now and it’s quite frightening to think of what they were facing and the loss that was felt. It was a little heartwarming to read and have a break from my usual reads.
Book
Lights out Liverpool (Pearl Street #1)
By Maureen Lee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The folk of one small Liverpool street cope with the first year of World War II. They find the war affects each of them in a different way. One woman worries about her twin sons who are called up, another is liberated from a loveless marriage, whilst Jessica Fleming's life is changed irrevocably.
I love a good saga! This one kind of hit home with the start of WW2 and in comparison to what we are dealing with now and it’s quite frightening to think of what they were facing and the loss that was felt. It was a little heartwarming to read and have a break from my usual reads.
Colorado Wild (Colorado Heart, #1)
8.0
Rate It
Book
When love sneaks up on you, shoot for the heart. Billy Bradford has a secret, and it's bigger...
Contemporary MM Military Romance
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Finding the Flame in Books
Jul 27, 2022
132 of 230
Kindle
Finding the Flame ( A Collection of Poems)
By Katie Nox ( Katie Everwood)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A collection of poetry from Katie Nox, the poetry pen name for author, Katie Epstein.
Finding the Flame is all about the journey of how we become lost in the dark to find the flame that guides the light.
Hurt.
Healing.
Growth.
Empowerment.
Self love.
It's all about having reflection, to change perspective on the strength we all possess.
Ok so first of all this it’s becoming a little annoying trying to find books by this author as there are so many name changes it makes your head spin!
The book itself was so sweet and the poems were just lovely! Some very relatable! That’s all they were though was sweet!
Kindle
Finding the Flame ( A Collection of Poems)
By Katie Nox ( Katie Everwood)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A collection of poetry from Katie Nox, the poetry pen name for author, Katie Epstein.
Finding the Flame is all about the journey of how we become lost in the dark to find the flame that guides the light.
Hurt.
Healing.
Growth.
Empowerment.
Self love.
It's all about having reflection, to change perspective on the strength we all possess.
Ok so first of all this it’s becoming a little annoying trying to find books by this author as there are so many name changes it makes your head spin!
The book itself was so sweet and the poems were just lovely! Some very relatable! That’s all they were though was sweet!
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated It: Chapter Two (2019) in Movies
Sep 7, 2019
Hader steals the film
The "secret sauce" of the first chapter of IT (based on the horror novel by Stephen King) was NOT the gore or scares that were thrown at the audience, it was the characters and the performances that made that first film work. The young members of the "Loser's Club" - and especially the young actors populating these characters - created people that you wanted to root and cheer for throughout their ordeal with Pennywise the Clown and the bullies of Derry.
So...it should have been a "no-brainer" for Director Andy Muschietti and the filmmakers to repeat that pattern - it worked very, very well. But, somewhere along the way they forgot what made the first film good and Muschietti and new screenwriter Gary Dauberman decided to focus on the horror, gore and frights and let their talented group of adult actors inhabit the characters with little (maybe no) help from the screenplay.
And...the result is a "fine" film that wraps up the first film just "fine", but ultimately falls short of that first film and definitely falls short of what "could have been".
IT: CHAPTER TWO picks up 27 years later when Pennywise the Dancing Clown comes back (per his cycle) to terrorize the children of Derry once again. The Loser's Club from the first film band back together (per their pact at the end of the first film) to battle - and finally destroy - this dark threat.
The filmmakers pull a strong group of actors together to play the adult versions of the Loser's Club - headlined by Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY) as the adult Beverly Marsh and James McAvoy (Professor X in the recent run of X-MEN films) as the adult Bill Denborough. I find McAvoy to be (for the most part) a solid, if unspectacular, actor and he is true to from here. Solid, but unspectacular in a role that was written that way. Chastain, perhaps, is the biggest disappointment for me in this film as the young Beverly Marsh (as portrayed by Sophia Lillis) was the highlight of the first film but here this character is...bland and somewhat boring. I don't fault Chastain (an actress that I usually enjoy very, very much), I blame the screenplay which saddles these two characters with an underwritten "love triangle" with the adult Ben Hascombe (Jay Ryan - somewhat of a newcomer, who has smoldering good looks, but not much else going for him). It was rumored that Chris Pratt was circling this character (I would imagine he walked away when he saw the screenplay). That's too bad, for he might have brought some life to all 3 of these characters.
Faring better is the usually reliable Isiah Mustafa (TV's SHADOWHUNTERS) as the adult Mike Hanlon, the only one of the Loser's Club who stayed in Derry to keep a vigilant watch against Pennywise' return. He has a haunted air about him - certainly in keeping with the the past that only he remembers. And Andy Bean (SWAMP THING) has a nice couple of moments as the adult Stanley Uris.
The only truly interesting dynamic of the returning Loser's Club is the characters and love/hate relationship between the older Eddie Kaspbrak, the hypochondriac (played by James Ransome, TV's THE WIRE) and smart-mouth Richie Tolzier (inhabited by SNL vet Bill Hader). While Ransome's Eddie is quite a bit more interesting than he was as a youth (and that's no slight on Jack Dylan Grazer who played the younger Eddie, I just found Ransome's portrayal more nuanced and somewhat more interesting). But it is Hader who steals this film. His Richie is constantly using humor to cover his emotions building on the interesting characterization that Finn Wolfhard brought to the younger version and giving us more. Hader is a master comedian, so handles the comedy parts as deftly as you would think he would, but it is when the other emotions - fear, rage, love - come barreling out of him that Hader elevates this character (and the movie) to a higher level. I would be thrilled if Hader was nominated for an Oscar for this role - he is that good.
Also coming back are all of the "kids" from the first film to flesh out some scenes - and set up some other scenes/moments by the adults - they are a welcome addition and shine a spotlight at how weak - and underwritten - most of the adult characters are in this film.
Bill Skarsgard is seen quite a bit more as Pennywise - and that makes him less menacing and threatening (but still scary) and there are 2 fun cameos along the way by 2 prominent individuals, so that was fun.
There is a running gag throughout the film about author Bill Denborough (the surrogate for Stephen King) not being able to write a decent ending - a critique that King receives constantly - and they changed the ending of this film from the book. I am a big fan of the book, but would agree that the ending of the book was not that good, so was open to this trying a different way to end things...and...this new ending lands about as well as the original ending (oh well...).
But that's just a quibble, for by that time you've ridden with these characters for over 5 hours and while the first chapter is stronger than the first, the journey is good (enough) for an enjoyable (enough) time at the Cineplex.
Come for the Loser's Club and the scares - stay for Hader's Oscar worthy performance.
Letter Grade: B+
7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
So...it should have been a "no-brainer" for Director Andy Muschietti and the filmmakers to repeat that pattern - it worked very, very well. But, somewhere along the way they forgot what made the first film good and Muschietti and new screenwriter Gary Dauberman decided to focus on the horror, gore and frights and let their talented group of adult actors inhabit the characters with little (maybe no) help from the screenplay.
And...the result is a "fine" film that wraps up the first film just "fine", but ultimately falls short of that first film and definitely falls short of what "could have been".
IT: CHAPTER TWO picks up 27 years later when Pennywise the Dancing Clown comes back (per his cycle) to terrorize the children of Derry once again. The Loser's Club from the first film band back together (per their pact at the end of the first film) to battle - and finally destroy - this dark threat.
The filmmakers pull a strong group of actors together to play the adult versions of the Loser's Club - headlined by Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY) as the adult Beverly Marsh and James McAvoy (Professor X in the recent run of X-MEN films) as the adult Bill Denborough. I find McAvoy to be (for the most part) a solid, if unspectacular, actor and he is true to from here. Solid, but unspectacular in a role that was written that way. Chastain, perhaps, is the biggest disappointment for me in this film as the young Beverly Marsh (as portrayed by Sophia Lillis) was the highlight of the first film but here this character is...bland and somewhat boring. I don't fault Chastain (an actress that I usually enjoy very, very much), I blame the screenplay which saddles these two characters with an underwritten "love triangle" with the adult Ben Hascombe (Jay Ryan - somewhat of a newcomer, who has smoldering good looks, but not much else going for him). It was rumored that Chris Pratt was circling this character (I would imagine he walked away when he saw the screenplay). That's too bad, for he might have brought some life to all 3 of these characters.
Faring better is the usually reliable Isiah Mustafa (TV's SHADOWHUNTERS) as the adult Mike Hanlon, the only one of the Loser's Club who stayed in Derry to keep a vigilant watch against Pennywise' return. He has a haunted air about him - certainly in keeping with the the past that only he remembers. And Andy Bean (SWAMP THING) has a nice couple of moments as the adult Stanley Uris.
The only truly interesting dynamic of the returning Loser's Club is the characters and love/hate relationship between the older Eddie Kaspbrak, the hypochondriac (played by James Ransome, TV's THE WIRE) and smart-mouth Richie Tolzier (inhabited by SNL vet Bill Hader). While Ransome's Eddie is quite a bit more interesting than he was as a youth (and that's no slight on Jack Dylan Grazer who played the younger Eddie, I just found Ransome's portrayal more nuanced and somewhat more interesting). But it is Hader who steals this film. His Richie is constantly using humor to cover his emotions building on the interesting characterization that Finn Wolfhard brought to the younger version and giving us more. Hader is a master comedian, so handles the comedy parts as deftly as you would think he would, but it is when the other emotions - fear, rage, love - come barreling out of him that Hader elevates this character (and the movie) to a higher level. I would be thrilled if Hader was nominated for an Oscar for this role - he is that good.
Also coming back are all of the "kids" from the first film to flesh out some scenes - and set up some other scenes/moments by the adults - they are a welcome addition and shine a spotlight at how weak - and underwritten - most of the adult characters are in this film.
Bill Skarsgard is seen quite a bit more as Pennywise - and that makes him less menacing and threatening (but still scary) and there are 2 fun cameos along the way by 2 prominent individuals, so that was fun.
There is a running gag throughout the film about author Bill Denborough (the surrogate for Stephen King) not being able to write a decent ending - a critique that King receives constantly - and they changed the ending of this film from the book. I am a big fan of the book, but would agree that the ending of the book was not that good, so was open to this trying a different way to end things...and...this new ending lands about as well as the original ending (oh well...).
But that's just a quibble, for by that time you've ridden with these characters for over 5 hours and while the first chapter is stronger than the first, the journey is good (enough) for an enjoyable (enough) time at the Cineplex.
Come for the Loser's Club and the scares - stay for Hader's Oscar worthy performance.
Letter Grade: B+
7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Nights in Rodanthe in Books
Jan 25, 2019
Nights in Rodanthe
Nicholas Sparks is the romance genius. He is able to create stories of people falling in love, like no author I have read a book from yet. He puts so much emotion and feeling into the pages, that after one of his books, reading another romance seems boring.
Having read almost all of his books, I decided to finish all the ones I haven’t read, and when I suddenly encountered this one in the library, I told myself – ‘’Hey, why not?’’
The synopsis was intriguing, as all of his books are, but unlike the others, Nights in Rodanthe left me disappointed. With his books – this was the first time I ever felt like that. And that is why I need to mention this.
First of all, the story is very predictable. Too predictable – even. I knew what was going to happen from the very first chapters, and I was expecting at least a little bit of a plot twist, but nothing really happened.
Secondly, the romance was fake. The falling in love part? I didn’t see it. I just can’t imagine people falling in love in three days. I am sorry – but it is impossible. Crush, interest, lust, someone paying attention to you, and you feeling goosebumps – I can understand it all. But in three days, I can’t imagine anyone falling so deeply for one another, that you can’t look at another person ever again, and they are all you think about, all day.
Honestly – how well can you get to know a person in three days? Will you get to know the real person? When you’ve never seen them sad, angry, how they behave in company, how they behave when drunk, when upset, when they are doing daily chores, like going at work (note – this all happened while they were sort-of on vacation).
I can remember how many summers I have spent going on vacation for ten days, and thinking I was in love with someone. I am sure you have gone through the same.
So, knowing all this above, I just couldn’t feel for these people as I used to feel with many from Sparks’s characters in other books. And don’t judge me, that this would be the sole reason why I rate this book the way I do. After all, it’s a romance novel.
On the other side though – it is an emotional novel. If you, for a moment forget how fast this romance happened and how unreal it is, the story is going to deeply hurt your soul, and crush you into pieces. Fake romance or not, you are going to shed a few tears for sure.
To wrap this up – I didn’t like it. I am not into fake, impossible romance. But this book seems to be a hit or miss, so if you like Nicholas Sparks – I still encourage you to read it. You never know, it might be your favourite book from him so far.
Having read almost all of his books, I decided to finish all the ones I haven’t read, and when I suddenly encountered this one in the library, I told myself – ‘’Hey, why not?’’
The synopsis was intriguing, as all of his books are, but unlike the others, Nights in Rodanthe left me disappointed. With his books – this was the first time I ever felt like that. And that is why I need to mention this.
First of all, the story is very predictable. Too predictable – even. I knew what was going to happen from the very first chapters, and I was expecting at least a little bit of a plot twist, but nothing really happened.
Secondly, the romance was fake. The falling in love part? I didn’t see it. I just can’t imagine people falling in love in three days. I am sorry – but it is impossible. Crush, interest, lust, someone paying attention to you, and you feeling goosebumps – I can understand it all. But in three days, I can’t imagine anyone falling so deeply for one another, that you can’t look at another person ever again, and they are all you think about, all day.
Honestly – how well can you get to know a person in three days? Will you get to know the real person? When you’ve never seen them sad, angry, how they behave in company, how they behave when drunk, when upset, when they are doing daily chores, like going at work (note – this all happened while they were sort-of on vacation).
I can remember how many summers I have spent going on vacation for ten days, and thinking I was in love with someone. I am sure you have gone through the same.
So, knowing all this above, I just couldn’t feel for these people as I used to feel with many from Sparks’s characters in other books. And don’t judge me, that this would be the sole reason why I rate this book the way I do. After all, it’s a romance novel.
On the other side though – it is an emotional novel. If you, for a moment forget how fast this romance happened and how unreal it is, the story is going to deeply hurt your soul, and crush you into pieces. Fake romance or not, you are going to shed a few tears for sure.
To wrap this up – I didn’t like it. I am not into fake, impossible romance. But this book seems to be a hit or miss, so if you like Nicholas Sparks – I still encourage you to read it. You never know, it might be your favourite book from him so far.