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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Merciless in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-merciless-by-danielle-vega
<b><i>Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned.</b></i>
Well, well, well, what can I say? This thoroughly disappointed me, after giving it some more thought, Ive taken this down to 2 stars.
So we have 3 beautiful and popular God-fearing girls who adopt the new girl into their secretive little gang and warn her against demon-possessed Brooklyn. To cure Brooklyn of her devilish ways they decide to kidnap her, stick her in a basement and torture her, or exorcise her Sound like Im giving too much away? Well yes, I probably am, but the blurb tells you the exact same thing, making the whole suspense element of this book completely useless and a waste of the author's time. <b>Dont try to keep us on our toes when youve already told us whats going to happen.</b>
Due to this being a novel aimed at Young Adult readers, the language, for me, felt simple and lack lustre. I can only read so much before it becomes laughable for me, and laughable it became. All the characters speech was so unrealistic and straightforward it was almost impossible to believe anyone would actually talk like that. This unrealistic speech really made it difficult to connect to any of the characters on a deeper level so I had no empathy for any of them.
The plot, overall, is just a little bit completely ridiculous and nonsensical. The blandness of the characters, scenes and speech make the whole thing feel like a pretty demented, but dumb dream. <spoiler>If Brooklyn had just been evil in a normal teenage girl way and didnt rip out Rileys fucking heart, maybe it would have been a better book</spoiler> I didnt find myself shocked, scared or creeped out at any point in the entire book because it was all so juvenile and cheesy. The reasons the girls did what they did was childish and cringy and it just wouldnt happen in the way Vega wrote it down. And lets not get me started on all the loose ends...
Anyone up for reading one of the most predictable endings ever? My God, what an unexciting end to a pretty unexciting novel - at least it was consistent.
I did read this over the period of just one day, so it had me wanting to finish it, but not for any of the right reasons. I wasnt reading it quickly because I wanted to know what was going to happen next, I was reading it quickly because it was getting stupider and stupider and I wanted to get it over and done with. Do I want to put myself through reading the second book in the series? I dont know Ill give it some time first.
<b><i>Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned.</b></i>
Well, well, well, what can I say? This thoroughly disappointed me, after giving it some more thought, Ive taken this down to 2 stars.
So we have 3 beautiful and popular God-fearing girls who adopt the new girl into their secretive little gang and warn her against demon-possessed Brooklyn. To cure Brooklyn of her devilish ways they decide to kidnap her, stick her in a basement and torture her, or exorcise her Sound like Im giving too much away? Well yes, I probably am, but the blurb tells you the exact same thing, making the whole suspense element of this book completely useless and a waste of the author's time. <b>Dont try to keep us on our toes when youve already told us whats going to happen.</b>
Due to this being a novel aimed at Young Adult readers, the language, for me, felt simple and lack lustre. I can only read so much before it becomes laughable for me, and laughable it became. All the characters speech was so unrealistic and straightforward it was almost impossible to believe anyone would actually talk like that. This unrealistic speech really made it difficult to connect to any of the characters on a deeper level so I had no empathy for any of them.
The plot, overall, is just a little bit completely ridiculous and nonsensical. The blandness of the characters, scenes and speech make the whole thing feel like a pretty demented, but dumb dream. <spoiler>If Brooklyn had just been evil in a normal teenage girl way and didnt rip out Rileys fucking heart, maybe it would have been a better book</spoiler> I didnt find myself shocked, scared or creeped out at any point in the entire book because it was all so juvenile and cheesy. The reasons the girls did what they did was childish and cringy and it just wouldnt happen in the way Vega wrote it down. And lets not get me started on all the loose ends...
Anyone up for reading one of the most predictable endings ever? My God, what an unexciting end to a pretty unexciting novel - at least it was consistent.
I did read this over the period of just one day, so it had me wanting to finish it, but not for any of the right reasons. I wasnt reading it quickly because I wanted to know what was going to happen next, I was reading it quickly because it was getting stupider and stupider and I wanted to get it over and done with. Do I want to put myself through reading the second book in the series? I dont know Ill give it some time first.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Boys that Bite (Blood Coven Vampire, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
As far as young adult novels go, this one lacked all the teenage drama and angst that most do. Very little action happened while Sunny, our narrator, was pumping us information about her, her family and life, and what she learned over the course of the novel. I liked that the plot was so simple. There was no world that needed to be saved except for Sunnys (own little high school world). Although I found it awkward at BEST that a hundreds (maybe thousands) of years old vampire fell in love with a teenage girl in a matter of day.
Other than that, it was an overall enjoyable story. It was nothing spectacular and groundbreaking, and I am no hurry to read the rest of the series. But I am interested enough to read it eventually. I actually really enjoyed Sunny as a narrator. She was funny and sounded like a teenager, with a multitude of asides that actually didnt take away from the story itself, regardless of how long winded they were.
At the same time, I wanted to punch her sister Rayne. Rayne was so stereotypical and cliche, but I could imagine her perfectly and have people exactly like it, making my dislike of her all that more real. I dont think it helped that everyone but Magnus seemed to be bemoaning their situation (whiny ungrateful children).
The best part about the novel? The detail that Mancusi put into her vampire race and culture. I thought it was well thought out and unique. I wish there could have been vampire interaction that just Magnus and Lucifent, but I suppose that will have to wait for the other novels in the series.
Other than that, it was an overall enjoyable story. It was nothing spectacular and groundbreaking, and I am no hurry to read the rest of the series. But I am interested enough to read it eventually. I actually really enjoyed Sunny as a narrator. She was funny and sounded like a teenager, with a multitude of asides that actually didnt take away from the story itself, regardless of how long winded they were.
At the same time, I wanted to punch her sister Rayne. Rayne was so stereotypical and cliche, but I could imagine her perfectly and have people exactly like it, making my dislike of her all that more real. I dont think it helped that everyone but Magnus seemed to be bemoaning their situation (whiny ungrateful children).
The best part about the novel? The detail that Mancusi put into her vampire race and culture. I thought it was well thought out and unique. I wish there could have been vampire interaction that just Magnus and Lucifent, but I suppose that will have to wait for the other novels in the series.
An Age of Risk: Politics and Economy in Early Modern Britain
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In An Age of Risk, Emily Nacol shows that risk, now treated as a permanent feature of our lives, did...
The Chickamauga Campaign - Glory or the Grave: The Breakthrough, the Union Collapse, and the Defense of Horseshoe Ridge, September 20, 1863
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Now in paperback, Glory or the Grave: The Breakthrough, the Union Collapse, and the Defense of...
The Spectre of Alexander Wolf
Bryan Karetnyk, Gaito Gazdanov and Julien Pacaud
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A superb early postmodern classic by one of Nabokov's fellow emigre writers, rediscovered after more...
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
I found Horror Noire, a documentary that focuses on the role and impact of black creators and actors within horror cinema, to be an incredibly insightful watch.
It's covers a wide range of media, from 40s originals like I Walked with a Zombie, all the way up to present day entries like Us, and everything in between. My only criticism stems from this actually - with so many movies to cover, the pacing moves quite quickly, and results in a fairly short feature - I could have happily watched a few more hours!
The documentary features interviews with some genre icons such as Tony Todd, Keith David, Ernest R. Dickerson, Jordan Peele, Rachel True, Tananarive Due, just to name a few!
Listening to them talk about this subject which such fondness is wholesome, but not always comfortable - whereas Horror Noire is of course a celebration of black horror, none of the cast shy away from talking about the difficulties faced by the black community in film, including how they are portrayed, especially in earlier decades.
In 2020, these issues ring truer than ever.
As a white male, the biggest thing I've learned through recent events is that it's not enough to be not racist, - it's important and essential to be actively anti-racist. As a fan of horror for a lot of my life, I, perhaps ignorantly, haven't really attributed these issues to the genre before, so it's refreshing for me to learn about these kind of things and take them on board.
Horror Noire is a truly interesting watch, and has given me some films to add to my watchlist (Ganja & Hess is one I'll be checking out pretty soon). It's eye opening, and certainly deserves attention.
It's covers a wide range of media, from 40s originals like I Walked with a Zombie, all the way up to present day entries like Us, and everything in between. My only criticism stems from this actually - with so many movies to cover, the pacing moves quite quickly, and results in a fairly short feature - I could have happily watched a few more hours!
The documentary features interviews with some genre icons such as Tony Todd, Keith David, Ernest R. Dickerson, Jordan Peele, Rachel True, Tananarive Due, just to name a few!
Listening to them talk about this subject which such fondness is wholesome, but not always comfortable - whereas Horror Noire is of course a celebration of black horror, none of the cast shy away from talking about the difficulties faced by the black community in film, including how they are portrayed, especially in earlier decades.
In 2020, these issues ring truer than ever.
As a white male, the biggest thing I've learned through recent events is that it's not enough to be not racist, - it's important and essential to be actively anti-racist. As a fan of horror for a lot of my life, I, perhaps ignorantly, haven't really attributed these issues to the genre before, so it's refreshing for me to learn about these kind of things and take them on board.
Horror Noire is a truly interesting watch, and has given me some films to add to my watchlist (Ganja & Hess is one I'll be checking out pretty soon). It's eye opening, and certainly deserves attention.
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Room (2015) in Movies
Oct 26, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
A 5 year old Jack wakes up on his birthday next to his mum. It is clear that their life isn't great as they are in a dark and dingey room which includes a bed, bath, sink, oven and TV. Jack's own bed is the bottom of a closet.
It is soon evident that they must be held captive, as every night when Jack is in bed some guy comes in and has sex with his mum, but also brings her and Jack items. Jack and his mum also have a daily ritual of screaming through the vents to the outside world, which as far as Jack is concerned is to get the attention of aliens.
Jack's mum soon comes to the conclusion that they can't live like that forever and tries to tell Jack that there is more to the world than room but he refuses to believe her, after a day of fending for himself though he begins to believe her and mum can finally put her plan to escape into action with Jack's help.
I suppose you're wondering how on earth a 5 year old can help with an escape plan? You'll have to watch and see, but it's very interesting how it unfolds. It's also interesting watching the aftermath and despite the movie being called room, it doesn't all take place in room, which I initially thought it would.
Jack does come across as quite obnoxious but given the circumstances it's understandable, and I liked that it showed how a child probably would react in this situation rather than sugar coat it like many movies would do. The child actor gives a very good performance as does the mother. It's probably not a movie I would watch again but entertaining enough to keep me interested for a one time watch.
It is soon evident that they must be held captive, as every night when Jack is in bed some guy comes in and has sex with his mum, but also brings her and Jack items. Jack and his mum also have a daily ritual of screaming through the vents to the outside world, which as far as Jack is concerned is to get the attention of aliens.
Jack's mum soon comes to the conclusion that they can't live like that forever and tries to tell Jack that there is more to the world than room but he refuses to believe her, after a day of fending for himself though he begins to believe her and mum can finally put her plan to escape into action with Jack's help.
I suppose you're wondering how on earth a 5 year old can help with an escape plan? You'll have to watch and see, but it's very interesting how it unfolds. It's also interesting watching the aftermath and despite the movie being called room, it doesn't all take place in room, which I initially thought it would.
Jack does come across as quite obnoxious but given the circumstances it's understandable, and I liked that it showed how a child probably would react in this situation rather than sugar coat it like many movies would do. The child actor gives a very good performance as does the mother. It's probably not a movie I would watch again but entertaining enough to keep me interested for a one time watch.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Betwixt (Betwixt and Between #1) in Books
Jan 24, 2021
14 of 250
Kindle
Betwixt (Bitwixt&Between book 1)
By Darynda Jones
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Divorced, desperate, and destitute, former restaurateur Defiance Dayne finds out she has been bequeathed a house by a complete stranger. She is surprised, to say the least, and her curiosity gets the better of her. She leaves her beloved Phoenix and heads to one of the most infamous towns in America: Salem, Massachusetts.
She’s only there to find out why a woman she’s never met would leave her a house. A veritable castle that has seen better days. She couldn’t possibly accept it, but the lawyer assigned to the case practically begs her to take it off her hands, mostly because she’s scared of it. The house. The inanimate structure that, as far as Dephne can tell, has never hurt a fly.
Though it does come with some baggage. A pesky neighbor who wants her gone. A scruffy cat who’s a bit of a jerk. And a handyman bathed in ink who could moonlight as a supermodel for GQ.
She decides to give it three days, and not because of the model. She feels at home in Salem. Safe. But even that comes to a screeching halt when people begin knocking on her door day and night, begging for her help to locate their lost objects.
Come to find out, they think she’s a witch. And after a few mysterious mishaps, Dephne is beginning to wonder if they’re right.
It wasn’t a bad book it was very middle of the road compared to her other books. It’s got a decent story some good characters hoping we see the ex get his comeuppance a little more! I do love her little quotes at the start of each chapter it wouldn’t be a Darynda book without them!
Kindle
Betwixt (Bitwixt&Between book 1)
By Darynda Jones
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Divorced, desperate, and destitute, former restaurateur Defiance Dayne finds out she has been bequeathed a house by a complete stranger. She is surprised, to say the least, and her curiosity gets the better of her. She leaves her beloved Phoenix and heads to one of the most infamous towns in America: Salem, Massachusetts.
She’s only there to find out why a woman she’s never met would leave her a house. A veritable castle that has seen better days. She couldn’t possibly accept it, but the lawyer assigned to the case practically begs her to take it off her hands, mostly because she’s scared of it. The house. The inanimate structure that, as far as Dephne can tell, has never hurt a fly.
Though it does come with some baggage. A pesky neighbor who wants her gone. A scruffy cat who’s a bit of a jerk. And a handyman bathed in ink who could moonlight as a supermodel for GQ.
She decides to give it three days, and not because of the model. She feels at home in Salem. Safe. But even that comes to a screeching halt when people begin knocking on her door day and night, begging for her help to locate their lost objects.
Come to find out, they think she’s a witch. And after a few mysterious mishaps, Dephne is beginning to wonder if they’re right.
It wasn’t a bad book it was very middle of the road compared to her other books. It’s got a decent story some good characters hoping we see the ex get his comeuppance a little more! I do love her little quotes at the start of each chapter it wouldn’t be a Darynda book without them!
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