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The Umbrella Academy - Season 2
The Umbrella Academy - Season 2
2020 | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
What a perfect carry on!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Right, first off let me just say season 1 was brilliant and they couldn't have followed up any better with season 2.

Acting was spot on from every single actor/actress, everyone played their rolls amazingly. This was the perfect carry on with plenty of action, lots of twists and turns and a well thought out ending.

Only one scene bothered me, there is a scene with their dad, he confronted a room full of men by taking off his skin and underneath he was an alien, I mean i get he is curious about the dark side of the moon, but an alien? At what point does this have anything to do with the program. Unless there will be an ending of sorts where you find out he created these beings with gifts in some weird alien way....... We will see, can not wait for season 3!
  
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Sarah (7798 KP) Aug 11, 2020

I'm very intrigued about that too. They showed it then never referred to it again - got to be something weird going on!

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Jackjack (877 KP) Aug 12, 2020

100% it did annoy me that they never mentioned it before then threw it in there for one random short scene šŸ¤¦ā€ā™‚ļøšŸ˜‚ we will see......

Traitor's Moon (Gladstone Shifters #2)
Traitor's Moon (Gladstone Shifters #2)
Alexander Elliott | 2019 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
TRAITOR'S MOON is the second book in the Gladstone Shifters series and it does follow on from book one so I definitely recommend you read that book just to get the full picture.

Ben and Evan are still trying to make their Pack a safe home but Wilburn still has other plans. Jack and William are 'on tour' trying to bring the reality of True Elders to other packs.

There is so much intrigue in this book, making it fast-paced and full of action without it being rushed. As a reader, you daren't blink in case you miss anything. And yet, there is still time for romance, for love, for hope. And not just for MM couples either. Personally, I think this is one of the best parts of these books - instead of just one romance, you get a couple or more!

The world-building is excellent and you also get the political structure and problems too. Although there are a host of characters, each one is fully fleshed out, making every single one of them completely believable.

This is a fantastic addition to the series and I look forward to carrying on with their stories. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Jonah!

* 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!
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Clover Moon in Books

May 24, 2017  
Clover Moon
Clover Moon
Jacqueline Wilson, Nick Sharratt | 2016 | Children
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Victorian Story
This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Although now in her seventies, the Nationā€™s favourite childrenā€™s author, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, is continuing to write after surpassing one hundred novels. Many children (mostly girls) grow up reading her stories, myself being amongst that number. Even my sister, who hated reading, purchased a number of her books. It has been well over a decade since I last read a Jacqueline Wilson, however after seeing her latest novel was available for review, I thought I would give it a go.

Clover Moon is set in poverty-stricken Victorian London, where eleven-year-old Clover, the eldest of six siblings, lives with her father and stepmother. Like many stepmotherā€™s in childrenā€™s literature, Cloverā€™s treats her like a slave ā€“ a position she is destined to stay in unless she gets a job in a factory. With no school to attend, Clover becomes a second mother to her younger brotherā€™s and sisters, yet nothing can prepare her for the devastating impact a wave of Scarlet Fever brings. With only an old doll maker who cares about her, Clover is desperate to get out of her situation; so after a chance meeting with an artist who tells her about a home for destitute girls, Clover decides to seek out the help and life she deserves.

Although only eleven, Clover has the responsibilities of someone of a more mature age. It is hard to imagine sending a child out to work, or trusting them to look after a newborn baby. Children reading this book will learn the difference between their lives and the life of a child in the 1800s.

As always, Jacqueline Wilson gives her main character a happy ending ā€“ although in this instance it still remains a bit uncertain. Despite the horrible circumstances, Wilson manages to pump her story full of enthusiastic optimism, thus portraying Clover as a strong, determined heroine.

Most of Jacqueline Wilsonā€™s earlier books were set in the present day; there were still unhappy situations, but the settings were based on ideas the reader would be familiar with. In the case of Clover Moon, unless children have been educated about the poor in Victorian England, it is unlikely that they will be able to fully comprehend Cloverā€™s predicament. As a result, the book is more suitable for young teenagers than the usual target audience of eight to twelve year olds.

Comparing my memories of Jacqueline Wilson books I read as a child with her latest publication, Clover Moon felt like something different; a new direction. As I have not read any of her work between the early 2000s and now, I am not sure when this change occurred, but it feels as though Wilson is delving deeper into her main characterā€™s thoughts and feelings, and creating a more insightful storyline. On the other hand, I may simply be more intuitive as an adult than I was a child.

Although Clover Moon did not turn out to be the style of writing I was expecting I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, this difference made it possible to distance myself from the authorā€™s renown, and treat it as an individual story. Clover is an admirable character who, through her narration, provides both an entertaining story and brief historical education. Fans of Jacqueline Wilson will not be disappointed with this latest publication; and if you are a new reader, Clover Moon is a great place to start.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Clover Moon in Books

Dec 7, 2018  
Clover Moon
Clover Moon
Jacqueline Wilson, Nick Sharratt | 2016 | Children
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

Although now in her seventies, the Nationā€™s favourite childrenā€™s author, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, is continuing to write after surpassing one hundred novels. Many children (mostly girls) grow up reading her stories, myself being amongst that number. Even my sister, who hated reading, purchased a number of her books. It has been well over a decade since I last read a Jacqueline Wilson, however after seeing her latest novel was available for review, I thought I would give it a go.

<i>Clover Moon</i> is set in poverty-stricken Victorian London, where eleven-year-old Clover, the eldest of six siblings, lives with her father and stepmother. Like many stepmotherā€™s in childrenā€™s literature, Cloverā€™s treats her like a slave ā€“ a position she is destined to stay in unless she gets a job in a factory. With no school to attend, Clover becomes a second mother to her younger brotherā€™s and sisters, yet nothing can prepare her for the devastating impact a wave of Scarlet Fever brings. With only an old doll maker who cares about her, Clover is desperate to get out of her situation; so after a chance meeting with an artist who tells her about a home for destitute girls, Clover decides to seek out the help and life she deserves.

Although only eleven, Clover has the responsibilities of someone of a more mature age. It is hard to imagine sending a child out to work, or trusting them to look after a newborn baby. Children reading this book will learn the difference between their lives and the life of a child in the 1800s.

As always, Jacqueline Wilson gives her main character a happy ending ā€“ although in this instance it still remains a bit uncertain. Despite the horrible circumstances, Wilson manages to pump her story full of enthusiastic optimism, thus portraying Clover as a strong, determined heroine.

Most of Jacqueline Wilsonā€™s earlier books were set in the present day; there were still unhappy situations, but the settings were based on ideas the reader would be familiar with. In the case of <i>Clover Moon</i>, unless children have been educated about the poor in Victorian England, it is unlikely that they will be able to fully comprehend Cloverā€™s predicament. As a result, the book is more suitable for young teenagers than the usual target audience of eight to twelve year olds.

Comparing my memories of Jacqueline Wilson books I read as a child with her latest publication, <i>Clover Moon</i> felt like something different; a new direction. As I have not read any of her work between the early 2000s and now, I am not sure when this change occurred, but it feels as though Wilson is delving deeper into her main characterā€™s thoughts and feelings, and creating a more insightful storyline. On the other hand, I may simply be more intuitive as an adult than I was a child.

Although <i>Clover Moon</i> did not turn out to be the style of writing I was expecting I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, this difference made it possible to distance myself from the authorā€™s renown, and treat it as an individual story. Clover is an admirable character who, through her narration, provides both an entertaining story and brief historical education. Fans of Jacqueline Wilson will not be disappointed with this latest publication; and if you are a new reader, <i>Clover Moon</i> is a great place to start.
  
<b>3.5 stars

A carnival full of odd workers comes to Sunnydale, Buffy's friends are preoccupied dating a couple of these workers, and a pack of strange coyotes are running amok in the streets. Buffy suspects all of these events are related but has no proof. What's a slayer to do?</b>

Set in the summer between the first and second seasons of <b>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</b>, <b><u>Coyote Moon</u></b> is a short and concise story that conveys the spirit of the show without too many noticeable inaccuracies. The major anachronism was Buffy staying in Sunnydale for the summer, which didn't happen during this time. Since this was written before any of the major angst occurred in the series, this has a lighter feel that carries through to the end. The author manages to get the characters and dialogue right via few lines and passages. The only misstep I caught was Giles' wrong definition of a blue moon -- I don't believe that's something he wouldn't have known. Otherwise everyone (Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles) rings true to their early incarnations, though more as a basic outline of their characters than anything too substantial. At first the plot reminded me slightly of the episode "The Pack," though this had to do with coyotes instead of hyenas, but once I got into it the story was completely different. The pace was brisk, and though the Big Bad's defeat was over in the blink of an eye, it was a solid read. I can easily see this fitting right in on screen and it's a good companion piece to read in between re-watching episodes.
  
Void Moon
Void Moon
Michael Connelly | 2009 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Six years ago, Cassie Blackā€™s life went wrong when a casino hotel robbery went very wrong. Sheā€™s served time in prison and is now ten months into serving parole when she finds herself needing cash, so she takes on one last job, which takes her back to the casino where the job went wrong six years before. Is this job the windfall it appears to be or will it go wrong as well?

Iā€™m being rather vague in my teaser because, like most Michael Connelly books, this is one you need to experience for yourself. I did find the beginning a little slow and technical, but when it took off, it grabbed me and I was along for the ride. This was despite the fact that I didnā€™t love any of the major characters. I canā€™t find myself rooting for a criminal, so it wasnā€™t until we met some characters even worse than Cassie that I found myself rooting for her.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-void-moon-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
100% Wolf (2020)
100% Wolf (2020)
2020 | Family
9
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
100% Wolf is a children's animated movie about werewolves, in particular, Freddy Lupin the soon to be leader of his pack.
The pack spend their full moon's rescuing people from fires and other disasters but still hiding from the public at large and especially from the local ice cream sales man who is convinced he has proof that the werewolves exist. By day the pack is trying to rid the city of dogs, who they see as inferior
on the night he is meant to take his roll as pack leader, Freddy steps into the moon light expecting to be transformed into a large, savage wolf but, instead emerges as a small poodle.
100% Wolf is about acceptance, Freddy has to accept that he is different, both from what he expected and from what his pack wants. He also needs to accept help from the local dog's who he has been taught to hate.
100% Wolf is a surprisingly good film, funny, with just the right amount of action and a good sound track. It's a bit predictable but only because it's a children's film.
  
Deadly Desire (Riley Jensen #7)
Deadly Desire (Riley Jensen #7)
Keri Arthur | 2011 | Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
Seduction that kills. Pleasure to die for. She just canā€™t resistā€¦

Guardian Riley Jenson always seems to face the worst villains. And this timeā€™s no different. For itā€™s no ordinary sorceress who can raise the dead to do her killing. But thatā€™s exactly what Riley expects to find at the end of a trail of female corpses usedā€”and discardedā€”in a bizarre ritual of evil. With pressure mounting to catch one fiend, another series of brutal slayings shocks the vampire world of her lover, Quinn. So the last thing Riley needs is the heat of the upcoming full moon bringing her werewolf hormones to a boilā€”or the reappearance of a sexy bounty hunter, the rogue wolf Kye Murphy.

Riley has threatened Murphy with arrest if he doesnā€™t back off the investigation, but itā€™s Riley who feels handcuffed by Kyeā€™s lupine charm. Torn between her vamp and wolf natures, between her love for Quinn and her hots for Kye, Riley knows sheā€™s courting danger and indulging the deadliest desires. For her hunt through the supernatural underworld will bring her face-to-face with what lurks in a darkness where even monsters fear to tread.

Keri Arthur is such a brilliant writer and this is one of my favourite series I just love Riley Jensen. This book did not disappoint it was full of suspense , action and sex!! I love the characters in this series and the way the books just flow. So Riley finally finds her soul mate in this one and I totally agree Kye is not suitable but I'm looking forward to seeing it all unravel! Poor Quinn šŸ˜¢
  
The Wolf Man (1941)
The Wolf Man (1941)
1941 | Horror
10
8.1 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A classic Universal Monster Movie (2 more)
Lon Chaney Jr
Claude Rains
Even a Man who is pure of heart....
Even a man who is pure of heart, and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms, and the Autumn moon is bright.

Heard that before in other werewolf movies, well this was it's origin. Created purely for the film, this poem even had some people believing it was an original folklore saying. If you have watched a handful of werewolf movies, then you will have noticed a lot of similarities;

- Silver bullets
- Wolfsbane
- Full Moon
- Not being able to retreat their acts from their loved ones
- Pentagrams
- Gypsies
- Gypsy Curses
- A Bite or scratch from the werewolf turns you

Some of these were originally created by the writers working on this film, and have become stereotypes that inspire many other werewolf films, TV Shows, Books, and Games etc.

The portrayal of Lawrence Talbot, by Lon Chaney Jr. is one that makes the classic Universal Monsters so special. Just like Frankenstein's Monster, the audiences of the 40's would have been frightened and horrified by these creatures, enough so that they wouldn't realise that they are in actual fact, suppose to sympathize with them, because when you watch the creatures being chased and hunted,the angry mobs fail to understand that these creatures never wanted this. Frankenstein's Monster never asked to be created, or to have the brain of a criminal mistakenly placed into his head instead of that of a civilized man. Larry Talbot never asked for the Wolf Man's curse, which he encountered whilst trying to save the life of a young female friend of his love interest.

With a great story and, at the time, revolutionary stop motion effects for the wolf man transformation, but of course the most important aspect, the beautifully crafted practical effects, the makeup that brings the creature to life, is incredible. My favourite of the classic Universal Monster Movies and one of my favourite movies of all time.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Mother! (2017) in Movies

Feb 10, 2018 (Updated Feb 10, 2018)  
Mother! (2017)
Mother! (2017)
2017 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em
Palpably insane fantasy psycho-horror from Darren Aronofsky that seems intentionally designed to alienate and repel mainstream audiences. The presence of Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem seems calculated to lure in innocent passersby for this unhinged tale of... of...

Well, look, Lawrence and Bardem live in a lovely house in the countryside; he is a noted poet, she is his wife, and to begin with all is well. Then mysterious strangers start appearing and dark events threaten to disrupt their idyll. Things get extreme. At points they get extremely extreme.

If this movie was your pet it would attack your furniture and howl at the moon, then fetch you your slippers with a 'who, me?' look on its face. If you're a stickler for things like naturalism and coherence, then it is probably not for you; but Aronofsky creates the fractured sense of living through an unfolding nightmare, with all the non-logic that suggests, rather well, and the stars are all on full power. It's still very nearly the proverbial movie with something to offend everyone, but you can't fault the technical expertise with which it has been made, or the director's success in realising his (highly peculiar) vision for the film.
  
Show all 6 comments.
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Joe Julians (221 KP) Feb 11, 2018

To be fair to them, it was a very difficult film to market. Not sure what else they could have done.

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Andy K (10821 KP) Feb 11, 2018

Yes, hard to say what it is about without giving it all away.