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Shadows of Nightshade (The Garden of Eternal Flowers, #1)
Shadows of Nightshade (The Garden of Eternal Flowers, #1)
Lyla Oweds | 2023 | Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
8
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hooked from start to finish

Lyla Oweds has managed to hook me with this rewriting of her series The Grimm Cases. I'm loving Bianca's character, she's an awesome mix of contradictions and so lovely at the same time. It was a pleasure starting to get to know Bianca and learning about who she is, what she's capable of and seeing her slowing begin blossom into her true self. Having to wait for book two is the second hardest thing for me.....after reaching the end of this one!!

I'm so happy I was given the opportunity to review this and I can't wait to get my mitts on the next book in the series! So many things are still to come to light for Bianca and for her new friends. Intriguing and gripping from the first page, love it!
  
Sleeping Beauties
Sleeping Beauties
Stephen King, Owen King | 2017 | Horror, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.6 (26 Ratings)
Book Rating
Gripping read
This is a very lengthy epic read, but at least it's a very good one.

The plot itself is an intriguing one, and very similar to stories Stephen has written in the past (The Stand, Under the Dome etc). I always love these stories and the fact that they're told from the perspective of multiple characters, and Sleeping Beauties really works like this. I could barely put the book and couldn't wait to get it finished. There are a lot of themes running through this that are very similar to King's other stories and as a King fan, I loved it.


The ending itself was maybe slightly disappointing, it seems to have been wrapped up very quickly despite having spent 600+ pages leading up to it. In short, it's a very enthralling read, even if it isn't quite up the standards of King's usual epic novels.
  
13 Reasons Why  - Season 1
13 Reasons Why - Season 1
2017 | Drama
The series was created with close attention to the book it was based off of, this is always important to me. The casting was spot on and it was gripping and emotional from the first episode. (1 more)
This series is realistic in the way that it portrays teenage lives (I work in a high school and it's all about he said/she said and who is sleeping with who), but it also shows the negative impacts of people's actions (in the most extreme sense).
A lot if people are saying that the depiction of Hannah is not realistic, but I can't comment on that because I have never known someone who was suicidal. People are also worried about teenagers getting the wrong idea about suicide (that it is glorified). (1 more)
Some parents are concerned that the series (and book) deal with situations that are too sensitive for certain children.
  
The Limehouse Golem (2016)
The Limehouse Golem (2016)
2016 | Horror, International, Mystery
Fantastic Victorian thriller
If you go in wanting to be blindsided about who did it then you're going to be disappointed, it's pretty obvious straight away who the Limehouse Golem is. Other than that this is a gripping film exploring the dregs of society in Victorian London as two cases come together for Scotland Yard's John Kildare (Bill Nighy) and George Flood (Daniel Mays). The story is constantly bubbling beneath the surface and as it rushes towards its conclusion the violence and gore gets more and more graphic, a lot of it doesn't add anything to the story but the dramatics of it does put the state of mind of the murderer into context.

Olivia Cooke, who plays Lizzie Cree a woman on trial for the murder of her husband, is fantastic in the role and has really put on display how good an actress she is.
  
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Joe (148 KP) rated Save Me in TV

Mar 23, 2018 (Updated Mar 23, 2018)  
Save Me
Save Me
2018 | Crime, Drama
8
8.0 (13 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Gripping episodes (2 more)
Solid cast
Gritty Brit drama
Only 6 episodes (1 more)
Not the ending I was hoping for
Knew I would be hooked when I saw "From the makers of Line Of Duty"
Contains spoilers, click to show
I like how the show addresses an important fact that in reality it's very easy these days for people to influence others with the use of the internet/social media.

When I saw the trailer for this series I thought it was just going to be another typical kidnap style show but I like the fact that Lennie James' character is actually arrested on suspicion of kidnapping his own daughter who he hasn't seen in over 10 years, and eventually becomes the character who does the most to try and find his daughter.

The ending was not what I was expecting and could probably have been worked differently but I appreciate they have set it up for another series.
  
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Elli H Burton (1288 KP) rated Bodyguard in TV

Jun 17, 2019  
Bodyguard
Bodyguard
2018 | Drama, Thriller
Story is gripping (0 more)
Can be quite boring at times (0 more)
Sloooowly good.
As a Game of Thrones fan, obviously I had to see this as it's Richard Madden. The series starts off so tense I couldn't look away, then when that particular event ends, it can get quite long winded until the next good bit. Even though the plot is good, it feels it's stretched at times, like the scenes could be taken out and make no difference.
The twists towards the end, I was on the edge of my seat. I was getting so angry, annoyed, frustrated and nearly screaming at the TV. In my opinion only good writing can get me so animated so that's a big tick.
As you can see, I've tried my hardest not to include spoilers, if you're looking for something on Netflix on a chilled evening, give this a go, see how you like it.
  
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David McK (3562 KP) rated Shieldwall in Books

Jan 30, 2019  
S
Shieldwall
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was actually one of those novels that came up under the 'frequently bought with...' sections in Amazon, although at the time I did not purchase it there. Rather, I picked it up a short while later in my local Bargain Books, for something like £2. I was hoping to enjoy it, as I (generally) do like this type of fiction and as some of the critics quotations on the back of the book were good, but I have to say: I think that they (and, in particular, Kate Saunders from The Times who calls it 'exciting, gripping and imaginative') must have been reading a different novel from me - I found this, truth be told, to actually be a bit of a chore to read.

Doubt I'll be picking up the sequels (this is, apparently, the first in a planned trilogy), even for £2!
  
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Dean (6927 KP) rated The Outsider in TV

Mar 9, 2020  
The Outsider
The Outsider
2020 | Drama, Thriller
Typical Stephen King (1 more)
Great look to the show
Gripping Storyline
I decided to give this a go as it's based on a Stephen King novel. From the first episode you will be hooked. A truly terrible murder has been committed and the suspect is seen by many witnesses. It seems an open and shut case apart from the fact the suspect is also seen 60 miles away at the time.
I really enjoyed this, one of the best TV shows I've seen in a while. In many ways the look, feel and the way it unravels reminded me of @True Detective as the police and investigators try to make reason of a complex case. But it could be something they couldn't possibly have imagined.
If you like a typical Stephen King story that you know will be weird and wonderful start watching this!
  
Spellbound (Magic in Manhattan #1)
Spellbound (Magic in Manhattan #1)
Allie Therin | 2019 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Spellbound (Magic in Manhattan #1) by Allie Therin
SPELLBOUND is the first book in the Magic in Manhattan series, and I seriously can't wait for book two!

Set in the 1920's, you get a front seat to all that involves--Speakeasy's, prohibition, mobsters, Germans. It's all here, and gives you an insight into what life might have been like.

Rory and Arthur make for a perfect couple! I loved Rory's sass and his spitting alley cat fight. Arthur is the big softie with an even bigger heart, who just wants to help.

With a great cast of characters, this story was gripping from the very start. The pacing is smooth, there were no plot holes I fell through, and the world building is outstanding.

With humour, sass, peril, and betrayal, this book had it all for me. Highly recommended, and when is book two coming out? Absolutely brilliant.