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Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Rules of Burken in Books
May 22, 2019
Twenty-four-year-old Charlotte Stahl would do anything for her older brother, Ian. After all, hed done everything for her growing up.He played Burken with hera hide-and-seek game they made up as kids.He comforted her when their mom deserted them. He raised her when their dad went to prison for murder. To Charlotte, Ian is the only reason shes still alivehes her rock. So when Ian asks her to play Burken in the isolated woods of Cadillac, Michigan, Charlotte feels she could use the nostalgia and agrees. Burkenits the one thing that never changes
...until Ian threatens to kill her in the middle of the game.
More than the rules have changed as Brother turns to Predator, Sister turns to Prey, and shes navigating the forests of Northern Michigan on foot with nothing but the clothesand a targeton her back.
If Charlotte wants to stay alive, she knows she has to untangle the web of her haunting past to find out where things went wrong, and at what point she lost sight of reality. With no other choice but to reopen old woundsand with Ian hot on her trailCharlotte learns that sometimes evil has to manifest in order for good to succeed. Which makes her wonder
Is Ian really a monster? Or her savior?
WOW!! This was a totally dark and twisted thriller that will keep you riveted until the very end.
This story was nothing that I expected.
I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading right from the start.
This book reveals in horrifying detail the unraveling of a seriously toxic family. Toxic for each other and those who come into contact with them.
The characters are intriguing and complicated. The plot is full of twists.
The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.
Highly Recommend!!!
Many Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for a surprisingly superb read!!!
...until Ian threatens to kill her in the middle of the game.
More than the rules have changed as Brother turns to Predator, Sister turns to Prey, and shes navigating the forests of Northern Michigan on foot with nothing but the clothesand a targeton her back.
If Charlotte wants to stay alive, she knows she has to untangle the web of her haunting past to find out where things went wrong, and at what point she lost sight of reality. With no other choice but to reopen old woundsand with Ian hot on her trailCharlotte learns that sometimes evil has to manifest in order for good to succeed. Which makes her wonder
Is Ian really a monster? Or her savior?
WOW!! This was a totally dark and twisted thriller that will keep you riveted until the very end.
This story was nothing that I expected.
I was literally on the edge of my seat while reading right from the start.
This book reveals in horrifying detail the unraveling of a seriously toxic family. Toxic for each other and those who come into contact with them.
The characters are intriguing and complicated. The plot is full of twists.
The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.
Highly Recommend!!!
Many Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for a surprisingly superb read!!!
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Cautious Maiden (The Everstone Chronicles, #4) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Where do I even begin? This quote pretty much sums up this book. "Truly, what a conundrum Vance Everstone was becoming." When I began The Everstone Chronicles I utterly despised Vance. However, his story should be an encouragement to us all, that through God's forgiveness and redemption ANYONE can change. Wow, just wow!
Violet Hawthorne has been raised to be a lady, a woman of upstanding morals, with a brother who is quite the opposite. Violet wants nothing more than to be free to live her own life unhindered by the past...or present...circumstances.
As Violet and Vance are (quite literally) thrown together, they begin to see each others weaknesses and strengths. Vance is such an encourager, but has difficulties opening his heart to Violet. Violet is wonderfully creative and has compassion and overflows with forgiveness. But she is timid and fearful of doing or saying the wrong thing, she severely lacks self confidence. As events progress she must decide the life that she wants to live.
This storyline is wonderfully creative and moving. Vance's need to protect Violet and his ever growing love for her is beyond romantic and sweet. Written in first person we only get to see things from Violet's perspective. Although we don't see much growth in her self confidence, we see her growth in her spiritual life. She comes to the realization that putting her trust in man will disappoint, but trusting in God is what she truly needs.
In conclusion, this entire series is moving and inspiring. The Everstone family has seen it's share of heartbreak and trials. But through it all, they have kept their eyes on the Lord and they have been brought closer together. Dawn Crandall has created a lovely series and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I received a free copy of The Cautious Maiden from Whitaker House. I was not required to write a review and this does not influence my review, positive or otherwise. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Violet Hawthorne has been raised to be a lady, a woman of upstanding morals, with a brother who is quite the opposite. Violet wants nothing more than to be free to live her own life unhindered by the past...or present...circumstances.
As Violet and Vance are (quite literally) thrown together, they begin to see each others weaknesses and strengths. Vance is such an encourager, but has difficulties opening his heart to Violet. Violet is wonderfully creative and has compassion and overflows with forgiveness. But she is timid and fearful of doing or saying the wrong thing, she severely lacks self confidence. As events progress she must decide the life that she wants to live.
This storyline is wonderfully creative and moving. Vance's need to protect Violet and his ever growing love for her is beyond romantic and sweet. Written in first person we only get to see things from Violet's perspective. Although we don't see much growth in her self confidence, we see her growth in her spiritual life. She comes to the realization that putting her trust in man will disappoint, but trusting in God is what she truly needs.
In conclusion, this entire series is moving and inspiring. The Everstone family has seen it's share of heartbreak and trials. But through it all, they have kept their eyes on the Lord and they have been brought closer together. Dawn Crandall has created a lovely series and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I received a free copy of The Cautious Maiden from Whitaker House. I was not required to write a review and this does not influence my review, positive or otherwise. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Tomb Raider (2018) in Movies
Oct 25, 2019 (Updated Nov 5, 2019)
Amazingly average, wholly unessecary
Here we have a reboot of a mildly popular film franchise, based on a video game that is a reboot of a hugely beloved game series.
To sum up Tomb Raider in brief - if you are a fan of the original games, and don't really like the direction the recent games have taken, there is probably nothing here that will interest you.
If you are a fan of the recent game series, then you are probably better off just playing those instead of watching the movie adaption.
The film itself isn't terrible by any means, it's just completely bland and forgettable.
The plot is a run of the mill treasure hunting escapade, which we have seen countless times before, and done much better, with irrelevant side plots that bog down an already boring plot.
The action is so so, with some nice stunt work scattered here and there.
Alicia Vikander seems bored herself - I think as a movie, Tomb Raider is (very slightly) more credible than than the early 2000 efforts, but I do think the character of Lara Croft benefits from Angelina Jolie's charm.
It's like the writers couldn't decide whether to adapt the inexperienced and fighting-to-survive Lara Croft from the reboot series, or the more confident, one-liner Lara Croft from the original series, resulting in a flat adaption of either one.
All of the other characters involved are just as flat, so much so that I genuinely can't remember any of their names, or even who played them, with the exception of Dominic West - that dude is just in everything.
The script doesn't help matters one bit, threatening to put you to sleep at any given moment, and riddled with unintentionally funny Hollywood rubbish.
In summary, Tomb Raider can join the ever growing festering pile of dissapointment that are video game movies. (Except you Detective Pikachu, we love you <3)
To sum up Tomb Raider in brief - if you are a fan of the original games, and don't really like the direction the recent games have taken, there is probably nothing here that will interest you.
If you are a fan of the recent game series, then you are probably better off just playing those instead of watching the movie adaption.
The film itself isn't terrible by any means, it's just completely bland and forgettable.
The plot is a run of the mill treasure hunting escapade, which we have seen countless times before, and done much better, with irrelevant side plots that bog down an already boring plot.
The action is so so, with some nice stunt work scattered here and there.
Alicia Vikander seems bored herself - I think as a movie, Tomb Raider is (very slightly) more credible than than the early 2000 efforts, but I do think the character of Lara Croft benefits from Angelina Jolie's charm.
It's like the writers couldn't decide whether to adapt the inexperienced and fighting-to-survive Lara Croft from the reboot series, or the more confident, one-liner Lara Croft from the original series, resulting in a flat adaption of either one.
All of the other characters involved are just as flat, so much so that I genuinely can't remember any of their names, or even who played them, with the exception of Dominic West - that dude is just in everything.
The script doesn't help matters one bit, threatening to put you to sleep at any given moment, and riddled with unintentionally funny Hollywood rubbish.
In summary, Tomb Raider can join the ever growing festering pile of dissapointment that are video game movies. (Except you Detective Pikachu, we love you <3)
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Lara Croft - Tomb Raider (2001) in Movies
Aug 11, 2019 (Updated Aug 14, 2019)
I remember very clearly going to see this in the cinema when it came out (I was but a starry eyed 11 year old full of hopes and dreams back then), and I absolutely loved it. It was loud, obnoxious, and it had Lara Croft in it (again - I was an 11 year old boy...)
I also grew up playing the original Tomb Raider trilogy, so this was an exciting event in my pre adolescent life.
As as I've gotten older, it has become apparent that I don't have a lot of love for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider after all. It's just another shoddy video game adaption that doesn't have a lot of meat to it.
It's a film firmly stuck in the early 00s, with leather jackets, shades, and cringey breakbeat dance music in the background (thanks a lot Matrix).
One thing that is a huge positive, and why it still deserves at least 4/10 from me is Angelina Jolie. The script is just awful, but she is the embodiment of the original Lara Croft. It's honestly like watching the original game hero come to life.
The rest of the cast are pretty so-so. An early appearance from Daniel Craig (with a super dodgy American accent) is largely forgettable.
Iain Glen plays a pretty vanilla villain (although I really find it hard to dislike good old Iain), and Lara's assistants (played by Noah Taylor and Chris Barrie) are mostly enjoyable comic relief.
The action scenes aren't too bad (apart from the aforementioned music choices), and it's good to see some actual Tomb Raiding, but unfortunately Jolie alone isn't enough to elevate Tomb Raider above the ever growing pile of underwhelming video game movies.
I would like to finish this review with an apology to my girlfriend (who is also on Smashbomb and who will read this) who absolutely f***ing loves these movies - please don't hate me!
I also grew up playing the original Tomb Raider trilogy, so this was an exciting event in my pre adolescent life.
As as I've gotten older, it has become apparent that I don't have a lot of love for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider after all. It's just another shoddy video game adaption that doesn't have a lot of meat to it.
It's a film firmly stuck in the early 00s, with leather jackets, shades, and cringey breakbeat dance music in the background (thanks a lot Matrix).
One thing that is a huge positive, and why it still deserves at least 4/10 from me is Angelina Jolie. The script is just awful, but she is the embodiment of the original Lara Croft. It's honestly like watching the original game hero come to life.
The rest of the cast are pretty so-so. An early appearance from Daniel Craig (with a super dodgy American accent) is largely forgettable.
Iain Glen plays a pretty vanilla villain (although I really find it hard to dislike good old Iain), and Lara's assistants (played by Noah Taylor and Chris Barrie) are mostly enjoyable comic relief.
The action scenes aren't too bad (apart from the aforementioned music choices), and it's good to see some actual Tomb Raiding, but unfortunately Jolie alone isn't enough to elevate Tomb Raider above the ever growing pile of underwhelming video game movies.
I would like to finish this review with an apology to my girlfriend (who is also on Smashbomb and who will read this) who absolutely f***ing loves these movies - please don't hate me!
Kaz (232 KP) rated The Girl In Between in Books
Nov 5, 2019
‘The Girl In Between’ was the first book I read for the ‘Disability Read-a-Thon’ in October and, because this was a free download, I didn’t have high expectations for this book at all. However, I was very pleasantly surprised.
This book’s main character Bryn has a sleeping syndrome, which means that she can suddenly sleep for weeks and months on end. This didn’t mean however, that she a poor defenseless girl, in fact she was the opposite. She was funny, sarcastic and a fully rounded teenager and I thought she was relatable and likeable.
This book wasn’t just about Disability but the book does cover some of the issues that, even though I don’t have the same condition as Bryn, I could relate to, when I was growing up. However, it was also a complex mix of real life, fantasy and Bryn’s condition, which was seamlessly and imaginatively, incorporated into the story.
There were a couple of times when I thought that this book would develop into a slushy teen romance, but thankfully, this just managed not to turn into this and any kind of romance was maturely and sensitively handled.
I found the pace of this to be excellent. In no part of the book did I feel the story dragged and I really wanted to know what would happen to the characters.
I think that the ending was really good and it resolved enough to feel satisfied at the end, but it left enough for me to want to read the rest of the series.
I will definitely be reading the rest of this series at some point. I would recommend reading this book, whether you want to read something with a strong main character who has a Disability, or you enjoy a good Fantasy read.
My Rating ****
This book’s main character Bryn has a sleeping syndrome, which means that she can suddenly sleep for weeks and months on end. This didn’t mean however, that she a poor defenseless girl, in fact she was the opposite. She was funny, sarcastic and a fully rounded teenager and I thought she was relatable and likeable.
This book wasn’t just about Disability but the book does cover some of the issues that, even though I don’t have the same condition as Bryn, I could relate to, when I was growing up. However, it was also a complex mix of real life, fantasy and Bryn’s condition, which was seamlessly and imaginatively, incorporated into the story.
There were a couple of times when I thought that this book would develop into a slushy teen romance, but thankfully, this just managed not to turn into this and any kind of romance was maturely and sensitively handled.
I found the pace of this to be excellent. In no part of the book did I feel the story dragged and I really wanted to know what would happen to the characters.
I think that the ending was really good and it resolved enough to feel satisfied at the end, but it left enough for me to want to read the rest of the series.
I will definitely be reading the rest of this series at some point. I would recommend reading this book, whether you want to read something with a strong main character who has a Disability, or you enjoy a good Fantasy read.
My Rating ****
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Money Monster (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Growing up, whenever a political or economic scandal was featured on the news, my father would utter the words, “Follow the money.” This phrase was made famous by “Deep Throat” during the Watergate scandal that eventually brought down the Nixon Administration. In the film Money Monster which stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts, this is a question that we start to ask ourselves as a financial investment show is taken captive by a disgruntled investor while it is airing live.
Clooney, who serves as the show’s host, quickly finds himself in the middle of a storm of tension and deception as he and his captor try to discover what happened to over $800 million in investments. The film itself is sufficient as an overview for satisfying our need for some sense of understanding at how corrupt and unstable the financial industry can be. Through much of the film, I found myself wondering about how many people wanted these same answers in 2008 during the financial market meltdowns and the collapse of the housing markets. The film approaches this anger that hit the American working class, but do not delve deeper than the superficial issues and discontent. There is a major lack of depth and this might be a metaphor for the industry itself that is built on confusion, misdirection, and a lack of substance. The plot is simplistic and does not allow for any surprises or twists.
It is a very straightforward movie where a flawed character wants answers. He wants closure. He wants to bring to justice the people who ruined the lives of countless Americans and took advantage of their desire to experience the American Dream. Despite the lack of complexity and a few holes in the storytelling, Money Monster provides a few laughs and leaves the audience asking questions about how deep the problems and corruption may be within our financial system nearly 8 years after the collapse. It makes us want to “follow the money” in the hopes that we will find answers.
Clooney, who serves as the show’s host, quickly finds himself in the middle of a storm of tension and deception as he and his captor try to discover what happened to over $800 million in investments. The film itself is sufficient as an overview for satisfying our need for some sense of understanding at how corrupt and unstable the financial industry can be. Through much of the film, I found myself wondering about how many people wanted these same answers in 2008 during the financial market meltdowns and the collapse of the housing markets. The film approaches this anger that hit the American working class, but do not delve deeper than the superficial issues and discontent. There is a major lack of depth and this might be a metaphor for the industry itself that is built on confusion, misdirection, and a lack of substance. The plot is simplistic and does not allow for any surprises or twists.
It is a very straightforward movie where a flawed character wants answers. He wants closure. He wants to bring to justice the people who ruined the lives of countless Americans and took advantage of their desire to experience the American Dream. Despite the lack of complexity and a few holes in the storytelling, Money Monster provides a few laughs and leaves the audience asking questions about how deep the problems and corruption may be within our financial system nearly 8 years after the collapse. It makes us want to “follow the money” in the hopes that we will find answers.
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5.0
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