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Adina: Snippets in Time 2:10 (Times #3)
8.0
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Selfish people don't just change. Adina Moss was content to explore her new life with restored...
Paranormal Romance Shifters
Savage Beasts
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Bengal is on the brink of war. The East India Company, led by the fearsome Sir Peter Chilcott, are...
Historical fiction Mythology Retellings India Colonialism
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Patricia Wants to Cuddle in Books
May 11, 2024
93 of 220
Book
Patricia Wants to Cuddle
By Samantha Allen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Renee has made it: she's in the final four.
But is she dying to win?
Renee should be thrilled to have been chosen as one of the final four contestants in The Catch, the world's biggest reality show. But now she, the other contestants, and Jeremy 'the Catch' have arrived on the remote, wooded island for the final show, Renee begins to wonder if there's something wrong. Is she taking a bigger risk than she realised?
And as she and the other contestants begin their final challenges, they slowly start to realise that the island they've been taken to is hiding a terrifying secret - one that could make the final Elimination Event all too real.
This was really good! Ok so in the middle
I was thinking god these people are so annoying I want them all to meet a sticky end but I think that was the point I really hate the reality shows they drive me crazy! The ending to this book was just so so good I actually had a little warm fuzzy feeling at the end so bizarre.
Book
Patricia Wants to Cuddle
By Samantha Allen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Renee has made it: she's in the final four.
But is she dying to win?
Renee should be thrilled to have been chosen as one of the final four contestants in The Catch, the world's biggest reality show. But now she, the other contestants, and Jeremy 'the Catch' have arrived on the remote, wooded island for the final show, Renee begins to wonder if there's something wrong. Is she taking a bigger risk than she realised?
And as she and the other contestants begin their final challenges, they slowly start to realise that the island they've been taken to is hiding a terrifying secret - one that could make the final Elimination Event all too real.
This was really good! Ok so in the middle
I was thinking god these people are so annoying I want them all to meet a sticky end but I think that was the point I really hate the reality shows they drive me crazy! The ending to this book was just so so good I actually had a little warm fuzzy feeling at the end so bizarre.
Sophia von X
Book
"Sophia von X” is a 2020 Readers' Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the Fiction - Religious Theme...
I liked Mania by Lionel Shriver. It takes equality to an extreme, where everyone is treated the same -regardless of their IQ. So far, so good. No-one can be called stupid, less-than, clever or intelligent. Children report their parents for using the ‘S’ word, and are expelled from school if they use it themselves.
Pearson, the lead character, endangers her job because of her opinions, and her best friend Emory, a radio presenter, quickly learns what she needs to say to keep herself.
This is faintly ridiculous, I will admit. Especially when exams are banned and anyone can become a doctor - resulting in the near deaths of countless patients because of incompetence.
Shriver has taken the idea of “wokeness” (I really hate this word - being a decent person has been made into something awful) and made it as extreme as you can possibly make it! It’s ridiculous, but why not! There are a lot of things that we thought were extreme in the past, and someone went there. This book highlights that possibility.
Mania made me think about what the world would look like if those with extreme views were given free reign.
Very thought provoking!
Pearson, the lead character, endangers her job because of her opinions, and her best friend Emory, a radio presenter, quickly learns what she needs to say to keep herself.
This is faintly ridiculous, I will admit. Especially when exams are banned and anyone can become a doctor - resulting in the near deaths of countless patients because of incompetence.
Shriver has taken the idea of “wokeness” (I really hate this word - being a decent person has been made into something awful) and made it as extreme as you can possibly make it! It’s ridiculous, but why not! There are a lot of things that we thought were extreme in the past, and someone went there. This book highlights that possibility.
Mania made me think about what the world would look like if those with extreme views were given free reign.
Very thought provoking!
Becs (244 KP) rated Ember Burning in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
I received Ember Burning for an honest review and am just now getting around to do it. My bad…
Okay, so I was honestly really looking forward to reading this novel when I first received it in the mail that I’m kicking myself in the rear end for not picking it up sooner. I was shocked that it was exactly everything I was looking for in a young adult fantasy novel.
It’s got some witchiness to it. It’s got an adventure in it. And it’s got the best thing known to man, love. Fast-paced with well-rounded characters that make you either hate them or love them with a hint of history underlain throughout the novel. What more can I say about this wonderful book?
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult
Reading Level: High School and up
Interests: Witch’s, Egyptian hieroglyphics, darkness
Style: Not so light but also not a heavy read. Very fast-paced – which I loved.
Difficulty Reading: NO, I could not put this book down. Oh my goodness, Jennifer Alsever has such a unique way of writing. At first, I was a little annoyed that there were so many sentences that could be switched to, ya know, longer sentences which leads to a way easier read. But they grew on me and as I started to get further into the book, I understood why it was written in such a way. Because that is the personality of the main character Ember. It definitely helped understand her more as an individual, rather than just another character in a book.
Promise: A mystery meets fantasy – it delivers.
Insights: Honestly, none. I wouldn’t change anything in Ember Burning even if it meant saving the planet. (Okay, maybe I might change stuff to save the planet. But that’s our home for crying out loud.) Ember Burning is such a well-written novel that leaves you wanting to continue on her journey with her in Oshun Rising and Venus Shining. (Which by the way, is the rest of the series.)
Ah-Ha Moment: WHEN EMBER AND TRE KISS. (Yes, that needed all caps.) Awh man, I love me a good romance. Especially one so sweet and simple like Ember and Tre’s. **SPOILERS AHEAD** I mean it’s such goals to be laying out talking about life and then turning to each other, kissing, and then both admitting that you wanted to do that for a while now. Like OH MY GOD, I’m seriously dying over here. **SPOILERS END** I ship Ember and Tre so hard and Lilly, Zoe or this redhead b**ch better not get in the way of their love. I’ll come after them. (‘I kill you!‘)
Favorite Quote: “Of course I know this is ridiculous. What I’m doing. Going to Trinity Forest. Alone. Like the freak show I am. The girl who goes off the tracks. Who obsesses about missing people, about what happens in Trinity. But the mystery of Trinity calls to me. If I disappear, so be it.” – Girl, you ain’t no freak show. You are so perfectly normal. And if you’re a freak show well, I guess I’m a freak show too.
What will you gain: A love for Ember and her determination to get out of the black vortex known as Trinity Forest. A hate for Zoe’s sweet yet bossy attitude of not giving a shit about anything. A love-hate for Lilly and her psychotic yet charming sides. A love for Tre, my favorite character in the entire novel.
Aesthetics: The cover. The way Tre smiles. The entire book. The way Tre looks. The way Jennifer Alsever describes Synesthesia within Ember’s mind. Have I mentioned Tre and how much I really dig him?
“Would you sacrifice your future to forget your past.”
Okay, so I was honestly really looking forward to reading this novel when I first received it in the mail that I’m kicking myself in the rear end for not picking it up sooner. I was shocked that it was exactly everything I was looking for in a young adult fantasy novel.
It’s got some witchiness to it. It’s got an adventure in it. And it’s got the best thing known to man, love. Fast-paced with well-rounded characters that make you either hate them or love them with a hint of history underlain throughout the novel. What more can I say about this wonderful book?
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult
Reading Level: High School and up
Interests: Witch’s, Egyptian hieroglyphics, darkness
Style: Not so light but also not a heavy read. Very fast-paced – which I loved.
Difficulty Reading: NO, I could not put this book down. Oh my goodness, Jennifer Alsever has such a unique way of writing. At first, I was a little annoyed that there were so many sentences that could be switched to, ya know, longer sentences which leads to a way easier read. But they grew on me and as I started to get further into the book, I understood why it was written in such a way. Because that is the personality of the main character Ember. It definitely helped understand her more as an individual, rather than just another character in a book.
Promise: A mystery meets fantasy – it delivers.
Insights: Honestly, none. I wouldn’t change anything in Ember Burning even if it meant saving the planet. (Okay, maybe I might change stuff to save the planet. But that’s our home for crying out loud.) Ember Burning is such a well-written novel that leaves you wanting to continue on her journey with her in Oshun Rising and Venus Shining. (Which by the way, is the rest of the series.)
Ah-Ha Moment: WHEN EMBER AND TRE KISS. (Yes, that needed all caps.) Awh man, I love me a good romance. Especially one so sweet and simple like Ember and Tre’s. **SPOILERS AHEAD** I mean it’s such goals to be laying out talking about life and then turning to each other, kissing, and then both admitting that you wanted to do that for a while now. Like OH MY GOD, I’m seriously dying over here. **SPOILERS END** I ship Ember and Tre so hard and Lilly, Zoe or this redhead b**ch better not get in the way of their love. I’ll come after them. (‘I kill you!‘)
Favorite Quote: “Of course I know this is ridiculous. What I’m doing. Going to Trinity Forest. Alone. Like the freak show I am. The girl who goes off the tracks. Who obsesses about missing people, about what happens in Trinity. But the mystery of Trinity calls to me. If I disappear, so be it.” – Girl, you ain’t no freak show. You are so perfectly normal. And if you’re a freak show well, I guess I’m a freak show too.
What will you gain: A love for Ember and her determination to get out of the black vortex known as Trinity Forest. A hate for Zoe’s sweet yet bossy attitude of not giving a shit about anything. A love-hate for Lilly and her psychotic yet charming sides. A love for Tre, my favorite character in the entire novel.
Aesthetics: The cover. The way Tre smiles. The entire book. The way Tre looks. The way Jennifer Alsever describes Synesthesia within Ember’s mind. Have I mentioned Tre and how much I really dig him?
“Would you sacrifice your future to forget your past.”
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Snow White & the Huntsman in Books
Apr 27, 2018
You know what I love? Creatively re-told fairy-tales. You know what I hate? Terribly re-told fairy-tales made into crappy movies and then made into a book, written with poor prose. That pretty much summarizes how I feel about this (audio)book.
Let's start with the good:
1. The narrator was excellent. She also read for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Why We Broke Up, the Iron King, and many other audiobooks. She made even the dullest most pointless sentences, pieces of dialogue, and descriptions sound interesting, and managed to hold my attention most of they way through the audiobook (until I stopped for dinner, and then realized I really didn't want to start listening again.)
2. It was fast-paced. The plot never slowed... but there were parts where the unneeded descriptions seemed to slow down and break the tension, or unnecessary interior monologue broke the mood.
3. The bad guys were very bad, and the good guys were very good. It made it a classic hero-vilan fairy-tale.
Now for the not-so-good:
1. Poor writing. It wasn't Stephenie-Meyer Terrible, but every sentence started with "he..." "she..." "He said," "She felt..." and it felt repetitive and boring. There was no sentence structure besides basic subject-verb-direct object. Also, the adjectives, adverbs, and overall descriptions and vocabulary was boring, expected, and unfeeling.
2. Who names a princess "Snow White?" Really? I can see naming her "Snow" or something, but if you're going to re-tell a fairy-tale, at least give your heroine a name that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. I realize that this is a complaint about the movie screenplay, not the book adaption... but still. It felt awkward to have all these names like William, Eric, Gus, Anna, Lilly, and... Snow White.
3. The bad guys were soul-less, and the good guys were perfect. Even bad characters have some redeeming value as to why you kind of wish they didn't have to die, but they're bad so you have to kill them. The bad guys in this story were just so bad, there was no way you could not hate them. The good guys were flawless: children obeyed their parents, men saved their women, women sacrificed for their families, and Snow White was a sweet innocent little angel. I'm sorry, but even good guys have a bad side. And if you're perfect, I couldn't care less what happens to you, because I can't relate to you.
So that is, essentially, why I stopped listening to the audiobook halfway through.
Let's start with the good:
1. The narrator was excellent. She also read for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Why We Broke Up, the Iron King, and many other audiobooks. She made even the dullest most pointless sentences, pieces of dialogue, and descriptions sound interesting, and managed to hold my attention most of they way through the audiobook (until I stopped for dinner, and then realized I really didn't want to start listening again.)
2. It was fast-paced. The plot never slowed... but there were parts where the unneeded descriptions seemed to slow down and break the tension, or unnecessary interior monologue broke the mood.
3. The bad guys were very bad, and the good guys were very good. It made it a classic hero-vilan fairy-tale.
Now for the not-so-good:
1. Poor writing. It wasn't Stephenie-Meyer Terrible, but every sentence started with "he..." "she..." "He said," "She felt..." and it felt repetitive and boring. There was no sentence structure besides basic subject-verb-direct object. Also, the adjectives, adverbs, and overall descriptions and vocabulary was boring, expected, and unfeeling.
2. Who names a princess "Snow White?" Really? I can see naming her "Snow" or something, but if you're going to re-tell a fairy-tale, at least give your heroine a name that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. I realize that this is a complaint about the movie screenplay, not the book adaption... but still. It felt awkward to have all these names like William, Eric, Gus, Anna, Lilly, and... Snow White.
3. The bad guys were soul-less, and the good guys were perfect. Even bad characters have some redeeming value as to why you kind of wish they didn't have to die, but they're bad so you have to kill them. The bad guys in this story were just so bad, there was no way you could not hate them. The good guys were flawless: children obeyed their parents, men saved their women, women sacrificed for their families, and Snow White was a sweet innocent little angel. I'm sorry, but even good guys have a bad side. And if you're perfect, I couldn't care less what happens to you, because I can't relate to you.
So that is, essentially, why I stopped listening to the audiobook halfway through.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Doll House in Books
May 15, 2018
Slowly but surely, I’m getting caught up on my NetGalley reviews. (I’m waaaay behind.) This time around, I finished reading The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan. It’s a slow simmer with a bit of predictability and a lot of unnecessary information, but in the end, Morgan manages to redeem the book through fast-paced, constant action.
The plot is a bit all over the place for the majority of the book, but, like The Roanoke Girls, this seems to be a technique used to drive the story forward. That said, the chapters end with a bit of suspense before the jump to another character. (Also, it should be mentioned that I HATE how Morgan switches between first and third person.) Unfortunately, the first 80% of the book feel like a drag. There’s little to no action, with the most exciting parts being an apparent flashback to the antagonist’s past. The last little bit of the book picks up drastically, which was a nice relief from what came before.
I said earlier that it’s a slow burn, and The Doll House really is. Morgan leaves enough clues throughout the book that a reader can pick up on something awful culminating at the end, but its done in a manner that is simply alright. For instance, the conflict between Ashley and her husband is unnecessary. The title, The Doll House, is a bit of a misnomer because aside from a few parts of the house showing up and a few references to it, the dollhouse is very rarely mentioned. (Also, let’s take a moment here to point out that the dollhouse on the cover of the book is white and it’s made extremely clear that the actual dollhouse is pink. That would have been a simple photoshop fix.)
Now, the characters in The Doll House are really something else. Personally, my favorite is Ashley, the self-conscious, overweight mom of three whom I feel is quite realistically depicted. Corinne is more skittish than my Dad’s dog, which is pretty impressive. Which… it amazes me that she keeps her job with how much she calls out in the book alone. The male characters are alright, albeit apparently quite handsome. Andy is a pig, but you’d have to read the book to see why.
Overall, I didn’t hate or love this book to death. It’s a pretty solid three out of five, which is better than some of the other stuff I’ve read lately. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
The plot is a bit all over the place for the majority of the book, but, like The Roanoke Girls, this seems to be a technique used to drive the story forward. That said, the chapters end with a bit of suspense before the jump to another character. (Also, it should be mentioned that I HATE how Morgan switches between first and third person.) Unfortunately, the first 80% of the book feel like a drag. There’s little to no action, with the most exciting parts being an apparent flashback to the antagonist’s past. The last little bit of the book picks up drastically, which was a nice relief from what came before.
I said earlier that it’s a slow burn, and The Doll House really is. Morgan leaves enough clues throughout the book that a reader can pick up on something awful culminating at the end, but its done in a manner that is simply alright. For instance, the conflict between Ashley and her husband is unnecessary. The title, The Doll House, is a bit of a misnomer because aside from a few parts of the house showing up and a few references to it, the dollhouse is very rarely mentioned. (Also, let’s take a moment here to point out that the dollhouse on the cover of the book is white and it’s made extremely clear that the actual dollhouse is pink. That would have been a simple photoshop fix.)
Now, the characters in The Doll House are really something else. Personally, my favorite is Ashley, the self-conscious, overweight mom of three whom I feel is quite realistically depicted. Corinne is more skittish than my Dad’s dog, which is pretty impressive. Which… it amazes me that she keeps her job with how much she calls out in the book alone. The male characters are alright, albeit apparently quite handsome. Andy is a pig, but you’d have to read the book to see why.
Overall, I didn’t hate or love this book to death. It’s a pretty solid three out of five, which is better than some of the other stuff I’ve read lately. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Midsummer Magic (Magic Trilogy, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
After a fairly good start (about the first 80 pages or so), I was hooked and was enjoying the book, then it went downhill and I finally stopped on page 218. Be warned, there is what could be considered (in our times at least) rape. However, it was a husband's duty to get his wife with heir; and I do get it, but that doesn't mean I want to read about it in a romance...repeatedly. I believe I could have gotten over the first 'rape,' but then it happened again, and again, and most likely again but I stopped before what might have been. Enough already!
I ended up hating both the so-called heroine and hero, they just were not sympathetic, interesting, or anything other than horrible. Frances started fights, cowers, and snivels all the time, and frankly, she should have known she needed to fulfill her "wifely duty" to get with heir. Now I am not in any way saying rape is right, but back then she should have known what was going to happen, and all she does is act belligerent and righteous about it and wants to be left alone (Ha!). Then there's Hawk (ugh!), who is detestable, shows no remorse, and the author actually writes about him with his mistress! What is Ms. Coulter smoking? I can't even fathom them going from hate to love (and I do mean hate!), which apparently doesn't happen according to other Amazon reviewers.
The author says the book "is just dandy the way it is," but it totally is not. She goes on to say that we'll chuckle and may even howl with laughter because of the battle of the sexes.... Now I don't know about that because I couldn't get past how totally unlikable Hawk and Frances were, among the other things mentioned, so who knows? And frankly, I don't care to know. This book needed many rewrites and I do not recommend it at all! I wish I listened to the reviews and stayed away, but no, I had to stick with it. What can I say, I'm stubborn. To be honest I thought there was only one rape scene in the book and didn't know there were more, but I usually only skim them so I don't read any spoilers. I am so sorry I read so much of this when I could have been enjoying a much better book. I really don't think I'll ever pick up another book from Ms. Coulter if her other books are like this.
I ended up hating both the so-called heroine and hero, they just were not sympathetic, interesting, or anything other than horrible. Frances started fights, cowers, and snivels all the time, and frankly, she should have known she needed to fulfill her "wifely duty" to get with heir. Now I am not in any way saying rape is right, but back then she should have known what was going to happen, and all she does is act belligerent and righteous about it and wants to be left alone (Ha!). Then there's Hawk (ugh!), who is detestable, shows no remorse, and the author actually writes about him with his mistress! What is Ms. Coulter smoking? I can't even fathom them going from hate to love (and I do mean hate!), which apparently doesn't happen according to other Amazon reviewers.
The author says the book "is just dandy the way it is," but it totally is not. She goes on to say that we'll chuckle and may even howl with laughter because of the battle of the sexes.... Now I don't know about that because I couldn't get past how totally unlikable Hawk and Frances were, among the other things mentioned, so who knows? And frankly, I don't care to know. This book needed many rewrites and I do not recommend it at all! I wish I listened to the reviews and stayed away, but no, I had to stick with it. What can I say, I'm stubborn. To be honest I thought there was only one rape scene in the book and didn't know there were more, but I usually only skim them so I don't read any spoilers. I am so sorry I read so much of this when I could have been enjoying a much better book. I really don't think I'll ever pick up another book from Ms. Coulter if her other books are like this.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot (2018) in Movies
Apr 1, 2019
Good, But Was Hoping For More
The plot is exactly what the title entails: A man who settles down in a small town after killing Hitler is called back into action years later one last time…to kill bigfoot. You may love it, you may hate it, but you won’t be able to knock its originality. Ten minutes in and it didn’t take me long to figure out I was watching something I had never seen before.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
From the beginning, you will be focused on this movie as it grabs your attention immediately. You find yourself wondering, What exactly is this man doing? I loved the intrigue to start, hooks you in right away. You also quickly learn that Calvin Barr (Sam Elliott) is nothing to be trifled with. You get to see his first taste of action and it’s fun to watch.
Characters: 10
Calvin isn’t that hard to figure out. He kicks ass and takes names and gives zero shits about it. He’s the kind of guy you can get behind. He’s hardened by the things he has seen, causing him to shell up into himself. Life experiences, man. They have a way of shaping people.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 8
Genre: 4
I can’t rate this any higher because I don’t think the movie ever really decided what it wanted to be. Sometimes action, sometimes drama there is a mix here that puts it in a weird place. I would be fine with it if it did one or the other exceptionally well, but I feel like it missed the boat in some spots, just shy of being a really solid movie.
Memorability: 9
Hate it or love it, this is a movie you won’t soon forget. I expected to get short-changed when it came to the bigfoot, but, no, you get to see the creature in all its glory. And what a creature! Definitely an interesting spin on the mythical beast. It’s imagery like this that really has a way of sticking out in my mind.
Pace: 9
Plot: 8
Resolution: 2
Overall: 79
I’m mad because I wanted this to be better than just a “Folding Clothes” movie. It’s good, but falls just short of great unfortunately. I think a little more tonal direction and a better ending could have put it in the range of a classic. Alas, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot is just ok.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
From the beginning, you will be focused on this movie as it grabs your attention immediately. You find yourself wondering, What exactly is this man doing? I loved the intrigue to start, hooks you in right away. You also quickly learn that Calvin Barr (Sam Elliott) is nothing to be trifled with. You get to see his first taste of action and it’s fun to watch.
Characters: 10
Calvin isn’t that hard to figure out. He kicks ass and takes names and gives zero shits about it. He’s the kind of guy you can get behind. He’s hardened by the things he has seen, causing him to shell up into himself. Life experiences, man. They have a way of shaping people.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 8
Genre: 4
I can’t rate this any higher because I don’t think the movie ever really decided what it wanted to be. Sometimes action, sometimes drama there is a mix here that puts it in a weird place. I would be fine with it if it did one or the other exceptionally well, but I feel like it missed the boat in some spots, just shy of being a really solid movie.
Memorability: 9
Hate it or love it, this is a movie you won’t soon forget. I expected to get short-changed when it came to the bigfoot, but, no, you get to see the creature in all its glory. And what a creature! Definitely an interesting spin on the mythical beast. It’s imagery like this that really has a way of sticking out in my mind.
Pace: 9
Plot: 8
Resolution: 2
Overall: 79
I’m mad because I wanted this to be better than just a “Folding Clothes” movie. It’s good, but falls just short of great unfortunately. I think a little more tonal direction and a better ending could have put it in the range of a classic. Alas, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot is just ok.