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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Now Is Everything in Books
Dec 24, 2017
breathtaking (3 more)
powerful
suspenseful
heartbreaking
Hadley's life looks perfect from the outside. Her family is wealthy, and she's a successful athlete and student. What you don't see is that Hadley's father works at breaking her down, day after day, forcing her into playing lacrosse and taking flying lessons (his two passions), monitoring her whereabouts and food intake, berating and belittling her constantly, and much worse. Hadley endures it all though, if it keeps the spotlight off her beloved spitfire of a little sister, Lila. Hadley would do anything to keep her father's focus off of Lila. Lila's only ten--the age her father targeted his laser beam on her. Hadley's life improves, however, when she secretly starts dating Charlie Simmons. On the surface, Charlie's life isn't anything like hers--he's the son of a poor single mom, but the two quickly find they have more in common than they realize. Even better, Charlie gives Hadley something she hasn't had in a long time: hope. Then, Hadley is in a plane crash, which tragically leaves her family is dead. Only Hadley can tell everyone what happened, but she isn't divulging the details. What happened that day in the plane? And why would it cause Hadley--the only survivor--to want to take her own life?
This book. Oh this book. Wow. I completely overlooked this one on my ARC shelf, and for that, I deeply apologize. But, I'm so, so, so glad I did pick it up! This is an amazing, powerful, and heartbreaking book and easily one of my favorite books I've read this year.
Part of the power comes via its format, which seems simple on the surface. The novel and its details are all a slow build via a "then" and "now" format plus transcripts and bits of evidence from the crash investigator. All of our "then" and "now" portions come from Hadley's point of view and leave us constantly wondering. Why is her dad all over her? What makes him so evil? You are also left in utter confusion and suspense over exactly what happened during the crash (and why it happened). I read the second half in one sitting, staying up late to finish it. I simply had to know what happened to Hadley.
I credit this to Giles' writing, which is superb. You will get sucked in by Hadley extremely early. She's a well-written, compelling character, and it's nearly impossible not to become part of her life. In fact, rarely have I felt so strongly for characters in a novel in a long time. If I could have, I would have gone and rescued those children myself! I simply loved Hadley and her wonderful, feisty sister, Lila. The hate I felt for their horrible, abusive father--and, sometimes, their apathetic, passive mother, was insane. They felt like real people. I was completely involved.
In fact, those poor kids. The book actually made me feel tense just reading about their lives. It was so well-done that I read portions of it with a knot in my stomach. (As a note, there's definitely a trigger for abuse.) Watching Hadley try to protect her sister and live up to adult expectations far beyond her teen years--seriously, guys, it was heartbreaking and yet amazing to read. You will find yourself rooting for Hadley and Lila in an inexplicable way.
The ending on this one is interesting. I'm still pondering it. The fascinating thing about this book is that you know *something* has to have happened up in that plane, but you don't know exactly what, or how it all goes down. The ending made me go "wow." I'm not exactly sure it's what I would have chosen, but it still felt right somehow. Although I was so attached to Hadley, that I wish there was a sequel of sorts, because I still feel bonded to the girl. That's how well-done this novel was!
Overall, this is just a lovely book. Very, very rarely does a book make me cry. This one did. This is not a light read, no, but there are still funny moments, beautiful moments, and heartwarming moments among all the dark ones. You will not regret reading this book. Huge kudos to Amy Giles for writing such a powerful and wonderful novel that so deftly deals with abuse and aspects of mental illness. I feel like Hadley and Lila will stay with me for a long time. 4.5 stars.
This book. Oh this book. Wow. I completely overlooked this one on my ARC shelf, and for that, I deeply apologize. But, I'm so, so, so glad I did pick it up! This is an amazing, powerful, and heartbreaking book and easily one of my favorite books I've read this year.
Part of the power comes via its format, which seems simple on the surface. The novel and its details are all a slow build via a "then" and "now" format plus transcripts and bits of evidence from the crash investigator. All of our "then" and "now" portions come from Hadley's point of view and leave us constantly wondering. Why is her dad all over her? What makes him so evil? You are also left in utter confusion and suspense over exactly what happened during the crash (and why it happened). I read the second half in one sitting, staying up late to finish it. I simply had to know what happened to Hadley.
I credit this to Giles' writing, which is superb. You will get sucked in by Hadley extremely early. She's a well-written, compelling character, and it's nearly impossible not to become part of her life. In fact, rarely have I felt so strongly for characters in a novel in a long time. If I could have, I would have gone and rescued those children myself! I simply loved Hadley and her wonderful, feisty sister, Lila. The hate I felt for their horrible, abusive father--and, sometimes, their apathetic, passive mother, was insane. They felt like real people. I was completely involved.
In fact, those poor kids. The book actually made me feel tense just reading about their lives. It was so well-done that I read portions of it with a knot in my stomach. (As a note, there's definitely a trigger for abuse.) Watching Hadley try to protect her sister and live up to adult expectations far beyond her teen years--seriously, guys, it was heartbreaking and yet amazing to read. You will find yourself rooting for Hadley and Lila in an inexplicable way.
The ending on this one is interesting. I'm still pondering it. The fascinating thing about this book is that you know *something* has to have happened up in that plane, but you don't know exactly what, or how it all goes down. The ending made me go "wow." I'm not exactly sure it's what I would have chosen, but it still felt right somehow. Although I was so attached to Hadley, that I wish there was a sequel of sorts, because I still feel bonded to the girl. That's how well-done this novel was!
Overall, this is just a lovely book. Very, very rarely does a book make me cry. This one did. This is not a light read, no, but there are still funny moments, beautiful moments, and heartwarming moments among all the dark ones. You will not regret reading this book. Huge kudos to Amy Giles for writing such a powerful and wonderful novel that so deftly deals with abuse and aspects of mental illness. I feel like Hadley and Lila will stay with me for a long time. 4.5 stars.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Zombies Vs. Unicorns in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<b>Book Review</b>
I had heard about this feud soon after it started, so when news that a book was coming out I had to read it. C'mon, zombies and unicorns, this is a combination I couldn't miss out on. After a lackluster and disappointing start, with many stories I didn't like at all, I was starting to think I'd have a hard time finishing the book, even with the different authors. It wasn't until The Children of the Revolution by Maureen Johnson on page 147 that the stories picked up and I ended up enjoying the rest, though my enjoyment deviated from okay to great. The "arguments" between editors Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie) were usually quite amusing, though they themselves don't contribute to the book. I, for one, would have liked to have read their takes on their chosen teams.
I'm not going to review each story individually, but list them with my (very) basic impression of the story. The book has varying degrees of gore, cursing, sexual innuendo and references, bestiality (you read that right, but it's more referred to than shown, thank goodness), suicide, and other violent acts.
<u>Stories</u> (in order of appearance):
*The Highest Justice by Garth Nix (Marked as a unicorn story, this is actually both unicorn and zombie. A decent story.)
*Love Will Tear Us Apart by Alaya Dawn Johnson (Zombie. Did not care for this at all)
*Purity Test by Naomi Novik (Unicorn. Didn't hate this story, but wasn't fond of it either)
*Bougainvillea by Carrie Ryan (Zombie. Didn't like.)
*A Thousand Flowers by Margo Lanagan (Unicorn. Also wasn't fond of.)
*The Children of the Revolution by Maureen Johnson (Zombie. Rather twisted, but so am I, so I enjoyed it.)
*The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn by Diana Peterfreund (Unicorn. My favorite story in the anthology.)
*Inoculata by Scott Westerfield (Zombie. Pretty good.)
*Princess Prettypants by Meg Cabot (Unicorn. Very tongue-in-cheek, I liked this story a lot.)
*Cold Hands by Cassandra Clare (Zombie. Interesting world created here. Definitely passed my likability test.)
*The Third Virgin by Kathleen Duey (Unicorn. An okay story.)
*Prom Night by Libba Bray (Zombie. Second favorite of the book and very close to a tie with Peterfreund's tale.)
The unicorn stories went in many different directions, with all sorts of unicorns, while most of the zombie stories stayed where you would expect them and had typical zombies, though there were a few surprises still in store. I went into this as Team Zombie, and while my favorite was a unicorn story, I still firmly remain with the shamblers. Overall, I ended up enjoying the majority of the book, so if you're interested in zombies, unicorns, or especially both, pick this up for an interesting assortment of stories.
3.5 stars for the print version
<b>Audio Review</b>
This unabridged CD set includes ten discs, which average a little over one story each, though generally there is one whole story bookended by the end of one preceding it and the start of another afterward that will continue onto the next disc. They have very short chapters, generally less than a minute and I could tell when each chapter ended and the next began, which didn't make for totally smooth listening but it also wasn't too bad either. I would have rather have had longer chapters that had a clearer starting and stopping point to make it easier to find my place again. Most of the readers, both male and female, sound fairly young, which makes sense since this is a YA anthology, but the majority also sounded as if they were reading to school children, which makes for annoying listening. I found most of the voices grating and unfortunately none of them are named for me to be more specific. However, the one male was fine and the woman who did Diana Peterfreund was good and I believe she also narrated one or two others in the book. The use of sound effects break up stories, a groan that also says "brains" for zombies and trumpets and a horse whinny for unicorns. Immediately after is the intro from the editors with their ongoing debate that became increasingly irritating as I read on; this may have to do with how they performed those discussions. As written word, these exchanges are far more entertaining. For the most part, I really didn't enjoy listening to this and much prefer reading it in print.
2 stars for audio
I had heard about this feud soon after it started, so when news that a book was coming out I had to read it. C'mon, zombies and unicorns, this is a combination I couldn't miss out on. After a lackluster and disappointing start, with many stories I didn't like at all, I was starting to think I'd have a hard time finishing the book, even with the different authors. It wasn't until The Children of the Revolution by Maureen Johnson on page 147 that the stories picked up and I ended up enjoying the rest, though my enjoyment deviated from okay to great. The "arguments" between editors Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie) were usually quite amusing, though they themselves don't contribute to the book. I, for one, would have liked to have read their takes on their chosen teams.
I'm not going to review each story individually, but list them with my (very) basic impression of the story. The book has varying degrees of gore, cursing, sexual innuendo and references, bestiality (you read that right, but it's more referred to than shown, thank goodness), suicide, and other violent acts.
<u>Stories</u> (in order of appearance):
*The Highest Justice by Garth Nix (Marked as a unicorn story, this is actually both unicorn and zombie. A decent story.)
*Love Will Tear Us Apart by Alaya Dawn Johnson (Zombie. Did not care for this at all)
*Purity Test by Naomi Novik (Unicorn. Didn't hate this story, but wasn't fond of it either)
*Bougainvillea by Carrie Ryan (Zombie. Didn't like.)
*A Thousand Flowers by Margo Lanagan (Unicorn. Also wasn't fond of.)
*The Children of the Revolution by Maureen Johnson (Zombie. Rather twisted, but so am I, so I enjoyed it.)
*The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn by Diana Peterfreund (Unicorn. My favorite story in the anthology.)
*Inoculata by Scott Westerfield (Zombie. Pretty good.)
*Princess Prettypants by Meg Cabot (Unicorn. Very tongue-in-cheek, I liked this story a lot.)
*Cold Hands by Cassandra Clare (Zombie. Interesting world created here. Definitely passed my likability test.)
*The Third Virgin by Kathleen Duey (Unicorn. An okay story.)
*Prom Night by Libba Bray (Zombie. Second favorite of the book and very close to a tie with Peterfreund's tale.)
The unicorn stories went in many different directions, with all sorts of unicorns, while most of the zombie stories stayed where you would expect them and had typical zombies, though there were a few surprises still in store. I went into this as Team Zombie, and while my favorite was a unicorn story, I still firmly remain with the shamblers. Overall, I ended up enjoying the majority of the book, so if you're interested in zombies, unicorns, or especially both, pick this up for an interesting assortment of stories.
3.5 stars for the print version
<b>Audio Review</b>
This unabridged CD set includes ten discs, which average a little over one story each, though generally there is one whole story bookended by the end of one preceding it and the start of another afterward that will continue onto the next disc. They have very short chapters, generally less than a minute and I could tell when each chapter ended and the next began, which didn't make for totally smooth listening but it also wasn't too bad either. I would have rather have had longer chapters that had a clearer starting and stopping point to make it easier to find my place again. Most of the readers, both male and female, sound fairly young, which makes sense since this is a YA anthology, but the majority also sounded as if they were reading to school children, which makes for annoying listening. I found most of the voices grating and unfortunately none of them are named for me to be more specific. However, the one male was fine and the woman who did Diana Peterfreund was good and I believe she also narrated one or two others in the book. The use of sound effects break up stories, a groan that also says "brains" for zombies and trumpets and a horse whinny for unicorns. Immediately after is the intro from the editors with their ongoing debate that became increasingly irritating as I read on; this may have to do with how they performed those discussions. As written word, these exchanges are far more entertaining. For the most part, I really didn't enjoy listening to this and much prefer reading it in print.
2 stars for audio
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated What Alice Forgot in Books
Feb 27, 2019
For some reason, I kept seeing What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty almost every book place I would look. At first, I wasn't interested, but it kept showing up. Eventually, I took it as a sign that maybe I should read What Alice Forgot. I'm glad I did because it was a great book!
The plot for What Alice Forgot is a complex and deep one. It's not just about Alice. It's also about her sister Elisabeth, whom we learn more through letters to her therapist, Jeremy. Elisabeth is trying to conceive. She keeps going through failed IVF treatments time and time again. We learn about her struggle and how she's handling that. We also learn about Frannie, Alice's surrogate grandmother, through letters with a man named Phil. At the center of the story is Alice. After falling off a stationary bike and bumping her head during spin class, Alice wakes up to find some can't remember anything that happened for the past 10 years. Alice believes she is still 29, and she finds it frustrating and a tad funny that she's really almost 40 years old. Alice can't believe who she's turned into at 39. She would hate herself! The book explains if Alice will be more loving and carefree like her 29 year old self or if she'll be that rushed, cynical woman she was at 39 when and if she gets her memories back. There were one or two plot twists although I wouldn't consider them major. All of my questions were answered, and Liane Moriarty did an excellent job of tying up any loose ends and writing a great epilogue explaining what happened to each character years later.
I loved the characters in What Alice Forgot! I felt they were all very fleshed out and felt like I was reading about real live people. It was interesting to see Alice at odds with herself when her old self was surprised by what her new self (before she hit her head and lost her memory for the past 10 years) was like. I, personally, liked Alice after she forgot her memory. She was more fun loving and carefree. New Alice was always rushed and snippy. I also liked Nick, Alice's soon to be ex-husband. Although he was rushed with work, I loved how he still would help out Alice. I really related to Alice's oldest daughter, Madison, the most. Madison had experienced so much in her short life, so she was acting out a lot of the time. I just wanted to hug her. Alice's youngest daughter, Olivia, was really cute and funny. I loved how she referred to everything as "darling." My heart really went out to Elisabeth. I just wanted Elisabeth to finally have a baby of her own after miscarrying so many times in the past. Frannie was such a fun character! I was moved by her love of Elisabeth and Alice, and I really appreciated her humor at times!
The pacing for What Alice Forgot was a bit hit and miss sometimes. There were a lot of times, mostly during the first 60 percent or so in the book, that I thought about just giving up and finding something else to read. However, I would read a bit more, and the pacing would pick up again. Then it would go back to being slow. Once I got about 65 percent through the book, the pacing found its footing, and it was smooth sailing from there. My eyes devoured the rest of the pages, and I couldn't wait to find out if Alice would get her memory back or if she'd end up with Nick or Dominick. (I was Team Nick throughout the book.) I also wanted to know what would come of Elisabeth's IVF treatment. I really wanted her to have a baby of her own!
Trigger warnings for What Alice Forgot include miscarriages, failed fertility treatments, amnesia, divorce, death, drinking, some profanities, and a few mentions of sex but no details.
Overall, What Alice Forgot is a lovely read even though the pacing is a bit off for the first half or so in the book. Luckily, the pacing redeems itself, and with a great plot and fantastic characters, this book does make a good read. I would definitely recommend What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty to everyone aged 16+ who loves a feel good novel.
The plot for What Alice Forgot is a complex and deep one. It's not just about Alice. It's also about her sister Elisabeth, whom we learn more through letters to her therapist, Jeremy. Elisabeth is trying to conceive. She keeps going through failed IVF treatments time and time again. We learn about her struggle and how she's handling that. We also learn about Frannie, Alice's surrogate grandmother, through letters with a man named Phil. At the center of the story is Alice. After falling off a stationary bike and bumping her head during spin class, Alice wakes up to find some can't remember anything that happened for the past 10 years. Alice believes she is still 29, and she finds it frustrating and a tad funny that she's really almost 40 years old. Alice can't believe who she's turned into at 39. She would hate herself! The book explains if Alice will be more loving and carefree like her 29 year old self or if she'll be that rushed, cynical woman she was at 39 when and if she gets her memories back. There were one or two plot twists although I wouldn't consider them major. All of my questions were answered, and Liane Moriarty did an excellent job of tying up any loose ends and writing a great epilogue explaining what happened to each character years later.
I loved the characters in What Alice Forgot! I felt they were all very fleshed out and felt like I was reading about real live people. It was interesting to see Alice at odds with herself when her old self was surprised by what her new self (before she hit her head and lost her memory for the past 10 years) was like. I, personally, liked Alice after she forgot her memory. She was more fun loving and carefree. New Alice was always rushed and snippy. I also liked Nick, Alice's soon to be ex-husband. Although he was rushed with work, I loved how he still would help out Alice. I really related to Alice's oldest daughter, Madison, the most. Madison had experienced so much in her short life, so she was acting out a lot of the time. I just wanted to hug her. Alice's youngest daughter, Olivia, was really cute and funny. I loved how she referred to everything as "darling." My heart really went out to Elisabeth. I just wanted Elisabeth to finally have a baby of her own after miscarrying so many times in the past. Frannie was such a fun character! I was moved by her love of Elisabeth and Alice, and I really appreciated her humor at times!
The pacing for What Alice Forgot was a bit hit and miss sometimes. There were a lot of times, mostly during the first 60 percent or so in the book, that I thought about just giving up and finding something else to read. However, I would read a bit more, and the pacing would pick up again. Then it would go back to being slow. Once I got about 65 percent through the book, the pacing found its footing, and it was smooth sailing from there. My eyes devoured the rest of the pages, and I couldn't wait to find out if Alice would get her memory back or if she'd end up with Nick or Dominick. (I was Team Nick throughout the book.) I also wanted to know what would come of Elisabeth's IVF treatment. I really wanted her to have a baby of her own!
Trigger warnings for What Alice Forgot include miscarriages, failed fertility treatments, amnesia, divorce, death, drinking, some profanities, and a few mentions of sex but no details.
Overall, What Alice Forgot is a lovely read even though the pacing is a bit off for the first half or so in the book. Luckily, the pacing redeems itself, and with a great plot and fantastic characters, this book does make a good read. I would definitely recommend What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty to everyone aged 16+ who loves a feel good novel.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Little Teashop on Main in Books
May 6, 2019
An Emotional Read
I'd been wanting to read The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas for awhile. When the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance. I must say this book really packs a punch when it comes to emotions!
The plot for The Little Teashop on Main was done brilliantly! Jodi Thomas has written a beautiful story that really sucks you in and makes you feel every single written word. Zoe, Shannon, and Emily meet for a tea party whenever they can starting from when they were little. As the story progresses, the reader gets to watch each of the girls grow into strong women. The reader gets to grow up with all of the girls through all of the ups and downs of life. Each chapter in the book is focused on a certain character so the reader gets to gain that character's perspective on things. While there are similar story lines to The Little Teashop on Main, Jodi Thomas does such an excellent job of making this one feel unique. I felt like I was instantly transported to the small town of Laurel Springs whenever I was reading The Little Teashop on Main. While there weren't any major plot twists, I felt as if this was the type of book that doesn't need to rely on plot twists to keep it interesting. The emotional pull is all it needs. I loved how there were no cliffhangers and all of my questions were answered by the end of the book.
The characters in The Little Teashop on Main were so well written and such a delight to read about! I loved every one of them. Usually I have a favorite, but I would hate to be forced to choose just one favorite. I loved Zoe's zest for life. Her larger than life presence was such a joy to read about. I would have loved to have a friendship like Zoe's and Jack's. Shannon had such a great work ethic that was admirable. Just how focused she was was an inspiration. I kept on wanting things between her and Jack to work out. I don't think I've ever wanted to a couple to be together more than Jack and Shannon. Shannon was such a planner and so focused. Sometimes I wanted to just grab her by the shoulders until she realized how great she'd be with Jack! I just wanted to hug Emily. She had struggled with depression for so long. I could relate to her the most. Emily was such a sweet girl that blossomed into a sweet woman. I was always cheering Emily on when I would read about her. I loved how much Jack cared about all three girls and how much he loved them all. He was such a loyal friend. I'm glad I got to read and get to know Fuller. What a sweet boy/man he turned out to be! Alex and Mack were also great characters and great parents. The love for their daughters was so obvious. The way the townspeople of Laurel Springs came together was so heartwarming to read about.
I will admit that the first 45 percent or so of The Little Teashop on Main was a little slow. I did wonder if I had made a mistake with this book. However, I'm glad I persevered. The pacing quickly picked up after that, and I could not put this novel down. I hungered for more, yet I would become sad because I realized that this story would be over soon. When I did finish The Little Teashop on Main, I was disappointed only because I wished it didn't have to end!
Trigger warnings for The Little Teashop on Main include depression, suicide attempts, cancer, a car accident (wounds aren't described too graphically), and sex (although not graphic).
All in all, The Little Teashop on Main is such a heartwarming read. This book makes you feel as if you are one of the characters. It is written so beautifully, and I can't gush enough about how great it is! I would definitely recommend The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas to those aged 16+. This book gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.
--
(Thanks to HQN for providing me with a paperback of The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot for The Little Teashop on Main was done brilliantly! Jodi Thomas has written a beautiful story that really sucks you in and makes you feel every single written word. Zoe, Shannon, and Emily meet for a tea party whenever they can starting from when they were little. As the story progresses, the reader gets to watch each of the girls grow into strong women. The reader gets to grow up with all of the girls through all of the ups and downs of life. Each chapter in the book is focused on a certain character so the reader gets to gain that character's perspective on things. While there are similar story lines to The Little Teashop on Main, Jodi Thomas does such an excellent job of making this one feel unique. I felt like I was instantly transported to the small town of Laurel Springs whenever I was reading The Little Teashop on Main. While there weren't any major plot twists, I felt as if this was the type of book that doesn't need to rely on plot twists to keep it interesting. The emotional pull is all it needs. I loved how there were no cliffhangers and all of my questions were answered by the end of the book.
The characters in The Little Teashop on Main were so well written and such a delight to read about! I loved every one of them. Usually I have a favorite, but I would hate to be forced to choose just one favorite. I loved Zoe's zest for life. Her larger than life presence was such a joy to read about. I would have loved to have a friendship like Zoe's and Jack's. Shannon had such a great work ethic that was admirable. Just how focused she was was an inspiration. I kept on wanting things between her and Jack to work out. I don't think I've ever wanted to a couple to be together more than Jack and Shannon. Shannon was such a planner and so focused. Sometimes I wanted to just grab her by the shoulders until she realized how great she'd be with Jack! I just wanted to hug Emily. She had struggled with depression for so long. I could relate to her the most. Emily was such a sweet girl that blossomed into a sweet woman. I was always cheering Emily on when I would read about her. I loved how much Jack cared about all three girls and how much he loved them all. He was such a loyal friend. I'm glad I got to read and get to know Fuller. What a sweet boy/man he turned out to be! Alex and Mack were also great characters and great parents. The love for their daughters was so obvious. The way the townspeople of Laurel Springs came together was so heartwarming to read about.
I will admit that the first 45 percent or so of The Little Teashop on Main was a little slow. I did wonder if I had made a mistake with this book. However, I'm glad I persevered. The pacing quickly picked up after that, and I could not put this novel down. I hungered for more, yet I would become sad because I realized that this story would be over soon. When I did finish The Little Teashop on Main, I was disappointed only because I wished it didn't have to end!
Trigger warnings for The Little Teashop on Main include depression, suicide attempts, cancer, a car accident (wounds aren't described too graphically), and sex (although not graphic).
All in all, The Little Teashop on Main is such a heartwarming read. This book makes you feel as if you are one of the characters. It is written so beautifully, and I can't gush enough about how great it is! I would definitely recommend The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas to those aged 16+. This book gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.
--
(Thanks to HQN for providing me with a paperback of The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Mark Jaye (65 KP) rated Justice League (2017) in Movies
May 13, 2019
JUSTICE FOR THE LEAGUE
Contains spoilers, click to show
As much as it pains me to acknowledge it, this film got slaughtered upon its' release (and has endured much ridicule ever since)! Personally speaking....I don't get why.
Everyone and their dog - in reviewing this movie, quote the poor CGI, the fact that Steppenwolf is an ineffective villain, the obvious mish-mash of two directorial styles, weak storyline, oh...and the whole moustache thing. Bore, bore, bore. If anyone comes up with a valid reason for why they hate this film that they haven't read anywhere else a dozen times before then I might entertain them......nah, I won't, because I loved JL!
The opening scene shows us some 'amateur' style recorded footage of a brief conversation with Superman - a very short sequence that was clearly filmed by Joss Whedon. And yes, it is very obvious - and would be to someone unaware of the whole 'moustache-gate' affair, that something's wrong with Henry Cavill's upper lip. Does that detract from the experience? Is it really that much a big deal? No, it is not. And that's all I'll say on that aspect.
There is a very basic plot concerning Steppenwolf and his return to Earth to reclaim the three Mother Boxes which - when brought together, form 'The Unity' with which he hopes to transform the planet and get back in favour with his nephew (Darkseid). These boxes were left on Earth a long time ago following a battle with Steppenwolf (shown in Flashback) and placed into the care of the Atlanteans, the Amazons, and the Tribes of Man. We are given this background exposition fairly early on in proceedings from Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) which effectively sums up the gist of the movie - no criticism there. The first half of the film concerns Diana and Bruce Wayne's (Batman) efforts to bring together a small group of Meta-Humans in order to tackle the imminent threat balanced against Steppenwolf's successful recovery of two of the Boxes. Do we need a more complex plot?
After an initial encounter with the villain of the piece in which the newly formed League are knocked on their proverbial backsides Batman comes up with a way to resurrect the deceased Superman, involving a Mother Box, the recovered Kryptonian Scout Ship, and the Speedforce. To quote The Flash (aka Barry Allen, aka Ezra Miller) things go a bit 'Pet Sematary-y' as the resurrected Man Of Steel goes up against the JL in a confused fit of rage. The sequence depicting the skirmish is a highlight of the movie, and anyone who got a little annoyed t how much Batman was hell bent on persecuting Supes in BVS will get some satisfaction from hearing the line "Do you bleed?"!
It isn't long before the Superman we all know and love (although perhaps not the one from his darker portrayal in the previous two movies in which he appeared) returns - thanks to some intervention from Lois Lane, and joins his fellow heroes in their final battle with Steppenwolf.
Simple plot I agree but this is a story about individuals coming together in the name of hope. Each character gives enough that the audience cares about them, even if some of them could have been given a bit more to play with (sounds like sequel material to me!). Wonder Woman effectively becomes the Leader of the team - exorcising her demons in the process (see her solo movie for more) and Gal Gadot is great.
The battle scenes are fantastic - the attack on Themyscira by Steppenwolf being one such example, and complemented by the CGI. Yeah, I've heard the whole 'poor CGI' thing but frankly.... whatever?! Had I not stupidly read the reviews before seeing the film I might not have spent the running time watching the villain and thinking "Is he a poor villain?" (I came away thinking "Nah, he worked for me!")
Henry Cavill didn't get half as much screen time as the other characters in the League and it looks as if most of the Zac Snyder material featuring his Superman ended up on the cutting room floor, but he is one of the highlights. I will agree with the critics that WB seriously messed up with their marketing strategy in which they essentially 'excluded him' from all promotional material. I now eagerly await for Man of Steel 2 where we'll get to see more of the 'fun' Supes that we got in this movie.
I saw this film three times at the cinema and now own on Blu Ray. Fantastic film for the JL's first outing on the big screen. And you know what?
You are allowed to enjoy both the Justice League AND The Avengers!!
Everyone and their dog - in reviewing this movie, quote the poor CGI, the fact that Steppenwolf is an ineffective villain, the obvious mish-mash of two directorial styles, weak storyline, oh...and the whole moustache thing. Bore, bore, bore. If anyone comes up with a valid reason for why they hate this film that they haven't read anywhere else a dozen times before then I might entertain them......nah, I won't, because I loved JL!
The opening scene shows us some 'amateur' style recorded footage of a brief conversation with Superman - a very short sequence that was clearly filmed by Joss Whedon. And yes, it is very obvious - and would be to someone unaware of the whole 'moustache-gate' affair, that something's wrong with Henry Cavill's upper lip. Does that detract from the experience? Is it really that much a big deal? No, it is not. And that's all I'll say on that aspect.
There is a very basic plot concerning Steppenwolf and his return to Earth to reclaim the three Mother Boxes which - when brought together, form 'The Unity' with which he hopes to transform the planet and get back in favour with his nephew (Darkseid). These boxes were left on Earth a long time ago following a battle with Steppenwolf (shown in Flashback) and placed into the care of the Atlanteans, the Amazons, and the Tribes of Man. We are given this background exposition fairly early on in proceedings from Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) which effectively sums up the gist of the movie - no criticism there. The first half of the film concerns Diana and Bruce Wayne's (Batman) efforts to bring together a small group of Meta-Humans in order to tackle the imminent threat balanced against Steppenwolf's successful recovery of two of the Boxes. Do we need a more complex plot?
After an initial encounter with the villain of the piece in which the newly formed League are knocked on their proverbial backsides Batman comes up with a way to resurrect the deceased Superman, involving a Mother Box, the recovered Kryptonian Scout Ship, and the Speedforce. To quote The Flash (aka Barry Allen, aka Ezra Miller) things go a bit 'Pet Sematary-y' as the resurrected Man Of Steel goes up against the JL in a confused fit of rage. The sequence depicting the skirmish is a highlight of the movie, and anyone who got a little annoyed t how much Batman was hell bent on persecuting Supes in BVS will get some satisfaction from hearing the line "Do you bleed?"!
It isn't long before the Superman we all know and love (although perhaps not the one from his darker portrayal in the previous two movies in which he appeared) returns - thanks to some intervention from Lois Lane, and joins his fellow heroes in their final battle with Steppenwolf.
Simple plot I agree but this is a story about individuals coming together in the name of hope. Each character gives enough that the audience cares about them, even if some of them could have been given a bit more to play with (sounds like sequel material to me!). Wonder Woman effectively becomes the Leader of the team - exorcising her demons in the process (see her solo movie for more) and Gal Gadot is great.
The battle scenes are fantastic - the attack on Themyscira by Steppenwolf being one such example, and complemented by the CGI. Yeah, I've heard the whole 'poor CGI' thing but frankly.... whatever?! Had I not stupidly read the reviews before seeing the film I might not have spent the running time watching the villain and thinking "Is he a poor villain?" (I came away thinking "Nah, he worked for me!")
Henry Cavill didn't get half as much screen time as the other characters in the League and it looks as if most of the Zac Snyder material featuring his Superman ended up on the cutting room floor, but he is one of the highlights. I will agree with the critics that WB seriously messed up with their marketing strategy in which they essentially 'excluded him' from all promotional material. I now eagerly await for Man of Steel 2 where we'll get to see more of the 'fun' Supes that we got in this movie.
I saw this film three times at the cinema and now own on Blu Ray. Fantastic film for the JL's first outing on the big screen. And you know what?
You are allowed to enjoy both the Justice League AND The Avengers!!
Dana (24 KP) rated Reign of Shadows (Reign of Shadows, #1) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Okay, so in this review, there will be some pretty general spoilers in the character descriptions, one that isn't really revealed until about thirty pages in. I will put SPOILER right in front of that one, then you can skip to where I put the asterisk to continue the paragraph if you want.
I am not overly sure on where I stand with this book. While the story itself wasn't bad, it also was not my favorite. There were some issues with me in the pacing of the story itself because a lot of the moments felt like they dragged on for a long time or that they they were repetitive.
Quite a few of the descriptions of the dwellers and other landscapes and characters were also not well described. I want to know more about what they look like, but we were not given those things.
Okay, now onto specifics. In this instance, the characters.
The guardians were very over-protective of Luna. I totally get why, but it got annoying after a while. But the bread Pearla makes sounds so freaking delicious.
Luna is a cool character. Her identity being what it is seemed like it was just pushed in the story.I know it is important later in the novel and will be coming up again in the later book(s) but it could have been mentioned or explored a little more for me. SPOILER: I did not see her being blind coming. No, that was not supposed to be a pun, but it just happened like that. I always enjoy having characters who are not perfect, especially ones who are living, surviving, and overcoming disabilities. Much of the time in books, characters often have a mental disability, if any, so it is awesome to read one where she is blind. I thought it was an awesome parallel that when she came into the world, the rest of the world went "blind" as well. That was really cool and I commend Sophie Jordan on that idea. * Okay, so as a female character, yes, she was strong and stubborn, but I didn't feel any attachment to her or her story line, which was unfortunate. I wanted to feel some sort of connection, but got nothing. I hope we get to know Luna more in the next book.
Now onto Fowler. (Note, I keep wanting to write Flower, but I think he would be pissed if he knew that and that kinda makes me want to do it even more.) Okay. So, he's kind of an ass. He wants survival and to get to this magical island where nothing bad ever happens, but he could be nicer about it. We do get some of his backstory and are able to understand part of the reason he is the way he is, but still, he's an ass. I don't like how he treats everyone, as if he's better than them, or as if they are just pawns to get rid of at the first moment he can. I hope he becomes a more likable character in the next book because I am not a fan.
Minor plot SPOILER that happens within the first fifty pages. I hate how Luna falls in love with Fowler almost instantaneously. I get that he is the first boy she meets, but geez, why? I really wanted them to become besties, not love interests. It would have made for a much more interesting story (in my opinion). CAN WE HAVE A STORY WHERE THERE IS NO LOVE INTEREST FOR THE MAIN FEMALE CHARACTER???? PLEASE? THANK YOU! *
Okay, now onto plot points. We have no idea what really happened on the night Luna was born, only what her guardians told her. Also, we know nothing of the new king and why he's such a skeevy ass. Or how and why the world turned to such crap. I just want to know all of these things! There was a lot introduced, but not explained. I get that it is because this the first book in a series, but I want info to keep me intrigued instead of just being annoyed by the withholding of it.
Overall, it was a pretty interesting read. Yes, it had issues, but a lot of books do nowadays. I will most likely be picking up the next book, if only to see what happens next!
I am not overly sure on where I stand with this book. While the story itself wasn't bad, it also was not my favorite. There were some issues with me in the pacing of the story itself because a lot of the moments felt like they dragged on for a long time or that they they were repetitive.
Quite a few of the descriptions of the dwellers and other landscapes and characters were also not well described. I want to know more about what they look like, but we were not given those things.
Okay, now onto specifics. In this instance, the characters.
The guardians were very over-protective of Luna. I totally get why, but it got annoying after a while. But the bread Pearla makes sounds so freaking delicious.
Luna is a cool character. Her identity being what it is seemed like it was just pushed in the story.I know it is important later in the novel and will be coming up again in the later book(s) but it could have been mentioned or explored a little more for me. SPOILER: I did not see her being blind coming. No, that was not supposed to be a pun, but it just happened like that. I always enjoy having characters who are not perfect, especially ones who are living, surviving, and overcoming disabilities. Much of the time in books, characters often have a mental disability, if any, so it is awesome to read one where she is blind. I thought it was an awesome parallel that when she came into the world, the rest of the world went "blind" as well. That was really cool and I commend Sophie Jordan on that idea. * Okay, so as a female character, yes, she was strong and stubborn, but I didn't feel any attachment to her or her story line, which was unfortunate. I wanted to feel some sort of connection, but got nothing. I hope we get to know Luna more in the next book.
Now onto Fowler. (Note, I keep wanting to write Flower, but I think he would be pissed if he knew that and that kinda makes me want to do it even more.) Okay. So, he's kind of an ass. He wants survival and to get to this magical island where nothing bad ever happens, but he could be nicer about it. We do get some of his backstory and are able to understand part of the reason he is the way he is, but still, he's an ass. I don't like how he treats everyone, as if he's better than them, or as if they are just pawns to get rid of at the first moment he can. I hope he becomes a more likable character in the next book because I am not a fan.
Minor plot SPOILER that happens within the first fifty pages. I hate how Luna falls in love with Fowler almost instantaneously. I get that he is the first boy she meets, but geez, why? I really wanted them to become besties, not love interests. It would have made for a much more interesting story (in my opinion). CAN WE HAVE A STORY WHERE THERE IS NO LOVE INTEREST FOR THE MAIN FEMALE CHARACTER???? PLEASE? THANK YOU! *
Okay, now onto plot points. We have no idea what really happened on the night Luna was born, only what her guardians told her. Also, we know nothing of the new king and why he's such a skeevy ass. Or how and why the world turned to such crap. I just want to know all of these things! There was a lot introduced, but not explained. I get that it is because this the first book in a series, but I want info to keep me intrigued instead of just being annoyed by the withholding of it.
Overall, it was a pretty interesting read. Yes, it had issues, but a lot of books do nowadays. I will most likely be picking up the next book, if only to see what happens next!
Cynthia Armistead (17 KP) rated American Gods in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I'm trying to remember whether or not I've read any of Gaiman's other novels before, and I'm fairly certain that I haven't. I read [b:Good Omens|12067|Good Omens|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266659394s/12067.jpg|4110990], but that was co-written with [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg], and the collaboration was genius. I know that the entire world seems to love Sandman, of course, but I'm just not a fan of graphic novels. In fact, it took me a while to realize that the Good Omens co-author and the Sandman author were one and the same.
I've certainly read some short stories, too. The most memorable, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow,_Glass,_Apples">"Snow, Glass, Apples"</a> was reprinted in an anthology I read recently. I find it disturbing, so I won't re-read it. Well-written, of course—it wouldn't be so very memorably distressing if it weren't so masterfully done! (I found the <a href="http://www.holycow.com/dreaming/stories/snow-glass-apples">text online</a> if you care to read it, but please understand that the story deals with pedophilia, necrophilia, and incest here. It is the polar opposite of all things Disney.) Snow White was never one of of my favorite fairy tales, and Gaiman definitely pushed it much farther down the list.
In any case, I don't know what I was expecting from Gaiman, but <i>American Gods</i> wasn't it. I like stories with happy endings, and within the first few chapters I was fairly sure that there wouldn't be one. Is Gaiman fundamentally opposed to joy, or is it just happiness that he doesn't allow?
The novel is epic. It is masterful. All that stuff from the big critics is dead on. The book could be used as the backbone of a mythological scavenger hunt if a teacher were willing to run a very unstructured but engaging course that way. I certainly enjoyed that aspect of it, and it made me glad that I was reading it on my iTouch so that I could look up anything I liked online at any time, no matter where I happened to be (which was almost always at home or somewhere else that had wifi access, happily).
I seldom want to see illustrations in any book, but yes, I think I would like to see good pictures of some of the characters Gaiman described in this one. On the other hand, without artwork I spent time imagining what the characters looked like based on the descriptions. I don't normally stop to do that, as such matters as seldom relevant to a plot, but these beings caught my fancy. Not enough that I would sit through an entire graphic novel, I'm afraid, but if I saw one now I might flip through it to see how the artist's renderings compare with my versions.
I'm seldom able to identify an overall Theme to the books I read. Most of them, honestly, are fluff. I'm fine with that. I read them because they entertain me. <i>American Gods</i> is different. It is entertaining, but it isn't light or fluffy in the least. It definitely has an easily identifiably Theme and Tropes and all those elements that I recall from long-ago classes, the sorts of things that put me off from my original English major because I hated tearing other author's works apart instead of writing anything original. (Now, I begin to understand that we were being taught to recognize what makes for good writing so we might have some hope of possibly creating some of it one day.)
I somewhat timidly conclude that <i>American Gods</i> is the first piece of Literature I've read in a very long time, and well worth the time spent reading it. (I find it rather amusing that it would be British Literature, despite its title, due to the author's nationality.) I'm not going to state the theme, because that would be a spoiler, and I hate putting those in reviews—but it's something that I see as a Truth, and one that needs to be stated far more often, especiallly today. It's even more interesting that it took a Brit to say it.
The book is dark, although it does have some very bright spots in it. I will acknowledge that I was going through a particularly bad time with regards to my health when I was reading it, but I still think it might be best for some people to read this one when in a fairly positive state of mind.
I've certainly read some short stories, too. The most memorable, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow,_Glass,_Apples">"Snow, Glass, Apples"</a> was reprinted in an anthology I read recently. I find it disturbing, so I won't re-read it. Well-written, of course—it wouldn't be so very memorably distressing if it weren't so masterfully done! (I found the <a href="http://www.holycow.com/dreaming/stories/snow-glass-apples">text online</a> if you care to read it, but please understand that the story deals with pedophilia, necrophilia, and incest here. It is the polar opposite of all things Disney.) Snow White was never one of of my favorite fairy tales, and Gaiman definitely pushed it much farther down the list.
In any case, I don't know what I was expecting from Gaiman, but <i>American Gods</i> wasn't it. I like stories with happy endings, and within the first few chapters I was fairly sure that there wouldn't be one. Is Gaiman fundamentally opposed to joy, or is it just happiness that he doesn't allow?
The novel is epic. It is masterful. All that stuff from the big critics is dead on. The book could be used as the backbone of a mythological scavenger hunt if a teacher were willing to run a very unstructured but engaging course that way. I certainly enjoyed that aspect of it, and it made me glad that I was reading it on my iTouch so that I could look up anything I liked online at any time, no matter where I happened to be (which was almost always at home or somewhere else that had wifi access, happily).
I seldom want to see illustrations in any book, but yes, I think I would like to see good pictures of some of the characters Gaiman described in this one. On the other hand, without artwork I spent time imagining what the characters looked like based on the descriptions. I don't normally stop to do that, as such matters as seldom relevant to a plot, but these beings caught my fancy. Not enough that I would sit through an entire graphic novel, I'm afraid, but if I saw one now I might flip through it to see how the artist's renderings compare with my versions.
I'm seldom able to identify an overall Theme to the books I read. Most of them, honestly, are fluff. I'm fine with that. I read them because they entertain me. <i>American Gods</i> is different. It is entertaining, but it isn't light or fluffy in the least. It definitely has an easily identifiably Theme and Tropes and all those elements that I recall from long-ago classes, the sorts of things that put me off from my original English major because I hated tearing other author's works apart instead of writing anything original. (Now, I begin to understand that we were being taught to recognize what makes for good writing so we might have some hope of possibly creating some of it one day.)
I somewhat timidly conclude that <i>American Gods</i> is the first piece of Literature I've read in a very long time, and well worth the time spent reading it. (I find it rather amusing that it would be British Literature, despite its title, due to the author's nationality.) I'm not going to state the theme, because that would be a spoiler, and I hate putting those in reviews—but it's something that I see as a Truth, and one that needs to be stated far more often, especiallly today. It's even more interesting that it took a Brit to say it.
The book is dark, although it does have some very bright spots in it. I will acknowledge that I was going through a particularly bad time with regards to my health when I was reading it, but I still think it might be best for some people to read this one when in a fairly positive state of mind.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Ethereal Fury (Gemini Rising, #1) in Books
Jun 6, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href"http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I thought the blurb to this book sounded super interesting and different. I was hoping this book would be interested, and luckily, it was.
When a human who polluted the Earth dies, they become a Gemini and belong to mother Earth. Onyx is a Gemini. His mission is to help destroy the human race. Everything is going smoothly until he comes across Violette, a 16 year old human girl. Geminis aren't really supposed to feel anything, yet Onyx feels drawn to Violette. He possess the body of an acolyte to befriend her. What follows will make Onyx question everything he's ever known.
I didn't know what to expect with this title. I figured it had something to do with Ethereals, but that was all I got from the title. After reading the book, the title matches what the book's about.
I'm not really a fan of the cover. To me, the cover makes it seem like the book wouldn't be good which isn't the case at all. I just think that the cover could've been made to entice readers to pick it up.
The world building is good, but there are a few things that left me confused such as how the book says that Geminis don't have feelings. However, a few of the Geminis had feelings such as worry and anger. Onyx seemed to have more feelings than all the Geminis. Hopefully, why Onyx is the way he is will be explained in the next book. Another thing that made me confused was the fact that Geminis are ethereal beings. However, they were able to move things, pick things up, etc in their natural form. Perhaps I just missed something along the way. Oh, and one more thing. I was confused whether these things were demons or something else. I get that they're Geminis, yet it mentions in the book about how exorcisms seem to work on the Geminis. I also don't really get why the Geminis wanted to start with churches first. I get that they wanted to start small, but why pick churches? Other than those things, I enjoyed the world building.
The pacing started off a little bit slow but quickly picked up. Before I knew it, I was quickly sucked into the world of Geminis versus humans. Every chapter ending left me wanting to know more, so I'd quickly start the next chapter. Even the ending of this book left me wanting more.
When it comes to humans versus something that wants to wipe them from the face of the Earth, it's been done before. However, Miss O'Gorek brings a refreshing twist on the common theme. I loved how it was beings who were angry at the humans for not taking care of the Earth that wanted them gone. It may sound like a hippie story line, and I thought it was going to be just that at first, but it quickly turns into a sound plot line.
The characters were written fabulously! I loved Violette. I loved her vulnerability and her child like innocence. She is a very naive girl, but this is only because she's been stuck inside an orphanage for mostly her whole life. The only problem I had with her is how she couldn't tell that something was up with Slate especially after what had happened to her. I enjoyed the character of Onyx. It was interesting to see how he wrestled with what he wanted and what he was supposed to do. I hated the bishop...not because he was poorly written but because he was just so mean! The author did a fantastic job of making us hate the bishop.
The dialogue was really interesting, and I enjoyed reading about all the characters. I especially enjoyed Onyx's point of view and dialogue the most. There are some sexual references though, so if that's not really your cup of tea, just be warned. However, the sexual references are mild.
Overall, Ethereal Fury (Gemini Rising #1) is an interesting read that will leave readers wanting more (in a good way). It certainly left me wanting more. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+ who want to get sucked in to a great read.
(I was given a paperback copy of this title for free from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I thought the blurb to this book sounded super interesting and different. I was hoping this book would be interested, and luckily, it was.
When a human who polluted the Earth dies, they become a Gemini and belong to mother Earth. Onyx is a Gemini. His mission is to help destroy the human race. Everything is going smoothly until he comes across Violette, a 16 year old human girl. Geminis aren't really supposed to feel anything, yet Onyx feels drawn to Violette. He possess the body of an acolyte to befriend her. What follows will make Onyx question everything he's ever known.
I didn't know what to expect with this title. I figured it had something to do with Ethereals, but that was all I got from the title. After reading the book, the title matches what the book's about.
I'm not really a fan of the cover. To me, the cover makes it seem like the book wouldn't be good which isn't the case at all. I just think that the cover could've been made to entice readers to pick it up.
The world building is good, but there are a few things that left me confused such as how the book says that Geminis don't have feelings. However, a few of the Geminis had feelings such as worry and anger. Onyx seemed to have more feelings than all the Geminis. Hopefully, why Onyx is the way he is will be explained in the next book. Another thing that made me confused was the fact that Geminis are ethereal beings. However, they were able to move things, pick things up, etc in their natural form. Perhaps I just missed something along the way. Oh, and one more thing. I was confused whether these things were demons or something else. I get that they're Geminis, yet it mentions in the book about how exorcisms seem to work on the Geminis. I also don't really get why the Geminis wanted to start with churches first. I get that they wanted to start small, but why pick churches? Other than those things, I enjoyed the world building.
The pacing started off a little bit slow but quickly picked up. Before I knew it, I was quickly sucked into the world of Geminis versus humans. Every chapter ending left me wanting to know more, so I'd quickly start the next chapter. Even the ending of this book left me wanting more.
When it comes to humans versus something that wants to wipe them from the face of the Earth, it's been done before. However, Miss O'Gorek brings a refreshing twist on the common theme. I loved how it was beings who were angry at the humans for not taking care of the Earth that wanted them gone. It may sound like a hippie story line, and I thought it was going to be just that at first, but it quickly turns into a sound plot line.
The characters were written fabulously! I loved Violette. I loved her vulnerability and her child like innocence. She is a very naive girl, but this is only because she's been stuck inside an orphanage for mostly her whole life. The only problem I had with her is how she couldn't tell that something was up with Slate especially after what had happened to her. I enjoyed the character of Onyx. It was interesting to see how he wrestled with what he wanted and what he was supposed to do. I hated the bishop...not because he was poorly written but because he was just so mean! The author did a fantastic job of making us hate the bishop.
The dialogue was really interesting, and I enjoyed reading about all the characters. I especially enjoyed Onyx's point of view and dialogue the most. There are some sexual references though, so if that's not really your cup of tea, just be warned. However, the sexual references are mild.
Overall, Ethereal Fury (Gemini Rising #1) is an interesting read that will leave readers wanting more (in a good way). It certainly left me wanting more. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+ who want to get sucked in to a great read.
(I was given a paperback copy of this title for free from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Alice (12 KP) rated Red Sister in Books
Jul 3, 2018
<i>Many thanks to Mark for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review </i>
Original review can be found on my blog Raptureinbooks <a href="http://wp.me/p5y0lX-1I9">here</a href>
<blockquote>It is important, when killing a nun, to bring an army of sufficient size.</blockquote>
I know they say to never judge a book by its cover but first impressions are everything. The above quote is the first line written in <i>Red Sister</i> - Mark Lawrence's newest masterpiece. I don't use the term lightly.
For those of you who haven't read his work before - know this: it will change how you read fantasy for the better. There's a really apt line in this book for this sentiment:
<blockquote>...a book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the same one that opened the front one. </blockquote>
For those of you who have, you know his main characters are the ultimate in anti-heroes. All male, all rough, all the epitome of badassery. <i>Red Sister</i> is the first with a strong - and I mean strong -all female cast.
From the first instance you know this book is going to be top of the scale of epicness, <i>Red Sister</i> will draw you in within moments of opening the pages.
It follows the story of Nona Grey- an eight year old girl saved from the noose by an unlikely saviour - a nun - Abbess Glass, leader of the Sweet Mercy Convent. Nona becomes a novice nun and begins her journey to becoming a Red Sister- a nun skilled in combat. At first the book can feel a little like you've stepped backwards in time to where children are bought and sold on the road, where the Church has almost absolute power and where little girls do not become killer nuns; however as the story progresses and Nona's back story is revealed to us piece by piece I found my original thoughts to be utter bullshit because frankly the plot is outstanding.
I'll hold my hand up and say I've never read a book about nuns before but Red Sister has ruined me for any other.
As signature with Mark's work, Red Sister has the perfect balance between seriousness and humour with some brilliant descriptions of the most simplest of things:
<blockquote>...and a quill. This latter gave the impression that the bird from which it was taken had died of some wasting disease, falling from its perch into a dirty puddle before being run over by several carts and finally thoroughly chewed by a hungry cat.</blockquote>
The dialogue was witty and the right tone for what is ultimately a group of girls in boarding school who both love and hate each other and what they do on a daily basis. The friendships made at Sweet Mercy are friendships built to last through the toughest of scenarios, literally through thick and thin. Nona's past catches up with her frequently and she is tested to her highest limits and on occasion shoved over that limit.
<blockquote>"Trust is the most insidious of poisons." </blockquote>
There are some harsh lessons to be learned in <i>Red Sister</i> and not just the physical ones - of which there are many. The plot is thick with action, betrayal, uncanny abilities and supernatural old world bloodlines that show through in current generations that haven't been seen since the first tribes settled in Abeth; with prophecies galore and the odd psycho, bare knuckle fighting in the pits and justice is wrought.
The revelations are spectacular and revealed in unexpected ways that have totally done them justice. The writing style of Mark Lawrence is once more on point with the right amount of length for each chapter; the supernatural demon element was written in a great way. Overall, it was a masterpiece of the genre and deserves all the stars.
<i>Red Sister</i> has been one of the highlights of my year so far and it is outstanding. I've tried not to give anything away which is hard cause I want to give all the spoilers! I'll leave you with a parting quote that sums up the book nicely.
<blockquote>"Words are steps along a path: The important thing is to get where you're going."</blockquote>
Original review can be found on my blog Raptureinbooks <a href="http://wp.me/p5y0lX-1I9">here</a href>
<blockquote>It is important, when killing a nun, to bring an army of sufficient size.</blockquote>
I know they say to never judge a book by its cover but first impressions are everything. The above quote is the first line written in <i>Red Sister</i> - Mark Lawrence's newest masterpiece. I don't use the term lightly.
For those of you who haven't read his work before - know this: it will change how you read fantasy for the better. There's a really apt line in this book for this sentiment:
<blockquote>...a book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the same one that opened the front one. </blockquote>
For those of you who have, you know his main characters are the ultimate in anti-heroes. All male, all rough, all the epitome of badassery. <i>Red Sister</i> is the first with a strong - and I mean strong -all female cast.
From the first instance you know this book is going to be top of the scale of epicness, <i>Red Sister</i> will draw you in within moments of opening the pages.
It follows the story of Nona Grey- an eight year old girl saved from the noose by an unlikely saviour - a nun - Abbess Glass, leader of the Sweet Mercy Convent. Nona becomes a novice nun and begins her journey to becoming a Red Sister- a nun skilled in combat. At first the book can feel a little like you've stepped backwards in time to where children are bought and sold on the road, where the Church has almost absolute power and where little girls do not become killer nuns; however as the story progresses and Nona's back story is revealed to us piece by piece I found my original thoughts to be utter bullshit because frankly the plot is outstanding.
I'll hold my hand up and say I've never read a book about nuns before but Red Sister has ruined me for any other.
As signature with Mark's work, Red Sister has the perfect balance between seriousness and humour with some brilliant descriptions of the most simplest of things:
<blockquote>...and a quill. This latter gave the impression that the bird from which it was taken had died of some wasting disease, falling from its perch into a dirty puddle before being run over by several carts and finally thoroughly chewed by a hungry cat.</blockquote>
The dialogue was witty and the right tone for what is ultimately a group of girls in boarding school who both love and hate each other and what they do on a daily basis. The friendships made at Sweet Mercy are friendships built to last through the toughest of scenarios, literally through thick and thin. Nona's past catches up with her frequently and she is tested to her highest limits and on occasion shoved over that limit.
<blockquote>"Trust is the most insidious of poisons." </blockquote>
There are some harsh lessons to be learned in <i>Red Sister</i> and not just the physical ones - of which there are many. The plot is thick with action, betrayal, uncanny abilities and supernatural old world bloodlines that show through in current generations that haven't been seen since the first tribes settled in Abeth; with prophecies galore and the odd psycho, bare knuckle fighting in the pits and justice is wrought.
The revelations are spectacular and revealed in unexpected ways that have totally done them justice. The writing style of Mark Lawrence is once more on point with the right amount of length for each chapter; the supernatural demon element was written in a great way. Overall, it was a masterpiece of the genre and deserves all the stars.
<i>Red Sister</i> has been one of the highlights of my year so far and it is outstanding. I've tried not to give anything away which is hard cause I want to give all the spoilers! I'll leave you with a parting quote that sums up the book nicely.
<blockquote>"Words are steps along a path: The important thing is to get where you're going."</blockquote>
Darren (1599 KP) rated Aladdin (1992) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: Aladdin starts as we see the evil Jafar looking for a lamp but hi plans are put on hold when he needs to find a diamond in the rough. We move onto meet street thieve Aladdin who steals to survive and help others who are less fortunate. We also meet Princess Jasmin who needs to be married off by her Sultan father by her next birthday but wants to fall in love before marrying someone.
After Jasmine runs away she meets Aladdin who gets placed into helping Jafar retrieve the Lamp from the Cave of Wonders. Once Aladdin finds the lamp he awakens the Genie who grants him three wishes that could change his life forever.
Aladdin is one of the most popular Disney movies all time and I can see why. We have the unlikely hero that is good at heart but never given the chance to be the success he could be, we have a strong female lead and a villain tired of being in the shadows wanting power. Mixing all of these together we get a full story that does everything you need in a film taking the Disney Princess idea to a new world. This will always be considered a true classic that will forever be loved.
Character Review
Aladdin: Aladdin is the small town street thieve that does what he needs to, to survive. When he meets Jasmine he instantly falls in love but finds him the target of Jafar to steal a magic lamp. The lamp gives him three wishes that he uses to make himself a Prince to marry Jasmine but it isn’t long before his true self is discovered and he can become a hero by himself. Aladdin is a great character that shows just because he does criminal activities he is doing them for the right reason and is selfless at heart.
Genie: Genie comes from the lamp giving Aladdin three wishes having been trapped for years. He has rules but must grant wishes that don’t break these rules to his master. He loves working for Aladdin but ends up being forced into working for Jafar. Genie is one of Robin William best performance as the pure energy behind this film that you want to see every single scene he is in.
Jasmine: Jasmine is the princess that is being forced into marrying a prince but she keeps rejecting any that come her way. She escapes the kingdom and falls in love with Aladdin who is everything she shouldn’t be marrying. Jasmine is a strong princess which is unlike most of Disney’s for the time she wants love and will make sure she finds it.
Jafar: Jafar is the Sultan’s most trusted advisor but he has plans to become the Sultan himself and will look into to any means to make this happen including finding the lamp to wish for the power. Jafar is one of your typical villains you see in a Disney film that will always be one to hate.
Support Characters: Aladdin has good supporting comedy character that will make you laugh through the film.
Director Review: Ron Clements, John Musker – The pair give us one of the most memorable and stand out Disney films of all time.
Adventure: Aladdin takes us on an adventure as Aladdin goes from street thieve to worthy hand in marriage for Jasmine.
Animation: Aladdin had the brilliant animation you have come to know from Disney.
Comedy: Aladdin has great use of comedy with most coming from Robin Williams.
Family: Aladdin is one the whole family could enjoy with jokes for the whole family to understand.
Fantasy: Aladdin puts us in the middle of a fantasy world that is filled with genies that can grant wishes.
Romance: Aladdin has a romantic story that follows a princess who wants to fall in love rather than be forced into marriage.
Settings: Aladdin puts us into a world that shows the type of world that Aladdin is living in.
Suggestion: Aladdin is one that I think everyone should have watched at least once. (Watch)
Best Part: Whole New World.
Worst Part: Not one.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears:
Chances of Sequel: Has one.
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: Won 2 Oscars
Budget: $28 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Tagline: A diamond in the rough.
Trivia: This film became the 14th (and the first animated movie) to gross more than $200,000,000.
Overall: One of the BEST Disney films of all time.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/07/06/aladdin-1992/
After Jasmine runs away she meets Aladdin who gets placed into helping Jafar retrieve the Lamp from the Cave of Wonders. Once Aladdin finds the lamp he awakens the Genie who grants him three wishes that could change his life forever.
Aladdin is one of the most popular Disney movies all time and I can see why. We have the unlikely hero that is good at heart but never given the chance to be the success he could be, we have a strong female lead and a villain tired of being in the shadows wanting power. Mixing all of these together we get a full story that does everything you need in a film taking the Disney Princess idea to a new world. This will always be considered a true classic that will forever be loved.
Character Review
Aladdin: Aladdin is the small town street thieve that does what he needs to, to survive. When he meets Jasmine he instantly falls in love but finds him the target of Jafar to steal a magic lamp. The lamp gives him three wishes that he uses to make himself a Prince to marry Jasmine but it isn’t long before his true self is discovered and he can become a hero by himself. Aladdin is a great character that shows just because he does criminal activities he is doing them for the right reason and is selfless at heart.
Genie: Genie comes from the lamp giving Aladdin three wishes having been trapped for years. He has rules but must grant wishes that don’t break these rules to his master. He loves working for Aladdin but ends up being forced into working for Jafar. Genie is one of Robin William best performance as the pure energy behind this film that you want to see every single scene he is in.
Jasmine: Jasmine is the princess that is being forced into marrying a prince but she keeps rejecting any that come her way. She escapes the kingdom and falls in love with Aladdin who is everything she shouldn’t be marrying. Jasmine is a strong princess which is unlike most of Disney’s for the time she wants love and will make sure she finds it.
Jafar: Jafar is the Sultan’s most trusted advisor but he has plans to become the Sultan himself and will look into to any means to make this happen including finding the lamp to wish for the power. Jafar is one of your typical villains you see in a Disney film that will always be one to hate.
Support Characters: Aladdin has good supporting comedy character that will make you laugh through the film.
Director Review: Ron Clements, John Musker – The pair give us one of the most memorable and stand out Disney films of all time.
Adventure: Aladdin takes us on an adventure as Aladdin goes from street thieve to worthy hand in marriage for Jasmine.
Animation: Aladdin had the brilliant animation you have come to know from Disney.
Comedy: Aladdin has great use of comedy with most coming from Robin Williams.
Family: Aladdin is one the whole family could enjoy with jokes for the whole family to understand.
Fantasy: Aladdin puts us in the middle of a fantasy world that is filled with genies that can grant wishes.
Romance: Aladdin has a romantic story that follows a princess who wants to fall in love rather than be forced into marriage.
Settings: Aladdin puts us into a world that shows the type of world that Aladdin is living in.
Suggestion: Aladdin is one that I think everyone should have watched at least once. (Watch)
Best Part: Whole New World.
Worst Part: Not one.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears:
Chances of Sequel: Has one.
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: Won 2 Oscars
Budget: $28 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Tagline: A diamond in the rough.
Trivia: This film became the 14th (and the first animated movie) to gross more than $200,000,000.
Overall: One of the BEST Disney films of all time.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/07/06/aladdin-1992/