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The Handmaid's Tale  - Season 1
The Handmaid's Tale - Season 1
2017 | Drama
Excellent adaptation
I really loved what the creators of this show have done with The Handmaid's Tale. The amount of relevancy that the social commentary still has on today's society blows my mind. I also really like how they've developed a lot of the characters. For example, in the book Serena Joy is mostly made out to be a villain, but her portrayal in the show is sympathetic. Much like in real life, the line between good and evil is blurred. I've found that while watching June is actually one of my least favorite characters. I've come to really love Nick although I feel intensely sorry for him in his predicament. I wish that they had put in some of the original narrative framing devices with the studying of the society of Gilead because I found that to be an interesting way of looking at it in the book and I hope they figure something out to keep it in the future.
  
Melmoth: A Novel
Melmoth: A Novel
Sarah Perry | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
10
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A gothic, spellbinding novel.
A dark, gothic story, of a woman living an austere life in Prague, set in winter - which makes it all the more foreboding!
Melmoth is omnipresent throughout the novel. Helen, the main character, seems to have something in her past that she is punishing herself for. She makes sure that she has no enjoyment in her life: from food to clothes, to friendships. She does have some friends, though: Thea and Karel.
Karel finds some documents about Melmoth the Wanderer, and so an obsession begins.
For a dark, depressing novel, there is a lot of hope in it too. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It got to the stage where I was sure I could see a dark shadow in my peripheral vision - could it be Melmoth looking for company in her lonely wanderings?
This is a compelling read - once started, I really didn't want to stop. I enjoyed the historical detail in Karel's documents too.
Another great story from Sarah Perry.
  
The Button Box
The Button Box
Dilly Court | 2019 | History & Politics, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Gripping story (2 more)
Twists and turns, unpredictable
Easy read
Nothing (0 more)
Couldn't put it down
Just closed the covers and really hope someone will read my review and read this. If historical Romances are your thing I think this one will be one for you!
It's such an easy book to get into. I read about 100 pages in one go and finished it quicker than most books I read.
I just found the story compelling, gripping and inspiring. It's not your typical romance, as the romance side is more on the back burner (I'd still put it in the Historical Romance category) and it's more about independence, hard work, determination, women's struggles in that era, friendship and family values. It's not often I find a book I don't see one fault with so I'd definitely recommend it to anyone. It's not a 10 as I save my ten for my utmost favourites, although this is blummin' close.
  
Star Wars: Darth Vader, Vol 1: Vader
Star Wars: Darth Vader, Vol 1: Vader
Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larocca (art) | 2015 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Science Fiction/Fantasy
4
8.4 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
The second of the two canon Marvel Star Wars comics I've read recently, this (I felt) is also somewhat unfortunately less impressive than the first ([b: Star Wars, Vol 1: Skywalker Strikes|24718416|Star Wars, Vol. 1 Skywalker Strikes|Jason Aaron|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1433222876s/24718416.jpg|44342503]).

This time around, we're focusing on the titular 'bad guy' of the franchise, showing how he (begins) to move from being (virtually) a sidekick in 'A New Hope' to being the main menace in 'The Empire Strikes Back', and on how he discovers the identity of Luke Skywalker. As a large part of this is concurrent with that other story, we also get the occasional duplicate panel in this as in the earlier entry.

As before, this starts with the opening crawl before we get a panel shot of space, with (again) - all we're lacking is the ominous tones of the Imperial March playing out!
  
Star Wars, Vol. 1: Skywalker Strikes
Star Wars, Vol. 1: Skywalker Strikes
Jason Aaron, John Cassaday | 2015 | Comics & Graphic Novels
8
9.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Flagship entry in Marvel's take-over of the Star Wars comics, this is set between the events of 'A New Hope' and 'The Empire Strikes Back' and, I have to say, is also a pretty enjoyable read!

It probably helps, of course, that the opening panels start with the iconic crawl, before moving to an expanse of space, with a spaceship then passing overhead - as close, in short, as you can get to the opening of the films in comic form! It also helps that all the main character - Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, C3PO and R2D2 all make a return, all looking pretty much as they did on the screen back then

OK, it's not perfect, with the reveal of Han's secret past (in particular) for me falling a bit flat, and with the story losing it's pace after the somewhat spectacular early pyrotechnics, but if this is anything to go on? We're in good hands.
  
This is now part of the Star Wars 'Legend's (i.e. non-canon stories) following Marvel's acquisition of Lucasfilm; however - in many respects - I also feel that this is/was a strong candidate for remaining as part of the lore (or, like Grand Admiral Thrawn, being integrated into it).

This is set between the events of "Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope" (or, if I was to place it as part of the lore now, between Sith and Rogue One), and sees Vader - who, at this stage, is still lamenting his loss of Padme - charged with hunting down and recovering Grand Moff Tarkin's son, who has disappearaed in the relatively unexplored Atoan Ghost Nebula.

Maybe a wee bit choppy, I still fouind this to be an interesting look into Vader's psyche - I also have to say that the opening panels, with Vader's limbs being, umm, 'reattached' may well have influenced a similar scene in Rogue One!
  
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The Titans Squaring off (0 more)
Rubbish Storyline Cheesy lines The Human Characters (0 more)
The King Deserved Better
Was looking to forward to this next chapter in the Godzilla movies but alas bar one or two good things about it the majority of this film was poor.

My main criticism is for the human characters all fell flat.You couldn't really care about them,it seemed their only purpose in the film was to go on about their scientific theories or make crass jokes (can't pronounce one of the monsters names so let's call it gonorrhea instead) and is it just me or was millie bobby brown just plain annoying.They could have made Charles Dance bad guy a little more bladder,he just seemed to polite for my liking.

The CGI was good in parts with the final showdown between godzilla and ghidorah being the best of the titans fighting each other.

I really hope they improve things for the next installment in the series when godzilla faces kong.
  
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Just.a.standard.gal (23 KP) rated Disney Magic Kingdoms in Apps

Aug 16, 2019 (Updated Aug 16, 2019)  
Disney Magic Kingdoms
Disney Magic Kingdoms
Games, Entertainment
7
7.0 (6 Ratings)
App Rating
Can get a range of characters (1 more)
Keeps up to date with current movies
So many events (1 more)
New update: having to enchant buildings takes way too long!
I started playing this game within the first few months of its release and i have been addicted to it ever since! Follow the story lines and you find yourself welcoming a range of disney characters and rides to your park while getting to design your park however you please!
Alot of characters in this game howeverare limited time event characters who can only be obtained through chests (costing real money) or if they're part of a tower event.
New update: with the latest update (roughly 12th aug 2019) you now have to enchant rides throughout your park for them to drop tokens. This is more difficult than it seems due to obtaining the tokens needed to enchant these buildings are pretty much none exsistant! I really hope DMK address this in the future!
  
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)
2013 | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
10
6.8 (19 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Yeesh
I don't even know where to start. I decided to read this series once coming across the best TV show ever based on the books and I just HAD to start from the beginning which is from this very first book. I couldn't put the book down and honestly read it within a day. This was the first book to a long way of books where I took books seriously and didn't have the urge to throw them away afterwards or shove them into a damp, dark place. I placed it neatly on a shelf. Already ready to buy the next one since I'm never one to like cliffhangers or not having more to the story. I'm a collector and once I like something. I become obsessed. I definitely recommend this book if you like the mysteries of a world that you hope exists and something written on a place that I myself actually dreamed of being in whether or not its in a book.
  
Coimbra
Coimbra
2018 | Dice Game, Political
The strategy and the board is awesome (0 more)
Needs expansions (0 more)
Lots going on
This is a great game for beginners, to start with there seems to be too much going on, it is fairly easy to grasp this game within 2 or 3 playthroughs though.
The dice drafting and card drafting together give players a nice introduction to both of these game mechanics as well as trying to grow multiple paths at the same time, like many other good gateway games this has a lot to keep you interested without being super heavy or overly complex.
You will find yourself planning ahead a lot in this and it is definitely good for replayability.
I think there are more directions in which they could go with this so I hope to see more expansion packs coming out for it.
There is only one currently which I haven't managed to snag yet but I will.
I will update when I get a copy.
Happy gaming folks