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Merissa (13373 KP) rated Lady of Thorns (Two Thrones #3) in Books
Dec 13, 2017
Lady of Thorns (Two Thrones #3) by Nicola M. Cameron
Lady of Thorns is the third book in the Two Thrones series, and we focus on two characters we met in the previous book. Amelie and Alain are about as opposite as you can get - noble-born and street rat who has worked hard and got himself a career. However, their births play no part as the sparks fly between these two. They are evenly matched in intelligence, wit, and humour. And then, through Amelie's courage, they find out they are matched in other areas too. With the Harvest Ball coming up, her mother to contend with, and a husband to find, Amelie is happy to take her chances whilst she can. And of course, it doesn't hurt to have a Queen as your best friend!
It was wonderful returning to this world. It is easy to read, and the characters are all superb. It is smoothly written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I found. I would have loved to have heard more about Matthias and Danae, but then I am greedy where they are concerned. All in all, this book was thoroughly enjoyable, and completely un-put-downable. Palace of Scoundrels is still my favourite so far, but Lady of Thorns is absolutely recommended in every way.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
It was wonderful returning to this world. It is easy to read, and the characters are all superb. It is smoothly written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I found. I would have loved to have heard more about Matthias and Danae, but then I am greedy where they are concerned. All in all, this book was thoroughly enjoyable, and completely un-put-downable. Palace of Scoundrels is still my favourite so far, but Lady of Thorns is absolutely recommended in every way.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies
May 20, 2019
A sequel on par with the first two, making for a fine trilogy
The original John Wick was a bit of a sleeper hit. It seemed to come out of nowhere, and grabbed people's attention immediately with it's revenge story, brutal action scenes, and undercuts of humour.
John Wick Chapter 2 was more of the same, and certainly in a good way.
John Wick Chapter 3, you guessed it, is more of the same, and the thing is, it's still not remotely boring.
The films opening action sequences hit you in the face from the get go (it opens immediately after the events of Chapter 2) and it's pretty relentless from there.
The action scenes themselves are frantic, but the lack of constant quick cuts means you can see what is happening. They are suitably violent, and keeps the John Wick tradition of ammo counting, which sets it apart from most gun orientated action films.
The martial arts stunt work is solid and slick and just all round thrilling to watch.
Keanu Reeves, as before, is great as the mostly-silent protagonist, and Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick, and Halle Berry, all compliment the story pretty well.
The only problem I had with the cast was the completely over the top Adjudicator character. The constant crazy eyes were just a little too comical for me.
John Wick Chapter 3 is a great addition to this trilogy and thankfully leaves it open for another story down the line. I'm certainly ready to see what happens next.
John Wick Chapter 2 was more of the same, and certainly in a good way.
John Wick Chapter 3, you guessed it, is more of the same, and the thing is, it's still not remotely boring.
The films opening action sequences hit you in the face from the get go (it opens immediately after the events of Chapter 2) and it's pretty relentless from there.
The action scenes themselves are frantic, but the lack of constant quick cuts means you can see what is happening. They are suitably violent, and keeps the John Wick tradition of ammo counting, which sets it apart from most gun orientated action films.
The martial arts stunt work is solid and slick and just all round thrilling to watch.
Keanu Reeves, as before, is great as the mostly-silent protagonist, and Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick, and Halle Berry, all compliment the story pretty well.
The only problem I had with the cast was the completely over the top Adjudicator character. The constant crazy eyes were just a little too comical for me.
John Wick Chapter 3 is a great addition to this trilogy and thankfully leaves it open for another story down the line. I'm certainly ready to see what happens next.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in Movies
May 24, 2019 (Updated May 24, 2019)
Comic book perfection
It's a moment all comic movie fans have been waiting for - all these beloved characters in one film - and Infinity War delivers on so many levels.
With such a huge roster of well established characters, being played by so many A-List actors, it's an absolute marvel (excuse the pun) how the Russo Brothers manage to pull it off with such aplomb, with every hero being on screen for the right amount of time - it's quite incredible.
On top of all of the reliable heroes throughout, IW also properly introduces us to Thanos, who has been teased several times in the past, and he is a incredibly well realised big villain - you see where he's coming from, he's relatable, and still utterly terrifying and ruthless in how he relentlessly chases what he wants, no matter how much he loses in the process.
The CGI and motion capture used to create him is pretty flawless, and Josh Brolins booming voice completes the package.
The battle scenes are slick and tight and flow smoothly with the rest of the film - the humour is on point throughout - the scenes shared between members of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are so so great - it's hard to think of anything I didn't love about IW.
And just to top it all off, IW delivers an absolute gut punch of an ending, delivering the single biggest disaster to happen so far in the MCU.
As far as comic book movies go, I can't think how this will ever be beaten. A true epic.
With such a huge roster of well established characters, being played by so many A-List actors, it's an absolute marvel (excuse the pun) how the Russo Brothers manage to pull it off with such aplomb, with every hero being on screen for the right amount of time - it's quite incredible.
On top of all of the reliable heroes throughout, IW also properly introduces us to Thanos, who has been teased several times in the past, and he is a incredibly well realised big villain - you see where he's coming from, he's relatable, and still utterly terrifying and ruthless in how he relentlessly chases what he wants, no matter how much he loses in the process.
The CGI and motion capture used to create him is pretty flawless, and Josh Brolins booming voice completes the package.
The battle scenes are slick and tight and flow smoothly with the rest of the film - the humour is on point throughout - the scenes shared between members of the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are so so great - it's hard to think of anything I didn't love about IW.
And just to top it all off, IW delivers an absolute gut punch of an ending, delivering the single biggest disaster to happen so far in the MCU.
As far as comic book movies go, I can't think how this will ever be beaten. A true epic.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine in Books
Jan 20, 2018 (Updated Jan 20, 2018)
Clever, humorous and heartwarmingly sad
It’s very rare for me not to have a single criticism about a book, but Eleanor Oliphant has managed it. This book was nothing like I had expected, and it completely blew me away.
This book is full of sadness, yet also humour and wit. Eleanor is such an endearingly loveable character and reading about her life and her social ineptitude fills you with such empathy. She really connects with you as a reader, to the point where I almost forgot she wasn't real. Maybe it’s because she’s the same age as me, and the social interactions, loneliness and crushes are what everyone goes through in their lifetime, albeit usually at a younger age. I was almost in tears during parts of this book, and then completely thrown into fits of laughter, especially when the cat appears. The ending was part surprise, part predictable, but this book isn’t about the ending, it’s about Eleanor’s journey and it was such a delight to read. Such a heartwarming read and reminds me very much of The Rosie Project.
There’s a lot of fantastic quotes in this book, but there was one very early on that really stuck with me and I knew after reading that that it was going to be a good book;
“What could be more normal than pizza and wine?” - it might not mean much to others, but to me this is a statement that me and my best friend live by!
This book is full of sadness, yet also humour and wit. Eleanor is such an endearingly loveable character and reading about her life and her social ineptitude fills you with such empathy. She really connects with you as a reader, to the point where I almost forgot she wasn't real. Maybe it’s because she’s the same age as me, and the social interactions, loneliness and crushes are what everyone goes through in their lifetime, albeit usually at a younger age. I was almost in tears during parts of this book, and then completely thrown into fits of laughter, especially when the cat appears. The ending was part surprise, part predictable, but this book isn’t about the ending, it’s about Eleanor’s journey and it was such a delight to read. Such a heartwarming read and reminds me very much of The Rosie Project.
There’s a lot of fantastic quotes in this book, but there was one very early on that really stuck with me and I knew after reading that that it was going to be a good book;
“What could be more normal than pizza and wine?” - it might not mean much to others, but to me this is a statement that me and my best friend live by!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Kinky Boots (2006) in Movies
Sep 4, 2018 (Updated Sep 4, 2018)
Fabulous
This is such a quintessentially British film that it’s hard not to love it. It’s full of humour, laughs, drama and is so heartwarming and entertaining. Whilst judgemental Northerners (well north of London) or backwards small British towns/locales in a film isn’t unusual, this film is a fun take on a slightly different true story.
Joel Edgerton is great as Charlie. I wasn’t expecting him to be, but he did very well and his accent was flawless. I actually spent the entire film doubting myself that he was Australian, because he did that well. The star of this film though is undoubtedly Chiwetel Ejiofor. He is an absolute riot as Lola and brings such joy to every scene that he’s in, from the musical numbers to the factory scenes. He seems to be channeling Tim Curry in parts (which isn’t a bad thing) and he’s such a hoot. I don’t think there are many that could pull off Lola quite as well as he has.
I do have a few minor criticisms though. The story itself is pretty predictable, but then would anyone expect any less from such a premise? The film though for me was for a change a little too short. I would’ve happily watched a lot more of this without getting bored.
I’m going to watch the musical of this in the theatre in a few months, and this has really got me excited. Just a shame Chiwetel Ejiofor isn’t appearing in the theatre version, I’d love to see that!
Joel Edgerton is great as Charlie. I wasn’t expecting him to be, but he did very well and his accent was flawless. I actually spent the entire film doubting myself that he was Australian, because he did that well. The star of this film though is undoubtedly Chiwetel Ejiofor. He is an absolute riot as Lola and brings such joy to every scene that he’s in, from the musical numbers to the factory scenes. He seems to be channeling Tim Curry in parts (which isn’t a bad thing) and he’s such a hoot. I don’t think there are many that could pull off Lola quite as well as he has.
I do have a few minor criticisms though. The story itself is pretty predictable, but then would anyone expect any less from such a premise? The film though for me was for a change a little too short. I would’ve happily watched a lot more of this without getting bored.
I’m going to watch the musical of this in the theatre in a few months, and this has really got me excited. Just a shame Chiwetel Ejiofor isn’t appearing in the theatre version, I’d love to see that!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated A Simple Favor (2018) in Movies
Sep 26, 2018
Confused and dull
Having read other Smashbombers reviews, I did at least go into this film knowing it wasn't an out an out thriller, but that still didn't prepare me for what followed.
This film really can't decide what it is; dark comedy, thriller? It seems to seesaw between the two for the entire 2 hour run time, with very little success in either genre. There are a few funny-ish (I smiled a bit) parts but most of the humour is a little bit cheesy or niche. The thriller side too is very predictable, and most of the twists you can see coming a mile off - this almost feels like a second rate comedy rip off of Gone Girl. And then the final act just goes completely bonkers and ridiculous.
Anna Kendrick plays the same character she always does, and I've finally had enough as shes starting to grate on me. Some of the supporting actors like Andrew Rannells aren't given anywhere near enough screen time (loved him in Girls). The only one to come out of this film unscathed is Blake Lively. She's very charismatic and surprisingly endearing, despite her characters reputation and actions. I have to admit, I have a bit of a girl crush on her - id love to be able to dress like that at work!
For the most part, this film was pretty dull and predictable, and was only entertaining whenever Lively is on screen, which wasn't nearly often enough.
This film really can't decide what it is; dark comedy, thriller? It seems to seesaw between the two for the entire 2 hour run time, with very little success in either genre. There are a few funny-ish (I smiled a bit) parts but most of the humour is a little bit cheesy or niche. The thriller side too is very predictable, and most of the twists you can see coming a mile off - this almost feels like a second rate comedy rip off of Gone Girl. And then the final act just goes completely bonkers and ridiculous.
Anna Kendrick plays the same character she always does, and I've finally had enough as shes starting to grate on me. Some of the supporting actors like Andrew Rannells aren't given anywhere near enough screen time (loved him in Girls). The only one to come out of this film unscathed is Blake Lively. She's very charismatic and surprisingly endearing, despite her characters reputation and actions. I have to admit, I have a bit of a girl crush on her - id love to be able to dress like that at work!
For the most part, this film was pretty dull and predictable, and was only entertaining whenever Lively is on screen, which wasn't nearly often enough.
Merissa (13373 KP) rated Infinite Blue in Books
Oct 19, 2018
Infinite Blue by Natalina Reis
Infinite Blue is a standalone story (as far as I can tell), which tells the story of soul mates, and what happens when it is between a shifter and a human. Shahin has been told for years by his mother that it can never happen, but finds his own soul mate in the very human form of Cai. He spends time watching him from afar (admitting to himself how stalkerish his behaviour is!) before actually meeting up with him. Unfortunately, things don't go quite as smoothly as he hoped for. Will he live to see them bond, or will he die to have Cai in his life?
This was a great story, with plenty of humorous moments, as well as heat between the sheets. The "mystery" behind Shahin's illness wasn't too difficult to figure out, but the fun was in watching them figure it out, and what they would do next.
Whilst Cai doesn't have that big a family, Shahin does - and I would love to see more of them. This was a brilliantly written story, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I found the pacing to be spot on, with plenty of intrigue and humour from one page to the next.
This was a great shifter story, and definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This was a great story, with plenty of humorous moments, as well as heat between the sheets. The "mystery" behind Shahin's illness wasn't too difficult to figure out, but the fun was in watching them figure it out, and what they would do next.
Whilst Cai doesn't have that big a family, Shahin does - and I would love to see more of them. This was a brilliantly written story, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I found the pacing to be spot on, with plenty of intrigue and humour from one page to the next.
This was a great shifter story, and definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
ClareR (5996 KP) rated Slaughter and Forgetting (Josef Slonsky Investigations #2) in Books
Dec 4, 2018
Another great Slonsky book!!
In my opinion, Slonsky just seems to get better and better. He’s lazy, sarcastic and constantly drinking beer and eating anything that isn’t regarded as healthy.
This time, he’s solving a thirty year old murder, after an elderly ex-policeman asks him to reopen the case. This appears unlikely to happen, until Holoubek (the elderly policeman) is killed in a hit and run.
We’re introduced to a new character, Peiperova, a female police officer, who Navratil certainly has a soft spot for. I think she is going to feature a lot in the books that follow!
There’s a lot of humour in this book, especially the darker variety. We are given an insight in to the communist past of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and it isn’t all nice. Some is quite amusing though: a trade deal with Hungary that involved trading Hi-Fi’s for toasters!!
For all Slonsky’s apparent laziness, he is actually very good at what he does. He has a moral code - he hates to see people get hurt, and a lot of thought goes into this case (even if it is done whilst sat in a bar, beer in hand!).
I’m a big fan of Slonsky. I love his fast wit, and the way that he tries to cover up a razor sharp mind - with a camouflage of pastries, beer and sausage!
I’ll be adding the next Slonsky book to my kindle ASAP!
Many thanks to Sapere books for my copy of this great book.
This time, he’s solving a thirty year old murder, after an elderly ex-policeman asks him to reopen the case. This appears unlikely to happen, until Holoubek (the elderly policeman) is killed in a hit and run.
We’re introduced to a new character, Peiperova, a female police officer, who Navratil certainly has a soft spot for. I think she is going to feature a lot in the books that follow!
There’s a lot of humour in this book, especially the darker variety. We are given an insight in to the communist past of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and it isn’t all nice. Some is quite amusing though: a trade deal with Hungary that involved trading Hi-Fi’s for toasters!!
For all Slonsky’s apparent laziness, he is actually very good at what he does. He has a moral code - he hates to see people get hurt, and a lot of thought goes into this case (even if it is done whilst sat in a bar, beer in hand!).
I’m a big fan of Slonsky. I love his fast wit, and the way that he tries to cover up a razor sharp mind - with a camouflage of pastries, beer and sausage!
I’ll be adding the next Slonsky book to my kindle ASAP!
Many thanks to Sapere books for my copy of this great book.
Merissa (13373 KP) rated Awakened (Semiramis #1) in Books
Jan 11, 2019
Awakened (Semiramis Book 1) by Maya Daniels
Awakened is the first book in the Semiramis series, and we start of with Al, who is our main female. She is a strong character, who also seems a bit absent-minded at times. She is working in a place where she is unhappy, but has Daisy there to keep her company. Things change when she has a car accident, and her life changes forever.
This book is told in two (uneven) halves as you could call it before and after the accident. Obviously, there is not that much from before, and you spend most of the book with Al as she meets Warlocks, Gods, Goddesses, and Angels. She has a dry sense of humour which was delightful to read, and really came across well on the page.
Awakened is well written, with characters that jump off the page. Be warned though, there are a lot of them so you will need to keep track of who they are. With a few editing issues in words being misspelt, this was nevertheless an intriguing read. I was slightly disappointed we didn't meet Daisy again after Al's accident, especially when Philip is there so much.
Ending with a cliffhanger, this is a book to be enjoyed, and will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This book is told in two (uneven) halves as you could call it before and after the accident. Obviously, there is not that much from before, and you spend most of the book with Al as she meets Warlocks, Gods, Goddesses, and Angels. She has a dry sense of humour which was delightful to read, and really came across well on the page.
Awakened is well written, with characters that jump off the page. Be warned though, there are a lot of them so you will need to keep track of who they are. With a few editing issues in words being misspelt, this was nevertheless an intriguing read. I was slightly disappointed we didn't meet Daisy again after Al's accident, especially when Philip is there so much.
Ending with a cliffhanger, this is a book to be enjoyed, and will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (13373 KP) rated Without Regret (Pyte/Sentinel, #2) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Chris has had it tough. Not only was his childhood nothing to write home about but when a Master attacks their home in Book 1, it is Chris who ends up being shot and severely wounded. Through sheer grit and determination, he has made it back to full health. But along the way he has lost that cheekiness that I loved about him. The responsibility he feels towards his family and making sure that no one can hurt them again is what makes him get up in the morning. His mate is still out there and he imagines she will be just like him. Isabella is the perfect partner for Chris. He needs someone to bring laughter back into his life and she manages to do this even when she doesn't mean to. Isabella shows Chris that you don't always need physical strength. Yes, she is the helpless and hapless female on more than one occasion but she also has a mind and isn't afraid to use it. Her wit is rapier sharp too and once she sets her mind on something, it takes a very good reason for her to change it.
This book is the second in the series and doesn't disappoint. The plot moves along swiftly and we reconnect with characters from book 1 which too often isn't the case. This book is once again filled with action and humour. We get some depth in the lives of all the characters too which is also good to read. Absolutely brilliant with lots of spicy moments. Recommended!
This book is the second in the series and doesn't disappoint. The plot moves along swiftly and we reconnect with characters from book 1 which too often isn't the case. This book is once again filled with action and humour. We get some depth in the lives of all the characters too which is also good to read. Absolutely brilliant with lots of spicy moments. Recommended!