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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Ninth City Burning in Books
May 16, 2018
J. Patrick Black’s debut novel, Ninth City Burning, is an incredibly intense ride alongside humanity’s bid for survival against an alien race seeking Earth’s destruction. Complete with a wide cast of unique characters with their own voices, this novel has earned its place among my favorites.
More often than not, I’m wary of books with shifting first-person. In this case, readers meet seven different points of view – and every single one of those characters have their own voices. I find this impressive, considering the frequency with which Black switches between his cast. (Actually, I find myself wondering how he approached writing the different views, as they are so starkly different.)
For the most part, all but two of these characters feel real. Jax and Naomi are the exception, as they both appear extremely mature for their age. While Jax does have a military upbringing, Naomi is a bit too advanced for a child of a nomadic lifestyle. There’s also a dash of romance in this book that feels a bit too forced.
Ninth City Burning also manages to blur the line between science-fiction and epic fantasy, which is an oddly unique feeling to encounter while reading. Magic and science both play heavy roles in this novel, and I imagine the former of those two, coupled with the camaraderie between the main characters, is precisely why this book is recommended for fans of Harry Potter.
The agonizingly slow build-up to action further lends to the epic fantasy feel of this book, a feat that I remain unsure of presently. While it leads to less action and battle in the meat of the book, it also serves as an opportunity for Black to further unravel this beautiful world he has created.
Ninth City Burning is definitely a book I’ll be recommending to my friends and readers who prefer science-fiction. I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book for the purpose of unbiased review.
More often than not, I’m wary of books with shifting first-person. In this case, readers meet seven different points of view – and every single one of those characters have their own voices. I find this impressive, considering the frequency with which Black switches between his cast. (Actually, I find myself wondering how he approached writing the different views, as they are so starkly different.)
For the most part, all but two of these characters feel real. Jax and Naomi are the exception, as they both appear extremely mature for their age. While Jax does have a military upbringing, Naomi is a bit too advanced for a child of a nomadic lifestyle. There’s also a dash of romance in this book that feels a bit too forced.
Ninth City Burning also manages to blur the line between science-fiction and epic fantasy, which is an oddly unique feeling to encounter while reading. Magic and science both play heavy roles in this novel, and I imagine the former of those two, coupled with the camaraderie between the main characters, is precisely why this book is recommended for fans of Harry Potter.
The agonizingly slow build-up to action further lends to the epic fantasy feel of this book, a feat that I remain unsure of presently. While it leads to less action and battle in the meat of the book, it also serves as an opportunity for Black to further unravel this beautiful world he has created.
Ninth City Burning is definitely a book I’ll be recommending to my friends and readers who prefer science-fiction. I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book for the purpose of unbiased review.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated The Impossible (2012) in Movies
Apr 16, 2019
Epic and intimate
How would you like to take your family on holiday to Thailand only to be caught in the onslaught of a tsunami? Such is the case in this film based on the true story of a family's painful and moving ordeal from the 2004 tidal wave.
The wall of water comes out of nowhere when no one was expecting anything and everyone was just having a good time playing or relaxing by the pool. In an instant everyone present has their lives changed forever as they just try and hold on to something and claw their way to safety.
The disaster sequences are amazing, but it is all over quickly so the film is about love, loss and survival. Trying to make it back to the civilized world or at least what is left of it and trying to locate your missing family members is all the family cares about.
Understandably emotions run high throughout the film and I dare you to hold back the tears when several of the most touching moments occur. You are moved continually as you hope and pray the family find each other again and make it off together and patched up the best they can.
Naomi Watts was nominated for an Oscar for this role and she really deserves it giving an intense, emotional performance. Ewan McGregor is also emotional when he gets to use a cell phone to call his family and breaks down. Even young Spider-Man, Tom Holland, is along for the ride as the couple's oldest son frantically trying to help his mother to safety.
The triumph of the human spirit is present here and you are taken along with them as your empathy pours out to the victims of this tragedy.
Keep your tissues close by for this one.
The wall of water comes out of nowhere when no one was expecting anything and everyone was just having a good time playing or relaxing by the pool. In an instant everyone present has their lives changed forever as they just try and hold on to something and claw their way to safety.
The disaster sequences are amazing, but it is all over quickly so the film is about love, loss and survival. Trying to make it back to the civilized world or at least what is left of it and trying to locate your missing family members is all the family cares about.
Understandably emotions run high throughout the film and I dare you to hold back the tears when several of the most touching moments occur. You are moved continually as you hope and pray the family find each other again and make it off together and patched up the best they can.
Naomi Watts was nominated for an Oscar for this role and she really deserves it giving an intense, emotional performance. Ewan McGregor is also emotional when he gets to use a cell phone to call his family and breaks down. Even young Spider-Man, Tom Holland, is along for the ride as the couple's oldest son frantically trying to help his mother to safety.
The triumph of the human spirit is present here and you are taken along with them as your empathy pours out to the victims of this tragedy.
Keep your tissues close by for this one.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Avengers: Endgame (2019) in Movies
Apr 25, 2019
Emotional and incredibly satisfying
I’ll start my review off by saying that apart from a very short teaser trailer, I have seen no trailers or read any articles about this film. And for me this really helps with my overall enjoyment of a film, especially with one as highly anticipated as this!
I’m going to struggle to say too much about this film without giving away any spoilers, but what I will say is that it is a truly intense experience. It manages to seamlessly tie up some of the loose ends from previous Marvel films in a matter of a few scenes and minutes, and also move the surviving characters on effortlessly from where we last saw them in Infinity War. This film does not play out the way I expected it to (in a good way) especially during the first third, but this could’ve been because I’ve refused to read any theories beforehand. But this for me made it even more enjoyable and I think the way this played out was rather nostalgic and heartwarming in a way. I spent most of this film torn between a mixture of emotions: on the edge of my seat suspense, confusion and sheer wtf moments, and yes I even shed a tear or two. I’ve never felt so gripped and invested before in a film I’ve seen at the cinema, especially one that’s on for over three hours. My only criticism (which explains why it isn’t a 10) is that some of the characters are underused or go missing with not very satisfactory explanations, and while I appreciate that this is a big film with lots of characters, it doesn’t do as much justice to them as Infinity War did. Despite this though, it is an incredibly enjoyable film with a very emotional and satisfying ending.
And this isn’t a spoiler, but don’t bother waiting after the film. There aren’t any post credits scenes.
I’m going to struggle to say too much about this film without giving away any spoilers, but what I will say is that it is a truly intense experience. It manages to seamlessly tie up some of the loose ends from previous Marvel films in a matter of a few scenes and minutes, and also move the surviving characters on effortlessly from where we last saw them in Infinity War. This film does not play out the way I expected it to (in a good way) especially during the first third, but this could’ve been because I’ve refused to read any theories beforehand. But this for me made it even more enjoyable and I think the way this played out was rather nostalgic and heartwarming in a way. I spent most of this film torn between a mixture of emotions: on the edge of my seat suspense, confusion and sheer wtf moments, and yes I even shed a tear or two. I’ve never felt so gripped and invested before in a film I’ve seen at the cinema, especially one that’s on for over three hours. My only criticism (which explains why it isn’t a 10) is that some of the characters are underused or go missing with not very satisfactory explanations, and while I appreciate that this is a big film with lots of characters, it doesn’t do as much justice to them as Infinity War did. Despite this though, it is an incredibly enjoyable film with a very emotional and satisfying ending.
And this isn’t a spoiler, but don’t bother waiting after the film. There aren’t any post credits scenes.
Kaz (232 KP) rated The Wasp Factory in Books
May 15, 2019
A Sinister, but Excellent Read
I've just finished 'The Wasp Factory' by Iain Banks and all I can say is wow!
This story is told by Frank, a 16 year old boy, who lives on a remote island in Scotland with his father. This is about Frank, his very dysfunctional family and trying to find his brother, who has escaped from a mental institution.
What I love about this book is the way in which Iain Banks writes characters. Frank is such a complex character that, although in essence he is an evil person, there are flashes of innocence and sensitivity about him, that you can't help but like him. One moment you feel like he is the only reasonable member of his family and then gradually, you realize his true character. Despite that, you feel sorry for Frank and the life that he has grown up in and the next, completely horrified by some of the things he does in the novel. He's not just a bad character, which in turn, makes him all the more believable.
I also liked some of the dark humour in this novel. Some of the more disturbing stories of Frank's family history were told in such a way, as to make them funny. I felt guilty for laughing at times, but I couldn't help it!
Away from the story itself, I liked how the novel comments on human nature's need for power and to overpower others. This idea is relevant in the areas of gender, politics and society.
This novel isn't plot driven, but character driven, so the story was a bit slow at times. However, I was not expecting the twist at the end.
This might not be for everyone, because it is so dark and at times, really intense. However, I thought this was a brilliant first read for 2019.
I would give this 5 starts, but I have to knock a point off, because this book dragged a couple of times.
This story is told by Frank, a 16 year old boy, who lives on a remote island in Scotland with his father. This is about Frank, his very dysfunctional family and trying to find his brother, who has escaped from a mental institution.
What I love about this book is the way in which Iain Banks writes characters. Frank is such a complex character that, although in essence he is an evil person, there are flashes of innocence and sensitivity about him, that you can't help but like him. One moment you feel like he is the only reasonable member of his family and then gradually, you realize his true character. Despite that, you feel sorry for Frank and the life that he has grown up in and the next, completely horrified by some of the things he does in the novel. He's not just a bad character, which in turn, makes him all the more believable.
I also liked some of the dark humour in this novel. Some of the more disturbing stories of Frank's family history were told in such a way, as to make them funny. I felt guilty for laughing at times, but I couldn't help it!
Away from the story itself, I liked how the novel comments on human nature's need for power and to overpower others. This idea is relevant in the areas of gender, politics and society.
This novel isn't plot driven, but character driven, so the story was a bit slow at times. However, I was not expecting the twist at the end.
This might not be for everyone, because it is so dark and at times, really intense. However, I thought this was a brilliant first read for 2019.
I would give this 5 starts, but I have to knock a point off, because this book dragged a couple of times.
Midge (525 KP) rated Pink Ice Creams in Books
May 21, 2019
An Outstanding Début!
I was so thrilled to be one of the first to read Pink Ice Creams, the début novel by Jo Woolaston. What a fabulous and exciting read it was!
One of the reasons it was so appealing was its setting. I loved the author’s descriptions of the shabby sea-side town and the fun-fair as I grew up in a place with a very similar environment.
Pink Ice Creams had an enthralling plot and Jo Woolaston displayed some amazing writing skill with her perfect pacing of the story and my goodness, there was never a dull moment! I didn’t want to stop reading this novel. The characters that the author created were so masterfully drawn and I often felt that I was in the ramshackle, jaded town eating chips, marshmallow toffee or an ice cream cornet with them, or drinking a pint of cider!
I didn’t really have a favourite character, but I grew rather fond of Kay as the story progressed. With the heavy burden she was carrying all of the time, it was difficult not to have a great deal of empathy for her, although some of the choices she made really frustrated me. I think this added to the story.
Pink Ice Creams was an intense, highly absorbing story full of angst, alcohol-induced catastrophes and unfortunate situations, but it was also rich in friendship and the importance of looking out for one another. I really enjoyed reading every page of the wonderful début, from the very first pages right through to its fulfilling ending.
I absolutely adored this book and I strongly recommend that you get yourself a copy of Pink Ice Creams right away!
I will be looking out for more by Jo Woolaston in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my own request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
One of the reasons it was so appealing was its setting. I loved the author’s descriptions of the shabby sea-side town and the fun-fair as I grew up in a place with a very similar environment.
Pink Ice Creams had an enthralling plot and Jo Woolaston displayed some amazing writing skill with her perfect pacing of the story and my goodness, there was never a dull moment! I didn’t want to stop reading this novel. The characters that the author created were so masterfully drawn and I often felt that I was in the ramshackle, jaded town eating chips, marshmallow toffee or an ice cream cornet with them, or drinking a pint of cider!
I didn’t really have a favourite character, but I grew rather fond of Kay as the story progressed. With the heavy burden she was carrying all of the time, it was difficult not to have a great deal of empathy for her, although some of the choices she made really frustrated me. I think this added to the story.
Pink Ice Creams was an intense, highly absorbing story full of angst, alcohol-induced catastrophes and unfortunate situations, but it was also rich in friendship and the importance of looking out for one another. I really enjoyed reading every page of the wonderful début, from the very first pages right through to its fulfilling ending.
I absolutely adored this book and I strongly recommend that you get yourself a copy of Pink Ice Creams right away!
I will be looking out for more by Jo Woolaston in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my own request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Merissa (13600 KP) rated Abroad in the Stars (Galaxia Pirates #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
Abroad in the Stars (Galaxia Pirates #1) by A.M. Halford
Abroad in the Stars is the first book in the Galaxia Pirates series, and we get a very thorough look at just what being a Galaxia pirate involves. Tony is their navigator, and has done a magnificent job of it so far, earning his place among the crew. Only a select few know of his 'real' identity of Antonio Santiago. Personally, I would say that Tony is more real than Antonio, but there you go. When the Captain's brother returns to the ship, sparks fly between him and Tony. Actually it was more than sparks that flew when they first met in a dark alley, but you'll read that bit for yourself. When Tony's parents decide they want him back, the crew of the Galaxia will do all they can to get their crewman back. And Craig will stop at nothing until he gets his lover back.
This is a brilliant story, HOWEVER if you are looking for rainbows and unicorns, then you're probably going to be disappointed! Personally, I loved the rough and tumble of it. Tony wanted exactly what Craig wanted to give. Both of them understood each other with no miscommunication. The steamy scenes are intense and brilliantly written. The world-building is mostly about the ship and Tony's family, but really, that is all you need for this story. You get an exceedingly good idea of the troubles the pirates face, and how much being a crew member means to them, and just what they will do if one of them is in danger.
Well written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, this story grabbed me from the beginning. Fantastic start to the series, fantastic story, can't wait for 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 my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a brilliant story, HOWEVER if you are looking for rainbows and unicorns, then you're probably going to be disappointed! Personally, I loved the rough and tumble of it. Tony wanted exactly what Craig wanted to give. Both of them understood each other with no miscommunication. The steamy scenes are intense and brilliantly written. The world-building is mostly about the ship and Tony's family, but really, that is all you need for this story. You get an exceedingly good idea of the troubles the pirates face, and how much being a crew member means to them, and just what they will do if one of them is in danger.
Well written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, this story grabbed me from the beginning. Fantastic start to the series, fantastic story, can't wait for 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 my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dana (24 KP) rated Crown of Midnight in Books
Mar 23, 2018
If I could, I would give this book more than five stars. I know I say this about a lot of books, but honestly, this was one of the best books I have read. As you know, I freaking loved the first book. When people say that it only gets better from there, they are not lying. A lot of times, second books fall flat, just place markers for the next book. This one far exceeds those. The characters are continuously evolving and reshaping their identities. The plot is very interesting and has almost no slow spots (which is really rare for books). The stuff that happens will make you sit on the edge of whatever seat you are reading this book on! Even though the book has a lot of pages, the pace is set so you don't even realize how fast you are reading it.
I am not going to lie, there are a lot of really intense moments in this book. You will have to be prepared for that. The emotion is very raw and it gets dark, but if you work through those dark places with the characters, you will not be disappointed! There are a lot of really cute and fluffy moments too that will make your heart very happy! (I know those moments made me have a lot of feels!!)
This is a great series to start fantasy with if you are not very acquainted with it. While there are quite a few magical elements to the story, there are a lot of really down to earth moments that go along with them. You never feel like there is too much going on at once with the fantastical things. It all blends very nicely together!
If you want my advice, pick up this series right now and start reading it. You will definitely not regret it.
Sarah J Maas, you did an awesome job with this and I can't wait to read the next one!!
I am not going to lie, there are a lot of really intense moments in this book. You will have to be prepared for that. The emotion is very raw and it gets dark, but if you work through those dark places with the characters, you will not be disappointed! There are a lot of really cute and fluffy moments too that will make your heart very happy! (I know those moments made me have a lot of feels!!)
This is a great series to start fantasy with if you are not very acquainted with it. While there are quite a few magical elements to the story, there are a lot of really down to earth moments that go along with them. You never feel like there is too much going on at once with the fantastical things. It all blends very nicely together!
If you want my advice, pick up this series right now and start reading it. You will definitely not regret it.
Sarah J Maas, you did an awesome job with this and I can't wait to read the next one!!
Grumpy Goblin (123 KP) rated Mechs vs. Minions in Tabletop Games
Mar 27, 2018
Very easy to learn (2 more)
Quick to setup
Great in-game items
Only 10 scenarios (3 more)
Hard to obtain in the UK
No expansions (at present)
Very big, so quite hard to store
I had wanted to play this game for a long time, but just couldn't get hold of it in the UK.. luckily I came across it second hand.
The first thing that caught my attention when it arrived was how big the box was... it is massive! This didn't bother me too much, but those who may not have much storage or use Kallax to store their games might find this a bit of a pain..
On opening the box, I was a little deterred by the amount of items that were in there.. it was very daunting, but I persevered and started reading the rules and first scenario that come with it and soon realised there was nothing to worry about.
The rules are really well written (compared to this review) and the tutorial scenario teaches you (and party members) in a quick, fun and easy way. One thing I don't like about a lot of games is the learning curve and sometimes lack of explanation or badly written rules, there is none of that with MvM, they have really thought about teaching this to the player in the easiest way possible.
After finishing the tutorial scenario, I was excited to carry on and work my way through the rest of the game.. at this point i'd like to point out I was doing this solo and was playing for both player 1 and player 2 , the experience was still very enjoyable. I carried on through the game for the next couple of days and enjoyed every minute of it.. I am looking forward to breaking it out with my friends when they're next over.
Definitely a well worth game in my opinion, especially if you are just wanting to play something that isn't too intense and a bit of fun!
The first thing that caught my attention when it arrived was how big the box was... it is massive! This didn't bother me too much, but those who may not have much storage or use Kallax to store their games might find this a bit of a pain..
On opening the box, I was a little deterred by the amount of items that were in there.. it was very daunting, but I persevered and started reading the rules and first scenario that come with it and soon realised there was nothing to worry about.
The rules are really well written (compared to this review) and the tutorial scenario teaches you (and party members) in a quick, fun and easy way. One thing I don't like about a lot of games is the learning curve and sometimes lack of explanation or badly written rules, there is none of that with MvM, they have really thought about teaching this to the player in the easiest way possible.
After finishing the tutorial scenario, I was excited to carry on and work my way through the rest of the game.. at this point i'd like to point out I was doing this solo and was playing for both player 1 and player 2 , the experience was still very enjoyable. I carried on through the game for the next couple of days and enjoyed every minute of it.. I am looking forward to breaking it out with my friends when they're next over.
Definitely a well worth game in my opinion, especially if you are just wanting to play something that isn't too intense and a bit of fun!
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Hotel Artemis (2018) in Movies
Sep 28, 2018 (Updated Sep 28, 2018)
Brilliant ensemble cast (2 more)
Cool setting
Great score
You can check out anytime you like, but probably won't want to leave
This was one of those movies that had a really weird release. After seeing the trailer, I was really looking forward to going and seeing this at the cinema. Then, America got it a month before the UK did and when it did drop in Britain, it was a very limited release and was only showing in one cinema in my area. At around the same time, I went on holiday for a fortnight and it is only now, a full 2 months after the movie's initial release that I finally got to get to a screening.
Thankfully, it was worth the wait.
Hotel Artemis is the directorial debut of Drew Pearce and he does a fantastic job as a first-time director. The beautiful cinematography adds a great deal of style and flair to the film and the brilliant score by Cliff Martinez also provides an atmosphere that is an awesome mix of ambient and intense in all of the right moments.
The cast is also great and is made up of an eclectic mix of talented actors. Sterling K Brown does an incredible job of tying the whole thing together and being the anchor that the audience can relate to. Dave Bautista is brilliant as the orderly Everest. Charlie Day is really good at being a totally obnoxious asshole. Jeff Goldblum and Zachary Quinto are great as always and Jodie Foster is also fantastic as the Nurse who runs the hotel. Sofia Boutella is here too, but she doesn't do a great amount any different to what we have already seen from her in past movies.
Overall, this is a stylish, well-acted, exciting action/thriller with great direction and a fantastic score to boot. It is reminiscent of other movies in places, such as Smokin' Aces, but it is still a brilliantly written, well made, fairly original movie well worth seeking out.
Thankfully, it was worth the wait.
Hotel Artemis is the directorial debut of Drew Pearce and he does a fantastic job as a first-time director. The beautiful cinematography adds a great deal of style and flair to the film and the brilliant score by Cliff Martinez also provides an atmosphere that is an awesome mix of ambient and intense in all of the right moments.
The cast is also great and is made up of an eclectic mix of talented actors. Sterling K Brown does an incredible job of tying the whole thing together and being the anchor that the audience can relate to. Dave Bautista is brilliant as the orderly Everest. Charlie Day is really good at being a totally obnoxious asshole. Jeff Goldblum and Zachary Quinto are great as always and Jodie Foster is also fantastic as the Nurse who runs the hotel. Sofia Boutella is here too, but she doesn't do a great amount any different to what we have already seen from her in past movies.
Overall, this is a stylish, well-acted, exciting action/thriller with great direction and a fantastic score to boot. It is reminiscent of other movies in places, such as Smokin' Aces, but it is still a brilliantly written, well made, fairly original movie well worth seeking out.
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Searching (2018) in Movies
Oct 27, 2018
The screen life genre is new and different (3 more)
Great story
Felt very realistic
1 of my favourite movies of the year
A great intense movie with good twists
This was a fantastic movie. By far 1 of my favourites if the year. The screen life genre is so small right now. There are not many movies like this apart from the unfriended movies but this surpasses those in every aspect.
I like the idea of the whole movie being set on a computer screen. The whole thing felt very realistic from the processes performed to the way the typing us done. What I mean by this is the way the user types out a messages, thinks about it then deletes and changes it. It's something so small yet something we all do.
The only thing that took me out of it was when it zooms into a notification or message which didn't need to happen. I like seeing them whole screen because that's what we see in real life but at this point in just trying to find a flaw but it is the only reason it gets a 9 and not a 10.
The story was fantastic and the twists great too. It got to a point I'll admit I had a year in my eye. For a movie set only on a screen the acting and the actors were great. They gave so much emotion which felt necessary since it's a movie about a father trying to find his missing daughter. And this goes back to what I said about the realistic processes. The way he goes about getting into emails and social media were impressive but realistic and believable.
I don't want to say anymore now except this is a must watch and I can't wait to see what they do with this genre in the future because my first experiences with it were with unfriended which is a horror but this worked so much better.
I like the idea of the whole movie being set on a computer screen. The whole thing felt very realistic from the processes performed to the way the typing us done. What I mean by this is the way the user types out a messages, thinks about it then deletes and changes it. It's something so small yet something we all do.
The only thing that took me out of it was when it zooms into a notification or message which didn't need to happen. I like seeing them whole screen because that's what we see in real life but at this point in just trying to find a flaw but it is the only reason it gets a 9 and not a 10.
The story was fantastic and the twists great too. It got to a point I'll admit I had a year in my eye. For a movie set only on a screen the acting and the actors were great. They gave so much emotion which felt necessary since it's a movie about a father trying to find his missing daughter. And this goes back to what I said about the realistic processes. The way he goes about getting into emails and social media were impressive but realistic and believable.
I don't want to say anymore now except this is a must watch and I can't wait to see what they do with this genre in the future because my first experiences with it were with unfriended which is a horror but this worked so much better.