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Rocked Hard
Rocked Hard
Morticia Knight | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Aubrey was a bit in-yer-face!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Jumping straight in here!

For the most part, really did enjoy this book by Ms Knight. I've read a lot of her BDSM books and really enjoy the way she spins her tales, so was intrigued to see how this would work.

It works, really well apart from one major issue I struggled with.

Aubrey, himself.

He is so totally in-yer-face, right from the start, with how much he cares for Bryan, loves him, even and I found him too much too soon. Granted, he doesn't let it all out to Bryan early, but WE get it. We get how much he wanted Bryan to write his memoirs. How much it was ONLY Bryan he wanted to write them, so he could get up close and personal with Bryan.

And he does get up close and personal, very VERY quickly. Aubrey and Bryan's relationship moves at rocket speed, partly because of Aubrey's in-yer-face-ness, and partly because Bryan is also a rocket launcher as far as Aubrey is concerned, and I did struggle to keep up with them!

I didn't get just what Chuck was doing, and why, til it all came out in the book. I knew it was be bad, but I wasn't expecting that. I did like how it took a single line from a song Aubrey wrote, to make Bryan see how much he really did love Aubrey, and he would forgive him pretty much anything.

Aubrey in-yer-face aside, I really did enjoy this. It's well told from both man's point of view, so we get all of Aubrey, but also all of Bryan and the internal wrangling he does about his feelings for Aubrey, both as his rock star idol, but also Aubrey the MAN. Because Bryan hasn't been with a man before and it's a huge shock to him to feel this way. But I liked that, while it WAS a shock, Bryan just ran with it, thinking, what the heck and let's see where this takes us.

So, all in all, a great read, just pipped off those 5 star because of the in-yer-face-ness.

4 solid stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Disclaimer
Disclaimer
Renee Knight | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
9
7.1 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
This author is a master of suspense! The premise of this book called out to me and I was immediately intrigued. I was on tenterhooks all the way through and the story stayed with long after the end!

Stephen Brigstocke is extremely bitter about an event that occurred in 1993, and decides to publish his wife’s book “The Perfect Stranger” about said event. His purpose of publishing the book is solely to provoke guilt in Catherine Ravenstock, and lead her to her own suicide.

I just had to keep the turning and turning the pages until I got to the bit (about a third of the way in) where “The Perfect Stranger” explains what happened. By then I understood Stephen’s bitterness and anger. Catherine’s husband and son are also given copies of the book, and Catherine’s husband swiftly leaves her.

Yet to be satisfied with the outcome, Stephen soon targets Catherine’s son, who later finds himself in intensive care. (Stephen uses new methods this time.)

At 80% of the way through the book, a huge twist is revealed and Catherine confronts Stephen directly.

With 10% of the book left to go, every character has come clean, and I began wondering what more could come – but there was plenty, when everything turned around again at the final twist!

I had been expecting the novel to alternate between Catherine’s life and excerpts from “The Perfect Stranger” but surprisingly Renee Knight deftly uses very few excerpts from it.

The author uses different styles of writing when switching point of views. The majority of the storytelling switches between Catherine’s point of view, put forward in the third person, and Stephen’s point of view put forward in the first person. This was deliberate and effective, so that the reader finds themselves identifying just as much, if not more with Stephen, even though the story centres around Catherine being Stephen’s victim.

Also some passages are told from Catherine’s husband’s standpoint and their son’s, and this element adds to instill the initial concept and add to the suspense.

Although the storytelling sometimes switched from 1993 to 2013, this was smoothly done, and never confusing.

I often buy books when they are on offer for 99p as this was, but I never expect them to be this good – I give this an easy 9/10 and am hoping to find more books from the same author!
  
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Dante's Inferno (2010) in Movies

Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Jun 23, 2019)  
Dante's Inferno (2010)
Dante's Inferno (2010)
2010 | Action, Animation, Drama
6
7.5 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A commercial for the Dante's Inferno video game aired during Super Bowl XLIV, which gave viewers the impression that the game would be incredibly reminiscent of games like Devil May Cry and God of War. Although I never played the game, Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic was sent to me by the Amazon Vine program. My expectations weren't very high and that seemed to pay off in the long run. The animated feature takes the Batman: Gotham Knight approach where six different animation directors take hold of the film, but Dante's Inferno tells one semi-coherent story.

The film surely has no issue with showing graphic violence, gore, or nudity as there rarely isn't a moment in the 77 minute feature where buckets of blood aren't falling from the sky or where Dante's beloved Beatrice isn't exposing her rather well-endowed set of breasts. The changes in animation seemed rather infrequent and drastic at times while at others it felt a bit more natural. The voice acting is pretty top notch as the film utilizes voice actor veterans such as Mark Hamill, Steve Blum, and Kevin Michael Richardson.

Dante's descent through the nine circles of hell was unintentionally humorous at times though.; the main example being when he's fighting off and fleeing from the army of dead babies in Limbo. Also, his father accepting Lucifer's offer to work for him in exchange for all the gold he desired and the slaying of his mortal son wasn't surprising, but the fact that his mouth now looked like female genitalia was. Certain things just didn't add up at times. In the end, Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic isn't terrible but isn't fantastic either. It's not worth hunting down specifically, but is worth sitting through on a rainy day afternoon or something.

The only special features included on the DVD are the EA game trailer and animatics for five scenes in the film.

For those interested in which animation studio did what, here they are in order:

Film Roman (American animation studio)
Manglobe (Samurai Champloo) picks up when Dante enters Limbo (directed by Shuko Mirase who did Ergo Proxy and Witch Hunter Robin, easily the best out of the bunch)
Dongwoo Animation handles the next four circles of Hell (unfortunately)
JM Animation steps in when Virgil and Dante reach the City of Dis
The final circle is handled by Production I.G.
  
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Andy K (10821 KP) rated Glass (2019) in Movies

Aug 10, 2019  
Glass (2019)
Glass (2019)
2019 | Drama, Thriller
The Anti-Avengers!
Funny how director M. Night Shyamalan's career has gone. His first major hit blows everyone's minds with one of the most mind-bending plot twists ever captured on film (do you remember being mad at yourself you didn't figure it out).

Then he makes Unbreakable, a thinking man's superhero film which is just as good as The Sixth Sense, but does only modest box office. Then Sign and The Village (both decent, but a step down for sure) and then over 10 years of crap including Lady in the Water and The Happening.

In a strange move, he decides to write and direct a "sequel"? or another film in the same universe with Split which dos well with critics and audiences enough to warrant the 3rd film in the trilogy, Glass.



Train wreck survivor David Dunn is still the one man vigilante "Dark Knight" who lends a hand to the unfortunate when he comes across "The Horde". The two men end up being captured and incarcerated in a mental institution with Elijah Price, another man and David's former nemesis who is currently catatonic. The doctor in change says she has been given only 3 days to diagnose and treat the men before they are sentenced to life in an institution.

One of the men has an agenda which involves all three of them he wants to see played out and will go to any length to ensure its success. The lives of the men are intertwined in certain ways they themselves may not even be aware of.

I was worried when I started watching since I thought the first hour was VERY SLOW to develop with mostly just talking and plotting. Once thing finally get going and the men start interacting with each other it becomes way more interesting.

Good to see Bruce Willis back in a film which actually ran theatrically. He is showing signs of age, but still gives a great performance along with Samuel L. Jackson and James McAvoy.

The ending may not sit well with everyone since it may be considered atypical, but I thought it was fitting and didn't see it coming.

Here's to hoping a revitalized career for the film's interesting and entertaining filmmaker.

  
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Ross (3284 KP) rated The Black Hawks in Books

Nov 11, 2019  
The Black Hawks
The Black Hawks
David Wragg | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A gritty story that emerges gradually and organically
The Black Hawks follows Vedren Chel, a young knight-in-training whose training is floundering and he is disengaged. His place in the corrupt country, and its class system, is dubious, and suddenly thrown into doubt when his home city is invaded. He sees the chance to escort young cowardly Prince Tarfel across country as his way out of his dead-end role. Sadly for him, they are kidnapped by the Black Hawk company, a crew of mercenaries as likely to call you an inventive swear-word as to instantly gut you.
The story is one that emerges over time, as Chel and the Black Hawks' journey changes and develops into more of a righteous quest. While I tend to prefer books where I can visualise the overall plot early on, I really enjoyed this and the way everyone was on the back foot the whole time. It gave me, as the reader, the feeling of being unaware and at the mercy of this harsh world, as it did for the characters in the story.
The characters themselves are largely well-developed. Chel is an interesting main character, being morally strong but largely useless in a fight. I was oddly glad that his battle skills barely improved throughout the book, I was at one point dreading chapters of sword forms and stances. He contrasts well with the Black Hawks, who are a grim company of morally corrupt selfish head-cases who are somewhat loyal to each other, but at the same time out for themselves. Within the crew each has their own place, their own skills and their own defined personality. It was a little hard initially to remember each of them, but I quickly got to know them well. Their different skills were well used in the action scenes as the company fought against other crews of mercenaries and corrupt government/church officials.
The plot is strong here. As said earlier, it develops over time with twists and turns and treachery and moral corruption throughout.
While the ending was a little bit of a surprise and a let-down, it felt overall the right way to end this first book in the series.
I had some issues with the pacing, but on the whole really enjoyed this book.
  
Show all 3 comments.
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Ross (3284 KP) Nov 12, 2019

If you have read Kyngs of the Wyld (which I haven't yet) apparently it has a very similar feel. A really good story with just enough humour.

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AT (1676 KP) Nov 12, 2019

No, I haven't. I'll look at that, too.

Knight of The Dead II: Cavalry
Knight of The Dead II: Cavalry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Knight of the Dead 2: Cavalry is author Ron Smorynski’s second book in this action-packed, zombie apocalypse book with a medieval twist. In the second book, Ronan and his family have found themselves a place to build up as their fortress and are ready to start bringing others into their midst. But as their little community grows, they find themselves faced with inner conflict as much as dealing with the danger the world has become. This conflict mainly arises from the fact that when it was just his family, Ronan shared the same beliefs as everyone else, they understood each other’s skills, and trusted each other completely, which is not the case with traumatized strangers. The book is a quick and easy read that is full of action-packed zombie fights and chases, interesting ways of surviving in an apocalyptic world, and sweet family moments. I would say that this book is best suited for those that love zombie, apocalypse, and Christian literature.
I really appreciated the small moments throughout the book that hold sweet moments of family. In a dark world, it is nice to see those moments of trying to keep a little innocence alive for young children, sharing love, the comradery of close friends, and the earnest desire to protect one another. What this book, and the series as a whole, are very strong in is the action. This does not just mean the actual fights but the interesting chases, the intense moments of sneaking through the city, searching for materials needed to survive, and trying to save others. I thought that the addition of new characters was great and through their eyes allowed us to learn even more about the central family. Especially when it came to dealing with conflict and trusting those around them. In this book, the family’s connection to God is strengthened and becomes a key aspect of their mental journeys and how they deal with the horror that surrounds them.
Smorynski has done an excellent job of creating an atmosphere in the series that feels possible. For both the physical shape of the world and the mental space of the characters, you can see this being a future for humanity despite the sci-fi premise. I found the book to be a fun read and look forward to reading the next installment in the series.
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order in Video Games

Apr 7, 2020  
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
2019 | Action/Adventure, Fighting
I don't have much negativity to direct at Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, it's a pretty solid single player adventure that expands on Star Wars lore to a competent degree, and had me absorbed for the most part.

For a start, the game looks amazing. The settings are full of colour one second, and then harsh and cold the next, as you traverse forest planets like Kashyyyk, before navigating through Empire facilities.
The game is set between Episodes 3 and 4 of the movie canon, and borrows asthethic elements from both the original and prequel trilogies. It's interesting to be in the middle of a universe that has recently seen the destruction of the Jedi Order.

The gameplay is also great. The exploration and parkour elements are reminiscent of the Uncharted series, but adds enough Force stuff to make it not feel stale, and the combat is thrilling. JFO is genuinely challenging at times, especially during boss battles. You have to approach each encounter with patience and some sort of plan, or you'll find yourself struggling. It's not to dissimilar from Dark Souls in that respect.
By the time I had finished the campaign, and went through areas again in my pursuit of Platinum, I had unlocked all skills, and combat became easier, at times, really giving you the feel of a Jedi Knight.
You can also build and edit your own lightsaber, which is a nice touch.

The story is ok, largely about finding a McGuffin to help restore the Jedi, but this is one of those games that is all about the journey. The characters you meet along the way are all fleshed out to an acceptable degree, and BD-1, your droid companion for the campaign, is endearing and feels essential to the way the story pans out.

My main criticism is that it didn't have a huge amount of replay value once I was done. After finishing the campaign, it didn't take a massive amount of time to mop up everything else, and that was that, but it's forgivable considering how tight and polished the rest of the game feels.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is another shining example of how important single player games are in an age where multiplayer games reign supreme. Go and play it.
  
Justice Prevails (Sin City Uniforms #3)
Justice Prevails (Sin City Uniforms #3)
Morticia Knight | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
loving this series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the Sin City series, and you don't NEED to have read boks one and two before this, to follow this one. You should, though, cos I said so! They are rather good!

Beau is in the middle of a serial killer investigation, and bumps into Austin when he is trying to drown his sorrows after he loses his childhood friend. Austin pulls a blinder and kisses Beau and Beau is, for want of a better word, smitten with the geeky young man who he keeps bumping into! Taking a 5 hour trip to interview someone turns out to be a bust for the case, but somewhat of a revelation for Beau and Austin and their relationship, if they can stay alive.

Like I said, book three and I don't *think* Trent and Shawn (book one) are even mentioned here, but Parker and Lonnie (Slade, book two) do play a part here, so I repeat, not totally necessary for you to have read the other books.

Serial killer aside, I found this a much lighter read, and I'm not entirely sure WHY, since both men have their own demons to battle, as well as the killer, but that's my thought on finishing and ya'll know I'm ALL about the sharing of my book thoughts!

Beau is smitten with Austin but he is NOT he usual type. And that's what sort of bothers him the most, this attraction to a geeky guy he never even looked at before, even though he had seen him around the station. Austin has admired Beau from afar, for a while, and getting his hands on Beau, even for a short time, to scratch the itch that burns when they are together, will be enough, for now at least.

The killer story line worked itself into Beau and Austin's life really well, and actually, I had no clue how that was gonna play out! I thought it might be carrried over to the next book, but it's all wrapped up in a big fat Austin shaped bow here. Well played, Ms Knight!

Brett (Parker's ex from book two) is up next. Be nice for him to have his happy ever after, after what happens to him in book two.

Loving this series, please keep them coming!

5 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
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