Search

Search only in certain items:

SYNK!
SYNK!
2021 | Card Game, Party Game
I like to think of myself as a somewhat intelligent person. I can occasionally ‘win’ a game of Jeopardy while watching on tv…..ok, so maybe it’s just during Kids Week, but that’s gotta count for something, right?! Anyway, word games and trivia have always entertained me. So when I heard about Synk! – a game that involves both of those elements – I knew I had to try it out. Does this party game really put your knowledge to the test, or does it sink to the bottom of the stack? Keep reading to find out!

Disclaimer: We were provided with a copy of SYNK! for the purposes of this review. The components you see pictured might not be the finalized version, and could change after a successful Kickstarter campaign. -L

SYNK! is a party card game in which players will be mixing their knowledge of wordplay with a bit of trivia. The game is played over a series of rounds until one player has earned a total of 3 cards to win. Here’s how you setup the game: put the deck of cards facedown within reach of all players. Yep, that’s it. How you play is a little more involved…

First thing first – pick a starting player. That person will draw a card from the deck. On said card there will be a secret word, as well as its definition. Next, the player will reveal the first letter of the secret word. All others will then think of any word that begins with that first letter. When someone thinks they’ve come up with a good option, they say, “I’ve got it!” and will take a moment to describe their word to the group – giving the definition, providing an example, relying on someone’s specific knowledge, etc. Once another player thinks they know what word is being described, they will shout out “Synk!” These two players will countdown from 3 and say their words together, in hopes that they match. If their words do indeed match, then the keeper of the secret word will reveal the next letter. The process starts again, but now players must think of words that begin with the first AND second letter of the secret word. The round continues in this fashion until a player manages to guess the secret word and Synk it with another player. They win the card, and become the next secret word keeper.


What happens if you don’t Synk with someone? Then the next letter is not revealed, and the process starts again with the same letter(s) as before. If ever the game reaches a standstill and nobody has any ideas, the secret word keeper must reveal the word’s definition. Once the definition has been read, any player can shout out “Synk!” and guess the word immediately – you only get one guess though, so make it count! That all seems great for the players, but what about the secret word keeper? There’s a twist in the game to keep them engaged too! At the end of a Synk countdown, the card keeper is allowed to guess the described word too. If their guess is correct, no new letters are revealed. And as an added bonus, if another player guesses the correct secret word, but doesn’t Synk it with someone else, the card keeper wins the round and keeps that card for themselves! Play keeps going as described until one player has collected a total of 3 cards, thus winning the game.
I know that sounds like kind of a lot, but I promise that the gameplay is pretty intuitive and simple once you get going. And actually, although the physical gameplay may be simple, Synk! stretches your brain quite a bit. At the beginning of a round, with only 1 or 2 letters revealed, coming up with words is a piece of cake! But as the round progresses and more letters are revealed, it becomes more challenging than you might think to come up with words that use those specific letters in that specific order. And remember, this is a game after all – so speed is of the essence! Think too slowly and you’ll get left in the dust. As the secret word keeper, you get off the hook a little bit, since you don’t have to come up with words. But the ability to guess another player’s word at the end of a countdown allows the card keeper to stay engaged throughout the entire game. A neat little twist that adds another layer of strategy to the game.


To touch on components – this game is literally a giant deck of cards. Again, I am not sure if this is a finalized version of the game, but the quality of the box and cards is pretty great. There really is no artwork, but this isn’t that type of game, so it doesn’t detract at all from the gameplay. The text is large and clear, making for quick reading and understanding. All in all, already a great quality game.
Where does Synk! sit on my list of party games? Well, it depends on the group of players. This game has a suggested age of 14+, and I think that’s appropriate. Players have to have some decent knowledge of words/spelling to play, but aren’t expected to have a MENSA-level IQ. Some people love wordplay, and others don’t. But with the right group of gamers, I would absolutely pull this out on occasion. Synk! is more of a ‘thinky’ party game, and I really have never played a party game like it before. It fills a hole in my collection, and it will definitely be played with the right group. If you’re into word games, but are looking for something a little more fast-paced, consider backing Synk! on Kickstarter! The campaign goes live on May 18th, 2021!
  
40x40

Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Paris Secret in Books

Dec 17, 2018  
The Paris Secret
The Paris Secret
Karen Swan | 2016 | Contemporary, Crime
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

The Paris Secret</i> is Karen Swan’s latest contemporary novel of light mystery, surprises and a hint of romance. A rich family man in France has recently learnt of an abandoned apartment belonging to his long-deceased father. What was even more astonishing was the discovery that the place is stacked top to bottom with famous artwork. Flora Sykes, a British Fine Art Agent, is hired to tell the family more about their newfound possessions.

Although Flora comes from a wealthy family, the opulence of the Vermeil family is overwhelming. Despite the initial welcoming, Flora is disconcerted by the behaviour of their rotten daughter, Natascha, and terse yet handsome son, Xavier. Feeling like she is already unwanted, things get worse after her research exposes a devastating secret about the family’s history. Fearing she is to blame for the Vermeil’s downfall, Flora tries to focus on her work, but her confusing feelings towards Xavier are driving her to distraction.

For art lovers, <i>The Paris Secret</i> will hold great appeal. A vast amount of research has gone into the novel to be able to include such detail about famous painters, artwork, auctions and much more. While the story primarily focuses on said topic, there is also the added touch of romance developing in the latter stages as well as a continuous theme of brotherly sisterly bonds.

A real-life scenario in which a Paris apartment was discovered after being shut up since the Second World War inspired Karen Swan to write this enthralling story. Using this as the bare bones, Swan tried to imagine what the discovery would have been like for the family, how it would alter their futures, and most importantly what it would change about the knowledge of their history. What emerges is a gripping book that emphasizes the importance of family, prejudices and the continued effects of past war.

In a way,<i> The Paris Secret</i> can be viewed as a piece of Chick Lit – it is about a twenty something woman who has never been in love. On the other hand, is there enough romance for it to sit comfortable under this heading? Perhaps not, but that helps to improve the overall storyline. The inevitable romance scenes do not detract from the Art History plot, thankfully limiting the amount of pages some readers may find uncomfortable.

In all honesty you will need to have a little interest, or enough knowledge of the fine art world to get the most out of this book. Although a leisurely read, <i>The Paris Secret</i> contains many highbrow topics and less of the unpretentious lovey-dovey stuff. Flora is an easy character to like and the narrative flows exceptionally well. Karen Swan is a worthy author to keep in mind when browsing for something to read.
  
40x40

Hazel (1853 KP) rated Confidence in Books

Dec 17, 2018  
C
Confidence
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

Many university students will be able to relate to the panic and dread caused by dissertations and final exams. <i>Confidence</i>, co-written by Rowland Manthorpe and Kirstin Smith, is set at an English university where third year students are cramming in revision sessions in the lead up to their examinations. This story combines two character’s experiences which, although rarely overlap, reveal the effects of the lack of and over-confidence.

Whilst Ellie struggles with her dissertation, Charlie believes that he will successfully complete his degree without the need to revise, giving him more time to focus on his social (and sex) life. Both students are distracted by their less-than-perfect social lives, jeopardizing their exam results and discover that life is not at all what they predicted it to be.

<i>Confidence</i> is a book of multiple stories. Firstly (and secondly) there are Ellie’s and Charlie’s predicaments, but the remainder of the novel contains an autobiography of sorts about the nineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche – whom Ellie is penning her philosophy dissertation on. Whether these sections are an example of a student essay – are the authors aware that they are all written in the third person these days? – Nietzsche’s theories regarding confidence are highly relevant to the theme of the book.

The academically well-written sections about Nietzsche, his life and his spiral into insanity are very interesting to read. Composed in an essay-like format, the information is presented in an easy-to-understand, clear manner, making what in reality is a difficult concept to fathom, simple to comprehend. The fictional narrative, however, is much less pleasing in comparison. Filled with expletives, Manthorpe and Smith paint a stereotypical view of student life. Instead of the hard-working and dedicated people that many students are, they are depicted as alcoholic sex-maniacs.

Whilst negatively categorizing students, other issues are also raised such as feminism and mental health. Whereas these concerns are important topics in the twenty first century, the stigma and inaccurate knowledge about illnesses such as Anorexia is almost unforgivable – “[She] would grow out of it…” Seriously?!

As a story,<i> Confidence</i> falls well below my expectations. Although the stresses of university life are relatable, the characters go to extremes, making their scenarios all the more unrealistic. The essay on Nietzsche on the other hand is an enjoyable, informative piece of writing, which saves <i>Confidence</i> from the fate of a completely negative review. Perhaps my interest in philosophy helped me appreciate the depth of detail and knowledge written about Nietzsche, however I still maintain that it has been composed in such a way as to make it entertaining. Perhaps created with a student audience in mind, <i>Confidence</i> will most likely appeal to readers with the ability to think about the world from a philosophical perspective.
  
40x40

BookInspector (124 KP) rated Zero in Books

Sep 24, 2020  
Zero
Zero
Marc Elsberg | 2014 | Thriller
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Living with a complete geek, I learned to love technology. It is kind of mesmerizing how technology is taking over our lives, that is why I was very intrigued by the blurb of this book. After reading the book, I am kind of petrified of how much of our personal data is actually collected without our knowledge… Or maybe because of our ignorance?

The protagonist in this novel is Cynthia, a single mother and investigative journalist, who lives in London. I really liked, how realistic the main character was, she is kind of old-fashioned when it comes to technology, and all the new findings really leave her confused. Also, I liked Cynthia’s personality, I think she was really curious, brave and adventurous. The Author offers a huge variety of characters in this book, representing different sectors and different perspectives, and in some places, I found it difficult to identify who belongs where, but to my luck, there was a handy list of characters at the back of the novel, which helped me.

The narrative was really thought-provoking. Elsberg highlights many aspects of data collection and usage, which really got me thinking. The story is told from multiple perspectives, and that kind of kept my interest going. To enjoy this book, you have to like technology, there is a ton of terms and IT processes being discussed, so if you not into computers, this book will not make sense to you. &#x1f642; I loved that author chose different settings in this book, incorporating his native town – Vienna. Also, I think, that the author used his knowledge of advertising and influencing people very smartly, and I bet, that the search for smart glasses will increase after reading this book. &#x1f600; (Because I am definitely going to search &#x1f600; )

I enjoyed author’s writing style, for me, it was understandable, action-filled and constantly changing. The whole book was fitted into eight chapters, and for me, they were really long. Even though every chapter shared multiple events, it still kind of dragged to me a sometimes… &#x1f626; (I love my short chapters!) The ending rounded up the story very nicely, but there are so many unanswered questions, that it is kind of bugging me. &#x1f600; I really liked The Circle, and I think with a good director, this book could be a superb movie.

So, to conclude, It is a very well crafted story, which feels kind of futuristic, but when you think about it, most of the things are already happening in one form or another. It is filled with smart characters, plenty of action, and I think it is kind of a wake-up call for all of the people, who are glued to their gadgets and the internet. So, “Hey, parents – do you know what your child is up to? “ Do read this book to find out why, and I hope you will enjoy it. &#x1f642;
  
The Once and Future Witches
The Once and Future Witches
Alix E. Harrow | 2020 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
It’s 1893 and witches are no more since Old Salem was burnt to the ground along with all of its witches. Women’s fights have now taken to the ballot box with the Suffragist movement. In reality, the difference between ‘Witch’ and ‘Suffragist’ is quite blurred for many men. All women with too much power, knowledge or motivation are something to be reviled and controlled. Yes, this is really all about feminism, and this is only one of the many reasons why it’s a top read for me.

As far back as I can remember (and that’s quite a long way), I’ve loved fairytales, myths and legends. The original stories, if you will. Witches didn’t fare well in these stories, but they were always the characters that I wanted to know more about. What motivated them? Why were they ‘evil’? How did they do THAT?! I wanted to be the ‘good’ version! So this book has ticked a lot of boxes for me. They’re witches, they’re good, normal, women, and they want to make ALL of their lives better.

The main three characters reflect the three stages of a woman’s life (maiden, mother, crone) and also reflect the kinds of lives that many women would (and still do) live.
James Juniper, the youngest, wants to come in to her own power - whether that’s as a suffragist or a witch. She believes that you don’t have to choose: she’s a true fighter and is willing to stand up for her beliefs.
Beatrice Belladonna has escaped her life with the family years ago and works as a librarian: knowledge is her greatest power. Finally, Agnes Amaranth is an unmarried mother who wants to protect her unborn child.
They’ve all been damaged by their abusive father, and this story is as much about them rebuilding their relationship as it is about women coming in to their own power.

The Once and Future Witches has a lot to offer all ages of reader. It makes you think about not just women’s rights, but also race, LGBTQI+ rights, survival, and just standing firm for what you believe in. It shows through the example of the three estranged sisters, that we are all stronger if we stand together.

I didn’t want to stop reading this - I inhaled it, couldn’t put it down, went to bed early two days in a row just to read it, and thought about it in between times. And I’m still thinking about it. If you like witches, you’ll like this. If you like a good story, you’ll love it. If you want to read a book that encompasses all of this and has relevance to our lives today, here’s your book.

This is going to remain a firm favourite for me for a long time. Perhaps I’m one of the future witches?

Many thanks to Little, Brown and NetGalley for my copy of this book.