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The Wicked Cometh
The Wicked Cometh
Laura Carlin | 2018 | Mystery, Romance
10
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I absolutely loved the cover of this book, it looks very sophisticated and truly beautiful. The main character in this novel is Hester White. A young lady who was forced to live in slums of London after her parent’s death. Because of a lucky accident, she ended up in a house, which belongs to a rich, Brock family. There she meets Rebekah, and after spending some time together, Hester starts having lesbian feelings towards her mistress. Together they start investigating why a lot of people mysteriously disappear in London. This is a second book where I meet a character named Hester who is smitten by her mistress and I have no idea why authors make Hesters lesbians…

I really liked the wide variety of characters in this novel, they all had different and very unique personalities, and I really liked how L. Carlin matched and balanced them all. The whole story was told from Hester’s perspective, and for me it was fully sufficient to enjoy it. I really liked Hester in this book, but sometimes her fantasies left me bored, because I really wanted to know what will happen next in the book, and all those fantasies felt like a drag.

I absolutely loved the setting of this novel. It was very interesting to read about these two opposite worlds of rich and poor. I was fascinated by the way author described London and it’s surroundings. I really liked the way L. Carlin combined romance and crime in this novel. In my opinion, it gave richness to the story. The investigation really absorbed me and I was struck by their findings. I liked all the twists and turns which author had to offer and they made me quite glued to the book.

The writing style of this novel was remarkable. I think, if the author can write a good book, he/she is gifted, but if the author can write a good book using old, classical writing style, they are bloody fantastic. 😀 For me, it seemed, that I am reading something, that was written in 1800ies and to understand that the person who wrote it is still alive, it simply blows my mind. Some of the words used in this book, I had to look up in a dictionary, because I haven’t heard them before. :0 I loved the way author ended this book, it has given a fair closure to this story and left me deeply satisfied with it. So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this dark and intriguing story, filled with diverse characters and very absorbing and constantly changing plot. It has great multiple stories to follow and I do recommend to give this book a try.
  
Every Pretty Thing (Darby McCormic #7)
Every Pretty Thing (Darby McCormic #7)
Chris Mooney | 2020 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was very lucky to win this book in Goodreads Giveaway, and get it approved on Netgalley. Thanks a lot for that. I didn’t have chance to read any other books in Darby McCormimck’s series, but after reading this one, I will try to get other parts as well. This book is seventh in the series, but it can easily be read without reading the previous parts. I really enjoyed this book and it was very indulging.

The main, participating characters in this book were Dr. Darby McCormic and FBI agent Noel Covington. The whole story was mostly described from these two people’s perspective. The book starts by introducing Karen, the survivor of attack. She is trying to find a serial killer, named Red Ryder, who killed her whole family. Then, author introduces Darby and Cooper. Cooper invites Darby to Montana, when Darby gets there, Cooper is gone. Through particular course of events, Darby gets to meet Noel, and they, together start looking for Cooper and Karen. Both of them have their own reasons to look for these two people, while looking for them, they notice that there are some dodgy things going on in the town. Both characters are very interesting and smart. I am quite a fan of strong women in the books, and I really enjoyed Darby’s personality. She is strong, fearless, smart, and very deterrent.

The plot of this book is well thought through, and interesting to read. It flows quite steady during the investigation, showing some turns and twists, but it really spikes towards the end of the book. I would’ve enjoyed this book more, if there would’ve been more suspense in this novel. Around the middle of the book, I kind of lost my interest, to be honest, there were only few turns and twists, but when the author got to the culmination, it was “wow”. I really didn’t expect those things to happen and I was pleasantly shocked. I am very thankful to the author for bringing up a topic about religion, and what it could do to people, if it is used too much.

The writing style in this book was easy to follow and pleasurable to read. I liked short chapters of this book; it didn’t get you bored, and view from different character’s perspectives made it more interesting for the reader. The events of this book are not very suitable for sensitive people, as there is some blood shedding going on in this novel. I really enjoyed the twist at the end of this book, and it got me curious about what is going to happen to Darby next. So, to conclude, I would recommend this book is you are looking for a nice mystery and thriller, filled with unexpected discoveries of a small town in Montana.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Collide in Books

Mar 11, 2019  
The Collide
The Collide
Kimberly McCreight | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Timely & fascinating end to this series
[Note: there may be spoilers if you haven't read the two previous books in the series.]

The third book in McCreight's Outliers series picks up with Wylie finally out of the detention center, but in no way safe and sound. She still hasn't found her Dad and she's jolted by the appearance of the surprise visitor from the end of book two. With the help of her twin brother, Gideon, and a few other trusted friends, Wylie tries to figure out exactly what is going on with the Outliers. Who is hunting them? Where is her dad? But the more she digs, the more secrets she uncovers--and the more trouble she finds herself in.

I was excited to read this book and finally figure out the conclusion of the Outlier story. I've enjoyed this series; it's something a little different from what I usually read. I must admit, I find it hard sometimes to remember all the intricate details from the previous books, but that's just my own fault. If you're lucky to be picking up this series from the beginning, enjoy. It's a really engaging read. At some point, I look forward to re-reading it from the beginning. By now, I'm too caught up in the characters and their lives not to finish. It's very to easy to get attached to McCreight's scrappy band of fighters. Trying to figure things out along the way is almost a bonus.

As for figuring things out, I found parts of this last book to be a little predictable--there was one or two parts I saw coming from a mile away, and it seemed amazing that the characters didn't either. Other pieces were more of a surprise. While some of the predictability was a bit frustrating, overall, I felt this was a good end to the series. There's a good balance of Wylie and other characters, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Gideon showing up (and not being annoying). The book ties things up fairly well, without resolving every loose end. As part of that ending, the books feel timely and apt to our current times. The running thread throughout of the Government trying to manage its citizen's lives is spot-on and one of my favorite aspects of the novels.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. I have a soft spot for this series--I don't think it always gets the attention it deserves. I've come to care for these characters over the years, and I find these books oddly compelling. While I definitely found pieces of this book and the ending to be a bit predictable as things unfolded, I still found it to be timely and fascinating. If you haven't read this series, I do think it's worth picking up. 3.5 stars for the ending of this trilogy.
  
The Revenant (2015)
The Revenant (2015)
2015 | Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Typical Oscar Fodder
There are two types of film critic when it comes to the Academy Awards. Those who enjoy the glamour that the Oscars bring every spring and those who despise what the awards mean for film. I’m in the latter camp, I find them out of touch with what movie-watching audiences enjoy and feel an overhaul is necessary to reflect that.

That’s not to say the Oscars reward bad films of course. Not at all. I do feel however that they, on the whole, reward technical brilliance, rather than the deeper aspects of movie-making and forget to include mass-market crowd-pleasers for fear of cheapening the ceremony.

The film everyone is talking about this year is The Revenant. With an incredible 12 nominations, it’s the one to watch in 2016. But is it actually any good?

With Birdman director Alejandro G. Iñárritu at the helm, it promises more of the exceptional performances and technical perfection he brought to that film, and that’s exactly what you get.

Leonardo DiCaprio, nominated for yet another Academy Award, stars as Hugh Glass, a hunter left for dead by his supposed comrades after a vicious bear attack leaves him gravely injured. He is supported by man-of-the-moment Tom Hardy, nominated for a Best Supporting Actor award, and British rising star Will Poulter (The Maze Runner).

DiCaprio’s Glass is a commanding presence throughout The Revenant as he tracks down those who betrayed him. With little English dialogue, it’s impressive that he is able to convey such emotion, but he does so perfectly. He’s certainly worthy of his Oscar nod, but whether or not he will be fifth time lucky remains to be seen.

Elsewhere, the cinematography that Iñárritu uses is nothing short of breath-taking. Beautiful lingering shots of snow-capped mountains, icy waterfalls and baron forests all make for a documentary-level of awe and it’s here where the film succeeds the most.

Unfortunately, the rest of The Revenant falls a little flat. The story is incredibly pedestrian considering the film’s 156 minute running time and whilst the cast are all excellent, the material is a little staid ranging from the ordinary, to the bizarre. One scene in particular had me remembering The Empire Strikes Back of all films.

The intriguing plot that Iñárritu brought to Birdman is nowhere to be seen here and as the film reaches its mightily predictable conclusion, it runs out of steam. There’s only so much landscape, however beautiful, that you can throw at an audience.

Overall, The Revenant is a technical masterpiece, flanked by impressive performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Will Poulter in particular, but the story just isn’t there. It may have a dozen award nominations to its name, but in this case, it’s nothing more than style over substance.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/01/17/typical-oscar-fodder-the-revenant-review/
  
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Dana (24 KP) rated Extraordinary Means in Books

Mar 23, 2018  
EM
Extraordinary Means
10
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
To be completely honest, I didn't know how I would feel about this book. I am not normally into the contemporary type novels, but hold crap, this one was extraordinary. (See what I did there?)

I was lucky enough to get to meet the author at Yall West this year in Santa Monica. She is very nice and was kind enough to sign my book!! Yay!!!

Not only were the characters well drawn out, they felt very real in the way Robyn wrote them. They were the outcasts who didn't care about being different. They just were who they were and didn't let others control what they thought about themselves.

People will probably compare this to The Fault in Our Stars because both are about sick kids dealing with their disease, but in a way, I liked this book better. It felt more real and honest. I am not saying that I didn't like TFIOS, because I very much enjoyed it. But there is just something about the way this was written made me feel more of a connection to it.

For me, the language of the story felt very organic as well. There weren't too many instances where it felt forced or like it was trying too hard to be more mature than it needed to be. It had a perfect balance for the kind of messages the story was trying to show the audience.

This story talked a lot about the fragility of life and how people shouldn't waste it. No matter what stage you are in at any point in your life, whether it be in high school studying to perfect your SAT scores or sitting in a forest contemplating life and existence, people shouldn't take what they have for granted. I think this was one of the most important messages in this story. To not waste your life studying, but to actually try to live it.

The story went by very quickly, but it was a good kind of quickly. It didn't drag on for too long, but it also didn't rush past important parts of the story. It had very good pacing to it.

I would recommend this to anyone. It doesn't matter if you absolutely love contemporary teen fiction or not, this is just an amazing novel that everyone should read.

I am going to put on one of my favorite quotations from the book now, so if you don't want to read it, stop reading this review now:

"There's a difference between being dead and dying. We're all dying. Some of us die for ninety years, and some of us die for nineteen. But each morning everyone on this planet wakes up one day closer to their death. Everyone. So living and dying are actually different words for the same thing, if you think about it."
  
He Said/She Said
He Said/She Said
Erin Kelly | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.4 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was lucky enough to win an unfinished copy of this book on a Goodreads giveaway.

The year is 1999, Kit and Laura are down in Cornwall at a festival held for eclipse chasers, this will be their first one together and the start of many more to come. Kit has all the future eclipses planned out, he has been doing this his whole life and wants to share it with the woman he loves and future children. With it being cloudy the odds of a total eclipse is minimal, to try and get a better viewing angle the couple move out to the edges of the festival, but what they do witness changes their lives forever. Kit and Laura are embroiled in a rape case, Jamie Balcombe was witnessed attacking Beth Taylor – Will Laura’s testimony be enough for a conviction?

He Said/She Said is told from alternating point of views from Kit and Laura. They are also told from past and present, so will get a chapter from Kit in 2015 and 1999 and the same from Laura. This allows the stories to be interwoven and tells what happened and how it has affected them now. This is another slow paced book that feeds you small amounts of information at a time and when you think you know what has happened it takes an unexpected turn.

Laura in present day is an unreliable narrator, she suffers with anxiety and is extremely paranoid. We don’t find out for a long time how she has become this way all we do know that it’s related to ‘Beth’. In 1999, Laura has her whole life ahead of her, she has just met Kit and has this outgoing nature to her. As the story progresses you begin understand why she is so paranoid and why she is so anxious.

Kit seemed like a super relaxed guy that takes everything in his stride, Laura is his soulmate and have been together for 15 years and will protect her to no end. At points he could be very meticulous and other points very sloppy regarding their change of identity. I must admit that Laura is the stronger character of the two and her POV was much more enjoyable.

I felt this book especially the first half was very slow even when there were parts that really appealed to me. The story line was good not something I have read about before and I didn’t think it was predictable but when the twist happened it wasn’t anything majorly startling for me.My actual reaction was ‘oh’! but the second half was much better than the first and had more action to it.

There is a trigger warning of Rape, so if this is something you are uncomfortable reading about then this might not be the book for you.

I rated this book 3.5 out of 5 stars
  
PB
Pale Blue Scratch
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Full review can be found on: diaryofdifference.com/2018/06/18/pale-blue-scratch-jay-dinitto-book-review/

I was lucky enough to be approached by Jay DiNitto himself, and he sent me a copy of his first novel - Pale Blue Scratch in exchange for an honest review. This is a book unlike anything else I have ever read, and it left me impressed. I dearly enjoyed it, and maybe you will too.

As mentioned above, this is a book unlike any other that I have read. It is a great mix of fiction / action / fast-paced scenes / philosophy / psychology and a little bit of time-travelling.
Even though we have two main characters - Elizabeth and Vincent, this book focused more on Elizabeth, for various reasons.

<img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455591169l/28919161.jpg"/>;

There were times when the scenes were slow, and somewhat a bit dull, but there were also times when there were fast-paced scenes that make me bite my nails. Though, as a whole, I found the story to not quite fit my taste. It felt like Elizabeth didn’t have a great or a strong enough reason to do this adventure.

Elizabeth’s character - now this is something quite amusing! I have never met a character like this - so twisted in a cute hippocrytical way. A nun with an adorable sense of humor, that goes around on a mission to make a time-travel machine, and happens to hurt people on her way… I loved her character in a very weird way (don’t judge!)

Now Vincent didn’t quite hit the mark. He seemed more of a plain character, like a little copy of someone else, somewhere, once upon a time. He gave the impression of a person that, unlike Elizabeth, didn’t quite knew where he belonged and what he’s doing. It felt like it didn’t bother him at all. And that’s alright. The moment when this started to hurt me was at the end - when he didn’t change a bit.
Even though a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to read much about time-travelling as I would want to, this book was quite amusing and it covered various random topics that I quite liked. I loved that variety when one moment you talk about religion, the other moment a great action scene happens, and then here we are again, discussing life philosophy.

All in all, to sum it all up - I greatly enjoyed this book! It was definitely unusual read, and unique in every single way. And if you love fiction / action / a bit of time-travelling / humor and philosophy, this might be easily your new favourite book!

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