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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Tidal Blades; Heroes of the Reef in Tabletop Games
Apr 20, 2021
Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef (which I shall just call Tidal Blades from here on) is a very successful Kickstarter that funded in 45 minutes and raised over $780,000 with the campaign. I was lucky enough to be able to back this one when it went live, and the hype was REAL. The box is large and in charge, and setup and tear down takes about 14 years, but did I like this one? Dude. YES. We don’t rate Solo Chronicles, but this is a STRONG 6 from me.
DISCLAIMER: As this game is a giant and many reviewers are starting to tackle it using multiplayer rules, I decided I would talk about the differences between multiplayer and solo rules. This review is using the included Solo Mode rules.
Setup for the Solo Mode uses most of the setup rules for the multiplayer game with a few exceptions. In the Solo Mode the player will have one character to control and one Rival to beat. The Rival will need their player board and standee or mini (I have the Deluxe Edition, so it’s minis in my case). In addition, the player will also choose two other characters to be Allies, utilizing their ability cards and minis. The Allies and Rival will be placed on the Champion board ahead of the player to begin the game. The player wins by having more points than the Rival at the end of the game.
Quickly, here is Tidal Blades in a nutshell. Players are attempting to gather the greatest standing on the Champion board (like a VP track) and VP from Challenge cards gained. The players earn these cards by using Actions to move to islands, gather resources, fight monsters, perform boating maneuvers and tricks, and can increase the potential for each of these by upgrading their central board dials. Shells and Fruit are common resources, and each player starts with two Actions per turn. The game lasts four total Days (or phases with several turns in each), and players earn more Action discs on Day two and four. Every time the dice are rolled to complete Challenges a Danger Die is also rolled and can wound the player by forcing a discard of dice. Each Day players can refresh and upgrade used dice to better their skill and concentrate their abilities. After Day four the game ends and players count up points to declare a victor!
Here is how gameplay is slightly different from the multiplayer experience. The Rival always goes first. They will also have one more Action disc to use on their turn (unfair, right?). When they begin their turn, a Challenge card is drawn. Whichever Island is featured on the card is to where the Rival will travel. Once arrived, the amount of VP awarded on the card is how many spaces from the top of the Island the Rival will be placed. Depending upon which Island the Rival ends the Challenge card will then be placed under the Solo Mode mat and a special action taken. The special actions could be revealing and resolving a Plot card in Droska Ring (special to Solo Mode), removing Monster hits from the Fold in the Chronosseum, or moving the boat in Lamara Stadium. The Judge location also plays a role in special actions should the Rival land on the same Island as they are. Other special goodies await, but I will leave you to discover those.
On the player’s turn, if the player is tied with or ahead of their Allies on the Champion board, the player will be able to use the Allies on their turn. This is handled similar to having an extra Action disc on the player’s turn. Send the Ally to a location and reap the rewards. Otherwise, for the player, turns are the same.
Components. Let me tell you: if you have the extra money to splurge for the Deluxe Edition, DO IT. The minis are amazing, the plastic shells are awesome, and those squishy fruit are so perfect! Obviously the game is perfectly playable and enjoyable with the basic components, but the improved bits are really something special. The cardboard everything is great, the GameTrayz inserts are incredible, and the art and colors are simply magical. I cannot say enough excellent things about what comes in this massive box. Druid City Games and Skybound Tabletop got everything right with this one.
It should be no surprise that I am in love with this game. Yes, it’s a Solo Chronicles, and I played by myself. I get that. Eventually I will be able to play this with others and by then I will be so engrossed in the lore that I will have no problems hyping up my playmates. Tidal Blades is an absolutely gorgeous game with so much going on that I don’t think I will ever tire of it. The game lasts four days but I wish it were a month because I just want to keep playing! The decisions to be made are all wonderfully delicious and there always seems to be too few on your turn. Yes, I know that sounds like all worker placement games, but it is especially true here. Almost every spot on the board gives immediate benefits that can be used, so even when a location is occupied, there will always be another of equal importance to your character. It’s so good.
Like I said before, I love the art and colors used. This is a stunner of a game on the table. It does take up quite a bit of room, especially if you use the arena dice tray (which I didn’t because I play at night when the kids are asleep and a hard plastic dice tray wakes up children). I count myself lucky to have the Deluxe Edition as well because those upgraded bits really make the game feel deluxe and fancy.
The Solo Mode is very good, and at least for me, very difficult to win. The combination I used for this review was playing as Axl against my Rival Caiman. Obviously switching out characters and using different Allies will change up the feel a bit, and I really cannot wait to try out all the permutations. When a game begs you to play it as often as you can and you look at it lovingly on your shelf, you know you have a Top 10 game, and a treasure in your collection.
DISCLAIMER: As this game is a giant and many reviewers are starting to tackle it using multiplayer rules, I decided I would talk about the differences between multiplayer and solo rules. This review is using the included Solo Mode rules.
Setup for the Solo Mode uses most of the setup rules for the multiplayer game with a few exceptions. In the Solo Mode the player will have one character to control and one Rival to beat. The Rival will need their player board and standee or mini (I have the Deluxe Edition, so it’s minis in my case). In addition, the player will also choose two other characters to be Allies, utilizing their ability cards and minis. The Allies and Rival will be placed on the Champion board ahead of the player to begin the game. The player wins by having more points than the Rival at the end of the game.
Quickly, here is Tidal Blades in a nutshell. Players are attempting to gather the greatest standing on the Champion board (like a VP track) and VP from Challenge cards gained. The players earn these cards by using Actions to move to islands, gather resources, fight monsters, perform boating maneuvers and tricks, and can increase the potential for each of these by upgrading their central board dials. Shells and Fruit are common resources, and each player starts with two Actions per turn. The game lasts four total Days (or phases with several turns in each), and players earn more Action discs on Day two and four. Every time the dice are rolled to complete Challenges a Danger Die is also rolled and can wound the player by forcing a discard of dice. Each Day players can refresh and upgrade used dice to better their skill and concentrate their abilities. After Day four the game ends and players count up points to declare a victor!
Here is how gameplay is slightly different from the multiplayer experience. The Rival always goes first. They will also have one more Action disc to use on their turn (unfair, right?). When they begin their turn, a Challenge card is drawn. Whichever Island is featured on the card is to where the Rival will travel. Once arrived, the amount of VP awarded on the card is how many spaces from the top of the Island the Rival will be placed. Depending upon which Island the Rival ends the Challenge card will then be placed under the Solo Mode mat and a special action taken. The special actions could be revealing and resolving a Plot card in Droska Ring (special to Solo Mode), removing Monster hits from the Fold in the Chronosseum, or moving the boat in Lamara Stadium. The Judge location also plays a role in special actions should the Rival land on the same Island as they are. Other special goodies await, but I will leave you to discover those.
On the player’s turn, if the player is tied with or ahead of their Allies on the Champion board, the player will be able to use the Allies on their turn. This is handled similar to having an extra Action disc on the player’s turn. Send the Ally to a location and reap the rewards. Otherwise, for the player, turns are the same.
Components. Let me tell you: if you have the extra money to splurge for the Deluxe Edition, DO IT. The minis are amazing, the plastic shells are awesome, and those squishy fruit are so perfect! Obviously the game is perfectly playable and enjoyable with the basic components, but the improved bits are really something special. The cardboard everything is great, the GameTrayz inserts are incredible, and the art and colors are simply magical. I cannot say enough excellent things about what comes in this massive box. Druid City Games and Skybound Tabletop got everything right with this one.
It should be no surprise that I am in love with this game. Yes, it’s a Solo Chronicles, and I played by myself. I get that. Eventually I will be able to play this with others and by then I will be so engrossed in the lore that I will have no problems hyping up my playmates. Tidal Blades is an absolutely gorgeous game with so much going on that I don’t think I will ever tire of it. The game lasts four days but I wish it were a month because I just want to keep playing! The decisions to be made are all wonderfully delicious and there always seems to be too few on your turn. Yes, I know that sounds like all worker placement games, but it is especially true here. Almost every spot on the board gives immediate benefits that can be used, so even when a location is occupied, there will always be another of equal importance to your character. It’s so good.
Like I said before, I love the art and colors used. This is a stunner of a game on the table. It does take up quite a bit of room, especially if you use the arena dice tray (which I didn’t because I play at night when the kids are asleep and a hard plastic dice tray wakes up children). I count myself lucky to have the Deluxe Edition as well because those upgraded bits really make the game feel deluxe and fancy.
The Solo Mode is very good, and at least for me, very difficult to win. The combination I used for this review was playing as Axl against my Rival Caiman. Obviously switching out characters and using different Allies will change up the feel a bit, and I really cannot wait to try out all the permutations. When a game begs you to play it as often as you can and you look at it lovingly on your shelf, you know you have a Top 10 game, and a treasure in your collection.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Slide (Slide, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<b>2.5 stars
Slide</b> features an intriguing idea though the results left me with mixed feelings. The concept is awesome, but the execution? Yeah, not so much. The writing is serviceable, neither bad nor great and it didn't draw me into the story straightaway. Both the way it is written and the storyline reminds me of some of the books I read as a pre-teen/teen way back during the Pleistocene epoch, otherwise known as the 1990s, with authors like Christopher Pike, R.L. Stine, Diane Hoh, Lois Duncan, Richie Tankersley Cusick, among others. It especially seems to fall right in between Pike and Stine. While the writing is more mature than Stine's, it's not quite as sophisticated as Pike's. The mystery is weak, and by the end, seems pointless as it's totally anti-climactic, over in a flash, like it was written just to finish the book up, and absurdly contrived. The whole ending is totally ludicrous and unbelievable. The clues leading up to it are obvious and not incorporated into the story well at all. These clues were so glaring they all but had a flashing sign pointing to them in cartoon-like fashion whenever they fell into the main character's path. Sylvia a.k.a. Vee wasn't written as a dummy, at first, but boy she was an absolute idiot about those clues and putting two and two together, or really much of anything until it slapped her in the face. While Vee is sympathetic, I can't say I felt much of anything for her, and even less for anyone else in book because of their lack of depth. No one is explained in any detail, either personality or looks, motivations, or whatever. Just a brief shallow summary if lucky. Speaking of.... What has happened in books today where there are no descriptions of how anybody looks, except "I have pink hair," "his blonde hair," or some other toss away adjective? I've seen it over and over again and all I'm left with is the visualization that these people have no faces, much like that episode of Doctor Who (The Idiot's Lantern). Frankly it's all rather creepy.
I feel like this could have been a great book if it was longer (the copy I read is only 250 pages of at least 1.5 spaced lines) and had much more depth. Add in a couple more suspects, motivations, etc., and maybe a little more information on Vee's "sliding" powers. Unfortunately it's only an "okay" read that's easy and moves at a rapid pace. I didn't hate the book by any means, it's just not one that'll stick in my head for more than a few days. On the plus side I love the cover composition and colors, so kudos to the artist(s). This works fine as a standalone, but is now part of a series, for some unfathomable reason. Frankly, I'm getting sick of every book that comes out, most usually in the YA genre, becoming a series. It's ridiculous how few standalone books there are anymore. Still, even with all my grumbling about the numerous series and everything else, I think I will check out [b:Impostor|13423265|Impostor (Slide, #2)|Jill Hathaway|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1341084724s/13423265.jpg|18870053], the second book in the <i>Slide</i> series, as it sounds interesting. Who knows, this might have just been the stepping stone to bigger and better things. Although if Vee is as stupid as she was in this one, I'm outta there.
Originally Reviewed: October 16, 2012
Received: Amazon Vine
Slide</b> features an intriguing idea though the results left me with mixed feelings. The concept is awesome, but the execution? Yeah, not so much. The writing is serviceable, neither bad nor great and it didn't draw me into the story straightaway. Both the way it is written and the storyline reminds me of some of the books I read as a pre-teen/teen way back during the Pleistocene epoch, otherwise known as the 1990s, with authors like Christopher Pike, R.L. Stine, Diane Hoh, Lois Duncan, Richie Tankersley Cusick, among others. It especially seems to fall right in between Pike and Stine. While the writing is more mature than Stine's, it's not quite as sophisticated as Pike's. The mystery is weak, and by the end, seems pointless as it's totally anti-climactic, over in a flash, like it was written just to finish the book up, and absurdly contrived. The whole ending is totally ludicrous and unbelievable. The clues leading up to it are obvious and not incorporated into the story well at all. These clues were so glaring they all but had a flashing sign pointing to them in cartoon-like fashion whenever they fell into the main character's path. Sylvia a.k.a. Vee wasn't written as a dummy, at first, but boy she was an absolute idiot about those clues and putting two and two together, or really much of anything until it slapped her in the face. While Vee is sympathetic, I can't say I felt much of anything for her, and even less for anyone else in book because of their lack of depth. No one is explained in any detail, either personality or looks, motivations, or whatever. Just a brief shallow summary if lucky. Speaking of.... What has happened in books today where there are no descriptions of how anybody looks, except "I have pink hair," "his blonde hair," or some other toss away adjective? I've seen it over and over again and all I'm left with is the visualization that these people have no faces, much like that episode of Doctor Who (The Idiot's Lantern). Frankly it's all rather creepy.
I feel like this could have been a great book if it was longer (the copy I read is only 250 pages of at least 1.5 spaced lines) and had much more depth. Add in a couple more suspects, motivations, etc., and maybe a little more information on Vee's "sliding" powers. Unfortunately it's only an "okay" read that's easy and moves at a rapid pace. I didn't hate the book by any means, it's just not one that'll stick in my head for more than a few days. On the plus side I love the cover composition and colors, so kudos to the artist(s). This works fine as a standalone, but is now part of a series, for some unfathomable reason. Frankly, I'm getting sick of every book that comes out, most usually in the YA genre, becoming a series. It's ridiculous how few standalone books there are anymore. Still, even with all my grumbling about the numerous series and everything else, I think I will check out [b:Impostor|13423265|Impostor (Slide, #2)|Jill Hathaway|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1341084724s/13423265.jpg|18870053], the second book in the <i>Slide</i> series, as it sounds interesting. Who knows, this might have just been the stepping stone to bigger and better things. Although if Vee is as stupid as she was in this one, I'm outta there.
Originally Reviewed: October 16, 2012
Received: Amazon Vine
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Battleship (2012) in Movies
Feb 7, 2018
Pure cheesy, gooey fun
Battleship is a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s pure cheesy fun. It’s got a great cast of actors who over-act their butts off in it. Pretty much everything in the movie is delightfully overdone. It might not be the most intellectually stimulating film, but if you need an excuse for popcorn and beer it’s perfect. It has a bit of a Starship Troopers feel to it, what with the bad dialogue and the aliens that look like bugs. Hell, it’s even got the token slightly odd-looking red-headed guy being a mouth-off.
It’s pretty much the perfect B-movie, except we got lucky this time and had decent actors and enough money for good special effects. I loved watching the alien ships moving around and getting ready to fire at things. I’m always able to get completely into the film and nothing about the CGI throws me off at all. The dialogue might be horrible, but the action is perfectly paced. It takes me about 40 minutes longer than the movie actually is to finish watching it. Simply because I go back and re-wind and re-watch my favorite parts constantly. And yes, it does have some proper battleship game scenes that will make you grin with nostalgia if you used to love the game.
Liam Neeson’s role isn’t much, but he gives the appropriate note of seriousness to the film. He really just has a bit role though. Alexander Skarsgård does a good job as Stone Hopper (and what kind of name is that?!). He’s the serious older brother, and the true hero that does everything he can. Rhianna didn’t exactly do a bang up job, but she sold her emotions rather well at a few key parts. Taylor Kitsch certainly does a great job as coming across as an immature punk who needs some sense knocked into him.
It’s interesting to note, whatever your reasoning for it might be, that the aliens don’t really seem to be overly destructive in Battleship. Everything they do seems very tactical and deliberate. They have the firepower to lay waste to everything, but they seem to be more able disabling and containment. At one point, when one of the destroyers put away its weapons, the alien ship lowers its weapons too. People die, but not nearly as many as you would expect. Given other events in the movie, I feel like they were trying to take over with as little damage as possible. Maybe they needed humans for slave labor?
Cool Tidbits: The wounded warriors you see in the rehabilitation center scene in Battleship? Actual wounded warriors. The old vets referenced in regards to the USS Missouri are vets that served on that ship. And Mick – who is completely awesome – is also played by a vet. Props to the producers of this movie for making sure to include so many veterans in it. I totally cheered near the end of the movie when all the veterans do the slow hero walk and it’s clear they’re ready to help.
Overall, Battleship is just a fun popcorn movie that doesn’t deserve the razzing it gets. As long as you don’t go into it expecting something highly intellectual or some ground-breaking work, you’ll enjoy yourself.
It’s pretty much the perfect B-movie, except we got lucky this time and had decent actors and enough money for good special effects. I loved watching the alien ships moving around and getting ready to fire at things. I’m always able to get completely into the film and nothing about the CGI throws me off at all. The dialogue might be horrible, but the action is perfectly paced. It takes me about 40 minutes longer than the movie actually is to finish watching it. Simply because I go back and re-wind and re-watch my favorite parts constantly. And yes, it does have some proper battleship game scenes that will make you grin with nostalgia if you used to love the game.
Liam Neeson’s role isn’t much, but he gives the appropriate note of seriousness to the film. He really just has a bit role though. Alexander Skarsgård does a good job as Stone Hopper (and what kind of name is that?!). He’s the serious older brother, and the true hero that does everything he can. Rhianna didn’t exactly do a bang up job, but she sold her emotions rather well at a few key parts. Taylor Kitsch certainly does a great job as coming across as an immature punk who needs some sense knocked into him.
It’s interesting to note, whatever your reasoning for it might be, that the aliens don’t really seem to be overly destructive in Battleship. Everything they do seems very tactical and deliberate. They have the firepower to lay waste to everything, but they seem to be more able disabling and containment. At one point, when one of the destroyers put away its weapons, the alien ship lowers its weapons too. People die, but not nearly as many as you would expect. Given other events in the movie, I feel like they were trying to take over with as little damage as possible. Maybe they needed humans for slave labor?
Cool Tidbits: The wounded warriors you see in the rehabilitation center scene in Battleship? Actual wounded warriors. The old vets referenced in regards to the USS Missouri are vets that served on that ship. And Mick – who is completely awesome – is also played by a vet. Props to the producers of this movie for making sure to include so many veterans in it. I totally cheered near the end of the movie when all the veterans do the slow hero walk and it’s clear they’re ready to help.
Overall, Battleship is just a fun popcorn movie that doesn’t deserve the razzing it gets. As long as you don’t go into it expecting something highly intellectual or some ground-breaking work, you’ll enjoy yourself.
Maribeth is an overworked mother of four-year-old twins: busy dividing her time as an editor of a magazine, mothering her twins, and taking care of her household. But Maribeth is so busy she doesn't even realize she's had a heart attack. Once out of the hospital, Maribeth is shocked to realize that her mother and husband seem clueless when it comes to taking care of her (and in many ways, the household). Maribeth feels overwhelmed and frustrated. Angry at her husband, Jason, she packs a bag and flees her husband and the twins, basically starting her life over in another city. Once there, Maribeth makes new friends and starts a search for her own birth mother. But obviously she has left behind unresolved issues in New York, such as her husband and family. (Minor issue, right?)
Wow, this is quite a book, and honestly, I'm still processing some of my feelings about it. I've previously read two of Forman's YA novels (both of which I enjoyed), but this was my first time reading her foray into general fiction. For me, this book really hit home, considering I am an overworked mother of four-year-old twins, who juggles work and motherhood much like Maribeth. Lucky for me, my spouse isn't clueless like Maribeth's husband (in fact: she's lovely). I also don't have a mother who is basically totally worthless; I mean, seriously, how pathetic is Maribeth's mom? Can these people not help the woman mere weeks after she's had a freaking heart attack? The whole episode where Meredith's kids have lice and her spouse and mother flake on her had me completely stressed out.
In fact, there were honestly times reading this book that I felt my own heart hurting, both from Forman's realistic description of Maribeth's cardiac attack, as well as from the stressful scenario she's in. Forman does an excellent job of conveying the pressure Maribeth is under and the frustration she feels in her life--overwhelmed, alone, trapped, desperate. What mother hasn't felt that way at some point, and truly, what mother hasn't wanted to run away at times?
My issue with this book is that Maribeth actually does run away. It's really hard to believe she'd actually leave her kids - not for a week or two - but for a good chunk of time (and taking a sizable chunk of her family's savings with her). But, while I really didn't agree with all of her choices (they didn't truly seem realistic), I have to admit, I found myself liking the book in spite of them. The life Maribeth creates for herself away from her family is unique and readable, and her world away is compelling. My only beef: should a woman really have to leave for her spouse to appreciate all she does? I am not totally sure I agree with the message.
Overall, this book is different. It's not your typical contemporary fiction, but it's certainly worth reading. 3.5 stars (and leaves you thinking).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 9/6.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
Wow, this is quite a book, and honestly, I'm still processing some of my feelings about it. I've previously read two of Forman's YA novels (both of which I enjoyed), but this was my first time reading her foray into general fiction. For me, this book really hit home, considering I am an overworked mother of four-year-old twins, who juggles work and motherhood much like Maribeth. Lucky for me, my spouse isn't clueless like Maribeth's husband (in fact: she's lovely). I also don't have a mother who is basically totally worthless; I mean, seriously, how pathetic is Maribeth's mom? Can these people not help the woman mere weeks after she's had a freaking heart attack? The whole episode where Meredith's kids have lice and her spouse and mother flake on her had me completely stressed out.
In fact, there were honestly times reading this book that I felt my own heart hurting, both from Forman's realistic description of Maribeth's cardiac attack, as well as from the stressful scenario she's in. Forman does an excellent job of conveying the pressure Maribeth is under and the frustration she feels in her life--overwhelmed, alone, trapped, desperate. What mother hasn't felt that way at some point, and truly, what mother hasn't wanted to run away at times?
My issue with this book is that Maribeth actually does run away. It's really hard to believe she'd actually leave her kids - not for a week or two - but for a good chunk of time (and taking a sizable chunk of her family's savings with her). But, while I really didn't agree with all of her choices (they didn't truly seem realistic), I have to admit, I found myself liking the book in spite of them. The life Maribeth creates for herself away from her family is unique and readable, and her world away is compelling. My only beef: should a woman really have to leave for her spouse to appreciate all she does? I am not totally sure I agree with the message.
Overall, this book is different. It's not your typical contemporary fiction, but it's certainly worth reading. 3.5 stars (and leaves you thinking).
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 9/6.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Girl Last Seen in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Lainey was ten when she was taken. She spent three horrible years in her kidnapper's basement, enduring horrible things. Lainey is supposed to be "lucky," since she escaped, but it's hard for her to see it that way sometimes. Her entire life has been formed by that awful period in her life. And now, another girl has gone missing. Olivia Shaw, who looks exactly like Lainey did thirteen years ago. Lainey's kidnapper was never found: the police say because she could never give strong enough evidence to identify him. So Lainey has spent these years afraid, living in a haze of pills and booze, and waiting for something bad to happen. Well, something bad has happened. How exactly is Lainey involved, and is she ever going to be safe again?
I definitely have some mixed feelings about this one. <i>It certainly grabs you from the beginning and has some moments that make you go "what?!"</i> Parts of the story are very unique--I enjoyed the plot of two young women/girls aligned by a potential kidnapper--but the story was marred somewhat by the focus on Lainey's drinking and drugs. She's presented as an unreliable narrator, which I understand, and as a flawed heroine. Some of the scenes with her nearly make you cringe: you feel a mix of such sympathy and frustration, because she's such a stressful protagonist. The trend toward these frustrating, unreliable narrators lately has grown a bit old for me.
My other issue was Lainey's strange dynamic with the detective investigating Olivia's disappearance, Sean: the same detective, coincidentally, who found Lainey thirteen years ago as she stumbled helplessly along the road after escaping her horrible fate in the basement. Their dynamic, frankly, is just odd, and I found it almost distracting from the main story. Romance? Just a side story? Is he involved? It was less a bit of intrigue though and, as I mentioned, a distraction. And honestly, a little confusing. After a while, I started to get a little bored with Lainey's helplessness, her interactions with Sean, and the overall lack of things moving forward.
That changed about 3/4 in, when things picked up and became interesting again. There are definitely some fascinating moments in the book, and I did find it engaging overall, despite some stumbles along the way. This is a first novel and I see room from improvement, for sure. I'm going for a 3-star rating -- this is based on a combination of 2.5 stars for some stilted/cheesy writing combined with 3.5 stars for some exciting plot twists, including one near the end that pretty much made it all worth it. I would certainly be intrigued to read Laurin's next book. Don't let my review scare you from this one: I read a lot of thrillers, so I get bit jaded reading some similar plot devices. There's still plenty of pieces to like here.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 07/20/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
I definitely have some mixed feelings about this one. <i>It certainly grabs you from the beginning and has some moments that make you go "what?!"</i> Parts of the story are very unique--I enjoyed the plot of two young women/girls aligned by a potential kidnapper--but the story was marred somewhat by the focus on Lainey's drinking and drugs. She's presented as an unreliable narrator, which I understand, and as a flawed heroine. Some of the scenes with her nearly make you cringe: you feel a mix of such sympathy and frustration, because she's such a stressful protagonist. The trend toward these frustrating, unreliable narrators lately has grown a bit old for me.
My other issue was Lainey's strange dynamic with the detective investigating Olivia's disappearance, Sean: the same detective, coincidentally, who found Lainey thirteen years ago as she stumbled helplessly along the road after escaping her horrible fate in the basement. Their dynamic, frankly, is just odd, and I found it almost distracting from the main story. Romance? Just a side story? Is he involved? It was less a bit of intrigue though and, as I mentioned, a distraction. And honestly, a little confusing. After a while, I started to get a little bored with Lainey's helplessness, her interactions with Sean, and the overall lack of things moving forward.
That changed about 3/4 in, when things picked up and became interesting again. There are definitely some fascinating moments in the book, and I did find it engaging overall, despite some stumbles along the way. This is a first novel and I see room from improvement, for sure. I'm going for a 3-star rating -- this is based on a combination of 2.5 stars for some stilted/cheesy writing combined with 3.5 stars for some exciting plot twists, including one near the end that pretty much made it all worth it. I would certainly be intrigued to read Laurin's next book. Don't let my review scare you from this one: I read a lot of thrillers, so I get bit jaded reading some similar plot devices. There's still plenty of pieces to like here.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 07/20/2017.
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Pitch Green (Dimensions in Death, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
Those who know me know that YA horror is my favourite genre. I was lucky enough to be asked by Jolly Fish Press to review a book that fit that genre. The book was Pitch Green (Dimensions in Death #1) by The Brothers Washburn. I definitely wasn't disappointed with this book.
Camm and Cal have been best friends forever. They've pretty much gone through everything together including the disappearance of Camm's little brother seven years ago. As Camm and Cal dig deeper to solve Cal's little brother's disappearance, they discover that more children have gone missing in their little hometown starting back in 1941. They also discover that some sinister force is behind the disappearance. Will Camm and Cal lose their life in the process of uncovering this mystery or will they lose their sanity?
Okay, I don't really get the title of this book. I understand the whole "green" part of the title which I won't explain due to small spoilers, but I don't understand the "pitch" bit. It's definitely an unusual title, that's for sure. However, I don't like or dislike the title. It just leaves me perplexed.
I'm definitely a fan of this spooky looking cover! I love the spooky green font and the creepy looking grandfather clock with the hanging man pendulum which features quite frequently in the book. I do believe that the cover of this book gives its readers a glimpse into what to expect.
I enjoyed the world building. I could definitely picture the creepy mansion in my mind, and because I live by lots of plants (not the green kind), I could totally relate to the Trona plant mentioned throughout the book.
I enjoyed the pacing of this book although I must admit that there was a chapter or two when I thought that the pacing was going to be slow. However, it quickly picked up, and I was hooked. I finished Pitch Green sooner then I had anticipated...that's how great the pacing was!
The only problem I had with this book was the fact that Camm and Cal seemed a bit younger than 18. They came across, to me, as being about 12 or 13 years old due to their actions, dialogue, and thoughts. Other than that, they were quite enjoyable characters. I loved how much of a wise cracker Camm was.
As I said before, the dialogue didn't match that of two 18 year olds. Don't get me wrong, the dialogue did make me laugh quite a bit, but it was off. The dialogue wasn't that bothersome after I got farther into the book and just imagined Camm and Cal to be two 14 year olds talking to each other. As for language, there is only one swear word.
I will definitely be buying the next book in the series. The ending of this book definitely left me wanting more despite the characters acting younger than their age.
I'd definitely recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ especially those who are fans of the horror genre.
(I was given a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Those who know me know that YA horror is my favourite genre. I was lucky enough to be asked by Jolly Fish Press to review a book that fit that genre. The book was Pitch Green (Dimensions in Death #1) by The Brothers Washburn. I definitely wasn't disappointed with this book.
Camm and Cal have been best friends forever. They've pretty much gone through everything together including the disappearance of Camm's little brother seven years ago. As Camm and Cal dig deeper to solve Cal's little brother's disappearance, they discover that more children have gone missing in their little hometown starting back in 1941. They also discover that some sinister force is behind the disappearance. Will Camm and Cal lose their life in the process of uncovering this mystery or will they lose their sanity?
Okay, I don't really get the title of this book. I understand the whole "green" part of the title which I won't explain due to small spoilers, but I don't understand the "pitch" bit. It's definitely an unusual title, that's for sure. However, I don't like or dislike the title. It just leaves me perplexed.
I'm definitely a fan of this spooky looking cover! I love the spooky green font and the creepy looking grandfather clock with the hanging man pendulum which features quite frequently in the book. I do believe that the cover of this book gives its readers a glimpse into what to expect.
I enjoyed the world building. I could definitely picture the creepy mansion in my mind, and because I live by lots of plants (not the green kind), I could totally relate to the Trona plant mentioned throughout the book.
I enjoyed the pacing of this book although I must admit that there was a chapter or two when I thought that the pacing was going to be slow. However, it quickly picked up, and I was hooked. I finished Pitch Green sooner then I had anticipated...that's how great the pacing was!
The only problem I had with this book was the fact that Camm and Cal seemed a bit younger than 18. They came across, to me, as being about 12 or 13 years old due to their actions, dialogue, and thoughts. Other than that, they were quite enjoyable characters. I loved how much of a wise cracker Camm was.
As I said before, the dialogue didn't match that of two 18 year olds. Don't get me wrong, the dialogue did make me laugh quite a bit, but it was off. The dialogue wasn't that bothersome after I got farther into the book and just imagined Camm and Cal to be two 14 year olds talking to each other. As for language, there is only one swear word.
I will definitely be buying the next book in the series. The ending of this book definitely left me wanting more despite the characters acting younger than their age.
I'd definitely recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ especially those who are fans of the horror genre.
(I was given a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Kayleigh (12 KP) rated Dead Letter Office in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Before I start, please note that this book was given to me free by the publisher in exchange for a review. What I have written is my honest opinion.
This is the first 'Active Fiction' e-book I've read. It gives the reader an option of the direction they want the plot to take. The last time I read a book (let alone an e-book!) in any way similar to that was when I was about 10, reading an Enid Blyton <i>Famous Five</i> 'red herring' book. I was therefore really intrigued as to what to expect. Would there be red herrings? Would it make the book worse? Well, no and no, as it turns out. I'll get to that in a bit.
This is a brilliantly written story that centres around Celia, who has just lost her father and moved to New Orleans with her mum so she can get to know her father's side of the family. Celia soon has 3 friends (2 of which are potential love interests) and bounces well off the other characters. Snyder has included the obligatory 'popular crowd', but added unusual details to a few of the group's members that makes it interesting, and slightly more dangerous than your average 'death-by-gossip' group.
Starting from the beginning, this was one of those books I knew would capture my interest as soon as I read the first line:
<blockquote>"The dead man smiles at me."</blockquote>
The rest of this page draws me in further, and I went from there. An odd thing I liked (and noticed fairly early on) is that Celia doesn't ruin the first person narrative she's got going on by telling us what she looks like. It's good enough for me to know she's pretty enough to have a surfer dude boyfriend before she moves away, haha!
Coming back to the reader choices, I was a little startled when the first one came up, but that's just me not being used to it! I liked the sense of power I got from helping Celia make the 'right' choice. They were also placed really well within the story, at pivotal plot moments, so there wasn't too much or too little of them. There was only one (right at the end) that I thought was pointless, although having re-read the description on Goodreads, I now know that it's a vote the author wanted so as to establish reader preference on Celia's love interests. Lucky Cee!
I must admit, I did read all the alternative versions, so I can say that there are no 'red herrings'. Some choices lead you to the answer faster than others, and sometimes there'll be a quirky scene that comes with one choice, but is barely mentioned in the other. Without wanting to spoil anything, something key to the background knowledge of Donovan and Peyton's relationship is only mentioned in one of the choices. I haven't quite decided if this is a good thing yet - that little piece of knowledge was good to know, I thought!
Overall, Kira Snyder has built a great sense of anticipation between the main characters, and has set the foundation for future crime/mystery-solving. It was a brilliant book and I'll definitely be reading the next in the series.
This is the first 'Active Fiction' e-book I've read. It gives the reader an option of the direction they want the plot to take. The last time I read a book (let alone an e-book!) in any way similar to that was when I was about 10, reading an Enid Blyton <i>Famous Five</i> 'red herring' book. I was therefore really intrigued as to what to expect. Would there be red herrings? Would it make the book worse? Well, no and no, as it turns out. I'll get to that in a bit.
This is a brilliantly written story that centres around Celia, who has just lost her father and moved to New Orleans with her mum so she can get to know her father's side of the family. Celia soon has 3 friends (2 of which are potential love interests) and bounces well off the other characters. Snyder has included the obligatory 'popular crowd', but added unusual details to a few of the group's members that makes it interesting, and slightly more dangerous than your average 'death-by-gossip' group.
Starting from the beginning, this was one of those books I knew would capture my interest as soon as I read the first line:
<blockquote>"The dead man smiles at me."</blockquote>
The rest of this page draws me in further, and I went from there. An odd thing I liked (and noticed fairly early on) is that Celia doesn't ruin the first person narrative she's got going on by telling us what she looks like. It's good enough for me to know she's pretty enough to have a surfer dude boyfriend before she moves away, haha!
Coming back to the reader choices, I was a little startled when the first one came up, but that's just me not being used to it! I liked the sense of power I got from helping Celia make the 'right' choice. They were also placed really well within the story, at pivotal plot moments, so there wasn't too much or too little of them. There was only one (right at the end) that I thought was pointless, although having re-read the description on Goodreads, I now know that it's a vote the author wanted so as to establish reader preference on Celia's love interests. Lucky Cee!
I must admit, I did read all the alternative versions, so I can say that there are no 'red herrings'. Some choices lead you to the answer faster than others, and sometimes there'll be a quirky scene that comes with one choice, but is barely mentioned in the other. Without wanting to spoil anything, something key to the background knowledge of Donovan and Peyton's relationship is only mentioned in one of the choices. I haven't quite decided if this is a good thing yet - that little piece of knowledge was good to know, I thought!
Overall, Kira Snyder has built a great sense of anticipation between the main characters, and has set the foundation for future crime/mystery-solving. It was a brilliant book and I'll definitely be reading the next in the series.