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Dana (24 KP) rated Vanishing Girls in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I am not sure why I keep being surprised at how good books are, especially since I have read some of these authors before! This book is no different. I was thinking this book would be just okay, nothing too memorable, but I was so wrong! Oh, and I got to meet Lauren Oliver at Yallwest 2015! She was so sweet and signed my book!!
This book is interesting in its set up. It is told in a "Before and After" story line by two characters: Dara and Nick. There are also some photographs and some blog post type pages which were really interesting.
So I am going to try to write whenever there is a large spoiler, but there may be some minor plot points written throughout. So look out for SPOILERS in the review if you want to skip those.
Okay, so I'm going to start off with talking about the three main characters: Dara, Nick, and Parker.
Nick is the main character of this book and, honestly, she was very interesting. She seems quite detached throughout a good part of the book, specifically the first half. I did not like either of the sisters at first, if I am being completely honest. But then I grew to partially understand both of them separately. Nick is emotionally distant because, as seen in the beginning of the book, she sees herself as needing to be the responsible one out of the two sisters. Where Dara is wildness and spontaneity, Nick is the reserved older sister who has to keep her sister in line. Nick, however, is not all she seems. It is known that there was a bad car accident that happened before the book started, but none of the details were really disclosed. Neither person involved really wanted to talk about it. SPOILERS ARE IN THE REST OF THIS PARAGRAPH!! I wasn't a fan of how Nick treated both Dara and Parker. For Dara, it can easily be understood why she wouldn't want to talk to Nick. I would be pretty upset if that was my situation as well, but Nick seemed like she was just being petty. With Parker, she was unfair. Yes, they had been best friends and then he started dating her sister, but they were still best friends. She could have at least tried to talk to him about her feelings, but no. She didn't.
Dara was a very complex character. It seemed as if she would rebel just to do it and to see if she could get a rise out of her sister and/or her parents. She is wild and reckless because she needs to try to distance herself from her sister's shadow. I totally understand that (even if I would not take that path myself). I think her story arc was very interesting, to say the least. I will go more into the plot points a bit later, though.
Parker was just a guy who was caught in a tough situation. Yes, he was dumb in putting himself in that situation, but he seemed like a pretty good guy all in all. I enjoyed his story line because he grounded the other characters in the real world.
Okay, now onto the plot. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THE REST OF THE REVIEW EXCEPT FOR THE LAST PARAGRAPH. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, SKIP DOWN FOR MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK.
Okay, so the plot. Oh my goodness, that was a good story. I really liked the complexity and all of the little connections throughout the two time lines.
Let's start with the "before." We get to see a lot of how Nick and Dara's relationship had disintegrated the closer to the accident we get. I loved getting it intermittent between the "after" sections because sometimes it made the previous chapter more clear, but a lot of the time, it convoluted it just enough to keep me intrigued. Each moment up to the accident felt like it had more tension because you, as the reader, knew what was coming, but not necessarily when or how. I do wish, however, we got more of the accident itself. That would have been pretty cool.
Now onto the "after." Wow. If you want a really complex story line that you won't see coming, read this book. That freaking plot twist was not something I called, and I am normally really good at calling them! I think I was too preoccupied trying to figure out what happened in the accident to see all of the signs (and there were a lot of them) of the truth of what happened. I loved how Lauren Oliver was able to explore mental health issues that we don't normally get to see in a young adult novel. The post-traumatic stress is usually shown as being withdrawn, not all of the other symptoms that may be possible in the human mind. I don't even necessarily want to touch on the FanLand plot line because it's pretty self explanatory. I did like how those were bright moments in the otherwise very dark story. I could go on and on about this section, but I'll keep it short. If you want to talk to me more about my thoughts on it, then feel free to message me about it!
Madeline Snow's story line was really cool. Not what happened to her, of course, that was super messed up, but the unraveling of what happened was crazy! Oh, and the disappearance actually happened on my birthday. Super random fact, but hey, at least it's interesting? Okay, lets start with the fact that there was a semi-sex trafficking ring going on and that wasn't even the highlight of the book. You know it is an intense book when that happens. I thought it was really interesting that Nick's mom was so enraptured with the case, because instead of noticing her daughter's struggles, she is focused on a stranger. I do like how it ended, us learning about the truth of the accident while learning about the truth of Madeline's disappearance because they were very interconnected! I am very thankful of how it truly ended happily rather than a very horrible possibility.
Overall, I was highly impressed by this book. As I said, this has become one of my favorite books of the year! If you enjoy thriller, suspense, or mystery books, definitely check this one out!
This book is interesting in its set up. It is told in a "Before and After" story line by two characters: Dara and Nick. There are also some photographs and some blog post type pages which were really interesting.
So I am going to try to write whenever there is a large spoiler, but there may be some minor plot points written throughout. So look out for SPOILERS in the review if you want to skip those.
Okay, so I'm going to start off with talking about the three main characters: Dara, Nick, and Parker.
Nick is the main character of this book and, honestly, she was very interesting. She seems quite detached throughout a good part of the book, specifically the first half. I did not like either of the sisters at first, if I am being completely honest. But then I grew to partially understand both of them separately. Nick is emotionally distant because, as seen in the beginning of the book, she sees herself as needing to be the responsible one out of the two sisters. Where Dara is wildness and spontaneity, Nick is the reserved older sister who has to keep her sister in line. Nick, however, is not all she seems. It is known that there was a bad car accident that happened before the book started, but none of the details were really disclosed. Neither person involved really wanted to talk about it. SPOILERS ARE IN THE REST OF THIS PARAGRAPH!! I wasn't a fan of how Nick treated both Dara and Parker. For Dara, it can easily be understood why she wouldn't want to talk to Nick. I would be pretty upset if that was my situation as well, but Nick seemed like she was just being petty. With Parker, she was unfair. Yes, they had been best friends and then he started dating her sister, but they were still best friends. She could have at least tried to talk to him about her feelings, but no. She didn't.
Dara was a very complex character. It seemed as if she would rebel just to do it and to see if she could get a rise out of her sister and/or her parents. She is wild and reckless because she needs to try to distance herself from her sister's shadow. I totally understand that (even if I would not take that path myself). I think her story arc was very interesting, to say the least. I will go more into the plot points a bit later, though.
Parker was just a guy who was caught in a tough situation. Yes, he was dumb in putting himself in that situation, but he seemed like a pretty good guy all in all. I enjoyed his story line because he grounded the other characters in the real world.
Okay, now onto the plot. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THE REST OF THE REVIEW EXCEPT FOR THE LAST PARAGRAPH. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED, SKIP DOWN FOR MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK.
Okay, so the plot. Oh my goodness, that was a good story. I really liked the complexity and all of the little connections throughout the two time lines.
Let's start with the "before." We get to see a lot of how Nick and Dara's relationship had disintegrated the closer to the accident we get. I loved getting it intermittent between the "after" sections because sometimes it made the previous chapter more clear, but a lot of the time, it convoluted it just enough to keep me intrigued. Each moment up to the accident felt like it had more tension because you, as the reader, knew what was coming, but not necessarily when or how. I do wish, however, we got more of the accident itself. That would have been pretty cool.
Now onto the "after." Wow. If you want a really complex story line that you won't see coming, read this book. That freaking plot twist was not something I called, and I am normally really good at calling them! I think I was too preoccupied trying to figure out what happened in the accident to see all of the signs (and there were a lot of them) of the truth of what happened. I loved how Lauren Oliver was able to explore mental health issues that we don't normally get to see in a young adult novel. The post-traumatic stress is usually shown as being withdrawn, not all of the other symptoms that may be possible in the human mind. I don't even necessarily want to touch on the FanLand plot line because it's pretty self explanatory. I did like how those were bright moments in the otherwise very dark story. I could go on and on about this section, but I'll keep it short. If you want to talk to me more about my thoughts on it, then feel free to message me about it!
Madeline Snow's story line was really cool. Not what happened to her, of course, that was super messed up, but the unraveling of what happened was crazy! Oh, and the disappearance actually happened on my birthday. Super random fact, but hey, at least it's interesting? Okay, lets start with the fact that there was a semi-sex trafficking ring going on and that wasn't even the highlight of the book. You know it is an intense book when that happens. I thought it was really interesting that Nick's mom was so enraptured with the case, because instead of noticing her daughter's struggles, she is focused on a stranger. I do like how it ended, us learning about the truth of the accident while learning about the truth of Madeline's disappearance because they were very interconnected! I am very thankful of how it truly ended happily rather than a very horrible possibility.
Overall, I was highly impressed by this book. As I said, this has become one of my favorite books of the year! If you enjoy thriller, suspense, or mystery books, definitely check this one out!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Party of Two (The Wedding Date #5) in Books
Feb 18, 2021
An absolutely charming romance with lots of cake!
This is the sixteenth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
When Olivia Monroe randomly chats with a handsome stranger at a hotel bar, she has no idea that they will wind up making a lasting connection. After her chance encounter, she learns that man was no other than Max Powell, a hotshot junior senator from California, where Olivia has just moved to start her own law firm. Olivia is focused on her firm--and she has no desire to date someone well-known--but when she and Max meet again, and he then sends her a cake, she can't help but be charmed. She finds she really likes Max, but not the scrutiny that comes with dating a high-profile figure. Olivia knows she and Max have something special, but is it worth all the other stuff?
This was my first book by Jasmine Guillory, but it will certainly not be my last. I found PARTY to be completely charming. I had no idea it was the fifth book in a series, and I'll definitely be going back and catching up on the previous books. That being said, this one seems to stand-alone.
PARTY is one of those romance books that just sweeps you off your feet from the beginning. It's incredibly fun and sexy and made me smile while reading it. Oh how I needed a book that made me smile. Olivia is smart and easy to identify with: I have a soft spot for skeptical workaholics. She also loves cake, and there are so many references to baked goods in this book. I was truly in heaven! (And hungry.) Max is handsome and a bit too perfect, but, yes, you learn, he too has flaws. And honestly, I was quite protective of my Olivia, so I only wanted the best for her anyway.
So sure, maybe this is a little predictable, but who cares, because it's so fun, and it made me laugh and tear up. Our couple is adorable, and the supporting cast is excellent (and, as far as I can tell, links to other books). I liked the references to politics and adored any and all mention of sweets. The book also touches on racism and the issues plaguing working women, so it's not just fluff. Overall, I loved basically every moment, and I can't wait to read the copy of THE WEDDING DATE I immediately bought upon finishing this book. 4.5 stars.
When Olivia Monroe randomly chats with a handsome stranger at a hotel bar, she has no idea that they will wind up making a lasting connection. After her chance encounter, she learns that man was no other than Max Powell, a hotshot junior senator from California, where Olivia has just moved to start her own law firm. Olivia is focused on her firm--and she has no desire to date someone well-known--but when she and Max meet again, and he then sends her a cake, she can't help but be charmed. She finds she really likes Max, but not the scrutiny that comes with dating a high-profile figure. Olivia knows she and Max have something special, but is it worth all the other stuff?
This was my first book by Jasmine Guillory, but it will certainly not be my last. I found PARTY to be completely charming. I had no idea it was the fifth book in a series, and I'll definitely be going back and catching up on the previous books. That being said, this one seems to stand-alone.
PARTY is one of those romance books that just sweeps you off your feet from the beginning. It's incredibly fun and sexy and made me smile while reading it. Oh how I needed a book that made me smile. Olivia is smart and easy to identify with: I have a soft spot for skeptical workaholics. She also loves cake, and there are so many references to baked goods in this book. I was truly in heaven! (And hungry.) Max is handsome and a bit too perfect, but, yes, you learn, he too has flaws. And honestly, I was quite protective of my Olivia, so I only wanted the best for her anyway.
So sure, maybe this is a little predictable, but who cares, because it's so fun, and it made me laugh and tear up. Our couple is adorable, and the supporting cast is excellent (and, as far as I can tell, links to other books). I liked the references to politics and adored any and all mention of sweets. The book also touches on racism and the issues plaguing working women, so it's not just fluff. Overall, I loved basically every moment, and I can't wait to read the copy of THE WEDDING DATE I immediately bought upon finishing this book. 4.5 stars.
p3anut (62 KP) rated Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) in Movies
Feb 20, 2019
Story (2 more)
The jokes
Graphics
Another trek into the jurassic
Contains spoilers, click to show
I would like to start out by saying that Jurassic Park is my favorite movie of all time! I remember being 7 and not having any fascination with dinosaurs and my parents took me and my sister to see it at the movie theater and I was immediately blown away and obsessed.
Flash forward 25 years and I'm still in love with the Jurassic Park series. Are they hollow shells of the original? Sure, but they are alot of fun.
This one starts out right after the events of Jurassic world and I liked the direction the movie was heading in. I thought some of the call backs to Jurassic world were really fun and clever but I thought the overall story arch of getting Claire to the island to rescue dinosaurs before the volcano erupted, was very reminiscent of the Jurassic Park 3 story line and we all know that movie was a straight up brontosaurus turd! Think about it, grant was lied to about taking Mr Kirby on a tour of dinosaurs and they landed to rescue Eric. Claire was lied to about saving dinosaurs so the main villan could get her to the island to save all these sepcies so he could sell them. ??? Trash setup.
The graphics were very well done and they had some pretty good practical effects and some pretty good practical effects with a slight layer of cgi. I loved the blue background story and I love that they are keeping rexy as a main dinosaur in these iterations.
Overall this movie was just a filler "episode" in the Jurassic Park series with some fun little throw backs to the previous films. It didn't really do anything that makes it standout in the series other than setup for the next movie.
I hope the next one delivers on the promise that dinosaurs will be roaming free around us. I honestly hope it goes even more sci-fi and massie turns evil and has a connection to the genetically engineered Dino's. And they try to take over the world! Just kidding on that last part. But if it is going to be the last movie in the new trilogy I hope they really nail the tone and the pace unlike this movie did.
Until next time my friends.
Flash forward 25 years and I'm still in love with the Jurassic Park series. Are they hollow shells of the original? Sure, but they are alot of fun.
This one starts out right after the events of Jurassic world and I liked the direction the movie was heading in. I thought some of the call backs to Jurassic world were really fun and clever but I thought the overall story arch of getting Claire to the island to rescue dinosaurs before the volcano erupted, was very reminiscent of the Jurassic Park 3 story line and we all know that movie was a straight up brontosaurus turd! Think about it, grant was lied to about taking Mr Kirby on a tour of dinosaurs and they landed to rescue Eric. Claire was lied to about saving dinosaurs so the main villan could get her to the island to save all these sepcies so he could sell them. ??? Trash setup.
The graphics were very well done and they had some pretty good practical effects and some pretty good practical effects with a slight layer of cgi. I loved the blue background story and I love that they are keeping rexy as a main dinosaur in these iterations.
Overall this movie was just a filler "episode" in the Jurassic Park series with some fun little throw backs to the previous films. It didn't really do anything that makes it standout in the series other than setup for the next movie.
I hope the next one delivers on the promise that dinosaurs will be roaming free around us. I honestly hope it goes even more sci-fi and massie turns evil and has a connection to the genetically engineered Dino's. And they try to take over the world! Just kidding on that last part. But if it is going to be the last movie in the new trilogy I hope they really nail the tone and the pace unlike this movie did.
Until next time my friends.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Tomb Raider (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.
3D screening of this one... yes I never learn! You know what I'm going to say... 3D ain't for me. Again, nothing particularly stood out in this one for me with the effects. There felt like very little point in doing it in 3D apart from gouging some more money out of cinema goers.
Being that this preview was only the day before general release I really wasn't surprised that there were so few people there. I really wish I'd waited for the 2D showing.
Here's where we take a swift turn from where I thought my waffle would go for this one... It's an action film with a strong female character, and a lot of us were sold after the first outing of our tomb raiding totty. This one however felt like I'd just found a treasure chest full of Fool's Gold.
I'm not entirely sure that I liked much in it at all. There seemed to be several bits that were surplus to requirements, and honestly didn't even vaguely add anything to the production. And even if you suspend belief, as you would expect to do in this kind of film, you're still left with several bits that just make you stop and say "no".
You heard me talk above about people leaving the secret screening before even five minutes of the movie were done with... two people left this screening half way through. Admittedly I don't know why, but when you couple that with the fact I've never seen so many people going in and out of the screen during a film... well, I get the feeling everyone was a little bit bored. A lot of what was happening wasn't really engaging enough to hook you in until that "big bad" reveal. If it hadn't been for the fact I knew it would bug people who were sitting up and across the aisle from me, I'd have had my phone out like I was sitting at home on my sofa watching a movie on Movies 24.
I want to say I was extremely disappointed in this, but to be honest it doesn't really make me want to express any feelings that strong about it.
3D screening of this one... yes I never learn! You know what I'm going to say... 3D ain't for me. Again, nothing particularly stood out in this one for me with the effects. There felt like very little point in doing it in 3D apart from gouging some more money out of cinema goers.
Being that this preview was only the day before general release I really wasn't surprised that there were so few people there. I really wish I'd waited for the 2D showing.
Here's where we take a swift turn from where I thought my waffle would go for this one... It's an action film with a strong female character, and a lot of us were sold after the first outing of our tomb raiding totty. This one however felt like I'd just found a treasure chest full of Fool's Gold.
I'm not entirely sure that I liked much in it at all. There seemed to be several bits that were surplus to requirements, and honestly didn't even vaguely add anything to the production. And even if you suspend belief, as you would expect to do in this kind of film, you're still left with several bits that just make you stop and say "no".
You heard me talk above about people leaving the secret screening before even five minutes of the movie were done with... two people left this screening half way through. Admittedly I don't know why, but when you couple that with the fact I've never seen so many people going in and out of the screen during a film... well, I get the feeling everyone was a little bit bored. A lot of what was happening wasn't really engaging enough to hook you in until that "big bad" reveal. If it hadn't been for the fact I knew it would bug people who were sitting up and across the aisle from me, I'd have had my phone out like I was sitting at home on my sofa watching a movie on Movies 24.
I want to say I was extremely disappointed in this, but to be honest it doesn't really make me want to express any feelings that strong about it.
Merissa (12934 KP) rated Charmed & Dangerous in Books
Apr 15, 2023
First off, I think this is the first anthology I've ever given a 5-star rating for! Normally it's a 4-star as some stories are better than others but going for the average, it's a 4-star. I did the same with this collection - some I liked more than others - but the average rating is still 5 stars. There are new authors here (for me at least) and now I'm very happy as I can go searching for more of their books.
There is a little bit of everything for everyone here - the common thread being MM romance. Some are new relationships, and some are already established, but each story is individual and very well-written. Some (but not all) of my favourites were 'A Queer Trade', 'The Thirteenth Hex' and 'The Soldati Prince'. All different, all brilliant, all thoroughly enjoyable.
I could mention each and every one but you'd become bored so all I will say is that if you know at least one of these authors and like their work, then I can highly recommend this collection. If you don't know any of these authors but like M/M Romance, then I can highly recommend this collection. If you like a variety of M/M stories including shapeshifters, witches, a vaguely steampunk-type story, alternate realities etc, then I can highly recommend this collection. I'm sure you're getting the idea by now so there you go. I highly recommend this collection and loved it!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 25, 2015
There is a little bit of everything for everyone here - the common thread being MM romance. Some are new relationships, and some are already established, but each story is individual and very well-written. Some (but not all) of my favourites were 'A Queer Trade', 'The Thirteenth Hex' and 'The Soldati Prince'. All different, all brilliant, all thoroughly enjoyable.
I could mention each and every one but you'd become bored so all I will say is that if you know at least one of these authors and like their work, then I can highly recommend this collection. If you don't know any of these authors but like M/M Romance, then I can highly recommend this collection. If you like a variety of M/M stories including shapeshifters, witches, a vaguely steampunk-type story, alternate realities etc, then I can highly recommend this collection. I'm sure you're getting the idea by now so there you go. I highly recommend this collection and loved it!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 25, 2015
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Corrupted (2019) in Movies
Jun 20, 2020
The first thing you notice about The Corrupted is that it's filmed like a TV crime drama. The atmosphere, the style, everything screamed mini-series. It's an interesting story and I enjoyed it, but it gives a very different vibe to a "normal" film. It's difficult to explain. It's something you'd watch while ironing or when you've got a take away coming. It's the perfect accompaniment to doing something else not sitting in silence in the dark, it needs interaction, someone to discuss with while it's on.
Timothy Spall makes a pretty good villain in this, I probably would have also accepted Tim Roth in this role. Spall did seem to be channelling some of his mannerisms.
Sam Claflin as Liam brings the interesting mix of warmth and no-nonsense in his character to life. He turns on a knife edge from family man to criminal, although the latter is more of a protective quality than criminal endeavour.
It's been a long time since I've seen a film where I thought all the acting was excellent, The Corrupted has a fantastic bunch of actors and actresses in it. At the same time as being excited about them all though, I'm sad. This probably would have got more notice as a TV series. I went in with no real knowledge of this, I hadn't even seen it advertised anywhere apart from checking upcoming listings. It was criminally under publicised considering how much marketing King Of Thieves got and didn't deserve.
Noel Clarke as a detective really works for me. He seemed very comfortable in the role and it was nice to see him without a dubious accent... I'm looking at you Fisherman's Friends. I can't say I liked where his story went but the journey there was fantastic. I've been trying to find a listing online of character names, I can only find things listing him as Beckett but I'm sure I heard him call himself "Noel" but at another point his partner calls him "Neil"... of course I can't guarantee my hearing wasn't shot.
Loosely based on real events, The Corrupted offers a surprisingly gritty crime drama. While it does have the odd moments that make you wonder how it made the cut, those are greatly outweighed by the good points. I'll definitely be watching this again at some point, I'm also seeing a potential gift for my dad coming up.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-corrupted-movie-review.html
Timothy Spall makes a pretty good villain in this, I probably would have also accepted Tim Roth in this role. Spall did seem to be channelling some of his mannerisms.
Sam Claflin as Liam brings the interesting mix of warmth and no-nonsense in his character to life. He turns on a knife edge from family man to criminal, although the latter is more of a protective quality than criminal endeavour.
It's been a long time since I've seen a film where I thought all the acting was excellent, The Corrupted has a fantastic bunch of actors and actresses in it. At the same time as being excited about them all though, I'm sad. This probably would have got more notice as a TV series. I went in with no real knowledge of this, I hadn't even seen it advertised anywhere apart from checking upcoming listings. It was criminally under publicised considering how much marketing King Of Thieves got and didn't deserve.
Noel Clarke as a detective really works for me. He seemed very comfortable in the role and it was nice to see him without a dubious accent... I'm looking at you Fisherman's Friends. I can't say I liked where his story went but the journey there was fantastic. I've been trying to find a listing online of character names, I can only find things listing him as Beckett but I'm sure I heard him call himself "Noel" but at another point his partner calls him "Neil"... of course I can't guarantee my hearing wasn't shot.
Loosely based on real events, The Corrupted offers a surprisingly gritty crime drama. While it does have the odd moments that make you wonder how it made the cut, those are greatly outweighed by the good points. I'll definitely be watching this again at some point, I'm also seeing a potential gift for my dad coming up.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-corrupted-movie-review.html
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated You Must Not Miss in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Magpie Lewis has been abandoned. Her father left. Then her sister, Eryn, too. Now it's just Magpie and her mom. Who truly isn't really present, as she drowns herself in booze and a haze of alcoholism. Magpie's sister left the same night as Brandon Phipps's party--after which Magpie's longtime friendship with Allison ended, and Magpie was branded a slut and left to be an outcast at school. So she starts writing in a yellow notebook, creating a world called Near. It's Magpie's magical place, where everything is perfect: no cheating father, no drunk mom, no missing sister, and no horrific school experiences. She thinks up Near so clearly, so fully, that she wills it into existence, and Magpie realizes that in Near, she can have it all: even revenge on those who have hurt her.
"There was one month left of her sophomore year of high school, and she had decided, after a mountain of evidence to support it, that the entire world was a joke."
I just love Katrina Leno, and her beautiful writing. You Must Not Miss is no exception: it's a poetic, stark take on high school friendship, rape culture, and the ties that bind us. The story is a clever variation of "One for Sorrow." Magpie is our main character and takes center stage: it's hard not to feel sympathetic for this poor abandoned girl--with no family who cares for her and, for a while, no friends.
"If you give a name to an impossible thing, does it make the impossible thing any less impossible?
But then the story takes a dramatic, dark twist--as Magpie creates Near both in her mind and in reality--and as Magpie's portal to another world takes true shape, we see our character find strength before our very eyes. I won't lie, I'm not sure this book is for everyone. It reminded me in some ways of a Maggie Stiefvater novel. It's true magical realism, and there's a suspension of disbelief to be had, to be sure. But it's a book that I feel like Leno was meant to be write. Her way of eviscerating rape culture, misogyny, and more is so adept, so searing. It is a call to arms to those who are not believed, who are ignored and mocked, who are the ones who see their lives ruined when the attackers run free.
In this way, You Must Not Miss is a strong, complex book tackling a tough topic. It may be difficult for some that this topic is underneath the magical world of Near, but I liked how that was what Magpie needed to deal with all that happened to her. Beware, this book is brutal at times (and yes, there's a trigger warning for rape/sexual assault). But it's beautifully written, too. It's complicated, much like its subject matter and its protagonist, who is still trying to figure herself out, as well. It's a different read, but if you're willing to give it a try, I think you'll be glad you did. 4 stars.
"There was one month left of her sophomore year of high school, and she had decided, after a mountain of evidence to support it, that the entire world was a joke."
I just love Katrina Leno, and her beautiful writing. You Must Not Miss is no exception: it's a poetic, stark take on high school friendship, rape culture, and the ties that bind us. The story is a clever variation of "One for Sorrow." Magpie is our main character and takes center stage: it's hard not to feel sympathetic for this poor abandoned girl--with no family who cares for her and, for a while, no friends.
"If you give a name to an impossible thing, does it make the impossible thing any less impossible?
But then the story takes a dramatic, dark twist--as Magpie creates Near both in her mind and in reality--and as Magpie's portal to another world takes true shape, we see our character find strength before our very eyes. I won't lie, I'm not sure this book is for everyone. It reminded me in some ways of a Maggie Stiefvater novel. It's true magical realism, and there's a suspension of disbelief to be had, to be sure. But it's a book that I feel like Leno was meant to be write. Her way of eviscerating rape culture, misogyny, and more is so adept, so searing. It is a call to arms to those who are not believed, who are ignored and mocked, who are the ones who see their lives ruined when the attackers run free.
In this way, You Must Not Miss is a strong, complex book tackling a tough topic. It may be difficult for some that this topic is underneath the magical world of Near, but I liked how that was what Magpie needed to deal with all that happened to her. Beware, this book is brutal at times (and yes, there's a trigger warning for rape/sexual assault). But it's beautifully written, too. It's complicated, much like its subject matter and its protagonist, who is still trying to figure herself out, as well. It's a different read, but if you're willing to give it a try, I think you'll be glad you did. 4 stars.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Fractured in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/fractured-by-catherine-mckenzie
AVAILABLE NOW IN THE UK!
<b><i>They say that if a butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian rainforest, it can change the weather half a world away. Chaos theory...
All I know is today is that you can think that what you’ve done is only the flap of a butterfly wing, when it’s really a thunderclap.
And both can result in a hurricane.</b></i>
Julie’s life has gotten hard, she’s become a famous author and managed to bag herself a crazed stalker, so she decides to move her family across the country in hope of a new, stalkerless, beginning. And when she meet neighbour John, they hit it off immediately, the future seems brighter. But before long, things start to go wrong again. Who knew moving into a beautiful picturesque new neighbourhood could be so deadly?
I was really worried about reading this because Netgalley classed it as women's fiction and I have serious beef with that genre… but also, I was expecting a suspense thriller, not some family-lovey-dovey bullshit, but after seeing the rave reviews on Goodreads I had a little more hope that this would be bearable for me. And boy was it bearable, more than that in fact, it was exciting and thrilling to read!
As Stephen King says <i><b>“Good books don't give up all their secrets at once.”</i></b> and this book certainly didn’t! I thought it was excellent at keeping you on your toes, feeding you chunks of mystery and suspense a little at a time.
<b>Minor spoilers in this paragraph.</b> I really liked the main characters in this book… separately. Julie was a good mum and loving wife who was dealing with all her issues in a non-annoying way and John was a good dad, and, for the most part, a good husband. But put the two of them together and they got annoying. How could a grown man and woman not realise the friendship they had managed to create out of one conversation the day Julie moved in was inappropriate for so long? Julie especially, as her relationship with Daniel seemed close to perfect! The childishness of their situation had me really irritated and uncomfortable throughout the novel. I never used to have a problem with these kind of relationships in books until me and Matt had been together for a while, not that I <i>ever</i> condoned cheating on a partner before I got into a relationship, just the thought of being cheated on by your other half sets off all kinds of emotions and feelings inside of me that I can’t even begin to describe. <spoiler>So when they kissed each other outside Julie’s house, my stomach dropped, I felt instantly panicky and sick and contemplated putting the novel down as unfinished. I hate, <b>hate</b> reading about affairs.</spoiler>
My favourite character was Daniel though, what a lovely, gentle and understanding man… if not a little naive. Though I didn’t like Hanna, but she had every right to be angry and suspicious with John.
It’s pretty clear from a few chapters in who our criminal is, but McKenzie does well to keep what specifically the “accident” is and who our victim is secret until just the right moment. When we found out what happened and who it happened to I was shocked! It’s been a long time since a book has surprised me in the same way. What a crazy end to this rollercoaster ride of a book!
Overall, this is a fantastic suspense novel, with just the right amount of “women’s fiction” merged with thriller. I seriously recommend this for all thriller/suspense readers out there, I’m sure this won’t disappoint!
<i>(I don’t mean to create any kind of drama with this comment but this whole novel is <i>so American!</i> Wanting to sue someone over small things? Having “block parties” and neighbourhood newsletters and stuff with an immature queen bee in charge of it all? This shit would never go down in the UK.)</i>
I’d like to thank Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this in an exchange for an honest review.
AVAILABLE NOW IN THE UK!
<b><i>They say that if a butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian rainforest, it can change the weather half a world away. Chaos theory...
All I know is today is that you can think that what you’ve done is only the flap of a butterfly wing, when it’s really a thunderclap.
And both can result in a hurricane.</b></i>
Julie’s life has gotten hard, she’s become a famous author and managed to bag herself a crazed stalker, so she decides to move her family across the country in hope of a new, stalkerless, beginning. And when she meet neighbour John, they hit it off immediately, the future seems brighter. But before long, things start to go wrong again. Who knew moving into a beautiful picturesque new neighbourhood could be so deadly?
I was really worried about reading this because Netgalley classed it as women's fiction and I have serious beef with that genre… but also, I was expecting a suspense thriller, not some family-lovey-dovey bullshit, but after seeing the rave reviews on Goodreads I had a little more hope that this would be bearable for me. And boy was it bearable, more than that in fact, it was exciting and thrilling to read!
As Stephen King says <i><b>“Good books don't give up all their secrets at once.”</i></b> and this book certainly didn’t! I thought it was excellent at keeping you on your toes, feeding you chunks of mystery and suspense a little at a time.
<b>Minor spoilers in this paragraph.</b> I really liked the main characters in this book… separately. Julie was a good mum and loving wife who was dealing with all her issues in a non-annoying way and John was a good dad, and, for the most part, a good husband. But put the two of them together and they got annoying. How could a grown man and woman not realise the friendship they had managed to create out of one conversation the day Julie moved in was inappropriate for so long? Julie especially, as her relationship with Daniel seemed close to perfect! The childishness of their situation had me really irritated and uncomfortable throughout the novel. I never used to have a problem with these kind of relationships in books until me and Matt had been together for a while, not that I <i>ever</i> condoned cheating on a partner before I got into a relationship, just the thought of being cheated on by your other half sets off all kinds of emotions and feelings inside of me that I can’t even begin to describe. <spoiler>So when they kissed each other outside Julie’s house, my stomach dropped, I felt instantly panicky and sick and contemplated putting the novel down as unfinished. I hate, <b>hate</b> reading about affairs.</spoiler>
My favourite character was Daniel though, what a lovely, gentle and understanding man… if not a little naive. Though I didn’t like Hanna, but she had every right to be angry and suspicious with John.
It’s pretty clear from a few chapters in who our criminal is, but McKenzie does well to keep what specifically the “accident” is and who our victim is secret until just the right moment. When we found out what happened and who it happened to I was shocked! It’s been a long time since a book has surprised me in the same way. What a crazy end to this rollercoaster ride of a book!
Overall, this is a fantastic suspense novel, with just the right amount of “women’s fiction” merged with thriller. I seriously recommend this for all thriller/suspense readers out there, I’m sure this won’t disappoint!
<i>(I don’t mean to create any kind of drama with this comment but this whole novel is <i>so American!</i> Wanting to sue someone over small things? Having “block parties” and neighbourhood newsletters and stuff with an immature queen bee in charge of it all? This shit would never go down in the UK.)</i>
I’d like to thank Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this in an exchange for an honest review.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated T2 Trainspotting (2017) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
The first time I saw Trainspotting was my senior year of high school. At the time, I knew that I wanted to get involved in film, and I really did for about ¾ of a year after I graduated. I looked at movies for their artistry and cinematography even at a young age. I was a band geek, so music was also things I would love about movies. I was deep for a 17-year-old, or so I thought any way. But I explain this to you so you don’t think that I loved this movie simply because of the drug use or humor it presented. I have always been of the mind to find something I like about a movie, watch it for what it is, and try to just find the enjoyment value (I know, weird coming from a film reviewer). I didn’t even have to try for Trainspotting. It was the complete package, and ground breaking. It also introduced me to Ewan McGregor, who is one of my favorite actors. I loved the movie so much, I bought Irvine Welsh’s book that the movie was based on of the same title, Trainspotting, which I highly recommend simply for the fact that it’s written in phonetic Scottish. I never picked up Porno, the literary sequel to Trainspotting, but I hear it is bizarre and will need to pick it up, but not because of this movie. I’ll explain in a moment.
Naturally, when the announcement was made for a second Trainspotting movie, I was both excited and terrified at the same time. The first was so good, why did Hollywood need to ruin it with a sequel that has a bigger budget. What was promising was that it was announced that the entire cast of characters (that survived from the first film) would be back, including Diane (Kelly MacDonald). But it’s been 20 years. Typically, when you see sequels come out even after only 10 years, the whole film seems a contrite, forced replication of the first. Hell, look at all the criticism for the Hangover films being exactly that, and they were only a few years apart. Whether the script feels forced just for the sake of a sequel, or the actors are trying too hard to be the character they played many years prior, it never quite works. So, as we neared the release date, I was getting more and more weary of seeing the film. Then, the trailer dropped.
Damn the trailer looked good. And I will tell you, the movie did not fall into the trap of forced sequels. The main cast came back and played the characters perfectly. Not as they were, but as the people they grew to be over the 20-year period. The plot was fun and pointless, with all of the same charm as its predecessor. I saw the movie with fellow SKNR staffer Joshua Aja, and we had a pretty good conversation following the film. We both came to the same conclusion, that neither of us could remember the last time we saw a film that just that good.
So now to the actual meat of the review itself. What was the movie about? Well, I won’t give away too much, but I will give you a quick recap of the events leading up to this film. Basically, do you remember the end of Trainspotting? Renton (Ewan McGregor), Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Begbie (Robert Carlyle) had successfully pulled off a heist, and Renton was making off with the money while everyone slept, except Spud of course who saw Renton leaving but didn’t say anything. As a result, Renton left Spud’s share of the cash for him in a locker. Okay; all caught up.
T2 Trainspotting picks up 20 years later. Renton comes back to Scotland because his mother passed away, he ends up reuniting with Spud, and eventually Sick Boy, who we now know by his real name, Simon. Begbie is in prison because, well… he’s Begbie, but he doesn’t stay there long. Tempers fly, old feelings flare, and not every reunited moment is met with glee. But soon enough, Renton, Simon and Spud are drawn into old habits, though not old drugs, and start to build money up to open a ‘sauna’ (read: undercover brothel) for Simon’s girlfriend, Veronika (Angela Nedyalkova). It’s not long before Begbie shows up and starts mucking things up leading to a suspenseful conclusion between Renton, Simon and Begbie.
That’s all I can say. There was an excellent use of the history from the first film, and of course we get another fantastic ‘Choose Life’ speech from Renton. The soundtrack, while not quite as good as the first, still holds its own very well. And be sure to look for the Bowie tribute, since it was he who helped Danny Boyle obtain a lot of music rights on the cheap for the first film. And, you will find Spud’s writings throughout the movie to be lifted, verbatim, from the Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh. But what’s interesting, is that there is not a lot that relates this film to the literary sequel, Porno. Much of the plot of this film is taken from, or at least inspired by, parts of the book that were not used in the first film. That combined with some new writing and storytelling from Irvine Welsh and John Hodge.
Bottom line: if you liked the Trainspotting even in the slightest, you will absolutely enjoy T2 Trainspotting. A phenomenal job by cast, crew, and writers, and an excellent soundtrack will leave you wanting a trilogy. This is only the third film I have given a perfect score to in my 7 years of reviewing films, and it is well deserved. Go see this movie.
Naturally, when the announcement was made for a second Trainspotting movie, I was both excited and terrified at the same time. The first was so good, why did Hollywood need to ruin it with a sequel that has a bigger budget. What was promising was that it was announced that the entire cast of characters (that survived from the first film) would be back, including Diane (Kelly MacDonald). But it’s been 20 years. Typically, when you see sequels come out even after only 10 years, the whole film seems a contrite, forced replication of the first. Hell, look at all the criticism for the Hangover films being exactly that, and they were only a few years apart. Whether the script feels forced just for the sake of a sequel, or the actors are trying too hard to be the character they played many years prior, it never quite works. So, as we neared the release date, I was getting more and more weary of seeing the film. Then, the trailer dropped.
Damn the trailer looked good. And I will tell you, the movie did not fall into the trap of forced sequels. The main cast came back and played the characters perfectly. Not as they were, but as the people they grew to be over the 20-year period. The plot was fun and pointless, with all of the same charm as its predecessor. I saw the movie with fellow SKNR staffer Joshua Aja, and we had a pretty good conversation following the film. We both came to the same conclusion, that neither of us could remember the last time we saw a film that just that good.
So now to the actual meat of the review itself. What was the movie about? Well, I won’t give away too much, but I will give you a quick recap of the events leading up to this film. Basically, do you remember the end of Trainspotting? Renton (Ewan McGregor), Spud (Ewen Bremner), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), and Begbie (Robert Carlyle) had successfully pulled off a heist, and Renton was making off with the money while everyone slept, except Spud of course who saw Renton leaving but didn’t say anything. As a result, Renton left Spud’s share of the cash for him in a locker. Okay; all caught up.
T2 Trainspotting picks up 20 years later. Renton comes back to Scotland because his mother passed away, he ends up reuniting with Spud, and eventually Sick Boy, who we now know by his real name, Simon. Begbie is in prison because, well… he’s Begbie, but he doesn’t stay there long. Tempers fly, old feelings flare, and not every reunited moment is met with glee. But soon enough, Renton, Simon and Spud are drawn into old habits, though not old drugs, and start to build money up to open a ‘sauna’ (read: undercover brothel) for Simon’s girlfriend, Veronika (Angela Nedyalkova). It’s not long before Begbie shows up and starts mucking things up leading to a suspenseful conclusion between Renton, Simon and Begbie.
That’s all I can say. There was an excellent use of the history from the first film, and of course we get another fantastic ‘Choose Life’ speech from Renton. The soundtrack, while not quite as good as the first, still holds its own very well. And be sure to look for the Bowie tribute, since it was he who helped Danny Boyle obtain a lot of music rights on the cheap for the first film. And, you will find Spud’s writings throughout the movie to be lifted, verbatim, from the Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh. But what’s interesting, is that there is not a lot that relates this film to the literary sequel, Porno. Much of the plot of this film is taken from, or at least inspired by, parts of the book that were not used in the first film. That combined with some new writing and storytelling from Irvine Welsh and John Hodge.
Bottom line: if you liked the Trainspotting even in the slightest, you will absolutely enjoy T2 Trainspotting. A phenomenal job by cast, crew, and writers, and an excellent soundtrack will leave you wanting a trilogy. This is only the third film I have given a perfect score to in my 7 years of reviewing films, and it is well deserved. Go see this movie.
Mothergamer (1568 KP) rated the PC version of Dead Island in Video Games
Apr 3, 2019
I really wanted to love Dead Island. After seeing many fantastic pictures and reading up about the game months before it came out, I was excited. Friends and family know I am very much a zombie fan. Ever since that Halloween night when I was 12, and watched Romero's Night Of The Living Dead, I have genuinely enjoyed all forms of zombie multimedia. Some of it has been great, some of it filled with schlock, and some of it just plain fun. So I was excited about Dead Island and had high hopes for it. Some of my expectations were met, but others not so much. This included the discovery that the game is in the first person view (I have issues with vertigo and first person view games), but I found that I could play the game for short periods of time because the camera did not bounce around the way it does for so many other first person games I've experienced. There are good things about this game, but there are bad things as well.
Welcome To Paradise!
You start the game with the setting of what appears to be a tropical island paradise, Banoi. However, if you look closer, you'll notice the blood on the walls, in the sand, and in the swimming pools. Look even closer, and you'll see the zombies munching on corpses. Dead Island while appearing to be a first person shooter, is more than that. Sure there is shooting in it, but there are also a myriad of other weapons such as oars, cars, and molotov cocktails. Dead Island is more of a schlock filled action role playing game that plays heavily on grisly melee combat. The resort is not the only place you explore. You can go even further inland into city and jungle settings, while doing favors for survivors on the island. The maps are excellent and there is even a handy shortcut function, where you can click on the map and go back to a previous location without having to run through a zombie horde. There are also plenty of weapons that you can improvise, making them quite deadly to the zombie menace. The four player online co-op is pretty good and gives you a chance to survive a zombie horde fight for the more difficult quests.
Just a girl and her axe, waiting for some zombies.
The majority of your time on Banoi is spent exploring and foraging for items for weapons and supplies. In co-op mode, this can work very well with a couple of people fighting off the zombies, while the others get things like fuel for the vehicles. You can also have fun with the leveling grind, running zombies over with various automobiles and watch the points tally up. You can easily put twenty hours into this game with all the questing, exploring, and zombie slaying and it is fun trying all the different melee choices out. My personal favorite was driving a big truck and running zombies over.
Hungry Tourists.
Now we get to the bad. While there are only a few minor flaws with the game, it definitely made a difference in the game play and the story. Now I'm not saying for a fun schlock zombie game I need a gripping emotional story, but the story must be good. Dead Island gives you a very threadbare story and the characters backgrounds are rather weakly written. This is a reflection on the writers. They could have written the characters better and fleshed out the story more, but they chose to do it this way although I am not sure why. The voice acting is also not great, with monotone emotionless voices. Do the characters even care that they could get eaten by zombies? I get the impression that they don't with that flat tone in their voice acting. Clunky controls and awkward combat can make you frustrated. It can be off putting when you're fighting off a wave of zombies and trying to make the camera turn the way you want it to so you can at least see what you're fighting. The game would also benefit from a better block and dodge option during combat. The quality of the visuals isn't even. The environmental graphics on the resort are great and the jungle environments as well, but the character and npc animation is poor and as you progress towards the end of the game it comes across as the bare minimum at best.
The last issue I have with Dead Island is the lack of regard for the solo player. There isn't an offline co-op option so you can play with friends you have over. It's as if they didn't even consider the possibility that people would want to play offline with friends and only have the online option. While I appreciate their reliable system for online play, I still would have liked the option to play offline with others if I chose.
Overall, Dead Island is a good game, but not a perfect one. It had a lot of potential, but the execution of those ideas was severely lacking. You're better off just waiting for it to go on sale really cheap or just rent it.
Welcome To Paradise!
You start the game with the setting of what appears to be a tropical island paradise, Banoi. However, if you look closer, you'll notice the blood on the walls, in the sand, and in the swimming pools. Look even closer, and you'll see the zombies munching on corpses. Dead Island while appearing to be a first person shooter, is more than that. Sure there is shooting in it, but there are also a myriad of other weapons such as oars, cars, and molotov cocktails. Dead Island is more of a schlock filled action role playing game that plays heavily on grisly melee combat. The resort is not the only place you explore. You can go even further inland into city and jungle settings, while doing favors for survivors on the island. The maps are excellent and there is even a handy shortcut function, where you can click on the map and go back to a previous location without having to run through a zombie horde. There are also plenty of weapons that you can improvise, making them quite deadly to the zombie menace. The four player online co-op is pretty good and gives you a chance to survive a zombie horde fight for the more difficult quests.
Just a girl and her axe, waiting for some zombies.
The majority of your time on Banoi is spent exploring and foraging for items for weapons and supplies. In co-op mode, this can work very well with a couple of people fighting off the zombies, while the others get things like fuel for the vehicles. You can also have fun with the leveling grind, running zombies over with various automobiles and watch the points tally up. You can easily put twenty hours into this game with all the questing, exploring, and zombie slaying and it is fun trying all the different melee choices out. My personal favorite was driving a big truck and running zombies over.
Hungry Tourists.
Now we get to the bad. While there are only a few minor flaws with the game, it definitely made a difference in the game play and the story. Now I'm not saying for a fun schlock zombie game I need a gripping emotional story, but the story must be good. Dead Island gives you a very threadbare story and the characters backgrounds are rather weakly written. This is a reflection on the writers. They could have written the characters better and fleshed out the story more, but they chose to do it this way although I am not sure why. The voice acting is also not great, with monotone emotionless voices. Do the characters even care that they could get eaten by zombies? I get the impression that they don't with that flat tone in their voice acting. Clunky controls and awkward combat can make you frustrated. It can be off putting when you're fighting off a wave of zombies and trying to make the camera turn the way you want it to so you can at least see what you're fighting. The game would also benefit from a better block and dodge option during combat. The quality of the visuals isn't even. The environmental graphics on the resort are great and the jungle environments as well, but the character and npc animation is poor and as you progress towards the end of the game it comes across as the bare minimum at best.
The last issue I have with Dead Island is the lack of regard for the solo player. There isn't an offline co-op option so you can play with friends you have over. It's as if they didn't even consider the possibility that people would want to play offline with friends and only have the online option. While I appreciate their reliable system for online play, I still would have liked the option to play offline with others if I chose.
Overall, Dead Island is a good game, but not a perfect one. It had a lot of potential, but the execution of those ideas was severely lacking. You're better off just waiting for it to go on sale really cheap or just rent it.