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Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2)
Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2)
Neal Shusterman | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
9.1 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am extremely shook
Neal Shusterman has just reinstated himself as my all-time favorite author. His books have been with me throughout my life. The Unwind dystology, The Skinjacker Trilogy, Bruiser, Challenger Deep, and now the Arc of a Scythe. Each one of these stories has touched me in a deep and unique way. Thunderhead is no exception. Book one of this series: Scythe, received my first 10/10 review on this platform and the sequel was even better. Shusterman provides jaw-dropping twists and turns to his narrative that will leave your head spinning and your blood pumping, (your nanites might even have to lower your adrenaline). The Thunderhead is a compassionate character like no other, who knew you could ever relate so strongly and feel so deeply for an artificial intelligence? It is witty and sly, calculating and benevolent, and can be brought into a fury or plunged into despair by the acts of the immortal humans who created it. I need the continuation of this series and I need it now, the final moments are so intense that I choked on my tears after the last line. This is the most mentally engaging dystopian society novel you will ever read. I hope to come back to Shusterman for more in the coming years.
  
Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires #3)
Midnight Alley (The Morganville Vampires #3)
Rachel Caine | 2009 | Horror
8
8.6 (14 Ratings)
Book Rating
Another enjoyable and easy entry into Morganville and it's citizens. The plot was very interesting and well done, Claire continues to be a good main character who doesn't act stupid (which happens a lot even if they're supposed to be smart), and I do look forward to reading what happens next. However, I can do without the cliff hangers, the last book didn't really have one, but it's ridiculous. Can't I read a book without it ending like it's unfinished? Not sure about this new recent development in Claire's life...I foresee annoyingness ahead. LoL :P Otherwise, it's a fun, breezy world to spend some time in, and be happy I don't live there!

I do find it hard to believe that Claire and her parents could not find a better school closer to where they live than what seems to be your average run-of-the-mill college. There's no mention of it being a good school, just closer than whatever college she wants to go to (blanking on which school it is right now :P). Of course we need this contrivance, otherwise there'd be no book series, but at least make it a private upscale, high intelligence school!
  
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Cruxim (Fallen Angel/Vampire #1)
Karin Cox | 2012
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I love to read pretty much anything mythological and/or supernatural, and this book had both. Amedeo, the Cruxim from the title, looks like an angel, but looks can be deceiving. His mission is to kill as many vampires as possible, as that's what Cruxims are made to do. Along the way, he meets a little human girl named Joslyn, who ultimately falls in love with him, but he knows it can't be. Then she's attacked and turned by a vampire, and now Amedeo must decide whether he can perform his duty and kill her or not. Another woman in his life, Sabine, is a Sphinx, part-woman and part-lion, and she helps him move on with his life after Joslyn's transformation.

Just the idea of Cruxims, Sphinxes, and Vampires was interesting enough, but then a traveling circus/freak show gets introduced, and it gets really interesting (not that it wasn't great before). This book has so many wonderful aspects to it, and it definitely held my attention throughout the entire story. I look forward to more works along this line, and more from the author, in general.

5 stars
  
The Blade Itself
The Blade Itself
Joe Abercrombie | 2007 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
So, 'The Blade Itself'.

Like some other of these sprawling epic fantasies, this was a novel that, while I'd heard of it and had heard good things, I'd never actually got round to reading: put off, perhaps, by the sheer size of it?

That is, I'd never read it until now.

Following a group of disparate characters who eventually, by the end of the novel, more-or-less come together (in the same geographical location) or, at least, very obviously heading towards doing so, I have to say that I did quite enjoy it.

While I was initially concerned that the book may drag a bit (again, due to the sheer size ...), thankfully this did not prove to be the case. OK, there may have been certain sections that (IMO) it would have been better where they pruned somewhat, overall the story did move along well enough, and did hold my attention.

Like a heavy dinner, however, I think I may need a break before moving onto the next ([b: Before They Are Hanged|902715|Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)|Joe Abercrombie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1179318094s/902715.jpg|2116927]): two back-to-back is one too many!
  
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
1968 | Classics, Sci-Fi

"It’s like a monolith to me, that movie. Every time it’s re-shown in theaters, I always go. Star Wars was a big hit in 1977 which created a big sci-fi boom. So 2001 came to Japan, and I saw it in theaters when I was in middle school. Before experiencing that, I was just listening to radio dramas. I read the original novel, but the movie was totally different. I didn’t really understand it the first time. Now, I have a different interpretation every time I watch it. As a creator, I have periods of difficult times, but whenever I feel particularly in need of a pick-me-up, I watch 2001. It’s a perfect movie for me. It was a real space experience. Exploration even before man went to the moon. I always wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid, but Japan doesn’t have NASA. You had to go either to USSR or China. Although I felt like I had to give up on the dream of becoming an astronaut, when I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey, I felt like I really went to outer space. It’s a life-changing movie because it made me feel like I accomplished a dream."

Source
  
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
2001 | Comedy, Romance

"I’m also a big fan of comedy as well, so even things to this day like Bridget Jones’s Diary, there was just something about Bridget Jones that I thought … And I guess it’s [Renée Zellweger‘s] performance. I remember there was a lot of talk about the fact that they cast an American in that role, but I think she captured the sensibility of a repressed English girl who was desperate to fall in love so beautifully And as an actor myself, often you caught slack if you’re playing a gay person and you’re not really gay, or you’re playing an American and you’re not really American, or you’re playing whatever it happens to be. I just think if you can find the essence in a character and pull it off, then it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your nationality is, etc. There’s something to me about that film that’s like the perfect romantic comedy. I just think it’s a bit hard to put my finger on what it is, to be honest. It’s just beautifully executed. Everything’s so well balanced. Often whenever I read a romantic comedy now, I’m comparing it to Bridget Jones and if it’s planned well."

Source
  
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
2020 | Drama, Horror, Thriller
I've been waiting an entire year for this film. This is my favorite book I've ever read, so I had a bit of skepticism coming into it, but if anyone could do it, Kaufman could. Now, I've seen it, and I'm incredibly conflicted. I'm kind of disappointed that Kaufman used his normal "I'm so quirky and this is off-putting" doalogue instead of leaning into the psychological horror aspects that the book heavily relies on. He also takes a lot of creative liberty with some stupid jokes, like the whole Zemeckis joke which is nowhere to be found in the book. It just kinda peeves me how Kaufman seemed very unwilling to step outside of his comfort zone, but that's a conversation for another day.

That being said, it's impossible for me to deny that it's a great film. It's technically brilliant, and aside from some occasionally grating dialogue, or monologue, the pacing and script is very well done. Although I'm very disappointed in the film that I was given, I'd be very wrong to identify it as anything other than brilliant.

Edit: After reading his Indiewire interview, I fucking hate Kaufman and the way that he butchered the original material with reckless abandon. Fuck his pretentious ass.