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Ever After (The Faded Trilogy, Book 3)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
One thing I was excited for in Ever After was the final battle between The Chosen Ones and The Forces. Ever After is the sequel to Faded and See No Evil, and is the final book in Chloe Miles' Faded Trilogy. An entire year passes between books 2 and 3.

I have a new book boyfriend. It's Ryan Landon, who we actually get to meet briefly in book 2. He plays a pretty major role in book 3, and is FULL of puns. Unfortunately, it's so sad with what happens to him in the end (how could you? O_o), but I do like how <spoiler>gives Hunter and Savannah a chance for a happy ending.</spoiler>

Throughout Ever After, we get a deeper view on Gwen as a character and how she came to be what she is instead of what we, as readers, know her to currently be. Not only that, but we also get flashbacks regarding Rose's and Oliver's demise as well, which gives them a greater depth as characters. In my opinion, this is more like a book of confessions in a way.

But the final battle between Gwen and Savannah was oh so VERY disappointing. Here's a breakdown of what goes on in that particular part of the book, and I make warning that there may or may not be spoilers lingering about:

1. Party! Everyone's happy and dancing and happy dancing! That goes on for a big part of that scene.
2. Cake time! Savannah makes a wish and blows out candles. Oh, and Gwen enters, pulling off her facade as a Blondie and has Momma Fraser as hostage. Everyone else? OMG!!! I have the perfect comic scene for this. I, as in, this reviewer. Not everyone else.

Here's what goes on afterward: they talk. And talk. And talk. And talk. Throwing threats around, and basically trying to negotiate Momma Fraser safely out. Really, the only thing interesting out of the ENTIRE scuffle was Hunter. He does something that he hasn't done before. But I call it a scuffle because the "battle" lasted for what? 30 seconds tops? Basically a ball of glowy appears in both Gwen's and Savannah's hands, and it grows brighter. And brighter. And brighter. And then they let go at the same time, there's a blinding flash, and a furious roar of NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Then it's over. <i><b>At approximately 67% of the Kindle edition.</i></b>
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dDmenRrorS8/U7tBs38qCiI/AAAAAAAADk0/w3mTLSXlQXk/s1600/I+can't+-+Stitch.gif"; border="0">
You guys have no clue how much I was so disappointed. I was expecting something absolutely spectacular, spellbinding, unforgettable battle finale. But I get something... unsurprising. I'm all, "She's dead? FABULOUS!" *swishes away in party dress* I've seen better final battles.
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vNtPY-9X_d4/U7tBtg7O_WI/AAAAAAAADlA/o664aLvTcPo/s1600/Not+Good+Enough.gif"; border="0" height="180" width="320">
Now, the rest of the book didn't do too much disappointing, but Ever After seems like a very lighthearted read. It's a very happy, cheerful read – very much like flying on cloud nine.

I even have a song – it's called Happy.
--------------------
Review copy provided by the author for review
original rating: 3.5 out of 5
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/review-ever-after-by-chloe-miles.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
  
Black Panther (2018)
Black Panther (2018)
2018 | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Chadwick Boseman as Tchalla/Black Panther Michael B Jordan as Erik killmonger Letitia wright as shuri Danai Gurira as Okoye Wakanda's world building The ancestral planes sequences (0 more)
The cgi isn't that great considering the budget of the movie (0 more)
"Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from the ships, 'cause they knew death was better than bondage"
Full of life, joy, sorrow, and hilarity; Ryan Coogler's Black Panther just has a vibrancy you rarely find in the superhero scene, let alone blockbusters. Enriched with a deep, abiding love for African culture and Afrofuturism; the movie just feels purposeful. Important. Meaningful. Context matters here, as Black Panther will become one of very few films populated by African Americans not dealing with slavery or black history to thrive financially. And that cast is phenomenal. Boseman's soft-spoken panther-of-few-words is the rare MCUer to opt for a moment of silence rather than a snarky comment. Michael B Jordan brings an unmistakable swagger to the perpetually weak slate of Marvel villains, conveying a crushingly sad and challenging story that could just as easily be regarded as the true hero of the film. Letitia Wright as the genius tech maestro was a blast, a character who could give Tony Stark a run for his money both technologically and charismatically. And these are just three of Coogler's creations; drawn from a slate of inspired, unique and wonderfully represented roles for black actors...many of whom will deservingly use this as a career springboard of sorts.

I remember years ago I read a book about the cultural significance of various comic book locales, and the Wakanda entry struck me as uniquely sad and inspiring. Wakanda, a place busting with innovation, tradition, and pride...hidden from the world. Sort of an alternate-timeline Africa which wasn't poisoned irreparably by colonialism and all its horrors. There's a sad duality obvious in this Wakanda, that being for it to exist, it must be hidden. Must be quietly nurtured, developed and treasured. It's an apt metaphor in relation to black pride, culture, and history; something constantly being reworked, reshaped and reimagined to put a sordid past (and present) in the rear-view mirror by those who perpetrate it, knowingly or not. This idea, that for something to thrive it must be isolated, is at the heart of Black Panther. You can understand why T'Challa, and generations before him, sacrificed anything to preserve the myth of Wakanda. But you can also understand Killmonger's feeling of betrayal. The profound moral objections inherent in a small community turning it's back on a larger suffering population in the name of self-preservation. There's no heroes and villains when Black Panther is at it's best, just two sides to a terrifying moral question *loaded* with historical weight.

Because Killmonger isn't really a villain. The best illustration of this is the contrasting "dream" sequences, in which T'Challa shares a promise with his father within a transcendentally beautiful African landscape, and Killmonger is confronted by all his pain, suffering and moral rigidity in the vast concrete jungle of Oakland, in the tiny apartment where his father was murdered for trying to make a difference. They both wake up with tears in their eyes, some from pain and some from catharsis. Coogler marks the chasm between T'Challa's and Killmonger's pasts so perfectly, and illustrates exactly why they feel the way they do with such wisdom. Black Panther so clearly empathizes with Killmonger and understands where his pain was born, and the horrors that nurtured it.

And so there's no hero and no villain to this movie. Just two men in nearly identical black panther suits, clashing over how Wakanda ought to venture into a new era. Nobility and passion, conservation and sacrifice, incremental change against a vengeful redistribution of power and oppression. Both men are correct in their aspirations, being "right" here doesn't matter. it's tough for a good man to be king. Killmonger made T'Challa the hero he is, by instilling in him a mission, a perceived duty to turn around, face an oppressed people and finally lend a hand. But more than that, there's something miraculous here. An apology from a good man. A recognition of a sin even when it's perpetrator was, until now, helpless to prevent it. A declaration that not contributing to hate and prejudice doesn't equate to actively working to prevent it. A plea for a humble brand of superheroism, for countless ghosts of the past to be heard and change to erupt in their name. Divides to be bridged, chasms to be crossed and wrongs to be righted.

Black Panther has a complex, meaningful and profoundly challenging thematic framework; offering a fresh dissection of what it means to grapple with the sins of those who came before. Sure, there are some technical issues along the way, the machinations of Marvel storytelling are evident and errors could be found; but if you understand that superhero stories were meant to ask these sorts of questions and push boundaries since their inception; Black Panther is a dream.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Wake in Books

Dec 14, 2018  
Wake
Wake
Anna Hope | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

<i>Wake</i> is a historical, debut novel by the British author, Anna Hope. Set in 1920 the story spans itself over five days, from Sunday 7th November until Thursday 11th November – Armistice Day. It is a story about the aftermath of the First World War and how individuals deal with the loss of loved ones, as well as their relationships with those around them.

The novel tells the story of three different women. None of them know of each other, nor even meet during the course of the narrative. However, they are connected through relationships and acquaintances with other people. There is Hettie, a young woman who works as a dance instructress at the Hammersmith Palais. Her brother fought in and survived the war only to return shell shocked and unable to cope. Evelyn, just short of 30, lost someone dear to her. Her brother, however, survived but he is also greatly affected by what he has done. Finally, there is Ada, a mother of a soldier who died from his wounds. Unable to let go of tragedy she is slowly, unknowingly, pushing her husband away.

The title of the novel initially gives an indication of what the story may contain. The most common definition is about waking up – emerging from sleep. There is slightly less focus on this meaning, nevertheless, toward the end of the book Ada is, in a way, waking up out of the past and concentrating on the here and now. Wake is also the term for a ritual of the dead. The story takes place in the days leading up to Armistice Day, the day when the Unknown Warrior was brought to England and buried in London. The final meaning, and most important in terms of this novel’s content, is consequence or aftermath. Every character, not just the three women, is dealing with the repercussions of war.

Hope has conducted in-depth research with the result that <i>Wake</i> gives a powerful insight into the lives of Londoners at that difficult time. It shocks the reader by revealing the awfulness and pain – emotionally and physically – people went through. As well as war, the book heavily focuses on family and romantic relationships, and even encompasses a hint of mystery, not in the crime thriller sense, but enough to keep the reader engaged and eager to discover the truth.

Admittedly, the beginning did not appear to have a clear plot line, but once the secrets and revelations begin cropping up, the book takes off and becomes an enjoyable read.
  
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