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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Turbulence (The Wanderer #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This book is really different from what I would normally read, and I think it’s one of those “either you love it or hate it” books and it definitely should not be judged by its cover. (I think it doesn’t really represent the book and it looks very cold) I read it in one day because to me it was awesome. This book is a collection of twelve trips between different destinations and every story talks about his encounters with women. The main character is an archaeologist and this journey starts when he was 22 years old. He doesn’t have a name or an obvious background story, but the reader can get a lot of snippets of his life through the stories. Everything, from appearance, careers even destinations suggests this book to be somehow directly related to the author himself. Was it real encounters or fictional? That’s what left me very intrigued.
I don’t normally like philosophical reads, but in this one, author disguised and blended in these parts very creatively. I do love to learn new things and facts, especially if it is related to history, and for me, all these parts were an absolute joy to read. I really loved different settings chosen for this novel as well, as I got a glimpse of different cultures and different countries. I really liked that author chose different story variations in this book, sometimes he used to get lucky with the women he met and sometimes he missed the chance or chose not to get involved. It was refreshing and very believable changes of course and I was very interested of what the next story will bring. My absolute favourite was the religious discussions. I think the author will make many Christians unhappy, but I loved all the supporting historical facts he mentioned in this book regarding religion. I don’t even have to mention any research for this book, the author has a PhD degree in history/archaeology so I trust all the information he provided. :)
The writing style of this novel is very poetic and absolutely beautiful. B. McLaren has an amazing way of portraying different topics and uniting them all in a wonderfully flowing story. I do have to throw in a disclaimer that there are some discussion and scenes regarding sex and alcohol, so this book is not suitable for young readers. The chapters were quite long for my liking, but they passed quite quickly because I used to get very absorbed in the story itself. I liked how the author decided to end this story and I think it rounded up this book well. So, to conclude, I had a great fun reading this funny, philosophical one man’s journey through life and his encounters with different women all over the world. I learned a lot, so if you like history, travelling and a little bit of philosophical discussion I think you will enjoy this book :)
I don’t normally like philosophical reads, but in this one, author disguised and blended in these parts very creatively. I do love to learn new things and facts, especially if it is related to history, and for me, all these parts were an absolute joy to read. I really loved different settings chosen for this novel as well, as I got a glimpse of different cultures and different countries. I really liked that author chose different story variations in this book, sometimes he used to get lucky with the women he met and sometimes he missed the chance or chose not to get involved. It was refreshing and very believable changes of course and I was very interested of what the next story will bring. My absolute favourite was the religious discussions. I think the author will make many Christians unhappy, but I loved all the supporting historical facts he mentioned in this book regarding religion. I don’t even have to mention any research for this book, the author has a PhD degree in history/archaeology so I trust all the information he provided. :)
The writing style of this novel is very poetic and absolutely beautiful. B. McLaren has an amazing way of portraying different topics and uniting them all in a wonderfully flowing story. I do have to throw in a disclaimer that there are some discussion and scenes regarding sex and alcohol, so this book is not suitable for young readers. The chapters were quite long for my liking, but they passed quite quickly because I used to get very absorbed in the story itself. I liked how the author decided to end this story and I think it rounded up this book well. So, to conclude, I had a great fun reading this funny, philosophical one man’s journey through life and his encounters with different women all over the world. I learned a lot, so if you like history, travelling and a little bit of philosophical discussion I think you will enjoy this book :)
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Sausage Party (2016) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Utterly Ridiculous
Just when Sharknado: the 4th Awakens made you think film-making couldn’t get any more ridiculous, a movie like Sausage Party comes along to remind you that Hollywood can always go that one step further to mind-boggling peculiarity.
Of course, that’s not always a bad thing, there have been countless weird and wacky films over the years that have gone on to become cult classics – look at Kick-Ass or even Pulp Fiction for examples of that. But for every Pulp Fiction there’s a Sharknado. So is Sausage Party good weird or as stale as a month-old bagel?
From the mind of Seth Rogen, Sausage Party is a strictly adults only animation that combines hugely offensive language and racial stereotypes with surprisingly meaningful religious undertones. And do you know what? It’s a breath of fresh air.
Life is good for all the food items that occupy the shelves at the local supermarket. Frank (Seth Rogen) the sausage, Brenda (Kristen Wiig) the hot dog bun, Teresa Taco and Sammy Bagel Jr. (Edward Norton) can’t wait to go home with a happy customer. Soon, their world comes crashing down as poor Frank learns the horrifying truth that he will eventually become a meal. After warning his pals about their similar fate, the panicked perishables devise a plan to escape from their human enemies.
Directors Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan take Rogen’s intriguing premise and inject a warmly familiar animation style, distancing itself just enough to make any comparisons simply inconceivable. Sausage Party is like nothing you will have ever seen.
The voice-acting is great too. Rogen plays his usual film staple – in sausage form – with the spicy Salma Hayek outdoing everyone else as a lustful taco. Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Michael Cera and Jonah Hill also lend their familiar voices to a hot-dog bun, a bottle of spirit and two other frankfurters respectively.
Elsewhere, the comedy, for the most part, hits the spot. As dreadful as it sounds, the racial stereotyping works incredibly well in food form. British tea, Mexican taco shells and German sauerkraut will have you rolling about the aisles with their outrageous vulgarity, but everyone needs to release their inner teenager once in a while.
Unfortunately, the films standout sequence has already been shown in the trailer – a side-splitting food-eye view of a normal kitchen, before every edible item is butchered; that poor Irish potato didn’t stand a chance. This is a real shame as the rest of the film doesn’t quite match up to the standard of that scene.
Nevertheless, there’ll be chuckles throughout as numerous celebrities are parodied in food form. One in particular, immortalised in chewing gum, is incredibly well thought out.
And that’s where Sausage Party succeeds the most. Underneath the polished animation and crude humour, this film is actually kind of clever. It tackles religion, war, race, sexuality and food waste very well indeed and that’s something the genre doesn’t ask for. It’s just unfortunate that it’s not quite as funny as the trailer would have you believe.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/09/03/utterly-ridiculous-sausage-party-review/
Of course, that’s not always a bad thing, there have been countless weird and wacky films over the years that have gone on to become cult classics – look at Kick-Ass or even Pulp Fiction for examples of that. But for every Pulp Fiction there’s a Sharknado. So is Sausage Party good weird or as stale as a month-old bagel?
From the mind of Seth Rogen, Sausage Party is a strictly adults only animation that combines hugely offensive language and racial stereotypes with surprisingly meaningful religious undertones. And do you know what? It’s a breath of fresh air.
Life is good for all the food items that occupy the shelves at the local supermarket. Frank (Seth Rogen) the sausage, Brenda (Kristen Wiig) the hot dog bun, Teresa Taco and Sammy Bagel Jr. (Edward Norton) can’t wait to go home with a happy customer. Soon, their world comes crashing down as poor Frank learns the horrifying truth that he will eventually become a meal. After warning his pals about their similar fate, the panicked perishables devise a plan to escape from their human enemies.
Directors Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan take Rogen’s intriguing premise and inject a warmly familiar animation style, distancing itself just enough to make any comparisons simply inconceivable. Sausage Party is like nothing you will have ever seen.
The voice-acting is great too. Rogen plays his usual film staple – in sausage form – with the spicy Salma Hayek outdoing everyone else as a lustful taco. Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Michael Cera and Jonah Hill also lend their familiar voices to a hot-dog bun, a bottle of spirit and two other frankfurters respectively.
Elsewhere, the comedy, for the most part, hits the spot. As dreadful as it sounds, the racial stereotyping works incredibly well in food form. British tea, Mexican taco shells and German sauerkraut will have you rolling about the aisles with their outrageous vulgarity, but everyone needs to release their inner teenager once in a while.
Unfortunately, the films standout sequence has already been shown in the trailer – a side-splitting food-eye view of a normal kitchen, before every edible item is butchered; that poor Irish potato didn’t stand a chance. This is a real shame as the rest of the film doesn’t quite match up to the standard of that scene.
Nevertheless, there’ll be chuckles throughout as numerous celebrities are parodied in food form. One in particular, immortalised in chewing gum, is incredibly well thought out.
And that’s where Sausage Party succeeds the most. Underneath the polished animation and crude humour, this film is actually kind of clever. It tackles religion, war, race, sexuality and food waste very well indeed and that’s something the genre doesn’t ask for. It’s just unfortunate that it’s not quite as funny as the trailer would have you believe.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/09/03/utterly-ridiculous-sausage-party-review/
Jade Clarke-Mackintosh (7 KP) rated Come Sundown in Books
Jan 22, 2018
Brilliant but a harrowing read!
I am a big fan of Nora Roberts, and this book undoubtedly shows just why she has become such a top seller. Romantic suspense or crime thrillers aren't usually my thing but this author has a way of dragging me, and I know whatever I read will be worth it.
This book was very hard to read in places and extremely dark, some of the subject matters were hard hitting and I had to put the book down and walk away for a for a while. I am surprised it didn't come with a bit more of a warning to readers.
The story centres around the Bodine family who have a ranch resort in Montana. Like all her books it is based on family values and the healing powers of friendships formed. The story centres around Bodine Longbow manager of the resort side, which her family have had for generations. Due to circumstances out of her control she is in need of a horseman, and it just so happens here brothers best friend is back in town after a stint in Hollywood with his show horse Sundown. She has had a crush on him since they were at school and it is very sweet to watch the romance blossom between the two.
Alongside of this in true Nora style, there is another darker, more sinister story developing. One member of the Bodine family Alice, has be gone for years, expected of being a run away and giving up on the family as she was always strong willed and somewhat of a free spirit, was actually kidnapped whilst making her way home and has been in confinement in a room for years, being brutally beaten and raped repeatedly by a religious nut, who believes women are for bearing children and doing as their husbands tell them. Most of these scenes reduced me to tears.
<i>“He told her she was his property now. Though she’d clearly been a whore before he’d saved her on the side of the road, she was his responsibility now. And his to do with as he pleased.
He suggested she read the Bible, as it was written a woman was to be under a man’s dominance, how God had created woman from Adam’s rib to serve as his helpmate and to bear his children.”</i>
These scenes and many like them, within the book are very graphic, and there are a lot of triggers. As mentioned earlier in my review I had to put the book down and go do other things to get my mind off what was happening. Time and time again Nora shows how the love of family and friends can mend almost anything.
There are lots of parallel story lines running throughout the book, which all come together towards the end, making the darker parts more bearable. Another brilliant book by the author, the only reason I didn't give it five stars is because of how much I struggled with parts of the brutality and abuse.
This book was very hard to read in places and extremely dark, some of the subject matters were hard hitting and I had to put the book down and walk away for a for a while. I am surprised it didn't come with a bit more of a warning to readers.
The story centres around the Bodine family who have a ranch resort in Montana. Like all her books it is based on family values and the healing powers of friendships formed. The story centres around Bodine Longbow manager of the resort side, which her family have had for generations. Due to circumstances out of her control she is in need of a horseman, and it just so happens here brothers best friend is back in town after a stint in Hollywood with his show horse Sundown. She has had a crush on him since they were at school and it is very sweet to watch the romance blossom between the two.
Alongside of this in true Nora style, there is another darker, more sinister story developing. One member of the Bodine family Alice, has be gone for years, expected of being a run away and giving up on the family as she was always strong willed and somewhat of a free spirit, was actually kidnapped whilst making her way home and has been in confinement in a room for years, being brutally beaten and raped repeatedly by a religious nut, who believes women are for bearing children and doing as their husbands tell them. Most of these scenes reduced me to tears.
<i>“He told her she was his property now. Though she’d clearly been a whore before he’d saved her on the side of the road, she was his responsibility now. And his to do with as he pleased.
He suggested she read the Bible, as it was written a woman was to be under a man’s dominance, how God had created woman from Adam’s rib to serve as his helpmate and to bear his children.”</i>
These scenes and many like them, within the book are very graphic, and there are a lot of triggers. As mentioned earlier in my review I had to put the book down and go do other things to get my mind off what was happening. Time and time again Nora shows how the love of family and friends can mend almost anything.
There are lots of parallel story lines running throughout the book, which all come together towards the end, making the darker parts more bearable. Another brilliant book by the author, the only reason I didn't give it five stars is because of how much I struggled with parts of the brutality and abuse.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated End of Faith in Books
Jun 7, 2018
Review taken from my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>
You know when you read a book and you don't want it to end because it feels as if it's become a part of you? End of Faith:A Novel by Rena Willemin was definitely one of those books! From page one, I was hooked!
This book is a apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic thriller. We mostly hear the story from Valentina's perspective although every now and then, we get to hear what the Prophet is thinking. Valentina is one of the few people to survive a major pandemic. One day she sees a pregnant woman in trouble, so she does what most people do. She helps her. Little does she know how important the woman was and how that action will change her life for the worse. We follow Valentina as she struggles to survive in a fight for her life.
The character of Valentina was amazing! She really felt like someone I (and probably a lot of women) could relate to. She's a very strong character, but not too strong that she doesn't seem real. Val goes from being just a normal loving wife to a hard core woman determined to fight to stay alive. I definitely felt what she was feeling at all stages throughout the book. It didn't take me long to love Val.
I loved the world building in this book. This is another element which made the book seem more real. The description of an post-apocalyptic world seemed to be bang on, well, I've never been in an post-apocalyptic world or even an apocalyptic world for that matter, but the setting in the book is what I'd imagine it to be.
The pacing of the book was done really well as well. It read brilliantly! It definitely held my attention throughout the whole book.
There wasn't one chapter where the pacing was off.
The cover definitely suits the book. A woman (I assume to be Valentina) running through a tunnel of some sort, looking behind her shoulder like she's really afraid. The colouring of the cover also has a post-apocalyptic feel to it as it gives a feeling of despair.
The title definitely suits this book especially as there is a prophet involved and what feels like a religious cult.
End of Faith:A Novel definitely made me realise just how something like this could happen especially after the scare with Bird Flu. It paints a very realistic portrait of what life could possibly be like if a pandemic of epic proportions were to happen. In fact, this book probably will have me thinking about "what if" long after this review. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone regardless of if their a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction or not.
I was so happy to see that this book is part of a series. This means that I'll be able to feed my addiction of Valentina again!!!
You know when you read a book and you don't want it to end because it feels as if it's become a part of you? End of Faith:A Novel by Rena Willemin was definitely one of those books! From page one, I was hooked!
This book is a apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic thriller. We mostly hear the story from Valentina's perspective although every now and then, we get to hear what the Prophet is thinking. Valentina is one of the few people to survive a major pandemic. One day she sees a pregnant woman in trouble, so she does what most people do. She helps her. Little does she know how important the woman was and how that action will change her life for the worse. We follow Valentina as she struggles to survive in a fight for her life.
The character of Valentina was amazing! She really felt like someone I (and probably a lot of women) could relate to. She's a very strong character, but not too strong that she doesn't seem real. Val goes from being just a normal loving wife to a hard core woman determined to fight to stay alive. I definitely felt what she was feeling at all stages throughout the book. It didn't take me long to love Val.
I loved the world building in this book. This is another element which made the book seem more real. The description of an post-apocalyptic world seemed to be bang on, well, I've never been in an post-apocalyptic world or even an apocalyptic world for that matter, but the setting in the book is what I'd imagine it to be.
The pacing of the book was done really well as well. It read brilliantly! It definitely held my attention throughout the whole book.
There wasn't one chapter where the pacing was off.
The cover definitely suits the book. A woman (I assume to be Valentina) running through a tunnel of some sort, looking behind her shoulder like she's really afraid. The colouring of the cover also has a post-apocalyptic feel to it as it gives a feeling of despair.
The title definitely suits this book especially as there is a prophet involved and what feels like a religious cult.
End of Faith:A Novel definitely made me realise just how something like this could happen especially after the scare with Bird Flu. It paints a very realistic portrait of what life could possibly be like if a pandemic of epic proportions were to happen. In fact, this book probably will have me thinking about "what if" long after this review. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone regardless of if their a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction or not.
I was so happy to see that this book is part of a series. This means that I'll be able to feed my addiction of Valentina again!!!
Louise (64 KP) rated The Wonder in Books
Jul 2, 2018
This is Emma Donoghue’s latest book on the market, prior to picking it up I had heard some mixed reviews but the synopsis is what really pulled me in and regardless of what other readers thought I was going to read it and form my own opinion.
Now I picked up ‘Room’ a few years back and read about half and put it down for some unknown reason. This book is not like ‘Room’ so try not go into it thinking it’s going to be.
This is a historical fiction novel set in rural Ireland just after the Crimean war. Our protagonist is an English nurse who served under Miss Nightingale and goes by the name of Lib Wright. Lib is sent over to Ireland to observe an 11-year-old girl, Anna, who has claimed to have not eaten anything over the last 2-3 months. Lib and a Catholic nun take it turns to watch over Anna, 24hrs a day to see if she really is a miracle as proclaimed by the locals.
I liked this book, I was enthralled by the mystery of a small girl claiming to not have eaten. I was hooked line and sinker wanting to find out what was really happening. How could a child not eat? Was it all just a ploy for fame and money?
This book has a lot with religion involved as all the community and the rest of Ireland are Catholics. I am not a religious person, so a lot of the verses and prayers that were being said went over my head. Religion is the essence of this book, it proves how devout and bordering fanatic people can become.
The Wonder is a very atmospheric book and has a lot of descriptive writing and you really get a feel for the village and the people.
I liked Lib our protagonist, she was determined to find out the truth, she was sceptical from the start and was convinced she would not be there for long. She got frustrated a lot of the time for multiple reasons. 1, The family were not very forthcoming and didn’t like having a stranger in their house (understandable). 2, Anna was very timid and would not open up to Lib. 3, The nun, wouldn’t confer with her as to what happened on her shifts as they were supposed to be forming their own opinions. 4, The doctor looked down on Lib as just ‘help’ and when she voiced her concerns about Anna, she was cut off and told to just do her job.
The couple of things that let the book down for me was the pace of the book. This is an incredibly slow paced book and may not be for everyone. I usually don’t mind slow paced books but it felt like there was a lot of repetition and at points I was thinking to myself that surely this couldn’t on like this for the next 200 odd pages but it did. I think this is for readers who like more atmosphere to their books.
I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
Now I picked up ‘Room’ a few years back and read about half and put it down for some unknown reason. This book is not like ‘Room’ so try not go into it thinking it’s going to be.
This is a historical fiction novel set in rural Ireland just after the Crimean war. Our protagonist is an English nurse who served under Miss Nightingale and goes by the name of Lib Wright. Lib is sent over to Ireland to observe an 11-year-old girl, Anna, who has claimed to have not eaten anything over the last 2-3 months. Lib and a Catholic nun take it turns to watch over Anna, 24hrs a day to see if she really is a miracle as proclaimed by the locals.
I liked this book, I was enthralled by the mystery of a small girl claiming to not have eaten. I was hooked line and sinker wanting to find out what was really happening. How could a child not eat? Was it all just a ploy for fame and money?
This book has a lot with religion involved as all the community and the rest of Ireland are Catholics. I am not a religious person, so a lot of the verses and prayers that were being said went over my head. Religion is the essence of this book, it proves how devout and bordering fanatic people can become.
The Wonder is a very atmospheric book and has a lot of descriptive writing and you really get a feel for the village and the people.
I liked Lib our protagonist, she was determined to find out the truth, she was sceptical from the start and was convinced she would not be there for long. She got frustrated a lot of the time for multiple reasons. 1, The family were not very forthcoming and didn’t like having a stranger in their house (understandable). 2, Anna was very timid and would not open up to Lib. 3, The nun, wouldn’t confer with her as to what happened on her shifts as they were supposed to be forming their own opinions. 4, The doctor looked down on Lib as just ‘help’ and when she voiced her concerns about Anna, she was cut off and told to just do her job.
The couple of things that let the book down for me was the pace of the book. This is an incredibly slow paced book and may not be for everyone. I usually don’t mind slow paced books but it felt like there was a lot of repetition and at points I was thinking to myself that surely this couldn’t on like this for the next 200 odd pages but it did. I think this is for readers who like more atmosphere to their books.
I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated My Name Is Anna in Books
Nov 9, 2018
Two women – desperate to unlock the truth.
How far will they go to lay the past to rest?
My name is Anna is one of those books that captures your attention from the moment you look at its cover. Then, it drags you into a story, makes you bite your nails throughout, lifts you up in the air with the amazing writing and than smashes you back into the ground with the incredible twist at the end. Exactly what you want and need from a thriller.
The story is being told by two girls:
Anna, a girl raised with a religious mother, where everything is forbidden and everything is a sin. And when on her 18th Birthday, Anna decides to disobey her mum and go to a theme park, she feels like she has been here before. And then random events lead to her realising that she was taken away when she was a little girl. And her real name is not Anna at all…
Rosie, a girl whose big sister has been missing for fifteen years. And when the media is ready to let the story go after the fifteen years anniversary, Rosie is determined to do whatever it takes to discover the truth of what actually happened on that day at the theme park.
The first thing I noticed in this book, that makes it different than all the stories about the kidnapping is – that the plot is being revealed in the first chapters. I was not expecting to immediately know that Anna and Rosie are sisters and Anna was kidnapped as a girl, but this was stated in the first chapters in the book. I personally thought that this would be the big twist, but the twist came to be so much better than that.
I loved how you could relate to both girls, for different reasons, and how even though they were sisters, how one little moment changed their lives completely. How Anna was raised with different beliefs than Rosie, and how they grew up to be so different, but the same…
This was a great story that give you thoughts about ‘’what could’ve been…’’ and it makes you wonder – if certain things didn’t happen, would our lives be the same?
The end for me, was particularly meaningful. The last moments, the realisation, the conclusion, the story that ended, or the one that never begun, all the things we could’ve been, but are not, and all the things that we wish we could have changed, but we can’t.
If you, like me, are into kidnapping stories, amazing twists and thriller stories that take your breath away, this will definitely be the perfect book for you. This will be a hit at the beginning of 2019, and it will hit the top shelves. I know it hits my favourite shelf – for sure!
A huge thanks to Penguin Random House UK, for providing me with a hardback copy, in exchange for an honest review of this book. The opinions in this review are entirely my own, and completely unbiased.
How far will they go to lay the past to rest?
My name is Anna is one of those books that captures your attention from the moment you look at its cover. Then, it drags you into a story, makes you bite your nails throughout, lifts you up in the air with the amazing writing and than smashes you back into the ground with the incredible twist at the end. Exactly what you want and need from a thriller.
The story is being told by two girls:
Anna, a girl raised with a religious mother, where everything is forbidden and everything is a sin. And when on her 18th Birthday, Anna decides to disobey her mum and go to a theme park, she feels like she has been here before. And then random events lead to her realising that she was taken away when she was a little girl. And her real name is not Anna at all…
Rosie, a girl whose big sister has been missing for fifteen years. And when the media is ready to let the story go after the fifteen years anniversary, Rosie is determined to do whatever it takes to discover the truth of what actually happened on that day at the theme park.
The first thing I noticed in this book, that makes it different than all the stories about the kidnapping is – that the plot is being revealed in the first chapters. I was not expecting to immediately know that Anna and Rosie are sisters and Anna was kidnapped as a girl, but this was stated in the first chapters in the book. I personally thought that this would be the big twist, but the twist came to be so much better than that.
I loved how you could relate to both girls, for different reasons, and how even though they were sisters, how one little moment changed their lives completely. How Anna was raised with different beliefs than Rosie, and how they grew up to be so different, but the same…
This was a great story that give you thoughts about ‘’what could’ve been…’’ and it makes you wonder – if certain things didn’t happen, would our lives be the same?
The end for me, was particularly meaningful. The last moments, the realisation, the conclusion, the story that ended, or the one that never begun, all the things we could’ve been, but are not, and all the things that we wish we could have changed, but we can’t.
If you, like me, are into kidnapping stories, amazing twists and thriller stories that take your breath away, this will definitely be the perfect book for you. This will be a hit at the beginning of 2019, and it will hit the top shelves. I know it hits my favourite shelf – for sure!
A huge thanks to Penguin Random House UK, for providing me with a hardback copy, in exchange for an honest review of this book. The opinions in this review are entirely my own, and completely unbiased.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Phantom Forest in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>The author/publisher provided a free copy of the book for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a review copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore do not affect the opinion or content of the review.</i></b>
So when I sat down to write my review for <em>The Phantom Forest</em>, all I wanted to write is this:
<ul>
<li>Protect this character</li>
<li>Seriously, protect this character</li>
<li>Take them away from Liz Kerin; it's the only way to protect them</li>
</ul>
But uh, that doesn't work as a review (maybe one day). Anyways.
<em style="background-color: initial; font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: 1px;"><strong>The Phantom</strong></em><strong style="background-color: initial; font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: 1px;"><em> Forest</em> is haunting.</strong>
Kerin's debut is <em>creepy</em>, everyone. The world here is atmospheric and brings a chill or two, even when the story isn't in the Underworld. In a world ruled by the Coalition where one practicing their belief in gods or superstition results in death, General Simeon overlooks a village with tight control. He keeps the people under his authority by taking a religious ritual where only criminals are sacrifices to one where anyone can be chosen.
I wanted General Simeon to choke on sharp pineapples while reading.
Since her father died, Seycia lives in hiding with her younger brother Miko in the village. It's not long before General Simeon makes her a target and she becomes the next village sacrifice, sending her to the Underworld where she joins forces with Haben.
<h2><strong>Interesting Characters Arcs</strong></h2>
I find myself most invested in Haben's story and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to Seycia and him as they journey across the Underworld. While <em>The Phantom Forest</em> has a multitude of POVs, most are from Seycia, Haben and Miko.
The story seems to focus on one character with the others sitting in the backseat, undergoing the most development. However, I do feel this is only the beginning, and there is more to come for both Seycia and Miko. Their story seems to stand in the back of the room, but they'll likely develop in future books. I want to see what Kerin has in store even if I only want to protect Haben.
<h2><strong>There are slow moments in <em>The Phantom Forest</em></strong></h2>
Kerin builds a world and plot that captures my attention from early in the novel. However, there are moments where I felt the scenes were maybe irrelevant and unnecessary. While it was a rough patch to go through, it was well worth it. I wanted to see to the end of the story, and I had a lot of questions that won my curiosity. By the end of <em>The Phantom Forest</em>, I still have plenty of questions, but I'm sure there will be answers eventually.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-phantom-forest-by-liz-kerin/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
So when I sat down to write my review for <em>The Phantom Forest</em>, all I wanted to write is this:
<ul>
<li>Protect this character</li>
<li>Seriously, protect this character</li>
<li>Take them away from Liz Kerin; it's the only way to protect them</li>
</ul>
But uh, that doesn't work as a review (maybe one day). Anyways.
<em style="background-color: initial; font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: 1px;"><strong>The Phantom</strong></em><strong style="background-color: initial; font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: 1px;"><em> Forest</em> is haunting.</strong>
Kerin's debut is <em>creepy</em>, everyone. The world here is atmospheric and brings a chill or two, even when the story isn't in the Underworld. In a world ruled by the Coalition where one practicing their belief in gods or superstition results in death, General Simeon overlooks a village with tight control. He keeps the people under his authority by taking a religious ritual where only criminals are sacrifices to one where anyone can be chosen.
I wanted General Simeon to choke on sharp pineapples while reading.
Since her father died, Seycia lives in hiding with her younger brother Miko in the village. It's not long before General Simeon makes her a target and she becomes the next village sacrifice, sending her to the Underworld where she joins forces with Haben.
<h2><strong>Interesting Characters Arcs</strong></h2>
I find myself most invested in Haben's story and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to Seycia and him as they journey across the Underworld. While <em>The Phantom Forest</em> has a multitude of POVs, most are from Seycia, Haben and Miko.
The story seems to focus on one character with the others sitting in the backseat, undergoing the most development. However, I do feel this is only the beginning, and there is more to come for both Seycia and Miko. Their story seems to stand in the back of the room, but they'll likely develop in future books. I want to see what Kerin has in store even if I only want to protect Haben.
<h2><strong>There are slow moments in <em>The Phantom Forest</em></strong></h2>
Kerin builds a world and plot that captures my attention from early in the novel. However, there are moments where I felt the scenes were maybe irrelevant and unnecessary. While it was a rough patch to go through, it was well worth it. I wanted to see to the end of the story, and I had a lot of questions that won my curiosity. By the end of <em>The Phantom Forest</em>, I still have plenty of questions, but I'm sure there will be answers eventually.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-phantom-forest-by-liz-kerin/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Gareth von Kallenbach (974 KP) rated Flight (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
I’m not good with dramas. I like to watch movies to escape reality and dramas are all about reminding you of the turmoil and awkwardness and unpredictability that is reality. But, only if they’re good. Dramas require an emotional response from the viewer, which can only be achieved through great performances, enhanced by story, music and editing. (don’t quote me I could be missing one). If one or more elements are missing, at best it’s an unexpected comedy, at worst you’ve just wasted time and money that you’ll never get back.
Flight in my opinion delivered. We start off with gratuitous nudity (for me it didn’t add to the story but guys will like it) from flight attendant Katerina Marquez (Nadine Valazquez) and a man, Captain Whip Whitacker (Denzel Washington) who’s about to hit his rock bottom. After a night of drinking and snorting some cocaine, together they take to the skies only for it to go horribly wrong, the plane begins an uncontrolled nose dive. Lot’s of close up shots put you right into the aircraft and you almost feel as if you’re on the flight as it’s going down (seriously my heart involuntarily started pounding faster).
Afterwards, the movie really hits its’ stride and gets into the gritty reality of what life can become. Denzel does an excellent job of bringing you in to the internal struggles with his demons; he’s so good in his denial. John Goodman plays a drug dealer Harling Mays, almost as a comic relief which actually works. Don Cheadle plays Hugh Lang, a criminal attorney sent to help Cpt Whitacker as questions arise about what really caused the plane to crash. He plays a great attorney, not smarmy, not slick, but intelligent and sharp, and in his own way, caring.
Nicole Maggen (Kelly Reilly), a drug addict who we witness goes through a relapse that puts her into the path of Cpt Whitacker. Co-pilot Ken Evans (Brian Geraghty) was a convincingly green pilot whom I would not want flying any plane I’m in. And flight attendant Margaret Tomason (Tamara Tunie), a good friend of Whitackers for several years and Pilots union rep Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood) a long time military buddy who comes back into his life because of the crash. I liked both their performances, they really did great in their supporting rolls; you couldn’t have one without the other.
There is a question of devine intervention and redemption, but I think the movie steers clear of being overly religious. (I could have done without Ken Evans wife, overkill in my opinion and not necessary to the story). Anything more I say will spill the beans on the ending, so I’ll leave you with this; it really is unpredictable, you never quite know what Cpt Whitacker’s going to do until he does it. There are beautiful moments and bittersweet moments that create a powerful, emotional ride that I would recommend to someone who likes a good drama. And, even to people like me, who generally try to avoid them.
Flight in my opinion delivered. We start off with gratuitous nudity (for me it didn’t add to the story but guys will like it) from flight attendant Katerina Marquez (Nadine Valazquez) and a man, Captain Whip Whitacker (Denzel Washington) who’s about to hit his rock bottom. After a night of drinking and snorting some cocaine, together they take to the skies only for it to go horribly wrong, the plane begins an uncontrolled nose dive. Lot’s of close up shots put you right into the aircraft and you almost feel as if you’re on the flight as it’s going down (seriously my heart involuntarily started pounding faster).
Afterwards, the movie really hits its’ stride and gets into the gritty reality of what life can become. Denzel does an excellent job of bringing you in to the internal struggles with his demons; he’s so good in his denial. John Goodman plays a drug dealer Harling Mays, almost as a comic relief which actually works. Don Cheadle plays Hugh Lang, a criminal attorney sent to help Cpt Whitacker as questions arise about what really caused the plane to crash. He plays a great attorney, not smarmy, not slick, but intelligent and sharp, and in his own way, caring.
Nicole Maggen (Kelly Reilly), a drug addict who we witness goes through a relapse that puts her into the path of Cpt Whitacker. Co-pilot Ken Evans (Brian Geraghty) was a convincingly green pilot whom I would not want flying any plane I’m in. And flight attendant Margaret Tomason (Tamara Tunie), a good friend of Whitackers for several years and Pilots union rep Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood) a long time military buddy who comes back into his life because of the crash. I liked both their performances, they really did great in their supporting rolls; you couldn’t have one without the other.
There is a question of devine intervention and redemption, but I think the movie steers clear of being overly religious. (I could have done without Ken Evans wife, overkill in my opinion and not necessary to the story). Anything more I say will spill the beans on the ending, so I’ll leave you with this; it really is unpredictable, you never quite know what Cpt Whitacker’s going to do until he does it. There are beautiful moments and bittersweet moments that create a powerful, emotional ride that I would recommend to someone who likes a good drama. And, even to people like me, who generally try to avoid them.
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated American Gods in Books
Aug 30, 2017
I could live in this book
Contains spoilers, click to show
Short and to the point:
From start to finish I just did not want to put down American Gods, I just always really enjoy Gaiman's writing style he manages to create a world within a world that just feels so effortless and downright real. Their are so many amazing characters and most of them I just wanted more of, also with the amount of character we have we really get something that we never do and that is people of color represented and it is WONDERFUL .This is one of those few books that as soon as I was finished I wanted to turn it over and start reading again.
Characters:
Shadow Moon - I could wax poetics about Shadow, he was quiet and kind of dry and usually that would have me think a character is kind of boring but just not with Shadow he drew me and made me fall in love. It was a so a happy surprise to have a main protagonist who is a person of color which is something that is need so much nowadays.
Laura – I really loved how Laura was handled, most characters who died the way she did would have been either thrown aside or made to be hated but that is not the case here, I love how she helps Shadow and her love for him really comes through but also that we do see her as her own person.
Mr. Wednesday - What can I say about Wednesday besides from the moment you meet him I don't trust him but like Shadow I can't help what wanting to follow him where he's taking me.
The Gods - even though there are a lot and I mean a lot of characters throughout the book I found myself never feeling overwhelmed by them Gaiman really found a way to give them all a voice but in no way overshadow the plot or any of the other characters.
Plot:
We meet Shadow a few days before his release from prison he is taken into the wardens office to me given the devastating new that his wife Laura had been killed, when he is released from prison he meets a strange man know as Mr. Wednesday who offers Shadow a job to accompany him across America so he can recruit others to fight in an upcoming war, The Old Gods vs. The New Gods.
The story takes you to so many places and you meet so many just unique characters I love the differences between the gods how the old are left to do what they have to service feeding off of any belief they can get and how the new gods aren't at all what I thought I was going to be getting because let's face it there are not as many religious gods any more instead we worship TV and technology the way the Greeks worshiped the gods of Olympus.
Personal thoughts:
I could not get enough of American Gods even though the book was pretty hefty and it took me sometime to finish I still wanted more, Gaiman just creates such a wonderful and unique worlds that I could stay lost in them forever.
From start to finish I just did not want to put down American Gods, I just always really enjoy Gaiman's writing style he manages to create a world within a world that just feels so effortless and downright real. Their are so many amazing characters and most of them I just wanted more of, also with the amount of character we have we really get something that we never do and that is people of color represented and it is WONDERFUL .This is one of those few books that as soon as I was finished I wanted to turn it over and start reading again.
Characters:
Shadow Moon - I could wax poetics about Shadow, he was quiet and kind of dry and usually that would have me think a character is kind of boring but just not with Shadow he drew me and made me fall in love. It was a so a happy surprise to have a main protagonist who is a person of color which is something that is need so much nowadays.
Laura – I really loved how Laura was handled, most characters who died the way she did would have been either thrown aside or made to be hated but that is not the case here, I love how she helps Shadow and her love for him really comes through but also that we do see her as her own person.
Mr. Wednesday - What can I say about Wednesday besides from the moment you meet him I don't trust him but like Shadow I can't help what wanting to follow him where he's taking me.
The Gods - even though there are a lot and I mean a lot of characters throughout the book I found myself never feeling overwhelmed by them Gaiman really found a way to give them all a voice but in no way overshadow the plot or any of the other characters.
Plot:
We meet Shadow a few days before his release from prison he is taken into the wardens office to me given the devastating new that his wife Laura had been killed, when he is released from prison he meets a strange man know as Mr. Wednesday who offers Shadow a job to accompany him across America so he can recruit others to fight in an upcoming war, The Old Gods vs. The New Gods.
The story takes you to so many places and you meet so many just unique characters I love the differences between the gods how the old are left to do what they have to service feeding off of any belief they can get and how the new gods aren't at all what I thought I was going to be getting because let's face it there are not as many religious gods any more instead we worship TV and technology the way the Greeks worshiped the gods of Olympus.
Personal thoughts:
I could not get enough of American Gods even though the book was pretty hefty and it took me sometime to finish I still wanted more, Gaiman just creates such a wonderful and unique worlds that I could stay lost in them forever.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/under-the-banner-of-heaven-a-story-of-violent-faith-by-jon-krakauer
<b>TRIGGER WARNING: rape, incest, domestic abuse, child abuse, animal abuse, child murder</b>
I’m speechless. (OK, maybe not). What the <i>heck</i> did I just read? You’re telling me this is <b><i>non-fiction?</b></i> ...How? <b>HOW?</b> This isn’t just some freak incident either, people live like what’s described in this book, I’m baffled by it. I mean I’m a little baffled by strict religious following anyway (no offence meant) but Mormonism is just on another level.
The story of Mormonism is so strange because Joseph Smith was a fucking control freak and swindler but also the way society got away with treating him and his followers was awful. You really can’t pick a right and wrong side, they’re both pretty terrible.
This book's main focus is on how people's strong faith in Mormonism makes them believe they're above the laws of the land, so they go and commit crimes they think are justified and right. For example, Dan and Ron Lafferty, who <i>truly</i> believe God has spoken to them and told them they need to kill their brothers wife and young baby. A deed done by them so brutally, the poor baby was basically beheaded. <b>Clearly this book isn’t for the faint hearted.</b>
One of the saddest moments in this book is when Krakauer meets a Mormon family and their young daughter (I think she was between 8 to 12) comes into the room with floor plans of her dream house, where she's drawn out several different rooms for the other wives of the husband she is going to share. How <i>awful</i> is that, to believe that you must share your husband with other women, because for men of the Mormon faith, women are just child bearers, nothing more. <b>Joseph Smith actually declared God said "women shall be man's handmaid".</b> For this young girl to be planning her life with a shared husband and feeling that's <i>normal</i>, even feeling <i>happy</i> about it, is a terrible, terrible thing to think about.
This took me around 3 months to finish, not only because I accidentally left this in my dad’s suitcase when I came back from Spain, but also because this was such heavy non-fiction reading. Not only did it describe, in gruesome detail, the crimes committed by those under the Mormon faith, it was also a long historical timeline of how Mormonism was created and has grown to where it currently sits today. (<i>Did you know,</i> there are currently more Mormons on this planet than Jewish people?) Not to mention the confusion it causes when trying to remind you who everyone is and how everyone is related, because they’re pretty much <i>all</i> related through marriage.
This is certainly an interesting read. I'm sure you’ve heard about Mormon’s and the Book of Mormon and polygamy, etc, but never really looked further into it. Well, for those of you that would like to look further into it, then this is the book for you! It's incredible to read all about how Joseph Smith magicked up Mormon faith and how gruesome and evil polygamy really is.
I really recommend this book for all of you who love learning about religions or just love to have some random shocking facts to dish out around the dinner table. A seriously interesting, if not disturbing read.
<b>TRIGGER WARNING: rape, incest, domestic abuse, child abuse, animal abuse, child murder</b>
I’m speechless. (OK, maybe not). What the <i>heck</i> did I just read? You’re telling me this is <b><i>non-fiction?</b></i> ...How? <b>HOW?</b> This isn’t just some freak incident either, people live like what’s described in this book, I’m baffled by it. I mean I’m a little baffled by strict religious following anyway (no offence meant) but Mormonism is just on another level.
The story of Mormonism is so strange because Joseph Smith was a fucking control freak and swindler but also the way society got away with treating him and his followers was awful. You really can’t pick a right and wrong side, they’re both pretty terrible.
This book's main focus is on how people's strong faith in Mormonism makes them believe they're above the laws of the land, so they go and commit crimes they think are justified and right. For example, Dan and Ron Lafferty, who <i>truly</i> believe God has spoken to them and told them they need to kill their brothers wife and young baby. A deed done by them so brutally, the poor baby was basically beheaded. <b>Clearly this book isn’t for the faint hearted.</b>
One of the saddest moments in this book is when Krakauer meets a Mormon family and their young daughter (I think she was between 8 to 12) comes into the room with floor plans of her dream house, where she's drawn out several different rooms for the other wives of the husband she is going to share. How <i>awful</i> is that, to believe that you must share your husband with other women, because for men of the Mormon faith, women are just child bearers, nothing more. <b>Joseph Smith actually declared God said "women shall be man's handmaid".</b> For this young girl to be planning her life with a shared husband and feeling that's <i>normal</i>, even feeling <i>happy</i> about it, is a terrible, terrible thing to think about.
This took me around 3 months to finish, not only because I accidentally left this in my dad’s suitcase when I came back from Spain, but also because this was such heavy non-fiction reading. Not only did it describe, in gruesome detail, the crimes committed by those under the Mormon faith, it was also a long historical timeline of how Mormonism was created and has grown to where it currently sits today. (<i>Did you know,</i> there are currently more Mormons on this planet than Jewish people?) Not to mention the confusion it causes when trying to remind you who everyone is and how everyone is related, because they’re pretty much <i>all</i> related through marriage.
This is certainly an interesting read. I'm sure you’ve heard about Mormon’s and the Book of Mormon and polygamy, etc, but never really looked further into it. Well, for those of you that would like to look further into it, then this is the book for you! It's incredible to read all about how Joseph Smith magicked up Mormon faith and how gruesome and evil polygamy really is.
I really recommend this book for all of you who love learning about religions or just love to have some random shocking facts to dish out around the dinner table. A seriously interesting, if not disturbing read.