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Colin Campbell (25 KP) rated Audible – audio books, original series & podcasts in Apps
Apr 30, 2019
Choice of books (2 more)
Frequent 2 for 1 offers
Stephen Fry Narration
Some narrators (1 more)
Some books in a series are missing
Too many books, not enough time...
What can I say about Audible that hasn't been mentioned in other reviews? Probably nothing ?
I live near London and unfortunately the commute is hell, reading makes the commute go faster but with train carriages packed like cattle you can't really turn the pages of a book. This is where Audible comes in, you can unobtrusively listen to books that you may be embarrassed to show others that you are reading (eg The Very Hungry Caterpillar)
This isn't the only thing, you also get the options to listen to Audible specific Audio Shows like Frys English Delights and How Not to F**k up your kids, these are free for subscribers and pro ide a nice 30 minute piece of escapism.
Some Kindle Books come whispersync enabled which gives you an Audible copy of the book, sometimes cheaper than buying the audio book individually.
I also have the Audible app on my Fire Stick and with the sleep timer you can easily fall asleep listening to a well narrated piece of work.
Now the cons...
Not all narrators are actually good to listen to, Unfortunately it would take too much time to get more recorded and taking into account their schedules.
Some series are incomplete and it does not look they will be recorded sometime soon (Julian May, Many Coloured Land)
I live near London and unfortunately the commute is hell, reading makes the commute go faster but with train carriages packed like cattle you can't really turn the pages of a book. This is where Audible comes in, you can unobtrusively listen to books that you may be embarrassed to show others that you are reading (eg The Very Hungry Caterpillar)
This isn't the only thing, you also get the options to listen to Audible specific Audio Shows like Frys English Delights and How Not to F**k up your kids, these are free for subscribers and pro ide a nice 30 minute piece of escapism.
Some Kindle Books come whispersync enabled which gives you an Audible copy of the book, sometimes cheaper than buying the audio book individually.
I also have the Audible app on my Fire Stick and with the sleep timer you can easily fall asleep listening to a well narrated piece of work.
Now the cons...
Not all narrators are actually good to listen to, Unfortunately it would take too much time to get more recorded and taking into account their schedules.
Some series are incomplete and it does not look they will be recorded sometime soon (Julian May, Many Coloured Land)
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Poet X in Books
May 30, 2019
This is another much-hyped book - and oh man, did it stand up to the hype. Told entirely through poetry, this novel was extraordinarily powerful, and had me sobbing near the end. Xiomara is an amazing character, and her poetry shows us her emotions more than prose ever could.
I've always loved poetry for that reason; especially poetry that plays with formatting - spacing and line breaks and size of stanzas. It's so much more evocative than simple paragraphs of prose. (My favorite poet is probably e.e. cummings, who is rather infamous for unusual formatting.)
Acavedo does similar things, making Xiomara's poetry explode across the page when necessary, and ordering it into simpler stanzas in calmer moments. It's not rhyming, even poetry; this is written slam poetry. And I love it.
Xiomara is Dominican, living in Harlem, with a very strict, religious mother. Her twin brother is gay but not out to their parents; Xiomara is fine with this but knows their mother won't be. Her poems cover her need to protect her brother and herself, both from their parents and from the outside world. She writes about street harassment and questioning God and falling in love with a boy, which is also against her mother's rules. Her poems are at turns heartbreaking and joyous, but always beautiful.
This is an amazing book, and is the second book on my Best of the Year list. I am blown away.You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
I've always loved poetry for that reason; especially poetry that plays with formatting - spacing and line breaks and size of stanzas. It's so much more evocative than simple paragraphs of prose. (My favorite poet is probably e.e. cummings, who is rather infamous for unusual formatting.)
Acavedo does similar things, making Xiomara's poetry explode across the page when necessary, and ordering it into simpler stanzas in calmer moments. It's not rhyming, even poetry; this is written slam poetry. And I love it.
Xiomara is Dominican, living in Harlem, with a very strict, religious mother. Her twin brother is gay but not out to their parents; Xiomara is fine with this but knows their mother won't be. Her poems cover her need to protect her brother and herself, both from their parents and from the outside world. She writes about street harassment and questioning God and falling in love with a boy, which is also against her mother's rules. Her poems are at turns heartbreaking and joyous, but always beautiful.
This is an amazing book, and is the second book on my Best of the Year list. I am blown away.You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019 (Updated Jun 11, 2019)
Big, loud, fun.
I'm not quite sure where all the bad reviews are coming from with this one, truth be told! I fully accept that there many action film cliches littered throughout, and the dialogue is just silly at times, but how much can you really dislike the spectacle of this sequel when the monsters turn up (and that doesn't take long!)
I liked the first one a lot, even though we didn't see a huge amount of Godzilla himself, and I also really rate Kong: Skull Island as well, so I've been looking forward to this one, and it's exactly what I expected it to be - it's loud, and it's dumb, but it works because it's an impressive looking monster film - and there a huge amount of them this time around.
Lifting various Godzilla opponents from the Japanese run of films, watching Kaiju like Ghidorah, Rhodan and Mothra get involved is pretty thrilling, especially coupled with the old school Godzilla theme music.
The effects themselves are pretty impressive, and all makes for an enjoyable blockbuster.
I didn't really care too much about the human characters (except Millie Bobbie Brown, and Charles Dance... Because it's Charles Dance) but I wasn't there for them!
And I guess there is where my main issue was, there was just a bit too much time spent on characters I struggled to care about.
Aside from that, it was pretty entertaining. Bring on Godzilla vs Kong!
I liked the first one a lot, even though we didn't see a huge amount of Godzilla himself, and I also really rate Kong: Skull Island as well, so I've been looking forward to this one, and it's exactly what I expected it to be - it's loud, and it's dumb, but it works because it's an impressive looking monster film - and there a huge amount of them this time around.
Lifting various Godzilla opponents from the Japanese run of films, watching Kaiju like Ghidorah, Rhodan and Mothra get involved is pretty thrilling, especially coupled with the old school Godzilla theme music.
The effects themselves are pretty impressive, and all makes for an enjoyable blockbuster.
I didn't really care too much about the human characters (except Millie Bobbie Brown, and Charles Dance... Because it's Charles Dance) but I wasn't there for them!
And I guess there is where my main issue was, there was just a bit too much time spent on characters I struggled to care about.
Aside from that, it was pretty entertaining. Bring on Godzilla vs Kong!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) in Movies
Jan 18, 2018
Frances McDormand (2 more)
Sam Rockwell
Comedy
Darkly funny and depressing
I went into this film with a lot of preconceptions, having seen earlier reviews and loved Martin McDonagh’s previous films. I’m not entirely sure for me that it quite lived up to the hype.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a very good film. There are some fantastic performances in it from Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell and they deserve every accolade that gets thrown at them. The rest of the supporting cast too are great, with the exception of Abbie Cornish who I really don’t rate. I know she’s Australian but her accent in this seems very changeable and atrocious.
The cinematography itself is beautiful and the plot takes some very good and unexpected twists and turns. The bits of dark humour throughout really help lift what would otherwise be a very depressing and sad film. My issue is that for me it seemed very slow paced. For me it felt like it had been on for far too long and dragged a little, but I was surprised when it finished that it had been on for less than 2 hours.
I’ll happily acknowledge that this will likely be one of the best films I’ll see in 2018, impressive as it’s only January. But I feel like I need to reserve a final judgement until after a second viewing (preferably in a nice peaceful environment - not a noisy cinema screen).
Don’t get me wrong, it was a very good film. There are some fantastic performances in it from Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell and they deserve every accolade that gets thrown at them. The rest of the supporting cast too are great, with the exception of Abbie Cornish who I really don’t rate. I know she’s Australian but her accent in this seems very changeable and atrocious.
The cinematography itself is beautiful and the plot takes some very good and unexpected twists and turns. The bits of dark humour throughout really help lift what would otherwise be a very depressing and sad film. My issue is that for me it seemed very slow paced. For me it felt like it had been on for far too long and dragged a little, but I was surprised when it finished that it had been on for less than 2 hours.
I’ll happily acknowledge that this will likely be one of the best films I’ll see in 2018, impressive as it’s only January. But I feel like I need to reserve a final judgement until after a second viewing (preferably in a nice peaceful environment - not a noisy cinema screen).
ArecRain (8 KP) rated One of the Guys in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
I didnt realize I had read Shiloh Walker before until I realized her name sounded familiar and did some research. Awhile back I read her story The Missing which is the first in her FBI Psychics series. I dont remember much of that story and I didnt write a review for it back then. I must have liked it though, since I rated it 4 stars.
It seems to be a theme since I enjoyed this story as well. I am also partial to friend-to-lovers stories. And boy are they steamy lovers. I have read multiple reviews that accuse of Walker of writing the same sex scenes over and over and that her writing lacks variety. I have only read one other of her novels and that was a while ago, so I cant agree nor can I have the same complaint.
While I can say that nothing erotic shocks me, certain things just arent my tastes, i.e. anal play/sex, especially when the guy is an inconsiderate jerk about it. As someone who has a very considerate lover, but has been sexually abused before, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I almost couldnt finish the book. If you can get past that though, then this would be good read for you.
I didnt realize I had read Shiloh Walker before until I realized her name sounded familiar and did some research. Awhile back I read her story The Missing which is the first in her FBI Psychics series. I dont remember much of that story and I didnt write a review for it back then. I must have liked it though, since I rated it 4 stars.
It seems to be a theme since I enjoyed this story as well. I am also partial to friend-to-lovers stories. And boy are they steamy lovers. I have read multiple reviews that accuse of Walker of writing the same sex scenes over and over and that her writing lacks variety. I have only read one other of her novels and that was a while ago, so I cant agree nor can I have the same complaint.
While I can say that nothing erotic shocks me, certain things just arent my tastes, i.e. anal play/sex, especially when the guy is an inconsiderate jerk about it. As someone who has a very considerate lover, but has been sexually abused before, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I almost couldnt finish the book. If you can get past that though, then this would be good read for you.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood in Books
Feb 8, 2018
A highly entertaining account of an unusual childhood
I read this book, though I'd really like to listen to the audio book version. It's narrated by Trevor Noah himself, and apparently very, very good. I totally believe that - the man is hilarious on The Daily Show. I still really enjoyed the stories Noah told, though I wish he'd gotten more into his journey as a comedian, and not just his childhood and teenage years.
Noah has an uncanny way of explaining background information that you need to know while not giving away the (actually somewhat obvious in hindsight) punchline. Even the background information is told in an extremely entertaining way - you can feel Noah's everpresent grin through the pages. Even though the book begins (and sort of ends) on a sad note, the book itself is a happy, optimistic one. I didn't laugh myself silly, like the next book I read (Jenny Lawson's Furiously Happy), but I did have to giggle and read parts to my husband. (And he actually laughed at them, instead of looking at me like I was insane, which is what happened with Furiously Happy.)
I've been a fan of Trevor Noah's since shortly after he took over The Daily Show, and this was an interesting peek at his background, and the very different culture he grew up in. I highly recommend this book.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Noah has an uncanny way of explaining background information that you need to know while not giving away the (actually somewhat obvious in hindsight) punchline. Even the background information is told in an extremely entertaining way - you can feel Noah's everpresent grin through the pages. Even though the book begins (and sort of ends) on a sad note, the book itself is a happy, optimistic one. I didn't laugh myself silly, like the next book I read (Jenny Lawson's Furiously Happy), but I did have to giggle and read parts to my husband. (And he actually laughed at them, instead of looking at me like I was insane, which is what happened with Furiously Happy.)
I've been a fan of Trevor Noah's since shortly after he took over The Daily Show, and this was an interesting peek at his background, and the very different culture he grew up in. I highly recommend this book.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Wonder Woman (2017) in Movies
Mar 16, 2018
OTT CGI (1 more)
Weak villain
Well it's definitely the best DC film so far...
Despite the rave reviews for this film, I hadn't been expecting much mainly as DC films of late haven't really been very good (excluding Nolan's of course). Wonder Woman is by far the best DC film out of the recent bunch, but I'm afraid that's all it really has going for it.
Gal Gadot is a good casting choice as Diana and she does very well. Chris Pine too is perhaps underused but fairly charismatic. I did wonder whether Ewen Bremner is required to play the same character in every film? Or he's sadly just been typecast.
The main issue with this film is the week villain and the ridiculous CGI. There was no real threat of anything from Ares and as with most other superhero films lately, he came across as a very boring and poor adversary. And he was made up of far too much CGI. The whole film really had too much CGI in general, too much slow motion and most of it looked a bit shoddy. Less is more! And the plot itself set within a world war all seemed very Captain America, which was done quite a long time ago now!
In all it was an alright superhero film, with a good female lead. I just wouldn't go out of my way to watch it again.
Gal Gadot is a good casting choice as Diana and she does very well. Chris Pine too is perhaps underused but fairly charismatic. I did wonder whether Ewen Bremner is required to play the same character in every film? Or he's sadly just been typecast.
The main issue with this film is the week villain and the ridiculous CGI. There was no real threat of anything from Ares and as with most other superhero films lately, he came across as a very boring and poor adversary. And he was made up of far too much CGI. The whole film really had too much CGI in general, too much slow motion and most of it looked a bit shoddy. Less is more! And the plot itself set within a world war all seemed very Captain America, which was done quite a long time ago now!
In all it was an alright superhero film, with a good female lead. I just wouldn't go out of my way to watch it again.
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Hard Magic (Paranormal Scene Investigations #1) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I suppose it must be obvious to anyone who reads my reviews that I enjoy Laura Anne Gilman's writing. I've only read every one of her Retrievers series as well as every one of her short stories sold via <a href="http://fictionwise.com/">Fictionwise</a>; (including some that I'd already read in various anthologies, but I didn't want to miss anything). I've been waiting anxiously for <i>Hard Magic</i>, the first in the new Paranormal Scene Investigations series, and it did not disappoint me in the least.
If you've read the Retrievers books, you'll recognize the main character, Bonnie Torres, immediately as Wren Valere's neighbor. If you haven't read that series, don't worry - they aren't required to enjoy this book.
I do, however, recommend hunting down the short story "Illumination," which is referred to several times during the novel. It's in the anthology [b:Unusual Suspects: Stories of Mystery & Fantasy|3395318|Unusual Suspects Stories of Mystery & Fantasy|Dana Stabenow|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1243223215s/3395318.jpg|3435306]. It isn't strictly required, but I think it would help.
If you've ever enjoyed CSI or any similar show, I think you'll really enjoy <i>Hard Magic</i> even more than others will. Bonnie and her coworkers are trying to reinvent all of the forensic science that those shows take for granted from scratch, from a magical perspective. It's fascinating to me, and I would have been happier with more geeking.
I'm really looking forward to book two!
If you've read the Retrievers books, you'll recognize the main character, Bonnie Torres, immediately as Wren Valere's neighbor. If you haven't read that series, don't worry - they aren't required to enjoy this book.
I do, however, recommend hunting down the short story "Illumination," which is referred to several times during the novel. It's in the anthology [b:Unusual Suspects: Stories of Mystery & Fantasy|3395318|Unusual Suspects Stories of Mystery & Fantasy|Dana Stabenow|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1243223215s/3395318.jpg|3435306]. It isn't strictly required, but I think it would help.
If you've ever enjoyed CSI or any similar show, I think you'll really enjoy <i>Hard Magic</i> even more than others will. Bonnie and her coworkers are trying to reinvent all of the forensic science that those shows take for granted from scratch, from a magical perspective. It's fascinating to me, and I would have been happier with more geeking.
I'm really looking forward to book two!
I was very apprehensive going in to this book as I have heard hit and miss reviews. There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed and some that let it down. I think all fantasy books should come with a map! I don’t care if this book was set in a valley – I would still like a map to help me visualise the land and follow the characters on journeys. It took me a little while to get used to the writing style in this book.It was written in such a way that you had to take your time and not miss a word – if you have read Laini Taylor’s writing then you will probably like the style. The magic system was not very well explained and just seemed to happen conveniently. The Dragon was supposed to be this brooding handsome wizard that looks like he is in his 20’s but actually like a 150 years old and just annoying. The romance was blah, there was no tension and I didn’t feel any connection between the characters. There is a great friendship in this book between Agnieszka and Kasia which was one of the strongest parts. I did like the woods that were corrupted and how clever it was. This could have been an amazing book it was just underdeveloped. It would have been better as a series rather than a standalone.
Alice (12 KP) rated Untamed (Uninhibited, #1) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
<i>Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. </i>
I was a little dubious reading this little serial as I've not read anything by the author before and I generally don't read 5 star reviews because of personal choices.
Going into <i>Untamed </i> I was pleasantly surprised by the way it was written. I had expected it to be a quick serial number with little going on and a quick steamy sex scene but there was plenty happening in this serial.
Dr Cari Dunn is a celebrity architect with a stalker. A pretty crazy stalker as stalkers are want to be. The network she does a TV show for hires a bodyguard to protect her - queue Jasper. A sinfully hot male with an alpha streak - just how I like my males!
As it's a pretty short price of writing everything meshes together nicely with a wickedly good sex scene and a great cliffhanger that leaves the series open for the next instalment which is released a week after this one.
I think the one big thing that put me off a bit was the mention of Christian Grey. Those are two words that will put me off any book but thankfully he was only mentioned once in passing.
We'll see where the next part takes us in this ride.
<i>Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. </i>
I was a little dubious reading this little serial as I've not read anything by the author before and I generally don't read 5 star reviews because of personal choices.
Going into <i>Untamed </i> I was pleasantly surprised by the way it was written. I had expected it to be a quick serial number with little going on and a quick steamy sex scene but there was plenty happening in this serial.
Dr Cari Dunn is a celebrity architect with a stalker. A pretty crazy stalker as stalkers are want to be. The network she does a TV show for hires a bodyguard to protect her - queue Jasper. A sinfully hot male with an alpha streak - just how I like my males!
As it's a pretty short price of writing everything meshes together nicely with a wickedly good sex scene and a great cliffhanger that leaves the series open for the next instalment which is released a week after this one.
I think the one big thing that put me off a bit was the mention of Christian Grey. Those are two words that will put me off any book but thankfully he was only mentioned once in passing.
We'll see where the next part takes us in this ride.