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Dana (24 KP) rated 7 Days to Die in Video Games
Sep 8, 2017
Addicting if it's your thing
I had heard this game was like Minecraft for adults with scarier zombies and they were certainly... not wrong. It's an adventure game where you must survive in a post apocalyptic wasteland with nothing but your wits to begin. You must craft items and loot everything you encounter, all while avoiding (or seeking out) zombies. There are quite a few things about this game that I enjoy and think makes it unique.
First, it's open world (sort of, you do have a huge map you can explore, but there are limits). It is a massive world where you must discover or build your own place of residence or loot cities, avoid toxic air environments, try not to freeze to death in the snow lands, die of heat in the deserts, among other things.
The one thing that makes it unique is that every 7 days, massive hordes of zombies (growing in size every additional 7 days) rush you to try and kill you. You better fortify your base or you won't last long.
Overall, I'm still addicted to this game a month after purchase. It still creeps me out and provides entertainment,.
First, it's open world (sort of, you do have a huge map you can explore, but there are limits). It is a massive world where you must discover or build your own place of residence or loot cities, avoid toxic air environments, try not to freeze to death in the snow lands, die of heat in the deserts, among other things.
The one thing that makes it unique is that every 7 days, massive hordes of zombies (growing in size every additional 7 days) rush you to try and kill you. You better fortify your base or you won't last long.
Overall, I'm still addicted to this game a month after purchase. It still creeps me out and provides entertainment,.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Possibility of Everything in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The Possibility of Everything was amazing. I was instantly wrapped up in Hope’s story, and fell in love with her little girl Maya. It was absolutely impossible to put down.
Hope had to go through so much to heal her daughter—she had to be brave and learn to accept things that she was afraid of, and things that just don’t match up with common sense. Hope is someone who does not believe in magic, spirits, or God, yet she’s taking her daughter to a healer who “communicates with the spirit world,” and she hates the idea… but people will do anything for the ones that they love. “Because what mother wouldn’t do anything for her child?”
As a person who loves and adores children myself, seeing Maya in the state that she was in was heartbreaking. There were parts of this book that I didn’t “enjoy,” because they were scary and sad, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t good. It was painful to watch Maya and her parents suffer—but it was also an amazing story, and one that needs to be read by everyone.
Recommendation: Ages 14+
**Thank you to Dorothy from Pump Up Your Book for supplying my review copy!**
Hope had to go through so much to heal her daughter—she had to be brave and learn to accept things that she was afraid of, and things that just don’t match up with common sense. Hope is someone who does not believe in magic, spirits, or God, yet she’s taking her daughter to a healer who “communicates with the spirit world,” and she hates the idea… but people will do anything for the ones that they love. “Because what mother wouldn’t do anything for her child?”
As a person who loves and adores children myself, seeing Maya in the state that she was in was heartbreaking. There were parts of this book that I didn’t “enjoy,” because they were scary and sad, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t good. It was painful to watch Maya and her parents suffer—but it was also an amazing story, and one that needs to be read by everyone.
Recommendation: Ages 14+
**Thank you to Dorothy from Pump Up Your Book for supplying my review copy!**
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Red Red Car in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The red RED car is not just called red because of the color of his paint—he’s red with anger. He never follows the rules and always does what he wants. That gets him into trouble one day when he tries to be in a race. The red RED car gets hurt and goes to the hospital, and decides that he needs to change, and he works hard on controlling his anger. Then once he masters his anger, he wins every race.
The message in The Red RED Car was clear and very important for kids—anger is hurtful to others as well as to you.
I thought The Red RED car was really cute and showed anger for what it was: ugly and scary. The illustrations were very colorful and energetic, perfect for the book.
The only part I didn’t like was the fact that when the car got hurt he “heard voices” (his own voice in his head telling him it was his own fault that he lost) and fell unconscious, and that seems just a little odd for a children’s book.
Recommendation: Ages 4-8
to see this review with images, go here:
http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/2009/12/review-red-red-car.html
The message in The Red RED Car was clear and very important for kids—anger is hurtful to others as well as to you.
I thought The Red RED car was really cute and showed anger for what it was: ugly and scary. The illustrations were very colorful and energetic, perfect for the book.
The only part I didn’t like was the fact that when the car got hurt he “heard voices” (his own voice in his head telling him it was his own fault that he lost) and fell unconscious, and that seems just a little odd for a children’s book.
Recommendation: Ages 4-8
to see this review with images, go here:
http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/2009/12/review-red-red-car.html
*＊✿❀ Maki ❀✿＊* (7 KP) rated Selfies in Books
May 3, 2018
Selfies was a fun combination of modern day vanity and the old belief that taking a picture of someone captures a part of that person's soul.
It was...okay. I liked how the story was told in a series of photo descriptions. The build up towards the ending is pretty well paced, although the strange break at the beginning where the random kid delivers exposition felt a bit out of place. It felt like it would have served better as an epilogue, rather than an opening.
My biggest problem was that I really couldn't take the story seriously. It was never scary or creepy for me.
I guess I've just read one too many <a href="http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/Creepypasta_Wiki">creepypastas</a>;. (I had an addiction to them earlier on in the year.)
This short even follows the general format of a creepypasta, down to the girl getting the phone from a creepy old man in a store that mysteriously disappears after the phone is passed off on her. The story was at least well-written, and properly edited, which is more than I can say for most creepypastas out there.
You can read it for free <a href="http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/09/selfies-lavie-tidhar">here</a>;.
It was...okay. I liked how the story was told in a series of photo descriptions. The build up towards the ending is pretty well paced, although the strange break at the beginning where the random kid delivers exposition felt a bit out of place. It felt like it would have served better as an epilogue, rather than an opening.
My biggest problem was that I really couldn't take the story seriously. It was never scary or creepy for me.
I guess I've just read one too many <a href="http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/Creepypasta_Wiki">creepypastas</a>;. (I had an addiction to them earlier on in the year.)
This short even follows the general format of a creepypasta, down to the girl getting the phone from a creepy old man in a store that mysteriously disappears after the phone is passed off on her. The story was at least well-written, and properly edited, which is more than I can say for most creepypastas out there.
You can read it for free <a href="http://www.tor.com/stories/2014/09/selfies-lavie-tidhar">here</a>;.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Indivisible in Books
Feb 27, 2019
As a former military brat, I love to read anything about the military. As a long time fan of Travis Thrasher's this book was a double bonus for me. I loved every second of this 5 star worthy novelization of true events.
PTSD is a very real, very scary thing for many folks. This story is about that. I felt every emotion of Heather and Darren as if it was my own. Every pain filled moment, every tear filled scene was my own. That is powerful when a novelization can do that to me. The beautiful story of Heather and Darren become a part of me and I won't soon forget them.
If you are looking to read a book that will fill you with hope, understanding, mercy and faith, then grab this book now. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I imagine it will be just as powerful as this book is. Five stars just doesn't seem like enough praises for this. Hats off to Travis Trasher for creating a beautiful, emotion filled novelization of Darren and Heather's story.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under not obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
PTSD is a very real, very scary thing for many folks. This story is about that. I felt every emotion of Heather and Darren as if it was my own. Every pain filled moment, every tear filled scene was my own. That is powerful when a novelization can do that to me. The beautiful story of Heather and Darren become a part of me and I won't soon forget them.
If you are looking to read a book that will fill you with hope, understanding, mercy and faith, then grab this book now. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I imagine it will be just as powerful as this book is. Five stars just doesn't seem like enough praises for this. Hats off to Travis Trasher for creating a beautiful, emotion filled novelization of Darren and Heather's story.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under not obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Silence (2019) in Movies
Apr 22, 2019
Nothing new
I’m starting to get a little sick of all these apocalyptic end of the world type films. It’s not so bad when they’re actually done well, but sadly this is not one of those films. It’s a very poor relation of A Quiet Place, and an unnecessary one at that. Apart from Stanley Tucci and Kiernan Shipka, I don’t really have anything good to say about this film.
It’s mostly predictable and pretty dull really, with a lot of plot ideas being taken from other films and shows. There’s nothing truly original about this other than the creatures themselves, and that’s not something to be proud of. Whilst on first glance the creatures might be slightly weird and creepy, the more you see of them the more you realise they’re not actually that scary after all. I started to find them quite laughable. The characters in this are mostly stupid making silly mistakes and despite its short 90 minute run time, this really drags to the point where I was quickly losing attention. And the ending was just lame and rushed.
If you want to watch a creature horror film about silence, watch A Quiet Place, not this.
It’s mostly predictable and pretty dull really, with a lot of plot ideas being taken from other films and shows. There’s nothing truly original about this other than the creatures themselves, and that’s not something to be proud of. Whilst on first glance the creatures might be slightly weird and creepy, the more you see of them the more you realise they’re not actually that scary after all. I started to find them quite laughable. The characters in this are mostly stupid making silly mistakes and despite its short 90 minute run time, this really drags to the point where I was quickly losing attention. And the ending was just lame and rushed.
If you want to watch a creature horror film about silence, watch A Quiet Place, not this.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated No One Gets Out Alive in Books
Mar 15, 2018
It has been a while since I read anything scary, so I decided to give this one a go. Unfortunately, while this wasn't exactly a bad book, for being horror it was pretty light in the scares department. Following a very down-on-her-luck girl who rents a room from a rather shady landlord in what turns out to be a haunted boarding house, it would seem like a good set-up for creepy goings-on, and there are all manner of upsetting things that happen. The problem lies in the way they are presented. Most of the situations that have the strongest potential at building suspense are set-up, and then suddenly told after the fact. In doing so, it removes pretty much all fear from the equation, as we already know more-or-less what transpired before reading about it in grisly detail. Nevermind that the protagonist's actions require some extreme suspension of disbelief, at least try to scare me from time to time. Things do improve in the markedly different (and better) second half, but by then it's a case of too little too late. A decent enough read that I might check out some more of this author's books, but I can't say I recommend this one.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Wicker Man (1973) in Movies
Feb 18, 2018 (Updated Feb 18, 2018)
British folk-horror film is part of the mini-boom in 'British civil servant travels by seaplane to sun-obsessed Christopher Lee's remote island in search of missing girl, discovers Britt Ekland waiting for him' movies that happened in 1973-4. Devout Christian copper (Woodward) visits Summerisle (off the Scottish coast) after receiving a tip-off about a vanishing schoolgirl, is appalled by what he sees as the immorality of the islanders. The lord of the place (Lee) assures him that there's nothing to be worried about, they just have different ethical standards (they're all Pagans), but Woodward is not convinced. Is something nasty lined up for May Day?
Books have been written about the tortuous distribution endured by The Wicker Man and its producers; rumours persist that the original much longer version is buried under a motorway somewhere in England. But all the available cuts are excellent, if not superb: the film is not particularly scary per se, more a queasy examination of how society, morality and religion intersect with one another; manages to make moral relativism seem more disturbing than devil-worship, somehow. Has one of the greatest non-endings in cinema history. Great performances, banging tunes, thoughtful and playful script; a film for all seasons, but goes especially well with a barbecue.
Books have been written about the tortuous distribution endured by The Wicker Man and its producers; rumours persist that the original much longer version is buried under a motorway somewhere in England. But all the available cuts are excellent, if not superb: the film is not particularly scary per se, more a queasy examination of how society, morality and religion intersect with one another; manages to make moral relativism seem more disturbing than devil-worship, somehow. Has one of the greatest non-endings in cinema history. Great performances, banging tunes, thoughtful and playful script; a film for all seasons, but goes especially well with a barbecue.
Karica Truebenbach (156 KP) rated The Exorcist (1973) in Movies
Sep 27, 2018
A classic for a reason
This movie has everything a horror fan could want. Demons, possession, the never-not-scary backward walking down the staircase, and of course, head spinning. This story of a girl possessed and slowly being devoured by a demon is my favorite kind of horror because it doesn't make you scared for a second. It makes you scared for years. The kind of story where you feel like it could really happen so you go home and check your closets, under the beds, and your kids' foreheads for triple sixes.
Compared to what we have now, the visual aspect of the movie is not the cleanest, but that doesn't detract from the awesome makeup and other effects. Reagan's slow descent into hell is reflected in her appearance as her teeth blacken and her skin rots with lesions. She does something in the movie that still makes my skin crawl (crucifix scene, ugh) but that's how I can tell that the movie hit its mark, if I can think on it years later and still get the creeps. This is definitely something to add to your Halloween collection if you haven't already.
Compared to what we have now, the visual aspect of the movie is not the cleanest, but that doesn't detract from the awesome makeup and other effects. Reagan's slow descent into hell is reflected in her appearance as her teeth blacken and her skin rots with lesions. She does something in the movie that still makes my skin crawl (crucifix scene, ugh) but that's how I can tell that the movie hit its mark, if I can think on it years later and still get the creeps. This is definitely something to add to your Halloween collection if you haven't already.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018) in Movies
Oct 3, 2018
Could've been so much more
I knew relatively nothing about this film but having been impressed by the recent Goosebumps films (not the new sequel), I had fairly high expectations. Sadly it didn't live up to them.
For me this film seemed to be nothing new. I was bored for the most of this and there were only a few parts that I really enjoyed. A lot of the humour and banter between the characters seemed a little too ott and forced and made me cringe more than it made me smile. The effects were alright and there were some truly creepy scenes, just not enough. Cate Blanchett probably saved this, as even Jack Black couldn't bring back the magic he had with RL Stine. And the evil warlock wasn't particularly scary or threatening, and the whole ending was lacking any sort of menacing terror or suspense.
I also spent the entire film thinking the kid was the one from Room (Jacob Tremblay), and wondering why on earth his acting was so bad. The kid was one of the problems in this, I won't lie and his crying was particularly horrendous. And then when the credits rolled I realised it wasn't him after all...
For me this film seemed to be nothing new. I was bored for the most of this and there were only a few parts that I really enjoyed. A lot of the humour and banter between the characters seemed a little too ott and forced and made me cringe more than it made me smile. The effects were alright and there were some truly creepy scenes, just not enough. Cate Blanchett probably saved this, as even Jack Black couldn't bring back the magic he had with RL Stine. And the evil warlock wasn't particularly scary or threatening, and the whole ending was lacking any sort of menacing terror or suspense.
I also spent the entire film thinking the kid was the one from Room (Jacob Tremblay), and wondering why on earth his acting was so bad. The kid was one of the problems in this, I won't lie and his crying was particularly horrendous. And then when the credits rolled I realised it wasn't him after all...