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Christina Haynes (148 KP) rated War of the Cards in Books
Feb 16, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
WAR OF THE CARDS
COLLEEN OAKES
352
FAIRYTALE RETELLINGS / FANTASY
She paused and drew a finger dramatically across her neck.
“OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!”
The army answered back.
OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!”
This book gave me chills!
Sypnosis:
The final book in the twisted YA trilogy re-imagining of the origin story of the Queen of Hearts. Dinah has lost everyone she ever loved. Her brother was brutally murdered. The wicked man she believed was her father betrayed her. Her loyal subjects have been devastated by war. And the boy she gave her heart to broke it completely.
Main characters:
– Dinah (the Queen of Hearts)
– Wardley
– Cheshire
– Sir Gorrann
– Mundoo
Main events:
Dinah is now ready for battle against her “father” the King of Hearts. Her and her gang of Yurkei – Spades and friends, head off the palace to battle for the crown.
Most exciting part:
When Dinah steps through the sky curtain. Ooh.
My favourite part:
The battle scene – you see how much Dinah’s character development has changed.
My summary:
Very good book – a great ending to the series. I love retellings and this one is one of my favourites. Great links and references to the original stories with names and descriptions.
My Review:
The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer’s day. The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away. The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore. The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts and vowed he’d steal no more.
This story isn’t a nice as that poem, this story involves heartbreak, love, murder, revenge, family feuds and lots of secret plotting. Colleen Oakes turns a classic story into an amazing retelling of the infamous Queen of Hearts.
SPOILERS
Dinah is born into royalty, daughter of Queen Davianna and the cruel King of Hearts. Dinah’s mother died when she was young, leaving her and her Mad as a Hatter brother Charles alone. After her brother is murdered in cold blood Dinah is soon to be blamed by the King of Hearts and the rest of the Kingdom. She soon flees after a man in a cloak tells her to run and leave the palace.
She leaves her Kingdom and the love of her life Wardley behind and ends up in the Twisted Woods. Throughout the first two books, you see her hate her father and why. She finds out she has a sister called Vittiore who in fact is not her sister and her father lied about who she actually was, by claiming he met someone who later became pregnant, when in fact he found her and made her pretend she was his daughter. The way he treats Dinah and her brother. How the cruel King rules Wonderland and treats his people.
You travel with Dinah and a Spade called Sir Gorrann, (who she meets in the Twisted Woods) to where the Yureki live. You meet them and find out they are in fact good people who later help her take the role as Queen of Hearts.
But most importantly you find out that her father is, in fact, Cheshire the King of Heart’s loyal advisor. Who was “in love” with Queen Davianna and had a secret affair with her which lead to Dinah. I say “in love” because later it’s revealed that all along Cheshire had planned this moment and wanted to be apart of Wonderland more closely like having a daughter as the Queen of Hearts! So it’s unclear whether he did actually love her, or if he loved the fact of her. As we all know Cheshire loves himself.
The third book for me tests Dinah in more ways, what she has been through is a lot. But now she has to face rejection from the man she has always loved. Becoming a leader of many men who in fact don’t get along. Realising all her life she has feared a man who isn’t actually her father, who is the real reason her mother died; through neglect. Her brother wasn’t murdered by who she thought – the King of Hearts. Her sister isn’t her sister. But most importantly Dinah learns how to keep her head.
I loved this series because I loved Dinah. I felt for her the whole time and not once did I hate her. Yes, she did something so bad and later regretted it by cutting off Vittiore’s head when she saw her and Wardley in bed together – which later made him hate her. But she also beat the King of Hearts, led an army of Yurkei and Spades to war and beat the Kings army. Trained a Hornhoov called Morte who was her loyal friend till the end. She even went into the Sky Curtain and came out alive. She kept her promises of peace and followed through by changing the ways of the Wonderlanders lives. She destroyed the horrible Black Tower and changed the lives of the Spades for the better. Gave Cheshire his just desserts, tried to make amends with Wardley and became the Queen Wonderland needs and deserves.
Dinah is amazing and despite a few bad things she has done, she is a good person who knows right and wrong and wants to makes things better and I loved following her on this journey throughout Wonderland.
Rating:
5 ★ – AMAZING
Love, Christina ?
COLLEEN OAKES
352
FAIRYTALE RETELLINGS / FANTASY
She paused and drew a finger dramatically across her neck.
“OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!”
The army answered back.
OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!”
This book gave me chills!
Sypnosis:
The final book in the twisted YA trilogy re-imagining of the origin story of the Queen of Hearts. Dinah has lost everyone she ever loved. Her brother was brutally murdered. The wicked man she believed was her father betrayed her. Her loyal subjects have been devastated by war. And the boy she gave her heart to broke it completely.
Main characters:
– Dinah (the Queen of Hearts)
– Wardley
– Cheshire
– Sir Gorrann
– Mundoo
Main events:
Dinah is now ready for battle against her “father” the King of Hearts. Her and her gang of Yurkei – Spades and friends, head off the palace to battle for the crown.
Most exciting part:
When Dinah steps through the sky curtain. Ooh.
My favourite part:
The battle scene – you see how much Dinah’s character development has changed.
My summary:
Very good book – a great ending to the series. I love retellings and this one is one of my favourites. Great links and references to the original stories with names and descriptions.
My Review:
The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer’s day. The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away. The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore. The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts and vowed he’d steal no more.
This story isn’t a nice as that poem, this story involves heartbreak, love, murder, revenge, family feuds and lots of secret plotting. Colleen Oakes turns a classic story into an amazing retelling of the infamous Queen of Hearts.
SPOILERS
Dinah is born into royalty, daughter of Queen Davianna and the cruel King of Hearts. Dinah’s mother died when she was young, leaving her and her Mad as a Hatter brother Charles alone. After her brother is murdered in cold blood Dinah is soon to be blamed by the King of Hearts and the rest of the Kingdom. She soon flees after a man in a cloak tells her to run and leave the palace.
She leaves her Kingdom and the love of her life Wardley behind and ends up in the Twisted Woods. Throughout the first two books, you see her hate her father and why. She finds out she has a sister called Vittiore who in fact is not her sister and her father lied about who she actually was, by claiming he met someone who later became pregnant, when in fact he found her and made her pretend she was his daughter. The way he treats Dinah and her brother. How the cruel King rules Wonderland and treats his people.
You travel with Dinah and a Spade called Sir Gorrann, (who she meets in the Twisted Woods) to where the Yureki live. You meet them and find out they are in fact good people who later help her take the role as Queen of Hearts.
But most importantly you find out that her father is, in fact, Cheshire the King of Heart’s loyal advisor. Who was “in love” with Queen Davianna and had a secret affair with her which lead to Dinah. I say “in love” because later it’s revealed that all along Cheshire had planned this moment and wanted to be apart of Wonderland more closely like having a daughter as the Queen of Hearts! So it’s unclear whether he did actually love her, or if he loved the fact of her. As we all know Cheshire loves himself.
The third book for me tests Dinah in more ways, what she has been through is a lot. But now she has to face rejection from the man she has always loved. Becoming a leader of many men who in fact don’t get along. Realising all her life she has feared a man who isn’t actually her father, who is the real reason her mother died; through neglect. Her brother wasn’t murdered by who she thought – the King of Hearts. Her sister isn’t her sister. But most importantly Dinah learns how to keep her head.
I loved this series because I loved Dinah. I felt for her the whole time and not once did I hate her. Yes, she did something so bad and later regretted it by cutting off Vittiore’s head when she saw her and Wardley in bed together – which later made him hate her. But she also beat the King of Hearts, led an army of Yurkei and Spades to war and beat the Kings army. Trained a Hornhoov called Morte who was her loyal friend till the end. She even went into the Sky Curtain and came out alive. She kept her promises of peace and followed through by changing the ways of the Wonderlanders lives. She destroyed the horrible Black Tower and changed the lives of the Spades for the better. Gave Cheshire his just desserts, tried to make amends with Wardley and became the Queen Wonderland needs and deserves.
Dinah is amazing and despite a few bad things she has done, she is a good person who knows right and wrong and wants to makes things better and I loved following her on this journey throughout Wonderland.
Rating:
5 ★ – AMAZING
Love, Christina ?
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: A Tale of Two Sisters starts with Soo-mi Bae in a hospital with a doctor trying to convince her to tell her story. We flashback to when sisters Soo-mi Bae (Lim) and Soo-yeon Bae (Moon) move to the country home owned by their father Moo-hyeon Bae (Kim) and their new stepmother Eun-joo Heo (Yum).
The two sisters don’t like their new stepmother and to make matters worse the two discover that they are being haunted by a spirit, but is the spirit guiding them to uncover a truth or does it have another motive?
A Tale of Two Sisters really makes you wonder what is going on because once the big reveal happens you are left wondering what just happened. Everything is very well created with the suspense building up through the early part of the film and returning to the high level by the end of the film. This story does need a re-watch because you will want to check out everything that is finally reveal.
Actor Review
Kap-su Kim: Moo-hyeon Bae is the father of the family who does seem to end up becoming pretty much a background character to the three female characters. I feel this character falls to the background too much to get a high enough rating.
Jung-ah Yum: Eun-joo Heo is the stepmother of the family who doesn’t seem to like the two girls, she has a past that is hidden but once it gets discovered we see hat she is capable off. I think she makes for a very good menacing performance throughout while looking very normal to her husband.
Su-Jeong Lim: Soo-mi Bae is the eldest of the sisters who always protects her younger sister from the new stepmother, she learns more about the stepmother’s past but has past that ends up helping with the final reveal. This is a good performance showing the fear and the caring side being used throughout.
Geun-young Moon: Soo-Yeon Bae is the younger sister who always looks at her big sister for protection, constantly following her around the house, we learn about why she is being haunted and needing help as the film unfolds. This is good performance that ends up have a big secret.
Support Cast: A Tale of Two Sisters really doesn’t have much of a supporting cast but the very few we have all do what they need to do.
Director Review: Jee-woon Kim – Jee-woon gives us a very good horror that will keep you guessing until the very end where you will be left wonder what did happen.
Horror: A Tale of Two Sisters has real horror moments when they happen that will shock you.
Mystery: A Tale of Two Sisters creates a mystery about what is happening and what is the secret behind the stepmother.
Thriller: A Tale of Two Sisters keeps you guessing to what will happen by the end of the film.
Settings: A Tale of Two Sisters keeps all the action of the film in an isolated country house which adds to the horror because the girls have no where to go or no one to see.
Special Effects: A Tale of Two Sisters uses the effects for the haunting which are the only need for them.
Suggestion: A Tale of Two Sisters is one for the horror fans to try which is don’t go and watch remake first. (Horror Fans Try)
Best Part: Girl at the end of the bed nightmare.
Worst Part: You will need to double check the twist.
Scariest Scene: Girl at the end of the bed.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes
Tagline: Every family has its dark secrets.
Overall: Horror film that is filled with suspense filled scares but a final twist that makes you wonder what really happened.
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/12/25/movie-reviews-101-midnight-horror-a-tale-of-two-sisters-2003/
The two sisters don’t like their new stepmother and to make matters worse the two discover that they are being haunted by a spirit, but is the spirit guiding them to uncover a truth or does it have another motive?
A Tale of Two Sisters really makes you wonder what is going on because once the big reveal happens you are left wondering what just happened. Everything is very well created with the suspense building up through the early part of the film and returning to the high level by the end of the film. This story does need a re-watch because you will want to check out everything that is finally reveal.
Actor Review
Kap-su Kim: Moo-hyeon Bae is the father of the family who does seem to end up becoming pretty much a background character to the three female characters. I feel this character falls to the background too much to get a high enough rating.
Jung-ah Yum: Eun-joo Heo is the stepmother of the family who doesn’t seem to like the two girls, she has a past that is hidden but once it gets discovered we see hat she is capable off. I think she makes for a very good menacing performance throughout while looking very normal to her husband.
Su-Jeong Lim: Soo-mi Bae is the eldest of the sisters who always protects her younger sister from the new stepmother, she learns more about the stepmother’s past but has past that ends up helping with the final reveal. This is a good performance showing the fear and the caring side being used throughout.
Geun-young Moon: Soo-Yeon Bae is the younger sister who always looks at her big sister for protection, constantly following her around the house, we learn about why she is being haunted and needing help as the film unfolds. This is good performance that ends up have a big secret.
Support Cast: A Tale of Two Sisters really doesn’t have much of a supporting cast but the very few we have all do what they need to do.
Director Review: Jee-woon Kim – Jee-woon gives us a very good horror that will keep you guessing until the very end where you will be left wonder what did happen.
Horror: A Tale of Two Sisters has real horror moments when they happen that will shock you.
Mystery: A Tale of Two Sisters creates a mystery about what is happening and what is the secret behind the stepmother.
Thriller: A Tale of Two Sisters keeps you guessing to what will happen by the end of the film.
Settings: A Tale of Two Sisters keeps all the action of the film in an isolated country house which adds to the horror because the girls have no where to go or no one to see.
Special Effects: A Tale of Two Sisters uses the effects for the haunting which are the only need for them.
Suggestion: A Tale of Two Sisters is one for the horror fans to try which is don’t go and watch remake first. (Horror Fans Try)
Best Part: Girl at the end of the bed nightmare.
Worst Part: You will need to double check the twist.
Scariest Scene: Girl at the end of the bed.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes
Tagline: Every family has its dark secrets.
Overall: Horror film that is filled with suspense filled scares but a final twist that makes you wonder what really happened.
https://moviesreview101.com/2015/12/25/movie-reviews-101-midnight-horror-a-tale-of-two-sisters-2003/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Mrs. Everything in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Jo and Bethie, sisters growing up in 1950s Detroit, are leading rather rigid lives. Jo is the troubled and angry older sister--the "different" one, while Bethie is the adored, perfect younger sister. Jo feels completely misunderstood by their mother, Sarah, but at least she has their father to act as a go-between. But, as the sisters grow up and move out, they somehow find their roles and lives changing. Bethie becomes the free spirit: the one unable to settle down and please their mother. Meanwhile, Jo marries and leads a picture-perfect life with her husband and children. Yet, deep down, neither sister is truly happy. Is it too late for either Jo or Bethie to find the life they really want?
This is a really wonderful novel from Jennifer Weiner. In the beginning, she states that she always wanted to write about a woman like her mom, who was born in the 40s, came of age in the 60s, married and had children, but then divorced and ended up falling in love with a woman. By then, times had changed and she could live a very different life than when she was born. Framing the story in this way makes perfect sense, and I think Weiner has more than fulfilled her goal. She's written a gorgeous and sweeping epic novel, starting with Jo and Bethie as children and continuing throughout the majority of their lives.
The novel, as mentioned, starts with Jo and Bethie as kids, moving into a new house in Michigan. Each is hopeful for a new start to their small kid-sized lives. Already Jo is feeling different. The book is told from both Jo and Bethie's perspectives, and Weiner does a wonderful job of not only capturing each of their own unique voices, but telling the story from their perspective at that particular time period.
"But maybe, in this new place, she could make a fresh start. Maybe here, she could be a good girl."
From the beginning, we clearly see how much trouble Jo is to her mother, and how she struggles with her feelings of being different. She's a tomboy who hates dresses and loves sports. She doesn't want to date the boys that her other classmates fawn over. I had no idea that the book was going to cover Jo's sexuality in this way, and it was such a pleasant surprise. It's so well-done. I loved the unexpected storyline about this intelligent and strong girl/woman struggling with her sexual orientation during a time period where it not at all accepted: it was very poignant and touching.
"I am going to leave here, she thought. I am going to read, and I am going to write. I am going to find a girl who is brave enough to love me, and I am going to have the kind of life I want."
So this book touches on a lot of tough subjects--racism, immigration, feminism, sexual orientation, religion, sexual assault, and more. It offers a discussion on womanhood, motherhood, marriage, and the options available to women (or not). Perhaps in the hands of a lesser author, this would all be too much, but through Weiner's deft writing, it's really truly beautifully done. The book spans a huge time period, but it never feels rushed or as if too much is crammed in. Once you get into Jo and Bethie's story, you're there: you are part of the family. And truly, this is a story of family at its core. A bitter family, perhaps, at times. It's a story of how certain moments can change the course of your life. But it's also a story of love and sisterhood, in all its many forms.
"'You think I ruined your life? Well I think you ruined mine.'"
Overall, this is a really lovely book. It's heartbreaking at times, for sure, and I cried at the end, but it's a testament to how much I fell for these two sisters. Its story of strength and love is a wonderful theme. It's a book for and about women, with some excellent messaging about women and society. (Wow, so much has changed and yet so little, it seems.) I certainly recommend this one. 4.5 stars.
This is a really wonderful novel from Jennifer Weiner. In the beginning, she states that she always wanted to write about a woman like her mom, who was born in the 40s, came of age in the 60s, married and had children, but then divorced and ended up falling in love with a woman. By then, times had changed and she could live a very different life than when she was born. Framing the story in this way makes perfect sense, and I think Weiner has more than fulfilled her goal. She's written a gorgeous and sweeping epic novel, starting with Jo and Bethie as children and continuing throughout the majority of their lives.
The novel, as mentioned, starts with Jo and Bethie as kids, moving into a new house in Michigan. Each is hopeful for a new start to their small kid-sized lives. Already Jo is feeling different. The book is told from both Jo and Bethie's perspectives, and Weiner does a wonderful job of not only capturing each of their own unique voices, but telling the story from their perspective at that particular time period.
"But maybe, in this new place, she could make a fresh start. Maybe here, she could be a good girl."
From the beginning, we clearly see how much trouble Jo is to her mother, and how she struggles with her feelings of being different. She's a tomboy who hates dresses and loves sports. She doesn't want to date the boys that her other classmates fawn over. I had no idea that the book was going to cover Jo's sexuality in this way, and it was such a pleasant surprise. It's so well-done. I loved the unexpected storyline about this intelligent and strong girl/woman struggling with her sexual orientation during a time period where it not at all accepted: it was very poignant and touching.
"I am going to leave here, she thought. I am going to read, and I am going to write. I am going to find a girl who is brave enough to love me, and I am going to have the kind of life I want."
So this book touches on a lot of tough subjects--racism, immigration, feminism, sexual orientation, religion, sexual assault, and more. It offers a discussion on womanhood, motherhood, marriage, and the options available to women (or not). Perhaps in the hands of a lesser author, this would all be too much, but through Weiner's deft writing, it's really truly beautifully done. The book spans a huge time period, but it never feels rushed or as if too much is crammed in. Once you get into Jo and Bethie's story, you're there: you are part of the family. And truly, this is a story of family at its core. A bitter family, perhaps, at times. It's a story of how certain moments can change the course of your life. But it's also a story of love and sisterhood, in all its many forms.
"'You think I ruined your life? Well I think you ruined mine.'"
Overall, this is a really lovely book. It's heartbreaking at times, for sure, and I cried at the end, but it's a testament to how much I fell for these two sisters. Its story of strength and love is a wonderful theme. It's a book for and about women, with some excellent messaging about women and society. (Wow, so much has changed and yet so little, it seems.) I certainly recommend this one. 4.5 stars.
Ninja Girl Adventures (Ninja Girl Adventures #1)
Melissa Wilson and Phil Elmore
10.0
Rate It
Book
Sister Power at It’s Best Moira Mackenzie is just 14 years old. Her sister Mindy is 15, and...
Young Adult Thriller
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Mirror, Shoulder, Signal in Books
Aug 7, 2017
Danish Literature
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Shortlisted for The Man Booker International Prize 2017, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a piece of Danish literature by Dorthe Nors, translated into English by Misha Hoekstra. It has a tragicomic nature, introducing the 40-year-old Sonja, a woman who is trying but failing to move in the right direction.
Sonja is the type of character full of flaws that readers will recognise in themselves. Although she has successfully become self-employed, translating crime novels from Swedish into Danish, Sonja feels she has not accomplished anything in life. Despite one unlucky attempt at love, Sonja has remained single, moving to Copenhagen in an attempt to find herself. Determined to earn her driving licence Sonja braves the lessons in the busy city, however, she cannot handle gear changes. In other areas of her life, she tries weekly massage therapy and attempts a meditation exercise. Unfortunately, Sonja remains apathetic to the whole scenario and would rather be somewhere warm eating cake.
Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a cleverly crafted title that makes repeat appearances throughout the narrative. The three words are instructions that Sonja repeats as a mantra each time she pulls away from the curb in her instructor’s car. The majority of the book takes place during these lessons, or, if not there, face down on Ellen’s massage table.
Sonja’s narration constantly varies between the present and memories from her childhood. A particular focus is the recollection of events involving her sister Kate. They may not have been close when they were young, but now it is almost impossible for Sonja to contact her sister. It is as though Sonja has been alienated from her own family.
Embellished with sexual innuendos, poor attempts at humour fail to bring any excitement to the story. There is no clear plot. At the beginning, readers may wonder if she will earn her driver’s licence – she does not – find love – she does not – find herself – she does not. What, then, was the point of this novel? Apart from a suggestion of future happiness in the final chapter of the book, there is no sense of resolution.
The issue with some translated stories is the loss of original intent and meanings. This does not seem to have been much of a problem in this instance; however, the translator has not been entirely successful in converting the Danish into a naturally flowing English.
Overall, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a bit of a disappointment, especially because it has been shortlisted for such a prestigious prize. Since the prize is meant to be awarding the author for continued creativity and contribution to fiction, it makes you wonder what critics saw in this novel to believe it stood a chance at earning the honour.
Shortlisted for The Man Booker International Prize 2017, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a piece of Danish literature by Dorthe Nors, translated into English by Misha Hoekstra. It has a tragicomic nature, introducing the 40-year-old Sonja, a woman who is trying but failing to move in the right direction.
Sonja is the type of character full of flaws that readers will recognise in themselves. Although she has successfully become self-employed, translating crime novels from Swedish into Danish, Sonja feels she has not accomplished anything in life. Despite one unlucky attempt at love, Sonja has remained single, moving to Copenhagen in an attempt to find herself. Determined to earn her driving licence Sonja braves the lessons in the busy city, however, she cannot handle gear changes. In other areas of her life, she tries weekly massage therapy and attempts a meditation exercise. Unfortunately, Sonja remains apathetic to the whole scenario and would rather be somewhere warm eating cake.
Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a cleverly crafted title that makes repeat appearances throughout the narrative. The three words are instructions that Sonja repeats as a mantra each time she pulls away from the curb in her instructor’s car. The majority of the book takes place during these lessons, or, if not there, face down on Ellen’s massage table.
Sonja’s narration constantly varies between the present and memories from her childhood. A particular focus is the recollection of events involving her sister Kate. They may not have been close when they were young, but now it is almost impossible for Sonja to contact her sister. It is as though Sonja has been alienated from her own family.
Embellished with sexual innuendos, poor attempts at humour fail to bring any excitement to the story. There is no clear plot. At the beginning, readers may wonder if she will earn her driver’s licence – she does not – find love – she does not – find herself – she does not. What, then, was the point of this novel? Apart from a suggestion of future happiness in the final chapter of the book, there is no sense of resolution.
The issue with some translated stories is the loss of original intent and meanings. This does not seem to have been much of a problem in this instance; however, the translator has not been entirely successful in converting the Danish into a naturally flowing English.
Overall, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal is a bit of a disappointment, especially because it has been shortlisted for such a prestigious prize. Since the prize is meant to be awarding the author for continued creativity and contribution to fiction, it makes you wonder what critics saw in this novel to believe it stood a chance at earning the honour.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Love You to Death in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Love you to Death by Shannon K. Butcher
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 2.5/5
Summary (from back of book):
It's been days since reporter Elise McBride has heard from her sister, Ashley. She's convinced Ashley has met with some kind of foul play, especially when she learns that bodies of other missing women have surfaced in and around Chicago--all victims of a brutal serial killer. Convinced her sister is still alive, Elise vows to risk everything to save her...
The last thing ex-cop Trent Brady needs is more blood on his hands. Yet when he catches Elise breaking into her sister's house, full of reckless determination and fear, he knows she needs his help. But just as desire ignites between them, a twisted madman sets his sights on Elise. Hell-bent on possessing her for himself, this psychopath won't rest until he has his perfect woman.
It’s hard for me to say where I sit for this book. There were some aspects of it that I liked (how do you spell Hottie? T-R-E-N-T.) and some that I didn’t (a lot of content.)
The plot wasn’t as mysterious as it could have been. I knew what the criminal was doing because when I read from his perspective, he told me. Also even at the end, there are some un-answered questions. They should have come up in the book and they didn’t.
This wasn’t a book that I was addicted to. I could only get through a few chapters at a time before having to put it down. The writing wasn’t anything special and the characters were just characters. They were realistic but not enough to make me really care about them. My favorite character was John, the ex-cop who was Trent’s partner. He just had so much character and personality. I think I would have enjoyed a book with him as the main character. Ashley and Elsie? Not so much.
On the good side, I liked the change in Elsie. In the beginning of the book she didn’t believe in true love, and laughed at the idea of marriage. She said it just didn’t work. She learned that that wasn’t true. I also liked that Trent was a marriage-minded man (There aren’t enough of those out there). But of course that didn’t stop their physical or sexual relationship any.
If you look at my sidebar at my rating system, you’ll see that this rating was the only one I could come up with. It wasn’t really worth reading, but I liked it enough to finish it.
Content: My opinion on the content is mentioned thought the review.
Recommendation: Ages 18+
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 2.5/5
Summary (from back of book):
It's been days since reporter Elise McBride has heard from her sister, Ashley. She's convinced Ashley has met with some kind of foul play, especially when she learns that bodies of other missing women have surfaced in and around Chicago--all victims of a brutal serial killer. Convinced her sister is still alive, Elise vows to risk everything to save her...
The last thing ex-cop Trent Brady needs is more blood on his hands. Yet when he catches Elise breaking into her sister's house, full of reckless determination and fear, he knows she needs his help. But just as desire ignites between them, a twisted madman sets his sights on Elise. Hell-bent on possessing her for himself, this psychopath won't rest until he has his perfect woman.
It’s hard for me to say where I sit for this book. There were some aspects of it that I liked (how do you spell Hottie? T-R-E-N-T.) and some that I didn’t (a lot of content.)
The plot wasn’t as mysterious as it could have been. I knew what the criminal was doing because when I read from his perspective, he told me. Also even at the end, there are some un-answered questions. They should have come up in the book and they didn’t.
This wasn’t a book that I was addicted to. I could only get through a few chapters at a time before having to put it down. The writing wasn’t anything special and the characters were just characters. They were realistic but not enough to make me really care about them. My favorite character was John, the ex-cop who was Trent’s partner. He just had so much character and personality. I think I would have enjoyed a book with him as the main character. Ashley and Elsie? Not so much.
On the good side, I liked the change in Elsie. In the beginning of the book she didn’t believe in true love, and laughed at the idea of marriage. She said it just didn’t work. She learned that that wasn’t true. I also liked that Trent was a marriage-minded man (There aren’t enough of those out there). But of course that didn’t stop their physical or sexual relationship any.
If you look at my sidebar at my rating system, you’ll see that this rating was the only one I could come up with. It wasn’t really worth reading, but I liked it enough to finish it.
Content: My opinion on the content is mentioned thought the review.
Recommendation: Ages 18+
Debbiereadsbook (1664 KP) rated Homecoming (Men of Devotion #1) in Books
Mar 29, 2019
great read, loved it!
Homecoming, arch, 4 stars, male/male, romance, friends to lovers, military dudes, first time author
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Jack returns home, after a botched mission leaves him 5 days in hell. He is bruised and broken. But coming home be the hardest thing he has done, especially when it brings him face to face with the only man he ever loved. The man who hates him for breaking his sister’s heart. The man in question, Dillon, doesn’t hate Jack as much as Jack thinks. When Dillon helps Jack with his PTSD, when Dillon’s touch makes Jack feel like he really DID come home, both men need to own their feelings for each other. But it takes Dillon’s sister to make Jack see.
I love reading about broken soldiers coming home, and this was no exception!
Jack is broken, inside and out, bones and mind. Five days in hell and he has been given six weeks of mandatory leave and for the first time in ten years, he goes home. Home to his mum and dying father. Home to the memories that are burned on his mind from the last time he was here. Home to where Dillon might be. He doesn’t know which is worse: facing Dillon, or NOT. I loved that Jack didn’t know! Dillon, though. He knows. He knows he wants to see Jack. Seeing the man who has held his heart for long in so much pain calls to him. He wants Jack, but he wants Jack to come to him. And when they do? It was beautiful! But Jack spoils it by running! Stoopid man thinks now he’s “got Dillon out his system” he’ll be able to lay it to rest. But Dillon is far more than a “get out of my system” kinda man, and it takes Dillon’s sister, and Jack’s mum, to make Jack see, to really SEE how much he cannot let Dillon go!
It’s only short, some 90 pages, but packs quite a punch. Both Jack and Dillon have their say, and in the third person. Each voice is clear and defined.
I read some reviews AFTER I read this, I don’t do it before. I made that mistake once and never again. Most of the reviews I found were from 2014, and not very good. I wonder has this been revised since. I found none of the problems that are mentioned! Also, I can’t find anything else by this author. So, given this is a FIRST-time author, I’ll say this is a very VERY good start.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Jack returns home, after a botched mission leaves him 5 days in hell. He is bruised and broken. But coming home be the hardest thing he has done, especially when it brings him face to face with the only man he ever loved. The man who hates him for breaking his sister’s heart. The man in question, Dillon, doesn’t hate Jack as much as Jack thinks. When Dillon helps Jack with his PTSD, when Dillon’s touch makes Jack feel like he really DID come home, both men need to own their feelings for each other. But it takes Dillon’s sister to make Jack see.
I love reading about broken soldiers coming home, and this was no exception!
Jack is broken, inside and out, bones and mind. Five days in hell and he has been given six weeks of mandatory leave and for the first time in ten years, he goes home. Home to his mum and dying father. Home to the memories that are burned on his mind from the last time he was here. Home to where Dillon might be. He doesn’t know which is worse: facing Dillon, or NOT. I loved that Jack didn’t know! Dillon, though. He knows. He knows he wants to see Jack. Seeing the man who has held his heart for long in so much pain calls to him. He wants Jack, but he wants Jack to come to him. And when they do? It was beautiful! But Jack spoils it by running! Stoopid man thinks now he’s “got Dillon out his system” he’ll be able to lay it to rest. But Dillon is far more than a “get out of my system” kinda man, and it takes Dillon’s sister, and Jack’s mum, to make Jack see, to really SEE how much he cannot let Dillon go!
It’s only short, some 90 pages, but packs quite a punch. Both Jack and Dillon have their say, and in the third person. Each voice is clear and defined.
I read some reviews AFTER I read this, I don’t do it before. I made that mistake once and never again. Most of the reviews I found were from 2014, and not very good. I wonder has this been revised since. I found none of the problems that are mentioned! Also, I can’t find anything else by this author. So, given this is a FIRST-time author, I’ll say this is a very VERY good start.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Maris (8 KP) rated Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel in Books
Jun 10, 2019
I can not tell you how disappointing this book was. Everything from the start of the sequel to the very end. I almost DNF the book, but since this is a sequel to one of my favorite Halloween movies as a child I wanted to finish the story. I knew it wasn't going to get better.
The beginning of the book is just a recap from the movie with more knowledge of the characters feelings and a little bit more about the Sanderson sisters. I'm pretty bummed out that the author left out my favorite scene from the movie which was when the kids ran up to the cop who really wasn't a cop! I just think that part should have been put into the book.
Once you get to the sequel its 25 years later on Halloween day in Salem. Max and Allison have a daughter named Poppy. I'm curious to why the author wanted the daughter name Poppy when everyone else has normal names like the author wanted the character to stand out more? Poppy has two close friends, Isabella and Travis. Poppy has a crush on her friend Isabella, and Travis who looks out for Poppy helping her with school, and social life with the other kids when Poppy seems to be getting attacked by others.
To sum it up without giving away to much of the story, Poppy doesn't believe in her parents or her Aunt Dani's story about Sanderson's sister when they were kids. Poppy, Isabella, and Travis head to the Sanderson's house and pretty much did exactly what her parents did 25 years ago minus the black candle.
It seems to me the author tried too hard to make this sequel to be better or equal to the first Hocus Pocus that she was adding too much of the same stuff from the first story. I didn't like the same jokes and it wasn't nearly as funny. The story was just too much for me and didn't have enough originality for me. One thing that was irritating was that Sarah Sanderson would say Amok Amok Amok in the first story than with the sequel she always seems to be repeating herself with words like Afoot and such.
You do get to read some familiar characters from the first story which was nice. There is a new character named Elizabeth who is Winnie, Mary, and Sarah's sister. I honestly didn't think it was necessary to add another witch to the famous Sanderson witches.
All in all this story wasn't it for me. Like I said I'm pretty bummed out about it. I couldn't get into the story, everything just seemed forced together and that the author was trying to hard to make this story stand out.
The beginning of the book is just a recap from the movie with more knowledge of the characters feelings and a little bit more about the Sanderson sisters. I'm pretty bummed out that the author left out my favorite scene from the movie which was when the kids ran up to the cop who really wasn't a cop! I just think that part should have been put into the book.
Once you get to the sequel its 25 years later on Halloween day in Salem. Max and Allison have a daughter named Poppy. I'm curious to why the author wanted the daughter name Poppy when everyone else has normal names like the author wanted the character to stand out more? Poppy has two close friends, Isabella and Travis. Poppy has a crush on her friend Isabella, and Travis who looks out for Poppy helping her with school, and social life with the other kids when Poppy seems to be getting attacked by others.
To sum it up without giving away to much of the story, Poppy doesn't believe in her parents or her Aunt Dani's story about Sanderson's sister when they were kids. Poppy, Isabella, and Travis head to the Sanderson's house and pretty much did exactly what her parents did 25 years ago minus the black candle.
It seems to me the author tried too hard to make this sequel to be better or equal to the first Hocus Pocus that she was adding too much of the same stuff from the first story. I didn't like the same jokes and it wasn't nearly as funny. The story was just too much for me and didn't have enough originality for me. One thing that was irritating was that Sarah Sanderson would say Amok Amok Amok in the first story than with the sequel she always seems to be repeating herself with words like Afoot and such.
You do get to read some familiar characters from the first story which was nice. There is a new character named Elizabeth who is Winnie, Mary, and Sarah's sister. I honestly didn't think it was necessary to add another witch to the famous Sanderson witches.
All in all this story wasn't it for me. Like I said I'm pretty bummed out about it. I couldn't get into the story, everything just seemed forced together and that the author was trying to hard to make this story stand out.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Mirror, Shoulder, Signal in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Shortlisted for The Man Booker International Prize 2017, <i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a piece of Danish literature by Dorthe Nors, translated into English by Misha Hoekstra. It has a tragicomic nature, introducing the 40-year-old Sonja, a woman who is trying but failing to move in the right direction.
Sonja is the type of character full of flaws that readers will recognise in themselves. Although she has successfully become self-employed, translating crime novels from Swedish into Danish, Sonja feels she has not accomplished anything in life. Despite one unlucky attempt at love, Sonja has remained single, moving to Copenhagen in an attempt to find herself. Determined to earn her driving licence Sonja braves the lessons in the busy city, however, she cannot handle gear changes. In other areas of her life, she tries weekly massage therapy and attempts a meditation exercise. Unfortunately, Sonja remains apathetic to the whole scenario and would rather be somewhere warm eating cake.
<i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a cleverly crafted title that makes repeat appearances throughout the narrative. The three words are instructions that Sonja repeats as a mantra each time she pulls away from the curb in her instructor’s car. The majority of the book takes place during these lessons, or, if not there, face down on Ellen’s massage table.
Sonja’s narration constantly varies between the present and memories from her childhood. A particular focus is the recollection of events involving her sister Kate. They may not have been close when they were young, but now it is almost impossible for Sonja to contact her sister. It is as though Sonja has been alienated from her own family.
Embellished with sexual innuendos, poor attempts at humour fail to bring any excitement to the story. There is no clear plot. At the beginning, readers may wonder if she will earn her driver’s licence – she does not – find love – she does not – find herself – she does not. What, then, was the point of this novel? Apart from a suggestion of future happiness in the final chapter of the book, there is no sense of resolution.
The issue with some translated stories is the loss of original intent and meanings. This does not seem to have been much of a problem in this instance; however, the translator has not been entirely successful in converting the Danish into a naturally flowing English.
Overall, <i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a bit of a disappointment, especially because it has been shortlisted for such a prestigious prize. Since the prize is meant to be awarding the author for continued creativity and contribution to fiction, it makes you wonder what critics saw in this novel to believe it stood a chance at earning the honour.
Shortlisted for The Man Booker International Prize 2017, <i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a piece of Danish literature by Dorthe Nors, translated into English by Misha Hoekstra. It has a tragicomic nature, introducing the 40-year-old Sonja, a woman who is trying but failing to move in the right direction.
Sonja is the type of character full of flaws that readers will recognise in themselves. Although she has successfully become self-employed, translating crime novels from Swedish into Danish, Sonja feels she has not accomplished anything in life. Despite one unlucky attempt at love, Sonja has remained single, moving to Copenhagen in an attempt to find herself. Determined to earn her driving licence Sonja braves the lessons in the busy city, however, she cannot handle gear changes. In other areas of her life, she tries weekly massage therapy and attempts a meditation exercise. Unfortunately, Sonja remains apathetic to the whole scenario and would rather be somewhere warm eating cake.
<i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a cleverly crafted title that makes repeat appearances throughout the narrative. The three words are instructions that Sonja repeats as a mantra each time she pulls away from the curb in her instructor’s car. The majority of the book takes place during these lessons, or, if not there, face down on Ellen’s massage table.
Sonja’s narration constantly varies between the present and memories from her childhood. A particular focus is the recollection of events involving her sister Kate. They may not have been close when they were young, but now it is almost impossible for Sonja to contact her sister. It is as though Sonja has been alienated from her own family.
Embellished with sexual innuendos, poor attempts at humour fail to bring any excitement to the story. There is no clear plot. At the beginning, readers may wonder if she will earn her driver’s licence – she does not – find love – she does not – find herself – she does not. What, then, was the point of this novel? Apart from a suggestion of future happiness in the final chapter of the book, there is no sense of resolution.
The issue with some translated stories is the loss of original intent and meanings. This does not seem to have been much of a problem in this instance; however, the translator has not been entirely successful in converting the Danish into a naturally flowing English.
Overall, <i>Mirror, Shoulder, Signal</i> is a bit of a disappointment, especially because it has been shortlisted for such a prestigious prize. Since the prize is meant to be awarding the author for continued creativity and contribution to fiction, it makes you wonder what critics saw in this novel to believe it stood a chance at earning the honour.
I am finding it really difficult to review this book, as I am really not sure about it to be honest.. I think I saw one booktuber haul this a few months ago but havent seen much of this going around. I saw this at my local library and due to the striking red cover I remembered watching it being hauled. I didn't pick it up though for weeks, it was sitting in the same spot with no one reading it. So in the end i thought i would give it a go as it's quite short and I felt this book was calling out to me to be read. Plus I read it for #YASHOT which was hosted by fluttering butterflies but posting it way too late sorry!
It took me to the end of the book to realise that there is also a boy on the front cover aswell as a Panther.
Derrick is a very unhappy young man, since the sighting of a Panther in the area it seems everything has been going wrong for him, his older sister charlotte is suffering from depression and attempts to commit suicide, he has started eating to the extreme where he is literally eating out of a rubbish bin (this really made me cringe) and becomes severely overweight. To make matters worse his best friend dumps him and he becomes a target for bullies.
Derrick starts to become obsessed with catching this Panther. He believes that if he succeeds everything will return to normal, his sister will get better and attend university, he will lose the weight and his dad will return home and the fog that is looming of their household will clear.
Depression and Mental health issues can be a tricky subject to tackle and David Owen has done a great job. Depression is often termed as the black dog but I thought the way he used a panther/beast as the metaphor was perfect.
This book shows that it's not just the person with depression suffers, everyone around them also gets sucked in, home feels like a thick fog where everyone feels uneasy, conversations are being avoided and coping mechanisms are being exhibited, such as Derricks food obsession to remain in control and his mother's spending and buying stuff for Charlotte's move to University.
The panther/beast describes depression very well. At times this was difficult to read and Derrick wasnt the most likeable character but the book was interesting, well written and thought-provoking.
The only thing I wasn't sure about is that throughout the book, it's not really clear if the Panther is real or not and the ending just didn't satisfy me enough - I wanted more closure.
This is David Owens first Young Adult novel.
Overall I rate this 3.5 out 5 stars
It took me to the end of the book to realise that there is also a boy on the front cover aswell as a Panther.
Derrick is a very unhappy young man, since the sighting of a Panther in the area it seems everything has been going wrong for him, his older sister charlotte is suffering from depression and attempts to commit suicide, he has started eating to the extreme where he is literally eating out of a rubbish bin (this really made me cringe) and becomes severely overweight. To make matters worse his best friend dumps him and he becomes a target for bullies.
Derrick starts to become obsessed with catching this Panther. He believes that if he succeeds everything will return to normal, his sister will get better and attend university, he will lose the weight and his dad will return home and the fog that is looming of their household will clear.
Depression and Mental health issues can be a tricky subject to tackle and David Owen has done a great job. Depression is often termed as the black dog but I thought the way he used a panther/beast as the metaphor was perfect.
This book shows that it's not just the person with depression suffers, everyone around them also gets sucked in, home feels like a thick fog where everyone feels uneasy, conversations are being avoided and coping mechanisms are being exhibited, such as Derricks food obsession to remain in control and his mother's spending and buying stuff for Charlotte's move to University.
The panther/beast describes depression very well. At times this was difficult to read and Derrick wasnt the most likeable character but the book was interesting, well written and thought-provoking.
The only thing I wasn't sure about is that throughout the book, it's not really clear if the Panther is real or not and the ending just didn't satisfy me enough - I wanted more closure.
This is David Owens first Young Adult novel.
Overall I rate this 3.5 out 5 stars