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The Castle of Thorns
The Castle of Thorns
Elle Beaumont | 2021 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE CASTLE OF THORNS is a fantasy story loosely based upon Beauty and the Beast. Gisela has epilepsy, but no one understands (or knows) her illness. Luckily for her, a witch knows which herbs to use to treat her. All that is good until her supply runs too low for the usual trip by sea. Instead, they will have to go through the forest where a man-eating monster-fox lives.

This is a sometimes dark story with plenty of death before Knorren realises the error of his ways. Gisela also has a couple of sisters that really should be in Cinderella rather than this story! Jana is sweet with her, but she still coddles Gisela, making her think she is weaker than she is.

Some of the supporting characters didn't do anything for me and actually left me wondering what their purpose was. It is fast-paced, especially near the end when it wraps up with a hop, skip, and a jump.

This was an enjoyable read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
OY
Open Your Heart ( Chosen by Fate 2)
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
148 of 235
Kindle
Open your Heart ( Chosen by Fate 2)
By Aspen Winters
⭐️⭐️

My name is Clara Daniels, and I used to be normal.

All I wanted was to get my business degree and live my life on my own terms, with my sister by my side and away from my two-face mother and her nosy husband who refuses to stay out of my business. But Fate had a different plan. Not just Fate, but The Fate, as in one of the three sisters with the golden scissors that decides everything.

Currently, I am fully Bonded to Ra, an Egyptian god, and nearly Bonded to four others. They call me their Balance. Without me, they would fade away. Die. Now, the Titans are after us, and all hell is breaking loose.

Fate has disappeared and the gods will stop at nothing to be sure I am kept out of harm’s way. But a war is coming.

I can feel it.

I did like this more than book 1 and I love the gods and most books centred round them but this was so repetitive and yes I know she has 5 of them to contend with but still everything was repeated 5 times and then some.
  
47 Meters Down (2017)
47 Meters Down (2017)
2017 | Horror
47 Meters Down is a good enough, popcorn movie, that has a lot of things going for it, and is unfortunately hampered by incredibly bland characters.
The set up is mercifully short. The time spent with a bunch of people dating and speaking to eachother like Instagram influencers is limited and its not long before they're stuck at the bottom of the ocean. The minimalist execution of the bulk of the narrative is well done. The predicament the leads find themselves in provides plenty of tension and some well earned jump scares. Personally, I find the idea of the deep ocean utterly terrifying, and 47 Meters Down did a good job of making me feel uncomfortable for the most part.
The main draw back as mentioned, is the characters. Neither of the sisters are that likable, and it's hard to care whether they make it through to the end, which is an issue considering they're the only two on screen for 90% of the runtime. The narrative packs in a relatively clever twist before an underwhelming ending which left me feeling a bit empty.
Overall though, it's a solid shark horror/thriller that delivers on its entertainment value, and there are certainly worse shark films out there.
  
40x40

Hazel (2934 KP) rated I Did It For You in Books

Aug 26, 2023  
I Did It For You
I Did It For You
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I haven't read anything by Jayne Cowie before and after finishing this, I won't make that mistake again!!

I Did If For You is a gritty look at a world that has found a way to predict aggression and violence in men. A negative test means the best schools, the best jobs ... the best of everything but a positive test means the complete opposite, and if you refuse, it's as if the result was positive ... what would you do? Could you condemn your son to a life of barriers and hardship for a crime he hasn't committed or would you risk it to get the best that life can offer?

This is the dilemma facing two sisters, Antonia and Bea; they each make a choice which has far reaching and devastating consequences for them, their families and for those around them.

With a very different and intriguing plot, great characters and written at a good pace, this is a really good, thought-provoking read and although I guessed some of the twists, it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of this book.

Thank you to the author, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of I Did It For You.