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Hades is Mine: Rise of Hades (Gods and Monsters #4)
Hades is Mine: Rise of Hades (Gods and Monsters #4)
Mila Young | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
187 of 250
Kindle
Hades is Mine: Rise of Hades ( Gods and Monsters book 4)
By Mila Young

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

I am a Legend. Born to fight Death itself. Sworn to act as Zeus' thunderbolt against the darkness.

And now I'm mortal.

Despite having Apollo, Poseidon, and Ares by my side I lost. I don't have any second chances. Ares trained me to be a stronger warrior, Poseidon taught me to be the wisest leader, and Apollo showed me passion to be a glorious champion. Each of them has entrusted me with their hearts, and I have given them mine as well.

And it's still not enough.

I need to convince Hades, Ruler of the Underworld, to help me. With his aid we stand the smallest chance, the slimmest of hopes. He's one hot mess of a God and the closer we get the further he pulls away, and the more it tears me apart. But I need to win him to my side, to our side, and make this brooding loner deity a team player too.

Can I even trust Hades with my heart, when I have already lost my soul to something darker?



This book was an emotional rollercoaster!! You know it’s a good book when you get that gasping and aching feeling that you can’t wait to see what’s written on the next page! Hades needed a slap for 3 quarters of the book. It was just a brilliant ending to such a good series. Mila Young has become one of my favourite indie authors and this series has me wanting to read so much more of her work. If you love Greek Gods and you love a bit of spice and spice done well I highly recommend this series. Just brilliant!
  
Dirty Game (Annie Carter #1)
Dirty Game (Annie Carter #1)
Jessie Keane | 2008 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
9
9.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
178 of 250
Book
Dirty Game (Annie Carter book 1)
By Jessie Keane

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

Adultery, murder and dangerous love collide in Jessie Keane's gritty debut novel. For longer than she cares to remember Annie Bailey has lived in the shadow of her older sister Ruthie. Now Ruthie has her hands on Max Carter, the much feared head of the Carter family and a top class villain. Seducing Max wasn't a problem, but the guilt, shame and anger of rejection afterwards was. Thrown onto the streets Annie finds herself living with Celia, a wayward aunt with a shocking secret. As the months pass Annie's resourceful nature sees her mature and carve out a life for herself, albeit not legal. But if you play with fire, you can expect to get burned and her lavish new lifestyle and connections may be about to come crashing down around her. Annie has unwittingly placed herself between two rival gangs and upset too many people, and these kind of people don't forget. But as everyone knows, Annie Bailey is no ordinary woman.




Growing up I was always fascinated with London gangs especially the Krays so this was right up my street. Jessie writes brilliantly about a hard ,fast paced and violent lifestyle. I love Annie’s journey in this book and can’t wait to read more. It’s brilliantly written and so similar to Martina Cole (I’m not sure who came first I just found Martina first!) the whole work surrounding these characters is violent and intricate, what I love in this one is the slight twist at the end! Highly recommend to those who love this style of writing.
  
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Natacha (374 KP) rated Bloody Rose in Books

Dec 1, 2019  
Bloody Rose
Bloody Rose
Nicholas Eames | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
4.5 (9/10 for smashbomb)
You can find the review and many more on my blog: natachainreviewland.wordpress.com

I loved the first book and I was so excited to read the second one. And I have to admit it was a roller coaster. The first 1/4 of the book I was really disappointed and almost angry at it. I felt that it didn't much the first book and I thought it will end up being a 3 stars (5-6 for smashboom) read. Then the next 2/4 of the book started picking up and then... oh boy was the last part of the book exactly what I was expecting from it and more... I've mentioned it before but the ending of a book and make or break the whole book for me and darn did this ending made the book a 4.5 stars (9/10 for smashbomb).

Things I liked:

-As with the first book, the characters were all well written, with their own personality and back story to tell. They all complimented each other and the outcome was amazing.

-Rose. I didn't care for her for most of the book but the author absolutely changed my mind by the end. Love when that happens.

-The writing, again as with the first book, was simple and easy to follow.

-The story and the journey were almost perfectly crafted. Always something new happening to keep you invested in the story with twists and turn that sometimes are obvious but sometimes you don't see them coming.

-I said in my review of the first book the I loved the final battle... Boy oh boy did this battle topped it by far! Loved it!

-It was very nice to see many characters from book one.

-I really love when books or movies dare not to give every single character a happy end. And this book did that! Not every character had a happy ending and not everyone survived. I'll be honest, there were a couple of foreshadowing but it was so well done! Oh, my poor little heart.....


Things I didn't like:

-As I mentioned in the above I had issues with the start of the book. We spend a 1/4 of the book with our characters going from arena to arenas and fighting monsters without feeling that this is connected in any way to the actual main story. I was a nice way to get a very good idea of every one of our band member but I still felt that it was falling short especially compared to the preview book. I didn't felt the connection between the members as strongly as I felt it with the previous band

-As with the first book with have every single fantasy creature that you can image. So much so that we lost track of what is what and how they look. Same with the number of characters during the battle. It is nice to see all the different characters having a role in the battle and not seeing only our main band but you quickly lose track of who is who so I ended up not really caring about how got killed or not.

-I spend most of the book mad at the author for foreshadowing, no, almost telling me that our MC will fall in love with a character. And I wasn't wrong but because I was told about it from the first 2 pages it felt forced... At the end of the book the author managed to change my mind I admin, but I still spend most of the book mad about the fact that he foreshadowed it instead of slowly showing me things developing.
  
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Connor Sheffield (293 KP) created a post

May 21, 2017 (Updated May 21, 2017)  
As it says in my profile I am a writer of both Fiction and Poetry. Last year I was able to achieve something incredible and publish a small book(let) that contained only my poetry. In the past my poetry had been joined alongside many other poets in anthologies, but this one was all me and I could not express how I felt about this when they finally arrived and I held one in my hand, reminding me that this time around, this was real. Not a dream.

However, I was not able to sell as many copies as I'd like, simply due to lack of interest in poetry that I discovered among friends who have supported me in my work. I still have some copies left and I ask you, the people of Smashbomb, that if you enjoy poetry, or think it could be something you could at least read through, then please visit my website;

https://catchadreammedia.wixsite.com/catchadream

where you can read some of my work, and even buy a copy of the book(let) I have spoken of for just £4 via PayPal. I don't want to spam this site with my own promotion, so this is why I'm making a long status, because this site is for reviewing, and the reason I am writing this now is so that perhaps some of you might be kind enough to review my work, in order to help me promote it to other audiences. I will create the category for it, if @bird will allow this of course, I would not do so without your permission, and even if you don't buy the book, then please help by reviewing some of my poetry that is free to read on the website. Use the title of the Poem as your review Headline so that I might see which pieces of my work are preferred.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this,
I love this site and it's members, so keep up the good work :)
     
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Bird (1700 KP) May 22, 2017

Hi @Connor Sheffield - sounds great and well done on your achievements so far!

You are of course welcome to promote anything you like on your personal stream and may also create a new item for any published work for others to rate.


All sounds great, and I wish you the very best of luck with it all!

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Connor Sheffield (293 KP) May 22, 2017

Thanks a lot @bird I really appreciate your kindness. Keep up the good work with the site. Can't wait to watch it evolve as it has already. So many friendly members with great inspiring reviews :)

A Spark Of Light
A Spark Of Light
Jodi Picoult | 2018 | Contemporary, Crime
9
8.0 (14 Ratings)
Book Rating
A thought-provoking, emotional novel
My first Jodi Picoult book, and what a way to start. This has had some extreme reviews - people who really enjoyed it, and others who hated it and considered it to be too 'preachy'. I didn't feel that way about it. I felt that it gave a measured representation to all sides of abortion: pro-choice and anti-abortion/ pro-life.

It showed that those who have abortions don't see it as a lifestyle choice, but as a last resort. That those who are pro-life believe that they are fighting for what they strongly believe in. And both of those views are valid. There will always be people who will not have abortions for religious reasons, and there will be those who have abortions because they believe it's the only option open to them - and this is well described in this book.

We also see the desperation of fathers who will do anything to protect their daughters - whether it's taking hostages in an abortion clinic, or trying to talk that same man down.

This book hasn't changed my stance on the subject, but I can see that both sides of the story have people who believe that they are right in what they do (even if that means killing people to save a life not yet begun) and Picoult represents them both well. The Authors Note at the end of the book is really interesting as well, and I would urge the reader to read this part. It goes in to her research, the people she talked to: she spoke to a lot of people, watched abortions and made sure that she spoke to those who represented all sides of the story.

I can see why Jodi Picoult has so many fans, her writing is so good - this is well worth reading and is very thought provoking.

Many thanks to Smashbomb for providing me with a copy of this book in their giveaway competition. It was a prize well worth winning!!
  
Kindle E-Reader
Kindle E-Reader
eBook Readers
Font size adjustment, ability to switch to different fonts, including one for dyslexics. (1 more)
No screen glare
Awkward to hold in your hand bare. Cover is a must. (0 more)
A Solid, Basic E-Reader
I received a Kindle E-Reader from Smashbomb as a giveaway prize. This does not influence my review.

This basic Kindle is a great introductory e-reader for people who want to discover the unique joy that is the ability to carry hundreds of books around with you without the bulk and weight.

It has no screen glare, which is so nice after spending hours looking at your phone. The ability to increase your font size to almost ridiculous proportions is fantastic for people with poor vision. It features a variety of fonts including Open Dyslexic which is a bottom weighted font that is easier for people with dyslexia to read. You can also adjust your page settings including spacing, margins, orientation, and alignment.

The battery life is not quite as good as they advertise IF you are someone who reads a lot. However, it's still good.

The storage is fantastic. You aren't going to fill it up anytime soon.

So there are lots of positives, but there are a few negatives.

The Kindle is very awkward to hold bare in your hand. It's a thin rectangle, and there is just no truly comfortable way to hold it. A cover is a necessity for both comfort and screen protection.

Because this is not a Paperwhite, if you want to read at night, you are going to have to use a booklight or leave a light on.

The method of organizing (Collections) that is Kindle specific... sucks. It needs a lot of work. However if you are a Goodreads user, it's not very important.

Overall, while the basic Kindle isn't personally my favorite (I prefer the Paperwhite), it is a great fairly low-cost choice for readers just getting into e-books.
  
Show all 4 comments.
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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) Jul 17, 2018

Thank you David! I will definitely do that ? My birthday is in November, so it's not to far ahead ?

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Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) Jul 17, 2018

I hope you get one soon. I agree that reading on your phone is a complete pain in the butt sometimes! But even with having a kindle I still do it anyways! One of my favorite things about Kindle is the syncing across devices, so I frequently start a book at home on my Kindle and finish it on my lunch break on my phone!

Werewolf: A Party Game for Devious People
Werewolf: A Party Game for Devious People
2018 | Party Game
Easy to play (2 more)
Good quality cards
Easy to carry around
A little to many people need to play (1 more)
I wish there were more player options that came with the game.
Fun and simple with a cool concept.
I received this game through a giveaway here on smashbomb I was really excited to try it out at first but I hit a bit of a snag because I didn't realize just how many people it took to play the game it's recommended 7 to 35 players usually for game nights there's about five of us but once we were able to play the game it was really fun and simple everyone had a blast and honestly we didn't want to stop playing had to finally call it quits when it just got too late. Since it is just a deck of cards it's easy to take around and bring with you to group gatherings and parties it has a set of rules on one of the cards or it gives you a web address to look up the rules on your phone which is really handy. The cards are thick and well-made the artwork is clean and simple we all really enjoyed that they give you options to make your own characters along with their own set of rules but honestly trying to come up with stuff spur-of-the-moment was a little hard. we all enjoyed the witch card a lot really tested a couple friendships there. The length of the game really just depends on how many people you have playing the most we played with was 8 so the game was good length that gave us time to play a couple rounds. But we all really would like to try and play with the most amount just haven't been able to get that many people into it though hopefully sometime soon.
 
Thanks again for giving me the chance to win and play this game.
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Lara Croft - Tomb Raider (2001) in Movies

Aug 11, 2019 (Updated Aug 14, 2019)  
Lara Croft - Tomb Raider (2001)
Lara Croft - Tomb Raider (2001)
2001 | Action, Sci-Fi
I remember very clearly going to see this in the cinema when it came out (I was but a starry eyed 11 year old full of hopes and dreams back then), and I absolutely loved it. It was loud, obnoxious, and it had Lara Croft in it (again - I was an 11 year old boy...)
I also grew up playing the original Tomb Raider trilogy, so this was an exciting event in my pre adolescent life.


As as I've gotten older, it has become apparent that I don't have a lot of love for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider after all. It's just another shoddy video game adaption that doesn't have a lot of meat to it.
It's a film firmly stuck in the early 00s, with leather jackets, shades, and cringey breakbeat dance music in the background (thanks a lot Matrix).

One thing that is a huge positive, and why it still deserves at least 4/10 from me is Angelina Jolie. The script is just awful, but she is the embodiment of the original Lara Croft. It's honestly like watching the original game hero come to life.
The rest of the cast are pretty so-so. An early appearance from Daniel Craig (with a super dodgy American accent) is largely forgettable.
Iain Glen plays a pretty vanilla villain (although I really find it hard to dislike good old Iain), and Lara's assistants (played by Noah Taylor and Chris Barrie) are mostly enjoyable comic relief.

The action scenes aren't too bad (apart from the aforementioned music choices), and it's good to see some actual Tomb Raiding, but unfortunately Jolie alone isn't enough to elevate Tomb Raider above the ever growing pile of underwhelming video game movies.

I would like to finish this review with an apology to my girlfriend (who is also on Smashbomb and who will read this) who absolutely f***ing loves these movies - please don't hate me!
  
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Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) Aug 11, 2019

I enjoyed the 1st when I was younger and still appreciate the effort today, it's still fun to watch but amidst all the 90s pop culture cliches try to Remember...the Cradle of Light....there is no need for it to exist, it started of promising and quickly went south and became its own downfall that just dragged on.
We now have another Tomb raider movie which is clearly heavily based on the Tomb raider videogame reboot but where the game seems to have nailed it - the movie seems to have just missed the mark. Chris barrie was brilliant personally, besides- who doesn't wanna run around in their pj's shooting bad guy's haha.

Collecting Death (Haunted Collection #1)
Collecting Death (Haunted Collection #1)
Ron Ripley | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
33 of 250
Kindle
Collecting Death (Haunted Collection book 1)
By Ron Ripley

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

 
Rolf the teddy bear looks sweet and warm. But in the dark, its eyes glow with a murderous gleam…

Stefan Korzh’s parents built a life around collecting possessed items, in the throes of a peculiar game with the dead. Antique porcelain dolls, beautifully crafted teapots and an eerie teddy bear, all seemingly innocuous objects that encompass unimaginable evil, and malignant spirits who wish to inflict pain on the living.

His parents’ obsession ruined Stefan’s life, and he dreams of punishing the rest of the world for his poor luck of the draw. Dreams become reality when he sends the collectibles to unsuspecting customers. One by one, he eagerly watches the chaos that unfolds.

Victor Daniels, a historian exhausted by yet another academic conference, wants nothing more than to go home and see his wife. But tragedy cuts his hopes of comfort short. Seeking answers, he teams up with a paranormal expert by the name of Jeremy Rhinehart. The two discover a tangled web of haunted collectibles gleefully painting the town red with the blood of their new owners.

Time is running out, and they must stop Stefan from spreading further mayhem. But Jeremy and Victor are in over their heads, and the hellish objects’ spirits will not rest until their pursuers join the ranks of the dead…




Well he took being pissed at his parents way to far! I’d have loved to learn more about Anne and Rolfe as well as a few other characters! It was super eerie especially if you have a fear of haunted kids toys! Reading in the dark made this that little bit better. Really Interesting read. I’d love to know what else was unleashed on the unsuspecting people buying these haunted items. Found the ending slightly rushed too! But overall a good read.
  
Chosen (The Warrior Chronicles #1)
Chosen (The Warrior Chronicles #1)
K. F. Breene | 2021 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
13 of 250
Kindle
Chosen ( Warrior Chronicles book 1)
By K.F. Breene

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

It is said that when war threatens the world, one individual will be selected by prophecy to lead the Shadow Warriors out of the Land of Mist and reclaim the freedom which has been stolen.
~~
Shanti has grown up under the constant threat of war. Since she helped her people defeat a raiding party by using a special power, she’s been a hunted woman. Carrying rare abilities and an uncanny fighting aptitude, Shanti is the only hope of salvation for her people. The problem is, she doesn’t believe in her own divinity, and when she flounders, she nearly fails in the duty hanging so heavy on her shoulders.

It seems like any other day when Sanders and his band of misfit boys find a foreign woman clinging to life in the wastelands. Oblivious to the weapon they now have in their possession, they are content to harbor the mysterious woman until she is well enough to continue her journey.

But when the war spreads its arms and lands on her borrowed doorstep, Shanti has no choice but to reveal her secrets, plunging her saviors into danger. If they band with her, they will face certain death. But to trade her to Xandre, the warlord desperate to add her to his war machine, would be to give up their entire way of life.

War is coming. The only choice becomes: Which side do you choose?


I loved shanti she was brilliant! I really enjoyed the book and it’s characters! So why only. a 3 star rating? Well I got a little bored at some of it if I’m honest there were times in the book I felt a bit meh!! I can’t quite pin point it although I do find the cayan quite boring! Saying that overs it’s a good book!