Search
Search results
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Night Shift in Books
Sep 17, 2023
131 of 235
Kindle
The Night Shift
By Alex Finlay
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in New Jersey, four teenagers working late at the store are attacked. Only one inexplicably survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.
Fifteen years later, more teenage employees are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.
In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who’s convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller who must delve into the secrets of both nights—stirring up memories of teen love and lies—to uncover the truth about murders on the night shift.
I read this in one sitting and thought it was just brilliant. It kept me totally engaged and constantly guessing. It had some pretty nasty characters too which always makes for good reading. Really enjoyed it.
Kindle
The Night Shift
By Alex Finlay
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in New Jersey, four teenagers working late at the store are attacked. Only one inexplicably survives. Police quickly identify a suspect, the boyfriend of one of the victims, who flees and is never seen again.
Fifteen years later, more teenage employees are attacked at an ice cream store in the same town, and again only one makes it out alive.
In the aftermath of the latest crime, three lives intersect: the lone survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy; the brother of the fugitive accused, who’s convinced the police have the wrong suspect; and FBI agent Sarah Keller who must delve into the secrets of both nights—stirring up memories of teen love and lies—to uncover the truth about murders on the night shift.
I read this in one sitting and thought it was just brilliant. It kept me totally engaged and constantly guessing. It had some pretty nasty characters too which always makes for good reading. Really enjoyed it.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Summer Romances in Books
May 25, 2017
A mixed bag
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Stephanie Perkins, the best selling author of Anna and the French Kiss has compiled a second anthology of short stories. Twelve selected tales have been included from a variety of young adult authors including: Libba Bray, Veronica Roth, Cassandra Clare and Jennifer E. Smith. For those that have read Perkins’ previous anthology, My True Love Gave To Me, the concept is the same. Twelve love stories set in, as the title, Summer Days and Summer Nights, strongly suggests, the summer.
What can be expected from all the stories in this collection is that they fit snuggly into the Romance genre of young adult fiction. The way the authors decided to tackle this, however, was up to their own interpretations. Thus, the final outcome is a selection of works that fall into a variety of categories: fantasy, contemporary, LGBT, horror, sci-fi etc.
As a result there are a number of different character types and storylines, suggesting that there is bound to be something for everyone. There are lovey-dovey stories, heart-wrenching stories, exciting action stories, implying that there will be at least one you will favour, and hopefully make purchase worthwhile.
It is not merely love that can be found between these pages, so if you are, like me, not overly impressed with teenage love stories, there are other themes to focus on. Many of the main characters are nearing the end of their schooling and thinking about the future: college, perhaps. Readers discover, and possibly relate to, their hopes, doubts and fears of what is to come. Yet while these thoughts are buzzing in their heads they are also trying to enjoy their summers, some with summer jobs, others hanging out with friends. Alongside all of this are darker issues of depression, cancer and parents divorcing; events that many teenagers unfortunately have to deal with. So, throughout all the make-ups and break-ups, there is so much more going on under the surface.
It is always difficult to decide what age range “Young Adult” refers to. Some may assume it is anyone in their teens, however in the case of Summer Days and Summer Nights I would label it a book for older teenagers, those of similar ages to the characters depicted: sixteen to nineteen. This is due to the slightly adult themes of a few of the stories and the amount of swearing many of the authors resort to.
Unfortunately for me, I did not find a perfect story within this collection. There were some I enjoyed more than others; likewise there were some I was not keen on at all. It is for this reason I have only given a rating of three stars. I do not want to put prospective readers off however as this is merely a case of personal preferences and not a true reflection of the authors’ exceptional writing skills.
Stephanie Perkins, the best selling author of Anna and the French Kiss has compiled a second anthology of short stories. Twelve selected tales have been included from a variety of young adult authors including: Libba Bray, Veronica Roth, Cassandra Clare and Jennifer E. Smith. For those that have read Perkins’ previous anthology, My True Love Gave To Me, the concept is the same. Twelve love stories set in, as the title, Summer Days and Summer Nights, strongly suggests, the summer.
What can be expected from all the stories in this collection is that they fit snuggly into the Romance genre of young adult fiction. The way the authors decided to tackle this, however, was up to their own interpretations. Thus, the final outcome is a selection of works that fall into a variety of categories: fantasy, contemporary, LGBT, horror, sci-fi etc.
As a result there are a number of different character types and storylines, suggesting that there is bound to be something for everyone. There are lovey-dovey stories, heart-wrenching stories, exciting action stories, implying that there will be at least one you will favour, and hopefully make purchase worthwhile.
It is not merely love that can be found between these pages, so if you are, like me, not overly impressed with teenage love stories, there are other themes to focus on. Many of the main characters are nearing the end of their schooling and thinking about the future: college, perhaps. Readers discover, and possibly relate to, their hopes, doubts and fears of what is to come. Yet while these thoughts are buzzing in their heads they are also trying to enjoy their summers, some with summer jobs, others hanging out with friends. Alongside all of this are darker issues of depression, cancer and parents divorcing; events that many teenagers unfortunately have to deal with. So, throughout all the make-ups and break-ups, there is so much more going on under the surface.
It is always difficult to decide what age range “Young Adult” refers to. Some may assume it is anyone in their teens, however in the case of Summer Days and Summer Nights I would label it a book for older teenagers, those of similar ages to the characters depicted: sixteen to nineteen. This is due to the slightly adult themes of a few of the stories and the amount of swearing many of the authors resort to.
Unfortunately for me, I did not find a perfect story within this collection. There were some I enjoyed more than others; likewise there were some I was not keen on at all. It is for this reason I have only given a rating of three stars. I do not want to put prospective readers off however as this is merely a case of personal preferences and not a true reflection of the authors’ exceptional writing skills.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Power Rangers (2017) in Movies
Jan 31, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
About 85% of this reboot of the popular 90s show Power Rangers is quite a broody and charming enough story about a group of five (mostly outcast) teenagers finding a bond and friendship after discovering that they've be given superpowers. This is spliced with the odd training montage of them all learning how to harness their new found powers.
It pretty straightforward, and thanks the main cast, it's fairly enjoyable.
Lead by Jason (Stranger Things' Dacre Montgomery), the five friends are probably the main positive about the film.
As the movie draws on, we are teased with just enough Power Rangers material to keep the intrigue afloat - the presence of Zordon (Bryan Cranston), Alpha 5 (Bill Hader) and Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks), glimpses of the Zords and so on, but the narrative never strays too far from this core theme of strength through friendship.
That is until the final act of course...
I'll admit that I felt a swelling of excitement when the Power Rangers finally appeared in full armour, kicking the shit out of faceless CGI henchman, but it's at this point that director Dean Israelite goes FULL POWER RANGERS. We even get the classic theme tune as the Rangers charge towards Goldar (eye burning CGI, but kind of cool) and Rita in their Zords (also kind of cool) but here in lies the main problem with the film as a whole.
The nostalgia is laid on so thick that it feels like a completely different film. With the first 3/4 being somewhat grounded in realism (sort of), with serious themes and relatable human characters, the final act of flat out Power Rangers absurdity doesn't quite gel. I have no problem with either approach, but I feel like maybe the writers should have picked one and stuck with it.
The well developed teenagers that we've spent and hour and half with at this point are suddenly wise cracking and quipping like there's no tomorrow. The big climatic battle looks ok, but it has that really overplayed Kanye West song obnoxiously blasting throughout (which just gave me *shudder* Suicide Squad vibes), and after being built up to be a genuinely threatening villain, Rita is easily dispatched by a big CGI bitchslap into CGI space, by the big CGI hand of the big CGI Megazord (still kind of cool).
It's just a little meh.
I have fond memories of Power Rangers from my childhood, and I realise that this modern retelling is also aimed at a younger audience, and in that respect I'm sure it's very entertaining, and I give credit to the writers for touching upon more adult issues, but overall, I wish it had been better. Power Rangers is silly, but it does genuinely have scope to be an epic franchise.
Final note - the running Krispy Kreme joke got old very quickly 🖕
It pretty straightforward, and thanks the main cast, it's fairly enjoyable.
Lead by Jason (Stranger Things' Dacre Montgomery), the five friends are probably the main positive about the film.
As the movie draws on, we are teased with just enough Power Rangers material to keep the intrigue afloat - the presence of Zordon (Bryan Cranston), Alpha 5 (Bill Hader) and Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks), glimpses of the Zords and so on, but the narrative never strays too far from this core theme of strength through friendship.
That is until the final act of course...
I'll admit that I felt a swelling of excitement when the Power Rangers finally appeared in full armour, kicking the shit out of faceless CGI henchman, but it's at this point that director Dean Israelite goes FULL POWER RANGERS. We even get the classic theme tune as the Rangers charge towards Goldar (eye burning CGI, but kind of cool) and Rita in their Zords (also kind of cool) but here in lies the main problem with the film as a whole.
The nostalgia is laid on so thick that it feels like a completely different film. With the first 3/4 being somewhat grounded in realism (sort of), with serious themes and relatable human characters, the final act of flat out Power Rangers absurdity doesn't quite gel. I have no problem with either approach, but I feel like maybe the writers should have picked one and stuck with it.
The well developed teenagers that we've spent and hour and half with at this point are suddenly wise cracking and quipping like there's no tomorrow. The big climatic battle looks ok, but it has that really overplayed Kanye West song obnoxiously blasting throughout (which just gave me *shudder* Suicide Squad vibes), and after being built up to be a genuinely threatening villain, Rita is easily dispatched by a big CGI bitchslap into CGI space, by the big CGI hand of the big CGI Megazord (still kind of cool).
It's just a little meh.
I have fond memories of Power Rangers from my childhood, and I realise that this modern retelling is also aimed at a younger audience, and in that respect I'm sure it's very entertaining, and I give credit to the writers for touching upon more adult issues, but overall, I wish it had been better. Power Rangers is silly, but it does genuinely have scope to be an epic franchise.
Final note - the running Krispy Kreme joke got old very quickly 🖕
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated A Nightmare on Elm Street in Video Games
Feb 26, 2020 (Updated Feb 26, 2020)
Why?????
A Night on Elm Street- based on the movie franchise turned into a video game. A video game that is both awful and hard as hell. So this and the Friday The 13th video game, came out around the sane time. With Friday The 13th coming out first in 1989 in NA and A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1990 in NA.
So what do think the genre for A Nightmare on Elm Street should be then? Platformer, you say. Yes Platformer, you heard that right. A platformer, for a horror film thats now turned into a video game and whats the first thing you think when you think of A Nighmare on Elm Street? Platforming, no, well tell the people who made this video game then.
The plot: "The game manual contains the following synopsis...
You ARE Freddy Krueger. A horde of obnoxious teenagers is trying to get rid of you by finding your scattered bones and burying them. The only way to stop them is to kill them. You can travel along Elm Street through the electrical and plumbing lines or step into a mirror and step in another room.
The kids have weapons to battle you with and some of them even possess powerful "Dream Alter Egos" ...but if you can strike before they wake, they'll trouble you no more. So sharpen up your finger razors and get ready to slash, 'cause Freddy's here!"
Gameplay:
The player takes on the role of an ordinary teenager. 7 Additional teenagers can be controlled by up to three other players with the use of the NES Four Score. The objective is to scour the vicinity of Elm Street, collect the bones of the supernatural serial killer Freddy Krueger and dispose of them in the local high school's furnace.
The game takes place in the neighborhood of Elm Street and is played from a side-scrolling perspective.
Being attacked a certain number of times will cause the player to lose a life. Because the game takes place around midnight, certain areas are initially locked off from the player and require a key to be collected for later access.
When all the bones are collected, a boss battle with Freddy will commence. Defeating Freddy will both allow the player to exit the area and earn the player a key that allows access to a new area.
A game mechanic unique to the title is the "Sleep Meter". The meter indicates how close the player character is to falling asleep. If even one of the player characters falls asleep, all of the player characters will be transported to an alternate version of the environment referred to as the "Dream World", where the player is more vulnerable to attacks from Freddy. The Sleep Meter decreases automatically, but does so at a slower pace when the player character stays in motion.
I have played thia game, time and time again and overall, i would rather watch the movies than this game.
So what do think the genre for A Nightmare on Elm Street should be then? Platformer, you say. Yes Platformer, you heard that right. A platformer, for a horror film thats now turned into a video game and whats the first thing you think when you think of A Nighmare on Elm Street? Platforming, no, well tell the people who made this video game then.
The plot: "The game manual contains the following synopsis...
You ARE Freddy Krueger. A horde of obnoxious teenagers is trying to get rid of you by finding your scattered bones and burying them. The only way to stop them is to kill them. You can travel along Elm Street through the electrical and plumbing lines or step into a mirror and step in another room.
The kids have weapons to battle you with and some of them even possess powerful "Dream Alter Egos" ...but if you can strike before they wake, they'll trouble you no more. So sharpen up your finger razors and get ready to slash, 'cause Freddy's here!"
Gameplay:
The player takes on the role of an ordinary teenager. 7 Additional teenagers can be controlled by up to three other players with the use of the NES Four Score. The objective is to scour the vicinity of Elm Street, collect the bones of the supernatural serial killer Freddy Krueger and dispose of them in the local high school's furnace.
The game takes place in the neighborhood of Elm Street and is played from a side-scrolling perspective.
Being attacked a certain number of times will cause the player to lose a life. Because the game takes place around midnight, certain areas are initially locked off from the player and require a key to be collected for later access.
When all the bones are collected, a boss battle with Freddy will commence. Defeating Freddy will both allow the player to exit the area and earn the player a key that allows access to a new area.
A game mechanic unique to the title is the "Sleep Meter". The meter indicates how close the player character is to falling asleep. If even one of the player characters falls asleep, all of the player characters will be transported to an alternate version of the environment referred to as the "Dream World", where the player is more vulnerable to attacks from Freddy. The Sleep Meter decreases automatically, but does so at a slower pace when the player character stays in motion.
I have played thia game, time and time again and overall, i would rather watch the movies than this game.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Before I Fall in Books
Jan 10, 2018
I think I would have enjoyed this book even more if it wasn't coming on the heels of me reading several other tragic YA books about teenagers dying (including The In Between and If I Stay). I sort of felt bludgeoned by the senseless tragedy of it all - perhaps I need to get out more?!
Anyway, the book follows the main character Sam, who dies in a car crash one night after a party. However, she finds herself reliving that day over and over (think Groundhog Day) for some reason and has to figure out how to make it stop. It's a rather weird premise and the way she finally breaks out sort of bothers me, so I felt a little deflated at the end.
That being said, I really liked Sam. She's a compelling character. Also refreshing is the fact that Sam and her gaggle of friends are the popular kids, on top of the pyramid at school. It's a change of pace from the usual romantics and geeks that show up in YA novels. (It does, however, make me 110% terrified for my children to reach high school.) As Sam starts to realize her own mean girl status-- and that of her friends--Oliver sets up a good message about high school and friendship. Not sure it would be readily apparently to every teen reading the novel, but I appreciate the effort.
Anyway, the book follows the main character Sam, who dies in a car crash one night after a party. However, she finds herself reliving that day over and over (think Groundhog Day) for some reason and has to figure out how to make it stop. It's a rather weird premise and the way she finally breaks out sort of bothers me, so I felt a little deflated at the end.
That being said, I really liked Sam. She's a compelling character. Also refreshing is the fact that Sam and her gaggle of friends are the popular kids, on top of the pyramid at school. It's a change of pace from the usual romantics and geeks that show up in YA novels. (It does, however, make me 110% terrified for my children to reach high school.) As Sam starts to realize her own mean girl status-- and that of her friends--Oliver sets up a good message about high school and friendship. Not sure it would be readily apparently to every teen reading the novel, but I appreciate the effort.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Before I Fall in Books
Feb 8, 2018
I think I would have enjoyed this book even more if it wasn't coming on the heels of me reading several other tragic YA books about teenagers dying (including <i>The In Between</i> and <i>If I Stay</i>). I sort of felt bludgeoned by the senseless tragedy of it all - perhaps I need to get out more?!
Anyway, the book follows the main character Sam, who dies in a car crash one night after a party. However, she finds herself reliving that day over and over (think <i>Groundhog Day</i>) for some reason and has to figure out how to make it stop. It's a rather weird premise and the way she finally breaks out sort of bothers me, so I felt a little deflated at the end.
That being said, I really liked Sam. She's a compelling character. Also refreshing is the fact that Sam and her gaggle of friends are the popular kids, on top of the pyramid at school. It's a change of pace from the usual romantics and geeks that show up in YA novels. (It does, however, make me 110% terrified for my children to reach high school.) As Sam starts to realize her own mean girl status-- and that of her friends--Oliver sets up a good message about high school and friendship. Not sure it would be readily apparently to every teen reading the novel, but I appreciate the effort.
Anyway, the book follows the main character Sam, who dies in a car crash one night after a party. However, she finds herself reliving that day over and over (think <i>Groundhog Day</i>) for some reason and has to figure out how to make it stop. It's a rather weird premise and the way she finally breaks out sort of bothers me, so I felt a little deflated at the end.
That being said, I really liked Sam. She's a compelling character. Also refreshing is the fact that Sam and her gaggle of friends are the popular kids, on top of the pyramid at school. It's a change of pace from the usual romantics and geeks that show up in YA novels. (It does, however, make me 110% terrified for my children to reach high school.) As Sam starts to realize her own mean girl status-- and that of her friends--Oliver sets up a good message about high school and friendship. Not sure it would be readily apparently to every teen reading the novel, but I appreciate the effort.
Booksnthreads (19 KP) rated The Things a Brother Knows in Books
Jun 5, 2018
I really wanted to love this book. The topic of returning veterans from Afghanistan deserves a place in young adult literature. Unfortunately, The Things a Brother Knows has some significant weaknesses that overshadowed what should have been the meat of the story.
Reinhardt seems to feel the need to cater to adolescent hormones by throwing in a few unnecessarily suggestive scenes that really lend nothing to the plot. Is she afraid that teenagers won’t read her work otherwise? (In defense of suggestive scenes, I don’t typically have anything against them when they are integral to the story line. One look at my past reading lists should hint at that.)
In this case, the romantic relationships that develop in the story not only come off as improbably and entirely sudden, but personally, I feel they detract from the main plot line of a young man trying to reconnect with and understand his brother who has recently returned home from the war.
I will say, however, that I really do like how Reinhardt has dealt not only with the effects of war on returning soldiers, but also with the family dynamic. Not having any personal experience with this, all I can say is that from an outsider’s standpoint, the portrayals feel authentic. I also really appreciate how she manages to skirt the political issues of the war in favor of focusing on the human aspect.
Reinhardt seems to feel the need to cater to adolescent hormones by throwing in a few unnecessarily suggestive scenes that really lend nothing to the plot. Is she afraid that teenagers won’t read her work otherwise? (In defense of suggestive scenes, I don’t typically have anything against them when they are integral to the story line. One look at my past reading lists should hint at that.)
In this case, the romantic relationships that develop in the story not only come off as improbably and entirely sudden, but personally, I feel they detract from the main plot line of a young man trying to reconnect with and understand his brother who has recently returned home from the war.
I will say, however, that I really do like how Reinhardt has dealt not only with the effects of war on returning soldiers, but also with the family dynamic. Not having any personal experience with this, all I can say is that from an outsider’s standpoint, the portrayals feel authentic. I also really appreciate how she manages to skirt the political issues of the war in favor of focusing on the human aspect.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Anna and the Apocalypse (2018) in Movies
Nov 2, 2019
Too many genres!
I’m a massive fan of zombie films, musicals and Christmas films, but I’m really not too sure what to make of them all thrown into one film. I feel like they’ve just picked a handful of popular genres of films that people love and decided to mash them all together. And not very successfully either.
This film isn’t bad. The songs are quite good, they just seem ridiculously out of place in a zombie film and there are some dodgy vocals at times. A Christmas zombie film is a pretty decent idea though, especially as there’s nothing more anti-festive than a load of flesh eating zombies. It has a decent cast, with Mark Benton and Paul Kaye the old hands in a younger cast. However i think Paul Kaye may have taken overacting a little too far in this. He’s beyond fun and hammy and just sheer ridiculous. It’s a shame as he’s a great actor but it feels like he’s hamming it up in a kids pantomime. In fact, a lot of the humour in this seems to be made for kids or very young teenagers. Which is strange seen as it has a 15 rating! I just found it all a little bit juvenile, which is a shame as I had little expectations about this film.
It’s not bad, but it’s not great either. Watchable, and only memorable because of how truly bizarre it is!
This film isn’t bad. The songs are quite good, they just seem ridiculously out of place in a zombie film and there are some dodgy vocals at times. A Christmas zombie film is a pretty decent idea though, especially as there’s nothing more anti-festive than a load of flesh eating zombies. It has a decent cast, with Mark Benton and Paul Kaye the old hands in a younger cast. However i think Paul Kaye may have taken overacting a little too far in this. He’s beyond fun and hammy and just sheer ridiculous. It’s a shame as he’s a great actor but it feels like he’s hamming it up in a kids pantomime. In fact, a lot of the humour in this seems to be made for kids or very young teenagers. Which is strange seen as it has a 15 rating! I just found it all a little bit juvenile, which is a shame as I had little expectations about this film.
It’s not bad, but it’s not great either. Watchable, and only memorable because of how truly bizarre it is!
The Wanderers: The West Country Trilogy
Book
Two teenagers, bound by love yet divided by fate, forge separate paths in pre-First World War Devon...
