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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Dark Summer (The Witchling, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>.
I won this book off of a blog paperback giveaway. I was so happy as I loved the description!
Summer is a sixteen year old girl who is used to being kicked out of schools over and over again because she can't control her magick. She knows not to get attached to anyone or anything because it's only a matter of time until she's shipped off to some new school. That all changes when she gets sent to a new boarding school, one for children and teens who have magickal powers. It isn't long before Summer is crushing on the dark Decker. Why is he so moody? What secrets is he hiding? Will Summer be able to figure out Decker or will she be sent away before she has the chance?
The title of this book definitely suits what it's about. I won't go into too much detail because of spoilers, but the title is a big clue to the story.
The cover is nice although I thought it could've had a bit more going on instead of just a picture of Summer with her amulet. Maybe the boarding house in the background and/or Decker on the front of the cover would've made it a bit better. However, it's not a bad cover.
I love the setting of this story, in the Rockies. The description of the forest is fantastic, and I could almost imagine myself being surrounded by a nice lush forest such as the one Summer is surrounded by.
The pacing of the story did start out rather slow, and I found myself not really enjoying it or caring what happened to the characters. However, that all changed a little before halfway through the book. I found myself engrossed in the story and caring very much about the whole Decker and Summer storyline. So the pacing does eventually quicken up which I was more than thankful for.
The dialogue is very easy to understand. I didn't find myself struggling with what certain words were. There is talk of sex and at one point, the mention of an erection, so just keep that in mind. However, there's not too much sex talk in it which I found to be very good as I hate when books go on and on about sex.
My favourite character was definitely Summer. She came across as being naive (in a good way), loving, protected, and shy which is understandable considering she'd been passed from pillar to post in her past. However, she does start opening up in the story. She's just a great character!! And Decker, wow! Decker is definitely my type of guy...the dark, brooding type. I instantly liked him more than his brother Beck even at the beginning of the story. There's just something about Decker that I find sexy.
One thing that kind of bugged me was the fact that Summer was made fun of for being overweight, and she even considered herself overweight. She's only a US size 4!!! Someone tell me how that is fat or overweight!?! I could understand the size 0 girl, Dawn, in the story trying to tease her as she wasn't as small as she was, but when Summer admits to being overweight, really!?! Okay, rant over.
I definitely fell in love with this book halfway through. This is one of those books where I'll probably buy the next in the series on the day it comes out, and I usually don't do that!
This book made me feel alive. It also made me feel frustrated when I reached the gigantic cliffhanger at the end of this book, lol. So yeah, I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
Overall, I'd recommend this to everyone aged 17+. It's an amazing book!!
I won this book off of a blog paperback giveaway. I was so happy as I loved the description!
Summer is a sixteen year old girl who is used to being kicked out of schools over and over again because she can't control her magick. She knows not to get attached to anyone or anything because it's only a matter of time until she's shipped off to some new school. That all changes when she gets sent to a new boarding school, one for children and teens who have magickal powers. It isn't long before Summer is crushing on the dark Decker. Why is he so moody? What secrets is he hiding? Will Summer be able to figure out Decker or will she be sent away before she has the chance?
The title of this book definitely suits what it's about. I won't go into too much detail because of spoilers, but the title is a big clue to the story.
The cover is nice although I thought it could've had a bit more going on instead of just a picture of Summer with her amulet. Maybe the boarding house in the background and/or Decker on the front of the cover would've made it a bit better. However, it's not a bad cover.
I love the setting of this story, in the Rockies. The description of the forest is fantastic, and I could almost imagine myself being surrounded by a nice lush forest such as the one Summer is surrounded by.
The pacing of the story did start out rather slow, and I found myself not really enjoying it or caring what happened to the characters. However, that all changed a little before halfway through the book. I found myself engrossed in the story and caring very much about the whole Decker and Summer storyline. So the pacing does eventually quicken up which I was more than thankful for.
The dialogue is very easy to understand. I didn't find myself struggling with what certain words were. There is talk of sex and at one point, the mention of an erection, so just keep that in mind. However, there's not too much sex talk in it which I found to be very good as I hate when books go on and on about sex.
My favourite character was definitely Summer. She came across as being naive (in a good way), loving, protected, and shy which is understandable considering she'd been passed from pillar to post in her past. However, she does start opening up in the story. She's just a great character!! And Decker, wow! Decker is definitely my type of guy...the dark, brooding type. I instantly liked him more than his brother Beck even at the beginning of the story. There's just something about Decker that I find sexy.
One thing that kind of bugged me was the fact that Summer was made fun of for being overweight, and she even considered herself overweight. She's only a US size 4!!! Someone tell me how that is fat or overweight!?! I could understand the size 0 girl, Dawn, in the story trying to tease her as she wasn't as small as she was, but when Summer admits to being overweight, really!?! Okay, rant over.
I definitely fell in love with this book halfway through. This is one of those books where I'll probably buy the next in the series on the day it comes out, and I usually don't do that!
This book made me feel alive. It also made me feel frustrated when I reached the gigantic cliffhanger at the end of this book, lol. So yeah, I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
Overall, I'd recommend this to everyone aged 17+. It's an amazing book!!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(Review also on my blog <a href="themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
This is one of those books that sort of caught me by surprise. I expected it to be fantastic as it was very high on my TBR list. It wasn't that fantastic as I thought it was going to be, but it was good.
Rose Zarelli is having a hard time in her first year of high school. Her dad's just died recently, her best friend has turned into a "cheer-witch" , her guy friend has a crush on her which she just wants to be friends with, and she's ended up kissing the boyfriend of Regina, one of the meanest girls in the school. Regina is now dead set on making Rose's life as miserable as possible. This book is about the ups and mostly downs of Rose Zarelli's freshman year of high school.
I really don't know how I feel about the characters. I felt like there wasn't enough character building for me to care about each character 100%. There were times when I felt like I didn't really care what happened to Rose. Other times, my heart went out to her because I could relate to some of things that were happening to her. The character of Regina was good although she was made out to be a stereotypical mean cheerleader type. I really couldn't stand Regina simply because she was a mean girl. I feel like the author didn't really show us enough of Jamie and Tracey's personalities. Why did everyone think Jamie was a bad boy? This was never really explained in the book. As for Tracey, she just came across as sort of a chameleon character, basically blending in with whomever she was with.
The pacing of the book is another thing I had a problem with. Most of the time it was way too slow. A lot of the chapters I had a hard time really getting in to. Don't get me wrong, there were some chapters that the pacing was done spot on. However, the majority of the time, the pacing felt really slow.
I think the dialogue was well suited to a YA novel for teens between the ages of 14 to 17. There are a few swear words but not so many that it becomes too much. There's just enough swearing to make it believable...I'm basing this on my teenage years though, lol.
I do like the title, and I admit that the title definitely did catch my attention. However, I don't really feel that Rose was an angry girl. I felt like she was more of a bullied girl. She didn't really come across as that angry to me until right around the end where her mother asks her about it. The whole "anger" conversation in the book felt as if the author just threw it in so the title would make sense.
I believe the cover suits the book. The girl on the front (which I believe is Rose) looks a bit unsure of herself which is what I felt that Rose was feeling throughout the book.
Like I said, I did like the book even if there were some major issues. It made me feel like I needed to know what was going to happen. I'm definitely getting the second book in the series just because of how this book ended.
I would recommend this book to a high school girl. I wouldn't really recommend it to adult fans of YA though.
All in all, I would give Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett a 3.5 out of 5.
This is one of those books that sort of caught me by surprise. I expected it to be fantastic as it was very high on my TBR list. It wasn't that fantastic as I thought it was going to be, but it was good.
Rose Zarelli is having a hard time in her first year of high school. Her dad's just died recently, her best friend has turned into a "cheer-witch" , her guy friend has a crush on her which she just wants to be friends with, and she's ended up kissing the boyfriend of Regina, one of the meanest girls in the school. Regina is now dead set on making Rose's life as miserable as possible. This book is about the ups and mostly downs of Rose Zarelli's freshman year of high school.
I really don't know how I feel about the characters. I felt like there wasn't enough character building for me to care about each character 100%. There were times when I felt like I didn't really care what happened to Rose. Other times, my heart went out to her because I could relate to some of things that were happening to her. The character of Regina was good although she was made out to be a stereotypical mean cheerleader type. I really couldn't stand Regina simply because she was a mean girl. I feel like the author didn't really show us enough of Jamie and Tracey's personalities. Why did everyone think Jamie was a bad boy? This was never really explained in the book. As for Tracey, she just came across as sort of a chameleon character, basically blending in with whomever she was with.
The pacing of the book is another thing I had a problem with. Most of the time it was way too slow. A lot of the chapters I had a hard time really getting in to. Don't get me wrong, there were some chapters that the pacing was done spot on. However, the majority of the time, the pacing felt really slow.
I think the dialogue was well suited to a YA novel for teens between the ages of 14 to 17. There are a few swear words but not so many that it becomes too much. There's just enough swearing to make it believable...I'm basing this on my teenage years though, lol.
I do like the title, and I admit that the title definitely did catch my attention. However, I don't really feel that Rose was an angry girl. I felt like she was more of a bullied girl. She didn't really come across as that angry to me until right around the end where her mother asks her about it. The whole "anger" conversation in the book felt as if the author just threw it in so the title would make sense.
I believe the cover suits the book. The girl on the front (which I believe is Rose) looks a bit unsure of herself which is what I felt that Rose was feeling throughout the book.
Like I said, I did like the book even if there were some major issues. It made me feel like I needed to know what was going to happen. I'm definitely getting the second book in the series just because of how this book ended.
I would recommend this book to a high school girl. I wouldn't really recommend it to adult fans of YA though.
All in all, I would give Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett a 3.5 out of 5.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight in Books
Jun 6, 2018
This review also features on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>.
I had never heard about this book until I won it on a blog giveaway. I thought the synopsis sounded good, and I wanted a break from the paranormal genre I usually read. Unfortunately, I was left feeling disappointed by this book.
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a story that takes place over a twenty-four hour time frame. Hadley is an American seventeen year old girl who is being forced to go to her father's wedding in London to another woman. Hadley hasn't forgiven him for leaving her and her mother. Hadley misses her original flight by four minutes and is put on the next flight. It is while waiting for her flight that Hadley meets Oliver, a British teen who is on his way to London for a different reason. As luck would have it, Oliver and Hadley are on the same flight and are sitting in the same row. They talk and laugh all throughout their flight but are separated upon going through customs. Hadley is left feeling devastated. Will she ever see Oliver again or will she be doomed to be even more miserable at her dad's wedding?
At first, I didn't really think the title of the book made much sense. I was constantly wondering what the title had to do with the book? I mean, it does feature insta-love, but that's as far as the title went as to matching up with the book. However, the title is spoken by one of the characters in the book, so then it made sense.
I love the cover!! I love the way how it seems as if time has slowed down for the couple on the front of it. It's such a cute cover. It's one of the first things that caught my attention on this book. I also love the basic colours of the book, white, grey and red. It works perfectly!
I thought the setting was fantastic! Jennifer E. Smith did a fantastic job at making London seem perfect. When I've been to a city, I'm a bit more critical when reading about it in a book. However, the author did me proud in this book. Miss Smith was 100 percent accurate when it came to writing about London.
However, the pacing was a bit too slow for my liking. Upon reading every chapter, I just felt bored. This book didn't really make me feel anything. I was really happy that this was a fairly short book for this reason.
The dialogue was great and easy to understand. It's perfect for a YA book. There's no swearing, so it's a great book even for younger teens. Plus, there's no hard words in it that had me running for a dictionary.
As for the characters, Hadley is an okay character. She seems a bit younger than seventeen though if I'm honest. I just could never really get into Hadley. She felt just a bit too one dimensional. There wasn't enough character building for me to really relate to her. I liked Oliver. I found him to be funny and charming. I just wish he was featured in the book more and that the author would've done a bit more character building for him as well.
All in all, I felt this book was lacking major character development. I would've liked to have had more insight into the main characters' lives. Plus, the pacing was just a bit off.
I had never heard about this book until I won it on a blog giveaway. I thought the synopsis sounded good, and I wanted a break from the paranormal genre I usually read. Unfortunately, I was left feeling disappointed by this book.
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a story that takes place over a twenty-four hour time frame. Hadley is an American seventeen year old girl who is being forced to go to her father's wedding in London to another woman. Hadley hasn't forgiven him for leaving her and her mother. Hadley misses her original flight by four minutes and is put on the next flight. It is while waiting for her flight that Hadley meets Oliver, a British teen who is on his way to London for a different reason. As luck would have it, Oliver and Hadley are on the same flight and are sitting in the same row. They talk and laugh all throughout their flight but are separated upon going through customs. Hadley is left feeling devastated. Will she ever see Oliver again or will she be doomed to be even more miserable at her dad's wedding?
At first, I didn't really think the title of the book made much sense. I was constantly wondering what the title had to do with the book? I mean, it does feature insta-love, but that's as far as the title went as to matching up with the book. However, the title is spoken by one of the characters in the book, so then it made sense.
I love the cover!! I love the way how it seems as if time has slowed down for the couple on the front of it. It's such a cute cover. It's one of the first things that caught my attention on this book. I also love the basic colours of the book, white, grey and red. It works perfectly!
I thought the setting was fantastic! Jennifer E. Smith did a fantastic job at making London seem perfect. When I've been to a city, I'm a bit more critical when reading about it in a book. However, the author did me proud in this book. Miss Smith was 100 percent accurate when it came to writing about London.
However, the pacing was a bit too slow for my liking. Upon reading every chapter, I just felt bored. This book didn't really make me feel anything. I was really happy that this was a fairly short book for this reason.
The dialogue was great and easy to understand. It's perfect for a YA book. There's no swearing, so it's a great book even for younger teens. Plus, there's no hard words in it that had me running for a dictionary.
As for the characters, Hadley is an okay character. She seems a bit younger than seventeen though if I'm honest. I just could never really get into Hadley. She felt just a bit too one dimensional. There wasn't enough character building for me to really relate to her. I liked Oliver. I found him to be funny and charming. I just wish he was featured in the book more and that the author would've done a bit more character building for him as well.
All in all, I felt this book was lacking major character development. I would've liked to have had more insight into the main characters' lives. Plus, the pacing was just a bit off.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Purple Hearts in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
An epic tale of a reimagined World War II comes to an explosive end in this third and final book <i>Purple Hearts</i>. Michael Grant created an alternative history in which women were allowed to enter the army and fight alongside the men on the front lines in Europe. Having earned accolades, promotions and the right to go home to America at the conclusion of the previous book, Rio, Frangie and Rainy decide to stay for the remains of the war. It is 6th June 1944, and the battle on the sands of Omaha Beach is about to begin – D-Day.
The story rushes into the horrors of the D-Day landings where Rio, now a Sergeant, is leading her platoon through the treacherous battleground, whilst Frangie, the medic, tries to patch up fallen comrades. The author teases the reader with the introduction of new characters who promptly get killed during this fateful day and battles further along the line. There is no sugar coating the horrific experience of soldiers and civilians, regardless of whether the scenes are fictionalized or not.
The difficulty with writing a work of fiction about the final years of World War II is that the majority of readers will already know the facts. Therefore, it was impossible for Grant to compose a drastic alternative history. Despite the inclusion of women soldiers, the main events occur exactly as they did in reality, beginning with D-Day before moving on to Liberated France, the Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, VE Day.
The three main characters have undergone complete transformations since the beginning of book one. No longer are they the innocent girls mocked for the belief they could be as strong as male soldiers. As horror after horror unfolds, readers are left with only the hope that these three survive.
Throughout book one and two, the narrative was interspersed with a commentary from an anonymous female soldier in a bed at the 107th evacuee hospital in Würzburg, Germany. As promised at the beginning of the series, readers finally find out which character this nameless voice belongs to, although it is dragged out until the final pages of the book.
The title, <i>Purple Hearts</i>, refers to the medal earned by soldiers injured in battle. Rio, Frangie and Rainy have each received one, along with a few other characters. Unfortunately, many are killed in the battles, some who have been in the story from the start, making this an extremely shocking book. It goes to show how dangerous war is and the brutality WWII soldiers experienced. It is a surprise that as many survived as they did.
Although at this point the main focus of the story is the war, there is still the underlying theme of equality, both for women and for black people. Frangie provides the insight into the segregation of blacks, being assigned to black-only patrols and having white patients refuse to be treated by her. However, as the war gets more violent, these lines get blurred until it is (mostly) no longer important the colour of a soldier or medic’s skin.
<i>Purple Hearts</i> is a brilliant end to a challenging series. Readers become invested in the characters and are drawn into a story that is so true to form that it is easy to forget that women did not actually take part in the fighting. Evidently well researched, Michael Grant has penned a series that educates whilst it entertains, opening readers’ eyes to the truth about war. This is nothing like a textbook full of facts and figures, it is a moving, personal (forget the fictional bit) account of what WWII was really like. Written with young adults in mind, this is a great series for both teens and older readers.
An epic tale of a reimagined World War II comes to an explosive end in this third and final book <i>Purple Hearts</i>. Michael Grant created an alternative history in which women were allowed to enter the army and fight alongside the men on the front lines in Europe. Having earned accolades, promotions and the right to go home to America at the conclusion of the previous book, Rio, Frangie and Rainy decide to stay for the remains of the war. It is 6th June 1944, and the battle on the sands of Omaha Beach is about to begin – D-Day.
The story rushes into the horrors of the D-Day landings where Rio, now a Sergeant, is leading her platoon through the treacherous battleground, whilst Frangie, the medic, tries to patch up fallen comrades. The author teases the reader with the introduction of new characters who promptly get killed during this fateful day and battles further along the line. There is no sugar coating the horrific experience of soldiers and civilians, regardless of whether the scenes are fictionalized or not.
The difficulty with writing a work of fiction about the final years of World War II is that the majority of readers will already know the facts. Therefore, it was impossible for Grant to compose a drastic alternative history. Despite the inclusion of women soldiers, the main events occur exactly as they did in reality, beginning with D-Day before moving on to Liberated France, the Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, VE Day.
The three main characters have undergone complete transformations since the beginning of book one. No longer are they the innocent girls mocked for the belief they could be as strong as male soldiers. As horror after horror unfolds, readers are left with only the hope that these three survive.
Throughout book one and two, the narrative was interspersed with a commentary from an anonymous female soldier in a bed at the 107th evacuee hospital in Würzburg, Germany. As promised at the beginning of the series, readers finally find out which character this nameless voice belongs to, although it is dragged out until the final pages of the book.
The title, <i>Purple Hearts</i>, refers to the medal earned by soldiers injured in battle. Rio, Frangie and Rainy have each received one, along with a few other characters. Unfortunately, many are killed in the battles, some who have been in the story from the start, making this an extremely shocking book. It goes to show how dangerous war is and the brutality WWII soldiers experienced. It is a surprise that as many survived as they did.
Although at this point the main focus of the story is the war, there is still the underlying theme of equality, both for women and for black people. Frangie provides the insight into the segregation of blacks, being assigned to black-only patrols and having white patients refuse to be treated by her. However, as the war gets more violent, these lines get blurred until it is (mostly) no longer important the colour of a soldier or medic’s skin.
<i>Purple Hearts</i> is a brilliant end to a challenging series. Readers become invested in the characters and are drawn into a story that is so true to form that it is easy to forget that women did not actually take part in the fighting. Evidently well researched, Michael Grant has penned a series that educates whilst it entertains, opening readers’ eyes to the truth about war. This is nothing like a textbook full of facts and figures, it is a moving, personal (forget the fictional bit) account of what WWII was really like. Written with young adults in mind, this is a great series for both teens and older readers.
Louise (64 KP) rated Whisper to Me in Books
Jul 2, 2018
***This review may contain spoilers***
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, which let me tell you I was so pleased, I mean who doesn’t like free books?
First off, I need to mention how beautiful the cover is, the colours are amazing (I am a fan of pinks and purples) and the summer evening with fairground in the background just makes you feel like this is going be an epic summer read with loads of fluffyness…..How wrong was I! This book is DARK!
This book is told as a massive email, 535 pages long! I feel sorry for the guy she is writing to.
The story follows Cassie, she is writing an email to this boy that she met over the summer and tries to explain the reasons behind her actions and to hopefully win him back. The seaside resort that Cassie lives in always brings tourists and Teens looking for summer work, for the past couple of years there have been prostitutes/escorts that go missing but no evidence is left so the killer is at large.In Cassie’s favourite spot at the beach she finds a human foot washed up, after the shock of this discovery she starts hearing a voice inside her head, she is convinced it’s one of the prostitutes and starts investigating and taking matters into her own hands. Along the way she meets this guy and they start hanging out, but she is unable to reveal her secret.
I am going to start off by saying that I didn’t enjoy this book and there are several reasons. I hate having to write negative reviews as this author has taken a lot of time to write this and make a success of it but there were too many flaws for my liking.
First off the book is way to long for a contemporary, it could have easily been 200 pages less,there was a lot of waffle.
I didn’t like the characters!The father suffered from PTSD after being in the Navy SEALS, but to me he felt abusive and really harsh and scary, he was so protective of Cassie and would have these sudden outbursts that I actually feared for her. Cassie was really timid, a bit of a pushover. The guy she has a romance with (you never find out his name) is boring and dull.
HA HA, that brings me on to the romance. It was awful, it was awkward but not in a good way,in a cringe OMG why you doing this way. There was no spark, no angst..nada.
It uses *****for the swear words and that got really tedious in the end and sometimes I didn’t even know what swear word to use,you can fill in the blanks yourself.
Moving on to the things I liked, I enjoyed the focus on the mental health aspect, Cassie is diagnosed with some type of Schizophrenia and she has two different forms of treatment, she has a psychiatrist who just wants to pump drugs in her to solve the problem and then she has cognitive behavioural therapy and you can tell the difference between the good therapist and the bad one. I have read quite a few books about mental health like Depression, Bi-polar and anxiety but none with hearing voices so it was interesting to read something different.
The writing was good it was told in different formats and had some sarcasm and was definitely easy to read.
The ending, I was so damn disappointed with the ending! nothing got resolved, I literally felt I had been robbed. It was like Lake got bored and finished the story early and didn’t tie the ends.
I originally gave this book a 2.5 stars but after reflecting on this I have lowered it to 1.5-2 stars and one of those stars is for the cover.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, which let me tell you I was so pleased, I mean who doesn’t like free books?
First off, I need to mention how beautiful the cover is, the colours are amazing (I am a fan of pinks and purples) and the summer evening with fairground in the background just makes you feel like this is going be an epic summer read with loads of fluffyness…..How wrong was I! This book is DARK!
This book is told as a massive email, 535 pages long! I feel sorry for the guy she is writing to.
The story follows Cassie, she is writing an email to this boy that she met over the summer and tries to explain the reasons behind her actions and to hopefully win him back. The seaside resort that Cassie lives in always brings tourists and Teens looking for summer work, for the past couple of years there have been prostitutes/escorts that go missing but no evidence is left so the killer is at large.In Cassie’s favourite spot at the beach she finds a human foot washed up, after the shock of this discovery she starts hearing a voice inside her head, she is convinced it’s one of the prostitutes and starts investigating and taking matters into her own hands. Along the way she meets this guy and they start hanging out, but she is unable to reveal her secret.
I am going to start off by saying that I didn’t enjoy this book and there are several reasons. I hate having to write negative reviews as this author has taken a lot of time to write this and make a success of it but there were too many flaws for my liking.
First off the book is way to long for a contemporary, it could have easily been 200 pages less,there was a lot of waffle.
I didn’t like the characters!The father suffered from PTSD after being in the Navy SEALS, but to me he felt abusive and really harsh and scary, he was so protective of Cassie and would have these sudden outbursts that I actually feared for her. Cassie was really timid, a bit of a pushover. The guy she has a romance with (you never find out his name) is boring and dull.
HA HA, that brings me on to the romance. It was awful, it was awkward but not in a good way,in a cringe OMG why you doing this way. There was no spark, no angst..nada.
It uses *****for the swear words and that got really tedious in the end and sometimes I didn’t even know what swear word to use,you can fill in the blanks yourself.
Moving on to the things I liked, I enjoyed the focus on the mental health aspect, Cassie is diagnosed with some type of Schizophrenia and she has two different forms of treatment, she has a psychiatrist who just wants to pump drugs in her to solve the problem and then she has cognitive behavioural therapy and you can tell the difference between the good therapist and the bad one. I have read quite a few books about mental health like Depression, Bi-polar and anxiety but none with hearing voices so it was interesting to read something different.
The writing was good it was told in different formats and had some sarcasm and was definitely easy to read.
The ending, I was so damn disappointed with the ending! nothing got resolved, I literally felt I had been robbed. It was like Lake got bored and finished the story early and didn’t tie the ends.
I originally gave this book a 2.5 stars but after reflecting on this I have lowered it to 1.5-2 stars and one of those stars is for the cover.
Louise (64 KP) rated Camp Midnight in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Skye is on her way to her fathers house for the summer, since the seperation of her parents she spends the holidays with him while her doctor mother travels to Rwanda. Skye really hates staying with her father and not because she doesn’t love him, it’s the evil step-mother (Gayle) or in Skye’s terms step-monster! Skye’s father, step -monster and even mother have a suprise in-store, instead of staying with her dad she is to go to Summer Camp! To Skye this is worse than staying with the Step-monster, but to make her father happy she agrees to go. Only when they arrive at the station they are very late and buses are starting to leave, in haste her father sees the bus ‘Camp Midnight’ and informs Skye thats her ride. Upon stepping on the bus Skye soon realises that some of these other kids are not normal and she is clearly on the wrong bus. She befriends Mia and they plan to stick together throughout their time at camp. Camp Midnight is full of witches, werewolves and other monsters of the night, Where the regime is to sleep through the day and wake at midnight. There are all sorts of activities which Skye is set that she is not participating, the group want her to reveal her inner monster but can she?
I enjoyed this book it was an easy quick read and humourous in places even when there were no words the pictures alone were comical (no pun intended) The writing text that was used was sometimes hard to read i.e. Mia looked a lot like Ma because it was so close together. I wasn’t a massive fan of the artwork it had a retro feel to it, the colours were mostly blue, red, orange and green but did complement the story well.
Skye obviously never took her parents separation well and with becoming a teenager, along comes the bitterness and sarcasm which is ineveitable in this stage of life. She is hostile towards her step mother and generally not a nice kid to be around. But true to its form a story like this would’t be worth telling if it didnt have, self discovery, friends, a love interest and also that can people can be different to what they appear to be.
Mia is the timid friend that Skye meets on the bus. Discovering that Mia has been here before and that she has enjoyed it they vow to stick with each other to ride the time out. Mia is very shy, appears to being picked on at the camp for being different and likes to be by herself but will not reveal her true-self to Skye as she believes that she will leave and once again become friendless.
The parents were just vulgar and neglectful, the step-mother was a bitch (sorry had to be said) and the father was easily persuaded by her and backed down and obeyed her demands like a dog…….THIS IS YOUR FRIGGIN KID FOR GOD SAKE!!!. Though I have to say, why is the step mum always evil? I know some great step mums! Annoying trope alert.
This book is not scary whatsoever, yes it has witches, werewolves and other mosters in there but the monster is used as a metaphor for teenagers, with them being confused of who they really are, moodswings etc etc….you get what I am getting at.
I would say this is for middle-grade to teens – it’s not scary but send out an important message.
Overall I rated this 3 stars
Skye is on her way to her fathers house for the summer, since the seperation of her parents she spends the holidays with him while her doctor mother travels to Rwanda. Skye really hates staying with her father and not because she doesn’t love him, it’s the evil step-mother (Gayle) or in Skye’s terms step-monster! Skye’s father, step -monster and even mother have a suprise in-store, instead of staying with her dad she is to go to Summer Camp! To Skye this is worse than staying with the Step-monster, but to make her father happy she agrees to go. Only when they arrive at the station they are very late and buses are starting to leave, in haste her father sees the bus ‘Camp Midnight’ and informs Skye thats her ride. Upon stepping on the bus Skye soon realises that some of these other kids are not normal and she is clearly on the wrong bus. She befriends Mia and they plan to stick together throughout their time at camp. Camp Midnight is full of witches, werewolves and other monsters of the night, Where the regime is to sleep through the day and wake at midnight. There are all sorts of activities which Skye is set that she is not participating, the group want her to reveal her inner monster but can she?
I enjoyed this book it was an easy quick read and humourous in places even when there were no words the pictures alone were comical (no pun intended) The writing text that was used was sometimes hard to read i.e. Mia looked a lot like Ma because it was so close together. I wasn’t a massive fan of the artwork it had a retro feel to it, the colours were mostly blue, red, orange and green but did complement the story well.
Skye obviously never took her parents separation well and with becoming a teenager, along comes the bitterness and sarcasm which is ineveitable in this stage of life. She is hostile towards her step mother and generally not a nice kid to be around. But true to its form a story like this would’t be worth telling if it didnt have, self discovery, friends, a love interest and also that can people can be different to what they appear to be.
Mia is the timid friend that Skye meets on the bus. Discovering that Mia has been here before and that she has enjoyed it they vow to stick with each other to ride the time out. Mia is very shy, appears to being picked on at the camp for being different and likes to be by herself but will not reveal her true-self to Skye as she believes that she will leave and once again become friendless.
The parents were just vulgar and neglectful, the step-mother was a bitch (sorry had to be said) and the father was easily persuaded by her and backed down and obeyed her demands like a dog…….THIS IS YOUR FRIGGIN KID FOR GOD SAKE!!!. Though I have to say, why is the step mum always evil? I know some great step mums! Annoying trope alert.
This book is not scary whatsoever, yes it has witches, werewolves and other mosters in there but the monster is used as a metaphor for teenagers, with them being confused of who they really are, moodswings etc etc….you get what I am getting at.
I would say this is for middle-grade to teens – it’s not scary but send out an important message.
Overall I rated this 3 stars
Debbie (52 KP) rated Born Scared in Books
Sep 12, 2018
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/9a41056d7201c045d3f9e5c161f9569494687ae1"; width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>
#BornScared#NetGalley
Candlewick Press Published Date September 11, 2018 Pages 256
Teens and YA
I had the privilege of being able to read this book before it was published. I did finish this book yesterday which is when it was released. This is the old cover but the new cover is a lot prettier.
This was a different book and I am still trying to process what I read. As of right now I am giving it 3.5 stars.
There were a lot of characters in this book and the transition between each one was a little rough.
This book is about a teenage boy who is afraid of everything. He is so afraid he doesn't go outside and is on medication which only slightly helps.
The story starts with him being born early at 26 weeks. He is part of twins. His sister doesn't live after an hour. He has named her Ellamay. Mom never named her. His fear starts from day one. Part of Ellamay lives within him. There are only three people that he isn't afraid of and they are mom, the doctor and his Aunt Shirley. When he was four he was caught talking with Ellamay and scared his mom and the doctor. His mom's name is Grace and the Doctor's name is Owen Gibson. Everyone else he calls Monkems.
Enter new characters the two Santas who are Leodnar Dacre (Dake) and Carl Jenner. Dake is the follower and Carl is the leader. They are bad men. They are planning on robbing the bank vault, by using yet another person named Gordon. They will make Gordon rob the bank for them by using his mom as leverage. How do they know about Gordon well yet another character is used and that is Kaylee who is dating Carl. Kaylee likes Carl because he is different and fun. Kaylee gives him all the information about Gordon. She assures Carl that Gordon is so predictable that you can set a clock by him.
The story goes on and Elliot is given the wrong medicine so mom needs to go and the correct pills but her car dies and so she ask Shirley to go get them. Shirley is dealing with traffic because it is Christmas Eve. Before she drops of the pills she goes home to pick up the gifts to deliver them along with the pills. Shirley never makes it to their home so Mom goes to her house and she never returns either.
Elliot decides he needs to go and find his mom. This is were his adventure starts. He has a great adventure and was great to read. What happen to him? You will have to read the book. What happen to Shirley and Mom? Again you have to read the book. What does Gordon have to do with this story? I am being very careful trying not to reveal too much. It does get good but I didn't like the ending at all. You are left wondering on what happened to a few of the characters.
If you don't mind being left hanging at the end I would recommend this story. It made me a little upset because I wanted to know. I don't care if it is a good end or a sad end, I just want to know what happen. The jumping around was a little hard and I had to figure out who I was reading about. This is a story I have never read about and it was interesting. Would I read something else by this author, yes I would give him another chance.
#BornScared#NetGalley
Candlewick Press Published Date September 11, 2018 Pages 256
Teens and YA
I had the privilege of being able to read this book before it was published. I did finish this book yesterday which is when it was released. This is the old cover but the new cover is a lot prettier.
This was a different book and I am still trying to process what I read. As of right now I am giving it 3.5 stars.
There were a lot of characters in this book and the transition between each one was a little rough.
This book is about a teenage boy who is afraid of everything. He is so afraid he doesn't go outside and is on medication which only slightly helps.
The story starts with him being born early at 26 weeks. He is part of twins. His sister doesn't live after an hour. He has named her Ellamay. Mom never named her. His fear starts from day one. Part of Ellamay lives within him. There are only three people that he isn't afraid of and they are mom, the doctor and his Aunt Shirley. When he was four he was caught talking with Ellamay and scared his mom and the doctor. His mom's name is Grace and the Doctor's name is Owen Gibson. Everyone else he calls Monkems.
Enter new characters the two Santas who are Leodnar Dacre (Dake) and Carl Jenner. Dake is the follower and Carl is the leader. They are bad men. They are planning on robbing the bank vault, by using yet another person named Gordon. They will make Gordon rob the bank for them by using his mom as leverage. How do they know about Gordon well yet another character is used and that is Kaylee who is dating Carl. Kaylee likes Carl because he is different and fun. Kaylee gives him all the information about Gordon. She assures Carl that Gordon is so predictable that you can set a clock by him.
The story goes on and Elliot is given the wrong medicine so mom needs to go and the correct pills but her car dies and so she ask Shirley to go get them. Shirley is dealing with traffic because it is Christmas Eve. Before she drops of the pills she goes home to pick up the gifts to deliver them along with the pills. Shirley never makes it to their home so Mom goes to her house and she never returns either.
Elliot decides he needs to go and find his mom. This is were his adventure starts. He has a great adventure and was great to read. What happen to him? You will have to read the book. What happen to Shirley and Mom? Again you have to read the book. What does Gordon have to do with this story? I am being very careful trying not to reveal too much. It does get good but I didn't like the ending at all. You are left wondering on what happened to a few of the characters.
If you don't mind being left hanging at the end I would recommend this story. It made me a little upset because I wanted to know. I don't care if it is a good end or a sad end, I just want to know what happen. The jumping around was a little hard and I had to figure out who I was reading about. This is a story I have never read about and it was interesting. Would I read something else by this author, yes I would give him another chance.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated How to Date Dead Guys (The Witch`s Handbook #1) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
How To Date Dead Guys </i>is the first novel in the paranormal series <i>The Witches Handbook </i>by the author Ann. M Noser. The protagonist, Emma, is introduced to the reader as a shy, introverted student whose negative experience with bullying during high school still greatly affects her despite now being a sophomore at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Against her wishes, Emma is forced to attend a party by her roommate Chrissy, a girl who is the complete opposite in personality. Whilst trying to keep out of the way of the partying students, Emma starts talking to Mike, a boy she has a crush on. From this point onwards Emma’s life changes dramatically, although in ways she had never previously imagined.
After a devastating accident leaving Mike dead and Emma feeling guilty, Emma decides to take drastic action with the help of a book she finds called <i>Book of Shadows</i>. Using instructions from the book Emma recites a spell believing she can raise Mike from the dead. However this has disastrous consequences. Instead of being reunited with Mike, Emma finds herself face to face with a different guy, one who died a few months previously. Feeling responsible, Emma tries to help this resurrected body but she soon learns she got more than she bargained for.
<i>How To Date Dead Guys</i> is both hilarious and moving. The shock of Mike’s death makes the reader feel sorry for Emma, a lovely girl who does not deserve this heartache. Initially there is a sense of foreboding when she begins to dabble in witchcraft however the outcome results in some amusing situations.
Initially the storyline was not completely clear, which made understanding the purpose of the various scenarios a little confusing. However, Emma was also confused during this time, thus it makes sense for the reader to be also. It soon becomes clear why a different person was brought back to life rather than Mike, causing the story to take a more heart-warming direction.
Emma is a character that many introverts will relate to. Growing up being bullied has left her feeling that she is not good enough at anything. She has barely any friends, rarely goes out and is scared to talk to anyone new. Ironically raising the dead changes Emma for the better. Being in a situation where she has no choice but to deal with the consequences, Emma becomes more confident in herself. Although she believes she is still the same shy girl she was to begin with, hanging around with the dead forces her to see that she has changed and that she is no longer the weak person she always thought herself to be.
Emma’s character development is one of the best parts of the entire novel. Many young adult or new adult stories use romance and reliance on a male “hero” to save the girl from her introverted life style. Although romance was somewhat involved, this was not the case with Emma. Emma changed because she had to, because of circumstances she accidently created and felt she needed to put right. Emma’s confidence is not a result of influence from anyone else and proves that people can survive by themselves and become the person they wish to be.
Overall I enjoyed reading <i>How To Date Dead Guys</i>. Admittedly the beginning of the book felt like a few different stories crammed together, but once the plot was established it became exciting to discover what would happen next. Although listed as a New Adult book, the content is suitable for readers in their teens as well.
How To Date Dead Guys </i>is the first novel in the paranormal series <i>The Witches Handbook </i>by the author Ann. M Noser. The protagonist, Emma, is introduced to the reader as a shy, introverted student whose negative experience with bullying during high school still greatly affects her despite now being a sophomore at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Against her wishes, Emma is forced to attend a party by her roommate Chrissy, a girl who is the complete opposite in personality. Whilst trying to keep out of the way of the partying students, Emma starts talking to Mike, a boy she has a crush on. From this point onwards Emma’s life changes dramatically, although in ways she had never previously imagined.
After a devastating accident leaving Mike dead and Emma feeling guilty, Emma decides to take drastic action with the help of a book she finds called <i>Book of Shadows</i>. Using instructions from the book Emma recites a spell believing she can raise Mike from the dead. However this has disastrous consequences. Instead of being reunited with Mike, Emma finds herself face to face with a different guy, one who died a few months previously. Feeling responsible, Emma tries to help this resurrected body but she soon learns she got more than she bargained for.
<i>How To Date Dead Guys</i> is both hilarious and moving. The shock of Mike’s death makes the reader feel sorry for Emma, a lovely girl who does not deserve this heartache. Initially there is a sense of foreboding when she begins to dabble in witchcraft however the outcome results in some amusing situations.
Initially the storyline was not completely clear, which made understanding the purpose of the various scenarios a little confusing. However, Emma was also confused during this time, thus it makes sense for the reader to be also. It soon becomes clear why a different person was brought back to life rather than Mike, causing the story to take a more heart-warming direction.
Emma is a character that many introverts will relate to. Growing up being bullied has left her feeling that she is not good enough at anything. She has barely any friends, rarely goes out and is scared to talk to anyone new. Ironically raising the dead changes Emma for the better. Being in a situation where she has no choice but to deal with the consequences, Emma becomes more confident in herself. Although she believes she is still the same shy girl she was to begin with, hanging around with the dead forces her to see that she has changed and that she is no longer the weak person she always thought herself to be.
Emma’s character development is one of the best parts of the entire novel. Many young adult or new adult stories use romance and reliance on a male “hero” to save the girl from her introverted life style. Although romance was somewhat involved, this was not the case with Emma. Emma changed because she had to, because of circumstances she accidently created and felt she needed to put right. Emma’s confidence is not a result of influence from anyone else and proves that people can survive by themselves and become the person they wish to be.
Overall I enjoyed reading <i>How To Date Dead Guys</i>. Admittedly the beginning of the book felt like a few different stories crammed together, but once the plot was established it became exciting to discover what would happen next. Although listed as a New Adult book, the content is suitable for readers in their teens as well.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Vivian's List (The List, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
*I received this books as an ARC in an exchange for an honest review*
I was completely taken aback by this book in the best way possible! I didn't really know what to expect; but I knew that if it was anything like the cover of this book I was going to be in for a treat. We are first introduced to Vivian who is a very beautiful girl, but she's very emotionally shut off. Her parents died when her and her brother were teens and as a result she hasn't had much love in her life since. Viv's brother Julian is an active member of the military and is not actually in this book expect for in mention (would love to get to know him better in a future installment... hint hint nudge nudge). Viv seems to have attracted a complete loser Brody! He doesn't physically abuse Viv, but he's broken her spirit in almost any way imaginable. Enter Liam. Liam rides in like a knight in shining armor to save Vivian his best friend's little sister. SWOON! Liam is staying with Vivian while is he is on shore leave and that's where things get really interesting.
<blockquote><b>"Now I found myself wishing I could carry her away from the real wolf - the wolf disguised as her boyfriend."</blockquote></b>
Brody always hates the way Vivian dresses, he says it makes her look like a slut, and he's always accusing her of sleeping with Liam even when she isn't. Inevitably he gets pissed and he drops Vivian at home after one of their mega fights which he's called Vivian "boring old vanilla" which leaves Vivian on a mission.
Liam plays an important role in showing Vivian that the way she is being treated is not okay. Liam's mother was treated poorly by his father and thus his experience. The scene between Viv and Liam where he is just pouring his heart out and explaining his mom's story is written so beautifully and so poignantly, that I almost felt like it was me coming to my senses.
<blockquote><b>"Not knowing you're abused is bad. But refusing to know it? Refusing to recognize it? That's far worse."
"Respect exists only on the basis of freedom, for love is the child of freedom, never that of domination." </blockquote></b>
Vivian grows to be a strong character and I love her journey of sexual discovery along the way She embarks on an adventure with Liam that I am completely swept up in. I loved their encounters, their approach to the whole deal, and I love the ending result. This book had me reading fervently wanting to know what was going to happen next. I laughed at parts of the book, and I cried at others. This book just resonated with me in such a way that I just can't describe.
<blockquote><b>"You don't have to be Mr. Right, I just need you to be Mr. Right Now." </blockquote></b>
The sex scenes were hot and steamy, and weren't written in the cheesy way that some sex scenes are written. The author doesn't describe things in a corny way and she uses real terms and real words to describe what is taking place. None of that fluffy, flowery, frilly sex talk. And of course there is the unexpressed love growing between characters. Its an amazing book!
<blockquote><b>"I kissed him back, matching him move for move, laying my wounded soul bare for him to see, to taste, to touch" </blockquote></b>
Haleigh Lovell has definitely found a fan in me. I can't wait until 2014 when the sequel "Liam's List" is released! I can't wait to hear more of their stories, and I can't wait to maybe meet Julian (again hint hint nudge nudge). This book gets 5 stars from me and is probably one of my best reads of 2013.
I was completely taken aback by this book in the best way possible! I didn't really know what to expect; but I knew that if it was anything like the cover of this book I was going to be in for a treat. We are first introduced to Vivian who is a very beautiful girl, but she's very emotionally shut off. Her parents died when her and her brother were teens and as a result she hasn't had much love in her life since. Viv's brother Julian is an active member of the military and is not actually in this book expect for in mention (would love to get to know him better in a future installment... hint hint nudge nudge). Viv seems to have attracted a complete loser Brody! He doesn't physically abuse Viv, but he's broken her spirit in almost any way imaginable. Enter Liam. Liam rides in like a knight in shining armor to save Vivian his best friend's little sister. SWOON! Liam is staying with Vivian while is he is on shore leave and that's where things get really interesting.
<blockquote><b>"Now I found myself wishing I could carry her away from the real wolf - the wolf disguised as her boyfriend."</blockquote></b>
Brody always hates the way Vivian dresses, he says it makes her look like a slut, and he's always accusing her of sleeping with Liam even when she isn't. Inevitably he gets pissed and he drops Vivian at home after one of their mega fights which he's called Vivian "boring old vanilla" which leaves Vivian on a mission.
Liam plays an important role in showing Vivian that the way she is being treated is not okay. Liam's mother was treated poorly by his father and thus his experience. The scene between Viv and Liam where he is just pouring his heart out and explaining his mom's story is written so beautifully and so poignantly, that I almost felt like it was me coming to my senses.
<blockquote><b>"Not knowing you're abused is bad. But refusing to know it? Refusing to recognize it? That's far worse."
"Respect exists only on the basis of freedom, for love is the child of freedom, never that of domination." </blockquote></b>
Vivian grows to be a strong character and I love her journey of sexual discovery along the way She embarks on an adventure with Liam that I am completely swept up in. I loved their encounters, their approach to the whole deal, and I love the ending result. This book had me reading fervently wanting to know what was going to happen next. I laughed at parts of the book, and I cried at others. This book just resonated with me in such a way that I just can't describe.
<blockquote><b>"You don't have to be Mr. Right, I just need you to be Mr. Right Now." </blockquote></b>
The sex scenes were hot and steamy, and weren't written in the cheesy way that some sex scenes are written. The author doesn't describe things in a corny way and she uses real terms and real words to describe what is taking place. None of that fluffy, flowery, frilly sex talk. And of course there is the unexpressed love growing between characters. Its an amazing book!
<blockquote><b>"I kissed him back, matching him move for move, laying my wounded soul bare for him to see, to taste, to touch" </blockquote></b>
Haleigh Lovell has definitely found a fan in me. I can't wait until 2014 when the sequel "Liam's List" is released! I can't wait to hear more of their stories, and I can't wait to maybe meet Julian (again hint hint nudge nudge). This book gets 5 stars from me and is probably one of my best reads of 2013.
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Shazam! (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019
"i'd like to purchase some of your finest beer please"
Shout "Shazam!" into the sky and you're struck by a bolt of lightning from the heavens; blessed with the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury. Instantly elevated from whatever you were into your peak self; reborn with a crack of thunder, a flash of light and a cloud of smoke. It's a wonderfully novel and simple idea for a comic book character. Something that allows for a spectacular hero moment right before each conflict or feat; an epic bit of imagery to light up the night sky and electrify the frame. This transformation also perfectly captures the spirit of both this film and it's hero; a belief in the idea that even the most forgotten, marginalized and seemingly powerless person can change the world.
Shazam! distinguishes itself as DC's first true crack at a comedy; also it's lightest and most modest effort yet. There's a really nice commitment to the lofty, somewhat ridiculously mythological source material here. There's little liberty taken with Shazam's campy world of wizards, demons and magic; the attitude towards these elements can best be described as self-aware without being self-conscious. The jokes almost all land and there's charm oozing out of every frame. Loads of heart, tons of humor and a true fidelity to childhood joy make this such a uniquely enjoyable flick; and an impressively confident approach to a hero that soars due to it's big personality and earnest attitude.
Our hero's journey here boils down to a kid learning to care about a world that has never bothered to care about him. Abandoned as a child and shuttled through the foster system; the explanation and depiction of Billy Batson's unenviable situation is irreverent and laced with sarcasm, true to how teens often confront traumas that imply vulnerability. The film allows these kids to be kids; meaning they're impulsive and ill-equipped for the situation they're in; and often crude and frustratingly ignorant to a seemingly obvious truth. The premise lends itself to a close look at responsibility and purpose; basically a feature length look at a lost kid reclaiming his identity and finding a family. The point at which Billy truly becomes a hero with something to fight for is powerful; a simple but big-hearted affirmation of the importance of connection and love, especially to a kid who's never allowed himself to know either.
Superhero stories can impart lessons in a variety of ways. Both on the page and on the screen; there's a wide array of films that all excel in their own specific way; shaping themselves in the image of their hero, and what he/she means to readers around the world. Shazam! distinguishes itself spectacularly as a film about what constitutes a family, and how that family reflects who we are. There's a powerful yearning in Billy for a connection; someone or something to fight for. A desperate desire for love and support; to feel like a part of something in some way. There's a meaningful, deeply human core to that concept; something universal and immediately affecting. Shazam! understands this from the start; setting aside the punchsplosians and skybeams for a moment, to remind us that sometimes a kid looking for his mom can be as compelling than the threat of planetary destruction. So bring on Joker, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984 and whatever else DC has in it's chaotic, ever-changing slate of planned superhero flicks; they're on a roll right now.
Shazam! distinguishes itself as DC's first true crack at a comedy; also it's lightest and most modest effort yet. There's a really nice commitment to the lofty, somewhat ridiculously mythological source material here. There's little liberty taken with Shazam's campy world of wizards, demons and magic; the attitude towards these elements can best be described as self-aware without being self-conscious. The jokes almost all land and there's charm oozing out of every frame. Loads of heart, tons of humor and a true fidelity to childhood joy make this such a uniquely enjoyable flick; and an impressively confident approach to a hero that soars due to it's big personality and earnest attitude.
Our hero's journey here boils down to a kid learning to care about a world that has never bothered to care about him. Abandoned as a child and shuttled through the foster system; the explanation and depiction of Billy Batson's unenviable situation is irreverent and laced with sarcasm, true to how teens often confront traumas that imply vulnerability. The film allows these kids to be kids; meaning they're impulsive and ill-equipped for the situation they're in; and often crude and frustratingly ignorant to a seemingly obvious truth. The premise lends itself to a close look at responsibility and purpose; basically a feature length look at a lost kid reclaiming his identity and finding a family. The point at which Billy truly becomes a hero with something to fight for is powerful; a simple but big-hearted affirmation of the importance of connection and love, especially to a kid who's never allowed himself to know either.
Superhero stories can impart lessons in a variety of ways. Both on the page and on the screen; there's a wide array of films that all excel in their own specific way; shaping themselves in the image of their hero, and what he/she means to readers around the world. Shazam! distinguishes itself spectacularly as a film about what constitutes a family, and how that family reflects who we are. There's a powerful yearning in Billy for a connection; someone or something to fight for. A desperate desire for love and support; to feel like a part of something in some way. There's a meaningful, deeply human core to that concept; something universal and immediately affecting. Shazam! understands this from the start; setting aside the punchsplosians and skybeams for a moment, to remind us that sometimes a kid looking for his mom can be as compelling than the threat of planetary destruction. So bring on Joker, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984 and whatever else DC has in it's chaotic, ever-changing slate of planned superhero flicks; they're on a roll right now.