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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated I Feel Like Going On: Life, Game, and Glory in Books
May 10, 2018
<u>I Feel Like Going On</u> tells the story of Ray Lewis's life through his point of view. From his early childhood to the man he is today. I learned quite a bit about Ray Lewis that I didn't know and found very interesting. A religious and family man with seven children, he is a very different person than the man who used to be on the football field.
Growing up in Maryland, I only root for two teams, the Washington Redskins and whoever is playing the Dallas Cowboys. When I was a kid, the Baltimore team had been long, so the Redskins were who I went for. I respect, Ray Lewis as an amazing defensive player in the NFL. Occasionally, I would cheer for Baltimore especially when they were in the Super Bowl. It was interesting to find out that the Redskins were Ray's favorite as well. He has a very religious side to him that you don't get to see on the field. He is also very family oriented, always there for his kids as well as his mother and brothers and sisters. There are a lot of things I learned from this book about Ray Lewis and about life in general. The best part of the book came at the end when Ray talks about what his mother taught him.
"Be an example. Be a force for good. And know that every one with a great name has been through something. A great deal of something. It's not about doing what everybody else is doing. It's just about being true to yourself whatever the majority of people are doing, go ahead and do the opposite--if you know what you're doing to be right and good and true. Live your legacy. Do your thing. Walk in a certain light."
This book is an inspiration to anyone who is struggling through life and may be unsure how they are going to make it through the storm. Ray Lewis made it through a single mom household, losing friends and coaches, and being accused of the most terrible things. He made it through alive andd on top.
Growing up in Maryland, I only root for two teams, the Washington Redskins and whoever is playing the Dallas Cowboys. When I was a kid, the Baltimore team had been long, so the Redskins were who I went for. I respect, Ray Lewis as an amazing defensive player in the NFL. Occasionally, I would cheer for Baltimore especially when they were in the Super Bowl. It was interesting to find out that the Redskins were Ray's favorite as well. He has a very religious side to him that you don't get to see on the field. He is also very family oriented, always there for his kids as well as his mother and brothers and sisters. There are a lot of things I learned from this book about Ray Lewis and about life in general. The best part of the book came at the end when Ray talks about what his mother taught him.
"Be an example. Be a force for good. And know that every one with a great name has been through something. A great deal of something. It's not about doing what everybody else is doing. It's just about being true to yourself whatever the majority of people are doing, go ahead and do the opposite--if you know what you're doing to be right and good and true. Live your legacy. Do your thing. Walk in a certain light."
This book is an inspiration to anyone who is struggling through life and may be unsure how they are going to make it through the storm. Ray Lewis made it through a single mom household, losing friends and coaches, and being accused of the most terrible things. He made it through alive andd on top.
TacoDave (3805 KP) rated Wonder Park (2019) in Movies
Mar 18, 2019
Kind of inoffensive? (1 more)
Animation is fine
The plot (2 more)
The concept
The execution
Horrible Park
Contains spoilers, click to show
I have five kids. So I've seen a ton of kids' movies. Some are good, some are bad, and some are meh. "Wonder Park" falls completely and stubbornly into the bottom range of Meh. It's not so bad that you hate yourself for watching it, but it isn't even interesting enough to hold your attention for the 80-minute runtime.
"Wonder Park" is about an imaginary amusement park called Wonderland (they never explain the discrepancy in name versus the name of the movie) invented by a young girl. She talks about the park, she draws pictures of it, she makes models of it, and she creates new rides with the help of her mom.
Unfortunately, in a real downer of a plotline, her mom gets sick with an unnamed illness and has to go away to see specialists somewhere. This makes the girl depressed, which makes her stop using her imagination, which makes her stop caring about Wonderland.
Then, in a situation that makes no sense, she hops off of a bus on the way to Math Camp, takes off on her own through the woods, and stumbles onto a real-life version of Wonderland run by real talking animals. Except there's a problem: Wonderland is being destroyed by a big black cloud and a sea of stuffed monkeys.
The girl eventually realizes (duh!) that the black cloud is basically her sadness, and to save the park she has to learn to use her imagination again. So she does. Then she leaves the park, goes back home, and her mom is magically better from the illness and everyone presumably lives happily ever after.
It's a neat concept (kid creates amusement park!) with bad execution, a terrible story, and too much depression for a kids' movie. Plus it wraps up too neatly. And it isn't funny. And I literally almost fell asleep watching it.
If you have to see a family movie, you can do a lot better than this one. I wouldn't even recommend renting it from Redbox. It is that bland and inoffensive.
"Wonder Park" is about an imaginary amusement park called Wonderland (they never explain the discrepancy in name versus the name of the movie) invented by a young girl. She talks about the park, she draws pictures of it, she makes models of it, and she creates new rides with the help of her mom.
Unfortunately, in a real downer of a plotline, her mom gets sick with an unnamed illness and has to go away to see specialists somewhere. This makes the girl depressed, which makes her stop using her imagination, which makes her stop caring about Wonderland.
Then, in a situation that makes no sense, she hops off of a bus on the way to Math Camp, takes off on her own through the woods, and stumbles onto a real-life version of Wonderland run by real talking animals. Except there's a problem: Wonderland is being destroyed by a big black cloud and a sea of stuffed monkeys.
The girl eventually realizes (duh!) that the black cloud is basically her sadness, and to save the park she has to learn to use her imagination again. So she does. Then she leaves the park, goes back home, and her mom is magically better from the illness and everyone presumably lives happily ever after.
It's a neat concept (kid creates amusement park!) with bad execution, a terrible story, and too much depression for a kids' movie. Plus it wraps up too neatly. And it isn't funny. And I literally almost fell asleep watching it.
If you have to see a family movie, you can do a lot better than this one. I wouldn't even recommend renting it from Redbox. It is that bland and inoffensive.
Sam (74 KP) rated The Undomestic Goddess in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Samantha is a high powered lawyer in a high powered law firm in London. She’s one of the best and has worked hard to get where she is. And when the opportunity a arises for her to become a partner at the firm, she works even harder than before. She’s got everything set out and knows that the promotion is hers, then finds out she has made a terrible mistake. A mistake that has cost fifty million. And she runs.
She finds herself being mistaken for the new housekeeper at a lovely house in the country and she is so flustered that she doesn’t know how to tell her new employers that it is all a mistake, so instead she goes along with it.
Samantha Sweeting is probably my favourite female protagonist ever. She is absolutely hilarious (even if she doesn’t know it) and she’s definitely not your stereotypical character. She runs when she realises she’s made a mistake, and then follows the fake it to make it life, pretending to be a housekeeper even though she’s got no idea how to even turn on a washing machine.
She is so comical, especially how she doesn’t have any idea how to do anything in a house but somehow becomes an amazing housekeeper.
The Undomestic Goddess is a novel about overcoming everything you have spent your life trying to be in order to find happiness. Samantha is faced with the problem of whether she wants to be happy, have time for herself and her own life, or she could go back to Carter Spink. It raises the question of whether happiness is truly worth more than money, and if success really equals happiness.
When I read Sophie Kinsella’s My Not So Perfect Life, I thought that I had found the most true and realistic book I could. But The Undomestic Goddess beats even that and is even more entertaining. I can’t believe I hadn’t discovered it sooner than when I spotted it in Morrisons. It’s such a heartfelt and honest book that it’s definitely a must read.
She finds herself being mistaken for the new housekeeper at a lovely house in the country and she is so flustered that she doesn’t know how to tell her new employers that it is all a mistake, so instead she goes along with it.
Samantha Sweeting is probably my favourite female protagonist ever. She is absolutely hilarious (even if she doesn’t know it) and she’s definitely not your stereotypical character. She runs when she realises she’s made a mistake, and then follows the fake it to make it life, pretending to be a housekeeper even though she’s got no idea how to even turn on a washing machine.
She is so comical, especially how she doesn’t have any idea how to do anything in a house but somehow becomes an amazing housekeeper.
The Undomestic Goddess is a novel about overcoming everything you have spent your life trying to be in order to find happiness. Samantha is faced with the problem of whether she wants to be happy, have time for herself and her own life, or she could go back to Carter Spink. It raises the question of whether happiness is truly worth more than money, and if success really equals happiness.
When I read Sophie Kinsella’s My Not So Perfect Life, I thought that I had found the most true and realistic book I could. But The Undomestic Goddess beats even that and is even more entertaining. I can’t believe I hadn’t discovered it sooner than when I spotted it in Morrisons. It’s such a heartfelt and honest book that it’s definitely a must read.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated This Is Where It Ends in Books
Apr 9, 2019
It's every parents worse nightmare. A shooting at their child's school and there is nothing you can do about it. This Is Where It Ends is told from the perspective of four senior students in the thick of the chaos during the 54 minutes Opportunity High School is under attack. Opportunity, Alabama could be any small town in American and we have seen stories like this too many times.
Most of the school is in the auditorium for a new semester assembly they have each year. As the principal finishes the assembly and is about to dismiss everyone, a shot rings out and everyone soon finds out that they are trapped. Why is this happening and who will make it out alive?
Story told by:
- Autumn is a dancer who is destined to follow in her mother's footsteps and go to Julliard and dance all around the world.
- Sylvia is one of the smartest students at Opportunity. She will get into any college that she applies to, but with her mother as sick as she is, will she actually be able to go.
-Claire is a star on the track team and known as "Sarge" to her fellow JROTC classmates. She is fortunate enough not to be in the auditorium during the shooting, but her little brother, Matt is.
-Tomàs is Sylvia's twin brother. He is supposed to be in detention during the assembly, but instead he is in the Principal's office with his best friend Fareed, doing something he shouldn't be doing when he hears the first shot.
Each one of these students have a different view of the terrible incident that is taking place in their school. They all have a different relationship with the shooter. They each play a significant role in helping get students to safety, risking their own lives the entire time.
This is another really good book that I have read this year. I could see myself among those students, feel their fear, and hope for their survival. I thoroughly enjoyed this Big Library Read more than others I have gotten.
I look forward to more books by this author.
Most of the school is in the auditorium for a new semester assembly they have each year. As the principal finishes the assembly and is about to dismiss everyone, a shot rings out and everyone soon finds out that they are trapped. Why is this happening and who will make it out alive?
Story told by:
- Autumn is a dancer who is destined to follow in her mother's footsteps and go to Julliard and dance all around the world.
- Sylvia is one of the smartest students at Opportunity. She will get into any college that she applies to, but with her mother as sick as she is, will she actually be able to go.
-Claire is a star on the track team and known as "Sarge" to her fellow JROTC classmates. She is fortunate enough not to be in the auditorium during the shooting, but her little brother, Matt is.
-Tomàs is Sylvia's twin brother. He is supposed to be in detention during the assembly, but instead he is in the Principal's office with his best friend Fareed, doing something he shouldn't be doing when he hears the first shot.
Each one of these students have a different view of the terrible incident that is taking place in their school. They all have a different relationship with the shooter. They each play a significant role in helping get students to safety, risking their own lives the entire time.
This is another really good book that I have read this year. I could see myself among those students, feel their fear, and hope for their survival. I thoroughly enjoyed this Big Library Read more than others I have gotten.
I look forward to more books by this author.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Hellboy (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
More like Hellno
#hellboy is an #abomination, a brain dead overlong shit show of bad decisions & sheer laziness. I can honestly say i was so pumped for this film but it was such a monstrosoty that i considered walking out after just 30mins. Lets kick this off so i can at least pretend i havent wasted my night with this dross. To sum the film up its a cross between #eastenders & #kingsman (no not the good kingsman either that dire sequel #kingsmanthegoldencircle) & as you can imagine it doesnt work at all. Its not gritty, its not #funny, its not #stylish & its not well made, in fact its also not even half as good as it seems to think it is either coming across so #happy & smug with itself its practically flipping you the middle finger the entire run time. Tacky is a great word i would use to describe this movie, tacky & childish with #humour that wouldn't go a miss in a kids tv program (eg burp jokes, dribble jokes & #jokes about kissing old ladies). Acting is poor everyone just looks & talks half arsed like they can't be bothered, delivering emotionless lines without conviction making dialog a bland back & forth chore. I hope you like bickering too because theres a #hell of alot of pointless bickering scenes that just feel unnecessary. Not one character is developed or likeable not even hellboy himself with the #villain #millajovovich feeling like a bad guy in a stage play just minus the hissing. Cgi is so woefully bad is downright embarrassing sticking out like a saw thumb ruining the forgettable action scenes. Camera work is choppy & the film is badly edited with disorienting quick cuts. Sets & #creatures are bland/unimaginative & prosthetics feel cheaply made (even hellboys face feels off round the eyes). Plot was so paint by numbers i lost interest midway & put my head in my hands when the terrible climax hit (Talk about build up with no pay off). Hellboy ultimatly prooves filling a film with #violence, swearing, popular #music & #popculture references doesnt make your film cool if everything else around it lacks. Lazy forgettable boring poorly made shite. Avoid. #odeon #odeonlimitless #superhero #ronperlman #strangerthings #dc #guillermodeltoro #demons #horror #gore #comic
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Only Daughter in Books
May 22, 2019
Kat experiences every mothers worst nightmare when her little girl is found dead. And then the police add the word suicide. But Kat refuses to believe them.
Even when they show her the familiar looping handwriting and smudged ink on the note Grace left behind. She knows her bubbly, bright daughter would never take her own life.
But as she searches Graces perfume-scented room, filled with smiling photos, she uncovers secrets her daughter had been hiding. Secrets that make her wonder how well she really knew the woman her only child was becoming.
Kats determined to find out what really happened to Grace on the night she died, even if it means confronting her own troubled past. But as she gets closer to the terrible truth, Kat is faced with an unthinkable question: there was no way she could have protected Grace or was there?
This book was filled with so many twists, turns, and shocks that had me hanging off of every page.
This is the story of Kat, wife, mother, sociopath. Her teenage daughter has just been found dead at the bottom of a quarry, and the police are calling it a suicide.
The writing is superb in this compelling story and the characters are totally believable and seem so believable as they have their faults and secrets also.
There were jaw dropping twists and I truly felt like I was on this emotional roller coaster with Kat.
The opening of this book is just heartbreaking and I cannot imagine anything worse than the loss of my child and some of the story description of events was just so emotional.
This story is an emotional look at the relationships between mother and child, wife and husband; very heart wrenching at times but what a ride it was!
Only Daughter is a riveting read filled with twists and turns at every corner that I couldn't put down. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Even when they show her the familiar looping handwriting and smudged ink on the note Grace left behind. She knows her bubbly, bright daughter would never take her own life.
But as she searches Graces perfume-scented room, filled with smiling photos, she uncovers secrets her daughter had been hiding. Secrets that make her wonder how well she really knew the woman her only child was becoming.
Kats determined to find out what really happened to Grace on the night she died, even if it means confronting her own troubled past. But as she gets closer to the terrible truth, Kat is faced with an unthinkable question: there was no way she could have protected Grace or was there?
This book was filled with so many twists, turns, and shocks that had me hanging off of every page.
This is the story of Kat, wife, mother, sociopath. Her teenage daughter has just been found dead at the bottom of a quarry, and the police are calling it a suicide.
The writing is superb in this compelling story and the characters are totally believable and seem so believable as they have their faults and secrets also.
There were jaw dropping twists and I truly felt like I was on this emotional roller coaster with Kat.
The opening of this book is just heartbreaking and I cannot imagine anything worse than the loss of my child and some of the story description of events was just so emotional.
This story is an emotional look at the relationships between mother and child, wife and husband; very heart wrenching at times but what a ride it was!
Only Daughter is a riveting read filled with twists and turns at every corner that I couldn't put down. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Pretty Ugly Lies in Books
Jun 5, 2019
In “Pretty Ugly Lies” Pamela Crane reveals the lives of four very different women in this dramatic, intimate domestic noir, of which I could not put down, especially upon opening the book to suddenly discover how someone is killing a whole family!
As the story unravelled I found myself really keen to find out who had murdered not just the husband but the kids in such a horrific way! We hear, through the voices of four women, Jo Trubeau, Ellie Harper, Shayla Kensington and June Merrigan, how their seemingly unconnected lives and problems eventually intertwine in this cleverly written tale of domestic bliss gone wrong.
We also hear the evil thoughts of the kidnapper and for me that made this read even more entertaining, sending chills down my spine!
Overall, Pretty Ugly Lies raises some series issues, from kidnapping a child, stalking, and infidelity, to marriage breakdowns, autism, and suicidal thoughts. There’s certainly a huge amount of problems within these girl’s lives and the neighbourhood they live in. I wouldn’t want to live there, however affluent it looked on the outside.
If you love a book full of some pretty ugly lies, then the killer secrets and domestic misery within this dark thriller will have you double checking what’s lurking in the shadows as you read! Not to mention checking where your kids are. A powerful statement of how a twisted, disfigured need for love can evolve into a terrible tragedy with disastrous consequences!
Oh, and as a side-note, I loved how, at the very end of this story, Pamela’s daughter Talia (7) wrote her own version of “The Girl Who Got Kidnapped” and why! It’s such a cute, Grimm Fairy Tale like story, (totally different to the actual book) and pretty well written for such a young age. I can safely put money on Talia definitely following in her mum’s footsteps as a writer herself! I hope I get to see that day!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.
As the story unravelled I found myself really keen to find out who had murdered not just the husband but the kids in such a horrific way! We hear, through the voices of four women, Jo Trubeau, Ellie Harper, Shayla Kensington and June Merrigan, how their seemingly unconnected lives and problems eventually intertwine in this cleverly written tale of domestic bliss gone wrong.
We also hear the evil thoughts of the kidnapper and for me that made this read even more entertaining, sending chills down my spine!
Overall, Pretty Ugly Lies raises some series issues, from kidnapping a child, stalking, and infidelity, to marriage breakdowns, autism, and suicidal thoughts. There’s certainly a huge amount of problems within these girl’s lives and the neighbourhood they live in. I wouldn’t want to live there, however affluent it looked on the outside.
If you love a book full of some pretty ugly lies, then the killer secrets and domestic misery within this dark thriller will have you double checking what’s lurking in the shadows as you read! Not to mention checking where your kids are. A powerful statement of how a twisted, disfigured need for love can evolve into a terrible tragedy with disastrous consequences!
Oh, and as a side-note, I loved how, at the very end of this story, Pamela’s daughter Talia (7) wrote her own version of “The Girl Who Got Kidnapped” and why! It’s such a cute, Grimm Fairy Tale like story, (totally different to the actual book) and pretty well written for such a young age. I can safely put money on Talia definitely following in her mum’s footsteps as a writer herself! I hope I get to see that day!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Sacrifice Box in Books
Jun 5, 2019
When a bunch of kids, September “Sep” Hope, Arkle, Mack, Lamb and Hadley discover an ancient stone box, they decide to each sacrifice something important to them to cement their friendship. As they do this they make a pact: never return to the box at night; they’ll never visit it alone; and they’ll never take back their offerings. Break any of these rules and who knows what could happen…
A few years later in 1982, they are thrown together again as things started to go awry and it’s clear someone has opened the box, because terrible things start happening. They try to rectify what they’ve done but nothing, it seems, will work, and like Pandora’s box – once it’s opened all the horror they can think of are released into their lives. And the box wants revenge.
From the very first scenes I was totally hooked. Why were these kids sacrificing objects they loved for this box? What will happen if they disobey the rules? Because you just know someone is going to, right? I was surprised this creepy horror was aimed at young adults, as there are some great, yet gross and even some pretty cruel stories within this book! It’s not for the fainthearted ya readers. That’s for sure.
An entertaining trip back in time, reminiscent of those old 80s films revolving around a bunch of kids having to deal with much more than they bargained for, with dire consequences to contend with if they don’t make a stand. Yes, it does sound rather like Stand by Me, with supernatural elements and for good reason too. I enjoyed it a lot and thought it had a very English, village feel to it. I don’t know whether that was just me, or not, but its the impression I got as I read this.
Overall The Sacrifice Box had a crazy, pacy edge to it, alongside some heartfelt moments with characters which ended up feeling like my friends. An engaging coming of age book about friendship, love and hidden terrifying truths just waiting to resurface.
A few years later in 1982, they are thrown together again as things started to go awry and it’s clear someone has opened the box, because terrible things start happening. They try to rectify what they’ve done but nothing, it seems, will work, and like Pandora’s box – once it’s opened all the horror they can think of are released into their lives. And the box wants revenge.
From the very first scenes I was totally hooked. Why were these kids sacrificing objects they loved for this box? What will happen if they disobey the rules? Because you just know someone is going to, right? I was surprised this creepy horror was aimed at young adults, as there are some great, yet gross and even some pretty cruel stories within this book! It’s not for the fainthearted ya readers. That’s for sure.
An entertaining trip back in time, reminiscent of those old 80s films revolving around a bunch of kids having to deal with much more than they bargained for, with dire consequences to contend with if they don’t make a stand. Yes, it does sound rather like Stand by Me, with supernatural elements and for good reason too. I enjoyed it a lot and thought it had a very English, village feel to it. I don’t know whether that was just me, or not, but its the impression I got as I read this.
Overall The Sacrifice Box had a crazy, pacy edge to it, alongside some heartfelt moments with characters which ended up feeling like my friends. An engaging coming of age book about friendship, love and hidden terrifying truths just waiting to resurface.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Beautiful Broken Rules in Books
Feb 13, 2018
College student Emerson Moore has a hard and fast set of rules for relationships -- mainly: avoid them like the plague. She won't sleep with any guy more than three times, to prevent attachment of any kind. So far, Emerson has had great success with this, and she's having fun. Then Emerson meets Jaxon - when he and his twin brother, Jace, move in with Emerson's best friend, Cole. Emerson quickly becomes close to Jaxon. Is he the one who will turn her set of rules on its head?
This book had promise and it was a quick read, but overall, I just found it ridiculous and the writing was terrible - stilted and juvenile. It reminded me of something a middle schooler would write (though hopefully they wouldn't stray into this sexualized subject matter). Emerson is a college student absolutely determined not to have a relationship based on the fact that her parents split -- she has certainly had trauma in her life to cause her feelings, but her insane attachment to this gets to be a little silly. She is a poor communicator and a frustrating protagonist. The character development is nil and we're basically just told things about her and the rest of the characters, rather than shown them, or allowed to see things develop on their own.
Furthermore, some of the stereotypes in this book are beyond frustrating. Emerson's willingness to embrace being the school "slut" (a word she seems to have no problem with) is awful. When Jaxon enters the scene, no one seems to have an issue with his insane over-protectiveness and anger issues. It would be one thing if this was written somewhat cheekily, a la "Twilight," but these characters genuinely seem to think their actions and motivations are okay. The end result is a portrayal of college as nothing but sexual encounters with a mix of sexual harassment and domestic abuse thrown in. It all overshadows what could be a decent story (girl with commitment issues meets handsome guy with shadowy past). There were certainly some bright spots, but overall it just left me feeling too icky.
This book had promise and it was a quick read, but overall, I just found it ridiculous and the writing was terrible - stilted and juvenile. It reminded me of something a middle schooler would write (though hopefully they wouldn't stray into this sexualized subject matter). Emerson is a college student absolutely determined not to have a relationship based on the fact that her parents split -- she has certainly had trauma in her life to cause her feelings, but her insane attachment to this gets to be a little silly. She is a poor communicator and a frustrating protagonist. The character development is nil and we're basically just told things about her and the rest of the characters, rather than shown them, or allowed to see things develop on their own.
Furthermore, some of the stereotypes in this book are beyond frustrating. Emerson's willingness to embrace being the school "slut" (a word she seems to have no problem with) is awful. When Jaxon enters the scene, no one seems to have an issue with his insane over-protectiveness and anger issues. It would be one thing if this was written somewhat cheekily, a la "Twilight," but these characters genuinely seem to think their actions and motivations are okay. The end result is a portrayal of college as nothing but sexual encounters with a mix of sexual harassment and domestic abuse thrown in. It all overshadows what could be a decent story (girl with commitment issues meets handsome guy with shadowy past). There were certainly some bright spots, but overall it just left me feeling too icky.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated To Kill a Kingdom in Books
Jun 8, 2018
I really enjoy books that take mermaids (or sirens, in this case, as mermaids exist but are something different in this world) and turn them back to their murderous roots. Adding in Cthulhu-esque horror made Into the Drowning Deep especially fascinating. To Kill A Kingdom didn't have much horror - it took the fantasy adventure/quest route instead.
The book alternates between the viewpoints of Princess Lira, the siren known as the Prince's Bane, and Prince Elian. Their name is at the start of each chapter that is written from their viewpoint, but it's small and easily missed. I wish it was in a larger, more obvious font, because I kept having to flip back a few pages to figure out who I was reading.
I loved seeing the character growth of Lira as she comes to know the humans, and realizes there is another possibility besides just following her mother's brutal orders. She learns, watching Elian's people follow him, that there is a way to inspire loyalty rather than compel it by magic and brutality.
Lira definitely shows more character growth than Elian does, and the book never really explains how Elian gets past the fact that she's killed so many princes.
The beginning of the book was also a little slow - I actually set it aside for a couple of weeks while reading other things and worried a little that I was never going to pick it up again. Worried because I don't usually not finish books unless they're terrible, not because I actually wanted to find out what happened. I didn't get invested in the characters until probably about halfway through the book. Books usually catch me far before that point.
So - it was okay. If you want predatory mermaids, I would recommend Into the Drowning Deep long before this one. Though if you want more fantasy with a touch of romance, and less horror, then this is probably the book you want. Just be warned it takes some time to hit its stride.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
The book alternates between the viewpoints of Princess Lira, the siren known as the Prince's Bane, and Prince Elian. Their name is at the start of each chapter that is written from their viewpoint, but it's small and easily missed. I wish it was in a larger, more obvious font, because I kept having to flip back a few pages to figure out who I was reading.
I loved seeing the character growth of Lira as she comes to know the humans, and realizes there is another possibility besides just following her mother's brutal orders. She learns, watching Elian's people follow him, that there is a way to inspire loyalty rather than compel it by magic and brutality.
Lira definitely shows more character growth than Elian does, and the book never really explains how Elian gets past the fact that she's killed so many princes.
The beginning of the book was also a little slow - I actually set it aside for a couple of weeks while reading other things and worried a little that I was never going to pick it up again. Worried because I don't usually not finish books unless they're terrible, not because I actually wanted to find out what happened. I didn't get invested in the characters until probably about halfway through the book. Books usually catch me far before that point.
So - it was okay. If you want predatory mermaids, I would recommend Into the Drowning Deep long before this one. Though if you want more fantasy with a touch of romance, and less horror, then this is probably the book you want. Just be warned it takes some time to hit its stride.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com