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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated IA: The Origin Novels (Books 1-3) in Books
Nov 15, 2019
The IA novels are one of the strongest 'young adult' science fiction series I've read, and this edition combines the trilogy so far plus a novella. Since the reader will want to keep reading from the first page though all 3.5 books this seems like an opportunity that's hard to pass up.
The origin story involves Naz, a teenage boy who lives with his sister and aunt in the Exclave, a ghetto suburb of a large city. Naz is unusual in two ways - he can't remember anything before two years ago and he sometimes hears voices in his head. He doesn't like to draw attention though so keeps his head down and looks after his sister.
After an incident on the way to school, things start to change. He grows as a person and also begins to discover his past, and his potential for the future. Just perhaps one person can make a difference. As he continues on his journey it becomes clear that he may not be entirely on his own.
The stories are set in a near future, with the Exclave being a rather grim backdrop for a tale that concentrates on character. There are light touches of what could be termed science fiction throughout, both with Naz's backstory and in the world around him. The hero shows very real weaknesses and flaws as well as strengths as he battles through bullying, fitting in to new environments, love and loss.
Winston is an extremely talented author and these stories demonstrate why novels termed 'young adult' are frequently worthy of being read by an older audience. The character development shows a strong arc for all the main players - and even the bit parts are memorable.
If you are looking for a strong series of books that will keep you thinking and entertained long after you have finished the last page, this fits the bill to a tee.
The origin story involves Naz, a teenage boy who lives with his sister and aunt in the Exclave, a ghetto suburb of a large city. Naz is unusual in two ways - he can't remember anything before two years ago and he sometimes hears voices in his head. He doesn't like to draw attention though so keeps his head down and looks after his sister.
After an incident on the way to school, things start to change. He grows as a person and also begins to discover his past, and his potential for the future. Just perhaps one person can make a difference. As he continues on his journey it becomes clear that he may not be entirely on his own.
The stories are set in a near future, with the Exclave being a rather grim backdrop for a tale that concentrates on character. There are light touches of what could be termed science fiction throughout, both with Naz's backstory and in the world around him. The hero shows very real weaknesses and flaws as well as strengths as he battles through bullying, fitting in to new environments, love and loss.
Winston is an extremely talented author and these stories demonstrate why novels termed 'young adult' are frequently worthy of being read by an older audience. The character development shows a strong arc for all the main players - and even the bit parts are memorable.
If you are looking for a strong series of books that will keep you thinking and entertained long after you have finished the last page, this fits the bill to a tee.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Red Queen in Books
Jan 23, 2020
In quick and rapid-fire succession about Victoria Aveyard's <i>Red Queen</i>...
~ Amanda Dolan is a phenomenal narrator. She makes the pages come alive in the ears if you know what I mean. Regal accent for the queen, awesome rambling skills that show Mare is nervous, fabulously "bitchy" voice for Evangeline, etc. Dolan might even top <a title="Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-ruin-and-rising-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fontgang.</a> (Don't worry. I still like your skills.)
~ Someone tell me the song title and composer of the music at the beginning and the end of the audiobook because I love it. It has this ominous feeling that I like. Oh, and I admit I'm a music geek.
~ There are some things I question. 1) Why would you use a shield that contains Mare's powers if you're trying to kill her? I mean, you KNOW her power. 2) I don't think I caught how Silver blood became silver. Is it something as simple as, I don't know, putting a bit of silver in Botox before injecting it? *strokes imaginary beard thoughtfully*
~ The end. Any book that actually has an unpredictable ending is instantly music in my ears (not that I'm being biased, but let's just say you get more merit) – when you read so many books, things tend to repeat. But that's a discussion for another day.
~ You're like <i>The Winner's</i> trilogy. I don't need to say anything more, because <a title="The Winner's Crime" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-winners-crime-by-marie-rutkoski/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">this letter explains it all</a>. If I write this one as a letter, I'll plagiarize my own self.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/chibi-views-dare-to-dream-by-carys-jones-and-red-queen-by-victoria-aveyard/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
~ Amanda Dolan is a phenomenal narrator. She makes the pages come alive in the ears if you know what I mean. Regal accent for the queen, awesome rambling skills that show Mare is nervous, fabulously "bitchy" voice for Evangeline, etc. Dolan might even top <a title="Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/audiobook-review-ruin-and-rising-by-leigh-bardugo/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fontgang.</a> (Don't worry. I still like your skills.)
~ Someone tell me the song title and composer of the music at the beginning and the end of the audiobook because I love it. It has this ominous feeling that I like. Oh, and I admit I'm a music geek.
~ There are some things I question. 1) Why would you use a shield that contains Mare's powers if you're trying to kill her? I mean, you KNOW her power. 2) I don't think I caught how Silver blood became silver. Is it something as simple as, I don't know, putting a bit of silver in Botox before injecting it? *strokes imaginary beard thoughtfully*
~ The end. Any book that actually has an unpredictable ending is instantly music in my ears (not that I'm being biased, but let's just say you get more merit) – when you read so many books, things tend to repeat. But that's a discussion for another day.
~ You're like <i>The Winner's</i> trilogy. I don't need to say anything more, because <a title="The Winner's Crime" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-winners-crime-by-marie-rutkoski/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">this letter explains it all</a>. If I write this one as a letter, I'll plagiarize my own self.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/chibi-views-dare-to-dream-by-carys-jones-and-red-queen-by-victoria-aveyard/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<h2><strong>It's no secret I disliked <a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-cruel-prince-by-holly-black/"><em>The Cruel Prince</em></a>.</strong></h2>
And I mean, I disliked <em>The Cruel Prince</em> A LOT. I didn't give a single fuck for the romances involved, and very much hated the whole Jude/Cardan ship. But I still liked some parts of <em>The Cruel Prince</em> and that's what got me into <em>The Wicked King</em>. I loved Jude and her stabby, human self, and I <em>really</em> enjoyed the world Holly Black built so.
<h2><em><strong>The Wicked King</strong></em><strong> is amazing.</strong></h2>
Okay, I said it. If you're in the minority like me who didn't like <em>The Cruel Prince</em> for:
~ being slow in pacing
~ the main ship
~ the other romances
You'll be happy to know <em>The Wicked King</em> is much, much better than the first book.
<h3><strong>The pacing picks up!</strong></h3>
I didn't <em>want</em> to put down the second book in <em>The Folk of the Air</em> trilogy down. I wanted to know what happened next all the way until the last page of the book. <strong>There are so many twists and turns throughout </strong>and now I want to know what happens in <em>The Queen of Nothing</em> when it comes out. But if there's any advice I should give anyone who hasn't read <em>The Wicked King</em> yet, trust no one at all. NO ONE. I'm just saying.
<h3><strong>I still don't care for the main ship in <em>The Wicked King</em> but...</strong></h3>
We get more behind the scenes in the court, resulting in more Jude and Cardan together. There's no avoiding it this time - they kind of have to deal with each other.
And I mean, I disliked <em>The Cruel Prince</em> A LOT. I didn't give a single fuck for the romances involved, and very much hated the whole Jude/Cardan ship. But I still liked some parts of <em>The Cruel Prince</em> and that's what got me into <em>The Wicked King</em>. I loved Jude and her stabby, human self, and I <em>really</em> enjoyed the world Holly Black built so.
<h2><em><strong>The Wicked King</strong></em><strong> is amazing.</strong></h2>
Okay, I said it. If you're in the minority like me who didn't like <em>The Cruel Prince</em> for:
~ being slow in pacing
~ the main ship
~ the other romances
You'll be happy to know <em>The Wicked King</em> is much, much better than the first book.
<h3><strong>The pacing picks up!</strong></h3>
I didn't <em>want</em> to put down the second book in <em>The Folk of the Air</em> trilogy down. I wanted to know what happened next all the way until the last page of the book. <strong>There are so many twists and turns throughout </strong>and now I want to know what happens in <em>The Queen of Nothing</em> when it comes out. But if there's any advice I should give anyone who hasn't read <em>The Wicked King</em> yet, trust no one at all. NO ONE. I'm just saying.
<h3><strong>I still don't care for the main ship in <em>The Wicked King</em> but...</strong></h3>
We get more behind the scenes in the court, resulting in more Jude and Cardan together. There's no avoiding it this time - they kind of have to deal with each other.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Cult Of Chucky (2017) in Movies
Jan 7, 2020 (Updated Jan 22, 2020)
Honestly - I genuinely enjoyed Cult of Chucky. Is it a guilty pleasure? Perhaps, but not as much as some of the other films in the franchise.
There are a few thing that set it apart from the others though - the way the whole thing is shot for a start. Don Mancini captures multiple great and memorable shots throughout (even verging on arty sometimes!) and his use of minimal colours and clinical white settings give it a very stand-out look when compared to the rest of the series. It also makes for some striking visuals when all the violence kicks off in the second half of the movie.
Here's another way it stands out - Cult of Chucky is easily the most gory Child's Play entry, making use of both great practical effects and questionable CGI to get the job done, but it ultimately achieves what it sets out to do.
That gore factor carries an element of horror with it, and Mancini is keen to prove that Chucky is way past the hammier Bride and Seed days.
The main human cast are pretty run of the mill, with exception of Fiona Dourif, once again, a really likable protagonist who is easy to root for.
In terms of pacing, Cult has a pretty slow building first half, but it's not much of a problem, as the closing half is just flat out ridiculous, to the point where it's hugely entertaining.
Throw in some solid links to characters from the original trilogy (with the same damn actors no less!) and you have a mostly decent slice of silly horror fun.
If the original Child's Play franchise indeed comes to a close with Cult, then it can be comfortable in the fact that's it bowed out nicely, although I do hope there's more to come.
I can just about found a handful of things to like about every film in the series (except Child's Play 3, fuck that film) so it would be a damn shame to.not see where the story goes.
There are a few thing that set it apart from the others though - the way the whole thing is shot for a start. Don Mancini captures multiple great and memorable shots throughout (even verging on arty sometimes!) and his use of minimal colours and clinical white settings give it a very stand-out look when compared to the rest of the series. It also makes for some striking visuals when all the violence kicks off in the second half of the movie.
Here's another way it stands out - Cult of Chucky is easily the most gory Child's Play entry, making use of both great practical effects and questionable CGI to get the job done, but it ultimately achieves what it sets out to do.
That gore factor carries an element of horror with it, and Mancini is keen to prove that Chucky is way past the hammier Bride and Seed days.
The main human cast are pretty run of the mill, with exception of Fiona Dourif, once again, a really likable protagonist who is easy to root for.
In terms of pacing, Cult has a pretty slow building first half, but it's not much of a problem, as the closing half is just flat out ridiculous, to the point where it's hugely entertaining.
Throw in some solid links to characters from the original trilogy (with the same damn actors no less!) and you have a mostly decent slice of silly horror fun.
If the original Child's Play franchise indeed comes to a close with Cult, then it can be comfortable in the fact that's it bowed out nicely, although I do hope there's more to come.
I can just about found a handful of things to like about every film in the series (except Child's Play 3, fuck that film) so it would be a damn shame to.not see where the story goes.
Valiant Boys: True Stories from the Operators of the UK's First Four-Jet Bomber
Tony Blackman and Anthony Wright
Book
Following on from the success of Victor Boys and Vulcan Boys, Tony Blackman, in collaboration with...
The Death of King Arthur: The Immortal Legend
2.0
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Book
A gripping retelling of the timeless epic of romance, enchantment and adventure, Peter Ackroyd's The...
Forever Rumpole: The Best of the Rumpole Stories
Book
Forever Rumpole - a hilarious new selection of the very best Rumpole stories by John Mortimer Horace...
Matt Geiger (15 KP) rated Cars (2006) in Movies
Jun 27, 2020
There really is no such thing as a perfect film. Ergo, there really is no such thing as a perfect film studio. After 11 years of winning the world over, Pixar was due for a slip-up at some point. Enter this lowbrow, highly unremarkable passion project from Pixar creative giant John Lasseter. CARS is admittedly a highly nostalgic film, not just in the sense that it pays tribute to the quaint, remote, and practically undiscovered sections of the world we wish had more notoriety in the face of progress, but its swelling commercialism reflects an entire generation of young boys who had nothing better to do than play with their matchbox cars and Hot Wheels all day long. Just think: this trilogy has made more moolah from their merchandise than a franchise that has the word “toy” in its frickin’ title. As a narrative, in the same vein as the franchise’s final installment, there really is nothing abhorrently wrong with CARS. It adds onto its aura of nostalgia by remaining consistently harmless and humorous thanks to its well-chosen cast, with Paul Newman standing out in his cinematic swan song, one of the most underrated vocal performances in animation history. Though CARS often feels like the first Pixar film targeting a specific target audience, Newman’s gruff, yet somber voice resonates with older viewers, the thought of what could’ve been and now is always on his mind. Then again, how ironic it is that a film that very much centralizes the concept of missed opportunities is itself a missed opportunity. CARS is a predictable, if not enjoyable, family-friendly romp that doesn’t have the unforeseeable on its mind. While it is quite literally the most inhuman of Pixar films, it at least is not quite as inhuman on a metaphorical and emotional level. And hey, stock car racing is not as accessible as other sports, but this film manages to make it look more entertaining, especially for younger viewers. What more do you really need?
Going in Style (2017)
6.7
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Movie Watch
Oscar winners Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby), Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules, Hannah and...
Children of the Days: A Calendar of Human History
Book
From Eduardo Galeano, one of Latin America's greatest living writers, author of the Memory of Fire...