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Andi Lutz (3 KP) rated Doki Doki Literature Club in Video Games
Apr 15, 2018
Atmosphere (1 more)
Art
Unsettling and Entertaining
I am not a fan of dating sims. I would not have played this one if I had not heard a podcast on horror tabletop gaming say to play this game. They gave no details whatsoever, except that the game was free. No harm in trying it when it's free!
There is very little actual gameplay, as with most dating sims. A lot of just reading and clicking on dialogue choices. The game has all the stereotypical dating sim personalities and events to work through: culture fest, clubs, making friends, getting to know people. It takes a bit, but eventually, small things start to seem out of place or odd.
Once you start to notice the weird things, though, the roller coaster ride begins.
The game takes you on an unsettling, sometimes disturbing, trip that crosses into meta-gaming and breaks the fourth wall in some unique ways.
The art is solid. The dialogue and writing are excellent. Some parts of the game remind me of some of the older meta-gaming efforts out there in the late 90s, early 2000s.
Even though there are not a lot of choices to make in the game, not a lot of gaming, it is still worth the effort to watch the show and be part of the game itself. This game sucks the player in and adds you to its dossier. Guys and girls alike will get a thrill out of it if they stick through to the end. And trust me when I say that when you think you are at the end, just keep playing. Don't turn the game off for a second. Keep playing. And when you think you are at the end again, keep playing. And when you think you are at the end again, keep playing.
There is very little actual gameplay, as with most dating sims. A lot of just reading and clicking on dialogue choices. The game has all the stereotypical dating sim personalities and events to work through: culture fest, clubs, making friends, getting to know people. It takes a bit, but eventually, small things start to seem out of place or odd.
Once you start to notice the weird things, though, the roller coaster ride begins.
The game takes you on an unsettling, sometimes disturbing, trip that crosses into meta-gaming and breaks the fourth wall in some unique ways.
The art is solid. The dialogue and writing are excellent. Some parts of the game remind me of some of the older meta-gaming efforts out there in the late 90s, early 2000s.
Even though there are not a lot of choices to make in the game, not a lot of gaming, it is still worth the effort to watch the show and be part of the game itself. This game sucks the player in and adds you to its dossier. Guys and girls alike will get a thrill out of it if they stick through to the end. And trust me when I say that when you think you are at the end, just keep playing. Don't turn the game off for a second. Keep playing. And when you think you are at the end again, keep playing. And when you think you are at the end again, keep playing.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Bring Her Home in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Bring Her Home is...fine. It's a perfectly serviceable summer read that moves briskly. The plot is interesting and I did want to know how everything turned out. There are plenty of twists, some more easily guessed than others, although the last(-ish) one starting around page 355 and continuing until near the end was a bit much. While I don't expect the story to be realistic, it still stretched my plausibility meter for the book. <spoiler>I just find that two major events concurred one the same day at basically the same time is extremely unlikely.</spoiler> I would have liked a tighter, less convoluted answer to everything, plus another character's viewpoint besides Bill, Summer's dad, maybe Paige or Detective Hawkins. The book is told through Bill the whole time, all 425 or so pages, and it could be tiring as he has next to no impulse-control. I understand some of what he did, but at the same time, I found him irritating and felt like the police should just lock him up until they solved the case. Also, characters who should be keeping facts confidential (a guidance counselor and a pastor), just spout off for what they think is the greater good or something. I'd be pissed if something I had said or done in confidence was told without my say-so, I don't care what the case should be, I'd never trust those people again. There are a few other things that raised my eyebrows and made me think "as-if!," but nothing I can divulge without spoiling so I'll keep my trap shut. Anyway, overall, the book is entertaining and diverting, just don't expect it to blow your mind.
Received through Goodreads Firstreads giveaway.
Received through Goodreads Firstreads giveaway.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Stalking Willow (Amazing Grace, #1) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
Synopsis:
Bitterness, stalking, and a neighbor to die for
What's a girl to do?
Trailed by a stalker in New York City, Willow Thomas, a young ad executive, scurries back to her small North Carolina hometown and the lake house where ten years earlier a scandal revealed her entire life had been a lie, and a seed of bitterness took root in her soul. The cocoon of safety Willow feels upon her arrival home soon unravels when she meets opposition from her family, faces the man she left behind, and the stalker reveals he is close on her heels. Can Willow learn to trust God to tear out her roots of resentment, reunite her family, ferret out a deadly stalker, and to rekindle the love she left behind?
My Thoughts: This novel grasps the reader's attention from the first sentence. Full of action and suspense the reader won't want to put it down.
Willow's family had been keeping secrets from her for years, she had a mother who didn't want her and a stalker on the loose.
The story of forgiveness, of a family that finally comes together. It's a story of how a family can overcome jealousy and bitterness toward one another.
This was an interesting story-line and full of action. I enjoyed reading this book and I have to say my favorite character had to be granny. With her faith in God, her prayers and her notes that she left behind really made the story and brought the family together.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Bitterness, stalking, and a neighbor to die for
What's a girl to do?
Trailed by a stalker in New York City, Willow Thomas, a young ad executive, scurries back to her small North Carolina hometown and the lake house where ten years earlier a scandal revealed her entire life had been a lie, and a seed of bitterness took root in her soul. The cocoon of safety Willow feels upon her arrival home soon unravels when she meets opposition from her family, faces the man she left behind, and the stalker reveals he is close on her heels. Can Willow learn to trust God to tear out her roots of resentment, reunite her family, ferret out a deadly stalker, and to rekindle the love she left behind?
My Thoughts: This novel grasps the reader's attention from the first sentence. Full of action and suspense the reader won't want to put it down.
Willow's family had been keeping secrets from her for years, she had a mother who didn't want her and a stalker on the loose.
The story of forgiveness, of a family that finally comes together. It's a story of how a family can overcome jealousy and bitterness toward one another.
This was an interesting story-line and full of action. I enjoyed reading this book and I have to say my favorite character had to be granny. With her faith in God, her prayers and her notes that she left behind really made the story and brought the family together.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Smashing
#legomovie2 is a sequel that manages to out brick the first film & fly straight into your #heart #spaceship first. I loved the first lego movie & absolutely adored the #legoninjago movie but wasn't entirely sure if we needed anymore of them. That being said Im happy to report that the second lego movie is infact really #awesome & while not laugh out loud funny its by far the most interesting & varied one out of the bunch. This time the story is centred around #love, change & the inner battles we all face on a day to day basis with strong themes of battling #depression, realising self worth, being who you are/trying to fit in & trust it gets #pretty complex at times too & as i left i overheard kids telling their parents that they didnt get it. That being said there is enough visual variety, visual pop & #crazy #music numbers to keep people of all ages engrossed the entire run time too. Talking of visuals the #beauty/complexity of the animation & textures has been severely ramped up this time, figures have dust, muck, scratches & chipped paint galore making the real world connection to these plastic blocks even more prominent. Riding on movie cliches & poking fun of other films is a big part of this film too as are various #popculture #cameos & they fit perfectly/bring a #smile (there are some really niche one too like #starshiptroopers & #2001aspaceodyssey which isreally #cool to see). #legomovie 2 really is a lot of #fun & with a good over all message letting us all know that sometimes not everything is awesome.... but that's ok is something i feel a lot of us can certainly learn from. Take the #family to see it you'll all have a blast i promise. #odeon #odeonlimitless #filmbuff #filmcritic #lego #weekend #kids #family #funny #silly #saturday
BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated The Fault in Our Stars in Books
May 14, 2019
Made me cry! Beautiful story.
The Fault in our Stars is an international bestseller by an award winning author John Green. This is John Green’s most loved and heartbreaking story yet which will be hard to beat! If you have not heard about The Fault in our Stars, where have you been hiding? Age does not matter with this five star beautifully written, heart warming, must read story! Do not wait to read this book, bump it up your pile or BUY IT NOW! I will forever praise and highly recommend this book to you all.
I could not put this book down until I had finished it (I was in another world while reading this book). As most of you will know this story has been adapted into a film and if you are a book worm like me, the book has to be read first! I cannot compare this book to the film as I have STILL not managed to watch the film yet! This is the perfect book for you all but specifically for those who enjoy the young adult, drama, death, romance and contemporary genre’s. This has to be on of my favourite books ever by John Green which led me to reading all his other books, I did find The Fault in our Stars a very emotional read so be warned!
This is Hazel’s story, Hazel has terminal cancer and will not expect what is about to happen… When Augustus walks into her life Hazel’s story will be completely re-written. Will they fall in love? Will Augustus show Hazel how beautiful life really is? That is for you to find out not if, but WHEN you read this outstanding story, trust me it will not let you down and will stick in your heart and mind forever! Enjoy, try not to cry!
I could not put this book down until I had finished it (I was in another world while reading this book). As most of you will know this story has been adapted into a film and if you are a book worm like me, the book has to be read first! I cannot compare this book to the film as I have STILL not managed to watch the film yet! This is the perfect book for you all but specifically for those who enjoy the young adult, drama, death, romance and contemporary genre’s. This has to be on of my favourite books ever by John Green which led me to reading all his other books, I did find The Fault in our Stars a very emotional read so be warned!
This is Hazel’s story, Hazel has terminal cancer and will not expect what is about to happen… When Augustus walks into her life Hazel’s story will be completely re-written. Will they fall in love? Will Augustus show Hazel how beautiful life really is? That is for you to find out not if, but WHEN you read this outstanding story, trust me it will not let you down and will stick in your heart and mind forever! Enjoy, try not to cry!
Merissa (11953 KP) rated Dragon Speaker (The Shadow War Saga #1) in Books
May 21, 2019
Dragon Speaker (The Shadow War Saga #1) by Elana A. Mugdan
Dragon Speaker is the first book in The Shadow War Saga, and we have DRAGONS, people!!! You know how I love me a dragon, and Thorion is just perfect. I want him for myself, which sucks because he's already bonded with Keriya, and he's fictional! Still, you know what I mean!
This is classed as young adult, but to be honest, I think 'some' young adults might be a bit confused as this world is complex, to say the least. Personally, I loved it, but then I'm as far from a young adult as you can get!
Keriya is fourteen, and hasn't had an easy time of it. Her village is superstitious, to say the least, and she has no magic, which makes her lower than low to them. When she goes on her vision quest, she is helped by Shivnath, their Dragon God. Shivnath tells Keriya what she must do, but gives no clues as to how to do it. This leads to an amazing story as Keriya tries to figure just who she can trust, and what she should do. She is helped by Fletcher, her best friend, and Roxanne, someone who got dragged into it by accident. It was great to see these relationships change and alter as the story went on.
There are romantic elements to this story, but it definitely takes second place behind the main part of the story. Plus, she's FOURTEEN!!! This was an amazing story that I devoured, and I can't wait to read more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is classed as young adult, but to be honest, I think 'some' young adults might be a bit confused as this world is complex, to say the least. Personally, I loved it, but then I'm as far from a young adult as you can get!
Keriya is fourteen, and hasn't had an easy time of it. Her village is superstitious, to say the least, and she has no magic, which makes her lower than low to them. When she goes on her vision quest, she is helped by Shivnath, their Dragon God. Shivnath tells Keriya what she must do, but gives no clues as to how to do it. This leads to an amazing story as Keriya tries to figure just who she can trust, and what she should do. She is helped by Fletcher, her best friend, and Roxanne, someone who got dragged into it by accident. It was great to see these relationships change and alter as the story went on.
There are romantic elements to this story, but it definitely takes second place behind the main part of the story. Plus, she's FOURTEEN!!! This was an amazing story that I devoured, and I can't wait to read more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Out of the Pocket in Books
May 22, 2019
For over a century, the town of Green Beach has frightened its children with the tragic legend of Joshua Thorne. Hes the reason it not only locks its doors at night but nails its windows shut. Steeped in romance and revenge, his is the kind of story Angela Ironwright lives for.
When the specter of Joshua appears to her, insisting shes the only one who can help him piece together the fragments of his own murder, she follows him without a second thought into a place he calls the Pocket, a beautiful hidden world of jumbled memory and imagination. But the Pocket holds more than magic and mystery. Before long, its other reclusive inhabitants begin to call out to Angela, warning her not to trust Joshua and begging for her help to escape his dark power.
Angelas sure there must be some misunderstanding, and shes determined to set it straight. Otherwise, finding justice will mean betraying the only boy whos ever liked her.
Smart and genre-savvy, Out of the Pocket is a dark, honest, subversive take on the modern paranormal love story.
The plot is about a girl named Angela who doesn't have a great life in reality being ignored or ridiculed by others gets pulled into a fantasy where she falls in love and goes through perilous adventures.
Very good characters with a good story line. The characters are real with strangeness thrown in.
Love all the twist and turns.
You find yourself very surprised in a good way by this book.
This was my first from this author and I look forward to more.
I received a free copy via AXP Authors but this is my own honest voluntary review.
When the specter of Joshua appears to her, insisting shes the only one who can help him piece together the fragments of his own murder, she follows him without a second thought into a place he calls the Pocket, a beautiful hidden world of jumbled memory and imagination. But the Pocket holds more than magic and mystery. Before long, its other reclusive inhabitants begin to call out to Angela, warning her not to trust Joshua and begging for her help to escape his dark power.
Angelas sure there must be some misunderstanding, and shes determined to set it straight. Otherwise, finding justice will mean betraying the only boy whos ever liked her.
Smart and genre-savvy, Out of the Pocket is a dark, honest, subversive take on the modern paranormal love story.
The plot is about a girl named Angela who doesn't have a great life in reality being ignored or ridiculed by others gets pulled into a fantasy where she falls in love and goes through perilous adventures.
Very good characters with a good story line. The characters are real with strangeness thrown in.
Love all the twist and turns.
You find yourself very surprised in a good way by this book.
This was my first from this author and I look forward to more.
I received a free copy via AXP Authors but this is my own honest voluntary review.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Picture of Innocence in Books
May 22, 2019
My name is Lydia. Im 12 years old. Im not an evil person, but I did something bad.
My name is Maddie. Id never hurt my son. But can I be sure if I dont remember?
With three children under ten, Maddie is struggling. On the outside, shes a happy young mother, running a charity as well as a household. But inside, shes exhausted. She knows shes lucky to have to have a support network around her. Not just her loving husband, but her family and friends too.
But is Maddie putting her trust in the right people? Because when tragedy strikes, she is certain someone has hurt her child and everyone is a suspect, including Maddie herself
The women in this book are about to discover that looks can be deceiving because anyone is capable of terrible things. Even the most innocent, even you.
This is the story of every mothers worst fear. But its not a story you know and nothing is what it seems.
Picture Of Innocence is a dark psychological thriller.
This novel had me utterly hooked!
The story follows the lives of two women: Maddie and Lydia, and the theme is nature versus nurture.
I really enjoyed the two stories of two women in two different periods of time and watching how those stories intertwined.
This is one devious thriller!
There are so many twists, turns and red herrings in this book; you will be guessing and open mouthed even down to the last page!
I wont give any spoilers, suffice to say that its shocking and dreadful and heartbreaking all at the same time.
I have to commend T. J. Stimson for a brilliant read!
Many Thanks to AVON Books, UK and NetGalley for a wonderful read
My name is Maddie. Id never hurt my son. But can I be sure if I dont remember?
With three children under ten, Maddie is struggling. On the outside, shes a happy young mother, running a charity as well as a household. But inside, shes exhausted. She knows shes lucky to have to have a support network around her. Not just her loving husband, but her family and friends too.
But is Maddie putting her trust in the right people? Because when tragedy strikes, she is certain someone has hurt her child and everyone is a suspect, including Maddie herself
The women in this book are about to discover that looks can be deceiving because anyone is capable of terrible things. Even the most innocent, even you.
This is the story of every mothers worst fear. But its not a story you know and nothing is what it seems.
Picture Of Innocence is a dark psychological thriller.
This novel had me utterly hooked!
The story follows the lives of two women: Maddie and Lydia, and the theme is nature versus nurture.
I really enjoyed the two stories of two women in two different periods of time and watching how those stories intertwined.
This is one devious thriller!
There are so many twists, turns and red herrings in this book; you will be guessing and open mouthed even down to the last page!
I wont give any spoilers, suffice to say that its shocking and dreadful and heartbreaking all at the same time.
I have to commend T. J. Stimson for a brilliant read!
Many Thanks to AVON Books, UK and NetGalley for a wonderful read
Tamsin Clark (15 KP) rated The Cat Lady in Video Games
Jan 26, 2018
Superb Artwork (5 more)
Brilliant soundtrack
Dark, gory and surreal
Interesting puzzle work
Multiple endings
Steam card and achievements
Not enough user interaction sometimes (1 more)
May not be suitable for those in vulnerable mental health states
A dark, twisted journey into mental illness
The Cat Lady really surprised me. The dark, almost minimal, graphics styles led me to believe this wasn't going to be much of a horror game but how wrong I was. This game has a way of sucking you in and chewing you up, then spitting you out as a glob of emotionally affected goop.
The story follows a female protagonist, Susan Ashworth. She's alone and on the verge of suicide, constantly questioning the worth of her existence. After a significant event, she meets an odd woman who sets her on a journey to meet 5 very dark people who may change her outlook on life....for better or worse. Who can she trust, if anyone at all?
I would recommend that if you suffer from mental illness, suicidal thoughts or if you have issues with emotional triggers then you either don't play this or you play with others (unless you know you're in a good place). While the game IS a basic point and click, it still deals with a LOT of mental health issues; some of the scenes were hard even for me, and I consider myself in a good place mentally right now.
Overall I was seriously impressed with this game, it took me 11 hrs to play but that was including distractions and just leaving the game sitting while I did things, so I maybe got about 8 hrs of straight play. Indie horror point and clicks are so rare and this one is an example for the entire genre.
The story follows a female protagonist, Susan Ashworth. She's alone and on the verge of suicide, constantly questioning the worth of her existence. After a significant event, she meets an odd woman who sets her on a journey to meet 5 very dark people who may change her outlook on life....for better or worse. Who can she trust, if anyone at all?
I would recommend that if you suffer from mental illness, suicidal thoughts or if you have issues with emotional triggers then you either don't play this or you play with others (unless you know you're in a good place). While the game IS a basic point and click, it still deals with a LOT of mental health issues; some of the scenes were hard even for me, and I consider myself in a good place mentally right now.
Overall I was seriously impressed with this game, it took me 11 hrs to play but that was including distractions and just leaving the game sitting while I did things, so I maybe got about 8 hrs of straight play. Indie horror point and clicks are so rare and this one is an example for the entire genre.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Glass Spare (The Glass Spare, #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The Glass Spare was a book that at times couldn't decide what it wanted to be. With its steampunk-esque technological innovations thrown in a typical fantasy kingdom setting, the world-building of the story just didn't quite mesh. I'm sure that some people will enjoy that melding, but it personally wasn't seamless enough for me not to detract from the plot. The storyline itself was interesting and the premise was unique. Similar Midas before her, Wil learns that her touch can turn living things into gemstone.
Wil, or Wilhemina, is the fourth child in her family and considered a spare, as she is not the heir to the throne. This status has influenced her thinking and perception of herself, so although she is a strong-willed person who is resourceful, she is also reckless with her life. Whereas Loom was the more intriguing character for me. I was interested to see his motivations and the development of his personality over the course of the book.
While I enjoyed the two main characters, the focus on the story was more on the will they/won't they romance rather than the premise that drew me in initially. I have a difficult time determining if this was insta-love or not, just because the main character wouldn't acknowledge it - yet they were inexplicably drawn together, she couldn't help but want to be near him even though she didn't trust him, etc. It just seemed like the love connection was formed pretty quickly, even if it wasn't explicitly described.
Despite the book falling a little flat for me some of the time, it intrigued me enough that I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I was left with so many questions that I need to know the answer to and won't receive unless I continue the series.
Wil, or Wilhemina, is the fourth child in her family and considered a spare, as she is not the heir to the throne. This status has influenced her thinking and perception of herself, so although she is a strong-willed person who is resourceful, she is also reckless with her life. Whereas Loom was the more intriguing character for me. I was interested to see his motivations and the development of his personality over the course of the book.
While I enjoyed the two main characters, the focus on the story was more on the will they/won't they romance rather than the premise that drew me in initially. I have a difficult time determining if this was insta-love or not, just because the main character wouldn't acknowledge it - yet they were inexplicably drawn together, she couldn't help but want to be near him even though she didn't trust him, etc. It just seemed like the love connection was formed pretty quickly, even if it wasn't explicitly described.
Despite the book falling a little flat for me some of the time, it intrigued me enough that I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I was left with so many questions that I need to know the answer to and won't receive unless I continue the series.