Search
Search results
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Gangster School in Books
Sep 24, 2020
There was a while since I had so much fun while reading a book. I would describe this book something like Hogwarts meets “Despicable Me”.
Our main characters in this book were Milly and Charlie, two year seven students, who just started a school for future villains. The whole book was told from these two people’s perspectives, sharing their thoughts and adventures. Like in most of the books about schools, there are plenty of various characters to choose from, but my favorite in this novel was Milly. I loved her personality and smartness, and I think she was a great young female lead. She is a very intelligent and observant girl indeed.
The plot of this book was about how Milly and Charlie had to stop an evil villain, who wants to ruin their school. It was filled with quite a lot of action and interesting details, but as an adult, I found the plot was quite predictable. I think that the idea and the setting are very original, but the “good vs. bad” thing was quite unimpressive. But this book directed at children so, I believe, they would love it. 🙂
I really enjoyed the light and funny writing style of this book, where the chapters are pretty short, bringing in something new in every chapter. I don’t think this book is suitable for very young children, it is all about how to be a good villain and it encourages the use of lying and deceit, so I would not want to encourage that in my 6-year-old nephew… However, I noticed that children’s books about thieves and villains are kind of on the “wave” right now… 😕
So, to conclude, as an adult I had great fun while reading this book. I found the characters very charming and the whole idea of gangster’s school pretty intriguing, and I would recommend this book if you (or your child/sibling/nephew/niece etc.) are into villains and saving the world (in this case saving the school). This book is a first in a series, and I will be waiting for more books to come. Please do give this a try and hopefully, you will enjoy it. 🙂
Our main characters in this book were Milly and Charlie, two year seven students, who just started a school for future villains. The whole book was told from these two people’s perspectives, sharing their thoughts and adventures. Like in most of the books about schools, there are plenty of various characters to choose from, but my favorite in this novel was Milly. I loved her personality and smartness, and I think she was a great young female lead. She is a very intelligent and observant girl indeed.
The plot of this book was about how Milly and Charlie had to stop an evil villain, who wants to ruin their school. It was filled with quite a lot of action and interesting details, but as an adult, I found the plot was quite predictable. I think that the idea and the setting are very original, but the “good vs. bad” thing was quite unimpressive. But this book directed at children so, I believe, they would love it. 🙂
I really enjoyed the light and funny writing style of this book, where the chapters are pretty short, bringing in something new in every chapter. I don’t think this book is suitable for very young children, it is all about how to be a good villain and it encourages the use of lying and deceit, so I would not want to encourage that in my 6-year-old nephew… However, I noticed that children’s books about thieves and villains are kind of on the “wave” right now… 😕
So, to conclude, as an adult I had great fun while reading this book. I found the characters very charming and the whole idea of gangster’s school pretty intriguing, and I would recommend this book if you (or your child/sibling/nephew/niece etc.) are into villains and saving the world (in this case saving the school). This book is a first in a series, and I will be waiting for more books to come. Please do give this a try and hopefully, you will enjoy it. 🙂
Merissa (13000 KP) rated Tainted Lives in Books
Jun 20, 2017
Tainted Lives by Mandasue Heller
I started off disliking this book intensely, there didn't seem to be anything "nice" about it at all. Very dark and gritty. The thing was, I couldn't actually stop thinking about it once I put it down. This for me is a sign of an exceedingly well written book so although I was hoping it would lighten up a bit I stuck with it.
Trust me when I say there is nothing fluffy about this book at all. There are scenes in it that are definitely not for the faint-hearted. And the only light part about the whole book is the very end!
How the characters grow and interact with each other is a joy to read. And you can completely understand the decisions and choices that Sarah makes. Vinnie is such a despicable character that you cannot help but to loathe him, but he does make an excellent villain, a true psychopath.
I would recommend this book very highly, just not for a light read.
* Verified Purchase ~ January 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Trust me when I say there is nothing fluffy about this book at all. There are scenes in it that are definitely not for the faint-hearted. And the only light part about the whole book is the very end!
How the characters grow and interact with each other is a joy to read. And you can completely understand the decisions and choices that Sarah makes. Vinnie is such a despicable character that you cannot help but to loathe him, but he does make an excellent villain, a true psychopath.
I would recommend this book very highly, just not for a light read.
* Verified Purchase ~ January 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Rodney Barnes (472 KP) rated Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in Movies
Mar 5, 2019
The Finale..Part 1
Contains spoilers, click to show
Thanos did what? Yes this is what MCU was building up to.....A final battle with our favorite heroes and Thanos. This movie was well done and well balanced. It had so many heroes in this movie but it wasn't all cluttered up and all run together. That being said, the combined might of the Avengers, Black Panther, Dr. Strange and The Guardians of the Galaxy was not enough to stop Thanos. Thanos had a strong resolve to bring balance to the universe. A villain with a resolve like that of our heroes is a dangerous one. His argument is so convincing that it will have you almost agreeing with him. In the end, Thanos' resolve makes him victorious as he gets all of the Infinity Stones and wipes out half of the universe, including some of our favorite heroes. Will there be anyway the remaining Avengers can undo Thanos' Decimation? We have to wait till the next movie.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Say You Love Me (Malory-Anderson Family, #5) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
This is one of those novels that has you smiling even after you have finished and placed it back on your shelf. First of all, it is very realistic, especially historically. I cannot tell you have many historical romance novels I have read that is completely of sex. Not only that, but they make the female protagonists out to be strong, independent woman who are so unique against the rest of society that the man immediately falls for her because she is different.
False!
If either of these is in my historical romance, I immediately assume it is trash and donate it. I am unique heroines, in the right time that is. I like my history to be accurate thank you.
Not only that, but I loved the humor. Despite villain and Kelsey's circumstance, it was a pretty lighthearted novel filled with laughter, an simple plotline that was easy to enjoy, and a great continuations of the novels that came before it.
I cannot, however, give it a five due to the predictability of it.
False!
If either of these is in my historical romance, I immediately assume it is trash and donate it. I am unique heroines, in the right time that is. I like my history to be accurate thank you.
Not only that, but I loved the humor. Despite villain and Kelsey's circumstance, it was a pretty lighthearted novel filled with laughter, an simple plotline that was easy to enjoy, and a great continuations of the novels that came before it.
I cannot, however, give it a five due to the predictability of it.
drapedindarkness (1 KP) rated Hellraiser (1987) in Movies
Jan 20, 2018
Classic British Horror with a deviant slant
We'll tear your soul apart. With these words my mind was made up.
Move over Freddy, stand aside Jason because there is a new literal hellraiser and he cannot stand to see such a waste of good suffering.
Despite a very limited screentime, the Cenobites with their defacto leader Pinhead are at once both utterly terrifying and completely entrancing, they defy you to look away or even dislike them, they are beyond good and evil and are neither villain nor hero, what they are is absolutely right, you cannot cheat them or escape them.
I don't need to summarise the plot or detail anything about the other characters, they are really only there as window dressing for the real draw, the Cenobites, Chatterer, She, Butterball and Pinhead invite you to join them and you must not say no!
Move over Freddy, stand aside Jason because there is a new literal hellraiser and he cannot stand to see such a waste of good suffering.
Despite a very limited screentime, the Cenobites with their defacto leader Pinhead are at once both utterly terrifying and completely entrancing, they defy you to look away or even dislike them, they are beyond good and evil and are neither villain nor hero, what they are is absolutely right, you cannot cheat them or escape them.
I don't need to summarise the plot or detail anything about the other characters, they are really only there as window dressing for the real draw, the Cenobites, Chatterer, She, Butterball and Pinhead invite you to join them and you must not say no!
Kyera (8 KP) rated Rise of the Isle of the Lost (Descendants #3) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Rise of the Isle of the Lost is the third book in the Descendants series, a collection of books about the kids of the most infamous Disney villains. It is based on the Disney Channel Original Movie by the same name and Rise occurs just before the events of the second movie. It follows the villain kids Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos in Auradon, as well as Uma and her pirate crew on the Isle of the Lost.
The book is a middle school reading level, so it is very simply written. I wasn't particularly impressed with the story or the writing, although the book was enjoyable enough. I chose to read it because I am a fan of Disney and found the premise to be intriguing. The execution was underwhelming, but I feel that younger readers would really enjoy this book. It is perfect for those in grades five to seven. I would recommend it to those that are fans of the movie and suggest that you read it before seeing the second movie, as that is where it falls chronologically.
The book is a middle school reading level, so it is very simply written. I wasn't particularly impressed with the story or the writing, although the book was enjoyable enough. I chose to read it because I am a fan of Disney and found the premise to be intriguing. The execution was underwhelming, but I feel that younger readers would really enjoy this book. It is perfect for those in grades five to seven. I would recommend it to those that are fans of the movie and suggest that you read it before seeing the second movie, as that is where it falls chronologically.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) in Movies
Mar 2, 2018 (Updated Mar 2, 2018)
A career that spanned over forty-five years, included nearly seventy movies, and featured the same accent every single time came to an end with this, Sean Connery's final on-screen appearance, in a would-be blockbuster based on Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's idiosyncratic comic series. The original heroes of pulp fiction are assembled to battle a mysterious villain with plans for world domination.
Connery had one of his massive spats with the director and virtually disowned the movie, but it's not really as bad as all that. It's not nearly as subtle, dark or clever as the comic book, obviously, and there's a horrendous moment in the second act where the whole thing grinds to a halt, but the effects are never less than competent, and the art direction is good. In the Marvel age of movies this is not without interest, making clear as it does the debt comic book heroes owe to the characters of an earlier age. Inevitably a bit of a disappointment, but not even the worst superhero movie of 2003.
Connery had one of his massive spats with the director and virtually disowned the movie, but it's not really as bad as all that. It's not nearly as subtle, dark or clever as the comic book, obviously, and there's a horrendous moment in the second act where the whole thing grinds to a halt, but the effects are never less than competent, and the art direction is good. In the Marvel age of movies this is not without interest, making clear as it does the debt comic book heroes owe to the characters of an earlier age. Inevitably a bit of a disappointment, but not even the worst superhero movie of 2003.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated The Poet (Jack McEvoy, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #5) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Crime reporter Jack McEnvoy’s world is turned upside down when his twin brother Sean, a cop, commits suicide. But when Jack goes to write a story on it, he discovers a disturbing pattern that will take him cross country and ultimately to the FBI. But will he learn the truth about what happened to his brother?
This book is praised as one of Connelly’s best, and I can see why. This book introduces an entire cast of characters, and they are all strong. The plot is ingenious, and I was on board for all the twists. Unfortunately, it is 20 years old, and the parts of the book that attempt to profile the villain and the scenes that are written from the villains point of view felt clichéd to me. Maybe it is because it has been done so often since this book. Whatever the reason, I found this the only flaw in an otherwise outstanding book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-poet-by-michael-connelly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book is praised as one of Connelly’s best, and I can see why. This book introduces an entire cast of characters, and they are all strong. The plot is ingenious, and I was on board for all the twists. Unfortunately, it is 20 years old, and the parts of the book that attempt to profile the villain and the scenes that are written from the villains point of view felt clichéd to me. Maybe it is because it has been done so often since this book. Whatever the reason, I found this the only flaw in an otherwise outstanding book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-poet-by-michael-connelly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated The Stolen Chapters (Story Thieves, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
When Owen and Kiel wake up, they are in the library with no memory of how they got there or even what happened in the last couple of weeks. Then someone in a mask shows up to announce that their friend Bethany is in danger, and if they don’t rescue her in the next couple of hours, they will never see her again. Then he sets the library on fire and calls the police on them. Can Owen and Kiel find Bethany, figure out who the villain is, and stop him?
This is the second in a series, and you don’t want to start here if you haven’t read the first. However, once you’ve read the first, you’ll absolutely love this book. There are lots of laughs and fun and surprises along the way, including a fantastic cameo by a character I grew up with. The book gets very meta, but just go with it because it is a ton of fun.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/08/book-review-stolen-chapters-by-james.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This is the second in a series, and you don’t want to start here if you haven’t read the first. However, once you’ve read the first, you’ll absolutely love this book. There are lots of laughs and fun and surprises along the way, including a fantastic cameo by a character I grew up with. The book gets very meta, but just go with it because it is a ton of fun.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/08/book-review-stolen-chapters-by-james.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Britt Smith (36 KP) rated Dredd (2012) in Movies
Mar 12, 2018 (Updated Mar 12, 2018)
Pure action (2 more)
True to the comic
MaMa
Yeah.
What's not to love here? A fan of the comic, I had the chance to see the movie in 3D and it is one of the best cinema experiences ever (and the best action to date). Carl Urban does absolute justice to the character, and the movie itself does Mega-City 1 right. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor.
Also, favorite female villain of all time goes to Ma-Ma. Best put by Lena Headey when she said "I think of her like an old great white shark who is just waiting for someone bigger and stronger to show up and kill her. She's ready for it. In fact, she can't wait for it to happen. And yet no one can get the job done. She's an addict, so she's dead in that way, but that last knock just hasn't come. This big, fat, scarred shark moving through the sea and everyone flees and she's like, 'Will someone just have the balls to do it? Please?'"
Also, favorite female villain of all time goes to Ma-Ma. Best put by Lena Headey when she said "I think of her like an old great white shark who is just waiting for someone bigger and stronger to show up and kill her. She's ready for it. In fact, she can't wait for it to happen. And yet no one can get the job done. She's an addict, so she's dead in that way, but that last knock just hasn't come. This big, fat, scarred shark moving through the sea and everyone flees and she's like, 'Will someone just have the balls to do it? Please?'"