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The Craving (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #3)
7.5
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The third book in the New York Times bestselling series by L.J. Smith. The Craving is the third...
Becoming Superman
10.0
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In this dazzling memoir, the acclaimed writer behind Babylon 5, Sense8, Clint Eastwood’s...
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) in Movies
Sep 28, 2021
This one seems to have received a very mixed reception among Trek fans, but I absolutely loved it when it first came out, giving it 4.5/5 in one of my early One Mann’s Movies reviews.
I find the pre-titles sequence on this one a real blast, both thrilling in content and enormously funny with the primitive stone age race trashing their previous relic in favour of their new Enterprise-shaped deity! And then the dramatic pseudo-blackmailing of Harewood, (an impressive Noel Clarke, when he was being given better roles that he is at the moment), to Michael Giacchino’s awesome “London Calling” music, is a truly memorable bit of movie-making.
The cast have all settled into their roles nicely. Chris Pine’s Kirk is still the arrogant ladies man (e.g. bedding twin aliens and chatting up the starfleet totty…. “Hi Ladies… Jim Kirk”), but learning the hard way that with great power comes at least a modicum of responsibility. He actually needs to act in this movie. And I find Scotty (Simon Pegg) slightly less grating in this outing (though his sidekick Keenser (Deep Roy) is still the annoying Jar Jar Binks of these films).
Benedict Cumberbatch adds great gravitas as the arch villain, and his announcement of his name was one of those “I am your father” movie-moments for me on first viewing.
It’s also the last screen appearance of Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime – indeed, his last movie appearance period. A nice and fitting way to bow out.
My rating here is a little lower than my previous OMM rating. It’s attempts to shoehorn-in scenes and dialogue from an earlier Trek movie are a misstep by the writers, and grate on repeat viewing. But it’s still a cracking episode in the Trek saga, and another of my personal favourites.
I find the pre-titles sequence on this one a real blast, both thrilling in content and enormously funny with the primitive stone age race trashing their previous relic in favour of their new Enterprise-shaped deity! And then the dramatic pseudo-blackmailing of Harewood, (an impressive Noel Clarke, when he was being given better roles that he is at the moment), to Michael Giacchino’s awesome “London Calling” music, is a truly memorable bit of movie-making.
The cast have all settled into their roles nicely. Chris Pine’s Kirk is still the arrogant ladies man (e.g. bedding twin aliens and chatting up the starfleet totty…. “Hi Ladies… Jim Kirk”), but learning the hard way that with great power comes at least a modicum of responsibility. He actually needs to act in this movie. And I find Scotty (Simon Pegg) slightly less grating in this outing (though his sidekick Keenser (Deep Roy) is still the annoying Jar Jar Binks of these films).
Benedict Cumberbatch adds great gravitas as the arch villain, and his announcement of his name was one of those “I am your father” movie-moments for me on first viewing.
It’s also the last screen appearance of Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime – indeed, his last movie appearance period. A nice and fitting way to bow out.
My rating here is a little lower than my previous OMM rating. It’s attempts to shoehorn-in scenes and dialogue from an earlier Trek movie are a misstep by the writers, and grate on repeat viewing. But it’s still a cracking episode in the Trek saga, and another of my personal favourites.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2470 KP) rated T is for Trespass (Kinsey Millhone, #20) in Books
Sep 29, 2021
Can Kinsey Save Her Neighbor?
It starts innocently enough when Kinsey and her landlord, William Pitts, discover their elderly neighbor, Gus Vronsky, lying on the floor in his house one morning after falling and injuring himself. Gus only has one relative left, a great-niece who lives on the other side of the country, so she is intent on hiring someone to help Gus recover. The great-niece asks Kinsey to do a background check on Solana Rojas, the woman that she has hired, and nothing jumps out at Kinsey. Still, something seems off about Solana. Will Kinsey figure out what it is in time?
Because we get some chapters from Solana’s point of view, we know early on that she is bad news. It gets a little frustrating waiting for Kinsey to catch up, but the end result is worth it. As we got into the final quarter, I had a very hard time putting the book down thanks to several thrilling scenes. We get to see plenty of William, which is fantastic since he is my second favorite character in the series, second only to Kinsey, who continues to entertain. Solana is evil, and she makes a great villain for Kinsey to track down. There are a couple of sub-plots that I enjoyed, although they could have been a little stronger. There’s also a plot hole late in the book – something we know but Kinsey couldn’t possibly know about. This isn’t one of my typical cozies, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. Still, overall, this is another great entry in a beloved series. Even at twenty books in, it is easy to see why it is has so many fans.
Because we get some chapters from Solana’s point of view, we know early on that she is bad news. It gets a little frustrating waiting for Kinsey to catch up, but the end result is worth it. As we got into the final quarter, I had a very hard time putting the book down thanks to several thrilling scenes. We get to see plenty of William, which is fantastic since he is my second favorite character in the series, second only to Kinsey, who continues to entertain. Solana is evil, and she makes a great villain for Kinsey to track down. There are a couple of sub-plots that I enjoyed, although they could have been a little stronger. There’s also a plot hole late in the book – something we know but Kinsey couldn’t possibly know about. This isn’t one of my typical cozies, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. Still, overall, this is another great entry in a beloved series. Even at twenty books in, it is easy to see why it is has so many fans.
Merissa (13654 KP) rated Immortal (The Awakening Series #2) in Books
Apr 11, 2023
So what happens when you start reading a book and find out that not only does it involve insta-love but also love triangles - both of which you hate?! You carry on reading, that's what! Because by the time you realised, you were already hooked into the story and there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell of putting it down until it was finished. That's what happens when you read a book by Dean Murray.
Immortal is the second book in The Awakening Series and continues exactly where Reborn finished. You find out that Kyle and Selene were actually together WAY before Jace and Selene were. So how does Kyle fit into the scenario? I was fully prepared to dislike Kyle, after all, Jace and Selene were the ones that needed to be together, right? The trouble is I couldn't actually dislike him. You will have to read the book yourself to understand why but trust me, he's not a straightforward "villain".
There are quiet times when Selene (and you) find pieces out of the puzzle and there are also times of action, fighting and battles. Then there are the emotional times that you become invested in.
This story continues to be intriguing and complex with plot twists and turns that keep you on your toes. It was completely un-put-down-able and I loved every moment. Even though this book deals with tropes that I usually find irritating, the way Immortal has been written makes it a pleasure to read. Highly recommended to all fans of Young Adult, Contemporary Paranormal.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
March 5, 2015
Immortal is the second book in The Awakening Series and continues exactly where Reborn finished. You find out that Kyle and Selene were actually together WAY before Jace and Selene were. So how does Kyle fit into the scenario? I was fully prepared to dislike Kyle, after all, Jace and Selene were the ones that needed to be together, right? The trouble is I couldn't actually dislike him. You will have to read the book yourself to understand why but trust me, he's not a straightforward "villain".
There are quiet times when Selene (and you) find pieces out of the puzzle and there are also times of action, fighting and battles. Then there are the emotional times that you become invested in.
This story continues to be intriguing and complex with plot twists and turns that keep you on your toes. It was completely un-put-down-able and I loved every moment. Even though this book deals with tropes that I usually find irritating, the way Immortal has been written makes it a pleasure to read. Highly recommended to all fans of Young Adult, Contemporary Paranormal.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
March 5, 2015
Merissa (13654 KP) rated Redesigning Fate (The Revive Series, #1) in Books
Apr 18, 2023
This book will take you on a stellar journey, not all of it nice, but all of it completely gripping. Marlena left her boyfriend three months ago after things made a turn for the worse. She has made the decision to get her life back under her own control, no one else's. One of the ways in which she does this is to make a major move to a new home, new city, new job. She starts her new job and literally falls for Elias, after she has walked into him! Marlena has a journey of discovery to embark upon as she has to learn to trust herself, and others, which trying to avoid getting hurt, if at all possible.
I loved this book! You get it from the points of view of Marlena and Travis, who, I have to say, is an incredibly well-written villain. I don't like him, not one bit, but he is completely three-dimensional. He is a true brute and I can't abide him. Elias, Sin and Shelby are all intriguing characters and let me just say, I nearly threw my kindle at the wall!! To get so close to finding out their story and then for the book to finish... well, yes!
For those of you that like your stories with a darker edge (like abuse or stalking for example), then I can highly recommend this story. A.M. Wilson reminds me of Alex Grayson for some reason, although I don't know why. Perhaps it is because they've both written exceptional stories in a hard-hitting genre. Whatever the reason, this book rocks!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 8, 2015
I loved this book! You get it from the points of view of Marlena and Travis, who, I have to say, is an incredibly well-written villain. I don't like him, not one bit, but he is completely three-dimensional. He is a true brute and I can't abide him. Elias, Sin and Shelby are all intriguing characters and let me just say, I nearly threw my kindle at the wall!! To get so close to finding out their story and then for the book to finish... well, yes!
For those of you that like your stories with a darker edge (like abuse or stalking for example), then I can highly recommend this story. A.M. Wilson reminds me of Alex Grayson for some reason, although I don't know why. Perhaps it is because they've both written exceptional stories in a hard-hitting genre. Whatever the reason, this book rocks!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Oct 8, 2015
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Dirty Game (Annie Carter #1) in Books
Oct 27, 2021
178 of 250
Book
Dirty Game (Annie Carter book 1)
By Jessie Keane
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Adultery, murder and dangerous love collide in Jessie Keane's gritty debut novel. For longer than she cares to remember Annie Bailey has lived in the shadow of her older sister Ruthie. Now Ruthie has her hands on Max Carter, the much feared head of the Carter family and a top class villain. Seducing Max wasn't a problem, but the guilt, shame and anger of rejection afterwards was. Thrown onto the streets Annie finds herself living with Celia, a wayward aunt with a shocking secret. As the months pass Annie's resourceful nature sees her mature and carve out a life for herself, albeit not legal. But if you play with fire, you can expect to get burned and her lavish new lifestyle and connections may be about to come crashing down around her. Annie has unwittingly placed herself between two rival gangs and upset too many people, and these kind of people don't forget. But as everyone knows, Annie Bailey is no ordinary woman.
Growing up I was always fascinated with London gangs especially the Krays so this was right up my street. Jessie writes brilliantly about a hard ,fast paced and violent lifestyle. I love Annie’s journey in this book and can’t wait to read more. It’s brilliantly written and so similar to Martina Cole (I’m not sure who came first I just found Martina first!) the whole work surrounding these characters is violent and intricate, what I love in this one is the slight twist at the end! Highly recommend to those who love this style of writing.
Book
Dirty Game (Annie Carter book 1)
By Jessie Keane
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Adultery, murder and dangerous love collide in Jessie Keane's gritty debut novel. For longer than she cares to remember Annie Bailey has lived in the shadow of her older sister Ruthie. Now Ruthie has her hands on Max Carter, the much feared head of the Carter family and a top class villain. Seducing Max wasn't a problem, but the guilt, shame and anger of rejection afterwards was. Thrown onto the streets Annie finds herself living with Celia, a wayward aunt with a shocking secret. As the months pass Annie's resourceful nature sees her mature and carve out a life for herself, albeit not legal. But if you play with fire, you can expect to get burned and her lavish new lifestyle and connections may be about to come crashing down around her. Annie has unwittingly placed herself between two rival gangs and upset too many people, and these kind of people don't forget. But as everyone knows, Annie Bailey is no ordinary woman.
Growing up I was always fascinated with London gangs especially the Krays so this was right up my street. Jessie writes brilliantly about a hard ,fast paced and violent lifestyle. I love Annie’s journey in this book and can’t wait to read more. It’s brilliantly written and so similar to Martina Cole (I’m not sure who came first I just found Martina first!) the whole work surrounding these characters is violent and intricate, what I love in this one is the slight twist at the end! Highly recommend to those who love this style of writing.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated 13 Assassins (2011) in Movies
Oct 28, 2021
Competent I suppose - I mean I still liked it and all - but I don't go to Miike to see something just competent, you feel? Gets points exclusively for the insane amount of people that get hacked, blown up, trampled, shot with arrows, and bludgeoned to death in the final act - and a particularly powerful last 20 minutes that wrap things up nicely (the way it touches on how the wealthy fetishize lowly rabble without actually wanting any of the consequences of it floored me ["So death comes for us all."]). It's a surprise to no one that this guy can emulate practically any genre with ease, but did this have to be so traditional? Am I being too much of a pushover to ask for more of that sweet, sweet gore that we only get bits and pieces (no pun intended) of? The final battle (which you guys all oversold) is notable in scope but is almost classical to a fault and lacks the snappiness of better martial arts films like Jet Li's 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, for example - some of it you can't even see that well either. In fact I think this actually succeeds more in its more disturbing moments rather than its action, with that religiously entertaining villain often swooping in to save the day -I mean the guy's a riot, plain and simple (props to Goro Inagaki for playing him *perfectly*). A lot of the other stuff just feels emulative to me, never bad that's for sure - Miike seldom misses a beat - but I wish there was more of him visible here (he would have crushed some motherfuckers in those wooden spike wall traps). Though on that note, I don't mind at all that this dropped his affinity for drawing out scenes way too long.
Merissa (13654 KP) rated A Fallen Spark (Windows to the Soul #1) in Books
Nov 27, 2023
A FALLEN SPARK is the first book in the Windows to the Soul series and my review is a 3.5 star rating.
This is a long book, told from different perspectives and at different times. As such, it can be a little confusing to stay with the story as it jumps timelines and people. I would say this has romantic elements, but it certainly isn't a romance. Also, if you are sensitive to subjects, then I absolutely recommend you read the TWs as there are some horrible moments on page.
Adler is the prophesied dragon child, here to save the world. Unfortunately, choices he wasn't even aware of were taken away from him, and he became the villain of the story. But don't worry, there are plenty more in here, and a lot worse than Adler.
Mark is his childhood best friend, the one he loves, and the one he will die to protect. There is also Tabitha, Mark's sister. Skye, a journalist who lives with their brother, Darren, also has a role to play, as does Darren.
Laine is a wild card, kept apart from everyone, and forced to do experiments to keep her parents safe. I'm not sure if she is supposed to be a character you sympathise with or not, but I didn't. I found her to be quite spoilt and close-minded, unwilling to even try to see the bigger picture.
All in all, I found this book to be interesting, with a unique idea of things costing spells in a world where magic is fading, and the effects that would have.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 27, 2023
This is a long book, told from different perspectives and at different times. As such, it can be a little confusing to stay with the story as it jumps timelines and people. I would say this has romantic elements, but it certainly isn't a romance. Also, if you are sensitive to subjects, then I absolutely recommend you read the TWs as there are some horrible moments on page.
Adler is the prophesied dragon child, here to save the world. Unfortunately, choices he wasn't even aware of were taken away from him, and he became the villain of the story. But don't worry, there are plenty more in here, and a lot worse than Adler.
Mark is his childhood best friend, the one he loves, and the one he will die to protect. There is also Tabitha, Mark's sister. Skye, a journalist who lives with their brother, Darren, also has a role to play, as does Darren.
Laine is a wild card, kept apart from everyone, and forced to do experiments to keep her parents safe. I'm not sure if she is supposed to be a character you sympathise with or not, but I didn't. I found her to be quite spoilt and close-minded, unwilling to even try to see the bigger picture.
All in all, I found this book to be interesting, with a unique idea of things costing spells in a world where magic is fading, and the effects that would have.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 27, 2023
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated The Odd Sisters: A Villains Novel (Villains #6) in Books
Jan 13, 2022
I love the Villains series and I think they just get better the more you read. And this was no exception.
Although it’s been a while since I read Mother Knows Best, the story is so easy to follow that it really didn’t matter and it all came flooding back to me as I read on.
We follow Circe and Snow White as they try to understand the Odd Sisters before they find a way to get themselves out of the dreamscape to continue wreaking havoc on the world. Whilst trying to understand them, Snow White falls upon a story related to Gothel’s mother and grandmother but the last pages have been torn out of the book, Snow White knows that she must find those pages in order to understand the story fully and for her suspicions around Gothel and the Odd Sisters to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, in Fairyland, the fairies have heard that the Odd Sisters are trying to resurrect Maleficent in an attempt to use her to destroy Fairyland on their behalf. Will the Odd Sisters succeed? Or will Circe manage to stop her Mothers in time?
I love this series and love the imagination that goes in to the back story for each villain. But the theme of the Odd Sisters throughout each of the books is a very interesting one, and I find it interesting that there is a way to weave them into the chaos of each fairytale somehow. This book made me understand the sisters more, whilst finding out more about their background.
I’m very interested to see what happens in the next 2 books, which I’m sure I won’t be able to put down like I haven’t been able to put this one down!
Although it’s been a while since I read Mother Knows Best, the story is so easy to follow that it really didn’t matter and it all came flooding back to me as I read on.
We follow Circe and Snow White as they try to understand the Odd Sisters before they find a way to get themselves out of the dreamscape to continue wreaking havoc on the world. Whilst trying to understand them, Snow White falls upon a story related to Gothel’s mother and grandmother but the last pages have been torn out of the book, Snow White knows that she must find those pages in order to understand the story fully and for her suspicions around Gothel and the Odd Sisters to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, in Fairyland, the fairies have heard that the Odd Sisters are trying to resurrect Maleficent in an attempt to use her to destroy Fairyland on their behalf. Will the Odd Sisters succeed? Or will Circe manage to stop her Mothers in time?
I love this series and love the imagination that goes in to the back story for each villain. But the theme of the Odd Sisters throughout each of the books is a very interesting one, and I find it interesting that there is a way to weave them into the chaos of each fairytale somehow. This book made me understand the sisters more, whilst finding out more about their background.
I’m very interested to see what happens in the next 2 books, which I’m sure I won’t be able to put down like I haven’t been able to put this one down!