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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated NOS4A2 in Books
Mar 15, 2018
<i>I read this novel as my BookBum Club book for January! Check out <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/297482-the-bookbum-club">The BookBum Club on Goodreads!</a></i>
A darkly disturbing thrill ride of a book! I was expecting it to spook me out a little more than it did, but it was super enjoyable even still.
I’ve never read a Joe Hill book before this one, but now I know I want to read more of his work. I don’t think there’s any denying that his writing style really sucks you into the story and he’s a genius as describing things. How can one man come up with so many different Christmas similes? I also loved how this book was set up, where sometimes the end of sentence in a paragraph wouldn’t end because the title of the next paragraph completed the sentence. I thought this was a really unique aspect of the novel, as well as several illustrations dotted throughout.
One thing I really loved about this novel was the characters. I’ve seen some less that glowing reviews whinging about Vic, and while I can understand some people’s frustration at how frustrating she was, I think the whole point of her character to be frustrating. I personally found her troubled but sweet. Lou was equally sweet, a nice human being through-and-through, but at the end of the day, I don’t think he brought an awful lot to the story.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, of course, was Charlie Manx. What a genuinely terrifying character. I’ve read through several books with horrifying characters (Annie Wilkes springs to mind immediately) and Charlie Manx is definitely up there with the worst of them. What made him so chilling, for me, was how I imagined his voice. Every sentence of his speech was lifted at the end by an exclamation mark! He was always so cheery! Always so sinister! And then, of course, we have Bing Partridge who may just be the most repulsive character I’ve ever read about.
I loved the story of this novel, but I’m not going to explain what happened because this novel needs to be experienced, not told, in order to reach its full potential. My only issue was I though maybe 700 pages was a bit long. Chapter after chapter was a new dip and dive in this roller-coaster of a story, but sometimes it just felt like stalling time.
Another thing that disappointed me about this book, and this is what brought it down to 4 stars, is that I was expecting this to be scarier than it turned out to be. Don’t get me wrong, it’s seriously sinister and has some really creepy moments, but I wanted to get to “I can’t sleep” scared. Though saying that, when I was driving home in the dark one day, an old classic black British car (we have a lot of old car conventions around where I live) pulled up behind me and followed me nearly all the way home and I did get the heebie-geebies (don’t worry, I didn’t break the speed limit though).
Overall, this novel is well worth the read if you’re into dark, sinister novels filled with the really weird and the really wonderful. I’m so happy I’ve finally read this novel and have been opened up to the world of Joe Hill’s writing. I will definitely be reading more of his stuff.
A darkly disturbing thrill ride of a book! I was expecting it to spook me out a little more than it did, but it was super enjoyable even still.
I’ve never read a Joe Hill book before this one, but now I know I want to read more of his work. I don’t think there’s any denying that his writing style really sucks you into the story and he’s a genius as describing things. How can one man come up with so many different Christmas similes? I also loved how this book was set up, where sometimes the end of sentence in a paragraph wouldn’t end because the title of the next paragraph completed the sentence. I thought this was a really unique aspect of the novel, as well as several illustrations dotted throughout.
One thing I really loved about this novel was the characters. I’ve seen some less that glowing reviews whinging about Vic, and while I can understand some people’s frustration at how frustrating she was, I think the whole point of her character to be frustrating. I personally found her troubled but sweet. Lou was equally sweet, a nice human being through-and-through, but at the end of the day, I don’t think he brought an awful lot to the story.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, of course, was Charlie Manx. What a genuinely terrifying character. I’ve read through several books with horrifying characters (Annie Wilkes springs to mind immediately) and Charlie Manx is definitely up there with the worst of them. What made him so chilling, for me, was how I imagined his voice. Every sentence of his speech was lifted at the end by an exclamation mark! He was always so cheery! Always so sinister! And then, of course, we have Bing Partridge who may just be the most repulsive character I’ve ever read about.
I loved the story of this novel, but I’m not going to explain what happened because this novel needs to be experienced, not told, in order to reach its full potential. My only issue was I though maybe 700 pages was a bit long. Chapter after chapter was a new dip and dive in this roller-coaster of a story, but sometimes it just felt like stalling time.
Another thing that disappointed me about this book, and this is what brought it down to 4 stars, is that I was expecting this to be scarier than it turned out to be. Don’t get me wrong, it’s seriously sinister and has some really creepy moments, but I wanted to get to “I can’t sleep” scared. Though saying that, when I was driving home in the dark one day, an old classic black British car (we have a lot of old car conventions around where I live) pulled up behind me and followed me nearly all the way home and I did get the heebie-geebies (don’t worry, I didn’t break the speed limit though).
Overall, this novel is well worth the read if you’re into dark, sinister novels filled with the really weird and the really wonderful. I’m so happy I’ve finally read this novel and have been opened up to the world of Joe Hill’s writing. I will definitely be reading more of his stuff.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The White Road in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Lotz, plus it’s the first I’ve read to do with natural, mountainess horror… and I have to say I really enjoyed it! It instantly pulls you into the story, and the writing and setting instantly creates such an atmospheric, creepy and chilling feeling.
You do have to suspend belief for this novel. A man going down to do some caving is plausible, but the idea that Simon could climb Mount Everest after no professional training is just not believable. This didn’t bother me an awful lot as I was so involved with the characters stories and encaptured by the fear of the situations, but I know it can be an issue for some people.
I’m stunned at how claustrophobic and breathless this book made me feel. When we’re down in the caves with Simon, straight off, I found myself squirming and panicking as we made our way deeper into the abyss. Then those feelings were brought back to me again as we were scaling Everest and the air was getting thinner and thinner. Lotz really has a way of writing horrifying experiences! She’s also good at adding in humour to parts of the story that others would make severely intense, and I liked that we had that chance to have a bit of a mental break from all the dramatics.
I won’t lie and say this was the most perfect book in the world, because it isn’t. I was disappointed by the final climb up Everest. It all happened to quickly, I was stunned to turn the page and find we were back down at ABC camp. It wasn’t at all as climactic as what had happened down in the caves, which seemed weird, as this was our main event! <b><i>But</i></b>, the climb up Everest feels like much more like a <i>means</i> to an end.
Lotz is a master at getting you attached to characters. Simon was witty and he was tragic, by the end I felt like I knew him completely and to be honest, <i>I think I was in love with him a little bit. </i> When we get to the end, that chilling, haunting end, I very nearly shed a tear. I was so attached to his character, I felt like he was worth crying for, but somehow I kept my wits about me (very unlike me!)
Like I just mentioned, the ending is one of the best I’ve read. For me, it was everything I wanted it to be, and everything I didn’t want it to be. It was raw and terrifying. I felt a little choked up by it all.
Overall, I think I’ve discovered a new type of book I like! I like this horror-in-the-wilderness feel so I’m definitely going to be checking out more books like this! <i>(I just bought myself Ararat by Christopher Golden)</i> Please, if you read the synopsis and thought “hmm, that sounds like it could be good”, rush out to get this! I know Lotz’s other books have garnered pretty average to poor reviews, but after this, I’m going to have to check out her other stuff.
<i>Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an advanced reader’s copy of this book.</i>
You do have to suspend belief for this novel. A man going down to do some caving is plausible, but the idea that Simon could climb Mount Everest after no professional training is just not believable. This didn’t bother me an awful lot as I was so involved with the characters stories and encaptured by the fear of the situations, but I know it can be an issue for some people.
I’m stunned at how claustrophobic and breathless this book made me feel. When we’re down in the caves with Simon, straight off, I found myself squirming and panicking as we made our way deeper into the abyss. Then those feelings were brought back to me again as we were scaling Everest and the air was getting thinner and thinner. Lotz really has a way of writing horrifying experiences! She’s also good at adding in humour to parts of the story that others would make severely intense, and I liked that we had that chance to have a bit of a mental break from all the dramatics.
I won’t lie and say this was the most perfect book in the world, because it isn’t. I was disappointed by the final climb up Everest. It all happened to quickly, I was stunned to turn the page and find we were back down at ABC camp. It wasn’t at all as climactic as what had happened down in the caves, which seemed weird, as this was our main event! <b><i>But</i></b>, the climb up Everest feels like much more like a <i>means</i> to an end.
Lotz is a master at getting you attached to characters. Simon was witty and he was tragic, by the end I felt like I knew him completely and to be honest, <i>I think I was in love with him a little bit. </i> When we get to the end, that chilling, haunting end, I very nearly shed a tear. I was so attached to his character, I felt like he was worth crying for, but somehow I kept my wits about me (very unlike me!)
Like I just mentioned, the ending is one of the best I’ve read. For me, it was everything I wanted it to be, and everything I didn’t want it to be. It was raw and terrifying. I felt a little choked up by it all.
Overall, I think I’ve discovered a new type of book I like! I like this horror-in-the-wilderness feel so I’m definitely going to be checking out more books like this! <i>(I just bought myself Ararat by Christopher Golden)</i> Please, if you read the synopsis and thought “hmm, that sounds like it could be good”, rush out to get this! I know Lotz’s other books have garnered pretty average to poor reviews, but after this, I’m going to have to check out her other stuff.
<i>Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an advanced reader’s copy of this book.</i>
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Breakdown in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Read my review here: https://bookbumzuky.wordpress.com/2017/02/08/review-the-breakdown-by-b-a-paris/
<i><b>Synopsis:</b> On a stormy night, Cass decides to go against the wishes of her husband and take a dangerous shortcut home. Passing through the rural wooded road, she notices a car pulled up with a woman sat inside. After pulling over to help, Cass gets a weird feeling - why hasn’t the woman in the car shown relief at someone pulling over? Why has she not moved from her spot in the seat, just staring blankly out of the windscreen? Feeling spooked, Cass decides to drive off. The next morning she finds out that the woman is dead, “brutally murdered”, as the police say.
Cass can’t shake the guilt she feels at leaving the woman alone, and soon, the guilt is all she can focus on. She’s started to forget things, like when she bought an alarm system or inviting her friends over, but what she can’t forget is leaving the woman on her own, on a stormy night, to be murdered. She also can’t forget the silent phones calls she’s receiving and the horrible feeling that she’s being watched.</i>
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After the huge success of <i>Behind Closed Doors</i>, B A Paris had a lot to live up to with this second novel, and for me, it wasn’t anywhere near as good. It didn’t grab me as well as the last. The tension was built just as well in this, steady and slowly, but it was the actual plot that I wasn’t connecting with. It seemed a bit outlandish and didn’t keep me on my toes quite as much. Annoyingly, someone hadn’t marked the spoilers in their review of this, so about halfway through reading the novel, the twist was “ruined”, but, to be honest, the ending was very predictable and I had already sussed it by the time I read that person’s review, so it wasn't that big of a deal.
Another problem with this book was the lack of character development. While we felt so attached to Grace and eager for her to be rid of the troubles in her life, I didn’t find myself thinking the same for Cass. In all honesty, she was a bit of a drip and was so overly hysterical that she just became annoying to read about. Our other, more side characters, Matthew and Rachel, were flat, soppy and unrealistic.
<spoiler>The texts between Matthew and Rachel, at the end of the novel, were really irritating that I ended up skipping over them. Why would we need to see what they said to each other when we already know what they had done? It was just rehashing parts of the plot that we could have sussed was them…</spoiler>
I hate to say such negative things about this novel, but I just don’t get the hype. The story has been done a million times before, and in better ways, too. Maybe I think so badly of this novel because Paris’ last was so great, but there is no comparison between the two.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin UK Ltd for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
<i><b>Synopsis:</b> On a stormy night, Cass decides to go against the wishes of her husband and take a dangerous shortcut home. Passing through the rural wooded road, she notices a car pulled up with a woman sat inside. After pulling over to help, Cass gets a weird feeling - why hasn’t the woman in the car shown relief at someone pulling over? Why has she not moved from her spot in the seat, just staring blankly out of the windscreen? Feeling spooked, Cass decides to drive off. The next morning she finds out that the woman is dead, “brutally murdered”, as the police say.
Cass can’t shake the guilt she feels at leaving the woman alone, and soon, the guilt is all she can focus on. She’s started to forget things, like when she bought an alarm system or inviting her friends over, but what she can’t forget is leaving the woman on her own, on a stormy night, to be murdered. She also can’t forget the silent phones calls she’s receiving and the horrible feeling that she’s being watched.</i>
---
After the huge success of <i>Behind Closed Doors</i>, B A Paris had a lot to live up to with this second novel, and for me, it wasn’t anywhere near as good. It didn’t grab me as well as the last. The tension was built just as well in this, steady and slowly, but it was the actual plot that I wasn’t connecting with. It seemed a bit outlandish and didn’t keep me on my toes quite as much. Annoyingly, someone hadn’t marked the spoilers in their review of this, so about halfway through reading the novel, the twist was “ruined”, but, to be honest, the ending was very predictable and I had already sussed it by the time I read that person’s review, so it wasn't that big of a deal.
Another problem with this book was the lack of character development. While we felt so attached to Grace and eager for her to be rid of the troubles in her life, I didn’t find myself thinking the same for Cass. In all honesty, she was a bit of a drip and was so overly hysterical that she just became annoying to read about. Our other, more side characters, Matthew and Rachel, were flat, soppy and unrealistic.
<spoiler>The texts between Matthew and Rachel, at the end of the novel, were really irritating that I ended up skipping over them. Why would we need to see what they said to each other when we already know what they had done? It was just rehashing parts of the plot that we could have sussed was them…</spoiler>
I hate to say such negative things about this novel, but I just don’t get the hype. The story has been done a million times before, and in better ways, too. Maybe I think so badly of this novel because Paris’ last was so great, but there is no comparison between the two.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin UK Ltd for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Behind Closed Doors in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also find my review here: http://bit.ly/28KzCFf
<b><i>Fear," he whispered. "There is nothing quite like it. I love how it looks, I love how it feels, I love how it smells. And I especially love the sound of it." I felt his tongue on my cheek. "I even love the taste of it.</i></b>
Welcome to Jack and Grace's perfect life and perfect marriage. Jack's an amazing, handsome and successful lawyer for battered woman and Grace is the gorgeous put-together house wife... or so it seems. But what if Grace were to tell she wasn't a house wife, she was in fact a prisoner locked up by her own husband who craves nothing more than seeing and feeling another person's fear? Would you believe her?
I loved all the twists and turns and edge of the seat moments within this novel. It was an excellent thriller that Im sure thousands have and will continue to enjoy. Im definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for any more novels from Paris as I loved her style of writing and felt her story telling flowed perfectly.
The characters were very well developed and you really got a good insight into their lives, thoughts and feelings. Paris did an excellent job at making two very unique characters. Without trying to give too much away, Jack is a very different kind of sadistic captor. Hes so terrifying because he could definitely be real. He could be your neighbour, your boss, your friend even. Hes just a seemingly normal guy but what lies underneath is far from normal.
Grace can be a little stupid and doesnt often act quick enough, its no use for her to try anyway as Jack is always one step ahead. Shes trapped and she knows it, therefore shes an interesting character to see progress through the novel as we see her seemingly give up against her captor, but really, underneath, shes cunning and planning the whole time.
If it wasnt for the fact that you could easily guess how this was going to end once the idea was placed in front of you, it might have even got a 5 star rating. Though the end was predictable there was still some element of shock to it, especially the last heart breaking / lifting scene. <spoiler>The final scene shared between Grace and Esther was such a wonderful way to end this book, it rounded this book off so well. The perfect ending!</spoiler>
The weird thing is, the whole time I read this I thought how far fetched and silly it was, though I was enjoying it, but when you think about it, its not <i>that</i> far fetched. You hear all these terrible stories about women kidnapped and held against their will who are given the freedom to go outside but theyre so paralysed by fear of what could happen, they never say a thing to anyone. Jaycee Lee Dugard, for example, was kidnapped and kept hidden for 18 years! Keeping someone captive isnt that uncommon and Im sure there are actually some terrified women out there that are living a life something very similar to this. So when you put it into that perspective this becomes a very chilling horror story rather than just a fast paced thriller.
<b><i>Fear," he whispered. "There is nothing quite like it. I love how it looks, I love how it feels, I love how it smells. And I especially love the sound of it." I felt his tongue on my cheek. "I even love the taste of it.</i></b>
Welcome to Jack and Grace's perfect life and perfect marriage. Jack's an amazing, handsome and successful lawyer for battered woman and Grace is the gorgeous put-together house wife... or so it seems. But what if Grace were to tell she wasn't a house wife, she was in fact a prisoner locked up by her own husband who craves nothing more than seeing and feeling another person's fear? Would you believe her?
I loved all the twists and turns and edge of the seat moments within this novel. It was an excellent thriller that Im sure thousands have and will continue to enjoy. Im definitely going to keep my eyes peeled for any more novels from Paris as I loved her style of writing and felt her story telling flowed perfectly.
The characters were very well developed and you really got a good insight into their lives, thoughts and feelings. Paris did an excellent job at making two very unique characters. Without trying to give too much away, Jack is a very different kind of sadistic captor. Hes so terrifying because he could definitely be real. He could be your neighbour, your boss, your friend even. Hes just a seemingly normal guy but what lies underneath is far from normal.
Grace can be a little stupid and doesnt often act quick enough, its no use for her to try anyway as Jack is always one step ahead. Shes trapped and she knows it, therefore shes an interesting character to see progress through the novel as we see her seemingly give up against her captor, but really, underneath, shes cunning and planning the whole time.
If it wasnt for the fact that you could easily guess how this was going to end once the idea was placed in front of you, it might have even got a 5 star rating. Though the end was predictable there was still some element of shock to it, especially the last heart breaking / lifting scene. <spoiler>The final scene shared between Grace and Esther was such a wonderful way to end this book, it rounded this book off so well. The perfect ending!</spoiler>
The weird thing is, the whole time I read this I thought how far fetched and silly it was, though I was enjoying it, but when you think about it, its not <i>that</i> far fetched. You hear all these terrible stories about women kidnapped and held against their will who are given the freedom to go outside but theyre so paralysed by fear of what could happen, they never say a thing to anyone. Jaycee Lee Dugard, for example, was kidnapped and kept hidden for 18 years! Keeping someone captive isnt that uncommon and Im sure there are actually some terrified women out there that are living a life something very similar to this. So when you put it into that perspective this becomes a very chilling horror story rather than just a fast paced thriller.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Follow You in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Initially, I really hated the title of this book, it sounds super cheesy and weird, but after finding out it relates to the Twitter Killer plot, I actually thought it was quite cool. The plotline here is that there was Twitter thread called '#BeMyKiller' where you could advertise yourself up to be killed (in a pranky way) but then a few people who responded to this thread were murdered. I thought this was a really unique motivation for the crimes in this and so my hatred for the title dissipated.
This is a fast paced book, with never a dull moment! If you're one of those people who pushes themselves through "just one more chapter", this book is going to stop you from sleeping... There are 130 chapters in this book, with some of them being just a page long!
I liked the plot for this, that they were making a film about the murders, that then turned into more murders. The setting was in the dark and dreary murder place of Meredith, "Fun Central" and because it was an old kids play area, with ball bits and go-kart tracks, it had an eerie feel to it that worked well alongside the gruesome murders. And yes, they were gruesome murders.
Writing was well done. It's not a challenging book to read, there's no amazing descriptive passages or hard-hitting themes, it's just an easy thriller read. One problem I did have with the writing is something so stupid and very specific that it almost seems pointless in saying it, but it got on my nerves enough times that I have to mention it. "So why did you use the #BeMyKiller hashtag?" - how do you read that sentence? I read it as "hashtag Be My Killer hashtag"... yes that's all that's annoyed me, the double use of the hashtag... don't use a # if you're then going to write out hashtag!!!
Our main character in this novel is Hazel, and while she's creating this film to get justice for Meredith's killer, I didn't particularly like her. The blurb makes it sound like Hazel is doing her documentary to get justice for Meredith, but to me, it felt like she was making the film to save her company from going under. She was too deceptive with all the characters about her reasoning behind creating this new film, that her passion to catch the killer felt fake. As for Meredith being a "childhood friend", I'd say that wasn't very realistic, the book makes it feel like they were more acquaintances than anything, and that Hazel just sort of pitied Meredith. It's never good when you don't like the main character, but I was reasonably happy still going along with this novel. Hazel was dislikable but she was tolerable.
I had my suspicions of who the killer might be, which turned out to be wrong, but I think I would have preferred my scenario to play out because the real reveal was pretty dramatic and out there. Although the last 40% of the book was super tense and horror-movie-like it got a little OTT in my opinion.
Overall this is a great thriller if you're looking for a book with non-stop action, but it's not particularly clever and it's very dark, so if you're not into that kinda thing, you won't enjoy this one. It's clear that Parker has a talent for writing and I will definitely look out for more books of his, but this, for me, was a very mediocre thriller novel.
This is a fast paced book, with never a dull moment! If you're one of those people who pushes themselves through "just one more chapter", this book is going to stop you from sleeping... There are 130 chapters in this book, with some of them being just a page long!
I liked the plot for this, that they were making a film about the murders, that then turned into more murders. The setting was in the dark and dreary murder place of Meredith, "Fun Central" and because it was an old kids play area, with ball bits and go-kart tracks, it had an eerie feel to it that worked well alongside the gruesome murders. And yes, they were gruesome murders.
Writing was well done. It's not a challenging book to read, there's no amazing descriptive passages or hard-hitting themes, it's just an easy thriller read. One problem I did have with the writing is something so stupid and very specific that it almost seems pointless in saying it, but it got on my nerves enough times that I have to mention it. "So why did you use the #BeMyKiller hashtag?" - how do you read that sentence? I read it as "hashtag Be My Killer hashtag"... yes that's all that's annoyed me, the double use of the hashtag... don't use a # if you're then going to write out hashtag!!!
Our main character in this novel is Hazel, and while she's creating this film to get justice for Meredith's killer, I didn't particularly like her. The blurb makes it sound like Hazel is doing her documentary to get justice for Meredith, but to me, it felt like she was making the film to save her company from going under. She was too deceptive with all the characters about her reasoning behind creating this new film, that her passion to catch the killer felt fake. As for Meredith being a "childhood friend", I'd say that wasn't very realistic, the book makes it feel like they were more acquaintances than anything, and that Hazel just sort of pitied Meredith. It's never good when you don't like the main character, but I was reasonably happy still going along with this novel. Hazel was dislikable but she was tolerable.
I had my suspicions of who the killer might be, which turned out to be wrong, but I think I would have preferred my scenario to play out because the real reveal was pretty dramatic and out there. Although the last 40% of the book was super tense and horror-movie-like it got a little OTT in my opinion.
Overall this is a great thriller if you're looking for a book with non-stop action, but it's not particularly clever and it's very dark, so if you're not into that kinda thing, you won't enjoy this one. It's clear that Parker has a talent for writing and I will definitely look out for more books of his, but this, for me, was a very mediocre thriller novel.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Mercy Snow: A Novel in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/mercy-snow-by-tiffany-baker
<b><i>The real trick to holding two things together, June was coming to see, wasnt how rightly they were bound but how well. Sometimes a loose thread was a saving grace.</b></i>
This is more a review on the characters than the overall novel because the plot took a back step to the characters stories.
Beautiful writing style! Its so elegant and well formed. Easy to read yet full of vivid imagery and scenery. Every character, no matter how small, was really well formed and interesting to read about. Unfortunately, there were some really dislikable characters in this novel.
I thought I liked June, I thought she was a brave outsider doing her best to assimilate but it just turns out shes selfish! You would have thought that a woman who knows what it feels like to be on the outside of everyone else would sympathise with the likes of Mercy and her family, but instead she does whatever she can to get rid of them, all for her own selfish needs and even after she knows how heart broken her son is. I thought maybe it had something to do with Cal, as it was obvious he was angry and controlling at times, but I still couldnt sympathise with her because, in the end, she could have just left the Snows alone, rather than torment and threaten them. <spoiler>She was also everything I hate a woman can be when her partner cheats on her - forgiving and accepting. No. <b>No.</b> Never, ever, ever, ever, ever accept infidelity.</spoiler>
Mercy, of course, was supposed to be every readers hero. She was the kind of person you wish you could be. She was gentle and kind, she was obedient and caring, and most of all, she was selfless. She held no grudges against anyone, even those who were plotting against her, all she wanted to do was help people prove her brother's innocence, and that her family werent the neer-do-wells everyone believed them to be.
Although Mercy was lovely, Hazel was by far my favourite character because she was <i>so genuine.</i> She wasnt perfect, she had her doubts and silly thoughts, <b><i>Hazel supposed she ought to thank her, but instead she felt a hot flush across her chest. They were </i>her<i> sheep, and Fergus was </i>her<i> man,</b></i> but she tried her best to do what was right and that made her a really likable person.
Nate really grew as a character throughout the novel. To begin with, he remained a bit of a nothingy addition to the story, but he gradually became one of the nicest characters to read about. He was so warm and kind, he didnt take after his father at all, which is clearly a good thing! He was a total cutie as well, the part with the lamb birthing almost had my heart melting! (although it was also a little too TMI when it talked about his hand in her really warm uterus . *shudder*)
Cal doesnt even get a paragraph because of what a twat he was.
This was a lovely book, full of morals and thought-provoking subjects. What started out as a bit of a boring and weird read for me, turned into something really wonderful. Im glad I picked this up.
<b><i>The real trick to holding two things together, June was coming to see, wasnt how rightly they were bound but how well. Sometimes a loose thread was a saving grace.</b></i>
This is more a review on the characters than the overall novel because the plot took a back step to the characters stories.
Beautiful writing style! Its so elegant and well formed. Easy to read yet full of vivid imagery and scenery. Every character, no matter how small, was really well formed and interesting to read about. Unfortunately, there were some really dislikable characters in this novel.
I thought I liked June, I thought she was a brave outsider doing her best to assimilate but it just turns out shes selfish! You would have thought that a woman who knows what it feels like to be on the outside of everyone else would sympathise with the likes of Mercy and her family, but instead she does whatever she can to get rid of them, all for her own selfish needs and even after she knows how heart broken her son is. I thought maybe it had something to do with Cal, as it was obvious he was angry and controlling at times, but I still couldnt sympathise with her because, in the end, she could have just left the Snows alone, rather than torment and threaten them. <spoiler>She was also everything I hate a woman can be when her partner cheats on her - forgiving and accepting. No. <b>No.</b> Never, ever, ever, ever, ever accept infidelity.</spoiler>
Mercy, of course, was supposed to be every readers hero. She was the kind of person you wish you could be. She was gentle and kind, she was obedient and caring, and most of all, she was selfless. She held no grudges against anyone, even those who were plotting against her, all she wanted to do was help people prove her brother's innocence, and that her family werent the neer-do-wells everyone believed them to be.
Although Mercy was lovely, Hazel was by far my favourite character because she was <i>so genuine.</i> She wasnt perfect, she had her doubts and silly thoughts, <b><i>Hazel supposed she ought to thank her, but instead she felt a hot flush across her chest. They were </i>her<i> sheep, and Fergus was </i>her<i> man,</b></i> but she tried her best to do what was right and that made her a really likable person.
Nate really grew as a character throughout the novel. To begin with, he remained a bit of a nothingy addition to the story, but he gradually became one of the nicest characters to read about. He was so warm and kind, he didnt take after his father at all, which is clearly a good thing! He was a total cutie as well, the part with the lamb birthing almost had my heart melting! (although it was also a little too TMI when it talked about his hand in her really warm uterus . *shudder*)
Cal doesnt even get a paragraph because of what a twat he was.
This was a lovely book, full of morals and thought-provoking subjects. What started out as a bit of a boring and weird read for me, turned into something really wonderful. Im glad I picked this up.
Awkward, failed attempt at satire?
After college, Elinor moves to New York with her journalism degree and dreams of writing pieces that mean something. She sees a future with her boyfriend, Mike, also a journalist. Instead, Elinor lives in a cramped apartment with no kitchen, sleeps on a foam pad, and nannies to two slightly whiny and obsessive children. She thinks her future is looking up when she's offered a position at Journalism.ly, a digital brand a la BuzzFeed. But soon Elinor learns that her sole function there is to produce pieces that go "viral" and then she and Mike break up, pushing her into a deeper depression. Is it even possible to have the creative and romantic life she dreamed of, Elinor wonders?
I won't lie; this was a strange book. Even the narration style is odd. While it's told mostly from Elinor's point of view, we get this peculiar device thrown in at times (e.g., "the reader should know"). You get used to it eventually, but still.
In fact, the whole novel can be very awkward at times and after a while, I lost the thread on whether it was because the book was well-done (she's so well-written!) or just awkward and painful. A lot of the book features much melodrama between the characters, most of whom always seemed to be having bad days. Really, was life so terrible? There is much angst, a lot of social media usage, lots of happy hours and supposed networking, and not a lot of people to care about.
For indeed, a lot of the characters are not likable, and I found myself vacillating in my feelings for Elinor. I didn't grow up in the social media world, like she, but am immersed in it enough now that I could empathize with her--to a point. At some stages, the novel really captured some painful situations. There were some funny points, and places where Elinor could be helpless yet sympathetic. At other points, Elinor was just hapless and unable to take charge of her life in any capacity and filled me with abject terror for the future of the nation.
I was honestly baffled at times on whether the book was satiric, or a commentary on social media and journalism, or taking itself too seriously. Elinor winds up working for Journalism.ly, which is said to be similar to BuzzFeed (and many other sites), and she's told to make things go viral, which, funnily enough, she has a bit of a knack for, despite her own inability to make friends or succeed in social situations (or life, in general). Whether all of this is ironic or not, I'll never quite know.
So, in the end, I'm at a loss with this one. I really don't know how I feel. Satire? A look at a generation? A bunch of hapless unlikable people prattling on? All three combined? I can say that this was a fast read--the author drew me in, as I read it in about a day. I was left with a weird feeling when I finished. I can't say I really recommend it, but it was an interesting read at times.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review; more at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
I won't lie; this was a strange book. Even the narration style is odd. While it's told mostly from Elinor's point of view, we get this peculiar device thrown in at times (e.g., "the reader should know"). You get used to it eventually, but still.
In fact, the whole novel can be very awkward at times and after a while, I lost the thread on whether it was because the book was well-done (she's so well-written!) or just awkward and painful. A lot of the book features much melodrama between the characters, most of whom always seemed to be having bad days. Really, was life so terrible? There is much angst, a lot of social media usage, lots of happy hours and supposed networking, and not a lot of people to care about.
For indeed, a lot of the characters are not likable, and I found myself vacillating in my feelings for Elinor. I didn't grow up in the social media world, like she, but am immersed in it enough now that I could empathize with her--to a point. At some stages, the novel really captured some painful situations. There were some funny points, and places where Elinor could be helpless yet sympathetic. At other points, Elinor was just hapless and unable to take charge of her life in any capacity and filled me with abject terror for the future of the nation.
I was honestly baffled at times on whether the book was satiric, or a commentary on social media and journalism, or taking itself too seriously. Elinor winds up working for Journalism.ly, which is said to be similar to BuzzFeed (and many other sites), and she's told to make things go viral, which, funnily enough, she has a bit of a knack for, despite her own inability to make friends or succeed in social situations (or life, in general). Whether all of this is ironic or not, I'll never quite know.
So, in the end, I'm at a loss with this one. I really don't know how I feel. Satire? A look at a generation? A bunch of hapless unlikable people prattling on? All three combined? I can say that this was a fast read--the author drew me in, as I read it in about a day. I was left with a weird feeling when I finished. I can't say I really recommend it, but it was an interesting read at times.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review; more at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
Erratic.
To begin with I should point out that I listened to this rather than read it, and I have to say that I found (not for the first time with American audiobooks) that the narrator detracted from the story. They chose a woman with a very slow, drawling delivery which in some ways, I imagine, was intended to emphasise the sunny, laid-back easy-going stereotype of the late 60's hippy movement. Unfortunately the actual effect was to make the book drag.
Beyond that the content of the book itself was a mixed bag of the pleasurable and the pointless.
Where Cline excelles in this book is in her portrayal of a normal adolescent female trying to fit the role society has dictated for her. It's important to note that Evie is normal - she's not in the small group of incredibly popular, socially adept, fashionably en point and appropriately presented girls of the moment, nor is she so far away from the 'norm' that she is considered especially weird. She falls firmly within the parameters of 'normal' girls who are just struggling with the 'project of their girlhood'. Nor is it just girls that Cline succeeds in painting an accurate picture of - the tribulations of Evie's mother (newley divorced and struggling to realise the relevance and attraction that society expects from her again) speak to the ongoing and endless demands of a civilisation that puts endless pressure on it's female members to adhere to a very narrow and sharply defined criteria in order to be 'acceptable'. This pressure is something I imagine most female readers of this book will relate to, regardless of age, because, of course, it is still very much a daily aspect of most girls' and womens' lives; some possibly even recognising individual situations in which they have been at some stage in their life.
Understanding and empathising with Evie then, it is disconcerting to follow her absorption into the cult; her fascination with the older girls, the ones she later reflects upon as barely more than children themselves; the ease with which she is manipulated through her desire to please her new friends and to defy her mother; the lies sher emotional side is sold and accepts, even as her more rational mind recognises that they are lies...
These are the things Cline excelles in. I can honestly say I have never read an more accurate depiction of clumsy, normal female adolescence.
Unfortunately interspersed through these parts are large tracts of pointless and incredibly, horribly flowery waffle that don't really add anything else to the story other than to repeat, endlessly the message that 'the girl who was part of the cult' had a sad and unfulfilling life afterwards.The message that she screwed up could have been delivered successfully at the beginning and reinforced at the end - it didn't need that kind of repetition.
Overall I would say that for fans of general fiction (which I'm not), and teen readers (which I am also not), this is probably a good read, just expect it to drag at times. It's not one I shall be revisiting.
Beyond that the content of the book itself was a mixed bag of the pleasurable and the pointless.
Where Cline excelles in this book is in her portrayal of a normal adolescent female trying to fit the role society has dictated for her. It's important to note that Evie is normal - she's not in the small group of incredibly popular, socially adept, fashionably en point and appropriately presented girls of the moment, nor is she so far away from the 'norm' that she is considered especially weird. She falls firmly within the parameters of 'normal' girls who are just struggling with the 'project of their girlhood'. Nor is it just girls that Cline succeeds in painting an accurate picture of - the tribulations of Evie's mother (newley divorced and struggling to realise the relevance and attraction that society expects from her again) speak to the ongoing and endless demands of a civilisation that puts endless pressure on it's female members to adhere to a very narrow and sharply defined criteria in order to be 'acceptable'. This pressure is something I imagine most female readers of this book will relate to, regardless of age, because, of course, it is still very much a daily aspect of most girls' and womens' lives; some possibly even recognising individual situations in which they have been at some stage in their life.
Understanding and empathising with Evie then, it is disconcerting to follow her absorption into the cult; her fascination with the older girls, the ones she later reflects upon as barely more than children themselves; the ease with which she is manipulated through her desire to please her new friends and to defy her mother; the lies sher emotional side is sold and accepts, even as her more rational mind recognises that they are lies...
These are the things Cline excelles in. I can honestly say I have never read an more accurate depiction of clumsy, normal female adolescence.
Unfortunately interspersed through these parts are large tracts of pointless and incredibly, horribly flowery waffle that don't really add anything else to the story other than to repeat, endlessly the message that 'the girl who was part of the cult' had a sad and unfulfilling life afterwards.The message that she screwed up could have been delivered successfully at the beginning and reinforced at the end - it didn't need that kind of repetition.
Overall I would say that for fans of general fiction (which I'm not), and teen readers (which I am also not), this is probably a good read, just expect it to drag at times. It's not one I shall be revisiting.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game (Book 1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog at <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I really, really thought the synopsis of The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game by Guy T. Simpson Jr. sounded very interesting. This was a book that I knew I would have to read. Luckily, I was able to read it, and it was very interesting!
The Fraiser boys lose their favourite uncle in car crash on Friday the thirteenth. After the accident, weird things start happening so the boys consult a spirit board. Is the spirit board helping the boys or is it actually evil? Also, Drake learns through a dream that he is destined to be a king and a leader. Will Drake live long enough to see that day?
I think the author picked a fantastic title for his book!! A lot of people consider a spirit board a game, so I believe this is where the deadliest game bit comes in.
I'm not overly keen on the cover of this book. I mean, it fits the book as it's a photo of the Fraiser boys wither their uncle Wally, but it's just too plain for my liking. However, this could just be a personal thing since I'm a harsh judge of covers.
The world building was done fantastically well!! The setting (1978-1979) was quite believable. I wasn't around at that time, but although there's not really many references about it being the late 70's besides the chapter telling you. I could imagine myself being part of this whole story!
The pacing was really good. Each chapter was full of action and suspense, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. The chapters flow into each other, and not once did I find myself bored whilst reading this story.
For a middle grade read, I'd say that there were some words that might be hard for younger kids to understand, and to be honest, there were some big words I didn't understand. Context clues are important sometimes to figure out what words mean in the story. I did feel that the two younger brothers spoke as if they were much older than eight and ten. There is mild swearing so it's not bad at all when it comes to bad language.
All the characters were well formed and each had their own unique personality which definitely shown through during the story. Martin is the oldest boy, and it's obvious by how much he looks after his younger brothers. Mark is the second oldest, followed by Drake who is the brainy one in the family. Dennis is ten and Albert is 8. As I said in the previous paragraph, the two youngest boys came across as being older then they actually were especially Dennis. However, besides that, they were all believable characters, and I'm sure we all have at least one friend who has one of the boys' personality.
I did feel that the last chapter in the book was a bit repetitive of what the story already told us. I didn't really learn anything I didn't know from the last chapter besides a mention of Wally. However, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it is very well-written. Oh, and I must say that I really enjoyed enjoy individual drawing at the beginning of each chapter!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 12+.
(I was provided a free ebook copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I really, really thought the synopsis of The Brotherhood of Olympus and the Deadliest Game by Guy T. Simpson Jr. sounded very interesting. This was a book that I knew I would have to read. Luckily, I was able to read it, and it was very interesting!
The Fraiser boys lose their favourite uncle in car crash on Friday the thirteenth. After the accident, weird things start happening so the boys consult a spirit board. Is the spirit board helping the boys or is it actually evil? Also, Drake learns through a dream that he is destined to be a king and a leader. Will Drake live long enough to see that day?
I think the author picked a fantastic title for his book!! A lot of people consider a spirit board a game, so I believe this is where the deadliest game bit comes in.
I'm not overly keen on the cover of this book. I mean, it fits the book as it's a photo of the Fraiser boys wither their uncle Wally, but it's just too plain for my liking. However, this could just be a personal thing since I'm a harsh judge of covers.
The world building was done fantastically well!! The setting (1978-1979) was quite believable. I wasn't around at that time, but although there's not really many references about it being the late 70's besides the chapter telling you. I could imagine myself being part of this whole story!
The pacing was really good. Each chapter was full of action and suspense, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. The chapters flow into each other, and not once did I find myself bored whilst reading this story.
For a middle grade read, I'd say that there were some words that might be hard for younger kids to understand, and to be honest, there were some big words I didn't understand. Context clues are important sometimes to figure out what words mean in the story. I did feel that the two younger brothers spoke as if they were much older than eight and ten. There is mild swearing so it's not bad at all when it comes to bad language.
All the characters were well formed and each had their own unique personality which definitely shown through during the story. Martin is the oldest boy, and it's obvious by how much he looks after his younger brothers. Mark is the second oldest, followed by Drake who is the brainy one in the family. Dennis is ten and Albert is 8. As I said in the previous paragraph, the two youngest boys came across as being older then they actually were especially Dennis. However, besides that, they were all believable characters, and I'm sure we all have at least one friend who has one of the boys' personality.
I did feel that the last chapter in the book was a bit repetitive of what the story already told us. I didn't really learn anything I didn't know from the last chapter besides a mention of Wally. However, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it is very well-written. Oh, and I must say that I really enjoyed enjoy individual drawing at the beginning of each chapter!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 12+.
(I was provided a free ebook copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Hereditary (2018) in Movies
Jun 28, 2018
Laughable
For me, the hardest genre of film to get right is horror. In short order the filmmaker needs to set up the premise and "rules of engagement" of the world that is being presented and then execute incredulous situations and predicaments in such a way that are plausible and tense.
Only a small amount (let's say 10% to be generous) gets this balance right. 80% of the time, they fall short and either the film is boring or (more often) turns into a "gore-fest". And...in the bottom 10% are the films where they miss so spectacularly that you are entertained by how ridiculous and over-the-top things are.
Such is the case with Ari Aster's HEREDITARY, a film that was billed as a "tense, thriller with unthinkable family tragedy that veers into the realm of the Supernatural".
I would bill it as "stupid".
Starring the usually reliable Toni Collette as Annie, a miniature-model artist (people in these types of films usually have occupations that make no sense) who's relationship with her mother is strained - at best. She is married to Steve (Gabriel Byrne - far removed from his USUAL SUSPECTS days), and has 2 children, Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro). They had another child who has passed away. When Annie's mother dies, Annie starts to discover disturbing secrets about her mother and her family's heritage.
I won't say more - for I would spoil things - but the film starts promisingly enough - and there's an unexpected, tragic death that I thought was handled interestingly enough and I had positive hopes for the rest of the film - but the scenarios and escalating events of this film build on each other from there, one more ridiculous than the other. I kept wanting to scream to the screen - "call the authorities", which would have ended things right there, but this being a film, no one ever does.
As I stated, Toni Collette is, usually, a sign of quality in a movie...but not here. She (and Byrne) are listed as Executive Producers of this film (which means, I think, they gave up parts of their salaries for % points in this film - good luck getting any money out of that). Her Annie is melodramatic and over-the-top - and CRAZY - almost from the start, so when she starts getting REALLY melodramatic and C-R-A-Z-Y, it is laughable. Gabriel Byrne walks through this film looking like he is wondering where the Craft Services truck is, giving a "minimalist" performance (read: he mailed it in). And the two kids are haunting...in their blankness and blandness.
But...it is the ever increasing bizarre events that had me howling with laughter in my seat (as opposed to squirming in terror). I would spoil things if I mentioned them, but I didn't buy any of it. Writer/Director Aster just kept throwing one event even more "weird" and bizarre than preceding one. I actually said to my buddy sitting next to me at one point, "who is that old, fat, naked guy, and where did he come from"?
I think that says it all.
I'm sure there was probably a good movie in here someplace, this wasn't it.
Letter Grade: C (for the opening 1/2 hour or so and the "unexpected death" that was executed well).
4 stars (out of 10) and you can take it - or leave it - to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Only a small amount (let's say 10% to be generous) gets this balance right. 80% of the time, they fall short and either the film is boring or (more often) turns into a "gore-fest". And...in the bottom 10% are the films where they miss so spectacularly that you are entertained by how ridiculous and over-the-top things are.
Such is the case with Ari Aster's HEREDITARY, a film that was billed as a "tense, thriller with unthinkable family tragedy that veers into the realm of the Supernatural".
I would bill it as "stupid".
Starring the usually reliable Toni Collette as Annie, a miniature-model artist (people in these types of films usually have occupations that make no sense) who's relationship with her mother is strained - at best. She is married to Steve (Gabriel Byrne - far removed from his USUAL SUSPECTS days), and has 2 children, Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro). They had another child who has passed away. When Annie's mother dies, Annie starts to discover disturbing secrets about her mother and her family's heritage.
I won't say more - for I would spoil things - but the film starts promisingly enough - and there's an unexpected, tragic death that I thought was handled interestingly enough and I had positive hopes for the rest of the film - but the scenarios and escalating events of this film build on each other from there, one more ridiculous than the other. I kept wanting to scream to the screen - "call the authorities", which would have ended things right there, but this being a film, no one ever does.
As I stated, Toni Collette is, usually, a sign of quality in a movie...but not here. She (and Byrne) are listed as Executive Producers of this film (which means, I think, they gave up parts of their salaries for % points in this film - good luck getting any money out of that). Her Annie is melodramatic and over-the-top - and CRAZY - almost from the start, so when she starts getting REALLY melodramatic and C-R-A-Z-Y, it is laughable. Gabriel Byrne walks through this film looking like he is wondering where the Craft Services truck is, giving a "minimalist" performance (read: he mailed it in). And the two kids are haunting...in their blankness and blandness.
But...it is the ever increasing bizarre events that had me howling with laughter in my seat (as opposed to squirming in terror). I would spoil things if I mentioned them, but I didn't buy any of it. Writer/Director Aster just kept throwing one event even more "weird" and bizarre than preceding one. I actually said to my buddy sitting next to me at one point, "who is that old, fat, naked guy, and where did he come from"?
I think that says it all.
I'm sure there was probably a good movie in here someplace, this wasn't it.
Letter Grade: C (for the opening 1/2 hour or so and the "unexpected death" that was executed well).
4 stars (out of 10) and you can take it - or leave it - to the Bank(ofMarquis)