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Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, #4)
Chloe Neill | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
Would have been 5* if not for that ending...

I think it's safe to say i was a bit of an emotional wreck last night/this morning after finishing this story because i'm not afraid to say that i become emotionally invested in some books, series, like this one.

Anyway, I've made no secret of loving the previous books in this series, or my reasons why--Merit and Ethan. So i think it's fair to say i took the last 15/10% of the story as a sucker punch to the gut.

The whole will they/wont they actually seemed ready to be resolved finally and it was obvious they cared for each other deeply and were going to get together properly when doubts were thrown into her head by the resident physcho vampire and the mayor. And then Ethan throws himself in front of an Aspen stake to save Merit's life and unfortunately it hit's his heart and he's gone. Well the floodgates opened and i mourned Ethan with Merit because, God, they were so close to being happy together. Then their's that bit with with her dad and like i mentioned before i was an emotional wreck.

I can't help wanting Ethan to magically reappear in the next one - maybe Mallory or Catcher can work some black magic and bring him back...because otherwise i'm not sure i want to continue the series when my reason for reading it in the first place is no longer there
  
Dauntless (Nevermore Trilogy #3)
Dauntless (Nevermore Trilogy #3)
Shannon Mayer | 2016 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
57 of 250
Kindle
Dauntless ( Nevermore trilogy book 3)
By Shannon Meyer

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

"My name is Mara, and I want desperately to become a mother."

All of my dreams were dashed when the world was promised hope but instead became a place of danger, death . . . and monsters.

When we arrived at the compound, we believed we had found our safe haven at last. For the briefest of moments, their medicine and science lulled us into a false sense of security. But within the bowels of this haven, where the cure for Nevermore is being developed, there lurks an evil which is far worse than anything we've already encountered.

Sebastian is used as a test subject, a process that instead of curing him, is slowly killing him. As his heart falters, mine must draw upon new strength if I am to fight our way out of the compound.

If we can escape, the journey will still not be over. I will have to protect Sebastian, a vial with a possible cure and our final secret.

But before safety, that vial must first make it out intact even with the knowledge that it may very well kill Sebastian, before saving the others.

This has been an amazing journey with one kick ass female character! The drug that ripped her world apart helped save her husband and her babies. I really enjoyed this trilogy and think Shannon Mayer is a very talented writer!
  
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Rachel Unthank recommended Nevermind by Nirvana in Music (curated)

 
Nevermind by Nirvana
Nevermind by Nirvana
1991 | Alternative, Rock

"Grunge was the first kind of music I discovered for myself without my parents. They were not very keen [laughs]. I was fifteen, the perfect age, when Nirvana broke, and I still listen to this record. I still listen to Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden too, but this still feels fresh to me, and has a real power. They captured that anarchy and rebelliousness of youth, but had songs that were like sing-a-longs, which really spoke to me. Plus the rhythms were incredible, like in ‘Breed'. I love the aggression of ‘Breed'. The rhythms of lots of metal, grunge and rock all really get me, actually. Adrian and I quite often used to come out of folk festivals and get into the car and stick Faith No More on. Like a cleanse!

Nirvana were different to the other bands around then because there was such a sad reflectiveness to them. ‘Something In The Way' particularly – Kurt's voice, and the way the song moves. Nirvana also remind me of being at the school disco. I had a friend that DJd at them, and me and my friends would be sitting down at the side, not interested, but he'd let us pick three songs to play. We'd always pick something off this album, get on the dancefloor for three minutes of headbanging, then sit down again [laughs]. I think the songs you loved as a teenager are songs you'll always have an emotional attachment to, as well. You're formed along with them."

Source
  
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
1992 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller

"I usually have Reservoir Dogs and Rocky Horror Picture Show on my list, because I just love them so much. I did Kids, and the first film I really can remember watching specifically to look at acting after that was Reservoir Dogs. My dad had given me the VHS tape of it to watch over and over and over again. Well, he didn’t intend for me, I think, to watch it over and over and over again, but I watched it over and over again; I think I watched it like five or six times that week. I would come home from school and I would just watch it again, and memorize the whole thing, and I was just so blown away by the acting in it. It seemed like it must have had all this money, because you remember it being bloody, you remember the shock, all that kinda stuff. And then you watch it and you’re like, “Actually, [Quentin Tarantino] cut around all of that.” The dude with red stuff on his chest, you know what I mean? It’s all acting. And it’s such an interesting way of telling the story, going back and inside of itself. My dad, I’ll never forget, he was like, “Watch this for the acting,” and I was just blown away. So I feel like that’s a piece of work that I love looking at as sort of a modern way of getting into those huge monologues, telling stories in an epic way, and the sort of more modern kind of small stories."

Source
  
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Gaz Coombes recommended New Values by Iggy Pop in Music (curated)

 
New Values by Iggy Pop
New Values by Iggy Pop
1979 | Punk
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This was a great time for Iggy Pop. He'd been through a lot but this particular time period, things really seemed to work for him. And I like the exploration of early synths here as well. You've got a song like 'The Endless Sea' which has the over-loud synths. I'd have turned them down a little bit but it's great because it's really in-your-face and you can really hear the excitement of the guys getting hold of a Moog. There's an innocence here coupled with an early discovery of stuff. And this album is more about the songs. I don't know if it's a case of something being overplayed but I much prefer listening to this than say, 'The Passenger' or 'Lust For Life'. Maybe it's because those songs are always on and they're just overplayed - and they are brilliant and amazing songs - but there's a tightness about New Values, especially in the drum sound. They've obviously come back from Hansa and the open room, which is a sound that people have tried to emulate over the years, to do something different. Certainly when you look at albums like this, Horses and Marquee Moon, Supergrass were really trying to channel that '75-'79 period and that edgy punkiness but with elements of sophistication. I bought a Telecaster Deluxe guitar in the late 90s and I was really chuffed to get it because it was probably played by one of those musicians from that time period."

Source
  
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Moby recommended Themes For Grind by Will Sergeant in Music (curated)

 
Themes For Grind by Will Sergeant
Themes For Grind by Will Sergeant
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I was an obsessive Echo & The Bunnymen fan, Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here especially, so when Themes For Grind came out... this might be a little creepy, but I was in a record store at the time, I was flat broke, and my girlfriend came from a really wealthy family, so I sort of talked her into buying it, knowing she pretty well wouldn't like it. I think she was a freshman at college at the time, and I remember being in her dorm room and listening to it over and over. I still maintain it's one of the most beautiful records. I don't know anyone else who has ever heard this record. I bumped into Will Sergeant at an art opening and introduced myself and told him how much I love Themes For Grind and he looked at me kind of confused, and said 'how have you even heard this, no-one has heard this record!' I have the vinyl of it somewhere but I couldn't find it online to buy so he very kindly sent me a Dropbox version of the album. My girlfriend eventually got into it. Even though it's very experimental, it's really beautiful. All the sounds on it are very odd and idosyncratic, but it's also got a really wonderful sense of atmosphere and melody. Boy, if I could be an evangelist for one record that people hadn't heard it'd be this one... but I don't even know how you'd get to hear it. Unless you email Will Sergeant."

Source
  
Darkest Before Dawn (The Veil, #3)
Darkest Before Dawn (The Veil, #3)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Charlie is now working as an independent enforcer for the Institute; meaning she gets her own space and can be away from the series of warehouses that once held her captive. In her new place, she's getting over the fact that Stefan has pretty much shunned her when Akil comes knocking on her door bearing a young half blood demon, Dawn, that he tells her to protect before disappearing into the night.

Unfortunately, it seems that Dawn is hot property in the Netherworld and wanted by the Princes so they don't stay hidden away for long. She gets recaptured by Charlie's half brother, Valenti, and spirited back to the Netherworld. Charlie finally learns just why Dawn is being kept as a slave and it's because she girls demon is so scary powerful.

Then there's also Stefan who still hasn't regained control of his demon fully yet but is coming around to face the fact that Muse wasn't entirely to blame for what happened in the last book.

We also see a bit of a softer side to Akil in this one when, for a time, the world believes Muse to be dead. He doesn't take the news well.

It all gets a little more complicated and, if I'm honest, my attention has began to waver with this series. I still like Muse/Charlie and Stefan and sometimes Akil isn't so bad either but their complicated relationships are maybe getting a little TOO complicated for me to keep up with.

I'm not sure if I'll continue the series at this point.
  
Black Christmas (2019)
Black Christmas (2019)
2019 | Horror
Fuck I really hated this.

Ignoring the politics side for a moment - it's a hugely poor horror film. It's devoid of any scares, it cuts away from any gore, and perhaps worst of all, it has the audacity to be called "Black Christmas" - which is quite simply one of the best slashers ever made.
Did this film even start as a Black Christmas remake? It basically goes: Men are shit - some people get killed offscreen - weird supernatural twist - oh shit, it's Black Christmas, better throw in a glass unicorn sculpture.
The supernatural part is something I'm not mad at actually - at least it tried something different rather than being a straight re tread.

Then of course, there's the aformentioned politics, which is what most people's issue is with this film. Feminist messages in horror movies can be hugely effective - the original Black Christmas does it well for example - but I can't help but feel that the message this version putting out there is severely mishandled. As a guy, I am willing to hear how I'm wrong in this instance, but it feels sooooo over the top with what it's trying to do. It's not too hard to be on board with for the most part, but the final scenes really go for it - I mean the lines "you're insane!" "No, we're just men" - really!? It just feels very in the nose to me.

Other than that, this film is turd. It gets a star for Imogen Poots and the creative snow angel death scene at the start. Watch the original instead.
  
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Sarah (7800 KP) Dec 17, 2020

Definitely agree. On the politics too, it’s so badly done

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Darren Fisher (2454 KP) Dec 21, 2020

Totally agree. It's a shit sandwich without the bread.

Eleanor & Park
Eleanor & Park
Rainbow Rowell | 2016 | Young Adult (YA)
Read the original review: https://bookmarkedreading.wordpress.com/2015/10/20/book-review-eleanor-park/

I've heard so much about this; everyone seems to have read and fallen in love with it. I decided it was about time I give it a go!

It is a wonderful book. It tells the story of Park, a half-Korean punk-music-loving boy in Omaha. And it tells the story of Eleanor, the big red-headed girl who's moved back in with her large family after being kicked out by her step-dad.

I love how this tells their individual stories as well as the story of them as a couple. The problems Park encounters with his dad, and the horrible things Eleanor endures from her nasty step-father. And the way the pair of them began to fall in love during their time together on the school bus.

Romances aren't really my thing, but this was rather cute. I must admit that I have to question the reality of some of it; it seemed to happen so quickly and almost perfectly. Actually, that's a lie. It isn't perfect. It is realistically imperfect in the way that they have their doubts and problems. But it was just all so fast... I don't know. I'm not exactly an expert in these things!

The ending was heartbreaking. It was unexpected, too, though I suppose I should have seen it coming to an extent. Rainbow Rowell (great name!) has made this relate-able and emotional and easy to read. 4 stars for Eleanor & Park.
  
Clan of the Jersey Boys (Fangsters #1)
Clan of the Jersey Boys (Fangsters #1)
Ryan Field | 2013
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
DNF

I hate DNF’s. I always feel bad for not finishing them but sometimes I just cant get into a story. I stopped at 38%.

Right. Well, I expected this to be better–that sounds bad I know–but I was expecting them to be these tough vampires who kicked arse while running an illegal empire. In a way it was, but it didn’t seem bad-arse enough for me. Sure there were a few scenes with retribution/warnings handed out to people but I didn’t feel it.

Another thing that got me was all the mention of family and it’s many members. Yeah I know families are important in Italian/Sicilian cultures but more people kept getting mentioned and I found myself getting confused. What with Anton and someone else being turned by one person and his dad and uncle turned by someone else and this guy turned by the brother of that guy making them cousins…I got lost. It was a little too much for me to keep up with.

The relationship between Anton and Leo happened a little too fast for me to believe. Not the sex–he’s an attractive guy after all–but the “love you’s” and how strong their feelings were after the one night they spent together. Or maybe I just missed something?

It’s not a bad story, it was just a little different to what I normally read; the mobster/gangster bit anyway. If you like vampires, mobsters and m/m stories then you will probably like this.