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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Repossession (Repossession, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>.
First off, I just wanted to say that I found it extremely cool that the outer edges of all the pages were blue!! Super cool!! Pointless but still super cool!
The Repossession is a YA sci-fi story. It centers mainly around the characters of 15 year old Genie and 15 year old Rian. Genie's mother and most of the town of Spurlake believe Genie is possessed by the devil thanks to Reverend Schneider. Genie is imprisoned in her room and treated worst than an actual prisoner. Enter Rian, Genie's boyfriend, to save the day and rescue her. After she escapes her home, she must avoid Reverend Schneider as he wants to take Genie to a place called the Fortress where strange experiments are happening to local kids.
I loved the character of Genie. I felt sorry for her as the way she was being treated in the beginning of the book is horrible. I found Genie to be a very strong character. I loved the fact that the author didn't write her off to be some poor little damsel in distress. Genie could definitely hold her own.
Rian was also a great character! I could feel the love he had for Genie coming through the pages. I liked the fact that he never tried to hold Genie back. He felt real and not like just some character in a book. Rian is also a very strong character.
I'm divided on the cover though. I like it, but then again, I don't. Part of me finds it too plain, but the other part of me thinks that with anything else on the cover, it would make it too cluttered. However, the cover definitely suits the book!! At first the cover didn't make sense to me, but as I read more into the story and learned the major plot (yes, I'm deliberately trying to avoid mentioning it so you can learn what it is yourself), it made total sense! The same about the title although I had to think more about why it was so aptly named "The Repossession."
This book had excellent pacing. It was slow in the places that needed to be paced a bit more slowly and fast in the bits that it were meant to be fast. In fact, it was so hard to stop reading this book. I always think pacing plays a major part in me not wanting to put a book down...well, that and the plot of course!
The only thing that I didn't like was the scientific mumbo jumbo mostly because I didn't understand what was meant. However, this was only for about a chapter or two. If you're in to your science, this probably wouldn't bother you, but I am not scientific oriented at all! In fact, I struggled through science in high school.
I'd definitely recommend The Repossession to others. It was such a thrilling read!!!! It is part of a series, and because I loved the first book so much, I've already bought the sequel The Hunting.
First off, I just wanted to say that I found it extremely cool that the outer edges of all the pages were blue!! Super cool!! Pointless but still super cool!
The Repossession is a YA sci-fi story. It centers mainly around the characters of 15 year old Genie and 15 year old Rian. Genie's mother and most of the town of Spurlake believe Genie is possessed by the devil thanks to Reverend Schneider. Genie is imprisoned in her room and treated worst than an actual prisoner. Enter Rian, Genie's boyfriend, to save the day and rescue her. After she escapes her home, she must avoid Reverend Schneider as he wants to take Genie to a place called the Fortress where strange experiments are happening to local kids.
I loved the character of Genie. I felt sorry for her as the way she was being treated in the beginning of the book is horrible. I found Genie to be a very strong character. I loved the fact that the author didn't write her off to be some poor little damsel in distress. Genie could definitely hold her own.
Rian was also a great character! I could feel the love he had for Genie coming through the pages. I liked the fact that he never tried to hold Genie back. He felt real and not like just some character in a book. Rian is also a very strong character.
I'm divided on the cover though. I like it, but then again, I don't. Part of me finds it too plain, but the other part of me thinks that with anything else on the cover, it would make it too cluttered. However, the cover definitely suits the book!! At first the cover didn't make sense to me, but as I read more into the story and learned the major plot (yes, I'm deliberately trying to avoid mentioning it so you can learn what it is yourself), it made total sense! The same about the title although I had to think more about why it was so aptly named "The Repossession."
This book had excellent pacing. It was slow in the places that needed to be paced a bit more slowly and fast in the bits that it were meant to be fast. In fact, it was so hard to stop reading this book. I always think pacing plays a major part in me not wanting to put a book down...well, that and the plot of course!
The only thing that I didn't like was the scientific mumbo jumbo mostly because I didn't understand what was meant. However, this was only for about a chapter or two. If you're in to your science, this probably wouldn't bother you, but I am not scientific oriented at all! In fact, I struggled through science in high school.
I'd definitely recommend The Repossession to others. It was such a thrilling read!!!! It is part of a series, and because I loved the first book so much, I've already bought the sequel The Hunting.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Breathe, Annie, Breathe in Books
Jun 14, 2018
<a href="https://awindowintobooks.wordpress.com">Full Review</a>
This story, Breathe, Annie, Breathe, is beautifully written. It is a story about running but beyond that it is a story about death, healing and new beginnings. In order to reach the point where healing can occur and new beginnings happen Annie must first take risks. She is scared about taking risks and loosing someone she cares deeply about but taking risks is part of the healing process. Throughout reading this story, my emotions were all over. I was sad, I was worried, but most of all I was happy. I was happy for Annie. Annie's happiness leaped off the page.
When I started to read this book and discovered it was about running, I suddenly became very interested in the story. I have been running competitively for 18 years (Whoa! That's a long time). In all my years running I have never read a book that is so much about running. It made me happy that someone finally did! Like Annie, running clears my head. If you're worried about something, go running. If you're sad, go running. If you're happy, go running. Running de-stresses your life. I appreciated the fact that Kenneally really captured the atmosphere of running, and especially the running "high." Another aspect I appreciated is how Kenneally shows issues that come with running and through the story the readers learn advice that will help; such as drinking gatorade to replace electrolytes, or using vasaline for chafing. While Annie is not someone who grew up running, she had a goal and took the proper and necessary steps to accomplish that goal. In the process she found herself.
The goal was to run and finish a marathon, a goal her boyfriend Kyle had set out to do but was unable to accomplish because of his death. Kyle wanted to run a marathon but is unable to so Annie decides to run a marathon in Kyles honor even though at the start she could barely run a half mile. Kenneally does not immediately tell her readers why Kyle died. In fact it takes most of the book to know but part of the mystery is what keeps the story going.
Kenneally does an excellent job of developing each character and showing their relationship with Annie; even repairing some estranged relationships. One of the characters, Jeremiah (Jere), has a very special place in Annie's heart and ultimately helps the healing process not by forcing her to heal but by first being a friend (a distraction) and later a boyfriend who helps her to take risks, to do things that scare her just a little. The relationship portrayed between Jere and Annie is realistic. I love that their relationship started as friends but developed to something more.
I recommend this book to anyone who like young adult (YA) literature, love story and most of all an intertwinning of sports and relationships. The story will cause you to look at your relationships and maybe you'll be motivated to train and run a marathon.
This story, Breathe, Annie, Breathe, is beautifully written. It is a story about running but beyond that it is a story about death, healing and new beginnings. In order to reach the point where healing can occur and new beginnings happen Annie must first take risks. She is scared about taking risks and loosing someone she cares deeply about but taking risks is part of the healing process. Throughout reading this story, my emotions were all over. I was sad, I was worried, but most of all I was happy. I was happy for Annie. Annie's happiness leaped off the page.
When I started to read this book and discovered it was about running, I suddenly became very interested in the story. I have been running competitively for 18 years (Whoa! That's a long time). In all my years running I have never read a book that is so much about running. It made me happy that someone finally did! Like Annie, running clears my head. If you're worried about something, go running. If you're sad, go running. If you're happy, go running. Running de-stresses your life. I appreciated the fact that Kenneally really captured the atmosphere of running, and especially the running "high." Another aspect I appreciated is how Kenneally shows issues that come with running and through the story the readers learn advice that will help; such as drinking gatorade to replace electrolytes, or using vasaline for chafing. While Annie is not someone who grew up running, she had a goal and took the proper and necessary steps to accomplish that goal. In the process she found herself.
The goal was to run and finish a marathon, a goal her boyfriend Kyle had set out to do but was unable to accomplish because of his death. Kyle wanted to run a marathon but is unable to so Annie decides to run a marathon in Kyles honor even though at the start she could barely run a half mile. Kenneally does not immediately tell her readers why Kyle died. In fact it takes most of the book to know but part of the mystery is what keeps the story going.
Kenneally does an excellent job of developing each character and showing their relationship with Annie; even repairing some estranged relationships. One of the characters, Jeremiah (Jere), has a very special place in Annie's heart and ultimately helps the healing process not by forcing her to heal but by first being a friend (a distraction) and later a boyfriend who helps her to take risks, to do things that scare her just a little. The relationship portrayed between Jere and Annie is realistic. I love that their relationship started as friends but developed to something more.
I recommend this book to anyone who like young adult (YA) literature, love story and most of all an intertwinning of sports and relationships. The story will cause you to look at your relationships and maybe you'll be motivated to train and run a marathon.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Secret Keepers in Books
Jun 18, 2018
he Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Steward is an adventure that focuses on 11-year-old boy named Reuben who lives in Lower Downs which, is one of the poorer areas of the city of New Umbra. Reuben's father died when he was a baby and his mother works two jobs to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. Reuben spends his days exploring the city, keeping watch on various inhabitants of the neighborhood while his mother is at work.
While Reuben wanders around the city the reader learns about the politics of the city. The reader learns about a mystery man known as "The Smoke" who keeps the city under his thumb. As years pass "The Smoke" has reached a level of influence of those who have control. "The Smoke" has a spies that are referred to as "The Directions" by Reuben and others in the neighborhood. The spies go out in groups of your and have a specific direction in which they go in order to keep watch. One of Reuben's many games is to from "The Directions" where he is still able to observe them.
Reuben discovered an alley with two buildings. He climbs the buildings he discovers a small box engraved with a name and containing an intriguing watch. He looks at the watch and thinks perhaps he could sell it to help his family. As he tries to find a potential buyer, Reuben learns that "The Smoke" has been searching for a similar watch for many years. Reuben begins messing with the watch and finds an unexpected secret. The watch has a temporary but amazing power. "The Smoke" learns that a boy has found the watch and sends "The Directions" to find Reuben .
Reuben sets out to find the history of the watch and see what he can learn about its previous owners. His search leads him to the Meyer family who has a multi-generation secret story around the watch. The youngest member of the family, Penny, becomes a good friend to Reuben and he convinces him to bring her along. Her older brother Jack finds out about their plans and attaches himself to the adventure to try and undermine "The Smoke" and his hold on the city.
The pacing of the story is methodical and builds on itself as the story progresses. The book is split into three parts. The first part focuses on Reuben in the Lower Downs and his search through New Umbra to learn more about the watch. The second involves his trip where he meets the Meyer family and learns the history of the watch and then formulates his plan to take on the Smoke. The final part involves his plans and the confrontation with the Smoke. The characters and story is interesting and engaging.
I recommend this book to middle grade or YA readers. Be prepared for intriguing and engaging twists and turns to take you down both predictable and unpredictable roads and leaving you with a number of thoughtful questions to consider.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
I received this books from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
While Reuben wanders around the city the reader learns about the politics of the city. The reader learns about a mystery man known as "The Smoke" who keeps the city under his thumb. As years pass "The Smoke" has reached a level of influence of those who have control. "The Smoke" has a spies that are referred to as "The Directions" by Reuben and others in the neighborhood. The spies go out in groups of your and have a specific direction in which they go in order to keep watch. One of Reuben's many games is to from "The Directions" where he is still able to observe them.
Reuben discovered an alley with two buildings. He climbs the buildings he discovers a small box engraved with a name and containing an intriguing watch. He looks at the watch and thinks perhaps he could sell it to help his family. As he tries to find a potential buyer, Reuben learns that "The Smoke" has been searching for a similar watch for many years. Reuben begins messing with the watch and finds an unexpected secret. The watch has a temporary but amazing power. "The Smoke" learns that a boy has found the watch and sends "The Directions" to find Reuben .
Reuben sets out to find the history of the watch and see what he can learn about its previous owners. His search leads him to the Meyer family who has a multi-generation secret story around the watch. The youngest member of the family, Penny, becomes a good friend to Reuben and he convinces him to bring her along. Her older brother Jack finds out about their plans and attaches himself to the adventure to try and undermine "The Smoke" and his hold on the city.
The pacing of the story is methodical and builds on itself as the story progresses. The book is split into three parts. The first part focuses on Reuben in the Lower Downs and his search through New Umbra to learn more about the watch. The second involves his trip where he meets the Meyer family and learns the history of the watch and then formulates his plan to take on the Smoke. The final part involves his plans and the confrontation with the Smoke. The characters and story is interesting and engaging.
I recommend this book to middle grade or YA readers. Be prepared for intriguing and engaging twists and turns to take you down both predictable and unpredictable roads and leaving you with a number of thoughtful questions to consider.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
I received this books from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Louise (64 KP) rated When We Collided in Books
Jul 2, 2018
* I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review*
Vivi arrives at Verona Cove for the summer holidays with her mum, after a few days of being in this little town she manages to snag herself a cushy little job in a pottery shop. Vivi is an extrovert, she will speak to anyone and everyone wants to be around her, she has this infectious personality and she certainly makes no exceptions when Jonah walks into the shop with his little sister. Jonah is 17 and a permanent resident at Verona Cove, however his life has been tipped upside down in the last 6 months and has become a responsible guardian to his three younger siblings while his mother is suffering from depression. Vivi and Jonah start hanging out together and become more than just friends. Vivi shows Jonah how to live like a teenager again with her wild antics and enthusiasm for life, however Jonah knows that Vivi has suffered, he has seen the scars.
This book was ok, I had problems with it though. I didn’t like Vivi whatsoever she was too flouncy, her personality was too much and the crap she came out with, such as Jonah used to be a pirate in his past life just had me rolling my eyes. There is also a serious case of insta – love in this book, as soon as Vivi sets eyes on Jonah she has to have him! urgh! There was no build up or tension between the two of them and the romance seemed a little forced and too heavy on Vivi’s side.
The mental health issues in this book were depicted really well, you could definitely tell through Vivi’s character that she was suffering and it was told in such an honest and respectful way. Even when Jonah is trying to come to terms that his mother is suffering from Depression or Ellie when she talks about her brothers stay in the psychiatric ward and recovery.
Jonah is one of six children in his household, for the past 6 months him and his two older siblings have been looking after ‘the littles’ (his 3 younger siblings) whilst his mother is battling depression. He is also trying to work his shifts at the restaurant and continue his dad’s legacy. He has no time to be a teenager, like playing baseball or worrying about homework. I love that he is a foodie, I want him to cook for me everyday as the food sounded divine.
When we collided is told in dual POV alternating from Vivi and Jonah, I would have like some other point of views in this like Vivi’s mum and Jonah’s siblings. The writing was good and even poetic in some parts. I think this book was a really good for people wanting to read about mental illness but I feel the romance wasn’t really necessary.
I recommend this book if you are interested in YA with mental health.
Overall I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
Vivi arrives at Verona Cove for the summer holidays with her mum, after a few days of being in this little town she manages to snag herself a cushy little job in a pottery shop. Vivi is an extrovert, she will speak to anyone and everyone wants to be around her, she has this infectious personality and she certainly makes no exceptions when Jonah walks into the shop with his little sister. Jonah is 17 and a permanent resident at Verona Cove, however his life has been tipped upside down in the last 6 months and has become a responsible guardian to his three younger siblings while his mother is suffering from depression. Vivi and Jonah start hanging out together and become more than just friends. Vivi shows Jonah how to live like a teenager again with her wild antics and enthusiasm for life, however Jonah knows that Vivi has suffered, he has seen the scars.
This book was ok, I had problems with it though. I didn’t like Vivi whatsoever she was too flouncy, her personality was too much and the crap she came out with, such as Jonah used to be a pirate in his past life just had me rolling my eyes. There is also a serious case of insta – love in this book, as soon as Vivi sets eyes on Jonah she has to have him! urgh! There was no build up or tension between the two of them and the romance seemed a little forced and too heavy on Vivi’s side.
The mental health issues in this book were depicted really well, you could definitely tell through Vivi’s character that she was suffering and it was told in such an honest and respectful way. Even when Jonah is trying to come to terms that his mother is suffering from Depression or Ellie when she talks about her brothers stay in the psychiatric ward and recovery.
Jonah is one of six children in his household, for the past 6 months him and his two older siblings have been looking after ‘the littles’ (his 3 younger siblings) whilst his mother is battling depression. He is also trying to work his shifts at the restaurant and continue his dad’s legacy. He has no time to be a teenager, like playing baseball or worrying about homework. I love that he is a foodie, I want him to cook for me everyday as the food sounded divine.
When we collided is told in dual POV alternating from Vivi and Jonah, I would have like some other point of views in this like Vivi’s mum and Jonah’s siblings. The writing was good and even poetic in some parts. I think this book was a really good for people wanting to read about mental illness but I feel the romance wasn’t really necessary.
I recommend this book if you are interested in YA with mental health.
Overall I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated Enclave in Books
Aug 14, 2018
Book Review by Cari Mayhew. Rating 6/10.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this book is a cross between Lord of the Flies, and City of Embers. You know you’re reading a YA novel when it starts with a coming-of-age ritual, and all the characters are under 25 years old.
The central character, Deuce, is a 15 year old young lady who grew up in an underground enclave, who has trained all her life to catch food to eat and protect the rest of the enclave from sharp-toothed zombie-like creatures (AKA Freaks) who also live underground.
The power within the enclave is held by a minority few and they operate by hard and fast rules. Everyone is designated their own purpose when they come of age. Deuce’s role is “Huntress” and other roles include “Builder” for those who make the items needed by the enclave, and “Breeder” for those who lack the skills to be put to any other use.
The enclave motto is “The Strong Survive” and the unspoken implication is that the weak are not valued. Any random object found by the members has to be declared to the elders and kept by the Wordkeeper. Hoarding is punishable by death. The enclave’s beliefs and way of life are all that Deuce has ever known.
Shortly after her naming ceremony and teaming up with Fade to carry out patrols, Deuce starts to see the set-up for the cold way of life that it is. One thing leads to another and the 2 of them are exiled. And so, the second half of the book continues above ground, where they face a different set of challenges.
In the beginning of the book, the descriptions of the fights with the Freaks are detailed, but this soon changes (which I was glad of, as that would have put me off the rest of the book).
The story is fast-paced and I didn’t get bored, but, as you may expect in a post-apocalyptic world, much of the story revolves around fighting zombies, finding food to eat, and water with which to drink and wash. So it felt repetitive in places.
There is a barely-there slow burn romance between Deuce and her “partner” Fade. They have each other’s back when fighting the mutants, and when Deuce got exiled from the enclave, but there’s little in the way of desire for each other.
At one point, the book seemed to form the beginning of a mystery novel, as Deuce and Fade tried to piece together how the world had got this way, but when a yellowing newspaper revealed an old story, there seemed nothing mysterious about the state of affairs.
This book is the first in the 3-book series, Razorland. Strangely the first book doesn’t really end in a cliff-hanger, so I didn’t feel compelled to read the next one. Although I’d imagine some of the earlier characters will re-appear. To be honest, I felt the story so far is unimaginative, but that’s not to say the rest of the series is the same.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this book is a cross between Lord of the Flies, and City of Embers. You know you’re reading a YA novel when it starts with a coming-of-age ritual, and all the characters are under 25 years old.
The central character, Deuce, is a 15 year old young lady who grew up in an underground enclave, who has trained all her life to catch food to eat and protect the rest of the enclave from sharp-toothed zombie-like creatures (AKA Freaks) who also live underground.
The power within the enclave is held by a minority few and they operate by hard and fast rules. Everyone is designated their own purpose when they come of age. Deuce’s role is “Huntress” and other roles include “Builder” for those who make the items needed by the enclave, and “Breeder” for those who lack the skills to be put to any other use.
The enclave motto is “The Strong Survive” and the unspoken implication is that the weak are not valued. Any random object found by the members has to be declared to the elders and kept by the Wordkeeper. Hoarding is punishable by death. The enclave’s beliefs and way of life are all that Deuce has ever known.
Shortly after her naming ceremony and teaming up with Fade to carry out patrols, Deuce starts to see the set-up for the cold way of life that it is. One thing leads to another and the 2 of them are exiled. And so, the second half of the book continues above ground, where they face a different set of challenges.
In the beginning of the book, the descriptions of the fights with the Freaks are detailed, but this soon changes (which I was glad of, as that would have put me off the rest of the book).
The story is fast-paced and I didn’t get bored, but, as you may expect in a post-apocalyptic world, much of the story revolves around fighting zombies, finding food to eat, and water with which to drink and wash. So it felt repetitive in places.
There is a barely-there slow burn romance between Deuce and her “partner” Fade. They have each other’s back when fighting the mutants, and when Deuce got exiled from the enclave, but there’s little in the way of desire for each other.
At one point, the book seemed to form the beginning of a mystery novel, as Deuce and Fade tried to piece together how the world had got this way, but when a yellowing newspaper revealed an old story, there seemed nothing mysterious about the state of affairs.
This book is the first in the 3-book series, Razorland. Strangely the first book doesn’t really end in a cliff-hanger, so I didn’t feel compelled to read the next one. Although I’d imagine some of the earlier characters will re-appear. To be honest, I felt the story so far is unimaginative, but that’s not to say the rest of the series is the same.
If you are looking for a refreshing Young-Adult read, with college unlike any other - this is the perfect book for you. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You is the first book from the Gallagher Girl series, where we meet girls that go to a school for spies, and nobody except them, knows it.
The Gallagher Academy is a typical all-girls-school, except, instead of normal subjects, they learn advanced martial arts and chemical warfare studies, they have exams where they need to spy, or go unnoticed, or steal.
We meet Cammie Morgan, who happens to be the headmistress's daughter, and when she goes on a mission and gets noticed by a boy - everything changes and her life is suddenly everything but normal. She knows how to kill a man in seven different ways, and she can speak fourteen languages, but when a cute boy comes and says hi - she is definitely not trained for that. What's worst - he thinks she's just an ordinary girl, and she is falling in love with him.
Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through town without his ever being the wiser - but can she have a relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's beginning her most dangerous mission - falling in love.
I loved the writing style, and I loved something new and refreshing - it is a plot that I haven't read before, and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes when it felt a bit childish, I would remember I am not thirteen anymore, but even now at twenty-one, I got lost into this silly world of spy girls and the drama and love life of Cammie.
I liked Cammie - she is the type of girl that you would love to have as a friend, because she always makes you giggle with her silly comments. I also liked how brave and honest she was - not always honest though… Sometimes, she was too whiney for her own good, and making little things out of nothing, but then again, all teens kind of do that all the time, so it's acceptable.
I loved her friends - they were such a team, and always covering their backs. I loved how, even despite all their differences, they manages to fit right in and have their own impact to the group friendship.
Overall, quite an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it to you guys, if you love anything YA, or fantasy, or spy girls, or college related. I enjoyed this book, and I wish I read it way sooner. I can't wait to read the rest of the series as well.
Thank you to my friend and author, Michael Kott, that send me this book after recommending it to me, as Ally Carter is one of his favourite authors, and he enjoyed this book as well. Check out his book Piasa - it is amazing!
The Gallagher Academy is a typical all-girls-school, except, instead of normal subjects, they learn advanced martial arts and chemical warfare studies, they have exams where they need to spy, or go unnoticed, or steal.
We meet Cammie Morgan, who happens to be the headmistress's daughter, and when she goes on a mission and gets noticed by a boy - everything changes and her life is suddenly everything but normal. She knows how to kill a man in seven different ways, and she can speak fourteen languages, but when a cute boy comes and says hi - she is definitely not trained for that. What's worst - he thinks she's just an ordinary girl, and she is falling in love with him.
Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through town without his ever being the wiser - but can she have a relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's beginning her most dangerous mission - falling in love.
I loved the writing style, and I loved something new and refreshing - it is a plot that I haven't read before, and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes when it felt a bit childish, I would remember I am not thirteen anymore, but even now at twenty-one, I got lost into this silly world of spy girls and the drama and love life of Cammie.
I liked Cammie - she is the type of girl that you would love to have as a friend, because she always makes you giggle with her silly comments. I also liked how brave and honest she was - not always honest though… Sometimes, she was too whiney for her own good, and making little things out of nothing, but then again, all teens kind of do that all the time, so it's acceptable.
I loved her friends - they were such a team, and always covering their backs. I loved how, even despite all their differences, they manages to fit right in and have their own impact to the group friendship.
Overall, quite an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it to you guys, if you love anything YA, or fantasy, or spy girls, or college related. I enjoyed this book, and I wish I read it way sooner. I can't wait to read the rest of the series as well.
Thank you to my friend and author, Michael Kott, that send me this book after recommending it to me, as Ally Carter is one of his favourite authors, and he enjoyed this book as well. Check out his book Piasa - it is amazing!
Kayleigh (12 KP) rated Aberrant (Aberrant, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I was contacted by [a:Ruth Silver|6435509|Ruth Silver|/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-251a730d696018971ef4a443cdeaae05.jpg], the author of this book, to promote <i>Aberrant</i>. In my <a href="http://www.a-worldofwords.com/2013/04/ruth-silver-interview.html">blog</a>; there is an interview, spotlight and giveaway. She gave me a copy of the book to read, but it goes without saying that this review is honest.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was thrown headfirst into the action, first meeting Olivia when she is preparing for her wedding day. This piqued my interest, which was held right the way to the end. It was a brilliant dystopian plot, full of turns that I wasn’t expecting. It reminded me a bit of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358275334s/2767052.jpg|2792775] and [b:Brave New World|5129|Brave New World|Aldous Huxley|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327865608s/5129.jpg|3204877], in that the government was very much in control – so much so that it could control the most intimate of features in its inhabitants’ lives. There’s a lot of uncertainty throughout the book as to what will happen to Olivia. She’s often not as safe as she would like to be, and feels the weight of expectation, the latter of which is something I think a lot of young adults can relate to.
I think what enhanced the book for me was Olivia and Joshua. Their relationship is written really well; as best friends with a complicated aspect thrown in, there’s the right touch of familiarity versus the unknown. Throughout, they work as a team, the realism of which I liked – it makes a change to the power games that appear in other YA books where sexual tension is at the forefront. Josh and Olivia have been raised in an environment where conception – and therefore sex – doesn’t happen, which made a really refreshing change. Even though they’re 18, the reader is able to see certain realisations bloom in their minds, and that was great to read!
When I interviewed her, Ruth Silver said about what inspired her to write the book:
<blockquote><i>Often, we as a society implement the use of vaccines, especially in preventing disease and now even cervical cancer. Of course the vaccines are all safe and approved by the relevant authorities for the country you live in. I decided to think a little further ahead, and a little darker. What if it was an epidemic where everyone was required to get vaccinated and testing had been shortened or barely done at all?</i></blockquote>
Hearing it put like that made me uneasy, because it brings home how potentially easy it could be for something to strike the world, and for us to find ourselves in a dystopia. I think stories such as this one, where it stems from a simple idea, are the most effective. Mix that in with great characterisation, a little bit of the supernatural, and a plot that twists and turns, and you’re sorted. A great read, thoroughly recommended.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was thrown headfirst into the action, first meeting Olivia when she is preparing for her wedding day. This piqued my interest, which was held right the way to the end. It was a brilliant dystopian plot, full of turns that I wasn’t expecting. It reminded me a bit of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358275334s/2767052.jpg|2792775] and [b:Brave New World|5129|Brave New World|Aldous Huxley|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327865608s/5129.jpg|3204877], in that the government was very much in control – so much so that it could control the most intimate of features in its inhabitants’ lives. There’s a lot of uncertainty throughout the book as to what will happen to Olivia. She’s often not as safe as she would like to be, and feels the weight of expectation, the latter of which is something I think a lot of young adults can relate to.
I think what enhanced the book for me was Olivia and Joshua. Their relationship is written really well; as best friends with a complicated aspect thrown in, there’s the right touch of familiarity versus the unknown. Throughout, they work as a team, the realism of which I liked – it makes a change to the power games that appear in other YA books where sexual tension is at the forefront. Josh and Olivia have been raised in an environment where conception – and therefore sex – doesn’t happen, which made a really refreshing change. Even though they’re 18, the reader is able to see certain realisations bloom in their minds, and that was great to read!
When I interviewed her, Ruth Silver said about what inspired her to write the book:
<blockquote><i>Often, we as a society implement the use of vaccines, especially in preventing disease and now even cervical cancer. Of course the vaccines are all safe and approved by the relevant authorities for the country you live in. I decided to think a little further ahead, and a little darker. What if it was an epidemic where everyone was required to get vaccinated and testing had been shortened or barely done at all?</i></blockquote>
Hearing it put like that made me uneasy, because it brings home how potentially easy it could be for something to strike the world, and for us to find ourselves in a dystopia. I think stories such as this one, where it stems from a simple idea, are the most effective. Mix that in with great characterisation, a little bit of the supernatural, and a plot that twists and turns, and you’re sorted. A great read, thoroughly recommended.
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated First Impressions (Auckland Med. #1) in Books
Nov 1, 2019
awesome read!
This is book one in the Auckland Med series, but I am reading this AFTER I read book two, Crossing the Touchline. This book has been re-edited and tidied up, and is a re-release. I did not read the original version, so I can’t comment on any differences there may be.
But THIS version? Was brilliant!
Michael runs into Josh at a very inopportune moment, with his trousers round his knees, and his junk on display. That Josh immediately pushes ALL of Michael’s buttons and THEN some, is irrelevant. Josh does not want a player and Michael does not want a relationship. So why can they not stay away from each other?
Michael’s reason for not wanting a relationship and Josh’s for not wanting a player in his life are made clear to us very early on, but it takes a LOT of time for them to open up to each other, and it really is painful watching them get to that point!
I mean, neither wants *this* thing between them, that much is clear, but they cannot keep apart, and the chemistry between them of off the charts but emotionally?? Neither is ready for anything. And then, the pesky emotions do their thing and both of them, separately of each other, decide that maybe, just maybe they can make this work.
Then something happens that sends them both into the unknown abyss and Michael runs clear across the world.
It took me all day to read this, because I alternatively wanted to punch both Michael AND Josh in the face, and to wrap them both up in cotton wool and love hard on them! I still don’t know which is the more dominant feeling, I really don’t! I had to keep putting the book down, to get over whichever was higher up at the time.
And trust me when I say, I rarely verbally react when READING (listening is different) and I did swear at this book a time or three at this book, I really did!
These guys have some serious chemistry, let me tell ya! I was *NOT* being sociable, and reading at the mother in law’s house and she kept asking me if I was too hot, cos my face was flushed and I had to tell her I was coming down with a cold! Along with the noises, and I think she thought I was nuts!
I can’t go into much, for spoilers, but this book twists and turns all over the place, and just when you think it’s all sorted? Boom! It goes off again!
I loved that Cam, from book 2, takes a huge part and we see a different side to him here.
Even though I know this has been edited and stuff, I would have loved the first version, I know.
Don’t know who is next, I really don’t care, so long as I can get my grubby little mitts on it!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
But THIS version? Was brilliant!
Michael runs into Josh at a very inopportune moment, with his trousers round his knees, and his junk on display. That Josh immediately pushes ALL of Michael’s buttons and THEN some, is irrelevant. Josh does not want a player and Michael does not want a relationship. So why can they not stay away from each other?
Michael’s reason for not wanting a relationship and Josh’s for not wanting a player in his life are made clear to us very early on, but it takes a LOT of time for them to open up to each other, and it really is painful watching them get to that point!
I mean, neither wants *this* thing between them, that much is clear, but they cannot keep apart, and the chemistry between them of off the charts but emotionally?? Neither is ready for anything. And then, the pesky emotions do their thing and both of them, separately of each other, decide that maybe, just maybe they can make this work.
Then something happens that sends them both into the unknown abyss and Michael runs clear across the world.
It took me all day to read this, because I alternatively wanted to punch both Michael AND Josh in the face, and to wrap them both up in cotton wool and love hard on them! I still don’t know which is the more dominant feeling, I really don’t! I had to keep putting the book down, to get over whichever was higher up at the time.
And trust me when I say, I rarely verbally react when READING (listening is different) and I did swear at this book a time or three at this book, I really did!
These guys have some serious chemistry, let me tell ya! I was *NOT* being sociable, and reading at the mother in law’s house and she kept asking me if I was too hot, cos my face was flushed and I had to tell her I was coming down with a cold! Along with the noises, and I think she thought I was nuts!
I can’t go into much, for spoilers, but this book twists and turns all over the place, and just when you think it’s all sorted? Boom! It goes off again!
I loved that Cam, from book 2, takes a huge part and we see a different side to him here.
Even though I know this has been edited and stuff, I would have loved the first version, I know.
Don’t know who is next, I really don’t care, so long as I can get my grubby little mitts on it!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Bad Boys for Life (2020) in Movies
Feb 2, 2020
Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, what ya gonna do? Go and watch Bad Boys For Life, that's what you're gonna do.
Mike and Marcus are still going strong but Marcus wants to slow down and ease into retirement. His life is changing and it's time to realise he's not a boy anymore. When their celebrations are rudely interrupted a hunt begins, good against bad, old school police work versus new. Will this be the end of the road for our Bad Boys?
I rewatched the original movies before this because of course you have to! Something I loved about this is that they managed to bring the series up to date while still keeping some of the key elements that added fun to the first two instalments. There's nostalgia here that I absolutely love, more on that later.
There were times while watching Bad Boys For Life that I pondered if it was still a Michael Bay film, there are quite a few glossy moments that feel like they have a touch of Bayhem about them.
I love that the original cast are back with the same great chemistry. I wasn't overly keen on the additional cast they brought in. With an established universe it's difficult to bring in that many new characters. There was a solid effort to get their backstories and personalities in but with so much other story happening it often felt out of place or tacked on. A quicker way might have been to have them introduced from their files with montage shots and be done with. I did at one point assume it was just a set up for the next film.
One of the little surprises for me was DJ Khaled, I didn't know he was in it and his part was just great, he played it so well that I was a little sad there wasn't more.
Everything has a very crisp feel to it, which was another reason my brain kept saying Bay. Vibrant surrounding, costumes and sets all perfectly matched together. I liked the contrasts between Mike and Marcus' lives, though the montage just made me think of Hobbs and Shaw and how that felt better.
There are lots of holes to pick in this, the script isn't great and I wasn't fond of the way the main storyline came together at the end but this is one of those instances where I don't think it matters. I have never watched a Bad Boys movie for its Shakespearean drama, I watch it for the banter and the action. Bad Boys For Life has that in spade, as well as an incredible amount of emotion and heart.
This is the sort of film I like to watch to have a break from the stress, I will definitely be buying this one when it comes out. It's got that chicken soup feel to it, it's familiar and it's fun... and sometimes that's what you need.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/02/bad-boys-for-life-movie-review.html
Mike and Marcus are still going strong but Marcus wants to slow down and ease into retirement. His life is changing and it's time to realise he's not a boy anymore. When their celebrations are rudely interrupted a hunt begins, good against bad, old school police work versus new. Will this be the end of the road for our Bad Boys?
I rewatched the original movies before this because of course you have to! Something I loved about this is that they managed to bring the series up to date while still keeping some of the key elements that added fun to the first two instalments. There's nostalgia here that I absolutely love, more on that later.
There were times while watching Bad Boys For Life that I pondered if it was still a Michael Bay film, there are quite a few glossy moments that feel like they have a touch of Bayhem about them.
I love that the original cast are back with the same great chemistry. I wasn't overly keen on the additional cast they brought in. With an established universe it's difficult to bring in that many new characters. There was a solid effort to get their backstories and personalities in but with so much other story happening it often felt out of place or tacked on. A quicker way might have been to have them introduced from their files with montage shots and be done with. I did at one point assume it was just a set up for the next film.
One of the little surprises for me was DJ Khaled, I didn't know he was in it and his part was just great, he played it so well that I was a little sad there wasn't more.
Everything has a very crisp feel to it, which was another reason my brain kept saying Bay. Vibrant surrounding, costumes and sets all perfectly matched together. I liked the contrasts between Mike and Marcus' lives, though the montage just made me think of Hobbs and Shaw and how that felt better.
There are lots of holes to pick in this, the script isn't great and I wasn't fond of the way the main storyline came together at the end but this is one of those instances where I don't think it matters. I have never watched a Bad Boys movie for its Shakespearean drama, I watch it for the banter and the action. Bad Boys For Life has that in spade, as well as an incredible amount of emotion and heart.
This is the sort of film I like to watch to have a break from the stress, I will definitely be buying this one when it comes out. It's got that chicken soup feel to it, it's familiar and it's fun... and sometimes that's what you need.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/02/bad-boys-for-life-movie-review.html
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Rango (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Y’all want to know what Rango is about? Have a seat by the camp fire and I’ll tell ya. The chameleon that would one day be known as Rango (voiced by Johnny Depp) begins the movie as a pet, traveling across the desert with a human family in their SUV. However, fate or perhaps the Spirit of the West (voiced by Timothy Olyphant) has other plans for him. Soon he is separated from his human family and he meets a wise armadillo named Roadkill (voiced by Alfred Molina) who tells him about the Spirit of the West, fate and, more importantly to him, where to find water.
Fans of Johnny Depp will recognize an amazing reference, tribute if you will, to the 1998 movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas that starred the actor. On his way to the nearest town where he can get some water, he meets one of the locals, a young lady lizard named Beans (voiced by Isla Fisher) who offers him a ride to the edge of town, a town aptly named Dirt. As he tries to fit in with the locals he realizes that he can reinvent himself here, so he gives himself the name Rango but thanks to a lie that he told to the guys in the saloon he soon finds himself in a showdown with one of the meanest gangs in town. Through a very funny turn of events he not only survives but becomes the town hero. In honor of his victory the Mayor (voiced by Ned Beatty) offers him the job of sheriff which Rango gladly accepts.
Soon after, the limited water supply in town disappears and it is up to Rango (along with some quirky townfolk) to solve the mystery and save Dirt. Along his journey, Rango eventually comes to a point where he must decide what kind of lizard he wants to be, a hero of the people or a person who just plays one. Will he make the right choices? Will he find the water? Will he save the town? See the movie to find out the answers to these questions and more.
I have seen many family movies that were very entertaining for the kids but extremely boring for the adults. Luckily Rangois not one of those movies. Not only does the movie have a very talented voice cast, it also has entertaining action that enhances the story instead of over-powering or taking away from it. The visuals were so realistic that at times I almost forgot it was an animated film and it has plenty of humor to make the audience laugh, regardless of age.
At the end of the movie as we all were heading towards the exit I overhead a person saying to their friends how the movie actually felt like the old westerns that they had watched growing up and I found myself agreeing. The story unfolded with a natural flow, beautiful scenery and wild west action that kept the audience engaged from start to finish.
Fans of Johnny Depp will recognize an amazing reference, tribute if you will, to the 1998 movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas that starred the actor. On his way to the nearest town where he can get some water, he meets one of the locals, a young lady lizard named Beans (voiced by Isla Fisher) who offers him a ride to the edge of town, a town aptly named Dirt. As he tries to fit in with the locals he realizes that he can reinvent himself here, so he gives himself the name Rango but thanks to a lie that he told to the guys in the saloon he soon finds himself in a showdown with one of the meanest gangs in town. Through a very funny turn of events he not only survives but becomes the town hero. In honor of his victory the Mayor (voiced by Ned Beatty) offers him the job of sheriff which Rango gladly accepts.
Soon after, the limited water supply in town disappears and it is up to Rango (along with some quirky townfolk) to solve the mystery and save Dirt. Along his journey, Rango eventually comes to a point where he must decide what kind of lizard he wants to be, a hero of the people or a person who just plays one. Will he make the right choices? Will he find the water? Will he save the town? See the movie to find out the answers to these questions and more.
I have seen many family movies that were very entertaining for the kids but extremely boring for the adults. Luckily Rangois not one of those movies. Not only does the movie have a very talented voice cast, it also has entertaining action that enhances the story instead of over-powering or taking away from it. The visuals were so realistic that at times I almost forgot it was an animated film and it has plenty of humor to make the audience laugh, regardless of age.
At the end of the movie as we all were heading towards the exit I overhead a person saying to their friends how the movie actually felt like the old westerns that they had watched growing up and I found myself agreeing. The story unfolded with a natural flow, beautiful scenery and wild west action that kept the audience engaged from start to finish.