#4.5 Star

[author-a-holmes]

Arc Review; City of Souls by Mel Harding-Shaw

City of Souls was a really enjoyable read. It made a change to read about a female character who was confident in her abilities, and sharp-tongued to those she didn't trust, without coming across as a nasty person in general. There was enough characterisation to show Hel's soft spots and weaknesses to the reader, and it made her a relatable and highly enjoyable character to follow on an adventure.

The author, Mel Harding-Shaw, replicated this skill with the other main character, Bastion, too. While he shows a dark, and sometimes harsh, persona to the world at large, he has softer, kinder moments that are reserved for private moments behind closed doors, and amongst those he trusts.

The blackmail that Bastion holds over Hel's head, combined with a fake-relationship theme, could have easily crossed over into uncomfortable territory, but the material is handled with skill and class, and never strays too far. Hel being very handy with a weapon, and having an unsubmissive personality, even when faced with blackmail and threats helped with this greatly, but that doesn't detract from the skill of the author.

But it's not just the characters that are handled adeptly, the plot is also clever and intricate, and filled with dangerous political manoeuvring. You constantly have the feeling that there is so much more to this almost post-apocalyptic world running beneath the surface, and I for one can't wait to see more of this world, and these characters, as the series progresses.

City of Souls releases today, November 9th, and can be purchases in Paperback or Ebook format via;

Amazon UK & Amazon US

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

Bookshop.org

Check out the Author's Website for a free prequel short story!

[readingwithwrin]

Lumiere by Jacqueline E. Garlick | Book Review

Title: Lumiere Author: Jacqueline E. Garlick Publisher: Skyscape Published Date: October 2013 Genre: Steam Punk, Historical Fiction Source: Kindle Unlimited Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ .5 Goodreads Summary: Even in a land of eternal twilight, secrets can’t stay hidden forever. Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth has only one hope to find her late father’s most prized invention, the Illuminator. It’s…

[chuckwes]

The Banishing (2020) #HauntedHouse #Horror

The Banishing (2020) #HauntedHouse #Horror

The Banishing (2020) takes place in the 1930s and follows a vicar who moves into Morley Hall with his wife, Marianne, and stepdaughter, Adelaide, who they say is her niece; the reason is explained. Soon things start coming undone in the house as Adelaide starts talking to “no one,” and Marianne starts hallucinating. I found an exploitation element to this film surprising as it isn’t the norm for…

[literatureaesthetic]

guess who (finally) finished a storm of swords, part one 🖤 being back in this world truly was an experience unlike any other. the world that george r r martin has crafted here is unrivalled — it really is one of the greatest fantasy epics <3 i cannot wait to read part two later this month!!

for now, i'll be starting my next book for my classic tomes challenge 👀 very excited

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

"distant relative" i assume you are referring to my father?

[kenobihater]

of all the star wars movies, which of them do y'all 1) enjoy the most 2) consider the best quality and 3) think you've rewatched the most. add your answers in the reblogs or replies, i'm genuinely curious how much of an overlap there is within everyone's three answers. mine don't overlap at all! they're revenge of the sith, empire strikes back, and the force awakens :^)

[gael-garcia]

Gael García Bernal Dancing in Films, a compilation (2001-2023)

[twelverriver]

Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: Rogue Nation

[moeblob]

So I read that his idle animation has him blushing and I'm like "oh okay time to make him blush" then googled "girl with a big weapon" or something and was like "YEAH ANIME POSES NEVER DISAPPOINT" and that's how this happened.

Bye.

[cattons]

emerald fennell will get on her zoom and say [posh voice] Nooo no darling the rich people are the worrssstt. You’re supposed to side with the povvo. referring to the 130 minute film she helmed in which a family of prejudiced but loveable aristocrats are murdered and usurped by an upper middle class lunatic

[blindingliqhts]

so… my goodreads review

i was nervous to put this on here but then i remembered this is tumblr not instagram so a good number of people on here have a fully-developed frontal lobe meaning i’m not going to be yelled at for this

please do give me your thoughts- i’m really keen to see if anybody had the same problems as i did with it and if anyone wants to be friends on goodreads just let me know !

[readingwithwrin]

Double the Lies by Patricia Raybon | Book Review

Title: Double the Lies Author: Patricia Raybon Publisher: Tyndale House Published Date: February 1st, 2023 Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Christian, Romance Source: Library Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ .5 Goodreads Summary: In the second installment of Patricia Raybon’s critically acclaimed mystery series, amateur detective Annalee Spain races the clock to solve the murder of a…

[chuckwes]

Speak No Evil (2022) #Thriller #NotHorror

Speak No Evil (2022) #Thriller #NotHorror

I watched Speak No Evil (2022) because Shudder posted it on Instagram. As I’ve said before, Shudder’s films sometimes aren’t the best but not as bad as Blumhouse tends to be….anyway. I promised myself I’d turn it off if it didn’t grab my attention immediately. (I know I always do that but end up watching garabage.) This time was different. I was curious why Bjørn and Louise accepted the strange…

[literatureaesthetic]

march '24 favs:

• those who leave and those who stay & the story of the lost child ; elena ferrante — the final two books in the neapolitan novels, a tetrology recording the lives of two girls in naples from childhood to old age. gutting, beautiful, layered, and complex. this series is a masterpiece, elena ferrante is everything to me <3 (please read it!!)

• sirens and muses by antonia angress — following an array of characters at an art university as they navigate life, work, academia, relationships, and being an artist in a capitalist world where everything is commodified. the depth of characters paired with the nuanced discussions of art, class, and politics left me so pleasantly surprised. (it's also extremely gay and perfect for all you tumblr users with mummy/daddy issues)

[sunnyknoxville]

seeing him happy means everything in the world to me

JOHNNY KNOXVILLE in JACKASS 4.5 (2022)

[andreai04]

Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer—except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs.