Isle of the Lost

Review:

 

What can I say about this book? The reader irritated me with her whiny, nasal voice. She is one of the actors in the Descendants series (which I think is on the Disney Channel). She may be a fine actor, but her reading was all about OVER-acting.

 

The story itself was interesting. The villains have all been exiled to the Isle of the Lost. There is a magical shield that prevents the use of magic. The children of the worst Disney villains are trying to live up to expectations of their parents. There is a quest and the villain children bond and blah blah blah. 

 

I liked the idea of the villains trying to live without magic. But, it seemed a travesty that the children are being punished for the sins of their parents. The food and everything else on the island comes from the stuff that the "good guys" in Auradon throw away. I guess either they aren't worthy of better or they don't care, I'm not sure which.

 

My least favorite part was when they plugged the Disney Channel show at the end of the audiobook. It was like the whole book was written as a commercial for the series.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1603857/isle-of-the-lost

Bingo Call: 9/29

Reblogged from: Moonlight Reader

 

Aliens: beings from outer space.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1603851/bingo-call-9-29

Bingo Call: 9/27/2017

Reblogged from: Obsidian Blue

Bingo Call:

 

 

Terror in a small town: horror/murder which causes fear, set in a small town.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1603251/bingo-call-9-27-2017

Halloween Bingo Card update 4

Called squares not yet read: Tombstone

Read squares not yet called: BOO!

Squares called & read: Both

 

 

Calls:

9/1      Ghost

9/3      Cozy Mystery (Not on my card)

9/5      In the Dark, Dark Woods

9/7      Genre: Horror

9/9      Locked Room Mystery (Not on my card)

9/11    Murder Most Foul (Not on my card)

9/13   Witches

9/15   Werewolves

9/17   Modern Masters of Horror

9/19   Terrifying Women

9/21   Diverse Voices

9/23   Haunted Houses

9/25  Serial/Spree Killer

 

 

 

 

 

Books read:

Free Space (Creepy Raven): Castle Hangnail

Ghost: Heart-Shaped Box

Genre: Horror: Bird Box

In the Dark, Dark Woods: Suicide Forest

Witches: Forsaken

 

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1602834/halloween-bingo-card-update-4

Forsaken

Review:

 

 

 

Forsaken was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award by the Horror Writers Association for the Best Debut Novel in 2014. So, I had high hopes, but I ended up with mixed feelings about this one.

 

One of my favorite parts of this book was the fact that it contains a clever nod to Stephen King. The main character, Thad, is a horror writer. The book begins with his wife, Rachael calling directory assistance to find the number for a store called Needful Things in Castle Rock. Yes, THE Needful Things, from the novel by Stephen King. I really enjoyed that little part and how it fits in with the story.

 

From the beginning of the book, there are obvious supernatural elements. Rachael is pregnant and seems to have promised the baby to a witch. Thad has just written a novel which connects him and his family to an ancient, and very powerful witch. 

 

The story has a lot of creepy elements including little demons (about the size of rats, but more vicious), magic spells, cursed objects, and a witch trying to be reborn. Chapters alternate between the present time and 1692. The chapters from the past are in the form of a journal written by a witness to the witch's trial.

 

One of the things that really bothered me about this novel is that it claims to be Book One of the Shadow Cove Saga. The ending is an obvious set up for the next book, but I searched the internet and can find nothing that indicates another book even exists, let alone an entire series. 

 

I was never really scared when I was reading this story, and I had an idea of what would happen. But, it's possible that I have been desensitized by my frequent reading of scary stories. I also love horror movies but have a hard time finding one that actually scares me.

 

The story itself was a little disjointed and there were details the author just left hanging that didn't end up meaning anything. I would read the next book, in the hopes that things became clearer, but.... oh well. 

 

I read this book for the Witches square, because of the crazy, evil, powerful witch. :)

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1602828/forsaken

Bingo Call: 9/25

Reblogged from: Moonlight Reader

 

Serial/spree killer: any book that involves a serial killer or a spree killer, no matter what genre/sub-genre it involves.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1602544/bingo-call-9-25

New Bingo call for 25 Sept

Reblogged from: XOX

New bingo call is Serial Spree killer

 

 

I picked some books for this square and still haven't read them yet. 

 

So update card. 

 

 

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1602543/new-bingo-call-for-25-sept

Reading progress update: I've listened 208 out of 502 minutes.

 

I don't know if I will be able to listen to another 5 hours of this girl's whiny, pouty, nasally, overly dramatic voice...

 

 

 

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1602539/reading-progress-update-i-ve-listened-208-out-of-502-minutes

Bingo Call: 9/23/17

Reblogged from: Obsidian Blue

Bingo Call:

 

 

Haunted houses: any structure or location that is, or is believed to be, "haunted" qualifies - it doesn't need to be a house.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1601659/bingo-call-9-23-17

Bingo Call: 9/21

Reblogged from: Moonlight Reader

 

Diverse voices: any mystery, suspense, horror or supernatural book written by an author of color.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1601142/bingo-call-9-21

Bingo Call: 9/7/2017

Reblogged from: Obsidian Blue

Here is your bingo call:

 

 

Horror is a genre of fiction which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten, scare, disgust, or startle its readers or viewers by inducing feelings of horror and terror.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1596978/bingo-call-9-7-2017

Bingo Call: 9/5

Reblogged from: Moonlight Reader

 

In the dark, dark woods: a mystery, suspense, horror or supernatural book in which a forest/woods plays a significant role, or which has a forest/woods on the cover.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1595912/bingo-call-9-5

Bingo Card update 1

 

Called squares not yet read: Tombstone

Read squares not yet called: BOO!

Squares called & read: Both

 

 

 

 

Calls:

9/1      Ghost

9/3      Cozy Mystery (Not on my card)

 

Books read:

Free Space (Creepy Raven): Castle Hangnail

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1595408/bingo-card-update-1

Castle Hangnail

Review:

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a marvelously dark and dour twilight at the castle.

-opening sentence

 

This book is so cute.

 

All the minions are waiting for their new owner to arrive. They are expecting an Evil Wizard, a Dark Sorceress, or maybe a Wicked Witch. But what they aren't expecting is a twelve-year-old girl. Molly is a Wicked Witch; after all, she is a twin and definitely the bad one. (Her sister loves pink and glitter.) But she is only twelve and the castle guardian has his doubts about her. And what if the Board doesn't accept her as the new master of the castle? 

 

Molly is a great character. She is a wicked witch in the nicest possible way. She is a strong, brave girl who doesn't fully believe in herself but doesn't give up either. The minions are delightful. Pins is a fabric stuffed doll who loves to sew and Fish (a neurotic goldfish) is his best friend. Cook is a minotaur who hates any words that begin with the letter "Q", and Edward is a magical suit of armor. And that's just a few of them.

 

The story is cute, even though parts of it are a bit predictable. Molly is a great role model for standing up for the little guy. And she can talk to animals and turn some of them into dragon hybrids (at least for a minute or so). What's not to like??

 

This will be a favorite among readers in grades 3-5, and maybe older.

 

I'm using this book for the Free Space on my Bingo card. :)

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1595405/castle-hangnail

Bingo Call: 9/3/2017

Reblogged from: Obsidian Blue

Hello to your first bingo call by Obsidian Black Plague.

 

 

Bingo is: 

 

 

Cozy mystery: a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1595311/bingo-call-9-3-2017

(Some) of the Halloween Bingo Squares, sliced and diced.

Reblogged from: Murder by Death

In my efforts to get everything organised before getting stuck into the game, I sliced up my bingo card so I could use the individual squares in my posts.  If anyone would like to save themselves some time and grab the ones we have in common, please feel free.

 

 

(right click - save image, or click on one of the squares and drag it onto your desktop)

 

 

Happy bingo.  :)

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1594699/some-of-the-halloween-bingo-squares-sliced-and-diced