Film-Arcade.net: "Sorority Party Massacre" Review - Written by Jim ...

Film-Arcade.net: "Sorority Party Massacre" Review - Written by Jim ...: "There is something seriously wrong with this sorority." And this movie. Many things, in fact. Here's an example: one of ...

Goodreads Book Review - The Reaver

The Reaver by Richard Lee Byers

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In the last review I wrote, that one for Death Masks, the fifth book in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, I talked about chapters and how hard they can be for a writer. How to start them, how to end them, and how long they should be are all challenges, and a misstep in any of them can take a reader out of a story. And while I did like The Reaver (not as much as the other entries in The Sundering, though), the chapter length continually threw me off. The book is 326 pages long, and there are only twelve chapters. That's an average of like twenty-seven pages per chapter, and that's just a little too much. With that criticism out of the way, I have to say I enjoyed the book; I liked the story and the interesting characters who were all very well fleshed out. Plus it was a nice change to have at least one entry in this series be about new characters instead of the way the first three installments made me as a reader feel like I was coming into a play in the second act. I wouldn't mind reading another tale of these characters. Just, y'know, one with shorter chapters.



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The Movie Reviewer

I love movies. I don't think that revelation is news, considering I've reviewed them on two separate blogs already. This entry is just a quick note to let y'all know that my reviewing career is moving one step ahead: I'm finally reviewing movies for a website that I don't own!

That's right, folks. Yours truly has a spot reviewing movies on Film-Arcade.net. My first review was posted there the other day:

A Million Ways to Die in the West

It has a few errors in it that I didn't catch because I wrote it on the Richnote app on my phone due to time constraints, but I'm proud it's there. I have two movies to review in the pipeline right now as well. So from now on most of my reviews on this blog will just be links to the actual review on that blog. Unless I review something that isn't for them, obviously.  But it's very exciting.

Goodreads Book Review - Death Masks

Death Masks by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've praised this series up and down since I got to book two, and this book is no exception. One thing I think Butcher gets better and better at is chapters; the length of them, for one thing, but also the way they end. Almost every single chapter ends in such a way as to make you want to keep going instead of taking a break, and that is a really great trick for a writer to have in his arsenal. Also, I love the way each individual book has a plot all its own from beginning to end while also managing to slowly advance at least two or three different background plots spread out along the series, some of which are out in the open and a few of which I'm only beginning to think are there now. It makes me want to plunge right on into the next installment to see where the story goes next, but I think after four straight Dresden Files I might be ready to pause and enjoy something different. Then again, I said that after the last book too...



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Goodreads Book Review - Summer Knight

Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


My Dresden Files binge continues! No, I didn't finish this book in a day, despite how it might appear. As pulled along as I currently am by Butcher, I'm running out of platitudes to heap on him without sounding repetitive. I love the characters, the plot, and the world he's built. Focusing this book on both the inner workings of the wizard world and faerie courts was the perfect way to completely snatch me even more. I had intended throughout the book to only give it four stars as I did the last entry, but the ending was so damn perfect I had to bounce it up to five. Also, I had planned today to take a break after this installment to read something else, but I enjoyed the way this ended so much it looks like I'll be diving right into Death Masks...



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Goodreads Book Review - Grave Peril

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I actually finished this like two weeks ago but just haven't gotten around to writing a review because of time constraints and because, honestly, there isn't much I can say about Butcher that I haven't said in my reviews for the previous two novels. The only negative for this book for me was that the sudden appearance of Michael, who we never met before, as an established character was a little jarring for me, as was Harry suddenly having a fairy godmother, which was never mentioned before. But Butcher's writing style and plot quickly made me forget about all that and let me just enjoy the ride.



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