Liked it, but don't see what all the hype is about.
598381
First, this is an inspiring memoir. What a great testament to what a person can do if they set their minds to something that matters to them. Definitely made me want to hike portions of the PCT, especially as I live about 2 miles from it. Also made me rethink my little boo-hoos when I am just hiking a shorter hike.

The author was brave, tough (the boot problem would have been enough to send me straight home), and pretty awesome. Her story was interesting, funny and pretty informative. I only gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because I expected more due to all the hype. Also because I was a little disappointed that she only hiked part of the trail - not that I could have done any better. I think I just expected this epic journey that stretched the whole trail.

If you have read A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, I think you might be a little disappointed with Wild, but it is still a good read and worth your time.
3846146
It looks like I might be in a bit of a minority here, but I thought this book was good, I liked it, but I didn't seem to love it the way others did. First off, it's a really fast read, you could probably read it in one day if you're a fast reader. I thought the book started out great. We were in Paris and the descriptions were beautiful, the characters meet and then next thing we're in Louisana. I wanted to be able to feel the relationship between Gavin and Camille more than I did and I felt it really started ramping up right at the end. In fact, everything ramped up at the end and sort of left you hanging. Now, I get it, it's part of a trilogy and it did leave me wanting to know more, but in some tiny way I felt robbed of not knowing the characters just a little more and for that I'm not sure I would read the next one. I did recieve a complimentary copy of this book for my review.
703686
I liked it, but I didn't love it (like I did Lone Wolf).

A few things bugged me.  1.  Too much interaction with Levi's cats.  He prepares dinner with a cat perched on him?  Really?  2.  After their first kiss Carter tells Levi that he doesn't jump into bed with someone he doesn't know well, so he wants to take things slow. But then later on in the book Carter goes to a con convention and things heat up with a voice actor and he didn't hesitate in deciding to jump into bed with him (he did change his mind though).  Where was his conviction in taking things slow? I didn't get that part at all.  3.  I also didn't like that there really was very little time with Carter and Levi as a public couple.  Most of the book was spent with them trying to stay just friends.

I enjoyed their story, the premise was hot, but it didn't reach its potential.  On its own I think I would have like it more ,but after reading Lone Wolf my expectations were higher.
4651603
It was an entertaining 2+hours but in the end I felt like there wasn't really as much story, drama, or conflict as I expected. I think the hype caused by its "graphic subject matter" creates expectations it just doesn't meet.
1571482
Give it a try, you'll probably like it. . .
1287973
It's certainly a movie you need to pay attention. It's modeled after the 40's film noire, kind of like a detective story. Not for everyone, but I found it enjoyable.

It's easy to get lost. Judging by the low reviews and what they say about this movie, obviously those people did.
282791
I really liked this.  I thought it was great, in fact.  I will have to read it again with an eye toward the less complimentary reviews, but right now, I didn't have the same take away as at least some of them did.
3857300
Hmmm... I liked it a lot, not sure I loved it. Nothing much different, and the usual big "good vs evil" scene towards the end is definitely kind of stale.
But I read it straight through, enjoyed it enough, and can't wait for the next one.
I do hope we haven't seen the last of Fred and George, though!
524976
If you're reading this, you probably either read the book or are considering it. It's not groundbreaking stuff, so if you're looking for something unlike anything you've read before, this isn't it. It's necessary to keep in mind that the main characters are teenagers and act like teenagers; they act irrationally, their emotions are a bit extreme, and they sometimes aren't the brightest. I wasn't wowed by "Angelbound," but I was entertained enough that I kept reading. The plot is somewhat predictable. There were twists and reveals that weren't much of a surprise to anyone who'd been paying attention. It's young love, some ass kicking, world-building, and parent-teen conflict. Those who've given it the lowest reviews seemed to do so after taking offense at those who had given it the highest reviews. Don't expect it to be something it's not, and you may find it enjoyable. It's not literature, it's YA-ish, fantasy entertainment. Those who've enjoyed it most are likely fans of the YA fantasy genre and likely of the age and temperament to relate well to its main characters. I enjoyed it enough that I purchased the next book.
964939
My Rating: 3 stars.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Going into this book, I had read some reviews by people who hated this book and some by people who had loved it. I wasn't sure what I'd feel. I had to admit that the points that some readers brought up rang true. It is kind of creepy to think that being apart from each other literally hurts them. It's kind of strange and maybe not a great message to be sending out.

However, the novel was intriguing. I thought that the idea of a soul mate was interesting. I thought the characters were well-developed. The novel did bear traces of being self-published and there were several errors, but nothing major.

I thought the novel was well-written to some extent. I'm not dying to read the sequel, but I am curious enough about the series that I probably will.

I thought that the novel would have been stronger if it ended earlier. The climax hit too early in my opinion and then the rest of the novel kind of sagged, but I still enjoyed the novel.

The Characters: Caleb was a character that I wanted to like. I didn't dislike him, but I didn't love him either. Even though Caleb and Maggie were super close, I still felt like I wanted to know more about him.

I found him bossy and annoying at times, but I always felt like he had a good reason. The society in the novel is kind of male-dominated, but it didn't irk me as much as I thought it would. He was an intriguing character.

Maggie was a character that I did like. I enjoyed watching her perspective through the novel. I thought she needed to stand up for herself more, especially with Caleb. She let him walk over her too much in my opinion. I did like reading about her though.

Kyle was a character that I loved in the beginning and then very quickly started hating by the end. He was just such a brat. Not sure what to think of him.

As far as the secondary characters went, I felt they were pretty cookie-cutter. You have the mom who's run off leaving the daughter with the "dysfunctional dad" who doesn't keep tabs on her. That part was too cliched and didn't make me like the novel as much I might have otherwise.

So why 3 stars? It just didn't grab my attention like I wanted it to. I have a curiosity to see what happens, but I am not hooked.

Warnings/Side-notes: It's young adult. There are no sex scenes, violence, or foul language. However, it's definitely for older YAs as it mentions sex several times and has references to partying, drinking, and some minor sexual innuendos and descriptions.

The Wrap-up: A novel that has great potential. It was unique, but it just could have been so much better.

Love,

Danica Page
475459
Okay, I know this one seems to be a no-go from all the reviews, but i was bored and wanted to watch something so...
After watching this I have to ask myself if i am just not as picky as many horror/thriller fans, or if I have just hit a point where my expectations are really low.
If you are going to watch this movie, which as it turns out i thought was decent, you need to watch it for what it is. What i mean by this is, don't compare it to anything else. It is what it is, and aside from a bit of pacing, shaky cam, and characters that you don't really deeply connect with its not bad.
That being said, i wouldn't pay more than a couple bucks to watch it. The storyline is nothing new to horror fans, but I did enjoy the plot and speculative nature of the movie.
It was really a character driven story. What i mean by this is that every character had their own driving force. Hubris, curiosity, vindication, or validation? Either way, It wasn't a bomb of a movie in my opinion, but yes, there was nothing new or sparkly, no major effects, no high budget, just a creepy story.
If your bored and need to pass some time, this is certainly not the worst movie you could watch. Just don't expect it to be groundbreaking.
4109688
I'm not sure what all the hype is about and why it's winning so many awards.  It was entertaining...and I'll watch more episodes...but I wouldn't call it an award winning show.  Love Julia...she's great.  But I don't think her name alone should garner so many awards.  I think the writing could be funnier...
362180
This book has been hyped up quite a bit for the past few months, promising beautiful prose, a dramatic, heart-wrenching take on family life, and a twist youd never see coming.

Yeah, no.

Like most super-hyped books, it didn't quite live up to its reputation for me. Not that it was a bad book, per say, but I felt it lacked the level of emotional impact promised.

Lets start with the style this time. I will admit that I found the Lockharts style fairly fresh, with its occasional verse-style lines and somewhat whimsical tone and tendency to blend events together in ways that were more about the overall message than maintaining a straightforward, entirely coherent story. Its an interesting way to tackle a novel that revolves around extreme emotional trauma and family issues, and I think, on many levels, Lockharts tone, mixed with Cadences thoughts about her family and the world, were spot on. So, in terms of style, I didn't take an issue with the book. I think the author captured Cadences traumatized mindset through a fairly unique voice.

That being said, I took issue with the plot of the book. I figured out the twist quite early on, and that made the rest of the book, quite frankly, a chore to read because the book as a whole relies so heavily on that twist. The entire novel is basically a lead up to that single twist, and outside of it, the plot doesnt hold up very well  once the mystery is solved, the story ceases to be compelling because you already have the answer to the lingering question that is repeated so frequently throughout.

That is the danger of having a storyline that rests its effectiveness on a single major event. If the book gives away even one too many hints as to the answer before you get close to the actual reveal, the tension in the story justsputters out. Thats what happened for me when I read this, and I think it happened because the story, unfortunately, stepped over that careful line of balance between two much foreshadowing and just enough to keep the reader interested in the mystery.

To compound that problem, I wasn't very impressed with the twist. Unlike Lockharts writing style, the novels twist wasn't that fresh or exciting. Its a trope Ive seen used before, in books, movies, TV shows. When I figured it out, I was fairly disappointed  I was honestly hoping that the book would live up to its reputation in this respect. That I would actually be shocked at the turn of events. That the ending would blow my mind. However, in reality, the ending came off kind of meh.

Finally, I wasn't super impressed with the characters in this one. I did enjoy Cadences character because her mindset and personality were explored in the first person, but because the other characters had so little screen time overall and because their actions and personalities were so heavily blanketed by Cadences opinions of them  we don't really get to learn about them through their own actions  they fell pretty flat for me for the entire story. As a result, the storys twist lacked the promised emotional impact, and, again, let me down.

Now, this book wasn't bad, per say, but, as happens with all hyped-up books, I felt a lot more disappointed in it than I would have if I had gone in with no preconceived notions. Its reputation promised quite a lot, but, in the end, We Were Liars falls firmly into the average book category for me. A fine story, for sure, but nothing that really stands out from the crowd.
3690837
I found it a bit confusing at times. Not as shallow as some other offerings I have tried lately. Pacing was actually pretty good. I expect some people will like it quite a lot.
4224835
Read a review of this in my local paper and they made it sound like the book of the century. Then, I read some of the reviews on Amazon and figured I had to read it. Feeling now that it was okay, but not up to the hype. The plot is steady, so it kept my interest, but not to the point where I could not put it down, as is the case with some authors. I have to say, the pacing is quite good as the story winds along with a few surprises along the way, but if you're looking for a true nail-biter that will keep you up all night until it's finished, this isn't it. Like most murder mysteries, there are one or two main suspects, or was it a suicide? In this case, the plot involves current day killings combined with one from 20 years ago. Of course, you should know going into it that the killer(s) are not going to be the main suspects but probably someone you're not supposed to suspect. But then, aren't most mysteries like that? This would actually make a pretty good movie if done right, so I suspect we may see it on the big screen in a year or two given all the attention it's getting.
996348
I really bought into the hype that I kept hearing about the Goblin Emperor, and I think it exaggerated my expectations for the book a bit too much. I thought it was a solid narrative, if a little dry, which did an interesting job aping some traditional fantasy tropes in an eastern-inspired fantasy world. Personally, I didn't find Maia, the protagonist, particularly compelling, but I can see how he could really speak to other people's experiences.
3553199
I had to see this film after all the hype! It's a cute movie (and great soundtrack).  There is a bit of a "Hollywood" ending- but worth a viewing. Just not sure if I walked away and ever thought about it again.  Entertaining, but don't look for any deep revelations here.