Rate the book: 10
An amazing start to the series. I coul'n't put it down. My friends had
to take the book and hide it so I would do my work at school. Read if
you love vampyres and other fatastical stuff like affinities for
elements etc. A must read book, and series for all teens.
----reviewed by bianca
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Book - Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Rate the book: 10
Most sequels or second books in a series aren't as good as the first but this is something else. Kiersten White is an amazing writer and must have a great imagination to think up all those paranormals. Again, a great book for love, action and sci-fi lovers,like me. ----reviewed by bianca
Most sequels or second books in a series aren't as good as the first but this is something else. Kiersten White is an amazing writer and must have a great imagination to think up all those paranormals. Again, a great book for love, action and sci-fi lovers,like me. ----reviewed by bianca
Book - Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Rate the book: 10
A great book, especially for those who love a bit of love, action and sci-fi all mixed into one book. This is a great start to the series and I can't wait to read Kiersten White's next book.
----reviewed by bianca
A great book, especially for those who love a bit of love, action and sci-fi all mixed into one book. This is a great start to the series and I can't wait to read Kiersten White's next book.
----reviewed by bianca
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Blog rec: Steph Bowe's Hey! Teenager of the year
You looking for a cool new blog to check out? Wander over to Steph Bowe's Hey! Teenager of the Year. Steph's a 17 year old YA author & if you want a teaser of her writing, then check out this post - Little Death.
Place a hold on her first book Girl Saves Boy
Cheers, webgurl
Place a hold on her first book Girl Saves Boy
Cheers, webgurl
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
2011 Inky Awards Teen Choice shortlist - vote for faves
The Inkys are Australia's teen choice book awards. The 2011 shortlisted titles are *drumroll*
Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley
This is Shyness - Leanne Hall
Silvermay - James Moloney
Black Painted Fingernails - Steven Herrick
All I Ever Wanted - Vikki Wakefield
Silver Inky (International book)
Awarded to the most popular teen book from an International author
Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
No and Me - Delphine de Vigan
Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
The Agency: The Body at the Tower - Y.S. Lee
Where She Went - Gayle Forman
For those under 20 years of age: Vote for the Inky Awards
Voting will be open until midnight 14th October
Cheers, webgurl
Gold Inky (Australian book)
Awarded to the most popular teen book from an Australian author Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley
This is Shyness - Leanne Hall
Silvermay - James Moloney
Black Painted Fingernails - Steven Herrick
All I Ever Wanted - Vikki Wakefield
Silver Inky (International book)
Awarded to the most popular teen book from an International author
Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
No and Me - Delphine de Vigan
Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
The Agency: The Body at the Tower - Y.S. Lee
Where She Went - Gayle Forman
For those under 20 years of age: Vote for the Inky Awards
Voting will be open until midnight 14th October
Cheers, webgurl
Friday, September 02, 2011
Books - Poison study by Maria V. Snyder
Rate the book: 10
I thought the book was amazing! If you love fantasy with a dash of romance....then this is the book for you! A MUST READ for all fantasy lovers!
----kara
I thought the book was amazing! If you love fantasy with a dash of romance....then this is the book for you! A MUST READ for all fantasy lovers!
----kara
Games - Mastermind Clone - CodeBreaker
Game platform: Online game
Game genre: Puzzle
Rating (Aust): Unknown
Rate the game: 8
Mastermind is the classic game of logic and deduction. This version is nice and clean and has a few interesting features. Unlike many other on-line versions you can play multiplayer. There is also a scored version and a Top 10 Players list. If you can crack the code fast enough you can make the list.
You can find the game at http://codebreaker.creativitygames.net
----reviewed by ryan
Game genre: Puzzle
Rating (Aust): Unknown
Rate the game: 8
Mastermind is the classic game of logic and deduction. This version is nice and clean and has a few interesting features. Unlike many other on-line versions you can play multiplayer. There is also a scored version and a Top 10 Players list. If you can crack the code fast enough you can make the list.
You can find the game at http://codebreaker.creativitygames.net
----reviewed by ryan
Friday, May 06, 2011
Book - The Other Countess by Eve Edwards
Rate the book: 9.5
I reckon the book could have been one of the best books I have ever read. Ellie was so innocent but her family *spoiler removed* at the end I think that should be changed. But other than that i loved it. And always will!!!!!!!!!!!!!
----reviewed by jessica
I reckon the book could have been one of the best books I have ever read. Ellie was so innocent but her family *spoiler removed* at the end I think that should be changed. But other than that i loved it. And always will!!!!!!!!!!!!!
----reviewed by jessica
Book - The dark divine by Bree Despain
Rate the book: 10
It was a really good book.
[Read a synopsis and the first chapter of The Dark Divine at breedespain.com]
---- reviewed by hannah
It was a really good book.
[Read a synopsis and the first chapter of The Dark Divine at breedespain.com]
---- reviewed by hannah
Friday, April 01, 2011
Games - Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
Game platform: X-box 360
Game genre: Action
Rating (Aust): MA15+ - Mature accompanied
Rate the game:9.5/10
What you thought: Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is a great game that is as good if not better than it's predecessors.
After escaping the warehouse you were hiding in during Assassin’s Creed 2 you make your way to Monteriggioni where you get into the animus (a machine that relives memories of ancestors through DNA) and go back to renaissance Italy, Playing as Ezio Auditore Da Firenze just after the final moments of AC2. You have to get out of the Vatican and back to Monteriggioni with Mario, your uncle and master of the order of the Assassin's.After ‘spoiler’ you head to Rome to avenge ‘spoiler’.
Familiar faces return with Leonardo Da Vinci, Mario and Catirina Sforza. Optional missions are varied from races against thieves to assassinations to destroying Borgia towers to blowing up Da Vincis creations. 4 factions dominate the game the assassins the mercenaries, the courtesans and the thieves each faction has special missions and buildings can be constructed around the city. Because of the scale of Rome you are now allowed to ride horses in the city making easier and faster to get from point A to point B.
A new addition to Brotherhood is the ability to form a group of assassins that can fight targets in hand to hand combat or fire an arrow storm on a target. You can also use them as a distraction to slip past guards but can result in the death of the assassin. They also can be sent on missions to gain XP. leveling an assassin gives you the option of improving their weapons or armor. the other factions can also help but are largely not used due to their cost and assassins are just so much cooler. Your brotherhood will grow with each Borgia tower you destroy.
An in-game economy is now added to the mix and gives you the opportunity to purchase properties around Rome. These properties earn you money over time and are a good investment at the start of the game.
A training program inside the animus is available giving you the opportunity to earn gold, silver and bronze medals in a variety of categories.You can fight waves of soldiers or just free run. Two achievements are in the training program. Training for new skills help a lot when in game you are surrounded and have to make a descision whether to fight or run away like a little girl.
You can also go outside the animus and snoop around modern day Monteriggioni and collectables range from the medici cape to Maria’s feather chest.
New to AC is the ability to sheath heavy weapons and is great for people that in AC2 to used the axes that were dropped by the brutes. A crossbow has been added to your large list of weapons giving great long ranged firepower. Parachutes are also new giving the player the ability to break their fall if they fall off a very tall building.
Multiplayer is a first for the franchise giving you the chance to show off your skills to the world. Giving you the opportunity to play with up to 12 players on a variety of maps including Rome, Florence and Mont-St-Michel. Characters also vary from the stealthy to all out fat guy with a hammer. Weapons are different for all characters from axes to hidden blade to syringes filled with poison. Game types are plentiful from free-for-all to team based games which makes for new action every time you play. Points are awarded for stealthy kills while running after a target awards less. Perks and inventory are also added to the mix giving variety. Some help with attack and others help with escapes. The multiplayer takes an eternity to find a game taking away from the amazing experience of multiplayer.
Brotherhood relies heavily on its story line and is a hard game to take up and enjoy without playing the first 2 but taking the new features, new weapons and the all new multiplayer it is a must buy.
---- reviewed by LangazOnGames
Game genre: Action
Rating (Aust): MA15+ - Mature accompanied
Rate the game:9.5/10
What you thought: Assassin's Creed Brotherhood is a great game that is as good if not better than it's predecessors.
After escaping the warehouse you were hiding in during Assassin’s Creed 2 you make your way to Monteriggioni where you get into the animus (a machine that relives memories of ancestors through DNA) and go back to renaissance Italy, Playing as Ezio Auditore Da Firenze just after the final moments of AC2. You have to get out of the Vatican and back to Monteriggioni with Mario, your uncle and master of the order of the Assassin's.After ‘spoiler’ you head to Rome to avenge ‘spoiler’.
Familiar faces return with Leonardo Da Vinci, Mario and Catirina Sforza. Optional missions are varied from races against thieves to assassinations to destroying Borgia towers to blowing up Da Vincis creations. 4 factions dominate the game the assassins the mercenaries, the courtesans and the thieves each faction has special missions and buildings can be constructed around the city. Because of the scale of Rome you are now allowed to ride horses in the city making easier and faster to get from point A to point B.
A new addition to Brotherhood is the ability to form a group of assassins that can fight targets in hand to hand combat or fire an arrow storm on a target. You can also use them as a distraction to slip past guards but can result in the death of the assassin. They also can be sent on missions to gain XP. leveling an assassin gives you the option of improving their weapons or armor. the other factions can also help but are largely not used due to their cost and assassins are just so much cooler. Your brotherhood will grow with each Borgia tower you destroy.
An in-game economy is now added to the mix and gives you the opportunity to purchase properties around Rome. These properties earn you money over time and are a good investment at the start of the game.
A training program inside the animus is available giving you the opportunity to earn gold, silver and bronze medals in a variety of categories.You can fight waves of soldiers or just free run. Two achievements are in the training program. Training for new skills help a lot when in game you are surrounded and have to make a descision whether to fight or run away like a little girl.
You can also go outside the animus and snoop around modern day Monteriggioni and collectables range from the medici cape to Maria’s feather chest.
New to AC is the ability to sheath heavy weapons and is great for people that in AC2 to used the axes that were dropped by the brutes. A crossbow has been added to your large list of weapons giving great long ranged firepower. Parachutes are also new giving the player the ability to break their fall if they fall off a very tall building.
Multiplayer is a first for the franchise giving you the chance to show off your skills to the world. Giving you the opportunity to play with up to 12 players on a variety of maps including Rome, Florence and Mont-St-Michel. Characters also vary from the stealthy to all out fat guy with a hammer. Weapons are different for all characters from axes to hidden blade to syringes filled with poison. Game types are plentiful from free-for-all to team based games which makes for new action every time you play. Points are awarded for stealthy kills while running after a target awards less. Perks and inventory are also added to the mix giving variety. Some help with attack and others help with escapes. The multiplayer takes an eternity to find a game taking away from the amazing experience of multiplayer.
Brotherhood relies heavily on its story line and is a hard game to take up and enjoy without playing the first 2 but taking the new features, new weapons and the all new multiplayer it is a must buy.
---- reviewed by LangazOnGames
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Games - Command and Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight
Game platform: PC
Game genre: Strategy
Rating (Aust): M - Mature
Rate the game: 3
When I first saw the trailers of C and C 4 it looked like a winner and I immediately pre-ordered one, but the reality is very different. The first trailers looked very promising, showing new units, new gameplay and a brand new construction and deployment system, these changes were a surprise at first glance but intruging, but when you look deeper it really is quite shallow. I will list my negatives below
The crawler system pretty much virtually destroyed the old fashioned MCV system used in almost all earlier C and C games apart from Generals (but unlike C and C 4 the system Generals used was very balanced, even preferable.
a) In older games you could tell if a tank of this faction was better than a tank of this faction, but here MBTs and APCs of different factions have identical costs, which makes you question if the factions units have any distinct advantages against their counterparts.
b) The resource gathering system has been completely destroyed.
In lots of strategy games there usually is some king of currency. e.g. Minerals and Gas in Starcraft, Mass and Energy in Supreme Commander, Requisistion in Warhammer 40 000, Credits in almost every other C and C game. In this you are issued with Command Points (CP) which acts as your population cap and money together. But you don't need to capture or obtain ANYTHING to increase it. You essentially can get units for free, and as long as you keep losing units you can get a few more. Don't worry about losing 4 Mastodons which cost 12 CP apiece, just wait a few minutes and you will have another 4 Mastodons. In other games without income your enemy can't build anything, so you go for their supply operations (I call this 'bleeding them dry', but in C and C 4 you can't lose blood.
P.S. Lose your crawler (all in one base), just get another one! That is really irritating to see waste all your hard work to destroy a crawler just to see fall out of the sky, or burrow out of the ground.
This new system is very poor, in this you can get new units depending on the amount of games you have played, on multiplayer do not be surprised to verse players with level 20 Mastodons and Kodiaks while you have Hunters and Orcas (level 1). This mechanism is really on balanced and appears to be intended for multiplayer because in campaign mode you can often get top-tier units which are just lying around.
a) Too short.
The campaign for GDI was a pitiful 9 missions (including 3 tutorials). This did not give you much time to play with your new toys and made it really out of its depth.
b) Who you are working with.
Yes, we don't always get to be the good guys but that doesn't seem a very good excuse to be working with GDI extremists (in the GDI campaign), whose leader is a colonel hell-bent on killing Kane, to the point she kills your 'wife' and GDI comrades.
c) Shallow cutscenes and characters
Command and Conquer cutscenes were never completely in-depth (except Generals, those cutscenes were cool!), but Tiberian Twilight takes this to a level lower than ever before. Why do they add in EVERY sequel a new cast of characters! Apart from Kane. The actors and actresses are only READING there lines, not actually impersonating their aliases, apart from Kane, but hes got his own problems. Kane has always been a bit 'nutty', but inthis installment hes even nuttier than before, always talking about his 'ascension'.
a) The damage weapons do in this has been horribly tampered with, it takes like 50 shots with a laser cannon to destroy a light vehicle. In other strategy games a weapon that can destroy heavy targets would be able to destroy lighter ones, except if its approached by many of them then its at a disadvantage. In this a weapon thats 'good' against heavy will basically do little more than a scratch against light. This should be way more realistic.
b) In pre- game trailers I saw a 'unit profile' of a Sandstorm, which is a rocket volley launcher. In the trailer it showed it firing a salvoe of some 16 missiles, although it has a significant reload time. In the game the Sandstorm fires just 4 missiles when it looks like it can fire 5 times that. Also the massive missile turrets GDI defense have looks like they can fire like 32 - 64 missiles, yep, it can only fire a measly 4, when missile turrets that look like they can fire 8 can actually only fire a puny 2 missiles.
I hope that this significantly long review provides a good insight into Command and Conquer 4, if you have $80 I advise you buy Starcraft II, comparing it to C and C 4 is like comparing laser surgical equipment to a hammer and chisel.
Game genre: Strategy
Rating (Aust): M - Mature
Rate the game: 3
When I first saw the trailers of C and C 4 it looked like a winner and I immediately pre-ordered one, but the reality is very different. The first trailers looked very promising, showing new units, new gameplay and a brand new construction and deployment system, these changes were a surprise at first glance but intruging, but when you look deeper it really is quite shallow. I will list my negatives below
1. Too different.
The crawler system pretty much virtually destroyed the old fashioned MCV system used in almost all earlier C and C games apart from Generals (but unlike C and C 4 the system Generals used was very balanced, even preferable.
2. One of the bigger critisms: The new resource and unit purchasing mechanic. This is quite large and is split into several points.
a) In older games you could tell if a tank of this faction was better than a tank of this faction, but here MBTs and APCs of different factions have identical costs, which makes you question if the factions units have any distinct advantages against their counterparts.
b) The resource gathering system has been completely destroyed.
In lots of strategy games there usually is some king of currency. e.g. Minerals and Gas in Starcraft, Mass and Energy in Supreme Commander, Requisistion in Warhammer 40 000, Credits in almost every other C and C game. In this you are issued with Command Points (CP) which acts as your population cap and money together. But you don't need to capture or obtain ANYTHING to increase it. You essentially can get units for free, and as long as you keep losing units you can get a few more. Don't worry about losing 4 Mastodons which cost 12 CP apiece, just wait a few minutes and you will have another 4 Mastodons. In other games without income your enemy can't build anything, so you go for their supply operations (I call this 'bleeding them dry', but in C and C 4 you can't lose blood.
P.S. Lose your crawler (all in one base), just get another one! That is really irritating to see waste all your hard work to destroy a crawler just to see fall out of the sky, or burrow out of the ground.
3. Leveling mechanic.
This new system is very poor, in this you can get new units depending on the amount of games you have played, on multiplayer do not be surprised to verse players with level 20 Mastodons and Kodiaks while you have Hunters and Orcas (level 1). This mechanism is really on balanced and appears to be intended for multiplayer because in campaign mode you can often get top-tier units which are just lying around.
4. Shallow campaign.
a) Too short.
The campaign for GDI was a pitiful 9 missions (including 3 tutorials). This did not give you much time to play with your new toys and made it really out of its depth.
b) Who you are working with.
Yes, we don't always get to be the good guys but that doesn't seem a very good excuse to be working with GDI extremists (in the GDI campaign), whose leader is a colonel hell-bent on killing Kane, to the point she kills your 'wife' and GDI comrades.
c) Shallow cutscenes and characters
Command and Conquer cutscenes were never completely in-depth (except Generals, those cutscenes were cool!), but Tiberian Twilight takes this to a level lower than ever before. Why do they add in EVERY sequel a new cast of characters! Apart from Kane. The actors and actresses are only READING there lines, not actually impersonating their aliases, apart from Kane, but hes got his own problems. Kane has always been a bit 'nutty', but inthis installment hes even nuttier than before, always talking about his 'ascension'.
5. Weapon damage mechanic and weapons
a) The damage weapons do in this has been horribly tampered with, it takes like 50 shots with a laser cannon to destroy a light vehicle. In other strategy games a weapon that can destroy heavy targets would be able to destroy lighter ones, except if its approached by many of them then its at a disadvantage. In this a weapon thats 'good' against heavy will basically do little more than a scratch against light. This should be way more realistic.
b) In pre- game trailers I saw a 'unit profile' of a Sandstorm, which is a rocket volley launcher. In the trailer it showed it firing a salvoe of some 16 missiles, although it has a significant reload time. In the game the Sandstorm fires just 4 missiles when it looks like it can fire 5 times that. Also the massive missile turrets GDI defense have looks like they can fire like 32 - 64 missiles, yep, it can only fire a measly 4, when missile turrets that look like they can fire 8 can actually only fire a puny 2 missiles.
I hope that this significantly long review provides a good insight into Command and Conquer 4, if you have $80 I advise you buy Starcraft II, comparing it to C and C 4 is like comparing laser surgical equipment to a hammer and chisel.
----reviewed by john f.s.
Ed - Thank-you John for this incredibly useful review. We really appreciate the time you took. I hope the vendors of the game read it...webgurl
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Books - The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
I think this book was pretty amazing. I mean, yes, it did get annoying when I didnt know whether what the book was talking about was past or present- but then I re-read it and it made a bit more sense.
The story is about a girl named Isabella (a.k.a: Belly) and how she spends her summer in a holiday house with some friends every year. So her mums friend owns this holiday house, and she has 2 sons. Jeremiah and Conrad. Jeremiah is a complete jester- always laughing, joking, goofing around. Conrad on the other hand- he's the more silent type.
So, Belly's had a crush on Conrad like, forever, but none of the boys notice her. That is, until this summer. :)
I'm not gonna say any more. You have to read the book to know what I'm talking about. As a bookworm, I HIGHLY recommend it.
Happy reading! :D
----reviewed by Simran
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