Book Review: The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman

Author: Matt Dinniman

Title: The Gate of the Feral Gods

Series: Dungeon Crawler Carl #4

Genre: Fantasy, SciFi, Dystopia, Comedy

Format: ebook

Pages: 592

Published: June 14, 2021

Where I got It: Kindle Unlimited

Summary: 

New Achievement! Total, Utter Failure.

You failed a quest less than five minutes after you received it. Now that’s talent.

A floating fortress occupied by warrior gnomes. A castle made of sand. A derelict submarine guarded by malfunctioning machines. A haunted crypt surrounded by lethal traps.

It was supposed to be easy. One bubble. Four castles. Fifteen days. Capture each one, and the stairwell is unlocked.

Here's the thing. It's never easy. Carl and his team can't go it alone. Not this time. They must rely on the help of the low-level, I-can't-believe-these-idiots-are-still-alive crawlers trapped in the bubble with them. But can they be trusted?

Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the fifth floor of the dungeon.

Review:

I'm loving this series soooo much. I hate the world and would never want this to happen, but it's so good to watch Carl and his gang. 

We are back! Carl is on the next floor with his team. They are faced with a floating fortress, a castle made of sand, and a derelict submarine guarded by machines. Oh! And don't forget a haunted crypt. They have 15 days to capture each one, but here is the thing.......they can't do this alone. They'll have to team up with some questionable crawlers. 

This was a chaotic ride, and I loved every second of it! So many different monsters. So many different NPCs. So many new crawlers. And the AI is not amused. Carl is causing some ripples. Carl is INSANE, but like...good insane. 

Love Donut. 

Love Katia. 

The ending made me gasp. 

I need more right MEOW. 

5 stars. 

Movie Review: Pressure (2026)

Title: Pressure

Length: 1h 40 m

Released: 2026

Genre: Drama, Docudrama
Rating: PG-13
Where I Got It: Peacock

SUMMARY:

In the tense 72 hours before D-Day, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Captain James Stagg face an impossible choice--launch the most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.

Trailer

REVIEW:

I had heard that Brendan Fraser was playing good ol' Ike Eisenhower. Love this actor, and I am addicted to WWII. So when this popped up on Peacock, I had to check it out. 

It is 72 hours before D-Day. Captain Stagg and General Eisenhower will face an impossible choice....when to launch the most dangerous seaborne invasion in history.

Being a nerd, I knew why D-Day was delayed, and it is just facts. I never really knew the behind-the-scenes of this decision. I loved that they showed this part of the war. Not all heroes wave a gun around or are the face of an Army. Some heroes are nerds who are meteorologists. 

I'm glad we didn't get stuck on the details of the science. I wouldn't know anything, and I feel like if it was too science-y, you would lose some of the viewers. We want the drama. The decisions. The war. 

I liked the cast overall. They fit, and they all did well. I did have issues with Fraser acting "angry". It just didn't land quite right for me. Maybe it is because he just has such a kind face. LOL. Other than that, I think he did an excellent job as the man who is larger than life. Eisenhower was brilliant, but he knew he didn't know everything. That is why he was such a great leader. Leaders don't know everything. They rely on their team to help. Beautifully done.

Honestly, I would watch this again. This was really good. 

If you like WWII films, you'll like this. This is just another story and another POV that helped with the war efforts. 

I would say 4.5, but I rounded up because I'm a sucker for WWII and Fraser. 5 stars. 

Audiobook Review: Vacation Wars by Meghan Quinn

Author: Meghan Quinn

Narrator: CJ Bloom & Lee Samuels

Title: Vacation Wars

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit

Format: Audiobook 

Published: April 18, 2023

Where I Got It: Audible

Summary: 

Prepared for a good time, Tessa is thrilled to spend the weeks before her sister’s wedding at their family’s favorite vacation spot: Santorini. Sandy beaches, stonewashed houses, attractive men—it’s heaven.

But Tessa’s idea of a girls’ trip comes to a screaming halt when her sister thinks it’s high time Tessa finds some love herself. Unfortunately, Tessa forgot about the deal she made back in high school: she has to find her soulmate before her sister’s wedding. Or else.

As she dodges suitors and her sister’s pranks, Tessa finds an ally in the oh-so-dreamy Myles, her childhood crush who just so happens to work at the resort. But Myles is dealing with some family conflict of his own. He’s elated at being reunited with Tessa, but his father’s refusal to acknowledge his interest in the family business and relegating him to only grunt work casts a dark cloud.

As Tessa and Myles help navigate their way through their families’ antics, they begin to realize that their past feelings may have a future—if only they can turn their island fantasies into something real.

Review:

I picked this up because 1) this sounded really good, 2) it's a fun local, and 3) it fits one of my challenges!

Here we follow Tessa and Myles. The two have been dancing around each other for decades. They never really spoke, but they both had this crush on each other. One day, they finally interact and realize that maybe they are meant to be with each other. However, distance and their families might keep them apart. 

This was very sweet. I enjoyed watching Tessa and Myles find each other. The side plots did muddy things, though. I think we spent too much time dealing with their friends and family. I would've loved seeing them together more. Maybe a few more sneak-away dates.

The ending was great and perfect. I loved seeing everyone growing the F up. Tessa and her friends were sooooo childish, but I'm glad they all realized it (slight spoiler). Even Myles and his father were acting like babies. Yes, yes, we needed them to be babies to have the drama, but sometimes it was so annoying. But YES. Everyone finally got over themselves and grew up. It was a great ending. 

Honestly, I would like a sequel. I feel like Myles' friend deserves his own story. Maybe a short story?

The narrators did a great job. Perfect voices for everyone. 

Overall, I did really like this. Some issues, but it was resolved by the end, so I was happy. I would've liked a little more time focused on our mains, but I loved them as a couple. 

4 stars from me. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #35

- Reading Romance Challenge #19 (Travel/Vacation)

Blodeuedd's Monday: If I Have to Be Haunted by Miranda Sun

Format: 368 pages, Paperback

Published: October 4, 2023 by Magpie Books GB

Ya paranormal/borrowed

I was unsure at first, but it picked up.

Cara can see ghosts but she pretends not too. Her gran was a ghost talker, her mother says she has to be normal. But then she finds her "enemy" dead in the woods, and damn, fine, she will talk to his ghost and try to see what she can do. There is this whole other thing about a snake and maybe that she can save his life. I do wonder though, shouldn´t he be rotting?

Most of the book takes place on this other plane as they are racing against time to find an antidote. Dangers, and perhaps a budding romance ;)

I did enjoy it in the end because it was light and easy

Cara’s just trying to stay on top of all her classes, excel at her extracurriculars, and prepare for college – which means not speaking to the dead, an ability she inherited from her grandmother. Ghosts are trouble, and Cara doesn’t need to add their problems to her own.

But then she stumbles upon the body of Zach – the super popular but very newly dead high school golden boy – in the woods, and guess what? He wants her to resurrect him.

Cue trouble.