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Mother-Daughter Murder Night
5.0
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Book
High-powered businesswoman Lana Rubicon has a lot to be proud of: her keen intelligence, impeccable...
Lake of the Spirit Bear
Book
Does your child have a hunger for knowledge and facts which you want to feed while at the same time...
children's book children bookbuzz
The Invisible Sword of Flames: Dragon of Darkness
Book
The faith of the people is fading. The Followers, who pledged an undying confidence in the Forever...
young adult fantasy ya fantasy
The Legend of Misty Mountains
Book
Misty Mountains is a magical abode nestled among the clouds and inhabited by The Strange People. It...
fantasy young adult
Bandy
Book
Isaac’s only friend is a passenger pigeon named Bandy. He deludes himself in believing the bird...
Young Adult Adventure Historical Fiction
ClareR (5784 KP) rated Black Thorn in Books
May 22, 2024
I found Black Thorn on my kindle, downloaded last year from NetGalley and forgotten (I’m sorry). So in recompense and quite a lot of guilt, I bought the audiobook. I’m very glad I did. Imogen Church does a great job of reading this rather disturbing story from Agnes Gale’s point of view. She’s the adult daughter of one of the men responsible for the building and sale of the houses in an exclusive development on the Cornish cliffs.
Just weeks after moving in, six people, including children, are dead. All the remaining inhabitants are told to leave their homes as they’re deemed unsafe, and the whole development is cordoned off. Agnes is sure there’s more to it, so she decides to investigate.
There’s a really unnerving atmosphere to this story, probably made more so coming from Agnes’ point of view. She’s autistic, and even though she’s adamant that something isn’t right, she’s largely ignored because of her autism. The insights into Agnes’ personality and her inner thoughts were sensitively handled and realistic, I thought.
All of the characters were really well developed: Errol, Agnes’ friend; Christie her brother; and Trevor her fathers business partner, especially.
This was a thoroughly good listen, and I’m so glad that I (eventually) found it!
Just weeks after moving in, six people, including children, are dead. All the remaining inhabitants are told to leave their homes as they’re deemed unsafe, and the whole development is cordoned off. Agnes is sure there’s more to it, so she decides to investigate.
There’s a really unnerving atmosphere to this story, probably made more so coming from Agnes’ point of view. She’s autistic, and even though she’s adamant that something isn’t right, she’s largely ignored because of her autism. The insights into Agnes’ personality and her inner thoughts were sensitively handled and realistic, I thought.
All of the characters were really well developed: Errol, Agnes’ friend; Christie her brother; and Trevor her fathers business partner, especially.
This was a thoroughly good listen, and I’m so glad that I (eventually) found it!
Red Kingdom (Fairy Tale Retellings #2)
Book
Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist. Princess Blanchette’s world...
Historical Fantasy Romance Fairytale Retelling Medieval
The Tryst List (Spicy Standalone #3)
6.0
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When a man, haunted by secrets, reunites with the only woman who's ever ignited his soul, he'll do...
Adult Contemporary Romance
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Last Time I Lied in Books
Aug 19, 2018
Pacing is a bit slow (1 more)
Characters act a lot younger than their age
An Alright Read
I was so excited to read The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager. It had such an interesting synopsis, definitely one that piqued my interest. While this book didn't meet my expectations of it, it was still a fairly good read.
The pacing starts off painfully slow in The Last Time I Lied. I had to force myself to keep reading. I was so bored. Luckily, the pacing picks up around chapter 12 or thereabouts. Each chapter is more fast paced than the previous one.
The plot was definitely interesting even if it does take awhile to really get going. I found myself sucked into the mystery of what happened to Vivian, Allison, and Natalie. I couldn't get enough of the story. The Last Time I Lied had quite a few plot twists that I didn't see coming! Every time I thought I had figured out who the guilty party was, I was proved wrong. Saying all that, I definitely felt like some of my questions weren't answered especially one at the end involving Emma. I don't want to say what it is because it would give away a spoiler. I also don't understand why a certain area wasn't searched and why a certain character didn't retrace their steps when the girls went missing. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away any spoilers. Also, the ending felt a little rushed to me, and I didn't like how the author uses "you" to describe what is actually happening to Emma. He does this in two chapters only, thankfully.
The world building was done almost perfectly. I did feel like I was in camp with Emma. I felt like I was experiencing everything Emma did. Riley Sager, the author, did a fantastic job of setting up everything with his wonderful descriptions and what not. The only problem is that the dialogue makes this book sounds more like a young adult novel rather than an adult novel. During my whole time reading The Last Time I Lied, it was hard to picture all the adult characters as adults. The way they spoke and acted reminded me of the way a bunch of teenagers would act. One other thing that took away from the world building being perfect was that I had a hard time believing the main culprit could have gotten away with the crime for so long without being discovered. Again, I can't say too much because of spoilers.
I enjoyed the characters in The Last Time I Lied. I empathized with Emma. I admired her bravery, and I could definitely relate to her sense of wanting to fit in especially with the older girls. However, even though Emma was supposed to be 28 in the book, she came across as sounding like she was about 16. The rest of the grown up characters, with the exception of Franny and Ben, also reminded me of a bunch of 16 year olds. Saying that, I did enjoy all the characters, and while they did sound younger than their actual age, I thought they were fleshed out well enough. Two of my other favorite characters were Vivian and Miranda. There was just something about them that I enjoyed reading about. One character I thought was pointless was Mindy. She's not important to the story, and I just felt like the book could have done without her.
There are scenes of violence, swearing, a sex scene (although not graphic), alcohol use (of age and underage), smoking, and mental illness is mentioned a few times.
Overall, The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager is a good read. The plot is interesting enough, and the characters are fun. However, there were a few things that kept this from being a great read such as the characters not acting like their age and some unanswered questions. The ending also lets the book down a little. However, I would recommend The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager to others.
The pacing starts off painfully slow in The Last Time I Lied. I had to force myself to keep reading. I was so bored. Luckily, the pacing picks up around chapter 12 or thereabouts. Each chapter is more fast paced than the previous one.
The plot was definitely interesting even if it does take awhile to really get going. I found myself sucked into the mystery of what happened to Vivian, Allison, and Natalie. I couldn't get enough of the story. The Last Time I Lied had quite a few plot twists that I didn't see coming! Every time I thought I had figured out who the guilty party was, I was proved wrong. Saying all that, I definitely felt like some of my questions weren't answered especially one at the end involving Emma. I don't want to say what it is because it would give away a spoiler. I also don't understand why a certain area wasn't searched and why a certain character didn't retrace their steps when the girls went missing. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away any spoilers. Also, the ending felt a little rushed to me, and I didn't like how the author uses "you" to describe what is actually happening to Emma. He does this in two chapters only, thankfully.
The world building was done almost perfectly. I did feel like I was in camp with Emma. I felt like I was experiencing everything Emma did. Riley Sager, the author, did a fantastic job of setting up everything with his wonderful descriptions and what not. The only problem is that the dialogue makes this book sounds more like a young adult novel rather than an adult novel. During my whole time reading The Last Time I Lied, it was hard to picture all the adult characters as adults. The way they spoke and acted reminded me of the way a bunch of teenagers would act. One other thing that took away from the world building being perfect was that I had a hard time believing the main culprit could have gotten away with the crime for so long without being discovered. Again, I can't say too much because of spoilers.
I enjoyed the characters in The Last Time I Lied. I empathized with Emma. I admired her bravery, and I could definitely relate to her sense of wanting to fit in especially with the older girls. However, even though Emma was supposed to be 28 in the book, she came across as sounding like she was about 16. The rest of the grown up characters, with the exception of Franny and Ben, also reminded me of a bunch of 16 year olds. Saying that, I did enjoy all the characters, and while they did sound younger than their actual age, I thought they were fleshed out well enough. Two of my other favorite characters were Vivian and Miranda. There was just something about them that I enjoyed reading about. One character I thought was pointless was Mindy. She's not important to the story, and I just felt like the book could have done without her.
There are scenes of violence, swearing, a sex scene (although not graphic), alcohol use (of age and underage), smoking, and mental illness is mentioned a few times.
Overall, The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager is a good read. The plot is interesting enough, and the characters are fun. However, there were a few things that kept this from being a great read such as the characters not acting like their age and some unanswered questions. The ending also lets the book down a little. However, I would recommend The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager to others.
Darren (1599 KP) rated 8MM (1999) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: 8MM starts as we meet private investigator Tom Welles (Cage) who is one of the most respected in the business. His latest job finds him working got Daniel Longdale (Heald) attorney to Mrs Christian (Carter) who finds an unusual film in her late husband safe, one that seems like a snuff film. Tom is hired to investigate whether it is a real tape or just clever piece of art.
Tom’s investigation which he disguises as a missing persons case leads him to Mary Ann Mathews (Powell) who has been missing for years. Learning about her disappearance Tom finds himself delving into the pornographic underworld of Hollywood. Tom recruits Max California (Phoenix) an employee from an adult store to take him into the underworld.
The deeper Tom gets into the world the more leads that get opened for him to investigate as he starts with producer Eddie Poole (Gandolfini) before finding himself in deeper than he could ever have imagined.
8MM takes us into a world we haven’t entered before as we watch how the underworld of porn has turned into the world of snuff. While the investigation is twisted filled and very much what you would expect it to be, it is the idea of the sexual drive from the villains that adds a disturbing factor to it all. We see this with how Tom reacts to everything in the film. I will say this contains a lot of disturbing material that can’t be easily watched but this does help show how far the world can go into darkness.
Actor Review
Nicolas Cage: Tom Welles is a well-respected private investigator, his latest job brings him into the seedy underworld of the pornographic as he looks for a missing person that could have been a victim of a snuff film. He must use all his skills to get into the world where he learns the shocking truth. Nicolas is good in this role where we get to see him in a dark situation compared to action star he has become.tom
Joaquin Phoenix: Max California works in an adult story, he has connections to the pornographic underworld as he teams up with Tom to uncover the truth about the snuff world. Joaquin is good in this role showing he is willing to take on the stranger roles.mike
James Gandolfini: Eddie Poole is an adult film producer that Tom starts investigating, he is as seedy as them come but does know something about the missing girl. James is good in the supporting role but we just don’t see enough of his character.
Peter Stormare: Dino Velvet is the pornographic producer that deals with all over the extreme porn, he is above Eddie in the chain that could well be the man behind the film Tom is investigating. Peter is solid in this role you could easily see him in but we don’t see enough of him.
Support Cast: 8MM has a supporting cast that all help the final outcome of the film, we have people who have been effected in their own way.
Director Review: Joel Schumacher – Joel gives us an intense mystery thriller that pushes the boundaries of right and wrong.
Crime: 8MM takes us into the underworld of the porn industry where the snuff movies do get made by the people involved.
Mystery: 8MM does keep us wondering what is happening and who will be involved.
Thriller: 8MM manages to keep us on the edge throughout the film.
Settings: 8MM takes us to all the underworld areas to show how the perverts of the world can find what they want.
Special Effects: 8MM has good effects to show the kills being involved.
Suggestion: 8MM is one to try, I do think it will be difficult to watch for certain people. (Try It)
Best Part: Eddie has to pay.
Worst Part: Hard to watch.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: Sadly, Yes
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $40 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours 3 Minutes
Tagline: You are never prepared for the truth
Trivia: The enema porno film seen at the porn swap meet is a genuine S&M film that was heavily edited for inclusion in the main movie.
Overall: Difficult to watch but good watch throughout.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/06/11/franchise-weekend-8mm-1999/
Tom’s investigation which he disguises as a missing persons case leads him to Mary Ann Mathews (Powell) who has been missing for years. Learning about her disappearance Tom finds himself delving into the pornographic underworld of Hollywood. Tom recruits Max California (Phoenix) an employee from an adult store to take him into the underworld.
The deeper Tom gets into the world the more leads that get opened for him to investigate as he starts with producer Eddie Poole (Gandolfini) before finding himself in deeper than he could ever have imagined.
8MM takes us into a world we haven’t entered before as we watch how the underworld of porn has turned into the world of snuff. While the investigation is twisted filled and very much what you would expect it to be, it is the idea of the sexual drive from the villains that adds a disturbing factor to it all. We see this with how Tom reacts to everything in the film. I will say this contains a lot of disturbing material that can’t be easily watched but this does help show how far the world can go into darkness.
Actor Review
Nicolas Cage: Tom Welles is a well-respected private investigator, his latest job brings him into the seedy underworld of the pornographic as he looks for a missing person that could have been a victim of a snuff film. He must use all his skills to get into the world where he learns the shocking truth. Nicolas is good in this role where we get to see him in a dark situation compared to action star he has become.tom
Joaquin Phoenix: Max California works in an adult story, he has connections to the pornographic underworld as he teams up with Tom to uncover the truth about the snuff world. Joaquin is good in this role showing he is willing to take on the stranger roles.mike
James Gandolfini: Eddie Poole is an adult film producer that Tom starts investigating, he is as seedy as them come but does know something about the missing girl. James is good in the supporting role but we just don’t see enough of his character.
Peter Stormare: Dino Velvet is the pornographic producer that deals with all over the extreme porn, he is above Eddie in the chain that could well be the man behind the film Tom is investigating. Peter is solid in this role you could easily see him in but we don’t see enough of him.
Support Cast: 8MM has a supporting cast that all help the final outcome of the film, we have people who have been effected in their own way.
Director Review: Joel Schumacher – Joel gives us an intense mystery thriller that pushes the boundaries of right and wrong.
Crime: 8MM takes us into the underworld of the porn industry where the snuff movies do get made by the people involved.
Mystery: 8MM does keep us wondering what is happening and who will be involved.
Thriller: 8MM manages to keep us on the edge throughout the film.
Settings: 8MM takes us to all the underworld areas to show how the perverts of the world can find what they want.
Special Effects: 8MM has good effects to show the kills being involved.
Suggestion: 8MM is one to try, I do think it will be difficult to watch for certain people. (Try It)
Best Part: Eddie has to pay.
Worst Part: Hard to watch.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: Sadly, Yes
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $40 Million
Runtime: 2 Hours 3 Minutes
Tagline: You are never prepared for the truth
Trivia: The enema porno film seen at the porn swap meet is a genuine S&M film that was heavily edited for inclusion in the main movie.
Overall: Difficult to watch but good watch throughout.
https://moviesreview101.com/2016/06/11/franchise-weekend-8mm-1999/