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Awix (3310 KP) rated Just Mercy (2019) in Movies
Jan 21, 2020
Fact-based courtroom drama. Idealistic young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan), fresh out of Harvard, heads down to Alabama and sets up an agency to provide legal support to people with no other recourse. He comes across the case of convicted murderer Walter McMillian (Foxx), which strikes him as deeply compromised. But can he overcome a prejudiced system and win his client justice?
I was all set to be very glib and cynical about what looks like - from the trailer at least - another box-ticking exercise in liberal angst about the Plight of Black America, calculated to have a presence during awards season. Well, to some extent this is that kind of a movie, but it is also a genuinely involving, powerful and moving drama - it's the kind of film that gets past your defences and forces you to care, thanks to basic film-making virtues, a compelling story, and strong performances. Anyone doubting that Michael B Jordan is now a significant leading man should check out his performance here: he brings strength, dignity, and nobility, as you would expect, but there is also a willingness to show naivety and vulnerability. Obviously this is part of a tradition of films about racism in America that includes To Kill a Mockingbird and In the Heat of the Night, but by focusing mainly on the legal plotline and saving its political points until near the end, it makes them all the more impactful when they land. Jordan gets stuck with a bit too much speechifying as the film goes on, and a couple of the supporting performances are arguably overcooked, but otherwise this is an extremely accomplished film.
I was all set to be very glib and cynical about what looks like - from the trailer at least - another box-ticking exercise in liberal angst about the Plight of Black America, calculated to have a presence during awards season. Well, to some extent this is that kind of a movie, but it is also a genuinely involving, powerful and moving drama - it's the kind of film that gets past your defences and forces you to care, thanks to basic film-making virtues, a compelling story, and strong performances. Anyone doubting that Michael B Jordan is now a significant leading man should check out his performance here: he brings strength, dignity, and nobility, as you would expect, but there is also a willingness to show naivety and vulnerability. Obviously this is part of a tradition of films about racism in America that includes To Kill a Mockingbird and In the Heat of the Night, but by focusing mainly on the legal plotline and saving its political points until near the end, it makes them all the more impactful when they land. Jordan gets stuck with a bit too much speechifying as the film goes on, and a couple of the supporting performances are arguably overcooked, but otherwise this is an extremely accomplished film.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Show Me the Way (Fight for Me, #1) in Books
Jan 9, 2020
This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited Library.
This one starts with Rynna leaving her small town after yet another run in with her bullies, breaking her Grammy's heart as she flees. Fast forward quite a few years and Rynna is coming back to run the diner her Grammy used to own after her passing away. She's wary of people recognising her and dreads running into her bullies but makes new friends within her first days and meets her neighbours, single dad, Rex, and his young daughter Frankie Leigh. Rex has closed himself off from pretty much everyone and, intrigued by the contradictory man, Rynna can't help wanting to get to know him.
This was sweet. Both damaged in one way or another, wanting to overcome it when they meet that special someone and in this case it's each other. My only issue is I want angst in my stories lately. I want them to scream and fight and make up with each other. That didn't quite happen but somewhere around the 65% mark, someone made an appearance that sent everything up in the air and I was dragged into the story fully for the first time. It got a little intriguing with me wondering how it would all play out.
One thing I did really like about this book was Frankie Leigh. I have a huge weakness for adorable babies/children in my romances and Frankie Leigh may just have won the award for cuteness. She's so full of cute energy with her enthusiasm and crazy fashion sense. Adorable!
I wouldn't mind going back to Gingham Lakes to read Rex's friends stories.
This one starts with Rynna leaving her small town after yet another run in with her bullies, breaking her Grammy's heart as she flees. Fast forward quite a few years and Rynna is coming back to run the diner her Grammy used to own after her passing away. She's wary of people recognising her and dreads running into her bullies but makes new friends within her first days and meets her neighbours, single dad, Rex, and his young daughter Frankie Leigh. Rex has closed himself off from pretty much everyone and, intrigued by the contradictory man, Rynna can't help wanting to get to know him.
This was sweet. Both damaged in one way or another, wanting to overcome it when they meet that special someone and in this case it's each other. My only issue is I want angst in my stories lately. I want them to scream and fight and make up with each other. That didn't quite happen but somewhere around the 65% mark, someone made an appearance that sent everything up in the air and I was dragged into the story fully for the first time. It got a little intriguing with me wondering how it would all play out.
One thing I did really like about this book was Frankie Leigh. I have a huge weakness for adorable babies/children in my romances and Frankie Leigh may just have won the award for cuteness. She's so full of cute energy with her enthusiasm and crazy fashion sense. Adorable!
I wouldn't mind going back to Gingham Lakes to read Rex's friends stories.
Waiting for Contact: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Book
Imagine a network of extraterrestrials in radio contact with each other across the universe,...
Debbiereadsbook (1077 KP) rated Reluctant Billionaire (The Billionaire’s Playground #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2021
I'm enjoying this series. I like that the billionaires aren't arrogant or big headed.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
My review will be fairly short, I'm not in a good place right now!
This is book 2 in the Billionaire's Playground but its not necessary to have read book one, Property of a Billionaire. However, THAT book is where we first meet Nanna and you might want to get the full force of her nature :-)
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book, as much as, but not more than, the first book.
It's relatively low on the angst scale, but there is some, it's just not too much, you know? Just enough.
Both Brett and Guy have a say, in the first person.
I loved Nanna's meddling! While it was pure chance Brett and Guy ended up on the same holiday, everything that comes after is pure unadulterated Nanna-meddling and I loved it! She proper puts Brett's dad in his place. I liked how the reason Brett's dad was so . . . negative? maybe not quite the right word, but it fits now . . .towards him wasn't what you are first led to believe.
It's steamy, but again, not too much, and I really rather enjoyed that it was not too much, just like book one.
I'm enjoying this series. I like that the billionaires aren't arrogant or big headed. They are just regular guys with an obscene amount of money, is all! They will show that money off when needed though, but they don't shove it in anyone's face.
Keep them coming, please!
4 delightful stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
My review will be fairly short, I'm not in a good place right now!
This is book 2 in the Billionaire's Playground but its not necessary to have read book one, Property of a Billionaire. However, THAT book is where we first meet Nanna and you might want to get the full force of her nature :-)
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book, as much as, but not more than, the first book.
It's relatively low on the angst scale, but there is some, it's just not too much, you know? Just enough.
Both Brett and Guy have a say, in the first person.
I loved Nanna's meddling! While it was pure chance Brett and Guy ended up on the same holiday, everything that comes after is pure unadulterated Nanna-meddling and I loved it! She proper puts Brett's dad in his place. I liked how the reason Brett's dad was so . . . negative? maybe not quite the right word, but it fits now . . .towards him wasn't what you are first led to believe.
It's steamy, but again, not too much, and I really rather enjoyed that it was not too much, just like book one.
I'm enjoying this series. I like that the billionaires aren't arrogant or big headed. They are just regular guys with an obscene amount of money, is all! They will show that money off when needed though, but they don't shove it in anyone's face.
Keep them coming, please!
4 delightful stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword (2017) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
Pick your poison: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 meets 𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨, 300: 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 meets the 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 movie, or 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘨𝘺𝘱𝘵 meets 𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘰𝘥 (2018) - you decide. Either way they all eventually mesh with 𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢, too. As stupid and trashy as it needs to be, legit some of the dumbest stuff imaginable lmfao. Pure junky spectacle with jaw-dropping visuals and neurotic editing, felt like somebody laced my drink with crack while I was watching it. God-tier Law performance right here, chews the scenery so much that legend has it his jaw dislocated. Unmistakably Ritchie in areas but unfortunately often sacrifices auteur personality for genre convention (take a shot every time you see a side character you'll remember and you'll end up totally sober - and that stupid joke about the roundtable at the end was puh-thetic). To say this frankly disgraceful excuse of a screenplay is the exact same movie as all of these other edgy historical action-remakes for high school boys would be a severe understatement. Glad it didn't turn too much into jokey blockbuster corn or yet another over-emphasized failed origin story (most of this is wisely cut to montages with like nu-gothic heavy breathing scores lol). In short, the type of movie I'm *shocked* wasn't released in 2003/2004. I feel bad for those who love King Arthur and then saw this movie - but Jude Law cuts off a guy's ear then whispers into it and Charlie Hunnam full-on does the 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵: 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯 angst-run through the woods. So of course I, for one, enjoyed the hell out of it.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Catching Him in Books
Sep 3, 2019
So this is my first book by the author although I did buy another of her books a few weeks ago but haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
I did like this. I think I have a thing for Alpha males, and Tyler was definitely that. He was protective and knew what he wanted, and that was Leah. I also seem to have a thing for backwards baseball caps. I just grew to really like Tyler. He seems like the perfect guy and Leah probably couldn't ask for more.
The romance was cute, the whole they were a couple before they actually got together with all the meals and the touching. It was sweet to read how quickly it progressed and how believable it was.
As for the incidents that kept happening after they got together. Well, I figured out who it was after Bruce had his "taken to the compound" part and then I was just more sure after everything else. That characters just seemed like the type.
As I've mentioned previously, I like a bit of angst in my stories and this didn't really have any. I may have been rooting for the couple because of how cute together they were but I didn't get upset on their behalf when things were being set on fire/trashed. I like to get emotionally attached to characters and I will cry when they do, get angry for them/with them. I didn't get that with this.
I will be reading the other book I bought and I'll figure out from there whether this is an author I can really enjoy reading.
I did like this. I think I have a thing for Alpha males, and Tyler was definitely that. He was protective and knew what he wanted, and that was Leah. I also seem to have a thing for backwards baseball caps. I just grew to really like Tyler. He seems like the perfect guy and Leah probably couldn't ask for more.
The romance was cute, the whole they were a couple before they actually got together with all the meals and the touching. It was sweet to read how quickly it progressed and how believable it was.
As for the incidents that kept happening after they got together. Well, I figured out who it was after Bruce had his "taken to the compound" part and then I was just more sure after everything else. That characters just seemed like the type.
As I've mentioned previously, I like a bit of angst in my stories and this didn't really have any. I may have been rooting for the couple because of how cute together they were but I didn't get upset on their behalf when things were being set on fire/trashed. I like to get emotionally attached to characters and I will cry when they do, get angry for them/with them. I didn't get that with this.
I will be reading the other book I bought and I'll figure out from there whether this is an author I can really enjoy reading.
Ensnared by Innocence (Roaring Rogues #1)
8.0
Rate It
Book
Oh, the angst! Changing into a lion isn’t all fur and games. Lord Blakely doesn’t have time...
Historical Paranormal Romance Shifters Regency
Merissa (11661 KP) rated Just One Night in Books
Nov 3, 2022
Absolutely brilliant from start to finish.
JUST ONE NIGHT is a standalone story in the Billionaire & Escort trope. Madden is the billionaire and Asher is the escort. Both of them are confident men, hiding their inner bruised selves from the world. However, both of them also have strong females in their lives. For Mads, it is his older sister; for Asher, his best friend. Both women know exactly what has gone on in the lives of their men and aren't prepared to stand by any longer.
I LOVED THIS STORY! And it's in a genre that usually doesn't do much for me - probably because I'm about as far away from being a billionaire as you can get! There are no unnecessary miscommunications or misunderstandings. Things happen, explanations and reasons given, BOOM, let's sort it out. I can't tell you how refreshing that was. Instead of all that angst, you get two adult men who know what they want, uniting in their feelings for each other, against those who seek to cause damage.
The pacing is smooth, the descriptions vivid, and the characters both lifelike and loveable. The steam is off the charts and I loved how their relationship grew. There is an epilogue that not only gives you everything you want but also left me wanting more from this pair. I did NOT want this book to finish!
Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. Highly recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I LOVED THIS STORY! And it's in a genre that usually doesn't do much for me - probably because I'm about as far away from being a billionaire as you can get! There are no unnecessary miscommunications or misunderstandings. Things happen, explanations and reasons given, BOOM, let's sort it out. I can't tell you how refreshing that was. Instead of all that angst, you get two adult men who know what they want, uniting in their feelings for each other, against those who seek to cause damage.
The pacing is smooth, the descriptions vivid, and the characters both lifelike and loveable. The steam is off the charts and I loved how their relationship grew. There is an epilogue that not only gives you everything you want but also left me wanting more from this pair. I did NOT want this book to finish!
Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. Highly recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
All the Wrong Pages (Collier Creek)
10.0
Rate It
Book
High school rivals turned small town enemies, a meddling family, and two stubborn guys who don’t...
Contemporary MM Romance
Merissa (11661 KP) rated Bad Boys After Dark: Brett (Bad Billionaires After Dark #4) in Books
Nov 21, 2023
Brett is the fourth book in the Bad Boys After Dark series, but you can read it as a standalone (as I did), and you won't get lost. The other brothers play a big part in Brett's story, but not enough that you are lost with who is with whom. Brett and Sophie have known each other for a while, as Sophie works for Brett's brother. Since a wedding they both attended, Brett can't get her out of his mind. He is worried though, as he knows Sophie is not looking for just one night, but a long-term relationship. Due to circumstances in his past, Brett is slightly phobic about commitment but decides he needs to take a chance with Sophie.
This is a sweet and yet hot story, with Brett and Sophie actually getting together quite quickly as their shared attraction is off the charts. There is some angst in the book, but refreshingly enough it is not between Brett and Sophie, but Brett and someone else (who I won't say as I don't want to spoil the book).
There is an excellent array of characters, each with their own individual quirks, and loads of them needing their own stories. This was a well-written contemporary romance, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. A long book with more than enough to sink your teeth into, I definitely recommend this book.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 26, 2018
This is a sweet and yet hot story, with Brett and Sophie actually getting together quite quickly as their shared attraction is off the charts. There is some angst in the book, but refreshingly enough it is not between Brett and Sophie, but Brett and someone else (who I won't say as I don't want to spoil the book).
There is an excellent array of characters, each with their own individual quirks, and loads of them needing their own stories. This was a well-written contemporary romance, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. A long book with more than enough to sink your teeth into, I definitely recommend this book.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 26, 2018