Search
Search results
Merissa (11805 KP) rated The Low Road in Books
Jan 23, 2024
THE LOW ROAD is a sombre story that starts in Norfolk and finishes in Australia. Hannah's life as a child is almost idyllic, living on a farm with her mother, together with the farmer and his wife. Unfortunately, it wasn't to last, and the death of the goodwife set in motion a sequence of events that would change Hannah's life forever.
Told from Hannah's perspective, in both present and past tense, you see how 'nicely' poor people were judged, even more so if they were female and the constant threat of unwanted attention. It explained how a child could be found guilty of its mother's 'moral' crimes, which was shocking by itself, but add it together with the rest, and it's one helluva story on every level.
I can't say as I was fully behind the love between Annie and Hannah, although I understand how it would be something to hold on to. It never seemed balanced and real to me, just convenient.
A gripping book to read on hard times in history; absolutely 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 22, 2024
Told from Hannah's perspective, in both present and past tense, you see how 'nicely' poor people were judged, even more so if they were female and the constant threat of unwanted attention. It explained how a child could be found guilty of its mother's 'moral' crimes, which was shocking by itself, but add it together with the rest, and it's one helluva story on every level.
I can't say as I was fully behind the love between Annie and Hannah, although I understand how it would be something to hold on to. It never seemed balanced and real to me, just convenient.
A gripping book to read on hard times in history; absolutely 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 22, 2024
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Steel Justice in Books
May 10, 2018
Michelle is a very adventurous girl. She gets is from her father, Max Steel. When Michelle is invited on the yacht of her father's enemy, Malcolm Microbe, her sense of adventure gets the best of her. She seems something she shouldn't have, and the next thing you know, she and her best friend are missing.
Jasmine Bronson is an investigative reporter in Eden Cove, she fights hard to get the story she wants. Taking on a new job and trying to prove herself, she comes across something that forces her to join up with Max Steel to find Michelle.
Steel Justice was a great book. I will admit that about 1/3 of the way through, I got a little bored and wondered when the adventure was going to come back. At 50% through the end, it was hard to put it down. At the beginning you are introduced to a lot of different characters that make you wonder how all of these people play a part in the disappearance of one girl. So many things going on in this picturesque town in Australia. You're not sure if you want to visit, or steer clear. There are different parts of this story that all come together at the end. You have to stick around for the finale. It's a great story and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Jasmine Bronson is an investigative reporter in Eden Cove, she fights hard to get the story she wants. Taking on a new job and trying to prove herself, she comes across something that forces her to join up with Max Steel to find Michelle.
Steel Justice was a great book. I will admit that about 1/3 of the way through, I got a little bored and wondered when the adventure was going to come back. At 50% through the end, it was hard to put it down. At the beginning you are introduced to a lot of different characters that make you wonder how all of these people play a part in the disappearance of one girl. So many things going on in this picturesque town in Australia. You're not sure if you want to visit, or steer clear. There are different parts of this story that all come together at the end. You have to stick around for the finale. It's a great story and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Between Us by Hayden James in Music
Jun 6, 2019 (Updated Jun 6, 2019)
Hayden James is a producer and Naations is an LA-based Australian duo. Not too long ago, they released a super-hot dance tune, entitled, “Nowhere to Go”.
The retro-filmstrip footage follows the empowering Venice-based all-women skate crew, GRLSWIRL, down the California Coast. Also, it follows them as they go from piling into a ’70s-style camper van to effortlessly skating the back-streets of Venice.
‘Nowhere To Go’ highlights Hayden and Nicky Night Time’s abilities to produce tracks which are club-ready and radio-friendly.
The likable tune contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and lush instrumentation flavored with dance, EDM, and electro-pop elements.
Also, it displays Nat Dunn’s powerful vocal performance and songwriting talents.
Naations are responsible for the huge Ibiza 2017 anthem, entitled, “Real Life”, with Gorgon City & Duke Dumont.
Not too long ago, they released their debut EP, entitled, “Teardrop”. The 6-track project serves as an introduction to the duo’s teardrop and star concept, which represents the light and the dark, which inspired their creative process.
They have performed at notable music venues on both sides of the Atlantic, including New York’s Output as well as Brixton Academy and XOYO in London. Also, they made their CRSSD Festival debut alongside Hayden, before heading back to Australia to support British songstress Anne-Marie on the AU leg of her tour.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/hayden-james-nowhere-to-go-naations/
The retro-filmstrip footage follows the empowering Venice-based all-women skate crew, GRLSWIRL, down the California Coast. Also, it follows them as they go from piling into a ’70s-style camper van to effortlessly skating the back-streets of Venice.
‘Nowhere To Go’ highlights Hayden and Nicky Night Time’s abilities to produce tracks which are club-ready and radio-friendly.
The likable tune contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and lush instrumentation flavored with dance, EDM, and electro-pop elements.
Also, it displays Nat Dunn’s powerful vocal performance and songwriting talents.
Naations are responsible for the huge Ibiza 2017 anthem, entitled, “Real Life”, with Gorgon City & Duke Dumont.
Not too long ago, they released their debut EP, entitled, “Teardrop”. The 6-track project serves as an introduction to the duo’s teardrop and star concept, which represents the light and the dark, which inspired their creative process.
They have performed at notable music venues on both sides of the Atlantic, including New York’s Output as well as Brixton Academy and XOYO in London. Also, they made their CRSSD Festival debut alongside Hayden, before heading back to Australia to support British songstress Anne-Marie on the AU leg of her tour.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/hayden-james-nowhere-to-go-naations/
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Cargo (2017) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020 (Updated Oct 26, 2020)
Emotional Story About Father's Devotion To His Child During The Zombie Apocalypse
Contains spoilers, click to show
I like this movie. I mean an emotional journey of a father trying to find a safe place and people to take care of his baby daughter before he turns into a zombie is a great premise. Martin Freeman also puts on quite a good performance as he portrays the character Andy on this journey. The backdrop of Australia was beautiful as the setting in this movie too. This film has a well written plot and tense atmosphere but for me personally didn't quite reach fare enough into the horror genre to scare you and not enough zombie action. What it did have was added tension from the characters of other survivors and not knowing how they would deal with Andy being infected. I really liked some of the small details like how the little girl Thoomi made modifications to her shoes so her mother couldn't find her tracks or how she painted her face with stuff to hide her smell from the zombies. I even liked the villain's motivations and reasoning because they seemed realistic and very believable. Still it has me on the fence a bit because it feels like it was missing something when being considered a zombie movie. I wanted to rate it higher but personally feel like it deserves the score of 7/10.
Justin Young recommended track I Couldn't Say It to Your Face by Arthur Russell in Love Is Overtaking Me by Arthur Russell in Music (curated)
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Tic-Tac-Mistletoe (Hartbridge Christmas #1) in Books
Nov 24, 2021
TIC-TAC-MISTLETOE is the first book in the Hartbridge Christmas series and, honestly, this belongs on the Hallmark Channel. The book itself says so too!
Hamish is travelling from Australia to his sister's for Christmas - and the next two years. However, nothing has gone right for him, and he ends up going headfirst into a snowbank. Luckily for him, he is rescued by the local hardware shop owner, Ren. They click instantly but spend time trying to understand just what is going on, and how it will work when Ren is going to Mossley to be with his sister.
This is a low-angst full-of-Christmas-spirit book that will definitely give you the warm fuzzies! I loved Ren and Hamish together, together with Chutney the dog. I loved the TV references and how Ren and Hamish made it 'their thing'. We hear the back story of both of them, without it being an info dump.
Honestly? I have nothing bad to say. I would LOVE for Hallmark to grab this up and make a dream come true! A warm, fuzzy, cookies in the kitchen, sweet Christmas story that I adored. Absolutely 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!
Hamish is travelling from Australia to his sister's for Christmas - and the next two years. However, nothing has gone right for him, and he ends up going headfirst into a snowbank. Luckily for him, he is rescued by the local hardware shop owner, Ren. They click instantly but spend time trying to understand just what is going on, and how it will work when Ren is going to Mossley to be with his sister.
This is a low-angst full-of-Christmas-spirit book that will definitely give you the warm fuzzies! I loved Ren and Hamish together, together with Chutney the dog. I loved the TV references and how Ren and Hamish made it 'their thing'. We hear the back story of both of them, without it being an info dump.
Honestly? I have nothing bad to say. I would LOVE for Hallmark to grab this up and make a dream come true! A warm, fuzzy, cookies in the kitchen, sweet Christmas story that I adored. Absolutely 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!
Darren (1599 KP) rated Black Water (2008) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Black Water starts when Grace (Glenn) her husband Adam (Rodoreda) and her younger sister Lee (Dermody) are off on an adventure across Northern Australia, visiting a crocodile farm before heading out into the black water for a fishing day with guide Jim (Oxenbould).
When their small boat is capsized by a crocodile the family find themselves hiding in the trees waiting to see if the crocodile has gone before making their decision on how to escape.
Thoughts on Black Water
Characters – Grace is the married pregnant old sister, she is using the trip to make the announcement to her husband, once the attack happens she wants to protect her younger sister, while trying to think of a logical way out of the situation. Lee is the younger sister that is on the trip for her first adventure, she doesn’t have anything about her to make her feel unique other than that she seems to sleep a lot. Adam is the husband that suggest the trip, once trapped he wants to use the quick option to safety which might be the more dangerous one.
Performances – When we look at the performances we must start with the negatives, it doesn’t help that the characters are written very weakly, which gives the three main stars very little to work with, must of what they need to do is sit in a tree have the same conversation.
Story – The story here is simple, we follow three people that get trapped by a crocodile in the middle is the North Australian waters, they must figure out how to survive and this is sold on based on a true story. there are plenty of things which don’t help the story here, first we don’t get a chance to get to know the characters well enough, they are mostly just generic because we don’t know enough to care about them. We get the same conversation about what is the best idea for seemingly ages without any action being followed. We do get to follow the normal animal attack story which mostly revolves around screaming over anything else.
Action/Horror – The action isn’t shot with the best style, we know what is happening, its just most of the action is off camera which makes it hard to believe the crocodile attacks.
Settings – The film puts us in the middle of the black water in North Australia which is does put our characters in a place where rescue isn’t an option and escaping isn’t one either.
Special Effects – The effects for the after attacks look like good strong practical effects, when we start seeing the attack in progress we lose something about what we are seeing.
Scene of the Movie – The feeding night.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We see to have the same conversation 4 or 5 times.
Final Thoughts – This is a simple animal attack movie that lacks that extra quality to make us truly disturbed by what we are seeing, we have dull characters and poorly shot action.
Overall: Simple animal attack film.
When their small boat is capsized by a crocodile the family find themselves hiding in the trees waiting to see if the crocodile has gone before making their decision on how to escape.
Thoughts on Black Water
Characters – Grace is the married pregnant old sister, she is using the trip to make the announcement to her husband, once the attack happens she wants to protect her younger sister, while trying to think of a logical way out of the situation. Lee is the younger sister that is on the trip for her first adventure, she doesn’t have anything about her to make her feel unique other than that she seems to sleep a lot. Adam is the husband that suggest the trip, once trapped he wants to use the quick option to safety which might be the more dangerous one.
Performances – When we look at the performances we must start with the negatives, it doesn’t help that the characters are written very weakly, which gives the three main stars very little to work with, must of what they need to do is sit in a tree have the same conversation.
Story – The story here is simple, we follow three people that get trapped by a crocodile in the middle is the North Australian waters, they must figure out how to survive and this is sold on based on a true story. there are plenty of things which don’t help the story here, first we don’t get a chance to get to know the characters well enough, they are mostly just generic because we don’t know enough to care about them. We get the same conversation about what is the best idea for seemingly ages without any action being followed. We do get to follow the normal animal attack story which mostly revolves around screaming over anything else.
Action/Horror – The action isn’t shot with the best style, we know what is happening, its just most of the action is off camera which makes it hard to believe the crocodile attacks.
Settings – The film puts us in the middle of the black water in North Australia which is does put our characters in a place where rescue isn’t an option and escaping isn’t one either.
Special Effects – The effects for the after attacks look like good strong practical effects, when we start seeing the attack in progress we lose something about what we are seeing.
Scene of the Movie – The feeding night.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We see to have the same conversation 4 or 5 times.
Final Thoughts – This is a simple animal attack movie that lacks that extra quality to make us truly disturbed by what we are seeing, we have dull characters and poorly shot action.
Overall: Simple animal attack film.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Sisterhood Everlasting (Sisterhood, #5) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I won this book from First Reads, failing to realize that it was another book in the series of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I have not read any of the books in this series nor have a I seen the movies so I was worried that I would be totally lost. I was undeterred however & plunged in with fingers crossed.
I have to say it didn't really matter that I knew nothing about the series prior to this book. It was able to stand on its own. There was back story, but not knowing it didn't seem to effect my enjoyment of this book. It was a bit difficult to get into at first, but once I was in, I was in & invested in Lena, Carmen, TIbby, & Bee.
The book seems to be a final installment in the series. It opens with the 4 friends hardly speaking to each other as life has gotten in the way. 3 of them recieve letters from Tibby who is currently living in Australia. They contain requests to meet her in Greece & also the plane tickets to allow them to do so. The 3 head off, meet up in JFK airport, & fly off to Greece to get there. They mysetery begins when they arrive & Tibby is not there waiting for them as she said she would be.
This is a sad read, but it is also very real. The characters jump off the page & the writing plunges you deep into their lives. I love that in a book.
I have to say it didn't really matter that I knew nothing about the series prior to this book. It was able to stand on its own. There was back story, but not knowing it didn't seem to effect my enjoyment of this book. It was a bit difficult to get into at first, but once I was in, I was in & invested in Lena, Carmen, TIbby, & Bee.
The book seems to be a final installment in the series. It opens with the 4 friends hardly speaking to each other as life has gotten in the way. 3 of them recieve letters from Tibby who is currently living in Australia. They contain requests to meet her in Greece & also the plane tickets to allow them to do so. The 3 head off, meet up in JFK airport, & fly off to Greece to get there. They mysetery begins when they arrive & Tibby is not there waiting for them as she said she would be.
This is a sad read, but it is also very real. The characters jump off the page & the writing plunges you deep into their lives. I love that in a book.
Brown_Flopsy (3 KP) rated The Dry in Books
Feb 4, 2018
Excellent debut novel!
What a great book!
Set in Australia, police investigator Aaron Falk is called back to his rural childhood home to attend the funerals of his old friend Luke and his family.
However, Kiewarra is experiencing a crushing drought, which is killing the town; it looks like Luke killed himself and his family; and Aaron and his father were run out of town 20 years ago in connection with the death of Aaron and Luke's friend Ellie. Tempers and temeratures are boiling and Aaron is not welcomed by many who remember the past, especially when Luke's parents ask him to look into the circumstances around his death and that of his wife and child. Did Luke really kill them and them turn the gun on himself? Did Luke kill Ellie too?
This story is beautifully crafted by Jane Harper. It is a very impressive debut novel - atmospheric and tense, with lots of red herrings along the way. I loved that you were with Falk, and local policeman Raco, through every lead, and I was just as convinced as them that they were on the right track each time....and shared their disappointment and frustration when the leads did not pan out.
I really enjoyed the twist in Ellie's story at the end too - just when you thought you knew what had happened to her.
I think this will be one of my top reads this year! Now on to Harper's new Aaron Falk thriller Force of Nature!
Set in Australia, police investigator Aaron Falk is called back to his rural childhood home to attend the funerals of his old friend Luke and his family.
However, Kiewarra is experiencing a crushing drought, which is killing the town; it looks like Luke killed himself and his family; and Aaron and his father were run out of town 20 years ago in connection with the death of Aaron and Luke's friend Ellie. Tempers and temeratures are boiling and Aaron is not welcomed by many who remember the past, especially when Luke's parents ask him to look into the circumstances around his death and that of his wife and child. Did Luke really kill them and them turn the gun on himself? Did Luke kill Ellie too?
This story is beautifully crafted by Jane Harper. It is a very impressive debut novel - atmospheric and tense, with lots of red herrings along the way. I loved that you were with Falk, and local policeman Raco, through every lead, and I was just as convinced as them that they were on the right track each time....and shared their disappointment and frustration when the leads did not pan out.
I really enjoyed the twist in Ellie's story at the end too - just when you thought you knew what had happened to her.
I think this will be one of my top reads this year! Now on to Harper's new Aaron Falk thriller Force of Nature!
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Pulled Up - Single by LOLO BX in Music
Jun 18, 2019
LOLO BX (Brett Foran) is a bass producer and graphic artist from Bathurst, Australia. Not too long ago, he released an 8-bit animation video for his “Pulled Up” single featuring Brooklyn-based rapper Yuneer Gainz.
“Gucci bandana like I’m 2 Chainz. Flexing and finessing I got two ways. Recording or touring I got two ways for the bands to keep on coming. That’s why today I just pulled up in that Bentley Bentayga.” – lyrics
The 8-bit music video finds an animated LOLO BX and Yuneer Gainz on an adventure inside a video game. Also, they cruise inside their brand-new Bentley down graffiti-plagued blocks.
The audiovisual showcases LOLO’s artistic vision and skill as a graphic artist. His creative flair extends beyond the music world as he creates an immersive experience for the audience across different platforms.
‘Pulled Up’ contains a prosperous narrative, harmonious rap vocals, and bass-heavy instrumentation flavored with electronic, trap, and hip-hop elements.
LOLO BX grew up on hip-hop, punk, and metal. He breathes music and has spent a good portion of his life creating it in one form or another.
With online plays in the hundreds of thousands, he continues to make waves both locally and internationally with his enriched cocktail blend of melodic bass music.
Also, he has taken on remix duties for label powerhouses such as Mad Decent, Ministry of Sound, and the prestigious Aussie crew Sweat It Out.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/lolo-bx-pulled-up-yuneer-gainz/
“Gucci bandana like I’m 2 Chainz. Flexing and finessing I got two ways. Recording or touring I got two ways for the bands to keep on coming. That’s why today I just pulled up in that Bentley Bentayga.” – lyrics
The 8-bit music video finds an animated LOLO BX and Yuneer Gainz on an adventure inside a video game. Also, they cruise inside their brand-new Bentley down graffiti-plagued blocks.
The audiovisual showcases LOLO’s artistic vision and skill as a graphic artist. His creative flair extends beyond the music world as he creates an immersive experience for the audience across different platforms.
‘Pulled Up’ contains a prosperous narrative, harmonious rap vocals, and bass-heavy instrumentation flavored with electronic, trap, and hip-hop elements.
LOLO BX grew up on hip-hop, punk, and metal. He breathes music and has spent a good portion of his life creating it in one form or another.
With online plays in the hundreds of thousands, he continues to make waves both locally and internationally with his enriched cocktail blend of melodic bass music.
Also, he has taken on remix duties for label powerhouses such as Mad Decent, Ministry of Sound, and the prestigious Aussie crew Sweat It Out.
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/lolo-bx-pulled-up-yuneer-gainz/