Sign up
Search
Advanced search settings

Search only in certain items:

Search results
All (4585)
Content
People
Apps
Books
Orbs
Movies
Music
Podcasts
Shows
Tabletop Games
Tech
TV
Video Games
YouTube Channels
Videos
40x40

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2615 KP) rated Uncorking a Lie (A Sommelier Mystery #2) in Books

Mar 9, 2018  
UA
Uncorking a Lie (A Sommelier Mystery #2)
Nadine Nettmann | 2017
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Katie Stillwell is thrilled to be asked to join a dinner party where wine collector Paul Rafferty is planning to share a rare bottle he’s recently purchased with his friends. However, Katie doesn’t think the bottle looks or tastes like an old bottle of wine should. Before the evening is over, someone is dead. When Paul asks Katie to look into what happened, she finds people covering up secrets. Can she find the truth?

Despite growing up in this book’s setting of Sonoma County, California, I’m not a wine guy. That wasn’t a factor for me at all in following this plot based very heavily on wines. Everything I needed to know was expertly explained. The plot was fast with lots of twists and clues to keep me engaged. The book also has strong characters, both returning and new.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/05/book-review-uncorking-lie-by-nadine.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
40x40

ClareR (6256 KP) rated Keep Clear: My Adventures With Aspergers in Books

Oct 29, 2019  
Keep Clear: My Adventures With Aspergers
Keep Clear: My Adventures With Aspergers
Tom Cutler | 2019 | Biography, Education
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
An honest account of Aspergers.
Keep Clear was such an interesting, informative and frank book. It gives a look into the life of Tom Cutler as he receives his Aspergers diagnosis. Immediately, he realises why he has always struggled in social situations and why people consider him to be rude and inappropriate. He then goes on to tell the story of his life and how Aspergers influenced it.

I really enjoyed this book as it gave me a lot to think about. It wasn’t all scientific based information - although that was there too. The anecdotes were sad at times, particularly his loneliness and depression when he started at university, but there was also great humour and the ability to laugh at himself.

Actually, I think there are a lot of people out there who could do with reading this. It explains so well that ‘high functioning’ doesn’t mean ‘easily able to cope’, that those with Aspergers need as much consideration as anyone else on the autism spectrum.

I will definitely be using what I’ve learnt in this book at work, as well as in everyday life. Thanks to the Pigeonhole for introducing me to such a great book, and to Tom for reading along with us and answering questions.
  
40x40

David McK (3854 KP) rated Death on the Nile (2022) in Movies

Apr 10, 2022  
Death on the Nile (2022)
Death on the Nile (2022)
2022 | Mystery
6
6.2 (16 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
The second of Kenneth Branagh's outing as Agatha Christie's sleuth Poirot, apparently much delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and set after The Murder on the Orient Express.

I've never seen that movie.

I have read the book on which it (Murder on Orient Express) is based, though.

As I'm not that big a fan of murder mysteries, I hadn't, however, read the story on which this is based.

Why does that matter?

Simply because it meant I was going into this with no preconceptions; no real idea of what would happen (other than there would be a murder which Poirot has to solve)!

I'm not sure whether the rest of Agatha Christie's Poirot novels are all like this or not - I've only read Murder on Orient Express and Murder of Roger Ackroyd, but I did find heavy similarities between the plots, with both Orient Express and is film largely taking place in a confined location, where there is a limited pool of suspects and where Poirot has to sit down and methodically think his way through.

This movie takes a while to get going, with the first hour or so in particular - I found - dragging quite a bit. I've also heard that there was extensive use of Green screen throughout, which might also explain why some of the Nile scenes just didn't sit quite right.

On the other hand, there is a veritable list of who's who acting talent on the screen: aside from Branagh himself, we have Gal Gadot (as the key victim), Emma Mackey, Arnie Hammer, Russel Brand (surprisingly understated), Annette Benning, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders (yes, that French and Saunders!), Letitia Wright and Sophie Okonedo - nearly all of whom would have their own motives for the murder.