
tonidavis (353 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
Apr 16, 2018

R2260 (0 KP) rated Papillon (1973) in Movies
Feb 21, 2019

Film-Induced Tourism
Book
This research-based monograph presents an introduction to the concept of film-induced tourism,...

THE SECRET TalkCast
Podcast
If you haven't heard of THE SECRET, you will soon. THE SECRET refers to a few things - a website, a...

The Rocky Horror Treasury: A Tribute to the Ultimate Cult Classic
Sal Piro and Larry Viezel
Book
Including behind-the-scenes stories, pull-out-items, photos, and sounds, this interactive book is a...

Silent as the Grave
Book
Retired Detective Molly Murphy Sullivan goes undercover in the next book in the New York Times...

Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Ghosts of Manor House in Books
Jan 31, 2019
The characters of Ghosts of Manor House exist, in so much as the fact that they are present in the book. If you’re looking for a reason to get attached to any of them though, you won’t find it. There’s a strange sort of distance between the reader and the main characters, Edmund and Charlie. There’s also no depth to either of them. In fact, there’s more of a connection to minor characters. I absolutely hate it when I can’t feel any sort of emotion for a fictional character; it makes whatever happens to them less severe. When it comes to horror, this is a huge letdown. I want to feel fear for the protagonist in a story, I want to be on the edge of my seat with excitement. In this book… there was none of that.
When it comes to plot, Ghosts of Manor House is a mixed bag of tricks and treats. There’s several continuity issues and the whole use of some wacky sort of time travel is a huge turn off. It took me a little while to realize what was going on because Powers doesn’t explain or note the presence of this science-fiction element. Additionally, the locale changes from Hope County to Salem County, though after that change, Powers sticks with the latter. On the good side of things, Powers certainly excels at detailing a haunted location. If you’ve read Kill Creek, you might remember the main character, Sam McGarver, lecturing about the importance of this in horror novels. A well-thought out history for these spooky places is paramount to maintaining interest and in Ghosts of Manor House, Manor House’s past is most definitely intriguing.
Overall, I feel like there’s a lot that went to waste with this book. While it is deliciously short, I would have preferred reading something longer, where I could actually develop feelings and connections to the characters, as opposed to feeling like I watched a dull movie. I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Almost Midnight
Rainbow Rowell and Simini Blocker
Book
Almost Midnight by Rainbow Rowell is a beautiful gift edition containing two wintery short stories,...
romance young adult

Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Fatal Attraction (1987) in Movies
Apr 10, 2021
The plot: For Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas), life is good. He is on the rise at his New York law firm, is happily married to his wife, Beth (Anne Archer), and has a loving daughter. But, after a casual fling with a sultry book editor named Alex (Glenn Close), everything changes. Jilted by Dan, Alex becomes unstable, her behavior escalating from aggressive pursuit to obsessive stalking. Dan realizes that his main problem is not hiding his affair, but rather saving himself and his family.
A excellent psychological thriller. A must see.

Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Perfect Sister in Books
Feb 2, 2020
In the Perfect Sister, Claire receives a text message that reads ‘You don’t know me, but I’m your sister’ Reading that and the rest description my interest was piqued.
When I read The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne I could not put it down. It was a roller coaster of emotions to read. I was watching for her next book to be announced. When I saw, The Perfect Sister, I immediately requested to review it. It was originally titled The Family Secret. Both titles work well for the book.
The book felt much longer than its 326 pages. I put it down several times because I did not connect with the characters and was not surprised as the secrets were revealed. I kept yelling at the main character as if I was watching a movie.
The writing style is the same I enjoyed from The Second Wife but I did not like the characters and their actions.
Based on the description, I expected The Perfect Sister to read a thriller with secrets. It was not. It was more of a family drama than a thriller. When thinking of it as a family drama, I would say it is worth reading.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 2/2/20.