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Common Powers Box Set
Common Powers Box Set
Lynn Lorenz | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
good, but not great.
Indepedent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this box set.

Four stories, of men coming together when they need each other the most.

Sammi is running away from being a sex slave, can Mitchell keep him safe?

Brian and Rush have chemistry, and they haven't even touched, but can Rush step out of the dark for Brian?

Edward is in town to visit his grandmother. The Chief of Police, Jack, is so NOT his type. So why is he drawn so badly to the man?

After a homophobic attack, Phillip finds himself taken in by Brian and Rush, and Phillip can only hope to have the kind of relationship they do.

For the most part, I did enjoy these four books, but maybe reading them back to back wasn't the best idea.

The general plot lines are very similar, and some dialogue is repaeted, particularly in the final book, when ALL four guys have a say, and it is especially when the guys are getting down and dirty! And they get down and dirty a LOT in that last book! And I'm not usually one to bawk at a lot of down and dirty but I did feel that it overshadowed Phillip's story.

I did enjoy the paranormal aspect: Sammi can read minds, Brian has premonitions, Rush can see in the dark, Edward can heal by touch and Phillip can influence by touch.

I liked that all the guys in the pairings have a say, so we hear from everyone and you know that makes me happy.

I did not like the SPEED at which things moved for the first three couples. Phillip's tale was a good deal slower, with everyone else having some thing to say. The previous three though?? Very quickly it went from attraction to love, for Sammi and Mitchell, it was the first chapter! I'm all for insta-love in places, but I did not like here, especailly for Sammi because of what he was running from. But equally, Jack and Rush are hiding, deep in their only personal hall closets, and you have expected there to be a bit more reluctancy to fall in love from those two (although they DID fight it, tooth and nail!) It was just too mcuh too soon.

It is explicit, heavily so; it also carries references to murder, rape and stalking and deals with the sex industry and being held against their will.

Still, a good read, just not a brilliant one.

3 GOOD stars

**same worded review will appear elewhere**
  
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
2001 | Action, Drama
Contains spoilers, click to show
So this is the first time I've seen 'The Fast and the Furious' and the only other film in the franchise I've seen is 'Hobbs and Shaw', Which I knew was a (slightly) different beast but, with the new film out soon I thought I may as well start from the beginning.
First thoughts, 'The Fast and the Furious' is 'Point Brake' with cars instead of of surf boards. It's been a while since I've seen Point break but I'm sure the plots are very similar. Actually that's not quite true, my first thoughts were that it was a high school film with the races instead of the school. The first time we meet Dominic's Team they're acting like the typical 'Jock' or bully group who pick on the 'New kid' or weirdo, in this case Brian. Then we have the first race we see Brian at, when he looks around the track we see the different 'clicks', each one represented by a (slightly) different genre of music, all we needed was for one of the characters (probably Letty or Mia) to walk on and introduce the group's "Over here we have the goth's, there are the cheerleaders." etc.
 Then the film settles down to 'Point Break mode, the big revel (near the start of the film) that (Spoilers) Brian is a cop and we're introduced to the people he works with and, to be honest they would almost fit into an 80's U.K. police show (or 'Life on mars/Ashes to Ashes' for those of you are too young for the 80's).
We have lots of cars and almost no crime. Really most of the crime is just talked about or a red herring. Then the big race, but we don't see that because we now have the actual heist and the set up Brian's big decision (although it's pretty obvious which side he'll choose). Big action scene, betrayed (kind off), some one dies for character development (but, surprisingly, not a woman), another race, for reasons, character bonding. Cut to credits.
So a bit formulaic, but that ok, a bit of Macho one upping, but that's ok, lots of cars, of course and surprisingly no sex. All of which is good, it suits the film. Even the early revel that Brian is a cop is ok, you don't need to put much though into 'The Fast and the Furious' meaning that you can just sit back 1 hour 45 and enjoy a no brainer whilst turning off your brain.