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Cori June (3033 KP) rated The Dirty Streets Of Heaven (Bobby Dollar #1) in Books
Apr 28, 2021
Bobby Dollar AKA Doloriel is a snarky, stubborn, cynical, jazz loving, wiseass of an angel. As an angel of the Third Circle his job is that of an Advocate Angel. He's on your side to argue for your soul to get into heaven. When souls start disappearing Bobby is on the hook and finds himself in the middle of a conspiracy that has Heaven and Hell in a tizzy.
This book is a supernatural noir type, Set in Heaven and San Judas, California-named after the patron saint of the hopeless, the unloved, and other lost causes. Told in a first person narrator pov. (Think similar to Brust. The narrator is talking to 'you personally'). The characters are phenomenal and the descriptions are great. As this is not his normal writing style it shows and can be a bit rough at some places.
This fast paced mystery is a delight with its unique show of how heaven and hell could work it makes you think. Even though it is about angels it isn't overly religious it also isn't anti-God. There is drinking, cussing, and violence. Yep the angels drink, some even to the point of drinking their Earthly bodies to death.
Heaven's most problematic angel is figuring out how he can survive being stuck in the middle of this ancient battle.
This book is a supernatural noir type, Set in Heaven and San Judas, California-named after the patron saint of the hopeless, the unloved, and other lost causes. Told in a first person narrator pov. (Think similar to Brust. The narrator is talking to 'you personally'). The characters are phenomenal and the descriptions are great. As this is not his normal writing style it shows and can be a bit rough at some places.
This fast paced mystery is a delight with its unique show of how heaven and hell could work it makes you think. Even though it is about angels it isn't overly religious it also isn't anti-God. There is drinking, cussing, and violence. Yep the angels drink, some even to the point of drinking their Earthly bodies to death.
Heaven's most problematic angel is figuring out how he can survive being stuck in the middle of this ancient battle.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2265 KP) rated Cozy Up to Murder in Books
Apr 15, 2021
Murder is Not Music to Owen’s Ears
Owen Hunter is new to Costa Buena, having just bought one of the local used music stores in town. He’s hoping to blend in and settle into the coastal California community, however on his first day, he has several run ins with local citizens. When one of them, the owner of the rival music store, turns up dead, Owen becomes the prime suspect. He has to clean his name before his past comes out since he is in witness protection. Can he find the truth without his real identity being revealed?
Since I enjoyed the first in the series, I wanted to see what happened to our hero next. Owen is an intriguing main character, trying to put his past behind him and become a better citizen. The rest of the cast is all new (except for a couple of supporting government agents). They are a colorful lot, although they do fall into stereotypes at times. The plot is intriguing, and I didn’t figure it out. The book, especially the premise, stretches credibility quite a bit, but I find that Owen and the plot make up for that for me. It helps that this is a quick read – I breezed through it in two days instead of my normal three. Despite the flaws, I’m glad I picked this book up.
Since I enjoyed the first in the series, I wanted to see what happened to our hero next. Owen is an intriguing main character, trying to put his past behind him and become a better citizen. The rest of the cast is all new (except for a couple of supporting government agents). They are a colorful lot, although they do fall into stereotypes at times. The plot is intriguing, and I didn’t figure it out. The book, especially the premise, stretches credibility quite a bit, but I find that Owen and the plot make up for that for me. It helps that this is a quick read – I breezed through it in two days instead of my normal three. Despite the flaws, I’m glad I picked this book up.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2265 KP) rated Much Ado About Nauticaling in Books
Jul 30, 2021 (Updated Jul 30, 2021)
I Really Was Hoping to Like This Debut
Whitney “Whit” Dagner and her brother Nick have relocated to Catalina Island. They visited their grandparents out there every summer, and now they are taking over their grandparents’ glass bottom boat business. Additionally, Whit is opening a souvenir shop in the harbor. She is enjoying her new life until she finds the body of Jules Tisdale, the recently named Person of the Year on Catalina. When the police decide that Nick is the killer, Whit jumps in to prove her brother’s innocence. Can she do it?
As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. I always love Southern California settings, although it’s been years since I visited Catalina. I certainly did enjoy the setting. Overall, the book was too frenetic, however. It was trying to be funny, but much of the humor didn’t work for me. I did laugh a few times, but overall, it was too much. This effected some of the characters, too, although I did enjoy others. Despite finding the body early on, the pace was uneven, getting better the further we got into the book. While I followed the killer and motive, the ending was rushed and left some questions about earlier twists in the book. I was hoping to love this debut, but it turned out to be average.
As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. I always love Southern California settings, although it’s been years since I visited Catalina. I certainly did enjoy the setting. Overall, the book was too frenetic, however. It was trying to be funny, but much of the humor didn’t work for me. I did laugh a few times, but overall, it was too much. This effected some of the characters, too, although I did enjoy others. Despite finding the body early on, the pace was uneven, getting better the further we got into the book. While I followed the killer and motive, the ending was rushed and left some questions about earlier twists in the book. I was hoping to love this debut, but it turned out to be average.
Phillip Youmans recommended There Will Be Blood (2007) in Movies (curated)
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Lady Bird (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.
I'm going to start at the end and work my way forward. When the film ended there was just silence... I don't expect cheering or anything like that, but there's normally some murmuring and movement as people are getting up. But no one realised that the film had ended because it happened so fast.
The emotion between Lady Bird and her mother towards the end of the film were really strong and it reminded me of why I'm always entertained by Laurie Metcalf.
All in all there was nothing wrong with this film. But it's just a teenage girl's life... I've led one of those, I don't need to see a film about one. It just wasn't anything exciting. After a little Googling (because I wanted to see what nominations and wins it had this award season) I discovered that the writer wants to make three more films in the same setting. I'm feeling exhausted just thinking about it.
There are lots of bits of story line that don't have any resolution. I'm not sure if that's to do with the quartet of films plan or just that they had nothing to do with Lady Bird, and that bugs me a bit.
I'm going to start at the end and work my way forward. When the film ended there was just silence... I don't expect cheering or anything like that, but there's normally some murmuring and movement as people are getting up. But no one realised that the film had ended because it happened so fast.
The emotion between Lady Bird and her mother towards the end of the film were really strong and it reminded me of why I'm always entertained by Laurie Metcalf.
All in all there was nothing wrong with this film. But it's just a teenage girl's life... I've led one of those, I don't need to see a film about one. It just wasn't anything exciting. After a little Googling (because I wanted to see what nominations and wins it had this award season) I discovered that the writer wants to make three more films in the same setting. I'm feeling exhausted just thinking about it.
There are lots of bits of story line that don't have any resolution. I'm not sure if that's to do with the quartet of films plan or just that they had nothing to do with Lady Bird, and that bugs me a bit.
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