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An uncomfortable, yet compelling, novel
On the face of it, you would think that Adèle has it all: a good job as a reporter, a handsome surgeon husband, a young son, she’s slim and she’s beautiful. But this all masks another side to Adèle. She’s dissatisfied with her life: she controls what and how much she eats, and she engages in risky sexual behaviour with strangers. The sex is an addiction. When she’s not doing it, she’s thinking about it, and she wants a lot of it. There’s no eroticism in the telling of these encounters - it’s function, pure and simple, and quite violent sometimes. It’s like the drug addict getting their hit. You can feel the self-loathing emanating from the pages.
This is a dark, uncomfortable to read book, but it’s also compelling. There’s nothing voyeuristic about this book, no titillation, it’s just sad. And if you’re into books with a final resolution, then this is not the book for you.
It sounds as though no one could possibly enjoy this book, but strangely enough, I really did. I thought that the atmosphere of the book was really well written (and kudos to the excellent translator, Sam Taylor), and the main characters feelings of being trapped made for a really claustrophobic read. I think it’s definitely worth a read, if you’re in the mood for something as, dare I say, depressing, as this. I use the word ‘depressing’, but honestly, it was a good read!
This is a dark, uncomfortable to read book, but it’s also compelling. There’s nothing voyeuristic about this book, no titillation, it’s just sad. And if you’re into books with a final resolution, then this is not the book for you.
It sounds as though no one could possibly enjoy this book, but strangely enough, I really did. I thought that the atmosphere of the book was really well written (and kudos to the excellent translator, Sam Taylor), and the main characters feelings of being trapped made for a really claustrophobic read. I think it’s definitely worth a read, if you’re in the mood for something as, dare I say, depressing, as this. I use the word ‘depressing’, but honestly, it was a good read!
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) in Movies
Dec 22, 2019
A timeless classic
I can safely say that there is truly nothing I dislike about The Nightmare Before Christmas.
It's straight to the point, fantastically animated, full of unique characters, and still holds up all these years later.
Director Henry Selick obviously has a keen eye for stop-animation (he would go on to direct James & The Giant Peach, and Coraline, both great animated films in their own right), and his work with the combined animation, visual effects, and art departments create a visually striking adventure that quickly and understandably became iconic.
Tim Burton's story is easy to grasp (great for children as well as adults), and the characters he has created for this story are equal parts creepy and fun.
Jack Skellington and Sally are both tragic and sympathetic characters that are easy to care about. Oogie Boogie is suitably evil (scared the sh*t out of me when I was little), and the rest of the town of Halloween are filled but bizarre and quirky characters that create a weird but warm back drop to the leads.
Danny Elfman is at his very best here. All of the songs contained within are memorable, and pretty epic at points. The lyrics are quick and clever, and do a lot to advance our understanding of the characters.
I can't praise The Nightmare Before Christmas enough. It's simply wonderful and a film I will happily watch time and time again.
It's straight to the point, fantastically animated, full of unique characters, and still holds up all these years later.
Director Henry Selick obviously has a keen eye for stop-animation (he would go on to direct James & The Giant Peach, and Coraline, both great animated films in their own right), and his work with the combined animation, visual effects, and art departments create a visually striking adventure that quickly and understandably became iconic.
Tim Burton's story is easy to grasp (great for children as well as adults), and the characters he has created for this story are equal parts creepy and fun.
Jack Skellington and Sally are both tragic and sympathetic characters that are easy to care about. Oogie Boogie is suitably evil (scared the sh*t out of me when I was little), and the rest of the town of Halloween are filled but bizarre and quirky characters that create a weird but warm back drop to the leads.
Danny Elfman is at his very best here. All of the songs contained within are memorable, and pretty epic at points. The lyrics are quick and clever, and do a lot to advance our understanding of the characters.
I can't praise The Nightmare Before Christmas enough. It's simply wonderful and a film I will happily watch time and time again.
Chloe (778 KP) rated The Dream Defenders in Books
Apr 14, 2020
Imaginative (3 more)
Clever
Interesting
Good concept
Further development (1 more)
Lacking characters
The title "Dream Defenders" explains the content of the book. Basically the Dream Institute works to protect dreamers through powers they have learned/been taught. Dreamers are recruited when they show a particular acumen for managing their dreams.
The concept is very clever because it is something that could happen in real life, that we are not aware of. It's a very imaginative story with some quite funny bits in places. Love the Sandman name, very clever little note.
The characters and bad guys are well thought out but could have further development e.g. Marshall seems to only like books and that's all I can really say about him. Aeryn is supposedly trained in dream weaving but shows very limited skill. The story felt rushed and I definitely think the concept could do with some embellishment.
I'm not sure whether this is young adult, I felt like it was for children perhaps a similar age to goosebumps. Ocassionally the humour felt forced and in the wrong place. There often seemed to be unnecessary words for example, one sentence states "Nolan's stomach twisted, this time not from the Wispe travel". The events of the previous sentence clearly states what caused the stomach twisting.
Just a note, I think on Page 254 the word dream stream is used when it should be death stream.
I obtained a free copy from Voracious Readers Only!
The concept is very clever because it is something that could happen in real life, that we are not aware of. It's a very imaginative story with some quite funny bits in places. Love the Sandman name, very clever little note.
The characters and bad guys are well thought out but could have further development e.g. Marshall seems to only like books and that's all I can really say about him. Aeryn is supposedly trained in dream weaving but shows very limited skill. The story felt rushed and I definitely think the concept could do with some embellishment.
I'm not sure whether this is young adult, I felt like it was for children perhaps a similar age to goosebumps. Ocassionally the humour felt forced and in the wrong place. There often seemed to be unnecessary words for example, one sentence states "Nolan's stomach twisted, this time not from the Wispe travel". The events of the previous sentence clearly states what caused the stomach twisting.
Just a note, I think on Page 254 the word dream stream is used when it should be death stream.
I obtained a free copy from Voracious Readers Only!
A Hell for Heroes: A SAS Hero's Journey to the Heart of Darkness
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Theodore Knell went through hell in the SAS - but his biggest battle began when he left. A Hell for...
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"I feel terrible. Although he doesn't say it, I know he had been hoping the whole time that I would...
Lawrence Kasdan recommended Shampoo (1975) in Movies (curated)
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Paranormal Romance Mystery
Merissa (13000 KP) rated Scorching the Earth (KTS #4) in Books
Jan 25, 2022 (Updated Jul 5, 2023)
SCORCHING THE EARTH finishes the KTS series, and it only seems fitting that we finish with Hannah and Lily. Hannah is Team Leader and Lily is her second-in-command. Both of them are forces to deal with but can they deal with each other?
This story is told from both perspectives which is a good thing. You have to stay on your toes but, for me, it helped to enhance the story. Lily and Hannah's voices are very different, which is no surprise as they have very different personalities. You find out more about their pasts and their present and hopes for the future. Some of the others obviously show up (on the same team) but this really is Hannah and Lily's story.
It brought to a satisfying conclusion the overall story arc, including who the mole was. I won't say any more on that as I don't want to spoil anything.
This was a great read and a brilliant finale to a wonderful series. I have loved each book and have no hesitation in recommending both this book and the series. Just, please, make sure you read them in order so you know what's going on!
** 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!
Jan 25, 2022
This story is told from both perspectives which is a good thing. You have to stay on your toes but, for me, it helped to enhance the story. Lily and Hannah's voices are very different, which is no surprise as they have very different personalities. You find out more about their pasts and their present and hopes for the future. Some of the others obviously show up (on the same team) but this really is Hannah and Lily's story.
It brought to a satisfying conclusion the overall story arc, including who the mole was. I won't say any more on that as I don't want to spoil anything.
This was a great read and a brilliant finale to a wonderful series. I have loved each book and have no hesitation in recommending both this book and the series. Just, please, make sure you read them in order so you know what's going on!
** 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!
Jan 25, 2022
Merissa (13000 KP) rated Billionaire's Muse (The Billionaire’s Playground #3) in Books
Jul 13, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
BILLIONAIRE'S MUSE is the third book in The Billionaire's Playground series but can be read as a standalone, as I did. This book revolves around Marcus, a famous photographer, and Fin, a university history student.
Fin is special - in that he doesn't have a filter and is a literal thinker. This has led to some less than satisfactory 'dates'. Marcus finds Fin completely refreshing and wants to treat him the way he should be, not the way he has been. Throw in two mums who have their own views of the world, add a cheeky nanna, and you have a book to lose yourself in.
This was a great book. The way Fin takes everything so literally made me realise just how much we say without it really meaning anything. I loved that Marcus found the situation funny without laughing or undermining Fin himself.
Marcus and Fin are helped (and sometimes hindered) by a wonderful supporting cast. This is book three and it really makes me want to read books one and two -- if only to see what Nanna gets up to!
A fantastic story that I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend.
** 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!
Jul 13, 2021
Fin is special - in that he doesn't have a filter and is a literal thinker. This has led to some less than satisfactory 'dates'. Marcus finds Fin completely refreshing and wants to treat him the way he should be, not the way he has been. Throw in two mums who have their own views of the world, add a cheeky nanna, and you have a book to lose yourself in.
This was a great book. The way Fin takes everything so literally made me realise just how much we say without it really meaning anything. I loved that Marcus found the situation funny without laughing or undermining Fin himself.
Marcus and Fin are helped (and sometimes hindered) by a wonderful supporting cast. This is book three and it really makes me want to read books one and two -- if only to see what Nanna gets up to!
A fantastic story that I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend.
** 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!
Jul 13, 2021
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated Hot Pot Murder in Books
Jun 14, 2023
Shocking Ending to a Festive Meal
Yale Yee and her cousin Celine are celebrating Thanksgiving with a local association of Asian restaurant owners. Since Yale’s father has been a member for years, she knows most of the members, but she’s still surprised at the tensions bubbling beneath the surface at the hot pot celebration. Then the group’s president dies when he goes to plug in an extension cord. The police start looking at it as murder, and Yale can’t help but get involved in trying to figure out what really happened. If it was murder, can she prove it?
I enjoyed meeting Yale and Celine in the first book in this series, and I’m happy to say they were fantastic once again. Not only does their relationship with each other grow, but they also grow individually, which I enjoyed watching. While the suspects could be a tad stronger, it’s a minor point, and I enjoyed spending time with the rest of the returning characters. The mystery is strong with several great twists, and I loved the way the climax played out. While the majority of the action takes place in a fictional neighborhood in L.A., I enjoyed it when we visited some real parts of the city. There are also two recipes at the end of the book. If you are looking for a cozy with a bit of a different setting and strong leads, you need to check out this series.
I enjoyed meeting Yale and Celine in the first book in this series, and I’m happy to say they were fantastic once again. Not only does their relationship with each other grow, but they also grow individually, which I enjoyed watching. While the suspects could be a tad stronger, it’s a minor point, and I enjoyed spending time with the rest of the returning characters. The mystery is strong with several great twists, and I loved the way the climax played out. While the majority of the action takes place in a fictional neighborhood in L.A., I enjoyed it when we visited some real parts of the city. There are also two recipes at the end of the book. If you are looking for a cozy with a bit of a different setting and strong leads, you need to check out this series.