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jmercado (1 KP) rated Gerard's Beauty (Kingdom, #2) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
2nd book in the Kingdom Series.
Basic quick read romance.
Betty Hart has been in the ringer with love before and came out defeated.
When french beau Gerard Caron enters her life looking battered and homeless she is determined but cautious to take him to a shelter.
Plans don't go as expected and they wind up back at her apartment with a unexpected surprise from Danika, Gerards' Fairy Godmother.
What Betty didn't know is he is there for a purpose. Fleeing from his troubles in his homeland that is not earth, his fairy godmother sends him to earth to redeem himself and the only way to redeem himself is to make a woman fall in love with him.
The Catch? He only has one month to do it or be killed back in his homelands for punishment against Kingdom's royalty.
This book had some interesting aspects to it , especially with Briley.It seems like these books are all pretty insta-love so if that is not your type you should not read these. This book however wasnt bad but it was wow good. So i will only be giving it 3 out of 5 stars.
I can say this was the 1st book series i have read in a while that did not have a completely whiny main character and i appreciated that. But the story line fell a bit flat towards the middle.
Still going to continue on though and see who Danika hits next.
Basic quick read romance.
Betty Hart has been in the ringer with love before and came out defeated.
When french beau Gerard Caron enters her life looking battered and homeless she is determined but cautious to take him to a shelter.
Plans don't go as expected and they wind up back at her apartment with a unexpected surprise from Danika, Gerards' Fairy Godmother.
What Betty didn't know is he is there for a purpose. Fleeing from his troubles in his homeland that is not earth, his fairy godmother sends him to earth to redeem himself and the only way to redeem himself is to make a woman fall in love with him.
The Catch? He only has one month to do it or be killed back in his homelands for punishment against Kingdom's royalty.
This book had some interesting aspects to it , especially with Briley.It seems like these books are all pretty insta-love so if that is not your type you should not read these. This book however wasnt bad but it was wow good. So i will only be giving it 3 out of 5 stars.
I can say this was the 1st book series i have read in a while that did not have a completely whiny main character and i appreciated that. But the story line fell a bit flat towards the middle.
Still going to continue on though and see who Danika hits next.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Everything She Ever Wanted in Books
May 15, 2018
Patricia Vann Radcliffe Taylor Allanson is a prime example of how wicked a woman can be, and readers learn this first hand in Ann Rule’s novel, Everything She Ever Wanted. If you’ve followed my blog for some time, you’ll know that I have a thing for reading about wicked women – after all, there’s this misguided belief that women can’t be as cruel as men and that they don’t kill despite hundreds of years of evidence to the contrary. In this abridged audiobook, listeners get a glimpse into the dark, twisted heart of a southern belle.
Rule’s recounting of the facts coupled with Betty Buckley’s voice make for a fascinatingly easy listen. The abridged version of this novel, which is what I listened to, it just over two and a half hours and makes for a quick one-sitting ordeal, which is nice. I do have to say though that there’s probably more to benefit from the unabridged version than this one.
The abridged version of Everything She Ever Wanted makes it a little harder to grasp just how much of a sociopath Pat is, and in fact she doesn’t begin to seem too crazy toward the end. I’m making the assumption this is due to the length and what was cut out, rather than an issue with writing style. Regardless, I enjoyed listening to this book and will be reading more of Rule’s work.
Rule’s recounting of the facts coupled with Betty Buckley’s voice make for a fascinatingly easy listen. The abridged version of this novel, which is what I listened to, it just over two and a half hours and makes for a quick one-sitting ordeal, which is nice. I do have to say though that there’s probably more to benefit from the unabridged version than this one.
The abridged version of Everything She Ever Wanted makes it a little harder to grasp just how much of a sociopath Pat is, and in fact she doesn’t begin to seem too crazy toward the end. I’m making the assumption this is due to the length and what was cut out, rather than an issue with writing style. Regardless, I enjoyed listening to this book and will be reading more of Rule’s work.
Kayleigh Garner (59 KP) rated Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins in Books
Jun 10, 2019
This is the second instalment of the Harley Merlin series and I have to say, I'm still hooked! Usually a series can start to lose it's grip after the first book but this one is still really well written! Bella Forrest really seems to know how to keep readers intrigued.
One thing I really love is that Harley is still as fiery AF... even when all hope seems lost she just carries on being an utter badass. I just hope she keeps in getting better as the series goes on.
Even though there is a hint of romance that creeps in between Harley and Wade, it isn't ridiculous... there isn't an obvious mention on romance being on the cards but we see these two characters that obviously have a lot of respect for each other and really do care for one another as friends before the thought of them being together is introduced. It really does make you hope that everything works out for them. The witty back and forth they have really brings a light hearted element to the plot, especially after certain events.
I truly am hoping the rest of the series carries on at this pace, with it being such an easy ready, it really is a pleasure to read - especially while comutting to work on a morning. This story of witches and worlocks really does make for a pleasent read.
One thing I really love is that Harley is still as fiery AF... even when all hope seems lost she just carries on being an utter badass. I just hope she keeps in getting better as the series goes on.
Even though there is a hint of romance that creeps in between Harley and Wade, it isn't ridiculous... there isn't an obvious mention on romance being on the cards but we see these two characters that obviously have a lot of respect for each other and really do care for one another as friends before the thought of them being together is introduced. It really does make you hope that everything works out for them. The witty back and forth they have really brings a light hearted element to the plot, especially after certain events.
I truly am hoping the rest of the series carries on at this pace, with it being such an easy ready, it really is a pleasure to read - especially while comutting to work on a morning. This story of witches and worlocks really does make for a pleasent read.
Days Without End
8.0
Rate It
Book
'Time was not something then we thought of as an item that possessed an ending, but something that...
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Eli (2019) in Movies
Jul 21, 2020
Acting (1 more)
Storyline of first half of movie
Contains spoilers, click to show
Eli is a young boy with a life threatening condition. He can't be exposed to any contaniments whatsoever. He has to live in a plastic bubble in his bedroom and wear full protective gear when outside. Hoping for a miracle cure, his parents drive him to a secluded facility to see a doctor where him and his parents would stay whilst he received treatment. The facility has been completely decontaminated and is deemed safe for Eli to step out of his suit and live a relitavely normal life whilst there. However, life is normal. Eli begins to see various ghosts and spirits who seem to be trying to tell him something and getting him to leave.
The first hour of the movie I did enjoy and the boy who played Eli played him very well and was very realistic, which is more than I can say for his the adults at times. The ending was completely bizarre and unexpected. Not being a fan of possession movies it wasn't for me and I just found it ridiculous. Saying that though, the visuals were excellent. For example showing Eli with destruction behind him was spot on in showing what he was capable of. The ending felt like there could have been a sequel, but it there was I can't see me watching it.
The first hour of the movie I did enjoy and the boy who played Eli played him very well and was very realistic, which is more than I can say for his the adults at times. The ending was completely bizarre and unexpected. Not being a fan of possession movies it wasn't for me and I just found it ridiculous. Saying that though, the visuals were excellent. For example showing Eli with destruction behind him was spot on in showing what he was capable of. The ending felt like there could have been a sequel, but it there was I can't see me watching it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Waters of Destruction in Books
Apr 3, 2025
Last Call for the Bartender
It’s been a few months since we last checked in with Valerie and Kristen, and in that time, they’ve completed their move to Hawai’i. While they are trying to settle into their new life, Valerie agrees to help out their friend Sachiko who needs a bartender at the restaurant she manages. The old bartender has disappeared, but when his body turns up, the police start looking at Sachiko as a suspect. Can Valerie figure out what really happened to him?
Since Valerie and Kristen were fighting in the first book, I had trouble buying into their relationship. I’m happy to say they were getting along better here, and I enjoyed spending more time with them. The rest of the characters were great as well, and I hope we see many of them again. The plot appeared to be wandering a bit at the beginning, but everything came into play on the way to the surprising climax. Some of the characters do use Pigeon English, but I didn’t have trouble following their dialog. There is a glossary in the back if you want to learn more as well as five recipes to enjoy after you’ve finished. The setting came to life, and it was the next best thing to getting to visit myself. This is a fun second book for when you want a tropical retreat filled with murder.
Since Valerie and Kristen were fighting in the first book, I had trouble buying into their relationship. I’m happy to say they were getting along better here, and I enjoyed spending more time with them. The rest of the characters were great as well, and I hope we see many of them again. The plot appeared to be wandering a bit at the beginning, but everything came into play on the way to the surprising climax. Some of the characters do use Pigeon English, but I didn’t have trouble following their dialog. There is a glossary in the back if you want to learn more as well as five recipes to enjoy after you’ve finished. The setting came to life, and it was the next best thing to getting to visit myself. This is a fun second book for when you want a tropical retreat filled with murder.
Like Farmer, Like Son
Book
'People say "Like father, like son", and the story of my life has mirrored my father's to a quite...
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Three Days and a Life in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I'm having a little bit of a struggle coming up with the words to describe how I feel about this one. Clearly, I enjoyed it, but I can't quite work out what it was about it that I liked so much, and then how I can get that across in my review. Let's go through this one step at a time...
This book is very much about neighbourly relationships. It's based in the small village of Beauval where everyone knows everyone, there are friends in the village and there are enemies. They live everyday surrounded by people who know everything about them. There are a load of books about the small-town-mentality at the moment, it's clearly a very "in" thing for authors at the moment. Some of them I like, others I find boring or distressing. This one was just perfect for me!
We begin the novel in 1999 and this is where we get most of the small-town vibes. We meet Antoine and his mother, whose only worry is to keep up with appearances. We meet the neighbours, the Desmedt's and Mouchottes. We meet the town butcher, Monsieur Kowalski. We meet the Weiser's - the mayor and his son Theo. We meet a lot of different people, but they all have a very important role to play within the story.
It's the 23rd December 1999 and little Remi Desmedt has gone missing. There are plenty of the theories as to his disappearance, but we know what's happened to him, and we know where he is. What follows is a slow paced novel about the effects of Remi's disappearance on the town and the theories and judgments each villager makes on anyone suspected of having taken the young boy.
The majority of this novel is set in the few days after Remi's disappearance in 1999. This was definitely my favourite part of the novel. It was enjoyable to follow the story through Antoine's mind-set, who is 12 at the time. But as we move through the story, we meet Antoine again in 2011 and then again in 2015, but these parts of the book aren't as enjoyable to read.
As we progress through the novel, Antoine keeps coming up against challenges he needs to overcome. Will he do the right thing, or will he do anything to keep his secrets close?
Like I said before, this novel is slow paced, but I quite like that in a books sometimes. This is advertised as a thriller but I wouldn't think of is like that, this feels more like a general fiction novel to be honest. This was also described as "suspenseful", but again, I'm going to disagree with that. See what I mean about not being able to describe my feelings on it? I'm at a loss for words on what I feel this books was like! What I can say is that I love Lemaitre's way of writing. It really sucked me into the story and for this reason, I'm definitely checking out his other stuff!
Something I also know is that I enjoyed this book, for the most part. If it hadn't been for the 2011 and 2015 chapters, and the direction they took, this could have been a 5 star read for me.
This book is very much about neighbourly relationships. It's based in the small village of Beauval where everyone knows everyone, there are friends in the village and there are enemies. They live everyday surrounded by people who know everything about them. There are a load of books about the small-town-mentality at the moment, it's clearly a very "in" thing for authors at the moment. Some of them I like, others I find boring or distressing. This one was just perfect for me!
We begin the novel in 1999 and this is where we get most of the small-town vibes. We meet Antoine and his mother, whose only worry is to keep up with appearances. We meet the neighbours, the Desmedt's and Mouchottes. We meet the town butcher, Monsieur Kowalski. We meet the Weiser's - the mayor and his son Theo. We meet a lot of different people, but they all have a very important role to play within the story.
It's the 23rd December 1999 and little Remi Desmedt has gone missing. There are plenty of the theories as to his disappearance, but we know what's happened to him, and we know where he is. What follows is a slow paced novel about the effects of Remi's disappearance on the town and the theories and judgments each villager makes on anyone suspected of having taken the young boy.
The majority of this novel is set in the few days after Remi's disappearance in 1999. This was definitely my favourite part of the novel. It was enjoyable to follow the story through Antoine's mind-set, who is 12 at the time. But as we move through the story, we meet Antoine again in 2011 and then again in 2015, but these parts of the book aren't as enjoyable to read.
As we progress through the novel, Antoine keeps coming up against challenges he needs to overcome. Will he do the right thing, or will he do anything to keep his secrets close?
Like I said before, this novel is slow paced, but I quite like that in a books sometimes. This is advertised as a thriller but I wouldn't think of is like that, this feels more like a general fiction novel to be honest. This was also described as "suspenseful", but again, I'm going to disagree with that. See what I mean about not being able to describe my feelings on it? I'm at a loss for words on what I feel this books was like! What I can say is that I love Lemaitre's way of writing. It really sucked me into the story and for this reason, I'm definitely checking out his other stuff!
Something I also know is that I enjoyed this book, for the most part. If it hadn't been for the 2011 and 2015 chapters, and the direction they took, this could have been a 5 star read for me.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Clemency (2019) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
Clemency was high up on my list to see during the festival so I was slightly annoyed to not get the opportunity to see it initially... but it was day one and I was feeling bold with enthusiasm and joine the queue for last minute tickets. It's a great system if it isn't raining, and after some loitering, chatting, and spotting Wendell Pierce on his way to the cinema for the screening I managed to get a spare ticket.
Bernadine has spent years of her life dedicated to giving prisoners the chance to better themselves and live up to their potential, with the death row inmates she tries to give them respect and comfort in their last days. After an execution goes wrong the whole team is affected and with another coming closer Bernadine starts to feel the pressure.
Her life is turned upside down as she starts to interact with Anthony Woods, she can't sleep, she can't be a wife, her only real escape is drink and her colleagues. Where will everything lead her?
My main pull to this was Aldis Hodge, while I tried to avoid seeing who was in each film when I read the synopsis it was difficult on occasion and so this one zipped to my top picks list. He will always be Hardison to me but I've enjoyed seeing him in films recently.
Anthony Woods is obviously on a rollercoaster of emotions and Hodge brings out the sense of desperation his character is feeling. The swing from hope and emptiness to elation gave him several opportunities to surprise and shock us. One of those moments particularly drew a reaction from a lot of people around me and I'll touch on that in a moment.
Alfre Woodard as Warden Bernadine Williams was very powerful, subtle with her emotions when needed but as the film concludes we see an incredibly difficult moment of pain. That moment is ugly and honest, it really hits you.
The film leaves you with a few uncertain points, you can work things out from context but it never says it outright. It also allows you to slowly unfold what's going on and what's still to come.
As you know, I watch a lot (excessive amounts some might say) of movies and it's very rare from something to surprise me. A lot of things are easy to see coming, a characters's actions can show you something violent coming. There are two moments in Clemency that had the audience react much stronger that I expected, I was also surprised by the reaction of the other press delegates who I thought might be in a similar place a me. Both scenes involved blood and when everyone gasped I actually looked around and wondered how it had earned that reaction. Perhaps I wasn't as engaged with it as they were but I didn't find those moments to be gratuitous or all that shocking given the context and the nature of the scenes. It was this point that I had to ponder the thought that seeing too many films and TV shows might have a detrimental effect on my reactions to some sorts of films.
Clemency deals with some fairly heavy topics but it handles them well and in a captivating way, I've glad I managed to get to see this.
What you should do
It's a moving film and I would recommend trying to catch it.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Another film where I probably don't need anything to take home from it.
Bernadine has spent years of her life dedicated to giving prisoners the chance to better themselves and live up to their potential, with the death row inmates she tries to give them respect and comfort in their last days. After an execution goes wrong the whole team is affected and with another coming closer Bernadine starts to feel the pressure.
Her life is turned upside down as she starts to interact with Anthony Woods, she can't sleep, she can't be a wife, her only real escape is drink and her colleagues. Where will everything lead her?
My main pull to this was Aldis Hodge, while I tried to avoid seeing who was in each film when I read the synopsis it was difficult on occasion and so this one zipped to my top picks list. He will always be Hardison to me but I've enjoyed seeing him in films recently.
Anthony Woods is obviously on a rollercoaster of emotions and Hodge brings out the sense of desperation his character is feeling. The swing from hope and emptiness to elation gave him several opportunities to surprise and shock us. One of those moments particularly drew a reaction from a lot of people around me and I'll touch on that in a moment.
Alfre Woodard as Warden Bernadine Williams was very powerful, subtle with her emotions when needed but as the film concludes we see an incredibly difficult moment of pain. That moment is ugly and honest, it really hits you.
The film leaves you with a few uncertain points, you can work things out from context but it never says it outright. It also allows you to slowly unfold what's going on and what's still to come.
As you know, I watch a lot (excessive amounts some might say) of movies and it's very rare from something to surprise me. A lot of things are easy to see coming, a characters's actions can show you something violent coming. There are two moments in Clemency that had the audience react much stronger that I expected, I was also surprised by the reaction of the other press delegates who I thought might be in a similar place a me. Both scenes involved blood and when everyone gasped I actually looked around and wondered how it had earned that reaction. Perhaps I wasn't as engaged with it as they were but I didn't find those moments to be gratuitous or all that shocking given the context and the nature of the scenes. It was this point that I had to ponder the thought that seeing too many films and TV shows might have a detrimental effect on my reactions to some sorts of films.
Clemency deals with some fairly heavy topics but it handles them well and in a captivating way, I've glad I managed to get to see this.
What you should do
It's a moving film and I would recommend trying to catch it.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
Another film where I probably don't need anything to take home from it.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Mephisto: The Card Game in Tabletop Games
Jun 18, 2019 (Updated Jun 21, 2019)
Ya done messed up and made a deal with devil. Now he requires you to harvest souls from monsters as payment in return. How will you do this? You have no weapons, no skills, and no plan. Luckily, there is a grid of powerful cards to aid you in your toils. Only one problem: you gotta stay in your lane.
DISCLAIMER: I am not intending to cover every rule in the rulebook (well, rule cards), but to give you an idea of how the game plays. -T
Mephisto is a card drafting, hand management game (with a dash of take-that) played using a grid of cards to be affected and manipulated… LIKE YOUR SOUL!! Setup is easy for a multiplayer game. Deal a hand of cards to each player, setup the main 3 x 3 grid of cards in the middle of the table with the draw deck in the center, and two corners (making a diagonal line) having random placeholder cards face-down to be unavailable for play. The reasoning is simple: where you sit at the table determines in which lane, like in bowling, you can play your cards to (if you have ever played the Adventure Time Card Wars game you will instantly be familiar) and you only have access to two cards in each lane.
You will be using your hand of cards to gain favor from Mephistopheles, to fight and kill monsters to reap their souls, to gain cards from the grid, and to activate items or spell cards for their abilities. Many cards can combo together, and several cards are multipurpose/multi-use cards that can decay every time you use them, so you must take care not to allow your powerful weapons to lose all durability before you can maximize their effectiveness. The first player to amass a total of 12 souls will gain the ultimate wish from Mephistopheles: infinite power!
Components: This game consists of a deck of cards, which are of great quality. I believe this was an earlier-than-originally-expected Kickstarter fulfillment due to switching manufacturers to an American-based company, so we Americans were able to enjoy the game sooner as a result. In any case, the cards are great. What I love about the components is the art. The art on the cards are really really cool. I love the art style employed here, and the explosive neon color scheme used. What I really wished had happened was that the colors would be alluded to on the box cover as well. Honestly, if I had never heard of this game and saw the dark dark colors and occultish logo on the box I probably would have passed it up as “not for me.” But, playing the game is much more enjoyable with a fresh and vibrant set of cards.
I made a comparison to Adventure Time Card Wars in referencing how the lanes worked in play. And honestly, the game kinda feels like ATCW with a different skin. There is some take-that, some moving cards into different lanes, and affecting different cards in the grid. Now, I am an Adventure Time fan, but I just could not get into that game. Mephisto feels familiar in that… lane… but I must like the theme more, because I would rather play Mephisto over ATCW. If you haven’t played a game using lanes like this and don’t mind a darker theme I say give it a shot. It’s small (deck of playing cards size), portable, inexpensive, and a pretty good game. Purple Phoenix Games, with guest Tony, give this one a darkened 15 / 24.
DISCLAIMER: I am not intending to cover every rule in the rulebook (well, rule cards), but to give you an idea of how the game plays. -T
Mephisto is a card drafting, hand management game (with a dash of take-that) played using a grid of cards to be affected and manipulated… LIKE YOUR SOUL!! Setup is easy for a multiplayer game. Deal a hand of cards to each player, setup the main 3 x 3 grid of cards in the middle of the table with the draw deck in the center, and two corners (making a diagonal line) having random placeholder cards face-down to be unavailable for play. The reasoning is simple: where you sit at the table determines in which lane, like in bowling, you can play your cards to (if you have ever played the Adventure Time Card Wars game you will instantly be familiar) and you only have access to two cards in each lane.
You will be using your hand of cards to gain favor from Mephistopheles, to fight and kill monsters to reap their souls, to gain cards from the grid, and to activate items or spell cards for their abilities. Many cards can combo together, and several cards are multipurpose/multi-use cards that can decay every time you use them, so you must take care not to allow your powerful weapons to lose all durability before you can maximize their effectiveness. The first player to amass a total of 12 souls will gain the ultimate wish from Mephistopheles: infinite power!
Components: This game consists of a deck of cards, which are of great quality. I believe this was an earlier-than-originally-expected Kickstarter fulfillment due to switching manufacturers to an American-based company, so we Americans were able to enjoy the game sooner as a result. In any case, the cards are great. What I love about the components is the art. The art on the cards are really really cool. I love the art style employed here, and the explosive neon color scheme used. What I really wished had happened was that the colors would be alluded to on the box cover as well. Honestly, if I had never heard of this game and saw the dark dark colors and occultish logo on the box I probably would have passed it up as “not for me.” But, playing the game is much more enjoyable with a fresh and vibrant set of cards.
I made a comparison to Adventure Time Card Wars in referencing how the lanes worked in play. And honestly, the game kinda feels like ATCW with a different skin. There is some take-that, some moving cards into different lanes, and affecting different cards in the grid. Now, I am an Adventure Time fan, but I just could not get into that game. Mephisto feels familiar in that… lane… but I must like the theme more, because I would rather play Mephisto over ATCW. If you haven’t played a game using lanes like this and don’t mind a darker theme I say give it a shot. It’s small (deck of playing cards size), portable, inexpensive, and a pretty good game. Purple Phoenix Games, with guest Tony, give this one a darkened 15 / 24.