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BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Chestnut Man in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I can’t decide one thing with this book, to put it in the “One of the best thrillers of 2018” because I read it this year, or to say that is “One of the best thrillers of 2019” because it is published next year. One thing for sure, it is an absolute treat!
The first thing that I really loved, was the cover. It looks quite simple, but the way that the chestnut man is portrayed gave me the feeling that it is going to be a great thriller, and it definitely didn’t disappoint me. I think, that in this book there are multiple protagonists- Thulin and Hess. They both play quite equal roles during the investigation, even though it might not feel so. There is a wide variety of characters in this novel, and all of them are very well nurtured and thought through. Their qualities are delivered slowly, and I loved how they opened up throughout the book. I really liked Thulin and Hess, they both are very complex individuals. They are quite different people, and when they work together, all the process feels messy, chaotic, but in the end, it provides results.
I don’t even know from where to begin with the praise for the plot. The whole narrative has multiple layers, and there are several cases combined in this book. We have the disappearance of a Minister’s daughter, which happened a while ago and shook the whole country, and at present, we have these new murders with the chestnut dolls at the crime scenes. These two things entwined with each other created more richness and action for the whole story. I loved that it was told from multiple perspectives, it not only allowed to get to know the characters better but also gave an insight into different minds. The author chose very intriguing topics for this novel, such as foster care; child abuse; social services and their work; politicians and their lives; different family relationships; discrimination at work and many more.
The writing style of this book is impeccable! Sveistrup is a very talented storyteller with a great eye for detail, and after reading this book, I am definitely his fan. I really loved the setting of this novel, it is set mainly in Copenhagen, during the autumn/winter season, which created a very gloomy and mysterious atmosphere to the whole novel. The author is not afraid to show disturbing (to some) killings with amputations or disgusting acts of humankind, so this book is not suitable for sensitive people. It might feel like a big book, but the chapters are really short and the whole plot and characters really absorbed me so, I just couldn’t put it down. I really liked the ending of this thriller, it is unexpected, unusual, but rounded this novel very beautifully!
So, to conclude, this book has everything what a great thriller needs. The characters are complex and intriguing, the mood, suspense and twists are very well developed, it is dark and can be disgusting at times, but overall it is a gripping novel and I can’t wait to read more from this author! I do strongly recommend it, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
The first thing that I really loved, was the cover. It looks quite simple, but the way that the chestnut man is portrayed gave me the feeling that it is going to be a great thriller, and it definitely didn’t disappoint me. I think, that in this book there are multiple protagonists- Thulin and Hess. They both play quite equal roles during the investigation, even though it might not feel so. There is a wide variety of characters in this novel, and all of them are very well nurtured and thought through. Their qualities are delivered slowly, and I loved how they opened up throughout the book. I really liked Thulin and Hess, they both are very complex individuals. They are quite different people, and when they work together, all the process feels messy, chaotic, but in the end, it provides results.
I don’t even know from where to begin with the praise for the plot. The whole narrative has multiple layers, and there are several cases combined in this book. We have the disappearance of a Minister’s daughter, which happened a while ago and shook the whole country, and at present, we have these new murders with the chestnut dolls at the crime scenes. These two things entwined with each other created more richness and action for the whole story. I loved that it was told from multiple perspectives, it not only allowed to get to know the characters better but also gave an insight into different minds. The author chose very intriguing topics for this novel, such as foster care; child abuse; social services and their work; politicians and their lives; different family relationships; discrimination at work and many more.
The writing style of this book is impeccable! Sveistrup is a very talented storyteller with a great eye for detail, and after reading this book, I am definitely his fan. I really loved the setting of this novel, it is set mainly in Copenhagen, during the autumn/winter season, which created a very gloomy and mysterious atmosphere to the whole novel. The author is not afraid to show disturbing (to some) killings with amputations or disgusting acts of humankind, so this book is not suitable for sensitive people. It might feel like a big book, but the chapters are really short and the whole plot and characters really absorbed me so, I just couldn’t put it down. I really liked the ending of this thriller, it is unexpected, unusual, but rounded this novel very beautifully!
So, to conclude, this book has everything what a great thriller needs. The characters are complex and intriguing, the mood, suspense and twists are very well developed, it is dark and can be disgusting at times, but overall it is a gripping novel and I can’t wait to read more from this author! I do strongly recommend it, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Knock at the cabin (2023) in Movies
Feb 28, 2023
When M. Night Shyamalan's name comes up on something, my brow furrows and I purse my lips... I'm never quite sure how to feel.
Eric, Andrew and Wen, take an idyllic trip to a peaceful cabin. But that peace is shattered when the knock-off Guardians of the Galaxy show up.
First thing I want to say, despite it being an M.NS film, it doesn't have the usual dubious tangent in it. I suspect we can put this down to the fact it's based on source material, namely The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Trembley.
I wanted to see what I could talk about without spoiling the film at all. The synopsis is fairly vague, but intriguing. Then I rewatched the trailer, and from that, I could probably talk about the majority of this hour and forty minute film. The latter basically telling everything makes me wonder how it wasn't spoiled for me going in.
Knock at the Cabin boils down to a look at personal faith in the face of terror, for those on both sides of the incident.
While the majority of the story is set in the isolated cabin, we're shown flashbacks to Eric and Andrew's life. Heartbreak, trauma, joy, vengeance, it has been filled with so much, and that being peppered into the main story really helps to shape how we see their separate personalities and reactions.
The acting is an interesting one. The nature of the situation means that everyone is feeling a massive cycle of emotions... and somehow that works.
The group dynamic of Eric, Andrew and Wen was incredible, with Jonathan Groff and Kristen Cui being the standouts. I don't know that I would have been on board with Ben Aldridge as Andrew if it hadn't been for the pairing with Groff.
Opposite them, we get an interesting mix of characters who are led by Leonard... I am so proud of Dave Bautista right now, this was an amazing performance. I love him doing comedy (My Spy is still probably my favourite), but this was a great change of pace, he channels the character's profession into the situation so well... 5 stars for Bautista, no notes.
The other three bring up the rear with some chaotic energy. I just cannot unsee Ron Weasley though. I know he's been in other things since then, but I haven't happened across any of them, and as such, he was entirely distracting. It wasn't a bad turn, but it did overwhelm Nikki Amuka-Bird and Abby Quinn's roles for me.
M. Night Shymalan does his cameo and throws in his usual colour references for the regular viewers. I won't go into that, as it definitely constitutes spoilers, but it might not be something that's common knowledge, so absolutely worth a Google afterwards.
IMDb lists Knock at the Cabin as horror, mystery and thriller. Thriller, check. Mystery, a stretch. Horror, in my opinion, completely inaccurate. Having "horror" over everything about this film put people off watching it, and that's a great shame.
I was left with one big thought after seeing this, and that's that somewhere, in a remote cabin, a group of people have been playing this game for the last 3 years.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2023/02/knock-at-cabin-movie-review.html
Eric, Andrew and Wen, take an idyllic trip to a peaceful cabin. But that peace is shattered when the knock-off Guardians of the Galaxy show up.
First thing I want to say, despite it being an M.NS film, it doesn't have the usual dubious tangent in it. I suspect we can put this down to the fact it's based on source material, namely The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Trembley.
I wanted to see what I could talk about without spoiling the film at all. The synopsis is fairly vague, but intriguing. Then I rewatched the trailer, and from that, I could probably talk about the majority of this hour and forty minute film. The latter basically telling everything makes me wonder how it wasn't spoiled for me going in.
Knock at the Cabin boils down to a look at personal faith in the face of terror, for those on both sides of the incident.
While the majority of the story is set in the isolated cabin, we're shown flashbacks to Eric and Andrew's life. Heartbreak, trauma, joy, vengeance, it has been filled with so much, and that being peppered into the main story really helps to shape how we see their separate personalities and reactions.
The acting is an interesting one. The nature of the situation means that everyone is feeling a massive cycle of emotions... and somehow that works.
The group dynamic of Eric, Andrew and Wen was incredible, with Jonathan Groff and Kristen Cui being the standouts. I don't know that I would have been on board with Ben Aldridge as Andrew if it hadn't been for the pairing with Groff.
Opposite them, we get an interesting mix of characters who are led by Leonard... I am so proud of Dave Bautista right now, this was an amazing performance. I love him doing comedy (My Spy is still probably my favourite), but this was a great change of pace, he channels the character's profession into the situation so well... 5 stars for Bautista, no notes.
The other three bring up the rear with some chaotic energy. I just cannot unsee Ron Weasley though. I know he's been in other things since then, but I haven't happened across any of them, and as such, he was entirely distracting. It wasn't a bad turn, but it did overwhelm Nikki Amuka-Bird and Abby Quinn's roles for me.
M. Night Shymalan does his cameo and throws in his usual colour references for the regular viewers. I won't go into that, as it definitely constitutes spoilers, but it might not be something that's common knowledge, so absolutely worth a Google afterwards.
IMDb lists Knock at the Cabin as horror, mystery and thriller. Thriller, check. Mystery, a stretch. Horror, in my opinion, completely inaccurate. Having "horror" over everything about this film put people off watching it, and that's a great shame.
I was left with one big thought after seeing this, and that's that somewhere, in a remote cabin, a group of people have been playing this game for the last 3 years.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2023/02/knock-at-cabin-movie-review.html
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Rick and Morty - Season 2 in TV
Jul 21, 2017
Absolute insanity (1 more)
Will leave you in stitches throughout
The Universe Is A Crazy and Chaotic Place…
Rick & Morty was one of those shows that totally flew under the radar for me while it was on the air for months, then all of a sudden almost every podcast and youtuber that I subscribe to were recommending it. Though by the time that I was recommended it, I was aware it was an Adult Swim show, so I assumed each episode would only be around six or seven minutes long and put it on the backburner. Then one day I had run out of things to watch, I was up to date on all of my youtube videos and decided to give it a shot. Whilst I didn’t fall in love with it immediately, it did hook me right away and I was pleased to learn each episode was 20 minutes long and because the episodes are so short, I decided to watch a few episodes in a row and by the time I had finished watching Anatomy Park, the third episode of the first season, I realised how great this show was. The writing is so off the wall and insane yet dry that it works and the characters and the dynamic that they have is honestly hilarious, the comedic timing is also spot on. If you haven’t seen the show, think a blend of Family Guy style animation, with a backdrop of a Back To The Future or Doctor Who kind of universe and sprinkled with Always Sunny In Philadelphia style comedy. There is so much about this show that makes it funny, the sheer insanity and traumatisation that Rick exposes his grandchildren to, only to then brush it off as if it is totally normal as it is them that are overreacting and then there is Gerry and Beth’s broken marriage that only exists because Gerry got Beth pregnant with Summer when they were teenagers. Rick and Gerry are probably my two favourite characters in the show, Rick because you know he has seen so many insane things all over the galaxy over the years that literally nothing bothers him anymore and everything is normal to him, no matter how insane it seems to us and the other characters in the show and Gerry because of his exceptional mediocrity and impressive amount of general naivety. Also it would be criminal not to mention the other vast array of fantastically hilarious characters that we meet throughout the show, from Mr Meeseeks, (look at me!) to Mr Poopybutthole, to Birdperson, the list goes on getting more and more crazy as it does. The show is two seasons in so far, with a total of 21 episodes and I can honestly say that there is not one episode that I don’t like. I do have my favourites however, like M Night Shamaliens, when Rick, Morty and Gerry are stuck in a simulation of the real world and Gerry thinks he is having the greatest day of his life, or Rick Potion No.9, where said potion makes everybody fall in love with Morty, then transform into grotesque monsters, so they simply leave that reality behind and move into a fresh one, or Raising Gazorpazorp, where Morty goes through fatherhood in the space of a day, or Mortynight Run where they leave Gerry in a nursing home full of other Gerrys, I don’t want to spoil too much for those who haven’t seen it, but if you haven’t then stop watching this review right now and go watch Rick & Morty. The animation uses an odd art style, which may be initially off-putting, but a few episodes in, it becomes clear that this animation is to a high standard, just done in an odd style. The voice acting also seems fairly amateur at first, but as the show goes on and you get to know the characters and the world, the voice acting actually works perfectly in unison with the way that the show is written.
There isn’t much more to say, this show has hardly any negative qualities, it is one of the best animated shows that I have seen in the last decade and it is totally my kind of humour.
There isn’t much more to say, this show has hardly any negative qualities, it is one of the best animated shows that I have seen in the last decade and it is totally my kind of humour.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Earthfall in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Left 4 Dead and its sequel Left 4 Dead 2 became must play games for fans who loved the four player co-op gameplay as players worked with one another to accomplish tasks and survive legions of undead and supernatural enemies.
The sequel came soon after the original and despite rumors and the best hopes of the gaming community; a new chapter in the series has yet to appear.
Thankfully Holospark have stepped up to offer gamers an enjoyable and intense gaming experience for fans who have grown weary of waiting for a new installment of Left 4 Dead. Set in the Pacific Northwest, Earthfall deals with the aftermath of an Alien invasion where four characters must work with one another to accomplish tasks, defeat wave after wave of enemies and survive.
Players can play with one another or play with A.I. controlled Bots whose ability level can be adjusted by players at the start of the level.
Weapons ranging from shotguns, pistols, bladed weapons, machine guns, and heavy weapons can be found along the way or printed at 3D Printers to help the odds of survival. There are also health kits, stations, ammo boxes, and Stimulant shots which will all have their place as the gameplay unfolds.
Teamwork is the key as the enemies are abundant and fast. While they may not have the best A.I. out there and rush straight at you; the fact that they are so abundant and attack from multiple directions at once really increases the challenge.
There are several types of enemies as well as boss Aliens who show up at various points of a level to throw a wrench into your strategy. Once a player is down, they can be revived by other players which often puts players in the difficult task of trying to stay alive or rushing into danger to try to save other players.
There are also devices such as auto and manned gun emplacements which can shred enemies, but overheat if continuous fire is used.
The game does offer various levels of difficulty so players can find one that best meets their gameplay style. Some may find the gameplay a bit dated but when you factor in the game was made by an Indie developer and has a list price for $30.00; it has some great things going for it. I have played the game well-over a year in early access phase and I have really enjoyed seeing the improvements to the game as it made its way to full release. The new maps are really good and there are more coming for gamers to enjoy as well. What is also really enjoyable to see is that Holospark seems very open to suggestions of the community and will continue to tweak the game going forward.
While some will likely say the graphics are a bit out of date and the dialogue is a bit standard, it is important to note that this is a game designed for fans of Left 4 Dead and is done by an smaller developer and not one of the mega-publishers, as such, I found the quality of the graphics and gameplay more than good enough for modern systems and at no time did I ever find it as a distraction to the gameplay as I was immersed from the get go.
If you are a fan of Left 4 Dead and want an affordably priced game that incorporates several of the best elements of the prior game, then you will not want to miss Earthfall.
http://sknr.net/2018/07/16/earthfall/
The sequel came soon after the original and despite rumors and the best hopes of the gaming community; a new chapter in the series has yet to appear.
Thankfully Holospark have stepped up to offer gamers an enjoyable and intense gaming experience for fans who have grown weary of waiting for a new installment of Left 4 Dead. Set in the Pacific Northwest, Earthfall deals with the aftermath of an Alien invasion where four characters must work with one another to accomplish tasks, defeat wave after wave of enemies and survive.
Players can play with one another or play with A.I. controlled Bots whose ability level can be adjusted by players at the start of the level.
Weapons ranging from shotguns, pistols, bladed weapons, machine guns, and heavy weapons can be found along the way or printed at 3D Printers to help the odds of survival. There are also health kits, stations, ammo boxes, and Stimulant shots which will all have their place as the gameplay unfolds.
Teamwork is the key as the enemies are abundant and fast. While they may not have the best A.I. out there and rush straight at you; the fact that they are so abundant and attack from multiple directions at once really increases the challenge.
There are several types of enemies as well as boss Aliens who show up at various points of a level to throw a wrench into your strategy. Once a player is down, they can be revived by other players which often puts players in the difficult task of trying to stay alive or rushing into danger to try to save other players.
There are also devices such as auto and manned gun emplacements which can shred enemies, but overheat if continuous fire is used.
The game does offer various levels of difficulty so players can find one that best meets their gameplay style. Some may find the gameplay a bit dated but when you factor in the game was made by an Indie developer and has a list price for $30.00; it has some great things going for it. I have played the game well-over a year in early access phase and I have really enjoyed seeing the improvements to the game as it made its way to full release. The new maps are really good and there are more coming for gamers to enjoy as well. What is also really enjoyable to see is that Holospark seems very open to suggestions of the community and will continue to tweak the game going forward.
While some will likely say the graphics are a bit out of date and the dialogue is a bit standard, it is important to note that this is a game designed for fans of Left 4 Dead and is done by an smaller developer and not one of the mega-publishers, as such, I found the quality of the graphics and gameplay more than good enough for modern systems and at no time did I ever find it as a distraction to the gameplay as I was immersed from the get go.
If you are a fan of Left 4 Dead and want an affordably priced game that incorporates several of the best elements of the prior game, then you will not want to miss Earthfall.
http://sknr.net/2018/07/16/earthfall/
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Detroit: Become Human in Video Games
Nov 9, 2018
Best story of the year (3 more)
Incredible voice acting
So many different possibilities
Amazing replayability
An almost perfect game let down by 1 or 2 slow parts
Wow what a game. I have to say straight away that game of the year this year shouldn't be a thing. There are so many incredible games out this year. Red dead redemption 2 and God of war are incredible games and 1 of them to me will end up being game of the year but if it was based on story alone then this would win easy.
The concept has always intrigued me. The whole idea of there being androids then they develop a consciousness and gaining free will. I can see our world going there and this showed that world perfectly. Throughout the world you can find magazines and I found myself reading these and being in awe at how accurate they are. They all felt they could each be a plot to an episode of black mirror. Everything from there being less babies born because people are having sex with androids more to music concerts not being a thing due to VR. There were a lot of political, racism, slavery and abuse messages throughout the game which felt very relevant.
The gameplay was great. It felt like an interactive movie with quick time events that actually mattered. There was genuine fear for these characters since any could die. There was a certain mission that was extremely slow paced and I got bored a little but luckily that was the only part. I fell in love with the characters and their relationships towards humans and other androids. The choices given to me felt like I was making my own personal story. Acting was incredible and it was graphically beautiful. The expressions were incredible.
The flowchart at the end of each mission a welcome addition. You are able to see all the many paths you could take without seeing what they actually were. You could see the complex mind of David cage behind this chart and it looked incredible. This got me very excited to go back in the future to try out the different paths and see what happens.
This is another incredible exclusive for ps4 and it should not be missed. A beautiful score and complex writing make this a game that leaves you thinking weeks after finishing and I look forward to another playthrough and maybe even another game in this world.
The concept has always intrigued me. The whole idea of there being androids then they develop a consciousness and gaining free will. I can see our world going there and this showed that world perfectly. Throughout the world you can find magazines and I found myself reading these and being in awe at how accurate they are. They all felt they could each be a plot to an episode of black mirror. Everything from there being less babies born because people are having sex with androids more to music concerts not being a thing due to VR. There were a lot of political, racism, slavery and abuse messages throughout the game which felt very relevant.
The gameplay was great. It felt like an interactive movie with quick time events that actually mattered. There was genuine fear for these characters since any could die. There was a certain mission that was extremely slow paced and I got bored a little but luckily that was the only part. I fell in love with the characters and their relationships towards humans and other androids. The choices given to me felt like I was making my own personal story. Acting was incredible and it was graphically beautiful. The expressions were incredible.
The flowchart at the end of each mission a welcome addition. You are able to see all the many paths you could take without seeing what they actually were. You could see the complex mind of David cage behind this chart and it looked incredible. This got me very excited to go back in the future to try out the different paths and see what happens.
This is another incredible exclusive for ps4 and it should not be missed. A beautiful score and complex writing make this a game that leaves you thinking weeks after finishing and I look forward to another playthrough and maybe even another game in this world.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Guilt Trip (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
If you’re like me, as soon as you saw Seth Rogan was the lead in a road trip movie you probably billed it as another one of his comedies and put it on the eventually-will-see list. That was me, I would not have bought tickets to see this in the theater and I probably wouldn’t have rented it either until much later after a Blu-Ray/DVD release (I still haven’t seen Knocked Up). After watching this though I’ve changed my mind.
We start with Andy Brewster, Seth Rogan, getting many voicemails from his mother Joyce Brewster, Barbra Streisand. It starts earlier than he gets up in the morning and continues on into the evening. They’re to show she cares but she nags, a lot. making sure he’s ready for his meeting with Kmart. He’s an organic chemist trying to sell his all natural, safe, cleaning product. He is trying to sell his product to a big name distributor and after this meeting he’s planned a road trip to get as many distributors as he can. His trip starts by flying to the east coast and driving back; his mother lives on the east coast and when he flies in she picks him up for a little visit.
While visiting with her before she tells him something about her past she’s never told him. It affected her deeply and he decides to help her with this situation by inviting her on the trip with him. I’d like to say here, the title of this movie is misleading. As you can imagine comedy ensues but there’s very little if any guilt involved, at least I didn’t really see it. There’s a range of emotions too and you really feel them. Mostly due to the play between Seth Rogan and Barbra Streisand they both did great and really suck you in.
Obviously they learn things about each other and themselves on this road trip, but it’s not over the top, either in its emotional moments or its happy moments. The ending is a very nice heartwarming surprise that goes with the tone of the movie. It was extremely enjoyable and I would recommend this movie to anyone. It’s definitely a renter and I will be buying it but if you want to wait until it’s released on Blu-Ray/DVD I don’t believe anything will be lost in waiting. If you see it in theaters you won’t feel like you’ve wasted your time or money.
We start with Andy Brewster, Seth Rogan, getting many voicemails from his mother Joyce Brewster, Barbra Streisand. It starts earlier than he gets up in the morning and continues on into the evening. They’re to show she cares but she nags, a lot. making sure he’s ready for his meeting with Kmart. He’s an organic chemist trying to sell his all natural, safe, cleaning product. He is trying to sell his product to a big name distributor and after this meeting he’s planned a road trip to get as many distributors as he can. His trip starts by flying to the east coast and driving back; his mother lives on the east coast and when he flies in she picks him up for a little visit.
While visiting with her before she tells him something about her past she’s never told him. It affected her deeply and he decides to help her with this situation by inviting her on the trip with him. I’d like to say here, the title of this movie is misleading. As you can imagine comedy ensues but there’s very little if any guilt involved, at least I didn’t really see it. There’s a range of emotions too and you really feel them. Mostly due to the play between Seth Rogan and Barbra Streisand they both did great and really suck you in.
Obviously they learn things about each other and themselves on this road trip, but it’s not over the top, either in its emotional moments or its happy moments. The ending is a very nice heartwarming surprise that goes with the tone of the movie. It was extremely enjoyable and I would recommend this movie to anyone. It’s definitely a renter and I will be buying it but if you want to wait until it’s released on Blu-Ray/DVD I don’t believe anything will be lost in waiting. If you see it in theaters you won’t feel like you’ve wasted your time or money.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Before You Break (Secrets #1) in Books
Apr 24, 2019
awesome narration of an awesome book!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the AUDIO file of this book.
Six years ago, Ellis joined the Specialist Firearms Unit. Wayne was his partner, but Wayne wanted more, much more. Ellis is straight though. When Ellis begins a spiral downwards, and Wayne can no longer keep covering for him, he knows what he needs to do. Question is, will Ellis let Wayne help the way he wants to, the way Ellis NEEDS him to?
Book one of the Secrets series, which is a spin off from the Collars and Cuffs series. I’ve no read ANY of those, so this is brand new to me.
I really REALLY loved this one!
Ellis is, by his own admission, struggling to come to terms with his responsibilities forced on him at an early age, an age when he should have been learning how to be a boy, not a man. Wayne keeps covering for his silly mistakes but it’s getting more and more difficult. After a particularly difficult op, Wayne decides enough is enough and knows what Ellis needs. But Ellis has always portrayed himself as straight, and vanilla and Wayne is neither. Wayne knows Ellis needs to be “taken in hand” to get to the bottom of what’s bothering him, and Wayne is just the man to do it: the ONLY man to do it.
Not all of Ellis’ problems are immediately clear, and it takes time for the full picture to develop and I loved that. You don’t get a massive info dump. Ellis is. . . .difficult . . .when Wayne introduces him to the lifestyle and it is, in some places, rather amusing the conversations Ellis has with himself about what Wayne is doing, WHY he is doing it.
Wayne has loved Ellis since first meeting him 6 years ago, and to have carried that flame for so long was hard on him, but finally getting his hands (quite literally!) on Ellis is a balm to his soul. Ellis is his other half and he needs Ellis to see that.
The story unfolds at a steady pace, with Wayne kinda plodding along with Ellis till ELLIS decides he wants more, and I really did like that. Sometimes, things need to speed along but not so much here and it made for a great listen.
Joel Leslie narrates.
Leslie is, in my humble opinion, a MASTER at accents. These two guys are Londoners, and the accents were spot on. Jarod and Eli pop up, they are the new owners of Secrets and their accents are very different but again, spot on. Leslie does get all the emotions that both Ellis and Wayne are going through, and I cried in some places. I ooohhh-ed and aaahhh-ed and YAY-ed and NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-ed in places, out loud. I don’t do that when I’m reading but when I’m listening I seem to be more vocal with my reactions and I can only assume that’s the skill of the narrator coming across.
I had to giggle a bit though. Mr Leslie is, I think, American, and the man CANNOT say leisurely like we do in the UK. Every other word was spot on, but that one? Nope, not right. But I won’t hold it against him, cos I LOVED this narration!
I already have book 2 lined up, and I hope that Wayne, Ellis, Eli and Jarod pop up along the way. Be great to catch up with them.
5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Six years ago, Ellis joined the Specialist Firearms Unit. Wayne was his partner, but Wayne wanted more, much more. Ellis is straight though. When Ellis begins a spiral downwards, and Wayne can no longer keep covering for him, he knows what he needs to do. Question is, will Ellis let Wayne help the way he wants to, the way Ellis NEEDS him to?
Book one of the Secrets series, which is a spin off from the Collars and Cuffs series. I’ve no read ANY of those, so this is brand new to me.
I really REALLY loved this one!
Ellis is, by his own admission, struggling to come to terms with his responsibilities forced on him at an early age, an age when he should have been learning how to be a boy, not a man. Wayne keeps covering for his silly mistakes but it’s getting more and more difficult. After a particularly difficult op, Wayne decides enough is enough and knows what Ellis needs. But Ellis has always portrayed himself as straight, and vanilla and Wayne is neither. Wayne knows Ellis needs to be “taken in hand” to get to the bottom of what’s bothering him, and Wayne is just the man to do it: the ONLY man to do it.
Not all of Ellis’ problems are immediately clear, and it takes time for the full picture to develop and I loved that. You don’t get a massive info dump. Ellis is. . . .difficult . . .when Wayne introduces him to the lifestyle and it is, in some places, rather amusing the conversations Ellis has with himself about what Wayne is doing, WHY he is doing it.
Wayne has loved Ellis since first meeting him 6 years ago, and to have carried that flame for so long was hard on him, but finally getting his hands (quite literally!) on Ellis is a balm to his soul. Ellis is his other half and he needs Ellis to see that.
The story unfolds at a steady pace, with Wayne kinda plodding along with Ellis till ELLIS decides he wants more, and I really did like that. Sometimes, things need to speed along but not so much here and it made for a great listen.
Joel Leslie narrates.
Leslie is, in my humble opinion, a MASTER at accents. These two guys are Londoners, and the accents were spot on. Jarod and Eli pop up, they are the new owners of Secrets and their accents are very different but again, spot on. Leslie does get all the emotions that both Ellis and Wayne are going through, and I cried in some places. I ooohhh-ed and aaahhh-ed and YAY-ed and NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-ed in places, out loud. I don’t do that when I’m reading but when I’m listening I seem to be more vocal with my reactions and I can only assume that’s the skill of the narrator coming across.
I had to giggle a bit though. Mr Leslie is, I think, American, and the man CANNOT say leisurely like we do in the UK. Every other word was spot on, but that one? Nope, not right. But I won’t hold it against him, cos I LOVED this narration!
I already have book 2 lined up, and I hope that Wayne, Ellis, Eli and Jarod pop up along the way. Be great to catch up with them.
5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Steph (468 KP) rated Eldritch Horror in Tabletop Games
Jul 10, 2018
One of my all-time favorites!
Eldritch Horror is a difficult, horror-themed, co-operative board game. You and your fellow teammates play as characters with different abilities and, together, you are trying to stop an elder monster from awakening and destroying the world. If you'd played Arkham Horror, Eldritch is a streamlined version of it. There are TONS of expansions (I have all of them) that really add to the game through different characters, mechanics, bad guys, etc.
I wouldn't say this game was friendly to people who don't usually play board games because of all of the different rules and elements, though because of it's co-operative nature, it's not too hard to teach to people who do usually play board games.
This game has GREAT re-playability. It scales fairly well for different numbers of players, but does not play as well with odd numbers (the difficulty is the same as the even number one higher, but you have fewer turns). Because it's co-operative, you can have some players control more than one character. This is what we usually do if we play with odd numbers. It's challenging to do this, though, if everyone is new to the game.
I wouldn't say this game was friendly to people who don't usually play board games because of all of the different rules and elements, though because of it's co-operative nature, it's not too hard to teach to people who do usually play board games.
This game has GREAT re-playability. It scales fairly well for different numbers of players, but does not play as well with odd numbers (the difficulty is the same as the even number one higher, but you have fewer turns). Because it's co-operative, you can have some players control more than one character. This is what we usually do if we play with odd numbers. It's challenging to do this, though, if everyone is new to the game.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Hurry - Single by Leena in Music
Jun 17, 2019
Leena is an up-and-coming Miami-raised singer-songwriter from Dallas, Texas. Not too long ago, she released a lovely urban pop tune, entitled, “Hurry”.
“I hate feeling like a stranger. I’m so sick of conversations that just leads to confrontations with you. Hoping that you’ll save me. Take my hand and fly away. You’re the one that I’ve been seeing. I can’t seem to find my way with you hoping that you’ll say. Baby, where you at? Im tryna relax so find me when you can and show me, babe.” – lyrics
‘Hurry’ is the second single from Leena’s upcoming EP.
The likable tune contains a relatable storyline and pleasing vocals. Also, the song possesses melodic instrumentation flavored with urban-pop and contemporary R&B elements.
“’Hurry’ is about finally finding your worth and not waiting for a man to control or contradict your next move. It’s about becoming independent, making your own money and bossing up” – Leena
Leena’s musical influences include Kehlani, Ella Mai, and SZA.
Her music consists of themes describing the hardship and enjoyment of life and love.
“‘Hurry’ is full of emotion that’s expressed with Leena’s lush vocals and beautifully written lyrics that will take listeners into a world of desire.”
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/leena-hurry/
“I hate feeling like a stranger. I’m so sick of conversations that just leads to confrontations with you. Hoping that you’ll save me. Take my hand and fly away. You’re the one that I’ve been seeing. I can’t seem to find my way with you hoping that you’ll say. Baby, where you at? Im tryna relax so find me when you can and show me, babe.” – lyrics
‘Hurry’ is the second single from Leena’s upcoming EP.
The likable tune contains a relatable storyline and pleasing vocals. Also, the song possesses melodic instrumentation flavored with urban-pop and contemporary R&B elements.
“’Hurry’ is about finally finding your worth and not waiting for a man to control or contradict your next move. It’s about becoming independent, making your own money and bossing up” – Leena
Leena’s musical influences include Kehlani, Ella Mai, and SZA.
Her music consists of themes describing the hardship and enjoyment of life and love.
“‘Hurry’ is full of emotion that’s expressed with Leena’s lush vocals and beautifully written lyrics that will take listeners into a world of desire.”
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/leena-hurry/
The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night
Book
'ENCHANTING AND ILLUMINATING' Carys Bray, bestselling author of A Song For Issy Bradley 'THIS BOOK...