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Mark Arm recommended Journey in Satchidananda by Alice Coltrane in Music (curated)
Merissa (11805 KP) rated The Mating (Law of the Lycans #2) in Books
Mar 26, 2018
The Mating (Law of the Lycans #2) by Nicky Charles
In The Mating we meet Kane and Elise. Kane we have heard mentioned in Bonded, but Elise is a new character. They get together for political reasons, although Elise had a boyfriend. However, once she spends time with Kane, she finds she is thinking less of Bryan than she thought she would. Mix into the story a woman who wants what Elisa has, an oil company who wants to drill, a half-brother with murder on his mind, and you get a great story.
I found The Mating to be very well-written, with plenty of characters to like and dislike. Although at times, I really REALLY wanted the other characters to catch onto what was going on, it still played a part of the story, and I just had to wait until they caught up. With a steady pace, and some steamy times too, this book was thoroughly enjoyable, and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I found The Mating to be very well-written, with plenty of characters to like and dislike. Although at times, I really REALLY wanted the other characters to catch onto what was going on, it still played a part of the story, and I just had to wait until they caught up. With a steady pace, and some steamy times too, this book was thoroughly enjoyable, and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Caitlin Ann Cherniak (85 KP) rated Like Vanessa in Books
Nov 28, 2018
From Goodreads: 13-year-old girl from the '80s sees the first black woman win Miss America, which inspires her middle school to throw a pageant to boost moral. What could possibly go wrong?
Normally, I would say everything.
This book, nothing went wrong. In fact, Tami Charles did everything right.
You get an interesting main character. You have her going through real problems. You have this story take a look at a real problem with young black girls when it comes to what level of black skin is beautiful. You have major plot twists at every turn (And I don't take that sentence lightly.) And I actually don't hate the parental character this time (Because seriously, a lot of them try to make these characters awful for no reason at all). And you have the main character drop their walls to tell their vulnerable story to the audience.
In short, I love this book. One of the best middle grade and young adult novels I have ever read.
Normally, I would say everything.
This book, nothing went wrong. In fact, Tami Charles did everything right.
You get an interesting main character. You have her going through real problems. You have this story take a look at a real problem with young black girls when it comes to what level of black skin is beautiful. You have major plot twists at every turn (And I don't take that sentence lightly.) And I actually don't hate the parental character this time (Because seriously, a lot of them try to make these characters awful for no reason at all). And you have the main character drop their walls to tell their vulnerable story to the audience.
In short, I love this book. One of the best middle grade and young adult novels I have ever read.
R.L. Stine recommended Island of Lost Souls (1933) in Movies (curated)
Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated Blithe Spirit (2020) in Movies
Mar 31, 2021 (Updated Mar 31, 2021)
The women act like shrews. (6 more)
Cheap jokes.
Lack of class and style.
Poor character development.
No depth to the characters at all.
Unsophisticated.
Would have been funnier without the sex jokes.
No! No! No! This is not the way Noel Coward is meant to be seen. Avoid this!
Contains spoilers, click to show
I am a HUGE fan of Noel Coward and absolutely adore the original Blithe Spirit. I had high hopes for this version as I like all of the actors involved in the movie. Unfortunately, it was a complete disappointment. Judi Dench's Madame Arcati paled in the memory of Margaret Rutherford, though much of the dialogue and actions during the seance scene were the same. She tried her best but the script just wasn't any good. I did appreciate the backstory of her losing her husband in the Boer War and that being the reason she was interested in the occult. The significance of the song Always was not mentioned, though it was very important to the plot in the original and made the movie relatable. Gone was the ethereal, sweet, mischievous little minx Elvira, played by Kay Hammond in the original. Enter the selfish, unlovable shrew of a first wife, played by the usually lovable Leslie Mann in the remake. The relationship between Charles and Elvira does not make any sense to the viewer and there was no point for them to have been together or for her to have thought of her and to bring her forth in the present. This is a missed plot point. In the original, it is actually the maid who was thinking of Elvira, not Charles, but the maid is merely a go-between for props in this movie and has no reason for being there, nor the chef. The relationship between Ruth and Charles is also not a good one and they have no reason to be together in this remake, though in the original, they at least have a few things in common. They seem to have nothing but derision toward each other. Again, I don't see the point of them being together. All of them are miserable together. Even when Elvira and Charles are intimate, it is not for romance and love but for mere hatred, jealousy, and spite. There is even a cheap crotch shot joke that I was appalled to see in this work. And the ending of the movie makes little sense. It's hardly the charming farce Noel Coward intended. Oh, the horrors. Skip this version. Watch the original. Trust me on this. This movie is not the way Noel Coward is meant to be seen.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Summer Flash Burn (Worthington Investigations, #2) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
This was an interesting story!
I love the cover of this book. It becomes more intriguing the longer I look at it. Summer Flash Burn is the second book in Erin Unger’s Worthington Agency series. The stories (so far) follow a group of friends in a detective agency, kind of reminds me of Charles Angels . I had not read the first book in the series before this one. I would definitely say this book can be read as a stand-alone, it does make reference to the first book but not in a way that makes you feel lost.
Based on the description I thought I knew what I was getting in to with this book. However, it took me on some unique twists and turns leading to an ending that was a good surprise. The main characters Christopher and Shauna deal with issues of self-worth, body image, grief, decision making, reliance on God… So many different emotions in this book. They all flow together quite seamlessly to make a good storyline. I loved Shauna’s military backround and her struggles with civilian life, they made her really come to life. I also liked how Christopher worked for the railroad! I have never met anyone who does that. The only thing I didn’t particularly care for was that the characters seemed to be overdramatized in their reactions to the things that happen. Otherwise, it was a fun read and I will definitely be going back to read the first book in the series. Thank you, Erin Unger, for being another new to me author .
I love the cover of this book. It becomes more intriguing the longer I look at it. Summer Flash Burn is the second book in Erin Unger’s Worthington Agency series. The stories (so far) follow a group of friends in a detective agency, kind of reminds me of Charles Angels . I had not read the first book in the series before this one. I would definitely say this book can be read as a stand-alone, it does make reference to the first book but not in a way that makes you feel lost.
Based on the description I thought I knew what I was getting in to with this book. However, it took me on some unique twists and turns leading to an ending that was a good surprise. The main characters Christopher and Shauna deal with issues of self-worth, body image, grief, decision making, reliance on God… So many different emotions in this book. They all flow together quite seamlessly to make a good storyline. I loved Shauna’s military backround and her struggles with civilian life, they made her really come to life. I also liked how Christopher worked for the railroad! I have never met anyone who does that. The only thing I didn’t particularly care for was that the characters seemed to be overdramatized in their reactions to the things that happen. Otherwise, it was a fun read and I will definitely be going back to read the first book in the series. Thank you, Erin Unger, for being another new to me author .
My first exposure to Neil Gaiman was when he co-wrote Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch with Terry Pratchett.
This, I believe, was the first of his solo novels that I read.
Circa 2006, not all that long before the movie on which it is based came out.
It was also a, how do we put this?, 'normal' prose novel: not a graphic novel; nor even an illustrated novel (as this is). Indeed, I didn't even know at first that the prose version which I read had previously been issued as an illustrated novel, until I saw it mentioned 'based on the work by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' at the end of the movie.
It then took me approximately a good decade or so before I finally got round to actually reading that version of the work, when I came across it on sale via Comixology. And, I have to say, the illustrations do add a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi to the work: a work which, while the main beats may be familiar to the reader from the movie version, is also very much its own thing and which includes elements not in said movie (Tristran’s wider family, for one, or even the much sadder ending in this)
This, I believe, was the first of his solo novels that I read.
Circa 2006, not all that long before the movie on which it is based came out.
It was also a, how do we put this?, 'normal' prose novel: not a graphic novel; nor even an illustrated novel (as this is). Indeed, I didn't even know at first that the prose version which I read had previously been issued as an illustrated novel, until I saw it mentioned 'based on the work by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' at the end of the movie.
It then took me approximately a good decade or so before I finally got round to actually reading that version of the work, when I came across it on sale via Comixology. And, I have to say, the illustrations do add a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi to the work: a work which, while the main beats may be familiar to the reader from the movie version, is also very much its own thing and which includes elements not in said movie (Tristran’s wider family, for one, or even the much sadder ending in this)
Erika (17788 KP) rated The Oracle Year in Books
Apr 22, 2018
This book was a selection for Book of the Month this April. I chose it because Charles Soule has written some of my favorite comics.
This book is about Will Dando, who receives several predictions from one dream. He posts select predictions on 'the Site' and he is known as 'The Oracle'. The government is after him, and religious sects are calling his the devil/blasphemer. It was impulsively readable.
But, it was just good. It wasn't great. Which, was a bummer. Because though it was readable, there was nothing new about it.
This book is about Will Dando, who receives several predictions from one dream. He posts select predictions on 'the Site' and he is known as 'The Oracle'. The government is after him, and religious sects are calling his the devil/blasphemer. It was impulsively readable.
But, it was just good. It wasn't great. Which, was a bummer. Because though it was readable, there was nothing new about it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2103 KP) rated Murder on Amsterdam Avenue in Books
Jul 7, 2021 (Updated Jul 7, 2021)
Poisoner on the Lose
Frank Malloy has moved into the house that he and Sarah Brandt will share after they get married, but they have to wait until restoration is done on the house to actually get married, and the workers are taking their sweet time about it. Meanwhile, Sarah accompanies her mother on a condolence call to the home of the Oakes family. Charles suddenly got sick and died a few days later. The Oakes have been friends with Sarah’s family for years, and so, on the visit, Charles’s father asks if Frank will investigate the death. He thinks that something is not right about it. It isn’t long before Frank confirms that Charles was poisoned. But who would poison him?
While these are historical mysteries, history doesn’t always come into play in these books. Here it does in a couple of different ways, and I enjoyed both of them. Fans of the series will be delighted with how the character’s lives are progressing. The mystery was a little slower than most, or maybe it just felt like it to me because I guessed some parts of the plot early on. Even so, I enjoyed some of the twists along the way to the satisfying climax. We get plenty of the supporting characters here, and I am enjoying how they are developing. The characters’ lives are transitioning still in this book, and long-time fans will be happy with how that progresses. This isn’t the strongest in the series, but it will still please fans.
While these are historical mysteries, history doesn’t always come into play in these books. Here it does in a couple of different ways, and I enjoyed both of them. Fans of the series will be delighted with how the character’s lives are progressing. The mystery was a little slower than most, or maybe it just felt like it to me because I guessed some parts of the plot early on. Even so, I enjoyed some of the twists along the way to the satisfying climax. We get plenty of the supporting characters here, and I am enjoying how they are developing. The characters’ lives are transitioning still in this book, and long-time fans will be happy with how that progresses. This isn’t the strongest in the series, but it will still please fans.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2103 KP) rated Bluffing is Murder in Books
Mar 9, 2018
While out for a run, Lauren finds the body of Charles Heard, a man she had publically argued with the previous day. Is local politics involved in his death? Or is something else in play?
The mystery in this one could have been stronger, but I did still enjoy the book. The plot was always moving forward, and the characters are great. Watching the growth between the books makes it even more interesting.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
SECOND NOTE: Tace Baker is actually a pen name for Edith Maxwell and no relation to me.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-bluffing-is-murder-by-tace.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The mystery in this one could have been stronger, but I did still enjoy the book. The plot was always moving forward, and the characters are great. Watching the growth between the books makes it even more interesting.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
SECOND NOTE: Tace Baker is actually a pen name for Edith Maxwell and no relation to me.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-bluffing-is-murder-by-tace.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.