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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2352 KP) rated Prime Time (Charlotte McNally, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
TV investigative reporter Charlotte "Charlie" McNally is trying to find a great story for November sweeps. And it might have just landed in her lap with a tip from the widow of an apparent suicide. The story started rather slowly, but once it got going, I couldn't put it down.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-prime-time-by-hank.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/03/book-review-prime-time-by-hank.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2352 KP) rated Face Time (Charlotte McNally, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
TV investigative reporter Charlotte "Charlie" McNally has been given the scoop of a lifetime - a woman in prison for murder is innocent, even though she confessed. But can Charlie prove it without the woman's help? The pacing was uneven, but I loved spending more time around these characters.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-face-time-by-hank-phillippi.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/04/book-review-face-time-by-hank-phillippi.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Erika (17789 KP) rated My Plain Jane: The Lady Janies Book 2 in Books
Oct 28, 2018
This was an entertaining riff on Jane Eyre. As with the first book in the 'Lady Janies' trilogy, there are three main characters that cycle through the chapters. I liked that Charlotte Bronte herself was one of the narrators. It followed fairly closely to the original in the beginning, with a few deviations, as would be expected. It was largely predictable, but I didn't mind because I was entertained.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Last of August (Charlotte Holmes #2) in Books
Jan 31, 2018
The Last of August introduces us to even more members of the Holmes and Moriarty families. After being framed for murder, what other trouble could Charlotte and Jamie possibly get themselves into? You’d be surprised. Charlotte and Jamie decide to spend Christmas break together in Europe. First, they visit Jamie’s mom where Charlotte gets to experience a more normal family life. Then, they travel to the Holmes manor in Sussex which is much less welcoming and far more confusing. Charlotte’s father, Alistair is imposing, her mother Emma questions Jamie’s motives, and her brother Milo rarely leaves his flat in Berlin. Charlotte’s family is not particularly warm and friendly, so it’s a welcome change when Jamie meets his father’s best friend and Charlotte’s Uncle Leander Holmes. Leander is sociable and kind, more comfortable at parties than the other members of his family and frequently hired to discover art crime/forgeries.
Their uneventful break ends suddenly when Leander disappears mysteriously and Charlotte’s mother is poisoned. These events set Charlotte and Jamie on a whirlwind adventure across Europe to discover the truth. They are joined by August Moriarty, to Jamie’s dismay and a contingent of Milo’s hired grunts. August is likable even though he is a Moriarty and we’re not always sure if we can trust him. We are introduced to his brother Hadrian and his sister Philippa, but not the more ruthless Lucien. I expect he will be the “big bad” for the third book, if not his parents so the reveal and development of their characters will wait until then.
Overall, the mystery and plot of this book were just as interested as the first in the series. There isn’t much else to add without spoilers, so just go read it. Highly recommended to young adult/teen fans of mystery, contemporary, or the classic Sherlock Holmes novels. I fell in love with this series and can’t wait to see how the series is concluded.
Their uneventful break ends suddenly when Leander disappears mysteriously and Charlotte’s mother is poisoned. These events set Charlotte and Jamie on a whirlwind adventure across Europe to discover the truth. They are joined by August Moriarty, to Jamie’s dismay and a contingent of Milo’s hired grunts. August is likable even though he is a Moriarty and we’re not always sure if we can trust him. We are introduced to his brother Hadrian and his sister Philippa, but not the more ruthless Lucien. I expect he will be the “big bad” for the third book, if not his parents so the reveal and development of their characters will wait until then.
Overall, the mystery and plot of this book were just as interested as the first in the series. There isn’t much else to add without spoilers, so just go read it. Highly recommended to young adult/teen fans of mystery, contemporary, or the classic Sherlock Holmes novels. I fell in love with this series and can’t wait to see how the series is concluded.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2352 KP) rated Days of Wine and Roquefort (A Cheese Shop Mystery, #5) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
With her life slow for a few weeks, Charlotte has agreed to let Matthew’s friend Noelle stay with her until Noelle’s new rental is ready to move into. Noelle has just moved to town to work for a winery in the area, but the day before she starts her new job, she turns up murdered. Who could she have angered that much in the little time she’d been in town?
Overall, I found the plot much better than in the previous book of the series. It stayed on track and kept giving us new clues to the identity of the killer. I do wish Charlotte would show more respect to the police chief, especially when he gets on her for investigating, but overall I love the characters as well.
You can read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-days-of-wine-and-roquefort.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Overall, I found the plot much better than in the previous book of the series. It stayed on track and kept giving us new clues to the identity of the killer. I do wish Charlotte would show more respect to the police chief, especially when he gets on her for investigating, but overall I love the characters as well.
You can read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-days-of-wine-and-roquefort.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Wrong Turn (2021) in Movies
Feb 25, 2023
Original (1 more)
Charlotte Vega
Decent Reboot
Caught this on Netflix, not on there much longer. Thankfully not just an updated Reboot, it's actually quite different from the Original Wrong Turn and many sequels.
Enjoyed the first half of the film, the turn so to speak was something different which is good to see but it did get a little bit silly. Not quite as shocking or as good as the original but entertaining.
Enjoyed the first half of the film, the turn so to speak was something different which is good to see but it did get a little bit silly. Not quite as shocking or as good as the original but entertaining.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Masquerade in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this novel by the end of it. The beginning is a bit slow and dry, as Moser sets up the background information and almost struggles to get the reader to "side" with the main character Charlotte Gleason by using her maid's voice to excuse Charlotte's "spoiled rich girl" behavior. I really have a hard time buying the lines that Charlotte really is a good person even though she chooses to be naive about the world she lives in because she feels helpless to enact change. But what happens to her family to force her to travel to America is just the thing to wake her up to the real world and her own responsibilities in it.
I feel much more sympathetic to Dora Conners' plight, as she has little to no say in her life and what Charlotte forces on her, even if it does seem to benefit Dora in theory. To be forced into a position in which she has to lie about who she is and where she is from by her "boss" is atrocious, no matter how much a "friendship" has been built between them. In addition, the endgame is that she is expected to give of her own body to a man in marriage who does not even know who she really is - it's completely shameful.
The parallel way that the story is told once the girls get to America is quite interesting, especially how their paths intersect in seemingly coincidental ways, such as the sweat shop where Charlotte works temporarily manufacturing the clothes that Dora orders from the Tremaine's department store. The more that Charlotte suffers and the guiltier she feels for the lies she has told and has also forced on Dora makes me like her more for the maturation in character she experiences.
In contrast, I have a hard time blaming Dora for the choices she has to make while living in the Tremaine household given her circumstances. She was made to come to this place and perform to certain expectations, and she has no backup plan should she decide to do otherwise. The guilt she feels despite her lack of personal choice in the matter only make her more likeable to the reader. Given where she is from and what is being handed to her, there are not many who would fault her for going along with the "masquerade."
In the end, the goal of both girls is true love over financial stability, and since I am a romantic at heart, I can't help but approve of the ending.
I feel much more sympathetic to Dora Conners' plight, as she has little to no say in her life and what Charlotte forces on her, even if it does seem to benefit Dora in theory. To be forced into a position in which she has to lie about who she is and where she is from by her "boss" is atrocious, no matter how much a "friendship" has been built between them. In addition, the endgame is that she is expected to give of her own body to a man in marriage who does not even know who she really is - it's completely shameful.
The parallel way that the story is told once the girls get to America is quite interesting, especially how their paths intersect in seemingly coincidental ways, such as the sweat shop where Charlotte works temporarily manufacturing the clothes that Dora orders from the Tremaine's department store. The more that Charlotte suffers and the guiltier she feels for the lies she has told and has also forced on Dora makes me like her more for the maturation in character she experiences.
In contrast, I have a hard time blaming Dora for the choices she has to make while living in the Tremaine household given her circumstances. She was made to come to this place and perform to certain expectations, and she has no backup plan should she decide to do otherwise. The guilt she feels despite her lack of personal choice in the matter only make her more likeable to the reader. Given where she is from and what is being handed to her, there are not many who would fault her for going along with the "masquerade."
In the end, the goal of both girls is true love over financial stability, and since I am a romantic at heart, I can't help but approve of the ending.
Steve Buscemi recommended Salesman (1969) in Movies (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Cruel Beautiful World in Books
Feb 13, 2018
As young girls, Lucy and Caroline come into the care of the older Iris. The girls' parents had died, and they wind up living with Iris, who becomes a sort of adopted mother to the two sisters. Both Lucy and Charlotte are extremely close until high school, when they find themselves drifting apart. Studious Charlotte is focused on getting into college, where she hopes to study to become a vet. Lucy, however, can never quite seem to live up to her sister's academic shadow. That is until she meets a vibrant teacher, William, at her high school. Lucy falls fast for her older English teacher and suddenly finds herself running away to a remote area of Pennsylvania to start over with her new love. Iris and Charlotte, however, are devastated, and cannot give up their search for Lucy. Even worse, Lucy's life of promise and happiness with William may be falling short.
This book is not what I expected, but it was a wonderful (although sometimes haunting) tale. Leavitt creates nuanced, well-developed characters who jump off the page. The book has a poignant sadness that stays with you, even after you've turned the last page. Somehow, I inadvertently read this one directly after [b:The Girls|26893819|The Girls|Emma Cline|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1464528839s/26893819.jpg|42856015], with each tale being set in a similar timeframe, with mentions and allusions to the Manson murders, free love, etc. I actually preferred this novel and its intricate plot and characters, to whom I found myself growing quite attached. The story unfolds from the point of view of Lucy, Charlotte, and Iris, which allows us to get to know each of them. Each is different and beautiful in their own way.
Overall, I loved most of this book. It slowed for me about 3/4 through, but recovered by the end. Some of the characters' actions are frustrating, but it does not take away from its almost poetic nature. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and LibraryThing (thank you!).
This book is not what I expected, but it was a wonderful (although sometimes haunting) tale. Leavitt creates nuanced, well-developed characters who jump off the page. The book has a poignant sadness that stays with you, even after you've turned the last page. Somehow, I inadvertently read this one directly after [b:The Girls|26893819|The Girls|Emma Cline|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1464528839s/26893819.jpg|42856015], with each tale being set in a similar timeframe, with mentions and allusions to the Manson murders, free love, etc. I actually preferred this novel and its intricate plot and characters, to whom I found myself growing quite attached. The story unfolds from the point of view of Lucy, Charlotte, and Iris, which allows us to get to know each of them. Each is different and beautiful in their own way.
Overall, I loved most of this book. It slowed for me about 3/4 through, but recovered by the end. Some of the characters' actions are frustrating, but it does not take away from its almost poetic nature. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and LibraryThing (thank you!).
Merissa (12919 KP) rated Seduced (Blood Rose Tales #3) in Books
Apr 15, 2023
Until now, the Blood Rose series has concentrated on the evil of the Invictus pairs. However, in this book, a new evil is brought to light. This one has been kidnapping children and torturing them for years. Willem has tried for years to find him but to no avail. Charlotte thinks that she is human but is completely at ease within the Realm. They have known each for months but we join their story halfway through their first date.
This is a fast-paced and exciting quick read, as we learn about both Charlotte and Willem. There are hard decisions to be made, with terrifying consequences if the wrong choice is made. There is no going back.
Excellently written and no grammatical errors that I found. This is another brilliant addition to the Blood Rose Tales. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 13, 2015
This is a fast-paced and exciting quick read, as we learn about both Charlotte and Willem. There are hard decisions to be made, with terrifying consequences if the wrong choice is made. There is no going back.
Excellently written and no grammatical errors that I found. This is another brilliant addition to the Blood Rose Tales. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 13, 2015