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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2478 KP) rated A Likely Story in Books

Mar 13, 2020

A Likely Story

Jenn McKinlay | 2015 | Mystery

7.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

No Man Dies on an Island Alone

One of the things that librarian Lindsey Norris does as part of her job is take requests to the residents who live in the islands off the coast of Briar Creek, Connecticut. And that’s what she is doing this cold February day with the help of her ex-boyfriend, Sully. Their first stop is Star Island, the home of brothers Stewart and Peter Rosen. The brothers are recluses, and Lindsey knows to never leave the dock – Stewart will meet her there. This particular afternoon, Stewart doesn’t come to meet her. After waiting a few minutes, Lindsey and Sully can’t help but feel that something is wrong, so they venture up to the house to investigate. Inside, they find one brother dead with no sign of the other. Did one brother kill the other? Or is something even more sinister involved?

Since this is book six in the series, we’ve gotten to know the series regulars pretty well, and it is fun to check in with them again here. A couple of the supporting characters even get their own sub-plots, and they added some great humor to the book. The love triangle is still going strong here, although it takes a backseat to some of the other storylines of the book. Yes, the mystery is the more prominent story of the book. Once again for this series, it doesn’t unfold in typical fashion, but I was no less hooked, and I had to know what Lindsey would uncover next as she worked to piece everything together. I did feel the ending was rushed, which left a couple of things dangling, but the big questions were all answered. We get the typical extras for this series – literature discussion questions, a craft project, recipes – as well as a bonus short story that is a lot of fun. Fans new and old will enjoy catching up with Lindsey here.

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Chasing Mavericks (2012) in Movies

Aug 7, 2019

Can surfing teach you about life and how to live it? Can it drag you out of yourself enough to figure out just what it’s all about? That all depends on the surfer: Chasing Mavericks is based on the true story of Jay Moriarty (played by Jonny Weston), an accomplished surfer, and amazingly positive kid from Northern California. The story begins with a young Moriarty counting the time between wave breaks. He is with Kim, a staple in his life, and future wife. While saving her dog, he gets knocked into the water by a wave and is pushed down. He is saved by a surfer (Gerard Butler as Frosty) who just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and tells Jay that he has used up his allotment of dumb luck for life. Jay is bit, and finds an old surf board in his garage.

Skip ahead seven years and Jay is an accomplished surfer outperforming everybody on the water. He watches Frosty, who still lives across the street, and follows him early one morning. This is Jay’s introduction to Mavericks; a set of big waves that roll into the Northern Californian coast each winter. Waves can reach as high as 50 feet and surfers can reach speeds exceeding 50 miles per hour. Jay is instantly attracted to the challenge, and in his excitement gets caught by Frosty.

Somehow Jay convinces Frosty to train him how to ride Mavericks, and his tutelage in both surfing and life begin.

This was a great movie; it was beautifully shot, and shows how determination, skill, and a willingness to go beyond oneself can help achieve any goal. There aren’t any amazing surprises, but the story doesn’t need them; Jay is a great character and his struggle to become a part of something so much bigger than himself is worth watching. The soundtrack is also amazing! For anyone familiar with the music of the time; it will be love at first listen. This is one movie not to miss.