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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2352 KP) rated Chasing Darkness in Books
Aug 18, 2018
Cole’s Latest Client – His Reputation
When the body of Lionel Byrd is found in his rental house, the police also find a photo album with pictures of murder victims. One of those victims was someone that Lionel had been arrested for killing three years ago, and Elvis Cole was hired by his defense attorney to help get him off. Elvis did thanks to an ironclad alibi. Was Elvis wrong then? Or is something else going on now?
This is a compelling case that moves quickly from one plot point to another. I followed Elvis down a couple of blind allies and wrong turns before he figured things out. While we don’t get all the answers we might like, the book isn’t set up to give them to us. However, the conclusion is still satisfying. The characters we meet here are strong. This is really Elvis’ story, so we don’t see too much of his partner Joe Pike. Another couple of regulars appear here, and they are definitely the best versions of themselves. Do take the title of the book seriously; some of what we learn along the way is more graphic than I felt it needed to be, and we don’t get as much of Elvis’ trademark wit here. Still, this was a book well worth reading.
This is a compelling case that moves quickly from one plot point to another. I followed Elvis down a couple of blind allies and wrong turns before he figured things out. While we don’t get all the answers we might like, the book isn’t set up to give them to us. However, the conclusion is still satisfying. The characters we meet here are strong. This is really Elvis’ story, so we don’t see too much of his partner Joe Pike. Another couple of regulars appear here, and they are definitely the best versions of themselves. Do take the title of the book seriously; some of what we learn along the way is more graphic than I felt it needed to be, and we don’t get as much of Elvis’ trademark wit here. Still, this was a book well worth reading.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated A Most Noble Heir in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Such a fun and unique story! Tensions are high as we begin this story and don't release until the end. I just had to know how it was all going to work out. Hannah has severe insecurities, and although relatable, a couple times I thought I was going to have to purse whomp her. Nolan...while sweet and charming, was a bit pig-headed on a couple of occasions. Watching Hannah and Nolan work through their insecurities and fears was real and heartbreaking. But I love, LOVE, how the author infuses the situation with GOD! It is truly amazing what can happen when we let HIM lead us, heal us, and strengthen us.
Set in the Victorian era, Susan Anne Mason brings to life the upstairs/downstairs aspects and the brilliance of them intertwining in an unexpected way. Conflicted between his heart and duty, will Nolan become the heir worthy of his father's praise and Hannah's heart? Can Hannah adjust to the changes in life now demanded of her?
Filled with surprises, excitements, devastations, and romance...This is a perfect book for reading on vacation this year! So grab your copy from the library or bookstore now.
I received a complimentary copy of A Most Noble Heir from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Set in the Victorian era, Susan Anne Mason brings to life the upstairs/downstairs aspects and the brilliance of them intertwining in an unexpected way. Conflicted between his heart and duty, will Nolan become the heir worthy of his father's praise and Hannah's heart? Can Hannah adjust to the changes in life now demanded of her?
Filled with surprises, excitements, devastations, and romance...This is a perfect book for reading on vacation this year! So grab your copy from the library or bookstore now.
I received a complimentary copy of A Most Noble Heir from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
David McK (3562 KP) rated Rebellion (Matthew Hawkwood, #4) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The fourth book in James McGee's Matthew Hawkwood series of books, and over the course of the last two (in particular), the eponymous Bow Street Runner is getting further and further away from his usual haunts!
In this installment, Hawkwood actually spends the vast majority of it in the heart of Imperial France: in Paris itself, while Napoleon is away on his ill-fated Russian campaign. Again taking real historical facts as its basis, this novel concerns itself primarily with a conspiracy attempt to over-throw the regime: an event which, obviously, did not succeed.
If I'm honest, and to draw an anology between these books and the Star Wars films (which might seem strange, but bear with me!), the first couple of books in the series are like the original couple of films: full of danger, action and excitement. This one, unfortunately, is more like Episode I: seeming to be setting itself up for a broader story arc, and more concerned with politics than with action and excitement.
Worth a read? Yes, but if this was my introduction to the series as a whole - which can, by and large, be read independently as they only occassionally refer to earlier events - I wouldn't be going out of my way to look for any others in thes series, unlike if I had read any of the others first.
In this installment, Hawkwood actually spends the vast majority of it in the heart of Imperial France: in Paris itself, while Napoleon is away on his ill-fated Russian campaign. Again taking real historical facts as its basis, this novel concerns itself primarily with a conspiracy attempt to over-throw the regime: an event which, obviously, did not succeed.
If I'm honest, and to draw an anology between these books and the Star Wars films (which might seem strange, but bear with me!), the first couple of books in the series are like the original couple of films: full of danger, action and excitement. This one, unfortunately, is more like Episode I: seeming to be setting itself up for a broader story arc, and more concerned with politics than with action and excitement.
Worth a read? Yes, but if this was my introduction to the series as a whole - which can, by and large, be read independently as they only occassionally refer to earlier events - I wouldn't be going out of my way to look for any others in thes series, unlike if I had read any of the others first.
PS
Plaza Suite
Book
Comedy / 7m, 5f (performed on Broadway with 3m, 2f) / Scenery: InteriorHilarity abounds in this...
Our Life on Ice: The Autobiography
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
Book
When Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean collapsed to the ice at the climax of their routine to...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Torn (Second Sight #2) in Books
May 30, 2021
74 of 250
Kindle
Torn ( Secnd Sight book 2)
By Hazel Hunter
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
They are opposites in everything - except love.
Psychic Isabelle de Grey and FBI Special Agent Gavin "Mac" MacMillan are an improbable couple. But when her world of seeing into the past and his world of profiling criminals overlaps, an intense, sensual relationship quickly erupts. Despite bicoastal living arrangements, red-hot desire still consumes them both. Though Isabelle is thrilled that Mac is returning to L.A., her happiness is tempered by the grim reality they must face.
The serial killer who escaped them has struck again and found another young woman. Though Isabelle and Mac work together, he keeps their relationship hidden in order to preserve his job. As the investigation falters and the strain of secrecy takes its toll, Isabelle and Mac struggle to find a way forward. Despite the heated passion that explodes between them, hard decisions lay in store for the couple as they discover that every choice has its cost.
For a quick read it shows promise! It could be a very good full crime/paranormal novel it felt very force and very rushed to pack it all into 11 chapters. She clearly has a talent just these short blasts need more!
Kindle
Torn ( Secnd Sight book 2)
By Hazel Hunter
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
They are opposites in everything - except love.
Psychic Isabelle de Grey and FBI Special Agent Gavin "Mac" MacMillan are an improbable couple. But when her world of seeing into the past and his world of profiling criminals overlaps, an intense, sensual relationship quickly erupts. Despite bicoastal living arrangements, red-hot desire still consumes them both. Though Isabelle is thrilled that Mac is returning to L.A., her happiness is tempered by the grim reality they must face.
The serial killer who escaped them has struck again and found another young woman. Though Isabelle and Mac work together, he keeps their relationship hidden in order to preserve his job. As the investigation falters and the strain of secrecy takes its toll, Isabelle and Mac struggle to find a way forward. Despite the heated passion that explodes between them, hard decisions lay in store for the couple as they discover that every choice has its cost.
For a quick read it shows promise! It could be a very good full crime/paranormal novel it felt very force and very rushed to pack it all into 11 chapters. She clearly has a talent just these short blasts need more!
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Heartthrob (2017) in Movies
Sep 10, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
After a classmate dies, Sam bumps into a guy from school, Henry, on the beach after the memorial. They don't really get along and she storms off after belittling him. A while later she bumps into him again after work and he offers her a lift home, where she apologises and agrees to go on a date with him, which leads to them becoming a couple.
They seem like a very odd couple from the get go though, Henry comes across as very awkward and you keep expecting something bad to happen, eventually something bad does happen but it seems to take ages to get there just like many other parts of the film.
After a very awkward and way too long pool scene, we find out that Henry is listening to Sam's conversations through what I can only assume is an app on her phone, and that's just the start of the creepiness, as we also discover he is capable of murder when he kills one of Sam's ex boyfriends out of jealousy.
I lost interest very quickly if I'm honest, keir Gilchrist did a good job playing a crazy jealous boyfriend, but the movie wasn't all that great. I don't know if it's the writing or what but it could have been so much better. It was disappointing really as the concept sounded good.
They seem like a very odd couple from the get go though, Henry comes across as very awkward and you keep expecting something bad to happen, eventually something bad does happen but it seems to take ages to get there just like many other parts of the film.
After a very awkward and way too long pool scene, we find out that Henry is listening to Sam's conversations through what I can only assume is an app on her phone, and that's just the start of the creepiness, as we also discover he is capable of murder when he kills one of Sam's ex boyfriends out of jealousy.
I lost interest very quickly if I'm honest, keir Gilchrist did a good job playing a crazy jealous boyfriend, but the movie wasn't all that great. I don't know if it's the writing or what but it could have been so much better. It was disappointing really as the concept sounded good.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Titan A.E. (2000) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Design-wise nothing short of extraordinary, the blend of astounding nu-age CGI and trademark Bluth animation should by no means work but it ends up looking like heaven. Definitely also helps that this has exactly 0% fat to it and rides on one fun, kinetic wave from start to finish that's full of rapturous action sequences and endlessly creative visuals. That being said, outside of a couple nice turns the story is total copy-and-paste sci-fi template - but I digress, I guess it's still serviceable for this type of thing but this is just *begging* to have some depth injected into its potentially thought-provoking story. What kills this from greatness for me is how chained it is to the era it was made in; granted it still could have turned out much worse but the fakey-sounding, faux-edgy soundtrack sucks so much shit (sans a couple okay song choices [thx Powerman 5000]) that it single-handedly knocks the whole rating down a half star, and the totally repellent "tude" that was required in all of these mid-late 90s/early 2000s kids' films makes me want to rip my hair out. I suppose you can write this in with 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 for flawed early-aughts orgasmically animated sci-fi bombs that I'm still a total softie for. Gets pretty gnarly sometimes, too.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Lovecraft Country in TV
Oct 23, 2020
Lovecraft country was a total surprise to me, I expected something that was totally over the top and when I saw the opening scene of the first episode it looked looked I was going to be right. However the show soon settles down and, after the first episode finds itself ground in reality, even if it is a reality contain magic. A lot of the episodes have a Lovecraftian/Pulp feel (The strange case springs instantly to mind) but they are still set in a very real feeling world and some episodes throw a real emotional punch.
The first couple of episodes focus on a couple of characters which leave some of the supporting cast feeling a bit two dimensional to begin with but, by the final episode almost everyone has been filled out and some of the best emotion comes from the characters you'd least expect.
There is violence, racism, sex and magic in Lovecraft Country so you may want to keep younger viewers away.
The series has Lovecraftian themes but also pulls on other classic literature and still manages to steer away from the more conventional monsters , there are no vampires, no zombies and, even though it's called 'Lovecraft' Country his most famous creation, Cthulhu, only has a small cameo that has no effect on the story, favouring the Shoggoth as the go-to Lovecraft creation.
The first couple of episodes focus on a couple of characters which leave some of the supporting cast feeling a bit two dimensional to begin with but, by the final episode almost everyone has been filled out and some of the best emotion comes from the characters you'd least expect.
There is violence, racism, sex and magic in Lovecraft Country so you may want to keep younger viewers away.
The series has Lovecraftian themes but also pulls on other classic literature and still manages to steer away from the more conventional monsters , there are no vampires, no zombies and, even though it's called 'Lovecraft' Country his most famous creation, Cthulhu, only has a small cameo that has no effect on the story, favouring the Shoggoth as the go-to Lovecraft creation.
The Honey-Don't List
7.0
Rate It
Book
From the New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren comes a delightfully charming love story...