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Gerhard Fieseler: The Man Behind the Storch
Book
The Fieseler Storch is the most famous slow-speed aircraft of the Second World War. A remarkably...
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Shadow Man in Books
Feb 19, 2021 (Updated Feb 19, 2021)
Good thriller, but not a patch on Fields' other books
This standalone (as far as I know) book sits beside Fields' Luc Callanach (Ava Turner) series, again set in Edinburgh. Other than the brash Chief Superintendent Overbeck, none of those characters are introduced here. Instead, because of the workload of Edinburgh's Major Incident Team, DI Baarda has been called in from London to assist in a murder/kidnapping. Along with him is Dr Connie Woodwine, a brash American criminal psychologist. They are looking into the disappearance of one woman, and quickly link it to the death of another and find that they are on the hunt for someone with issues.
Connie is a fairly stereotypical academic, clinical type as she has virtually no people skills on the surface, issuing demands and attacking conversations head-on in a very un-British way. And yet when we see her interviewing witnesses, such as a young girl who saw a schoolmate be abducted, she is suddenly very tactful and sensitive. In this way, she is both an interesting, complex character, but also a much seen cliched one. She has a tendency to do an awful lot of telling during interviews, explaining to all in the room the theory of her approach to the interview. While this was interesting, it took me right out of the book as something completely unnatural, and read more as a brain dump of the author's research for the book. A little more show, less tell as usual would have worked well here.
Baarda is similarly familiar, a dedicated career cop with marital problems (his wife having an open affair with another officer).
Together, the pair piece together few clues and start to evolve something of a profile for the man who has been kidnapping people. However, I felt this aspect didn't yield results until quite late on, all progress up to that point (next to none) was through standard police work/luck.
The antagonist here was interesting, but nowhere near as dark and mysterious as the blurb makes him sound. We're not talking Hannibal Lecter here, just a confused man with a fairly typical upbringing. Fields essentially cottoned on to an interesting medical/psychological condition and pieced together a plot based on it. While this was enjoyable, it made it somewhat crime-by-numbers.
A good book, but left me longing for Ava Turner's more likable policing style.
Advance reading copy received from the publishers and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Connie is a fairly stereotypical academic, clinical type as she has virtually no people skills on the surface, issuing demands and attacking conversations head-on in a very un-British way. And yet when we see her interviewing witnesses, such as a young girl who saw a schoolmate be abducted, she is suddenly very tactful and sensitive. In this way, she is both an interesting, complex character, but also a much seen cliched one. She has a tendency to do an awful lot of telling during interviews, explaining to all in the room the theory of her approach to the interview. While this was interesting, it took me right out of the book as something completely unnatural, and read more as a brain dump of the author's research for the book. A little more show, less tell as usual would have worked well here.
Baarda is similarly familiar, a dedicated career cop with marital problems (his wife having an open affair with another officer).
Together, the pair piece together few clues and start to evolve something of a profile for the man who has been kidnapping people. However, I felt this aspect didn't yield results until quite late on, all progress up to that point (next to none) was through standard police work/luck.
The antagonist here was interesting, but nowhere near as dark and mysterious as the blurb makes him sound. We're not talking Hannibal Lecter here, just a confused man with a fairly typical upbringing. Fields essentially cottoned on to an interesting medical/psychological condition and pieced together a plot based on it. While this was enjoyable, it made it somewhat crime-by-numbers.
A good book, but left me longing for Ava Turner's more likable policing style.
Advance reading copy received from the publishers and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) in Movies
May 23, 2021
Usually I would feel the urge to watch the series of films before seeing a new one. In this instance, knowing I've only seen one film (possibly two), kept me happy enough to go with this one. I wasn't convinced I had it in me to watch the whole series.
Detective Banks works alone in his departments after standing up against a corrupt cop. Now he has to partner with a rookie cop as he's thrown into a case as a spate of horrendous murders, with more than a passing resemblance to those that lie deep in the cities past, plague the PD.
The focus on the PD and Banks really worked for me, and the partnership between Banks and Schenk was strong. It transitioned the story well from being a Saw film without being a Saw film. For me that was a bonus.
Chris Rock was an interesting choice in the lead role. There are moments where he stood out and was convincing in the part, but others that gave me flashbacks to Dogma and Lethal Weapon 4. While it was an enjoyable piece of acting, it did occasionally take me out of the story.
Dynamics between the characters were pretty solid throughout, and I'd be hard-pressed to say someone didn't fit in the cast. What did put me out a little was the tension within the police department. There are some flashbacks that give you some context, but the current day points felt... too petty? But that might just be something I don't have enough knowledge of.
Not being tied to the Saw franchise probably helps. I liked the idea of this horror breaking out into a police thriller sort of thing, and I got Bone Collector and Criminal Monds vibes as I watched. Anyone who knows me will know that's a winner.
I was very entertained as I watched, but it wasn't until I got outside and was chatting about it that I kept stumbling across flaws that had thankfully escaped me while in the cinema. I did know the ending before I got there, and that didn't bother me as much as it had in other films. I think mainly because I was engaged in finding out the why of it all. Despite both of those things, it was a good film for me, but I sense a Saw purist might not agree.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/spiral-movie-review.html
Detective Banks works alone in his departments after standing up against a corrupt cop. Now he has to partner with a rookie cop as he's thrown into a case as a spate of horrendous murders, with more than a passing resemblance to those that lie deep in the cities past, plague the PD.
The focus on the PD and Banks really worked for me, and the partnership between Banks and Schenk was strong. It transitioned the story well from being a Saw film without being a Saw film. For me that was a bonus.
Chris Rock was an interesting choice in the lead role. There are moments where he stood out and was convincing in the part, but others that gave me flashbacks to Dogma and Lethal Weapon 4. While it was an enjoyable piece of acting, it did occasionally take me out of the story.
Dynamics between the characters were pretty solid throughout, and I'd be hard-pressed to say someone didn't fit in the cast. What did put me out a little was the tension within the police department. There are some flashbacks that give you some context, but the current day points felt... too petty? But that might just be something I don't have enough knowledge of.
Not being tied to the Saw franchise probably helps. I liked the idea of this horror breaking out into a police thriller sort of thing, and I got Bone Collector and Criminal Monds vibes as I watched. Anyone who knows me will know that's a winner.
I was very entertained as I watched, but it wasn't until I got outside and was chatting about it that I kept stumbling across flaws that had thankfully escaped me while in the cinema. I did know the ending before I got there, and that didn't bother me as much as it had in other films. I think mainly because I was engaged in finding out the why of it all. Despite both of those things, it was a good film for me, but I sense a Saw purist might not agree.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/05/spiral-movie-review.html
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Frankenstein (1931) in Movies
Sep 24, 2019
Everyone remembers the story of Frankenstein, or at least the first part. We all know Dr. Frankenstein assembles his "creation" from the bodies of the deceased and his assistant henchman brings him the brain from a criminal instead of a "normal" brain. His creation is then elevated to the heavens during a lightning storm and given the 1.21 Gigawatts of electricity he needs to regain life and drive the DeLorean back to the future! (Come to think of it, that might be a different film!) 😋
What you may not remember is the 2nd half of the film where the monster, presumed dead, wanders the countryside searching for the meaning of life and meets a young girl. The two sit by the shore trading flowers and tossing them into the water. The monster thinks it would be a good idea t toss the girl as well accidentally killing her.
After hearing about the atrocity, the townspeople form a lynch mob determined to hunt down and destroy the monster once and for all. The creature ends up at a lighthouse where his final fate is carried out.
Some other facts I may not have remember or never knew at all:
-Dr. Frankenstein's first name is Henry (I thought it was Viktor)
-Henchman' name Fritz (not Igor)
-Mary Shelley's opening writing credit is listed as Mrs. Percy B. Shelley (lame)
- The Monster's acting credit at the beginning is listed as "?" (not until the end credits is Boris Karloff given his due)
-No soundtrack during the film at all other than the opening and closing credits (I found out from the film historian DVD audio commentary in film music wasn't begun as a normal practice until sometime after this film's release in 1931)
Some other facts you may not remember is how excellent Boris Karloff really is as the monster. He takes you from hating him, to loving him, to feeling pity for him in the course of his limited screen time.
Also, for the time period, the set design and cinematography are breathtaking in glorious black and white. You really feel you are there with Frankenstein as he creates his masterpiece and watches quickly while he decidedly begins to regret his decision.
This time of year is fun to watch the spooky and scary. In this case, this classic is both and is not that long so you can watch more than one Frankenfilm tonight!
What you may not remember is the 2nd half of the film where the monster, presumed dead, wanders the countryside searching for the meaning of life and meets a young girl. The two sit by the shore trading flowers and tossing them into the water. The monster thinks it would be a good idea t toss the girl as well accidentally killing her.
After hearing about the atrocity, the townspeople form a lynch mob determined to hunt down and destroy the monster once and for all. The creature ends up at a lighthouse where his final fate is carried out.
Some other facts I may not have remember or never knew at all:
-Dr. Frankenstein's first name is Henry (I thought it was Viktor)
-Henchman' name Fritz (not Igor)
-Mary Shelley's opening writing credit is listed as Mrs. Percy B. Shelley (lame)
- The Monster's acting credit at the beginning is listed as "?" (not until the end credits is Boris Karloff given his due)
-No soundtrack during the film at all other than the opening and closing credits (I found out from the film historian DVD audio commentary in film music wasn't begun as a normal practice until sometime after this film's release in 1931)
Some other facts you may not remember is how excellent Boris Karloff really is as the monster. He takes you from hating him, to loving him, to feeling pity for him in the course of his limited screen time.
Also, for the time period, the set design and cinematography are breathtaking in glorious black and white. You really feel you are there with Frankenstein as he creates his masterpiece and watches quickly while he decidedly begins to regret his decision.
This time of year is fun to watch the spooky and scary. In this case, this classic is both and is not that long so you can watch more than one Frankenfilm tonight!
Darren (1599 KP) rated A Most Wanted Man (2014) in Movies
Sep 2, 2019
Thoughts on A Most Wanted Man
Characters – Gunther Bachmann is the German agent that is tracking known terrorists, his team has connections and keeps eyes on most of the suspects with their latest one being one wanted worldwide, he must figure out if this man is a danger or not. Martha Sullivan is part of the American team searching for the terrorist, she is trusting Gunther to do the right thing only she isn’t sure what he is going to do. Annabel Richter is an attorney that is trying to help the suspect get into Germany, she is just doing his job using her connection to help make his move go smoother. Tommy Brue is the bank manager that has been dealing with multiple nationalities through the years, he gets involved in trying to get the transfer of money done.
Performances – Philip Seymour Hoffman in the leading role steps into the German character with ease, showing the composure to take his character to be the standout of the film. Robin Wright, Rachel McAdams and Willem Dafoe fill the supporting roles well through the film.
Story – The story here follows the German and American intelligence agencies as they are trying to figure out if an immigrate is a potential terrorist suspect, both sides have difference of opinion on what is true and they must try to stay ahead of each other the best they can. This story does try to come off like an intense spy thriller that seems to get bogged down too easily, by making everything seem like it is just an everyday incident, this does move at a slow pace which only brings down everything because they do just seem to pick a random person, that could have reason to suspect from the early point in the film.
Crime – The crime side of the film shows how the authorities operate to try and tackle potential criminal actions, it does show that they could be above the law at times too.
Settings – We have the German backdrop for this movie, showing how they are planning to operate to keep tracks on terrorists.
Scene of the Movie – Pick up.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It just seems dull.
Final Thoughts – This is a spy thriller that never seems to get going, it tries to play along with the idea that we are building, but we soon lose the attention because it is more of a political spy thriller over anything going on thriller.
Overall: Slow burning thriller that just doesn’t get going.
Characters – Gunther Bachmann is the German agent that is tracking known terrorists, his team has connections and keeps eyes on most of the suspects with their latest one being one wanted worldwide, he must figure out if this man is a danger or not. Martha Sullivan is part of the American team searching for the terrorist, she is trusting Gunther to do the right thing only she isn’t sure what he is going to do. Annabel Richter is an attorney that is trying to help the suspect get into Germany, she is just doing his job using her connection to help make his move go smoother. Tommy Brue is the bank manager that has been dealing with multiple nationalities through the years, he gets involved in trying to get the transfer of money done.
Performances – Philip Seymour Hoffman in the leading role steps into the German character with ease, showing the composure to take his character to be the standout of the film. Robin Wright, Rachel McAdams and Willem Dafoe fill the supporting roles well through the film.
Story – The story here follows the German and American intelligence agencies as they are trying to figure out if an immigrate is a potential terrorist suspect, both sides have difference of opinion on what is true and they must try to stay ahead of each other the best they can. This story does try to come off like an intense spy thriller that seems to get bogged down too easily, by making everything seem like it is just an everyday incident, this does move at a slow pace which only brings down everything because they do just seem to pick a random person, that could have reason to suspect from the early point in the film.
Crime – The crime side of the film shows how the authorities operate to try and tackle potential criminal actions, it does show that they could be above the law at times too.
Settings – We have the German backdrop for this movie, showing how they are planning to operate to keep tracks on terrorists.
Scene of the Movie – Pick up.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It just seems dull.
Final Thoughts – This is a spy thriller that never seems to get going, it tries to play along with the idea that we are building, but we soon lose the attention because it is more of a political spy thriller over anything going on thriller.
Overall: Slow burning thriller that just doesn’t get going.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Batman (2022) in Movies
Mar 7, 2022
Like many others, I've been pretty much sold on The Batman since the first trailer dropped, to the point where I was worried that my own hype would leave me disappointed. Luckily that's not the case. Matt Reeves has crafted the definitive live action Batman experience.
The character himself has gone through many iterations over the years, and most of them come with their own merits, but he works aesthetically and thematically better at the darker end of the spectrum. This Batman is certainly that. The narrative takes place wholeheartedly in the criminal underbelly of Gotham, bathing in it's corruption. It's noir-thriller construction compliments the setting perfectly, presenting a slow burning crime piece, with occasional bursts of action, that never feels boring over its near 3 hour runtime.
Pattinsons take on the character could be the very best yet. Through projects such as The Lighthouse and Tenet, he's proven that he has the chops for this kind of thing, and he nails it without a doubt. I was pleasantly surprised by how much on screen Batman we got. He's under the cowl more often than not, and it's an understandable direction to take considering how great the suit looks alongside the general aesthetic of the film. Paul Dano's Riddler is a worthy foe as well. This villain is portrayed as unhinged and dangerous from the get go, a person who is angry and upset with the world, and who has the capacity to bring Gotham to its knees. His master plan is wonderful to watch unfold. Dano is golden in anything he appears in, and my only real complaint about The Batman is that we didn't get more of him.
Colin Farrell, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, and John Turturro are all fantastic supports. It's a well rounded cast, playing well written characters.
The direction and cinematography on display is some of the best I've ever seen in a comic book movie. Reeves has a great eye, from Cloverfield to his Planet of the Apes entries, he has a certain brand of cinema magic that suits Gotham down to the ground. Throw Greig Fraser into the mix, fresh from his outstanding work with Dune, and you have a pretty solid pairing that results in a breathtaking, visual feast, all backed up by a phenomenal music score, from the ever reliable Michael Giacchino.
I can't heap enough praise onto The Batman, a patient, unforgiving, enthralling, and bleak comic adaption that sits at the top of the pile that is deserving of its glowing reviews.
The character himself has gone through many iterations over the years, and most of them come with their own merits, but he works aesthetically and thematically better at the darker end of the spectrum. This Batman is certainly that. The narrative takes place wholeheartedly in the criminal underbelly of Gotham, bathing in it's corruption. It's noir-thriller construction compliments the setting perfectly, presenting a slow burning crime piece, with occasional bursts of action, that never feels boring over its near 3 hour runtime.
Pattinsons take on the character could be the very best yet. Through projects such as The Lighthouse and Tenet, he's proven that he has the chops for this kind of thing, and he nails it without a doubt. I was pleasantly surprised by how much on screen Batman we got. He's under the cowl more often than not, and it's an understandable direction to take considering how great the suit looks alongside the general aesthetic of the film. Paul Dano's Riddler is a worthy foe as well. This villain is portrayed as unhinged and dangerous from the get go, a person who is angry and upset with the world, and who has the capacity to bring Gotham to its knees. His master plan is wonderful to watch unfold. Dano is golden in anything he appears in, and my only real complaint about The Batman is that we didn't get more of him.
Colin Farrell, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, and John Turturro are all fantastic supports. It's a well rounded cast, playing well written characters.
The direction and cinematography on display is some of the best I've ever seen in a comic book movie. Reeves has a great eye, from Cloverfield to his Planet of the Apes entries, he has a certain brand of cinema magic that suits Gotham down to the ground. Throw Greig Fraser into the mix, fresh from his outstanding work with Dune, and you have a pretty solid pairing that results in a breathtaking, visual feast, all backed up by a phenomenal music score, from the ever reliable Michael Giacchino.
I can't heap enough praise onto The Batman, a patient, unforgiving, enthralling, and bleak comic adaption that sits at the top of the pile that is deserving of its glowing reviews.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Prodigy (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
Here we are, a turning point of sorts. I had said to myself that I would try to be less of a scaredy cat and see all the films at the cinema. I'm not at a point where I can happily say "it's a no from me". Horror and I mix fine if I can watch them at home in the daylight and I can shout at the characters when they do dumb things like go into basements and don't turn on lights.
I wasn't even halfway through the trailers when I realised that sitting in the pitch black where people can appear out of nowhere was not for me. I made a decision to not see Us at the cinema there and then, and the same would be true for Pet Semetary if it wasn't for the fact they announced an Unlimited Screening for it.
Anyway...
I didn't know exactly what this film when I went in, I'd read the smallest of synopsis and that was basically it. It wasn't until I was in the cinema that I realised what I'd got myself into but by that point I was there and that was the end of it, I was staying.
The basic outline of the story is one that I'm certain I've seen in a similar form on other things, but I can't for the life of me remember where. Potentially I'm thinking of things like Criminal Minds.
You know fairly early on where this film is going to take you, I think I jumped in the first minute, along with a couple in front of me.
The way they link the simultaneous events at the beginning if very well done, the timing and the visuals line up perfectly. We then get fast-tracked through his early years and we see how special he is, and how he's just a smidge creepy.
The Prodigy has lots of classic tells from horror sprinkled through it, if I'd been at home I'd have been screaming at the screen. There are little tells everywhere but none of it spoils what's to come.
Overall the brought everything together extremely well to create something that was gripping and just a little scary to everyone around me... apart from the guy behind me who on more than one occasion laughed and gave me the urge to move seats.
The further in we get the more messed up things become for the characters, they're basically all screwed but none of them see it until it's too late. Miles becomes so creepy at one point that I'm assuming they decided that it was too much for the young actor to do. There's a cutaway to his eyes as he's talking but it sounds rather like a voice-over that's unlike the rest of the audio in the film.
At some point I gave up hope for... everything, and just wished someone would do the right thing and do away with him. Had I been watching this at home and shouting at the screen, someone might have listened and saved everyone a lot of heartbreak.
The Prodigy knows how to draw you in. We see Miles hypnotised with a metronome and the sequence makes you want to lean towards the screen for what you know is going to be something important. The constantly moving camera in time with the ticking worked so well.
If you look up Jackson Robert Scott on IMDb you get a delightfully cute picture, but even if I were his own mother I'd be suspicious about having him in the house after seeing this film. He seems to have found a little creepy niche with this and It, and he's pretty good at it. There's something about his mannerisms that don't feel quite right, but had he nailed that then I don't think I'd have ever slept again.
Taylor Shilling works well as Miles' mother, her reactions all help you get that sense of danger she feels and as her emotions ramp up so do ours. I'm not sure that the love of my child would have kept me on board for that long though.
There were mixed offerings from the rest of the cast, not that I'm sure that matters a great deal when the key part of the film is almost entirely focused on Miles and the visuals around that. I particularly like that they consistently show you the two sides of Miles. We see it on the movie posters as well as in the film with effective use of light and dark.
The Prodigy is almost right up my alley, it's basically a Criminal Minds storyline without the FBI, and a little supernatural something thrown in. It probably would have got higher marks from me had it not take every opportunity to make the audience jump. This film also teaches us a very important lesson, when a friendly dog hates a child you should trust its instincts.
What you should do
This is a very good thriller and if you don't mind jumping a bit every now and then it's well worth a watch. I think it's probably worth watching twice, knowing what I know now I'd like to see it again to put the pieces back together.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I will have the puppy from the beginning of the film, everything else can stay very very far away.
I wasn't even halfway through the trailers when I realised that sitting in the pitch black where people can appear out of nowhere was not for me. I made a decision to not see Us at the cinema there and then, and the same would be true for Pet Semetary if it wasn't for the fact they announced an Unlimited Screening for it.
Anyway...
I didn't know exactly what this film when I went in, I'd read the smallest of synopsis and that was basically it. It wasn't until I was in the cinema that I realised what I'd got myself into but by that point I was there and that was the end of it, I was staying.
The basic outline of the story is one that I'm certain I've seen in a similar form on other things, but I can't for the life of me remember where. Potentially I'm thinking of things like Criminal Minds.
You know fairly early on where this film is going to take you, I think I jumped in the first minute, along with a couple in front of me.
The way they link the simultaneous events at the beginning if very well done, the timing and the visuals line up perfectly. We then get fast-tracked through his early years and we see how special he is, and how he's just a smidge creepy.
The Prodigy has lots of classic tells from horror sprinkled through it, if I'd been at home I'd have been screaming at the screen. There are little tells everywhere but none of it spoils what's to come.
Overall the brought everything together extremely well to create something that was gripping and just a little scary to everyone around me... apart from the guy behind me who on more than one occasion laughed and gave me the urge to move seats.
The further in we get the more messed up things become for the characters, they're basically all screwed but none of them see it until it's too late. Miles becomes so creepy at one point that I'm assuming they decided that it was too much for the young actor to do. There's a cutaway to his eyes as he's talking but it sounds rather like a voice-over that's unlike the rest of the audio in the film.
At some point I gave up hope for... everything, and just wished someone would do the right thing and do away with him. Had I been watching this at home and shouting at the screen, someone might have listened and saved everyone a lot of heartbreak.
The Prodigy knows how to draw you in. We see Miles hypnotised with a metronome and the sequence makes you want to lean towards the screen for what you know is going to be something important. The constantly moving camera in time with the ticking worked so well.
If you look up Jackson Robert Scott on IMDb you get a delightfully cute picture, but even if I were his own mother I'd be suspicious about having him in the house after seeing this film. He seems to have found a little creepy niche with this and It, and he's pretty good at it. There's something about his mannerisms that don't feel quite right, but had he nailed that then I don't think I'd have ever slept again.
Taylor Shilling works well as Miles' mother, her reactions all help you get that sense of danger she feels and as her emotions ramp up so do ours. I'm not sure that the love of my child would have kept me on board for that long though.
There were mixed offerings from the rest of the cast, not that I'm sure that matters a great deal when the key part of the film is almost entirely focused on Miles and the visuals around that. I particularly like that they consistently show you the two sides of Miles. We see it on the movie posters as well as in the film with effective use of light and dark.
The Prodigy is almost right up my alley, it's basically a Criminal Minds storyline without the FBI, and a little supernatural something thrown in. It probably would have got higher marks from me had it not take every opportunity to make the audience jump. This film also teaches us a very important lesson, when a friendly dog hates a child you should trust its instincts.
What you should do
This is a very good thriller and if you don't mind jumping a bit every now and then it's well worth a watch. I think it's probably worth watching twice, knowing what I know now I'd like to see it again to put the pieces back together.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I will have the puppy from the beginning of the film, everything else can stay very very far away.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Love You to Death in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Love you to Death by Shannon K. Butcher
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 2.5/5
Summary (from back of book):
It's been days since reporter Elise McBride has heard from her sister, Ashley. She's convinced Ashley has met with some kind of foul play, especially when she learns that bodies of other missing women have surfaced in and around Chicago--all victims of a brutal serial killer. Convinced her sister is still alive, Elise vows to risk everything to save her...
The last thing ex-cop Trent Brady needs is more blood on his hands. Yet when he catches Elise breaking into her sister's house, full of reckless determination and fear, he knows she needs his help. But just as desire ignites between them, a twisted madman sets his sights on Elise. Hell-bent on possessing her for himself, this psychopath won't rest until he has his perfect woman.
It’s hard for me to say where I sit for this book. There were some aspects of it that I liked (how do you spell Hottie? T-R-E-N-T.) and some that I didn’t (a lot of content.)
The plot wasn’t as mysterious as it could have been. I knew what the criminal was doing because when I read from his perspective, he told me. Also even at the end, there are some un-answered questions. They should have come up in the book and they didn’t.
This wasn’t a book that I was addicted to. I could only get through a few chapters at a time before having to put it down. The writing wasn’t anything special and the characters were just characters. They were realistic but not enough to make me really care about them. My favorite character was John, the ex-cop who was Trent’s partner. He just had so much character and personality. I think I would have enjoyed a book with him as the main character. Ashley and Elsie? Not so much.
On the good side, I liked the change in Elsie. In the beginning of the book she didn’t believe in true love, and laughed at the idea of marriage. She said it just didn’t work. She learned that that wasn’t true. I also liked that Trent was a marriage-minded man (There aren’t enough of those out there). But of course that didn’t stop their physical or sexual relationship any.
If you look at my sidebar at my rating system, you’ll see that this rating was the only one I could come up with. It wasn’t really worth reading, but I liked it enough to finish it.
Content: My opinion on the content is mentioned thought the review.
Recommendation: Ages 18+
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 2.5/5
Summary (from back of book):
It's been days since reporter Elise McBride has heard from her sister, Ashley. She's convinced Ashley has met with some kind of foul play, especially when she learns that bodies of other missing women have surfaced in and around Chicago--all victims of a brutal serial killer. Convinced her sister is still alive, Elise vows to risk everything to save her...
The last thing ex-cop Trent Brady needs is more blood on his hands. Yet when he catches Elise breaking into her sister's house, full of reckless determination and fear, he knows she needs his help. But just as desire ignites between them, a twisted madman sets his sights on Elise. Hell-bent on possessing her for himself, this psychopath won't rest until he has his perfect woman.
It’s hard for me to say where I sit for this book. There were some aspects of it that I liked (how do you spell Hottie? T-R-E-N-T.) and some that I didn’t (a lot of content.)
The plot wasn’t as mysterious as it could have been. I knew what the criminal was doing because when I read from his perspective, he told me. Also even at the end, there are some un-answered questions. They should have come up in the book and they didn’t.
This wasn’t a book that I was addicted to. I could only get through a few chapters at a time before having to put it down. The writing wasn’t anything special and the characters were just characters. They were realistic but not enough to make me really care about them. My favorite character was John, the ex-cop who was Trent’s partner. He just had so much character and personality. I think I would have enjoyed a book with him as the main character. Ashley and Elsie? Not so much.
On the good side, I liked the change in Elsie. In the beginning of the book she didn’t believe in true love, and laughed at the idea of marriage. She said it just didn’t work. She learned that that wasn’t true. I also liked that Trent was a marriage-minded man (There aren’t enough of those out there). But of course that didn’t stop their physical or sexual relationship any.
If you look at my sidebar at my rating system, you’ll see that this rating was the only one I could come up with. It wasn’t really worth reading, but I liked it enough to finish it.
Content: My opinion on the content is mentioned thought the review.
Recommendation: Ages 18+
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Delayed Justice (Hidden Justice #3) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
She had long given up the desire to be loved. Now she only needed to be heard. Jaime Nichols went to law school to find the voice she never had as a child, and her determination to protect girls and women in the path of harm drives her in ways both spoken and unspoken. As Jamie, now a criminal defense attorney, prepares to press charges against someone who wronged her long ago, she must face not only her demons but also the unimaginable forces that protect the powerful man who tore her childhood apart. Chandler Bolton, a retired veteran, is tasked with helping a young victim who must testify in court—and along with his therapy dog, Aslan, he’s up for the task. When he first meets Jaime, all brains, beauty, and brashness, he can’t help but be intrigued. As Chandler works to break through the wall Jaime has built around herself, the two of them discover that they may have more to offer one another than they ever could have guessed—and that together, they may be able to help this endangered child. This thrilling installment of the Hidden Justice series explores the healing power of resolution and the weight of words given voice. And as Jaime pursues delayed justice of her own, she unearths eternal truths that will change the course of her life.
My Thoughts: Cara Putman has written a powerful novel that focuses on issues we see every day. This is a novel about strength, recovery, trust and finding hope in God. This is a fast-moving story-line that keeps the reader's interest, there are no dull moments in this novel.
The characters were easy for the reader to identify with. Jaime has worked hard to work through her trauma and to seek justice. Chandler the veteran who suffers from mild PTSD. The author did a wonderful job with Chandler, a man who has also with the help of Aslan push past his trauma. As I said the author has touched on topics that I believe everyone has or knows someone touched by these traumas. The author has done a wonderful job bringing these to the readers' attention and showing that with counseling, the victims can obtain justice and freedom from the past.
I enjoyed that C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" from "Narnia" were brought into the storyline. I immediately fell in love with Aslan and the job he performed in the story.
This was a wonderful and a joy to read. I highly recommend this one, especially to those who enjoy action and suspense with a little romance mixed in.
My Thoughts: Cara Putman has written a powerful novel that focuses on issues we see every day. This is a novel about strength, recovery, trust and finding hope in God. This is a fast-moving story-line that keeps the reader's interest, there are no dull moments in this novel.
The characters were easy for the reader to identify with. Jaime has worked hard to work through her trauma and to seek justice. Chandler the veteran who suffers from mild PTSD. The author did a wonderful job with Chandler, a man who has also with the help of Aslan push past his trauma. As I said the author has touched on topics that I believe everyone has or knows someone touched by these traumas. The author has done a wonderful job bringing these to the readers' attention and showing that with counseling, the victims can obtain justice and freedom from the past.
I enjoyed that C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" from "Narnia" were brought into the storyline. I immediately fell in love with Aslan and the job he performed in the story.
This was a wonderful and a joy to read. I highly recommend this one, especially to those who enjoy action and suspense with a little romance mixed in.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Dragged Across Concrete (2019) in Movies
May 5, 2019
What a thrill ride!
So to say director S. Craig Zahler is one of my favorites working today is an understatement. I was a HUGE fan of his first two films, Bone Tomahawk and Brawl in Cell Block 99 (read my reviews on both on Smashbomb) so I was really looking forward to this one. Of course the film did not play at a cinema local to me, so I had to wait until Blu Ray to give it a watch and I was enthralled.
Two cops on suspension for using excessive force against a drug dealing hoodlum leave very different lives off the job. One is prone to violence living in a bad neighborhood desperate for better for his wife and child and the other just wants to marry the girl of his dreams and is now worried she will no longer have him.
Out of desperation, the men decide to participate in a criminal enterprise to better their own personal situations and end up inside something much bigger. The decisions they make within the context of the second act of the film will have profound repercussions throughout the remainder of their lives.The two cops do what they have to do to try and make their lives better and help their families through hard times.
I don't want to sound like a movie snob here, but after viewing the film I checked out the MANY 1 star reviews this film received on IMDb and was not surprised. I am not making fun of the modern movie going public at all. I enjoy explosions and superheroes as much as anyone; however, for some time I have strived to find the different, unusual, deeper film where its heroes don't wear spandex and everything is not just black and white. Those films have their place.
This film was kind of "Tarantino-esque" in the way the story was told, the way the characters conversed with each other and even the fact that the characters were multilayered and very interesting. There were also several stories going on simultaneously at the beginning and didn't combine until well into the film. One could argue the 2 hour and 40 minute film "dragged" (no pun intended) at times or had unnecessary scenes, but no one complained when Marge Gunderson had lunch with Mike Yanagita, so that didn't bother me here.
Both of Zahler's previous films were violent and had that one squeamish scene you could hardly believe happened as did this film.
I can safely say this movie isn't for everyone and its slow pace will turn off some modern moviegoers who expect non stop action. Having said that, I still highly recommend this movie and would love to know your opinion once watching it.
Two cops on suspension for using excessive force against a drug dealing hoodlum leave very different lives off the job. One is prone to violence living in a bad neighborhood desperate for better for his wife and child and the other just wants to marry the girl of his dreams and is now worried she will no longer have him.
Out of desperation, the men decide to participate in a criminal enterprise to better their own personal situations and end up inside something much bigger. The decisions they make within the context of the second act of the film will have profound repercussions throughout the remainder of their lives.The two cops do what they have to do to try and make their lives better and help their families through hard times.
I don't want to sound like a movie snob here, but after viewing the film I checked out the MANY 1 star reviews this film received on IMDb and was not surprised. I am not making fun of the modern movie going public at all. I enjoy explosions and superheroes as much as anyone; however, for some time I have strived to find the different, unusual, deeper film where its heroes don't wear spandex and everything is not just black and white. Those films have their place.
This film was kind of "Tarantino-esque" in the way the story was told, the way the characters conversed with each other and even the fact that the characters were multilayered and very interesting. There were also several stories going on simultaneously at the beginning and didn't combine until well into the film. One could argue the 2 hour and 40 minute film "dragged" (no pun intended) at times or had unnecessary scenes, but no one complained when Marge Gunderson had lunch with Mike Yanagita, so that didn't bother me here.
Both of Zahler's previous films were violent and had that one squeamish scene you could hardly believe happened as did this film.
I can safely say this movie isn't for everyone and its slow pace will turn off some modern moviegoers who expect non stop action. Having said that, I still highly recommend this movie and would love to know your opinion once watching it.