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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Terns of Endearment in Books
Sep 6, 2019
This Cruise Will Not be Smooth Sailing
Meg Langslow’s grandfather has taken a job on a cruise ship for one voyage presenting nightly lectures on animals and the environment. Primetime, the cruise line, has offered a discount, so Meg and several other family members have joined this cruise to Bermuda. However, things don’t go as planned. The first morning as sea, the passengers wake up to find that the ship is dead in the water. Then, as the captain is briefing the passengers on the situation, another crew member bursts into the meeting to say that one of the passengers has gone overboard. It appears to be suicide, and the captain is willing to write it off as such, but Meg’s dad isn’t so sure. While the passengers wait for the ship to be fixed, he goads Meg into doing a little investigating. What will she uncover?
Yes, the usual assortment of Meg’s relatives join her for this cruise, and they are up to their usual antics. I don’t find these books as funny as they used to be, but I still find them highly amusing, and I completely enjoyed my time with the characters as usual. The ship is filled with new characters, and I loved how they were developed as the story went along. The action was a little slow getting going, but once the ship got stuck, things really picked up and I was hooked. I finished the book from that point on in about 24 hours, and that included time to sleep and work. The ending is a bit rushed, but everything is explained before we turn the final page. Fans will be delighted to find the series is still going strong twenty-five books in, and I enjoyed a reference to something from the early books in the series. This is another relaxing mystery, although you might not want to take it on your next cruise.
Yes, the usual assortment of Meg’s relatives join her for this cruise, and they are up to their usual antics. I don’t find these books as funny as they used to be, but I still find them highly amusing, and I completely enjoyed my time with the characters as usual. The ship is filled with new characters, and I loved how they were developed as the story went along. The action was a little slow getting going, but once the ship got stuck, things really picked up and I was hooked. I finished the book from that point on in about 24 hours, and that included time to sleep and work. The ending is a bit rushed, but everything is explained before we turn the final page. Fans will be delighted to find the series is still going strong twenty-five books in, and I enjoyed a reference to something from the early books in the series. This is another relaxing mystery, although you might not want to take it on your next cruise.
ClareR (5950 KP) rated The Bookbinder of Jericho in Books
Nov 5, 2023
The Bookbinder of Jericho follows the lives of Peggy, Maude and their friends during the years of the First World War. Peggy and Maude work in the bindery of the Oxford university press. Peggy has promised their now dead mother to always care for the vulnerable Maude (she has a learning disability) and isn’t capable of taking care of herself. She does work in the bindery with Peggy though, and is able to do repetitive tasks. Peggy, on the other hand, is ambitious. She has always loved reading and learning from what she reads, and she is desperate to do more with her life.
As the First World War begins, and refugees from a stricken Belgium start to arrive in Oxford, life begins to change for Peggy, and possibilities start to open up for her. She meets two people in particular: she falls in love with a wounded Belgian soldier, and she meets Gwen, a woman studying at Oxford, whilst they’re both volunteering. Life seems to be on the up for Peggy, but at the same time it becomes more complicated.
This book has a lot to say about the women’s suffrage movement, and how the war opened up more possibilities to women generally - although it certainly helped if you were in the upper classes. Maude and Peggy live on a canal boat (the Calliope), and whilst this may seem idyllic, its far from easy. It does give insight into the different ways that people lived and how people helped one another (Peggy’s boat neighbours often help out with Maude, as she can’t be left on her own).
I really liked how Peggy wasn’t prepared to give up on her dream of being accepted in the women’s college. Somerville, at Oxford. She perseveres, even if she does lose her way and has to decide what is most important to her.
This was such an enjoyable book, and I’d recommend it.
As the First World War begins, and refugees from a stricken Belgium start to arrive in Oxford, life begins to change for Peggy, and possibilities start to open up for her. She meets two people in particular: she falls in love with a wounded Belgian soldier, and she meets Gwen, a woman studying at Oxford, whilst they’re both volunteering. Life seems to be on the up for Peggy, but at the same time it becomes more complicated.
This book has a lot to say about the women’s suffrage movement, and how the war opened up more possibilities to women generally - although it certainly helped if you were in the upper classes. Maude and Peggy live on a canal boat (the Calliope), and whilst this may seem idyllic, its far from easy. It does give insight into the different ways that people lived and how people helped one another (Peggy’s boat neighbours often help out with Maude, as she can’t be left on her own).
I really liked how Peggy wasn’t prepared to give up on her dream of being accepted in the women’s college. Somerville, at Oxford. She perseveres, even if she does lose her way and has to decide what is most important to her.
This was such an enjoyable book, and I’d recommend it.
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Darren (1599 KP) rated Jasper Jones (2016) in Movies
Sep 13, 2019
Characters – Charlie Bucktin is the teenager that is in the middle of the mystery about the death of the girl in the town. He befriends the one person everyone thinks it is as he must see the prejudice that the non-locals deal with being in the town. Ruth is Charlie’s mother that is always worrying about Charlie when he keeps breaking the curfew. Eliza is the sister of the dead girl, she becomes friends with Charlie as she needs someone to keep her feeling the right mind set during the wait. Jasper Jones is the outcast of the town who is easily the suspect the town will blame for the murder.
Performances – Levi Miller is good in the leading role, we have seen him in other movies and he has been making a reputation with this type of role. Toni Collette shines as we know she always will, she is such an incredible actress. Angourie Rice after The Nice Guys is an actress we want to see where she went next, here she is good and shows her potential. The rest of the stars are good for what they need to do.
Story – The story follows the mystery surrounding the death of a young woman and the mystery about who was the one responsible. We get secrets which help with the mystery as well as dealing with racial behaviour of the town’s people towards the ones that aren’t Australian. We do touch on other important subjects which come from the ending of the film, so won’t be spoiling them. This feels like a story that should have such a big impact though we don’t get enough time to process each moment to its full effect, this only disappoints because you do need to process large parts of this film.
Mystery – The mystery in this film comes from just wondering who was behind the death of the girl, even though this isn’t the only major talking point in the film as we end up seeing other subjects getting dealt with.
Settings – The small town setting in one that works for the film, it shows you could never know everything about your neighbours and you will need to be friends when things go wrong.
Scene of the Movie – The truth about the body.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – So many serious subjects, not enough time to process.
Final Thoughts – This does feel like a massively powerful movie that just doesn’t give us the time to process all the major talking points within the movie, this needed to be longer or a television show.
Overall: Too much to process at times.
Performances – Levi Miller is good in the leading role, we have seen him in other movies and he has been making a reputation with this type of role. Toni Collette shines as we know she always will, she is such an incredible actress. Angourie Rice after The Nice Guys is an actress we want to see where she went next, here she is good and shows her potential. The rest of the stars are good for what they need to do.
Story – The story follows the mystery surrounding the death of a young woman and the mystery about who was the one responsible. We get secrets which help with the mystery as well as dealing with racial behaviour of the town’s people towards the ones that aren’t Australian. We do touch on other important subjects which come from the ending of the film, so won’t be spoiling them. This feels like a story that should have such a big impact though we don’t get enough time to process each moment to its full effect, this only disappoints because you do need to process large parts of this film.
Mystery – The mystery in this film comes from just wondering who was behind the death of the girl, even though this isn’t the only major talking point in the film as we end up seeing other subjects getting dealt with.
Settings – The small town setting in one that works for the film, it shows you could never know everything about your neighbours and you will need to be friends when things go wrong.
Scene of the Movie – The truth about the body.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – So many serious subjects, not enough time to process.
Final Thoughts – This does feel like a massively powerful movie that just doesn’t give us the time to process all the major talking points within the movie, this needed to be longer or a television show.
Overall: Too much to process at times.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Mathos (The Hawks #3) in Books
Nov 21, 2021
loving this series so hard!
I was gifted my copy of this book, that I write a review was not required.
This is book 3 in The Hawks series, and you really MUST read books one, Tristan, and book 2, Val before this one. There is an on-going story arc across the series, that is not fully recapped. And you, cos I said so! I loved those books, and I loved this one too.
Mathos is a player, calls everyone darlin' and never spends more than one night with a woman. He's happy with his lot. So why then, does Lucilla push all his buttons and make him want things he never knew he wanted? She's a spoilt princess, and he just has to get her to the palace. Lucy, however, does not want to go. Her brother will kill her, and she's suffered enough. Finding out though, that Ballinor is dead and a far darker mind wishes to possess her, mean she has to trust Mathos, and his band of the Hawks.
I loved Mathos in the other books, and here he really does shine. Lucy (as Mathos begins to call her) shines also, but in an entirely different way.
Lucilla has been kept behind closed doors for so long, so she can't remember life before. Suffering at the hands of her brother and his cronies has been her life. She doesn't want to be controlled or coralled anywhere, but Mathos makes a good point. Getting to the palace will secure her future and mean she can make all the choices she wants. But Mathos creeps into her heart, and when he does what he does, you can feel how much Mathos means to her.
Mathos though, feels he does not deserve anyone, let alone a queen. No one can love him, if his own mother can't, surely? Walking away from Lucy and from his brothers was probably the hardest thing he ever did, but also the most stoopidest thing, EVER! But it's WHO that makes him see clearly for the first time in weeks that surprised me! Given as said someone has been missing since the first book, you'll understand why and I really pray that he gets some peace.
He's not next though! Tor is next and given whats said here, I'm intrigued as to what has happened between him and Keeley!
I'm loving this series, I really am! Please keep them coming, I still cannot see the bigger picture and what's going to happen!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 3 in The Hawks series, and you really MUST read books one, Tristan, and book 2, Val before this one. There is an on-going story arc across the series, that is not fully recapped. And you, cos I said so! I loved those books, and I loved this one too.
Mathos is a player, calls everyone darlin' and never spends more than one night with a woman. He's happy with his lot. So why then, does Lucilla push all his buttons and make him want things he never knew he wanted? She's a spoilt princess, and he just has to get her to the palace. Lucy, however, does not want to go. Her brother will kill her, and she's suffered enough. Finding out though, that Ballinor is dead and a far darker mind wishes to possess her, mean she has to trust Mathos, and his band of the Hawks.
I loved Mathos in the other books, and here he really does shine. Lucy (as Mathos begins to call her) shines also, but in an entirely different way.
Lucilla has been kept behind closed doors for so long, so she can't remember life before. Suffering at the hands of her brother and his cronies has been her life. She doesn't want to be controlled or coralled anywhere, but Mathos makes a good point. Getting to the palace will secure her future and mean she can make all the choices she wants. But Mathos creeps into her heart, and when he does what he does, you can feel how much Mathos means to her.
Mathos though, feels he does not deserve anyone, let alone a queen. No one can love him, if his own mother can't, surely? Walking away from Lucy and from his brothers was probably the hardest thing he ever did, but also the most stoopidest thing, EVER! But it's WHO that makes him see clearly for the first time in weeks that surprised me! Given as said someone has been missing since the first book, you'll understand why and I really pray that he gets some peace.
He's not next though! Tor is next and given whats said here, I'm intrigued as to what has happened between him and Keeley!
I'm loving this series, I really am! Please keep them coming, I still cannot see the bigger picture and what's going to happen!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
ClareR (5950 KP) rated The Shape of Darkness in Books
Feb 21, 2021
The Shape of Darkness was well worth the wait! I’ve read two of Laura Purcell’s books on The Pigeonhole, so when this book came up on NetGalley, I knew that I had to read it. This has been one of my half term reads, and well worth the wait!
Agnes is a silhouette artist in Victorian Bath, and she struggles to support her sickly mother and her nephew - although his father does contribute some money to help feed and clothe him (and help Agnes and her mother too).
Shortly after one of Agnes’ clients leaves her studio, he is murdered. She then discovers that another client has also been murdered - there is an unnerving pattern forming here, because this is just the start. In order to get some insight, Agnes decides that she should consult a medium. This is where Pearl and her sister Myrtle, a mesmerist-in-training, come in. Pearl is ethereal, a child with albinism, and seems to genuinely possess the gift of communicating with the dead.
This is an unnerving, chilling and at times, quite a scary book. It’s full of the detail of Victorian life too: poverty, class distinctions, the hustle and bustle of a busy Victorian Bath. I loved the dark, gothic feel, too. It contained loads of details of life, of how technology was changing and affecting the lives of Victorians. And it was just a really excellent mystery that kept me guessing to the very end. If you’re going to read it (and I strongly suggest that you do!), just don’t read it with only the little light on if you’re spooked easily!
Many thanks to Raven Books for providing me with an e-book through NetGalley to read and review.
Agnes is a silhouette artist in Victorian Bath, and she struggles to support her sickly mother and her nephew - although his father does contribute some money to help feed and clothe him (and help Agnes and her mother too).
Shortly after one of Agnes’ clients leaves her studio, he is murdered. She then discovers that another client has also been murdered - there is an unnerving pattern forming here, because this is just the start. In order to get some insight, Agnes decides that she should consult a medium. This is where Pearl and her sister Myrtle, a mesmerist-in-training, come in. Pearl is ethereal, a child with albinism, and seems to genuinely possess the gift of communicating with the dead.
This is an unnerving, chilling and at times, quite a scary book. It’s full of the detail of Victorian life too: poverty, class distinctions, the hustle and bustle of a busy Victorian Bath. I loved the dark, gothic feel, too. It contained loads of details of life, of how technology was changing and affecting the lives of Victorians. And it was just a really excellent mystery that kept me guessing to the very end. If you’re going to read it (and I strongly suggest that you do!), just don’t read it with only the little light on if you’re spooked easily!
Many thanks to Raven Books for providing me with an e-book through NetGalley to read and review.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Palo Alto (2014) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Flooringly seismic, as someone who was around this exact age in this exact time period - this is the perfect representation of high school in 2012/2013 to a T. I'm always put off by how high school kids in movies from around this time never talk right, and even when its ever so close there's still just that slight amount of "out-of-touch adult writes how they think teens speak" jargon which completely takes me out of it. Not here, the way people talk to each other here is scarily dead-on to how me and my shithead friends used to talk to each other to the comma. The fact that there's no clear-cut good or bad guys, just varying degrees of shitty; those tiny but thick iPod touches that had the messaging apps with the grey background and green messages; weird fake meme-sounding music abound parties with lethal amounts of alcohol... trades in the (still tantalizing in its own way) metaphorical cringe that these movies usually have and finally depicts high schoolers from this time as the snaky, rash, social-status obsessed psychopaths that we were - the type who would sooner ask for mouthwash after they vomited up hours worth of alcohol rather than water. The déjà vu I felt during this was unreal, and beyond that it's the movie equivalent to an opiate - not to mention daring, economical, accurate, and cautiously brisk with tremendous performances across the board (Nat Wolff holy *shit*). What happens when you stick a bunch of emotionally unstable sociopaths who don't like each other (or are at least fooled into thinking they do) into a 5-days-a-week institution and leave them to their own devices in the early 2010s. I fucking *lived* this movie - which may even be the best one directed by a Coppola.
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated River Road in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Nan Lewis is a creative writing professor at a state school in upstate New York. She lives alone after the tragic death of her young daughter, Emmy--an incident which her marriage could not survive. She's recently been denied tenure by her school and is upset and agitated the university's holiday party. On her way home, she hits a deer, but cannot find the animal when she goes to check on it. Nan eventually makes it back home in a snowstorm, leaving her car at the bottom of her icy, unplowed driveway. But when she wakes in the morning, she learns that one of her prized students, Leia, was killed in a hit-and-run the night before on River Road: the exact road where Nan hit the deer. Because her car was damaged from hitting the deer, Nan is the prime suspect, and she quickly loses the support of her colleagues, who point out that she has become a functioning alcoholic since her daughter's death. Even worse, Nan starts seeing signs that remind her of Emmy's death. Are Emmy and Leia's deaths related? How much did Nan have to drink the night she hit the deer? Will she clear her name before her entire life is destroyed?
I'm honestly not sure why I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It had several things working against it: 1) an unlikable narrator who drinks heavily; 2) a storyline that heavily involved dead children and pets (why?!); and 3) an easily guessed villain. Still, I found this one compulsively readable and stayed up far past my bedtime to finish the second half of the book. Nan grew on me, and I found myself almost protective of her. The lead policeman in the novel, Joe, was a favorite of mine. While I figured out the villain fairly early, I didn't understand the motives, so the plot kept me guessing until the end. Goodman weaves several storylines together--which intersect, but loosely--and somehow they all work. There are several supporting characters, including the woman who killed Nan's daughter and a young single mother from one of Nan's classes, who give the novel a surprising depth.
Anyway, despite some of the craziness, I found myself enjoying the book and racing to finish it. I first fell in love with Goodman due to her novel [b:The Lake of Dead Languages|120274|The Lake of Dead Languages|Carol Goodman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320554718s/120274.jpg|3159707]. That book was impressive and still sits on my bookshelf to this day. If you haven't read it, I certainly recommend it. However, [b:River Road|25111007|River Road|Carol Goodman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1454544060s/25111007.jpg|44804735] is a fun thriller and a worthy diversion.
I'm honestly not sure why I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It had several things working against it: 1) an unlikable narrator who drinks heavily; 2) a storyline that heavily involved dead children and pets (why?!); and 3) an easily guessed villain. Still, I found this one compulsively readable and stayed up far past my bedtime to finish the second half of the book. Nan grew on me, and I found myself almost protective of her. The lead policeman in the novel, Joe, was a favorite of mine. While I figured out the villain fairly early, I didn't understand the motives, so the plot kept me guessing until the end. Goodman weaves several storylines together--which intersect, but loosely--and somehow they all work. There are several supporting characters, including the woman who killed Nan's daughter and a young single mother from one of Nan's classes, who give the novel a surprising depth.
Anyway, despite some of the craziness, I found myself enjoying the book and racing to finish it. I first fell in love with Goodman due to her novel [b:The Lake of Dead Languages|120274|The Lake of Dead Languages|Carol Goodman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320554718s/120274.jpg|3159707]. That book was impressive and still sits on my bookshelf to this day. If you haven't read it, I certainly recommend it. However, [b:River Road|25111007|River Road|Carol Goodman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1454544060s/25111007.jpg|44804735] is a fun thriller and a worthy diversion.