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Ross (3284 KP) rated Isn't It Romantic (2019) in Movies
Mar 4, 2019
A slightly self-aware rom-com (yet still a rom-com)
Isn't it Romantic is a self-aware pseudo re-telling of the Bridget Jones' Diary plot. Perennial walkover Natalie (Rebel Wilson) fawns over hunky douche-bag men, while missing the decent, down-to-earth man who clearly has feelings for her. Told from an early age by her mum (a brief, wasted appearance by Jennifer Saunders) that she isn't good enough for fairy tale romance and she shouldn't expect it, Natalie is a huge critic of Rom-Coms and hates their cheesy plots. A bump on the head sees her waking up in a fantasy version of New York where men fall at her feet and she has the apartment of her dreams and a new gay best friend. Finding herself in the plot of her own rom-com, she ends up dating the aforementioned hunky douche-bag while the decent, down-to-earth guy dates a swimwear model.
Some laugh-out-loud moments from here on, as her annoyance at the ridiculous cheesy world she's found herself in. Something similar to Disney Channel's Teen Beach Movie (which I don't mind admitting I love!), but with more adult themes.
But in the end the film lets itself down by falling into the trap of the typical rom-com plot. It nearly saves itself and serves as a good, feminist message but then lets itself down in the dying minutes by reverting to type.
A good funny rom-com but not necessarily the anti-rom-com it bills itself as. Watched with my wife and 11-year-old daughter, it is mostly fine for that age.
Some laugh-out-loud moments from here on, as her annoyance at the ridiculous cheesy world she's found herself in. Something similar to Disney Channel's Teen Beach Movie (which I don't mind admitting I love!), but with more adult themes.
But in the end the film lets itself down by falling into the trap of the typical rom-com plot. It nearly saves itself and serves as a good, feminist message but then lets itself down in the dying minutes by reverting to type.
A good funny rom-com but not necessarily the anti-rom-com it bills itself as. Watched with my wife and 11-year-old daughter, it is mostly fine for that age.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Buried Girl in Books
Mar 5, 2019
A Chilling Psychological Thriller with Gothic Elements
This book caught my eye as I loved the synopsis and I read a lot of books from this genre, although I haven’t read any of the author, Richard Montanari’s books before. “The Buried Girl” is a chilling psychological thriller with some added Gothic elements.
When the wife of a New York psychologist, Will Hardy, is murdered he moves into Godwin Hall, a dusty, shut-up mansion in the small town of Abbeville, Ohio, with his teenage daughter, Bernadette.
At the same time, Abbeville Chief of Police Ivy Holgrave is investigating the death of a local girl. She is convinced this may only be the latest in a long line of murders dating back decades, including her own long-missing sister.
But what place does Will's new home have in the story of the missing girls and why does he have past memories of Godwin Hall? Is the diary of a young woman, written over a century earlier, linked to the killings?
Richard Montanari writes a wonderfully atmospheric and compelling novel. Tense and suspenseful, the many threads of the story slowly begin to link together, central to which is Godwin Hall. Both the characterisation and the plot are superb with the three main characters damaged, but starting the process of recovery. I am hoping that there will be a sequel to this novel as it was a fantastic read which I highly recommend to lovers of thrillers and crime fiction.
{Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins UK/Witness Impulse for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
When the wife of a New York psychologist, Will Hardy, is murdered he moves into Godwin Hall, a dusty, shut-up mansion in the small town of Abbeville, Ohio, with his teenage daughter, Bernadette.
At the same time, Abbeville Chief of Police Ivy Holgrave is investigating the death of a local girl. She is convinced this may only be the latest in a long line of murders dating back decades, including her own long-missing sister.
But what place does Will's new home have in the story of the missing girls and why does he have past memories of Godwin Hall? Is the diary of a young woman, written over a century earlier, linked to the killings?
Richard Montanari writes a wonderfully atmospheric and compelling novel. Tense and suspenseful, the many threads of the story slowly begin to link together, central to which is Godwin Hall. Both the characterisation and the plot are superb with the three main characters damaged, but starting the process of recovery. I am hoping that there will be a sequel to this novel as it was a fantastic read which I highly recommend to lovers of thrillers and crime fiction.
{Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins UK/Witness Impulse for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
MoMoBookDiary (20 KP) rated The Food of Love in Books
Oct 1, 2018
MoMo’s Book Diary recommends this emotional family tale as a 5 star read.
This is the first Amanda Prowse book I have read. My first impression is that Amanda Prowse is an exceptional novelist who has deeply researched this storyline. In this heart-wrenching novel we are introduced to Freya and Lockie and their two daughters, Charlotte and Lexi and taken on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey with them as they are plunged into a nightmare situation.
What starts out as a perfectly ordinary family living a happy domestic life soon is rocked to the core. No-one understands. No-one has the answers. No-one knows what to do. Mistakes are made. The one thing you can feel from the first page to the last is the love the characters have between them.
This is a MUST READ novel which tells the story of how an eating disorder can invade any family. It is about the importance of love and honesty within the family. It is about sticking together to get through whatever crisis is in front of us.
I knew nothing about anorexia before and whilst I understand it may not be factually perfect – everyone’s experience is different - but it is a novel not a self-help book.
Once I started to read this book I couldn’t put it down, even after finishing it a few days ago, I still find myself thinking about the characters and what happens next. I highly recommend this novel to everyone.
Thanks to Amanda Prowse, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel prior to publication.
This is the first Amanda Prowse book I have read. My first impression is that Amanda Prowse is an exceptional novelist who has deeply researched this storyline. In this heart-wrenching novel we are introduced to Freya and Lockie and their two daughters, Charlotte and Lexi and taken on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey with them as they are plunged into a nightmare situation.
What starts out as a perfectly ordinary family living a happy domestic life soon is rocked to the core. No-one understands. No-one has the answers. No-one knows what to do. Mistakes are made. The one thing you can feel from the first page to the last is the love the characters have between them.
This is a MUST READ novel which tells the story of how an eating disorder can invade any family. It is about the importance of love and honesty within the family. It is about sticking together to get through whatever crisis is in front of us.
I knew nothing about anorexia before and whilst I understand it may not be factually perfect – everyone’s experience is different - but it is a novel not a self-help book.
Once I started to read this book I couldn’t put it down, even after finishing it a few days ago, I still find myself thinking about the characters and what happens next. I highly recommend this novel to everyone.
Thanks to Amanda Prowse, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel prior to publication.
Merissa (12684 KP) rated Over the Falls (Ryder Bay #1) in Books
Jan 17, 2019
Over the Falls (Ryder Bay #1) by Jordan Ford
Over the Falls is the first book in the Ryder Bay series, and it's one I can't wait to continue. It is full of those extreme feelings you can only get when you are young, plus hardships, and a dash of mystery. I have read 'Dear Diary' and loved the insight into Harley. I'm glad I don't have to wait until book three to find out what happened in her past, and yet I am totally thrilled to find out how she moves forward. I've already found some of it out in this book, but I just know there is so much more to come.
The characters are all extremely well written, whether you like them or not! There is one in particular who I think I know what happened, but don't want to say anything yet, because no doubt Jordan Ford will put a twist on it, and I shall be wrong! ? The situations are all completely believable, the conversations are natural, and the relationships are perfect - whether they are new or have been there for a while.
I devoured this book in one sitting. After I started it, I just couldn't put it down. With a slight cliffhanger ending, it has definitely left me wanting more. I will absolutely be continuing with this series, and have no hesitation in highly recommending it.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The characters are all extremely well written, whether you like them or not! There is one in particular who I think I know what happened, but don't want to say anything yet, because no doubt Jordan Ford will put a twist on it, and I shall be wrong! ? The situations are all completely believable, the conversations are natural, and the relationships are perfect - whether they are new or have been there for a while.
I devoured this book in one sitting. After I started it, I just couldn't put it down. With a slight cliffhanger ending, it has definitely left me wanting more. I will absolutely be continuing with this series, and have no hesitation in highly recommending it.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This one's a bit too close for comfort...
Well, this was a bit of a disconcerting and frankly worrying book. but it's one that made me really think.
Set in present day, it follows Jon Keller, an American Historian, and his fellow guests at a hotel in Switzerland, following a nuclear war. Pretty much every major city in the world has been bombed. The majority of guests have left, trying to get back to their homes even thought the media has advised them against doing so (no aeroplanes, no public transport). Jon and a small group of other guests decide to stay and make the best of it.
Whilst checking water supplies in the roof storage tanks, they find the body of a child, and Jon decides to investigate.
The book is written in Jon's voice as he writes a diary, a history, of his and the other guests survival, and his investigation.
I really liked this. It wasn't sensationalised, it all seemed so reasonable, and in our current worldwide political climate, so plausible - which is what made it really scary. It did have a bit of the "Huis Clos" (a play by Jean Paul Sartre) feeling about it: a feeling of being trapped with the same day coming around again and again, no escape, stuck with the same people that you neither particularly like or trust. And I liked that about it.
By the way, in the advent of a nuclear holocaust, Switzerland would seem to be a pretty civilised place to be 'stuck'.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the copy of this book to read and review!
Set in present day, it follows Jon Keller, an American Historian, and his fellow guests at a hotel in Switzerland, following a nuclear war. Pretty much every major city in the world has been bombed. The majority of guests have left, trying to get back to their homes even thought the media has advised them against doing so (no aeroplanes, no public transport). Jon and a small group of other guests decide to stay and make the best of it.
Whilst checking water supplies in the roof storage tanks, they find the body of a child, and Jon decides to investigate.
The book is written in Jon's voice as he writes a diary, a history, of his and the other guests survival, and his investigation.
I really liked this. It wasn't sensationalised, it all seemed so reasonable, and in our current worldwide political climate, so plausible - which is what made it really scary. It did have a bit of the "Huis Clos" (a play by Jean Paul Sartre) feeling about it: a feeling of being trapped with the same day coming around again and again, no escape, stuck with the same people that you neither particularly like or trust. And I liked that about it.
By the way, in the advent of a nuclear holocaust, Switzerland would seem to be a pretty civilised place to be 'stuck'.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the copy of this book to read and review!
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