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If you are looking for a refreshing Young-Adult read, with college unlike any other - this is the perfect book for you. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You is the first book from the Gallagher Girl series, where we meet girls that go to a school for spies, and nobody except them, knows it.
The Gallagher Academy is a typical all-girls-school, except, instead of normal subjects, they learn advanced martial arts and chemical warfare studies, they have exams where they need to spy, or go unnoticed, or steal.
We meet Cammie Morgan, who happens to be the headmistress's daughter, and when she goes on a mission and gets noticed by a boy - everything changes and her life is suddenly everything but normal. She knows how to kill a man in seven different ways, and she can speak fourteen languages, but when a cute boy comes and says hi - she is definitely not trained for that. What's worst - he thinks she's just an ordinary girl, and she is falling in love with him.
Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through town without his ever being the wiser - but can she have a relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's beginning her most dangerous mission - falling in love.
I loved the writing style, and I loved something new and refreshing - it is a plot that I haven't read before, and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes when it felt a bit childish, I would remember I am not thirteen anymore, but even now at twenty-one, I got lost into this silly world of spy girls and the drama and love life of Cammie.
I liked Cammie - she is the type of girl that you would love to have as a friend, because she always makes you giggle with her silly comments. I also liked how brave and honest she was - not always honest though… Sometimes, she was too whiney for her own good, and making little things out of nothing, but then again, all teens kind of do that all the time, so it's acceptable.
I loved her friends - they were such a team, and always covering their backs. I loved how, even despite all their differences, they manages to fit right in and have their own impact to the group friendship.
Overall, quite an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it to you guys, if you love anything YA, or fantasy, or spy girls, or college related. I enjoyed this book, and I wish I read it way sooner. I can't wait to read the rest of the series as well.
Thank you to my friend and author, Michael Kott, that send me this book after recommending it to me, as Ally Carter is one of his favourite authors, and he enjoyed this book as well. Check out his book Piasa - it is amazing!
The Gallagher Academy is a typical all-girls-school, except, instead of normal subjects, they learn advanced martial arts and chemical warfare studies, they have exams where they need to spy, or go unnoticed, or steal.
We meet Cammie Morgan, who happens to be the headmistress's daughter, and when she goes on a mission and gets noticed by a boy - everything changes and her life is suddenly everything but normal. She knows how to kill a man in seven different ways, and she can speak fourteen languages, but when a cute boy comes and says hi - she is definitely not trained for that. What's worst - he thinks she's just an ordinary girl, and she is falling in love with him.
Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through town without his ever being the wiser - but can she have a relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's beginning her most dangerous mission - falling in love.
I loved the writing style, and I loved something new and refreshing - it is a plot that I haven't read before, and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes when it felt a bit childish, I would remember I am not thirteen anymore, but even now at twenty-one, I got lost into this silly world of spy girls and the drama and love life of Cammie.
I liked Cammie - she is the type of girl that you would love to have as a friend, because she always makes you giggle with her silly comments. I also liked how brave and honest she was - not always honest though… Sometimes, she was too whiney for her own good, and making little things out of nothing, but then again, all teens kind of do that all the time, so it's acceptable.
I loved her friends - they were such a team, and always covering their backs. I loved how, even despite all their differences, they manages to fit right in and have their own impact to the group friendship.
Overall, quite an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it to you guys, if you love anything YA, or fantasy, or spy girls, or college related. I enjoyed this book, and I wish I read it way sooner. I can't wait to read the rest of the series as well.
Thank you to my friend and author, Michael Kott, that send me this book after recommending it to me, as Ally Carter is one of his favourite authors, and he enjoyed this book as well. Check out his book Piasa - it is amazing!
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated First Impressions (Auckland Med. #1) in Books
Nov 1, 2019
awesome read!
This is book one in the Auckland Med series, but I am reading this AFTER I read book two, Crossing the Touchline. This book has been re-edited and tidied up, and is a re-release. I did not read the original version, so I can’t comment on any differences there may be.
But THIS version? Was brilliant!
Michael runs into Josh at a very inopportune moment, with his trousers round his knees, and his junk on display. That Josh immediately pushes ALL of Michael’s buttons and THEN some, is irrelevant. Josh does not want a player and Michael does not want a relationship. So why can they not stay away from each other?
Michael’s reason for not wanting a relationship and Josh’s for not wanting a player in his life are made clear to us very early on, but it takes a LOT of time for them to open up to each other, and it really is painful watching them get to that point!
I mean, neither wants *this* thing between them, that much is clear, but they cannot keep apart, and the chemistry between them of off the charts but emotionally?? Neither is ready for anything. And then, the pesky emotions do their thing and both of them, separately of each other, decide that maybe, just maybe they can make this work.
Then something happens that sends them both into the unknown abyss and Michael runs clear across the world.
It took me all day to read this, because I alternatively wanted to punch both Michael AND Josh in the face, and to wrap them both up in cotton wool and love hard on them! I still don’t know which is the more dominant feeling, I really don’t! I had to keep putting the book down, to get over whichever was higher up at the time.
And trust me when I say, I rarely verbally react when READING (listening is different) and I did swear at this book a time or three at this book, I really did!
These guys have some serious chemistry, let me tell ya! I was *NOT* being sociable, and reading at the mother in law’s house and she kept asking me if I was too hot, cos my face was flushed and I had to tell her I was coming down with a cold! Along with the noises, and I think she thought I was nuts!
I can’t go into much, for spoilers, but this book twists and turns all over the place, and just when you think it’s all sorted? Boom! It goes off again!
I loved that Cam, from book 2, takes a huge part and we see a different side to him here.
Even though I know this has been edited and stuff, I would have loved the first version, I know.
Don’t know who is next, I really don’t care, so long as I can get my grubby little mitts on it!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
But THIS version? Was brilliant!
Michael runs into Josh at a very inopportune moment, with his trousers round his knees, and his junk on display. That Josh immediately pushes ALL of Michael’s buttons and THEN some, is irrelevant. Josh does not want a player and Michael does not want a relationship. So why can they not stay away from each other?
Michael’s reason for not wanting a relationship and Josh’s for not wanting a player in his life are made clear to us very early on, but it takes a LOT of time for them to open up to each other, and it really is painful watching them get to that point!
I mean, neither wants *this* thing between them, that much is clear, but they cannot keep apart, and the chemistry between them of off the charts but emotionally?? Neither is ready for anything. And then, the pesky emotions do their thing and both of them, separately of each other, decide that maybe, just maybe they can make this work.
Then something happens that sends them both into the unknown abyss and Michael runs clear across the world.
It took me all day to read this, because I alternatively wanted to punch both Michael AND Josh in the face, and to wrap them both up in cotton wool and love hard on them! I still don’t know which is the more dominant feeling, I really don’t! I had to keep putting the book down, to get over whichever was higher up at the time.
And trust me when I say, I rarely verbally react when READING (listening is different) and I did swear at this book a time or three at this book, I really did!
These guys have some serious chemistry, let me tell ya! I was *NOT* being sociable, and reading at the mother in law’s house and she kept asking me if I was too hot, cos my face was flushed and I had to tell her I was coming down with a cold! Along with the noises, and I think she thought I was nuts!
I can’t go into much, for spoilers, but this book twists and turns all over the place, and just when you think it’s all sorted? Boom! It goes off again!
I loved that Cam, from book 2, takes a huge part and we see a different side to him here.
Even though I know this has been edited and stuff, I would have loved the first version, I know.
Don’t know who is next, I really don’t care, so long as I can get my grubby little mitts on it!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Go Back for Love in Books
Mar 18, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Go Back for Love by Anne-Marie Sassoli is an extremely brief romance. This book can easily be read in a day, in not just a couple of hours. It also relies heavily on time travel in very short bursts.
Laura is a bit of a nobody and always has been, at least in her own opinion. Then one seemingly random day she gets a letter from a solicitor. This letter sets her off on a whole new life as it is her inheritance from an aunt she barely knew. Along with a large sum of money Laura is given a mysterious coin collection that is connected to her aunt in a most unusual way. Through these coins, Laura learns about her aunt's past. She is introduced to her aunt’s fall from riches to being a servant. Her aunt’s journey doesn't end there but in an unexpected interaction with a man who sees her potential as a person despite the differences in their social classes.
During Laura’s discovery of her aunt's past, she also starts forming a cautious relationship with her neighbor, Blaire, who also happens to own the building she lives in. What is most startling is how Blaire is already interwoven into Laura’s life by a surprising connection to her Aunt. Was their meeting predetermined by fate (or the Aunt) or is it just something that happened by chance?
Like many of the books that I do not care for, I do like the concept, it just wasn’t presented very well. So much could be done with how the Aunt's coins allowed Laura to travel back in time. What Laura saw when she traveled was also interesting but lacked relevance, it contained no lesson and did nothing to directly encourage Blaire and Laura to get together. The book is extremely vague. It is almost as if it is an unfinished draft of what could be a much larger story. Unfortunately, everything felt glossed over, like the author had a good idea but didn’t want to take the time to write a larger novel.
If I were to recommend this book to anyone it would be adults who like romance (there is one semi-vivid sex scene). It is good for those that want a basic and quick read, but those wanting something with more depth will be disappointed. I rate this book 1 out of 4. I was rather disappointed in it. While so short stories have the amazing ability to quickly draw readers in, provoke emotion, or make them think, this one missed the mark. In fact upon thinking about the story, time travel wasn’t even needed as the money that Laura also got put the couple in contact and not the coins.
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Laura is a bit of a nobody and always has been, at least in her own opinion. Then one seemingly random day she gets a letter from a solicitor. This letter sets her off on a whole new life as it is her inheritance from an aunt she barely knew. Along with a large sum of money Laura is given a mysterious coin collection that is connected to her aunt in a most unusual way. Through these coins, Laura learns about her aunt's past. She is introduced to her aunt’s fall from riches to being a servant. Her aunt’s journey doesn't end there but in an unexpected interaction with a man who sees her potential as a person despite the differences in their social classes.
During Laura’s discovery of her aunt's past, she also starts forming a cautious relationship with her neighbor, Blaire, who also happens to own the building she lives in. What is most startling is how Blaire is already interwoven into Laura’s life by a surprising connection to her Aunt. Was their meeting predetermined by fate (or the Aunt) or is it just something that happened by chance?
Like many of the books that I do not care for, I do like the concept, it just wasn’t presented very well. So much could be done with how the Aunt's coins allowed Laura to travel back in time. What Laura saw when she traveled was also interesting but lacked relevance, it contained no lesson and did nothing to directly encourage Blaire and Laura to get together. The book is extremely vague. It is almost as if it is an unfinished draft of what could be a much larger story. Unfortunately, everything felt glossed over, like the author had a good idea but didn’t want to take the time to write a larger novel.
If I were to recommend this book to anyone it would be adults who like romance (there is one semi-vivid sex scene). It is good for those that want a basic and quick read, but those wanting something with more depth will be disappointed. I rate this book 1 out of 4. I was rather disappointed in it. While so short stories have the amazing ability to quickly draw readers in, provoke emotion, or make them think, this one missed the mark. In fact upon thinking about the story, time travel wasn’t even needed as the money that Laura also got put the couple in contact and not the coins.
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I don’t always read poetry, but I won "It's Getting Harder and Harder To Tell the Two of You Apart" by Casey Renee Kiser and Johnny Scarlotti through a giveaway on LibraryThing.
And if you are already familiar with my “reading rules”, you know I try and read every single book I have ever received, because it’s only fair. And sometimes, the most unexpected books and the ones we don’t actively search for tend to surprise us the most. That happened with this book as well!
"It's Getting Harder and Harder To Tell the Two of You Apart" is written by two authors - two amazing writers of poetry, who have a very similar style of horror and suspense, but also very distinctive differences in their writing style too. The book is split in two parts, and we get the chance to explore both worlds.
<b>Part 1 - Casey Renee Kiser</b>
The first part of the book was written by Casey Renee Kiser, and my favorite poem was “I am not a ghost yet”. It is morbid and powerful, and I loved the way the feelings and scenes were amplified in a morbid sense. I love the brutality of the writing.
<b><i>“Everything was beautiful the day you died”,
You said as you touched my cold hand. </i></b>
<b>Part 2 - Johnny Scarlotti</b>
I could instantly see the difference in the poems between the two poets, but at the same time, also admire how similar their styles and themes are. I find Johnny’s writing very creepy, much creepier than Casey’s. Especially when the mood suddenly changes and the random “haha’s” and “woahh’s” in the poems appear.
<b><i>Now I’m dashing through the park clipping
Children’s kite strings
Ha ha, that’s what you get, you little freaks!</i></b>
It felt like I was reading the secret diary of the Joker. Either him, or Pennywise. It was so fucked up, but it read as the new normal, which is what a psycho would think and feel. It was creepy, it was wrong, but at the same time it satisfied my curiosity. I think that may be the same curiosity that makes me watch true crime shows, crime confessions and old interview with Ted Bundy. And I really enjoyed it.
If I could change anything about my experience with this book, I would have read this for Halloween. I think it would have been the perfect experience, next to a lot of red candles and dim lighting, alongside some quiet creepy music.
I would recommend "It's Getting Harder and Harder To Tell the Two of You Apart" to all fans of horror poetry - it is dark and twisty, brutally honest and creepy, and it will pull you over to the dark side, even for a day.
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I don’t always read poetry, but I won "It's Getting Harder and Harder To Tell the Two of You Apart" by Casey Renee Kiser and Johnny Scarlotti through a giveaway on LibraryThing.
And if you are already familiar with my “reading rules”, you know I try and read every single book I have ever received, because it’s only fair. And sometimes, the most unexpected books and the ones we don’t actively search for tend to surprise us the most. That happened with this book as well!
"It's Getting Harder and Harder To Tell the Two of You Apart" is written by two authors - two amazing writers of poetry, who have a very similar style of horror and suspense, but also very distinctive differences in their writing style too. The book is split in two parts, and we get the chance to explore both worlds.
<b>Part 1 - Casey Renee Kiser</b>
The first part of the book was written by Casey Renee Kiser, and my favorite poem was “I am not a ghost yet”. It is morbid and powerful, and I loved the way the feelings and scenes were amplified in a morbid sense. I love the brutality of the writing.
<b><i>“Everything was beautiful the day you died”,
You said as you touched my cold hand. </i></b>
<b>Part 2 - Johnny Scarlotti</b>
I could instantly see the difference in the poems between the two poets, but at the same time, also admire how similar their styles and themes are. I find Johnny’s writing very creepy, much creepier than Casey’s. Especially when the mood suddenly changes and the random “haha’s” and “woahh’s” in the poems appear.
<b><i>Now I’m dashing through the park clipping
Children’s kite strings
Ha ha, that’s what you get, you little freaks!</i></b>
It felt like I was reading the secret diary of the Joker. Either him, or Pennywise. It was so fucked up, but it read as the new normal, which is what a psycho would think and feel. It was creepy, it was wrong, but at the same time it satisfied my curiosity. I think that may be the same curiosity that makes me watch true crime shows, crime confessions and old interview with Ted Bundy. And I really enjoyed it.
If I could change anything about my experience with this book, I would have read this for Halloween. I think it would have been the perfect experience, next to a lot of red candles and dim lighting, alongside some quiet creepy music.
I would recommend "It's Getting Harder and Harder To Tell the Two of You Apart" to all fans of horror poetry - it is dark and twisty, brutally honest and creepy, and it will pull you over to the dark side, even for a day.
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Black Witch Magic (Paranormal Hunters #1) in Books
Oct 27, 2020
Black Witch Magic is the first book in the Paranormal Hunters series and we are introduced to Aiden (the paranormal hunter) and Selene (the witch). Aiden is the sceptic who tries to debunk paranormal mysteries. Selene is the witch cursed never to leave her hometown or find/keep love.
Although I enjoyed this story for the most part, there are some parts that just didn't work for me. For a start, the whole build-up to the wicked witch Luna? What did she actually do that was that bad? Okay, so I know she slept with someone who was engaged but is that it? Why did she get all the flak and not the other witch who disappeared at the same time? And for that matter, why were the Blackstones black-balled? There were no explanations about them or their family tree or even what happened to make them the scape-goats in the first place.
I did enjoy the differences given between being a Lunar or a Green Witch although I also found it a bit strange that Bibi, Noelle and Selene didn't seem to know anything else about being a witch other than what they made up themselves. Bibi and Noelle aren't cursed to stay within the town limits but it reads like they are.
There were other parts in the writing that were repeated over and over - Selene's address is one example. How many addresses does she have? Just the one so why is it repeated instead of just saying she went 'home'? Also, I wear glasses and I can tell you, if my glasses fell down my nose as often as Selene's did, I'd be going back to the Optometrist and getting the fitting sorted out. 'Fleshy thighs' is another description that was repeated too often for my comfort.
There are a few supporting characters in this book. Noelle and Eddie both have their own issues but neither of them come across as particularly tactful or sensitive to their so-called best friends. I thought Officer Gustin would play a bigger part than he did but he came good in the end.
This is classed as adult but most of the time the only thing described is the kissing. There are a couple of scenes that are steamy but they still don't go into major detail so I didn't think they were that bad.
The angst level is fairly low in here with most of it being between Eddie and Aiden and the filming of the episode. Or between Noelle and Selene when they don't agree on things but that's about it.
Overall, this was a light, entertaining read with some minor things I couldn't help but take notice of. It turns out this will be part of a series/serial and ends with a "To Be Continued." If this is what you are looking for then I can recommend this read.
* 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!
Although I enjoyed this story for the most part, there are some parts that just didn't work for me. For a start, the whole build-up to the wicked witch Luna? What did she actually do that was that bad? Okay, so I know she slept with someone who was engaged but is that it? Why did she get all the flak and not the other witch who disappeared at the same time? And for that matter, why were the Blackstones black-balled? There were no explanations about them or their family tree or even what happened to make them the scape-goats in the first place.
I did enjoy the differences given between being a Lunar or a Green Witch although I also found it a bit strange that Bibi, Noelle and Selene didn't seem to know anything else about being a witch other than what they made up themselves. Bibi and Noelle aren't cursed to stay within the town limits but it reads like they are.
There were other parts in the writing that were repeated over and over - Selene's address is one example. How many addresses does she have? Just the one so why is it repeated instead of just saying she went 'home'? Also, I wear glasses and I can tell you, if my glasses fell down my nose as often as Selene's did, I'd be going back to the Optometrist and getting the fitting sorted out. 'Fleshy thighs' is another description that was repeated too often for my comfort.
There are a few supporting characters in this book. Noelle and Eddie both have their own issues but neither of them come across as particularly tactful or sensitive to their so-called best friends. I thought Officer Gustin would play a bigger part than he did but he came good in the end.
This is classed as adult but most of the time the only thing described is the kissing. There are a couple of scenes that are steamy but they still don't go into major detail so I didn't think they were that bad.
The angst level is fairly low in here with most of it being between Eddie and Aiden and the filming of the episode. Or between Noelle and Selene when they don't agree on things but that's about it.
Overall, this was a light, entertaining read with some minor things I couldn't help but take notice of. It turns out this will be part of a series/serial and ends with a "To Be Continued." If this is what you are looking for then I can recommend this read.
* 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!
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Rose Coloured - Single by Celine Love in Music
Jul 10, 2019
Celine Love is a London-based singer-songwriter from Hamburg. Not too long ago, she released a music video for her debut single, entitled, “Rose Coloured”.
“The music video (directed by Sylvia Hong) explores how that darkness we are shielded from as children were always there. A lot of us may think back to our childhood as perfect when truly we have blocked out the negative we might have seen or experienced. If we do not confront these issues from the past, it can drive you insane.” – Celine Love
‘Rose Coloured’ tells an interesting tale of a happy young girl who wants to use love to erase darkness.
Apparently, her caramel skin differs from her friends’ vanilla skin tone. But she doesn’t see the difference between her and them.
Even though they trust each other, she still has to look at life through a rose-colored filter.
‘Rose Coloured’ contains a relatable storyline, pleasing vocals, and lush instrumentation flavored with contemporary R&B and neo-soul elements.
“The idea behind ‘Rose Coloured’ was to capture memories, moments and situations that describe the blissful ignorance of my childhood. The desire to put a rose-colored filter on everything that is bad in the world. Before racism, insecurities, heartbreak, or stress became part of life. The world is not only on your side but shields you from the negativity.” – Celine Love
“The imagery in ‘Rose Coloured’ is taken directly from my childhood. The song describes both joy and pain in wanting to relive these moments. Not having to confront the real world with all its social pressures and evils. Growing up in Germany there was a time when I saw my skin color as nothing but ‘caramel’, everyone else was simply ‘vanilla’. The chorus goes ‘I wanna live in a fool’s paradise, show me what love is and we can erase all the darkness.’ The music video reflects this inner conflict.” – Celine Love
A few milestones in Celine Love’s young career include a full scholarship to the music school BIMM Berlin & London.
Not too long ago, she performed at the 2000 Trees in Cheltenham, Kings Jam in Gloucester, Deichbrand and Reeperbahn Festival in Germany, and supported the electro-pop band Years & Years in Hamburg for NRJ Radio.
She composes music with expressionism and self-discovery at its core with a hint of socio-critical commentary.
“The imagery within the song is directly taken from my memories. Writing and recording it left me feeling very nostalgic. So I dug out old photos and songs and reached out to my childhood best friend. It reminded me of a pivotal time as a child, before I became aware of the differences in skin color and hair structure. Not only did I look different from most of the German kids surrounding my life but I would be treated differently too. It wasn’t always negative, but always in a way that made me feel excluded. There was a time before I became aware that my skin color was nothing but ‘caramel’ and everyone else was simply ‘vanilla’. Nothing more. ‘Rose Coloured’ is an almost desperate wish to have that mindset back. The wish to live in a ‘fool’s paradise’. – Celine Love
“The music video (directed by Sylvia Hong) explores how that darkness we are shielded from as children were always there. A lot of us may think back to our childhood as perfect when truly we have blocked out the negative we might have seen or experienced. If we do not confront these issues from the past, it can drive you insane.” – Celine Love
‘Rose Coloured’ tells an interesting tale of a happy young girl who wants to use love to erase darkness.
Apparently, her caramel skin differs from her friends’ vanilla skin tone. But she doesn’t see the difference between her and them.
Even though they trust each other, she still has to look at life through a rose-colored filter.
‘Rose Coloured’ contains a relatable storyline, pleasing vocals, and lush instrumentation flavored with contemporary R&B and neo-soul elements.
“The idea behind ‘Rose Coloured’ was to capture memories, moments and situations that describe the blissful ignorance of my childhood. The desire to put a rose-colored filter on everything that is bad in the world. Before racism, insecurities, heartbreak, or stress became part of life. The world is not only on your side but shields you from the negativity.” – Celine Love
“The imagery in ‘Rose Coloured’ is taken directly from my childhood. The song describes both joy and pain in wanting to relive these moments. Not having to confront the real world with all its social pressures and evils. Growing up in Germany there was a time when I saw my skin color as nothing but ‘caramel’, everyone else was simply ‘vanilla’. The chorus goes ‘I wanna live in a fool’s paradise, show me what love is and we can erase all the darkness.’ The music video reflects this inner conflict.” – Celine Love
A few milestones in Celine Love’s young career include a full scholarship to the music school BIMM Berlin & London.
Not too long ago, she performed at the 2000 Trees in Cheltenham, Kings Jam in Gloucester, Deichbrand and Reeperbahn Festival in Germany, and supported the electro-pop band Years & Years in Hamburg for NRJ Radio.
She composes music with expressionism and self-discovery at its core with a hint of socio-critical commentary.
“The imagery within the song is directly taken from my memories. Writing and recording it left me feeling very nostalgic. So I dug out old photos and songs and reached out to my childhood best friend. It reminded me of a pivotal time as a child, before I became aware of the differences in skin color and hair structure. Not only did I look different from most of the German kids surrounding my life but I would be treated differently too. It wasn’t always negative, but always in a way that made me feel excluded. There was a time before I became aware that my skin color was nothing but ‘caramel’ and everyone else was simply ‘vanilla’. Nothing more. ‘Rose Coloured’ is an almost desperate wish to have that mindset back. The wish to live in a ‘fool’s paradise’. – Celine Love
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Shazam! (2019) in Movies
Sep 1, 2019
Entertaining Enough
In the battle of DC vs Marvel in the Cinematic world, the prevailing theory is that DC is "righting the ship" with back-to-back decent films - AQUAMAN and SHAZAM. And...after viewing both of these films, I will agree that they are moving the ship in the correct direction, but they have a long, long way to go before they can say they have "righted" this ship.
SHAZAM is a fun. light, comedic-ish film that will appeal to kids and tweens and will be considered "not bad" by older teens and adults - and that is an improvement for a DC comic book film.
Asher Angel stars as Billy Batson, a troubled teenager with family/parental issues (is there any other kind in these types of films?) who is given the power of SHAZAM by a mysterious wizard (the always dependable Djimon Hounsou), when he says the magical word SHAZAM he is instantly changed into the SuperHero SHAZAM. The Superhero part of this character is played by Zachary Levi (TV's CHUCK) and that is the first problem for me with this film, I didn't feel that these 2 actors connected much to form the illusion of 1 person. Asher is all "broody and moody" - you know, the way an adult would direct a teenage actor to perform as a troubled teen - while Levi, who is having some fun, looks like he is trying just a bit too hard to showcase his "inner teenager" while wrapped inside a body hugging, muscle enhancing costume.
Billy Batson is sent to a foster home full of a "It's A Small World" group of troubled youth that have - despite their differences - formed into a family. Want to bet that Billy figures out that "family" does not mean his mother and father who abandoned him but rather those around you that love and care for you?
All of the kids in this "family" are well played, as are the "father and mother" figures. Standouts are Faithe Herman as smart-as-a-whip/cute-as-a-button Darla and, especially, Jack Dylan Grazer (hypochondriac Eddie in IT: CHAPTER 1) as the lad who becomes Billy's best friend. He is just as fun and charismatic as he was in IT. To be honest, I think I wanted more of a movie about this group of people than the typical "Super Hero/Super Villain" film.
However, I can forgive this film for focusing on the Hero/Villain dynamic for Mark Strong (SHERLOCK) is wonderfully villainous as the bad guy with daddy issues of his own and "that guy" actor John Glover is in it all too briefly as his dad.
Director David F. Sandberg (ANNABELLE: CREATION) does a nice job of keeping the action going at a fast enough pace to keep things entertaining - albeit in a way that was rather pedestrian and "nothing new". But he aims this film squarely at the older kid/younger tween audience and they will enjoy this very much, whilst the rest of us will not be bored as we accompany them.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
SHAZAM is a fun. light, comedic-ish film that will appeal to kids and tweens and will be considered "not bad" by older teens and adults - and that is an improvement for a DC comic book film.
Asher Angel stars as Billy Batson, a troubled teenager with family/parental issues (is there any other kind in these types of films?) who is given the power of SHAZAM by a mysterious wizard (the always dependable Djimon Hounsou), when he says the magical word SHAZAM he is instantly changed into the SuperHero SHAZAM. The Superhero part of this character is played by Zachary Levi (TV's CHUCK) and that is the first problem for me with this film, I didn't feel that these 2 actors connected much to form the illusion of 1 person. Asher is all "broody and moody" - you know, the way an adult would direct a teenage actor to perform as a troubled teen - while Levi, who is having some fun, looks like he is trying just a bit too hard to showcase his "inner teenager" while wrapped inside a body hugging, muscle enhancing costume.
Billy Batson is sent to a foster home full of a "It's A Small World" group of troubled youth that have - despite their differences - formed into a family. Want to bet that Billy figures out that "family" does not mean his mother and father who abandoned him but rather those around you that love and care for you?
All of the kids in this "family" are well played, as are the "father and mother" figures. Standouts are Faithe Herman as smart-as-a-whip/cute-as-a-button Darla and, especially, Jack Dylan Grazer (hypochondriac Eddie in IT: CHAPTER 1) as the lad who becomes Billy's best friend. He is just as fun and charismatic as he was in IT. To be honest, I think I wanted more of a movie about this group of people than the typical "Super Hero/Super Villain" film.
However, I can forgive this film for focusing on the Hero/Villain dynamic for Mark Strong (SHERLOCK) is wonderfully villainous as the bad guy with daddy issues of his own and "that guy" actor John Glover is in it all too briefly as his dad.
Director David F. Sandberg (ANNABELLE: CREATION) does a nice job of keeping the action going at a fast enough pace to keep things entertaining - albeit in a way that was rather pedestrian and "nothing new". But he aims this film squarely at the older kid/younger tween audience and they will enjoy this very much, whilst the rest of us will not be bored as we accompany them.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Darren (1599 KP) rated In the Heat of the Night (1967) in Movies
Sep 13, 2019
Characters – Virgil Tibbs is one of the best homicide detectives in his home city, he has earnt this position with hard work and higher education. He finds himself stuck in a racial divided town that does require his help, but doesn’t want to accept it. Virgil is strong and creates some of the most iconic scenes in film history. Gillespie is the chief that must reluctantly accept Virgil’s help, he is racist, but knows he needs Virgil’s help when it comes to solving this case, he must learn to be accepting of Virgil while being put under pressure by the supremacist that live in he area to rid the town of Virgil. Sam is the deputy that takes an instant dislike to Virgil, but he is mostly just a lowlife cop that gets past doing the basics of the job. The cast is filled the generic racist characters that don’t want to accept a black man helping with the investigation.
Performances – Sidney Poitier gives us one of the most memorable and powerful performances in any crime film, one that has iconic scenes that will forever stand the test of time. Rod Steiger is brilliant to, he shows us just how conflicted his character is to do the right thing and to keep his backwards mind on racial differences. When we look at the rest of the performances, we see good work from the whole cast.
Story – The story here follows a black detective forced into helping solve a murder in Mississippi while the racial hate between the two whites and blacks still comes off strong. There is two ways to look at this story, first we see how crime takes place and must get solved, which is interesting to keep us guessing throughout because of the large number of potential suspects. That however, isn’t the main story here, the racial divide between the people of town makes this more interesting because seeing how different characters interact with Virgil, some with open smiles, some with gritted smiles and some with pure hate. This shows us how we must witness how America was still filled racial hate in certain states that can point fingers before solving the crimes.
Crime/Mystery – The crime in this movie is murder, though trying to solve this opens up plenty of smaller crimes and deals with the racial hate still going on at the time in Mississippi, the mystery keeps us guessing to just who was the one the committed the crime in the first place.
Settings – The film takes place in Mississippi which for the time was still facing the divide between black and whites, this ups the tension for Virgil trying to solve the crime while also showing us the smaller crimes going on through the town.
Scene of the Movie – They call me Mister.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The locals can feel too generic.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the greatest crime movies you will ever see, it keeps you guessing from start to finish and deals with the racial hatred that was still going strong in the 1960s America.
Overall: Must watch crime mystery.
Performances – Sidney Poitier gives us one of the most memorable and powerful performances in any crime film, one that has iconic scenes that will forever stand the test of time. Rod Steiger is brilliant to, he shows us just how conflicted his character is to do the right thing and to keep his backwards mind on racial differences. When we look at the rest of the performances, we see good work from the whole cast.
Story – The story here follows a black detective forced into helping solve a murder in Mississippi while the racial hate between the two whites and blacks still comes off strong. There is two ways to look at this story, first we see how crime takes place and must get solved, which is interesting to keep us guessing throughout because of the large number of potential suspects. That however, isn’t the main story here, the racial divide between the people of town makes this more interesting because seeing how different characters interact with Virgil, some with open smiles, some with gritted smiles and some with pure hate. This shows us how we must witness how America was still filled racial hate in certain states that can point fingers before solving the crimes.
Crime/Mystery – The crime in this movie is murder, though trying to solve this opens up plenty of smaller crimes and deals with the racial hate still going on at the time in Mississippi, the mystery keeps us guessing to just who was the one the committed the crime in the first place.
Settings – The film takes place in Mississippi which for the time was still facing the divide between black and whites, this ups the tension for Virgil trying to solve the crime while also showing us the smaller crimes going on through the town.
Scene of the Movie – They call me Mister.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The locals can feel too generic.
Final Thoughts – This is one of the greatest crime movies you will ever see, it keeps you guessing from start to finish and deals with the racial hatred that was still going strong in the 1960s America.
Overall: Must watch crime mystery.