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James Dean Bradfield recommended Tolerance by The Blue Aeroplane in Music (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Distant Dead in Books
Mar 4, 2021
A dark and well-written tale of sadness and forgiveness
Adam Merkel left his job as a professor in Reno to come to Lovelock, a small town, to teach math at their middle school. He was mostly mocked by his students, except for one, Sal Prentiss. After the death of his mother, Sal lives outside of town with his two uncles. Mostly friendless, he bonds with Mr. Merkel over math, chess, and more. So when Sal finds Mr. Merkel's body on his way to schoool--burned so that it's nearly unrecognizable--it turns his small world upside down. It upsets Nora Wheaton as well. A colleague of Adam's at the school, she thought she recognized a kindred spirit in him. Both seemed trapped in Lovelock: Nora had to return to care for her father. After Adam's death, Nora starts looking into his past to see what led to his horrible undoing. But so much of what she finds keeps leading back to the boy who befriended him--and found his body. As she tries to befriend the wary Sal, it opens up old wounds of her own.
I really loved Heather Young's book The Lost Girls, and The Distant Dead didn't disappoint either. She excels at creating excellent atmospheric novels with well-drawn characters. The Distant Dead perfectly captures small town life: how nearly everyone knows almost everything about everyone, but rarely interferes. How a small town can feel so stifling and claustrophobic. How the secrets and lies pile up until a man finds himself burned to death.
Young also covers the timely topics of drugs and addiction, which run as a thread across the book. Opiates don't seem like a tired trope here, though, but something that is eating up the town and ruining people's lives. It's no secret that I'm a sucker for a book with a good kid character, and I pretty much fell for Sal immediately. He's a great kid: real, vulnerable yet tough, and smart. He was an excellent narrator, with his portions telling what led up to Adam's death and Nora and Jake (a local EMT/firefighter) telling us what happened after. The book is surprisingly tense, with Young's beautifully written words jumping off every page. She's such a lyrical writer, weaving an amazing tale of sadness and redemption.
This isn't a fast read or a page-turning thriller. But it's a well-written book, with characters you won't soon forget. There's a lovely, albeit sad and dark, story here. Definitely worth a read. 4+ stars.
I really loved Heather Young's book The Lost Girls, and The Distant Dead didn't disappoint either. She excels at creating excellent atmospheric novels with well-drawn characters. The Distant Dead perfectly captures small town life: how nearly everyone knows almost everything about everyone, but rarely interferes. How a small town can feel so stifling and claustrophobic. How the secrets and lies pile up until a man finds himself burned to death.
Young also covers the timely topics of drugs and addiction, which run as a thread across the book. Opiates don't seem like a tired trope here, though, but something that is eating up the town and ruining people's lives. It's no secret that I'm a sucker for a book with a good kid character, and I pretty much fell for Sal immediately. He's a great kid: real, vulnerable yet tough, and smart. He was an excellent narrator, with his portions telling what led up to Adam's death and Nora and Jake (a local EMT/firefighter) telling us what happened after. The book is surprisingly tense, with Young's beautifully written words jumping off every page. She's such a lyrical writer, weaving an amazing tale of sadness and redemption.
This isn't a fast read or a page-turning thriller. But it's a well-written book, with characters you won't soon forget. There's a lovely, albeit sad and dark, story here. Definitely worth a read. 4+ stars.
Tom Chaplin recommended Retriever by Ron Sexsmith in Music (curated)
Debbiereadsbook (1197 KP) rated Part of Her Plan (Cupid's Cafe #5) in Books
Jul 21, 2021
not an easy read, but a bloody good one!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I have no idea what I expected from this book, but it certainly wasn't this!
Jenny and Lydia have real life problems. Both are recovering from their respective addictions (or not, as the case may be) and this book focuses on that, more than the romance, and I really LOVED that. All too often these topics get brushed under the carpet and here, they are front and centre.
Lydia has a plan, to get her own apartment, and then be on her own. Meeting with Jenny again should not waver her from her plan. She's doing well, and is committed to get to the end. Jenny, on the other hand, isn't doing so well and the place in the sober living house SHOULD be her ticket to get to be with her brother again. But Jenny's recovery isn't going to plan, and one single mistake might ruin them both.
At one point, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book. I started it, and it took a downward turn (I thought) and I contemplated leaving it. But something made me carry on and I am so bloody glad I did!
Yes, it's not an easy read. it certainly isn't a fluffy romance that you can breeze through, but it IS a bloody good book! It shows the struggles, the real life struggles that people face. How people spiral downwards, how they hit the bottom and try to get back up. How the deal with their addiction (in this case drugs and alcohol) and what they do when faced with what might possibly be their last chance.
Jenny and Lydia are not perfect, but they are perfect for each other, and other than the issues with their addictions, the romance side of things moves along slow, at first, but then speeds up, and slows down again. I loved that it wasn't explicit. There is steam and passion a-plenty, but the detailed sex scenes are not here, and I truly think had they been, I would not have liked this book as much!
I've not read anything by this author before, nor any of the previous books in this series, I don't think you need to, to enjoy this one. I might go back and read them!
But please, be aware of the subject matter: drug abuse and alcohol abuse mostly. Some people might not be able to read this because of triggers.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I have no idea what I expected from this book, but it certainly wasn't this!
Jenny and Lydia have real life problems. Both are recovering from their respective addictions (or not, as the case may be) and this book focuses on that, more than the romance, and I really LOVED that. All too often these topics get brushed under the carpet and here, they are front and centre.
Lydia has a plan, to get her own apartment, and then be on her own. Meeting with Jenny again should not waver her from her plan. She's doing well, and is committed to get to the end. Jenny, on the other hand, isn't doing so well and the place in the sober living house SHOULD be her ticket to get to be with her brother again. But Jenny's recovery isn't going to plan, and one single mistake might ruin them both.
At one point, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book. I started it, and it took a downward turn (I thought) and I contemplated leaving it. But something made me carry on and I am so bloody glad I did!
Yes, it's not an easy read. it certainly isn't a fluffy romance that you can breeze through, but it IS a bloody good book! It shows the struggles, the real life struggles that people face. How people spiral downwards, how they hit the bottom and try to get back up. How the deal with their addiction (in this case drugs and alcohol) and what they do when faced with what might possibly be their last chance.
Jenny and Lydia are not perfect, but they are perfect for each other, and other than the issues with their addictions, the romance side of things moves along slow, at first, but then speeds up, and slows down again. I loved that it wasn't explicit. There is steam and passion a-plenty, but the detailed sex scenes are not here, and I truly think had they been, I would not have liked this book as much!
I've not read anything by this author before, nor any of the previous books in this series, I don't think you need to, to enjoy this one. I might go back and read them!
But please, be aware of the subject matter: drug abuse and alcohol abuse mostly. Some people might not be able to read this because of triggers.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Friend Request in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I got kind of sucked in from the first pages of this book. It started quite idyllic, a single mother with her little boy. The pressure slowly building up after Louise receives the friend request, and it continues throughout the whole book.
Our main character is, of course, Louise, even though she had a tough divorce which broke her, she got her life together and is a successful businesswoman. Throughout the book, we meet a lot of unique characters, not only from her present but from the past as well. I really liked Louise as a character, she proved to me, that people are able to change.
The narrative, that is the part of this book which I really loved. It is told from a single perspective, but the plot is very well crafted and filled with a lot of feelings, emotions and fantastic twists and turns. It is pretty hard to describe it without spoilers, but let’s try. I do have to mention, that this novel is about bullying, drugs and its consequences to peoples lives. Louise has done something really bad when she was at school, and that thing is haunting her 25 years later. The author does not leave it to this disappearance of Maria only, she spices it up with a ton of twists and illusions. I should say that Laura is a master for creating an illusion.
The plot was time travelling between the present and 1989, revealing the events that took place little by little, and creating even more suspense and wish to find out more. One thing that really annoyed me was that the author exaggerated the character’s secrets, and when you expect something grand and you receive a very uninteresting surprise, it kind of left me disappointed. :/ Another thing what really annoyed me, the way drug use was portrayed in this book. I think drug use is a serious issue, and shouldn’t be portrayed as “cool” or as a “not a big deal”, especially when it comes to school kids.
This was a very well thought through novel, with easy language and overall great writing style. I liked the not-too-long, not-too-short chapters, and I think that the ending of this book was incredibly unexpected, and rounded this story really nicely. So, to conclude, I do strongly recommend this compelling and chilling book, filled with incredible story, unexpected turns, and things which are not as they seem to be. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Our main character is, of course, Louise, even though she had a tough divorce which broke her, she got her life together and is a successful businesswoman. Throughout the book, we meet a lot of unique characters, not only from her present but from the past as well. I really liked Louise as a character, she proved to me, that people are able to change.
The narrative, that is the part of this book which I really loved. It is told from a single perspective, but the plot is very well crafted and filled with a lot of feelings, emotions and fantastic twists and turns. It is pretty hard to describe it without spoilers, but let’s try. I do have to mention, that this novel is about bullying, drugs and its consequences to peoples lives. Louise has done something really bad when she was at school, and that thing is haunting her 25 years later. The author does not leave it to this disappearance of Maria only, she spices it up with a ton of twists and illusions. I should say that Laura is a master for creating an illusion.
The plot was time travelling between the present and 1989, revealing the events that took place little by little, and creating even more suspense and wish to find out more. One thing that really annoyed me was that the author exaggerated the character’s secrets, and when you expect something grand and you receive a very uninteresting surprise, it kind of left me disappointed. :/ Another thing what really annoyed me, the way drug use was portrayed in this book. I think drug use is a serious issue, and shouldn’t be portrayed as “cool” or as a “not a big deal”, especially when it comes to school kids.
This was a very well thought through novel, with easy language and overall great writing style. I liked the not-too-long, not-too-short chapters, and I think that the ending of this book was incredibly unexpected, and rounded this story really nicely. So, to conclude, I do strongly recommend this compelling and chilling book, filled with incredible story, unexpected turns, and things which are not as they seem to be. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated My Sister in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This book drew me in from the first chapter. It was extremely mysterious and I could feel the suspense building up already. It was very hard to put this novel down.
The main character in this novel is Irini (love, love the name), a successful doctor with hip problems, which left her slightly limping. All her life she was running from her sister – Elle. Why? Because Elle is dangerous and unpredictable. I really loved the characters which were chosen for this book. I think they were very original, charismatic and supported each other very nicely. I really liked Irini and her life story, but it is very hard not to admire Elle, in some sort of weird way. Her character has charm, her personality is very strong, her actions, masterful manipulations because she is a psychopath. It was very interesting to read about this connection which Irini and Elle shared, they can’t be together but they need each other. You know it will destroy your life, but you still need it… All this was told while sharing Irini’s experiences from the past, which I found absolutely amusing and very intriguing to read.
The narrative of this novel is very gripping. Page after page, the author brought in a twist or unexpected turn, leaving me more and more interested in what will happen next. The whole plot was told from Irini’s perspective, and even though it was enough to make it an interesting read, I would have loved to read Elle’s perspective as well. I think it would have made this book even more interesting and would’ve answered more questions, and at least for me, it is always interesting to read what psychopaths think. Sometimes I got tired of this constant “Why did they give me away?” question. For me, in some places, it was quite repetitive and not always necessary.
The writing style of this novel is very creative and smartly thought through, leaving some cliffhangers, which are still bothering me a little. The chapters are a very decent length and it didn’t drag for me because the plot has sucked me in. I do not recommend it for young readers, as it contains some mild violence, drugs and alcohol. I am not fully satisfied with the ending of this book, even though it answered the main questions of this novel, it still has unresolved mysteries, which were left with hypothetical explanations.
So, to conclude, I would strongly recommend this dark and gripping thriller, filled with strange sisterly love, very strong and charismatic characters and very well thought through and intriguing plot, uncovering new secrets with every chapter. Enjoy
The main character in this novel is Irini (love, love the name), a successful doctor with hip problems, which left her slightly limping. All her life she was running from her sister – Elle. Why? Because Elle is dangerous and unpredictable. I really loved the characters which were chosen for this book. I think they were very original, charismatic and supported each other very nicely. I really liked Irini and her life story, but it is very hard not to admire Elle, in some sort of weird way. Her character has charm, her personality is very strong, her actions, masterful manipulations because she is a psychopath. It was very interesting to read about this connection which Irini and Elle shared, they can’t be together but they need each other. You know it will destroy your life, but you still need it… All this was told while sharing Irini’s experiences from the past, which I found absolutely amusing and very intriguing to read.
The narrative of this novel is very gripping. Page after page, the author brought in a twist or unexpected turn, leaving me more and more interested in what will happen next. The whole plot was told from Irini’s perspective, and even though it was enough to make it an interesting read, I would have loved to read Elle’s perspective as well. I think it would have made this book even more interesting and would’ve answered more questions, and at least for me, it is always interesting to read what psychopaths think. Sometimes I got tired of this constant “Why did they give me away?” question. For me, in some places, it was quite repetitive and not always necessary.
The writing style of this novel is very creative and smartly thought through, leaving some cliffhangers, which are still bothering me a little. The chapters are a very decent length and it didn’t drag for me because the plot has sucked me in. I do not recommend it for young readers, as it contains some mild violence, drugs and alcohol. I am not fully satisfied with the ending of this book, even though it answered the main questions of this novel, it still has unresolved mysteries, which were left with hypothetical explanations.
So, to conclude, I would strongly recommend this dark and gripping thriller, filled with strange sisterly love, very strong and charismatic characters and very well thought through and intriguing plot, uncovering new secrets with every chapter. Enjoy
BookInspector (124 KP) rated After He Died in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The main protagonist in this novel is Paula, a middle-class housewife, who just became a widow. A young woman – Cara, is trying to shine a different light on Paula’s deceased husband Thomas. This novel is told from two different perspectives – Paula’s and Cara’s. This book is soaked with grief, both of these characters lost people in their past, and they are still dealing with their grief. I really liked Paula in this book. I could feel her pain and her confusion, and to be honest, I was confused with her because all those little clues and words left me as much baffled as Paula herself. I really wanted to like Cara in this novel, but I couldn’t bond with her. I did like what she represented and I did like her attitude, but I couldn’t warm up to her.
The narrative of this novel is very masterfully delivered. It covers a really wide spectrum of events: we have a domestic noir, filled with family relationships and grief, and at the same time we have murders and mystery which are unfolding very slowly. I really liked the topics M. Malone discussed in this book, such as poverty and homelessness; how people deal with grief and what death brings to the families; drugs and how it influences people and their future, etc. I think this novel is more character driven than the investigation itself, but all these talks about feelings and sadness were too much for me at times, I wanted more pace and more unexpected findings. 🙂 Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of surprises and twists, but I needed more. 😀
I really enjoyed M. Malone’s writing style, it is a very well crafted novel, and his way of sharing Scottish lingual nuances was absolutely adorable and I really liked them. 🙂 This book has a very strong “rich vs. poor” accent, and the setting is changing between luxury, wellness, and shady areas with homeless people, and I found it very well balanced in this book. The chapters were pretty short, and the whole novel was quick and easy to read. The ending of this book rounded this novel very well and it did leave me satisfied. So, to conclude, this is a very sensitive novel, where the pain after someone’s death is very raw and haunting, but at the same time, it is a great thriller filled with very realistic and casual characters and a very unexpected plot. I really liked this novel, and I hope you will give this book a try and enjoy as much as I did.
The narrative of this novel is very masterfully delivered. It covers a really wide spectrum of events: we have a domestic noir, filled with family relationships and grief, and at the same time we have murders and mystery which are unfolding very slowly. I really liked the topics M. Malone discussed in this book, such as poverty and homelessness; how people deal with grief and what death brings to the families; drugs and how it influences people and their future, etc. I think this novel is more character driven than the investigation itself, but all these talks about feelings and sadness were too much for me at times, I wanted more pace and more unexpected findings. 🙂 Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of surprises and twists, but I needed more. 😀
I really enjoyed M. Malone’s writing style, it is a very well crafted novel, and his way of sharing Scottish lingual nuances was absolutely adorable and I really liked them. 🙂 This book has a very strong “rich vs. poor” accent, and the setting is changing between luxury, wellness, and shady areas with homeless people, and I found it very well balanced in this book. The chapters were pretty short, and the whole novel was quick and easy to read. The ending of this book rounded this novel very well and it did leave me satisfied. So, to conclude, this is a very sensitive novel, where the pain after someone’s death is very raw and haunting, but at the same time, it is a great thriller filled with very realistic and casual characters and a very unexpected plot. I really liked this novel, and I hope you will give this book a try and enjoy as much as I did.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Nothing to Lose - Single by Kerri Medders in Music
Jun 25, 2019
Kerri Medders is a 19-year-old LA-based singer-songwriter and actress from the Lone Star State of Texas. Not too long ago, she released a dreamy alternative tune, entitled, “Nothing to Lose”.
“Walking over Melrose, stumbling out Aroma, I’d go anywhere as long as it’s with you. Talking about the bands we love, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sex, and Drugs, everything about you is new. Baby you redesigned, you redefined love. Changing all the colors I use. We’re just people with nothing to lose.” – lyrics
‘Nothing to Lose’ tells an adorable tale of a young woman who shares a budding new relationship with her significant other.
Apparently, she’s optimistic about her and her blue-eyed lover’s future. Later, she suggests that they should write down their memorable moments and script it like a movie written for the screen.
‘Nothing to Lose’ contains a relatable storyline and ear-welcoming vocals. Also, the likable tune possesses vibrant instrumentation flavored with indie-rock, alternative, and commercial pop elements.
“The inspiration behind ‘Nothing to Lose’ is the development of a new relationship and the stages of starting a new adventure with another person. You want every hour, every minute, and every second to be spent with that person. Even though those new and strong feelings are scary, it still gives you that feeling that there’s absolutely nothing to lose in loving someone.” – Kerri Medders
‘Nothing to Lose” pays homage to the end of an era in Kerri Medders’ life. That era began in 2014 and includes EP’s Etched (2015) and Lot 17 (2017).
Also, it launched her on a nationwide tour for High School Nation, where she opened for the Plain White T’s and Drake Bell in front of more than 90,000 people.
Since then, Kerri has performed over 70 shows in venues and festivals around the U.S., capturing the hearts of thousands of fans with her energetic stage presence.
“When you come to my show, I want you to be transported to my world. Just leave your worries at the door and take this moment to be with me.” – Kerri Medders
As an up-and-coming actress, Kerri Medders has recurring roles on the Emmy nominated CBS drama, SEAL Team, and the Emmy-nominated Netflix comedy, Alexa & Katie.
Also, she has guest-starred on Gamers Guide to Pretty Much Everything on Disney XD, Mystery Girls on Freeform, and Speechless on ABC.
Not too long ago, she wrapped her first feature film as a lead opposite Jackson Rathbone in Do Not Reply, which will be released later this year.
“Walking over Melrose, stumbling out Aroma, I’d go anywhere as long as it’s with you. Talking about the bands we love, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sex, and Drugs, everything about you is new. Baby you redesigned, you redefined love. Changing all the colors I use. We’re just people with nothing to lose.” – lyrics
‘Nothing to Lose’ tells an adorable tale of a young woman who shares a budding new relationship with her significant other.
Apparently, she’s optimistic about her and her blue-eyed lover’s future. Later, she suggests that they should write down their memorable moments and script it like a movie written for the screen.
‘Nothing to Lose’ contains a relatable storyline and ear-welcoming vocals. Also, the likable tune possesses vibrant instrumentation flavored with indie-rock, alternative, and commercial pop elements.
“The inspiration behind ‘Nothing to Lose’ is the development of a new relationship and the stages of starting a new adventure with another person. You want every hour, every minute, and every second to be spent with that person. Even though those new and strong feelings are scary, it still gives you that feeling that there’s absolutely nothing to lose in loving someone.” – Kerri Medders
‘Nothing to Lose” pays homage to the end of an era in Kerri Medders’ life. That era began in 2014 and includes EP’s Etched (2015) and Lot 17 (2017).
Also, it launched her on a nationwide tour for High School Nation, where she opened for the Plain White T’s and Drake Bell in front of more than 90,000 people.
Since then, Kerri has performed over 70 shows in venues and festivals around the U.S., capturing the hearts of thousands of fans with her energetic stage presence.
“When you come to my show, I want you to be transported to my world. Just leave your worries at the door and take this moment to be with me.” – Kerri Medders
As an up-and-coming actress, Kerri Medders has recurring roles on the Emmy nominated CBS drama, SEAL Team, and the Emmy-nominated Netflix comedy, Alexa & Katie.
Also, she has guest-starred on Gamers Guide to Pretty Much Everything on Disney XD, Mystery Girls on Freeform, and Speechless on ABC.
Not too long ago, she wrapped her first feature film as a lead opposite Jackson Rathbone in Do Not Reply, which will be released later this year.
Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson HD
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