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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated The Big Kahuna in Books
Jun 5, 2019
The Big Letdown
Unlikely duo FBI agent Kate O’Hare and former (maybe) conman Nick Fox have been asked to look for a tech billionaire known to pretty much everyone as The Big Kahuna. He disappeared a few days ago, but Kate and Nick are shocked to find that both his wife and his business partner are already hoping to have him declared dead. Kate and Nick aren’t willing to declare him dead yet; they think he might be hiding out in Hawaii. With Kate’s father and Cosmo, another FBI agent, tagging along, they set out to see if they can find him. However, it appears someone wants The Big Kahuna dead. Can they find him in time? Or will they lead the killers right to him?
The last book in this series was three years and a different co-author ago, and it shows. Nick and Kate are shadows of themselves, with Kate going to Nick for plans on everything instead of them working as partners. Their romantic relationship has gone back several books, too, and yet they don’t appear to be hiding the fact that they work together professionally. Kate’s dad is just a caricature now, and the new characters are one note jokes, per se, which makes spending so much time with them painful. While the plot does include a couple of small cons, it is nowhere near as elaborate and therefore fun as the previous books. Really, any group of characters could have been the stars of this plot. The pacing is uneven, especially early on when we get travelogues of Hawaii. We could have easily cut 30 pages without noticing at all, and in a book that already reads short, that is saying something. I did get hooked as I went along, but I think the flaws would have been more frustrating if I hadn’t been able to knock the book out in a couple of days. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I’m not sure even that price (free) will be enough to get me to come back if Nick and Kate have any more adventures.
The last book in this series was three years and a different co-author ago, and it shows. Nick and Kate are shadows of themselves, with Kate going to Nick for plans on everything instead of them working as partners. Their romantic relationship has gone back several books, too, and yet they don’t appear to be hiding the fact that they work together professionally. Kate’s dad is just a caricature now, and the new characters are one note jokes, per se, which makes spending so much time with them painful. While the plot does include a couple of small cons, it is nowhere near as elaborate and therefore fun as the previous books. Really, any group of characters could have been the stars of this plot. The pacing is uneven, especially early on when we get travelogues of Hawaii. We could have easily cut 30 pages without noticing at all, and in a book that already reads short, that is saying something. I did get hooked as I went along, but I think the flaws would have been more frustrating if I hadn’t been able to knock the book out in a couple of days. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I’m not sure even that price (free) will be enough to get me to come back if Nick and Kate have any more adventures.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Greenfield in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Jack Clayton is retiring from the police force and dreaming about a calm life in retirement. All that changes when he meets Officer Yolanda Tilden, a young hotshot officer on the force he's just left. Once a prospective FBI Detective, Yolanda had to leave the FBI after getting injured and she's not happy about it. Jack's former boss, Chief Varner, convinces (tricks?) Jack into coming back for a special assignment to work with Yolanda for thirty days as a mentor. At first, the set-in-his-ways Jack and the angry Yolanda clash, but eventually the two work together on a drug case and start forming a true partnership.
Full disclosure - I only read this book because the author is a friend of a friend, and my friend bought the book for me. I knew the author wrote the book in his spare time, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
The first part of the book wasn't my favorite. It lagged and was totally unrealistic (let's completely solve the drug wars in 48 hours!), but did a good job of setting up Jack and Yolanda's friendship and partnership. The writing can be a little stilted at times (must Yolanda say Jack's name every time she speaks to him?), with a few typos. Still, as I thought about it, the plot certainly wasn't any more outlandish than the New Adult romances that are all the rage right now.
Things certainly improved with Part 2, and I found myself staying up late to find out what happened. Part 2 sets up what appears to the "Cold Case Series" that Krammes writes (he has several books after this one). I really enjoyed Part 2 and found the plot to be engaging and interesting. While Jack and Yolanda's relationship is still a little far-fetched, the two are rather endearing at times, and amusing. The mystery portion was interesting and very solid. Overall, it was a fun book and Part 2 probably pulled it to a solid 3 to 3.5 stars. I look forward to reading the next one, since it's basically set in my hometown!
Full disclosure - I only read this book because the author is a friend of a friend, and my friend bought the book for me. I knew the author wrote the book in his spare time, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
The first part of the book wasn't my favorite. It lagged and was totally unrealistic (let's completely solve the drug wars in 48 hours!), but did a good job of setting up Jack and Yolanda's friendship and partnership. The writing can be a little stilted at times (must Yolanda say Jack's name every time she speaks to him?), with a few typos. Still, as I thought about it, the plot certainly wasn't any more outlandish than the New Adult romances that are all the rage right now.
Things certainly improved with Part 2, and I found myself staying up late to find out what happened. Part 2 sets up what appears to the "Cold Case Series" that Krammes writes (he has several books after this one). I really enjoyed Part 2 and found the plot to be engaging and interesting. While Jack and Yolanda's relationship is still a little far-fetched, the two are rather endearing at times, and amusing. The mystery portion was interesting and very solid. Overall, it was a fun book and Part 2 probably pulled it to a solid 3 to 3.5 stars. I look forward to reading the next one, since it's basically set in my hometown!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated How Do You Know (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
How Do You Know? is a heartfelt comedy about a woman who thought she had her whole life planned out and had answers to all the questions except for the most important, what she really wants in life.
Reese Witherspoon plays Lisa a former athlete who recently was cut from her team and is left to wonder what she will do with her life. Lisa has always been a confident woman who dated only athletes like herself. Matty (Owen Wilson), is her current love interest and also an athlete who does not really understand women, their feelings and the importance of monogamy.
Knowing this, Lisa still decides to stay with Matty and try and make things work as a couple.
At the same time, George (Paul Rudd), is being investigated by the FBI for wrong doings within the company that his father Charles (Jack Nicholson), owns. In the same day, George learns he is not only being investigated by the FBI, but his girlfriend breaks up with him because of his problems.
Lisa and George’s paths crossed earlier when a friend decides that it would be a great idea for Lisa to go on a date with a corporate type of guy rather than continue with her current athlete fixaton.
Lisa decides to meet George for dinner, but this sadly does not go well for either of them. Matty decides to be spontaneous and asks Lisa to move in but only ends up pushing her away. As a result, Lisa ends up getting to know George more and they become great friends during the on and off again relationship she has with Matty which leads to Lisa trying to find what she wants in life.
Director James L. Brooks did not allow the film to flow very well due to a slow beginning and middle and Jack Nicholson seemed out of place with such a small part for an actor of his status.
I was not a fan of the cinematography in some scenes and I wish the story would have flowed a little better and while this was not my favorite Reese Witherspoon role, Paul Rudd stole the show with his funny dialogue and silly antics.
Reese Witherspoon plays Lisa a former athlete who recently was cut from her team and is left to wonder what she will do with her life. Lisa has always been a confident woman who dated only athletes like herself. Matty (Owen Wilson), is her current love interest and also an athlete who does not really understand women, their feelings and the importance of monogamy.
Knowing this, Lisa still decides to stay with Matty and try and make things work as a couple.
At the same time, George (Paul Rudd), is being investigated by the FBI for wrong doings within the company that his father Charles (Jack Nicholson), owns. In the same day, George learns he is not only being investigated by the FBI, but his girlfriend breaks up with him because of his problems.
Lisa and George’s paths crossed earlier when a friend decides that it would be a great idea for Lisa to go on a date with a corporate type of guy rather than continue with her current athlete fixaton.
Lisa decides to meet George for dinner, but this sadly does not go well for either of them. Matty decides to be spontaneous and asks Lisa to move in but only ends up pushing her away. As a result, Lisa ends up getting to know George more and they become great friends during the on and off again relationship she has with Matty which leads to Lisa trying to find what she wants in life.
Director James L. Brooks did not allow the film to flow very well due to a slow beginning and middle and Jack Nicholson seemed out of place with such a small part for an actor of his status.
I was not a fan of the cinematography in some scenes and I wish the story would have flowed a little better and while this was not my favorite Reese Witherspoon role, Paul Rudd stole the show with his funny dialogue and silly antics.
Thy Killer's Keeper
5.5
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John Salton is everything that a country police can expect of its agent. He has brilliant analytical...
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Firekeeper's Daughter in Books
Aug 19, 2021
An expansive and lovely #OwnVoices tale
Daunis Fontaine feels torn between two worlds--growing up worrying about her Mom and dreaming of becoming a doctor and then being an unenrolled member of the Ojibwe tribe. Her late father was a member and so is her half-brother, Levi. When Daunis' uncle dies and she decides to stay home and attend local community college to take care of her mom, she feels trapped. But the arrival of Jamie, a new member of Levi's hockey team, is a bright spot. The two become fast friends. However, everything changes when Daunis witnesses a horrible murder, and she becomes an informant for the FBI. Suddenly, everything she knows about her hometown and the tribe changes.
"I learned there were times when I was expected to be a Fontaine and other times when it was safe to be a Firekeeper."
This is an excellent book--more mystery than I thought it would be. It covers a lot of topics--sometimes more than seems necessary. Racism, tribal issues, sexual assault, depression, drug abuse, FBI informants, romance, murder... there's a lot packed into this book. However, it does a great job looking into how meth and drug abuse affect the Native American community (as well as sexual assault). It's heartbreaking at times, but also compelling and educational.
"My mother's superpower is turning my ordinary worries into monsters so huge and pervasive that her distress and heartache become almost debilitating. I can protect her from that hurt."
Daunis is a very sympathetic and likeable character. She's dedicated to her family, to her tribe, and her community. She takes on a lot for a kid her age. Sometimes it felt like the informant plot was a little much, a little contrived, but overall, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. It was wonderful to read an #OwnVoices book of such quality and scope, and I look forward to what Boulley does next.
I read this book as part of my new reading project--choosing books off my shelves based on their Goodreads rankings. This is my fourth book of the project, forcing me out of my comfort zone and to try books in genres I don't usually read!
"I learned there were times when I was expected to be a Fontaine and other times when it was safe to be a Firekeeper."
This is an excellent book--more mystery than I thought it would be. It covers a lot of topics--sometimes more than seems necessary. Racism, tribal issues, sexual assault, depression, drug abuse, FBI informants, romance, murder... there's a lot packed into this book. However, it does a great job looking into how meth and drug abuse affect the Native American community (as well as sexual assault). It's heartbreaking at times, but also compelling and educational.
"My mother's superpower is turning my ordinary worries into monsters so huge and pervasive that her distress and heartache become almost debilitating. I can protect her from that hurt."
Daunis is a very sympathetic and likeable character. She's dedicated to her family, to her tribe, and her community. She takes on a lot for a kid her age. Sometimes it felt like the informant plot was a little much, a little contrived, but overall, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. It was wonderful to read an #OwnVoices book of such quality and scope, and I look forward to what Boulley does next.
I read this book as part of my new reading project--choosing books off my shelves based on their Goodreads rankings. This is my fourth book of the project, forcing me out of my comfort zone and to try books in genres I don't usually read!
Ross (3284 KP) rated Blindspot - Season 3 in TV
May 23, 2018
This season should have been titled "really do we still have to bother with those tattoos?!". The series once again follows the FBI team, and Jane Doe in trying to solve mysterious tattoos on Jane's body, averting terrorist attacks as they go. Only this time, it is a whole new series of tattoos which have been ridiculously put on her in UV or something so were not obvious.
The tattoos are no longer solved in interesting manners, now there is 30 seconds devoted to that, the rest being rushing around with guns.
Some of the puzzles appear to have been solved by something like "so I took these numbers, rearranged them at random, converted each one to the letter of the alphabet, translated that into Dutch, then back into numbers and tried this as an IP address and found that a ship has just docked with the same name as your mother-in-law's maiden name, get over there pronto".
The overarching plot was fine and reasonably exciting, but there was so much deus ex machina that I just got really annoyed.
The tattoos are no longer solved in interesting manners, now there is 30 seconds devoted to that, the rest being rushing around with guns.
Some of the puzzles appear to have been solved by something like "so I took these numbers, rearranged them at random, converted each one to the letter of the alphabet, translated that into Dutch, then back into numbers and tried this as an IP address and found that a ship has just docked with the same name as your mother-in-law's maiden name, get over there pronto".
The overarching plot was fine and reasonably exciting, but there was so much deus ex machina that I just got really annoyed.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated The Poet (Jack McEvoy, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #5) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Crime reporter Jack McEnvoy’s world is turned upside down when his twin brother Sean, a cop, commits suicide. But when Jack goes to write a story on it, he discovers a disturbing pattern that will take him cross country and ultimately to the FBI. But will he learn the truth about what happened to his brother?
This book is praised as one of Connelly’s best, and I can see why. This book introduces an entire cast of characters, and they are all strong. The plot is ingenious, and I was on board for all the twists. Unfortunately, it is 20 years old, and the parts of the book that attempt to profile the villain and the scenes that are written from the villains point of view felt clichéd to me. Maybe it is because it has been done so often since this book. Whatever the reason, I found this the only flaw in an otherwise outstanding book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-poet-by-michael-connelly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book is praised as one of Connelly’s best, and I can see why. This book introduces an entire cast of characters, and they are all strong. The plot is ingenious, and I was on board for all the twists. Unfortunately, it is 20 years old, and the parts of the book that attempt to profile the villain and the scenes that are written from the villains point of view felt clichéd to me. Maybe it is because it has been done so often since this book. Whatever the reason, I found this the only flaw in an otherwise outstanding book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-poet-by-michael-connelly.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Show Dogs (2018) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
Will Arnet stars as FBI agent Frank who takes up a partnership with a
Rottweiler named Max (voiced by Ludacris), To his chagrin, Frank is
assigned to crack a case with Max. Both are forced to go undercover in the
world’s most prestigious dog show competition to find out who is
responsible for kidnapping pandas and selling them for millions.
After finding out that the winner of the dog show would be kidnapped by
the same criminals involved in the panda trafficking, Max must do
everything possible to win 1st place and lead them to the same facility
housing the stolen pandas.
Director Raja Gosnell is no stranger to talking dog movies, with such
popular family favorite comedies under his belt like “Beverly Hills
Chihuahua,” and “Scooby-Doo.” He delivers a fun movie with just the right
amount of crude humor, human/dog antics, ghetto-esque quips, as well as
hilarious slapstick one liner moments. For those that enjoy dog-human
buddy cop movies, you’ll have a great time watching Show Dogs.
Rottweiler named Max (voiced by Ludacris), To his chagrin, Frank is
assigned to crack a case with Max. Both are forced to go undercover in the
world’s most prestigious dog show competition to find out who is
responsible for kidnapping pandas and selling them for millions.
After finding out that the winner of the dog show would be kidnapped by
the same criminals involved in the panda trafficking, Max must do
everything possible to win 1st place and lead them to the same facility
housing the stolen pandas.
Director Raja Gosnell is no stranger to talking dog movies, with such
popular family favorite comedies under his belt like “Beverly Hills
Chihuahua,” and “Scooby-Doo.” He delivers a fun movie with just the right
amount of crude humor, human/dog antics, ghetto-esque quips, as well as
hilarious slapstick one liner moments. For those that enjoy dog-human
buddy cop movies, you’ll have a great time watching Show Dogs.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Wrong Side of Right (Grey Areas #3) in Books
Nov 29, 2019
The third book of the four part saga continues directly from the shattering events of the second and doesn't let up on the pace, or the twists.
Barrett Grayson is in custody, awaiting his long avoided FBI interview. But all he wants to do is get home to see his father before he dies. Meanwhile Sergeant Jackson's deal with the cartel means that someone is going to pay a heavy price.
The story follows all the protagonists from the saga as they each face their own struggles and make their own choices - for good or bad. As with the saga as a whole the writing is gripping and intense. There are many different plot strands interwoven here from police procedural to romance but each one is given time and space to develop and the reader is drawn into each one and pulled along.
As with the other books, the writing is superb. I would strongly recommend the Grey Areas saga to anyone. It is an extremely accomplished work of fiction.
Barrett Grayson is in custody, awaiting his long avoided FBI interview. But all he wants to do is get home to see his father before he dies. Meanwhile Sergeant Jackson's deal with the cartel means that someone is going to pay a heavy price.
The story follows all the protagonists from the saga as they each face their own struggles and make their own choices - for good or bad. As with the saga as a whole the writing is gripping and intense. There are many different plot strands interwoven here from police procedural to romance but each one is given time and space to develop and the reader is drawn into each one and pulled along.
As with the other books, the writing is superb. I would strongly recommend the Grey Areas saga to anyone. It is an extremely accomplished work of fiction.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Seberg (2019) in Movies
Jan 14, 2020
Tonally awkward drama-thriller hybrid about the troubled life of 60s film star Jean Seberg (ask your grandparents, probably). Didn't know much about her (actually thought she was French), expected something arty and significant about the French New Wave - actually this borders on being another film about the Plight of Black America. Seberg (Kristen Stewart, watchable as usual) strives for significance, gets mixed up with the civil rights movement, finds herself surveilled and then tormented by the FBI.
Starts off quite interesting - Seberg is largely a forgotten figure nowadays, so the story is obscure - but as the thriller elements recede and it becomes more of a downbeat drama, the vitality and interest of the movie fades somewhat. If there is an irony in Stewart choosing to play a movie star looking to be more than just a pretty face in commercial schlock, the movie seems unaware of it. Pretty good performances, especially from Vince Vaughn (now quite well-established as a character heavy), but fizzles out a bit.
Starts off quite interesting - Seberg is largely a forgotten figure nowadays, so the story is obscure - but as the thriller elements recede and it becomes more of a downbeat drama, the vitality and interest of the movie fades somewhat. If there is an irony in Stewart choosing to play a movie star looking to be more than just a pretty face in commercial schlock, the movie seems unaware of it. Pretty good performances, especially from Vince Vaughn (now quite well-established as a character heavy), but fizzles out a bit.