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ClareR (6256 KP) rated Cleopatra in Books

Dec 22, 2025  
Cleopatra
Cleopatra
Natasha Solomons | 2025 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Most of what I know about Cleopatra has been taken from what her enemies wrote about her. So yet again, a powerful woman has probably (I mean, can we ever know?)been cast as the wicked villain.

Natasha Solomons has given Cleopatra her own voice - and what a voice it is. She considers herself a goddess, her rule is absolute, and she won’t even put up with family going against her.

Egypt and Rome are the big players here, and seeing the contrast between the two superpowers was interesting, especially as Rome had such a low opinion of women. Cleopatra uses this to her own ends though, and Solomon is careful not to turn her into a seductress. Everything she does (with regards to Caesar), she does for Egypt.

Will we see a follow up book? We leave Cleopatra at about the halfway point of her life, so I really hope so!!
  
Lowest Common Denominator
Lowest Common Denominator
Pirkko Saisio | 2025 | Biography
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I believe Lowest Common Denominator is going to be a trilogy, and after reading this, I’m all for reading the next two.

LCD bounces around somewhat in time from toddlerhood to the present day. It’s auto fiction, really, although I had to double check that. So I suppose it’s a mix of Saisio’s autobiography that has been fictionalised in places.

I found the details of a child growing up in Finland, Saisio’s communist parents, along with 1950’s Finnish life, fascinating. It also made me curious about the war and occupation of the Russians in Finland, and I consequently did a bit of background reading about that.

I love reading translated books, and the translator, Mia Spangenberg, has made sure that this has lost none of its humour. The relationships between the narrator and their family members are so well drawn. Their experiences, traumas, upbringings and their expectations of this small child make for an engrossing read.
  
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Blazing Minds (92 KP) rated Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019) in Movies

Nov 1, 2021 (Updated Nov 3, 2021)  
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
2019 | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Maleficent (Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora (Fanning) begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies, and dark new forces at play.

Most of the cast has returned for the sequel, with exception of the role of Prince Philip whos is now being played by Harris Dickinson who took over the role of from Brenton Thwaites due to scheduling conflicts with Titans (2018), but this doesn’t distract you from the film, let’s face it the previous movie was five years ago!

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a lavish-looking movie the opening sequence itself with the camera flying through the land across the water looks stunning on the IMAX screen, which really immerses you in the feeling of being there, the set designs really bring the magical world to life as do the myriad of faes that live in the magical kingdom.
  
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David McK (3918 KP) rated True Lies (1994) in Movies

Mar 29, 2020 (Updated Apr 10, 2022)  
True Lies (1994)
True Lies (1994)
1994 | Action, Comedy, Mystery
The early to mid 90s were a great time for action movies.

Cliffhanger. Speed. And this.

Starring a pre-Governator Arnold Schwarzenneger, Jamie Lee Curtis, and a pre-TVs-Faith-from-Buffy Eliza Dushku, this basically posits the question "What if James Bond was a family man? And what if his wife doesn't know he's a spy?"

When he then discovers that said wife is - he thinks - having an affair (but is in reality falling victim to a scam artist), he then decides to 'give her a bit of excitement', which leads to her getting caught up in his 'real' job and finding out more about his life!

With a rarely-looking-hotter Tia Carrere, those tango scenes (and *that* striptease) alongside plenty of stunts and gunplay (and the Harrier jump jets) - and, of course, the one-liners! - this is a pretty enjoyable big budget action movie

(Edit: I've just discovered it's directed by a pre-Titanic James Cameron, which helps!)
  
S(
Subversive (The Warrior book 3)
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
66 of 230
Kindle
Subversive (The Warrior book 3)
By Rebecca Royce
⭐️⭐️

Rachel Clancy should never be counted out. She's a fighter and fighters never quit. Her destiny is to lead in a world filled with vampires and werewolves--void of romance and flowers. In charge of a secret revolution that could change her home forever, she's forced to battle and vanquish any threat to her friends and family. But no matter how many times she's won, the evil that threatens her never forgets her name.

Life is a continuous battle that never ends.

Especially for Rachel...

Oh dear! I’ve been enjoying this series but this one I just couldn’t settle with Rachel was a bit whiney and it didn’t seem to gel like the other books. The ending was completely what sideswiped me I’m not sure what to make of it all. Usually Rebecca’s books have me loving them but this just threw me. I’m confused.