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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Luther - Season 5 in TV
Jan 12, 2019
A welcome return
It seems like such a long time ago since Luther was on our screens, and it’s really good to have him back. Idris Elba is as usual fantastic as the dark and tormented Luther, who as per usual can’t seem to catch a break in this new series. The returning cast are all as good as they’ve ever been, and it’s always good to see Ruth Wilson and Michael Smiley. I do however think some of the newer cast and characters were a little weak. I couldn’t stop staring at Hermione Norris’s face (looked a bit plastic) and Luther’s new partner Halliday was a stereotypical foil to Luther’s law breaking antics. She was definitely no Ripley and I think fell foul to a lack of interest and development in her character in general, only being needed to push along certain plot points.
The plot itself though was as entertaining as ever, switching from near horror film to cat and mouse cop thriller seamlessly. There are a number of shocks, and lots of blood and gore. One thing Luther always does well is that it really pushes the horror aspect of what would otherwise be just a detective show. Like some of the earlier series, there are scenes in this that are absolutely creepy and terrifying. Makers of modern horror films should really take note. I also think the ending of this series was rather fitting, and without spoiling it, I’m hoping that this may be a decent finale for Luther, assuming they doom overdo it and make more.
The plot itself though was as entertaining as ever, switching from near horror film to cat and mouse cop thriller seamlessly. There are a number of shocks, and lots of blood and gore. One thing Luther always does well is that it really pushes the horror aspect of what would otherwise be just a detective show. Like some of the earlier series, there are scenes in this that are absolutely creepy and terrifying. Makers of modern horror films should really take note. I also think the ending of this series was rather fitting, and without spoiling it, I’m hoping that this may be a decent finale for Luther, assuming they doom overdo it and make more.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated The Military Wife in Books
Jan 26, 2019
Fresh perspective
THE MILITARY WIFE swept me up quickly into Harper's life and story. Harper was a military widow and what was unusual about her tale was that she was five years down the line from being widowed. She was forever changed by her experiences, sad at times but she was also functional and optimistic about life ahead.
This story is told in a past/present chapter approach. Whilst I really did want to be focused in the present and what was happening there, I did appreciate the need to know the story underpinning the 'now'.
A strange revelation in Harper's life threw her into the path of her late husband's closest 'brother' and Bennett is reluctant to see or communicate with Harper. Bennett was a large, interesting but quiet man and Harper was persistent, getting under his skin. What develops between these two is slow-burning and beautiful. Although there was heat, the focus was very much on the emotionality of the connection and this intensity was fantastic.
There was a cast of strong secondary characters including another military family who were in crisis, Harper's son and her mother. The stories around these characters were strong and interwoven inexplicably into Harper and Bennett's tale. This all made for a rich and deep story.
This is my first time reading Laura Trentham but I literally can't wait for more of this series. I will also be perusing her other books as I wait.
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
This story is told in a past/present chapter approach. Whilst I really did want to be focused in the present and what was happening there, I did appreciate the need to know the story underpinning the 'now'.
A strange revelation in Harper's life threw her into the path of her late husband's closest 'brother' and Bennett is reluctant to see or communicate with Harper. Bennett was a large, interesting but quiet man and Harper was persistent, getting under his skin. What develops between these two is slow-burning and beautiful. Although there was heat, the focus was very much on the emotionality of the connection and this intensity was fantastic.
There was a cast of strong secondary characters including another military family who were in crisis, Harper's son and her mother. The stories around these characters were strong and interwoven inexplicably into Harper and Bennett's tale. This all made for a rich and deep story.
This is my first time reading Laura Trentham but I literally can't wait for more of this series. I will also be perusing her other books as I wait.
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Deborah (162 KP) rated Northanger Abbey (The Austen Project, #2) in Books
Dec 21, 2018
The idea of The Austen Project is for six modern day authors to have a go do writing a modern day re-imagining of each of Jane Austen's major works. The first was Joanna Trollope's version of Sense & Sensibility, where the reviews seem to have been fairly lukewarm. This is the second offering, Northanger Abbey as re-imagined by Val McDermid.
Now, I've not read of of McDermid's works before, although I did think she was pretty smart when she won on Celebrity Mastermind. After reading this, I remain impressed. The novel tracks the original very closely and it's quite clever in how it does this. It is hard to imagine someone quite as naive as Catherine Morland in this day and age, but McDermind's 'Cat' Morland does pretty well. It's a very slangy novel ("amazeballs!"), sprinkled with 'txt spk', but then the original is quite slangy - especially the parts with Isabella Thorpe! I do think that to appreciate it you have to know the original quite well and have a passing knowledge of current popular culture. Catherine believing the General Tilney has murdered his wife or has locked her up somewhere is slightly fantastic, but rather more grounded than Cat's idea that the family may be Vampires.....! Still, if you can suspend your disbelief this is a fun and engaging read - in fact, a very 'nice' book... and with a very 'nice' hero. And I'm pretty sure this Henry Tilney would spell out all his texts properly - no want of grammar and total inattention to stops here!
Now, I've not read of of McDermid's works before, although I did think she was pretty smart when she won on Celebrity Mastermind. After reading this, I remain impressed. The novel tracks the original very closely and it's quite clever in how it does this. It is hard to imagine someone quite as naive as Catherine Morland in this day and age, but McDermind's 'Cat' Morland does pretty well. It's a very slangy novel ("amazeballs!"), sprinkled with 'txt spk', but then the original is quite slangy - especially the parts with Isabella Thorpe! I do think that to appreciate it you have to know the original quite well and have a passing knowledge of current popular culture. Catherine believing the General Tilney has murdered his wife or has locked her up somewhere is slightly fantastic, but rather more grounded than Cat's idea that the family may be Vampires.....! Still, if you can suspend your disbelief this is a fun and engaging read - in fact, a very 'nice' book... and with a very 'nice' hero. And I'm pretty sure this Henry Tilney would spell out all his texts properly - no want of grammar and total inattention to stops here!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
When so much often goes wrong with movie adaptations of video games, it is always pleasant when the occasional one takes you by surprise and becomes a well written, well acted, adventure of a movie. Prince of Persia, directed by Mike Newell, previously of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, captures much of the fun of the video game while telling a compelling story obviously written for the screen, and not pulled straight from the game itself.
Prince Dastan, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, does a fitting job of balancing the devious and dignified sides of his character. Gemma Arterton plays the role of Tamina with good chemistry with Gyllenhaal, and their dialogue always seems to have a spark of something extra. Ben Kingsley and the rest of the supporting cast do a fantastic job of rounding out the story and providing a degree of comic relief, tension, and reasons to use the special effects budget. The special effects are as expected, coming from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, excellent. Still, they don’t distract or otherwise draw too much attention away from the story itself.
The movie, obviously enough, revolves around Prince Dastan and a mystical dagger that can turn back time for short periods. Despite the plot twists and turns (and there are several), this movie kept me guessing and absorbed in the story, but never confused. If you’re looking for a fun time at the movies to start the summer season, look no further than this lively and fun film.
Prince Dastan, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, does a fitting job of balancing the devious and dignified sides of his character. Gemma Arterton plays the role of Tamina with good chemistry with Gyllenhaal, and their dialogue always seems to have a spark of something extra. Ben Kingsley and the rest of the supporting cast do a fantastic job of rounding out the story and providing a degree of comic relief, tension, and reasons to use the special effects budget. The special effects are as expected, coming from producer Jerry Bruckheimer, excellent. Still, they don’t distract or otherwise draw too much attention away from the story itself.
The movie, obviously enough, revolves around Prince Dastan and a mystical dagger that can turn back time for short periods. Despite the plot twists and turns (and there are several), this movie kept me guessing and absorbed in the story, but never confused. If you’re looking for a fun time at the movies to start the summer season, look no further than this lively and fun film.
CarolCorps1592 (21 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of Dragon Age Inquisition in Video Games
Jan 21, 2019
Dragons for All
I am a huge fan of the Dragon Age games and was so excited to play this one. Even though it had a lot of great aspects, there were a few problems that made it so it is my least favorite of the games. DAI is amazing because it takes the things everyone loved about the first two and expanded on them. The characters and story lines are so spectacular. I loved how they played into the last two games and each of the characters are unique and fun. The romances are fantastic and have you laughing your butt off at times. However, they were a lot more limited this time. While it was more realistic for the romances options to have preferences, it's still kind of disappointing to not be able to romance everyone regardless of race or gender. That also leads to the disappointment in character customization. I love that they added a new race, but felt that they should have added more than that. I also love how the game is more open world, however I wonder if they were quite ready for it. For me there were a lot of areas that took me way too long to get into (not due the area being closed). There were also quite a few bugs throughout the game that made it really hard to play at times. Regardless of any issues, I still love to play the game and can't wait for the next in the series.
ClareR (5950 KP) rated Lock Every Door in Books
Jul 27, 2019
Lock the Door had me wanting to leave the building, never mind locking the door!
Lock the Door had me wanting to leave the building, never mind locking the door! This suspense-filled thriller by Riley Sager is about a young woman called Jules who finds a job as an apartment sitter in one of New York’s most exclusive buildings. She is jobless, penniless and homeless after an acrimonious split with her boyfriend, and this job comes along at just the right time. It’s a job for three months, and there are rules. They’re not terrible rules (other than no visitors, and absolutely no overnight guests), and the pay is too good to be true - and as it turns out, that really is the case.
This had my heart in my mouth for most of the book: there are definite echoes of Rosemary’s Baby (without the baby). An old building with strange, unfriendly inhabitants, a new tenant who feels like she might be going mad with all the strange goings-on. There the similarity ends though.
The writing terrified me in places: who knew that a dumb waiter could have the same effect as a horror movies cellar (I won’t be using either for the foreseeable future!)? And it’s a twisty, turny read with some really good red herrings along the way.
I loved every minute of this, and highly recommend it - maybe it’s best not to be read just before you go to bed, though!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another fantastic serialisation.
This had my heart in my mouth for most of the book: there are definite echoes of Rosemary’s Baby (without the baby). An old building with strange, unfriendly inhabitants, a new tenant who feels like she might be going mad with all the strange goings-on. There the similarity ends though.
The writing terrified me in places: who knew that a dumb waiter could have the same effect as a horror movies cellar (I won’t be using either for the foreseeable future!)? And it’s a twisty, turny read with some really good red herrings along the way.
I loved every minute of this, and highly recommend it - maybe it’s best not to be read just before you go to bed, though!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another fantastic serialisation.
Merissa (13197 KP) rated Desire at Roosevelt Ranch (Roosevelt Ranch #5) in Books
Dec 7, 2019
Desire at Roosevelt Ranch is the fifth and final book in this series, and we have bad-boy Rex's story. He is hit by cupid's arrow when he stops one night to help a damsel in distress, none other than Tilly from Henry's Diner. Tilly knows all about Rex and doesn't expect anything from him. Rex surprises himself by wanting everything with Tilly.
Rex is a bit underhanded in some ways, but I loved that because that is part of his character. He isn't one to flaunt his help, but will do it quietly and without fanfare. Tilly doesn't know quite what to do with this as how he is behaving with her is very different to what she expected.
I am very sad to come to the end of this series. The small town of Darlington with its inhabitants have come alive to me through Elise Faber's writing. There are quirks and witticisms that have made me smile with each book.
The ultimate jewel in the crown, this book has knocked Sam and Haley off their perch and taken their place as my favourite of the series. Sam and Haley remain just half a star behind though!
This is a fantastic series that can be read as standalones, but seriously, why do that? Get your mitts on each and every one of these, as recommended by me.
* 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!
Rex is a bit underhanded in some ways, but I loved that because that is part of his character. He isn't one to flaunt his help, but will do it quietly and without fanfare. Tilly doesn't know quite what to do with this as how he is behaving with her is very different to what she expected.
I am very sad to come to the end of this series. The small town of Darlington with its inhabitants have come alive to me through Elise Faber's writing. There are quirks and witticisms that have made me smile with each book.
The ultimate jewel in the crown, this book has knocked Sam and Haley off their perch and taken their place as my favourite of the series. Sam and Haley remain just half a star behind though!
This is a fantastic series that can be read as standalones, but seriously, why do that? Get your mitts on each and every one of these, as recommended by me.
* 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!
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Anna and the Apocalypse (2018) in Movies
Dec 8, 2019
There's genuine festive joy in here, yes it's a little blood-stained, but still... festive joy. There are Christmas trees, an innuendo-filled song and Santa, it's probably more on the non-Christmas side of festive watchlists but I'm here for it anyway.
The songs are fantastic, they're fun and catchy with some great dance montages. It really does peak on the musical side of things. My only quibble would be Paul Kaye's song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now", it's a little cheesy and doesn't feel quite like the tone of the rest of the film. On repeated viewings though it does grow on you, but not quite enough to jump off the bottom spot.
You do need that comedy villain to hate though and in that respect Paul Kaye certainly does really well. In fact the whole cast were great, and there isn't even a caveat. "They were great... considering it's a monster movie." Every performance fit with their character and they managed to make an apocalyptic film feel really upbeat. Everyone had the right amount of pizzazz in them to make this zombimas spectacular come to life.
Being focused on such a small group and area meant that it was really easy to engage with what was going on. It's filmed really nicely as well with your classic background zombie action for comedy effect. All in all this is an enjoyable (sort of) Christmas film and has something for everyone in the family.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/12/anna-and-apocalypse-movie-review.html
The songs are fantastic, they're fun and catchy with some great dance montages. It really does peak on the musical side of things. My only quibble would be Paul Kaye's song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now", it's a little cheesy and doesn't feel quite like the tone of the rest of the film. On repeated viewings though it does grow on you, but not quite enough to jump off the bottom spot.
You do need that comedy villain to hate though and in that respect Paul Kaye certainly does really well. In fact the whole cast were great, and there isn't even a caveat. "They were great... considering it's a monster movie." Every performance fit with their character and they managed to make an apocalyptic film feel really upbeat. Everyone had the right amount of pizzazz in them to make this zombimas spectacular come to life.
Being focused on such a small group and area meant that it was really easy to engage with what was going on. It's filmed really nicely as well with your classic background zombie action for comedy effect. All in all this is an enjoyable (sort of) Christmas film and has something for everyone in the family.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/12/anna-and-apocalypse-movie-review.html
Merissa (13197 KP) rated Infiltrated (Daywalker Academy #2) in Books
Jan 6, 2020
Aaaand, she's done it again. Ms. Daniels has provided me with an exceptional follow up to book one, and leaves me wanting book three, erm, like NOW!!!
Infiltrated in the second book in the Daywalker Academy series, and it does continue on from book one, so you should really read them in order. Besides, if you don't, you miss out on a whole book of Zoltan, and no one wants that, trust me!
Franky starts off by trying to get to grips with what has happened and by pushing everyone away. Astara refuses to let her, and sneaks under Franky's guard when she's not looking. Fenrir still makes me smile whenever he's on the page, although Leo is sneaking up there too. As for Zoltan, yep, I'm a goner. I adore him "even" when he's being a jerk to Franky (which is most of the time!)
I won't say any more about the story as I really don't want to ruin it for anyone. What I will say is Franky's sass is still there for all to see, even considering what she's been/going through. The plot thickens and deepens, and you will find yourself rooting for our crew as they battle only knows what!
A fantastic second book that I definitely, highly recommend. Just, no Zoltan, okay? He's mine!
* 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!
Infiltrated in the second book in the Daywalker Academy series, and it does continue on from book one, so you should really read them in order. Besides, if you don't, you miss out on a whole book of Zoltan, and no one wants that, trust me!
Franky starts off by trying to get to grips with what has happened and by pushing everyone away. Astara refuses to let her, and sneaks under Franky's guard when she's not looking. Fenrir still makes me smile whenever he's on the page, although Leo is sneaking up there too. As for Zoltan, yep, I'm a goner. I adore him "even" when he's being a jerk to Franky (which is most of the time!)
I won't say any more about the story as I really don't want to ruin it for anyone. What I will say is Franky's sass is still there for all to see, even considering what she's been/going through. The plot thickens and deepens, and you will find yourself rooting for our crew as they battle only knows what!
A fantastic second book that I definitely, highly recommend. Just, no Zoltan, okay? He's mine!
* 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!
JT (287 KP) rated Arctic (2019) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Survival films have the ability to give us a sense of false hope by dragging us through a gut wrenching narrative that will ultimately end in heartache. Even right up until the final moments we still cling to the hope that a recuse will come.
Arctic takes us to a desolate and frozen landscape where there is no signs of life – that is until we meet Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) whose plane has crashed in an environment that offers no chance of escape. We don’t know how long he has been there, but can deduce it must be some time given his efficient method for catching and storing fish and that the crashed shell of his plane almost seems homely.
He understands more than enough to survive showcasing map reading and technical skills to battle the elements. Through driving snow he has the determination to manually crank a radio system in the hope of catching a signal. I’m a massive fan of Mikkelsen whose calm facial expressions still give me nightmares after watching the hit series Hannibal in which he was fantastic.
Here those expressions are more pained than sinister as Overgård has to make a decision as to whether to stay put, or make the perilous journey to find rescue. The introduction of a second character makes that decision for him and armed with whatever he can carry and pull on a sled, he sets out into the bleak and unforgiving wilderness. With limited dialogue this minimalist survival thriller will set pulses racing to the end.
Arctic takes us to a desolate and frozen landscape where there is no signs of life – that is until we meet Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) whose plane has crashed in an environment that offers no chance of escape. We don’t know how long he has been there, but can deduce it must be some time given his efficient method for catching and storing fish and that the crashed shell of his plane almost seems homely.
He understands more than enough to survive showcasing map reading and technical skills to battle the elements. Through driving snow he has the determination to manually crank a radio system in the hope of catching a signal. I’m a massive fan of Mikkelsen whose calm facial expressions still give me nightmares after watching the hit series Hannibal in which he was fantastic.
Here those expressions are more pained than sinister as Overgård has to make a decision as to whether to stay put, or make the perilous journey to find rescue. The introduction of a second character makes that decision for him and armed with whatever he can carry and pull on a sled, he sets out into the bleak and unforgiving wilderness. With limited dialogue this minimalist survival thriller will set pulses racing to the end.