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Verner Latskin (74 KP) rated Mr. Robot - Season 2 in TV
Jul 21, 2017
The final scenes of the season are nearly jaw dropping (4 more)
A shootout sequence that ranks up there with the best single shot sequences of anything on a screen big or small
Contains yet another episode that would fit right in with Lynch's canon
Alf
One of best Casablanca references ever made
Barely any Tyrell (1 more)
Dealing with the consequences of something is never as fun as the thing itself
Even though it didn't quite live up to the standard set by season 1, it was still one of the best sophomore seasons in television history
Contains spoilers, click to show
After one of the best seasons of television ever made, season 2 was bound to disappoint somewhat, but it does nothing to diminish season and actually manages to deepen it.
While the show really misses the presence of the male Tyrell, it deepens his lady MacBeth in unexpected ways and introduces another fascinating new character in the form of an FBI agent investigating the case against Elliot. In fact this season is all about the ladies, giving every female character new depth and agency. In fact, Angela maybe the new series MVP - her final scene of the season had me actively gasping out loud.
There is no show I'm more excited about right now than this, and believe me, that's almost hard to admit considering how much I'm in love with the new "Twin Peaks".
While the show really misses the presence of the male Tyrell, it deepens his lady MacBeth in unexpected ways and introduces another fascinating new character in the form of an FBI agent investigating the case against Elliot. In fact this season is all about the ladies, giving every female character new depth and agency. In fact, Angela maybe the new series MVP - her final scene of the season had me actively gasping out loud.
There is no show I'm more excited about right now than this, and believe me, that's almost hard to admit considering how much I'm in love with the new "Twin Peaks".
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit in Books
May 16, 2018
If you’re reading this review, chances are you’re either a) a true crime buff or b) curious as to what the source material of Netflix’s latest original series, Mindhunters, is based on. That title, Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Douglas is actually a fascinating read that details a division of the FBI that, had it not been created, would leave us without shows like Criminal Minds, where the Behavioral Science Unit profiles killers and races the clock to save victims that may still be alive. (Also, we wouldn’t have our Shemar Moore and wouldn’t that be a crying shame? We need our Morgan and Baby Girl.)
Reading more like Douglas is sitting in the room beside you and recounting his past, Mindhunter, as expected, delves into some pretty deep material. For a while, I had to put it down because the ATKID murders dug beneath my skin. Despite the sometimes gory details Douglas provides readers with, I feel this is an important title for any true crime fan. After all, it is Douglas that a certain character from Silence of the Lambs is based on.
<a href="http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2017/11/19/book-review-mindhunter-inside-the-fbis-elite-serial-crime-unit-mindhunter-1-by-john-douglas/"; target="_new">Read more at <i>The Ghastly Grimoire</i>.</a>
Reading more like Douglas is sitting in the room beside you and recounting his past, Mindhunter, as expected, delves into some pretty deep material. For a while, I had to put it down because the ATKID murders dug beneath my skin. Despite the sometimes gory details Douglas provides readers with, I feel this is an important title for any true crime fan. After all, it is Douglas that a certain character from Silence of the Lambs is based on.
<a href="http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2017/11/19/book-review-mindhunter-inside-the-fbis-elite-serial-crime-unit-mindhunter-1-by-john-douglas/"; target="_new">Read more at <i>The Ghastly Grimoire</i>.</a>
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Heist (Fox and O'Hare, #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
Kate O'Hare is a former Navy Seal turned FBI Agent. Her main target at the moment is Nick Fox. The world's biggest conman. He works every angle to his advantage in order to get exactly what he wants. When she finally catches him, it is an accomplishment that she is most proud of, so when she finds out that he has escaped and she is taken off the case, she is steadfast in finding him and putting him back behind bars. What she finds instead is quite shocking and will change the course of their "relationship" forever.
I'm determined to read every book written by Janet Evanovich. I quest I started last year. I wanted to finish the Plum series before diving into something new, but that has proven to be more difficult than I thought it would be. Kate and Nick have a love/hate relationship. She hates him and he loves that she hates him. He knows exactly what to do to push her buttons and knows exactly which ones to push to send her over the edge. This book was exciting to listen to. It provided lots of entertainment for me. Janet Evanovich knows how to make characters that you can enjoy and grow to love. Kate and Nick were no exception. Their banter and chemistry made this book flow quickly.
I'm determined to read every book written by Janet Evanovich. I quest I started last year. I wanted to finish the Plum series before diving into something new, but that has proven to be more difficult than I thought it would be. Kate and Nick have a love/hate relationship. She hates him and he loves that she hates him. He knows exactly what to do to push her buttons and knows exactly which ones to push to send her over the edge. This book was exciting to listen to. It provided lots of entertainment for me. Janet Evanovich knows how to make characters that you can enjoy and grow to love. Kate and Nick were no exception. Their banter and chemistry made this book flow quickly.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Killing Her Softly in Books
May 22, 2019
Afraid for her life after spending ten years in an abusive marriage, Kate Finelli has to find the courage to get herself out. When she calls the sheriffs office, she hears a familiar voice--Jack, the first man to show her love. Can Kate trust him to help her get away from the long-suffering abuse?
Jack left Harpers Glen for a career in the FBI. Hes returned to fill in for the sheriff, the man who mentored him his whole life. With strained family ties, Jack doesnt plan on staying in this small town for long, until a panicked call comes in from Kate. He left when she chose his brother, but must stay to help her now.
With the backdrop of a murder investigation and threatening notes, Kate and Jack find each other again. Will the tension within their family keep them apart? Or will their struggle for safety bring them together after all these years?
This is a fast paced romance mixed with some suspense. This story does deal with domestic violence.
Cleverly written and brought together.
Enjoyed the storyline and the plot.
Very believable characters and developed out well.
Enjoyable quick read.
Recommend reading.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest voluntary review.
Jack left Harpers Glen for a career in the FBI. Hes returned to fill in for the sheriff, the man who mentored him his whole life. With strained family ties, Jack doesnt plan on staying in this small town for long, until a panicked call comes in from Kate. He left when she chose his brother, but must stay to help her now.
With the backdrop of a murder investigation and threatening notes, Kate and Jack find each other again. Will the tension within their family keep them apart? Or will their struggle for safety bring them together after all these years?
This is a fast paced romance mixed with some suspense. This story does deal with domestic violence.
Cleverly written and brought together.
Enjoyed the storyline and the plot.
Very believable characters and developed out well.
Enjoyable quick read.
Recommend reading.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest voluntary review.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Radio Free Albemuth in Books
Mar 2, 2018
A lot of semi-autobiographical elements
While this is not PKD's best science fiction, the fact that much of it comes from his own experiences makes this an interesting read.
From being burgled, by what PKD believed to be an FBI covert operation, to hallucinatory visions, this posthumous book reveals much about his thought processes at the end of his life. Although this novel was written and scrapped, it was released in 1985 and has similar themes to his Valis series. In this, PKD plays a main character himself as a science fiction writer, while Nicholas Brady, a quirky record shop clerk, is his friend although he represents parts of the author himself.
In this dystopian science fiction, an alternate reality shows the US being run by a secret Communist regime despite appearing to be the opposite. Brady one day starts seeing visions in which he is controlled and he is able to communicate with an outer being who is trying to change the course of the country. His sceptic friend, PKD follows him wherever he goes only to find that there are some truths to his ravings.
It's quite a horrifying ending, and it does make you wonder how mentally stable PKD was at the end - but it definitely shows why PKD is still the master of sci-fi.
From being burgled, by what PKD believed to be an FBI covert operation, to hallucinatory visions, this posthumous book reveals much about his thought processes at the end of his life. Although this novel was written and scrapped, it was released in 1985 and has similar themes to his Valis series. In this, PKD plays a main character himself as a science fiction writer, while Nicholas Brady, a quirky record shop clerk, is his friend although he represents parts of the author himself.
In this dystopian science fiction, an alternate reality shows the US being run by a secret Communist regime despite appearing to be the opposite. Brady one day starts seeing visions in which he is controlled and he is able to communicate with an outer being who is trying to change the course of the country. His sceptic friend, PKD follows him wherever he goes only to find that there are some truths to his ravings.
It's quite a horrifying ending, and it does make you wonder how mentally stable PKD was at the end - but it definitely shows why PKD is still the master of sci-fi.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated The Hatching (The Hatching #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Some people find spiders horrifying, others don't have much problem with them. I belong to the former group, and as such, found much in this book to creep me out. The story follows a large and diverse cast of characters located around the world, as a series of bizarre incidences involving spiders begins to point towards a larger disaster looming around the corner. With the cast featuring everyone from doomsday preppers to an FBI agent to an arachnologist to the President of the United States, it's practically a who's who of monster and disaster movie cliches. But thanks to the brisk pace and effectively gross manner of death, this combination of "Arachnophobia", "Alien" and pretty much any Roland Emmerich blockbuster winds up being very hard to put down. There are a few flaws, like some forced-feeling romance elements, and far too many of the characters being described as very attractive. The complete lack of any resolution presented by the ending is a bit of a disappointment as well, though I am left definitely interested in the next book. I don't know how much the type of person who would happily let a tarantula crawl up their arm will get out of this, but for everyone else, you will likely find yourself checking the corners of your walls for a couple days after finishing.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Evil Genius in TV
Jun 4, 2018
For fans of Making a Murderer
This 4-part series tells the story of the "pizza bomber", where a pizza delivery man walked into a bank with a bomb around his neck, walks off with a small amount of money, is cornered by police and eventually the bomb goes off, killing him.
This is told in great depth during the first episode, showing that "the victim" (?) appears to have been on a scavenger hunt that ended badly for him. The rest of the series then explores the people that the police and FBI linked to the crime and the evidence stacking up in the 10year case.
The series is as gripping as Making a Murderer, with as many oddball characters and unusual actions and events combining to form a very hard to solve case.
I quickly became angry that the authorities were more concerned with solving the bank robbery aspect than the murder, thereby assuming that what seemed to be a simple, mild-mannered man was involved in the crime.
A number of avenues and leads are introduced along the way (not to the same extent as Making a Murderer) and not all of these are closed off, leading to something of an anti-climax.
This is told in great depth during the first episode, showing that "the victim" (?) appears to have been on a scavenger hunt that ended badly for him. The rest of the series then explores the people that the police and FBI linked to the crime and the evidence stacking up in the 10year case.
The series is as gripping as Making a Murderer, with as many oddball characters and unusual actions and events combining to form a very hard to solve case.
I quickly became angry that the authorities were more concerned with solving the bank robbery aspect than the murder, thereby assuming that what seemed to be a simple, mild-mannered man was involved in the crime.
A number of avenues and leads are introduced along the way (not to the same extent as Making a Murderer) and not all of these are closed off, leading to something of an anti-climax.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Good Girls Lie in Books
Jan 10, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
J.T. Ellison's latest work, Good Girls Lie, is set in an elite boarding school which is set atop a hill in the small town of Marchburg, Virginia. The students are only the best girls who are hand-picked each year by the dean. However, it is not a young adult book. It is a thriller full of secrets, secret societies, lies, and a strict honor code that is not always followed.
In the beginning, I found it difficult to get into the book but I am glad I kept reading. Several reviewers described it as fast-paced but I disagree. It is a slow burn but it does definitely burn. The twists were both expected and unexpected but worked well.
It opens with a body being found then flashes back to learn the events that lead up to the death. It is not a new tactic but, with the story, it works well.
J.T. Ellison is best known for her Lt. Taylor Jackson series. The 8th book, "Field of Graves" was published in 2015. She has teamed up with Catherine Coulter to write "A Brit in the FBI" series. The 6th book in the series, The Last Second, was published in 2019.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 1/10/2020.
J.T. Ellison's latest work, Good Girls Lie, is set in an elite boarding school which is set atop a hill in the small town of Marchburg, Virginia. The students are only the best girls who are hand-picked each year by the dean. However, it is not a young adult book. It is a thriller full of secrets, secret societies, lies, and a strict honor code that is not always followed.
In the beginning, I found it difficult to get into the book but I am glad I kept reading. Several reviewers described it as fast-paced but I disagree. It is a slow burn but it does definitely burn. The twists were both expected and unexpected but worked well.
It opens with a body being found then flashes back to learn the events that lead up to the death. It is not a new tactic but, with the story, it works well.
J.T. Ellison is best known for her Lt. Taylor Jackson series. The 8th book, "Field of Graves" was published in 2015. She has teamed up with Catherine Coulter to write "A Brit in the FBI" series. The 6th book in the series, The Last Second, was published in 2019.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 1/10/2020.
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