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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Herself (2020) in Movies
Sep 3, 2021
Child actors (2 more)
Claire Dunne
Topic
Not for the faint hearted, this is a film about the struggles of a woman trying to escape the clutches of her violent husband with her 2 children.
All she wants to do is to be able to provide a house for herself and her children after escaping her husband, whilst he still has access to their children and tries to get his wife back.
She ends up staying in a hotel which is too far away from her children’s school while begging for help to get placed somewhere closer. She ends up researching about building her own small house on a budget, and finds that if she has some land that she can build her own little house for around €35,000.
We watch as she struggles to find help and somewhere to build her home, but this film shows us that wherever you look, people are willing to help.
Whilst it is based around an upsetting subject, this film has a hopeful feel about it. It was slow to start, but once you get into it, it is a thoroughly good film. The two children who play the daughters are wonderful little actresses and had such good chemistry with Claire Dunne (who played their mother, Sandra).
All she wants to do is to be able to provide a house for herself and her children after escaping her husband, whilst he still has access to their children and tries to get his wife back.
She ends up staying in a hotel which is too far away from her children’s school while begging for help to get placed somewhere closer. She ends up researching about building her own small house on a budget, and finds that if she has some land that she can build her own little house for around €35,000.
We watch as she struggles to find help and somewhere to build her home, but this film shows us that wherever you look, people are willing to help.
Whilst it is based around an upsetting subject, this film has a hopeful feel about it. It was slow to start, but once you get into it, it is a thoroughly good film. The two children who play the daughters are wonderful little actresses and had such good chemistry with Claire Dunne (who played their mother, Sandra).
Darjeeling Inheritance (The Colonials)
Book
Darjeeling, 1930 After eleven years in school in England, Charlotte Lawrence returns to Sundar,...
Historical Fiction Romance
Merissa (13942 KP) rated Jesse's Diner (Hope, #2) in Books
Apr 16, 2023
This is a feel-good, sexy, romance novella in the Hope series. Steve and Tanner have known each other for a long time, and Tanner has had a crush on Steve since the very beginning. When he receives a call from Mike, his best friend and Steve's son, saying that he is worried about his dad, Tanner feels like he has to check in on him to make sure he's okay.
There is a revelation from Steve which has the possibility to destroy their relationship before it even gets started. Instead, I was very impressed with Tanner's reaction and subsequent research/knowledge, whatever you want to call it.
I adored this book - every single word. This is a hug-in-a-book, with some incredibly sensual scenes too. And just in case, the story itself isn't enough, the dedication brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes. And there are not many dedications that I can say that about!
Highly recommended!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 29, 2015
There is a revelation from Steve which has the possibility to destroy their relationship before it even gets started. Instead, I was very impressed with Tanner's reaction and subsequent research/knowledge, whatever you want to call it.
I adored this book - every single word. This is a hug-in-a-book, with some incredibly sensual scenes too. And just in case, the story itself isn't enough, the dedication brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes. And there are not many dedications that I can say that about!
Highly recommended!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 29, 2015
Merissa (13942 KP) rated Shifter Woods: Claw (Esposito County Shifters #4) in Books
Apr 26, 2023
SHIFTER WOODS: CLAW is the fourth book in the Esposito County Shifters series, and this time we have a wolf shifter/human who has never shifted, and the Alpha of the Esposito Wolf Pack. Matt recognises Angela, or at least, she reminds him of someone but can't think of from when. As for Angela, she's just too busy trying to stay out of Bryce's abusive clutches.
Their relationship moves a little slowly as they both learn about each other, including just who Angela is. Once they get it on though, the steam is most definitely there!
Along with Bryce, you also get the ambitious she-wolf who wants the Alpha for herself. Angela deals with that with aplomb, as well as finding long-lost family and settling in with the Pack.
I enjoyed this story and feel like it is a coffee-break book. Anything by Nicola Cameron is guaranteed to be a good read and this is no exception. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 26, 2023
Their relationship moves a little slowly as they both learn about each other, including just who Angela is. Once they get it on though, the steam is most definitely there!
Along with Bryce, you also get the ambitious she-wolf who wants the Alpha for herself. Angela deals with that with aplomb, as well as finding long-lost family and settling in with the Pack.
I enjoyed this story and feel like it is a coffee-break book. Anything by Nicola Cameron is guaranteed to be a good read and this is no exception. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 26, 2023
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2532 KP) rated Apprehend Me No Flowers in Books
Mar 22, 2023
Flowers for the Murdered
It’s May 2019, and Madison is dealing with a lot. Not only has her idol, Doris Day, recently died, but her business is closed while she deals with a lawsuit. However, a picnic dinner with her boyfriend, police captain Tex Allen, provides distraction, and not in a good way. Madison finds a dead body stuffed in a trash can; meanwhile, hikers find another on the other side of the park. Can Madison figure out what is going on? Or will she cause more harm than good?
Since Doris Day has been such a large part of the DNA of the series (in a completely fictional sense), I appreciated that this book took the time to address how her death was impacting Madison. It’s part of her growth in this book, which I enjoyed. I also appreciated the plot, which includes several different things and kept me entertained until the logical climax. Unfortunately, I did feel there were a couple of editing snafus, but they were minor overall. There is a recurring character who continues to surprise me, and that happened here again as well. I very much want to see where that relationship is going. All told, this is another winner that will please series fans.
Since Doris Day has been such a large part of the DNA of the series (in a completely fictional sense), I appreciated that this book took the time to address how her death was impacting Madison. It’s part of her growth in this book, which I enjoyed. I also appreciated the plot, which includes several different things and kept me entertained until the logical climax. Unfortunately, I did feel there were a couple of editing snafus, but they were minor overall. There is a recurring character who continues to surprise me, and that happened here again as well. I very much want to see where that relationship is going. All told, this is another winner that will please series fans.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated 47 Meters Down (2017) in Movies
Apr 27, 2022
47 Meters Down is a good enough, popcorn movie, that has a lot of things going for it, and is unfortunately hampered by incredibly bland characters.
The set up is mercifully short. The time spent with a bunch of people dating and speaking to eachother like Instagram influencers is limited and its not long before they're stuck at the bottom of the ocean. The minimalist execution of the bulk of the narrative is well done. The predicament the leads find themselves in provides plenty of tension and some well earned jump scares. Personally, I find the idea of the deep ocean utterly terrifying, and 47 Meters Down did a good job of making me feel uncomfortable for the most part.
The main draw back as mentioned, is the characters. Neither of the sisters are that likable, and it's hard to care whether they make it through to the end, which is an issue considering they're the only two on screen for 90% of the runtime. The narrative packs in a relatively clever twist before an underwhelming ending which left me feeling a bit empty.
Overall though, it's a solid shark horror/thriller that delivers on its entertainment value, and there are certainly worse shark films out there.
The set up is mercifully short. The time spent with a bunch of people dating and speaking to eachother like Instagram influencers is limited and its not long before they're stuck at the bottom of the ocean. The minimalist execution of the bulk of the narrative is well done. The predicament the leads find themselves in provides plenty of tension and some well earned jump scares. Personally, I find the idea of the deep ocean utterly terrifying, and 47 Meters Down did a good job of making me feel uncomfortable for the most part.
The main draw back as mentioned, is the characters. Neither of the sisters are that likable, and it's hard to care whether they make it through to the end, which is an issue considering they're the only two on screen for 90% of the runtime. The narrative packs in a relatively clever twist before an underwhelming ending which left me feeling a bit empty.
Overall though, it's a solid shark horror/thriller that delivers on its entertainment value, and there are certainly worse shark films out there.
Merissa (13942 KP) rated When the Wind Chimes in Books
Nov 13, 2020 (Updated Aug 14, 2023)
WHEN THE WIND CHIMES is a light, contemporary read with low angst and lots of warm feel-good feelings attached to it.
I did find the blurb to be slightly confusing as Kaitlyn (Kate) did not come across as heartbroken. She was sad at the death of her brother-in-law, upset for her sister and nephew, and annoyed with her ex-boyfriend. Heartbroken though? No.
She goes to Hawai'i for Christmas as it is the first one her sister will have without her husband. Whilst there, she has two job interviews that come to nothing but does land a job looking after a little girl who is one of her nephew's classmates.
The angst in the book mainly revolves around whether or not Lee actually likes her or if he just sees her as his child's temporary nanny. There is some mention of what it is like to lose a husband or sibling and the impact that has on the family left behind.
All in all, this was a sweet read with a seasonal setting.
* 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!
Nov 13, 2020
I did find the blurb to be slightly confusing as Kaitlyn (Kate) did not come across as heartbroken. She was sad at the death of her brother-in-law, upset for her sister and nephew, and annoyed with her ex-boyfriend. Heartbroken though? No.
She goes to Hawai'i for Christmas as it is the first one her sister will have without her husband. Whilst there, she has two job interviews that come to nothing but does land a job looking after a little girl who is one of her nephew's classmates.
The angst in the book mainly revolves around whether or not Lee actually likes her or if he just sees her as his child's temporary nanny. There is some mention of what it is like to lose a husband or sibling and the impact that has on the family left behind.
All in all, this was a sweet read with a seasonal setting.
* 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!
Nov 13, 2020
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2532 KP) rated If I Had a Hammer in Books
May 15, 2023
Dealing with History and Solving a Mystery
It’s November of 1963, and Dot Morgan’s excitement at witnessing JFK’s trip to Dallas turns to tragedy. While her cousin deals with what they witnessed, Dot has to concentrate on her first job out of secretarial school. She’s working at a local construction company, but she really only likes one of her bosses. When he falls victim to a weird accident at work, Dot starts to investigate. Can she figure out what happened?
You can’t write a series set in Texas in the 1960’s without dealing what happened that November. I liked that this piece of history is given its own subplot, although I did feel like that storyline was rushed. The main mystery is strong, with plenty to keep me turning pages, and the suspects were developed enough to help keep me confused. I loved getting to spend time with Dot again, and the rest of the regulars are good as well. As we get into the second half of the book, the action moves into December, and I enjoyed the Christmas parts of the book, too. If you are looking for a good mystery set around an important piece of American history, this book is for you.
You can’t write a series set in Texas in the 1960’s without dealing what happened that November. I liked that this piece of history is given its own subplot, although I did feel like that storyline was rushed. The main mystery is strong, with plenty to keep me turning pages, and the suspects were developed enough to help keep me confused. I loved getting to spend time with Dot again, and the rest of the regulars are good as well. As we get into the second half of the book, the action moves into December, and I enjoyed the Christmas parts of the book, too. If you are looking for a good mystery set around an important piece of American history, this book is for you.
ClareR (6129 KP) rated The Misadventures of Margaret Finch in Books
May 20, 2023
Don’t let this book fool you like it did me. When I read the title and saw the cover, I was expecting something entirely different to what I got - and I wasn’t disappointed at all!
Margaret has escaped her controlling stepmother by working for the Mass Observation project in Blackpool. She becomes involved with the Vicar of Stiffkey (he was a big deal in the late 1930s - and no! She wasn’t involved like that!), and starts to observe him and his sideshows as part of her work.
Margaret is very good at what she does. She’s an expert at staying on the periphery, invisible, but I don’t think this does her any good in the long run. She starts to feel lonely and separate from everyone else, and she doesn’t know how to deal with it.
I though Margaret was fascinating, and her boss James, was lovely. The vicar was only interested in his own life and problems, which isn’t really something I’d expect from a vicar.
Oh, and my advice for reading this: DON’T GOOGLE ANYTHING! Really, you’ll spoil it for yourself.
It’s a fabulous book - you really should read it! Thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Claire for reading along with us.
Margaret has escaped her controlling stepmother by working for the Mass Observation project in Blackpool. She becomes involved with the Vicar of Stiffkey (he was a big deal in the late 1930s - and no! She wasn’t involved like that!), and starts to observe him and his sideshows as part of her work.
Margaret is very good at what she does. She’s an expert at staying on the periphery, invisible, but I don’t think this does her any good in the long run. She starts to feel lonely and separate from everyone else, and she doesn’t know how to deal with it.
I though Margaret was fascinating, and her boss James, was lovely. The vicar was only interested in his own life and problems, which isn’t really something I’d expect from a vicar.
Oh, and my advice for reading this: DON’T GOOGLE ANYTHING! Really, you’ll spoil it for yourself.
It’s a fabulous book - you really should read it! Thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Claire for reading along with us.
It's OK To Be A Puppy
Book
When a child feels anxious, alone, or wonders about being good, read this illustrated puppy book...
children's book