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He Said/She Said
He Said/She Said
Erin Kelly | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.4 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have seen a lot of buzz once this book came out, and after reading it, I can freely say, this book is a bestseller, and it absolutely deserved it.

The main characters of this book were Laura, Kit and Beth. The way they met was very unusual; Laura and Kit witnessed Beth being raped (well, aftermath of it). The events after that, brings Laura and Beth really close, but suddenly some things start to happen, which put Laura and Kit into hiding. All the characters of this book are incredibly interesting, and have their very diverse and unique personality, that is why I absolutely adored that. My absolute favourite was Kit. He is this Oxford smart, but at the same time innocent, cute geek. The whole story was told from Laura’s and Kit’s perspectives, and they told this story beautifully, fulfilling each other. Even though, it is enough for Kit and Laura to tell it, I still wanted to hear the story from Beth’s perspective, I think it would’ve made this book absolutely perfect.

The plot of this book was absolutely fantastic. To tell the whole story, characters had to travel between present and the events, which took place fifteen years ago. This book has everything you need for a great thriller: there were unexpected twists and turns happening all the time, the suspense was very well kept throughout whole book, and it was really fast paced, which made it an intense page turner and was very hard to put down. Before reading this book, I was not very much into eclipses, but this book radiated the passion for eclipses so intensely, that I might even try and watch one this year.

I really loved the important topics Erin Kelly was discussing in this book: how hard to convince a rapist in the court of justice; how rape affects victims and rapists as well, especially if rapists are well known; how anxiety can affect people and their lives after certain events. This book is filled with interesting topics, situations and feelings.

As I mentioned before, this book grips you form first pages with very clever writing style, and keeps the suspense going on by drop feeding new information and new findings, plus add short chapters and you are hooked. Language itself is easy to read and understandable, quite relatable to any Londoner. The author kept the interest till the last sentence by throwing in more turns and twists, that’s why it is an absolute must read and I strongly recommend it to everyone.

Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for honest review.
  
Friend Request
Friend Request
Laura Marshall | 2017 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
10
7.4 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
I got kind of sucked in from the first pages of this book. It started quite idyllic, a single mother with her little boy. The pressure slowly building up after Louise receives the friend request, and it continues throughout the whole book.

Our main character is, of course, Louise, even though she had a tough divorce which broke her, she got her life together and is a successful businesswoman. Throughout the book, we meet a lot of unique characters, not only from her present but from the past as well. I really liked Louise as a character, she proved to me, that people are able to change.

The narrative, that is the part of this book which I really loved. It is told from a single perspective, but the plot is very well crafted and filled with a lot of feelings, emotions and fantastic twists and turns. It is pretty hard to describe it without spoilers, but let’s try. I do have to mention, that this novel is about bullying, drugs and its consequences to peoples lives. Louise has done something really bad when she was at school, and that thing is haunting her 25 years later. The author does not leave it to this disappearance of Maria only, she spices it up with a ton of twists and illusions. I should say that Laura is a master for creating an illusion.

The plot was time travelling between the present and 1989, revealing the events that took place little by little, and creating even more suspense and wish to find out more. One thing that really annoyed me was that the author exaggerated the character’s secrets, and when you expect something grand and you receive a very uninteresting surprise, it kind of left me disappointed. :/ Another thing what really annoyed me, the way drug use was portrayed in this book. I think drug use is a serious issue, and shouldn’t be portrayed as “cool” or as a “not a big deal”, especially when it comes to school kids.

This was a very well thought through novel, with easy language and overall great writing style. I liked the not-too-long, not-too-short chapters, and I think that the ending of this book was incredibly unexpected, and rounded this story really nicely. So, to conclude, I do strongly recommend this compelling and chilling book, filled with incredible story, unexpected turns, and things which are not as they seem to be. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
  
After He Died
After He Died
Michael J. Malone | 2018 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The main protagonist in this novel is Paula, a middle-class housewife, who just became a widow. A young woman – Cara, is trying to shine a different light on Paula’s deceased husband Thomas. This novel is told from two different perspectives – Paula’s and Cara’s. This book is soaked with grief, both of these characters lost people in their past, and they are still dealing with their grief. I really liked Paula in this book. I could feel her pain and her confusion, and to be honest, I was confused with her because all those little clues and words left me as much baffled as Paula herself. I really wanted to like Cara in this novel, but I couldn’t bond with her. I did like what she represented and I did like her attitude, but I couldn’t warm up to her.

The narrative of this novel is very masterfully delivered. It covers a really wide spectrum of events: we have a domestic noir, filled with family relationships and grief, and at the same time we have murders and mystery which are unfolding very slowly. I really liked the topics M. Malone discussed in this book, such as poverty and homelessness; how people deal with grief and what death brings to the families; drugs and how it influences people and their future, etc. I think this novel is more character driven than the investigation itself, but all these talks about feelings and sadness were too much for me at times, I wanted more pace and more unexpected findings. 🙂 Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of surprises and twists, but I needed more. 😀

I really enjoyed M. Malone’s writing style, it is a very well crafted novel, and his way of sharing Scottish lingual nuances was absolutely adorable and I really liked them. 🙂 This book has a very strong “rich vs. poor” accent, and the setting is changing between luxury, wellness, and shady areas with homeless people, and I found it very well balanced in this book. The chapters were pretty short, and the whole novel was quick and easy to read. The ending of this book rounded this novel very well and it did leave me satisfied. So, to conclude, this is a very sensitive novel, where the pain after someone’s death is very raw and haunting, but at the same time, it is a great thriller filled with very realistic and casual characters and a very unexpected plot. I really liked this novel, and I hope you will give this book a try and enjoy as much as I did.
  
The Dark Lake
The Dark Lake
Sarah Bailey | 2017 | Mystery, Thriller
6
7.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
I would like to begin by saying, that the person who wrote the blurb, should get a raise because this blurb is very intriguing and well written, that’s why I really wanted to read this book. To be honest, this novel was different from most of the thrillers I read.

The main lead in this novel is Gemma, a small town detective in Australia, who is investigating murdered teacher’s case. I found Gemma as a very unusual main character. This novel is filled with Gemma’s thoughts and feelings about her life, wishes and struggles. All these thoughts kind of shadowed the whole investigation. But on the other hand, I think some of them were kind of necessary in order to bring out the desired effect from this story. Gemma seemed very realistic in this novel, but I could not warm up to her. I think she needs help because she is a very troubled young woman, on the other hand, this makes her quite unique… The author chose to use a very vast amount of characters in this novel, some of them showing up only for a chapter as witnesses. It was quite a fresh approach to telling the story, but at the same time filled my mind with unnecessary information about the character itself…

Even though the investigation was pretty slow and not very eventful, I did like reading Gemma’s story from her past. I liked the way they tangled together, and it kind of kept me going because I did want to find out how all these parts are related. I really enjoyed reading different perspectives and different thoughts in this novel, it allowed to have a glimpse into different personalities and to have a better understanding of overall events.

The writing style was creative and the plot kept time travelling between present and past, and I really enjoyed that. Another winner for this novel would be short chapters. I was binge reading it and I was tempted to read chapter after chapter all the way throughout the book. Even though the climax was not very impressive, I did like how author rounded up this story, I think it concluded the events pretty nicely. So, to conclude, it was quite different from what I am used to in the thrillers, and I quite liked this fresh approach. I do recommend to give this book a try, and I will be waiting for the next book with Gemma Woodstock, to see, what Sarah has “up her sleeve” for this unusual detective.
  
Batman: Detective Comics, Volume 4: Deus Ex Machina
Batman: Detective Comics, Volume 4: Deus Ex Machina
James Tynion IV | 2017 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Crime, Humor & Comedy, Law
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>Back Story (Part Two): So, as I told you all in the preface for my review of Volume 3, there is a similar feeling going on for me. Long story short, as much as I'm a sucker for a good Ra's al Ghul story, I am totally invested when presented with a solid story featuring Zatanna, with or without Bats!</i>

<img src="https://www.fightersgeneration.com/nx7/char/zatanna-animation.gif"; alt="Zatanna" width="240" height="120">

There was a quite a bit in this volume. We were presented with more of where the League of Shadows fits in post-"Rebirth", as well as more on Azrael (who I still care little for as a character), and a sub-plot involving Zatanna and her relationship with Bats. Oh, and at the end, there is a certain someone who shall remain nameless else it becomes a Spoiler, but is totally cool and kinda expected, but cool all the same!
 
And yes, there is more of "angsty" Spoiler/Stephanie Brown, as she tries to figure out where/how she fits into Gotham, but by herself, not with the Bat-Fam. Fortunately, there was only Spoiler-centric issue, and that was the last issue in this volume. I am hoping Tynion resolves this, as I think she is a good character, but there is only so far you can go with the angst-y, <i>"I don't need Batman"</i> character plotline. Just sayin'..

A plot element I found of particular interest was that there seemed to be a little somethin' somethin' 'tween Bruce and Zatanna. Not necessarily anything of a sexual nature, but I definitely felt there was feelings between the two of them. Something that Tynion seemed to build off of from the B:TAS episode "Zatanna" (Season 1, Episode 50). Damn, this guy is on fire! I can't understand why so many others whine about Tynion. The man is effing BRILLIANT!

Before I close out this review, I want to give some much deserved attention to the art team for this volume: Raúl Fernández and Alvaro Martinez. All the characters and settings were quite, quite good, totally emulating the feeling that this volume was presenting. Also, their renderings of Zee? Fine, fine, fine! Great job, gentleman, great job!

So, that's it. I can't recommend this volume of 'TEC enough, but then again, I am also biased as I am all about a good Zatanna story. And, yup, that's definitely what this was!
  
Nothing to Lose - Single by Kerri Medders
Nothing to Lose - Single by Kerri Medders
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Kerri Medders is a 19-year-old LA-based singer-songwriter and actress from the Lone Star State of Texas. Not too long ago, she released a dreamy alternative tune, entitled, “Nothing to Lose”.

“Walking over Melrose, stumbling out Aroma, I’d go anywhere as long as it’s with you. Talking about the bands we love, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sex, and Drugs, everything about you is new. Baby you redesigned, you redefined love. Changing all the colors I use. We’re just people with nothing to lose.” – lyrics

‘Nothing to Lose’ tells an adorable tale of a young woman who shares a budding new relationship with her significant other.

Apparently, she’s optimistic about her and her blue-eyed lover’s future. Later, she suggests that they should write down their memorable moments and script it like a movie written for the screen.

‘Nothing to Lose’ contains a relatable storyline and ear-welcoming vocals. Also, the likable tune possesses vibrant instrumentation flavored with indie-rock, alternative, and commercial pop elements.

“The inspiration behind ‘Nothing to Lose’ is the development of a new relationship and the stages of starting a new adventure with another person. You want every hour, every minute, and every second to be spent with that person. Even though those new and strong feelings are scary, it still gives you that feeling that there’s absolutely nothing to lose in loving someone.” – Kerri Medders

‘Nothing to Lose” pays homage to the end of an era in Kerri Medders’ life. That era began in 2014 and includes EP’s Etched (2015) and Lot 17 (2017).

Also, it launched her on a nationwide tour for High School Nation, where she opened for the Plain White T’s and Drake Bell in front of more than 90,000 people.

Since then, Kerri has performed over 70 shows in venues and festivals around the U.S., capturing the hearts of thousands of fans with her energetic stage presence.

“When you come to my show, I want you to be transported to my world. Just leave your worries at the door and take this moment to be with me.” – Kerri Medders

As an up-and-coming actress, Kerri Medders has recurring roles on the Emmy nominated CBS drama, SEAL Team, and the Emmy-nominated Netflix comedy, Alexa & Katie.

Also, she has guest-starred on Gamers Guide to Pretty Much Everything on Disney XD, Mystery Girls on Freeform, and Speechless on ABC.

Not too long ago, she wrapped her first feature film as a lead opposite Jackson Rathbone in Do Not Reply, which will be released later this year.
  
Halloween (1978)
Halloween (1978)
1978 | Horror
I'm not one for horror films, but classic movies at the cinema are something to behold so I snapped up a ticket for what turned out to be a packed screening. It was a nice surprise to be treated to a little documentary before the film too.

I had always assumed that Halloween was going to be scary, and it was, sort of. It was scary in a very different way to modern horrors though. The reason I tend to ignore the genre is that the story lines don't make up for the amount of "jump out of your skin" moments they put in. Something can be scary without having to make you jump.

On the modern scale of films Halloween isn't very good on several levels. That being said though, it's still an excellent film and the fact that it's so simple and plays on the basic human feeling of unease is great.

It's good to see that the horror movie staples were at their peak in the 70s: not turning the lights on when searching a dark house; only stabbing your attacker once, even though you thought he was dead when you stabbed him once the first time... AND the second time; and my personal favourite... I've stabbed my attacker and he's down, he looks dead so I won't bother checking, instead I'll just turn my back and take a breather for a moment.

One things that I couldn't help doing while watching this film was laughing. Come on, it's funny. But it's only that way to me because I've seen so many films now that I know what's going to happen. The bad guy is always going to have vanished when you try and point him out to someone, there will always be a creaking window or door, and 4 times out of 5 there will be a body behind/inside whatever you open. I still got those chilling feelings while watching it but I was also drawn in by the fact I was sitting there willing things to happen that I knew were coming.

What should you do?

It's definitely a classic and well worth seeing. Just remember it isn't the big budget movies you're used to seeing if you only watch modern things.

Movie thing you wish you could take home

Normally I would say it's difficult to want something from a horror film, but in this instance I'd quite like some of the immense luck that's going around. Michael and Laurie both have an amazing ability to survive life threatening situations. That's something I would definitely want.
  
Smallfoot (2018)
Smallfoot (2018)
2018 | Animation, Comedy, Family
I'm not one for horror films, but classic movies at the cinema are something to behold so I snapped up a ticket for what turned out to be a packed screening. It was a nice surprise to be treated to a little documentary before the film too.

I had always assumed that Halloween was going to be scary, and it was, sort of. It was scary in a very different way to modern horrors though. The reason I tend to ignore the genre is that the story lines don't make up for the amount of "jump out of your skin" moments they put in. Something can be scary without having to make you jump.

On the modern scale of films Halloween isn't very good on several levels. That being said though, it's still an excellent film and the fact that it's so simple and plays on the basic human feeling of unease is great.

It's good to see that the horror movie staples were at their peak in the 70s: not turning the lights on when searching a dark house; only stabbing your attacker once, even though you thought he was dead when you stabbed him once the first time... AND the second time; and my personal favourite... I've stabbed my attacker and he's down, he looks dead so I won't bother checking, instead I'll just turn my back and take a breather for a moment.

One things that I couldn't help doing while watching this film was laughing. Come on, it's funny. But it's only that way to me because I've seen so many films now that I know what's going to happen. The bad guy is always going to have vanished when you try and point him out to someone, there will always be a creaking window or door, and 4 times out of 5 there will be a body behind/inside whatever you open. I still got those chilling feelings while watching it but I was also drawn in by the fact I was sitting there willing things to happen that I knew were coming.

What should you do?

It's definitely a classic and well worth seeing. Just remember it isn't the big budget movies you're used to seeing if you only watch modern things.

Movie thing you wish you could take home

Normally I would say it's difficult to want something from a horror film, but in this instance I'd quite like some of the immense luck that's going around. Michael and Laurie both have an amazing ability to survive life threatening situations. That's something I would definitely want.
  
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Lee (2222 KP) Sep 25, 2019

I think you've posted the wrong review here. I'm reading it thinking.... Smallfoot? Horror?! 😂

Nobody&#039;s Fool (2018)
Nobody's Fool (2018)
2018 | Comedy, Drama
Is this really a romcom? That's what I have to ask myself. It's amusing but beyond that I'm not a fan of whatever this movie seems to be.

Tiffany Haddish had grown on me after Night School a couple of months ago, I'm not convinced that this one is helping my opinion at all though. She's my favourite part of this film though along with Frank for the most part.

Danica's job plays a big part in the sub plot of this one and it reminds me a lot of How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. Only in that it actually made sense and more than a little effort had been put into the execution.

Until about the halfway point I was enjoying the movie, but damn it if Danica wasn't a complete bitch. I wasn't exactly a fan at the beginning but it went swiftly downhill. She's got plenty of things that you should be able to identify with, but absolutely none that you want to. She's a surprisingly dislikeable character. It was honestly refreshing to have Frank tell her to f*** off. In most movies that situation is glossed over and given a narrative that is a bit more palatable.

A lot of us can identify with the perils of online dating, so for the briefest moment you can feel the pain she's going through. Charlie is a hideous culmination of experiences. I'm sure we all noticed something that made us a little queasy to see. There's definitely a good drinking game in there somewhere.

While my dislike of this film evened out for a while it was reinforced with that ending. It really made me hate Frank just a little bit, and want to actively boo the screen.

As a last note on the film I'd like to say that I love seeing Whoopi Goldberg again. She's in some of my favourite films and it was great having her back in such a funny role. Keep an eye out for her scene with Tanya at her house, best bit of the whole film.

What you should do

There are better romcoms out there to see. I'd suggest Think Like A Man or How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days instead.

Movie thing you wish you could take home

Despite my feelings for Danica she does have fantastic taste in sofas and I'd love one of those pink ones to curl up in.
  
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Darren (1599 KP) rated Seeds (2018) in Movies

Sep 13, 2019  
Seeds (2018)
Seeds (2018)
2018 |
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Characters – Marcus has a dark past that he is running from, he returns to his childhood home to escape everything that could cause him problems, this sees him needing to look after his niece and nephew, one of which he has feelings for, but has always pushed away from ever giving into them. He believes his house is haunted which sees him needing to figure out what is real or not. Lily is the 17-year-old niece that has a past close relationship with her uncle, now she has grown up she gets caught in the middle of wanting a new one that does cross the line however wrong she sees it being. Spencer is the younger nephew that needs taking care off, Lily does it most of the time, with his fascination with insects keeping him entertained.

Performances – Trevor Long does give us a disturbing performance, where we see just how conflicted he is through the events of the film, Andrea Chen shines too which is important for her role in the film. Garr Long and the rest of the cast have all done well through the film without taking over from the two leads.

Story – The story follows a man dealing with his past while looking after his niece and nephew, believing there is a creature living in his home. This story can be broken down into dealing with temptation and letting the evil in the world manifesting into a thing of nightmares. If we dive deeper, we will end up going full spoilers. The tone of story is unsettling and disturbing throughout, it almost feels like you want to turn away, but you want to know just what is happening at the same time.

Horror – The horror comes from the visits from the long legged creature in the shadows, it only strikes at night, when Marcus is most vulnerable.

Settings – The film is set in one location, a beach house which shows us just where one man will go for time away from the world to fix his mind.

Special Effects – The effects used to create the creature are creepy and feel like they could come for the people being haunted by them.


Scene of the Movie – The first creature appearance.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – It does get too deep in places.

Final Thoughts – This is a horror that is looking at life and how it decisions can have different results for the people involved.

Overall: Deep horror.