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Debbiereadsbook (1313 KP) rated Dead In The Garden (Grasmere Cottage Mystery #1) in Books
Oct 11, 2018
No idea where this is going but loved it!
Valor and Bishan have a good life in Grasmere. They run a successful business and Bishan has his music. So why is there a dead body in their garden, and why do the police think Bish did it?
A step away from Ms Donovan's usual fair, but thoroughly enjoyable one!
After the discovery of the body in the garden, Valor takes it upon himself to try to figure out who is out to get him and Bish, especially after Bish is arrested. Valor speaks with old Harrow school pals and teachers, trying to channel is inner tv detective, just like his favourite shows. Bish struggles away from home, he likes things just so, and the police cell makes him itchy.
I have just one one niggle here, and that it's only Valor who has a voice. I really wanted to hear from Bishan at key points along the way, and I wanted to hear how his mind would process everything. I love that Ms Donovan writes with Autistic characters playing front and centre. Bishan does, though, have the majority voice in book two, Dead in the Pond, so really looking forward to that!
For a murder/mystery, its not overly graphic, just enough to get the point across. There IS romance here, but not a great deal, since Valor and Bishan spend much of the book apart.
I loved the support network Bish and Valor have. Bish's family especially, but Valor's family?? Not so much! I STILL think they might have something to do with it all!
I really have no idea where this is going, nor do I really mind which way it goes, I just wanna read them! I want to see if I can put the clues together fast enough to watch it all play out the way I think it will, or if I'm too slow and don't get the whodunnit til it's all revealed!
So, ONLY because Bishan doesn't get a say here...
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
A step away from Ms Donovan's usual fair, but thoroughly enjoyable one!
After the discovery of the body in the garden, Valor takes it upon himself to try to figure out who is out to get him and Bish, especially after Bish is arrested. Valor speaks with old Harrow school pals and teachers, trying to channel is inner tv detective, just like his favourite shows. Bish struggles away from home, he likes things just so, and the police cell makes him itchy.
I have just one one niggle here, and that it's only Valor who has a voice. I really wanted to hear from Bishan at key points along the way, and I wanted to hear how his mind would process everything. I love that Ms Donovan writes with Autistic characters playing front and centre. Bishan does, though, have the majority voice in book two, Dead in the Pond, so really looking forward to that!
For a murder/mystery, its not overly graphic, just enough to get the point across. There IS romance here, but not a great deal, since Valor and Bishan spend much of the book apart.
I loved the support network Bish and Valor have. Bish's family especially, but Valor's family?? Not so much! I STILL think they might have something to do with it all!
I really have no idea where this is going, nor do I really mind which way it goes, I just wanna read them! I want to see if I can put the clues together fast enough to watch it all play out the way I think it will, or if I'm too slow and don't get the whodunnit til it's all revealed!
So, ONLY because Bishan doesn't get a say here...
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Lonely Planet New Orleans
Lonely Planet, Amy C. Balfour and Adam Karlin
Book
Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet New Orleans is your passport...
Erika (17789 KP) rated Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021) in Movies
Jun 15, 2021
Full disclosure, I absolutely loved the first Peter Rabbit film. I found it completely hilarious and cackled numerous times. The sequel did not make me laugh.
I typically don’t watch straight-up kid movies anymore, because they’re not funny, and they are as annoying as the kids in the audience. This movie completely reminded me of that.
The film begins with the wedding of Bea and Thomas, the rabbits and other members of McGregor’s Garden are all present. The animals are mixed in with the humans, and it looked very odd. I can’t figure out why. Bea and Thomas enter married bliss (?), running a shop in town, and tending the garden. Bea’s first Peter Rabbit book has been published by Thomas himself. Bea receives an offer from a publisher, Nigel Basil-Jones, played by David Oyelowo, to have her book republished so it can reach a wider audience. Bea begins to compromise her integrity to please Nigel and make the rabbits hipper to boost sales. Meanwhile, Peter embraces his bad boy/ mischievous image and makes friends with this super creepy rabbit from the city, participating in food heists.
The two main plotlines really didn’t make sense together and seemed to only be related because they were both about family. Yawn.
James Corden, who I can tolerate most of the time, was so completely annoying. His performance killed any motivation I had to see a possible third movie. This movie was just dumb, but I guess it probably entertained children.
There were a few positives. Oyelowo was hilarious, and one of the best parts of the film. He is the only reason I’m giving this film two-stars His comedy skills are on point and his interactions with Domhnall Gleeson were the best source of adult laughs. I also loved the voice acting of Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail. Though, I was a little bummed that Daisy Ridley did not return as Cottontail.
The recent marketing stated, “In Theaters. Finally”. I’m not sure this film should have been released in theaters, they should have released it on VOD at Easter-time either in 2020, or 2021.
I typically don’t watch straight-up kid movies anymore, because they’re not funny, and they are as annoying as the kids in the audience. This movie completely reminded me of that.
The film begins with the wedding of Bea and Thomas, the rabbits and other members of McGregor’s Garden are all present. The animals are mixed in with the humans, and it looked very odd. I can’t figure out why. Bea and Thomas enter married bliss (?), running a shop in town, and tending the garden. Bea’s first Peter Rabbit book has been published by Thomas himself. Bea receives an offer from a publisher, Nigel Basil-Jones, played by David Oyelowo, to have her book republished so it can reach a wider audience. Bea begins to compromise her integrity to please Nigel and make the rabbits hipper to boost sales. Meanwhile, Peter embraces his bad boy/ mischievous image and makes friends with this super creepy rabbit from the city, participating in food heists.
The two main plotlines really didn’t make sense together and seemed to only be related because they were both about family. Yawn.
James Corden, who I can tolerate most of the time, was so completely annoying. His performance killed any motivation I had to see a possible third movie. This movie was just dumb, but I guess it probably entertained children.
There were a few positives. Oyelowo was hilarious, and one of the best parts of the film. He is the only reason I’m giving this film two-stars His comedy skills are on point and his interactions with Domhnall Gleeson were the best source of adult laughs. I also loved the voice acting of Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail. Though, I was a little bummed that Daisy Ridley did not return as Cottontail.
The recent marketing stated, “In Theaters. Finally”. I’m not sure this film should have been released in theaters, they should have released it on VOD at Easter-time either in 2020, or 2021.
Dancing Bees: Karl Von Frisch and the Discovery of the Honeybee Language
Book
We think of bees as being among the busiest workers in the garden, admiring them for their...
Ronyell (38 KP) rated Les Escargots (1966) in Movies
Aug 4, 2020
Attack of the Killer Snails
Wow! I was quite amazed and a bit creeped out by this strange little short! After watching "Fantastic Planet," which was by the same creator and actually came out several years after this short, I was thinking to myself about whether or not I would actually see another animated film that was just as weird as "Fantastic Planet." Well, "The Snails" was definitely just as weird as "Fantastic Planet," although in a different way. "Fantastic Planet" took place on another planet, while "The Snails" takes place on Earth and yet, things get weird midway through the short once the snails appear. I loved the way that the short went in a completely different direction midway through as the short started off lighthearted with the farmer trying to grow his garden, to a bit odd as he used his own tears to make the garden grow and then to pure terror when the snails started growing in size and started terrorizing the people in the city. The animation was quite unique as the characters move in a very jerky way and always have exaggerated expressions on their faces that just adds on to the weirdness of this short. The animation also reminded me a bit of Terry Gilliam's animations in the animated segments of the "Monty Python's Flying Circus" TV series.
The only problem that I had with this short is that there were times where the short sort of dragged on and the pacing was a bit slow at some places that I was hoping that we actually got to the main point of the story much faster. Also, for anyone who does not like nudity, there is one brief scene of a topless woman that might be a bit problematic for some people. Also, I was a bit confused by some of the scenes, although the whole point of this short is to be as weird as possible.
Overall, "The Snails" is truly a treat to watch if you are a huge fan of "Fantastic Planet" and if you wanted to watch an animated short that is similar in tone and style to "Fantastic Planet!"
The only problem that I had with this short is that there were times where the short sort of dragged on and the pacing was a bit slow at some places that I was hoping that we actually got to the main point of the story much faster. Also, for anyone who does not like nudity, there is one brief scene of a topless woman that might be a bit problematic for some people. Also, I was a bit confused by some of the scenes, although the whole point of this short is to be as weird as possible.
Overall, "The Snails" is truly a treat to watch if you are a huge fan of "Fantastic Planet" and if you wanted to watch an animated short that is similar in tone and style to "Fantastic Planet!"
Taryn K (441 KP) rated Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) in Movies
May 4, 2018
Mostly good, a little bad, and some distinctly ugly...
This is, overall, a very good movie. It's a little bit jarring now to see how over the top some of the behavior is, but it's fun and the effects are very impressive in many parts, like the Wonkawash scene and the little room with the piano that I still haven't figured out how they accomplished.
Sometimes it seems as if they go out of their way to make sure we know how poor Charley is, and how much better off everyone else is, and how spoiled and entitled they are. It works, especially with the Oompa Loompas to point out how absurd their behavior is, but sometimes it just seems kind of much.
The road to the ending is hard, but well worth it.
Sometimes it seems as if they go out of their way to make sure we know how poor Charley is, and how much better off everyone else is, and how spoiled and entitled they are. It works, especially with the Oompa Loompas to point out how absurd their behavior is, but sometimes it just seems kind of much.
The road to the ending is hard, but well worth it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2273 KP) rated Digging Up the Dirt (Southern Ladies Mystery, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
The Athena Garden Club is all buzzing about the return of Hadley Partridge to town. When he left forty years ago, he was the most eligible bachelor in town, and some of the ladies want to pick up where they left off. An’gel and Dickce Ducote aren’t among them, but they can’t help but be pulled in when Hadley’s return brings up a secret from the past. When a dead body and an old skeleton turn up, can these sisters solve the crime?
It was wonderful catching back up with An’gel and Dickce. I love the characters in this series, and it was fun to see Athena from a different point of view. The story starts strongly and never slows down. I did feel the ending was weaker than it could have been, although it does tie every up nicely for us.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-review-digging-up-dirt-by-miranda.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
It was wonderful catching back up with An’gel and Dickce. I love the characters in this series, and it was fun to see Athena from a different point of view. The story starts strongly and never slows down. I did feel the ending was weaker than it could have been, although it does tie every up nicely for us.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-review-digging-up-dirt-by-miranda.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The Rain Tree
Book
A host of vividly caught characters are here: Mirabel's extrovert, free-spirited mother Phyllis;...
The Who: Their Generation
Book
The stories behind the music with an album by album analysis, accompanied by images from many of the...