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The Thursday Murder Club
The Thursday Murder Club
Richard Osman | 2020 | Crime, Mystery
8
8.2 (13 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well, that was a nice surprise! I usually stay clear of celebrity writers as, in my experience, they tend to be over rated and over hyped but I have to say that this book by Richard Osman was pretty good and had me engaged from start to finish.

The plot is multi-faceted with several murders both recent and historic but rather than this causing confusion, it all seems to flow smoothly and logically despite its complexity although you do have to keep your wits about you to keep up at times. The writing style is easy to read and flows well and although the main subject matter is murder, there are snippets of humour and more tender moments too.

The setting of a rather upscale retirement village is unique as are the main characters who are engaging, appealing and, at times, amusing. I really would like to get to know Elizabeth better - she is a very intriguing character and there are teasing morsels of her previous working life which are very interesting and I want to know more.

This book is what I would call a cosy-read that could be enjoyed by anyone and I would recommend it to those who enjoy a classic murder-mystery without the violence and graphic detail.

Thank you to Penguin General UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.
  
The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel
The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel
Dean Koontz | 2019 | Mystery, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
5th and final novel of the Jane Hawk series
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

4.51 · 2,534 ratings ·

The Night Window by Dean Koontz is the 5th and final Jane Hawk novel in the series. I have read many books by Koontz and am a fan of his Odd Thomas series. Somehow, I missed reading his Jane Hawk series.

I was provided with a copy of the 5th novel and, to give a fair review, needed to read the earlier books in the series. I am so glad that I did. I could not put them down! It would help, but you do not need to read the other books. However, you would be missing out on an excellent and chilling series. Koontz gives you enough information, so you have a general outline of the events leading up to The Night Window.

In the Silent Corner, the first novel, Jane begins a campaign to reveal the truth about her husband's suicide. Early on, we learn a number of government officials and other influential individuals with the help of nanotechnology and an army of mind-altered citizens are responsible. It is the possibility of this "revolution" occurring that makes the story so disturbing. Often you find supernatural creepiness in Koontz's books, but I found this series to be the scariest.

This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 6/24/19.
  
Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero (2018)
Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero (2018)
2018 | Adventure, Animation, Family
I'm getting really fed up of having to say "I didn't see this one advertised anywhere". I had got it on my films to watch from the August listing as it was a new release, but the first I saw of it was scrolling through weekend cinema times and spotted it down as a Movies For Juniors. I don't remember even seeing it as a general release with more than one showing a day. I did the horrendous thing of judging the film by it's posters, shrugged my shoulders and moved on.

Please don't make my mistake. You need to see this film.

It is so beautifully done and it's sensitive towards it's viewers too. I didn't notice until right near the end (and even then it was actually just mild confusion) that there's no blood. Plenty of war action that you'd expect and injuries all over, but no blood. That alone makes it easier viewing for children, and I can honestly see it being used in schools as a teaching aid.

The animation is much more like a graphic novel style than most animated films that get released. I don't think the poster does it justice at all, it presents a very different image of the film.

I found it a very emotional watch. There were tears of sadness and joy, but then it was fairly even money I'd be crying along to this one.
  
The Secret of Shadow Ranch
The Secret of Shadow Ranch
Carolyn Keene | 1965 | Children, Mystery
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Is the Ranch Haunted?
It’s summer, and Nancy has been invited to spend it with her best friends Bess Marvin and George Fayne on the ranch their uncle Ed and aunt Bet have just bought in Arizona. However, she has barely landed when she learns that things aren’t going well on the ranch. Someone is trying to drive the new owners off the land with acts of sabotage, most of which are foreshadowed by a phantom horse. There is a legend that an old outlaw cursed the ranch, but Nancy thinks the culprits are more modern and very real. Can she figure out what is going on and why?

This may be the fifth book in the series, but this is the first time we are seeing Bess and George, Nancy’s usual sleuthing companions. They jump right in here for another action-packed story. The general plot outline is fairly obvious early on, including a massive coincidence in the story, but that didn’t keep me from turning pages as quickly as I could. As an adult I find the characters thinner than I remember, but we still like them enough to care about the outcome. Since the book was last updated in the 1950’s, some of the language is a little dated (it even stopped me a little), but I doubt it will slow down today’s kids as they race to see how Nancy will piece together this fun mystery.
  
Mistborn: The Final Empire
Mistborn: The Final Empire
Brandon Sanderson | 2006 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.4 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Incredible world-building. A fascinating magic system, and great lore. (2 more)
Great characters, with believable backstories and motivations.
Female protagonist who feels real, flawed, and is relatable.
At times, the action/combat scenes can be hard to follow. Not to say they aren't gripping, it can just be a confusing flurry of motion. (0 more)
A Welcome Surprise
Honestly, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did, as I bought it on a whim based on positive discussion around the author, Sanderson. I took this with me on a holiday, and spent 2 days pouring over the pages - it totally sucked me in!

Initially I found the book hard to get into, just for the sheer amount of information to take in, however when I got over this hump I was sucked in.
I loved the protagonist, Vin. I found her very believable and easy to root for. Without spoiling anything, her story is amazing to follow. She's not a Mary Sue, has her flaws and even failures.
In general, I loved the characters - even the hateable ones, I loved to hate them.

The world-building is incredibly extensive and enjoyable. The lore is fascinating, and this book left me dying to find out more. I ordered the follow-up book while I was still on my holiday, so that it would arrive once I landed home!

Overall I definitely recommend this book for fantasy fans.
  
    Bakery Story

    Bakery Story

    Games and Entertainment

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    App

    Enjoy the #1 FREE virtual bakery game! Design the bakery of your dreams and share with your friends!...

    Bead It! HD

    Bead It! HD

    Utilities and Entertainment

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    App

    Check out Bead It! HD in action!! http://youtu.be/ZMg7K7QJ7g8 http://youtu.be/hb6QQMKhwAc ...

    Vipps Bedrift

    Vipps Bedrift

    Finance and Business

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    App

    Companies now have their own Vipps app! When you receive payments from Vipps, this app will give you...

    The Calculator.

    The Calculator.

    Utilities and Productivity

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    App

    The Calculator combines the Standard & Scientific calculator, with extensive & easy functionality....

    biiCADo Pro - 2D CAD App

    biiCADo Pro - 2D CAD App

    Productivity and Business

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    App

    biiCADo Touch is a 2D CAD-application, optimized for use in mobile devices such as the iPhone or...