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Becs (244 KP) rated Montauk in Books

Jul 3, 2019 (Updated Jul 3, 2019)  
Montauk
Montauk
Nicola Harrison | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Breathtaking Historical Fiction; Must Read!
You can also find this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com


TRIGGER WARNINGS: rape, domestic violence, death, affairs, miscarriage

"You can only go so long pretending, acting as if you're someone you're not. Eventually you must return to who you are, who you were born to be. You can stray from it, try on other roles, other personalities, other beliefs, other lives, but eventually it will catch up with you and you have to return to the only person you can be."

Main Characters:
Beatrice Bordeaux - the main character, married to Harry Bordeaux. A bit of a feminist but it doesn't start showing until the middle to end of the novel. She's got a strong, compassionate, sweet personality. Her development was major and not at all what I was expecting.
Thomas - the lighthouse keeper. He's a simple man, compassionate and patient. Also unbelievably kind to all, no matter ethnicity, class, or gender.
Harry Bordeaux - cocky, self-conceded. Honestly, the most horrible person ever.
Dolly - hat maker who befriends Bea. She's sweet, independent, and an all around feminist.
Elizabeth - laundress for the Montauk Manor, befriends Bea. She's down-to-earth and a loving mother and wife.

"I felt rage and a hot determination side by side and that was something. That alone gave me hope. Something was better than numbness. Something was better than not caring, not dreaming, not daring."

Review:
**Possible spoilers ahead**
The story starts off in the year of 1938. The wealthy from New York City always head to the East Coast to an up and coming town called Montauk for the summer. Here, the wives stay in the luxurious Montauk Manor during the weekdays with their children and nannies, planning social events and relaxing, while the men head back to the city to work - only coming back to visit on the weekends.

Beatrice Bordeaux is one of the wives who ends up staying in Montauk for the summer. But she soon learns that her husband, Harry, would actually be leaving with the rest of the men during the week. Beatrice is taken aback, as the main reason why the couple took this vacation was to rekindle their cracking marriage. She was also hoping that the vacation would allow her and Harry to have alone time as she craved being a mother but has been eluded by pregnancy for the past five years.

Beatrice is forced to socialize with the other wives, even though she just wants to relax and read, so that Harry can gain a foothold for his investment interests. He thinks that if Beatrice can become buddy buddy with some of the more known in society women, that he can sizzle his way up to their husbands to get some funds to invest into Montauk. But, Beatrice quickly grows bored of the woman's talk of events that are more self-serving than they are generous. This is where Elizabeth, the Manor's laundress enters.

Elizabeth's down-to-earth nature gives Beatrice nostalgia of her life prior to meeting Harry. The two women befriend each other, even though it would be looked down upon if the other wives of the Manor found out. This doesn't stop Beatrice though.

As the novel progresses, Beatrice becomes disillusioned with her marriage and even finds out that Harry was not being the faithful husband he promised in his vows. The reader can see Harry's regression of interest towards Beatrice throughout the novel, and how he only seems to care about her when she is beside him at social gatherings. This causes Beatrice to start doing the things that she wants. Enter the handsome yet sensitive lighthouse keeper, Thomas.

Thomas is the complete opposite of Harry and as Beatrice's marriage drifts more and more apart, she takes her life into her own hands where she follows what her heart wants. But with the risk she's taking, major consequences that could take lives and ruin social standings follow. This is when Beatrice must decide whether to follow her heart or do what is right according to society.

Montauk is an interesting and beautifully written look back into history when women were expected to do what society told her to do. Questions were not asked, and one must be "happy" that she's being cared for by her husband, because "good wives" waited for orders from their husbands and always did what they wished. The author, Nicola Harrison, does an excellent job with captivating the history and superficial feel of society back in the late 30's. Even the descriptions of the lighthouse, manor, and fishing village created vivid images that circulated within my mind as I read.

Usually, when it comes to Historical Fiction novels, I've found that they can be very predictable. Montauk was not your average Historical Fiction novel, that's for sure. There were twists and turns that I was not expecting and the ending twist threw me for a major loop. The one problem that I do have with the overall story, was the last chapter and epilogue. It lacked the depth and detail that was interwoven throughout the rest of the story. But overall, I was fascinated and enthralled in the story of Montauk.

Character/ Story background and development -
It's there, one hundred percent there. The main character's and the side characters all have the development and background interwoven into the story, waiting to be dug out as you read. All of the development and background that took place within Montauk, actually made this novel great!

Plot -
At first, the plot and story was slow. It could have just been my skewed perspective of not liking Historical Fiction novels, but it eventually picked up; allowing the like/dislike scales to flip. I was really worried that I would DNF Montauk, but once the story started to get more in depth with the characters and background, I was taken on an emotional roller coaster of feels. And I will happily take that ride over and over again.

Spelling/ Grammatical errors -
I did not notice any spelling or grammatical errors that took away from the overall story. There were a slight few littered throughout, but they were so minor and hardly noticeable that it did no harm to count it against the author or publisher.

Enjoyment -
I can for sure say, that I 100% enjoyed every second I spent on Montauk. I don't typically like Historical Fiction novels, but Nicola Harrison does an amazing job not only making sure the information is correct, but the writing is well-thought out.

Overall -
This novel is a sucker punch to the emotions; it's honestly one of those novels that will be cherished forever because the story, the development, the plot, the background, the heartache and pain, it was all there. And it made this a breathtaking novel to read.

Do I recommend? -
159% yes! I highly recommend Montauk by Nicola Harrison.

"With the ocean surrounding me, I feel free and at peace with the world."
  
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Entertainment, Games
I wanted to give this 10/10 purely for being Harry Potter however I have restrained myself and been honest instead.
I have left it a while to review this game as they have been adding quite a lot of new features recently.

A lot of people have been moshing about the energy situation, however I think the developers are aware a lot of people were unhappy and have added features to help combat this. You can now buy pets which will give you extra energy throughout the day. In the latest classes challenge you can earn energy as a reward. Duelling club, every time you win a duel you get 4 energy and if you win a certain amount of duels you will earn more energy as well. Also there are now 3 ways you can build friendships and as you level up a friend you can earn energy.

I actually like the energy restriction as it means you take some time playing the game instead of rushing through. Also I find it fits in with my work day well, when I get a break to play, I’ll have full energy waiting for me.

I would like some more situations where you get to chose what to do as I feel sometimes the game can be quite scripted.

Overall I love this game and hope I don’t reach seventh year too quickly as I don’t want it to end.
  
The Night Fire
The Night Fire
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Harry Bosch is one of my favorite characters ever, and I wait with much anticipation for the release of every new Michael Connelly novel. The Night Fire is the third book that features both Bosch and Detective Renee Ballard, who works the LAPD night shift. I’m really loving their partnership now and have grown to care for Ballard in her own right. (Bosch will always be my true love, though.)

This is another well-researched book from Connelly, as Bosch and Ballard work a series of intriguing cases—some of which will intersect. The story starts with Bosch receiving an old murder book from the widow of his former mentor. He pulls Ballard in to investigate and off we go! There are some great twists, and the cases are fascinating. I love Bosch to death and how he and Ballard play off each other. Mickey Haller makes an appearance, and Bosch struggles with a rare moment where he’s helping the defense.

The plot, as usual, is great--you can always count on Connelly for gripping cases that are timely and interesting. He manages to do this even as our two heroes are solving a cold case: quite a feat. I'm always astonished at how Connelly can somehow have Bosch and Ballard juggle two, three, four cases at time and somehow it all works. I always think I'll be confused and lost among the plot points, yet it always comes together.

The characters, however, are what keep you coming back. I love that we get to see Bosch interacting more with his half-brother, Haller. And there are some great scenes with Bosch and Maddie, his daughter, including one involving "FOMO" that is just priceless. As Bosch ages, each book seems to have more poignant moments tucked in between mysteries and bad guys. It's Ballard pushing the limits now, and Bosch reminding her to sleep.

Definitely a gripping read even as we have to grapple with the fact that our beloved Bosch is getting older. The ending gave me some hope, though, and I hope Bosch and Ballard are around for quite some time. 4+ stars.
  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
2016 | Fantasy
Potter goes International
It’s almost unbearable to think that Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone was released…wait for it… 15 years ago this very week. I know, I can’t believe it too, and what’s even more depressing is that the eight film behemoth concluded over five years ago.

Since then, Potter aficionados have been calling on writer J.K. Rowling to release new material in the hope of creating more silver screen magic. Well, prayers were answered with the announcement of a film adaptation of her short book, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them. The day is finally here, but what is the finished product like?

The year is 1926, and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident, were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob (Dan Fogler), a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

David Yates returns to the franchise after directing the final four instalments in the Harry Potter saga and manages to craft a film that’ll no doubt please fans and newcomers, but lacks the subtle touches that made its British counterparts so enthralling for 10 years.

The cast is on point however, despite Eddie Redmayne’s slightly over-the-top performance as Mr. Scamander. Ron Perlman, Jon Voight and Ezra Miller all lend themselves to the film in some form with Colin Farrell providing an excellent portrayal, though Dan Fogler’s muggle Jacob steals the show by a country mile.

Elsewhere, the cinematography is very good with 1920’s New York looking incredibly realistic and the sweeping shots of the city are beautifully juxtaposed with more intimate basement settings.

Unfortunately, the special effects occasionally let the film down. For a franchise start-up (we have four more films to look forward to) the consistency just isn’t there and Redmayne’s interactions with his unique beasts feel rough and disappointingly unfinished.

There’s also a bit of an issue with Fantastic Beasts’ pacing, something that the Potter films were also guilty of from time to time. The first hour is unacceptably slow, the plot continuously dragging its heels as it sets up the side story to Redmayne’s creature feature.

Speaking of which, that second scenario really does pull things together nicely and takes the flick into much darker territory than expected. It’s a fascinating third act that really makes up for the rather dull first. The twists and turns that the script takes the audience on making it genuinely exciting.

Overall, what made the Harry Potter movies a success was the chemistry between each and every member of the cast. Fantastic Beasts certainly has a great cast individually, but the characters lack chemistry when on screen together. Couple this with some poor special effects plus a dull first hour and what we’re left with is a reasonable start to a new franchise, but not a magical one.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/11/19/potter-goes-international-fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them-review/
  
The Old Guard (2020)
The Old Guard (2020)
2020 | Action, Fantasy
Decent entertainment
I never hold out much hope for Netflix original films, however I was pleasantly surprised with this as it managed to hold my attention throughout with a decent amount of entertainment.

The star of this film is undoubtedly Charlize Theron. There no one better to call when you want a kick ass female lead, and she plays this role to perfection in the same way she did Atomic Blonde. She is without a doubt the best thing about this film. However the rest of the cast are decent - it’s been a while since I’ve seen Matthias Schoenaerts in anything and Chiwetel Ejiofor is always good, but I do think they have been let down a little by the majority of the focus being on Andy.

The plot is probably the biggest letdown with this film as immortality aside, this is nothing new. It’s full of one dimensional bad guys (Harry Melling hamming it up to the max) and plot twists that you can see coming a mile off. However despite the plot unoriginality, the action and the general fast pace of the film along with the endearing cast, the fitting flashbacks and the decision not to explain the immortality origins (I hate it when films concoct overelaborate explanations that are entirely unnecessary) make for a pretty enjoyable and entertaining watch. The 2 hours virtually fly by. I’m not convinced by the sequel baiting ending as I dislike films doing this, but would I watch a sequel? Actually yes I would.
  
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David McK (3233 KP) rated Cold Days (The Dresden Files, #14) in Books

Jan 30, 2019 (Updated Jan 16, 2022)  
Cold Days (The Dresden Files, #14)
Cold Days (The Dresden Files, #14)
Jim Butcher | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.3 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
[2022 update]


Setting the bar pretty high already for the title of best-book-I've-read-this-year


[original 2013 review]



I heard (or read) somewhere a while back that the Dresden Files series was meant to run for about 20 books, with Jim Butcher having the general gist of the series as a whole already in mind. If that's true, then we must be on - or approaching - the home stretch, with this as book number 14 in the series.

And what a book it is, too.

By far one of the best books I've read this year, this starts with the previously-thought-to-be-dead Harry Dresden returned to health (of a sort) and life by Mab, the faerie Winter Queen, who is holding him to his promise to be her Winter Knight (which is also the reason why he was 'killed' (note the inverted commas) at the end of <i>Changes</i>, 2 books ago).

The Faerie play a larger role in this than in any book since, perhaps, <i>Summer Knight</i>, with characters from that earlier entry returning. Indeed, there's so much back-story here I wouldn't recommend picking this one up without reading any of the previous: normally, I'd count that against a novel, but not in this case. This one also leaves a couple of plot threads left hanging for the next entry, which I'm already looking forward to.

Let's hope it's not another year before I get reading it!
  
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
1989 | Comedy, Drama, Romance

"I love When Harry Met Sally. Every girl actress is like, “I’m looking for my Annie Hall.” But I’ve always looked for my Sally. That’s been my favorite. I prefer it, I have to say. I just think, again, it’s dry, it’s funny, the characters are layered and interesting. All the supporting characters in that film have great moments and great roles, and you remember every single one of them. It always makes me laugh, and I feel like it’s timeless. And who doesn’t fantasize about falling in love with their best friend? Isn’t that the whole point? And I loved all the intertwining stories of the old people, and their little stories of how they met and fell in love. What a great idea; it’s so cool. And, of course, Nora Ephron’s the best. And that famous scene where she has the fake orgasm — I mean, the balls of that performance. Just great, it’s really great. It’s also kind of grown-up. I remember watching it when I was younger, thinking, “God I hope I’m like them.” Now I’m so much older than they are. [laughs] But they all were moving to New York City to try to make it in Manhattan, so there was that element to it that I loved. And then the settling in, and realizing that life is different than you thought it would be. I just think it’s a perfect romantic comedy, and it is different than the usual formula, because you do have these sort of interstitial moments that are so funny, with these couples describing how they met and fell and love."

Source
  
Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
2018 | Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Mystery
Gives a fresh glimpse into the world the AMAZING JK Rowling created (1 more)
Definitely feel the casting was done well.
Had to google a lot of things to try and understand the plot. (0 more)
Dumbledamn.
Lets start with the fact that this film has Johnny Deep in it, yet it's not another Depp film. He fits in the role well I think, I mean, I know it's Johnny Depp and the man is fantastic but sometimes an actor of his caliber can stick out like a sore thumb but he slots in nicely.
Eddie Redmayne is just one of the best actors England, NO the world has ever seen and he plays Newt FLAWLESSLY.
The story is fascinating, not just this film but the first as well, we all thought we knew so much about the Harry Potter universe but FB lets us explore the world even more which as a huge fan, I craved.
I love how dark the film is yet the lighter parts don't seem out of place. The choices the producers made in the way it is shot is magical in itself (I don't like spoilers so I hope if you have seen it or will be seeing it you will see what I mean).
As it has been confirmed there will be a 3rd installment of the FB franchise, I feel I can say without spoiling it that the ending was great. It had that "What???! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!" feeling.
Another thing I like is that theres not a majorly star studded cast. I feel when films have big names left right and center it can sort of, over shadow the actual brilliance of the writing/ acting/ storyline /production. It just has good actors.