Search

Search only in certain items:

Black Mirror  - Season 2
Black Mirror - Season 2
2013 | Sci-Fi
This is by far the strongest and best series so far of Black Mirror. As always, each episode is a dark and intriguing tale of technology, social media and pop culture. The Waldo episode is probably the weakest out of the 4, but even that is still good. There's a fantastic cast with Domhall Gleeson, Hayley Atwell, Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall and some brilliant storylines. The Christmas episode is by far my favourite, and a welcome change to the usual sickeningly sweet Christmas shows.
  
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
2011 | Action, Adventure
Captain America: The First Avenger where I was finally sold on the concept of the Avengers in the MCU (I am not a RDJ/Tony fan). I love period films, so I was all for it. The characterization of Steve Rogers was spot on. Hugo Weaving was good as Red Skull, and I'm sad that the character won't be brought back ever. Hayley Atwell as Peggy is one of my favorite characters out of the whole MCU, and her intro in this movie was great.
  
Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend
Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend
Cassie Mae | 2013
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I liked this. It made me laugh in places and i loved the banter between them. I think this is the first YA book I've read where the entire book is from the guy's perspective. It was different for me and i have to admit that i liked being in Brody's head. He's such a nice guy.

As for Hayley. She seemed like a great character from the beginning and i can truely see why Brody fell for her. They make a really cute couple.
  
The Key Lime Crime
The Key Lime Crime
Lucy Burdette | 2020 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Murder Never Takes a Holiday
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is proving to be very busy for Hayley Snow. In addition to her regular food related articles for local magazine Key Zest, she is also covering the key lime pie contest, which is filled with more tension than Hayley expected. Meanwhile, her new husband, cop Nathan Bransford, is working overtime due to all the visitors on the island for the holiday. So when Nathan’s mother decides to come visit, Hayley finds herself playing hostess for a woman she’s never met before. Even worse, the pair stumble upon one of the pie contestants dead. Has the contest turned deadly? Or is there another motive for murder?

I’m always happy to escape to Key West via the pages of this series, although after reading this I may skip the New Year’s time period when I get to visit in real life. It sounded a little too crowded for me. Still, I loved getting to catch up with the characters, who are always a delight. We got to know one of the regulars much better here, which I really appreciated. The mystery itself could have been stronger, although we did have some good suspects and I was engaged and kept guessing until the end. Plan ahead before you pick up this book – I had to buy a key lime pie I was craving it so much. There isn’t a recipe for the pie at the end (we’ve gotten one in an earlier book), although one of the eight recipes is for a delicious sounding key lime parfait. This is another pleasant trip to Key West that will please the series’ fans.
  
Death of a Halloween Party Monster
Death of a Halloween Party Monster
Lee Hollis | 2023 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cold Costumed Corpse
This story features Lee Hollis’s series star Hayley Powell, who is hosting a Halloween party at her new restaurant. However, the night ends in horror when the body of the high school music teacher is found in the freezer. Is one of Hayley’s friends a killer?

I don’t read this series, just the novellas when they are part of an anthology I want to read, but I found myself feeling right at home partying with these characters from the beginning of this story. I did figure out one aspect of the story early on, but there were several more, including the identity of the killer, that I hadn’t pieced together until Hayley did. It’s a twist on a locked room mystery, which is always fun. The ending was great and kept me turning the pages. There are also some recipes to enjoy while you read or at a party you are hosting this Halloween.

NOTE 1: This is a novella, so expect something shorter than a typical novel before you pick it up.

NOTE 2: This novella was originally in the Halloween Party Murder anthology. If you’ve already read it there, you don’t need to buy it again here.
  
Marvel's Agent Carter  - Season 1
Marvel's Agent Carter - Season 1
2015 | Action
While I liked the first season of Agent Carter, I didn't love it. Agent Carter was my favorite character from Captain America: The First Avenger. Hayley Atwell kicks a lot of butt, and I wanted it to be so much more. Jarvis was by far, one of the best characters, and I've always liked Dominic Cooper. The series just took too long to get to the meat of the story. I was hopeful for the second season, after the season finale.
I'm also still salty they canceled it after the 2nd season, and because no one else picked it up.
  
Poison Orchids
Poison Orchids
Sarah A. Denzil, Anni Taylor | 2019 | Crime, Thriller
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
As soon as I read the synopsis for Poison Orchids by Sarah A. Denzil and Anni Taylor, I was hooked. This sounded like something I could really sink my teeth right into. I'm a big fan of psychological thrillers, and this one did not disappoint.

Gemma and Hayley end up working on a mango farm for the very rich and very handsome Tate LLewellyn. Everything seems perfect for them...a place to live, a steady income, fun times, and a sense of belonging. However, when Gemma and Hayley end up running out in the middle of the road away from an attacker, their memories start getting foggy. Each girl tells the detectives a different story yet both don't add up. With time running out for Gemma and Hayley, the police must figure out what the real truth is if they want to save the girls.

I found the plot for Poison Orchids to be very interesting. The whole memory thing has been done before, but I felt like Denzil and Taylor gave it an original spin that kept me glued to the book. Yes, there are some parts of the plot that are a little over the top and a bit unbelievable, but even so, the plot holds its own. Despite some of the outrageous scenes, this book held my unwavering attention with its perfect pacing. I found myself wanting to know what would happen next. I found that I couldn't trust anyone (with the exception of the police) in Poison Orchids. It was as if the thrills were never ending throughout this book! While you know almost from the beginning who the baddie is, there are plenty of plot twists throughout that will leave you thinking about them long after you finish the book. However, there are no cliff hangers, and it seemed that all loose ends were tied up by the end of the book.

The characters were well fleshed out and solid. I loved both Gemma and Hayley. Sometimes I would love one more than the other, but in the end, I realized I loved them both equally. I could somewhat relate to both of them.Tate and Rodney were both written very well although I would have liked a bit more backstory on Rodney. Megan, the psychologist, was an interesting character. I enjoyed getting to know her a bit better later on in the book. What I really admired was how much she cared about Gemma and Hayley. Bronwen, the detective on the case, was a no-nonsense type of woman, and I admired that about her. She wanted answers, and she was determined to get them. Even the secondary characters all felt very realistic. I could actually picture each and every character quite easily as I was reading Poison Orchids.

Trigger warnings for Poison Orchids include profanity, alcohol use, drug use, violence, death, murder, attempted suicide, rape, assault, brainwashing, gaslighting, and cults.

All in all, Poison Orchids makes for a thrilling read that will leave you thinking about it long after you've finished reading. It's got fantastic characters and an interesting plot for sure. I would definitely recommend Poison Orchids by Sarah A. Denzil and Anni Taylor to those aged 17+ who are after a great read!