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Midge (525 KP) rated The Marriage Pact in Books

Feb 9, 2019 (Updated Feb 9, 2019)  
The Marriage Pact
The Marriage Pact
Michelle Richmond | 2017 | Thriller
8
7.6 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
Creepy And Unforgettable
Alice and Jake have recently married and appear to have a perfect life together. Determined to keep their marriage alive, they join an exclusive group known only as The Pact.

The Pact is a group that helps to guide and support it’s members to achieve and maintain blissful wedded harmony. At first, everything seems great, with importance attached to those little things such as giving your partner regular gifts, making time for each other, answering their calls straight away and having regular holidays together. All great and perfectly reasonable until that is, you forget or omit one of the rules. If you break the rules there are serious consequences. The greatest rule of them all is that no one else must ever know about the Pact. All is well until one of them does indeed break the rules, and then their lives become a horrendous nightmare.

This is an unusual and original look at marriage and what we are willing to do to keep up appearances and I know that I read something very different in THE MARRIAGE PACT to what I had been expecting. There was a sense of apprehension in the synopsis, but Michelle Richmond definitely took me by surprise with this novel. It is psychologically deeply twisted and evil but not quite believable. As different characters were introduced it was difficult to know who was trustworthy, although I think this was the author’s intention. Referring to each other as "Friend" within the Pact adds a brilliant touch to help arouse suspicion. The novel has a fast pace that only adds to the thrill of the story.

Creepy and unforgettable, THE MARRIAGE PACT by Michelle Richmond is definitely a book to be recommended and one which will stay with me for a long time.
  
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Micky Barnard (542 KP) Feb 9, 2019

I agree with your points. I enjoyed this one.

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Kimmic (814 KP) Feb 10, 2019

This is definitely going in the "to read" folder x

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Carma (21 KP) rated Chasing Eva in Books

Jun 17, 2019  
CE
Chasing Eva
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Eva and Clive met long ago at one of the parties their fathers held around the holidays. Their fathers had been friends and business associates for quite some time and at one party Eva and Clive had their first kiss. Fast-forward many years later to a chance meeting in the elevator of their mutual building. Now thrown together as someone is trying to manipulate her company, she relies on Clive to help her navigate this new normal.

Chasing Eva is a romantic suspense read continuing in the next 2 books in the series Loving Eva and Killing Eva. This was a first read for this author and overall I enjoyed her writing style. I felt though a little confused as to how Eva didn’t remember kissing Clive (not the most common name) all those years ago. And if Clive knew so much about Eva through the years, didn’t know she was running her fathers company and just a few floors down from his office.

So that aside, this story was an interesting read for me. I haven’t been reading too much in the romantic suspense genre lately (though at one time it was a mainstay) and this one I would classify as more romantic than suspenseful. It gives a good baseline for where Clive and Eva have grown since that first kiss, and how they can come together now and try a relationship. Eva has some self-doubts after seeing some of the women Clive has dated, but in the end he shows her that he has eyes for only her.

This new to me author gets 4 stars for this introduction to her series. I am almost through with Loving Eva and then on to Killing Eva to see how this triology ends. All opinions expressed are my own, no review expectation was given.
  
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
2018 | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
When I was younger, my mom and I would get all dressed up and we would take a special holiday trip up to Seattle to see The Nutcracker. I was captivated by the costumes, dancing and the story. When I found out that a film was being made based off of the famed ballet I was very excited especially with Disney behind it.

Clara is given a gift for Christmas that requires a one of a kind key. To find this key she must follow a piece of string that leads her into a world full of magic and mystery but is in a state of disrepair. Along the way she meets many different characters who want to help her find the key and restore harmony within the lands.

The film in its entirety is visually stunning and equally entertaining. In a way, the film sort of reminds me of Alice In Wonderland as it has a very Tim Burtone-sque feel to it. The star studded cast made the film that much better. It was lovely seeing Mackenzie Foy all grown up, the beautiful Keira Knightly with her somewhat annoying high pitched character voice, Morgan Freeman and Dame Helen Mirren’s amazing acting and Misty Copeland’s beautiful dancing just to name a few.

It is certainly refreshing to see a new twist on a classic story. I am pleased that they didn’t do away with the dancing along with the most familiar score listened to during the holidays. The CG sets were amazing with bold colors that made the film very visually appealing. It encapsulates an entertaining and adventurous story along with humor and excellent acting. In my book, that is the perfect recipe for a great film. I look forward to adding this one to my ever growing movie collection.
  
The Adventures of Pugalugs: A Christmas Furry Tail by Jessica Parish is the heartwarming story of all the fun Pugalugs and his siblings have on Christmas day with their family.



The fun all starts on Christmas Eve with decorating the tree and singing Christmas Carols. Then it is off to bed where Pugalugs thinks he hears Santa in the house. On Christmas morning the Pugs get presents and enjoy a wonderful Christmas dinner of turkey and gravy. After a busy day, everyone relaxes in the living room while Pugalugs is already thinking about all the fun to be had next Christmas.



What I liked best about this book is that I enjoyed seeing Pugalugs and his siblings taking part in all of the fun Christmas activities. The pugs are included in everything just like the rest of the family. The rhymes also make this such a fun book to read. What I liked the least about this book was trying to pry it away from my daughter so that I could flip through it while wringing my review. I’m kidding, but in all seriousness, I have nothing negative to say about this book. I love this series.



Young children and toddlers will enjoy having this book read to them, especially during the Christmas season. Slightly older children will enjoy reading this book both on their own and to family members. I rate this book 4 out of 4. It is an extremely cute Christmas book that I can see being read by families during the holidays all over the world. It is also very bright and full of Christmas fun.



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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Meg and Jo in Books

Mar 19, 2020  
Meg and Jo
Meg and Jo
Virginia Kantra | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A modern retelling of Little Women, MEG AND JO looks at the four March sisters in present day. We have Meg, a mom of twins, married to a man who works at a car dealership. Jo, an aspiring writer, who works in New York City at a restaurant and writes a food blog. Their sisters, Beth and Amy, flit in the background--Beth is pursuing her musical dreams and Amy is chasing fashion in Paris. But when the girls' stalwart mom gets sick, they must come home for the holidays to help at the family farm. There they will learn lessons about family, sisterhood, and following their dreams.

This one grew on me. It's not as jarring as I expected to see the girls in real time--I actually enjoyed that aspect. What's odd is that while the modern setting exists, there are a lot of outdated gender norms. Meg has to be the perfect mom who refuses help from everyone; the girls' father is basically worthless, etc. It's hard to overcome at first.

But I eventually took to Meg and Jo. I liked Jo's feisty nature, even if some of the problem/distance with her chef/boyfriend seemed a bit contrived. And I could identify with Meg, who felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders (twin moms unite).

Overall, this is a sweet and funny story. It's silly at times, but also heartwarming. I enjoyed seeing where Kantra tweaked the plot (there's a piece with the March patriarch that I particularly enjoyed). It's no Eligible--perhaps my favorite modern retelling of all--but it's a fun read. I've heard there may be a second book featuring Beth and Amy, and I would certainly read it. 3.5 stars.
  
Black Christmas (2019)
Black Christmas (2019)
2019 | Horror
Not Black Christmas (0 more)
Why
So the main question of this film is..."why does this movie exist"? Cause of $, thats why. "Who decided it was a good i idea to re-remake Black Christmas"? Blumhouse. I like Blumhouse, but not one asked for a Black Christmas remake. In the year of remakes of 2019, Black Christmas came out. And no one saw it, and no one liked it. This is not even a Black Christmas movie. The only reason its called Black Christmas because of $ and Blumhouse decided "lets remake Black Christmas", cause we can.

The plot: Hawthorne College is quieting down for the holidays as students travel home to spend time with their families. But as Riley and her sorority sisters prepare to deck the halls with seasonal parties, a mysterious cloaked figure starts to leave a bloody trail throughout the campus. Refusing to become hapless victims, Riley and her friends decide to band together and fight back against the psychotic Christmas killer.

Unlike the previous two version of Black Christmas, the remake was rated PG-13 by the MPAA, a rating Takal sought in hopes of making it accessible to new audiences, especially young women who were interested in horror, and opening up discussions on major issues like sexual assault, although she was ready to fully commit to utilizing the higher R rating if the ratings board would not grant it. However, she would not use the PG-13 rating to water down the film's violence to a large degree, making it only slightly less violent than the original film.

This film should of never been made or existed. Cause their was no reason to remake Black Christmas, and $$$$$ was the answer.
  
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TacoDave (3547 KP) Dec 31, 2020

I saw it in the theater and ended up walking out after about 20 minutes due to the fake wokeness of the characters. It was horrible.

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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) Dec 31, 2020

I think the only time i walked out of the theater was Fate of the Furious. Than i walk back into the theater. I almost walked out of "Phantom Thread".

This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited Library.

It has been 8 years - possibly more since I joined Goodreads in 2012 - since I read books five and six in this series - and I should point out, they were the only two books I DID read in this series after getting them free one Christmas from AllRomanceeBooks before the website shut down

 did fall in love with Adrien and Jake despite not knowing all the stuff they had been through in the previous books so when I saw this, I had to read it. They do rehash a lot of what happened in the past and god, I was getting emotional reading it - so in a way I'm glad I didn't - but they are such a good couple.

Well this wouldn't be an Adrien English mystery without a mystery and this one involves an old acquaintance whose boyfriend has gone missing after visiting his family for the holidays. His old fashioned, well off family. Both sides are saying the other had something to do with his disappearance and Adrien is tasked with helping to track him down, while Jake is hired by the family to do the same.

There's some other drama going on at Cloak & Dagger, the bookshop Adrien owns and we see some sweet moments and sometimes some hot moments between Jake and Adrien. It had me laughing at times with Adrien's humour.

I do like this series and quite a few of this authors other series like Holmes and Moriarity - of which Moriarity got a mention in this as an ex cop turned author and I will be reading more of his books at a later date.
  
Krampus (2015)
Krampus (2015)
2015 | Comedy, Horror
Krampus is an absolute gem of a Christmas movie. It manages to pack in a bit of festive spirit, whilst simultaneously being a fun-as-hell horror ride, and has enough strikingly creepy imagery, ensuring it satisfies horror fans, and potentially a slightly younger audience at the same time.

The first third is sort of a comedy, as the characters are introduced against the familiar backdrop of having the dreaded experience of extended family over for the holidays. The cast are all great - Adam Scott, David Koechner, Allison Tolman, Conchata Ferrell and Krista Stacker all carve out personas with their own unique traits, and all do it in a relatble manner. The shining star is of course Toni Collette, who just manages to be fantastic in everything she's in, even a silly comedy horror like Krampus. The kid actors are great as well, especially Emjay Anthony as lead character Max.

When the horror starts to unfold, it's executed in a sort of gateway-horror style. It's fun enough to appeal to a younger audience as mentioned, but still has creepy moments. For instance, when the titular Krampus is first glimpsed, bounding across rooftops in a blizzard, it's a striking visual that manages to be quite haunting. The whole aesthetic is fantastic, festive one minute, dark and cold the next, with an almost Nightmare Before Christmas look to all of the monsters. Krampus himself looks horrifying when he is finally revealed in all his demonic yuletide glory. There's also an incredibly charming animated segment around the midway point that just adds even more to the overall experience.

If you're looking for an alternative Christmas movie, then you can do a lot worse than Krampus. It's hugely entertaining and memorable, and just a good time all round, and the best movie to include a scene involving murderous gingerbread men (sorry Gingerbread Man...)
  
The Christmas Escape
The Christmas Escape
Sarah Morgan | 2021 | Humor & Comedy, Romance
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Christy Sullivan and her best friend Alix have spent Christmas together since they were children. This year they are planning to go to Lapland, a snowy wonderland. The trip will include Christy's husband and their young daughter, Holly. But when Christy faces trouble with her marriage, she asks Alix to take Holly to Lapland without her. She'll be joined by their family friend, Zac--whom Alix has been avoiding ever since Christy's wedding. But as Alix, Zac, and Holly enjoy their time in Lapland, Alix realizes she may have made a mistake in avoiding him. Meanwhile, Christy starts to wonder if her friendship with Alix and marriage will survive the holidays.

I hate rating books low, but this just did not work for me. It was a sweet enough story and I liked the fun, snowy Arctic setting, but, oh, this book could have been so much shorter and enjoyable. The repetition is intense, to the point I found myself skimming sections. We are constantly bombarded by everyone's thoughts and issues. Did you know Alix has commitment issues? Oh you will. Christy struggles with perfection? The overwhelming focus on the characters' tropes and the rehashing and pontificating on thoughts and feelings was incredibly frustrating. It was very slow moving with far more telling than showing. I was not that invested in Alix and Zac's relationship.

There's a sweet storyline involving Christy's aunt, who lives at Lapland, which I enjoyed, and others have enjoyed the overall story more, so take my review with a grain of salt, but most of this book was just too repetitive and trite for me. 2.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Harlequin and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
  
The Reddening
The Reddening
9
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fantastic
Contains spoilers, click to show
One million years of evolution didn't change our nature. Nor did it bury the horrors predating civilisation. Ancient rites, old deities and savage ways can reappear in the places you least expect.

Lifestyle journalist Katrine escaped past traumas by moving to a coast renowned for seaside holidays and natural beauty. But when a vast hoard of human remains and prehistoric artefacts is discovered in nearby Brickburgh, a hideous shadow engulfs her life.

Helene, a disillusioned lone parent, lost her brother, Lincoln, six years ago. Disturbing subterranean noises he recorded prior to vanishing, draw her to Brickburgh's caves. A site where early humans butchered each other across sixty thousand years. Upon the walls, images of their nameless gods remain.

Amidst rumours of drug plantations and new sightings of the mythical red folk, it also appears that the inquisitive have been disappearing from this remote part of the world for years. A rural idyll where outsiders are unwelcome and where an infernal power is believed to linger beneath the earth. A timeless supernormal influence that only the desperate would dream of confronting. But to save themselves and those they love, and to thwart a crimson tide of pitiless barbarity, Kat and Helene are given no choice. They were involved and condemned before they knew it.

I was lucky enough to have a signed limited edition brought for my birthday first off the art work is just brilliant. After trying my hardest not to devour it within two days I made it last and enjoyed it so much. The imagery was just fantastic helped along with pictures posted by Adam showing his inspiration while writing. Chapter 21 all I can say is poor Steve. You felt everything these two women experienced from Helene's swim to Kat's captivity. The one thing I didn't like while reading was my kids and husbands need to keep interrupting me!! Thank you Adam for another fantastic book!