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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Wedding Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #19) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Hannah Swensen is getting married in just a few weeks, but first she has the dessert competition that her sisters signed her up for. It turns out this televised competition is anything but sweet when the backstage tension leads to murder. Can Hannah solve the case before she gets married?
The baking competition allowed food to be brought into the book seamlessly, and the competition itself was plenty of fun. It’s always great to revisit the characters, too. The murder takes a back seat early on, but it gets plenty of focus as we rush toward the ending. I do hope the wedding sticks because, while it was rushed, I do love the potential I see in this character and relationship.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-review-wedding-cake-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The baking competition allowed food to be brought into the book seamlessly, and the competition itself was plenty of fun. It’s always great to revisit the characters, too. The murder takes a back seat early on, but it gets plenty of focus as we rush toward the ending. I do hope the wedding sticks because, while it was rushed, I do love the potential I see in this character and relationship.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-review-wedding-cake-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mickey Haller’s latest murder case involves the death of a prostitute with her pimp as the prime suspect. Only Mickey knew Gloria when she was alive, working out what he thought was a deal to get her out of the life. Where has she been for the last eight years? And can Mickey get his client off when the odds keep piling up against him?
This was another gripping legal thriller that was almost impossible to stop reading. There were great twists and surprises along the way, yet there was still time for the characters to continue growing. I hope it isn’t too long before we are treated with another case for this great team.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/03/book-review-gods-of-guilt-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This was another gripping legal thriller that was almost impossible to stop reading. There were great twists and surprises along the way, yet there was still time for the characters to continue growing. I hope it isn’t too long before we are treated with another case for this great team.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/03/book-review-gods-of-guilt-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated The Book Club Murders (Oakwood Mystery #1) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
Charley joins a book club in the hope that making friends with the towns elite will drum up business for her clothing store. She finds that she isnt really fitting in with the Agathas, as the members are known, but sticks with it anyway. It isnt long, however, before murder victims start turning up arranged just like the victims in the novels that the book club is reading. Charley manages to use her status as a member of the club to convince a detective to let her help with the investigation, but puts her own life in danger in the process.
This is a fun start to a new series with a great main character cozy fans will love it!
<i>Note: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review</i>
This is a fun start to a new series with a great main character cozy fans will love it!
<i>Note: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review</i>
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Real Genius (1985) in Movies
Jun 8, 2018
80s Comedy fun!
When you are super smart and your parents want you to go to college at 15, you hope you get a roommate like Chris Knight. Super smart, of course, but he has also learned street smartz and how to relax and have fun as well as work. Now the smart club, faces the challenge of getting a large, high-powered laser beam to work. What's it all for?
Maybe a little far-reaching plot aside, the film has so many funny moments like ice in the hallways, a random guy living in your closet and swimming with student beauticians not to mention a great 80s soundtrack, it is hard not to love it. I have to admit, every time I hear "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" I think of "Real Genius".
Maybe a little far-reaching plot aside, the film has so many funny moments like ice in the hallways, a random guy living in your closet and swimming with student beauticians not to mention a great 80s soundtrack, it is hard not to love it. I have to admit, every time I hear "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" I think of "Real Genius".
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Dare to Be Kind: How Extraordinary Compassion Can Transform Our World in Books
Jun 18, 2018
Dare to Be Kind by Lizzie Velasquez is an inspirational story. Lizzie has a rare skin condition that has subjected her to bullying and being mistreated. this book is about treating others with compassion and how it can transform your heart into a better person which can lead to a better world for us.
Velasquez encourages bravery, hope, kindness, personal resilience, faith in a higher power, and a healthy self-image when confronting one's bullies. She also highlights the need to serve as a good example for one's family, understand a bully's desire to cover their own pain with more pain, finding love and support, and addresses the cruelty of human nature when it encounters situations that it doesn't understand or have empathy toward.
I received this book from Hachette Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Velasquez encourages bravery, hope, kindness, personal resilience, faith in a higher power, and a healthy self-image when confronting one's bullies. She also highlights the need to serve as a good example for one's family, understand a bully's desire to cover their own pain with more pain, finding love and support, and addresses the cruelty of human nature when it encounters situations that it doesn't understand or have empathy toward.
I received this book from Hachette Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated Solve for i in Books
May 30, 2018
This is a coming out and figuring out who you are book. I kinda wish I had read the two previous books before this one(so not like me to do that) because the characters are amazing. You could tell that some of the characters had a back story that if you read the first two books you'd understand but like an idiot I veered from my norm and read book 3 first.
That rant over. The book was really good. I liked the geeky nature of Gemma and her own self doubt mirrored my own. I kinda hated how pushy Sarah was and how much she did not pay attention. My favorite character was Mikey and I hope to see more of her in new books. Now I must got get books 1 and 2 and read them.
That rant over. The book was really good. I liked the geeky nature of Gemma and her own self doubt mirrored my own. I kinda hated how pushy Sarah was and how much she did not pay attention. My favorite character was Mikey and I hope to see more of her in new books. Now I must got get books 1 and 2 and read them.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Very Good Girls (2014) in Movies
Jul 22, 2018
Surprisingly sweet
I usually don't have much hope for original Netflix or Amazon Prime movies figuring if they were good a studio would have purchased them or they would have played in theatres; however, I thought this one was sweet. I do enjoy both Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen so I thought I would give it a try.
Two friends decide they want to have sex before going to college. Unfortunately, they decide on the same guy as their companion without telling the other. Relationships get complicated for sure.
Certainly not going to win any awards, but I thought the acting was solid all around including supporting performances by Ellen Barkin, Clark Gregg, Demi Moore and Richard Dreyfuss.
The dialogue was touching in spots and when things get complicated, you are really rooting for the friendship to ensure.
Two friends decide they want to have sex before going to college. Unfortunately, they decide on the same guy as their companion without telling the other. Relationships get complicated for sure.
Certainly not going to win any awards, but I thought the acting was solid all around including supporting performances by Ellen Barkin, Clark Gregg, Demi Moore and Richard Dreyfuss.
The dialogue was touching in spots and when things get complicated, you are really rooting for the friendship to ensure.
HannahN93 (1 KP) rated Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) in Books
Aug 19, 2018
Character development (2 more)
Plot twist
Ability to envision world
My most recommended book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, in the short time I was reading it (I couldn't put it down!). This was the first dystopia book I have purchased and would definitely do so again.
I had fun getting to know the characters and understanding how their world worked, relating it to our world now and wondering how we would cope in the same situation.
I felt like I knew where the story was going all the time, until, PLOT TWIST after plot twist was thrown my way! I think this is what made it difficult to put down. I just wanted to know the next part of the story.
I will definitely be buying the next book to read, I hope it's just as good as this one was.
I had fun getting to know the characters and understanding how their world worked, relating it to our world now and wondering how we would cope in the same situation.
I felt like I knew where the story was going all the time, until, PLOT TWIST after plot twist was thrown my way! I think this is what made it difficult to put down. I just wanted to know the next part of the story.
I will definitely be buying the next book to read, I hope it's just as good as this one was.
Samantha Reece (16 KP) rated Dark Protector (Paladins of Darkness, #1) in Books
Nov 14, 2018
This book has a very original idea to it! The Paladins protect Earth from the Others who live on the other side of some sort of barrier. I had two problems with this book. First off, I have way too many unanswered questions as to what is going on in the world around the two characters. I understand the Paladins are protectors and the Others are evil, but I want to know more about them. Maybe some background and where they came from would be nice. But, this all could come in the next novels. Secondly, I felt the main characters, Devlin and Laurel, were very two-dimensional. I didn't feel too much emotion from them, and they just felt flat. However, I will read the next book because I do believe there is hope for this series!
Erika (17789 KP) rated Shakespeare's Sonnets, Retold in Books
Nov 21, 2018
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.
I remember in high school that Shakespeare was the bane of my existence. For some reason, high schools in the US only choose to have you read Romeo and Juliet (woof). I had read a few sonnets then, just for fun, and was completely befuddled.
Luckily, this book has come along. The format is great, the original sonnet is on one page, and the reinterpretation is on the other. I thought the first section of procreation sonnets was... bizarre and I hope I never read them again. I enjoyed the 'Dark Lady' sonnets at the end. This book is definitely a must-read if you've ever been interested in the sonnets, but can't wade through the original text with ease.
I remember in high school that Shakespeare was the bane of my existence. For some reason, high schools in the US only choose to have you read Romeo and Juliet (woof). I had read a few sonnets then, just for fun, and was completely befuddled.
Luckily, this book has come along. The format is great, the original sonnet is on one page, and the reinterpretation is on the other. I thought the first section of procreation sonnets was... bizarre and I hope I never read them again. I enjoyed the 'Dark Lady' sonnets at the end. This book is definitely a must-read if you've ever been interested in the sonnets, but can't wade through the original text with ease.