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Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Ready or Not (2019) in Movies
Sep 2, 2019 (Updated Sep 2, 2019)
F*cking rich people
Ready Or Not is a delightful mash up of blood soaked horror and devilish comedy that intertwines well making this film an absolute blast. When Ready or not's certificate came up everyone was shocked it was 18 rated (I found kind of sad as to me it symbolised how there is 100% still a big market for the more violent and mature horror film yet these days they sadly seem few and far between. I proud to say this does not disappoint and delivers on gore, grossness and tons of unnecessary yet hilariously fitting cursing. Made by people with clear love for the genre this movie echoes what made 80s horror movies so fun. Its goofy, silly, humorous, cool, violent, over the top, cheesy and stylish with it all working well together as well as being extremely serious and tense when it needs to be too. A great mix of movies like your next, the purge, cabin in the woods and even evil dead this movie doesnt hesitate getting straight to the good stuff moving at a constant brisk pace. Although predictable at times it ride with the horror cliches mixing them up just enough for them to feel modern and refreshingly satisfying. Anti rich themes take front and centre and the film isnt shy of mocking wealthy people constantly questioning their morals, beliefs, way of life, ignorance, naivety, lack of empathy and ability to think they can do as they please. In fact you might say the most horrific parts of the film are just how stupid, desensitized, gullible, careless and void of empathy these people have become which adds a nice real world connection. Theres also some visually impressive/creative scenes that really stand out as they are flawlessly combine with music too. Great tension is also present here and a it has a good eending that keeps you on your toes guessing. Not perfect by any means but go into it with a mind set that you can just sit back and enjoy a well made film that's only interested in you having a good time and you will leave entertained.
Merissa (11805 KP) rated The Touch (The Cotiere Chronicles, #2) in Books
Dec 17, 2018 (Updated May 17, 2023)
I adored book one in this series, and book 2 is continuing that trend. I love the world that Michelle Bolanger has given us, filled with rich traditions, love, passion, romance, and honour; but also cruelty, abuse, and those that take advantage of situations and let bitterness rule them.
Alexander and Jessi are meant to be together, it's just Jessi has serious 'reservations,' so much so that for that reason (and others) she runs away and tries to disappear. She does a very good job too, and Alexander spends thousands of dollars trying to locate her. When they finally meet, fireworks explode. The story then takes a humorous, sad, and at times heartbreaking, turn as Alexander tries to find out just why Jessi is so scared.
Full of tender moments, this book sweeps you along to the conclusion, leaving you wanting to know the ending, but also dreading it at the same time as you don't want it to end. I will just add here that when the story behind Jessi's mum and dad came out, I actually started to feel sorry for him, thinking that he was the injured party. However, when she meets him and he opens his mouth, I quickly returned to my original feelings towards him. Read it for yourself, you'll see why.
This story came to the perfect ending for Alexander and Jessi, and I can't wait to see where their story takes them. I loved the cameo performance from Leisl and Koen, although I wish it could have been under better circumstances. I know that they will be okay though!!! The final thing I will add is that Michelle Bolanger's characters are so lifelike that even during a couple of pages of an epilogue, you will connect with a character and feel sorrow for them. I can't wait for the next book and the rollercoaster journey I know I will be taken on. Highly recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 19, 2016
Alexander and Jessi are meant to be together, it's just Jessi has serious 'reservations,' so much so that for that reason (and others) she runs away and tries to disappear. She does a very good job too, and Alexander spends thousands of dollars trying to locate her. When they finally meet, fireworks explode. The story then takes a humorous, sad, and at times heartbreaking, turn as Alexander tries to find out just why Jessi is so scared.
Full of tender moments, this book sweeps you along to the conclusion, leaving you wanting to know the ending, but also dreading it at the same time as you don't want it to end. I will just add here that when the story behind Jessi's mum and dad came out, I actually started to feel sorry for him, thinking that he was the injured party. However, when she meets him and he opens his mouth, I quickly returned to my original feelings towards him. Read it for yourself, you'll see why.
This story came to the perfect ending for Alexander and Jessi, and I can't wait to see where their story takes them. I loved the cameo performance from Leisl and Koen, although I wish it could have been under better circumstances. I know that they will be okay though!!! The final thing I will add is that Michelle Bolanger's characters are so lifelike that even during a couple of pages of an epilogue, you will connect with a character and feel sorrow for them. I can't wait for the next book and the rollercoaster journey I know I will be taken on. Highly recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 19, 2016
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Hate u Give in Books
Jan 10, 2018
Starr Carter lives a divided life. At sixteen, she spends part of her life in her impoverished inner city neighborhood and another portion in the suburbs, attending an elite prep school, where she is one of a handful of African American students. Starr feels like she is two Starrs, and she keeps these two people very separate, with a different set of friends and personas for each world. But her careful facade is threatened when her childhood best friend, Khalil, is killed by a police officer. Starr is with Khalil when he is shot--unarmed--and her life will never be the same. In the aftermath, the media begins to call Khalil a drug dealer and a gang member. But speaking up about what she saw isn't so simple, especially when not everyone wants to hear the truth.
You've probably heard about Thomas' debut novel by now--it's been getting a lot of coverage and truly, deservedly so. This is definitely a powerful, eye-opening, and timely story. Thomas has created an excellent main character in Starr, whose voice shines clear and strong in the book. Her struggle to fit into two worlds is one many can relate to: Starr's just happens to have life and death consequences. Starr has wonderful, supportive parents and two humorous brothers who fill out the book with a realism and warmth that's hard to describe. Thomas is superb in capturing her characters' voices, and I found myself easily able to picture Starr and her family. I especially loved such snippets that made them jump off the pages--for instance, the family settling down to watch NBA basketball, complete with all their little superstitions (I've definitely been there) was perfect.
Starr's story isn't always easy to read (nor should it be), but it offered strong insight into the systemic problems facing African American communities--much of it framed by Starr's pragmatic parents. I thought some things tied up too easily, but I was still very profoundly affected by the story. I loved Starr and her tough yet vulnerable self. I loved her parents, their love, and their history. Her brothers cracked me up. At its core, this is a story about family, as well as identity and race. It's important, serious, heartbreaking, and yet sometimes really funny. It's also beautiful, powerful, and definitely worth a read.
You've probably heard about Thomas' debut novel by now--it's been getting a lot of coverage and truly, deservedly so. This is definitely a powerful, eye-opening, and timely story. Thomas has created an excellent main character in Starr, whose voice shines clear and strong in the book. Her struggle to fit into two worlds is one many can relate to: Starr's just happens to have life and death consequences. Starr has wonderful, supportive parents and two humorous brothers who fill out the book with a realism and warmth that's hard to describe. Thomas is superb in capturing her characters' voices, and I found myself easily able to picture Starr and her family. I especially loved such snippets that made them jump off the pages--for instance, the family settling down to watch NBA basketball, complete with all their little superstitions (I've definitely been there) was perfect.
Starr's story isn't always easy to read (nor should it be), but it offered strong insight into the systemic problems facing African American communities--much of it framed by Starr's pragmatic parents. I thought some things tied up too easily, but I was still very profoundly affected by the story. I loved Starr and her tough yet vulnerable self. I loved her parents, their love, and their history. Her brothers cracked me up. At its core, this is a story about family, as well as identity and race. It's important, serious, heartbreaking, and yet sometimes really funny. It's also beautiful, powerful, and definitely worth a read.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Urban Shaman (Walker Papers, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I had a difficult time really getting into this book simply because I could not connect with the main character, Joanne Walker. The reader gets thrown into the fast-paced plot right from the beginning, but background information about Joanne Walker is almost non-existent. I kept asking myself why this was happening to Joanne, which is explained about half-way through the plot. Nothing is explained about the world that Joanne lives in in regards to the supernatural aspects, only what is immediately happening to her in particular. Why is she being singled out by these Celtic gods, and if there are Celtic ones what about other mythical gods from other cultures? While the plot is exciting and entertaining, the "world-building" information is lacking. From what I can gather, the only reason she is singled out as a shaman in name is because of her Cherokee background, otherwise she would only be a "healer." My question is, what's the difference, where are the details that make her so important and special? Plus, even though she is just discovering her abilities as a shaman, she wields them like a pro, as if she has known how to use them for most of her life. In my opinion, it is much more realistic to make mistakes with such abilities before mastering them, as with any new skill. I did find how Joanne behaves when she is recovering from stepping outside her body humorous as it greatly resembles a drunk, minus the cons of abusing alcohol. Ironically, that was when she was most interesting as a character. Joanne seems to be driven only by instinct and what her abilities are telling her without any real understanding of what is happening. More than once, she wanted to stop and think about what was happening to her, but that never really played out in the plot.
Also, I did pick up on certain similarities with the Patricia Briggs series of Mercy Thompson, such as the main character's interest in being a car mechanic, as well as the coyote presence. Joanne's snarkiness and attitude is also similar to Mercy's.
I give this book three roses simply because as the first book in a series, I am hoping that I get more depth to the character and world with subsequent books.
Also, I did pick up on certain similarities with the Patricia Briggs series of Mercy Thompson, such as the main character's interest in being a car mechanic, as well as the coyote presence. Joanne's snarkiness and attitude is also similar to Mercy's.
I give this book three roses simply because as the first book in a series, I am hoping that I get more depth to the character and world with subsequent books.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Carpe Corpus (The Morganville Vampires, #6) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
These book just keep getting better and better. With book six, the series ventures into the world of steampunk with a special Morganville twist. With the very little I have actually read in the genre of Steampunk, I had a hard time visualizing what Ada looks like, but I am hoping these eventually become movies and someone creates this fascinating machine for the movies! Ada's quirkiness and creepiness fit right in with the rest of the Morganville residents, though, so I know that she/it will grow on me, too.
With this book, it is also a relief that Claire has finally turned seventeen. The build-up between her and Shane was driving me crazy. I also like how the author was much more realistic about her first time with Shane than many romance novelists, with much awkwardness and naivety. Her parents' response to the knowledge of this was quite humorous and charming and lent some much-needed humor to the extent of fear with which Morganville is saturated.
Even though these books have much fantasy, they still move along with a certain believability. The one major exception that I found in this book - that I simply had a hard time believing possible - was when Claire almost dies at the end. With the amount of blood loss she suffered from, there is simply no way she could stay conscious for the amount of that she did or stay alive as she did. When books are as entertaining as these are though, I don't mind a little "writer's license" to keep the main character alive and resolve the loose thread of who is responsible for the random murders of girls in the previous books. I am surprised, though, that Claire never made the connection to who Dean is, since I saw it coming quite easily.
Mynin gets more and more entertaining and fascinating from book to book - he is probably one of my favorite characters for his unpredictability. I am thrilled that the disease can no longer get the best of him - it means he could play a more central role in future books. Many of the characters are easy to like, even if their morals often verge into gray area, such as Amelie.
Even though the "book" has suffered its final demise, the bookworm in me still wonders what else was in that book, so I hope future books can tell me more about it.
With this book, it is also a relief that Claire has finally turned seventeen. The build-up between her and Shane was driving me crazy. I also like how the author was much more realistic about her first time with Shane than many romance novelists, with much awkwardness and naivety. Her parents' response to the knowledge of this was quite humorous and charming and lent some much-needed humor to the extent of fear with which Morganville is saturated.
Even though these books have much fantasy, they still move along with a certain believability. The one major exception that I found in this book - that I simply had a hard time believing possible - was when Claire almost dies at the end. With the amount of blood loss she suffered from, there is simply no way she could stay conscious for the amount of that she did or stay alive as she did. When books are as entertaining as these are though, I don't mind a little "writer's license" to keep the main character alive and resolve the loose thread of who is responsible for the random murders of girls in the previous books. I am surprised, though, that Claire never made the connection to who Dean is, since I saw it coming quite easily.
Mynin gets more and more entertaining and fascinating from book to book - he is probably one of my favorite characters for his unpredictability. I am thrilled that the disease can no longer get the best of him - it means he could play a more central role in future books. Many of the characters are easy to like, even if their morals often verge into gray area, such as Amelie.
Even though the "book" has suffered its final demise, the bookworm in me still wonders what else was in that book, so I hope future books can tell me more about it.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Wedlocked in Books
Feb 11, 2019
While the cover of the book gives the impression that the story is exclusively about the main character Rebecca's bad marriage. The book actually encompasses her life leading up to the bad marriage and what happens as a result of the rocky nuptials. The actual ceremony is understood to have happened sort of "between the lines," so to speak. The book is a before and after image in prose.
The prologue to the book is the immediate aftermath of the ceremony when Rebecca is undergoing the realization of her mistake. I was a bit confused at this point since I could not figure out if the ceremony took place or not. The next chapter starts in Rebecca's childhood, growing up with two sisters and a very marriage-minded mother in a strict Jewish household. To her mother's dismay, Rebecca is quickly influenced by her grandma Emma into a love for acting, movies, and theater. From there, the book walks us through Rebecca's pursuit of an acting career and near-absence of dating material.
Though Rebecca is likable enough, I had a difficult time relating to her career struggles, since I have little interest in that side of the business. I also did wonder if she was really as talented as she claimed to be, since her struggles were so great.
When a man, Evan, finally lays claim to Rebecca's heart, both Rebecca and Evan handle the relationship poorly and Rebecca abandons her suffering career with a broken heart. The man she eventually becomes "wedlocked" to, Craig, then shows up in her life, and a rebound relationship becomes a permanent one before Rebecca thinks to learn a bit more about her new husband. A honeymoon from hell makes the reality of her situation quite clear as Craig's bad behavior and numerous secrets get him in trouble with the Italian government, until a new friend, Michael, flies in to save the day.
Without spoiling the ending, I think Rebecca handled her problems remarkably well, with a little help, and ended the book with a humorous twist. If I suspend my opinions of the Hollywood-influenced methods of dating, marriage, and divorce that is so common in America today, the book was an entertaining read, and likely would make an even better movie.
The prologue to the book is the immediate aftermath of the ceremony when Rebecca is undergoing the realization of her mistake. I was a bit confused at this point since I could not figure out if the ceremony took place or not. The next chapter starts in Rebecca's childhood, growing up with two sisters and a very marriage-minded mother in a strict Jewish household. To her mother's dismay, Rebecca is quickly influenced by her grandma Emma into a love for acting, movies, and theater. From there, the book walks us through Rebecca's pursuit of an acting career and near-absence of dating material.
Though Rebecca is likable enough, I had a difficult time relating to her career struggles, since I have little interest in that side of the business. I also did wonder if she was really as talented as she claimed to be, since her struggles were so great.
When a man, Evan, finally lays claim to Rebecca's heart, both Rebecca and Evan handle the relationship poorly and Rebecca abandons her suffering career with a broken heart. The man she eventually becomes "wedlocked" to, Craig, then shows up in her life, and a rebound relationship becomes a permanent one before Rebecca thinks to learn a bit more about her new husband. A honeymoon from hell makes the reality of her situation quite clear as Craig's bad behavior and numerous secrets get him in trouble with the Italian government, until a new friend, Michael, flies in to save the day.
Without spoiling the ending, I think Rebecca handled her problems remarkably well, with a little help, and ended the book with a humorous twist. If I suspend my opinions of the Hollywood-influenced methods of dating, marriage, and divorce that is so common in America today, the book was an entertaining read, and likely would make an even better movie.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Unsympathetic Magic (Esther Diamond, #3) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Here we are in the third entry into the Esther Diamond series. UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC doesn't feature the zany characters that the previous two books had, which is a nice shift, and the focus on Esther and Max that was lost in [b:Doppelgangster|6678045|Doppelgangster (Esther Diamond, #2)|Laura Resnick|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275658691s/6678045.jpg|3150652] is back. The plot about Vodou*, zombies, and bokors is okay, but gets a little too predictable for my liking. Luckily, the author writes well enough to lift it up a level and ends up entertaining, and at times interesting.
Now for the bad news: the humor isn't as fresh or funny and I can't remember once laughing aloud during the book. Some of the scenes felt too forced to be funny, and one scene in particular had me cringing because of a character that got hurt. Maybe that scene wasn't supposed to be funny, but it seemed as if that was it's purpose before the injury happened. Basically all the humor in the book is a comedy of errors, and that's fine, as long as it's humorous and not as repetitive as it's been in these three books. Next, the length of the story needs a drastic paring down. While the book moves at a fairly brisk pace, I can't help but feel that another go or two with an editor was needed and the plot should have been tightened so it's more cohesive. I think it'd be a much better book with at least fifty pages less and I wouldn't get as tired of the plot or characters by then. There's a reason for the phrase "too much of a good thing" and both DOPPELGANGSTER and UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC fit the bill. Still, I didn't hate the book and thought it was a small step up from the last, so I'll give the next book a shot because I enjoy the characters a lot (sorry for the unintentional bad rhyme). Even if the series hasn't hit the mark for me since the first, I have hope yet. Besides, how can I pass up a book called VAMPARAZZI? 3.5 stars
*Apparently Vodou is not pronounced like 'voodoo', it's either vo(like in toe)-dow(cow) or vo-doo, but I'm not sure which is right, from what I've figured out online. The book has a glossary, which is rather unnecessary since everything is explained in text, but not a pronunciation guide.
Now for the bad news: the humor isn't as fresh or funny and I can't remember once laughing aloud during the book. Some of the scenes felt too forced to be funny, and one scene in particular had me cringing because of a character that got hurt. Maybe that scene wasn't supposed to be funny, but it seemed as if that was it's purpose before the injury happened. Basically all the humor in the book is a comedy of errors, and that's fine, as long as it's humorous and not as repetitive as it's been in these three books. Next, the length of the story needs a drastic paring down. While the book moves at a fairly brisk pace, I can't help but feel that another go or two with an editor was needed and the plot should have been tightened so it's more cohesive. I think it'd be a much better book with at least fifty pages less and I wouldn't get as tired of the plot or characters by then. There's a reason for the phrase "too much of a good thing" and both DOPPELGANGSTER and UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC fit the bill. Still, I didn't hate the book and thought it was a small step up from the last, so I'll give the next book a shot because I enjoy the characters a lot (sorry for the unintentional bad rhyme). Even if the series hasn't hit the mark for me since the first, I have hope yet. Besides, how can I pass up a book called VAMPARAZZI? 3.5 stars
*Apparently Vodou is not pronounced like 'voodoo', it's either vo(like in toe)-dow(cow) or vo-doo, but I'm not sure which is right, from what I've figured out online. The book has a glossary, which is rather unnecessary since everything is explained in text, but not a pronunciation guide.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Once And For All in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Louna is the daughter of a single mother, Natalie Barrett. Natalie runs a famous wedding planning business with her friend William. Together--often with Louna's assistance--they help frantic brides have the perfect day. But Louna, Natalie, and William are a cynical trio: so much that they even take bets on the success of each wedding after every affair is over and they're cleaning up. Louna has another reason to be cynical: she met her true love the previous summer, but it ended tragically. After graduating high school, she's just trying to get through her last summer and head off to college. Standing in her way: charming Ambrose, the brother of one of her mother's clients. Natalie takes on Ambrose as an employee to appease her client, so Louna is stuck with cheery, serial-dater Ambrose. But the more time she spends with him, the less he starts to bother her...
<i>I was surprisingly charmed by this novel.</i> It's predictable, but in a good way. You know what you get with a Dessen novel, and this book came along at a good time for me. It's more serious than expected (I won't spoil that plot twist for you) but also <i>breezy and sweet at times.</i> Louna is a likeable heroine--flawed, complicated, real. The supporting cast of characters is humorous and realistic: Louna's best friend Jilly, whose parents have a food truck business and saddle Jilly with her many younger siblings; William, with his bride-whisperer tendencies; Natalie, and her rigid obsession with her business; and girl-crazy Ambrose, who verges on stereotype, but manages not to. The book also gives you a fun look into the wedding business, which is sort of enjoyable and lets you see how most of our characters deal with stress.
Overall, <i>this is an engaging novel, with serious undertones.</i> It's a quick read, powered by an enjoyable cast of characters. While there are some dark moments that may surprise you, the romance probably won't. But there's nothing necessarily wrong with that sometimes. :)
You can find my review of Dessen's novel SAINT ANYTHING <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1267324399?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
<i>I was surprisingly charmed by this novel.</i> It's predictable, but in a good way. You know what you get with a Dessen novel, and this book came along at a good time for me. It's more serious than expected (I won't spoil that plot twist for you) but also <i>breezy and sweet at times.</i> Louna is a likeable heroine--flawed, complicated, real. The supporting cast of characters is humorous and realistic: Louna's best friend Jilly, whose parents have a food truck business and saddle Jilly with her many younger siblings; William, with his bride-whisperer tendencies; Natalie, and her rigid obsession with her business; and girl-crazy Ambrose, who verges on stereotype, but manages not to. The book also gives you a fun look into the wedding business, which is sort of enjoyable and lets you see how most of our characters deal with stress.
Overall, <i>this is an engaging novel, with serious undertones.</i> It's a quick read, powered by an enjoyable cast of characters. While there are some dark moments that may surprise you, the romance probably won't. But there's nothing necessarily wrong with that sometimes. :)
You can find my review of Dessen's novel SAINT ANYTHING <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1267324399?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Survivor's Guide to Family Happiness in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Nina Popkin's mother has recently passed away and she's also freshly divorced. Adopted as a child, her mother's death rekindles Nina's desire to search for her birth mother. She's always felt as she's never belonged anywhere, searching strangers' faces and eyes for her potential birth mother. Amazingly, Nina manages to find her biological sister, Lindy, whom she actually knew as a kid from her neighborhood. But Lindy, who is obsessed with creating a perfect house and life, isn't too thrilled about her wayward sister bursting into her life. Lindy has three kids, a busy salon to run, and a lot of (hidden) anxiety to deal with. But Nina is force to be reckoned with and she's determined to bring Lindy on her journey to find their mother. But will this journey finally bring Nina the sense of peace and belonging she's always desired?
Dawson's novel is told from the varying points of view of its main women: Nina, Lindy, and their biological mother. It's a humorous--and sometimes heartbreaking--look at family and the different forms it can take. Dawson has created a cast of characters who seem incredibly real. She captures the little details just right, from family life with kids, to Nina's romantic woes. Nina is a trip: you can't help but love her and her relentless optimism. Even when the novel drags a bit in the middle, when you feel like Nina and the plot need a bit of a push, it recovers through its humor and Nina's personality. Perhaps the only part I found slightly weird was that Nina and Lindy's childhood neighborhood was so full of adopted children that they grew up knowing each other (though not knowing they were sisters), but perhaps that was truly par for the course for the era... who knows.
In the end, I really enjoyed this novel. It combines several other supporting characters, including the children of Nina's boyfriend, into a great read. At times it's truly laugh out loud funny, even if it gets a bit preposterous. But it's also heartfelt and touching and a lovely look at the bonds of family.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 10/25/2016.
Dawson's novel is told from the varying points of view of its main women: Nina, Lindy, and their biological mother. It's a humorous--and sometimes heartbreaking--look at family and the different forms it can take. Dawson has created a cast of characters who seem incredibly real. She captures the little details just right, from family life with kids, to Nina's romantic woes. Nina is a trip: you can't help but love her and her relentless optimism. Even when the novel drags a bit in the middle, when you feel like Nina and the plot need a bit of a push, it recovers through its humor and Nina's personality. Perhaps the only part I found slightly weird was that Nina and Lindy's childhood neighborhood was so full of adopted children that they grew up knowing each other (though not knowing they were sisters), but perhaps that was truly par for the course for the era... who knows.
In the end, I really enjoyed this novel. It combines several other supporting characters, including the children of Nina's boyfriend, into a great read. At times it's truly laugh out loud funny, even if it gets a bit preposterous. But it's also heartfelt and touching and a lovely look at the bonds of family.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 10/25/2016.
Midge (525 KP) rated Wedding Wipeout in Books
Dec 10, 2018
A Brilliant and Witty Mystery!
I really enjoyed Wedding Wipeout far more than I was expecting to. The story-line is brilliant and the mystery is so good that you want to keep on reading.
Rabbi Kappelmacher is planning to retire and is training his assistant, Rabbi Steinmetz, to follow in his footsteps, however, things get interesting when a visitor arrives. Former assistant Rabbi, Marshall Green, is now a lawyer with a case to solve.
One of his firm’s clients has died under suspicious circumstances. An elderly woman, Florence Eisenstein had just married the man she had been dating for the last several months, Alfred Shingle. The morning after her wedding, she is found dead in her bed.
She and her sister, Lorraine, were to be the heirs to their father’s egg cream fortune. Their father’s will, however, stipulated that if either of them married her allowance would cease and the proceeds would immediately pass to the other sister. So why, after so many years of unmarried contentment, did Florence decide to marry and also announce to her family that she had found a way to break the will? A will that, as far as Green was aware, was unbreakable. And why did she say that she was disinheriting her nephew, with whom she was on good terms?
Though Wedding Wipeout appears to be a typical mystery novel and is rather reminiscent of Agatha Christies's Poirot, it's actually quite a refreshing take on the mystery genre. Rabbi Kappelmacher and his sidekick, Rabbi Steinmetz have a very entertaining partnership whilst visiting with suspects and eyewitnesses. I particularly liked the wit and dry humour that was evident throughout the book, although I think that some of the humour and certainly some of the references, may have been lost on me, not being Jewish.
Green believes Florence may have been murdered, even though her own doctor ruled it an accidental death. Using his wit and rabbinic reasoning, Kappelmacher unravels all of the misleading information, red herrings and lies to reveal the truth, whilst Steinmetz tries to keep pace with him.
Wedding Wipeout was a wonderful read. I greatly look forward to reading more books by Jacob M Appel.
Thanks to LibraryThing and the author for a copy of Wedding Wipeout, via Members Giveaway.
Rabbi Kappelmacher is planning to retire and is training his assistant, Rabbi Steinmetz, to follow in his footsteps, however, things get interesting when a visitor arrives. Former assistant Rabbi, Marshall Green, is now a lawyer with a case to solve.
One of his firm’s clients has died under suspicious circumstances. An elderly woman, Florence Eisenstein had just married the man she had been dating for the last several months, Alfred Shingle. The morning after her wedding, she is found dead in her bed.
She and her sister, Lorraine, were to be the heirs to their father’s egg cream fortune. Their father’s will, however, stipulated that if either of them married her allowance would cease and the proceeds would immediately pass to the other sister. So why, after so many years of unmarried contentment, did Florence decide to marry and also announce to her family that she had found a way to break the will? A will that, as far as Green was aware, was unbreakable. And why did she say that she was disinheriting her nephew, with whom she was on good terms?
Though Wedding Wipeout appears to be a typical mystery novel and is rather reminiscent of Agatha Christies's Poirot, it's actually quite a refreshing take on the mystery genre. Rabbi Kappelmacher and his sidekick, Rabbi Steinmetz have a very entertaining partnership whilst visiting with suspects and eyewitnesses. I particularly liked the wit and dry humour that was evident throughout the book, although I think that some of the humour and certainly some of the references, may have been lost on me, not being Jewish.
Green believes Florence may have been murdered, even though her own doctor ruled it an accidental death. Using his wit and rabbinic reasoning, Kappelmacher unravels all of the misleading information, red herrings and lies to reveal the truth, whilst Steinmetz tries to keep pace with him.
Wedding Wipeout was a wonderful read. I greatly look forward to reading more books by Jacob M Appel.
Thanks to LibraryThing and the author for a copy of Wedding Wipeout, via Members Giveaway.