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ClareR (5879 KP) rated Love Orange in Books

Jan 23, 2023  
Love Orange
Love Orange
Natasha Randall | 2020 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Love Orange is a scathing look at the state of society in the modern age. Technology rules all. Jenny and Hanks Smart House is in charge of everyone in the house, and listens in to everything. Jenny’s children are obsessed with video games, and internet porn makes an appearance as well.

I can see why Jenny becomes increasingly frustrated with Hank - from his constant references to his Viking heritage, to his Mindfulness - he has little time for her.
Jenny hates her job, and decides to do something meaningful by writing to a prison inmate. She looks forward to receiving his letters that smell of oranges and taste rather too nice when she licks them. To be fair, it seems reasonable to lick an envelope (yes, I know how this sounds!) if it helps her though the daily drudgery and having to put up with in-laws who clearly dislike her.

Jenny’s life may look perfect on the outside, but it’s anything but that.

There’s a rather sizeable reference to the opioid crisis in the US that I found interesting, but what I found MOST interesting was how Jenny appeared to be completely hollowed out by her boring life, the lack of attention and care she gets from her husband and children, and what’s expected of her from society. I’d want to escape her life too.

There’s some seriously dark humour in this, and it does come across as bleak. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.
  
Secret Origins (The Courtless Fae #1)
Secret Origins (The Courtless Fae #1)
Maya Daniels | 2020 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Secret Origins is the first book in The Courtless Fae series and runs along the same timeline as Ignited, the sixth and final book in the Daywalker series. Personally, I would recommend you read that series first as it will give you a better idea about the different characters and what makes them tick. You will also see Myst with Frankie which is always worth a read.

You learn more about Myst from the start of this book. She has a persona she puts forward for everyone, and even falls for it herself at times. She pushes people away, not wanting to care for anyone. Unfortunately for her, some people sneak past her walls. From the other books, it is obvious that Myst and Fenrir have a history together but now we learn just what that history was. No wonder Myst pushed him away. Fenrir has a lot to do to make up to Myst and to get her to trust him again.

As with all of Maya Daniels' books, it is full of snarky humour and action. There are new characters to meet as we learn about Myst's past that I can't wait to meet again. A brilliant start to a new series and definitely recommended by me.

* 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!
Aug 26, 2020
  
Elemental Love (Warlocks #1)
Elemental Love (Warlocks #1)
L.M. Somerton | 2016 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book starts with the birth of Evrain, as Agatha and Gregory speak whilst they are waiting. Immediately you get a rough idea of what is going on, but as the story continues, the gaps are filled and a clear picture is given. As with everything and everyone, there is good and bad, and in this instance, Evrain is basically good, although the Wild Magic can still corrupt him. As a warlock, he needs to find his partner, the one that will steady his power and make him stronger. In Evrain's case, that turns out to be Dominic, the shy gardener that fascinates Evrain. Through circumstances beyond their control, they are forced together (although neither of them fights it much!) and a warlock makes him move against them.

In this book, you are given an excellent viewpoint of how the partnership can work, with loving and strong foundations, as with Gregory and Coryn, or you see how it can be abused, and used without love, as with Symeon and Damon. With plenty of action, romance, and humour, this is a fantastic start to the Warlocks series and one that I will be reading again. Highly recommended

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 29, 2016
  
Timmy Failure: The Cat Stole My Pants
Timmy Failure: The Cat Stole My Pants
Stephan Pastis | 2017 | Children, Humor & Comedy, Mystery
7
6.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Amusing ... If you are a child
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Kinney, 2004) is a juvenile series by American author, Stephan Pastis, about a young boy who believes he is the world’s greatest detective. A series that is continually growing, the sixth Timmy Failure story is now available for fans and new readers. Subtitled The Cat Stole My Pants, Timmy Failure embarks on an adventure of mystery and crime solving whilst getting himself into all sorts of mischief.

Emulating both real and fictional detectives, Timmy has established his own agency, Failure, Inc., of which he is the sole employee after the flight of his (imaginary) ex-business partner, Total the polar bear, who is currently seeking political asylum in Cuba. Unfortunately, Timmy has been forced to join his mother and Doorman Dave on their honeymoon in Key West, Florida, along with Doorman Dave’s nephew, Emilio.

“Crime doesn’t take a holiday. Neither does greatness.” Determined to continue solving crimes, Timmy hires Emilio as an unpaid intern and sets off searching for crimes, greatly over exaggerating every little piece of “evidence” he finds. However, it soon appears that someone is out to get Timmy and he, along with Emilio, is determined to find out whom.

Timmy is a melodramatic, unconventional child with a large ego and is constantly getting told off. From annoying adults to having his pants stolen by a polydactyl cat – or so he claims – there is no end to the hilarious situations he causes.

The cat that stole Timmy’s pants only makes a brief appearance in the book, therefore the subtitle is more to attract the attention of young readers with its silliness rather than be suggestive of a certain storyline.

Despite his grand claims, Timmy is not a very good detective and a lot of his unsolved crimes have been invented by his overactive imagination. This adds to the humour because, although he seems like an intelligent child, his ideas are completely silly.

Adorned with childish drawings and diagrams, Timmy Failure narrates the story from his subjective point of view, inflating his successes and blaming any failure on poor Emilio. No one takes Timmy seriously, which is something many of the target readers may appreciate, although they should also understand how futile Timmy’s attempts are at being a detective.

The storyline is not particularly clear until the final chapters of the book. Up until that moment, the book is full of disastrous, imaginary detective endeavours that prove Timmy to be nothing more than an annoying, inventive boy.

Some of the language may be above children’s reading capabilities, however, the humour is directly on their level. Whereas an adult may not find the idea of a cat stealing someone’s pants amusing, a child would find that hysterical.

There is no reason to read the Timmy Failure books in order, so if you, like me, read book six first, there is no problem. The stories are particularly aimed at young boys and will hopefully encourage the demographic to start reading more. Whilst it may not be a great feat of literature, it is a good enough introduction to the world of books.
  
Minions (2015)
Minions (2015)
2015 | Animation, Comedy, Family
8
6.5 (30 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Bright, smart and hilarious
They’re everywhere! Minions have become a worldwide phenomenon since their unveiling in 2010’s smash-hit Despicable Me and for their return in its sequel.

It was only a matter of time before Universal gave their most successful animated franchise a prequel, and allowing it to focus on the cute yellow creatures was a masterstroke by the people behind the scenes. No matter where you go there is something minion related to buy.

But the question is, does a film based on them truly work? After all, it’s their evil master Gru who is the main focus of the previous features.

Minions follows the history of the loveable race from humble beginnings serving an unlucky Tyrannosaurus right up to the moment they meet their aforementioned boss in a film packed full of colour and imagination.

After a history lesson narrated by the wonderful Geoffrey Rush, we find three plucky minions – Kevin, Stuart and the adorable Bob (accompanied by teddy Tim) as they are about to embark on a mission to find the most evil boss in the world.

Stumbling across the wicked Scarlet Overkill (voiced beautifully by Sandra Bullock) along the way, the trio think they have found everything they ever wanted right here in England.

Seeing London realised in animation as excellent as that in Minions is a joy. The city is a hive of activity with every frame being filled to the brim with tiny details like stained-glass windows, bees, rats, telephone boxes and fluttering flags. It’s just a shame we don’t get to see it more.

Naturally the English stereotypes come out in full force with tea-drinking newsreaders and policemen, but they’re done in such good taste you can’t help but laugh.

This is where Minions excels. Its humour is sublime. The kids will be rolling around in the aisles one moment, with adults finding something equally as hilarious the next – this is how a family film should be. There are pop culture references abound and even some nods to previous US presidents.

Kevin, Bob and Stuart are the perfect trio to spend 90 minutes with. Each of them have rich personalities that feel like they’ve been cleverly crafted to ensure you find a bit of yourself in each – I know, it sounds ridiculous.

Unfortunately, the story runs a little out of puff towards the film’s climax. It delves into unnecessarily silly territory when it really doesn’t need to and it’s a shame that a smart kid’s movie like this feels the need to dumb it all down.

Thankfully, it picks up again in the last 15 minutes and makes for a truly memorable ending.

Overall, Minions is a funny, charming and well-paced film that confirms what we all feared – Britain is obsessed by minions. The animation and humour are both sublime with only an exhausted plot stopping it from achieving greatness.

One thing’s for sure though, that obsession your child has with the pill-shaped creatures, it won’t be going away any time soon. Minions – me ti amo (I love you in Minionese).

https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/06/28/bright-smart-and-hilarious-minions-review/
  
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
2015 | Mystery
Simply Brilliant
Director Matthew Vaughn has brought some visually striking films to the big screen in his fairly short career, from the brilliant Layer Cake, to the movie which many credit as saving the X-Men franchise, First Class, he certainly knows his way around a camera.

However, Kingsman: The Secret Service is probably his riskiest proposition yet. Can a dark comedy about upper-class British spies with their tailor-made suits compete with the very best films in the genre?

Thankfully the answer is a resounding yes. The spectacular cinematography and fantastic performances in Kingsman ensure it is one of the most memorable and cleverly crafted blockbusters of the last decade.

The film follows the story of underprivileged Eggsy, played wonderfully by Taron Egerton in his first full role, as he does his best to join The Kingsmen, a secret society of spies working to bring down evil in the world.

An absolutely marvellous Colin Firth and a slightly underused Michael Caine also play part of this group – possibly creating the poshest ensemble of characters seen in a film for years.

Naturally a spy flick isn’t complete without a villain and Samuel L Jackson is on course here to become one of the cheesiest megalomaniacs ever put to the big screen. His deliberately camp performance goes well with the dark humour throughout.

Kingsman is also genuinely funny and a real treat to watch with explosive, over-the-top visuals and beautiful scenery which utilises what the world has to offer rather than delving into the CGI drawer many directors employ nowadays.

It all feels decidedly old fashioned and all the better for it with an almost grainy quality to the production – think The Avengers TV series but with a higher budget.

The plot is top notch and whilst it may border on cliché at times, Kingsman manages to steer the story in enough directions to make sure the audience never settles into a rut, the use of our reliance on modern technology being a particular highlight.

Special effects wise, it holds up well with most other blockbusters and has just a few lapses in CGI at the start and towards the riveting finale,Taron_Egerton_SDCC_2014 though these are barely noticeable if you’re not looking hard enough.

Moreover, it is a true pleasure to sit in a film and not wonder what the producers had to cut to achieve a crowd-pleasing 12A certification. Kingsman pulls no punches, this is a violent rollercoaster ride and well deserves the BBFC 15 rating it has been given. Whether or not this hurts its box-office performance remains to be seen.

Overall, Kingsman: The Secret Service is one of the only films which combines the ever-popular spy genre with comedy and manages to keep its dignity in tact as the end credits role.

So many films, Johnny English: Reborn and Get Smart to name a couple, simply delve into slapstick territory once the writers run out of ideas – this isn’t the case here.

From its exciting plot and brutally dark humour, to the engaging performances from every single character, Kingsman: The Secret Service is simply brilliant.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/01/30/simply-brilliant-kingsman-the-secret-service-review/
  
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Deadpool 2 (2018)
2018 | Action, Comedy
A surprisingly heart-warming sequel
After the success of Deadpool, it’s natural to feel apprehensive about what comes next. Will it be as good as the first? Or will it fall flat? I was excited to see the Merc with a Mouth back again, but wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I’d thankfully managed to avoid all spoilers online, so I was excited to see what the sequel would bring to the table.

Thankfully yes – it is absolutely on par with the first, if not better. In this film we get to see a more serious, empathetic version of Wade Wilson as he’s faced with some tough experiences and decisions. Ryan Reynolds does an amazing job of portraying Wilson’s sorrow, which is far removed from what we’re used to. It certainly doesn’t take away from the film’s humour, fourth wall breaking and sarcasm, but instead adds a more complex layer to the narrative. I was surprised to find myself crying at certain points in the film due to the emotional nature. The film also parodies a lot of other films, and I’m sure on a second viewing I’ll be able to spot them all, but the ones I did catch made me laugh out loud.

I adored some of the fight scenes, including Deadpool fighting someone to Skrillex’s “Bangarang” (which has to be one of my favourite cinematic moments of 2018… so far). The soundtrack is brilliant and the use of music plays a big part in this film, effectively setting the mood whether that’s humour or sorrow. An effective soundtrack really completes a film, and I am in love with Deadpool 2’s. Not to spoil anything too much, but you’ll be greeted with the likes of George Michael, Dolly Parton and AC/DC throughout the film which is a selling point if I do say so myself.

There are so many unexpected cameos in Deadpool 2 that I won’t ruin for you, but they all brought a smile to my face and I was excited to see what each actor brought to the table! Alongside these, we see familiar faces in Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Dopinder and Weasel who all played a huge part in the first film and reciprocate this in the sequel, as well as brand new ones in vengeful cyborg Cable, ‘lucky’ Domino and out of control mutant Russell Collins.

I was so impressed with the new characters and the way they were acted, so huge praise has to be given to Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz and Julian Dennison for bringing such complex characters to life on screen. The dynamics between characters, old and new, is a joy to watch and everything is so well scripted throughout the film.

Deadpool 2 is a strong successor to the first, with a heartwarming overall message to tie the film up in a nice little bow. Oh, and remember to sit tight whilst the credits roll… this is a Marvel film after all!

https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2018/05/27/deadpool-2-a-surprisingly-heart-warming-sequel/
  
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
2017 | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Contains spoilers, click to show
Story: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri starts as Mildred Hayes (McDormand) puts up three billboards in a quiet road questioning how Willoughby (Harrelson) hasn’t solved the case of her daughter’s rape and murder. Fellow officer Dixon (Rockwell) who has a chequered past is enraged by the signs, while officer Willoughby tries to clean up the situation and prove there isn’t enough to solve the case, but with his dying he does want to solve the case before he goes.

As the billboards stay up longer, the town starts to become divided on the support in catching the killer and Mildred does to extremes in her battle with Dixon to get the case solved.

 

Thoughts on Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 

Characters – Mildred Hayes is a mother that has run out of patience when it comes to the police finding the killer off her daughter, she did have the full support of the town, but this stunt pushes the people away even if it could get her the killer to identify themselves. Willoughby is the lead investigator in the case, he has done everything he could to solve the case, but he is now facing his own battle with cancer, while keeping the peace in the town. Dixon is the hot-headed police officer that clashes with Mildred and anyone who supports her in finding out the truth.

Performances – Frances McDormand shows us that she can reach the Fargo levels whenever the material is given to her, as she shines through as the best part of this movie. Woody Harrelson is great again this year, showing us he can step into any role and be great. Sam Rockwell is wonderful too as we see that this cast is filled with talent character performers.

Story – The story shows the extremes of losing a child, the stress of noting being able to solve one of the worst cases in the town. This does turn into a character studio on the people involved and how their lives need to move on without a chance of every being able to. It is hard to describe this story in much more depth because it is interesting, it does have a lot going on that keeps us wanting to see where the film will go.

Comedy/Crime – This does use dark humour throughout as we are seeing the effects of the crime on people’s lives, don’t expect to see an investigation though, we are focusing on the relationship between the mother of the victim and the police.

Settings – The film takes place in this small town where everyone seems to know everyone, so they have all felt the effects of the crime, this helps when things start to get exposed.


Scene of the Movie – Window smashing, it is a well shot single looking take.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – The answer is frustrating.

Final Thoughts – This is a dark humour that can be enjoyed by the fans of that genre, it does have a good subject matter but doesn’t get to a level in the story that I enjoyed watching.

 

Overall: Dark comedy through a serious subject matter.

https://moviesreview101.com/2018/01/12/three-billboards-outside-ebbing-missouri-2017/