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IL
Indivisible Line
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Two people, thrown together by coincidence develop a bond that goes much deeper than blood. Sarah and Greg experience loss, injury and much more as they come to realise that, when all is said and done, love is really all they needed from the start.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new offering from Font and found it to be a delightful little romance that was easy to read, yet full of twists and turns as Greg and Sarah tried to work out their feelings for each other. The plot itself does, at first glance, seem somewhat familiar - girl meets boy, two different worlds, and all that usual jazz - but this is Font we're talking about, and you can feel from the first few chapters that there is going to be something more in this story. In true style, Font throws in adversity and drama from the off, never overdoing the 'woe is me' that Sarah could play on, but keeping a perfect balance between angst and romance.

Characterisation is something that I am always on the look out for, and Font, as usual, delivers a super cast who you engage with and find quite easy to relate to. Sarah is as stubborn as a mule, but it works more as an endearing feature than a character flaw. You root for her, you want her life to come good, you want her to find that happiness you know she deserves. Greg is an enigma at first, and he never really sheds that persona until much later in the story, but again, it is an endearing part of his character, rather than a flaw. The supporting ensemble of Lily, Trimble, Matilda and Simon are equally enjoyable to read, helping at key points to be a stable feature for Sarah and Greg during times of need.

If there was one thing I could quibble over it would be, and I'm being super nit-picky here, the pace. Personally, I found the pace to be a little slow in places, but note the 'in places' - at other times, it was splendid and pulled you right into the story so that you had to keep reading. Once you reach 50%, the book is near impossible to put down, but I guess I just wanted that momentum there from a little earlier on rather than taking that extra bit of time. Like I said, nit-picky, but that's me!

Something I felt was done exceedingly well in this book was the emotion, be it Sarah's sadness, confusion, love or Greg's anger, worry or determination - it was all there and it was all believable from start to finish. I got exasperated when both Sarah and Greg were being daft and not noticing the signs, I cried for most of the last 10% (no spoilers in my reviews, but seriously, get yourself some tissues at 89%!) and I gasped in shock as plot twists hit me out of nowhere (you'd think I'd be used to this after reading Font's other works, but she totally got me again). It was written with excellent skill and balance, and I have to give praise where it's due, because Font did a fantastic job of making the emotions pour out of the page and straight into your heart.

And so, the end of another review. To conclude, it was a very enjoyable read and one I'll be recommending to friends and family ahead of that poolside reading time we call summer holidays. Characters, emotion, plot - all the key elements were there and it was, as always, a very well written story from start to finish. Well done Lorenz Font, you've written another super story that will no doubt be one I shall return to read one day in the future.

*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
  
TS
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This jumps us right back into the story after the end of the first. If you have not read the first book one should really begin there.
In the second book we get a new voice along with Bel and it is a refreshing addition. New threats are gained just as old are defeated. Petra is added as the second voice. I had thought it would be Col her fiance but I found having Petra was better. She sounded a bit like Bel as the author didn't do a great job of differentiating the differences in personality but it was still refreshing to see a different POV.
As with the first book you need to hang in there for the first part in order to get to the fast paced action. That happens later in the book. I understand why two POV were needed as the book continued. Bel became quite hard to follow by the end of the book.
A good addition to the series that revolves around politics, marriage, and friendship.
  
Ghost Ship (2002)
Ghost Ship (2002)
2002 | Horror
7
6.8 (15 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Better than expected
I feel like Ghost Ship is a rather underrated horror film. It may be a little dated now and it definitely shows it in the special effects, but it’s a lot more enjoyable than current modern horrors. It starts off with a bang, and continues with a lot of gore throughout the film. It isn’t the scariest of films which is a shame, but at least it doesn’t rely on cheesy jump scares. It’s got a great cast, and I hadn’t realised Karl Urban was in this which was a nice surprised. The characters may be slightly underdeveloped and there are some characters that come to rather unsatisfying ends, but I found that the twist ending more than makes up for some of these short comings. Whatever you think this film might be, I’d be surprised if you could predict how it turns out. It reminds me a little of Event Horizon at sea, and if it had been a little creepier and satisfying, it’d actually be a very good film.
  
Moonlight (2016)
Moonlight (2016)
2016 | Drama
Good story, if a little dull
I’ve always found Oscar winners to be a bit hit and miss, and the majority are never quite as good as the accolades seem to suggest. Sadly for me Moonlight falls into this category.

You can’t fault the acting, everyone in this is truly fantastic. The story itself is fairly unique and the structure of it focusing on the same character at three different times in his life is a smart move. The problem with this film though is that is comes across as a bit dull and boring. While the basic premise is interesting and there are some good scenes, the full story seems to suffer and I’m actually quite glad I didn’t see this at the cinema as I can imagine sitting there quite bored. There is also an unexplained disappearance of a character which is really quite strange, and I find the evolution and development (or lack thereof) of the main character a little disappointing. It’s frustrating when you don’t feel that a character has really changed, especially in a coming of age story.
  
40x40

Allison Knapp (118 KP) Jan 19, 2019

I still haven't seen this movie, but I was angry when it stole the best picture Oscar from La La Land, which happens to be one of my favorite movies.

Night and Fog in Japan (1960)
Night and Fog in Japan (1960)
1960 | Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"Next is a documentary called Night and Fog by Alain Resnais, which is a story of then and now, of concentration camps. That had a major influence on me, again, for the poetry, if you can call it that, of the documentary, but also the way he used time, the way he used two time zones, two sets of material, to make his point, and to give the film, which obviously had some astounding, alarming images in it, but without a lot of babble, of explanation, by contrasting what it once was and what it is now. It was very moving to me, and I think that was inspirational, again, in the [Up] films I did with these children, which I’m still doing. But I could see how you could time travel in documentary, and it makes both sets of material more powerful. Of course, the film is incredibly powerful anyway. But nonetheless, he’d found a style of doing it, a way of doing it… It’s just, the power of those images, without endless babble, was, to me, a very strong lesson."

Source
  
A Bout de Souffle (Breathless) (1960)
A Bout de Souffle (Breathless) (1960)
1960 | Crime, Drama
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"You can’t draw up a list of movies without including Godard, because he is one of the greatest experimenters of the art form. He has always looked for something else, something that goes beyond, and he’s never stopped this quest. Breathless is very important to me because it was the first film I ever saw that actually surprised me and deeply impressed me. I was about fifteen or sixteen, and up until then I’d only seen commercial movies, so this really overwhelmed me and rocked my world. For the first time, my idea of what a film could be was broadened, and in my mind it took on so many different nuances. I was like somebody who had always thought that sweetness could only be found in sugar and then learned that there are thousands of different ways of tasting it. Breathless made me understand that what film allows you to do is explore many different territories and narrative possibilities and that there is an entire world out there."

Source
  
Murder of a Mail-Order Bride
Murder of a Mail-Order Bride
Mimi Granger | 2022 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
After Marriage Comes Murder
Long time bachelor Al Little has found a bride thanks to the internet, and he is thrilled that Svetlana is coming to town. Lizzie Hale, owner of the romance bookstore in Tinker’s Cover, Ohio, gets roped into helping make sure their first meeting and their wedding is perfectly romantic. But when Svetlana turns up dead in the middle of the reception, the question becomes, who would want to kill a new comer to town?

This is a strong second book. The plot kept me engaged the entire time. I did guess a couple of plot points early, but there were so many more I didn’t see coming, including the ending. The book is focused on the new characters central to this mystery, and they are all strong. We do have a small core cast of characters who are back, and they are fun. I also enjoy watching Lizzie’s romantic life, which is a great romantic comedy sub-plot. If you are looking for a slight twist on a cozy mystery set up, this is a series you will love.
  
Kinsey and Me: Stories
Kinsey and Me: Stories
Sue Grafton | 2013 | Biography
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Short Stories and Essays
This book breaks down into two unequal sections. The first roughly 70% is made up of nine short stories featuring Kinsey Millhone, PI in Santa Teresa. She solves a murder with a disappearing body and a case of a man who fell off his roof. She also gets involved when an actor gets kidnapped.

The back section featuring thirteen vignettes as author Sue Grafton reflects on her life growing up with a functioning alcoholic father and a destructive alcoholic mother. While she admits they are autobiographical, she frames them around a character named Kit.

Fans of Kinsey will delight in these nine stories, all previous published, but decades ago so hard to track down outside this collection now. Personally, I found the back section depressing, but I suspect these stories were theopoetic for Ms. Grafton to write, and I can see others benefiting from them, too.

Overall, fans of the series will enjoy the collection. If you are new to the series, you can jump in here, too, and meet Kinsey without ruining any of fun of the novels.
  
Back Together Again (The Wish Makers #5)
Back Together Again (The Wish Makers #5)
Shawn McGuire | 2016 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
In this bitter-sweet finale, it's not just Ainsley (the wishee) who has to face uncomfortable truths, Desiree does too. With Mystic Lodge in permanent chaos, some Guides welcome change, some don't. Kaf is back but Desiree doesn't know why. Olanna continues to be her own unhappy self, causing trouble for Desiree whenever she can. It is through this mire that Desiree needs to face her own truths and do what she knows is right.

In this final book, Shawn McGuire continues with her amazing storytelling. This could have been dark and depressing, considering the topics raised, but no! Instead, this book will leave you feeling encouraged and hopeful for the future.

Exceptionally well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I found, this book is guaranteed to sweep you away. 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!
May 8, 2016