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Debbiereadsbook (1440 KP) rated Reveal (Hidden Cove Season4, #4) in Books
Sep 29, 2019
bloody LOVED this book!
I was gifted the audio file of this book, that I write a review was not required, but I gotta, oh yeah, I GOTTA!!
I have not READ this book, just listened, so if my review lines blur, I’m sorry, but I’m not sure I can split the narration from the story itself, and I ususally at least TRY to.
Jason is a geek, a rocket scientist for God’s sake. Channing, a firefighter. They really don’t have much in common, other than a childhood of living next door to each other. So when Channing rescues Jason from the taunting that is a constant in his life from the guys at work, Jason does the only thing he thinks of, and asks Channing to be his *fake* boyfriend for a weekend work retreat. And Channing, the darling that he is, of course, says yes!
Oh! I LOVED these guys! I really did!
Jason is out and mostly proud. The guys at work make it hard for him though. Channing has only ever been with girls. But he thinks nothing of touching Jason, kissing him! Channing is, quite possibly, my favourite Ms Welch character! I loved how, while things creep up on Channing, when he questions them, to his best friend, Remi is, like *duh* well of course you are bisexual, you silly man!
When it all hits the fan, and their *fake* relationship is discovered, I loved how both men, separately and independently of each other, decided that they would wait for the other to make their own minds up, whether they wanted *this* to be real. Even if it meant they broke their hearts and had to walk away from the other. They did, of course they did, but it was painful but beautiful listening, as Jason dug deep into himself and found his TRUE self, not the one he THOUGHT he should be.
Nick J Russo narrates this book. And he does a cracking job!
His voices for Jason and Channing are different and distinctive, showing the marked differences in the lives so far. His reading voice is clear and even, and its part of why I love this narrator so much: his deep clear reading voice. You know the one, the one is telling the story. It makes for such easy listening, to a deaf head like me.
The voices for ALL the characters are clear, and I had no trouble keeping up with multi person conversations. I am intrigued by several of the supporting cast now, simply because of the voices that Russo gives them here! Remi and Kris especially! Harrison too.
Russo gets over all of Jason wish that they can work this out, that it be real. He gets over all of Channing’s dawning realisation of his true feelings for Jason, and we get all that love pouring out.
A narrator can only read the words they have been given, though and Ms Welch smashes this one out the park! Well, that was what I *THOUGHT* when I finished listening to this, I thought this was my favourite of this author so far. But before writing THIS review, I read Homeward Bound (Pine Cove #3) and now?? I can’t split them!
So, thank you, Ms Welch, for making the start of my work day a little more pleasant and thank you to Mr Russo for bringing these men to my ear (singular, like, cos one don’t work!)
5 full and oh so very cute stars for the book and the narration.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I have not READ this book, just listened, so if my review lines blur, I’m sorry, but I’m not sure I can split the narration from the story itself, and I ususally at least TRY to.
Jason is a geek, a rocket scientist for God’s sake. Channing, a firefighter. They really don’t have much in common, other than a childhood of living next door to each other. So when Channing rescues Jason from the taunting that is a constant in his life from the guys at work, Jason does the only thing he thinks of, and asks Channing to be his *fake* boyfriend for a weekend work retreat. And Channing, the darling that he is, of course, says yes!
Oh! I LOVED these guys! I really did!
Jason is out and mostly proud. The guys at work make it hard for him though. Channing has only ever been with girls. But he thinks nothing of touching Jason, kissing him! Channing is, quite possibly, my favourite Ms Welch character! I loved how, while things creep up on Channing, when he questions them, to his best friend, Remi is, like *duh* well of course you are bisexual, you silly man!
When it all hits the fan, and their *fake* relationship is discovered, I loved how both men, separately and independently of each other, decided that they would wait for the other to make their own minds up, whether they wanted *this* to be real. Even if it meant they broke their hearts and had to walk away from the other. They did, of course they did, but it was painful but beautiful listening, as Jason dug deep into himself and found his TRUE self, not the one he THOUGHT he should be.
Nick J Russo narrates this book. And he does a cracking job!
His voices for Jason and Channing are different and distinctive, showing the marked differences in the lives so far. His reading voice is clear and even, and its part of why I love this narrator so much: his deep clear reading voice. You know the one, the one is telling the story. It makes for such easy listening, to a deaf head like me.
The voices for ALL the characters are clear, and I had no trouble keeping up with multi person conversations. I am intrigued by several of the supporting cast now, simply because of the voices that Russo gives them here! Remi and Kris especially! Harrison too.
Russo gets over all of Jason wish that they can work this out, that it be real. He gets over all of Channing’s dawning realisation of his true feelings for Jason, and we get all that love pouring out.
A narrator can only read the words they have been given, though and Ms Welch smashes this one out the park! Well, that was what I *THOUGHT* when I finished listening to this, I thought this was my favourite of this author so far. But before writing THIS review, I read Homeward Bound (Pine Cove #3) and now?? I can’t split them!
So, thank you, Ms Welch, for making the start of my work day a little more pleasant and thank you to Mr Russo for bringing these men to my ear (singular, like, cos one don’t work!)
5 full and oh so very cute stars for the book and the narration.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Trespassers (2019) in Movies
Oct 30, 2019
Not Memorable In the Slightest
In Trespassers, two couples looking for a weekend respite wind up getting way more than what they bargained for when a stranger randomly shows up.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Things get off to such a good start, it makes me wish they had managed to keep this intensity for the rest of the movie. Your “What the hell?” moment comes extremely early and you know it’s only a matter of time before things reach that level of craziness again. When I watched the first ten minutes, I expected to be in for a serious treat. I was wrong…
Characters: 4
Cinematography/Visuals: 1
The film is shot in such a way that doesn’t do the best job of capturing the intensity of the moment. It left me wondering what director Orson Oblowitz was going for. It was uneven at best, feeling professional in some spots and juvenile in others.
Conflict: 8
From the moment that stranger shows up, the intensity ratchets up way high. There are a number of scare moments to keep you entertained. I also appreciated the interpersonal turmoil as well between the couples. From jump, you get the feeling that something is off and slowly each layer of the onion is peeled back.
Entertainment Value: 6
I would have been way more entertained had I given two shits about the characters involved. They all felt expendable to me which made it hard to reman rooted in the story. There are some pretty solid moments to be had, but there was definitely something lacking.
Memorability: 3
As I write this review, Tresspassers is playing in the background. I’ve already found myself saying a couple times, “Oh, that’s right! That happened!” The movie as a whole lacks staying power. When it’s all said and done, it doesn’t really stick to your ribs.
Pace: 5
Plot: 2
Resolution: 7
Overall: 56
There are certain movies you can only watch once and be done with them. Then there are movies that you can avoid altogether. Kind of like Tresspassers. Save your time on this one.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Things get off to such a good start, it makes me wish they had managed to keep this intensity for the rest of the movie. Your “What the hell?” moment comes extremely early and you know it’s only a matter of time before things reach that level of craziness again. When I watched the first ten minutes, I expected to be in for a serious treat. I was wrong…
Characters: 4
Cinematography/Visuals: 1
The film is shot in such a way that doesn’t do the best job of capturing the intensity of the moment. It left me wondering what director Orson Oblowitz was going for. It was uneven at best, feeling professional in some spots and juvenile in others.
Conflict: 8
From the moment that stranger shows up, the intensity ratchets up way high. There are a number of scare moments to keep you entertained. I also appreciated the interpersonal turmoil as well between the couples. From jump, you get the feeling that something is off and slowly each layer of the onion is peeled back.
Entertainment Value: 6
I would have been way more entertained had I given two shits about the characters involved. They all felt expendable to me which made it hard to reman rooted in the story. There are some pretty solid moments to be had, but there was definitely something lacking.
Memorability: 3
As I write this review, Tresspassers is playing in the background. I’ve already found myself saying a couple times, “Oh, that’s right! That happened!” The movie as a whole lacks staying power. When it’s all said and done, it doesn’t really stick to your ribs.
Pace: 5
Plot: 2
Resolution: 7
Overall: 56
There are certain movies you can only watch once and be done with them. Then there are movies that you can avoid altogether. Kind of like Tresspassers. Save your time on this one.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Zodiac in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also find my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/june-29th-2016
Firstly I'd like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this book in an exchange for a review.
<b><i>"How much worse would the world be if everyone was colour-coded? If people thought they could tell someone's essence at a glance, and discrimination became purely thoughtless? … Maybe people wouldn't spend so much time making sure they acted, sounded and thought the same as their neighbours, if they weren't terrified of being mistaken for the wrong sign. Maybe they'd realise how arbitrary it truly was."</b></i>
This was such a tricky debut novel. The premise was incredibly unique and intriguing that it almost became difficult for the author to live up to the expectations of the plot. Not to say that all debut crime novels are crap but this was such a complex story that I think only really experienced writers like Stephen King or even Gillian Flynn could have shaped it into what it was supposed to be.
I was initially attracted to this book because of the front cover and because the idea of a society where you are segregated by your star sign is a really interesting and unique twist on a look at modern society. Plus I love a crime thriller and had read some good things about this already.
To my disappointment, I felt this started off really slow. I almost couldn’t get into it, but I decided to push myself to continue reading. Only at around 30 - 40% did I finally start to enjoy this. I think a big problem for me was the writing. I often found it a bit clunky and overly descriptive, plus a few spelling and grammar mistakes threw me off. <b>(I hope there's a lot of proofreading before this gets published!)</b>
Though the plot got better, more fast paced and more exciting I still found it difficult to like any of the characters. Burton was a little pretentious and overly insecure. Lindi was as useful as a medium. Mendez was a little bitch. Daniel was mopey and selfish. Cray was your typical dislikable teen gangster. Bram was needy and childish. Maria was supposed to be a kind character but all she did was resent her job and her life. Maybe I’m being a little harsh but I found it difficult to like or relate to any of them.
I felt there was a lot left unsaid when it came to the characters too. Like what happened between Burton and his wife? They were completely fine and loved up one minute and then the next he was saying <i>“he knew she was separating from his life”</i>, but why? Also after the whole Bram <i>thing</i>, he said <i>”Justice was coming for them all”</i> but again, when did that happen in the novel?
Unfortunately I predicted the twist before the 50% mark, I don’t think it was that hard to guess, so that took away some of the excitement of finding out what was going on and getting our killers motive. By the time we find out who our killer is and the Aries people are rising up it all got too confusing for me. There was too much going on in each scene that my mind couldn't focus on any of it!
I’ve given this 3 stars because there was a good story line there and at times some quite nice writing but it was a mediocre book in my mind, not particularly memorable.
On another note, the Ram Squad reminded me of the all the different gangs in Saints Row and the entire Ariesville had a very Gotham vibe to it.
Firstly I'd like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this book in an exchange for a review.
<b><i>"How much worse would the world be if everyone was colour-coded? If people thought they could tell someone's essence at a glance, and discrimination became purely thoughtless? … Maybe people wouldn't spend so much time making sure they acted, sounded and thought the same as their neighbours, if they weren't terrified of being mistaken for the wrong sign. Maybe they'd realise how arbitrary it truly was."</b></i>
This was such a tricky debut novel. The premise was incredibly unique and intriguing that it almost became difficult for the author to live up to the expectations of the plot. Not to say that all debut crime novels are crap but this was such a complex story that I think only really experienced writers like Stephen King or even Gillian Flynn could have shaped it into what it was supposed to be.
I was initially attracted to this book because of the front cover and because the idea of a society where you are segregated by your star sign is a really interesting and unique twist on a look at modern society. Plus I love a crime thriller and had read some good things about this already.
To my disappointment, I felt this started off really slow. I almost couldn’t get into it, but I decided to push myself to continue reading. Only at around 30 - 40% did I finally start to enjoy this. I think a big problem for me was the writing. I often found it a bit clunky and overly descriptive, plus a few spelling and grammar mistakes threw me off. <b>(I hope there's a lot of proofreading before this gets published!)</b>
Though the plot got better, more fast paced and more exciting I still found it difficult to like any of the characters. Burton was a little pretentious and overly insecure. Lindi was as useful as a medium. Mendez was a little bitch. Daniel was mopey and selfish. Cray was your typical dislikable teen gangster. Bram was needy and childish. Maria was supposed to be a kind character but all she did was resent her job and her life. Maybe I’m being a little harsh but I found it difficult to like or relate to any of them.
I felt there was a lot left unsaid when it came to the characters too. Like what happened between Burton and his wife? They were completely fine and loved up one minute and then the next he was saying <i>“he knew she was separating from his life”</i>, but why? Also after the whole Bram <i>thing</i>, he said <i>”Justice was coming for them all”</i> but again, when did that happen in the novel?
Unfortunately I predicted the twist before the 50% mark, I don’t think it was that hard to guess, so that took away some of the excitement of finding out what was going on and getting our killers motive. By the time we find out who our killer is and the Aries people are rising up it all got too confusing for me. There was too much going on in each scene that my mind couldn't focus on any of it!
I’ve given this 3 stars because there was a good story line there and at times some quite nice writing but it was a mediocre book in my mind, not particularly memorable.
On another note, the Ram Squad reminded me of the all the different gangs in Saints Row and the entire Ariesville had a very Gotham vibe to it.
Lindsay (1760 KP) rated Best Buddies: What's in a Name? in Books
Jun 18, 2023
Are you looking for a cute picture book for your child or children? I may have found one on a homeless person and a little dog. It is called Best Buddies: What's in a Name? It is a short introduction about a homeless person and finding a stray dog. What will they become as they start to bond? Bob decides on a name to call the dog he encounters.
This dog has found a Bob. What is the name for naming a dog? Will he be called Rover or Scruffy or something completely different? You will need to read the book to find out what the name of the dog will be called. Bob seems to struggle one naming his new cute homeless dog.
Children will learn about homelessness and caring for a dog in this sweet, adorable introduction to this book. The pictures are done quite well and are colorful. It is more of an introduction to the series of the main two characters than anything. We are introduced to Bob briefly and to Luke, but this book deals with figuring out what to name the cute little homeless dog Bob found.
What adventures will it hold for them as the stories go on? Children will find this book easy to read and understand as well. Parents will enjoy seeing their children learn about homelessness and other teachable moments. Children may even learn about kindness as well.
This dog has found a Bob. What is the name for naming a dog? Will he be called Rover or Scruffy or something completely different? You will need to read the book to find out what the name of the dog will be called. Bob seems to struggle one naming his new cute homeless dog.
Children will learn about homelessness and caring for a dog in this sweet, adorable introduction to this book. The pictures are done quite well and are colorful. It is more of an introduction to the series of the main two characters than anything. We are introduced to Bob briefly and to Luke, but this book deals with figuring out what to name the cute little homeless dog Bob found.
What adventures will it hold for them as the stories go on? Children will find this book easy to read and understand as well. Parents will enjoy seeing their children learn about homelessness and other teachable moments. Children may even learn about kindness as well.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Days of Wine and Roquefort (A Cheese Shop Mystery, #5) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
With her life slow for a few weeks, Charlotte has agreed to let Matthew’s friend Noelle stay with her until Noelle’s new rental is ready to move into. Noelle has just moved to town to work for a winery in the area, but the day before she starts her new job, she turns up murdered. Who could she have angered that much in the little time she’d been in town?
Overall, I found the plot much better than in the previous book of the series. It stayed on track and kept giving us new clues to the identity of the killer. I do wish Charlotte would show more respect to the police chief, especially when he gets on her for investigating, but overall I love the characters as well.
You can read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-days-of-wine-and-roquefort.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Overall, I found the plot much better than in the previous book of the series. It stayed on track and kept giving us new clues to the identity of the killer. I do wish Charlotte would show more respect to the police chief, especially when he gets on her for investigating, but overall I love the characters as well.
You can read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-days-of-wine-and-roquefort.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mo (66 KP) rated Bonded in Blood in Books
Jul 25, 2018
exciting plot (3 more)
subtle twists
Not cheesy
Not- teen drama heavy
some points in the book are unexplained (1 more)
contradicts itself in a big way
A really good book
This book was actually a good read. I was a bit skeptical when I found out it was a vampire story. However, it was very well done. It did not go over the top with the focus on vampires, it did not totally steer away from the plot like other vampire based books recently. It is not some cheesy teen drama with vampires book. It was a book with a bit of romance in places, a bit of vampire-centricity in others, and a lot of action, and a nice concise story. It did leave some questions hanging which really ruins the immersion, but you can look past them and enjoy the book. The next one looks really cool, and I will be reading that in the future.
Joe (2 more)
Twists
Dark humour
Sympathetic stalker.
Joe is an intelligent book store worker and he's not bad looking either. Problem is he might just be a psychopath. He becomes obsessed with women he believes are the one and from there on out he sets out to make them his and protect them no matter what that takes.
It has an underlying theme of dark humor with many finding the character of Joe to be incredibly sympathetic despite his actions and I did quite often find myself laughing at the series. I devoured it in 2 days and just couldn't stop watching despite the fact that I didn't feel at all sympathetic towards his victim Beck and even at times found her quite annoying and pathetic.
You looks set to be one of Netflixs biggest TV hits for this year and with a sequel already in development it's certainly worth a good binge.
It has an underlying theme of dark humor with many finding the character of Joe to be incredibly sympathetic despite his actions and I did quite often find myself laughing at the series. I devoured it in 2 days and just couldn't stop watching despite the fact that I didn't feel at all sympathetic towards his victim Beck and even at times found her quite annoying and pathetic.
You looks set to be one of Netflixs biggest TV hits for this year and with a sequel already in development it's certainly worth a good binge.
David McK (3562 KP) rated The Maharajah's General (Jack Lark, #2) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Following [a: Paul Fraser Collard|7024929|Paul Fraser Collard|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1368086413p2/7024929.jpg]'s [b: The Scarlet Thief|18752323|The Scarlet Thief|Paul Fraser Collard|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383577532s/18752323.jpg|24752025] (which dealt primarily with the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War), you would be forgiven for thinking that the Jack Lark series as a whole would be set during such war.
That's not the case.
Instead, in this, we move to an even further outpost of the British Imperial Empire: to India, to be precise, with Jack Lark impersonating a different officer than before.
I don't want to give too much away - suffice it to say that things do not always go to plan and that Jack finds himself caught up in the beginnings of the Indian Mutiny: a mutiny which, in retrospect, was no surprise given the way they were treated!
I have to say, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable 'Boys Own' style of read!
That's not the case.
Instead, in this, we move to an even further outpost of the British Imperial Empire: to India, to be precise, with Jack Lark impersonating a different officer than before.
I don't want to give too much away - suffice it to say that things do not always go to plan and that Jack finds himself caught up in the beginnings of the Indian Mutiny: a mutiny which, in retrospect, was no surprise given the way they were treated!
I have to say, I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable 'Boys Own' style of read!
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Herland, the Yellow Wall-Paper, and Selected Writings in Books
Jul 2, 2019
This was both fun and grim
This was an interesting book and for all you feminists out there, quite amusing. The author covered a range of issues which are still relevant today such as, the way food is grown, cultivated and harvested, the values of being kind to the earth. It covered the way that children are educated. There is an excellent piece on religion which I personally found amusing, being an atheist. Considering the time period in which the novella was written, this book is like a mirror on society, especially a patriarchal society.
The sentence structure is clunky, annoyingly long but typical of late Victorian work. The ending is frustrating as it is left wide open without answers. Yet putting that aside, I really liked it. It is not my ideal female utopia, but I am sure for Perkins, in an oppressive male dominated society, it was.
The sentence structure is clunky, annoyingly long but typical of late Victorian work. The ending is frustrating as it is left wide open without answers. Yet putting that aside, I really liked it. It is not my ideal female utopia, but I am sure for Perkins, in an oppressive male dominated society, it was.
Innocent: A Murdered Son. A Grieving Mother. The Fight to Clear Her Name.
Book
This is sunday times bestseller. 'I couldn't grieve for him. I couldn't speak to any of my family....