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Doctor Sleep (2019)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
2019 | Horror
the story the acting the horror (0 more)
too long and a little too evil (0 more)
bone chilling
Contains spoilers, click to show
okay so let me start by saying i love a good scare and this mostly fit the bill as such there was good story telling and developing as well the plot moved right along my only complaint is the fact the villan stole kids souls thats scary and sadly all too relavent to people today and the movie is about 30 minutes longer then needed to be but aside from that it was fantastic
  
A Dog's Purpose (2017)
A Dog's Purpose (2017)
2017 | Family
So today I decided I needed cheering up, so I got a ticket to see A Dog's Purpose. Well it'll cheer you up in the fact that there are puppies in it, but for about 80% of the film you'll be crying. I really hope that dogs do think all of those things... especially about cats. I know there was controversy about animal abuse, but after reading about the incident I've drawn my own conclusions. You'll no doubt have your own too, and that's fine... so let's leave it at that shall we?
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2340 KP) rated Much Ado About Nauticaling in Books

Jul 30, 2021 (Updated Jul 30, 2021)  
Much Ado About Nauticaling
Much Ado About Nauticaling
Gabby Allan | 2021 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I Really Was Hoping to Like This Debut
Whitney “Whit” Dagner and her brother Nick have relocated to Catalina Island. They visited their grandparents out there every summer, and now they are taking over their grandparents’ glass bottom boat business. Additionally, Whit is opening a souvenir shop in the harbor. She is enjoying her new life until she finds the body of Jules Tisdale, the recently named Person of the Year on Catalina. When the police decide that Nick is the killer, Whit jumps in to prove her brother’s innocence. Can she do it?

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. I always love Southern California settings, although it’s been years since I visited Catalina. I certainly did enjoy the setting. Overall, the book was too frenetic, however. It was trying to be funny, but much of the humor didn’t work for me. I did laugh a few times, but overall, it was too much. This effected some of the characters, too, although I did enjoy others. Despite finding the body early on, the pace was uneven, getting better the further we got into the book. While I followed the killer and motive, the ending was rushed and left some questions about earlier twists in the book. I was hoping to love this debut, but it turned out to be average.
  
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Darren Fisher (2454 KP) rated Savage in Books

Feb 27, 2023 (Updated Feb 27, 2023)  
Savage
Savage
Richard Laymon | 1993 | Crime, Horror
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Interesting Premise (0 more)
Too much cowboy malarkey (0 more)
Having read a fair few Laymon novels I looked forward to reading this one. Jack The Ripper goes West is an interesting idea but sadly runs aground. The main issue I had was that there was too much cowboy malarkey going on in the main story. The horror elements are kept as bookends for the story, which follows Trevors travels to Tombstone to attempt to halt Jack The Ripper's reign of terror. As I am not much of a fan of Western novels I found it all a bit of a slog to get through. Not one of Laymon's best by a long mile.
  
No Time to Die (2021)
No Time to Die (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure, Thriller
Daniel craig (2 more)
Lea seydoux
Aston martin
Too long (0 more)
Yes finally seen bond after 18 months of delays due to covid I've finally watched it there was a point I fought I would never see the movie. On to the review was the film any good yes was it worth the wait yes coming out the movie I would say contender for my film of the year it has everything the first 20 mins very action packed before we even get to Billie ellish singing the theme song Daniel Craig gives his best bond performance for last and what a ride its been over five movies there are twists I didn't see coming which I won't give away here the only gripe I would say too long at 2 hours 45 mins making it the longest bond movie ever could have been slightly shorter but that's my only gripe overall probably my favourite craig bond of all
  
*Copy received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

DNF at 63%.

Somehow I thought I'd like this more but it didn't grab my attention. Well that's a lie, it did for the first 15% or so. I loved the fact it was set somewhere other than America or England, like most other books I've read, and having been to Prague myself, it was interesting reading a story set there. I loved that she was an artist and drew both halves of her life; Zuzana and Brimstone but they never mixed and she had to juggle her life.

But then it all went a little odd for me. I think it was a sort of fantasy that didn't gel with me. It's not really a genre I like too much, which took me a long time to figure out.

The plot was difficult for me to gel with too. I think it was the mystery aspect. Not having any idea of Karou's background. It was like she just appeared one day.

I wasn't sure how I felt about the characters either. I cant say I felt a connection to any of them.

Not for me.
  
I received a copy of The Girl the Sea Gave back from Wednesday Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It's the second in the series but I honestly didn't feel I missed anything by not reading the first one.

I loved the short flashback to Halvard and Tova's pasts.

I saw in some reviews that people thought there was too much romance but honestly I didn't get that at all.
  
Axis: Bold as Love by Jimi Hendrix / Jimi Experience Hendrix
Axis: Bold as Love by Jimi Hendrix / Jimi Experience Hendrix
1967 | Rock
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This is a record that has been with me so long because of the hippy environment that I grew up in. When I was 11 or 12, I remember the excitement of hearing this record for the first time. There are a couple of duds on there, and that threw me off a bit. But there are so many amazing songs that show the softer side of Jimi Hendrix - incredible songwriting and more mellow stuff, and these choruses that just explode in a really dramatic way. It also triggers a funny memory for me when I think about this record… My first girlfriend - in grade seven, when I was 12 or 13 - she was the daughter of one of the teachers at the school. She was really into Hendrix and was part of the reason why I got into him. But around the time I got hold of this record, she dropped acid in gym class. She was the first person I knew to drop acid. And then her mum came up to her when she was trying to open her locker - she was the teacher - and started talking to her. I know some people find 'Little Wing' a bit too saccharine, but all those Hendrix ballads make me so nostalgic for that time and all the people that I knew and where I grew up."

Source
  
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) in Movies

Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)  
 If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
2018 | Crime, Drama, Romance
Oh man, here's another one where I wonder what I missed. I just don't see what a lot of other people see in this one.

Fairly early on I thought to myself that there seems to be a lot going on but nothing happening. My opinion didn't waver much from there.

The music was wonderful but even so it felt like it was oddly misplaced in here. I found myself actively nothing it because it didn't feel right for the setting.

When we come to the acting I found it a bit hit and miss. The only performance that really blew me away was Regina King, she's a consistently good actress and this role has already won her a lot of supporting actress critics awards. I honestly think she's very deserving of the Oscar too. I haven't seen Roma yet (it's on the list, I'm getting to it!) to compare, but Vice and The Favourite don't hold up to the standard of King's acting in this.

A lot of If Beale Street Could Talk felt like it was being artsy for the sake of it. There was a fairly long scene where we see Fonny working a bit of wood. I really couldn't see any need for it to be there, certainly not in that form. It was one of many bits that didn't seem to have much relevance. I'm a little undecided on... well... a lot of things. The voiceovers, the characters that pop up outside the main cast...

All in all it felt like there were too many things it was trying to be. A romance, a crime drama, a discourse on racial inequality? It left me with more questions than answers.

What you should do

Here we are again. I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but yet again I'm in the minority.

Movie thing you wish you could take home

I'm afraid that I was too bewildered by what was going on to pay attention to any of the things I might want... if invisible fridges really are functional though I'd be interested in one.
  
A History of Britain in 21 Women: A Personal Selection
A History of Britain in 21 Women: A Personal Selection
Jenni Murray | 2016 | Gender Studies
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Almost perfect selection
This would have received the full ten stars if it didn't include Margaret Thatcher and play down the anti-Semitism shown by Nancy Astor.

Absolutely brilliant otherwise, incredibly informative and interesting - and while I did think for a while there was a heavy influence from the Suffragette circle - I believe it was still well deserved. Hats off to Jenni Murray for bringing many of these hidden women to the forefront. And while there was a lack of women of colour, it seems to be the general standpoint for now that they too are invisible.