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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Keeper (DCI Antonia Hawkins, #3) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read it here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-keeper-by-alastair-gunn
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<i>No interesting quote for this book I'm afraid...</i>
This started badly, for me. Theres nothing like starting a new detective book and being planted in the middle of a therapy session. Who would have thought a senior police officer who has enough baggage to need therapy? Well I never! Thats something Ive only seen done 1 million times before <i>sigh.</i> Thank God it picked up with the excitement afterwards because I wasnt interested in Hawkins anxiety or love life.
This was by no means unique to other detective novels out there. They all have the same sort of plot and characters and themes, but this one did keep me more interested than some of the others Ive read, purely because there was a humorous side to it as well as the serious side too.
This had some really exciting moments and it had some really drawn out, drab moments where we were repeatedly updated on how the case was going, even though we already knew cause we were reading the book so I think a lot of this novel could have been cut down to make a shorter novel. 400 pages is quite a lot for a detective series novel, especially one where theres not a lot of evidence or leads to the case. This really was up and down, up and down, the whole way through. I lost interest so much in some places that I was completely distracted while reading it but then when we got onto a big reveal or breakthrough part, I rushed through it to know what happened next! There were some really great edge of the seat, nail biting moments! It was quite the hit and miss story.
As far as characters go, there werent any that I really connected with very well, but none of them were dislikable people. It could get a bit confusing to remember who was who because theyd go from their first name to their last name, back to their first name and then their last name again etc etc. It would have been nice to have some consistency with what the author called them.
This was by far a 3 star read until the twist at the end. I mean, really, I should have seen it coming, Ive read a million crime thrillers before, but I just hadnt suspected this one! Really, there were two twists at the end of this, the first one shocked me and then the second one I was expecting because of the first. The ending of this novel was really thrilling and nerve-wracking, it was a great way to finish it off.
Also, considering this is the third novel in a series (something Netgalley hadnt made me aware of when I requested it!) this did really well as a standalone novel. I didnt feel like I was missing any part of the characters stories, even when it came to the subject of Hawkins therapy sessions.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<i>No interesting quote for this book I'm afraid...</i>
This started badly, for me. Theres nothing like starting a new detective book and being planted in the middle of a therapy session. Who would have thought a senior police officer who has enough baggage to need therapy? Well I never! Thats something Ive only seen done 1 million times before <i>sigh.</i> Thank God it picked up with the excitement afterwards because I wasnt interested in Hawkins anxiety or love life.
This was by no means unique to other detective novels out there. They all have the same sort of plot and characters and themes, but this one did keep me more interested than some of the others Ive read, purely because there was a humorous side to it as well as the serious side too.
This had some really exciting moments and it had some really drawn out, drab moments where we were repeatedly updated on how the case was going, even though we already knew cause we were reading the book so I think a lot of this novel could have been cut down to make a shorter novel. 400 pages is quite a lot for a detective series novel, especially one where theres not a lot of evidence or leads to the case. This really was up and down, up and down, the whole way through. I lost interest so much in some places that I was completely distracted while reading it but then when we got onto a big reveal or breakthrough part, I rushed through it to know what happened next! There were some really great edge of the seat, nail biting moments! It was quite the hit and miss story.
As far as characters go, there werent any that I really connected with very well, but none of them were dislikable people. It could get a bit confusing to remember who was who because theyd go from their first name to their last name, back to their first name and then their last name again etc etc. It would have been nice to have some consistency with what the author called them.
This was by far a 3 star read until the twist at the end. I mean, really, I should have seen it coming, Ive read a million crime thrillers before, but I just hadnt suspected this one! Really, there were two twists at the end of this, the first one shocked me and then the second one I was expecting because of the first. The ending of this novel was really thrilling and nerve-wracking, it was a great way to finish it off.
Also, considering this is the third novel in a series (something Netgalley hadnt made me aware of when I requested it!) this did really well as a standalone novel. I didnt feel like I was missing any part of the characters stories, even when it came to the subject of Hawkins therapy sessions.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Brett Anderson recommended The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths in Music (curated)
Dean (6927 KP) rated Deception (2008) in Movies
Apr 30, 2019
An very good cast, a good idea but a poor-ish execution only make this an ok thriller. I had high hopes for a lot more but the title alone really gives any idea of a twist away right from the start which was annoying. Hugh Jackman was very good in his role I thought and there are some appearances from Natasha Henstridge (Species, Ghost of Mars) and Maggie Q (Die Hard 4). However it is all too straight forward to work out if you have seen any decent thriller before. Ok for a look but nothing special, you might prefer Derailed instead.
Mothergamer (1592 KP) rated Animal Crossing: New Horizons in Video Games
Jun 22, 2021
I finally got a chance to play Animal Crossing New Horizons. I have loved Animal Crossing since the Gamecube so it was great to be able to check this one out. There is a lot to do and it's real time so you can take your time with each thing. Being able to visit my friends on their islands and having them come visit me was a lot of fun. The crafting aspect of Animal Crossing is great too and adds an extra layer to the game. You can read the full review here: http://mg28-mothergamer.blogspot.com/2021/06/mothergamer-finally-plays-animal.html
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Dinner with a Vampire (The Dark Heroine, #1) in Books
Sep 5, 2019
For me this was one of those books where you say you're going to read to the end of the next chapter but then cant resist reading more because it's too intriguing not to.
I loved Kaspar from early on, even though he was a pompous, stuck up his own ass Prince. He's one of those characters who grows on you, especially when he let's his guard down and shows his slightly softer side.
From how it ended i'm assuming there will be a second book and I will happily read it when it comes out.
I loved Kaspar from early on, even though he was a pompous, stuck up his own ass Prince. He's one of those characters who grows on you, especially when he let's his guard down and shows his slightly softer side.
From how it ended i'm assuming there will be a second book and I will happily read it when it comes out.
Emma (519 KP) rated The Cuckoo's Calling in Books
Jun 9, 2019
I read this book for my monthly book club, I was a bit dubious about reading it for two reasons- number one, I don't usually read crime fiction and number two, knowing it was J K Rowling and how much I love Harry Potter, I didn't know if I would like it.
All that being said I absolutely loved it, just as ahe does with Harry Potter she gives the characters so much depth and background you feel like you actually know them. I love the character of Cormoran Strike and the relationship he has with Robin.
I also like the fact there were no clues given away at all to indicate how the book will end which kept me interested all the way through.
Needless to say I will absolutely be reading the next few books in the series.
All that being said I absolutely loved it, just as ahe does with Harry Potter she gives the characters so much depth and background you feel like you actually know them. I love the character of Cormoran Strike and the relationship he has with Robin.
I also like the fact there were no clues given away at all to indicate how the book will end which kept me interested all the way through.
Needless to say I will absolutely be reading the next few books in the series.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Fire Inside (Chaos, #2) in Books
Jan 8, 2021
4.5
I really, really, really liked this book! The only problem I had was it’s length (I seem to have a thing about really long books where I cant read them all at once and have to break them up with other books). There was something about it that just dragged me in and kept me reading. Maybe it was the way Hopper treated Lanie like a lady, simply because she came from a better background than him but still treated everyone fairly. Or his way of talking and thinking because he talked a lot of sense and did a lot of nice things for Lanie.
He was so easy to fall for.
There were two quotes I really liked: “Honey,” I called and his head came up. “You have a monster too.”
“I did. My woman just slayed it.”
And:
He lifted his head and looked down at me. “Have it all now, I made a baby outta love.”
He was killing me.
“Stop making me cry and kiss me.”
Both show Hop’s sweeter side and made me all awwwww…
The only downside for me was that this was my first book by Kristen Ashley, even though I have two other books by her on my Kindle, and I hadn’t read the others to understand the back story of Lanie and her relationship with her previous fiancé Elliott.
Please note: It doesn’t take away from the story at all if you haven’t read it, as it is explained throughout Fire Inside but I personally would have liked to read Lanie’s back story first.
Nevertheless, this was an amazing insight into a motorcycle club and a really nice love story. I love it!
I really, really, really liked this book! The only problem I had was it’s length (I seem to have a thing about really long books where I cant read them all at once and have to break them up with other books). There was something about it that just dragged me in and kept me reading. Maybe it was the way Hopper treated Lanie like a lady, simply because she came from a better background than him but still treated everyone fairly. Or his way of talking and thinking because he talked a lot of sense and did a lot of nice things for Lanie.
He was so easy to fall for.
There were two quotes I really liked: “Honey,” I called and his head came up. “You have a monster too.”
“I did. My woman just slayed it.”
And:
He lifted his head and looked down at me. “Have it all now, I made a baby outta love.”
He was killing me.
“Stop making me cry and kiss me.”
Both show Hop’s sweeter side and made me all awwwww…
The only downside for me was that this was my first book by Kristen Ashley, even though I have two other books by her on my Kindle, and I hadn’t read the others to understand the back story of Lanie and her relationship with her previous fiancé Elliott.
Please note: It doesn’t take away from the story at all if you haven’t read it, as it is explained throughout Fire Inside but I personally would have liked to read Lanie’s back story first.
Nevertheless, this was an amazing insight into a motorcycle club and a really nice love story. I love it!
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985) in Movies
Dec 5, 2018
Seen this too many times
I used to watch this movie a lot when I was in middle school.
Kind of a Star Wars/Logan's Run ripoff where an enslaved civilization lives underground doing the bidding of the evil Zygon never questioning if there is a world above or where they fit in the universe. The discovery of a mysterious sword hilt send Orin on an outer space adventure he would never forget.
It was always funny hearing animated characters says "damn" and "shit" when I was younger. Not a big deal now.
Originally released in 3D, you can tell when you watch, but it is still an entertaining animated thrill ride adventure.
Kind of a Star Wars/Logan's Run ripoff where an enslaved civilization lives underground doing the bidding of the evil Zygon never questioning if there is a world above or where they fit in the universe. The discovery of a mysterious sword hilt send Orin on an outer space adventure he would never forget.
It was always funny hearing animated characters says "damn" and "shit" when I was younger. Not a big deal now.
Originally released in 3D, you can tell when you watch, but it is still an entertaining animated thrill ride adventure.
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated Bird Box (2018) in Movies
Dec 31, 2018
Cool concept
Contains spoilers, click to show
I really enjoy monster movies. Not getting to actually SEE the monsters makes for an interesting story. Netflix did a good job with this one. Sandra Bullock delivers another great performance(I'm biased-lol). Anyway the acting was really well done and the cinematography was, too. People keep complaining about the ending but I thought it turned out really interesting. No closure to the monsters or any real explanation of what they were, but it showed that there was hope. Sometimes that's all we have to hold onto. Sure, I would've liked to have seen Tom survive with them, but that would have changed the dynamic of the story and Mallory's driving force. All in all I'd say this one is really worth a watch!
Mothergamer (1592 KP) rated Death on the Nile (2022) in Movies
Apr 22, 2022
I really wanted to like this because I grew up on Agatha Christie books and watching the PBS Poirot series with my grandmother. I love Poirot and I like this book, but the screen adaptation is odd. There were strange decisions like including the character Bouc when he's not even in this book and having something happen to him that is not part of the story at all. The pacing felt off with the movie feeling boring and slow in some spots and then a few moments of interesting sprinkled here and there. There didn't seem to be a lot of chemistry among the cast and the actress with four credits to her career so far did a better job emoting and acting than longtime veterans. Branagh did great as Poirot, he was great in the first movie too, but the movie took so long to get going and then when it got to the big reveal it got better. It felt so uneven and I was disappointed. It's not a complete disaster, but it's not stellar either.