Kristin (149 KP) rated When the Siren Calls (The Siren, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Infidelity, fraud, and just plain ol' lying: That's what Julian "Jay" Brooke is all about. Whether he's running around with his mistress Lucy, trying to get into the pants of assistant Gina or the married Isobel, or selling timeshares at inflated prices to the filthy rich, Jay always has something up his sleeve. Can he get away with it all, or is it just a house of cards, waiting to come down?
Isobel Roberts is a married woman, on vacation with her husband in Morocco when she first encounters Jay, who saves her from an unsightly development in the market. From that point on, she thinks of him, her feelings growing into more than she's ready for, or so she thinks. What will she choose to do: Stay committed to her husband, or stray into the arms (and bed) of another (married) man?
There are so many characters in this book whose stories grab your attention (aside from Jay and Isobel). Lucy's feisty in trying to get her way in her relationship with Jay; Isobel's friend Maria is the no-nonsense birdie on Isobel's shoulder, helping her along throughout her decisions, whether good or bad; Andy Skinner is always trying to figure out just what Jay has pulled him into with this timeshare business in Tuscany, and whether or not he's getting screwed in the process; and so many more. With all the people involved, how long will it take for Jay's lies to come to the surface, or will he get away with everything?
Honestly, almost from the jump I wanted Jay to get caught at something, whether it was the infidelity, the fraud in Tuscany, just something. There's so many people in the world just like him, who think they're above everything and everyone and nothing can touch them, and I REALLY wanted someone to knock him down a peg (or several). There's schemes going on, underhanded business deals, price-gouging against "holiday tourists", and so much more. For the life of me, I wanted to just scream at all the characters to get them to catch onto it all.
The reason I dropped to 4 stars is because I got a little confused in the beginning as to the timeline, as weeks/months would pass between chapters, which bounce back and forth between characters, so I had a hard time keeping track for a little while. However, the time frame slows down, and it's easier to tell what's going on after the first quarter or so of the story.
Now, all that being said, DOES Jay ever get caught? Do his lies catch up to him, either in his personal or professional life, or does he get away scot-free? You'll have to read and see! =)
4 stars
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Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated Sauvignon and a Kimono by DYLYN in Music
Jun 21, 2019
“My life was turned upside down and, as a result, this song emerged. ‘Secret’ became therapeutic. It gave me a chance to connect with people, with my fans whose parents also split up due to infidelity. It became a way of reaffirming for myself and others—‘You are not the only one going through this.’” – DYLYN
‘Secret’ tells a bitter tale of a young woman who finds out that her father has been cheating on her mother.
Since then, she hasn’t slept in days and wonders if her mother knows about the other woman in her father’s life.
Later, after everything is out in the open, she painfully admits that her mother won’t love her father ever again, but she will still love him, even though he hurt them.
“At first, I was hesitant to write about such a personal story. But as the lyrics started to unfold, everything fell into place. I recorded ‘Secret’ in a dimly lit vocal booth. I wanted to be in a headspace where I could feel alone with myself, and deliver the lyrics from the most honest place that I possibly could.” – DYLYN
‘Secret’ contains a gripping storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and lush instrumentation flavored with a dark commercial pop aroma.
The likable tune is featured on DYLYN’s debut EP, entitled, “Sauvignon and a Kimono”.
“I’m very excited to get this music out and tour again. This record is going to be much more raw, and I want to put all my emotions on the table. ‘Secret’ gave me the courage to do that.” – DYLYN
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Kite Runner in Books
Feb 9, 2020
The first 3rd of the book gripped me, dealing with the childhood in Afghanistan of Amir a boy from a privileged background and Hassan the son of one of his father’s servants. I did feel the atmosphere and was moved at several points through this book.
Once the book moved to America I lost a lot of interest especially when we had to go through the descriptive struggle with infertility which seems to be covered in every other book I read at the moment and it’s not getting any more interesting. As a plot line it always leads to either a) a miracle baby b) Infidelity by the women to get pregnant by someone else or c) A combination of events that lead to a child needing adoption. Don’t think IVF ever seems to actually work but I digress….
Amir is fairly hard to like character and I did want to slap him on numerous occasions, as a tale of redemption, I didn’t find Amir much redeemed in my eyes by the end. I'd of loved to of had a perspective from Hassan. The last part of this book although more interesting then the American section did feel like it lost its way; becoming dependant on coincidences and cringe-worthy cliches.
Overall a worthwhile and interesting read.