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The White Headhunter
The White Headhunter
Nigel Randell | 2019 | Biography, History & Politics
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fascinating & Very Well Presented
Reading “The White Headhunter” was a complete change of genre for me and although I had a few reservations about the choice, I’m really pleased I decided to go with it.

This first book by Nigel Randell is a work of non-fiction. A teenage Scots sailor, Jack Renton was rescued from captivity on the Pacific island of Malaita, home to a fearsome tribe of headhunters. In his memoir, Renton recounted his eight-year adventure: how he jumped ship and drifted two thousand miles in an open whaleboat to the Solomon Islands, came ashore at Malaita and was stripped of his identity. For all it’s detail and authenticity Renton’s chronicle glossed over many key events. This book is a more complete and grislier account of Renton’s experience.

Very well presented and easy to read “The White Headhunter” contains some fascinating history of the late 19th century and the Pacific with some entertaining and enlightening information about the period. This true story was interesting, enjoyable and well worth the read.

[Thank you to #NetGalley, #ThistlePublishing and #NigelRandell, for a free ARC of #TheWhiteHeadhunter in exchange for an honest review.]
  
Dream a Little Dream (To Love a Psycho #1)
Dream a Little Dream (To Love a Psycho #1)
C.F. White | 2025 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
There is no HEA here, not yet. There is no romance, not yet.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is the first book in the To Love A Psycho trilogy. There is no HEA here, not yet. There is no romance, not yet.

But what is here, is setting the stage for what is to come, and I bloody loved it!

It's dark and deadly. Very little smex, but the steam is building, oh yes!

Aaron is the child of serial killers, Kenny the psychologist who helped bring their capture. Jack, the police constable who finds Aaron. While this is mostly about Kenny and Aaron, it is important to mention Jack. Given as Jack played a huge part in Kenny's life before, and the fact that Aaron knows Jack, from that very early meeting and again, when he comes back into his life.

What I think (cos Lord knows if I can word it correctly!) I liked most about this book, was that both men are somewhat . . .not damaged or unhinged but those words keept jumping from my book brain and I dont think they are right, but that sort of thing. They are both haunted by their past, and Kenny especially surprised me. He fights Aaron all the way, but knows he can't keep away. Even taking to him to his therapy is something Kenny HAS to do for Aaron.

Given what's said here about Jack and Kenny's relationship, I can see why Kenny needs to look out for Aaron, he has no one else, but Kenny is hard wired that way: to care for someone, in any way he can. I think deep down, Kenny knows this, even if he psycoanalyses himself to the very max, I don't think he's actually seeing that in himself.

I did not see it all playing out the way it did, and I love being surprised. I can't wait to see what White does to this pair in the next book, but I am promised an eventual HEA, they are just gonna have to work so darn hard at it, it might break me!

4 stars, but only because it is a cliff hanger, and I KNEW that going in, but I can't quite stretch, not yet!

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
40x40

Bill Nighy recommended Performance (1970) in Movies (curated)

 
Performance (1970)
Performance (1970)
1970 | Classics, Drama, Musical
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"“It’s predictable, but Performance, the Donald Cammell movie, contains one of the great cinema performances from James Fox. Mick Jagger is in there too giving a very good performance, and I know that by heart too. The soundtrack is epic, it’s beautiful, including a great Mick Jagger song called “Turner’s Song: Memo from T” which is a great, great song with some beautiful lyrics. It’s just a film that I have a soft spot for. I always remember watching Mean Streets, which was the first time I ever heard a Stones song in a movie. It was on the jukebox in the club, Jumpin’ Jack Flash was the song, and it was shocking that the Rolling Stones would allow one of their songs to be in a movie. But Scorsese has always had them in there; he’s a man of taste. They have a long relationship, because the Stones don’t use to let just anybody use their songs, you’d never get a Rolling Stones song in your movie. I also enjoyed Shine a Light, I thought it was wonderful. I loved the guests, Christina Aguilera, my god! What is that? She’s got so much talent, she’s so brilliant, and she looks so beautiful. You can see Mick’s face; he looked like he was so happy. Not only is she sensationally beautiful, glamorous and sexy, but also she can really, really, really do it, and the two of them pumping out that song was just beautiful. I’ve never seen a man look more happy or more grateful than Jack White, standing there singing Loving Cup. If you ever want to see a portrait of a young man looking as happy as it’s possible for a young man to look, check out Jack White in Shine a Light. At one point they’ve both got a microphone, Mick’s got one, he’s got the other, but he can’t bear it, he rushes over and shares a mic with Mick, because you know he wants to be able to say, “I shared a mic with Mick.” Then at the end he shakes everybody’s hand, Charlie, Keith and everybody, and if he was a dog he’d wag himself to death. If he’d had nine tails, it wouldn’t have been enough."

Source
  
SW
Snow White, Blood Red
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
62 of 230
Snow White , Blood Red (Fairy tale anthology book 1)
Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Exploring the darker side of popular fairy tales, this anthology features dark and erotic tales of trolls and ogres, bewitched princesses, and magical kingdoms.

There were a few I picked out that I liked and I found a few new authors to try.

The Frog Prince by Gahan Wilson - Really enjoyed this it was a strange little story very Alice in Wonderland feel.

Stalking Beans by Nancy Kress - This is definitely a different adult spin on Jack and the beanstalk!

Snow Drop by Tabitha Lee - This was my favourite by far. A dark twisty version of Snow White and her step mother very dark.

Little Red by Wendy Wheeler - This gave me creepy shivers. Very well written unfortunately I can’t find anything by this author!

The Root of the Matter by Gregory Frost - This is a very adult version of Repunzel kinda dark and to the point.

The Changelings by Melanie Tem - Strange little story with some very sad undertones.

Troll Bridge by Neil Gaiman - I love Neil Gaiman he has such a unique storytelling ability and this did not disappoint!

Overall it was a good little anthology!