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From the Shadows
From the Shadows
7
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
From The Shadows
I'm not an avid reader of crime thrillers as I often find them unbelievable, predictable or rediculous. This is neither. I was gripped from the beginning and found it hard to put down. Just one more chapter was my continuous mantra. Like Jane Harper's brilliant novels, as well as the character, the setting itself shines like the main character. Here the cold Highlands of Scotland paint the bleak setting for the dark crimes unfolding.
Bravely, Halliday doesn't feel the need to add romance or standard go to characters to make it work. He relies on his storytelling and strong individuals and how refreshing to see a book featuring a social worker that isn't female or a do gooder.
I'm gobsmacked this is a debut, it reads like a hardened crime writer who is a master at their trade. I can imagine this becoming an ITV drama in the future and look forward to the next installment. An absolutely cracking read for any crime or thriller fan.
  
The House of Twelve
The House of Twelve
Sean Davies | 2016 | Mystery, Paranormal
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Good twist at the end (0 more)
Little boring (0 more)
I did enjoy this book. I like crime novels and was not aware this was paranormal as well but it did all make sense and tie in at the end.
Once I started reading I couldn't out the book down - I read it in a day.
The story flowed well and it was interesting to find out the back ground of each character. I did like the twist at the end when the newspaper cut outs and reports were found. It really tied everything together.
I couldn't connect with the characters but that could be because some of them weren't around long and others I just didn't feel anything for. I didn't care what happened to each character and/or when it happened.
The story reminded me of the Saw films. They were more about a game and torture which I don't like so the book was better.
The book was very well put together.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
  
The Skin I Live In (La piel que habito) (2011)
The Skin I Live In (La piel que habito) (2011)
2011 | Drama, Horror, International, Mystery
Operatically twisted (and twisty) erotic psycho-horror-thriller-drama from Almodovar. Brilliant scientist and surgeon (Banderas) seems to be keeping a young woman (Anaya) prisoner in his house, and performing various experiments on her (even his mum thinks he is insane). But the truth turns out to be a little more complicated than it at first seems...

Initially seems like much more of a plot-driven genre movie than is typical for this director, but the familiar themes (sex, desire, obsession, family ties) soon resurface albeit in somewhat modulated form. The plot grips like a vice, the performances are superb, it looks fabulous, and the (warped) sensuality of the film makes most so-called erotic thrillers look very bland and tame. This would qualify as a masterpiece, as good as anything Almodovar has ever done, except for the ending, which feels like a significant misstep, stumbling for conventional closure in a way that just doesn't ring true or feel satisfying. Nevertheless, a brilliant piece of film-making. (Do NOT read or hear a plot synopsis before watching if you can possibly avoid it.)
  
Psycho Goreman (2020)
Psycho Goreman (2020)
2020 | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
I fully understand why Psycho Goreman may not be for everyone, but dammit if it wasn't right up my street.
This film is so ridiculous. From it's sudden bursts of hyper violence to kids playing ball games backed by the sounds of completely over the top guitar solos, to it's abundance of offbeat humour, PG is obviously trying to be exactly the kind of film that it is, but it stops short of feeling overly try-hard.
The young cast are pretty great, heck, all of the cast are pretty great. The commitment to practical effects is admirable, no matter how cheap it looks on occasion. The alien characters look like creatures out of Power Rangers, but it honestly just adds to the experience.

I'm not sure if anything written can truly explain what to expect from this. If you like these kind of 80s throwback B-movies like I do, then you'll surely get a kick out of Psycho Goreman. It's a blast from start to finish.
  
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Rob Zombie recommended White Zombie (1932) in Movies (curated)

 
White Zombie (1932)
White Zombie (1932)
1932 | Horror
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"The last one I picked was another Lugosi film, so yeah, he is in every film I picked. That’s funny. I didn’t even realize it. It’s White Zombie from ’32, which is shortly after Dracula. It’s an amazing movie. I’m pretty sure it’s the first movie to ever use the word “zombie” — to use that in a movie. It takes place in Haiti, and Lugosi runs this sugar mill and the zombies are his workers and stuff. Again, he’s amazing, but the film is — only really bad versions of it existed for so long, so every time you’d watch it, you go like, “Wow, the quality of this movie is horrible. It looks like a cheap movie.” Then later, when people have restored things and find them, it’s a really incredible-looking movie. Again, it seems very primitive, but it looks amazing, and he’s great as always. If you watch some of the leads and you just watch their scenes, you go, “What is this, like a cute little musical comedy?” Then he comes in. Again, not f—ing around."

Source
  
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Becs (244 KP) rated Warm Transfer in Books

Aug 27, 2018  
Warm Transfer
Warm Transfer
Laura Holtz | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Thriller
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The cover. (2 more)
Laura Holtz's writing.
Well-developed backgrounds and characters.
Victor = arse. (0 more)
A story of courage, potential, finding joy, and one woman's journey to rediscovering herself.
I received a copy from Smith Publicity for read and review. The following review is my honest opinion of Warm Transfer by Laura Holtz.

Okay, this cover is just awesome. Yes, I judge a book by its cover all the time and when I got this, I was like "Yea, this is an awesome cover!" Then I read the synopsis and was a little put off by it. But as I read it, and continued to read it, I was just blown away by the story, the plot, the characters, the emotions that you could feel through Laura Holtz's writing, how her writing also brought memories back from my mother's most recent marriage to my step-father. It was defiantly a roller-coaster of a ride, and I sure as heck enjoyed it.

Victor is an arse and I just want him to die. (I promise I'm not a psycho - I just absolutely hate this character with a burning rage that can only be put out with the blood oozing out of his skull. - Wow, okay Becca. Calm down.) Tamsen is a very relatable MC and her journey brought many different emotions out of me as I read this breathtakingly great novel! I loved how the main and semi-main characters were developed tremendously well. I mean, I could just relate to each and every one of them. Laura, you're the bomb diggity! What a well-versed writer.