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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
8.6
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Joel and Clementine find themselves drawn to each other, without knowing that, in the past, they...
Science fiction Romantic comedy Romcom Dramedy Memory
The Chocolate Lady (94 KP) rated The clockmakers daughter in Books
Oct 5, 2020
Kate Morton’s newest novel “The Clockmaker’s Daughter” spans nearly 160 years, where one home in the English countryside and its rich and infamous history has led to a slew of stories and mysteries, including a tragic death and the loss of a priceless heirloom neckless, but there’s only one woman who knows the truth. See what I thought of this novel in my latest book review here.
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2018/09/22/ghostly-blues/
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2018/09/22/ghostly-blues/
The Bubble (2022)
4.7
Rate It
Movie
The cast and crew of a blockbuster action franchise attempt to shoot a sequel while quarantining at...
Kevin Phillipson (10072 KP) rated Titanic (1997) in Movies
Jun 5, 2022
Leonardo dicaprio (2 more)
Kate Winslet
Titanic
I'm King of the world
After 25 years of never seeing titanic finally I've seen it is it as good as they say I liked it for me it's too long the plot is simple rich girl falls for poor artist on board titanic u know what happens next to the ship the set design amazing good cast not forgetting that song by Celine dion overall epic film
ClareR (5879 KP) rated Normal Rules Don’t Apply in Books
Feb 25, 2025
I do like short stories, and this collection, Normal Rules Don’t Apply by Kate Atkinson is exceptionally good.
It’s a collection of interconnected, quirky stories, set within different genres. Every story surprised me with how much I enjoyed it, it’s oddness, offbeat approach and sheer surrealism! I mean, I LOVE an odd story, and this collection most certainly delivered! I’m really glad I picked this book up!
Stand out story: The Void (it’s apocalyptic!).
It’s a collection of interconnected, quirky stories, set within different genres. Every story surprised me with how much I enjoyed it, it’s oddness, offbeat approach and sheer surrealism! I mean, I LOVE an odd story, and this collection most certainly delivered! I’m really glad I picked this book up!
Stand out story: The Void (it’s apocalyptic!).
As a worker tears apart an old house under construction in London, he makes an unsettling discovery: tiny bones. The police believe they belong to a baby who was buried years earlier. The story catches the eye of journalist Kate Waters, who immediately wants to determine the child's identity. Her research leads her to a missing child from several decades in the past: a stolen baby, who was never found. Kate finds herself drawn into the missing baby's case and the lives of several women: Angela, a mother who had her baby stolen many years ago; Emma, who once lived on the block where the baby's bones were found; and Jude, Emma's mother.
I really enjoyed Barton's previous novel, The Widow, and I have to say that THE CHILD did not disappoint. It's hard exactly to describe her books, but they have some sort of power over you, drawing you into their narrative and making it difficult to come back to reality until you've reached the end. Much like THE WIDOW, we're presented with a cast of disparate characters-not all of whom are particularly likeable. I hadn't realized, for some reason, that THE CHILD would feature Kate again--a journalist we previously met in Barton's earlier book. I found Kate a much more engaging protagonist this time around: she came across as more human and flawed.
Otherwise, the novel focuses on timid, depressed Emma and her difficult relationship with her mother, Jude, who kicked Emma out of the house at the sixteen. Each woman has a turn at the narration, as does Angela, who is still reeling from having her baby stolen from the hospital (and never found). Barton does a skillful job weaving their stories together. Everything unfolds in bits and pieces as the tale progresses in the eyes of each of our narrators. For me, it was extremely riveting: just as one shocking piece came out, another one would fall into place.
Barton also gives us an excellent look into the journalism business, with a focus on how Kate writes her stories, with a strong emphasis on real (face-to-face, non-Internet-based) research. We see firsthand how the current social media craze is affecting the newspaper world. It's refreshing, as we get to basically see a crime/story solved, yet not necessarily through the lens of a typical police drama.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I figured out parts of it as it went along, but found it to be a very compelling read. Definitely worth picking up.
I really enjoyed Barton's previous novel, The Widow, and I have to say that THE CHILD did not disappoint. It's hard exactly to describe her books, but they have some sort of power over you, drawing you into their narrative and making it difficult to come back to reality until you've reached the end. Much like THE WIDOW, we're presented with a cast of disparate characters-not all of whom are particularly likeable. I hadn't realized, for some reason, that THE CHILD would feature Kate again--a journalist we previously met in Barton's earlier book. I found Kate a much more engaging protagonist this time around: she came across as more human and flawed.
Otherwise, the novel focuses on timid, depressed Emma and her difficult relationship with her mother, Jude, who kicked Emma out of the house at the sixteen. Each woman has a turn at the narration, as does Angela, who is still reeling from having her baby stolen from the hospital (and never found). Barton does a skillful job weaving their stories together. Everything unfolds in bits and pieces as the tale progresses in the eyes of each of our narrators. For me, it was extremely riveting: just as one shocking piece came out, another one would fall into place.
Barton also gives us an excellent look into the journalism business, with a focus on how Kate writes her stories, with a strong emphasis on real (face-to-face, non-Internet-based) research. We see firsthand how the current social media craze is affecting the newspaper world. It's refreshing, as we get to basically see a crime/story solved, yet not necessarily through the lens of a typical police drama.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I figured out parts of it as it went along, but found it to be a very compelling read. Definitely worth picking up.
Neon in Daylight
Book
One of Bustle's Most Anticipated Fiction Books of 2018 "What do you get when a writer of extreme...
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Vacation in Books
Jul 22, 2020 (Updated Jul 22, 2020)
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
T. M. Logan will probably never realize it, but he changed my life. Tim's first novel, Lies, was the first book I was given to review. You can guess that he has a special place in my heart, but I will still provide an honest review.
The Vacation, his third book, introduces us to Kate and her 3 BFFs. After college, they drifted apart but made time for the yearly vacation. That is until kids and life get in the way. After several years, they are getting the gang back together to celebrate their 40th birthdays, and they are inviting their husbands and kids too. Kate is looking forward to it until she realizes one of them is having an affair with her husband.
If that were the full story, I would not have enjoyed it. However, secrets come out. Secrets from, the past, the couples, and from friends. Is anyone who Kate thought they were?
I had difficulty getting into the book, but once the rest of the story opened up, I was hooked. I tried to think of what I would cut from the beginning but found nothing. It is necessary to set up the events that follow.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/21/20.
T. M. Logan will probably never realize it, but he changed my life. Tim's first novel, Lies, was the first book I was given to review. You can guess that he has a special place in my heart, but I will still provide an honest review.
The Vacation, his third book, introduces us to Kate and her 3 BFFs. After college, they drifted apart but made time for the yearly vacation. That is until kids and life get in the way. After several years, they are getting the gang back together to celebrate their 40th birthdays, and they are inviting their husbands and kids too. Kate is looking forward to it until she realizes one of them is having an affair with her husband.
If that were the full story, I would not have enjoyed it. However, secrets come out. Secrets from, the past, the couples, and from friends. Is anyone who Kate thought they were?
I had difficulty getting into the book, but once the rest of the story opened up, I was hooked. I tried to think of what I would cut from the beginning but found nothing. It is necessary to set up the events that follow.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/21/20.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated A Cut for a Cut (Detective Kate Young #2) in Books
Jul 21, 2021
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Detective Kate Young is back in the second installment of Carol Wyer's Detective Kate Young series, A Cut for a Cut. To give a fair review, I read the first book in the series, An Eye for an Eye. Some books in a series can stand alone. With this one, you would benefit from reading the first book.
I am a fan of Wyer's two police procedural series, her DI Robyn Carter series and the Detective Natalie Ward series, and was excited about a new series.
Young is a damaged but determined detective who works with a small team. She is struggling to come to terms with her husband's murder, and her team begins to notice she is not on the top of her game when they are tasked with finding who is sexually assaulting then killing young women. The investigation hits home when one of the victims is a woman the team all know through work. All through this, Kate continues an unsanctioned investigation started in the first book.
Let me just say, if you are a fan of British police procedural and strong women characters, then this or either of Wyer's other two series are ones to read.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com.
Detective Kate Young is back in the second installment of Carol Wyer's Detective Kate Young series, A Cut for a Cut. To give a fair review, I read the first book in the series, An Eye for an Eye. Some books in a series can stand alone. With this one, you would benefit from reading the first book.
I am a fan of Wyer's two police procedural series, her DI Robyn Carter series and the Detective Natalie Ward series, and was excited about a new series.
Young is a damaged but determined detective who works with a small team. She is struggling to come to terms with her husband's murder, and her team begins to notice she is not on the top of her game when they are tasked with finding who is sexually assaulting then killing young women. The investigation hits home when one of the victims is a woman the team all know through work. All through this, Kate continues an unsanctioned investigation started in the first book.
Let me just say, if you are a fan of British police procedural and strong women characters, then this or either of Wyer's other two series are ones to read.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com.
A Christmas Carol Murder (A Dickens of a Crime #3)
Book
The latest novel from Heather Redmond’s acclaimed mystery series finds young Charles Dickens...
Historical Mystery