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Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Goodnight Nobody in Books
May 25, 2018
Sometimes flashbacks are useful, helpful even, and contribute to the story. I find myself having a lot of "Ah-ha!" moments when presented with a flashback scenario in a book. Not the case here. They bored me. I came thisclose to skipping ahead to the present-day chapters. But I didn't.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the story, it dragged a bit in those parts, they could have been shorter and more condensed. The story was in most parts about the balance between being a woman and being a mother. Which, maybe since I'm not a mother, I didn't connect as much, and at times felt like screaming "Get it together lady!" Obviously we all know that these "supermoms" are never whom they appear to be on the outside. Everyone has their issues.
There are some good twists and turns of this story of a woman named Kate, former writer/investigator turned stay at home "surburban supermom wannabe" who uses her past to help "find" her future when a mystery presents itself. Who better than Kate to solve the crime?! There is wit and charm in the writing as we all know and love from Jennifer Weiner, and the plot is well-developed, but the story didn't grab me all the way throughout, with an ending that just wasn't very convincing.
Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the story, it dragged a bit in those parts, they could have been shorter and more condensed. The story was in most parts about the balance between being a woman and being a mother. Which, maybe since I'm not a mother, I didn't connect as much, and at times felt like screaming "Get it together lady!" Obviously we all know that these "supermoms" are never whom they appear to be on the outside. Everyone has their issues.
There are some good twists and turns of this story of a woman named Kate, former writer/investigator turned stay at home "surburban supermom wannabe" who uses her past to help "find" her future when a mystery presents itself. Who better than Kate to solve the crime?! There is wit and charm in the writing as we all know and love from Jennifer Weiner, and the plot is well-developed, but the story didn't grab me all the way throughout, with an ending that just wasn't very convincing.
Stephen (210 KP) rated Heavenly Creatures (1994) in Movies
Mar 12, 2019
Wealthy and precocious teenager Juliet (Kate Winslet) transfers from England to Christchurch, New Zealand, with her family, and forms a bond with the quiet, brooding Pauline (Melanie Lynskey) through their shared love of Mario Lanza and their games of make believe. But when their parents begin to suspect that their increasingly intense friendship is becoming unhealthy, the girls decide to run away together, hatching a dark plan for those who threaten to keep them apart.
The movie is one of Peter Jackson’s earlier works, and demonstrates his unique sense of directing which featured in his first few films. Both Kate Winslett and Melanie Lynskey give outstanding performances - Melanie’s scowling face is especially disturbing.
Based on a true story, Jackson focuses a lot on the dream world element of the girls’ story, which I feel gives the film’s ending even more shock appeal.
I won’t spoil the ending, but let me say that the first time I saw the movie I felt so disturbed I felt as if I was actually there, and even now, when I rewatch the movie, I still get chills when the girls are walking down that path....
I appreciate that the film is not going to appeal to everyone, but the amazing performances of the two main characters, and the horrifying insight into how deep obsessive friendships can go, makes this an essential but very disturbing watch.
The movie is one of Peter Jackson’s earlier works, and demonstrates his unique sense of directing which featured in his first few films. Both Kate Winslett and Melanie Lynskey give outstanding performances - Melanie’s scowling face is especially disturbing.
Based on a true story, Jackson focuses a lot on the dream world element of the girls’ story, which I feel gives the film’s ending even more shock appeal.
I won’t spoil the ending, but let me say that the first time I saw the movie I felt so disturbed I felt as if I was actually there, and even now, when I rewatch the movie, I still get chills when the girls are walking down that path....
I appreciate that the film is not going to appeal to everyone, but the amazing performances of the two main characters, and the horrifying insight into how deep obsessive friendships can go, makes this an essential but very disturbing watch.
What the Hell Happened to My Brain?: Living Beyond Dementia
Kate Swaffer, Steven R. Sabat, Shibley Rahman and Richard Taylor
Book
Kate Swaffer was just 49 years old when she was diagnosed with a form of younger onset dementia. In...
Kenko Kitchen: Simple Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan Recipes
Book
Kenko is Japanese for 'health', and defines Kate Bradley's passion for food and cooking. In Kenko...
The Secret Club That Runs the World: Inside the Fraternity of Commodity Traders
Book
Kate Kelly, acclaimed journalist and author of Street Fighters, investigates the world of...
French Kisses and a London Affair
Book
A London Affair Kate leaves the countryside for a job in a posh London deli and is soon surrounded...
The Country Girls Trilogy
Book
ONE OF THE BBC'S '100 NOVELS THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD' Edna O'Brien's iconic trilogy of novels - The...
“THIS BOOK! You. Must. Read. It. It’s beautiful. Heart-wrenching.” -Colleen Hoover, #1 New Bright Side (Bright Side, #1)
9.0
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Book
“THIS BOOK! You. Must. Read. It. It’s beautiful. Heart-wrenching.” -Colleen Hoover, #1 New...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Her Last Holiday in Books
Sep 12, 2021
I think this is one of those ©Marmite books ... you'll either like it or not. For me, I liked it ... I didn't love it, but I was certainly entertained and fair blasted through it.
This starts off at a steady pace while the characters are introduced and gradually increases as the story develops culminating in break-neck speed. There a quite a few characters and past and present timelines so you have to keep your wits about you but this added to the suspense and tension.
The story is told from three points of view - Fran, Kate and Jenna. It took me a while to warm to Fran but the more I read, the more she grew on me. Kate - nope, not a likeable character at all but worked well for the book. Jenna - still not sure how I feel about her.
The plot is interesting - not particularly plausible but if you can't suspend reality in a fiction book, then when can you? There are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing and although I pretty much worked out what was going on pretty early on, it was fun seeing how it all played out.
Overall, a fun read and my thanks must go to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
This starts off at a steady pace while the characters are introduced and gradually increases as the story develops culminating in break-neck speed. There a quite a few characters and past and present timelines so you have to keep your wits about you but this added to the suspense and tension.
The story is told from three points of view - Fran, Kate and Jenna. It took me a while to warm to Fran but the more I read, the more she grew on me. Kate - nope, not a likeable character at all but worked well for the book. Jenna - still not sure how I feel about her.
The plot is interesting - not particularly plausible but if you can't suspend reality in a fiction book, then when can you? There are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing and although I pretty much worked out what was going on pretty early on, it was fun seeing how it all played out.
Overall, a fun read and my thanks must go to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2271 KP) rated Mistletoe and Murder in Books
Oct 18, 2023
Christmas Wedding Faces Criminal Complications
It’s five days before Kate Hamilton is set to marry Detective Inspector Tom Mallory on Christmas Eve, and the complications are starting to come, like travel delays for Kate’s family and friends coming from the states. But the bigger complication comes from Sheila Parker, an acquaintance who comes looking for an appraisal of her coin collection. That night, Sheila’s house is searched. The next day, Sheila vanishes. Can Kate figure out what happened to Sheila before her wedding?
I find missing person mysteries to be that much more compelling, so I was hooked on this one quickly. I did figure a couple of things out early, but there were still plenty of surprised on the way to the climax. Meanwhile, I loved spending time with the characters old and new. We get some good updates on ongoing storylines, and the ending sets up the next full length book. I am a bit surprised that the wedding came in an ebook only novella, and there isn’t a lot of time for Christmas trappings, but both of these are minor issues. Fans will be happy to get a chance to visit the characters again. While this might not be the best place to start if you are new to the series, I definitely recommend you start the series soon.
I find missing person mysteries to be that much more compelling, so I was hooked on this one quickly. I did figure a couple of things out early, but there were still plenty of surprised on the way to the climax. Meanwhile, I loved spending time with the characters old and new. We get some good updates on ongoing storylines, and the ending sets up the next full length book. I am a bit surprised that the wedding came in an ebook only novella, and there isn’t a lot of time for Christmas trappings, but both of these are minor issues. Fans will be happy to get a chance to visit the characters again. While this might not be the best place to start if you are new to the series, I definitely recommend you start the series soon.