Endless (Shadowlands #3)
Book
An unthinkable betrayal threatens everyone Rory loves in the third installment of our dark,...
The Au Pair
Book
A grand estate, terrible secrets, and a young woman who bears witness to it all. If V. C. Andrews...
Maximum Rock 'n' Roll: The Singles by Primal Scream
Album
Primal Scream compile one of the greatest singles discographies into one expansive best of...
Shrines of Gaiety
Book
1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a...
Historical fiction Literary fiction London
Karla Dee (6 KP) rated Do you follow in Books
Jan 11, 2022
There is a mental illness aspect of the story which can be taboo to talk about but I think it should become less taboo and more so spoke about so I liked that they addressed this aspect in the reading.
The characters were detailed and I glad to have found a connection with them. I enjoyed learning more about them, and their back-stories, as the novel progressed. Every time it's like getting to know a new mary kate and ashley, but there are always new surprises in a twin tale. Even though I guessed some of the plots and twists, there were still plenty of surprises.
Definitely recommend 9/10
The Black Madonna (Roundheads and Cavaliers #1)
Book
As England slides into Civil War, master-goldsmith and money-lender, Luciano Falcieri del Santi...
Historical Fiction Historical Romance English Civil War
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Fear The Silence in Books
Jul 9, 2023
From the very first lines, I was absolutely hooked right to the very end. The author certainly knows how to grab you by the short and curlies and not let go!
With excellent characters, a great setting which added to the atmosphere, a riveting plot that pulled me in and all written at a perfect pace, this book had me on the edge of my seat ... I loved it.
I have no hesitation recommending this to lovers of psychological thrillers. In fact, I have no hesitation in recommending Robert Bryndza's work as everything I have read by him has been to notch and he is one of my go-to author's where I don't even need to read the blurb to pick it up and know I will enjoy the ride.
Many thanks to the author, Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Fear The Silence.
Merissa (13765 KP) rated Discovery (The Gifted #1) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
With a new Discovery in every chapter, this book is very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I found. The chemistry between Nick and Kate jumps out from the page at you, but it is still unclear as to whether or not they will end up together. I loved the supporting cast of friends that turned up towards the end of the book.
This is an intriguing story, with no clear definition of 'good' and 'evil'. Are the good guys really good? Are the bad really as bad as they are made out to be? I don't yet know for sure, but one thing I do know is that I can't wait to read Exploration, the second book in this series.
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 29, 2016
The Party
Book
An unforgettable story about two sisters and a night that changes everything, from the master...
Historical fiction
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Last Christmas (2019) in Movies
Dec 8, 2019
Kate the Christmas elf has lost her Christmas spirit, life just hasn't felt the same recently and it's affecting her friends and family as well as everything in her life. Tensions run high as she takes advantage of her close friends and slowly burns almost all of her bridges.
Then she meets Tom, he's happy-go-lucky and all about something more to life. Where she's single-minded and oblivious he's caring and mindful of everyone, the pair couldn't be more different while still being the perfect match.
So... a Christmas film using the music of George Michael. Christmas probably appears in 95% of the shots and yet at no point did I feel very Christmassy. As for the music, if I hadn't been told they use his tracks in there I would have just said they just used Last Christmas because they thought they should match the title.
A fair bit of the film takes place at night which does allow for some beautiful illuminated shots of London. The settings are all very well suited for this, I always think that Covent Garden looks like the perfect place for a Christmas paradise when it's made up properly... and that Christmas shop! I died and went to heaven!
I've had no real previous experience with Emilia Clarke as an actress, I've never knowingly seen her in anything (yes, I've never watched Game Of Thrones), but I was impressed with her portrayal of Kate. It all felt very natural, there was a lot of sass but she also managed to keep it together during the serious moments. I don't think I'll be going back to watch GoT after this but I may well give some of her other films a go.
Henry Golding plays the perfect gentleman, that might be his niche. There's nothing to object to in his performance at all, I might have some issues with the way he's written in the script but Golding brought Tom to life perfectly on screen.
The best support performance for me was definitely Santa, played by Michelle Yeoh. Santa and Kate playing off against each other was wonderful to see, no matter whether it eas a dramatic moment or a comedy one they bounced back and forth incredibly well. Seeing Yeoh listed for this was a little dubious but it was delightful to see.
Emma Thompson's portrayal was enjoyable, though the accent did change the feel of the humour. I do question why Kate's family needed to be of Croatian descent. I'm not one to say "this was trying to make a statement" but there wasn't anything of any major consequence in the film that required it to be that way. It didn't feel like the film gained anything from this apart from an opportunity to shoehorn in Brexit.
Despite my quibbling, which you know I love to do, Last Christmas was a thoroughly enjoyable film. It is much more drama than it is Christmas film, Christmas honestly feels incidental even though Emilia Clarke is dressed as an elf most of the time. Sure its message might be a little "hidden agenda" and overly sweet but it's a great bit of entertainment. Just remember, don't be the arsehole who spoils it for someone.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/11/last-christmas-movie-review.html



