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Clare Parrott (294 KP) rated Stone Cold in Books
Mar 11, 2018
It’s not something I would read but I received this eBook in the February Fresh Fiction Book Box and this is the first book I decided to start and I loved it. The perfect amount of humor from some of the ghosts and I love the developing friendship between P.I. Melissa Kennedy and Detective Daniel Forrester they make a great team which I can see is going to turn to romance further in the series I just hope I don’t have to wait too long for the second book which is out sometime in the summer.
Ross (3282 KP) rated Before Watchmen: The Comedian in Books
Nov 19, 2019
Some interesting historical links
The Comedian's part of the pre-Watchmen series continues the link to actual historical events and people. Edward Blake, the Comedian, is a good friend of the Kennedy brothers and regularly helps them out in various ways. Blake is then sent to Vietnam, initially as a boost to morale for the US troops, but he soon embarks on a trademark campaign of terror across the jungle.
The overall story wasn't to my tastes, but some excellent artwork and nice historical links. Plus something of an origin story for his trademark smiley face logo.
The overall story wasn't to my tastes, but some excellent artwork and nice historical links. Plus something of an origin story for his trademark smiley face logo.
Guy Maddin recommended Grey Gardens (1975) in Movies (curated)
Darren (1599 KP) rated Thirteen Days (2000) in Movies
Aug 26, 2019
Verdict: History Lesson
Story: Thirteen Days starts like a normal day in the Kennedy administration, his assistant Kenny O’Donnell (Costner) joins the President John F Kennedy (Greenwood), his brother Robert F Kennedy (Culp) and advisers from every side for an emergency meeting.
The meeting is called to discuss the appearance of nuclear warheads in Cuba, believing Russia are moving to a closer position which could destroy large parts of America in minutes. What follows in Kenny trying to help JFK make the smartest decision, despite how many different people are advising with multiply options, all leading to one of the most intense stand offs in military history.
Thoughts on Thirteen Days
Characters – Kenny O’Donnell is the assistant advisor to the President, he gives him advice which would see him make decisions which would support the image of the President and the country instead of agree with the fast track answers which would see America go to war, he is the man that people turn to if they are not prepared to challenge the President’s decisions. President John F Kennedy is the man in the middle of the situation, the man that needs to make the final decision after taking on all the advice from his experts, he wants to remain in control of the situation to the best of his ability. Robert F Kennedy is one of the men advising his brother, he knows how John thinks and knows how the help him make the right decisions to remain calm and in control. We do have plenty of different advisors who are trying to offer a plan to what could make this stand off end quicker.
Performances – Kevin Costner is always entertaining to watch in a political movie, this is no different as he plays the pivot to everything going on. Bruce Greenwood as the President is great to watch through the film, with the whole cast looking like they would have been the people they are playing.
Story – The story here follows the events around the Cuba Mission Crisis, from the point of view of the Americans. This does break down to be a political thriller that does keep us on edge as we see all the potential ideas that were thrown out which could have seen the world in a different place if different outcomes had been used, while this is a 2 hour story, we only focus on the different ideas, which is interesting to see. Each person could have their own agenda which could show the mindset of the public during the events. We could have more intense moments, but it just doesn’t really do that much more, which doesn’t display just how dangerous the event could have been.
History – This is a big historical moment and it does show how the people in power were put on panic station when the events started to unfold.
Settings – The film uses the political settings for the most part, which does show us just how the people stayed together through the events of the crisis.
Scene of the Movie – Putting the Admiral in his place.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We could have had more intense sequences.
Final Thoughts – This is an interesting look at one of the biggest stand offs in modern history, we do see how it could have gone very differently and how everything unfolded.
Overall: Interesting look at history.
Story: Thirteen Days starts like a normal day in the Kennedy administration, his assistant Kenny O’Donnell (Costner) joins the President John F Kennedy (Greenwood), his brother Robert F Kennedy (Culp) and advisers from every side for an emergency meeting.
The meeting is called to discuss the appearance of nuclear warheads in Cuba, believing Russia are moving to a closer position which could destroy large parts of America in minutes. What follows in Kenny trying to help JFK make the smartest decision, despite how many different people are advising with multiply options, all leading to one of the most intense stand offs in military history.
Thoughts on Thirteen Days
Characters – Kenny O’Donnell is the assistant advisor to the President, he gives him advice which would see him make decisions which would support the image of the President and the country instead of agree with the fast track answers which would see America go to war, he is the man that people turn to if they are not prepared to challenge the President’s decisions. President John F Kennedy is the man in the middle of the situation, the man that needs to make the final decision after taking on all the advice from his experts, he wants to remain in control of the situation to the best of his ability. Robert F Kennedy is one of the men advising his brother, he knows how John thinks and knows how the help him make the right decisions to remain calm and in control. We do have plenty of different advisors who are trying to offer a plan to what could make this stand off end quicker.
Performances – Kevin Costner is always entertaining to watch in a political movie, this is no different as he plays the pivot to everything going on. Bruce Greenwood as the President is great to watch through the film, with the whole cast looking like they would have been the people they are playing.
Story – The story here follows the events around the Cuba Mission Crisis, from the point of view of the Americans. This does break down to be a political thriller that does keep us on edge as we see all the potential ideas that were thrown out which could have seen the world in a different place if different outcomes had been used, while this is a 2 hour story, we only focus on the different ideas, which is interesting to see. Each person could have their own agenda which could show the mindset of the public during the events. We could have more intense moments, but it just doesn’t really do that much more, which doesn’t display just how dangerous the event could have been.
History – This is a big historical moment and it does show how the people in power were put on panic station when the events started to unfold.
Settings – The film uses the political settings for the most part, which does show us just how the people stayed together through the events of the crisis.
Scene of the Movie – Putting the Admiral in his place.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We could have had more intense sequences.
Final Thoughts – This is an interesting look at one of the biggest stand offs in modern history, we do see how it could have gone very differently and how everything unfolded.
Overall: Interesting look at history.
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Absolution (The Protectors #1) in Books
Apr 12, 2018
Absolution (The Protectors #1) by Sloane Kennedy
Absolution is the first book in The Protectors series by Sloane Kennedy. We meet Jonas, who appears to be a young artist without a care in the world. But then we find out that Mace is looking to kill him, and for reasons that don't appear to match the artist we see. And then along comes Cole, an ex-navy man desperate to find out what happened to his sister, and the only one who can tell him is Jonas. These three are intrinsically bound together as the story takes on more twists and turns than a bowl of spaghetti.
This was a fast-paced story with never a dull moment. Jonas, Cole, and Mace, all round each other out and soften those rough edges that life has given them. I have to say that I loved the cameos of Ronan, and can't wait for his story. I may or may not have shed a few tears towards the end of this book, but I'll never tell for sure ;)
A dark story that is enthralling reading. Fiction really doesn't get much better than this. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This was a fast-paced story with never a dull moment. Jonas, Cole, and Mace, all round each other out and soften those rough edges that life has given them. I have to say that I loved the cameos of Ronan, and can't wait for his story. I may or may not have shed a few tears towards the end of this book, but I'll never tell for sure ;)
A dark story that is enthralling reading. Fiction really doesn't get much better than this. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Whisper Man in Books
Aug 31, 2019 (Updated Aug 31, 2019)
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
In The Whisper Man, recently widowed Tom Kennedy moves to Featherbank for a fresh start. What he does not realize is the town has a dark history and, as the old saying goes, history always repeats itself. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and killed people whom he lured out of their house by whispering at their windows at night. Kennedy quickly becomes too familiar with this because his son hears whispering at his window.
The Whisper Man is a dark, suspenseful thriller by Alex North. According to his bio, North is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name. This is his first book published under Alex North. Betterreading.com sums up the mystery by saying "So, who is Alex North? Time will probably tell, but in the meantime, the biggest thriller of 2019 has been written by the Whisper Man himself."
The short chapters move the story at a fast pace. I had a hard time finding an appropriate place to stop reading because each chapter ended with me wanting more. There is a supernatural element but it is not the main focus.
I am looking forward to more by Alex North, whomever he is.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/30/19.
In The Whisper Man, recently widowed Tom Kennedy moves to Featherbank for a fresh start. What he does not realize is the town has a dark history and, as the old saying goes, history always repeats itself. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and killed people whom he lured out of their house by whispering at their windows at night. Kennedy quickly becomes too familiar with this because his son hears whispering at his window.
The Whisper Man is a dark, suspenseful thriller by Alex North. According to his bio, North is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name. This is his first book published under Alex North. Betterreading.com sums up the mystery by saying "So, who is Alex North? Time will probably tell, but in the meantime, the biggest thriller of 2019 has been written by the Whisper Man himself."
The short chapters move the story at a fast pace. I had a hard time finding an appropriate place to stop reading because each chapter ended with me wanting more. There is a supernatural element but it is not the main focus.
I am looking forward to more by Alex North, whomever he is.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/30/19.
Blazing Minds (92 KP) rated Freaky (2021) in Movies
Oct 29, 2021 (Updated Nov 2, 2021)
Back in 2017, a brilliant movie called Happy Death Day was released and it was a brilliant take on Groundhog Day with a horror twist, now director Christopher Landon brings is a twist on Freaky Friday with the comedy/horror Freaky starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton.
Director Christopher Landon has brought us another fun movie to watch, I love the twist on the Freak Friday idea and both writers Landon and Michale Kennedy have really taken an old idea and given it a new twist and freshness that makes this one of the best comedy/horror films that I’ve seen this year, so far.
Director Christopher Landon has brought us another fun movie to watch, I love the twist on the Freak Friday idea and both writers Landon and Michale Kennedy have really taken an old idea and given it a new twist and freshness that makes this one of the best comedy/horror films that I’ve seen this year, so far.
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Serious Sweet: Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in Books
May 13, 2017
This novel is a work of art, l I would expect nothing less from a Man Booker contender.
‘The trouble was, that Margaret Thatcher got her drunk.’
A.L. Kennedy is an award-winning novelist, short story writer, and comedian. Her most recent novel, Serious Sweet, 2016, was long listed for this year’s Man Booker prize. Prior to reading the novel, I read some reviews and was fascinated by their diversity, comments ranging from disappointing to outright marvellous. This told me that I was about to embark on a work of art, after all I would expect nothing less from a Man Booker contender.
The novel is set in the heart of contemporary London and follows its two main characters, John Sigurdsson and Meg Williams through a single day. John is a fickle character, who at 59-year of age, has recently divorced is adulterous wife, and his professional life is hanging in the balance. Working as a senior civil servant in Westminster, he is attempting to uncover some pretty immoral activity. John has a talent for letter writing, this, he finds, is a romantic way to connect to women, whilst otherwise remaining inconspicuous. This is how he meets Meg.
Meg Williams is a 45-year-old bankrupt accountant, now working in an animal shelter because, ‘people who’ve been damaged by people go and work with salvaged animals because the animals have also been damaged by people’ (128). Meg is a victim of sexual abuse from a previous partner, something that we only learn in smatterings throughout the novel. A struggling alcoholic, Meg is on the wagon then off the wagon and blames her more recent fall on Margaret Thatcher, ‘The trouble was that Margaret Thatcher got her drunk.’
While the novel itself can be read as a political satire, and political corruption is plentiful in the narrative, I feel it is simply a back-story. The real story is the unfolding of the human consciousness and the power of the mind. Kennedy shows the reader the power of will through the thoughts of each character, stripping them back to their rawest and purest selves, and showing real courage and hope.
When John and Meg eventually meet at the end of the novel, it is not without some supercharged emotional turmoil. Connecting initially through letter writing, however, allowed the characters to open up their inner thoughts and feelings and gave a platform to be open and honest without the restrictions of reality. This, I believe, is where hope is born in the story.
Watching these two characters evolve was a real delight for me and I feel that Kennedy did the novel justice. You can almost feel each character battle with their own heads while their consciousness’ begins to intertwine. And let us not forget those beautifully written vignettes between chapters. Kennedy has written a wonderful novel, and Serious Sweet, I believe was worthy of its Man Booker place.
A.L. Kennedy is an award-winning novelist, short story writer, and comedian. Her most recent novel, Serious Sweet, 2016, was long listed for this year’s Man Booker prize. Prior to reading the novel, I read some reviews and was fascinated by their diversity, comments ranging from disappointing to outright marvellous. This told me that I was about to embark on a work of art, after all I would expect nothing less from a Man Booker contender.
The novel is set in the heart of contemporary London and follows its two main characters, John Sigurdsson and Meg Williams through a single day. John is a fickle character, who at 59-year of age, has recently divorced is adulterous wife, and his professional life is hanging in the balance. Working as a senior civil servant in Westminster, he is attempting to uncover some pretty immoral activity. John has a talent for letter writing, this, he finds, is a romantic way to connect to women, whilst otherwise remaining inconspicuous. This is how he meets Meg.
Meg Williams is a 45-year-old bankrupt accountant, now working in an animal shelter because, ‘people who’ve been damaged by people go and work with salvaged animals because the animals have also been damaged by people’ (128). Meg is a victim of sexual abuse from a previous partner, something that we only learn in smatterings throughout the novel. A struggling alcoholic, Meg is on the wagon then off the wagon and blames her more recent fall on Margaret Thatcher, ‘The trouble was that Margaret Thatcher got her drunk.’
While the novel itself can be read as a political satire, and political corruption is plentiful in the narrative, I feel it is simply a back-story. The real story is the unfolding of the human consciousness and the power of the mind. Kennedy shows the reader the power of will through the thoughts of each character, stripping them back to their rawest and purest selves, and showing real courage and hope.
When John and Meg eventually meet at the end of the novel, it is not without some supercharged emotional turmoil. Connecting initially through letter writing, however, allowed the characters to open up their inner thoughts and feelings and gave a platform to be open and honest without the restrictions of reality. This, I believe, is where hope is born in the story.
Watching these two characters evolve was a real delight for me and I feel that Kennedy did the novel justice. You can almost feel each character battle with their own heads while their consciousness’ begins to intertwine. And let us not forget those beautifully written vignettes between chapters. Kennedy has written a wonderful novel, and Serious Sweet, I believe was worthy of its Man Booker place.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Charade (1963) in Movies
Feb 27, 2018 (Updated Feb 27, 2018)
Effervescent Hitchcock pastiche. Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant spar and fall in love while attempting to discover the whereabouts of a stolen fortune; James Coburn and George Kennedy are amongst the killers also taking an interest in the cash.
Film's main plus points are its ingeniously convoluted script, practically guaranteed to keep the viewer guessing, and sparkling dialogue, which Grant and Hepburn put across every bit as well as you would expect. Film also has a touch of grit in the thriller elements, as well. A highly polished piece of escapist entertainment; classy in every department. Almost certainly showing on a video-sharing website near you (Universal mucked up the copyright notice and the film has been in the public domain ever since it was first released).
Film's main plus points are its ingeniously convoluted script, practically guaranteed to keep the viewer guessing, and sparkling dialogue, which Grant and Hepburn put across every bit as well as you would expect. Film also has a touch of grit in the thriller elements, as well. A highly polished piece of escapist entertainment; classy in every department. Almost certainly showing on a video-sharing website near you (Universal mucked up the copyright notice and the film has been in the public domain ever since it was first released).
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Resident Evil 2 (Remake) in Video Games
Feb 12, 2020
A fantastic re-imagining
A return to a zombie infested Racoon city, following characters Leon Kennedy, a rookie cop who's first day on the force turns into a literal Nightmare & Claire Redfield who's seeking her older brother Chris (more on him later).
After a Virus is unleashed, Racoon city becomes a dark, monster filled, blood soaked Nightmarish place, where Leon & Claire must survive in order to uncover an evil conspiracy & save the City from an undead Extinction.
Great in game mechanics and nice character redesigns recreated in a dark toned game has pumped new life into a struggling franchise with more to come.
New voice work has been well received and it's not hard to see why.
After a Virus is unleashed, Racoon city becomes a dark, monster filled, blood soaked Nightmarish place, where Leon & Claire must survive in order to uncover an evil conspiracy & save the City from an undead Extinction.
Great in game mechanics and nice character redesigns recreated in a dark toned game has pumped new life into a struggling franchise with more to come.
New voice work has been well received and it's not hard to see why.