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Hazel (2934 KP) rated Good Girls Don't Die (D.I. Grace Fisher #1) in Books
Mar 28, 2020
This is another of the books that has been on my "to be read" pile for far too long ... January 2015 to be precise ... how bad is that but at least I finally got round to reading it and continuing on my quest to get my "to be read" pile down this year - only another few hundred to go đŹ
Anyway, this book is the first in the series featuring D.I. Grace Fisher; a complex and wounded character recently moved to Essex following a difficult set of traumatic events that are gradually revealed in and amongst the investigation into a missing person of one young lady and murder of another ... are they connected? What follows is an intricate plot with a number of suspects but told in a way that was logical and, I think, realistic. However, there is more to this book than the crimes, it skims the surface of office politics, bullying in the work place, obsession and domestic violence as well as freedom/intrusion of the press ... all of these threads work really well together and fit seamlessly into this story.
The characters are an interesting and eclectic bunch. I particularly liked Grace and fellow team member, Lance; I found them engaging and plausible and I got a sense of a really strong relationship building between them and am looking forward to getting to know them better in subsequent books in the series.
The writing is easy to read and flows well and although this book is not full of action or suspense, there is definitely an underlying darkness and threat that is ever present and that makes this book engaging and enjoyable and one I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a new series to read in this genre.
Belated thank you Quercus Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review and for introducing me to yet another great author.
Anyway, this book is the first in the series featuring D.I. Grace Fisher; a complex and wounded character recently moved to Essex following a difficult set of traumatic events that are gradually revealed in and amongst the investigation into a missing person of one young lady and murder of another ... are they connected? What follows is an intricate plot with a number of suspects but told in a way that was logical and, I think, realistic. However, there is more to this book than the crimes, it skims the surface of office politics, bullying in the work place, obsession and domestic violence as well as freedom/intrusion of the press ... all of these threads work really well together and fit seamlessly into this story.
The characters are an interesting and eclectic bunch. I particularly liked Grace and fellow team member, Lance; I found them engaging and plausible and I got a sense of a really strong relationship building between them and am looking forward to getting to know them better in subsequent books in the series.
The writing is easy to read and flows well and although this book is not full of action or suspense, there is definitely an underlying darkness and threat that is ever present and that makes this book engaging and enjoyable and one I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a new series to read in this genre.
Belated thank you Quercus Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review and for introducing me to yet another great author.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Focus (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Focus, a new film starring Will Smith, Rodrigo Santoro, Margot Robbie, and Gerald McRaney seems like it âshould beâ predictable, but I didnât find it to be predictable at all.
I only caught one of the tricky story line twists at the last minute, at the very end, and the whole entire movie, I really thought that the leading lady Jess (Margot Robbie) was up to something other than what she was.
The movie overall, after watching it, reminds me a bit of Oceans 11, with twists and turns and surprises and things I just didnât see coming.
I felt Will Smith as Nicky Spurgeon did a great job, and portrayed his relationship, or the fact that he was bothered by his lack of a relationship with Jess very believably.
The story moves along quickly, flowing well, for the most part. We watch Jess try to con Nicky, and watch him school her on âhow itâs doneâ.
This sets the tone for the rest of the show which follows Nickysâ path as a con man and him working with his crew in one job after another.
He is supposed to be the best of the best and we watch him successfully carry off con after con in the first half.
The second half of the movie takes place after a number of years have passed, and more closely details Nickyâs feelings or apparent feelings for Jess.
Without revealing too much, I can only say everything is not as it appears, but the action of what is happening is fast enough that it distracted me from being able to concentrate too hard on what the deceptions might be.
I think this might be Will Smiths âcomeback movieâ after a series of recent films over the past handful of years with him as a headliner have been really, really bad.
I have already encouraged a handful of friends to see the film when it comes to regular release, and I would gladly see it again.
I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.
I only caught one of the tricky story line twists at the last minute, at the very end, and the whole entire movie, I really thought that the leading lady Jess (Margot Robbie) was up to something other than what she was.
The movie overall, after watching it, reminds me a bit of Oceans 11, with twists and turns and surprises and things I just didnât see coming.
I felt Will Smith as Nicky Spurgeon did a great job, and portrayed his relationship, or the fact that he was bothered by his lack of a relationship with Jess very believably.
The story moves along quickly, flowing well, for the most part. We watch Jess try to con Nicky, and watch him school her on âhow itâs doneâ.
This sets the tone for the rest of the show which follows Nickysâ path as a con man and him working with his crew in one job after another.
He is supposed to be the best of the best and we watch him successfully carry off con after con in the first half.
The second half of the movie takes place after a number of years have passed, and more closely details Nickyâs feelings or apparent feelings for Jess.
Without revealing too much, I can only say everything is not as it appears, but the action of what is happening is fast enough that it distracted me from being able to concentrate too hard on what the deceptions might be.
I think this might be Will Smiths âcomeback movieâ after a series of recent films over the past handful of years with him as a headliner have been really, really bad.
I have already encouraged a handful of friends to see the film when it comes to regular release, and I would gladly see it again.
I would give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Nut Job (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The Nut Job, starring Will Arnett playing Surly the squirrel, and Liam Neeson playing Racoon, is a kids movie, but has political undertones that wonât be missed by the adults. It does send a good message to kids in that it portrays Surly starting out caring only for himself and then growing to learn to help his friends and take care of others.
My 5 year old son says âit was funny, and it made me laughâ. He says he would see it again.
Down at its core, this movie really is about politics. Raccoon rules the park with the outward appearance of benevolence and coordinating all the animals to âwork for the good of the parkâ while Surly is out for only himself, and refuses to conform. He is the cause of an accident that causes their food-storage tree to be burned to the ground, taking all their food with it, and is subsequently banished from the park without a trial, even though Andie, a lady squirrel (voiced by Katherine Heigl), begs her friends to not banish him without a trial. She is almost instantly voted down by the angry residents of Liberty Park.
Surly leaves Liberty Park and has to try and make it on his own. He finds his way to a HUGE stash of nuts, and devises a plan to get them to hold him through the winter. Andie finds him, and wants âinâ on the stash to help the animals in the oark, and makes a deal with him to split them if they work together to collect the haul.
After the point in the movie where it is revealed that Racoon is not so benevolent after all and that his goal is to âcontrol the food to control the animalsâ, some of the animals antics might be a bit troubling for younger viewers, but overall I thought it was a decent movie that kids will likely enjoy & parents can tolerate as well.
My 5 year old son says âit was funny, and it made me laughâ. He says he would see it again.
Down at its core, this movie really is about politics. Raccoon rules the park with the outward appearance of benevolence and coordinating all the animals to âwork for the good of the parkâ while Surly is out for only himself, and refuses to conform. He is the cause of an accident that causes their food-storage tree to be burned to the ground, taking all their food with it, and is subsequently banished from the park without a trial, even though Andie, a lady squirrel (voiced by Katherine Heigl), begs her friends to not banish him without a trial. She is almost instantly voted down by the angry residents of Liberty Park.
Surly leaves Liberty Park and has to try and make it on his own. He finds his way to a HUGE stash of nuts, and devises a plan to get them to hold him through the winter. Andie finds him, and wants âinâ on the stash to help the animals in the oark, and makes a deal with him to split them if they work together to collect the haul.
After the point in the movie where it is revealed that Racoon is not so benevolent after all and that his goal is to âcontrol the food to control the animalsâ, some of the animals antics might be a bit troubling for younger viewers, but overall I thought it was a decent movie that kids will likely enjoy & parents can tolerate as well.
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