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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Warlords and Wastrels (The Duellists Trilogy #3) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
This series was a great start that kind of had a dead point in the middle, then got really good again with this third book, then the last little bit was kind of a let-down. The book itself, the plot, the twists and surprises, the murder, it was all great. But the ending and how it finished was very unsatisfactory. It felt like it came out of nowhere. It made some big changes to the characters lives. I feel like if you’re going to make a big change, you need to hint at it, leave some little for-shadowing clues in the body of the work, etc. Don’t just throw someting at me at the last page. That was the only part of the book I didn’t like.
All in all it was a good conclusion and a nice finish to a fun and exciting story. Not a Joe Abercrombie or a James Patterson or a Gail Carriger, but still fun and lots of swordfights. And we all know swordfights are really the only reason I listen to audiobooks.
All in all it was a good conclusion and a nice finish to a fun and exciting story. Not a Joe Abercrombie or a James Patterson or a Gail Carriger, but still fun and lots of swordfights. And we all know swordfights are really the only reason I listen to audiobooks.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Gremlins (1984) in Movies
Dec 24, 2019
Brilliant
I appear to be having a bit of a run on Joe Dante films at the moment, but it would be rude not to watch Gremlins over Christmas.
This film is so much fun from start to finish. It's everything you'd want and more from a Christmas horror film - laughs, some festive christmas spirit and a whole host of gremlin gore and wacky deaths. Considering this was made in 1984 the special effects with the Gremlins are surprisingly impressive and very inventive. The scenarios that they get themselves into are hilarious. Admittedly considering it's now 35 years old there are parts that look a little dated, but overall this is such a brilliant and entertaining film and definitely a classic at Christmas.
This film is so much fun from start to finish. It's everything you'd want and more from a Christmas horror film - laughs, some festive christmas spirit and a whole host of gremlin gore and wacky deaths. Considering this was made in 1984 the special effects with the Gremlins are surprisingly impressive and very inventive. The scenarios that they get themselves into are hilarious. Admittedly considering it's now 35 years old there are parts that look a little dated, but overall this is such a brilliant and entertaining film and definitely a classic at Christmas.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2084 KP) rated The Chocolate Shark Shenanigans in Books
Nov 7, 2019
Lee Must Solve a Flipping Murder
Much to Lee Woodyard’s dismay, her husband, Joe, and her uncle, Hogan, have bought the house next to Lee and Joe. They intended to flip it, but Lee is nervous about it. It doesn’t help when she and a plumber find a gun while checking the pipes in the basement. When Lee and Hogan go back to take a second look at the basement, they find a dead body. Can Lee figure out what is going on?
It has been a couple of years since we last got to visit Lee and the rest of the gang, and I was thrilled to be able to spend a little more time with them. As usual, the friends in Lee’s life are given cameos, but Lee, Joe, and the other couple of main characters more than make up for this. Not to mention, the new characters that help compel us into the story. Speaking of which, I was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. The story is filled with twists and turns. The ending is a bit rushed, but it does tie everything major up. The book is on the shorter side, but by eliminating sub-plots, it still presents a full mystery that will leave you hungry for more. Speaking of which, the descriptions of chocolate made my mouth water, and the chocolate trivia sprinkled along the way is fun as always. We even get a recipe at the end of the book. Fans old and new will be glad they picked up this book.
It has been a couple of years since we last got to visit Lee and the rest of the gang, and I was thrilled to be able to spend a little more time with them. As usual, the friends in Lee’s life are given cameos, but Lee, Joe, and the other couple of main characters more than make up for this. Not to mention, the new characters that help compel us into the story. Speaking of which, I was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. The story is filled with twists and turns. The ending is a bit rushed, but it does tie everything major up. The book is on the shorter side, but by eliminating sub-plots, it still presents a full mystery that will leave you hungry for more. Speaking of which, the descriptions of chocolate made my mouth water, and the chocolate trivia sprinkled along the way is fun as always. We even get a recipe at the end of the book. Fans old and new will be glad they picked up this book.
_RainAllTheTime (17 KP) rated Spree (2020) in Movies
Jan 13, 2021
Spree...a little weird but pretty good
So I was scrolling through Netflix, like we have all been doing during the pandemic...and I came across Spree
Instantly I noticed Joe Keery, Steve from Stranger Things, whom I'm a fan of, in the trailer so I thought "Eh, why not see what it's like"
Is it a weird film? Yes. But good weird? Yes, I think so anyways.
Joe Keery plays Kurt, who is DESPERATE to go viral. He wants to be SEEN. He wants the whole world to KNOW who he is. So he decides he's came up with the perfect plan to go viral...
Joe Keery plays Kurt amazingly. He is so convincing and can tell he really got into the role.
Sasheer Zamata's role of Jess...prefect. Sasheer plays the character of Jess, a comedian, who has gone viral for her comedy. Jess has a large following and along the way she meets Kurt...
Spree shows the addiction people can get to their phones and the internet. The effect it has on live streamers, YouTubers etc, and the viewers. It shows that so many people are desensitised to many things that come up on the internet.
It shows both sides of addiction to the internet through Kurt and Jess.
The whole film is made from people filming themselves via their phones, CCTV footage etc
Overall, I'd definitely recommend that people into this genre should check it out. Heads up, it is weird but I personally enjoyed it and it's worth giving it a chance to see if you like it too.
Instantly I noticed Joe Keery, Steve from Stranger Things, whom I'm a fan of, in the trailer so I thought "Eh, why not see what it's like"
Is it a weird film? Yes. But good weird? Yes, I think so anyways.
Joe Keery plays Kurt, who is DESPERATE to go viral. He wants to be SEEN. He wants the whole world to KNOW who he is. So he decides he's came up with the perfect plan to go viral...
Joe Keery plays Kurt amazingly. He is so convincing and can tell he really got into the role.
Sasheer Zamata's role of Jess...prefect. Sasheer plays the character of Jess, a comedian, who has gone viral for her comedy. Jess has a large following and along the way she meets Kurt...
Spree shows the addiction people can get to their phones and the internet. The effect it has on live streamers, YouTubers etc, and the viewers. It shows that so many people are desensitised to many things that come up on the internet.
It shows both sides of addiction to the internet through Kurt and Jess.
The whole film is made from people filming themselves via their phones, CCTV footage etc
Overall, I'd definitely recommend that people into this genre should check it out. Heads up, it is weird but I personally enjoyed it and it's worth giving it a chance to see if you like it too.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Little Joe (2019) in Movies
Jun 15, 2020
Everyone knows a working Joe
Little Joe is a look into happiness and the lengths we will go to to achieve it while also delving deeply into the manipulation, the deprivation of freedom, greed and selfishness that can surround and alter that path too. After having a very limited cinema release in th Uk i decided to pre-order this on itunes. Today sees its release and after giving it a watch I can say I really did enjoy this movie despite a lot of other reviews saying its unwatchable due to its high pitched soundtrack. Little Joe most of the time is a very cold and clinically sterile looking film thats contrasted subtlety with bold pastle shades of colour in sets that almost have an art deco feel to them. This helps the film look constantly striking/beautiful but also adds a sense of unnatural uneasiness too it too. Combine this with a soundtrack made up of scratches, plucks, plinks and plonks woven together into a score that has an almost oriental sound to it which gives the film a constant chilling vibe and an unnerving/erie atmosphere. Its invokes intense stress on the senses thats for sure and it kept me feeling uncomfortable/stressed the entire movie and also leaving me ears ringing long after the film had had ended too. I wouldnt say its unbearable however and it definitely fits the film/adds to the atmosphere. Performances are great too feeling again very cold and focused with Ben Whishaw being the standout here as always playing a charcter so professional and confident when it comes to work yet so socially awkward when it comes to his relationships with other people. Theres running theme of happiness here thats for sure and the heights/lengths we as people will go to to just to achieve it. Primarily as a film it seems focused on questioning if drugs for conditions such as depression or dementia that are taken to make people feel happier/more 'normal' are worth the cost of losing personalities, emotions and in a sense freedom because like they say in the film "who cares if people are zombies as long as they are happy". Theres also a look at parents subduing childs behaviours for a quieter life which in a sence takes away all the traits youth and the joys of being a child bring, or partners that cant deal with thier other half being sad or having arguments all the time so they presure them onto drugs in a selfish/controlling way because to then its far easier and less time consuming than actually learning/undertsanding and putting in the effort in to helping them. Then theres how society mocks, neglects and fails to understand certain illnesses and also how companies profit from them making drugs with increasingly worse side effects but it doesnt phase them as long as they are meeting targets/company goals. Little Joe definitely contains a lot of very thought provoking stuff its just sadly all a bit messy when mixed in with all the films dark comedy and scifi horror elements and it does quite often lose its way or fall short on conclusions. That being said i found this film to be well worth the watch just be sure you know before you go in that its very slow, stressful and depressing with an intense score and a conclusion thats ultimately unrewarding but overall its great little look into the effects of drugs that are meant to help with making us all feel 'normal' and 'happy' in life.
Sam (74 KP) rated Joe and Clara’s Christmas Countdown in Books
Mar 27, 2019
This is one of my absolute favourite festive books out there. It’s warm and snuggly and it is so cheerful that it makes me smile as soon as I open the book.
Joe and Clara are both wonderfully developed characters who steal your heart from their first introductions. There were little moments that got me giggling, and plenty of times where the novel was just purely heartwarming.
To me, this is what every festive novel should be. It is so feel-good and I love the way that every chapter counts down until Christmas. If I had the self-control, I would read a chapter a day through December but I know I would never be able to restrain myself that much!
This is definitely a Christmas book you have to experience.
Joe and Clara are both wonderfully developed characters who steal your heart from their first introductions. There were little moments that got me giggling, and plenty of times where the novel was just purely heartwarming.
To me, this is what every festive novel should be. It is so feel-good and I love the way that every chapter counts down until Christmas. If I had the self-control, I would read a chapter a day through December but I know I would never be able to restrain myself that much!
This is definitely a Christmas book you have to experience.
This book is a great debut novel for Kepnes, I haven’t read a stalker book before and was intrigued, however in parts it felt a bit repetitive, I didn’t like any of the characters in the book and I was starting to get a little bored with the story. The book is written in such a way that it feels like Joe is actually talking about you….ha ha ha see what I did there!*hangs head* So it can be a very creepy book depending on how you read it.
Joe is a total psychopath! I didn’t like him at all, he stalks Beck to no-end, he has Facebook, twitter, email accounts and watching her every move. He is obsessed with Beck and is determined to be her boyfriend and nothing will get in his way.The thing that shocked me the most was that he didn’t believe he had issues and that he was actually protecting her from her friends and other men that looked her way.
Beck is so annoying I really didn’t like her, she was an attention seeking little cow-bag, she had her own issues but would flaunt around with no bra on and get dressed in front of her window that had no blinds or curtains. Flirt with pretty much anyone. And I know this is probably awful to say but she brought a lot of this on herself. She is such a user as well, she was stringing Joe along at times just for odd job duties and I was starting to feel sorry for him, but I had to remind myself that he was the one in the wrong and I shouldnt be feeling like this.
I felt the story went on a little too long and I was getting bored in places, it was sometimes just him constantly checking email updates and tweets to see if beck was thinking about him. It was a bit predictable as well, even though I haven’t read a stalker book I figured it out pretty early on.
This is a book that will make you step back and have a reality check, there could be someone stalking you but you just don’t know it. With all the social media and how easy it is for people to access the information is very scary.
This is an adult book and does contain explicit language and sexual scenes so it will not be for everyone or a younger audience.
Overall I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
Joe is a total psychopath! I didn’t like him at all, he stalks Beck to no-end, he has Facebook, twitter, email accounts and watching her every move. He is obsessed with Beck and is determined to be her boyfriend and nothing will get in his way.The thing that shocked me the most was that he didn’t believe he had issues and that he was actually protecting her from her friends and other men that looked her way.
Beck is so annoying I really didn’t like her, she was an attention seeking little cow-bag, she had her own issues but would flaunt around with no bra on and get dressed in front of her window that had no blinds or curtains. Flirt with pretty much anyone. And I know this is probably awful to say but she brought a lot of this on herself. She is such a user as well, she was stringing Joe along at times just for odd job duties and I was starting to feel sorry for him, but I had to remind myself that he was the one in the wrong and I shouldnt be feeling like this.
I felt the story went on a little too long and I was getting bored in places, it was sometimes just him constantly checking email updates and tweets to see if beck was thinking about him. It was a bit predictable as well, even though I haven’t read a stalker book I figured it out pretty early on.
This is a book that will make you step back and have a reality check, there could be someone stalking you but you just don’t know it. With all the social media and how easy it is for people to access the information is very scary.
This is an adult book and does contain explicit language and sexual scenes so it will not be for everyone or a younger audience.
Overall I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated The Movie Crypt in Podcasts
Jan 8, 2018
Adam Green and Joe Lynch (3 more)
Different guest each week
Heartfelt stories
It's pretty damned funny
Awesome Pod for anyone who wants to make movies
Adam and Joe are two of the best "indie" film makers out there. Adam brought one of the horror genres newest icons to life in the form of Victor Crowley and Joe has been responsible for a pair of my favorite independent films with the births of Mayhem and Everly. But did you ever wonder how they got their starts in the film industry? Or what it takes to make a horror film? Or how some of your favorite actors writers directors and people involved in the industry got to be where they are today?
This pod brings it all to light. They hold nothing back and tell all things. Both good and bad.
With awesome guests such as horror icons Kane Hodder, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley and Ray Wise as well as fellow filmmakers the likes of Darren Lynn Boussman, Adam Wingard and Ti West. The boys leave no stone unturned as they bring everything to the table.
The pod is also welcome to subscription through Patreon with some cool little gifts to those who want to donate. Including Film commentaries once a month, first come basis viewer mail questions and Hollywood tell all answers to industry questions in a segment called Ask Dr. Arwen, named after Green's Yorkie and fellow show host.
I would recommend this Podcast to anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of the film world told from a perspective that is understandable to anyone. And it's good for a few laughs as well. I've been a devoted listener since 2013. And the vast library of webisodes is available to anyone via iTunes and other podcast generators.
Listen and enjoy folks. You won't be disappointed.
This pod brings it all to light. They hold nothing back and tell all things. Both good and bad.
With awesome guests such as horror icons Kane Hodder, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley and Ray Wise as well as fellow filmmakers the likes of Darren Lynn Boussman, Adam Wingard and Ti West. The boys leave no stone unturned as they bring everything to the table.
The pod is also welcome to subscription through Patreon with some cool little gifts to those who want to donate. Including Film commentaries once a month, first come basis viewer mail questions and Hollywood tell all answers to industry questions in a segment called Ask Dr. Arwen, named after Green's Yorkie and fellow show host.
I would recommend this Podcast to anyone who wants to learn the ins and outs of the film world told from a perspective that is understandable to anyone. And it's good for a few laughs as well. I've been a devoted listener since 2013. And the vast library of webisodes is available to anyone via iTunes and other podcast generators.
Listen and enjoy folks. You won't be disappointed.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2084 KP) rated The Chocolate Clown Corpse (A Chocoholic Mystery, #14) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Clowns are the theme for the annual winter carnival in Warner Pier, which is ironic since the man who ran the clown themed store in town was murdered about a month before it starts. Since that store was next door to TenHuis Chocolade, Lee Woodyard is hoping to buy it to expand the business. That’s how she meets the family and gets further involved when evidence begins appearing suggestion the homeless man who has been arrest for the murder might be innocent. But if he is innocent, who actually did it?
The book started out a little slowly, but once it gained speed, I found it hard to put it down, as always. I did spot the ending a little early, but I was having so much fun I didn’t mind. Lee, her husband Joe, and the new characters are great, but I do wish we could see more of the supporting cast – another common complaint when it comes to this series. Still, fans of Lee’s will gobble this book down like always.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-review-chocolate-clown-corpse-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book started out a little slowly, but once it gained speed, I found it hard to put it down, as always. I did spot the ending a little early, but I was having so much fun I didn’t mind. Lee, her husband Joe, and the new characters are great, but I do wish we could see more of the supporting cast – another common complaint when it comes to this series. Still, fans of Lee’s will gobble this book down like always.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-review-chocolate-clown-corpse-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Right to Kill ( DS Joe Romano 1) in Books
May 6, 2024
86 of 220
Right to Kill ( DS Joe Romano 1)
By John Barlow
⭐️⭐️
On a Thursday night in February, DS Joe Romano finds himself back on home turf in Wortley, West Leeds. He’s following up on the disappearance of drug dealer Craig Shaw.
It’s the start of a case that could make or break Romano’s career. Because Shaw is about to go from missing to murdered.
While some don’t think Shaw’s killer should be brought to justice, Romano believes every life counts. But he’s running out of time.
The killer is ready to strike again. And Romano will be forced to question whether anyone has the right to kill.
Oh gosh I don’t know where to start. This started well death by pencil is something different and I was excited to see where this was going. Interesting premise and I thought I was going to love it. Then it all went downhill a little, the character Rita yea rubbed me the wrong way I got to the point where I just couldn’t read her. The communication between a few characters was so cringy I should have stopped there. Also a social media scene not needed by this time I’d got to the point I just wanted to reach the end and not for a good reason. I had high hopes!
Right to Kill ( DS Joe Romano 1)
By John Barlow
⭐️⭐️
On a Thursday night in February, DS Joe Romano finds himself back on home turf in Wortley, West Leeds. He’s following up on the disappearance of drug dealer Craig Shaw.
It’s the start of a case that could make or break Romano’s career. Because Shaw is about to go from missing to murdered.
While some don’t think Shaw’s killer should be brought to justice, Romano believes every life counts. But he’s running out of time.
The killer is ready to strike again. And Romano will be forced to question whether anyone has the right to kill.
Oh gosh I don’t know where to start. This started well death by pencil is something different and I was excited to see where this was going. Interesting premise and I thought I was going to love it. Then it all went downhill a little, the character Rita yea rubbed me the wrong way I got to the point where I just couldn’t read her. The communication between a few characters was so cringy I should have stopped there. Also a social media scene not needed by this time I’d got to the point I just wanted to reach the end and not for a good reason. I had high hopes!