Search
Bobby Gillespie recommended John Phillips (John the Wolfking of L.A.) by John Phillips in Music (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Wife Who Knew Too Much in Books
Sep 17, 2020
Wild thriller that keeps you on your toes!
Tabby Girard hasn't seen Connor Ford for thirteen years, since he broke her heart as a teen. Back then he was the handsome rich kid whom she fell in love with while working at his country club. But she wasn't good enough for the Ford family, especially Connor's grandmother. Tabby quickly learns Connor is richer than ever now. He's married to Nina Levitt, a wealthy and famous woman twenty years his senior. He married for money, not love, he tells Tabby, and he's miserable. He portrays Nina as a controlling and jealous wife. But if he cheats on Nina and leaves her, their prenup dictates that Connor receives nothing. Then Nina is found dead in the pool at Windswept, her Southampton mansion, where she had just thrown her annual fourth of July party. It seems like Tabby and Connor can finally be together. But Tabby quickly grows suspicious. Was Nina's death really a suicide? And if not, does that mean she's in love with a murderer?
"I'm writing this to raise an alarm in the event of my untimely death. This is hard to admit, even to myself, let alone to the world. My husband is planning to kill me. For obvious reasons. He's in love with someone else. And he wants my money."
It's funny, the writing in this book felt simple and stilted at times. However, I cannot deny that this is a thrilling read. It's fast-paced, and I flew through the pages. Campbell kept me guessing--something that isn't always easy to do--and offered some excellent twists. Kudos to her there. Alternating perspectives between Connor and Tabby works well, as does throwing in some flashbacks from Nina. It all adds up to a very suspenseful, slightly crazy, and quite enjoyable thriller.
Best written book? No. Wild and crazy ride with lots of surprises? Yes. (And also, make better life choices, Tabby.) 3.75 stars.
"I'm writing this to raise an alarm in the event of my untimely death. This is hard to admit, even to myself, let alone to the world. My husband is planning to kill me. For obvious reasons. He's in love with someone else. And he wants my money."
It's funny, the writing in this book felt simple and stilted at times. However, I cannot deny that this is a thrilling read. It's fast-paced, and I flew through the pages. Campbell kept me guessing--something that isn't always easy to do--and offered some excellent twists. Kudos to her there. Alternating perspectives between Connor and Tabby works well, as does throwing in some flashbacks from Nina. It all adds up to a very suspenseful, slightly crazy, and quite enjoyable thriller.
Best written book? No. Wild and crazy ride with lots of surprises? Yes. (And also, make better life choices, Tabby.) 3.75 stars.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Monster of Farewell (Blacklighters #1) in Books
Aug 28, 2019
Kickass females!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Mercury Havenworth
My mother always told me I had nothing. No place in civilized society. No moral compass. No soul...
But despite all my shortcomings, there is one thing I do have: Farewell. It's my home. My sanctuary and birthright. It's everything to me, and one day soon, I will oversee this feral matriarchy which gave me life.
The men who step through our gates see a crumbling mansion, they see a handful of women willing to bleed for a cause, but Farewell is so much more than that.
It's an empire.
MY empire.
Kessler Lawson
After eight years of incarceration, I'm a free man...for approximately two hours.
That's how long it takes to ruin my life.
Wedged between freedom and the officer who put me behind bars in the first place, I'm given a choice: Help the New Liberty Police Department infiltrate a band of criminals ruling over Farewell, Missouri...or score a one-way ticket back to prison.
With enemies on both sides, falling into bed with the boss's murderous daughter probably isn't the best idea, but there's no going back now...not after undressing the monster of Farewell.
(Warning: This book includes dark themes, offensive language, and explicit scenes that may make some readers uncomfortable. Read with caution.)
<strong>Very good</strong>
I don't know what one as expecting but I really really enjoyed it. The whole women kicking ass and the men do the "woman's work" was brilliant . The book was so well written it had a touch of violence but not to the point of being over the top, it had seriously hot sex scenes , strong female roles as well as some strong male characters it was well balanced read!
Watching Mercury develop through the book was empowering in a way. If I had one thing I thought could have bee better maybe the end not so rushed.
Highly recommend

My mother always told me I had nothing. No place in civilized society. No moral compass. No soul...
But despite all my shortcomings, there is one thing I do have: Farewell. It's my home. My sanctuary and birthright. It's everything to me, and one day soon, I will oversee this feral matriarchy which gave me life.
The men who step through our gates see a crumbling mansion, they see a handful of women willing to bleed for a cause, but Farewell is so much more than that.
It's an empire.
MY empire.
Kessler Lawson
After eight years of incarceration, I'm a free man...for approximately two hours.
That's how long it takes to ruin my life.
Wedged between freedom and the officer who put me behind bars in the first place, I'm given a choice: Help the New Liberty Police Department infiltrate a band of criminals ruling over Farewell, Missouri...or score a one-way ticket back to prison.
With enemies on both sides, falling into bed with the boss's murderous daughter probably isn't the best idea, but there's no going back now...not after undressing the monster of Farewell.
(Warning: This book includes dark themes, offensive language, and explicit scenes that may make some readers uncomfortable. Read with caution.)
<strong>Very good</strong>
I don't know what one as expecting but I really really enjoyed it. The whole women kicking ass and the men do the "woman's work" was brilliant . The book was so well written it had a touch of violence but not to the point of being over the top, it had seriously hot sex scenes , strong female roles as well as some strong male characters it was well balanced read!
Watching Mercury develop through the book was empowering in a way. If I had one thing I thought could have bee better maybe the end not so rushed.
Highly recommend

Awkward Guests
7.0
Rate It
Tabletop Game
Awkward Guests / Incómodos Invitados is a one of a kind deduction game with infinite...
Teotihuacan: Expansion Period
Tabletop Game
Teotihuacan is expanding into an empire! The city is growing beyond its old borders, military...
The Adventures of Tintin™ - The Game
Games and Entertainment
App
“One of the best and most imaginative film tie-ins I’ve played for years. […] Both fans and...
Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends - Series 3
7.9
Rate It
TV Show
Documentaries by writer and presenter Louis Theroux which delve into the weirder fringes of American...
Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries
4.0
Rate It
Book
Mae West, a far cry from the Hollywood actress, has been thrown for a loop. Her plush lifestyle in...
Easter Basket Murder
Barbara Ross, Leslie Meier and Lee Hollis
8.0
Rate It
Book
Put on your springtime best and grab a basket, because Easter egg hunting is to dye for in this...
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion in Tabletop Games
Dec 1, 2020
YES! A Scooby-Doo game! AND it’s an escape room style game? I am so fired up to play this! This was my line of thinking as I received this game in the mail. Scooby-Doo is one of my favorite cartoon shows from my youth, and name a better episode than the Harlem Globetrotters episode. I’ll wait. So with a winning design team of Jay Cormier and Sen-Foong Lim (of the excellent Belfort game) this should be a giant hit, right?
Like I mentioned, Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion is an escape room style board game with the tag of, “A Coded Chronicles Game.” This is a series of similar style games coming to us from the publisher using different IPs. This review will be lots different than our others because I do not wish to provide any spoilers, so I am eliminating my typical “messy components” shot at the end. I have also smudged the entire second photo so as not to give away anything. On to the review.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, read the rulebook, and turn to the proper paragraph number in the starting booklet. Each Mystery, Inc. character (“the gang”) has their own booklet with paragraphs and instructions inside. If you have ever played a game like Tales of the Arabian Nights you will know the style. The entry in the booklet will instruct players how to setup the first map tile and set the stage for the plot of the game.
This game features gameplay with no “turns,” so any person may choose to control a character from the gang and have them take some action. The possible actions that can be taken by the gang are: Velma may Research something, Shaggy can Eat stuff, Daphne Uses things, Scoob Smells, and Fred Investigates. Each character is assigned a single-digit number to be combined with items on the map tiles to arrive at a four-digit paragraph number. Find the number in the respective booklet and read aloud to the rest of the players. If successful, more map tiles may be added, or other things (being vague on purpose).
Should the entry not exist or instruct you to otherwise, players will need to “eat a Scooby Snack” by crossing off or reducing the total number of Snacks each time. We used another publisher’s pin to move along the track at the end of the rulebook because I didn’t feel like finding a coin.
As players progress through the game they will be presented with several challenges to figure out together. Half way through the game is a break time between Chapters 1 & 2. We were able to play this game over two nights utilizing the break.
At the end of Chapter 2 the game ends. If the players can successfully solve the case, they win! Alternately, if playing with academics, the rulebook provides a scale of VPs corresponding to the number of Scooby Snacks remaining. Whichever end-game method is chosen, the game is over and can be passed along to another household or gamer friend. That’s right, this is a one-shot escape room game. Only cheaters would go through it a second time…
Components. I cannot speak about many of the components, but I will evaluate what you see in the above photo. The rulebook and subsequent character booklets are all fine, but are curved as a result of how they sit in the box. The box itself is a strange design that you do not see with many board games. It’s not at all bad, just different. The cards are good, the map tiles are thin cardstock, and I can’t really discuss the Secret Envelopes. My biggest gripe about the game is the character standees. They are a long strip of thin stock that is folded in half, then the ends flared to make an inverted T shape. I mean, it’s fine, but this game could have done with a plastic stand for a sturdier standee to fit inside, or even basic miniatures. These standees that are included fall over all the time and when touched, even a little, flop on the table like a “professional” soccer player.
The gameplay, however, is very cool and I enjoyed my playthrough quite a bit. I very much enjoy one-shot games and despise when they ask you to destroy different components. No thanks, says me. Luckily, Scooby-Doo is able to be reset and given or sold to another person. I like that.
I also really enjoyed exploring the Haunted Mansion and trying to outwit the different challenges the game presented. This is not a particularly super difficult game to master, but will certainly give players a couple of fun hours of play with a group of animated childhood friends. For the nostalgia alone I would suggest this one, but there is also a pretty darn good game here. I have zero experience with the other Coded Chronicles Game from The Op (using The Shining), so I don’t know if I would enjoy it or not, but I loved Scooby-Doo and I adored my time with him. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a meddling 12 / 18. If you are looking for a game you can circulate through your gamer friend network and enjoy the theme, then check out Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion. It is cute, fun, and gives the ol’ noggin a workout. Also, privately message or email me and let me know if you figured out the correct ending. I did not.
Like I mentioned, Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion is an escape room style board game with the tag of, “A Coded Chronicles Game.” This is a series of similar style games coming to us from the publisher using different IPs. This review will be lots different than our others because I do not wish to provide any spoilers, so I am eliminating my typical “messy components” shot at the end. I have also smudged the entire second photo so as not to give away anything. On to the review.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, read the rulebook, and turn to the proper paragraph number in the starting booklet. Each Mystery, Inc. character (“the gang”) has their own booklet with paragraphs and instructions inside. If you have ever played a game like Tales of the Arabian Nights you will know the style. The entry in the booklet will instruct players how to setup the first map tile and set the stage for the plot of the game.
This game features gameplay with no “turns,” so any person may choose to control a character from the gang and have them take some action. The possible actions that can be taken by the gang are: Velma may Research something, Shaggy can Eat stuff, Daphne Uses things, Scoob Smells, and Fred Investigates. Each character is assigned a single-digit number to be combined with items on the map tiles to arrive at a four-digit paragraph number. Find the number in the respective booklet and read aloud to the rest of the players. If successful, more map tiles may be added, or other things (being vague on purpose).
Should the entry not exist or instruct you to otherwise, players will need to “eat a Scooby Snack” by crossing off or reducing the total number of Snacks each time. We used another publisher’s pin to move along the track at the end of the rulebook because I didn’t feel like finding a coin.
As players progress through the game they will be presented with several challenges to figure out together. Half way through the game is a break time between Chapters 1 & 2. We were able to play this game over two nights utilizing the break.
At the end of Chapter 2 the game ends. If the players can successfully solve the case, they win! Alternately, if playing with academics, the rulebook provides a scale of VPs corresponding to the number of Scooby Snacks remaining. Whichever end-game method is chosen, the game is over and can be passed along to another household or gamer friend. That’s right, this is a one-shot escape room game. Only cheaters would go through it a second time…
Components. I cannot speak about many of the components, but I will evaluate what you see in the above photo. The rulebook and subsequent character booklets are all fine, but are curved as a result of how they sit in the box. The box itself is a strange design that you do not see with many board games. It’s not at all bad, just different. The cards are good, the map tiles are thin cardstock, and I can’t really discuss the Secret Envelopes. My biggest gripe about the game is the character standees. They are a long strip of thin stock that is folded in half, then the ends flared to make an inverted T shape. I mean, it’s fine, but this game could have done with a plastic stand for a sturdier standee to fit inside, or even basic miniatures. These standees that are included fall over all the time and when touched, even a little, flop on the table like a “professional” soccer player.
The gameplay, however, is very cool and I enjoyed my playthrough quite a bit. I very much enjoy one-shot games and despise when they ask you to destroy different components. No thanks, says me. Luckily, Scooby-Doo is able to be reset and given or sold to another person. I like that.
I also really enjoyed exploring the Haunted Mansion and trying to outwit the different challenges the game presented. This is not a particularly super difficult game to master, but will certainly give players a couple of fun hours of play with a group of animated childhood friends. For the nostalgia alone I would suggest this one, but there is also a pretty darn good game here. I have zero experience with the other Coded Chronicles Game from The Op (using The Shining), so I don’t know if I would enjoy it or not, but I loved Scooby-Doo and I adored my time with him. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a meddling 12 / 18. If you are looking for a game you can circulate through your gamer friend network and enjoy the theme, then check out Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion. It is cute, fun, and gives the ol’ noggin a workout. Also, privately message or email me and let me know if you figured out the correct ending. I did not.
