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MoMoBookDiary (20 KP) rated The Sea Is Quiet Tonight: A Memoir in Books
Oct 1, 2018
MoMo Book Diary recommends Michael Ward’s The Sea Is Quiet as a very emotional 5 star read. Michael truly honors Mark’s memory with this memoir.
“The Sea Is Quiet Tonight: A Memoir” tells a heartbreaking story that will have you hooked from the start. The author writes from the heart as he tells the wonderful yet brutally honest story of his relationship with his partner, Mark Halberstadt. Mark was the 100th person in Massachusetts to be diagnosed with AIDS. I was too young to fully understand the chatter about AIDS during the 1980s. Since then, I have read a number of articles and books on the devastation brought with an AIDS diagnosis – nothing has touched me in the way this memoir has. At times I felt that I was reading the author’s personal diary, it was so raw and honest. The characters were described perfectly and I felt that I knew them personally.
This review is also published on my blog, netgalley and amazon
“The Sea Is Quiet Tonight: A Memoir” tells a heartbreaking story that will have you hooked from the start. The author writes from the heart as he tells the wonderful yet brutally honest story of his relationship with his partner, Mark Halberstadt. Mark was the 100th person in Massachusetts to be diagnosed with AIDS. I was too young to fully understand the chatter about AIDS during the 1980s. Since then, I have read a number of articles and books on the devastation brought with an AIDS diagnosis – nothing has touched me in the way this memoir has. At times I felt that I was reading the author’s personal diary, it was so raw and honest. The characters were described perfectly and I felt that I knew them personally.
This review is also published on my blog, netgalley and amazon
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Lone Survivor (2014) in Movies
Jan 26, 2021 (Updated Feb 2, 2021)
Mark Walhbeg (1 more)
Ben Foster
Never Out of the Fight
Lone Survivor- is a intense action thriller thats based on a true story. Its slow at first, but around halfway in, it gets good.
The plot:In 2005 Afghanistan, Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch) and Matthew "Axe" Axelson (Ben Foster) deploy on a mission of surveillance and to take out Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Though spotted by goatherds, Luttrell and his team decide not to kill them. But one of the Afghans alerts a group of Taliban fighters to the invaders, and a terrible battle ensues, in which the SEALs find themselves hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned.
Its a must see film.
The plot:In 2005 Afghanistan, Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch) and Matthew "Axe" Axelson (Ben Foster) deploy on a mission of surveillance and to take out Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Though spotted by goatherds, Luttrell and his team decide not to kill them. But one of the Afghans alerts a group of Taliban fighters to the invaders, and a terrible battle ensues, in which the SEALs find themselves hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned.
Its a must see film.
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Nothing Serious in Books
Jul 15, 2019
really kinda cute!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the AUDIO file of this book.
Mark finally admits to himself and his partner of 9 years, that he is gay. While Rachel is devastated, she knows things have not been right between them for a long time. Mark moving out of their home seems the best thing to do, but they will remain friends. On moving day, Jamie shows up with his brother, and Mark feels an immediate attraction to the younger man. When Jamie drops a box contains some. . .personal items, Mark is mortified but Jamie finds the blush on Mark’s face adorable, and all kinds of sexy. But neither man is looking for anything serious right now, so they can just help each other out, right?
This book, right here, landed in my queue just when I needed it to, cos its far too stinking cute for its own good!
It’s a wonderfully well written tale of a newly out of the closet man, finding himself and all about his sexuality, with a willing young man who wants to help. Jamie finds Mark attractive, but he doesn’t want anything serious, last time he ran away when *serious* was talked about, so helping Mark explore all the joys of sex with a man, seems a good way to get close to Mark, while keeping his distance.
Mark has an immediate attraction to Jamie, and when Jamie suggests a friends with benefits type arrangement, Mark is keen to get to know Jamie.
What neither man expected, or wanted, was their emotions to get involved, and when they both realise this is what was happening, Mark and Jamie struggle with ways to talk to each other about it!
It’s not overly explicit, but it is all kinds of sexy! There is no real drama, save the guys finally admitting to themselves, at least, what they feel for each other.
It really is one of those books you just fall into and lose a few hours. It’s only short, some 154 pages, but it packs a hefty punch of cuteness! I listened to this, it’s just over 4 hours.
Michael Pauley narrates.
I have, in the past, found Pauley a bit hit and miss, for me, personally. Here, however, he really nails it!
Pauley’s voices for Mark and Jamie are different enough to be easily identifiable when they are talking, for all the characters, actually. His reading voice is clear and even, and I had no trouble keeping up. There were no dips in the sound to put me off, which has happened with Pauley before. It’s just where he lowers his voice, for thinking or musing, really but here, there is no dipping.
I loved how Pauley gets all the things running around in Mark and Jamie’s heads across, you genuinely sort of fall in love with them, as they fall in love with each other!
I’ve shelved it on my *kinda creeps up on ya* shelf, simply because, that’s what happens!
Love creeps up on Mark and Jamie and it was a pleasure listening to that happen.
4 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
4.5 stars overall.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Mark finally admits to himself and his partner of 9 years, that he is gay. While Rachel is devastated, she knows things have not been right between them for a long time. Mark moving out of their home seems the best thing to do, but they will remain friends. On moving day, Jamie shows up with his brother, and Mark feels an immediate attraction to the younger man. When Jamie drops a box contains some. . .personal items, Mark is mortified but Jamie finds the blush on Mark’s face adorable, and all kinds of sexy. But neither man is looking for anything serious right now, so they can just help each other out, right?
This book, right here, landed in my queue just when I needed it to, cos its far too stinking cute for its own good!
It’s a wonderfully well written tale of a newly out of the closet man, finding himself and all about his sexuality, with a willing young man who wants to help. Jamie finds Mark attractive, but he doesn’t want anything serious, last time he ran away when *serious* was talked about, so helping Mark explore all the joys of sex with a man, seems a good way to get close to Mark, while keeping his distance.
Mark has an immediate attraction to Jamie, and when Jamie suggests a friends with benefits type arrangement, Mark is keen to get to know Jamie.
What neither man expected, or wanted, was their emotions to get involved, and when they both realise this is what was happening, Mark and Jamie struggle with ways to talk to each other about it!
It’s not overly explicit, but it is all kinds of sexy! There is no real drama, save the guys finally admitting to themselves, at least, what they feel for each other.
It really is one of those books you just fall into and lose a few hours. It’s only short, some 154 pages, but it packs a hefty punch of cuteness! I listened to this, it’s just over 4 hours.
Michael Pauley narrates.
I have, in the past, found Pauley a bit hit and miss, for me, personally. Here, however, he really nails it!
Pauley’s voices for Mark and Jamie are different enough to be easily identifiable when they are talking, for all the characters, actually. His reading voice is clear and even, and I had no trouble keeping up. There were no dips in the sound to put me off, which has happened with Pauley before. It’s just where he lowers his voice, for thinking or musing, really but here, there is no dipping.
I loved how Pauley gets all the things running around in Mark and Jamie’s heads across, you genuinely sort of fall in love with them, as they fall in love with each other!
I’ve shelved it on my *kinda creeps up on ya* shelf, simply because, that’s what happens!
Love creeps up on Mark and Jamie and it was a pleasure listening to that happen.
4 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
4.5 stars overall.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The In-Laws (2003) in Movies
Apr 28, 2021
The Unlikely Duo
The In-Laws- is a funny entertaing film. Both Micheal Douglas and Albert Brooks are really good in it.
The plot: Dr. Jerry Peyser's (Albert Brooks) daughter, Melissa (Lindsay Sloane), is about to marry Mark Tobias (Ryan Reynolds). Things are going swimmingly until Jerry stumbles across some secret information: Mark's father, Steve (Michael Douglas), is a CIA operative. Fearing that Jerry will compromise his current assignment if he starts blabbing to authorities, Steve dragoons Jerry into assisting with an intercontinental mission that involves a dangerous criminal, Jean-Pierre Thibodoux (David Suchet).
Its a good film.
The plot: Dr. Jerry Peyser's (Albert Brooks) daughter, Melissa (Lindsay Sloane), is about to marry Mark Tobias (Ryan Reynolds). Things are going swimmingly until Jerry stumbles across some secret information: Mark's father, Steve (Michael Douglas), is a CIA operative. Fearing that Jerry will compromise his current assignment if he starts blabbing to authorities, Steve dragoons Jerry into assisting with an intercontinental mission that involves a dangerous criminal, Jean-Pierre Thibodoux (David Suchet).
Its a good film.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Darkness Before Dawn (Darkness Before Dawn, #1) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
3.25 stars.
I liked this to start with--the first 40% or so--but then I started to lose interest. I can't put my finger on what it was but I was determined to carry on and figure out who "hoodie" was and why Sin seemed a little odd.
It rumbled along at a quite sedate pace for awhile, nothing too much happening apart from relationship issues. I was interested in a Dawn/Victor romance and we had a little of that but I thought there was too much Michael for my liking and I wasn't too fond of him for a time.
At about the 85% mark, I realised something and I was pleasantly surprised and then another something happened at the 90% mark that had me getting interested in the story again.
But then that ending! How could it just end like that?! I'm sure that Victor will stop, though, after all she is the only sunshine he will ever see.
My edition contained a preview of the next book in the trilogy but I skipped it as I'm not entirely convinced that I liked it enough to continue the series.
I liked this to start with--the first 40% or so--but then I started to lose interest. I can't put my finger on what it was but I was determined to carry on and figure out who "hoodie" was and why Sin seemed a little odd.
It rumbled along at a quite sedate pace for awhile, nothing too much happening apart from relationship issues. I was interested in a Dawn/Victor romance and we had a little of that but I thought there was too much Michael for my liking and I wasn't too fond of him for a time.
At about the 85% mark, I realised something and I was pleasantly surprised and then another something happened at the 90% mark that had me getting interested in the story again.
But then that ending! How could it just end like that?! I'm sure that Victor will stop, though, after all she is the only sunshine he will ever see.
My edition contained a preview of the next book in the trilogy but I skipped it as I'm not entirely convinced that I liked it enough to continue the series.
David McK (3425 KP) rated Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #4) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Book no 4 in The Iron Druid chronicles this, I felt, is the weakest of the series so far.
I'm not sure whether that is because it comes after [b:Hammered|10443590|Hammered|Mark Ward|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328728608s/10443590.jpg|15348265] my choice for the best or because the main plot line of [b:Hounded|18404329|Hounded|David Rosenfelt|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382758931s/18404329.jpg|26038191], [b:Hexed|6372672|Hexed|Michael Alan Nelson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348584639s/6372672.jpg|6560286] and [b:Hammered|10443590|Hammered|Mark Ward|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328728608s/10443590.jpg|15348265] are finished, or even because of the unfamiliar (to me) Navajo setting, but to me, this just didn't gel as much as any of the previous three.
The plot has to do with Atticus dealing with the aftermath of his journey to Asgard in the previous novel, and the deal he made with Coyote to cover his tracks, with the big bad in this taking the form of two Skinwalkers rather than the Irish god(s) of the first, the Witches of the second or the Norse gods of the third.
It's not a bad read, just not my pick for the best of the series
I'm not sure whether that is because it comes after [b:Hammered|10443590|Hammered|Mark Ward|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328728608s/10443590.jpg|15348265] my choice for the best or because the main plot line of [b:Hounded|18404329|Hounded|David Rosenfelt|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382758931s/18404329.jpg|26038191], [b:Hexed|6372672|Hexed|Michael Alan Nelson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348584639s/6372672.jpg|6560286] and [b:Hammered|10443590|Hammered|Mark Ward|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328728608s/10443590.jpg|15348265] are finished, or even because of the unfamiliar (to me) Navajo setting, but to me, this just didn't gel as much as any of the previous three.
The plot has to do with Atticus dealing with the aftermath of his journey to Asgard in the previous novel, and the deal he made with Coyote to cover his tracks, with the big bad in this taking the form of two Skinwalkers rather than the Irish god(s) of the first, the Witches of the second or the Norse gods of the third.
It's not a bad read, just not my pick for the best of the series
David McK (3425 KP) rated The Italian Job (2003) in Movies
May 2, 2021 (Updated Aug 4, 2024)
All i can really remember about the 1969 original is that it is a crime caper, starring Michael Caine, and that it involves Mini Coopers.
As such, I'm not sure whether to class this as a remake, a reimagining or something else entirely!
This version stars Mark Wahoberg, Cherlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, Jason Staham and Oz-from-Buffy (Seth Green) and starts with a heist in Venice: a successful heist, with the perpetrators then betrayed by Ed Norton's 'Steve', who leaves them all for dead.
The rest of the film - mainly set in the States - then follows the remainder of the crew and their quest to get even against Steve, in a plot that yes, once again, involves the use of Mini Coopers!
It would hardly be The Italian Job without said cars, after all ....
As such, I'm not sure whether to class this as a remake, a reimagining or something else entirely!
This version stars Mark Wahoberg, Cherlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, Jason Staham and Oz-from-Buffy (Seth Green) and starts with a heist in Venice: a successful heist, with the perpetrators then betrayed by Ed Norton's 'Steve', who leaves them all for dead.
The rest of the film - mainly set in the States - then follows the remainder of the crew and their quest to get even against Steve, in a plot that yes, once again, involves the use of Mini Coopers!
It would hardly be The Italian Job without said cars, after all ....
Madbatdan82 (341 KP) rated Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018) in Movies
Mar 2, 2019
Slaughterhouse Doesn't Rule!
This really pains me to write this as I LOVE Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Ever since Spaced and Big Train I've loved everything they've done...until now. This black comedy has no laughs! The attempted 'comedy' in this is 'theyre posh' and have funny voices. It really does fall flat at every turn. The characters don't really develop and the creature designs are terrible. It would get a 3/10 but I gave it an extra mark for some good gore but all in all this is a shame and such a massive waste of Pegg, Frost and the (normally) excellent Michael Sheen who again is used for laughs by having a posh voice! Such a shame...I need to go watch Shaun of the Dead to get the bad taste out of my mouth.
