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Dreams of Exile: Robert Louis Stevenson : A Biography

Ian Bell

(0 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Variously seen as a writer of adventure stories for the young, a skilled essayist, a poet, a frail...

A Brief Guide to Agatha Christie

Nigel Cawthorne

6.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Agatha Christie's 80 novels and short-story collections have sold over 2 billion copies in more than...

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Comatose (Vixen Bluff #1) in Books

Jul 15, 2020

Comatose (Vixen Bluff #1)

Catherine Black | 2020 | Contemporary, Romance

9.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

128 of 200
Kindle
Comatose (Vixen Bluff book 1)
By Catherine Black

Shaye Robinson never questions her role as the tame, submissive sweetheart of Vixen Bluff's illustrious physician, Dr. Robert Baxter. At least, not until she finds his hands wrapped around her neck at the office Christmas party. Blinded by betrayal and more than ready to bid adieu to their loveless engagement, Shaye makes a devastating mistake that leaves her scarred and broken, and at the mercy of the one man she was trying to escape.
Nurse Alexander Mayes avoids temptation of any kind. Always. No exceptions. Living a mediocre, no-frills life is all that's kept him and his little brother fed, clothed, and off the streets since the untimely death of their parents. So when the blonde in room 301 emerges from a coma and immediately charms her way into Alex's heart, he has no other choice than to keep her at arm's length. Her smile may be as rare as her miraculous circumstances, and her eyes may hint at an uncontrollable fire just waiting to lay waste to those who have wronged her, but crossing that particular line would be career suicide.
As Shaye and Alex navigate the treacherous waters of her recovery, they discover everyone in Vixen Bluff has already deemed them 'meant to be', despite the clear conflict of interest. But just when Shaye thinks a happily-ever-after could be in the cards after all, a threat from her past makes his presence known, jeopardizing everything she's fought so hard to rebuild.

I’ve never read anything by this author and this was recommended. I’m so glad I picked it up it was just brilliant! I love the writing style and the story! What’s not to love? Romance isn’t usually a go to genre for me but I really loved this book.

Kudos

LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Saint Maud (2020) in Movies

May 28, 2021

Saint Maud (2020)

2020 | Drama, Horror

7.4

(7 Ratings)

Movie Rating

God damn, am I a sucker for horrors that are equally beautiful and unsettling. Saint Maud hit all the right notes for me.
A big chunk of the runtime is dedicated to the extremly authentic-feeling relationship between the titular Maud (Morfydd Clark), a live-in nurse and her patient Amanda (Jennifer Ehle), a retired dancer who is terminally ill with cancer. The sweet connection between the two of them is subtle but well realised, making it all the more uncomfortable when things take a sinister turn.
The religious premise is nothing new in this genre, and there is a bit of a Rosemary's Baby vibe going on, but it's execution is pretty much flawless. Maud's devotion to God is occasionlly terrifying, but her human doubt and her occasional shake in faith stops the narrative from going full blown religious fanatic, and instead touches upon mental health issues. For all of her preaching at Amanda, Maud is the one who is portrayed as lost and lonely, trying to suppress past trauma. Her character is certainly a sympathetic one.
95% of its runtime is a slow burn, one that is complimented by wonderful cinematography and a haunting music score. However, I'm struggling to think of a film in recent memory that escalates so severely in such a short space of time, when the other 5% finally hits. To say anymore would be stepping into spoiler territory, but I will say that it's beautifully horrifying to watch unfold, with a final shot that will be seared into my brain for a while.

Rose Glass has created a true horror masterpiece with Saint Maud. Her presence withing the horror genre is a welcome one, and I'm excited to see what she does next.