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ClareR (5721 KP) rated The House Guest in Books

Jul 10, 2021 (Updated Jul 10, 2021)  
The House Guest
The House Guest
Charlotte Northedge | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The House Guest is a psychological thriller that had me so frustrated in parts, that I could happily have thrown my kindle across the room (I really liked the book, by the way)

Kate’s sister disappeared when she was 10 years old, and now 15 years later Kate decides to move to London after one of her sisters old friends phones to say that they’ve seen her. Could this be Kate’s chance to find her sister?

Kate is overwhelmed by everything: the fact that she can’t find a decent job, she’s having no luck in finding her sister, and her parents expectation that she’ll come home to be with them, that London is just a phase. In fact they are very protective of Kate, almost suffocatingly so. They want her to phone them regularly, and make it clear that they expect her to come back to Oxford.

So when Della walks in to the cafe that Kate works at and invites her to join in her life-coaching class for some free sessions, Kate jumps at the chance. After all, she might just get the help she needs.

Kate is such a vulnerable character: she’s emotional and needs constant reassurance, whilst at the same time she doesn’t want anyone to know about her past. Della, on the other hand, is confident in every aspect of her life. She’s a successful life coach with beautiful children and a supportive husband - but there always seems to be something lurking under this glossy exterior. You just can’t put your finger on it until it’s too late!

I couldn’t decide if I wanted to shake or hug Kate, if I’m honest, and I’m sure other people will feel the same way, especially as more of her past is revealed. But my standing ovation goes to Della’s character and how she manages to manipulate Kate into getting exactly what she wants!

I hope this has piqued your interest. It’s a pretty gripping read especially in the latter half, and I’m sure you will really enjoy it - I did!
Many thanks to HarperCollins for my NetGalley copy of this book.
  
The King's Man (2021)
The King's Man (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure, Comedy
After being delayed multiple times from a planned November 2019 release; Writer/Director Matthew Vaughn has released the third film in the “Kingsman “film series with “The King’s Man”. This time around the movie looks back to the origins of the society dedicated to peace and solving global conflicts before they can escalate.

In pre-World War I Europe; wealthy pacifist Orlando Oxford (Ralph Finnes); looks to raise his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson); following the tragic loss of his wife some years earlier on a Red Cross mission.

When events kick off the war; Conrad wishes to enlist and fight and his father is able to keep this from happening as he wants his son to avoid the horrors of war. At the same time; a secret Cabal has been plotting to start the war and manipulate the outcome and one of the agents named Rasputin (Rhys Ifans); looms prominently due to his influence over the Czar of Russia.

As the years pass and the war unfolds; Conrad and Orlando soon find themselves at odds and being pulled into opposite directions which sets a chain of events into action and puts the fate of the world in the balance.

The film is at times more retrained than the prior two films but the action sequences when they arrive are entertaining and mix the humor and violence that the series is known for. The cast is solid and the way that historical events were used but given an alternate perspective really added to the enjoyment of the film.

The movie does have a decent amount of humor but does spend a great deal of time on character development and exposition which can lead to some long gaps between the action, but the engaging stories and characters hold your interest throughout.

The film sets up further adventures in the Prequel timeline well and it appears that this is the direction that future films may go which would be more than fine as the film delivered what fans have come to expect from the series.

4 stars out of 5
  
There are few pastimes that can compete with my love of books, but baking is one of them. The premise of this cookbook seemed rather unique, as it attempted to combine baking with fashion. There is even a delightful foreword by Isaac Mizrahi to further the theme. The author, Rachel Schifter Thebault, runs her own bakery, Tribeca Treats, out of New York City, and this is her debut cookbook.
The book opens with an explanation of Rachel's philosophy of baking. In the same way that a woman uses a little black dress as the foundation of her wardrobe, using accessories to dress it up or down, so too can a baker take a basic recipe for the base of a dessert and use simple alterations to create a complete "wardrobe" of desserts for any occasion. Chocolate chip cookie dough becomes white chocolate coconut cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, snickerdoodles, or anything else a cook can dream up with a change in mix-ins. I used the oatmeal raisin cookie recipe and substituted in chocolate chips, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and they came out perfect!
The book is divided into three sections: Cookies, Cakes, and Confections. Each chapter in the three sections feature a basic recipe to build on, with names such as "The Crisp Oxford Shirt," "The A-Line Skirt," and "The Leather Jacket." Following the basic recipe of each chapter are several more example recipes of how to alter the base recipe to fit your needs. Vanilla Cake becomes Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes, and Basic Tempered Chocolate becomes Cranberry Almond Bark.
The detail that Rachel goes into is also quite impressive. The beginning of the book teaches the basics of baked goods by reviewing all of the major ingredients used in baking - things like eggs, cocoa powder, and extracts - as well as essential equipment used, like a cake turntable. She then goes into the basic techniques of baking, simplifying them for even the most amateur of novices, and provides a pictorial guide for icing a cake and dipping things in chocolate. Each recipe is provided with very specific details on how to perform each step, as well as ideas at the end on how to dress it up further.
I loved this cookbook, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in baking, from the amateur to the experienced baker.