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The Buried Girl
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'Glittering and sharp, an ice pick of a novel. An astounding talent' AJ Finn, author of The Woman...
Crime Thriller Mystery Suspense Psychological
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Split (2016) in Movies
Oct 19, 2017 (Updated Oct 19, 2017)
A little better from M Night Shyamalan, but still not spectacular
By far, James McAvoy steals the show in this psychological thriller, in which he plays 23 different personalities. Suffering from the condition Dissociative Identity Disorder, McAvoy reveals a dark side, where he kidnaps three girls and holds them hostage to his whims, while attempting to seek help from a psychiatrist. In between, we see one girl in particular engage with him, the trauma also bringing out her own demons. And of course a mandatory cameo from the director himself.
While the story has potential, and his acting is flawless - it lacks substance somewhat. Apart from his 'transformation', the film seems to have been created mainly on the premise that there will be a sequel, so you're left in limbo at the end with a small clue of what's next.
It's not particularly scary, so I wouldn't deem it a horror movie as such. The girls' kidnapping also seems slightly pointless, like tools in the movie so that they can showcase Kevin's (the main personality) different sides and what a 'monster' he is. Disappointing, but better than Shyamalan's recent terrible films.
While the story has potential, and his acting is flawless - it lacks substance somewhat. Apart from his 'transformation', the film seems to have been created mainly on the premise that there will be a sequel, so you're left in limbo at the end with a small clue of what's next.
It's not particularly scary, so I wouldn't deem it a horror movie as such. The girls' kidnapping also seems slightly pointless, like tools in the movie so that they can showcase Kevin's (the main personality) different sides and what a 'monster' he is. Disappointing, but better than Shyamalan's recent terrible films.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Keepsake in Books
Jan 15, 2018
This was a really good book! Believe it or not, it is actually the 2nd book I've read recently that involved hoarding. Weird!
Anyway, this book is so very easy to get hooked in to. It is so real! I found myself really feeling for Trish & Mary. They were both so screwed up in such a real way, but that just made them all the more interesting. I found the psychological aspects behind the hoarding & the OCD fascinating. It was such a struggle for both of the women.
The part that really got my respect though was the ending. It wasn't all tied up in a pretty bow, everyone smiling & everything okay again. Like I said before, it was real...real life. I was satisfied with the ending for that fact. I hate it when books are so real & then the author ruins it by tacking on that happy ending when all the readers know that real life isn't like that at all. So, Kirstina Riggle, thank you for not putting yourself into that cliched category & for having the guts & brains to "keep it real."
Anyway, this book is so very easy to get hooked in to. It is so real! I found myself really feeling for Trish & Mary. They were both so screwed up in such a real way, but that just made them all the more interesting. I found the psychological aspects behind the hoarding & the OCD fascinating. It was such a struggle for both of the women.
The part that really got my respect though was the ending. It wasn't all tied up in a pretty bow, everyone smiling & everything okay again. Like I said before, it was real...real life. I was satisfied with the ending for that fact. I hate it when books are so real & then the author ruins it by tacking on that happy ending when all the readers know that real life isn't like that at all. So, Kirstina Riggle, thank you for not putting yourself into that cliched category & for having the guts & brains to "keep it real."
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Confession Tapes - Season 1 in TV
Sep 9, 2017
Traumatic watch, another brilliant true crime series
I have to say I was deeply traumatised watching this astounding yet disturbing series on confessions. Netflix have showcased another incredible documentary series about police misconduct and failings of the judicial process in these six cases.
Like Making A Murderer, it is well produced and directed leaving only the voices of those involved in these cases within the documentaries. However, it looks at one case per 45 minute episode bar the first episode which is spread across two. And it's relentless. Police techniques in questioning the accused range from psychological torture to even what appears to be hypnosis.
The cases itself are horrific. From confessing to the murder of your family, and your children, to brutal murders that led to an entire neighbourhood in Washington DC to break apart after convicting nine innocent teenagers. And no other leads are followed, and it's all based on circumstantial evidence. It makes you really question if you can trust the system. Watch it with caution as it can be harrowing.
Like Making A Murderer, it is well produced and directed leaving only the voices of those involved in these cases within the documentaries. However, it looks at one case per 45 minute episode bar the first episode which is spread across two. And it's relentless. Police techniques in questioning the accused range from psychological torture to even what appears to be hypnosis.
The cases itself are horrific. From confessing to the murder of your family, and your children, to brutal murders that led to an entire neighbourhood in Washington DC to break apart after convicting nine innocent teenagers. And no other leads are followed, and it's all based on circumstantial evidence. It makes you really question if you can trust the system. Watch it with caution as it can be harrowing.
Alan Zornes (1 KP) rated Betrayal at House on the Hill in Tabletop Games
Apr 2, 2019
Randomized board layout. (2 more)
50+ scenarios each with it's own set of rules.
Great teamwork and strategy.
Awesome co-op game
You start the game as an unlikely group of explorers who venture inside a creepy haunted house only to have the door shut and lock behind you, now you must find a way out. As you explore the various rooms you begin to find items like weapons, ritualistic artifacts and other "useful" things. If it's not an item or an empty room its an endless barrage of haunting, psychological events and hallucinations that keep the game thrilling and entertaining. When enough hauntings have occurredone of the explorers fall victim to the evil within the house and turns traitor. At this point you desipher what scenario you will be playing based on what cards/character initiated the haunt. After this each team (explorers vs traitor) takes their designated guide book and discovers their new goal. The game includes 50 scenarios with an addition 50 in the Widows Walk expansion. Every game is like you've never played it since the board layout, items, events, and even win goals are random every time. Just don't get trapped in the basement!?
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Lies in Books
Dec 9, 2018
Rollercoaster of twists and lies
Wow! I am a frequent reader of psychological thrillers and nearly always can figure out the twists, turns and the obligatory “big reveal”. With T.M. Logan’s “Lies”, I found myself on a rollercoaster of twists and lies. This quick read book felt as if each chapter ended on a cliffhanger that made the book impossible to put down.
The author did such a fantastic job at making the characters so realistic I sympathized with them, but was also suspicious of each of them at different parts of the book.
When I realized I was nearly finished the book but the story was not complete, I thought the author was going to rush the ending. Some authors end a story as if they have reached their minimum amount of words needed for an assignment. Rest assured, Logan did not.
In one of the blurbs, Nancy Macfarlane (Fiction Addiction), described “Lies” as “one of the scariest…”. I do not think it was scary but definitely was a page turner. I added T.M. Logan to my list of authors to read.
The author did such a fantastic job at making the characters so realistic I sympathized with them, but was also suspicious of each of them at different parts of the book.
When I realized I was nearly finished the book but the story was not complete, I thought the author was going to rush the ending. Some authors end a story as if they have reached their minimum amount of words needed for an assignment. Rest assured, Logan did not.
In one of the blurbs, Nancy Macfarlane (Fiction Addiction), described “Lies” as “one of the scariest…”. I do not think it was scary but definitely was a page turner. I added T.M. Logan to my list of authors to read.
MoMoBookDiary (20 KP) rated The Affair in Books
Oct 1, 2018
MoMo’s Book Diary recommends “The Affair” as a (better than) 5 star suspense novel.
Followers of my book blog (momobookdiary) will be aware of how highly I rate the author Sheryl Browne. Whilst I have enjoyed her romance / chicklit novels, I must admit I really do prefer her gripping psychological thrillers. I love the way that Sheryl’s mind works – so much suspense and you just never know what twist is coming next.
This book fantastically hooked me from the start and I had goosebumps return again and again throughout. The characters immediately come to life and I was left thinking about those who remain long after I finished the book. There are twists and surprises throughout the book which keep you guessing until the final twist.
Thanks to Sheryl Browne, Bookouture and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.
As soon as I received the approval email from NetGalley and Bookouture I got myself settled and started to read. It took me less than 6 hours to read cover to cover. I can’t “do” life when I have a Sheryl Browne book on my kindle to read!
Followers of my book blog (momobookdiary) will be aware of how highly I rate the author Sheryl Browne. Whilst I have enjoyed her romance / chicklit novels, I must admit I really do prefer her gripping psychological thrillers. I love the way that Sheryl’s mind works – so much suspense and you just never know what twist is coming next.
This book fantastically hooked me from the start and I had goosebumps return again and again throughout. The characters immediately come to life and I was left thinking about those who remain long after I finished the book. There are twists and surprises throughout the book which keep you guessing until the final twist.
Thanks to Sheryl Browne, Bookouture and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.
As soon as I received the approval email from NetGalley and Bookouture I got myself settled and started to read. It took me less than 6 hours to read cover to cover. I can’t “do” life when I have a Sheryl Browne book on my kindle to read!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Selfless (2015) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
I’ll keep this short.
What if the extremely brilliant minds, could live another 50 years on this earth after their body is about to expire by transporting their mind into a new, younger body…could those minds continue to create amazing legacy? This is the premise for the film Self/less. Ben Kingsley plays Damian, a wealthy business tycoon type who is dying of cancer decides to “shed” his body for a younger healthy body. That body is played by Ryan Reynolds. But when things do not exactly turn out as they appear to be, Damian has a crisis of conscience and has to decide what is right.
That being said, somewhere in this film there is a good story…they just forgot to show us the right chapters. And thus a movie about identity, doesn’t know what it is. Instead of a great nuanced psychological thriller, we get a ho-hummed derivate small action film that is not something terrible to watch, but not something encouraging you to seek it out. In the end, this is really a redbox movie. And that’s a shame
http://sknr.net/2015/07/10/selfless/
What if the extremely brilliant minds, could live another 50 years on this earth after their body is about to expire by transporting their mind into a new, younger body…could those minds continue to create amazing legacy? This is the premise for the film Self/less. Ben Kingsley plays Damian, a wealthy business tycoon type who is dying of cancer decides to “shed” his body for a younger healthy body. That body is played by Ryan Reynolds. But when things do not exactly turn out as they appear to be, Damian has a crisis of conscience and has to decide what is right.
That being said, somewhere in this film there is a good story…they just forgot to show us the right chapters. And thus a movie about identity, doesn’t know what it is. Instead of a great nuanced psychological thriller, we get a ho-hummed derivate small action film that is not something terrible to watch, but not something encouraging you to seek it out. In the end, this is really a redbox movie. And that’s a shame
http://sknr.net/2015/07/10/selfless/
Deborah (162 KP) rated The Tudor Wife in Books
Dec 21, 2018
This was not bad for an 'on holiday, don't think too much about it' sort of read. I still can't say I'd go out of my way to recommend it though!
I thought the writing style was OK, but in places got a bit repetitive - towards the end I lost count of the number of times we heard "she who sows the whirlwind reaps the storm".... I never think books written in the first person work quite so well as those written in the third person anyway. This one was written from the point of view of Jane Boleyn (nee Parker), wife to George Boleyn, Anne's brother. It could have been a more interesting psychological study of this woman, but she ends up looking voyeristic and petty! The sex scenes in this book are one of the worst parts to be honest, let alone the fact that we have Jane sleeping with Cromwell and Katherine Howard and Anna of Cleves involved in a very interesting situation with a pot of honey.... it seems to be salacious just for the sake of it as it doesn't add anything!
I thought the writing style was OK, but in places got a bit repetitive - towards the end I lost count of the number of times we heard "she who sows the whirlwind reaps the storm".... I never think books written in the first person work quite so well as those written in the third person anyway. This one was written from the point of view of Jane Boleyn (nee Parker), wife to George Boleyn, Anne's brother. It could have been a more interesting psychological study of this woman, but she ends up looking voyeristic and petty! The sex scenes in this book are one of the worst parts to be honest, let alone the fact that we have Jane sleeping with Cromwell and Katherine Howard and Anna of Cleves involved in a very interesting situation with a pot of honey.... it seems to be salacious just for the sake of it as it doesn't add anything!
365Flicks (235 KP) rated Stairs (2019) in Movies
Nov 2, 2019
Toby Osmond (3 more)
Story
Tom Paton
Alana Wallace
Don't Go Down
This movie is everything you would hope for in a Tom Paton flick and a hell of a lot more. A high concept psychological horror/thriller like you wouldnt believe that plays in the sci-fi genre realm. So yeah its a mind melding genre bending smorgasboard.
With Samantha Schnitzler and Bently Kalu (Ben Garrett) doing arguably a fair chunk of the heavy lifting, I am always happy to see these guys share the screen. Bently just seems to have this protective nature when his characters interact with Sam's, Schnitzler is always on point as a total Bad Ass and this time gets to play with her more emotional side.
This movie is more than an actioner, its more than a thriller... Stairs lives in many genres while silently making its own. I have said it before and I will say it one more time, the team behind this movie just took one hell of a step in their already solid game to that next level. Lets just hope it doesnt send them back to the start (see what I did there).
With Samantha Schnitzler and Bently Kalu (Ben Garrett) doing arguably a fair chunk of the heavy lifting, I am always happy to see these guys share the screen. Bently just seems to have this protective nature when his characters interact with Sam's, Schnitzler is always on point as a total Bad Ass and this time gets to play with her more emotional side.
This movie is more than an actioner, its more than a thriller... Stairs lives in many genres while silently making its own. I have said it before and I will say it one more time, the team behind this movie just took one hell of a step in their already solid game to that next level. Lets just hope it doesnt send them back to the start (see what I did there).