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BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Girlfriend in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This whole story was told from three different perspectives, and I think Laura and Cherry shared the spotlight as the main characters, and Daniel was kind of supporting actor. I really enjoyed reading these different perspectives, I like to see what different characters think and how they analyze the situations. One thing was very obvious to me, that no one would be excepted into the “rich circle” with the name like Cherry. It just sounds trashy to me. I really enjoyed the unique personalities, which characters brought to this novel, as well as the complex relationships between each other. If I would have to pick my favourite in this book, I think it would be Daniel, I liked his personality and was feeling pity, that he was stuck in this crossfire.
Even though the narrative was sometimes quite repetitive to me, I enjoyed it. I liked the twists and turns which author incorporated in this novel, they made me more curious about what else the author has up her sleeve. I can easily see authors personal experience in this book. This book felt like some of the movies I saw, I think that’s where author’s knowledge of scripts and film industry comes in, as well as details of the TV serials which Laura was creating. I think that the daughter-in-law – mother-in-law relationship was quite realistic and relatable to some of the readers, I heard plenty of stories about evil mother-in-laws/ daughter-in-law.
I really enjoyed the easy flowing writing style of this novel, as well as great knowledge of London and rich people’s lifestyle. I loved the short chapters of this book, which kept me interested of what will happen next, till the last page. Even though the ending was quite predictable, I think it rounded up the story nicely and left me very satisfied with it. So, to conclude, it is a chilling thriller filled with unique characters and interesting story, which really hooked me, as I really wanted to see how this mother-in-law – daughter-in-law relationship will evolve. I really enjoyed it and I do recommend to give this book a try.
Even though the narrative was sometimes quite repetitive to me, I enjoyed it. I liked the twists and turns which author incorporated in this novel, they made me more curious about what else the author has up her sleeve. I can easily see authors personal experience in this book. This book felt like some of the movies I saw, I think that’s where author’s knowledge of scripts and film industry comes in, as well as details of the TV serials which Laura was creating. I think that the daughter-in-law – mother-in-law relationship was quite realistic and relatable to some of the readers, I heard plenty of stories about evil mother-in-laws/ daughter-in-law.
I really enjoyed the easy flowing writing style of this novel, as well as great knowledge of London and rich people’s lifestyle. I loved the short chapters of this book, which kept me interested of what will happen next, till the last page. Even though the ending was quite predictable, I think it rounded up the story nicely and left me very satisfied with it. So, to conclude, it is a chilling thriller filled with unique characters and interesting story, which really hooked me, as I really wanted to see how this mother-in-law – daughter-in-law relationship will evolve. I really enjoyed it and I do recommend to give this book a try.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated I Heart Hawaii (I Heart Series, Book 8) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this book is Angela, and she is sharing her amusing life story and adventures. I absolutely adored Angela, she is very realistic, down to earth, and the situations she gets herself into made me laugh out loud. I really liked her friends as well. They seem truly one of a kind. The story is told from a single perspective, but it was sufficient for me.
I liked this book from the first chapter, it kept me guessing and intrigued. Even though this book is last in the series, as a first-time reader, I was fully able to understand what was going on and who was who, but I think this book would make more sense for people who read them all and have a better knowledge of all Angela’s adventures in the past. This novel is full of funny situations, and the reader is never left bored. I really liked the research done for this book, as well as a great portrayal of New York. (Do follow Lindsey on Insta, her stories are superb! And she shared her experience from the cat sanctuary in Hawaii, that was mentioned in the book! How awesome is that! ❤ 🐱
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, it is easy to read, fluffy, and made me happy like a hug after a long day at work. 😀 The chapters are medium length, but divided into smaller parts as well, so it didn’t drag to me. The ending of this book is very well deserved and left me very satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, it was an epic finish of the series. It had the well-loved characters, fast pace and lots of silly and funny situations, that made this book a great read. I am going to get the other books in series now, and if you are looking for something to brighten up your day or just a great summer read, this book is definitely a great pick. Please give it a try and I hope you will like it as much as I did. Enjoy!
I liked this book from the first chapter, it kept me guessing and intrigued. Even though this book is last in the series, as a first-time reader, I was fully able to understand what was going on and who was who, but I think this book would make more sense for people who read them all and have a better knowledge of all Angela’s adventures in the past. This novel is full of funny situations, and the reader is never left bored. I really liked the research done for this book, as well as a great portrayal of New York. (Do follow Lindsey on Insta, her stories are superb! And she shared her experience from the cat sanctuary in Hawaii, that was mentioned in the book! How awesome is that! ❤ 🐱
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, it is easy to read, fluffy, and made me happy like a hug after a long day at work. 😀 The chapters are medium length, but divided into smaller parts as well, so it didn’t drag to me. The ending of this book is very well deserved and left me very satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, it was an epic finish of the series. It had the well-loved characters, fast pace and lots of silly and funny situations, that made this book a great read. I am going to get the other books in series now, and if you are looking for something to brighten up your day or just a great summer read, this book is definitely a great pick. Please give it a try and I hope you will like it as much as I did. Enjoy!
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Superbad (2007) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
It's been about ten years to the day that me and my middle school friends saw this for the first time on television, naturally it became a classic from there since we were the embodiment of all of these guys, in spades - their demeanors, writerly crassness, even their *looks*. Plus it was just funnier than hell on top of that. At the time we saw college and the possible divide of our respective friendships as something that was untouchable, so far away that you couldn't even picture it if you tried. Ten years later, now in my fourth year of college and no longer friends with any of those guys, I view this through a completely different lens - and it's even better now than it was back then. This is still, and forever will be, one of the greatest comedies of all time - nay - one of the greatest *movies* of all time. The way as a middle schooler it depicted what was to come, and now the way it depicts what was - both nostalgic for the past and for the future, it's no wonder every teen sex comedy from then on copied this because it's a goddamned fully optimized template to use. Comedies that touch the two hour mark better be funny as sin and/or at least do some decent emotional heavy lifting. This does both with a colossal ease. I can wax lyrical about my love for this all day: the amount of respect it has for and in spite of all its (totally realistic) crudeness, the way I'm always doubled over in crippling laughter from Cera singing "These Eyes", Christopher Mintz-Plasse giving the Holy Grail of teen sex comedy performances (though... everyone is spotless), the picturesque time capsule of being in that awkward high school/college transition that's done so effectively that we as middle schoolers couldn't see at the time even though now as a college student I can see it depicted right there before my very eyes a la real life, etc. I really don't think a single element is done any lesser than it should be. Hope to still be watching this expertly-made masterpiece again another ten years from now. Comedy perfection.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Black Christmas (1974) in Movies
Dec 8, 2020
Black Christmas is one of those all timers, a horror film that is ground breaking, brimming with well written characters, and most essentially, is still scary as fuck 40+ years after it's release.
Considered by many to be one of the first modern slasher horrors alongside The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (and predating Halloween by 4 years), it's importance can't be understated, and still remains at the top of the pile in terms of quality.
Straight off the bat, Black Christmas is genuinely unsettling. The largely unseen killer makes his presence known mainly through phone calls, but the things he says, and the tone of his voice is genuinely disturbing, and all too realistic. The couple of glimpses we do get are iconic, namely the underside shot during the infamous glass unicorn scene, and then the goosebump inducing moment where lead character Jess spots a singular eye of his staring at her through a crack in a door. It's honestly horrific. Pair that with other creepy shit, such as the corpse in the rocking chair from the poster, and you have some pretty nightmare inducing stuff.
The Christmas setting also provides an unsettling atmosphere, a time that is mostly considered a happy and festive, soured by all of the unpleasantness going on here, and it's all topped off with a pretty bleak ending.
The characters are great - the mostly female cast are all likable, intelligent, well developed protagonists that you want to see win. Stands outs include Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder, both great actresses who's early career appearances here bring a touch of class to proceedings. It's always nice to see genre favourite John Saxton too.
The narrative is pretty straight forward stuff - little is revealed about the killer so nothing gets bogged down in exposition, and it's perfectly paced. It's never gets boring, and the dialogue centric scenes are engaging. It also deals with heavy topics such as abortion, toxic masculinity, and manages to be subtly feminist, a quality that propels the movie as a whole even further, especially being a 70s film.
Black Christmas is pretty much perfect in my opinion, and easily stands shoulder to shoulder with Halloween in terms of slasher greatness.
Considered by many to be one of the first modern slasher horrors alongside The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (and predating Halloween by 4 years), it's importance can't be understated, and still remains at the top of the pile in terms of quality.
Straight off the bat, Black Christmas is genuinely unsettling. The largely unseen killer makes his presence known mainly through phone calls, but the things he says, and the tone of his voice is genuinely disturbing, and all too realistic. The couple of glimpses we do get are iconic, namely the underside shot during the infamous glass unicorn scene, and then the goosebump inducing moment where lead character Jess spots a singular eye of his staring at her through a crack in a door. It's honestly horrific. Pair that with other creepy shit, such as the corpse in the rocking chair from the poster, and you have some pretty nightmare inducing stuff.
The Christmas setting also provides an unsettling atmosphere, a time that is mostly considered a happy and festive, soured by all of the unpleasantness going on here, and it's all topped off with a pretty bleak ending.
The characters are great - the mostly female cast are all likable, intelligent, well developed protagonists that you want to see win. Stands outs include Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder, both great actresses who's early career appearances here bring a touch of class to proceedings. It's always nice to see genre favourite John Saxton too.
The narrative is pretty straight forward stuff - little is revealed about the killer so nothing gets bogged down in exposition, and it's perfectly paced. It's never gets boring, and the dialogue centric scenes are engaging. It also deals with heavy topics such as abortion, toxic masculinity, and manages to be subtly feminist, a quality that propels the movie as a whole even further, especially being a 70s film.
Black Christmas is pretty much perfect in my opinion, and easily stands shoulder to shoulder with Halloween in terms of slasher greatness.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Stolen Child (Hanlon Series #1) in Books
Jan 21, 2021
Well, crikey, that was a tough but exciting read that I wasn't able to put down despite the content.
I haven't read anything by this author before and missed this first time round when it was published under a different name but I'm so glad I didn't let it pass me by this time because what a treat it is, although it should come with a warning as there are some very unsavoury sections regarding child abuse that will upset people so be warned.
What we have here is a hard-hitting, gritty and dark story that starts at a fairly gentle pace whilst introducing the main characters but then, wow, it ramps up and doesn't stop until the end. The characters are exceptional and so well described that I could clearly see them in my mind.
The main character, DI Hanlon, is driven by her own form of justice and won't shy away from any situation even if it goes against the letter of the law - she will do what it takes to bring those responsible for despicable crimes to justice and she doesn't hold back. She is one tough cookie and I doubt any miscreant out there would want to be on her bad side!
The sense of tension Mr Coombs developed was palpable and the emotions this book evoked were so strong that I actually felt my heart-rate climbing and experiencing real anger and hatred towards some of the characters - not many books do that which, to me, shows the ability of the author to really draw you in and develop people and situations that get under your skin.
Due to the subject matter and the level of violence contained, this won't appeal to everyone however I would certainly recommend it to those who enjoy a less than flowery police procedural that is likely to be more realistic than most other books in the genre.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review and for introducing me to yet another excellent British author.
I'm off to read the second in the series now - The Innocent Girl.
I haven't read anything by this author before and missed this first time round when it was published under a different name but I'm so glad I didn't let it pass me by this time because what a treat it is, although it should come with a warning as there are some very unsavoury sections regarding child abuse that will upset people so be warned.
What we have here is a hard-hitting, gritty and dark story that starts at a fairly gentle pace whilst introducing the main characters but then, wow, it ramps up and doesn't stop until the end. The characters are exceptional and so well described that I could clearly see them in my mind.
The main character, DI Hanlon, is driven by her own form of justice and won't shy away from any situation even if it goes against the letter of the law - she will do what it takes to bring those responsible for despicable crimes to justice and she doesn't hold back. She is one tough cookie and I doubt any miscreant out there would want to be on her bad side!
The sense of tension Mr Coombs developed was palpable and the emotions this book evoked were so strong that I actually felt my heart-rate climbing and experiencing real anger and hatred towards some of the characters - not many books do that which, to me, shows the ability of the author to really draw you in and develop people and situations that get under your skin.
Due to the subject matter and the level of violence contained, this won't appeal to everyone however I would certainly recommend it to those who enjoy a less than flowery police procedural that is likely to be more realistic than most other books in the genre.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review and for introducing me to yet another excellent British author.
I'm off to read the second in the series now - The Innocent Girl.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in Books
Jun 24, 2019
This was really a wild ride. I think this book managed to get me out of a mini reading slump (yay!).
The book starts off with Simon's private email being read by some guy in his drama club. This may not seem like a huge deal, except Simon's secretly been emailing this guy who he's maybe in love with. But they don't know each other's real identity, and neither of them have come out yet.
So Simon has to help the guy - Martin - get with one of his best friends. Only she isn't interested (at all). At the same time, Simon is falling for Blue more and more with each email, and is becoming desperate to find him in real life. He starts to decode the clues in an attempt to figure out his identity - only for Blue to beat him to it.
Simon's also struggling with tons of friendship issues, a big play coming up, and his family (and the entire school, for that matter) finding out about him being gay. He doesn't want any of it to be a big deal. But it is.
He's a great character, portrayed to be a normal human being. His relationships all seem pretty realistic (though I'm sceptical about the situation with Blue. Would anyone really be that lucky?). I really felt for him throughout the novel, and I was so unbelievably pleased for him at the end. I'm so not used to such great, adorable endings.
My biggest issues are that sometimes the teen voice was being pushed a bit too hard - we don't always say "freaking" or whatever. And the scenarios seemed a little too far-fetched sometimes. (Seriously, has anyone ever experienced people dancing in the crowd at a school talent show?) But generally this was a good representation of life, and I really enjoyed reading it.
I very nearly marked this as a favourite, but decided on just 4.5 stars in the end. I loved the book, but there were a few minor details that put me off just a little bit. It is most definitely a fantastic book, though! I'd definitely recommend this book for the YA audience.
The book starts off with Simon's private email being read by some guy in his drama club. This may not seem like a huge deal, except Simon's secretly been emailing this guy who he's maybe in love with. But they don't know each other's real identity, and neither of them have come out yet.
So Simon has to help the guy - Martin - get with one of his best friends. Only she isn't interested (at all). At the same time, Simon is falling for Blue more and more with each email, and is becoming desperate to find him in real life. He starts to decode the clues in an attempt to figure out his identity - only for Blue to beat him to it.
Simon's also struggling with tons of friendship issues, a big play coming up, and his family (and the entire school, for that matter) finding out about him being gay. He doesn't want any of it to be a big deal. But it is.
He's a great character, portrayed to be a normal human being. His relationships all seem pretty realistic (though I'm sceptical about the situation with Blue. Would anyone really be that lucky?). I really felt for him throughout the novel, and I was so unbelievably pleased for him at the end. I'm so not used to such great, adorable endings.
My biggest issues are that sometimes the teen voice was being pushed a bit too hard - we don't always say "freaking" or whatever. And the scenarios seemed a little too far-fetched sometimes. (Seriously, has anyone ever experienced people dancing in the crowd at a school talent show?) But generally this was a good representation of life, and I really enjoyed reading it.
I very nearly marked this as a favourite, but decided on just 4.5 stars in the end. I loved the book, but there were a few minor details that put me off just a little bit. It is most definitely a fantastic book, though! I'd definitely recommend this book for the YA audience.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Juliet, Naked (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
If there's one thing you can guarantee it's that Nick Hornby can write a good book that turns into a good movie. While they never usually hit my favourites list they're always consistent.
This year has seen the romcom take a step back to something more traditional, and I'm loving it. So many have been more about the comedy, but while this one is funny it's very much focused on the relationships.
The movie opens with Duncan's video that sets up part of the background really well and goes a long way to explaining his life's obsession. What follows is a really well implemented flow with the voice overs mixed in.
I went off and read some comments people had been writing about some of my thoughts on Juliet, Naked. It made me remember that a film like this is only ever as good as your own personal experience. It depicts mild obsession in such a realistic way. Watching Chris O'Dowd reactions to Annie and then later Tucker was really on point, and as his behaviour starts to really cause the split between him and Annie her reaction too was just right. In fact I felt the three of them were brilliant on screen throughout.
As a focus for the film, Annie is a wonderful character. Rose Byrne really brings an honesty out of her. You can feel her exacerbation with Duncan's behaviour, her nervousness around Tucker as well as her joy and sadness. That accompanied with the way Tucker changes around her is really beautiful to watch.
Overall there wasn't much to grumble about in this film... but... there's always a but! I didn't feel that the supporting cast were quite as essential. Annie's sister was a little over the top for me, and the diversion around Duncan's affair didn't really match up to the calibre of the rest of the film either.
What you should do
It's definitely one to watch, and remember to watching into the credits!
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I actually wouldn't mind taking home my own Tucker Crowe.
This year has seen the romcom take a step back to something more traditional, and I'm loving it. So many have been more about the comedy, but while this one is funny it's very much focused on the relationships.
The movie opens with Duncan's video that sets up part of the background really well and goes a long way to explaining his life's obsession. What follows is a really well implemented flow with the voice overs mixed in.
I went off and read some comments people had been writing about some of my thoughts on Juliet, Naked. It made me remember that a film like this is only ever as good as your own personal experience. It depicts mild obsession in such a realistic way. Watching Chris O'Dowd reactions to Annie and then later Tucker was really on point, and as his behaviour starts to really cause the split between him and Annie her reaction too was just right. In fact I felt the three of them were brilliant on screen throughout.
As a focus for the film, Annie is a wonderful character. Rose Byrne really brings an honesty out of her. You can feel her exacerbation with Duncan's behaviour, her nervousness around Tucker as well as her joy and sadness. That accompanied with the way Tucker changes around her is really beautiful to watch.
Overall there wasn't much to grumble about in this film... but... there's always a but! I didn't feel that the supporting cast were quite as essential. Annie's sister was a little over the top for me, and the diversion around Duncan's affair didn't really match up to the calibre of the rest of the film either.
What you should do
It's definitely one to watch, and remember to watching into the credits!
Movie thing you wish you could take home
I actually wouldn't mind taking home my own Tucker Crowe.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Crawl (2019) in Movies
Aug 24, 2019
Florida is preparing itself for the arrival of a category five hurricane. As competitive swimmer Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario) changes after a session in the pool, she takes a video call from her sister, concerned that she can't get through to their father (Barry Pepper) by phone. Dad still lives in their old hometown, right in the path of the incoming storm, and Haley agrees to go check on him.
As she approaches the town, the authorities try to turn her back as everyone is currently being evacuated from their homes. But Haley slips through via a side road, determined to check on dad, and when she does find him, he's in a spot of trouble - injured and in the crawl space beneath their house. Turns out dad wasn't alone though and a couple of gators, having found their way in with the storm, are preventing Haley and Dad from getting out. As the storm intensifies and the flood waters rise, the father and daughter must outwit the predators and try to escape to safety before they either drown or get eaten.
And that is pretty much it. At just 87 minutes long, Crawl wastes no time in getting to the action and manages to keep the suspense and thrills going right to the very end. The gators are terrifyingly realistic, as are the flood and hurricane effects, and I was just on the edge of my seat throughout.
Apart from the occasional human showing up to provide the gators with something to munch on, Haley and her dad are pretty much the only characters in the movie, with Haley making good use of her swimming skills and proving herself to be a real badass. The family dog is also on hand, getting himself into the odd scrape too. Spoiler alert: the doggy survives, so don't worry.
I absolutely loved this movie. It had me gripped throughout, with a real gut wrenching intensity, and I love it when a movie does that to me. Crawl is definitely in my top 5 movies this year.
As she approaches the town, the authorities try to turn her back as everyone is currently being evacuated from their homes. But Haley slips through via a side road, determined to check on dad, and when she does find him, he's in a spot of trouble - injured and in the crawl space beneath their house. Turns out dad wasn't alone though and a couple of gators, having found their way in with the storm, are preventing Haley and Dad from getting out. As the storm intensifies and the flood waters rise, the father and daughter must outwit the predators and try to escape to safety before they either drown or get eaten.
And that is pretty much it. At just 87 minutes long, Crawl wastes no time in getting to the action and manages to keep the suspense and thrills going right to the very end. The gators are terrifyingly realistic, as are the flood and hurricane effects, and I was just on the edge of my seat throughout.
Apart from the occasional human showing up to provide the gators with something to munch on, Haley and her dad are pretty much the only characters in the movie, with Haley making good use of her swimming skills and proving herself to be a real badass. The family dog is also on hand, getting himself into the odd scrape too. Spoiler alert: the doggy survives, so don't worry.
I absolutely loved this movie. It had me gripped throughout, with a real gut wrenching intensity, and I love it when a movie does that to me. Crawl is definitely in my top 5 movies this year.
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