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Lord of the Last Heartbeat (The Sacred Dark #1)
Lord of the Last Heartbeat (The Sacred Dark #1)
May Peterson | 2019 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
LORD OF THE LAST HEARTBEAT is the first book in the Sacred Dark series, and we focus on Mio and Rhodry. Both of these have secrets and 'powers' that have an effect on their lives. Mio no longer wants to 'help' his mother, but can't see a way out. Rhodry is intrigued by the younger man, but fears trying anything due to the curse he is living under.

What a fantastical world Ms Peterson has invented, with a hint of American Civil War era, coupled with the English Victorian period, this was a great combination of worlds. And yes, I realise I may have the time periods wrong, but that is what it reminded me of!

I loved how the story for both Rhodry and Mio came out slowly, the reader learning bits and pieces of it until it all fell together. Their relationship was the same way, a slow burner with temptation and resistance.

This was an intriguing tale, with plenty of mystery and misdirection thrown in. An amazing cast of characters helps to move the story along.

A wonderful start to the series, and I can't wait to see what happens next. Absolutely recommended by me.
  
Batman: Hush (2019)
Batman: Hush (2019)
2019 | Action, Animation
Batman: Hush is a fantastic and beloved graphic novel - surely an easy win for Warner Bros. Animation.
Unfortunately, they don't make it easy for themselves.

Hush isn't a bad entry into the DC Animated Universe by any means. The animation style is very satisfying to watch, especially in fight scenes, verging on anime at times. It has a very striking look from start to finish.
The voice cast are mostly great, and elements of the story are really well done (Catwoman and Batman's relationship for example).

There's a large portion of Batman's rogue gallery strewn through the story, which always works well on the page, and is always delightful to see, but the format of a scripted movie doesn't really give many of them much to do.
The big thing for me was the final act - no spoilers here, but the movie pulls away pretty hard from the source material during the climax, and although it's a respectable twist that will throw fans of the novel off, it's not a scratch on what originally happens.

It's a negative for sure, but not enough of one to detract from my overall enjoyment!
  
    Marine Weather Guide

    Marine Weather Guide

    Weather and Sports

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    The Marine Weather Guide is a scientific book focuses on coastal navigation and the effects...

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    CashPro®

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    Bank of America Merrill Lynch CashPro® Online users who are on the go can access critical...

    Soccer Hero

    Soccer Hero

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    Experience the history and career of a football player from the pitch to large international cups...

Everybody's All-American (1988)
Everybody's All-American (1988)
1988 | Drama
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Everybody's All American follows a 25 year span in life of a college star football player who goes on to the NFL. The movie starts off in the senior year at LSU for Gavin "Ghost" Grey and follows him through many life events culminating in a 25 year celebration of that teams championship run.

The message as indicated by synopsis and trailer is that the love of the two main characters conquers all and guides their decision making throughout their lives. That isn't the case at all. At times there is some decision making that is decidedly outside of their relationship altogether, when it comes to business and other things.

The cast was good. Dennis Quaid is always a charmer. Jessica Lange did a good job, as well. John Goodman was exceptional is his role, though his role wasn't a needed addition to the film in my opinion. What was achieved by his characters presence could have been done much more effectively. Timothy Sutton did not disappoint, though I personally forbid him from ever wearing a mustache again.

Anywho. Weird little film. Not as sports related as it would lead you to believe.
  
Internship with the Devil (Shut up and Kiss me #1)
Internship with the Devil (Shut up and Kiss me #1)
Jaqueline Snowe | 2020 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Internship with the Devil is the first book in the Shut Up and Kiss Me series and we meet Brock and Grace. Their relationship is tumultuous at times but with a solid grounding in friendship first. This is a slow-burner that will keep you hanging on, just waiting for that first kiss!

I loved how the tension was there all the way through but both of them were completely professional. I'm not saying I didn't want something to happen, just that I can appreciate it not happening! Although Brock holds his cards close to his chest, Grace has the ability to wriggle beneath his guard and gets him to loosen up. She is a hard worker and isn't prepared to dramatise things for no reason.

There is a brilliant supporting cast of characters and I hope that some, if not all, of them have their own stories in the future.

A wonderful read that I highly recommend.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Educating Rita (1983)
Educating Rita (1983)
1983 | Comedy, Drama
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Julie Walters makes a memorable movie debut in this surprisingly moving comedy-drama. Caine plays Frank, a boozy lecturer and (he thinks) awful teacher who is slightly baffled by Rita, a bright but uncultured new student who wanders into his office one day. She wants more out of life, and thinks studying literature will help her get it. But is she right? And what can they learn from one another?

Very well written and extremely well-played, the heart of the film is the relationship between the two of them and how it slowly changes over time: not really a romance or a friendship, but something still powerful and very affecting. As well as the shifting dynamic between them, the film is also about many other things: snobbery, both standard and reversed; class; the purpose of education; what it means to be a teacher, and much more. The origins of the piece as a two-handed stage play are fairly obvious, and funding issues mean it is set (distractingly) somewhere in the little-known Liverpool-Oxbridge-Dublin region, but the story and performances are strong enough for these not to be serious issues. A very fine film.