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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated London Calling in Books

Feb 20, 2025 (Updated Feb 20, 2025)  
London Calling
London Calling
James Ponti | 2025 | Children
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Family Found Finally?
This book starts with Annie in Istanbul. Thanks to things her mom has drilled into her, she realizes someone is following her and manages to give them the slip before she sends out a cry for help. A cry that the City Spies get and immediately jump into action. You see, Annie is the daughter of Mother, their leader. But the spies are already on assignment protecting the fiancée of one of the princes before their royal wedding. Can they find Annie and rescue her while keeping their current assignment on track?

If you haven’t yet started this fantastic series, don’t start here since it will spoil many of the twists of the previous books. But fans will be highly satisfied when they finish the book since it gives us many of the answers we’d been waiting for. A couple things were glossed over, but that’s minor. Along the way, we get all the twists and excitement that fans expect. We also get to spend time with characters we love. They are so great at working together, and it is a joy to watch. While this book does wrap up quite a bit, it leaves the door open for further adventures - ones I hope we get. If you are a fan, pick up this book today.
  
Rescued (Rescued Hearts #1)
Rescued (Rescued Hearts #1)
Felice Stevens | 2016 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
loved this book!
I got this free, from The Gay Romance Reader Club.

Jason broke up with his girlfriend cos he didn't want to marry her. Ryder broke up with his boyfriend cos the boyfriend didn't want to give up his drugs. Over the rescue of some pit bulls, they became friends. Ryder wants more and Jason? Well, he is digging deep into a long buried memory and realising that maybe it wasn't the fact he didn't want to marry his girlfriend, but maybe, just maybe, it was because she was a GIRL.

Oh I LOVED this book! It's one of those books that surprises you for some reason, but you've on idea why! I can't tell what surprised me, really I can't but I can tell you that I loved it!

Ryder is a lawyer, works for a pit bull rescue, has a pit called Pearl. While he loves his dog, she isn't much of a substitute for the warm male body he misses. Jason is a builder, developing his business with his brother. Finding the pit bulls chained up at a site brings Ryder into contact with Jason and both men, BOTH of them, have a reaction to the other. Ryder's is not surprising but Jason's is. As they spend more time together, Jason begins to question just what he's been doing all this time.

And I LOVED that we got to hear from both men! Cos you know I love that, but especially in books like this, when one is going against all he ever thought was right, and having that light bulb moment with someone and the world is a better place for it. And it really is a *light bulb above the head* moment for Jason, once he allows himself to just run with what he's feeling.

I did NOT like Ryder's mum. She's a Class A bitch and deserves to be alone for the rest of her days, for what she did to Ryder and his brother! So glad that his dad got his act together though!

Loved Jason's mum, especially after what his brother Liam says!

And while I'm not usually one for early professions of love, the way Jason came out with it? It was right that he said those words early, even if he didn't actually realise what he'd said! Both guys fell hard and they fell fast but it was right, for them, that they did.

There is a second book for these guys, and I'd love to read it at some point. There is a tiny snippet at the back of this one, and I have a feeling it might not be so warm and fuzzies!

First full length book by Ms Stevens I've read, the wish list is a few longer now!

5 full and shiny stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
    Universal Logbook

    Universal Logbook

    Medical and Productivity

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    Universal Logbook is a universally customisable iPhone / iPad / Apple watch logbook for rapidly...

6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain (2017)
6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain (2017)
2017 |
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Characters – Eric LeMarque had a future as one of the top ice hockey players, he threw this away with hiss reckless behaviour which has seen his career all but gone. With his addiction taking over his life, he finds himself hitting rock bottom and needing to find some hope. Heading for a snowboard away from the world he ends up lost in the harsh wilderness doing everything he can to survive in the conditions which will test his desire to get over his addictions and rebuild his life. Susan is his mother, she has always supported her son and will do anything to help him put his life back on track and is the first to notice he hasn’t been heard from for days. Sarah is one of the rescue team on the mountain, she leads the search once they learn that Eric is missing.

Performances – Josh Hartnett in the leading role does a good job, even if it feels slightly mis-cast because you get the feeling Eric was a lot younger than Hartnett. Mira Sorvino and Sarah Dumont are both solid in the supporting roles as we see them both needing to make difficult decisions.

Story – The story here follows the incredible survival story of Eric LeMarque as he faces days lost in the snow-covered mountain range without anyone searching for him for days, while also battling his own demons of addiction. The story itself is based on the real events that happened to the man who needed to rebuild his life. This does show us just how hard the survival was, though it just doesn’t become the truly engrossing story it could have been, because anything that happens is something we have seen before, be it wolves or injuries. Eric isn’t the most likely guy either because anyone that throws away a sporting career for drugs frustrates the audience. The rescue side of the film either needed to be a bigger involvement or not involved at all, we simply don’t get enough focus on what is happening on this side of the film.

Adventure/Biopic – The adventure side of the film shows us just what could go wrong for an ambitious rush can turn into a battle to survive. The biopic side of the film shows us the days which Eric is lost in the harsh snowy mountain conditions as he battles to survive and his own demons.

Settings – The film puts us in the mountain range covered in snow, showing us how easy it could be to become lost and how hard it would be to survive.


Scene of the Movie – The climb.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Hartnett feels too old for this role.

Final Thoughts – This is a by the book survival story, it does show an incredible fight to survive and does give us a form of redemption for a young man who was throwing his life away.

 

Overall: By the books survival film.

Rating
  
    Kitten Sanctuary

    Kitten Sanctuary

    Games

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    Rescue kittens from alien traps and keep them safe & happy in your kitten sanctuaries. Recommended...

Agatha Raisin and the Witches' Tree
Agatha Raisin and the Witches' Tree
M.C. Beaton | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley for an unbiased opinion.

Agatha Raisin is at it again. Following a hanging from tree locally infamous as "The Witches' Tree" in a neighboring Cotswold village, Agatha is hired to solve the case.

To those who've been with the series from the beginning, I found this book to be the best in awhile. Over the past few books, I've felt strongly that the changing backstory of a few primary characters (Simon and Charles specifically) was starting to detract from my enjoyment over the series. This time, while both were very present, Beaton left out the details that bothered me.
Additionally, this case truly was solved by Agatha and her agency (she's often accused of bumbling along until she stumbles upon the answer, only to need police rescue for herself as well... definitely not the case in this book).

And one more reason this book got a 5 out of 5 rating from me: Agatha doesn't fall in infatuation in this book. She does date, she does acknowledge that she's happiest when she's in love, but there was no "strong woman becomes blithering idiot" subplot this time.

Characters I wish I'd seen more of: Bill and Alice. Through the last few books, Bill's clearly been distancing himself from Agatha. Hope soon his romance with Alice will grow more and he can resume a more steady role in the books as Agatha's friend.
  
Clone Me a Lover (Interstellar Lovers #1)
Clone Me a Lover (Interstellar Lovers #1)
Rosalie Redd | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Clone Me a Lover (Interstellar Lovers #1) by Rosalie Redd
Clone Me a Lover was originally part of the Baby, It's Cold in Space anthology, and it stood out from the others due to Angelo Thirteen's gentle demeanour, his hopeful attitude, and his willingness to help. With Elle trying to do all she can to rescue her brother before he is sent to the mines, and Angelo Thirteen really not wanting to go back to earth, you could be forgiven for thinking that they just both fall into bed. Nothing could be further from the truth though, as these two learn about each other first. Angelo Thirteen respects Elle for being a Captain and all that comes with it, whilst Elle is blown away by the difference in attitude between Angelo and the men that she knew from her own planet.

This is a novella, so it is quick-paced, but the story is not lacking in any way. This is novella one in the series, and I can't wait to continue it. I can only imagine just where Rosalie Redd's imagination will take us next time. With no spelling or editorial mistakes to disrupt my reading flow, I have no hesitation in highly recommending this novella.

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

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)
Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)
1942 | Action
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
This trend would continue into the final outing with MGM and the original cast as Johnny Weissmuller and John Sheffield (Boy) would continue on with RKO, but Maureen O’Sullivan, who had clearly grown tired of the role after ten years would depart. And good.

In the early films, especially the first two, Tarzan and Jane’s relationship was paramount. A romantic fairy-tale of sexual and social freedom as Jane would shed her clothes and with them, the shackles of modern civilization in order to live with Tarzan in his idyllic Eden like Jungle home. Hopping from tree to tree, diving into lakes and frolicking where they fell.

By now, they live in a Flintstones style western home with more western trappings than we have today, with Jane being nothing more than an obedient, devoted housewife whilst Tarzan is becoming more civilized and their adopted some has somehow developed and strong American accent!

Jane’s journey was a dead end, and here, as the pair travel to New York to rescue Boy from a circus, she might as well not return to her jungle tree-house at all.

But having said that, this is fun if not a silly adventure, with the fish out of water tropes played out to some comic effect. The scene with Tarzan in the shower is funny but Cheeta’s rampage through Janes suitcase is just annoying as is the fact that she needed so many make up products in the first place!