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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Scoville in Tabletop Games
Jan 14, 2020
Have you ever had that thought, where you were sitting, wondering, has there ever been a board game based on “x” theme? Something really obscure, that you were for sure no one has ever thought of before. I think those of us that are avid collectors have this thought often, and it can be quite amusing at times. Sometimes the thought enters our head as this grand world domination scheme where you are going to be the first person to invent this new abstract and ludicrous board game that everyone is going to buy, making you filthy rich! And other times, the thought is just one of those that exists at the very far back stretches of your brain, jusssst to see how comical a title/theme you can come up with. Well, let me welcome everyone to “Scoville” – the board game I bet you never thought existed…..well, until now that is.
“Scoville” is exactly what you are thinking. Well, if you are a pepper fan or afficionado anyway. You see, Scoville, a term specifically made up by a fellow pepper enthusiast, is a test that measures the “hotness” of a pepper. The test was first used by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, whose namesake became the prodigious word used across the world to catalogue the finest and hottest peppers. The test has become so popular, that each year, farmers across the world make attempts to cross-breed peppers to make even hotter ones, just so they can stake a claim at the highest level of the Scoville scale.
Now that you have an idea of what our theme is all about, let’s talk gameplay. In Scoville, you play a pepper farmer. Your goal is to plant, sell, and breed the hottest peppers in all of town, suitably named, “Scoville.” There are 5 phases in each round of the game. Players complete these 5 phases in order until afternoon occurs in the game. This happens when a set amount of peppers have been sold by the farmers in the “marketplace” based on player count. These 5 phases: Auction, Plant, Harvest, Fulfillment, and Time Check, are described in the rulebook in a short, but thorough way. Each “morning” in the game, farmers take turns selling their peppers for victory points, planting new peppers in the open field plots, harvesting and breeding new peppers to sell later, and completing orders. It sounds like a lot, but the gameplay is one of the smoothest I have experienced in a worker placement style game. It’s unique in that it isn’t truly worker placement where you fill a space and another player is then blocked. The field in this case is wide open and provides ample direction for multiple strategies to get the best peppers on your turn. Once enough peppers have been sold based on the rulebook’s conditions, players enter the “afternoon” phase where they will sell peppers and fulfill any remaining orders they can. Once all players have completed this last trek through the 5 phases, victory points are added up. You’ll get varying points for all orders fulfilled throughout gameplay, points for special award plaques such as the hottest pepper award, points for unused Bonus tiles you are provided at the start (essentially little bumps in the game so no one person can run away with the scoring), and finally points for all money you have left from selling peppers in increments of $3.
While I have only scratched the surface of the breadth of gameplay this game offers, it is by far one of the simplest, yet most strategic, worker placement board games I have come across. The theme is in a very specific niche, yet is so whimsical and fun because of how the game is organized and crafted. It is very accessible for the whole family, and I say even usable as a first gateway game into the worker placement genre. The designer has done great not to let the theme weigh down the game to the point of that typical analysis paralysis that sometimes becomes the crux of most worker placement games. To clarify, actions such as “watering” or “fertilizing” the peppers could have been added to amplify the theme further, but are not included I believe because it truly doesn’t take away from the gameplay and imaginative idea that we are true pepper farmers. Just because we are “farmers” doesn’t mean we have to complete every task a farmer might do. We just have to feel like we are growing some really cool looking peppers (which the unique pepper meeples do the trick!)
While the theme is quite specific to a certain niche of gamer/pepper afficionado, it certainly makes up in fun gameplay that really anyone can enjoy, even us light-weight pepper eaters. It actually gives us light-weights a place to feel inclusive in this world of burn-your-face-off exhilarance that is so apparent on the faces of those that can tackle the likes of the dreaded Ghost pepper or Carolina Reaper. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a hot 10 / 12. I hope you consider picking up a copy of this at your local game store and give it a try. You won’t regret it. And hey, good luck discovering all sorts of new and exciting types of those hot hot little death pickles!
“Scoville” is exactly what you are thinking. Well, if you are a pepper fan or afficionado anyway. You see, Scoville, a term specifically made up by a fellow pepper enthusiast, is a test that measures the “hotness” of a pepper. The test was first used by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, whose namesake became the prodigious word used across the world to catalogue the finest and hottest peppers. The test has become so popular, that each year, farmers across the world make attempts to cross-breed peppers to make even hotter ones, just so they can stake a claim at the highest level of the Scoville scale.
Now that you have an idea of what our theme is all about, let’s talk gameplay. In Scoville, you play a pepper farmer. Your goal is to plant, sell, and breed the hottest peppers in all of town, suitably named, “Scoville.” There are 5 phases in each round of the game. Players complete these 5 phases in order until afternoon occurs in the game. This happens when a set amount of peppers have been sold by the farmers in the “marketplace” based on player count. These 5 phases: Auction, Plant, Harvest, Fulfillment, and Time Check, are described in the rulebook in a short, but thorough way. Each “morning” in the game, farmers take turns selling their peppers for victory points, planting new peppers in the open field plots, harvesting and breeding new peppers to sell later, and completing orders. It sounds like a lot, but the gameplay is one of the smoothest I have experienced in a worker placement style game. It’s unique in that it isn’t truly worker placement where you fill a space and another player is then blocked. The field in this case is wide open and provides ample direction for multiple strategies to get the best peppers on your turn. Once enough peppers have been sold based on the rulebook’s conditions, players enter the “afternoon” phase where they will sell peppers and fulfill any remaining orders they can. Once all players have completed this last trek through the 5 phases, victory points are added up. You’ll get varying points for all orders fulfilled throughout gameplay, points for special award plaques such as the hottest pepper award, points for unused Bonus tiles you are provided at the start (essentially little bumps in the game so no one person can run away with the scoring), and finally points for all money you have left from selling peppers in increments of $3.
While I have only scratched the surface of the breadth of gameplay this game offers, it is by far one of the simplest, yet most strategic, worker placement board games I have come across. The theme is in a very specific niche, yet is so whimsical and fun because of how the game is organized and crafted. It is very accessible for the whole family, and I say even usable as a first gateway game into the worker placement genre. The designer has done great not to let the theme weigh down the game to the point of that typical analysis paralysis that sometimes becomes the crux of most worker placement games. To clarify, actions such as “watering” or “fertilizing” the peppers could have been added to amplify the theme further, but are not included I believe because it truly doesn’t take away from the gameplay and imaginative idea that we are true pepper farmers. Just because we are “farmers” doesn’t mean we have to complete every task a farmer might do. We just have to feel like we are growing some really cool looking peppers (which the unique pepper meeples do the trick!)
While the theme is quite specific to a certain niche of gamer/pepper afficionado, it certainly makes up in fun gameplay that really anyone can enjoy, even us light-weight pepper eaters. It actually gives us light-weights a place to feel inclusive in this world of burn-your-face-off exhilarance that is so apparent on the faces of those that can tackle the likes of the dreaded Ghost pepper or Carolina Reaper. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a hot 10 / 12. I hope you consider picking up a copy of this at your local game store and give it a try. You won’t regret it. And hey, good luck discovering all sorts of new and exciting types of those hot hot little death pickles!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Turn of The Key in Books
Sep 26, 2019
I am a huge fan of Ruth Ware. Even though I wasn't a fan of her book The Death of Mrs. Westaway, I loved The Lying Game and In a Dark, Dark Wood. When I found out about The Turn of the Key, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible. It was much better than I thought it was going to be!
The synopsis of the book had such a spooky feel, and I loved the plot of The Turn of the Key. Rowan isn't very happy at her job at Little Nippers, a daycare where she looks after babies and toddlers. Plus, it doesn't pay very well. When she comes across an ad to be a live in nanny for a rich couple's children for a fantastic sum, she jumps a the chance. She's surprised when she gets the job, but she is ecstatic. Heatherbrae, the house where she will nanny, is a smart house complete with an app that controls everything in the house. When her employers have to leave the next day, she is thrown into her job as a nanny of Maddie, Ellie, and Petra. Strange things start happening such as being woken up in the middle of the night with music blaring from the speakers all over the house and lights being turned on up to full brightness. Items go missing from their original place, and Maddie is a nightmare child to look after. Rowan begins to second guess her nannying job at Heatherbrae, but she decides to stick it out. Unfortunately, a child ends up dead, and Rowan ends up in prison for the child's murder even though she swears she's innocent. Was Rowan framed or was it the work of something far more sinister?
I thought everything flowed smoothly, and The Turn of the Key definitely had me spooked. I kept trying to guess what was going on. The Turn of the Key hints that it could be something paranormal throughout the story, so I kept wondering if it was some sort of ghost or if it was a person. I'd also try to guess who was behind it all, but I was wrong. There are a few plot twists and one major plot twist that blindsided me completely. It was a plot twist that made me actually made my draw drop! I doubt any reader would have or will predict that plot twist. One minor thing that I was left pondering over had to do with the ending when all is revealed. I won't give any spoilers away, but I will say it's never mentioned how a person can get into a certain sealed off room. That's all I will say on that matter because I don't want to give too much away. Other than that, every other question I had was answered by the last page. As for the pacing, it is done perfectly. Not once did I feel as if The Turn of the Key slowed down at all. This is a book that grabs your hand and pulls you along without letting go!
The characters in The Turn of the Key all felt very realistic and fleshed out well enough for everything to be believable. Rowan is a very likable character and kudos for her for actually staying on as a nanny at Heatherbrae when everything went pear shaped. Even though some of the kids were hard to love, she still wanted to do what's right by them. I would have high tailed it out of there quickly if I was in her position! I felt like she dealt with everything to the best of her ability. I admired Jack and how he was willing to help Rowan out. He came across as a very caring man. It was obvious that the character of Jean loved the children at Heatherbrae which made me love her even if she wasn't featured very much. Sandra and Bill (the owners of Heatherbrae and Rowan's employers) were written well. They weren't very good parents I felt. They were too busy with their work to really know their children. Unfortunately, I know this happens in real life too. Maddie had her issues, but I loved how she was written. I felt bad for her because I felt like she was the black sheep of the family. I also felt bad for the oldest daughter Rhiannon. She was another one that seemed to have issues, but I loved her vulnerability at her lowest point. I loved the dialogue between Rowan and Rhiannon. Petra was just adorable, but Ellie was my favorite. She was easily swayed by her sister, Maddie, but I loved when she was away from Maddie and was able to be her own person. I felt she was just the sweetest little girl!
Trigger warnings for The Turn of the Key include profanity, drinking, underage drinking, lying, blackmail, a child's death, marital cheating, and mentions of sex (although not graphic).
Overall, The Turn of the Key is such a well written book. The plot sucks you in from the beginning, and the characters are all very interesting! I would definitely recommend The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware to everyone age 16+ who enjoy a fantastic psychological read!
The synopsis of the book had such a spooky feel, and I loved the plot of The Turn of the Key. Rowan isn't very happy at her job at Little Nippers, a daycare where she looks after babies and toddlers. Plus, it doesn't pay very well. When she comes across an ad to be a live in nanny for a rich couple's children for a fantastic sum, she jumps a the chance. She's surprised when she gets the job, but she is ecstatic. Heatherbrae, the house where she will nanny, is a smart house complete with an app that controls everything in the house. When her employers have to leave the next day, she is thrown into her job as a nanny of Maddie, Ellie, and Petra. Strange things start happening such as being woken up in the middle of the night with music blaring from the speakers all over the house and lights being turned on up to full brightness. Items go missing from their original place, and Maddie is a nightmare child to look after. Rowan begins to second guess her nannying job at Heatherbrae, but she decides to stick it out. Unfortunately, a child ends up dead, and Rowan ends up in prison for the child's murder even though she swears she's innocent. Was Rowan framed or was it the work of something far more sinister?
I thought everything flowed smoothly, and The Turn of the Key definitely had me spooked. I kept trying to guess what was going on. The Turn of the Key hints that it could be something paranormal throughout the story, so I kept wondering if it was some sort of ghost or if it was a person. I'd also try to guess who was behind it all, but I was wrong. There are a few plot twists and one major plot twist that blindsided me completely. It was a plot twist that made me actually made my draw drop! I doubt any reader would have or will predict that plot twist. One minor thing that I was left pondering over had to do with the ending when all is revealed. I won't give any spoilers away, but I will say it's never mentioned how a person can get into a certain sealed off room. That's all I will say on that matter because I don't want to give too much away. Other than that, every other question I had was answered by the last page. As for the pacing, it is done perfectly. Not once did I feel as if The Turn of the Key slowed down at all. This is a book that grabs your hand and pulls you along without letting go!
The characters in The Turn of the Key all felt very realistic and fleshed out well enough for everything to be believable. Rowan is a very likable character and kudos for her for actually staying on as a nanny at Heatherbrae when everything went pear shaped. Even though some of the kids were hard to love, she still wanted to do what's right by them. I would have high tailed it out of there quickly if I was in her position! I felt like she dealt with everything to the best of her ability. I admired Jack and how he was willing to help Rowan out. He came across as a very caring man. It was obvious that the character of Jean loved the children at Heatherbrae which made me love her even if she wasn't featured very much. Sandra and Bill (the owners of Heatherbrae and Rowan's employers) were written well. They weren't very good parents I felt. They were too busy with their work to really know their children. Unfortunately, I know this happens in real life too. Maddie had her issues, but I loved how she was written. I felt bad for her because I felt like she was the black sheep of the family. I also felt bad for the oldest daughter Rhiannon. She was another one that seemed to have issues, but I loved her vulnerability at her lowest point. I loved the dialogue between Rowan and Rhiannon. Petra was just adorable, but Ellie was my favorite. She was easily swayed by her sister, Maddie, but I loved when she was away from Maddie and was able to be her own person. I felt she was just the sweetest little girl!
Trigger warnings for The Turn of the Key include profanity, drinking, underage drinking, lying, blackmail, a child's death, marital cheating, and mentions of sex (although not graphic).
Overall, The Turn of the Key is such a well written book. The plot sucks you in from the beginning, and the characters are all very interesting! I would definitely recommend The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware to everyone age 16+ who enjoy a fantastic psychological read!
Lee (2222 KP) rated Alita: Battle Angel (2019) in Movies
Feb 8, 2019 (Updated Feb 8, 2019)
The Visuals (1 more)
Alita
A lot of big names, overqualified and underutilised (1 more)
Clunky dialogue and pacing issues
All style, not much substance
James Cameron has spent more than a decade trying to bring Alita: Battle Angel to the big screen. Based on a popular cyberpunk manga series by Yukito Kishiro, published between 1990-1995, he has spent that time refining the script and developing the world that Alita inhabits. And that’s pretty much what he now spends most of his time taking care of with the Avatar movies and the world of Pandora. Hence the reason why he eventually decided to step back into producer duties for this movie, letting Robert Rodriguez pick up the directing reins in order to finally get it finished. Rodriguez uses much of the script that Cameron wrote, but brings a little bit of his trademark style to the table too.
It’s 2563, and we’re in Iron City. Dr Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) is scavenging among a huge scrapyard, looking for cyborg spare parts that he can make use of, while fresh metal and rubbish rains down from Zalem – a man-made, floating city sitting in the sky above Iron City. 300 years ago there were many of these floating cities but following a brutal war all of them except for Zalem perished. During that time though, the elevator leading up to Zalem was destroyed, and these days only the ‘pure’ inhabitants of Zalem are permitted there. Nobody from Earth is allowed to visit and if anyone comes down from Zalem, they’re not allowed back. It’s to try and avoid any contamination from entering Zalem. If you’ve seen the Matt Damon movie Elysium… well, then it’s a bit like that really.
Among the usual items, such as robotic hands and eyeballs, Dr Ido discovers Alita, or rather the core of Alita – lying lifeless and broken, with only a battered hairless head and upper torso remaining. He takes her back to his laboratory/home, where he works as a cybernetics expert, repairing and upgrading the inhabitants of Iron City who are either cyborgs or humans with cyborg body parts. Along with his assisting nurse, and using a robotic body that had been previously built for his now deceased daughter (this gets briefly explained later), they rebuild her, giving her the name Alita (also his daughters name). Alita awakens later in a nice comfortable bed, in what was presumably Dr Ido’s daughters room. She has no memory of her previous existence and sets about experiencing all the sights, sensations and tastes that human life and Iron City has to offer, exploring and striking up a friendship with local boy Hugo and his group of friends. But, as the name of the movie implies, this cyborg was built for battle, and it’s not long before Alita begins to remember who exactly she used to be and just how good at kicking ass she is.
A quick word about the visuals, as they are by far the best thing about this movie. Iron City, despite clearly being a futuristic world, is certainly not dark or bleak looking in the way we’re used to with similar movies of this genre. Many of the early scenes take place during daylight hours and the city is a vibrant, bright, bustling home to thousand of humans and cyborgs. We get to go beyond the limits of Iron City – the city walls, out to the badlands beyond, and as you’d expect from Cameron a lot of thought and detail has gone into mapping out and building this world. The cyborgs and the other robots we meet are all pretty standard for a movie of this kind, but it’s Alita that is the most impressive. Much of this is down to the incredible CGI involved in making her look as realistic as she does, but a lot of what makes her so enjoyable and believable is down to Rosa Salazar, whose motion captured performance helps bring her to life. The visuals are obviously at their most impressive during the battle scenes involving Alita – where so many movies with heavy CGI battles end up as just a messy whirlpool of characters and action, that’s certainly not the case here. Slick, inventive and exhilarating choreography allowing you to actually track and follow every single character and action in crisp detail. It’s refreshing and impressive, even more so when watched in 3D and particularly so during the fast paced Motorball scenes featured towards the end of the movie.
Outside of the visuals though, other characters and plot lines don’t seem to stick so well, which is disappointing considering the rich source material available to the film makers. Alita: Battle Angel suffers from inconsistent pacing, dialogue that is clunky and exposition-heavy and there are many times when the accompanying soundtrack just felt distracting to me, out of place with whatever is currently happening. Christoph Waltz, Mahershala Ali and Jennifer Connolly all seem overqualified and underutilised, and the romance between Alita and Hugo is unnecessary, and at times annoying. It feels like it’s trying to cram too much story into its two hour run time, resulting in plot holes and frustrations later on. And there is even a cliffhanger ending – frustrating in that it feels as though we haven’t even properly concluded this part of the story and we’re now being left to wait should a sequel ever be given the go ahead.
I found much to enjoy with Alita: Battle Angel, and would gladly go see a sequel or two, should they get made. It’s enjoyable at times, and dazzling to look at, but overall it did leave me feeling a little bit frustrated and disappointed.
It’s 2563, and we’re in Iron City. Dr Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) is scavenging among a huge scrapyard, looking for cyborg spare parts that he can make use of, while fresh metal and rubbish rains down from Zalem – a man-made, floating city sitting in the sky above Iron City. 300 years ago there were many of these floating cities but following a brutal war all of them except for Zalem perished. During that time though, the elevator leading up to Zalem was destroyed, and these days only the ‘pure’ inhabitants of Zalem are permitted there. Nobody from Earth is allowed to visit and if anyone comes down from Zalem, they’re not allowed back. It’s to try and avoid any contamination from entering Zalem. If you’ve seen the Matt Damon movie Elysium… well, then it’s a bit like that really.
Among the usual items, such as robotic hands and eyeballs, Dr Ido discovers Alita, or rather the core of Alita – lying lifeless and broken, with only a battered hairless head and upper torso remaining. He takes her back to his laboratory/home, where he works as a cybernetics expert, repairing and upgrading the inhabitants of Iron City who are either cyborgs or humans with cyborg body parts. Along with his assisting nurse, and using a robotic body that had been previously built for his now deceased daughter (this gets briefly explained later), they rebuild her, giving her the name Alita (also his daughters name). Alita awakens later in a nice comfortable bed, in what was presumably Dr Ido’s daughters room. She has no memory of her previous existence and sets about experiencing all the sights, sensations and tastes that human life and Iron City has to offer, exploring and striking up a friendship with local boy Hugo and his group of friends. But, as the name of the movie implies, this cyborg was built for battle, and it’s not long before Alita begins to remember who exactly she used to be and just how good at kicking ass she is.
A quick word about the visuals, as they are by far the best thing about this movie. Iron City, despite clearly being a futuristic world, is certainly not dark or bleak looking in the way we’re used to with similar movies of this genre. Many of the early scenes take place during daylight hours and the city is a vibrant, bright, bustling home to thousand of humans and cyborgs. We get to go beyond the limits of Iron City – the city walls, out to the badlands beyond, and as you’d expect from Cameron a lot of thought and detail has gone into mapping out and building this world. The cyborgs and the other robots we meet are all pretty standard for a movie of this kind, but it’s Alita that is the most impressive. Much of this is down to the incredible CGI involved in making her look as realistic as she does, but a lot of what makes her so enjoyable and believable is down to Rosa Salazar, whose motion captured performance helps bring her to life. The visuals are obviously at their most impressive during the battle scenes involving Alita – where so many movies with heavy CGI battles end up as just a messy whirlpool of characters and action, that’s certainly not the case here. Slick, inventive and exhilarating choreography allowing you to actually track and follow every single character and action in crisp detail. It’s refreshing and impressive, even more so when watched in 3D and particularly so during the fast paced Motorball scenes featured towards the end of the movie.
Outside of the visuals though, other characters and plot lines don’t seem to stick so well, which is disappointing considering the rich source material available to the film makers. Alita: Battle Angel suffers from inconsistent pacing, dialogue that is clunky and exposition-heavy and there are many times when the accompanying soundtrack just felt distracting to me, out of place with whatever is currently happening. Christoph Waltz, Mahershala Ali and Jennifer Connolly all seem overqualified and underutilised, and the romance between Alita and Hugo is unnecessary, and at times annoying. It feels like it’s trying to cram too much story into its two hour run time, resulting in plot holes and frustrations later on. And there is even a cliffhanger ending – frustrating in that it feels as though we haven’t even properly concluded this part of the story and we’re now being left to wait should a sequel ever be given the go ahead.
I found much to enjoy with Alita: Battle Angel, and would gladly go see a sequel or two, should they get made. It’s enjoyable at times, and dazzling to look at, but overall it did leave me feeling a little bit frustrated and disappointed.
Hadley (567 KP) rated Hell House in Books
Sep 3, 2020
" 'It's the Mount Everest of haunted houses, you might say. There were two attempts to investigate it, one in 1931, the other in 1940. Both were disasters. Eight people involved in those attempts were killed, committed suicide, or went insane. Only one survived, and I have no idea how sound he is- - -Benjamin Fischer, one of the two who'll be with me.' " Barrett, our main character, explains before setting out to investigate the Belasco House in the paranormal novel, Hell House.
At the beginning of the book, Barrett is speaking to a rich man named Deutsch, who is on his death bed, and wanting to know if life exists after death:
" 'It isn't lies I want,' Deutsch told him. 'I'll buy the answer, either way. So long as it's definitive.'
Barrett felt a roil of despair. 'How can I convince you, either way?' He was compelled to say it.
'By giving me facts,' Deutsch answered irritably.
'Where am I to find them? I'm a physicist. In the twenty years I've studied parapsychology, I've yet to - - -'
'If they exist,' Deutsch interrupted,' you'll find them in the only place on earth I know of where survival has yet to be refuted. The Belasco house in Maine.' "
Along with Barrett and Fischer a well-known medium named Florence and Barrett's wife, Edith join them on their trip to the Belasco house. Fischer is also a medium, who gets prodded at by Florence for refusing to use his 'gift:'
" 'You were the most powerful physical medium this country has ever known, Ben.'
'Still am, Florence. Just a little bit more careful now, that's all. I suggest the same approach for you. You're walking around this house like an open nerve. When you really do hit something, it'll tear your insides out. This place isn't called Hell House for nothing, you know. It intends to kill every one of us, so you'd damn well better learn to protect yourself until you're ready. Or you'll just be one more victim on the list.' "
Florence's need to prove that spirits exist to Barrett, the skeptic of the group, permeates throughout the entire book. She allows him to subject her to entirely naked pat-downs and the use of all sorts of instruments while she becomes possessed by spirits in the house. She slowly begins to lose her patience with Barrett every time she speaks with him about the possibility of ghosts existing until one day she becomes so infuriated with him that the entire dining area becomes a minefield of seemingly unaided flying dishes.
Even after this incident, Barrett refuses to believe that the Belasco house is haunted and that spirits exist. As the reader continues on through the story, Barrett's skepticism becomes a little annoying with the amount of paranormal things that happen, especially how he has a scientific reasoning for everything: " 'Making use of the power in the room,' he[Barrett] said. 'Converting it to poltergeist-type phenomena directed at me.' " As Fischer and Florence continue to find evidence of paranormal activity, Barrett stays focused on a machine that he invented to arrive soon, which he states will prove his theory of energy causing the 'hauntings,' rather than spirits, while avoiding all evidence that may prove otherwise.
Early on, Florence becomes preoccupied with a spirit in the house, who she believes to be the son of Belasco (the man who owned the house). After coming in contact with this spirit, physical harm starts to come to Florence, one such incident is of something in the night biting her breasts hard enough to leave teeth marks. Barrett and the others find her, crying in bed during this, where she states that Belasco is punishing her for finding and communicating with his son.
During all of this, Edith seems to come under an influence at the house, which causes her to start to drink heavily although she's never touched a drop of alcohol in her life due to an alcoholic father. One incident with a drunk Edith, she comes onto Fischer in a way that makes the reader question whether or not this is a spirit taking her over, or if this is what Edith is like when she's drunk. When Fischer confronts Barrett about his wife and her possible possession by the house, Barrett refuses to see it as that:
" 'Irrelevant?' Fischer looked amazed. 'What the hell do you mean, irrelevant? Whatever's going on is getting to your wife. It's gotten to Florence, and it's gotten to you. Or maybe you haven't noticed.'
Barrett regarded him in silence, his expression hard. 'I've noticed a number of things, Mr. Fischer,' he finally said. 'One of which is that Mr. Deutsch is wasting approximately a third of his money.' "
Although Hell House has all of the great paranormal tropes in it, it objectifies women almost to an extreme, and to a point that it isn't believable at all to the reader: the Belasco house is one of depravity, including sexual interactions, but Belasco's guests were both female and male, yet only sexual things (albeit crude) only happen to Florence and Edith, neither Barrett or Fischer are affected. Hell House is a great story with an even greater villain, but Matheson really ruined the story with his crude fantasies about women. I absolutely think this book is better than the Haunting of Hill House because the scares are better while Haunting lacked a lot of them. If you can get past a horny man's fantasies, then the book is very enjoyable.
At the beginning of the book, Barrett is speaking to a rich man named Deutsch, who is on his death bed, and wanting to know if life exists after death:
" 'It isn't lies I want,' Deutsch told him. 'I'll buy the answer, either way. So long as it's definitive.'
Barrett felt a roil of despair. 'How can I convince you, either way?' He was compelled to say it.
'By giving me facts,' Deutsch answered irritably.
'Where am I to find them? I'm a physicist. In the twenty years I've studied parapsychology, I've yet to - - -'
'If they exist,' Deutsch interrupted,' you'll find them in the only place on earth I know of where survival has yet to be refuted. The Belasco house in Maine.' "
Along with Barrett and Fischer a well-known medium named Florence and Barrett's wife, Edith join them on their trip to the Belasco house. Fischer is also a medium, who gets prodded at by Florence for refusing to use his 'gift:'
" 'You were the most powerful physical medium this country has ever known, Ben.'
'Still am, Florence. Just a little bit more careful now, that's all. I suggest the same approach for you. You're walking around this house like an open nerve. When you really do hit something, it'll tear your insides out. This place isn't called Hell House for nothing, you know. It intends to kill every one of us, so you'd damn well better learn to protect yourself until you're ready. Or you'll just be one more victim on the list.' "
Florence's need to prove that spirits exist to Barrett, the skeptic of the group, permeates throughout the entire book. She allows him to subject her to entirely naked pat-downs and the use of all sorts of instruments while she becomes possessed by spirits in the house. She slowly begins to lose her patience with Barrett every time she speaks with him about the possibility of ghosts existing until one day she becomes so infuriated with him that the entire dining area becomes a minefield of seemingly unaided flying dishes.
Even after this incident, Barrett refuses to believe that the Belasco house is haunted and that spirits exist. As the reader continues on through the story, Barrett's skepticism becomes a little annoying with the amount of paranormal things that happen, especially how he has a scientific reasoning for everything: " 'Making use of the power in the room,' he[Barrett] said. 'Converting it to poltergeist-type phenomena directed at me.' " As Fischer and Florence continue to find evidence of paranormal activity, Barrett stays focused on a machine that he invented to arrive soon, which he states will prove his theory of energy causing the 'hauntings,' rather than spirits, while avoiding all evidence that may prove otherwise.
Early on, Florence becomes preoccupied with a spirit in the house, who she believes to be the son of Belasco (the man who owned the house). After coming in contact with this spirit, physical harm starts to come to Florence, one such incident is of something in the night biting her breasts hard enough to leave teeth marks. Barrett and the others find her, crying in bed during this, where she states that Belasco is punishing her for finding and communicating with his son.
During all of this, Edith seems to come under an influence at the house, which causes her to start to drink heavily although she's never touched a drop of alcohol in her life due to an alcoholic father. One incident with a drunk Edith, she comes onto Fischer in a way that makes the reader question whether or not this is a spirit taking her over, or if this is what Edith is like when she's drunk. When Fischer confronts Barrett about his wife and her possible possession by the house, Barrett refuses to see it as that:
" 'Irrelevant?' Fischer looked amazed. 'What the hell do you mean, irrelevant? Whatever's going on is getting to your wife. It's gotten to Florence, and it's gotten to you. Or maybe you haven't noticed.'
Barrett regarded him in silence, his expression hard. 'I've noticed a number of things, Mr. Fischer,' he finally said. 'One of which is that Mr. Deutsch is wasting approximately a third of his money.' "
Although Hell House has all of the great paranormal tropes in it, it objectifies women almost to an extreme, and to a point that it isn't believable at all to the reader: the Belasco house is one of depravity, including sexual interactions, but Belasco's guests were both female and male, yet only sexual things (albeit crude) only happen to Florence and Edith, neither Barrett or Fischer are affected. Hell House is a great story with an even greater villain, but Matheson really ruined the story with his crude fantasies about women. I absolutely think this book is better than the Haunting of Hill House because the scares are better while Haunting lacked a lot of them. If you can get past a horny man's fantasies, then the book is very enjoyable.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies
Mar 9, 2019
Chemistry between Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson (1 more)
As always, END CREDITS SEQUENCE
A Marvel-ous "Buddy Cop" film
For those of you who read my reviews regularly know, I am a fan of the films produced in the MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE. There has been a bit of a hiatus in these films (the last one was ANT MAN AND THE WASP last July) so it was with some excitement that I headed to the multiplex to check out the latest installment in this film franchise.
And...after an opening that paid tribute to the late, great Stan Lee, I settled in for what, I hoped would be a fun time at the movies. I started to become a little concerned in the first half hour of this film as it jumbled things around, trying to tell an origin story of a person who has no memory of where she came from while Jude Law was "man-splaining" the new worlds and the new people that the audience needs to know about it. I was becoming concerned that this film was going to become a "hot mess".
And then came Samuel L. Jackson.
Mr. Jackson is a MOVIE STAR and his presence in this film instantly catapulted it to another level. The star power, energy and pacing of the film improved and (if I am honest with myself) the performance of Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel improved as well. The film stopped being an "alien Super Hero" film and it become a "buddy cop film" along the lines of LETHAL WEAPON, 48 HOURS and (my personal favorite) MIDNIGHT RUN.
The chemistry between Jackson and Larson is undeniable and they play off of each other very well, bantering and bouncing lines back and forth while chasing - and being chased - by the bad guys. This dynamic raised the level of this film from a "middle of the road" SuperHero film to a fun action/comedy that is in the upper third of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Aside from Jackson, Larson (eventually) is terrifically cast as the titular character. She has a difficult balancing act to fulfill in the first 1/2 hour of the film, since her character has no memories, she also was in danger of having no personality. I've heard the word "bland" thrown around to characterize her performance, but I wouldn't quite go there (especially once Jackson shows up and her character's memories start to return). This is a well rounded, fierce performance and I don't think we've really seen the "best" that this character - or Larson's portrayal - has to offer.
Jude Law, Annette Benning(!) Lashana Lynch and Clark Gregg are all "fine" in supporting roles, but they pale in comparison to Larson/Jackson. Only Ben Mendehlson was able to "up" his performance to match these two, so when Jackson/Larson/Mendehlson were on the screen together, things crackled. Oh...and I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the best feline performances in film in quite some time - GOOSE, the cat (yes, named after the character in TOP GUN). The less I say about this character the better - but it was really fun. The only disappointment for me was the usage of Gemma Chan (CRAZY, RICH ASIANS) as Minn-Erva. She just didn't have much to do, probably because at the time of filming Chan was not much of a "name". I know here character is crucial to some Captain Marvel storylines in the comics, so I am hoping they bring her back and use her more in the future.
But...as for this film...it is a fun romp, with good action and a truly memorable pairing of Jackson/Larson - one that does not disappoint. Stay, of course, for the TWO end credits scene - the first one sets up AVENGERS: ENDGAME and the last one is...
Letter Grade A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
And...after an opening that paid tribute to the late, great Stan Lee, I settled in for what, I hoped would be a fun time at the movies. I started to become a little concerned in the first half hour of this film as it jumbled things around, trying to tell an origin story of a person who has no memory of where she came from while Jude Law was "man-splaining" the new worlds and the new people that the audience needs to know about it. I was becoming concerned that this film was going to become a "hot mess".
And then came Samuel L. Jackson.
Mr. Jackson is a MOVIE STAR and his presence in this film instantly catapulted it to another level. The star power, energy and pacing of the film improved and (if I am honest with myself) the performance of Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel improved as well. The film stopped being an "alien Super Hero" film and it become a "buddy cop film" along the lines of LETHAL WEAPON, 48 HOURS and (my personal favorite) MIDNIGHT RUN.
The chemistry between Jackson and Larson is undeniable and they play off of each other very well, bantering and bouncing lines back and forth while chasing - and being chased - by the bad guys. This dynamic raised the level of this film from a "middle of the road" SuperHero film to a fun action/comedy that is in the upper third of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Aside from Jackson, Larson (eventually) is terrifically cast as the titular character. She has a difficult balancing act to fulfill in the first 1/2 hour of the film, since her character has no memories, she also was in danger of having no personality. I've heard the word "bland" thrown around to characterize her performance, but I wouldn't quite go there (especially once Jackson shows up and her character's memories start to return). This is a well rounded, fierce performance and I don't think we've really seen the "best" that this character - or Larson's portrayal - has to offer.
Jude Law, Annette Benning(!) Lashana Lynch and Clark Gregg are all "fine" in supporting roles, but they pale in comparison to Larson/Jackson. Only Ben Mendehlson was able to "up" his performance to match these two, so when Jackson/Larson/Mendehlson were on the screen together, things crackled. Oh...and I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the best feline performances in film in quite some time - GOOSE, the cat (yes, named after the character in TOP GUN). The less I say about this character the better - but it was really fun. The only disappointment for me was the usage of Gemma Chan (CRAZY, RICH ASIANS) as Minn-Erva. She just didn't have much to do, probably because at the time of filming Chan was not much of a "name". I know here character is crucial to some Captain Marvel storylines in the comics, so I am hoping they bring her back and use her more in the future.
But...as for this film...it is a fun romp, with good action and a truly memorable pairing of Jackson/Larson - one that does not disappoint. Stay, of course, for the TWO end credits scene - the first one sets up AVENGERS: ENDGAME and the last one is...
Letter Grade A-
8 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(OfMarquis)
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Mistletoe Miracles (Ransom Canyon #7) in Books
Sep 12, 2018
Lovable Characters (3 more)
Interesting Plot
Great Worldbuilding
Good Pacing
A Clean, Sweet Read
I'm not usually a romance person, but the synopsis for Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas caught my attention. I'm really glad I read Mistletoe Miracles because I absolutely adored this book. In fact, Mistletoe Miracles may have converted me to be a romance reader. It has definitely made me a Jodi Thomas fan for sure.
The pacing for Mistletoe Miracles was spot on. It wasn't a fast paced book, but it wasn't slow paced either. It moved at a nice relaxing pace, and I found myself loving it.
The plot for Mistletoe Miracles is a sweet one. It was interesting to see each couple's relationship blossom. Mallory is on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend. She ends up in a car crash. Her dog is also injured in the crash. Little does Jax know he has her dog, but once he figures it out, it's the start of something sweet. Griffin needs a rich bride in order to save his working ranch that's been in the family for generations. Sunlan, a ranch girl herself, is just the right woman to fill that position. She's also looking for someone to take her away from her overbearing father. Wyatt is a soldier just looking for a place to rest while on leave. With everyone assuming he's Jamie's husband, he is taken to Jamie's house after he falls asleep and has a small crash. Jamie has been out of town, but when she returns, she's gets the biggest surprise of her life. However, she's been telling everyone she's married even though she's not. Wyatt may just be the (pretend) husband she needs. The reader has the pleasure of reading about each immersive relationship and how each one blossoms in its own way. There are no major plot twists, but Mistletoe Miracles is a book that doesn't need plot twists to be enjoyable. All loose ends are also tied up by the end of the book which I was happy about. I also liked that Mistletoe Miracles can be read as a standalone.
I felt that the world building in Mistletoe Miracles was done very well. Jodi Thomas makes it so easy to feel as if you are one of the characters in her book. She puts you right in the midst of everything that is happening, and it is so easy to lose yourself within each page of the story. Mistletoe Miracles takes place in Texas which made me enjoy the book even more! The world building is so realistic in this novel that I would lose track of time whenever I was reading it.
I loved every character in Mistletoe Miracles. I felt each character was fleshed out substantially, and every character felt like they were an actual real person instead of a character in a book. My favorite characters in this book were Sunlan and Griffin. I loved how they started out a bit distant towards each other, but eventually, they warmed up to one another and came out of their shell, especially Sunlan. Don't get me wrong, I loved the other characters too, but it was Sunlan's and Griffin's relationship that I loved the most. I did enjoy reading about all the other character's relationships as well, and I found them to be very interesting. Each character had something to bring to the table to make Mistletoe Miracles the great read it is.
There aren't many trigger warnings for Mistletoe Miracles. I would classify it was a clean romance. There's no swearing and no steamy scenes. There is some violence although it is not graphic. There is some drinking of alcohol as well as kissing. There's also talk about making love but everything is implied and not described in graphic detail.
Overall, Mistletoe Miracles is a very sweet and refreshing read that will warm even the most hardened hearts. It's got very likable and realistic characters characters, an interesting plot, and fantastic world building. I would definitely recommend Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas to everyone aged 16+ whether they like romance or not. This is one of those books that everyone should read even if romance isn't their preferred genre.
(Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The pacing for Mistletoe Miracles was spot on. It wasn't a fast paced book, but it wasn't slow paced either. It moved at a nice relaxing pace, and I found myself loving it.
The plot for Mistletoe Miracles is a sweet one. It was interesting to see each couple's relationship blossom. Mallory is on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend. She ends up in a car crash. Her dog is also injured in the crash. Little does Jax know he has her dog, but once he figures it out, it's the start of something sweet. Griffin needs a rich bride in order to save his working ranch that's been in the family for generations. Sunlan, a ranch girl herself, is just the right woman to fill that position. She's also looking for someone to take her away from her overbearing father. Wyatt is a soldier just looking for a place to rest while on leave. With everyone assuming he's Jamie's husband, he is taken to Jamie's house after he falls asleep and has a small crash. Jamie has been out of town, but when she returns, she's gets the biggest surprise of her life. However, she's been telling everyone she's married even though she's not. Wyatt may just be the (pretend) husband she needs. The reader has the pleasure of reading about each immersive relationship and how each one blossoms in its own way. There are no major plot twists, but Mistletoe Miracles is a book that doesn't need plot twists to be enjoyable. All loose ends are also tied up by the end of the book which I was happy about. I also liked that Mistletoe Miracles can be read as a standalone.
I felt that the world building in Mistletoe Miracles was done very well. Jodi Thomas makes it so easy to feel as if you are one of the characters in her book. She puts you right in the midst of everything that is happening, and it is so easy to lose yourself within each page of the story. Mistletoe Miracles takes place in Texas which made me enjoy the book even more! The world building is so realistic in this novel that I would lose track of time whenever I was reading it.
I loved every character in Mistletoe Miracles. I felt each character was fleshed out substantially, and every character felt like they were an actual real person instead of a character in a book. My favorite characters in this book were Sunlan and Griffin. I loved how they started out a bit distant towards each other, but eventually, they warmed up to one another and came out of their shell, especially Sunlan. Don't get me wrong, I loved the other characters too, but it was Sunlan's and Griffin's relationship that I loved the most. I did enjoy reading about all the other character's relationships as well, and I found them to be very interesting. Each character had something to bring to the table to make Mistletoe Miracles the great read it is.
There aren't many trigger warnings for Mistletoe Miracles. I would classify it was a clean romance. There's no swearing and no steamy scenes. There is some violence although it is not graphic. There is some drinking of alcohol as well as kissing. There's also talk about making love but everything is implied and not described in graphic detail.
Overall, Mistletoe Miracles is a very sweet and refreshing read that will warm even the most hardened hearts. It's got very likable and realistic characters characters, an interesting plot, and fantastic world building. I would definitely recommend Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas to everyone aged 16+ whether they like romance or not. This is one of those books that everyone should read even if romance isn't their preferred genre.
(Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Weight of Memory in Books
Jul 18, 2021
After reading and loving Shawn Smucker's previous book, These Nameless Things, I was thrilled when I heard he had released his new book The Weight of Memory. After purchasing a copy, I devoured this book!
I enjoyed the way the story seemed to flow so effortlessly and so smoothly. Shawn Smucker did such an excellent job of conveying this story to his readers. It was as if he had painted such a beautiful canvas with his prose and invited us inside. Every word I read left me wanting more.
When I read the synopsis of the The Weight of Memory, it definitely had me intrigued. I had to know how Paul's 11 year old granddaughter, Pearl, knew things about Paul's past and where he grew up with even though Paul had never told her. When Paul and Pearl arrived in Nysa, the town where Paul grew up and had left 40 years prior, I had to know why people in the town were acting so strange and what was causing them to act that way. I kept trying to guess as to why, but I was always wrong. There are quite a few plot twists revealed towards the end of the book which I never would have guessed. Loose ends are all tied up excerpt for one which was left undone on purpose. Smucker leaves this up to the reader to decide what happened. Personally, I would have liked to know more, but I can see why the author left it for the reader to decide. One minor thing for me is I would have liked more about the townspeople of Nysa. They were all acting strange, and I would have liked to know more as to why besides just the drownings (not a spoiler). As for pacing, The Weight of Memory did start out a bit slow in the beginning, and I did find my mind wandering, but I persevered, and I was handsomely rewarded with such an enriching story once the pacing picked up.
For the most part, every character in The Weight of Memory felt fleshed out and realistic. Paul Elias was such a loveable character, and it was so obvious how much he loved and adored his granddaughter. I could feel his worry come off the pages though about how he needed to find someone to take care of Pearl before his death. It was heartbreaking to know that he was so worried about Pearl and what would happen to her after he was gone. I loved little Pearl, but most of the time, she came across as younger than her 11 years. To me, she acted more like a child of 6 than an older one. However, I did enjoy her character, and I admired how much she loved her "Grampy" and how she would do anything for her. Paul's and Pearl's relationship was very special, and it definitely showed throughout the story. I didn't know what to make of Tom throughout the book. He was always so distant. The author does make it known why though towards the end of the book. Tom did come across as a pretty selfless guy considering how rich he was which was refreshing. (Personally, I would have loved to stay at Tom's gigantic mansion!) As for Mary and Shirley, I enjoyed reading about them both. I would have liked to know more about Mary's home life personally due to one scene in the book. Regardless, Mary seemed like such a sweet girl, and Shirley seemed like she was a lot of fun.
Trigger warnings for The Weight of Memory include death, drowning, a few mentions of drugs (Pearl's father was a drug addict), and near death experiences.
All in all, The Weight of Memory is a beautifully enthralling story with loveable selfless character and a plot that will keep you engrossed throughout. I would definitely recommend The Weight of Memory by Shawn Smucker to those aged 16+ who love their books to be heartfelt with a lot of emotion.
I enjoyed the way the story seemed to flow so effortlessly and so smoothly. Shawn Smucker did such an excellent job of conveying this story to his readers. It was as if he had painted such a beautiful canvas with his prose and invited us inside. Every word I read left me wanting more.
When I read the synopsis of the The Weight of Memory, it definitely had me intrigued. I had to know how Paul's 11 year old granddaughter, Pearl, knew things about Paul's past and where he grew up with even though Paul had never told her. When Paul and Pearl arrived in Nysa, the town where Paul grew up and had left 40 years prior, I had to know why people in the town were acting so strange and what was causing them to act that way. I kept trying to guess as to why, but I was always wrong. There are quite a few plot twists revealed towards the end of the book which I never would have guessed. Loose ends are all tied up excerpt for one which was left undone on purpose. Smucker leaves this up to the reader to decide what happened. Personally, I would have liked to know more, but I can see why the author left it for the reader to decide. One minor thing for me is I would have liked more about the townspeople of Nysa. They were all acting strange, and I would have liked to know more as to why besides just the drownings (not a spoiler). As for pacing, The Weight of Memory did start out a bit slow in the beginning, and I did find my mind wandering, but I persevered, and I was handsomely rewarded with such an enriching story once the pacing picked up.
For the most part, every character in The Weight of Memory felt fleshed out and realistic. Paul Elias was such a loveable character, and it was so obvious how much he loved and adored his granddaughter. I could feel his worry come off the pages though about how he needed to find someone to take care of Pearl before his death. It was heartbreaking to know that he was so worried about Pearl and what would happen to her after he was gone. I loved little Pearl, but most of the time, she came across as younger than her 11 years. To me, she acted more like a child of 6 than an older one. However, I did enjoy her character, and I admired how much she loved her "Grampy" and how she would do anything for her. Paul's and Pearl's relationship was very special, and it definitely showed throughout the story. I didn't know what to make of Tom throughout the book. He was always so distant. The author does make it known why though towards the end of the book. Tom did come across as a pretty selfless guy considering how rich he was which was refreshing. (Personally, I would have loved to stay at Tom's gigantic mansion!) As for Mary and Shirley, I enjoyed reading about them both. I would have liked to know more about Mary's home life personally due to one scene in the book. Regardless, Mary seemed like such a sweet girl, and Shirley seemed like she was a lot of fun.
Trigger warnings for The Weight of Memory include death, drowning, a few mentions of drugs (Pearl's father was a drug addict), and near death experiences.
All in all, The Weight of Memory is a beautifully enthralling story with loveable selfless character and a plot that will keep you engrossed throughout. I would definitely recommend The Weight of Memory by Shawn Smucker to those aged 16+ who love their books to be heartfelt with a lot of emotion.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Just My Luck in Books
Aug 3, 2020
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<b><i>What would you do if you win the lottery?</i></b>
What happens when a person suddenly has a chance to be rich? Just My Luck by Adele Parks is a brutal book about bad luck, betrayals, friendships and most importantly – how life can change in just one moment.
For fifteen years, Lexi and Jake have played the same six numbers with their friends. Over dinners, they have discussed many important things over the years: kids, marriages, houses and jobs… But one Saturday night, there is an argument in the group. Someone is lying. And then, six numbers come up on the lottery that are about to change everything.
Lexi and Jake have the winning ticket for almost £18 million. And their friends want their share in it…
<b><i>My Thoughts:</i></b>
I dived into this book completely unprepared. I only knew that someone wins the lottery, but I wasn’t too familiar with the synopsis. And trust me – it was better for me to explore it all throughout the book.
We follow the story mostly focused on Lexi’s point of view, however, we also get a glimpse of other people’s stories as well, which I think for me was refreshing and kept the pace moving in a nice manner.
Not only do we meet different characters in this book, but we also meet different personalities, with different motivations, dreams and life goals. When Lexi and Jake realised they have won the lottery, they both behave in a very different way.
Lexi is the one that wants to keep things as normal as they are, plan for their future, have small luxuries and then keep the rest of the money mostly as savings, and donate some of it to charity and try to help other people.
Jake, on the other side, wants to enjoy the money they won, and spend it on a new house, new car, be part of the upper class and hire driver services for his children, when they move to a private school.
The relationship between Lexi and Jake will begin to change, as they both will change during this period. This book is a perfect summary of what money may actually do to people and relationships, and how it may help them or destroy them completely.
I loved the drama where the friends were involved as well, also when the children played their part as well into the whole situation. It is crazy to see how easily children can be manipulated by words and wealth too, in their own little worlds.
I really wished I have seen more of Toma’s story and point of view, and had a proper closure to his chapter. His story was definitely my favorite one for sure!
<b><i>If you are a fan of thrillers and drama, you will definitely enjoy this book. It will keep you on the edge until the very last chapter. And that last chapter will change everything! Let me know once you’ve read it, because I am dying to talk to someone about that last revelation!</i></b>
I am extremely lucky to be part of the blog tour organised by the amazing team at HQ! Thank you for this opportunity, and thank you for sending me this book in exchange for my review! Check out the other amazing participants of this blog tour as well:
<img src="https://i1.wp.com/diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/JUST-MY-LUCK-BTB.jpg?resize=594%2C1536&ssl=1"/>;
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<b><i>What would you do if you win the lottery?</i></b>
What happens when a person suddenly has a chance to be rich? Just My Luck by Adele Parks is a brutal book about bad luck, betrayals, friendships and most importantly – how life can change in just one moment.
For fifteen years, Lexi and Jake have played the same six numbers with their friends. Over dinners, they have discussed many important things over the years: kids, marriages, houses and jobs… But one Saturday night, there is an argument in the group. Someone is lying. And then, six numbers come up on the lottery that are about to change everything.
Lexi and Jake have the winning ticket for almost £18 million. And their friends want their share in it…
<b><i>My Thoughts:</i></b>
I dived into this book completely unprepared. I only knew that someone wins the lottery, but I wasn’t too familiar with the synopsis. And trust me – it was better for me to explore it all throughout the book.
We follow the story mostly focused on Lexi’s point of view, however, we also get a glimpse of other people’s stories as well, which I think for me was refreshing and kept the pace moving in a nice manner.
Not only do we meet different characters in this book, but we also meet different personalities, with different motivations, dreams and life goals. When Lexi and Jake realised they have won the lottery, they both behave in a very different way.
Lexi is the one that wants to keep things as normal as they are, plan for their future, have small luxuries and then keep the rest of the money mostly as savings, and donate some of it to charity and try to help other people.
Jake, on the other side, wants to enjoy the money they won, and spend it on a new house, new car, be part of the upper class and hire driver services for his children, when they move to a private school.
The relationship between Lexi and Jake will begin to change, as they both will change during this period. This book is a perfect summary of what money may actually do to people and relationships, and how it may help them or destroy them completely.
I loved the drama where the friends were involved as well, also when the children played their part as well into the whole situation. It is crazy to see how easily children can be manipulated by words and wealth too, in their own little worlds.
I really wished I have seen more of Toma’s story and point of view, and had a proper closure to his chapter. His story was definitely my favorite one for sure!
<b><i>If you are a fan of thrillers and drama, you will definitely enjoy this book. It will keep you on the edge until the very last chapter. And that last chapter will change everything! Let me know once you’ve read it, because I am dying to talk to someone about that last revelation!</i></b>
I am extremely lucky to be part of the blog tour organised by the amazing team at HQ! Thank you for this opportunity, and thank you for sending me this book in exchange for my review! Check out the other amazing participants of this blog tour as well:
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James P. Sumner (65 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 7, 2019
An unapologetic masterpiece.
I wasn't sure what to expect going into this film. I'm a huge comic book fan, so the controversy and scepticism surrounding this movie, as well as the fact it's based within an established story world, had me doubting how it would work and how good the execution of it would be.
I certainly didn't expect the film I saw.
The basis for this movie is simple and effective: Arthur Fleck (played with a career-defining performance by Joaquin Phoenix) is a mentally unstable and depressed wannabe stand-up comedian working as a clown in a 1980's Gotham City. The movie is set against a backdrop of civil unrest, worker strikes and city-wide poverty, with each being exaggerated to highlight both the severity of each one for the purposes of the film, but also to shine a spotlight on how tough the real world was back then.
A potentially fatal encounter on a late-night subway acts as a catalyst for Fleck, who is shown throughout the first 20 minutes to be a man living on a knife's edge - balancing his own pitiful existence with the way society believes he should act. You get the sense that it would take nothing more than a gentle push to send him one way or the other. The subway was that push.
In a city that very much reflects the character's state of mind, this served to push more than just Arthur Fleck over the edge. Because he happened to be dressed as a clown at the time, and because the *cough* victims *cough* worked for Wayne Enterprises (ran by Thomas Wayne himself), it's seen by many as a vigilante act - someone standing up to the rich elite. This sparks outrage and rioting across the city. The idea of a man dressed as a clown standing up for the little guy becomes the poster child for a civil movement, much in the styling of "V For Vendetta (2005)".
The more Arthur Fleck struggles personally, the worse the streets of Gotham seem to get, as if society's increasing tension and unrest is somehow linked to his own state of mind. He finally realises what he has inadvertently created and begins to transform himself into the vigilante icon people already believe him to be.
Despite the slow pace of the movie, it never seems to drag. The story of Fleck's inevitable descent unfolds patiently, showing you exactly what it wants you to see, when it wants you to see it. It's a very bold and confident step for a movie which would've known how controversial it was going to be before it was even released.
The style of the film is extremely clever. The soundtrack is little more than a low-frequency hum, which plays almost constantly throughout. The camerawork is also exceptional. In every shot of Arthur Fleck, the camera centres on him before very slowly closing in on him. It's subtle, perhaps only a few millimetres per shot, but it's noticeable enough that you feel yourself being pulled in, being legitimately gripped by what you're watching. This contributes to what is, overall, a claustrophobic and sometimes unnerving experience.
There has been initial controversy about the film, with reports of people leaving the cinema during the screening for varying reasons. You see this from time to time, and the cynic in me thinks this is rarely more than clever marketing tactics. And then you see the comments from people who say they were disgusted or sickened or disturbed or whatever. I usually think it's a load of rubbish. That people are just saying that for attention. I don't honestly believe people who are that easily offended by a movie would choose to see something that is clearly going to show you all the things you don't like.
However, with "Joker (2019)", I can actually understand it. This is a truly disturbing film. Not for the violence, which has been the subject of much debate. There's actually very little violence in the movie, but when it's there, it's pretty graphic, admittedly. But honestly, it's not anywhere near as bad as a lot of things you see nowadays. No, it's disturbing because of how believable Arthur Fleck is. Seeing how unstable he is. Seeing how easy he can choose to do terrible things. It's... uncomfortable to watch at times, but only because it's so well done, so well written, you hate yourself for sympathising with him.
If I had to draw comparisons for this movie, I would have to say it's more subtle than "Watchmen (2009)", it's grittier and darker than "Taxi Driver (1976)" or "Fight Club (1999)" and much more uncompromising and unapologetic than "Natural Born Killers (1994)". It is truly a modern-day masterpiece. There are two major plot twists, both occurring in the second act, which really highlight the genius behind the screenplay. This movie is written perfectly, and executed the same way on-screen by Phoenix, who draws from both Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger to create this unique take on the character which more than holds its own.
Now, before I summarise, we do need to address the whole... y'know... Batman thing. This is the Joker's origin story, after all.
So, first thing's first: this isn't a comic book movie. Not by a long way. This belongs in the same conversation as Goodfellas, not Guardians of the Galaxy. Director Todd Phillips has even stated that this is simply a stand-alone movie telling a story that needed to be told. Yes, it has references to the DC comic universe (which I will omit here for fear of venturing into spolier territory), but it's unlikely to ever cross over with DC's attempt to mimic the MCU.
The nods to the comics are infrequent but clever, touching on themes and events we already know, and in some cases, re-writing them entirely - which definitely will draw controversy with the hardcore comic fans. For example, I did question why they used the civil unrest subplot and backdrop to essentially try and make Wayne Enterprises the villain of the story, but like it or not, it was necessary and it worked like a charm.
I don't know if this was intentional or not, but there was one scene in particular towards the end of the movie where the Joker (as he is now) is riding in the back of a car with his head leaning against the window. The camera was on the wing mirror, focused on his face, and almost frame-for-frame it reminded me of the iconic scene in "The Dark Knight (2008)" where Heath Ledger's Joker is driving with his head out of the window. I'd like to think this was a gracious tribute to the performance of this character that will never be topped.
For a film that breaks the conventions of story-telling by having no real build-up or climactic ending, I have to say I can't remember a time when I was so blown away, so moved, and so affected by a movie. As close to perfect as you'll see this year.
10/10
A quick side note:
The show "13 Reasons Why" has a disclaimer at the beginning of each series from the cast that essentially warns viewers that, due to the sensitive nature of the content, it's inadvisable to watch it if you're struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts. I genuinely think this film should carry a similar notice. It's a dark, grim, unrelenting journey into one man's depressive life. While I won't ever believe listening to Marilyn Manson can make you want to shoot schoolchildren, I do think that if someone is struggling with suicidal thoughts or depression, this movie probably isn't for them. The story focuses on the media glorifying the terrible acts of someone who is mentally unstable. Yes, it's a movie. It's not real. But for someone in a very bad place themselves, this probably isn't the kind of thing you need to, or should, watch.
I certainly didn't expect the film I saw.
The basis for this movie is simple and effective: Arthur Fleck (played with a career-defining performance by Joaquin Phoenix) is a mentally unstable and depressed wannabe stand-up comedian working as a clown in a 1980's Gotham City. The movie is set against a backdrop of civil unrest, worker strikes and city-wide poverty, with each being exaggerated to highlight both the severity of each one for the purposes of the film, but also to shine a spotlight on how tough the real world was back then.
A potentially fatal encounter on a late-night subway acts as a catalyst for Fleck, who is shown throughout the first 20 minutes to be a man living on a knife's edge - balancing his own pitiful existence with the way society believes he should act. You get the sense that it would take nothing more than a gentle push to send him one way or the other. The subway was that push.
In a city that very much reflects the character's state of mind, this served to push more than just Arthur Fleck over the edge. Because he happened to be dressed as a clown at the time, and because the *cough* victims *cough* worked for Wayne Enterprises (ran by Thomas Wayne himself), it's seen by many as a vigilante act - someone standing up to the rich elite. This sparks outrage and rioting across the city. The idea of a man dressed as a clown standing up for the little guy becomes the poster child for a civil movement, much in the styling of "V For Vendetta (2005)".
The more Arthur Fleck struggles personally, the worse the streets of Gotham seem to get, as if society's increasing tension and unrest is somehow linked to his own state of mind. He finally realises what he has inadvertently created and begins to transform himself into the vigilante icon people already believe him to be.
Despite the slow pace of the movie, it never seems to drag. The story of Fleck's inevitable descent unfolds patiently, showing you exactly what it wants you to see, when it wants you to see it. It's a very bold and confident step for a movie which would've known how controversial it was going to be before it was even released.
The style of the film is extremely clever. The soundtrack is little more than a low-frequency hum, which plays almost constantly throughout. The camerawork is also exceptional. In every shot of Arthur Fleck, the camera centres on him before very slowly closing in on him. It's subtle, perhaps only a few millimetres per shot, but it's noticeable enough that you feel yourself being pulled in, being legitimately gripped by what you're watching. This contributes to what is, overall, a claustrophobic and sometimes unnerving experience.
There has been initial controversy about the film, with reports of people leaving the cinema during the screening for varying reasons. You see this from time to time, and the cynic in me thinks this is rarely more than clever marketing tactics. And then you see the comments from people who say they were disgusted or sickened or disturbed or whatever. I usually think it's a load of rubbish. That people are just saying that for attention. I don't honestly believe people who are that easily offended by a movie would choose to see something that is clearly going to show you all the things you don't like.
However, with "Joker (2019)", I can actually understand it. This is a truly disturbing film. Not for the violence, which has been the subject of much debate. There's actually very little violence in the movie, but when it's there, it's pretty graphic, admittedly. But honestly, it's not anywhere near as bad as a lot of things you see nowadays. No, it's disturbing because of how believable Arthur Fleck is. Seeing how unstable he is. Seeing how easy he can choose to do terrible things. It's... uncomfortable to watch at times, but only because it's so well done, so well written, you hate yourself for sympathising with him.
If I had to draw comparisons for this movie, I would have to say it's more subtle than "Watchmen (2009)", it's grittier and darker than "Taxi Driver (1976)" or "Fight Club (1999)" and much more uncompromising and unapologetic than "Natural Born Killers (1994)". It is truly a modern-day masterpiece. There are two major plot twists, both occurring in the second act, which really highlight the genius behind the screenplay. This movie is written perfectly, and executed the same way on-screen by Phoenix, who draws from both Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger to create this unique take on the character which more than holds its own.
Now, before I summarise, we do need to address the whole... y'know... Batman thing. This is the Joker's origin story, after all.
So, first thing's first: this isn't a comic book movie. Not by a long way. This belongs in the same conversation as Goodfellas, not Guardians of the Galaxy. Director Todd Phillips has even stated that this is simply a stand-alone movie telling a story that needed to be told. Yes, it has references to the DC comic universe (which I will omit here for fear of venturing into spolier territory), but it's unlikely to ever cross over with DC's attempt to mimic the MCU.
The nods to the comics are infrequent but clever, touching on themes and events we already know, and in some cases, re-writing them entirely - which definitely will draw controversy with the hardcore comic fans. For example, I did question why they used the civil unrest subplot and backdrop to essentially try and make Wayne Enterprises the villain of the story, but like it or not, it was necessary and it worked like a charm.
I don't know if this was intentional or not, but there was one scene in particular towards the end of the movie where the Joker (as he is now) is riding in the back of a car with his head leaning against the window. The camera was on the wing mirror, focused on his face, and almost frame-for-frame it reminded me of the iconic scene in "The Dark Knight (2008)" where Heath Ledger's Joker is driving with his head out of the window. I'd like to think this was a gracious tribute to the performance of this character that will never be topped.
For a film that breaks the conventions of story-telling by having no real build-up or climactic ending, I have to say I can't remember a time when I was so blown away, so moved, and so affected by a movie. As close to perfect as you'll see this year.
10/10
A quick side note:
The show "13 Reasons Why" has a disclaimer at the beginning of each series from the cast that essentially warns viewers that, due to the sensitive nature of the content, it's inadvisable to watch it if you're struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts. I genuinely think this film should carry a similar notice. It's a dark, grim, unrelenting journey into one man's depressive life. While I won't ever believe listening to Marilyn Manson can make you want to shoot schoolchildren, I do think that if someone is struggling with suicidal thoughts or depression, this movie probably isn't for them. The story focuses on the media glorifying the terrible acts of someone who is mentally unstable. Yes, it's a movie. It's not real. But for someone in a very bad place themselves, this probably isn't the kind of thing you need to, or should, watch.