Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2084 KP) rated Absence of Alice in Books
Jan 2, 2021
Yes, this book is part thriller, but it is still part cozy as well. The balance truly works. The twists and turns kept me glued to the page. Because of the plot, the book is a bit darker than a typical cozy, but it is just a shade or two darker. One reason this book still feels cozy is the locations and characters we love are front and center. How this plot impacts the characters and their relationships is realistic and does a great job of building on what we’ve seen in previous books. There are discussions of some of the Sarah’s other cases, and they are vague enough to avoid most spoilers, but I still recommend reading the books in order. If you aren’t already a fan, you’ll be hooked in no time. And those who already know and love Sarah will be thrilled with her latest adventure.
Annie Dunne
Book
Annie Dunne and her cousin Sarah live and work on a small farm in a remote and beautiful part of...
Children of the Dust
10.0
Rate It
Book
After a nuclear war devastates the earth, a small band of people struggles for survival in a new...
Rules of the Game
9.5
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Book
For Sarah, Jago, Aisling, Maccabee, Shari, An and Hilal, Endgame has reached its final phase. Earth...
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Hole in the Ground (2019) in Movies
Dec 1, 2019
Story: The Hole in the Ground starts as Sarah (Kerslake) and her son Chris (Markey) are getting used to their new home in the Irish countryside, they learn they have a disturbed neighbour Noreen Brady (Outinen) and a giant hole in the middle of a woodland area surrounding the house.
After losing her son in the woods one night, Sarah is trying to be more protective, but the disturbed neighbour Noreen, doesn’t believe that is her son anymore, similar to what she experienced herself, years before.
Thoughts on The Hole in the Ground
Characters – Sarah is the single mother who has moved away from her previous life, which does have hints of abuse, she has started a simpler life in a small village with her son and soon starts to learn about something strange that has happened to her son, with her needing to figure out the truth before it is too late. Chris is the son who isn’t happy trying to make new friends, he is terrified of spiders and after he goes missing one night, when he returns something has changed in him. Noreen Brady went through a similar experience to Sarah, which has seen her branded crazy by the locals, she can sense more being wrong, though it has haunted her whole life.
Performances – Seana Kerslake in the leading role adds so much to this film, her performance shows the pain her character has been through, despite showing the strength she is carrying on with. James Quinn Markey is great for a young actor, showing the innocent side to his character and the change he has been through. The supporting cast don’t get many scenes but do a good job when called up.
Story – The story here follows a single mother who starts to see a strange change in her son and must decide what has caused this and what she is going to do about it. The story does dive into one of the most famous horror myths, which is clear to see early on, though never directly uses the name, we won’t say just to stop any spoilers. We have the themes of an abuse victim trying to rebuild their own life, while remaining strong for her child. We only focus on the two characters, with any others only offer hints to what is happening. What the story offers, would be the slowly building moments that Sarah is going through, where she is torn about the truth, we focus on dread feeling over any shock value.
Horror – The horror in this film does give us a clear look at dread and gloom, instead of playing of the jump scares, it so easily could have turned too.
Settings – The film takes us to a small Irish countryside village, the house is outside the village surrounded by woodland, which only adds to the unknown coming from inside the woods.
Special Effects – The effects being used in the film are kept to a minimum, which does help when we need to see them happening.
Scene of the Movie – What is Chris up to.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We only get the hints of the former life they lived.
Final Thoughts – This is a dread filled horror that will keep us wondering what is happening, with strong performances from the lead actors.
Overall: Dread Filled Horror.
Teenager Owner's Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-shooting Tips, and Advice on Adolescent Maintenance
Sarah Jordan and Janice Hillman
Book
In "The Teen Owner's Manual", Sarah Jordan and Dr. Janice Hillman show how to navigate every stage...
The Dinner Party and Other Stories
Book
'He reflected in future retrospect on the evening and foretold every gesture, every word. "I can't...
Humour Fiction
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Other Words for Smoke in Books
Jun 11, 2023
Kindle
Other Words for Smoke
By Sarah Maria Griffin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Twins Mae and Rossa’s summer away from home becomes life altering when they discover a house full of witches, experience devastating first love, and face a dark power beyond any imagining.
Sarah Maria Griffin’s haunting and literary sophomore novel explores the balance between love and fear, weakness and power, and the lengths one will go to claim one’s freedom. For fans of Libba Bray’s The Diviners and Maggie Stiefvater’s All the Crooked Saints.
When the women from the house at the end of the lane went missing, none of the townspeople knew what happened. A tragedy, they called it. Only twins Mae and Rossa know the truth about that fateful summer.
Only they know about the owl in the wall, the uncanny cat, the insidious creatures that devour love and fear. Only they know the trials of loving someone who longs for power, for freedom, for magic. Only they know what brought everything tumbling down around them. And they’ll never, ever breathe a word.
This was the strangest book I think I’ve read in a long time. I really enjoyed it. The story was so strange but had you needing to read more. At first I have to admit I did think of not continuing with it but I’m so glad I did. The talking cat completely through me well worth a read.
The Boy Who Could See Death
Book
From Salley Vickers, bestselling author of Miss Garnet's Angel, comes The Boy Who Could See Death,...
Trials: On Death Row in Pakistan
Book
In 2011, Isabel Buchanan, a twenty-three-year-old Scottish lawyer, moved to Pakistan to work in a...