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Louise (64 KP) rated Sometimes I Lie in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review*
This book must have one of the shortest blurbs but one of the most intriguing, When I saw this book I instantly knew that I wanted to read it, there so much mystery in that blurb – I wanted to know why she was in a coma, why her husband didn’t love and what she lied about and if these lies were the reasons she was in a coma.
For a debut novel this absolutely fantastic, very absorbing, gripping and has you on the edge of your seat the whole way through, I truly am excited to see what this very talented writer is going to come up with next.
I am not going to write anything about the story as i think it will take some of the allure away. All you need to know is that you will be trying to second guess what is going and trying to reveal the truth. There are so many twists and turns in this book,if you are anything like me when I got to the plot twist I had to read it a few times to get my head round it.
This novel was dark,gritty and a great mystery/thriller novel.
This book must have one of the shortest blurbs but one of the most intriguing, When I saw this book I instantly knew that I wanted to read it, there so much mystery in that blurb – I wanted to know why she was in a coma, why her husband didn’t love and what she lied about and if these lies were the reasons she was in a coma.
For a debut novel this absolutely fantastic, very absorbing, gripping and has you on the edge of your seat the whole way through, I truly am excited to see what this very talented writer is going to come up with next.
I am not going to write anything about the story as i think it will take some of the allure away. All you need to know is that you will be trying to second guess what is going and trying to reveal the truth. There are so many twists and turns in this book,if you are anything like me when I got to the plot twist I had to read it a few times to get my head round it.
This novel was dark,gritty and a great mystery/thriller novel.
Lesley (60 KP) rated Rust & Stardust in Books
Aug 9, 2018
Stellar book!
Thank you so much to Goodreads and T. Greenwood, I was a lucky giveaway winner. I have never read any of Greenwood's books, and I read this voluntarily.
Firstly, this book was absolutely beautiful in the face of a terribly ugly subject matter. For once, the blurbs on the book cover were extremely accurate. I do wish I hadn't Googled the real Sally Horner case when I was 90% done with the book, thinking that everything that was gonna happen had already happened. Don't do that. But even having done that, I sat through the last 10% blubbering in public. I was crying on and off during reading the book, as my heart just ached for this poor girl and the cast of characters that saw her light as they came into her life. I fell in love with Sally, and with all the kind souls that surrounded her as she was being abused. Emotionally engulfing, sad but beautiful, this was one of the most unique reading experiences I have ever had. It felt like a massively upgraded In Cold Blood, with an absolutely gripping writing style that will leave you heartbroken and encouraged at the same time. If you read one book this year, consider making it this one.
Firstly, this book was absolutely beautiful in the face of a terribly ugly subject matter. For once, the blurbs on the book cover were extremely accurate. I do wish I hadn't Googled the real Sally Horner case when I was 90% done with the book, thinking that everything that was gonna happen had already happened. Don't do that. But even having done that, I sat through the last 10% blubbering in public. I was crying on and off during reading the book, as my heart just ached for this poor girl and the cast of characters that saw her light as they came into her life. I fell in love with Sally, and with all the kind souls that surrounded her as she was being abused. Emotionally engulfing, sad but beautiful, this was one of the most unique reading experiences I have ever had. It felt like a massively upgraded In Cold Blood, with an absolutely gripping writing style that will leave you heartbroken and encouraged at the same time. If you read one book this year, consider making it this one.
TacoDave (3928 KP) rated Bubble Boy (2001) in Movies
Aug 10, 2018
Jake Gyllenhaal (3 more)
Humor
Plot
Hijinks
Bubble Boy is Hilarious
When I first saw the trailers for Bubble Boy I thought it looked horrible. But I decided to go see it on opening night anyway (I was bored!) and I was blown away by how funny it was.
Like in an episode of South Park, nothing is sacred or too taboo to laugh at in this movie. It follows Jimmy, a boy born without immunity cells in his body, as he builds a portable bubble (to protect him from germs) and sets off on a road trip to Niagara Falls. Why? Because the woman he loves is getting married and he has to stop the wedding.
I wouldn't want to spoil any of the jokes in this movie, because 95% of them land perfectly and made me laugh. But I'll say this: Zach Galifianakis shows up in one of his first movie appearances and is hilarious. Verne Troyer (RIP) aka Mini Me shows up. There's a bus full of cult members, a biker gang, a train car full of circus freaks, Fabio, an Indian man who runs an "ice cream and curry" truck, and a bunch of crazy situations that constantly surprise.
I've seen this movie at least 6 times and it never stops being funny. Highly recommended.
Like in an episode of South Park, nothing is sacred or too taboo to laugh at in this movie. It follows Jimmy, a boy born without immunity cells in his body, as he builds a portable bubble (to protect him from germs) and sets off on a road trip to Niagara Falls. Why? Because the woman he loves is getting married and he has to stop the wedding.
I wouldn't want to spoil any of the jokes in this movie, because 95% of them land perfectly and made me laugh. But I'll say this: Zach Galifianakis shows up in one of his first movie appearances and is hilarious. Verne Troyer (RIP) aka Mini Me shows up. There's a bus full of cult members, a biker gang, a train car full of circus freaks, Fabio, an Indian man who runs an "ice cream and curry" truck, and a bunch of crazy situations that constantly surprise.
I've seen this movie at least 6 times and it never stops being funny. Highly recommended.
David McK (3633 KP) rated The City of Shifting Waters (Valérian and Laureline, #1) in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Like many others, I'm sure, I first only heard of Valerian as a result of the absolutely-bonkers 2017 movie 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets'.
Reading the interviews with the stars that came out at around about that time, I learnt that Valerian was actually a French comic, and that it had influenced elements of the really-rather-fun Bruce Willis flick 'The Fifth Element'. I caught Valerian when it showed up on Netflix and, while it was OK, it wasn't really anything special.
When I saw this comic given away as a freebie on Comixology, I thought I would give it a try: I don't know what I was expecting (something closer to the movie?), but this most definitely wasn't it!
This is set largely in the (then) future of the mid-80s, where the world is in ruins and New York is about to be swallowed by the ocean. Valerian and Laureline are both time-travelers, who must travel back to this period of their history: a period in which little is known about, a sort-of second Dark Ages.
This comic does show it's age, particularly in it's treatment of Laureline (who doesn't seem to really do all that much) and in Sun Rae: truth be told, it just never really gripped me at all.
Reading the interviews with the stars that came out at around about that time, I learnt that Valerian was actually a French comic, and that it had influenced elements of the really-rather-fun Bruce Willis flick 'The Fifth Element'. I caught Valerian when it showed up on Netflix and, while it was OK, it wasn't really anything special.
When I saw this comic given away as a freebie on Comixology, I thought I would give it a try: I don't know what I was expecting (something closer to the movie?), but this most definitely wasn't it!
This is set largely in the (then) future of the mid-80s, where the world is in ruins and New York is about to be swallowed by the ocean. Valerian and Laureline are both time-travelers, who must travel back to this period of their history: a period in which little is known about, a sort-of second Dark Ages.
This comic does show it's age, particularly in it's treatment of Laureline (who doesn't seem to really do all that much) and in Sun Rae: truth be told, it just never really gripped me at all.
David McK (3633 KP) rated Batman: Nightwalker - DC Icons Book 2 in Books
Jan 28, 2019
I saw this in my local Eason's one day and, thought that, even though it was advertised as DC Icons #2 (and I hadn't read #1) that I would give it a shot.
Now that I've read it, I'm going to make two main points:
1) Strictly speaking, this should be called "Bruce Wayne: Nightwalkers rather than "Batman: Nightwalkers". I get it, the Batman name has more 'pull' than the Bruce Wayne name, but in this he's only just turned 18 and has yet to take up the mantle of the Bat (despite lots of heavy foreshadowing).
2) Tied somewhat, perhaps, to point number 1 number: I found it kind hard to disassociate a teenage Bruce Wayne (proto-Batman) from the character as portrayed in the TV series Gotham. I'm sure I'm not the only one, which (perhaps) goes further towards explaining why this titled as Batman ...
As for the plot: I must say, I did find this largely intriguing, with the character of Madeline laying further groundwork (as it were) for who Bruce Wayne would later become. It was also interesting to see the early friendship between Harvey Dent (the future Two-Face) and Bruce Wayne explored further: it's just a pity, I felt, that you could see the 'twist' coming from miles and miles away!
Now that I've read it, I'm going to make two main points:
1) Strictly speaking, this should be called "Bruce Wayne: Nightwalkers rather than "Batman: Nightwalkers". I get it, the Batman name has more 'pull' than the Bruce Wayne name, but in this he's only just turned 18 and has yet to take up the mantle of the Bat (despite lots of heavy foreshadowing).
2) Tied somewhat, perhaps, to point number 1 number: I found it kind hard to disassociate a teenage Bruce Wayne (proto-Batman) from the character as portrayed in the TV series Gotham. I'm sure I'm not the only one, which (perhaps) goes further towards explaining why this titled as Batman ...
As for the plot: I must say, I did find this largely intriguing, with the character of Madeline laying further groundwork (as it were) for who Bruce Wayne would later become. It was also interesting to see the early friendship between Harvey Dent (the future Two-Face) and Bruce Wayne explored further: it's just a pity, I felt, that you could see the 'twist' coming from miles and miles away!
As with most comics/graphic novels-into-movies I've read, I'll admit that I saw the movie (quite a few years back) before reading this.
Essentially a comic-book-brought-to-screen, the movie iteself was incredibly violent (but enjoyable), with ridiculous amoutns of blood and body parts splattered across the screen, and with more nudity than I was expecting alongside the whole sub-plot of King Leonidas wife getting the Spartans to march.
An entire sub-plot that is not in the source material at all.
I also have to say that the violence in this - while still there - is actually toned down quite a bit from what I was expecting, with several of the panels virtually lifted from the pages and put on to the screen.
The story, for anyone who doesn't already know, is centred around King Leonidas' view of Thermopylae - or 'The Hot Gates' - , a narrow pass defended by the 300 Spartans of the title (plus miscellaneous other Greeks, although you'd be forgive for thinking they weren't there the way this, and the legend, is told!) to the death, and which was immortalised by the poet Simodides as follows on an epigram placed on theri burial mound:
"Go tell the Spartans, you who passeth by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie."
(see: http://www.poetryatlas.com/poetry/poem/1458/go-tell-the-spartans.html)
Essentially a comic-book-brought-to-screen, the movie iteself was incredibly violent (but enjoyable), with ridiculous amoutns of blood and body parts splattered across the screen, and with more nudity than I was expecting alongside the whole sub-plot of King Leonidas wife getting the Spartans to march.
An entire sub-plot that is not in the source material at all.
I also have to say that the violence in this - while still there - is actually toned down quite a bit from what I was expecting, with several of the panels virtually lifted from the pages and put on to the screen.
The story, for anyone who doesn't already know, is centred around King Leonidas' view of Thermopylae - or 'The Hot Gates' - , a narrow pass defended by the 300 Spartans of the title (plus miscellaneous other Greeks, although you'd be forgive for thinking they weren't there the way this, and the legend, is told!) to the death, and which was immortalised by the poet Simodides as follows on an epigram placed on theri burial mound:
"Go tell the Spartans, you who passeth by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie."
(see: http://www.poetryatlas.com/poetry/poem/1458/go-tell-the-spartans.html)
My first exposure to Neil Gaiman was when he co-wrote Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch with Terry Pratchett.
This, I believe, was the first of his solo novels that I read.
Circa 2006, not all that long before the movie on which it is based came out.
It was also a, how do we put this?, 'normal' prose novel: not a graphic novel; nor even an illustrated novel (as this is). Indeed, I didn't even know at first that the prose version which I read had previously been issued as an illustrated novel, until I saw it mentioned 'based on the work by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' at the end of the movie.
It then took me approximately a good decade or so before I finally got round to actually reading that version of the work, when I came across it on sale via Comixology. And, I have to say, the illustrations do add a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi to the work: a work which, while the main beats may be familiar to the reader from the movie version, is also very much its own thing and which includes elements not in said movie (Tristran’s wider family, for one, or even the much sadder ending in this)
This, I believe, was the first of his solo novels that I read.
Circa 2006, not all that long before the movie on which it is based came out.
It was also a, how do we put this?, 'normal' prose novel: not a graphic novel; nor even an illustrated novel (as this is). Indeed, I didn't even know at first that the prose version which I read had previously been issued as an illustrated novel, until I saw it mentioned 'based on the work by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' at the end of the movie.
It then took me approximately a good decade or so before I finally got round to actually reading that version of the work, when I came across it on sale via Comixology. And, I have to say, the illustrations do add a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi to the work: a work which, while the main beats may be familiar to the reader from the movie version, is also very much its own thing and which includes elements not in said movie (Tristran’s wider family, for one, or even the much sadder ending in this)
Lee (2222 KP) rated Little Women (2019) in Movies
Dec 30, 2019
If I’m honest, Little Women probably isn’t the kind of movie I’d generally watch. But I’d heard great things about it, and my wife and daughter both wanted to watch it, so I decided to give it a shot. I haven’t read Little Women the book, and I haven’t seen any of the numerous adaptations prior to this one either, so you should probably take my opinion with a pinch of salt.
Little Women switches between two different periods in the lives of four sisters - their current lives and their lives seven years earlier. And I quite often struggled to tell when it switched, leaving me slightly confused on more than one occasion. I eventually learned to identify which timeframe we were in depending on which of the sisters Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) was currently hitting on, but there was a lengthy period around the middle where the meandering story, and the rather hot cinema, saw me gently closing my eyes for a short while
But, after my short power nap, I actually grew to enjoy the last third of the movie. I’m a big fan of Saoirse Ronan and, along with Florence Pugh, who is currently having the most amazing year, they really make this movie. Relaxed, authentic dialogue and great chemistry between the sisters and the other characters made this a lot more bearable than I was expecting!
Little Women switches between two different periods in the lives of four sisters - their current lives and their lives seven years earlier. And I quite often struggled to tell when it switched, leaving me slightly confused on more than one occasion. I eventually learned to identify which timeframe we were in depending on which of the sisters Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) was currently hitting on, but there was a lengthy period around the middle where the meandering story, and the rather hot cinema, saw me gently closing my eyes for a short while
But, after my short power nap, I actually grew to enjoy the last third of the movie. I’m a big fan of Saoirse Ronan and, along with Florence Pugh, who is currently having the most amazing year, they really make this movie. Relaxed, authentic dialogue and great chemistry between the sisters and the other characters made this a lot more bearable than I was expecting!
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated Gothika (2003) in Movies
Jul 21, 2019
Smh
Contains spoilers, click to show
Older movie but I never saw it so I thought I'd check it out. The cinematography in this one was good and the acting was ok but the story was all over the place. I think they simply tried hard to include too many aspects of the horror/thriller genre in one movie. A ghost confusingly trying to warn someone if something, a person trying to convince others she's not crazy, an unknown murder mystery within a murder mystery, a killer that comes face to face eith his victim's ghost, a person who ends up with the ability to see the dead, etc etc etc.... only thing missing was a creature from space(or hell). It was ok for what it tried to be, I guess. Tried to have plot twists but they only ended up being pretty predictable. The ending didn't make sense (spoiler here). The main character DID (without a doubt) - although while possessed (and that means what, exactly, to authorities of the law?)- kill her husband but was walking free at the end of the movie. How'd THAT happen? Just ignore ALL the evidence against her (fingerprints, witnesses, etc)? Anyway, if, and ONLY if, you're really bored and there's nothing else on, this one is (kinda) worth a watch. Otherwise, I'd say you're not missing much here.
Deborah (162 KP) rated Never Dare a Duke (Sons of Scandal, #2) in Books
Dec 21, 2018
I do enjoy unwinding with an historical romance and I know they are not generally examples of great literature, but I found this particular book to be a pretty weak offering. At times I found myself skim-reading over passages...
Abigail Shaw, daughter of a newspaper owner and potential journalist herself, with a little help from her friend insinuates herself into a house party at the home of the Duke of Madingley in the hope of uncovering a scandalous secret from his past, publishing it in daddy's newspaper and thereby saving it from ruin. That's put quite bluntly, but for me it made the 'heroine' seem pretty unattractive in character! I found it really difficult to see what on earth the hero saw in her, especially as he didn't trust her. OK, she didn't fawn over him, but her actions were pretty underhand.
Most of the supporting characters are pretty weak and underdeveloped too. Lady Gwen appeared tainted by the deception of her friend and the whole ghost hunt sub plot was a bit childish.
The 'scandal' when finally revealed seems a bit odd, as since witnesses seemed so keen to come forward, surely no one would have been able to keep it so totally under wraps for ten years?!
Not a winner for me; I won't be rushing to pick up another by the same author.
Abigail Shaw, daughter of a newspaper owner and potential journalist herself, with a little help from her friend insinuates herself into a house party at the home of the Duke of Madingley in the hope of uncovering a scandalous secret from his past, publishing it in daddy's newspaper and thereby saving it from ruin. That's put quite bluntly, but for me it made the 'heroine' seem pretty unattractive in character! I found it really difficult to see what on earth the hero saw in her, especially as he didn't trust her. OK, she didn't fawn over him, but her actions were pretty underhand.
Most of the supporting characters are pretty weak and underdeveloped too. Lady Gwen appeared tainted by the deception of her friend and the whole ghost hunt sub plot was a bit childish.
The 'scandal' when finally revealed seems a bit odd, as since witnesses seemed so keen to come forward, surely no one would have been able to keep it so totally under wraps for ten years?!
Not a winner for me; I won't be rushing to pick up another by the same author.