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Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Green Book (2018) in Movies
Feb 26, 2019 (Updated Feb 26, 2019)
Wow
After awarding Widows a 10 when I saw it last year, I didn't think that there would be another 2018 movie that I would award a perfect 10 to, but here we are. That is because this is a perfect movie, as in there is nothing in this movie I would have changed and there are no aspects of the filmmaking lacking either. Who in the world would have thought that Peter Farrelly, (the guy that brought us Shallow Hal and Stuck On You,) would make one of the best films of last year?
This film is so phenomenally well crafted, that it is actually pretty hard to find things to discuss. The cinematography was solid, the sets and outfits were well designed, the script was sharp and well written, the direction was great, the soundtrack was ace and the performances were top notch. Both of the two lead characters, played by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali respectively, go through their own arcs throughout the movie. I don't want to give too much away, but the conclusion leaves you feeling fulfilled and that the journey that you just went on with these two characters was worth your while.
The movie also does a great job of mirroring the attitudes that still permeate a great deal of the American mind-set in our own day and age. It shows us that although we have come a long way since the overtly racist attitudes of the 50's, we still have a long way to go and it does this with a great subtlety. There is an obvious parallel here to another 2018 Oscar nominated movie BlackKklansman. As much as I loved BlackKklansman and how direct and overt it was in it's message, I feel that Green Book handled the comparison of older vs modern day attitudes towards racism with far more subtlety.
Overall, I don't have a bad word to say about Green Book. All aspects of the film are brilliant, which results in a fantastically well crafted movie. Then of course, the fact that it is led by a brilliant duo of performances by two of the greatest actors working in Hollywood today doesn't hurt it either.
This film is so phenomenally well crafted, that it is actually pretty hard to find things to discuss. The cinematography was solid, the sets and outfits were well designed, the script was sharp and well written, the direction was great, the soundtrack was ace and the performances were top notch. Both of the two lead characters, played by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali respectively, go through their own arcs throughout the movie. I don't want to give too much away, but the conclusion leaves you feeling fulfilled and that the journey that you just went on with these two characters was worth your while.
The movie also does a great job of mirroring the attitudes that still permeate a great deal of the American mind-set in our own day and age. It shows us that although we have come a long way since the overtly racist attitudes of the 50's, we still have a long way to go and it does this with a great subtlety. There is an obvious parallel here to another 2018 Oscar nominated movie BlackKklansman. As much as I loved BlackKklansman and how direct and overt it was in it's message, I feel that Green Book handled the comparison of older vs modern day attitudes towards racism with far more subtlety.
Overall, I don't have a bad word to say about Green Book. All aspects of the film are brilliant, which results in a fantastically well crafted movie. Then of course, the fact that it is led by a brilliant duo of performances by two of the greatest actors working in Hollywood today doesn't hurt it either.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Love at Any Cost (The Heart of San Francisco, #1) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
*Note: This review is from my original posting in March of 2014, which can be found here:http://cafinatedreads.com/book-reviewlove-at-any-cost-by-julie-lessman/. My thoughts are still the same, my emotions are still the same as the first time I read it!*
Sweet Saints above, Ms. Lessman has done it again!!! Next to Karen Kingsbury, she is absolutely positively my absolute favorite Christian Fiction author. I love her work! Her characters (my favorite is Katie from A Hope Undaunted!) steal you away to their time and place and sweep you into their mix for a time. I laugh, I cry, I smile through all her books and her characters……well, they are chiseled absolutely perfectly for their stories!
Oh my! Cassidy was absolute a breath of fresh air! I loved the phrases she used through out the story. Ms. Lessman used phrases my granddaddy used to use before he passed away years ago, it brought back so many memories for me! And her heart, bless her, she just wanted to let go of her broken engagement from a gold digger and move on with becoming a teacher in a new place. I laughed at her and wanted to wrap her up and squeeze her tight!
And Jamie McKenna……oh sweet lawdy, I loved him! Can we say *drool*??? That is one fine man….err, um. Yes, back to my review. Jamie is a wonderful man and I saw it from the start! He was made out to be a womanizer but I could just tell that deep down, he was a tenderhearted, one woman man. Yes sirree I did indeed see it! Ms. Lessman did a wonderful job with his creation and I didn’t want to say goodbye to him, especially as I started watching him pursue Ms. Cassidy.
I can’t give this book anything less than 5 stars! It would be an utter disgrace to do so! Ms. Lessman combined laugh out loud laughter, spark flying romance (clean, of course!), and a setting to sweep you off your feet! I highly, hats-off, two thumbs up, the whole shebang, recommend this start to a fabulous series by Ms. Lessman!<a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/book-review-love-at-any-cost-by-julie-lessman-re-read/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
Sweet Saints above, Ms. Lessman has done it again!!! Next to Karen Kingsbury, she is absolutely positively my absolute favorite Christian Fiction author. I love her work! Her characters (my favorite is Katie from A Hope Undaunted!) steal you away to their time and place and sweep you into their mix for a time. I laugh, I cry, I smile through all her books and her characters……well, they are chiseled absolutely perfectly for their stories!
Oh my! Cassidy was absolute a breath of fresh air! I loved the phrases she used through out the story. Ms. Lessman used phrases my granddaddy used to use before he passed away years ago, it brought back so many memories for me! And her heart, bless her, she just wanted to let go of her broken engagement from a gold digger and move on with becoming a teacher in a new place. I laughed at her and wanted to wrap her up and squeeze her tight!
And Jamie McKenna……oh sweet lawdy, I loved him! Can we say *drool*??? That is one fine man….err, um. Yes, back to my review. Jamie is a wonderful man and I saw it from the start! He was made out to be a womanizer but I could just tell that deep down, he was a tenderhearted, one woman man. Yes sirree I did indeed see it! Ms. Lessman did a wonderful job with his creation and I didn’t want to say goodbye to him, especially as I started watching him pursue Ms. Cassidy.
I can’t give this book anything less than 5 stars! It would be an utter disgrace to do so! Ms. Lessman combined laugh out loud laughter, spark flying romance (clean, of course!), and a setting to sweep you off your feet! I highly, hats-off, two thumbs up, the whole shebang, recommend this start to a fabulous series by Ms. Lessman!<a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/book-review-love-at-any-cost-by-julie-lessman-re-read/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Schoolgirl Missing in Books
Mar 15, 2019
Palm Sweaty Thriller!
Holy Smokes. That's all I can say to start this review off with. Sue Fortin is a new-to-me author. I was browsing for some thriller novels to review and saw the cover of this one. It caught my eye. So, I proceeded to do something I don't often do. That's read the blurb. I read the blurb, dropped my jaw, sent it to my Kindle and devoured it. I don't mean I devoured it in one sitting. It was through a few sittings. Because with this book, I had to keep stopping to process all that I read, to pick the bones, so to speak.
This isn't your normal psych thriller. This is so much more. Poppy, Neve, Kit, and all the other characters that come to light in this story will have your heart pounding, your hands sweaty and your seat tipping from being on the edge of it for so long through the story. This is a story about a family. Not an ordinary family. A family full of secrets. A family that takes a trip, and has the unexpected happen, and only one person in this book, knows the absolute truth of what happened to Poppy.....and why.
Just when I thought I had it figured out, just when I thought I knew who was getting their way in the story, Fortin through another twist and left me back pedaling to figure it out all over again. That's the kind of writing that makes a phenomenal thriller novel. So many peaks, only to have so many twists thrown at you to leave you wondering just what exactly is going on and who did it.
By the end of this 5 star thriller, I was ready for another. This book is filled with intensity like I haven't read in a while. It is, by far, one of the best books I've read this year. If you are looking for a novel that will make you sweat, make you mad, make you turn the pages long into the night, then I highly recommend this novel. This is an author who has quickly made me a fan and I absolutely can not wait until another intricately written novel is released by her. Well done, Fortin!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins, NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
This isn't your normal psych thriller. This is so much more. Poppy, Neve, Kit, and all the other characters that come to light in this story will have your heart pounding, your hands sweaty and your seat tipping from being on the edge of it for so long through the story. This is a story about a family. Not an ordinary family. A family full of secrets. A family that takes a trip, and has the unexpected happen, and only one person in this book, knows the absolute truth of what happened to Poppy.....and why.
Just when I thought I had it figured out, just when I thought I knew who was getting their way in the story, Fortin through another twist and left me back pedaling to figure it out all over again. That's the kind of writing that makes a phenomenal thriller novel. So many peaks, only to have so many twists thrown at you to leave you wondering just what exactly is going on and who did it.
By the end of this 5 star thriller, I was ready for another. This book is filled with intensity like I haven't read in a while. It is, by far, one of the best books I've read this year. If you are looking for a novel that will make you sweat, make you mad, make you turn the pages long into the night, then I highly recommend this novel. This is an author who has quickly made me a fan and I absolutely can not wait until another intricately written novel is released by her. Well done, Fortin!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins, NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Zach Smith (62 KP) rated Bumblebee (2018) in Movies
Mar 23, 2019
Finally another view on the Transformers Universe that isnt Michael Bay.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I will give you a big heads up, I was not crazy about the idea of this movie due to Hollywood casting another female lead that is horrible unrealistic that this female that is a 10 in looks department. Michael Bay at least cast a realistic man named Shia that lets face it is no Brad Pitt. It was something normal people can relate to. Now being a gay male I found that the costar a male looked realistic and was relatable in having the crush on the 'hot' girl. No saying that they managed to sexualize it abit by showing male eye candy in boxers and the costar ripping his shirt off so I gave thaat a big thumbs up for me being the pig I am. Now moving on from the human bullshit part. The opening sequence takes place on the cybertron we all grew up to love and know. No crazy shit like the Cube is mentioned, you get an epic war scene with the majority of the original decepticons that actually look like decepticons, including soundwave and the purple guy that has one eye. I dont recall seeing megatron however, but its been awhile since I last saw it.
Anywho the movie goes on for character development for the unreal female lead which of course didnt really interest me. However there is a fierce battle between bumblebee and another decepticon and the idea of Bumblebee having a damaged voice modulator is carried over from the Michael Bay Transformers universe. Skipping forward to the introduction of the hero lead human finding bumblebee she is working on the vw beetle and she lays under the car to work on it and it looks just like when look at an transformer toy, you can see bumblebees head in the undercarriage, again freaking awesome!. So this movie made money which I am glad because I gave up on the Michael Bay transformer universe after he started slaughtering the autobots just like the Transformers Cartoon movie. So it is said we will see more from this group of writers and directors as they sort of reboot the universe and start making money again. Go see it, buy it. Snore factor of 2/10 for the stupid human parts.
Anywho the movie goes on for character development for the unreal female lead which of course didnt really interest me. However there is a fierce battle between bumblebee and another decepticon and the idea of Bumblebee having a damaged voice modulator is carried over from the Michael Bay Transformers universe. Skipping forward to the introduction of the hero lead human finding bumblebee she is working on the vw beetle and she lays under the car to work on it and it looks just like when look at an transformer toy, you can see bumblebees head in the undercarriage, again freaking awesome!. So this movie made money which I am glad because I gave up on the Michael Bay transformer universe after he started slaughtering the autobots just like the Transformers Cartoon movie. So it is said we will see more from this group of writers and directors as they sort of reboot the universe and start making money again. Go see it, buy it. Snore factor of 2/10 for the stupid human parts.
Andy K (10827 KP) rated Back to the Future (1985) in Movies
Apr 10, 2019
My entire childhood
So funny how seeing a "decked out" DeLorean in a Target parking lot the other day made me want to rewatch Back to the Future again soon. It had been on my rewatch list ever since I purchased the trilogy on Blu Ray on Black Friday, but just hadn't gotten around to it yet.
To say this movie (and the original Star Wars trilogy) defined my childhood is an understatement. The year 1985 meant I was 14 years old and lived within biking distance of the theatre where it was showing. Only Back to the Future and The Empire Strikes Back have the distinction of being movies I saw at least fifteen times during their initial run; at one point every day for a week straight.
The story of how the film got made is an interesting as the perfect screenplay itself. Basically Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale shopped the movie around after they had made a few films, including Used Cars (good movie), but studios weren't interested. Except Spielberg. Unfortunately, the duo had just worked with Spielberg on 1941 and it was a dud.
Luckily, Zemeckis directed Romancing the Stone in 1984, so they finally went back to Spielberg with that clout and got the deal done. BTTF was actually the first film released under Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment (with the E.T. logo) that Spielberg himself did not direct.
Then, casting. Filmmakers really wanted Michael J. Fox, but he was not available due to his TV schedule filming sitcom Family Ties. They had to move on, so they cast Eric Stoltz and filmed for 5 weeks.
Zemeckis felt like something wasn't right and asked Spielberg to take a look at the dailies. They agreed Stoltz was a good actor, but not right for the part of Marty McFly. They begged the Family Ties people to let Michael do both and they finally agreed. I can't believe how Michael did two full time jobs during production, but he did and managed to create an unforgettable character that will live forever in movie history.
If anyone ever decides it is a good idea to remake, reboot and/or get a sequel going I will personally go to their house and punch them in the face! ?
To say this movie (and the original Star Wars trilogy) defined my childhood is an understatement. The year 1985 meant I was 14 years old and lived within biking distance of the theatre where it was showing. Only Back to the Future and The Empire Strikes Back have the distinction of being movies I saw at least fifteen times during their initial run; at one point every day for a week straight.
The story of how the film got made is an interesting as the perfect screenplay itself. Basically Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale shopped the movie around after they had made a few films, including Used Cars (good movie), but studios weren't interested. Except Spielberg. Unfortunately, the duo had just worked with Spielberg on 1941 and it was a dud.
Luckily, Zemeckis directed Romancing the Stone in 1984, so they finally went back to Spielberg with that clout and got the deal done. BTTF was actually the first film released under Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment (with the E.T. logo) that Spielberg himself did not direct.
Then, casting. Filmmakers really wanted Michael J. Fox, but he was not available due to his TV schedule filming sitcom Family Ties. They had to move on, so they cast Eric Stoltz and filmed for 5 weeks.
Zemeckis felt like something wasn't right and asked Spielberg to take a look at the dailies. They agreed Stoltz was a good actor, but not right for the part of Marty McFly. They begged the Family Ties people to let Michael do both and they finally agreed. I can't believe how Michael did two full time jobs during production, but he did and managed to create an unforgettable character that will live forever in movie history.
If anyone ever decides it is a good idea to remake, reboot and/or get a sequel going I will personally go to their house and punch them in the face! ?
TacoDave (4164 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies
Apr 10, 2019 (Updated Apr 10, 2019)
Special Effects (1 more)
90's Setting
Acting (2 more)
Story
Overt Politicalization
Captain "Meh"vel.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I finally saw Captain Marvel, just a few weeks after the rest of the world. It has already made over $1 billion, so I know I'm late to the game.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? It's a serviceable Marvel movie. It ranks up there with Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World as well-made, enjoyable, yet forgettable superhero fare. At the end I realized it doesn't really explain anything and doesn't really amount to much except a mouthpiece for feminists raging against toxic masculinity and a cry to help refugees, and that's disappointing.
What are Captain Marvel's powers? It never really explains. She shoots energy beams. She learns to fly, somehow. And apparently she can breathe in space (?). But how or why or what the limits of her powers are is never discussed.
Neither are weaknesses. Superman has kryptonite. Batman and Iron Man are humans using technology to help them, but can be killed. Even Vision died without his infinity stone. But apparently Captain Marvel is just such a kick-ass woman that she can't be hurt. The film seems to suggest that her only weakness is her lack of self-empowerment.
And while I don't mind a movie having a political bent, everything in this movie that is trying to promote a social message is too on-the-nose, too in-your-face to work. "I'm Just a Girl" plays while she beats people up. A man says she should smile. A pilot says "You know why it's called the COCKpit, right?" Ninety percent of the music features a female singer (the only one I noticed that didn't was Nirvana's "Come As You Are"). It's just ... too much. Or too blatant. It kept pulling me out of the movie, as if the director(s) were seated next to me, poking me in the arm, saying "See what we did there? Subtext!"
One of the aliens even refers to earth as a sh!t-hole, a clear, obvious reference to Donald Trump.
So that's Captain Marvel. 10% muddled action, 30% jokes (mostly funny), 5% story, and 55% political message. Oh, and 127% GURL POWER.
I enjoyed it as a prelude to Avengers: Endgame, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? It's a serviceable Marvel movie. It ranks up there with Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World as well-made, enjoyable, yet forgettable superhero fare. At the end I realized it doesn't really explain anything and doesn't really amount to much except a mouthpiece for feminists raging against toxic masculinity and a cry to help refugees, and that's disappointing.
What are Captain Marvel's powers? It never really explains. She shoots energy beams. She learns to fly, somehow. And apparently she can breathe in space (?). But how or why or what the limits of her powers are is never discussed.
Neither are weaknesses. Superman has kryptonite. Batman and Iron Man are humans using technology to help them, but can be killed. Even Vision died without his infinity stone. But apparently Captain Marvel is just such a kick-ass woman that she can't be hurt. The film seems to suggest that her only weakness is her lack of self-empowerment.
And while I don't mind a movie having a political bent, everything in this movie that is trying to promote a social message is too on-the-nose, too in-your-face to work. "I'm Just a Girl" plays while she beats people up. A man says she should smile. A pilot says "You know why it's called the COCKpit, right?" Ninety percent of the music features a female singer (the only one I noticed that didn't was Nirvana's "Come As You Are"). It's just ... too much. Or too blatant. It kept pulling me out of the movie, as if the director(s) were seated next to me, poking me in the arm, saying "See what we did there? Subtext!"
One of the aliens even refers to earth as a sh!t-hole, a clear, obvious reference to Donald Trump.
So that's Captain Marvel. 10% muddled action, 30% jokes (mostly funny), 5% story, and 55% political message. Oh, and 127% GURL POWER.
I enjoyed it as a prelude to Avengers: Endgame, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated The First Purge (2018) in Movies
May 14, 2019
Purge the purge
#thefirstpurge starts off with so much promise but quickly descends into one big messy brainless #shootemup. When the credits started to roll at the end of this film I found myself feeling confused as to what I'd just watched. It was like I'd just sat through the new #diehard film not a horror movie & as I stood up to leave thats when I saw in big letters ''PRODUCED BY #MICHAELBAY'. For the first 20 minutes I was really digging this film, it was slow with very interesting set up & seemingly going in a really intelligent direction with its strong social commentary themes & its portrails of human behaviour. See you have the government glamourising & rewarding #violence to secretly encourage the poor to eliminate each other, killing not even being a choice for most people or people not taking the #purge seriously, hate groups using the purge as opportunity to commit racially motivated killings, people embracing religion or using it as a excuse to commit violence. Then theres the people who commit crime outside of the purge & get away with it on daily basis who are never punished making the over all question does the purge do more harm than good or vice'versa?. All these themes/subjects are so fascinating but other than at the start of the movie they are not explored or developed with any depth at all. Tone is a mixed bag here too, theres very very light horror elements mixed with humour thats just so out of place & the shoot out heavy third act just feels like they ran out of ideas or didnt know what direction to go. Theres also no real tension or scares here & the costumes/masks are sparse & unimaginative this time around too bringing no fear or haunting imagery to the film either. Acting is fine but no character has a clear drive or a fleshed out back story making them disposable. If your looking for a good horror film the first purge is to action packed, if your looking for action the film is to generic & if your looking for a good time its pacing & mixed tone is to all over place. Watch #electionyear instead its by far the best purge. #odeon #odeonlimitless #horror #scary #gore #fun #mask #jumpscare #halloween #silly #wednesdaywisdom #filmcritic #filmbuff
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Chakra Wisdom Oracle: How to Read the Cards for Yourself and Others in Books
Jun 5, 2019
It’s quite possibly a little known fact that I used to review a lot more new age, self-help books and products in the past, hence the name ‘alternative’ in my website address. So when I saw this available for review it reminded me of those days, and I jumped at the chance of reviewing this – “How to Read the Cards for Yourself and Others (Chakra Wisdom Oracle) Tori Hartman“. Tori is a professional intuitive following a near-death experience some twenty years ago.
Unfortunately, this whole book is built around a set of Tarot style 49 mystical fable cards, revealed to Tori, which do not come with this book. It also focuses on The Chakra Wisdom Oracle Toolkit, which I also do not own. But there is an iPhone app! You can also go online and try them out there for free (an online shuffler).
I really must get these cards… they look gorgeous and after reading all about them I am definitely curious. I also quite like the idea of the toolkit too. Chakra Wisdom Oracle Toolkit: A 52-week journey of self-discovery with the lost fables.
The book itself explains what the cards mean and how to interpret them. You learn about the Great Servant and the 17 Great Spirits of the Council, which all relate to chakra coloured cards, with different aspects and teachings on. It’s written in a concise and well laid out format. There are also some handy quick reference tables to help simplify the teachings, plus reading techniques and meditative journaling are also covered.
With 320 pages, it is quite full on, which in my eyes is a good thing. It doesn’t skimp on detail. Plus, if you visit Tori’s website there are now courses you can take up to train you how to use these cards even further, and more in depth.
I can recommend this book to anyone who is already a fan of spiritual guides and tarot cards, or if this is something that just appeals to you, (there’s a reason for that) just try it out and see. If you’re dedicated enough you can learn so much more by repeated use to better your understanding of what these cards are telling you and how to read them fully.
Unfortunately, this whole book is built around a set of Tarot style 49 mystical fable cards, revealed to Tori, which do not come with this book. It also focuses on The Chakra Wisdom Oracle Toolkit, which I also do not own. But there is an iPhone app! You can also go online and try them out there for free (an online shuffler).
I really must get these cards… they look gorgeous and after reading all about them I am definitely curious. I also quite like the idea of the toolkit too. Chakra Wisdom Oracle Toolkit: A 52-week journey of self-discovery with the lost fables.
The book itself explains what the cards mean and how to interpret them. You learn about the Great Servant and the 17 Great Spirits of the Council, which all relate to chakra coloured cards, with different aspects and teachings on. It’s written in a concise and well laid out format. There are also some handy quick reference tables to help simplify the teachings, plus reading techniques and meditative journaling are also covered.
With 320 pages, it is quite full on, which in my eyes is a good thing. It doesn’t skimp on detail. Plus, if you visit Tori’s website there are now courses you can take up to train you how to use these cards even further, and more in depth.
I can recommend this book to anyone who is already a fan of spiritual guides and tarot cards, or if this is something that just appeals to you, (there’s a reason for that) just try it out and see. If you’re dedicated enough you can learn so much more by repeated use to better your understanding of what these cards are telling you and how to read them fully.
Bee (0 KP) rated Clariel: The Lost Abhorsen in Books
Jan 29, 2018
Let me start by saying I did not like Clariel. My favourite character, by far, was Belatiel.
My issues with Clariel stemmed from her selfish nature and the lack of positive thoughts she had for her parents. I understand her feelings in some regards, her mother was barely there, but her father did his best and she looked down at him constantly. I suppose this is reminiscent of young people thinking they know better than their parents and to see it written down makes it all the more infuriating.
I understood her need to go back to Estwael, but I was hoping for a change of character after her parents were murdered. This didn't happen. Instead, she continued to think selfishly and expected everyone else to avenge her parents while she lived out her dreams in the forest. It was only after her Aunt Lemmin was arrested for no reason did Clariel change her mind, and even then, when she saw the Clayr marching to the castle, she became selfish again and wanted to leave it all to them to deal with. This didn't sit right with me, as she'd had nothing but high praise for her Aunt, and yet when she needed rescuing Clariel was thinking of leaving because there were other people to do the job for her.
Let's not forget also, how she planned to leave Belatiel, passed out, in the middle of nowhere so she could, again, leave for the forest; only returning when she had to save his life.
I adored Belatiel, though. His personality and charm more than made up for Clariel's selfish attitude. He knew what he had to do, and it wasn't for any personal gain, it was because it was the right thing to do, for everyone. He wasn't completely without flaws, however. I felt sorry for Denima after she got upset that he and Clariel would be intimate behind her back, especially with Bel saying he wouldn't do anything like that and then professing his love to Clariel and denouncing Denima as 'just a friend' after she'd left. It was pretty darn obvious how she felt about him.
All in all, the book, despite Clariel, was fun to read and I can't wait to read Sabriel. Hopefully she'll be a little less annoying.
My issues with Clariel stemmed from her selfish nature and the lack of positive thoughts she had for her parents. I understand her feelings in some regards, her mother was barely there, but her father did his best and she looked down at him constantly. I suppose this is reminiscent of young people thinking they know better than their parents and to see it written down makes it all the more infuriating.
I understood her need to go back to Estwael, but I was hoping for a change of character after her parents were murdered. This didn't happen. Instead, she continued to think selfishly and expected everyone else to avenge her parents while she lived out her dreams in the forest. It was only after her Aunt Lemmin was arrested for no reason did Clariel change her mind, and even then, when she saw the Clayr marching to the castle, she became selfish again and wanted to leave it all to them to deal with. This didn't sit right with me, as she'd had nothing but high praise for her Aunt, and yet when she needed rescuing Clariel was thinking of leaving because there were other people to do the job for her.
Let's not forget also, how she planned to leave Belatiel, passed out, in the middle of nowhere so she could, again, leave for the forest; only returning when she had to save his life.
I adored Belatiel, though. His personality and charm more than made up for Clariel's selfish attitude. He knew what he had to do, and it wasn't for any personal gain, it was because it was the right thing to do, for everyone. He wasn't completely without flaws, however. I felt sorry for Denima after she got upset that he and Clariel would be intimate behind her back, especially with Bel saying he wouldn't do anything like that and then professing his love to Clariel and denouncing Denima as 'just a friend' after she'd left. It was pretty darn obvious how she felt about him.
All in all, the book, despite Clariel, was fun to read and I can't wait to read Sabriel. Hopefully she'll be a little less annoying.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated My Dirty Detour in Books
Jan 18, 2018
This is not my normal read (mafia/gangster/etc.) But the author personally contacted me, and I have a hard time saying no. I figure if the author can go out of her way to personally ask me, I can take time to read it and give my honest opinion especially since I feel that, despite having my preferences, I can usually look beyond my biases to give it a fair review. I did not accept the author's offer of a complimentary copy, though, and instead bought it from Amazon.
First of all, whoa. I wasnt not expecting this. At first, I felt the writing was a bit long winded. The first couple pages seemed filled with endless descriptions that I didnt care about. That stopped there. Once Violet meets Rocky (within the first couple pages) it only gets better and the writer flows smoothly.
I loved Violet. I honestly related with her a lot on multiple levels from her love of organization to her wanting to try new things but not really follow through to her hesitance with Rocky. Omg their interactions are just the best! At first, Rocky is a raging d***, but that changes. Honestly, Violets interactions and dialogue with him mirrored my own and how I would have done it. She is such a strong character but different from what other typically consider strong. What others would see as giving up, I saw as the strength to walk away, from abuse she didnt need and a situation that made her unhappy. Staying didnt make her strong, walking away did. And Rocky truly redeems himself on multiple counts.
I dont want to ruin any of the story for you because it is one of the best I have read in this genre. You can truly feel the blood, sweat, and tears the author put into this novel. It is such an intense powerful read both plot wise and erotically, that I had to put it down a couple times to pull myself together. The cast of characters is amazing. The steamy scenes full of fire. And the writing is spot on. Risata is clearly a skilled writer and story teller who knows how to bring everything together to make an entertaining story. So if you are looking for a powerful yet hot and hilarious Alpha male romance featuring a strong female, look no further!
First of all, whoa. I wasnt not expecting this. At first, I felt the writing was a bit long winded. The first couple pages seemed filled with endless descriptions that I didnt care about. That stopped there. Once Violet meets Rocky (within the first couple pages) it only gets better and the writer flows smoothly.
I loved Violet. I honestly related with her a lot on multiple levels from her love of organization to her wanting to try new things but not really follow through to her hesitance with Rocky. Omg their interactions are just the best! At first, Rocky is a raging d***, but that changes. Honestly, Violets interactions and dialogue with him mirrored my own and how I would have done it. She is such a strong character but different from what other typically consider strong. What others would see as giving up, I saw as the strength to walk away, from abuse she didnt need and a situation that made her unhappy. Staying didnt make her strong, walking away did. And Rocky truly redeems himself on multiple counts.
I dont want to ruin any of the story for you because it is one of the best I have read in this genre. You can truly feel the blood, sweat, and tears the author put into this novel. It is such an intense powerful read both plot wise and erotically, that I had to put it down a couple times to pull myself together. The cast of characters is amazing. The steamy scenes full of fire. And the writing is spot on. Risata is clearly a skilled writer and story teller who knows how to bring everything together to make an entertaining story. So if you are looking for a powerful yet hot and hilarious Alpha male romance featuring a strong female, look no further!