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My Old Man by I Am the Polish Army
Album Watch
From the privacy of a dorm room in 2005 to the streets of Brooklyn in 2016, I Am The Polish Army has...
Venture Capital Tax Reliefs
Book
Venture Capital Tax Reliefs, Third Edition provides an overview of the major investment schemes...
The Company of Trees: A Year in a Lifetime's Quest
Book
'Thomas Pakenham could convert a property developer into a tree-hugger ...The book's photographs are...
Seasons in the Sun: The Battle for Britain, 1974-1979
8.0
Rate It
Book
Dominic Sandbrook's magnificent account of the late 1970s in Britain - the book behind the major BB2...
Broadchurch - Season 1
9.0
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TV Season Watch
Academy Award nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste and legendary actress Charlotte Rampling star alongside...
D1
Domus 1980s
Book
Postmodern & High-Tech The 1980s in full force Founded in 1928 as a ""iving diary" by the great...
Some Other and Wider Destiny: Wakefield Grammar School Foundation and the Great War
Book
The First World War demanded one of the most sustained and extraordinary efforts ever made by the...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Stranger in the Lake in Books
Jun 18, 2020
Charlotte and her husband, Paul, live in a small lake town. But their marriage has caused gossip and rumors, when poor Charlotte, who grew up in a trailer park, marries the rich and older Paul. Then Charlotte discovers a body floating in the lake beside their house--in the exact spot where Paul's first wife died. Even worse, Charlotte saw Paul talking to the woman the day before, but he lied to the police about it. Then he disappears into the woods, leaving her to deal with the aftermath. As Charlotte begins digging into her husband's past, she starts wondering how much she can trust him.
"Something very bad has happened, right outside our door. Again."
This was an excellent and easy-to-read book with a compelling plot. I was drawn in by the story from the start and flew through the pages. Belle creates an atmospheric read, with the snow and lake basically appearing as extra characters. We find Charlotte (once "Charlie") pitted against her old best friend, Sam, who is on the police force and believes Paul killed his first wife. And we learn that Paul had a high school friendship with Micah, the son of the police chief, and Jax, who is now homeless and known as the town kook. It is Jax who asked to see Paul the day before the woman is found--and Jax who is lurking around Charlotte's house. Is he threatening her, or trying to warn her of something? And is there truly a chance that Paul killed his first wife? I loved how much this one kept me guessing.
What I found amazing is that Belle is able to take a familiar plot--a younger woman marrying an older guy with a past--and transform it into such a spellbinding thriller. What could come across as trite and stale is instead fascinating and intriguing. Charlotte is an easy-to-like protagonist who didn't seem to make dumb decisions. This can't be said of her husband, who was, frankly, an idiot. I had an inkling early about who might be responsible, but it did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the story.
If you like your thrillers filled with secrets and lies, the power of family, and featuring a fascinating plot, this one is for you. 4+ stars.
"Something very bad has happened, right outside our door. Again."
This was an excellent and easy-to-read book with a compelling plot. I was drawn in by the story from the start and flew through the pages. Belle creates an atmospheric read, with the snow and lake basically appearing as extra characters. We find Charlotte (once "Charlie") pitted against her old best friend, Sam, who is on the police force and believes Paul killed his first wife. And we learn that Paul had a high school friendship with Micah, the son of the police chief, and Jax, who is now homeless and known as the town kook. It is Jax who asked to see Paul the day before the woman is found--and Jax who is lurking around Charlotte's house. Is he threatening her, or trying to warn her of something? And is there truly a chance that Paul killed his first wife? I loved how much this one kept me guessing.
What I found amazing is that Belle is able to take a familiar plot--a younger woman marrying an older guy with a past--and transform it into such a spellbinding thriller. What could come across as trite and stale is instead fascinating and intriguing. Charlotte is an easy-to-like protagonist who didn't seem to make dumb decisions. This can't be said of her husband, who was, frankly, an idiot. I had an inkling early about who might be responsible, but it did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the story.
If you like your thrillers filled with secrets and lies, the power of family, and featuring a fascinating plot, this one is for you. 4+ stars.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Spider-Man Knocks It Out Of The Park In This Summer Vacation Superhero Hybrid
Spider-Man Far From Home is a 2019 superhero movie directed by Jon Watts and written by Chris Mckenna and Erik Sommers. It was co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. The movie stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Samuel Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, and Jake Gyllenhaal.
The Midtown School of Science and Technology in New York City organizes a two-week summer field trip to Europe to accommodate the students who were resurrected by "the blip". Peter plans to avoid heroics and confess his feelings to "MJ" on this trip but is warned by Happy that Nick Fury is trying to get in contact with him. Distraught about the events in Endgame and the questions overwhelming him about Tony Stark, Peter decides to not answer when Fury calls him causing Fury to seek him out on his vacation.
This movie was phenomenal. It was really awesome and a perfect summer action blockbuster. Marvel did not drop the ball with this one and I'm so glad I saw it before anybody spoiled it for me because it had plenty of surprises. Especially the after credits scenes, the one after the movie finishes and the one at the very end after the credits. Jake Gyllenhaal was perfect as Mysterio and his acting was on point and Ned (Jacob Battalon) was awesome as Pete's best friend and wing-man in this movie too. The action was great and the effects were spectacular especially for Mysterio and his powers, they really did a amazing job. I really couldn't find much that I didn't like in this movie other than a couple ways the plot or story didn't unfold in a way that I liked; but that's probably me just being picky and a super fan from the comics and watching the cartoons. Also a part having to do with Peter taking a major injury and kind of just shrugging it off when he should have been hurt worse. Zendaya did a good job of portraying "MJ" and showing her come out of her shell a little more too which I though was also cool. I give this movie a 8/10 and I also give it my "Must See Seal of Approval" If you haven't seen this movie yet, what are you waiting for?
The Midtown School of Science and Technology in New York City organizes a two-week summer field trip to Europe to accommodate the students who were resurrected by "the blip". Peter plans to avoid heroics and confess his feelings to "MJ" on this trip but is warned by Happy that Nick Fury is trying to get in contact with him. Distraught about the events in Endgame and the questions overwhelming him about Tony Stark, Peter decides to not answer when Fury calls him causing Fury to seek him out on his vacation.
This movie was phenomenal. It was really awesome and a perfect summer action blockbuster. Marvel did not drop the ball with this one and I'm so glad I saw it before anybody spoiled it for me because it had plenty of surprises. Especially the after credits scenes, the one after the movie finishes and the one at the very end after the credits. Jake Gyllenhaal was perfect as Mysterio and his acting was on point and Ned (Jacob Battalon) was awesome as Pete's best friend and wing-man in this movie too. The action was great and the effects were spectacular especially for Mysterio and his powers, they really did a amazing job. I really couldn't find much that I didn't like in this movie other than a couple ways the plot or story didn't unfold in a way that I liked; but that's probably me just being picky and a super fan from the comics and watching the cartoons. Also a part having to do with Peter taking a major injury and kind of just shrugging it off when he should have been hurt worse. Zendaya did a good job of portraying "MJ" and showing her come out of her shell a little more too which I though was also cool. I give this movie a 8/10 and I also give it my "Must See Seal of Approval" If you haven't seen this movie yet, what are you waiting for?
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Toy Story 4 (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Funny, Heartwarming, And Beautifully Animated
Toy Story 4 is a 2019 CG/comedy movie directed by Josh Cooley and based on screenplay written by Andrew Stanton, and Stephany Folsom; along with John Lasseter, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, Valerie LaPointe, and Martin Hynes. It was produced by Picard Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film stars Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele and Keanu Reeves.
Woody (Tom Hanks) and the other toys are happy in their new life after Andy donates his toys to Bonnie; but Woody worries Bonnie will feel overwhelmed at school when she starts kindergarten. Woody sneaks into her backpack and recovers her arts and crafts supplies when a classmate throws them away. She uses the supplies, including a spork Woody grabbed to create a handmade toy she names "Forky" (Tony Hale). And when Bonnie and her family go on a road trip, Forky jumps out of the window setting off a chain of events that will change the group forever.
This movie was funny, stunningly animated, and emotionally touching. They really were shooting to impress with the amount of detail they had in this movie, from the glossy porcelain shine of Bopeep, to the fur on the cat, to all the other toys little details. I liked how the action was very character driven and how the storytelling was really well done. The character growth/arc for Bopeep was one of my favorites and I really enjoyed the cast of new characters and how they were incorporated as well like, Keanu Reeves and Key and Peele. This was such a great movie and it got me choked up at the end of the movie and I couldn't find anything to really complain about but then I read an article that made me question how I felt about it and what I saw. I'll see if I can add the link to it at the end of my review. It ultimately made me drop my rating by a point, I almost gave this movie a 9, but I give it a 8/10. But I do give it my "Must See Seal Of Approval".
Here is the link to the article: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/theres-a-problem-with-toy-story-4-opinion/1100-6468073/
Woody (Tom Hanks) and the other toys are happy in their new life after Andy donates his toys to Bonnie; but Woody worries Bonnie will feel overwhelmed at school when she starts kindergarten. Woody sneaks into her backpack and recovers her arts and crafts supplies when a classmate throws them away. She uses the supplies, including a spork Woody grabbed to create a handmade toy she names "Forky" (Tony Hale). And when Bonnie and her family go on a road trip, Forky jumps out of the window setting off a chain of events that will change the group forever.
This movie was funny, stunningly animated, and emotionally touching. They really were shooting to impress with the amount of detail they had in this movie, from the glossy porcelain shine of Bopeep, to the fur on the cat, to all the other toys little details. I liked how the action was very character driven and how the storytelling was really well done. The character growth/arc for Bopeep was one of my favorites and I really enjoyed the cast of new characters and how they were incorporated as well like, Keanu Reeves and Key and Peele. This was such a great movie and it got me choked up at the end of the movie and I couldn't find anything to really complain about but then I read an article that made me question how I felt about it and what I saw. I'll see if I can add the link to it at the end of my review. It ultimately made me drop my rating by a point, I almost gave this movie a 9, but I give it a 8/10. But I do give it my "Must See Seal Of Approval".
Here is the link to the article: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/theres-a-problem-with-toy-story-4-opinion/1100-6468073/