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Amidst This Fading Light
10.0
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Book
Dominated by a few old, founding families, Germantown was mired in tradition and hearsay. All that...
Strife: Legacy of the Eternals
3.0
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Tabletop Game
Once more, conflict rages across the world of Aerim. You are one of the Eternals, a group of...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Perfect Family in Books
Aug 26, 2021
A tense look at a family pushed to the brink
The Adler family looks perfect to outsiders. Good jobs for husband Thomas and wife Viv, two lovely children in Eli and Tarryn, and a gorgeous home. But things begin to crack when they wake up one morning and find that gorgeous home covered in eggs. They are sure it was just a prank by some neighborhood kids. But it's followed by a smoke bomb, punctured tires, and more. Thomas sets up cameras, but they only catch shadows. The police offer little help. As things escalate with each supposed prank, the family grows more and more fearful. Especially because every family member is keeping a secret--and as the violence against them grows, the secrets only get worse.
"But the people who lived there only looked perfect. They had done horrible things."
This is definitely a page-turner with some twists. There's a lot going on in THE PERFECT FAMILY--each family member has secrets and lies. It's an interesting premise, that dark secrets can pull everyone apart, even entire families. I was always expecting just a little bit more: a slightly bigger secret or surprise than what happened here. Still, the book offers an excellent commentary on keeping secrets and putting pressure on your children. It was difficult to find a character to root for, though the two Adler children were certainly sympathetic. I also found the ending to lack a bit of resolution.
"I realized that everyone in my family had secrets. And mine might be the worst of all."
Overall, though, this mystery offers thrills and twists. While it wasn't perfect (ha) for me, I enjoyed it. It's not my favorite Robyn Harding book, but it's worth a read. The twisted dynamics of the Adler family are intriguing and often terrifying, especially as the suspense ramps up. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
"But the people who lived there only looked perfect. They had done horrible things."
This is definitely a page-turner with some twists. There's a lot going on in THE PERFECT FAMILY--each family member has secrets and lies. It's an interesting premise, that dark secrets can pull everyone apart, even entire families. I was always expecting just a little bit more: a slightly bigger secret or surprise than what happened here. Still, the book offers an excellent commentary on keeping secrets and putting pressure on your children. It was difficult to find a character to root for, though the two Adler children were certainly sympathetic. I also found the ending to lack a bit of resolution.
"I realized that everyone in my family had secrets. And mine might be the worst of all."
Overall, though, this mystery offers thrills and twists. While it wasn't perfect (ha) for me, I enjoyed it. It's not my favorite Robyn Harding book, but it's worth a read. The twisted dynamics of the Adler family are intriguing and often terrifying, especially as the suspense ramps up. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Merissa (12911 KP) rated A Voice at Midnight (Regency Rhapsody #4) in Books
Apr 10, 2023
Veronica Swift is given an ultimatum by her step-father - she must marry by the New Year or she will have to learn to live without her inheritance. After arguing against this as best she can in those times, she accepts the advice of her companion and goes to visit her friend for the holidays who is hosting a party.
When she gets there she meets two men who are also attending together and feels a strange sense of familiarity with them both. Then the atmosphere of the castle comes into play and people start acting strangely, shadows are cast by no one and music can be heard where there should be none.
The ghosts at Wyemont Castle are real and they are certainly not like Casper! There has been a curse placed on the castle and its inhabitants and the ghosts keep trying to make history repeat itself so that the curse won't be broken.
This is a wonderfully written novella with enough action going on to keep you intrigued as you turn the pages. It is written in a genteel style so completely appropriate for the times. This is not a bodice-ripper but is all proper and above board (unless you count a couple of kisses between Vero and Tristan before they announce their courtship/engagement). With this story, you could either read it on the build-up to Samhain/Halloween for the ghost story aspect or on the build-up to the Winter Solstice as this is when the story reaches its climax. Either way, I would recommend curling up with this book, a hot drink and relax.
I love Elizabeth Cole's writing style and have enjoyed more than one of her books. I can recommend her highly without hesitation.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
August 11, 2016
When she gets there she meets two men who are also attending together and feels a strange sense of familiarity with them both. Then the atmosphere of the castle comes into play and people start acting strangely, shadows are cast by no one and music can be heard where there should be none.
The ghosts at Wyemont Castle are real and they are certainly not like Casper! There has been a curse placed on the castle and its inhabitants and the ghosts keep trying to make history repeat itself so that the curse won't be broken.
This is a wonderfully written novella with enough action going on to keep you intrigued as you turn the pages. It is written in a genteel style so completely appropriate for the times. This is not a bodice-ripper but is all proper and above board (unless you count a couple of kisses between Vero and Tristan before they announce their courtship/engagement). With this story, you could either read it on the build-up to Samhain/Halloween for the ghost story aspect or on the build-up to the Winter Solstice as this is when the story reaches its climax. Either way, I would recommend curling up with this book, a hot drink and relax.
I love Elizabeth Cole's writing style and have enjoyed more than one of her books. I can recommend her highly without hesitation.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
August 11, 2016
Fate in Suspension (Horn & Haven #1)
8.0
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Quiet. That's how he likes life, no drama to clean up... Tai Xen-Vorsy leads a straightforward...
Adult Fantasy LGBTQIA+ Paranormal Romance
Interior Design for iPad
Lifestyle and Productivity
App
--- Note - for a more professional interior design app, please check out our other app, TapGlance....
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated What We Do In The Shadows (2014) in Movies
Feb 5, 2019 (Updated Feb 5, 2019)
Reliable, consistent laughs (1 more)
Even funnier than I remembered
Bitingly Funny
I recently re-watched this vampire mockumentary from the very talented Taika Waititi and had a great time revisiting it. Waititi has gone on to do bigger things since, but it is nice to go back and see where he was at as a filmmaker a few years ago. Watching a comedy for a second time is an interesting test of its quality. It is a good way to determine if the movie can still make you chuckle even when you already know what's coming. Thankfully, this movie passed that test with flying colours and had me splitting my sides throughout.
Waititi co wrote, directed and starred in this thing and he pulls all of it off phenomenally. His comedic timing is absolutely fantastic and is really what pulls this whole film together. The now widely known genius of his writing is also present here and is pertinent to so many of the movies major laughs. The slightly offbeat, awkward style of comedy that we have come to expect from his movies is also prevalent here and gives the movie a style and feel that is as unique as it is hilarious.
The supporting characters also nail their roles and bring their own fair share of laughs to the movie respectively. Also, (although this feels a tad weird to mention in a review for a comedic movie,) the solid cinematography and clever editing and sound mixing also work beautifully to add to the project's overall appeal. These technical elements, - which are never normally given much thought in the majority of comedies, - add a class to the film that sets it apart from any other comedy that I have seen.
Overall, this is a side splittingly hilarious, fantastically well made movie that owes everything to it's writer, director and main star. It is well written, well shot and joyously acted by it's cast with an extreme level of quickness and wit. If you are looking for a unique laugh, you would struggle to better than What We Do In The Shadows
Waititi co wrote, directed and starred in this thing and he pulls all of it off phenomenally. His comedic timing is absolutely fantastic and is really what pulls this whole film together. The now widely known genius of his writing is also present here and is pertinent to so many of the movies major laughs. The slightly offbeat, awkward style of comedy that we have come to expect from his movies is also prevalent here and gives the movie a style and feel that is as unique as it is hilarious.
The supporting characters also nail their roles and bring their own fair share of laughs to the movie respectively. Also, (although this feels a tad weird to mention in a review for a comedic movie,) the solid cinematography and clever editing and sound mixing also work beautifully to add to the project's overall appeal. These technical elements, - which are never normally given much thought in the majority of comedies, - add a class to the film that sets it apart from any other comedy that I have seen.
Overall, this is a side splittingly hilarious, fantastically well made movie that owes everything to it's writer, director and main star. It is well written, well shot and joyously acted by it's cast with an extreme level of quickness and wit. If you are looking for a unique laugh, you would struggle to better than What We Do In The Shadows
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated The Big Kahuna in Books
Jun 5, 2019
The Big Letdown
Unlikely duo FBI agent Kate O’Hare and former (maybe) conman Nick Fox have been asked to look for a tech billionaire known to pretty much everyone as The Big Kahuna. He disappeared a few days ago, but Kate and Nick are shocked to find that both his wife and his business partner are already hoping to have him declared dead. Kate and Nick aren’t willing to declare him dead yet; they think he might be hiding out in Hawaii. With Kate’s father and Cosmo, another FBI agent, tagging along, they set out to see if they can find him. However, it appears someone wants The Big Kahuna dead. Can they find him in time? Or will they lead the killers right to him?
The last book in this series was three years and a different co-author ago, and it shows. Nick and Kate are shadows of themselves, with Kate going to Nick for plans on everything instead of them working as partners. Their romantic relationship has gone back several books, too, and yet they don’t appear to be hiding the fact that they work together professionally. Kate’s dad is just a caricature now, and the new characters are one note jokes, per se, which makes spending so much time with them painful. While the plot does include a couple of small cons, it is nowhere near as elaborate and therefore fun as the previous books. Really, any group of characters could have been the stars of this plot. The pacing is uneven, especially early on when we get travelogues of Hawaii. We could have easily cut 30 pages without noticing at all, and in a book that already reads short, that is saying something. I did get hooked as I went along, but I think the flaws would have been more frustrating if I hadn’t been able to knock the book out in a couple of days. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I’m not sure even that price (free) will be enough to get me to come back if Nick and Kate have any more adventures.
The last book in this series was three years and a different co-author ago, and it shows. Nick and Kate are shadows of themselves, with Kate going to Nick for plans on everything instead of them working as partners. Their romantic relationship has gone back several books, too, and yet they don’t appear to be hiding the fact that they work together professionally. Kate’s dad is just a caricature now, and the new characters are one note jokes, per se, which makes spending so much time with them painful. While the plot does include a couple of small cons, it is nowhere near as elaborate and therefore fun as the previous books. Really, any group of characters could have been the stars of this plot. The pacing is uneven, especially early on when we get travelogues of Hawaii. We could have easily cut 30 pages without noticing at all, and in a book that already reads short, that is saying something. I did get hooked as I went along, but I think the flaws would have been more frustrating if I hadn’t been able to knock the book out in a couple of days. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I’m not sure even that price (free) will be enough to get me to come back if Nick and Kate have any more adventures.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Pretty Ugly Lies in Books
Jun 5, 2019
In “Pretty Ugly Lies” Pamela Crane reveals the lives of four very different women in this dramatic, intimate domestic noir, of which I could not put down, especially upon opening the book to suddenly discover how someone is killing a whole family!
As the story unravelled I found myself really keen to find out who had murdered not just the husband but the kids in such a horrific way! We hear, through the voices of four women, Jo Trubeau, Ellie Harper, Shayla Kensington and June Merrigan, how their seemingly unconnected lives and problems eventually intertwine in this cleverly written tale of domestic bliss gone wrong.
We also hear the evil thoughts of the kidnapper and for me that made this read even more entertaining, sending chills down my spine!
Overall, Pretty Ugly Lies raises some series issues, from kidnapping a child, stalking, and infidelity, to marriage breakdowns, autism, and suicidal thoughts. There’s certainly a huge amount of problems within these girl’s lives and the neighbourhood they live in. I wouldn’t want to live there, however affluent it looked on the outside.
If you love a book full of some pretty ugly lies, then the killer secrets and domestic misery within this dark thriller will have you double checking what’s lurking in the shadows as you read! Not to mention checking where your kids are. A powerful statement of how a twisted, disfigured need for love can evolve into a terrible tragedy with disastrous consequences!
Oh, and as a side-note, I loved how, at the very end of this story, Pamela’s daughter Talia (7) wrote her own version of “The Girl Who Got Kidnapped” and why! It’s such a cute, Grimm Fairy Tale like story, (totally different to the actual book) and pretty well written for such a young age. I can safely put money on Talia definitely following in her mum’s footsteps as a writer herself! I hope I get to see that day!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.
As the story unravelled I found myself really keen to find out who had murdered not just the husband but the kids in such a horrific way! We hear, through the voices of four women, Jo Trubeau, Ellie Harper, Shayla Kensington and June Merrigan, how their seemingly unconnected lives and problems eventually intertwine in this cleverly written tale of domestic bliss gone wrong.
We also hear the evil thoughts of the kidnapper and for me that made this read even more entertaining, sending chills down my spine!
Overall, Pretty Ugly Lies raises some series issues, from kidnapping a child, stalking, and infidelity, to marriage breakdowns, autism, and suicidal thoughts. There’s certainly a huge amount of problems within these girl’s lives and the neighbourhood they live in. I wouldn’t want to live there, however affluent it looked on the outside.
If you love a book full of some pretty ugly lies, then the killer secrets and domestic misery within this dark thriller will have you double checking what’s lurking in the shadows as you read! Not to mention checking where your kids are. A powerful statement of how a twisted, disfigured need for love can evolve into a terrible tragedy with disastrous consequences!
Oh, and as a side-note, I loved how, at the very end of this story, Pamela’s daughter Talia (7) wrote her own version of “The Girl Who Got Kidnapped” and why! It’s such a cute, Grimm Fairy Tale like story, (totally different to the actual book) and pretty well written for such a young age. I can safely put money on Talia definitely following in her mum’s footsteps as a writer herself! I hope I get to see that day!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.