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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Heron's Cry in Books
Sep 16, 2021
An excellent, complex character-driven mystery
Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a farm/artist retreat where Dr. Nigel Yeo has been killed. He's found dead in his own daughter's glassblower studio, stabbed with a shard of one of her vases. Dr. Yeo seems like a nice man: adored by his daughter and a public servant, working to help bring understanding between the public trusts. When a second body is found--killed in a similar way--Matthew realizes that he must dig deep into the secrets and lies of his community to find a killer.
I adore this series and the fact that Detective Matthew Venn, our lead, is a gay man. As with all of Cleeves' books, this is an excellent, solid mystery, with an interesting plot and a team whom you can easily become invested in. Each of her characters is well-written, strong, and original. It's so refreshing, honestly, to read a tale without a crazy unreliable narrator but instead one that simply relies on a strong story and excellent characters. There is a slate of people who could be potential suspects, and we also get backstories for our various detectives: Matthew, Ross, and Jen. Everyone is entwined in this small town (and honestly, if I were them, I'd be a bit worried how many people seem to die there! Cabot Cove, anyone?).
This book kept me guessing the entire time, which I love. I was constantly second guessing myself and wondering who killed whom. It was filled with twists, but nothing wild or unbelievable. This is easily becoming one of my new favorite series. 4+ stars.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
I adore this series and the fact that Detective Matthew Venn, our lead, is a gay man. As with all of Cleeves' books, this is an excellent, solid mystery, with an interesting plot and a team whom you can easily become invested in. Each of her characters is well-written, strong, and original. It's so refreshing, honestly, to read a tale without a crazy unreliable narrator but instead one that simply relies on a strong story and excellent characters. There is a slate of people who could be potential suspects, and we also get backstories for our various detectives: Matthew, Ross, and Jen. Everyone is entwined in this small town (and honestly, if I were them, I'd be a bit worried how many people seem to die there! Cabot Cove, anyone?).
This book kept me guessing the entire time, which I love. I was constantly second guessing myself and wondering who killed whom. It was filled with twists, but nothing wild or unbelievable. This is easily becoming one of my new favorite series. 4+ stars.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Thirteen Minutes (2021) in Movies
Feb 25, 2022
A new disaster film, cue excitement. Even a low budget disaster film can be good…
Life is disrupted when a storm turns its eye on a small town. Residents are tested, and they must put their differences aside to help each other make it through safely.
... that thing I said above about even low budget disaster films being good? Yeah, I don’t know how much this cost (I’m assuming not a lot), but it was not good.
This could have been a great short that ran 13 minutes, instead, it’s 1 hour and 48 minutes long. Those extra 95 minutes are made of bloated storylines, and while they overlap, none of them really have any weight. Removing a couple could easily have allowed the others more time to develop and actually let the viewer become more invested.
Out of the cast I can’t really call out anyone. There are faces you’ll recognise from other things, and they’re generally solid actors, but in this... there wasn't really a lot for them to work with.
There are many moments that defy sensible behaviour, as you'd expect from a disaster film. Only one amused me, while the others were mainly annoying.
You either need to take yourself seriously, or embrace the inevitable ridiculousness behind the idea. If this had leaned hard into the ridiculousness it could have been great. 13 Minutes disappointed on so many levels that adding truly terrible effects may actually have helped! I won’t need to watch this again, a disaster film that barely has a disaster in it was not what I signed up for.
[Side note: Initially I gave this 2 out of 5 stars. I have since retracted a star for this film's sheer audacity.]
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/02/13-minutes-movie-review.html
Life is disrupted when a storm turns its eye on a small town. Residents are tested, and they must put their differences aside to help each other make it through safely.
... that thing I said above about even low budget disaster films being good? Yeah, I don’t know how much this cost (I’m assuming not a lot), but it was not good.
This could have been a great short that ran 13 minutes, instead, it’s 1 hour and 48 minutes long. Those extra 95 minutes are made of bloated storylines, and while they overlap, none of them really have any weight. Removing a couple could easily have allowed the others more time to develop and actually let the viewer become more invested.
Out of the cast I can’t really call out anyone. There are faces you’ll recognise from other things, and they’re generally solid actors, but in this... there wasn't really a lot for them to work with.
There are many moments that defy sensible behaviour, as you'd expect from a disaster film. Only one amused me, while the others were mainly annoying.
You either need to take yourself seriously, or embrace the inevitable ridiculousness behind the idea. If this had leaned hard into the ridiculousness it could have been great. 13 Minutes disappointed on so many levels that adding truly terrible effects may actually have helped! I won’t need to watch this again, a disaster film that barely has a disaster in it was not what I signed up for.
[Side note: Initially I gave this 2 out of 5 stars. I have since retracted a star for this film's sheer audacity.]
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/02/13-minutes-movie-review.html
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated It Ends With Us in Books
Nov 14, 2022
Contains spoilers, click to show
207 of 230
Book
It Ends With Us ( book 1)
By Colleen Hoover
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life seems too good to be true.
Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.
As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.
This was a difficult one to rate and review if you had asked me halfway or even 3 thirds of the way through I’d have possibly gave it a generous 3 star. Then just when it looked like the main character was going to weaken she shocked me! She stood strong in a difficult situation and that last part of the book had me change my mind. This is my first Hoover book and it definitely won’t be my last!
Book
It Ends With Us ( book 1)
By Colleen Hoover
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life seems too good to be true.
Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.
As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.
This was a difficult one to rate and review if you had asked me halfway or even 3 thirds of the way through I’d have possibly gave it a generous 3 star. Then just when it looked like the main character was going to weaken she shocked me! She stood strong in a difficult situation and that last part of the book had me change my mind. This is my first Hoover book and it definitely won’t be my last!
Reigniting Chase
Book
An unexpected collaboration between two authors that's hot enough to spark a fire... Chase ...
Contemporary MM Romance
Merissa (13197 KP) rated Light From The Grave in Books
Nov 6, 2023
LIGHT FROM THE GRAVE is a standalone paranormal with an element of romance. I say element as, for me, it wasn't the main part of the story. That was the realisation of Dylan's new powers and what he had to do with them. Dylan goes from small-town, Ohio to Charleston. From his home where he has friends, to a new place with family - who are odd, to say the least. He has to master his powers before he can open the family grimoire, renew the wards, and save them all. No pressure!
Keller is the loaded weapon of the coven, and you learn more about his abilities as the story progresses. He has an apprentice, Raven, who doesn't like Dylan to start with, for reasons that are both clear and understandable. As for the other characters, well, I would say those in Charleston are morally grey at best.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this story, and I was never 100% sure of most of the characters! It is very fast-paced, but the descriptions are clear and concise. As for the romance side of things - I just never felt it between Keller and Dylan. Yes, the fascination, the attraction, but not love.
And the ending? That seemed a little out of place somehow. Logically, it makes sense because of who Dylan was/is and the home he had. Emotionally, it just didn't feel right to me.
This is a great read that held my attention and I definitely recommend it.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 3, 2023
Keller is the loaded weapon of the coven, and you learn more about his abilities as the story progresses. He has an apprentice, Raven, who doesn't like Dylan to start with, for reasons that are both clear and understandable. As for the other characters, well, I would say those in Charleston are morally grey at best.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this story, and I was never 100% sure of most of the characters! It is very fast-paced, but the descriptions are clear and concise. As for the romance side of things - I just never felt it between Keller and Dylan. Yes, the fascination, the attraction, but not love.
And the ending? That seemed a little out of place somehow. Logically, it makes sense because of who Dylan was/is and the home he had. Emotionally, it just didn't feel right to me.
This is a great read that held my attention and I definitely recommend it.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 3, 2023
Come from Behind: An Age Gap Gay Romance (Suite Dreams)
6.0
Rate It
Book
Is it possible that Tavish’s fender-bender on a snowy day will lead to him getting romantically...
Sleigh Bells and Second Chances (Love in Mission City #3)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Ryan The moment I landed in that war zone, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I wasn't a soldier, and...
Seasonal Contemporary MM Romance Small Town Romance Hurt/Comfort
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Rules of Magic in Books
May 5, 2024
85 of 220
Book
The Rules of Magic ( Practical Magic 2)
By Alice Hoffman
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Find your magic.
For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.
Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.
From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Yet, the children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the memorable aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.
This was good much better than the previous one I read. I enjoyed learning of the 2 aunts and Vincent I got a little bored in places which is why I went with 3⭐️. Vincent was a colourful character. Definitely a nice set up for Practical Magic.
Book
The Rules of Magic ( Practical Magic 2)
By Alice Hoffman
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Find your magic.
For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.
Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.
From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Yet, the children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the memorable aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.
This was good much better than the previous one I read. I enjoyed learning of the 2 aunts and Vincent I got a little bored in places which is why I went with 3⭐️. Vincent was a colourful character. Definitely a nice set up for Practical Magic.
Like Driftwood On The Salish Sea
Book
When they met in the fourth grade, it was love at first sight for Mitchell Brody and Jessica...
Contemporary Military
Darren (1599 KP) rated Brightburn (2019) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Darkness Superhero Style
Thoughts on Brightburn
Characters – Tori is adopted mother of Brandon, she sees him as a blessing and will defending him through any troubles he finds himself in. she does enjoy painting which does seem to be her way to unwind and through the 12th year of Brandon, she is left wondering if he is like her or it is something else controlling him. Kyle is the husband a farmer, he does have to give his son ‘the talk’ which is one of the funniest scenes of the film, he has taught Brandon responsibility and does become the overreacting parent through the situations, a nice spin on the normal. Brandon is the young boy/alien that has bee raised like a normal child, he is social awkward, a loner at school, even his 12th birthday party is in a diner with his family, no friends. Once he starts hearing noises he gets drawn to his craft, which will be the beginning of his newly discovered powers. The powers his has will make him a danger not just to his town, but to the world because they are limitless. We do have other characters including the Aunt and her husband, the fellow students that see Brandon as an outsider and the sheriff trying to figure out the crimes that have been happening around the town.
Performances – Elizabeth Banks does bring us a great performance, we see the undying love of a mother against the shadows of what her child’s true nature is, constantly conflicted through the film. David Denman brings us the father figure, he plays this opposite to the normal because usually we don’t see the weakness or fear in a father and David brings this requirement to the role. Jackson A Dunn is the true star of the show here, he makes young Brandon feel both terrifying and welcoming, as in needing help or a friend, he has moments of being creepy, while moments of pure calmness.
Story – The story here follows a couple that adopt a young boy who feel from space, it seems like everything is going well, until he reaches 12 and his true powers start to come out, leaving the parents in the difficult position of loving their son or turning over a monster that could destroy the world. This story does take the superhero genre in a new direction, we can clearly see how the origin or Brandon place the same as Superman, coming from space adopted and learning about powers, while this time we take a dramatic turn towards the darker side of powers. We do go through the learning process like new superheroes would go through, this is important. The only downside with the story, comes from the ideas that Brandon could be in the pivotal position on which side of good or evil he falls on, only we don’t get to see any hint that he could ever be good. Away from this minor negative, we do see a horror story unfold that becomes bigger and more devasting as the powers become clearer.
Horror/Sci-Fi – The horror in this film comes from the power that Brandon is having, we see what he does to people, with each injury becomes more graphic and shocking as the rampage goes on. The sci-fi elements of the film focus on the idea that Brandon has come from space, we simply don’t know what he could be capable off.
Settings – Th film is set in a small town of Brightburn, it is a close community which is left in shock after the first incident, Brandon however is raised on a small farm which shows that his isolation isn’t just school, but home too.
Special Effects – When we look at the effects, we have some brilliant injury effects, that are front and centre and will make you want to look away, a few of the flying moments are not the best, but they are not what the scenes are focused on at the time.
Scene of the Movie – Uncle Noah’s car trip.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It would have been nice to see him have a chance to be good.
Final Thoughts – This is a dark superhero movie, unlike anything we have seen before, it feels original, while playing opposite to what we know and isn’t afraid to spill a little blood.
Overall: The Dark Universe has Started.
Rating
Characters – Tori is adopted mother of Brandon, she sees him as a blessing and will defending him through any troubles he finds himself in. she does enjoy painting which does seem to be her way to unwind and through the 12th year of Brandon, she is left wondering if he is like her or it is something else controlling him. Kyle is the husband a farmer, he does have to give his son ‘the talk’ which is one of the funniest scenes of the film, he has taught Brandon responsibility and does become the overreacting parent through the situations, a nice spin on the normal. Brandon is the young boy/alien that has bee raised like a normal child, he is social awkward, a loner at school, even his 12th birthday party is in a diner with his family, no friends. Once he starts hearing noises he gets drawn to his craft, which will be the beginning of his newly discovered powers. The powers his has will make him a danger not just to his town, but to the world because they are limitless. We do have other characters including the Aunt and her husband, the fellow students that see Brandon as an outsider and the sheriff trying to figure out the crimes that have been happening around the town.
Performances – Elizabeth Banks does bring us a great performance, we see the undying love of a mother against the shadows of what her child’s true nature is, constantly conflicted through the film. David Denman brings us the father figure, he plays this opposite to the normal because usually we don’t see the weakness or fear in a father and David brings this requirement to the role. Jackson A Dunn is the true star of the show here, he makes young Brandon feel both terrifying and welcoming, as in needing help or a friend, he has moments of being creepy, while moments of pure calmness.
Story – The story here follows a couple that adopt a young boy who feel from space, it seems like everything is going well, until he reaches 12 and his true powers start to come out, leaving the parents in the difficult position of loving their son or turning over a monster that could destroy the world. This story does take the superhero genre in a new direction, we can clearly see how the origin or Brandon place the same as Superman, coming from space adopted and learning about powers, while this time we take a dramatic turn towards the darker side of powers. We do go through the learning process like new superheroes would go through, this is important. The only downside with the story, comes from the ideas that Brandon could be in the pivotal position on which side of good or evil he falls on, only we don’t get to see any hint that he could ever be good. Away from this minor negative, we do see a horror story unfold that becomes bigger and more devasting as the powers become clearer.
Horror/Sci-Fi – The horror in this film comes from the power that Brandon is having, we see what he does to people, with each injury becomes more graphic and shocking as the rampage goes on. The sci-fi elements of the film focus on the idea that Brandon has come from space, we simply don’t know what he could be capable off.
Settings – Th film is set in a small town of Brightburn, it is a close community which is left in shock after the first incident, Brandon however is raised on a small farm which shows that his isolation isn’t just school, but home too.
Special Effects – When we look at the effects, we have some brilliant injury effects, that are front and centre and will make you want to look away, a few of the flying moments are not the best, but they are not what the scenes are focused on at the time.
Scene of the Movie – Uncle Noah’s car trip.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It would have been nice to see him have a chance to be good.
Final Thoughts – This is a dark superhero movie, unlike anything we have seen before, it feels original, while playing opposite to what we know and isn’t afraid to spill a little blood.
Overall: The Dark Universe has Started.
Rating