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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Envy (Fallen Angels, #3) in Books
Jul 7, 2019
Recommended
Contains spoilers, click to show
A man and a woman tread the lines of danger, desire, and deliverance in the new novel of the Fallen Angels from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr., grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father- while fighting his inner demons. Assigned to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in him is both professional and arousingly personal. And Veck and Sophia have another link: Jim Heron, a mysterious stranger with too many answers... to questions that are deadly. When Veck and Sophia are drawn into the ultimate battle between good and evil, their fallen angel savior is the only thing that stands between them and eternal damnation.
This has to be my second best series done by J R Ward my first being Bourbon Kings. So again we see Davina and Jim go head to head! This one saw the loss of Eddie which I wasn't quite prepared for! So it's now just don't two the two angels while Davina continues to cheat!
I struggled in parts with this instalment to be completely honest I got a little bored with the side story of Veck and Riley but all in all an ok addition to the series.
As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr., grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father- while fighting his inner demons. Assigned to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in him is both professional and arousingly personal. And Veck and Sophia have another link: Jim Heron, a mysterious stranger with too many answers... to questions that are deadly. When Veck and Sophia are drawn into the ultimate battle between good and evil, their fallen angel savior is the only thing that stands between them and eternal damnation.
This has to be my second best series done by J R Ward my first being Bourbon Kings. So again we see Davina and Jim go head to head! This one saw the loss of Eddie which I wasn't quite prepared for! So it's now just don't two the two angels while Davina continues to cheat!
I struggled in parts with this instalment to be completely honest I got a little bored with the side story of Veck and Riley but all in all an ok addition to the series.
ELLDBRY (0 KP) rated The Godfather (1972) in Movies
Apr 16, 2020
10/10
Contains spoilers, click to show
"I believe in America…."
What is it about someone you care about that sets them apart? Are they family, a friend, or someone you feel just needs help? What causes you to go the extra mile to put someone else ahead of yourself? You may find the answers in your religion, your upbringing, or in movies. For example, say your daughter goes out on a date with a guy and she is violently beaten by him and one of his friends. You go see her in the hospital and she cannot even weep because of the pain. So trying to keep your cool you press charges and try by the legal means to bring the young men to justice. It doesn't happen, their sentences are suspended. That may make you lose faith in the system that is supposed to protect you. So now you go to someone else who could help. This person is a bigshot, a pezzonovante in his own way but outside the system. You explain what happened and what you did, and all he says is 'why didn't you come to me first?' How many times in your life have some of us gone to others that don't care and asked for help instead of going to the ones that actually care. And the problem is solved. Imagine for another example that your father is in the hospital and men are coming to kill him. And you are the only one there that can help him. Imagine that you had your own dreams and your own goals that were different to what your father wanted. But in this moment you put all that aside to help your father survive. You assure him that everything will be ok and you are with him now. You bluff out the men trying to kill him and your father is saved. Most of us may never have to defend our dads from someone trying to kill him. But seeing someone laying helpless in a hospital bed in need of help we can all relate to. Every son, every daughter, every parent, every sibling, every friend. You see everybody wants to talk about the gangster mafia element of The Godfather, and say that is what it is all about. But family plays an even bigger role in the story by being the driving force behind the main characters. Family, love, loyalty, sacrifice all these elements are used in the movie to bring a standard boring mafia shootout movie to the level of greatest movie of all time. Francis Ford Coppola used as much he could to bring this point home. The wedding scene was not made up by any means but instead taken from other weddings witnessed by every Italian who has ever been to a wedding. Bringing envelopes filled with money to the bride, nieces dancing on the feet of uncle's, people waiting in line to see the father of the bride, sandwiches in white paper being tossed around. 'two gabagool, one proshootoh!' Then go to the kitchen to make spaghetti. Need a recipe? Try 'a little of oil then fry some garlic, throw in some tomatoes and tomato paste, fry it, make sure it does not stick, get it to boil, put in all your sausage and meatballs, add some wine and a little bit of sugar and that's the trick.' That recipe has been in Italian kitchens long before the cameras rolled. Need an idea for some quality time with the kids, well go to work do what you have to do and pick up some cannolis before you get home. Just remember to leave the gun and take the cannolis. Coppola always said he had to be good or no cannolis when his dad got home to share with the family. Coppola also put in his own family to work, his dad scored the movie, his sister Talia was Connie, and his daughter played the baby in the baptism scene. The family was on both sides of the family. But for me the movie revolves around Don Vito Corleone and Marlon Brando. Mario Puzo based the character of Don Corleone on his mother, everytime the Don opened his mouth all that came out was the passion of his mother, her wisdom, her ruthlessness, and her unconquerable love for her family and for life itself. Therefore only the greatest actor of the day will do to play the part. Coppola agreed and suggested either Brando or Laurence Olivier. Olivier was considered and it would have been interesting but he eventually passed on the role. Only two men wanted Brando, Coppola and Puzo. Brando had a history of being difficult and the studio executives nearly vetoed his casting. Coppola was able to make a deal with in order to cast Brando. Brando had to agree to do the movie for nothing, he had to put up a bond in order to cover cost overruns, and he had to do a screen test. They only got to the screen test because Brando transformed himself from a forty year old man into a sixty year old mafia don before their eyes in a matter of minutes. When the executives saw the footage they said ‘no no no, WOW THAT'S INCREDIBLE!’ Brando would be The Godfather. But Brando still needed a little extra help. If you watch the movie, everytime Don Corleone is speaking and stops and looks off in the distance he is reading from a card with his lines on it. He still won an oscar though. Two scenes are my favorite in the movie. One is the scene in the restaurant, I feel like I don’t need to explain it, because it is the most famous scene. Just know that without that scene the movie would not have existed. When you shoot a movie, the scenes are viewed day by day by the studio decision makers. They were hating what they were seeing, everything shot before the restaurant scene was met with cruel criticism by everyone on the outside not working on the movie. All Coppola could do was show them this scene and the movie was not only saved but validated. There are moments in the movie that other scenes build to, the restaurant was one of those scenes. You know of it’s importance because of everything that preceded it. The other scene is the meeting. Don Corleone stands before the other mafia dons and surrenders to them and their wishes. He reasons with them in order to come to a peaceful solution. But there is a catch: if you mess with my other son or if ‘he’s struck by a bolt of lightning. Then I’m going to blame some of the people in this room and that I do not forgive. So with that aside let me say that I swear, on the souls of my grandchildren, that I will not be the one that breaks the peace that we’ve made here today.’ There is a time for peace and a time for reckoning. This scene is my favorite because you believe him, you go along with his plea for peace. But the other dons do not realize it is not a surrender but a tactical retreat.
So the movie went on to make a lot of money, win a bunch of awards, and won it’s way on a bunch of lists that say it’s great. I was lucky enough to not know that when I first saw the movie. I saw it for what it was: a father and three sons. One son was intense and savage, another was sweet and innocent, another was conviving and calculating, the father was all those combined. But the father was the steadying force in all their lives. That is why when they all find out he was shot they react in ways we all would react. When you see the father lying in the street his second son is there to help but can’t, all he can do is cry and yell ‘papa.’ The first son nearly strong arms one of his father’s closest associates because he wants someone to beat up. The third son panics and tries to do whatever he can to help. That is for the audience, and that that’s how everyone relates. Finally, I’ll quote Martin Sheen: ‘The Godfather is the best filmmaking ever in the history of American cinema. There is nothing that speaks more to who we are, where we came from, what we stand for, and where we’re gonna go. That’s the work of a true genius.’ I agree. It is my favorite, of what I’ve seen of course.
".... Don Corleone."
What is it about someone you care about that sets them apart? Are they family, a friend, or someone you feel just needs help? What causes you to go the extra mile to put someone else ahead of yourself? You may find the answers in your religion, your upbringing, or in movies. For example, say your daughter goes out on a date with a guy and she is violently beaten by him and one of his friends. You go see her in the hospital and she cannot even weep because of the pain. So trying to keep your cool you press charges and try by the legal means to bring the young men to justice. It doesn't happen, their sentences are suspended. That may make you lose faith in the system that is supposed to protect you. So now you go to someone else who could help. This person is a bigshot, a pezzonovante in his own way but outside the system. You explain what happened and what you did, and all he says is 'why didn't you come to me first?' How many times in your life have some of us gone to others that don't care and asked for help instead of going to the ones that actually care. And the problem is solved. Imagine for another example that your father is in the hospital and men are coming to kill him. And you are the only one there that can help him. Imagine that you had your own dreams and your own goals that were different to what your father wanted. But in this moment you put all that aside to help your father survive. You assure him that everything will be ok and you are with him now. You bluff out the men trying to kill him and your father is saved. Most of us may never have to defend our dads from someone trying to kill him. But seeing someone laying helpless in a hospital bed in need of help we can all relate to. Every son, every daughter, every parent, every sibling, every friend. You see everybody wants to talk about the gangster mafia element of The Godfather, and say that is what it is all about. But family plays an even bigger role in the story by being the driving force behind the main characters. Family, love, loyalty, sacrifice all these elements are used in the movie to bring a standard boring mafia shootout movie to the level of greatest movie of all time. Francis Ford Coppola used as much he could to bring this point home. The wedding scene was not made up by any means but instead taken from other weddings witnessed by every Italian who has ever been to a wedding. Bringing envelopes filled with money to the bride, nieces dancing on the feet of uncle's, people waiting in line to see the father of the bride, sandwiches in white paper being tossed around. 'two gabagool, one proshootoh!' Then go to the kitchen to make spaghetti. Need a recipe? Try 'a little of oil then fry some garlic, throw in some tomatoes and tomato paste, fry it, make sure it does not stick, get it to boil, put in all your sausage and meatballs, add some wine and a little bit of sugar and that's the trick.' That recipe has been in Italian kitchens long before the cameras rolled. Need an idea for some quality time with the kids, well go to work do what you have to do and pick up some cannolis before you get home. Just remember to leave the gun and take the cannolis. Coppola always said he had to be good or no cannolis when his dad got home to share with the family. Coppola also put in his own family to work, his dad scored the movie, his sister Talia was Connie, and his daughter played the baby in the baptism scene. The family was on both sides of the family. But for me the movie revolves around Don Vito Corleone and Marlon Brando. Mario Puzo based the character of Don Corleone on his mother, everytime the Don opened his mouth all that came out was the passion of his mother, her wisdom, her ruthlessness, and her unconquerable love for her family and for life itself. Therefore only the greatest actor of the day will do to play the part. Coppola agreed and suggested either Brando or Laurence Olivier. Olivier was considered and it would have been interesting but he eventually passed on the role. Only two men wanted Brando, Coppola and Puzo. Brando had a history of being difficult and the studio executives nearly vetoed his casting. Coppola was able to make a deal with in order to cast Brando. Brando had to agree to do the movie for nothing, he had to put up a bond in order to cover cost overruns, and he had to do a screen test. They only got to the screen test because Brando transformed himself from a forty year old man into a sixty year old mafia don before their eyes in a matter of minutes. When the executives saw the footage they said ‘no no no, WOW THAT'S INCREDIBLE!’ Brando would be The Godfather. But Brando still needed a little extra help. If you watch the movie, everytime Don Corleone is speaking and stops and looks off in the distance he is reading from a card with his lines on it. He still won an oscar though. Two scenes are my favorite in the movie. One is the scene in the restaurant, I feel like I don’t need to explain it, because it is the most famous scene. Just know that without that scene the movie would not have existed. When you shoot a movie, the scenes are viewed day by day by the studio decision makers. They were hating what they were seeing, everything shot before the restaurant scene was met with cruel criticism by everyone on the outside not working on the movie. All Coppola could do was show them this scene and the movie was not only saved but validated. There are moments in the movie that other scenes build to, the restaurant was one of those scenes. You know of it’s importance because of everything that preceded it. The other scene is the meeting. Don Corleone stands before the other mafia dons and surrenders to them and their wishes. He reasons with them in order to come to a peaceful solution. But there is a catch: if you mess with my other son or if ‘he’s struck by a bolt of lightning. Then I’m going to blame some of the people in this room and that I do not forgive. So with that aside let me say that I swear, on the souls of my grandchildren, that I will not be the one that breaks the peace that we’ve made here today.’ There is a time for peace and a time for reckoning. This scene is my favorite because you believe him, you go along with his plea for peace. But the other dons do not realize it is not a surrender but a tactical retreat.
So the movie went on to make a lot of money, win a bunch of awards, and won it’s way on a bunch of lists that say it’s great. I was lucky enough to not know that when I first saw the movie. I saw it for what it was: a father and three sons. One son was intense and savage, another was sweet and innocent, another was conviving and calculating, the father was all those combined. But the father was the steadying force in all their lives. That is why when they all find out he was shot they react in ways we all would react. When you see the father lying in the street his second son is there to help but can’t, all he can do is cry and yell ‘papa.’ The first son nearly strong arms one of his father’s closest associates because he wants someone to beat up. The third son panics and tries to do whatever he can to help. That is for the audience, and that that’s how everyone relates. Finally, I’ll quote Martin Sheen: ‘The Godfather is the best filmmaking ever in the history of American cinema. There is nothing that speaks more to who we are, where we came from, what we stand for, and where we’re gonna go. That’s the work of a true genius.’ I agree. It is my favorite, of what I’ve seen of course.
".... Don Corleone."
ClareR (5603 KP) rated Unsheltered in Books
Nov 21, 2018
I think that this is another ‘marmite book’ - you either love it or hate it. There is no in between. Well, I loved it. I like a meandering tale. Some people look at a really thick book and think “Oh no!” - I think “Let me at it!”. What’s more, I like a book that takes its time and is thoughtful. There’s a lot to think about here.
This book is set in two different eras: modern day Vineland, just before and after Trumps election, and 1870s Vineland, just after Darwin’s groundbreaking novel “Origin of the Species” was published.
Both families live in the same house, and both families are experiencing a house that is crumbling around them. The house seems to represent the political and environmental issues in the modern era, in my opinion, and in the past, a community that is failing.
I really enjoyed all of the family dynamics: an elderly Greek father-in-law who rails against the immigrants and blacks (not for one moment seeing the irony); a daughter who is an eco-warrior/ realist, a son whose wife dies, whilst he is left with their newborn; a wife and mother who becomes the primary caregiver to a tiny baby and her infirm father-in-law; and a father who struggled to retain a post as a university lecturer.
In the past, a modern thinking science teacher battles against a headteacher/ principle (principal?) who will not hear of evolution (angel bridges are mentioned - who knew they were a thing?!), and meets Mary Treat, a biologist who really existed and became well known. She exchanges letters and shares information with Darwin and other famous scientists of the time.
This story had so many layers - I loved it. I could feel the frustration of the characters in their respective times, as they had obstacles which seemed insurmountable to them. However, they weren’t, there were ways around their problems. The ‘getting there’ though, was quite a story!
This book is set in two different eras: modern day Vineland, just before and after Trumps election, and 1870s Vineland, just after Darwin’s groundbreaking novel “Origin of the Species” was published.
Both families live in the same house, and both families are experiencing a house that is crumbling around them. The house seems to represent the political and environmental issues in the modern era, in my opinion, and in the past, a community that is failing.
I really enjoyed all of the family dynamics: an elderly Greek father-in-law who rails against the immigrants and blacks (not for one moment seeing the irony); a daughter who is an eco-warrior/ realist, a son whose wife dies, whilst he is left with their newborn; a wife and mother who becomes the primary caregiver to a tiny baby and her infirm father-in-law; and a father who struggled to retain a post as a university lecturer.
In the past, a modern thinking science teacher battles against a headteacher/ principle (principal?) who will not hear of evolution (angel bridges are mentioned - who knew they were a thing?!), and meets Mary Treat, a biologist who really existed and became well known. She exchanges letters and shares information with Darwin and other famous scientists of the time.
This story had so many layers - I loved it. I could feel the frustration of the characters in their respective times, as they had obstacles which seemed insurmountable to them. However, they weren’t, there were ways around their problems. The ‘getting there’ though, was quite a story!
Jackjack (877 KP) rated The Stepfather (2009) in Movies
Apr 11, 2020
I liked it......
I have watched this film many times before, I personally enjoy it as I love a good messed up fight to survive kind of film and this family goes through alot.
The film starts out with the main guy. It shows him with his step family that he has just brutally murdered and how he changes his looks name and lifestyle to find the next family. It's good and bad in my eyes, good because you see how he slowly unravels and you see how messed up he is and how the family slowly start to realise the danger they are in. But bad because it would have been nice to just see the film not knowing he was a complete maniac and the son could have worked it out through the film and could have been interesting in that kind of twist. But all in all this broken family had something missing, the mum finds a partner who is very sketchy and slowly turns from a loving father figure to a complete murderous nightmare. Definitely worth a watch.
The film starts out with the main guy. It shows him with his step family that he has just brutally murdered and how he changes his looks name and lifestyle to find the next family. It's good and bad in my eyes, good because you see how he slowly unravels and you see how messed up he is and how the family slowly start to realise the danger they are in. But bad because it would have been nice to just see the film not knowing he was a complete maniac and the son could have worked it out through the film and could have been interesting in that kind of twist. But all in all this broken family had something missing, the mum finds a partner who is very sketchy and slowly turns from a loving father figure to a complete murderous nightmare. Definitely worth a watch.
Mike Wilder (20 KP) rated Real Steel (2011) in Movies
May 30, 2018
This is a good film, not a great film but very good.
Contains spoilers, click to show
This film is the reason I decided to do my own movie reviews. After hearing a review for this film from BBC Radio 1's movie reviewer, I decided to start my own review page. She reviewed this film seeing nothing more than the robots. She totally missed out on the whole plot of the movie, and then her comment "the climax takes a long time to come and it happens right at the end" made me want to climb into the radio and tape her mouth shut. I know where I expect the climax of a film to be, and I know it is nowhere but at the end of the film. Yes this film has big giant robots in it, but the plot is way more than that, it is a story about redemption and doing the right thing no matter how hard the journey. I got that much from just seeing the trailer, she saw the whole thing and missed the whole point.
OK rant over.
This is a good film, not a great film but very good. Hugh Jackman is good in this but to be fair he is good in most things. He gets to show off a bigger range of his acting skills than he has in the X-Men films. He plays Charlie Kenton, a former boxer now heavily in debt due to pushing his fighting robots too hard and expecting more than they can give, like fighting a 300lb bull! This also stars Evangeline Lilly in I believe her first role since the series Lost ended. She is also very good in this. However, the star of the film is Dakota Goya as Max Kenton. He shines as the child thrown together with the father he doesn't know. He enters the world of robot fighting with his father and manages to rescue a robot from a scrap pile. He then convinces his father to enter the robot in the fights. You really get to experience the wonder of the Robots through him. The other star is the robot he rescues, Atom. Although not sentient, the director manages to bring him to life with good camera angles and subtle sounds. You really start to feel for the robot and you manage to forget the fights aren't real. The other very clever part of the film is the setting. It is set in the near future, but the only really futuristic thing is the robots. There are no fancy cars or clothes and this enables you to connect with the film easier.
The climax of the film (at the end!), is a big showdown with the undefeated champion. Instead of just two robots bashing each other, you get Atom, the underdog, controlled by Max, and helped by his father. You see and feel each blow the robot takes and through the acting skills of Dakota Goya, you forget it's a machine and you can't help but cheer him on.
This could have been an average film, but the fine performances by the cast and the skill of the director in bringing Atom to life with just the use of camera shots and clever subtle sounds turns this film in to a joy to watch as you take the journey with father, son and giant robot.
OK rant over.
This is a good film, not a great film but very good. Hugh Jackman is good in this but to be fair he is good in most things. He gets to show off a bigger range of his acting skills than he has in the X-Men films. He plays Charlie Kenton, a former boxer now heavily in debt due to pushing his fighting robots too hard and expecting more than they can give, like fighting a 300lb bull! This also stars Evangeline Lilly in I believe her first role since the series Lost ended. She is also very good in this. However, the star of the film is Dakota Goya as Max Kenton. He shines as the child thrown together with the father he doesn't know. He enters the world of robot fighting with his father and manages to rescue a robot from a scrap pile. He then convinces his father to enter the robot in the fights. You really get to experience the wonder of the Robots through him. The other star is the robot he rescues, Atom. Although not sentient, the director manages to bring him to life with good camera angles and subtle sounds. You really start to feel for the robot and you manage to forget the fights aren't real. The other very clever part of the film is the setting. It is set in the near future, but the only really futuristic thing is the robots. There are no fancy cars or clothes and this enables you to connect with the film easier.
The climax of the film (at the end!), is a big showdown with the undefeated champion. Instead of just two robots bashing each other, you get Atom, the underdog, controlled by Max, and helped by his father. You see and feel each blow the robot takes and through the acting skills of Dakota Goya, you forget it's a machine and you can't help but cheer him on.
This could have been an average film, but the fine performances by the cast and the skill of the director in bringing Atom to life with just the use of camera shots and clever subtle sounds turns this film in to a joy to watch as you take the journey with father, son and giant robot.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) in Movies
Feb 11, 2021
It might be playing hard to get, but there's plenty to love about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 if you know where to look.
A lot of it's strength lies in its stellar cast once again. All the key players from the first movie are back, with a whole heap of new faces, and expanded roles for side characters. New cast members include Kurt fucking Russell as none other than Ego the Living Planet, which is wild in itself, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, as well as smaller roles for Sylvester Stallone and Elizabeth Debicki. Bigger roles for Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker are also welcome.
In terms of material, it's brimming with Easter eggs, and hints at what's to come in the future - Adam Warlock, the original Guardians roster, The Watchers, Celestials - it has some truly wonderful moments for fans of the comics.
The plot is fun enough, and all leads to the subject of family and parenthood. It has some touching scenes amongst all the space battles. My main issue is with the comedy - the jokes and quips in Vol. 2 are absolutely relentless. Where as the first movie, and plenty of other MCU entries, manage to strike a fine balance in the more comedic side of things, Vol. 2 just throws everything and the kitchen sink at the script hoping that something will stick the landing, and there are plenty of funny lines here, but there's an equal amount of jokes that miss the mark. It becomes a little tiresome, and is the exact same issue I had with Deadpool 2!
However, despite its flaws, Vol. 2 is still a lot of fun, and another decent entry into the cosmic MCU canon, and it's moving closing scene, set to Cat Stevens "Father & Son" is one of my favourites in the entire franchise. Also, Baby Groot.
A lot of it's strength lies in its stellar cast once again. All the key players from the first movie are back, with a whole heap of new faces, and expanded roles for side characters. New cast members include Kurt fucking Russell as none other than Ego the Living Planet, which is wild in itself, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, as well as smaller roles for Sylvester Stallone and Elizabeth Debicki. Bigger roles for Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker are also welcome.
In terms of material, it's brimming with Easter eggs, and hints at what's to come in the future - Adam Warlock, the original Guardians roster, The Watchers, Celestials - it has some truly wonderful moments for fans of the comics.
The plot is fun enough, and all leads to the subject of family and parenthood. It has some touching scenes amongst all the space battles. My main issue is with the comedy - the jokes and quips in Vol. 2 are absolutely relentless. Where as the first movie, and plenty of other MCU entries, manage to strike a fine balance in the more comedic side of things, Vol. 2 just throws everything and the kitchen sink at the script hoping that something will stick the landing, and there are plenty of funny lines here, but there's an equal amount of jokes that miss the mark. It becomes a little tiresome, and is the exact same issue I had with Deadpool 2!
However, despite its flaws, Vol. 2 is still a lot of fun, and another decent entry into the cosmic MCU canon, and it's moving closing scene, set to Cat Stevens "Father & Son" is one of my favourites in the entire franchise. Also, Baby Groot.
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Smitty's Sheriff (Hope #3) in Books
Dec 7, 2017
Smitty's Sheriff (Hope #3) by Cardeno C.
Smitty's Sheriff is the third book in the Hope series, and this series is one where I never know what I'm going to get. McFarland's Farm was a 4-star, Jesse's Diner was a 5. Each story is completely individual, and that is always a good thing.
Now, first off, I need to say that this story is of the same high quality as all of Cardeno C.'s work. The pace is smooth, the characters believable, and certain scenes are steamy enough for anyone.
The reason for my 3-stars is that whilst I enjoyed their story, I couldn't actually get with the relationship between the main two characters. I found myself getting quite annoyed whenever Rich spoke to Todd like he was a child. I know there is an age difference between them, but to me, their relationship was more father/son with sexy bits, rather than boyfriends/lovers/whatever you want to call them.
NOW, that is just my opinion, and I know that some readers will devour this story and love every word. I'm just sorry that I'm not one of them, although I did enjoy it. As it is Cardeno C.'s work, I have no hesitation in recommending this book, even if I didn't like it 100%.
* 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. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Now, first off, I need to say that this story is of the same high quality as all of Cardeno C.'s work. The pace is smooth, the characters believable, and certain scenes are steamy enough for anyone.
The reason for my 3-stars is that whilst I enjoyed their story, I couldn't actually get with the relationship between the main two characters. I found myself getting quite annoyed whenever Rich spoke to Todd like he was a child. I know there is an age difference between them, but to me, their relationship was more father/son with sexy bits, rather than boyfriends/lovers/whatever you want to call them.
NOW, that is just my opinion, and I know that some readers will devour this story and love every word. I'm just sorry that I'm not one of them, although I did enjoy it. As it is Cardeno C.'s work, I have no hesitation in recommending this book, even if I didn't like it 100%.
* 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. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Necole (36 KP) rated The Hospital: How I Survived the Secret Child Experiments at Aston Hall in Books
Aug 12, 2018
Wow … I had to keep putting this book down to wrap my head around the abuse and neglect that Barbara had to deal with at such a young age. It was a very emotionally read. My brain and heart didn't want to believe these events could happen to a child as I was reading it. I couldn't believe her real mom left her and left her in the care of her father.
When she was 5 with the emotional and physical abuse she endured from her father and the "mum" her father left her with. I couldn't believe her father would call her a dirty little tinker and belittle her like that and made her think she was nothing. And the "mum" she was left with, leaving her by herself, treating her the way she did, and using Barbara as a way to get money is such a disgrace.
And then when her dad had a son, to read how the two were treated completely differently all because of blood line, oh my heart went out for poor Barbara.
Unfortunately the abuse and turmoil continued after she was put in homes and then into the hospital. To read what happened in the hospital and what the Dr. did she Barbra and the other poor girls, I was in complete shock. Aston Hall was a complete nightmare and how any girl survived that is amazing in itself.
She finally was treated with dignity and love and kindness when she went to Blackbrook by some of the nuns, only to have that taken away and be mistreated yet again.
I commend Barbara for writing this story, to open our eyes to an event that occurred in 1971, and be brave enough to tell us her story. I praise the fact that she could over come all these obstacles in life and be how she is now. It is truly astonishing.
I just hate that she voiced what was going on to so many deaf ears and no one listened or believed her until she was in her teen years. I would hope in todays society that this would never happen and people are now more than ever willing to give children a voice, listen to them, and investigate. I wonder if this happened to Barbara now, would the abuse and neglect been stopped sooner.
I would so recommend this book but be prepared for a shocking, emotional and heart wrenching story. I hope Barbara knows now her own self worth and wish she would have known it her entire life.
When she was 5 with the emotional and physical abuse she endured from her father and the "mum" her father left her with. I couldn't believe her father would call her a dirty little tinker and belittle her like that and made her think she was nothing. And the "mum" she was left with, leaving her by herself, treating her the way she did, and using Barbara as a way to get money is such a disgrace.
And then when her dad had a son, to read how the two were treated completely differently all because of blood line, oh my heart went out for poor Barbara.
Unfortunately the abuse and turmoil continued after she was put in homes and then into the hospital. To read what happened in the hospital and what the Dr. did she Barbra and the other poor girls, I was in complete shock. Aston Hall was a complete nightmare and how any girl survived that is amazing in itself.
She finally was treated with dignity and love and kindness when she went to Blackbrook by some of the nuns, only to have that taken away and be mistreated yet again.
I commend Barbara for writing this story, to open our eyes to an event that occurred in 1971, and be brave enough to tell us her story. I praise the fact that she could over come all these obstacles in life and be how she is now. It is truly astonishing.
I just hate that she voiced what was going on to so many deaf ears and no one listened or believed her until she was in her teen years. I would hope in todays society that this would never happen and people are now more than ever willing to give children a voice, listen to them, and investigate. I wonder if this happened to Barbara now, would the abuse and neglect been stopped sooner.
I would so recommend this book but be prepared for a shocking, emotional and heart wrenching story. I hope Barbara knows now her own self worth and wish she would have known it her entire life.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Road to Reckoning in Books
Dec 17, 2018
My rating: 2.5.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Road to Reckoning</i> is British author Robert Lautner’s debut western-style novel. Set in the 1830s it follows a young boy’s long journey home through the open lands of America.
Tom Walker, now an elderly (or so it suggests) man, is giving an account of what happened to him during the year 1837 when “my life began” at the age of twelve. Tom’s father was a salesman who often let his son accompany him on his trips to sell spectacles. So when he receives the opportunity to pitch a new type of pistol known as a revolving gun for Samuel Colt at the <i>Patent Arms Manufacturing Company</i>, he brings Tom with him on the road. Originally living in New York they set out on a journey of many miles over several days demonstrating and taking orders for the pistol. However a dangerous encounter with a man, Thomas, Heywood, and his gang leaves Tom alone and orphaned.
There are two main characters to this story with Tom naturally being one of them. The other is an aging ranger named Henry Stands who Tom insists on following as he is travelling in the direction of New York and Tom’s home. To begin with Stands is very reluctant to have Tom tailing him on his journey especially as it becomes evident that he would have to provide for the boy. Stands ends up abandoning him but has a change of heart and returns in time to prevent Tom from being sent to St John’s Orphan Asylum.
And so their journey continues with Stands becoming kinder and even fatherly towards Tom, saving his life on more than one occasion; and Tom becoming all the more bolder. However the entire time is the fear and knowledge that Thomas Heywood is searching for Tom with the intention of leaving him in the same situation as his father – dead.
I have not read many western-style novels, and those that I have read I did not enjoy much, but <i>The Road to Reckoning</i> was better than I was anticipating. The main character being only twelve years old made the storyline more emotional especially when taking into account the death of his father and his growing attachment to Henry Stands.
The novel was well written and, although fictional, had an essence of factual truth about it. Samuel Colt was a real life American inventor who founded the <i>Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company</i>, which produced the revolver for commercial use. The blurb claims that fans of <i>Cold Mountain</i> and <i>True Grit</i>, neither of which I have read, would enjoy this story. Obviously I cannot give my opinion on that but I would say that to get the most out of reading <i>The Road to Reckoning</i> having an interest in western-style literature would be beneficial.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Road to Reckoning</i> is British author Robert Lautner’s debut western-style novel. Set in the 1830s it follows a young boy’s long journey home through the open lands of America.
Tom Walker, now an elderly (or so it suggests) man, is giving an account of what happened to him during the year 1837 when “my life began” at the age of twelve. Tom’s father was a salesman who often let his son accompany him on his trips to sell spectacles. So when he receives the opportunity to pitch a new type of pistol known as a revolving gun for Samuel Colt at the <i>Patent Arms Manufacturing Company</i>, he brings Tom with him on the road. Originally living in New York they set out on a journey of many miles over several days demonstrating and taking orders for the pistol. However a dangerous encounter with a man, Thomas, Heywood, and his gang leaves Tom alone and orphaned.
There are two main characters to this story with Tom naturally being one of them. The other is an aging ranger named Henry Stands who Tom insists on following as he is travelling in the direction of New York and Tom’s home. To begin with Stands is very reluctant to have Tom tailing him on his journey especially as it becomes evident that he would have to provide for the boy. Stands ends up abandoning him but has a change of heart and returns in time to prevent Tom from being sent to St John’s Orphan Asylum.
And so their journey continues with Stands becoming kinder and even fatherly towards Tom, saving his life on more than one occasion; and Tom becoming all the more bolder. However the entire time is the fear and knowledge that Thomas Heywood is searching for Tom with the intention of leaving him in the same situation as his father – dead.
I have not read many western-style novels, and those that I have read I did not enjoy much, but <i>The Road to Reckoning</i> was better than I was anticipating. The main character being only twelve years old made the storyline more emotional especially when taking into account the death of his father and his growing attachment to Henry Stands.
The novel was well written and, although fictional, had an essence of factual truth about it. Samuel Colt was a real life American inventor who founded the <i>Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company</i>, which produced the revolver for commercial use. The blurb claims that fans of <i>Cold Mountain</i> and <i>True Grit</i>, neither of which I have read, would enjoy this story. Obviously I cannot give my opinion on that but I would say that to get the most out of reading <i>The Road to Reckoning</i> having an interest in western-style literature would be beneficial.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Run All Night (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Run All Night” is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. The film stars Liam
Neeson, Joel Kinnaman and Ed Harris.
Liam Neeson plays Jimmy Conlon, an aging hit man who seems to be trying
to come to terms (and failing) with the bad things that he has done in
his life for Irish Mob boss Shawn Maguire(Ed Harris). Jimmy and his son
Mike (Joel Kinnamen) have no relationship, and Jimmy is alone in the
world except for Shawn.
In a convoluted story line, Shawns son Danny (Boyd Holbrook) tries to
“prove himself” to his father by arranging a deal with some drug running
Albanians, but since Shawn has taken his business away from dealing with
anything to do with drugs because of the people he has lost over that
sort of business, Shawn refuses the deal.
Things quickly head south, and in an even more convoluted story line,
Danny ends up dead, by Jimmys’ hand.
Shawn vows to get even, and the remainder of the movie is spent in car
chases, shoot outs, burning buildings, near escapes, and deaths.
I was pulled into the movie, and found myself caring what happened to
the main characters.
It was rather predictable, in the way that all “Mob” movies are
predictable, with the shooting and car chases etc.
What wasn’t so predictable was the amount of “caring” that Neeson was
able to project and portray and how invested he was able to make me as
an audience member. He played the part of an aging, emotionally and
physically beat down guy, with regrets about his relationship with his
son, trying against all odds to “make it right” this one last time, to
protect his family, at any cost to himself. I was pulling for him to be
able to get it done.
The one part of the movie that i didn’t like was the “swooping” with the
camera angles, when jumping (literally) from one scene or location to
the next in the movie. I found it to be dizzying and I had to close my
eyes until those parts were done.
Neeson, Joel Kinnaman and Ed Harris.
Liam Neeson plays Jimmy Conlon, an aging hit man who seems to be trying
to come to terms (and failing) with the bad things that he has done in
his life for Irish Mob boss Shawn Maguire(Ed Harris). Jimmy and his son
Mike (Joel Kinnamen) have no relationship, and Jimmy is alone in the
world except for Shawn.
In a convoluted story line, Shawns son Danny (Boyd Holbrook) tries to
“prove himself” to his father by arranging a deal with some drug running
Albanians, but since Shawn has taken his business away from dealing with
anything to do with drugs because of the people he has lost over that
sort of business, Shawn refuses the deal.
Things quickly head south, and in an even more convoluted story line,
Danny ends up dead, by Jimmys’ hand.
Shawn vows to get even, and the remainder of the movie is spent in car
chases, shoot outs, burning buildings, near escapes, and deaths.
I was pulled into the movie, and found myself caring what happened to
the main characters.
It was rather predictable, in the way that all “Mob” movies are
predictable, with the shooting and car chases etc.
What wasn’t so predictable was the amount of “caring” that Neeson was
able to project and portray and how invested he was able to make me as
an audience member. He played the part of an aging, emotionally and
physically beat down guy, with regrets about his relationship with his
son, trying against all odds to “make it right” this one last time, to
protect his family, at any cost to himself. I was pulling for him to be
able to get it done.
The one part of the movie that i didn’t like was the “swooping” with the
camera angles, when jumping (literally) from one scene or location to
the next in the movie. I found it to be dizzying and I had to close my
eyes until those parts were done.