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Shelle Perry (66 KP) rated Railroaded 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery) in Books
Sep 2, 2021
That Cover! 5 stars
But seriously, I honestly can imagine Streetman behaving that way. Every time I see the cover I giggle just a little bit. Between his actual antics and Sophie’s love-to-hate-him relationship, it is safe to say the dog is the star of the show (and he probably knows it too)
How Sophie keeps her sanity with her mom, her mom’s friends, and that dog is beyond me. Any one of them is a natural disaster waiting to happen without the involvement of the rest, but together???
When a friend of Sophie’s mom is wrongly accused of murdering her probably philandering husband, the book club goes undercover into a dance group and a model train club with some hilarious results. Actual experience with either activity is apparently not required. These Arizona seniors are a force to be reckoned with and they take no prisoners. With operation Agatha in full swing, Sophie is dragged into helping them find proof of the woman’s innocence any way she can.
You can’t go wrong with a J.C. Eaton book. Fun, (sometimes frustratingly) quirky characters, and a great quest of a mystery with a satisfying unsuspected ending coupled with just enough of the ongoing drama that is the life that Sophie shares with her mom and her sleuthing friends keep readers coming back for more, page after page, book after book. Plus, you know, a tap-dancing dog… It is always an enjoyable reading experience.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
But seriously, I honestly can imagine Streetman behaving that way. Every time I see the cover I giggle just a little bit. Between his actual antics and Sophie’s love-to-hate-him relationship, it is safe to say the dog is the star of the show (and he probably knows it too)
How Sophie keeps her sanity with her mom, her mom’s friends, and that dog is beyond me. Any one of them is a natural disaster waiting to happen without the involvement of the rest, but together???
When a friend of Sophie’s mom is wrongly accused of murdering her probably philandering husband, the book club goes undercover into a dance group and a model train club with some hilarious results. Actual experience with either activity is apparently not required. These Arizona seniors are a force to be reckoned with and they take no prisoners. With operation Agatha in full swing, Sophie is dragged into helping them find proof of the woman’s innocence any way she can.
You can’t go wrong with a J.C. Eaton book. Fun, (sometimes frustratingly) quirky characters, and a great quest of a mystery with a satisfying unsuspected ending coupled with just enough of the ongoing drama that is the life that Sophie shares with her mom and her sleuthing friends keep readers coming back for more, page after page, book after book. Plus, you know, a tap-dancing dog… It is always an enjoyable reading experience.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) in Movies
Dec 16, 2021
Let me start of by saying Spider-Man: No Way Home is a true cinematic experience. In terms of the MCU, it's a fully fledged event movie, but it's one that had the screen I was in, cheering and clapping. I haven't seen that in a long long time.
I'll keep this fairly short as to not dive into spoiler territory. NWH manages to serve as many things. It's a fantastic third entry into Jon Watts Spider-Man trilogy. It's a story that really puts Peter Parker through the mill. The last two have been very fun adventures. This one feels like it has consequences, and has much heavier plot beats than before.
It's also a unabashed love letter to the past Spider-Man film franchises, with familiar villains pouring in from all corners. The respect this film shows to the narratives and characters of the past films is air tight, whilst poking fun at sillier elements, and even a few memes that have surfaced over the years.
It's also an extremely important chapter in the wider MCU narrative, dealing with the multiverse, and essentially setting up Doctor Strange 2. Needless to say, it feels that Phase 4 is truly in full swing.
It's brimming with wonderful character moments (I definitely nearly cried), thrilling set pieces, and it's pacing sees it's hefty runtime fly by.
No Way Home is nothing short of excellent. An exciting new step for the MCU, a veritable treat for fans of the older films, and is a triumph in every sense of the word. One of those movies that I wish I could experience for the first time again.
I'll keep this fairly short as to not dive into spoiler territory. NWH manages to serve as many things. It's a fantastic third entry into Jon Watts Spider-Man trilogy. It's a story that really puts Peter Parker through the mill. The last two have been very fun adventures. This one feels like it has consequences, and has much heavier plot beats than before.
It's also a unabashed love letter to the past Spider-Man film franchises, with familiar villains pouring in from all corners. The respect this film shows to the narratives and characters of the past films is air tight, whilst poking fun at sillier elements, and even a few memes that have surfaced over the years.
It's also an extremely important chapter in the wider MCU narrative, dealing with the multiverse, and essentially setting up Doctor Strange 2. Needless to say, it feels that Phase 4 is truly in full swing.
It's brimming with wonderful character moments (I definitely nearly cried), thrilling set pieces, and it's pacing sees it's hefty runtime fly by.
No Way Home is nothing short of excellent. An exciting new step for the MCU, a veritable treat for fans of the older films, and is a triumph in every sense of the word. One of those movies that I wish I could experience for the first time again.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Kill the Father in Books
Sep 22, 2017
Filled with Twists and Turns
This was one of the better thriller/mystery novels I have read so far this year. Wow. It was well written, filled with lots of twists and turns and the way everything is tied together is fantastic and makes the writing flow to keep you engaged and the pages turning.
The characters speak for themselves. They’re heavily flawed and are dealing with horrible pasts. I like both of them and Dante and Colomba do make a great team. Dante certainly has his quirks and his mannerisms due to his being a previous kidnapping victim. It feels like they certainly complement each other and they have an amazing chemistry when working together. They’re both very strong characters, no doubt.
If any of you have read The Monster’s Daughter by Michelle Pretorius I found some similarities between Colomba and Alet in the fact they both don’t take crap and go beyond their limits to solve things and they’re certainly not afraid to take a swing or kick to make their point across (Colomba has a good share of that throughout the book)
The plot was really good and what I really enjoyed reading the most was the way everything was seamless and how it was put together. Everything that happened to Colomba and Dante was related and well explained. The explanation as to the origins of Colomba’s situation was very well done! I enjoyed that aspect of the plot. The only thing is, the book is rather long and the plot a bit on the slow side but it’s nevertheless a great read and going through the twists and turns was completely worth it.
And yes, there’s a cliffhanger ending. I can’t wait to read the second one.
The characters speak for themselves. They’re heavily flawed and are dealing with horrible pasts. I like both of them and Dante and Colomba do make a great team. Dante certainly has his quirks and his mannerisms due to his being a previous kidnapping victim. It feels like they certainly complement each other and they have an amazing chemistry when working together. They’re both very strong characters, no doubt.
If any of you have read The Monster’s Daughter by Michelle Pretorius I found some similarities between Colomba and Alet in the fact they both don’t take crap and go beyond their limits to solve things and they’re certainly not afraid to take a swing or kick to make their point across (Colomba has a good share of that throughout the book)
The plot was really good and what I really enjoyed reading the most was the way everything was seamless and how it was put together. Everything that happened to Colomba and Dante was related and well explained. The explanation as to the origins of Colomba’s situation was very well done! I enjoyed that aspect of the plot. The only thing is, the book is rather long and the plot a bit on the slow side but it’s nevertheless a great read and going through the twists and turns was completely worth it.
And yes, there’s a cliffhanger ending. I can’t wait to read the second one.
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Grim Company in Books
Sep 27, 2017
Once I got into the swing of the book (it chops and changes between different characters each chapter) I started to really enjoy it. I like being thrown into a world without having a long made-up history lesson first and getting straight into the action.
I liked the setting for this book: numerous city states ruled by magelords who are constantly battling each other.
We join the action just as one magelord overcomes another (from a distance), but in the aftermath a third looks to capitalise on the weakened victor's defences.
I like how nobody was really the good guy here, everyone was pretty sure they would be fighting for an evil overlord against someone who would likely be just as evil. Citizens were unwilling to fight for their own magelord because their own lives couldn't possibly get any worse.
As is common in more modern, "grimdark" fantasy, none of the characters are the flawless hero of old, all have their own failings and foibles, whether it be drug abuse, being useless, being a psychopath or just generally nasty. All except Brodar Kayne, who for me was somewhat reminiscent of Logen Ninefingers from Joe Abercrombie's First Law series. He is an aging warrior who is no longer welcome in the savage North and is looking for a new life in the baffling, more civilised South.
I found the story and characters somewhat similar to Joe Abercrombie's in other areas, but the writing style was very different, flowing much more smoothly I would say. And this is not to suggest in any way it is a rip-off of the First Law series, only that some of the characters and certain aspects of the plot bore a similarity.
Altogether a thoroughly enjoyable read with a well designed world and great characters.
I liked the setting for this book: numerous city states ruled by magelords who are constantly battling each other.
We join the action just as one magelord overcomes another (from a distance), but in the aftermath a third looks to capitalise on the weakened victor's defences.
I like how nobody was really the good guy here, everyone was pretty sure they would be fighting for an evil overlord against someone who would likely be just as evil. Citizens were unwilling to fight for their own magelord because their own lives couldn't possibly get any worse.
As is common in more modern, "grimdark" fantasy, none of the characters are the flawless hero of old, all have their own failings and foibles, whether it be drug abuse, being useless, being a psychopath or just generally nasty. All except Brodar Kayne, who for me was somewhat reminiscent of Logen Ninefingers from Joe Abercrombie's First Law series. He is an aging warrior who is no longer welcome in the savage North and is looking for a new life in the baffling, more civilised South.
I found the story and characters somewhat similar to Joe Abercrombie's in other areas, but the writing style was very different, flowing much more smoothly I would say. And this is not to suggest in any way it is a rip-off of the First Law series, only that some of the characters and certain aspects of the plot bore a similarity.
Altogether a thoroughly enjoyable read with a well designed world and great characters.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Overlord (2018) in Movies
Feb 3, 2019
Crazy Insane
When a team of American troops take on a routine mission in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, they stumble upon something abnormal and horrifying that they weren’t expecting.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
From it’s heartpounding beginning to crazy conclusion, you’re put right in front of consistent action. They are the kind of scenes that leave you wanting more. Intensity awaits at every turn with gun battles, explosions, and crazy zombie(esque) fights. The action was managed perfectly, not overdone in anyway.
Genre: 7
Memorability: 8
I remember jumping quite a few times while watching Overlord. It’s one of those movies where you, as an audience member, recognize something is wrong, but the characters don’t seem to pick up on it until it’s too late. Some of the things you see are quite unsettling and hard to get out of your memory.
Pace: 8
Overlord moves at a steady speed, although not perfect. I would prefer “breakneck” with a movie like this, but instead you get “just over the speed limit”. Fortunately there are only a handful of lulls, but they seem to come at the worst times right when you expect the train to keep rolling.
Plot: 7
Resolution: 10
I won’t give anything away, but the ending left me both satisfied and hoping for more. There is definitely room for some kind of a sequel here if they wanted to go that route. All the loose ends that needed to be tied up were taken care of.
Overall: 90
I can’t stress enough that I appreciate when certain genres get reused for the sake of being spun in a different fashion. Sometimes it’s a big miss (insert Pride and Prejudice and Zombies here). Other times, a film succeeds with a big swing. Overlord hits a home run.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
From it’s heartpounding beginning to crazy conclusion, you’re put right in front of consistent action. They are the kind of scenes that leave you wanting more. Intensity awaits at every turn with gun battles, explosions, and crazy zombie(esque) fights. The action was managed perfectly, not overdone in anyway.
Genre: 7
Memorability: 8
I remember jumping quite a few times while watching Overlord. It’s one of those movies where you, as an audience member, recognize something is wrong, but the characters don’t seem to pick up on it until it’s too late. Some of the things you see are quite unsettling and hard to get out of your memory.
Pace: 8
Overlord moves at a steady speed, although not perfect. I would prefer “breakneck” with a movie like this, but instead you get “just over the speed limit”. Fortunately there are only a handful of lulls, but they seem to come at the worst times right when you expect the train to keep rolling.
Plot: 7
Resolution: 10
I won’t give anything away, but the ending left me both satisfied and hoping for more. There is definitely room for some kind of a sequel here if they wanted to go that route. All the loose ends that needed to be tied up were taken care of.
Overall: 90
I can’t stress enough that I appreciate when certain genres get reused for the sake of being spun in a different fashion. Sometimes it’s a big miss (insert Pride and Prejudice and Zombies here). Other times, a film succeeds with a big swing. Overlord hits a home run.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Room on the Porch Swing (Amish Homestead #2) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
I'm so excited to be back on the Homestead with another amazing hit from the incredibly talented hands of Amish author, Amy Clipston. She is one of my top authors when it comes to writing Amish novels and she has once again managed to completely capture my heart and my soul with these beautifully created characters and this page turning plot line.
Instantly, I'm drawn to Allen. Bless him, from the start, I had tears in my eyes and I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him God's in control and all will work out. He was wonderfully chiseled, wonderfully life-like and I fell in love with him instantly. Laura's character was wonderful, as well, and I was so happy she was there in a tragic time! She really made the story pop. And sweet Mollie......oh sweet Mollie. A little character that was a perfect addition (not that I think that because of our names, though spelled differently, being the same!). These characters, while suffering from tragic events, were characters that became a part of me, wholly, like family.
I highly recommend this 5 star addition to the Amish Homestead series. You'll be instantly captivated, turning page after page, long into the night. This book is emotional, yet full of God's grace, God's timing and characters that you'll want to invite to your own porch swing and sip tea and visit with until the sun sets on the horizon. Ms. Clipston, you've done it again and I can't sign praises high enough for another hit! Bring on the next!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Instantly, I'm drawn to Allen. Bless him, from the start, I had tears in my eyes and I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him God's in control and all will work out. He was wonderfully chiseled, wonderfully life-like and I fell in love with him instantly. Laura's character was wonderful, as well, and I was so happy she was there in a tragic time! She really made the story pop. And sweet Mollie......oh sweet Mollie. A little character that was a perfect addition (not that I think that because of our names, though spelled differently, being the same!). These characters, while suffering from tragic events, were characters that became a part of me, wholly, like family.
I highly recommend this 5 star addition to the Amish Homestead series. You'll be instantly captivated, turning page after page, long into the night. This book is emotional, yet full of God's grace, God's timing and characters that you'll want to invite to your own porch swing and sip tea and visit with until the sun sets on the horizon. Ms. Clipston, you've done it again and I can't sign praises high enough for another hit! Bring on the next!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Hopefuls in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Beth is less than thrilled when her husband, Matt, announces they are moving to Washington, DC. Beth loves New York City and all that comes with it, and DC is an intense culture shock. Matt is involved with President Obama's campaign and the couple's life revolves completely around politics. Beth, a writer, tires easily of the endless business talk and her husband's obsession with politics and the DC scene. Soon Matt and Beth meet Jimmy and Ashleigh. Jimmy works at the White House as well. The couples become fast friends, sharing meals, parties, and vacations. But as Jimmy raises in the ranks in politics, the friendship becomes quickly threatened by jealousy.
I was intrigued by the premise of this book--a relationship set to the backdrop of the Obama campaign and administration. Living close to the DC area, I can say that Close's description of many DC citizens is spot on: the Blackberrys, the obsession with security clearance and work standing, the fashion. She's excellent at weaving a story in the details.
The problem, however, is that Beth--the novel's narrator--is just so dull. She's beyond passive, willing to watch life unravel as she watches. It doesn't seem as if Beth is interested in anything, beyond whining. After a while, I just became so frustrated with her, I wanted to scream. It doesn't help that her husband, Matt, is similarly self-absorbed, and Jimmy and Ashleigh aren't any more likable. The book sort of bumps along, with no real movement to swing it along, or a character with any redeeming quality of any sort (good or bad). Even the DC details can't save this often frustrating novel from its own irksome and passive characters. 2.5 stars.
I was intrigued by the premise of this book--a relationship set to the backdrop of the Obama campaign and administration. Living close to the DC area, I can say that Close's description of many DC citizens is spot on: the Blackberrys, the obsession with security clearance and work standing, the fashion. She's excellent at weaving a story in the details.
The problem, however, is that Beth--the novel's narrator--is just so dull. She's beyond passive, willing to watch life unravel as she watches. It doesn't seem as if Beth is interested in anything, beyond whining. After a while, I just became so frustrated with her, I wanted to scream. It doesn't help that her husband, Matt, is similarly self-absorbed, and Jimmy and Ashleigh aren't any more likable. The book sort of bumps along, with no real movement to swing it along, or a character with any redeeming quality of any sort (good or bad). Even the DC details can't save this often frustrating novel from its own irksome and passive characters. 2.5 stars.
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Trelloran Seduction in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Trelloran Seduction is the first book in The Making of a Goddess series. It deals with a harsh environment that not all readers will enjoy. Not only are vampires involved, but women are 'sacrificed' on their 30th birthday, and their brain fluid taken from their bodies. Not only that, but a rape culture by Church is in full swing, only they call it 'Cleansing'. Add into the mix a nymph who can shapechange at will, who has been held captive for hundreds of years, and brainwashed into doing her duty to the priests who rape her, impregnate her, and then, once she gives birth, her babies are given to the vampires as food. Like I say, this is NOT suited to all readers!
However, the very things that make this book quite a dark one to read, also offer the hope of light. Two characters come together, both hurt and traumatised by their pasts. You see them slowly start to trust each other, to understand each other. Now, of course, it's not all love and light. This is a dark book, after all, and betrayal comes when you least expect it and from a direction that although known, you think is a red herring. It's not, and it hurts all the more because of that!
This is very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow. This part of the story is nicely concluded, whilst leaving you with an opening to the next book. With plenty of action and suspense, this is a brilliant book that certainly kept my attention throughout. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
However, the very things that make this book quite a dark one to read, also offer the hope of light. Two characters come together, both hurt and traumatised by their pasts. You see them slowly start to trust each other, to understand each other. Now, of course, it's not all love and light. This is a dark book, after all, and betrayal comes when you least expect it and from a direction that although known, you think is a red herring. It's not, and it hurts all the more because of that!
This is very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow. This part of the story is nicely concluded, whilst leaving you with an opening to the next book. With plenty of action and suspense, this is a brilliant book that certainly kept my attention throughout. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!