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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated I Am Lisa (2020) in Movies
Oct 4, 2020
This caught my eye on the Fright Fest line-up for its intriguing idea, who doesn't love werewolves?
Lisa returns to her small town home where she's terrorised by local tough girl Jess and her friends. When Lisa tries to report the incident to the sheriff, Jess' mother, her report is dismissed, standing strong she persists and they decide on a different course of action. After brutally beating her they leave her body in the woods for the wolves, little fo they know that Lisa was rescued from the attack and has come away with a supernatural gift and a desire for retribution.
There's a female heavy cast in I Am Lisa and it works really well, the dynamics for the most part are really impressive. From friendship to family, love and hatred, you get to see some real talent on display. The outstanding performance for me was Carmen Anello as Jessica, every change of emotion was clear and expressive, very early on it was obvious just how talented she was.
I Am Lisa manages to convey a small town gone wrong vibe and shows the consequences of a family run dynamic, if that family happens to be corrupt. The town rundown, the dismissive manner, the muted colours, all create just the right atmosphere for the film.
The story itself was a great concept, it introduced the main theme with subtlety and leaves some intrigue to keep you going. The only real problem with it is that the link between the man in the woods and the Huckins family is a little on the vague side and could have done with being a little clearer.
It's always interesting to see how films handle transformations, and I Am Lisa is quite subtle about it. The main transformations blend well when used, it's definitely a good take on the werewolf principle until... the end... all I could think of was Buffy, and that undid some of the good thoughts.
My last comment would probably have to be about some of the violence, on more than one occasion characters slap each other and you can tell they hold back. If you're not going to go 100% then you need to cut the footage so that you can't tell.
Apart from the few little blips, this is a solid film and an enjoyable watch, I'm really glad I had the opportunity to see it.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/10/i-am-lisa-movie-review.html
Lisa returns to her small town home where she's terrorised by local tough girl Jess and her friends. When Lisa tries to report the incident to the sheriff, Jess' mother, her report is dismissed, standing strong she persists and they decide on a different course of action. After brutally beating her they leave her body in the woods for the wolves, little fo they know that Lisa was rescued from the attack and has come away with a supernatural gift and a desire for retribution.
There's a female heavy cast in I Am Lisa and it works really well, the dynamics for the most part are really impressive. From friendship to family, love and hatred, you get to see some real talent on display. The outstanding performance for me was Carmen Anello as Jessica, every change of emotion was clear and expressive, very early on it was obvious just how talented she was.
I Am Lisa manages to convey a small town gone wrong vibe and shows the consequences of a family run dynamic, if that family happens to be corrupt. The town rundown, the dismissive manner, the muted colours, all create just the right atmosphere for the film.
The story itself was a great concept, it introduced the main theme with subtlety and leaves some intrigue to keep you going. The only real problem with it is that the link between the man in the woods and the Huckins family is a little on the vague side and could have done with being a little clearer.
It's always interesting to see how films handle transformations, and I Am Lisa is quite subtle about it. The main transformations blend well when used, it's definitely a good take on the werewolf principle until... the end... all I could think of was Buffy, and that undid some of the good thoughts.
My last comment would probably have to be about some of the violence, on more than one occasion characters slap each other and you can tell they hold back. If you're not going to go 100% then you need to cut the footage so that you can't tell.
Apart from the few little blips, this is a solid film and an enjoyable watch, I'm really glad I had the opportunity to see it.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/10/i-am-lisa-movie-review.html
Debbiereadsbook (1730 KP) rated A Matcha Made in Hell (Boyfriend Café #1) in Books
Sep 15, 2023
really rather good!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.
For a long time, I've avoided bully romances. I've no idea why; I did the same wth the step brother romances a while back. But something about THIS book piqued my interest. And I jumped straight in.
Much like I'm gonna do with my review.
I liked this, a lot. I can't quite love though, simply because it's FIRST person, PRESENT tense AND multi point of view. Many kudos to the author for me not realising that til a way in, though, it's just not a preference of mine.
I loved the idea of the Boyfriend Cafe, not so much the reason for it, but I could see this taking off in some places. I loved Albert, in turn, the new hires to the cafe. Rhett is the driving force behind the cafe, which kinda makes his own love life a mockery: there simply isn't one.
Until Spencer Marsh turns up in teh cafe with his girlfriend. Then, things kinda take a kookie turn and one thing leads to another.
But what I especially liked about that meeting, was Rhett was strong against Spencer. Rhett knew he wasn't the same boy he was in high school, and Rhett stood up to Spencer. Not quite in the way I think he was expecting to, but still!
Spencer, in turn, knows he did Rhett wrong at school, and coming to this college was supposed to be his fresh start. His feelings for Rhett whoop him upside the head a little bit out of nowhere, and when Rhett does that thing where he tells Spencer what to do?? Spencer cannot deny Rhett anything.
The feelings kinda creep up and both Rhett AND Spencer, but I loved that. Yes there is early chemistry, that spark burns right through the book, but the FEELINGS creep up on them. Why Spencer was the way he was in school was hardly surprising but that Spencer still tries to impress his dad was. Dad kinda comes good, but not until the epilogue and only on Spencer's terms.
I like this group of people, they all have tales to tell, I hope!
This is, as far as I can see, the first that I have read by this author. I like the way they tell their tales. I love this about reviewing: you come across authors all the time with backlists, that then grace you to read shelf!
4 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
For a long time, I've avoided bully romances. I've no idea why; I did the same wth the step brother romances a while back. But something about THIS book piqued my interest. And I jumped straight in.
Much like I'm gonna do with my review.
I liked this, a lot. I can't quite love though, simply because it's FIRST person, PRESENT tense AND multi point of view. Many kudos to the author for me not realising that til a way in, though, it's just not a preference of mine.
I loved the idea of the Boyfriend Cafe, not so much the reason for it, but I could see this taking off in some places. I loved Albert, in turn, the new hires to the cafe. Rhett is the driving force behind the cafe, which kinda makes his own love life a mockery: there simply isn't one.
Until Spencer Marsh turns up in teh cafe with his girlfriend. Then, things kinda take a kookie turn and one thing leads to another.
But what I especially liked about that meeting, was Rhett was strong against Spencer. Rhett knew he wasn't the same boy he was in high school, and Rhett stood up to Spencer. Not quite in the way I think he was expecting to, but still!
Spencer, in turn, knows he did Rhett wrong at school, and coming to this college was supposed to be his fresh start. His feelings for Rhett whoop him upside the head a little bit out of nowhere, and when Rhett does that thing where he tells Spencer what to do?? Spencer cannot deny Rhett anything.
The feelings kinda creep up and both Rhett AND Spencer, but I loved that. Yes there is early chemistry, that spark burns right through the book, but the FEELINGS creep up on them. Why Spencer was the way he was in school was hardly surprising but that Spencer still tries to impress his dad was. Dad kinda comes good, but not until the epilogue and only on Spencer's terms.
I like this group of people, they all have tales to tell, I hope!
This is, as far as I can see, the first that I have read by this author. I like the way they tell their tales. I love this about reviewing: you come across authors all the time with backlists, that then grace you to read shelf!
4 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Dark Tales in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This is a really generous collection of short stories. There are 17 in this book in total, with the longest being only 24 pages (which feels like loads after reading 10 page stories practically all the way through)!
<b><i>The Possibility of Evil - 3 stars</i></b>
I wasn’t all that interested in this short until right at the very end. The last line was fantastically horrible.
<b><i>Louisa, Please Come Home - 3 stars</i></b>
Hm. This one was good but not great. It was sad, more than anything.
<b><i>Paranoia - 5 stars</i></b>
This story was great! It gripped me right from the start and had my heart pounding as Mr Beresford was rushing to get home and away from “light hat”. Fantastically creepy ending too.
<b><i>The Honeymoon of Mrs Smith - 2 stars</i></b>
I liked the prose and everything but I didn’t get it? Probably me just being stupid but… yeah.
<b><i>The Story We Used to Tell - 3 stars</i></b>
There was certainly an eeriness about this story but I didn’t like how it took on a sort of paranormal turn, when the rest of the stories have been based on human nature.
<b><i>The Sorcerer's Apprentice - 2 stars </i></b>
This one was just really dull in comparison to the other ones.
<b><i>Jack the Ripper - 4 stars </i></b>
I liked this one because it was creepy and kind of left you to your own imagination. I love any kind of story that focuses on the Ripper because everyone makes him their own.
<b><i>The Beautiful Stranger - 3 stars </i></b>
If you can’t already tell from my previous mini reviews, I prefer the creepy stories, and this wasn’t that, but it was still an interesting story, just not my favourite.
<b><i>All She Said Was Yes - 4 stars</i></b>
I liked this story because it was a little bit different and the ending has you going “No! No! Don’t do it!”. I like it when a book conjures up that emotion from you.
<b><i>What a Thought - 4 stars</i></b>
Hasn’t just about everyone had a murderous thoughts before? This was a good story because I could relate to some of it. (That all sounds so bad, don’t worry, I’m not planning on ever killing anyone).
<b><i>The Bus - 4 stars</i></b>
I really liked this one! It got super creepy when she arrived at the old house and I loved the twist ending!
<b><i>Family Treasures - 3 stars</i></b>
I enjoyed this one all the way up to then end. Girls are so terribly bitchy, Jackson got the atmosphere in the house perfectly right!
<b><i>A Visit - 3 stars</i></b>
I liked how the mystery built in this story but I didn’t particularly like how to story ended. I also felt that the timings were a little all over the place, which confused me at some parts.
<b><i>The Good Wife - 3 stars</i></b>
I didn’t mind this story but it was very predictable. I was hoping the end wouldn’t be what I was expecting it to be, but alas.
<b><i>The Man in the Woods - 4 stars</i></b>
This story had a bit of a fairy tale feel to it, which made it a lot more enjoyable for me.
<b><i>Home - 4 stars</i></b>
OK, so I know I said earlier in this review that I didn’t like one of the stories taking on a paranormal element, but I liked it in this one! I kind of reminded me of Beetlejuice because of the bridge lol.
<b><i>The Summer People - 4 stars</i></b>
Eep, this one was creepy! I liked the whole creepy local community vibe it had to it and how the Allison’s were no longer welcome… Very good end to this collection of shorts.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
<b><i>The Possibility of Evil - 3 stars</i></b>
I wasn’t all that interested in this short until right at the very end. The last line was fantastically horrible.
<b><i>Louisa, Please Come Home - 3 stars</i></b>
Hm. This one was good but not great. It was sad, more than anything.
<b><i>Paranoia - 5 stars</i></b>
This story was great! It gripped me right from the start and had my heart pounding as Mr Beresford was rushing to get home and away from “light hat”. Fantastically creepy ending too.
<b><i>The Honeymoon of Mrs Smith - 2 stars</i></b>
I liked the prose and everything but I didn’t get it? Probably me just being stupid but… yeah.
<b><i>The Story We Used to Tell - 3 stars</i></b>
There was certainly an eeriness about this story but I didn’t like how it took on a sort of paranormal turn, when the rest of the stories have been based on human nature.
<b><i>The Sorcerer's Apprentice - 2 stars </i></b>
This one was just really dull in comparison to the other ones.
<b><i>Jack the Ripper - 4 stars </i></b>
I liked this one because it was creepy and kind of left you to your own imagination. I love any kind of story that focuses on the Ripper because everyone makes him their own.
<b><i>The Beautiful Stranger - 3 stars </i></b>
If you can’t already tell from my previous mini reviews, I prefer the creepy stories, and this wasn’t that, but it was still an interesting story, just not my favourite.
<b><i>All She Said Was Yes - 4 stars</i></b>
I liked this story because it was a little bit different and the ending has you going “No! No! Don’t do it!”. I like it when a book conjures up that emotion from you.
<b><i>What a Thought - 4 stars</i></b>
Hasn’t just about everyone had a murderous thoughts before? This was a good story because I could relate to some of it. (That all sounds so bad, don’t worry, I’m not planning on ever killing anyone).
<b><i>The Bus - 4 stars</i></b>
I really liked this one! It got super creepy when she arrived at the old house and I loved the twist ending!
<b><i>Family Treasures - 3 stars</i></b>
I enjoyed this one all the way up to then end. Girls are so terribly bitchy, Jackson got the atmosphere in the house perfectly right!
<b><i>A Visit - 3 stars</i></b>
I liked how the mystery built in this story but I didn’t particularly like how to story ended. I also felt that the timings were a little all over the place, which confused me at some parts.
<b><i>The Good Wife - 3 stars</i></b>
I didn’t mind this story but it was very predictable. I was hoping the end wouldn’t be what I was expecting it to be, but alas.
<b><i>The Man in the Woods - 4 stars</i></b>
This story had a bit of a fairy tale feel to it, which made it a lot more enjoyable for me.
<b><i>Home - 4 stars</i></b>
OK, so I know I said earlier in this review that I didn’t like one of the stories taking on a paranormal element, but I liked it in this one! I kind of reminded me of Beetlejuice because of the bridge lol.
<b><i>The Summer People - 4 stars</i></b>
Eep, this one was creepy! I liked the whole creepy local community vibe it had to it and how the Allison’s were no longer welcome… Very good end to this collection of shorts.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Debbiereadsbook (1730 KP) rated Whispers and Wings (Brodyr Alarch #6) in Books
Dec 18, 2025
OUTSTANDING!
I was gifted my copy of this book.
Gimme a few, ok? Cos it's taken me two days to get to this point after finishing and for me to come down, so if this review runs away with itself, I'm-a sorry, ok??
THis is book 6, the FINAL book in the Brodyr Alarch series. Now, I will say all the other 5 books can be read as stand alone books, within the series, and reading the prequel novel, Sealed with A Curse would be helpful, but not strictly necessary. HOWEVER, for THIS book, I think it's necessary to read Sealed first. It will give you the full scope of Gerallt's cruelty to Selene, and how his wing came to be. Because you don't get a full recap here, just hints as to what he did.
And you need that, because this book is heavy!
You can feel Gerallt's guilt about what he did, right from the start and you can feel the pressure he puts himself under. You can feel that pain he feels, every time he looks at Selene and remembers what he did to her. She has long since forgiven him and all the brothers, but Gerallt was the eldest, the instigator, and he knows that he can never atone for his sins, even after he paid his dues via the curse and it was lifted.
What this book is, my dear peeps, is a masterclass in keeping your writing head on, while everything else goes to pot, and actually being able to do Gerallt justice, because Lord knows the man needs his happy ever after!
I found myself crying for Gerallt in places, and Aderyn too, but not as much as Gerallt. When you find out how he judges himself, and what he did, it's painful reading. Aderyn lost a lot when her friend betrayed her, and you feel her pain too, but not as keenly as Gerallt.
I think, I've been waiting for Gerallt for so very long, so very VERY long, now I've finished his story, I want to cry from him all over again. It's taken him 24 years to get to this point, and now he has to make a decision.
I'm not going to tell you his decision, but I will tell you this: when he says those words, you feel the weight lifting off him, almost seeing it coming off the page, it's THAT powerful a scene. Honestly? I had to keep putting this down and coming back to it, because Gerallt pain for nearly all of the book is palapable, you can taste it.
There's no smex in this book, I don't think Aderyn and Gerallt even kiss, but there is so much emotion! So very much emotion, I'm getting emotional writing this review!
This book is full of Ms Sheppard's skill at describing things: people, places, things. She manages to enable you to see, so very clearly, what she is talking about. Example: when talking about the glamour on the castle, you can see it shifting the light slightly, shifting what people see. It's quite a skill!
I don't add books lightly to my Masterpiece shelf, and this is the third book I have added to that shelf in 3 weeks! But I must. I cannot NOT add it, because I think, given the wait for this book, it had the opportunity to be a diappointment and it really is quite the opposite.
This book is OUTSTANDING!!
But Lord now I'm sad. Sad because all the brothers have their happy ever after, Selene and Conway are happy with their family, and the Gods are happy, that Their subjects are happy, but it breaks my heart because this is the last time I'll be reading about these people!
Anyway, I told you this might run away with itself, and it did, so I'm wrapping this up, before I go and spoiler alert you!
The other books in the series have all been 4 or 5 stars, but this one?? Far surpasses any of those books and by a long mile.
5 full and shiny, but very VERY sad stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Gimme a few, ok? Cos it's taken me two days to get to this point after finishing and for me to come down, so if this review runs away with itself, I'm-a sorry, ok??
THis is book 6, the FINAL book in the Brodyr Alarch series. Now, I will say all the other 5 books can be read as stand alone books, within the series, and reading the prequel novel, Sealed with A Curse would be helpful, but not strictly necessary. HOWEVER, for THIS book, I think it's necessary to read Sealed first. It will give you the full scope of Gerallt's cruelty to Selene, and how his wing came to be. Because you don't get a full recap here, just hints as to what he did.
And you need that, because this book is heavy!
You can feel Gerallt's guilt about what he did, right from the start and you can feel the pressure he puts himself under. You can feel that pain he feels, every time he looks at Selene and remembers what he did to her. She has long since forgiven him and all the brothers, but Gerallt was the eldest, the instigator, and he knows that he can never atone for his sins, even after he paid his dues via the curse and it was lifted.
What this book is, my dear peeps, is a masterclass in keeping your writing head on, while everything else goes to pot, and actually being able to do Gerallt justice, because Lord knows the man needs his happy ever after!
I found myself crying for Gerallt in places, and Aderyn too, but not as much as Gerallt. When you find out how he judges himself, and what he did, it's painful reading. Aderyn lost a lot when her friend betrayed her, and you feel her pain too, but not as keenly as Gerallt.
I think, I've been waiting for Gerallt for so very long, so very VERY long, now I've finished his story, I want to cry from him all over again. It's taken him 24 years to get to this point, and now he has to make a decision.
I'm not going to tell you his decision, but I will tell you this: when he says those words, you feel the weight lifting off him, almost seeing it coming off the page, it's THAT powerful a scene. Honestly? I had to keep putting this down and coming back to it, because Gerallt pain for nearly all of the book is palapable, you can taste it.
There's no smex in this book, I don't think Aderyn and Gerallt even kiss, but there is so much emotion! So very much emotion, I'm getting emotional writing this review!
This book is full of Ms Sheppard's skill at describing things: people, places, things. She manages to enable you to see, so very clearly, what she is talking about. Example: when talking about the glamour on the castle, you can see it shifting the light slightly, shifting what people see. It's quite a skill!
I don't add books lightly to my Masterpiece shelf, and this is the third book I have added to that shelf in 3 weeks! But I must. I cannot NOT add it, because I think, given the wait for this book, it had the opportunity to be a diappointment and it really is quite the opposite.
This book is OUTSTANDING!!
But Lord now I'm sad. Sad because all the brothers have their happy ever after, Selene and Conway are happy with their family, and the Gods are happy, that Their subjects are happy, but it breaks my heart because this is the last time I'll be reading about these people!
Anyway, I told you this might run away with itself, and it did, so I'm wrapping this up, before I go and spoiler alert you!
The other books in the series have all been 4 or 5 stars, but this one?? Far surpasses any of those books and by a long mile.
5 full and shiny, but very VERY sad stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Kris Karcher (10 KP) rated Nashville (1975) in Movies
Jan 11, 2018
A landmark film
Nashville is a very difficult film to pin down. It refuses to be pigeonholed into a genre. (IMDB has it listed as a comedy, Google as Drama/Political Drama, and Wikipedia labels the film a Musical Comedy-Drama. In my opinion, Nashville is all of those things and maybe some more. It would be more beneficial to talk about Nashville, not in terms of how similar it is to any other film, but instead, explore how it is unique and entirely different from almost everything that came before it. Robert Altman attempted to subvert audience expectations in ways never before seen in Hollywood. Where most films try and limit the number of main characters the audience has to follow, Altman instead chose to populate his country music narrative with over 20 different protagonists. Each of these protagonists has their own story to tell and all of these stories are only loosely connected together. This may sound familiar to contemporary audiences who have seen films like Crash, Babel, and Magnolia fresh on their minds, but to a 1975 audience, this was all but unheard of. Altman furthers this sense of chaos by constantly overlapping dialogue tracks throughout the film. This tactic forces viewers to engage more closely to what they can hear during the scenes because it’s not always obvious what you should be listening to. Sometimes that choice is even quite subjective as in most cases there is no clear plot line that stands out as primary. One of the joys of this film comes from the choice you have as a spectator to focus on whatever interests you most. To a certain extent, this film lends itself to multiple viewings that could produce slightly different results each time. Something that might have slipped your attention the first time might stand out upon repeated viewings and that has the possibility to add to the story in interesting and unique ways. In dealing with over 20 characters Altman runs the risk of underdeveloped characters and unsatisfying conclusions to their stories. Not everyone has a satisfying payoff but some characters will surprise you during the final few scenes. Henry Gibson’s Haven rises above what was previously a one-note character of a person and responds to the climax in a surprisingly moving way. All in all, Nashville is an important piece of American cinema history. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea so it’s best to temper your expectations going into a viewing, but if you can keep your eyes and ears intently listening for the full two and a half hour film you will not be disappointed in the humanity you spot in each of these stories. This is a film that rewards an invested viewing.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Roanoke Girls in Books
May 15, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
Wow, this review has taken longer than I expected to get around to – mostly because of my hospital stay and subsequent recovery from acute pancreatitis. Needless to say, but I’m mostly back to normal and I hope to be resuming my reviews more regularly. Also, this will be my final review for Blogging for Books, as the site will be closing down next month. Now, onto the important stuff!
Will someone please tell me what the hell I read? The only thing original about The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel is its plot, which boldly goes where no book I’ve ever read has gone before.
The Roanoke Girls lacks original characters, which is the first of my many complaints regarding this book. Everyone is beautiful and perfect, and the one person that isn’t is described as a meth-head (which I find to be an insult to the average Janes and Joes out there). There’s not a single character, aside from the aforementioned meth-head, that isn’t a Mary Sue appearance wise. And the main character? There’s not a single thing likable about her. She’s a bitch to everyone around her, and yet somehow she still has guys fawning all over her. This is not realistic, folks.
Plot? Do you really want to get me started on that? First, let’s take a moment to discuss the fact that this book hops all over the place. One moment it is present, the next it is past, and after that, it’s some random character of little importance – just so we can learn how they died and why. Because, y’know, there’s something wrong with the fact they are all sleeping with their grandfather/brother/father/uncle/etc. Yes, I just gave a major spoiler away, but hey! I warned y’all. The only thing about this book that isn’t overly done is the fact that its main subject is INCEST. Yates Roanoke has a thing for every single woman in his family. And somehow, for some god awful reason, all these girls (save one) think it is absolutely okay/are heartbroken when things don’t quite work out.
Furthermore, all that jumping around? It’s done intentionally to drive the story forward because a straightforward account is sooo extremely drab and boring in this book that it has to jump. It has to give cliffhangers of some sort, and then make you wait another chapter or two, because otherwise it would simply drag on.
I would not recommend The Roanoke Girls to anyone. I did receive a review copy of this book free of charge and this has been my unbiased opinion. Thanks to Blogging for Books for the novel.
Will someone please tell me what the hell I read? The only thing original about The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel is its plot, which boldly goes where no book I’ve ever read has gone before.
The Roanoke Girls lacks original characters, which is the first of my many complaints regarding this book. Everyone is beautiful and perfect, and the one person that isn’t is described as a meth-head (which I find to be an insult to the average Janes and Joes out there). There’s not a single character, aside from the aforementioned meth-head, that isn’t a Mary Sue appearance wise. And the main character? There’s not a single thing likable about her. She’s a bitch to everyone around her, and yet somehow she still has guys fawning all over her. This is not realistic, folks.
Plot? Do you really want to get me started on that? First, let’s take a moment to discuss the fact that this book hops all over the place. One moment it is present, the next it is past, and after that, it’s some random character of little importance – just so we can learn how they died and why. Because, y’know, there’s something wrong with the fact they are all sleeping with their grandfather/brother/father/uncle/etc. Yes, I just gave a major spoiler away, but hey! I warned y’all. The only thing about this book that isn’t overly done is the fact that its main subject is INCEST. Yates Roanoke has a thing for every single woman in his family. And somehow, for some god awful reason, all these girls (save one) think it is absolutely okay/are heartbroken when things don’t quite work out.
Furthermore, all that jumping around? It’s done intentionally to drive the story forward because a straightforward account is sooo extremely drab and boring in this book that it has to jump. It has to give cliffhangers of some sort, and then make you wait another chapter or two, because otherwise it would simply drag on.
I would not recommend The Roanoke Girls to anyone. I did receive a review copy of this book free of charge and this has been my unbiased opinion. Thanks to Blogging for Books for the novel.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Stray Magic in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Stray Magic is a fun, spirited second chance story that comes with a supernatural twist – in the shape of a two-foot tall, wish-granting leprechaun called Vincent.
You’d think with a wish-granting leprechaun rooting for the man of your dreams to walk into your life, there’d be no hitches, right?
But when the and get all muddled up, poor Cara doesn’t know whether to believe this cheeky little imp, or send him packing. But when he keeps magically appearing in Cara’s bathroom and taking her dog for a ride, (as Leprecahaun’s do) she decides to believe in his power and wait for the magic to happen – just in case it works and her dream guy walks into her place of work and whisks her off her feet – as promised by the little green fella.
Behind this doggy story, which is suitable for listeners of all ages, is a really entertaining plot. We hear not only about Cara’s love-life woes, but we are also privy to her relationship with her grownup daughter, and how she gets on in her job working for a horrible boss of whom takes all the credit for her hard work without any thanks. Even Cara’s beloved Corgi has something to say, and in no way did I think I’d enjoy a talking dog story. If you’d asked me before, I’d have said that sounded silly. Talking animals never go as planned in books, but this was heaps of fun.
Alongside this, we discover even Vincent has a heartbreaking story to tell. I mean, how can he have the love of his life, if he keeps botching up his magic for others. By his own omission he turned up at Cara’s house twelve years late. Just think about that? If he’d turned up on time Cara’s true love would have been with her for twelve years already. ?
The narrator of this story, Aisling Gray, has a great voice, and could really do the different characters well. Originally from Texas (I think) she has a whole array of accents, and they all sounded spot on, making a great story even better to listen to. In addition, there were quite a few funny, laugh out loud moments, during which I literally laughed out loud unexpectedly. Wherever I was. Yep, embarrassing at times! But well worth it.
This easily listening, magical story was a lighthearted treat for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the hours I was plugged in listening to this.
Disclosure: I listened to this story via a free audible token, so thank you to the author, narrator and publisher for this opportunity. This is my own opinion and not biased in any way.
You’d think with a wish-granting leprechaun rooting for the man of your dreams to walk into your life, there’d be no hitches, right?
But when the and get all muddled up, poor Cara doesn’t know whether to believe this cheeky little imp, or send him packing. But when he keeps magically appearing in Cara’s bathroom and taking her dog for a ride, (as Leprecahaun’s do) she decides to believe in his power and wait for the magic to happen – just in case it works and her dream guy walks into her place of work and whisks her off her feet – as promised by the little green fella.
Behind this doggy story, which is suitable for listeners of all ages, is a really entertaining plot. We hear not only about Cara’s love-life woes, but we are also privy to her relationship with her grownup daughter, and how she gets on in her job working for a horrible boss of whom takes all the credit for her hard work without any thanks. Even Cara’s beloved Corgi has something to say, and in no way did I think I’d enjoy a talking dog story. If you’d asked me before, I’d have said that sounded silly. Talking animals never go as planned in books, but this was heaps of fun.
Alongside this, we discover even Vincent has a heartbreaking story to tell. I mean, how can he have the love of his life, if he keeps botching up his magic for others. By his own omission he turned up at Cara’s house twelve years late. Just think about that? If he’d turned up on time Cara’s true love would have been with her for twelve years already. ?
The narrator of this story, Aisling Gray, has a great voice, and could really do the different characters well. Originally from Texas (I think) she has a whole array of accents, and they all sounded spot on, making a great story even better to listen to. In addition, there were quite a few funny, laugh out loud moments, during which I literally laughed out loud unexpectedly. Wherever I was. Yep, embarrassing at times! But well worth it.
This easily listening, magical story was a lighthearted treat for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the hours I was plugged in listening to this.
Disclosure: I listened to this story via a free audible token, so thank you to the author, narrator and publisher for this opportunity. This is my own opinion and not biased in any way.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Big Fish (2003) in Movies
May 1, 2020
Whimsical, Fantastical and Entrancing
Looking for a charming, fantastical diversion that will whisk you away from this world for 2 hours? Look no further than the heartwarming father/son story BIG FISH.
Set in the unmistakable stylings of idealic living from the mind of Tim Burton, BIG FISH tells the tale of a father by the name of Ed Bloom (the great Albert Finney) who's son, Will Bloom (Billy Crudup - fresh off of ALMOST FAMOUS) has separated himself from his father for he is sick of the "tall tales" that his father tells about his life. Most of the movie is the reconciliation of father and son set against the backdrop of these fantastical stories (the younger Ed Bloom is played with whimsical wonder by Ewan McGregor).
And...it is the telling of these stories where Director Tim Burton really shines. It is a perfect match of Director, tone and style to tell the story. He uses a primary color palate (much the same way he used it in Edward Scissorhands) punctuated by "steam punk blacks and grays" that creates a world that is a wonder to look at and is instantly recognizable not only by what is familiar but also by how it is UN-familiar. If overused, this type of stylings could be a detriment to the storytelling, but in BIG FISH, Burton paints the canvas perfectly.
As I stated, McGregor is whimsical as the young Ed Bloom. You can see a young man exploring and drinking in all the world has to offer. On the other side, Albert Finney shows that he has a twinkle in his eye (even though the older Ed Bloom is battling a chronic disease). He sparkles when he tells his stories. Finney's performance draws you in while McGregor's keeps you there.
As does the performances of such terrific actors like Steve Buscemi, Helena Bonham Carter and Danny DeVito (as individuals that Ed meets along the way). They "get" what Burton is going for and embrace the charm and whimsy of it all. "Back in the real world" - a (then) unknown Marion Cotillard is engaging as Will Bloom's pregnant wife and Jessica Lange shines as Ed's wife who has "heard it all" and is still charmed by it all after all these years. There is a scene later in the film between Finney and Lange (and a bathtub) that shows that these 2 veteran actors can throw their fastball when asked.
I was entranced by the tall tales told in this film and I think you will be to.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Set in the unmistakable stylings of idealic living from the mind of Tim Burton, BIG FISH tells the tale of a father by the name of Ed Bloom (the great Albert Finney) who's son, Will Bloom (Billy Crudup - fresh off of ALMOST FAMOUS) has separated himself from his father for he is sick of the "tall tales" that his father tells about his life. Most of the movie is the reconciliation of father and son set against the backdrop of these fantastical stories (the younger Ed Bloom is played with whimsical wonder by Ewan McGregor).
And...it is the telling of these stories where Director Tim Burton really shines. It is a perfect match of Director, tone and style to tell the story. He uses a primary color palate (much the same way he used it in Edward Scissorhands) punctuated by "steam punk blacks and grays" that creates a world that is a wonder to look at and is instantly recognizable not only by what is familiar but also by how it is UN-familiar. If overused, this type of stylings could be a detriment to the storytelling, but in BIG FISH, Burton paints the canvas perfectly.
As I stated, McGregor is whimsical as the young Ed Bloom. You can see a young man exploring and drinking in all the world has to offer. On the other side, Albert Finney shows that he has a twinkle in his eye (even though the older Ed Bloom is battling a chronic disease). He sparkles when he tells his stories. Finney's performance draws you in while McGregor's keeps you there.
As does the performances of such terrific actors like Steve Buscemi, Helena Bonham Carter and Danny DeVito (as individuals that Ed meets along the way). They "get" what Burton is going for and embrace the charm and whimsy of it all. "Back in the real world" - a (then) unknown Marion Cotillard is engaging as Will Bloom's pregnant wife and Jessica Lange shines as Ed's wife who has "heard it all" and is still charmed by it all after all these years. There is a scene later in the film between Finney and Lange (and a bathtub) that shows that these 2 veteran actors can throw their fastball when asked.
I was entranced by the tall tales told in this film and I think you will be to.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
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