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Love and Death Among the Cheetahs
Love and Death Among the Cheetahs
Rhys Bowen | 2019 | Mystery
5
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Honeymoon Safari with Murder
Lady Georgiana and Darcy have finally wed, and Darcy has a surprise – an extended honeymoon in Kenya. Georgie is excited to get to see local wildlife, but once they arrive, she quickly learns that Darcy is hoping to get some information on a notorious jewel thief that is rumored to be making an appearance in the country soon. The couple are quick to settle into the British colony in the country, but they begin to realize that not everyone is as friendly as they first appear. Then a murder interrupts their trip. Can they figure out what is happening?

Those who are fans of Darcy (like me), will be pleased with his presence in this book. As is befitting a honeymoon, he and Georgie are true partners in figuring out what is happening around them. Not that he steals the show from Georgie, who still figures out just about everything along the way. We do get the usual slow start, which allows us a little time to hear from most of the series regulars before heading down to Kenya. And let me say their trip made me very happy for how travel has advanced since the 1930’s. Even when we arrive in Kenya, it takes a bit of time for the murder to take place, but once it does, the mystery is well worth the wait with some great secrets that Georgie and Darcy must bring to light. I did have a hard time keeping all of the British colonists straight, but that never got in the way of following the mystery. My bigger complaint is an event that takes place in the middle of the book that seems force to have Darcy and Georgie where they are needed for the plot. I appreciated how the book worked in the world politics of the time without feeling out of place in the series. And I also appreciated the ability to be an arm chair traveler since I can’t take a vacation this year, although it really made me want to go on a safari of my own.
  
Predestination (2015)
Predestination (2015)
2015 | Mystery, Sci-Fi
A story about a girl named Jane
It seems I've been watching a fair amount of Ethan Hawke lately, total coincidence. I have to say he is probably one of my favorite current actors as he always seems to select smart scripts. His recent film First Reformed was amazing as was another recent Hawke watch, Daybreakers. The directors of Daybreakers recast Hawke as a time traveling policeman of sorts trying to track down one last killer before hanging up his hat.

His current status as a lonely barkeep is interrupted when a stranger walks in, sits down and begins telling their story. Intrigued, Hawke sits down and listens to the tale of an unwanted orphan, a unique person misunderstood by society but maybe destined for great things. They try not to let the hardships of their life get them down, but disappointment lies around every turn. The interactions they have in their life may seem adrift and random, but maybe they have some deeper meaning about the meaning of life or at least their place in it.

Ok, this is kind of a vague description; however, if you take the time to watch this film (I sure wish you would) you will thank me for not saying too much

It is easy to get caught up in all the time paradox stuff when writing or watching a time travel film. What would happen if Marty McFly meets his future self or disrupts the meeting of his parents? Themes are a lot deeper here and the mystery continues to weave itself into a knot before slowly unraveling as the film reaches its end.

Hawke and Australian actress Sarah Snook are captivating together onscreen as their characters interact and their true feelings and motivations are revealed. Both are flawed in their own way, but also looking for redemption and validation that their time on Earth has meaning.

I was totally blown away by the smart, completely interesting story and hope I can convince others to view. Mesmerizing!

  
Show all 3 comments.
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Andy K (10823 KP) Nov 8, 2019

I love those types of films!

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Versusyours (757 KP) Nov 8, 2019 (Updated Nov 8, 2019)

Yeah mind melters lol

    Pango Pirate

    Pango Pirate

    Games and Education

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    The treasure hunt begins! Pango is a famous pirate! EMBARK on his boat equipped with a cannon and a...

The Hemlock Cure
The Hemlock Cure
Joanne Burn | 2022 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Hemlock Cure was a fascinating insight into the lives of ordinary people during the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) epidemic of 1665-1666. The plague is very much in the background of this story for most of it, though.

The real evil isn’t a disease, it’s being shut in with people who clearly do not have good intentions.

The village of Eyam is well known for the decision to shut itself off from the outside world when its inhabitants started to become ill and die. They understood that the only way to halt the spread of the disease was to isolate themselves - a selfless act.

This novel looks at some of the families and their relationships inside and outside of their family units. The local apothecary and his daughter Mae, are one such family. Mae is desperate to be her fathers apprentice, but this isn’t a time in history where it’s safe for a woman to be working with herbs. So Mae studies with the midwife and a local wise woman (who are both also skating on thin ice, truth be told).

The plague wasn’t a constant in London it appears, and we travel there with one of the main characters. The contrast between the country village and London was quite something to read. I could almost smell the difference off the page!!

I enjoyed the pacing of this book: in Eyam the time crawls, whilst in London everything is all hustle and bustle.

The slow reveal of the terrible secrets in Mae’s family are not so much shocking as terrifying. Wulfric, Mae’s father, is not a well man. It seems to be a race against time for Mae.

I would most definitely recommend this book to historical fiction fans - and if you like a mystery, you may well like this as well.
  
    Endless-A Lost Note

    Endless-A Lost Note

    Games, Entertainment and Stickers

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    *** 80% OFF for a limited time!*** The nomination for the excellence awards of 2016 Tencent GAD...

WT
Wishful Thinking
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Jennifer is a busy single mom, struggling to keep up at work while still spending enough time with her two young boys. One day her lost smartphone shows up on her doorstep and Jennifer discovers a new app has been installed. This app, she soon comes to realize, allows her to time travel -- to basically be in two places at the same time. Suddenly Jennifer is able to keep the long hours her boss is demanding, while still picking her boys up from school and getting in quality time Mom/kid time. She is the superwoman she's always dreamed of being. But is it too good to be true?

I'll confess that a good portion of this book made me cringe. Not because it's bad. In fact, it's the opposite. It's a smartly written, captivating novel with a harried heroine who captures your heart pretty quickly. For me, the book was stressful because it hit home! A busy working mother who has demands at the office, but who also wants to spend time with her kids? That certainly describes a lot of us. Much like when I'm watching an action or horror movie for a first time, I felt myself tensing, anxiously wondering what was going to happen to Jennifer. Was she going to get caught using the app? Was the Jennifer at the office going to somehow show up with her kids? Would her co-workers find out? Her kids? Would the app make her sick? This couldn't go on forever, right?

And that's basically the premise behind Wicoff's clever novel. Of course, being in two (and over time, as Jennifer becomes dependent on the app, three places) places isn't all it's cracked up to be. Jennifer is tired, experiencing some strange sensations, potentially losing friendships, and wait, is she aging rapidly when she's living two days in the span of what should only be one?

Wicoff does a great job of showing the pressures many working parents feel. It's true - sometimes you do feel like you have to be a superwoman! Her book is also populated with fun characters -- in particular, Dr. Sexton, Jennifer's kooky neighbor, who also happens to be a genius scientist and inventor of said app.

If it all sounds a little improbable, it is, and you'll have to be prepared to suspend disbelief a bit, but Wicoff does such a great job, that it isn't really that hard. The book veers off a bit in its final quarter, turning more from the harried working mom scene, to a bit of an almost mystery/avenger plot, which is also completely improbable, and a very strange twist, but it's fun, too. You can't help but rooting for Jennifer (and Dr. Sexton, too). Overall, a crazy 3.5 star rating.

(Note, I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.)
  
Bound Across Time (Bound #1)
Bound Across Time (Bound #1)
Annie R. McEwen | 2024 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Bound Across Time is intrigued with the title. The description also pulled me in. Who doesn't like a bit of paranormal with historical fiction mixed in? I was surprised by something I usually do not read, which brings in some magic.

Bound Across Time offers a unique perspective, blending historical fiction with elements of time travel or 'time slipping '. The narrative is enriched by a female main character, a rarity in this genre. Alongside her, a male main character adds depth to the story. The book initially presents itself as a blend of paranormal romance and historical fiction, a combination that it delivers on.

Though most of the story action takes place in the castle and its grounds, I do like that the author included a bit of witchcraft and soulers. Though the pace of the book at the beginning is a bit slow, it does pick up and get a bit more interesting when things start to happen without FMC and our MMC meeting each other.

Bound Across Time weaves a tantalizing mystery into its narrative, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. The FMC's initial ignorance of her family history adds a layer of intrigue, and as the story unfolds, her research on a young man who is a ghost leads to unexpected and fascinating revelations. This element of suspense is a major draw for readers interested in historical fiction with a paranormal twist.

CeCe wants to go to Wales to use her history degree. What she finds is different from what she expected. The plot is really good. However, I was unsure if CeCe found out who she was in the plot. But it was good nonetheless. Mixing in love and witchcraft and a little magic was really good. I enjoyed it and will read more about it. The ending has me wanting more. I would have liked to hear more about CeCe and her lover.

This book may be your ally if you're a fan of witchcraft and historical fiction with a paranormal romance. I was craving to find out more about CeCe and what happened at the end. I wanted more, and there is a bit of explicit sex in this book, but nothing to offend anyone. Does CeCe and her lover have sons or not, or does CeCe have a big family? You will need to find out by reading.