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The Suspect: An Olympic Bombing, the FBI, the Media, and Richard Jewell, the Man Caught in the Middle
Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen
8.0
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The masterful true-crime account of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing that captured the...
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Girl A: The Truth About the Rochdale Sex Ring by the Victim Who Stopped Them in Books
Apr 28, 2019
A disturbing read
The true story and crimes referred to in this book are something that I'm aware of as it happened in my local area (I lived in the next town over which is mentioned a few times n the book) but I wasn't aware of the full detail. And this book really doesn't shy away from giving you the full sordid details!
This book relates the experiences of Girl A, the main victim and witness in the huge Rochdale sex ring, and this is not a pleasant read and definitely not one of the faint read. It's hard not to get emotional reading what happened to this poor girl and it's very gripping. It's also very well written and is a truly haunting and disturbing thing to read. Even more so for me as this happened virtually on my doorstep in a neighbouring town.
That said, it isn't perfect. There are some parts that are mentioned heavily earlier on in the book but then are barely mentioned or ignored when it comes to wrapping it up at the end (I.e. what happened with her family). Also, this is a very one sided story. Whilst I have no interest in hearing the abusers point of view or doubt their guilt, I am slightly concerned about the viewpoints on social services, the council and the police. I dont doubt that there were massive failings here, however there are comments made about these organisations that were entirely unnecessary and seem to have been made to further negatively impact people's view of them. It's subjective and from working for the police myself, its not always as clear cut as this. They messed up, but this is only one persons view that maybe a little biased in the first place.
This book relates the experiences of Girl A, the main victim and witness in the huge Rochdale sex ring, and this is not a pleasant read and definitely not one of the faint read. It's hard not to get emotional reading what happened to this poor girl and it's very gripping. It's also very well written and is a truly haunting and disturbing thing to read. Even more so for me as this happened virtually on my doorstep in a neighbouring town.
That said, it isn't perfect. There are some parts that are mentioned heavily earlier on in the book but then are barely mentioned or ignored when it comes to wrapping it up at the end (I.e. what happened with her family). Also, this is a very one sided story. Whilst I have no interest in hearing the abusers point of view or doubt their guilt, I am slightly concerned about the viewpoints on social services, the council and the police. I dont doubt that there were massive failings here, however there are comments made about these organisations that were entirely unnecessary and seem to have been made to further negatively impact people's view of them. It's subjective and from working for the police myself, its not always as clear cut as this. They messed up, but this is only one persons view that maybe a little biased in the first place.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Amityville Horror in Books
May 20, 2019
Jay Anson’s The Amityville Horror sparked a lot of attention when it was first published in 1977 and soon after became the basis for the famed horror movie of the same title–but the question often remains: is it a true story? Originally published as such, The Amityville Horror now resides among fiction titles, largely due to the fact that besides the Lutzes, very little activity has been reported in the DeFeo house. (There were also several lawsuits.) For the purpose of this review, I will be treating The Amityville Horror as a fiction novel.
Normally, this paragraph is used to describe the characters and how I felt about them. Because The Amityville Horror was meant to be regarded as non-fiction, the characters, based on real people, are rather flat. There are too many questions about how they behave and react to different events in their lives. Part of this may be attributed to the style of Anson’s writing, which comes across to me as rather basic. In some places, there’s no flow and things appear forced.
Plotwise, I found the story to be engaging enough that I did, admittedly, devour it. Anson lays out events one after another, with little to no space in between. He also writes from several perspectives, and switches frequently–which can be rather distracting.
Overall, The Amityville Horror garners a lot of fame. The DeFeo murders were monstrous, but the addition of the Lutzes’ stories adds fuel to a fire that, for many skeptics, has long since stopped burning. If you’re a franchise fan, the book will likely interest you, but other than that, is neither spectacular or horrible.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/05/02/book-review-the-amityville-horror-by-jay-anson/
Normally, this paragraph is used to describe the characters and how I felt about them. Because The Amityville Horror was meant to be regarded as non-fiction, the characters, based on real people, are rather flat. There are too many questions about how they behave and react to different events in their lives. Part of this may be attributed to the style of Anson’s writing, which comes across to me as rather basic. In some places, there’s no flow and things appear forced.
Plotwise, I found the story to be engaging enough that I did, admittedly, devour it. Anson lays out events one after another, with little to no space in between. He also writes from several perspectives, and switches frequently–which can be rather distracting.
Overall, The Amityville Horror garners a lot of fame. The DeFeo murders were monstrous, but the addition of the Lutzes’ stories adds fuel to a fire that, for many skeptics, has long since stopped burning. If you’re a franchise fan, the book will likely interest you, but other than that, is neither spectacular or horrible.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/05/02/book-review-the-amityville-horror-by-jay-anson/
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Demons in the Big Easy in Books
May 22, 2019
Adventurous in her youth, Cassandra built gateways between Domhan and its parallel realm of Earth. Now shes too old for that kind of thing. But something is making it easier for demons to pass into Domhan. Not only that, but their behavior becomes inexplicable: whenever Cassandra banishes one, it laughs at her rather than resists, and it promises it will soon devour her essence and that of every resident of her small village. Cassandra is certain such a thing is impossible, for strong wards protect her village.
But then Cassandras granddaughter Aine falls through an unstable gateway. Cassandra is the only one within a hundred miles capable of creating a gateway and bringing Aine back. Despite her aching joints, Cassandra goes after her, and the gateway lands her in New Orleans. But something goes wrong with her tracking spell, which indicates Aine exists in four different places at once. As Cassandra struggles to find the true location of her granddaughter in the Big Easy, she discovers the source of the demons confidence. Now, with an unlikely pair of alliesher timid granddaughter and a homeless man who may or may not be crazyshe has to not only save her granddaughter but also prevent both Domhan and Earth from being overrun by demons.
I really enjoyed this novella.
Demons in the Big Easy is a short urban fantasy novella following an elderly witch Cassandra as she searches for her lost granddaughter across dimensions.
I think this story has more to tell and would be first in line if the author decided to expand on it.
This story had a perfect mix of mystery, bad guys and horror. I could not believe the end, I never would have thought who the head demon was.
I am hoping for a sequel!
But then Cassandras granddaughter Aine falls through an unstable gateway. Cassandra is the only one within a hundred miles capable of creating a gateway and bringing Aine back. Despite her aching joints, Cassandra goes after her, and the gateway lands her in New Orleans. But something goes wrong with her tracking spell, which indicates Aine exists in four different places at once. As Cassandra struggles to find the true location of her granddaughter in the Big Easy, she discovers the source of the demons confidence. Now, with an unlikely pair of alliesher timid granddaughter and a homeless man who may or may not be crazyshe has to not only save her granddaughter but also prevent both Domhan and Earth from being overrun by demons.
I really enjoyed this novella.
Demons in the Big Easy is a short urban fantasy novella following an elderly witch Cassandra as she searches for her lost granddaughter across dimensions.
I think this story has more to tell and would be first in line if the author decided to expand on it.
This story had a perfect mix of mystery, bad guys and horror. I could not believe the end, I never would have thought who the head demon was.
I am hoping for a sequel!
Merissa (13696 KP) rated Dishonored (Mortisalian Saga #3) in Books
Jun 4, 2019
Dishonored (Mortisalian Saga #3) by L.J. Stock
Dishonored is the third fantastic story in this series, and we continue where we left off. Now, it's been a while since I read the other books, but I was immediately drawn back into their world, and knew exactly what was going on with the characters. That, to me, is the sign of a great book/series.
Everyone's character still remains true, in other words, they are not suddenly acting strange after all this time. The world-building is once again perfect. For me though, what makes this book outstanding are the relationships between the characters - all the characters, not just the main ones. Seeing Cas with Damon, Rasmus, Grigori, Shannon, Alexa, and the rest, makes it all the more... everything.
The pacing is on point, with it moving fast enough to keep my attention, but not too fast that I get lost with what is going on. The story continues to have it's twists and turns, with intrigue layered upon that. There is a shock in here, toward the end, that I never saw coming. I couldn't see much after that either, as my eyes were leaking!
What an ending! Seriously.
I really can't emphasise how much I am enjoying this series, and have absolutely no hesitation in recommending it, but you MUST read it as a series, not a set of standalones. Bring on the next, I really need to find out where Ras has disappeared to!
* 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!
Everyone's character still remains true, in other words, they are not suddenly acting strange after all this time. The world-building is once again perfect. For me though, what makes this book outstanding are the relationships between the characters - all the characters, not just the main ones. Seeing Cas with Damon, Rasmus, Grigori, Shannon, Alexa, and the rest, makes it all the more... everything.
The pacing is on point, with it moving fast enough to keep my attention, but not too fast that I get lost with what is going on. The story continues to have it's twists and turns, with intrigue layered upon that. There is a shock in here, toward the end, that I never saw coming. I couldn't see much after that either, as my eyes were leaking!
What an ending! Seriously.
I really can't emphasise how much I am enjoying this series, and have absolutely no hesitation in recommending it, but you MUST read it as a series, not a set of standalones. Bring on the next, I really need to find out where Ras has disappeared to!
* 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!
Gail (4 KP) rated The Fiction of Forever (Stand by Me, #2) in Books
Jun 4, 2018
What’s forever if your bot with the right person? Matchmaking has been around for ages and it’s still present today. In this story Kiley is weeks away from her own forever but is it with the right guy? When she reconnects with a guy she had a major crush on in high school things start to become clear with her fiancé. He wants to dictate her life and make sure she fits his vision of what that role is. The way she dresses and if she works all are decided by him. But that doesn’t last long. My first thought was how do you not see these signs when you're a matchmaker? She should’ve known that he wasn’t the one but to please her father I believe she made herself see him different. Gunner has crushed hard on Kiley since middle school but he believes she’s too different know. When he's thrown a challenge to be on her talk show he can’t resist the time he would get to spend with her. It’s a easy million dollars because the one he wants is the one reluctantly looking for his perfect match. I enjoyed the flow in which the author wrote the characters. The easy banters and how they connected to each other. They say you never forget your first love and it seems to be true for our main characters. I was blown away by this book and how it brought the characters alive. How there lives and emotions where front and center for us all to see. The story went so smoothly that I breezed through it only to want to go back and read more. This is what I look for in a book something that grabs me and doesn’t let go.
Kristin (149 KP) rated Vengeance is Mine (Benjamin Tucker, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ben is a reporter, and he's been brought in to shed light on a new case that's baffling local law enforcement. With his keen investigative knowledge and sharp eyes, they're hoping he can tell them how this killer is managing to get into women's homes, considering all the doors and windows are locked except the front one as he leaves the grisly scene behind. Aside from this, Ben has a few of his own issues: He's supposed to be writing a mystery novel, but his brain's stuck in reverse, and he doesn't feel like it would be anywhere near as good as his first book, a true-crime novel. He's also having to deal with his ex, who's determined to take half the royalties from that first book, seeing as how he worked on it while they were still together (divorces are grand, aren't they?). Even beyond all that, it turns out this current killer has more than just a passing fancy with Ben, and poor Ben gets dragged along for the ride as this story heats up.
I definitely enjoyed this novel, as I always love a good mystery/thriller. The main characters were very personable, and I like how Ben tries to use his skills as a journalist to not only do what he's been asked by law enforcement, but also to try and figure out just why this killer is obsessed with him. There are certainly some shocking twists all throughout the story, and I can say that I was on the edge of my seat more than once, trying to speed-read so I could get to the next jump.
4 1/2 stars
Ben is a reporter, and he's been brought in to shed light on a new case that's baffling local law enforcement. With his keen investigative knowledge and sharp eyes, they're hoping he can tell them how this killer is managing to get into women's homes, considering all the doors and windows are locked except the front one as he leaves the grisly scene behind. Aside from this, Ben has a few of his own issues: He's supposed to be writing a mystery novel, but his brain's stuck in reverse, and he doesn't feel like it would be anywhere near as good as his first book, a true-crime novel. He's also having to deal with his ex, who's determined to take half the royalties from that first book, seeing as how he worked on it while they were still together (divorces are grand, aren't they?). Even beyond all that, it turns out this current killer has more than just a passing fancy with Ben, and poor Ben gets dragged along for the ride as this story heats up.
I definitely enjoyed this novel, as I always love a good mystery/thriller. The main characters were very personable, and I like how Ben tries to use his skills as a journalist to not only do what he's been asked by law enforcement, but also to try and figure out just why this killer is obsessed with him. There are certainly some shocking twists all throughout the story, and I can say that I was on the edge of my seat more than once, trying to speed-read so I could get to the next jump.
4 1/2 stars
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Addams Family (1991) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: The Addams Family starts as we meet the family Morticia (Huston), Gomez (Julia), Lurch (Struycken), Wednesday (Ricci), Pugsley (Workman) and Thing (Hart) who have been trying to contact Uncle Fester after his disppearnce years before. Bring in Tully Alford (Hedaya) and his wife Margaret (Ivey) who want the Addams family fortune.
Tully and Abigail Craven (Wilson) use her son Gordon (Lloyd) to pretend to be Uncle Fester as he enters the house to find his share of the fortune but his adventure are nothing like he would expect as he has to deal with the unusual behaviour of the Addams family. It isn’t long before the family starts to question this Uncle Fester and soon begin to love the strange character even if he isn’t the man they thought he was.
The Addams Family is one of the true classic family comedy fantasy film that shows just how different we can see each person in our own family to be different. The interactions between the family are all twisted in a loving way where we could see others question while the interaction with the people outside the family all come off slightly awkward which sums up the family perfectly.
The con-artist side of the story comes off nicely as we can see how naïve a family can be but even with love people can change. The performances are all great with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston have perfect chemistry as the father and mother of the family. The rest of the cast all give great performances that you can believe from start to finish with the uniqueness given to each character.
Overall: Underrated classic that hits on all of the unique style needed to make it truly stand out.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/01/18/the-addams-family-1991/
Tully and Abigail Craven (Wilson) use her son Gordon (Lloyd) to pretend to be Uncle Fester as he enters the house to find his share of the fortune but his adventure are nothing like he would expect as he has to deal with the unusual behaviour of the Addams family. It isn’t long before the family starts to question this Uncle Fester and soon begin to love the strange character even if he isn’t the man they thought he was.
The Addams Family is one of the true classic family comedy fantasy film that shows just how different we can see each person in our own family to be different. The interactions between the family are all twisted in a loving way where we could see others question while the interaction with the people outside the family all come off slightly awkward which sums up the family perfectly.
The con-artist side of the story comes off nicely as we can see how naïve a family can be but even with love people can change. The performances are all great with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston have perfect chemistry as the father and mother of the family. The rest of the cast all give great performances that you can believe from start to finish with the uniqueness given to each character.
Overall: Underrated classic that hits on all of the unique style needed to make it truly stand out.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/01/18/the-addams-family-1991/
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Brentwood's Ward (The Bow Street Runners #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
When your future, your life, is on the line, who would you turn to for strength?
London, 1807. Emily Payne is caught up with thoughts about the upcoming ball and securing a husband. Little does she know that the security of her future is as obtainable as the distant stars. Nicholas Brentwood, a Bow Street Officer, has been hired to protect Emily during her father’s absence. His only goal is to complete the job and receive the payment so that he can take care of his sister, Jenny. When their lives collide with murder, kidnapping and scandal, they must rely on God to save and protect them. “God’s the One in control, not you.” There have been many times in my life that I have had to remind myself of these very words. When your life begins to spin uncontrollably, you can rest assure that God will be with you every step of the way.
Brentwood’s Ward is a very unique story. Giving us a glimpse into the lives of the very first police officers. I had no knowledge of how the police came to be until I read this book. Michelle Griep has captured 1800s London in a way that I have not read before. I could not put this book down! I was on the edge of my seat (quite literally) for a good portion of the time. The depth of emotion is tangible in our leading characters. I believe that almost anyone can relate to the people in this story. For they have seen it all. “No one escapes this life without scars. Not even God.” A true reminder that everyone in this life faces trials and heartache, even God.
I received a free digital edition of Brentwood’s Ward from Barbour Publishing Inc. through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
London, 1807. Emily Payne is caught up with thoughts about the upcoming ball and securing a husband. Little does she know that the security of her future is as obtainable as the distant stars. Nicholas Brentwood, a Bow Street Officer, has been hired to protect Emily during her father’s absence. His only goal is to complete the job and receive the payment so that he can take care of his sister, Jenny. When their lives collide with murder, kidnapping and scandal, they must rely on God to save and protect them. “God’s the One in control, not you.” There have been many times in my life that I have had to remind myself of these very words. When your life begins to spin uncontrollably, you can rest assure that God will be with you every step of the way.
Brentwood’s Ward is a very unique story. Giving us a glimpse into the lives of the very first police officers. I had no knowledge of how the police came to be until I read this book. Michelle Griep has captured 1800s London in a way that I have not read before. I could not put this book down! I was on the edge of my seat (quite literally) for a good portion of the time. The depth of emotion is tangible in our leading characters. I believe that almost anyone can relate to the people in this story. For they have seen it all. “No one escapes this life without scars. Not even God.” A true reminder that everyone in this life faces trials and heartache, even God.
I received a free digital edition of Brentwood’s Ward from Barbour Publishing Inc. through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Shining (1980) in Movies
Nov 4, 2019 (Updated Jan 8, 2021)
A slow burning horror masterclass
Stanley Kubrick's adaption of The Shining is certainly a rare gem - A tense thriller that might have aged, but still feels different and fresh in today's world.
Kubrick doesn't rely on cheap jump scares, but rather long and slow burning shots that are regularly unnerving, spliced with sudden and silent images of violence, all whilst a unsettling string score plays underneath each scene, even when nothing abnormal is happening.
The narrative of this adaption of The Shining is pretty straightforward (on the surface at least) as we watch Jack Torrance - a menacing and excellent Jack Nicholson in arguably his greatest performance - descend into madness as he looks after a deserted hotel for the winter months.
Jack is not particularly painted as a well hinged individual as it is, acting out against his wife Wendy (Shelly Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) on a regular basis, whilst being slowly pushed over the edge by the isolated hotel, and it's ghostly occupants.
It's a well scripted film, never giving us too much back story, allowing us as an audience to interpret a lot of what is going on, and this loose ended-ness of The Shining is big part of it's charm.
Pretty much every shot is gorgeous, from the overhead sweeping landscapes of the opening, to the infamous tracking shots of Danny on his toy trike. The whole aesthetic is striking and disorientating in equal measure.
Not only is Nicholson an absolutely terrifying treat, but Shelly Duvall's performance is fantastic as well. Her frantic portrayal of a woman at her wits end is chilling, even if the methods to achieve this were questionable.
The Shining is truly iconic. It's influences can be seen everywhere from Twin Peaks to American Horror Story, and it's a testament to the overall quality of this horror heavyweight. A true masterpiece.
Kubrick doesn't rely on cheap jump scares, but rather long and slow burning shots that are regularly unnerving, spliced with sudden and silent images of violence, all whilst a unsettling string score plays underneath each scene, even when nothing abnormal is happening.
The narrative of this adaption of The Shining is pretty straightforward (on the surface at least) as we watch Jack Torrance - a menacing and excellent Jack Nicholson in arguably his greatest performance - descend into madness as he looks after a deserted hotel for the winter months.
Jack is not particularly painted as a well hinged individual as it is, acting out against his wife Wendy (Shelly Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd) on a regular basis, whilst being slowly pushed over the edge by the isolated hotel, and it's ghostly occupants.
It's a well scripted film, never giving us too much back story, allowing us as an audience to interpret a lot of what is going on, and this loose ended-ness of The Shining is big part of it's charm.
Pretty much every shot is gorgeous, from the overhead sweeping landscapes of the opening, to the infamous tracking shots of Danny on his toy trike. The whole aesthetic is striking and disorientating in equal measure.
Not only is Nicholson an absolutely terrifying treat, but Shelly Duvall's performance is fantastic as well. Her frantic portrayal of a woman at her wits end is chilling, even if the methods to achieve this were questionable.
The Shining is truly iconic. It's influences can be seen everywhere from Twin Peaks to American Horror Story, and it's a testament to the overall quality of this horror heavyweight. A true masterpiece.