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Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated A Quiet Place (2018) in Movies
Jul 17, 2018
Incredible acting (3 more)
Unique take on the monster horror genre
Superb cast
Super intense
The most intense I've felt in a movie!!
This is an incredible movie. I cannot find a single fault to this movie.
The acting is incredible and that's without very little dialogue. The whole idea if the movie is: you make a sound, you die. This made me feel very intense at times especially considering the main female lead (Emily blunt) was pregnant. Even stuff as simple as moving medicine bottles had to be moved very carefully and this kept me on the edge of my seat. It's funny how very little and slight sounds and movements can sound so loud and scary. This was a very unique concept which added so much.
John Krisinki is an incredible actor and director. The movie is shot beautifully. He manages to not only bring the horror perfectly but he brings forward the importance of family and what a parent would do to protect their children. The kids were cast perfectly and every part of the cast brings so much emotion to the roles, they completely suck you in and you really care about them.
The CGI was great and not knowing exactly what the monsters are or where they came from brought another level of creepy to them. There were twists I didn't see happened within the first 10 minutes and the movie is paced incredibly well.
I'd be very interested to see a sequel to this with a whole new cast but not sure what the plot could be without reusing this same plot. I did get a feeling of cloverfield from this and could easily see this as being some kind of spinoff to those movies.
1 of the best movies I've seen of this genre. Could definitely recommend watching this.
The acting is incredible and that's without very little dialogue. The whole idea if the movie is: you make a sound, you die. This made me feel very intense at times especially considering the main female lead (Emily blunt) was pregnant. Even stuff as simple as moving medicine bottles had to be moved very carefully and this kept me on the edge of my seat. It's funny how very little and slight sounds and movements can sound so loud and scary. This was a very unique concept which added so much.
John Krisinki is an incredible actor and director. The movie is shot beautifully. He manages to not only bring the horror perfectly but he brings forward the importance of family and what a parent would do to protect their children. The kids were cast perfectly and every part of the cast brings so much emotion to the roles, they completely suck you in and you really care about them.
The CGI was great and not knowing exactly what the monsters are or where they came from brought another level of creepy to them. There were twists I didn't see happened within the first 10 minutes and the movie is paced incredibly well.
I'd be very interested to see a sequel to this with a whole new cast but not sure what the plot could be without reusing this same plot. I did get a feeling of cloverfield from this and could easily see this as being some kind of spinoff to those movies.
1 of the best movies I've seen of this genre. Could definitely recommend watching this.
Duff McKagan recommended Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles in Music (curated)
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Sins of Fathers in Books
Dec 11, 2021
I am so so disappointed with this book. I was really looking forward to reading something a bit different to what I usually read but I don't think I have ever felt so deflated as I did with this.
I just couldn't get past the author's use of the word "naughty" to describe some pretty horrific and violent behaviour. According to the Collins English Dictionary, naughty is defined as "(esp of children or their behaviour) mischievous or disobedient; bad" and/or "mildly indecent; titillating". To me, that definition does not correlate with fatally stabbing someone and that is just one instance; the word "naughty" is used a lot and I mean, a lot.
Another thing that irked me somewhat was the glamorisation and glorification of a life of crime and violence and I felt the voice of the book was quite childish and there were times when I struggled to keep up with where I was in the timeline.
Having said all of the above, I realise this is Michael's story; it is his life he is writing about ... warts and all ... and therefore he should be forgiven for using the words and language that is the norm for him but, for me, I just couldn't get on with it and therefore struggled to read it.
In the end though, what I took from this book is that anyone can change; it might take a couple of tries but it can happen and those that do, should be applauded because it's easy just to keep doing what you have always known regardless of the hurt and pain it causes you, those you love and those you come into contact with.
My thanks must go to HarperCollins UK / HarperInspire via NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
I just couldn't get past the author's use of the word "naughty" to describe some pretty horrific and violent behaviour. According to the Collins English Dictionary, naughty is defined as "(esp of children or their behaviour) mischievous or disobedient; bad" and/or "mildly indecent; titillating". To me, that definition does not correlate with fatally stabbing someone and that is just one instance; the word "naughty" is used a lot and I mean, a lot.
Another thing that irked me somewhat was the glamorisation and glorification of a life of crime and violence and I felt the voice of the book was quite childish and there were times when I struggled to keep up with where I was in the timeline.
Having said all of the above, I realise this is Michael's story; it is his life he is writing about ... warts and all ... and therefore he should be forgiven for using the words and language that is the norm for him but, for me, I just couldn't get on with it and therefore struggled to read it.
In the end though, what I took from this book is that anyone can change; it might take a couple of tries but it can happen and those that do, should be applauded because it's easy just to keep doing what you have always known regardless of the hurt and pain it causes you, those you love and those you come into contact with.
My thanks must go to HarperCollins UK / HarperInspire via NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) in Movies
Oct 25, 2018 (Updated Oct 25, 2018)
Sublime performance from Rami Malek (1 more)
Sound mixing
They Will Rock You
I feel like I should preface this review with some context. Queen were the first band that I was properly into and the Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are The Days Of Our Loves double A side CD was the first piece of music that I ever bought with my own money. I have loved Queen's music for the vast majority of my life and I have grown up watching their concerts and music videos. I have been waiting for this movie to be made for a long time.
So did it meet my lofty expectations? Well, that depends on what aspects you choose to highlight. If you are asking me if Rami Malek did a good job portraying Freddie Mercury, then I would reply; that is the understatement of the century. This performance is the best I've seen so far this year. There were points that I genuinely forgot that I wasn't watching the real Freddie onscreen, Malek totally disappeared into the persona and if there is any justice, the academy will recognise that come Oscar nomination time. Not only did he capture Freddie's onstage mannerisms, but even the subtle way that Freddie would shift his eyes or lick his lips during interviews etc was absolutely spot on. In terms of the singing, I believe the method used was that Malek would sing into a computer and Freddie's voice was then added over the top, then it was manipulated to where it best resembled Freddie's vocal. If this film deserves another Oscar nod, it's for the sound mixing. They managed to recreate Freddie's unique vocal range perfectly and the lip syncing is also lined up incredibly well.
The rest of the cast are great too. The rest of the band were well cast, especially Gwilym Lee as Brian May. I really enjoyed the chemistry and camaraderie between the band members too. I also enjoyed what Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander and an unrecognisable Mike Myers brought to the film. Lucy Boynton was also believable as Freddie's one true love, Mary Austin and she and Malek brought a new dimension to Mary's and Freddie's relationship that I had never really thought too much about.
Could the movie have went further than it did in terms of portraying the hedonism went on in Freddie's life? Yes, it definitely could have and that was one of my main concerns going in. I was concerned regarding the film's 12A rating and wondered how they were going to get around this and still show the sexually driven, intense life that Freddie led. Thankfully, I felt that the movie still managed to contain enough implications and allusions to the more adult stuff in the story that you were able to fill in the blanks without feeling robbed of too much of the narrative.
Unfortunately, there was a fairly important part in the movie where the sound abruptly cut out in my cinema hall for about 30 seconds, this obviously isn't the movie's fault, but it did detract from my initial viewing.
Overall, I enjoyed Bohemian Rhapsody. It catalogued Queen's exceptional inventory of hits and did a fantastic job in casting the right actor to portray a modern day icon. The other actors that rounded out the cast helped to sell the whole movie and the production was very well done in terms of recreating the talent and energy that this band were famous for.
So did it meet my lofty expectations? Well, that depends on what aspects you choose to highlight. If you are asking me if Rami Malek did a good job portraying Freddie Mercury, then I would reply; that is the understatement of the century. This performance is the best I've seen so far this year. There were points that I genuinely forgot that I wasn't watching the real Freddie onscreen, Malek totally disappeared into the persona and if there is any justice, the academy will recognise that come Oscar nomination time. Not only did he capture Freddie's onstage mannerisms, but even the subtle way that Freddie would shift his eyes or lick his lips during interviews etc was absolutely spot on. In terms of the singing, I believe the method used was that Malek would sing into a computer and Freddie's voice was then added over the top, then it was manipulated to where it best resembled Freddie's vocal. If this film deserves another Oscar nod, it's for the sound mixing. They managed to recreate Freddie's unique vocal range perfectly and the lip syncing is also lined up incredibly well.
The rest of the cast are great too. The rest of the band were well cast, especially Gwilym Lee as Brian May. I really enjoyed the chemistry and camaraderie between the band members too. I also enjoyed what Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander and an unrecognisable Mike Myers brought to the film. Lucy Boynton was also believable as Freddie's one true love, Mary Austin and she and Malek brought a new dimension to Mary's and Freddie's relationship that I had never really thought too much about.
Could the movie have went further than it did in terms of portraying the hedonism went on in Freddie's life? Yes, it definitely could have and that was one of my main concerns going in. I was concerned regarding the film's 12A rating and wondered how they were going to get around this and still show the sexually driven, intense life that Freddie led. Thankfully, I felt that the movie still managed to contain enough implications and allusions to the more adult stuff in the story that you were able to fill in the blanks without feeling robbed of too much of the narrative.
Unfortunately, there was a fairly important part in the movie where the sound abruptly cut out in my cinema hall for about 30 seconds, this obviously isn't the movie's fault, but it did detract from my initial viewing.
Overall, I enjoyed Bohemian Rhapsody. It catalogued Queen's exceptional inventory of hits and did a fantastic job in casting the right actor to portray a modern day icon. The other actors that rounded out the cast helped to sell the whole movie and the production was very well done in terms of recreating the talent and energy that this band were famous for.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Beetlejuice (1988) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
I'm really enjoying the classic movie re-releases at Cineworld. I've been along to several in the last year and enjoyed every one of them, so when Beetlejuice came up in the listings it was a must see for me as I loved this from the very first time I saw it.
With the other releases I didn't have much to worry about, they were either brand new to me or I'd never seen them the whole way through so it was going to be a new experience... but this time... could I be risking those great memories? While it did run through my head while I waited for the film to start I wasn't going to deny myself the chance to see it on the big screen. It did bring up a few moments that made me ponder, but all in all I'm glad that I got the chance to see it in the cinema.
At 30 years old you'd expect things to be a little dated, and perhaps the general feel of the film is with some old fashioned clothing, but most of it still holds up. The one thing that makes you notice the age is the cast. Everyone looks so young!
It's a fantastic cast too. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, Adam and Barbara, the perfect couple living a peaceful life out in the country. Winona Ryder, Lydia, the dark and brooding teenage daughter of Jeffrey Jones' Charles and step-daughter to Catherine O'Hara's Delia. We of course can't forget the film's (almost) namesake, Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse. Each one brings a little something different to the film and you get some fun interactions between them all as well as with the supporting cast.
The only real thing that struck me after rewatching this after a few years is that Beetlejuice doesn't actually feature in it as much as I remember. But then the film itself also feels quite short, which at 1 and a half hours it is, again, I just didn't remember it that way.
Some of Beetlejuice's antics may feel a little cringe worthy to newer viewers. To be fair some did to me as a seasoned veteran of the movie. But his over the top nature and motor mouth lead to some entertaining diversions throughout.
The highlights for me as always are the dance routines. (And possibly some of the earliest twerking in the movie biz?) I think we were all dancing a little in our seats as they played out in front of us.
It still brings just as much fun as it did before, it's one of those favourites that you can watch anytime you need something a bit upbeat
What you should do
You should watch this at least once. It's daft and some fun lighthearted humour to break up a dull day.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
If I could have the full backing band when I sing at home that would be great!
With the other releases I didn't have much to worry about, they were either brand new to me or I'd never seen them the whole way through so it was going to be a new experience... but this time... could I be risking those great memories? While it did run through my head while I waited for the film to start I wasn't going to deny myself the chance to see it on the big screen. It did bring up a few moments that made me ponder, but all in all I'm glad that I got the chance to see it in the cinema.
At 30 years old you'd expect things to be a little dated, and perhaps the general feel of the film is with some old fashioned clothing, but most of it still holds up. The one thing that makes you notice the age is the cast. Everyone looks so young!
It's a fantastic cast too. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, Adam and Barbara, the perfect couple living a peaceful life out in the country. Winona Ryder, Lydia, the dark and brooding teenage daughter of Jeffrey Jones' Charles and step-daughter to Catherine O'Hara's Delia. We of course can't forget the film's (almost) namesake, Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse. Each one brings a little something different to the film and you get some fun interactions between them all as well as with the supporting cast.
The only real thing that struck me after rewatching this after a few years is that Beetlejuice doesn't actually feature in it as much as I remember. But then the film itself also feels quite short, which at 1 and a half hours it is, again, I just didn't remember it that way.
Some of Beetlejuice's antics may feel a little cringe worthy to newer viewers. To be fair some did to me as a seasoned veteran of the movie. But his over the top nature and motor mouth lead to some entertaining diversions throughout.
The highlights for me as always are the dance routines. (And possibly some of the earliest twerking in the movie biz?) I think we were all dancing a little in our seats as they played out in front of us.
It still brings just as much fun as it did before, it's one of those favourites that you can watch anytime you need something a bit upbeat
What you should do
You should watch this at least once. It's daft and some fun lighthearted humour to break up a dull day.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
If I could have the full backing band when I sing at home that would be great!
Debbiereadsbook (1449 KP) rated Copper Creek (Sawyer's Ferry #3) in Books
May 7, 2019
such a fun read!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Sawyer’s Ferry series. You don’t NEED to have read the other books, but I think you should. Not least because they are 4 and 5 stars from me, but they are really REALLY good!
Frankie is Holden’s best friend. He worked for Holden’s father. When the senior Prescott was arrested, his job went down the pan with the company. Now his cousin needs him out for the new baby, and he has no job. Holden calls him to Alaska to plan his wedding to Gage. In two freaking months! Meeting the mess that is at Cooper Creek brewery send him a little in to panic mode but working with Barrett has its benefits. The man is a magnet to Frankie. Barrett also is attracted to Frankie. But Jackson will leave in two months, and Barrett has to live in Sawyer’s Ferry.
This was a FUN read, but so so good!
Frankie is unique and makes no bones about it. He’s loud, and proud. Barrett, however, is not. Barrett is just trying to keep his business afloat after his assistant left. He can’t manage the business and the paperwork, and he feels like he is drowning in his beer. Frankie walks into his office and Barrett’s life will never be the same again!
What I particularly LOVED about this one was, while Barrett has immediate attraction to Frankie, he doesn’t act on it. And then the news that Barrett had been married, to a woman, comes out. And Barrett is not AT ALL questioning his attraction to Frankie. What he questions is whether he can KEEP Frankie. There is NO, not a single line, about him wondering if he’s gay, or bi, or has been in the closet forever. He just WANTS Frankie, and that Frankie is a man, is totally irrelevant. Loved that!
It is a much lighter read than books one and two, and I loved that it was. Neither Frankie nor Barrett have any deep dark secrets, or major trauma, but Barrett’s wife did leave him. There is no violence, unless you count what Frankie wanted to do to the woman who had been sharing Barrett’s bed in Juneau (is that spelt right?)
It’s sexy, oh yes ma’am it is! Frankie is a Master at the innuendo, and he makes Barrett squirm a lot! But Frankie knows what he wants, he knows what Barrett wants, even if he doesn’t say the words, and Frankie is nothing if not determined!
I loved Frankie’s reaction to Barrett’s declaration of love, I really did. Not gonna say what he does, but it made me laugh so much!
Some stunning scenery described here and why Holden and Gage chooses a bloody BARN over the lighthouse I will never know, (even if it was Logan’s refitted space!) but I loved what Barrett did there in the epilogue.
Are there any more planned? I have the short that comes between one and two to read, and the Christmas special that Holden plans for Gage, but are there any more MAIN books planned?? I hope so! Thoroughly enjoying these stories, and hope they continue!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 3 in the Sawyer’s Ferry series. You don’t NEED to have read the other books, but I think you should. Not least because they are 4 and 5 stars from me, but they are really REALLY good!
Frankie is Holden’s best friend. He worked for Holden’s father. When the senior Prescott was arrested, his job went down the pan with the company. Now his cousin needs him out for the new baby, and he has no job. Holden calls him to Alaska to plan his wedding to Gage. In two freaking months! Meeting the mess that is at Cooper Creek brewery send him a little in to panic mode but working with Barrett has its benefits. The man is a magnet to Frankie. Barrett also is attracted to Frankie. But Jackson will leave in two months, and Barrett has to live in Sawyer’s Ferry.
This was a FUN read, but so so good!
Frankie is unique and makes no bones about it. He’s loud, and proud. Barrett, however, is not. Barrett is just trying to keep his business afloat after his assistant left. He can’t manage the business and the paperwork, and he feels like he is drowning in his beer. Frankie walks into his office and Barrett’s life will never be the same again!
What I particularly LOVED about this one was, while Barrett has immediate attraction to Frankie, he doesn’t act on it. And then the news that Barrett had been married, to a woman, comes out. And Barrett is not AT ALL questioning his attraction to Frankie. What he questions is whether he can KEEP Frankie. There is NO, not a single line, about him wondering if he’s gay, or bi, or has been in the closet forever. He just WANTS Frankie, and that Frankie is a man, is totally irrelevant. Loved that!
It is a much lighter read than books one and two, and I loved that it was. Neither Frankie nor Barrett have any deep dark secrets, or major trauma, but Barrett’s wife did leave him. There is no violence, unless you count what Frankie wanted to do to the woman who had been sharing Barrett’s bed in Juneau (is that spelt right?)
It’s sexy, oh yes ma’am it is! Frankie is a Master at the innuendo, and he makes Barrett squirm a lot! But Frankie knows what he wants, he knows what Barrett wants, even if he doesn’t say the words, and Frankie is nothing if not determined!
I loved Frankie’s reaction to Barrett’s declaration of love, I really did. Not gonna say what he does, but it made me laugh so much!
Some stunning scenery described here and why Holden and Gage chooses a bloody BARN over the lighthouse I will never know, (even if it was Logan’s refitted space!) but I loved what Barrett did there in the epilogue.
Are there any more planned? I have the short that comes between one and two to read, and the Christmas special that Holden plans for Gage, but are there any more MAIN books planned?? I hope so! Thoroughly enjoying these stories, and hope they continue!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Kyera (8 KP) rated City of Heavenly Fire in Books
Jan 31, 2018
The conclusion to the Mortal Instruments was certainly a pleasing one. There is nothing worse than reading a great book or series, or perhaps watching a tv show that creates a multitude of story lines... And then fails to resolve them. It leaves the reader with a sense of dismay and confusion. What happened to my favourite character? Did the problem ever get resolved? No one likes that feeling.
Cassandra Clare did a wonderful job of making the reader feel like the series had all of its loose ends tied up. People found or lost their loves. Villains plotted and heroes fought. It was beautiful. (And incredibly long.) I never found myself drifting from the text, although I love long books, so I may be biased. Each change of scene held my attention and I was loathe to put the book down each night to go to sleep. While I am sure that there were some scenes or dialogue that could have been trimmed to improve the flow of the novel, I never found those things distracting to me as the reader.
I also praise Cassandra Clare for the way she writes her dialogue. The characters seem so much more realistic as a result. I find myself laughing at the jokes or smirking when Jace or Clary say something snarky/sarcastic. I'm left with lines or quotes that I absolutely love (and save to my goodreads quotes.)
SPOILERS:
I love Jace and Clary's relationship. They are supportive of one another, and I believe bring out the best in the other. But they are not perfect, which makes the coupling that much more authentic. You relate to Clary (unless you're a brunette bombshell, Izzy, or you know... Excessively hairy and prone to outbursts when the moon is full, Maia) because she is authentic. She has her selfish moments, times when she is incredibly strong and others when she's unbelievably stubborn. Jace is the guy you wish actually existed because he's strong, protective, and maybe, when he lets his guard down, just a little bit sensitive.
I'm just wondering one thing - why did Jace expect to have sex (for the first time, mind you) with Clary in the demon dimension? The one they expected to die in. Boys.
Izzy and Simon? Well they don't make as much sense, but are still cute together in their own way. Simon is generally the perfect sidekick. The best friend you always wanted and sometimes the one you never knew you needed. Izzy is the female archetype that you should live up to - tough, courageous, and loyal.
Cassandra Clare did a wonderful job of making the reader feel like the series had all of its loose ends tied up. People found or lost their loves. Villains plotted and heroes fought. It was beautiful. (And incredibly long.) I never found myself drifting from the text, although I love long books, so I may be biased. Each change of scene held my attention and I was loathe to put the book down each night to go to sleep. While I am sure that there were some scenes or dialogue that could have been trimmed to improve the flow of the novel, I never found those things distracting to me as the reader.
I also praise Cassandra Clare for the way she writes her dialogue. The characters seem so much more realistic as a result. I find myself laughing at the jokes or smirking when Jace or Clary say something snarky/sarcastic. I'm left with lines or quotes that I absolutely love (and save to my goodreads quotes.)
SPOILERS:
I love Jace and Clary's relationship. They are supportive of one another, and I believe bring out the best in the other. But they are not perfect, which makes the coupling that much more authentic. You relate to Clary (unless you're a brunette bombshell, Izzy, or you know... Excessively hairy and prone to outbursts when the moon is full, Maia) because she is authentic. She has her selfish moments, times when she is incredibly strong and others when she's unbelievably stubborn. Jace is the guy you wish actually existed because he's strong, protective, and maybe, when he lets his guard down, just a little bit sensitive.
I'm just wondering one thing - why did Jace expect to have sex (for the first time, mind you) with Clary in the demon dimension? The one they expected to die in. Boys.
Izzy and Simon? Well they don't make as much sense, but are still cute together in their own way. Simon is generally the perfect sidekick. The best friend you always wanted and sometimes the one you never knew you needed. Izzy is the female archetype that you should live up to - tough, courageous, and loyal.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated An Uncommon Courtship (Hawthorne House, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
When I first read A Noble Masquerade (book one of the series), I knew that Kristi Ann Hunter was unique. Little did I know that her books would be able to twist and pull on my heart and emotions in such a strong way. An Uncommon Courtship is a story filled with sweetness that will make you sigh, rogues that will make you shudder, scheming women that will make your blood boil, and passion that will make you swoon.
Trent and Adelaide make such an adorable pair. They complement each other beautifully. Watching their "courtship" progress, witnessing their hearts opening, and learning what it means to love and be loved is a precious thing. This is a Christian novel and the passion and discussions are clean and appropriate by my standards. However, there are conversations that you may or may not feel are suitable for younger readers. One of the messages that continued to speak to me throughout the story is that, "God doesn't make mistakes." I have been reminded of this several times over the last couple of months, and it is so very true. No matter what we go through we must trust that He knows what He is doing. Even through the pain of shattered dreams, He does not make mistakes. Whatever He gives us, He gives us for a reason. The other thread that really stuck with me through this book is, love. True love, the love of the Father, the love He created between husband and wife. Kristi broaches this subject in a pure and Biblical way. It breaks my heart to see our society searching for and demonstrating love in all the wrong ways. His love is perfect and loving each other the way God intended is such a beautiful thing.
If you haven't read the rest of the books in the series I would recommend you do so before you jump into this one. The novella, Lady of Esteem, is available as a free ebook. I highly recommend this book and the series.
I received a complimentary copy of An Uncommon Courtship from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Trent and Adelaide make such an adorable pair. They complement each other beautifully. Watching their "courtship" progress, witnessing their hearts opening, and learning what it means to love and be loved is a precious thing. This is a Christian novel and the passion and discussions are clean and appropriate by my standards. However, there are conversations that you may or may not feel are suitable for younger readers. One of the messages that continued to speak to me throughout the story is that, "God doesn't make mistakes." I have been reminded of this several times over the last couple of months, and it is so very true. No matter what we go through we must trust that He knows what He is doing. Even through the pain of shattered dreams, He does not make mistakes. Whatever He gives us, He gives us for a reason. The other thread that really stuck with me through this book is, love. True love, the love of the Father, the love He created between husband and wife. Kristi broaches this subject in a pure and Biblical way. It breaks my heart to see our society searching for and demonstrating love in all the wrong ways. His love is perfect and loving each other the way God intended is such a beautiful thing.
If you haven't read the rest of the books in the series I would recommend you do so before you jump into this one. The novella, Lady of Esteem, is available as a free ebook. I highly recommend this book and the series.
I received a complimentary copy of An Uncommon Courtship from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Rumour in Books
Jan 28, 2019
A great debut
What a great debut and yet another author to keep my eyes on and a British one too ?
As the blurb says, Joanna hears a rumour and ends up passing it on even though she knows it's probably not the best decision she has ever made however, she feels the need to fit in and make friends since moving to a small seaside town from London ... what harm can it do? Well as most of us know, rumours can be extremely damaging and this book is a pretty good example of that.
Well written with great characters and setting, a gripping and relevant story line written at a good pace and with excellent twists, this book is definitely one for lovers of books that draw you in, spin you around and spit you out leaving you feeling like you're on a rollercoaster but not wanting it to end and when it does, you want to go back and have another go.
I wish to express my thanks to Random House UK/Transworld Publishers for my copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review and for, once again, introducing me to another new author to follow.
Having just clicked on the publisher website, it appears Lesley Kara has a new book coming out called "Who Did You Tell?"; the blurb sounds great and I am so looking forward to reading it especially if it's as well written as "The Rumour".
Blurb taken from the publisher website:
"It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.
Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged.
But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected.
Some mistakes, you have to pay for..."
BUT it's not out until December 2019!! Guess I'll just have to wait then ?
As the blurb says, Joanna hears a rumour and ends up passing it on even though she knows it's probably not the best decision she has ever made however, she feels the need to fit in and make friends since moving to a small seaside town from London ... what harm can it do? Well as most of us know, rumours can be extremely damaging and this book is a pretty good example of that.
Well written with great characters and setting, a gripping and relevant story line written at a good pace and with excellent twists, this book is definitely one for lovers of books that draw you in, spin you around and spit you out leaving you feeling like you're on a rollercoaster but not wanting it to end and when it does, you want to go back and have another go.
I wish to express my thanks to Random House UK/Transworld Publishers for my copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review and for, once again, introducing me to another new author to follow.
Having just clicked on the publisher website, it appears Lesley Kara has a new book coming out called "Who Did You Tell?"; the blurb sounds great and I am so looking forward to reading it especially if it's as well written as "The Rumour".
Blurb taken from the publisher website:
"It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.
Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged.
But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected.
Some mistakes, you have to pay for..."
BUT it's not out until December 2019!! Guess I'll just have to wait then ?
Sam (74 KP) rated The Poet X in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I actually didn’t flick through the book before buying it, so I didn’t realise that the whole story is told through poems. I was a bit unsure with this to begin with because I tend to struggle quite a bit with understanding poetry, but I was glad to see that this was really easy to understand!
I wish I’d had this when I decided that I really hated poetry throughout school and college because I feel that this teaches how form and structure can change the mood a poem better than any teacher can explain it to you. The form is constantly changing throughout the book and it always reflects the poet’s mood, which I found fascinating.
I do feel that the format did hold the plot back a bit, mainly because the plot had room for development but I felt that it was held back by being written in poetry format. There were a few parts that remained ambiguous because of the format meaning that events were sometimes lacking in detail.
I loved X, she’s strong and won’t let anyone tell her what to do, and she really just needs some love. However, it did annoy me how Aman took her back straight away after the way she treated him. I found that part frustrating because she acted horribly to him, but he seemed to just not care. I also wondered how she even had friends with the way she treated people around her. I understand that she had family problems, but she was absolutely horrible to some of her friends but they still stuck by her.
Even though I did get frustrated by these things, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the novel. The format made it fun and I did somehow finish it all in one day because it had me hooked.
It’s definitely worth reading, especially if you are into poetry – or even if you’re not!
I wish I’d had this when I decided that I really hated poetry throughout school and college because I feel that this teaches how form and structure can change the mood a poem better than any teacher can explain it to you. The form is constantly changing throughout the book and it always reflects the poet’s mood, which I found fascinating.
I do feel that the format did hold the plot back a bit, mainly because the plot had room for development but I felt that it was held back by being written in poetry format. There were a few parts that remained ambiguous because of the format meaning that events were sometimes lacking in detail.
I loved X, she’s strong and won’t let anyone tell her what to do, and she really just needs some love. However, it did annoy me how Aman took her back straight away after the way she treated him. I found that part frustrating because she acted horribly to him, but he seemed to just not care. I also wondered how she even had friends with the way she treated people around her. I understand that she had family problems, but she was absolutely horrible to some of her friends but they still stuck by her.
Even though I did get frustrated by these things, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the novel. The format made it fun and I did somehow finish it all in one day because it had me hooked.
It’s definitely worth reading, especially if you are into poetry – or even if you’re not!