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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2185 KP) rated Murder in the Piazza in Books
Sep 10, 2022 (Updated Sep 10, 2022)
Murder in Rome
Maggie White’s husband has been sent to Rome for two years for his job, and she’s gone along with him. After a few months of living the life of leisure, she has found a job working for Masterpiece Tours, a specialty tour company that offers painting lessons and tours of some of the museums and famous locations in the city. She’s barely started and she’s already fantasizing about ways to kill her boss, Lord Phillip, an English expat. However, she is shocked to find him shot in his office one evening. The police don’t seem that interested in figuring out what happened, so Maggie starts investigating. Can she figure out what is going on?
This was a good travel themed mystery. It brought Rome to life in such a way that I felt I was there with Maggie. Unfortunately, the pacing of the mystery was off early on, but I did appreciate how everything came together at the end. We met many of the characters in a group setting, but they became distinct people as the story progressed, so it wasn’t really an issue. If you are looking for a virtual visit to Rome with a side of murder, this is the book for you.
This was a good travel themed mystery. It brought Rome to life in such a way that I felt I was there with Maggie. Unfortunately, the pacing of the mystery was off early on, but I did appreciate how everything came together at the end. We met many of the characters in a group setting, but they became distinct people as the story progressed, so it wasn’t really an issue. If you are looking for a virtual visit to Rome with a side of murder, this is the book for you.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Veiled ( Releasing the Magic 4) in Books
Sep 21, 2023
134 of 235
Kindle
Veiled ( Releasing the Magic 4)
By Maya Riley
⭐️⭐️⭐️
What do you do when your past takes you back?
The years I’d spent growing up were the darkest of my life, even with counting the rotter outbreak. Then I gained my freedom, met some guys who refused to leave, and even got some of my siblings back. Then my past came for me.
Now I spend my days watching, biding my time, waiting for my chance to escape while also trying to keep my sanity. During this time, I’m forced to endure their experiments. Some will test me, and some could possibly break me. What I learn, though, could change everything I thought I’d ever known to be true. I will fight my way out for my freedom.
I did it before, I can do it again.
Nobody will knock me down for good.
Not even the monster in the pearl necklace.
I really like this series it’s a different twist on a zombie apocalypse mixing it with a bit of magic. It’s a light fun read with a bit of a reverse harem going on. This was a little rushed in parts but still enjoyable for a quick read.
Kindle
Veiled ( Releasing the Magic 4)
By Maya Riley
⭐️⭐️⭐️
What do you do when your past takes you back?
The years I’d spent growing up were the darkest of my life, even with counting the rotter outbreak. Then I gained my freedom, met some guys who refused to leave, and even got some of my siblings back. Then my past came for me.
Now I spend my days watching, biding my time, waiting for my chance to escape while also trying to keep my sanity. During this time, I’m forced to endure their experiments. Some will test me, and some could possibly break me. What I learn, though, could change everything I thought I’d ever known to be true. I will fight my way out for my freedom.
I did it before, I can do it again.
Nobody will knock me down for good.
Not even the monster in the pearl necklace.
I really like this series it’s a different twist on a zombie apocalypse mixing it with a bit of magic. It’s a light fun read with a bit of a reverse harem going on. This was a little rushed in parts but still enjoyable for a quick read.
ClareR (5701 KP) rated The Misadventures of Margaret Finch in Books
May 20, 2023
Don’t let this book fool you like it did me. When I read the title and saw the cover, I was expecting something entirely different to what I got - and I wasn’t disappointed at all!
Margaret has escaped her controlling stepmother by working for the Mass Observation project in Blackpool. She becomes involved with the Vicar of Stiffkey (he was a big deal in the late 1930s - and no! She wasn’t involved like that!), and starts to observe him and his sideshows as part of her work.
Margaret is very good at what she does. She’s an expert at staying on the periphery, invisible, but I don’t think this does her any good in the long run. She starts to feel lonely and separate from everyone else, and she doesn’t know how to deal with it.
I though Margaret was fascinating, and her boss James, was lovely. The vicar was only interested in his own life and problems, which isn’t really something I’d expect from a vicar.
Oh, and my advice for reading this: DON’T GOOGLE ANYTHING! Really, you’ll spoil it for yourself.
It’s a fabulous book - you really should read it! Thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Claire for reading along with us.
Margaret has escaped her controlling stepmother by working for the Mass Observation project in Blackpool. She becomes involved with the Vicar of Stiffkey (he was a big deal in the late 1930s - and no! She wasn’t involved like that!), and starts to observe him and his sideshows as part of her work.
Margaret is very good at what she does. She’s an expert at staying on the periphery, invisible, but I don’t think this does her any good in the long run. She starts to feel lonely and separate from everyone else, and she doesn’t know how to deal with it.
I though Margaret was fascinating, and her boss James, was lovely. The vicar was only interested in his own life and problems, which isn’t really something I’d expect from a vicar.
Oh, and my advice for reading this: DON’T GOOGLE ANYTHING! Really, you’ll spoil it for yourself.
It’s a fabulous book - you really should read it! Thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Claire for reading along with us.
ClareR (5701 KP) rated The Valkyrie in Books
May 30, 2023
What a fantastic book! Myth, strong women, magic - what’s not to like?!
I’ll own up now. This was a NetGalley book, and it kind of got left behind. So I listened to the audiobook on Xigxag audiobooks. And I’m SO glad that I did.it came to life for me, and where some reviews have said that they were sometimes a little confused as to whose chapter it was, either Brynhild the fallen Valkyrie or Gudrun, Princess of Burgundia, I had no such issue. The narrators, Eleanor Jackson and India Shaw-Smith WERE Brynhild and Gudrun. And they were both self-assured, strong leaders who would take no nonsense.
What did surprise me was how forgiving Brynhild was of Sigurd lies. If you already know the myth, then you’ll know! Otherwise, my lips are sealed, because you really have to read this for yourself!
Oh, and the Germanic history was the icing on the cake for me. And there’s loads of extra information about both the Norse mythology and the German history, both in relation to the book, on Kate Heartsfields website - chapter by chapter! I’ve had the BEST time on there!
So, yes, this is very much a recommended book!
I’ll own up now. This was a NetGalley book, and it kind of got left behind. So I listened to the audiobook on Xigxag audiobooks. And I’m SO glad that I did.it came to life for me, and where some reviews have said that they were sometimes a little confused as to whose chapter it was, either Brynhild the fallen Valkyrie or Gudrun, Princess of Burgundia, I had no such issue. The narrators, Eleanor Jackson and India Shaw-Smith WERE Brynhild and Gudrun. And they were both self-assured, strong leaders who would take no nonsense.
What did surprise me was how forgiving Brynhild was of Sigurd lies. If you already know the myth, then you’ll know! Otherwise, my lips are sealed, because you really have to read this for yourself!
Oh, and the Germanic history was the icing on the cake for me. And there’s loads of extra information about both the Norse mythology and the German history, both in relation to the book, on Kate Heartsfields website - chapter by chapter! I’ve had the BEST time on there!
So, yes, this is very much a recommended book!
Merissa (12015 KP) rated Rejected Mate (Shifter World: Royal-Kagan #5) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
In book 1 of the Kagan Wolves series, we meet Nic and Riley. Nic is the alpha's son, primed to take over as Alpha when his father steps down. Riley is an honorary pack member as she is wholly human. She is also the Pack's Doctor, although she will treat any shifter that turns up.
I loved the twist in this book - that Nic the human loved and wanted Riley, but Nic the wolf saw her as weak because she couldn't give him pups! The frustration felt by Nic was tangible as you read through. Riley is a strong character and I honestly don't know if I could do what she did! I think I would have run at the first opportunity, but that's why the book isn't about me! lol
I enjoyed seeing Sean and Jenna again, and how they both helped Riley and Nic. This is what friends do for each other, even if you don't always agree with their decisions.
Very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I found, this was a wonderful full-length read into the world of the Kagan Wolves. Definitely recommended.
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 9, 2016
I loved the twist in this book - that Nic the human loved and wanted Riley, but Nic the wolf saw her as weak because she couldn't give him pups! The frustration felt by Nic was tangible as you read through. Riley is a strong character and I honestly don't know if I could do what she did! I think I would have run at the first opportunity, but that's why the book isn't about me! lol
I enjoyed seeing Sean and Jenna again, and how they both helped Riley and Nic. This is what friends do for each other, even if you don't always agree with their decisions.
Very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I found, this was a wonderful full-length read into the world of the Kagan Wolves. Definitely recommended.
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 9, 2016
David McK (3396 KP) rated Unruly: A History of England's Kings and Queens in Books
Sep 29, 2024 (Updated Sep 29, 2024)
David Mitchell, the comedian.
NOT David Mitchell, the author of "Cloud Atlas" (never read it).
I know the comedian best from his involvement in various TV panel gameshows, most noticeably BBCs "Would I Lie To You?", as well as as from the sitcom "Upstart Crow", where he plays William Shakespeare.
In all cases, his persona is of an uptight, repressed, middle aged man.
So I had a good idea what to expect of this, especially as I knew the audiobook was narrated by none other then he himself - indeed, the only reason I picked up the ebook version over the audiobook version is simply because the ebook was on sale (plus I find I can read faster than I listen).
Billed as 'Horrible Histories for Grownups' (as an aside, anyone remember the Horrible Histories with the links by Stephen Fry?), this is actually both quite entertaining and educational, with Mitchell taking it chapter about to tell the story of England's various Kings and Queens, from their earliest days and right up until the reign of Elizabeth I.
OK, the humour may be a bit, ummm, ribald (and sweary) in certain places, but if you go in knowing what to expect (as I did) ...
NOT David Mitchell, the author of "Cloud Atlas" (never read it).
I know the comedian best from his involvement in various TV panel gameshows, most noticeably BBCs "Would I Lie To You?", as well as as from the sitcom "Upstart Crow", where he plays William Shakespeare.
In all cases, his persona is of an uptight, repressed, middle aged man.
So I had a good idea what to expect of this, especially as I knew the audiobook was narrated by none other then he himself - indeed, the only reason I picked up the ebook version over the audiobook version is simply because the ebook was on sale (plus I find I can read faster than I listen).
Billed as 'Horrible Histories for Grownups' (as an aside, anyone remember the Horrible Histories with the links by Stephen Fry?), this is actually both quite entertaining and educational, with Mitchell taking it chapter about to tell the story of England's various Kings and Queens, from their earliest days and right up until the reign of Elizabeth I.
OK, the humour may be a bit, ummm, ribald (and sweary) in certain places, but if you go in knowing what to expect (as I did) ...
Daniel Holford (0 KP) rated American Vandal in TV
Sep 20, 2017
Far Better than expected!
There's not many TV shows that can grip me into watch all of their episodes back to back, especially comedies which I often have a hard time to really get into.
However this show is me gripped from the end of episode (plenty of cliffhangers to push you forwards immediately). The story is very focussed on the "dick drawing" and the trial of Dylan, whether he did do it and what motive he had for it?
This is filmed perfectly like making a murderer, less mocumentary and more like an actual serious docudrama with some added elements of humour. For a show I thought would immediately be about dick jokes, they steered fairly clear making a smarter and genuinely greater show than I could have expected.
However this show is me gripped from the end of episode (plenty of cliffhangers to push you forwards immediately). The story is very focussed on the "dick drawing" and the trial of Dylan, whether he did do it and what motive he had for it?
This is filmed perfectly like making a murderer, less mocumentary and more like an actual serious docudrama with some added elements of humour. For a show I thought would immediately be about dick jokes, they steered fairly clear making a smarter and genuinely greater show than I could have expected.
Book Divas (227 KP) rated Romanov in Books
Jun 7, 2019
Completely Captivated
From the time I heard this book was coming out I just knew I had to read it. I will tell you that I lived Anastasia's life while reading this book and that's in part to the author's creative writing style. I found myself caught up in all of the emotional turmoil and upheaval that the entire family went through and I cried with the losses that occurred within this storyline. The blending of historical facts with fantasy kept me captivated until I turned the very last page. I quite honestly did not want the book to end and will reread this book. I really wonder how Anastasia's life would have turned out if she hadn't been murdered and this author gave me a glimpse of what could have been.
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) in Movies
Feb 9, 2018
How it began
Earth is under an energy crisis and is on the brink of planetary war for control. A team of scientists have the answer to our problems but must make it work. A particle accelerator that will supply the earth with unlimited power for everyone. Several trials and fails happen before they get it stable. Once it is fired things an explosion happen and things aren't what they are used to seeing. Earth is no longer in contact and strange things are happening. On earth a series of events begin with the release of a huge being that was never there before. Where did it come from you have to watch to find out.
Was never a big fan of the the first movie but this one wasn't too bad
Was never a big fan of the the first movie but this one wasn't too bad
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Passion of the Christ (2004) in Movies
Apr 1, 2018
Still holds up years later
While I would not consider myself to be a religious person, I did enjoy Mel Gibson's film quite a bit. I was able to follow along with the story despite not knowing the events through many recent churchgoing experiences.
I have no problem with subtitled films either. Just like an English-speaking movie, the story just has to be interesting or compelling and this film is both.
I understand those who find this film controversial or do not enjoy, but, as with all movies, this is just one man's interpretation of events like any movie. The subject matter is what some people object to if their beliefs differ from Gibson's.
If you disliked originally, give it another chance.
I have no problem with subtitled films either. Just like an English-speaking movie, the story just has to be interesting or compelling and this film is both.
I understand those who find this film controversial or do not enjoy, but, as with all movies, this is just one man's interpretation of events like any movie. The subject matter is what some people object to if their beliefs differ from Gibson's.
If you disliked originally, give it another chance.