Search
Search results
Debbiereadsbook (1694 KP) rated Bite Me (Kitchen Gods #1) in Books
Mar 5, 2018
a great, easy read, with some food porn thrown in!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is, as far as I can see, the first I've read of Bolden's work, I sure hope it isn't the last! She has a way of not giving you the full picture about something and you aren't quite sure if you missed that bit, or it wasn't mentioned yet, or what?? And I really LOVED that!
Evan and Miles butt heads, right from the start, but equally, they have attraction, powerful attraction. And I loved watching them both ( because we hear from both guys) fight that attraction. Right til they both realize that their jobs are on the line, and they could lose each other too. THEN??? All bets are off and these guys give in to the inevitable.
It's amazing watching Evan come out of himself, watching Miles peel back the layers of Evan's outer casing, to the man inside.
It's not a complicated plot line, nor is it a difficult read. It's very well written and flows beautifully from the butting heads to the but...well....you get the picture. It's not very explicit though, and I really REALLY liked that it wasn't. There is no break up/make up. It's just a really great read!
Back to that not getting the full picture thing. It's about a certain thing that Miles does when he is drunk. Which I found hilarious, but when we get the full story of what was contained within?? You understand why the hints are there, you put the pieces together. Can't say anything else, cos of spoilers, but I really did enjoy not having the full picture thrown at me all at once!
Oh! You'll probably put on about ten pounds just reading this, cos, food porn or what! Miles is, after all, a pastry chef! But, love that the recipes in the book are give as links at the end. Might have to make myself some alcoholic macaroons!
This is billed as book one in the Kitchen Gods series. But some characters pop up who already had their stories written. I'd like to both go back, and forward, with these guys. I love the way Bolden spins her yarns.
so, a perfect Sunday morning read, that kept me fully engaged and I read it in one sitting.
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is, as far as I can see, the first I've read of Bolden's work, I sure hope it isn't the last! She has a way of not giving you the full picture about something and you aren't quite sure if you missed that bit, or it wasn't mentioned yet, or what?? And I really LOVED that!
Evan and Miles butt heads, right from the start, but equally, they have attraction, powerful attraction. And I loved watching them both ( because we hear from both guys) fight that attraction. Right til they both realize that their jobs are on the line, and they could lose each other too. THEN??? All bets are off and these guys give in to the inevitable.
It's amazing watching Evan come out of himself, watching Miles peel back the layers of Evan's outer casing, to the man inside.
It's not a complicated plot line, nor is it a difficult read. It's very well written and flows beautifully from the butting heads to the but...well....you get the picture. It's not very explicit though, and I really REALLY liked that it wasn't. There is no break up/make up. It's just a really great read!
Back to that not getting the full picture thing. It's about a certain thing that Miles does when he is drunk. Which I found hilarious, but when we get the full story of what was contained within?? You understand why the hints are there, you put the pieces together. Can't say anything else, cos of spoilers, but I really did enjoy not having the full picture thrown at me all at once!
Oh! You'll probably put on about ten pounds just reading this, cos, food porn or what! Miles is, after all, a pastry chef! But, love that the recipes in the book are give as links at the end. Might have to make myself some alcoholic macaroons!
This is billed as book one in the Kitchen Gods series. But some characters pop up who already had their stories written. I'd like to both go back, and forward, with these guys. I love the way Bolden spins her yarns.
so, a perfect Sunday morning read, that kept me fully engaged and I read it in one sitting.
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Polar (2019) in Movies
Jul 5, 2020
The Black Kaiser - 8/10
Polar is a 2019 neo-noir/action movie based on the Dark Horse Comics, webcomic series Polar: Came From The Cold, written by Victor Santos. It is directed by Jonas Akerlund and written by Jayson Rothwell. Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Vanessa Hudgens, Katheryn Winnick, and Matt Lucas.
Duncan Vizla, a.k.a. "the Black Kaiser" (Mads Mikkelsen), is an assassin for the Damocles corporation. It is company policy that all assassins retire at age 50. He checks with a doctor about his health which is good and his accountant about his wealth; which having made the maximum pension fund contributions as possible, has him set for life. In 14 days, on his 50th birthday, he'll be entitled to a payout of $8 million dollars. Mr. Blut (Matt Lucas), has Vivian (Katheryn Winnick), Duncan's handler, contact him for one last mission. Unbeknownst to Duncan this is a plan to have him killed to avoid paying out his pension.
This me was awesome despite what critics say. I read a lot of bad comments talking about it being abhorrent and vulgar. It is rated TV-MA and not for kids and it is very adult. Plus it is a movie about assassins, people who kill for money, so what do you expect. I was surprised how much I liked the Black Kaiser character, since he didn't speak much during the film. Almost felt like a spaghetti-western in some ways, with the silent gunslinger aspect to it. I thought the film was very well done when it came to the acting, the action, and the plot. I'm sure that there are points to what the critics have said but the movie was too awesome for me to care. One thing, the main bad guy i didn't much care for. He did get me to not like him and with acting that's harder than getting people to like you. Also I enjoyed the group of assassins who are employed with the Damocles corporation, for the most part they were pretty interesting and diverse and added something extra to the film. And I was not prepared for Vanessa Hudgen's character but she had a surprising role and did very well too. I give this movie a 8/10.
Duncan Vizla, a.k.a. "the Black Kaiser" (Mads Mikkelsen), is an assassin for the Damocles corporation. It is company policy that all assassins retire at age 50. He checks with a doctor about his health which is good and his accountant about his wealth; which having made the maximum pension fund contributions as possible, has him set for life. In 14 days, on his 50th birthday, he'll be entitled to a payout of $8 million dollars. Mr. Blut (Matt Lucas), has Vivian (Katheryn Winnick), Duncan's handler, contact him for one last mission. Unbeknownst to Duncan this is a plan to have him killed to avoid paying out his pension.
This me was awesome despite what critics say. I read a lot of bad comments talking about it being abhorrent and vulgar. It is rated TV-MA and not for kids and it is very adult. Plus it is a movie about assassins, people who kill for money, so what do you expect. I was surprised how much I liked the Black Kaiser character, since he didn't speak much during the film. Almost felt like a spaghetti-western in some ways, with the silent gunslinger aspect to it. I thought the film was very well done when it came to the acting, the action, and the plot. I'm sure that there are points to what the critics have said but the movie was too awesome for me to care. One thing, the main bad guy i didn't much care for. He did get me to not like him and with acting that's harder than getting people to like you. Also I enjoyed the group of assassins who are employed with the Damocles corporation, for the most part they were pretty interesting and diverse and added something extra to the film. And I was not prepared for Vanessa Hudgen's character but she had a surprising role and did very well too. I give this movie a 8/10.
Sheep Frenzy 2
Games
App
Have you ever wondered if there’s an alternate universe where animals rule the world. What if…...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Liar's Girl in Books
Aug 12, 2018
A slow burner
Not having read anything by this author before, I didn't know what to expect but the blurb intrigued me so I gave it a punt via Jellybooks and, to be honest, I'm glad I did as this is probably a book that would have passed me by.
I'm not going to go into the plot as this is covered in the blurb and, probably, other reviews but I will say that the story is a slow burner building in intensity as it moves on so that it becomes a pretty good thrilling read that kept me engaged until the end ... you just have to be prepared to invest a little time in the beginning to get there.
The characters are well developed and believable; the writing style I liked very much with the majority of the chapters being either from "Alison ... now" and "Alison ... then" with a few being from the killers perspective and it all comes together at the end in a nice little twist.
Overall, a pretty good read and one I would recommend to readers who enjoy a book that doesn't smack you in the face straight away but gently pokes you in the same place every time ... it has the same effect but takes longer to get there.
I'm not going to go into the plot as this is covered in the blurb and, probably, other reviews but I will say that the story is a slow burner building in intensity as it moves on so that it becomes a pretty good thrilling read that kept me engaged until the end ... you just have to be prepared to invest a little time in the beginning to get there.
The characters are well developed and believable; the writing style I liked very much with the majority of the chapters being either from "Alison ... now" and "Alison ... then" with a few being from the killers perspective and it all comes together at the end in a nice little twist.
Overall, a pretty good read and one I would recommend to readers who enjoy a book that doesn't smack you in the face straight away but gently pokes you in the same place every time ... it has the same effect but takes longer to get there.
Tammy (5 KP) rated The Husband's Secret in Books
Aug 16, 2018 (Updated Aug 16, 2018)
Gritty, gripping with a perfect plot
I've read big little lies and knew how Liane Moriarty liked to base the plot around a number of strong female characters that captivate and draw you fully into the story. 'My husband's secret' was no different! This book kept me hooked from start to finish, I literally couldn't put it down at times and spent a couple of nights without much sleep as I kept saying 'one more chapter'. It took me three days to read this spell bounding novel. When I had to function in the real world, I found that I was thinking about what could possibly happen next in the book. I'm not going to give anything Away with 'spoilers' but let's just say that if you like a dark and gritty book full of twists and turns, strong relatable characters with passionate backgrounds, then this is the book for you. I've just started 'truly, madly, guilty' written by Liane Moriarty and I'm hoping it's going to be just as good. I have found a new great author!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Silent Companions in Books
Oct 16, 2019
A gripping gothic horror
I decided to give this a go purely because I enjoyed Laura Purcell's second novel The Corset, and I'm so glad I did because I could not put this down. I stayed up far too late last might purely to get this finished as I couldn't bear the thought of waiting until tonight to read the ending. It's that good.
This is the first horror book I've ever read that has truly scared me and given me the creeps. The plot and idea behind the companions is a wonderfully creepy idea and the gothic setting works so well. The story is told in a great way too, flitting between the different times and viewpoints, to really build up the tension and intrigue to where you can't stop reading as you need to find out what happens next. The only real criticism I have is that Elsie is not the most amenable and endearing of protagonists, so even after the ending you don't necessarily feel sorry for her, but I personally was so gripped by the rest of the plot that whether I loved Elsie or not was irrelevant. The kind of book I'd love to see made into a film (done properly of course!).
This is the first horror book I've ever read that has truly scared me and given me the creeps. The plot and idea behind the companions is a wonderfully creepy idea and the gothic setting works so well. The story is told in a great way too, flitting between the different times and viewpoints, to really build up the tension and intrigue to where you can't stop reading as you need to find out what happens next. The only real criticism I have is that Elsie is not the most amenable and endearing of protagonists, so even after the ending you don't necessarily feel sorry for her, but I personally was so gripped by the rest of the plot that whether I loved Elsie or not was irrelevant. The kind of book I'd love to see made into a film (done properly of course!).
Rachael (5 KP) rated The Invisible Man (2020) in Movies
Mar 9, 2020
Actually giving it a 4.5/5, well for this rating a 9.5/10
This movie nailed the suspense of what you can't see can hurt you. I loved this movie, even though I jumped, and got scared a bunch (shush I'm not a huge horror person okay geez) but my scared ass enjoyed this movie, and I'll definitely watch it again.
There's not too much to complain, just one major flaw so I'll start with that. The plot; it was good, except some major holes that could have been filled with all the baloney they were making to extend that plot point to keep it till later in the narrative.
Okay things I loved... Everything else! Lol the music was suspenseful, and sucked me into the craziness on the screen. It took me a bit to feel connected to our main characters, but once I did, I was all in. I jumped, a lot, but not just because of the couple jump scares, but because of the built suspense, and the beautiful camera pans of nothing.
But in the long run, though the plot does subtract final points, this is definitely a movie I will watch again, and you should go see it in theaters before it disappears.
There's not too much to complain, just one major flaw so I'll start with that. The plot; it was good, except some major holes that could have been filled with all the baloney they were making to extend that plot point to keep it till later in the narrative.
Okay things I loved... Everything else! Lol the music was suspenseful, and sucked me into the craziness on the screen. It took me a bit to feel connected to our main characters, but once I did, I was all in. I jumped, a lot, but not just because of the couple jump scares, but because of the built suspense, and the beautiful camera pans of nothing.
But in the long run, though the plot does subtract final points, this is definitely a movie I will watch again, and you should go see it in theaters before it disappears.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Spider in the Web (2019) in Movies
Jun 15, 2020
Lacking of All Entertainment Value
An aging spy goes on one last mission of redemption. His mission: Make a horrible movie that you watch once and once only.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Characters: 0
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 3
Entertainment Value: 4
Memorability: 1
Pace: 4
Plot: 6
The story is one of the best things about Spider in the Web. However, that’s not saying much. At its base, it still manages to get bogged down with confusion, not just with story but with character motivation as well. I spent just as much time successfully following along as I did scratching my head at some of its more confusing moments.
Resolution: 3
I think a huge part of why I hated the ending was because I was still lost by the time I got to it. What are the stakes? Why should I care? These are two simple questions that can make or break a movie if not answered correctly.
Overall: 40
Don’t let that 75% Rotten Tomatoes score fool you. In fact, you would be better served looking at the audience score. Spider In the Web is bad. Real bad. Not All About Steve bad, but enough for me to say it’s a total waste of almost two hours to sit through it.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Characters: 0
Cinematography/Visuals: 8
Conflict: 3
Entertainment Value: 4
Memorability: 1
Pace: 4
Plot: 6
The story is one of the best things about Spider in the Web. However, that’s not saying much. At its base, it still manages to get bogged down with confusion, not just with story but with character motivation as well. I spent just as much time successfully following along as I did scratching my head at some of its more confusing moments.
Resolution: 3
I think a huge part of why I hated the ending was because I was still lost by the time I got to it. What are the stakes? Why should I care? These are two simple questions that can make or break a movie if not answered correctly.
Overall: 40
Don’t let that 75% Rotten Tomatoes score fool you. In fact, you would be better served looking at the audience score. Spider In the Web is bad. Real bad. Not All About Steve bad, but enough for me to say it’s a total waste of almost two hours to sit through it.
Lindsay (1807 KP) rated Where the Wild Things Are in Books
Jun 15, 2021
I bought a classic book for the family. I did not read it while growing up. However, I have heard of it. It's called "Where Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. I knew about this book and heard of it. Why I never read it is beyond me. I have not read it and reviewed it now.
It is adventurous and playful. Max travels to a faraway place that has Wild Things. I wonder if this book plot is imagination or something that lets the little boy discover what it is like to be lonely after a while. Also, learn that loved ones still care even if you have to wait. The food will still be hot when you return.
I am not sure. However, the pictures are well done. I do enjoy the images. I do not get the plot of this story; that might be me; it is a cute book nonetheless. Will Max have fun with the wild things, or will he return home to his bedroom?
Some children will enjoy these books, and parents will want to read and reread this classic book for their children. You may like this for your child's bookshelves as well. The images are superb and colorful, that is for sure.
It is adventurous and playful. Max travels to a faraway place that has Wild Things. I wonder if this book plot is imagination or something that lets the little boy discover what it is like to be lonely after a while. Also, learn that loved ones still care even if you have to wait. The food will still be hot when you return.
I am not sure. However, the pictures are well done. I do enjoy the images. I do not get the plot of this story; that might be me; it is a cute book nonetheless. Will Max have fun with the wild things, or will he return home to his bedroom?
Some children will enjoy these books, and parents will want to read and reread this classic book for their children. You may like this for your child's bookshelves as well. The images are superb and colorful, that is for sure.
A Rage for Falcons: An Alliance Between Man and Bird
Helen Macdonald, Stephen Bodio and Jonathan Wilde
Book
Thus begins the tale by Stephen Bodio, a lover of birds and nature, of the incredible connection...