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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated The Fly on the Wall in Books
Apr 6, 2024
When a Reporter Becomes the Story
John Cotton is working late one night at his job as a political reporter at the state capital when another reporter comes in bragging about having just gotten a huge story. Just a few minutes later, that other reporter is dead. John begins trying to figure out what the story might be, but when another reporter is killed, he can’t help but wonder if the story he’s pursuing is deadly.
Those most familiar with Tony Hillerman because of his books set on the Navaho reservation will find this political thriller is quite a departure. Heck, it isn’t even set in the southwest, although we do get a memorable scene there. As a thriller, it took a bit to get going, but once we did, I was hooked with several edge of your seat scenes. John is the only character we truly get to know; it would have been nice to get to know some of the others better. The book originally came out in 1971, and it shows. Parts are definitely dated. None of these complaints are reasons to skip the book. If you pick it up and give it a chance, you’ll find yourself enjoying it.
Those most familiar with Tony Hillerman because of his books set on the Navaho reservation will find this political thriller is quite a departure. Heck, it isn’t even set in the southwest, although we do get a memorable scene there. As a thriller, it took a bit to get going, but once we did, I was hooked with several edge of your seat scenes. John is the only character we truly get to know; it would have been nice to get to know some of the others better. The book originally came out in 1971, and it shows. Parts are definitely dated. None of these complaints are reasons to skip the book. If you pick it up and give it a chance, you’ll find yourself enjoying it.
ClareR (5950 KP) rated Restless Dolly Maunder in Books
Jul 20, 2024
Another fabulous read that I wouldn’t have picked up if it hadn’t have been for the Women’s Prize.
Dolly Maunder is most definitely restless. She wants more than the hand that life has dealt her - and as a female whose parents work on a farm, she is expected to get married and have children who will work on a farm.
Dolly is determined, and that’s what shows throughout this book. When her parents take away the chance for her to become a teacher, she finds other ways to change her life. She’s a force of nature! I loved Dolly’s spirit. She did come across as obstinate and single minded, neither of which is a terrible thing for someone with ambition. But it’s not easy for those who have to live with her!
This is a pretty wide-sweeping novel, from Dolly’s childhood until her old age, and it still seemed to be over too soon. It was so interesting to learn about the Australian way of life from just before WWI to after WWII, and Dolly moves around enough for the reader to see different areas of Australia.
There’s a lot of emotion in this book, and when you read the authors note at the end, you’ll see why. Recommended.
Dolly Maunder is most definitely restless. She wants more than the hand that life has dealt her - and as a female whose parents work on a farm, she is expected to get married and have children who will work on a farm.
Dolly is determined, and that’s what shows throughout this book. When her parents take away the chance for her to become a teacher, she finds other ways to change her life. She’s a force of nature! I loved Dolly’s spirit. She did come across as obstinate and single minded, neither of which is a terrible thing for someone with ambition. But it’s not easy for those who have to live with her!
This is a pretty wide-sweeping novel, from Dolly’s childhood until her old age, and it still seemed to be over too soon. It was so interesting to learn about the Australian way of life from just before WWI to after WWII, and Dolly moves around enough for the reader to see different areas of Australia.
There’s a lot of emotion in this book, and when you read the authors note at the end, you’ll see why. Recommended.
Merissa (13169 KP) rated The Mage King (The Ice Queen #2) in Books
Jul 21, 2017
The Mage King (The Ice Queen #2) by Rebecca Bauer
The Mage King is the second book in The Ice Queen series, and we return to see what Aria and Cas are up to, two years after we last saw them. They are now proud parents of Elena, although Cas seems to have taken to it a bit easier than Aria has done. They have worked hard for peace, but it seems like the mages are up to their tricks again. Not only that, but the magic of the mages seems to be failing. It becomes apparent that those who are not having problems (like Cas) may have a different blood line than others. Not only that, but King Liam from the west is making his way eastwards, and no one is quite sure why.
So much happens in this book, and yet it is easy to follow and is not unnecessarily complicated. Aria and Cas continue to go from strength to strength, no matter what is thrown at them. Their love and trust in each other is a strength that others just don't understand, and yet I adore it! They are not saccharine sweet, one of the things I love about Aria is her razor-sharp tongue, but are unfailing honest and loyal although they both play the deception/political game with style and finesse.
I refuse to give out any spoilers about this book. Trust me, you will want to immerse yourself in the Ice Realm, along with the other places, just like you did with The Ice Queen. I will say that there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. Once again, this is an exceptional adult fantasy that I highly recommend.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
So much happens in this book, and yet it is easy to follow and is not unnecessarily complicated. Aria and Cas continue to go from strength to strength, no matter what is thrown at them. Their love and trust in each other is a strength that others just don't understand, and yet I adore it! They are not saccharine sweet, one of the things I love about Aria is her razor-sharp tongue, but are unfailing honest and loyal although they both play the deception/political game with style and finesse.
I refuse to give out any spoilers about this book. Trust me, you will want to immerse yourself in the Ice Realm, along with the other places, just like you did with The Ice Queen. I will say that there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. Once again, this is an exceptional adult fantasy that I highly recommend.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Triangles in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The thing about Ellen Hopkins is she writes about the stuff that everyone knows happens, but nobody is willing to admit to. She gives emotion and reason to why people make the choices we do, and what they feel like in the middle of a messy hurtful situation. She is the opposite of happyland syndrome. She tells it how it is.
I had read a little bit of Hopkins's work before: I started Crank (When I say started I mean read the first few pages) and loved it, but I was busy and never got the chance to get into it. But I got an ARC of Triangles, so I sat down and read it—and after one page I was hooked.
If you've been reading my blog at all, you know I'm not a person who likes stories about love gone wrong and marriages failing and extramarital sex etc. because I'm a Christian, and a romantic, and a softie (read 'wimp'). But I went ahead and dove into this book, because I knew Hopkins is a good writer.
It surpassed my expectations. I should have expected her to be this awesome, since obviously she's pretty famous and everyone else figured it out before I did, but I really am blown away, not only by her blunt yet graceful storytelling, but by her nerve to tackle the stories nobody wants to tell: a dying child, a gay son, a pregnant teen, sexual disease, threesomes, a woman sleeping with her best friend's husband… it's all in here. Yet, it's not plot overkill. She made it work. Somehow.
Though, be warned. Since she does say it like it is, this book is not for the easily offended. But if you're willing to look past the content, there's a gem waiting for you about forgiveness, hope, and what love really means.
Content/recommendation: explicit sexual content, swearing. Ages 18+
I had read a little bit of Hopkins's work before: I started Crank (When I say started I mean read the first few pages) and loved it, but I was busy and never got the chance to get into it. But I got an ARC of Triangles, so I sat down and read it—and after one page I was hooked.
If you've been reading my blog at all, you know I'm not a person who likes stories about love gone wrong and marriages failing and extramarital sex etc. because I'm a Christian, and a romantic, and a softie (read 'wimp'). But I went ahead and dove into this book, because I knew Hopkins is a good writer.
It surpassed my expectations. I should have expected her to be this awesome, since obviously she's pretty famous and everyone else figured it out before I did, but I really am blown away, not only by her blunt yet graceful storytelling, but by her nerve to tackle the stories nobody wants to tell: a dying child, a gay son, a pregnant teen, sexual disease, threesomes, a woman sleeping with her best friend's husband… it's all in here. Yet, it's not plot overkill. She made it work. Somehow.
Though, be warned. Since she does say it like it is, this book is not for the easily offended. But if you're willing to look past the content, there's a gem waiting for you about forgiveness, hope, and what love really means.
Content/recommendation: explicit sexual content, swearing. Ages 18+
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated 55 in Books
May 22, 2019
*** There were 54 victims before this. Who is number 55? ***
Wilbrook in Western Australia is a sleepy, remote town that sits on the edge of miles and miles of unexplored wilderness. It is home to Police Sergeant Chandler Jenkins, who is proud to run the towns small police station, a place used to dealing with domestic disputes and noise complaints.
All that changes on a scorching day when an injured man stumbles into Chandlers station. Hes covered in dried blood. His name is Gabriel. He tells Chandler what he remembers.
He was drugged and driven to a cabin in the mountains and tied up in iron chains. The man who took him was called Heath. Heath told Gabriel he was going to be number 55. His 55th victim.
Heath is a serial killer.
As a manhunt is launched, a man who says he is Heath walks into the same station. He tells Chandler he was taken by a man named Gabriel. Gabriel told Heath he was going to be victim 55.
Gabriel is the serial killer.
Two suspects. Two identical stories. Which one is the truth?
This is a character-driven, tightly plotted thriller that certainly kept me guessing. The descriptions of the outback including a sense of the harshness of the environment year round were extremely vivid.
I really enjoyed the way the past and present were interwoven, bringing a sharpness to the story.
I could not put this book down. From start to finish I needed to keep turning each page to see what was going to happen next. The story really draws you in especially jumping between past and present and both perspectives. This one will keep you thinking and to be honest I think would make a great film.
The ending was just WOW...I did not see that one coming at all.
Looking forward to being able to read more of the same author.
Highly recommended!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK Fiction for an advance copy of 55.
Wilbrook in Western Australia is a sleepy, remote town that sits on the edge of miles and miles of unexplored wilderness. It is home to Police Sergeant Chandler Jenkins, who is proud to run the towns small police station, a place used to dealing with domestic disputes and noise complaints.
All that changes on a scorching day when an injured man stumbles into Chandlers station. Hes covered in dried blood. His name is Gabriel. He tells Chandler what he remembers.
He was drugged and driven to a cabin in the mountains and tied up in iron chains. The man who took him was called Heath. Heath told Gabriel he was going to be number 55. His 55th victim.
Heath is a serial killer.
As a manhunt is launched, a man who says he is Heath walks into the same station. He tells Chandler he was taken by a man named Gabriel. Gabriel told Heath he was going to be victim 55.
Gabriel is the serial killer.
Two suspects. Two identical stories. Which one is the truth?
This is a character-driven, tightly plotted thriller that certainly kept me guessing. The descriptions of the outback including a sense of the harshness of the environment year round were extremely vivid.
I really enjoyed the way the past and present were interwoven, bringing a sharpness to the story.
I could not put this book down. From start to finish I needed to keep turning each page to see what was going to happen next. The story really draws you in especially jumping between past and present and both perspectives. This one will keep you thinking and to be honest I think would make a great film.
The ending was just WOW...I did not see that one coming at all.
Looking forward to being able to read more of the same author.
Highly recommended!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK Fiction for an advance copy of 55.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Her Husband's Lover in Books
Jun 5, 2019
As I read “Her Husband’s Lover: A gripping psychological thriller with the most unforgettable twist yet” by Julia Crouch, I found myself swept up in a bloody battle for revenge. But is the wife of the dead husband really the innocent victim of abuse? Or is the girl who was having an affair with the wife’s husband just looking for a quick, get-rich scheme because she’s realised the wife is very rich?
Louisa Williams has really been through a tough time losing both her husband Sam and her two kids, so when her husband’s lover, Sophie appears on the scene (even in the hospital as Lou is trying to recover from some serious injuries) Louisa is frightened by this girl’s tenacity. Could she be dangerous?
Having tracked Louisa down, Sophie reveals she is expecting Sam’s baby and that as the father of her baby they are entitled to part of their estate! Well as you can imagine, Louisa is not having any of this, and cannot believe this young girl’s audacity! Who the hell does this Sophie think she is, coming into her life at a time Louisa is so unhappy and vulnerable?
While I was reading I could eventually see where this was going and the reality of what was the truth, and who was lying became a meaty part of the plot, which I devoured like the carnivorous meat-eating diner I am. Unlike the new guy, vegan-loving, hapless Adam of whom Louisa shacks up with, and unfortunately also gets wrapped up in the whole Lou and Sophie saga.
Julia Crouch has written a very exciting novel, and I really did not know what was going to happen at the end until it hit me! It’s a dark, twisty tale with some chilling scenes. I could not put it down. I would recommend this to anyone who likes sinister, domestic thrillers that have a surprising final conclusion you won’t see coming! Wish I’d got to this one earlier!
Louisa Williams has really been through a tough time losing both her husband Sam and her two kids, so when her husband’s lover, Sophie appears on the scene (even in the hospital as Lou is trying to recover from some serious injuries) Louisa is frightened by this girl’s tenacity. Could she be dangerous?
Having tracked Louisa down, Sophie reveals she is expecting Sam’s baby and that as the father of her baby they are entitled to part of their estate! Well as you can imagine, Louisa is not having any of this, and cannot believe this young girl’s audacity! Who the hell does this Sophie think she is, coming into her life at a time Louisa is so unhappy and vulnerable?
While I was reading I could eventually see where this was going and the reality of what was the truth, and who was lying became a meaty part of the plot, which I devoured like the carnivorous meat-eating diner I am. Unlike the new guy, vegan-loving, hapless Adam of whom Louisa shacks up with, and unfortunately also gets wrapped up in the whole Lou and Sophie saga.
Julia Crouch has written a very exciting novel, and I really did not know what was going to happen at the end until it hit me! It’s a dark, twisty tale with some chilling scenes. I could not put it down. I would recommend this to anyone who likes sinister, domestic thrillers that have a surprising final conclusion you won’t see coming! Wish I’d got to this one earlier!
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Dumb House: (Scottish Classics) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This book was nothing like what I thought it would, and for that reason, it disappointed me.
I believed this novel was going to be a creepy, man-holds-children-captive kind of story, but unfortunately it wasn’t. This was far more intelligent, with lots of complex writing than I had expected, and due to that, I couldn’t really get into it. I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed so I feel like a lot of this book went over my head.
There’s no doubt about it, our narrator is one of the most terrifying and disturbed narrators I’ve ever come across, and thanks to my love for the macabre, this made reading his story sometimes enjoyable. When he was simply recalling his actions in the here and now, I was interested, but when he got into his ramblings about his ideas on testing the innateness of language, my mind moved onto different things. Hence it taking me almost a week and a half to read 204 pages.
Burnside is an incredibly beautiful writer, it doesn’t surprise me to see he’s a poetry writer as well as a fiction writer. I’m always one to praise an author for their poetic prose, but sometimes things get a little too complex for me and all meaning is lost on me. This happened a lot throughout reading The Dumb House.
In terms of the story, this wasn’t exactly what I had hoped it would be. It was very slow to get anywhere, and even when we did get to learning his experiment on his children, that whole section was equally slow-moving. It didn’t feel like an awful lot happened other than several uncomfortable sex scenes and some horrifying violence.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t do it for me, which is a shame, because I was so looking forward to reading it. I suppose if you love intelligent fiction that is reasonably ambiguous, this might be great for you. I personally like a book that challenges my mind, but this one went too far for me.
I believed this novel was going to be a creepy, man-holds-children-captive kind of story, but unfortunately it wasn’t. This was far more intelligent, with lots of complex writing than I had expected, and due to that, I couldn’t really get into it. I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed so I feel like a lot of this book went over my head.
There’s no doubt about it, our narrator is one of the most terrifying and disturbed narrators I’ve ever come across, and thanks to my love for the macabre, this made reading his story sometimes enjoyable. When he was simply recalling his actions in the here and now, I was interested, but when he got into his ramblings about his ideas on testing the innateness of language, my mind moved onto different things. Hence it taking me almost a week and a half to read 204 pages.
Burnside is an incredibly beautiful writer, it doesn’t surprise me to see he’s a poetry writer as well as a fiction writer. I’m always one to praise an author for their poetic prose, but sometimes things get a little too complex for me and all meaning is lost on me. This happened a lot throughout reading The Dumb House.
In terms of the story, this wasn’t exactly what I had hoped it would be. It was very slow to get anywhere, and even when we did get to learning his experiment on his children, that whole section was equally slow-moving. It didn’t feel like an awful lot happened other than several uncomfortable sex scenes and some horrifying violence.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t do it for me, which is a shame, because I was so looking forward to reading it. I suppose if you love intelligent fiction that is reasonably ambiguous, this might be great for you. I personally like a book that challenges my mind, but this one went too far for me.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Grandma's Garden in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Grandmas Garden by Sudeep Bhuller is a very cute book and I could see it being given as a gift to a grandma who likes reading to her grandchildren. The book states that it is a great visual treat for babies discovering shapes and colors. While it is very colorful the images have soft edges and the shapes are not very well defined.
In this book, children are walked through Grandmas Garden. The bright flowers and fruit trees are pointed out early on. Everything from cats and birds to tiny snails and millipedes are shown. Children also get to see ladybugs, bees, and even butterflies that may be harder to see up close in nature.
I really liked how bright and colorful the book is. It offers many opportunities for parents to have children point out what is being talked about on each page. Reading this book offers opportunities to find the cat or snail and count the ants or birds. Reading this right before taking a child out to plant a seed might be a fun activity. What I didnt like was that at times while reading it out loud it felt as if there should be rhymes when none were present. The flow of the book is disrupted if you try to read it as a story. If you read each page as an individual and not part of a whole it is not as bad.
For target readers for this book, the author was correct in saying that infants and toddlers will enjoy having this book read to them. I know my two years old seemed to enjoy it. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While the book is beautifully illustrated and walks children thought the things they may find in a garden, I can not give it a perfect score. The problem with how the book doesn't flow very well did cause it to lose points with me.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/grandmas-garden
In this book, children are walked through Grandmas Garden. The bright flowers and fruit trees are pointed out early on. Everything from cats and birds to tiny snails and millipedes are shown. Children also get to see ladybugs, bees, and even butterflies that may be harder to see up close in nature.
I really liked how bright and colorful the book is. It offers many opportunities for parents to have children point out what is being talked about on each page. Reading this book offers opportunities to find the cat or snail and count the ants or birds. Reading this right before taking a child out to plant a seed might be a fun activity. What I didnt like was that at times while reading it out loud it felt as if there should be rhymes when none were present. The flow of the book is disrupted if you try to read it as a story. If you read each page as an individual and not part of a whole it is not as bad.
For target readers for this book, the author was correct in saying that infants and toddlers will enjoy having this book read to them. I know my two years old seemed to enjoy it. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While the book is beautifully illustrated and walks children thought the things they may find in a garden, I can not give it a perfect score. The problem with how the book doesn't flow very well did cause it to lose points with me.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/grandmas-garden
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Sicario (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Those expecting Sicario to be a high action film will be disappointed. Instead what they will find is a slow burn suspenseful drama with fantastic acting and a more realistic take on the drug war than Hollywood traditionally likes to show us.
Emily Blunt delivers another strong acting performance as a “girl scout” FBI agent who raids drug houses in Arizona. She is somewhat of a “Bad Ass” among her crew, as her life has become dedicated to the job and she believes in the cause. So when Josh Brolin comes in as the head of a “spook” CIA taskforce and recruits blunt to make some “noise” and go after the head of Mexican drug cartel, she jumps at the chance to stop the men responsible for the drug houses and make a real difference. The only problem is that as the low man on the taskforce, she is not told much which frustrates her when things start to not appear by the book.
To make things worse, Benicio Del Toro is a suspicious part of Brolin’s taskforce who doesn’t seem to fit into the puzzle. It is through Del Toro that we learn the truth about the operation and the real meaning of the word Sicario. Del Toro’s performance burns with silent chaos as you just know he is the “coolest guy” in the room, both in style and nerves. He is someone who is not to be trifled with as an ally or an enemy but still maintains a sincerity towards Blunt and her idealism. This is one of his best performances in years.
Ultimately Sicario is a slow paced suspenseful action film that feels real. Even though the pacing is slow, at no point did the film drag as you are constantly wondering what is really going on just like the strong and refreshing female lead in an action film like this.
Emily Blunt delivers another strong acting performance as a “girl scout” FBI agent who raids drug houses in Arizona. She is somewhat of a “Bad Ass” among her crew, as her life has become dedicated to the job and she believes in the cause. So when Josh Brolin comes in as the head of a “spook” CIA taskforce and recruits blunt to make some “noise” and go after the head of Mexican drug cartel, she jumps at the chance to stop the men responsible for the drug houses and make a real difference. The only problem is that as the low man on the taskforce, she is not told much which frustrates her when things start to not appear by the book.
To make things worse, Benicio Del Toro is a suspicious part of Brolin’s taskforce who doesn’t seem to fit into the puzzle. It is through Del Toro that we learn the truth about the operation and the real meaning of the word Sicario. Del Toro’s performance burns with silent chaos as you just know he is the “coolest guy” in the room, both in style and nerves. He is someone who is not to be trifled with as an ally or an enemy but still maintains a sincerity towards Blunt and her idealism. This is one of his best performances in years.
Ultimately Sicario is a slow paced suspenseful action film that feels real. Even though the pacing is slow, at no point did the film drag as you are constantly wondering what is really going on just like the strong and refreshing female lead in an action film like this.
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