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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman in Books
Jul 1, 2021
The thing that really attracted me to this little gem of a book was it’s title and wondering whether there was actually a character named Norman Foreman in it or not. Then when I read the blurb I knew that I just had to read it.
We follow a mother and son, Sadie and Norman Foreman, through a challenging time in their life - Norman’s best friend Jax dying from an asthma attack. Norman and Jax did everything together, and loved watching comedy sketches and comedians and had big dreams of becoming a comedy duo and performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when they were 15.
However, that plan drastically changes when Jax dies aged 12 and leaves Norman not really knowing what to do and not particularly coping very well. Norman then comes up with the idea to get himself to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that year as a tribute to Jax and also along the way decides he wants to finally find out who his dad is.
Sadie is also struggling with Jax’s death and struggling to help Norman grieve as she never truly grieved her own dad’s death. She has to come to relive her past where she spent a month after her dad’s death completely off the rails and now has four potential fathers for Norman. Along the way she confides in a work colleague, a little old man called Leonard, who decides that he wants in on this adventure and helps Sadie organise her thoughts and helps them both get to the Edinburgh Fringe and to find the four potential fathers.
Some of it may be a little far fetched at points, but that doesn’t stop it from being a really heartwarming story of a child trying to come to terms with the grief of losing his best friend and how you don’t have to be sad all the time in order to grieve.
I loved the whole book from start to finish, and I’m so glad that I got to read it courtesy of Pigeonhole and Julietta Henderson!
We follow a mother and son, Sadie and Norman Foreman, through a challenging time in their life - Norman’s best friend Jax dying from an asthma attack. Norman and Jax did everything together, and loved watching comedy sketches and comedians and had big dreams of becoming a comedy duo and performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when they were 15.
However, that plan drastically changes when Jax dies aged 12 and leaves Norman not really knowing what to do and not particularly coping very well. Norman then comes up with the idea to get himself to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that year as a tribute to Jax and also along the way decides he wants to finally find out who his dad is.
Sadie is also struggling with Jax’s death and struggling to help Norman grieve as she never truly grieved her own dad’s death. She has to come to relive her past where she spent a month after her dad’s death completely off the rails and now has four potential fathers for Norman. Along the way she confides in a work colleague, a little old man called Leonard, who decides that he wants in on this adventure and helps Sadie organise her thoughts and helps them both get to the Edinburgh Fringe and to find the four potential fathers.
Some of it may be a little far fetched at points, but that doesn’t stop it from being a really heartwarming story of a child trying to come to terms with the grief of losing his best friend and how you don’t have to be sad all the time in order to grieve.
I loved the whole book from start to finish, and I’m so glad that I got to read it courtesy of Pigeonhole and Julietta Henderson!
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Do No Harm in Books
Sep 24, 2020
It is a very haunting thriller told from multiple perspectives – mainly Lily’s and Sebastian’s. I really loved the characters in this book, they all seem like regular people, whom we meet every day. Even though the characters are very believable, they have their very unique characteristics, which makes them very amusing and absorbing. LV Hay is famous for her diverse characters, and I really liked that she carried on with diversity in this book as well. I really liked Lily in this book, her inner fight and thoughts were very interesting to me. The least favorite to me was Fran, Lily’s new mother in law, I found her very unpleasant attention seeker, and I really don’t like such qualities.
Oh, the plot was absolutely fantastic! The author was playing mind games with me every time. When I thought I knew where the events were heading to, she used to throw in a major twist or turn, which left me baffled every time. The wish to find out what was actually going on got me “glued” to this book, and I really didn’t want to put it down. I really liked the way the author was describing all the feelings and thoughts regarding little Denny, all his actions were so cute to read about.
I really enjoyed LV Hay’s writing style, the language used was very understandable and the way she incorporated all these little bits and pieces from character’s pasts, were very enlightening and allowed to get to know the characters even better. The Author left me very pleased with chapter lengths as well, they were short but had very good transitions between the chapters. I really can see the improvement in this author’s work, and I hope she will carry on doing such an amazing job. To conclude, it is a very fast paced and gripping thriller, filled with false leads, mind games and very realistic and amusing characters. I loved it, and I hope you will give this book a go and will enjoy it as much as I did.
Oh, the plot was absolutely fantastic! The author was playing mind games with me every time. When I thought I knew where the events were heading to, she used to throw in a major twist or turn, which left me baffled every time. The wish to find out what was actually going on got me “glued” to this book, and I really didn’t want to put it down. I really liked the way the author was describing all the feelings and thoughts regarding little Denny, all his actions were so cute to read about.
I really enjoyed LV Hay’s writing style, the language used was very understandable and the way she incorporated all these little bits and pieces from character’s pasts, were very enlightening and allowed to get to know the characters even better. The Author left me very pleased with chapter lengths as well, they were short but had very good transitions between the chapters. I really can see the improvement in this author’s work, and I hope she will carry on doing such an amazing job. To conclude, it is a very fast paced and gripping thriller, filled with false leads, mind games and very realistic and amusing characters. I loved it, and I hope you will give this book a go and will enjoy it as much as I did.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Unmaking of Ellie Rook in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this novel was Ellie, and the whole story was told from her perspective. Ellie comes back to her hometown after the news, that her mother drowned. But as I was going through the pages, it was clear, that Rook family is a very dysfunctional one, hiding many horrible secrets. I really liked the way the author chose her characters, they all have a story to tell, they all are interesting and play very important parts in this book. I liked the way Ellie opened up and shared her story throughout the pages. She seemed fearless but used to crumble after her father’s words. I think she represents many of those, who grew up with abusive, controlling parent.
The narrative was very fast paced, and every chapter allowed to see a little bit more of Ellie’s past, and what shaped her to be the way she is now. The topics covered in this book were emotional and physical abuse, bullying, teenage romance, controlling behaviour and many more. This book has some very cleverly written surprises and twists and was an easy and pleasant read for me.
The atmosphere of this book is very dark, gloomy and messy, filled with scrap cars, crows, and violence. I liked the writing style of this novel, it was complex and layered. The chapters were short, and the ending of this book left me very satisfied indeed. Even though a single perspective was sufficient for me, I would’ve liked to read Imelda’s thoughts as well. I don’t really know how I feel about all that folk story about Finella, it adds a nice touch to the story, but making it a core of this book wasn’t really necessary.
So, to conclude, it is a really good domestic noir, filled with complex characters and difficult situations. I really enjoyed this book and the topics it discussed, and I recommend it to people who are looking for a quick but important read. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. 🙂
The narrative was very fast paced, and every chapter allowed to see a little bit more of Ellie’s past, and what shaped her to be the way she is now. The topics covered in this book were emotional and physical abuse, bullying, teenage romance, controlling behaviour and many more. This book has some very cleverly written surprises and twists and was an easy and pleasant read for me.
The atmosphere of this book is very dark, gloomy and messy, filled with scrap cars, crows, and violence. I liked the writing style of this novel, it was complex and layered. The chapters were short, and the ending of this book left me very satisfied indeed. Even though a single perspective was sufficient for me, I would’ve liked to read Imelda’s thoughts as well. I don’t really know how I feel about all that folk story about Finella, it adds a nice touch to the story, but making it a core of this book wasn’t really necessary.
So, to conclude, it is a really good domestic noir, filled with complex characters and difficult situations. I really enjoyed this book and the topics it discussed, and I recommend it to people who are looking for a quick but important read. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. 🙂
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Under Siege (1992) in Movies
Jan 25, 2021
Cheesy But Leaves An Impact
A short order cook on a navy ship has to fight off terrorists that have taken control.
Acting: 6
When I think acting chops, please believe I’m not referring to Steven Seagal. It’s rough watching him spit out lines. The majority of the other actors aren’t really any better save for an underrated performance by Tommy Lee Jones. If you’re looking for quality thespians, look elsewhere.
Beginning: 6
Characters: 7
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
There are some quality shots here, although things are a bit jumbled at times. I do have to give credit to Andrew Davis as I’m sure it was a challenge doing a movie solely below deck of a ship. I definitely wouldn’t want that challenge. Not much to be desired, I appreciated he did the best he could with the little he was given.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 7
Memorability: 7
Cheesy, but definitely leaves enough of an impact where I would watch it again. It’s a great movie to check out while folding clothes or doing any other mindless task. Steven Seagal definitely leaves behind some fun action moments that make the movie worthwhile.
Pace: 7
Plot: 7
Cheesy? Sure. Original? Absolutely. It sounds ridiculous but I have to give the story credit for trying to branch out and try something new, especially during the early 90’s when martial arts movies were all the rage. It’s not winning any Oscars, but I’ve seen worse stories from movies that have tried harder.
Resolution: 10
Great ending that brings the movie to a nice close. I like that it fits perfectly in line with the rest of the cheesiness of the movie. Great way to wrap things up.
Overall: 73
For what it’s worth, Under Siege doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but it doesn’t do anything terribly bad either. It’s a fun movie if you have time to kill. Definitely one of my favorite Tommy Lee Jones roles.
Acting: 6
When I think acting chops, please believe I’m not referring to Steven Seagal. It’s rough watching him spit out lines. The majority of the other actors aren’t really any better save for an underrated performance by Tommy Lee Jones. If you’re looking for quality thespians, look elsewhere.
Beginning: 6
Characters: 7
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
There are some quality shots here, although things are a bit jumbled at times. I do have to give credit to Andrew Davis as I’m sure it was a challenge doing a movie solely below deck of a ship. I definitely wouldn’t want that challenge. Not much to be desired, I appreciated he did the best he could with the little he was given.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 7
Memorability: 7
Cheesy, but definitely leaves enough of an impact where I would watch it again. It’s a great movie to check out while folding clothes or doing any other mindless task. Steven Seagal definitely leaves behind some fun action moments that make the movie worthwhile.
Pace: 7
Plot: 7
Cheesy? Sure. Original? Absolutely. It sounds ridiculous but I have to give the story credit for trying to branch out and try something new, especially during the early 90’s when martial arts movies were all the rage. It’s not winning any Oscars, but I’ve seen worse stories from movies that have tried harder.
Resolution: 10
Great ending that brings the movie to a nice close. I like that it fits perfectly in line with the rest of the cheesiness of the movie. Great way to wrap things up.
Overall: 73
For what it’s worth, Under Siege doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, but it doesn’t do anything terribly bad either. It’s a fun movie if you have time to kill. Definitely one of my favorite Tommy Lee Jones roles.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Billy and Me in Books
Jun 24, 2019
This is a very, very different genre than I usually read. It was romantic and contemporary and kind of cliche and gross. But I will admit that it was written well.
Despite the gooey topics, this book was easy to sit and read through. The writing was good, though some of the speech didn't feel particularly authentic. My main problem was how cliche this was. A young woman who loves classic literature andworks in a tea shop meets a movie star without realising who he is and falls in love... Yeah, it's kind of a stereotypical romance. I hate this sort of thing. It's tacky and just ugh. But there was more to it than just the romance, which was very good. Sophie had her own issues to deal with, stemming from childhood grief and caring for her mother. It even had a really tragic moment toward the end, that didn't involve the actor - Billy - much at all.
As I mentioned above, the language wasn't always particularly fluid. It sometimes felt like Fletcher was trying too hard to make it more romantic and emotional. Billy was pretty much 'perfect' and extremely romantic, probably extremely unrealistically so. He was likeable, still, just not very realistic.
Sophie herself was a bit... not annoying, but she's not my favourite protagonist ever. She was trying too hard to be unique and strong and independent and it just irritated me. I get what Fletcher was going for (I think) but I just didn't love Sophie that much at all.
Like most other contemporary novels (not that I've actually read many of them), Sophie's life comes together perfectly at the end. Well, not quite perfectly, but the ending was sickly sweet. But I'm a bit of a cynic. You might like this more than me.
Despite the genre and gross cutesy lovey stuff, I think this deserves 3.5 stars. The writing was good and I did actually enjoy reading it.
Despite the gooey topics, this book was easy to sit and read through. The writing was good, though some of the speech didn't feel particularly authentic. My main problem was how cliche this was. A young woman who loves classic literature andworks in a tea shop meets a movie star without realising who he is and falls in love... Yeah, it's kind of a stereotypical romance. I hate this sort of thing. It's tacky and just ugh. But there was more to it than just the romance, which was very good. Sophie had her own issues to deal with, stemming from childhood grief and caring for her mother. It even had a really tragic moment toward the end, that didn't involve the actor - Billy - much at all.
As I mentioned above, the language wasn't always particularly fluid. It sometimes felt like Fletcher was trying too hard to make it more romantic and emotional. Billy was pretty much 'perfect' and extremely romantic, probably extremely unrealistically so. He was likeable, still, just not very realistic.
Sophie herself was a bit... not annoying, but she's not my favourite protagonist ever. She was trying too hard to be unique and strong and independent and it just irritated me. I get what Fletcher was going for (I think) but I just didn't love Sophie that much at all.
Like most other contemporary novels (not that I've actually read many of them), Sophie's life comes together perfectly at the end. Well, not quite perfectly, but the ending was sickly sweet. But I'm a bit of a cynic. You might like this more than me.
Despite the genre and gross cutesy lovey stuff, I think this deserves 3.5 stars. The writing was good and I did actually enjoy reading it.
ClareR (5726 KP) rated The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna in Books
Aug 26, 2019
This is the family saga of the Fortuna’s, and follows their lives from poverty in Calabria to the USA. It follows Stella from the birth and death of her older sister (also called Mariastella), her siblings, parents and her life in Connecticut - covering 100 years. I still can’t quite believe that the author managed to fit so much into 460+ pages without it feeling rushed or shoe-horned in, it she did it!
As you can probably guess from the title, Stella’s 7 or 8 deaths feature quite prominently in this, as does her close relationships with her mother and sister. Her father as good as abandons them for the first part of her life, and then demands that his wife and children sell everything and join him in the US where he has been working. Stella hates her controlling, abusive father, but is very much restricted by tradition and religion. So, she lives under his despotic rule. There is quite a bit of abuse - both physical and mental - in this, but what is most admirable is Stella’s unbroken spirit. And she has spirit in spades.
I loved the style in which this was told: a family member researching and telling the story of her relatives, and trying to work out why Stella in her last 30 years refuses to have anything to do with the sister that she loved so much. I had to keep reminding myself that it was in fact fiction. There was a great balance of modern thinking (from the narrator) and the traditions of the older members of the family, complete with curses and spells to avoid the evil eye.
I’ll be honest, I thought I’d made a mistake by choosing this book. I really didn’t think I’d like it. I’m so relieved that I took a chance on this though, because I loved it, and I’d say that it’s well worth a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
As you can probably guess from the title, Stella’s 7 or 8 deaths feature quite prominently in this, as does her close relationships with her mother and sister. Her father as good as abandons them for the first part of her life, and then demands that his wife and children sell everything and join him in the US where he has been working. Stella hates her controlling, abusive father, but is very much restricted by tradition and religion. So, she lives under his despotic rule. There is quite a bit of abuse - both physical and mental - in this, but what is most admirable is Stella’s unbroken spirit. And she has spirit in spades.
I loved the style in which this was told: a family member researching and telling the story of her relatives, and trying to work out why Stella in her last 30 years refuses to have anything to do with the sister that she loved so much. I had to keep reminding myself that it was in fact fiction. There was a great balance of modern thinking (from the narrator) and the traditions of the older members of the family, complete with curses and spells to avoid the evil eye.
I’ll be honest, I thought I’d made a mistake by choosing this book. I really didn’t think I’d like it. I’m so relieved that I took a chance on this though, because I loved it, and I’d say that it’s well worth a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
Amy Norman (1042 KP) rated The Umbrella Academy - Season 2 in TV
Aug 5, 2020
This quirky show always seems to deliver!
I don't normally start out by mentioning soundtracks but from the get-go it packed an absolute punch, and became a living, breathing, essential part of the show.
There was a good range of old and modern, foreign language versions, and just a whole mix of genres - that had me looking up tracks and adding them to my playlists.
Adele's 'Hello' will never be the same again.
This season I genuinely sang, laughed, cried, cheered, and my jaw dropped. Watching programmes on my own means it is normally hard to elicit an actual physical, or emotional, response.
The show has definitely eased into a comfortable stride, and the characters were far more likeable, now that a lot of the angst is out of the way. All the characters have matured somewhat but retained many of their issues, it's what makes them them, and in any good TV show, it takes a bit of time to fully overcome these.
I have come to love and appreciate many of the characters differently from season one. Season one had a few more stand out characters, and they really pushed those ones on to the audience. Whereas this time, it felt more like an ensemble piece, with all the parts being essential (and did I mention more likeable 😅).
The show touched on some tricky themes, and resonates with the current political climate. I feel like the show dealt with these historically horrific times with an elegance and dignity that was in keeping with the feel of the programme.
A few more puzzle pieces fell into place but there is still plenty of mystery left to keep you wanting more.
The whole thing is over the top, messy, and utterly outrageous at times, but that is all part of the charm.
I am eager for the next season, and hope it isn't delayed too much.
I don't normally start out by mentioning soundtracks but from the get-go it packed an absolute punch, and became a living, breathing, essential part of the show.
There was a good range of old and modern, foreign language versions, and just a whole mix of genres - that had me looking up tracks and adding them to my playlists.
Adele's 'Hello' will never be the same again.
This season I genuinely sang, laughed, cried, cheered, and my jaw dropped. Watching programmes on my own means it is normally hard to elicit an actual physical, or emotional, response.
The show has definitely eased into a comfortable stride, and the characters were far more likeable, now that a lot of the angst is out of the way. All the characters have matured somewhat but retained many of their issues, it's what makes them them, and in any good TV show, it takes a bit of time to fully overcome these.
I have come to love and appreciate many of the characters differently from season one. Season one had a few more stand out characters, and they really pushed those ones on to the audience. Whereas this time, it felt more like an ensemble piece, with all the parts being essential (and did I mention more likeable 😅).
The show touched on some tricky themes, and resonates with the current political climate. I feel like the show dealt with these historically horrific times with an elegance and dignity that was in keeping with the feel of the programme.
A few more puzzle pieces fell into place but there is still plenty of mystery left to keep you wanting more.
The whole thing is over the top, messy, and utterly outrageous at times, but that is all part of the charm.
I am eager for the next season, and hope it isn't delayed too much.
The Real Deal: A Novel
10.0
Rate It
Book
Get ready for your next favorite romantic comedy, THE REAL DEAL! April Hamilton wants you to know...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) in Movies
Sep 5, 2021 (Updated Oct 2, 2021)
The latest entry into the MCU is a definitely a ride, both in terms of quality and in what unfolds on screen. The things I disliked about Shang-Chi are very clear cut - it's pacing is all over the place, there's an unholy amount of exposition dumps, and the humourous moments didn't always land. I have nothing against Awkwafina, but her character here is a constant quip-machine, and takes up a hefty amount of screen time, whilst simultaneously feeling a little pointless when all is said and done.
However, the things I did like about Shang-Chi are also extremely clear cut. For a starter, I'm just generally stoked that the character himself has his own movie. We've come a long way since X-Men blew the superhero genre wide open back in 2000.
It has a great cast, including lead Simu Liu, as well as the likes of Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh. The inner comic book nerd in me was beyond excited to see minor villains such as Razor Fist and Death Dealer on screen, and then of course (no spoilers!) a third act villain that is a true deep cut from the comics. Tony Leung's Wenwu aka The Mandarin strikes an imposing presence as the main big bad, and the subsequent theme of power and family gives the movie a beating, if tragic, heart.
Pretty much all of the fight scenes are great, and any flaws that I found were completely obliterated by the batshit insane final third, that honestly verges on live action anime at times.
The general tone of this movie feels like something new for the MCU. From street level fighting, to crazy fantasy style set pieces, to the exploration of Asian culture, Shang-Chi is a fresh new entry for the MCU, as the studio steps a little further out of its comfort zone. Please try to see it on the big screen if you can!
However, the things I did like about Shang-Chi are also extremely clear cut. For a starter, I'm just generally stoked that the character himself has his own movie. We've come a long way since X-Men blew the superhero genre wide open back in 2000.
It has a great cast, including lead Simu Liu, as well as the likes of Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh. The inner comic book nerd in me was beyond excited to see minor villains such as Razor Fist and Death Dealer on screen, and then of course (no spoilers!) a third act villain that is a true deep cut from the comics. Tony Leung's Wenwu aka The Mandarin strikes an imposing presence as the main big bad, and the subsequent theme of power and family gives the movie a beating, if tragic, heart.
Pretty much all of the fight scenes are great, and any flaws that I found were completely obliterated by the batshit insane final third, that honestly verges on live action anime at times.
The general tone of this movie feels like something new for the MCU. From street level fighting, to crazy fantasy style set pieces, to the exploration of Asian culture, Shang-Chi is a fresh new entry for the MCU, as the studio steps a little further out of its comfort zone. Please try to see it on the big screen if you can!
Merissa (12066 KP) rated A Brat for Kinkmas (Naughty or Nice Season Three) in Books
Jan 6, 2023
A BRAT FOR KINKMAS is J.P. Sayle's addition to the Naughty or Nice Season #3 and you really need to take notice of the title! I've come to the conclusion that I definitely like the caring/nurturing daddies and sweet boys more than I like domineering daddies and bratty boys. It was a bit of a surprise for me as I like some books that are heavier on the BDSM side than this was. I think it's the daddy side of things that does it for me.
Anyway, moving on from my crisis, Beau and Ziv are hot on the page! Beau is a lover of pain, and Ziv has no issue providing it! Beau is friends with Jessie and Patrick, both of whom I have previously met. He says he wants a relationship just like theirs. I personally don't think that is what he wanted, but he was definitely happy with how the relationship with Ziv worked. It works for him and that's the main thing. Ziv isn't all cuddly as Smithy. He is more protective than Akker - maybe because of his life. He is definitely more dubious in morals than the others, but he does love Beau in his own way.
I did enjoy this story. I found Ziv's backstory to be heartbreaking and how it (obviously) had an impact on his views as he grew up. Beau is a pain but loveable. Beau and Ziv are good together and the epilogue was just perfect. It didn't work as well for me as with other stories in the Cuff'd range, but it was still a great story that I'm sure others will love.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Anyway, moving on from my crisis, Beau and Ziv are hot on the page! Beau is a lover of pain, and Ziv has no issue providing it! Beau is friends with Jessie and Patrick, both of whom I have previously met. He says he wants a relationship just like theirs. I personally don't think that is what he wanted, but he was definitely happy with how the relationship with Ziv worked. It works for him and that's the main thing. Ziv isn't all cuddly as Smithy. He is more protective than Akker - maybe because of his life. He is definitely more dubious in morals than the others, but he does love Beau in his own way.
I did enjoy this story. I found Ziv's backstory to be heartbreaking and how it (obviously) had an impact on his views as he grew up. Beau is a pain but loveable. Beau and Ziv are good together and the epilogue was just perfect. It didn't work as well for me as with other stories in the Cuff'd range, but it was still a great story that I'm sure others will love.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!