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The Secret History
The Secret History
Donna Tartt | 1993 | Fiction & Poetry
10
7.7 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is kind of a cult classic. Some people love it, many hate it. One of the reasons I only recommend it to people who's tastes I know and trust will like it--otherwise, I will judge you if you're a hater. (0 more)
Not a cuppa tea for a lot of people. Cliquey and kind of insipid characters that you'll likely find something to hate about, while secretly wishing they'd let you in. (0 more)
Coming of age, why dunnit, college, and flawed characters
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book has been one of my all-time favorites for years, and one of the few I re-read about every year or two.

A clique of "gifted misfits" find one another and form a clique at a liberal arts school (think Middlebury) on the East Coast. One is dead very early on. The rest of the book unfolds with. their incredibly intertwined, co-dependant, and complex relationships as you slowly learn what happened, why it did, and what's going to go down after.
  
Hard to Hold (Black Ops Heros #1)
Hard to Hold (Black Ops Heros #1)
Incy Black | 2017 | Romance, Thriller
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The action starts from the very first page when Anna nearly comes to a sticky end with a lorry, laying in the hospital her next of kin (according to her passport, that she hadn't changed) Nick, her ex husband comes strolling back into her life, it's a love hate relationship and Anna hasn't seen him in 5 years.
This book made me want to bang their heads together, they're always bitching and snipping at each other. Always trying to get one over on the other and whatever Anna seems to do trouble always follows.

"I'm not exactly predisposed to granting you any favours right now, Anna. I can't believe some of the situations you get yourself into. Jesus, what are you? A gravitational force for trouble!"

It's infuriating, and I just wished they'd shut up and get on with it. Saying that, I did enjoy it, I thought it was well written and I would read other titles by this author.
  
Woman of Courage: Collector's Edition
Woman of Courage: Collector's Edition
Wanda E. Brunstetter | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Religion, Romance
8
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
I did not know that Wanda wrote historical fiction as well as Amish fiction. I do enjoy the story. I got the book woman of courage Collection edition. We get the full story of Woman of Courage along with Woman of Hope which is Little Fawn story.

We meet up with Amanda Person and we go along for her journey. That I really what this book is mostly about. We get a little bit more of Little Fawn's story in the story of Woman of Hope. Wanda does a wonderful job with her writing that she does take you back in time.

Go along with Amanda as she travels you go along as she goes though some of trails and learns about where she is going. Will she find love? Will she be able to spread God word to the Indians? To find out and to read Little Fawns story you should pick up this book.
  
Do You Dream of Terra-Two?
Do You Dream of Terra-Two?
Temi Oh | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Do you Dream of Terra-Two wasn't what I expected. I enjoyed the read, though. It was like having a group of friends with very different personalities. Dealing with them during one big project. That being said, Terra-Two was an easy read. It won't frustrate you to the point of losing patience. It was easy to follow, and I loved not knowing which direction the author was going to go with the characters throughout the first half of the novel. She really did a good job with that, especially in the beginning. It's one of those stories that sucks you in, and you're maybe not even sure why after all is said and done. It felt natural. It didn't feel like I was spending time reading a book. Honestly, I'm not sure if I liked the ending, but at least it made sense. Perhaps I just wish more had been added.
  
Forsaken Island (The Dancing Realms #2)
Forsaken Island (The Dancing Realms #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
How do you even write a review for a book that you find so amazing you can barely put it into words... That is the real question.

     After hearing so many good things about Hidden Current I knew I had to read Forsaken Island, and I am so glad I did. Sharon Hinck’s style is like that of C. S. Lewis, and J.R. Tolkien. She has such a unique and compelling storyline with an allegorical style that I. ABSOLUTELY. LOVED. It was beautiful to read and filled with some great truths about life, God, and finding our purpose in life. With mystery, intrigue, and a light sweet romance woven into every page.

     Carya and Brantley are some of the sweetest characters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Carya is strong, passionate, and eager to learn what the Maker has for her to do. Brentley is also strong, caring, and an adventurous planner
  
Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
1979 | Rock
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"It's another record that I grew up with. Whenever I listen to it I'm transported back into my bedroom when I was 16. Again, I love its mystery and how it doesn't let you know what it's about. It was hard to choose between this and Closer, and though there are some tracks on Closer that I really love, this did it for me, tracks like 'She's Lost Control' and 'New Dawn Fades'. I think it's a groundbreaking record, and I suppose like The Smiths, they became more relevant after they split up than when they were around. They inspired so much modern music and sound incredibly relevant now. If you heard Joy Division now in 2011 and had never heard them before, you wouldn't think it was dated. The production is great. There are lots of mistakes on there, it's really nicely under-produced. Even though there's this bleak, icy electronic feel to the music, it's not programmed or anything, it's very human."

Source
  
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Amy Norman (1048 KP) rated Page Eight (2011) in Movies

Apr 22, 2021 (Updated Apr 22, 2021)  
Page Eight (2011)
Page Eight (2011)
2011 | Drama, Mystery
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
If you enjoy an extremely slow brewed drama then great, this is for you.

Government conspiracies, and 'old school' espionage never looked so dull to me though! This film didn't require action and bullets flying but a little more suspense and mystery wouldn't have hurt.

I can't say a lot happens in this film, but I am sure there is an audience that will get behind the intrigue, and the discussions that this films brings up. It is a thoughtful and intelligent piece, with a painfully A-List British cast (apologies to those that aren't, and sorry for generalising) giving some outstanding performances.

An excellent film for those that enjoy this style but unfortunately not for me.


There are two sequels that follow some of the same characters, if you did enjoy this then look out for:
Turks and Caicos
Salting the Battlefield


From what I have heard they are marginally better.
  
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ClareR (6037 KP) rated Mirrorland in Books

Apr 3, 2021  
Mirrorland
Mirrorland
Carole Johnstone | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone is a fantastic psychological thriller that will have you wondering who is telling the truth, what exactly that truth IS and what on earth could possibly happen next! I loved it.
The narrator is completely unreliable, mainly because she appears to have blocked out a huge part of her life.
Cat returns, reluctantly, to Edinburgh from California, because her sister has gone missing on her sailing boat. Cat seems unsurprised that her sister should have a boat - she and her sister spent hours as children playing in Mirrorland, pretending to be pirates, sailing the Seven Seas. But her disappearance is unexpected.
Has El been murdered? If so, by whom? Who is sending Cat on a treasure hunt and leaving written messages for her? Who is sending emails? Is El’s husband, Ross, implicated in her disappearance? And what DID happen to Cat and El when they were children?
This is such a delicious, rub-your-hands-together-with-evil-glee kind of book.
There are some pretty shocking subjects covered in this novel, so if you don’t like reading about abuse of any kind, this may not be for you. However, I was glued to it. I’m trying to think of some synonyms of ‘loved’ (I realise that i completely overuse this word when I talk about books), so: adored, enjoyed greatly, was besotted with, couldn’t get enough of. Well. You get the gist. It’s just well worth the read!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Carole Johnstone for joining in with the chat in the margins!