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Dr. No (1962)
Dr. No (1962)
1962 | Action, Classics, Mystery
Bond. James Bond.
The first James Bond movie, based on the 6th Bond book, and starring who is for many, arguably, the best Bond of all in Sean Connery.

Now over 60 years old (at the time I’m writing this), it’s noticeable how ‘fully formed’ the tropes of the series are here right out of the gate: the flirting between Bond and Moneypenny, the mutual respect between Bond and M, the exotic locales, the girls (for better or worse), the secret bases, the villains with a penchant for explaining their dastardly plans before letting Bond escape …

There is, however, also a reason that a later incarnation of M (Judi Dench) would call Bond something along the lines of “a dinosaur. A misogynistic relic from the Cold War …” which is also on full display here!

I suppose it was the 60s, though …
  
Starfish Pier (Hope Harbor #6)
Starfish Pier (Hope Harbor #6)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What a roller coaster this book was, hold on and prepare the Tacos!

I loved Starfish Pier by Irene Hannon. From the characters to the setting, it drew me in and made me feel at home from the very beginning. Starfish Pier is part of the Hope Harbor series (I believe book #6) but it can be read as a standalone. All the books are just based in the same town, so you get to see previous and future characters interwoven throughout the series; I think it is a lot like some of the series Debbie Macomber has written.

Holly and Steven were a great combination of characters. Each one had a unique viewpoint, some very different personalities, and struggles to overcome. I loved Holly’s outlook on life, she was always reaching out to others to try and help make their days better even when she was not having a good day herself. Now Steven. I loved his strength, his selflessness, and his willingness to put others before his happiness. His character is someone I could know in real life.

The themes in this book were quite varied, from depression, physical disabilities, overcoming addiction, protection of life… So many thought-provoking arguments were brought forth in this book, and both sides of the arguments were presented, which I thought was interesting. Plus, you cannot forget the yummy Tacos and advice!

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the in-depth characters, varied themes, and the love of Tacos! I recommend reading this book!

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
Riptide (Boys of Summer)
Riptide (Boys of Summer)
Jordan Ford | 2019 | Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Riptide (Boys of Summer) by Jordan Ford
Jace - or Bass as he is known throughout most of this book - is a thrill-seeker. He is the ultimate paradox - a bad boy who doesn't actually try to be bad, and has a heart. He makes stupid decisions based on hurt feelings. His story is completely understandable and heartbreaking with how he feels. Ms. Ford has done a magnificent job of bringing him to life, to make his quandary completely relate-able.

And that's the thing with this book. As a reader, I got it. I could see where Bass was coming from, and why he behaved the way he did. Would I make the same decisions? No, but then I'm not a sixteen-year-old boy with the same experiences as him.

With no editing or grammatical errors that jolted me, I thoroughly enjoyed this novella, and can't wait to see what happens when he goes to Ryder Bay and meets up with SnapDragon.

As a standalone, this is a great read. As a prequel to the next Ryder Bay story, it's fantastic! Definitely recommended by me.

* 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!
  
Between the Stops: The View of My Life from the Top of the Number 12 Bus
Between the Stops: The View of My Life from the Top of the Number 12 Bus
Sandi Toksvig | 2019 | Biography, History & Politics
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A disjointed look into the life and mind of a modern-day icon.
Sandi does start this “memoir” off by stating it’s not going to be your run of the mill standard life story and that was undoubtedly true. Set along the route of the number 12 bus we get a mixture of Sandi’s life recollections, historical facts about London and observations about the people on the bus. An inventive idea to say the least and despite some truly interesting recollections, I didn’t find the format as a whole worked for me.

Each chapter roughly focuses on an area on the number 12 bus route but from there we jump almost in each paragraph between historical facts, recollections, and observations. It fails to develop any flow and where we do get some lovely passages of insight into Sandi’s fascinating life and experiences we are drawn all too quickly out of the experience to find out what used to be sold in this particular part of London in the dim and distant past, or what terrible bus habit another passenger may be exhibiting.

This book just was too all over the place as a sit down read, it would make a great addition to any toilet library though (and I truly mean that in the nicest way) as all the little titbits of facts and anecdotes are individually interesting they just don’t seem to flow together. I could easily read a more standard memoir from the ever amazing and inspiring Sandi based on the passages in this book that focused on her. Equally, I could read a book on the neglected women through history written by her or a general history of London but changing focus every paragraph or so was not for me.


Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
  
The Running Man (1987)
The Running Man (1987)
1987 | Action, Sci-Fi
Quite possibly my favourite film of all time
I love this film. While it is slightly dated, and bears next to no resemblance to the Richard Bachman book on which it was based, it is such a fun, action-packed and surprisingly thought-provoking film. The use of convicts in light entertainment is a subject that has been explored elsewhere in the media (Black Mirror for one) but for me this nails my vision of what we'll be watching in future - it isn't that far from Love Island, just with less willing contestants and slightly more fighting.