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ClareR (5950 KP) rated Running in Circles in Books
Jan 5, 2019
A good start to a new series!
Lucy works on a very small newspaper on a Thai island. She arrives after a traumatic experience back home in England, hoping to escape the memories of whatever has happened to her.
However, she becomes involved in some traumatic events on the island: a bomb goes off across from the hostel that she lives in, killing many people in the bars nearby, and a body washes sup on the beach - an investor in her newspaper. Lucy and her boss, Steve, decide to investigate these two occurrences and consequently become involved in some very disturbing events.
I really liked this. There is a feeling of 'disconnect' with Lucy. Her former trauma has left its mark on her, she is finding life difficult, and the author writes this feeling really well. I thought the whole atmosphere was well written - I could feel the humidity, the claustrophobia and the sadness and fear post bombing.
I'll be interested to read the next book in this series when it comes out - I rather like Lucy and Steve.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.
However, she becomes involved in some traumatic events on the island: a bomb goes off across from the hostel that she lives in, killing many people in the bars nearby, and a body washes sup on the beach - an investor in her newspaper. Lucy and her boss, Steve, decide to investigate these two occurrences and consequently become involved in some very disturbing events.
I really liked this. There is a feeling of 'disconnect' with Lucy. Her former trauma has left its mark on her, she is finding life difficult, and the author writes this feeling really well. I thought the whole atmosphere was well written - I could feel the humidity, the claustrophobia and the sadness and fear post bombing.
I'll be interested to read the next book in this series when it comes out - I rather like Lucy and Steve.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.
Mystify the Magician (Everworld #11)
Book
Christopher, Jalil, April, David, and Senna thought they’d seen it all. Especially after...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Us (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
We’ve all heard that somewhere out in the world there is a true Doppelganger for each and every one of us. An almost exact copy which may not behave the same but would otherwise be indistinguishable from the other. In a common instance a Doppelganger might be a set of identical twins who share the same DNA, or in pop culture references we might look to the definition of a Doppelganger in Dungeons and Dragons, defined as a monstrous humanoid able to change the shape and read the minds of their intended target to mimic them completely. Somewhere in the middle is where Jordan Peele’s latest masterpiece takes us.
The film begins in the mid 80’s, when Michael Jackson’s Thriller is topping the charts and Hands Across America was a very real idea (worth looking up for younger readers who may not even know what I’m talking about). A young Adelaide Wilson is exploring the boardwalk on a beach in Santa Cruz with her parents. When her father is distracted by a game of Whack a’ Mole something draws Adelaide down to the beach where she passes a man holding a sign referencing Jeremiah 11:11, one of the first messages that foreshadows what is to come. On the beach she encounters an empty and sinister looking hall of mirrors attraction. Wandering through the hall of mirrors a young Adelaide encounters a girl in the mirror, an exact duplicate of herself whose encounter is so traumatic that it leaves her unable to speak.
The film transitions to present day where the now adult Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) is traveling with her husband Gabriel (Winston Duke) and her two children Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and youngest son Jason (Evan Alex) to her parents’ home near the beach in Santa Cruz. Adelaide has resisted going back to the very same boardwalk where she had encountered her doppelganger as a young child. With her husband and children pressing her to go to the beach, she reluctantly agrees as long as they promise to be home before dark. The day at the beach is relatively uneventful until it is nearing time to go home and the family has lost sight of young Jason. Adelaide in a panic frantically searches for him, finally finding him returning from the bathroom.
The incident, while minor, convinces Adelaide that they should never have come back and wants to leave immediately. Various subtle “coincidences” occur that leave her feeling as though a black cloud hangs over her and a sense of dread that something terrible is about to happen. Before the family turns in for the evening, Jason sees “A family” at the edge of their driveway. Gabriel attempts to get to the bottom of who these mysterious visitors are, only for a night of unimaginable terror to ensue.
Us takes queues from several other movie types, The Strangers, Night of the Living Dead and Invasion of the Body Snatchers mashing them together to weave its frightening (and often funny) tale. It takes a little time to gain momentum, but once it does It never once lets off the gas. While at first it seems nothing more than a home invasion from characters who look exactly like the Wilson family, it quickly grows into something substantially more terrifying. The backdrop varies between a somewhat isolated house in the woods, to the bustling beach, giving a sense of isolation even at the most crowded of places. The boardwalk is a place that is both wonderous and terrifying at the same time, reminiscent of the early scenes in the 80’s classic The Lost Boys. While lacking in both clowns or vampires, it holds its own secrets (and terrors).
Us is a movie that is unlike any other and is refreshing when stacked against similar fright films that have been released recently. If you are a fan of Jordan Peele’s Get Out, you will find a lot to like here as well. It maintains its dark humor without ever going over board and has plenty of thrills and scares to keep you on your toes at all times. It’s not a movie that will keep you up all night hiding under your covers, but it may cause you to rethink your next vacation to the beach or the boardwalk. In the end, I feel this is another film that is sure to become a cult classic, enjoyable for fans of the genre.
The film begins in the mid 80’s, when Michael Jackson’s Thriller is topping the charts and Hands Across America was a very real idea (worth looking up for younger readers who may not even know what I’m talking about). A young Adelaide Wilson is exploring the boardwalk on a beach in Santa Cruz with her parents. When her father is distracted by a game of Whack a’ Mole something draws Adelaide down to the beach where she passes a man holding a sign referencing Jeremiah 11:11, one of the first messages that foreshadows what is to come. On the beach she encounters an empty and sinister looking hall of mirrors attraction. Wandering through the hall of mirrors a young Adelaide encounters a girl in the mirror, an exact duplicate of herself whose encounter is so traumatic that it leaves her unable to speak.
The film transitions to present day where the now adult Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) is traveling with her husband Gabriel (Winston Duke) and her two children Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and youngest son Jason (Evan Alex) to her parents’ home near the beach in Santa Cruz. Adelaide has resisted going back to the very same boardwalk where she had encountered her doppelganger as a young child. With her husband and children pressing her to go to the beach, she reluctantly agrees as long as they promise to be home before dark. The day at the beach is relatively uneventful until it is nearing time to go home and the family has lost sight of young Jason. Adelaide in a panic frantically searches for him, finally finding him returning from the bathroom.
The incident, while minor, convinces Adelaide that they should never have come back and wants to leave immediately. Various subtle “coincidences” occur that leave her feeling as though a black cloud hangs over her and a sense of dread that something terrible is about to happen. Before the family turns in for the evening, Jason sees “A family” at the edge of their driveway. Gabriel attempts to get to the bottom of who these mysterious visitors are, only for a night of unimaginable terror to ensue.
Us takes queues from several other movie types, The Strangers, Night of the Living Dead and Invasion of the Body Snatchers mashing them together to weave its frightening (and often funny) tale. It takes a little time to gain momentum, but once it does It never once lets off the gas. While at first it seems nothing more than a home invasion from characters who look exactly like the Wilson family, it quickly grows into something substantially more terrifying. The backdrop varies between a somewhat isolated house in the woods, to the bustling beach, giving a sense of isolation even at the most crowded of places. The boardwalk is a place that is both wonderous and terrifying at the same time, reminiscent of the early scenes in the 80’s classic The Lost Boys. While lacking in both clowns or vampires, it holds its own secrets (and terrors).
Us is a movie that is unlike any other and is refreshing when stacked against similar fright films that have been released recently. If you are a fan of Jordan Peele’s Get Out, you will find a lot to like here as well. It maintains its dark humor without ever going over board and has plenty of thrills and scares to keep you on your toes at all times. It’s not a movie that will keep you up all night hiding under your covers, but it may cause you to rethink your next vacation to the beach or the boardwalk. In the end, I feel this is another film that is sure to become a cult classic, enjoyable for fans of the genre.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Fellside in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Fellside was a unique combination of psychological, thriller, supernatural, crime, and romance. When I say psychological, it was because it makes you think; thriller because I couldn't put it down, and found my heart racing; romance not in the typical sense of the term, but a deep and surprising love that brought all the characters to a new level, and puts the reader in a different frame of mind. It was the kind of book you know is completely unrealistic, but since the author believes in it, you believe in it. It begins with a mysterious tug, and right as you fall in love with the main character she starts to break your heart. M. R. Carey doesn’t write cute books, or sweet books, or books that are easy to read. They make you think and confront how you feel about certain things; but it’s beautiful in it’s own way. I am totally in love with this story, this world, the concept, and the way it all comes together in the end. I definitely recommend it for ages 16+, but not as a light beach-read or hour-at-a-time read. Sit down and chew on this one, and let your mind go where it wants to. Content/Recommendation: Ages 16+ for some violent scenes. This is a women's prison. - See more at: http://www.thelifeandlies.com/2016/07/book-review-fellside-by-m-r-carey.html#sthash.DM728BD3.dpuf
Mr. Nobody
6.0
Rate It
Book
When a man is found on a Norfolk beach, drifting in and out of consciousness, with no identification...
Alice (117 KP) rated You and Me on Vacation in Books
Mar 3, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for the advanced copy of this book
I read Beach Read last year and I did enjoy it but it didn't blow me away, this one, however... WOW! That's all I can say. A book about travel was always going to be right up my street but a slowburn friends to lovers story about travel. I was positively OBSESSED! The relationship between these two characters was so raw and honest and you were truly rooting for them from the very beginning. I related so hard to the character of Poppy too, like way too hard, there were moments when I genuinely thought that Emily Henry had been spying on me with how accurate some of these seemingly random character traits were to my life and I loved exploring the world through her eyes. I also think Alex Nilsen may be the new literary love of my life. I'm just so so so in love with this story and I probably shouldn't be typing this at midnight but that's when you get my most honest thoughts. I just have so much love for this book and I can already see it being one of my favourites of the year!
I read Beach Read last year and I did enjoy it but it didn't blow me away, this one, however... WOW! That's all I can say. A book about travel was always going to be right up my street but a slowburn friends to lovers story about travel. I was positively OBSESSED! The relationship between these two characters was so raw and honest and you were truly rooting for them from the very beginning. I related so hard to the character of Poppy too, like way too hard, there were moments when I genuinely thought that Emily Henry had been spying on me with how accurate some of these seemingly random character traits were to my life and I loved exploring the world through her eyes. I also think Alex Nilsen may be the new literary love of my life. I'm just so so so in love with this story and I probably shouldn't be typing this at midnight but that's when you get my most honest thoughts. I just have so much love for this book and I can already see it being one of my favourites of the year!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated My Favorite Half-Night Stand in Books
Oct 14, 2019
Millie has always been one of the guys. She has four best guy friends—fellow professors. With an upcoming social function planned at the university, the group makes a pact that they will join an online dating service to find plus-ones for the event. But Millie and Reid have recently (secretly) shared a sexy night together. Hence the online dating plan offers some issues. So Millie comes up with “Catherine”—a pretend persona who lets her be more vulnerable than her more closed off self. Then Millie matches with the unaware Reid. Oh yeah, here comes trouble...
Oh, beach reads I love thee! I’m so enjoying catching up on Christina Lauren's back catalog! Although very much based on lying, which is a plot point that often stresses me out, I enjoyed My Favorite Half-Night Stand.
This was such an easy-to-read book. Millie is likable, and I could definitely relate to a slightly reticent, closed off soul. 😉 Yes, I did stress out a bit with all the lies and machinations! But, the book was very funny, sexy, and sweet! Millie’s group of friends was wonderful—just a humorous and fun cast. The chemistry between Millie and Reid was great, too! Definitely a good read! 3.5 stars.
Oh, beach reads I love thee! I’m so enjoying catching up on Christina Lauren's back catalog! Although very much based on lying, which is a plot point that often stresses me out, I enjoyed My Favorite Half-Night Stand.
This was such an easy-to-read book. Millie is likable, and I could definitely relate to a slightly reticent, closed off soul. 😉 Yes, I did stress out a bit with all the lies and machinations! But, the book was very funny, sexy, and sweet! Millie’s group of friends was wonderful—just a humorous and fun cast. The chemistry between Millie and Reid was great, too! Definitely a good read! 3.5 stars.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated A Furever Home: A Friends of Gaynor Beach Animal Rescue Romance in Books
Sep 8, 2025
loved the emotional connection!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
What this is, right, is a bloody good book!
I mean, there is drama, both for Arthur and Brooklyn and other folks in their lives. Brooklyn's sister, Cheyenne, arrives with a whole host of problems, and really that is the most drama.
There is so much love in Gaynor Beach, that it jumps off the page. Arthur and Brooklyn have fast attraction, but given that Arthur is injured, they do take a *small* amount of time to act on it.
FURBABIES!! Lots and lots of furbabies and I did get a bit lost at one point, but I'm not holding anything against the book for that! Also, no furbabies were harmed in this book. Scared, yes indeed, but not harmed.
I loved the emotional connection between Arthur and Brooklyn. It grows at pace, and doesn't let up. The steam level is perfect for these two. Steamy in places and fade to grey in others.
There is a huge amount of support for Arthur, when things happen. For Brooklyn too, when Cheyenne arrives. What she is dealing with is quite dark, but on the whole, very well dealt with. The book is a light book, apart from this.
I have not read other books in this series, and a quick glance at the blurbs for those books means, at some point (!!) I want to go back and read them.
A wonderful, 4 star read.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
What this is, right, is a bloody good book!
I mean, there is drama, both for Arthur and Brooklyn and other folks in their lives. Brooklyn's sister, Cheyenne, arrives with a whole host of problems, and really that is the most drama.
There is so much love in Gaynor Beach, that it jumps off the page. Arthur and Brooklyn have fast attraction, but given that Arthur is injured, they do take a *small* amount of time to act on it.
FURBABIES!! Lots and lots of furbabies and I did get a bit lost at one point, but I'm not holding anything against the book for that! Also, no furbabies were harmed in this book. Scared, yes indeed, but not harmed.
I loved the emotional connection between Arthur and Brooklyn. It grows at pace, and doesn't let up. The steam level is perfect for these two. Steamy in places and fade to grey in others.
There is a huge amount of support for Arthur, when things happen. For Brooklyn too, when Cheyenne arrives. What she is dealing with is quite dark, but on the whole, very well dealt with. The book is a light book, apart from this.
I have not read other books in this series, and a quick glance at the blurbs for those books means, at some point (!!) I want to go back and read them.
A wonderful, 4 star read.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Olaf's Adventures
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Now you can save Anna's Birthday cake from a parade of hungry snowgies in the all-new "Frozen Fever"...
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Over 2 million books are waiting to be read by you Discover a huge selection of books in the book...