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Hazel (2934 KP) rated How I Lost You in Books

Jun 20, 2020  
How I Lost You
How I Lost You
Jenny Blackhurst | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oooooo ... this was good and I am annoyed with myself for not reading it earlier when it first came out in 2015 but better late than never I always say!

The book starts with a letter written by convicted child killer Susan Webster to the Parole Board seeking early release from her prison sentence that was handed down following her conviction for the murder of her 3 month old son, Dylan ... a murder she has absolutely no recollection of but had to admit she committed the crime because everyone was telling her she did. On release, Susan, now called Emma, is making attempts to rebuild her life however when she receives a picture of a toddler called Dylan, she starts to ask questions and so begins Susan/Emma's search for the truth of what actually happened on that fateful day.

Written mainly from the perspective of Susan/Emma with flashbacks of other characters, it's told at a good pace with good tension and twists. The characters are excellent and well developed but if I have one gripe, it's that Susan/Emma is a little naive and quick to trust despite her situation of having to live under a new identity to protect herself which I found a little odd.

Overall, I found this a gripping story that had me captivated until the end and I will most definitely read more from this author.

Thank you to Headline via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unedited review and I can only apologise that it has taken me so long to get round to reading it.
  
Devil's Paw (Imp, #4)
Devil's Paw (Imp, #4)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This review and more can be found at my blog https://aromancereadersreviews.blogspot.com

A Romance Reader's Reviews

3.5 stars.

This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited library.

Once again, this is a book that has been on my wish list on Amazon for several years. 2017, I think, when I read an anthology containing books 1-3 and really enjoyed them.

This one starts with Sam preparing for Wyatt's birthday. She's got him a special gift - his sister that was stolen at birth and switched with a changeling. Wyatt is over the moon at having his real sister back and is determined to help her get used to life in the human world.

On another note, Sam is now the Iblis and has to write reports for every human she kills - both accidentally and on purpose - and go before the board of Angels to explain herself. One of these times is after she is attacked by an angel, a mage and two human thugs working together. Yet no one believes her claims.

On yet another note is that someone or something is killing demons and devouring their souls, leaving behind their husk all over the Americas and Sam is the prime suspect. Gregory eventually believes her and tries to clear her name.

I've been wanting something to happen between Sam and Gregory for a while in this series, so I was very happy indeed when things progressed in this one.

I'm not going to go into any more detail but that ending has me wanting to read the next one. I need to know what happens next with Sam and co.
  
Life After Death by The Notorious BIG
Life After Death by The Notorious BIG
1997 | Rock
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I was very privileged to grow up when Biggie was coming from being an underground rapper to people knowing him as the B.I.G and the legend that he became. The same with Tupac; the East Coast West Coast rivalry, Bad Boy against Death Row - it was amazing to be around for that. “I loved what Puffy had done with Biggie, because he got him to start using these huge samples from Motown records and R&B artists. He became a little more poppy in that sense, but Biggie still retained his earthy, Brooklyn swagger. “I was playing “Mo Money Mo Problems” in the clubs, at a young age. I was probably about 16 at the time, sneaking my way into clubs and because Flash was 10 years older than me, I kinda styled it out. He was playing in a community nightclub in Southampton, where my dad was one of the board members. When I went down there, I'd kinda get squeezed to get in there, but the mic was basically free. ""One time I jumped up on the mic and started ad-libbing around what Flash was playing and I think he was 'Who's this kid with the audacity to do that?' He probably secondly thought 'Wow, that's Craig, and Craig's dad pays my wages! So I need to calm myself as to how I react to this!' And then thirdly, I think he thought I was talented. “He took me under his wing. I'd get to play that little set at the end of his set, and he'd let me emcee for him for the night. So that song brings back all those memories"

Source
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2206 KP) rated Golden Gate in Books

Apr 19, 2021 (Updated Apr 19, 2021)  
Golden Gate
Golden Gate
James Ponti | 2021 | Children
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The City Spies Cross the Pond
As this book opens, Brooklyn and Sydney, two of the team of City Spies, are on board a ship for a week of marine biology targeted at young women. While they certainly do appreciate the science they are getting, they are really there to covertly guard two of the other teens on the ship. And it’s a good thing, too, when Umbra agents show up trying to kidnap the girls. Meanwhile, there is a new lead on a mole inside MI-6 and a lead in a secret project for Mother, the spy in charge of all the City Spies. Might it tie into the kidnapping?

Last year, I fell in love with these characters with the first book in the series, and I’m delighted to say that this book was just as good as the first one. The story kept me engaged the entire way, and there were times I was turning pages as quickly as I could to find out what would happen next. While all of the characters get their moments to shine, this is really Sydney’s book since she sees the most growth. One thing I love is how much the characters care for each other, so we see them working through conflicts they have. I might have even teared up a time or two as I read. We also get plenty of laughs along the way. I especially enjoyed the scenes in San Francisco since I recognized so many of the places they went. Kids will love this book. I know I’m already anxious to find out what happens next.
  
One Cut of the Dead (Kamera o Tomeru na!) (2017)
One Cut of the Dead (Kamera o Tomeru na!) (2017)
2017 | Comedy, Horror
Fun From the Beginning
I wouldn’t dare spoil the plot of One Cut of the Dead. Not knowing is half the fun. Let’s just call it a zombie movie and leave it at that.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 10

Characters: 6

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
From a visual standpoint, I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like this movie before. Watching this movie unfold is like seeing someone play with one of those things that’s a toy inside a toy inside a toy. No shot is wasted here and every angle tells a different part of the story. Director Shinichiro Ueda does a masterful job across the board. Overall, it has a gritty old school feel to it, much like Tarantino’s Planet Terror.

Conflict: 10

Entertainment Value: 9
There is so much packed into 96 minutes, it’s hard not to be overly entertained the whole time. I didn’t give it a perfect score as there were some moments where I was more confused than I was hoping for. It’s truly a wild ride where you feel like things are constantly out of control.

Memorability: 10

Pace: 6
Things move at a decent pace until about the forty-five-minute mark where the movie slows down drastically. I understand the shift, but it took away from the momentum for me a bit. Despite the momentum shift, the movie is highly enjoyable overall.

Plot: 10

Resolution: 8

Overall: 89
One Cut of the Dead, once finished, will leave you saying, “What just happened?” It’s fun, it’s original, and it keeps you guessing. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun movie to watch this Halloween season.
  
Sabotage (2014)
Sabotage (2014)
2014 | Action, Mystery
7
5.8 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The cast, across the board (1 more)
The action
Nearly all of the characters are unlikeable, in spite of the actors' best efforts (0 more)
A more thoughtful, if forgettable, Arnold
Schwarzenegger and company are a DEA strike team who take ten million dollars from the cartel in a raid, except that it's not there when they go back to get it. After an investigation fails to find enough evidence to prove they're guilty they're returned to active duty, but someone starts taking them down one by one....

This film was.... okay is probably the best word. It's kinda forgettable despite a stellar cast, several of whom I typically try to see regardless of what they're doing, all turning in excellent performances. Arnold in particular gets to actually act instead of just blowing everyone away, which is a nice change. Which isn't to say there isn't action - there is, and a lot of it, gritty and gory not in the exaggerated Tarentino style but more brutally realistic. There's torture too, which is legitimately uncomfortable to watch even with the extra remove of watching a character watch the video of it. It's just that the story is a bit predictable (though the darker take on Breacher and the ending seen in the deleted scenes would have been more interesting and less predictable, I wouldn't have liked it), and despite excellent performances from stellar actors the characters are all completely unlikeable, which is a bit of a problem when they're dropping like flies and you don't really care. Bottom line: I'm not sorry I borrowed it from the library, but I don't think I'll be watching it again.
  
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