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A Dangerous Place (Maisie Dobbs #11)
10.0
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Maisie Dobbs returns in a powerful story of political intrigue and personal tragedy: a brutal murder...
Rum & Pirates
Tabletop Game
Rum and Pirates is a relatively simple movement and collection game, known in German as Um Ru(h)m...
Boardgames Pirategames FeldGames
Treasure, Darkly
7.0
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Seventeen-year-old Clark Treasure assumes the drink he stole off the captain is absinthe… until...
ClareR (5991 KP) rated Dangerous Women in Books
Aug 31, 2021
This book had me in its grip form start to finish - there was so much going on right from the beginning: the woman who tricked her way on board, the murder, the relationships between the women, the relationships between the women and the matron (who was the most in-matronly matron I could have EVER imagined!), and the relationship between the matron and the ships captain.
The dialogue between the women seemed authentic to me. These convicts came from all parts of the British Isles: London, the West Country, Scotland, Ireland. What connected them though, was their crimes all appeared to be the result of their sex and poverty. They were all working class women who had acted out of desperation, and it was really interesting to hear their stories.
I know this is a work of fiction, but the Rajah did exist, as does the quilt that the women were working on. The quilt is now on display in the National Gallery of Australia. I googled it - it’s beautiful. How anyone could have produced it whilst on a ship in the ocean, I have no idea 🤢
The conditions on board must have been appalling. At the start, the Matron instructs the women to scrub their quarters, but they would have been cramped, their toilet was below decks (buckets), and seasickness along with poor food would have made quite some heady aroma! They may have been convicts, but I was impressed by their stoicism in these circumstances.
I felt that I learnt an awful lot whilst reading this, as well as being thoroughly entertained - it’s a fabulous book!
The dialogue between the women seemed authentic to me. These convicts came from all parts of the British Isles: London, the West Country, Scotland, Ireland. What connected them though, was their crimes all appeared to be the result of their sex and poverty. They were all working class women who had acted out of desperation, and it was really interesting to hear their stories.
I know this is a work of fiction, but the Rajah did exist, as does the quilt that the women were working on. The quilt is now on display in the National Gallery of Australia. I googled it - it’s beautiful. How anyone could have produced it whilst on a ship in the ocean, I have no idea 🤢
The conditions on board must have been appalling. At the start, the Matron instructs the women to scrub their quarters, but they would have been cramped, their toilet was below decks (buckets), and seasickness along with poor food would have made quite some heady aroma! They may have been convicts, but I was impressed by their stoicism in these circumstances.
I felt that I learnt an awful lot whilst reading this, as well as being thoroughly entertained - it’s a fabulous book!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Nov 14, 2022 (Updated Nov 14, 2022)
Alexi (Tangled Tentacles #1)
JP Sayle and Lisa Oliver
8.0
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The Fates are tricky and land Danik with a mate right when he least expects it. Can Alexi’s...
MM Paranormal Romance Shifters
Merissa (13329 KP) rated The Deception (The Secret Tales #2) in Books
Jun 21, 2024
THE DECEPTION is the second book in The Secret Tales and follows Charlotte and Patrick. Charlotte is Rose's sister and an artist, providing for the family by providing art in her father's style and forging his signature on them. Patrick is a fan of her father's work and a Captain in the Navy. When they are discovered in a compromising situation, Patrick saves Charlotte's reputation by saying they are engaged; the plan being that Charlotte will break the engagement while he is at sea. For one reason and another, this doesn't happen.
This was a great addition to the series, and I loved how Rhys and Rose continued to play their part in the story. There is a lot that happens in this story, with blackmail, kidnapping, and a slavery ring. This definitely impacted the connection between our two characters for me, as the time they spend together didn't seem long enough before they were reacting to one threat or another. One thing I liked, as with Rose, is that Charlotte isn't just a damsel in distress. Yes, she's in a very dodgy situation, but she uses her mind and doesn't just wait to be rescued.
I am thoroughly enjoying these books by Sanna Brand. There is a snippet from Claire's book that had me wanting that immediately! Thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommended.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2024
This was a great addition to the series, and I loved how Rhys and Rose continued to play their part in the story. There is a lot that happens in this story, with blackmail, kidnapping, and a slavery ring. This definitely impacted the connection between our two characters for me, as the time they spend together didn't seem long enough before they were reacting to one threat or another. One thing I liked, as with Rose, is that Charlotte isn't just a damsel in distress. Yes, she's in a very dodgy situation, but she uses her mind and doesn't just wait to be rescued.
I am thoroughly enjoying these books by Sanna Brand. There is a snippet from Claire's book that had me wanting that immediately! Thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommended.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2024
Kaysee Hood (83 KP) rated Tower Of Dawn in Books
Nov 3, 2017
Badass Women (2 more)
Big Birds
Acceptance
Vlag Ladies (2 more)
Giant Spiders
Spies
Uncovered Secrets
With the sixth book in the Throne of Glass series we come find there is more to the Vlag than what was originally thought to be. Chaol and Nesryn both discover pieces of the puzzle as well as parts of themselves through the healer, Yrene Towers, and Prince Sartaq in an attempt to raise an army to move North and to have his back healed.
Once more Mass had me caught up in the pages of her book and it was kind of bizarre to be captured by a ToG novel, yet the focus is on the Hand of the King and the newly appointed Captain of the Guard rather than Aelin, which I was glad for. I don't believe if EoS and ToD were combined as planned it could not have conveyed important plot points, character growth, and development of new characters and plots as well as being two separate books. In ToD we're able to see Chaol progress not only with his injury, but within himself as he deals with the horrors from QoS. We're able to read through how Yrene is unwillingly to work with Chaol to how she realizes it is within herself. Nesryn is able to find herself, her actual self she was not able to express in Adarlan., Even the royal family here makes progress, tiny steps to better themselves. Combined that with what is found about the Vlag as well as a certain few people and Tower of Dawn is another successful ToG book.
So if you're a fan of the others then go find a copy. If you've been wanting to read the series then it is a good time to start as the end is getting closer.
Once more Mass had me caught up in the pages of her book and it was kind of bizarre to be captured by a ToG novel, yet the focus is on the Hand of the King and the newly appointed Captain of the Guard rather than Aelin, which I was glad for. I don't believe if EoS and ToD were combined as planned it could not have conveyed important plot points, character growth, and development of new characters and plots as well as being two separate books. In ToD we're able to see Chaol progress not only with his injury, but within himself as he deals with the horrors from QoS. We're able to read through how Yrene is unwillingly to work with Chaol to how she realizes it is within herself. Nesryn is able to find herself, her actual self she was not able to express in Adarlan., Even the royal family here makes progress, tiny steps to better themselves. Combined that with what is found about the Vlag as well as a certain few people and Tower of Dawn is another successful ToG book.
So if you're a fan of the others then go find a copy. If you've been wanting to read the series then it is a good time to start as the end is getting closer.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Wonder Woman (2017) in Movies
Dec 10, 2017
The casting of Gal Gadot (1 more)
The correct spirit and mood for the film/character
Finally seeing Wonder Woman for the first time, I am torn between joining the film's praise bandwagon and complaining about another stupid villain. While I certainly don't want to go back to the cheesy Bane, Poisin Ivy, Mr. Freeze days of old, I also am not a big fan of the generic CGI villain, in this case Ares, God of War. I would think they could come up with a happy medium using The Dark Knight as a basis for a complex, grounded human character.
As for Wonder Woman herself, I thought Gal Gadot was amazing in personality, spirit, and the physical embodiment of Wonder Woman as a modern, yet retro female superhero.
Unfortunately, the film's historical setting and perspective has already been done better in the first Captain America film, but had to be the way they did it to make it close to the comic book origin of the character. The scene where Wonder Woman emerges on the battlefield was very strong as you, the viewer, had been anticipating this moment throughout the first half of the film.
The use of CGI during some of the fight scenes with the Nazi soldiers was poor and looked very false. Even when she jumped great distances, I thought that looked fake and was more believable in a Hulk film or even the Wonder Woman TV series from the 1970s.
I also sorely missed an appearance by the original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter. They have said they will have her in the next film. They had better. 😊
Overall, I enjoyed the film more than most recent superhero flicks, but in 10 years, won't all these films just start to run together?
As for Wonder Woman herself, I thought Gal Gadot was amazing in personality, spirit, and the physical embodiment of Wonder Woman as a modern, yet retro female superhero.
Unfortunately, the film's historical setting and perspective has already been done better in the first Captain America film, but had to be the way they did it to make it close to the comic book origin of the character. The scene where Wonder Woman emerges on the battlefield was very strong as you, the viewer, had been anticipating this moment throughout the first half of the film.
The use of CGI during some of the fight scenes with the Nazi soldiers was poor and looked very false. Even when she jumped great distances, I thought that looked fake and was more believable in a Hulk film or even the Wonder Woman TV series from the 1970s.
I also sorely missed an appearance by the original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter. They have said they will have her in the next film. They had better. 😊
Overall, I enjoyed the film more than most recent superhero flicks, but in 10 years, won't all these films just start to run together?
Kaylin (39 KP) rated Alien: Covenant (2017) in Movies
May 26, 2017
Had a genuinely creepy vibe (3 more)
Likeable characters for the most part
Michael Fassbender is great
That cameo!
Doesn't feel like an Alien movie to me (2 more)
Acting can be very flat
Characters make stupid decisions that it doesn't feel like their character should make
Felt like an alien movie, but didn't feel like an Alien movie
I love the Alien franchise. I have all 4 of the original movies and I've seen all of them multiple times, even 3 and Resurrection. I'm not a huge fan of Prometheus, but I was really looking forward to this movie despite knowing it would probably be more of a sequel to that instead of a true prequel to the Alien franchise.
I...am not entirely sure how I feel about this film. It's not a bad movie, but I don't feel like it's a true Alien film. There are great things about this movie. Michael Fassbender is pretty amazing in dual roles. Danny McBride shows that he can actually act outside of comedies. I cared about most of the characters. The gore was practical and not overbearing. Some of the characters actually made smart decisions. The "main character" is actually a decent action girl.
But, to go with the good there's the...not so good. For every good decision the "main character" makes, the "captain" makes 3 dumb ones. There's a couple scenes that make no sense. The "plot twist" is predictable. When you finally see the alien, it looks super human and not at all like xenomorphs we know.
It's a good sci-fi horror/thriller movie, but if you're expecting something in the vein of the originals, you're going to be disappointed.
I...am not entirely sure how I feel about this film. It's not a bad movie, but I don't feel like it's a true Alien film. There are great things about this movie. Michael Fassbender is pretty amazing in dual roles. Danny McBride shows that he can actually act outside of comedies. I cared about most of the characters. The gore was practical and not overbearing. Some of the characters actually made smart decisions. The "main character" is actually a decent action girl.
But, to go with the good there's the...not so good. For every good decision the "main character" makes, the "captain" makes 3 dumb ones. There's a couple scenes that make no sense. The "plot twist" is predictable. When you finally see the alien, it looks super human and not at all like xenomorphs we know.
It's a good sci-fi horror/thriller movie, but if you're expecting something in the vein of the originals, you're going to be disappointed.