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Lifting the Veil (Sophie Masterson/ Dixon Security Series #1)
8.0
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Unemployed accountant Sophie Masterson never dreams that a trip to Salem on Halloween night will...
Paranormal Romance Romantic Suspense Mystery
Pumpkin Spice and Chill (Boyfriend Café #2)
8.0
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Albert Accidents don't happen to me. I eliminate random chance with surgical precision, whether...
Contemporary MM Romance
Merissa (13494 KP) rated Wilde Moon (Wildeward Academy #5) in Books
Dec 6, 2021 (Updated Jul 9, 2023)
WILDE MOON is the fifth and final book in the Wildeward Academy series (so far; I'm holding out hope for more) and we start where we finished -- with Victoria and her Coterie in London, plenty to prove and so many opportunities to do so, whether they want to or not.
My word! Hold onto your hats, folks, because you're in for a bumpy ride. And please take a deep breath as you're going to need it! This book doesn't stop! You know how in some books, you have moments of action, followed by moments of rest? Yeah, well, that doesn't happen here. It's all-go from the very beginning. And although I felt worn out afterwards, I wouldn't change a single moment.
Achoris is the 'main guy' in this book but, don't worry, you'll get plenty of the others too, plus some action with all of them. Phew! It's hot in here. There is no chance of confusing these guys either. They are so individual and make their voices heard amongst the tumult of Victoria's crazy life.
There are plenty of loose ends to tie up in this novel, and Ms Blythe does so admirably. And she kept me waiting until near the end but then... MY PLEAS HAVE BEEN HEARD!!!! The Lodge returns! I'm so happy with the way things turned out. The Coterie gets larger but the inner circle remains as is, although the bonds are tighter once Achoris accepts he may not know everything after all.
What a finale! I loved every word and really didn't want it to finish, but I'm glad it has, in the way it has, if that makes sense?! This was an outstanding series with quirks and individuality in a genre that can become almost boring.
This author is definitely on my go-to list, and I highly recommend this book and this series but, please, start from the beginning and lose yourself in a world of blood, sex, and magic.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 6, 2021
My word! Hold onto your hats, folks, because you're in for a bumpy ride. And please take a deep breath as you're going to need it! This book doesn't stop! You know how in some books, you have moments of action, followed by moments of rest? Yeah, well, that doesn't happen here. It's all-go from the very beginning. And although I felt worn out afterwards, I wouldn't change a single moment.
Achoris is the 'main guy' in this book but, don't worry, you'll get plenty of the others too, plus some action with all of them. Phew! It's hot in here. There is no chance of confusing these guys either. They are so individual and make their voices heard amongst the tumult of Victoria's crazy life.
There are plenty of loose ends to tie up in this novel, and Ms Blythe does so admirably. And she kept me waiting until near the end but then... MY PLEAS HAVE BEEN HEARD!!!! The Lodge returns! I'm so happy with the way things turned out. The Coterie gets larger but the inner circle remains as is, although the bonds are tighter once Achoris accepts he may not know everything after all.
What a finale! I loved every word and really didn't want it to finish, but I'm glad it has, in the way it has, if that makes sense?! This was an outstanding series with quirks and individuality in a genre that can become almost boring.
This author is definitely on my go-to list, and I highly recommend this book and this series but, please, start from the beginning and lose yourself in a world of blood, sex, and magic.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 6, 2021
Merissa (13494 KP) rated Boldly (Breakers Hockey #2) in Books
Aug 31, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
BOLDLY is the second book in the Breakers Hockey series and hold onto your hats, folks, because you're in for one helluva ride!
Oliver was the Captain of the Breakers. Yes, he'd made mistakes along the way, but he had the respect of his teammates and the management team. But then one foul tackle and he's out. A shattered leg and an infection that won't go leaves him with a prosthetic and his dreams on ice are gone.
A year later and he's back, although not as he would wish to be. He finds himself attracted to Hazel and immediately works on making her his own. Of course, Hazel isn't prepared to just sit there and take it. Trust me, she makes her own stands too. Together, these two are sappy, hot, and crazy for each other.
I read this book in one sitting - simply unable to put it down. I really respected and admired Oliver's way of thinking, which helped him move forward after such a devastating thing happened to him. He hadn't had it easy but, with his mindset, he was able to make the best of a bad situation. Hazel is simply stunning. I loved her go-get-em attitude and how she thinks outside the box if she thinks it will help her boys. Both of these know how to communicate and the book is so much better for not having oodles of misunderstandings and hurt feelings caused by not speaking to each other!!!
This story made me smile and laugh out loud. I adored the scene with Luc, Lexi, and Noah! Those babies sure know how to run a parent ragged!
Oh, and fair warning - if you're like me, you just might need a Kleenex to help you through the last part of the book. I will admit to tears streaming down my face during the epilogue, and I'm not ashamed!
Absolutely fantastic, and highly recommended by me.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 31, 2021
Oliver was the Captain of the Breakers. Yes, he'd made mistakes along the way, but he had the respect of his teammates and the management team. But then one foul tackle and he's out. A shattered leg and an infection that won't go leaves him with a prosthetic and his dreams on ice are gone.
A year later and he's back, although not as he would wish to be. He finds himself attracted to Hazel and immediately works on making her his own. Of course, Hazel isn't prepared to just sit there and take it. Trust me, she makes her own stands too. Together, these two are sappy, hot, and crazy for each other.
I read this book in one sitting - simply unable to put it down. I really respected and admired Oliver's way of thinking, which helped him move forward after such a devastating thing happened to him. He hadn't had it easy but, with his mindset, he was able to make the best of a bad situation. Hazel is simply stunning. I loved her go-get-em attitude and how she thinks outside the box if she thinks it will help her boys. Both of these know how to communicate and the book is so much better for not having oodles of misunderstandings and hurt feelings caused by not speaking to each other!!!
This story made me smile and laugh out loud. I adored the scene with Luc, Lexi, and Noah! Those babies sure know how to run a parent ragged!
Oh, and fair warning - if you're like me, you just might need a Kleenex to help you through the last part of the book. I will admit to tears streaming down my face during the epilogue, and I'm not ashamed!
Absolutely fantastic, and highly recommended by me.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 31, 2021
Merissa (13494 KP) rated Keep Me On Edge (My Kinky Housemate, #4) in Books
Sep 3, 2022
Sad, hopeful, caring, sweet, HOT! I loved every word.
KEEP ME ON EDGE is the fourth book in the My Kinky Housemate series and it's time for the pro-Dom to take centre stage. Stefan has liked Quinn ever since he entered the house. Quinn has liked Stefan ever since he entered the house. And it's through my boy Hendrix's meddling that Quinn finally has the courage to ask Stefan out.
Ah, man. These two! They are absolutely gorgeous together. Not in the 'I now have cavities' way of Theo and Preston (who I still adore, btw!) but in a caring and totally loving way of looking out for someone. And it goes both ways. It's not all Stefan catering to Quinn. The storyline with Stefan is absolutely heart-breaking. We already know some of it due to having Beau's story already, but hearing Stefan's side of it was just as bad.
Moving onto the steamy side of things, it's hot! I don't expect anything less from Colette Davison, but I seriously love the thought she puts into her scenes. This book taught me things I never knew I didn't know about narcolepsy and cataplexy and not once did I feel as though I was reading an instruction manual. Stefan takes notice of Quinn at all times, giving him the time he needs. This includes when they're in the bedroom. This will sound crazy until you read the book, but the bit with the fan made my eyes leak! So sweet, so considerate. LOVED IT!!!
I am loving this series. It seems as though it may be Rory's story next but who knows? What I do know is I will wait patiently for each book and thoroughly enjoy it when I get my grabby hands on it. We learn a little more about Hendrix in this book but, once again, I'll wait.
Absolutely fantastic and highly recommended by me.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Ah, man. These two! They are absolutely gorgeous together. Not in the 'I now have cavities' way of Theo and Preston (who I still adore, btw!) but in a caring and totally loving way of looking out for someone. And it goes both ways. It's not all Stefan catering to Quinn. The storyline with Stefan is absolutely heart-breaking. We already know some of it due to having Beau's story already, but hearing Stefan's side of it was just as bad.
Moving onto the steamy side of things, it's hot! I don't expect anything less from Colette Davison, but I seriously love the thought she puts into her scenes. This book taught me things I never knew I didn't know about narcolepsy and cataplexy and not once did I feel as though I was reading an instruction manual. Stefan takes notice of Quinn at all times, giving him the time he needs. This includes when they're in the bedroom. This will sound crazy until you read the book, but the bit with the fan made my eyes leak! So sweet, so considerate. LOVED IT!!!
I am loving this series. It seems as though it may be Rory's story next but who knows? What I do know is I will wait patiently for each book and thoroughly enjoy it when I get my grabby hands on it. We learn a little more about Hendrix in this book but, once again, I'll wait.
Absolutely fantastic and highly recommended by me.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
ClareR (6037 KP) rated The Atlas Paradox in Books
Jun 21, 2023
I should lead with the fact that everything I write about books is my own opinion, and you’ll see why.
The second instalment of anything creative seems to be the hard one: the difficult second album, and in this case, the second in a book trilogy.
When you’re building a new, different world, I should imagine that there’s so much to think about. Every aspect has a new perspective. People have different life choices, new rules, new laws, and I can see why in many books in this genre (fantasy, in this case) there’s a need for more than the average amount of description. As a reader though, I feel there needs to be a sweet spot, because I do enjoy the interactions between the characters as much as the more descriptive passages. For me, it’s a large part of what propels the story forward. I like to hear the characters.
Ok, I’ll just say it: I found The Atlas Paradox really hard work. It has taken me nearly three weeks to read, which is a long time for me. I would pick it up, start reading, find myself skipping pages and trying to find something to grab me, feel guilty and backtrack.
I still love the Libby/ Nico/ Gideon story arc, and Callum and Reina seem to be a bit of a revelation. I think Libby could be very interesting in the next book, in particular.
But I think that as a whole it felt like The Atlas Paradox had lost its way somewhat. There was a lot of sitting around and thinking, and not enough action related to the thinking. I actually believe that this book was killing time for book 3 - which incidentally, I will read.
I know that seems crazy after what I’ve just written, but I do believe this trilogy still has something interesting to say, and I really hope it says it in book 3 (The Atlas Complex). And really, the character Atlas did seem to building himself up to something - it’s just taken him about 900 pages to do it. There’s so much promise here, and ever the optimist (with a healthy dash of realism!) I want to see what happens in The Atlas Complex.
The second instalment of anything creative seems to be the hard one: the difficult second album, and in this case, the second in a book trilogy.
When you’re building a new, different world, I should imagine that there’s so much to think about. Every aspect has a new perspective. People have different life choices, new rules, new laws, and I can see why in many books in this genre (fantasy, in this case) there’s a need for more than the average amount of description. As a reader though, I feel there needs to be a sweet spot, because I do enjoy the interactions between the characters as much as the more descriptive passages. For me, it’s a large part of what propels the story forward. I like to hear the characters.
Ok, I’ll just say it: I found The Atlas Paradox really hard work. It has taken me nearly three weeks to read, which is a long time for me. I would pick it up, start reading, find myself skipping pages and trying to find something to grab me, feel guilty and backtrack.
I still love the Libby/ Nico/ Gideon story arc, and Callum and Reina seem to be a bit of a revelation. I think Libby could be very interesting in the next book, in particular.
But I think that as a whole it felt like The Atlas Paradox had lost its way somewhat. There was a lot of sitting around and thinking, and not enough action related to the thinking. I actually believe that this book was killing time for book 3 - which incidentally, I will read.
I know that seems crazy after what I’ve just written, but I do believe this trilogy still has something interesting to say, and I really hope it says it in book 3 (The Atlas Complex). And really, the character Atlas did seem to building himself up to something - it’s just taken him about 900 pages to do it. There’s so much promise here, and ever the optimist (with a healthy dash of realism!) I want to see what happens in The Atlas Complex.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) in Movies
Feb 17, 2020
It’s been a very long time since I played the Sonic the Hedgehog video games on my brothers SEGA Megadrive. I was, and always have been, a Nintendo guy, so since then my only experience of Sonic has been when he joins forces with Mario and Co for Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. I do have good memories of his solo outings though, and he is clearly an enduring and popular character, ideally suited for a CGI/live action movie.
When we first meet Sonic, he’s a young hedgehog on his home world, zipping about the place without a care in the world and being mentored by an owl called Longclaw. Before we get a chance to learn anything about Longclaw and the world that he and Sonic inhabit, some bad guy echidnas show up, looking to get their hands on Sonic and his speedy powers. Longclaw gives Sonic a bag of rings that can be used to open a portal to another world, and after opening one for him to escape through, tells him to use one whenever he is in danger of being captured.
Cut to Green Hills, Montana where we meet local sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter). Tom has been accepted, pending background checks, into the San Francisco police department, and he and Maddie are currently in the process of looking at houses there. We also learn that a now grown up Sonic has found his way into our world and has been living in hiding in Green Hills for some time now. The local crazy old man, Crazy Carl, claims to have seen a ‘blue devil’ on a number of occasions, but otherwise Sonic has managed to stay hidden. He’s even got himself a little underground man cave, and has become quite attached to Tom and Maddie, observing and following their every day lives from afar.
When Sonic manages to cause a city-wide power outage one evening, he draws the attention of the government, who bring in mad scientist Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to investigate. When the gold rings that Sonic needs to transport to another world are mislaid, and as Robotnik and his team close in on him, Sonic makes himself known to an unsuspecting Tom and asks for his help. The movie then becomes a road trip, with them both on the run, evading Dr Robotnik and searching for the gold rings.
The CGI representation of Sonic had been something of a hot talking point, ever since the release of the first trailer sparked a huge online backlash. Looking more human, with smaller eyes, and longer limbs, the reaction of horror by anyone vaguely familiar with the character was enough to make director Jeff Fowler stand up and take notice, and the release date of the movie was pushed back to allow for some serious rework by the VFX team. Thankfully, when the new trailer was released, it was to a much more positive reaction, and rightfully so - Sonic was now much more aligned to his video game persona and on the receiving end of some pretty decent marketing material and promotion to back it all up. Ben Schwartz provides the voice for Sonic, giving him a wonderful childlike quality - in awe of the world around him, funny and confident in his abilities, but never really coming across as an annoying brat.
Jim Carrey brings to Robotnik the kind of madcap comedy that he we haven’t seen from him in a long time and is a delight in every scene he features. James Marsden is no stranger to appearing alongside CGI characters in children’s movies, and does his part well once again. Outside of that, the rest of the cast don’t get much to work with and kind of just fade into the background.
Overall, Sonic the Hedgehog is a fairly enjoyable movie, but it’s also instantly forgettable. It’s been a couple of days since I saw it and, apart from a couple of fun action scenes along the way, and the climactic showdown, I really don’t remember very much about it. If you’ve seen the wonderful scenes in the X-Men movies where QuickSilver zips around, interacting with characters and scenery as though time has stood still, then there are a few scenes just like that for you to enjoy. It’s a much better movie than I was expecting to see, but ultimately I think it could have been a hello a lot worse if they’d stuck to their guns with the original character design.
When we first meet Sonic, he’s a young hedgehog on his home world, zipping about the place without a care in the world and being mentored by an owl called Longclaw. Before we get a chance to learn anything about Longclaw and the world that he and Sonic inhabit, some bad guy echidnas show up, looking to get their hands on Sonic and his speedy powers. Longclaw gives Sonic a bag of rings that can be used to open a portal to another world, and after opening one for him to escape through, tells him to use one whenever he is in danger of being captured.
Cut to Green Hills, Montana where we meet local sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter). Tom has been accepted, pending background checks, into the San Francisco police department, and he and Maddie are currently in the process of looking at houses there. We also learn that a now grown up Sonic has found his way into our world and has been living in hiding in Green Hills for some time now. The local crazy old man, Crazy Carl, claims to have seen a ‘blue devil’ on a number of occasions, but otherwise Sonic has managed to stay hidden. He’s even got himself a little underground man cave, and has become quite attached to Tom and Maddie, observing and following their every day lives from afar.
When Sonic manages to cause a city-wide power outage one evening, he draws the attention of the government, who bring in mad scientist Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to investigate. When the gold rings that Sonic needs to transport to another world are mislaid, and as Robotnik and his team close in on him, Sonic makes himself known to an unsuspecting Tom and asks for his help. The movie then becomes a road trip, with them both on the run, evading Dr Robotnik and searching for the gold rings.
The CGI representation of Sonic had been something of a hot talking point, ever since the release of the first trailer sparked a huge online backlash. Looking more human, with smaller eyes, and longer limbs, the reaction of horror by anyone vaguely familiar with the character was enough to make director Jeff Fowler stand up and take notice, and the release date of the movie was pushed back to allow for some serious rework by the VFX team. Thankfully, when the new trailer was released, it was to a much more positive reaction, and rightfully so - Sonic was now much more aligned to his video game persona and on the receiving end of some pretty decent marketing material and promotion to back it all up. Ben Schwartz provides the voice for Sonic, giving him a wonderful childlike quality - in awe of the world around him, funny and confident in his abilities, but never really coming across as an annoying brat.
Jim Carrey brings to Robotnik the kind of madcap comedy that he we haven’t seen from him in a long time and is a delight in every scene he features. James Marsden is no stranger to appearing alongside CGI characters in children’s movies, and does his part well once again. Outside of that, the rest of the cast don’t get much to work with and kind of just fade into the background.
Overall, Sonic the Hedgehog is a fairly enjoyable movie, but it’s also instantly forgettable. It’s been a couple of days since I saw it and, apart from a couple of fun action scenes along the way, and the climactic showdown, I really don’t remember very much about it. If you’ve seen the wonderful scenes in the X-Men movies where QuickSilver zips around, interacting with characters and scenery as though time has stood still, then there are a few scenes just like that for you to enjoy. It’s a much better movie than I was expecting to see, but ultimately I think it could have been a hello a lot worse if they’d stuck to their guns with the original character design.
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated The One in Books
Oct 31, 2017 (Updated Oct 31, 2017)
This is what I love about reviewing books, it takes you out of your comfort zone and you get to experience author's that perhaps might never cross your radar and what a shame that would be as, The One by John Marrs was one of those gems that I may have passed by, an utterly brilliant captivating phycological thriller which kept me entranced till the final pages.
How to adequately convey this story and do it justice, as it truly is a unique concept. I have read an abundance of fiction over the years and the subject expressed in The One, A Gene that matches you with another individual romantically, a soul mate. is truly a unique idea.
In The One, we have what seems like five different stories all wrapped up in a shared Tale, Five Love matches all separate but also intertwined in a bigger picture. The unique writing style of John Marrs makes this very addictive reading, each chapter focusing on a gene match playing in an enthralling loop that makes you want to keep reading.
We have,
Mandy & Richard
Christopher & Amy
Jade & Kevin
Nick & Sally
Ellie & Tim
Finding the love of your life, the other half of you may seem an amazing and wonderous thing. But in reality, the obstacles this can throw at you if you think on this logically are truly shocking, What if your match is married or old, dead or disabled. He or she could be a criminal when you ponder deeper on this matter all sorts of shockingly crazy scenarios spring to mind.The one explores these situations giving us an insight into what could happen when we ask the question WHAT IF?
In conclusion, this book is a breathtaking phycological thriller that keeps you gripped throughout. I've tried to convey a sense of what The one gives you without giving too much away as this is one of those stories you really need to go in blind to truly appreciate the sheer brilliance of its storyline. Love doesn't always run smoothly, in fact in this tale don't expect the ordinary it abounds with twists and turns that keep you guessing throughout.
I Received a free copy of this e-book from NetGalley in return for a review and this is my own honest opinion.
How to adequately convey this story and do it justice, as it truly is a unique concept. I have read an abundance of fiction over the years and the subject expressed in The One, A Gene that matches you with another individual romantically, a soul mate. is truly a unique idea.
In The One, we have what seems like five different stories all wrapped up in a shared Tale, Five Love matches all separate but also intertwined in a bigger picture. The unique writing style of John Marrs makes this very addictive reading, each chapter focusing on a gene match playing in an enthralling loop that makes you want to keep reading.
We have,
Mandy & Richard
Christopher & Amy
Jade & Kevin
Nick & Sally
Ellie & Tim
Finding the love of your life, the other half of you may seem an amazing and wonderous thing. But in reality, the obstacles this can throw at you if you think on this logically are truly shocking, What if your match is married or old, dead or disabled. He or she could be a criminal when you ponder deeper on this matter all sorts of shockingly crazy scenarios spring to mind.The one explores these situations giving us an insight into what could happen when we ask the question WHAT IF?
In conclusion, this book is a breathtaking phycological thriller that keeps you gripped throughout. I've tried to convey a sense of what The one gives you without giving too much away as this is one of those stories you really need to go in blind to truly appreciate the sheer brilliance of its storyline. Love doesn't always run smoothly, in fact in this tale don't expect the ordinary it abounds with twists and turns that keep you guessing throughout.
I Received a free copy of this e-book from NetGalley in return for a review and this is my own honest opinion.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Her Body and Other Parties: Stories in Books
Nov 22, 2017 (Updated Nov 22, 2017)
Good writing but fairly disappointing
Her Body and Other Parties is like most short story collections I have read in that some of the stories worked for me far more than others.
Carmen Maria Machado mingles fabulism, body horror, erotica and 'feminist' commentary in her debut novel. The thrust of this book is perhaps best encapsulated by the second story in the book, 'Inventory'. It starts with the narrator cataloguing everyone she's slept with, taking on that now-near-compulsory clinical tone, that Muumuu House type of thing of talking endlessly about sex but doing so in an affectless style that doesn't communicate any passion or joy or pleasure. It suddenly becomes more interesting when a hidden narrative emerges: as the narrator progresses through her later conquests, she talks of a pervasive virus, family members lost, a quarantine zone, evacuations and refugees. It's an unexpected approach to the dystopian theme and a pleasing subversion of first impressions, yet the story as a whole remains unsatisfying.
Among the weaker stories is 'Especially Heinous', which reimagines plot summaries of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes through a surrealist lens, playing on the ubiquity of violence against women in such shows. Except it was far too long, going through an entire seven series, becoming increasingly bizarre.
My favourite was 'The Resident'. While the subject matter is slightly more staid than some of the others – presumably semi-autobiographical in its portrait of a writer unravelling during a retreat – it's a relief that it isn't told at a cold, impersonal remove. It actually has heart and a personality, unlike so many of the others, and contains one of the few truly rousing scenes in the book, when the narrator lashes out at a patronising acquaintance and defends her right to write about 'crazy' heroines and madwomen in attics.
Nevertheless, there's something I find so depressing about the kind of writing that's ostensibly feminist but seems to focus incessantly on the negatives of being a woman. In fiction such as this, the approach is often paired with candid-yet-detached writing about sex that I also find off-putting (not to mention extremely unsexy). The stories are well-crafted and (when they don't feel workshopped to death) spark with strong ideas and entertaining metafictional touches, but Her Body and Other Parties didn't work for me the way I hoped it would.
Carmen Maria Machado mingles fabulism, body horror, erotica and 'feminist' commentary in her debut novel. The thrust of this book is perhaps best encapsulated by the second story in the book, 'Inventory'. It starts with the narrator cataloguing everyone she's slept with, taking on that now-near-compulsory clinical tone, that Muumuu House type of thing of talking endlessly about sex but doing so in an affectless style that doesn't communicate any passion or joy or pleasure. It suddenly becomes more interesting when a hidden narrative emerges: as the narrator progresses through her later conquests, she talks of a pervasive virus, family members lost, a quarantine zone, evacuations and refugees. It's an unexpected approach to the dystopian theme and a pleasing subversion of first impressions, yet the story as a whole remains unsatisfying.
Among the weaker stories is 'Especially Heinous', which reimagines plot summaries of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes through a surrealist lens, playing on the ubiquity of violence against women in such shows. Except it was far too long, going through an entire seven series, becoming increasingly bizarre.
My favourite was 'The Resident'. While the subject matter is slightly more staid than some of the others – presumably semi-autobiographical in its portrait of a writer unravelling during a retreat – it's a relief that it isn't told at a cold, impersonal remove. It actually has heart and a personality, unlike so many of the others, and contains one of the few truly rousing scenes in the book, when the narrator lashes out at a patronising acquaintance and defends her right to write about 'crazy' heroines and madwomen in attics.
Nevertheless, there's something I find so depressing about the kind of writing that's ostensibly feminist but seems to focus incessantly on the negatives of being a woman. In fiction such as this, the approach is often paired with candid-yet-detached writing about sex that I also find off-putting (not to mention extremely unsexy). The stories are well-crafted and (when they don't feel workshopped to death) spark with strong ideas and entertaining metafictional touches, but Her Body and Other Parties didn't work for me the way I hoped it would.
Steven Sklansky (231 KP) rated Get Out (2017) in Movies
Dec 14, 2017
I put off seeing this movie for the longest time. At one point I didn't want to see it. I thought I had seen a lot of movies just like it. But this was definitely something different.
From the start of the movie you just new something crazy was going to happen. You see a black guy just snatched from the street and you just know something is going down. Now I thought all the men were brought to the house by the girl, because that just was how it looked by the photos in her closet. So it was kind of weird to see the brother kidnap someone at the start of the movie. But it just showed how insane the family was.
Like most horror movies they always start very lighthearted. You have the fun girlfriend, the smart ass best friend and even the cute little dog. Then as the movie progresses it really makes you start to get nervous in the right places. You know something is gong to happen but you don't know what. And then BAM! They lay the hammer down and you know you better run. Now the twist was done in a very curious way, they didn't just throw it in your face like some horror movies. They really eased you in and took there time to let it play out.
One cool thing I liked about the movie is the comic relief every once in awhile. I think it made it seem more real and then back into the shit. But thats what you get with Jordan Peele. By the time you got to the end you knew what was going to happen and that's ok, sometimes you can still enjoy a movie when you know how it will end.
Last thing I will say is the this movie had an Eli Roth feel to it. If you have never seen his movies, shame on you. But it was really refreshing to see a movie that another director did that had the same appeal. A lot of time you get a director or writer trying to copy another style and just failing, but this worked out regardless of Jordan trying to mimic that style or not.
Well thats about all the time I have. Please leave comments below if you agree with me or not. Pass out those kodus. Until next time, enjoy the show.
From the start of the movie you just new something crazy was going to happen. You see a black guy just snatched from the street and you just know something is going down. Now I thought all the men were brought to the house by the girl, because that just was how it looked by the photos in her closet. So it was kind of weird to see the brother kidnap someone at the start of the movie. But it just showed how insane the family was.
Like most horror movies they always start very lighthearted. You have the fun girlfriend, the smart ass best friend and even the cute little dog. Then as the movie progresses it really makes you start to get nervous in the right places. You know something is gong to happen but you don't know what. And then BAM! They lay the hammer down and you know you better run. Now the twist was done in a very curious way, they didn't just throw it in your face like some horror movies. They really eased you in and took there time to let it play out.
One cool thing I liked about the movie is the comic relief every once in awhile. I think it made it seem more real and then back into the shit. But thats what you get with Jordan Peele. By the time you got to the end you knew what was going to happen and that's ok, sometimes you can still enjoy a movie when you know how it will end.
Last thing I will say is the this movie had an Eli Roth feel to it. If you have never seen his movies, shame on you. But it was really refreshing to see a movie that another director did that had the same appeal. A lot of time you get a director or writer trying to copy another style and just failing, but this worked out regardless of Jordan trying to mimic that style or not.
Well thats about all the time I have. Please leave comments below if you agree with me or not. Pass out those kodus. Until next time, enjoy the show.