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Cold Hearted
Cold Hearted
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
When you’re eight books into a series such as the Villain Tales by Serena Valentino you would think that I wouldn’t be smug anymore! You would think that I wouldn’t go into the book saying “I won’t end up feeling sorry for this villain”.

You would also think that I know I am always wrong!

Lady Tremaine is one of the easiest villains to hate in the Disney universe: she worked Cinderella to the bone, denied her a decent party and then locked her in the attic for good measure! These are hardly the actions of some misunderstood soul.

Until Serena Valentino comes along of course! Valentino has a truly unique way of humanising these characters that we love to hate and, with the help of the Odd Sisters, proves to us time and time again that there is more to our fairytales than meets the eye.

The previous book in the villain tales, Evil Thing, took the reader outside of the Many Kingdoms for the first time. Valentino takes advantage of this, neatly using Cold Hearted to join together Lady Tremaine’s life in London with both the Fairylands and the Many Kingdoms. This timeline means that the readers meet Lady Tremaine before her role as stepmother: we learn of her worries over indulging her two daughters and her unwillingness to move on after her husband’s death.

Cold Hearted skips time periods slightly so the reader is actually experiencing Nanny and the Fairy Godmother reading Lady Tremaine’s story. Don't worry: this doesn't mean we are deprived of our favourite creepy sisters, although this book may have you looking at the Odd Sisters in an entirely new light.

The 8th villain tale continues Valentino’s reign of brilliant, alternative views of our villains. Lady Tremaine was to be the heroine of her own fairytale; all she wanted was her own happily ever after. Where did it go so wrong?
  
Rock Paper Scissors
Rock Paper Scissors
Alice Feeney | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
An excellent twisty thriller
Adam and Amelia Wright win a weekend away to Scotland--and this romantic getaway might be the only thing to save their rocky marriage. Screenwriter Adam spends most of his time working, much to the frustration of Amelia. Adam also suffers from prosopagnosia, or face-blindness, and sometimes Amelia wonders if he'd even recognize his own wife in a crowd. They know this weekend could make a huge difference in their marriage, but what they don't know: they didn't win this trip. And someone really doesn't want them to save their marriage.

"We both know this weekend away is a last chance to fix things. Or at least to try. He hasn't forgotten that."

This was a really fun thriller, honestly! Just one of those creepy and mysterious reads that kept me guessing most of the entire time. It's told from the point of view of both Adam and Amelia and interspersed with Amelia's letters that she writes to Adam each year on their anniversary (but does not let him read). We also have a third point of view, from a mysterious other character. How does everyone fit together? Enjoy trying to figure it out!

"My husband doesn't cheat on me with other women, or men, he has love affairs with their words."

Everyone is keeping secrets in this mystery, leading to a wild ride. The setting is amazing, a cold, dark, and snowy atmospheric Scotland that serves as another character in our twisty thriller. Every thing seems ominous and foreboding, as Adam and Amelia traverse the snowy countryside and mysterious house they are staying in.

Overall, this is a great and thrilling mystery, which keeps you guessing. It's a surprising page-turner, that also delves into the themes of marriage and writing. 4+ stars.

I received a free ARC of this book from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.
  
Run (2020)
Run (2020)
2020 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
7
7.2 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
For starters, the general premise of Run is a scary one. In a world where everything seems to be getting more tempestuous by the day, it can be difficult to place your trust in other humans, but if there is one person you should be able to trust unconditionally, it's your own mother. It becomes rapidly apparent during the runtime just how much control Diane (Sarah Paulson) has over her daughter Chloe's (Kiera Allen) day-to-day life. When Chloe begins to suspect that things aren't quite what they seem, shit quickly hits the fan. What follows is a thriller that touches upon how damaging and overbearing love can be.
There are some genuinely tense moments sprinkled throughout, and some scenes that are quite uncomfortable to watch (with a few creepy shots thrown in for good measure). It wears it's inspirations on its sleeve - Misery is a clear influence here, both thematically and visually, but it feels like there is homage being paid rather than any ripping off.
The main issue I had was with the pacing. There isn't really much of a build up before Chloe starts to figure out that there's some fuckery afoot - kudos for getting straight to it - but it results in a narrative that takes forever to get to its climax. This is a minor gripe, thanks in no small part to the two lead actresses. I love Sarah Paulson in American Horror Story - even in that shows' low points, she always remains a constant positive - so I'm always happy to see her in other projects. Kiera Allen is the show stealer though, and the two have them share a great dynamic that really bolsters all the other positives.

In short, Aneesh Chaganty has crafted a tight and tense thriller with Run, and after this and Searching, I look forward to whatever he next brings to the table.
  
The Poison Season
The Poison Season
Mara Rutherford | 2022 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
If an outsider somehow makes it onto Endla they’re given a choice of death: the Forest or the lake.

Leelo was born and raised coexisting with the Wandering Forest located on the small island of Endla, and as much as she loves her community, she struggles with the fact that because her brother is an incanto, one without magic, he will be exiled by his next birthday.

When Leelo sees an outsider on the verge of drowning, she knows what she’s supposed to do - but in an instant, Leelo betrays everything she’s ever grown up. This leads to discoveries and consequences for both Leelo and the outsider, Jaren. But, as they grow closer, Leelo begins to question every fabric of her life.

I really enjoyed the premise of this novel - a creepy, evil forest that kills outsiders? Sign me up! Mara Rutherford did an amazing job at world building in this novel and establishing Leelo as a character. Because of how established she was, when Leelo begins to question her beliefs and lifestyle, it makes the book all the more interesting. It also gives you a bit of a chance to piece together your assumptions of the puzzle pieces Leelo is gathering and it was kind of fun to be able to say, “I knew it…”, when some of it came together.

The romance aspect of this novel is kind of what I would expect from a YA - not exactly instant love, but it was kind of close to it. But, Leelo and Jaren were sweet and I actually enjoyed their relationship and how they learned about each other and though it felt a little rushed, I still was rooting for them.

Overall, I think anyone who loves a good fantasy romance would greatly enjoy this book. And, even if you don’t like romance novels, I still think fantasy readers would enjoy the world building Rutherford has done.

*Thank you Inkyard Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
  
Men (2022) (2022)
Men (2022) (2022)
2022 | Drama, Horror
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Men... am I right?

Harper takes some time away in the country, following the death of her husband. But the break isn't quite as restful as she'd hoped.

I had a lot of feelings about Men. The trouble was, every time I started thinking about it, my brain spiralled off into many debates.

With Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear, I was fairly certain that the performances would be solid. They didn't disappoint. Kinnear in particular showed immense dedication to his roles, especially considering some of the things he was having to do. But, despite the superb acting, the characters weren't all that easy to get along with... and yes, that's sort of the point, but never mind.

There seems to be a jumble of genres happening, the trailers for the film show some of its creepy horror-esque moments, and the dramatic portion is represented. In the middle of the film, where Harper suffers from phone issues, we get an odd flash of science fiction... it doesn't fit with the rest of the film, it could easily have been removed with no consequences and left us with something much more consistent.

According to writer and director, Alex Garland, the idea of Men is whatever the viewer takes away from it. I've heard plenty of opinions about the meaning behind the film, though mainly from a small demographic.

To me, it felt like a dive into the mind of a woman who had suffered psychological abuse, and how she deals with that trauma. There are certainly a lot of ways this could be taken, and Men could have been a bold statement, but not committing to an explanation was a bit of a cop out.

While I didn't dislike the experience of watching it on the big screen, I don't need to see it again. Ultimately, the inconsistencies left me wanting something more.

Originally posted on: emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2022/07/men-movie-review.html