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Lee (2222 KP) rated The Rental (2020) in Movies
Sep 2, 2020
Business startup partners Charlie (Dan Stevens) and Mina (Sheila Vand) are celebrating the success of their company by looking at Airbnb rentals for a weekend getaway. As Mina casually rests on Charlie, looking over his shoulder at the amazing, but expensive house they’re thinking of renting, you get the impression they are a couple. That is, until Charlie’s brother Josh (Jeremy Allen White) walks in, and we learn that it is Josh and Mina who are together. And that the weekend trip is to include Charlie’s wife Michelle (Alison Brie).
Some obstacles to a perfect weekend arise before the foursome even make it to their rented house. Josh has decided to bring along his dog, Reggie, a violation of the homeowners no-pets rule, and Mina is concerned that the homeowner may be racist. She had tried to book the exact same house just an hour before Charlie did but was turned down, and she believes her Middle-Eastern name (her surname is Mohammadi) was the reason.
They arrive at the idyllic house, set out in the woods and right by the ocean, where they are greeted by the caretaker, and brother of the homeowner, Taylor (Toby Huss). He’s not exactly a welcoming barrel of laughs though – unhappy at the group for arriving an hour late and definitely giving off some racist vibes towards Mina which only add fuel to the concerns she’d raised in the car earlier.
With Taylor gone, the couples begin to settle into their weekend break with some music, drink and drugs. When Josh and Michelle decide to get an early night in preparation for a planned hike the next day, business partners Charlie and Mina decide to go and try out the hottub. And, well, I’m sure you can figure out how much of a mistake that turns out to be. To top it all off, somebody seems to be watching the group from afar…
The Rental is the directorial debut of actor Dave Franco. It’s a horror movie, but spends half of its 88 minute runtime with very little happening at all. If it wasn’t for the foreboding music, and the occasional hint at some sort of stalker, you’d think this was just a drama about two couples getting themselves into a whole heap of trouble in a strangers house.
When things do begin to shift, some potentially interesting twists and plot setups quickly fall by the wayside, as The Rental slips into being just a very generic slasher movie with nothing we haven’t seen before. I suddenly realised just how interesting that first half was in comparison and what a waste of a great cast it was.
Some obstacles to a perfect weekend arise before the foursome even make it to their rented house. Josh has decided to bring along his dog, Reggie, a violation of the homeowners no-pets rule, and Mina is concerned that the homeowner may be racist. She had tried to book the exact same house just an hour before Charlie did but was turned down, and she believes her Middle-Eastern name (her surname is Mohammadi) was the reason.
They arrive at the idyllic house, set out in the woods and right by the ocean, where they are greeted by the caretaker, and brother of the homeowner, Taylor (Toby Huss). He’s not exactly a welcoming barrel of laughs though – unhappy at the group for arriving an hour late and definitely giving off some racist vibes towards Mina which only add fuel to the concerns she’d raised in the car earlier.
With Taylor gone, the couples begin to settle into their weekend break with some music, drink and drugs. When Josh and Michelle decide to get an early night in preparation for a planned hike the next day, business partners Charlie and Mina decide to go and try out the hottub. And, well, I’m sure you can figure out how much of a mistake that turns out to be. To top it all off, somebody seems to be watching the group from afar…
The Rental is the directorial debut of actor Dave Franco. It’s a horror movie, but spends half of its 88 minute runtime with very little happening at all. If it wasn’t for the foreboding music, and the occasional hint at some sort of stalker, you’d think this was just a drama about two couples getting themselves into a whole heap of trouble in a strangers house.
When things do begin to shift, some potentially interesting twists and plot setups quickly fall by the wayside, as The Rental slips into being just a very generic slasher movie with nothing we haven’t seen before. I suddenly realised just how interesting that first half was in comparison and what a waste of a great cast it was.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Die of Death in Books
Oct 2, 2020
The Die of Death is the second book from The Great Devil War Series, written by Kenneth B. Andersen. If you have read my review of the first book, The Devil’s Apprentice, you would be familiar with Philip.
Philip is a good boy, but he ends up in Hell by mistake. And on top of that, he is chosen to be the Devil’s Apprentice. Even though he’s always be good, he is not good at being bad. A danger occurs in Hell and the Devil is dying. When Philip solves the mystery, he returns on Earth to continue his normal life.
But when the future of the underworld is threatened once again, they need Philip’s help. Death’s Die has been stolen, the one that decides when each person is going to die. Because of that, immortality is now spreading. Philip goes back to hell to solve the mystery, but during his adventures he discovers some horrible truths…
I really have no clue why it took me quite a long time to get to the second book, but I am so happy that I finally got to read it, and endeavour this story.
It is so unique and I am in love!
The chapters just flow through – even better than the first book – and within minutes you are captured in this world, full of good and evil, or decisions being made that question your moral time and time again, in a very understandable way for young adults as well.
The story of the Die of Death, and the scenes related to it were my favourite. I love what Kenneth created, and how Death rolls a dice at the beginning of each life, that determines how many years each person gets to live. I loved how everyone had their own hourglasses and the mysterious snake that guards them.
We get to see the Purgatory in this book too. Only for a moment, but it was wonderful to read about it. It reminded me so much of Dante’s inferno, and I loved it! There was also the theory of reincarnation, told by a dog – a scene that was quite powerful! We even got a glimpse of Heavan, a few mentions here and there, that made me want to know more.
I like Philip as a character, but Satina was my hero! She has the best comment on everything, and they make such a good team with Philip. Also – did you know Hell has its own newspaper? It’s called Hell Times! So cool!
I loved this book. I cherish it. And I can’t wait to see what happens next and I highly recommend it to you – especially this month, as it’s Spooky October already!
Philip is a good boy, but he ends up in Hell by mistake. And on top of that, he is chosen to be the Devil’s Apprentice. Even though he’s always be good, he is not good at being bad. A danger occurs in Hell and the Devil is dying. When Philip solves the mystery, he returns on Earth to continue his normal life.
But when the future of the underworld is threatened once again, they need Philip’s help. Death’s Die has been stolen, the one that decides when each person is going to die. Because of that, immortality is now spreading. Philip goes back to hell to solve the mystery, but during his adventures he discovers some horrible truths…
I really have no clue why it took me quite a long time to get to the second book, but I am so happy that I finally got to read it, and endeavour this story.
It is so unique and I am in love!
The chapters just flow through – even better than the first book – and within minutes you are captured in this world, full of good and evil, or decisions being made that question your moral time and time again, in a very understandable way for young adults as well.
The story of the Die of Death, and the scenes related to it were my favourite. I love what Kenneth created, and how Death rolls a dice at the beginning of each life, that determines how many years each person gets to live. I loved how everyone had their own hourglasses and the mysterious snake that guards them.
We get to see the Purgatory in this book too. Only for a moment, but it was wonderful to read about it. It reminded me so much of Dante’s inferno, and I loved it! There was also the theory of reincarnation, told by a dog – a scene that was quite powerful! We even got a glimpse of Heavan, a few mentions here and there, that made me want to know more.
I like Philip as a character, but Satina was my hero! She has the best comment on everything, and they make such a good team with Philip. Also – did you know Hell has its own newspaper? It’s called Hell Times! So cool!
I loved this book. I cherish it. And I can’t wait to see what happens next and I highly recommend it to you – especially this month, as it’s Spooky October already!
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Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Rescued (Rescued Hearts #1) in Books
Feb 4, 2019
loved this book!
I got this free, from The Gay Romance Reader Club.
Jason broke up with his girlfriend cos he didn't want to marry her. Ryder broke up with his boyfriend cos the boyfriend didn't want to give up his drugs. Over the rescue of some pit bulls, they became friends. Ryder wants more and Jason? Well, he is digging deep into a long buried memory and realising that maybe it wasn't the fact he didn't want to marry his girlfriend, but maybe, just maybe, it was because she was a GIRL.
Oh I LOVED this book! It's one of those books that surprises you for some reason, but you've on idea why! I can't tell what surprised me, really I can't but I can tell you that I loved it!
Ryder is a lawyer, works for a pit bull rescue, has a pit called Pearl. While he loves his dog, she isn't much of a substitute for the warm male body he misses. Jason is a builder, developing his business with his brother. Finding the pit bulls chained up at a site brings Ryder into contact with Jason and both men, BOTH of them, have a reaction to the other. Ryder's is not surprising but Jason's is. As they spend more time together, Jason begins to question just what he's been doing all this time.
And I LOVED that we got to hear from both men! Cos you know I love that, but especially in books like this, when one is going against all he ever thought was right, and having that light bulb moment with someone and the world is a better place for it. And it really is a *light bulb above the head* moment for Jason, once he allows himself to just run with what he's feeling.
I did NOT like Ryder's mum. She's a Class A bitch and deserves to be alone for the rest of her days, for what she did to Ryder and his brother! So glad that his dad got his act together though!
Loved Jason's mum, especially after what his brother Liam says!
And while I'm not usually one for early professions of love, the way Jason came out with it? It was right that he said those words early, even if he didn't actually realise what he'd said! Both guys fell hard and they fell fast but it was right, for them, that they did.
There is a second book for these guys, and I'd love to read it at some point. There is a tiny snippet at the back of this one, and I have a feeling it might not be so warm and fuzzies!
First full length book by Ms Stevens I've read, the wish list is a few longer now!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Jason broke up with his girlfriend cos he didn't want to marry her. Ryder broke up with his boyfriend cos the boyfriend didn't want to give up his drugs. Over the rescue of some pit bulls, they became friends. Ryder wants more and Jason? Well, he is digging deep into a long buried memory and realising that maybe it wasn't the fact he didn't want to marry his girlfriend, but maybe, just maybe, it was because she was a GIRL.
Oh I LOVED this book! It's one of those books that surprises you for some reason, but you've on idea why! I can't tell what surprised me, really I can't but I can tell you that I loved it!
Ryder is a lawyer, works for a pit bull rescue, has a pit called Pearl. While he loves his dog, she isn't much of a substitute for the warm male body he misses. Jason is a builder, developing his business with his brother. Finding the pit bulls chained up at a site brings Ryder into contact with Jason and both men, BOTH of them, have a reaction to the other. Ryder's is not surprising but Jason's is. As they spend more time together, Jason begins to question just what he's been doing all this time.
And I LOVED that we got to hear from both men! Cos you know I love that, but especially in books like this, when one is going against all he ever thought was right, and having that light bulb moment with someone and the world is a better place for it. And it really is a *light bulb above the head* moment for Jason, once he allows himself to just run with what he's feeling.
I did NOT like Ryder's mum. She's a Class A bitch and deserves to be alone for the rest of her days, for what she did to Ryder and his brother! So glad that his dad got his act together though!
Loved Jason's mum, especially after what his brother Liam says!
And while I'm not usually one for early professions of love, the way Jason came out with it? It was right that he said those words early, even if he didn't actually realise what he'd said! Both guys fell hard and they fell fast but it was right, for them, that they did.
There is a second book for these guys, and I'd love to read it at some point. There is a tiny snippet at the back of this one, and I have a feeling it might not be so warm and fuzzies!
First full length book by Ms Stevens I've read, the wish list is a few longer now!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Max Attacks in Books
Jun 7, 2019
A Cute, Fun Story!
I admit that I was sucked in by the cover for Max...Attacks by Kathi Appelt. Then I read the synopsis, and I knew that I had to read this for myself and for my 4 year old son. We were both delighted and entertained throughout this cute story. In fact, my son wanted me to read this book again right after we were done reading it the first time!
The plot for Max...Attacks if very simplistic yet fun. It's an easy plot to understand for young children. Max is a cat how likes playing (attacking) everything in sight! It's basically just a day in a life of a cat that children (and adults) will definitely enjoy with plenty of humorous moments!
The rhyming in Max...Attacks is done superbly and in such a fun way that makes it easy to read and understand. My 4 year old loved the rhyming throughout this book as did I. The easy language and rhyming help this book to flow smoothly. Sentence structure is fantastic.
The titular character of Max is one that children (and adults) will fall in love with. He's easy to love, and he's funny without even trying to be. My son and I laughed over and over at Max's attacking adventures! We also the dog and even the goldfish in the book. Okay, we loved every character. It was hard not to. I believe Kathi Appelt captured a day in the life of a cat perfectly!
The illustrations for Max...Attacks were done beautifully yet simplistically. Penelope Dullaghan, the illustrator for this book, did an amazing job with the illustrations. They are vibrant, very colorful, and extremely fun to look at. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the illustrations really helped to make Max...Attacks as great and as enjoyable as it is. The attention to detail in these illustrations is also spot on. Seriously, these illustrations are some of the cutest and most fun that I've seen in a children's picture book in awhile. If you're looking for a book that will hold even the most inattentive child's attention, Max...Attacks is the book you need!
All in all, Max...Attacks is an incredibly fun children's book to read as well as to look at. The amazing illustrations as well as the entertaining story will definitely thrill children and adults alike. I would definitely recommend Max...Attacks by Kathi Appelt to everyone no matter their age. If you are looking for books for a specific age group, I think this would appeal to children between the ages of 3 - 6 the most. Max...Attacks gets a solid 5 out of 5 stars from me and my son.
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(A special thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing me with an eBook of Max...Attacks by Kathi Appelt in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot for Max...Attacks if very simplistic yet fun. It's an easy plot to understand for young children. Max is a cat how likes playing (attacking) everything in sight! It's basically just a day in a life of a cat that children (and adults) will definitely enjoy with plenty of humorous moments!
The rhyming in Max...Attacks is done superbly and in such a fun way that makes it easy to read and understand. My 4 year old loved the rhyming throughout this book as did I. The easy language and rhyming help this book to flow smoothly. Sentence structure is fantastic.
The titular character of Max is one that children (and adults) will fall in love with. He's easy to love, and he's funny without even trying to be. My son and I laughed over and over at Max's attacking adventures! We also the dog and even the goldfish in the book. Okay, we loved every character. It was hard not to. I believe Kathi Appelt captured a day in the life of a cat perfectly!
The illustrations for Max...Attacks were done beautifully yet simplistically. Penelope Dullaghan, the illustrator for this book, did an amazing job with the illustrations. They are vibrant, very colorful, and extremely fun to look at. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the illustrations really helped to make Max...Attacks as great and as enjoyable as it is. The attention to detail in these illustrations is also spot on. Seriously, these illustrations are some of the cutest and most fun that I've seen in a children's picture book in awhile. If you're looking for a book that will hold even the most inattentive child's attention, Max...Attacks is the book you need!
All in all, Max...Attacks is an incredibly fun children's book to read as well as to look at. The amazing illustrations as well as the entertaining story will definitely thrill children and adults alike. I would definitely recommend Max...Attacks by Kathi Appelt to everyone no matter their age. If you are looking for books for a specific age group, I think this would appeal to children between the ages of 3 - 6 the most. Max...Attacks gets a solid 5 out of 5 stars from me and my son.
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(A special thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing me with an eBook of Max...Attacks by Kathi Appelt in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Cassie Osbourne (6 KP) rated The Secret Countess in Books
Nov 9, 2018
Countess Anna Grazinsky had it all: riches, jewels, palaces, English nannies, everything. And then the Russian revolution came along. Now in 1919, Anna and her family are penniless in London so she decides to get a job as a housemaid to the newly engaged Earl of Mersham.
This is the third Eva Ibbotson book that IÕve read this year and, whilst I have enjoyed them all, I canÕt help noticing that the characters are basically all the same. Heroine who seems completely perfect and has no flaws, love interest who is complex and often broody (also the most well rounded character in the book) and the obvious villain who spends the whole book being obviously villainous. All that being said, I do really like these characters. I could relate to Anna despite her perfectness, I understood RupertÕs problems regardless of how blind he was being at times and I enjoyed just how horrible and ruthless Muriel could be. I also loved the side characters. Ollie was adorable, Lavinia was hilarious and Baskerville was strangely well fleshed out for a dog (seriously, Ibbotson gives him a whole personality where most authors wouldnÕt have bothered). Yes most of the characters were simple without huge character arcs but I liked them all the same.
IbbotsonÕs writing style is easy to slip into and nice to read, if a little over fond of commas. However it is the atmosphere that really lets this book down Ñ there isnÕt really too much of it. There are a moments where a small amount is created, and those passages are certainly the most memorable, but there are unfortunately few and far between. ThatÕs not to say that the general feeling is bad or uncomfortable to read when it shouldnÕt be, but I would liked to have seen more of...well, something.
In a similar vein to what I said about the characters earlier, most of IbbotsonÕs young adult literature seems to follow a similar structure. Girl leaves family to do something or be someone that they often donÕt approve of, meets a misunderstood man, they fall in love but he is unavailable (or she thinks he is) and she leaves him without a word but donÕt worry, they are reunited and they all live happily ever after. However, if it ainÕt broke, donÕt fix it. While the main skeleton structure is used for most of her work, each of IbbotsonÕs books have a difference and a charm that stays with you and is memorable. There are plenty of little surprises and some twists and turns.
While this review may seem mixed and sound negative, I did really enjoy this book. I have kept it on my shelves with my other Eva Ibbotson novels for a reason and IÕm sure I will return to it.
Character: 7.5
Atmosphere: 5.5
Writing Style: 9
Plot: 8
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 8
Enjoyment: 8
This is the third Eva Ibbotson book that IÕve read this year and, whilst I have enjoyed them all, I canÕt help noticing that the characters are basically all the same. Heroine who seems completely perfect and has no flaws, love interest who is complex and often broody (also the most well rounded character in the book) and the obvious villain who spends the whole book being obviously villainous. All that being said, I do really like these characters. I could relate to Anna despite her perfectness, I understood RupertÕs problems regardless of how blind he was being at times and I enjoyed just how horrible and ruthless Muriel could be. I also loved the side characters. Ollie was adorable, Lavinia was hilarious and Baskerville was strangely well fleshed out for a dog (seriously, Ibbotson gives him a whole personality where most authors wouldnÕt have bothered). Yes most of the characters were simple without huge character arcs but I liked them all the same.
IbbotsonÕs writing style is easy to slip into and nice to read, if a little over fond of commas. However it is the atmosphere that really lets this book down Ñ there isnÕt really too much of it. There are a moments where a small amount is created, and those passages are certainly the most memorable, but there are unfortunately few and far between. ThatÕs not to say that the general feeling is bad or uncomfortable to read when it shouldnÕt be, but I would liked to have seen more of...well, something.
In a similar vein to what I said about the characters earlier, most of IbbotsonÕs young adult literature seems to follow a similar structure. Girl leaves family to do something or be someone that they often donÕt approve of, meets a misunderstood man, they fall in love but he is unavailable (or she thinks he is) and she leaves him without a word but donÕt worry, they are reunited and they all live happily ever after. However, if it ainÕt broke, donÕt fix it. While the main skeleton structure is used for most of her work, each of IbbotsonÕs books have a difference and a charm that stays with you and is memorable. There are plenty of little surprises and some twists and turns.
While this review may seem mixed and sound negative, I did really enjoy this book. I have kept it on my shelves with my other Eva Ibbotson novels for a reason and IÕm sure I will return to it.
Character: 7.5
Atmosphere: 5.5
Writing Style: 9
Plot: 8
Intrigue: 8
Logic: 8
Enjoyment: 8