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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Boyfriend Material in Books
Jul 1, 2021
Charming fake dating romance
Luc O'Donnell's never met his father. But he's lived in his shadow his whole life. His rock star dad has made Luc famous by proxy. With his dad making a comeback, both of them are in the public eye again--and the tabloids. So when Luc's latest escapade at a club goes public and threatens his job, he has to find a way to show everyone that he's changed. Enter Oliver Blackwood. The barrister is as normal and non-threatening as they come. The two have nothing in common, beyond being gay, but agree to be fake boyfriends to help Luc keep his job and Oliver save face at a family event. But as the pair get to know each other, they come to realize that there's something comforting about dating--even fake dating. And that falling for someone, even when it's fake, can take on something special.
"I was a cagey, grumpy, paranoid mess who would find a way to ruin even the most basic human interaction." ~Luc
This book was a little slow to take off for me, but it was a very cute story, and I really liked both Luc and Oliver. Despite Luc having a few issues dealing with his rock star dad, he's quite an engaging character--very flawed and honest. Plus, I felt quite an attachment to straight-laced Oliver, as I am, of course, that person. At its core, this is a story of two hurt people learning to love. We have Luc, burned by past loves, and Oliver, uptight and trying to deal with the hurt his family has pushed upon him. The book deals deftly with acceptance (or lack thereof)--both of others and yourself.
BOYFRIEND MATERIAL shines with its supporting cast--a whole host of humorous folks, including Luc's coworkers (including one so daft, he's almost impossible to believe), Luc's mom and her friend, whom I adored, and Luc's friends, who were a diverse and supportive bunch. I laughed a lot during this story and cried a bit too. Oliver and Luc's journey is sweet and silly and heartbreaking.
It's also a bit long, with a storyline with Luc's sick dad thrown in that seems unnecessary and too much. There's also a bit of latent homophobia--Luc's job is threatened because he's gay, Oliver's family's prejudice--that's never really addressed. While this was a romance, I would have liked to see those issues taken care of or acknowledged, instead of glossed over/ignored.
Still, overall, this is a fun read and a cute story. Luc and Oliver are sweet characters, and their character arc/journey is enjoyable. 3.5 stars.
"I was a cagey, grumpy, paranoid mess who would find a way to ruin even the most basic human interaction." ~Luc
This book was a little slow to take off for me, but it was a very cute story, and I really liked both Luc and Oliver. Despite Luc having a few issues dealing with his rock star dad, he's quite an engaging character--very flawed and honest. Plus, I felt quite an attachment to straight-laced Oliver, as I am, of course, that person. At its core, this is a story of two hurt people learning to love. We have Luc, burned by past loves, and Oliver, uptight and trying to deal with the hurt his family has pushed upon him. The book deals deftly with acceptance (or lack thereof)--both of others and yourself.
BOYFRIEND MATERIAL shines with its supporting cast--a whole host of humorous folks, including Luc's coworkers (including one so daft, he's almost impossible to believe), Luc's mom and her friend, whom I adored, and Luc's friends, who were a diverse and supportive bunch. I laughed a lot during this story and cried a bit too. Oliver and Luc's journey is sweet and silly and heartbreaking.
It's also a bit long, with a storyline with Luc's sick dad thrown in that seems unnecessary and too much. There's also a bit of latent homophobia--Luc's job is threatened because he's gay, Oliver's family's prejudice--that's never really addressed. While this was a romance, I would have liked to see those issues taken care of or acknowledged, instead of glossed over/ignored.
Still, overall, this is a fun read and a cute story. Luc and Oliver are sweet characters, and their character arc/journey is enjoyable. 3.5 stars.
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Walker (2007) in Movies
Sep 26, 2019
Characters – Carter Page III has made a career out of mingling around the women of high society, where he walks them in parties to keep them entertained, his actions never put the rumours in the air, until one of the ladies is involved in a murder, Carter sees the once always open doors closing around him, forcing him to uncover the truth to save his own reputation. Lynn Lockner is one of the most frequent clients for Carter, they have a close friendship which is tested when she is involved in the murder of a man, did she discover the body or have something to do with it? Natalie Van Miter is another one of the high society that enjoys Carter’s company only she doesn’t always play fair with the others in the circle. Jack Delorean isn’t the biggest fan of Carter and certain members of the high society, he is always looking for dirt on them.
Performances – Woody Harrelson is the highlight of the film with his engaging performance in an otherwise forgettable story. Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Ned Beatty bring their big name presence to the film without making the impact to make you care about their characters.
Story – The story takes us into the high society world where the rich believe they can get away with anything, we follow a walker that mingles with the ladies to keep the business with gossip etc, when a murder is committed, he becomes the prime suspect and must figure out how to clear his name before his reputation is ruined. This story is just like you would imagine, it is a series of conversations from people that are always looking down on people who just want to take each other of their high horses through the eyes of a man desperately trying to stay within the circle. This story could have been extended to give more development to the characters through a television series, which would have been a lot more interesting to watch.
Crime/Mystery – The crime side of the film follows the aftermath of the murder which adds to the mystery as to who committed it and why, we do get plenty of suspects, but most people we meet seem to have a shady reason to be in the position they are in.
Settings – The film is set in the Washington high society world, with flashy parties, massive apartments, everything you don’t see people in natural life.
Scene of the Movie – Reporting the murder.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough time to address the real issues touched on within the story.
Final Thoughts – This is a story that had potential to be much bigger and more interesting only for it to become mostly forgettable with the slow pacing and weak character development.
Overall: Slow and disappointing.
Performances – Woody Harrelson is the highlight of the film with his engaging performance in an otherwise forgettable story. Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Ned Beatty bring their big name presence to the film without making the impact to make you care about their characters.
Story – The story takes us into the high society world where the rich believe they can get away with anything, we follow a walker that mingles with the ladies to keep the business with gossip etc, when a murder is committed, he becomes the prime suspect and must figure out how to clear his name before his reputation is ruined. This story is just like you would imagine, it is a series of conversations from people that are always looking down on people who just want to take each other of their high horses through the eyes of a man desperately trying to stay within the circle. This story could have been extended to give more development to the characters through a television series, which would have been a lot more interesting to watch.
Crime/Mystery – The crime side of the film follows the aftermath of the murder which adds to the mystery as to who committed it and why, we do get plenty of suspects, but most people we meet seem to have a shady reason to be in the position they are in.
Settings – The film is set in the Washington high society world, with flashy parties, massive apartments, everything you don’t see people in natural life.
Scene of the Movie – Reporting the murder.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough time to address the real issues touched on within the story.
Final Thoughts – This is a story that had potential to be much bigger and more interesting only for it to become mostly forgettable with the slow pacing and weak character development.
Overall: Slow and disappointing.
Becs (244 KP) rated Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) in Books
Aug 23, 2019
Captivating story that leaves you enthralled
You can also find this review along with others on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com
TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence, manipulation, death, blood, absent of parent(s), emotional abuse, anger issues, anxiety – panic attacks, talk of hallucinations
Review:
Firstly, I did not realize that Shadow and Bone was set in Russia or should I say – based on Russia and spun into a fantasy filled folklore novel. It starts off strong in the prologue and holds that captivating appeal throughout. I was enthralled with the whole basis of the story.
The one thing that knocked half of a star off of this review is the extremely overused trope of “the main character is ordinary and then finds out that they are extraordinary.” In Leigh Bardugo’s doing, this trope works perfectly well with the plot line of this story. But it made me really dislike the main character, Alina, quite a lot. Behind that awful trope, lies a girl who is not only strong, but shows intelligence and loyalty. Alina was also extremely relatable through her sarcastic perceptiveness but there was something else about her that I couldn’t put my finger on and found rather annoying.
The Darkling on the other hand was this morally gray character that fascinated me. For example: how he is willing to be ruthless just to pursue his goal of freeing Ravka from the Shadow Fold. His sarcasm that outwits Alina’s. His good looks and charms. I love to hate him! Plus that one scene had me heated from head to toe. If only The Darkling were real…
Overall, all of the characters were multidimensional and extremely interesting! The pacing of Shadow and Bone was done excruciating well and I was absorbed in this fantastical world of magic and war, love and mystery. Finding out more of who the Grisha truly were, kept me turning page after page. The chemistry between characters was even amazing! There was a bit of a love triangle style of trope, yet it wasn’t quite that exactly. All in all, Leigh did an excellent job with giving Alina more than one love interest but showing how vastly different feelings she feels for each.
The plot was extremely engaging and continued on, even after the climax. It enthralled the reader, calling them with a whisper that is interwoven with a dark energy, seeking to break your heart. I did not notice any spelling and/ or grammatical errors that took away from the story. I do however want to know more of not only Alina’s and Ravkas fate, but The Darklings as well.
Leigh Bardugo, why do you do cruel things to me…
“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.”
TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence, manipulation, death, blood, absent of parent(s), emotional abuse, anger issues, anxiety – panic attacks, talk of hallucinations
Review:
Firstly, I did not realize that Shadow and Bone was set in Russia or should I say – based on Russia and spun into a fantasy filled folklore novel. It starts off strong in the prologue and holds that captivating appeal throughout. I was enthralled with the whole basis of the story.
The one thing that knocked half of a star off of this review is the extremely overused trope of “the main character is ordinary and then finds out that they are extraordinary.” In Leigh Bardugo’s doing, this trope works perfectly well with the plot line of this story. But it made me really dislike the main character, Alina, quite a lot. Behind that awful trope, lies a girl who is not only strong, but shows intelligence and loyalty. Alina was also extremely relatable through her sarcastic perceptiveness but there was something else about her that I couldn’t put my finger on and found rather annoying.
The Darkling on the other hand was this morally gray character that fascinated me. For example: how he is willing to be ruthless just to pursue his goal of freeing Ravka from the Shadow Fold. His sarcasm that outwits Alina’s. His good looks and charms. I love to hate him! Plus that one scene had me heated from head to toe. If only The Darkling were real…
Overall, all of the characters were multidimensional and extremely interesting! The pacing of Shadow and Bone was done excruciating well and I was absorbed in this fantastical world of magic and war, love and mystery. Finding out more of who the Grisha truly were, kept me turning page after page. The chemistry between characters was even amazing! There was a bit of a love triangle style of trope, yet it wasn’t quite that exactly. All in all, Leigh did an excellent job with giving Alina more than one love interest but showing how vastly different feelings she feels for each.
The plot was extremely engaging and continued on, even after the climax. It enthralled the reader, calling them with a whisper that is interwoven with a dark energy, seeking to break your heart. I did not notice any spelling and/ or grammatical errors that took away from the story. I do however want to know more of not only Alina’s and Ravkas fate, but The Darklings as well.
Leigh Bardugo, why do you do cruel things to me…
“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.”
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