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All the King's Men: The Beginning (All The King's Men #6)
8.0
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NOTE: This book is a prequel. Reading the first five books of the series will greatly enhance your...
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Nikki Massey (8 KP) rated The Bletchley Circle - Season 2 in TV
Feb 8, 2019
This continues on from the first series of The Bletchley Circle, following for friends and former colleagues after WWII.
This series is split in two. In the first part, one of their fellow former colleagues is accused of murder. Can these ladies unravel the truth and prove her innocence? In the second part, as the ladies caused a few headaches for the military in uncovering their secrets and shady ways they find they have lost their security clearances so some of the women are no longer able to carry on with their jobs such as translation work. So they have to give other avenues to make money and it winds one of them up in a very sticky situation.
As before, I really warmed to the characters and was genuinely sad when one moved on to another life. I grew to love these women; I felt they were almost my friends and I actually cared for them and their outcomes.
You could feel the suspense of them closing in on the truth but realising time was running out. It really kept me gripped until the end.
I do love how they made being intelligent cool by being steps ahead of the police but also in forming such bonds with one another.
We could learn a thing or two from these ladies and their bravery.
This series is split in two. In the first part, one of their fellow former colleagues is accused of murder. Can these ladies unravel the truth and prove her innocence? In the second part, as the ladies caused a few headaches for the military in uncovering their secrets and shady ways they find they have lost their security clearances so some of the women are no longer able to carry on with their jobs such as translation work. So they have to give other avenues to make money and it winds one of them up in a very sticky situation.
As before, I really warmed to the characters and was genuinely sad when one moved on to another life. I grew to love these women; I felt they were almost my friends and I actually cared for them and their outcomes.
You could feel the suspense of them closing in on the truth but realising time was running out. It really kept me gripped until the end.
I do love how they made being intelligent cool by being steps ahead of the police but also in forming such bonds with one another.
We could learn a thing or two from these ladies and their bravery.
ClareR (5716 KP) rated The Anarchists Club in Books
May 9, 2019
Family secrets and murder in Victorian London.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and I think that this one exceeds the last in every way. Leo has become a much more 3 dimensional character here as we get to know him more. I love his inner voice, and while I don’t enjoy his inner turmoil, it’s written so well that you can’t help but feel for him. In fact all of the characters are written with care and understanding, so much so that you understand what drives them to act as they do.
This story is based around the murder of a woman in an Anarchists Club. Leo is implicated in the murder, and so feels compelled to try and solve the case. The murdered woman had children, and Leo for the first time, feels parental obligation and affection for them. Rosie, who was in the last book, works with Leo to solve this murder - she’s a great strong female character. A woman who runs a business and brings up her children on her own.
This is a dark story of poverty, family secrets and sibling rivalry in Victorian England. Reeve captures the atmosphere of London and the times so well. I love these stories and I’ll be looking out for more from Leo and Rosie.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another great choice!
This story is based around the murder of a woman in an Anarchists Club. Leo is implicated in the murder, and so feels compelled to try and solve the case. The murdered woman had children, and Leo for the first time, feels parental obligation and affection for them. Rosie, who was in the last book, works with Leo to solve this murder - she’s a great strong female character. A woman who runs a business and brings up her children on her own.
This is a dark story of poverty, family secrets and sibling rivalry in Victorian England. Reeve captures the atmosphere of London and the times so well. I love these stories and I’ll be looking out for more from Leo and Rosie.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for another great choice!
ClareR (5716 KP) rated Love After Love in Books
Apr 17, 2020
I absolutely loved Love After Love, but I will start this review with a warning. The first chapter goes in to graphic detail about the domestic abuse that one of the main characters, Betty Ramin, suffers at the hands of her husband. It does set the scene well, and explains not only why she is such a strong character and her motivations, but also the cultural attitudes behind domestic abuse.
I really liked the characters in this novel (other than Betty’s husband, of course), particularly Betty and Mr Chetan. Mr Chetan is the glue joining Betty and her son Solo together for a time, until Solo learns a terrible secret about his mother. After this, Solo goes to live with his paternal uncle in New York. I expected to not like his uncle, but he turned out to be another lovely character, who treated Solo like his own son. Solo becomes increasingly lonely, and struggles with his mental health.
The end of this book broke my heart completely. It was so sad and unjust and again, highlighted cultural attitudes.
I loved the way this was written, and became immersed in the Trinidadian turns of phrase, made all the more immersive by the author recording themselves reading the first chapter so that we on The Pigeonhole app could hear them.
It’s a beautiful book, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly.
I really liked the characters in this novel (other than Betty’s husband, of course), particularly Betty and Mr Chetan. Mr Chetan is the glue joining Betty and her son Solo together for a time, until Solo learns a terrible secret about his mother. After this, Solo goes to live with his paternal uncle in New York. I expected to not like his uncle, but he turned out to be another lovely character, who treated Solo like his own son. Solo becomes increasingly lonely, and struggles with his mental health.
The end of this book broke my heart completely. It was so sad and unjust and again, highlighted cultural attitudes.
I loved the way this was written, and became immersed in the Trinidadian turns of phrase, made all the more immersive by the author recording themselves reading the first chapter so that we on The Pigeonhole app could hear them.
It’s a beautiful book, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly.
The Hills of Chianti: The Story of a Tuscan Winemaking Family, in Seven Bottles
Piero Antinori and Natalie Danford
Book
The head of Italy's first family of winemaking reflects on the Antinoris' six-hundred-year legacy...
Catherine of Aragon: An Intimate Life of Henry VIII's True Wife
Book
Catherine of Aragon continues to fascinate readers 500 years after she became Henry VIII's first...
Sun Alley
Cecilia Stefanescu and Alexandra Coliban
Book
Sal, the protagonist of "Sun Alley," is an exceptionally intelligent 12-year-old boy, experiencing...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) in Movies
May 12, 2021
To be clear, I absolutely love the first two Bill & Ted films, and I've been pretty excited to check this out, but now, a few days after finally getting around to watching it, I realise that I'm not, and never was, too sure what I wanted from it.
On the one hand, I have a huge amount of respect for the filmmakers in respect to how hard they commited to sticking to the original tone and comedy style. Unfortunately, for me anyway, it just didn't work. The zany comedy of the first two are perfect for the late 80s/early 90s era, but these days, the whole thing comes across as try hard and occasionally cringe worthy. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly some funny moments, but the overall experience left me cold.
I'm sad that I feel this way, as it's an unnecessary sequel that I hoped would turn out to be surprisingly great, but a few days down the line, and I've largely forgotten most of what happens.
Bill & Ted Face the Music is a good natured attempt at recapturing the magic, but ultimately falls flat. I know that a lot of people liked it, so if you are a fan of the series in any way, then certainly check it out, and I hope you find something to love, but it just wasn't for me (sad face)
On the one hand, I have a huge amount of respect for the filmmakers in respect to how hard they commited to sticking to the original tone and comedy style. Unfortunately, for me anyway, it just didn't work. The zany comedy of the first two are perfect for the late 80s/early 90s era, but these days, the whole thing comes across as try hard and occasionally cringe worthy. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly some funny moments, but the overall experience left me cold.
I'm sad that I feel this way, as it's an unnecessary sequel that I hoped would turn out to be surprisingly great, but a few days down the line, and I've largely forgotten most of what happens.
Bill & Ted Face the Music is a good natured attempt at recapturing the magic, but ultimately falls flat. I know that a lot of people liked it, so if you are a fan of the series in any way, then certainly check it out, and I hope you find something to love, but it just wasn't for me (sad face)
WC
What Chefs Feed Their Kids: Recipes and Techniques for Cultivating a Love of Good Food
Book
How do the people who know the most about food tackle the special challenges of cooking for...
Adam Lambert recommended track Aquarius by The Cast of Hair in Hair OST by The Cast of Hair in Music (curated)
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