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Beth goes to England to find out the truth her mother had been keeping from her for most of her life. She has only one clue as to where to start her search, a letter addressed to Clementine at a home in town. She found this mysterious letter after her mother’s funeral and has no idea what the truth behind the letter is. Hoping to get some answers she ends up being mistaken for a maid and put to work in the home.

Tristan is a walking accident, or accidents seem to find him. Either way he isn’t sure how he is still alive after everything he’s been through. Forget the ton linking him to his dead father who’d gone mad, but no matter how hard he tries he can’t seem to please his uncle at all. He goes with his friend Derek to a masquerade ball in hopes of forgetting all his problems but finds what he’d been looking for all along.

Beth and Tristan marry even after it is revealed she is just a maid. His uncle is furious and he feels like he’s been duped. Beth tries to explain she didn’t set out to marry but felt an attraction to him the first time they met. She ends up helping him realize he can never please his uncle no matter how hard he tries.

Plenty of twists and turns and we get to see Henrietta again as she fights to save her brother. Also Matthew, cousin to Tristan, who gets his own storyline a few books ahead. The main storyline for Beth also continues in a further book down the series line. Another great historical read, 4 ½ stars.
  
Wishful Thinking by Augustine
Wishful Thinking by Augustine
2019
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Augustine is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Sweden. Not too long ago, he released a lovely debut EP, entitled, “Wishful Thinking”, which reveals his deepest fears.

“The first song I released as an artist that changed so much about my life. It’s a memory of the contrasts in a relationship, thinking that it’s a bit scary if the current moment is the highlight of your life. You are high on life but so afraid to lose the feeling that you somehow lose yourself instead.” – Augustine

‘Luzon’ is Augustine’s debut single. Shortly after its release, it skyrocketed to #1 on Hype Machine.

The likable tune contains a lighthearted storyline, beautiful falsetto vocals, and cinematic instrumentation flavored with an alternative-pop aroma.

Augustine – “Viola”

“I was a little angry with the world when I wrote ‘Viola’. Much of that anger was due to feelings of anxiety, guilt, and other boring things. The line ‘I’ll be your biggest disappointment if you sum up the years of adolescence’ is really about being scared of not being enough.” – Augustine

‘Viola’ contains a relatable narrative, likable vocals, and warm instrumentation pulsating with mellotron tones and distinctive drums.

Augustine – “Wishful Thinking”

“I’m weak for synth-pop songs that are so big that you just lose yourself in them. So I wanted to try one myself. ‘Wishful Thinking’ is a twisted love story about looking back at something with both regret and lack. But mostly with a fear of forgetting how a certain person is, looks and sounds.” – Augustine

The title track “Wishful Thinking” tells a twisted love story about looking back at something with both regret and lack. But mostly with a fear of forgetting how a certain person is, looks and sounds.

This reminiscence is juxtaposed with exhilarating energy which builds throughout the song, emulating a windows-down late night drive and overwhelming liberation.

‘Wishful Thinking’ contains a relatable storyline, pleasing vocals, and enjoyable instrumentation which takes listeners on a bombastic synth-pop thrill ride.

The likable tune reveals Augustine’s penchant for massive synth-based productions like Lana Del Rey‘s “Summertime Sadness” and Future Islands’ “Seasons”.

Augustine – “A Scent of Lily”

“This was initially an attempt to write a pop song, with inspiration from the chorus of Ariana Grande’s ‘Into You’. ‘Lily’ eventually became much more alternative. It’s about powerlessness in a relationship, when you buy into everything about the other person, to the point that you stop thinking your own sensible thoughts.” – Augustine

‘A Scent of Lily’ is another critically acclaimed tune which made Augustine one of 2019’s most talked about new artists.

Like “Luzon”, it peaked at #1 on Hype Machine. Also, it placed Augustine in a conversational comparison with iconic voices like Bon Iver, Mark Foster, James Blake, and Ezra Koenig.

‘A Scent of Lily’ contains a relatable storyline, ear-welcoming vocals, and lush instrumentation flavored with electro-pop and modern dance elements.

Augustine – “Slacks”

“The most personal song of the EP. It’s about how a lovely relationship didn’t last because of the distance. We moved to different cities, and I became so self-absorbed. I started suffering from agoraphobia that made it hard for me to even go outside. A little crazy in hindsight.” – Augustine

‘Slacks’ possesses a bittersweet storyline, heartfelt vocals, and stripped instrumentation perfumed with a nostalgic scent.

Get acquainted with Augustine’s “Wishful Thinking” EP by streaming it via Spotify.

“Hearing the EP from a distance, it became clear that this music grew out many years of me being afraid of being a disappointment to others. All the lyrics were inspired by being afraid of people, the world and leaving things behind.” – Augustine

All five songs featured on “Wishful Thinking” are collaborations between Augustine and producers Rassmus Björnson and Agrin Rahmani (LÉON, Skott).

https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/augustine-wishful-thinking/
  
The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy #2)
The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy #2)
S.A. Chakraborty | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I....may have an unpopular opinion on this book. First, I LOVED the first book of this trilogy, The City of Brass. Absolutely loved it. It was one of my favorite books of that year. I like this one significantly less. I think that probably wouldn't be the case if I had read this in quick succession, but I read City of Brass when it came out, and had to wait a year for this one, in which time I read around 200 more books.

I expected a certain amount of backstory explanation in Kingdom of Copper - and it wasn't there. I think the book assumes you remember everything that happened in City of Brass - and I most certainly did not. I don't remember why we have the division between the djinn and the daeva, or really which is which. I know the shafit are part human, part...djinn? Daeva? See that's the problem. These are very politicky books and forgetting key parts of the political drama makes this book VERY hard to follow. I don't know WHY there's conflict between certain people, and I don't recognize missteps when characters make them because I've forgotten who has which opinions.

All the worldbuilding explanations are in the first book, and they aren't revisited in this one. Had I KNOWN that, I might have re-read City of Brass before this came out, as much as I dislike re-reading anything.

All of that aside, and despite my confusion, I mostly enjoyed this continuation of Nahri's story. We delved a little more into murky bloodlines, the more recent past of Daevabad, and the more ancient past of Nahri's healer ancestors, the Nahids.

I still love Nahri, I like Ali a little more, and I like Dara a little less. I am curious to see where the third book leads, especially after the cliffhanger ending of this one. I just might have to re-read both City of Brass and this one before reading the trilogy's conclusion.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
Get Him to the Greek (2010)
Get Him to the Greek (2010)
2010 | Comedy
6
6.3 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Russell Brand created one of the more memorable characters of 2008 in Forgetting Sarah Marshall with his role as Aldous Snow. Get Him to the Greek is by and large an extension of his role in that movie, but ramped up in the “crazy rock star” department. Jonah Hill, playing the ambitious record company intern Aaron Green tries to bring Aldous Snow from London to Los Angeles to play a show at the Greek Theater. The problem with this simplistic plot is that it doesn’t lead to any character development, and only leads to more jokes. While surprisingly funny in some parts, the characters don’t really make a splash unless they’re doing something ridiculous, which happens quite often.

The main characters, drunk on absinthe in one scene, deliver truly cringe-worthy performances, and I’m not talking about funny cringes. Later on in the film, another scene with another drug is sure to be remembered as one of the funniest bits in the entire film. Unfortunately, this is representative of the entire film. There are hits and misses on nearly every metric you can think of. Rose Byrne and Sean Combs are fantastic in their respective supporting roles, Russell Brand is charmingly hilarious with his rock star attitude, and while Jonah Hill does a good job of showing the anxiety of a responsible guy just trying to handle an irresponsible rock star, he’s still miles away from his scene-stealing performance in Superbad.

In the end, however, Get Him to the Greek just had no closure. The ending was forced, like the director ran out of time, and the lack of character growth really forced the film to rely on a “moral of the story” type of ending, which ended up muddling the film’s ending further. Still, the ending doesn’t detract wholly from the movie. Much like watching a lesser version of Spinal Tap, this movie is still amusing to watch.
  
Missing Link (2019)
Missing Link (2019)
2019 | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Animation Style (3 more)
Character development
Voice Acting
Hilarity
Predictable Plot (0 more)
An adventurous, family-friendly animation.
After winning the BAFTA for best animated feature, my interest in seeing this film rose. As it is conveniently found on Netflix, we watched it as a family for a ‘movie night’. I was prepared for a mediocre adventure in search of a missing link between man and ape. What you actually get is a heartfelt, quintessentially British, global adventure in search of a home for a lonely Sasquatch. The journey each character goes through is wonderful as they learn about family, friendships and individuality before conquering the villain.

With a high calibre cast, this film is full of seasoned voice actors. So much so that it is actually difficult to identify the owner of each voice until the credits roll. This, for the most part, makes the film even more enjoyable as you aren’t left guessing actors or imagining them in the role.

Beginning with two characters on a quest for the Loch Ness Monster, the story is full of mystery and myth. It then becomes a predictable one, when it gets into its flow. For an adult, this can make the film a little expected. However, for a child this film is filled with hilarity. When watching with my three kids, there was non-stop laughter. From the naming of the Sasquatch to him forgetting swimwear, the room was full of joy.

Animation has always been a passion of mine, since I was young: from hand drawn to computer generated. My favourite had always been stop motion. Missing Link is primarily filmed in stop motion, using new techniques that allow for smoother facial transitions. The film’s adventurous nature encourages for exciting sets and explosive additional CGI that makes the film feel incredibly polished.

Captivating the attention of adults and children, alike, Missing Link provides an animated, family friendly adventure that teaches morals and respect. I can see why it won so many awards and challenges Toy Story 4 for the top place.
  
Lost in Plain Sight
Lost in Plain Sight
Alan Camrose | 2020 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I freaking loved this! Yes you heard right, if I could sum my review up in 4 simple words that would be exactly what I would write!

So what made this so good I hear you ask?

For starters, Alan managed to bring 2 of my favourite genres together and it just worked, so well. From the 1st page I was sold, it reeled me in and didn’t let go. This was a book I could really sink my teeth into.

Told in multiple POV’s, which trust me when I say it doesn’t always work and you can easily get lost and have to go back on yourself, I can honestly say this flowed with absolute ease. Each Chapter is told by a one of the main Character’s and you know straight away whose POV you are reading as it’s a chapter heading. The main characters are relatable, quirky and I loved getting to know them.

This was really was well written and Alan is very descriptive when setting a scene. As this is not set in a fictitious world and set in Brighton, you can truly imagine yourself there, especially if you know the area well. This is one of the main reasons I loved this so much. As a fantasy lover, I am used to world building and imaginary places, but having the story set in a actual place with the fantasy element running alongside, was refreshing. Everything is there for fantasy fans…..magic, demons, fae folk, The list goes on. For thriller fans there is murder, mystery and an engaging plot.

All in all this had everything to keep me enthralled and not forgetting it had me laughing out loud in places, Alan clearly has a wicked sense of humour which clearly shines through in his writing.

I received Lost In Plain Sight by Alan Camrose for free in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour for Love Books Tours
  
Covered (Gold Hockey Season 2, #7)
Covered (Gold Hockey Season 2, #7)
Elise Faber | 2022 | Contemporary, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Best one so far...
COVERED is the seventh book in the Gold Hockey Season Two series but you can read it as a standalone. Jess and Josh from book six do feature here as supporting characters, but you don't need to have read their story.

Jordyn's world exploded when she caught her husband and best friend together. She packed up her sons and their lives and moved to be near her brother. Ben can see she is hurting, but also sees the strength inside, the strength she doesn't feel. With his confidence in her, Jordyn is able to find her feet. The connection works both ways, and she is able to help him when his family issues get too big for him to contain.


This was a brilliant read! Ben and Jordyn know what they want and go for it. No messing around, no unnecessary angst, just feelings and the ability to show them in small ways. That's what got me about this book. There are no big flashy 'look at how good I am' moments. Just kind, caring, simple, and oh-so-effective times that burrow under your skin and make you yearn!

I read this book in one sitting as I simply couldn't put it down. I loved Ben and Jordyn's story, not forgetting Sammy and Marcus. The pacing is perfect, the story flowing without any hitches or jerks. Well, maybe Daniel is a jerk, but he's supposed to be!

This was a great addition to the series, the best one so far in my opinion. Now, I just need to wait for Will and Lily. Absolutely 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!
  
Make Me Yours (Isle of the Forgotten #3)
Make Me Yours (Isle of the Forgotten #3)
Tiffany Roberts | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Make Me Yours (Isle of the Forgotten #3) by Tiffany Roberts
Make Me Yours is the third full length novel in the Isle of the Forgotten series, and we focus on Gaelin who we have met before, and Mayra, who was alluded to in Make Me Whole. Gaelin knew that he would meet his mate on the Isle, but never thought that he would be partnered with a demon! May has done enough that she actually sees being on the Isle as being free for the first time in 200 years. Now, of course, things aren't going to go smoothly for these two, even if the whole 'matedom' is mentioned a lot sooner than in the previous books. There is the whole evil necromancer, twisted Justicar, and not forgetting Mayra's twin who is controlled by a blood bond with the aforementioned necromancer! So there is plenty here to keep you occupied as you read the latest instalment of this brilliant series.

Whilst Morthanion and Aria remain my favourites of the series, it was great to catch up with the others in this book - even Quil who didn't get a full book. Whilst I can appreciate the whole alpha male protecting his mate, I thought that the equality within the relationship was a bit better in this book, as Mayra is a demon in her own right. Definitely the yin to Gaelin's yang. These two worked and played well together, whilst Gaelin was still in protective mode, so everyone was happy.

With an overall story arc, I would recommend that this is read as part of a series, rather than a standalone. It was very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow. Plenty of action and a surprise at the end, I loved every word. Definitely recommended by me, and I can't wait for the next book to come along!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of Ashardalon Board Game
Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of Ashardalon Board Game
2011 | Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Miniatures
Can be expanded with other games in this series. (3 more)
Is set in the world of D&D
Can be played as 1 player
Easy to learn
Not much depth to the game itself (3 more)
No real character progression
Badly moulded miniatures
1 Player mode is very tedious
Good but not great.
This is the first "standalone" tabletop game I have bought from Wizards of The Coast.

I am a D&D fan, so was quite looking forward to playing this, the packaging and content of the game really caught my attention when the game arrived, I was definitely very excited to start playing.

I read through the rules fairly quickly and set the game up ready to play, the first run through was OK although I messed up the rules a little and felt it would be better to start again, after a quick re-read I was ready to go again. Just bare in mind, the rules are easy, but there are a few things you end up forgetting, so it is handy to read them through a couple of times and have them handy when playing.


I carried on through the game a little longer and soon realised it was quite a tedious process, as I was playing on my own and not with others the game needed to keep me entertained, and it really didn't do that.. I was actually starting to wish it would end (I am someone who has to finish a game and can't stop half way through) and when I finally died, I was actually quite relieved.


I ended up putting it away and not coming back to it for a while.. until one day when a couple of friends were over and we weren't in the mood for a really intense style game, I decided to pull it out and see how it played with others. It was certainly a much different experience, it seemed to flow better and just having the others there to have a bit of fun with definitely made the game much more enjoyable.


I would say it is worth buying the game to play with your friends but as a solo game, I really wouldn't bother.
  
Any Which Way You Can (1980)
Any Which Way You Can (1980)
1980 | Action, Comedy
Great fight scenes, funny moments, Clyde and not forgetting The Black Widows. (0 more)
Nothing i can think of. (0 more)
Right Turn Clyde
Contains spoilers, click to show
This was the first film i ever rented as a kid from the video shop. I was 5 at the time and the cover just drew me to it. My mum bless her let me have this and The Snowman. That was way back in 1985 and i have never lost any love for it.

Clint stars as Philo Bedo a bare knuckle brawler who has decided after his last fight (Which he easily wins) Enough is enough and he no longer wants to fight as, He is getting to enjoy the pain a little too much. When he is offered $25,000 by Patrick Scarfe ( Michael Cavanaugh) to fight Jack Wilson played by B movie great William Smith, Philo finds the offer to tempting to resist and accepts. Meanwhile, Lynn Halsey Taylor (Sondra Locke) returns to town and plays at the local bar in an attempt to reconcile with Philo, who she betrayed in the first film. Add to this, The Black Widows, the notorious and bumbling local biker gang, plan revenge on Philo for previous misdeeds from the first film.

When circumstances lead Philo to reconcile with Lynn, She and Philo's half brother Orville (Geoffrey Lewis) find out that Jack has killed a guy in his previous fight leading no one wanting to fight him. After much pressure, Philo decides not to fight and attempts to give the money back but Scarfe and his partner James Beekman ( Harry Guardino) won't take no for an answer and have Lynn kidnapped so that Philo has no choice but to fight.

Wilson finds out about this and helps Philo get Lynn back with both of them taking down a Beekmans mob guys.. When the fight is called off again because of the under handed tactics of Scarfe and Beekman, Pride between Philo and Wilson makes them wonder who would of won the fight?

Knowing it can't end how it is, Bedo and Wilson have a wild fight through the streets of Jackson to find out, Just who is the best between them.