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Worth The |Risk (Infinity #1)
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Some risks are scarier than others because they’re the most important ones we’ll ever...
male/male four stars romance fan yourself its a hot one
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Teenage mutant ninja turtles mutant mayhem (2023) in Movies
Aug 2, 2023
The popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Franchise has taken a break from the recent live-action updates and has returned to animation to reboot and modernize the franchise.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” is a loving and updated look at the story as Seth Rogen and his creative team have shaken up the franchise but remained true to the core characters and universe.
The film follows the four Turtles Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), Raphael (Brady Noon), Donatello (Micah Abbey), and Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), who are looking to find acceptance in the world despite their father Splinter (Jackie Chan), warning them not to trust humans and that they will never be accepted.
As typical teens do, the boys frequently rebel to sneak out and use their Ninja skills to travel New York to do tasks ranging from shopping to watching outdoor movies which only fuels their desires to be accepted and
have normal experiences such as High School.
At the same time as a crimewave is happening attributed to a menace known as Superfly (Ice Cube), who is gathering all kinds of high-end gear for his nefarious scheme.
When the brothers become aware of this while helping a human named April (Ago Edebiri), they become obsessed with her and desire to help her get to the bottom of the thefts and hope to win her approval as well as human acceptance in the process.
What follows is a madcap adventure with plenty of action and humor and
several celebrity voices which adds a new level of fun to the expanded
cast of supporting characters.
The animation style is at times a bit rough to watch over an extended
period but as the film progressed I became used to it and it did much like the two recent Spider-man animated films grow on me even if it can be distracting at times.
The cast is solid and the film seemed to play well to viewers of all ages
as there were jokes and references for all ages and the storyline was engaging even if it did at times seem to drag in places.
In the end the film is a loving and solid entry into the franchise and one that I am sure we will be seeing more animated entries from in the near future and is a must watch for fans of all ages.
4 stars out of 5
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” is a loving and updated look at the story as Seth Rogen and his creative team have shaken up the franchise but remained true to the core characters and universe.
The film follows the four Turtles Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), Raphael (Brady Noon), Donatello (Micah Abbey), and Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), who are looking to find acceptance in the world despite their father Splinter (Jackie Chan), warning them not to trust humans and that they will never be accepted.
As typical teens do, the boys frequently rebel to sneak out and use their Ninja skills to travel New York to do tasks ranging from shopping to watching outdoor movies which only fuels their desires to be accepted and
have normal experiences such as High School.
At the same time as a crimewave is happening attributed to a menace known as Superfly (Ice Cube), who is gathering all kinds of high-end gear for his nefarious scheme.
When the brothers become aware of this while helping a human named April (Ago Edebiri), they become obsessed with her and desire to help her get to the bottom of the thefts and hope to win her approval as well as human acceptance in the process.
What follows is a madcap adventure with plenty of action and humor and
several celebrity voices which adds a new level of fun to the expanded
cast of supporting characters.
The animation style is at times a bit rough to watch over an extended
period but as the film progressed I became used to it and it did much like the two recent Spider-man animated films grow on me even if it can be distracting at times.
The cast is solid and the film seemed to play well to viewers of all ages
as there were jokes and references for all ages and the storyline was engaging even if it did at times seem to drag in places.
In the end the film is a loving and solid entry into the franchise and one that I am sure we will be seeing more animated entries from in the near future and is a must watch for fans of all ages.
4 stars out of 5
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Ride of Her Life in Books
Jun 12, 2019
Woman Surprised When Neighbor Waits For Her When Coming Home Late
Genre: Contemporary, Erotica
Word Count: 3,830
Average Smashwords rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Warning: quotes below are certainly rated R.
When Andrea’s car breaks down and she gets a ride home with a coworker, the last thing she expects is her sexy yet scary-looking neighbor, Bo, waiting for her and livid. Worried out of his mind, Bo is done flirting with Andrea without action. Tonight, he’ll show her exactly what he wants with her.
Ride of Her Life is a hot little escape, but it’s like daydreaming about the stock photo of a tattooed macho man. True, it has some great sexy time.
He was fucking her hard and fast, but it was too much. Too raw. Too intimate. She felt too vulnerable, and she tried to lower her legs.
“No.” Keeping her legs close together, he leaned forward. “I like it this way. It makes you tighter. Makes you pay attention to me.”
The increase in pressure startled her. “Bo!”
He bucked at the sound of his name, and Andrea could hardly stand the pleasure. It felt naughty, exhibitionistic, and so damn good.
“That’s right, sweet thing. Give it to me. I’m the guy who’s meant to be your lover, not your handyman.”
But Bo has no character whatsoever. For that matter, Andrea isn’t much better with her inconsistent weirdness.
Bo is a jerk. He was mad that his neighbor didn’t call him when she was going to be home late or ask him to drive all the way to the college just to give him a ride. He was even more irritated that the coworker who dropped her off was male. Bo is her next door neighbor! Sure, they’re closer than most neighbors, but that doesn’t mean she needs to call him when she is a little bit late.
There’s an inch of depth that flickers beneath Bo’s otherwise boring flatness. His anger stems from worry and he’s insecure around Andrea. He doesn’t think he’s smart enough for her and in a moment of vulnerability asks her what he means to her.
It’s clear the two of them have history together. They have been neighbors for a while and Bo is always there to help with lawn mowing, giving her takeout, and doing repairs around the house. Andrea fantasizes about him at night but is scared to acknowledge her attraction to him. Bo seems to know it anyway and basically takes her on a picnic table with Andrea barely getting a consent out.
The lack of real consent is a huge turn-off for me. Just because he mows her lawn doesn’t mean he gets to, well, mow her lawn. There’s a difference between dominating and borderline-raping, and I wish that was much clearer here.
Andrea’s character is all over the place. She goes from caring to femme fatale in less than four thousand words.
At first, she’s slightly scared of Bo. She’s nervous and innocent for most of the story.
The tingle was back. Her entire body vibrated with anticipation and nerves. She’d never done anything like this. A thrill of uneasiness and excitement rushed through her
By the end, he’s just a fuck for her.
“Can we go inside now?” she asked, her lips brushing against his ear.
“On one condition. Tell me what I am to you.”
She smiled softly. “Oh honey, you’re the man I call when I need a ride.”
Where is this new found confidence of hers and when did she start calling him honey? Did her orgasm compel a man-eating ghost to possess her for the sake of reliving glory days?
We’ll never find out, because that’s where the story ends. There’s no real conclusion and just the flippant line to half-heartedly tie the ending and beginning together. It left me wholly unsatisfied.
Word Count: 3,830
Average Smashwords rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Warning: quotes below are certainly rated R.
When Andrea’s car breaks down and she gets a ride home with a coworker, the last thing she expects is her sexy yet scary-looking neighbor, Bo, waiting for her and livid. Worried out of his mind, Bo is done flirting with Andrea without action. Tonight, he’ll show her exactly what he wants with her.
Ride of Her Life is a hot little escape, but it’s like daydreaming about the stock photo of a tattooed macho man. True, it has some great sexy time.
He was fucking her hard and fast, but it was too much. Too raw. Too intimate. She felt too vulnerable, and she tried to lower her legs.
“No.” Keeping her legs close together, he leaned forward. “I like it this way. It makes you tighter. Makes you pay attention to me.”
The increase in pressure startled her. “Bo!”
He bucked at the sound of his name, and Andrea could hardly stand the pleasure. It felt naughty, exhibitionistic, and so damn good.
“That’s right, sweet thing. Give it to me. I’m the guy who’s meant to be your lover, not your handyman.”
But Bo has no character whatsoever. For that matter, Andrea isn’t much better with her inconsistent weirdness.
Bo is a jerk. He was mad that his neighbor didn’t call him when she was going to be home late or ask him to drive all the way to the college just to give him a ride. He was even more irritated that the coworker who dropped her off was male. Bo is her next door neighbor! Sure, they’re closer than most neighbors, but that doesn’t mean she needs to call him when she is a little bit late.
There’s an inch of depth that flickers beneath Bo’s otherwise boring flatness. His anger stems from worry and he’s insecure around Andrea. He doesn’t think he’s smart enough for her and in a moment of vulnerability asks her what he means to her.
It’s clear the two of them have history together. They have been neighbors for a while and Bo is always there to help with lawn mowing, giving her takeout, and doing repairs around the house. Andrea fantasizes about him at night but is scared to acknowledge her attraction to him. Bo seems to know it anyway and basically takes her on a picnic table with Andrea barely getting a consent out.
The lack of real consent is a huge turn-off for me. Just because he mows her lawn doesn’t mean he gets to, well, mow her lawn. There’s a difference between dominating and borderline-raping, and I wish that was much clearer here.
Andrea’s character is all over the place. She goes from caring to femme fatale in less than four thousand words.
At first, she’s slightly scared of Bo. She’s nervous and innocent for most of the story.
The tingle was back. Her entire body vibrated with anticipation and nerves. She’d never done anything like this. A thrill of uneasiness and excitement rushed through her
By the end, he’s just a fuck for her.
“Can we go inside now?” she asked, her lips brushing against his ear.
“On one condition. Tell me what I am to you.”
She smiled softly. “Oh honey, you’re the man I call when I need a ride.”
Where is this new found confidence of hers and when did she start calling him honey? Did her orgasm compel a man-eating ghost to possess her for the sake of reliving glory days?
We’ll never find out, because that’s where the story ends. There’s no real conclusion and just the flippant line to half-heartedly tie the ending and beginning together. It left me wholly unsatisfied.
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Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Then She Was Gone in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Then She Was Gone by the Sunday Times Bestseller Lisa Jewell, was a super-fast read for me. Several years after her daughter Ellie has gone missing , Laurel meets new man Floyd, who is absolutely smitten with her. When he takes her home to meet his kid Poppy, Laurel is surprised as how much she reminds her of her missing daughter when she was the same age. Coincidence? Or something much more untoward?
I think you can tell where this one is heading…
Admittedly, I guessed pretty early on, what was going to happen and how Noelle was involved in the whole situation. Yes, I’m being cryptic here, trying hard not to reveal spoilers for anyone who has not read this yet. But, even the blurb is an unsubtle clue. What blew me away was what was really going on with Laurel’s new boyfriend, Floyd in the final scenes. The way Lisa Jewell connected everything together and revealed the truth made this a very exciting read.
Was Floyd really as bad as Jake’s girlfriend, Blue had thought? Could he really be blamed for his actions bearing in mind his upbringing and how he came to be with Poppy? Would there ever have been a right time to reveal all? It’s bit like those situations when you mean to call someone up, but forget, and keep forgetting until much later. Only by then, so much time has passed it feels too late to ring at all. But in Floyd’s case, and in this analogy, he doesn’t even own a phone…
I thought the plot was a little bit far fetched, but despite this it worked. In fact, as we hear what really happened to Ellie, I found myself thinking the theme had changed from psychological thriller to borderline horror. By the time I got to the end I was positive this was a four star read, and then the last page did it for me. I shed a tear! Yep, I thought it was sad and unless my hormones are playing up for some odd reason, that last page did it for me. In between howling and sniffing, I moved my 4 stars to a 4.5 star rating! Oh, Lisa Jewell, please promise me you’ll never go back to chicklit! I cannot wait to see what you come up with next in this genre. I await to be dazzled! (And I don’t have to wait long as Watching You is due out in July).
Clever, moving and addictive reading.
I think you can tell where this one is heading…
Admittedly, I guessed pretty early on, what was going to happen and how Noelle was involved in the whole situation. Yes, I’m being cryptic here, trying hard not to reveal spoilers for anyone who has not read this yet. But, even the blurb is an unsubtle clue. What blew me away was what was really going on with Laurel’s new boyfriend, Floyd in the final scenes. The way Lisa Jewell connected everything together and revealed the truth made this a very exciting read.
Was Floyd really as bad as Jake’s girlfriend, Blue had thought? Could he really be blamed for his actions bearing in mind his upbringing and how he came to be with Poppy? Would there ever have been a right time to reveal all? It’s bit like those situations when you mean to call someone up, but forget, and keep forgetting until much later. Only by then, so much time has passed it feels too late to ring at all. But in Floyd’s case, and in this analogy, he doesn’t even own a phone…
I thought the plot was a little bit far fetched, but despite this it worked. In fact, as we hear what really happened to Ellie, I found myself thinking the theme had changed from psychological thriller to borderline horror. By the time I got to the end I was positive this was a four star read, and then the last page did it for me. I shed a tear! Yep, I thought it was sad and unless my hormones are playing up for some odd reason, that last page did it for me. In between howling and sniffing, I moved my 4 stars to a 4.5 star rating! Oh, Lisa Jewell, please promise me you’ll never go back to chicklit! I cannot wait to see what you come up with next in this genre. I await to be dazzled! (And I don’t have to wait long as Watching You is due out in July).
Clever, moving and addictive reading.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The One That Got Away in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Sarina's life is going pretty smoothly -- she's busy with her own architecture firm, she's expecting to be engaged to her boyfriend, Noah, any day, and she has a good group of friends to hang out with while Noah is away in Argentina for work. She feels so secure she's finally ready to face Eamon Roy, a former Olympic swimmer and Sarina's former-one-night-stand (who broke her heart years ago), and who is making a visit to Austin, Texas.
Suddenly, though, Eamon's visit is no longer temporary, as he decides to move back to Austin and renovate a home -- a job for which he hires Sarina. The two become fast friends, and Sarina finds herself questioning everything she thought was so perfect about her life.
Overall, this was a really fun, enjoyable read. I breezed through it, because Sarina is a thoroughly engaging character. Further, Chase has a way of writing that pulls you in - when Sarina gets bad news, for instance, I felt myself feeling as if I'd been punched in the gut, too. It was refreshing to read a "chick lit" novel about an architect, versus the usual publicist or nanny or such. I enjoyed reading about Sarina's job and she was extremely driven as a businesswoman, which was great. Further, I enjoyed that the novel had a gay character (Sarina's roommate, Danny), who didn't seem completely steeped in stereotype. Also refreshing!
About my only beef was that it all became a bit much about two-thirds or so through the book, as Sarina continues to waffle about Noah and Eamon. For a bit, the book feels very junior high-esque as Sarina goes on and on about Eamon, then Noah, then dreaming of Eamon, then more wrangling, etc. I get that it was a big decision, and she and Noah had been together for four years, but sigh. Get it together, girl!
Otherwise, this was fun, fast-paced, novel, with just the right mix of serious, real-life plot thrown in. Sarina faces some tough choices in life (and not just as she deals with her feelings with Eamon and Noah), but with her parents/stepparents, her business, and more. It's refreshing to see a chick lit heroine deal with real life in such a way. Supposedly the Chase's next book features some characters who pop up in this one. I'll definitely be putting it on my to-read list. (Overall, I'd rate <i>The One That Got Away</i> at 3.5 stars.)
Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Suddenly, though, Eamon's visit is no longer temporary, as he decides to move back to Austin and renovate a home -- a job for which he hires Sarina. The two become fast friends, and Sarina finds herself questioning everything she thought was so perfect about her life.
Overall, this was a really fun, enjoyable read. I breezed through it, because Sarina is a thoroughly engaging character. Further, Chase has a way of writing that pulls you in - when Sarina gets bad news, for instance, I felt myself feeling as if I'd been punched in the gut, too. It was refreshing to read a "chick lit" novel about an architect, versus the usual publicist or nanny or such. I enjoyed reading about Sarina's job and she was extremely driven as a businesswoman, which was great. Further, I enjoyed that the novel had a gay character (Sarina's roommate, Danny), who didn't seem completely steeped in stereotype. Also refreshing!
About my only beef was that it all became a bit much about two-thirds or so through the book, as Sarina continues to waffle about Noah and Eamon. For a bit, the book feels very junior high-esque as Sarina goes on and on about Eamon, then Noah, then dreaming of Eamon, then more wrangling, etc. I get that it was a big decision, and she and Noah had been together for four years, but sigh. Get it together, girl!
Otherwise, this was fun, fast-paced, novel, with just the right mix of serious, real-life plot thrown in. Sarina faces some tough choices in life (and not just as she deals with her feelings with Eamon and Noah), but with her parents/stepparents, her business, and more. It's refreshing to see a chick lit heroine deal with real life in such a way. Supposedly the Chase's next book features some characters who pop up in this one. I'll definitely be putting it on my to-read list. (Overall, I'd rate <i>The One That Got Away</i> at 3.5 stars.)
Note: I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Louise (64 KP) rated See What I Have Done in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher Grove Atlantic in exchange for an honest review*
I do like reading Historical Fiction but even more so when the book is based on a true story. This is the story following the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. They were found with their skulls smashed in by their daughter Lizzie. Lizzie and Emma Borden are spinsters and still live with their father, step-mother and Bridget the maid. They seemed to have a sheltered life and been well-kept by their father. This story delves in to the lives of the Bordens and what happened behind closed doors of this well-respected family.
<b>"Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her mother forty whacks; When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one,"</b>
I am going to be truthful and say that this book was ok but nothing really blew me away. I don’t think that there was much added to this story than what you could actually read on Wikipedia. The story was repetitive, slow and didn’t always hold my attention. The problem with stories like these are you know how they are going to end you don’t have that thrill of finding out who done it. I liked the writing style of this book and the way she wrote Lizzie’s character.
The story is told from four perspectives, Lizzie, Emma, Bridget and Benjamin.It was through them that the story was told of the events leading up to the murders and afterwards. The character that stuck out the me was Lizzie, she was spoilt, childish, rude and clearly deluded. Benjamin was the only character that was added to put a bit of a spin on the story but really didn’t come to anything and a bit pointless.
How easy it was to get away with murder though in the 1800’s, there was no DNA testing, no blood spatter analysis or proper interrogations in those days, yet in there were times in the story when I wanted the police to grasp onto something and for them to start piecing it altogether. Lizzie’s statement of what happened was fragmented,not making sense and was taken as shock, whereas nowadays this would be deemed as suspicious behaviour and you would be arrested at the drop of a hat.
In conclusion I think this is a good debut novel by Sarah Schmidt but it didn’t really bring anything new to the table.
I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
I do like reading Historical Fiction but even more so when the book is based on a true story. This is the story following the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. They were found with their skulls smashed in by their daughter Lizzie. Lizzie and Emma Borden are spinsters and still live with their father, step-mother and Bridget the maid. They seemed to have a sheltered life and been well-kept by their father. This story delves in to the lives of the Bordens and what happened behind closed doors of this well-respected family.
<b>"Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her mother forty whacks; When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one,"</b>
I am going to be truthful and say that this book was ok but nothing really blew me away. I don’t think that there was much added to this story than what you could actually read on Wikipedia. The story was repetitive, slow and didn’t always hold my attention. The problem with stories like these are you know how they are going to end you don’t have that thrill of finding out who done it. I liked the writing style of this book and the way she wrote Lizzie’s character.
The story is told from four perspectives, Lizzie, Emma, Bridget and Benjamin.It was through them that the story was told of the events leading up to the murders and afterwards. The character that stuck out the me was Lizzie, she was spoilt, childish, rude and clearly deluded. Benjamin was the only character that was added to put a bit of a spin on the story but really didn’t come to anything and a bit pointless.
How easy it was to get away with murder though in the 1800’s, there was no DNA testing, no blood spatter analysis or proper interrogations in those days, yet in there were times in the story when I wanted the police to grasp onto something and for them to start piecing it altogether. Lizzie’s statement of what happened was fragmented,not making sense and was taken as shock, whereas nowadays this would be deemed as suspicious behaviour and you would be arrested at the drop of a hat.
In conclusion I think this is a good debut novel by Sarah Schmidt but it didn’t really bring anything new to the table.
I rated this 3 out of 5 stars
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
I long for the blockbusters to come around again so I can stop saying "this is great but..." It has definitely become my mantra for January and I think it's the curse of awards season.
Melissa McCarthy is the second actor this month to take a big leap in genre and I'm loving it. Her comedy offerings have always amused me, Life Of The Party last year was great fun and I've just discovered she was DNAmy in Kim Possible so that means I need to watch all of that again!
I'm in danger of going off point now I've realised that last fact. Where was I?
McCarthy... Lee Israel is rather brash and as such has the potential to be entirely unlikeable, the performance is excellent though and McCarthy manages to make every situation feel very real. Despite that though I didn't get any real emotions out of any of it.
Luckily Richard E. Grant's inclusion allows the film to have a few lighter moments and the pair work wonderfully together on screen. I'm rather glad that this erased some of the damage The Nutcracker And The Four Realms did.
At no point during the film did I think anything was badly done. Lead and supporting actors were brilliant, the story it was based on was an interesting one... insert my phrase of the month here... The main issue I had with the film was pacing. I came out thinking that was a long two hour film before realising that it was only actually an hour and 46 minutes. At the mid-point my interest dwindled severely for a while but it did thankfully pick up a little. There are several bits that don't feel like they have much of a place in the story, whether they're part of the original narrative or added for the film I don't know but while they might have been there for background they didn't add any impact to the main story.
This rating has me a little at odds, the stars are mainly for the acting and the switch in pace for Melissa McCarthy, and as I said, nothing is badly done. Even with the limited audience potential this could have been an amazing film had it had something to keep you interested the whole way through.
What you should do
It's got some good points, but it is a very niche subject matter so I don't think I'd be recommending a viewing to anyone but my most booky friends.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
All those glorious bookshops!
Melissa McCarthy is the second actor this month to take a big leap in genre and I'm loving it. Her comedy offerings have always amused me, Life Of The Party last year was great fun and I've just discovered she was DNAmy in Kim Possible so that means I need to watch all of that again!
I'm in danger of going off point now I've realised that last fact. Where was I?
McCarthy... Lee Israel is rather brash and as such has the potential to be entirely unlikeable, the performance is excellent though and McCarthy manages to make every situation feel very real. Despite that though I didn't get any real emotions out of any of it.
Luckily Richard E. Grant's inclusion allows the film to have a few lighter moments and the pair work wonderfully together on screen. I'm rather glad that this erased some of the damage The Nutcracker And The Four Realms did.
At no point during the film did I think anything was badly done. Lead and supporting actors were brilliant, the story it was based on was an interesting one... insert my phrase of the month here... The main issue I had with the film was pacing. I came out thinking that was a long two hour film before realising that it was only actually an hour and 46 minutes. At the mid-point my interest dwindled severely for a while but it did thankfully pick up a little. There are several bits that don't feel like they have much of a place in the story, whether they're part of the original narrative or added for the film I don't know but while they might have been there for background they didn't add any impact to the main story.
This rating has me a little at odds, the stars are mainly for the acting and the switch in pace for Melissa McCarthy, and as I said, nothing is badly done. Even with the limited audience potential this could have been an amazing film had it had something to keep you interested the whole way through.
What you should do
It's got some good points, but it is a very niche subject matter so I don't think I'd be recommending a viewing to anyone but my most booky friends.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
All those glorious bookshops!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Operator in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Vivian Dalton is a switchboard operator in the small town of Wooster, Ohio. She knows the people of her town quite well--thanks in no small part to the eavesdropping she and the other women do while working at Bell. Usually it's pretty harmless, but that all changes one December night when Vivian listens in on a call between Betty Miller--a rich woman whom she despises--and someone else, whom she doesn't recognize. Their conversation reveals a shocking secret that affects Vivian personally and, if true, will change her life forever. Vivian is horrified, and she starts to investigate. In doing so, she begins to unearth even more secrets and lies.
"That was the thing about small towns. Everyone knew everyone else's business."
I don't often pick up historical fiction, but I won this book, and it sounded interesting. It certainly was. This is a fascinating look at small town relationships and the power of secrets and family. Vivian is quite a character; married to her husband, Edward, for fifteen years, with a daughter Charlotte, who is a sophomore in high school. Her life is small and mainly confined to Wooster. Vivian resents her siblings who finished high school, something she couldn't do as she had to help her family when money grew tight.
The book starts off a little slow, as I'm never a huge fan when we're told there's a huge secret (what Vivian overhears) but it isn't revealed. Once we finally find out what it was, things pick up. Vivian takes on more power, showing a tough and determined side, especially for what was expected of women in 1950s. The book does a good job of illustrating the limitations, but also strengths, of women in the time period. Berg also includes excerpts from Vivian's childhood and growing in the 1930s. I enjoyed seeing how different things were and watching Vivian overcome so much. Her daughter, Charlotte, was a great character, too. There are also a lot of side stories, too, involving a host of small town Wooster characters and even a bank robbery.
Overall, while this took a while to warm up, it was an intriguing look at lies and secrets and how they affected the Dalton family. It's easy to get invested in Vivian and Charlotte (her husband, Edward, seemed like a pretty one-dimensional character, though). It does a strong job of portraying women and all they endure. The book is witty and heartfelt as well. 3.75 stars, rounded to four here.
"That was the thing about small towns. Everyone knew everyone else's business."
I don't often pick up historical fiction, but I won this book, and it sounded interesting. It certainly was. This is a fascinating look at small town relationships and the power of secrets and family. Vivian is quite a character; married to her husband, Edward, for fifteen years, with a daughter Charlotte, who is a sophomore in high school. Her life is small and mainly confined to Wooster. Vivian resents her siblings who finished high school, something she couldn't do as she had to help her family when money grew tight.
The book starts off a little slow, as I'm never a huge fan when we're told there's a huge secret (what Vivian overhears) but it isn't revealed. Once we finally find out what it was, things pick up. Vivian takes on more power, showing a tough and determined side, especially for what was expected of women in 1950s. The book does a good job of illustrating the limitations, but also strengths, of women in the time period. Berg also includes excerpts from Vivian's childhood and growing in the 1930s. I enjoyed seeing how different things were and watching Vivian overcome so much. Her daughter, Charlotte, was a great character, too. There are also a lot of side stories, too, involving a host of small town Wooster characters and even a bank robbery.
Overall, while this took a while to warm up, it was an intriguing look at lies and secrets and how they affected the Dalton family. It's easy to get invested in Vivian and Charlotte (her husband, Edward, seemed like a pretty one-dimensional character, though). It does a strong job of portraying women and all they endure. The book is witty and heartfelt as well. 3.75 stars, rounded to four here.
Debbiereadsbook (1611 KP) rated The Cardinalis Code in Books
Mar 23, 2020
read the book, people, read the damn book!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
So, there I was, merrily reading away. Enjoying this book, not a 5 star read, but a very good solid four star. Some minor typos, but they might be cos of the changing file thing. A good solid 4 star read, that piqued my interest enough to keep going.
And then, in the VERY last chapter, followed by the EPILOGUE, it all changed!
I mean, it made the whole bloody book flip on it's head! And it's gonna be really REALLY hard not to write spoilers into this review, so if it's vague, I ain't sorry!
Paislee takes a job as a blood donor, a donateur for Michael, a Cardinalis, (not EVER a vampire!) When Michael's vicious half brother takes a shine to Paislee, things become deadly, both for Paislee and Michael. Then The Order become involved and Michael has a fight on his hands to keep Paislee safe, and more importantly, to keep her HIS.
Like I said, plodding along, nicely. Moving at speed in places, and little slower in others. Sexy at points, but deadly in others. Sufficiently different in the 'vampire' (Sorry, Michael!) lore to be interesting. These guys don't combust in the sun or sparkle, either! They have a usual sleep pattern, they eat food. So, I enjoyed all that.
Both Michael and Paislee have a say, as do a couple of other characters.
The story concludes, or so I thought, in a way I expected it to, mostly. Michael's brother doesn't quite get the ending I was expecting but still. It all comes to a head and is wrapped up nicely.
THEN!
Michael's mother says something, and the doctor says something and then the doctor says something else and . . . . .cliff hanger people! I mean a proper, spit you dummy out, throw your toys out the pram and throw your kindle at the wall so hard it bounces off and scares the cat! I had to double back a couple of times, to reread what was said by whom, to put the pieces together, and still I have no bloody idea what's going on!
So, for a first book . . .very well played Ms Sterling! For a first in series, because there is much unfinished here, very well played. For that bloody cliff hanger . . .
5 full and shiny stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
So, there I was, merrily reading away. Enjoying this book, not a 5 star read, but a very good solid four star. Some minor typos, but they might be cos of the changing file thing. A good solid 4 star read, that piqued my interest enough to keep going.
And then, in the VERY last chapter, followed by the EPILOGUE, it all changed!
I mean, it made the whole bloody book flip on it's head! And it's gonna be really REALLY hard not to write spoilers into this review, so if it's vague, I ain't sorry!
Paislee takes a job as a blood donor, a donateur for Michael, a Cardinalis, (not EVER a vampire!) When Michael's vicious half brother takes a shine to Paislee, things become deadly, both for Paislee and Michael. Then The Order become involved and Michael has a fight on his hands to keep Paislee safe, and more importantly, to keep her HIS.
Like I said, plodding along, nicely. Moving at speed in places, and little slower in others. Sexy at points, but deadly in others. Sufficiently different in the 'vampire' (Sorry, Michael!) lore to be interesting. These guys don't combust in the sun or sparkle, either! They have a usual sleep pattern, they eat food. So, I enjoyed all that.
Both Michael and Paislee have a say, as do a couple of other characters.
The story concludes, or so I thought, in a way I expected it to, mostly. Michael's brother doesn't quite get the ending I was expecting but still. It all comes to a head and is wrapped up nicely.
THEN!
Michael's mother says something, and the doctor says something and then the doctor says something else and . . . . .cliff hanger people! I mean a proper, spit you dummy out, throw your toys out the pram and throw your kindle at the wall so hard it bounces off and scares the cat! I had to double back a couple of times, to reread what was said by whom, to put the pieces together, and still I have no bloody idea what's going on!
So, for a first book . . .very well played Ms Sterling! For a first in series, because there is much unfinished here, very well played. For that bloody cliff hanger . . .
5 full and shiny stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**