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Fire and Sword (Throne of the Caesars, Book 3)
Book
'Absorbing and brilliant ...Game of Thrones without the dragons' THE TIMES The third book in...
Henry IV: Parts 1 & 2
William Shakespeare, Keith Carabine and Cedric Watts
Book
Edited, introduced and annotated by Cedric Watts, Research Professor of English Literature,...
Hazel (2934 KP) rated One Eye Open in Books
Jul 12, 2020
I have made it no secret that I am a fan of Paul Finch ... how could you not be with characters from his previous books like DS Mark "Heck" Heckenburg and PC Lucy Clayborn? Well here we have another memorable character ... DS Lynda Hagan.
This is a stand-alone book which follows the investigation into a seemingly straight forward car crash involving an ex-Formula 1 driver (Wade) and his wife Harriet (Harri) but it is anything but and we are soon taken on a non-stop ride full of action, suspense and intrigue involving gangs, grasses/snitches and one relentless and determined copper.
Told from Lynda's perspective in the present and Wade's timeline from the weeks leading up to the crash, with a great plot and a break-neck pace with twists and breath-holding moments, this is a great crime thriller. I wonder if there are going to more books featuring DS Hagan, I would quite like to get to know her a bit more because I think we only scratched the surface in this and I think there is more to her than meets the eye! If so, I will be the first in the queue.
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
This is a stand-alone book which follows the investigation into a seemingly straight forward car crash involving an ex-Formula 1 driver (Wade) and his wife Harriet (Harri) but it is anything but and we are soon taken on a non-stop ride full of action, suspense and intrigue involving gangs, grasses/snitches and one relentless and determined copper.
Told from Lynda's perspective in the present and Wade's timeline from the weeks leading up to the crash, with a great plot and a break-neck pace with twists and breath-holding moments, this is a great crime thriller. I wonder if there are going to more books featuring DS Hagan, I would quite like to get to know her a bit more because I think we only scratched the surface in this and I think there is more to her than meets the eye! If so, I will be the first in the queue.
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Melanie Caldicott (6 KP) rated The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake in Books
Apr 29, 2021
I loved the concept of this books and as soon as I heard about it I was intrigued and wanted to read it. I read The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake in a couple of days, which with 3 children rarely happens, so I continued to find it intriguing and compelling throughout.
However, I found the narrative elusive and shadowy which was often frustrating. Whilst I understand that Bender was creating a narrative largely written from the perspective of a child, from whom many things were hidden and secret, I still found that as a reader you were constantly trying to grasp what she was describing and failing. I found this made the book less plausible and destroyed the intrigue turning it into annoying gameplay.
I have read other novels with narratives from the perspective of a child such as The Earth Hums in B Flat, The Book Thief, Mister Pip, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Room etc and found these all to be written far more skillfully than Bender manages here. It is an art to realistically write through the eyes of a child but reveal things to an adult reader through the child's naive perspective of the world. If this is failed to be achieved it can leave the reader feeling frustrated and disillusioned through being led on a journey that is over-constructed and inauthentic.
However, I found the narrative elusive and shadowy which was often frustrating. Whilst I understand that Bender was creating a narrative largely written from the perspective of a child, from whom many things were hidden and secret, I still found that as a reader you were constantly trying to grasp what she was describing and failing. I found this made the book less plausible and destroyed the intrigue turning it into annoying gameplay.
I have read other novels with narratives from the perspective of a child such as The Earth Hums in B Flat, The Book Thief, Mister Pip, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Room etc and found these all to be written far more skillfully than Bender manages here. It is an art to realistically write through the eyes of a child but reveal things to an adult reader through the child's naive perspective of the world. If this is failed to be achieved it can leave the reader feeling frustrated and disillusioned through being led on a journey that is over-constructed and inauthentic.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated After She's Gone in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonists in this book would be Malin and Jake, and the book is told mainly from their perspectives. Malin is a police officer, who grew up in an isolated town called Ormberg, and is back with her colleagues, to investigate a murder, that happened years ago. Jake is a teenage schoolboy, who loves dressing up in woman’s clothes, and by accident, gets hold of Hanne’s diary. I really liked most of the characters in this book, and I loved to read their personal and intriguing stories. I really liked the way Camilla Grebe shared the story of not only the main but supporting characters as well.
The narrative of this book was interesting, but it lacked suspense and excitement. Especially, the investigation part. Sometimes the chapters really dragged, particularly Malin’s parts. Her parts lacked intrigue, and her thoughts became quite repetitive after a while. I really enjoyed Jake’s parts, his secret life, his thoughts and snippets from Hanne’s diary, held this book together. The topics discussed were dementia and how the person feels while having it, bullying, sexual confusion, refugee situation from native’s perspectives, and many more.
The setting of this book is cold, gloomy, quite claustrophobic and depressing. The plot is set in the middle of forests full of snow, so it is perfect for winter lovers.
The narrative of this book was interesting, but it lacked suspense and excitement. Especially, the investigation part. Sometimes the chapters really dragged, particularly Malin’s parts. Her parts lacked intrigue, and her thoughts became quite repetitive after a while. I really enjoyed Jake’s parts, his secret life, his thoughts and snippets from Hanne’s diary, held this book together. The topics discussed were dementia and how the person feels while having it, bullying, sexual confusion, refugee situation from native’s perspectives, and many more.
The setting of this book is cold, gloomy, quite claustrophobic and depressing. The plot is set in the middle of forests full of snow, so it is perfect for winter lovers.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Saw II (2005) in Movies
Oct 3, 2020
Out of the slew of sequels that followed in the wake of the success of the first film, Saw II is easily the most watchable.
Everything is upped - more blood, more victims, more absurd traps for them to escape from - but it succeeds where the other sequels miserably failed, keeping it all fairly reigned in for the most part, assuring that the plot carries a substantial amount of intrigue, instead of getting buried under gratuitous torture.
We get to see more Tobin Bell this time around, which is certainly a good thing. His increased presence as antagonist Jigsaw is a high point of the movie. Donnie Wahlberg and Shawnee Smith have a little more to do in the franchise going forward, but the rest of the cast are hugely dull and forgettable, obvious cannon fodder for Jigsaws' games.
The various traps are imaginative without going overboard as well, and are effective - the pit of syringes, the pig carcasses, and especially the lockbox with wrist slicing blades, are all pretty memorable without throwing heaps of gore at the viewer.
Saw II is a half decent follow up to the great original. You could happily watch the first two and not bother with any of the others, and still be suitably satisfied, unless, like me, you're a glutton for punishment.
Everything is upped - more blood, more victims, more absurd traps for them to escape from - but it succeeds where the other sequels miserably failed, keeping it all fairly reigned in for the most part, assuring that the plot carries a substantial amount of intrigue, instead of getting buried under gratuitous torture.
We get to see more Tobin Bell this time around, which is certainly a good thing. His increased presence as antagonist Jigsaw is a high point of the movie. Donnie Wahlberg and Shawnee Smith have a little more to do in the franchise going forward, but the rest of the cast are hugely dull and forgettable, obvious cannon fodder for Jigsaws' games.
The various traps are imaginative without going overboard as well, and are effective - the pit of syringes, the pig carcasses, and especially the lockbox with wrist slicing blades, are all pretty memorable without throwing heaps of gore at the viewer.
Saw II is a half decent follow up to the great original. You could happily watch the first two and not bother with any of the others, and still be suitably satisfied, unless, like me, you're a glutton for punishment.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Princess in Books
Jan 11, 2021
The author got in contact with me last year and asked me if I'd like to read and review one of her books. I agreed, wanting to help her get the word out and picked The Princess and she gifted me the book.
I started reading it almost straight away and at the start I got caught up in it. But after a while I lost interest in the storyline because of how slowly it was all playing out. A quarter of the way in (out of 306 pages) and she was just marrying him.
I have this thing where, unless I'm really into the story that I don't like long books. I'm almost not a fan of a lot of description (I know most readers ask for it, but not me. I tend to skip over whole paragraphs if it doesn't interest me).
That's not to say it was bad, the book has four 5 star reviews on Goodreads. It just isn't really my sort of book. If I'm going to read something intrigue-y, I want something to be happening all the time. If I'm reading a romance, I want to fall in love along with them and I didn't.
After giving it another try about ten minutes ago, and still not getting into the story I'm finally giving in at 27% and DNF'ing.
I started reading it almost straight away and at the start I got caught up in it. But after a while I lost interest in the storyline because of how slowly it was all playing out. A quarter of the way in (out of 306 pages) and she was just marrying him.
I have this thing where, unless I'm really into the story that I don't like long books. I'm almost not a fan of a lot of description (I know most readers ask for it, but not me. I tend to skip over whole paragraphs if it doesn't interest me).
That's not to say it was bad, the book has four 5 star reviews on Goodreads. It just isn't really my sort of book. If I'm going to read something intrigue-y, I want something to be happening all the time. If I'm reading a romance, I want to fall in love along with them and I didn't.
After giving it another try about ten minutes ago, and still not getting into the story I'm finally giving in at 27% and DNF'ing.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated American Horror Story - Season 2 in TV
Oct 5, 2019
Horror TV doesn't get much better
The second season on AHS, also known as 'Asylum' is fantastic, and in my opinion, still the best season to date.
The anthology template applied to AHS is given it first workout here - it's great to see familiar faces from the first season, albeit playing completely different characters. And the characters here are really something.
Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Peters, Lizzie Brocheré, James Cromwell, Lily Rabe - they're all amazing in their own ways. Each character has several layers to them,lacing mystery and intrigue throughout Asylum to keep you guessing.
The unmistakable star of Asylum though is of course Jessica Lange.
Here character Sister Jude is an incredible villain for the most part, and equally sympathetic in other parts. Jessica Lange plays the part with aplomb, obviously enjoying every second of it, and is the main reason why this season is such a stand out.
The tone of Asylum is a lot more full on than Murder House - it's nastier, gorier, funnier, darker.
The cinematography is pretty bang on throughout, spoiling us with creepy shot after creepy shot.
It's honestly great, hard to find much to dislike. The hammier elements in AHS are often overdone and what ultimately stop this show from reaching perfection, but Asylum is as close as it has come for now.
The anthology template applied to AHS is given it first workout here - it's great to see familiar faces from the first season, albeit playing completely different characters. And the characters here are really something.
Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Peters, Lizzie Brocheré, James Cromwell, Lily Rabe - they're all amazing in their own ways. Each character has several layers to them,lacing mystery and intrigue throughout Asylum to keep you guessing.
The unmistakable star of Asylum though is of course Jessica Lange.
Here character Sister Jude is an incredible villain for the most part, and equally sympathetic in other parts. Jessica Lange plays the part with aplomb, obviously enjoying every second of it, and is the main reason why this season is such a stand out.
The tone of Asylum is a lot more full on than Murder House - it's nastier, gorier, funnier, darker.
The cinematography is pretty bang on throughout, spoiling us with creepy shot after creepy shot.
It's honestly great, hard to find much to dislike. The hammier elements in AHS are often overdone and what ultimately stop this show from reaching perfection, but Asylum is as close as it has come for now.
The Pearl Thief
Book
From the internationally acclaimed bestselling author of Code Name Verity comes a stunning new story...
Young Adult