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Merissa (14024 KP) rated Muted Chords (The Road to Rocktoberfest 2022) in Books
Nov 7, 2022
MUTED CHORDS is one of the Rocktoberfest 2022 books and we travel with Josh and the rest of his band to the festival itself. Eradicate Apathy has had some problems with their replacement bass player, so much so he is sacked. This is where Bran comes into play. He has wanted to play with them for quite a while but has his own baggage to contend with. When given the chance though, he can't say no. And once he meets Josh, all stops are pulled out.
The pacing of this story is fast and felt a little rushed to me in places, but you will be drawn into the close-knit relationships between the band members. You also get a look at some people who are not so nice, who have let fame (or the lack of it) sour them.
Overall, this was a sweet love story between Josh and Bran and brilliant relationships between the rest of the band members. However, there is some derogatory language, plus some angst near the ending, so consider yourself warned.
** 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!
The pacing of this story is fast and felt a little rushed to me in places, but you will be drawn into the close-knit relationships between the band members. You also get a look at some people who are not so nice, who have let fame (or the lack of it) sour them.
Overall, this was a sweet love story between Josh and Bran and brilliant relationships between the rest of the band members. However, there is some derogatory language, plus some angst near the ending, so consider yourself warned.
** 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!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2579 KP) rated Anne of Green Gables in Books
Oct 4, 2022
It’s Hard to Imagine a More Romantic Story
Orphan Anne Shirley is thrilled when she is sent to live with the Cuthbert siblings, Matthew and Marilla. The problem is, they were looking for an orphan boy, someone who could help Matthew around the farm. Still, they begin to fall for Anne and agree to let her stay. This book follows her adventures of the next five years as she grows to become a sixteen-year-old. What will happen over that time?
I’ve never read this well-loved classic, and I decided it was time to fix that. It came out in 1908, so some of the language is dated, although there is nothing offensive here. I think I needed to be a pre-teen girl to fully enjoy this book. There were certainly parts I did enjoy, but overall, I found the book more episodic than a real novel. That tends to happen to me when a novel covers such a span of time. Also, the events in the second half of the book got to be too much for me. Having said that, I can see the appeal. The characters definitely grew on me, and I laughed at various events along the way. I’m curious enough about what happens next that I might go on with the series.
I’ve never read this well-loved classic, and I decided it was time to fix that. It came out in 1908, so some of the language is dated, although there is nothing offensive here. I think I needed to be a pre-teen girl to fully enjoy this book. There were certainly parts I did enjoy, but overall, I found the book more episodic than a real novel. That tends to happen to me when a novel covers such a span of time. Also, the events in the second half of the book got to be too much for me. Having said that, I can see the appeal. The characters definitely grew on me, and I laughed at various events along the way. I’m curious enough about what happens next that I might go on with the series.
Merissa (14024 KP) rated Mirrors and Ashes: A Snow White Retelling in Books
Mar 6, 2022
MIRRORS & ASHES is a fantastic Snow White retelling that encaptures the reader and holds their interest from start to finish.
Ember is the main female and she has a lot to put up with from her mother, which she is made to believe is her fault. When things in the kingdom start going wrong, Ember is the one they blame. She has made friends with the Dwarves though and is welcomed among them when she escapes the death that waits for her. Through them, she learns about who she is and what love truly is, and what forms it can come in. Romance plays a part here but is not the focus.
This was very well-written, with plenty of depth and detail, giving this a polished edged. I loved the Dwarven way of life, their language, their customs, etc. I loved seeing the growth of Ember from a child, to a woman of two cultures.
The pacing was perfect for the story, and it always flowed and never faltered. A great retelling that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!
Ember is the main female and she has a lot to put up with from her mother, which she is made to believe is her fault. When things in the kingdom start going wrong, Ember is the one they blame. She has made friends with the Dwarves though and is welcomed among them when she escapes the death that waits for her. Through them, she learns about who she is and what love truly is, and what forms it can come in. Romance plays a part here but is not the focus.
This was very well-written, with plenty of depth and detail, giving this a polished edged. I loved the Dwarven way of life, their language, their customs, etc. I loved seeing the growth of Ember from a child, to a woman of two cultures.
The pacing was perfect for the story, and it always flowed and never faltered. A great retelling that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!
The Silver Ones (The Silver Series, #1)
10.0
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Book
When she has to convince the Alpha of Warden to pick her as his mate, she finds herself...
Paranormal Romance Shifters Witches
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2579 KP) rated Bring the Night in Books
Sep 8, 2023 (Updated Sep 8, 2023)
Suicide? Or Murder?
Los Angeles in 1939 was experiencing a rash of suicides, but in the middle of them, PI Nate Ross is hired to prove one was murder when a brother and sister walk into his office wanting him to find the truth about their father’s death. The cops quickly ruled it another suicide, but they insist that it was murder. It isn’t long before Nate is finding more questions than answers and receiving threats. Can he figure out what is going on?
The suicide or murder question is a common trope of mysteries, and this book doesn’t spend long before Nate is certain it was murder. I had a couple of the twists figured out, but I didn’t grasp the full picture until the end. Even then, I had to think about the ending to make sure everything made sense; a little more exposition would have been nice. Nate is fun to be around as always, and the rest of the cast is interesting as well. As a PI novel, there’s a little more language and violence than in the typical novels I read, but it was still minimal. The use of slang from the time is a bit over the top, but it does help bring the period to life. Fans of the genre will be glad they picked up this book.
The suicide or murder question is a common trope of mysteries, and this book doesn’t spend long before Nate is certain it was murder. I had a couple of the twists figured out, but I didn’t grasp the full picture until the end. Even then, I had to think about the ending to make sure everything made sense; a little more exposition would have been nice. Nate is fun to be around as always, and the rest of the cast is interesting as well. As a PI novel, there’s a little more language and violence than in the typical novels I read, but it was still minimal. The use of slang from the time is a bit over the top, but it does help bring the period to life. Fans of the genre will be glad they picked up this book.
Heal Yourself: Body ~ Mind ~ Spirit
Book
The body wants to return to balance. It just needs the tools to do so. Heal Yourself ~ Body ~ Mind ~...
Body~Mind~Spirit Healing
Leviathan's Song (The Boundlands #1) by Elsie Winters
10.0
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With the magical mafia knocking down the front door, the last thing Elara needs is to follow the...
Paranormal Romance Portal Fantasy Slow Burn Series
Poetry from My Heart: A Journey through Feelings
Book
Poetry: writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience, in language...
Poetry
Loving the Enemy (7 Forbidden Arts #0)
8.0
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Book
If your father is a powerful criminal, you can't trust anyone, especially not the stranger who saves...
Paranormal Romance Adult
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Cold War (2018) in Movies
Feb 15, 2019
A meditation on love
There are some movies that I can bang the review out the moment I leave the theater (for example, ANY movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson). There are other films that I need to sit with for a few days and sort out my feelings and thoughts about them. Such is the case with the Polish film COLD WAR.
I am an "Oscar completist" and, thus, needed to see this film, not because I am a big fan of foreign films or because I am culturally literate, but because the Director of this film, Pawel Pawlikowski, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Director.
And I'm glad I saw this film, for COLD WAR is a rich, thoughtful, meditation on love and sacrifice that is full of mood and emotion. This film was conceived, written and directed by Pawlikowski and it shows on the screen. There is much heart on display here. It is said that Pawlikowski patterned the two lead characters after the tumultuous relationship of his parents (he even gave them his parents name), so I gotta think there is some knowledge and depth to these characters and their situations that resonate.
I walked into this film not knowing much about the plot or characters and this actually worked in the favor of the film, so I won't say much about it now except to say that this film follows the characters Zula (Joanna Kulig) and Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) as they experience life and love in Poland in the years just following WWII, the "Cold War" years.
As far as the acting goes, both Kulig and Kot are strong and they share a rich chemistry with each other. The film crackled when these two personalities were on the screen together and didn't crackle when they weren't together, so that must say something for their performances. Anyone else on the screen is "fine" (read: forgettable) in service of the plot and the two leads.
But, make no mistake, this film is a Director's film and Pawlikowski deserves the Academy Award nomination he received. The scenes are lush, and very "European" (lots of shots of still objects with a single viola playing in the background). The film was shot in black and white and this really helps the "behind the Iron Curtain" feel of things.
This film was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, and I think it has a good shot for that award (Pawlikowski is, I feel, a long shot for his award). Which makes this film worth seeing, just know you are getting a Polish language film, centered on two characters, with lots of long, lingering "beauty" shots setting up environment and feel. Don't expect fast pacing and action.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
I am an "Oscar completist" and, thus, needed to see this film, not because I am a big fan of foreign films or because I am culturally literate, but because the Director of this film, Pawel Pawlikowski, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Director.
And I'm glad I saw this film, for COLD WAR is a rich, thoughtful, meditation on love and sacrifice that is full of mood and emotion. This film was conceived, written and directed by Pawlikowski and it shows on the screen. There is much heart on display here. It is said that Pawlikowski patterned the two lead characters after the tumultuous relationship of his parents (he even gave them his parents name), so I gotta think there is some knowledge and depth to these characters and their situations that resonate.
I walked into this film not knowing much about the plot or characters and this actually worked in the favor of the film, so I won't say much about it now except to say that this film follows the characters Zula (Joanna Kulig) and Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) as they experience life and love in Poland in the years just following WWII, the "Cold War" years.
As far as the acting goes, both Kulig and Kot are strong and they share a rich chemistry with each other. The film crackled when these two personalities were on the screen together and didn't crackle when they weren't together, so that must say something for their performances. Anyone else on the screen is "fine" (read: forgettable) in service of the plot and the two leads.
But, make no mistake, this film is a Director's film and Pawlikowski deserves the Academy Award nomination he received. The scenes are lush, and very "European" (lots of shots of still objects with a single viola playing in the background). The film was shot in black and white and this really helps the "behind the Iron Curtain" feel of things.
This film was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, and I think it has a good shot for that award (Pawlikowski is, I feel, a long shot for his award). Which makes this film worth seeing, just know you are getting a Polish language film, centered on two characters, with lots of long, lingering "beauty" shots setting up environment and feel. Don't expect fast pacing and action.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)