Search
Search results
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Mary Poppins Returns (2018) in Movies
Jun 16, 2019
Plodding...
I had heard and seen all the mediocre reviews for this, but I still wanted to give it a try for myself with my wife last night.
Basically Mary Poppins returns to the Banks household for additional assistance. The original children are grown up and now have problems of their own including unruly children and the bank trying to foreclose and repossess their house. What are they to do?
The film had some fun musical numbers like when Mary send the kids to go take a bath; however, none of the musical numbers hold a candle to the original.
It honestly felt the entire film they were trying too hard to be too close to the original story in almost every way without much variation or surprises at all. I know others had mentioned the Meryl Streep scene as being unnecessary and I completely agree. Her character brought nothing to the story and the entire film could've been like 20 - 30 minutes shorter. The middle and 3rd act dragged on incessantly and was a lot darker like the sequence where all the guys are climbing the clock near the end.
I love Emily Blunt as well, but she really seemed like she was trying to do her Julie Andrews impression instead of making the character her own. Maybe that is asking too much.
The movie had some fun cameos which were a delight, but overall not enough to save this somewhat dull and unnecessary film.
Basically Mary Poppins returns to the Banks household for additional assistance. The original children are grown up and now have problems of their own including unruly children and the bank trying to foreclose and repossess their house. What are they to do?
The film had some fun musical numbers like when Mary send the kids to go take a bath; however, none of the musical numbers hold a candle to the original.
It honestly felt the entire film they were trying too hard to be too close to the original story in almost every way without much variation or surprises at all. I know others had mentioned the Meryl Streep scene as being unnecessary and I completely agree. Her character brought nothing to the story and the entire film could've been like 20 - 30 minutes shorter. The middle and 3rd act dragged on incessantly and was a lot darker like the sequence where all the guys are climbing the clock near the end.
I love Emily Blunt as well, but she really seemed like she was trying to do her Julie Andrews impression instead of making the character her own. Maybe that is asking too much.
The movie had some fun cameos which were a delight, but overall not enough to save this somewhat dull and unnecessary film.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Her Vampire Husband (Wicked Games, #3) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I really shouldnt have had such high hopes for this novel. I mean the entire premise of the book is about a werewold princess who marries an elder vampire in hopes that their people would stop killing each other. Really? An entire novel about that? Honey, that is the subplot in half of the other paranormal romance novels I read. What made Hauf think she could she could write an entire novel about a simple idea and expect to impress me?
First off, there is nothing more annoying than a female protagonists who hides her problems behind a mask of fake strength and apathy. Seriously, they are only hurting themselves, making a relationship with anyone impossible. And just ends up annoying the hell out of me. How about they actually go take care of their problem? Nope, thats too simple. Seriously, writers, you need to stop creating these types of characters.
I thought that because of them being enemies and of different races, it would actually make this book interesting. How wrong I was. The main couple lacked chemistry even as they were playfully bantering and ogling each others body. I felt that they were just two sexually frustrated people forced to live with each other instead of two people thrown together who eventually fall in love. In fact, it was one of those novels where one page, they were at odds, and the next they were in love.
Oh disappointment, how you leave a bitter taste in my mouth.
First off, there is nothing more annoying than a female protagonists who hides her problems behind a mask of fake strength and apathy. Seriously, they are only hurting themselves, making a relationship with anyone impossible. And just ends up annoying the hell out of me. How about they actually go take care of their problem? Nope, thats too simple. Seriously, writers, you need to stop creating these types of characters.
I thought that because of them being enemies and of different races, it would actually make this book interesting. How wrong I was. The main couple lacked chemistry even as they were playfully bantering and ogling each others body. I felt that they were just two sexually frustrated people forced to live with each other instead of two people thrown together who eventually fall in love. In fact, it was one of those novels where one page, they were at odds, and the next they were in love.
Oh disappointment, how you leave a bitter taste in my mouth.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated The Blessings in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I had been hearing some positive things about this book around the library and so I decided to give it a read, not knowing what to really expect. It wound up being a very relatable and enjoyable book. There isn't really much by way of a plot, rather each chapter winds up being basically a short story about one member of a very close, extended Irish Catholic Philadelphia family over the course of several decades. They are all connected, and so answers that aren't necessarily provided during the course of one person's "story" wind up being provided during someone else's. Each character is both different enough from the others and fully fleshed-out enough to keep things interesting, and the choice to follow different people in each chapter makes it hard to guess where things may be heading next. There are certainly some surprises in store for members of the family throughout. Growing up with a large family that was very close makes many of the moments immediately resonate with me, and some of the problems faced throughout the course of the novel strike close to home as well. Still, the aforementioned lack of plot makes it feel somewhat uneventful when all is said and done. The Blessings do wind up being a great cast of characters though, and the family's unwavering love for and faith in each other no matter how much life throws at them is a joy to behold, and that alone makes this one of the better works of fiction you might run across this Summer.
HLD (99 KP) rated God of War in Video Games
Jun 12, 2018
A new direction for the franchise (2 more)
Beautiful - as always
You really see another dimension to Kratos. The hack and slash psycho of the past is only slightly present in this.
Balls to the wall fun
When I first started playing this, I was disappointed that there weren't a multitude of Gods to rip apart as I slowly but surely upgraded Kratos to defeat the main God... However, it didn't take long for me to get into the swing of things.
The real story is of Kratos and Atreus - father and son, who appear more like uncle and recently orphaned nephew. They start out with the kind of relationship you might have with the local drunk who buys alcohol for underage kids.
They have their problems, and Baldur, the main antagonist, has a HOST of mummy issues.
While he is threatening throughout - he can't die after all. You never feel like he's going to kill Kartos, even if he is immortal.
The story is fresh and definitely a new direction for Kartos' character, but the only real challenge were the Valkyries, who aren't really a part of the main story.
All in all, it's the first in what is clearly going to be a new set of games taking on a fresh story for the God killer. It's fun and exciting, but it leaves the opportunity to really dive into this new world that we find ourselves in for future games.
The real story is of Kratos and Atreus - father and son, who appear more like uncle and recently orphaned nephew. They start out with the kind of relationship you might have with the local drunk who buys alcohol for underage kids.
They have their problems, and Baldur, the main antagonist, has a HOST of mummy issues.
While he is threatening throughout - he can't die after all. You never feel like he's going to kill Kartos, even if he is immortal.
The story is fresh and definitely a new direction for Kartos' character, but the only real challenge were the Valkyries, who aren't really a part of the main story.
All in all, it's the first in what is clearly going to be a new set of games taking on a fresh story for the God killer. It's fun and exciting, but it leaves the opportunity to really dive into this new world that we find ourselves in for future games.
Merissa (11953 KP) rated Queen Wolf (Triad Mates #1) in Books
Oct 15, 2018
Queen Wolf (Triad Mates #1) by Erin M. Leaf
Queen Wolf is the first book in the Triad Mates series, and we start off with a boom! Quite specifically, the boom that follows something being set alight. Avery has decided to burn her ex's old porn magazines, and takes great delight in doing so. Although part of a pack, Avery doesn't feel like she belongs, for a number of reasons. However, times are a-changing for the pack, and that has a major impact on Avery and her life too.
I love Erin M. Leaf's books, and always look forward to reading them. This book was no different. We have wolves, we have a triad, and we have sneaky stuff going on that is causing trouble for them all. What could be better?
First books in a new series can always be tricky. It's hard getting the world building just right without info-dumping on the poor reader. However, this is set in 'our' world, which means the author has been able to concentrate on the pack and how it works, including the problems it now finds itself with.
I loved the world building in this book, and that, coupled with strong characters and no editing or grammatical errors, means I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next book in the series. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
I love Erin M. Leaf's books, and always look forward to reading them. This book was no different. We have wolves, we have a triad, and we have sneaky stuff going on that is causing trouble for them all. What could be better?
First books in a new series can always be tricky. It's hard getting the world building just right without info-dumping on the poor reader. However, this is set in 'our' world, which means the author has been able to concentrate on the pack and how it works, including the problems it now finds itself with.
I loved the world building in this book, and that, coupled with strong characters and no editing or grammatical errors, means I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next book in the series. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Mister in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Alessia Demachi has left her country of Albania in order to avoid being married to a violent man and is now in London. She is working for Maxim Trevelyan as his cleaner. She comes and does her job and then leaves. When she first spots Mister Maxim naked across his bed, she can't believe her eyes. And he has this wonderful piano in his apartment that she enjoys playing when he is not there. But life is not easy for Alessia and she is constantly looking over her shoulder so she is not found by the people who brought her here and are trying to traffic her.
Maxim has just lost his brother and inherited the keys to the Earldom. This is not the life he wanted, but it is the life he now has. When he meets Alessia, he is at first shocked, since he didn't know she was now working for him and then intrigued by her beauty. Will he be able to maintain the employer/employee relationship, or will this develop into something else?
I know this book isn't a literary masterpiece, but for the most part, I enjoyed it. I wanted to know what was going to happen and when. I liked this a little better than Fifty Shades since it didn't have all the BDSM associated with it. If you like 50 Shades, you should like this one too.
One of my biggest problems with this book is that the main character's name is so much like my daughter's. Other than that, it was a quick read.
Maxim has just lost his brother and inherited the keys to the Earldom. This is not the life he wanted, but it is the life he now has. When he meets Alessia, he is at first shocked, since he didn't know she was now working for him and then intrigued by her beauty. Will he be able to maintain the employer/employee relationship, or will this develop into something else?
I know this book isn't a literary masterpiece, but for the most part, I enjoyed it. I wanted to know what was going to happen and when. I liked this a little better than Fifty Shades since it didn't have all the BDSM associated with it. If you like 50 Shades, you should like this one too.
One of my biggest problems with this book is that the main character's name is so much like my daughter's. Other than that, it was a quick read.
ClareR (5674 KP) rated Last Request in Books
Oct 28, 2019
I had a mixed experience reading Last Request on The Pigeonhole app. I liked the storyline, but the main character Nikita (Nikki) Patel wasn’t particularly likeable. She’s very involved in her job which seems to take precedence over everything, including her family. I get that she has her mum, sister and the father of two of her three children to look after them, and I doubt I’d think twice if she was a man, but there is a pivotal part in the story where she really needed to talk to her eldest daughter, and she seemed to do everything in her power to avoid her. Not good.
Aside from that, I quite liked the other characters. Her work partner, Sajid, and his actual partner are great: very supportive of Nikki, and they go above and beyond their work roles where she’s concerned.
The action was non-stop, with the bones of murder victims turning up all over the place, and a drug dealer causing problems. I don’t think Nikki sleeps for most of the book (which might explain her mood).
This kept me guessing up to the end - although I did guess who did it before the big reveal (most unusual for me!). It did take me a while though, and indicative of how we were drip fed the evidence, just as the police were.
I would be interested to read the next in the series, especially if it’s going to go the way I think it might!
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to Liz Mistry for reading along!
Aside from that, I quite liked the other characters. Her work partner, Sajid, and his actual partner are great: very supportive of Nikki, and they go above and beyond their work roles where she’s concerned.
The action was non-stop, with the bones of murder victims turning up all over the place, and a drug dealer causing problems. I don’t think Nikki sleeps for most of the book (which might explain her mood).
This kept me guessing up to the end - although I did guess who did it before the big reveal (most unusual for me!). It did take me a while though, and indicative of how we were drip fed the evidence, just as the police were.
I would be interested to read the next in the series, especially if it’s going to go the way I think it might!
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to Liz Mistry for reading along!
CarolCorps1592 (21 KP) rated the Xbox 360 version of Dragon Age Inquisition in Video Games
Jan 21, 2019
Dragons for All
I am a huge fan of the Dragon Age games and was so excited to play this one. Even though it had a lot of great aspects, there were a few problems that made it so it is my least favorite of the games. DAI is amazing because it takes the things everyone loved about the first two and expanded on them. The characters and story lines are so spectacular. I loved how they played into the last two games and each of the characters are unique and fun. The romances are fantastic and have you laughing your butt off at times. However, they were a lot more limited this time. While it was more realistic for the romances options to have preferences, it's still kind of disappointing to not be able to romance everyone regardless of race or gender. That also leads to the disappointment in character customization. I love that they added a new race, but felt that they should have added more than that. I also love how the game is more open world, however I wonder if they were quite ready for it. For me there were a lot of areas that took me way too long to get into (not due the area being closed). There were also quite a few bugs throughout the game that made it really hard to play at times. Regardless of any issues, I still love to play the game and can't wait for the next in the series.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Private: No. 1 Suspect: (Private 4) in Books
Jan 20, 2020
So good!
Contains spoilers, click to show
Unsolvable cases
Since former Marine Jack Morgan started Private, it has become the world's most effective investigation firm--sought out by the famous and the powerful to discreetly handle their most intimate problems. Private's investigators are the smartest, the fastest, and the most technologically advanced in the world--and they always uncover the truth.
Impossible murders
When his former lover is found murdered in Jack Morgan's bed, he is instantly the number one suspect. While Jack is under police investigation, the mob strong-arms him into recovering $30 million in stolen pharmaceuticals for them. And the beautiful manager of a luxury hotel chain persuades him to quietly investigate a string of murders at her properties.
The #1 suspect is Jack Morgan
While Jack is fighting for his life, one of his most trusted colleagues threatens to leave Private, and Jack realizes he is confronting the cleverest and most powerful enemies ever. With more action, more intrigue, and more twists than ever before, PRIVATE #1 SUSPECT is James Patterson at his unstoppable best.
My view
Oh that was so much better than the last one. Back in the states with Jack on a murder charge, the mob pulling in favours and a movie star in trouble. It was well written and flowed brilliantly. I do like this series. Jack needs to sort that brother of his out for good soon having Colleen killed was one step to far! I have a strong dislike for Tommy!
Recommended
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Since former Marine Jack Morgan started Private, it has become the world's most effective investigation firm--sought out by the famous and the powerful to discreetly handle their most intimate problems. Private's investigators are the smartest, the fastest, and the most technologically advanced in the world--and they always uncover the truth.
Impossible murders
When his former lover is found murdered in Jack Morgan's bed, he is instantly the number one suspect. While Jack is under police investigation, the mob strong-arms him into recovering $30 million in stolen pharmaceuticals for them. And the beautiful manager of a luxury hotel chain persuades him to quietly investigate a string of murders at her properties.
The #1 suspect is Jack Morgan
While Jack is fighting for his life, one of his most trusted colleagues threatens to leave Private, and Jack realizes he is confronting the cleverest and most powerful enemies ever. With more action, more intrigue, and more twists than ever before, PRIVATE #1 SUSPECT is James Patterson at his unstoppable best.
My view
Oh that was so much better than the last one. Back in the states with Jack on a murder charge, the mob pulling in favours and a movie star in trouble. It was well written and flowed brilliantly. I do like this series. Jack needs to sort that brother of his out for good soon having Colleen killed was one step to far! I have a strong dislike for Tommy!
Recommended
⭐⭐⭐⭐
ACCA F3 Financial Accounting (INT)
Education and Finance
App
Revision Software for ACCA F3 Exam (2017 Exam Syllabus). Over 330 unique questions covering...