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ClareR (5779 KP) rated The Golden Rule in Books
Jun 3, 2021
I really enjoyed The Golden Rule, and I was intrigued as to how it was going to link to Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train AND Beauty and the Beast. Well, the first of those was obvious. Hannah, whilst travelling to Cornwall to see her terminally ill mother, is convinced by a woman in First Class to sit with her and drink a bottle of wine. Whilst drinking, they swap stories of their terrible husbands (and Hannah’s husband really does come across as an abusive and thoroughly unpleasant person), and Hannah’s fellow traveller, Jinni, comes up with the idea that they should kill each other’s husbands. Two problems would be solved. Now this is the part of the book that made me pick it up in the first place. After all - how intriguing is this idea? Could Hannah trust that a complete stranger would stick to her side of the bargain? And what’s more, Hannah seems so nice - could she kill a complete stranger? Well. That was ME hooked!
This is a novel that not only looks at abusive partners and the effects their behaviours have on those around them, but also brings in such topics as Brexit, and why certain regions in the UK (i.e. Cornwall) voted for it, when it was clear that they’d get nothing out of it. It looks at poverty in London and the South West, and how the rich seem to asset strip the poor areas of the country even more, even under the pretence that they’re adding value. It’s about how a person can reinvent themselves despite the hurdles put in front of them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and finished the last page feeling as though I’d just read a really good, satisfying book. I’d most definitely recommend it!
This is a novel that not only looks at abusive partners and the effects their behaviours have on those around them, but also brings in such topics as Brexit, and why certain regions in the UK (i.e. Cornwall) voted for it, when it was clear that they’d get nothing out of it. It looks at poverty in London and the South West, and how the rich seem to asset strip the poor areas of the country even more, even under the pretence that they’re adding value. It’s about how a person can reinvent themselves despite the hurdles put in front of them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and finished the last page feeling as though I’d just read a really good, satisfying book. I’d most definitely recommend it!
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Nobody (2021) in Movies
Jun 8, 2021
Contains spoilers, click to show
Nobody is what you get when you cross 'John Wick', 'Falling Down' and throw in a pinch of the British T.V. show 'The Prisoner'.
Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is a seemingly normal family man who would let robbers take his money to make sure his son doesn't get shot, However, Hutch has a secret past which he has to turn to when events spiral out of control.
Bob Odenkirk plays Hutch well and manages an interesting take on the 'Past warrior/now family man' trope, most of the time the characters past is acknowledged/known by other characters and the viewer but Hutch comes across as a normal boring man whilst most of the other male characters seem to all be stronger than he is and the film slowly builds up to show us just how 'bad ass' he really is. And this leads to one of the problems with 'Nobody', it is obvious that Hutch's children know nothing of his past life but I was never sure of how much his wife, Becca, knew. From the beginning you assume she knows nothing, however as the film goes on Hutch and Becca refer to how things were before and some times it seems like she knew and even worked with Hutch whilst other times they could just be referring to earlier in there relationship and Becca's behaviour both seems to indicate that she does and doesn't know about Hutches past .
The action scenes are good with Hutch being a 'John Wick light' or a 'MacGyver', using guns and traps more than improvised weapons but still being able to make the fights entertaining.
Over all 'Nobody' is a good, entertaining film and well worth a watch and, lets face it, anything with Christopher Lloyd in it can't be all bad.
Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is a seemingly normal family man who would let robbers take his money to make sure his son doesn't get shot, However, Hutch has a secret past which he has to turn to when events spiral out of control.
Bob Odenkirk plays Hutch well and manages an interesting take on the 'Past warrior/now family man' trope, most of the time the characters past is acknowledged/known by other characters and the viewer but Hutch comes across as a normal boring man whilst most of the other male characters seem to all be stronger than he is and the film slowly builds up to show us just how 'bad ass' he really is. And this leads to one of the problems with 'Nobody', it is obvious that Hutch's children know nothing of his past life but I was never sure of how much his wife, Becca, knew. From the beginning you assume she knows nothing, however as the film goes on Hutch and Becca refer to how things were before and some times it seems like she knew and even worked with Hutch whilst other times they could just be referring to earlier in there relationship and Becca's behaviour both seems to indicate that she does and doesn't know about Hutches past .
The action scenes are good with Hutch being a 'John Wick light' or a 'MacGyver', using guns and traps more than improvised weapons but still being able to make the fights entertaining.
Over all 'Nobody' is a good, entertaining film and well worth a watch and, lets face it, anything with Christopher Lloyd in it can't be all bad.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Halloween (2007) in Movies
Jun 3, 2021
The original Halloween is such a goddam incredible movie, that anytime the franchise has tried to stray too far from its roots, the wheels just come off. The psychic stuff in Halloween 5 just didn't work. The cult stuff in Halloween 6 just didn't work. The found footage stuff in Resurrection just didn't work. This time around, it's a remake of the original, directed by Rob Zombie. His particular brand of hateful characters and nasty dialogue can be effective in other corners of horror, but when applied to the Halloween template, you guessed it, it just doesn't work.
It has its moments - Malcolm McDowell is great as Dr Loomis, and the towering behemoth of a Michael Myers we get her is genuinely fucking terrifying. There's also a fine selection of genre icons here and there - Dee Wallace, Brad Dourif, Clint Howard, Ken Foree, Sybil Danning, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Danny Trejo, Danielle Harris - it's an impressive roster for sure.
All of this isn't enough to lift this remake above all of its problems however.
None of the characters are particularly likable, and it's off pacing make for a bloated experience, an issue that's further exacerbated by the more widely available Directors Cut, which further pans out its runtime with an horrifically unnecessary rape scene.
I can appreciate the decision to explore the origins of Michael, but the end results are very mixed. When the familiar stuff kicks off halfway through, it's actually kind of boring. It manages to ape the original at every turn, whilst simultaneously feeling disrespectful with it's token RZ tropes.
All in all, Halloween is a remake that I wouldn't take issue with, but the decision to put Zombie in the driver's seat results in a movie that doesn't feel like it belongs anywhere. An inferior re-tread in every aspect, that leaves a bitter after taste.
It has its moments - Malcolm McDowell is great as Dr Loomis, and the towering behemoth of a Michael Myers we get her is genuinely fucking terrifying. There's also a fine selection of genre icons here and there - Dee Wallace, Brad Dourif, Clint Howard, Ken Foree, Sybil Danning, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Danny Trejo, Danielle Harris - it's an impressive roster for sure.
All of this isn't enough to lift this remake above all of its problems however.
None of the characters are particularly likable, and it's off pacing make for a bloated experience, an issue that's further exacerbated by the more widely available Directors Cut, which further pans out its runtime with an horrifically unnecessary rape scene.
I can appreciate the decision to explore the origins of Michael, but the end results are very mixed. When the familiar stuff kicks off halfway through, it's actually kind of boring. It manages to ape the original at every turn, whilst simultaneously feeling disrespectful with it's token RZ tropes.
All in all, Halloween is a remake that I wouldn't take issue with, but the decision to put Zombie in the driver's seat results in a movie that doesn't feel like it belongs anywhere. An inferior re-tread in every aspect, that leaves a bitter after taste.
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated The Woman in the Window (2021) in Movies
Jul 26, 2021
A woman, Anna, wakes up and we get a view around her home, followed by a conversation with her daughter and her husband. We see her watching her neighbours before engaging in a therapy session. It is soon clear that Anna has problems. She has attempted suicide, has a drinking problem and is agrophobic meaning she is too scared to leave the house.
One evening her new neighbours son Ethan, comes over to introduce himself and they get talking, but something is worrying him. The next day his judgemental mum, Jane, comes over after Anna's House is egged on Halloween and they also get talking, but she is worried about her son and husband. That same evening, the husband comes over asking her if his family had come to see her, she lies and says no.
One evening whilst in the bath, Anna hears a scream coming from her new neighbours house, she speaks to Ethan who is clearly distraught but won't say why. Then whilst watching them again, she witnesses a brutal crime where a Russell family member is stabbed, but when she reports it nobody believes her, so she decides to try and find out what happened, which isn't going to be easy for someone with agrophobic.
I want to say I have never seen a movie like this before, and in truth I haven't, but I have seen a very similar storyline on the simpsons, when Bart thinks ned flanders has killed maude, it even plays out in a similar way.
It was an interesting movie though, with so many twists that I didn't see coming and it kept me interested right to the end. I did feel the end wasn't In keeping with the tone of the movie though, it started off like a psychological thriller but ended like a teen Slasher.
One evening her new neighbours son Ethan, comes over to introduce himself and they get talking, but something is worrying him. The next day his judgemental mum, Jane, comes over after Anna's House is egged on Halloween and they also get talking, but she is worried about her son and husband. That same evening, the husband comes over asking her if his family had come to see her, she lies and says no.
One evening whilst in the bath, Anna hears a scream coming from her new neighbours house, she speaks to Ethan who is clearly distraught but won't say why. Then whilst watching them again, she witnesses a brutal crime where a Russell family member is stabbed, but when she reports it nobody believes her, so she decides to try and find out what happened, which isn't going to be easy for someone with agrophobic.
I want to say I have never seen a movie like this before, and in truth I haven't, but I have seen a very similar storyline on the simpsons, when Bart thinks ned flanders has killed maude, it even plays out in a similar way.
It was an interesting movie though, with so many twists that I didn't see coming and it kept me interested right to the end. I did feel the end wasn't In keeping with the tone of the movie though, it started off like a psychological thriller but ended like a teen Slasher.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Foster Child in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This story is told from multiple perspectives, but mainly, Imogen and Ellie are the ones sharing their feelings and thoughts. I liked Imogen as a character, but sometimes her actions and decisions were silly and not very thought through. Ellie was a mystery from the beginning till the end, and I kind of liked that the author left this mystical aura surrounding Ellie until the last sentence of the book. All the characters in this book were quite disturbed, carrying some baggage from their pasts.
The narrative of this novel was quite tense, there always were little incidents related to Ellie, that made this book very absorbing. I liked the topics this book discussed, such as pregnancy, parental love, bullying, fighting your fears, child’s behaviour problems, attachment, and many more. I enjoyed all the little twists and turns the author threw in this in this book, it made this book a true page-turner.
The writing style of this novel was easy to read, but quite confusing. Till the last page, I could not understand what was going on with Ellie. In some places, it seems that she was supernatural, and in other places, it was brushed off as fabrication, so this thing did leave me baffled. The chapters had a very decent length and they didn’t leave me bored. The ending of the book was quite surprising but it rounded the story very nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this psychological thriller, it has very complex and disturbed characters, as well as the plot that is always trying to confuse the reader, and filled with turns, twists and very important topics.
The narrative of this novel was quite tense, there always were little incidents related to Ellie, that made this book very absorbing. I liked the topics this book discussed, such as pregnancy, parental love, bullying, fighting your fears, child’s behaviour problems, attachment, and many more. I enjoyed all the little twists and turns the author threw in this in this book, it made this book a true page-turner.
The writing style of this novel was easy to read, but quite confusing. Till the last page, I could not understand what was going on with Ellie. In some places, it seems that she was supernatural, and in other places, it was brushed off as fabrication, so this thing did leave me baffled. The chapters had a very decent length and they didn’t leave me bored. The ending of the book was quite surprising but it rounded the story very nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this psychological thriller, it has very complex and disturbed characters, as well as the plot that is always trying to confuse the reader, and filled with turns, twists and very important topics.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Other Sister in Books
Sep 24, 2020
Did you read the description of this book? Did it leave you intrigued and curious? It definitely did to me. This book is about Willow, talent agents PA who struggles with her love life, but when one day her ex stepdaughter shows up by her door, her life turns around making her realise what she wants from life.
Willow is very interesting character, who has messed up mind, great confusion in her life and very low self esteem. Surprisingly that makes her quite relatable to common person. There were always secret mentioned which influenced why Willow is the way she is , but it was very well kept till the end of the book, and let me tell you one thing, that secret got me really disturbed, I was not expecting that. Other characters are quite interesting as well, but the book mainly concentrates about Willow and her problems. The book was written only from Willow’s perspective and did not portray the feelings and thoughts of other characters, which is a bit of a bummer, because I would not mind knowing what was going on in the stepdaughter’s and the men’s in her life minds.
The story of this book is very well thought through and very interesting to read. There are lots of twists and turns with a hint of magic (or was it not?). One thing to point out though, the ending of the book is quite predictable, but it did not disappoint me. I think this book is a real treat and I would strongly recommend it. It is witty, beautiful, compelling but at the same time sorrowful. There are a lot of things going on in this book so it will not bore you.
Willow is very interesting character, who has messed up mind, great confusion in her life and very low self esteem. Surprisingly that makes her quite relatable to common person. There were always secret mentioned which influenced why Willow is the way she is , but it was very well kept till the end of the book, and let me tell you one thing, that secret got me really disturbed, I was not expecting that. Other characters are quite interesting as well, but the book mainly concentrates about Willow and her problems. The book was written only from Willow’s perspective and did not portray the feelings and thoughts of other characters, which is a bit of a bummer, because I would not mind knowing what was going on in the stepdaughter’s and the men’s in her life minds.
The story of this book is very well thought through and very interesting to read. There are lots of twists and turns with a hint of magic (or was it not?). One thing to point out though, the ending of the book is quite predictable, but it did not disappoint me. I think this book is a real treat and I would strongly recommend it. It is witty, beautiful, compelling but at the same time sorrowful. There are a lot of things going on in this book so it will not bore you.
I read book 7, several months ago and enjoyed it.
This one follows Ivy, who we saw quite a lot of in the previous book since she was one of Sadie's best friends, who owns the areas best taco truck with its spicy food. It's as she's getting ready for the breakfast crowd that she bumps into Kel, a sheriff visiting family in the area for a few weeks and an instant attraction blooms between them. They both try to fight it but keep being drawn back to each other.
I think I liked this more than Playing for Keeps. Kel's protective nature and Ivy's don't-get-close-to-me-because-I-wont-stick-around attitude sort of made me want them to get under each others skin and they did, in a big way. Admittedly it took a while before anything happened but we had hot glances and interesting conversations. Both of them are damaged in some ways. Ivy never really had a parent so she's wary of letting people get close as she's scared of what might happen and Kel keeps himself detached from relationships and blames it on his job for not staying around.
What I did enjoy was seeing them working through their problems so they could be with each other. It wasn't easy to get over them and it wasn't until near the end of the book that they finally got together and it was sweet.
I really like this group of friends. They're the ones who'll stick with you through thick and thin and won't shy away from any problem you might have. I wish I'd read all the previous books - books 1-6 - so I could see how some of these couples got together but I will be keeping my eye out for more books in this series.
This one follows Ivy, who we saw quite a lot of in the previous book since she was one of Sadie's best friends, who owns the areas best taco truck with its spicy food. It's as she's getting ready for the breakfast crowd that she bumps into Kel, a sheriff visiting family in the area for a few weeks and an instant attraction blooms between them. They both try to fight it but keep being drawn back to each other.
I think I liked this more than Playing for Keeps. Kel's protective nature and Ivy's don't-get-close-to-me-because-I-wont-stick-around attitude sort of made me want them to get under each others skin and they did, in a big way. Admittedly it took a while before anything happened but we had hot glances and interesting conversations. Both of them are damaged in some ways. Ivy never really had a parent so she's wary of letting people get close as she's scared of what might happen and Kel keeps himself detached from relationships and blames it on his job for not staying around.
What I did enjoy was seeing them working through their problems so they could be with each other. It wasn't easy to get over them and it wasn't until near the end of the book that they finally got together and it was sweet.
I really like this group of friends. They're the ones who'll stick with you through thick and thin and won't shy away from any problem you might have. I wish I'd read all the previous books - books 1-6 - so I could see how some of these couples got together but I will be keeping my eye out for more books in this series.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2269 KP) rated Crime of the Ancient Marinara in Books
Jan 27, 2021
Good Mystery Smothered
After a month of hard work, Nell Valenti is ready to oversee the opening of Villa Orlandini as a cooking school lead by the famous Chef Orlandini. In fact, the first group of Americans are arriving at the Tuscany villa in just a couple of days. Nell is hoping that the worst of her problems will be Chef’s broken arm, a bocce ball accident. But then the guests arrive, and they aren’t what Nell is expecting. They seem to be a difficult lot. When one of them is poisoned by Chef’s famous marinara, Nell realizes she has real trouble on her hands. Can she figure out what is going on?
While I did struggle with some things in the first book in the series, I still enjoyed it. Unfortunately, those same issues are present here. The most prominent is Nell’s struggle with Italian. While we always know what is going on, it is presented in such a way that it keeps us out of the story. It’s a shame because I do like the returning characters, and the suspects grow as the story progresses. The mystery takes a while to truly get going, although we are meeting suspects. It’s a shame the pacing isn’t better since there is a good mystery buried in the book. There was a major editing error, as well, that resulted in a character being in two places at once. The book left me craving Italian food, so the recipes at the end are a nice bonus. The first book had its fans, and they will enjoy this entry as well. But if you struggled with the first one, you’ll struggle with this one.
While I did struggle with some things in the first book in the series, I still enjoyed it. Unfortunately, those same issues are present here. The most prominent is Nell’s struggle with Italian. While we always know what is going on, it is presented in such a way that it keeps us out of the story. It’s a shame because I do like the returning characters, and the suspects grow as the story progresses. The mystery takes a while to truly get going, although we are meeting suspects. It’s a shame the pacing isn’t better since there is a good mystery buried in the book. There was a major editing error, as well, that resulted in a character being in two places at once. The book left me craving Italian food, so the recipes at the end are a nice bonus. The first book had its fans, and they will enjoy this entry as well. But if you struggled with the first one, you’ll struggle with this one.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Kahayatle (Apocalypsis, #1) in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I can't actually remember where I got this - probably Instafreebie or from the author's newsletter - but I know I got my copy for free.
The book's about a couple of kids coming together after the death of every adult and young child. It's hard to survive, with everyone fighting over any supplies, but things are getting really bad - as in, cannibalism bad.
Bryn partners herself with the skinny, gay kid hiding next door, despite knowing he's not gonna be much help in the defense department. He tells her about the death of his little sister - eaten by other kids. They decide it's no longer safe to stay where they are, and are proven right when attacked inside their home. They plan to retreat to the everglades, where the swamps should be inhospitable enough for others to avoid them, but still safe enough to survive in. On their way, they find Bodo, a German exchange student.
Eventually, they do end up at their destination. But the everglades - or Kahayatle, as the indians call it - hold many new problems.
I did notice a fair few grammar mistakes, and just generally found this book a little unprofessional at times. Often, I find unprofessional books really hard to read - but I actually enjoyed this. I'm even considering buying (or borrowing) the rest of the series.
The tiny bits of romance did seem a little out-of-place, not integrated particularly well sometimes. But I suppose it'll be developed later in the series, and I didn't find it too lovey or anything, which is definitely good.
With a bit more polishing, I think this could easily be a 4 star book. But for now, I'm going to give it 3.5. It was a good read, but there are some improvements that could be made.
The book's about a couple of kids coming together after the death of every adult and young child. It's hard to survive, with everyone fighting over any supplies, but things are getting really bad - as in, cannibalism bad.
Bryn partners herself with the skinny, gay kid hiding next door, despite knowing he's not gonna be much help in the defense department. He tells her about the death of his little sister - eaten by other kids. They decide it's no longer safe to stay where they are, and are proven right when attacked inside their home. They plan to retreat to the everglades, where the swamps should be inhospitable enough for others to avoid them, but still safe enough to survive in. On their way, they find Bodo, a German exchange student.
Eventually, they do end up at their destination. But the everglades - or Kahayatle, as the indians call it - hold many new problems.
I did notice a fair few grammar mistakes, and just generally found this book a little unprofessional at times. Often, I find unprofessional books really hard to read - but I actually enjoyed this. I'm even considering buying (or borrowing) the rest of the series.
The tiny bits of romance did seem a little out-of-place, not integrated particularly well sometimes. But I suppose it'll be developed later in the series, and I didn't find it too lovey or anything, which is definitely good.
With a bit more polishing, I think this could easily be a 4 star book. But for now, I'm going to give it 3.5. It was a good read, but there are some improvements that could be made.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated The Bunker Diary in Books
Jun 24, 2019
Read the original review: https://bookmarkedreading.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/book-review-the-bunker-diary/
The whole idea of this book really intrigued me. A 16-year-old boy, Linus, is kidnapped off the street and stuck in what appears to be an underground bunker. The book is written as his diary, like the title suggests. There are a few diagrams to help the reader visualise the scene, and it's full of Linus's thoughts and ideas as well as the events that take place.
The ending was so unexpected, and I absolutely adored it. It wasn't a typical happy ending. It wasn't even a resolved ending. Everything sort of just fades out, and it ends mid-sentence followed by numerous empty pages. I suppose this is what makes it more realistic, and more like someone's diary.
Linus is followed by five other people in the bunker; little Jenny, Anja, Fred, Bird and Russell. Tensions are high, and they're faced with numerous horrific problems. They can't find a way to escape, and although things are bearable at first, The Man Upstairs soon stops sending down food supplies or providing heating or energy. Everyone is struggling to survive, to keep up hope. But there doesn't seem to be a way out, a way to contact the outside world.
Eventually, things start to really go downhill. People start to lose their lives in numerous horrendous ways, and there's only so long a group of people can survive for without food, water, heat, or electricity. The pain seems endless.
This is such an exciting book, where you never know what's coming next. It was even rather emotional, and extremely hard to contemplate being in such horrible circumstances. I really enjoyed The Bunker Diary and all the plots it includes. An easy 4 stars for this.
The whole idea of this book really intrigued me. A 16-year-old boy, Linus, is kidnapped off the street and stuck in what appears to be an underground bunker. The book is written as his diary, like the title suggests. There are a few diagrams to help the reader visualise the scene, and it's full of Linus's thoughts and ideas as well as the events that take place.
The ending was so unexpected, and I absolutely adored it. It wasn't a typical happy ending. It wasn't even a resolved ending. Everything sort of just fades out, and it ends mid-sentence followed by numerous empty pages. I suppose this is what makes it more realistic, and more like someone's diary.
Linus is followed by five other people in the bunker; little Jenny, Anja, Fred, Bird and Russell. Tensions are high, and they're faced with numerous horrific problems. They can't find a way to escape, and although things are bearable at first, The Man Upstairs soon stops sending down food supplies or providing heating or energy. Everyone is struggling to survive, to keep up hope. But there doesn't seem to be a way out, a way to contact the outside world.
Eventually, things start to really go downhill. People start to lose their lives in numerous horrendous ways, and there's only so long a group of people can survive for without food, water, heat, or electricity. The pain seems endless.
This is such an exciting book, where you never know what's coming next. It was even rather emotional, and extremely hard to contemplate being in such horrible circumstances. I really enjoyed The Bunker Diary and all the plots it includes. An easy 4 stars for this.