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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Girl He Used to Know in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Annika Rose is a beautiful woman living in downtown Chicago. She is 32 years old and she is pretty happy with her life. When she is reunited with Jonathan, her first boyfriend who had disappeared from her life 10 years ago, her world is turned upside down. She has grown so much since the last time she saw Jonathan, but she still has feelings for him. When they decide to give things another try, Annika and Jonathan learn more about themselves and each other than ever before. Will love win this time, and is Annika really different from the girl he used to know.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Heros & Heartbreakers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I've said it many times on my social media while reading this book, that I devoured it. This book grabs you right from the start and draws you in for the long haul. Full of things that will make you laugh, make you cry and even make you gasp. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. I had to find out what was going to happen.
In the story you find out that Annika is a little quirky and that is because she is on the Autism Spectrum. I could really relate to this part of the story, since I have a child on the spectrum myself. There are some people who will accept the quirky habits and learn more about the person and there are others who are cruel and who just won't understand.
The story starts when Jonathan runs into Annika after 10 years in the grocery store. The story flashes back and forth from current day, which is 2001 in the book, to 10 years previously when Jonathan and Annika first met and the development of their relationship. I think this is a book everyone will enjoy.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Heros & Heartbreakers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I've said it many times on my social media while reading this book, that I devoured it. This book grabs you right from the start and draws you in for the long haul. Full of things that will make you laugh, make you cry and even make you gasp. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. I had to find out what was going to happen.
In the story you find out that Annika is a little quirky and that is because she is on the Autism Spectrum. I could really relate to this part of the story, since I have a child on the spectrum myself. There are some people who will accept the quirky habits and learn more about the person and there are others who are cruel and who just won't understand.
The story starts when Jonathan runs into Annika after 10 years in the grocery store. The story flashes back and forth from current day, which is 2001 in the book, to 10 years previously when Jonathan and Annika first met and the development of their relationship. I think this is a book everyone will enjoy.
Mammoth Book of the World Cup
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The Oberon Book of Comic Monologues for Women
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'So Katy Wix has written this book of comic monologues and I may have to steal some of them....
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot (2018) in Movies
Dec 9, 2020
The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot is a fantasticly B-Movie style title, hiding a genuinely touching and quite beautiful character drama.
The film focuses on the life of Calvin Barr, an old man portrayed by Sam Elliott. He's a guy who's lonely, seen some shit in his time, and feeling his age until one day, he's approached by the government to hunt and kill the legendary Bigfoot, and put a stop to a potential world ending plague. Calvin is a bit of a legendary creature himself, having served in WWII, and is said to have killed Hitler himself before it was covered up, and his immunity to this killer plague makes him the perfect candidate.
This quirky other wordly narrative is quite a jarring contrast to the otherwise grounded drama that makes up the rest of the plot. Flashbacks tell of Calvin's life before the war, and how he met the woman he wanted to marry. It's essentially a love story, that veers into bonkers territory at the flick of a switch.
Somehow though, it all works really well. The screenplay is top notch and gives us some engaging characters with a great cast. Sam Elliott has the grizzled old man role down to a tee by now. Aidan Turner plays the younger Calvin, and the relationship between him and Caitlin Fitzgerald's character is believable and touching. Larry Miller also stars as Calvin's brother and the two of them also have decent chemistry.
This movie is overflowing with gorgeous shots. The last third especially is a visual feast, and it's all complimented by a wonderful score, courtesy of Joe Kraemer.
If you're looking for a schlocky bad-good film suggested by the title then you're in the wrong place. This is a charming and quirky character drama with sprinkles of a creature feature, and I can fully see why some might not get on with it, but for me, it just works.
The film focuses on the life of Calvin Barr, an old man portrayed by Sam Elliott. He's a guy who's lonely, seen some shit in his time, and feeling his age until one day, he's approached by the government to hunt and kill the legendary Bigfoot, and put a stop to a potential world ending plague. Calvin is a bit of a legendary creature himself, having served in WWII, and is said to have killed Hitler himself before it was covered up, and his immunity to this killer plague makes him the perfect candidate.
This quirky other wordly narrative is quite a jarring contrast to the otherwise grounded drama that makes up the rest of the plot. Flashbacks tell of Calvin's life before the war, and how he met the woman he wanted to marry. It's essentially a love story, that veers into bonkers territory at the flick of a switch.
Somehow though, it all works really well. The screenplay is top notch and gives us some engaging characters with a great cast. Sam Elliott has the grizzled old man role down to a tee by now. Aidan Turner plays the younger Calvin, and the relationship between him and Caitlin Fitzgerald's character is believable and touching. Larry Miller also stars as Calvin's brother and the two of them also have decent chemistry.
This movie is overflowing with gorgeous shots. The last third especially is a visual feast, and it's all complimented by a wonderful score, courtesy of Joe Kraemer.
If you're looking for a schlocky bad-good film suggested by the title then you're in the wrong place. This is a charming and quirky character drama with sprinkles of a creature feature, and I can fully see why some might not get on with it, but for me, it just works.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Captain Fantastic (2016) in Movies
Aug 24, 2017
Viggo Mortensen and fabulous acting all round (1 more)
Great heartwarming story
The captain is genuinely fantastic
Viggo Mortensen is truly Captain Fantastic in this quirky, indie film about bringing up six children in the wilderness. Isolated from society, he devotes his existence to raising his kids - educating them to think critically, training them to be physically fit and athletic, guiding them in the wild without technology and demonstrating the beauty of co-existing with nature. That's before his wife suddenly dies, and the family journey together out in the real world for her funeral. It raises a lot of thoughtful questions such as is it good to socially isolate children, especially if they can't fit in the future? Or is it better to keep them away from a consumerist, dumbed down society? Interesting, thought-provoking, like an intelligent version of Little Miss Sunshine.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Priestdaddy in Books
Sep 4, 2017
The eccentric and quirky life of a Catholic family
This is an intriguing memoir about the author's experiences of living in an unconventional, but highly religious family, with a Catholic gun-toting priest for a father. It is highly sarcastic, and hilarious at times, reading about Patricia Lockwood's family antics. When I first began this autobiography, I honestly believed it was set in the 1960s as her father disallows the sisters to go to college, instead spending money on guitars, and describing the effects of living next to a radioactive plant. But lo and behold, Lockwood is writing about only a decade ago.
She leads an eccentric lifestyle, following in her family's footsteps, writing poetry and travelling across the US after a marrying a man off the internet. But it also reveals her doubts about their customs and practices, and how she questions the function of the church - especially with claims of molestation. An interesting and enjoyable read.
She leads an eccentric lifestyle, following in her family's footsteps, writing poetry and travelling across the US after a marrying a man off the internet. But it also reveals her doubts about their customs and practices, and how she questions the function of the church - especially with claims of molestation. An interesting and enjoyable read.
ClareR (5879 KP) rated Mouthful of Birds in Books
Apr 11, 2019
An interesting collection of stories.
When I read an anthology of short stories, I don’t expect to like all of them, and I did have my favourites in this collection, with titles such as: ‘Headlights’, ‘Mouthful of Birds’ and ‘Preserves’. These, and the rest of the stories in this collection, all start off as being quite ‘normal’, nothing overly startling, but they’re lulling you in to a false sense of security. They are all decidedly quirky, uncomfortable, menacing stories.
I think collections of stories like this are generally better as books that are dipped in and out of, and used as a palate cleanser every now and again. To read them all one after the other doesn’t do them the justice that they deserve.
I am very interested to see where Schweblin goes with her next novel, she has a very interesting imagination!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Oneworld Publications, for my copy of this book.
I think collections of stories like this are generally better as books that are dipped in and out of, and used as a palate cleanser every now and again. To read them all one after the other doesn’t do them the justice that they deserve.
I am very interested to see where Schweblin goes with her next novel, she has a very interesting imagination!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Oneworld Publications, for my copy of this book.
Sue (5 KP) rated Hair of the Dog in Books
Aug 13, 2018
Winery owner and amateur sleuth Penny Lively is knee deep in another murder. There is trouble at the veterinarian’s office where Cousin Annie is being accused of murder. She is found standing over the body of her business partner and holding the murder weapon. It is not what it looks like so Penny is on the case to find the real murderer and clear Annie’s good name.
The book has a lot of great suspects to choose from; the grieving widow, the fired vet tech, an old friend that’s in love with the grieving widow, a flirty business rep, and a bookkeeper with memory problems. Just when you think you know who the murderer could be, another murder takes place. The characters are quirky and enjoyable, the pace of the book is good, and the plot/mystery has enough twists and turns.
This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone without much confusion.
The book has a lot of great suspects to choose from; the grieving widow, the fired vet tech, an old friend that’s in love with the grieving widow, a flirty business rep, and a bookkeeper with memory problems. Just when you think you know who the murderer could be, another murder takes place. The characters are quirky and enjoyable, the pace of the book is good, and the plot/mystery has enough twists and turns.
This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone without much confusion.