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American Made (2017)
American Made (2017)
2017 | Mystery
Barry Seal is officially a pilot for TWA. Unofficially he also smuggles a few cigars around. Until the CIA catch him in the act. Now he's unofficially smuggling more than cigars, and not just for the CIA.



The adverts for this made it look like quite a good film, and I honestly couldn't believe that this actually happened. Well, I sort of can, but still.

I'm not a massive fan of Tom Cruise, I think possibly because all of his films I've seen don't give him much variation from who he is, but this one was different. It kind of made me feel he was the Del Boy of America. Always looking for a quick buck and a little bit bumbling. Even if it was on a much bigger scale. I don't quite think that Del Boy would have done well with cartels.

As is the way in Hollywood the story has been tweaked to suit the cinematic needs. Since writing the paragraph above I have read a bit more about Barry Seal and it seems the films as made him a bit more shiny for the purposes of marketing. And by that I mean that it sounds as if he wasn't quite as innocent at the beginning as the film makes it appear. But, that just from reading a few articles, I'll let you come to your own conclusions.

An enjoyable films though, that kind of made you root for the "bad guy".
  
Anointed
Anointed
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The cover grabbed my attention straight away when I saw this in the Netgalley catalogue. You should know by now that I like a good cover.
 
Then comes the story... Well. I read books for the romance aspect and it took a little too long, in my opinion, for anything even slightly romantic to happen. Yeah, I get she's on a mission to save the world and everything but surely she's allowed a little fun? Nevertheless, when it did happen. Phew! It was scorching. The attraction between Alana and Gaelen was hot from the very first meeting...and his eyes! The only problem with their attraction is that they don't particularly like or trust each other so they fight it, which results in some hot scenes.
 
There was a lot of description, which I will honestly say bores me to death sometimes and I skip over large areas. In this I scanned it, looking for important stuff that I might need to know.
 
It had a fair share of location changes; going from London to Wales to Italy to Ireland, as Alana hunted for the items and the information she needed to stop the demons from coming through the rift.
 
Not really for me, but if you like Urban Fantasy, lots of description, or some steamy sex scenes and attraction then this is probably for you.
  
The Murder List
The Murder List
Hank Phillippi Ryan | 2020 | Mystery, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Rachel North is a non-traditional law student at 36, but she plans to join her husband, Jack Kirkland, in his practice as of one Boston’s premier defense lawyers once she graduates. But first she has to survive a summer internship with ADA Martha Gardiner. To say that Jack and Martha hate each other is putting it mildly, but Rachel thinks it will a good opportunity for opposition research. When Martha takes a personal interest in Rachel, Rachel is flattered. But can she navigate the two lawyers now in her life? Or is she being played?

This book not only switches between the present and when Rachel first met Jack and Martha six years ago, but it also incorporates all three character’s viewpoints. Don’t worry, it all flows smoothly, and you can always tell who and when you are currently learning about. I will admit I had a bit of a different idea what a book called The Murder List might be about, but I quickly got hooked on the story being told here. This is a suspense novel, with plenty of twists and surprises along the way. My biggest struggle was the characters. This really is Rachel, Jack, and Martha’s story, and all three are deeply flawed. I found it hard to root for them at various points in the story; I usually like to have at least one character I can root for. Overall, I did enjoy this book and I’m glad I read it.
  
If you are looking for a refreshing Young-Adult read, with college unlike any other - this is the perfect book for you. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You is the first book from the Gallagher Girl series, where we meet girls that go to a school for spies, and nobody except them, knows it.

The Gallagher Academy is a typical all-girls-school, except, instead of normal subjects, they learn advanced martial arts and chemical warfare studies, they have exams where they need to spy, or go unnoticed, or steal.

We meet Cammie Morgan, who happens to be the headmistress's daughter, and when she goes on a mission and gets noticed by a boy - everything changes and her life is suddenly everything but normal. She knows how to kill a man in seven different ways, and she can speak fourteen languages, but when a cute boy comes and says hi - she is definitely not trained for that. What's worst - he thinks she's just an ordinary girl, and she is falling in love with him.

Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through town without his ever being the wiser - but can she have a relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's beginning her most dangerous mission - falling in love.

I loved the writing style, and I loved something new and refreshing - it is a plot that I haven't read before, and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes when it felt a bit childish, I would remember I am not thirteen anymore, but even now at twenty-one, I got lost into this silly world of spy girls and the drama and love life of Cammie.

I liked Cammie - she is the type of girl that you would love to have as a friend, because she always makes you giggle with her silly comments. I also liked how brave and honest she was - not always honest though… Sometimes, she was too whiney for her own good, and making little things out of nothing, but then again, all teens kind of do that all the time, so it's acceptable.

I loved her friends - they were such a team, and always covering their backs. I loved how, even despite all their differences, they manages to fit right in and have their own impact to the group friendship.

Overall, quite an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it to you guys, if you love anything YA, or fantasy, or spy girls, or college related. I enjoyed this book, and I wish I read it way sooner. I can't wait to read the rest of the series as well.

Thank you to my friend and author, Michael Kott, that send me this book after recommending it to me, as Ally Carter is one of his favourite authors, and he enjoyed this book as well. Check out his book Piasa - it is amazing!
  
The Klaus and Violet Baudelaire are running out of time. They’re rolling down a slope, soon to crash, while Olaf and his troupe take Sunny somewhere unknown. Using Klaus’s bookishness and Violets inventiveness, they save themselves from disaster yet again, but now must save their sister and find out more about the mysterious VFD.

This one was really suspenseful. There was always something fast-paced happening, meaning that yet again within a couple of hours it had been read!

Finally, some of the mysteries surrounding the Baudelaires are being unravelled in this one, which I’m grateful has finally happened. Since there’s thirteen books in the whole series, I expected it to be soon but was still glad that some of my questions were answered.

This one isn’t as comedic as a lot of the ones that came before it. I feel like as the mysteries unfold, the novels are going to get less comedic and more serious. It’s a nice change from the usual plot and structure, and it still left enough little bits of comedy in it to keep it entertaining.

I love some of the characters who are revealed in this one (not saying who because spoilers), and found them much needed.

Olaf is becoming more and more sinister and less comedic which makes the plot brilliant. To be able to see the shift in his behaviour and see his desperation build up as I make it to the finale is making me run for the next book.
  
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead
2010 | Drama, Horror
On Halloween Ron and I sat down to watch the premiere of The Walking Dead on AMC. I was quite hopeful when I saw that Frank Darabont the director of Shawshank Redemption was directing The Walking Dead. I was not disappointed. It stayed true to the first volume, Days Gone Bye right down to the scene with Rick Grimes showing mercy to a zombie with no lower torso dragging itself along and the scene with the tank in the city. I was delighted to see that Frank Darabont not only read Robert Kirkman's comic, but that he loved it and wanted to do it right the first time when it was presented on television.
 Kirkman's brilliant writing and character development shined through in this first episode especially with Andrew Lincoln playing the role of Rick Grimes, the father (Lennie James) and son (Adrian Kali Turner) that Rick meets who are in emotional torment due to the father's now zombie wife roams the street in front of the house they're hiding in. You come to care about these characters so much and your heart goes out to them when you see their emotional struggle with a family member, a friend, or a loved one becoming a zombie.
 Two things are certain. Frank Darabont got it exactly right and Ron and I will definitely be watching it and loving every minute of it.
 The Walking Dead is on AMC Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m. and you can watch full episodes on the AMC website.
  
Tricked Into It (War Of The Myth #3)
Tricked Into It (War Of The Myth #3)
Miranda Grant | 2019 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Tricked Into It is the third book in the War of the Myth series, and we get Charlie and Jack's story. Charlie is a human being held captive by Sebastian, her son, Tony, being used to ensure her compliance. Jack is Jack, the ultimate trickster with a secret and a heart of gold, even though he hides it well.

I found this to be extremely well-written, with Charlie's emotions when rescued being spot on. As a mum, I would have tried anything to get back to my child, which is just what Charlie did. Jack does what he can, bending the rules where possible, to help her. He is fighting a losing battle with the 'thing' inside him, and now finding Charlie, he feels like he is losing it.

As always, the characters are brilliant. I did take some time to reconnect with them as it has been a while since the first two books came out. This just meant that I got to learn their witticisms and quirks all over again, which is not a bad thing in my book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story AND the epilogue. If I had anything 'bad' to say it would be that it finished all too quickly for my liking. It certainly left me with questions unanswered! Definitely recommended by me.

* 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!
  
Bride of the Water God, Volume 1
Bride of the Water God, Volume 1
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
It's not often that I read a manga--or, in this case, a manhwa. But after watching the <i>terrible</i> Kdrama and having this recommended to me so many times, I decided to give it a go.

And I loved it.

I think I'm on volume 10 now and I only just started reading yesterday.

That's how much I loved it.

But I suppose I should explain why I enjoyed it so much. Okay. So....probably one of my favorites elements of Bride of the Water God was the world-building here. It doesn't such an incredibly job introducing Korean mythology and the realm of the gods. While it was hard to keep track of all the characters, I really liked learning about Habaek and Soah, and the complicated fate of their relationtship. It IS a little tropey in many ways, but I am so trash for brooding gods with hidden soft hearts and seemingly weak female characters with tempered strength. I didn't think of Soah as strong at first, to be honest, but I do like how her character is built upon in each volume.

And the kindness of her heart. Yes, she's a bit childish and helpless, but I think this also gives her resilience, strength, and emotional perception.

My only annoyance was Nakbin...who is pretty much the Katherina Petrova of this story. And there were times I wish Habaek would JUST GET THE HECK OVER HER and totally admit feels for Soah. But overall, this tension was what kept me turning the pages.
  
A Darker State (Karin Müller #3)
A Darker State (Karin Müller #3)
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
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#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25708878-stasi-child">Stasi Child</a> - Not Read
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32194597-stasi-wolf">Stasi Wolf</a> - Not Read
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2384443604">A Darker State</a> - ★★
#4 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42408350-stasi-77">Stasi 77</a> - Not Read
#5 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47872602-stasi-winter">Stasi Winter</a> - Not Read

<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Book-Review-Banner-19-1024x576.png"/>;

<i>For the Stasi, it’s not just the truth that gets buried . . .

The body of a teenage boy is found weighted down in a lake. Karin Müller, newly appointed Major of the People’s Police, is called to investigate. But her power will only stretch so far, when every move she makes is under the watchful eye of the Stasi.

Then, when the son of Müller’s team member goes missing, it quickly becomes clear that there is a terrifying conspiracy at the heart of this case, one that could fast lead Müller and her young family into real danger.

Can she navigate this complex political web and find the missing boy, before it’s too late?</i>

<i><b>I have mixed feelings about A Darker State (Karin Müller #3).</b></i> It has been sitting on my shelf for a very long time, and when I finally managed to read it, I thought I would be in for a treat, for something special. But it wasn’t special. I did enjoy a bit of the mystery, but it is most certainly not a favourite of mine.

Apparently, this is the third book of a series, and the books can be read as standalone. The only thing they have in common is the character and how it develops throughout the books.

From the very beginning, the book came across as unrealistic. Karin has recently become a mother, and she is just getting back to her job, when suddenly, she is being promoted as the Major of the People’s Police and is put on a very dangerous case. Now I don’t know about your police forces, but ours would certainly not promote a person just like that.

<b><i>Karin’s character was too forced upon me.</i></b>

At least that is how I felt. Like I needed to like her, and I needed to respect her. And I just wasn’t having it. She was not really that good of a character. Maybe it’s because I missed on reading the previous two books and don’t know her well enough. And maybe she was just a poor creation.

I didn’t enjoy the political webs and plotting. I think I prefer a much more realistic, straight up mystery novel. There was a huge lack of mystery drama, suspense, excitement or fear, which I think was crucial for me rate this book low. There were only a few actual scenes where the scene was discussed and the causes of death, etc. I wish there were more scenes like this, rather than mysterious conversation with politicians and secretive tycoons.

I loved the author’s writing and description, but I don’t think his style fits my preference, so I don’t think I will be reading any more books from this series.

Let me know if you have read it. I would love to know what you think.

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40x40

David McK (3600 KP) rated Invictus in Books

Jan 30, 2019  
Invictus
Invictus
Simon Scarrow | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
It's hard to believe this is now book number 15 in [a:Simon Scarrow|60636|Simon Scarrow|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1240832197p2/60636.jpg]'s now-so-called 'Eagles of the Empire' series: a series that, originally, was set during the Roman invasion of Brittania (in [b:Under the Eagle|578428|Under the Eagle (Eagle, #1)|Simon Scarrow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1315349321s/578428.jpg|565359]) and that had Carto as being junior to Macro - a situatuion that, by this point in their ongoing adventures, has reversed itself with Cato now the more senior of the two.

As this starts, Macro and Cato are on their way back to Rome (after the events of [b:Britannia|25028364|Britannia (Eagle, #14)|Simon Scarrow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439580823s/25028364.jpg|44703249]: a novel in which, at the end, Cato received some unfortunate news. Distressibng news that, as the plot develops, becomes more and more only the tip of the iceberg (and that leads me to wonder if the author was letting his real-life experiences influence him when he was writing this? Or am I just reading too much into it? (as he has not been shy about sharing certain aspects on social media)), with this plot leading Cato and Macro to join a compny of the Praetorian Guard on an extended campaign, in which they have to defend a slave mine from a local uprising in Spain - an uprising that, to be fair, has a pretty valid reason behind it.

Once again, a thoroughly enjoyable read.