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The Black Phone (2022)
The Black Phone (2022)
2022 | Horror, Thriller
7
7.8 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
After a swift MCU detour, Scott Derrickson is back in the horror business, and it's a welcome return. The Black Phone is unpleasant and tense, well crafted in its execution and pacing, and possesses quite a bit of heart, portrayed by a great cast, the stand-outs of course being Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw. The two child actors provide some outstanding performances and ensure that their character moments pack a punch. Opposite to them, Ethan Hawke gives us a genuinely creepy horror villain, a villain who is unhinged, and acts in a manner that is grounded in reality, reiterating what makes The Black Phone scary in the first place. This film plays on the very real fear that ones child could be taken. It's bleak, and hardly enjoyable, but it's effective. There are some moments of more supernatural horror, as well as a couple of well earned jump scares, and whilst this makes proceedings a little more unsettling, it doesn't take away from how utterly terrifying real life can be.
The Black Phone isn't perfect by any means, but it's a tight horror/thriller that looks great, and will worm its way under your skin.
  
DW
Dark Waters ( A Celtic Legacy book 1)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
56 of 230
Kindle
Dark Waters ( A Celtic Legacy book 1)
By Shannon Mayer
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sisters bound by love, separated by blood. . .

And doomed to face the unimaginable.

An everyday vacation quickly turns into a nightmare of epic proportions. Two sisters must struggle to find the strength within themselves to survive as well as to save one another. When the world of Fae emerges on a rocky shore far from the Emerald Isle, all hell breaks loose.

Two factions vie for the sister’s loyalties, one light, the other dark. Neither honest.

A series of events are set into motion that will not only test the bonds of sisterly love, but will defy belief and reality. Then you have found yourself deep in . . . “Dark Waters”.



Not quite sure how I actually feel after this book. It was ok and had an interesting take on the fae I was a bit put off by the “Irish accent “ and it seemed a little rushed at the end. But I’ll continue as it interested me enough to keep going. If only to see her hopefully punch Luke.
  
Listening Woman
Listening Woman
Tony Hillerman | 1978 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Solving a Stalled Case
Joe Leaphorn is tackling several cases that have grown cool over the last few months. At the forefront is the case of the double murder or an old man and a teenage girl who were murdered near the man’s hogan. The only witness is the teenager’s aunt, a listening woman, who is blind. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have much she can add to the case, but Joe follows the few pieces she has given him. Will that be enough for him to figure out what really happened?

I wasn’t surprised when the various cases Joe was investigating played into this case, but I did feel like things were a little unfocused early on. Still, everything came together well, and the last third is a page turning thriller. While I like Joe, we still know very little about him or his personal life. Likewise, the rest of the cast isn’t fully developed, but they are real enough given the page time they have. I do appreciate how Joe balances the Navajo myths versus the reality of police work. It’s easy to see why these books are so well loved, and I’m glad I’ve picked them up.
  
The Glass Bottom Hoax
The Glass Bottom Hoax
Diane Vallere | 2024 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Undercover on the High Seas
Madison Night is going undercover on a cruise ship. She’s pretending to be a Doris Day impersonator, and her boyfriend, police captain Tex Allen, is going along as her manager. In reality, the two are supposed to be looking into some recent burglaries on board the ship. But they’ve hardly left on the trip before Madison finds a dead body. Have the stakes just been raised?

It was fun to go on this cruise with Madison and Tex. Naturally, we didn’t see as much of the regular characters, but the new characters did help fill in the gaps. Plus, we got to see some growth in Madison and Tex and their relationship. The plot starts strongly. I felt like part of it was a bit of a stretch, but it still mostly worked for me. Likewise, one of the Easter eggs for Doris Day fans was a stretch, but there are some other fun ones. Really, fun is the overall word for this entry in the series. If you are already a fan, you’ll want to book passage on this entry soon.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Playing it Safe in Books

Jun 25, 2025 (Updated Jun 25, 2025)  
Playing it Safe
Playing it Safe
Ashley Weaver | 2023 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ellie Finds an Out of Town Mission Isn't Safe
With the Blitz now a nightly reality in London, Ellie is happy to be contacted by Major Ramsey with a new assignment. She is headed to the port city of Sunderland with only a book on birds as a clue to what her assignment is. She’s hardly arrived when someone’s she’s just met dies outside her boarding house. Is it connected to her mission?

While I’ve enjoyed the first two books, this one wasn’t as good. There is too much to the plot. While the ending makes sense, it is very rushed because of being overly ambitious. There’s also a focus on the love triangle, a storyline I’m not invested in since I know the outcome won’t be one I like. I also missed the regulars, although we did still get updates on some ongoing storylines. The book isn’t all bad. Ellie is enjoyable to spend time with, and the story kept my attention when it was the focus, allowing us to see another part of life in England in 1940. This is a book for fans of the series. Everyone else should start at the beginning.
  
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