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Aiden Gillen recommended The Bandini Quartet in Books (curated)

 
The Bandini Quartet
The Bandini Quartet
John Fante | 2014 | Contemporary
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"A collection of, yes, four works by John Fante. Rereading this at the moment. Fante is the man who inspired Bukowski and it'd be hard not to see how great that influence is as Bukowski said: "Fante was my God." Anyway it was that comment by CB that led me to Fante who I prefer as a writer if I had to pick. The crab-shooting passage of The Road to Los Angeles will stay with me for ever and Ask the Dustcorrect, a doomed Los Angeles romance is just fantastic. Robert Towne directed a film version of this a little while back. It's an admirable misfire but he did use the novel previously as a template for the LA of his Chinatown screenplay. The quartet also includes Wait Until Spring, Bandini and Dreams of Bunker Hill."

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In the Mood for Love (2000)
In the Mood for Love (2000)
2000 | Drama, Romance
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"Wong Kar-Wai is one of my favorite directors from Asia. I’m a natural romantic. I feel like his movies — slow motion, the momentum of people, even a clock running — are non-traditional filmmaking. Normal movies [have scenes set up] like, I talk to you; you talk to me. Those kinds of movies are boring to me, but his films are advanced. He’s also extremely private and personal. His stories are all about innocent love, sort of like teenage love. How people need; how you love. They’re very, very romantic. When I talk about it, I feel this slow motion romance, high heels, the mystery of women, sexy, walking by. I recognize things in my soul that are unspoken; a lot of those longings, and unfulfilled romances, and dreams within [Wong Kar-Wai’s] films — they make me feel that."

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My Man Godfrey (1957)
My Man Godfrey (1957)
1957 | Classics, Comedy
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"As much as I love this film and have seen it hundreds of times, I feel like I never TRULY saw it before looking at this remastered DVD! Such beautiful black and white! Every character in this film is a feast for an actor to play . . . even the maid (Jean Dixon) is rich with her own cynicism and longings. The chemistry between William Powell and Carole Lombard is something seldom glimpsed these days. And yet their romance had long before this film bloomed, gone to marriage and divorce. But the couple remained the closest of friends and the warm feeling between them is brimming in every single frame of the film. The DVD also includes the Lux Radio Theater broadcast, and there are some really fun outtake bloopers with Eugene Pallette—LOVE HIM—and Powell and Lombard."

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Christmas in the Park
Christmas in the Park
Laura Lockington | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry, Humor & Comedy, Romance
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When I read the description of this book I was really excited to read it. But what I noticed that the book description provided, actually gives away all book, no mystery left. This is a short light love story which would be great as a movie script for Hallmark Channel. Unfortunately it did not impress me. The characters in the book were quite weak and not very interesting. I thought this book supposed to be festive, but all festivity was wrapped up into one chapter, last chapter to be accurate. It would’ve been good if some twists and drama would’ve been involved. I think it was quite corny and not very original story. To conclude, it is a good book if you into something to pass your time with a little bit of fun and romance.
  
Hide and Seek
Hide and Seek
Lilou Roux | 2014
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
So this is different to Lilou's other books, as in it isn't paranormal and instead is a contemporary romance.

I really liked the story and if I wasn't so picky with giving 5 stars then this would probably have gotten 5 stars but as I am, I'm giving it a strong four.

I like how Lilou writes her romances. They're well thought out and developed so that although they are short you're left feeling all nice and warm that the couple got their HEA.

The first meeting between them was well written and I had shivers as I felt the connection between Faye and Quinn. That continued to the first sex scene and I was hooked from there.

I grew to like all the characters, apart from the bad guy of course.

Can't wait to read more books by the author!
  
Heart Racer (Heart Racer, #1)
Heart Racer (Heart Racer, #1)
Marian Tee | 2014
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
2.5 stars.

This was your usual contemporary romance where girl meets boy, falls in love with boy, boy does something wrong--breaking girls heart...and then usually they make up again and live happily ever after. Only this ended with the boy--Leandro--breaking the girls--Bobby's--heart.

I know it's a series and that the author needed to continue it somehow but I kinda feel cheated, there didn't seem to be a proper ending.

As for the rest of the book, I can't say that I ever really got into it. I was unattached from the characters and the storyline. I don't know if it's because I've read too many books that are similar or if it was the style but something stopped me from liking it. It was just "meh" for me.

I don't think I'll be continuing the series.
  
Wrong Ways Down (Downside Ghosts, #1.5)
Wrong Ways Down (Downside Ghosts, #1.5)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I couldn't love this series or Terrible anymore than I already do. If you haven't started this series, you so should. It's a great Urban Fantasy series that combines ghosts, mystery and romance and it is AMAZING.

So in this we see it from Terrible's POV as he tries to track down who's been attacking prostitutes in Downside. It was interesting seeing how Terrible worked and the relationship between him and Bump.

We see bits of him with Chess and how, even so early on in the series, he wants to spend time with her and get to know her better. It's kinda sweet really, and just another reason why I love Terrible. Okay, so he's not the greatest looking guy but he has such a great heart underneath.

I'm eagerly awaiting book 6 in the series!
  
The Mechanic
The Mechanic
Tim O'Rourke | 2014 | Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Huh. Well I wasn't expecting that.

This is going to have to be my first Tim O'Rourke three star book, I'm afraid. I didn't find it as easy to get into when Hope was being all insecure. I'm used to tough heroines from the author and I'm not sure I liked Hope much at all.

The romance was a little iffy for me too, I didn't quite understand the attraction--at least not until the end.

And speaking of the end, what was that ending!? That's one of the reasons for the three star rating. Another is that I had my suspicions about the truth from about the time of the trouble with her friend and her ex, so the ending wasn't too much of a surprise.

Not my favourite book by the author but still pretty good.
  
Immoral: Tales of a Vampire Hunter (#1)
Immoral: Tales of a Vampire Hunter (#1)
1
1.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
DNF at 39%

When I saw this advertised on one of the many e-book discount emails I get, I thought it sounded really good and I downloaded it straight away. When I started it, I still thought it was pretty good. It just kinda went a bit downhill from there.

There was no build up to any of the sex. It was like meet, say a few words, go back to the hotel and have sex. I didn't get it.

Then came the second vampire. There was just an instant connection and instead of fighting it because you're mortal enemies, you run off together...? I gave up after that.

I didn't feel a connection to the characters or for their "relationship". Not for me at all. I like to read the romance and I couldn't find it in this.
  
Every Day (2018)
Every Day (2018)
2018 | Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
6
7.4 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A shy teenager falls for someone who transforms into another person every day.



David Levithan knows how to write around good subject matter. Consistently pleasing novels that make excellent movies. And this one was no exception to that.

The feel good factor about this one is high. And while I love a good romance I find it difficult to believe that even a hormonal teenager would choose to believe such a wild story.

"I wake up every morning in someone else's body." A plot point with lots of potential story lines. But lots that I think I would have enjoyed more than this. That fact doesn't take away that I enjoyed this a lot.

A film with no end and no beginning though... why are you guys doing this to me? Where was the origin story? Where was some resolution?