Search
Search results
Judging Duke (Liverpool Boys #4)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Duke Life is good. It didn’t used to be. Shame, prostitution, abuse - you name it, I knew...
Touched by Destiny (Arcane Havoc #1)
Book
Gabriel Wolfebrier believes his honor is forever tarnished. For the first fifteen years of his...
MM Paranormal Romance Fated Mates
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated The Queen's Consorts in Books
Sep 10, 2019
“We should feel nothing toward her, yet I’m drawn to her– as powerfully as I’m drawn to you.”
If you’ve been reading Lover’s Quarrel reviews, then you know how much I love plot and character with my sex scenes. I mean, look at how much I hate The Doctor’s Slave compared to Mine for Tonight when they (very) roughly have the same concept. The scarcity of plot in erotica can be particularly vexing when I’m in the mood for a MMF threesome. (Doesn’t happen often, but even then I want some plot and good characters.)
The Queen’s Consorts definitely delivered. “In the days before the darkness the sun shone so brightly flowers grew right out of the ground,” Sari said softly. “Just like magic.”
Like everyone else on the planet of Auroria, Sari has never seen sunlight, and she never will unless the Queen returns to her Consorts and takes her proper place on the throne. But she doubts that will ever happen. After all, the young Queen has been missing since infancy, separated from her Consorts who were kept away from the world in the Sacred City, the palace in the Capital.
It took me a little bit to get used to Auroria. It’s common in this world for a woman to have two husbands, who will love and please her. With women so rare, they are valuable and meant to be cherished. Or they are meant to be extremely profitable sex slaves.
Sari resisted the urge to take Aria to a shelter, knowing there was usually a far worse fate than a life on the streets for young, unclaimed females. Being much more rare than males, if a girl was unfortunate enough to be orphaned and alone, they were usually seized for the underground sex market that was saturated with males.
Pretty crazy for a Queendom, where women are revered, huh? But it’s actually not a flaw. It just goes to show how out of whack everything is without the Queen there.
Unfortunately, the scarcity of women get Aria and Sari hunted down by a pack of teenaged boys, looking to make some quick money. Sari is able to fight them off enough for them to run, but she takes a bad beating. She only lives when a Sacred City guard recognizes her as a Rayian Sister. The guard takes her into the Sacred City, where she’s left to the care of the Consorts, Taryen and Calder, in their private chambers. After years of being abused by the Rayian Sisters, Taryen and Calder are used to only relying on and trusting each other. But it isn’t long before they realize Sari isn’t like the other Sisters.
Both Taryen and Calder are extremely sexy in their own way. Right away I had Taryen pegged as the kinder one who would freely love Sari first and Calder would take longer to learn to love and trust Sari.
“I want to care for her,” the other man said before his friend Calder could answer. “It’s not fair for her to suffer for misdeeds of others, Cal. I know you know that.”
“She’s Rayian, Taryen. Her needs will be the same as the rest of them.”
Calder is definitely the more wary of the two. He’s incredibly protective of Taryen, and he doesn’t trust Rayians for good reason. I knew he’d come around eventually, but for the time being I enjoyed Taryen’s amazingness. He was quick to take care of Sari, even at his own risk.
“She will be angry and inclined to punish if others of our sex have abused her.”
“That’s all right,” Taryen whispered a breath away from Sari. “I will bear their punishment for them if that’s what she needs to heal.”
Can I also just say that I love it when authors know that “alright” isn’t a word and they use the correct form? Good editing gets to me just as much as good characters.
If you’re thinking Taryen’s character is over the top and unrealistic, then you would be right. But that’s explained! He was born with a defect that makes him pure of heart. He’s unable to hold onto negative feelings and he’s incredibly selfless because of it. And damn, he’s pretty wonderful. Just perfectly wonderful.
Calder’s not pure of heart and like most people who have been sexually abused for years, he’s angry and resentful. The only person he trusts is Taryen. I was hoping for a long love story between him and Sari, honestly. He needs to work through trust issues, and even if he is attracted to her, he can’t bring himself to fall in love with a Rayian after what he’s been through. Right?
No.
Calder is wary of Sari… for like an hour. I know that the laws of nature have demanded that he love her and everything, but it was still too insta-love. Taryen is pure of heart and doesn’t have the emotional baggage Calder and Sari has. Of course Taryen is going to fall in love quicker. Calder, however, should have held out a little longer. I wanted one of them to take his time falling in love with her.
But I love Calder and Taryen together. They are beautiful without a doubt, and their love for each other actually made it really difficult for me to imagine them loving Sari just as much.
“Never treat me like one of them,” Calder growled as if the words themselves were hurting him. “I’m your lifemate. You’re allowed to take pleasure from me.”
Taryen’s groan was breathy in a way that betrayed his desire. “I’m sorry. It just slipped out.”
Don’t apologize.” Calder’s tone softened as his touch became gentle, his fingers tracing the line of Taryen’s jaw. “Just tell me what you want. Tell me what you think about when you’re with them. What thought makes it bearable?”
“I think of you.”
I was swooning in the college library when I read this. SWOONING!
I mean seriously, Calder and Taryen have way too much heat and love for me to handle. They alone can put the entire erotica industry to shame, let alone adding Sari into the mix. I mean, it’s like having both Sayid and Sawyer from Lost in all their sexiness.
My biggest problem with the story was the question of who the Queen was. After all, the Queen is the only woman the Consorts are supposed to be attracted to, she’s the same age as them, and because she was missing, she would be a Rayian without a clear past. And yet it’s not until over a third of the way through the book that Taryen and Calder figure out who she is. Seriously? It’s not like there are many Rayians running around who are their own age and have a clear past. It also irritates me that everyone believed Laysa when she claimed to be the Queen. Of course she would claim credit when the sun came back because she’s an opportunistic bitch. But if she was really the Queen, then wouldn’t she have brought the sun back when she started using the Consorts? Years ago?
The only other thing that bothered me was the sound effect when they were performing, um… fellatio. Whenever the action is completed, it’s completed with a soft popping sound. What the hell is that? That’s not sexy. No. Stop it. Sound effects are never appreciated in sex scenes.
But all in all, this book rocks. I loved the world of Auroria and the political war. The love story was fantastic, all things considered. And if you’re looking for a substantial erotica book with good writing and a well-developed plot, then you really need to check out The Queen’s Consorts.
If you’ve been reading Lover’s Quarrel reviews, then you know how much I love plot and character with my sex scenes. I mean, look at how much I hate The Doctor’s Slave compared to Mine for Tonight when they (very) roughly have the same concept. The scarcity of plot in erotica can be particularly vexing when I’m in the mood for a MMF threesome. (Doesn’t happen often, but even then I want some plot and good characters.)
The Queen’s Consorts definitely delivered. “In the days before the darkness the sun shone so brightly flowers grew right out of the ground,” Sari said softly. “Just like magic.”
Like everyone else on the planet of Auroria, Sari has never seen sunlight, and she never will unless the Queen returns to her Consorts and takes her proper place on the throne. But she doubts that will ever happen. After all, the young Queen has been missing since infancy, separated from her Consorts who were kept away from the world in the Sacred City, the palace in the Capital.
It took me a little bit to get used to Auroria. It’s common in this world for a woman to have two husbands, who will love and please her. With women so rare, they are valuable and meant to be cherished. Or they are meant to be extremely profitable sex slaves.
Sari resisted the urge to take Aria to a shelter, knowing there was usually a far worse fate than a life on the streets for young, unclaimed females. Being much more rare than males, if a girl was unfortunate enough to be orphaned and alone, they were usually seized for the underground sex market that was saturated with males.
Pretty crazy for a Queendom, where women are revered, huh? But it’s actually not a flaw. It just goes to show how out of whack everything is without the Queen there.
Unfortunately, the scarcity of women get Aria and Sari hunted down by a pack of teenaged boys, looking to make some quick money. Sari is able to fight them off enough for them to run, but she takes a bad beating. She only lives when a Sacred City guard recognizes her as a Rayian Sister. The guard takes her into the Sacred City, where she’s left to the care of the Consorts, Taryen and Calder, in their private chambers. After years of being abused by the Rayian Sisters, Taryen and Calder are used to only relying on and trusting each other. But it isn’t long before they realize Sari isn’t like the other Sisters.
Both Taryen and Calder are extremely sexy in their own way. Right away I had Taryen pegged as the kinder one who would freely love Sari first and Calder would take longer to learn to love and trust Sari.
“I want to care for her,” the other man said before his friend Calder could answer. “It’s not fair for her to suffer for misdeeds of others, Cal. I know you know that.”
“She’s Rayian, Taryen. Her needs will be the same as the rest of them.”
Calder is definitely the more wary of the two. He’s incredibly protective of Taryen, and he doesn’t trust Rayians for good reason. I knew he’d come around eventually, but for the time being I enjoyed Taryen’s amazingness. He was quick to take care of Sari, even at his own risk.
“She will be angry and inclined to punish if others of our sex have abused her.”
“That’s all right,” Taryen whispered a breath away from Sari. “I will bear their punishment for them if that’s what she needs to heal.”
Can I also just say that I love it when authors know that “alright” isn’t a word and they use the correct form? Good editing gets to me just as much as good characters.
If you’re thinking Taryen’s character is over the top and unrealistic, then you would be right. But that’s explained! He was born with a defect that makes him pure of heart. He’s unable to hold onto negative feelings and he’s incredibly selfless because of it. And damn, he’s pretty wonderful. Just perfectly wonderful.
Calder’s not pure of heart and like most people who have been sexually abused for years, he’s angry and resentful. The only person he trusts is Taryen. I was hoping for a long love story between him and Sari, honestly. He needs to work through trust issues, and even if he is attracted to her, he can’t bring himself to fall in love with a Rayian after what he’s been through. Right?
No.
Calder is wary of Sari… for like an hour. I know that the laws of nature have demanded that he love her and everything, but it was still too insta-love. Taryen is pure of heart and doesn’t have the emotional baggage Calder and Sari has. Of course Taryen is going to fall in love quicker. Calder, however, should have held out a little longer. I wanted one of them to take his time falling in love with her.
But I love Calder and Taryen together. They are beautiful without a doubt, and their love for each other actually made it really difficult for me to imagine them loving Sari just as much.
“Never treat me like one of them,” Calder growled as if the words themselves were hurting him. “I’m your lifemate. You’re allowed to take pleasure from me.”
Taryen’s groan was breathy in a way that betrayed his desire. “I’m sorry. It just slipped out.”
Don’t apologize.” Calder’s tone softened as his touch became gentle, his fingers tracing the line of Taryen’s jaw. “Just tell me what you want. Tell me what you think about when you’re with them. What thought makes it bearable?”
“I think of you.”
I was swooning in the college library when I read this. SWOONING!
I mean seriously, Calder and Taryen have way too much heat and love for me to handle. They alone can put the entire erotica industry to shame, let alone adding Sari into the mix. I mean, it’s like having both Sayid and Sawyer from Lost in all their sexiness.
My biggest problem with the story was the question of who the Queen was. After all, the Queen is the only woman the Consorts are supposed to be attracted to, she’s the same age as them, and because she was missing, she would be a Rayian without a clear past. And yet it’s not until over a third of the way through the book that Taryen and Calder figure out who she is. Seriously? It’s not like there are many Rayians running around who are their own age and have a clear past. It also irritates me that everyone believed Laysa when she claimed to be the Queen. Of course she would claim credit when the sun came back because she’s an opportunistic bitch. But if she was really the Queen, then wouldn’t she have brought the sun back when she started using the Consorts? Years ago?
The only other thing that bothered me was the sound effect when they were performing, um… fellatio. Whenever the action is completed, it’s completed with a soft popping sound. What the hell is that? That’s not sexy. No. Stop it. Sound effects are never appreciated in sex scenes.
But all in all, this book rocks. I loved the world of Auroria and the political war. The love story was fantastic, all things considered. And if you’re looking for a substantial erotica book with good writing and a well-developed plot, then you really need to check out The Queen’s Consorts.
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Lady Danger in Books
Jun 12, 2019
Genre: Historical
Page Count: 368 pages
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.88/5 stars
My rating: 3.5/5 stars
When the Norman king gives Pagan the Rivenloch keep and a daughter of the current laird for a wife, he knows it’s too good to be true. Not only is Rivenloch’s laird suffering from dementia, but the two oldest daughters are not content to take on house-making duties like most women. Instead they are skilled fighters who command Rivenloch’s army. It isn’t long before Pagan realizes why the king chose him for Rivenloch. Only the strongest, most hardened men could conquer the Warrior Maids of Rivenloch.
Deidre isn’t about to give up her power to some Norman, even if he is supposed to be their ally. She’ll marry him to spare her sisters, but that doesn’t mean she’ll make it easy for him. She’ll conquer the Norman before he realizes it.
This book took awhile to get good, but I have to admit, both Pagan and Deidre have very realistic reactions and feelings considering the situation. Pagan comes from a very misogynistic society, so female warriors are unnatural to him. And Deidre sees Pagan as another enemy invading her territory and taking control. But their irrationality them makes them unlikeable at times.
I liked them, then I didn’t. Then I liked them again. Pagan’s devout honor and chivalry is admirable. Although he thinks in terms like “taming” and “conquering” Deidre, he would never actually force her or hurt her in any way. Nor does he want women to fear him. Seeing Miriel, the youngest sister, scared of him made him feel sick. Despite his flawed yet historically accurate upbringing, he does see the value in Deidre and Helena knowing how to fight after learning about the dangers they faced. But there’s so much misogyny in him. He actually thought Deidre would prefer having a man protect her than protecting herself, and he forbid her from sparring.
Of course, Deidre resents all the changes Pagan makes to Rivenloch, even though they were changes that desperately needed to be made. She also has deeply misguided views about sex and men. She planned to control Pagan through his lust by withholding sex, even denying her own desires. During this time, she considered him beating her and forcing her, but the idea that he would commit adultery never occurred to her, even though she repeatedly told him that she would never want him. However, I did enjoy watching Pagan’s massive ego get checked.
They drove me crazy, even though their emotions were realistic. However, after they put their absurdities aside and started working together, the story immediately improved. I loved them working in harmony and the fight scenes at the end were fantastic. Lady Danger is lame at first, but is worth the wait. Medieval romance fans will enjoy this book.
Page Count: 368 pages
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.88/5 stars
My rating: 3.5/5 stars
When the Norman king gives Pagan the Rivenloch keep and a daughter of the current laird for a wife, he knows it’s too good to be true. Not only is Rivenloch’s laird suffering from dementia, but the two oldest daughters are not content to take on house-making duties like most women. Instead they are skilled fighters who command Rivenloch’s army. It isn’t long before Pagan realizes why the king chose him for Rivenloch. Only the strongest, most hardened men could conquer the Warrior Maids of Rivenloch.
Deidre isn’t about to give up her power to some Norman, even if he is supposed to be their ally. She’ll marry him to spare her sisters, but that doesn’t mean she’ll make it easy for him. She’ll conquer the Norman before he realizes it.
This book took awhile to get good, but I have to admit, both Pagan and Deidre have very realistic reactions and feelings considering the situation. Pagan comes from a very misogynistic society, so female warriors are unnatural to him. And Deidre sees Pagan as another enemy invading her territory and taking control. But their irrationality them makes them unlikeable at times.
I liked them, then I didn’t. Then I liked them again. Pagan’s devout honor and chivalry is admirable. Although he thinks in terms like “taming” and “conquering” Deidre, he would never actually force her or hurt her in any way. Nor does he want women to fear him. Seeing Miriel, the youngest sister, scared of him made him feel sick. Despite his flawed yet historically accurate upbringing, he does see the value in Deidre and Helena knowing how to fight after learning about the dangers they faced. But there’s so much misogyny in him. He actually thought Deidre would prefer having a man protect her than protecting herself, and he forbid her from sparring.
Of course, Deidre resents all the changes Pagan makes to Rivenloch, even though they were changes that desperately needed to be made. She also has deeply misguided views about sex and men. She planned to control Pagan through his lust by withholding sex, even denying her own desires. During this time, she considered him beating her and forcing her, but the idea that he would commit adultery never occurred to her, even though she repeatedly told him that she would never want him. However, I did enjoy watching Pagan’s massive ego get checked.
They drove me crazy, even though their emotions were realistic. However, after they put their absurdities aside and started working together, the story immediately improved. I loved them working in harmony and the fight scenes at the end were fantastic. Lady Danger is lame at first, but is worth the wait. Medieval romance fans will enjoy this book.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Rue Toulouse in Books
Nov 5, 2018
Caterine Douchette, envied by her family, loved by her friends and in fear of her life finds herself in the safe and loving arms of Remi Michaud, a pirate who lost his heart to an ice princess. Family turmoil, a whodunnit, a new and exotic lover, all with a backdrop of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Rue Toulouse is a refreshing romance which blends together action, adventure, love, sex and so many other features as well.
I read the summary to this book and I was, if I'm honest, ambivalent. I thought it would be an ok read that I would find pretty run of the mill as far as romances go. I couldn't have been more wrong.Rue Toulouse boasts an excellent premise for the story, which is well set up, well paced, well developed and well written. It hooked me in and left me turning pages with frantic abandon as I tried to figure out the whodunnit whilst also waiting rather impatiently to find out if Remi and Caterine would have a permanent, lasting relationship.
The characters are fabulous, especially Remi and Caterine. Caterine is the epitome of good society, a lady through and through. Remi is an enticing and spicy piece of something unknown, but something you would very much like to get to know. He exudes sex appeal and hooks you with his easy cher's and occasional French dialogue. Although Remi and Caterine lead a cast of excellent characters, they are all well written throughout, with the characters all developing nicely in ways you hadn't quite expected. The blossoming romance is not overdone, but realistic and enjoyable. The only quibble I have is that Paulette, Charlotte and Hyacinth did annoy me somewhat, but that was understandable given their treatment of Caterine who you get behind from the get go.
The whodunnit element of the story is excellent and had me guessing right up until the very end, and even then I was shocked. Grahl throws in so many red herrings along the way that you are constantly questioning and thinking of new solutions to the mystery, which was a refreshing angle to add to the romance. I love a book that keeps me thinking, and I have to say that Grahl had my grey matter working overtime trying to second guess what would happen next.
The ending itself was super, tying everything up nicely and leaving the reader with a feeling of quiet satisfaction. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish, it's pacy, sexy and incredibly engaging. I will definitely be watching out for more from this author and will be recommending this book to all those who like a romance with a bit more of a kick to it.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
I read the summary to this book and I was, if I'm honest, ambivalent. I thought it would be an ok read that I would find pretty run of the mill as far as romances go. I couldn't have been more wrong.Rue Toulouse boasts an excellent premise for the story, which is well set up, well paced, well developed and well written. It hooked me in and left me turning pages with frantic abandon as I tried to figure out the whodunnit whilst also waiting rather impatiently to find out if Remi and Caterine would have a permanent, lasting relationship.
The characters are fabulous, especially Remi and Caterine. Caterine is the epitome of good society, a lady through and through. Remi is an enticing and spicy piece of something unknown, but something you would very much like to get to know. He exudes sex appeal and hooks you with his easy cher's and occasional French dialogue. Although Remi and Caterine lead a cast of excellent characters, they are all well written throughout, with the characters all developing nicely in ways you hadn't quite expected. The blossoming romance is not overdone, but realistic and enjoyable. The only quibble I have is that Paulette, Charlotte and Hyacinth did annoy me somewhat, but that was understandable given their treatment of Caterine who you get behind from the get go.
The whodunnit element of the story is excellent and had me guessing right up until the very end, and even then I was shocked. Grahl throws in so many red herrings along the way that you are constantly questioning and thinking of new solutions to the mystery, which was a refreshing angle to add to the romance. I love a book that keeps me thinking, and I have to say that Grahl had my grey matter working overtime trying to second guess what would happen next.
The ending itself was super, tying everything up nicely and leaving the reader with a feeling of quiet satisfaction. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish, it's pacy, sexy and incredibly engaging. I will definitely be watching out for more from this author and will be recommending this book to all those who like a romance with a bit more of a kick to it.
*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Confidence in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Many university students will be able to relate to the panic and dread caused by dissertations and final exams. <i>Confidence</i>, co-written by Rowland Manthorpe and Kirstin Smith, is set at an English university where third year students are cramming in revision sessions in the lead up to their examinations. This story combines two character’s experiences which, although rarely overlap, reveal the effects of the lack of and over-confidence.
Whilst Ellie struggles with her dissertation, Charlie believes that he will successfully complete his degree without the need to revise, giving him more time to focus on his social (and sex) life. Both students are distracted by their less-than-perfect social lives, jeopardizing their exam results and discover that life is not at all what they predicted it to be.
<i>Confidence</i> is a book of multiple stories. Firstly (and secondly) there are Ellie’s and Charlie’s predicaments, but the remainder of the novel contains an autobiography of sorts about the nineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche – whom Ellie is penning her philosophy dissertation on. Whether these sections are an example of a student essay – are the authors aware that they are all written in the third person these days? – Nietzsche’s theories regarding confidence are highly relevant to the theme of the book.
The academically well-written sections about Nietzsche, his life and his spiral into insanity are very interesting to read. Composed in an essay-like format, the information is presented in an easy-to-understand, clear manner, making what in reality is a difficult concept to fathom, simple to comprehend. The fictional narrative, however, is much less pleasing in comparison. Filled with expletives, Manthorpe and Smith paint a stereotypical view of student life. Instead of the hard-working and dedicated people that many students are, they are depicted as alcoholic sex-maniacs.
Whilst negatively categorizing students, other issues are also raised such as feminism and mental health. Whereas these concerns are important topics in the twenty first century, the stigma and inaccurate knowledge about illnesses such as Anorexia is almost unforgivable – “[She] would grow out of it…” Seriously?!
As a story,<i> Confidence</i> falls well below my expectations. Although the stresses of university life are relatable, the characters go to extremes, making their scenarios all the more unrealistic. The essay on Nietzsche on the other hand is an enjoyable, informative piece of writing, which saves <i>Confidence</i> from the fate of a completely negative review. Perhaps my interest in philosophy helped me appreciate the depth of detail and knowledge written about Nietzsche, however I still maintain that it has been composed in such a way as to make it entertaining. Perhaps created with a student audience in mind, <i>Confidence</i> will most likely appeal to readers with the ability to think about the world from a philosophical perspective.
Many university students will be able to relate to the panic and dread caused by dissertations and final exams. <i>Confidence</i>, co-written by Rowland Manthorpe and Kirstin Smith, is set at an English university where third year students are cramming in revision sessions in the lead up to their examinations. This story combines two character’s experiences which, although rarely overlap, reveal the effects of the lack of and over-confidence.
Whilst Ellie struggles with her dissertation, Charlie believes that he will successfully complete his degree without the need to revise, giving him more time to focus on his social (and sex) life. Both students are distracted by their less-than-perfect social lives, jeopardizing their exam results and discover that life is not at all what they predicted it to be.
<i>Confidence</i> is a book of multiple stories. Firstly (and secondly) there are Ellie’s and Charlie’s predicaments, but the remainder of the novel contains an autobiography of sorts about the nineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche – whom Ellie is penning her philosophy dissertation on. Whether these sections are an example of a student essay – are the authors aware that they are all written in the third person these days? – Nietzsche’s theories regarding confidence are highly relevant to the theme of the book.
The academically well-written sections about Nietzsche, his life and his spiral into insanity are very interesting to read. Composed in an essay-like format, the information is presented in an easy-to-understand, clear manner, making what in reality is a difficult concept to fathom, simple to comprehend. The fictional narrative, however, is much less pleasing in comparison. Filled with expletives, Manthorpe and Smith paint a stereotypical view of student life. Instead of the hard-working and dedicated people that many students are, they are depicted as alcoholic sex-maniacs.
Whilst negatively categorizing students, other issues are also raised such as feminism and mental health. Whereas these concerns are important topics in the twenty first century, the stigma and inaccurate knowledge about illnesses such as Anorexia is almost unforgivable – “[She] would grow out of it…” Seriously?!
As a story,<i> Confidence</i> falls well below my expectations. Although the stresses of university life are relatable, the characters go to extremes, making their scenarios all the more unrealistic. The essay on Nietzsche on the other hand is an enjoyable, informative piece of writing, which saves <i>Confidence</i> from the fate of a completely negative review. Perhaps my interest in philosophy helped me appreciate the depth of detail and knowledge written about Nietzsche, however I still maintain that it has been composed in such a way as to make it entertaining. Perhaps created with a student audience in mind, <i>Confidence</i> will most likely appeal to readers with the ability to think about the world from a philosophical perspective.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Blockers (2018) in Movies
Jul 8, 2019
Three childhood friends, Sam (Gideon Adlon), Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Julie (Kathryn Newton, make a pack that they will all have sex for the first time with their dates on prom night. They get together at Julie’s house the night of prom to and get sent off by all families. They head out in a limo for the most memorable night of their lives. Little do they know that Julie left her laptop on with their group chat open. Julie’s mom, Lisa (Leslie Mann), finds the laptop and with the help of Kayla’s dad, Mitchell (John Cena), and Sam’s dad, Hunter (Ike Barinholtz), they decipher the emoji messages and discover the girls’ sex pact. Lisa a single mom, who just found out that her daughter has been accepted to a college thousands of miles away, thinks her daughter is making a huge mistake and wants to confront her. Mitchell, an overprotective father, agrees and they decide to race after the girls to confront them at the dance. Hunter who has been out of his daughter’s life and just wants her to have a great night tries to first talk them out of it, then physically stop them as they get into Lisa’s car. All three in the car they speed off to what will definitely me a memorable prom night for them and their three daughters.
This comedy is the directorial debut for Kay Cannon (writer Pitch Perfect 2, screenplay Pitch Perfect, actress How to Be Single). She does a good job and this is a well-made comedy. The story does an okay job of blending comedy with a heartfelt story of the relationship between parents and children. There are definitely parts that had the audience roaring in laughter. The jokes at time were a little juvenile and for shock value alone, but other times were very witty. There is also a decent amount of cheesiness in this film that didn’t necessarily fit all of the time. With a rooster in front of the title you have to assume there are going to be some raunchy moments. Over all the performances were good. John Cena has some very funny moments but also some pretty campy lines. I did feel his character had the same moment several times though. They had him cry multiple times throughout the film and by the end the big tough guy crying grew old for me. Ira Barinholtz has some fun moments also.
Sometimes the best moments in a comedy are spoiled in the trailers and for me they did a good job of putting enough of the high points in the trailer will out ruining the punchline. I found myself enjoying the buildup to the payoff more than the big finish. I thought that seeing this film in a theater also helped as many of the laughs more contagious audience laughter than punchlines. Overall I left the theater enjoying the film and thinking it was better than expected.
This comedy is the directorial debut for Kay Cannon (writer Pitch Perfect 2, screenplay Pitch Perfect, actress How to Be Single). She does a good job and this is a well-made comedy. The story does an okay job of blending comedy with a heartfelt story of the relationship between parents and children. There are definitely parts that had the audience roaring in laughter. The jokes at time were a little juvenile and for shock value alone, but other times were very witty. There is also a decent amount of cheesiness in this film that didn’t necessarily fit all of the time. With a rooster in front of the title you have to assume there are going to be some raunchy moments. Over all the performances were good. John Cena has some very funny moments but also some pretty campy lines. I did feel his character had the same moment several times though. They had him cry multiple times throughout the film and by the end the big tough guy crying grew old for me. Ira Barinholtz has some fun moments also.
Sometimes the best moments in a comedy are spoiled in the trailers and for me they did a good job of putting enough of the high points in the trailer will out ruining the punchline. I found myself enjoying the buildup to the payoff more than the big finish. I thought that seeing this film in a theater also helped as many of the laughs more contagious audience laughter than punchlines. Overall I left the theater enjoying the film and thinking it was better than expected.
Leigh J (71 KP) rated A Serbian Film (2010) in Movies
Nov 8, 2019
Be Prepared to Cry...
Contains spoilers, click to show
Milos is a successful Porn Star who is now retired with a small Family of a Wife and little Boy. As with any Family, they have everyday expenses that are soon racking up and eating into what little savings they have left. In need of cash, Milos meets up with an old friend and Co-Worker, who tells him about a new Director in the Industry who wants to work with Milos. Milos of course seizes this opportunity, and goes to meet with the Director in question, Vukmir.
Vukmir, it turns out, is eccentric to say the least, and offers Milos an amount that would set his Family up financially for the rest of their lives... on the condition that Milos comes, has sex with whomever (or whatever) and then leaves. Milos signs, thinking "how bad can it be?!"... yeah, BAD idea. His first job with Vukmir turns out to be in an abandoned Orphanage, recieving Oral Sex from a Woman, whilst he is forced to watch a young girl eating a Lolly on multiple screens. Distressed and wierded out by his first job, Milos confronts Vukmir about what type of Movies he's actually doing... to which Vukmir shows him an abhorrent "Movie" that leaves Milos understandably sick to his stomach, and extremely distressed that he has entered into work with this type of person. Milos decides to try and leave the business again, disgusted by what he's seen, but Vukmir hasn't finished with Milos, or his Family, yet. And what he has in mind for Milos to do next is going to possibly destroy Milos and his Family forever...
I'd just like to make a point before I go on that A Serbian Film is a Drama, and is not intended to be a Horror at all. It's regularly dumped into the Horror genre, and there are definitely some scenes us Horror fans can appreciate, but I believe this Movie really is a Drama and should be watched as such. I personally liked Milos and his little Family, and felt incredibly saddened that this was happening to them. The end made me ugly cry, it's an extremely tragic Movie.
Ignore all the hype around ASF, and just watch it for the tense, shocking, heartbreaking Drama that is truly is. The scenes that are horrible are put across as such, and are put across to be the vile and cruel situations that they are (there's a lot of hype around these scenes... normally from people who've never even seen the Movie) and the plot speaks volumes about the politics in Serbia, how the poor are treated and what lengths people will go to to provide for themselves and/or their families. You've been warned, but give it a watch. It's the Drama to end all Dramas.
Vukmir, it turns out, is eccentric to say the least, and offers Milos an amount that would set his Family up financially for the rest of their lives... on the condition that Milos comes, has sex with whomever (or whatever) and then leaves. Milos signs, thinking "how bad can it be?!"... yeah, BAD idea. His first job with Vukmir turns out to be in an abandoned Orphanage, recieving Oral Sex from a Woman, whilst he is forced to watch a young girl eating a Lolly on multiple screens. Distressed and wierded out by his first job, Milos confronts Vukmir about what type of Movies he's actually doing... to which Vukmir shows him an abhorrent "Movie" that leaves Milos understandably sick to his stomach, and extremely distressed that he has entered into work with this type of person. Milos decides to try and leave the business again, disgusted by what he's seen, but Vukmir hasn't finished with Milos, or his Family, yet. And what he has in mind for Milos to do next is going to possibly destroy Milos and his Family forever...
I'd just like to make a point before I go on that A Serbian Film is a Drama, and is not intended to be a Horror at all. It's regularly dumped into the Horror genre, and there are definitely some scenes us Horror fans can appreciate, but I believe this Movie really is a Drama and should be watched as such. I personally liked Milos and his little Family, and felt incredibly saddened that this was happening to them. The end made me ugly cry, it's an extremely tragic Movie.
Ignore all the hype around ASF, and just watch it for the tense, shocking, heartbreaking Drama that is truly is. The scenes that are horrible are put across as such, and are put across to be the vile and cruel situations that they are (there's a lot of hype around these scenes... normally from people who've never even seen the Movie) and the plot speaks volumes about the politics in Serbia, how the poor are treated and what lengths people will go to to provide for themselves and/or their families. You've been warned, but give it a watch. It's the Drama to end all Dramas.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Magic Mike (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Depending on what you are looking for and what your expectations are going into it, the movie Magic Mike will either satisfy you or dissapoint you entirely.
Bad news first: If you are looking for a great plot, great storyline and phenomenal acting you will undoubtedly leave the theater disappointed.
Good news: If you are looking for a movie full of ‘good views’, some decent laughs, and men with rock-hard bodies with ripped muscles, you’ll get what you were looking for.
The movie Magic Mike, produced by Channing Tatum is loosely based on Tatum’s own experience before his acting career took off, when he spent a period of time earning a living as a male stripper. While working a roofing construction job, Mike (Tatum) meets Adam (Alex Pettyfer) and despite his young age, Mike befriends him and takes him out partying and, unbeknownst to Adam, to the strip club where Mikr works as a stripper. Mike introduces Adam to Dallas (Mathew McConaughey), the owner of the strip club, as The Kid.
.
During one of the club’s shows, one of the other strippers, “Tarzan” (Kevin Nash) passed out, and Mike pushes The Kid out on stage. It’s an awkward, unpolished performance, as one would expect from someone brand new to that particular scene, but The Kid proves to be a hit. When Adam realizes the income potential and allure of life as a stripper, he expresses interest in joining Magic Mike’s crew, and Mike and Dallas take him under their wings and teach him everything he needs to know to be successful in the business. They share tips, tricks, and outfit him with appropriate costumes. He quickly learns the dance moves and the importance of perfect timing when it comes to the pelvic thrust.
While the ‘main’ story line unfolded pretty well and the dancing and on-stage portion of the male revue club scenes were rather riveting, the attempt at bringing a romance into the story – first between Mike and Joanna (a Sociology student played by Olivia Munn) then Adam’s sister Brooke (Cody Horn) fell flat. It seemed awkward and forced, and there was no chemistry whatsoever. With a cast of stars such as McConaughey and Channing, one would expect a higher level of performance, but apparently the writer was counting on the sex appeal and dance scenes to carry the film. Instead, the audience was left with a series of awkward silences and uncomfortable, choppy dialog. Magic Mike left those in the audience that were looking for more than a two-hour male revue sadly disappointed.
We agreed that if you go wanting to see a ‘real’ movie with a ‘real’ storyline, Magic Mike rates 2 out of 5.
If you go with the expectations of ‘sex on a screen’ we rate this 4 of 5. And only 4 of 5 because we both felt uncomfortable with the ‘crotch in the face scenes’. But if you’re into that kinda thing, then by all means, 5 of 5.
Bad news first: If you are looking for a great plot, great storyline and phenomenal acting you will undoubtedly leave the theater disappointed.
Good news: If you are looking for a movie full of ‘good views’, some decent laughs, and men with rock-hard bodies with ripped muscles, you’ll get what you were looking for.
The movie Magic Mike, produced by Channing Tatum is loosely based on Tatum’s own experience before his acting career took off, when he spent a period of time earning a living as a male stripper. While working a roofing construction job, Mike (Tatum) meets Adam (Alex Pettyfer) and despite his young age, Mike befriends him and takes him out partying and, unbeknownst to Adam, to the strip club where Mikr works as a stripper. Mike introduces Adam to Dallas (Mathew McConaughey), the owner of the strip club, as The Kid.
.
During one of the club’s shows, one of the other strippers, “Tarzan” (Kevin Nash) passed out, and Mike pushes The Kid out on stage. It’s an awkward, unpolished performance, as one would expect from someone brand new to that particular scene, but The Kid proves to be a hit. When Adam realizes the income potential and allure of life as a stripper, he expresses interest in joining Magic Mike’s crew, and Mike and Dallas take him under their wings and teach him everything he needs to know to be successful in the business. They share tips, tricks, and outfit him with appropriate costumes. He quickly learns the dance moves and the importance of perfect timing when it comes to the pelvic thrust.
While the ‘main’ story line unfolded pretty well and the dancing and on-stage portion of the male revue club scenes were rather riveting, the attempt at bringing a romance into the story – first between Mike and Joanna (a Sociology student played by Olivia Munn) then Adam’s sister Brooke (Cody Horn) fell flat. It seemed awkward and forced, and there was no chemistry whatsoever. With a cast of stars such as McConaughey and Channing, one would expect a higher level of performance, but apparently the writer was counting on the sex appeal and dance scenes to carry the film. Instead, the audience was left with a series of awkward silences and uncomfortable, choppy dialog. Magic Mike left those in the audience that were looking for more than a two-hour male revue sadly disappointed.
We agreed that if you go wanting to see a ‘real’ movie with a ‘real’ storyline, Magic Mike rates 2 out of 5.
If you go with the expectations of ‘sex on a screen’ we rate this 4 of 5. And only 4 of 5 because we both felt uncomfortable with the ‘crotch in the face scenes’. But if you’re into that kinda thing, then by all means, 5 of 5.
Drink Water Reminder N Tracker
Health & Fitness and Food & Drink
App
Water is essential to our life, drinking enough and right quantity of water is vital to our health....