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Enola Holmes (2020)
Enola Holmes (2020)
2020 | Adventure, Crime, Drama
A Winning (enough) combination
I'm a sucker for Sherlock Holmes. I grew up watching the fantastic black and white Holmes films from the 1940's starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. I checked out '70's Holmes flicks like MURDER BY DECREE and the 7 PERCENT SOLUTION and then re-fell-in-love with Holmes with the Jeremy Brett BBC SHERLOCK HOLMES TV series of the 1980's and, of course, Benedict Cumberbatch's modern take on the master sleuth in the 2000's was "must see TV" for me. I was even on-board with Robert Downey Jr's. "take" on this iconic sleuth and was thrilled when Sir Ian McKellen portrayed an elderly Sherlock Holmes in MR. HOLMES.

So...I eagerly awaited the Netflix treatment of the "younger" sister of Sherlock Holmes in ENOLA HOLMES -and, I gotta say, I wasn't disappointed.

Based on the Young Adult series of novels by Nancy Springer, ENOLA HOLMES introduces us to the (heretofore unknown) younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. Raised by a fiercely independent mother in the late 1880's, Enola goes searching for her when she goes missing and gets mixed up in the "The Case of the Missing Marquess" along the way.

Millie Bobbie Brown (STRANGER THINGS) is a winning, charismatic (enough) performer as Enola. She is a steady and sure hand at the helm of this ship throughout the course of this 2 hour and 3 minute adventure. While I would have liked her to command the screen more with her presence, she does enough to make it a good, solid, effort.

The supporting cast is just as good. Helena Bonham Carter (FIGHT CLUB) is perfectly cast as Enola's (and Sherlock's and Mycroft's) mother - she has that fierce streak of independence and "don't mess with me" energy while carving her own path. She is the type of character that one would go looking for if she went missing. Sam Claflin (HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE) is finely unrecognizable (at least to me) as Mycroft - written in this piece as the more "traditional" of the Holmes family and Henry Cavill (MAN OF STEEL) brings a strong arrogance to his portrayal of Sherlock. He also brings something else - heart - to this character, a character trait that has "traditional" fans of this character up in arms. For me, it works well in the context of this film.

As for the film itself - it is good (enough). I found myself enjoying the mystery and the characters and enjoyed my time in this world. It's not anything new, but it's like putting on a pair of old shoes - comforting to wear.

This is an adaptation of the first book of the series, and I, for one, hope that there are more. It's a winning combination that was pleasant to watch.

Letter Grade: B+

7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Dark Roads in Books

Aug 12, 2021  
Dark Roads
Dark Roads
Chevy Stevens | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences, Thriller
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A dark and unsettling mystery
For years, the nearly five hundred mile stretch of Cold Creek Highway has been infamous as a place where young women go missing. Drivers, hitch hikers, and more. But their abductor has never been found. Hailey McBride lives in Cold Creek. Her father recently died in a car accident, leaving her to live with her aunt and her controlling police officer husband, Vaughn. Vaughn watches Hailey's every move, bullying and terrorizing her, keeping her from seeing her best friend, Jonny and her new love interest, Amber. Using what her dad taught her about the local land, Hailey plans her escape to the mountains. With Jonny's help, the idea is that everyone will think she was another victim of the highway killer. A year after Hailey disappears, Beth Chevalier arrives in town, desperate for closure after her sister Amber's murder. Beth's life is in shambles after Amber's death, and she starts to look into what happened. But Beth's search puts her in danger--and starts to reveal the truth about what happened to Hailey.

"I had to get out of this house, and this town."

This is a dark and often stressful book. It's told from two perspectives, Hailey and Beth. I was quite attached to Hailey, who is suffering at the hands of Vaughn, the stereotypical power-hungry small-town cop. He embodies the part of the sinister bad guy. Because he seems to control the entire town (no one will even give Hailey a job, since Vaughn doesn't want her to have one), her only choice is to go live in a shack in the mountains and basically let everyone think she's dead. The book shifts from menacing to survival-in-the-woods story and then we flip to Beth's perspective, where she's a struggling wannabe law student who arrives in Cold Creek to figure out who killed her sister (who was Hailey's love interest).

If it seems like a lot and a bit confusing, it is. I liked this book, but it did seem like it had multiple personalities. I found it tense at times (add to the fact that Hailey had a dog in the wilderness--I cannot handle books where something might happen to an animal) and other times a bit slow. Vaughn is our clear bad guy--Hailey even discovers some of his many terrible traits and crimes. But if that's true, then why are we reading? Just to catch him? At times, the book catches us off kilter, guessing and wondering. At other times, it falls a bit flat when the whole premise doesn't really seem to work. Who is our protagonist and what is the end goal?

Overall, this is an often dark and quite atmospheric book. It's creepy and twisty and sometimes heartbreaking. Is it worth reading? Yes. But I'm not sure if it ever lives up to its true potential.

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
  
Vampire's Queens (The Bloodline Chronicles 3)
Vampire's Queens (The Bloodline Chronicles 3)
Evelyn Silver | 2025 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
well played with the leak!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the Bloodline Chronicles, and you cannot read it as a stand alone. You MUST read book 1, Witch's Knight and book 2, Midnight Fear before this one. There is MUCH that is not recapped and you will need to know about this vampire society and how it works.

I 4 starred books one and 2 and this is another solid 4 star read. I thoroughly enjoyed them!

Sarai, Setanta and Marcelle are ruling as a throuple. Sarai is pregnant, MArcelle is trying to work out who is tipping the Vasri off before they get there, and Setanta is doing King stuff (not actually sure WHAT he was doing for most of the book, to be honest!) But there are those who want them gone, and they will go to great lengths to make that happen.

Couple things: I said in my review for book 2, something about Sarai's sister. There was no mention of a sister here, so I'm not sure what THAT point was about!

Again, Setanta is only given a minor (1 or 2 chapters) voice. I needed him, I really did. Had he been given a bigger voice, I think this book would have been a much better read. (not that it isn't already but it would have been BETTER!)

Sarai's pregnancy threw up some surprises that no one saw coming and I loved that as old as they are, Marcelle and Setanta had not much clue how to help!
 
I did NOT see who the leak was coming at me, I really did not! I just about threw my kindle across the room in that chapter!! So very well played there Ms Silver, VERY well played.

It's quite violent in places, fighting a shape shifting dragon with was never going to be a walk in the park!

I found the steam levels a bit higher than in previous books, but not by much. I think it was because the one scene between all three partners was more sweet than smexy and I really loved that Setanta and Marcelle were mindful of Sarai's pregnancy, while still providing her with what she needed from them. The "birthday party" for Sarai, while multi person (6, I think) I thought was well written but not especially explicit. Some FF scenes, as well as multi partner scenes, with every which way combination of male and female partners.

What I need now is something else from this author! Given as I can only find this series by Ms Silver, I need more and I need not to have to wait a whole year!

I wrote 4 stars in an earlier line, I do love it when a book talks itself into . . .

5 full and shiny stars!

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Ascendant (The Made Ones Sage #3) by Vicki Stiefel
Ascendant (The Made Ones Sage #3) by Vicki Stiefel
Vicki Stiefel | 2022 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
a fitting end, the best one!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in The Made Ones Saga and cannot be read as a stand alone book. You NEED to read book one, Changed, and book 2, Altered, before this one. Not only will it give you Kit and Bree’s stories, it will fill in the questions to the answers that are given here!

Sybi is the third sister and her story is a little different, having been kept in stasis for some time. Kestrel knows she is his, but given his genetic make up, and what happened to him before, he is reluctant to fully bond with Sybi. But he has to, to get them out of a pickle!

Kestrel’s full story isn’t made clear for quite some time, and I wanted it sooner cos I’m greedy like that! Also, Sybi’s is quite drawn out, and I got a little frustrated at times with Mother Tree and her cryptic clues!

Kes and Sybi’s relationship kinda gets lost in the plans for the battle to bring the Alchemists down, though, and I really wanted more of them two, dealing with their feelings for the other and what it all means.

That said, I really thought this was a fitting ending and I bloody loved it! Best of the three!

I loved how all three sisters knew that they had to defy their mates, but also that said mates KNEW that they would. I loved that the entire planet comes together to stop Fukkes and thwart his plans to take over Earth.

It’s dark in places, when they discover to what extent Fukkes has been experimenting on the people of Eleutia. It’s emotional, when the three sisters are fully reunited. It’s a bit amusing: the sisters way they defy their mates made me giggle a time or two! There is some smexy times between Sybi and Kes, but it does get a bit lost.

I do feel, though, (and ya’ll know I’m ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL about the book feelings) that this is NOT the end. Yes, they’ve saved Eleutia from Fukkes, and the Overseers have apologised for not keeping a tighter reign on him, and the Clans have come together, and the female birth rate is already increasing, but Mother Tree is growing, and Marie grows, and what the chuffing heck does that mean! Marie was the youngest sister who died when she was ten ( I think!) on Earth so how can she be growing??? Questions, people! I’m left with unanswered questions!

So, do I gotta beg for another visit to this world and the people in it? Cos I will, you know! I’ll get down on my knees if needed (might need a lift back up though!)

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The God of Small Things in Books

Oct 10, 2017 (Updated Oct 11, 2017)  
The God of Small Things
The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy | 1998 | Essays
8
8.3 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
Brilliant way with words
This beautifully-written book tells the story of Estha and Rahel, a twin brother and sister who have been long separated due to a family tragedy about which we only learn the full truth near the end of the book, and who come back together at the age of 31 at the family home.

The book moves seamlessly between the summer that the twins were seven, when their lives changed for ever, and their present, as they strive to come to terms with the guilt of their past. Along with exploring the children's lives, Roy also develops in detail those family members and friends who have been most important to them - their frail violinist grandmother Mamachi (a battered wife turned domestic tyrant after her husband's death), their beautiful, frustrated mother Ammu, their overweight depressive uncle Chacko, and his English ex-wife Margaret and extrovert little daughter Sophie, the mysterious gardener Velutha, the local communist Mr Pillai and the twins' great aunt, 'Baby' (Navomi) Kochamma, the only one of the family to still be around when the twins reach the age of 31, and the most bitter and destructive in the entire doomed clan.

There is a great deal to admire in the book. Roy tells a lot about Indian customs without ever giving way to dry lectures, but there are a lot of unanswered questions left in the book. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful read by a superb author.
  
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Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Entwined in Books

Jan 15, 2018  
Entwined
Entwined
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Let me begin by saying that this is not at all the type of book that I am usually found curled up with. I am more of a mystery, crime, drama person & shy away from fairy tales. I am glad that I gave this one a shot though.
This is a retelling of "12 Dancing Princesses." It tells the tale of 12 sisters who also happen to be princesses. At the beginning of the book, their mother, the queen, is gravely ill. She passes away during the annual Christmas Eve ball plunging the castle into mourning. Azalea, the eldest sister, is left in charge of her siblings as the King heads off to war. The castle's drapes are drawn, the dresses are dyed black, but worst of all for the sisters, they are not allowed to dance. That is what causes all the drama.
The story did drag in places, but the last 100 pages or so left me holding my breath. I wish there were a way to give this book 3.5 stars because that is truly what I would rate it. It is not quite a 4 just because the middle section of the book seemed to roll on with only a few points that captured my attention. But, that being said, I really did enjoy reading this book! I think it just might convince me to give a few more novels along this vein a shot too. That is always a good thing!
  
All I Ever Wanted
All I Ever Wanted
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
All I Ever Wanted really made me happy, and got me hooked on Kristan Higgins. This is why:

First, I loved the characters. Some were quirky (Louis the mortician, Noah her one-legged grandfather), some were funny (Her sister Hester! ROFL) Some were just mean. (MOM.) And some had the biggest heart in the world (Our hero, Ian). The relationships and the characters played out in such a real tangible way, and I loved every minute of it. Although I’m glad my family isn’t like Callie’s… it’s fun to sit back and watch.

Second: I was very pleased with the fact that the characters, dialogue, and plot weren’t perfect (happyland syndrome.) Some of you may know that happyland syndrome—everything working out perfectly all the time—will make me close a book in three minutes. All I Ever Wanted had nothing of the sort. It felt like real life, and because of that, it was relatable.

Third: It was a very sweet, very real, very good romance. And it was CLEAN. Yes! No skipping chunks of pages and trying to avoid unnecessary scenes! This pretty much made my day—maybe my week—that I’ve found a good romance author who doesn’t write sex scenes into her novels. Thank you Kristan Higgins, you’ve just made my bookshelf.

So that’s why I loved it. And that’s why I’ll be reading more of Higgins’ work in the future.

Content/recommendation: little language, very few sexual references. Ages 14+
  
SG
Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls #1)
Lisa See | 2009
8
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Learning about the history of other cultures has always been something I've been interested in. All of our ancestors came to the United States in various ways. They all had to struggle to find their own ways in this world. Pearl and May are no exception.

Living in Shanghai, China in the '30's Pearl and May were considered beautiful girls. Their pictures were on calendars and other forms of advertising for the city. Their father owned a rickshaw company and they spent many nights out in Shanghai. Then one day it all came to a screeching halt. The girls learn that their father had gambled all their money away and now they were to have arranged marriages and a new life in America. The girls were not too happy about this and avoided the situation at all costs. Including the costs of life, freedom and the opportunity to have children.

Through all of the struggles to get from China to America, Pearl and May stood together always. They suffered through everything together.

I'm not sure that I could ever survive the things that they had to endure, with or without my sister. And I never knew of the different struggles that Chinese-American's had to suffer once they were in this country. For this reason, it made the book much more interesting. The writing was smooth and easy to read and comprehend. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by Lisa See.
  
Missing Pieces (The White Creek #1)
Missing Pieces (The White Creek #1)
Tori Fox | 2018 | Contemporary, Erotica, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
good start for a first time author
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I'm a bit in two minds about this book, and I can't figure out why but I'll try.

It's a Nice book. I know I hate using that word but it's the best I can come up with! It has drama, passion, love, hate, lots of different emotions with just enough of each to not be overpowering.

I will say this, only Harper has a say. In the first person AND present tense. And it took me til way past halfway to figure out it was present tense, so well done to Fox for making me NOT see something that might have made me dump it!

I did need to hear from Easton though. I think he would have had a lot to say, especially about what he's dealing with, with his sisters and his nutty ex.

And I found out after I'd read this, that this is a first time author! So very well done to Fox for this book, even if it wasn't quite my cuppa tea.

I enjoyed it, it didn't quite push any buttons for me, BUT! I would like to read the next one, just to see how Fox' skill is growing. And Easton's sister really could be an interesting character!

3 GOOD solid stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Better Than I Know Myself
Better Than I Know Myself
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Did you ever have a friend who was more like family? For Regina Foster, Jewel Prescott, and Carmen Webb this is exactly true. Better Than I Know Myself starts in the late 70's when the girls are seniors in high school and making the decision on where to go to college. Three different girls from three very different backgrounds. Jewel, a former child star. Regina, the daughter of two college educated parents and little sister to older brothers who had all attended and graduated from college. And Carmen whose parents had left her at a young age.

The story progresses through their meeting in New York at Barnard and continues through their graduation. Regina and Jewel were already roommates when they met Carmen at the university library. They all got stuck in an elevator together and as they say, "The rest is history." They lived together through the early 80's as they grew into women and started to become independent.
The book covers twenty years of friendship and sisterhood and all the trials and tribulations that entails.

This book made me laugh out loud and brought a tear or two to my eyes. It also made me want to get together with my closest girlfriends. This is a book that you have to read until the end.

I listened to this book through the iPod and Overdrive. The audio was read by Lisa Renee Pitts.