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Darren (1599 KP) rated Freaks Of Nature (2015) in Movies
Nov 29, 2019
Verdict: Silly Sci-Fi Horror Comedy
Story: Freaks of Nature starts as we head to Dillford, where humans, vampires and zombies leave side by side, we follow three high school students, Dag (Braun) who doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, Petra (Davis) that has been crushing a vampire, hoping to get turned into one herself and Ned (Fadem) a school geek that is destiny for better things, but is tired of his parents dreams in his brother, deciding he wants to become a vampire.
When aliens arrive in the town, the vampires and zombies go on a feeding craze, where Dag, Petra and Ned, must stand together in an attempt to survive the alien invasion even if they are different species now, they must put these difference behind them to survive.
Thoughts on Freaks of Nature
Characters – Dag comes from a normal family that sees him being in the middle of the high school hierarchy, he gets picked on by the jocks and just wants to be something more, waiting for the day he can be with his dream girl. Petra is dreaming of a vampire party, which sees her getting turned into one, looking for a chance to learn about her new blood lust. She hasn’t always fitted in, which has never bothered her. Ned is the smartest kid in school, his parents are more interested in their jock son, which sees them ignoring him more often than not, making him want to become dumber like the zombies. We do meet a host of other characters that are different a mix of humans, vampires and zombies each with their own stigma.
Performances – Nicholas Braun, Mackenzie Davis and Josh Fadem in the leading roles do bring out the colourful side of their characters even if they fit the generic types for a high school movie. We do have some big name comic actors that get their moments to shine too.
Story – The story here follows three high school kids growing up in a world of humans, vampires and zombies when aliens visit causing chaos as the three unlikely friends must come together to save themselves and the town. This is meant to be more of a parody, more than a serious story, which for the most part is fine, it plays out like a zombie survival story when the outbreak just starts, finding a hiding place before figuring out what to do, while trying to deal with high school problems the three are facing. It isn’t as clever of a story as it thinks, which does leave parts of it feeling flat by the end.
Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi – The comedy is meant to be more parody, which tries to poke fun at the invasion genre, while the horror is meant to be about the creatures in horror, rather than being scary in anyway, with the aliens being the sci-fi side of the film, which is the biggest threat, but not focused on enough.
Settings – The film is set in a small town which does bring the characters together through the problems they will be facing, how certain stories around town bring them together.
Scene of the Movie – Opening attack.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Doesn’t get enough laughs for a comedy.
Final Thoughts – This is a comedy that just doesn’t get enough laughs and ends up feeling flat by the end of the film.
Overall: Flat Comedy.
Story: Freaks of Nature starts as we head to Dillford, where humans, vampires and zombies leave side by side, we follow three high school students, Dag (Braun) who doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, Petra (Davis) that has been crushing a vampire, hoping to get turned into one herself and Ned (Fadem) a school geek that is destiny for better things, but is tired of his parents dreams in his brother, deciding he wants to become a vampire.
When aliens arrive in the town, the vampires and zombies go on a feeding craze, where Dag, Petra and Ned, must stand together in an attempt to survive the alien invasion even if they are different species now, they must put these difference behind them to survive.
Thoughts on Freaks of Nature
Characters – Dag comes from a normal family that sees him being in the middle of the high school hierarchy, he gets picked on by the jocks and just wants to be something more, waiting for the day he can be with his dream girl. Petra is dreaming of a vampire party, which sees her getting turned into one, looking for a chance to learn about her new blood lust. She hasn’t always fitted in, which has never bothered her. Ned is the smartest kid in school, his parents are more interested in their jock son, which sees them ignoring him more often than not, making him want to become dumber like the zombies. We do meet a host of other characters that are different a mix of humans, vampires and zombies each with their own stigma.
Performances – Nicholas Braun, Mackenzie Davis and Josh Fadem in the leading roles do bring out the colourful side of their characters even if they fit the generic types for a high school movie. We do have some big name comic actors that get their moments to shine too.
Story – The story here follows three high school kids growing up in a world of humans, vampires and zombies when aliens visit causing chaos as the three unlikely friends must come together to save themselves and the town. This is meant to be more of a parody, more than a serious story, which for the most part is fine, it plays out like a zombie survival story when the outbreak just starts, finding a hiding place before figuring out what to do, while trying to deal with high school problems the three are facing. It isn’t as clever of a story as it thinks, which does leave parts of it feeling flat by the end.
Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi – The comedy is meant to be more parody, which tries to poke fun at the invasion genre, while the horror is meant to be about the creatures in horror, rather than being scary in anyway, with the aliens being the sci-fi side of the film, which is the biggest threat, but not focused on enough.
Settings – The film is set in a small town which does bring the characters together through the problems they will be facing, how certain stories around town bring them together.
Scene of the Movie – Opening attack.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Doesn’t get enough laughs for a comedy.
Final Thoughts – This is a comedy that just doesn’t get enough laughs and ends up feeling flat by the end of the film.
Overall: Flat Comedy.
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Velocipastor (2018) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Story: The VelociPastor starts when Doug Jones (Cohan) whose parents are murdered leading to him to loses his faith, Father Stewart (Steere) sends him of a self-discovery holiday, which sees him head to China, when he returns he finds himself having horrendous nightmares and after he meets a hooker Carol (Kempinski), he tries to put everything together.
Once Doug learns that he can turn into a dinosaur, he works with Carol to fight crime to clean up his own town, including the man that murdered his parents.
Thoughts on The VelociPastor
Characters – Doug Jones is a priest that has followed God for years until his parents are murdered outside his church, he goes on a voyage of self-discovery in China, which sees him infected with an illness. Doug have the ability to turn into a dinosaur, where he decides to use this new power to fight crime in his town, getting revenge on the person who murdered his parents and bring down the drug lord. Carol is a local hooker that meets Doug and sees first-hand just what he is capable off, she pushes him into fighting crime, while she can handle herself in combat too. Father Stewart is the mentor of Doug, he has always helped him keep the faith and is willing to let him discover his faith once more. Wei Chan is the local drug lord that has been controlling the crime in the town, along with his ninjas he will be the fight Doug must take on.
Performances – This movie does have the over the top performances which does only help make things more entertaining, Greg Cohan in the leading role knowns when to hold things back before going over the top, which helps the character. Alyssa Kempinski is fun in her role, which brings the change in our lead character through the film. The whole cast know exactly the tone of this film and it shows in the their performances.
Story – The story here follows a priest that gets infected with something that turns him into a dinosaur and decides to go on to fight crime with this new ability. The first thing you must be prepared for is knowing that this film doesn’t take anything serious and is well aware that everything is as ridiculous as it sounds. The idea behind the film is truly original, it is purely fun and wildly over the top. If you do go into this story thinking you are getting something serious, you will be disappointed because this film is completely self-aware of what it is trying to tell.
Action/Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi – The action in the film does play into the comedy, which is silly and over the top, which does include the dinosaur fighting ninja, which helps with the horror and sci-fi elements in the film.
Settings – The film is set in a small town, this does help with the idea of how silly this film takes itself without needing to go into anything too serious once again.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are practical, this again plays into the self-aware side of the film, which does show with the dinosaur suit fighting ninja.
Scene of the Movie – Dinosaur v ninjas.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The random Father Stewart backstory.
Final Thoughts – This is one if not the most self-aware movies you will see, it is so funny you can enjoy laughing through how ridiculous this film is.
Overall: Purely fun.
Once Doug learns that he can turn into a dinosaur, he works with Carol to fight crime to clean up his own town, including the man that murdered his parents.
Thoughts on The VelociPastor
Characters – Doug Jones is a priest that has followed God for years until his parents are murdered outside his church, he goes on a voyage of self-discovery in China, which sees him infected with an illness. Doug have the ability to turn into a dinosaur, where he decides to use this new power to fight crime in his town, getting revenge on the person who murdered his parents and bring down the drug lord. Carol is a local hooker that meets Doug and sees first-hand just what he is capable off, she pushes him into fighting crime, while she can handle herself in combat too. Father Stewart is the mentor of Doug, he has always helped him keep the faith and is willing to let him discover his faith once more. Wei Chan is the local drug lord that has been controlling the crime in the town, along with his ninjas he will be the fight Doug must take on.
Performances – This movie does have the over the top performances which does only help make things more entertaining, Greg Cohan in the leading role knowns when to hold things back before going over the top, which helps the character. Alyssa Kempinski is fun in her role, which brings the change in our lead character through the film. The whole cast know exactly the tone of this film and it shows in the their performances.
Story – The story here follows a priest that gets infected with something that turns him into a dinosaur and decides to go on to fight crime with this new ability. The first thing you must be prepared for is knowing that this film doesn’t take anything serious and is well aware that everything is as ridiculous as it sounds. The idea behind the film is truly original, it is purely fun and wildly over the top. If you do go into this story thinking you are getting something serious, you will be disappointed because this film is completely self-aware of what it is trying to tell.
Action/Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi – The action in the film does play into the comedy, which is silly and over the top, which does include the dinosaur fighting ninja, which helps with the horror and sci-fi elements in the film.
Settings – The film is set in a small town, this does help with the idea of how silly this film takes itself without needing to go into anything too serious once again.
Special Effects – The effects in the film are practical, this again plays into the self-aware side of the film, which does show with the dinosaur suit fighting ninja.
Scene of the Movie – Dinosaur v ninjas.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The random Father Stewart backstory.
Final Thoughts – This is one if not the most self-aware movies you will see, it is so funny you can enjoy laughing through how ridiculous this film is.
Overall: Purely fun.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Bravetown (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Today’s movie selection is certainly a ‘heavy’ …. and by heavy I mean 1 half serious and 1 half inspirational. It’s one of those stories where the protagonist has been fighting an uphill battle most of their lives and in the end, being the catalyst for change in the lives of others ends up being that factor which changes their own life for the better.
‘Bravetown’ stars Lucas Till as Josh Harvest. A rising star and one of the best club DJ’s in the New York music scene. Night after night his music draws friends, crowds, promoters, and record producers looking to sign him. By day he sleeps and watches ‘Platoon’ when he’s not skipping school. Just as suddenly as the music starts spinning it all comes crashing down though when Josh overdoses one night and is raced to the hospital. After a confrontation with his mother (Maria Bello) and faced with the alternative choice of arrest and imprisonment,
Josh agrees to be sentenced to court ordered rehab and is sent from the mad streets of New York City to a small town in North Dakota to live with his father.
After the culture shock of going from the ‘city that never sleeps’ to a small town only known for their kids joining the military upon graduation right out of high school and going off to war (many of whom never return) subsides, Josh succumbs to his situation and settles in to his court appointed rehab with Alex (Josh Duhamel) a veteran who’se obsessed with soccer and has a dark past of his own. Sooner or later, everyone’s past catches up to them though .One night after his arrival, Josh’s reputation from New York catches up to him while attending a school dance. Dissatisfied with the music being played, Josh spins one set while the school’s dance team is performing on stage and then abruptly leaves. Unbeknownst to him, a member of the dance team recognized his music, recorded his set which they then used to win a competition.
After reluctantly agreeing to help them, the school’s last place dance team proceeds to win competition after competition and Josh and the dance team’s captain Mary (Kherington Payne). It soon becomes all to clear to Josh though that Mary’s grief is connected to his therapist’s past and that only by confronting it will Mary and Alex be able to come to terms and heal.
There a very few movies that did what this movie his done which is to touch on a subject that very few want to talk about or even acknowledge today in America. The knowledge that most of the people in this country who are sent off to war are young people from small towns or people from low income communities who either have no money to attend college after high school or have no other options for the future except to n the military. Now please don’t misunderstand me. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the men and women who serve and defend our nation and I come from a military family. However, for young people though in the present day …. many really have no other future to look forward too because of the high cost of university or college education. As part of the backstory, this film shines a light on that subject and does so in a respectful way. They way the ‘life in the big city’ merges to that in ‘small town america’ in the movie was done so in such a way that it seems like the two are right next door. As you are watching the film for the first time, the ‘culture shock’ is not so much a ‘shock’ itself but more like a record slowly spinning after the music is over.
Personally, I’m not a fan of any of the dancing shows and movies that have apparently captured the attention of everyone else over the last few years whether it’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’, ‘So You Think You Can Dance?’, ‘Step Up’, ‘Bring It On’, etc. But I freely admit that the dancing in this film was pretty GORRAM awesome and it impressed the heck out of me. The collection of actors and actresses assembled for this film was equally as awesome. Lucas Till (The X-Men Movies), Laura Dern (Jurassic Park), Josh Duhamel (Transformers), and Kherington Payne (True Blood, CSI, Glee) all brought their own serious brand of acting to this film and they don’t disappoint. There no war flashbacks, no car chases, and only one violent scene in the movie. All the action in the movie centers around the music and the brilliantly choreographed dancing. All the drama centers around the characters coming to terms with grief and lose. It’s better than many of the movies you find in theaters right now. Try to find ‘Bravetown’ between all the blockbusters that start hitting theaters in May. Trust me, it’s worth the view and if you can’t find it in theaters, order it online. I’m going this one 4 out of 5 stars. It clocks in at 112 minutes, but it’s worth it.
‘Bravetown’ stars Lucas Till as Josh Harvest. A rising star and one of the best club DJ’s in the New York music scene. Night after night his music draws friends, crowds, promoters, and record producers looking to sign him. By day he sleeps and watches ‘Platoon’ when he’s not skipping school. Just as suddenly as the music starts spinning it all comes crashing down though when Josh overdoses one night and is raced to the hospital. After a confrontation with his mother (Maria Bello) and faced with the alternative choice of arrest and imprisonment,
Josh agrees to be sentenced to court ordered rehab and is sent from the mad streets of New York City to a small town in North Dakota to live with his father.
After the culture shock of going from the ‘city that never sleeps’ to a small town only known for their kids joining the military upon graduation right out of high school and going off to war (many of whom never return) subsides, Josh succumbs to his situation and settles in to his court appointed rehab with Alex (Josh Duhamel) a veteran who’se obsessed with soccer and has a dark past of his own. Sooner or later, everyone’s past catches up to them though .One night after his arrival, Josh’s reputation from New York catches up to him while attending a school dance. Dissatisfied with the music being played, Josh spins one set while the school’s dance team is performing on stage and then abruptly leaves. Unbeknownst to him, a member of the dance team recognized his music, recorded his set which they then used to win a competition.
After reluctantly agreeing to help them, the school’s last place dance team proceeds to win competition after competition and Josh and the dance team’s captain Mary (Kherington Payne). It soon becomes all to clear to Josh though that Mary’s grief is connected to his therapist’s past and that only by confronting it will Mary and Alex be able to come to terms and heal.
There a very few movies that did what this movie his done which is to touch on a subject that very few want to talk about or even acknowledge today in America. The knowledge that most of the people in this country who are sent off to war are young people from small towns or people from low income communities who either have no money to attend college after high school or have no other options for the future except to n the military. Now please don’t misunderstand me. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the men and women who serve and defend our nation and I come from a military family. However, for young people though in the present day …. many really have no other future to look forward too because of the high cost of university or college education. As part of the backstory, this film shines a light on that subject and does so in a respectful way. They way the ‘life in the big city’ merges to that in ‘small town america’ in the movie was done so in such a way that it seems like the two are right next door. As you are watching the film for the first time, the ‘culture shock’ is not so much a ‘shock’ itself but more like a record slowly spinning after the music is over.
Personally, I’m not a fan of any of the dancing shows and movies that have apparently captured the attention of everyone else over the last few years whether it’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’, ‘So You Think You Can Dance?’, ‘Step Up’, ‘Bring It On’, etc. But I freely admit that the dancing in this film was pretty GORRAM awesome and it impressed the heck out of me. The collection of actors and actresses assembled for this film was equally as awesome. Lucas Till (The X-Men Movies), Laura Dern (Jurassic Park), Josh Duhamel (Transformers), and Kherington Payne (True Blood, CSI, Glee) all brought their own serious brand of acting to this film and they don’t disappoint. There no war flashbacks, no car chases, and only one violent scene in the movie. All the action in the movie centers around the music and the brilliantly choreographed dancing. All the drama centers around the characters coming to terms with grief and lose. It’s better than many of the movies you find in theaters right now. Try to find ‘Bravetown’ between all the blockbusters that start hitting theaters in May. Trust me, it’s worth the view and if you can’t find it in theaters, order it online. I’m going this one 4 out of 5 stars. It clocks in at 112 minutes, but it’s worth it.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Little Fires Everywhere in Books
May 10, 2018
Mia and Pearl move around a lot, but they may have found their forever home in Shaker Heights, Ohio. They are renting the top floor of a duplex owned by the Richardson family. The Richardson's have four children who are all close in age to Pearl. When controversy hits the small tight knit community and Mrs. Richardson finds out that Mia is behind it, she will stop at nothing to find out more about this woman who has disrupted this town.
For me, this book moved very slowly. The story as a whole was good, but there was something about the writing that I just couldn't connect with. The story was told from everyone's point of view, but at times it seemed like that changed in mid-sentence.
Mia is the kind of woman, I think a lot of us wish we could be. She is artistic and carefree. She is an attentive mother and compassionate with her fellow co-workers. But she can't sit still. Every few months, she and Pearl are on the move again for one reason or another. For Pearl, she doesn't mind so much. She has never been able to make and keep friends easily, so it feels good to start over. But Shaker Heights is different. Immediately, she befriends, Moody, the Richardson's youngest son. They have an instant bond. Pearl begins to spend afternoons at their house and walks back and forth to school with Moody. Making friends feels good to Pearl and she is glad that they have decided to spend a little more time in this town than most.
Mia works all kinds of odd jobs to support her in Pearl why she works on her photography. Mia has sold many pieces through an art gallery in New York. Sometimes the pieces go quickly and other times they do not. While in Shaker Heights, Mia is working the take out counter for a Chinese Restaurant. There she befriends a girl who becomes a part of the center of the controversy. With Mia's help this girl finds the strength she needs to do what is necessary.
Mrs. Robinson works as a reporter for the local paper. Covering various events throughout the town. Mrs. Robinson likes Mia and Pearl when they move in, and she even offers Mia a job to do some light housekeeping and cooking at their house. But maybe they shouldn't have allowed Mia to get so close. Maybe then one of her best friends would not have to go through the turmoil she is currently in.
I think many people will like this book, but for me, it was just alright.
For me, this book moved very slowly. The story as a whole was good, but there was something about the writing that I just couldn't connect with. The story was told from everyone's point of view, but at times it seemed like that changed in mid-sentence.
Mia is the kind of woman, I think a lot of us wish we could be. She is artistic and carefree. She is an attentive mother and compassionate with her fellow co-workers. But she can't sit still. Every few months, she and Pearl are on the move again for one reason or another. For Pearl, she doesn't mind so much. She has never been able to make and keep friends easily, so it feels good to start over. But Shaker Heights is different. Immediately, she befriends, Moody, the Richardson's youngest son. They have an instant bond. Pearl begins to spend afternoons at their house and walks back and forth to school with Moody. Making friends feels good to Pearl and she is glad that they have decided to spend a little more time in this town than most.
Mia works all kinds of odd jobs to support her in Pearl why she works on her photography. Mia has sold many pieces through an art gallery in New York. Sometimes the pieces go quickly and other times they do not. While in Shaker Heights, Mia is working the take out counter for a Chinese Restaurant. There she befriends a girl who becomes a part of the center of the controversy. With Mia's help this girl finds the strength she needs to do what is necessary.
Mrs. Robinson works as a reporter for the local paper. Covering various events throughout the town. Mrs. Robinson likes Mia and Pearl when they move in, and she even offers Mia a job to do some light housekeeping and cooking at their house. But maybe they shouldn't have allowed Mia to get so close. Maybe then one of her best friends would not have to go through the turmoil she is currently in.
I think many people will like this book, but for me, it was just alright.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Last Thing I Told You in Books
Mar 10, 2019
Different but enjoyable thriller
Dr. Mark Fabian is dead--found murdered in his office. Left behind is his former patient, Nadine, who continues to talk to Dr. Fabian in her mind, telling him about her life in the many years since she saw the doctor. Back then, she was a troubled teen, ostracized for a gruesome act while in high school. Investigating Dr. Fabian's murder is Henry Peacher, a detective most known in town for stopping a deadly shooting at a posh retirement community before the death count went any higher. Before Dr. Fabian died, he pulled two files from his archives: those of Nadine's and Johnny Streeter, the man responsible for the killing at the retirement home. Henry is left to puzzle through what this all means--for instance, what did Nadine and Dr. Fabian discuss when she returned to town a mere two days before his death? Is there a connection between Nadine and Johnny? And what led to the brutal killing of this doctor?
Well, this was a different sort of psychological thriller. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but one of my favorite things about it was that it was different, even if it favored the varying point-of-view aspect that is quite popular these days. The narration flips between Nadine and Henry, and because both are often telling stories that go back in time, it can vary in time periods as well. It takes a little getting used to, but it's also quite compelling. I read the book in a day while on vacation, finding it to be quite suspenseful and intriguing.
For me, the main draw to this one was the characters. Nadine is nuanced, complicated, and imperfect, but the real star was Henry. I enjoyed the book the most due to him. He's hard to describe, but he too is multi-faceted and flawed. He's a father to spirited twin girls (only a year older than mine), and I felt drawn to him immediately. Nadine and Henry are both different on the surface but each searching for things in a similar way--again, I was very impressed with their characterization. So much of the book takes place in and is shaped by the small town in which the characters live, and it's all quite well-done.
I don't want to go into much more to spoil the plot, as it does keep you guessing. A lot of what happened surprised me, which I always enjoy (doesn't often happen in a thriller). Overall, this one was different but enjoyable, buoyed by its strong characters and complex plot.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss/Librarything in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Well, this was a different sort of psychological thriller. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but one of my favorite things about it was that it was different, even if it favored the varying point-of-view aspect that is quite popular these days. The narration flips between Nadine and Henry, and because both are often telling stories that go back in time, it can vary in time periods as well. It takes a little getting used to, but it's also quite compelling. I read the book in a day while on vacation, finding it to be quite suspenseful and intriguing.
For me, the main draw to this one was the characters. Nadine is nuanced, complicated, and imperfect, but the real star was Henry. I enjoyed the book the most due to him. He's hard to describe, but he too is multi-faceted and flawed. He's a father to spirited twin girls (only a year older than mine), and I felt drawn to him immediately. Nadine and Henry are both different on the surface but each searching for things in a similar way--again, I was very impressed with their characterization. So much of the book takes place in and is shaped by the small town in which the characters live, and it's all quite well-done.
I don't want to go into much more to spoil the plot, as it does keep you guessing. A lot of what happened surprised me, which I always enjoy (doesn't often happen in a thriller). Overall, this one was different but enjoyable, buoyed by its strong characters and complex plot.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss/Librarything in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Not That I Could Tell in Books
Mar 25, 2018
Good women's fiction tale but nothing new or surprising here
In the quiet town of Yellow Springs, Ohio, the disappearance of one of its residents, Kristin, is a big deal. She vanishes after an evening with several of her neighbors, filled with wine and conversation around the fire pit. She also takes her young twins, Aaron and Abigail. Left behind is her soon-to-be-ex-husband, Paul, a well-known ob-gyn. A window in Kristin's house is broken and some of her belongings missing. But otherwise, there is no trace or idea about where she and the twins have gone. Paul accuses her of disappearing with money owed to him. Kristin's neighbors, especially her next-door neighbor, Clara, for whom Kristin's disappearance hits a bit close to home, and Izzy, a single woman who recently moved to the neighborhood to get away from her own issues, are baffled. They realize how little they knew about their friend--and that they have no idea where she's gone.
This was an interesting one. From the beginning, this book felt familiar to me--the "something happened" after a barbecue reminiscent of Truly Madly Guilty and others I'd read lately. I was sick while reading, so I had trouble keeping the women and their backstories separate for a while. Too much cold medicine and fatigue, probably.
The book is told from various viewpoints--mainly Clara and Izzy. I was always expecting there to be more: some unexpected surprise or twist, but there never really was. The ending threw in a bit of one, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Still, there is a tenseness to the novel, and it can certainly be creepy at times. The novel also does a good job of capturing kids and parenthood--the weariness of the day-to-day of parenting small children, for instance. I also liked how it captured how preschools can be a microcosm of life and small towns and such a cesspool of stress and gossip.
This one moved slowly for me. I liked the characters, but wasn't drawn to them. I had some sympathy for Izzy, but also questioned her motives a lot. I should have been more drawn to Clara, but wasn't. Perhaps because, while I have small children, I don't have the same sort of neighborhood tribe as these women? I'm not sure. Not even the token lesbian neighbors could do it, though I appreciated the effort.
Overall, the story was good, but never offered the big surprise I was waiting for. Characters are interesting but I was never fully pulled into their stories.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review; more at justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com.
This was an interesting one. From the beginning, this book felt familiar to me--the "something happened" after a barbecue reminiscent of Truly Madly Guilty and others I'd read lately. I was sick while reading, so I had trouble keeping the women and their backstories separate for a while. Too much cold medicine and fatigue, probably.
The book is told from various viewpoints--mainly Clara and Izzy. I was always expecting there to be more: some unexpected surprise or twist, but there never really was. The ending threw in a bit of one, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Still, there is a tenseness to the novel, and it can certainly be creepy at times. The novel also does a good job of capturing kids and parenthood--the weariness of the day-to-day of parenting small children, for instance. I also liked how it captured how preschools can be a microcosm of life and small towns and such a cesspool of stress and gossip.
This one moved slowly for me. I liked the characters, but wasn't drawn to them. I had some sympathy for Izzy, but also questioned her motives a lot. I should have been more drawn to Clara, but wasn't. Perhaps because, while I have small children, I don't have the same sort of neighborhood tribe as these women? I'm not sure. Not even the token lesbian neighbors could do it, though I appreciated the effort.
Overall, the story was good, but never offered the big surprise I was waiting for. Characters are interesting but I was never fully pulled into their stories.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review; more at justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Everything You Want Me to Be in Books
May 10, 2018
Henrietta 'Hattie' Hoffman is starting her senior year in high school. She lives in a small farming town and Minnesota and knows this is not the place for her. She has big hopes and dreams and she will stop at nothing to achieve them, even if it means deceiving others. But when Hattie turns up dead after opening night of Macbeth, there are all kinds of speculations as to why this could have happened and who could have done it. Told from the perspective of Hattie; Dell, the Chief of Police and; Peter the new English teacher. We are taken on a journey from the months leading up to Hattie's death to the months following it. Who killed Hattie and why?
From the very beginning of the book you can see that there is going to be a twist to this case. Everything is not going to be so easily spelled out for you. Just when you think you know who did it, you will find that you are wrong. I was wrong from the beginning. When it got down to the confession part I was jumping for joy because I had nailed the killer, but later I found out it was not so.
This is the first book I have read by Mindy Mejia. If her other books are similar to this, I will be reading them all.
To put it lightly, Hattie is a sociopath. Just at the title suggests she is everything everyone else wants her to be, but no one really knows her at all. She lies to her parents and her friends, being the good student, the good daughter, the loyal girlfriend, but Hattie has secrets. The first thing that shocked me about this book was not that Hattie had an affair with her high school teacher, it was how she laid out her plans to fool the whole town into believing she was the perfect girl next door. No one could have imagined what she had in store in her own mind.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a twisty tale.
From the very beginning of the book you can see that there is going to be a twist to this case. Everything is not going to be so easily spelled out for you. Just when you think you know who did it, you will find that you are wrong. I was wrong from the beginning. When it got down to the confession part I was jumping for joy because I had nailed the killer, but later I found out it was not so.
This is the first book I have read by Mindy Mejia. If her other books are similar to this, I will be reading them all.
To put it lightly, Hattie is a sociopath. Just at the title suggests she is everything everyone else wants her to be, but no one really knows her at all. She lies to her parents and her friends, being the good student, the good daughter, the loyal girlfriend, but Hattie has secrets. The first thing that shocked me about this book was not that Hattie had an affair with her high school teacher, it was how she laid out her plans to fool the whole town into believing she was the perfect girl next door. No one could have imagined what she had in store in her own mind.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a twisty tale.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Rumour in Books
Jan 28, 2019
A great debut
What a great debut and yet another author to keep my eyes on and a British one too ?
As the blurb says, Joanna hears a rumour and ends up passing it on even though she knows it's probably not the best decision she has ever made however, she feels the need to fit in and make friends since moving to a small seaside town from London ... what harm can it do? Well as most of us know, rumours can be extremely damaging and this book is a pretty good example of that.
Well written with great characters and setting, a gripping and relevant story line written at a good pace and with excellent twists, this book is definitely one for lovers of books that draw you in, spin you around and spit you out leaving you feeling like you're on a rollercoaster but not wanting it to end and when it does, you want to go back and have another go.
I wish to express my thanks to Random House UK/Transworld Publishers for my copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review and for, once again, introducing me to another new author to follow.
Having just clicked on the publisher website, it appears Lesley Kara has a new book coming out called "Who Did You Tell?"; the blurb sounds great and I am so looking forward to reading it especially if it's as well written as "The Rumour".
Blurb taken from the publisher website:
"It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.
Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged.
But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected.
Some mistakes, you have to pay for..."
BUT it's not out until December 2019!! Guess I'll just have to wait then ?
As the blurb says, Joanna hears a rumour and ends up passing it on even though she knows it's probably not the best decision she has ever made however, she feels the need to fit in and make friends since moving to a small seaside town from London ... what harm can it do? Well as most of us know, rumours can be extremely damaging and this book is a pretty good example of that.
Well written with great characters and setting, a gripping and relevant story line written at a good pace and with excellent twists, this book is definitely one for lovers of books that draw you in, spin you around and spit you out leaving you feeling like you're on a rollercoaster but not wanting it to end and when it does, you want to go back and have another go.
I wish to express my thanks to Random House UK/Transworld Publishers for my copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review and for, once again, introducing me to another new author to follow.
Having just clicked on the publisher website, it appears Lesley Kara has a new book coming out called "Who Did You Tell?"; the blurb sounds great and I am so looking forward to reading it especially if it's as well written as "The Rumour".
Blurb taken from the publisher website:
"It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.
Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged.
But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected.
Some mistakes, you have to pay for..."
BUT it's not out until December 2019!! Guess I'll just have to wait then ?
Marylegs (44 KP) rated Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) in Books
Aug 14, 2019
So I felt the story started fairly slowly wasn’t sure what to make of it. I went along with it because it feel like I book/story I should like. And it wasn’t that I disliked it I just, I don’t know, I could commit to it. Additionally I found it quite annoying how often author says “in a town like Gaitlin…” I get it. It’s a small town nothing unusual happens. There must be ways that that meaning could be but across without literally saying it every other paragraph. It was one of those things once I noticed it I couldn’t, not notice it.
I felt the story took a long time to get going, I enjoyed a good portion of the book towards the end, but I just felt like the story could have been ironed out better. I can almost see where it was meant to go and what I was meant to feel about characters but I never whole-heartedly did. There just wasn’t enough ‘real’ conversation between characters and it just felt a bit…. Forced, I can’t really think of a better way of describing it. Sometimes whilst I was reading I was thinking there is no way, in reality you’d be in that situation and react that way. If someone is threatening the person you love, you wouldn’t then wonder off and just carry on with what you were doing like the bady wasn’t even there. Even some of arguments between characters seemed lacking in purpose or just seemed to end. I also thought it just sort of ended, I know it is part of a series but normally I feel like I have to know what happens straightaway. I just didn’t get that with this book.
I will read the next book at some point but I’m not in a rush to get to it, but hopefully the story becomes more ironed out and purposeful as even though I may have seemed negative about the book. I could see where it could go and there were times in the book when I was compelled and fully invested. I guess I shall wait and see.
I felt the story took a long time to get going, I enjoyed a good portion of the book towards the end, but I just felt like the story could have been ironed out better. I can almost see where it was meant to go and what I was meant to feel about characters but I never whole-heartedly did. There just wasn’t enough ‘real’ conversation between characters and it just felt a bit…. Forced, I can’t really think of a better way of describing it. Sometimes whilst I was reading I was thinking there is no way, in reality you’d be in that situation and react that way. If someone is threatening the person you love, you wouldn’t then wonder off and just carry on with what you were doing like the bady wasn’t even there. Even some of arguments between characters seemed lacking in purpose or just seemed to end. I also thought it just sort of ended, I know it is part of a series but normally I feel like I have to know what happens straightaway. I just didn’t get that with this book.
I will read the next book at some point but I’m not in a rush to get to it, but hopefully the story becomes more ironed out and purposeful as even though I may have seemed negative about the book. I could see where it could go and there were times in the book when I was compelled and fully invested. I guess I shall wait and see.