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Something Wicked This Way Comes
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Linda Gaine | 2020 | Horror
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The book has a beautiful setting. (0 more)
Fails to live up to its promise of being a horror story (0 more)
Meh book
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Linda Gaine is a mildly creepy story perfect for a fall night. It gave me that uncomfortable feeling that is not quite fear from time to time making me want to insure that doors were locked and the lights were on.

 Nothing interesting ever happens in small towns. Especially in those so small that most of the residents know each other. In a town that small the murder of a young woman is big news. When this single murder turns into a string of murders that appear to be the work of a serial killer the entire town is put on edge. Everyone, specifically women are encouraged to travel with others and avoid being out at night. Unfortunately not everyone listens.

 Amanda is a young woman who has grown up in this small town. She meets her husband at a local bar and they buy a large house in the mountains on the outskirts of town. Too bad a house in the mountains is not an ideal place for a young woman and her child to be living alone. Yet that is exactly what would have happened when Amanda’s husband ends up in the hospital if it wasn’t for Amanda’s best friend. The house my be isolated but that is little comfort to Amanda when the serial killer seams to be showing a special interest in her.

 I enjoyed the setting of the book. From the quiet town to the large house up on the mountain. Everything is just so peaceful and lovingly thought out in the town. I was actually able to feel just how unsettling the house on the mountain was for everyone as well. It would have been nice to see dinkus (the there asterisks used to divide chapters into sections) being used. The main negative thing I noticed about this book was it jumping form one person to another without warning. The story became very confusing because of the lack of breaks. Large time jumps also became an issue.

 I would not recommend this book for those hoping for horror. Instead this book is better suited for those who enjoy murder mysteries and dramas. Young adults and adults alike should enjoy this book although both should be aware of extremely mild adult content. I rate this book 2 out of 4. Sadly this book did not live up to the promise it seemed to give out. While the book started out moderately creepy it was not able to maintain that feeling. Other than that the book itself was good and had an interesting plot line. The book seems to play more on the human fear of being alone and of close personal tragedies more than anything else.
  
The Six-Gun Tarot (Golgotha #1)
The Six-Gun Tarot (Golgotha #1)
R.S. Belcher | 2013 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Diverse and intricate characters (2 more)
Descriptions
Complex Imagery
pacing gets a litle complicated and the flow is disrupted (0 more)
A very complex world set in a small Nevada town during 1869. R. S. Belcher grabs your interest and keeps you guessing on the intricate happenings of this strange town, Golgotha.
Seeped in lore and the paranormal it makes me wish I knew a bit more about Tarot as the chapters are named after one of the cards and I know I have missed a bit of the intricate layers that are contained in this book. This book does get a little esoteric and has some weighty comments on religion but doesn't preach at you and lets you make your own decisions. It is an appropriate product of the time it is set in (1869) so there are a few racist comments that show a small bit of what may have been like in the wild west or America around the time of the Civil War.
The flow of the book stunted me a little until I got used to flashbacks and realized that you back tract on the day for a different p.o.v., it added depth to the characters and world.
  
Hit & Run (2012)
Hit & Run (2012)
2012 | Action, Comedy, Romance
8
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
In this fast passed action comedy, Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell are a young couple who live in the small town of Milton. Charlie Bronson (Dax Shepard) has a sordid past that prevents him from leaving the small town that he and his girlfriend live in. Charlie’s past includes a bank robber without a name (Bradley Cooper) and he is out to seek revenge against Charlie for testifying against him in an older bank robbery case.

After Annie gets a promotion outside of Milton in L.A., the couple end up heading on a road trip as Charley is determined to get her to her new job on time. Little does she know the road trip to her future may be the end of her relationship, a crazy adventure or a new beginning.

This movie is nothing short of hilarious. In my opinion Tom Arnold who plays Charlie’s protection makes this entire movie worth watching and that is saying something.

While I was not a fan of the cinematography used in this film , the humor makes up for it for sure. This film should not be missed especially if you like really fast cars.
  
The Dressmaker (2016)
The Dressmaker (2016)
2016 | Drama
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Characters – Tilly Dunnage is a glamorous woman that has seen the world learning the fashion world, she has returned home for revenge after being forced to leave the town as a child, she helps the women of the town look gorgeous and extra special, while she convinces herself that she isn’t cursed. She knows how to turn heads using her cloths to make this happen. Molly is the mother of Tilly who has been living in isolation for years, she didn’t want her daughter to return, even though she doesn’t start to bond with her after all these years apart. Teddy is a young man in the town, he is one of the few people that looked after Molly while Tilly was away, he soon takes a shine to her, wanting to prove that she didn’t do anything in the first place. Sergeant Farrat is one of the people that is happy to welcome Tilly back to town, he does have his own secret which involves his cross dressing, making him easy to twist when Tilly wants information.

Performances – Kate Winslet is great in this leading role, bring us a character filled with guilt who is just as happy to show a positive confident side to the people in the town. Judy Davis is a scene stealer in this film, being able to get the laughs required to make her the most memorable part of nearly ever scene she is in. Liam Hemsworth is at the best he has ever been, which is great to see him breaking away from the roles that aren’t working for him. Hugo Weaving gets to have a lot of fun in his role too.

Story – The story follows a woman who returns home to get revenge on the people that forced her to leave, only to learn that town has just as many secrets within the walls, that revenge is just about letting them out. We get to see how a town can turn enough heads to make everything seem like nothing is wrong, only for a curse to be waiting to be lifted if it isn’t inside somebody’s mind. We do get a lot of characters being introduced which can make things difficult to keep up with because we get plenty of little factors that do lead up to the personal conflict between the characters. this is a lot more fun of a story than I was expecting even though it is sprinkled with very dark moments.

Comedy – The comedy in the film does come the quirky nature of the events as they unfold, we have plenty of fashion related comical moments as well as small town gossip, which will get laugh along the way.

Settings – The film is set in a small rural Australian town, where everybody does know everybody else, we are filled with gossip and instant reactions to anything that goes on in the town too.


Scene of the Movie – Leaving town.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Slightly too many characters.

Final Thoughts –This is a quirky dark comedy that is sprinkled by the elements of revenge, which does keep us wondering just what is the endgame of her decision making process.

 

Overall: Dark quirky comedy treat.
  
The Last House Guest
The Last House Guest
Megan Miranda | 2019 | Mystery, Thriller
7
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A stand-alone, slow-burn thriller by author of All the Missing Girls
‏I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

I discovered Megan Miranda a few months after her 2016 novel, All the Missing Girls, was published. Her latest, The Last House Guest, is the 3rd novel I read by her.

This slow-burn thriller is a story of a small, summer vacation town with a definite line dividing the haves and have nots with one exception, Avery Greer. Sadie Loman who only has to say who her family is and doors are opened and police look the other way befriends Avery. For a decade, they are inseparable each summer - until Sadie is found dead.

While it took a long time for me to get into the book, I am glad I kept reading. Told from Avery's point of view, using flashbacks, we are shown the summer of and the summer following Sadie's death.

Miranda is known for creating a small town with a lot of secrets. The Last House Guest is no exception. The characters are not what they first seem to be. She peppers her story with small details that can help you figure out secrets and the big reveal right before the characters.

According to Goodreads, we can expect to see more from Megan Miranda. I cannot wait!

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/22/19.
  
    Minimo Town

    Minimo Town

    Games and Education

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    MiniMo Town is a casual learning builder game for children (5-9 years). In MiniMo Town children...