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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Madam Tulip and the Serpent's Tree (Madam Tulip #4) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I have to be honest, I miss these characters, they are so theatrical, pompous, but at the same time so realistic and cute. The protagonist of this story is Derry, and the book is told from her perspective. Derry has this “luck” to get herself into craziest situations, involving rich and famous, she knows most of their secrets, and always gets into trouble. I like Derry and her crazy parents, and I enjoy their craziness in every book, including this one.
I was very impressed with the plot of this book, it is funny and entertaining, but at the same time more serious and solid. I liked the way the author unravelled this mystery, it was interesting to read about the music band’s lifestyle, mysterious shaman, and plenty of interesting history of Dublin. The narrative starts quite slow, but it has enough action and intense moments as well. Even though this book is a part of the series, it can be easily read as a stand-alone.
I liked the setting of this novel, the author describes Dublin and surrounding areas very picturesquely and I really liked that. I enjoy David Ahern’s writing style, I think he improves with every single book. The chapters are quite short, so the book didn’t drag for me. I loved the ending of this book, I think it rounded this book really well.
I was very impressed with the plot of this book, it is funny and entertaining, but at the same time more serious and solid. I liked the way the author unravelled this mystery, it was interesting to read about the music band’s lifestyle, mysterious shaman, and plenty of interesting history of Dublin. The narrative starts quite slow, but it has enough action and intense moments as well. Even though this book is a part of the series, it can be easily read as a stand-alone.
I liked the setting of this novel, the author describes Dublin and surrounding areas very picturesquely and I really liked that. I enjoy David Ahern’s writing style, I think he improves with every single book. The chapters are quite short, so the book didn’t drag for me. I loved the ending of this book, I think it rounded this book really well.
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Irrational Man (2015) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Murderous Woody Allen >> Romantic Woody Allen. Not quite sure why this monstrously clever rush is relegated as slight while just cute fluff like 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 gets BP noms but hey, more for me. I was initially turned off by this movie's writerly cynicism but soon realized that it was necessary to play into the whole, and reflexively appreciated it more immediately upon realization. Found this to get more and more lusciously beguiling as it went along, pretty much everything you'd want from a story about a philosophy professor who gets embroiled in a crime plot - complete with all of the knowingly self-satisfied dialogue and exploratory (but ultimately [intentionally] bullshit) ethical/moral dilemmas one could hope for. Phoenix and Stone are next level and this is rich with atmosphere without ever being even the slightest bit gaudy. Mainly just an incredibly good idea with a proper execution to back it up, I'm sure I'm alone in this one but this pretty much had my heart pounding more and more with anxiety as it went along - including multiple prolonged sequences where it wanted to burst right out of my chest the whole time - allowing me only to breath a sigh of safe relief upon the first sting of the end credits. Adored it, no doubt one of Allen's best.
Days That I'll Remeber: Spending Time with John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Book
Offering new insight into Lennon and Ono as individuals, artists and lovers, Days That I’ll...
Brigid of Kildare
Book
Rich in historical detail, Heather Terrell’s mesmerizing novel Brigid of Kildare is the story of...
The Side of Providence
Book
“It is a book of such power that it is as if a completely new layer of the American experience has...
Lock Every Door
8.0
Rate It
Book
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom...
Merissa (12854 KP) rated Levity (Gay Fairy Tales #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018 (Updated Jun 8, 2023)
This is the tale about Efrosin and Dmitri, two polar opposites who are both under a curse. Will they be able to break the curses and be together, or is their love doomed to failure?
This book was exceptionally well-written - especially Efrosin's character. He annoyed me to start with as his way of speaking was SOO over the top, but I quickly realised just how much this suited him and his character. I found myself feeling sorry for this character that had annoyed me, as he admitted that he couldn't feel sad, bad or mad (or any other negative emotion). The levity didn't just affect his physical form, but his mental one too.
Dmitri is Efrosin's opposite - he is bound to the land. He can't ever leave and can only interact with those that come to him. Efrosin is a rich Prince, he is a poor farmer. And yet, these two have something so intense between them that all bets are off with them behaving in a decorous manner!
A short story packed full of emotion, humour, sadness and curses. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2016
This book was exceptionally well-written - especially Efrosin's character. He annoyed me to start with as his way of speaking was SOO over the top, but I quickly realised just how much this suited him and his character. I found myself feeling sorry for this character that had annoyed me, as he admitted that he couldn't feel sad, bad or mad (or any other negative emotion). The levity didn't just affect his physical form, but his mental one too.
Dmitri is Efrosin's opposite - he is bound to the land. He can't ever leave and can only interact with those that come to him. Efrosin is a rich Prince, he is a poor farmer. And yet, these two have something so intense between them that all bets are off with them behaving in a decorous manner!
A short story packed full of emotion, humour, sadness and curses. Definitely recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2016
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Lock Every Door in Books
Apr 27, 2024
78 of 220
Kindle
Lock Every Door
By Riley Sager
⭐️⭐️⭐️
No visitors. No nights spent elsewhere. No disturbing the rich and famous residents. These are the rules for Jules Larsen’s new job apartment sitting at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile buildings. Recently heartbroken—and just plain broke—Jules is taken in by the splendor and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
As she gets to know the occupants and staff, Jules is drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who reminds her so much of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew has a dark history hidden beneath its gleaming façade, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day when Ingrid seemingly vanishes.
Searching for the truth, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s sordid past. But by uncovering the secrets within its walls, Jules exposes herself to untold terrors. Because once you’re in, the Bartholomew doesn’t want you to leave....
This was good and one of those that keeps you thinking is it supernatural or something more sinister and what’s more sinister than human beings being dark and twisted? All through this though I couldn’t help but feel I’d read something similar which did distract me a little. But it was a decent read.
Kindle
Lock Every Door
By Riley Sager
⭐️⭐️⭐️
No visitors. No nights spent elsewhere. No disturbing the rich and famous residents. These are the rules for Jules Larsen’s new job apartment sitting at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile buildings. Recently heartbroken—and just plain broke—Jules is taken in by the splendor and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
As she gets to know the occupants and staff, Jules is drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who reminds her so much of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew has a dark history hidden beneath its gleaming façade, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day when Ingrid seemingly vanishes.
Searching for the truth, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s sordid past. But by uncovering the secrets within its walls, Jules exposes herself to untold terrors. Because once you’re in, the Bartholomew doesn’t want you to leave....
This was good and one of those that keeps you thinking is it supernatural or something more sinister and what’s more sinister than human beings being dark and twisted? All through this though I couldn’t help but feel I’d read something similar which did distract me a little. But it was a decent read.
Great Villain (1 more)
Great Crime Story
Too many characters (1 more)
Some characters not needed
An ex-child soldier, a violent, hairless man, and a drug lord make up the cast of characters in the Thomas Harris novel, 'Cari Mora.' Mora, our title character, is the ex-child soldier that now lives in Miami, Flordia, where she watches over a deceased drug lord's mansion. This drug lord is the real-life Pablo Escobar.
Written in Harris' crime fiction style, 'Cari Mora' quickly starts with men competing to get to the rumored millions of dollars in gold that is suppose to be at the Escobar mansion. One of these men is a very memorable German character named Hans-Peter Schneider, who readers come to know as someone that is hired to kill/deliver people to rich customers, as well as selling organs on the black market: " He [Schneider] could see his reflection in the glass side of his liquid cremation machine where he was dissolving Karla, a girl who hadn't worked out for business." When Schneider meets Mora, he immediately wants to sell her to a high paying customer.
The novel's main subject is Escobar's hidden gold, but readers also get a glimpse into the underworld of human trafficking and hired thugs. Most interestingly, the story surrounds the dark past of certain characters - - - mostly Mora and Schneider- - - who also happen to be the most put-together characters in all of the novel. All other characters seem to be filler, where most of their stories either don't end or aren't explained. Such as the character Benito, when the reader gets to follow him home, there is a mere snippet about his family life that leaves us wanting more: " Lupe was waiting at Benito's house, in spirit, in the small garden she had made behind Benito's house. He felt her presence warm and close to him as fireflies winked over the white blossoms, luminous under the moon. Benito poured a glass of Flor de Cana for himself and one for her. He drank both of them sitting in the garden with Lupe, and being there together was enough. "
While the treasure hunt is going on, a man named Jesus Villarreal becomes an important character that used to be Escobar's captain- - - and who knows exactly where the gold is hidden; he has not only made a deal with Schneider, but also another drug lord named Don Ernesto- - - if he tells exactly how to get the gold, safely, his wife, son and sister-in-law must be taken care of when he is gone.
This story has twist and turns known in every great crime fiction novel: a woman who is more than what she seems, thugs with guns, dark backstories, and fast-reading action. Yet, the story contains so many characters,even new ones coming in on almost every chapter, that it could be hard for readers to keep in mind who is who, especially with not enough description to tell them apart. Another disappointment is the character named Detective Terry Robles, who had such an amazing story to tell - - - from he and his wife being shot up by druggies to Robles seeking revenge when his wife can't exactly remember who she is,let alone who he is, because of her injury - - - but his story never comes to fruition, and we never get to experience the end of it.
As great as a character Mora is, I personally believe that Schneider would have been a much more interesting view point to read from. The story would have taken on a completely different appeal if the focus had been on strictly him. For instance, one of the most intriguing parts was reading about Schneider's past which may hold the key to why he is who he is : "His parents were in the freezer and he could hear their voices through the door. They could not get out because the freezer door was secured with a chain Hans had tied in an excellent chain knot, the way his father had taught him to tie a chain, shaking the knot until the links jammed tight. "
Although I wish for a different view point, I will say again that Mora is a well-written character - - - her character just becomes flat in certain places- - - but she still makes the story worth reading. Harris did a wonderful job in showing the darker side of life, as he has always done with his Hannibal series. If anyone is a fan of the Netflix show 'Narcos,' or crime fiction surrounding drug lords, they will certainly enjoy this book from beginning to end.
Written in Harris' crime fiction style, 'Cari Mora' quickly starts with men competing to get to the rumored millions of dollars in gold that is suppose to be at the Escobar mansion. One of these men is a very memorable German character named Hans-Peter Schneider, who readers come to know as someone that is hired to kill/deliver people to rich customers, as well as selling organs on the black market: " He [Schneider] could see his reflection in the glass side of his liquid cremation machine where he was dissolving Karla, a girl who hadn't worked out for business." When Schneider meets Mora, he immediately wants to sell her to a high paying customer.
The novel's main subject is Escobar's hidden gold, but readers also get a glimpse into the underworld of human trafficking and hired thugs. Most interestingly, the story surrounds the dark past of certain characters - - - mostly Mora and Schneider- - - who also happen to be the most put-together characters in all of the novel. All other characters seem to be filler, where most of their stories either don't end or aren't explained. Such as the character Benito, when the reader gets to follow him home, there is a mere snippet about his family life that leaves us wanting more: " Lupe was waiting at Benito's house, in spirit, in the small garden she had made behind Benito's house. He felt her presence warm and close to him as fireflies winked over the white blossoms, luminous under the moon. Benito poured a glass of Flor de Cana for himself and one for her. He drank both of them sitting in the garden with Lupe, and being there together was enough. "
While the treasure hunt is going on, a man named Jesus Villarreal becomes an important character that used to be Escobar's captain- - - and who knows exactly where the gold is hidden; he has not only made a deal with Schneider, but also another drug lord named Don Ernesto- - - if he tells exactly how to get the gold, safely, his wife, son and sister-in-law must be taken care of when he is gone.
This story has twist and turns known in every great crime fiction novel: a woman who is more than what she seems, thugs with guns, dark backstories, and fast-reading action. Yet, the story contains so many characters,even new ones coming in on almost every chapter, that it could be hard for readers to keep in mind who is who, especially with not enough description to tell them apart. Another disappointment is the character named Detective Terry Robles, who had such an amazing story to tell - - - from he and his wife being shot up by druggies to Robles seeking revenge when his wife can't exactly remember who she is,let alone who he is, because of her injury - - - but his story never comes to fruition, and we never get to experience the end of it.
As great as a character Mora is, I personally believe that Schneider would have been a much more interesting view point to read from. The story would have taken on a completely different appeal if the focus had been on strictly him. For instance, one of the most intriguing parts was reading about Schneider's past which may hold the key to why he is who he is : "His parents were in the freezer and he could hear their voices through the door. They could not get out because the freezer door was secured with a chain Hans had tied in an excellent chain knot, the way his father had taught him to tie a chain, shaking the knot until the links jammed tight. "
Although I wish for a different view point, I will say again that Mora is a well-written character - - - her character just becomes flat in certain places- - - but she still makes the story worth reading. Harris did a wonderful job in showing the darker side of life, as he has always done with his Hannibal series. If anyone is a fan of the Netflix show 'Narcos,' or crime fiction surrounding drug lords, they will certainly enjoy this book from beginning to end.