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The Side of Providence
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“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
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Book
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom...
Merissa (13739 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.
Rob P (30 KP) rated The Heroes in Books
Dec 20, 2018
Character Arc (3 more)
Universe exploration and progression
Minor characters from previous trilogy (The First Law) explored to great satisfaction of readers.
Morally very challenging.
The Heroes
First of all I’d like to say that although this is a great read for any fantasy fan, the importance and virtues of this book are enforced greatly by having read Abercrombie’s trilogy; The First Law. That’s not to say it could not be read on its own, the story is dramatic, rich, honest and satisfying. Characters are interesting, morally grey (an Abercrombie staple) and fundamentally human in their relatability.
The story centres on a battle between the empirical Union, or otherwise the seat of power from the south of the continent, and the brutish Northmen united under a legendary fighter, Black Dow. Dow has (presumably) killed, and seized power from the previous lord of war, Logen Ninefingers (also known as The Bloody Nine) and declared the north independent.
In the south, the Union (under guidance and governance from external parties) raises it’s army to march north and deal with this threat, with the two armies set to collide at an old northern monument of stone pillars, known as The Heroes.
Now, for a reader with a severe completion complex, this book is just a warm hug. Leading on from the trilogy that left just enough unanswered to make you need more, this book if anything over-delivers on detail and lends some of its best moments from characters you just didn’t realise you wanted to know more about, or passed you by entirely.
The very best state of mind to go into with this read, is to remember that both story and moral lines are perennially blurred. Every character belongs to one side or the other in theory, but with their own agenda entirely.
Abercrombie, to me, really stands out when it comes to fighting sequences, and there’s no shortage in this offering. He uses point of view accounts from multiple characters, chaining them as they fall or impact the flow of battle, making for a visceral and investing read.
Ultimately, fans of the series or Abercrombie’s works will already have enough to know they want to read this, but if you’re thinking of picking this as a starting point, your bookshelf will be sponsored by Abercrombie before you even know what is happening – Rob.
The story centres on a battle between the empirical Union, or otherwise the seat of power from the south of the continent, and the brutish Northmen united under a legendary fighter, Black Dow. Dow has (presumably) killed, and seized power from the previous lord of war, Logen Ninefingers (also known as The Bloody Nine) and declared the north independent.
In the south, the Union (under guidance and governance from external parties) raises it’s army to march north and deal with this threat, with the two armies set to collide at an old northern monument of stone pillars, known as The Heroes.
Now, for a reader with a severe completion complex, this book is just a warm hug. Leading on from the trilogy that left just enough unanswered to make you need more, this book if anything over-delivers on detail and lends some of its best moments from characters you just didn’t realise you wanted to know more about, or passed you by entirely.
The very best state of mind to go into with this read, is to remember that both story and moral lines are perennially blurred. Every character belongs to one side or the other in theory, but with their own agenda entirely.
Abercrombie, to me, really stands out when it comes to fighting sequences, and there’s no shortage in this offering. He uses point of view accounts from multiple characters, chaining them as they fall or impact the flow of battle, making for a visceral and investing read.
Ultimately, fans of the series or Abercrombie’s works will already have enough to know they want to read this, but if you’re thinking of picking this as a starting point, your bookshelf will be sponsored by Abercrombie before you even know what is happening – Rob.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Flatshare in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonists of this story are Tiffy and Leon. Tiffy works in publishing is an absolute extrovert who needs people in her life even to help with simple decisions, and she is coming to terms that her ex-boyfriend was an emotional abuser. Leon is a night nurse in the hospice, an absolute introvert, who needs money to help his wrongly imprisoned brother. So, yes, this book seems to be a cute rom-com, but it carries way deeper issues within itself. The book is told from a dual perspective, and I loved to find out more about each and every character. I really loved all the characters in this book, they are unique, very realistic and truly charming. Author picked the protagonists very well as well, everyone can relate either to Tiffy or Leon, and I am definitely a house Leon, I really liked his personality and his determination.
The plot of this novel is very unique and original. The whole flat-sharing thing is very intriguing, and I was dying to know when and how are the characters going to meet. There are a lot of things going on in this novel, it has rich but at the same time an easy-going story to tell. I was simply glued to this book because I needed to know how the story will end. The topics discussed in this book were property crisis, failed justice system, emotional abuse in the relationships, friendships, personal development, Love and many more.
The writing style of this book is very masterful, the author took serious topics, and covered it in funny, enjoyable, and easy to digest coating. The language used was easy to read and understandable. The chapters are short and sweet, and I didn’t even notice how the pages flew by. The ending rounded up this book perfectly and left me very satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, this book deserves all the praise it gets, it is witty, enjoyable but at the same time has a punch to it. I loved the diverse and well-developed characters and the unique narrative, and I strongly recommend it to everyone. Please do give this book a go, and I hope you will like it as much as I did. Can’t wait for more books from this author.
The plot of this novel is very unique and original. The whole flat-sharing thing is very intriguing, and I was dying to know when and how are the characters going to meet. There are a lot of things going on in this novel, it has rich but at the same time an easy-going story to tell. I was simply glued to this book because I needed to know how the story will end. The topics discussed in this book were property crisis, failed justice system, emotional abuse in the relationships, friendships, personal development, Love and many more.
The writing style of this book is very masterful, the author took serious topics, and covered it in funny, enjoyable, and easy to digest coating. The language used was easy to read and understandable. The chapters are short and sweet, and I didn’t even notice how the pages flew by. The ending rounded up this book perfectly and left me very satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, this book deserves all the praise it gets, it is witty, enjoyable but at the same time has a punch to it. I loved the diverse and well-developed characters and the unique narrative, and I strongly recommend it to everyone. Please do give this book a go, and I hope you will like it as much as I did. Can’t wait for more books from this author.
Jade Empire™: Special Edition
Games
App
Jade Empire: Special Edition is an award-winning action RPG from the makers of Dragon Age and Mass...
Darren (1599 KP) rated For Love or Money (2019) in Movies
Jun 25, 2019
Story: For Love or Money starts when former bullied school kid Mark (Kazinsky) meets the former love of his life Connie (Barks) at her boyfriend’s funeral, when Connie and her business partner Johnny (Speleers) learn Mark might become mega rich, Connie gets involved in dating Mark hoping to get half his money once he gets it.
When Mark learns about Connie’s plan, he decides to go on his own mission to make her life a living hell until he can finally break her giving away her plan.
Thoughts on For Love or Money
Characters – Mark is the average joe, he has worked hard to get where he is, he doesn’t have much luck with the women though, he finds a way to be awkward around them, he thinks his life has turned around when he meets an old school friend, only to learn the truth about her intentions, forcing him to go out to get revenge with on her. Connie is the gold digger that is using Mark for a big payday, she is pretending to love Mark and even agrees to marry him, only she finds herself being put through the ringer, once he learns the truth. Kendra was once Connie’s best friend who was left embarrassed by Connie, she is willing to help with the revenge as she wants to be involved too, only she starts to question just how far they are going. Johnny is the business partner of Connie, he gives her the idea to use Mark for money, he is the kind of guy that you just look at and go, what an asshole, calling every single woman sugar tits. Tim is the best friend to Mark, that gets laughs of plenty through the film, along with his dog Ducky, he is dry to everything that happens in the film.
Performances – Robert Kazinsky is great in the leading role, he gets to show comic timing and enjoyment for what his character puts Connie through, in a way where we support him. Samantha Barks is great in this role, she manages to give us a character that we hate, but also sympathise for. Rachel Hurd-Wood does get plenty of strong moments in the film, with her character getting the important moments in the film. Ed Speleers does seem to have a lot of fun with his role in the film where he gets to play a complete asshole, it could be argued the Tony Way is a scene stealer in this film nailing the comedy every time in the film.
Story – The story here follows a man that starts dating his school crush, only to learn that she is only dating him to get to his money, where he decides to use this against her to get revenge. This story does put everything on the table early on which does give the story a nice spin on what we are used to seeing. It is nice to see a story where the victim gets to turn the tables, having fun knowing that the truth is only going to hurt them, seeing how far he can push things before breaking her. It would be fair the story doesn’t paint love in a very god way, though it does show how difficult it can be to move on with life when you believe somebody is perfect for you.
Comedy – The comedy in the film will give you plenty of laughs, Tim gets most of the laughs, while Johnny is the one you laugh at the most.
Settings – The film gives us an everyday setting which shows how life can keep on going even if the big plan is going on in the background, no location is used for an iconic moment.
Scene of the Movie – Camping.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The final moments.
Final Thoughts – This is a funny romantic comedy that gets to show just how life can go in different directions, it turns a gold digger character on its head too.
Overall: Funny comedy that will leave you laughing most of the time.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/24/for-love-or-money-2019/
When Mark learns about Connie’s plan, he decides to go on his own mission to make her life a living hell until he can finally break her giving away her plan.
Thoughts on For Love or Money
Characters – Mark is the average joe, he has worked hard to get where he is, he doesn’t have much luck with the women though, he finds a way to be awkward around them, he thinks his life has turned around when he meets an old school friend, only to learn the truth about her intentions, forcing him to go out to get revenge with on her. Connie is the gold digger that is using Mark for a big payday, she is pretending to love Mark and even agrees to marry him, only she finds herself being put through the ringer, once he learns the truth. Kendra was once Connie’s best friend who was left embarrassed by Connie, she is willing to help with the revenge as she wants to be involved too, only she starts to question just how far they are going. Johnny is the business partner of Connie, he gives her the idea to use Mark for money, he is the kind of guy that you just look at and go, what an asshole, calling every single woman sugar tits. Tim is the best friend to Mark, that gets laughs of plenty through the film, along with his dog Ducky, he is dry to everything that happens in the film.
Performances – Robert Kazinsky is great in the leading role, he gets to show comic timing and enjoyment for what his character puts Connie through, in a way where we support him. Samantha Barks is great in this role, she manages to give us a character that we hate, but also sympathise for. Rachel Hurd-Wood does get plenty of strong moments in the film, with her character getting the important moments in the film. Ed Speleers does seem to have a lot of fun with his role in the film where he gets to play a complete asshole, it could be argued the Tony Way is a scene stealer in this film nailing the comedy every time in the film.
Story – The story here follows a man that starts dating his school crush, only to learn that she is only dating him to get to his money, where he decides to use this against her to get revenge. This story does put everything on the table early on which does give the story a nice spin on what we are used to seeing. It is nice to see a story where the victim gets to turn the tables, having fun knowing that the truth is only going to hurt them, seeing how far he can push things before breaking her. It would be fair the story doesn’t paint love in a very god way, though it does show how difficult it can be to move on with life when you believe somebody is perfect for you.
Comedy – The comedy in the film will give you plenty of laughs, Tim gets most of the laughs, while Johnny is the one you laugh at the most.
Settings – The film gives us an everyday setting which shows how life can keep on going even if the big plan is going on in the background, no location is used for an iconic moment.
Scene of the Movie – Camping.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The final moments.
Final Thoughts – This is a funny romantic comedy that gets to show just how life can go in different directions, it turns a gold digger character on its head too.
Overall: Funny comedy that will leave you laughing most of the time.
https://moviesreview101.com/2019/06/24/for-love-or-money-2019/