Search

Search only in certain items:

Irrational Man (2015)
Irrational Man (2015)
2015 | Drama
Murderous Woody Allen >> Romantic Woody Allen. Not quite sure why this monstrously clever rush is relegated as slight while just cute fluff like š˜”š˜Ŗš˜„š˜Æš˜Ŗš˜Øš˜©š˜µ š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜—š˜¢š˜³š˜Ŗš˜“ 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.
  
40x40

Merissa (13952 KP) rated Levity (Gay Fairy Tales #1) in Books

Dec 17, 2018 (Updated Jun 8, 2023)  
Levity (Gay Fairy Tales #1)
Levity (Gay Fairy Tales #1)
Keira Andrews, Leta Blake | 2015 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
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
  
Lock Every Door
Lock Every Door
Riley Sager | 2019 | Thriller
6
8.0 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
78 of 220
Kindle
Lock Every Door
By Riley Sager
ā­ļøā­ļøā­ļø

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 faƧade, 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.
  
40x40

Rob P (30 KP) rated The Heroes in Books

Dec 20, 2018  
The Heroes
The Heroes
Joe Abercrombie | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
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.
POV changes are swift and pacing can change dramatically, which could be difficult for some. (0 more)
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 Flatshare
The Flatshare
Beth O'Leary | 2019 | Contemporary, Romance
10
8.7 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
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.