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BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated The Corset in Books
Oct 16, 2018
This haunting tale will have you spellbound right to the shocking end!
Its set in Victorian times, linking 2 central characters. Lady Dorothea takes up charitable work visiting Ruth Butterham, a self-confessed murderess, in the local prison. Dorothea is a student of phrenology and is fascinated by how the shape of a person’s skull can “apparently” signify aspects of their personality.
Through successive visits, Ruth tells Dorothea her story. It all begins with Ruth as a victim; a victim of poverty, bullying and a physical attack. She becomes angry, hateful and vengeful. She is then pulled out of school to bring in a wage for her growing family. All her energy goes into sewing, sewing for money and sewing items for her soon to be born sister.
There are several macabre scenes at this point. Shortly after her sister’s birth, Ruth sews her a blanket with an angel embroidered in the corner. And it’s while she’s wrapped in the blanket that the new born dies, and the reason for the death is described by the slang “taken by the strangling angel”.
Ruth believes that she has the power to curse people to death with her sewing, and this is a belief that grows stronger with each garment that she sews. Ruth secretly enacts vengeance on her growing list of enemies, as more people die who are connected to Ruth and her sewing. The story intensifies as Ruth’s circumstances deteriorate at every turn.
While Ruth’s story becomes increasingly gothic, Dorothea’s chapters are light and breezy, concerned with finding the right suitor. With regards to her visits with Ruth, Dorothea’s attention diverts somewhat from her phrenology as she listens to her story - but she listens as a sceptic. She sees how bitter Ruth has been but does not see her as a murderess.
Towards the end of the book, Ruth faces her trial. But that is not the end of the drama! I did not see that ending coming!
The language of the book befits the era in which its set; and I often came across words I was unfamiliar with. This did not put me off at all. The book may be odd in its premise, but is more dark and sinister than most – thoroughly recommended!
Through successive visits, Ruth tells Dorothea her story. It all begins with Ruth as a victim; a victim of poverty, bullying and a physical attack. She becomes angry, hateful and vengeful. She is then pulled out of school to bring in a wage for her growing family. All her energy goes into sewing, sewing for money and sewing items for her soon to be born sister.
There are several macabre scenes at this point. Shortly after her sister’s birth, Ruth sews her a blanket with an angel embroidered in the corner. And it’s while she’s wrapped in the blanket that the new born dies, and the reason for the death is described by the slang “taken by the strangling angel”.
Ruth believes that she has the power to curse people to death with her sewing, and this is a belief that grows stronger with each garment that she sews. Ruth secretly enacts vengeance on her growing list of enemies, as more people die who are connected to Ruth and her sewing. The story intensifies as Ruth’s circumstances deteriorate at every turn.
While Ruth’s story becomes increasingly gothic, Dorothea’s chapters are light and breezy, concerned with finding the right suitor. With regards to her visits with Ruth, Dorothea’s attention diverts somewhat from her phrenology as she listens to her story - but she listens as a sceptic. She sees how bitter Ruth has been but does not see her as a murderess.
Towards the end of the book, Ruth faces her trial. But that is not the end of the drama! I did not see that ending coming!
The language of the book befits the era in which its set; and I often came across words I was unfamiliar with. This did not put me off at all. The book may be odd in its premise, but is more dark and sinister than most – thoroughly recommended!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Professor (McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Professor</i>, a legal thriller by American author Robert Bailey, is a well-written novel about an investigation into a fatal car crash. A collision between a speeding truck and a family car resulted in the death of all four people in the vehicles. The mother of one of the deceased is determined to find out the truth about what happened and so enlists the help of an old friend, Thomas McMurtrie, the Professor.
Although everything revolves around the upcoming trial, the story is really focused on two people in particular. One is the aforementioned Professor and the other is an ex-student of his, Rick Drake. Tom used to be a lawyer but after persuasion from Coach Paul Bryant he took up a position at the University of Alabama teaching law. Now at 68 years old he is forced into retirement. Rick Drake, on the other hand, is a young and struggling lawyer, who after punching Tom due to his hot headedness is finding it difficult to pick up work. Putting aside their differences, the two of the come together to try and win this court case. The opposition, however, seem determined to make that impossible by using any means possible.
The prologue initially misled me. It explains how Tom became a professor in 1969 by detailing his meeting with Coach Paul Bryant who is more often referred to as the Man. This title, as well as the capitalization, led me to believe that he would be a sinister, untrustworthy character in this story. That turned out not to be the case – nor was he even in it, having long passed away. He was known as the Man in the same way that Tom is known as the Professor, due to respect and admiration.
There were times when I did not like what was happening in the novel, particularly the murders of Rick’s key witnesses, but once the trial actually began it got really exciting with the pace picking up as I hoped that everything would resolve itself.
For those who love crime novels this is a definite read. I cannot be entirely sure but the caption on the back cover “The First McMurtrie & Drake Investigation” implies that this could become a series rather than a standalone story; in which case it would be interesting to discover what the pair do next.
<i>The Professor</i>, a legal thriller by American author Robert Bailey, is a well-written novel about an investigation into a fatal car crash. A collision between a speeding truck and a family car resulted in the death of all four people in the vehicles. The mother of one of the deceased is determined to find out the truth about what happened and so enlists the help of an old friend, Thomas McMurtrie, the Professor.
Although everything revolves around the upcoming trial, the story is really focused on two people in particular. One is the aforementioned Professor and the other is an ex-student of his, Rick Drake. Tom used to be a lawyer but after persuasion from Coach Paul Bryant he took up a position at the University of Alabama teaching law. Now at 68 years old he is forced into retirement. Rick Drake, on the other hand, is a young and struggling lawyer, who after punching Tom due to his hot headedness is finding it difficult to pick up work. Putting aside their differences, the two of the come together to try and win this court case. The opposition, however, seem determined to make that impossible by using any means possible.
The prologue initially misled me. It explains how Tom became a professor in 1969 by detailing his meeting with Coach Paul Bryant who is more often referred to as the Man. This title, as well as the capitalization, led me to believe that he would be a sinister, untrustworthy character in this story. That turned out not to be the case – nor was he even in it, having long passed away. He was known as the Man in the same way that Tom is known as the Professor, due to respect and admiration.
There were times when I did not like what was happening in the novel, particularly the murders of Rick’s key witnesses, but once the trial actually began it got really exciting with the pace picking up as I hoped that everything would resolve itself.
For those who love crime novels this is a definite read. I cannot be entirely sure but the caption on the back cover “The First McMurtrie & Drake Investigation” implies that this could become a series rather than a standalone story; in which case it would be interesting to discover what the pair do next.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hearts of Stone in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Simon Scarrow brings to life the horrors of World War II in his latest novel <i>Hearts of Stone</i>. In 2013, Anna Thesskoudiss, a history teacher is contacted by a German research student, Dieter Muller who is interested in talking to her grandmother Eleni. He explains that he is the grandson of Peter Muller who was friends with her grandmother whilst staying on the Greek island of Lefkas until the war made them enemies.
Dieter Muller’s introduction implies that the story is going to be about the relationship between Eleni and Peter, which gets destroyed when Peter returns to the island as an enemy intelligence officer. The blurb for <i>Hearts of Stone</i> also implies this. However, the majority of the book focuses on their friend Andreas’ experience of the Navy and his role in the resistance. Scarrow goes into detail of every dangerous situation Andreas finds himself in, but this is not what the reader was expecting to learn about. Eventually the final chapters turn to Peter’s role in the war and the reason Eleni and he could no longer consider themselves friends.
Despite being full of action and war horrors, it gets a little boring reading about Andreas’ life. Although this narrative leads to what happens with Peter, it occasionally felt unnecessary, as it was the final stages that appeared to be the most important.
From an historical point of view it is refreshing to read a war story that is not focused on either Britain or Germany. <i>Hearts of Stone</i> reveals how Greece was affected even though they were not one of the main fighting bodies. It is shocking how many innocent people were killed purely for the Nazi’s to invoke fear in the hopes the natives would submit to their rule.
Hopefully the vast amount of mistakes and grammatical errors would have been corrected before the final – I read an uncorrected proof – publication. Admittedly <i>Hearts of Stone</i> was a bit of a disappointment as it was not exactly what it appeared to be. However it has educational value as well as entertainment for readers who enjoy war stories. Scarrow has also included maps of the Greek island of Lefkas and the Mediterranean during WWII as well as a character list to benefit readers as they take in the story.
Simon Scarrow brings to life the horrors of World War II in his latest novel <i>Hearts of Stone</i>. In 2013, Anna Thesskoudiss, a history teacher is contacted by a German research student, Dieter Muller who is interested in talking to her grandmother Eleni. He explains that he is the grandson of Peter Muller who was friends with her grandmother whilst staying on the Greek island of Lefkas until the war made them enemies.
Dieter Muller’s introduction implies that the story is going to be about the relationship between Eleni and Peter, which gets destroyed when Peter returns to the island as an enemy intelligence officer. The blurb for <i>Hearts of Stone</i> also implies this. However, the majority of the book focuses on their friend Andreas’ experience of the Navy and his role in the resistance. Scarrow goes into detail of every dangerous situation Andreas finds himself in, but this is not what the reader was expecting to learn about. Eventually the final chapters turn to Peter’s role in the war and the reason Eleni and he could no longer consider themselves friends.
Despite being full of action and war horrors, it gets a little boring reading about Andreas’ life. Although this narrative leads to what happens with Peter, it occasionally felt unnecessary, as it was the final stages that appeared to be the most important.
From an historical point of view it is refreshing to read a war story that is not focused on either Britain or Germany. <i>Hearts of Stone</i> reveals how Greece was affected even though they were not one of the main fighting bodies. It is shocking how many innocent people were killed purely for the Nazi’s to invoke fear in the hopes the natives would submit to their rule.
Hopefully the vast amount of mistakes and grammatical errors would have been corrected before the final – I read an uncorrected proof – publication. Admittedly <i>Hearts of Stone</i> was a bit of a disappointment as it was not exactly what it appeared to be. However it has educational value as well as entertainment for readers who enjoy war stories. Scarrow has also included maps of the Greek island of Lefkas and the Mediterranean during WWII as well as a character list to benefit readers as they take in the story.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated A Blade So Black in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<h2><strong>When I first heard of <em>A Blade So Black</em>, I got excited.</strong></h2>
And I mean super excited! Here we have a book that features a black protagonist (we need more POC retellings!) who kicks butt like Buffy the vampire slayer and a retelling of <em>Alice in Wonderland</em> (which I should I get to one day but probably won't happen).
<h2><strong>But L.L. McKinney's debut novel turned out to be a big bummer.</strong></h2>
I didn't hate it, but I very much could not get past 40% of the book - in fact, I suffered more than I should because I <em>hoped</em> the book would get a lot better later. But it didn't get any better.
<h3>The writing style didn't suit me.</h3>
I think this is another "it's not you, it's me," but omg the writing made me want to sleep more than continuing the book. I found watching the 2018 reboot of "Meteor Garden" more interesting and probably watched an episode or two for every chapter that bored me to tears.
<h3>The concept is amazing.</h3>
Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets in Alice in Wonderland in a modern day setting? Hellooooo, please sign me up. This book spells dark and ominous and I definitely got that vibe while reading what I did.
<h3>But it was just <em>sooo</em> boring.</h3>
I checked out of the book by Chapter Four (but I <em>tried</em> to stay with the rest of the book, I swear!). Wonderland is full of action, but it was the same thing over and over again and got repetitive. Alice is juggling being a Dreamwalker, who can destroy the Nightmares that come from Wonderland, while being an ordinary student with a life, but it was all the same thing over and over again. It never really picked up.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/a-blade-so-black-by-l-l-mckinney-the-disappointment-is-so-real/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<h2><strong>When I first heard of <em>A Blade So Black</em>, I got excited.</strong></h2>
And I mean super excited! Here we have a book that features a black protagonist (we need more POC retellings!) who kicks butt like Buffy the vampire slayer and a retelling of <em>Alice in Wonderland</em> (which I should I get to one day but probably won't happen).
<h2><strong>But L.L. McKinney's debut novel turned out to be a big bummer.</strong></h2>
I didn't hate it, but I very much could not get past 40% of the book - in fact, I suffered more than I should because I <em>hoped</em> the book would get a lot better later. But it didn't get any better.
<h3>The writing style didn't suit me.</h3>
I think this is another "it's not you, it's me," but omg the writing made me want to sleep more than continuing the book. I found watching the 2018 reboot of "Meteor Garden" more interesting and probably watched an episode or two for every chapter that bored me to tears.
<h3>The concept is amazing.</h3>
Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets in Alice in Wonderland in a modern day setting? Hellooooo, please sign me up. This book spells dark and ominous and I definitely got that vibe while reading what I did.
<h3>But it was just <em>sooo</em> boring.</h3>
I checked out of the book by Chapter Four (but I <em>tried</em> to stay with the rest of the book, I swear!). Wonderland is full of action, but it was the same thing over and over again and got repetitive. Alice is juggling being a Dreamwalker, who can destroy the Nightmares that come from Wonderland, while being an ordinary student with a life, but it was all the same thing over and over again. It never really picked up.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/a-blade-so-black-by-l-l-mckinney-the-disappointment-is-so-real/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Beginners Cookbook in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Beginners Cookbook by K. Mortimer is a book full of fairly quick and easy recipes. While the cooking time on some of these can be a bit long, none of the recipes. in this book take very long to put together. Some readers that are not from the United Kingdom may not recognize some of the names of some ingredients but a quick google search should fix that.
This cookbook walks beginner cooks through common breakfast foods, main meal dishes, and even snacks. It has recipes. for common foods such as macaroni and cheese to things a little more uncommon (yet still simple) like prawn cocktails. The dessert selection offers some delicious recipes such as rice pudding or an apple and blackberry crumble. The cookbook also ends on a sweet note with the cakes and pastries section containing items such as fruit scones and jam jars.
One of the best things about this book is how simple all the recipes are. The chocolate brownies probably have one of the largest ingredient lists in the entire book. Also, many of the meat-based recipes gives a vegetarian option in the instructions as well. What I did not really care for was that some of the recipes seem to be in the wrong chapter. Flapjacks, for example, are labeled as a cake and not a breakfast food (this may be a UK vs. US thing I am not sure). There were also ingredients such as sultanas and salad cream that I have never heard of, along with a few unknown !!br0ken!!
This book was created directly for those who have never cooked before or who have just started cooking. It is perfect for (supervised) children who are gaining confidence in the kitchen. Adults and teens who find themselves suddenly on their own for food will also benefit from this book. It would make a good gift for a new college student as well. I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4. The recipes themselves are very beginner-friendly although there are a few things that would make it even more so. It would have been nice to see examples of less common items such as flan pans in an index-like area. Also, a list of common substitutions for things like eggs and butter would have been nice along with a conversions chart.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com
This cookbook walks beginner cooks through common breakfast foods, main meal dishes, and even snacks. It has recipes. for common foods such as macaroni and cheese to things a little more uncommon (yet still simple) like prawn cocktails. The dessert selection offers some delicious recipes such as rice pudding or an apple and blackberry crumble. The cookbook also ends on a sweet note with the cakes and pastries section containing items such as fruit scones and jam jars.
One of the best things about this book is how simple all the recipes are. The chocolate brownies probably have one of the largest ingredient lists in the entire book. Also, many of the meat-based recipes gives a vegetarian option in the instructions as well. What I did not really care for was that some of the recipes seem to be in the wrong chapter. Flapjacks, for example, are labeled as a cake and not a breakfast food (this may be a UK vs. US thing I am not sure). There were also ingredients such as sultanas and salad cream that I have never heard of, along with a few unknown !!br0ken!!
This book was created directly for those who have never cooked before or who have just started cooking. It is perfect for (supervised) children who are gaining confidence in the kitchen. Adults and teens who find themselves suddenly on their own for food will also benefit from this book. It would make a good gift for a new college student as well. I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4. The recipes themselves are very beginner-friendly although there are a few things that would make it even more so. It would have been nice to see examples of less common items such as flan pans in an index-like area. Also, a list of common substitutions for things like eggs and butter would have been nice along with a conversions chart.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com
Ali A (82 KP) rated I Wish You All the Best in Books
Mar 6, 2020
I Wish You All the Best is such a groundbreaking book that will let multiple people feel seen.
Trigger Warnings: misgendering, homophobia, anxiety, depression
When Ben finally decides to come out to their parents that they're nonbinary, everything goes south and Ben's out on the streets in just their socks. They call a sister they haven't had any contact with in 10 years to come pick them up and they begin living with them. Ben just wants to get through the last half of senior year unnoticed but they meet Nathan, a charming and humorous student who gets asked to show Ben around on their first day at their new high school, and feelings start to grow. Trying to deal with the rejection of their parents, depression and anxiety, as well as if and when they want to come out, Ben has a lot of their plate.
So much happens within just the first three chapters alone that my heart breaks for Ben and all I want is for them to have a happy ending. I believe this is a book that needs to be added to everyone's reading list.
- It really dives into how being closeted, even slightly, can affect mental health.
- How living a life that isn't 100% true to you is agonizing (in Ben's case, misgendering).
- The book, in my opinion, shows what it's truly like to have a panic attack and trying to figure out the triggers and then going through the steps to try and calm your nerves.
- It shines light on those who haven't really had much light shined on them in mainstream anything. There is a pansexual character in the book and so far, I've only read one other book with that representation and it made me smile.
- The book also brings up the struggle of figuring out "how and why do I want to label myself?" Rather that's to live your life to the fullest, to connect to others, or to give yourself a sense of being, everyone's reasons are different and Ben's story mentions that quite a bit.
Though I understand the book was focusing on Ben's journey as they begin coming out as nonbinary and trying to work through their anxiety and depression, I do wish some of the relationships were more flushed out. I feel like scenes were just glazed over and I just wish I would see more of Ben's friendships grow.
Trigger Warnings: misgendering, homophobia, anxiety, depression
When Ben finally decides to come out to their parents that they're nonbinary, everything goes south and Ben's out on the streets in just their socks. They call a sister they haven't had any contact with in 10 years to come pick them up and they begin living with them. Ben just wants to get through the last half of senior year unnoticed but they meet Nathan, a charming and humorous student who gets asked to show Ben around on their first day at their new high school, and feelings start to grow. Trying to deal with the rejection of their parents, depression and anxiety, as well as if and when they want to come out, Ben has a lot of their plate.
So much happens within just the first three chapters alone that my heart breaks for Ben and all I want is for them to have a happy ending. I believe this is a book that needs to be added to everyone's reading list.
- It really dives into how being closeted, even slightly, can affect mental health.
- How living a life that isn't 100% true to you is agonizing (in Ben's case, misgendering).
- The book, in my opinion, shows what it's truly like to have a panic attack and trying to figure out the triggers and then going through the steps to try and calm your nerves.
- It shines light on those who haven't really had much light shined on them in mainstream anything. There is a pansexual character in the book and so far, I've only read one other book with that representation and it made me smile.
- The book also brings up the struggle of figuring out "how and why do I want to label myself?" Rather that's to live your life to the fullest, to connect to others, or to give yourself a sense of being, everyone's reasons are different and Ben's story mentions that quite a bit.
Though I understand the book was focusing on Ben's journey as they begin coming out as nonbinary and trying to work through their anxiety and depression, I do wish some of the relationships were more flushed out. I feel like scenes were just glazed over and I just wish I would see more of Ben's friendships grow.
JT (287 KP) rated Escape Room (2019) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Escape rooms are all the rage at the moment. The premise is simple, a group of people are trapped inside a confined space full of clues and puzzles in order to find a way out – so it was only a matter of time before the horror genre got hold of it.
There have been a few incantations of this new age idea already; Escape Room (2017) & No Escape Room, but this one is probably the best of a bad bunch.
Six strangers each receive a cryptic puzzle box, which once opened invites them to compete for a $10,000 prize – if they can get through a series of deviously constructed rooms. The group comes from all walks of life, a gifted maths student, an Iraq War vet a blue collar trucker to name a few, each with a seemingly interconnected past.
After a frantic flash-forward where we see someone coming unstuck in one of the rooms, we are introduced to each of the characters one by one. There isn’t enough time to go into massive details, so it feels like we only scratch the surface as to what makes them tick.
Meeting in a plush reception area the game begins – although none of them realise it at first. The room starts to get hot and they soon discover that they are about to get burnt alive – unless they can work out the clues to escape.
The group quickly realise that they will have to work together in order to survive.
Aside from getting burnt alive they also face a winter themed room where the ice cracks beneath them, an upside down bar where the floor drops away and a hallucinogenic trip fest which is extremely freaky to watch.
During proceedings, in which there is a lot of infighting and panic, you half expect Billy the Puppet to come peddling out on his tricycle and explain the next part of the game. There are definite similarities to Saw, people are in a race against time before they ultimately meet a grizzly end, but because many people have experienced this style of entertainment before the reality is unnerving.
While the gore doesn’t reach Saw levels it provides enough tension, but it then starts to tail off a little towards the end. The conclusion is far too predictable although there is just enough intrigue to see what they will conjure up next.
There have been a few incantations of this new age idea already; Escape Room (2017) & No Escape Room, but this one is probably the best of a bad bunch.
Six strangers each receive a cryptic puzzle box, which once opened invites them to compete for a $10,000 prize – if they can get through a series of deviously constructed rooms. The group comes from all walks of life, a gifted maths student, an Iraq War vet a blue collar trucker to name a few, each with a seemingly interconnected past.
After a frantic flash-forward where we see someone coming unstuck in one of the rooms, we are introduced to each of the characters one by one. There isn’t enough time to go into massive details, so it feels like we only scratch the surface as to what makes them tick.
Meeting in a plush reception area the game begins – although none of them realise it at first. The room starts to get hot and they soon discover that they are about to get burnt alive – unless they can work out the clues to escape.
The group quickly realise that they will have to work together in order to survive.
Aside from getting burnt alive they also face a winter themed room where the ice cracks beneath them, an upside down bar where the floor drops away and a hallucinogenic trip fest which is extremely freaky to watch.
During proceedings, in which there is a lot of infighting and panic, you half expect Billy the Puppet to come peddling out on his tricycle and explain the next part of the game. There are definite similarities to Saw, people are in a race against time before they ultimately meet a grizzly end, but because many people have experienced this style of entertainment before the reality is unnerving.
While the gore doesn’t reach Saw levels it provides enough tension, but it then starts to tail off a little towards the end. The conclusion is far too predictable although there is just enough intrigue to see what they will conjure up next.
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Sarah (7800 KP) Oct 17, 2018