Search
Search results
Chelsea (166 KP) rated Two Girls Down: A Novel in Books
May 3, 2018
Alice Vega is a basically professional head hunter and, when hired to find two young girls who vanished from a Kmart parking lot, enlists the help of a local retired cop turned private investigator, Max Caplan or “Cap”.
The POV goes back and forth between Alice and Cap, which I really enjoyed. Alice is sort of mysterious and keeps a cool head, not showing many emotions to others, but the reader gets to feel what she’s really feeling. Though divorced, Cap is a family man and I loved his relationship with his daughter. Both were determined to find these girls and would do whatever it took. There was also a little romantic tension between Cap and Vega, but then at the end nothing came of it, which was pretty disappointing. Overall a good read!
The POV goes back and forth between Alice and Cap, which I really enjoyed. Alice is sort of mysterious and keeps a cool head, not showing many emotions to others, but the reader gets to feel what she’s really feeling. Though divorced, Cap is a family man and I loved his relationship with his daughter. Both were determined to find these girls and would do whatever it took. There was also a little romantic tension between Cap and Vega, but then at the end nothing came of it, which was pretty disappointing. Overall a good read!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Triple Frontier (2019) in Movies
Mar 15, 2019
Dull
Considering the very decent cast and a not entirely unintriguing plot, I was hoping this might actually be quite good. Sadly, it wasn’t. The soundtrack was pretty good and the film started off well throwing us right into the action, it just went downhill after that. The cast are quite decent, and Oscar Isaac is always good to watch (although I really don’t rate Ben Affleck, as usual). The problem is that the film itself is fairly dull and predictable. It takes well over an hour (half of the run time) to get into any action whatsoever and even then it isn’t particularly entertaining. There was no tension or real intrigue, and it played out exactly as you’d expect. I was hoping for something similar to Sicario, but sadly this was nothing like it.
ClareR (5906 KP) rated The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2) in Books
Apr 21, 2019
This series gets better and better!
It’s not often that the second book in a trilogy is better than the first, but I really feel that’s the case with this book. The machinations against one another (that’ll be EVERYONE!), the political intrigue - no-one trusts anyone else in this series, and for good reason! Nobody is particularly nice. The sexual tension between Jude and Carden reaches a whole new level, but even then, there’s no trust. I didn’t see ANY of the double crosses coming, but then I was so sucked in to the story, so it’s hardly surprising.
This is such a good series, and I have a year to wait for the last instalment!!
Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book, and for feeding the Faerie land addiction!
This is such a good series, and I have a year to wait for the last instalment!!
Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book, and for feeding the Faerie land addiction!
Film and stuff (30 KP) rated Backtrack (2015) in Movies
May 15, 2019 (Updated May 15, 2019)
Fails to deliver
Director: Michael Petroni
Writer: Michael Petroni
Stars: Adrien Brody, Jenni Baird, Bruce Spence and Sam Neill
What's it about?
Peter Bower is a Psychiatrist who discovers all of his clients are ghosts that died in a train accident that he was witness to as a child. Whilst revisiting his home town where the incident took place, he begins to discover the truth behind the accident with the help of the victims spirits
Is it scary?
Nah. Tension fails to really build and the jump scares are very predictable
Does it have any redeeming features?
Well acted and a mildly gripping ending
.
How does it compare to other horrors?
It makes the sins by being neither entertaining or so bad that it's funny
Writer: Michael Petroni
Stars: Adrien Brody, Jenni Baird, Bruce Spence and Sam Neill
What's it about?
Peter Bower is a Psychiatrist who discovers all of his clients are ghosts that died in a train accident that he was witness to as a child. Whilst revisiting his home town where the incident took place, he begins to discover the truth behind the accident with the help of the victims spirits
Is it scary?
Nah. Tension fails to really build and the jump scares are very predictable
Does it have any redeeming features?
Well acted and a mildly gripping ending
.
How does it compare to other horrors?
It makes the sins by being neither entertaining or so bad that it's funny
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated Hen of the Baskervilles (Meg Langslow, #15) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Meg is the assistant direct at the Un-fair, a local alternative to the state fair. The first morning things get off to a rough start with some vandalism and theft, including two heritage chickens from the chicken tent. Throw in tension in the wine pavilion and things are hoping before the dead body shows up.
While I didn't find this one as laugh out loud funny as some of the previous entries, I did really enjoy it. The plot was good and the characters - new and old - were fun. Meg's twins stole every scene they were in, too. Fans of the series or lighter cozies in general will love it.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-hen-of-baskervilles-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
While I didn't find this one as laugh out loud funny as some of the previous entries, I did really enjoy it. The plot was good and the characters - new and old - were fun. Meg's twins stole every scene they were in, too. Fans of the series or lighter cozies in general will love it.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-hen-of-baskervilles-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated All That Is Necessary in Books
Mar 9, 2018
20 years ago, the small Boston town of Exeter was rocked when it was learned the Boston mob was using the swamp to dump bodies. Now, Rick, the son of one of the men convicted as a result, is moving back to town. And his old friends don't know what to make of it. I could not put this book down, literally reading most of it in one day. While not a mystery, the tension is still very real, and the characters are so great you want to root for them. NOTE: Jennie is a friend who sent me the book for free. I honestly can't wait for the sequel to come out.
<a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/01/amazon.html">Read my full review at Carstairs Considers</a>.
<a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/01/amazon.html">Read my full review at Carstairs Considers</a>.
KarenRC (6 KP) rated The Death of Mrs Westaway in Books
Jul 23, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! It is a creepy, atmospheric tale of a dysfunctional family full of secrets. Its a bit of a slow burn, but I think that adds to the tension. The characters are all very well written, but especially Hal. Despite knowing that what she is doing is wrong, you can't help but root for her to just get that little break she is hoping for to help get her out of the mess she has found herself in after her Mothers untimely death. Trepassen is the perfect setting for this story, complete with creepy housekeeper and was a character within itself due to the descriptive writing.
Overall, a really good read with twists and turns to keep you guessing and a few surprises along the way.
Overall, a really good read with twists and turns to keep you guessing and a few surprises along the way.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Nine Dead (2009) in Movies
Sep 1, 2018
Saw wannabe
An average at best thriller, which is a mix of Cube, Saw films where a group of strangers wake up and wondered where they are and what their connection is. This time if they don't figure it out, one of them will be shot every 10 mins.
This films works on some levels but it's not that dramatic, the abductor isn't that menacing or scary and it fails to create the tension and suspense needed for a film like this to work. I have to add it's really low budget and the acting quite poor, Sabrina the teenage witch (Melissa Joan Hart) appears to have grown up quick, but no wonder I've not seen her in much since those days. To cap it all it has an odd ending which didn't fit.
This films works on some levels but it's not that dramatic, the abductor isn't that menacing or scary and it fails to create the tension and suspense needed for a film like this to work. I have to add it's really low budget and the acting quite poor, Sabrina the teenage witch (Melissa Joan Hart) appears to have grown up quick, but no wonder I've not seen her in much since those days. To cap it all it has an odd ending which didn't fit.
Megan (14 KP) rated A Quiet Place (2018) in Movies
Sep 10, 2018
Sitting on the edge of my seat
Contains spoilers, click to show
This film was filled with tension and it was extraordinary how it didn’t have to rely on the sounds that usual Horror and Thrillers depend on because it still had me on the edge of my seat.
Also, it was a terrifying scenario to be seen portrayed and thinking if this could actually happen, and having to be silent constantly in order to stay alive.
It was so upsetting when their daughter had been killed towards the start of the film and when their newborn baby was crying, and that horrifying creature was in the same room - it made me agitated, anxious and apprehensive for what was about to happen.
One of the best horror movies I’ve ever seen, definitely recommend.
Also, it was a terrifying scenario to be seen portrayed and thinking if this could actually happen, and having to be silent constantly in order to stay alive.
It was so upsetting when their daughter had been killed towards the start of the film and when their newborn baby was crying, and that horrifying creature was in the same room - it made me agitated, anxious and apprehensive for what was about to happen.
One of the best horror movies I’ve ever seen, definitely recommend.
Michael Packner (32 KP) rated Psycho (1960) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
The tension is 10/10 (3 more)
Anthony Perkins is absolutely creepy as Norman Bates
On a first time viewing this film is guaranteed to subvert your expectations more than once.
The infamous shower scene
This belongs on the top 10 horror films of all time. Psycho is perfection and the best work from one of the best directors in horror history. This film isn't a slasher, but it paved the way for sure. Anthony Perkins gives the performance of a lifetime and the film holds up all these years later. Completely suspenseful film that is intelligent and has one of the greatest shocking reveals in all of film history. This is a MUST WATCH for any film fan, PERIOD.