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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Sundays at Tiffany's in Books
Apr 27, 2018
James Patterson never ceases to amaze me. I read this book in a matter of hours.
when Jane's imaginary friend, Michael, leaves and promises that she'll forget him, Jane is heartbroken. She goes through her life, seemingly in mediocrety, until one day after a terrible break-up with her crappy-boyfriend (dude, you so had it coming.), she visits her favorite childhood restaurant and is bombarded by memories of Michael.
then she looks across the room and sees him.
and then it takes off. Jane changes her life, no longer afraid to be who she really is. Michael calls into question who he is, and struggles through his own identity crisis--is he human, or angel, or something else? and why didn't Jane's "imaginary" experience go the way it was supposed to?
but then Michael realizes his mission in New York--and his whole world comes crashing down. how is he supposed to do this, and how is he supposed to live with it?
the whole time reading this book, i kept thinking questions. for the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I won't tell you what they were. one of them was "will he forget, like he did with all his other past experiences?" I couldn't see a way out of the climax... but the ending was all too sweet. i squealed (don't believe me? my sister was in the room at the time. ask her. it's true).
all in all, this book is a treasure to me. it's staying on my bookshelf where it belongs, i won't ever sell it or give it away (yeah, you can borrow it if you really want to. be careful of the pages.). maybe i loved it more than anyone else ever has, because of a strange connection I share with Jane Margaux. my imaginary friend's name was Michael, too.
when Jane's imaginary friend, Michael, leaves and promises that she'll forget him, Jane is heartbroken. She goes through her life, seemingly in mediocrety, until one day after a terrible break-up with her crappy-boyfriend (dude, you so had it coming.), she visits her favorite childhood restaurant and is bombarded by memories of Michael.
then she looks across the room and sees him.
and then it takes off. Jane changes her life, no longer afraid to be who she really is. Michael calls into question who he is, and struggles through his own identity crisis--is he human, or angel, or something else? and why didn't Jane's "imaginary" experience go the way it was supposed to?
but then Michael realizes his mission in New York--and his whole world comes crashing down. how is he supposed to do this, and how is he supposed to live with it?
the whole time reading this book, i kept thinking questions. for the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I won't tell you what they were. one of them was "will he forget, like he did with all his other past experiences?" I couldn't see a way out of the climax... but the ending was all too sweet. i squealed (don't believe me? my sister was in the room at the time. ask her. it's true).
all in all, this book is a treasure to me. it's staying on my bookshelf where it belongs, i won't ever sell it or give it away (yeah, you can borrow it if you really want to. be careful of the pages.). maybe i loved it more than anyone else ever has, because of a strange connection I share with Jane Margaux. my imaginary friend's name was Michael, too.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Never Never (Detective Harriet Blue, #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
Harriet "Harry" Blue is a detective with Sydney, Australia police department. When her brother is accused of a terrible crime, her superior sends her away on assignment to keep her out of the way. He sends her to the desert to investigate the disappearance and/or murder of three miners working in the uranium mines. She is given a new partner, but is not sure if she can trust him or anyone. In the middle of the never never, you are one of the hunted, the object is to make it out alive. Will Detective Blue be able to find out who is behind this hideous crime before she becomes a victim herself.
This is a new series by James Patterson and Candice Fox.
I gave this book three stars because I wanted to know more about Harriet. Maybe as the series develops we will get to know Harriet better. We know her "mother was a prostitute and a drug addict." We also find out that she and her brother were in and out of foster homes most of their lives. I love female lead characters and I hope this is a series I will be able to get into and enjoy.
Sent into the hot desert of Australia, Harriet Blue is completely out of her element. The mine is its own community that includes bilbies(prostitutes), a drug dealer, and protesters who are against the mining. It's a tight nit community that doesn't take well to outsiders. While everyone has a fear of the killer, money is much more important than clearing the mine to find a killer. I'm not sure why the story of Harriet's brother was integral to this story, but I hope that story line will develop more over the series.
This is a new series by James Patterson and Candice Fox.
I gave this book three stars because I wanted to know more about Harriet. Maybe as the series develops we will get to know Harriet better. We know her "mother was a prostitute and a drug addict." We also find out that she and her brother were in and out of foster homes most of their lives. I love female lead characters and I hope this is a series I will be able to get into and enjoy.
Sent into the hot desert of Australia, Harriet Blue is completely out of her element. The mine is its own community that includes bilbies(prostitutes), a drug dealer, and protesters who are against the mining. It's a tight nit community that doesn't take well to outsiders. While everyone has a fear of the killer, money is much more important than clearing the mine to find a killer. I'm not sure why the story of Harriet's brother was integral to this story, but I hope that story line will develop more over the series.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Blue Monday (Frieda Klein, #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
I probably would have given this book 5 stars if I would have read it first. I would recommend that anyone who is interested in reading these books would start here with Blue Monday. I read [b:Tuesday's Gone|13613568|Tuesday's Gone (Frieda Klein, #2)|Nicci French|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335652266s/13613568.jpg|19213552] first, so when I was reading this book, I just wanted to get to the end since I knew what was coming.
Freida Klein is a psychotherapist in London. Her main focus is to help her patients. She is also a very private person and letting people into her life is very difficult for her. She has a boyfriend who hasn't even been to her apartment.
When Freida agrees to take on Alan Dekker as a patient, he tells her about dreams and fantasies he has been having that are keeping him awake at night and affecting his relationship with his wife and work colleagues. The dream involves a small boy with bright red hair, that Alan is imagining as his son. He and his wife have been unable to have children, so this thought has consumed him. It gives him terrible anxiety as if the boy should be with them.
So, it becomes very strange a few days after Freida takes Alan on, that a boy matching the boy that Alan is describing goes missing. Freida feels inclined to take this information to the police. The discoveries that come from that inquiry will uncover a whole lot of things no one saw coming.
This book is really good. It will leave you on the edge of your seat. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Freida Klein is a psychotherapist in London. Her main focus is to help her patients. She is also a very private person and letting people into her life is very difficult for her. She has a boyfriend who hasn't even been to her apartment.
When Freida agrees to take on Alan Dekker as a patient, he tells her about dreams and fantasies he has been having that are keeping him awake at night and affecting his relationship with his wife and work colleagues. The dream involves a small boy with bright red hair, that Alan is imagining as his son. He and his wife have been unable to have children, so this thought has consumed him. It gives him terrible anxiety as if the boy should be with them.
So, it becomes very strange a few days after Freida takes Alan on, that a boy matching the boy that Alan is describing goes missing. Freida feels inclined to take this information to the police. The discoveries that come from that inquiry will uncover a whole lot of things no one saw coming.
This book is really good. It will leave you on the edge of your seat. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Results May Vary in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Being cheated on is a terrible betrayal But does the betrayal become any worse when your significant other cheats on you with someone who is of the opposite sex as you? Caroline Hammond is experiencing this right now. Out with her husband like any other date night, she makes the brutal discovery that will change her life forever.
Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the ability to read and review this book. From the very beginning I was captivated by the subject matter an it was so hard for me to put the book down. This book made me feel like I was a fly on the wall in Caroline's life. I don't think that I would EVER be in the situation that Caroline has found herself in, but if I ever was, I have no idea how I would deal with the situation.
For most of her life, Caroline had been with her husband, Adam. They started dating in high school and have been married for the past ten years. Those on the outside looking in can see how much Adam adores Caroline. Even agreeing to buy a house in Massachusetts when he never wanted to do that. So for him to destroy their relationship the way he did was a shock to everyone. Caroline thought for a while that she may be able to stay with her husband and forgive him, but when more secrets come to the surface, that just doesn't seem like it will b possible. Will time apart be enough to fix the betrayal? Will they have to go through counseling to repair the damage? Or is this a lost cause?
This book is great women's fiction that I will recommend to all of my friends.
Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the ability to read and review this book. From the very beginning I was captivated by the subject matter an it was so hard for me to put the book down. This book made me feel like I was a fly on the wall in Caroline's life. I don't think that I would EVER be in the situation that Caroline has found herself in, but if I ever was, I have no idea how I would deal with the situation.
For most of her life, Caroline had been with her husband, Adam. They started dating in high school and have been married for the past ten years. Those on the outside looking in can see how much Adam adores Caroline. Even agreeing to buy a house in Massachusetts when he never wanted to do that. So for him to destroy their relationship the way he did was a shock to everyone. Caroline thought for a while that she may be able to stay with her husband and forgive him, but when more secrets come to the surface, that just doesn't seem like it will b possible. Will time apart be enough to fix the betrayal? Will they have to go through counseling to repair the damage? Or is this a lost cause?
This book is great women's fiction that I will recommend to all of my friends.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) in Movies
May 20, 2019 (Updated Jun 24, 2019)
An underrated sequel
And so it begins....
The Lost World is the first of a handful of sequels that don't even scratch the original, but I've always thought this was an underappreciated follow up.
As with the first, I first saw this when I was very young, and naturally thought it was incredible (as any 10 year old boy would), but unlike the first one, it doesn't hold up watching it now.
Starting with a huge positive though - I will always, and I mean always have time for Jeff Goldblum. He has always been one of my top actors and he returns to the role of Ian Malcolm with aplomb here.
Another welcome member of the cast is Pete Postlethwaite as the token bad guy, and of course Richard Attenborough returning as John Hammond.
There are also some great set pieces, namely the now infamous trailer-hanging-from-the-side-of-cliff scene. The tension built up here is reminiscent of the first T-Rex scene from the first film.
But on the flip side you have the last 30 minutes. The change of location is jarring and the urban setting highlights just how rough around the edges the special effects are.
I have to give kudos to Spielberg for attempting such an ambitious twist at the last minute, but it doesn't quite work, and gives way to a huge plot hole involving the fates of the ship crew.
I also find myself not really caring about the rest of the cast, which is a shame, as I tend to enjoy Julianne Moore.
Overall - it's not terrible, it's not great, but enjoy this sequel for what it is as it's down hill from here!
The Lost World is the first of a handful of sequels that don't even scratch the original, but I've always thought this was an underappreciated follow up.
As with the first, I first saw this when I was very young, and naturally thought it was incredible (as any 10 year old boy would), but unlike the first one, it doesn't hold up watching it now.
Starting with a huge positive though - I will always, and I mean always have time for Jeff Goldblum. He has always been one of my top actors and he returns to the role of Ian Malcolm with aplomb here.
Another welcome member of the cast is Pete Postlethwaite as the token bad guy, and of course Richard Attenborough returning as John Hammond.
There are also some great set pieces, namely the now infamous trailer-hanging-from-the-side-of-cliff scene. The tension built up here is reminiscent of the first T-Rex scene from the first film.
But on the flip side you have the last 30 minutes. The change of location is jarring and the urban setting highlights just how rough around the edges the special effects are.
I have to give kudos to Spielberg for attempting such an ambitious twist at the last minute, but it doesn't quite work, and gives way to a huge plot hole involving the fates of the ship crew.
I also find myself not really caring about the rest of the cast, which is a shame, as I tend to enjoy Julianne Moore.
Overall - it's not terrible, it's not great, but enjoy this sequel for what it is as it's down hill from here!
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The House in Books
May 22, 2019
Sadie, Fin, and their two children were a perfectly ordinary family. Even if Fin felt taken for granted sometimes. Even if their introverted son, Liam, had terrible nightmares and knew things he shouldn't.
But everything changes the night Sadie is viciously assaulted by former client Lance Sherry. Sherry knows where they live, and when the police fail to catch him, Sadie and Fin are forced to run. They think they've found the perfect place to start over. The house is everything Fin dreamed of, but as they settle in, Sadie discovers their home may not be what it seems, and daughter Lucy's imaginary friend might not be imaginary at all. Or even a friend. With Lance Sherry hunting them, the house could be the least of their problems. He's coming to finish what he started. And he won't stop until he finds Sadie.
This is the kind of book that is not easy to review because you dont want to give anything away.
There is a paranormal element to this, but its almost more evil than what you think about a normal haunting with ghosts. And there is also a real life evil person the characters have to deal with so its a lot on their plates.
The combination of the real and the paranormal was a nice touch.
For the most part, the story is told from both heroines point of view, but at times the reader is also privy to whats going on in little Liams head as well as the villains.
This was a great read to me and I really enjoyed it.
Recommend reading.
Copy provided by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, via NetGalley.
But everything changes the night Sadie is viciously assaulted by former client Lance Sherry. Sherry knows where they live, and when the police fail to catch him, Sadie and Fin are forced to run. They think they've found the perfect place to start over. The house is everything Fin dreamed of, but as they settle in, Sadie discovers their home may not be what it seems, and daughter Lucy's imaginary friend might not be imaginary at all. Or even a friend. With Lance Sherry hunting them, the house could be the least of their problems. He's coming to finish what he started. And he won't stop until he finds Sadie.
This is the kind of book that is not easy to review because you dont want to give anything away.
There is a paranormal element to this, but its almost more evil than what you think about a normal haunting with ghosts. And there is also a real life evil person the characters have to deal with so its a lot on their plates.
The combination of the real and the paranormal was a nice touch.
For the most part, the story is told from both heroines point of view, but at times the reader is also privy to whats going on in little Liams head as well as the villains.
This was a great read to me and I really enjoyed it.
Recommend reading.
Copy provided by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, via NetGalley.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Picture of Innocence in Books
May 22, 2019
My name is Lydia. Im 12 years old. Im not an evil person, but I did something bad.
My name is Maddie. Id never hurt my son. But can I be sure if I dont remember?
With three children under ten, Maddie is struggling. On the outside, shes a happy young mother, running a charity as well as a household. But inside, shes exhausted. She knows shes lucky to have to have a support network around her. Not just her loving husband, but her family and friends too.
But is Maddie putting her trust in the right people? Because when tragedy strikes, she is certain someone has hurt her child and everyone is a suspect, including Maddie herself
The women in this book are about to discover that looks can be deceiving because anyone is capable of terrible things. Even the most innocent, even you.
This is the story of every mothers worst fear. But its not a story you know and nothing is what it seems.
Picture Of Innocence is a dark psychological thriller.
This novel had me utterly hooked!
The story follows the lives of two women: Maddie and Lydia, and the theme is nature versus nurture.
I really enjoyed the two stories of two women in two different periods of time and watching how those stories intertwined.
This is one devious thriller!
There are so many twists, turns and red herrings in this book; you will be guessing and open mouthed even down to the last page!
I wont give any spoilers, suffice to say that its shocking and dreadful and heartbreaking all at the same time.
I have to commend T. J. Stimson for a brilliant read!
Many Thanks to AVON Books, UK and NetGalley for a wonderful read
My name is Maddie. Id never hurt my son. But can I be sure if I dont remember?
With three children under ten, Maddie is struggling. On the outside, shes a happy young mother, running a charity as well as a household. But inside, shes exhausted. She knows shes lucky to have to have a support network around her. Not just her loving husband, but her family and friends too.
But is Maddie putting her trust in the right people? Because when tragedy strikes, she is certain someone has hurt her child and everyone is a suspect, including Maddie herself
The women in this book are about to discover that looks can be deceiving because anyone is capable of terrible things. Even the most innocent, even you.
This is the story of every mothers worst fear. But its not a story you know and nothing is what it seems.
Picture Of Innocence is a dark psychological thriller.
This novel had me utterly hooked!
The story follows the lives of two women: Maddie and Lydia, and the theme is nature versus nurture.
I really enjoyed the two stories of two women in two different periods of time and watching how those stories intertwined.
This is one devious thriller!
There are so many twists, turns and red herrings in this book; you will be guessing and open mouthed even down to the last page!
I wont give any spoilers, suffice to say that its shocking and dreadful and heartbreaking all at the same time.
I have to commend T. J. Stimson for a brilliant read!
Many Thanks to AVON Books, UK and NetGalley for a wonderful read
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) in Movies
May 27, 2019
A Race Against the Clock After a Mission Gone Wrong
In this sixth installment (yes, it’s been six!), special agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his crew find themselves racing against the clock after a mission goes terribly wrong.
Acting: 8
Beginning: 9
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 9
Solid action from beginning to end keeps this film alive and well. This is what you come for, not a deep story or in-depth character development. You want to see Tom Cruise run really fast and jump off of tall things. While the action falls just short of the quality from the third film, it still packs a hard punch.
Genre: 9
It is surprising to me that, after six films and the following of a somewhat similar formula along the way, this franchise still continues to stand at the pinnacle of espionage action films. Director Christopher McQuarrie not only manages to keep the action fresh in Fallout, but he makes you think they could easily pull off another three. Not the best M:I movie, but it takes you on a wild ride nonetheless.
Memorability: 9
Pace: 9
Plot: 9
Resolution: 9
Wasn’t perfect, but solid enough to wrap the film up nicely. I was hoping for a little more for Ethan, but something tells me that things are going to work out for him just fine in the end. You will definitely leave the movie excited from the seventh installment.
Overall: 91
Mission: Impossible—Fallout is clever enough to make you use your brain, but not too over-the-top where you’re left thinking, “Wait, what?” I have mad respect for McQuarrie as it’s hard as all get out to keep a franchise fresh. After a terrible second try, the franchise has been balling ever since. Long live the running of Tom Cruise!
Acting: 8
Beginning: 9
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 9
Solid action from beginning to end keeps this film alive and well. This is what you come for, not a deep story or in-depth character development. You want to see Tom Cruise run really fast and jump off of tall things. While the action falls just short of the quality from the third film, it still packs a hard punch.
Genre: 9
It is surprising to me that, after six films and the following of a somewhat similar formula along the way, this franchise still continues to stand at the pinnacle of espionage action films. Director Christopher McQuarrie not only manages to keep the action fresh in Fallout, but he makes you think they could easily pull off another three. Not the best M:I movie, but it takes you on a wild ride nonetheless.
Memorability: 9
Pace: 9
Plot: 9
Resolution: 9
Wasn’t perfect, but solid enough to wrap the film up nicely. I was hoping for a little more for Ethan, but something tells me that things are going to work out for him just fine in the end. You will definitely leave the movie excited from the seventh installment.
Overall: 91
Mission: Impossible—Fallout is clever enough to make you use your brain, but not too over-the-top where you’re left thinking, “Wait, what?” I have mad respect for McQuarrie as it’s hard as all get out to keep a franchise fresh. After a terrible second try, the franchise has been balling ever since. Long live the running of Tom Cruise!
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Angelmonster in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I am just going to come out and say that I though this novel was terrible. Not because it was written poorly or because it was unbelievable, but because it just made one feel depressed and dark reading it.
After reading the description, I was excited to read a fictional novel about how Mary and Percy Shelley cam e together, and how Mary received her inspiration for Frankenstein. From page one, however, it was hard to push through the pages. It wasnt until Percy came in around the second chapter that there was any real reason to be interested. At first, their relationship starts out romantic and ideal for any woman searching for love. However, the novel quickly turns sour after that. Everything turns so dark and negative, that reading the novel actually put me in a dark mood.
Mary and Percy were constantly at odds, stuck with each other and pining for the love they once had, but not actually loving each other. They only seemed to care for each other like old friends who are stuck with each other. It was very depressing to read.
Not to mention, the only straight forth explanation for Frankensteins inspiration lasts only a couple of sentences. Of course, the entire novel explains how Mary came to write the novel, but one does not necessarily pick up on that until the end, which is probably the darkest part of the novel.
No happy ending for Angelmonster. I will admit that it was a new and different take on the Shelleys life, for me anyway, and was interesting to read. As long as you do not expect any optimism or positivity.
After reading the description, I was excited to read a fictional novel about how Mary and Percy Shelley cam e together, and how Mary received her inspiration for Frankenstein. From page one, however, it was hard to push through the pages. It wasnt until Percy came in around the second chapter that there was any real reason to be interested. At first, their relationship starts out romantic and ideal for any woman searching for love. However, the novel quickly turns sour after that. Everything turns so dark and negative, that reading the novel actually put me in a dark mood.
Mary and Percy were constantly at odds, stuck with each other and pining for the love they once had, but not actually loving each other. They only seemed to care for each other like old friends who are stuck with each other. It was very depressing to read.
Not to mention, the only straight forth explanation for Frankensteins inspiration lasts only a couple of sentences. Of course, the entire novel explains how Mary came to write the novel, but one does not necessarily pick up on that until the end, which is probably the darkest part of the novel.
No happy ending for Angelmonster. I will admit that it was a new and different take on the Shelleys life, for me anyway, and was interesting to read. As long as you do not expect any optimism or positivity.
KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated The Resistance in Books
Feb 6, 2018 (Updated Feb 6, 2018)
A Nice Quick Read
This book is perfect for those who want a nice quick YA dystopian read. It will literally take only a few hours to read. I read it in about 6 hours and I am a slow reader. The story line is great. In fact, it is its most greatest strength. This book, I think, is the worst of the three books in the trilogy. Not much really happens in terms of plot until the end. But it makes up for it with the third book.
The main downfall of this book is the characters. I'm sure I mentioned it previously. Although some of the characters are good, like Pip, Richard and Mrs Pincent, other characters are lacking. Peter is too centered around wanting action, and being the hero, Anna thinks she's strong but is actually quiet a passive character when you think about it. Jude always thinks he is the underdog, a shadow of Peter and loves Sheila, even though they barely know each other, and Sheila is whiney. You notice these traits more in this book because the book has a gradual buildup of action so you have no choice but to focus on the characters.
The book does not shy away from controversial topics. Where other authors would have left the scene to the imagination or alluded to it, Malley delves right into it which forces us to be exposed to the same trauma as the characters. It helps highlight what is wrong in their society and allows us think about the ethical situations and implications of what is happening. For this, I applaud Malley greatly.
It is not a terrible read and the third book makes up for what this book lacks but the are room for improvements in this collection.
The main downfall of this book is the characters. I'm sure I mentioned it previously. Although some of the characters are good, like Pip, Richard and Mrs Pincent, other characters are lacking. Peter is too centered around wanting action, and being the hero, Anna thinks she's strong but is actually quiet a passive character when you think about it. Jude always thinks he is the underdog, a shadow of Peter and loves Sheila, even though they barely know each other, and Sheila is whiney. You notice these traits more in this book because the book has a gradual buildup of action so you have no choice but to focus on the characters.
The book does not shy away from controversial topics. Where other authors would have left the scene to the imagination or alluded to it, Malley delves right into it which forces us to be exposed to the same trauma as the characters. It helps highlight what is wrong in their society and allows us think about the ethical situations and implications of what is happening. For this, I applaud Malley greatly.
It is not a terrible read and the third book makes up for what this book lacks but the are room for improvements in this collection.