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The Bandalore (Pitch & Sickle #1)
The Bandalore (Pitch & Sickle #1)
D K Girl | 2021 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE BANDALORE is the first book in the Pitch & Sickle series. It begins with Silas dying and coming back to life in a coffin, and no, he's not a vampire. He isn't sure what he is now and has no idea who he was before. His memory of his previous life has disappeared, leaving him uncertain in a world full of uncertainties.

This is slow-burn - so slow there is no romance at all in this first book. That isn't an issue as I can see there is so much to this world, I am happy to take in all the details first and then move on to the romance.

Silas and Tobias are two very different souls. Silas is trusting, caring, and almost naïve. Tobias is obnoxious, and harsh, with a rather bitter view of the world. Is it justified? I think so, but I still have so much more to learn about his past.

I loved the addition of Black Annis being as I'm Leicestershire born and bred! It was very descriptive but remained true to the myths and legends surrounding her.

An intriguing start to a series where nothing is as it seems and you can't even trust the 'good' guys - if they are indeed good. I can't wait to continue with this series and see where it goes from here. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
 
* 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!
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Happy Death Day (2017) in Movies

Aug 12, 2019 (Updated Oct 25, 2019)  
Happy Death Day (2017)
Happy Death Day (2017)
2017 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Happy Death Day is far more enjoyable than it has any right to be - a PG-13 rated horror version of Groundhog Day sounds pretty uninteresting on paper, but it absolutely doesn't take itself seriously, and that works in it's favour.

The basic plot premise is nothing new, and has been done better in films like Edge of Tomorrow, but it has fun with it.
Every side character is set up to have a motive, so the identity of the masked killer is well hidden, and keeps you guessing throughout.
The lead actress Jessica Rothe is really good fun, as her character goes through a personality shift as she learns to appreciate the people in her life instead of being a total douche. (This would usually be an eye rolling plot point, but the film genuinely lands some good emotional beats)

It's definitely a far cry from being a classic horror film (that PG-13 rating is a potential contributor) but it's honestly a fun movie.
  
A Jolly Good Fellow
A Jolly Good Fellow
Stephen V. Masse | 2007 | Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Jolly Good Fellow by Stephen V. Masse
Genre: Fiction, Comedy, sort of Crime Fiction but not really
Rating: 3.75/5

Summary: Duncan is driving to the kids house. He has a plan—he’s going to kidnap him. But then he sees the kid hitchhiking in the snow. What better way to kidnap someone that to pick him up off the road and offer him a ride? Duncan dresses up as Santa Clause and sits on the street ringing a bell all day. The funds go to the needy—needy as in him. Duncan wants revenge, and he wants the ransom money. But Duncan isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer… he has no idea how to do a proper kidnapping.

Thoughts: A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW was really cute. It made me laugh, it made me smile, it had its nerve-wracking moments. It’s right in between a 3/5 and a 4 on the scale for me. The reason why is this—the plot was awesome, very unique, original, and very cute, the characters were hilarious and enchanting, but it was a little slow through the first three quarters of the book. Not that it dragged, just that it felt like the last section was fast paced, and the rest was slower and more relaxed, and those two things didn’t go well together and didn’t transition well.

I laughed a lot while I read A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW. If I had to pick a category, I’d choose comedy. It was cute and funny and a little silly, but silly in a good fun-to-read way.

The characters’ dialogue was written so that you could hear their voices in your head when they spoke. I loved hearing their accents while I read, it gave a lot of life to them. Duncan and Gabriel were very animated. Gabriel (the kid) was so full of life and energy. He was also very real. He acted the way a normal kid his age would act, he wasn’t a “perfect” child, an unrealistic character.

Content: There were a few bad words scattered throughout the book, but not much. Duncan went to the triple-X rated movie one night, but nothing was described. All in all, this was a very clean book.
Recommendation: Ages 14+ to anyone who wants a good holiday laugh. I stayed up pretty late reading this one because I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for more from Stephen Masse.

*This book won the INDEPENDEND PUBLISHING BOOK AWARD*
**Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for my review copy!**
  
MB
Mozart's Blood
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I really enjoyed this book. It combines two of my favorite things. Mozart and Vampires. It was a different read for me and I enjoyed the different representation of vampires. It was not all seduction or all blood. I think the one thing that made this book fascinating to me is that I was very fortunate to see Don Giovanni performed and that helped me understand the book more and relate the book to the play. This was a good read that combines opera, vampires, and surviving life.

I would definitely recommend this book to individuals who enjoy opera (especially Don Giovanni) and vampires.
  
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
1985 | International, Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"A great film by Paul Schrader, best known for having penned a bunch of legendary screenplays for Martin Scorsese. The film revolves around Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, and jumps between the story of his life and dreamlike depictions of scenes from his books. It’s got a particularly good score by Philip Glass, who I usually find to be tedious, but this one is nice. Schrader’s use of color and set design during the book segments of the film are quite theatrical and feel closely related to Robert Wilson’s on Einstein on the Beach—although I don’t have any evidence to back that connection up. Great flick, though."

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