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Happy Pear: Healthy, Easy, Delicious Food to Change Your Life
Book
The No 1 bestselling cookery book in Ireland - for two years running! 'These lovely boys always...
ClareR (5950 KP) rated Unsettled Ground in Books
Feb 21, 2021
I make no secret of the fact that I’m a huge Claire Fuller fan, and Unsettled Ground gave me no reason at all to think otherwise - it’s a beautiful book.
The characters Jeanie and Julius are vulnerable people who just need someone to guide them when their mother dies, even though they are fiercely independent. This is a family that has always lived on the edge of their community - both their actual geographical location and socially. They live hand to mouth, and when Doris their mother dies, the twins have to go without food at times, when it transpires that Doris has left them with no money and debts. The cost of her funeral is the least of their problems (and they overcome that problem reasonably easily anyway).
There is a feeling that the twins are trapped by circumstance and by each other. Jeanie has never recovered from a childhood illness and is illiterate, and Julius is not only expected to look after her, but is trapped in their local area because he has severe travel sickness linked to their fathers terrible death. Their one comfort is their joint love of folk music (I wish I could have actually listened to these songs - I shall have to google them, and I hope they really exist!).
Claire Fullers use of language makes the everyday seem more lifelike in her books. I read most, if not all, of this with my heart in my mouth. How could I not? Jeanie and Julius are people who are shunned by society, taken advantage of and treated terribly. I feel I can’t leave this quite like this though: there are the good people, the ones that help.
I don’t want to spoil the story, so I’ll stop here, but what I will say is that this is another gorgeously written novel by Claire Fuller, and you should most definitely read it!
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-copy of this book through NetGalley to read and review.
The characters Jeanie and Julius are vulnerable people who just need someone to guide them when their mother dies, even though they are fiercely independent. This is a family that has always lived on the edge of their community - both their actual geographical location and socially. They live hand to mouth, and when Doris their mother dies, the twins have to go without food at times, when it transpires that Doris has left them with no money and debts. The cost of her funeral is the least of their problems (and they overcome that problem reasonably easily anyway).
There is a feeling that the twins are trapped by circumstance and by each other. Jeanie has never recovered from a childhood illness and is illiterate, and Julius is not only expected to look after her, but is trapped in their local area because he has severe travel sickness linked to their fathers terrible death. Their one comfort is their joint love of folk music (I wish I could have actually listened to these songs - I shall have to google them, and I hope they really exist!).
Claire Fullers use of language makes the everyday seem more lifelike in her books. I read most, if not all, of this with my heart in my mouth. How could I not? Jeanie and Julius are people who are shunned by society, taken advantage of and treated terribly. I feel I can’t leave this quite like this though: there are the good people, the ones that help.
I don’t want to spoil the story, so I’ll stop here, but what I will say is that this is another gorgeously written novel by Claire Fuller, and you should most definitely read it!
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-copy of this book through NetGalley to read and review.
The Lilac Code: The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series Book 7
Book
Will a case of mistaken identity be the death of her? Madison Reynolds is looking forward to a...
series fiction adult mystery cozy mystery murder
When the Stars Fall (The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series Book 2)
Book
Madison Reynolds is rebuilding her life, one obstacle at a time. But the building blocks aren’t...
romance adult mystery cozy mystery fiction series
Andy Walker (4885 KP) rated Dead Island (2018) in Movies
Apr 18, 2019
Shot in 2010 on an iPhone 4s.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Set on a secluded island with no cell phone service, 17 year old twins, Kelsey & Devon, who are aspiring film makers are forced to move there just before their senior year. They decide to film everything as their phone are otherwise useless. Then masked killers show up and torment the family throughout the night.
It is basically a found footage film, but filmed entire on mobile phones. To be honest I found a lot of the jerky shots and continual movement both off putting and annoying, when they did have static shots they were far too long and not interesting enough. The last fifteen minutes or so of the film are not bad but by then I'd lost a bit of interest. There is some pretty shocking acting as well.
Not really a good film, but deserving of a "good" Mark purely for the novelty of the filming medium.
It is basically a found footage film, but filmed entire on mobile phones. To be honest I found a lot of the jerky shots and continual movement both off putting and annoying, when they did have static shots they were far too long and not interesting enough. The last fifteen minutes or so of the film are not bad but by then I'd lost a bit of interest. There is some pretty shocking acting as well.
Not really a good film, but deserving of a "good" Mark purely for the novelty of the filming medium.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated The Nightingale Before Christmas (Meg Langslow, #18) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Meg has been drafted as the coordinator of the show house, which will be decorated by a group of designers and then opened to the public to raise funds for local charities. However, when Meg goes back to lock up late one night, she finds one of the designers murdered in the master bedroom. He wasn’t a very well-liked man, but who actually hated him enough to murder him?
Yes, this book does tie in to Christmas as well (as hinted at by the title). It’s a fun mystery I thought I had figured out, but I was surprised in the end. The characters are great, although Josh and Jamie, Meg’s twins, completely stole the show. I would have liked to see more from one thread from the previous book, but hopefully that will show up in the next in the series.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/12/book-review-nightingale-before.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Yes, this book does tie in to Christmas as well (as hinted at by the title). It’s a fun mystery I thought I had figured out, but I was surprised in the end. The characters are great, although Josh and Jamie, Meg’s twins, completely stole the show. I would have liked to see more from one thread from the previous book, but hopefully that will show up in the next in the series.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/12/book-review-nightingale-before.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Tyrannosaurus Wrecks in Books
Apr 13, 2020
Hunting a Dinosaur Skull
Teddy Fitzroy is surprised when his friend Sage reveals that he found a Tyrannosaurus Rex skull on his ranch. But now that skull has gone missing. It’s large and heavy, so who could have stolen it? And how did they do it? Meanwhile, he’s gotten a call from the Barksdale twins about their new exotic pet. Who is selling these dangerous animals?
This book really does have two storylines, and it balances both well. We do get a couple of lectures about endangered animals, but they don’t slow down the action for long. And with everything happening, there is plenty of action. When Teddy pieced together the clues, I couldn’t believe I missed them myself. The characters are great as always, and some of the situations Teddy found himself in made me laugh out loud. These books are aimed at middle schoolers, but anyone who enjoys a fun mystery should definitely pick them up.
This book really does have two storylines, and it balances both well. We do get a couple of lectures about endangered animals, but they don’t slow down the action for long. And with everything happening, there is plenty of action. When Teddy pieced together the clues, I couldn’t believe I missed them myself. The characters are great as always, and some of the situations Teddy found himself in made me laugh out loud. These books are aimed at middle schoolers, but anyone who enjoys a fun mystery should definitely pick them up.
Murder at the Inn: A History of Crime in Britain's Pubs and Hotels
Book
In which pub was the notorious murder that led to the Kray twins becoming Britain's most feared...
Inside Edge: Another Eclectic Collection of Cricketing Facts, Feats and Figures
Book
Who scored the 5000th international century? Which New Zealand Test captain married a Miss Universe?...
BMW R1200 Dohc Motorcycle Repair Manual
6.0
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Book
Complete coverage for your BMW R1200 dohc Twins for 2010 thru 2012: --Routine Maintenance and...