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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2355 KP) rated Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder in Books
Oct 21, 2021 (Updated Oct 21, 2021)
Polar Bear Plunge of Death
Every December, Ocean Crest, New Jersey, hosts a polar bear plunge as a fund raiser, and this year it is raising money for a much-needed renovation for the senior center. Most of the businesses in the town are participating, and Lucy Berberian is representing her family’s Kebab Kitchen restaurant. As expected, the water is chilly, but all that is soon forgotten when the dead body of one of the participants washes ashore. At first everyone assumes that the shock of the cold water killed Deacon Spooner, but the medical examiners determines that it was murder. Lucy had recently met Deacon, and he wasn’t a nice man. When the police look at Lucy’s friend as their prime suspect, she can’t help but nose around. She uncovers plenty of motives and opportunity, but who actually killed the man?
The book starts out strong, but it loses its way, with very little forward movement and a sub-plot taking over as we near the climax. Fortunately, we do get a logical and suspenseful ending. The sub-plot, about Lucy dragging her feet planning her wedding, would have made sense if it had been weeks between books instead of months. Still, it did allow us to see some growth in Lucy and in her relationships, which I appreciated. The book isn’t overwhelming with Christmas, but it is there, and I enjoyed that aspect as well. We get four recipes at the end of the book to enjoy later. While the book could have been stronger, as a fan of the series, I’m glad I read it.
The book starts out strong, but it loses its way, with very little forward movement and a sub-plot taking over as we near the climax. Fortunately, we do get a logical and suspenseful ending. The sub-plot, about Lucy dragging her feet planning her wedding, would have made sense if it had been weeks between books instead of months. Still, it did allow us to see some growth in Lucy and in her relationships, which I appreciated. The book isn’t overwhelming with Christmas, but it is there, and I enjoyed that aspect as well. We get four recipes at the end of the book to enjoy later. While the book could have been stronger, as a fan of the series, I’m glad I read it.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Belief: The Possession of Janet Moses (2015) in Movies
Oct 25, 2017 (Updated Oct 25, 2017)
How mass hysteria and inverted cultural beliefs become fatal
Once more, Netflix has showcased another harrowing documentary, this time set in New Zealand.
In the heart of Maori culture, lies the belief of Makatu, a curse or demon, that can allegedly be 'exorcised'. A poor young mother, Janet Moses, who either had mental health issues or was seemingly depressed, was confronted by her large family attempting to help her. Unfortunately their misguided deeply held beliefs included holding her down and plying water into her for days on end in a bid to rid her of a demon. And while they believed they they were assisting her, she eventually died after five days.
And of course a court case ensued about culpability. A truly terrible instance of dogmatic beliefs, cabin fever, and hysteria.
In the heart of Maori culture, lies the belief of Makatu, a curse or demon, that can allegedly be 'exorcised'. A poor young mother, Janet Moses, who either had mental health issues or was seemingly depressed, was confronted by her large family attempting to help her. Unfortunately their misguided deeply held beliefs included holding her down and plying water into her for days on end in a bid to rid her of a demon. And while they believed they they were assisting her, she eventually died after five days.
And of course a court case ensued about culpability. A truly terrible instance of dogmatic beliefs, cabin fever, and hysteria.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2355 KP) rated End Me a Tenor (Glee Club, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Paige is thrilled when she lands the job of soprano soloist in a production of The Messiah along side world famous tenor David Richard. But at their first rehearsal together, he takes a sip of his water and dies. Meanwhile, she has to get her high school show choir into shape, including a new song, in just a few days or lose her day job.
There's lots going on here, and I did feel the mystery suffered a bit as a result. On the other hand, Paige is such a great character I couldn't help but root for her even when the show choir sub-plot was taking center stage.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/12/book-review-end-me-tenor-by-joelle.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
There's lots going on here, and I did feel the mystery suffered a bit as a result. On the other hand, Paige is such a great character I couldn't help but root for her even when the show choir sub-plot was taking center stage.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/12/book-review-end-me-tenor-by-joelle.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
CKD (37 KP) rated The Pelican Brief in Books
Dec 7, 2018
I worked at a law firm where part of the movie was filmed. When Julia Roberts's character goes into a law firm to ask for a particular lawyer only to find out that he no longer works there and she leaves, that is my old firm. It is an ornate marble lobby with a small stream of water in the middle of the lobby. She goes through a glass door and can either go up an escalator or up some stairs to the reception desk, which overlooks the lobby. The walls are all glass and she can see across the floor into the conference room where the receptionist goes. I had just interviewed there before I saw the movie and was having major deja vu while watching the movie.
Nickg24 (492 KP) rated Crawl (2019) in Movies
Oct 15, 2019
A daft movie with an equally daft concept.Just as a massive hurricane is about to hit her local town a young girl goes to find her dad to get him out of the house,said father is lying injured in the basement having been attacked by an alligator.
Once she finds him and with the water from the storm gradually filling the basement up they both have to find a way past a load of alligators who are now everywhere due to the flash floods and get to safety.
This film is nothing short of ridiculous with some well below par action sequences and wooden acting (especially from the actress playing the daughter) Entirely predictable is the fate of the other characters who happen to appear along the way.
Once she finds him and with the water from the storm gradually filling the basement up they both have to find a way past a load of alligators who are now everywhere due to the flash floods and get to safety.
This film is nothing short of ridiculous with some well below par action sequences and wooden acting (especially from the actress playing the daughter) Entirely predictable is the fate of the other characters who happen to appear along the way.
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