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Embrace the Dark (The Blood Rose, #1)
8.0
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Enter a world of blood-starved mastyr vampires and the rare women who can satisfy their deepest...
Paranormal Romance
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated Murder at Blackwater Bend in Books
May 13, 2022 (Updated May 13, 2022)
Fishing for Bodies
August 1905 finds American heiress Stella Kendrick and Viscount “Lyndy” Lyndhurst planning their wedding as they get to know each other better. Things hit a snag when they find a dead body in a nearby river one morning while fly fishing. The victim was their neighbor, Lord Fairbrother. He wasn’t a nice man and seemed to have multiple enemies. However, suspicion falls on the local snake catcher, someone that Stella has befriended. Can she and Lyndy figure out what really happened?
I enjoyed the first in the series, but I found this one even better. The story is tight with lots to keep us hooked. I was impressed with how it all came together at the end. I do find Stella’s father horrible at times, which is my only negative. Lyndy’s mother, while still annoying, is more on the amusing side. The rest of the cast is charming, and Lyndy and Stella are wonderful leads. You can’t help but root for them. We get the story from multiple viewpoints, but it is always clear when we are switching things up. I’m already looking forward to finding out what happens to these characters next.
I enjoyed the first in the series, but I found this one even better. The story is tight with lots to keep us hooked. I was impressed with how it all came together at the end. I do find Stella’s father horrible at times, which is my only negative. Lyndy’s mother, while still annoying, is more on the amusing side. The rest of the cast is charming, and Lyndy and Stella are wonderful leads. You can’t help but root for them. We get the story from multiple viewpoints, but it is always clear when we are switching things up. I’m already looking forward to finding out what happens to these characters next.
Leading Me Home (Harrington Hills #1) by
10.0
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Pretending to date the guy he has a crush on? Kevin’s sure he’s heading for a disaster. A broken...
MM Paranormal Romance
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated A Scape Goat for Murder in Books
Sep 7, 2024
Frankie Butts Heads with a Four-Legged Witness
Frankie Chandler’s wedding to Detective Martin Bowers is just weeks again when he is involved in an accident. His colleagues won’t tell Frankie anything about what happened, and the doctor is being vague about his condition. So, Frankie sets out to figure things out on her own. When she finds the accident site, she determines that there was a witness – a goat. Can she make sense of the visions she is getting from the goat to solve the case?
Quite obviously, there is a lot of fun to be had here, and I laughed many times as I was reading. Some of that came from Martin’s two sisters who show up in Frankie’s life. However, I found that this subplot didn’t quite develop in a satisfactory way. The mystery started out strongly and kept me engaged, but the ending was so rushed that some whys for a major part of the plot got overlooked. I did enjoy spending time with Frankie again and watching her growth. Fans of the series will enjoy this one, but it is a weaker entry in the series.
Quite obviously, there is a lot of fun to be had here, and I laughed many times as I was reading. Some of that came from Martin’s two sisters who show up in Frankie’s life. However, I found that this subplot didn’t quite develop in a satisfactory way. The mystery started out strongly and kept me engaged, but the ending was so rushed that some whys for a major part of the plot got overlooked. I did enjoy spending time with Frankie again and watching her growth. Fans of the series will enjoy this one, but it is a weaker entry in the series.
Until Depths Do Us Part
9.0
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Sudden riches lead to a world of trouble... Newly widowed Charlotte McLaughlin is adrift...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Since audiences last visited the crime busting quartet, the group has become media darlings, and the impending wedding of two of the team members, Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), and Sue Storm (Jessica Alba), has become media frenzy.
As plans for the wedding move forward, and Sue is confident that the wedding will not be postponed by another crisis, unaware that the greatest threat the earth has ever known is about to put very existence of the world in their hands.
When a mysterious Silver Surfer arrives on Earth leaving a path of chaos in his wake, it falls to the Fantastic Four, to get to the bottom of the threat and stop it as only they can. A chance encounter with the Surfer leads Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), on a high-speed race across the land which ultimately leads to a startling and at times comedic discovery. The surfer has the ability to disrupt what it touches and in the chase of Johnny, causes him to swap powers with any team member he touches.
While this is a potential disaster for Johnny, it does lead to some hilarious moments between him, Sue, and the Rock Laden The Thing, (Michael Chiklis), and ultimately leads Mr. Fantastic to devise a new way to track when and where the Surfer will appear.
The Silver Surfer is not the only danger facing the team, as the arrival of the Surfer has somehow revived the teams arch nemesis Dr. Doom (Julian Mc Mahon), who becomes obsesses with the Surfer and his secrets and forms a tenuous alliance with the Fantastic Four, despite their serious misgivings about trusting Doom.
Eventually it is learned that the Surfer is simply a harbinger for a much greater threat, Galactus, a being who eats planets to survive and who has determined the earth to be his next feats.
With the clock ticking, the team must battle, Dr. Doom, The Surfer, and each other as they try to unlock the mystery behind the surfer and save the world before it is too late.
The film though light on plot and character development, is a lot of fun and is a surprisingly enjoyable summer popcorn film. It does not try to be as haughty and pretentious as some past comic book film, and makes the most of its 89 minute run time without dragging itself out unnecessarily.
The cast works well with one another, and there are some good moments of humor to go with some well done action sequences that stay within themselves and the story rather than being the only point of the film.
If I had to find fault with the film, it would be that Dr. Doom is not really used much in the film and seems almost an afterthought to the story. He is supposed to be the ultimate villan but his real motives are only explained on a very superficial level which really detract from his effective use in the story. Another issue that the action was a bit less than I had expected it to be, especially the fact that the team is rarely seen in combat, and instead use the bulk of their powers in comedic or rescue efforts. I really would have liked to have seen the full power of the team used against a bad guy in an ongoing battle, instead of a few moments here or there.
In a summer where most of the offerings have failed to live up to expectations, this is a film that knows what it is, and does not try to be anything more than that. In doing so, the audience is treated to a briskly paced action adventure that delivers the goods, and does not promise more than it can deliver.
As plans for the wedding move forward, and Sue is confident that the wedding will not be postponed by another crisis, unaware that the greatest threat the earth has ever known is about to put very existence of the world in their hands.
When a mysterious Silver Surfer arrives on Earth leaving a path of chaos in his wake, it falls to the Fantastic Four, to get to the bottom of the threat and stop it as only they can. A chance encounter with the Surfer leads Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), on a high-speed race across the land which ultimately leads to a startling and at times comedic discovery. The surfer has the ability to disrupt what it touches and in the chase of Johnny, causes him to swap powers with any team member he touches.
While this is a potential disaster for Johnny, it does lead to some hilarious moments between him, Sue, and the Rock Laden The Thing, (Michael Chiklis), and ultimately leads Mr. Fantastic to devise a new way to track when and where the Surfer will appear.
The Silver Surfer is not the only danger facing the team, as the arrival of the Surfer has somehow revived the teams arch nemesis Dr. Doom (Julian Mc Mahon), who becomes obsesses with the Surfer and his secrets and forms a tenuous alliance with the Fantastic Four, despite their serious misgivings about trusting Doom.
Eventually it is learned that the Surfer is simply a harbinger for a much greater threat, Galactus, a being who eats planets to survive and who has determined the earth to be his next feats.
With the clock ticking, the team must battle, Dr. Doom, The Surfer, and each other as they try to unlock the mystery behind the surfer and save the world before it is too late.
The film though light on plot and character development, is a lot of fun and is a surprisingly enjoyable summer popcorn film. It does not try to be as haughty and pretentious as some past comic book film, and makes the most of its 89 minute run time without dragging itself out unnecessarily.
The cast works well with one another, and there are some good moments of humor to go with some well done action sequences that stay within themselves and the story rather than being the only point of the film.
If I had to find fault with the film, it would be that Dr. Doom is not really used much in the film and seems almost an afterthought to the story. He is supposed to be the ultimate villan but his real motives are only explained on a very superficial level which really detract from his effective use in the story. Another issue that the action was a bit less than I had expected it to be, especially the fact that the team is rarely seen in combat, and instead use the bulk of their powers in comedic or rescue efforts. I really would have liked to have seen the full power of the team used against a bad guy in an ongoing battle, instead of a few moments here or there.
In a summer where most of the offerings have failed to live up to expectations, this is a film that knows what it is, and does not try to be anything more than that. In doing so, the audience is treated to a briskly paced action adventure that delivers the goods, and does not promise more than it can deliver.
Ronyell (38 KP) rated Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005) in Movies
Jul 24, 2020
Boy Meets Dead Girl
When a young man named Victor Van Dort is engaged to a young woman named Victoria Everglot (Victor, Victoria, get it?) due to Victor's family, the Van Dorts wanting to get Victor to marry Victoria because they want to be in high society; while Victoria's parents, the Everglots, want Victoria to marry Victor in order to get more money from the Van Dorts, Victor ends up messing up his wedding rehearsals to Victoria and ends up going into the woods to practice his wedding vows. Unfortunately, Victor accidentally places his wedding ring on a bony finger that was embedded in the ground and he ends up being engaged to Emily, the Corpse Bride. Meanwhile, in the living world, a sly and diabolical gentlemen named Lord Barkis Bittern wants to take Victoria's hand in marriage in case Victor does not come back to the living world.
Can Victor get back to the world of the living and who will he choose: Victoria or Emily?
I have been watching many of Tim Burton's animated films and "Corpse Bride" happens to be one of his most ingenious works yet! I loved the fact that this movie was based off an ancient folktale about a man accidentally marrying a corpse as I love reading about folktales in general and this movie definitely has the ancient folktale feel to it. I also enjoyed seeing the two different worlds between the living world and the world of the dead as they contrast each other in a very unique way. In this case, the world of the living is seen as a dreary black and white world while the world of the dead is shown in a loud and colorful manner, which is surprising since you would expect to see the world of the dead as a dreary place while the world of the living is a colorful place. I also enjoyed the relationship shared between Victor and Emily, even though Victor at first didn't want to be in the world of the dead. Even though the idea of even communicating with a talking corpse is horrifying at best, this film managed to make the interactions between Emily and Victor be as charming as can be and I was able to really enjoy their innocent bantering with each other! I really loved the way that each voice actor portrayed the characters as they made them come to life, especially with the performance of Johnny Depp as Victor as he made Victor sound timid yet friendly at the same time. I really loved Helena Bonham Carter's performance as Emily the Corpse Bride as she was probably the most interesting character in the entire movie and I loved the way that Emily is so innocent and yet can be pretty frightening when she wants to be!
The only issue I had with this film was that I felt that the songs in this movie were not as memorable as "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and they didn't really get me to feel so much for the characters' situations since they weren't catchy or emotional enough. I also wished that the movie actually explored the characters a bit more like explain how Victoria's family got into financial troubles in the first place and what was Lord Barkis Bittern like as a character before he is introduced into this film.
Overall, "Corpse Bride" is a great film for anyone who is a huge fan of Tim Burton's dark comedy films and who loves watching films starring dead characters in general!
Originally posted on: http://surrealmoviesandtvblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/movie-review-corpse-bride-2005.html
Can Victor get back to the world of the living and who will he choose: Victoria or Emily?
I have been watching many of Tim Burton's animated films and "Corpse Bride" happens to be one of his most ingenious works yet! I loved the fact that this movie was based off an ancient folktale about a man accidentally marrying a corpse as I love reading about folktales in general and this movie definitely has the ancient folktale feel to it. I also enjoyed seeing the two different worlds between the living world and the world of the dead as they contrast each other in a very unique way. In this case, the world of the living is seen as a dreary black and white world while the world of the dead is shown in a loud and colorful manner, which is surprising since you would expect to see the world of the dead as a dreary place while the world of the living is a colorful place. I also enjoyed the relationship shared between Victor and Emily, even though Victor at first didn't want to be in the world of the dead. Even though the idea of even communicating with a talking corpse is horrifying at best, this film managed to make the interactions between Emily and Victor be as charming as can be and I was able to really enjoy their innocent bantering with each other! I really loved the way that each voice actor portrayed the characters as they made them come to life, especially with the performance of Johnny Depp as Victor as he made Victor sound timid yet friendly at the same time. I really loved Helena Bonham Carter's performance as Emily the Corpse Bride as she was probably the most interesting character in the entire movie and I loved the way that Emily is so innocent and yet can be pretty frightening when she wants to be!
The only issue I had with this film was that I felt that the songs in this movie were not as memorable as "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and they didn't really get me to feel so much for the characters' situations since they weren't catchy or emotional enough. I also wished that the movie actually explored the characters a bit more like explain how Victoria's family got into financial troubles in the first place and what was Lord Barkis Bittern like as a character before he is introduced into this film.
Overall, "Corpse Bride" is a great film for anyone who is a huge fan of Tim Burton's dark comedy films and who loves watching films starring dead characters in general!
Originally posted on: http://surrealmoviesandtvblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/movie-review-corpse-bride-2005.html
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Rachel King (13 KP) rated River Marked (Mercy Thompson, #6) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book takes a different direction than previous books in the series, because Mercy is doing something that I think is quite rare in the typical Urban Fantasy heroine -- she is getting married. As a married woman, I quite like this turn and the extra confidence and sense of permanence it gives Mercy, but I don't think this is something that every reader will fully appreciate. Still, it feels fresh and new to me, and I think it has the potential to "breathe new life" into the series.
The loose ends of Stefan's mess from the previous book are quickly tied up, and the plot swiftly moves on to a "surprise" wedding for Mercy. The set-up of the wedding was quite endearing, and I even teared up a bit over it. These two sub-plots take place rather quickly, though, as the main focus of the book is what occurs during Mercy and Adam's honeymoon.
Mercy figures out quickly that they have been set up by certain fairy acquaintances for reasons that no one really knows. I was laughing at this, as it feels like a bumper sticker motto: If the world needs saving - send Mercy! So of course, Urban Fantasy heroine Mercy does not get a typical honeymoon, but one fraught with peril and impending doom.
While it may seem on the surface to be a random way to introduce new characters and magical elements into the series, I think that the events that happened at the Columbia River were a great way to focus on Mercy's native heritage and answer many of the questions that I have been harboring through the series about her ability to transform into a coyote. She makes some new friends of native descent that are able to help her tackle her looming battle with the river monster, and she discovers that she is not the only native who can become another animal. She also learns more about her father and his relationship with her mother. The walking stick also plays a major part, though I hope this is not the last we've seen of it. That stick has too many quirks to just let it go.
The river monster itself was quite a creation - as much fantasy as I have read, I've never come across anything quite like it, though some creatures of Greek mythology comes close. Abominations like that remind me why I avoid watching horror movies. The behavior of the otterkin also reminded me of the way members of a cult exalt their leader - creepy. I can't wait for the next book!
The loose ends of Stefan's mess from the previous book are quickly tied up, and the plot swiftly moves on to a "surprise" wedding for Mercy. The set-up of the wedding was quite endearing, and I even teared up a bit over it. These two sub-plots take place rather quickly, though, as the main focus of the book is what occurs during Mercy and Adam's honeymoon.
Mercy figures out quickly that they have been set up by certain fairy acquaintances for reasons that no one really knows. I was laughing at this, as it feels like a bumper sticker motto: If the world needs saving - send Mercy! So of course, Urban Fantasy heroine Mercy does not get a typical honeymoon, but one fraught with peril and impending doom.
While it may seem on the surface to be a random way to introduce new characters and magical elements into the series, I think that the events that happened at the Columbia River were a great way to focus on Mercy's native heritage and answer many of the questions that I have been harboring through the series about her ability to transform into a coyote. She makes some new friends of native descent that are able to help her tackle her looming battle with the river monster, and she discovers that she is not the only native who can become another animal. She also learns more about her father and his relationship with her mother. The walking stick also plays a major part, though I hope this is not the last we've seen of it. That stick has too many quirks to just let it go.
The river monster itself was quite a creation - as much fantasy as I have read, I've never come across anything quite like it, though some creatures of Greek mythology comes close. Abominations like that remind me why I avoid watching horror movies. The behavior of the otterkin also reminded me of the way members of a cult exalt their leader - creepy. I can't wait for the next book!
Ellie seems to have the picture perfect life - and now, the picture perfect wedding. She's finally marrying Rob, seemingly the man of her dreams. But at her wedding, Ellie's world collapses, as she finds out Rob is not what he seems. She is quickly swept up into his world of lies and yes, murder. Rob is counting on Ellie to free them from the constrictive life he's been leading, but that may mean she has to kill someone. Is Ellie prepared to do this? Is Rob what he seems? What has happened to Ellie's perfect life?
This was an interesting thriller, to say the least. It starts out a little slow (seems like a conventional he said/she said back and forth point-of-view tale) but quickly turned into an actual, compelling mystery. The book is told in a "Then" and "Now" format, but with a couple of twists: first, you hear not only from Ellie and Rob, but also a detective, Lucien, who is investigating several cases that have ensnared the pair, and second, the "Then" portions aren't chronological, so you are really skipping around in time. It is confusing at times, but certainly adds to the page-turning aspect. A good 3/4 of the book passes by in a flash.
I was wary most of the book - who is telling the truth? Rob? Ellie? No one? This one reminded me a bit of another excellent book I read recently - J.T. Ellison's "No One Knows" (which I preferred), where you just don't know which spouse to trust, or if you even like either of them! They are both flawed, but not really in a way you could sympathize with. Lucien was certainly the only character who seemed to have any redemptive qualities to him at times, and his inclusion was intriguing and enjoyable.
Overall, this book left me feeling confused and a little wanting. It seemed to fall apart a little with the ending - I was almost not quite sure exactly what transpired. It left me a little wanting. Still, as I write my review 24 hours later, the book is still haunting me, and I imagine it will for quite some time-- which is certainly a feat in itself. I'm glad I read it; it was a strange and interesting experience to say the least.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for publication on 3/22. You can check out a review of this novel and many others on my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
This was an interesting thriller, to say the least. It starts out a little slow (seems like a conventional he said/she said back and forth point-of-view tale) but quickly turned into an actual, compelling mystery. The book is told in a "Then" and "Now" format, but with a couple of twists: first, you hear not only from Ellie and Rob, but also a detective, Lucien, who is investigating several cases that have ensnared the pair, and second, the "Then" portions aren't chronological, so you are really skipping around in time. It is confusing at times, but certainly adds to the page-turning aspect. A good 3/4 of the book passes by in a flash.
I was wary most of the book - who is telling the truth? Rob? Ellie? No one? This one reminded me a bit of another excellent book I read recently - J.T. Ellison's "No One Knows" (which I preferred), where you just don't know which spouse to trust, or if you even like either of them! They are both flawed, but not really in a way you could sympathize with. Lucien was certainly the only character who seemed to have any redemptive qualities to him at times, and his inclusion was intriguing and enjoyable.
Overall, this book left me feeling confused and a little wanting. It seemed to fall apart a little with the ending - I was almost not quite sure exactly what transpired. It left me a little wanting. Still, as I write my review 24 hours later, the book is still haunting me, and I imagine it will for quite some time-- which is certainly a feat in itself. I'm glad I read it; it was a strange and interesting experience to say the least.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for publication on 3/22. You can check out a review of this novel and many others on my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.