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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated Gingerdead Man in Books

Dec 1, 2021 (Updated Dec 1, 2021)  
Gingerdead Man
Gingerdead Man
Maya Corrigan | 2020 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Christmas Cookie of Doom
Bayport, Maryland, is kicking off the holiday season with a Victorian themed Christmas event. While Val’s granddad is upset about being demoted from Santa to Scrooge this year, Val is looking forward to helping out at the teas throughout the afternoon. The final tea of the day is for the event’s volunteers. As it is getting started, someone in a weird costume comes and starts passing out gingerbread cookies. When this year’s Santa eats his, he drops over. Can Val figure out what is going on?

I really do appreciate the relationship between Val and her granddad in these books. While Granddad is a senior citizen, he isn’t a stereotype. He acts appropriately for his age and yet still contributes to Val’s investigation. The other characters are strong enough to keep us engaged in the story and keep the suspects straight. The story seemed to wander a bit at the beginning, but I was ultimately impressed with how everything came together. Naturally, we get more five-ingredient recipes at the end of the book, including several seasonal delights. If you are looking for a cozy to curl up with this Christmas, this is one you’ll enjoy.
  
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LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Three... Extremes (2004) in Movies

Oct 28, 2021  
Three... Extremes (2004)
Three... Extremes (2004)
2004 | Horror
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Miike's segment is the best - just this viscerally atmospheric showcase in artsy horror from someone who clearly has an intimate knowledge of all the ins-and-outs of the genre (and features a mack daddy score from Koji Endo, who has a career full of them). Chan's is second place - just as brutally gross as everyone else has already mentioned. Wook's is my third favorite (I refuse to call it the worst, since they're all pretty awesome) - a good ole' fashioned exercise in mental torture with expectedly cool camerawork and a deeply weird tone that always keeps you on your toes. The kind of simple, nasty, and twisted histrionics you can always count on - if this were made today in the tired 'elevated horror' age it would either be 81 minutes or 3 hours long and be a monotonous, purposefully unsatisfying, rote, blatantly obvious metaphor for trauma or some similar bullshit. Meanwhile this is the type of film to show you a fetus getting chopped up in the first ten minutes then following it with Lee-Byung Hun being forced to dance in his underwear and a woman making out with her father in a Circus Big Top. Just plain sick and I loved it, speaks for itself.
  
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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Siren Sacrificed ( Thief of Hearts book 2) in Books

Feb 27, 2022  
SS
Siren Sacrificed ( Thief of Hearts book 2)
Mila Young, C.R. Jane | 2022
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
36 of 230
Kindle
Siren Sacrificed ( Thief of Hearts book 2)
By C.R. Jane and Mila Young
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What is a siren without her power?

I'm about to find out, and I have no problems embracing the darkness to do so.
I was thrown into a literal hell, and every day feels like it could be my last.
But amid such darkness, I thought I found light with three men who've shown me happiness is possible even in a place like this.
Except, maybe I was too quick to trust and give my heart away.
They say trust takes years to build, seconds to break... and I don't think forever will be long enough to repair what they did to me.
One will sacrifice himself for me. One will shatter my soul. And one will kill me to save me.




This is a weird little series I’m really enjoying it! It has such a dark undertone that gives me the creeps. This young woman has just had hell and I’m not sure how much more she can take! This ending is just so sad but I felt peaceful with her. Can’t wait to see what book 3 brings. I really enjoy Mila Youngs books.
  
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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Northman (2022) in Movies

May 11, 2022  
The Northman (2022)
The Northman (2022)
2022 | History, Thriller
10
7.9 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Robert Eggers continues his winning streak with The Northman, surely one of the most visually stunning and compelling movies in recent years. A Viking revenge story presented in his signature style is just cinematic crack waiting to happen as far as I'm concerned.
The first third is a fast moving setup that effectively establishes the characters and shows off quite an epic production. After that, The Northman becomes a tight and slow burning thriller as Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) exacts a psychologically torturous revenge on the people who killer his father. It's a perfect marriage of powerful character drama, weird imagery, Viking culture and beliefs, bizarre gore, and fantasy set pieces, and it's slower pace ensures that it's utterly captivating.
The whole film looks incredible from start to finish and is complimented by a wonderful music score.
It's all cemented by a stacked cast. Skarsgård is a capable lead for sure, and is just a big walking muscle in this, the manly bastard. Anya Taylor-Joy is great as always, and the supporting cast boasts the likes of Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, and Claes Bang who are all stellar.

I can't heap enough praise on The Northman, another homerun from Eggers. I'd happily call it a masterpiece.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated If I Had a Hammer in Books

May 15, 2023  
If I Had a Hammer
If I Had a Hammer
Teresa Trent | 2023 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dealing with History and Solving a Mystery
It’s November of 1963, and Dot Morgan’s excitement at witnessing JFK’s trip to Dallas turns to tragedy. While her cousin deals with what they witnessed, Dot has to concentrate on her first job out of secretarial school. She’s working at a local construction company, but she really only likes one of her bosses. When he falls victim to a weird accident at work, Dot starts to investigate. Can she figure out what happened?

You can’t write a series set in Texas in the 1960’s without dealing what happened that November. I liked that this piece of history is given its own subplot, although I did feel like that storyline was rushed. The main mystery is strong, with plenty to keep me turning pages, and the suspects were developed enough to help keep me confused. I loved getting to spend time with Dot again, and the rest of the regulars are good as well. As we get into the second half of the book, the action moves into December, and I enjoyed the Christmas parts of the book, too. If you are looking for a good mystery set around an important piece of American history, this book is for you.