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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated When the lights go out in Books
Mar 11, 2019
Creepy & befuddling but diminished by its ending
Jessie Sloane's mom has passed away, but before doing so, she encouraged Jessie to find herself. Jessie decides to apply to college, but the college flags her social security number. Apparently it belongs to someone who is deceased. As Jessie attempts to unravel the bureaucracy behind her application, she becomes more and more convinced that something is up with her past. Even worse, her thoughts are jumbled by the fact that she hasn't slept well since her mother's death. She's no longer able to tell what's truly happening around her. What's the story with her identity? And is she crazy or is something sinister going on in her life?
"Find yourself, Mom told me. One of two wishes she had for me before she died. Maybe she didn't mean for me to apply to college. Maybe it was far less esoteric than that. Maybe it was quite literal. Find yourself, she said, because Jessie Sloane isn't you."
Well, I'm not so sure about this one. The novel goes back in forth in time between present-day Jessie and her story and a woman named Eden, whose story mainly takes place in the 1990s. Eden's timeline varies a bit though, which makes it hard to keep track of. (At least for me.) A lot of Eden's storyline revolves around infertility, which I thought was handled very well. As someone who has struggled with that, I identified with her and probably liked the book a bit more just because of that.
As for Jessie and her tale, it was definitely creepy at times, which is something Mary Kubica can do very well. With her sleep deprivation, Jessie is the ultimate unreliable narrator, and it's very hard to tell if she's crazy or what on earth is happening. At times, it seems as if the book is leading you down a particular path, but you're never exactly sure who or what to trust.
And then, of course, there's that twist. I'd heard a lot about it, so I was expecting something, but with Kubica, it's hard to know what. I'll admit, it wasn't this. I had sort of figured out where things were leading, but it didn't diminish how cheated I felt by the ending. I've seen a lot of reviews where folks loved it and others where they didn't--I just felt letdown. I won't go further so as to avoid spoilers, but know that it did diminish my overall enjoyment of the book. And while I wasn't loving it entirely--it's sort of a jumble of confusion and weird characters--the ending deflates what I did enjoy.
Overall, this is a creepy book in many ways, with a story that befuddles but intrigues you. It's compelling but the ending diminishes a lot of the early drama and excitement.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley/Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
"Find yourself, Mom told me. One of two wishes she had for me before she died. Maybe she didn't mean for me to apply to college. Maybe it was far less esoteric than that. Maybe it was quite literal. Find yourself, she said, because Jessie Sloane isn't you."
Well, I'm not so sure about this one. The novel goes back in forth in time between present-day Jessie and her story and a woman named Eden, whose story mainly takes place in the 1990s. Eden's timeline varies a bit though, which makes it hard to keep track of. (At least for me.) A lot of Eden's storyline revolves around infertility, which I thought was handled very well. As someone who has struggled with that, I identified with her and probably liked the book a bit more just because of that.
As for Jessie and her tale, it was definitely creepy at times, which is something Mary Kubica can do very well. With her sleep deprivation, Jessie is the ultimate unreliable narrator, and it's very hard to tell if she's crazy or what on earth is happening. At times, it seems as if the book is leading you down a particular path, but you're never exactly sure who or what to trust.
And then, of course, there's that twist. I'd heard a lot about it, so I was expecting something, but with Kubica, it's hard to know what. I'll admit, it wasn't this. I had sort of figured out where things were leading, but it didn't diminish how cheated I felt by the ending. I've seen a lot of reviews where folks loved it and others where they didn't--I just felt letdown. I won't go further so as to avoid spoilers, but know that it did diminish my overall enjoyment of the book. And while I wasn't loving it entirely--it's sort of a jumble of confusion and weird characters--the ending deflates what I did enjoy.
Overall, this is a creepy book in many ways, with a story that befuddles but intrigues you. It's compelling but the ending diminishes a lot of the early drama and excitement.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley/Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Last Woman Standing in Books
Apr 8, 2019
Crazy but exciting read
Dana Diaz is an aspiring comedian trying to make it in Austin, TX--with the ultimate goal of making it back to L.A. someday. She once lived there with her best friend, Jason, but left in a bit of disgrace. While performing in L.A., she meets Amanda Dorn, a computer programmer who applauds during her set and catches Dana's eye. The two bond over being women in a man's world and soon learn that both have had similar struggles with harassment. But then Amanda proposes a plan: they'll each seek revenge on a man that has harmed the other. Dana quickly finds herself pulled into Amanda's revenge schemes. She also finds herself unable to trust anyone--even her friends.
I really loved Amy Gentry's GOOD AS GONE, so I was so excited to read this one. It didn't appeal to me as much as GOOD, but I enjoyed pieces of it. This was a weird but also interesting book that certainly capitalized on the momentum of the #metoo movement and did a good job of highlighting the aftermath of sexual assault and violence against women.
Dana is an intriguing character; I liked that she was a comedian, because that's not a character you usually see in books! She's also a minority and a fairly strong female--all pluses. No one expects her to be a comic or funny. It's also heartbreaking and eye-opening to see how much she's been through: as we learn about her experiences, we see how often she's had to endure sexual harassment, sexual violence, assault, and more during her career and life.
"It was true that my appearance--short and brownskinned and shaped like my mother minus the control-top pantyhouse--did not prepare most people for my extracurricular activities."
Even worse, so many of the women in the book seem to take this behavior as par for the course. To get ahead, they must endure being harassed, or they see this sexual assault as part of life. For instance, maybe it's just part of the acting business, Dana rationalizes.
"Maybe I really was the only one who couldn't take the joke."
The plot of this book was a little complicated for me; it seemed to struggle to find itself between fiction (a struggling comic attempting to find herself) and thriller (revenge scheme gone horribly wrong). For me, it really took off when it became more of a thriller. There were lots of twists and turns, most of which were quite surprising. Some of them were bizarre. Amanda and Dana's plans are a little crazy and things sort of spiral from there.
Still, I liked Dana overall, even if she made some questionable decisions. I appreciated how her character highlighted the plight of violence of women. As the book went on, it became more exciting and interesting, even some parts were a little crazy.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
I really loved Amy Gentry's GOOD AS GONE, so I was so excited to read this one. It didn't appeal to me as much as GOOD, but I enjoyed pieces of it. This was a weird but also interesting book that certainly capitalized on the momentum of the #metoo movement and did a good job of highlighting the aftermath of sexual assault and violence against women.
Dana is an intriguing character; I liked that she was a comedian, because that's not a character you usually see in books! She's also a minority and a fairly strong female--all pluses. No one expects her to be a comic or funny. It's also heartbreaking and eye-opening to see how much she's been through: as we learn about her experiences, we see how often she's had to endure sexual harassment, sexual violence, assault, and more during her career and life.
"It was true that my appearance--short and brownskinned and shaped like my mother minus the control-top pantyhouse--did not prepare most people for my extracurricular activities."
Even worse, so many of the women in the book seem to take this behavior as par for the course. To get ahead, they must endure being harassed, or they see this sexual assault as part of life. For instance, maybe it's just part of the acting business, Dana rationalizes.
"Maybe I really was the only one who couldn't take the joke."
The plot of this book was a little complicated for me; it seemed to struggle to find itself between fiction (a struggling comic attempting to find herself) and thriller (revenge scheme gone horribly wrong). For me, it really took off when it became more of a thriller. There were lots of twists and turns, most of which were quite surprising. Some of them were bizarre. Amanda and Dana's plans are a little crazy and things sort of spiral from there.
Still, I liked Dana overall, even if she made some questionable decisions. I appreciated how her character highlighted the plight of violence of women. As the book went on, it became more exciting and interesting, even some parts were a little crazy.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Mrs. Fletcher in Books
Jan 23, 2018
As a divorcee in her mid-40s, Eve Fletcher is struggling with the fact that her only son, Brendan, is heading off to college. Suddenly, Eve is truly alone for the first time. Shortly after she takes Brendan to college, Eve receives a strange text message reading, "U r my MILF!" Baffled, the message takes Eve down a strange path that includes an obsession with MILF-related porn. Suddenly, her regular life--work as the Executive Director at the local senior center, taking classes at the community college, and her various friendships--seems somewhat tinged by her porn habit. Meanwhile, Brendan isn't finding college all he thought it would be. His fellow chauvinistic/jock roommate is suddenly shunning him and his partying habits are catching up with him. Before they know it, Eve and Brendan are on a collision course for some crazy and interesting situations.
First of all, don't bother with this novel if you can't handle sexual or porn references in your reading: let's just get that out there. There are all sorts of said references in Perrotta's latest and while you could argue that they are plot driven, it certainly gets to be a bit much at times.
For me, this one was a tad odd. Parts of it I really enjoyed; others, I just found bizarre and strange (and I've read other Perrotta works, so I know somewhat what to expect with him). The early parts of the novel were almost tender and hit a bit close to home, as I'm the only child of a single (also divorced) mother. The relationship between Eve and Brendan is interesting and well-explored, and you certainly have sympathy for Eve. In fact, many of the adults in this novel are so incredibly sad and lonely--and they have some extremely realistic moments and situations.
Alas, Brendan is really just insufferable, and you can't help but like Eve a little less as the result. I rarely enjoyed any of the sections told from his point of view. As the novel progresses, it increases its perspectives--bringing in the secondary characters--and you really do get drawn into their lives. Perrotta is an engaging writer and while not all his characters in this one are likeable, nor do they always act rationally, they are dynamic. Indeed, this is often just a plain old weird and bizarre novel. Some places I found myself thinking Is this really happening?? (Oh it was.)
So, in the end this is an amusing tale--with a surprising depth--that offers a fairly accurate portrayal about society and sexuality/gender. The characters are certainly interesting, even if pieces can be ridiculous and preposterous. The ending left me feeling a little let down, which was a tad disappointing, and kept it from being higher than a 3-star review for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
First of all, don't bother with this novel if you can't handle sexual or porn references in your reading: let's just get that out there. There are all sorts of said references in Perrotta's latest and while you could argue that they are plot driven, it certainly gets to be a bit much at times.
For me, this one was a tad odd. Parts of it I really enjoyed; others, I just found bizarre and strange (and I've read other Perrotta works, so I know somewhat what to expect with him). The early parts of the novel were almost tender and hit a bit close to home, as I'm the only child of a single (also divorced) mother. The relationship between Eve and Brendan is interesting and well-explored, and you certainly have sympathy for Eve. In fact, many of the adults in this novel are so incredibly sad and lonely--and they have some extremely realistic moments and situations.
Alas, Brendan is really just insufferable, and you can't help but like Eve a little less as the result. I rarely enjoyed any of the sections told from his point of view. As the novel progresses, it increases its perspectives--bringing in the secondary characters--and you really do get drawn into their lives. Perrotta is an engaging writer and while not all his characters in this one are likeable, nor do they always act rationally, they are dynamic. Indeed, this is often just a plain old weird and bizarre novel. Some places I found myself thinking Is this really happening?? (Oh it was.)
So, in the end this is an amusing tale--with a surprising depth--that offers a fairly accurate portrayal about society and sexuality/gender. The characters are certainly interesting, even if pieces can be ridiculous and preposterous. The ending left me feeling a little let down, which was a tad disappointing, and kept it from being higher than a 3-star review for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley. More at http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Little Girl Gone (An Afton Tangler Thriller #1) in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Afton Tangler is halfway up a cold, icy mountain ledge when the call comes in: a three-month old baby, Elizabeth Ann, has vanished, taken from her home in the middle of the night. The little girl's babysitter is in the hospital after being assaulted, and Elizabeth Ann's wealthy parents are frantic. Afton, a family liaison officer for the Minneapolis Police Department, must console the baby's parents, Susan and Richard Darden. Besides her ice climbing hobby, Afton is also an aspiring police officer, so when the lead detective on the case, Max, has her tag along, she does, trying to untangle the weird web of clues that accompanies this sad case. Who was the strange man, pretending to deliver a pizza, who attacked the babysitter? Is he connected to a woman at a doll show that interacted with Susan? Is Richard's recent job switch a factor? Will a ransom call come in? As Afton and Max race to find Elizabeth Ann, the web only thickens, and they become more frantic to find Elizabeth Ann before it's too late.
This was an interesting mystery novel. I won't lie: the writing is wooden and clunky to say the least. It's certainly not the smoothly written thriller of a say a Tana French or Mary Kubica, whose books I've recently read. Further, the plot is really preposterous at times, and it's crazy to watch Afton, who should really be sitting at a desk and chatting with families, out solving crimes, chasing bad guys, and scaling cliffs (seriously). That being said, you can't help develop but an affinity for Ms. Afton Tangler. She's amazingly good at untangling a mystery (a little too good at times), but she's also incredibly plucky and genuine. She's like a Melissa McCarthy character in "Spy" or "Bridesmaids" - she's so herself that you fall for her in spite of yourself.
I also always find it impressive when authors can make a book suspenseful even when we know who "did it" from the beginning. [b:Little Girl Gone|27209410|Little Girl Gone|Gerry Schmitt|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1463571368s/27209410.jpg|47250892] is told from the ever-popular multi-character POV, so we hear from Afton, but also Susan, and several characters related to the crime itself. So while we see the crime unfold and know exactly who took the Elizabeth Ann, Schmitt still does a good job of making the book exciting as Afton and Max attempt to find the little girl and reunite her with her parents. Because of that, plus Afton's tenacious character, I will still give this one 3 stars, despite some of the crazy plot holes and the occasional less than stellar writing.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you); it is available everywhere as of 07/05/2016.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
This was an interesting mystery novel. I won't lie: the writing is wooden and clunky to say the least. It's certainly not the smoothly written thriller of a say a Tana French or Mary Kubica, whose books I've recently read. Further, the plot is really preposterous at times, and it's crazy to watch Afton, who should really be sitting at a desk and chatting with families, out solving crimes, chasing bad guys, and scaling cliffs (seriously). That being said, you can't help develop but an affinity for Ms. Afton Tangler. She's amazingly good at untangling a mystery (a little too good at times), but she's also incredibly plucky and genuine. She's like a Melissa McCarthy character in "Spy" or "Bridesmaids" - she's so herself that you fall for her in spite of yourself.
I also always find it impressive when authors can make a book suspenseful even when we know who "did it" from the beginning. [b:Little Girl Gone|27209410|Little Girl Gone|Gerry Schmitt|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1463571368s/27209410.jpg|47250892] is told from the ever-popular multi-character POV, so we hear from Afton, but also Susan, and several characters related to the crime itself. So while we see the crime unfold and know exactly who took the Elizabeth Ann, Schmitt still does a good job of making the book exciting as Afton and Max attempt to find the little girl and reunite her with her parents. Because of that, plus Afton's tenacious character, I will still give this one 3 stars, despite some of the crazy plot holes and the occasional less than stellar writing.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you); it is available everywhere as of 07/05/2016.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Finishing School in Books
Feb 13, 2018
It has been 20 years since Kersti Kuusk set foot on the grounds of the Lycée, the prestigious boarding school she attended as a teen. Kersti was a scholarship student from Canada at the elite school, and she left abruptly in her senior year, after her best friend, Cressida, fell from her balcony one evening. The school declared the event an accident, but now, Kersti finds herself unconvinced. A timely letter from another of her school friends brings up more questions: was Cressida pushed, or did she attempt suicide? Kersti knows that Cressida had become increasingly obsessed with a secret society within the Lycée--banned since the 1970s when two of its members were expelled. As the school plans a celebration of its 100th anniversary, Kersti considers returning. She also starts looking further into Cressida's fall. However, some secrets are meant to stay buried.
THE FINISHING SCHOOL is told in alternating chapters between the present day and Kersti's school years, leading up to Cressida's fall from the balcony. This effective technique certainly creates tension and suspense, leading you to madly flip the pages, trying to figure out what happened - particularly to Kersti's group of friends at the Lycée twenty years ago. The novel pulls you in fairly quickly and hooks you rather rapidly. Goodman is quite adept at capturing the voices of her characters, especially the teens, and the boarding school passages are rather effective. (They are also great at making you want to never send your child to boarding school. Parts of it reminded me of Tana French's THE SECRET PLACE in that way.)
For me, the only thing that held this book back was that some of the plot was a little weird: mostly some of the things relating to Kersti's personal life and her obsession with Cressida. They didn't necessarily seem required for the story to be successful, but they bothered me. It's a shame, because overall I liked Kersti, and I felt a connection with her. Present-day Kersti is suffering from infertility, and, as someone who has been there, I can say that Goodman captures that angst very well. I just wasn't sure about some of her choices.
At times, some of the school drama gets a little tedious, but it picks up as the novel gains momentum, especially near the end. I figured out parts of the plot, but not all of it, and I was quite frantic to finish the last portions of the book to put it all together. It's quite a dark and twisted tale, overall. Certainly worth a read. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 04/11/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
THE FINISHING SCHOOL is told in alternating chapters between the present day and Kersti's school years, leading up to Cressida's fall from the balcony. This effective technique certainly creates tension and suspense, leading you to madly flip the pages, trying to figure out what happened - particularly to Kersti's group of friends at the Lycée twenty years ago. The novel pulls you in fairly quickly and hooks you rather rapidly. Goodman is quite adept at capturing the voices of her characters, especially the teens, and the boarding school passages are rather effective. (They are also great at making you want to never send your child to boarding school. Parts of it reminded me of Tana French's THE SECRET PLACE in that way.)
For me, the only thing that held this book back was that some of the plot was a little weird: mostly some of the things relating to Kersti's personal life and her obsession with Cressida. They didn't necessarily seem required for the story to be successful, but they bothered me. It's a shame, because overall I liked Kersti, and I felt a connection with her. Present-day Kersti is suffering from infertility, and, as someone who has been there, I can say that Goodman captures that angst very well. I just wasn't sure about some of her choices.
At times, some of the school drama gets a little tedious, but it picks up as the novel gains momentum, especially near the end. I figured out parts of the plot, but not all of it, and I was quite frantic to finish the last portions of the book to put it all together. It's quite a dark and twisted tale, overall. Certainly worth a read. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 04/11/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Donnie Darko (2001) in Movies
Mar 27, 2018
Wasn't Feeling it
High school student Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) is beset with visions of a six-foot bunny and premonitions of the world ending in less than a month.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Characters: 9
One of the things Donnie Darko excelled at for me. The film relies on its quirkiness which is best exhibited in its depth of characters. Darko is a troubled kid who is completely unpredictable and doesn't care much who he offends. I wasn't his biggest fan, but there were a number of moments where he caught me off guard in a good way. The Fear/Love classroom scene was one of my particular favorites.
His sister Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal) stands out as the character I liked the most. She thinks that Donnie is indeed strange fruit and is never afraid to call him on his crap. At the same time, she is also protective of him with a family-first mentality. You can tell she's got it all figured out and now she's trying to help the others around her do the same. It's interesting watching the two characters in contrast.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 0
Seriously, what was the conflict here? What was the, "Why should I care?" portion of the film? If I'm shooting holes in the movie, this is definitely bullet #1. I guess one could argue that Donnie's conflict is within himself and what ultimately is happening to him. I'm sorry, but unless Donnie is dealing with a vampire change or a zombie turn, I don't think internal conflict is enough. Sure weird things are happening throughout the film, but you get the feeling that it's all much ado about nothing.
Genre: 3
Memorability: 1
Pace: 6
There seems to be quite a few moving parts throughout the course of the film, most of which I didn't really care much to follow. There wasn't enough consistent intrigue to keep the mystery afloat. Very slow. I need a coffee just thinking about it. Or perhaps a nice tea...
Plot: 3
Original? Sure, I'll absolutely give it a handful of points for looking at cinema in a unique way. All in all, though, the film feels like I'm wading through a swamp to get to work. I know I'm going the right way or rather I know cutting through this swamp will get me to where I need to be...But why the hell am I in this swamp? What am I trying to prove? I guess I'm saying I just didn't quite get it. I'm also willing to admit that maybe it's just me.
Resolution: 0
Overall: 42
Critics loved it. So did audiences. I thought the characters were solid and the film succeeds with a number of memorable shots, but falls short with shoddy pacing that left me more confused than when I started. Just one man's opinion.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 1
Characters: 9
One of the things Donnie Darko excelled at for me. The film relies on its quirkiness which is best exhibited in its depth of characters. Darko is a troubled kid who is completely unpredictable and doesn't care much who he offends. I wasn't his biggest fan, but there were a number of moments where he caught me off guard in a good way. The Fear/Love classroom scene was one of my particular favorites.
His sister Elizabeth (Maggie Gyllenhaal) stands out as the character I liked the most. She thinks that Donnie is indeed strange fruit and is never afraid to call him on his crap. At the same time, she is also protective of him with a family-first mentality. You can tell she's got it all figured out and now she's trying to help the others around her do the same. It's interesting watching the two characters in contrast.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Conflict: 0
Seriously, what was the conflict here? What was the, "Why should I care?" portion of the film? If I'm shooting holes in the movie, this is definitely bullet #1. I guess one could argue that Donnie's conflict is within himself and what ultimately is happening to him. I'm sorry, but unless Donnie is dealing with a vampire change or a zombie turn, I don't think internal conflict is enough. Sure weird things are happening throughout the film, but you get the feeling that it's all much ado about nothing.
Genre: 3
Memorability: 1
Pace: 6
There seems to be quite a few moving parts throughout the course of the film, most of which I didn't really care much to follow. There wasn't enough consistent intrigue to keep the mystery afloat. Very slow. I need a coffee just thinking about it. Or perhaps a nice tea...
Plot: 3
Original? Sure, I'll absolutely give it a handful of points for looking at cinema in a unique way. All in all, though, the film feels like I'm wading through a swamp to get to work. I know I'm going the right way or rather I know cutting through this swamp will get me to where I need to be...But why the hell am I in this swamp? What am I trying to prove? I guess I'm saying I just didn't quite get it. I'm also willing to admit that maybe it's just me.
Resolution: 0
Overall: 42
Critics loved it. So did audiences. I thought the characters were solid and the film succeeds with a number of memorable shots, but falls short with shoddy pacing that left me more confused than when I started. Just one man's opinion.
Rat (1 KP) rated Peaky Blinders - Season 1 in TV
Mar 28, 2018
Forget everything you think you know about period drama
It would be easy to dismiss Peaky Blinders as just a British drama. It would be easy to dismiss it as just a period piece. It would be easy to claim that it was just a British Boardwalk Empire. You'd be so wrong to do so.
Every part of Peaky Blinders is perfection. From the superb acting of its regular cast (Cillian Murphy on a tv show? Sign me up!) to a roster of featured guests (Sam Neill? Tom Hardy? Adrien Brody? Who did the casting director sell their soul to, anyway?) to the use of colour and an outlaw music soundtrack that shouldn't work, but does (Nick Cave? PJ Harvey? Tom Waits? David Bowie? On a period drama? What is this? Freaking genius, that's what.)
Shortly after the end of the first World War, a family of Irish gypsy (their word, not mine) - blooded Birmingham bookmakers tries to recover from the horrors of that war and build up their business. Second oldest, Tommy Shelby (played expertly by Cillian Murphy who manages to play a gangster who is both ruthless and fragile with the ability to break your heart with a single look), came back from the war broken by his experiences, but determined to rise far beyond the limitations of his Small Heath upbringing. Not only does he have the expected clashes with those who want to keep him from growing his business (both criminal rivals and the police) but he has a family to run (with all the interpersonal conflicts that entails). All of this is set against a backdrop of political turmoil from the IRA and the rise of communist sympathy in the UK.
You shouldn't like Tommy Shelby, but he is written and acted so well that you won't be able to not like him. The same can be said for older brother, Arthur, younger siblings John, Ada, and Finn. If you don't love Aunt Polly, then you must have a problem with strong female characters.
Steven Knight has taken a world told to him through family legend and turned it into a world that you will be eager to inhabit an hour (or, if you're like everyone I know, a season) at a time. He writes a period drama that doesn't feel dated. The characters and their struggles are as relevant today as they were nearly a hundred years ago.
Take a chance on the show with the weird name and discover why there are very few casual Peaky Blinders fans. There's a reason why the late, great David Bowie was a huge fan and made sure that they would have a song from his last album before he died. There's a reason the show's dated fashion and hairstyles are making a comeback, why Peaky Blinders pubs and pub nights are popping up all over. It's that good. Check it out for yourself.
Every part of Peaky Blinders is perfection. From the superb acting of its regular cast (Cillian Murphy on a tv show? Sign me up!) to a roster of featured guests (Sam Neill? Tom Hardy? Adrien Brody? Who did the casting director sell their soul to, anyway?) to the use of colour and an outlaw music soundtrack that shouldn't work, but does (Nick Cave? PJ Harvey? Tom Waits? David Bowie? On a period drama? What is this? Freaking genius, that's what.)
Shortly after the end of the first World War, a family of Irish gypsy (their word, not mine) - blooded Birmingham bookmakers tries to recover from the horrors of that war and build up their business. Second oldest, Tommy Shelby (played expertly by Cillian Murphy who manages to play a gangster who is both ruthless and fragile with the ability to break your heart with a single look), came back from the war broken by his experiences, but determined to rise far beyond the limitations of his Small Heath upbringing. Not only does he have the expected clashes with those who want to keep him from growing his business (both criminal rivals and the police) but he has a family to run (with all the interpersonal conflicts that entails). All of this is set against a backdrop of political turmoil from the IRA and the rise of communist sympathy in the UK.
You shouldn't like Tommy Shelby, but he is written and acted so well that you won't be able to not like him. The same can be said for older brother, Arthur, younger siblings John, Ada, and Finn. If you don't love Aunt Polly, then you must have a problem with strong female characters.
Steven Knight has taken a world told to him through family legend and turned it into a world that you will be eager to inhabit an hour (or, if you're like everyone I know, a season) at a time. He writes a period drama that doesn't feel dated. The characters and their struggles are as relevant today as they were nearly a hundred years ago.
Take a chance on the show with the weird name and discover why there are very few casual Peaky Blinders fans. There's a reason why the late, great David Bowie was a huge fan and made sure that they would have a song from his last album before he died. There's a reason the show's dated fashion and hairstyles are making a comeback, why Peaky Blinders pubs and pub nights are popping up all over. It's that good. Check it out for yourself.
Louise (64 KP) rated Furiously Happy in Books
Jul 2, 2018
So! where do I start! hmmmm....
This a non-fiction memoir about a woman, Jenny Lawson who suffers from mental illness, but not just one she has a whole mixed bag of mental health problems, Jenny suffers from depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADD and others.
This is her memoir of how she copes with mental health and what is like to live with these debilitating illnesses. The book is told in several short stories of Jenny's life, there are also pictures added in several of the chapters.(proof that these things really happened).
Her husband Victor is a saint that's all I can say, Jenny is crazy but in a good way crazy, she just talks about the most random things ever, but this a symptom of anxiety you over think things and you can tell by her writing.
This book is very funny, and Jenny isn't bothered about the stigma that is still attached to mental health, she is just being herself which is so refreshing.
I never heard of Jenny Lawson when I requested this book, I was more drawn to the synopsis and the amazing raccoon on the front cover. Jenny is a taxidermist's daughter and has a lot of love for stuffed animals which is clear in the book and shown with pictures.
I really could relate to Jenny as I suffer from depression and anxiety, I knew where she was coming from and when she was explaining they symptoms, I was like yes, I get that too! The book is very funny in places, but there are parts which I think are just silly!
My favourite part of the book has to be when she is trying to convinve Victor to get another cat so she can call it the 'President', her ideas are very witty and weird - i mean who thinks of stuff like this.
Whilst this book was good and funny, I was wanting her to be a bit more serious in some parts. I wanted to know how she really felt without trying to make it humorous. And yeah I know it's a serious topic and she is trying to make it light-hearted but I feel that maybe she is still holding back on what she really wants to say.
There is a trigger warning for this book, it does discuss self harm and suicide, so if you are easily offended I would not suggest it for you. Also there is a lot of swearing/cussing.
This is Jenny's second book, first being Let's pretend this never happened and also she has her own blog called the bloggess which I will be following.
I would recommend this book for anyone suffering from mental illness or has a family member/friends that does.
I rated this book 3.5 stars out of 5.
For more of my reviews please check out www.louiselovesbooks.wordpress.com
This a non-fiction memoir about a woman, Jenny Lawson who suffers from mental illness, but not just one she has a whole mixed bag of mental health problems, Jenny suffers from depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADD and others.
This is her memoir of how she copes with mental health and what is like to live with these debilitating illnesses. The book is told in several short stories of Jenny's life, there are also pictures added in several of the chapters.(proof that these things really happened).
Her husband Victor is a saint that's all I can say, Jenny is crazy but in a good way crazy, she just talks about the most random things ever, but this a symptom of anxiety you over think things and you can tell by her writing.
This book is very funny, and Jenny isn't bothered about the stigma that is still attached to mental health, she is just being herself which is so refreshing.
I never heard of Jenny Lawson when I requested this book, I was more drawn to the synopsis and the amazing raccoon on the front cover. Jenny is a taxidermist's daughter and has a lot of love for stuffed animals which is clear in the book and shown with pictures.
I really could relate to Jenny as I suffer from depression and anxiety, I knew where she was coming from and when she was explaining they symptoms, I was like yes, I get that too! The book is very funny in places, but there are parts which I think are just silly!
My favourite part of the book has to be when she is trying to convinve Victor to get another cat so she can call it the 'President', her ideas are very witty and weird - i mean who thinks of stuff like this.
Whilst this book was good and funny, I was wanting her to be a bit more serious in some parts. I wanted to know how she really felt without trying to make it humorous. And yeah I know it's a serious topic and she is trying to make it light-hearted but I feel that maybe she is still holding back on what she really wants to say.
There is a trigger warning for this book, it does discuss self harm and suicide, so if you are easily offended I would not suggest it for you. Also there is a lot of swearing/cussing.
This is Jenny's second book, first being Let's pretend this never happened and also she has her own blog called the bloggess which I will be following.
I would recommend this book for anyone suffering from mental illness or has a family member/friends that does.
I rated this book 3.5 stars out of 5.
For more of my reviews please check out www.louiselovesbooks.wordpress.com
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Pale Blue Scratch in Books
Aug 21, 2018
Full review can be found on: diaryofdifference.com/2018/06/18/pale-blue-scratch-jay-dinitto-book-review/
I was lucky enough to be approached by Jay DiNitto himself, and he sent me a copy of his first novel - Pale Blue Scratch in exchange for an honest review. This is a book unlike anything else I have ever read, and it left me impressed. I dearly enjoyed it, and maybe you will too.
As mentioned above, this is a book unlike any other that I have read. It is a great mix of fiction / action / fast-paced scenes / philosophy / psychology and a little bit of time-travelling.
Even though we have two main characters - Elizabeth and Vincent, this book focused more on Elizabeth, for various reasons.
<img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455591169l/28919161.jpg"/>;
There were times when the scenes were slow, and somewhat a bit dull, but there were also times when there were fast-paced scenes that make me bite my nails. Though, as a whole, I found the story to not quite fit my taste. It felt like Elizabeth didn’t have a great or a strong enough reason to do this adventure.
Elizabeth’s character - now this is something quite amusing! I have never met a character like this - so twisted in a cute hippocrytical way. A nun with an adorable sense of humor, that goes around on a mission to make a time-travel machine, and happens to hurt people on her way… I loved her character in a very weird way (don’t judge!)
Now Vincent didn’t quite hit the mark. He seemed more of a plain character, like a little copy of someone else, somewhere, once upon a time. He gave the impression of a person that, unlike Elizabeth, didn’t quite knew where he belonged and what he’s doing. It felt like it didn’t bother him at all. And that’s alright. The moment when this started to hurt me was at the end - when he didn’t change a bit.
Even though a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to read much about time-travelling as I would want to, this book was quite amusing and it covered various random topics that I quite liked. I loved that variety when one moment you talk about religion, the other moment a great action scene happens, and then here we are again, discussing life philosophy.
All in all, to sum it all up - I greatly enjoyed this book! It was definitely unusual read, and unique in every single way. And if you love fiction / action / a bit of time-travelling / humor and philosophy, this might be easily your new favourite book!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="http://innahcrazy.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>; |
I was lucky enough to be approached by Jay DiNitto himself, and he sent me a copy of his first novel - Pale Blue Scratch in exchange for an honest review. This is a book unlike anything else I have ever read, and it left me impressed. I dearly enjoyed it, and maybe you will too.
As mentioned above, this is a book unlike any other that I have read. It is a great mix of fiction / action / fast-paced scenes / philosophy / psychology and a little bit of time-travelling.
Even though we have two main characters - Elizabeth and Vincent, this book focused more on Elizabeth, for various reasons.
<img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455591169l/28919161.jpg"/>;
There were times when the scenes were slow, and somewhat a bit dull, but there were also times when there were fast-paced scenes that make me bite my nails. Though, as a whole, I found the story to not quite fit my taste. It felt like Elizabeth didn’t have a great or a strong enough reason to do this adventure.
Elizabeth’s character - now this is something quite amusing! I have never met a character like this - so twisted in a cute hippocrytical way. A nun with an adorable sense of humor, that goes around on a mission to make a time-travel machine, and happens to hurt people on her way… I loved her character in a very weird way (don’t judge!)
Now Vincent didn’t quite hit the mark. He seemed more of a plain character, like a little copy of someone else, somewhere, once upon a time. He gave the impression of a person that, unlike Elizabeth, didn’t quite knew where he belonged and what he’s doing. It felt like it didn’t bother him at all. And that’s alright. The moment when this started to hurt me was at the end - when he didn’t change a bit.
Even though a bit disappointed that I didn’t get to read much about time-travelling as I would want to, this book was quite amusing and it covered various random topics that I quite liked. I loved that variety when one moment you talk about religion, the other moment a great action scene happens, and then here we are again, discussing life philosophy.
All in all, to sum it all up - I greatly enjoyed this book! It was definitely unusual read, and unique in every single way. And if you love fiction / action / a bit of time-travelling / humor and philosophy, this might be easily your new favourite book!
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="http://innahcrazy.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>; |
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated What If It's Us in Books
Dec 18, 2018
This was a super cute gay romance that I read for YA_Pride's Twitter Book Club. The authors have separately written some pretty popular YA books; Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Albertalli) and They Both Die at the End (Silvera), neither of which I have read yet, so I had no idea what to expect with this one!
The book alternates viewpoints between Arthur, a Georgia boy in New York for the summer who recently came out as gay but has not yet gone out on a date with anyone, and Ben, who recently broke up with the boy he lost his virginity with. The difference in experience between the two is a plot point, as is the temporary nature of Arthur's visit to New York.
There is SO MUCH in this book. These are complex characters, and the romance between the two is simply the frame that the rest of the book revolves around. Arthur is still coming to terms with what being out means for him; he thinks his friends are being weird about it, his parents are fighting all the time, he's never dated and doesn't really know how to go about doing so. Ben is recovering from heartbreak with his first boyfriend. He's Puerto Rican but can pass for white, so people forget and think he's white, and that upsets him. His break up, and his best friend's, has splintered up their friend group and he misses the group, and his best friend seems to have moved on and doesn't have time for him anymore. He's in summer school, with his ex, and is struggling to pass so he can continue to his senior year of high school, while Arthur is an amazing student who's probably getting into Yale. All of this is set against the glittering backdrop of New York, seen as wondrous and new through Arthur's eyes and boring and old through Ben's. There's just SO MUCH going on.
I did have to double-check a few times who was narrating the chapter I was reading, but Twitter said the audio book actually has separate narrators for Arthur and Ben. So if you like audiobooks, that might be the better way to go for this book.
I loved that this book didn't just explore the romance between the two boys, but the friendships they had with each other and the people around them. More than a romance, I think this is a book about building your own family. People who will be there for you whether you're dating them or not.
Twitter also mentioned that the book could be disappointing if you were reading it for either of the author's signature styles. No one dies, and it's not completely happy fluff. So definitely set aside any expectations based on their previous books. I hadn't read them, so I enjoyed it for itself.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
The book alternates viewpoints between Arthur, a Georgia boy in New York for the summer who recently came out as gay but has not yet gone out on a date with anyone, and Ben, who recently broke up with the boy he lost his virginity with. The difference in experience between the two is a plot point, as is the temporary nature of Arthur's visit to New York.
There is SO MUCH in this book. These are complex characters, and the romance between the two is simply the frame that the rest of the book revolves around. Arthur is still coming to terms with what being out means for him; he thinks his friends are being weird about it, his parents are fighting all the time, he's never dated and doesn't really know how to go about doing so. Ben is recovering from heartbreak with his first boyfriend. He's Puerto Rican but can pass for white, so people forget and think he's white, and that upsets him. His break up, and his best friend's, has splintered up their friend group and he misses the group, and his best friend seems to have moved on and doesn't have time for him anymore. He's in summer school, with his ex, and is struggling to pass so he can continue to his senior year of high school, while Arthur is an amazing student who's probably getting into Yale. All of this is set against the glittering backdrop of New York, seen as wondrous and new through Arthur's eyes and boring and old through Ben's. There's just SO MUCH going on.
I did have to double-check a few times who was narrating the chapter I was reading, but Twitter said the audio book actually has separate narrators for Arthur and Ben. So if you like audiobooks, that might be the better way to go for this book.
I loved that this book didn't just explore the romance between the two boys, but the friendships they had with each other and the people around them. More than a romance, I think this is a book about building your own family. People who will be there for you whether you're dating them or not.
Twitter also mentioned that the book could be disappointing if you were reading it for either of the author's signature styles. No one dies, and it's not completely happy fluff. So definitely set aside any expectations based on their previous books. I hadn't read them, so I enjoyed it for itself.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com