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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2554 KP) rated A Very Woodsy Murder in Books
Jul 25, 2024 (Updated Jul 25, 2024)
A Sitcom Writer’s Death Isn’t a Laughing Matter
Dee Stern is looking for something new after her career as a sitcom writer declines. When she spots the Golden Motel outside of Majestic National Park, she buys it with her best friend, Jeff Cornetta. Their first guest is Michael Adam Baker, a former co-worker from Dee’s sitcom writing days. She’s less than happy to see him again. But then he’s murdered. With Dee and Jeff both on the suspect list and all reservations cancelling because of the news, Dee has to figure out what happened to save her livelihood. Can she do it?
While the motel and the areas where the action takes place are all fictional, anyone familiar with the Sierra Nevada mountains will pick up on the inspiration for the setting. Between that and the motel itself, I was completely charmed and wanted to go visit in real life. The characters we meet are a bit eccentric even for a cozy but also just as delightful. Dee’s background as a sitcom writer provides some good laughs and adds to how Dee views the events. The mystery sets itself up well so it can really get going once Michael is killed. I was hooked and surprised by the logical conclusion. While not a full-blown culinary cozy, there are a couple of recipes at the end. I was utterly charmed by this debut and am already booking my return visit.
While the motel and the areas where the action takes place are all fictional, anyone familiar with the Sierra Nevada mountains will pick up on the inspiration for the setting. Between that and the motel itself, I was completely charmed and wanted to go visit in real life. The characters we meet are a bit eccentric even for a cozy but also just as delightful. Dee’s background as a sitcom writer provides some good laughs and adds to how Dee views the events. The mystery sets itself up well so it can really get going once Michael is killed. I was hooked and surprised by the logical conclusion. While not a full-blown culinary cozy, there are a couple of recipes at the end. I was utterly charmed by this debut and am already booking my return visit.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Uncommon Type: Some Stories in Books
Nov 14, 2017
Listen just for Tom Hanks' mellifluous voice
Tom Hanks turns out to be as authentically genuine a writer as can be. The stories in this book range from the hilarious to the deeply touching.
They move in period, location, and manner, but all demonstrate a joy in writing, a pleasure in communicating an intensely American sense of atmosphere, friendship, life and family that is every bit as smart and engaging as the man himself.
While the stories are witty, it is more so because of the man himself. They may not be Pulitzer material, but it truly is a pleasure to read his book while thinking about this imaginative man.
They move in period, location, and manner, but all demonstrate a joy in writing, a pleasure in communicating an intensely American sense of atmosphere, friendship, life and family that is every bit as smart and engaging as the man himself.
While the stories are witty, it is more so because of the man himself. They may not be Pulitzer material, but it truly is a pleasure to read his book while thinking about this imaginative man.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Swimming Lessons in Books
Jul 24, 2017
Great series of letters let down by monotony
Claire Fuller's writing is poetic and haunting in this novel especially as we read a series of letters left by a wife who has been missing for 12 years.
The story surrounds Ingrid, and her horribly destructive relationship with her writer husband Gil. Her youngest daughter Flora has to come to terms with these revelations, after idolising her father for so long.
My only concern is while the back and forth narrative between Ingrid's letter and the present day is well laid out, the story itself becomes lacklustre and the epilogue is a little misleading leaving a question mark over her death. Good writing but plot could be more rich.
The story surrounds Ingrid, and her horribly destructive relationship with her writer husband Gil. Her youngest daughter Flora has to come to terms with these revelations, after idolising her father for so long.
My only concern is while the back and forth narrative between Ingrid's letter and the present day is well laid out, the story itself becomes lacklustre and the epilogue is a little misleading leaving a question mark over her death. Good writing but plot could be more rich.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Based on a True Story in Books
Jul 27, 2017
A clever psychological thriller
How many books do you trust to be actually based on reality and are non fiction books completely factual? These are some of the questions that arise in this descriptive, slick psychological thriller. It follows the journey of a novelist with writer's block who seems to have been befriended by a woman who takes a lot of interest in her. The woman is enigmatic and secretive and who knows how much of her is real. It is written in the perspective of the writer and so it shows in detail how her mind unravels and is manipulated.
It leaves you pondering whether the protagonist actually imagined the entire thing?
It leaves you pondering whether the protagonist actually imagined the entire thing?
Verner Latskin (74 KP) rated Ghostbusters (2016) in Movies
Aug 5, 2017
The writing (2 more)
The non-stop barrage of missed opportunities
It ultimately compares unfavorably to movies like RIPD, which it actually resembles more than Ghostbusters
A waste of itself
Why couldn't they have just made the film a sequel About the granddaughters or something of the original cast? It needlessly tries to reboot the whole idea, and does so in the most tedious ways possible. Just to be clear, I wanted to love the movie, and was excited about the all female cast. But everyone really needs to realize at last that Paul Fieg isn't that great of a writer or a director. He was a bag choice, in movie full of bad choices.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Just Kids in Books
Aug 17, 2017
Mesmerising memoir of the 1970s art scene
I was worried that this was another overhyped autobiography of another self-congratulating artist. But I was proved totally wrong. Patti Smith is truly unique and interesting, having had a life of hardship living on the streets to living with a partner equally mixed up, to engaging in a world that was the founding of America's modern art scene. More than the meandering, wonderful, dark tales is her liquid prose. She's not only an inspired poet but a fantastic all-round writer. She was known for all of her relationships with famous men, but this is about the one man who mattered the most. Well worth all of the awards.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Healing Touch: Essential Energy Medicine for Yourself and Others in Books
Apr 27, 2018
This book was really interesting, and I enjoyed reading it. I had trouble reading some of the history stuff (but that's probably because I just don't have a lot of patience). I kept thinking "okay, I believe you, now show me how!
The instructions were rather clear, but I would have liked more drawings. I felt like the whole book was history and information--which is important--but that only a little bit of it was actually instructional. It would have been easier to read it if the information had been better mixed in to the instructional.
On a side-note, as a sci-fi/fantasy writer, this book makes an excellent inspiration/source for writing about the supernatural!
The instructions were rather clear, but I would have liked more drawings. I felt like the whole book was history and information--which is important--but that only a little bit of it was actually instructional. It would have been easier to read it if the information had been better mixed in to the instructional.
On a side-note, as a sci-fi/fantasy writer, this book makes an excellent inspiration/source for writing about the supernatural!
Erika (17789 KP) rated The Disasters in Books
Mar 19, 2019 (Updated Mar 19, 2019)
This book solidified my decision to never read a modern YA book ever again.
The synopsis sounded great, I was anticipating this book before it was even released.
I could have lived my entire life without reading this book. If the main character Nax was more interested in solving the problems at hand, and not who he was going to get off with, it would have cut probably 50 pages out. I felt like the entire focus was on that, rather than the cool plot the synopsis promised. The characters various back stories just seemed to be there for a checklist of 'See, look, I'm a diverse writer'. Gag me with a spoon.
The synopsis sounded great, I was anticipating this book before it was even released.
I could have lived my entire life without reading this book. If the main character Nax was more interested in solving the problems at hand, and not who he was going to get off with, it would have cut probably 50 pages out. I felt like the entire focus was on that, rather than the cool plot the synopsis promised. The characters various back stories just seemed to be there for a checklist of 'See, look, I'm a diverse writer'. Gag me with a spoon.
starwarsluvr (236 KP) rated The Glass Mermaid (The Chancellor Fairy Tales, #1) in Books
Jan 29, 2018
This was a quick novella. The writing was very well done. The images were written beautifully and I loved "seeing" how everything looked in the story. A writer is amazing when they can write their imagery and make you see it how they wanted you to see it. I love when that happens. Kate was amazing.. the last mermaid who makes amazing jewelry and falls in love with a man who is dying. This tale is told from both of their pov's and it is interesting to see what is happening from both characters. I was rooting for them from the start and I am so glad this was a hea. Very good read
Briannabrown1019 (799 KP) rated Paperback in Tabletop Games
Jun 18, 2018
It's like a deck building Scrabble! Picked this up for my collection a few months ago and I really enjoy it. It's an easy to learn deck builder where your goal is to use your deck to spell words, earning points to purchase more letters, and so on, until game end where the best "writer" wins. Being an avid reader, its concept is a lot of fun for me, and I really do enjoy the gameplay whenever I can talk my husband into playing with me. I've only played with two people so far, though I'm sure it would be much more fun at 3 or 4. 8/10 overall for me!