Sunday, January 31, 2021

Marina


 Marina I thought I'd enjoy this and I did. But in a different way than I thought I would. This, for me, is one of those novels whose sentiments slowly creep on you and suddenly you are bursting with emotion you had no idea that was accumulating. The reader performance was very good, just the right note. I highly recommend if you like the genre, or a slice of life/coming of age story that is done right. 

Thursday, January 28, 2021

The Housekeeper


 The Housekeeper 
turned out to be very entertaining. I shouldn't have liked this book. It is generic and does not bring anything more than the expected. Same old same old Huge plot holes, unlikable characters, drunk female protagonist etc. However there is a certain energy here that kept me eagerly listening and enjoying myself as the events progressed. I especially liked the ended. There is a general gender goodwill aura that surrounds this one that highly appealed to me. 

And the reader was great but I think I would have liked this one in any format. 

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

The Kept Woman


 The Kept Woman is excellent. Another winner from Karin Slaughter (and if you have not read any of the Trent series and looking into it, lucky you since it is essential you read the other ones before this) 

Monday, January 25, 2021

The Devourers

 

The Devourers  turned out to be a decent novel. It is literary horror (is that a genre??) and I liked it a lot. The audio version is elegantly and wonderfully performed. Recommended if you like your horror with literature. 

Sunday, January 24, 2021

The VVitch: A New-England Folk Tale

 

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The VVitch: A New-England Folk Tale  is decent and I like this type of small family dynamics. 

The White Tiger


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The White Tiger was entertaining but the book was much much better.

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Fever Pitch

 

Fever Pitch   this book... It is going to be long review I'm afraid. First of all, I purchased this one from a second hand book store thinking it is a literary romance (from which a film was adapted). I eagerly brought it to the beach and soon realised that it is not even fiction. It is a memoir of a football fanatic. I took it back to my room and grabbed another beach read. However I did not leave it behind when I checked out (as I usually do).  DNF is just not for me. This one was lost in some pile and found again when I got new shelves. 

Now this is getting a bit icky but I like to read at the loo. Usually it is twitter on my mobile but again I decided to take this one with me whenever I feel like. 

And as I read through the years (YEARS yes) and towards the end I have finally understood why I could not let it go. The author perfectly captured what it is like to be football fan. My father was one (RIP) and I saw so many similarities  despite the difference in their ages and social lives and characters. So it ended up being personal. 

It is very well written and perfectly explains what it is like to be a football fan. I'm not one, I'm not even interested in the game but I felt like I was reading about my father and I wish he was alive so he could read it too. 

Highly recommended if you have a football fan in your life.

Dissolution


 Dissolution  I liked it and will recommend if you are interested in historical literary mysteries. I hope to read more from the series. 

Fear Me

 

Fear Me was really and truly bad. I'm not even going to get into the awkward content but the plot, the characters, the situations all seemed blatantly manufactured and in service of nothing. Seriously the level of ridiculous in this is the most interesting thing about the novel.

The intimate scenes were good but in the context they lost what ever allure they might otherwise have had. 

I read the acknowledgements and thought that the author came across a nice person, one you can have a cup of tea and great/fun conversation. I hope that she will write a better novel in the future. 



Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Mirzapur Season 2

 

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Mirzapur second season is just as good as the first. Even more entertaining and I really enjoyed it. Also loved Vijay Sharma. 

Jade City

 

Jade City did not start good for me. I could not get in the world of the novel. But towards the end I was hooked. Yet another reason not to dnf. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Monday, January 18, 2021

Thappad

 

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Thappad is another feminist film starring Thaapses Pannu. I think they should make more of these. I liked this film very much and think it a worthy cause to show women in various socio economic situations and their reactions to domestic violence (it is necessary to say various types of violence is shown in the film but the main story is when a woman decides to leave her husband over one drunken slap - and she was so right to do so!!!)

Raazi

 

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Raazi  is a film I have been meaning to watch if I came across it and I did. So it ended up being a decent spy thriller and Aaliya Baht is excellent in the lead. 

Friday, January 15, 2021

The Wilds S:1

 

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The Wilds Season 1 turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would be. I'm looking forward for the new season.

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Three Simple Rules

 


Three Simple Rules
  it was good. I like the way the male lead is presented. The all powerful men in romance fiction can be too much sometimes and I like this alpha male who, despite being alpha, is not all powerful, super rich etc. I do not agree with his actions and I certainly would not be as forgiving as the female lead (wtf was that at the end???? God this would have been an instant deal breaker).

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Leap Year

 

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Leap Year  it is a wonder to me that I had not seen this one. I liked it very much. Good chemistry with the leads, impossible situations and Irish scenery. 

Cobra Kai S:3


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Cobra Kai S:3 is very good. I enjoyed it although I could have done with less Kreese. 

Tai-Pan

 

Tai-Pan  This, to me is sweet nostalgia. Totally personal. Otherwise it is good historical fiction. The kind that transports you. 

The Girl Before


 The Girl Before is a decent, easy read. Nothing wrong with it, it just was not for me. 

Sunday, January 10, 2021

Ludo

 

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Ludo is not a very good film but I liked it a lot. The cast is worth it. 

Pieces of A Woman

 

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Pieces of A Woman is a good film, nicely acted and filmed.

Friday, January 8, 2021

Death to 2020

 

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Death to 2020  I enjoyed it very much. In fact I laughed out loud at some places. Everyone was very good but Hugh Grant is exceptional. 

The Miracles of The Namiya General Store

 

The Miracles of The Namiya General Store is wonderful. I read it slowly in order to make it last. This author is one of my favorite mystery writers. However this book is not a mystery and in that sense different from his other ones. This is not a bad thing though and I hope that everyone gives it a try. 

Mad Men

 

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Mad Men  this show... It must have been quite some time since I last saw it and it felt very good in this second viewing. The characters, the plot, the art direction, the music. I love it all.