Movie Review: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Title: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Length: 2h 2m

Released: 2024

Genre:  War, Comedy, Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Where I Got It: Delta

SUMMARY:

The British military recruits a small group of highly skilled soldiers to strike against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II.

Trailer

REVIEW:

I watched this on the plane while flying out to LA. I've been meaning to watch this so why not on a 4 hour flight??

The British are struggling against the flood of the Nazis. They are up against the wall, so Churchill and his group recruit a small group of highly skilled soldiers to strike against the Nazis behind enemy lines. They need to strike them where it hurts and in the most ungentlemanly way possible. 

So this was based off a true story. Records were recently released that Churchill authorized an unauthorized group of saboteurs to do what they can to give the US the open they need to enter the war and help the British. I feel like we keep finding out more and more about WWII. I don't think we'll ever know everything those men and women did to fend off the Nazis. It's unbelievable sometimes. 

I really enjoyed this. It was..........fun. I hate to say a war movie is "fun" but it really was. These guys in this group really don't take themselves seriously. They don't even really care about King and country. They want to kill Nazis and win and live. So yes there really was a humor behind all the seriousness of a serious war. 

The acting was great. I loved everyone they got. They worked well off of each other. 

The ending was great. I wouldn't mind seeing more of their adventures, but they gave the "what happened to them after the war" thing so I doubt we'll get more. 

All-in-all, I had a great time watching this action-packed war movie while flying. I was chuckling and rooting for these guys. I'll stamp this with 5 stars. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Absorbing

Audiobook Review: A Love Like This by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

Author: Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

Narrator: Georgina Elizabeth Okon, Nene Nwoko, & Ike Amadi

Title: A Love Like This

Genre: Fiction, Short Story, Romance, Historical

Format: Audiobook

Published: November 18th 2021

Where I got It: Audible 

Summary: 

Yarima Lalo believes he has been murdered twice before. The cause? Love. To make sense of these vivid memories he cannot shake, he travels from Abuja to Kano with his new friend and love interest Aziza to meet an old woman who he might have known in a past life. She is skeptical at first—and hesitant to revisit painful memories of her own—but together, they dig deeper and deeper into the past, piecing together a shared history with ripple effects that could shape Lalo’s future.

Review:

Something about the cover and title drew me in. I didn't even bother reading the summary. I just started listening while I was getting ready for work. 

We follow Yarima Lalo who believes he has been murdered in his past two lifetimes. The cause? Love. To make sense of these vivid memories that he cannot shake, he travels to Kano with Aziza. Aziza is a friend, but there is a spark there too. Aziza is skeptical at first and has her own painful memories she wants to avoid, but she agrees to go help him. They meet an elderly woman who may have some answers. 

I found this really, really interesting especially since I am a HUGE believer of reincarnation. Which it made me smile when I realized what was going on. Sometimes it is so fun to just listen to a story and have no idea what is going to happen or what it is about. I should do it more. 

I loved watching Lalo uncover and make sense of the memories that haunt him. He was able to heal some wounds from the past with someone who knew him. I don't want to spoil too much since I felt it was a twist. There were so many left open wounds for him and for others that needed to be healed. It was nice.

The ending annoyed me though. It was pretty much a cliff-hanger! The author hinted at more journeys with Lalo...I hope we get more. So many unanswered questions. Such potential just dangling. Ugh!

Loved the narrators! We had three hear for each of the characters and I loved it. It worked well and the accents were perfect. 

In the end, this was a nice short story. The ending annoyed me so I hope we get another story for Lalo and his friend. Too many unanswered questions for my liking. *fingers crossed* for another book. I'll stamp this with 3 stars. 

Challenge(s):
- #24 for Audiobook challenge

Joint Review: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Hello all! Blodeuedd and I will be discussing "Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi. Blodeudd is in blue and I am in purple. 

Author: Yaa Gyasi
Title: Homegoing
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: ebook
Published: June 7th 2016
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library


Two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and lives in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, her sister, Esi, is imprisoned beneath her in the castle's dungeons, sold with thousands of others into the Gold Coast's booming slave trade, and shipped off to America, where her children and grandchildren will be raised in slavery. One thread of Homegoing follows Effia's descendants through centuries of warfare in Ghana, as the Fante and Asante nations wrestle with the slave trade and British colonization. The other thread follows Esi and her children into America. From the plantations of the South to the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the coal mines of Pratt City, Alabama, to the jazz clubs and dope houses of twentieth-century Harlem, right up through the present day, Homegoing makes history visceral, and captures, with singular and stunning immediacy, how the memory of captivity came to be inscribed in the soul of a nation. 

This book is a good one for discussions, and even if at least to me it was not amazing. Does not mean it wasn’t good though! It was good, but I also felt it could have been more. But so much better than our other books ;) Finally a good one.

It was pretty good. Not amazing. Just good. There is a lot to discuss for sure. I felt the beginning was the best and I enjoyed it more. The further down the family line we went the less I cared. I think I would’ve flipped the way the story was written. Start with the modern family and go back and save the good stuff for the ending.

Same. I really liked the beginning. I have never read anything set in Africa at that time. I would have loved more there. I also liked the African bits more than the American ones. Mostly again cos I have never read anything set at that time. I felt what was lacking from the American ones were, warmth? Good characters? Some were interesting, while others, not so much. Some got better at the end, but yes, some of those guys were meh.

I have to agree. I didn’t like the American line after the Civil War. It seemed to lose my interest. I enjoyed the other side more. It was more interesting story-wise and character-wise. I’ve read a couple books set over in Africa, but not much. Plus, I did find it more interesting to see how everyone over in Africa dealt with the colonization and dealing with what they did. Loads of shame and guilt! I can’t imagine selling my neighbors off to be slaves. Yes, the British and other white people are asshats, but the ones left behind allowing and even selling their own people is horrible.

It’s good money in selling your enemies, and it is something we do not read about much, as I have never read a book about it. Those are some horrible enemies to have! I liked how some wises up and thought how evil it was. But the darkness of the British, ugh, that one scene were some soldiers go down into the dungeons. What the f was wrong with them!?

That scene made me so angry! Like these women already have enough Hell to deal with. Monsters the load of them. All of them.

I could not get into my head how they could be that effed up, and then go and marry other women from there…

I don’t get it either. But they were considered lessers since they are just now slaves. Being drunk probably was a huge factor too. SMH. Humans are cruel.

I had actually thought we would see more of actual slavery and I was surprised that we did not. Ok so that might be weird to say, but it’s such a big part and there was just one woman and then nothing more cos they got away.

It was strange. I did expect more from there. I’m glad they got away, but I didn’t expect them to. I totally thought they were going to get caught and beat for trying to run away.

Good that someone got away. And I guess she wanted to write about how slaves and free people had to move again cos of that stupid law. Not to mention it did not matter if you were free or not cos someone could just kidnap and sell you.

Very true. Even if you get away it doesn’t make you truly free.

Horrible. No wonder some fled as fast as they could.

What did you think of the ending?

A bit of anti-climactic. I wanted them to know!

Yeaaa...like it was okay, but I felt like there should’ve been more. There was something missing so it didn’t feel complete.

Same. I liked how it came together, but yes I wanted more.

More was needed for the ending and for the later generations. The best part was the beginning. I said that before but the last few chapters left me feeling meh.

Same. She lost some of what made it good there.

I really think she should’ve just done the first couple of generations and left the rest in an epilogue of sorts.I wanted to know more of the earlier generations. How they lived and etc. I didn’t connect with any of the characters except for the first couple of characters.

Yes, I did not connect with...ack what was his name. 6th generation guy in Africa and his daughter. The previous ones were better. And in the US I lost interest with that H guy.

The half-sisters and their kids were my favorites. The rest? Eh.

Still, an interesting book and it could have been fleshed out. I saw that some did not like the whole 14 POVS things, but I did like that, but yes it could have been more like 10 ;)

I could get behind that for sure. Maybe there were just too many so I didn’t get to connect with them as much.

Anything more to add?

Mhmmm...an interesting book and one that would be good to read. It really gives you a new way to look at certain parts of history. I think a series would’ve been fun so we can stretch everything out, but I did enjoy it overall.

Hmm, maybe on the series, but for me the flashes worked well, but the characters not always. I liked the shortness of it all cos the pages flew by.

Valid. I did like how simple and felt quick. It was a quick read and I blew through it without really realizing it was coming to an end. A series might’ve ruined that.

Short and on the point. I like books I can breeze through. I totally needed that. I mean it took only 2 days and I have no time to read these days so…

It took me 3 days which is pretty quick since it was like 300 pages. Darn work always getting in the way ;) Yes. Quick, simple, but packed with a lot of stories that make you think.

The make you think things were good. And yes again, I want to read more books set in Africa in the 1700s

Shall we wrap things up, there is poop that has to be taken care of…

Yessss I need to find our water shoes for the up north trip. Ugh. Goodness knows where those are at X_X A good discussion! The end?

The end ;)

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

Book Review: The Girl by Lola St. Vil

Author: Lola St. Vil
Title: The Girl (Guardians #1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, & YA
Pages: ebook
Published: January 2012
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon Freebie)

Emmy - a bookish, witty student - is rescued by six teenaged angels with powers, called Guardians. They've been sent to elicit the secret from her before the demons can. Emmy later learns that her name is the only clue to locating a sought-after bridge that for centuries, Evil has plotted to destroy; this would in turn bring about the end of humanity. 

Things get worse when Emmy falls madly in love with Marcus, the well-intentioned but obstinate leader of the Guardians. He eventually confesses that he is in love with her as well. Unfortunately, Marcus has been warned by his clairvoyant and omniscient guide that should he and Emmy get together, the mission will fail and humanity will perish

*swipes ebook page* Mmmm…I’m confused *swipes back and forth and no more pages materialize* Mmmmm….

So…the ending left me scratching my head a bit. It ended and bad things are coming. Who? What? RIO WHAT DID YOU DO????????????????? For my own sanity, I may have to read the next one of the series, but I need more of an explanation and what the hell is going on…

Anyways…let us backtrack a bit. 

The story follows Emmy and once in a while Marcus. Emmy is a human girl is has become a major clue to saving the world. Marcus is the lead angel in saving the world. They have insta-love, but Marcus is dating his second-in-command and the world is possibly going to end if the angels don’t save it. SOOOO there is a lot standing in their way. 

The book jumps RIGHT into the action. There is very little story-building at first. At first it annoyed me, but then when things settled down we got to learn alongside Emmy. I enjoyed Emmy’s POV. She was a selfish brat indeed, but she had spirt. Plus…you can’t blame her completely…she has some major issues. Her mom should get her some therapy. But yes, I wanted to slap her because she never thinks outside of herself. Selfish girl. However, she does have a huge heart. Not everyone is perfect. LOL

Now…my BIGGEST issue with this book was the sudden switch to Marcus’ POV. Which okay…fine….BUT they went back to the beginning of the story and we got to see pretty much everything but from his POV. Er….what? Sure, sure, we got to learn some more about Marcus, the angels, the mission, and learn some info Emmy has no knowledge about like the prediction from the Sage. But why??? Why that couldn’t be weaved in at the beginning. I was so annoyed…I nearly gave up on the story. However, I kept pushing and I actually enjoyed it a hair more. 

Lots of drama…this is YA so keep that in mind. However, their love is not at all an easy one. I honestly wanted Emmy to be with Reese or Jay. Screw Marcus…I don’t like him. I guess one can’t choose who they love. 


Overall, this wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great or amazing. Just barely good. I would’ve enjoyed it more without Marcus butting his fat-head in. I must find out what happens next. Ooooh Rio…what have you done? Really…I am lost. What caused this? I’ll stamp this with 2 stars. Nearly 3, but the whole LET US GO BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING bit annoyed me…so yes…2 stars is the final stamp. 

Time for TV Tuesday: The Crown (Season 2)

Recently Finished:

The Crown (Season 2)

Season 1 was pretty good. I enjoyed it and I was dying to get my hands on Season 2. I KNOW what happens next, but I couldn’t wait to watch this interpretation of what happens next. It is always SO fun to compare reality with Hollywood reality. I feel this show has done well so far with the balance of fact and entertainment fact. 

I do love the cast. They do well. I hear rumor they will be replacing everyone with older actors. I will be so sad! They have been a treat. I’ve especially loved the lady who plays the queen herself. Wonderful actress and I hope she does more in the future! 

Phillip is a total asshate and the actor is doing a good job making me be annoyed with him. Phillip gets better for a little while but then when he gets back he becomes an immature brat. Luckily, as we all know, he does become the hubbie the queen needs and deserves. It has taken years, but one scene made me happy. I am still not happy with his treatment to Charles. Poor kid. That episode broke my little heart. He was so bullied and so not happy at that school. I wanted to kick Phillip. The damn security detail was more fatherly to the poor kid. I can see why Charles became what he became…

But anyways, this made me feel more. I felt there was more action and drama then the last one. I really feared for the queen divorcing her hubbie even though I KNOW they don’t. But I was scared. A normal marriage would’ve fallen apart years ago. I’m glad they made it. 
The ending ended well and I would be fine if they did not do another season. Sure, I want to see more, but I felt it ended on a good note. There is more drama ahead but I worry that if they change up the cast to make them older I will not be happy. We shall see….but I am worried. This cast excellent. All of them. No complaints from me. 

OMG! The poor prime ministers. Ugh. I just remembered…they were both so humiliated. Fools though and they should’ve realized they would’ve been tossed under the bus, but you can’t help but feel for them. I especially feel for the one who went to the parody show about him and the other politicians. Yes, it started funny, but then it just got cruel.  Poor guy…between his wife and that….I can see why he seems like a loser and quitter. I would be too. 

What else to say? 

I think my only complaint is the huge time jumps and gaps. I always have to think or look up how long it has been. I wish they would do little “7 months later” or something to indicate how long it has been. The viewer, if not sure of the real history, would be a little confused on why their kids are older now. When the queen and Phillip had a convo about their anniversary I was a little shocked that it has been 10 years!! Umm…mmm. So yes, a little head’s up once in a while would be lovely.

A fun watch. This season was better than the first one I feel. There was a lot of drama within the family and outside of the family. It worked well and made me feel. If they do shake up the cast with older people, I will be worried since I loved this cast so much. I’ll give this season 4 stars. 

Book Review: The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans

Author: Nicholas Evans
Title: The Smoke Jumper
Genre: Romance
Pages: 576
Published: 2001
Where I Got It: My shelf (Salvation Army)

His name is Connor Ford and he falls like an angel of mercy from the sky, braving the flames to save the woman he loves but knows he cannot have. For Julia Bishop is the partner of his best friend and fellow “smoke jumper,” Ed Tully. Julia loves them both–until a fiery tragedy on Montana’s Snake Mountain forces her to choose between them, and burns a brand on all their hearts.

In the wake of the fire, Connor embarks on a harrowing journey to the edge of human experience, traveling the world’s worst wars and disasters to take photographs that find him fame but never happiness. Reckless of a life he no longer wants, again and again he dares death to take him, until another fateful day on another continent, he must walk through fire once more…

*Wakes up* What? I'm at the last page? How...when? What? I feel like I just started this....I can't remember a single thing.......

All I remember is opening this book up. I read the first couple of chapters and thinking how good this was. I was absolutely hooked. I liked Skye. And then...blackness. I was mindlessly flipping through pages, skimming and just yawning my way through this. 

Was this boring? No...it wasn't. I just did NOT care a lick about anything or anyone. My liking of Skye even faded when she became just a side character because Julia and Connor took center stage with their forbidden love and yadda yadda. 

I can honestly tell you I have very few memories from this book until the last couple of chapters. Things happen and everyone lives happily ever after. Except for Eddy. Sad. 

I wanted to read this book for SO long and I am highly disappointed. 

I do not recommend this book. It is covered in cliches and stupid characters who are complete jerks. The ending was too happy for my liking....there needed to be some sadness. I technically finished the book, but between chapter three until the last two chapters, I was a mindless robot and just skimmed and probably slept during it and just kept turning the pages. This really should be marked as a DNF honestly. I'll give this 1 star. 

Movie Review: Diana (2013)

Length: 1 hr & 47 min
Released: 2013
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
Where I Got It: Netflix

SUMMARY:
During the last two years of her life, Princess Diana embarks on a final rite of passage: a secret love affair with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.

TRAILER:

REVIEW:

I’ve been eyeballing this movie for a bit because 1) it looked good and 2) I’ve been wanting to watch a movie about the lovely Princess Diana since I’ve watched the movie about Elizabeth II. The only reason why I was worried was because I wasn’t sure about the actress (I’ve seen her in other things) and I am a big fan of the Princess – who isn’t really? 

I loved the connection between the beginning and the ending. I love when movies and books do that. It was an odd way to start the film, but that makes me intrigued by what, why, and etc. So kudos with connecting the ending and the beginning like that.

My biggest issue about the film would have to be the main actress and how they presented the love affair. I did like how they showed that the Princess was human and a woman and had her weak moments – especially around finding/losing love. However, the actress didn’t fit the role. She wasn’t BAD, but she didn’t it. She didn’t present the confidence and mystery. She had the hair and the eyes, but that was where the resemblance ended. The real Princess was tall and lanky, but the actress was short and pretty curvy….so that through me off a bit. Even though Nicole Kidman isn’t my favorite actress, I think  she would have been a better Princess, she has the allure and she shares key features of the real Princess. 

I love the man who played Hasnet!! But I am biased, because he played Sayid in LOST, so yeah….I love him in everything he plays in. He did gain some weight in this film, so I was taken aback and I wasn’t sure it was him at first. 0_o

I wish I could have said I LOVED this film, but it was just okay; I had no issue turning it off and returning back to it a couple days later. The actress was meh, the cast was also meh (except Naveen Andrews :3 even being a chunkier then I am used to), the layout of the story was meh, BUT I did like how the laid out the ending/beginning. 

Overall, this was just OKAY. Nothing special about it. Do I recommend it? Sure, but don’t have high expectations. I shall stamp this with 3 stars. 

Re-watch?: No. 

Book Review: The Iron Duke

Author: Meljean Brook

Title: The Iron Duke (Iron Seas #1)
Genre: Steampunk, Sci-Fi, Paranormal Romance, Adventure, Fantasy
Pages: 378

First Published: October 5th, 2010
Where I Got It: Borrowed from Library

"First in an all-new series where seductive danger and steampunk adventure abound in the gritty world of the Iron Seas. 

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke."

This is my first novel by Meljean Brook and my first full novel in the steampunk genre. I've read the occasional short story, but this is my first technically. 

I asked B over at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell, what would be a good book to read as an introduction (of sorts) to this genre, she steered me towards this deliciously covered book. Thanks B! 

Well, being new to the genre its going to be really hard for me to review this, so I'll divide and conquer this book review:

The Good
-Great set of characters! Meljean Brook certainly has a great mind of having her characters interact to each other and the situations in the book. They felt very 3D and real. I especially loved Mina, she was pretty bad ass. Rhys was a little annoying at points, but I still liked him. 

-The world was pretty cool. Just imagine if our world was like that? 

-Meljean Brook did a wonderful job with imagery. I really could see every zombie, the interesting half-human half-machine, I could hear every spout of steam from the machines, and etc. She did a wonderful bringing this world to life.

-The zombies and the kraken were neat! When I read that she was going to have zombies in this book, I was a little unsure how she would do it. Too be honest I felt like it be forced and sort of cheesy, but she did very well in avoiding that trench of cheesieness. 

-Loved the ending! This was my face below. I can't say more than how shocked I was, because I might spoil something! 

The Bad and the Ugly

Okay....ummmm.....let's see.....

-The romance seemed very forced at points. I really didn't FEEL that they wanted each other, except for Rhys, but I doubted his emotions for her very much. He's a super rogue-ish pirate who use to rape and pillage for the fun of it. Such characters rarely do a 180 and can dedicate himself to one "broad". 

-I wish Meljean Brook went more into detail on the Hordes. They are interesting and I really want to know how they gained such technology. Perhaps more information will be given in future books.

-I didn't understand the hatred of the other "infected" people had on Mina. Aren't the majority of them part Horde due to the Frenzys? Or wouldn't they be more understanding? Seeing a half-horde shouldn't be too surprising or ghastly. 

-Even though there was a lot of adventure going on, I felt....bored sometimes. It's odd, but it's just what I felt.

-Don't get me wrong, I love romances, but I felt the romance trumped over the adventure sometimes. I was more interested in the adventure aspects sometimes. Perhaps that's why I felt bored at points. Hahaha, I think I found my reason now. The romance aspect seemed to appear at wrong spots....in my opinion of course.

Conclusion

I liked this book. It's a great introduction to the world of steampunk for others that want to check out this new-ish genre. When I shut the book and read the last word, I took some time to think deeply about my feelings of this genre as a whole....should I read more? Did I really like? Did I hate it? Well...to some up my  reaction to this genre and this book, just look down:

Okay, okay....the steampunk genre seems legit and I'll check out some more in the future. I would recommend this book to those that love the genre and for those that want to take this genre for a test-drive, like moi. In the end I give this 3 stars. It would be like a 3.4, but I don't give decimals, so I rounded. I really want to read Yasmin's book! 

Favorite Character(s): Mina (epic heroine),Yasmin (cold-hearted, but a strong and complex character), Rhys (sometimes), Newberry (^.^ he reminds me of O'Bryon from the show Copper), and Anne.

Not-so-favorite Character(s): Mina's madre/mother (>.> *spoiler* I don't care that you were raped, there was no reason to gouge out your own eyes because your baby looks Asian/Horde-an. That's horrible and not excusable. *spoiler ended*) and Dorchester (meh).

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<3CaroleRae