Best of August

Happy September! Blodeuedd will be joining us again this month!

Here are our favorites for August. 

Best Movie of the Month:

First Blodeuedd's pick..........Long Shot (2019)

"Best movie def goes to Long shot. It was funny" 

Next is Carole's pick.........Murder Mystery (2019)

"Had a couple this month, but I'll pick this one. SOOOO funny and I loved the mystery."

Best Book of the Month:

First is Carole's pick..........Beneath the Crimson Cloak by Jill Ramsower

"No amazing ones. But I did have this short story. It deserves the win this month. SO good."

Now, Blodeuedd's pick............Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop

"Best book this month. All hands down Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop."

Best Cover of the Month:

Blodeuedd's pick is to the left and Carole's to the right

 

Time for TV Tuesday: Rocko's Modern Life - Static Cling (2019)

Recently Finished:

Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling (2019)

Through: Netflix

I wasn't really sure if this should be for a movie review for a TTT. According to IMDb, it is a "TV short" and plus it is not even an hour long. Soooo I decided a TTT. 

So - this follows Rocko and his pals 20 years later from the end of the last episode when they blasted into space. They have landed back and it is the modern world with new problems and new things for our trio. 

This took a poke at a lot of modern issues and changes we have now. New technology, always on the go, new things every day, social diversity, gender identities, and people not liking change. 

This had a few laughs at first and then the jokes just turned into chuckles. And then silence with little grins. The comedy then took a stance on change. It was pretty much just deal with change and screw you if you don't like it.

For example, Rocko doesn't like something that has changed and everyone tells him to just get over it. Sure. Things change and you need to roll with the punches. But what Rocko doesn't like is something tiny and doesn't impact anyone. They all give him crap for not liking it. That rubbed me the wrong way. Just because I don't like a remake or reboot of something then I should just smile and nod and be okay with it and not share my opinion? No - that is not cool. I am allowed to not like something. I felt bad for Rocko. Yes, there are things you just need to accept and move on. But something like a book, movie, show, fashion, hair cuts, or whatever...it is okay not to like it. 

This was a total let down for me. It started off great but it turned into a weird stance on change. Yes, changes happen and we should roll with him. But we are allowed to have opinions. 

In the end, this just felt hollow and rushed. It had an agenda and it rubbed me the wrong way. If you loved the original show like I did, I wouldn't really recommend it. It didn't have the same feel and then by the end I wasn't really amused with the whole stance. Have your opinions but let Rocko not like that movie. I'm going to give this 2 stars. Some laughs and some fun references. 

Blodeuedd's Monday Review: Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean

Audiobook, Unabridged 11 h 25 min

Published July 30th 2019 by HarperAudio

Series: The Bareknuckle Bastards #2

Historical romance

In exchange for an honest review

My Thoughts

Oh the horror, she is 29! Not even a spinster anymore, just forgotten. But Hattie did not care, she wanted to live her own life and make her own rules. You go Hattie!

Hattie wants to rid herself of her virginity and the road she aims to take, well her rules. She also wants to take over her dad's business as her brother does not know a ship from a rowing boat.

Beast is a crime lord in Covent Garden, he and his brother and sister rule that place, but they are "nice" criminals, so they have some rules. He is also the bastard son of this evil Duke that pitted his kids against each other. And now I have to talk about his evil brother the Duke, that guy is getting his own book, but that guy is so evil? Not sure there, but then we do not get all the details.

Hattie and the Beast meets. He thinks she is plotting with his evil brother and wants to take her down. She is upset cos he is ruining her plans. At times I felt all omg Hattie, take care of yourself! But then I quickly realised that she could. She is his equal.

I enjoyed this book and these two main characters. They had such great chemistry. I also liked the side characters like her bestie Nora.

Fun times

Narrator

Justine Eyre! I just can't grown tired of her historical romance narrations, I truly enjoy her voices 

When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her twenty-ninth year her own, she has plans to inherit her father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she’ll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly…until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it’s even begun.

The Bastard’s Proposal

When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie’s feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can’t help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him—especially when he discovers she’s headed for a night of pleasure . . . on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires…for a price.

An Unexpected Passion

Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won’t give up her plans; he won’t give up his power . . . and neither of them sees that if they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything . . . including their hearts. 

Audiobook Review: The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

Author: Paullina Simons
Narrator: James Langton

Title: The Bronze Horseman
(The Bronze Horseman #1)

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Pages: Audiobook
Published: July 17th 2000
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)



The golden skies, the translucent twilight, the white nights, all hold the promise of youth, of love, of eternal renewal. The war has not yet touched this city of fallen grandeur, or the lives of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanova, who share a single room in a cramped apartment with their brother and parents. Their world is turned upside down when Hitler's armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad.

Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana—and she to him. Starvation, desperation, and fear soon grip their city during the terrible winter of the merciless German siege. Tatiana and Alexander's impossible love threatens to tear the Metanova family apart and expose the dangerous secret Alexander so carefully protects—a secret as devastating as the war itself—as the lovers are swept up in the brutal tides that will change the world and their lives forever.

I picked this up because it sounded like a good tragic romance and it fits one of the reading challenges. 

The story follows Tatiana and Alexander in Soviet Russia. Tatiana meets Alexander who is a young officer in the Red Army. They are drawn together, but he is dating Dasha who is Tatiana's sister and he has secrets. War is coming and things are changing. 

I knew this was going to be long. Heck 20 something hours of audio and like 900 pages. I was prepared for that but I wasn't prepared for how long everything took. Yes, I loved following the two fall in love slowly...but it took forever. Everything took forever. It dragged on and on but I was invested in the characters and dealt with it. But oh.my.god stop describing ice cream. I wish I had read this instead of listening so I could skim some parts easier. 

Poor Tatiana. Everyone sucks. Her parents are jerks and dumb. Her sister is rude. Her friend was a jerk. Alexander loves her and all, but he is dumb too. Gah, I wanted to shake Alexander. WHY ARE YOU SO DUMB????? He obviously loves Tatiana but he keeps on dating Dasha....okay. Idiot boy. *grumbles* I just want Tatiana to be happy darnit!

This was really sad in a lot of spots even though Alexander is a dummy, he really loves her and it melted my cold heart. Oooo that ending. My poor heart! I know there are two more books, but still. 

Oooo I love the narrator. He did well here like normal. But even he couldn't fix how slow this was. Sad. 

Now....do I want to read/listen to the next one? I don't know. Maybe someday. 

In the end, I kept going because I was invested in the characters and I wanted to know what was going to happen. My only and biggest issue was not because it was long, but because it dragged on and took forever for things to happen. AND there are two more books after this. I'm undecided. We shall see. I'm going to stamp this with 2 stars. Just too slow for me. 

Russia