The Forest Of Lost Souls

tags: mystery, thriller

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From GoodReads 

A fearless woman, raised in the forest, fights against a group of powerful men in a novel about good versus evil, the enduring nature of myth, and the power of love by #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.

Raised in the wilderness by her late great-uncle, Vida is a young woman with an almost preternatural affinity for nature, especially for the wolves that also call the forested mountains home. Formed by hard experience, by love and loss, and by the prophecies of a fortune teller, Vida just wants peace.

If only nearby Kettleton County didn’t cast such a dark shadow. It’s where Jose Nochelobo, the love of Vida’s life and a cherished local hero, died in a tragic accident. That’s the official story, but Vida has reasons to doubt it. The truth can’t be contained for long. Nor can the hungry men of power in Kettleton who want something too: that Vida, like Jose, disappear forever. One by one they come for her, prepared to do anything to see their plans through to their evil end. Vida is no less prepared for them. Vida, the forest, and its formidable wonders are waiting. She will not rest until goodness and order have been restored.

Dean Koontz's latest book is absolutely riveting. A fight between a young woman living alone far from the town and seriously evil men. She was orphaned at 5 years old and adopted by her great uncle who died of old age and she never left her forested 18 acre home.

The degenerate men who came for her with murder in their mind didn't know what was coming. The story unfolded slowly and the reader would feel scared for Vida but will find out how clever and prepared she was.  

A Hazard of Hearts

tags: Amazon streaming, gothic romance, rewinding the 80s

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

From IMDB

When compulsive gambler Sir Giles Staverley (Christopher Plummer) has lost his estate and all of his money playing dice, he realizes that he only has one thing left of value: his daughter Serena (Helena Bonham Carter). In a final game, he stakes his daughter's hand in marriage, convinced that this time he will not lose. Unfortunately, however, he does lose; to the evil Lord Harry Wrotham (Edward Fox). Unable to return home and tell his daughter that he has lost her in a game of dice, Sir Giles kills himself there and then.

Lord Justin Vulcan (Marcus Gilbert), who has witnessed the events, takes pity on Serena Staverley, although they have never met. He challenges Lord Harry Wrotham to a game of dice in which the winner takes Staverley Court and Miss Serena. Lord Justin Vulcan wins and is simply pleased that he has saved someone from the nasty Wrotham, he thinks no more about the event. One evening, however, Vulcan's friend Lord Peter Gillingham (Robert Addie) insists upon them going to Staverley Court to take a look at Vulcan's "prize". When arriving there, Vulcan finds Serena Staverley more beautiful than he ever imagined.

The gothic romance movie is based on a Barbara Cartland book. I've read a few of her books eons ago. They are all the same. You read one and you don't need to bother with the rest of her novels. They have the same stories with new names and titles of the lead characters. LOL.

I was not expecting much but I did enjoy it. It has the 80s campy vibes but with a British Lord and his household.  I couldn't believe how bad the movie is, yet I couldn't look away. I just had to finish it and liked it. Diana Rigg's acting as the evil mother is over the top, but I also liked it. hahaha. This movie with all its flaws is much better than the garbage Hollyweird is making these days. 

Recommended for fans of British period romance movies. 

Killer Heat

tags: murder mystery

⭐⭐

From IMDB

Follows twin brothers who find themselves in a dangerous love triangle on an isolated Greek island. The investigation is given to "The Jealousy Man," a wounded detective.

I knew this movie would be mediocre but it is based on a Jo Nesbø short story The Jealousy Man, and I just have to watch it. 

It is set in an island in Greece which is beautiful BTW. It stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, and Richard Madden. I've never seen anything with Shailene Woodley. She's alright but not a very good actress IMHO. 

I didn't like the narration by the hired PI, played by Levitt. I find it overused, pretentious, and tried too hard to sound noir. Gordon-Levitt is no Bogart, sorry. I also knew right away who the murderer is and why. It is so obvious. If viewers are surprised by the "twist", then they don't know murder mystery at all. Newbies to the genre, maybe. 

I also didn't like that some innocent people were killed but the 2 main characters did not even talk about it as though they are pieces of trash. The director and writer should have shown that the 2 main characters grieved for them because it was their mistake. Amateurs.

Not recommended.

The Five Red Herrings

tags: classics, Dorothy L. Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey, mystery, puzzle, Scotland

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From Goodreads

The body was on the pointed rocks alongside the stream. The artist might have fallen from the cliff where he was painting, but there are too many suspicious elements -- particularly the medical evidence that proves he'd been dead nearly half a day, though eyewitnesses had seen him alive a scant hour earlier. And then there are the six prime suspects -- all of them artists, all of whom wished him dead. Five are red herrings, but one has created a masterpiece of murder that baffles everyone, including Lord Peter Wimsey.

The novel is a seemingly never ending puzzle with so many characters and their disappearances the very next morning. They rode trains and bicycles. I have never read a novel where the schedule of trains is very important to the story. With 6 suspects, the different schedules of train they took to different destinations is dizzying. And the missing bicycles! Oh, boy.

I like the novel for the descriptions of Galloway, Scotland as though I was on a tour with Lord Peter. The language is also very interesting. Dorothy L. Sayers wrote the words as they are pronounced and it was fun reading and understanding them. I probably would not have understood everything if I listened to the audiobook.

The exchange between the Scots Police Inspector and the H-adding English butler of one of the suspects is entertaining.

The Inspector opened his notebook. 

"Your name is Halcock, is't no?" He began. 

The butler corrected him. "It's H'alcock", he said reprovingly

"H, a, double l?" suggested the Inspector.

"There is no h'aitch in the name, young man. H'ay is the first letter, and there is h'only one h'ell."

"I beg your pardon", said the Inspector.

"Granted", said Mr. Alcock.

"Well, noo, Mr. Alcock, juist as a pure formality, ye understand, whit time did Mr. Gowan leave Kirkcudbright on Monday night?"

"It would be shortly after h'eight."

"Whae drove him?"

The novel will probably appeal to puzzle enthusiasts. Highly recommended.

The Last Murder At The End Of The World

tags: dystopian, murder mystery, sci-fi, simulacrums

⭐

From GoodReads

Solve the murder to save what's left of the world.

Outside the island there is nothing: the world was destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched.

On the island: it is idyllic. One hundred and twenty-two villagers and three scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they're told by the scientists.

Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And then they learn that the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay.

If the murder isn't solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island—and everyone on it. But the security system has also wiped everyone's memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer—and they don't even know it.

And the clock is ticking.

The synopsis made me read it hoping it might be as good as Kazuo Ishiguro's novels. Alas, it isn't and disappointing. 

I'm tired of reading about climate change hoax killing everyone and everything on earth. Authors (or people who think they are good enough to write a book), think of something else and not rely on friggin' climate change. Read some Philip K Dick novels to see how creative one could be. Sheesh!

Someone died, an over 150 year old scientist. What's the big deal? She died, alright but there was no murder. The author tried so freaking hard to make it a murder mystery, going round and round, pointing to 2 people. But it was not murder! The author just wants to show that the simulacrum leading the investigation is as smart as a human and therefore worthy of replacing humans when they go the way of the dodo. 

  

Skip this pretentious and boring book.

Romance In The House

tags: favorite for 2024, Korean  family dramedy, mystery, Netflix

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From Asianwiki

Byeon Moo-Jin was married to Geum Ae-Yeon. They had a daughter, Byeon Mi-Rae and son, Byeon Hyeon-Jae, during their marriage.

Byeon Moo-Jin attempted various business ventures while married, but they all failed. His family could not take him anymore and they cut him off from them. After going through a divorce, Geum Ae-Yeon experienced difficulties raising her two children by herself.

Now, 11 years later, she works part-time at a big mart. Her daughter and son are all grown up. The daughter, Byeon Mi-Rae, wanted to become a person her mother could rely on. She works as the MD at a big mart. She is also the breadwinner of the family. The son, Byeon Hyun-Jae, has a unique charm, but he also the troublemaker of the family.

One day, Byeon Moo-Jin appears in front of his family as the owner of the villa building where they live. Byeon Moo-Jin hopes to reunite with his beloved ex-wife Geum Ae-Yeon and even tries to seduce her, but the daughter, Byeon Mi-Rae, is strongly opposed to her father's idea. Unlike his sister, Byeon Hyun-Jae supports his dad's attempt for reconciliation.

Meanwhile, Byeon Mi-Rae gets involved with Nam Tae-Pyeong (Minho). He was once a member of the national taekwondo team and now works as a security at the same mart as Byeon Mi-Rae. He hides his real identity and the fact that his father is the owner of the mart.

There are 2 Korean dramedy series currently streaming on Netflix. Romance In The House just finished airing the 12th and last episode. I love the series more than the other one, Love Next Door which I stopped watching at episode 7. It is the same old same old storyline. I might go back to it when there's nothing else to watch.

Romance In The House is somewhat different from the usual Korean drama comedy series because the main "romance" is between a couple in their late 40s. The second main romance is between the daughter and the security guard played by Minho who is still so cute with his big anime eyes. The series also has a chaebol who is kind and understanding, not the usual cruel and greedy character. The series has no evil or manipulative character. 

I also love the OST. Where can I download the songs??!!

 

Fruitcake

 

tags: comedy, Filipino movie, Netflix

⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

From IMDB

In modern-day Metro Manila, a diverse group of Filipinos faces life's lows as their destinies collide on a fateful train ride, unfolding a heartwarming and comedic tapestry of interconnected stories.

First time I watched a Filipino movie in 1 sitting. I usually stop the movie or series to decide if it is worthy of my time then I eventually abandon it. Filipino movies are always either dramedy romance or horror usually with subpar script and acting. 

Fruitcake is mostly comedy except for one character who got pregnant after a drunken night with her ugly co-worker. She wanted to abort the baby and asked her brother, a priest, for advice. Naturally the priest was against it and gave her the reasons why she shouldn't. And they were good reasons too without him being preachy. The movie bombed at the theaters. I knew why I liked it because Filipinos didn't.

The characters have indirect connection with each other except for the guy who wanted to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend. The movie will be funny only to Filipinos. Foreigners won't understand the jokes. Example: the guy who went to Manila to look for his ex-girlfriend has a piggery he runs with his mother. The sows have names of famous movie personalities with 1 or 2 letters altered but still recognizable as the celebrities they are named after. One of the pigs was sold by the mom so he can afford the trip to Manila from the province. It was later shown being roasted over live coals, a Filipino delicacy called Lechon. 

Photo by DUDE FOR FOOD

Spoilers

The Water Keeper

tags: contemporary Christian fiction, human trafficking, mystery, romance, thriller

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From Goodreads

Murphy Shepherd is a man with many secrets. He lives alone on an island, tending the grounds for a church with no parishioners, and he's dedicated his life to rescuing those in peril. But as he mourns the loss of his mentor and friend, Murph himself may be more lost than he realizes.

When he pulls a beautiful woman named Summer out of Florida's Intracoastal Waterway, Murph's mission to lay his mentor to rest at the end of the world takes a dangerous turn.

Drawn to Summer, and desperate to find her missing daughter, Murph is pulled deeper and deeper into the dark and dangerous world of modern-day slavery.

With help from some unexpected new friends, including a faithful Labrador he plucks from the ocean and an ex-convict named Clay, Murph must race against the clock to locate the girl before he is consumed by the secrets of his past--and the ghosts who tried to bury them.

I never heard of this author before this book appeared on my Hoopla suggestions. It is a mystery with  romance and Christian quotes on the side. The first few chapters were not so exciting but picked up as soon as the mother looking for her daughter appeared. She started telling the story of a book series she had gotten addicted to and declared the books cured her of narcotics addiction. The story of the books [within the story] is a truly engrossing action thriller with a hint of romance between a priest and a nun working as a team to rescue young girls from predators. The story parallels the actual novel. There is a reason and it is easy to guess why. 

I'm rating it 5 stars regardless of the many many coincidences and the super duper hard-to-kill Murphy and the dog. The main character, Murphy, meeting the other people and even the adorable "super" dog Gunner is too contrived but I am giving the author a pass because I enjoyed the book. The sequel is already on my Kindle. 

Highly recommended for readers who like thrillers and are not easily offended by Christian and Bible quotes.

The Perfect Couple

 

tags: murder mystery, Netflix series, parody-ish

⭐⭐⭐

Amelia Sacks is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket. Her disapproving future mother-in-law, famous novelist Greer Garrison Winbury, has spared no expense in planning what promises to be the premiere wedding of the season — until a body turns up on the beach.

As secrets come to light, the stage is set for a real-life investigation that feels plucked from the pages of one of Greer’s novels. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect.

Starring Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber.

Nicole Kidman never appealed to me but the description seemed interesting. I binge-watched it and enjoyed it a little. It is better than Knives Out IMHO because I viewed it as a parody of Hollywood produced Agatha Christie style whodunnit. I like the comedic parts with the characters of Isabelle Adjani, the butler, and the housemaid.

The series is a red herring galore: all the members of the family, the female French friend, and male Indian friend were all paraded as suspects, most of them snitching on each other, except the real murderer. 

The series is a dark comedy IMHO although almost everyone got on my nerves specially Amelia, the hypocrite holier than thou fiancée of the couple's second son.

The 60s

My favorite song of the 1960s - Repent Walpurgis by Procol Harum.