Book Review - The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White

Title: The Maid’s Diary
Author: Loreth Anne White
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Published: 2023
 
Description: Kit Darling is a maid with a snooping problem. She’s the “invisible girl”, compelled to poke into her wealthy client’s closely guarded lives. It’s a harmless hobby until Kit sees something she can’t unsee of her brand-new clients: a secret so dark it could destroy the priveliged couple expecting their first child. This makes Kit dangerous to the couple. In turn, it makes the couple – who might kill to keep their secret – dangerous to Kit.
 
When homicide cop Mallory van Alst is called to a scene at a luxury waterfront home known as the Glass House, she’s confronted with evidence of a violent attack so bloody it’s improbably the victim is alive. But there’s no body. The homeowners are gone. And their maid is missing. The only witness is the elderly woman next door, who woke to screams in the night. The neighbor was also the last person to see Kit Darling alive.
 
As mal begins to uncover the secret that has sent the lives of everyone involved on a devious and inescapable collision course, she realizes that nothing is quite as it seems. And no one escapes their past.
 
Review: I had no expectations going in this book. It came in last in the GoodReads choice Awards 2024, for the mystery/ thriller category and I didn’t hear any Booktubers or Bookstagrammers talk about this book. This book was a pleasant surprise.
 
We follow this book through multiple perspectives. First, Kit, the maid. She is writing in her diary and we are witnessing this. We also follow the perspectives of a Daisy, who is pregnant, her husband John, detective Mallory van Last, the neighbor of a murdered couple and a photographer. At first, you have no clue what the links between all these characters is. Slowly everything unfolds and the pieces fall into place.
 
I had the same experience with this book as when I read “The Kind Worth Killing” by Peter Swanson. The book is filled with plot twist and even more twisted characters. You’re constantly on the edge of your seat.
 
At one point in the book, I felt they should have ended it. The book drags on a bit too long at then end. This is the reason I’m not giving this book a perfect score. But overall, “The Maid’s Diary” is a very underrated and overlooked thriller, that more people should read.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

80s Movie Review - 1984

Director: Michael Radford
Genre: Science Fiction/ Drama
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 1984
Starring: William Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton, Cyril Cusack, Gregor Fisher

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 43: A FILM WITH A STRONG PHILOSOPHICAL OR EXISTENTIAL THEME
 
Description: In a totalitarian future society, Winston Smith (William Hurt), whose work is re-writing history, tries to rebel. He meets a kindred spirit named Julia and they fall into a love affair.

Review: Based on George Orwell’s classic novel “1984”, in which civil servant Winston Smith fall in love with dissident Julia completely against the law of the totalitarian state. Smith expresses his doubt to a member of the party, but a nightmare awaits.

Willaim Hurt is strong in his role as Winston, and Richard Burton is brilliant as the party man. The film pictures the vibe of the book well, with its grim and dark décor. It’s a depressing dystopian story, much better than the 1956 version.  

Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Bunny by Mona Awad

Title: Bunny
Author: Mona Awas
Genre: Horror/ Fiction/ Contemporary
Published: 2019
 
Description: We call them Bunnies because that is what they call each other. Seriously. Bunny.

Samantha Heather Mackey is an outsider in her small, highly selective MFA program at Warren University. In fact, she is utterly repelled by the rest of her fiction writing cohort – a clique of unbearably twee rich girls who call each other 'Bunny'.

But then the Bunnies issue her with an invitation and Samantha finds herself inexplicably drawn to their front door, across the threshold, and down their rabbit hole.

Review: “Bunny” is a dark comedy with rabbits and a cult of girls. It sounds like a weird story and it is. This book is not for everyone.
 
Samantha Heather Mackey goes to Warren University in new England. She hates this girl clique in her school that call themselves “Bunny”. They call each other that too. Samantha is all of a sudden invited to one of their gatherings and eventually feels drawn to their dark and mysterious world.
 
If you think you know what to expect, think again. Because there is no way you can predict what happens in this book. The book is very unique and original and the writing is amazing. But it’s a little bit too weird for my liking. I was really mesmerized at first, couldn’t put it down. But when we got into the world of the bunnies deeper and deeper, I start liking it less and less. Think of “Mean Girls” meets “Heathers”, but much darker.
 
I would for sure recommend this book, to the right people. It’s a very particular group of readers that absolutely love this book, and I understand it. But again, it’s just a bit too weird for my liking.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - The Coworkers by Freida McFadden

Title: The Coworker
Author: Freida McFadden
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Published: 2023
 
Description: Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can't be taken back.

Dawn Schiff is strange. At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.

So when Dawn doesn't show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell—beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running—is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything…

It turns out Dawn wasn't just an awkward outsider—she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who's the real victim?

But one thing is incredibly clear: somebody hated Dawn Schiff. Enough to kill.

Review: When Nathalie goes to work one day and sees the cubicle next to her empty, she immediately thinks something is wrong. Her coworker Dawn is punctual and has a very strict schedule. She has never been late, but all her other coworkers think she is overreacting. But as Nathalie tries to find Dawn, something more dark and mysterious is going on.

Freida McFadden knocks out two to three books a year. And is shows. Her books are very easy to read and mostly follow the same pattern. That made this book a bit predictable and I didn’t get any shocking twists. If it is someone’s first McFadden, it probably will be more surprising.
 
I was never invested in the mystery and I hated the main female character. McFadden wrote her to be the one you root for, but I never felt any empathy with her, whatsoever. I felt more sympathy for Dawn, in a way, because people have been so mean to her and making fun of her behind her back. Especially making fun of her obsession with turtles. It’s clear that Dawn is on the autism spectrum and it’s just not okay to treat people like that. So, the fact that we are supposed the be on Nathalie’s side feels wrong.
 
I did not like this book and won’t recommend it to anyone.
 
Rating: 1,5/ 5

Book Review - I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

Title: I Have Some Questions for You
Author: Rebecca Makkai
Genre: Mystery/ Fiction
Published: 2023
 
Description: A successful film professor and podcaster, Bodie Kane is content wo forget her past – the family tragedy that married her adolescence, her four largely miserable years at a New Hampshire boarding school, and the murder of her former roommate, Thalia Keith, in the spring of their senior year. Though the circumstances surrounding Thalia’s death and the conviction of the school’s athletic trainer, Omar Evans, are hotly debated online, Bodie prefers -needs- to let sleeping dogs lie.
 
But when the Granby School invites her back to teach a course, Bodie is inexorably drawn to the case and its increasingly apparent flaws. In their rush to convict Omar, did the school and the police overlook other suspects? Is the real killer still out there? As she falls down the very rabbit hole she was so determined to avoid, Bodie begins to wonder if she wasn’t as much of an outsider at Granby as she’s thought – if, perhaps, back in 1995, she knew something that might have held the key to solving the case.
 
Review: Thalia Keith was 17 years old when she was found dead in the swimming pool of the exclusive Granby boarding school in 1995. Gym teacher Omar Evans was convicted, but Thalia’s roommate Bodie Kane always thought they caught the wrong guy. In 2018, Bodie returns to Granby, to teach a class. When her students choose to study Thalia’s case, Bodie has no choice to stir up old memories and doubts.
 
Many questions are being raised, like the title predicts. Did racial prejudice play a big part in Evans’ conviction? Was Thalia’s manipulative boyfriend a more plausible culprit? Did music teacher Denny Bloch have any involvement, since Thalia supposedly had an affair with him?
 
“I Have Some Questions for You” sounds like an interesting whodunit. A cross between “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt, “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson and the crime series “How to Get Away with Murder”. But it’s anything but interesting. The book is pretty dull, it’s way too long and I never felt invested in either the mystery nor the characters. And it was lacking a satisfying resolution.
 
I have read this type of mystery thriller before, but they all did it better.
 
Rating: 2/ 5

Movie Review - Woman of the Hour

Director: Anna kendrick
Genre: Thriller/ Crime
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Tony Hale, Nicolette Robinson, Pete Holmes, Autumn Best, Kathryn Gallagher, Kelley Jake

Description: Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick), a single woman looking for a suitor on a hit 1970s TV show, chooses charming bachelor Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), unaware that, behind the man's gentle facade, he hides a deadly secret.

Review: “Woman of the Hour” is Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut. The film is based on a bizarre true story. Kendrick herself plays Cheryl Bradshaw, who moved to Hollywood to become an actress. After many failed auditions, she is giving up hope. The she takes a job on the 70s TV hit “The Dating Game” as a bachelor looking for a date. Among the 3 competing bachelors is Rodney Alcala. A charming young man with a deadly secret.

Anna Kendrick called “Woman of the Hour” the moment of her career she is most proud of. And she should be, because it’s a great directorial debut. In a film about a serial killer, as a first-time director, she cleverly weaves together different timelines. She chooses not to show the violence too explicitly; details and the aftermath of one of Alcala’s attacks tells you enough as a viewer. As do the photos he takes of his victims before they know what awaits them.

The film intentionally puts more focus on the victims. And Kendrick also wanted to prioritize how dangerous it can be when they and those around them are not believed. “Woman of the Hour” exposes the painful reality of women through a terrible story. It’s an exciting film, with a lot of tension and constant threat. Especially a scene in a parking lot makes your heart pound in your throat.  

 It’s definitely worth seeing and well done Anna Kendrick. In my opinion an impressive and excellent directorial debut.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Lonely Planet

Director: Susannah Grant
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 94 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Laura Dern, Liam Hemsworth, Diana Silvers
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 42: A FILM FROM THE 2020s
 
Description: At a retreat in Morocco, a woman (Laura Dern) meets a young man (Liam Hemsworth) whose acquaintanceship evolves into an intoxicating, life-altering love affair.

Review: Katherine travels to Marrakech for a writers’ retreat, mainly to focus on her new book and finish it in peace. Owen is twenty years younger than Katherine and has come along with his girlfriend, who has just released her first book and feels quite at home amidst the other writers. Owen himself, however, works in finance and feels out of place. When he meets Katherine, the two start to spend time together, separating themselves from the crowds as much as possible.

I really liked “Lonely Planet”. In most love stories where the is an age difference between the two main characters, it’s often the man who is older then the woman. Somehow this is more socially acceptable. I find it very refreshing that the roles are reverse now.  And both characters are likeable, you root for them. Nothing really spectacular happens, the film focuses on the little moments and the conversations between Katherine and Owen. Even though Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth shouldn’t work together as an on screen couple, they somehow do. I believed it.

It's not one of the greatest love stories of all time, but I highly enjoyed the film and both Dern and Hemsworth. I though it was worth my time and it’s a fresh and sweet film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Caddo Lake

Director: Logan George, Celine held
Genre: Drama/ Mystery/ Thriller
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Dylan O’Brien, Eliza Scanlen, Caroline Falk, Lauren Ambrose, Sam Hennings, Diane Hooper, Eric Lange
 
Description: When an 8-year-old girl disappears on Caddo Lake, a series of past deaths and disappearances begin to link together, altering a broken family's history.

Review: Caddo Lake is a zone of hundreds of lakes and streams with overhanging trees in the southern United States. A young girl goes missing among the mangrove forest when she chases after her older half sister Ellie in a boat. Fed up with the arguments at home, Ellie spends the night at her friend’s house on the other side of one of the lakes. When she learns that her sister is lost, she rushes back to her mother and stepfather to join the search.

In another storyline about the residents around the lake area, scrap metal collector Paris is still struggling with the death of his mother, who crashed years ago. Paris led a reclusive existence ever since, still searching for answers around that mysterious day. Ellie’s physical quest and Paris’ spiritual one seem to have little connection, yet converge. Caddo Lake connects their lives in a way that is as chilling as it is meaningful.

Directing duo and husband and wife Celine held and Logan George set a tremendously atmospheric mystery with “Caddo Lake” that remains intriguing all the way to the end, when the pieces of the puzzle fall together. The mystery surrounding the characters and that vast lake builds slowly, but the tension is palpable in every scene.

Dylan O’Brien, who plays Paris, never managed to land on Hollywood’s A-list, but his acting has proven for years that he belongs among the talents of his generation. It is Eliza Scaneln as Ellie, however, who is the absolute star of the film. Her performance is mesmerizing.

“Caddo Lake” is best to watch without knowing to much about the plot. It has some mind blowing plot twists and remains intriguing until the very end. Really strong mystery, streaming on Prime right now.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Title: Bird Box (Bird Box # 1)
Author: Josh Malerman
Genre: Horror/ Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2014
 
Description: Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.
 
Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl ar four, it’s time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat – blindfolded – with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?
 
Review: Malorie takes care of her two children. Unlike normal, they have to be dead quiet and are never allowed outside. The windows are covered and the curtains are always closed. It all started with vague news stories on television. People ignored reports of madness because it was happening far from their homes. But it comes closer. And all television went black, the radio went silent and the internet was down. And the outside was no longer safe. All Malorie knows is that, whatever it is outside, it must never be seen. Because opening your eyes will kill you.
 
I saw the film a few years ago. It was fine, enjoyed it, never thought it was very scary. At the time of viewing I didn’t know it was based on a book, let alone written by Josh Malerman. I had never read from Malerman before, I thought this would be the perfect book to start with. And I’m so glad I read it.
 
The book is so much scarier, it gets under your skin and keeps you on edge. The story captivated me. You know just as much as the characters, you have no clue what they are actually afraid of that is out there.
 
The story alternates between the beginning of this apocalypse and the present day where Malorie and her two children are fleeing their home for safety. I can understand why people define this as one of the scariest book they’ve read. I could feel the suspense constantly, because they don’t know what they fear. Like a classic horror rule is, that it’s the things you don’t see that scare you the most.
 
I was only a bit disappointed by the ending. I expected more from this. But overall, “Bird Box” is an amazingly suspenseful horror novel, that I could recommend to any horror fan.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Monkey Man

Director: Dev Patel
Genre: Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 121 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copely, Pitobash, Sikandir Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 41: A FILM THAT’S PART OF A FILM FESTIVAL’S OFFICIAL SELECTION
 
Description: An anonymous young man (Dev Patel) unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systematically victimize the poor and powerless.

Review: The directorial debut of Dev Patel, who obviously already has a number of gems to his name as an actor, opts for a surprising genre: the action film. Patel hasn’t kicked a lot of ass in his films yet, but if anything becomes clear, it’s that he can do it very well. A film that doesn’t hide its inspiration without becoming a copycat. Incredibly brutal action mixed with plenty of personality and sentiment.

“Monkey Man” follows the story of an anonymous young man sometimes called Kid. In the slums of India, he makes money  with street fights. He gets a job at a loca restaurant, where shady things happen behind the scenes. He is out for revenge on various figures in positions of power who have personally made his life miserable in the past.

The story is simple, yet effective. Its build-up and sufficient sentiment set it apart from other action films. The pace and flow of the film are perfectly matched.

The inspirations are obvious and Patel doesn’t try to hide them either. He is clearly a fan of films like “John Wick”, “The Raid” and “Oldboy”. “Monkey Man” excels in its action scenes. They are gruesome, raw and hugely original. The choreography is thoughtful and fast-paced.

The only downside is the somewhat messy second half. But as a whole, the film is stylish, exciting and rock solid. Well done Dev Patel.

Rating: 4/ 5

00s Movie Review - Crazy Heart

Director: Scott Cooper
Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Music
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Robert DuVall, Paul Herman

Description: A faled country music artist (Jeff Bridges) is forced to reassess his dysfunctional life during a doomed romance that also inspires him.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 40: A FILM ABOUT MUSIC
 
Review: Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake, a middle-aged country singer reveling in his past success. Years ago he was one of the most successful singers of his generation with an impressive repertoire, but now he is but a shadow of himself. He lives in cheap motels, playing in pubs and bowling alleys, drinking a lot of alcohol. At one of his gigs he meets Jean Braddock, a single mother trying to make it as a journalist. A romance develops between Blake and Jean, but it remains to be seen whether Blake can leave his unhealthy lifestyle behind for good.  

It's a pretty straightforward film, with not too surprising plot developments. A once successful music artists, trying to make a comeback but failing drastically, until someone enters his life and changes it for the better. Director Scott Cooper didn’t take any risks here. “Crazy Heart” is one of those films where the performance of the lead actor is better and more memorable as the film itself. Jeff Bridges, who won an Academy Awards for his performance, is excellent. He shines in every scene he is in. This is what you will remember about “Crazy Heart”, the story is quite forgettable.

Which doesn’t mean it’s not good. Bridges is the one who makes it better, if not for him, this would be a straight-to-DVD type of film. Because they story is predictable and very cliché. But Bridges lifts it to a whole other level and makes it worth watching. And somehow, Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal work really well together too.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

Book Review - Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Title: Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
Author: Benjamin Stevenson
Genre: Mystery/ Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2022
 
Description: Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate.
 
I’m Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I’d killed whoever decided our family reuinion should be at a ski resort, but it’s a little more complicated than that.
 
Have I killed someone? Yes. I Have.
 
Who was it?
 
Let’s get started.
 
Review: What a clever book! Ernest Cummingham tells us right from the start that, like the title, everyone in his family has killed someone. Including himself. Who they were and why they did it, remains unknown. The Cunningham family is coming together for a reunion in a ski resort, when one of the members of the family is being released from prison. And while they are there, a dead body turns up. And everyone is a suspect.
 
It's a whodunnit, but not the way you’re used to. Ernest talks to you, the reader, directly and sort of breaks the fourth wall, like they say in the movies. He involves you in his story, as if you’re there yourself. The book is very self-aware and does some real interesting things with the narrative. Often Ernest refers to an event that hasn’t happened yet, stating on what page you will be reading about it. Or he gives you a recap of the story so far or sums up his findings. The way the story is told is what will make or break this book for you. I loved it, but I can understand people who don’t enjoy this narrative.
 
The book keeps you on your toes constantly and the mystery is compelling. Because all the characters are a bit messed up, all in their own way, it’s really difficult to determine who can be trusted. Everyone is a suspect. Even Ernest.
 
I absolutely loved “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone” and it is a new all-time favorite.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

Title: All the Sinners Bleed
Author: S.A. Cosby
Genre: Mystery/ Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2023
 
Description: Titus Crown is the first black sheriff in the history of Charon County, Virgina. In recent decades, Charon has had only two murders. After years of working as an FBI agent, Titus knows bettern than anyone that while his hometown might seem like a land of moonshine, cornbread and honeysuckle, secrets always fester under the surface.
 
Then a year to the day after Titus’s election, a school teacher is killed by a former student and the students is fatally shot by Titus’s deputies. Those festering secrets are now out in the open and ready to tear the town apart.
 
As Titus investigates the shootings, he unearths terrible crimes and a serial killer who has been hiding in pain sight, haunting the dirt lanes and woodland clearings of Charon. With the killer’s possible connection to a local church and the town’s harrowing history weighing on him, Titus projects confidence about closing the case while concealing a painful secret from his own past. At the same time, he also has to content with a far-right group that wants to hold a parade in celebration of the town’s Confederate history.
 
Review: The story takes place in 2017, but it could easily be 2024. Titus Crown has been elected the first black sheriff of Charon County. He has brough his experience as a former FBI agent to this depraved rural area where, besides notorious discrimination, little criminal activity occurs. One day he receives an alarming call from one of his deputies. There is a school shooting. When Titus arrives at school with his team, there is great panic. The black perpetrator comes running out of the school and is shot by two of Titus’s team members. Inside lies the body of a beloved teacher. It is the beginning of a nerve-wrecking investigation into the motive and cause.
 
Author S.A. Cosby has a masterful sense of timing. All the components are of high quality. The dialogue, the character development, the sequence of events, the plot twists and turns, and the uncertainty that stays upright until the last page.
 
The crimes in the book are gruesome and are described in detail and explicitly. There is a deeper reason for being explicit. The shock it brings to readers is meant to make us thing. About how condescendingly many people behave toward others and how narrow-mindedness can lead to a sense of superiority.
 
The books also deals with religion, which I’m not always comfortable reading about. But it’s viewed from various perspectives, one is not better than the other. It could be more confrontational though, if you are religious yourself. I found is an additional component that gave even more interpretation to the underlying themes.
 
“All the Sinners Bleed” has many layers, interesting characters, an intriguing small-town mystery, tension and strong plot twists.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Rebel Ridge

Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Genre: Crime/ Action/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 131 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman, Emory Cohen
 
Description: A former Marine (Aaron Pierre) grapples his way through a web of small-town corruption when an attempt to post bail for his cousin escalates into a violent standoff with the local police chief (Don Johnson).

Review: When Terry Richmond is on his way with a bag full of money to bail out his cousin, his money is confiscated by the local police. Completely dishonest but completely according to the law. That’s the beginning of a blood-curdling cat and mouse game in “Rebel Ridge”, where perfectly executed details add emotions and urgency to a compelling story.

“Rebel Ridge” starts strong, right in the middle of the action, and is immediately compelling. The only moments of calm are when Terry stares intensely but silently at his attackers, which lead actor Aaron Pierre is very good at. The subdued Pierre needs little to no convey palpable yet restrained anger and is thus excellently cast for the role. In addition to Aaron Pierre, AnnaSophia Robb in a supporting role and Don Johnson as the villain are also very impressive.

The film is exciting, it’s a high-level action thriller. It has a somewhat abrupt ending, which I personally didn’t love, but that’s the only critique I have.

Rating: 4,5/ 5