Want You Dead - Peter James

This is the 10th and latest in the Roy Grace series by Peter James.  It started well, a gruesome death where you knew who done it while the coppers tried to figure it out.  I did miss though the presence of the moody Roy Grace, new dad and soon to be husband, solving crimes that other police can't solve and being able to figure out who the villain is before anyone else.

 Instead the novel spiralled off into the main story of a real estate agent who after a bad break up finds out that her jilted ex is an evil man.  I did so want to slap her and giver her a shake as she seemed so ditzy, and didn't seem to make any effort to avoid him, moving far away or changing her identity.

So I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied til the end.  The last four pages were good, and make you wait for the next one - to see what happens.  I must admit his cliffhangers always leave me wanting more.  3/5

The Awakening of Miss Prim - Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera

Somehow with this little book I just didn't seem to get it.  I couldn't tell if it was meant to be set in the past, the present or some imaginary future.  I get that Miss Prim was coming to some idyllic isolated village, and her charm and knowledge would make the man in the chair fall in love with her particular charms.  I just couldn't connect with any of the characters.  I felt like I wanted it to work better, but there was no spark for me.  2/5

The Hundred Foot Journey

It was a beautiful day last week when I had to drop the cat off with a huge wad of cash so she could have a specialist vet appointment.  I did spend the morning trawling the local mall before all the locals got there, but soon my feet were aching and my window shopping wallet was spent (alas all I bought were some baby clothes for a friends baby shower).

So  I trundled myself off to the movies with about ten other people to see the midday session of the Hundred Foot Journey, which is the latest movie in the pensioner movie realm, of which being middle aged I am now allowed to join.  It was sweet, and I loved the beautiful French rural scenes, although I was a bit confused by the European accents they did have the effect of making me snooze off several times, how embarrassing.  Still it was a sweet story about giving people a chance and worthy of a 3/5.

Music Monday - This Woman's Work - Kate Bush

I was wandering around somewhere at the weekend, and as the podcasts I was listening to ended, random songs started playing and this one came on.  Originally released in 1989, it is still as powerful now as it was then.   Just lovely.

The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes - Anna McPartlin

This book touched me in the sensitive and entertaining way it delivered the story of Rabbit Hayes and her lovely family.  We get to meet her as she is about to enter the hospice with terminal cancer, and join her on her journey of the final days of her life. It is not all doom and gloom, as we hear about Rabbits friends and family, the love of her life, her daughter and her youthful adventures. Wonderful.  5/5

Gone Girl

This morning I was feeling a bit ho hum about going to a movie this afternoon, as the sun was shining and it seemed a perfect day to spend outside.  As I approached the cinema though a big pile of black clouds followed me up the valley and gave us a huge old hail storm that banged and crashed above our heads and dropped the temperature way down.  Luckily I was saved by being in a shop, searching out bargain jackets at the time and for your information I found two at the lowly price of $9.99 each.

So a bestie and I ventured out in the Petone Lighthouse Cinema, which always makes us feel young as there was no one in the audience under 25 and we were in the younger age bracket with the majority of movie goers being 60+.  A perfect cinema audience, no ushers needed, no cellphones out and everyone cleans up after themselves.

We did wonder though, if they would enjoy the movie?  Some seemed a bit confused at the end.  I had read the book, so sort of knew what happened, but didn't remember much of it.  I did think though they did a great job of keeping you guessing and although most of it was a serious movie, it did make us laugh a few times as well as cringing at the violence.  Both lead actors were awesome, and it made my bestie excited to read the book on an upcoming plane trip.  I might even give it 4.5/5 - pretty close to perfect.