tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70112996793630275682024-03-18T20:07:53.571-04:00The Sleaze FactorWhere glam is more than just a 4-letter wordAuthorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.comBlogger265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-74149912124073599292024-01-07T13:39:00.004-05:002024-01-08T18:28:26.685-05:00THE WOMEN FROM ‘BEAUTY FOR SALE’ (1933)<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUZOBHYeStNuiYu-GMn6oQ7OdsS_WhHaFPLQbINTRjP1otD2obbMkTGdAu98CMEkJOEKukOigmVlZShzV8kx0eqrKCYCtu2G8IBfqPUuQeQ-xM5uEUernpN7dva6aJ6j_plmVEUTOICVblPGv02c_OW3QlnkMZpmJJnIogGjNvIp1DDTrpdLRsxfN3KI/s729/beautyfor%20sale.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="729" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUZOBHYeStNuiYu-GMn6oQ7OdsS_WhHaFPLQbINTRjP1otD2obbMkTGdAu98CMEkJOEKukOigmVlZShzV8kx0eqrKCYCtu2G8IBfqPUuQeQ-xM5uEUernpN7dva6aJ6j_plmVEUTOICVblPGv02c_OW3QlnkMZpmJJnIogGjNvIp1DDTrpdLRsxfN3KI/w320-h248/beautyfor%20sale.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>BEAUTY FOR SALE</b></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, made by MGM, focuses on three young women whose
lives are as tumultuous as any on-screen melodramas. Think THE BEST OF
EVERYTHING, THE WOMEN plus a dash of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, and you’ve got a
pretty good idea of what’s in store (the film is based on a novel by Faith Baldwin). Made before the enforcement of the Motion
Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, BEAUTY FOR SALE is considered mild by today’s standards but oh what
a scandalous film it must have been back then: adultery, unwanted pregnancy,
booze, suicide...</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcXiVPujTHq_eA4HL3n6YNhGkojmrf53kSogzTolQvu2_Uj4OAtcpTJa5uf1mArTNpMVnIlgM12PeAQ-vjCDbJAijYwhxIcc3V45R1rIX5ZqlZKTHyrOqaqpqpuHiZfXTsQujGFfO__2BcyVAh-IrTaY6GI32o8ubW5Ts48B2t5WL8weVmFCvLIsxsok/s923/beautyforsale1b.GIF" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="923" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcXiVPujTHq_eA4HL3n6YNhGkojmrf53kSogzTolQvu2_Uj4OAtcpTJa5uf1mArTNpMVnIlgM12PeAQ-vjCDbJAijYwhxIcc3V45R1rIX5ZqlZKTHyrOqaqpqpuHiZfXTsQujGFfO__2BcyVAh-IrTaY6GI32o8ubW5Ts48B2t5WL8weVmFCvLIsxsok/w200-h135/beautyforsale1b.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The film features Madge Evans, a former child actress who
got signed by MGM in the early ‘30s. By the time she landed the lead in </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">BEAUTY FOR SALE</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, she had already shared
the big screen with many big names, such as James Cagney, Bing Crosby, Jean
Harlow, Robert Young, just to name a few. To say that she’s sensational in this
picture would be an exaggeration on my part, for I find her a bit wooden at
times. Nevertheless, she does have star power, I’ll give her that. She plays
Lettie Lawson, a poor girl recently hired as a wet behind the ears beautician. As
it is often the case in many American films, she quickly learns the tricks of
the trade and winds up being highly sought after, even making house calls for
rich clients. One of whom ultimately being the spouse of married man she is secretly
dating. Should she go on with this charade? Or should she stop the affair?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKLRkDFdc2TbaeATh66hd72OVxQ36owznlu4OL5ITQjnjY_1-Iqq0w4S70DAG0SzJ2f76Sp3mnxeV2qnBeB8xbhJ59wmbHw8lF5_57ziGMZYVOBx85KdOF24t54blUGZJor595RxuKfe7AmdntdzFF9XL_fl-8z9rUJT-K3-C1d1RcUiFi-n0wysvIdo/s923/beautyforsale3.GIF" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="923" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKLRkDFdc2TbaeATh66hd72OVxQ36owznlu4OL5ITQjnjY_1-Iqq0w4S70DAG0SzJ2f76Sp3mnxeV2qnBeB8xbhJ59wmbHw8lF5_57ziGMZYVOBx85KdOF24t54blUGZJor595RxuKfe7AmdntdzFF9XL_fl-8z9rUJT-K3-C1d1RcUiFi-n0wysvIdo/w200-h136/beautyforsale3.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sharing the screen as Lettie’s BFF and co-worker is Una
Merkel who plays money-grabbing Carol. She tells Lettie to go on with the
affair, to jump in with both feet and live it up like she does. You’ve got to
love that character. She is one heck of a firecracker. She’s hell-bent on
finding a sugar daddy and does so eventually. Merkel’s part is the comic relief
of the film and she is indeed quite a hoot. The way she goes around cajoling an
elderly rich man is truly enjoyable. She has the strongest presence, in my opinion
and shines every time she appears. The actress made a career playing second
fiddle and it finally paid up when she was nominated for an Academy Award as
best supporting actress in 1961 for SUMMER AND SMOKE which I have yet to catch.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMO-MXGr1ROku6Le7Pcr5Xj2tEidiGqYaxuyEq0aXwUNgIhn6fg6JeSWbH90Ojlix8-EfahC684UGsCpmg1lB5eXBuHkYSRcNReRM9UTQgwhmeyXxpJC7Kj6piSN4sI8maJaXgWcmRH07JqXQcoHzZve5VdolgISi2TYatrELCHKNH6fNOAfpaXZ3CTR4/s918/beautyforsale7.GIF" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="918" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMO-MXGr1ROku6Le7Pcr5Xj2tEidiGqYaxuyEq0aXwUNgIhn6fg6JeSWbH90Ojlix8-EfahC684UGsCpmg1lB5eXBuHkYSRcNReRM9UTQgwhmeyXxpJC7Kj6piSN4sI8maJaXgWcmRH07JqXQcoHzZve5VdolgISi2TYatrELCHKNH6fNOAfpaXZ3CTR4/w200-h135/beautyforsale7.GIF" width="200" /></a></div>That leaves Florine McKinney who portrays Jane, the third
co-worker, whose naivety and amorous impulses lead her to an unwanted pregnancy
by the salon’s owner’s son. Jane is sort of like the Jennifer of the trio,
referring to Jennifer from VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, of course. Let’s just say that
rose-colored futures are not in her cards. Though she has less screen time,
McKinney is perfectly cast as the used and tossed away heroine. The scene where
she realizes that she has been left at the altar by her baby daddy is both sad
and poignant, so much so that the cinephile in me wanted to save her l. And every
time that happens, I call it magic on screen. I will be on the lookout for other
Florine McKinney vehicles.</span></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryyIssHEjIkQyJ0KvurZv0AQQSJimJK49wFJBp6XagdBNM6G8lnUtZhFE3LgCl-kPpVe7dIdOB8rmscuwbZPlL2zswHpKRnCeJB1bO2osPRzSHq1F0sfMW6pYDtW4L1bLGXVN0vb05uYcb0sKP6p6DJTMMHpWQaKzMm_OaQT-JwsiGC2E_QQIEgmVZR8/s1415/BeautyForSale10.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1415" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryyIssHEjIkQyJ0KvurZv0AQQSJimJK49wFJBp6XagdBNM6G8lnUtZhFE3LgCl-kPpVe7dIdOB8rmscuwbZPlL2zswHpKRnCeJB1bO2osPRzSHq1F0sfMW6pYDtW4L1bLGXVN0vb05uYcb0sKP6p6DJTMMHpWQaKzMm_OaQT-JwsiGC2E_QQIEgmVZR8/w200-h153/BeautyForSale10.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Oh yes,</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> BEAUTY
FOR SALE</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is pretty much on the melodramatic side and if you’re on the
lookout for such fares as I always am, you couldn’t ask for a better film. The overall
delivery is indeed quite fetching, heightened mostly by three fine actresses in
three intertwined storylines which sometimes take a comedic turn (on that note,
another worthy mention goes to Isabel Jewell as the on and off sophisticated manager
of the salon). Director Richard Boleslawski is just the right fit for this pre-code
women picture.</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FHKlnVNX2qE" width="320" youtube-src-id="FHKlnVNX2qE"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-1953138154595826822023-10-13T14:11:00.001-04:002024-02-01T11:31:11.968-05:00A NIGHT IN HEAVEN (1983)<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6ViM7HdXWRsgP1EKNaMibVgp3lXI6pLEpZH-QN6QZK7MVpPXccij4NeEFHzcZSnI6pgLREbh1w_WiO9MK6kL1F7R80DGzhefI3a5QjplK-O3c2QqbEjlHPNNWWz5KXl6ft23S0_nMHBB9H3e_jxTnzRkxfySbK98btkOUThPPV7oL8X4q4eZVXEPliU/s335/Night_In_Heaven_(1983).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6ViM7HdXWRsgP1EKNaMibVgp3lXI6pLEpZH-QN6QZK7MVpPXccij4NeEFHzcZSnI6pgLREbh1w_WiO9MK6kL1F7R80DGzhefI3a5QjplK-O3c2QqbEjlHPNNWWz5KXl6ft23S0_nMHBB9H3e_jxTnzRkxfySbK98btkOUThPPV7oL8X4q4eZVXEPliU/w210-h320/Night_In_Heaven_(1983).jpg" width="210" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1983 was a good year for bad movies: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">THE LONELY LADY, JAWS 3-D, AMITYVILLE 3-D, STAYING
ALIVE, PRIVATE SCHOOL, CHAINED HEAT, or this next main topic film, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A NIGHT IN HEAVEN, </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a pre-MAGIC MIKE</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">fiasco which promises to be hot and steamy
but barely delivers. I was still in the closet during that time (coming out just
a year later), struggling to find my ways and survive. So you can imagine how freaking
excited I was catching this film on opening day. Yes, opening day.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdzGNH152ytG8Sdg3cMhvj7vFfI4ccedNcdLsX1rZXUoczBFF3vK3Tpj22GhcRkqJz48KnymbbExIuLtYPUskgC6YRY7-2gWcOgkPKEhTFjHMsW8HaAHhvQHXku7QqQQd_gabFnpZXuz4pXjipOc00LHwvCk-wCQ6uCmXleMhMGT-nm1w6QIoTk5MWfs/s1211/nightin5.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1211" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdzGNH152ytG8Sdg3cMhvj7vFfI4ccedNcdLsX1rZXUoczBFF3vK3Tpj22GhcRkqJz48KnymbbExIuLtYPUskgC6YRY7-2gWcOgkPKEhTFjHMsW8HaAHhvQHXku7QqQQd_gabFnpZXuz4pXjipOc00LHwvCk-wCQ6uCmXleMhMGT-nm1w6QIoTk5MWfs/w200-h102/nightin5.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">THE BLUE LAGOON Christopher Atkins stars as an
obnoxious college student who, by day, struggles to make the grade and, by
night, strips down to his skivvies at a Florida hotspot for ladies only. One of
whom ends up being the teacher who is actually flunking him. Leslie Ann Warren
is that teacher, just off from her hilariously stellar performance in
VICTOR/VICTORIA. In </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">A NIGHT IN HEAVEN</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
she plays a repressed married woman who, though she has a hot husband (77
SUNSET STRIP Robert Logan), can’t get her hands off Atkins. Atkins, however, just
wants a passing grade so he can eventually graduate. Or is there more to it than that?
It all comes down to Warren’s hubby finding out about the affair, Atkins almost
giving the hubby a lap dance (don’t ask), and Warren saving her marriage by
talking it through with her husband.</span></div></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2K2f-UFd8ICoAUdEgnqQ6tDSTjEDqVfI-g3cCdTUnTzEn4-n_UIzi6hmJYaBFJLbFMXvyBI8JvzCcQc7mlhXJhlpXloGUChaMfCPkY6VHg2WeYPLMdcrZXzu4DKNQV-xPUVkHztV147Ln-R9jJawmRIISFoc-JjP3tFltRTuNDWQOTycq7K3RLfJD5o/s1283/nightin9b.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="1283" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2K2f-UFd8ICoAUdEgnqQ6tDSTjEDqVfI-g3cCdTUnTzEn4-n_UIzi6hmJYaBFJLbFMXvyBI8JvzCcQc7mlhXJhlpXloGUChaMfCPkY6VHg2WeYPLMdcrZXzu4DKNQV-xPUVkHztV147Ln-R9jJawmRIISFoc-JjP3tFltRTuNDWQOTycq7K3RLfJD5o/w200-h98/nightin9b.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Clearly </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">A NIGHT
IN HEAVEN </b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">is far from being perfect. The whole premise is pretty much an unintentional
laughing streak. The script, penned by NASHVILLE</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">alumna</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Joan Tewkesbury, barely makes any sense at all, and the performances go from
average (Warren, Logan) to simply amateurish (Atkins, who won a Razzie for
worst actor that year). But despite all of those negative attributes, </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">A NIGHT IN HEAVEN </b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">still</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> </b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">beckons with its ‘80s flair, its
then-pushing of the envelope (naked men), not to mention its high aura of camp.
I swear, it’s almost impossible to stray away from the screen, once pretty much
invested. It’s like watching an argument happening right in front your eyes. You
may find it distasteful and immature, but the temptation to see it through
still remains.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpFvoOZMFYMdp4tOJuMVGW-e4RJiEmfSMYdSKh1W6HppR0sPQaJL7xBqpgW2OtEDe_x_ivFBl7FOPyyZSg7swcKZdB4aOFlIhc2hBsYyDJMUGQpRMAz96I7lxSUNSWC9s7RYs5z_DN1Ppfk80ELXUdgbbT_R9cSoBbuEmMqcALmj4-lrZAV79UNMxLQ8/s1281/nightin8.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="1281" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpFvoOZMFYMdp4tOJuMVGW-e4RJiEmfSMYdSKh1W6HppR0sPQaJL7xBqpgW2OtEDe_x_ivFBl7FOPyyZSg7swcKZdB4aOFlIhc2hBsYyDJMUGQpRMAz96I7lxSUNSWC9s7RYs5z_DN1Ppfk80ELXUdgbbT_R9cSoBbuEmMqcALmj4-lrZAV79UNMxLQ8/w200-h98/nightin8.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The film is directed by John G. Avildsen, the guy who six
years prior won an Academy Award for ROCKY and later on took the reins of THE
KARATE KID saga. Just go to show you that every acclaimed directors, whether from
Hollywood or somewhere else, has at least one bad movie in them. Thank heavens
for that, for we, lovers of such films, wouldn’t have it any other way. We just
have to be patient and in the end hope for the worst.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Act25GkD9pQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="Act25GkD9pQ"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-64061991422497803262022-11-12T19:40:00.003-05:002023-10-13T14:17:06.829-04:00‘THE GARDINER WOMEN’ BY DAVIDYNE MAYLEAS<p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYxL1ltmGLp3hwqoYEAgbDXDQuXnqP_CL-oZPjRrpewhYPbB42XOfpuxE8N5zTI7Nxie4Kdiwm5NvbnuBv3AIgUxLcuUAvl90GbGrULvJRVLxkIa7HgXo55XyOkOZNJbQSgW0vgC8YnClfpzGxJKa_uciMnXWUBhluzCVSb0wAKCcujfLn7ychVD-/s665/gardinerw2%20(2).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYxL1ltmGLp3hwqoYEAgbDXDQuXnqP_CL-oZPjRrpewhYPbB42XOfpuxE8N5zTI7Nxie4Kdiwm5NvbnuBv3AIgUxLcuUAvl90GbGrULvJRVLxkIa7HgXo55XyOkOZNJbQSgW0vgC8YnClfpzGxJKa_uciMnXWUBhluzCVSb0wAKCcujfLn7ychVD-/s320/gardinerw2%20(2).jpg" width="193" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">It has been a while since I ventured into a paperback
original like this spotlighted novel here. Almost a year, I believe. I’ll go even
further and state that it has been a long time since I ventured into anything
trashy. Sure, I’ve read the obligatory novel for the obligatory review on my
blog, but to really pick up something just for the fun of it, well, it seems
like decades. That’s why Davidyne Mayleas’ <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
GARDINER WOMEN</b> (1993) feels like heaven-sent. Besides being quite good, it also reminds
me how exhilarating these reads can overall be, and Mayleas next to last novel
for Avon pushes all the right buttons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">As the title suggests,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> THE GARDINER WOMEN</b> focuses on female protagonists, three of them. First
there’s Millie, the aging screen legend now owner of an independent TV station.
She is plagued with a future of uncertainty and needs to make sure that her
fortune goes to the right kin. Enter Nora, the headstrong TV executive granddaughter
caught between the past and the present. She wants it all: love and career, but
at what cost? Following in her footsteps there’s Ali, the wild and scheming second
granddaughter who’s an ace at getting what she wants. Until she is knocked out
of her pedestal in a no holds barred confrontation that will leave her shaken
to the core. All three women flourish and then fall but rise up again, amidst
the hectic world of the entertainment industry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Yes, I must admit, novels about the biz have always been
my thing, and this one does it justice indeed, though the plot veers more on personal
problems than on the ABC of the business. The most absorbing of those inner
struggles are of Nora, the exec, and with good reasons since she is the story
main focus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is what you call the
good gal, the one the reader wants to root for. The author aptly does that via
a tight-woven plot which also involves Wall Street. You see, Nora is linked to
a rising power broker, so part of the story is centered on such terms as stocks,
acquisitions, selling points...<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">If you have looked over at my additional blog entries regarding
Mayleas’ work you probably know that the world of finance is a big part of the
author’s territory. Other than her novel THE RICHEST GIRL IN THE WORLD the topic,
however, is relatively toned down to make room for the more involving drama.
Her narrative is always sharp, to the point, with enough character development
and description of wealth and romance to quench fans thirst for the sex and
shopping novel. I say grab <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE GARDINER
WOMEN </b>if you ever see a copy in the wild or online. Until Davidyne Mayleas
ends up going digital that is the only way you can read her stuff. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfc9HlfkhYuv9hauidjMNJHfnC8EJKdrlT_dm9DTfxUd7LeqFb0al1RcaBBYHcdPCK1w8gjDXIgCYdts3BVc3C1UUzWGlmxzhD7LGo9jDVl24zStd-da9ZI7oXqjFl8-VygKg0u0Nxb_7bMilg7FvJx9zOqy8h7B_H6rhCtAyxMeMjKKLvBrJ0Ocm5/s665/gardinerw2%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="402" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfc9HlfkhYuv9hauidjMNJHfnC8EJKdrlT_dm9DTfxUd7LeqFb0al1RcaBBYHcdPCK1w8gjDXIgCYdts3BVc3C1UUzWGlmxzhD7LGo9jDVl24zStd-da9ZI7oXqjFl8-VygKg0u0Nxb_7bMilg7FvJx9zOqy8h7B_H6rhCtAyxMeMjKKLvBrJ0Ocm5/w121-h200/gardinerw2%20(2).jpg" width="121" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-14138740486517312632022-05-02T01:07:00.003-04:002022-05-04T02:37:03.532-04:00‘THE LAST SUMMER’ BY KAREN SWAN<p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Note: This review was written just before the 6</span><sup style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; text-align: justify;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">
variant of COVID-19 fully hit. I had more time in my hands.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">5 stars +:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnOCPmRuE-IhJ4vnGy8opyPGBjLWCjb-d_CMU2XsyCGwHIettMbBPT06iOAJLQm--hn_kPmQKzAV19H5F8zy3A9tVCSVCklBr-BA8DBWgtvHXOP1nn_L-FR6ajhFwAfyMVPMJSG4PV9p70pennxWLosVJiQEPUl4uYib3hWsn9Uxs1QCZlN9IO-yn/s1000/lasts.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="654" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnOCPmRuE-IhJ4vnGy8opyPGBjLWCjb-d_CMU2XsyCGwHIettMbBPT06iOAJLQm--hn_kPmQKzAV19H5F8zy3A9tVCSVCklBr-BA8DBWgtvHXOP1nn_L-FR6ajhFwAfyMVPMJSG4PV9p70pennxWLosVJiQEPUl4uYib3hWsn9Uxs1QCZlN9IO-yn/w262-h400/lasts.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">When I first started writing for this blog in 2008 I
never thought for a minute that it would take me to undiscovered places like
the work of Karen Swan, here. I was so committed to focusing on vintage trash
to ever notice the more current authors being published. It only took me a trip
abroad and a chance meeting with the cover of one of Swan’s booklist to change
the course of my journey—a bit like the central character in Swan’s epic new offering,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE LAST SUMMER</b>. Indeed, what
happens to Effie Gillies, forced to face a future away from her beloved island,
makes anyone willing to have an open mind discover uncharted territory. And I’m
so glad I followed in the same footsteps, for Karen Swan (et al.) wouldn’t be
in my literary circle hadn’t I done that. Now on to her latest release from Macmillan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I’ll say it right away. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE LAST SUMMER</b> is by far my favorite Karen Swan novel. Everything
in it is amazing, from the very well-drawn characterization, to the rich and
highly addictive narrative, not to mention the beautiful and envious setting of
Scotland’s St Kilda (in the 1930s). The story focuses on Effie. She is a young
and strong-willed highlander who ultimately leaves St Kilda to embark on a
personal journey that will deviate from everything she has come to know. Of
course she will find love and some unhappiness in this new world of hers. This novel
is a departure from the author usual lighter repertoire. It is stronger, more
grounded, and so much more rewarding in the end, in my opinion. Oh don’t get me
wrong. You still get the same Karen Swan that we all know but with an extra
edge. I still found myself turning the pages as fast as permitted and yearning
for the next tome to materialize soon. Because, yes, there will be a next one.
This is the first in a series. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE LAST SUMMER</b> is a bigger hit for
Karen Swan, for she certainly deserves all the praises. My thanks to NetGalley
and the publisher for this fantastic ARC. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 16px;">THE LAST SUMMER</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 16px;"> is already available in Canada and in the US in hardcover. The rest of the world will have to wait in July, and that includes the digital version as well.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRqOacBca8jp2D-Z7YRnPy2tDOO9xWV_dqaLkUpLRLvD66m5jWQP-5vnxFiR6z_g6Ove0WiSLEqDbU38fpI3d37eMTwDJMg4YhWat6lYvXPZOcOZR_Mj9VpqKAr5Com-FRWdgCYwhSKn5Ehnq63ONzT_477e-8JoY2x-SNcPTFoT6FzGqgdueQ3ze/s1000/lasts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="654" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRqOacBca8jp2D-Z7YRnPy2tDOO9xWV_dqaLkUpLRLvD66m5jWQP-5vnxFiR6z_g6Ove0WiSLEqDbU38fpI3d37eMTwDJMg4YhWat6lYvXPZOcOZR_Mj9VpqKAr5Com-FRWdgCYwhSKn5Ehnq63ONzT_477e-8JoY2x-SNcPTFoT6FzGqgdueQ3ze/w131-h200/lasts.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-41499153801867754252022-04-28T00:23:00.004-04:002022-05-02T01:08:08.032-04:00‘GUILTY WOMEN’ BY MELANIE BLAKE<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGjhw27NV2N0g35m3VPIYPdeUqGMswP4JdFyB0WT0X0jv9PbqFta9KrXNCcBDUCKMfFCGbshhZBfVdh35yQ2oQEFSksSghRnnAG7Gy9XsYfP7SkNrL0hUUaQxNVMnDH_3FN1pOhqlkQfnNTV4CBV6sn8fVaeKXdIZBVSCiHdALv2ZWqddwzQW3TGX/s392/guiltywo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGjhw27NV2N0g35m3VPIYPdeUqGMswP4JdFyB0WT0X0jv9PbqFta9KrXNCcBDUCKMfFCGbshhZBfVdh35yQ2oQEFSksSghRnnAG7Gy9XsYfP7SkNrL0hUUaQxNVMnDH_3FN1pOhqlkQfnNTV4CBV6sn8fVaeKXdIZBVSCiHdALv2ZWqddwzQW3TGX/s16000/guiltywo.png" /></a></div>After rereading RUTHLESS WOMEN during my winter vacation to get myself in the mood for the upcoming sequel <b>GUILTY WOMEN</b> due out in late April by Harper Collins, I couldn’t wait to feast my eyes once again on the ladies of Falcon Bay whom I had come to cherish so. I had such a good time with them that I was more than ready to embark on another wild ride of the rich and the wicked, courtesy of storytelling genius Melanie Blake. Then it happened again, the thing I dreaded more than finding out that the latest book is not up to par: a new COVID variant hit us again in my neck of the woods—meaning I was back working full-time at the hospital and having even less time focusing on books, including this sequel, which by the way was granted by the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review. What a guy to do? Well, I’ll do the same thing I did with RUTHLESS WOMEN last year during the pandemic. I’ll give the new book my two cents worth without adding too much detail.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">So here it goes. I simply loved, loved, loved, loved it. <b>GUILTY WOMEN</b> starts out six months after the world-wide broadcast of the ill-fated shark attack on one important character, and goes on from there. There are many, many surprises in store, like another wild death, the arrival of old lovers, new lovers, the return of some villains, and another whopper of a finale. Suffice to say, <b>GUILTY WOMEN</b> is definitely a grabber. I cannot wait for next year’s follow-up. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Now please bear with me. Until I am back part time at work, I will only give short reviews on upcoming stuff on my blog. I hate that it had to come to this but it is either that or putting a halt to everything until I have more free time on my hands. Let’s just hope that we all be rid of that COVID-19 virus very soon so we all can get back to our regular scheduled program. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Until next post—Martin
</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjZREeCIKjfGz-Pem-lWhpYK0KRYWqj4FklxGTvVNBx8NqLqmbUduWgToVPkmSKhCI8-taMQPdADWtDz5qBEc1g7N2bdgSLyq_6432y2NVu98xeM4HeD0bsmbobjBqf16RjPW3bicG02J6y5NdAOLr5kf5CKpdR-nqAeuwJc9ZSmXIkuZN6EM6oOx/s392/guiltywo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjZREeCIKjfGz-Pem-lWhpYK0KRYWqj4FklxGTvVNBx8NqLqmbUduWgToVPkmSKhCI8-taMQPdADWtDz5qBEc1g7N2bdgSLyq_6432y2NVu98xeM4HeD0bsmbobjBqf16RjPW3bicG02J6y5NdAOLr5kf5CKpdR-nqAeuwJc9ZSmXIkuZN6EM6oOx/w130-h200/guiltywo.png" width="130" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-4823855048532943112022-04-05T00:42:00.006-04:002022-04-28T00:24:36.390-04:00RUTHLESS WOMEN BY MELANIE BLAKE, REVISITED<p> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPWXq6PkMB9L-hKG2iqDjLFN8OpYn-9ARd9JwYOZ0W-rOPbs2kv8NRVFRHySDUf-k3TiRXWSveGQ5HJyPGvePLakqbN-bkijdKg3FRDHUvJOK9UDYnSeS9AZ5M-V-PYoHoMWSHFUBzjeH04hTwr19wuQFnkSBli_N5pHMCxQ0dMbK32rVNi1X0Czj/s1842/ruthless-women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1842" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPWXq6PkMB9L-hKG2iqDjLFN8OpYn-9ARd9JwYOZ0W-rOPbs2kv8NRVFRHySDUf-k3TiRXWSveGQ5HJyPGvePLakqbN-bkijdKg3FRDHUvJOK9UDYnSeS9AZ5M-V-PYoHoMWSHFUBzjeH04hTwr19wuQFnkSBli_N5pHMCxQ0dMbK32rVNi1X0Czj/w260-h400/ruthless-women.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are two main reasons why I wanted to reread </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">RUTHLESS WOMEN</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. The first is I wanted
to reacquaint myself with the characters and situations to get ready for the
upcoming sequel called GUILTY WOMEN due out this spring. The second and most
important one is that I also wanted to give the novel the spotlight it truly deserves
since I feel I didn’t totally do justice to it when I reviewed it before on
this blog last year. COVID-19 is mostly to blame. That, and my stubbornness to continue
to write reviews despite a very hectic schedule. Yes, not only did I find
myself swamped at the hospital where I work but I barely could manage anything
else, including putting my own two cents worth about Melanie’s work. So I did
what I do best under pressure: I click on the automatic pilot and hope for the
best. Turns out I did write what I consider a good review. Now, however, I want
to write a fantastic one because I believe that’s what the novel truly
deserves. So, on I go.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">If you ever wanted to know how show business works in the
soap opera world then look no further than<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
RUTHLESS WOMEN</b> by the multitasker Melanie Blake.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>I say multitasker because the woman can do it all: she can manage
a highly successful agency, write best-sellers—when not ghostwriting them—and
be social media savvy. In <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUTHLESS WOMEN
</b>all three take center stage. A long-running syndicated soap is in danger of
cancellation. It needs to reinvent itself before the plug is pulled. In comes a
newly appointed male chauvinistic executive producer who wants to shake things
up, like broadcasting a live episode that will reveal the demise of a much
loved character. Not only that, but a live search will also be underway to determine
which actress among six ‘mature’ women will play the new villainess onscreen. Not
an easy task, especially when most of them have problems of their own off-screen.
Did I also mention that there is a newcomer behind the scenes who has a big score
to settle with a major player? I won’t say who but it’s a doozy, trust me. Add
a girl—or should I say woman—power approach, a front row seat of what really goes
on behind or in front of the camera and you got yourself one heck of an escapist
read to delve into. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Moreover, in between colorful characters, a
fire-cracking plot and a solid narration lies a roman-à clef with a heart. The
reader can clearly feels the bond between the women as they manage the best
they can to stay afloat in this male-dominated culture. Because yes, it is
still a boys club despite all of the denunciations made since the Weinstein exposé.
Melanie Blake clearly demonstrates that. She also demonstrates a pure knack for
keeping the page turning, despite the fact that I already knew the story’s
outcome. Sure, having my mind at ease during this winter’s vacation certainly
helped but still, what a fun wicked ride <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUTHLESS
WOMEN</b> turned out to be. To tell you the truth, I wanted more of the same
and will have, not only when GUILTY WOMEN arrives in late April but when the
third book in the series, VENGEFUL WOMEN comes out next year. Now that’s what I
call satisfying one’s craving, wouldn’t you say so?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0uFhzC5vquMeE55CeMFL7Pu58-UVUzh0ajOhOaKhjqYc_b8CcNp5wrgyAoOKLZ728J4zWknFjcryOo5OMer1YNEPyPyUsjdvvT9l958q-y7fvwxLXQdeqJlMM-Qub6qWXql8kxJb9RdXQIwAtxlprnwkyRphCV73beIqmQYx2jJ8rioceJ0kejL3/s900/melblake3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0uFhzC5vquMeE55CeMFL7Pu58-UVUzh0ajOhOaKhjqYc_b8CcNp5wrgyAoOKLZ728J4zWknFjcryOo5OMer1YNEPyPyUsjdvvT9l958q-y7fvwxLXQdeqJlMM-Qub6qWXql8kxJb9RdXQIwAtxlprnwkyRphCV73beIqmQYx2jJ8rioceJ0kejL3/w200-h200/melblake3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Melanie Blake</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br />Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-3692116863871864912022-02-16T23:58:00.001-05:002022-02-19T11:55:24.004-05:00‘THE SECRETS OF SAINTE MADELEINE’ BY TILLY BAGSHAWE
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS4CWbigdFeIQrdgZxtcVBpIV5WtR7ZIH6mqp_6exNARF1u77D1EwDviSm15EkMoB-YygtPKmU7cLUj5jgrxtMdbRcVJkV-XZQzqSL6rDV4FyjjXCMWFqVIDaV3eTZHjotEAfovkBl_oBtW16cRnodudXg25aUWAse8lh_Gh-Om2MLDOlOsonqgKSt=s648" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="421" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS4CWbigdFeIQrdgZxtcVBpIV5WtR7ZIH6mqp_6exNARF1u77D1EwDviSm15EkMoB-YygtPKmU7cLUj5jgrxtMdbRcVJkV-XZQzqSL6rDV4FyjjXCMWFqVIDaV3eTZHjotEAfovkBl_oBtW16cRnodudXg25aUWAse8lh_Gh-Om2MLDOlOsonqgKSt=w260-h400" width="260" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I think it’s about time that I review another one of
Tilly Bagshawe’s amazing books. Ever since I picked up ADORED in 2005 during a port
stop in the Galapagos, I have been following her career. Her tales of the rich
and the rotten always make for some fine escapist read. I would delve into
anything by this woman, even her grocery list if it came to that. So it gives
me such a great pleasure to help her—via NetGalley and her publisher—launch her
latest novel called </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">THE SECRETS OF
SAINTE MADELEINE</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> which is now available from HarperCollins as you read
this.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Starting in the 1920s and spanning over 50 years,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> THE SECRETS OF SAINTE MADELEINE</b> sizzles
with its tale of lost love and second chances. It introduces the Salignac clan who are proud
owners of a rich vineyard in Burgundy, France. When the goings get tough early
on into the story, the egotistic, irresponsible alcoholic patriarch has no
choice but to sell off the many farms around the vineyard, a decision that does not
bode well for the family, especially the middle son who ends up making a fast
getaway to the States. Soon the younger daughter follows suit, landing up in Paris,
eventually marrying a wealthy but domineering Greek playboy whom she comes to
hate. That leaves the introverted and misunderstood older son who just happens
to be gay and who finds himself having the hots for the local priest. All this
is just a smidge of what awaits the reader. Add an impossible love affair
between a French woman and a Nazi officer, the lost of a child from a fatal disease,
the execution of a wannabe lover for high treason... and you got yourself one
juicy family saga you won’t want to miss. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Tilly Bagshawe has certainly made a thorough research,
since the novel is filled with many insightful historical moments (mostly of war
and politics) which naturally add a touch of realism to the already engaging plot
and subplots. As expected, the narrative is top notch, as are the characters
who may be abundant in supply but always remain authentic and transparent. Even
the chateau of Sainte Madeleine is a character on its own, with its magnificent
splendor; the many acres of vineyard surrounding it and its in-book alliance to
<i>The</i> <i>Legend of the Butterfly </i>allegory (beautifully told, I might add). Suffice
to say the reader is in good hands with this epic, well-paced, fascinating novel. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Oh yes, drop everything and go grab <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE SECRETS OF SAINTE MADELEINE</b>. Let’s
make this one another best-seller for this talented lady. She sure deserves it.
If you’re already a fan I doubt you will be left disappointed. If you are new
to her work this is a great place to start. Either way, it’s a win-win
situation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTtX5aDu5GuGXY-rDm-JZxnhiOnzV7QM1JBzbcq9CCP0RAY9Rc6L6gt5kwVYP81deOy1_5cVpyKVGxcOBp59oKrgOviq-4qhSsPmW7RoW1r-oEaYWFh4TrkFUpCKzO2UUPjsmvqcywD6IxyQtIoNz94WqQD1vdauX6c-fiAkYVrln-YXdpDsEf9e-U=s648" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="421" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTtX5aDu5GuGXY-rDm-JZxnhiOnzV7QM1JBzbcq9CCP0RAY9Rc6L6gt5kwVYP81deOy1_5cVpyKVGxcOBp59oKrgOviq-4qhSsPmW7RoW1r-oEaYWFh4TrkFUpCKzO2UUPjsmvqcywD6IxyQtIoNz94WqQD1vdauX6c-fiAkYVrln-YXdpDsEf9e-U=w130-h200" width="130" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-4563897987987627892022-02-08T01:50:00.013-05:002022-02-16T23:59:24.768-05:00'GOODNIGHT, VIENNA' BY MARIUS GABRIEL<p> </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSz6soV9CRJfITAK8277kmytOaA3i6olf9vKY53Ol8PCgPitExpvCYGI1pd2eHj5kAEp1jvzuLG0cd8A3A8vFT085E0_JvDShO8aj5tJQsQBtDmDOP9YFNXAnjyQpV7RWwKQzOdT_MadppFeO14oggpngwgpr-oQMxbL-LSwOZEJMlg7fhiDU5KUWY/s475/goodnight.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSz6soV9CRJfITAK8277kmytOaA3i6olf9vKY53Ol8PCgPitExpvCYGI1pd2eHj5kAEp1jvzuLG0cd8A3A8vFT085E0_JvDShO8aj5tJQsQBtDmDOP9YFNXAnjyQpV7RWwKQzOdT_MadppFeO14oggpngwgpr-oQMxbL-LSwOZEJMlg7fhiDU5KUWY/w260-h400/goodnight.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Working on reviews for this blog is not always as cheery
as I’d like it to be. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Blame this primarily
on the arrival of COVID which has made free time almost impossible for health
care workers like I who, despite time restrictions, are still trying to make a go
of it </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">somehow </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">at their daily lives. So forgive me if my craftsmanship is not as polished as it should be. The passion is still there however, as you’ll probably see while reading this
next spotlighted review of GOODNIGHT, VIENNA (now available from Lake Union
Publishing) taken from my Goodreads account. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So here it goes.</span></div></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">"Engaging historical romance set in Austria during the
German invasion. As expected, this latest by prolific Marius Gabriel has a solid
narrative and characterization. I especially enjoyed the character of the
troubled child who in the hands of the governess/would-be doctor flourishes
into a lovely human being. Aside from the
topic of the imminent arrival of WW2, Gabriel’s focus on behavioral issues in children, supported by real-life historical figures like Freud and Asperger who appear
in the story, gives the novel an extra oomph to make the reading experience
all the more worthwhile. The romance between the protagonist and her employer feels
a bit hurried but the overall delivery is quite impressive. Definitely recommended,
especially to those seeking emotionally-driven efforts. Thanks to NetGalley and
the publisher for this ARC."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I still own many unread books by this author (excluding
his Madeleine Ker pseudonym) and I am thrilled about that. I can't wait to delve
into them. In the meantime I’ll do my very best to continue delivering reviews
of books, movies or miniseries, whatever strikes my fancy. And you know it strikes
often. And thanks for being there. It pleases me more than you know. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nMgO3iWjh79vw6-LJ-STpmXzG19dXHZZZKBj4G7_QKg-xUSJHDeMtJh0TYrsL7HJ9VFOgxjmiKZc9n6YAbxwqF0rcAI-NRjuhM6mpycQj9jyhYuJiMJle8IdK_EN_oTnSxOJrGHFZEtj_g1n7SqyN6siqp_FMV5Zn4VK0LsFjQ6mGC7IsFQso7uT/s475/goodnight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nMgO3iWjh79vw6-LJ-STpmXzG19dXHZZZKBj4G7_QKg-xUSJHDeMtJh0TYrsL7HJ9VFOgxjmiKZc9n6YAbxwqF0rcAI-NRjuhM6mpycQj9jyhYuJiMJle8IdK_EN_oTnSxOJrGHFZEtj_g1n7SqyN6siqp_FMV5Zn4VK0LsFjQ6mGC7IsFQso7uT/w130-h200/goodnight.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-65937070955839436712022-01-18T00:42:00.004-05:002022-02-08T01:51:01.208-05:00‘SOUL SISTERS’ BY LESLEY LOKKO<p> <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfJ-gf3NX1yp1KSecLyZ3gVNX523brsmQ4yJYkML28_qS1yMdFm3R0mZVmVUYA3d8DSC4IUHxmt3r7RZzf9ZxixM1ZigOquCutPDDKfyJ7wvA8hTZe_N2I4xSL4en5GznM2cmxrWeF_YL4Sv6RrfBe4wWHo7zFW3x7EgGZsxBP36S2FJ_vHZHqrqHf=s1165" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfJ-gf3NX1yp1KSecLyZ3gVNX523brsmQ4yJYkML28_qS1yMdFm3R0mZVmVUYA3d8DSC4IUHxmt3r7RZzf9ZxixM1ZigOquCutPDDKfyJ7wvA8hTZe_N2I4xSL4en5GznM2cmxrWeF_YL4Sv6RrfBe4wWHo7zFW3x7EgGZsxBP36S2FJ_vHZHqrqHf=w264-h400" width="264" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ve been aware of Lesley Lokko for quite some time
now. For more than a decade, I believe, ever since her first release SUNDOWNERS
came my way, during the resurgence of the bonkbusters. I should probably
highlight the novel on this blog since it certainly holds a place with the best
of them. But before I come to do that I’ll focus on her latest, </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">SOUL SISTERS</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, which is now available
from Macmillan. I had the honored chance of reading an ARC graciously offered by
NetGalley and the publishers and let me tell you I really, really enjoyed this
one, as I thought I would.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Spanning decades and continents, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SOUL SISTERS</b> focuses on two pre-teens, raised as sisters (for
reasons undisclosed to avoid spoilers) who, over the years, bond strongly
despite their outer and inner differences. Kimmy is South African, the strong-willed
daughter of jailed activist parents who eventually becomes a highly-sought after
doctor; while Jen, who is from Scotland where both girls live, is mind-set on developing
her talent as an artist despite her father’s reluctance and evident favoritism
over Kimmy’s choice. In fact, one of the novel’s high point is its ability to
show the after-effects of one’s decision over the other. Both protagonists have
a fair share of the spotlight, focusing mostly on their downward spirals as
they go about trying to stay afloat. The author wisely adds a third major
character, a male, to stir even more the plot: envy, jealousy, backstabbing,
using someone for political purposes... <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In fact, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SOULS
SISTERS</b> does center greatly around politics, more precisely on the history
of apartheid. I knew little of this so it was interesting to read more about
it. But rest assured, it does not hinder one bit the overall effectiveness of
this family saga. Solid writing and characterization, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SOUL SISTERS</b> should do very well for its author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEM5mCNPGRHD8pyUYS6_5UnfXREBZdeK0jrxaPISXH0UZxFpVqzDL5KI62R70XXIz5JkN4QqT0W2nNGZLhvwe_u7XXFwOpEKVFZ-wuXpyltOiGsVS3t5jSXXTF1JgXCmB4lju39KHmHm-q_yD-IJSerDqhm7JHvO6VgEV1U7v68zdvewymGEQCO4Sm=s1165" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="768" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEM5mCNPGRHD8pyUYS6_5UnfXREBZdeK0jrxaPISXH0UZxFpVqzDL5KI62R70XXIz5JkN4QqT0W2nNGZLhvwe_u7XXFwOpEKVFZ-wuXpyltOiGsVS3t5jSXXTF1JgXCmB4lju39KHmHm-q_yD-IJSerDqhm7JHvO6VgEV1U7v68zdvewymGEQCO4Sm=w132-h200" width="132" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-50809308659961393582021-12-20T02:00:00.003-05:002022-01-18T00:43:35.417-05:00‘FORTUNES’ BY VERA COWIE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoBrRD6kIC87Jjjm7hGfIYOWXSDCTandExCdBj4l2sdmKGMF_buzD_9gFAJjZodD0tvz8QTmr8Cao4R1ZhhtR_kk4FvgEHd5Oijqt8SNfnjSZplNFWFf2hItLBG7zObWPhMthYxKLBd1nGZaZ5HraJwlY6yiptWdZNinLmuH4WBXHMlG6Whbaxxxhg=s800" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoBrRD6kIC87Jjjm7hGfIYOWXSDCTandExCdBj4l2sdmKGMF_buzD_9gFAJjZodD0tvz8QTmr8Cao4R1ZhhtR_kk4FvgEHd5Oijqt8SNfnjSZplNFWFf2hItLBG7zObWPhMthYxKLBd1nGZaZ5HraJwlY6yiptWdZNinLmuH4WBXHMlG6Whbaxxxhg=w228-h400" width="228" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After finishing up the underwhelming GAMES by Vera
Cowie a few years ago it was a no-brainer for me that I should stay away from this
UK author. After all she just wasn’t my cup of tea. Well, never say never again
I guess, for I did end up giving her another shot. The book is called </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">FORTUNES</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">,</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"> </b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">a 1987 release from Onyx—her third and final outing in America. It
is a 500+ page novel set in the lucrative world of the auction house. And, yes,
I found this one better. Still flawed but better.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The plot focuses on two rival half-siblings vowing for
a spot as the head of an auction empire (Despard’s International) left by the deceased
father of one of the two (he abandoned woman and child to marry the love of his
life who already had a daughter from a previous marriage). Of course, both
women are as different as night and day. One is a manipulative vixen who will
stop at nothing to get ahead. The other is a plain duckling turned into a swan who
is a bit green but tries her best to stay afloat in business. In between stands a
sexy Cherokee lawyer who is married to the vixen but ends up being very
attracted to the swan. He is also the executor of the will which stipulates
that whoever accumulates the highest profits wins the whole shebang. Who will
end up on top? Well, mum’s the word, I say. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">What I can reveal, however, is that there is a lot
going on in this novel: fraud, attempted murder, arson, anything to trample on the
competition. The chemistry between the swan and the lawyer is not as palpable
as it should be but the narrative does its hardest to spice it up; as it does much
more adroitly when focusing on the two female competitors. In fact, I would have
loved a lot more confrontations between the two. They sort of reminded me of
Alexis and Krystle in Dynasty, which is always a good thing. Speaking of which,
there is also a queer character in this novel who I feel the author captured
very realistically, but, alas, he is brushed aside too quickly to focus more on
romance and double-crossing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">To say that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FORTUNES</b>
is the best read of the year would be an inaccuracy on my part. It does its job
well without rendering it a page turner. The bloated narrative may irk some but
if you are able to overlook this you’ll probably have a nice time too reading
this 80’s novel. I will definitely give Vera Cowie another try now that she has
redeemed herself with this effort. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguptHmmU4lHFgBi5486SpP80qjno_mXUfmlefMGCrwR6UDnPLd2wRuCm_lNW3l-qXbHXkh-pVFMOzVoyEEoXbEOfO2SvqFRdz16ZQSNPQlCcMzTKwBH4Q_G3YukI89u9-DoxBxdvQaTdf9P3lhesUS7vKYYqe4JRahLsrNeZFt69dQ-PDSJcgh-dx5=s500" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="302" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguptHmmU4lHFgBi5486SpP80qjno_mXUfmlefMGCrwR6UDnPLd2wRuCm_lNW3l-qXbHXkh-pVFMOzVoyEEoXbEOfO2SvqFRdz16ZQSNPQlCcMzTKwBH4Q_G3YukI89u9-DoxBxdvQaTdf9P3lhesUS7vKYYqe4JRahLsrNeZFt69dQ-PDSJcgh-dx5=w121-h200" width="121" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UK PB Edition</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /><o:p><br /></o:p></span><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-11664260476184196312021-11-28T12:32:00.005-05:002021-12-20T02:02:03.503-05:00‘A WINTER MEMORY’ BY LULU TAYLOR<p> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> <br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oeWuBqHVBZM/YaO8ZNmvv1I/AAAAAAAAEB4/d7BfiC0l_xgEVpKEIiGWLHYU4MW3hf1eQCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/wintermemory.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oeWuBqHVBZM/YaO8ZNmvv1I/AAAAAAAAEB4/d7BfiC0l_xgEVpKEIiGWLHYU4MW3hf1eQCLcBGAsYHQ/w264-h400/wintermemory.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ve been a fan of Lulu Taylor ever since OUTRAGEOUS
FORTUNE came out in 2012. I’ve read a couple of other things by her, which I
enjoyed just as much. But, color me clueless, I seemed to have forgotten to
blog about them. Not very cool on my part, I must say. Well, things are about
to change, for I intend on focusing more on this woman’s work, starting with
her latest, </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">A WINTER MEMORY</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> which
NetGalley and the Pan publishers graciously offered in exchanged for this unbiased
review.</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">A WINTER MEMORY </span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">is all about the character of Sylla and her
whereabouts. That’s more or less how the novel starts. Sylla has disappeared
god-knows-where and it’s up to her sister-in-law Helen, who has recently moved
with her husband into his family home, to discover what the heck happened to
her. This eventually brings to the forefront secrets and lies that will
eventually change the course of everyone’s lives. And in another time period there
is the story of Tigs who, as much as she tries to hold back her feelings, still
yearns for the man she believes that got away. As luck would have it, she
eventually ends up being right back into his life. Will the circumstances be
different this time around? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Well, let me say this, time passed by so quickly while
reading this first-person narrative story, I almost didn’t want it to end. Lulu
Taylor weaves a wonderful tale of love and loss and brings together different strong
story lines that will stay in my mind for a very long time. Beside a couple of
plot twists that I wasn’t expecting (which is always a good thing), the story
highlights a couple of characters that are well-developed but not necessarily always
likable (which is another good thing). The prose is tight, and the lavish
setting, mostly in and around Scotland, is breathtaking. All in all, the perfect book
to cozying up with during those long winter months. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">A WINTER MEMORY<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
is now available wherever books or eBooks are sold.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Until next post—Martin</span><b style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67Nu_LFDU2U/YaO9Dx_vLWI/AAAAAAAAECA/wF1Q8VRuLs8kQxf0N3l1W6bigCld8aEQACLcBGAsYHQ/s475/wintermemory.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67Nu_LFDU2U/YaO9Dx_vLWI/AAAAAAAAECA/wF1Q8VRuLs8kQxf0N3l1W6bigCld8aEQACLcBGAsYHQ/w132-h200/wintermemory.jpg" width="132" /></a></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-34040634124101093222021-10-30T01:29:00.001-04:002021-11-28T12:33:38.124-05:00BAD GIRLS CLUB: ANGIE DICKINSON IN ‘JESSICA’<p> </p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ikIrsf3jWHk/YXzUz7CMZFI/AAAAAAAAEAo/2A3LZjDZh8oEX61PP3pcPuu4_6uNt8vvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s380/Jessica_%2528film%2529_posyrtrt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="261" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ikIrsf3jWHk/YXzUz7CMZFI/AAAAAAAAEAo/2A3LZjDZh8oEX61PP3pcPuu4_6uNt8vvgCLcBGAsYHQ/w275-h400/Jessica_%2528film%2529_posyrtrt.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">I remember seeing Angie Dickinson for the very first
time on TVs POLICE WOMAN back when I was a little one. It played in re-runs
daily. I never caught an entire episode (crime dramas never were my cup of tea)
but I do recall telling myself how sexy this woman was. Fast forward to a
couple of years later and there she was again in the Jackie Collins’ HOLLYWOOD
WIVES miniseries on ABC. As you can imagine, that one I watched many times
over, so it’s probably safer to say I know her from that TV event more than anything
else. Since then I have caught her here and there in interviews, TV movies, even
in the Brian DePalma film DRESSED TO KILL (which I saw on opening day many many
years ago). She is a 90 year old recluse today.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-35cgJi4OZVo/YXzXDp4cTHI/AAAAAAAAEBU/ymKrnMrjdsMMcNIbsqodNUDUZQs-WCKCACLcBGAsYHQ/s864/jessica2.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="864" height="143" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-35cgJi4OZVo/YXzXDp4cTHI/AAAAAAAAEBU/ymKrnMrjdsMMcNIbsqodNUDUZQs-WCKCACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h143/jessica2.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">She certainly is a sight for sore eyes in 1962 </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">JESSICA</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, a light romantic comedy set in
Italy. In it she plays an American widowed midwife who unknowingly creates
havoc amongst the jealous women townsfolk, one of whom being TVs BEWITCHED
Agnes Moorehead. Indeed, they are so much green with envy that they end up forming
a plan to get rid of her by depriving their men of any sexual favors—no candy
no baby, so no midwife, get it? Of course it all goes awry. Some women resist,
some don’t. One ends up with a shiner, as does her husband. But the best part
is following sweet and angelic but oh-so sexy Jessica as she ultimately gets
some revenge time. You should see her going at it as she shows her curves while
skinny dipping or riding her Vestra motorbike across the Sicilian village (with
one of the women’s husband in tow at one time). My, the evil eye she gets... Maurice
Chevalier is also in this, playing the town priest, who sings a tune and tries
his best to match-up Jessica with the recluse handsome marchese Gabriele
Ferzetti. We all know that it will eventually happen but half the fun is watching
them get there.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MPOP_-5TomI/YXzWU6StfkI/AAAAAAAAEBM/4zR_nhJkrHY5Tci2mvhPxEiOuGdSER7QACLcBGAsYHQ/s861/jessicapic1.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="861" height="143" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MPOP_-5TomI/YXzWU6StfkI/AAAAAAAAEBM/4zR_nhJkrHY5Tci2mvhPxEiOuGdSER7QACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h143/jessicapic1.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Based on the novel </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">The
Midwife of Pont Clery</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> by Flora Sandstrom, </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">JESSICA</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> is not the greatest film adaptation (which, BTW, is
directed by Jean Negulesco who also gave us the classic THREE COINS IN THE
FOUNTAIN and the similar Ann-Margret vehicle THE PLEASURE SEEKERS). It does
tend to be too saccharinely-sweet despite the tawdry subject but Daniel F.
Flapp’s cinematography of the Forza d’Agrò town (used also for 1974 THE
GODFATHER) is quite impressive. And Miss Dickinson does try her best to make
her character come alive which she does from time to time, but mostly she turns
on the automatic pilot. All in all, </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">JESSICA</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
is mindless fun, a film that I would re-watch on a rainy Saturday afternoon
while I’m doing the dishes or rearranging my drawers.</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P3dj2y3XNxA" width="320" youtube-src-id="P3dj2y3XNxA"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/He3g3oUOgfE" width="320" youtube-src-id="He3g3oUOgfE"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-38114154156614602002021-09-29T00:33:00.002-04:002021-10-30T01:39:12.768-04:00‘A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING’ OR WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED, ELIZABETH GAGE?!—PART 2<p> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TuA9p7IWeZw/YVPjAW8V0RI/AAAAAAAAD_k/-W3gA3kNRc8NYjvZNNOLIb9yWN9xijKugCLcBGAsYHQ/s737/a%2Bgliompse%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TuA9p7IWeZw/YVPjAW8V0RI/AAAAAAAAD_k/-W3gA3kNRc8NYjvZNNOLIb9yWN9xijKugCLcBGAsYHQ/w260-h400/a%2Bgliompse%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I so much love </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
GLIMPSE OF STOCKING</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> by Elizabeth Gage that during the summer I made it my
mission to track down a 1</span><sup style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">edition hardcover. Not an easy task, as it
turns out, but one I wasn’t about to give up. I mean, how can I go on without
owning this gem in hardback, even if it ends up only gathering dust on my busy bookshelf?
To me, it’s a no-brainer. And I’m sure it is for a lot of you bookworms out
there. This novel is the epitome of perfect trash. From the well-rounded
characterization to the engaging intricate plot to the oh-so fine narrative, not
to mention the psychological appeal, I could read it over and over again. Oh
wait, that’s what I have been doing for the last 30 some years.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">This will be my fourth time this year.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why again, you may ask? Simple, this book
always ends up being my go to when compared to other reads. So why not have
another go at it? It has even bumped HOLLYWOOD WIVES by Jackie Collins off the
top scale. Oh, make no worry, I still find Collins to be the best (how couldn’t
I if based on her entire body of work) but Gage’s first published novel just
does it for me like no other novels can.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The first time I ordered the book in hardcover I received—gasp!—a
Book Club Edition, even though I was promised a 1<sup>st</sup> edition. I had
to insist on a refund which I ultimately got, but for a minute there it looked
like I was going to be stuck with this edition until I bought another one. Of
course I was ready to order again from a different vendor but I was wary of the
possible outcome. What if a BCE was again sent my way? But surprise, surprise,
I finally received what I had desperately hoped for and I couldn’t be happier: a
1<sup>st</sup> edition in a very good condition. It now stands next to
INTIMATE, another Gage title I own in HC—another first edition as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">My fervent wish had always been that Elizabeth Gage
would come out of the woodwork and write another blockbuster. Imagine how
excited some of us would be just to see another release with her name on it. I
think I would tear up. I kid you not. But as much as I would love it to happen,
I know now it never will. I have since found out that the author has died
in 2002 at the age of 54. Her real name was
Susan (Rusch) Libertson and according to my research, which I partly screen-grabbed below, she supposedly co-wrote her
amazing novels with her then-husband Joseph Libertson. He has since written
some suspense thrillers under the name Joseph Glass. I do own one called EYES.
I may review it one of these days. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLJ1_QyvzoM/YVPnyPwamuI/AAAAAAAAEAE/bVzAoHn6eCYNh8aVGktvBNbd4sZw-lLMQCLcBGAsYHQ/s683/egage.GIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="683" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLJ1_QyvzoM/YVPnyPwamuI/AAAAAAAAEAE/bVzAoHn6eCYNh8aVGktvBNbd4sZw-lLMQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h205/egage.GIF" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">Will Joseph Libertson tackle a Gage novel on his own? I doubt it. As you can see, he has moved on since then (especially after the Simon & Schuster past debacle over the release of the Gage books, which I judiciously discussed right <a href="http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.com/2011/07/what-heck-happened-elizabeth-gage.html" target="_blank">here</a>), and with good reasons. It just wouldn’t be the same without his partner in crime. So, after this planned re-read of mine I think it will be time for me to turn over a new leaf and focus on something else. There are too many books that I have yet to discuss here. This is my third </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"> entry on this blog and it will be my last. I have said everything I wanted to say about it and its author (s). May she rest in peace.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HyAZNfqwgQY/YVPjkjBBqEI/AAAAAAAAD_s/-XHKLSoKgFkeMNztMqSgoXK3-GJltcnRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s737/a%2Bgliompse%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HyAZNfqwgQY/YVPjkjBBqEI/AAAAAAAAD_s/-XHKLSoKgFkeMNztMqSgoXK3-GJltcnRQCLcBGAsYHQ/w130-h200/a%2Bgliompse%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-64997026094040122812021-08-25T03:18:00.001-04:002021-09-29T00:35:54.505-04:00GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f-cXDiQHtFg/YSXaq4IrTuI/AAAAAAAAD9c/LNFpXslmFrI357b0PVxE3SFs9qu2H6IHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1733/gone%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f-cXDiQHtFg/YSXaq4IrTuI/AAAAAAAAD9c/LNFpXslmFrI357b0PVxE3SFs9qu2H6IHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1733/gone%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1733" data-original-width="1134" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f-cXDiQHtFg/YSXaq4IrTuI/AAAAAAAAD9c/LNFpXslmFrI357b0PVxE3SFs9qu2H6IHgCLcBGAsYHQ/w262-h400/gone%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="262" /></a>You know when Scarlett O’Hara furiously swears
she’ll never be hungry again in the final scene of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GONE WITH THE WIND</b> before the intermission? Well, the 12 year old kid
that I was thought that this was the end of the film and walked out of the
theater. It took me years to realize I had only seen half of it. When I did
catch on to my mistake, my reaction was, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">meh</i>,
why bother with the rest? Fast foward to four decades, and what do you know, I have finally seen this classic
in its entirety, and let me tell you it sure was worth the wait.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qr_lQ4t8RTM/YSXflFBVCUI/AAAAAAAAD9w/UDyA-oBHU0oN6qFUOQo1a1Dzai0fAJVYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1231/gwtw1.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1231" height="104" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qr_lQ4t8RTM/YSXflFBVCUI/AAAAAAAAD9w/UDyA-oBHU0oN6qFUOQo1a1Dzai0fAJVYQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h104/gwtw1.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt;">I’ve never been that keen on historical dramas whether
on screen or on paper. So perhaps the kid in me that day caught it early on and
got out of that movie theater as quickly as he could. Not that the film was a
total bore. I remember liking it enough. But after two hours of North and South
bashing, slave slapping, and that damn American Civil War ultimately taking
over everything else, I wanted to stick with lighter fares, like VALLEY OF THE
DOLLS or THE LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE (which I promise to spotlight one of these
days).</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxILr5TAeWc/YSXgtcK-b2I/AAAAAAAAD-g/hIhkAxQM3OUm5cD4kmuftZ2nrHJ31BZQACLcBGAsYHQ/s1229/gwtw4.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="1229" height="104" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxILr5TAeWc/YSXgtcK-b2I/AAAAAAAAD-g/hIhkAxQM3OUm5cD4kmuftZ2nrHJ31BZQACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h104/gwtw4.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One evening after dinner recently I found myself locking eyes with the film. It had already started. Perhaps an hour and a half,
more or less, had passed but I still found myself intrigued and soon realized I
wanted to finish what I had started that many years ago. I had never read the
novel, though I do own it (bought an old English paperback edition in Paris). I
always imagined that I would eventually invest my time in it. Now I am positive
that I will, for what I came to see on my flat screen TV gave me reason enough
to pick the novel up and dig right in.</span></div></span></div></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jng-AYocZXk/YSXtFMlWFwI/AAAAAAAAD-o/4J9YtyVGMqM6CO1QYFt0dNBpyWt3zciiACLcBGAsYHQ/s1227/gwtw5.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1227" height="104" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jng-AYocZXk/YSXtFMlWFwI/AAAAAAAAD-o/4J9YtyVGMqM6CO1QYFt0dNBpyWt3zciiACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h104/gwtw5.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt;">I won’t go over the film too much (what else could I
say that has not already been </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt;">said before) but I will declare that I came out
of it surprised, enthralled, touched, but most importantly in awe of the whole
thing. Clearly, this big melodramatic event deserves all the stops, only for
the chance to see the actors, the costumes, the scenery, the cinematography, the
special FX, the whole enchilada. Yes, you will be caught up in the goings-on of
that snobby little know-it-all who succeeds in making you like her despite her
many faults. You’ll even come to understand her plight when Rhett Butler walks
out on her on that faithful day. I know I did.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ehJJTPg8rAY/YSXtm2FMfsI/AAAAAAAAD-0/OS3Lw_09ZvEVEAkJObO1oHl3VEEORpPyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1231/gwtw9.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1231" height="104" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ehJJTPg8rAY/YSXtm2FMfsI/AAAAAAAAD-0/OS3Lw_09ZvEVEAkJObO1oHl3VEEORpPyQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h104/gwtw9.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Now I really want to see the TV miniseries SCARLETT
based on the continuing story by novelist Alexandra Ripley. I’ll probably read
it first. So don’t expect a review real soon. Remember, I need to go over the
Mitchell book first and that one is also a door stopper. But if you’re really,
really patient I’ll eventually get to it, just like I did with this featured movie.
I just hope it won’t take me another 40 years to do so.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Until next post—Martin</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fahpOvuw7sM" width="320" youtube-src-id="fahpOvuw7sM"></iframe></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-33511067918890243902021-07-21T02:20:00.004-04:002022-10-01T02:29:48.721-04:00THE PEOPLE OF 'THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN’, THE NOVEL<p><br /></p><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--hguOgltaj8/YPe5CFm7CJI/AAAAAAAAD8c/_7e1OQ8O8RMXfKAJwtyhUkL7oa5OaTzEACLcBGAsYHQ/s788/theworldsignet.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="470" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--hguOgltaj8/YPe5CFm7CJI/AAAAAAAAD8c/_7e1OQ8O8RMXfKAJwtyhUkL7oa5OaTzEACLcBGAsYHQ/w190-h320/theworldsignet.jpg" width="190" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A few weeks ago, after DNFing many books I thought
would bring me joy, I decided to go back to the basics and reread my favorite
authors, starting with Jackie Collins. I remember a time when I couldn’t get
enough of her. I always seemed to have my nose in one of her books to the point
of dreading the day that I would have to wait for a new release. I cured that
itch by slowing down on my reading. Even now, after her passing in 2015, I
still have some titles from hers just waiting to be cracked open. So anyway, without
further ado, let’s focus on her debut novel </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Signet, 1969).</span></span></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z54oyjbb_C8/YPe1F74dEuI/AAAAAAAAD78/BJDRaRgh3iMZ3f2BtDxNH_iv5R3gvNfuACLcBGAsYHQ/s443/the%2Bworld7%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z54oyjbb_C8/YPe1F74dEuI/AAAAAAAAD78/BJDRaRgh3iMZ3f2BtDxNH_iv5R3gvNfuACLcBGAsYHQ/w119-h200/the%2Bworld7%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="119" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Set in London in the swinging ‘60s, the story focuses
on three main characters: the cheating husband, the wife and the mistress. Two
are </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">antagonists. Can you guess which
one? I bet you can. Yet, Collins manages to make them all sympathetic despite
their many flaws. Take the character of Claudia, for example, the bitchy
self-possessed mistress. The author clearly does not want you to root for her. Despite
of that, it’s really hard not to, especially when you get the feeling that you
know exactly where she’s coming from (dysfunctional family, insecure little
girl, the discovery of sex at a young age...). Like many girls her age, you
know that she’ll be fine. She’ll even make it as an actress, her fervent wish.
It’ll only take more casting couches to get there. And besides, isn’t that why
David came into the picture in the first place?</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cOjQGE40MGs/YPe1s8RlQ_I/AAAAAAAAD8E/SiRE8cl8ZKk_i4BWvT0aVHAvcDjHrpVGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s350/the%2Bworld%2Bstar.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="218" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cOjQGE40MGs/YPe1s8RlQ_I/AAAAAAAAD8E/SiRE8cl8ZKk_i4BWvT0aVHAvcDjHrpVGQCLcBGAsYHQ/w124-h200/the%2Bworld%2Bstar.jpg" width="124" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">David, the other antagonist, is a successful
advertising executive who desperately needs excitement in his life. And what
better way to get it than having a wild fling with the most beautiful girl
passing at his firm, because truthfully, his wife barely does it for him
anymore. She may still be pretty, faithful, understanding and all that shit but
the sparks are definitely gone. If only his mistress Claudia was a little less </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">cray-cray </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">he’d convince her to marry him.
Oh, make no mistake, this guy loves the recklessness in her, especially in
between the sheets, but he sometimes wishes he could tame her, like he does pretty
much with his wife. No can do, it seems, which leads him into all kind of embarrassing
situations. But he won’t give her up, not yet. Not until he feels that the
relationship has really run its course. Then who knows who will be next? Now,
where the heck is his secretary?</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CEL-Upxwj7w/YPe2RLFKrwI/AAAAAAAAD8M/S9egY4GHhOQpPEZ1gE35yJZzBKqXonhEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/the%2Bworld6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CEL-Upxwj7w/YPe2RLFKrwI/AAAAAAAAD8M/S9egY4GHhOQpPEZ1gE35yJZzBKqXonhEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w124-h200/the%2Bworld6.jpg" width="124" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Which brings us to the most important character in the
novel, Linda, the wife who’s being </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">cheated on. Sure, she knows something is up.
She is not stupid. David has not been the same lately. He’s never home anymore.
Plus, he’s barely touched her in months. Had the children been grown she would have
started thinking of leaving him. For now, well, she just can’t. Or so she
thinks, for a chance meeting in a sit-in protest in downtown London will change
the course of her monotonous life. And that my friends is the exact moment of
the Jackie Collins </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">girls can do anything</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
motto, because, yes, Linda will eventually emancipate herself from her present
life. She will discover that, like her cheating husband, she can do whatever the
fuck she wants. It will start with a fling, then move on to a more serious
relationship which, however, will not be as evident from the get go. But I’ll
let you find out the rest for yourself.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ScwQ8GAB98/YPe6x8IAE8I/AAAAAAAAD8k/ZM6sql9av7gigVL50yt0HH8L4Dae0H6nwCLcBGAsYHQ/s448/the%2Bworld%2B5%2Bpocket.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="268" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ScwQ8GAB98/YPe6x8IAE8I/AAAAAAAAD8k/ZM6sql9av7gigVL50yt0HH8L4Dae0H6nwCLcBGAsYHQ/w119-h200/the%2Bworld%2B5%2Bpocket.jpg" width="119" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">THE WOR</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">LD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, like all of Collins later work,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">is a feminist novel. Empowering women is her thing, and thank
heavens for that, for I would not have it any other way. It’s what makes her
novels so compelling. But let’s get something straight before I finish. Not all
men are pigs in her novels. Some of them are actually pretty decent. You just
got to pair them with the required antagonists—male or female, I must add. Then
the story truly sparkles—and boy! does </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> glow... Pick it up and see for yourself.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PRjLpMdH3hM/YPe7P6s7lqI/AAAAAAAAD8w/cKqHp2rnhn8cCMdeoq_7QT7p_o0VEI6nACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/the%2Bworld3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1364" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PRjLpMdH3hM/YPe7P6s7lqI/AAAAAAAAD8w/cKqHp2rnhn8cCMdeoq_7QT7p_o0VEI6nACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/the%2Bworld3.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our queen on the cover of the 1968 HC</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-92200989102622527482021-05-30T18:18:00.001-04:002021-07-21T13:22:06.639-04:00‘WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY’ BY LAUREN WEISBERGER<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LBPaMity-e4/YLQM1-mqfpI/AAAAAAAAD5s/E2ikCVBN-nghKeE3wpg10fairBTf7fuuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1520/where%2Bthe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LBPaMity-e4/YLQM1-mqfpI/AAAAAAAAD5s/E2ikCVBN-nghKeE3wpg10fairBTf7fuuQCLcBGAsYHQ/w264-h400/where%2Bthe.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>I must confess that I’m mad for Lauren Weisberger. Everything she writes makes me smile—from her all-time classic THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA to its endearing sequels, not to mention her non- Prada outings (especially 2006 EVERYONE WORTH KNOWING which I really need to discuss soon). Nothing she gets out passes me by and her latest, <b>WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY </b>(now out from Random House Publishing Group), is no different. As the others, I devoured this one in no time. The story is set in the world of morning shows. Well some of it is, the rest focuses on suburbia and its many ups and downs, especially when it involves the sister of the famed protagonist, who is caught in a scandal. I won’t go too far, but let’s just say that the author borrowed somewhat from a true to life event that has made headlines all over the world not too long ago (think Lori Loughlin, et al.). </div></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Indeed, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">WHERE
THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">relies</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">on that scandal but it’s the after the fact situations that really
sells the novel. I couldn’t wait to find
out the outcome for these strong-willed but flawed women. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> is fast-paced, narratively
stimulating, and a joy from start to finish. Sure, I had a pretty good idea of
where it was all going, but it barely mattered, for the main characters were
sympathetic enough for me to enjoy the ride despite the obvious. So, of course,
I give this novel the highest praise and I look forward to Lauren Weisberger’s
next addictive offering which will probably see the light of day in a couple of
years—if based on the cycle of release from her backlist. But hey, take your
time, talented lady. You know we’ll be waiting.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this
ARC.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3DhZaOp12X8/YLQOXiAQGOI/AAAAAAAAD58/YhAsDxL7oQcqRM2DoRJ8H3veFrkUaIqmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s499/where%2Bthe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3DhZaOp12X8/YLQOXiAQGOI/AAAAAAAAD58/YhAsDxL7oQcqRM2DoRJ8H3veFrkUaIqmQCLcBGAsYHQ/w131-h200/where%2Bthe2.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">August 2021 UK Edition</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> <br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-17578865834000938852021-05-13T15:11:00.006-04:002021-05-30T18:19:00.780-04:00 ‘THE SECRET PATH’ BY KAREN SWAN
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SgZQDUQ3eQU/YJ15JHboVMI/AAAAAAAAD34/w3CI3oIiKd8SFifbWd9v4LggOnLQZLiWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s550/secret%2Bpath.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="360" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SgZQDUQ3eQU/YJ15JHboVMI/AAAAAAAAD34/w3CI3oIiKd8SFifbWd9v4LggOnLQZLiWQCLcBGAsYHQ/w261-h400/secret%2Bpath.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>When I’m not writing those wonderful reviews of mine I
work in a hospital. I have been at it for quite some time now: thirty plus
years. And when I’m not working, I read a lot. That is, I used to read a lot.
Because all my time is now spent taking care of sick people, thanks mostly to
that damned global pandemic of ours. Anyway, to make a long story short, I
barely read nowadays and when I do I invest on authors that I love. Case in
point: Karen Swan.</span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I have been following her career for quite some time.
Though I have yet to read her entire back list, I always enjoy her stories of
beautiful people and the gorgeous locations she puts them in. Her latest, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SECRET PATH </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(Paperbacks available </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">now </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">in Canada from Macmillan)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, follows that same recipe to a T, but contrary to her
other novels, it has failed to capture me totally. No fault to her, I must say.
It’s just that I prefer not to read about anything involving medicine and such.
Yes, I should have glanced at the synopsis before requesting the novel on NetGalley.
Color me crazy, but I just prefer avoiding reading any summery when it involves a
fave author of mine. So forgive me Ms. Swan if I’m not that keen over your
latest. I’m sure you understand where I’m coming from and I’m also sure that
other readers will enjoy it better than I did. But I promise to be back when
the itch beckons again which will probably happen in the next months or so
since I have the holiday novel with your name on it to look forward to.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In the meantime here’s the synopsis I did ignore for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE SECRET PATH</b>: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">‘</span><span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-CA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: #20124d;"><span style="color: white;">I</span></span><span style="background-color: #20124d; color: white;">n Costa Rica, amid startling white beaches and
hot, dense rainforests, the luxurious world of the super-rich butts up against
something darker, something sinister. . .</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: #20124d; color: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Tara Tremain has worked hard to leave the
controlling grasp of her extremely affluent family far behind. With her own
career in medicine, she doesn’t need the Tremains’ expectations weighing her
down any more. But pulled back into the family’s orbit one last time for an
unmissable party in the jungles of Costa Rica, she finds herself flung into
action: a local boy is desperately ill and she must trek for days into the
jungle to save his life.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">What Tara could never have predicted is that the
one person who can help her in this impossible journey is Alex Carter, the man
who destroyed her life ten years ago . . .’<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-CA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #3d85c6; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; background: rgb(61, 133, 198); font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p style="background-color: #20124d;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p style="background-color: #20124d;"> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="background-color: #0c343d; color: #cccccc;">Until next post—Martin</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xKdx1zMREsQ/YJ15mRBHQBI/AAAAAAAAD4A/OcQsWVPygHY9e6Lr6stEkZxsJGyqIcGCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s550/secret%2Bpath.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xKdx1zMREsQ/YJ15mRBHQBI/AAAAAAAAD4A/OcQsWVPygHY9e6Lr6stEkZxsJGyqIcGCwCLcBGAsYHQ/w131-h200/secret%2Bpath.jpg" width="131" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-32422050274149936082021-03-16T21:26:00.000-04:002023-05-21T11:23:37.096-04:00BAD GIRLS CLUB: EVE PLUMB IN ‘DAWN: PORTRAIT OF A TEENAGE RUNAWAY’<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PUsqrVMfmOU/YFFUeiNl8AI/AAAAAAAAD14/AFDvINnjpHIG-R8PVYFsP8KcPslNiPNjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1196/dawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="1196" height="111" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PUsqrVMfmOU/YFFUeiNl8AI/AAAAAAAAD14/AFDvINnjpHIG-R8PVYFsP8KcPslNiPNjgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h111/dawn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">By the time I discovered </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">The Brady Bunch</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, the all-too-sweet comedy TV series featuring a
widow with three girls who marries a widower with three boys it had already
been cancelled. It was a few years after 1974 and I remember how I used to
hurry home from school to catch the latest episode in rerun which aired weekdays
at 4 in Canada right after reruns of </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">One
Day At A Time</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> (a contender for a future blog entry, for sure). Of course I found
the series to be so moralistic and silly but all I wanted was to connect with
something that was the opposite of my miserable life (an alcoholic dad, a mean
mom, a delinquent brother, a bullied school environment). And if I needed, say,
Mike and Carol Brady and their squeakily clean kids to help me achieve this,
then so be it.</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n44d4wAfiyE/YFFVG_d1leI/AAAAAAAAD2A/1dVT0M4hcUktzC3wzofyk21gawGN6gJnQCLcBGAsYHQ/s919/dawn2.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="919" height="138" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n44d4wAfiyE/YFFVG_d1leI/AAAAAAAAD2A/1dVT0M4hcUktzC3wzofyk21gawGN6gJnQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h138/dawn2.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">When all America was going gaga for Marcia, Marcia,
Marcia! I, on the other hand, had a soft </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">spot for middle-child Jan. She had a
thing about her that made me relate to her even more. It was probably the fact
that she kept playing second fiddle to everyone, a bit like I felt all the time.
Anyway, to make a long story short if I could have had one curl on each side of
my face like she did (for a while anyway) I probably would have done so in a
jiff. With my luck I would have looked more like a Rabi—a gay-bashed Rabi (!),
mind you—but I sure would have felt even closer to that character.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-idjwJ6KmK9Q/YFFWW8zw5EI/AAAAAAAAD2U/qb-I8cNr98I6ek_NcHavfmXyNO3FV3mFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s918/dawn5.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="918" height="139" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-idjwJ6KmK9Q/YFFWW8zw5EI/AAAAAAAAD2U/qb-I8cNr98I6ek_NcHavfmXyNO3FV3mFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h139/dawn5.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">So imagine my happiness when I happened to discover
sweet insecure little Jan in a late night </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">TV-movie a few months later. In it
she played a hooker—yes a hooker</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">. </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">It
was called </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">DAWN: PORTRAIT OF A TEENAGE
RUNAWAY </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">(1976) and it told the tale of a 15 year-old who flees from her
troubled home (like mine?) to end up on Hollywood boulevard where she meets sweet
Alexander (played by Leigh McCloskey from TVs DALLAS) who unwillingly introduces
her to prostitution. Alexander is also a fellow runaway who sells his body but
(here’s the big kicker, especially in those days) to lonely or not-so-lonely middle
aged men. Witnessing this part (though it is mostly if not totally suggested) was
a first for me, since homosexuality was barely visible on TV during those days.
Though it was viewed as a bad thing,</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">the
lost little guy in me was pretty satisfied being able to peek at a world far
from his own yet still close enough to resonate with him.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4CPfdqZim0k/YFFWzoMEPFI/AAAAAAAAD2g/Lf4-J4EVy1sfC3nWi1cAJp6LNTxYDwFUACLcBGAsYHQ/s924/dawn6.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="924" height="137" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4CPfdqZim0k/YFFWzoMEPFI/AAAAAAAAD2g/Lf4-J4EVy1sfC3nWi1cAJp6LNTxYDwFUACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h137/dawn6.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">When Dawn eventually breaks ties with prostitution
(way to go, Jan!) it is mostly with the help </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">of Alexander—with whom she has
fallen in love. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">She finally agrees to go
back home after he promises to come back for her when he’s saved enough money,
thus both moving on to ALEXANDER: THE OTHER SIDE OF DAWN, the TV-movie sequel,
which aired a year later after the success of </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">DAWN: PORTRAIT OF A TEENAGE RUNAWAY </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">on NBC.</span></div><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9tkiphvBuWg/YFFYhsehFAI/AAAAAAAAD3I/DPi7KpP6HZY_IeKqlW9_erw-GGuq4PGvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s915/dawn1.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="915" height="138" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9tkiphvBuWg/YFFYhsehFAI/AAAAAAAAD3I/DPi7KpP6HZY_IeKqlW9_erw-GGuq4PGvQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h138/dawn1.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I saw both movies back to back that summer night in
the late ‘70s. I wanted the story to continue on as a weekly series which, come
to think of it, would have been entirely impossible on account of the heavy subject
matter of the time. Yet I connected with these two characters and I spent the remaining
year looking out for other TV plots resembling the Dawn and Alexander duo movies
or something in the same vein. I found many like LITTLE LADIES OF THE NIGHT
(1977), DIARY OF A TEENAGE HITCHHIKER (1979) BILLY: PORTRAIT OF A STREET KID
(1975), I WANT TO KEEP MY BABY (1976), BORN INNOCENT (1974), CAGED WITHOUT A
KEY (1975), SARAH T. - PORTRAIT OF A TEENAGE ALCOHOLIC (1975), THAT CERTAIN
SUMMER (1972), NIGHTMARE IN BADHAM COUNTY (1976) which I already reviewed here.
Most of these made-for-TV efforts sound like bad After School Specials but you’d
be surprise at how effective some of them actually are. But that’s for another couple
of blog entries. So stay tuned.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Until next post—Martin</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IFBveY_ILoE/YFFadm-aTrI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/AdOMcbJKiyU5Ke1HAR5P56ZnQfbjWZXxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s612/Dawn%252BTeen%252BRun%252BTV%252BAd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IFBveY_ILoE/YFFadm-aTrI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/AdOMcbJKiyU5Ke1HAR5P56ZnQfbjWZXxwCLcBGAsYHQ/w147-h200/Dawn%252BTeen%252BRun%252BTV%252BAd.jpg" width="147" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-85915340422873998012021-02-16T01:47:00.001-05:002021-03-16T21:29:17.030-04:00‘RUTHLESS WOMEN’ BY MELANIE BLAKE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bz-RqarCDW0/YCtnYblFCdI/AAAAAAAAD04/OPCE9yI47EMkuR15o7vjIIJyX1RNFs6vQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/ruthless.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="254" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bz-RqarCDW0/YCtnYblFCdI/AAAAAAAAD04/OPCE9yI47EMkuR15o7vjIIJyX1RNFs6vQCLcBGAsYHQ/w254-h400/ruthless.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Feminist-prone<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> RUTHLESS
WOMEN </b>(2021, Head of Zeus) by British author Melanie Blake offers a yummy
premise: to save a long-running world-wide syndicated soap opera from being
cancelled the Beautiful People behind <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Falcon
Bay</i> resolve into broadcasting a live episode which will celebrate its 40<sup>th</sup>
anniversary by introducing a female antagonist à la Alexis from TVs Dynasty.
But there’s more. Prior to the live broadcast, a reality TV special will air,
featuring actresses vying for the pivotal role before the winner gets chosen by
the TV audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re taking notes,
Andy Cohen? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Suffice to say, this is a fun book, and a hot one at
that. There’s a bunch of great characters in it, all more wicked than the other.
‘Cause besides those reality TV contenders, the novel also highlights a slew of
other wonderful strong-willed women: a leading lady, a producer, a
writer-director, a super-agent, a casting director—all over 50 and still trying
to break down the boys’ club doors. You’ll definitely want to get to know them
and see some justice done. As expected, the novel has a Jackie Collins vibe to
it but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUTHLESS WOMEN</b> is more than
just a Collins knockout. Aside from the sex, the behind-the-scene shenanigans and
the fast-moving narrative, the novel winds up owning its own style. If I had to
be a little bit fussy I would say that some situations have got to be taken
with a grain of salt at times (the hotel room cocaine bust, for instance) but otherwise
this is one great addictive trashy read.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">This is Melanie Blake’s sophomore novel after 2019 THE
THUNDER GIRLS. If you enjoyed that one I think you’ll dig even more <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUTHLESS WOMEN</b>. I certainly did. I look
forward to reading the sequel. Last that I heard Ms. Blake is hard at work on
it. This time the novel will focus on the men side as they take their own
revenge on the women that have ‘wronged’ them. One word: yummy. In the meantime
do pick up <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RUTHLESS WOMEN</b>, will ya? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this
captivating ARC.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C_u4Tvt9HM8/YCtoTphLlCI/AAAAAAAAD1E/J8mLtQ2SShgpQj5K-HrSBYwIYnNfY1beACLcBGAsYHQ/s500/ruthlesswomen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C_u4Tvt9HM8/YCtoTphLlCI/AAAAAAAAD1E/J8mLtQ2SShgpQj5K-HrSBYwIYnNfY1beACLcBGAsYHQ/w127-h200/ruthlesswomen.jpg" width="127" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-39081452237046847362021-01-11T22:09:00.001-05:002021-02-16T01:50:40.404-05:00BAD GIRLS CLUB: PIA ZADORA IN ‘FAKE-OUT’<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ngsuwLEKgjc/X_0MkyTY9cI/AAAAAAAADzo/3FuYGxLXOSwEeo0DqneRytKuECpT_UTegCLcBGAsYHQ/w268-h400/fake-out.jpg" width="268" /></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After watching the delectable THE LONELY LADY in the
mid-‘80s on VHS I made the solemn vow to catch anything that starred Pia Zadora.
It scarcely mattered if it was a film, an album, an invitation to some talk
show. As long as there was her name on it I was a happy trooper. That’s how I
came to rent 1982 </span><b style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">FAKE-OUT </b><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">a year
later. I remember being very excited at the prospect of finally seeing her in
something else. BUTTERFLY was still on my bucket list so I was really looking
forward to enjoying this one. Did I? Well, read on, my little cyber friends,
read on.</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVKiLlmRyYI/X_0PunNAPLI/AAAAAAAADz8/rM_E_Jbl3BQbcN0_jRHdOSNo6wbBFOBSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1232/fakeout9%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="1232" height="104" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dVKiLlmRyYI/X_0PunNAPLI/AAAAAAAADz8/rM_E_Jbl3BQbcN0_jRHdOSNo6wbBFOBSgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h104/fakeout9%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The best thing about </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">FAKE-OUT</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (aka NEVADA HEAT)—besides having the lovely Pia sing the
opening Last Vegas number (‘Those Eyes’) in freeze-frame shots while clad in a
Bob Mackie original—is the first 17 minutes when she ends up being thrown in the
slammer after refusing to testify against her mobster boyfriend. There the
viewer gets to see Pia take a shower; grind her leotard-clad booty while conducting
an inmate aerobic class; get tough love via a girl on girl (suggested only) gang
bang action. Can we say CHAINED HEAT part deux? Not so, sadly, for what follows
is all happening outside the slammer where screwball comedy is king and playing
cat and mouse is a prerequisite.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></span></p><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fqUn2JsDyuA/X_0Q9lxsFoI/AAAAAAAAD0I/LOTnQONxAHASrKg8ecS7lI3fzUq6fA6WACLcBGAsYHQ/s1230/fakeout6%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1230" height="104" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fqUn2JsDyuA/X_0Q9lxsFoI/AAAAAAAAD0I/LOTnQONxAHASrKg8ecS7lI3fzUq6fA6WACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h104/fakeout6%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></span>Indeed, Pia’s character ends up buying her way out of
prison and spending part of the movie trying to sneak out of the casino hotel
room where custody cops Telly Savalas and Desi Arnaz Jr. keep her while she
waits to see the DA. Of course she’ll fail miserably while developing an
attraction to Arnaz who ends up taking her away in a luxury yacht where they
fall in love and ultimately get shot at before the final credits roll. The
movie is about 90 minute long but boy does it seem endless. Wooden characters, cringed-worthy
situations, clichés abound, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FAKE-OUT</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
feels more like a collection of silly vignettes than an actual movie. Pia tries
her best but once out of jail nothing really makes her shine. Still, we get to
see her a lot, with or without her lack of chemistry with love interest Desi
Arnaz Jr. Oh and Savalas gets to play a Kojak-like type once again minus the
lollipop. Suffice to say his on-screen presence barely helps matters, but since
he was still a pseudo-hot commodity back then, what do I know? All in all, a
very disjointed film that started promising but quickly crashed and burned due
mainly to everything falling flat. Where’s Nomi Malone when we need her.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-akilY-mtMkc/X_0RPv3s_DI/AAAAAAAAD0Q/pZFudb32Mz0Fb6pmVABVvI5hp3RU1dY0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1231/fakeout8.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1231" height="104" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-akilY-mtMkc/X_0RPv3s_DI/AAAAAAAAD0Q/pZFudb32Mz0Fb6pmVABVvI5hp3RU1dY0QCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h104/fakeout8.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">C0-written, produced, and directed by Matt Climber who
gave us the much better BUTTERFLY—Pia’s first major role—the year prior, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FAKE-OUT</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> is the remake of LADY COCOA
(1975) by the same director. It stars Vegas sensation Lola Falana. Supposedly
it is not so good either. I will still catch it one day and let you know all
about it. In the meantime go watch or re-watch THE LONELY LADY or BUTTERFLY
instead. You’ll have a better time. Trust me. Unless you’re a Pia Zadora super
fan, then, by all means indulge yourself. But you have been warned.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Until next post—Martin</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8h30RlY5Y1w" width="320" youtube-src-id="8h30RlY5Y1w"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-86425614079773465512020-11-03T02:28:00.001-05:002021-01-11T22:16:48.660-05:00‘TOGETHER BY CHRISTMAS’ BY KAREN SWAN<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2NdjCyj4A6Y/X6EB2M4cD6I/AAAAAAAADyw/i0U5hpejfVQXWyBJ3vxmZBafCm6p56cygCLcBGAsYHQ/s536/together.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="350" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2NdjCyj4A6Y/X6EB2M4cD6I/AAAAAAAADyw/i0U5hpejfVQXWyBJ3vxmZBafCm6p56cygCLcBGAsYHQ/w261-h400/together.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The thing I like most about prolific Karen Swan is her
ability to write intriguing protagonists in different settings. Take her latest
heroine, Lee, in the captivating <b>TOGETHER
BY CHRISTMAS</b> by Pan McMillan. She is a Pulitzer prize-winning war correspondent
photographer now living in Amsterdam with her son Jasper. I’ve never visited
Amsterdam. Now it’s as if I’m there. Five years have gone by since Lee’s
grueling assignment in ravaged Syria (haven’t been there either but I think I’ll
pass) which gave her PTSD, though she does her best to hide it. Besides
taking care of her kid, preparing for her latest showing of her sought-after pictures
and sleeping with some of her male subjects when she happens to shoot them for a
popular magazine, nothing really sets her motor going, until she finds a book
in the basket of her bicycle with a note inside that will eventually change the
course of her life.</span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I actually managed to read this wonderful novel
despite being in the middle of a move. All my books are already packed, so
hurray for my Kindle and Karen Swan. I love how the story just grabs you and stays
intriguing all the way through. I really connected with the heroine and I so wanted
her to succeed despite her hardships. I admit I’ve never been too keen on
political issues but I did find the topic rewarding in this case. Writing about
Syria and everything around it made sense for the protagonist to be pushed on a
brick of a nervous breakdown, if I can call it that. But luckily she does find
the strength to pull through. I hope I did not spoil things too much but it
really is just a smidge of what this novel is about. You’ll be too caught up in
the plot to care anyway.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I’m so glad to be back on the Karen Swan wagon after
missing a couple of her recent books from her impressive backlist but I plan to
pick them up as soon as we get settled in. In the meantime I think I’ll re-read
this one. So go on, get yourself a copy of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TOGETHER
BY CHRISTMAS </b>and see what an impressive Holiday read this turns out to be.
And don’t get fooled by the light-hearted look of the cover. The story
definitely goes deeper than meets the eye.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this
ARC.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s60Z1WIcIVU/X6EDA7HPN0I/AAAAAAAADy8/L0kMsNZYAZs60Xdb_rWLBzwYB5aiks2EQCLcBGAsYHQ/s536/together.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="350" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s60Z1WIcIVU/X6EDA7HPN0I/AAAAAAAADy8/L0kMsNZYAZs60Xdb_rWLBzwYB5aiks2EQCLcBGAsYHQ/w131-h200/together.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-86125604196895905382020-10-07T03:07:00.004-04:002020-11-03T02:37:01.096-05:00‘POSSESSIONS’ BY JUDITH MICHAEL<p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6pVd1b5_obk/X31mrBwI92I/AAAAAAAADyM/H6xbJK6MAdwnGU0sZrnOLdyESmuROlmrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s475/possessions2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="282" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6pVd1b5_obk/X31mrBwI92I/AAAAAAAADyM/H6xbJK6MAdwnGU0sZrnOLdyESmuROlmrgCLcBGAsYHQ/w237-h400/possessions2.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: justify;">OK, first things first:
you must know by now that author Judith Michael is actually a pen name for a
married couple who have written 11 best-sellers so far. Yep, they are Judith
Barnard and Michael Fain. I have no idea of their whereabouts except for the
fact that Miss Barnard has written other efforts, most recently CROOKED
BRANCHES ON THE FAMILY TREE published by Mill City Press in 2015. Are they
still together? Who knows? But if they ever are I doubt that they’ll produce a
12th effort. It’s been too much of a long time for it to happen. And besides,
readers nowadays are much more fickle. They probably don’t even remember that,
along with the other two Judiths, Krantz and Gould, Judith Michael was hot stuff
in the ‘80s and beyond, just before the new Millennium. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I too wanted to embark
on the Judith Michael bandwagon, especially after seeing the sensational
miniseries DECEPTIONS on NBC starring Stefanie Powers in 1985. I remember
getting a hold of the novel on which it is based not long after and attempting
to read it. I say attempting because it took me a few tries before finally
finishing it. The reason mostly was the deception (pun intended) I felt that it
didn't read like a Jackie Collins novel. It was too vanilla, in my opinion, too
Harlequin-like. I had to adjust my expectations to enjoy it, and I did, to a
certain degree.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The same could be said
regarding her second novel <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">POSSESSIONS </b>(1982,
Pocket) which I finished a couple of days ago. Clearly Judith Michael is scarcely
my cup of tea. The whole premise of a young mother of two who gets dumped by
her indebted husband then turns her life around by making a name for herself in
the jewelry business and gets involved with another member (two, actually) of
her husband’s family is OK in itself but compared to other trashy novels this
one is in general as unexciting and as predictable as, well, a Harlequin romance
novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t get me wrong, all the
elements are there: a likeable heroine, a debonair hero, luscious settings and
a jet-setting lifestyle worthy of any glitzy novel, but the overall delivery
just doesn’t cut it as it should. Barely do you end up getting involved with
these characters or the cookie-cutter plot. And that’s where it pains me, for
Judith Michael is a solid storyteller. Her narrative is strong without being
too descriptive, and the flow of the story does do justice to the overall theme
(independence). But as a whole, <b>POSSESSIONS</b>
possesses (pun intended again) nothing more than an unsophisticated streak
which in the end hurts the story.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">But since it’s a ‘80s
book–set mostly in San Francisco—and we all know how soapy those years can be,
we can easily forgive Miss Michael for having executed a subpar effort or, more
importantly, for having included a sole gay San Franciscan character who is a
billboard of clichés. For despite this being less than stellar it is still far
better written than some other fluffy efforts published during that same time.
I won’t name them or reveal the publishing houses from which they mostly come from
but I will say this: it takes a lot of dedication and drive to write a great
‘80s novel. Take it from me, an expert in the genre. I have to go through a lot
of junk before finding something fruitful, and I’m sorry to say that </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">POSSESSIONS</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">, despite all of its evident
efforts to please</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">places itself in
the former category.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aCw--trrmkc/X31oZMc4v-I/AAAAAAAADyY/2wWF8deabu8L7jUcHquni532_7aZHVyaACLcBGAsYHQ/s499/possessionsuk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="302" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aCw--trrmkc/X31oZMc4v-I/AAAAAAAADyY/2wWF8deabu8L7jUcHquni532_7aZHVyaACLcBGAsYHQ/w121-h200/possessionsuk.jpg" title="UK Edition" width="121" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UK PB Edition</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-60323093775545617082020-09-22T01:45:00.006-04:002020-10-07T03:13:06.856-04:00MEA CULPA JEANNE DAY LORD’S ‘A BREED APART’<p> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fkILBu6GssI/X2mNiW19t8I/AAAAAAAADxI/F5U3JE8sE08U2c0kHpuuyJMQPDFVTnzRACLcBGAsYHQ/s1278/a%2Bbreed%2Bapart.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="739" height="456" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fkILBu6GssI/X2mNiW19t8I/AAAAAAAADxI/F5U3JE8sE08U2c0kHpuuyJMQPDFVTnzRACLcBGAsYHQ/w298-h456/a%2Bbreed%2Bapart.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">With all the unread books gathering dust in my house
you would think I would hurry up and pick up anything unvisited and review it
here for you guys to enjoy. Not so it seems. Color me persistent but I just had
to give <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A BREED APART</b> by Jeanne Day
Lord (Robert Rosenblum) another shot despite my lukewarm review of it sometime
last year. Truth be told, I always felt like I had missed something the first
time around, and since I found myself re-reading it last week and enjoying it way
much more, it was a no brainer that the main topic of this week’s blog entry
should be yet again on that title. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Let me reinstate that if you’re a horse lover you’ll
certainly dig <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A BREED APART</b>. Considering
that I am far from being one, the thought of me enjoying this book even more
than before seemed very unlikely and yet I did. The author certainly knows her ABCs
of thoroughbred racing and breeding as the plot centers around those traits via
a likable heroine named Geri-Jo. Born into poverty, with a drunken widowed
father, a jealous sister and a weak-minded younger brother who ends up institutionalized
when he accidently sets himself on fire, she flees to New York where she eventually
inherits enough money to study and become a top Equine vet. But when murder
takes center stage and Geri-Jo is falsely accused of being involved she finds
herself not only fighting justice to clear her name—as past mistakes suddenly
resurface—but also trying her hardest to keep a love that is meant to be
despite the odds.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">What changed my mind regarding this effort is the
timing, mostly. With no deadline reviews or work overload in the horizon I was
freer to do anything I like. But mainly it was finally accepting the novel for
what it is and not for what it was supposed to be. ‘Cause at the end of the day
Jeanne Day Lord does manage to sketch a catchy plot, thus making <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A BREED APART</b> a page-turning experience.
On top of that, the author often uses the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">show
don’t tell</i> mantra in her narrative, which heightens even more the overall
appreciation. But the icing on the cake is the gay character she introduces along
the way. He winds up having a positive influence on the heroine, which as you
know is a rare attribute in ’80s novels such as this one. Flawed still (a 100
pages or so could have been easily cut without losing any key element), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A BREED APART</b> is nonetheless a joy to
read and will likely be to anyone who dares venturing into something different.
I’m so glad to have had a change of heart about this one. Just goes to show you
that second chances are sometimes fruitful. I wonder if any other lukewarm
review of mine is in need of some sprucing up. I hear that MISTRAL’S DAUGHTER
by Judith Krantz is way better than I remember it to be. Stay tuned.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ThEoXxT4hPw/X2mO74Wl0xI/AAAAAAAADxU/ge8EU15tRkISUSTIS7bWF62TNCumN_R0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1351/a%2Bbreed%2Bapart%2Bcover.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="815" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ThEoXxT4hPw/X2mO74Wl0xI/AAAAAAAADxU/ge8EU15tRkISUSTIS7bWF62TNCumN_R0QCLcBGAsYHQ/w121-h200/a%2Bbreed%2Bapart%2Bcover.jpeg" width="121" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">PB US Edition</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-57819124286740984792020-08-25T01:03:00.001-04:002020-09-22T01:47:24.374-04:00JOAN COLLINS IN ‘THE BRAVADOS’ <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CMSj13uAFKE/X0SZFST0XpI/AAAAAAAADvg/l7hrghIScjUhUHcBiyZTGECw4V1uG5k1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bravados_insert-rolled-fine-s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="631" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CMSj13uAFKE/X0SZFST0XpI/AAAAAAAADvg/l7hrghIScjUhUHcBiyZTGECw4V1uG5k1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/bravados_insert-rolled-fine-s.jpg" width="251" /></a><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Who doesn’t love Joan Collins? A lot of people I
imagine. But in the gay community she is adored. Ever since her DYNASTY days she has become a permanent fixture
in our lives thanks mostly to her riveting performance of scheming Alexis
Carrington. Consequently, I’ve always enjoyed watching her in anything that has
her name on it, whether it’s a guest spot on some ill-fated TV show, or a
starring role in some TV-movie or miniseries; heck, even a simple TV commercial
like that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkjidE0WnAI" target="_blank">Cinzano</a> one which has become a classic in its hilariousness will do.
In our eyes, she always makes everything interesting. So of course when I had
the chance to catch her again in the 1958 revenge western film <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE BRAVADOS</b>, playing the love interest
of Gregory Peck, I immediately thought of ‘blog entry’ since, like I said, we
do love our Joan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">So here she is in a western playing against type and I
couldn’t be happier. Not exactly true, for she is little seen and the picture
should belong to her. What we have instead is a second billing performance of a
female Mexican rancher who is the former flame of the star. She is all young
but still recognizable with those sultry eyes. Named Josefa, she is the voice
of reason for a man who is mind-set on killing the 4<sup>th</sup> and last
fugitive who he thinks murdered his wife. Not an easy task for her, since he is
one heck of a vindictive avenger. Nonetheless she succeeds at it and ends up
running off into the sunset with him. Or it is led to believe that she will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_fSPHH38gtU/X0SZxQKBiYI/AAAAAAAADv0/yh3f0hE4bDADE0KwYrpzPo7mHXZB2pA5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bravadisimage3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="1024" height="84" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_fSPHH38gtU/X0SZxQKBiYI/AAAAAAAADv0/yh3f0hE4bDADE0KwYrpzPo7mHXZB2pA5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/bravadisimage3.png" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The film reminds me of the Steve McQueen vehicle NEVADA
SMITH which is based on the character in THE CARPETBAGGERS by Harold Robbins. This one is from 1966 and has the same
revenge theme. Despite both westerns being not exactly my cup of tea I got to
say they are still quite fetching in their deliveries. Gregory Peck certainly
manages to hold his own and though I’ve never seen him in anything else, I
doubt that he is just one trick pony of an actor. As for Joan Collins, well,
the lack of chemistry with Peck barely helps matters but looking pretty or
having presence does, so there’s that. And besides, if nothing else it got her
to do next the funny RALLY ‘ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS in which she plays a sexy
married neighbour who has the hots for Paul Newman (who wouldn’t?). If you guys
have yet to see this one I suggest you check it out, as you should <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE BRAVADOS </b>if only to support our
Joan in a tamer role.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I’ve never heard of her talk about this film in
interviews. I’m sure it’s mentioned in her autobiography PAST IMPERFECT which
I’m ashamed to say I have yet to read. I always feel like I’ve never seen
enough films to venture into one’s biography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the rate that I’m going right now I should probably scratch that idea.
I don’t want to miss the party before my time comes. And we all know how fast time
passes by nowadays. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Until next post—Martin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Authorfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01626566458666454127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011299679363027568.post-9986720505598516002020-08-10T02:41:00.001-04:002021-03-16T21:29:44.024-04:00‘THE THUNDER GIRLS’ BY MELANIE BLAKE<br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ever since that damn COVID-19 entered my life I hardly
had time concentrating on anything else, like this blog of mine, for example,
which I have been running for quite some time. I even contemplated giving it up
since my free time these days has been mostly spent recuperating in bed instead
of enjoying a good book or watching a good flick. But now that I have finally regained
some sense of normality by working part time at the hospital again I can
happily say that I do intend on continuing with The Sleaze Factor after all. Talking
to you guys via my little reviews is too important to me, and quite honestly, I
just can’t see myself abandoning this precious ship of mine. So without further
ado let’s get right down to business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Last week I caught the much-appreciated The Go-Go’s
documentary. Seeing this girl group again and witnessing their rise and fall through
interviews and archives made me realize how important their music was, and
still is, in an industry controlled mostly by men. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE THUNDER GIRLS</b> (2019, Pan) by Melanie Blake reminds me of The
Go-Go’s, four talented women who make it big and lose it all when one of them decides
to go solo during the heights of their success in the late ‘80s. It’s easy to
imagine the hurt, the jealousy, the betrayal that the rest of the women felt
and still do in 2019 when they are asked to regroup for a once in a lifetime
performance at the Wembley Stadium. They may be now older but, boy, far are they
from being wiser—that is until they are forced to put the past behind when trouble
comes a-knocking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I really enjoyed <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
THUNDER GIRLS</b>. It is well-paced and has a fair amount of characterization
in between the bitchery. And trust me, there is a lot of bitchery, enough to
fill—pun intended—an entire stadium. Secrets, lies, revenge, obsession, there are
no dull moments in this first time effort. First time by the Melanie Blake
name, that is. The author has previously ghost-written two celeb fiction titles
which shall remain nameless to protect the guilty ones. This may probably be
the reason why <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE THUNDER GIRLS</b>
barely feels like a first novel. Blake always keeps a tight rein on her clear-lined
plot, and once the reader hits the mid-section mark, the roller-coaster ride gets
even trickier. I can’t say I was always surprised by the many revelations but I
sure was intrigued by their swift and girl-powered denouements. Yes, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THUNDER GIRLS</b> is certainly worth the stops. It’s definitely up
there with the strongest of the glam-fiction novels. If you love this
endangered sub-genre as much as I do (which hopefully the success of this book
will revive), then dig in, my friends, just dig in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You can get a copy of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE THUNDER GIRLS</b> wherever books are sold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Until next post—Martin</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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