Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – Movie Review

Whoever gave this movie its title definitely believes in “truth in advertising”. After five seasons and two prior films, this one is predictably destined to bring the series truly to a close. The only word that might be a bit mischosen would be “grand” because most of the movie is actually relatively reserved and quiet….

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Grave Peril (Dresden Files, Book 3) by Jim Butcher – Book Review

The third volume in the Dresden Files series continues to expand the story universe set up in the first two. The adventures of Harry Dresden, a professional wizard, hiring himself out to investigate and handle all kinds of magical and malevolent cases in contemporary Chicago have so far involved evil sorcerers, demons, faerie and werewolves….

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Piranesi by Susanna Clarke – Book Review

Piranesi is a story set in a fantastical House, one that is more like a world; that has multitudes of grand rooms full of distinctive and enigmatic statutes of both creatures and people. The upper floors contain the clouds and sky, the lower floors contain the tides and seas. This story is told from the…

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The Failures by Benjamin Liar – Book Review

I went into this book not knowing what to expect. Set in a fantasy world known as the Wanderlands, this story has the grand overtones of a legendary epic, the thrills and pacing of a jaunty adventure, and the riddles and curiosity of a complex puzzle. We follow various groups of  characters: immortals planning to…

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Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu – Book review

Did you know that there was a short novel featuring a female vampire written before Dracula? Carmilla is the story of a young Victorian woman named Laura who lives with her father in the remote Austrian countryside. When one day they happen upon a mother and her daughter in distress while travelling, they offer to…

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Fantastic Four: First Steps – Movie Review

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this movie. I have seen a couple of the previous Fantastic Four movies, but don’t remember much, and though I have read quite a few of their comics, I have not kept up with the characters for a while. Nevertheless, I did go into the theatre with…

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