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Psychodynamic Art Therapy Practice with People on the Autistic Spectrum
Matt Dolphin, Angela Byers, Alison Goldsmith and Ruth Jones
Book
Psychodynamic Art Therapy Practice with People on the Autistic Spectrum offers a valuable...
Here/There: Telepresence, Touch, and Art at the Interface
Book
"Telepresence" allows us to feel present -- through vision, hearing, and even touch -- at a remote...
Write Your Novel in a Month: How to Complete a First Draft in 30 Days and What to Do Next
Book
One of these days, I'm going to sit down and write that novel...Everyone thinks about doing it, yet...
Open the Cage, Murphy!
Book
"Top pick of this year's celeb memoirs". (Daily Mail). To describe Open the Cage, Murphy as...
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Vacation in Books
Jul 22, 2020 (Updated Jul 22, 2020)
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
T. M. Logan will probably never realize it, but he changed my life. Tim's first novel, Lies, was the first book I was given to review. You can guess that he has a special place in my heart, but I will still provide an honest review.
The Vacation, his third book, introduces us to Kate and her 3 BFFs. After college, they drifted apart but made time for the yearly vacation. That is until kids and life get in the way. After several years, they are getting the gang back together to celebrate their 40th birthdays, and they are inviting their husbands and kids too. Kate is looking forward to it until she realizes one of them is having an affair with her husband.
If that were the full story, I would not have enjoyed it. However, secrets come out. Secrets from, the past, the couples, and from friends. Is anyone who Kate thought they were?
I had difficulty getting into the book, but once the rest of the story opened up, I was hooked. I tried to think of what I would cut from the beginning but found nothing. It is necessary to set up the events that follow.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/21/20.
T. M. Logan will probably never realize it, but he changed my life. Tim's first novel, Lies, was the first book I was given to review. You can guess that he has a special place in my heart, but I will still provide an honest review.
The Vacation, his third book, introduces us to Kate and her 3 BFFs. After college, they drifted apart but made time for the yearly vacation. That is until kids and life get in the way. After several years, they are getting the gang back together to celebrate their 40th birthdays, and they are inviting their husbands and kids too. Kate is looking forward to it until she realizes one of them is having an affair with her husband.
If that were the full story, I would not have enjoyed it. However, secrets come out. Secrets from, the past, the couples, and from friends. Is anyone who Kate thought they were?
I had difficulty getting into the book, but once the rest of the story opened up, I was hooked. I tried to think of what I would cut from the beginning but found nothing. It is necessary to set up the events that follow.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/21/20.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Good Neighbors in Books
May 13, 2021
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan is a difficult book to review in 200 words. There is so much I want to mention but need to limit myself. My review can be summed up in three words "read this book."
Maple Street is a perfect place to raise a family. The neighbors interact with each other as an extended family. They gather for barbeques, help each other, and look out for each other's children.
The new family is different. Arlo, a has-been rock star. Gertie, a beautiful ex-pageant queen. Julie, an intelligent preteen who curses like a sailor. Larry, an autistic boy who, along with his family, does not fit with the Maple Street image. The queen bee, Rhea, takes the family under her wing, and everyone welcomes them into the fold.
After a booze-fueled night, Rhea overshares to Gertie, which starts the Maple Street implosion.
Good Neighbors is a twisted story that takes its time to grow like the heat in summer. I recently read an ok writer cannot mess up a great plot while a great author will take a great plot and make it even better. Langan's writing and the great plot make for an excellent, well-written book.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com.
Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan is a difficult book to review in 200 words. There is so much I want to mention but need to limit myself. My review can be summed up in three words "read this book."
Maple Street is a perfect place to raise a family. The neighbors interact with each other as an extended family. They gather for barbeques, help each other, and look out for each other's children.
The new family is different. Arlo, a has-been rock star. Gertie, a beautiful ex-pageant queen. Julie, an intelligent preteen who curses like a sailor. Larry, an autistic boy who, along with his family, does not fit with the Maple Street image. The queen bee, Rhea, takes the family under her wing, and everyone welcomes them into the fold.
After a booze-fueled night, Rhea overshares to Gertie, which starts the Maple Street implosion.
Good Neighbors is a twisted story that takes its time to grow like the heat in summer. I recently read an ok writer cannot mess up a great plot while a great author will take a great plot and make it even better. Langan's writing and the great plot make for an excellent, well-written book.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Plot in Books
May 13, 2021
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
At what point does a good story idea become a person's own for them to write? When it is published? Merely written? Does anyone really own a plot? Those are the questions that surround the premise of The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. However, The Plot is much more.
Jacob Finch Bonner, a once-promising writer, is now a failed author teaching third-rate MFA program when he meets Evan Parker, an arrogant student, who tells Jacob the plot of a story that is sure to become the next "big thing." Jacob waits for Parker's masterpiece, but it never is published. When Jacob learns Parker is dead, he writes Parker's plot. Everything is perfect, that is, until a troll posts Jacob stole the plot. Here the story becomes a mystery.
My problem with the audiobook was I wanted to finish it. However, it's challenging to listen while at work. I sat in my car to finish it before coming home and dealing with life.
The narrator, Kirby Heyborne, is considered one of the finest narrators working. Listening to him was like listening to Jacob tell his own story.
Heyborne's narration and Korelitz's plot make The Plot one of the best of 2021.
This 200-word review will be published on Philomathinphila.com.
At what point does a good story idea become a person's own for them to write? When it is published? Merely written? Does anyone really own a plot? Those are the questions that surround the premise of The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. However, The Plot is much more.
Jacob Finch Bonner, a once-promising writer, is now a failed author teaching third-rate MFA program when he meets Evan Parker, an arrogant student, who tells Jacob the plot of a story that is sure to become the next "big thing." Jacob waits for Parker's masterpiece, but it never is published. When Jacob learns Parker is dead, he writes Parker's plot. Everything is perfect, that is, until a troll posts Jacob stole the plot. Here the story becomes a mystery.
My problem with the audiobook was I wanted to finish it. However, it's challenging to listen while at work. I sat in my car to finish it before coming home and dealing with life.
The narrator, Kirby Heyborne, is considered one of the finest narrators working. Listening to him was like listening to Jacob tell his own story.
Heyborne's narration and Korelitz's plot make The Plot one of the best of 2021.
This 200-word review will be published on Philomathinphila.com.
blueirisfox (125 KP) rated the PC version of Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn in Video Games
Feb 7, 2021
A good introduction to the game (2 more)
Great and friendly community that is overall very helpful to new players (sprouts)
Received a patch removing a lot of unnecessary quests
A neccesary evil
A Realm Reborn (ARR) is undoubtably the weakest section of the game. It feels slow, with very little really happening for quite a while...
However, this base expansion(?) lays the foundation so that the later expansions can thrive.
Think of ARR as season one. This 'season' is an introduction to the world, the characters, the game mechanics... all that jazz. It's doing all the important boring things now so that all the cool fun things that it does later on are less confusing.
Personally, I actually enjoyed playing ARR - and that was before the recent (kind of?) patch wiped a bunch of quests to make it a better experience.
There's no need to rush through this story! Take your time and enjoy it, that's what I did!
I only started to get fed up with ARR when I had to do the 100 quest-line arc pre-Heavensward (HW). Good luck with that by the way! Heavensward is great, so push through because it is totally worth it!
Hopefully this was helpful or at the very least entertaining!
If you are thinking about joining the wonderful community of ffxiv, then consider playing the free trial! It doesn't have a time limit and let's you play all through ARR and HW without having to worry about paying for the sub.
However, this base expansion(?) lays the foundation so that the later expansions can thrive.
Think of ARR as season one. This 'season' is an introduction to the world, the characters, the game mechanics... all that jazz. It's doing all the important boring things now so that all the cool fun things that it does later on are less confusing.
Personally, I actually enjoyed playing ARR - and that was before the recent (kind of?) patch wiped a bunch of quests to make it a better experience.
There's no need to rush through this story! Take your time and enjoy it, that's what I did!
I only started to get fed up with ARR when I had to do the 100 quest-line arc pre-Heavensward (HW). Good luck with that by the way! Heavensward is great, so push through because it is totally worth it!
Hopefully this was helpful or at the very least entertaining!
If you are thinking about joining the wonderful community of ffxiv, then consider playing the free trial! It doesn't have a time limit and let's you play all through ARR and HW without having to worry about paying for the sub.
Merissa (12374 KP) rated Expectant Moon (Gladstone Shifters #1) in Books
Jun 8, 2021
Expectant Moon is the first book in the Gladstone Shifters series and it takes you to a current world where things are changing. Here we find Evan, a Delta, and Ben, an Alpha. Their two lives are separate at the start but once they meet, fireworks explode!
I found the beginning of this book to be slightly discombobulated, simply because we shift from one time to another, with different characters being introduced each time. HOWEVER, stick with it because each of those characters and situations is incredibly important to the overall story arc.
Once this story progressed, I was completely hooked. I loved this history of how times and attitudes had changed, how ways of life were forgotten and how they really needed to be remembered. Luckily for everyone, Jack is on hand to help and Evan will make sure it continues.
There was enough steam to melt my Kindle - which I loved! You really get a two-for-one deal with this book as Jack and William are magnificently interwoven with Evan and Ben - only in the literary sense! There is also pain, hate, tenderness, love, and hope.
Really, this was an amazing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. An amazing start to a new series with intricate details and new situations giving a brilliant twist to the 'standard' MM Paranormal Romance genre.
Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I found the beginning of this book to be slightly discombobulated, simply because we shift from one time to another, with different characters being introduced each time. HOWEVER, stick with it because each of those characters and situations is incredibly important to the overall story arc.
Once this story progressed, I was completely hooked. I loved this history of how times and attitudes had changed, how ways of life were forgotten and how they really needed to be remembered. Luckily for everyone, Jack is on hand to help and Evan will make sure it continues.
There was enough steam to melt my Kindle - which I loved! You really get a two-for-one deal with this book as Jack and William are magnificently interwoven with Evan and Ben - only in the literary sense! There is also pain, hate, tenderness, love, and hope.
Really, this was an amazing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. An amazing start to a new series with intricate details and new situations giving a brilliant twist to the 'standard' MM Paranormal Romance genre.
Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Only Ashes Remain (Market of Monsters #2) in Books
Jun 8, 2021
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Only Ashes Remain by Rebecca Schaeffer is the second novel in her Market of Monsters series. To give a fair review, I read the first book, Not Even Bones. I will review the first book, but this review concerns only Only Ashes Remain.
After Nita escaped and destroyed the black market, she just wants to be left alone. When a video of her abilities appears on the dark web, she knows she must go on the offensive. With the help of Kovit, Nita starts to take revenge on the person who sold her to her kidnappers. With everyone searching for her, Nita needs to do whatever it takes to stay alive and free.
Even though I enjoyed the first book, I discovered I needed a break before reading the second. Once I did begin reading this, I found I enjoyed this more than the first book. This book could be read as a stand-alone novel, but reading the first book would enhance this one.
This story is darker than the first, but it is a fun read since the writing makes you feel for all of the characters, including Kovit.
A third novel, When Villains Rise, was published in 2020.
This 200-word review will be published on Philomathinphila.com.
Only Ashes Remain by Rebecca Schaeffer is the second novel in her Market of Monsters series. To give a fair review, I read the first book, Not Even Bones. I will review the first book, but this review concerns only Only Ashes Remain.
After Nita escaped and destroyed the black market, she just wants to be left alone. When a video of her abilities appears on the dark web, she knows she must go on the offensive. With the help of Kovit, Nita starts to take revenge on the person who sold her to her kidnappers. With everyone searching for her, Nita needs to do whatever it takes to stay alive and free.
Even though I enjoyed the first book, I discovered I needed a break before reading the second. Once I did begin reading this, I found I enjoyed this more than the first book. This book could be read as a stand-alone novel, but reading the first book would enhance this one.
This story is darker than the first, but it is a fun read since the writing makes you feel for all of the characters, including Kovit.
A third novel, When Villains Rise, was published in 2020.
This 200-word review will be published on Philomathinphila.com.