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Booksnthreads (19 KP) rated The Grimm Legacy in Books
Jun 5, 2018
Well, I’m pretty disappointed with this one. The start was slow, but intriguing. Then about half way through the novel the author starts dropping pretty obvious clues about how the whole problem will be explained in the end, making the climax…well…anticlimactic.
Once you get to the end, the resolution just feels a bit condescending, especially from the perspective of an adult who is an experienced reader. While kids may not have as much life experience or experience with how a plot develops, I really object to treating them like they are stupid and can’t figure things out.
Along with the simplistic plot, the only character that feels fully developed is the narrator and another character’s little sister. The other three major players in the story feel very flat until the author decided to completely change him/her without any warning.
Overall, the book was frustrating to read, especially toward the end. I was left wondering how Shulman went so wrong with such a great topic and premise.
Once you get to the end, the resolution just feels a bit condescending, especially from the perspective of an adult who is an experienced reader. While kids may not have as much life experience or experience with how a plot develops, I really object to treating them like they are stupid and can’t figure things out.
Along with the simplistic plot, the only character that feels fully developed is the narrator and another character’s little sister. The other three major players in the story feel very flat until the author decided to completely change him/her without any warning.
Overall, the book was frustrating to read, especially toward the end. I was left wondering how Shulman went so wrong with such a great topic and premise.
Debbie (52 KP) rated A Stranger in the House in Books
Jul 27, 2018
A Stranger In The House By: Shari Lapena
Adult Thriller 305 Pages
I enjoyed this book; I couldn't put it down. I gave it 5 stars.
It is about a woman who leaves her home in a rush after a phone call. She gets into a car accident and temporarily loses her memory.
During her absents a murder has occurred and the police don't believe that she doesn't remember anything. They keep questioning her to try to get her to remember.
Her husband and best friend are there to support her and help her.
Who was murder? Did she do it? What happened that night?
These questions will be answered when you read the book. This is a thriller and though I want to go in great detail I won't. I thought I had it figured out but I was wrong. This is the best kind of thriller where you can't figure it out because there are twists.
I greatly recommend that you read this book.
Adult Thriller 305 Pages
I enjoyed this book; I couldn't put it down. I gave it 5 stars.
It is about a woman who leaves her home in a rush after a phone call. She gets into a car accident and temporarily loses her memory.
During her absents a murder has occurred and the police don't believe that she doesn't remember anything. They keep questioning her to try to get her to remember.
Her husband and best friend are there to support her and help her.
Who was murder? Did she do it? What happened that night?
These questions will be answered when you read the book. This is a thriller and though I want to go in great detail I won't. I thought I had it figured out but I was wrong. This is the best kind of thriller where you can't figure it out because there are twists.
I greatly recommend that you read this book.
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated Lord of the Flies in Books
Aug 14, 2018
Not sure how this became a classic.
My school never required me to read this so I just never got around to it until a few years ago and I have to say I was not a fan. I found the entire book boring the characters terrible or writing wasn't really that great either, for the life of me I really cannot figure out how this book has made it into being a classic and it's still extremely popular. The whole idea of the book is really good but just the execution I found terrible I hated every single freaking character not even over exaggerating there.
I think if I would have been required to read this at a younger age like most people I may have liked it a lot more but reading it as an adult for the first time I feel really just spoil the whole thing for me plus you have to kind of be living under a rock and not to know what the books about and what happens in it.
I think if I would have been required to read this at a younger age like most people I may have liked it a lot more but reading it as an adult for the first time I feel really just spoil the whole thing for me plus you have to kind of be living under a rock and not to know what the books about and what happens in it.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Isle of Dogs (2018) in Movies
Sep 20, 2018
Amazing animation (1 more)
Fantastic voice acting
Good Dog
In my opinion, Wes Anderson is pretty overrated. Other than Grand Budapest Hotel, I haven't been a big fan of anything else that he has done, yet critics and fans seem to adore everything he touches. This meant that I had hardly any hype going into Isle Of Dogs and only seen it because of some good reviews I had read online.
This film is great. It features an incredible cast, whose voices all work remarkably well for this story. The stop-motion animation is astonishing and beautiful at times and it tells an interesting, satisfying story.
There isn't much not to like here, the only thing that I will say is that although the animation style makes this sort of look like a kids movie, I would not recommend it for kids. There are some fairly adult themes present and a kid would probably get bored while watching too.
Overall, this film is definitely worth a watch, even if only to see the impressive stop-motion animation on show.
This film is great. It features an incredible cast, whose voices all work remarkably well for this story. The stop-motion animation is astonishing and beautiful at times and it tells an interesting, satisfying story.
There isn't much not to like here, the only thing that I will say is that although the animation style makes this sort of look like a kids movie, I would not recommend it for kids. There are some fairly adult themes present and a kid would probably get bored while watching too.
Overall, this film is definitely worth a watch, even if only to see the impressive stop-motion animation on show.
Caitlin Ann Cherniak (85 KP) rated Like Vanessa in Books
Nov 28, 2018
From Goodreads: 13-year-old girl from the '80s sees the first black woman win Miss America, which inspires her middle school to throw a pageant to boost moral. What could possibly go wrong?
Normally, I would say everything.
This book, nothing went wrong. In fact, Tami Charles did everything right.
You get an interesting main character. You have her going through real problems. You have this story take a look at a real problem with young black girls when it comes to what level of black skin is beautiful. You have major plot twists at every turn (And I don't take that sentence lightly.) And I actually don't hate the parental character this time (Because seriously, a lot of them try to make these characters awful for no reason at all). And you have the main character drop their walls to tell their vulnerable story to the audience.
In short, I love this book. One of the best middle grade and young adult novels I have ever read.
Normally, I would say everything.
This book, nothing went wrong. In fact, Tami Charles did everything right.
You get an interesting main character. You have her going through real problems. You have this story take a look at a real problem with young black girls when it comes to what level of black skin is beautiful. You have major plot twists at every turn (And I don't take that sentence lightly.) And I actually don't hate the parental character this time (Because seriously, a lot of them try to make these characters awful for no reason at all). And you have the main character drop their walls to tell their vulnerable story to the audience.
In short, I love this book. One of the best middle grade and young adult novels I have ever read.
Merissa (12401 KP) rated Sinking (Sinking Trilogy #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
This is a Historical Young Adult Fantasy that starts off in Ireland, but travels to China and India. Jocelyn is washed up on the beach with no memories of her own. She is completely naked and clutching a locket. She is found by a lady, who decides that she will take the locket for herself as she orders her servants to take care of the girl.
As the story progresses, you learn more about Jocelyn at the same time as she learns about herself. She has two human men who show interest in her, but the ocean also speaks to her and she feels an amazing pull to return - to what or to whom, she doesn't know.
This story moves smoothly throughout, building to the cliffhanger ending that will leave you wanting to know more. This is a wonderful story of mermaids and magic with a historical twist. Recommended.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
As the story progresses, you learn more about Jocelyn at the same time as she learns about herself. She has two human men who show interest in her, but the ocean also speaks to her and she feels an amazing pull to return - to what or to whom, she doesn't know.
This story moves smoothly throughout, building to the cliffhanger ending that will leave you wanting to know more. This is a wonderful story of mermaids and magic with a historical twist. Recommended.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Boy 2 Girl in Books
Jul 2, 2019
Full marks for making me laugh out loud
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book deserved a five star rating because it made me laugh out loud so often. It was a brilliant book and I loved Blacker's use of narrative voice. It is a multiple first person narrative which allows the reader a close and personal account of the characters feelings and emotions, this is particular interesting as there is a mixture of both adult and child characters. The book gives the reader a wonderful insight into gender and demonstrates the way in which gender is socially constructed. It also shows how children can be attracted to other children regardless of gender. As a whole, children are influenced by other children, by characteristics, by confidence and by personality. Children are often put into boxes and treated differently because of gender, this book breaks the rules and it genius. I would highly recommend this book to both adults and children as it may just demonstrate how alike we all are and how society is often too eager to put us into groups.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2277 KP) rated Who is The Mystery Reader? in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Reading is a Superpower!
This book is broken up into many parts. The main story involves Zoom Squirrel who gets some help in reading for The Mystery Reader, a costumed superhero. But who is the masked man, er squirrel? And can Zoom enter the world of masked superheroes? After the main story, we get a couple of terrible (and by that, I mean delightful) puns and jokes related to reading. There’s also a section where we see the work that goes into creating a book.
As an adult, I don’t find these picture books as delightful as some of Mo’s other works. They are missing the humor and charm. However, I can see the appeal to young readers, and if the addition of superheroes to reading encourages kids to read, I’m all in favor of it. The multiple sections can make the book disjointed, especially if you are reading the book to a group of kids, but it would be great for kids ready to expand their reading beyond the traditional easy readers.
As an adult, I don’t find these picture books as delightful as some of Mo’s other works. They are missing the humor and charm. However, I can see the appeal to young readers, and if the addition of superheroes to reading encourages kids to read, I’m all in favor of it. The multiple sections can make the book disjointed, especially if you are reading the book to a group of kids, but it would be great for kids ready to expand their reading beyond the traditional easy readers.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Apr 10, 2020
Awix (3310 KP) rated Break of Dark in Books
Aug 2, 2019
I must have been 12 or 13 when I first read this, and back then part of the fun came from the sense that these actually felt like adult stories, for all the book is advertised as being basically YA fiction: quite apart from the substantial quantities of profanity and sex, many the characters aren't typical YA identification figures: middle-aged seaside policemen, earnest young vicars, suburban couples, and so on. These are still hugely readable and satisfying stories even now many decades later.
But what are they about? Well, there are two stories of ghosts (a haunted Wellington bomber during the second world war, and a rather stranger tale of an unwitting medium), two of very atypical alien visitations (a cautionary tale of a young hitch-hiker, and a blackly comic one concerning a spate of peculiar crimes in a small resort town), and one of an inner-city vicar who stumbles onto something very creepy in the crypt of his church. All of them are engagingly and skilfully written, and immaculately paced. Good reads for all ages.
But what are they about? Well, there are two stories of ghosts (a haunted Wellington bomber during the second world war, and a rather stranger tale of an unwitting medium), two of very atypical alien visitations (a cautionary tale of a young hitch-hiker, and a blackly comic one concerning a spate of peculiar crimes in a small resort town), and one of an inner-city vicar who stumbles onto something very creepy in the crypt of his church. All of them are engagingly and skilfully written, and immaculately paced. Good reads for all ages.