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Christine A. (965 KP) rated Finding Grace in Books
Feb 24, 2019
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
At what age do you allow your child to walk home from a friend's house alone? It is an argument many couples have had for decades. In Finding Grace by K.L. Slater, Lucie and Blake Sullivan agree to allow Gracie to walk home from her friend's house the day after her ninth birthday. What Gracie does not know is both sets of parents have agreed to watch her walk halfway. What could go wrong? It is a 5 minute walk, on the same street, and without her knowing, Gracie would be watched the whole time. Except Gracie never arrives home.
K.L. Slater writes about a fear parents are constantly worried about. Everyone has a past. Many of those prior events are ones we would like to keep hidden. She shows that every couple has secrets from each other and from the rest of the world.
She is able to reveal the main characters' secrets in a way that I continued rooting for all of them to come out this alright.
Her novel is fast paced and difficult to put down. This is the 1st novel of hers I have read and have added her to my "author to read" list.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 2/24/19.
At what age do you allow your child to walk home from a friend's house alone? It is an argument many couples have had for decades. In Finding Grace by K.L. Slater, Lucie and Blake Sullivan agree to allow Gracie to walk home from her friend's house the day after her ninth birthday. What Gracie does not know is both sets of parents have agreed to watch her walk halfway. What could go wrong? It is a 5 minute walk, on the same street, and without her knowing, Gracie would be watched the whole time. Except Gracie never arrives home.
K.L. Slater writes about a fear parents are constantly worried about. Everyone has a past. Many of those prior events are ones we would like to keep hidden. She shows that every couple has secrets from each other and from the rest of the world.
She is able to reveal the main characters' secrets in a way that I continued rooting for all of them to come out this alright.
Her novel is fast paced and difficult to put down. This is the 1st novel of hers I have read and have added her to my "author to read" list.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 2/24/19.
'Death comes to us all. When he came to Mort, he offered him a job'
An extremely early entry (#4) in [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg]'s now-complete Discworld series (which spans 41 full length-novels), and the first in which the character of DEATH - HE WHO TALKS LIKE THIS - takes centre stage.
As this is an early novel, this is even before the introduction of DEATH's grand-daughter Susan Sto-Helit, even before the City Watch and (possibly) even before the introduction of The Witches - I say possibly as, although Granny Weatherwax has already put in an appearance in [b:Equal Rites|34507|Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches #1)|Terry Pratchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407706800s/34507.jpg|583611] there's a strong argument to be made that she is not the 'real' Granny Weatherwax.
This one does, however, introduce us to DEATHs flesh-and-blood horse Binky ('He'd tried skeletal steeds, but had got tired of constantly having to stop to wire bits back together'), as well as to some of the more memorable ancillary characters who continue to appear in his later novels, such as Albert, with a large part of that character's back-story filled in here.
It may not yet be up to the standard of the mid-series Discworld novels, but you can definitely see Pratchett's style continuing to evolve, with this an improvement on those that had come before.
An extremely early entry (#4) in [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg]'s now-complete Discworld series (which spans 41 full length-novels), and the first in which the character of DEATH - HE WHO TALKS LIKE THIS - takes centre stage.
As this is an early novel, this is even before the introduction of DEATH's grand-daughter Susan Sto-Helit, even before the City Watch and (possibly) even before the introduction of The Witches - I say possibly as, although Granny Weatherwax has already put in an appearance in [b:Equal Rites|34507|Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches #1)|Terry Pratchett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407706800s/34507.jpg|583611] there's a strong argument to be made that she is not the 'real' Granny Weatherwax.
This one does, however, introduce us to DEATHs flesh-and-blood horse Binky ('He'd tried skeletal steeds, but had got tired of constantly having to stop to wire bits back together'), as well as to some of the more memorable ancillary characters who continue to appear in his later novels, such as Albert, with a large part of that character's back-story filled in here.
It may not yet be up to the standard of the mid-series Discworld novels, but you can definitely see Pratchett's style continuing to evolve, with this an improvement on those that had come before.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated Pet Sematary (2019) in Movies
Nov 30, 2019 (Updated Nov 30, 2019)
I don't read
I don't watch a lot of remakes, especially horror remakes, especially modern horror remakes, but on the advice of a friend, I thought I would give it a try.
If you want to start an argument with me, please say the book is better simply because it is different the film. I double dare you. Books and movies are different mediums, therefore, certain elements may lend themselves to one medium better than the other. Did you really want to see young Beverly Marsh have an orgy with the other It kids right after their conquest of Pennywise (or something like that)? I didn't think so. Sometimes changing things is all right and not automatically bad just because it is different!
OK got that off my chest! š
So it was 80-90% the same as the 1989 version? That was all right with me this time around. The acting and use of modern CGI effects were good and fit this film well. The CGI was not overused, so my usual complaint about that is unfounded this time. The major plot change for this film I felt was a great idea and kept the audience confused as to them already thinking they knew what was going to happen during that one particular scene.
The ending was somewhat gruesome, but this is a horror movie after all so I enjoyed it.
If you want to start an argument with me, please say the book is better simply because it is different the film. I double dare you. Books and movies are different mediums, therefore, certain elements may lend themselves to one medium better than the other. Did you really want to see young Beverly Marsh have an orgy with the other It kids right after their conquest of Pennywise (or something like that)? I didn't think so. Sometimes changing things is all right and not automatically bad just because it is different!
OK got that off my chest! š
So it was 80-90% the same as the 1989 version? That was all right with me this time around. The acting and use of modern CGI effects were good and fit this film well. The CGI was not overused, so my usual complaint about that is unfounded this time. The major plot change for this film I felt was a great idea and kept the audience confused as to them already thinking they knew what was going to happen during that one particular scene.
The ending was somewhat gruesome, but this is a horror movie after all so I enjoyed it.
BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated This Idea Must Die in Books
Aug 14, 2018
Book Review by Cari Mayhew.
Thereās nothing like reading a popular science book to make you feel more worldly wise! The Idea Must Die is a compilation of over 150 separate articles, by different contributors, arguing that certain scientific concepts are blocking progress and should be put to rest.
Its scope is very broad - at first I felt the book was concentrating on physics, but it later went on to include psychology, linguistics, genetics, criminology, economics and computer science. The title of each article comes from the concept that it is argued should be put to rest.
There were plenty of articles I found interesting and learnt from, including: - āLong-term memory is immutableā, "One genome per individual", āEconomic growthā, "Intelligence as property", "Continuity of time", Knowing is half the battle" and "Information overload", āEssentialismā, "Malthuanism" (which is the idea that population will outstrip food supply).
For the majority of the articles I agreed that the theory should be put to rest, and plenty that I thought it was good to see included. These included topics such as: race, nurture vs nature, reductionism. Cancer research theories were also addressed.
There were several topics I was surprised to see argued against, such as evidence-based medicine, scientific method, evolution, carbon footprint, string theory, culture, science being self-correcting.
It was refreshing to see "We are stone age thinkers" but I was disappointed to see the title "Languages condition worldviews". It was also a shame to see AI there, along with robot companions. Ideas in some chapters were disconcerting, claiming there's no self, no cognitive agency, and no free will.
There was a potentially useful article entitled "Scientific knowledge structured as literature" suggesting how publication could move to a new updated method.
With each article ranging in length from a mere 1 to 7 pages, it is an incredibly easy book to dip in and out of, or to fit around a busy week. At times there is a flow between one chapter and the next, but not always. Several of the articles proffer conflicting viewpoints, prompting the reader to reflect and wonder.
Some articles are more-well written than others, and similarly some arguments are more strongly put forward. Usually only one argument is made per article, but at times there were several. I believe some of the articles were chosen for their brevity, which is a shame because some of the articles could use a stronger argument. Some articles are hard to get your head around. The language is not always accessible and often presumes reader already has some knowledge of the subject. Although intriguing to begin with, with so many articles it began to feel dry and laborious at about 60% through. Some articles I deliberately skipped, others I attempted but found impenetrable.
Itās a refreshing read if you havenāt picked a science book in some time and itās definitely a thought-provoking read if you feel confident that you can get to grips with the material.
For more of my reviews, check out www.bookblogbycari.com
Thereās nothing like reading a popular science book to make you feel more worldly wise! The Idea Must Die is a compilation of over 150 separate articles, by different contributors, arguing that certain scientific concepts are blocking progress and should be put to rest.
Its scope is very broad - at first I felt the book was concentrating on physics, but it later went on to include psychology, linguistics, genetics, criminology, economics and computer science. The title of each article comes from the concept that it is argued should be put to rest.
There were plenty of articles I found interesting and learnt from, including: - āLong-term memory is immutableā, "One genome per individual", āEconomic growthā, "Intelligence as property", "Continuity of time", Knowing is half the battle" and "Information overload", āEssentialismā, "Malthuanism" (which is the idea that population will outstrip food supply).
For the majority of the articles I agreed that the theory should be put to rest, and plenty that I thought it was good to see included. These included topics such as: race, nurture vs nature, reductionism. Cancer research theories were also addressed.
There were several topics I was surprised to see argued against, such as evidence-based medicine, scientific method, evolution, carbon footprint, string theory, culture, science being self-correcting.
It was refreshing to see "We are stone age thinkers" but I was disappointed to see the title "Languages condition worldviews". It was also a shame to see AI there, along with robot companions. Ideas in some chapters were disconcerting, claiming there's no self, no cognitive agency, and no free will.
There was a potentially useful article entitled "Scientific knowledge structured as literature" suggesting how publication could move to a new updated method.
With each article ranging in length from a mere 1 to 7 pages, it is an incredibly easy book to dip in and out of, or to fit around a busy week. At times there is a flow between one chapter and the next, but not always. Several of the articles proffer conflicting viewpoints, prompting the reader to reflect and wonder.
Some articles are more-well written than others, and similarly some arguments are more strongly put forward. Usually only one argument is made per article, but at times there were several. I believe some of the articles were chosen for their brevity, which is a shame because some of the articles could use a stronger argument. Some articles are hard to get your head around. The language is not always accessible and often presumes reader already has some knowledge of the subject. Although intriguing to begin with, with so many articles it began to feel dry and laborious at about 60% through. Some articles I deliberately skipped, others I attempted but found impenetrable.
Itās a refreshing read if you havenāt picked a science book in some time and itās definitely a thought-provoking read if you feel confident that you can get to grips with the material.
For more of my reviews, check out www.bookblogbycari.com
Lee Ronaldo recommended The Ascension by Glenn Branca in Music (curated)
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated The Battle of Algiers (1966) in Movies
Jan 28, 2021
This film-maker was unknown to me entirely before I decided to watch this film. In fact, I had only heard of the film itself quite recently from seeing it mentioned as one of the best films in the genre as a commentary on political insurgency and civil unrest. It is so well regarded that even the US military used it to prepare troops for entering Iraq. The main actors are largely unknown and many of the supporting cast and extras are not actors at all. The camera is allowed to wander and wobble, and such is the feel of random chaos at times youād be forgiven for thinking this was a documentary. Nominated for 3 Oscars, and faultless in achieving its goal of humanising both sides of an argument, you can see the influence on Oliver Stone and Paul Greengrass, to name but two better known directors with a political edge.
Itās not a film I would feel the need to go back to, unless demonstrating to someone how to make something staged feel entirely real. I admire this film very much, but wouldnāt exactly call it entertaining or even rewarding as a story. Its purpose is to reinforce the tragedy of a people facing oppression and to realise the lengths both sides will go to in protecting their ideals and relative freedoms. The excellent hand held photography and score by the always inspirational Ennio Moricone are other reasons to watch it. As a history lesson of North Africa post WWII it also has a lot to offer.
Itās not a film I would feel the need to go back to, unless demonstrating to someone how to make something staged feel entirely real. I admire this film very much, but wouldnāt exactly call it entertaining or even rewarding as a story. Its purpose is to reinforce the tragedy of a people facing oppression and to realise the lengths both sides will go to in protecting their ideals and relative freedoms. The excellent hand held photography and score by the always inspirational Ennio Moricone are other reasons to watch it. As a history lesson of North Africa post WWII it also has a lot to offer.
RÉX Regent (349 KP) rated Network (1976) in Movies
Feb 19, 2019
āIām mad as hell and Iām not gonna take it anymore!ā
ā¦the lasting legacy of Peter Finchās rants, which began with a breakdown and became the ratings winner in the 1970ās Network driven news media. This is of course, fiction but the commentary on the changing and more corporate driven American media industry of the the time is not without merit.
Smartly scripted, on the ball cynicism and yet harking back to the rose tinted nostalgia common with American media movies in whcih the industry was supposedly filled with Walter Cronkites,
the notion that American press was once beyond reproach is clearly a fallacy, in contrast, the notion that American news media was becoming so ratings driven that the news gave way to outlandish editorialism, is not.
Howard Beale (Finch) has an on air breakdown and whilst his best friend and producer, Max Schumacher (William Holden) tries to pull him from the air waves, allowing him to bow out with some dignity, the new wave of corporate management lead by CEO Frank Hackett (Robert Duval) and Holdenās replacement and eventual lover, Diana, (Faye Dunaway), have other ideas.
She sees an opportunity in the ratings spike gained by Bealeās rants which speak to the peoples growing frustrations and takes advantage, only driven by ratings.
Though the screenplay and performances are nothing less than brilliant, there are two core problems with this movie.
The first being that it is too long. The plot seems to be dragged out and repetitive as we approach the almost inevitable conclusion and the second is the level of preaching. But this is a symptom of the first, opening with a good argument, with old school journalism versus the TV generation and as the film goes on, the arguments need to escalate but since this was covered in the first half an hour, the points become laboured and over started.
The notion that the TV generation is shallow and amoral is put at odds with the middle aged newspaper reader, where time and decency are standard. This is a point which I refuse to accept since some of the 20th centuries most amoral acts where committed either before 1936, the birth of television and in the first couple of decades there after, by the very generation whcih is being held up as the moral standard here.
large_network_blu-ray_3The press has always had its paymasters, always had to sell newspapers and whilst the medium and methods may have changed, this does feel like sour grapes by the end. Criticising the characters motivations is one thing, but this film seems to imply that the modern world of television is making sociopaths of us all, dumbing us down and numbing our emotions to the point of accepting nothing but pure spectacle.
In many ways this is true but is also a very flawed argument and comes across as bunch old men crying into there Scotch in some dimly lit bar, in a way not too dissimilar to the print or broadcast media of today, hitting out at the blogging and twitter generation.
The ending was amusing though with the quote āThis was the story of Howard Beale, the only known case of a man killed because of poor ratingsā.
Very droll.
Smartly scripted, on the ball cynicism and yet harking back to the rose tinted nostalgia common with American media movies in whcih the industry was supposedly filled with Walter Cronkites,
the notion that American press was once beyond reproach is clearly a fallacy, in contrast, the notion that American news media was becoming so ratings driven that the news gave way to outlandish editorialism, is not.
Howard Beale (Finch) has an on air breakdown and whilst his best friend and producer, Max Schumacher (William Holden) tries to pull him from the air waves, allowing him to bow out with some dignity, the new wave of corporate management lead by CEO Frank Hackett (Robert Duval) and Holdenās replacement and eventual lover, Diana, (Faye Dunaway), have other ideas.
She sees an opportunity in the ratings spike gained by Bealeās rants which speak to the peoples growing frustrations and takes advantage, only driven by ratings.
Though the screenplay and performances are nothing less than brilliant, there are two core problems with this movie.
The first being that it is too long. The plot seems to be dragged out and repetitive as we approach the almost inevitable conclusion and the second is the level of preaching. But this is a symptom of the first, opening with a good argument, with old school journalism versus the TV generation and as the film goes on, the arguments need to escalate but since this was covered in the first half an hour, the points become laboured and over started.
The notion that the TV generation is shallow and amoral is put at odds with the middle aged newspaper reader, where time and decency are standard. This is a point which I refuse to accept since some of the 20th centuries most amoral acts where committed either before 1936, the birth of television and in the first couple of decades there after, by the very generation whcih is being held up as the moral standard here.
large_network_blu-ray_3The press has always had its paymasters, always had to sell newspapers and whilst the medium and methods may have changed, this does feel like sour grapes by the end. Criticising the characters motivations is one thing, but this film seems to imply that the modern world of television is making sociopaths of us all, dumbing us down and numbing our emotions to the point of accepting nothing but pure spectacle.
In many ways this is true but is also a very flawed argument and comes across as bunch old men crying into there Scotch in some dimly lit bar, in a way not too dissimilar to the print or broadcast media of today, hitting out at the blogging and twitter generation.
The ending was amusing though with the quote āThis was the story of Howard Beale, the only known case of a man killed because of poor ratingsā.
Very droll.
Katie Guinn (34 KP) rated My Husband's Wife in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Lily Macdonald is a young, newly married lawyer, determined to make a fresh start and leave her secrets in the past. But her first murder case, representing a convicted killer named Joe, will threaten her happy future.
*sigh* Iām getting really burned out on ādomestic thrillers,ā guys. The kind that center around husbands and wives with secrets and strained relationships, that focus on the minutiae of everyday life than on any real action. The kind that likes to tout themselves as āthe next Gone Girl.ā Give me a good suspenseful serial killer novel, with a twisty plot and an actual likable main character!
Thatās one of my biggest problems with these sorts of books, every character is just so hard to like that itās difficult to connect with anyone or really feel invested in the story. Lily and Ed Macdonald are two people who honestly shouldnāt have married in the first place; they barely knew each other and neither of them knows how to communicate unless itās in the form of an argument. Their nine-year-old neighbor, Carla, gains some sympathy at first as she copes with bullies and the feeling of being ādifferent,ā Unfortunately, when the story picks up more than a dozen years later, Carla hasnāt changed very much. She still thinks and acts like a child, turning out to be, in my opinion, the least likable character in the book. A note to all the thriller authors out there: itās not a crime to write characters that people like.
I gave this one three stars because while the writing and plotting was decent, itās ultimately a forgettable novel. Also, itās no Gone Girl.
*sigh* Iām getting really burned out on ādomestic thrillers,ā guys. The kind that center around husbands and wives with secrets and strained relationships, that focus on the minutiae of everyday life than on any real action. The kind that likes to tout themselves as āthe next Gone Girl.ā Give me a good suspenseful serial killer novel, with a twisty plot and an actual likable main character!
Thatās one of my biggest problems with these sorts of books, every character is just so hard to like that itās difficult to connect with anyone or really feel invested in the story. Lily and Ed Macdonald are two people who honestly shouldnāt have married in the first place; they barely knew each other and neither of them knows how to communicate unless itās in the form of an argument. Their nine-year-old neighbor, Carla, gains some sympathy at first as she copes with bullies and the feeling of being ādifferent,ā Unfortunately, when the story picks up more than a dozen years later, Carla hasnāt changed very much. She still thinks and acts like a child, turning out to be, in my opinion, the least likable character in the book. A note to all the thriller authors out there: itās not a crime to write characters that people like.
I gave this one three stars because while the writing and plotting was decent, itās ultimately a forgettable novel. Also, itās no Gone Girl.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated The Girl with the Dachshund Tattoo in Books
Sep 18, 2018
Clearing Betty Depends on Finding the Girl with the Dachshund Tattoo
This weekend, the Dachshund Dash has come to town, and Mel has closed down her Bow Wow Boutique to be there. Not only does she have a booth, but she is also providing the official racing jerseys for the contestants. While she isn't familiar with the backstage drama associated with this racing circuit, she quickly gets a crash course when Lenny and Richard, the owners of the dogs expected to finish in first and second, get into an argument right outside her booth. A little while later, her assistant, Betty, gets into an altercation with Richard, even brandishing a gun at him. So, naturally, when Mel finds Richard's dead body after he's been shot, Betty becomes the prime suspect. Only Betty claims that someone, a girl with a dachshund tattoo, took the gun away from her. Why is Betty being so secretive? Where is her gun? Who shot Richard?
This is another fabulous book in the series. The plot introduces us to a couple of solid suspects before the murder takes place, and it then gives us a few more once things really get going. We get plenty of twists and turns before Mel figures everything out. And we also get plenty of humor. I was grinning and chuckling when I wasn't laughing. The characters can be a bit broad as a result as they serve the dual purpose of suspect and provider of laughs, but it works for the series. It helps that Mel is very real, and her concern comes through. The result is lots of fun.
This is another fabulous book in the series. The plot introduces us to a couple of solid suspects before the murder takes place, and it then gives us a few more once things really get going. We get plenty of twists and turns before Mel figures everything out. And we also get plenty of humor. I was grinning and chuckling when I wasn't laughing. The characters can be a bit broad as a result as they serve the dual purpose of suspect and provider of laughs, but it works for the series. It helps that Mel is very real, and her concern comes through. The result is lots of fun.
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated I See Red by Geowulf in Music
Jun 18, 2019
Geowulf (Star Kendrick & Toma Banjanin) is an Australian duo based in London, England. Not too long ago, they released an introspective alternative tune, entitled, āI See Redā.
āāI See Redā was written after an argument with my sister. The song was a realization that you are only ever your most raw, horrible self when youāre with the people you love to death and who love you.ā ā Star Kendrick
āI See Redā tells an interesting tale of a young woman who attends therapy to learn how to control her anger and mental health issues.
Apparently, she makes the same emotional mistakes and realizes itās going to take some time to change her raging behavior.
Later, she admits that sheās only human and wants to be a better person, lover, and friend. But sometimes, she gets lost, and before she knows it, sheās seeing red again.
āI have been very proactive over many years in going to therapy. Talking openly about mental health and have constantly taken steps to control emotions, moods, and even my temper. Having a family history of mental illness, this is something my siblings and I have had a lot of awareness about. This song is about that process and what Iāve learned. The ebbs and flows of trying to be the best version of yourself.ā ā Star Kendrick
āI See Redā can be utilized as the trigger to your spirited response to any of the stresses which weigh you down.
The likable tune doubles as the first collaboration with Geowulfās new writing partner, Justin Parker (Lana Del Rey, Bat For Lashes, Cloves).
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/geowulf-i-see-red/
āāI See Redā was written after an argument with my sister. The song was a realization that you are only ever your most raw, horrible self when youāre with the people you love to death and who love you.ā ā Star Kendrick
āI See Redā tells an interesting tale of a young woman who attends therapy to learn how to control her anger and mental health issues.
Apparently, she makes the same emotional mistakes and realizes itās going to take some time to change her raging behavior.
Later, she admits that sheās only human and wants to be a better person, lover, and friend. But sometimes, she gets lost, and before she knows it, sheās seeing red again.
āI have been very proactive over many years in going to therapy. Talking openly about mental health and have constantly taken steps to control emotions, moods, and even my temper. Having a family history of mental illness, this is something my siblings and I have had a lot of awareness about. This song is about that process and what Iāve learned. The ebbs and flows of trying to be the best version of yourself.ā ā Star Kendrick
āI See Redā can be utilized as the trigger to your spirited response to any of the stresses which weigh you down.
The likable tune doubles as the first collaboration with Geowulfās new writing partner, Justin Parker (Lana Del Rey, Bat For Lashes, Cloves).
https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/geowulf-i-see-red/