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Alhambra
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Granada, 1278. At the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, one of the most exciting and interesting...
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Clair (5 KP) rated The Essex Serpent in Books
Sep 29, 2017
Purely a cover book buy, I had high hopes for this as it has won lots of awards. I’ve given it 3 stars – it took me over 100 pages before I really started to like it – I struggled to engage with the story and found my mind wandering, meaning I had to go back and reread several paragraphs again.
Set in 1893, Cora Seaborne finds herself a widow after her controlling husband dies. She and her son Francis and companion Martha leave for Colchester in Essex as she is a keen amateur naturalist and hopes to explore the area looking for fossils.
On arrival she hears rumours of the mythical Essex Serpent that has returned to the coastal parish of Aldwinter and she sets off to explore. She is introduced to William Ransome, a vicar who doesn’t believe in the Serpent but on meeting the pair find they have a connection.
There are many characters in the book, and this is for me what kept it interesting. Its meanders quite a bit but once I got used to the style, I ended up quite enjoying the story, and the historical and mystery elements were interesting.
I read it for my book club (my recommendation) and I have a feeling they may have enjoyed it more than me. I much prefer contemporary novels, but I’m glad I read this.
Set in 1893, Cora Seaborne finds herself a widow after her controlling husband dies. She and her son Francis and companion Martha leave for Colchester in Essex as she is a keen amateur naturalist and hopes to explore the area looking for fossils.
On arrival she hears rumours of the mythical Essex Serpent that has returned to the coastal parish of Aldwinter and she sets off to explore. She is introduced to William Ransome, a vicar who doesn’t believe in the Serpent but on meeting the pair find they have a connection.
There are many characters in the book, and this is for me what kept it interesting. Its meanders quite a bit but once I got used to the style, I ended up quite enjoying the story, and the historical and mystery elements were interesting.
I read it for my book club (my recommendation) and I have a feeling they may have enjoyed it more than me. I much prefer contemporary novels, but I’m glad I read this.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The It Girl (It Girl, #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The It Girl series follows Gossip Girl character, Jenny Humphries at her new boarding school, Waverly. The sophomore must navigate an entirely new set of social rules in her attempt to become New Jenny - an it-girl. But life at Waverly isn't always what Jenny dreamed for herself and sometimes it's so much better.
Overall, the book is enjoyable in a simple, YA, guilty read way. It's not going to win any literary awards, but if you enjoy books about privileged kids, boarding schools or volatile relationship dynamics you will like this read. Although it is fiction, sometimes I am astounded by the level of debauchery surrounding these students.
The first book, It Girl, introduces us to the large cast of characters. New girl, Jenny, who is looking to reinvent herself. Junior class prefect, Brett, who seems to have it all together. Privileged princess, Callie, who thinks appearances are everything. True it-girl, Tinsley, who is the puppet-master of Waverly. As well as all their girlfriends and the rotating batch of potential boyfriends.
School seems perfect - the guy she has her eye on seems to be crushing back, her roommates seem great and she's been invited to join the advanced art class. What could go wrong? {{spoiler}}Tinsley returns to school and is none too happy about the new girl in her bed.
Overall, the book is enjoyable in a simple, YA, guilty read way. It's not going to win any literary awards, but if you enjoy books about privileged kids, boarding schools or volatile relationship dynamics you will like this read. Although it is fiction, sometimes I am astounded by the level of debauchery surrounding these students.
The first book, It Girl, introduces us to the large cast of characters. New girl, Jenny, who is looking to reinvent herself. Junior class prefect, Brett, who seems to have it all together. Privileged princess, Callie, who thinks appearances are everything. True it-girl, Tinsley, who is the puppet-master of Waverly. As well as all their girlfriends and the rotating batch of potential boyfriends.
School seems perfect - the guy she has her eye on seems to be crushing back, her roommates seem great and she's been invited to join the advanced art class. What could go wrong? {{spoiler}}Tinsley returns to school and is none too happy about the new girl in her bed.
Jarom Solar Norris (177 KP) rated Green Book (2018) in Movies
Nov 9, 2018 (Updated Feb 13, 2019)
Green Book was an interesting movie. The story of two men from completely different cultures coming together and teaching each other on a long road trip was fun all by itself. Add on top of it the stories of race: the uneducated white man getting more respect than the talented black man, the white man fitting into black places while the black man is rejected from white ones, and the white man’s struggle to comprehend black discrimination. There’s some power behind seeing a talented, educated man be personally invited and praised by the wealthy and elite and invited into their homes, and then be told he can’t use their bathroom due to the color of his skin.
My problems with this movie are also related: I feel like it focuses too much on the white man’s story and perspective of the black man’s struggles. Which, while it has its merits, still kind of feels like it misses a point. The fact that Viggo Mortensen gets nominated for “Lead Role” awards in a movie about a black man’s problems while Mahershala Ali gets “Supporting Role” feels wrong somehow, but that’s how the story was told. Still, overall the movie is fun to watch, both actors are amazing, and it makes you think and feel and hopefully makes you aware of discrimination, both historically and modernly.
My problems with this movie are also related: I feel like it focuses too much on the white man’s story and perspective of the black man’s struggles. Which, while it has its merits, still kind of feels like it misses a point. The fact that Viggo Mortensen gets nominated for “Lead Role” awards in a movie about a black man’s problems while Mahershala Ali gets “Supporting Role” feels wrong somehow, but that’s how the story was told. Still, overall the movie is fun to watch, both actors are amazing, and it makes you think and feel and hopefully makes you aware of discrimination, both historically and modernly.
Kayleigh (12 KP) rated The Clock Of Life in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Firstly, thank you to Nancy Klann-Moren for approaching me to read and review this book. Congratulations are also in order, as The Clock of Life was nominated for the general fiction/novel section of the Indie Book Awards.
This book gets a middling 3 stars from me. I found the character development to be really detailed, and I felt as though I knew the characters by the end. As the blurb already mentions, the main focus of the book is on Jason Lee. Starting from when he began school and ending with a relationship and career choice as a teenager, this book is Jason's journey through childhood.
The reason it didn't rate any higher for me though is that I found it to be fairly slow paced, and at times weighed down with politics that as an English woman, I didn't completely connect with. Plotwise, while things did happen, it didn't become exciting until right at the end.
The message about race is a good one, and the book highlights how far attitudes towards race have come. I did enjoy it, although maybe not in the way I enjoyed a book like The Hunger Games, where I felt a sense of satisfaction and couldn't wait to read more. If you like bildungsromans/coming-of-age stories, I'd definitely recommend it.
This book gets a middling 3 stars from me. I found the character development to be really detailed, and I felt as though I knew the characters by the end. As the blurb already mentions, the main focus of the book is on Jason Lee. Starting from when he began school and ending with a relationship and career choice as a teenager, this book is Jason's journey through childhood.
The reason it didn't rate any higher for me though is that I found it to be fairly slow paced, and at times weighed down with politics that as an English woman, I didn't completely connect with. Plotwise, while things did happen, it didn't become exciting until right at the end.
The message about race is a good one, and the book highlights how far attitudes towards race have come. I did enjoy it, although maybe not in the way I enjoyed a book like The Hunger Games, where I felt a sense of satisfaction and couldn't wait to read more. If you like bildungsromans/coming-of-age stories, I'd definitely recommend it.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) in Movies
Dec 5, 2019
Heigh Ho
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first full-length cel animated feature film and the earliest Disney animated feature film. It was based on the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.
The Plot: Jealous of Snow White's beauty, the wicked queen orders the murder of her innocent stepdaughter, but later discovers that Snow White is still alive and hiding in a cottage with seven friendly little miners. Disguising herself as a hag, the queen brings a poisoned apple to Snow White, who falls into a death-like sleep that can be broken only by a kiss from the prince.
Following the film's release, a number of Snow White themed merchandise were sold, including hats, dolls, garden seeds, and glasses. The film's merchandise generated sales of $8 million, equivalent to over $100 million adjusted for inflation.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has had a lifetime gross of $418 million across its original release and several reissues. Adjusted for inflation, and incorporating subsequent releases, the film still registers one of the top-10 American film moneymakers of all time.
Snow White was nominated for Best Musical Score at the Academy Awards in 1938, and the next year, producer Walt Disney was awarded an honorary Oscar for the film.
It is a classic and a must watch film.
The Plot: Jealous of Snow White's beauty, the wicked queen orders the murder of her innocent stepdaughter, but later discovers that Snow White is still alive and hiding in a cottage with seven friendly little miners. Disguising herself as a hag, the queen brings a poisoned apple to Snow White, who falls into a death-like sleep that can be broken only by a kiss from the prince.
Following the film's release, a number of Snow White themed merchandise were sold, including hats, dolls, garden seeds, and glasses. The film's merchandise generated sales of $8 million, equivalent to over $100 million adjusted for inflation.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has had a lifetime gross of $418 million across its original release and several reissues. Adjusted for inflation, and incorporating subsequent releases, the film still registers one of the top-10 American film moneymakers of all time.
Snow White was nominated for Best Musical Score at the Academy Awards in 1938, and the next year, producer Walt Disney was awarded an honorary Oscar for the film.
It is a classic and a must watch film.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Games and Entertainment
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Labyrinth 2 HD
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"Labyrinth 2 is one of the absolutely very best games in the App Store. I didn’t know Labyrinth...
Goodreads: Book Reviews
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