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Lexi (8 KP) rated Pokémon GO in Apps

Sep 3, 2018  
Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO
Games, Health & Fitness
Great for anxiety (2 more)
Good exercise motivator
Friendship elements
Sometimes major bugs (0 more)
Great for anxiety
Pokemon Go is one of my biggest assets when it comes to battling my anxiety. There are some days I would not push myself to get out the house but Pokemon Go has really helped with that. It gives me small daily goals to get me out the house when I would otherwise hide in and it's introduced me to a whole load of great friends I wouldn't have met otherwise.
It has a very good way of motivating you to walk just that little bit further. Whether it's a pokemon you haven't caught or just to reach another pokestop, before you know it you've walked a few miles a day. Great for social anxiety and for fitness/weight loss goals.
Love the new friends feature which rewards you for playing with friends. There are special bonuses for certain group activities such as trading and baking in gyms.
It's generally just really fun. I've been playing since its launch in 2016. The game has currently only reached generation three so there's still so much to achieve!
  
Hannah's Courage
Hannah's Courage
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is my first time reading a book by Molly Jebber and it was an interesting experience. I liked how Molly Jebber was not afraid to show her character's mistakes. Hannah, in particular, took her mistakes and used them to take time and listen to God’s calling on her life, in doing so she was able to help others in need. Timothy seemed like a good guy caught between a rock and a hard place. He had some problems to overcome and he overcame them in an interesting way. I personally did not like how both main characters seemed to blow things way out of proportion to the situation, and how they were not very brave. The story plot was interesting, I love anything to do with baking, and the setting was also interesting. Overall, I would say this was a good read, but not my favorite.
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars, for the interesting storyline, the story of hope, and the happily ever after ending.
*I volunteered to read this in return for my honest feed back. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
AG
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The start with several different issues are address in this first book in the series. Rebecca is first having trouble conceiving a child of her own. She get a letter or will after her older sister and brother in law are killed in as automobile accident. She is left to raise two teenage girls.

Jessica and Lindsay are force to move and live with their Aunt and Uncle in this Amish Community. Jessica has a hard time adjusting to live in this small community. Jessica is found guilty of doing just about everything wrong. Lindsay on the other hand is adjusting just fine and fitting in with where is living. Lindsay start wearing plain dresses and start doing things the Amish way. Lindsay goes to work with Rebecca at the bakery for she likes baking. Jessica is sent to work with her Uncle Daniel at the Furniture store as an accountant. Though Jessica does not understand that she and Lindsay are done school though the Amish way of live. Lindsay does not seem to mind. Lindsay by the way try to make new friends and meeting her cousins and other family members. Can it be possible that Lindsay and Jessica are complete opposite of each other and every simpler to Rebecca and Grace?
  
A Bird’s Eye View of Murder
A Bird’s Eye View of Murder
Jacqueline Vick | 2014 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Frankie Finds that Murder Isn’t Flighty
Frankie Chandler’s hardly recovered from the murder she got involved in the month before when her aunt comes for a visit. The aunt has scored some tickets to the taping of a live baking show, and Frankie joins her. That’s how Frankie stumbles on the dead body of the contestant winner. With the police looking at her aunt, her aunt hiding secrets, and animals starting to talk to Frankie again, can she figure out what is really going on?

Yes, this book falls into the paranormal cozy subgenre, which I tend to avoid. I appreciated how Frankie wrestles with her gift and what it means since those are the same things I struggle with myself. And it’s a minor part of the book anyway. In fact, this is more comedic, at least to me. I enjoyed laughing at the antics of the characters as the book progressed. The story started a bit slowly, but it grew stronger as it went along, and I was surprised by the ending. Do keep in mind that there is some violence to animals, but they are treated no worse than the human characters in the story. I really enjoyed the characters. I’m hoping I can get to the next in the series soon.
  
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Dana (24 KP) rated Heartless in Books

Mar 23, 2018  
Heartless
Heartless
Marissa Meyer | 2017 | Children
6
8.3 (33 Ratings)
Book Rating
Let me start off by saying that I love Marissa Meyer's writing so much, but this book wasn't as good for me as The Lunar Chronicles.

This was a really cute and quirky book with so many puns! I loved all of the puns about baking, they gave me life. Especially since I love puns and I love baking, so putting those two things together made me so happy!

This had a very interesting story, one we all know the end of, just not how the story will get to that point. If you have read or even know of Alice in Wonderland, you know that the Queen of Hearts is a villain, so it was interesting to see how she got to be that way. I am always a little hesitant to read the villain backstories because a lot of times, authors will make them out to be the heroes and completely go against what the audiences know about these beloved villains. While Meyer does have some instances of this, she also is able to build up the story enough to the point where it may be believable.

So there are going to be some plot spoilers in this paragraph, so if you do not want to read them, skip to the next paragraph! Okay, so the plot goes like this: Catherine doesn't want to be queen, she wants to bake, but the King of Hearts, as well as her parents, want her to be the queen. Cue the Joker, Jest, who is the wrong guy to fall for, but she does it anyway which eventually gets him killed and will make Cath want revenge and become the killer we know her as. There were a lot of moments throughout the plot that I was not as engaged with because they felt like they had been too much. Of course Cath would fall for Jest and of course a man would be her turning point. I was not the biggest fan of those aspects of the story. I wanted her to have more agency in why she becomes the Queen of Hearts, not just that she wants to use her power to avenge her lost love.

There was a prophecy in this book, I won't say what it was, but I will say that it wasn't my favorite because it takes any and all tension out of the story.

I loved the play on names from Meyer. Hatta being the Mad Hatter and Haigher being the March Hair, loved it!

The characters were pretty interesting, but they weren't as gripping or memorable as I would have like them to be.

I usually adore Marissa Meyer's books, but this one fell a little flat for me. Overall, it was enjoyable, but I am not sure if I would read it again.
  
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder
Chocolate Cream Pie Murder
Joanne Fluke | 2019 | Mystery, Thriller
5
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Chocolate Pies and Lies
Valentine’s Day is coming, and The Cookie Jar is getting ready to cater various Valentine’s Parties with new treats. Hannah Swensen is throwing herself into this baking in order to not think about the news she’s gotten that Ross was already married, so their wedding was all a lie. She has told the town of Lake Eden in an effort to curb gossip, and all of her friends are with her. Which is why Ross sneaks back into town in the early hours of the morning demanding something from Hannah – something she might not be able to give him. What will happen if she can’t?

As a longtime fan of the series, I’ve been expecting this book for several books now. The murder itself takes place late in the book and is wrapped up quickly. There were some other plot elements I was enjoying, so I wasn’t bored, however, I wish things hadn’t been left dangling quite so much until the next book in the series. We get plenty of talk about food as always, with twenty-eight new recipes by my count. It is always nice to catch up with these characters, at least for this fan of the series. If you have been a fan, you’ll want the next chapter in Hannah’s saga, but if you are new, don’t jump in here.
  
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Maris (8 KP) rated Heartless in Books

Jun 10, 2019  
Heartless
Heartless
Marissa Meyer | 2017 | Children
10
8.3 (33 Ratings)
Book Rating
What a marvelous gem to read. I enjoy every bit of this story. I could not put this book down, I had to know what was going to happen. Who was the Queen of Hearts before she became who she was? Marissa Meyer did exactly that to explain the story.

"Three luscious lemon tarts glistened up at Catherine". Cath the main character of the story absolutely loves baking goods. Her dream is to start her very own bakery one day right in the kingdom of Hearts. What can possibly go wrong with starting your own bakery? Her heart is sought out from the King of Hearts and her heart also falls in love with the kings joker Jest.

The journey between Cath and where her heart truly goes on this journey to her happiness will just make you curiouser and curiouser on where the story will go and how she became what we all know her as the Queen Of Hearts.


Tea parties, Pastry goods, and white rabbits big announcements to the balls! Ohh lets not forget the jabberwocky!

I gave it a five star out of five stars cause its truly a wonderful heart warming story of one of the most notorious villains we all know. It became one of my new favorite stories and Marissa Meyer became one of my top favorite authors of all time.
  
Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
2014 | Classics, Drama
2
5.3 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
So. Much. Potential. Squandered.

The primary actors in this movie could make baking bread interesting. Yet somehow, the great Ridley Scott found a way to admonish them to caricatures of their potential.

I don't recall a time where I was more disappointed in a movie. From a visualization standpoint, it was actually very good. From every other standpoint, it was rubbish.

I understand very clearly that any time a film gets made from source material that there will be exception. There is no way to convey everything that can be stated in words onto film. I get that. I actually advocate for not comparing movies to their source material too heavily for this reason. However, the source material should somewhat be represented on some level. In this case, it was not. Not remotely.

In addition to that glaring gaff, the way that the story is actually told is done so in such a muddled way that there isn't a way to actually follow it with any sense of logic whatsoever. Nothing is tied together and things happen completely arbitrarily as if only to extend the length of an already sleep movie.

Maybe I'm missing something, but from what I can see this movie should have stayed on the cutting room floor. To call this an abomination would be a disservice to the word itself.
  
The Quiche of Death (Agatha Raisin, #1)
The Quiche of Death (Agatha Raisin, #1)
M.C. Beaton | 1992 | Crime, Humor & Comedy, Mystery
9
8.3 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
PIck up. Open. Don't move for five hours.
Agatha Raisin is an awful woman but I promise that by the time you finish this book you will love her, warts and all.

A self-made woman who sells her business and retires early to her dream-cottage in the Cotswolds (furnished by an expensive interior decortator, naturally).

Agatha suddenly finds herself in a completely alien environment. In a effort to make her mark on the village and announce her arrival, she plots to win the village Quiche baking contest. Her plan is simple - she will enter, as her own work, a quiche bought from a top-class delicatessan in London. Unfortunatly for Agatha, the judge dies after eating it and her deception is uncovered. Worse she finds herself being held responsible for his death.

And this is when you start finding your self falling for her. From the moment the plot is hatched the reader can't fail to know the outcome, but rather than feeling righteous indignation on the part of the other contestants you can only feel sympathetic embarrasment for the situation you know Agatha is going to find herself in.

Convinced that she can redeem herself in the eyes of those around her Agatha sets off to solve a crime the police insist hasn't happened.

Highly enjoyable and amusing, you will alternate between wanting to throttle her and offer her a shoulder to cry on.
  
Murder Most Sweet
Murder Most Sweet
Laura Jensen Walker | 2020 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sweet and Light, but Could be Stronger
After surviving breast cancer five years ago, Teddie St. John starting writing culinary cozies, combining her love and baking and mysteries. She’s moderately successful, and looking forward to meeting the highly successful Tavish Bentley when he comes to her small Wisconsin town for a book signing. However, the event ends early when Teddie finds Tavish’s fiancée dead in the ally next to the bookstore. The murder weapon was one of Teddie’s scarfs. Teddie needs to clear her name, but can she do it?

Since I love both culinary and booked themed cozies, I was looking forward to digging into this debut. Unfortunately, I found the mystery to be weak. It started well, but it wasn’t strong enough overall. On the other hand, Teddie does lead a cast of fun characters that I enjoyed meeting. I did find Teddie’s mother a bit much, but hopefully that relationship will grow as the series goes on. The suspects are just as strong and memorable as the main characters. As a man, I was a bit uncomfortable with some of the talk about Teddie’s breast cancer, but I am sure most people who pick up the book will be fine with that. If the book leaves you craving some Wisconsin sweets, you’ll be thrilled to find the six recipes at the back of the book. Hopefully, the mysteries will grow as the series progresses.