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This is a really nice combination of designs, especially if you really like coloring but you aren’t sure what you like coloring. Big shapes, or little detailed places? Fish or birds? recognizable things like flowers, or abstract shapes? This book has a good combo of all of them, and every design is interesting and fun. Some of the shapes are reminiscent of wallpaper (which sounds boring but remember there are some cool wallpapers out there) some remind me of my favorite floral print blouses, and others remind me of long-lost childhood day dreams (Polar bears and flowers? Yes).
One thing I like is they look good even if you color, like, most of one page, but decide not to finish. Some things don’t look good when you stop halfway through a design. These designs do.
I would have liked the paper not to bleed. If you’re going to use gel pens or markers, you have to put paper between the pages, because it will bleed. Also, most of the designs were a ton of small shapes to make one big picture, so it was highly detailed. I did really enjoy the designs and the process though! Recommended for ages 8+, gel pens, pencils, and markers (crayons would be hard because of the small spaces).
One thing I like is they look good even if you color, like, most of one page, but decide not to finish. Some things don’t look good when you stop halfway through a design. These designs do.
I would have liked the paper not to bleed. If you’re going to use gel pens or markers, you have to put paper between the pages, because it will bleed. Also, most of the designs were a ton of small shapes to make one big picture, so it was highly detailed. I did really enjoy the designs and the process though! Recommended for ages 8+, gel pens, pencils, and markers (crayons would be hard because of the small spaces).
Charlotte (184 KP) rated Three Divisions (Crescentwood #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2021
Holy fluff balls, what an amazing start to this series!
Although based around seventeen year old Sophie this is anything but a typical teen book. This is most definitely an adult read with some hard hitting topics like abuse, suicide and bullying to name a few.
Nothing phases Sophie for long, she's an awesome character, with a strong survival instinct, a smart mouth and feisty kick ass personality. She has a kind of sex appeal that calls like a siren song to not one but four men (a girl can dream!!)
The four men all have an outward persona that isn't endearing but beneath the surface lies a hot mess......They go from mean and moody to a girl's wet dream and back again. Like Sophie they all have a hard past driving them, things that bleed into their current lives, each fighting their own demons.
There isn't anything that I don't like as the bits that make me uncomfortable are crucial foundations for the story. They add depth to the characters and create a more three dimensional look at all the key players.
A good strong start to what promises to be an amazing, gripping series....... **Taps fingers impatiently waiting for the next book**
Although based around seventeen year old Sophie this is anything but a typical teen book. This is most definitely an adult read with some hard hitting topics like abuse, suicide and bullying to name a few.
Nothing phases Sophie for long, she's an awesome character, with a strong survival instinct, a smart mouth and feisty kick ass personality. She has a kind of sex appeal that calls like a siren song to not one but four men (a girl can dream!!)
The four men all have an outward persona that isn't endearing but beneath the surface lies a hot mess......They go from mean and moody to a girl's wet dream and back again. Like Sophie they all have a hard past driving them, things that bleed into their current lives, each fighting their own demons.
There isn't anything that I don't like as the bits that make me uncomfortable are crucial foundations for the story. They add depth to the characters and create a more three dimensional look at all the key players.
A good strong start to what promises to be an amazing, gripping series....... **Taps fingers impatiently waiting for the next book**
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Amish Quilts Coloring Book in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I had so much fun creating my own Amish "quilt" through coloring. I think this is as close to making a real quilt as I will ever get. Sewing and I don't get along so well. Which is why this book is perfect for me! The patterns and details satisfy my OCD side, while my imagination with color satisfies the creativity. Some of the spaces are quite tiny, but it worked well for me. I use colored pencils and have a great sharpener on hand at all times. Coloring is such a great outlet for relaxing. I like to put music on (usually Lindsey Stirling) and let my inner artist emerge and let my personality bleed onto the page. At the top of each page is an Amish Proverb. The one on the page I colored has been so good for me this week. We have had a rough week here, but miracles have been in the making nonetheless!
"Difficulty is the first stage of a miracle."
~Amish Proverb
Overall, this book is a great idea! A wonderful way to bring to life a piece of the culture that we love to read about.
I received two pages from this coloring book to color for free through Celebrate Lit for this Blog Tour in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
"Difficulty is the first stage of a miracle."
~Amish Proverb
Overall, this book is a great idea! A wonderful way to bring to life a piece of the culture that we love to read about.
I received two pages from this coloring book to color for free through Celebrate Lit for this Blog Tour in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Jeff Lynne recommended Please Please Me by The Beatles in Music (curated)
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Red Queen in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Not gonna lie...I was a bit sceptical when I picked up this book. But I was quickly pulled into the world of Reds and Silvers and the Red Guard. I found myself listening to this book every spare minute I had. Intrigue, secrets, unknown powers, fears, lies, family, betrayal, and HOPE bleed onto the pages of this book in a neverending flow.
I still don't know who to trust, although I DO know who is evil...I think...You know, come to think of it...I have no idea...afterall...
“Anyone can betray anyone.”
― Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen
It is ridiculously hard to review a book like this...Only because I don't want to give away spoilers. So I will leave you with this...If you love YA books...and have a fascination with dystopian/sci-fi type books...You should definitely give Red Queen a try. I think you will really enjoy it! Now excuse me while I finish the series....
I borrowed Red Queen on audio from my local library. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I still don't know who to trust, although I DO know who is evil...I think...You know, come to think of it...I have no idea...afterall...
“Anyone can betray anyone.”
― Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen
It is ridiculously hard to review a book like this...Only because I don't want to give away spoilers. So I will leave you with this...If you love YA books...and have a fascination with dystopian/sci-fi type books...You should definitely give Red Queen a try. I think you will really enjoy it! Now excuse me while I finish the series....
I borrowed Red Queen on audio from my local library. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Aquaman (2018) in Movies
Feb 12, 2019
DC Comics adaptation boasts a colour palette that will make your eyes bleed and some casting decisions that will leave your mind near-permanently boggled (Julie Andrews and Dolph Lundgren, together at last), but still manages to be one of their better recent films - I'm aware that probably isn't saying much, so let me clarify it: Aquaman is a lot of fun. Jason Momoa plays the scion of Atlantis as a slightly dimwitted bro, which is a curious but entertaining take on the character; he has to go off on a quest for plot coupons in order to stop a war between the underwater world and the surface nations.
It probably takes a bit too long, and if you don't like wall-to-wall CGI this is definitely not the movie for you, but it ticks all the boxes and manages to be jolly popcorn-blockbuster fun, unsaddled by references to other DC movies. There's a bit of dead wood along the way (Black Manta is just there to facilitate a big action sequence, and allow the designers to get away with one of the most ridiculous costumes in living memory), but this is a surprisingly confident and epic-feeling take on a perennially second-string character.
It probably takes a bit too long, and if you don't like wall-to-wall CGI this is definitely not the movie for you, but it ticks all the boxes and manages to be jolly popcorn-blockbuster fun, unsaddled by references to other DC movies. There's a bit of dead wood along the way (Black Manta is just there to facilitate a big action sequence, and allow the designers to get away with one of the most ridiculous costumes in living memory), but this is a surprisingly confident and epic-feeling take on a perennially second-string character.
Merissa (11935 KP) rated Bleed In The Night (Blood and Bonds #2) in Books
Mar 1, 2024
BLEED IN THE NIGHT is the second book in the Blood and Bonds series and follows Lucien and Tyler, both of whom we met in the previous book.
Tyler has been through a traumatic experience - admittedly of his own making - and hasn't been sleeping since. He wants to know Lucien has been apprehended but no one seems to take him seriously. Taking matters into his own hands, he employs 'Damon' to capture Lucien. As with most things though, Tyler doesn't think it through and soon faces a choice.
I was surprised when I saw it was Lucien and Tyler in this book. I was convinced it would be Darragh and Tom. I do like it when I'm wrong. And this book continued to surprise. Tyler is still a hothead but I learnt more about what makes him tick and the work he does to help those with less than him. He doesn't come across as just a thug anymore. And Lucien? What can I say about him? I love him! He has reasons for the way he is and they are completely understandable. These two are almost touch-starved but when they're together? Yeah, not so much! 😁
Although I can understand where they're coming from, I have to say Emory and Co. really dropped the ball with Lucien. There was more understanding from Tyler than there was from them. This certainly differs from the norm where Elders are respected!
I was happy with the ending for Tyler and Lucien, although I hope it's not the last we see of them. I was also shocked by the ending, but it has left me with a desire to continue the series, so I guess it did its job!
Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 20, 2024
Tyler has been through a traumatic experience - admittedly of his own making - and hasn't been sleeping since. He wants to know Lucien has been apprehended but no one seems to take him seriously. Taking matters into his own hands, he employs 'Damon' to capture Lucien. As with most things though, Tyler doesn't think it through and soon faces a choice.
I was surprised when I saw it was Lucien and Tyler in this book. I was convinced it would be Darragh and Tom. I do like it when I'm wrong. And this book continued to surprise. Tyler is still a hothead but I learnt more about what makes him tick and the work he does to help those with less than him. He doesn't come across as just a thug anymore. And Lucien? What can I say about him? I love him! He has reasons for the way he is and they are completely understandable. These two are almost touch-starved but when they're together? Yeah, not so much! 😁
Although I can understand where they're coming from, I have to say Emory and Co. really dropped the ball with Lucien. There was more understanding from Tyler than there was from them. This certainly differs from the norm where Elders are respected!
I was happy with the ending for Tyler and Lucien, although I hope it's not the last we see of them. I was also shocked by the ending, but it has left me with a desire to continue the series, so I guess it did its job!
Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 20, 2024
KalJ95 (25 KP) rated Uncut Gems (2019) in Movies
Jan 12, 2020
The performance of Sandler's career. (2 more)
Nail biting, stressful viewing.
The resolution is worth the slow burn that climbs and climbs.
Sandler's gem.
Often throughout Uncut Gems, I found myself biting my nails to the nearest inch of my skin. At one point, closing in an hour, I realised I started to bleed from my index finger. The blood hadn't even occurred to me until the credits rolled, took a deep breath, and looked. The stressful nature of a character like Howard Ratner was difficult to understand, whether you sympathized with him or not. I neither routed for his destructive behaviour, nor wanted harm to come his way. Sitting on the fence didn't feel comfortable either. And this is why Uncut Gems is so special.
(No spoilers ahead.)
Howard's spiral towards more trouble is so nerve inducing it's hard to watch, even more hard to look away. His bad decision making creates a cause and effect chain, and often when you think his luck will turn around, he weasels and worms his way into even more trouble, all created by his constant addiction to make it big. Undeniably, this is all down to a masterclass from Adam Sandler.
The Safdie Brothers opened a can of worms, and Adam Sandler brought everything out. His slow burn decent towards losing it all is all the effective because he brings so many layers to the role. Ratner is a creep, a loser, a cheat, and a liar. He's also ambitious, outspoken, and sometimes even sympathetic. I never liked him as a person, but I did feel sorry for him.
I've seen some fine performances this year in cinema, and Sandler is most definitely up their with Joaquin Phoenix.
Uncut Gems is pulsatingly good, exhausting and draining, and one of the best thrillers you'll see in years. Adam Sandler, you're redeemed for Jack and Jill.
(No spoilers ahead.)
Howard's spiral towards more trouble is so nerve inducing it's hard to watch, even more hard to look away. His bad decision making creates a cause and effect chain, and often when you think his luck will turn around, he weasels and worms his way into even more trouble, all created by his constant addiction to make it big. Undeniably, this is all down to a masterclass from Adam Sandler.
The Safdie Brothers opened a can of worms, and Adam Sandler brought everything out. His slow burn decent towards losing it all is all the effective because he brings so many layers to the role. Ratner is a creep, a loser, a cheat, and a liar. He's also ambitious, outspoken, and sometimes even sympathetic. I never liked him as a person, but I did feel sorry for him.
I've seen some fine performances this year in cinema, and Sandler is most definitely up their with Joaquin Phoenix.
Uncut Gems is pulsatingly good, exhausting and draining, and one of the best thrillers you'll see in years. Adam Sandler, you're redeemed for Jack and Jill.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Carrie in Books
Nov 14, 2018
Full review can be found on my blog - www.diaryofdifference.com
I am probably one of the last people on Earth that hasn’t read a Stephen King book. Carrie is the first book I decided to read. People have been suggesting it to me for a while, and it seemed like a nice short bit of introduction to Stephen’s horror world.
Also, a special thank you to my friend Dave, for constantly recommending Stephen King books to me, until I finally decided to listen to him. He seemed to be right!
Now - Carrie.
A book about a girl that lives with her crazy religious mother in a creepy house. A girl who is being bullied at school all the time. A story about a girl that has the ability to move objects as she wishes. And a prom night, where everything escalates.
Carrie is a sixteen year old girl. And she has been raised by her mother, who is a religious person in a - not healthy way. When Carrie misbehaves, she is sent to a closet to pray for the whole day. Even though Carrie doesn’t share her mother’s beliefs, she can’t really stand up and fight for herself.
The plot gets a grip when Carrie has her first period at the age of sixteen. She thinks she will bleed to death. And all her classmates are laughing at her, because she is stupid. And throw tampons her way. And as I am reading this, I keep thinking - what kind of mother won’t tell her child about menstruation, and puberty, and all the normal teenage phases a kid has to go through while growing up?
This moment, in the school bathroom, is the moment Carrie finds out about her powers.
And a few weeks later, a terrible thing happens.
This is a horror story, but the horror doesn’t lie in what Carrie did, but what led her to do that. Who it is to blame, and why things escalated the way they did.
Stephen King described bullying in its most painful and real way, and the consequences it can lead to. And it does happen, in every school, to a lot of children all over the world each day. A sometimes, most of the times, they are bullied only because they are different, not because they are bad.
This is a story that silently stands up to bullying, and by doing that raises such a strong voice in every corner of the world.
And remember - if you are the bully - think twice before you say things. Words can hurt, and they can result in bad things happening. Think twice about why you say what you say. The classmate of yours might have a talent you don’t know of.
And if you are the bullied child - also remember - you are kind and beautiful, no matter what everyone says. You shouldn’t let people bring you down. And we have all been bullied while growing up. Once you reach a certain age, people stop caring, and you stop caring what people think, and then, finally, you can be comfortable and happy with who you are!
I am probably one of the last people on Earth that hasn’t read a Stephen King book. Carrie is the first book I decided to read. People have been suggesting it to me for a while, and it seemed like a nice short bit of introduction to Stephen’s horror world.
Also, a special thank you to my friend Dave, for constantly recommending Stephen King books to me, until I finally decided to listen to him. He seemed to be right!
Now - Carrie.
A book about a girl that lives with her crazy religious mother in a creepy house. A girl who is being bullied at school all the time. A story about a girl that has the ability to move objects as she wishes. And a prom night, where everything escalates.
Carrie is a sixteen year old girl. And she has been raised by her mother, who is a religious person in a - not healthy way. When Carrie misbehaves, she is sent to a closet to pray for the whole day. Even though Carrie doesn’t share her mother’s beliefs, she can’t really stand up and fight for herself.
The plot gets a grip when Carrie has her first period at the age of sixteen. She thinks she will bleed to death. And all her classmates are laughing at her, because she is stupid. And throw tampons her way. And as I am reading this, I keep thinking - what kind of mother won’t tell her child about menstruation, and puberty, and all the normal teenage phases a kid has to go through while growing up?
This moment, in the school bathroom, is the moment Carrie finds out about her powers.
And a few weeks later, a terrible thing happens.
This is a horror story, but the horror doesn’t lie in what Carrie did, but what led her to do that. Who it is to blame, and why things escalated the way they did.
Stephen King described bullying in its most painful and real way, and the consequences it can lead to. And it does happen, in every school, to a lot of children all over the world each day. A sometimes, most of the times, they are bullied only because they are different, not because they are bad.
This is a story that silently stands up to bullying, and by doing that raises such a strong voice in every corner of the world.
And remember - if you are the bully - think twice before you say things. Words can hurt, and they can result in bad things happening. Think twice about why you say what you say. The classmate of yours might have a talent you don’t know of.
And if you are the bullied child - also remember - you are kind and beautiful, no matter what everyone says. You shouldn’t let people bring you down. And we have all been bullied while growing up. Once you reach a certain age, people stop caring, and you stop caring what people think, and then, finally, you can be comfortable and happy with who you are!
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Gather the Daughters in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I was so interested in this one because it's ultimately about a cult. A cult who live on an island where very strict rules are put in place. Daughters are used to "comfort" their Father's during the night until their first bleed, then they get married off, Mothers are used for producing two children and housework. Sons help their Fathers in their jobs and Fathers rule the land.
On the island they have a Bible / religious text equivalent called Our Book and within the book there are the "Shalt Not's", for example "Thou shalt not disobey thy father", or "Thou shalt not touch a daughter who has bled until she enters her summer of fruition". Living on the island is simple if you don't question or break the rules.
For a woman to have a decent life on the island, there's only one piece of advice: have son's.
If you can't already see what I'm getting at from my short description above, then let me put this simply. <b>This is dark.</b> Gather the Daughters is a very ominous, disturbed and often times uncomfortable read.
Melamed's writing is stunning. The island she has created comes alive in your mind so easily with every description of the trees, the houses, the beach. The shadiness of the men, the melancholy of the woman, and the fear of the daughters can really be felt and you can almost touch the tension of what is looming, as it gets heavier and heavier with every turn of the page.
I loved the use of the four different characters to tell a story. To begin with, it is a little confusing - who is who? But you get used to it very quickly! Each of the girls we follow are so well developed, we climb inside their shoes and exist as they do for the length of their chapter. Personally, Rosie was my favourite character of them all, and she wasn't even one of the main ones! That just goes to show how well structured every single girl in this book was... when you feel you can love a side character over a main one.
I guess this book only gets a 4 stars because it wasn't entirely what I was expecting... and sometimes that's a good thing, your expectations are exceeded, but that wasn't the case for this one. It was a lot slower moving than I would have liked, there were panicky, heart racing moments, but not a lot of them, and I wasn't really satisfied with how everything ended. I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but yes, not what I was hoping for.
Would I class this as sci-fi? No. As horror? No. As a thriller? No. For me, this felt more like a general fiction novel with some more disturbing aspects than many of the others in the genre have.
Overall, though, this is worth picking up to read. It's definitely uncomfortable to read at times and I did feel a little bit squirmish at what is implied throughout, but it's such a gorgeously written book and there are some excellent exciting moments. As this is Melamed's first book, I can see her going big places with more fiction in the future!
<i>P.S. If you don't feel comfortable reading books about incest / child sexual abuse please don't read this and then rate it 1 star because you found the subject matter difficult to read. That's just not fair.</i>
On the island they have a Bible / religious text equivalent called Our Book and within the book there are the "Shalt Not's", for example "Thou shalt not disobey thy father", or "Thou shalt not touch a daughter who has bled until she enters her summer of fruition". Living on the island is simple if you don't question or break the rules.
For a woman to have a decent life on the island, there's only one piece of advice: have son's.
If you can't already see what I'm getting at from my short description above, then let me put this simply. <b>This is dark.</b> Gather the Daughters is a very ominous, disturbed and often times uncomfortable read.
Melamed's writing is stunning. The island she has created comes alive in your mind so easily with every description of the trees, the houses, the beach. The shadiness of the men, the melancholy of the woman, and the fear of the daughters can really be felt and you can almost touch the tension of what is looming, as it gets heavier and heavier with every turn of the page.
I loved the use of the four different characters to tell a story. To begin with, it is a little confusing - who is who? But you get used to it very quickly! Each of the girls we follow are so well developed, we climb inside their shoes and exist as they do for the length of their chapter. Personally, Rosie was my favourite character of them all, and she wasn't even one of the main ones! That just goes to show how well structured every single girl in this book was... when you feel you can love a side character over a main one.
I guess this book only gets a 4 stars because it wasn't entirely what I was expecting... and sometimes that's a good thing, your expectations are exceeded, but that wasn't the case for this one. It was a lot slower moving than I would have liked, there were panicky, heart racing moments, but not a lot of them, and I wasn't really satisfied with how everything ended. I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but yes, not what I was hoping for.
Would I class this as sci-fi? No. As horror? No. As a thriller? No. For me, this felt more like a general fiction novel with some more disturbing aspects than many of the others in the genre have.
Overall, though, this is worth picking up to read. It's definitely uncomfortable to read at times and I did feel a little bit squirmish at what is implied throughout, but it's such a gorgeously written book and there are some excellent exciting moments. As this is Melamed's first book, I can see her going big places with more fiction in the future!
<i>P.S. If you don't feel comfortable reading books about incest / child sexual abuse please don't read this and then rate it 1 star because you found the subject matter difficult to read. That's just not fair.</i>