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Fashionably Forever After (Hot Damned Series, Book 10)
10.0
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Book
A movie deal for the Devil’s autobiography slash romance? Priceless. Maybe I should choose...
Paranormal PNR demons vampires
Stanley Kubrick: New Perspectives
Peter Kramer, Tatjana Ljujic and Richard Daniels
Book
Stanley Kubrick: New Perspectives brings together essays by scholars who have examined the traces...
Dinosaur Book HD: iDinobook
Book and Education
App
If you are looking for detailed information about the real dinosaurs of the Jurassic World movie...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated June: A Novel in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Cassie is twenty-five and living in the dilapidated mansion, Two Oaks, she inherited from her grandmother, June. The house is literally falling down around her: also a pretty good metaphor for Cassie's life. She's fled her life as an artist in New York and come to St. Jude, Ohio, to grieve for her grandmother and lick her wounds. That basically amounts to hiding in the house, ignoring the phone, and letting the mail (and bills) pile up around her. But even she can't ignore the constant ringing of the doorbell. With it comes some pretty shocking news: Cassie has been named sole heir to the fortune of the legendary movie star, Jack Montgomery. Considering Cassie only barely knew of Jack's name, this comes as quite a surprise. Why did this famous actor leave her his fortune? Did Jack know Cassie's grandmother, June? Suddenly Jack's two daughters show up, wanting answers as well, and Cassie's life will never be the same.
There are really no words for this book. It's a beautiful and magical adventure. It takes what should be a fairly simple event - figuring out whether Cassie is related to Jack - and turns it into a lovely, suspenseful read. I simply couldn't put this book down. The characters are so real, so fully actualized that they jump off the page. Cassie, June, June's childhood friend Lindie, Jack, the people of St. Jude - they are all there, truly vivid in your mind's eye. The book really does simply set out to determine if and how Cassie and Jack are tied together, but it's this amazing and compelling read.
You're pulled into the spellbinding world of then versus now... the story twists between present day, told from Cassie's point of view and the 1950s, which is really accurately portrayed. I'm usually a contemporary fiction reader all the way, but this period portrayal is so well-done, and I loved it. The character of Lindie, especially, makes your heart ache. As the book flips between time and the story unfolds, you become completely enmeshed in the characters' world; Beverly Whittemore does such a good job of creating them that you feel with them and really become part of their lives.
I am trying to think of any flaws, but I can't. I guessed at a few of the plot twists, but only narrowly before they happened, and it certainly didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story whatsoever. Cassie can be a frustrating character at times (read your mail, darn-it), but it's only because she's so well-created. Overall, this is really a beautiful, suspenseful book that brings you into its world. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from Librarything (thank you!); it is available everywhere on 5/31.
There are really no words for this book. It's a beautiful and magical adventure. It takes what should be a fairly simple event - figuring out whether Cassie is related to Jack - and turns it into a lovely, suspenseful read. I simply couldn't put this book down. The characters are so real, so fully actualized that they jump off the page. Cassie, June, June's childhood friend Lindie, Jack, the people of St. Jude - they are all there, truly vivid in your mind's eye. The book really does simply set out to determine if and how Cassie and Jack are tied together, but it's this amazing and compelling read.
You're pulled into the spellbinding world of then versus now... the story twists between present day, told from Cassie's point of view and the 1950s, which is really accurately portrayed. I'm usually a contemporary fiction reader all the way, but this period portrayal is so well-done, and I loved it. The character of Lindie, especially, makes your heart ache. As the book flips between time and the story unfolds, you become completely enmeshed in the characters' world; Beverly Whittemore does such a good job of creating them that you feel with them and really become part of their lives.
I am trying to think of any flaws, but I can't. I guessed at a few of the plot twists, but only narrowly before they happened, and it certainly didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story whatsoever. Cassie can be a frustrating character at times (read your mail, darn-it), but it's only because she's so well-created. Overall, this is really a beautiful, suspenseful book that brings you into its world. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from Librarything (thank you!); it is available everywhere on 5/31.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Podcast
In this podiobook: From the Reader, Jason Pomerantz:The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has been called "the...
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Creepshow (1982) in Movies
Sep 27, 2019
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark
Creepshow- is a very great movie, with its five short stories that are really horrorfyed and terrorfyed. Each one of them are scary.
The Plot: A compendium of five short but terrifying tales contained within a single full-length feature, this film conjures scares from traditional bogeymen and portents of doom. In one story, a monster escapes from its holding cell. Another focuses on a husband (Leslie Nielsen) with a creative way of getting back at his cheating wife. Other stories concern a rural man (Stephen King) and a visitor from outer space, and a homeowner (E.G. Marshall) with huge bug problems and a boozing corpse.
The film consists of five short stories: "Father's Day", "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill", "Something to Tide You Over", "The Crate" and "They're Creeping Up on You!" Two of these stories were adapted from King's short stories, with the film bookended by prologue and epilogue scenes featuring a young boy named Billy (played by King's son, Joe), who is punished by his father for reading horror comics.
The film was adapted into an actual comic book of the same name soon after the film's release, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson, (of Heavy Metal and Warren magazines fame), an artist fittingly influenced by the 1950s E.C. Comics.
It is a very great movie and i would highly reccordmend it.
The Plot: A compendium of five short but terrifying tales contained within a single full-length feature, this film conjures scares from traditional bogeymen and portents of doom. In one story, a monster escapes from its holding cell. Another focuses on a husband (Leslie Nielsen) with a creative way of getting back at his cheating wife. Other stories concern a rural man (Stephen King) and a visitor from outer space, and a homeowner (E.G. Marshall) with huge bug problems and a boozing corpse.
The film consists of five short stories: "Father's Day", "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill", "Something to Tide You Over", "The Crate" and "They're Creeping Up on You!" Two of these stories were adapted from King's short stories, with the film bookended by prologue and epilogue scenes featuring a young boy named Billy (played by King's son, Joe), who is punished by his father for reading horror comics.
The film was adapted into an actual comic book of the same name soon after the film's release, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson, (of Heavy Metal and Warren magazines fame), an artist fittingly influenced by the 1950s E.C. Comics.
It is a very great movie and i would highly reccordmend it.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Snow White & the Huntsman in Books
Apr 27, 2018
You know what I love? Creatively re-told fairy-tales. You know what I hate? Terribly re-told fairy-tales made into crappy movies and then made into a book, written with poor prose. That pretty much summarizes how I feel about this (audio)book.
Let's start with the good:
1. The narrator was excellent. She also read for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Why We Broke Up, the Iron King, and many other audiobooks. She made even the dullest most pointless sentences, pieces of dialogue, and descriptions sound interesting, and managed to hold my attention most of they way through the audiobook (until I stopped for dinner, and then realized I really didn't want to start listening again.)
2. It was fast-paced. The plot never slowed... but there were parts where the unneeded descriptions seemed to slow down and break the tension, or unnecessary interior monologue broke the mood.
3. The bad guys were very bad, and the good guys were very good. It made it a classic hero-vilan fairy-tale.
Now for the not-so-good:
1. Poor writing. It wasn't Stephenie-Meyer Terrible, but every sentence started with "he..." "she..." "He said," "She felt..." and it felt repetitive and boring. There was no sentence structure besides basic subject-verb-direct object. Also, the adjectives, adverbs, and overall descriptions and vocabulary was boring, expected, and unfeeling.
2. Who names a princess "Snow White?" Really? I can see naming her "Snow" or something, but if you're going to re-tell a fairy-tale, at least give your heroine a name that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. I realize that this is a complaint about the movie screenplay, not the book adaption... but still. It felt awkward to have all these names like William, Eric, Gus, Anna, Lilly, and... Snow White.
3. The bad guys were soul-less, and the good guys were perfect. Even bad characters have some redeeming value as to why you kind of wish they didn't have to die, but they're bad so you have to kill them. The bad guys in this story were just so bad, there was no way you could not hate them. The good guys were flawless: children obeyed their parents, men saved their women, women sacrificed for their families, and Snow White was a sweet innocent little angel. I'm sorry, but even good guys have a bad side. And if you're perfect, I couldn't care less what happens to you, because I can't relate to you.
So that is, essentially, why I stopped listening to the audiobook halfway through.
Let's start with the good:
1. The narrator was excellent. She also read for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Why We Broke Up, the Iron King, and many other audiobooks. She made even the dullest most pointless sentences, pieces of dialogue, and descriptions sound interesting, and managed to hold my attention most of they way through the audiobook (until I stopped for dinner, and then realized I really didn't want to start listening again.)
2. It was fast-paced. The plot never slowed... but there were parts where the unneeded descriptions seemed to slow down and break the tension, or unnecessary interior monologue broke the mood.
3. The bad guys were very bad, and the good guys were very good. It made it a classic hero-vilan fairy-tale.
Now for the not-so-good:
1. Poor writing. It wasn't Stephenie-Meyer Terrible, but every sentence started with "he..." "she..." "He said," "She felt..." and it felt repetitive and boring. There was no sentence structure besides basic subject-verb-direct object. Also, the adjectives, adverbs, and overall descriptions and vocabulary was boring, expected, and unfeeling.
2. Who names a princess "Snow White?" Really? I can see naming her "Snow" or something, but if you're going to re-tell a fairy-tale, at least give your heroine a name that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. I realize that this is a complaint about the movie screenplay, not the book adaption... but still. It felt awkward to have all these names like William, Eric, Gus, Anna, Lilly, and... Snow White.
3. The bad guys were soul-less, and the good guys were perfect. Even bad characters have some redeeming value as to why you kind of wish they didn't have to die, but they're bad so you have to kill them. The bad guys in this story were just so bad, there was no way you could not hate them. The good guys were flawless: children obeyed their parents, men saved their women, women sacrificed for their families, and Snow White was a sweet innocent little angel. I'm sorry, but even good guys have a bad side. And if you're perfect, I couldn't care less what happens to you, because I can't relate to you.
So that is, essentially, why I stopped listening to the audiobook halfway through.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Unborn (Unborn, #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
I was incredibly and pleasantly (surprised) autopsied by this novel. Don't get me wrong, there are a number of things that leave the reader wanting more (and not in a good way), but overall it was well thought out.
There is a prevalent element of mythology in this novel. Aspects of Greek mythology like the Underworld, Hades, Ares, and other (demi-)godly players are rampant throughout the story. But, it's combined with the (fallen) angels and heaven of religious mythology and stories. It's a strange combination that doesn't lend itself to logical commingling, although it worked relatively well here. Perhaps I'm just biased because I adore the mythology in all cultures.
My highest praise for this novel is the writing quality, not the characters, world, or plot - just the simple allure of a book that's written in proper, intelligent English. A surprising rarity in Y.A. books. The author has a wonderful command of the English language and uses vocabulary that make a reader wonder, "What does that mean?" I love books that will chose to use words strode or sauntered, rather than another banal alternative when expressing how someone made their way down the street. You want them to reference a thesaurus to make their lexicon as diverse as possible. No one wants to hear, he said, she said, they said over and over. Perhaps they shouted, or she bit back her words? Anything to give the story real depth and reality.
The shortcomings? Character development and world building. Don't get me wrong, it was certainly there but not as well thought out as it should have been. Relationships were crafted much more quickly than reasonably could be expected and it created a sense of falseness. If more attention had been given to those two aspects, it would have been a strong 4-star rating (rather than my 3/4 rating.)
Another trait of a good story, be it in a book, movie, tv show, or something else is lack of predictability. If you can guess what it going to happen in the story from just the first 50 pages, than it seems less appealing to continue. On this account, the author both confirmed my suspicions and utterly surprised me. Not long into my reading, I was jotting down notes and thoughts as I felt a situation professing. I wanted to have quotes, events, and feelings to reference later - especially if my expectations were fufilled. The end of the book on the other hand - completely unexpected.
There is a prevalent element of mythology in this novel. Aspects of Greek mythology like the Underworld, Hades, Ares, and other (demi-)godly players are rampant throughout the story. But, it's combined with the (fallen) angels and heaven of religious mythology and stories. It's a strange combination that doesn't lend itself to logical commingling, although it worked relatively well here. Perhaps I'm just biased because I adore the mythology in all cultures.
My highest praise for this novel is the writing quality, not the characters, world, or plot - just the simple allure of a book that's written in proper, intelligent English. A surprising rarity in Y.A. books. The author has a wonderful command of the English language and uses vocabulary that make a reader wonder, "What does that mean?" I love books that will chose to use words strode or sauntered, rather than another banal alternative when expressing how someone made their way down the street. You want them to reference a thesaurus to make their lexicon as diverse as possible. No one wants to hear, he said, she said, they said over and over. Perhaps they shouted, or she bit back her words? Anything to give the story real depth and reality.
The shortcomings? Character development and world building. Don't get me wrong, it was certainly there but not as well thought out as it should have been. Relationships were crafted much more quickly than reasonably could be expected and it created a sense of falseness. If more attention had been given to those two aspects, it would have been a strong 4-star rating (rather than my 3/4 rating.)
Another trait of a good story, be it in a book, movie, tv show, or something else is lack of predictability. If you can guess what it going to happen in the story from just the first 50 pages, than it seems less appealing to continue. On this account, the author both confirmed my suspicions and utterly surprised me. Not long into my reading, I was jotting down notes and thoughts as I felt a situation professing. I wanted to have quotes, events, and feelings to reference later - especially if my expectations were fufilled. The end of the book on the other hand - completely unexpected.
Kristin (149 KP) rated 'Till the Last Petal Falls (Once Upon a Reality #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
"Never settle for a fairytale."
During my Psychology classes in college, we discussed how various characters have psychological issues: popular cartoon characters, the cast of "Winnie the Pooh," and the vast majority of the Disney Princesses. Belle is no exception, and this book explores that idea beautifully, no pun intended.
Jolee answers a Craigslist ad which sounds too good to be true, and she finds herself in the mountains of Aspen, tutoring a shut-in with some very serious issues of his own. As time goes by, she learns for and more about this man, and most of it is not good. However, she sticks by him, hoping to "fix" him with her love.
Sound like a recipe for disaster?
I used to teach a rehabilitation class for men convicted of domestic violence, and this book definitely delves into that dynamic head-first. It's a real eye-opener into the lives of those involved in those situations, from both sides of the coin as well as an outsider's perspective. Comparing it to the story of "Beauty and the Beast" really adds a whole new layer to it, as most of us either grew up with that story/movie or fell in love with it because of our kids/grandkids/etc. It's a crazy thought, but the more you think about it, the more you realize Belle suffered from Stockholm syndrome as well as battered-woman syndrome, and that HEA Disney ending is not the one generally associated with those situations.
Bravo to the author for writing this cross-examination of a beloved children's story and shedding some light on this serious issue while also maintaining a gripping novel.
5 stars
"Never settle for a fairytale."
During my Psychology classes in college, we discussed how various characters have psychological issues: popular cartoon characters, the cast of "Winnie the Pooh," and the vast majority of the Disney Princesses. Belle is no exception, and this book explores that idea beautifully, no pun intended.
Jolee answers a Craigslist ad which sounds too good to be true, and she finds herself in the mountains of Aspen, tutoring a shut-in with some very serious issues of his own. As time goes by, she learns for and more about this man, and most of it is not good. However, she sticks by him, hoping to "fix" him with her love.
Sound like a recipe for disaster?
I used to teach a rehabilitation class for men convicted of domestic violence, and this book definitely delves into that dynamic head-first. It's a real eye-opener into the lives of those involved in those situations, from both sides of the coin as well as an outsider's perspective. Comparing it to the story of "Beauty and the Beast" really adds a whole new layer to it, as most of us either grew up with that story/movie or fell in love with it because of our kids/grandkids/etc. It's a crazy thought, but the more you think about it, the more you realize Belle suffered from Stockholm syndrome as well as battered-woman syndrome, and that HEA Disney ending is not the one generally associated with those situations.
Bravo to the author for writing this cross-examination of a beloved children's story and shedding some light on this serious issue while also maintaining a gripping novel.
5 stars
Possessed: The Life of Joan Crawford
Book
'I've been protected by studio publicity men most of my life, so in some ways I'm a goddam image,...