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Sam (74 KP) rated Kill The Boyband in Books
Mar 27, 2019
I’ve never read a book with dark humour quite like this. It was brilliant. The jokes are definitely inappropriate, and that’s why I loved them so much. It’s unusual to get humour like this in YA so it was definitely worth it. The only bit of humour I wasn’t completely on board with were the sexual harassment jokes, but it did fit the theme of teenage fantasies so I’m not going to complain too much about that.
It is definitely written for the boy band generation, which I somehow sort of managed to avoid. I say ‘sort of’ because I’ve still gone through that phase of obsessing over a band. I just love the way it portrays crazy fan girls.
It could easily be One Direction fanfiction with how bizarre it is, but I’m not complaining about that! It just made it even more funny and painfully relatable.
I started this book expecting not to like it, and I finished loving it! I just wish it had a nicer cover!
It is definitely written for the boy band generation, which I somehow sort of managed to avoid. I say ‘sort of’ because I’ve still gone through that phase of obsessing over a band. I just love the way it portrays crazy fan girls.
It could easily be One Direction fanfiction with how bizarre it is, but I’m not complaining about that! It just made it even more funny and painfully relatable.
I started this book expecting not to like it, and I finished loving it! I just wish it had a nicer cover!
Sam (74 KP) rated The Exact Opposite of Okay in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Absolutely hilarious!
Izzy is probably one of the best characters ever. She’s laugh-out-loud funny, mixes feminism and dry wit, and doesn’t let anything get her down. She is the kind of person everyone wishes that they could be.
I was giggling at this book from start to finish. I love that although Izzy ends up in some pretty bad situations, she never loses her sense of humour.
I love that the author does manage to be serious about the issues of slut-shaming and bullying while keeping the story educational. It shows the effects of slut-shaming on a teenager and how bullies can affect a person’s mental health while at the same time staying very light even though it is full of honesty.
The novel sticks by reality and nothing that happens is beyond what can happen in real life. It is painfully honest and truthful.
I absolutely loved this. It was brilliant and one of the best books I’ve read this year. You NEED to read it!
Izzy is probably one of the best characters ever. She’s laugh-out-loud funny, mixes feminism and dry wit, and doesn’t let anything get her down. She is the kind of person everyone wishes that they could be.
I was giggling at this book from start to finish. I love that although Izzy ends up in some pretty bad situations, she never loses her sense of humour.
I love that the author does manage to be serious about the issues of slut-shaming and bullying while keeping the story educational. It shows the effects of slut-shaming on a teenager and how bullies can affect a person’s mental health while at the same time staying very light even though it is full of honesty.
The novel sticks by reality and nothing that happens is beyond what can happen in real life. It is painfully honest and truthful.
I absolutely loved this. It was brilliant and one of the best books I’ve read this year. You NEED to read it!
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Passenger (Professione: reporter) (1975) in Movies
Apr 14, 2019 (Updated Apr 14, 2019)
Existential meditation on identity and purpose from Michelangelo Antonionioni. Jaded journalist (Nicholson) finds the man in the next hotel room has died and decides to switch identities with him and make a fresh start (they are in a remote part of Africa and he is a close lookalike, which makes this somewhat plausible). He soon discovers the man whose life he has stolen had secrets of his own, and finds himself hunted by people in search of both his identities.
A film about the desire to be reborn and also to destroy oneself. Or, possibly, just about Jack Nicholson having a somewhat premature mid-life crisis, walking out on his old life and acquiring a rather younger girlfriend (Schneider). Either way, Nicholson is on startlingly restrained and effective form (this was made back when he was a serious leading man), and there are some technically brilliant moments scattered throughout the film. It is always enjoyable to watch, even if it does seem sometimes that it is rather less profound and meaningful than the director thinks it is.
A film about the desire to be reborn and also to destroy oneself. Or, possibly, just about Jack Nicholson having a somewhat premature mid-life crisis, walking out on his old life and acquiring a rather younger girlfriend (Schneider). Either way, Nicholson is on startlingly restrained and effective form (this was made back when he was a serious leading man), and there are some technically brilliant moments scattered throughout the film. It is always enjoyable to watch, even if it does seem sometimes that it is rather less profound and meaningful than the director thinks it is.
BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated Inborn in Books
May 11, 2019
This is bloody brilliant! A real sleep stealer, page turner of a read. I read this in one sitting and stayed up very late just to finish it, was well and truelly hooked. I seriously did not want to put this down.
Such a clever story, I was constantly trying to guess who the murderer was and was wrong each and every time. The outcome… I would have never expected that in a million years. Truelly shocking and jaw dropping.
Brilliantly written, clever how the story was told through the past and the present all linking into one straight storyline. Would appeal to young adult readers and crime readers. This has to be his best book yet! Very impressed.
I did feel sorry for Even though, poor lad. A must read. A must buy. I absolutely loved this and devoured it. A well deserved five stars from me and a place in my top twenty of 2019! Highly recommend. You won’t regret reading this one, plenty of twists and turns during the case bound to keep you reading until the end.
Such a clever story, I was constantly trying to guess who the murderer was and was wrong each and every time. The outcome… I would have never expected that in a million years. Truelly shocking and jaw dropping.
Brilliantly written, clever how the story was told through the past and the present all linking into one straight storyline. Would appeal to young adult readers and crime readers. This has to be his best book yet! Very impressed.
I did feel sorry for Even though, poor lad. A must read. A must buy. I absolutely loved this and devoured it. A well deserved five stars from me and a place in my top twenty of 2019! Highly recommend. You won’t regret reading this one, plenty of twists and turns during the case bound to keep you reading until the end.
Danielle Chaplin (81 KP) rated To Kill a Kingdom in Books
Jun 1, 2019
Brilliant!
This is a truly unique and fantastic retelling of the Little Mermaid story, with our main character being a bloodthirsty siren that is forced into human form for disobeying the sea witch.
I loved that the characters weren't instantly attracted to each other, that the prince wasn't as nice as he could have been and that the siren had a backbone to her. The feelings and emotions displayed were well thought out and the story progressed well, however I feel that the relationships could have progressed more during the 'quest' and that the book had every right to be longer than what it was.
I could not put this book down and read it even whilst feeding my baby one handed so that I didn't lose any time in finding out what happens (even though it was a fair chance that it would either have a Disney happy ending or follow the classic fairy tale).
This is the perfect book for those that like alternative retellings of fairy tales and Christina Henry books.
I loved that the characters weren't instantly attracted to each other, that the prince wasn't as nice as he could have been and that the siren had a backbone to her. The feelings and emotions displayed were well thought out and the story progressed well, however I feel that the relationships could have progressed more during the 'quest' and that the book had every right to be longer than what it was.
I could not put this book down and read it even whilst feeding my baby one handed so that I didn't lose any time in finding out what happens (even though it was a fair chance that it would either have a Disney happy ending or follow the classic fairy tale).
This is the perfect book for those that like alternative retellings of fairy tales and Christina Henry books.
Valerio (15 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Keenu Reeves (3 more)
Dogs
Stunning fighting actions
Turn off your brain and enjoy
The most badass assassin the world have ever seen.
I've been introduced to the franchise when the second movie was released. I will review those later on. John Wick 3 was the first movie of the trilogy I watched in the cinema and what a brilliant experience. I'm not an action junkie but this movie is simply amazing. You can sit comfy, turn off your brain and enjoy the fun. The photography is just amazing, probably one of the best I ever seen in an action movie. The colours are vivid and NYC is just amazing. I will not write about the story because its a marginal part of this trilogy. They created a living and enjoyable world where you can lose yourself. The choreography and the fighting scenes are awesome and even if sometimes they can be too extreme (nearly funny to see) it will never be too much. Keenu Reeves. I really need to say anything else?
Maddi Zoe (6 KP) rated Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) in Movies
Feb 8, 2018
Casting (2 more)
Storyline
Dark humour
Simply brilliant
Contains spoilers, click to show
Martin McDonagh has delivered an amazing screenplay, with amazing direction. It is dark humour, which is not for everyone, but the dramatic storyline should still please movie lovers.
Frances McDormand is amazing as the mother of a girl who was raped and murdered. The story is poignant, very in your face and heart wrenching at times.
With supporting performances from Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell who are also amazing, it's no surprise it won Best Drama Motion Picture at the Golden Globes.
*Spoilers ahead*
The only disappointing thing is that we spend the whole movie hoping with all the characters that we will find the killer, and at one point we think we have found him. But I heard the audience collectively groan in disappointment when it wasn't him. And it was a disappointing ending to not get closure on the case.
But having said that, it is a style that McDonagh often goes with.
Frances McDormand is amazing as the mother of a girl who was raped and murdered. The story is poignant, very in your face and heart wrenching at times.
With supporting performances from Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell who are also amazing, it's no surprise it won Best Drama Motion Picture at the Golden Globes.
*Spoilers ahead*
The only disappointing thing is that we spend the whole movie hoping with all the characters that we will find the killer, and at one point we think we have found him. But I heard the audience collectively groan in disappointment when it wasn't him. And it was a disappointing ending to not get closure on the case.
But having said that, it is a style that McDonagh often goes with.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Mamma Mia! (2008) in Movies
Feb 16, 2018 (Updated Feb 16, 2018)
Licensed to Kill Songs
Massively successful Swedish power-pop jukebox musical. Proof that, when it comes to musicals, high-quality songs and music more than make up for dubious plotting, general cheesiness, and stars who can't actually sing or dance. Greek-island-hotelier's daughter is about to get wed, as a result she discovers her promiscuous youth coming back to haunt her - meanwhile a wounded howler monkey takes up residence in the hotel... oh, sorry, my mistake, that's just what Pierce Brosnan's vocals sound like.
Screenplay is sort of admirable for crossword-setter-like ability to crowbar in as many Abba songs as possible, no matter how tenuous their connection to the plot; cast hurl themselves into the spirit of proceedings with considerable courage. You do come away reminded of what brilliant songwriters Benny and Bjorn are; actual movie is more reminiscent of arriving late at office party and finding everyone else is much more drunk than you. Long-threatened sequel arrives this year; fingers crossed they find a way to include 'The Day Before You Came' and 'Dum Dum Diddle'.
Screenplay is sort of admirable for crossword-setter-like ability to crowbar in as many Abba songs as possible, no matter how tenuous their connection to the plot; cast hurl themselves into the spirit of proceedings with considerable courage. You do come away reminded of what brilliant songwriters Benny and Bjorn are; actual movie is more reminiscent of arriving late at office party and finding everyone else is much more drunk than you. Long-threatened sequel arrives this year; fingers crossed they find a way to include 'The Day Before You Came' and 'Dum Dum Diddle'.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August in Books
Mar 15, 2018
What an amazing book! I was intrigued by the rather minimal plot synopsis on the jacket and so had to check this book out, and I am very glad I did. I found the principal character of Harry August to be engaging and interesting and quite enjoyed all the ancillary characters as well, but it was the plot that really hooked me on this one. Without giving anything away I'll just say that it involves reincarnation, time travel, quantum physics, espionage, world history, revenge, and in its own weird way, love. It is somewhat unfair to pigeonhole the book into the science fiction category, as it is really somewhat more of a cat-and-mouse suspense story, although seeing as the plot spans several decades, repeatedly, it does seem as though sci-fi could be the best fit. No matter where you would categorize though, this is easily my favorite read of the year so far, and quite possibly one of my favorite books of all time. Absolutely brilliant.