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Lonely Planet Best of USA

Lonely Planet, Amy C. Balfour, Sandra Bao and Karla Zimmerman

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Book

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet's Best of USA is your...

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

Michelle McNamara

9.0 (6 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Introduction by Gillian Flynn Afterword by Patton Oswalt "This is a one sit-down read. That's how...

Roadside America

Travel and Navigation

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App

The team at RoadsideAmerica.com has spent decades exploring the weird wonders of America’s...

Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Insider in Books

Jan 15, 2018

This was a aurprisingly great read! I love reading books by authors that I've not read previously. I got into the book with the hope of finding a new favorite author or at least someone whose books I want to continue to watch for. On the downside, that has also lead to reading books that just don't even some close to fulfilling that place.
This one is not one of those books though, I'm thrilled to say! I am a HUGE fan of Steve Berry & David Baldacci & Reese Hirsch has come as close to anyone else in mathcing their writing style, plot twists, & wonderful character development. For an author I'd never heard of until picking up this book, I'd say that is pretty high praise.
This books tells the story of Will Connelly. A newly minted partner in a large corporate law firm in California. He decides to go out to celebrate his newfound partnership & unbeknownst to him, finds himself in the cosshairs of some ladder climber Russian mafia wannabes. This leads to investigations targeting Will by the SFPD, SEC, & DOJ among other law enforcement agencies. The characters are well developed & believeable. The plot twists & turns without becoming to weighed down by all the legal jargon or government agencies.
I look forward to more by this author!

Kudos

Andy K (10821 KP) rated San Andreas (2015) in Movies

Feb 9, 2019

A thrill ride of a good time!

Ok, normally I rip on these CGI puke fests with no apparent plot in sight, but this one was a lot of fun. You obviously can't take it seriously, but if you go along for the ride, I think you will enjoy it.

When a rescue worker and his estranged wife find each other amidst the great California earthquakes we all fear, their only goal is to find and rescue their daughter after already losing a child together.

I've sat through a lot of disaster films in my life and seem to have a soft spot for them I guess. Maybe because of the dooming sound in my home theatre or my 75" TV showing all the cool effects larger than life. Somehow The Rock always seems to find projects that suit his talents well. In the modern age of movie stars generally not being the box office draws they once were, he seems to have carved out a fine career for himself in doing these types of movies.

Liked it quite a bit more than I thought I would.

One thing about the movies that makes me the happiest is being pleasantly surprised since it doesn't happen much any more.

Highly recommended.

Kudos

KarenRC (6 KP) rated The Anomaly in Books

Jul 23, 2018

The Anomaly

Michael Rutger | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller

7.7

(6 Ratings)

Book Rating

Former screenwriter turned YouTuber Nolan Moore, has been leading his team and viewers on adventures to uncover mysteries in various locations, with increasingly disappointing results. His latest expedition takes them to the Grand Canyon in search of a cavern previously found by an old explorer that Nolan wants to see for himself. With his trusty team around him they head off, but after searching for two days, they start to lose hope. Just as they are about to give up and go home, they spot something high up on the canyon wall and for the first time, Nolan is convinced that he has finally uncovered an actual mystery. But what is the secret hidden in the cavern? And just how much are they going to wish that they had never found it?!
I am really excited to hear that the film rights for this book have been picked up because it is written like a Hollywood blockbuster. Not surprising really as the author is in fact a screenwriter from California! But after a bit of a slow start, the action picks up and it is then a fast-paced adventure. In the vein of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider with some brilliant characters, especially Ken, I can definitely see this on the big screen and can't wait to see who they cast.

Kudos

JT (287 KP) rated Rim of the World (2019) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020

Rim of the World (2019)

2019 | Action, Adventure, Comedy

6.1

(11 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Given the success of Stranger Things it would seem that the mismatched relationship of a group of adolescent teens would make for great viewing. The format has had plenty of success in the past, think The Goonies and Lost Boys, but here it just seems tiresome and flat.

Teens at a summer camp get caught up in an alien invasion which leaves them with the option – whether to save the world or not – they do of course. And so begins a quest to through California to deliver an important piece of information that holds the key to defeating the alien race. Director McG really doesn’t have a grip on this one, relying on toilet humour and a pointless romantic sub plot to carry the film through to its final conclusion.

Makes me want to have kids just so I can insist they don’t watch this

Where the above mentioned films had a real sense of 80s nostalgia and a group of kids who you genuinely had an interest in, Rim of the World feels like an interlude to the next big retro throwback. Picking four stereotypes which pretty much cover off the socially inept and outcast, is almost annoying. Poor jokes and not very good special effects does little to elevate it to a Netflix success.