Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made America Modern
5.0
Rate It
Book
Blithely flinging aside the Victorian manners that kept her disapproving mother corseted, the New...
1920s
Autoboyography
8.4
Rate It
Book
Coming-of-age novel about two boys who fall in love in a writing class—one from a progressive...
Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends - Series 2
8.1
Rate It
TV Show
Documentaries by writer and presenter Louis Theroux which delve into the weirder fringes of American...
Dead in a Week (Forensic Instincts #7)
Book
What would you do if your daughter was kidnapped and given only a week to live? Lauren...
Suspense Thriller
Ali A (82 KP) rated Hello (from Here) in Books
Sep 14, 2021
Max and Jonah bump into each over at the grocery store right when the Covid-19 lockdown was beginning in California. Max's part-time job as a personal shopper begins to transform into a bit of a nightmare and Jonah's pre-existing anxiety disorder is becoming a daily struggle. Can the two come together even though they must stay apart? Hello (from Here) jumps into the first two months of the quarantine and the love lives and two teenagers trying to figure out this new world.
This wasn't my favorite book on the planet, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. I will also keep it on my shelves and possibly come back to it another time (when the Corona Virus isn't still running wild). Like most who have reviewed this book, I feel like it may have been too soon.
The main characters were okay, but not amazing, I did find them a little whiny towards the end... Olivia, Jonah's sister, was probably my favorite out of everybody and I'd kind of like to hear some more of her story! Also Arlo and his story! Kate and Jonah's "step-parent replacing late parent" trope was shown well in the novel. I thought the development of their relationship was well handled and realistic. I was happy with the end result for them.
I also thought the anxiety disorder representation was handled well in this novel too. As someone with anxiety who has had panic attacks (though not quite like Jonah's), I felt like one could still understand what he was going through, especially in his current situation.
I feel like this novel fell short - mostly by tackling too much all at once. I felt a little anticlimactic by the time I closed it. So many things were brought up: important issues and themes, but then were finished limply in the end. (view spoiler).
The cheating storyline was just - bleh. It wasn't needed and was more of a distraction. I also felt like it didn't make much sense for how the character had been acting throughout the whole storyline.
Overall, I feel like this was just too soon. I'm sure it will be good in a few years time though, when we weren't all still going through the same pandemic.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Be Frank With Me in Books
Feb 8, 2018
There's really no way to describe this book. It was an excellent way to round out 2015 - it's a lovely and touching novel. While in theory it describes a bit of time in Alice's life, with most of the story coming from her point of view, the true hero of this story is Frank - amazing, wonderful, funny Frank. Frank would probably be deemed autistic, or at least somewhere on the spectrum, in our society, as he clearly has issues with being touched, interacting with his peers, and many other things. But he's also this amazing, unique, and smart boy - he dresses like a movie star from the '30s, has an endless supply of facts in his brain about everything (but doesn't comprehend sarcasm or humor), loves old films, and has a fierce and deep devotion for his mother -- no matter what she does.
As Alice gets to know Frank, Mimi, and the small cast of characters around them - mainly, Xander, Frank's piano teacher, who flits in and out of his life - she is as drawn to the boy as the rest of us. But can she save Frank (and Mimi) from the harshness of the outside world and their past? It's an interesting thought and one that doesn't lend itself to a typical beginning/middle/end plot. In some ways, not a lot happens in this book (though in some ways, a lot does), but its story is propelled by Johnson's excellent character development and descriptions. Frank, Alice, Mimi, and Xander really come to life in her hands. It's a funny book, a sad book, but a beautiful book. Certainly a worthwhile read. You'll find yourself thinking about these characters long after you turn the last page.
(Note: I received an advance copy of this novel from Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review.)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Miss Bala (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Gina Rodriguez is really good in this film. I thought her performance was definitely the best part of this film. Otherwise the performances were a mix bag of good and bad. Cruz Cordova in particular failed to really come across as a scary, but sensitive, cartel leader. The cameo by Anthony Mackie was a surprise. The story is really interesting and there were times that were suspenseful. The action was decent with some good scenes. The issue was there were also some campy performances and scene set ups that felt rushed. The film was shot decently and the music fit well. The end, which I would not dare spoil, really fell short of all of the buildup.
Before looking for a trailer for this movie I did not know that this was a remake of a 2012 film of the same name. I would be interested to see this film to compare the two because I enjoyed the story. This film missed on some points but really did entertain me for the hour and forty-four minutes. I would say that you could save this for streaming or rental. I don’t think that it would be a movie I would watch again in the theater.
The Story Home - Children’s Audio Stories
Book and Education
App
The Story Home - Children’s Audio Stories Downloaded over Two million times worldwide and...
Choose Me (Banger Trilogy #1)
10.0
Rate It
Book
She wants a sexy summer fling. He wants more. And he won’t stop until he gets it. NOTE: This...
Fear Nothing (Moonlight Bay, #1)
8.8
Rate It
Book
Christopher Snow is the best-known resident of 12,000-strong Moonlight Bay, California. This is...