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ClareR (5996 KP) rated Death in Delft in Books
Apr 17, 2020
Master Mercurius from Leiden University is called on to solve the murder of one girl, and the disappearance of two others, in Delft. Seventeenth century Netherlands is certainly a different setting from that of the Josef Slonsky series in a more modern day Prague, but I enjoyed it just as much (I LOVE the Slonsky series).
Master Mercurius certainly has his work cut out for him. He must find the person responsible and hopefully locate the other two girls before anything happens to them, using 17th century methods. Luckily, he has the artistic flair of Vermeer to call on with regards to pictures of the missing girls, and the logical mind of van Leeuwenhoek. It’s actually Vermeer who gives him a clue as to the link between three seemingly unconnected girls. Vermeer is a great character, much liked by Master Mercurius (and can I just say how much I like Mercurius’ name?!). He’s a catholic artist in a Reformed society, much like Mercurius himself. He’s keen to be of help in whatever way he can - he’s the father of nine children after all!
This is a great read, and a series that I will be following and enjoying, of that I have no doubt!
Master Mercurius certainly has his work cut out for him. He must find the person responsible and hopefully locate the other two girls before anything happens to them, using 17th century methods. Luckily, he has the artistic flair of Vermeer to call on with regards to pictures of the missing girls, and the logical mind of van Leeuwenhoek. It’s actually Vermeer who gives him a clue as to the link between three seemingly unconnected girls. Vermeer is a great character, much liked by Master Mercurius (and can I just say how much I like Mercurius’ name?!). He’s a catholic artist in a Reformed society, much like Mercurius himself. He’s keen to be of help in whatever way he can - he’s the father of nine children after all!
This is a great read, and a series that I will be following and enjoying, of that I have no doubt!
Kaysee Hood (83 KP) rated Landline in Books
Oct 3, 2017
I will be honest when I say I did not take notes for this book as I did the others. I did not write down thoughts or what was going on or doodle like pictures in my book journal like I have done with the previous books so I could write a review. There is a simple reason for this: I was not dazzled by Landline as I have been with Rowell's other books. This does not mean I did not enjoy it, I was not simply not as captured.
Now, there is a certain charm Georgie McCool has. She is a working woman. She is the bread winner. She knows what she wants. She is funny and clever. Most importantly, she is aware of her flaws and is not put off as someone perfect. She is open about her flaws. She points these out about herself. Those with who she is and what is of her body.
That is not what Landline is about however. Well maybe in a way it is as the whole plot is the focus of her choosing her career over Neil where she works with her best friend, who obviously loves her as much as she is hopelessly in love with her husband. This is a certain strain on their relationship. Not to mention she is selfish and has put a lot of the work on Neil to keep the house in order, make meals, and raise the kids while she lives her dream. What we witness is the final straw breaking when she chooses her career over the family once more during Christmas.
Now I will admit I was not into the story the first fourth of the way. I am not one for drama in the way it has presented itself in these pages. I hate soap operas and love triangles. Romance is wonderful, but there is this line I have where it cannot be chaos or something I could turn a chick flick on to get it out of my system. Though this did take a turn with the phone calls.
I will not spoil the magic factor of this books, but what I can say is Rowell does not have in this book as she did in the others. She is quite there in her writing. It is her words. Her style. There is something missing. I cannot tell you as to what it is, but there is something missing. I would say give Landline a chance if you are a fan or if it sparks some sort of interest for you, but it is not a book I am going to put on my shelf.
Now, there is a certain charm Georgie McCool has. She is a working woman. She is the bread winner. She knows what she wants. She is funny and clever. Most importantly, she is aware of her flaws and is not put off as someone perfect. She is open about her flaws. She points these out about herself. Those with who she is and what is of her body.
That is not what Landline is about however. Well maybe in a way it is as the whole plot is the focus of her choosing her career over Neil where she works with her best friend, who obviously loves her as much as she is hopelessly in love with her husband. This is a certain strain on their relationship. Not to mention she is selfish and has put a lot of the work on Neil to keep the house in order, make meals, and raise the kids while she lives her dream. What we witness is the final straw breaking when she chooses her career over the family once more during Christmas.
Now I will admit I was not into the story the first fourth of the way. I am not one for drama in the way it has presented itself in these pages. I hate soap operas and love triangles. Romance is wonderful, but there is this line I have where it cannot be chaos or something I could turn a chick flick on to get it out of my system. Though this did take a turn with the phone calls.
I will not spoil the magic factor of this books, but what I can say is Rowell does not have in this book as she did in the others. She is quite there in her writing. It is her words. Her style. There is something missing. I cannot tell you as to what it is, but there is something missing. I would say give Landline a chance if you are a fan or if it sparks some sort of interest for you, but it is not a book I am going to put on my shelf.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Mortal Kombat (2021) in Movies
Aug 21, 2021
Potentially, I'm one of the only people to have enjoyed Mortal Kombat Annihilation. Admittedly it was a long time ago that I saw it, but I remember good memories of it.
I'm going to skip over the extended synopsis, firstly because the short one sums it up, and secondly because if I put much more in it the whole plot will be ruined.
While I watched the film I was generally entertained, but when I came out there were some points that festered in my brain a bit. And those thoughts seem to have been reflected in podcasts and reviews I've come across.
This is probably exactly what you'd expect from A] a video game film and B] a Mortal Kombat film... it's both good and bad in varying degrees.
What is sad about this review is that I can't really tell you anything good about it... or just anything about it at all. Everything was instantly forgettable. I can tell you the woman from The Meg & Black Water Abyss is in it (because of course I can). I can tell you that there are bad guys fighting the good guys... or the less bad guys...
Effects, there are some of those too. Vague recollections of them being okay. I could certainly embrace the fantasy angle and forgive some things.
At this point I'd like to apologise for such a half arsed review, but it does perfectly illustrate the film... waffle with no real purpose. Although actually, the film does have a purpose. To set up for a sequel. Because some random comic violence and odd powers are generally entertaining.
As a sign off for this review, I would like to say sorry for this trash (the review and the film). I just think it perfectly sums up how I felt about this film: I've wasted your time, you'll never get it back, but I've (hopefully) given you some brief moments of entertainment. But on the plus side, if you've read this review before seeing the film then I might have saved you the 1 hour and 50 minutes (oh my god, I don't even know how I sat through that) of viewing time.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/08/mortal-kombat-movie-review.html
I'm going to skip over the extended synopsis, firstly because the short one sums it up, and secondly because if I put much more in it the whole plot will be ruined.
While I watched the film I was generally entertained, but when I came out there were some points that festered in my brain a bit. And those thoughts seem to have been reflected in podcasts and reviews I've come across.
This is probably exactly what you'd expect from A] a video game film and B] a Mortal Kombat film... it's both good and bad in varying degrees.
What is sad about this review is that I can't really tell you anything good about it... or just anything about it at all. Everything was instantly forgettable. I can tell you the woman from The Meg & Black Water Abyss is in it (because of course I can). I can tell you that there are bad guys fighting the good guys... or the less bad guys...
Effects, there are some of those too. Vague recollections of them being okay. I could certainly embrace the fantasy angle and forgive some things.
At this point I'd like to apologise for such a half arsed review, but it does perfectly illustrate the film... waffle with no real purpose. Although actually, the film does have a purpose. To set up for a sequel. Because some random comic violence and odd powers are generally entertaining.
As a sign off for this review, I would like to say sorry for this trash (the review and the film). I just think it perfectly sums up how I felt about this film: I've wasted your time, you'll never get it back, but I've (hopefully) given you some brief moments of entertainment. But on the plus side, if you've read this review before seeing the film then I might have saved you the 1 hour and 50 minutes (oh my god, I don't even know how I sat through that) of viewing time.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/08/mortal-kombat-movie-review.html
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled in Video Games
Jun 24, 2019
I've spent a couple of afternoons now, playing this very shiny remake of the PS One classic, and I can safely say, I'm once again hooked.
It's another nostalgia fest, following on from the N Sane Trilogy, and it looks amazing, full of colour and impressive textures.
The gameplay itself is pretty identical to the original, and still just as challenging (I swear I used to be better at these games as a kid).
It's not just the original content we get here though, Activision and Beenox have added in content from the CTR sequels that followed in later years, bolstering Nitro-Fueled to a bulkier experience, alongside plenty of unlockable characters, and customisation items for your cart. There's also an in game store where you can buy various items with in game currency, but here's the best part - as it stands, you can only earn in game currency by playing the game! There's is no option to spend real money here, which is refreshing in today's gaming climate.
I'm already gunning for 100% completion on this one, and with an already-announced batch of FREE additional content incoming (including Spyro!), I get the feeling I'll be playing this one for a while.
It's another nostalgia fest, following on from the N Sane Trilogy, and it looks amazing, full of colour and impressive textures.
The gameplay itself is pretty identical to the original, and still just as challenging (I swear I used to be better at these games as a kid).
It's not just the original content we get here though, Activision and Beenox have added in content from the CTR sequels that followed in later years, bolstering Nitro-Fueled to a bulkier experience, alongside plenty of unlockable characters, and customisation items for your cart. There's also an in game store where you can buy various items with in game currency, but here's the best part - as it stands, you can only earn in game currency by playing the game! There's is no option to spend real money here, which is refreshing in today's gaming climate.
I'm already gunning for 100% completion on this one, and with an already-announced batch of FREE additional content incoming (including Spyro!), I get the feeling I'll be playing this one for a while.
Merissa (13398 KP) rated Chartreuse in Books
Apr 6, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
This is the third book of T. E. Ridener's that I have read and I have to admit to this one being my favourite by far.
This is a story about love, through and through. It is about how hard it can be to have any relationship and make it work, let alone when you think the whole town is against you because of some thick-headed bigots. This is a very emotive book, written with great depth of feeling and I'm not ashamed to say that I was in tears at the end. Whether they were good tears or sad tears I'll leave it for you to find out when you read it.
The characters in this book grow into themselves in a way that everyone, regardless of sexuality, can relate to. It is a general part of growing up, of finding out who you are, of what you can do, of experiencing new things like going to a new restaurant or bar for the first time.
Absolutely loved this book and would (and will!) totally recommend it.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
September 10, 2016
This is a story about love, through and through. It is about how hard it can be to have any relationship and make it work, let alone when you think the whole town is against you because of some thick-headed bigots. This is a very emotive book, written with great depth of feeling and I'm not ashamed to say that I was in tears at the end. Whether they were good tears or sad tears I'll leave it for you to find out when you read it.
The characters in this book grow into themselves in a way that everyone, regardless of sexuality, can relate to. It is a general part of growing up, of finding out who you are, of what you can do, of experiencing new things like going to a new restaurant or bar for the first time.
Absolutely loved this book and would (and will!) totally recommend it.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
September 10, 2016
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Pearl in the Sand in Books
Feb 24, 2021
Have you ever read a story so deep and touching that it is hard to put into words? Honestly, that is what I felt after reading Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar. The writing, the way she phrased things, the historical detail… it all made me feel like I had woken up from a dream after I finished it.
Rahab is a character that I think lots of women can associate with (although not for the obvious reason of Rahab’s profession). I think most women are plagued by guilt, trauma, or some type of sorrow and we are always looking for reassurance that we are walking the path that God wants us to be on. Tessa Afshar took this thought process and brought it to life in the story of Rahab. I thought Rahab was very well developed from beginning to end and I enjoyed getting to read this story from a perspective that I had not previously thought of before.
I was so intrigued by the storyline of this book as I had never read anything like it before. It certainly lived up to what I had hoped for. Tessa Afshar did a great job explaining Rahab’s time period and the historical time she lived in that I felt like I was there. Combine that with a unique plot and I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
I will say that I also appreciated how Tessa Afshar covered Rahab's profession without going into to much detail. It's something I am sure we can all imagine the horrors of without having to put words to the thoughts and/or feelings.
I highly recommend this story if you like historically accurate, well written, moving stories that cause you to feel and think. 5 out of 5 stars.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Rahab is a character that I think lots of women can associate with (although not for the obvious reason of Rahab’s profession). I think most women are plagued by guilt, trauma, or some type of sorrow and we are always looking for reassurance that we are walking the path that God wants us to be on. Tessa Afshar took this thought process and brought it to life in the story of Rahab. I thought Rahab was very well developed from beginning to end and I enjoyed getting to read this story from a perspective that I had not previously thought of before.
I was so intrigued by the storyline of this book as I had never read anything like it before. It certainly lived up to what I had hoped for. Tessa Afshar did a great job explaining Rahab’s time period and the historical time she lived in that I felt like I was there. Combine that with a unique plot and I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
I will say that I also appreciated how Tessa Afshar covered Rahab's profession without going into to much detail. It's something I am sure we can all imagine the horrors of without having to put words to the thoughts and/or feelings.
I highly recommend this story if you like historically accurate, well written, moving stories that cause you to feel and think. 5 out of 5 stars.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Natalia (73 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
Dec 19, 2018
Character Development (5 more)
Story
Art Direction
Soundtrack + Effects
Comedy, Action and Emotions
True to the Source
I've just recently come home from the cinema, and I can gladly say this was an amazing film. I may be looking at it through rose-coloured glasses, with how excited I was when we got the first trailer, but I can say with all sincerity that this film made me laugh, cry and blew away my expectations.
The film crosses over some iconic and some more obscure Spider-Man universes and manages to do it in a unique and palatable way. Each iteration of Spider-Man has a specific animation/art style, along with a specific soundtrack and extremely talented voice actors (or at least actors whose voices were made for the role: this meaning John Mulaney). Seeing all of this creative work come together in one film truly is an experience that I don't want people to miss out on.
A key part I really want to go into more is the use of colour and focus. It visuals of the film are vivid and attune to the tone of what scene is playing out. You can see how saturation and the palettes themselves are used the highlight characters or actions and are especially useful with emotional scenes. These emotions though are presented more with the composition which is consistently used to call back previous scenes in a subtle way that I absolutely adore.
The characters are very much real, most specifically in Miles and his family relationships. We see a real family dynamic that works - if I could point out a scene from a few trailers as an example, when Miles' father takes him to school and asks for him to say 'I love you' back really shows this realistic family that you could picture actually existing in the real world. The lack of a really existing romantic subplot is also something I love - the focus is on coming to terms with the fact that Miles isn't alone, that no one is. Without this romance, the film is just as good as any other, possibly even better with the fact that our potential romantic interest actually doesn't turn out to be.
The next thing that is certainly huge for any die-hard Marvel fans is the fact that it's very much true to the comic books. In the way its told, the way it's presented, and the actual story, the characters are all recognizable both by appearance and by their personalities/behaviours.
The only negative I can find for the film isn't even part of the film itself: Though the cinema gave warning for epilepsy, the film itself does not. While I'm sure theatres are required to give warning, it may be a good idea to give an on-screen warning, especially when the opening logo itself could easily trigger epilepsy.
Overall, I wish I could go back and watch it over and over, so I think most people will enjoy this film, no matter what their knowledge of the MCU is. An engaging story told in a creative way and with an incredibly hilarious after credits scene - worth a watch from everyone.
The film crosses over some iconic and some more obscure Spider-Man universes and manages to do it in a unique and palatable way. Each iteration of Spider-Man has a specific animation/art style, along with a specific soundtrack and extremely talented voice actors (or at least actors whose voices were made for the role: this meaning John Mulaney). Seeing all of this creative work come together in one film truly is an experience that I don't want people to miss out on.
A key part I really want to go into more is the use of colour and focus. It visuals of the film are vivid and attune to the tone of what scene is playing out. You can see how saturation and the palettes themselves are used the highlight characters or actions and are especially useful with emotional scenes. These emotions though are presented more with the composition which is consistently used to call back previous scenes in a subtle way that I absolutely adore.
The characters are very much real, most specifically in Miles and his family relationships. We see a real family dynamic that works - if I could point out a scene from a few trailers as an example, when Miles' father takes him to school and asks for him to say 'I love you' back really shows this realistic family that you could picture actually existing in the real world. The lack of a really existing romantic subplot is also something I love - the focus is on coming to terms with the fact that Miles isn't alone, that no one is. Without this romance, the film is just as good as any other, possibly even better with the fact that our potential romantic interest actually doesn't turn out to be.
The next thing that is certainly huge for any die-hard Marvel fans is the fact that it's very much true to the comic books. In the way its told, the way it's presented, and the actual story, the characters are all recognizable both by appearance and by their personalities/behaviours.
The only negative I can find for the film isn't even part of the film itself: Though the cinema gave warning for epilepsy, the film itself does not. While I'm sure theatres are required to give warning, it may be a good idea to give an on-screen warning, especially when the opening logo itself could easily trigger epilepsy.
Overall, I wish I could go back and watch it over and over, so I think most people will enjoy this film, no matter what their knowledge of the MCU is. An engaging story told in a creative way and with an incredibly hilarious after credits scene - worth a watch from everyone.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Crown (The Selection, #5) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Oh...My...I can not tell you the crazy rollercoaster ride of emotions Kiera Cass took me on in this series. Now that it is all said and done and I look back, I am SO glad I finally picked up The Selection. I will say that the first three books (America's selection) are the BEST part of the series. I totally binge read them and would probably do so again in the future. However, I was disappointed with the Eadlyn's selection story. The Heir and The Crown have a very different feel than the first three books. Eadlyn is a very different person than America and that is to be expected. I did enjoy watching Eadlyn mature and become her own person. She has a strength that I admire. And I was happy with the final result of her selection, however the story as a whole felt a little too forced. There was a lot of fluff that wasn't wholly necessary. That being said, although I think it would have been better to end the series with The One, it was good to read the continuing stories of so many characters from the original books. I doubt I will read The Heir and The Crown again, but the first three book of The Selection series are among my favorite books I have read this year. Overall, I did not enjoy The Crown...It fell very short of my expectations.
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Latter Days (2004) in Movies
Jun 20, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
I saw this movie back when it was released fourteen years ago, when I was still young and had faith in things. I picked it up again to see if it held up, and you know? It's not bad. Usually romantic comedies don't do much for me, gay or straight, but I have a thing for Mormons--what can I say?
So Christian is a gay party boy livin' it up in LA, but ultimately lacking in purpose and drive. Aaron is a Mormon missionary from Iowa, who experiences culture shock and desire for the first time, because of course they become neighbors and hijinks ensue. Fun fact! This movie also stars Joseph Gorgon-Levitt as a total butt, which is quite a contrast to his role in Mysterious Skin, another gay-themed movie which came out in the same year.
The acting is actually not as horrible as you would think from the production value/budget, and the story is typical romantic comedy fare. Still, I think it would strike a chord with anyone who is queer and was brought up in a religious household. It doesn't shy away from how agonizing it can be to be betrayed by family, especially fourteen years ago. And you know, some of the dialogue is actually really poignant. If you can get over the vaguely "afterschool special" feeling of this movie, it's definitely worth a watch.
(It has a happy ending!)
So Christian is a gay party boy livin' it up in LA, but ultimately lacking in purpose and drive. Aaron is a Mormon missionary from Iowa, who experiences culture shock and desire for the first time, because of course they become neighbors and hijinks ensue. Fun fact! This movie also stars Joseph Gorgon-Levitt as a total butt, which is quite a contrast to his role in Mysterious Skin, another gay-themed movie which came out in the same year.
The acting is actually not as horrible as you would think from the production value/budget, and the story is typical romantic comedy fare. Still, I think it would strike a chord with anyone who is queer and was brought up in a religious household. It doesn't shy away from how agonizing it can be to be betrayed by family, especially fourteen years ago. And you know, some of the dialogue is actually really poignant. If you can get over the vaguely "afterschool special" feeling of this movie, it's definitely worth a watch.
(It has a happy ending!)
Kristina (502 KP) rated Broken Prince (The Royals, #2) in Books
Dec 7, 2020
All I can say is: holy crap! First of all, I'm a little angry that I couldn't have found out about The Royals until at least mid-October, because I'll slowly be dying while I wait for the next book in this series to release. Secondly, what a ride! I fell in love with Paper Princess, but Broken Prince just roped me in for good. I enjoyed finally being able to see things from Reed's perspective, but I also appreciated that Erin allowed me to still read from Ella's point of view, just like Paper Princess. From the first page, the discovery of how Reed could have been so deceitful, I was addicted. I had answers and I wanted Ella to have those answers too. Then things just kept happening. The Royals were spiraling out of control and I couldn't do anything but read on and hope they could fix themselves. I just want to say that, as much as I love Ella and Reed together, i absolutely adore Easton and wouldn't be too offended if something sparked in that direction. I do believe he might be my favorite character! Even still, Erin Watt provided the perfect amount of twists and turns to keep my attention until I finished the whole book in one sitting. Sometimes I'll find myself scrolling through a paragraph or two, skipping dialogue and even descriptions of rooms and houses, but there was definitely no skimming of Broken Princes. My eyes soaked up every single word and my brain fed off the high that comes with an amazing story. Of course, as all good books do, I was left with more questions than answers and I am desperate to get my hands on the following book. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until October! Until then, I suppose I'll drive myself crazy with conspiracy theories and all the possibilities that lie ahead. I bow to you, Ms. Watt, because it takes an addictive story and an excellent writer for me to give more than one 5 star review in a series.