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Carlos Reygadas recommended L'humanite (1999) in Movies (curated)
Carlos Reygadas recommended The Life of Jesus (1997) in Movies (curated)
I think I can safely say that this book has been a hit with my children, the four year old has asked to be read it three times in a row, the six year old is now reading it for a fourth time, and both have demanded to know what Sparky does next.
Sparky is a cute purple dinosaur, learning some valuable lessons on not giving up when something is difficult, but also that sometimes the best thing to do to learn a new or difficult skill is to just have some fun. It's a lovely message for little ones, especially early in their schooling.
I've especially appreciated being able to use it as a conversation starter with the 6 year old who has some speech issues, and finds it a struggle not being quite like the other children in the class.
I would highly recommend this book.
Sparky is a cute purple dinosaur, learning some valuable lessons on not giving up when something is difficult, but also that sometimes the best thing to do to learn a new or difficult skill is to just have some fun. It's a lovely message for little ones, especially early in their schooling.
I've especially appreciated being able to use it as a conversation starter with the 6 year old who has some speech issues, and finds it a struggle not being quite like the other children in the class.
I would highly recommend this book.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Cruel Acts (Maeve Kerrigan #8) in Books
Sep 19, 2019
Once again, I find myself enthusing about one of Jane Casey's books starring the unparalleled partnership of Detectives Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent. This might be the 8th outing in this series, but it doesn't show and remains fresh and a riveting read from start to finish. I won't go into any of the plot as the blurb explains it well enough and to say more would give the game away but what I will advise is that you be prepared for twists and turns, tension and scenes of peril!
With fantastic characters, a gripping plot and enough back story so it can be read as a standalone, this is one not to be missed for all you fans of police-procedural/crime/suspense/thriller/etc/etc., lovers out there.
Thank you once again to the Publisher via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
With fantastic characters, a gripping plot and enough back story so it can be read as a standalone, this is one not to be missed for all you fans of police-procedural/crime/suspense/thriller/etc/etc., lovers out there.
Thank you once again to the Publisher via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
Easy Ukulele Tuner
Music and Education
App
Simple and powerful, this ukulele tuner is both in one! You can listen the sound of each tuning...
Sam (74 KP) rated Handle with Care in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Willow O’Keefe suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, meaning that her bones break easily. Just doing simple daily tasks can cause her a catastrophic break. But other than that, she’s like every other 5 year old – well, one with an amazing IQ for her age. Charlotte is Willow’s mum, and she’s running out of money, fast. So when she gets the chance to sue for wrongful birth, she takes it, desperate for any money she can get to help Willow’s well-being.
It was definitely a beefy book, with major questions on morality. Throughout the book I couldn’t work out whether I was on Charlotte’s side or not, as to sue for wrongful birth, she is basically saying she wishes Willow had never been born, and I found it really hard to understand how a parent could say that.
I did struggle reading this book. It took me two weeks to read 2/3 of it, and everyone who regularly reads this blog knows that’s not like me at all. I ended up skimming the last 1/3 to just get it finished because I was too far in to DNF in but felt that the plot was starting to become a little drawn out and a bit repetitive.
It’s very similar to Picoult’s Small Great Things, and I think that’s why I liked it so much to begin with. It covers the issues in childbirth and raising a child.
I felt so much empathy for Amelia, Willow’s half-sister. Throughout the novel she feels forgotten about because all of the focus is on Willow and to see her fighting her own battles with nobody to help was hard. Her mental health took a battering on behalf of her sister, but she still didn’t say anything. She suffered in silence for too long and were one of the few things that made me start to shift over to Charlotte’s side of the argument over Willow’s birth.
This novel is definitely not lighthearted, so if you like reading books that aren’t dealing with serious subjects, this probably isn’t for you. It was a tough read for me, which is why I only gave it 3/5. However, if you like Jodi Picoult’s other books, I definitely think you’ll like this one.
It was definitely a beefy book, with major questions on morality. Throughout the book I couldn’t work out whether I was on Charlotte’s side or not, as to sue for wrongful birth, she is basically saying she wishes Willow had never been born, and I found it really hard to understand how a parent could say that.
I did struggle reading this book. It took me two weeks to read 2/3 of it, and everyone who regularly reads this blog knows that’s not like me at all. I ended up skimming the last 1/3 to just get it finished because I was too far in to DNF in but felt that the plot was starting to become a little drawn out and a bit repetitive.
It’s very similar to Picoult’s Small Great Things, and I think that’s why I liked it so much to begin with. It covers the issues in childbirth and raising a child.
I felt so much empathy for Amelia, Willow’s half-sister. Throughout the novel she feels forgotten about because all of the focus is on Willow and to see her fighting her own battles with nobody to help was hard. Her mental health took a battering on behalf of her sister, but she still didn’t say anything. She suffered in silence for too long and were one of the few things that made me start to shift over to Charlotte’s side of the argument over Willow’s birth.
This novel is definitely not lighthearted, so if you like reading books that aren’t dealing with serious subjects, this probably isn’t for you. It was a tough read for me, which is why I only gave it 3/5. However, if you like Jodi Picoult’s other books, I definitely think you’ll like this one.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Perfect Death (Detective John Stallings #3) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Let me begin by saying that this book introduced me to a wonderful author who I can not wait to read more of!! I love when I can say that about any book, especially a book that I won from First Reads!
The Perfect Death was non-stop action & suspense from page one. It truly started off to hook the reader & it worked for me! The plot felt incredibly real particularly the parts dealing with the Jacksonville Sheriffs & how police handle investigations. The fascinating part was not how the characters handled the police work, but how they interacted with each other. It seemed like a real life workplace with honest to God co-workers.
The plot itself deals with a serial killer who has been on the hunt in North Florida. He finds young, naive victims & strangles them with a cord. As the story continues you find out that he is using them to complete his "work of art." He is a glass blower & blows jars in which he traps his victims' last breaths before he proceeds to strangle them to death.
This book is a fascinating look into real police work & the mind of a serial killer. A person no one thought to take a second glance at until it was too late. I really do look forward to reading more from this author in the future!!!
The Perfect Death was non-stop action & suspense from page one. It truly started off to hook the reader & it worked for me! The plot felt incredibly real particularly the parts dealing with the Jacksonville Sheriffs & how police handle investigations. The fascinating part was not how the characters handled the police work, but how they interacted with each other. It seemed like a real life workplace with honest to God co-workers.
The plot itself deals with a serial killer who has been on the hunt in North Florida. He finds young, naive victims & strangles them with a cord. As the story continues you find out that he is using them to complete his "work of art." He is a glass blower & blows jars in which he traps his victims' last breaths before he proceeds to strangle them to death.
This book is a fascinating look into real police work & the mind of a serial killer. A person no one thought to take a second glance at until it was too late. I really do look forward to reading more from this author in the future!!!
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Shadow Kiss in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book took a much more central focus of the relationship between Rose and Dimitri, as well as Rose's own unique abilities, thanks to her bond with Lissa. This book delved more into what harnessing the elements could do in practical terms, which I have been very curious about. In some ways, I feel like Mead is holding back in terms of telling the reader all the ways that Spirit can be used, but that is writer's privilege. My favorite part of the books is always Rose's relationship with Dimitri, so much so that I feel everything that she feels, laugh when she laughs, etc. Without spoiling the ending, I can definitely say I felt just as much as she did at the end.
It is interesting to see the effect that Rose and Lissa are collectively having on the political and social structures of this world that Mead has constructed. Unwritten rules that previously were unquestioned are now being broken repeatedly - and not just by Rose. Other Moroi are trying to wield compulsion, male Dhampirs are refusing to become guardians, Moroi are learning to wield their abilities offensively and train under guardians, and so on. Lissa falls under many exceptions, being the only Dragomir, which ironically puts Rose even more in the spotlight of society and allows her to be a catalyst for change.
It is interesting to see the effect that Rose and Lissa are collectively having on the political and social structures of this world that Mead has constructed. Unwritten rules that previously were unquestioned are now being broken repeatedly - and not just by Rose. Other Moroi are trying to wield compulsion, male Dhampirs are refusing to become guardians, Moroi are learning to wield their abilities offensively and train under guardians, and so on. Lissa falls under many exceptions, being the only Dragomir, which ironically puts Rose even more in the spotlight of society and allows her to be a catalyst for change.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Hero at the Fall: Rebel of the Sands Book 3 in Books
Jul 5, 2018
This book was great! This is the concluding volume of the Rebel of the Sands trilogy, and it wrapped things up perfectly. I especially liked how she handled character deaths; each one got a short little chapter told in a legendary story kind of way, switching to a third person narrator instead of the first person viewpoint of Amani. The last chapter, telling us what came after the events of the book, was told in the same manner, and I really liked how it tied the book together.
There's so little I can say about this book without spoiling the previous two! We learn even more about the Djinni in this book, and some of the creation myths of Amani's people. We get a little more into the politics of other countries, and even a bit of their magic. And ohhhh there are stories to be told there, if Hamilton wants to continue in this world. I'd love to see a prequel based on Sam, and his country could do an entire sequel trilogy!
I think one of my favorite scenes was Amani using her control of sand to sail their ship across the desert. It's just an amazing visual.
This was one of the best concluding books to a trilogy that I have read in a long time. Fantastic book.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
There's so little I can say about this book without spoiling the previous two! We learn even more about the Djinni in this book, and some of the creation myths of Amani's people. We get a little more into the politics of other countries, and even a bit of their magic. And ohhhh there are stories to be told there, if Hamilton wants to continue in this world. I'd love to see a prequel based on Sam, and his country could do an entire sequel trilogy!
I think one of my favorite scenes was Amani using her control of sand to sail their ship across the desert. It's just an amazing visual.
This was one of the best concluding books to a trilogy that I have read in a long time. Fantastic book.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Lee (2222 KP) rated Mary Poppins Returns (2018) in Movies
Dec 22, 2018
Good but not as memorable as the original
To be honest, I'm kind of struggling to know what to say about this. The main thing is, I enjoyed it, and the rest of my family loved it too. It just wasn't enough to leave any big lasting impression on me. The songs are all good, usually accompanied by some wonderful visuals and fun choreography, but none of the songs are particularly memorable. There's nothing that I can imagine being as repeatable, or as catchy as 'A spoonful of sugar' for example. Emily Blunt is wonderful as always and the movie does a fantastic job of paying homage to the original Mary Poppins and keeping to the style and tone of the movie, there's just something missing that I can't quite put my finger on. I can remember leaving the cinema after seeing The Greatest Showman a year ago, having the songs stuck in my head, downloading the soundtrack and wanting to see the movie again. I didn't really feel like that at all with Mary Poppins Returns.
That being said, this is still a good fun family movie and if you enjoyed the original you should find enjoyment in this. With all the doom and gloom in the world right now, the world definitely needs something like this for all the family to enjoy at Christmas time.
That being said, this is still a good fun family movie and if you enjoyed the original you should find enjoyment in this. With all the doom and gloom in the world right now, the world definitely needs something like this for all the family to enjoy at Christmas time.