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Stripped (Travesty, #2)
Stripped (Travesty, #2)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
4.5 stars.

Well, what can I say other than I really enjoyed this. I was definitely thinking it was going to be a possible five star read. And it might have been…but I didn’t cry. I know, stupid reason. But if I cry over characters it means they’ve dug under my skin and made me care about them. Strangely this didn’t, despite me rooting for them from pretty much the first chapter. Nevertheless I really liked it. If I could have, I would probably have read this in one sitting, I was that into it.

I loved the characters, pretty much all of them, apart from Nate’s dad—and maybe his mum too. Oh and a certain friend that I will not name as it might spoilt the story.

If you like contemporary romances with a girl who doesn’t have a filter and a guy who always wants to win then this will be right up your street.

P.S. I haven’t read the first book in this series but I wouldn’t mind doing now!
  
A Clash of Kings (Reissue)
A Clash of Kings (Reissue)
George R.R. Martin | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.4 (30 Ratings)
Book Rating
The end of <i>A Clash of Kings</i> snuck up on me. That's something I hadn't really thought about before, especially with an 874 page monster like this, but it can happen with an ebook. I'm reading along, eager to know what happens next. The chapter ends, I go to the next page, and - <i>Appendix</i>? What do you mean, <i>Appendix</i>! That's nonsense, there's got to be more story here than that! I want to know what comes next, dammit! GIVE ME THE STORY!

As it happens, I can start reading [b:A Storm of Swords|62291|A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)|George R.R. Martin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298429990s/62291.jpg|1164465] whenever I like, unlike all those poor folk who read this book when it was first released. I think I might need to stop and read a few other books first, though. I did read today's big announcement regarding [b:A Dance with Dragons|2782553|A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5)|George R.R. Martin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1301849720s/2782553.jpg|2936175], but there's no way I can stretch the next two volumes out to last through more than two months until book five actually comes out. I'm sure the delay will be worth it, though!

One thing [a:Sam Chupp|11847|Sam Chupp|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1219698183p2/11847.jpg] and I have discussed is Martin's marvelous subtlety with magic. It's only barely there at all throughout <i>A Game of Thrones</i>, and can easily be dismissed by anyone who doesn't have direct experience of it. It grows stronger in <i>A Clash of Kings</i>, but it is still something that just about anyone in the Seven Kingdoms would say belongs in tales for children. Not relying on magic for plot takes more discipline as an author, and holding back as he is says a great deal about Martin's careful pace.
  
Shark Tale (2004)
Shark Tale (2004)
2004 | Action, Animation, Comedy
Ghastly. I mean holy shit these fish are fucking UGLY. I was expecting some sort of ironic enjoyment or overlooked nuance a la something like 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵!, but instead I just got an in-your-face assault of nauseating animation and the worst sound design DreamWorks has ever shat out - Angelina Jolie is barely even audible in this. I'm a firm believer that the most aesthetically horrible time period was the 2000s - specifically the mid-2000s - and this tried so hard to be 'in the now' when it was released that it feels like looking back at some sort of garish cave drawing that serves as a reminder for how much society has progressed since then. For instance, you know how you can go back to Finding Nemo and not be repelled because it doesn't open with a fucking "MTV Cribs" parody? I've never been a huge fan of Will Smith's shtick but here it grates worse than it ever has before or since - and with such an irredeemable, downright annoying character like this fugly little idiot to boot. In fact the only intrigue in any of these voice performances are from Jack Black and - er - *checks notes* Martin Scorsese. I can't honestly say it was laugh-free but I can still say it sucks hard.
  
Eliza and Her Monsters
Eliza and Her Monsters
Francesca Zappia | 2017 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
5/5 applauding stars for Eliza, oh .. oh my, can I just say that the pie portion of this book was my absolute favourite thing I have read in a while - like how adorable and cute and just .. ugh I want to go back and just re-read that portion of the book again and again it was just too darn EVERYTHING.

This book was so good - to me - and adorable and sweet and.. at the end a bit frustrating (hello Wallace it's not all about YOU). Anxiety is a witch and panic attacks are no joke, and when I first had one I was like, what the F I went to a walk in clinic said my heart rate was just insane and I felt dizzy and like I was going to faint and they were like easy peasy diagnosis. I was like, girl, I get you this was ...I'll definitely re-read, recommend, hug, love, adore this book forever.
  
This was a very entertaining collection of stories. I was thoroughly entertained with these proposals gone awry. From Texas 1879, to Kansas 1901, there are enough laughs and gasps to go around.

I love reading novella collections because it gives you a taste of the author's style. The love of reading does have a lot to do with finding a book, genre, author "to spark your fancy". I went several years without reading much because I was trying to force myself to read a style that I just wasn't interested in. Now, I have read more in half a year than I typically read in several years put together. I have read several books by Mary Connealy, but this was my first taste of the other authors. I can honestly say that I am looking forward to reading their full length novels now. Very humorous and sprinkled with faith. This novella collection is the perfect combination of stories for any reader who loves a good western romance.
  
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Camryn Manheim recommended Primal Fear (1996) in Movies (curated)

 
Primal Fear (1996)
Primal Fear (1996)
1996 | Drama, Mystery

"I loved Primal Fear. It was my first introduction, I think, to Edward Norton. I don’t know what he was in prior to that. I love these complex storylines of scandals of the church and the greed of Richard Gere and then, of course, obviously that they fooled us for so long. I really fell down the rabbit hole and it turned on a dime and blew my mind. Frickin’ Edward Norton is such a genius. I hate to say this but I get jealous very easily [laughing]. If it’s a fantastic movie, or fantastic director or fantastic actor. Like, doing this play [Spring Awakening on Broadway] I remember [when seeing the original Los Angeles production] saying, “I’m jealous I’m not in it,” and that’s the biggest praise I can give. Honestly, I think Edward Norton is one of the best of our generation. I’d like to call myself in his generation."

Source
  
TS
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was read and reviewed as part of an Author Feature Week over on Lily Loves Indie. Here is a snippet of the review, but the whole thing can be viewed here - http://lilylovesindie.co.uk/?p=133


Well, where to start? I'm going to do my best to keep this brief (partly because I still have a few chapters of the next book to read and Jayden is calling me, and partly so that you can go one-click this and get reading yourself!) but I truly do have so many positive things to say about this book that it is going to be very difficult. If you've read my earlier reviews of Hargrave's writing you'll know that I absolutely love her style and ability to weave a story, and the same is true in this book.

 

I'll make a confession here, I usually avoid BDSM and erotica books because they really don't appeal to me and I have been known to label them with all sorts of names, but right now, in the blogoshpere and beyond, I'd like to rescind all those comments - Hargrave has most definitely opened my eyes to the fact that these books can be more plot than sex, and they can be wonderfully engaging reads, and that they are just as difficult to put down as 'normal' books. I opened the book and thought, 'here goes nothing', fully expecting to find it difficult to get in to, purely because of my own prior opinions, but it was so damn good to be proved wrong! I was hooked from the first page, drawn completely and irreversibly into the webs Hargrave weaves, wanting to find as much as possible about the characters, especially Erin/Catherine, and not even cringing when reading the sex scenes (which is a first for me!) but instead, I thoroughly enjoyed them. I guess what that garbled paragraph is trying to say is that I absolutely flipping LOVED this book!
  
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
H.G. Wells | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
7.7 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
Through the first 2/3 of this book, I thought I was going to be disappointed - in fact, given how far I'd gotten without feeling particularly engaged, I think I can say I was in fact disappointed. But in the end, Wells makes up for it: not with any extreme plot twists or cheap literary tricks, but with a sense of profundity, with a moral. War of the Worlds isn't the Hollywood movie that came after it, or even the notorious radio show that caused the panic of a nation - instead, it's a novel about a man and his thoughts in the face of the worst disaster. It's a discussion of humanity, psychology, and morality, disguised as an alien adventure.