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Lowen Ashleigh's life is basically falling apart. She's a broke writer who hasn't left her home in days, maybe weeks. Her mom had been living with her while sick with colon cancer, including hospice for the last three months. Now Lowen's mom has passed away, and Lowen is emerging back into the real world--financially broke and somewhat emotionally broken. Her agent calls her to a meeting, where she's asked to ghost write the final books in a series for the popular author Verity Crawford. Verity--who has been seriously injured in a car wreck--is unable to complete her books, and her husband, Jeremy, wants to hire Lowen. Lowen needs the money, so she agrees. She also finds Jeremy attractive and interesting, and she arrives at the Crawford home to go through Verity's office and manuscripts. There she finds an unfinished autobiography of Verity's--one that sheds light on how her twin daughters passed away, her relationship with Jeremy, and more. Lowen finds its chapters horrifying and hides it, but as her feelings for Jeremy grow, she wonders if he should see its contents. And she wonders if Verity is as truly injured as she seems.
"I'm not looking for my fifteen minutes of fame. I'm looking for a paycheck."
So I've never read anything by Colleen Hoover, but so many of my Goodreads friends were raving about this romantic thriller. When I saw that I could read it via Kindle Unlimited, I jumped at the chance. It was definitely an interesting read and one that really picked up in the second half. It's a different sort of tale, too, which made it a refreshing read. Be prepared for a dark story--Verity and Jeremy have lost both of their young twin daughters, and now Verity is injured as well. Verity's autobiography is not light reading, and overall, the story is a creepy, bleak tale.
"I think Verity might have made up the term. After our daughters died, she said we were Chronics. Prone to chronic tragedy. One terrible thing after another."
When Lowen comes to the Crawford home, she picks up on some of this eerie energy that permeates the book. However, Hoover makes sure that we know that Lowen is an unreliable narrator as well. She's a sleepwalker, often so tired that she herself isn't sure if she's sure of what she's seeing or hallucinating from exhaustion. As a reader, we aren't sure who to trust. It makes for an engaging story, where you are never sure what (or who) to believe.
"My mother used to say that houses have a soul, and if that is true, the soul of Verity Crawford's house is as dark as they come."
Overall, I'm not sure I can rave about this one quite as much as some reviews I've read, but I did enjoy it. It's a quick read, it's ominous and spooky, and there are some great dramatic twists and turns. The ending makes up for a lot, so I would certainly say it's worth a read. I know that a lot of Hoover's books are not quite like this one, but I still look forward to reading some of her other books.
"I'm not looking for my fifteen minutes of fame. I'm looking for a paycheck."
So I've never read anything by Colleen Hoover, but so many of my Goodreads friends were raving about this romantic thriller. When I saw that I could read it via Kindle Unlimited, I jumped at the chance. It was definitely an interesting read and one that really picked up in the second half. It's a different sort of tale, too, which made it a refreshing read. Be prepared for a dark story--Verity and Jeremy have lost both of their young twin daughters, and now Verity is injured as well. Verity's autobiography is not light reading, and overall, the story is a creepy, bleak tale.
"I think Verity might have made up the term. After our daughters died, she said we were Chronics. Prone to chronic tragedy. One terrible thing after another."
When Lowen comes to the Crawford home, she picks up on some of this eerie energy that permeates the book. However, Hoover makes sure that we know that Lowen is an unreliable narrator as well. She's a sleepwalker, often so tired that she herself isn't sure if she's sure of what she's seeing or hallucinating from exhaustion. As a reader, we aren't sure who to trust. It makes for an engaging story, where you are never sure what (or who) to believe.
"My mother used to say that houses have a soul, and if that is true, the soul of Verity Crawford's house is as dark as they come."
Overall, I'm not sure I can rave about this one quite as much as some reviews I've read, but I did enjoy it. It's a quick read, it's ominous and spooky, and there are some great dramatic twists and turns. The ending makes up for a lot, so I would certainly say it's worth a read. I know that a lot of Hoover's books are not quite like this one, but I still look forward to reading some of her other books.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019 (Updated Jun 10, 2019)
A Valentine's weekend wonder
It’s hard to believe that one of Marvel’s hottest properties – Deadpool, has taken this long to get to the silver screen. Of course, we can always cast our minds back to 2009’s disastrous X-Men Origins: Wolverine. But for goodness sake, let’s not.
Here, after much petitioning from fans and Reynolds himself, Deadpool finally gets his own origins story, directed by Tim Miller in his debut feature film. But was it worth the wait?
Ryan Reynolds returns as a much more faithful representation of Wade Wilson, a small-time mercenary going through the motions until a shock cancer diagnosis makes him rethink his life – and career prospects, at the cost of losing touch with his love interest, Vanessa, played by the incredibly beautiful Morena Baccarin.
Naturally, a villain in the shape of Ed Skrein’s Ajax, provides the film with its main opposition, though a few other one-dimensional characters appear alongside him every so often. Unfortunately, they make little impact throughout the course of Deadpool and even Skrein suffers next to Reynolds potty-mouthed Wilson.
MV5BMjE3MzI3NzAwOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDc2Nzc5NzE@._V1__SX1303_SY615_
Brianna Hildebrand, Ryan Reynolds and Stefan Kapicic. Photo by 20th Century Fox.
And ta da! The red-suited antihero is born, much like any other Marvel origins story in fact. However, this is most definitely not your typical superhero flick. From gratuitous sex, violence, swearing and drug references, not to mention the character’s trademark breaking of the fourth wall, it’s all here – and you know what, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Reynolds is absolutely born to play this character and is the best we have seen him in years. Gone is the romantic comedy slop or stereotypical action hero he has portrayed over the last few years and in their place is a witty, incredibly self-aware persona that is one of Marvel’s greatest assets.
Elsewhere, the direction is so confident, and the design choices so slick, it’s difficult to fully comprehend that this is Tim Miller’s first feature film. From a brilliant set of opening credits that poke fun at the narcissism of Hollywood, to some excellent commentary on the superhero genre itself, it’s very cocky indeed and very very funny.
Naturally, not every gag lands on target, but that’s no surprise given that even the best comedies suffer from this. There’s also a lack of development beyond the titular character that hurts the film’s more romantic side, and with Deadpool’s lengthy running time, this could’ve been avoided somewhat.
Other than that, it’s pretty much spot on. Ryan Reynolds looks like he’s having a blast in front of the camera, and Tim Miller looks like he’s having a great time behind it. What about the old Fox and Marvel rivalry chestnut? Well, there’s not even a whiff of it – apart from a sarcastic remark that is.
Overall, Deadpool was a gamble and with Fox’s less than stellar reputation for fashioning decent films out of Marvel property, a huge one at that. But, against all the odds it has paid off spectacularly.
Keep this to yourselves, but it could quite possibly be the best comic-book adaptation to date.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/02/13/a-valentines-weekend-wonder-deadpool-review/
Here, after much petitioning from fans and Reynolds himself, Deadpool finally gets his own origins story, directed by Tim Miller in his debut feature film. But was it worth the wait?
Ryan Reynolds returns as a much more faithful representation of Wade Wilson, a small-time mercenary going through the motions until a shock cancer diagnosis makes him rethink his life – and career prospects, at the cost of losing touch with his love interest, Vanessa, played by the incredibly beautiful Morena Baccarin.
Naturally, a villain in the shape of Ed Skrein’s Ajax, provides the film with its main opposition, though a few other one-dimensional characters appear alongside him every so often. Unfortunately, they make little impact throughout the course of Deadpool and even Skrein suffers next to Reynolds potty-mouthed Wilson.
MV5BMjE3MzI3NzAwOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDc2Nzc5NzE@._V1__SX1303_SY615_
Brianna Hildebrand, Ryan Reynolds and Stefan Kapicic. Photo by 20th Century Fox.
And ta da! The red-suited antihero is born, much like any other Marvel origins story in fact. However, this is most definitely not your typical superhero flick. From gratuitous sex, violence, swearing and drug references, not to mention the character’s trademark breaking of the fourth wall, it’s all here – and you know what, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Reynolds is absolutely born to play this character and is the best we have seen him in years. Gone is the romantic comedy slop or stereotypical action hero he has portrayed over the last few years and in their place is a witty, incredibly self-aware persona that is one of Marvel’s greatest assets.
Elsewhere, the direction is so confident, and the design choices so slick, it’s difficult to fully comprehend that this is Tim Miller’s first feature film. From a brilliant set of opening credits that poke fun at the narcissism of Hollywood, to some excellent commentary on the superhero genre itself, it’s very cocky indeed and very very funny.
Naturally, not every gag lands on target, but that’s no surprise given that even the best comedies suffer from this. There’s also a lack of development beyond the titular character that hurts the film’s more romantic side, and with Deadpool’s lengthy running time, this could’ve been avoided somewhat.
Other than that, it’s pretty much spot on. Ryan Reynolds looks like he’s having a blast in front of the camera, and Tim Miller looks like he’s having a great time behind it. What about the old Fox and Marvel rivalry chestnut? Well, there’s not even a whiff of it – apart from a sarcastic remark that is.
Overall, Deadpool was a gamble and with Fox’s less than stellar reputation for fashioning decent films out of Marvel property, a huge one at that. But, against all the odds it has paid off spectacularly.
Keep this to yourselves, but it could quite possibly be the best comic-book adaptation to date.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/02/13/a-valentines-weekend-wonder-deadpool-review/
Mike Wilder (20 KP) rated Road House (1989) in Movies
May 30, 2018
Very underrated
Contains spoilers, click to show
So what kind of film do you get when you have great one liners, bar fights, guns, knives, egos, strippers, blues music, a polar bear and a monster truck? You get one of the most enjoyable and entertaining films of the late 80's, Road House. The film follows James Dalton (Patrick Swayze) a cooler (bouncer) and the best in the business, as he takes employment with Frank Tilghman (Kevin Tighe) the owner of the Double Deuce in Jasper, Missouri. The bar is the roughest in town and he needs Dalton to clean it up. However corrupt business man and crime boss Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara) stands in his way. After the classic "chick flick" Dirty Dancing, Patrick Swayze was Hollywood gold. Women loved him and men wanted to be him. The film was full of romance. Then along came Road House, a complete opposite to Dirty Dancing, a little romance and loads of action. The film has a great cast including Patrick Swayze, Kevin Tighe, Ben Gazzara, Kelly Lynch, Marshall R. Teague, Red West, Kathleen Wilhoite, John William Young, John Doe, Kurt James Stefka, Keith David & Terry Funk. The cast works well together and it is full of great performances. Naturally Patrick Swayze at the height of his career stands miles apart from the rest of the cast as Dalton. A character that can hurt you with his words just as much as his fists. Tragically, 20 years later Swayze had his life cut short by cancer. His death is still a major loss to the entertainment industry, but his legacy will live on in the great performances and memorable characters he played. The film also a features a great performance by the late great blues guitarist Jeff Healey as Cody. It's the music in the film that goes a long way to achieving the right feel for the film. Everything works well from the characters, the music to the setting. Set in a rural area the scenery is breath-taking and it is used to great effect. But it's the fight choreography that stands out from many other films. Great bar fights are pretty much a thing of the past, but here they are full of action and humour just like the classic westerns. The one on one fights are brutal, mainly for the realism they portray. The script is awesome and full of classic lines mainly from Dalton and although many are cheesy, when he says it, it feels right. The director surprisingly hasn't made many films but the ones I have seen of his I really like and I know I am in the minority. See my review of Gladiator (1992) for more by this director. This is truly a great film, although very underrated. It is also one of my personal all-time favourites. There are a couple of versions of this so ensure that you see the USA or UK version released after 2002 as these are the uncut editions. So grab a few beers and a few friends, but this on a big screen and turn the sound way up for a really great movie experience.
BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated This Idea Must Die in Books
Aug 14, 2018
Book Review by Cari Mayhew.
There’s nothing like reading a popular science book to make you feel more worldly wise! The Idea Must Die is a compilation of over 150 separate articles, by different contributors, arguing that certain scientific concepts are blocking progress and should be put to rest.
Its scope is very broad - at first I felt the book was concentrating on physics, but it later went on to include psychology, linguistics, genetics, criminology, economics and computer science. The title of each article comes from the concept that it is argued should be put to rest.
There were plenty of articles I found interesting and learnt from, including: - “Long-term memory is immutable”, "One genome per individual", “Economic growth”, "Intelligence as property", "Continuity of time", Knowing is half the battle" and "Information overload", “Essentialism”, "Malthuanism" (which is the idea that population will outstrip food supply).
For the majority of the articles I agreed that the theory should be put to rest, and plenty that I thought it was good to see included. These included topics such as: race, nurture vs nature, reductionism. Cancer research theories were also addressed.
There were several topics I was surprised to see argued against, such as evidence-based medicine, scientific method, evolution, carbon footprint, string theory, culture, science being self-correcting.
It was refreshing to see "We are stone age thinkers" but I was disappointed to see the title "Languages condition worldviews". It was also a shame to see AI there, along with robot companions. Ideas in some chapters were disconcerting, claiming there's no self, no cognitive agency, and no free will.
There was a potentially useful article entitled "Scientific knowledge structured as literature" suggesting how publication could move to a new updated method.
With each article ranging in length from a mere 1 to 7 pages, it is an incredibly easy book to dip in and out of, or to fit around a busy week. At times there is a flow between one chapter and the next, but not always. Several of the articles proffer conflicting viewpoints, prompting the reader to reflect and wonder.
Some articles are more-well written than others, and similarly some arguments are more strongly put forward. Usually only one argument is made per article, but at times there were several. I believe some of the articles were chosen for their brevity, which is a shame because some of the articles could use a stronger argument. Some articles are hard to get your head around. The language is not always accessible and often presumes reader already has some knowledge of the subject. Although intriguing to begin with, with so many articles it began to feel dry and laborious at about 60% through. Some articles I deliberately skipped, others I attempted but found impenetrable.
It’s a refreshing read if you haven’t picked a science book in some time and it’s definitely a thought-provoking read if you feel confident that you can get to grips with the material.
For more of my reviews, check out www.bookblogbycari.com
There’s nothing like reading a popular science book to make you feel more worldly wise! The Idea Must Die is a compilation of over 150 separate articles, by different contributors, arguing that certain scientific concepts are blocking progress and should be put to rest.
Its scope is very broad - at first I felt the book was concentrating on physics, but it later went on to include psychology, linguistics, genetics, criminology, economics and computer science. The title of each article comes from the concept that it is argued should be put to rest.
There were plenty of articles I found interesting and learnt from, including: - “Long-term memory is immutable”, "One genome per individual", “Economic growth”, "Intelligence as property", "Continuity of time", Knowing is half the battle" and "Information overload", “Essentialism”, "Malthuanism" (which is the idea that population will outstrip food supply).
For the majority of the articles I agreed that the theory should be put to rest, and plenty that I thought it was good to see included. These included topics such as: race, nurture vs nature, reductionism. Cancer research theories were also addressed.
There were several topics I was surprised to see argued against, such as evidence-based medicine, scientific method, evolution, carbon footprint, string theory, culture, science being self-correcting.
It was refreshing to see "We are stone age thinkers" but I was disappointed to see the title "Languages condition worldviews". It was also a shame to see AI there, along with robot companions. Ideas in some chapters were disconcerting, claiming there's no self, no cognitive agency, and no free will.
There was a potentially useful article entitled "Scientific knowledge structured as literature" suggesting how publication could move to a new updated method.
With each article ranging in length from a mere 1 to 7 pages, it is an incredibly easy book to dip in and out of, or to fit around a busy week. At times there is a flow between one chapter and the next, but not always. Several of the articles proffer conflicting viewpoints, prompting the reader to reflect and wonder.
Some articles are more-well written than others, and similarly some arguments are more strongly put forward. Usually only one argument is made per article, but at times there were several. I believe some of the articles were chosen for their brevity, which is a shame because some of the articles could use a stronger argument. Some articles are hard to get your head around. The language is not always accessible and often presumes reader already has some knowledge of the subject. Although intriguing to begin with, with so many articles it began to feel dry and laborious at about 60% through. Some articles I deliberately skipped, others I attempted but found impenetrable.
It’s a refreshing read if you haven’t picked a science book in some time and it’s definitely a thought-provoking read if you feel confident that you can get to grips with the material.
For more of my reviews, check out www.bookblogbycari.com
Darren (1599 KP) rated Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Story: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri starts as Mildred Hayes (McDormand) puts up three billboards in a quiet road questioning how Willoughby (Harrelson) hasn’t solved the case of her daughter’s rape and murder. Fellow officer Dixon (Rockwell) who has a chequered past is enraged by the signs, while officer Willoughby tries to clean up the situation and prove there isn’t enough to solve the case, but with his dying he does want to solve the case before he goes.
As the billboards stay up longer, the town starts to become divided on the support in catching the killer and Mildred does to extremes in her battle with Dixon to get the case solved.
Thoughts on Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Characters – Mildred Hayes is a mother that has run out of patience when it comes to the police finding the killer off her daughter, she did have the full support of the town, but this stunt pushes the people away even if it could get her the killer to identify themselves. Willoughby is the lead investigator in the case, he has done everything he could to solve the case, but he is now facing his own battle with cancer, while keeping the peace in the town. Dixon is the hot-headed police officer that clashes with Mildred and anyone who supports her in finding out the truth.
Performances – Frances McDormand shows us that she can reach the Fargo levels whenever the material is given to her, as she shines through as the best part of this movie. Woody Harrelson is great again this year, showing us he can step into any role and be great. Sam Rockwell is wonderful too as we see that this cast is filled with talent character performers.
Story – The story shows the extremes of losing a child, the stress of noting being able to solve one of the worst cases in the town. This does turn into a character studio on the people involved and how their lives need to move on without a chance of every being able to. It is hard to describe this story in much more depth because it is interesting, it does have a lot going on that keeps us wanting to see where the film will go.
Comedy/Crime – This does use dark humour throughout as we are seeing the effects of the crime on people’s lives, don’t expect to see an investigation though, we are focusing on the relationship between the mother of the victim and the police.
Settings – The film takes place in this small town where everyone seems to know everyone, so they have all felt the effects of the crime, this helps when things start to get exposed.
Scene of the Movie – Window smashing, it is a well shot single looking take.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The answer is frustrating.
Final Thoughts – This is a dark humour that can be enjoyed by the fans of that genre, it does have a good subject matter but doesn’t get to a level in the story that I enjoyed watching.
Overall: Dark comedy through a serious subject matter.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/01/12/three-billboards-outside-ebbing-missouri-2017/
As the billboards stay up longer, the town starts to become divided on the support in catching the killer and Mildred does to extremes in her battle with Dixon to get the case solved.
Thoughts on Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Characters – Mildred Hayes is a mother that has run out of patience when it comes to the police finding the killer off her daughter, she did have the full support of the town, but this stunt pushes the people away even if it could get her the killer to identify themselves. Willoughby is the lead investigator in the case, he has done everything he could to solve the case, but he is now facing his own battle with cancer, while keeping the peace in the town. Dixon is the hot-headed police officer that clashes with Mildred and anyone who supports her in finding out the truth.
Performances – Frances McDormand shows us that she can reach the Fargo levels whenever the material is given to her, as she shines through as the best part of this movie. Woody Harrelson is great again this year, showing us he can step into any role and be great. Sam Rockwell is wonderful too as we see that this cast is filled with talent character performers.
Story – The story shows the extremes of losing a child, the stress of noting being able to solve one of the worst cases in the town. This does turn into a character studio on the people involved and how their lives need to move on without a chance of every being able to. It is hard to describe this story in much more depth because it is interesting, it does have a lot going on that keeps us wanting to see where the film will go.
Comedy/Crime – This does use dark humour throughout as we are seeing the effects of the crime on people’s lives, don’t expect to see an investigation though, we are focusing on the relationship between the mother of the victim and the police.
Settings – The film takes place in this small town where everyone seems to know everyone, so they have all felt the effects of the crime, this helps when things start to get exposed.
Scene of the Movie – Window smashing, it is a well shot single looking take.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The answer is frustrating.
Final Thoughts – This is a dark humour that can be enjoyed by the fans of that genre, it does have a good subject matter but doesn’t get to a level in the story that I enjoyed watching.
Overall: Dark comedy through a serious subject matter.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/01/12/three-billboards-outside-ebbing-missouri-2017/
Kayleigh (12 KP) rated Aberrant (Aberrant, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I was contacted by [a:Ruth Silver|6435509|Ruth Silver|/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-251a730d696018971ef4a443cdeaae05.jpg], the author of this book, to promote <i>Aberrant</i>. In my <a href="http://www.a-worldofwords.com/2013/04/ruth-silver-interview.html">blog</a>; there is an interview, spotlight and giveaway. She gave me a copy of the book to read, but it goes without saying that this review is honest.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was thrown headfirst into the action, first meeting Olivia when she is preparing for her wedding day. This piqued my interest, which was held right the way to the end. It was a brilliant dystopian plot, full of turns that I wasn’t expecting. It reminded me a bit of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358275334s/2767052.jpg|2792775] and [b:Brave New World|5129|Brave New World|Aldous Huxley|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327865608s/5129.jpg|3204877], in that the government was very much in control – so much so that it could control the most intimate of features in its inhabitants’ lives. There’s a lot of uncertainty throughout the book as to what will happen to Olivia. She’s often not as safe as she would like to be, and feels the weight of expectation, the latter of which is something I think a lot of young adults can relate to.
I think what enhanced the book for me was Olivia and Joshua. Their relationship is written really well; as best friends with a complicated aspect thrown in, there’s the right touch of familiarity versus the unknown. Throughout, they work as a team, the realism of which I liked – it makes a change to the power games that appear in other YA books where sexual tension is at the forefront. Josh and Olivia have been raised in an environment where conception – and therefore sex – doesn’t happen, which made a really refreshing change. Even though they’re 18, the reader is able to see certain realisations bloom in their minds, and that was great to read!
When I interviewed her, Ruth Silver said about what inspired her to write the book:
<blockquote><i>Often, we as a society implement the use of vaccines, especially in preventing disease and now even cervical cancer. Of course the vaccines are all safe and approved by the relevant authorities for the country you live in. I decided to think a little further ahead, and a little darker. What if it was an epidemic where everyone was required to get vaccinated and testing had been shortened or barely done at all?</i></blockquote>
Hearing it put like that made me uneasy, because it brings home how potentially easy it could be for something to strike the world, and for us to find ourselves in a dystopia. I think stories such as this one, where it stems from a simple idea, are the most effective. Mix that in with great characterisation, a little bit of the supernatural, and a plot that twists and turns, and you’re sorted. A great read, thoroughly recommended.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was thrown headfirst into the action, first meeting Olivia when she is preparing for her wedding day. This piqued my interest, which was held right the way to the end. It was a brilliant dystopian plot, full of turns that I wasn’t expecting. It reminded me a bit of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)|Suzanne Collins|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358275334s/2767052.jpg|2792775] and [b:Brave New World|5129|Brave New World|Aldous Huxley|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327865608s/5129.jpg|3204877], in that the government was very much in control – so much so that it could control the most intimate of features in its inhabitants’ lives. There’s a lot of uncertainty throughout the book as to what will happen to Olivia. She’s often not as safe as she would like to be, and feels the weight of expectation, the latter of which is something I think a lot of young adults can relate to.
I think what enhanced the book for me was Olivia and Joshua. Their relationship is written really well; as best friends with a complicated aspect thrown in, there’s the right touch of familiarity versus the unknown. Throughout, they work as a team, the realism of which I liked – it makes a change to the power games that appear in other YA books where sexual tension is at the forefront. Josh and Olivia have been raised in an environment where conception – and therefore sex – doesn’t happen, which made a really refreshing change. Even though they’re 18, the reader is able to see certain realisations bloom in their minds, and that was great to read!
When I interviewed her, Ruth Silver said about what inspired her to write the book:
<blockquote><i>Often, we as a society implement the use of vaccines, especially in preventing disease and now even cervical cancer. Of course the vaccines are all safe and approved by the relevant authorities for the country you live in. I decided to think a little further ahead, and a little darker. What if it was an epidemic where everyone was required to get vaccinated and testing had been shortened or barely done at all?</i></blockquote>
Hearing it put like that made me uneasy, because it brings home how potentially easy it could be for something to strike the world, and for us to find ourselves in a dystopia. I think stories such as this one, where it stems from a simple idea, are the most effective. Mix that in with great characterisation, a little bit of the supernatural, and a plot that twists and turns, and you’re sorted. A great read, thoroughly recommended.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Summer Romances in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Stephanie Perkins, the best selling author of <i>Anna and the French Kiss</i> has compiled a second anthology of short stories. Twelve selected tales have been included from a variety of young adult authors including: Libba Bray, Veronica Roth, Cassandra Clare and Jennifer E. Smith. For those that have read Perkins’ previous anthology, <i>My True Love Gave To Me</i>, the concept is the same. Twelve love stories set in, as the title, <i>Summer Days and Summer Nights</i>, strongly suggests, the summer.
What can be expected from all the stories in this collection is that they fit snuggly into the Romance genre of young adult fiction. The way the authors decided to tackle this, however, was up to their own interpretations. Thus, the final outcome is a selection of works that fall into a variety of categories: fantasy, contemporary, LGBT, horror, sci-fi etc.
As a result there are a number of different character types and storylines, suggesting that there is bound to be something for everyone. There are lovey-dovey stories, heart-wrenching stories, exciting action stories, implying that there will be at least one you will favour, and hopefully make purchase worthwhile.
It is not merely love that can be found between these pages, so if you are, like me, not overly impressed with teenage love stories, there are other themes to focus on. Many of the main characters are nearing the end of their schooling and thinking about the future: college, perhaps. Readers discover, and possibly relate to, their hopes, doubts and fears of what is to come. Yet while these thoughts are buzzing in their heads they are also trying to enjoy their summers, some with summer jobs, others hanging out with friends. Alongside all of this are darker issues of depression, cancer and parents divorcing; events that many teenagers unfortunately have to deal with. So, throughout all the make-ups and break-ups, there is so much more going on under the surface.
It is always difficult to decide what age range “Young Adult” refers to. Some may assume it is anyone in their teens, however in the case of <i>Summer Days and Summer Nights</i> I would label it a book for older teenagers, those of similar ages to the characters depicted: sixteen to nineteen. This is due to the slightly adult themes of a few of the stories and the amount of swearing many of the authors resort to.
Unfortunately for me, I did not find a perfect story within this collection. There were some I enjoyed more than others; likewise there were some I was not keen on at all. It is for this reason I have only given a rating of three stars. I do not want to put prospective readers off however as this is merely a case of personal preferences and not a true reflection of the authors’ exceptional writing skills.
Stephanie Perkins, the best selling author of <i>Anna and the French Kiss</i> has compiled a second anthology of short stories. Twelve selected tales have been included from a variety of young adult authors including: Libba Bray, Veronica Roth, Cassandra Clare and Jennifer E. Smith. For those that have read Perkins’ previous anthology, <i>My True Love Gave To Me</i>, the concept is the same. Twelve love stories set in, as the title, <i>Summer Days and Summer Nights</i>, strongly suggests, the summer.
What can be expected from all the stories in this collection is that they fit snuggly into the Romance genre of young adult fiction. The way the authors decided to tackle this, however, was up to their own interpretations. Thus, the final outcome is a selection of works that fall into a variety of categories: fantasy, contemporary, LGBT, horror, sci-fi etc.
As a result there are a number of different character types and storylines, suggesting that there is bound to be something for everyone. There are lovey-dovey stories, heart-wrenching stories, exciting action stories, implying that there will be at least one you will favour, and hopefully make purchase worthwhile.
It is not merely love that can be found between these pages, so if you are, like me, not overly impressed with teenage love stories, there are other themes to focus on. Many of the main characters are nearing the end of their schooling and thinking about the future: college, perhaps. Readers discover, and possibly relate to, their hopes, doubts and fears of what is to come. Yet while these thoughts are buzzing in their heads they are also trying to enjoy their summers, some with summer jobs, others hanging out with friends. Alongside all of this are darker issues of depression, cancer and parents divorcing; events that many teenagers unfortunately have to deal with. So, throughout all the make-ups and break-ups, there is so much more going on under the surface.
It is always difficult to decide what age range “Young Adult” refers to. Some may assume it is anyone in their teens, however in the case of <i>Summer Days and Summer Nights</i> I would label it a book for older teenagers, those of similar ages to the characters depicted: sixteen to nineteen. This is due to the slightly adult themes of a few of the stories and the amount of swearing many of the authors resort to.
Unfortunately for me, I did not find a perfect story within this collection. There were some I enjoyed more than others; likewise there were some I was not keen on at all. It is for this reason I have only given a rating of three stars. I do not want to put prospective readers off however as this is merely a case of personal preferences and not a true reflection of the authors’ exceptional writing skills.
Marylegs (44 KP) rated After Before in Books
Aug 14, 2019
I received After Before, a while ago as a first reads book. I started it a while ago, but have recently re-picked it up and became completely engrossed by it. The pause in reading this book was not based on how engaging I found this book. But rather I was focused on other books I was reading. Once I dedicated my time to this book however, I couldnt stop. When I wasnt reading it I was thinking out it, and it was based actually about a point of history I didnt know about, or at least didnt know a lot about.
The book focuses on three women, who through chance are pulled into each others lives. There is Vera, newly engaged and newly discovering her faith in god. Her fiancé Luke, a devote Christian is helping her to change her life for the better, to move forward and overcome her past. But there is so much more to her past than she has told Luke and she finds it impossible to move on and become better while she still hold onto these secrets. Luke is Veras link to Lynn, his mother, who has found out she has terminal cancer and has to relinquish her control on the life. As she comes to terms with her illness and what will be her untimely death she relives elements of her life that she resents and was unable to achieve because of the choices she made. Vera tries to help care for Lynn, but the two cannot come to terms with each other and so Emily, originally from Rwanda, is brought in to care for Lynn. Emily is a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, and has not come to terms with all that she has seen, or what was done to her. She drifts through her life never wanting to remember her past but forever at its whim. The story flits back and forth through the present and the past for each of the three women. All with different stories but all in pain and unable to let go.
I found Emilys story the most interesting, I could have read a book just about her and how she learns to deal with the horrible event that has overtaken her life. Her flash backs are so well written, graphic in places, but dignified to the history that these people have to live with. We hear a lot about the injustice and the horror of the holocaust, which happened in the Second World War. But learning about the Rwandan Genocide through Emilys 12 year old eyes really touched me. I could feel the fear building, know what was to happen but having to control over it. Knowing that the people who were yesterday your friends are no longer that.
This is a brilliantly written book about forgiveness. That without forgiveness, whether that is for yourself, through god, or for other people, that you will not be able to move on and truly live. Would highly recommend it is however not a light-hearted or emotionally easy read.
The book focuses on three women, who through chance are pulled into each others lives. There is Vera, newly engaged and newly discovering her faith in god. Her fiancé Luke, a devote Christian is helping her to change her life for the better, to move forward and overcome her past. But there is so much more to her past than she has told Luke and she finds it impossible to move on and become better while she still hold onto these secrets. Luke is Veras link to Lynn, his mother, who has found out she has terminal cancer and has to relinquish her control on the life. As she comes to terms with her illness and what will be her untimely death she relives elements of her life that she resents and was unable to achieve because of the choices she made. Vera tries to help care for Lynn, but the two cannot come to terms with each other and so Emily, originally from Rwanda, is brought in to care for Lynn. Emily is a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, and has not come to terms with all that she has seen, or what was done to her. She drifts through her life never wanting to remember her past but forever at its whim. The story flits back and forth through the present and the past for each of the three women. All with different stories but all in pain and unable to let go.
I found Emilys story the most interesting, I could have read a book just about her and how she learns to deal with the horrible event that has overtaken her life. Her flash backs are so well written, graphic in places, but dignified to the history that these people have to live with. We hear a lot about the injustice and the horror of the holocaust, which happened in the Second World War. But learning about the Rwandan Genocide through Emilys 12 year old eyes really touched me. I could feel the fear building, know what was to happen but having to control over it. Knowing that the people who were yesterday your friends are no longer that.
This is a brilliantly written book about forgiveness. That without forgiveness, whether that is for yourself, through god, or for other people, that you will not be able to move on and truly live. Would highly recommend it is however not a light-hearted or emotionally easy read.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Other Side of the Looking Glass in Books
Feb 29, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The Other Side of the Looking Glass by Kathleen Harryman is an amazing and well-written story. It focuses on some very hard topics (that I discuss in the final paragraph) and readers need to be prepared for that. The frequent reader will probably figure out the plot early like I did.
Kate is married to a very wealthy man, Liam, who believes appearances are everything. Liam spends thousands on clothing for Kate to keep her looking what he considers to be appropriate. The only time they really spend any time together is at events when Liam wants or feels the need to show Kate off. However, Kate is very unhappy with this arrangement and ends up falling in love with one of her doctors. Kate knows Liam will never let her go, so with the help of her doctor they create an elaborate plan to make Liam believe Kate is going to die of cancer and send her away to a clinic.
Even in severe sickness Liam refuses to give up Kate, but her current state of “illness” is unacceptable to him so he does exactly as she expects and sends her away. What he does after she is gone is even more of a problem. With that being said Liam creates his own plan. He will replace the “sick” Kate with a healthy look-a-like. The only problem is that he must change the look-a-like’s memories and behaviors to match that of the original Kate. Too bad for Liam memories have a way of coming back, that and because he is a perfectionist a look-a-like will not do it for him. No, he needs someone identical to Kate. Now, where can he find an identical match to his wife?
The emotions the book provoked were very strong and very real. The writing was well done to the point that while reading it was possible to feel everything the characters go through. It is impressive when writing can provoke real emotions. What I did not like was that the plot is given away way too early into the book. The book ended up being externally predictive because of it. There really wasn’t much in the lines of surprising twist either, which was disappointing.
An adult book for sure. Some very mature high school students should be able to handle it, but I would not recommend it for anyone under 16. Foul language, abuse both physical and mental, and rape run rampant in this book, not to mention pregnancy death and kidnapping. You have been warned. I rate this book 2 out of 4. I really enjoyed this book but the fact that I had the ending figured out three chapters in was disappointing. It can really ruin a well written, emotional book when the entire plot is exposed way to early.
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Kate is married to a very wealthy man, Liam, who believes appearances are everything. Liam spends thousands on clothing for Kate to keep her looking what he considers to be appropriate. The only time they really spend any time together is at events when Liam wants or feels the need to show Kate off. However, Kate is very unhappy with this arrangement and ends up falling in love with one of her doctors. Kate knows Liam will never let her go, so with the help of her doctor they create an elaborate plan to make Liam believe Kate is going to die of cancer and send her away to a clinic.
Even in severe sickness Liam refuses to give up Kate, but her current state of “illness” is unacceptable to him so he does exactly as she expects and sends her away. What he does after she is gone is even more of a problem. With that being said Liam creates his own plan. He will replace the “sick” Kate with a healthy look-a-like. The only problem is that he must change the look-a-like’s memories and behaviors to match that of the original Kate. Too bad for Liam memories have a way of coming back, that and because he is a perfectionist a look-a-like will not do it for him. No, he needs someone identical to Kate. Now, where can he find an identical match to his wife?
The emotions the book provoked were very strong and very real. The writing was well done to the point that while reading it was possible to feel everything the characters go through. It is impressive when writing can provoke real emotions. What I did not like was that the plot is given away way too early into the book. The book ended up being externally predictive because of it. There really wasn’t much in the lines of surprising twist either, which was disappointing.
An adult book for sure. Some very mature high school students should be able to handle it, but I would not recommend it for anyone under 16. Foul language, abuse both physical and mental, and rape run rampant in this book, not to mention pregnancy death and kidnapping. You have been warned. I rate this book 2 out of 4. I really enjoyed this book but the fact that I had the ending figured out three chapters in was disappointing. It can really ruin a well written, emotional book when the entire plot is exposed way to early.
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated 21 Bridges (2019) in Movies
Sep 22, 2020
Direction and Lead Performances elevate a "so-so" script
The world lost a tremendous talent when 44 year old Chadwick Boseman lost his battle with cancer. Whether it was as Jackie Robinson in 42, Thurgood Marshall in THURGOOD or as T'Challa/Black Panther in the Marvel movies, Boseman's charm and charisma lept off the screen and drew you into whatever project he is in.
This charm and charisma is very much in evidence in the by-the-book cops chasing robbers action flick 21 BRIDGES. As the cop chasing "the fugitive", Boseman elevates the proceedings to a level above what this average script had to offer.
Set in NYC, 21 BRIDGES tells the tale of Detective Andre Davis (Bozeman) who must chase down a couple of thieves - and cop killers - before they can escape New York. Told in one night, Davis makes the call to close the "21 Bridges" of the island of Manhattan so the bad guys are stuck on the island.
And...that's the first disappointment with this film, it doesn't do anything with that premise. Do the bad guys try to escape on one of those "21 Bridges"? Nope. The bridges are never really mentioned again...so why call this film "21 Bridges"?
What does work is Boseman's performance. His Davis is competent, honest, smart and earnest and you are drawn into his work. As is the work of the person who is thrust into the action as his partner, Vice Cop Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller). You might roll your eyes when you hear Miller's name for her early career was more about being on the tabloid pages than it was about being on the screen, but she has morphed herself - and her career - into something quite interesting through turns in films like FOXCATCHER and AMERICAN SNIPER and she is as equally interesting as Bozeman in this film. The 2 make a good pair.
The rest of the supporting cast - Taylor Kitsch, Keith David and the great J.K. Simmons - are solid, if not spectacular. But there are 2 standouts. Alexander Siddig (Dr. Bashir in STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE 9) is interesting as the "money launderer" and Stephan James (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK) is just as charming and charismatic as Bozeman as one of the the thieves on the run. If you are looking for a young, charismatic actor to fill the hole created by Bozeman's death, James could very well fit the bill.
I've mentioned that the script by Adam Mervis and Matthew Michael Carnahan is nothing special, but what is special is the Direction by Brian Kirk (a TV Director of such shows as GAME OF THRONES and LUTHER). This is his Major Motion Picture debut (as far as I could tell) and there were some VERY interesting shots and some taught, tense moments. He'll be a director to watch in the future.
While nothing too special, 21 BRIDGES is better than "good enough" - a cops 'n robbers film that will hold your interest for the relatively quick 1 hour and 39 minute running time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
This charm and charisma is very much in evidence in the by-the-book cops chasing robbers action flick 21 BRIDGES. As the cop chasing "the fugitive", Boseman elevates the proceedings to a level above what this average script had to offer.
Set in NYC, 21 BRIDGES tells the tale of Detective Andre Davis (Bozeman) who must chase down a couple of thieves - and cop killers - before they can escape New York. Told in one night, Davis makes the call to close the "21 Bridges" of the island of Manhattan so the bad guys are stuck on the island.
And...that's the first disappointment with this film, it doesn't do anything with that premise. Do the bad guys try to escape on one of those "21 Bridges"? Nope. The bridges are never really mentioned again...so why call this film "21 Bridges"?
What does work is Boseman's performance. His Davis is competent, honest, smart and earnest and you are drawn into his work. As is the work of the person who is thrust into the action as his partner, Vice Cop Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller). You might roll your eyes when you hear Miller's name for her early career was more about being on the tabloid pages than it was about being on the screen, but she has morphed herself - and her career - into something quite interesting through turns in films like FOXCATCHER and AMERICAN SNIPER and she is as equally interesting as Bozeman in this film. The 2 make a good pair.
The rest of the supporting cast - Taylor Kitsch, Keith David and the great J.K. Simmons - are solid, if not spectacular. But there are 2 standouts. Alexander Siddig (Dr. Bashir in STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE 9) is interesting as the "money launderer" and Stephan James (IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK) is just as charming and charismatic as Bozeman as one of the the thieves on the run. If you are looking for a young, charismatic actor to fill the hole created by Bozeman's death, James could very well fit the bill.
I've mentioned that the script by Adam Mervis and Matthew Michael Carnahan is nothing special, but what is special is the Direction by Brian Kirk (a TV Director of such shows as GAME OF THRONES and LUTHER). This is his Major Motion Picture debut (as far as I could tell) and there were some VERY interesting shots and some taught, tense moments. He'll be a director to watch in the future.
While nothing too special, 21 BRIDGES is better than "good enough" - a cops 'n robbers film that will hold your interest for the relatively quick 1 hour and 39 minute running time.
Letter Grade: B
7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)