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Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated The Light We Lost in Books
Jun 6, 2019
^ This is totally not what I was expecting. Maybe I thought it would a love story based around how a couple met at the time 9/11 happened. Yes. It is. But staying together and having a happy ever after? Hmm. Nope. You don’t get that, and this becomes very clear from the onset. In fact, the very way this has been written in a past tense, makes that awfully clear the protagonist is telling us something that has already happened. This in itself made for a tantalising read. The story could have gone anywhere. Not knowing what would happen between them, when at times their lives were so different and far apart, is probably why I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
^^ This story revolves around two lost souls, Lucy and Gabriel (Gabe) Samson who first meet during the Twin Towers terror attacks, and watch the horror unfold right in front of their eyes. Did fate bring these two together for a reason?
^^ Throughout the book we follow their relationship and learn how that first meeting on that fateful day effected them for the rest of their lives. Imagine being witness to something so horrifying. Surely it would affect you. Perhaps you’d want to live your life as if every day is your last, or you’ll go the other way and blame yourself for not being able to do anything to help. Even when you couldn’t have at the time. Survivors guilt, I think they call it.
^ These are the sort of issues, this couple face. You know they should be together, but they both need different things, so their lives are never as simple as you think they’re going to be.
^ I enjoyed how the author allowed this couple to search for what they wanted out of life, but they never truly forgot, or even stopped loving each other. Whenever they did meet, well, it was never the right time. Yet something in the universe, a powerful source, kept drawing them back into each other’s paths. Even when they’d both long gone their separate ways. Is it destiny? Or chance?
Overall: Well, who’d of thought the first book of the year would reduce me to tears? I kind of saw the ending coming, but when I reached those last few pages I found it much more emotional than expected. Jill Santopolo poses an elegant narrative around two people looking in very different places for that one elusive answer: What if?
^^ This story revolves around two lost souls, Lucy and Gabriel (Gabe) Samson who first meet during the Twin Towers terror attacks, and watch the horror unfold right in front of their eyes. Did fate bring these two together for a reason?
^^ Throughout the book we follow their relationship and learn how that first meeting on that fateful day effected them for the rest of their lives. Imagine being witness to something so horrifying. Surely it would affect you. Perhaps you’d want to live your life as if every day is your last, or you’ll go the other way and blame yourself for not being able to do anything to help. Even when you couldn’t have at the time. Survivors guilt, I think they call it.
^ These are the sort of issues, this couple face. You know they should be together, but they both need different things, so their lives are never as simple as you think they’re going to be.
^ I enjoyed how the author allowed this couple to search for what they wanted out of life, but they never truly forgot, or even stopped loving each other. Whenever they did meet, well, it was never the right time. Yet something in the universe, a powerful source, kept drawing them back into each other’s paths. Even when they’d both long gone their separate ways. Is it destiny? Or chance?
Overall: Well, who’d of thought the first book of the year would reduce me to tears? I kind of saw the ending coming, but when I reached those last few pages I found it much more emotional than expected. Jill Santopolo poses an elegant narrative around two people looking in very different places for that one elusive answer: What if?
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Taken 3 (2015) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Impossible to recommend
The first Taken propelled Liam Neeson to action man stardom and became one of the most surprising hits of 2009. Its successor to some extent managed to capture the same thrilling suspense despite its ridiculous 12A certification.
Despite Neeson’s efforts to shut the series down, he decided to return as Bryan Mills for his final outing, Taken 3, but can it hold a candle to its predecessors?
No is the short answer. Everything from Neeson’s phoned-in performance to the horrific camerawork and poor special effects ensure it becomes the first turkey of 2015, and by the end, you’ll wish it was you being taken – out of the cinema.
Taken 3 follows Mills as he tries to evade the LAPD after he is wrongly accused of killing his wife Lenny – played by Famke Janssen who wasliamneeson clearly more interested in the paycheque than anything else.
This is the first problem with the film. Showing the killing of Janssen’s character in the trailer makes the audience all too aware of where the film is going – destroying any suspense that you would expect from the murder of a series’ main character.
Maggie Grace returns as Kim, now looking like the world’s oldest teenager and is the only actor to leave the film with their reputation intact. Her performance is decent but the hammy, almost comedic dialogue she is given to work with spoils her credibility.
Taken-3-Movie-PosterA new addition is Forest Whitaker who plays the detective tasked with bringing Mills in, Franck Dotzler, though he again gives a career-worst performance.
As with its predecessor, Taken 3 suffers from a ridiculous 12A certification which means that Neeson is only able to look vaguely menacing. The action which was such an integral part of the first film is completely lost and becomes repetitive after seeing the 15th punch in a row.
Unfortunately, Oliver Megaton’s uninspiring direction only worsens things. Taking lessons from the Michael Bay school of cinematography, everything is ridiculously shaky, devoid of any suspense or tension at all.
The final act of Taken 3’s 109 minute running time alleviates the offerings somewhat but there’s a twist you can see coming from a mile away.
Overall, Neeson’s performances have always bettered some of the more average films of his career, but by the time the end credits role here it feels like Liam himself is fed up. From an incomprehensible script to bland performances, Taken 3 is a dire film which simply is impossible to give a recommendation.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/01/09/impossible-to-recommend-taken-3-review/
Despite Neeson’s efforts to shut the series down, he decided to return as Bryan Mills for his final outing, Taken 3, but can it hold a candle to its predecessors?
No is the short answer. Everything from Neeson’s phoned-in performance to the horrific camerawork and poor special effects ensure it becomes the first turkey of 2015, and by the end, you’ll wish it was you being taken – out of the cinema.
Taken 3 follows Mills as he tries to evade the LAPD after he is wrongly accused of killing his wife Lenny – played by Famke Janssen who wasliamneeson clearly more interested in the paycheque than anything else.
This is the first problem with the film. Showing the killing of Janssen’s character in the trailer makes the audience all too aware of where the film is going – destroying any suspense that you would expect from the murder of a series’ main character.
Maggie Grace returns as Kim, now looking like the world’s oldest teenager and is the only actor to leave the film with their reputation intact. Her performance is decent but the hammy, almost comedic dialogue she is given to work with spoils her credibility.
Taken-3-Movie-PosterA new addition is Forest Whitaker who plays the detective tasked with bringing Mills in, Franck Dotzler, though he again gives a career-worst performance.
As with its predecessor, Taken 3 suffers from a ridiculous 12A certification which means that Neeson is only able to look vaguely menacing. The action which was such an integral part of the first film is completely lost and becomes repetitive after seeing the 15th punch in a row.
Unfortunately, Oliver Megaton’s uninspiring direction only worsens things. Taking lessons from the Michael Bay school of cinematography, everything is ridiculously shaky, devoid of any suspense or tension at all.
The final act of Taken 3’s 109 minute running time alleviates the offerings somewhat but there’s a twist you can see coming from a mile away.
Overall, Neeson’s performances have always bettered some of the more average films of his career, but by the time the end credits role here it feels like Liam himself is fed up. From an incomprehensible script to bland performances, Taken 3 is a dire film which simply is impossible to give a recommendation.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/01/09/impossible-to-recommend-taken-3-review/
Louise (64 KP) rated Paper Girls: Volume 1 in Books
Jul 2, 2018
This is really tricky to review as I don't want to give too much away, but I want people to read it because I found it good but also at the same time, I am not 100% sure what I just read.
I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, it was weird but in a good way. I haven't read a graphic novel for a while and this just appealed to me... especially as it's written by the same author as Saga.
It all starts with four 12-year-old girls in 1988 doing their paper rounds on the aftermath of Halloween, they get caught up in a war of the worlds, time traveling galactic war between monsters, demons, aliens and a godlike man. With everybody vanishing, the presence of pterodactyls and not knowing who to trust or which way to turn,will they survive?
There are a lot of things that I enjoyed about this graphic novel, first off I shall start with the artwork the palette mostly consists of purples,pinks and blues and the drawings fit in with the 80's theme. I loved that it was set in the 80's and that the girls were doing paper rounds on their bikes and had cassette tapes, I really just like anything set in this era. The characters are all very different and each have their own personalities, they are sassy, have attitude and funny at the same time.
There are some things that let this down for me, not many but I think are quite important. First off there was not much background stories to the girls or character development. There is also the fact that the things they encounter are not fully explained or where they actually come from. The plot also can be a bit jumpy in parts and can be slightly confusing. I am hoping that the second volume gives us more of an understanding as to where the characters are coming from, what they are fighting and more world/character building.
This is the is a bind up of issues 1-5 and I will definitely be reading the second volume as I have a feeling this is just going to get better and better. Even though this is a story of four 12 year olds girls there is strong language and violence so not suitable for children or the easily offended.
Overall I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
**I received a copy of this graphic novel from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review**
I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, it was weird but in a good way. I haven't read a graphic novel for a while and this just appealed to me... especially as it's written by the same author as Saga.
It all starts with four 12-year-old girls in 1988 doing their paper rounds on the aftermath of Halloween, they get caught up in a war of the worlds, time traveling galactic war between monsters, demons, aliens and a godlike man. With everybody vanishing, the presence of pterodactyls and not knowing who to trust or which way to turn,will they survive?
There are a lot of things that I enjoyed about this graphic novel, first off I shall start with the artwork the palette mostly consists of purples,pinks and blues and the drawings fit in with the 80's theme. I loved that it was set in the 80's and that the girls were doing paper rounds on their bikes and had cassette tapes, I really just like anything set in this era. The characters are all very different and each have their own personalities, they are sassy, have attitude and funny at the same time.
There are some things that let this down for me, not many but I think are quite important. First off there was not much background stories to the girls or character development. There is also the fact that the things they encounter are not fully explained or where they actually come from. The plot also can be a bit jumpy in parts and can be slightly confusing. I am hoping that the second volume gives us more of an understanding as to where the characters are coming from, what they are fighting and more world/character building.
This is the is a bind up of issues 1-5 and I will definitely be reading the second volume as I have a feeling this is just going to get better and better. Even though this is a story of four 12 year olds girls there is strong language and violence so not suitable for children or the easily offended.
Overall I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
**I received a copy of this graphic novel from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review**
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Timeless in Books
Oct 18, 2018
I missed out on a lot!
Contains spoilers, click to show
***Spoilers ahead, you’ve been warned***
It’s greatly recommended you read previous novels leading up to this one. Mind you, it would help immensely if you read the entire Drizzt timeline (which is a lot!) but since that is a lot of books to catch up on, the last few trilogies leading up to this one would likely help. My mistake was not doing so and I was left with lots of gaps and holes that I didn't quite understand. A lot of references were made about past adventures. Admittedly, I was lost for some parts of the book but, since I love Drizzt and his buddies I definitely will go back and reread this one and read the past novels to catch up on what I have missed.
The best part of about this book is Zaknafein and how he meets up with Jarlaxle - which is always an adventure in itself. The chapters are divided evenly into both past and present. I preferred the chapters featuring Zaknafein and Jalaxle. You had past characters appear again and that old nostalgic feeling comes back when you’re reading about them. Their adventures and intrigue were fun to read, the fighting scenes excellent, and there’s even a slight comedic section of Jalaxle and the subject of his hair.
The chapters set in the present are all right. Zaknafein is resurrected to reasons unknown and it’s encountered with suspicion. You’ll have all your characters coming back and naturally you’ll be happy to see them. I noticed some things have definitely changed with them. So it really felt like I was missing something (I probably did, hence why I have to go back and read the past novels for this) I like the exchanges between Zaknafein and Drizzt. Ah but the fighting scenes that included them both were enjoyable to read. They were in sync and it felt like watching a dance. It was beautifully descriptive.
The plot was good and it obviously leaves room for more to come. That being said, I can’t wait to hear further and read more about Zaknafein. He’s got a long way ahead of him and lots to catch up on. I look forward to it. In the meantime, I think it’s time to play catch up on Drizzt and company.
As mentioned earlier, really don’t recommend if you haven’t read Drizzt before. You’ll be lost and the read won’t be as enjoyable. I suspect if read in the particular order, it will be a great read and can’t be missed.
It’s greatly recommended you read previous novels leading up to this one. Mind you, it would help immensely if you read the entire Drizzt timeline (which is a lot!) but since that is a lot of books to catch up on, the last few trilogies leading up to this one would likely help. My mistake was not doing so and I was left with lots of gaps and holes that I didn't quite understand. A lot of references were made about past adventures. Admittedly, I was lost for some parts of the book but, since I love Drizzt and his buddies I definitely will go back and reread this one and read the past novels to catch up on what I have missed.
The best part of about this book is Zaknafein and how he meets up with Jarlaxle - which is always an adventure in itself. The chapters are divided evenly into both past and present. I preferred the chapters featuring Zaknafein and Jalaxle. You had past characters appear again and that old nostalgic feeling comes back when you’re reading about them. Their adventures and intrigue were fun to read, the fighting scenes excellent, and there’s even a slight comedic section of Jalaxle and the subject of his hair.
The chapters set in the present are all right. Zaknafein is resurrected to reasons unknown and it’s encountered with suspicion. You’ll have all your characters coming back and naturally you’ll be happy to see them. I noticed some things have definitely changed with them. So it really felt like I was missing something (I probably did, hence why I have to go back and read the past novels for this) I like the exchanges between Zaknafein and Drizzt. Ah but the fighting scenes that included them both were enjoyable to read. They were in sync and it felt like watching a dance. It was beautifully descriptive.
The plot was good and it obviously leaves room for more to come. That being said, I can’t wait to hear further and read more about Zaknafein. He’s got a long way ahead of him and lots to catch up on. I look forward to it. In the meantime, I think it’s time to play catch up on Drizzt and company.
As mentioned earlier, really don’t recommend if you haven’t read Drizzt before. You’ll be lost and the read won’t be as enjoyable. I suspect if read in the particular order, it will be a great read and can’t be missed.
Gareth von Kallenbach (974 KP) rated The Accountant (2016) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
In the world of high finance keeping an eye on the numbers is essential. But when large incomes are derived from illegal activities speed, accuracy, and discretion are vital and that is why Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck), is in such high demand.
In the new film “The Accountant” we are introduced to Christian as he prepares taxes for a rural couple. The quiet, and social awkward man is a whizz with numbers but thanks to a form of Autism, Christian is socially awkward and has an extreme series of regiments he uses to cope with the modern world.
Much of his life is told through flashbacks but we learn that his military father insisted that he and his brother learn to defend themselves after their mother left them.
FBI agent Ray King (J.K. Simmons) is facing retirement and has past history with The Accountant as he is known, and wants to resolve the situation before he retires. As such he recruits and coerces a young agent to help him track down The Accountant with little more to go on other than reputation and some vague photos.
At the same time Christian is introduced to a company via his service who suspects that money is being stolen from them. The C.E.O. Lamar Black (John Lithgow), is eager to get to the bottom of an irregularity found by bookkeeper Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick).
Christian tears through 15 years of books in one night and locates an intricate scheme to steal millions yet make the company look like it has kept gaining money and this sets into action a chain of events with dire consequences.
At the same time, a mysterious man (John Bernthal), is eliminating those in the way and has set his sights on both Christian and Dana.
Christian however is far from a weak pacifist as thanks to his work and his father’s training, he is brutally efficient and deadly with his hands, feet, and all manner of weapons.
With danger all around them, Christian and Dana must survive and get to the bottom of the mystery while avoiding Agent King and the authorities.
What follows is an action filled thriller that was an exciting adventure filled with twists, turns, and solid performances.
The film does offer a big twist which I saw coming 40 minutes out, but despite this the solid cast and great work by Affleck, Simmons, and company make this a pleasant surprise and one you will not want to miss.
http://sknr.net/2016/10/14/the-accountant/
In the new film “The Accountant” we are introduced to Christian as he prepares taxes for a rural couple. The quiet, and social awkward man is a whizz with numbers but thanks to a form of Autism, Christian is socially awkward and has an extreme series of regiments he uses to cope with the modern world.
Much of his life is told through flashbacks but we learn that his military father insisted that he and his brother learn to defend themselves after their mother left them.
FBI agent Ray King (J.K. Simmons) is facing retirement and has past history with The Accountant as he is known, and wants to resolve the situation before he retires. As such he recruits and coerces a young agent to help him track down The Accountant with little more to go on other than reputation and some vague photos.
At the same time Christian is introduced to a company via his service who suspects that money is being stolen from them. The C.E.O. Lamar Black (John Lithgow), is eager to get to the bottom of an irregularity found by bookkeeper Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick).
Christian tears through 15 years of books in one night and locates an intricate scheme to steal millions yet make the company look like it has kept gaining money and this sets into action a chain of events with dire consequences.
At the same time, a mysterious man (John Bernthal), is eliminating those in the way and has set his sights on both Christian and Dana.
Christian however is far from a weak pacifist as thanks to his work and his father’s training, he is brutally efficient and deadly with his hands, feet, and all manner of weapons.
With danger all around them, Christian and Dana must survive and get to the bottom of the mystery while avoiding Agent King and the authorities.
What follows is an action filled thriller that was an exciting adventure filled with twists, turns, and solid performances.
The film does offer a big twist which I saw coming 40 minutes out, but despite this the solid cast and great work by Affleck, Simmons, and company make this a pleasant surprise and one you will not want to miss.
http://sknr.net/2016/10/14/the-accountant/
Darren (1599 KP) rated 100 Bloody Acres (2013) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: 100 Bloody Acres starts as we meet one of the brothers Reg (Herriman) who is a part of an organic fertiliser business, after Reg picks up a dead body, he finds himself drawn into picking up three hitchhikers, Sophie (McGahan), James (Ackland) and Wes (Kristian) who are heading to a music festival for a binge filled weekend.
Once Reg arrives back to his brother Lindsay (Sampson) the hapless brothers must decide to kill the three to continue to produce the highly popular fertiliser and keep their reputation up or let them go.
Thoughts on 100 Bloody Acres
Characters/Performance – Reg is the simple-minded brother who is always out to impress his brother, he brings the victims back to the factory. Lindsay is the brains of the act and he must clean up the mess Reg has left him in. He will go through with any killing. Sophie is the main reason Reg stops, she is travelling with her boyfriend but been cheating on him with their other friend. James just believes he is going to have the life he planned with Sophie. Wes is the traveller who enjoys a drug or two finding himself high through the whole film.
Performance wise, Damon and Angus are both good as the brother showing good chemistry as they do come off very different. Anna, Oliver and Jamie are all fine in the victim roles without coming off as interesting characters.
Story – The story has moments that feel fresh in places but in the main it is all just another version of group of travellers get taken by isolated people who must fight to survive or become the latest victims. It has good moments but doesn’t end up being the most memorable story in the genre.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy is good in places and does add to all the events of the film as it is almost what could go wrong does go wrong. The horror works in places too as we get the gore from it.
Settings – The Australian outback always makes for a good setting as we know how isolated the places are when it comes to the horror.
Special Effects – The effects work when needed without being used too often, the highlights come from the wild trip Wes is going through.
Final Thoughts – You want to see an Australian version of Tucker & Dale versus Evil, then this is for you but it doesn’t quite live up to the levels of that one.
Overall: Enjoyable horror comedy.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/10/18/movie-reviews-101-midnight-halloween-horror-100-bloody-acres-2012/
Once Reg arrives back to his brother Lindsay (Sampson) the hapless brothers must decide to kill the three to continue to produce the highly popular fertiliser and keep their reputation up or let them go.
Thoughts on 100 Bloody Acres
Characters/Performance – Reg is the simple-minded brother who is always out to impress his brother, he brings the victims back to the factory. Lindsay is the brains of the act and he must clean up the mess Reg has left him in. He will go through with any killing. Sophie is the main reason Reg stops, she is travelling with her boyfriend but been cheating on him with their other friend. James just believes he is going to have the life he planned with Sophie. Wes is the traveller who enjoys a drug or two finding himself high through the whole film.
Performance wise, Damon and Angus are both good as the brother showing good chemistry as they do come off very different. Anna, Oliver and Jamie are all fine in the victim roles without coming off as interesting characters.
Story – The story has moments that feel fresh in places but in the main it is all just another version of group of travellers get taken by isolated people who must fight to survive or become the latest victims. It has good moments but doesn’t end up being the most memorable story in the genre.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy is good in places and does add to all the events of the film as it is almost what could go wrong does go wrong. The horror works in places too as we get the gore from it.
Settings – The Australian outback always makes for a good setting as we know how isolated the places are when it comes to the horror.
Special Effects – The effects work when needed without being used too often, the highlights come from the wild trip Wes is going through.
Final Thoughts – You want to see an Australian version of Tucker & Dale versus Evil, then this is for you but it doesn’t quite live up to the levels of that one.
Overall: Enjoyable horror comedy.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/10/18/movie-reviews-101-midnight-halloween-horror-100-bloody-acres-2012/
Midge (525 KP) rated Buried Secrets in Books
Jan 31, 2019
Plenty of action (3 more)
Genius characterisation
Plenty of twists
Brilliant conclusion
An Action-Packed Thriller!
I picked up a copy of "Buried Secrets" as it was chosen for our Book Club monthly read and I am so glad that I did because it transpired to be an amazing roller-coaster read and I didn’t want it to end.
First, we meet Brett Larson and his wife Emily who have recently moved into their first home, a beautiful, rural, yellow, farmhouse. When Brett finds human remains on their property and a mysterious note hidden in a box, he immediately starts his own investigation with no thought about what he might be getting himself into, that soon starts to land him in a great deal of trouble. We are then introduced to James Russo who is in prison awaiting trial and his cell-mate, Nate Reuter, who appears to be obsessed with the developments in the local tabloids of the discovery of the remains on the Larson property. Told in alternating chapters, I couldn’t read this exciting novel fast enough, so keen was I to know how the two stories would relate to each other.
T.J. Brearton has done a fantastic job in "Buried Secrets" with the characters. Emily and Brett are just like any other newly-weds, having just moved into their first home together and the excitement of Emily discovering that she is pregnant. I can only imagine their unease at the discovery of the bones and yet Brett couldn’t just leave matters for the police to investigate. For his part, Russo, who was an equally important character in the story, is a likeable bad guy, trying to keep out of trouble but kept finding himself in desperate situations. I found myself continually rooting for him as he kept trying to do what he thought was the right thing. I was left wondering exactly what choices I would make if I were to ever find myself in similar situations to Russo. "Buried Secrets" is a thought-provoking book because of that.
In the second half of the book, Brearton really picks up the pace, and I was kept guessing what was going to happen next the whole time I was reading this crime novel. The twists kept on coming at me right until the very end.
The way in which T.J. Brearton brings everything to a conclusion is just fabulous and I haven’t got anything negative thing to say about this book. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author. "Buried Secrets" is an exciting and action-packed thriller that I highly recommend.
First, we meet Brett Larson and his wife Emily who have recently moved into their first home, a beautiful, rural, yellow, farmhouse. When Brett finds human remains on their property and a mysterious note hidden in a box, he immediately starts his own investigation with no thought about what he might be getting himself into, that soon starts to land him in a great deal of trouble. We are then introduced to James Russo who is in prison awaiting trial and his cell-mate, Nate Reuter, who appears to be obsessed with the developments in the local tabloids of the discovery of the remains on the Larson property. Told in alternating chapters, I couldn’t read this exciting novel fast enough, so keen was I to know how the two stories would relate to each other.
T.J. Brearton has done a fantastic job in "Buried Secrets" with the characters. Emily and Brett are just like any other newly-weds, having just moved into their first home together and the excitement of Emily discovering that she is pregnant. I can only imagine their unease at the discovery of the bones and yet Brett couldn’t just leave matters for the police to investigate. For his part, Russo, who was an equally important character in the story, is a likeable bad guy, trying to keep out of trouble but kept finding himself in desperate situations. I found myself continually rooting for him as he kept trying to do what he thought was the right thing. I was left wondering exactly what choices I would make if I were to ever find myself in similar situations to Russo. "Buried Secrets" is a thought-provoking book because of that.
In the second half of the book, Brearton really picks up the pace, and I was kept guessing what was going to happen next the whole time I was reading this crime novel. The twists kept on coming at me right until the very end.
The way in which T.J. Brearton brings everything to a conclusion is just fabulous and I haven’t got anything negative thing to say about this book. I loved it and it has left me eager to read more from this author. "Buried Secrets" is an exciting and action-packed thriller that I highly recommend.
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Common Powers Box Set in Books
Aug 14, 2019
good, but not great.
Indepedent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this box set.
Four stories, of men coming together when they need each other the most.
Sammi is running away from being a sex slave, can Mitchell keep him safe?
Brian and Rush have chemistry, and they haven't even touched, but can Rush step out of the dark for Brian?
Edward is in town to visit his grandmother. The Chief of Police, Jack, is so NOT his type. So why is he drawn so badly to the man?
After a homophobic attack, Phillip finds himself taken in by Brian and Rush, and Phillip can only hope to have the kind of relationship they do.
For the most part, I did enjoy these four books, but maybe reading them back to back wasn't the best idea.
The general plot lines are very similar, and some dialogue is repaeted, particularly in the final book, when ALL four guys have a say, and it is especially when the guys are getting down and dirty! And they get down and dirty a LOT in that last book! And I'm not usually one to bawk at a lot of down and dirty but I did feel that it overshadowed Phillip's story.
I did enjoy the paranormal aspect: Sammi can read minds, Brian has premonitions, Rush can see in the dark, Edward can heal by touch and Phillip can influence by touch.
I liked that all the guys in the pairings have a say, so we hear from everyone and you know that makes me happy.
I did not like the SPEED at which things moved for the first three couples. Phillip's tale was a good deal slower, with everyone else having some thing to say. The previous three though?? Very quickly it went from attraction to love, for Sammi and Mitchell, it was the first chapter! I'm all for insta-love in places, but I did not like here, especailly for Sammi because of what he was running from. But equally, Jack and Rush are hiding, deep in their only personal hall closets, and you have expected there to be a bit more reluctancy to fall in love from those two (although they DID fight it, tooth and nail!) It was just too mcuh too soon.
It is explicit, heavily so; it also carries references to murder, rape and stalking and deals with the sex industry and being held against their will.
Still, a good read, just not a brilliant one.
3 GOOD stars
**same worded review will appear elewhere**
Four stories, of men coming together when they need each other the most.
Sammi is running away from being a sex slave, can Mitchell keep him safe?
Brian and Rush have chemistry, and they haven't even touched, but can Rush step out of the dark for Brian?
Edward is in town to visit his grandmother. The Chief of Police, Jack, is so NOT his type. So why is he drawn so badly to the man?
After a homophobic attack, Phillip finds himself taken in by Brian and Rush, and Phillip can only hope to have the kind of relationship they do.
For the most part, I did enjoy these four books, but maybe reading them back to back wasn't the best idea.
The general plot lines are very similar, and some dialogue is repaeted, particularly in the final book, when ALL four guys have a say, and it is especially when the guys are getting down and dirty! And they get down and dirty a LOT in that last book! And I'm not usually one to bawk at a lot of down and dirty but I did feel that it overshadowed Phillip's story.
I did enjoy the paranormal aspect: Sammi can read minds, Brian has premonitions, Rush can see in the dark, Edward can heal by touch and Phillip can influence by touch.
I liked that all the guys in the pairings have a say, so we hear from everyone and you know that makes me happy.
I did not like the SPEED at which things moved for the first three couples. Phillip's tale was a good deal slower, with everyone else having some thing to say. The previous three though?? Very quickly it went from attraction to love, for Sammi and Mitchell, it was the first chapter! I'm all for insta-love in places, but I did not like here, especailly for Sammi because of what he was running from. But equally, Jack and Rush are hiding, deep in their only personal hall closets, and you have expected there to be a bit more reluctancy to fall in love from those two (although they DID fight it, tooth and nail!) It was just too mcuh too soon.
It is explicit, heavily so; it also carries references to murder, rape and stalking and deals with the sex industry and being held against their will.
Still, a good read, just not a brilliant one.
3 GOOD stars
**same worded review will appear elewhere**
Gareth von Kallenbach (974 KP) rated The Birth of a Nation (2016) in Movies
Jul 15, 2019
America was not born with the landing of the Mayflower. It was not born at Jamestown. It was not born with the Declaration of Independence or Treaty of Paris. It wasn’t born on the battlefields of the Civil War, nor was it born with D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation in 1915. America was born in the fire and spilt blood from the institution of slavery and revolts by slaves seeking to break free. Nat Turner’s revolt was an omen to America signifying that human beings would no longer tolerate being subjugated, dehumanized, brutalized, and degraded without some form of pushback.
Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation tells a full story of Nat Turner and does not simply rely on the revolt to convey his message of a call for equality and fighting injustice. It is emblematic of resistance to the many sins this nation has committed. The film and story are a punch to the gut reminding Americans that there is much left unfinished with respect to telling the full story of slavery and American history as a whole. There is much of our past that we must reconcile with no matter how uncomfortable. Parker’s film demonstrates the power film has as historical record and permitting audiences to have a greater idea and picture of the past.
The Birth of A Nation allows audiences to become consumed with the horrors of slavery, but it is not limited to that aspect. It humanizes the slaves and demonstrates cultural aspects and relationships that have often gone ignored or overlooked with previous films. It does not rely on sensationalizing events in order to drive the points home. There is subtlety and honesty in the portrayal of the events and circumstances.
This is a film that will have audiences speechless at the end as the come to terms with their emotions about events as they unfold and coming to terms with what the witnessed onscreen. There is nothing that can prepare audiences for this film. It is a work of art that you cannot help but feel compelled to reflect on what you witnessed.
There are those who will not see the film due to the subject matter. There are others who won’t see it because of the sexual assault allegations against Nate Parker. There are many who won’t see it out of a pure lack of interest. Regardless of your stance, this is a film that needs to be seen. It is essential to telling a more complete story about America.
Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation tells a full story of Nat Turner and does not simply rely on the revolt to convey his message of a call for equality and fighting injustice. It is emblematic of resistance to the many sins this nation has committed. The film and story are a punch to the gut reminding Americans that there is much left unfinished with respect to telling the full story of slavery and American history as a whole. There is much of our past that we must reconcile with no matter how uncomfortable. Parker’s film demonstrates the power film has as historical record and permitting audiences to have a greater idea and picture of the past.
The Birth of A Nation allows audiences to become consumed with the horrors of slavery, but it is not limited to that aspect. It humanizes the slaves and demonstrates cultural aspects and relationships that have often gone ignored or overlooked with previous films. It does not rely on sensationalizing events in order to drive the points home. There is subtlety and honesty in the portrayal of the events and circumstances.
This is a film that will have audiences speechless at the end as the come to terms with their emotions about events as they unfold and coming to terms with what the witnessed onscreen. There is nothing that can prepare audiences for this film. It is a work of art that you cannot help but feel compelled to reflect on what you witnessed.
There are those who will not see the film due to the subject matter. There are others who won’t see it because of the sexual assault allegations against Nate Parker. There are many who won’t see it out of a pure lack of interest. Regardless of your stance, this is a film that needs to be seen. It is essential to telling a more complete story about America.
Anne (15117 KP) rated This Tender Land in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Thank you to Libro.fm and Recorded Books for letting me listen and review this book. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would and it has a lot to digest from it. I've been thinking about it to try to formulate a review for a couple of days since I finished it.
This story is about 4 orphans on a life-changing journey during the era of the Great Depression in 1932.
In Minnesota, they are at a horrible place called The Lincoln School, where Native American children that have been separated from their families are sent to get an education. It's also where Odie is, who is the MC/one of the 4 orphans in this story. After getting in a lot of trouble and gaining the school superintendent's attention and wrath, Odie, his brother, Albert, their friend, Mose, and Emmy all run away together in a canoe they stole, going to the Missippi and to find a place of their own.
What follows is the telling of their journey during the summer, an adventure where they meet others who are wandering and on their own journeys as well. They meet all types of people like pig farmers, faith healers and others who are lost and trying to find their own way in life and to their own places to call home as well.
It's a coming of age tale, where they come across and are deciding and figuring things out for themselves like religion, belief in God, first crush/love, what's right and wrong, how to treat others with respect and love and so many things.
This story kept sucking me back in whenever I listened to it so I felt like I was there on the banks of the river watching their story or in the school or in the faith revival tents or towns along the way. I was a bit overwhelmed at times from the bigger picture they were showing and talking about along the way, but it also resonated with me a lot and reminded me a lot of Mark Twain's writing with his books about Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer that I remember loving and connecting with when I was younger.
The only thing that bothered me some was that if like me you try to go for clean reads, there's a little bit of language throughout the book, but other than that it was a really good story and the audio was great.
This story is about 4 orphans on a life-changing journey during the era of the Great Depression in 1932.
In Minnesota, they are at a horrible place called The Lincoln School, where Native American children that have been separated from their families are sent to get an education. It's also where Odie is, who is the MC/one of the 4 orphans in this story. After getting in a lot of trouble and gaining the school superintendent's attention and wrath, Odie, his brother, Albert, their friend, Mose, and Emmy all run away together in a canoe they stole, going to the Missippi and to find a place of their own.
What follows is the telling of their journey during the summer, an adventure where they meet others who are wandering and on their own journeys as well. They meet all types of people like pig farmers, faith healers and others who are lost and trying to find their own way in life and to their own places to call home as well.
It's a coming of age tale, where they come across and are deciding and figuring things out for themselves like religion, belief in God, first crush/love, what's right and wrong, how to treat others with respect and love and so many things.
This story kept sucking me back in whenever I listened to it so I felt like I was there on the banks of the river watching their story or in the school or in the faith revival tents or towns along the way. I was a bit overwhelmed at times from the bigger picture they were showing and talking about along the way, but it also resonated with me a lot and reminded me a lot of Mark Twain's writing with his books about Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer that I remember loving and connecting with when I was younger.
The only thing that bothered me some was that if like me you try to go for clean reads, there's a little bit of language throughout the book, but other than that it was a really good story and the audio was great.