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Law, Religion and Love: Seeking Ecumenical Justice for the Other
Paul Babie and Vanja-Ivan Savic
Book
In contemporary society there are several issues making for a divisive atmosphere in regard to...
Mounting Frustration: The Art Museum in the Age of Black Power
Book
Prior to 1967 fewer than a dozen museum exhibitions had featured the work of African American...
Art social issues politics
The Proposition (Nights Series #6)
10.0
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Book
They call me the Charmer. My best friend Wade tells me it’s because I’m suave and mysterious....
M_M Contemporary Romance
The Great Maple Mistake (Love in Maplewood #8)
8.0
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Book
A small-town photographer who’s given up on love meets a smoking hot firefighter with a smile to...
Contemporary MM Romance
Royal (Foster Bros #2)
6.0
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Book
Royal When Royal wakes up in a hospital bed, confusion and then panic have him frantically...
Contemporary MM Romance
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Our Brand is Crisis (2015) in Movies
Oct 30, 2017 (Updated Oct 30, 2017)
Would have been a decent film if it wasn't for the ending
Our Brand is Crisis is absolutely current for contemporary affairs given that it's a mix of House of Cards, The Ides of March, and real-life politics. The premise of the film looks completely realistic - a disgraced campaign manager discusses her role in manipulating election campaigns to sway the votes using 'crisis' rhetoric to engage the electorate. Sound familiar?
Sandra Bullock plays a brutal and a downright unlikable character but she's all about winning at any cost. In this case, after hiding away for several years following a public scandal, she's hired to back a dwindling presidential candidate in Bolivia. From dirty tricks such as spreading rumours, to even making her candidate appear emotional in a television chat show, she shows how fickle the election system is. All this down to fighting against an opposing campaign manager, played by Billy Bob Thornton, after he sabotaged another of her projects.
However, there's a reason why it hasn't received such great reviews. Right at the end of everything, she seems to gain a conscience which seemed completely uncharacteristic throughout. It changed it from a decently honest portrayal to a Hollywood film which was a real shame. It definitely had potential.
Sandra Bullock plays a brutal and a downright unlikable character but she's all about winning at any cost. In this case, after hiding away for several years following a public scandal, she's hired to back a dwindling presidential candidate in Bolivia. From dirty tricks such as spreading rumours, to even making her candidate appear emotional in a television chat show, she shows how fickle the election system is. All this down to fighting against an opposing campaign manager, played by Billy Bob Thornton, after he sabotaged another of her projects.
However, there's a reason why it hasn't received such great reviews. Right at the end of everything, she seems to gain a conscience which seemed completely uncharacteristic throughout. It changed it from a decently honest portrayal to a Hollywood film which was a real shame. It definitely had potential.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy in Books
Nov 16, 2017
An honest look at the Obama years
The simplest way to describe "We Were Eight Years in Power" is as a selection of Ta-Nehisi Coates' most influential pieces from The Atlantic, organised chronologically. The book is actually far more than that, establishing Coates as the pre-eminent black public intellectual of his generation.
Coates is one of the first to show up to discuss all three contemporary themes: the man, the community, national identity. He critiques respectability politics. He writes about mass incarceration. He writes about Michelle Obama and Chicago's South Side. He writes about how Barack Obama was exceptional, in many senses, and about the paradoxical limits of the first black president's power to address race and racism. He writes about the qualitative difference between white economic prospects and black economic prospects, thanks to discriminatory policies promulgated by the government even during progressive times, and about how, in his view, reparations would be the only way to redress the problem.
An air of resignation begins to bleed into Coates' writing even before his last essay, coming into the final years of the Obama administration. It is an eloquent eulogy to the struggles that African Americans are facing and increasingly fearing today.
Coates is one of the first to show up to discuss all three contemporary themes: the man, the community, national identity. He critiques respectability politics. He writes about mass incarceration. He writes about Michelle Obama and Chicago's South Side. He writes about how Barack Obama was exceptional, in many senses, and about the paradoxical limits of the first black president's power to address race and racism. He writes about the qualitative difference between white economic prospects and black economic prospects, thanks to discriminatory policies promulgated by the government even during progressive times, and about how, in his view, reparations would be the only way to redress the problem.
An air of resignation begins to bleed into Coates' writing even before his last essay, coming into the final years of the Obama administration. It is an eloquent eulogy to the struggles that African Americans are facing and increasingly fearing today.
Morgan Sheppard (1007 KP) rated Call Me Michigan in Books
Jan 9, 2018
This is a second chance novel - Mason and Tyler were best friends in their younger years, although both of them wanted more, neither of them said anything. When Tyler left home under difficult circumstances, Mason got blinding drunk before chasing after her and giving her a drunken kiss. Now, this is not guaranteed to win anyone over, so unsurprisingly, Tyler leaves anyway. Fast forward a few years, and Tyler returns to take care of her family. Of course, the first person she sees is Mason, although he doesn't recognise her. Things are about to change for the pair of them.
This is a well written, fast moving and smoothly paced contemporary romance, showing character growth and not just with the two main characters. With getting to know each other again, things don't go exactly smoothly. However, things eventually work out for them, which is good because the situation is about to get a whole more complicated.
This is a story guaranteed to give you the warm fuzzies, at the same time as you laugh and cry with the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Definitely recommended by me.
* I was given this book in return for a review which has in no way affected my opinion. *
This is a well written, fast moving and smoothly paced contemporary romance, showing character growth and not just with the two main characters. With getting to know each other again, things don't go exactly smoothly. However, things eventually work out for them, which is good because the situation is about to get a whole more complicated.
This is a story guaranteed to give you the warm fuzzies, at the same time as you laugh and cry with the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Definitely recommended by me.
* I was given this book in return for a review which has in no way affected my opinion. *
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Beautiful Broken Things in Books
Feb 20, 2019
The fragility of teen friendships
This was a contemporary YA about friendships, there was no romance and it didn't need it. This friendship triangle was a subtle but delicate dance of power imbalance and loyalty. The pacing was steady as the story ebbed and flowed through drama (real not unnecessary) and steadier times.
Caddy was the protagonist and Rosie was her best friend but the story very much revolved around Suzanne, a 16 year old teen, abused and with significant psychological effects. I never understood the lack of police involvement in her past, but I was able to read past that issue. It was a powerful story, wings were spread, influences bad and good happened and the apple cart was well and truly knocked over.
This story built to a crescendo and for the last 10%, I felt like I'd been hit with a mallet. It was powerful reading and my heart had a few fissures that needed mending. I am so glad I am reading this at a time when there's a book two out, even though it has stood alone for a few years.
Sara Barnard writes from the young person's perspective so well. Her characters' feelings towards their parents and their parents' reactions are very real. I remain impressed.
Caddy was the protagonist and Rosie was her best friend but the story very much revolved around Suzanne, a 16 year old teen, abused and with significant psychological effects. I never understood the lack of police involvement in her past, but I was able to read past that issue. It was a powerful story, wings were spread, influences bad and good happened and the apple cart was well and truly knocked over.
This story built to a crescendo and for the last 10%, I felt like I'd been hit with a mallet. It was powerful reading and my heart had a few fissures that needed mending. I am so glad I am reading this at a time when there's a book two out, even though it has stood alone for a few years.
Sara Barnard writes from the young person's perspective so well. Her characters' feelings towards their parents and their parents' reactions are very real. I remain impressed.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Gift Of Christmas Past in Books
Feb 27, 2019
As a long time fan of Cindy Woodsmall, I was excited to see what she what co wrote with her DIL. It was a book that I wouldn't be used to by her, as she's a wonderful Amish fiction novelist, and this is a contemporary novel. But, I was pleasantly surprised with this collaboration by these wonderful ladies!
I am a person who sometimes, unintentionally, holds on to the past and that can hinder me with my here and now. That's what this book is like. Hanging on to the past, and not being able to full move on or forgive. Hadley and Monroe are beautifully chiseled and have been through so much in their lives. My heart truly ached for their early years. But, both Cindy and Erin pieced together a beautiful story of hope, forgiveness and tenderness and gave readers an unforgettable Christmas story.
This is definitely worthy of 4 stars and keeping on the shelf! Both ladies are talented and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this collaboration. I highly recommend this Christmas read to all and look forward to more of these great stories! Well done, ladies!
*Cafinated Reads received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Blog Tours and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
I am a person who sometimes, unintentionally, holds on to the past and that can hinder me with my here and now. That's what this book is like. Hanging on to the past, and not being able to full move on or forgive. Hadley and Monroe are beautifully chiseled and have been through so much in their lives. My heart truly ached for their early years. But, both Cindy and Erin pieced together a beautiful story of hope, forgiveness and tenderness and gave readers an unforgettable Christmas story.
This is definitely worthy of 4 stars and keeping on the shelf! Both ladies are talented and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this collaboration. I highly recommend this Christmas read to all and look forward to more of these great stories! Well done, ladies!
*Cafinated Reads received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Blog Tours and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*