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Jericho's War
Book
Jericho's War is a relentlessly powerful novel of our times from 'the best thriller writer in the...
Finding Your Element: How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life
Book
Ken Robinson, author of the international bestseller The Element and the most viewed talk on...
Watchers of the Beloveds: Journey of Forgiveness
Book
In the modern world, where the celestial and mortal realms converge, a tale of forbidden love and...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Behind Every Lie in Books
Mar 19, 2020
When Eva Hansen wakes up in the hospital, burned and battered after being struck by lightening, she learns a horrible fact: her mother, Kat, is dead. Even worse, the police tell her Kat was murdered. It quickly appears Eva is their number one suspect, having been found unconscious down the street from her mother's home. After the lightening strike, Eva can't remember what happened, but some clues from her mother's home lead her to London, her mother's former home, where she works to unravel both Kat's past and her own. But it quickly becomes apparent that someone doesn't want Eva uncovering her mother's secrets. And the more Eva begins to remember the events of that evening, the more danger she is in.
"Memories could be come distorted, twisted to suit the teller, or ignored and forgotten, pushed away. I should know. I'd been doing it for years."
This was my first book by Christina McDonald, but I'll definitely be tracking down her first book now as well. This was a spellbinding thriller, which I found quite difficult to put down. It's told in the alternating perspectives of Eva, in present-day, and her mom, Kat, in the past. The format works quite effectively and somehow gives the book a frenetic, frantic pacing and feel.
It's hard to know if Eva is telling us the truth, as she's been struck by lightning (!) and alludes to previous problems, too. Kat quickly emerges as a mysterious and dynamic character, too. As their stories unfold and start to converge, I was quite fascinated and intrigued, and the pages just flew by. I guessed quite a bit, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment at all, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns. (There's much more than Kat and Eva, but I don't want to spoil anything!)
Overall, I'm glad I followed all the #bookstagram hype and picked this one up. It was a quick, intense read. Different and engaging! 4 stars.
"Memories could be come distorted, twisted to suit the teller, or ignored and forgotten, pushed away. I should know. I'd been doing it for years."
This was my first book by Christina McDonald, but I'll definitely be tracking down her first book now as well. This was a spellbinding thriller, which I found quite difficult to put down. It's told in the alternating perspectives of Eva, in present-day, and her mom, Kat, in the past. The format works quite effectively and somehow gives the book a frenetic, frantic pacing and feel.
It's hard to know if Eva is telling us the truth, as she's been struck by lightning (!) and alludes to previous problems, too. Kat quickly emerges as a mysterious and dynamic character, too. As their stories unfold and start to converge, I was quite fascinated and intrigued, and the pages just flew by. I guessed quite a bit, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment at all, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns. (There's much more than Kat and Eva, but I don't want to spoil anything!)
Overall, I'm glad I followed all the #bookstagram hype and picked this one up. It was a quick, intense read. Different and engaging! 4 stars.
TT
The Tropical Oil Crop Revolution: Food, Feed, Fuel, and Forests
Derek Byerlee, Walter P. Falcon and Rosamond L. Naylor
Book
Over the last two decades global production of soybean and palm oil seeds have increased enormously....
djay LE - DJ Music Mixer
Music and Entertainment
App
Ready to rock your next party? Introducing djay, Algoriddim's award-winning and highly acclaimed DJ...
Amy Christmas (171 KP) rated Let it Snow in Books
Dec 28, 2018
The last story was quite shoddy (4/10) (1 more)
The patron saint of pigs
A mixed bag of stories.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I had to read this at Christmas time, there is no other way, and at first I really quite enjoyed it, the first story The Jubilee Express was really quite something, I loved jubilee's character and her situation with her parents in prison and being shipped off to Florida. At this point Jeb who she meets on the train seems like a really 2D character (and will co time to be for the entire book) I was dissapointed in Jeb's character as there was a lot more potential there but no purpose from the 3 authors. However Jubilee I loved her motives and personality was great and the way that the story flowed from the train into the waffle house and meeting Stuart was great. The Jubilee Express was filled with weird and wonderful characters and a beautiful ending.
It goes down hill from here.
I've never read anything by John Green but I was dissapointed by his segment. The love between Tobin and The Duke is rushed and fake as hell. It didn't feel realistic in any sense of the word, the love in Twilight was better written. The adventure we follow with Tobin is good and enjoyable but the love aspect is not at all. I wanted this segment over with ASAP.
Then the patron saint of pigs, god. I despised Addie. I get that this short story was meant to be a moral story on being selfless etc etc but I got to the end of the story and again was drowned in superficial love that holds no weight or realism. In the end Addie is just forgiven for all that she has done in the past but we see no real change in her thinking. By the end she still constantly acts in her own interests, she only picks up the pig to prove to her friends that she isn't selfish and self absorbed. However the atmosphere of this last story was nice seeing all the stories fully converge.
However I only truly loved The Jubilee Express.
The rest felt heartless and 2D.
It goes down hill from here.
I've never read anything by John Green but I was dissapointed by his segment. The love between Tobin and The Duke is rushed and fake as hell. It didn't feel realistic in any sense of the word, the love in Twilight was better written. The adventure we follow with Tobin is good and enjoyable but the love aspect is not at all. I wanted this segment over with ASAP.
Then the patron saint of pigs, god. I despised Addie. I get that this short story was meant to be a moral story on being selfless etc etc but I got to the end of the story and again was drowned in superficial love that holds no weight or realism. In the end Addie is just forgiven for all that she has done in the past but we see no real change in her thinking. By the end she still constantly acts in her own interests, she only picks up the pig to prove to her friends that she isn't selfish and self absorbed. However the atmosphere of this last story was nice seeing all the stories fully converge.
However I only truly loved The Jubilee Express.
The rest felt heartless and 2D.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Taylor's Plight (The Sanctum Series #3) in Books
Nov 26, 2019
Taylor's Plight is the third book in The Sanctum series of pre-teen adventure novels by Katrina Cope. Once again Jayden, Eva, Robert and Aaron are attempting to stop terrorism by using 'surrogates' - robots they can control remotely that appear to be human.
This installment starts with a bang (quite literally) and just keeps going. The previous two books took a little while to lay the groundwork for both characters and plot but there is no need to do that here, especially as the story continues essentially from the end of the second book, Scarlet's Escape.
Once again someone is moving against the Sanctum, trying to stop their fight against terrorism, attacking their infrastructure in an attempt to bring down Scarlet, the computer intelligence that controls much of the Santum's functions.
Liam and the other pupils at Ernest College are also involved, and seemingly on a course to uncover the Sanctum's meddling at their school. But are they working towards the same cause, or against? As the two groups of students converge on the truth, the stakes have never been higher and the danger never more real.
This really is a fantastic read. From start to finish it grips the reader, drawing them along. The threads of Ernest and the Sanctum play off of each other, each giving a slightly different view of what is really going on. Most of the second half of the book is a breathless rush towards the final climax as the children on both sides uncover the truth. The phrase 'I couldn't put it down' is overused but is totally justified in this case.
Not everything in their world is safe and cosy and this is one of the great things about Cope's books. She is not afraid to put her characters through the mill, but they are always shown to be able to overcome adversity through quick wits and to come out stronger the other side. As usual the strong role models are well in evidence.
This is a book I would unhesitatingly recommend to any reader from about 9 upwards, although reading the first two books will be necessary to introduce the characters involved and the world of the Sanctum.
This installment starts with a bang (quite literally) and just keeps going. The previous two books took a little while to lay the groundwork for both characters and plot but there is no need to do that here, especially as the story continues essentially from the end of the second book, Scarlet's Escape.
Once again someone is moving against the Sanctum, trying to stop their fight against terrorism, attacking their infrastructure in an attempt to bring down Scarlet, the computer intelligence that controls much of the Santum's functions.
Liam and the other pupils at Ernest College are also involved, and seemingly on a course to uncover the Sanctum's meddling at their school. But are they working towards the same cause, or against? As the two groups of students converge on the truth, the stakes have never been higher and the danger never more real.
This really is a fantastic read. From start to finish it grips the reader, drawing them along. The threads of Ernest and the Sanctum play off of each other, each giving a slightly different view of what is really going on. Most of the second half of the book is a breathless rush towards the final climax as the children on both sides uncover the truth. The phrase 'I couldn't put it down' is overused but is totally justified in this case.
Not everything in their world is safe and cosy and this is one of the great things about Cope's books. She is not afraid to put her characters through the mill, but they are always shown to be able to overcome adversity through quick wits and to come out stronger the other side. As usual the strong role models are well in evidence.
This is a book I would unhesitatingly recommend to any reader from about 9 upwards, although reading the first two books will be necessary to introduce the characters involved and the world of the Sanctum.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Clairvoyants in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Martha has had an interesting childhood and upbringing. As a young girl, she saw the ghost of her aunt, a nun, in her grandfather's barn. As a teen, the dead frequently appeared to Martha, though she rarely knew what to do with these apparitions. Also in her teen years, Martha's younger sister, Del, wound up sent to an institution. Incredibly close as children, Del's slow decent into some sort of madness also haunted Martha. So she decides to depart her family's farm and move inland to college. Once in Ithaca, Martha falls in love, is reunited with Del, and frequently sees the ghost of Mary Rae, a missing woman from a neighboring town, who stands beneath Martha's window for hours, wearing her coat and with her hair covered in ice. Martha had hoped to escape the dead in Ithaca, but it seems like somehow everything is going to converge on her nonetheless.
This book was not at all what I had expected; it's less a supernatural thriller and more a literary treatise as we watch Martha deal with the events in her life. The chapters switch between present-day in Ithaca and flashbacks to Martha's life growing up. Sometimes it's a little confusing, but also quite interesting. I had expected the book to be more of a mystery as we try to figure out what happened to Mary Rae, but honestly, it's pretty apparent from the beginning who is responsible for her disappearance, even if the "how" is unknown. Still, the book is incredibly suspenseful and very compelling; I found myself trying to read it every chance as I had.
The psychological/mystical aspect isn't really as much at play here as you'd think from the summary, but that's okay. I didn't find it as creepy as some of the other reviews, but as I stated, still very spellbinding. There's an "aha moment" when you're reading and things come together that is masterfully done. While I wasn't in love with the character of Martha, I was intrigued by both she and Del, and I found all of the characters to be fascinating and intricate in their own way. The ending was a little quick for me, but somewhat redeemed by one particular portion (don't want to give away a spoiler). Overall, this was a different book--unlike ones I typically read--and while I didn't find it amazing, it was an engrossing and suspenseful novel. 3.5 stars.
This book was not at all what I had expected; it's less a supernatural thriller and more a literary treatise as we watch Martha deal with the events in her life. The chapters switch between present-day in Ithaca and flashbacks to Martha's life growing up. Sometimes it's a little confusing, but also quite interesting. I had expected the book to be more of a mystery as we try to figure out what happened to Mary Rae, but honestly, it's pretty apparent from the beginning who is responsible for her disappearance, even if the "how" is unknown. Still, the book is incredibly suspenseful and very compelling; I found myself trying to read it every chance as I had.
The psychological/mystical aspect isn't really as much at play here as you'd think from the summary, but that's okay. I didn't find it as creepy as some of the other reviews, but as I stated, still very spellbinding. There's an "aha moment" when you're reading and things come together that is masterfully done. While I wasn't in love with the character of Martha, I was intrigued by both she and Del, and I found all of the characters to be fascinating and intricate in their own way. The ending was a little quick for me, but somewhat redeemed by one particular portion (don't want to give away a spoiler). Overall, this was a different book--unlike ones I typically read--and while I didn't find it amazing, it was an engrossing and suspenseful novel. 3.5 stars.
Larry Eisner (2082 KP) rated Loot Time Podcast in Podcasts
Oct 3, 2018
Fun hosts (2 more)
Silly discussion
Great pop culture knowledge
Too long for the format (1 more)
Tries to stretch instead of editing for quality
It’s a decent podcast!
I’m being overly critical here but recognize I still give this a solid 7/10.
This podcast is well crafted from an audio quality standpoint and from a “love of the game” style genuine feeling you get from the hosts. They really love pop culture discussion and it shines through.
They are comfortable with the banter and that’s not easy to make happen, especially within just 25 episodes (when I listened).
My criticism here is a matter of what plagues great intentioned media everywhere. Everyone and everything benefits from a great editor. Now, I’m not talking about topic censure or quality of audio or what other editors of podcasts sometimes do. I’m strictly speaking of editing for content coherency and poignancy.
These guys love to talk pop culture but as any conversation with people who are passionate, they have conversations that seem less interesting if you’re not on the same page. There’s a ton of great content and a lot of boring non-essential content. The non-essential content is usually what defines a conversation-style podcast, because it’s the character of the show. However a lot of times it seems the hosts are stretching for filler. Trying to make the topic of the box more relevant or simply going on a tangent to simply fill tape.
And that is where an editor comes in. I think this could be a FANTASTIC half hour show. But with the dryness of the reaching to stay on topic versus the naturally on-topic stuff, an hour is just too much.
Again, I’m being harsh. I get it. But I think this has a ton of potential. It’s a great idea, and it’s got hosts who are genuinely fun to listen to when they’re jazzed about whatever topic they are on. But when they’re trying too hard to make you love they way they love, it’s too forced. (Loved the Evil Dead stuff, hated the gremlins on VHS stuff as one example).
Enthusiast media is great because it creates a shared space for fans to converge. You don’t have to sell us. We are on board already! So just have fun with it, don’t try to create topics, just run with it. And have someone ready to cut the audio into something more manageable to keep the sweet stuff, and trim the fat!
7/10
This podcast is well crafted from an audio quality standpoint and from a “love of the game” style genuine feeling you get from the hosts. They really love pop culture discussion and it shines through.
They are comfortable with the banter and that’s not easy to make happen, especially within just 25 episodes (when I listened).
My criticism here is a matter of what plagues great intentioned media everywhere. Everyone and everything benefits from a great editor. Now, I’m not talking about topic censure or quality of audio or what other editors of podcasts sometimes do. I’m strictly speaking of editing for content coherency and poignancy.
These guys love to talk pop culture but as any conversation with people who are passionate, they have conversations that seem less interesting if you’re not on the same page. There’s a ton of great content and a lot of boring non-essential content. The non-essential content is usually what defines a conversation-style podcast, because it’s the character of the show. However a lot of times it seems the hosts are stretching for filler. Trying to make the topic of the box more relevant or simply going on a tangent to simply fill tape.
And that is where an editor comes in. I think this could be a FANTASTIC half hour show. But with the dryness of the reaching to stay on topic versus the naturally on-topic stuff, an hour is just too much.
Again, I’m being harsh. I get it. But I think this has a ton of potential. It’s a great idea, and it’s got hosts who are genuinely fun to listen to when they’re jazzed about whatever topic they are on. But when they’re trying too hard to make you love they way they love, it’s too forced. (Loved the Evil Dead stuff, hated the gremlins on VHS stuff as one example).
Enthusiast media is great because it creates a shared space for fans to converge. You don’t have to sell us. We are on board already! So just have fun with it, don’t try to create topics, just run with it. And have someone ready to cut the audio into something more manageable to keep the sweet stuff, and trim the fat!
7/10