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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2355 KP) rated Frankencrayon in Books
Mar 9, 2018
The crayon lead production of Frankenstein is all ready to go until the giant squiggle appears in the sky. Can they solve the problem, or will they have to cancel this book before we even get a chance to read it?
This is a delightfully funny picture book that parents will definitely appreciate. It breaks the fourth wall as the crayons tell us the story of why they can’t tell us the story of Frankenstein. After things are resolved, we get a couple of fun and appropriate morals that don’t lecture us. I’m not sure the very youngest of kids will understand all the jokes, but older picture book fans should get them with some help from their parents.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/02/book-review-frankencrayon-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This is a delightfully funny picture book that parents will definitely appreciate. It breaks the fourth wall as the crayons tell us the story of why they can’t tell us the story of Frankenstein. After things are resolved, we get a couple of fun and appropriate morals that don’t lecture us. I’m not sure the very youngest of kids will understand all the jokes, but older picture book fans should get them with some help from their parents.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/02/book-review-frankencrayon-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2355 KP) rated Book of the Dead (TombQuest, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Alex Sennefer has never been healthy, but recently he’s taken a turn for the worse. Just when things look their darkest, he makes a miraculous recovery. However, the world he wakes up to includes some dangerous long dead mummies come to life as well. Can Alex help stop them?
The book started a little slowly thanks to the set up taking some time, but once the story got going, I was turning pages as quickly as I could. A couple scenes in the second half especially left me with sweaty palms. The characters and good, and this book ends with a set up for the next book. The target middle grade audience will be thrilled.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-book-of-dead-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book started a little slowly thanks to the set up taking some time, but once the story got going, I was turning pages as quickly as I could. A couple scenes in the second half especially left me with sweaty palms. The characters and good, and this book ends with a set up for the next book. The target middle grade audience will be thrilled.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-book-of-dead-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Battleship in Tabletop Games
Mar 19, 2018 (Updated Mar 19, 2018)
One of the Classics
Battleship is one of my all time favourite games. It requires a balance of strategy, cunning and sheer luck to help find and defeat your opponents ships, before they find yours.
There's something very endearing and retro about the fact that you can still play this game the "old fashioned" way using real pegs and fold out cases. Call me nostalgic, but it's so much better to play this than an online/electronic version. And also the fact that shouting "you sank my battleship" never gets old.
The only drawback with this game is the replayability in the same session. Games aren't necessarily that long, however once you've played a couple of games against the same opponent, you get a good idea of how they look at strategically positioning their ships and the games can become a little predictable.
There's something very endearing and retro about the fact that you can still play this game the "old fashioned" way using real pegs and fold out cases. Call me nostalgic, but it's so much better to play this than an online/electronic version. And also the fact that shouting "you sank my battleship" never gets old.
The only drawback with this game is the replayability in the same session. Games aren't necessarily that long, however once you've played a couple of games against the same opponent, you get a good idea of how they look at strategically positioning their ships and the games can become a little predictable.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Stepford Wives (1975) in Movies
Mar 30, 2018
Bryan Forbes' SF-horror-satire has left a cultural impression out of all proportion to its original box-office success. Nice modern couple leave grimy New York for idyllic small town of Stepford, where everyone seems happy and the women are thoroughly domesticated. What on Earth can the secret of the place be...?
Subtle storytelling and fine performances do a good job of masking the fact that the premise of the story is basically a paranoid fever-dream; oddly, some people interpreted the film as being anti-feminist and actually misogynistic, when it is actually about male objectification of women and fears of the same (maybe also has stuff to say about consumerism too). Perhaps a bit overlong, but the slow aggregation of details adds a lot to a convincingly unsettling atmosphere. An entertaining horror fable.
Subtle storytelling and fine performances do a good job of masking the fact that the premise of the story is basically a paranoid fever-dream; oddly, some people interpreted the film as being anti-feminist and actually misogynistic, when it is actually about male objectification of women and fears of the same (maybe also has stuff to say about consumerism too). Perhaps a bit overlong, but the slow aggregation of details adds a lot to a convincingly unsettling atmosphere. An entertaining horror fable.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2355 KP) rated The Quick And The Dead (Jack Prester Mysteries #4) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Jack and Ev are sent to Great Smokey Mountains when the superintendent is poisoned. Then someone shoots at her replacement. What do these women have in common and why is someone out to kill them?
A couple of sub-plots take over a little bit in this one, but overall it’s a solid mystery. Things do come together at the end, which is nice. What I really love are Jack and Ev and how their relationship continues to grow and change. Ev’s journey especially continues here. And the thoughts on prayer woven through the book are great as well.
NOTE: This book was published in the 90’s as The Quick and the Dead and recently rereleased as the ebook Great Smokies.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/02/book-review-great-smokies-by-sandy.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
A couple of sub-plots take over a little bit in this one, but overall it’s a solid mystery. Things do come together at the end, which is nice. What I really love are Jack and Ev and how their relationship continues to grow and change. Ev’s journey especially continues here. And the thoughts on prayer woven through the book are great as well.
NOTE: This book was published in the 90’s as The Quick and the Dead and recently rereleased as the ebook Great Smokies.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/02/book-review-great-smokies-by-sandy.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2355 KP) rated Panda-monium (FunJungle, #4) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
FunJungle has been granted the right to add a panda to its zoo, and Teddy is on hand for the big day when Li Ping arrives. However, the truck she was traveling in is empty. The FBI quickly swoops in, but Teddy still gets drawn into the case. Can he figure out what happened to the panda?
Fans of this series are in for another fantastic read. A sub-plot involving the dolphins only add to the fun, and the pages fly by all too quickly. There is danger, red herrings, clues, and laughs before we reach the end and see how all the pieces fit perfectly. Plus it’s fun to see a different side to a couple of the characters here.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-panda-monium-by-stuart.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Fans of this series are in for another fantastic read. A sub-plot involving the dolphins only add to the fun, and the pages fly by all too quickly. There is danger, red herrings, clues, and laughs before we reach the end and see how all the pieces fit perfectly. Plus it’s fun to see a different side to a couple of the characters here.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-panda-monium-by-stuart.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Connie (244 KP) rated Super Powereds: Year 2 in Books
Jun 8, 2018
I love Drew Hayes' writing style, and it only gets better in book two. His characters continue to deepen and you begin to see the differences in the thoughts of the Melbrook crew. They develop very naturally in my opinion, and I loved the occasional shots of other people, staff and outsiders alike.
There were a couple of major events that really threw me for a loop, but it made me wonder how the students would overcome them. They aren't fictional anymore... They're real. It's rare that an author can immerse me that deeply. Well done!
I can't wait to see what happens in book 3 (thankfully it's already out, so that's a bonus) and where the crew goes next!
This book also cost me $4 and is about 850 pages long. Well worth the price!
There were a couple of major events that really threw me for a loop, but it made me wonder how the students would overcome them. They aren't fictional anymore... They're real. It's rare that an author can immerse me that deeply. Well done!
I can't wait to see what happens in book 3 (thankfully it's already out, so that's a bonus) and where the crew goes next!
This book also cost me $4 and is about 850 pages long. Well worth the price!
Anna Steele (111 KP) rated Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013) in Movies
Jun 1, 2018
Netflix and Chill
So I watched this movie for the first time a few weeks after being dumped by my first girlfriend, I was rebounding with this guy that I didn’t really like but he was hot and he wanted to make out with me so I was like, cool, let’s do that. So we go over to his place and he lets me pick the movie. I turn this baby on and we start making out after we get bored of reading the subtitles. After we’re done I go to the restroom and when I come back in the 11 minute long lesbian sex scene is happening before my eyes and I just sit down on the couch and take it in.
It’s iconic, highly recommended for any Netflix and Chill time regardless of the orientation of the couple/group.
It’s iconic, highly recommended for any Netflix and Chill time regardless of the orientation of the couple/group.
Dean (6927 KP) rated Fast & Furious (2009) in Movies
Jun 28, 2018
Original cast members (1 more)
Cool cars
Back on track
At last the majority of the original cast are back for a true sequel. It's great how some of the film relates back to what happened in the first and some of the locations are still the same. I heard mixed reviews of this but I thought it was great and the 2nd best in the series now after the first. Even Han from Tokyo drift makes a brief appearance at the start to tie things in a bit. There is plenty of action and cool cars and a great street race scene thats better than the 1/4 mile race of the first. There are rumours there could be a couple more yet, if they get the cast to stay together and a good story it could make for an even better film.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) in Movies
Jul 31, 2018
More of the same as the cast of the Hotel decide to go on vacation (the family decide to take all their friends obviously), on a cruise ship.
The overall plot was OK, but quote obvious, but the humour was definitely turned down compared to previous films in the series.
And what is with the obligatory DJ battle scenes?! Does Sandler have a load of low quality dance tracks he has to shoe-horn into movies as part of his contract now?! Just a total nonsense ending.
Having said that, my kids loved it.
I think I have unconsciously removed a couple of marks simply because my kids insisted on replicating the finale's dance moves for the next three hours (this makes me sound like a monster but once you know what that involves you'll understand!).
The overall plot was OK, but quote obvious, but the humour was definitely turned down compared to previous films in the series.
And what is with the obligatory DJ battle scenes?! Does Sandler have a load of low quality dance tracks he has to shoe-horn into movies as part of his contract now?! Just a total nonsense ending.
Having said that, my kids loved it.
I think I have unconsciously removed a couple of marks simply because my kids insisted on replicating the finale's dance moves for the next three hours (this makes me sound like a monster but once you know what that involves you'll understand!).