Search
Search results
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Don't Fail Me Now in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Michelle Devereaux in a police department with her younger siblings Cass and Denny waiting with a social worker for their aunt to pick them up. Their mother has been arrested. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened. Her mother has been in jail several times and she hasn't seen her father in several years. When Michelle finds out that her father is dying in California and may have something for her, she sets out on a journey that will hopefully end in a windfall for her and her siblings.
This was a great YA Novel. A book about love, family and adventure. Michelle and her siblings are black kids from Baltimore, Maryland. Michelle knows that she and Cass have a half-sister, Leah, that is white, and that is about all the know about her. Until she shows up with her step-brother at Michelle's job with information about their father. With this new information and the current state of affairs, Michelle decides now is a good a time as any to drive across the country to see her father before he is no longer there.
Five kids, in an old station wagon are heading across the country without any of their parents being aware. They have very little money and barely more than the clothes on their back, but they are determined to find Buck Devereaux and collect whatever it is he has for them.
Their adventure is not without some complications. Will they make the journey successfully? Will these siblings, Michelle, Cass, and Leah be able to build a relationship? Will they reunite with the father they barely know? How will this trip change their lives for the future?
One of the things that drew me to this book where the characters. They were characters I could relate to, when I was that age and the kids are all from Maryland where I live. Plus, who doesn't love a good road trip. All of these factors made this an excellent book and something I would recommend to young adults from mixed racial backgrounds and diverse family dynamics.
This was a great YA Novel. A book about love, family and adventure. Michelle and her siblings are black kids from Baltimore, Maryland. Michelle knows that she and Cass have a half-sister, Leah, that is white, and that is about all the know about her. Until she shows up with her step-brother at Michelle's job with information about their father. With this new information and the current state of affairs, Michelle decides now is a good a time as any to drive across the country to see her father before he is no longer there.
Five kids, in an old station wagon are heading across the country without any of their parents being aware. They have very little money and barely more than the clothes on their back, but they are determined to find Buck Devereaux and collect whatever it is he has for them.
Their adventure is not without some complications. Will they make the journey successfully? Will these siblings, Michelle, Cass, and Leah be able to build a relationship? Will they reunite with the father they barely know? How will this trip change their lives for the future?
One of the things that drew me to this book where the characters. They were characters I could relate to, when I was that age and the kids are all from Maryland where I live. Plus, who doesn't love a good road trip. All of these factors made this an excellent book and something I would recommend to young adults from mixed racial backgrounds and diverse family dynamics.
Alexander Bradley (6 KP) rated Kenobi (Star Wars) in Books
May 2, 2019
Excellent characters (2 more)
Exploration of Tatooine
Engrossing down to earth Star Wars story.
An Obi-Wan tale!
So with the popularity of Star Wars now rising again, though the quality of its material getting rather questionable, I thought it might be a good time to visit a book that was released pre-disney and that's been on my to read shelf far longer then it should have been.
So, to no one's surprise after reading the title of this book, this is primarily focused on Obi-Wan Kenobi and his time on Tatooine after Palpatine has taken over the Senate and has begun forming the basics of the Empire that we know from Episode 4. It covers Luke occasionally, but this is first and foremost Ben's story. How he got his new name, how he adapted to life on Tatooine and the many mistakes even a Jedi Master can make in everyday situations.
What's really nice about this story is the characters you meet along the way. Grounded and diverse individuals that don't care about what's happening above them but instead how they are going to get to the end of the day and still have a farm, job or family intact. This is a refreshing take for the Star Wars universe, away from the galactic events that usually surround the story. We also get some interesting backstory on the Sand People, often presumed to be a Savage people not worth exploring, this book dives into there culture and reminds you that you really shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
You'll often not know who your allegiance should be with, even on occasion disagreeing with how Kenobi should deal with different situations. This keeps the story interesting, while not vital to the Star Wars universe, (and probably not canon either,) it does help flesh out the time between episodes 3 & 4.
If you are a Star Wars fan however then I would say this is a must read. It explores one of Star Wars best characters and takes you down to a planet with a very dodgy reputation and shows you exactly why that is.
So, to no one's surprise after reading the title of this book, this is primarily focused on Obi-Wan Kenobi and his time on Tatooine after Palpatine has taken over the Senate and has begun forming the basics of the Empire that we know from Episode 4. It covers Luke occasionally, but this is first and foremost Ben's story. How he got his new name, how he adapted to life on Tatooine and the many mistakes even a Jedi Master can make in everyday situations.
What's really nice about this story is the characters you meet along the way. Grounded and diverse individuals that don't care about what's happening above them but instead how they are going to get to the end of the day and still have a farm, job or family intact. This is a refreshing take for the Star Wars universe, away from the galactic events that usually surround the story. We also get some interesting backstory on the Sand People, often presumed to be a Savage people not worth exploring, this book dives into there culture and reminds you that you really shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
You'll often not know who your allegiance should be with, even on occasion disagreeing with how Kenobi should deal with different situations. This keeps the story interesting, while not vital to the Star Wars universe, (and probably not canon either,) it does help flesh out the time between episodes 3 & 4.
If you are a Star Wars fan however then I would say this is a must read. It explores one of Star Wars best characters and takes you down to a planet with a very dodgy reputation and shows you exactly why that is.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Climax (2018) in Movies
May 13, 2019
Does it satisfy?
#climax is a highly #depressing character study/a stomach churning look into darker human traits. As a huge #gasparnoe #fan I know his work is often dissmissed for being vulgar, #discusting, explicit, grotesque & pretentious but I actually find him to be a master of portraying human #emotion, relationships, #sex & #violence truthfully, realisticly & passionatly on screen. Climax is no diffrent & a fantastic mash up of #horror & #musical with such raw style/talent its hard not to get lost in its harsh madness. We are introduced to a diverse range or characters all with intricatly woven personalities & surrounded by books/movies that give us as an insite into Noes inspirations as a film maker & a taste of whats to come later. We learn from this that every one has thier own fears/problems, is searching for happines or has pent up anger, #fetishes, predatory traits, innocence, #passion, #lust or desires. They all also seem to use #dance as an escape, a display of emotion/personality, to make a statement or to evolve, #empower or rebell too. What follows is a simple story of what happens when #drugs are added in to this mix. Kind of like a messed up social experiment the #drugs highten personslity traits, magnify social problems & intensify eratic behaviours/emotions sending people spiriling out of cotroll. Just watching this group self distruct is nausiating & gaspar manages to filp from #happy into an atmospheric, unnerving real life horror movie with terrifying situations many of us have actually experienced before. Filmed in long takes & acompanied by such an impressive soundtrack & #beautiful cinimatohraphy the work gone into this film is simply stunning & much like a flawless dance routine itself. Sex plays a big part here too & as the dancers frequently use #sex/#sexually to express themselves we start to see the likening of dance to the act of vilolence as the #sexual tension ramps up with things like #trust, temptation, jelousy, infatuation, #passion, aression, manipulation, betrayal & animalistic urges present in both acts. A stunningly intricate piece of work that left my #heart pounding/my emotions attacked proving again that Gaspar really is an #artist.
Kaz (232 KP) rated Oh Dear Silvia in Books
May 15, 2019
What the 'blurb' says:
'Silvia Shute lies in a hospital bed. Family and friends are at her side, each thinking they know the real Silvia. But do they? For Silvia hides a secret. And as her visitors gather, so the truth about Silvia is slowly revealed...'
My Thoughts:
I had never read anything by Dawn French (for anyone who doesn't know who she is, she is a famous British comedian, best known as one half of comedy duo French and Saunders) before reading 'Oh Dear Silvia' and to be honest, I had low expectations of it.
It's not that I didn't like Dawn French, I think she is a very funny woman. However with there being a current trend of celebrities writing cheesy, badly written chick-lit and selling copies because of their names alone, I thought this was going to be the same. Thankfully, I was wrong.
The writing is this book is very good. The descriptions are, at times, beautiful and each of the characters are believable and diverse. Even though the main character doesn't utter a single word throughout the book, I still felt that I knew her because of the other characters and their complex relationships with each other. One of the characters, Silvia's sister Jo, for me felt like a bit of cartoon character at the beginning. There is a scene involving her in the book, which I felt didn't fit in with the tone of the story, but I still laughed at it though. As the book progressed though, I did warm to her.
The pace of the book was slow, but I felt that this was effective, because it allowed the story to unfold at a natural pace. Towards the end, however, one of the more sinister elements of the plot, was concluded slightly quicker and in more lighthearted way, than it should have been. In my opinion, this could have been dealt with better and with more impact.
Overall, I'm glad that I read this book because on the whole, it's written with sensitivity and subtle wit. I look forward to reading more of Dawn French's novels in the future.
My Rating ****
'Silvia Shute lies in a hospital bed. Family and friends are at her side, each thinking they know the real Silvia. But do they? For Silvia hides a secret. And as her visitors gather, so the truth about Silvia is slowly revealed...'
My Thoughts:
I had never read anything by Dawn French (for anyone who doesn't know who she is, she is a famous British comedian, best known as one half of comedy duo French and Saunders) before reading 'Oh Dear Silvia' and to be honest, I had low expectations of it.
It's not that I didn't like Dawn French, I think she is a very funny woman. However with there being a current trend of celebrities writing cheesy, badly written chick-lit and selling copies because of their names alone, I thought this was going to be the same. Thankfully, I was wrong.
The writing is this book is very good. The descriptions are, at times, beautiful and each of the characters are believable and diverse. Even though the main character doesn't utter a single word throughout the book, I still felt that I knew her because of the other characters and their complex relationships with each other. One of the characters, Silvia's sister Jo, for me felt like a bit of cartoon character at the beginning. There is a scene involving her in the book, which I felt didn't fit in with the tone of the story, but I still laughed at it though. As the book progressed though, I did warm to her.
The pace of the book was slow, but I felt that this was effective, because it allowed the story to unfold at a natural pace. Towards the end, however, one of the more sinister elements of the plot, was concluded slightly quicker and in more lighthearted way, than it should have been. In my opinion, this could have been dealt with better and with more impact.
Overall, I'm glad that I read this book because on the whole, it's written with sensitivity and subtle wit. I look forward to reading more of Dawn French's novels in the future.
My Rating ****
Kyera (8 KP) rated A Darker Shade of Magic in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The first book set up the idea of the different Londons: magic-less grey London, vibrant red London, starving and desperate white London, and decimated, dead black London. Each built upon a foundation of London but developed in completely different fashions. Their cultures, religion, speech, manner and being is so unique in each world.
It was a really intriguing way to build the world and immediately fascinated me. Good world building is so important to books because it is immersive, it pulls you in and makes you forget that its not real. You are living the story with the characters. She even created languages that were utilized by characters from different places, from the magic language of the Antari to the flowing words or harsh tones of the neighboring lands. It shows a passion for authenticity and true love of what she has created.
I love the characters. Rhy with his charm always brightens the room (or a scene). Lila is cunning, ruthless, ambitious and a thief. She doesn't need anyone and she would never admit to needing anything. She takes or does what she wants, no matter the cost with no regrets. She is tough as nails and her grit is inspiring. Her first instinct is to protect herself above all.
Many people may not agree with me, but Lila was probably my least favourite of our main characters. She was smart and tough, but a little too ruthless for my taste. Kell was the character that I liked/related to the most, even though he was a powerful magic user he seemed the most down to earth.
Not only does she introduce us to unique main characters, but she brilliantly gives depths to those in the background. There are some supporting characters that at times I liked even more than some of our leads.
Overall the story is more of a slow-burn/build rather than quick action packed scenes. I think that it worked really well for this story and have no complaints. Highly recommended to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy or magic books with characters that have very diverse personalities/outlooks on life and great world-building.
It was a really intriguing way to build the world and immediately fascinated me. Good world building is so important to books because it is immersive, it pulls you in and makes you forget that its not real. You are living the story with the characters. She even created languages that were utilized by characters from different places, from the magic language of the Antari to the flowing words or harsh tones of the neighboring lands. It shows a passion for authenticity and true love of what she has created.
I love the characters. Rhy with his charm always brightens the room (or a scene). Lila is cunning, ruthless, ambitious and a thief. She doesn't need anyone and she would never admit to needing anything. She takes or does what she wants, no matter the cost with no regrets. She is tough as nails and her grit is inspiring. Her first instinct is to protect herself above all.
Many people may not agree with me, but Lila was probably my least favourite of our main characters. She was smart and tough, but a little too ruthless for my taste. Kell was the character that I liked/related to the most, even though he was a powerful magic user he seemed the most down to earth.
Not only does she introduce us to unique main characters, but she brilliantly gives depths to those in the background. There are some supporting characters that at times I liked even more than some of our leads.
Overall the story is more of a slow-burn/build rather than quick action packed scenes. I think that it worked really well for this story and have no complaints. Highly recommended to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy or magic books with characters that have very diverse personalities/outlooks on life and great world-building.
I picked this book up for the #AntiBullyReads readathon and wow I am so glad I did. In 2015 there was a lot of hype going around booktube about this book about how important this book was. So I got myself a copy and year down the line I actually managed to read it and loved it.
George is a 10-year-old boy on the outside but on the inside he is a girl and has felt like one for a long time. George wants to be accepted for who she truly is but she is terrified of the repercussions of telling her family and friends. George’s school is putting on play – Charlotte’s Web – George wants a part, not just any part, the main part. She wants to play Charlotte. George and her best friend Kelly practice for the part and knows every line, every pause, she has the perfect timing to become the star of the show. When George auditions the Teacher thinks it’s a joke and says that she can have any other part but there is only one part George wants.
I pretty much-loved all the characters in this book and their actions and thoughts were so impactful as to George’s journey. There were characters that made me angry but then they realised that they were in the wrong and some characters (Headteacher)made me swell up with happiness and gratitude that they recognised George for who she really is.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/l2R01mSIsazqNQ7ks/giphy.gif"; width="300" height="200" alt="description"/>
This is the first book that I have read with a transgender character and what it means to be transgender too and would like to read some other books that deal with topic.
I really enjoyed this story, it is sensitively written, packed full of emotion and a very important read for anybody. There needs to be more diverse books for Middle-Grade to read and then maybe (hopefully..fingers crossed)there will be less bullying and stigma in the world. This book may be written for Middle-Grade but should be read by everyone and definitely recommend.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.
George is a 10-year-old boy on the outside but on the inside he is a girl and has felt like one for a long time. George wants to be accepted for who she truly is but she is terrified of the repercussions of telling her family and friends. George’s school is putting on play – Charlotte’s Web – George wants a part, not just any part, the main part. She wants to play Charlotte. George and her best friend Kelly practice for the part and knows every line, every pause, she has the perfect timing to become the star of the show. When George auditions the Teacher thinks it’s a joke and says that she can have any other part but there is only one part George wants.
I pretty much-loved all the characters in this book and their actions and thoughts were so impactful as to George’s journey. There were characters that made me angry but then they realised that they were in the wrong and some characters (Headteacher)made me swell up with happiness and gratitude that they recognised George for who she really is.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/l2R01mSIsazqNQ7ks/giphy.gif"; width="300" height="200" alt="description"/>
This is the first book that I have read with a transgender character and what it means to be transgender too and would like to read some other books that deal with topic.
I really enjoyed this story, it is sensitively written, packed full of emotion and a very important read for anybody. There needs to be more diverse books for Middle-Grade to read and then maybe (hopefully..fingers crossed)there will be less bullying and stigma in the world. This book may be written for Middle-Grade but should be read by everyone and definitely recommend.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars.
Kelly (279 KP) rated The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2019
A fantastic start to an epic tale
Contains spoilers, click to show
The Eye of the World is the first of many books in The Wheel of Time series, firstly wrote by Robert Jordan, and finalised by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s death, following the story of several characters from Emonds Field.
In my opinion The Eye of the World is the strongest book in the series, and is a fantastic hook to get you to read the following books. Although the series centres around many characters, the true main character of the first book is Rand al’Thor, a reluctant hero, who discovers he has magical abilities, which could ultimately destroy him. In an attempt to save Emonds Field, Rand and his friends flee, accompanied by an Aes Sedai (a female with magical powers). The story primarily details the journey of the group (either together or in smaller groups), detailing regular encounters with the dark ones forces. As such the story does follow the predictable fantasy format of -unlikely hero discovers that they have magical powers, and then goes on a journey to save the world, however it is an enjoyable tale.
The male characters in the book are diverse and entertaining- I struggled to decide which was my favourite character as they all had likeable features. One thing about the book, which does takeaway from
It’s score is Jordan’s portrayal of female characters. I found a lack of diversity amongst those female characters who were on the side we are led to route for, and some stereotyping of women. This was evident even amongst female characters that were meant to be in power. The women as a whole in the novel always needed a man to support them (for
Example Moiraine needing Lan, Egwene needing Rand, there are a few isolated incidents of independence amongst these female characters, but this was often as an exception to the rule. This is addressed a little in later books in the series, but not in the The Eye of the World.
In my opinion The Eye of the World is the strongest book in the series, and is a fantastic hook to get you to read the following books. Although the series centres around many characters, the true main character of the first book is Rand al’Thor, a reluctant hero, who discovers he has magical abilities, which could ultimately destroy him. In an attempt to save Emonds Field, Rand and his friends flee, accompanied by an Aes Sedai (a female with magical powers). The story primarily details the journey of the group (either together or in smaller groups), detailing regular encounters with the dark ones forces. As such the story does follow the predictable fantasy format of -unlikely hero discovers that they have magical powers, and then goes on a journey to save the world, however it is an enjoyable tale.
The male characters in the book are diverse and entertaining- I struggled to decide which was my favourite character as they all had likeable features. One thing about the book, which does takeaway from
It’s score is Jordan’s portrayal of female characters. I found a lack of diversity amongst those female characters who were on the side we are led to route for, and some stereotyping of women. This was evident even amongst female characters that were meant to be in power. The women as a whole in the novel always needed a man to support them (for
Example Moiraine needing Lan, Egwene needing Rand, there are a few isolated incidents of independence amongst these female characters, but this was often as an exception to the rule. This is addressed a little in later books in the series, but not in the The Eye of the World.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated 30 Minutes or Less (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
You don’t have to be imaginative to envision the plot behind “30 Minutes or Less”, because this is a story that is wildly over told. Just listing the components make it clear that no inventive or unexpected plot devices were considered in the creation of this summer comedy. There is the pizza boy who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, a set of bumbling idiots who are planning a bank heist and even a girl who is oblivious to the longstanding affection of her brother’s best friend. But somehow even with this wildly over told plot the movie manages to be sporadically very funny.
“ 30 Minutes or Less” is, like so many of the big comedy hits of the last few years, a film that centers around well crafted honest yet crass dialogue between experienced comedic actors. Timing is critical to the success of the film and thankfully the actors in “30 Minutes or Less” are funny people who repeatedly manage to execute good lines.
The cast is the shining aspect of the film; a hodgepodge crew of comedians you likely already know. The best friend Chet is portrayed by the ever funny Aziz Ansari of Televisions’ “Parks and Recreation”. The bomb clad pizza boy Nick is played by Jesse Einsenberg who also starred in “The Social Network” and “Zombieland”. And this role is not a far cry from Einsenberg’s role in “Zombieland” aside from the lack of character development and on screen chemistry leading lady Kate, played by former TV “Greek” bad girl Dilshad Vadsaria.
The film is backed by a fun soundtrack of grooves that significantly assist in maintaining a quickened pace, even when the story is less than laughably slow. There are also a number of diverse yet comedic fight scenes that spot the film, from a juvenile slap fight to the use of a blow torch.
But the smattering of creative lines, sure to be repeated in excess by the post-emo generation, did not manage to hold up this film that unfortunately ran out of steam within “30 Minutes or Less”.
“ 30 Minutes or Less” is, like so many of the big comedy hits of the last few years, a film that centers around well crafted honest yet crass dialogue between experienced comedic actors. Timing is critical to the success of the film and thankfully the actors in “30 Minutes or Less” are funny people who repeatedly manage to execute good lines.
The cast is the shining aspect of the film; a hodgepodge crew of comedians you likely already know. The best friend Chet is portrayed by the ever funny Aziz Ansari of Televisions’ “Parks and Recreation”. The bomb clad pizza boy Nick is played by Jesse Einsenberg who also starred in “The Social Network” and “Zombieland”. And this role is not a far cry from Einsenberg’s role in “Zombieland” aside from the lack of character development and on screen chemistry leading lady Kate, played by former TV “Greek” bad girl Dilshad Vadsaria.
The film is backed by a fun soundtrack of grooves that significantly assist in maintaining a quickened pace, even when the story is less than laughably slow. There are also a number of diverse yet comedic fight scenes that spot the film, from a juvenile slap fight to the use of a blow torch.
But the smattering of creative lines, sure to be repeated in excess by the post-emo generation, did not manage to hold up this film that unfortunately ran out of steam within “30 Minutes or Less”.
Nightmares from the Deep™: The Siren’s Call HD (Full)
Games and Entertainment
App
Ready for a spine-tingling sequel to your favorite adventure? Plunge into Nightmares from the Deep:...
Registro Elettronico
Education and Utilities
App
Il futuro, ora, qui. L'applicazione è compatibile con il registro elettronico Mastercom,...