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MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated Under Currents in Books
Sep 20, 2019 (Updated Sep 23, 2019)
AGAIN. Nora Roberts did it again. She got me.
Definition of undercurrent:
1: a current below the upper currents or surface
2: a hidden opinion, feeling, or tendency often contrary to the one publicly shown<
While Under Currents may not have put me on the edge of my seat as often as some previous Nora Roberts titles (see: Shelter in Place, Come Sundown), it more than made up for that in sheer emotion.
The first part of this book is both brutal and beautiful. The descriptions of the horrific abuse Zane and his sister suffer at the hands of their father can be hard to get through; I found myself tearing up quite a few times, entwining the sorrow with anger that anyone should have to experience any of it, least of all a child. However, there is beauty in how they come out of it.
Thankfully, the horror does lift, and we're treated to a wonderful story, at times simultaneously uplifting and heartbreaking. The character development here is terrific. Each character, down to the most random of townspeople, has a purpose and a backstory, and interacts perfectly with the other characters, building a supportive community with a definite small-town vibe.
The descriptions of landscaping and gardening are so well done I could picture the finished products quite clearly in my head - and man do I want a "water feature" now! (the fact that I do not have a yard in which to do this is completely irrelevant đ).
Each plot line, whether primary, secondary or tertiary, was well developed and led toward a satisfying resolution - and each contained under currents of its own.
A couple of final thoughts:
*Zane & Darby are #couplegoals.
*I feel like there's always a dog, and I always love the dog. đ¶ Although, hey, Nora: cats are pretty awesome too. đ±
*Nora Roberts is a master of attention to detail.
*Sad tears? Happy tears? This book will bring them all.
*Can we take a minute to appreciate this gorgeous cover??
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARE!
1: a current below the upper currents or surface
2: a hidden opinion, feeling, or tendency often contrary to the one publicly shown<
While Under Currents may not have put me on the edge of my seat as often as some previous Nora Roberts titles (see: Shelter in Place, Come Sundown), it more than made up for that in sheer emotion.
The first part of this book is both brutal and beautiful. The descriptions of the horrific abuse Zane and his sister suffer at the hands of their father can be hard to get through; I found myself tearing up quite a few times, entwining the sorrow with anger that anyone should have to experience any of it, least of all a child. However, there is beauty in how they come out of it.
Thankfully, the horror does lift, and we're treated to a wonderful story, at times simultaneously uplifting and heartbreaking. The character development here is terrific. Each character, down to the most random of townspeople, has a purpose and a backstory, and interacts perfectly with the other characters, building a supportive community with a definite small-town vibe.
The descriptions of landscaping and gardening are so well done I could picture the finished products quite clearly in my head - and man do I want a "water feature" now! (the fact that I do not have a yard in which to do this is completely irrelevant đ).
Each plot line, whether primary, secondary or tertiary, was well developed and led toward a satisfying resolution - and each contained under currents of its own.
A couple of final thoughts:
*Zane & Darby are #couplegoals.
*I feel like there's always a dog, and I always love the dog. đ¶ Although, hey, Nora: cats are pretty awesome too. đ±
*Nora Roberts is a master of attention to detail.
*Sad tears? Happy tears? This book will bring them all.
*Can we take a minute to appreciate this gorgeous cover??
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARE!
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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Until There Was You in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I love Kirstan Higgins so much. She's a good writer, she's funny, she's clever, her characters are awesome, and there's always a cute dog or cat.
Also she rocks at writing kissing scenes. WOW!.
The number-one thing I love about her novels is this: She writes these awesome contemporary romance novels, but she doesn't litter them with explicit sex, which I DON'T like to read (I mean really, I feel like I'm sneaking into a XXX movie when I read stuff like that. It's private, man! The characters don't want you to know what's going on under the sheets!).
Anyway, Until There Was You didn't disappoint. Liam was amazing, Posey was sweet, Nicole (the daughter) was adorable, and the family was family: a-typical in every way and funny and weird and full of life. I love it. I wish I could keep this book forever instead of bringing it back to the library. I tore through this thing in like five hours... I stayed up until 4am reading.
But hey, other people have to read it too, right?
:D
Also she rocks at writing kissing scenes. WOW!.
The number-one thing I love about her novels is this: She writes these awesome contemporary romance novels, but she doesn't litter them with explicit sex, which I DON'T like to read (I mean really, I feel like I'm sneaking into a XXX movie when I read stuff like that. It's private, man! The characters don't want you to know what's going on under the sheets!).
Anyway, Until There Was You didn't disappoint. Liam was amazing, Posey was sweet, Nicole (the daughter) was adorable, and the family was family: a-typical in every way and funny and weird and full of life. I love it. I wish I could keep this book forever instead of bringing it back to the library. I tore through this thing in like five hours... I stayed up until 4am reading.
But hey, other people have to read it too, right?
:D
Sue (5 KP) rated Death al Fresco in Books
Apr 23, 2018
Sally Solari is working very hard to make a name for herself at her recently inherited restaurant, but her father has different plans. He doesnât seem to remember that she no longer works at the family restaurant Solarisâ and keeps pulling her in. While taking an open-air painting class of the Monterey Bay coastline, Sallyâs dog Buster finds a corpse tangled up in the kelp.
The body is identified as Gino, a local fisherman and regular patron at Solarisâ. Is it true what everyone is saying? Is Sallyâs dad negligent for allowing an inebriated customer to leave the restaurant alone at night? Witnesses claim that Gino was drunk when he left the restaurant, but his waitress swears that she only served him to beers with a full meal. Can she find out the truth before her fatherâs reputation and that on his restaurant goes down the drain?
This is not your average cozy mystery full of cuteness. Sally is a smart and multifaceted character that has you cheering for her to find the bad guys.
The body is identified as Gino, a local fisherman and regular patron at Solarisâ. Is it true what everyone is saying? Is Sallyâs dad negligent for allowing an inebriated customer to leave the restaurant alone at night? Witnesses claim that Gino was drunk when he left the restaurant, but his waitress swears that she only served him to beers with a full meal. Can she find out the truth before her fatherâs reputation and that on his restaurant goes down the drain?
This is not your average cozy mystery full of cuteness. Sally is a smart and multifaceted character that has you cheering for her to find the bad guys.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) in Movies
Apr 29, 2019
One of the first Disney films to be shot in Cinema Scope
I swear Kirk Douglas has the best chin in film I have ever seen.
Another Disney classic I am ashamed I had not seen until today. What a grand epic undersea adventure! Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre and James Mason as Captain Nemo (my dog really liked the seal, Esmeralda as well).
After some mysterious encounters at sea results in several vessels going down, some survivors of one of the blasts find their way aboard the Nautilus and meet the nefarious captain. After discovering the captain's mission our heroes try and escape and end up sort of joining the crew to bide their time until another opportunity arises.
What about the giant squid?
For the time period, this film looked amazing and the art direction and special effects both won Academy Awards for that year. The design of the Nautilus was also very interesting and it photographed well underwater.
I thoroughly enjoyed embarking on this aquatic journey and had to hold my breath until it was over!
Another Disney classic I am ashamed I had not seen until today. What a grand epic undersea adventure! Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre and James Mason as Captain Nemo (my dog really liked the seal, Esmeralda as well).
After some mysterious encounters at sea results in several vessels going down, some survivors of one of the blasts find their way aboard the Nautilus and meet the nefarious captain. After discovering the captain's mission our heroes try and escape and end up sort of joining the crew to bide their time until another opportunity arises.
What about the giant squid?
For the time period, this film looked amazing and the art direction and special effects both won Academy Awards for that year. The design of the Nautilus was also very interesting and it photographed well underwater.
I thoroughly enjoyed embarking on this aquatic journey and had to hold my breath until it was over!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2273 KP) rated What Pet Should I Get? in Books
Mar 9, 2018
When a brother and a sister arrive in a pet shop to pick out a new pet, they are faced with so many wonderful choices. Will they pick a dog, a catâŠor something more exotic?
You can tell that Dr. Seuss didnât think this was his best work and thatâs why he gave up on it. The rhymes are almost there, but they arenât as good as some of his books. Same with the rhythm of the lines. By the time we get to some of Seussâs trademark imaginary creatures (and there are only two of them), they feel forced into the book. Never mind the fact that we never answer the title question. Fortunately, the illustrations live up to the Seuss name. Itâs not a bad book, but itâs not one to rush out and buy, either, which is what I suspected before picking it up.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-review-what-pet-should-i-get-by-dr.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
You can tell that Dr. Seuss didnât think this was his best work and thatâs why he gave up on it. The rhymes are almost there, but they arenât as good as some of his books. Same with the rhythm of the lines. By the time we get to some of Seussâs trademark imaginary creatures (and there are only two of them), they feel forced into the book. Never mind the fact that we never answer the title question. Fortunately, the illustrations live up to the Seuss name. Itâs not a bad book, but itâs not one to rush out and buy, either, which is what I suspected before picking it up.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-review-what-pet-should-i-get-by-dr.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Sarah (7799 KP) rated The Mountain Between Us (2017) in Movies
Aug 12, 2018
Would've been better without the romance
I like both Idris Elba and Kate Winslet, however I feel like this film could've been much better without a pointless romance between them.
This should've been a survival film only, and it would've been much more endearing. The love story was a little ridiculous and unnecessary, and the ending too was just predictable and cheesy. As purely a survival film though, this could have actually been quite good. There are parts of this where they appear to survive fairly harsh conditions and situations without any real consequences, which seems a little farfetched - they spend 3 weeks in the mountains but barely seem knackered at all. There also seem to be a few nuances and plot holes. I also get very annoyed with survival films when one of the characters is always a doctor! It's awfully convenient.
To be fair this was an alright film to watch until it started on the romance. I'm just glad nothing bad happened to the dog.
This should've been a survival film only, and it would've been much more endearing. The love story was a little ridiculous and unnecessary, and the ending too was just predictable and cheesy. As purely a survival film though, this could have actually been quite good. There are parts of this where they appear to survive fairly harsh conditions and situations without any real consequences, which seems a little farfetched - they spend 3 weeks in the mountains but barely seem knackered at all. There also seem to be a few nuances and plot holes. I also get very annoyed with survival films when one of the characters is always a doctor! It's awfully convenient.
To be fair this was an alright film to watch until it started on the romance. I'm just glad nothing bad happened to the dog.
Sue (5 KP) rated Death al Fresco in Books
Aug 13, 2018
Sally Solari is working very hard to make a name for herself at her recently inherited restaurant, but her father has different plans. He doesnât seem to remember that she no longer works at the family restaurant Solarisâ and keeps pulling her in. While taking an open-air painting class of the Monterey Bay coastline, Sallyâs dog Buster finds a corpse tangled up in the kelp.
The body is identified as Gino, a local fisherman and regular patron at Solarisâ. Is it true what everyone is saying? Is Sallyâs dad negligent for allowing an inebriated customer to leave the restaurant alone at night? Witnesses claim that Gino was drunk when he left the restaurant, but his waitress swears that she only served him to beers with a full meal. Can she find out the truth before her fatherâs reputation and that on his restaurant goes down the drain?
This is not your average cozy mystery full of cuteness. Sally is a smart and multifaceted character that has you cheering for her to find the bad guys.
The body is identified as Gino, a local fisherman and regular patron at Solarisâ. Is it true what everyone is saying? Is Sallyâs dad negligent for allowing an inebriated customer to leave the restaurant alone at night? Witnesses claim that Gino was drunk when he left the restaurant, but his waitress swears that she only served him to beers with a full meal. Can she find out the truth before her fatherâs reputation and that on his restaurant goes down the drain?
This is not your average cozy mystery full of cuteness. Sally is a smart and multifaceted character that has you cheering for her to find the bad guys.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Isle of Dogs (2018) in Movies
Sep 20, 2018
Amazing animation (1 more)
Fantastic voice acting
Good Dog
In my opinion, Wes Anderson is pretty overrated. Other than Grand Budapest Hotel, I haven't been a big fan of anything else that he has done, yet critics and fans seem to adore everything he touches. This meant that I had hardly any hype going into Isle Of Dogs and only seen it because of some good reviews I had read online.
This film is great. It features an incredible cast, whose voices all work remarkably well for this story. The stop-motion animation is astonishing and beautiful at times and it tells an interesting, satisfying story.
There isn't much not to like here, the only thing that I will say is that although the animation style makes this sort of look like a kids movie, I would not recommend it for kids. There are some fairly adult themes present and a kid would probably get bored while watching too.
Overall, this film is definitely worth a watch, even if only to see the impressive stop-motion animation on show.
This film is great. It features an incredible cast, whose voices all work remarkably well for this story. The stop-motion animation is astonishing and beautiful at times and it tells an interesting, satisfying story.
There isn't much not to like here, the only thing that I will say is that although the animation style makes this sort of look like a kids movie, I would not recommend it for kids. There are some fairly adult themes present and a kid would probably get bored while watching too.
Overall, this film is definitely worth a watch, even if only to see the impressive stop-motion animation on show.