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Veiled Planet (Hidden World Trilogy #1)
Book
She comes from a spacefaring race. His culture is bound to the earth. Is conflict inevitable or can...
Science Fiction Romantic Elements
Zoey's Place
Book
Zoey DeLucca is a successful Michigan divorce attorney. Growing up the center of a bitter custody...
Contemporary Modern Romance Erotic Elements
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated First Love (2019) in Movies
Sep 3, 2021
By Miike's own admission this was an attempt at a more mainstream film than a freakish, madcap craftsman like himself is used to - and it definitely shows given that the first two thirds play like a customary 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘺 𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 clone, albeit a sturdy and attractive one at that. But then that last third hits and it's A-fucking-class Miike antics. I think what's more impressive than this still being awesome even in spite of a been-there-done-that "plan goes wrong and continues to go more and more wrong" plot (which on their own tend to struggle to support their momentum with any sort of narrative pull) is that this is something like his 96th film as director and there's still such a clear vision even with elements as familiar as these, such firm attention on each performance/shot/idea. At this point the dude could be forgiven for sleepwalking on this one for the paycheck then continuing on business as usual, but he refuses to succumb to anything less than sickly memorable full commitment. Plus if you're going to go commercial, there are a lot worse routes to travel than Yakuza slapstick.
Tsuro: Phoenix Rising
5.3
Rate It
Tabletop Game
Long ago, a vengeful god stole the stars from the night sky. To illuminate the night, hopeful people...
Lifeforms by Angel & Airwaves
Album
Lifeforms is the sixth studio album by American alternative rock band Angels & Airwaves. The album...
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Day After Tomorrow (2004) in Movies
Feb 27, 2022
The Day After Tomorrow is probably one of the better big-disaster-blockbusters out there. Roland Emmerich manages to show a sliver of artisctic restraint for once, by which I mean that this one doesn't have a scene where a small dog Crash Bandicoots its way to safety. There's still a fair chunk of unnecessary silliness here and there, the scene with the wolves for example, but for the most part TDAT is well paced and engaging. The big disaster moments are well crafted. Los Angeles getting torn apart by massive tornadoes is suitably horrifying to watch unfold, and the massive flash flooding of Manhattan Island is well built up. They forgo the more cooky elements of other Emmerich projects and are all the better for it.
As per usual, it's hard to give two shits about any of the human characters in these things, but Jake Gyllenhaal at least provides a sniff of acting chops.
The Day After Tomorrow isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it's entertaining enough, and provides the weird catharsis that comes with watching Earth get destroyed to a satisfying degree.
As per usual, it's hard to give two shits about any of the human characters in these things, but Jake Gyllenhaal at least provides a sniff of acting chops.
The Day After Tomorrow isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it's entertaining enough, and provides the weird catharsis that comes with watching Earth get destroyed to a satisfying degree.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2528 KP) rated Singing in the Dark in Books
Feb 25, 2022 (Updated Feb 25, 2022)
Speaking, and Singing, Hope into the Darkness
Christian recording artist Ginny Owens presents ten chapters that take us to Scripture to look at the songs we can sing to God no matter what our circumstances are. No, these aren’t all taken from Psalms. Yes, she does stretch the definition of song a bit (which she acknowledges). But as we look at songs of praise and victory, laments, and a song for the plodding path, you will be encouraged and challenged a time or two.
Each chapter focuses on the person and story behind the passage we are studying, but Ginny makes these familiar elements fresh and brings out new insights. She also shares openly about her own struggles, including what she still struggles with.
The chapters around 15 to 20 pages each, and could be done as devotionals. I read the book over a couple of days, and I still found it encouraging. I plan to go back and revisit it at a slower pace soon. There is a lot to unpack here.
If you need encouragement in your life, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
Each chapter focuses on the person and story behind the passage we are studying, but Ginny makes these familiar elements fresh and brings out new insights. She also shares openly about her own struggles, including what she still struggles with.
The chapters around 15 to 20 pages each, and could be done as devotionals. I read the book over a couple of days, and I still found it encouraging. I plan to go back and revisit it at a slower pace soon. There is a lot to unpack here.
If you need encouragement in your life, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
Swing Into Murder
Book
Harper Lange is a grade school teacher with a secret. Well, since her husband passed away, she...
Mystery Romantic Elements
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2528 KP) rated I’ll Bee Home for Christmas in Books
Dec 24, 2024
Murder is Never Sweet, Especially at Christmas
It’s the second week of December, and former celebrity chef Jackie Norwood is heading to Oklahoma to be a judge at a honey festival. Her camera man’s sister, Emily, is organizing it. Jackie arrives a little early and is helping Emily tend to her bee hives when they stumble on the body of Emily’s ex-husband. While the police are quick to look at Emily as their prime suspect, Jackie uncovers plenty of others with motive. Can she figure out what really happened?
It was fun to get a Christmas themed entry in this series, and the nods to the season were fun. I did feel like the food themed got in the way of the mystery a bit, leading to some rushed elements in the book. However, there are still some interesting twists and a logical climax. We also get some great development for the characters and the arcs that we’ve been following. The fun and laughs from the earlier books are present again here. And we have lots of honey themed recipes at the end to make your moth water. Fans will enjoy this sweet entry in the series.
It was fun to get a Christmas themed entry in this series, and the nods to the season were fun. I did feel like the food themed got in the way of the mystery a bit, leading to some rushed elements in the book. However, there are still some interesting twists and a logical climax. We also get some great development for the characters and the arcs that we’ve been following. The fun and laughs from the earlier books are present again here. And we have lots of honey themed recipes at the end to make your moth water. Fans will enjoy this sweet entry in the series.
ClareR (6129 KP) rated Hunger and Thirst in Books
Apr 6, 2026
It’s no lie when I say that Claire Fuller is a writing chameleon - every book I’ve read has been a different genre. I’ve loved them all, as well.
Ursula has been in the care system, moving from one foster home and children’s home to another since she was 8 years old. We meet her as she starts her independent life in a halfway house, and a new job in an art school post room. She moves from the halfway house to a squat with a work colleague, and this is where it starts to get really uncomfortable. There’s a really menacing air to The Underwood, and that, along with Ursula’s traumatic childhood, really ramps up the tension.
In the present day, a documentary maker uncovers what she believes is the truth about that summer, and the adult Ursula, known as Uschi, realises that the past can never stay hidden.
I love a slow burn, and it really added to the menace and tension. There were some seriously scary elements, made worse by the fact that you never really see what you’re scared of (my favourite!). The contrast of Ursula’s friends home and The Underwood exacerbated the looming threat.
Ursula has been in the care system, moving from one foster home and children’s home to another since she was 8 years old. We meet her as she starts her independent life in a halfway house, and a new job in an art school post room. She moves from the halfway house to a squat with a work colleague, and this is where it starts to get really uncomfortable. There’s a really menacing air to The Underwood, and that, along with Ursula’s traumatic childhood, really ramps up the tension.
In the present day, a documentary maker uncovers what she believes is the truth about that summer, and the adult Ursula, known as Uschi, realises that the past can never stay hidden.
I love a slow burn, and it really added to the menace and tension. There were some seriously scary elements, made worse by the fact that you never really see what you’re scared of (my favourite!). The contrast of Ursula’s friends home and The Underwood exacerbated the looming threat.