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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Hold Still in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Maya is an English professor (her specialty is Woolf) dealing with her daughter Ellie's drug addiction and general disinterest with life. The daughter of two college professors, Ellie has never lived up to her familial expectations. Instead, she's drifting, experimenting, and causing her mother great angst. So Maya sends Ellie to Florida, to stay with her friend, Annie and her family: husband Stephen and five-year-old son, Jack. Annie is having her own issues with Jack and looking for some help. But Maya doesn't tell her friend all of Ellie's woes. Then one day, disaster strikes on Ellie's watch, and things will never be the same again. Now, both Ellie and Maya must confront the aftermath of their actions.
This was an interesting book. It's told in chapters that alternate between Ellie's perspective and Maya's; they also alternate in time: before the event and after. The before chapters lead right up to said event. You know generally what has happened, but not how, so it's surprisingly suspenseful for a book that's mainly about emotions and feelings. As such, the novel conveys a stressful tension immediately. It also does an excellent job of delving into the frightening ramifications of becoming a parent. How much do we influence what our kids become? We see Maya--herself so influenced by her own family situation--and then realize her own effects on Ellie. It's startling and humbling.
However, there is a little bit of a "been there, done that" feeling when reading, of experiencing yet another novel of well-off New York parents screwing up their kids. Neither Maya nor Ellie are really likable in any capacity, and while that's not a problem per se, they are harder to relate to than one would think. (Also not likable: her husband. I felt great sympathy for the younger son, Ben.) There were moments I found myself drawn to Maya, but overall, she was too distant and too horrible to really feel any connection to whatsoever. That fact that she's nearly as immature as her daughter was perhaps the point, but I'm not sure it was one I enjoyed or felt was worth making. Also, the plotlines related to Maya's teaching assistant and other friends seem odd and inserted into the story at times.
Still, it was a well-written novel and the somewhat parallel storylines of a lost and drifting mother and daughter were well-done. I'm not sure about the ending, though. In fact, for a good part of the book, I found myself wondering more about Maya's friend, Annie. I think her story might have been one I would have enjoyed more. Overall, the novel certainly makes you feel and the parenting elements resonate. But will it stay with me? I don't think so.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for U.S. publication on 3/21/16. You can check out a review of this novel and many others on my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
This was an interesting book. It's told in chapters that alternate between Ellie's perspective and Maya's; they also alternate in time: before the event and after. The before chapters lead right up to said event. You know generally what has happened, but not how, so it's surprisingly suspenseful for a book that's mainly about emotions and feelings. As such, the novel conveys a stressful tension immediately. It also does an excellent job of delving into the frightening ramifications of becoming a parent. How much do we influence what our kids become? We see Maya--herself so influenced by her own family situation--and then realize her own effects on Ellie. It's startling and humbling.
However, there is a little bit of a "been there, done that" feeling when reading, of experiencing yet another novel of well-off New York parents screwing up their kids. Neither Maya nor Ellie are really likable in any capacity, and while that's not a problem per se, they are harder to relate to than one would think. (Also not likable: her husband. I felt great sympathy for the younger son, Ben.) There were moments I found myself drawn to Maya, but overall, she was too distant and too horrible to really feel any connection to whatsoever. That fact that she's nearly as immature as her daughter was perhaps the point, but I'm not sure it was one I enjoyed or felt was worth making. Also, the plotlines related to Maya's teaching assistant and other friends seem odd and inserted into the story at times.
Still, it was a well-written novel and the somewhat parallel storylines of a lost and drifting mother and daughter were well-done. I'm not sure about the ending, though. In fact, for a good part of the book, I found myself wondering more about Maya's friend, Annie. I think her story might have been one I would have enjoyed more. Overall, the novel certainly makes you feel and the parenting elements resonate. But will it stay with me? I don't think so.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley (thank you!); it is available for U.S. publication on 3/21/16. You can check out a review of this novel and many others on my <a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">blog</a>;.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Savior (415 Ink #2) in Books
Sep 18, 2018
not an easy read, but a brilliant one!
This is book two in the 415 Ink series, and while not totally necessary, I would recommend that you read book one, Rebel first. Not least because I said so, but it will give you a little bit more understanding of these men and how their family works.
When Mace's past comes back into his life, will he let his demons beat him? Or will he finally start to believe that Rob, that HE is worth it?
Okay.
So!
After reading Rebel, I knew Ms Ford was gonna wreck me, but silly me started this book in my lunch break at work and I was woefully unprepared with what Ford was throwing at me!
These five men, brothers in all ways but blood, have a strong tight bond but Mace thinks they will disown him when they find out what his father made him do as a child. And those things that he did? No one should have to do those things to survive, let alone a ten year old child.
Rob is convinced that Mace hates him, when quite the opposite is true and when they give into the obvious chemistry that has been simmering away?? It boils over in spectacular fashion! Rob has family issues, and I never quite got to grips with what they were but it didn't spoil my reading experience.
But Mace? He really did break my heart! This big strong fireman, who needs noise and needs to leave a nightlight on, broke my freaking heart in the way only Ford can do!
She is, quite simply, a Master at her craft, and I never know what she is going to throw at me. No matter which way you see a story going, it doesn't. It goes off on it's own sweet way, and you just keep page turning and page turning until, well, until you run out of book and you are left with a little paragraph that throws you into the next book!
All these guys have history, there are little snippets and hints thrown in here that makes your brain think about Bear, about Ivo an about Luke. Luke I'm finding the most tight lipped of them all and it's HIS story I want to read next, but Ivo is up first, I think. Bear and Ivo have a tale to tell and I just wonder what Ford is going to throw at us for the remaining three brothers.
I just want to read them all, but no matter what you THINK will come out, you know, you jut KNOW that Ford will blow that all out of the window and I will be left a blubbering mess in my lunch break and I will have to face customers with red eyes! And I WILL, and I won't care.
Because I simply CANNOT fault this book!
5 stunning and emotional stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
When Mace's past comes back into his life, will he let his demons beat him? Or will he finally start to believe that Rob, that HE is worth it?
Okay.
So!
After reading Rebel, I knew Ms Ford was gonna wreck me, but silly me started this book in my lunch break at work and I was woefully unprepared with what Ford was throwing at me!
These five men, brothers in all ways but blood, have a strong tight bond but Mace thinks they will disown him when they find out what his father made him do as a child. And those things that he did? No one should have to do those things to survive, let alone a ten year old child.
Rob is convinced that Mace hates him, when quite the opposite is true and when they give into the obvious chemistry that has been simmering away?? It boils over in spectacular fashion! Rob has family issues, and I never quite got to grips with what they were but it didn't spoil my reading experience.
But Mace? He really did break my heart! This big strong fireman, who needs noise and needs to leave a nightlight on, broke my freaking heart in the way only Ford can do!
She is, quite simply, a Master at her craft, and I never know what she is going to throw at me. No matter which way you see a story going, it doesn't. It goes off on it's own sweet way, and you just keep page turning and page turning until, well, until you run out of book and you are left with a little paragraph that throws you into the next book!
All these guys have history, there are little snippets and hints thrown in here that makes your brain think about Bear, about Ivo an about Luke. Luke I'm finding the most tight lipped of them all and it's HIS story I want to read next, but Ivo is up first, I think. Bear and Ivo have a tale to tell and I just wonder what Ford is going to throw at us for the remaining three brothers.
I just want to read them all, but no matter what you THINK will come out, you know, you jut KNOW that Ford will blow that all out of the window and I will be left a blubbering mess in my lunch break and I will have to face customers with red eyes! And I WILL, and I won't care.
Because I simply CANNOT fault this book!
5 stunning and emotional stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Instant Family (2019) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
Going in to Instant Family I had some reservations. I'm a big fan of Rose Byrne, her performance in last year's Juliet, Naked was a delight to watch, but on the flipside Mark Wahlberg and comedy don't come high on my must see list. Thankfully those thoughts were quickly dismissed as the times I laughed out loud soared into the double digits.
This is a genuinely good film with just a couple of things that made me pause a little, I'll mention those later. The moments where I laughed it was out loud, like almost everyone else at the screening, and when I wasn't laughing I was probably crying, sometimes ugly crying.
Byrne and Wahlberg worked so well together and with Isabela Moner in the mix too we were treated to some great on screen chemistry. I'm hoping we'll see a lot more of Moner on our screens as she was able to pull her weight really well with all the fantastic actors in this.
A lot is obviously focused around Ellie, Pete and the kids, but outside of that dynamic I've got to give some love to Karen and Sharon. Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro are such a fun double act, although for me Spencer will always steal the show. Their dynamic running the fostering program brought a smile to my face and while the reactionary humour may be predictable it lands so well that I couldn't care less that I knew it was coming.
My negatives about the films are so minute that they hardly seem worth mentioning. Pete (Wahlberg) has a tendency to be blunt and externalise what most of us would keep as inner dialogue. His script gives you those moments where you take a sharp breath and say "you shouldn't say that!" Ellie counteracts this by being the slight voice of reason so while you're taken aback by Pete's honesty you quickly come back to the normal flow of the film.
Out of my two quibbles this one caused me the most issues. Joan Cusack. She's great, I enjoy her work, but I really don't understand her inclusion in this. She pops up as a sort of cameo role near the end and it feels a little invasive on the dramatic moment we're witnessing, it just seems awkward and forced. It does at least lead to an amusing moment for Spencer so I think that probably gets it the pass.
Instant Family is definitely chock full of laughs and feels, despite my grumbles I still feel it deserves these five stars.
What you should do
It's a very entertaining film and perhaps surprisingly based on a true story, it's well worth a watch. I really think that everyone will get some entertainment out of this.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
If you could send Pete and Ellie round with their renovation skills it would be much appreciated.
This is a genuinely good film with just a couple of things that made me pause a little, I'll mention those later. The moments where I laughed it was out loud, like almost everyone else at the screening, and when I wasn't laughing I was probably crying, sometimes ugly crying.
Byrne and Wahlberg worked so well together and with Isabela Moner in the mix too we were treated to some great on screen chemistry. I'm hoping we'll see a lot more of Moner on our screens as she was able to pull her weight really well with all the fantastic actors in this.
A lot is obviously focused around Ellie, Pete and the kids, but outside of that dynamic I've got to give some love to Karen and Sharon. Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro are such a fun double act, although for me Spencer will always steal the show. Their dynamic running the fostering program brought a smile to my face and while the reactionary humour may be predictable it lands so well that I couldn't care less that I knew it was coming.
My negatives about the films are so minute that they hardly seem worth mentioning. Pete (Wahlberg) has a tendency to be blunt and externalise what most of us would keep as inner dialogue. His script gives you those moments where you take a sharp breath and say "you shouldn't say that!" Ellie counteracts this by being the slight voice of reason so while you're taken aback by Pete's honesty you quickly come back to the normal flow of the film.
Out of my two quibbles this one caused me the most issues. Joan Cusack. She's great, I enjoy her work, but I really don't understand her inclusion in this. She pops up as a sort of cameo role near the end and it feels a little invasive on the dramatic moment we're witnessing, it just seems awkward and forced. It does at least lead to an amusing moment for Spencer so I think that probably gets it the pass.
Instant Family is definitely chock full of laughs and feels, despite my grumbles I still feel it deserves these five stars.
What you should do
It's a very entertaining film and perhaps surprisingly based on a true story, it's well worth a watch. I really think that everyone will get some entertainment out of this.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
If you could send Pete and Ellie round with their renovation skills it would be much appreciated.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Evil that came to Denham in Books
Jan 20, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich is based on a real story that I doubt many people have heard of. This story is The Denham Massacre in 1870 where all seven members of the Marshall family were brutally murdered. If this is something that interests you I invite you to read on.
The narrator tells the story of his parents in their first house in Denham. Christine (the narrator's mother) comes from an extremely proper family. Her father is extremely controlling and abusive while her mother is religious and believes that her husband’s behavior is the will of God. Neither one of Christine’s parents approves of John, her boyfriend (and the narrator's father) because he is a garbage collector and doesn't come from money. It is their dislike for John and the mistreatment of Christine that pushes John to quickly find a home of their own.
John comes across a home for rent called Harridons at Cheapside Lane in Denham in the paper. After making the proper arrangements John, Christine, and their friend Dave happily rent the house. The happiness is short-lived as Christine is soon the first to hear the disembodied screams of women and children. It quickly becomes clear that there is more to this house than the three originally though. It takes a long talk with a priest and the landlords before they learn the truth behind the house. A horrible massacre many years before has stained the very land the house sits on and has left behind some very unhappy sprits.
I enjoyed the style of the storytelling used. When someone in the main story is telling another character a story about something else that happened in the past it is written like a flashback. The entire thing flows wonderfully without any jarring transitions. What I did not like was how just about everyone is accepting of what was going on in the house. Naturally, I expected more people to be skeptical of the paranormal happenings. This isn’t so much a problem as it is an odd observation.
This is an adult horror book that could be acceptable for slightly younger readers, such as those still in high school. One of the big issues is the fact that there is a fair amount of vivid gore scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Readers should also be prepared for a relatively long novel. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While not my favorite book its was still wonderful. A great read for any time of the year but especially around Halloween as this one truly was creepy. The fact that it is based on a true story adds to the creepy level even more.
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The narrator tells the story of his parents in their first house in Denham. Christine (the narrator's mother) comes from an extremely proper family. Her father is extremely controlling and abusive while her mother is religious and believes that her husband’s behavior is the will of God. Neither one of Christine’s parents approves of John, her boyfriend (and the narrator's father) because he is a garbage collector and doesn't come from money. It is their dislike for John and the mistreatment of Christine that pushes John to quickly find a home of their own.
John comes across a home for rent called Harridons at Cheapside Lane in Denham in the paper. After making the proper arrangements John, Christine, and their friend Dave happily rent the house. The happiness is short-lived as Christine is soon the first to hear the disembodied screams of women and children. It quickly becomes clear that there is more to this house than the three originally though. It takes a long talk with a priest and the landlords before they learn the truth behind the house. A horrible massacre many years before has stained the very land the house sits on and has left behind some very unhappy sprits.
I enjoyed the style of the storytelling used. When someone in the main story is telling another character a story about something else that happened in the past it is written like a flashback. The entire thing flows wonderfully without any jarring transitions. What I did not like was how just about everyone is accepting of what was going on in the house. Naturally, I expected more people to be skeptical of the paranormal happenings. This isn’t so much a problem as it is an odd observation.
This is an adult horror book that could be acceptable for slightly younger readers, such as those still in high school. One of the big issues is the fact that there is a fair amount of vivid gore scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Readers should also be prepared for a relatively long novel. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While not my favorite book its was still wonderful. A great read for any time of the year but especially around Halloween as this one truly was creepy. The fact that it is based on a true story adds to the creepy level even more.
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Lindsay (1774 KP) rated The Brides of the Big Valley in Books
Jul 30, 2019
Deanna's Determination By Wanda E. Brunstetter:
This story is really compelling. I really like the fact that this story is about to main characters and they it centers somewhat around being blind. What would happen if you lost your sight? We get to experience this though the eyes of Elmer.
Though we see how strong Deanna's faith is? How she handles her self and her child needs is something special of it. Will Deanna's determination help or hurt her love. Will her love find out that she loves him for him and not his sight? Wanda can make you feel like you are a part of the family when reading her stories or books. This story plot is really something and refreshing to read.
Rose Mary's Resolve By Jean Brunstetter:
Rose Mary seem to get quite a few things about what she is doing. Though she seems smart enough to figure it out. Though she seem to need a little help from her friend and family. He current boyfriend seem to be pushing Rosemary and trying to go English? Will Rosemary keep her resolve or will she be tempted?
She meet an Englisher that befriends her who is a pilot? What will she decide to do? Her mother is worried she will leave the faith? Her mother can not figure out why he husband his so calm about their daughter Rosemary? We meet Kevin. Kevin seem to be interested in Amish way of life, and Rosemary? Will get figure out what he wants and needs in his life?
Leila's Longing By Richelle Brunstetter:
Leila has some struggles we all seem to have growing up. Leila is helping out her mother. Leila seem to struggle with making friends. Don't we all. Though she does not know that her friend reason for treating her badly.
She seem to think she is cause to all her friends and community problem. Though maybe she not. The way she over thinks things. Mollie finds her when she in the store. Will Mollie help her and be friends with Leila.
Aden seems to find that Leila is a catch but he want to get to know her for himself. His friend Samuel seem to see her at singing and cause hurt to Leila. Leila seem to doubt herself once more and fall into not trusting her friends or herself. Can she let go of the past and trust god? Will she hold on to that past? Can she learn from her past and forgive those that hurt her?
The author tell a story about a girl that want to control everything and worrying about things may be hurting her more then helping her move on. The way the author does this helps show us everyone deal with some of the same issues as everyone else does. It may just be a bit different in the way they live and how they deal with their struggles.
This story is really compelling. I really like the fact that this story is about to main characters and they it centers somewhat around being blind. What would happen if you lost your sight? We get to experience this though the eyes of Elmer.
Though we see how strong Deanna's faith is? How she handles her self and her child needs is something special of it. Will Deanna's determination help or hurt her love. Will her love find out that she loves him for him and not his sight? Wanda can make you feel like you are a part of the family when reading her stories or books. This story plot is really something and refreshing to read.
Rose Mary's Resolve By Jean Brunstetter:
Rose Mary seem to get quite a few things about what she is doing. Though she seems smart enough to figure it out. Though she seem to need a little help from her friend and family. He current boyfriend seem to be pushing Rosemary and trying to go English? Will Rosemary keep her resolve or will she be tempted?
She meet an Englisher that befriends her who is a pilot? What will she decide to do? Her mother is worried she will leave the faith? Her mother can not figure out why he husband his so calm about their daughter Rosemary? We meet Kevin. Kevin seem to be interested in Amish way of life, and Rosemary? Will get figure out what he wants and needs in his life?
Leila's Longing By Richelle Brunstetter:
Leila has some struggles we all seem to have growing up. Leila is helping out her mother. Leila seem to struggle with making friends. Don't we all. Though she does not know that her friend reason for treating her badly.
She seem to think she is cause to all her friends and community problem. Though maybe she not. The way she over thinks things. Mollie finds her when she in the store. Will Mollie help her and be friends with Leila.
Aden seems to find that Leila is a catch but he want to get to know her for himself. His friend Samuel seem to see her at singing and cause hurt to Leila. Leila seem to doubt herself once more and fall into not trusting her friends or herself. Can she let go of the past and trust god? Will she hold on to that past? Can she learn from her past and forgive those that hurt her?
The author tell a story about a girl that want to control everything and worrying about things may be hurting her more then helping her move on. The way the author does this helps show us everyone deal with some of the same issues as everyone else does. It may just be a bit different in the way they live and how they deal with their struggles.
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Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Wyze Cam Outdoor Starter Bundle in Tech
Sep 16, 2021
Features like motion detection, night vision, 8x digital zoom, up to 6 months rechargeable battery life and 14 day rolling Cloud storage. (2 more)
Easy setup for physical product.
Lets you easily share your camera with family.
Software setup can be pretty tricky, especially for those not too tech-savvy. (1 more)
Too easily removed if intended for security.
Plenty of Features, Kind of Tricky Setup
The Wyze Cam Outdoor Starter Bundle is a package you can purchase for a wireless camera meant for outdoor use. The camera is equipped with IP65 weather resistance, PIR motion detection, free rolling 14 day Cloud storage, 1080P full HD live stream, night vision, 8x digital zoom, time-lapse, and up to 6 month rechargeable battery life. Wyze has some wired indoor cameras that start at $29.99 each but I wanted wireless ones for less hassle on installation since I'd probably be doing it myself. The Wyze Cam Outdoor Starter Bundle is listed for $49.99 on their website. That comes with (1) Wyze Cam Outdoor camera, (1) Base Station, (1) 32GB microSDHC card, (1) power adapter, (1), network cable, (1) USB cable, a quick start guide, and a screw assembly set containing (2) screws and (2) plastic anchors.
I had been wanting to get some cameras for the house for a long time. I had seen these before but I wanted to make sure if I bought some to put outside, that they were meant for outside and wouldn't get messed up because of heat or rain. Also these came highly recommended from family that have them and use them as well. Plus I was able to score them on a deal from Home Depot's deal of the day at the time as a package with an extra camera included and an Amazon Echo Show.
So this is my first venture into getting a wireless camera for security or monitoring purposes and I didn't really know what to expect. I had gotten my parents a really cheap doorbell camera once on a Black Friday deal from Wal-Mart a couple years back and thought that worked pretty well for the price I paid, but nothing other than that. I have to say that these cameras are pretty cool. You have to download the Wyze app to be able to use them so you do need a smart phone and setting them up can be a little tricky at first. I didn't run into any problems but I can see how most people could run into some very easily. I just had to charge them first to make sure they were ready to go, which didn't take that long either. I think it was about an hour or two for each of them. The only thing that was a little annoying was the extra camera came with an extra USB cord but not another power adapter so had to wait to charge the other one instead of being able to charge at the same time. The installation was pretty easy too. Of course I help from my brother who came over to do it for me but he got both setup in less than 30 minutes.
So the base station that comes with the bundle is able to connect up to 4 cameras. It needs to stay near your wireless router and actually needs to be plugged into it with the provided network cable. For some reason it's also only compatible with the 2.4G WI-FI signal provided from the router, and you have to have your phone on the same WI-FI bandwidth during setup or it won't let you set it up. The range for them seems pretty good though. I have a decent size house and yard and put one in the farthest part of my backyard and didn't have any problems with connecting to it. The app is a little complicated too but once you have everything setup it's not too bad.
On the home tab it will show you your base station and what cameras you have connected and you can name the base station in case you have more than one. You can name the cameras connected as well. I just called mine front yard and backyard. If you click on a camera it will show you what quality you have it set on auto, HD, SD, or 360P. It has a setting for infrared to be either on/off or auto and shows you battery life percent. It has a couple of tabs for features like sound on/off, record, speak, take photo and more. Under the more tab it has features like time lapse, scheduled recording, album, motion tagging, siren and turn off. You can also easily turn them off from the home tab where it shows you the word "on" in a circle, the name of the camera and the battery percentage too. There's an events tab where it will show you a 12 second video of whatever triggered the motion sensor. If you click on it, you can watch it, listen to the sound by clicking on sound, look at the livestream of the camera or delete the video. I've noticed that the motion detection doesn't capture everything but it does catch the majority of things most of the time.
There's a monitoring service that you can purchase along with the cameras. I chose not to because I didn't do any research into what it does or what they provide for you so sorry if you wanted more info on that. There's a shop tab to purchase more of their products and an account tab for the more important things on the app. You can do a lot of things on the account tab like setup a password or two-step verification under the security tab, share your camera with family members under the sharing tab, and more.
Pro:
Features like motion detection, night vision, 8x digital zoom, up to 6 months rechargeable battery life and 14 day rolling Cloud storage.
Easy setup for physical product
Lets you easily share your camera with family
Con:
Software setup can be pretty tricky, especially for those not too tech-savvy
Too easily removed if intended for security
Rating: 8/10
Conclusion:
I have to say these cameras are definitely worth the money to get them. The motion detection is pretty decent and the night vision is really good as well as the zoom. I have been pretty pleased with how they work and have encountered very little issues with them. My parents got some at the same time, so I helped them with setup and everything as well. They have a much bigger home and had some issues with range with where they wanted to put them. One camera has had some issues with connectivity and battery usage. Not sure if it's because it gets more traffic for the motion detection or if defective. Also sometimes a strange alarm sound comes out in recordings as well as static instead of audio. I haven't researched or reached out to Wyze about it yet. That being said, I would still recommend them to people wanting to get some wireless cameras setup at their home but only if they have really good WI-FI and are tech-savvy. I give the Wyze Cam Outdoor Starter Bundle an 8/10.
I had been wanting to get some cameras for the house for a long time. I had seen these before but I wanted to make sure if I bought some to put outside, that they were meant for outside and wouldn't get messed up because of heat or rain. Also these came highly recommended from family that have them and use them as well. Plus I was able to score them on a deal from Home Depot's deal of the day at the time as a package with an extra camera included and an Amazon Echo Show.
So this is my first venture into getting a wireless camera for security or monitoring purposes and I didn't really know what to expect. I had gotten my parents a really cheap doorbell camera once on a Black Friday deal from Wal-Mart a couple years back and thought that worked pretty well for the price I paid, but nothing other than that. I have to say that these cameras are pretty cool. You have to download the Wyze app to be able to use them so you do need a smart phone and setting them up can be a little tricky at first. I didn't run into any problems but I can see how most people could run into some very easily. I just had to charge them first to make sure they were ready to go, which didn't take that long either. I think it was about an hour or two for each of them. The only thing that was a little annoying was the extra camera came with an extra USB cord but not another power adapter so had to wait to charge the other one instead of being able to charge at the same time. The installation was pretty easy too. Of course I help from my brother who came over to do it for me but he got both setup in less than 30 minutes.
So the base station that comes with the bundle is able to connect up to 4 cameras. It needs to stay near your wireless router and actually needs to be plugged into it with the provided network cable. For some reason it's also only compatible with the 2.4G WI-FI signal provided from the router, and you have to have your phone on the same WI-FI bandwidth during setup or it won't let you set it up. The range for them seems pretty good though. I have a decent size house and yard and put one in the farthest part of my backyard and didn't have any problems with connecting to it. The app is a little complicated too but once you have everything setup it's not too bad.
On the home tab it will show you your base station and what cameras you have connected and you can name the base station in case you have more than one. You can name the cameras connected as well. I just called mine front yard and backyard. If you click on a camera it will show you what quality you have it set on auto, HD, SD, or 360P. It has a setting for infrared to be either on/off or auto and shows you battery life percent. It has a couple of tabs for features like sound on/off, record, speak, take photo and more. Under the more tab it has features like time lapse, scheduled recording, album, motion tagging, siren and turn off. You can also easily turn them off from the home tab where it shows you the word "on" in a circle, the name of the camera and the battery percentage too. There's an events tab where it will show you a 12 second video of whatever triggered the motion sensor. If you click on it, you can watch it, listen to the sound by clicking on sound, look at the livestream of the camera or delete the video. I've noticed that the motion detection doesn't capture everything but it does catch the majority of things most of the time.
There's a monitoring service that you can purchase along with the cameras. I chose not to because I didn't do any research into what it does or what they provide for you so sorry if you wanted more info on that. There's a shop tab to purchase more of their products and an account tab for the more important things on the app. You can do a lot of things on the account tab like setup a password or two-step verification under the security tab, share your camera with family members under the sharing tab, and more.
Pro:
Features like motion detection, night vision, 8x digital zoom, up to 6 months rechargeable battery life and 14 day rolling Cloud storage.
Easy setup for physical product
Lets you easily share your camera with family
Con:
Software setup can be pretty tricky, especially for those not too tech-savvy
Too easily removed if intended for security
Rating: 8/10
Conclusion:
I have to say these cameras are definitely worth the money to get them. The motion detection is pretty decent and the night vision is really good as well as the zoom. I have been pretty pleased with how they work and have encountered very little issues with them. My parents got some at the same time, so I helped them with setup and everything as well. They have a much bigger home and had some issues with range with where they wanted to put them. One camera has had some issues with connectivity and battery usage. Not sure if it's because it gets more traffic for the motion detection or if defective. Also sometimes a strange alarm sound comes out in recordings as well as static instead of audio. I haven't researched or reached out to Wyze about it yet. That being said, I would still recommend them to people wanting to get some wireless cameras setup at their home but only if they have really good WI-FI and are tech-savvy. I give the Wyze Cam Outdoor Starter Bundle an 8/10.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Wild Hogs (2007) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
When four middle aged men all face a collection of issues at the same time, some people might think this premise is a setup for an emotional drama that will explore aging from a men’s point of view.
However in the new film Wild Hogs, the topic is skewered with hysterical results thanks to a great cast and some very funny moments.
When dentist Doug (Tim Allen), worries he has lost his edge and can no longer connect with his past glory, he convinces the three members of his local biking club to join him on a cross country trip from Ohio to California.
Along for the ride are Woody (John Travolta), who has learned he is broke and is getting divorced from his supermodel wife, Shy and socially awkward computer programmer Dudley (William H. Macy), and henpecked plumber Bobby (Martin Lawrence), who after taking a year off to work on a project that has not come to fruition, now finds himself facing the same plumbing issues that made him flee in the first place.
None of the men are happy with their place in life and are in need of a spark to lift them from their middle aged funk. The group sets off and soon finds one misfortune after another as well as some very awkward moments with law enforcement, male bonding, and an over eager family they meet along the way.
Despite this, this trip is going well until the group decides to stop for a drink at a local biker bar. Once in the bar, the leader of the Del Fuegos, Jack (Ray Liotta) decides to make life hard for the guys as he cannot stand suburbanites passing themselves off as bikers. He decides to take one of their bikes and not allow the group to venture further West down the highway in front of the bar.
Resigned to their fate, the guys are ready to head back, when Woody decides to fix the situation and sneaks back to recover Dudley’s bike and play a trick on the Del Fuegos. Everything goes according to plan until the bar explodes from the prank, and the guys end up running from the bikers who are bent on revenge.
The only issue is that Woody has not told the other three what he did, and has his friends convinced that he had a conversation with the bikers where they came to an understanding. Undaunted, the guys stop at a local New Mexico town for gas and learn that they must wait until Monday for the gas station to reopen.
Of course, Woody is freaking out as he knows the bikers will be out looking for them, and matters are further compounded when Dudley falls for a local restaurant owner (Marissa Tomei), and is eager to hang around for a few more days.
What follows is a funny set of circumstances as the guys take part in the local community while they wait for gas, which ultimately leads up to a final confrontation with the Del Fuegos.
Wild Hogs, is one of the funnier comedies I have seen in a while. I went in not expecting much, and I must say I was very surprised. The four leads work well with one another, and there are some very funny segments in the film, which I will not spoil for you, but suffice it to say the audience was in hysterics.
It is rare to find a comedy that not only makes you laugh but makes you leave the theater with a smile, and this film delivers.
However in the new film Wild Hogs, the topic is skewered with hysterical results thanks to a great cast and some very funny moments.
When dentist Doug (Tim Allen), worries he has lost his edge and can no longer connect with his past glory, he convinces the three members of his local biking club to join him on a cross country trip from Ohio to California.
Along for the ride are Woody (John Travolta), who has learned he is broke and is getting divorced from his supermodel wife, Shy and socially awkward computer programmer Dudley (William H. Macy), and henpecked plumber Bobby (Martin Lawrence), who after taking a year off to work on a project that has not come to fruition, now finds himself facing the same plumbing issues that made him flee in the first place.
None of the men are happy with their place in life and are in need of a spark to lift them from their middle aged funk. The group sets off and soon finds one misfortune after another as well as some very awkward moments with law enforcement, male bonding, and an over eager family they meet along the way.
Despite this, this trip is going well until the group decides to stop for a drink at a local biker bar. Once in the bar, the leader of the Del Fuegos, Jack (Ray Liotta) decides to make life hard for the guys as he cannot stand suburbanites passing themselves off as bikers. He decides to take one of their bikes and not allow the group to venture further West down the highway in front of the bar.
Resigned to their fate, the guys are ready to head back, when Woody decides to fix the situation and sneaks back to recover Dudley’s bike and play a trick on the Del Fuegos. Everything goes according to plan until the bar explodes from the prank, and the guys end up running from the bikers who are bent on revenge.
The only issue is that Woody has not told the other three what he did, and has his friends convinced that he had a conversation with the bikers where they came to an understanding. Undaunted, the guys stop at a local New Mexico town for gas and learn that they must wait until Monday for the gas station to reopen.
Of course, Woody is freaking out as he knows the bikers will be out looking for them, and matters are further compounded when Dudley falls for a local restaurant owner (Marissa Tomei), and is eager to hang around for a few more days.
What follows is a funny set of circumstances as the guys take part in the local community while they wait for gas, which ultimately leads up to a final confrontation with the Del Fuegos.
Wild Hogs, is one of the funnier comedies I have seen in a while. I went in not expecting much, and I must say I was very surprised. The four leads work well with one another, and there are some very funny segments in the film, which I will not spoil for you, but suffice it to say the audience was in hysterics.
It is rare to find a comedy that not only makes you laugh but makes you leave the theater with a smile, and this film delivers.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Irresistible (2020) in Movies
Jun 23, 2020
Jon Stewart has been fairly quiet since his retirement from The Daily Show. In a recent interview with Howard Stern he talked about being content on a farm for rescued animals and enjoying more time with his family. He also sent to that he would be doing projects that interested him. In “Irresistible” Stewart working as both Writer and Director has crafted a funny, informative, and expansive look at the political process.
Steve Carell stars as Gary Zimmer; a senior advisor to the Clinton’s who is still smarting over the recent election particularly his insistence that the “Rust Belt” was firmly in their hands and therefore opted not to devote a significant amount of time campaigning there which in turn was a key reason for their defeat.
An online video from a small farming community in Wisconsin catches Gary’s eye as it shows a former Marine farmer named Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) challenging the local mayor at a town hall over immigration related issues and other hot topics.
Convinced that he can bring Jack over to the Democratic Party and use him as a starting point to restore the party in Wisconsin; Gary heads to the small town to make his pitch.
He quickly finds himself out of his element as the small-town community with friendly townsfolk to watch out for one another is very different than what he is used to. Gary eventually convinces Jack to run for Mayor and his involvement soon attracts the big money from the opposing side that seem to be rattled by what appears to be an insignificant small-town campaign.
Gary soon realizes that his nemesis Faith (Rose Byrne) who is his opposite for the Republican Party.
Gary and Faith have a clear history with one another and there is clearly plenty of animosity between them as each one is determined to succeed and broke their success in the face of the other.
As the campaign unfolds viewers are given a very direct look at how the political machine works from polling, demographics, special interests, fund raising, campaigning, muckraking, and using the media.
While this is often presented in a humorous way; Stewart uses a lot of simple but direct approaches to the various topics as he did on The Daily Show as a basis for further discussion.
The film takes some unexpected twists as it unfolds and the conclusion helps underscore that all parties involved often have an angle that they’re trying to work. One of the biggest messages that I took from the film was that the amount of money poured into campaigns has become more about one side beating the other rather than addressing the issues and putting the best possible people forward to represent the population.
Stewart handles the very complicated topics of the film through humor but above all used generally likable characters on all sides. Nobody was truly evil and you could clearly see much of their motivations.
The closing credits contains an interview with a political expert who discusses Superpacs and their lack of oversight and how people with ulterior motives can generate large amounts of money by manipulating the system completely within the law.
From a strong cast and entertaining story. Stewart has crafted a very solid and enjoyable film that will make you think.
Steve Carell stars as Gary Zimmer; a senior advisor to the Clinton’s who is still smarting over the recent election particularly his insistence that the “Rust Belt” was firmly in their hands and therefore opted not to devote a significant amount of time campaigning there which in turn was a key reason for their defeat.
An online video from a small farming community in Wisconsin catches Gary’s eye as it shows a former Marine farmer named Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) challenging the local mayor at a town hall over immigration related issues and other hot topics.
Convinced that he can bring Jack over to the Democratic Party and use him as a starting point to restore the party in Wisconsin; Gary heads to the small town to make his pitch.
He quickly finds himself out of his element as the small-town community with friendly townsfolk to watch out for one another is very different than what he is used to. Gary eventually convinces Jack to run for Mayor and his involvement soon attracts the big money from the opposing side that seem to be rattled by what appears to be an insignificant small-town campaign.
Gary soon realizes that his nemesis Faith (Rose Byrne) who is his opposite for the Republican Party.
Gary and Faith have a clear history with one another and there is clearly plenty of animosity between them as each one is determined to succeed and broke their success in the face of the other.
As the campaign unfolds viewers are given a very direct look at how the political machine works from polling, demographics, special interests, fund raising, campaigning, muckraking, and using the media.
While this is often presented in a humorous way; Stewart uses a lot of simple but direct approaches to the various topics as he did on The Daily Show as a basis for further discussion.
The film takes some unexpected twists as it unfolds and the conclusion helps underscore that all parties involved often have an angle that they’re trying to work. One of the biggest messages that I took from the film was that the amount of money poured into campaigns has become more about one side beating the other rather than addressing the issues and putting the best possible people forward to represent the population.
Stewart handles the very complicated topics of the film through humor but above all used generally likable characters on all sides. Nobody was truly evil and you could clearly see much of their motivations.
The closing credits contains an interview with a political expert who discusses Superpacs and their lack of oversight and how people with ulterior motives can generate large amounts of money by manipulating the system completely within the law.
From a strong cast and entertaining story. Stewart has crafted a very solid and enjoyable film that will make you think.
Janine O (2 KP) rated The Perfect Husband in Books
Oct 23, 2017
The Research (1 more)
The Characters
The Perfect Husband is a perfect novel
I have an admission to make. I am a true crime buff.
I love reading about unsolved mysteries, solved mysteries and everything between. I read books, listen to podcasts, and belong to several amateur sleuth blogs. Yes. I even belong to the Hunt A Killer curated box mystery. There. I've admitted it.
In the world of true crime my biggest passion is serial killers. Cliche, perhaps, but it's true.
I, like many, always asked myself about the family that surrounds serial killers; both before and after they are caught. Most importantly, what about the wives of serial killers? Lisa Gardner attempts to answer this question.
The thing I love most about Lisa Gardner's work is that she takes the time and effort to research before she even puts words to page. It is clear by the lingo that she uses and the characters that she builds that Gardner talked to actual law enforcement officials, and really listens to what they do.
The main character is the abused and traumatized wife of a sadistic serial killer. She is attempting to learn to protect herself and in so doing turns tot he meanest mercenary that she can find to teach her. She wants to learn to fight and shoot so that she can handle the man that law enforcement lost, the husband who is obsessed with killing her.
I absolutely adored this book, and immediately went out and bought three more of her novels.
The main female character is suffering from battered woman's syndrome. She is trying her best to cast off the mental and physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her narcissistic and criminal spouse.
The mercenary she turns to...has issues. He is, in his own way, as broken and screwed up as our heroine. But, through her, he begins to give a damn again.
The killer, our heroine's former husband, is so fantastically well done that it is almost too easy to picture him on the front page of a newspaper, or scattered across social media blogs.
It's fantastic. I recommend this to anyone who likes female protagonists, serial killers, or thrillers.
I love reading about unsolved mysteries, solved mysteries and everything between. I read books, listen to podcasts, and belong to several amateur sleuth blogs. Yes. I even belong to the Hunt A Killer curated box mystery. There. I've admitted it.
In the world of true crime my biggest passion is serial killers. Cliche, perhaps, but it's true.
I, like many, always asked myself about the family that surrounds serial killers; both before and after they are caught. Most importantly, what about the wives of serial killers? Lisa Gardner attempts to answer this question.
The thing I love most about Lisa Gardner's work is that she takes the time and effort to research before she even puts words to page. It is clear by the lingo that she uses and the characters that she builds that Gardner talked to actual law enforcement officials, and really listens to what they do.
The main character is the abused and traumatized wife of a sadistic serial killer. She is attempting to learn to protect herself and in so doing turns tot he meanest mercenary that she can find to teach her. She wants to learn to fight and shoot so that she can handle the man that law enforcement lost, the husband who is obsessed with killing her.
I absolutely adored this book, and immediately went out and bought three more of her novels.
The main female character is suffering from battered woman's syndrome. She is trying her best to cast off the mental and physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her narcissistic and criminal spouse.
The mercenary she turns to...has issues. He is, in his own way, as broken and screwed up as our heroine. But, through her, he begins to give a damn again.
The killer, our heroine's former husband, is so fantastically well done that it is almost too easy to picture him on the front page of a newspaper, or scattered across social media blogs.
It's fantastic. I recommend this to anyone who likes female protagonists, serial killers, or thrillers.