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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2379 KP) rated Finding Zelda in Books
Oct 2, 2019 (Updated Oct 2, 2019)
Zelda’s About to Experience a Bunch of Bad Holidays
We first meet the Bowen family at Easter as Zelda and her two sisters, Norma and Bea, are arguing over who will wear the bunny costume that year for the kids. Normally, that is something their father would do, but he has vanished without a word to anyone. Even though the three women are grown, two of them with families of their own, his absence has repercussions in all of their lives and in their family overall. As the year progresses, how will they deal with what happened?
I was excited to see this novel come out. It started life as four short stories in a series called Holidays from Hell. Those stories, plus some additional scenes to help fill in the gaps, make up the first half of the novel, and I was anxious to find out what happened to Zelda. I wasn’t disappointed. While author Sue Ann Jaffarian is best known for her mystery novels, this isn’t a mystery. Instead, it’s a dysfunctional family dramedy. And yes, there are scenes that will make you laugh and scenes that will make you feel for the characters and what they are going through, especially Zelda. As our main characters, she is the most sympathetic, but all the characters have their moments as the book unfolds and all of them are great. This book definitely falls into the PG-13 realm with a smattering of foul language and some scenes that discuss characters’ sex lives. I could have done without those elements, but they are worth noting only in passing. Despite the fact that the book takes place roughly over the course of a year, we get a clear plot and only the scenes we need for the story. While originally conceived as a standalone novel, we are going to get more of Zelda’s adventures. I’m not sure where things can go from here, but I’m looking forward to visiting her again.
I was excited to see this novel come out. It started life as four short stories in a series called Holidays from Hell. Those stories, plus some additional scenes to help fill in the gaps, make up the first half of the novel, and I was anxious to find out what happened to Zelda. I wasn’t disappointed. While author Sue Ann Jaffarian is best known for her mystery novels, this isn’t a mystery. Instead, it’s a dysfunctional family dramedy. And yes, there are scenes that will make you laugh and scenes that will make you feel for the characters and what they are going through, especially Zelda. As our main characters, she is the most sympathetic, but all the characters have their moments as the book unfolds and all of them are great. This book definitely falls into the PG-13 realm with a smattering of foul language and some scenes that discuss characters’ sex lives. I could have done without those elements, but they are worth noting only in passing. Despite the fact that the book takes place roughly over the course of a year, we get a clear plot and only the scenes we need for the story. While originally conceived as a standalone novel, we are going to get more of Zelda’s adventures. I’m not sure where things can go from here, but I’m looking forward to visiting her again.
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Nightingale in Books
Aug 12, 2021
A touching portrayal of family and love during wartime
In 1930s France, Vianne says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he leaves to fight in the War. She's left behind to care for their daughter Sophie. Her younger sister, Isabelle, is in Paris with their father when the war starts. Reckless and impulsive, Isabelle wants to fight for her country, but their father sends her to stay with Vianne. But soon, after being betrayed by the young man who helped her find her way to Vianne's home, Isabelle is fighting for the Resistance. As for Vianne, she finds herself forced to house Nazi soldiers and make horrible sacrifices to protect her family.
This was an excellent and informational portrayal of World War II. It's haunting and heartbreaking and hopeful all together. Hannah tells the story of the War through our two sisters--looking at how they approach the war, along with their father. Vianne is the practical older sister, who worries for her safety and that of her daughter. Meanwhile, Isabelle has felt betrayed most of her life after the death of their mother and perceived abandonment by her older sister and father. This feeling spurs her to join the Resistance. Following their different paths allows us to see many varied sides of this awful and terrifying War. As you form attachments to the characters, the snatching of Jewish families and children and the concentration camps become even more stark and brutal--it's horrifying.
While I cannot really know what happened during this time period, this book seemed realistic and authentic to me. It made me cry. It's sad and yet somehow sweet at times. It's a vivid look at loss and love--for sisters, family, and your country.
I read this book as part of my new reading project--choosing books off my shelves based on their Goodreads rankings. This is my first book of the project, forcing me out of my comfort zone and to try books in genres I don't usually read!
This was an excellent and informational portrayal of World War II. It's haunting and heartbreaking and hopeful all together. Hannah tells the story of the War through our two sisters--looking at how they approach the war, along with their father. Vianne is the practical older sister, who worries for her safety and that of her daughter. Meanwhile, Isabelle has felt betrayed most of her life after the death of their mother and perceived abandonment by her older sister and father. This feeling spurs her to join the Resistance. Following their different paths allows us to see many varied sides of this awful and terrifying War. As you form attachments to the characters, the snatching of Jewish families and children and the concentration camps become even more stark and brutal--it's horrifying.
While I cannot really know what happened during this time period, this book seemed realistic and authentic to me. It made me cry. It's sad and yet somehow sweet at times. It's a vivid look at loss and love--for sisters, family, and your country.
I read this book as part of my new reading project--choosing books off my shelves based on their Goodreads rankings. This is my first book of the project, forcing me out of my comfort zone and to try books in genres I don't usually read!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Boyfriend Swap in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Robyn and Sydney are similar in many ways. They are both successful in their careers. Robyn is a music teacher and Sydney is a lawyer. They both have boyfriends that are very attractive. They also both don't want to take the boyfriends home with them for the holidays. For Robyn, her family is tired of seeing her with artsy men who have no future. For Sydney, she is tired of her father monopolizing the holiday with shop talk. The holidays are supposed to be fun, not judgmental and hostile. So, even though they've just met, Sydney comes up with brilliant idea, swap boyfriends for the holiday. It's just a few days, what's the harm? When Robyn finds out Sydney is dating her childhood crush, will she be able to hold it together? And how will her family handle this? Is this swap really such a good idea?
Thank you to Meredith Schorr, NetGalley, and Henery Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
First of all, I'm not sure this is something I would have ever been able to do. To trade boyfriends at all, but with someone I don't even know. I'm not sure it would work out for me. It's been a while since I've read a book quite like this. It was cute and quirky and I can easily see this being made into a movie.
Robyn's Story
For Robyn, whenever she brings home a guy who is good to her, she has fun with, and is artsy like her parents, they let her know that he is not the right guy for her. She needs a guy with a steady job someone with a 401K and a savings account. Robyn and her boyfriend Perry have been together for almost a year, and they have a lot of fun together. But is he really, "The One"?
Bringing home Will is going to shock the hell out of her family. He was her childhood crush and now he's pretending to be her boyfriend. Will she be able to keep up the farce over the few days they spend with her family or will the secret be revealed before it's even started?
Sydney's Story
Sydney has to bring home a date for Christmas. If not her parents will try to set her up with some hideous guy she would never be interested in, but would be good for business. And she doesn't want to bring home Will. Will is a lawyer just like Sydney, and like Sydney's father. If she brings him home, all her father will do the entire time is try to recruit him to their law firm, and Sydney doesn't want to subject him to that. She also likes keeping her personal life to herself.
When Sydney brings Perry to the family dinner, she is surprised at how well her family likes him. This was not how she had planned this to go. And then when Perry deviates from her script, it makes things even worse. Will they be able to make it through the holiday without killing each other.
This book was a funny, romantic read that had me routing for one character to the end. This is the first book I have read by Meredith Schorr, but it won't be my last. I look forward to reading more of her books.
Thank you to Meredith Schorr, NetGalley, and Henery Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
First of all, I'm not sure this is something I would have ever been able to do. To trade boyfriends at all, but with someone I don't even know. I'm not sure it would work out for me. It's been a while since I've read a book quite like this. It was cute and quirky and I can easily see this being made into a movie.
Robyn's Story
For Robyn, whenever she brings home a guy who is good to her, she has fun with, and is artsy like her parents, they let her know that he is not the right guy for her. She needs a guy with a steady job someone with a 401K and a savings account. Robyn and her boyfriend Perry have been together for almost a year, and they have a lot of fun together. But is he really, "The One"?
Bringing home Will is going to shock the hell out of her family. He was her childhood crush and now he's pretending to be her boyfriend. Will she be able to keep up the farce over the few days they spend with her family or will the secret be revealed before it's even started?
Sydney's Story
Sydney has to bring home a date for Christmas. If not her parents will try to set her up with some hideous guy she would never be interested in, but would be good for business. And she doesn't want to bring home Will. Will is a lawyer just like Sydney, and like Sydney's father. If she brings him home, all her father will do the entire time is try to recruit him to their law firm, and Sydney doesn't want to subject him to that. She also likes keeping her personal life to herself.
When Sydney brings Perry to the family dinner, she is surprised at how well her family likes him. This was not how she had planned this to go. And then when Perry deviates from her script, it makes things even worse. Will they be able to make it through the holiday without killing each other.
This book was a funny, romantic read that had me routing for one character to the end. This is the first book I have read by Meredith Schorr, but it won't be my last. I look forward to reading more of her books.
JoyKilla (6 KP) rated Justice League (2017) in Movies
Dec 5, 2017
Justice Beer League
Contains spoilers, click to show
What should have been an epic film for the decade fell flat on many levels. I got burned out with the whole superhero theme a while back. So I may have brought a little heat into the burning fire.
They took nearly 4 hours of a film and cut into barely 2 hours. Imagine the editing room floor for just a moment. So much was cut in this movie and seemed so choppy. You can see the edits that most try to hide. The bad guy of the film looked straight out of a cartoon. Which wouldn't be bad if everyone else wasn't portrayed to be a real life character.
It's a good popcorn family flick but for fanboys who have waited years for this movie will be greatly saddened.
They took nearly 4 hours of a film and cut into barely 2 hours. Imagine the editing room floor for just a moment. So much was cut in this movie and seemed so choppy. You can see the edits that most try to hide. The bad guy of the film looked straight out of a cartoon. Which wouldn't be bad if everyone else wasn't portrayed to be a real life character.
It's a good popcorn family flick but for fanboys who have waited years for this movie will be greatly saddened.