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The Case Against Sugar
The Case Against Sugar
Gary Taubes | 2017 | Health & Fitness
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Detailed look at how sugar is peddled to the masses
It's true, a lot of the arguments seem obvious in this day and age that sugar is bad for you. However, this book explains how for decades, giant corporations such as Coca Cola and well known confectioners, and academics with interests in the sugar foundation attempted to thwart all research surrounding this. For much of the time, sugar was seen as the better evil compared to saturated fat, but actually it has been the number one cause in the rise of diabetes, illnesess related to cancer and even dementia.

It is important to read why sugar has been ignored for so long, and no doubt it'll make you feel guilty for reaching for that chocolate bar, and possibly question if that spoonful in your tea is a good idea.
  
I really wanted to love this book. It had such a good premise. I had a problem with the fact the characters kept commenting throughout the book, I feel like 100 pages could have been cut from this novel. The characters were flat, and there was so much name dropping that didn't amount to much. I completely disliked Diana, I thought she was annoying and just an overall petulant child. Come to think of it, I didn't like any of the characters at all. The whole referring to each other as monsters was overused and completely tired by the end. The plot was practically non-existent and there was maybe one flash of excitement, then it went back to a whole lot of nothing. I'm so glad I didn't buy this book, and that I rented it from the library.
  
Dorothy Must Die
Dorothy Must Die
Danielle Paige | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
2
7.8 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
the description of OZ (2 more)
The cowardly lion
the rest if the original gang
the plot just went in circles (2 more)
no real heroes
never really found it's footing
Not so Wonderful Oz (read in 2014)
This book had so much potential to be really amazing and different but in the end it just fell short. The characters were bland and the plot just felt like it was going around in circles trying to find a point where the real plot could take off. I know this is the first in the series so I am holding out a little hope that maybe the second book will be better.

The only thing I really liked was the description of OZ and it's more horror induced characters. I feel like this has more potential to be a good TV show or movie over a book.
  
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AbmostFiction (32 KP) Jul 23, 2017

That's disappointing!

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BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) Jul 23, 2017

Yeah I was really let down but I do want to give the next book a chance at some point.

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Ross (3284 KP) rated Coco (2017) in Movies

Jan 15, 2018  
Coco (2017)
Coco (2017)
2017 | Adventure, Animation
Twists (1 more)
Authentic Mexican designs in the land of the dead
Not just a remake of the Book of the Dead!
This film sees Miguel's desire to play music in the talent contest lead to him being cursed on the day of the dead. His expired relatives take him to the land of the dead to sort the issue out before he becomes dead forever, leading to an adventure through the land of the dead in order to meet what appears to be a Mexican Elvis: Ernesto de la Cruz.
The adventure, the songs, the bright colours, the skeletons, the jokes all add up to a good Disney film (though it doesn't feel all that Disney), and so much better than the trailer, which really made it look like a remake of the Book of the Dead.
  
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Paige (428 KP) rated The Alchemist in Books

Aug 19, 2017  
The Alchemist
The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho | 1993 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.2 (35 Ratings)
Book Rating
easy to follow (0 more)
self- important (0 more)
A book for a particular audience
If someone tells me they love this book, I pretty immediately assume that they don't read for pleasure. This book was really made for people who think reading is like medicine, and it strives to be the best-tasting medicine. It is short, vaguely inspirational, uses simple language, and tailored to make you feel wiser after reading it.

In this way, the book is a success.


For readers who are more well-read, all this comes across as a not unpleasant, but not groundbreaking attempt at making capital L literature. It kind of drones, and seems a bit twee and trite.


If you think of books as vitamins (good for you, but a pain to procure and consume) then this book is the most delicious version of that.
  
Slayer (Slayer #1)
Slayer (Slayer #1)
Kiersten White | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
7
7.7 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
As someone who grew up watching and loving Buffy and the spin off series Angel. I also re-watched it about 4 years ago when it was on Netflix so I'm very tied to the Buffyverse. This book definitely kept the Buffy humor which is so it's own brand and it was on point so that contributes to the higher rating. I feel the last 1/4 of the book really picked up as well by the end I was left wanting the next book to come. The first half of the story kind of leaves Buffy as the villian and (for good reasons in Nina's view) that just did not sit well with me. Otherwise, I believe the writting was great and the Buffyverse was left in all it's glory and so well reserved by Kiersten.
  
Pet Sematary (2019)
Pet Sematary (2019)
2019 | Horror
Great story (0 more)
A few changes from the book (0 more)
Sometimes dead is better
I just about remember reading the book a very long time ago and it did stay with me for a long time. A typical chilling horror from Stephen King. I've not seen the '89 film but the trailer for this had me interested.
It's good, very atmospheric, interesting story and a decent cast. The only down side was the climax didn't feel as scary as I remember from the book and a tad abrupt. They have changed a couple of plot points from the book, one is quite a big change. Although I can understand why. But the ending is different and doesn't quite have the impact of the book. Despite that it's still an enjoyable film if you are a Stephen King fan.
  
This take on what it means to be on the Mayflower and the struggles that come along with it is very interesting. It makes what I just think of an event so much more. The character, even though it is hard to keep track at times, are relatable and you find yourself invested in their stories. The language was modern and that took away from the story for me. My only other problem was the flatness, while there was problems most of the book just felt monotonous. This could be just because I don't read much historical fiction but I am not sure.
Perfect for those fans who want to feel connected to a real event but with a fictional aspect instead of just facts. This will give them a good read that will keep you interested until the very end.
  
No Country for Old Men (2007)
No Country for Old Men (2007)
2007 | Thriller, Western
Lost in a coin toss
Number 7 of my #top10 #favourite #films is 'No Country For Old Men'. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bleak & #depressing #NoCountryForOldMen takes all the #hope you have for the good guys winning and rips it out of your hands again and again. Not only is it #unfair, tense and #gorgeous to look at its constantly making you think deeply while toying with your emotions too. Acting is next level, the dialog is masterfully slick and #javierbardem might just be the #coldest & #scariest #villain ever put on screen making No Country For Old Men a film that really should be in everyone's top 10 list. Deciphering its intricate plot, many metaphors and head spinning #intelligence is something i sadly #feel i will never achieve fully but my god do i enjoy trying.
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#filmbuff #filmcritic #coenbrothers #saturday #weekend #beautiful #violence #joshbrolin #tommyleejones
  
MA
Murder at the Male Revue
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Catering a fund raiser for the community center is doing double duty for the Skinny Dipping Grandmas as they can also check “Visit a strip club” off Joy’s bucket list. But when the auction for the men gets started, chaos insures and the town council’s president is murdered. Who could as done it?

As always, Francine is our guide to this third wacky and fun mystery. There are some good secrets, twists, and surprises that come out, although the ending did feel a bit abrupt. The characters are fun and strong. Between a couple of slapstick scenes and the dialogue, we get some great laughs along the way as well.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/07/book-review-murder-at-male-revue-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.