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Neil Hannon recommended The Rite Of Spring by Igor Stravinsky in Music (curated)
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Death in the Stacks in Books
Sep 17, 2020 (Updated Sep 17, 2020)
Cameos and Murder
It’s time for the annual Dinner in the Stacks fundraiser at the Briar Creek Public Library, but this year, Lindsey Norris is facing an extra challenge in putting it on. Olive Boyle has just become president of the library’s board, and she is determined to make trouble, even threatening Lindsey’s job. Despite all of this, the fundraiser goes well, until Olive’s body is found in the fiction section just after the event ends. Even though Lindsey swore she’d stop investigating murders, she still finds herself drawn into this case. Olive made enemies everywhere she went. With so many suspects, can Lindsey figure out what happened?
While the mystery has some good twists in it, I did feel the pacing was off overall. Instead, the character’s antics take over at times. As a fan of the series, I can’t complain too much about that, especially since I was laughing at those scenes. Plus, we got some character development that fans of the series will love. Fans of Jenn’s other two mystery series will have fun with the cameos those characters make in this book, although you won’t miss much of you aren’t up to date on those series. The usual assortment of extras at the end will give you something to enjoy after you’ve turned the last page. While the plot pacing does bother me, I was smiling so much while I was reading, it is hard to complain. Other fans of the series will love every page as well.
While the mystery has some good twists in it, I did feel the pacing was off overall. Instead, the character’s antics take over at times. As a fan of the series, I can’t complain too much about that, especially since I was laughing at those scenes. Plus, we got some character development that fans of the series will love. Fans of Jenn’s other two mystery series will have fun with the cameos those characters make in this book, although you won’t miss much of you aren’t up to date on those series. The usual assortment of extras at the end will give you something to enjoy after you’ve turned the last page. While the plot pacing does bother me, I was smiling so much while I was reading, it is hard to complain. Other fans of the series will love every page as well.
Kristina (502 KP) rated Reginald Bones (Reginald Bones #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2020
I've always wanted to read from a character with split personalities. I have only found one series dealing with this issue, but it was from another character's point of view, so I didn't get to experience the aspect of someone with *multiple personality disorder*. It was definitely interesting and even more entertaining, as morbid as that may sound. Lucian Bane pretty much created my fantasy book. I gave Reginald Bones 3 stars, but if I'm honest, it's not a solid 3. I felt like the book was better than a 2.5, but not necessarily worthy of a 3.5, so I went with the middle rating. While the story as a whole was intruiging, there were moments when it lagged and I felt almost bored. Then there were many times when I felt confused, which makes sense, considering Bones doesn't remember certain things, but it was a confusion that went beyond Bones' lack of knowledge. Also, the intervals between the switching perspectives was hard to keep up with. One thing I didn't like was when I would be reading from Reginald's point of view, then it would quickly switch to Bones' and it took me a few sentences to realize it. I feel like if the separation of their perspectives had been a little more defined, the reading would have went much smoother. All-in-all, it was a good read and, if I'm being honest, I do look forward to reading the second installment - I'm very interested in Bones' past.
Lindsay (1774 KP) rated Dear Brave Friend in Books
Jan 14, 2021
I enjoyed this book called “Dear Brave Friend”. It was good. It is based on the fact of a dog passing away but does it through a letter from the dog to the boy. It explains the feeling of how the boy may feel after losing a pet. Any pet lover can use this for any pet, not just a dog.
The book shows the compassion of how to deal with losing a pet and it is okay. You can put your cat in where the dog is being interpreted. The book does a wonderful job of going through the feeling you or your child may go through with losing a pet.
The pictures are well done. I enjoyed them. I can see many pet lovers using this book. It helps with explaining the feeling and emotions of losing a pet. It also talks about what you can do to remember your pet. There are some blank pages in the back of the book that will let you write and draw your lost pet if you choose to do so.
I was captured by the pictures in the book. They are my favorite. They were beautifully done. I can not say that enough. The story is done well. It hit the meaning of losing a pet without getting too complicated. It was written well. I just can not believe this is a self-help book for children and middle-grade kids. It feels more than that when you read it. Any pet lover will enjoy this book.
The book shows the compassion of how to deal with losing a pet and it is okay. You can put your cat in where the dog is being interpreted. The book does a wonderful job of going through the feeling you or your child may go through with losing a pet.
The pictures are well done. I enjoyed them. I can see many pet lovers using this book. It helps with explaining the feeling and emotions of losing a pet. It also talks about what you can do to remember your pet. There are some blank pages in the back of the book that will let you write and draw your lost pet if you choose to do so.
I was captured by the pictures in the book. They are my favorite. They were beautifully done. I can not say that enough. The story is done well. It hit the meaning of losing a pet without getting too complicated. It was written well. I just can not believe this is a self-help book for children and middle-grade kids. It feels more than that when you read it. Any pet lover will enjoy this book.
Kristina (502 KP) rated With Visions of Red, Book One in Books
Dec 7, 2020
I don't even know what to say. I love watching Law & Order: SVU, more so than any of the other Law & Orders (if that tells you how messed up I am), so reading With Visions of Red felt like an episode wrapped up into a book. I kind of love that fact - I have yet to experience L&O through my favorite form of consumption: literature. I chose to download the free version offered through Amazon because I assumed it had to do with BDSM, which can be just as good a romance story as any other. Obviously I was way, way wrong. I don't feel a need to complain though. Despite this book being so different from what I usually read, I really enjoyed it... I guess that's sick and twisted, but whatever. I have, thankfully, never experienced the horrors and terrors that Sadie has. I couldn't even begin to imagine the darkness that tries to claw its way to the surface, considering her line of work. It's interesting to see how she thinks and feels, how she deals with her past and reigns it in before it can obscure her present. For me, like I said before, a book of this nature is a first, so it was refreshing in a dark and twisted way. Honestly, I look forward to reading the whole series to discover not only who the unsub is or what happened to Colton in the past, but to see if two broken and destroyed souls can come together and become whole.
Hades Miller (2 KP) rated Mulan (2020) in Movies
Dec 13, 2020
Acting (1 more)
Fight scenes
Plot (1 more)
Liu Yifei
More like...Meh-lan
I have to admit, I am one of those people who doesn't really get why they are remaking animated Disney movies and not just...animating them again. Live action is fine, but animation, especially American animation, is just much more expressive. Mulan falls victim to this problem. If they didn't try to follow the original somewhat, it wouldn't be true to the source material & if they didn't try something new, it would just be a rehash. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed quite a bit of this movie, but the finished product didn't really feel like it had a purpose.
My biggest issue is that every new idea they added never felt like it went anywhere. "Here's another woman who is a powerful fighter like Mulan...oh wait she let's gone." "Mulan has a sister! She adds nothing to the plot." Nothing new is ever followed through in an interesting way and just seems half-heartedly thrown in. This basically just leaves the rehashed parts of Mulan which, outside of more serious fight scenes...isn't all that interesting
Is it worth watching once? Sure. Is it something worth watching over and over again like the original Mulan, or heck, even the straight to DVD sequel? Well, that's obviously up to you, but I likely won't be watching this again anytime soon.
Also, replacing hard-work, dedication, and a good old fashioned dose of pig-headedness with chi is a lazy way to try and separate a remake from it's source.
My biggest issue is that every new idea they added never felt like it went anywhere. "Here's another woman who is a powerful fighter like Mulan...oh wait she let's gone." "Mulan has a sister! She adds nothing to the plot." Nothing new is ever followed through in an interesting way and just seems half-heartedly thrown in. This basically just leaves the rehashed parts of Mulan which, outside of more serious fight scenes...isn't all that interesting
Is it worth watching once? Sure. Is it something worth watching over and over again like the original Mulan, or heck, even the straight to DVD sequel? Well, that's obviously up to you, but I likely won't be watching this again anytime soon.
Also, replacing hard-work, dedication, and a good old fashioned dose of pig-headedness with chi is a lazy way to try and separate a remake from it's source.
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Exiles & Empire (The Immortals #3) in Books
Jun 24, 2019
Exiles & Empire (The Immortals #3) by Cheryl Mackey
Exiles & Empire is the third book in The Immortals series. This is a prequel series that leads onto The Destiny series, the first book of which is already available.
We reunite with our main four characters in the midst of a battle. Old acquaintances are there, but you are unsure if they are friend to foe to start with. Time is running out for our characters as Rodon appears to get stronger with every meeting. By contrast, Emaranthe appears more fragile and small, although still very strong. The mystery deepens around Emaranthe, and Ivo is desperately worried about the woman he loves. As for Jaeger, he allows himself to feel again - just slightly - although this doesn't have a happy outcome.
An exciting story that is once again packed full of action, intrigue, dilemmas, and suspense. The writing is descriptive and on point. There were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. The creativity of Ms. Mackey knows no bounds, and this book continues the story along nicely, whilst still leaving you wanting more.
For an epic fantasy that is full of action, I have no hesitation in recommending this book, although you will need to start at the beginning of the series for it to make sense!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
We reunite with our main four characters in the midst of a battle. Old acquaintances are there, but you are unsure if they are friend to foe to start with. Time is running out for our characters as Rodon appears to get stronger with every meeting. By contrast, Emaranthe appears more fragile and small, although still very strong. The mystery deepens around Emaranthe, and Ivo is desperately worried about the woman he loves. As for Jaeger, he allows himself to feel again - just slightly - although this doesn't have a happy outcome.
An exciting story that is once again packed full of action, intrigue, dilemmas, and suspense. The writing is descriptive and on point. There were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. The creativity of Ms. Mackey knows no bounds, and this book continues the story along nicely, whilst still leaving you wanting more.
For an epic fantasy that is full of action, I have no hesitation in recommending this book, although you will need to start at the beginning of the series for it to make sense!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Zoe Nock (13 KP) rated The Confessions of Frannie Langton in Books
Jun 26, 2019
“My trial starts the way my life did: a squall of elbows and shoving and spit.”
Sometimes a book just grabs you from the beginning, something tells you that treasure lies here. I felt that within a few paragraphs of The Confessions of Frannie Langton. Sara Collins prefaced the novel with an explanation of her enjoyment of stories from Georgian/Victorian era but also her disappoint that she didn’t feel represented in the literature from that time. Her love of literature and that lack of inclusion drove her to write a novel that filled a gap, filled a need for women like Frances Langton to have a voice.
And what a voice! The author embodies Frannie so well. The first thing that struck me was that Frannie’s voice shone through immediately. She sounds so authentic, within a few lines you are engaged and intrigued. So much of the prose is beautiful and evocative, truly poetic. Sara Collins describes the people and places so deftly, you sense the weight of a sultry Jamaican plantation and the drabness of a grey London suburb. You can almost taste the boiling sugar cane and fall under the sway of the delicious, devilish ‘Black Drop’. It’s difficult to read this book without imagining a BBC period drama, it really would make a good screen adaptation. There is no doubt that Collins is a gifted and accomplished writer, a weaver of words both seductive and threatening. I really enjoyed this novel and would like to read anything new from Sara Collins.
Sometimes a book just grabs you from the beginning, something tells you that treasure lies here. I felt that within a few paragraphs of The Confessions of Frannie Langton. Sara Collins prefaced the novel with an explanation of her enjoyment of stories from Georgian/Victorian era but also her disappoint that she didn’t feel represented in the literature from that time. Her love of literature and that lack of inclusion drove her to write a novel that filled a gap, filled a need for women like Frances Langton to have a voice.
And what a voice! The author embodies Frannie so well. The first thing that struck me was that Frannie’s voice shone through immediately. She sounds so authentic, within a few lines you are engaged and intrigued. So much of the prose is beautiful and evocative, truly poetic. Sara Collins describes the people and places so deftly, you sense the weight of a sultry Jamaican plantation and the drabness of a grey London suburb. You can almost taste the boiling sugar cane and fall under the sway of the delicious, devilish ‘Black Drop’. It’s difficult to read this book without imagining a BBC period drama, it really would make a good screen adaptation. There is no doubt that Collins is a gifted and accomplished writer, a weaver of words both seductive and threatening. I really enjoyed this novel and would like to read anything new from Sara Collins.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Son of Frankenstein (1939) in Movies
Sep 27, 2019
He's still alive!...
The son of Dr. Henry Frankenstein comes back to the family mansion many years after the events in Bride of Frankenstein with his family eager to start a new life. There is still a foul haze over the town and villagers after the havoc the monster had wreaked oh so many years ago. Frankenstein finds it hard to change the mood.
Enter Ygor, a strange man who enters Frankenstein's life and reveals a vastly kept secret, the monster is alive! Frankenstein, eager to rescue his family's reputation decides it a good idea to revive the monster. Unfortunately, the newly risen monster has become the henchman of Ygor and does his ghastly bidding.
The story this time around is starting to feel a bid tired. There are several sections where the monster does not appear at all making the story fairly slow going at times.
The best addition to this film is Bela Lugosi as Ygor. The original Dracula shows up here and is marvelously wicked and hilarious. I'm not sure I had ever seen him in anything except Dracula, so it was a refreshing change to see him with different make up and costumes and such a charming and sinister villain to play.
I would still recommend to fans of the franchise, but I was really disappointed we didn't get more of the Bride of Frankenstein in this one especially since the monster was back. They could've found a way to bring her back as well.
Enter Ygor, a strange man who enters Frankenstein's life and reveals a vastly kept secret, the monster is alive! Frankenstein, eager to rescue his family's reputation decides it a good idea to revive the monster. Unfortunately, the newly risen monster has become the henchman of Ygor and does his ghastly bidding.
The story this time around is starting to feel a bid tired. There are several sections where the monster does not appear at all making the story fairly slow going at times.
The best addition to this film is Bela Lugosi as Ygor. The original Dracula shows up here and is marvelously wicked and hilarious. I'm not sure I had ever seen him in anything except Dracula, so it was a refreshing change to see him with different make up and costumes and such a charming and sinister villain to play.
I would still recommend to fans of the franchise, but I was really disappointed we didn't get more of the Bride of Frankenstein in this one especially since the monster was back. They could've found a way to bring her back as well.
Andrew Kennedy (199 KP) rated Undead (2003) in Movies
Jul 14, 2019
I watched a Top 30 zombie movies video on YouTube and this film was on it. I have never heard of it before then and given that it was a micro budget film from Australia that was big on the festival circuit in 2003, probably not surprising it had passed me by.
First up, if you want a serious zombie film like 28 Days or Romero's Dead films look elsewhere, you won't enjoy this. If however you don't mind some slapstick gore and tounge firmly in rotted cheek humour and like early Peter Jackson splatter horror Braindead this is for you.
In a quaint Aussie fishing village meteorites fall from the sky and before you can say this looks familiar the townsfolk are turned to the ravenous undead.
Yes the acting is hammy, the dialogue at times is weird but this film is at its heart, fun. Blood, gore and brains soak the screen as things break down. Also, what is in the rain?
Characters are a bit stereotypically but I feel the ending is the most satisfying ending to a zombie film ever. Yes it looks on paper like an idea that shouldn't work but somehow it does.
Good debut from the Spierig brothers made for $2 million Aussie dollars and effects done on a laptop. It's better then some big studio zombie flicks.
Lot of negative reviews of this on IMDb, I don't understand why it's by no means perfect but it's a lot of fun with a great early Peter Jackson vibe.
First up, if you want a serious zombie film like 28 Days or Romero's Dead films look elsewhere, you won't enjoy this. If however you don't mind some slapstick gore and tounge firmly in rotted cheek humour and like early Peter Jackson splatter horror Braindead this is for you.
In a quaint Aussie fishing village meteorites fall from the sky and before you can say this looks familiar the townsfolk are turned to the ravenous undead.
Yes the acting is hammy, the dialogue at times is weird but this film is at its heart, fun. Blood, gore and brains soak the screen as things break down. Also, what is in the rain?
Characters are a bit stereotypically but I feel the ending is the most satisfying ending to a zombie film ever. Yes it looks on paper like an idea that shouldn't work but somehow it does.
Good debut from the Spierig brothers made for $2 million Aussie dollars and effects done on a laptop. It's better then some big studio zombie flicks.
Lot of negative reviews of this on IMDb, I don't understand why it's by no means perfect but it's a lot of fun with a great early Peter Jackson vibe.