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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Daily Guideposts 2011 in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I grew up in church, so the name of Guideposts has been familiar to me my whole life. This book of devotionals lives up to its familiar name. Guideposts has become synonymous with quality in materials for prayer and reflection, and this book is no exception. The Introduction tells me that the theme for this collaborative effort is "Growing in Love." Each day in the book is one page, with a Bible verse at the beginning and a short prayer at the end, with a true, first-person narrative in between. Each month is preceded by a lovely black-and-white photograph of a lighthouse, with a Bible verse somewhere in the picture. The end of each month has a blank section titled "Seeds of Love" in which the reader can record something God has been doing in his or her life on one line for each day of that month. The end of the book contains a section titled "Fellowship Corner," which lists all of the fifty-five contributors for this devotional, complete with pictures of the people and their thoughts of the past year.
I can really appreciate the collaborative effort put into this book, as each devotional is unique and well thought out. The various viewpoints of the different writers are quite interesting, especially since I know they can all be depended on to believe in and write about the Word of God. While I obviously have not read through every page in this devotional since the time I received it from the publisher, I plan on continuing to use it in the coming new year as part of my personal time with Jesus.
I can really appreciate the collaborative effort put into this book, as each devotional is unique and well thought out. The various viewpoints of the different writers are quite interesting, especially since I know they can all be depended on to believe in and write about the Word of God. While I obviously have not read through every page in this devotional since the time I received it from the publisher, I plan on continuing to use it in the coming new year as part of my personal time with Jesus.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Sisi: Empress on Her Own: A Novel in Books
Feb 15, 2019
First of all, I'd definitely recommend reading The Accidental Empress, part one of Empress Elisabeth's life. I found it to be the better book of the two, although Sisi: Empress on Her Own is far from bad.
I commend the author in all the research she did as I think she did an astounding job bringing Sisi to life, showing both her strengths and weaknesses. Most everything was brought to life in a way that was easy to visualize. However, in this book I found there to be more telling than showing as far as politics go, which could be a tad boring, plus I felt there were redundancies here and there. I didn't notice any major anachronism other than one phrase that jolted me out of the book that I dearly hope is not in the final edition (<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_time_no_see"; targeet="_blank">"Long time no see."</a> if interested). The author provides a thorough section where she notes what was taken from history, leaving me to conclude what must be fiction. I found the fictional parts to be either likely or at least not implausible, excepting a couple incidents in Rudolf's (Sisi's son) youth that felt odd. I won't even touch on Sisi as a person, she's too complex and confounding to decribe in few words, but I felt that Pataki did the best she could at humanizing her while remaining true to her historical record.
Sisi (and the aforementioned The Accidental Empress) are a worthwhile addition to the genre that show a royal family not much touched upon in historical ficiton.
I commend the author in all the research she did as I think she did an astounding job bringing Sisi to life, showing both her strengths and weaknesses. Most everything was brought to life in a way that was easy to visualize. However, in this book I found there to be more telling than showing as far as politics go, which could be a tad boring, plus I felt there were redundancies here and there. I didn't notice any major anachronism other than one phrase that jolted me out of the book that I dearly hope is not in the final edition (<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_time_no_see"; targeet="_blank">"Long time no see."</a> if interested). The author provides a thorough section where she notes what was taken from history, leaving me to conclude what must be fiction. I found the fictional parts to be either likely or at least not implausible, excepting a couple incidents in Rudolf's (Sisi's son) youth that felt odd. I won't even touch on Sisi as a person, she's too complex and confounding to decribe in few words, but I felt that Pataki did the best she could at humanizing her while remaining true to her historical record.
Sisi (and the aforementioned The Accidental Empress) are a worthwhile addition to the genre that show a royal family not much touched upon in historical ficiton.
I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did, to be honest. When I opened the book and first met Lexi, I absolutely hated her. She’s spoilt, throws tantrums and is throwing her life away out of choice. She survives off Daddy’s credit card (if only!) and it is a wonder that she even has friends.
But then as the book goes on, you get to know Lexi. I loved her character development. To be able to read the change in her attitude and see the person behind the drugs was amazing. The way the novel is written shows how much the drugs affected Lexi’s personality, and the change was completely unexpected. To see a character who I thought was selfish and ignorant turn into a loving and caring friend in rehab was heartwarming as well as being extremely true.
In the beginning Lexi tricks the reader into believing all of her lies. I certainly didn’t realise that she was taking the reader for a ride and when I found out that she was lying about some things (not giving any spoilers here!) it truly shocked me. She’s manipulative – but in a way that you expect from an addict.
To reflect an addict’s behaviour as truly as Dawson has managed here is amazing. I never expected the novel to be so honest. I expected rehab to be romanticised and Lexi’s relationship with drugs brushed over, but it completely wasn’t.
This book is a masterpiece and honestly one of a kind. I’ve never discovered a book quite like this, and I don’t think I ever will.
But then as the book goes on, you get to know Lexi. I loved her character development. To be able to read the change in her attitude and see the person behind the drugs was amazing. The way the novel is written shows how much the drugs affected Lexi’s personality, and the change was completely unexpected. To see a character who I thought was selfish and ignorant turn into a loving and caring friend in rehab was heartwarming as well as being extremely true.
In the beginning Lexi tricks the reader into believing all of her lies. I certainly didn’t realise that she was taking the reader for a ride and when I found out that she was lying about some things (not giving any spoilers here!) it truly shocked me. She’s manipulative – but in a way that you expect from an addict.
To reflect an addict’s behaviour as truly as Dawson has managed here is amazing. I never expected the novel to be so honest. I expected rehab to be romanticised and Lexi’s relationship with drugs brushed over, but it completely wasn’t.
This book is a masterpiece and honestly one of a kind. I’ve never discovered a book quite like this, and I don’t think I ever will.
Sarah Lebaigue (1 KP) rated Dunkirk (2017) in Movies
Jan 27, 2018
Acting and script work was on point (2 more)
Costume and set design were perfect
Sound design and score kept my heart racing
Kept my heart racing from beginning to end
Dunkirk is a thrilling film that deserves the Oscar nomination that it has. Nolan has created a masterpiece using time and music to create an intensity that I have never felt before as a movie goer. The film used similar events at different times to mirror one another elegantly.
My heart was always in my throat. I cared about the characters and had a strong connection to the story. I am not a nationalist kind of person by any means, and this film made me ever so proud to be British. With stunning performances from this amazing cast, which made it a group performance without any star or lead actor.
Dunkirk handles the topics of war, death and desperation perfectly and with no nods to Germany or to anything related to the German socialist group. By making the film all about the British characters point of view and removing the name and enemy out of view was a beautiful decision. By this point in time we know about the world wars in depthly and there are many films that talk about it. But this is the first film that doesn’t harp on about the Germans being evil. It was a gorgeous film and one I wish I could see in cinema again, as it’s sound design and cinematography deserved a larger screen.
My heart was always in my throat. I cared about the characters and had a strong connection to the story. I am not a nationalist kind of person by any means, and this film made me ever so proud to be British. With stunning performances from this amazing cast, which made it a group performance without any star or lead actor.
Dunkirk handles the topics of war, death and desperation perfectly and with no nods to Germany or to anything related to the German socialist group. By making the film all about the British characters point of view and removing the name and enemy out of view was a beautiful decision. By this point in time we know about the world wars in depthly and there are many films that talk about it. But this is the first film that doesn’t harp on about the Germans being evil. It was a gorgeous film and one I wish I could see in cinema again, as it’s sound design and cinematography deserved a larger screen.
Dana (24 KP) rated Hamilton: The Revolution in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I am so happy Hamilton was made into a book, especially since I most likely won't be able to see the musical in person anytime soon!
The physical book is so freaking beautiful. I love how huge it is, the cover is amazing, the spine makes me think of all of the Barnes and Noble leather bound classics. I am just so freaking happy about this book!
I love the little annotations throughout the lyrics! It is so awesome to be able to see the amount of detail and thought that went into creating the musical that I didn't think went into writing the musical!
The stories about the cast and writing process were so interesting as well. It makes everything seem more grounded in the lives of the actors. They were all so perfect for their roles.
The stories in here were all very heartwarming. I cried at least four times that I'll admit to. Also, Lin's annotations about the lyrics and his note books are great insights into the depth of how he thought of these lyrics.
I love being able to see the pictures. It's almost like being there. (almost...)
Honestly, I just can't think about anything bad to say about this freaking book! I am just so happy and I love it so much!!
I know they probably do this for a lot of musicals, but this is the first one I've seen and I hope they keep doing this for more Broadway lays-it allows people to get access to something otherwise unavailable to them (myself included).
I just love this all so much!!
The physical book is so freaking beautiful. I love how huge it is, the cover is amazing, the spine makes me think of all of the Barnes and Noble leather bound classics. I am just so freaking happy about this book!
I love the little annotations throughout the lyrics! It is so awesome to be able to see the amount of detail and thought that went into creating the musical that I didn't think went into writing the musical!
The stories about the cast and writing process were so interesting as well. It makes everything seem more grounded in the lives of the actors. They were all so perfect for their roles.
The stories in here were all very heartwarming. I cried at least four times that I'll admit to. Also, Lin's annotations about the lyrics and his note books are great insights into the depth of how he thought of these lyrics.
I love being able to see the pictures. It's almost like being there. (almost...)
Honestly, I just can't think about anything bad to say about this freaking book! I am just so happy and I love it so much!!
I know they probably do this for a lot of musicals, but this is the first one I've seen and I hope they keep doing this for more Broadway lays-it allows people to get access to something otherwise unavailable to them (myself included).
I just love this all so much!!
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Touch in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I can't say I really expected the 2nd novel published by the pseudonymous Claire North to be as good as the 1st ("The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August"), but luckily for me my expectations were handily exceeded. Our protagonist, Kepler, is a being that is able to occupy the body of any person simply by touching them and jumping into their skin. As a result, Kepler, whose sex is never stated, has been able to survive for many lifetimes as a variety of hosts. Things begin with both Kepler, and its current host being framed for several murders and pursued by a mysterious organization, which exists solely to hunt down those with this unique ability. I can't say much more without giving things away, but suffice it to say things move pretty briskly from the get go. Many interesting characters are met along the way, both in the present and in the many flashbacks to Kepler's past "lives", and there are several instances that smartly reference common experiences to make one wonder if just maybe, such a thing could be possible. When we reach the conclusion I didn't really want it to end, but what an ending it is, with an action packed chase sequence that takes place somewhere I won't mention, which would make for a spectacular movie setpiece. This had somewhat fewer "cerebral" moments than Ms. North's previous book, but it was still a smartly plotted and incredibly fun read. Fans of "Harry August" or the films of Christopher Nolan (who, incidentally, would be perfect to make a movie of this) will love it.
Debbiereadsbook (1171 KP) rated The Earth Bleeds Red in Books
Apr 3, 2018
a good book, just not one for me!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Scott and Jessie, and their 17 year old daughter Ashley, live a good life, a happy life. Til one day, it all goes terribly wrong and Ashley is kidnapped, possibly dead. Scott and Jessie need to keep it together long enough for Ashley to be found alive, or not.
Sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone is a really good thing but, while a well told story, this one just didn't quite hit the spot. And I don't really know why!
Told mostly from Scott's point of view, in the first, it deals with how a family copes when tragedy strikes.
We do get some other people, in the third person, but they felt more of a narration of their voice, rather than THEM speaking, if that makes any sense?? I didn't connect to them in any way, not even when the bad guy has his five minutes, and you know how much I LOVE getting into the mind of the bad guy! I just felt, apart from Scott, totally disconnected from everyone else.
It is well written, and I saw no editing or spelling errors. It does get a little graphic in places, when being told what was done to Ashley when she was kidnapped, but it is not in any way romantic. Not even before Ashley was kidnapped, did I feel the romance between Scott and Jessie.
A good book, just not one for me and I'm sorry for that!
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Scott and Jessie, and their 17 year old daughter Ashley, live a good life, a happy life. Til one day, it all goes terribly wrong and Ashley is kidnapped, possibly dead. Scott and Jessie need to keep it together long enough for Ashley to be found alive, or not.
Sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone is a really good thing but, while a well told story, this one just didn't quite hit the spot. And I don't really know why!
Told mostly from Scott's point of view, in the first, it deals with how a family copes when tragedy strikes.
We do get some other people, in the third person, but they felt more of a narration of their voice, rather than THEM speaking, if that makes any sense?? I didn't connect to them in any way, not even when the bad guy has his five minutes, and you know how much I LOVE getting into the mind of the bad guy! I just felt, apart from Scott, totally disconnected from everyone else.
It is well written, and I saw no editing or spelling errors. It does get a little graphic in places, when being told what was done to Ashley when she was kidnapped, but it is not in any way romantic. Not even before Ashley was kidnapped, did I feel the romance between Scott and Jessie.
A good book, just not one for me and I'm sorry for that!
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated Back to the Future Part II (1989) in Movies
Aug 8, 2018
Great cast yet again (3 more)
Funny and smart
A flying delorian!!!!!
Seeing what could have been
The greatest time travel movie of all time!
This is by far my favourite of the trilogy and that's saying something because the all the movies are fantastic.
Compared to the others though this has everything. They go everywhere. Past, present, future and alternate timelines which takes you on a fun journey.
The music is again fantastic and adds to every selcebe whether it's funny, suspenseful or just full of action.
There is a cast change with Jennifer but this ain't really distracting. Tbh I didn't even notice until later on and I'm aware of some drama behind the scenes with Crispin Glover which meant they had to use a stand in and nothing was noticeable. The actors were on top form playing different ages of themselves.
Their take on the future was an interesting 1 and nothing like what we actually have considering they went to the year 2015. Hoverboards, hologram jaws, flying cars and who would ever wear their trousers inside out haha and not an iPhone in sight. I found the past far more interesting as it's set during the first movie.
The story was great basically going into the whole thing about being seduced by the knowledge of the future to help yourself in the past. It's something we all want to do and given to the wrong person you can see how dark things can go.
Overall a fantastic, fun, charming movie which can easily be recommended and easily one of my favourite movies of all time.
Compared to the others though this has everything. They go everywhere. Past, present, future and alternate timelines which takes you on a fun journey.
The music is again fantastic and adds to every selcebe whether it's funny, suspenseful or just full of action.
There is a cast change with Jennifer but this ain't really distracting. Tbh I didn't even notice until later on and I'm aware of some drama behind the scenes with Crispin Glover which meant they had to use a stand in and nothing was noticeable. The actors were on top form playing different ages of themselves.
Their take on the future was an interesting 1 and nothing like what we actually have considering they went to the year 2015. Hoverboards, hologram jaws, flying cars and who would ever wear their trousers inside out haha and not an iPhone in sight. I found the past far more interesting as it's set during the first movie.
The story was great basically going into the whole thing about being seduced by the knowledge of the future to help yourself in the past. It's something we all want to do and given to the wrong person you can see how dark things can go.
Overall a fantastic, fun, charming movie which can easily be recommended and easily one of my favourite movies of all time.
Jemma Walsh (81 KP) rated Dead Simple (Roy Grace book 1) in Books
Aug 17, 2018
Can’t put this book down (2 more)
Familiar area
Good series
Gripping
Contains spoilers, click to show
This first book of the Roy grace series is brilliant. I was instantly hooked, I couldn’t put this book down it was so good
What drew me to these books is the location they are set in. Visually the area is so well described which is great for Imagening the area, the people the story...
I needed to know weather Michael would escape! Would Davey finally admit he’s been talking to someone on a walk or talkie.
I love this the story is focused on different point of veiws rather than one person. You get to experience roys life, Michaels life and Daveys life.
Michael the joker his friends decide to play a big prank on his that goes horrible wrong for everyone. They all get into and accident only on friend survived, the only one that knows Micheal location who is due to get married. He doesn’t let the police know of his friendly location who
Is trapped under ground in a coffin.
You get to experience how Micheal feels, what he thinks, desperate for the guy that has the other end of the walkie talkie to save him and find his location before time runs out!
I love that we have a story background of Roy grace, his wife just left one day and he’s never seen or Heard from her since. Is she dead or alive, did she just up and leave with no note. What happened to sandy!? I need to know and this is what gets you hooked. Sandy where are too? What happened ? I hope we find out in one of the books.
What drew me to these books is the location they are set in. Visually the area is so well described which is great for Imagening the area, the people the story...
I needed to know weather Michael would escape! Would Davey finally admit he’s been talking to someone on a walk or talkie.
I love this the story is focused on different point of veiws rather than one person. You get to experience roys life, Michaels life and Daveys life.
Michael the joker his friends decide to play a big prank on his that goes horrible wrong for everyone. They all get into and accident only on friend survived, the only one that knows Micheal location who is due to get married. He doesn’t let the police know of his friendly location who
Is trapped under ground in a coffin.
You get to experience how Micheal feels, what he thinks, desperate for the guy that has the other end of the walkie talkie to save him and find his location before time runs out!
I love that we have a story background of Roy grace, his wife just left one day and he’s never seen or Heard from her since. Is she dead or alive, did she just up and leave with no note. What happened to sandy!? I need to know and this is what gets you hooked. Sandy where are too? What happened ? I hope we find out in one of the books.
I have never been too interested in historical accounts of disasters, natural or man-made. I got this book free from Amazon for Kindle and I genuinely could not put it down from start to finish. It is a really harrowing modern account of one of the worst man-made disasters in world history and it takes you though the entire history and backstory of nuclear power and the Chernobyl disaster, including what became of everyone involved at the time, the global political backlash and comparisons with much more recent nuclear accidents such as Fukushima.
In between chapters, the narrator simultaneously includes his own first-person account of his visit to Chernobyl and the neighbouring ghost town of Pripyat, some 32 years after the fallout which killed, injured and displaced so many people in the Ukraine.
Included in the text are photographs of the sarcophagus, the ghost town of Pripyat and documentation from the official enquiry (in translation from the original Cyrillic text). One of the most enthralling chapters is a very stomach-churning, matter-of-fact detail of what actually happens to a human body when affected by radiation poisoning. This chapter is seriously not for the faint-hearted!!
Leatherbarrow has done an absolutely fantastic job here, over 5 years of research to build an account of something I have heard of all my life but no writing has quite enthralled me like this book did. The juxtaposition of the historical and the modern help to transform this text from the dryly historical account that it could have been into a thoroughly readable and dare I say unputdownable account of one the the worlds biggest nuclear disasters.
In between chapters, the narrator simultaneously includes his own first-person account of his visit to Chernobyl and the neighbouring ghost town of Pripyat, some 32 years after the fallout which killed, injured and displaced so many people in the Ukraine.
Included in the text are photographs of the sarcophagus, the ghost town of Pripyat and documentation from the official enquiry (in translation from the original Cyrillic text). One of the most enthralling chapters is a very stomach-churning, matter-of-fact detail of what actually happens to a human body when affected by radiation poisoning. This chapter is seriously not for the faint-hearted!!
Leatherbarrow has done an absolutely fantastic job here, over 5 years of research to build an account of something I have heard of all my life but no writing has quite enthralled me like this book did. The juxtaposition of the historical and the modern help to transform this text from the dryly historical account that it could have been into a thoroughly readable and dare I say unputdownable account of one the the worlds biggest nuclear disasters.