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Louise (64 KP) rated In Bloom in Books

Jul 2, 2018  
In Bloom
In Bloom
Matthew Crow | 2014 | Children
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well here is my review. I never write reviews as I get a bit tongued tied!

I was lucky enough to win a free copy of Matthew crow's `In Bloom` from the good reads giveaway.
I have never read anything from this author before,so I didn't know what to expect,but I can tell you I wasn't disappointed.
The story is told by fifteen year old Francis Wootton who has recently discovered he has leukaemia. Francis is very intellectual and grown up for his age,this could be due to his dysfunctional family( gay brother,absent father,mad grandmother).
During Francis treatment he meets Amber and their love blossoms,crow covers love,relationship,bravery and hardship within this book
I think this book would be classed as young adult,and very much reminds me of sue Townsend's Adrian mole.
I will be looking out for more books from this author.
  
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Jarom Solar Norris (177 KP) rated Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) in Movies

Nov 9, 2018 (Updated Feb 13, 2019)  
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
2018 | Biography, Drama, Music
What’s not to like about Queen? Bohemian Rhapsody does an excellent job of telling a dramatic history of the band and its forerunner, Freddie Mercury. Rami Malek does an excellent performance. Parts of the movie are like watching a hilarious “How It’s Made” video of some of the best music of the century, parts of it are literally just watching concerts and listening to awesome music. Most importantly, there’s the story of Mercury’s evolution, which is a story arc any writer could only dream of: a British-Indian man abandoning his heritage, struggling to balance love for a woman with being gay, being manipulated by a manager turned lover, being scrutinized by the media, and eventually being able to be comfortable with who he is, all the while using his talent to push the band to create more and more musical innovations. It’s so good.
  
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
1975 | Drama, Horror, War

"This is one of the most beautiful movies ever made. Even with the atrocities and torture, it has real texture and an aesthetic aspect to it. Even the shit looks special. Pasolini is a very dear person for me. You have people who are Christian filmmakers or left-wing filmmakers or liberal filmmakers, but then you have a person like him, just a gay leftist who made the best Bible movie ever. I think that says something about how he could catapult himself into these big political discussions in a way that not everyone can do. If Paul Greengrass made this movie, you would get something that would be interesting politically, but you wouldn’t get any kind of texture or beauty. So that’s what I really admire about Pasolini, that in the midst of all this torture and sadism the movie is still very beautiful and very unique."

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While I'm not a big fan of MaryJanice Davidson's work, I've still semi-enjoyed a few of her other books, although there was the case of an exceptionally horrendous short story, but this book was pretty bad - nay, terrible. The book was disjointed and had very underdeveloped characters. Supposedly it's a romance, but the only romance it has is between Dr. Barb and Jonas, who were actually the best characters in the book, which is saying a lot. Although really, Jonas seemed gay; is there any straight man that acts like that? Even metrosexuals? There was just much. I doubt the average gay guy acts this way. It's just insulting...to everyone! Fred was a horrible character and had no redeeming features what-so-ever. I mean it's nice to have a different heroine who isn't the typical cookie-cutter image but this is ridiculous. I could not even fathom (heehee, get it? Fathom? The ocean? Water? Oh, forget it. ;P) what Thomas or Artur could see in her, or why they would like her, especially since they didn't know her except for her surly nature. Honestly, this is a horrible start to this series. I thought it would be a fun and interesting take on mermaids, but I could have written something better, which is sad. The more I think about it the more upset I am. I mean, yes I had a chuckle here and there, yes there were some interesting aspects, but there really wasn't a story and I can't imagine anyone actually caring for these characters. How dare Ms. Davidson maim poor mermaids, undersea folk, or whatever; I've always had a fondness for these mythical(?) creatures. I'm sorry this was such a travesty when there aren't very many books that feature merpeople. Luckily, it's a very quick read and I didn't pay eight bucks for this...this--well you get the drift. Thank you BookMooch! ;D
  
Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform #6)
Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform #6)
Annabeth Albert | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform #6) by Annabeth Albert
Tight Quarters is the sixth book in the Out of Uniform series, and if M/M Romance mixed in with a Military scenario does it for you, then you really need to check out this series.

In this book, we reunite with Bacon (and yep, that is his real name!). He is none too happy because he has been stuck with babysitting duty for an embedded journalist, one he actually admires and knows is gay. Bacon himself is Pan, and I loved him for it. Now, Bacon has a history, and is a SEAL. Bryant is a gay journalist. Whatever could go wrong?

This is a book of two halves - the first part being with Spencer embedded and them both fighting their attraction. The second is when Spencer is no longer in the team, and they give up fighting. I honestly can't tell you which half I prefer! For differing reasons, both parts are fantastic, and definitely make up the whole.

With stories that need to be written, but jobs that need to be protected, these two face a horrible decision that left me crossing my fingers and hoping for a happy ending. No knowledge of the American Military is needed as Ms. Albert gives out enough information for it all to make sense, without disclosing any secrets.

I keep thinking to myself that this series can't go on for much longer. How many different military stories can one author do? And then Ms. Albert comes out with something new, something refreshing and unique that makes me fall in love with her characters all over again. How many is too many? I don't have the answer to that, but I do know I definitely need more in this series. Absolutely and highly recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Giovanni's Room
Giovanni's Room
James Baldwin | 2007 | Essays
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is one of those great works of literature where despite loathing the protagonist, the prose is so magnificent you can see past it - almost. It definitely reminded me of Nabokov's renowned tale Lolita where you detest Humbert Humbert, but it's still a masterpiece.

This is the story of an American David, set in the 1950s-1960s, who begins a tumultuous love affair with an Italian man in Paris, while deciding whether to marry his fiancee. He is arrogant, selfish, spoilt and horribly flawed to the point you just think he's more evil than misguided. He can't admit to himself that he is gay, but instead strings along everyone around him and says he's punishing himself. In the end, his lack of character destroys everyone around him including himself but in a very different way. Massively misogynistic at times and I'm not sure if it was the author's intention or a reflection of how he also sees women. Beautifully written nonetheless.
  
I did love this story.. It is book 5 in this series and it can be read as a standalone as well. I am a little sad that the other characters didn't come into play in this story as much as they did in the first 4 stories. This one got a little bit more confusing for me.. it had a bit of tech type stuff in it and I don't know the first thing about that but overall it was very well written and interesting. I loved the issues that Jeff had with himself and who he was.. but he was very out and proud.. Drake didnt seem to have those issues but had his own set of issues including not being out. I loved how it came out that he is gay because that was totally sweet. It was a very interesting story and I cannot wait to see what book 6 is about.
  
Thank goodness. A particular story arc is finally closed, spread over the length of this and the previous novel. It was interesting at first, then it got really tiresome. I will say that it was fairly unique, which is fairly rare, so kudos to Flewelling for that, and it really tested the relationship between Alec and Seregil while it lasted.

I'm not sure how much longer these books can stay fresh, although the world does offer more potential. Perhaps it's time for Flewelling to allow this couple to turn things over to a new generation? Their heritage does mean they'll be young enough for nightrunning for years to come, but that doesn't mean readers will stay interested in reading about them that long unless they go off to countries as yet unexplored. I, to be honest, would prefer to read stories including more female POV characters for a change. (I have nothing against gay male characters - I just like female characters, too.)
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) in Movies

Oct 24, 2018 (Updated Oct 24, 2018)  
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
2018 | Biography, Drama, Music
Unimaginatively-titled, probably-inevitable Queen movie doesn't really take many risks in telling the remarkable story of Farrokh Bulsara, a gay Asian baggage-handler at Heathrow Airport who reinvents himself as the supremely charismatic frontman of one of the most enduringly popular rock bands in history. Very much the family-friendly Hollywood version of the band's story, hitting all the beats you'd expect and soft-pedalling some of the excesses of Freddie Mercury's lifestyle.

That said, assuming you're okay with the fact that this is a rather fictionalised retelling of the tale (history is quietly rewritten throughout), there is a huge amount here to enjoy: the band are well-cast, it's not afraid of the odd Spinal Tap moment, and obviously the music is tremendous (assuming you're a Queen fan, and if you're not why would you be watching a Queen movie?). It's also unexpectedly moving in places, particularly in the closing stages. Not perfect by any means, but still a really good piece of entertainment.
  
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Will Young recommended Guilty by Barbra Streisand in Music (curated)

 
Guilty by Barbra Streisand
Guilty by Barbra Streisand
1980 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I came to it because I was very like, "I'm gay but I do not like Barbra Streisand. I don't own a Barbra Streisand album", then I went to an Oxfam gig - and it was Hot Chip actually - at their really good store in Dalston. Anyway I was a bit drunk afterwards and picked it up and thought: "That will be good for a laugh." I took it home and it didn't stop being played for about two years. It was the record that, whenever I came back with friends, would be put on, and I think I won a few people over to it. And because I bought it on vinyl second-hand, it would always have this one track where it skips and I'd always have to run and change the record. Then I downloaded it when I bought it on CD and now it doesn't skip, I really hate it!"

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