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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated I Owe You One in Books
Apr 4, 2019 (Updated Apr 5, 2019)
Predictable but sweet
This book had to grow on me. In the beginning, Fixie drove me a little crazy. I was less irritated with her devotion to her family (perhaps I could relate there), but I was annoyed at how clueless she was in her adoration to Ryan Chalker, who was just terrible. And truly, Fixie's siblings were pretty awful to her, too. There were very few side characters in this one who were easy to like. Even Sebastian, whose laptop Fixie rescues (and who, obviously, becomes her love interest), goes back to his girlfriend a little often for my taste. Which is sad, because otherwise the Fixie/Seb dynamic is quite enjoyable and really quite funny. Still, the poor girl was clearly under a lot of pressure with her family and the store, so I get some of her behavior there. As for Ryan, I'm not so sure what her excuse was!
Still, this book wins you over with time. Fixie is an engaging character and really, rather endearing. She can't help but be who she is and she really can't help whom she is surrounded by (except Ryan--let's just all agree he's awful). When Seb enters the scene, things become more funny, and things pick up as Fixie starts to grow into her own skin. This growth is a Kinsella staple, and she does it well. There's moments of her trademark humor, as well.
Overall, this one is predictable but sweet, and once I got past some of Fixie's issues, I enjoyed it. It's a light, quick read.
Still, this book wins you over with time. Fixie is an engaging character and really, rather endearing. She can't help but be who she is and she really can't help whom she is surrounded by (except Ryan--let's just all agree he's awful). When Seb enters the scene, things become more funny, and things pick up as Fixie starts to grow into her own skin. This growth is a Kinsella staple, and she does it well. There's moments of her trademark humor, as well.
Overall, this one is predictable but sweet, and once I got past some of Fixie's issues, I enjoyed it. It's a light, quick read.
Neil Hannon recommended The Rite Of Spring by Igor Stravinsky in Music (curated)
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Batman: Gotham After Midnight in Books
Jun 24, 2019
This novel contains 12 episodes of Batman stories, each full of action and crime and excitement. It includes Man-Bat, Axe-Man, Clayface, The Joker, Killer Croc, Catwoman, Scarecrow and the new villain, Midnight. At first, Batman is trying to figure out why his villains are suddenly changing their patterns. But then Midnight comes into the scene...
Batman becomes rather attached to a police officer, although Bruce Wayne has no success with her. But can he save her from this strange, crazy new murderer?
The detective side of this - especially toward the end, when Batman is close to discovering Midnight's identity - is fantastic. Full of suspense. Of course, his encounters with the enemies are great, too. I wasn't sure about his relationship with April, but I like how it all fit together in the end.
The inner monologue - and even the dialogue - wasn't great. The text that was chosen for this also wasn't the wisest. But the story got told and that's all that really matters in the end.
And Alfred... I love him! He's witty and smart, but also caring and wise when it comes to dealing with Batman. He often has to tell Batman to pull himself together and to stop being an idiot. I think he may be my favourite character.
The art was great and I liked the story, but the dodgy, clunky monologue was quite off-putting. Even so, it was an easy read still so it obviously wasn't that bad. I think I'll say 4 stars for this, though I may be being a little generous there.
Batman becomes rather attached to a police officer, although Bruce Wayne has no success with her. But can he save her from this strange, crazy new murderer?
The detective side of this - especially toward the end, when Batman is close to discovering Midnight's identity - is fantastic. Full of suspense. Of course, his encounters with the enemies are great, too. I wasn't sure about his relationship with April, but I like how it all fit together in the end.
The inner monologue - and even the dialogue - wasn't great. The text that was chosen for this also wasn't the wisest. But the story got told and that's all that really matters in the end.
And Alfred... I love him! He's witty and smart, but also caring and wise when it comes to dealing with Batman. He often has to tell Batman to pull himself together and to stop being an idiot. I think he may be my favourite character.
The art was great and I liked the story, but the dodgy, clunky monologue was quite off-putting. Even so, it was an easy read still so it obviously wasn't that bad. I think I'll say 4 stars for this, though I may be being a little generous there.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated One Hour Photo (2002) in Movies
Nov 1, 2019
Psychological Photo's
One Hour Photo- is a underrated movie, that more people should watch, see and know about. It is twisted, psychological, thrilling, chilling, intense, creepy and dramatic. Robin Williams is excellent in this film. He freaks you out. He makes you scared. So lets talk about the film..
The Plot: Sy Parrish runs a one-hour photo developing lab in a small mall. He's a perfectionist about his work and generous to his regular customers, including a typical family headed by Will Yorkin. Over the years, he's seen their family grow through their photographs, but when he sees evidence of Yorkin being unfaithful, coupled with a threat to his position, his already precarious mental state tips over the edge.
In one of the voice-over pieces Sy can be heard to say "They actually believe that any idiot that attends a two-day seminar can master the art of making beautiful prints in less than an hour. But of course, like most things, there's far more to it than meets the eye." Robin Williams prepared for the role by training for two and-a-half days in a Southern California photo development lab.
In the DVD commentary, Romanek says that Jack Nicholson was first approached to play the lead character. Nicholson turned the role down reportedly because he thought the character was too similar to the role he played in The Shining.
Speaking of the Shining, Robin Williams was up for the part of Jack, but Jack Nicolson got the part. Intresting fact.
This film is a must see, a great psychological thriller.
The Plot: Sy Parrish runs a one-hour photo developing lab in a small mall. He's a perfectionist about his work and generous to his regular customers, including a typical family headed by Will Yorkin. Over the years, he's seen their family grow through their photographs, but when he sees evidence of Yorkin being unfaithful, coupled with a threat to his position, his already precarious mental state tips over the edge.
In one of the voice-over pieces Sy can be heard to say "They actually believe that any idiot that attends a two-day seminar can master the art of making beautiful prints in less than an hour. But of course, like most things, there's far more to it than meets the eye." Robin Williams prepared for the role by training for two and-a-half days in a Southern California photo development lab.
In the DVD commentary, Romanek says that Jack Nicholson was first approached to play the lead character. Nicholson turned the role down reportedly because he thought the character was too similar to the role he played in The Shining.
Speaking of the Shining, Robin Williams was up for the part of Jack, but Jack Nicolson got the part. Intresting fact.
This film is a must see, a great psychological thriller.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Logan Lucky (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Jimmy Logan is down on his lucky, his busted knee from college football has just lost him another job. His brother wants you to believe it's the Logan's curse plaguing their family again. That nonsense isn't going to stop Jimmy, getting something out of his life. He's got a plan.
There's going to be a robbery.
It doesn't matter how often I see the title, my brain always recalls it as Lucky Logan, it sounds so much better that way round.
I enjoyed this one, I'm glad I saw it, but I don't think I'll need to see it again. At 119 minutes long it was a little painful to watch, not because it was bad, but because it felt like every minute of that time. I actually checked the clock because I thought it must have been ending soon and it had only been on for an hour.
Despite that, all the stars worked really well on screen together. It was a little off to see Craig in that role, but he played it with a nice amusing spin. I just went on a fun little Kevin Bacon loop as well, as I didn't realise there was a Gleeson in it... "wait, he's not the one I know" after a few click I realised that this one's brother was in American Made... small world!
It's a fun story line, and you do get a bit of an Ocean's feel about the whole thing. It is pretty much Ocean's Eleven with hillbillies. The ending did amuse me. I'm not sure why they left it like that, but it does leave you wondering...
There's going to be a robbery.
It doesn't matter how often I see the title, my brain always recalls it as Lucky Logan, it sounds so much better that way round.
I enjoyed this one, I'm glad I saw it, but I don't think I'll need to see it again. At 119 minutes long it was a little painful to watch, not because it was bad, but because it felt like every minute of that time. I actually checked the clock because I thought it must have been ending soon and it had only been on for an hour.
Despite that, all the stars worked really well on screen together. It was a little off to see Craig in that role, but he played it with a nice amusing spin. I just went on a fun little Kevin Bacon loop as well, as I didn't realise there was a Gleeson in it... "wait, he's not the one I know" after a few click I realised that this one's brother was in American Made... small world!
It's a fun story line, and you do get a bit of an Ocean's feel about the whole thing. It is pretty much Ocean's Eleven with hillbillies. The ending did amuse me. I'm not sure why they left it like that, but it does leave you wondering...
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Love in a Nutshell (Culhane Family #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
Kate Appleton is at a point in her life where things couldn't possibly be worse. She is currently living in Keene's Harbor in Michigan in an attempt to fix up her parent's summer home into a Bed and Breakfast before the new mortgage holder takes over.
Matt Culhane is at a point in his life where things couldn't be better. His Depot Brewery and restaurant is doing great and he has plans for more businesses in the very near future. He does have one small problem, though. Someone seems to be after him.
After being fired from her job Kate starts working for Matt as a "floater" and spy. It's her job to find the saboteur in the establishment as well as help out where she is needed. What will happen between them during this time?
I didn't dive into this book the way I thought I would when I got this book from the library. Trying to continue my [a:Janet Evanovich|2384|Janet Evanovich|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1385051483p2/2384.jpg] challenge this was the next book I picked up. I started with the Stephanie Plum series, but I am waiting for [b:Three to Get Deadly|6854|Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum, #3)|Janet Evanovich|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311727539s/6854.jpg|1341652] to become available.
Mostly this was a cute story that held my interest at certain parts. About half way through, the excitement picked up and helped to carry me to the end. I like Kate's character and she seemed like someone I would be friends with. The same with Matt. He is not your typical guy, he is a true gentleman that genuinely care for those around him. He's the kind of guy every woman wants. This was not one of my favorites, but I am not giving up on my challenge.
The next book I'm going to read for the Challenge is [b:The Husband List|15793075|The Husband List (Culhane Family #2)|Janet Evanovich|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345686386s/15793075.jpg|21416771] which is also co-authored by [a:Dorien Kelly|176341|Dorien Kelly|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1296407006p2/176341.jpg]. I got this from the library at the same time as this book. I'm going to take a small break from JE for a while though and switch to something different.
Matt Culhane is at a point in his life where things couldn't be better. His Depot Brewery and restaurant is doing great and he has plans for more businesses in the very near future. He does have one small problem, though. Someone seems to be after him.
After being fired from her job Kate starts working for Matt as a "floater" and spy. It's her job to find the saboteur in the establishment as well as help out where she is needed. What will happen between them during this time?
I didn't dive into this book the way I thought I would when I got this book from the library. Trying to continue my [a:Janet Evanovich|2384|Janet Evanovich|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1385051483p2/2384.jpg] challenge this was the next book I picked up. I started with the Stephanie Plum series, but I am waiting for [b:Three to Get Deadly|6854|Three to Get Deadly (Stephanie Plum, #3)|Janet Evanovich|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311727539s/6854.jpg|1341652] to become available.
Mostly this was a cute story that held my interest at certain parts. About half way through, the excitement picked up and helped to carry me to the end. I like Kate's character and she seemed like someone I would be friends with. The same with Matt. He is not your typical guy, he is a true gentleman that genuinely care for those around him. He's the kind of guy every woman wants. This was not one of my favorites, but I am not giving up on my challenge.
The next book I'm going to read for the Challenge is [b:The Husband List|15793075|The Husband List (Culhane Family #2)|Janet Evanovich|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345686386s/15793075.jpg|21416771] which is also co-authored by [a:Dorien Kelly|176341|Dorien Kelly|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1296407006p2/176341.jpg]. I got this from the library at the same time as this book. I'm going to take a small break from JE for a while though and switch to something different.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Unearthing the Fae King (Bramble's Edge Academy, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I got this one, too, as a freebie from Amazon a week or two ago for the UF/PR A-Z Challenge on Goodreads.
This starts with Ryker trying to escape from fellow fae who are trying to force him into going to the Bramble Edge Academy to start his training. He's resisting after his mum tells him tales of abuse and strange treatments but he ends up being captured and starting at the academy. A week or so later Maurelle is also captured after her powers manifest but her mum is killed in the process. Neither of them are happy at the academy but neither put up much of a fight against the strict headmistress and they don't understand why. Then they decide to investigate.
This had a different description which drew me in. Humans are in charge and fae are classed as a lower form of being, forced to live in squalor and in the edges of big cities. The academies are run by the humans and fae who leave the schools are only too happy to work under them. It was a puzzle to me just why that was.
Unfortunately though, it was taking a long time to get where it was going. I think if the plot had sped up a little or had a little more excitement going for it, I would have been very into this. As I mentioned above, it did have a promising premise but it was failing to grab me. I got to a point where I didn't want to pick this up anymore.
As for the writing. Well, it felt a little stilted at times. They may be fae but what teen talks like they were doing in this? Their actions were more teenager like than their words most of the time. The sentences didn't always read the best, either:
"They turned down another street and she was surprised to see a number of Fae out and about still this late at night."
"The moment she noticed he blended with the shadows that ended and reality came back."
I'm sure some people will love this but I like a good bit of action in my paranormal books and there hadn't been any in those first 36%. I was a little disappointed.
This starts with Ryker trying to escape from fellow fae who are trying to force him into going to the Bramble Edge Academy to start his training. He's resisting after his mum tells him tales of abuse and strange treatments but he ends up being captured and starting at the academy. A week or so later Maurelle is also captured after her powers manifest but her mum is killed in the process. Neither of them are happy at the academy but neither put up much of a fight against the strict headmistress and they don't understand why. Then they decide to investigate.
This had a different description which drew me in. Humans are in charge and fae are classed as a lower form of being, forced to live in squalor and in the edges of big cities. The academies are run by the humans and fae who leave the schools are only too happy to work under them. It was a puzzle to me just why that was.
Unfortunately though, it was taking a long time to get where it was going. I think if the plot had sped up a little or had a little more excitement going for it, I would have been very into this. As I mentioned above, it did have a promising premise but it was failing to grab me. I got to a point where I didn't want to pick this up anymore.
As for the writing. Well, it felt a little stilted at times. They may be fae but what teen talks like they were doing in this? Their actions were more teenager like than their words most of the time. The sentences didn't always read the best, either:
"They turned down another street and she was surprised to see a number of Fae out and about still this late at night."
"The moment she noticed he blended with the shadows that ended and reality came back."
I'm sure some people will love this but I like a good bit of action in my paranormal books and there hadn't been any in those first 36%. I was a little disappointed.
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