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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
7
8.2 (101 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dysfunctional and heart-warming
Read this before I made the decision to watch the movie, and I certainly enjoyed the book more (although the movie was not a bad one). The more I read the book, the more I was hooked, (possibly because it was quite a heavy read, and I wanted to finish it, again not because I dislike it). Many of the characters are likeable, and the material was well written.
A coming of age story of a young man beginning high school with the emotional and mental baggage of his traumatic childhood. Charlie was an unusual main lead, appearing quite odd at times and very emotional. He made friends with Sam and Patrick, and the relationship was heart warming if not a little dysfunctional.
My rating of the book, did not quite give it the max rating, as I felt after I had finished reading, I was left a little confused, and with a number of unanswered questions. At times throughout the novel, I kept thinking the next chapter will be the big reveal, but that chapter never came.
I can see why it has the following it has, went mainstream and has remained popular, but not a book I aim to reread anytime soon.
  
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Dana (24 KP) rated Red Queen in Books

Mar 23, 2018  
Red Queen
Red Queen
Victoria Aveyard | 2015 | Young Adult (YA)
10
8.0 (64 Ratings)
Book Rating
HOLY CRAP!!! THAT TWIST THOUGH!!!!

I really enjoyed the writing style of this novel. The way that Victoria Aveyard crafted the story made it very easy to get into the world. The rules of the world were set up really early on and there weren't too many of the usual YA tropes in it. I loved reading the character interactions in this story. They just felt really organic and lively. Mare was very well written. She was created with care and not condescended to in the writing. I felt like she, along with the other characters, were taken care of with the highest respect. That being said, it was really easy to start hating characters that I had previously loved. Thanks, Victoria. Like I didn't need my heart broken. I actually wasn't supposed to start reading this until after I finished my finals, but that is not what happened. It was too enticing and then I didn't want to put it down. The only reason I did was because I noticed that I actually had important assignments that I had to do.

I really recommend this novel to anyone who likes Fantasy and Dystopian novels. It is a perfect blend of the two and a really fun read. You will not want to stop until you finish!
  
Dunkirk (2017)
Dunkirk (2017)
2017 | Action, History, War
Acting and script work was on point (2 more)
Costume and set design were perfect
Sound design and score kept my heart racing
It’s a brilliant film but it will not lend itself to the smaller screen (0 more)
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.
  
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
2018 | Biography, Drama, Music
Killer queen
#BohemianRhapsody while maybe not the moast truthful #queen film still manages to be an extremely well made/incredibly entertaining & at times quite an #emotionally powerful film. Just like #thegreatestshowman this film has been panned by critics & for the first 30 minutes I was worried. With a run time of over 2 hours I felt a little disoriented at the start by its seemingly abrupt pacing, wishing the #film would #chill out for a bit with its characters instead of skipping through time & the forming of the #band. Thankfully just after this the film flips when we hit the #heart of the story slowing down & we really get to see the real #Freddiemercury the things that drive him & the torments in his mind. #ramimalek is the clear star of the #show here, he doesn't just play freddie he actually has become him in a performance so mesmerising, fascinating & remarkable he really does deserve an award for what he has achived here. Every scene with him in is entrancing to watch & I found myself getting lost in the film by his performance alone. Make no mistake about it the film doesnt do much different to other films in this genre but having a film be about a mainstream #band that can unite the world with their #music there was that extra level of impact, connection & #heart to the story. Maybe I enjoyed it so much because its a story is so relatable too, playing out almost like a failed #relationship with someone you love starting in the #happy phase then moving gradually right through to the break up & then onto the struggle after it & I won't lie when I say it got to me a bit (I could also hear other people #crying too). Visualy there are some very #creative shots/great cinematography to & the #concert scenes felt so real & well constructed that I felt like I was there at one point clapping away. While it may bend the truth, sugar coat what actually happened & probably wouldnt be the same without such an incredible lead performance carrying it my god is it a good time & for me anyway quite though provoking & moving too. A must see on the big screen. #odeonlimitless #odeon #filmcritic #filmbuff #fridayfeeling #weekend #famous #rockandroll #disco #love #wewillrockyou
  
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Book Divas (227 KP) rated Schism in Books

Dec 12, 2017  
S
Schism
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was such an adrenaline rush that I was left feeling like I wanted or better yet, needed to jump out of my skin. The story line was an intense and thrilling ride from beginning to end and the characters were unique and their individualities shined through. The world building puts you smack dab in the virus riddled world and you quickly find yourself immersed in the thick of things.
 
My heart felt for what these children and young adults have had to endure and I am anxiously awaiting the release of the next book. This read deserves more than five teacups {stars} and truly a must read. This debut novel is a HIT and a dystopian masterpiece.
 
{I received a copy when I signed up to host the book promotion and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own}.
  
IH
I Heart You, You Haunt Me
6
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I Heart You You Haunt Me … is a little odd. It’s hard to describe it, really. Ava is so attached to Jackson, she loves him so much, yet hanging on to him is becoming more trouble than it’s worth. I was torn between wanting her to hang on to him in his ghost form, and wanting her to move on.

However in the whole scheme of things, it seemed just a little redundant, repetitive, and silly. It was painful and sad and sweet at times, but also a little absurd at times. I can’t really say if I liked it.

I did, however, like the end. What needed to happen, did happen. It had a pretty strong conclusion, though I felt almost like the author went one or two pages longer than she needed to (It was written in verse).

Content/Recommendation: clean, some kissing. Ages 12+
  
The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter, #1)
The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter, #1)
Megan Shepherd | 2013 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am very glad I finally picked up this book. I got it for Christmas, but started reading so many other books that this one kinda got left behind. It is a great example of how creepy and intriguing can be mixed together in a very nice way. I loved the story itself. There were only a few moments where I felt that I c ould tell what was going to happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the forst page. I really liked how all of the characters were named after other literary characters. It just made the book that much more fun for me. I would recommend this to anyone who likes gothic style horror and does not have a faint heart. There are a few scenes that can get intense and violent. I can't wait to start reading the next one!
  
Heart-Shaped Box
Heart-Shaped Box
Joe Hill | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.0 (13 Ratings)
Book Rating
I couldn't decide whether or not to give this book 3 or 4 stars, so I'm going to give it 3.5 stars.

I thought this was a good read for the most part as I'm a big fan of horror books. I loved that there were a few scary bits in Heart-Shaped Box. I liked the character of Craddock and could actually imagine him to be a real ghost.

Jude, Marybeth and Anna were all believable characters as well.

What I didn't like was the BIG age gap between Jude and the girls he dates. That's just a personal thing though.

I felt that this book was lacking a bit of something although I can't put my finger on it. It's a great idea for a story but there's something else it could've had.

I'd still recommend this book for all fans of the horror genre.