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Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Love Fortunes and Other Disasters (Grimbaud, #1) in Books
Sep 10, 2019
In Grimbaud, love is on everyone’s mind. From the annual ritual of getting a completely true love fortune from Zita’s charm shop to the statue of Love in the square, that is just about the only thing that matters in the town. This is great for those who have found their matches and live happily ever after. For those who are fated to be single forever, not so much. They quickly become the social outcasts in the town and join the Spinster and Bachelor villas.
For Fallon Dupree, a spinster fortune is just another reason that she’s an outcast in Grimbaud High School. With her parents and brother all strict inspectors in the clothing and restaurant department, Fallon leads a high quality life that quickly gets her branded as a snob. Not ready to give up on love quite yet, Fallon joins a rebellion to overthrow Zita’s charm shop and take back their own fortunes. Much to her surprise, so does her next door neighbor, Sebastion, who is also the high school’s heartbreaker.
Okay, if you’re following me on Twitter, then you already know I like this book. It’s adorable and sweet. I am a bit of a sucker for modern fairy tale towns like Grimbaud is. Fallon is a really good character, even though I don’t really like her parents. I mean really, controlling much? Her brother is pretty cool, though.
I actually like Sebastion’s character. Player love interests can either be complete jerks or be really hot, and Sebastion is definitely hot. Unlike the love interest in The Boy Next Door, the teen romance I’m reading now, Sebastion isn’t a complete douche to girls, even though he does date around. He is really funny and I like the chemistry between him and Fallon a lot.
What I didn’t like about this book was how a lot of them just gave up. I mean, if I was in the Spinster Villa, I would be over at the Bachelor Villa all the time. Even if it wasn’t true love, it would be nice to have a fling, right? They are all lonely. I can’t see the villas staying segregated because of a piece of ticker tape they got a few decades ago, even if the fortunes always come true. Worst case scenario there’s always friendship, right? And some of those love fortunes definitely didn’t have a life sentence. You will get a terrible rejection in the near future? That could have been my fortune in the sixth grade. Now I’m dating an incredibly sweet guy who loves me and is adorable and sexy. Too much of this town gave up way too quickly. At least Ms. Ward tried.
I still give this book four out of five stars. Romantics out there will definitely enjoy it, and every teenaged girl feeling unlucky in love should read it.
For Fallon Dupree, a spinster fortune is just another reason that she’s an outcast in Grimbaud High School. With her parents and brother all strict inspectors in the clothing and restaurant department, Fallon leads a high quality life that quickly gets her branded as a snob. Not ready to give up on love quite yet, Fallon joins a rebellion to overthrow Zita’s charm shop and take back their own fortunes. Much to her surprise, so does her next door neighbor, Sebastion, who is also the high school’s heartbreaker.
Okay, if you’re following me on Twitter, then you already know I like this book. It’s adorable and sweet. I am a bit of a sucker for modern fairy tale towns like Grimbaud is. Fallon is a really good character, even though I don’t really like her parents. I mean really, controlling much? Her brother is pretty cool, though.
I actually like Sebastion’s character. Player love interests can either be complete jerks or be really hot, and Sebastion is definitely hot. Unlike the love interest in The Boy Next Door, the teen romance I’m reading now, Sebastion isn’t a complete douche to girls, even though he does date around. He is really funny and I like the chemistry between him and Fallon a lot.
What I didn’t like about this book was how a lot of them just gave up. I mean, if I was in the Spinster Villa, I would be over at the Bachelor Villa all the time. Even if it wasn’t true love, it would be nice to have a fling, right? They are all lonely. I can’t see the villas staying segregated because of a piece of ticker tape they got a few decades ago, even if the fortunes always come true. Worst case scenario there’s always friendship, right? And some of those love fortunes definitely didn’t have a life sentence. You will get a terrible rejection in the near future? That could have been my fortune in the sixth grade. Now I’m dating an incredibly sweet guy who loves me and is adorable and sexy. Too much of this town gave up way too quickly. At least Ms. Ward tried.
I still give this book four out of five stars. Romantics out there will definitely enjoy it, and every teenaged girl feeling unlucky in love should read it.
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Southern Today (21 KP) rated Gray Wolf Island in Books
Nov 6, 2017
Written by Tracey Neithercott, this book follows Ruby as she ventures out of her comfort zone to full fill her sisters dying wish – that she goes on a treasure hunt.
I really liked this book, and I didn’t think that I would. If you have ever read A Prayer for Owen Meany, this writing style reminds me of that. And I wonder if one character wasn’t inspired by that book.
This book isn’t a realism book, this is a bit whimsical in the background of the characters. One girl doesn’t sleep. Literally. Ever.
Kids, don’t try to do that. But it works for this book.
There is also death that is dealt with, and it’s done in a such a way that I think this would be a great book to analysis as a high school or college novel, but it might be a little tough for the young kids. Middle schoolers could enjoy this, but parents I would recommend reading this with your kids. Scroll to the bottom section underneath the spoilers to see why.
The writing is just beautiful, and the characters have such depth and reflect real life so much. This is a book that shows both the typical teenager, and what makes each person unique. And, I enjoy that all of the girls were a little odd. And I enjoyed the two character story telling. I guess part of the ending, but the other part did startle me. Completely.
Fans of mystery, adventure, growth, and just a good book will enjoy this novel.
I really liked this book, and I didn’t think that I would. If you have ever read A Prayer for Owen Meany, this writing style reminds me of that. And I wonder if one character wasn’t inspired by that book.
This book isn’t a realism book, this is a bit whimsical in the background of the characters. One girl doesn’t sleep. Literally. Ever.
Kids, don’t try to do that. But it works for this book.
There is also death that is dealt with, and it’s done in a such a way that I think this would be a great book to analysis as a high school or college novel, but it might be a little tough for the young kids. Middle schoolers could enjoy this, but parents I would recommend reading this with your kids. Scroll to the bottom section underneath the spoilers to see why.
The writing is just beautiful, and the characters have such depth and reflect real life so much. This is a book that shows both the typical teenager, and what makes each person unique. And, I enjoy that all of the girls were a little odd. And I enjoyed the two character story telling. I guess part of the ending, but the other part did startle me. Completely.
Fans of mystery, adventure, growth, and just a good book will enjoy this novel.
jameswelsh (3 KP) rated Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) in Movies
Jul 16, 2017
great script (3 more)
very good main villain
fits so well into the mcu
back on form for spidey
spidey back on form
spiderman homecoming, a return to form for the webslinger after a series of disapointing movies. Not since spiderman 2 has there been such a good version of the character. Is it as good as those films know but in terms of the 3rd rami film and the mark webb films this movies is head and shoulder above them. Tom holland is perfectly cast as the hero. He balances the awkwardness and geeky charm of peter parker mixed with the wisecracking and heroism of spidey perfectly. Michael Keaton plays a rare beast a good mcu villian. He plays it so well you hate what he is doing but you can feel for the guy because of what he has been through. all other characters fit there purpose even a small role from iron man brings more connection with the wider mcu and helps further the story. I like the fact they went with the more john hughs feel with this movie. Its good there keeping the character in high school because in my opinion they skipped over that two fast in previous films.
my only criticism is that i found the spiderman suit too gimmicky. he is spiderman not iron spiderman.
in all this is a great film. with a fantastic cast and a great entry into the mcu. I look forward to more spidey in the future.
my only criticism is that i found the spiderman suit too gimmicky. he is spiderman not iron spiderman.
in all this is a great film. with a fantastic cast and a great entry into the mcu. I look forward to more spidey in the future.
tapestry100 (306 KP) rated Invincible, Vol 1: Family Matters in Books
Aug 2, 2017
This was a reread for me, but it had been awhile since I'd read this and the mood struck me. I enjoyed this just as much this time as I had the first time around. I've tried Kirkman's other works, The Walking Dead, Outcast, and Haunt and they all fell flat for me, and to be honest, I'd forgotten that Kirkman had written this too, so I guess it's just his horror titles that I don't like. I thoroughly enjoy the family dynamic in Invincible, with Markus Grayson and his mom, Deborah, fully embracing knowing his dad, Nolan, is the superhero Omni-Man. When Markus' powers manifest, he decides to join his dad in crime fighting as Invincible. I think I like Deborah most of all, as her matter of fact acceptance of the danger her husband and son face on a daily basis hides the concern she actual feels for her family.
This is a quick introduction to the core and supporting cast, and the actual superhero aspect of the story is really just the backdrop to Markus' family and him discovering his powers and how he is learning to balance them with high school. I really liked the minimal line art and color palette used; it's marks a stark contrast from other superhero books and their hyper detail and layered color effects, which I think is the point. This book is a superhero book, but it's different from the rest. I'll definitely be continuing with this series.
This is a quick introduction to the core and supporting cast, and the actual superhero aspect of the story is really just the backdrop to Markus' family and him discovering his powers and how he is learning to balance them with high school. I really liked the minimal line art and color palette used; it's marks a stark contrast from other superhero books and their hyper detail and layered color effects, which I think is the point. This book is a superhero book, but it's different from the rest. I'll definitely be continuing with this series.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Searching (2018) in Movies
Apr 6, 2019
Catfish 2.0
After dealing with the death of his wife from cancer, a father tries to deal with raising his high school daughter only to find out everything with her and her life is not what it seems when she goes missing. He frantically starts combing through her social media accounts and contacting her friends to find out any lead as to her whereabouts.
A local police detective also comes to his aid to follow up on leads and keep the investigation going.
The story didn't follow the "Catfish" formula, only the way the story is told. The movie entirely exists through webcams, social media posts and TV footage and that is it's biggest triumph. Any unique way f telling a story, especially a compelling and inventive one, deserves attention in my book since most movies' formulas sort of run together these days.
As a parent, the film really does make you think about how much do we really know our teenage children? Could they be having relationships without our knowledge or conducting themselves in a way they were not raised?
My wife and I actually talked about this a bit while viewing the film. The entire world of social media can be very scary if you think about it and how much of our lives we have exposed out in cyberspace for others to see and potentially exploit.
I got rid of my Facebook around a year ago and haven't regretted it once.
A local police detective also comes to his aid to follow up on leads and keep the investigation going.
The story didn't follow the "Catfish" formula, only the way the story is told. The movie entirely exists through webcams, social media posts and TV footage and that is it's biggest triumph. Any unique way f telling a story, especially a compelling and inventive one, deserves attention in my book since most movies' formulas sort of run together these days.
As a parent, the film really does make you think about how much do we really know our teenage children? Could they be having relationships without our knowledge or conducting themselves in a way they were not raised?
My wife and I actually talked about this a bit while viewing the film. The entire world of social media can be very scary if you think about it and how much of our lives we have exposed out in cyberspace for others to see and potentially exploit.
I got rid of my Facebook around a year ago and haven't regretted it once.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Who Do You Love in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Rachel grows up the beloved daughter of wealthy parents in Florida. They are extra attention as she is born with a heart problem and requires multiple surgeries as a child. At age eight, in the ER, she meets Andy, also age 8. Waiting alone in the ER, he has a broken arm, and Rachel calms him down with stories. While it's a short meeting, the two leave a clear impression on each other, even as children.
Obviously, the premise of the novel is that Rachel and Andy will meet again, so when they do so in high school it doesn't come as a big shock. In fact, one of things Weiner does so well with this story is weaving a compelling tale, despite the reader knowing that Rachel and Andy will run into each other, over and over. It's definitely rough in some spots and jumps around a bit, but it's an enjoyable read. Rachel is an interesting character, if not always a likable one, but she comes across as human and real. Andy is a little harder to get to know, but he too is an intriguing character. The book makes a big show comparing Rachel's wealthy upbringing and Andy's impoverished childhood in Philadelphia - sometimes it seems a bit forced, but it brings up some good points about the class system. Some of the plot is a little unrealistic and it wraps up rather predictably, but I still found this a fun read and more enjoyable than some of Weiner's last couple of books.
Obviously, the premise of the novel is that Rachel and Andy will meet again, so when they do so in high school it doesn't come as a big shock. In fact, one of things Weiner does so well with this story is weaving a compelling tale, despite the reader knowing that Rachel and Andy will run into each other, over and over. It's definitely rough in some spots and jumps around a bit, but it's an enjoyable read. Rachel is an interesting character, if not always a likable one, but she comes across as human and real. Andy is a little harder to get to know, but he too is an intriguing character. The book makes a big show comparing Rachel's wealthy upbringing and Andy's impoverished childhood in Philadelphia - sometimes it seems a bit forced, but it brings up some good points about the class system. Some of the plot is a little unrealistic and it wraps up rather predictably, but I still found this a fun read and more enjoyable than some of Weiner's last couple of books.
Dana (24 KP) rated Thirteen Reasons Why in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Listening to this as a audio book makes you feel like you are a part of the list as well which makes it that much more emotional.
I held off on reading this book for the longest time. From what I had surmised from people talking to me about it, I thought it was almost promoting suicide. And while it talks about suicide, there is no promoting at all.
This book is focusing on human connection and how much just being there can help change a person's plans. It fosters communication and will (since the Netflix adaptation) be able to be used more in high school settings to get people to understand the repercussions of bullying.
I can say with certainty that I very much enjoyed this book. Yes, it was hard to read, mainly because I knew how it was going to end, but I think it was necessary for me to read as well. The raw emotion that Asher is able to bring into the story was very powerful and beautiful.
The characters were all very complex. Hannah, while calling people out on their actions, still tried to give multiple sides to the story. Clay is able to stand in for the readers when he talks to Hannah through the recording. We get to see his side of Hannah, things that she cannot admit to or see herself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it if you have not read it yourself.
I held off on reading this book for the longest time. From what I had surmised from people talking to me about it, I thought it was almost promoting suicide. And while it talks about suicide, there is no promoting at all.
This book is focusing on human connection and how much just being there can help change a person's plans. It fosters communication and will (since the Netflix adaptation) be able to be used more in high school settings to get people to understand the repercussions of bullying.
I can say with certainty that I very much enjoyed this book. Yes, it was hard to read, mainly because I knew how it was going to end, but I think it was necessary for me to read as well. The raw emotion that Asher is able to bring into the story was very powerful and beautiful.
The characters were all very complex. Hannah, while calling people out on their actions, still tried to give multiple sides to the story. Clay is able to stand in for the readers when he talks to Hannah through the recording. We get to see his side of Hannah, things that she cannot admit to or see herself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it if you have not read it yourself.