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Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy
Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy
Simon Blackburn | 1999 | Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Explains Philosophy (0 more)
Some parts complicated (0 more)
A good introduction to philosophy
If, like me, you suddenly found yourself interested in philsophy, this book is a good place to start. It covers the basic topics in philsophy and mostly explains them in an easy to understand way for a novice. There is a chapter, about zombies and robots, that takes a couple of reads, that is the hardest part of the book. You have to think differently in philosophy and this books help you guide your mind into thinking a different way, looking at things in a different way.
Everyone should read a little philosophy, expand their minds and question their beliefs. It's how people grow and move forward.
I know people think philosophy is not 'worth it', Lawrence Krauss for one (I like his books too), but all the sciences started as philosophy. They were thought experiments, until they were practical and got their own subject heading.
Want to know what philosophy is all about? This is a good place to start.
  
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Rebecca Billcliff (2409 KP) rated Batman: The Animated Series in TV

Nov 12, 2019 (Updated Nov 13, 2019)  
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
1992 | Animation
10
8.3 (24 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Voice acting, animation style, story lines. (0 more)
Not well known enough. (0 more)
Best Batman
If you are a fan of this series, as soon as you see the cover, the opening music will be playing in your head. This is the GoT of 90s animation. It is all done so well, and on a big scale, a proper score, talented voice actors, quality animation, it's all here!
The odd episode may miss the mark, but otherwise you are fully drawn in to a Bat man that is dark, has depth, but also some humour. While it is suitable for kids (Not too young, and I would advise parents take a look, just incase) it does not pander to them and is great for adults too. Some other DC animations have tryed to emulate this, and done well. But none have quite found the same beauty the original has achieved.
A Must for any Bat-fans out there, and I can not wait for my son to join me in a binge session on this classic.
  
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Tattoo (Take It Off #7)
Tattoo (Take It Off #7)
Cambria Hebert | 2014 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book starts with a bang... or rather a gunshot as there is a robbery in process at a bank. Throughout the introduction, you find out who Brody is, who he was acting as, what Taylor does in a time of crisis and how she can keep a cool head when needed. All of this is within the first few pages.

I found the concept of Brody's tattoo being the catalyst for the events that followed absolutely brilliant. Although this book moves at a very fast pace (and indeed seems to finish WAAAY too quickly) nothing seems rushed and our two main characters have the time and opportunity to explore their situation and their mutual attraction.

A perfect book to read to while away a few hours - because, believe me, once you start reading this, you won't put it down until you've finished.
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

September 11, 2016
  
Honey Heist
Honey Heist
2017 | Dice Game
Silly & Engaging (0 more)
Balancing feels a bit off (0 more)
A Roaring Good Time!
I ran a one-shot of Honey Heist with my TTRPG group and had an absolutely wonderful time with it. The rules are extremely simple (one page long!) and don't need a lot of effort/studying to get a game rolling. Honey Heist runs on a D6 system that's very GM-hands-off. The players completely run this game, and the only time you need to step in is when providing some description, for NPC role-play, or if your players need you to step in and help them out.

My players had a wonderful time with this game, and I did too. Of all the games I've run, it's probably the one where I had the most fun. We couldn't stop laughing, and I really felt engaged in helping my players move along through the story. As with all TTRPG sessions, things never go to plan and even with a really simple one-shot laid out, we had absolutely no chance of finishing a story in one night.

The one thing I will mention that I don't love is the point system in the game. Players have 6 points which they allocate to two dimensions: Criminal and Bear. Dependent on rolls, you move these points (for example, a player wants to knock someone out, they succeed on a roll and move one point to Criminal, thus they now have 4 in criminal and 2 in bear.) I found that pretty quickly balancing was precarious, especially because my players wanted to do a lot that was roll-worthy. We employed the mechanics that allow you to counterbalance a little bit, but it still felt tough to help my players stay leveled (or at least in territory where they were "safe".)

Overall though, this game is a wonderfully good time, and I highly recommend it if you're looking for a fun TTRPG to try out.
  
TT
The Turtle Boy (Timmy Quinn #1)
10
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b>5 STARS TO YOU</b>

Now THIS is an author that you need to keep your eye on!

I would just like to say first that I know the whole 'back from the dead to seek revenge for my death' story has been done and done...and done again, however, that doesn't stop this book from being a fantastic read. It is a novella, so expect a very short read in the sense you may be disappointed that you're just starting to get into it and then BAM! The End! On the other hand, this book is the first in a series so you'll be able to satisfy your cravings for the next installment.

At the time of purchase this book was free to download for Kindle...I am not sure if it still free as it's such a quality read.

The themes of this story may seem as if they are being somewhat retold again but I believe the author breathes new life into this story-line and makes you hang on for dear life and really want to complete the book, it never crossed my mind to stop reading at any point because I have read similar plot lines before.
It is a very creepy story, so I recommend it to fans of the horror genre and perhaps to those who enjoy murder mysteries and thrillers too due to the nice quick pace and the acts of revenge brought down upon unsuspecting characters.

I found the story had a really nice flow to it, sometimes nothing annoys me more than when i'm enjoying a book and suddenly a 'hiccup' of some sort appears within the pages which makes me want to throw it at a wall...interest lost...may return to it...maybe not...will take a while to read and get back into again. I am so glad that didn't happen to me with this book, the pace was too fast and the atmosphere too creepy.

Well done!
  
You Were Always Mine
You Were Always Mine
Nicole Baart | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Enjoyable book with a twisty plot and realistic, relatable characters
Jessica Chamberlain and her husband, Evan, have been separated for months, so she's quite surprised when she gets a call from the police regarding him. Even more shocking is that the police believe Evan to be dead--his body found on a hunting ground in another state. As Jessica attempts to figure out what happened, she must also try to mother her two boys, thirteen-year-old Max and six-year-old Gabe, who is adopted. Jess can't believe Evan is dead, however, and the more she digs, the more she starts to wonder if it was truly a hunting accident. She's sure her house was broken into, for instance, and she feels like Evan was investigating something in the months before his death. Soon, she wonders if that had something to do with Gabe's adoptive mother--someone with whom Jess vowed never to be involved. What really happened to Evan? And are the rest of the Chamberlains safe?

It's always exciting to request an ARC on a whim and have it be enjoyable. I've never read anything by Nicole Baart before, but I will certainly be picking up some of her past books. This novel was a little outlandish and unbelievable at times, but it was just so compelling and readable. It was exactly what I needed at the moment.

Jess was a very relatable character: as a mother too, I felt quite connected to her. Baart put in a lot of little details that made her feel real, not a cardboard cutout parent that you so often see. She did a great job at capturing parenthood in all its ups and downs. I found myself very attached to Jessica's two boys, as well. They went through a lot in the book, and you found yourself rooting for the entire family unit.

The plot itself--while a bit of a soap opera sometimes--was really quite fascinating. I couldn't put this one down, even during a crazy time at work. The writing was crisp and the novel just flowed so easily. I was actually really surprised by the twists and turns (it's always so fun when that happens) and certainly along for the ride with Jess and her clan.

Overall, this was just a really enjoyable book with an interesting, twisty plot and realistic, relatable characters. It was a pleasant surprise, and I'll definitely be reading more from this author.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated You Love Me in Books

Apr 15, 2021  
You Love Me
You Love Me
Caroline Kepnes | 2021 | Crime, Humor & Comedy, Law, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A creepy but long-winded entry in the YOU series
Joe Goldberg has resolved to be a good guy. No more obsessions, no more killing to get what he wants. He's moving to the Pacific Northwest, he's going to work in a library (he has some experience with books, after all), and he's reformed. It's at the library where he meets her. Mary Kay DiMarco. A librarian. Beautiful, older. She's also a mother. She's busy and distracted. But Joe knows true love will prevail, because he's doing things the right way. With his undying love and friendship, Mary Kay will have no choice but to fall for him.

"And of course you couldn't help it. After all, you love me."

I was incredibly excited to hear there would be a third "Joe" book, because I can still remember reading the first, YOU. I was alone on a mini-vacation and spent the entire thing creeped out, feeling watched, thanks to how good Kepnes is at writing Joe and his obsessiveness. The good thing about YOU LOVE ME is that she still captures Joe's voice perfectly. He's just... Joe. Obsessed. Weird. Witty. Over the top.

(Stop reading if you don't want to know what happened in the first two books.)

In YOU LOVE ME, Joe is fleeing Love--not the concept, but the actual person, from book two. After his encounters with her, he's ready to be on the straight and narrow. He realizes he has no more chances, no more "get out of jail free" cards. Starting over in the Pacific Northwest is it.

So, while Joe is still his usual creepy self, he's slightly diminished. We don't get full-on stalk/kill Joe, and it's a little disappointing. I'm not going to lie: I want Joe to triumph over others. I like when Joe wins. And, sadly, I found myself not wanting to go back and pick this book up after I started it. I was so bummed! It was long, meandering, and all the twists seemed either odd and too convenient or just really strange. It dragged on, lacking the ominous tension of YOU.

I still rooted for Joe, of course. That's the talent Kepnes brings, making us cheer on the bad guy. But there was less "Joe versus evil" than "Joe versus annoying" in this read. Of course we wanted Joe to win--his foes were downright irritating.

Overall, this book still captures Joe's voice really well, but the actual story seems lacking. It's long and couldn't keep my full interest. Now, if there's a book four, will I still read it? Sure. 2.5 stars, rounded to 3 here, because there's always something about Joe.
  
The Other Side of the Street
The Other Side of the Street
Helen Carey | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was a first H. Carey’s book which I read, and definitely not the last one. This novel is fifth in Lavender Road series, and I will read rest of them as soon as will be able to.

In the blurb, Carey highlights two characters – Louise and Jen, but they are not the only ones this book is about. There a lot of characters to choose from, and all of them are incredibly appealing, charismatic, and you need all of them, in order to enjoy this story. I absolutely loved how the author included every single of them in this novel, not leaving out any. I couldn’t decide which one I loved the most, they all have their strengths and qualities, which made this book richer, more interesting and relatable. Another thing which I absolutely loved, was multiple perspectives. I really enjoyed reading, how different characters reacted to some of the situations. I loved getting to know every single character, their problems and achievements, I think that’s why this book simply absorbed me. It was like watching a TV series unfold throughout the pages.

It is quite hard for me to describe the narrative of this book. Through different perspectives, there were a lot of life stories unfolded and told, so the narrative always changed, throwing in different characters feelings and thoughts. Which I found truly fascinating. Carey didn’t leave me bored even for a second, she creatively added turns and twists to the stories, which made me turn page after page. I really liked, that author was addressing difficulties which women were facing during that period, and I enjoyed the way Louise was breaking the stereotypes.

The writing style of this book was very pleasant, easy to read and enjoyable. One thing what I found inconvenient for me was ENSA/ RADA/ ATS etc. I grew up abroad, so I have no idea what they mean, and I am too lazy to google it, so I would have liked a little explanation page at the back, however, not knowing it, didn’t ruin my reading experience at all. The chapters of this book are quite long, but it did not drag to me, because there were a lot of things happening in every chapter, so they flew quite quickly. I really liked the way Carey ended this book, it was unexpected, satisfying, and I will be waiting to find out, what will happen next to all the characters. So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this novel, it has well rounded, exciting, fun characters, and the narrative always keeps changing, that left me hooked and interested till the last page. I really hope Netflix or BBC will make a TV series from Lavender Road books in a near future &#x1f642;