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Kaz (232 KP) rated The Girl In Between in Books

Nov 5, 2019

The Girl In Between

Laekan Zea Kemp | 2014 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

8.8

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

Great, characters, imaginative mix of Fantasy and issues connected with Disability (0 more)

Nothing (0 more)

‘The Girl In Between’ was the first book I read for the ‘Disability Read-a-Thon’ in October and, because this was a free download, I didn’t have high expectations for this book at all. However, I was very pleasantly surprised.

This book’s main character Bryn has a sleeping syndrome, which means that she can suddenly sleep for weeks and months on end. This didn’t mean however, that she a poor defenseless girl, in fact she was the opposite. She was funny, sarcastic and a fully rounded teenager and I thought she was relatable and likeable.

This book wasn’t just about Disability but the book does cover some of the issues that, even though I don’t have the same condition as Bryn, I could relate to, when I was growing up. However, it was also a complex mix of real life, fantasy and Bryn’s condition, which was seamlessly and imaginatively, incorporated into the story.

There were a couple of times when I thought that this book would develop into a slushy teen romance, but thankfully, this just managed not to turn into this and any kind of romance was maturely and sensitively handled.

I found the pace of this to be excellent. In no part of the book did I feel the story dragged and I really wanted to know what would happen to the characters.

I think that the ending was really good and it resolved enough to feel satisfied at the end, but it left enough for me to want to read the rest of the series.

I will definitely be reading the rest of this series at some point. I would recommend reading this book, whether you want to read something with a strong main character who has a Disability, or you enjoy a good Fantasy read.

My Rating ****

Kudos

Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated The Best Thing in Books

Jan 9, 2020

The Best Thing

Mariana Zapata | 2019 | Contemporary, Romance

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

This review and more can be found at my blog https://aromancereadersreviews.blogspot.com

This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited Library.

I feel like I have to start by singing Mariana Zapata's praises. She is the Queen of slow-burn romances. I do believe that I have read everything she's ever written so far and this is her latest. I'm not the biggest fan of long books but I've found that with this author, I don't care how long they are because I'm so drawn in I just keep reading until I finish.

This one is no different. We meet Elena - Lenny - who runs a gym with her grandfather that helps fighters get ready for their next fights - MMA, boxing, etc - when her ex turns up who she hasn't seen for the last 17 months wanting to see her. I'm not going to go into much detail as that would ruin in but Lenny has an amazing personality and I love her thoughts in regards to him coming back - it includes various imaginative swear words and scenarios.

I love Lenny. As mentioned above she has a great personality and a great outlook on life. Pretty much every sentence she spoke (or thought) had me grinning like an idiot. In my eyes, she's such a great character. I also really liked Jonah. He was this mix of shy and sweet and just plain amazing. There are also some other characters that I loved liked Grandpa Gus. Some of the interaction between him and Lenny was hilarious. Then there was Peter and Mo, too.

I also like how she includes previous characters in her current ones. Lenny is Luna's - the main character of her last book, Luna and the Lie - best friend and appears quite a lot in this one offering her support.

It's really hard to write a fitting review of this book without spoilers, I'll just say that I thought it was pretty awesome.

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016) in Movies

Aug 6, 2019

I had reservations about the new Barbershop when I discovered that it was in production and set for release. My concern was that much like the Friday franchise, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth due to stale jokes, recycled plots, and characters I couldn’t get too invested in. I was wrong in my outlook for the film. Barbershop: The Next Cut surpasses the previous films of the series in its humor, fresh jokes, new characters and social relevance.
There are some aspects of the film that mirror past plotlines, but that is not a problem or concern this go-around. Life and history are cyclical and it is demonstrated through the way that Barbershop takes on urban violence and the communities that suffer through it. The film itself will have audiences laughing and gasping for air due to the imaginative and creative comedy, however, it will also cause its audiences to think deeply about the issues being presented. When we see the violence of the Southside of Chicago via the news or social media, it seems so distant. This film sucks us in to thinking about the circumstances the people of this community face daily. It doesn’t pull punches or present the information from one singular source and perspective. They are concerned with creating a dialogue about what is taking place in communities much like the one represented in their neighborhood. You see heart. You see connections between people. You see individuals that want to make a change by improving the lives of their neighbors and friends. You see humanity with all of its flaws and potential. This film is a poignant love letter to communities in need of healing.

It is also an examination of how to heal and mend gaping wounds. Barbershop: The Next Cut establishes a connection with its audience to start a dialogue and potentially move forward with action.