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Lindsay (1812 KP) rated Possum Problems (The Magic Magnifying Glass #2) in Books
Aug 8, 2021
The second book in this series of Magic Magnifying Glass is called “Possum Problems.” It seems like we met Perry, and he is a little possum. He seems to have got lost and decided to jump into Fins’ backpack.
What adventures will Fin and Perry get into along with Elliott? There seems to be a baseball mystery for Fin to solve along with two other puzzles. This book reminds me of my experience with a possum for the first time. I met my first ever possum through an incident in my backroom when I checked on my cats. I found him in a wastebasket; it is beyond me how it got in the backroom or the wastebasket. My first words when I told my mom about this strange creature; I called it “Big Fat Rat” though it was not a rat. Though that is what it looked like to me. To this day, we get a laugh out of me calling my first experience with a possum a Big Fat Rat. He ended up back outside once mom came home, and we got it outside on the porch.
I was not scared of the thing. I was more startled and wondering what and how it got into the house. Not so much that it was scary, so this book teaches you what a possum is, and we get an adventure with one. We finally meet Mr. Mole as well. Now snakes are not a favorite of mine, But will Bart learn to be kind or not? Snakes do like mice, I believe. So we meet a snake for the first time in this book. Will Martin’s baseball mystery get solved.
Children will learn about nature and animals in nature. We also see how having friends and asking for help is good. Will James leans to lean on God’s trust. What does the new bible verse mean that shows up on the magnifying glass lens? What trouble will Fin and Perry find when looking for Perry’s family? Does Martin seem to think that a possum might have ruined this baseball? Did he or not. Children will enjoy reading a clean read and learning about wildlife animals. Animal facts are an excellent way to learn about through a book, and children will love them.
I can’t wait to see what the next adventure Fin and his friend Elliott
get up to and what other friends Fin meets along the way.
What adventures will Fin and Perry get into along with Elliott? There seems to be a baseball mystery for Fin to solve along with two other puzzles. This book reminds me of my experience with a possum for the first time. I met my first ever possum through an incident in my backroom when I checked on my cats. I found him in a wastebasket; it is beyond me how it got in the backroom or the wastebasket. My first words when I told my mom about this strange creature; I called it “Big Fat Rat” though it was not a rat. Though that is what it looked like to me. To this day, we get a laugh out of me calling my first experience with a possum a Big Fat Rat. He ended up back outside once mom came home, and we got it outside on the porch.
I was not scared of the thing. I was more startled and wondering what and how it got into the house. Not so much that it was scary, so this book teaches you what a possum is, and we get an adventure with one. We finally meet Mr. Mole as well. Now snakes are not a favorite of mine, But will Bart learn to be kind or not? Snakes do like mice, I believe. So we meet a snake for the first time in this book. Will Martin’s baseball mystery get solved.
Children will learn about nature and animals in nature. We also see how having friends and asking for help is good. Will James leans to lean on God’s trust. What does the new bible verse mean that shows up on the magnifying glass lens? What trouble will Fin and Perry find when looking for Perry’s family? Does Martin seem to think that a possum might have ruined this baseball? Did he or not. Children will enjoy reading a clean read and learning about wildlife animals. Animal facts are an excellent way to learn about through a book, and children will love them.
I can’t wait to see what the next adventure Fin and his friend Elliott
get up to and what other friends Fin meets along the way.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Mayans MC in TV
Jan 8, 2019 (Updated Jan 8, 2019)
Hijos de la Anarquía
Funnily enough, my girlfriend and I were actually on Holiday in Mexico when this show premiered back in September. Although I was excited to see it since it was announced as I am a big fan of the original SOA series, because we were away when it first aired and we had a bunch to catch up on when we got back, I only recently made my way through the first series of Mayans. Also, just as a heads up, because this is a spinoff of SOA, I will be making a lot of comparisons to the OG show throughout my review.
Mayans follows EZ Reyes, a prospect for the Mayans Motorcycle Club. His older brother is a full patch and is responsible for getting him involved with the biker gang. The series takes place a few years after, (SPOILERS FOR SOA,) the death of Jax Teller. EZ is far less involved with his club than Jax was. Due to Jax's heritage, he was destined to be a part of the SOA, but most of EZ's problems come from outside the club or from his murky past.
In fact, most of the issues that characters deal with in the show, come from problems outside the club, whereas the first season of SOA dealt far more with club problems and established the group of men as more of a family unit, much more so than the Mayans. This change isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just different and I wonder if it was a conscience change to differentiate the show from SOA or if it was due to the addition of Kurt Sutter's new writing partner Elgin James.
Speaking of the writing, it is as tight here as it ever was in SOA. Kurt Sutter is an absolute genius with a pen, taking the audience from generic biker dialogue one minute to deep family crisis' and existential questions the next. The one major change is the use of flashbacks in this series. As far as I can recall, although SOA spent a lot of time talking about Jax's family history, we never actually saw any flashbacks, but Mayans is full of them. This is based around the gimmick of EZ having a photographic memory. Personally I don't mind gimmicks like this in writing as long as they are executed well and for the most part, they do serve the story that Mayans is trying to tell.
Overall, I enjoyed the first series of Mayans and I am looking forward to seeing where the show will go in future after having been renewed for a second season.
Mayans follows EZ Reyes, a prospect for the Mayans Motorcycle Club. His older brother is a full patch and is responsible for getting him involved with the biker gang. The series takes place a few years after, (SPOILERS FOR SOA,) the death of Jax Teller. EZ is far less involved with his club than Jax was. Due to Jax's heritage, he was destined to be a part of the SOA, but most of EZ's problems come from outside the club or from his murky past.
In fact, most of the issues that characters deal with in the show, come from problems outside the club, whereas the first season of SOA dealt far more with club problems and established the group of men as more of a family unit, much more so than the Mayans. This change isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just different and I wonder if it was a conscience change to differentiate the show from SOA or if it was due to the addition of Kurt Sutter's new writing partner Elgin James.
Speaking of the writing, it is as tight here as it ever was in SOA. Kurt Sutter is an absolute genius with a pen, taking the audience from generic biker dialogue one minute to deep family crisis' and existential questions the next. The one major change is the use of flashbacks in this series. As far as I can recall, although SOA spent a lot of time talking about Jax's family history, we never actually saw any flashbacks, but Mayans is full of them. This is based around the gimmick of EZ having a photographic memory. Personally I don't mind gimmicks like this in writing as long as they are executed well and for the most part, they do serve the story that Mayans is trying to tell.
Overall, I enjoyed the first series of Mayans and I am looking forward to seeing where the show will go in future after having been renewed for a second season.
Reiko LJ (126 KP) rated Ocean’s 8 (2018) in Movies
Jul 26, 2018
Superb cast (2 more)
Snappy dialogue and didn't hold your hand
Sharp, clean camera work
It lulled a bit in the middle, needed to keep the pace up (1 more)
James Corden cannot act for toffee. Cast differently, his character might have made more impact
Crime Caper Fun
Contains spoilers, click to show
If I could, I would give it 7.5, my love for the cast meant a bump up rather than down.
The Ocean's films are a solid fixture in the crime caper/heist genre. This genre is never about changing the world or making a big statement. It's here to entertain as people more interesting and skilled than you pull off something amazing. This entry delivers this easily, and with style.
The characters slotted in nicely together and everyone had their part to play with authenticity. Cate Blanchett's 'Lou' had a screen presence dripping with confidence and played off Bullock's 'Debbie' with ease. You don't have to watch the PR tour interviews to know the cast got along well, it shows through the film.
I feel like it lacked a certain something to really make it pop, major conflict perhaps? Even the obvious obstacle with the investigator proved to be little more than a speed bump. Or maybe that's the point? Maybe the whole statement is that a well planned heist with the right people means nothing does go wrong. Think on that.
The Ocean's films are a solid fixture in the crime caper/heist genre. This genre is never about changing the world or making a big statement. It's here to entertain as people more interesting and skilled than you pull off something amazing. This entry delivers this easily, and with style.
The characters slotted in nicely together and everyone had their part to play with authenticity. Cate Blanchett's 'Lou' had a screen presence dripping with confidence and played off Bullock's 'Debbie' with ease. You don't have to watch the PR tour interviews to know the cast got along well, it shows through the film.
I feel like it lacked a certain something to really make it pop, major conflict perhaps? Even the obvious obstacle with the investigator proved to be little more than a speed bump. Or maybe that's the point? Maybe the whole statement is that a well planned heist with the right people means nothing does go wrong. Think on that.
David McK (3816 KP) rated Rebellion (Matthew Hawkwood, #4) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The fourth book in James McGee's Matthew Hawkwood series of books, and over the course of the last two (in particular), the eponymous Bow Street Runner is getting further and further away from his usual haunts!
In this installment, Hawkwood actually spends the vast majority of it in the heart of Imperial France: in Paris itself, while Napoleon is away on his ill-fated Russian campaign. Again taking real historical facts as its basis, this novel concerns itself primarily with a conspiracy attempt to over-throw the regime: an event which, obviously, did not succeed.
If I'm honest, and to draw an anology between these books and the Star Wars films (which might seem strange, but bear with me!), the first couple of books in the series are like the original couple of films: full of danger, action and excitement. This one, unfortunately, is more like Episode I: seeming to be setting itself up for a broader story arc, and more concerned with politics than with action and excitement.
Worth a read? Yes, but if this was my introduction to the series as a whole - which can, by and large, be read independently as they only occassionally refer to earlier events - I wouldn't be going out of my way to look for any others in thes series, unlike if I had read any of the others first.
In this installment, Hawkwood actually spends the vast majority of it in the heart of Imperial France: in Paris itself, while Napoleon is away on his ill-fated Russian campaign. Again taking real historical facts as its basis, this novel concerns itself primarily with a conspiracy attempt to over-throw the regime: an event which, obviously, did not succeed.
If I'm honest, and to draw an anology between these books and the Star Wars films (which might seem strange, but bear with me!), the first couple of books in the series are like the original couple of films: full of danger, action and excitement. This one, unfortunately, is more like Episode I: seeming to be setting itself up for a broader story arc, and more concerned with politics than with action and excitement.
Worth a read? Yes, but if this was my introduction to the series as a whole - which can, by and large, be read independently as they only occassionally refer to earlier events - I wouldn't be going out of my way to look for any others in thes series, unlike if I had read any of the others first.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Hark! the Herald Angels Scream: An Anthology in Books
Jan 22, 2019
Anthology of Christmas or winter themed horror stories
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
I waited until closer to the holiday to read this book and, with all of the rushing involved with the season, forgot to post my review. The Christmas season may be over, but it is still winter, so grab a cup of hot chocolate and be prepared to be entertained.
Hark! The Herald Angels Scream by Edited by Christopher Golden is an "anthology of all-new short fiction from some of the most talented and original writers of horror today." Included are eighteen stories of Christmas or winter themed horror from authors: Kelley Armstrong, Christopher Golden, Elizabeth Hand, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Sarah Lotz, Jonathan Maberry, Josh Malerman, Seanan McGuire, John M. McIlveen, James A. Moore, Sarah Pinborough, Angela Slatter, Scott Smith,Thomas E. Sniegoski, and Jeff Strand.
The cover quickly bring to mind "Tales from the Crypt", a campy, horror anthology television series with a memorable narrator, Crypt Keeper. The stories written could have been been portrayed in any of the episodes. As with "Tales from the Crypt", the stories in "Hark! The Herald Angels Scream" were creepy, funny, chilling, gruesome, dark, and definitely worth your time.
The stories are well written and stand alone.
I waited until closer to the holiday to read this book and, with all of the rushing involved with the season, forgot to post my review. The Christmas season may be over, but it is still winter, so grab a cup of hot chocolate and be prepared to be entertained.
Hark! The Herald Angels Scream by Edited by Christopher Golden is an "anthology of all-new short fiction from some of the most talented and original writers of horror today." Included are eighteen stories of Christmas or winter themed horror from authors: Kelley Armstrong, Christopher Golden, Elizabeth Hand, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Sarah Lotz, Jonathan Maberry, Josh Malerman, Seanan McGuire, John M. McIlveen, James A. Moore, Sarah Pinborough, Angela Slatter, Scott Smith,Thomas E. Sniegoski, and Jeff Strand.
The cover quickly bring to mind "Tales from the Crypt", a campy, horror anthology television series with a memorable narrator, Crypt Keeper. The stories written could have been been portrayed in any of the episodes. As with "Tales from the Crypt", the stories in "Hark! The Herald Angels Scream" were creepy, funny, chilling, gruesome, dark, and definitely worth your time.
The stories are well written and stand alone.
Lindsay (1812 KP) rated Rookie Privateer (Privateer Tales #1) in Books
Jul 1, 2019
If you are looking for a good space adventure. Rookie Privateer is one for those young adults to teens. It about a group of kids. Well one teen that is looking for his future. He is currently stuck working with his father. He know not much to making money.
He seem to attract attention when something happens when he with is friends. What happens then goes not to be an adventure for him and his friend. Liam want freedom will get it? His friend Nick is set up for life. They are becoming Earth Mars Citizens. Someone or something is attacking their home. Will Liam reach the stars or will he not. He and Nick will they find out what the real world has to offer. Things begin to change and it changes them as well.
Find out how this book end. The authors does really well on the plot of this story. It bring you along for the ride. I could not stop reading and wanted more. What will happen to Nick James and Liam Hoffen? I hope to find out more by reading the next book. I just got to find out when it will be out. Great for teens and young adult readers. If you are into space or thrillers this really good for you as well.
He seem to attract attention when something happens when he with is friends. What happens then goes not to be an adventure for him and his friend. Liam want freedom will get it? His friend Nick is set up for life. They are becoming Earth Mars Citizens. Someone or something is attacking their home. Will Liam reach the stars or will he not. He and Nick will they find out what the real world has to offer. Things begin to change and it changes them as well.
Find out how this book end. The authors does really well on the plot of this story. It bring you along for the ride. I could not stop reading and wanted more. What will happen to Nick James and Liam Hoffen? I hope to find out more by reading the next book. I just got to find out when it will be out. Great for teens and young adult readers. If you are into space or thrillers this really good for you as well.
The Sport of Kings
Book
Shortlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction...
Danny (187 KP) rated Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! in Video Games
Oct 7, 2019
Pokémon on a home console (while docked) (3 more)
Second player
Nostalgia
Gameplay
The second player can’t be a friend or another account (3 more)
Grinding for days only to find a damn shiny Zubat!
Can dress them up but can’t transfer all the various hat-Pikachu’s over from PoGo
I wanted my Squirtle Squad!!!
Old school gaming smoothly brought up to date
So I’ve been playing this for a year & thought I should probably review it before Sword & Shield releases.
So take the template of Pokémon Yellow, update it with Pokémon Go’s unique style & wedge the word “Let’s” in the title (be honest, we all ready it in Marino’s voice anyway!). Create variants to nod at the core games.
Pikachu is actually useful as you don’t get HMs but Pikachu learns skills that are basically the same thing (I assume Eevee does too) some uniquely created moves to make that starter much more viable throughout the game (shame Pika doesn’t get a fire move!)
Nice to see Jessie & James too
You don’t actually need to trade to complete the dex as you’ll have most in Pokémon Go & can transfer that way.
30+ combo for highest chance of a shiny?!? Really. Caught over 200 Geodude’S in a combo & nothing!
Would’ve liked the surfing game from Yellow to have made an appearance though
So take the template of Pokémon Yellow, update it with Pokémon Go’s unique style & wedge the word “Let’s” in the title (be honest, we all ready it in Marino’s voice anyway!). Create variants to nod at the core games.
Pikachu is actually useful as you don’t get HMs but Pikachu learns skills that are basically the same thing (I assume Eevee does too) some uniquely created moves to make that starter much more viable throughout the game (shame Pika doesn’t get a fire move!)
Nice to see Jessie & James too
You don’t actually need to trade to complete the dex as you’ll have most in Pokémon Go & can transfer that way.
30+ combo for highest chance of a shiny?!? Really. Caught over 200 Geodude’S in a combo & nothing!
Would’ve liked the surfing game from Yellow to have made an appearance though
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Shark Movie That Struggles To Stay Afloat
47 Meters Down Uncaged is a 2019 survival/horror movie directed by Johannes Robert and written by Robert and Ernest Riera with producers James Harris, Mark Lane and Robert Jones. It was produced by They Fyzz Facility and distributed by Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures. The film stars Corinne Foxx, Sophie Nelisse, Brianne Tju and Sistaine Stallone.
Mia (Sophie Nelisse), has had trouble fitting in living in Mexico which includes trouble with girls at school and adjusting to living with her father, step-mother (Nia Long) and sister. Three teenagers, Sasha (Corinne Foxx) her step-sister and her two friends convince her to go swimming with them at a secret lagoon rather than go on a glass bottom boat tour. The lagoon happens to be near a sunken Mayan city where Mia's father Grant (John Corbett) is working. The girls grab some scuba gear and decide to seize this opportunity to see the discovery for themselves and find that it is the hunting ground for deadly great white sharks. With their air supply running out and having to navigate the labyrinth of tunnels the girls find themselves in a race against time and the deadly sharks to try and survive.
This movie was okay but I thought it was going to be better. I hadn't seen the first one so I don't know if they are connected in anyway but I believe they are not. I wanted to see a good shark movie especially since during shark week a while back I had seen a lot of shark shows this year and the movie they did called Capsized which was pretty decent. This movie started off good but failed to set the tension in a gripping way. I didn't like the fact that since they were swimming in caves the lighting was dark and didn't allow for a lot of visuals. It was good for mood setting and ambiance but I thought it was a little gimmicky when they used the flares and it changed everything red. I say that because the CGI of the sharks left me underwhelmed as well. The sharks were supposed to be blind for having evolved or lived in caves the whole time and also adjusted to be more sensitive to sounds. To me the CGI looked unbelievable and threw off the emergence from enjoying the movie. They could have been better or the way they built the tension could have been better. The movie did have a couple of frightening "jump scares", one of which surprised and got me. For some reason I really didn't like the ending, for me it was the main character acting out of character and then there being to many "jump scares" back to back at the end. If you see it you'll know what I'm talking about. Anyways I give this movie a 5/10.
Mia (Sophie Nelisse), has had trouble fitting in living in Mexico which includes trouble with girls at school and adjusting to living with her father, step-mother (Nia Long) and sister. Three teenagers, Sasha (Corinne Foxx) her step-sister and her two friends convince her to go swimming with them at a secret lagoon rather than go on a glass bottom boat tour. The lagoon happens to be near a sunken Mayan city where Mia's father Grant (John Corbett) is working. The girls grab some scuba gear and decide to seize this opportunity to see the discovery for themselves and find that it is the hunting ground for deadly great white sharks. With their air supply running out and having to navigate the labyrinth of tunnels the girls find themselves in a race against time and the deadly sharks to try and survive.
This movie was okay but I thought it was going to be better. I hadn't seen the first one so I don't know if they are connected in anyway but I believe they are not. I wanted to see a good shark movie especially since during shark week a while back I had seen a lot of shark shows this year and the movie they did called Capsized which was pretty decent. This movie started off good but failed to set the tension in a gripping way. I didn't like the fact that since they were swimming in caves the lighting was dark and didn't allow for a lot of visuals. It was good for mood setting and ambiance but I thought it was a little gimmicky when they used the flares and it changed everything red. I say that because the CGI of the sharks left me underwhelmed as well. The sharks were supposed to be blind for having evolved or lived in caves the whole time and also adjusted to be more sensitive to sounds. To me the CGI looked unbelievable and threw off the emergence from enjoying the movie. They could have been better or the way they built the tension could have been better. The movie did have a couple of frightening "jump scares", one of which surprised and got me. For some reason I really didn't like the ending, for me it was the main character acting out of character and then there being to many "jump scares" back to back at the end. If you see it you'll know what I'm talking about. Anyways I give this movie a 5/10.
Louise (64 KP) rated The Unseeing in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I am a lover of Historical fiction especially Victorian London so when I read the synopsis of ‘The Unseeing’ I knew I had to read it. This is Anna Mazzola’s debut novel and I can tell you it certainly delivered.
The year is 1837 and Sarah Gale is sentenced to be hung, she is believed to have aid and abet James Greenacre in the death of Hannah Brown. Sarah Gale was having an on/off relationship with Greenacre and living with him in his home until he met Hannah. Hannah Brown was a spinster with a bit of money and business’s in her possession,until her body parts were found randomly around London.Greenacre a conniving man that he is only wanted Hannah for her money and threw Sarah out a few days before Christmas. A few days after Christmas Hannah Brown is gone and Sarah Gale is back in Greenacre’s bed. Sarah is adamant that she knows nothing about the disappearance or death of Hannah Brown, but no-one believes her.
Sarah Gale and a Women’s institute have requested Sarah to be pardoned as she is to be hung but is adamant she knows nothing. Edmund Fleetwood has been assigned the case, his job is to see if she will talk or if there is any new evidence. This is one of the most spoken about cases of the time and this could be the career break that Edmund needs, however Sarah Gale is still adamant that she knows nothing. Can this meek, pale women really be involved in a murder?
This book was amazing, I felt like I had been transported to London in 1837. The writing was so atmospheric, the descriptions of the sounds, the streets and the way the characters spoke just blew me away, and it was consistent throughout the book. The Unseeing is a slow burn book that drip feeds you information slowly and you start piecing it together like a jigsaw puzzle. I was definitely hooked and needed to know how Hannah had come to be in pieces around London and what was going to happen to Sarah. There is a twist and I didn’t see it coming whatsoever and was left shocked for some time.
This book is based on a true crime that happened in 1837 and is known as the Edgeware Murder. Sarah Gale and John Greenacre are the names of the actual people involved and the court scripts can be seen at the Old Bailey website. You can definitely tell that the Mazzola had knowledge of the justice system as it was very well researched. I loved that Mazzola managed to make a fictional book out of a true crime and it makes it even more intriguing to read. It does make you think of how the justice system failed a lot of people back in Victorian times.
I will definitely be reading anything else Anna Mazzola release and recommend this book you are interested true crime and historical fiction.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
The year is 1837 and Sarah Gale is sentenced to be hung, she is believed to have aid and abet James Greenacre in the death of Hannah Brown. Sarah Gale was having an on/off relationship with Greenacre and living with him in his home until he met Hannah. Hannah Brown was a spinster with a bit of money and business’s in her possession,until her body parts were found randomly around London.Greenacre a conniving man that he is only wanted Hannah for her money and threw Sarah out a few days before Christmas. A few days after Christmas Hannah Brown is gone and Sarah Gale is back in Greenacre’s bed. Sarah is adamant that she knows nothing about the disappearance or death of Hannah Brown, but no-one believes her.
Sarah Gale and a Women’s institute have requested Sarah to be pardoned as she is to be hung but is adamant she knows nothing. Edmund Fleetwood has been assigned the case, his job is to see if she will talk or if there is any new evidence. This is one of the most spoken about cases of the time and this could be the career break that Edmund needs, however Sarah Gale is still adamant that she knows nothing. Can this meek, pale women really be involved in a murder?
This book was amazing, I felt like I had been transported to London in 1837. The writing was so atmospheric, the descriptions of the sounds, the streets and the way the characters spoke just blew me away, and it was consistent throughout the book. The Unseeing is a slow burn book that drip feeds you information slowly and you start piecing it together like a jigsaw puzzle. I was definitely hooked and needed to know how Hannah had come to be in pieces around London and what was going to happen to Sarah. There is a twist and I didn’t see it coming whatsoever and was left shocked for some time.
This book is based on a true crime that happened in 1837 and is known as the Edgeware Murder. Sarah Gale and John Greenacre are the names of the actual people involved and the court scripts can be seen at the Old Bailey website. You can definitely tell that the Mazzola had knowledge of the justice system as it was very well researched. I loved that Mazzola managed to make a fictional book out of a true crime and it makes it even more intriguing to read. It does make you think of how the justice system failed a lot of people back in Victorian times.
I will definitely be reading anything else Anna Mazzola release and recommend this book you are interested true crime and historical fiction.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars