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David McK (3576 KP) rated Jurassic World (2015) in Movies
Aug 16, 2020 (Updated Jun 21, 2022)
It's now over 20 years from the original Jurassic Park film, and time has moved on.
In both the real world and the fictional world of this movie.
Set back in the original location of Isla Sorna, this imagines that John Hammond's park has been open to the public for over 20 years: to a public that has largely grown inured to the Dinosaurs and demands a new attraction every 2 years or so.
Enter the genetically engineered hybrid Indominus Rex, which (of course) causes chaos when it gets free of its paddock...
This movie definitely takes its cue from the original film, complete with a pair of siblings lost in the wilderness as the Dino's run amok! For some reason, the effects also seem less impressive than the earlier film (perhaps just because we've gotten used to them? Yes, just like the visitors to the island...), which mixed animatronics with its Special Effects, to great effect.
In both the real world and the fictional world of this movie.
Set back in the original location of Isla Sorna, this imagines that John Hammond's park has been open to the public for over 20 years: to a public that has largely grown inured to the Dinosaurs and demands a new attraction every 2 years or so.
Enter the genetically engineered hybrid Indominus Rex, which (of course) causes chaos when it gets free of its paddock...
This movie definitely takes its cue from the original film, complete with a pair of siblings lost in the wilderness as the Dino's run amok! For some reason, the effects also seem less impressive than the earlier film (perhaps just because we've gotten used to them? Yes, just like the visitors to the island...), which mixed animatronics with its Special Effects, to great effect.

Leah (: (569 KP) rated Queen of Always (Stolen Empire, #3) in Books
Feb 4, 2019
This book was the conclusion to the series. As the title would suggest this is the book where we see Catherine take the throne and finally become queen.
This book started a few months after the last one finished which meant the first part was spent catching up on what had happened.
Unfortunately there becomes a love triangle in this book which is something I just don’t enjoy and became frustrated with Catherine and her inability to just pick and commit to one person.
This book was a great conclusion to the series and tied the story up nicely. It left at a good point and where history would be able to fill in. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed and didn’t like the one chapter change in POV although I do know why it happened.
Personally I still enjoyed this book just not quite as much as the previous two.
This book started a few months after the last one finished which meant the first part was spent catching up on what had happened.
Unfortunately there becomes a love triangle in this book which is something I just don’t enjoy and became frustrated with Catherine and her inability to just pick and commit to one person.
This book was a great conclusion to the series and tied the story up nicely. It left at a good point and where history would be able to fill in. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed and didn’t like the one chapter change in POV although I do know why it happened.
Personally I still enjoyed this book just not quite as much as the previous two.

Kristin (149 KP) rated Arcadia's Gift (Arcadia Series #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say, this book really held my attention from start to finish. The prologue alone had me freaking out, ready to know just what in the heck was going on, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. Arcadia (Cady) is a wonderful character, as are her family and friends, and the dialogue between them sounded just like something that would happen with high-schoolers and their family.
The overall writing was just incredible. I really felt connected to the characters, to their pain, anguish, and even the happy times, especially between Cady and Bryan. I was almost late for work because I was so engrossed in the story, I lost track of time! I can't wait to see what happens in everyone's lives, and I'm waiting (not so) patiently for the next installment. =)
5 stars (is all they'd let me give)
I have to say, this book really held my attention from start to finish. The prologue alone had me freaking out, ready to know just what in the heck was going on, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. Arcadia (Cady) is a wonderful character, as are her family and friends, and the dialogue between them sounded just like something that would happen with high-schoolers and their family.
The overall writing was just incredible. I really felt connected to the characters, to their pain, anguish, and even the happy times, especially between Cady and Bryan. I was almost late for work because I was so engrossed in the story, I lost track of time! I can't wait to see what happens in everyone's lives, and I'm waiting (not so) patiently for the next installment. =)
5 stars (is all they'd let me give)

Tifflynn032418 (59 KP) rated Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2) in Books
Jul 17, 2018
I am huge fan of the lunar chronicles series. Just as the first book, scarlet surpassed my expectations. It's a refreshing and unique take on the fairy tale of little red riding hood. The book also continues with the story of Cinderella from the first novel of the series. The story keeps you interested the entire time and has simple twists and turns to keep you coming back for more. The characters are good kids but flawed in a way that lets you remember they are just like us, you cant help but love them all. The villain of the series is so vile the reader just cant wait to see her get what she deserves. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves the ya genre. It is also clean enough for my ten year old to read. I can not wait to read the next novel in the series: Cress.

Joelene Marie (28 KP) rated The Regulars in Books
Oct 1, 2018
I was SO excited to read this book, it was on a ton of hottest/best books of the summer lists so I figured it just had to be great. Not so much. I was very disappointed when I finally finished it. It started out good enough but as it progressed the characters just got on my nerves. I couldn't relate to any of them and the things they did often made little sense. The constant feminism was annoying and felt like all there was to that particular character, another was flakey to the extreme and while somewhat funny at first it became grating as, again, that's all there was to her character, and the remaining protagonist was just strange. She was perhaps the least flat of the three but I found it impossible to relate or identity with her. The plot was intriguing and unlike anything I've read before but it seemed to be more afterthought than integral. A serious let down :(

Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Vampire Girl (Vampire Girl, #1) in Books
Feb 14, 2020
DNF @ 34%
I struggled with this from the start. It didn't flow that easily and it seemed to take forever for something exciting to happen. It was about 28% before she even headed off to Hell or wherever it was Asher was taking her and I'd just kind of lost interest by then. I like something that's going to keep my attention and this didn't.
The interaction between the main character and her friends at the hospital after her mum had fallen into her coma just seemed rather awkward. And then the fact they let her "leave" so easily when they know how poorly her mum was...?
I liked the idea of her owing the Princes of Hell a favour and having to spend time with what were personifications of the 7 deadly sins to see who she would end up with but it just wasn't quite quick enough or written enough to my tastes for me to continue with it.
I struggled with this from the start. It didn't flow that easily and it seemed to take forever for something exciting to happen. It was about 28% before she even headed off to Hell or wherever it was Asher was taking her and I'd just kind of lost interest by then. I like something that's going to keep my attention and this didn't.
The interaction between the main character and her friends at the hospital after her mum had fallen into her coma just seemed rather awkward. And then the fact they let her "leave" so easily when they know how poorly her mum was...?
I liked the idea of her owing the Princes of Hell a favour and having to spend time with what were personifications of the 7 deadly sins to see who she would end up with but it just wasn't quite quick enough or written enough to my tastes for me to continue with it.

Just My Type: A Book About Fonts
Book
Just My Type is not just a font book, but a book of stories. About how Helvetica and Comic Sans took...

Jason Dohring recommended Ishtar (1987) in Movies (curated)

James Dean Bradfield recommended ...For the Whole World to See by Death in Music (curated)

Kristin (149 KP) rated Kill Ratio in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
It's actually happened: the zombie apocalypse is among us. Caused by a virus spreading exponentially through the population, it looks like there's no end in sight. Chad Halverson, however, is going to do his best to make it out alive. See, he knows exactly how this all started, and the government--his own co-workers, in fact--want him dead for that knowledge. Meanwhile, the President and his council are holed up in Mount Weather, ready to make some chilling decisions that will affect the entire world. Who will win, who will lose, and will we ever be the same again?
I thought this was a captivating book. The characters are intriguing; the story is one that could eventually happen, what in this day of germ warfare and other craziness; and the general tone of the book is depressing but hopeful at the same time. Jumping back and forth between Chad's group and those at Mount Weather was a very neat concept, as you could see what was REALLY going on in the world versus what the government fat-cats could see and were debating about. That group in itself was great; I felt like that's exactly what would happen in a situation like this, and the ongoing tension and escalating tempers were just perfect.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good zombie story, but also for those who want to know just what the government would do in this situation. I believe it's depicted quite accurately; will you?
4 stars
P.S. I may have shortened my boyfriend's life by showing him the cover upon first waking up. =)
It's actually happened: the zombie apocalypse is among us. Caused by a virus spreading exponentially through the population, it looks like there's no end in sight. Chad Halverson, however, is going to do his best to make it out alive. See, he knows exactly how this all started, and the government--his own co-workers, in fact--want him dead for that knowledge. Meanwhile, the President and his council are holed up in Mount Weather, ready to make some chilling decisions that will affect the entire world. Who will win, who will lose, and will we ever be the same again?
I thought this was a captivating book. The characters are intriguing; the story is one that could eventually happen, what in this day of germ warfare and other craziness; and the general tone of the book is depressing but hopeful at the same time. Jumping back and forth between Chad's group and those at Mount Weather was a very neat concept, as you could see what was REALLY going on in the world versus what the government fat-cats could see and were debating about. That group in itself was great; I felt like that's exactly what would happen in a situation like this, and the ongoing tension and escalating tempers were just perfect.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good zombie story, but also for those who want to know just what the government would do in this situation. I believe it's depicted quite accurately; will you?
4 stars
P.S. I may have shortened my boyfriend's life by showing him the cover upon first waking up. =)