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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Sunny St. James is twelve and getting a new heart. She was diagnosed at the age of ten with cardiomyopathy: a failing heart. That was two years ago. Sunny’s been through a lot in her short life. Her dad passed away in an accident right after she was born. When she was four, her mom, Lena, couldn’t take care of her anymore, so she gave her to her best friend, Kate. Kate and Sunny moved to Juniper Island, where Kate runs Cherry Picked Books. And recently, Sunny’s best friendship with Margot ended. But she’s getting a heart transplant, and everything is going to change now. Sunny even has a new life plan, which includes finding a new best friend and kissing some boys. So when she meets Quinn, a new girl, on the beach, it seems like all the pieces of her plan are coming together. But Quinn makes Sunny question some things—including whether she wants to kiss boys at all.
“I’m going to die today. Definitely for a few minutes and maybe forever. Kate keeps telling me no way, nohow is it going to be forever, but she isn’t the one who’s about to have her most important internal organ switched out like a new swimsuit at the start of the summer.”
Oh this book, this book. Ashley Herring Blake did it again. She is just such a wonderful, wonderful writer. I simply fell head over heels for Sunny, who stole my heart from the first pages of this beautiful book. She is strong, vulnerable, and a darling character who came to life through Blake’s lovely writing. She goes through so much in her life—and in the chapters of this book—and yet there’s so much hope and laughter. I cannot even describe it. The book opens with Sunny’s transplant and then we move on from there, as she works to implement her three-step plan:
“Step One: Do awesome amazing things I could never do before. Step Two: Find a new best friend. Step Three: Find a boy and kiss him.”
To Sunny’s twelve-year-old reasoning, it all makes perfect sense. She has a new heart, so it’s a perfect time to be a new person. In fact, with the new heart, there’s no reason to feel the things she felt before, which might have included some desires to kiss girls. When she meets Quinn on the beach—Quinn and her mom are in town for the summer, as Quinn’s mom is a nature photographer—they become fast friends. It seems like they will be on a quest to kiss boys together. But things quickly go awry (seriously – there are some hilarious comedic scenes as the two attempt to kiss some boys). This book does such an amazing job at capturing the loneliness of young gay kids. I so wish there books like this around when I was a teen. Sunny is so sweet, so real, and so raw as she works through her confusion about liking girls. This is such a wonderful and needed book for middle schoolers (and everyone)—for queer kids as they try to figure out things like Sunny and for the allies who need to support them. I wish everyone could read it. Not only does Sunny struggle with her feelings about liking girls and boys, but she must deal with the return of her long-lost mother, Lena. In another book, these two storylines might feel crowded, but Blake handles them deftly.
And it’s such a lovely story at its heart—because, truly, it’s a book about hearts and those you love and who love you. I defy you to read this book and not fall in love with Sunny St. James. She is a character who will stick with you long after you read the last page. Blake has created yet another lasting story through her magical words. I highly recommend this book. 4.5+ stars.
“I’m going to die today. Definitely for a few minutes and maybe forever. Kate keeps telling me no way, nohow is it going to be forever, but she isn’t the one who’s about to have her most important internal organ switched out like a new swimsuit at the start of the summer.”
Oh this book, this book. Ashley Herring Blake did it again. She is just such a wonderful, wonderful writer. I simply fell head over heels for Sunny, who stole my heart from the first pages of this beautiful book. She is strong, vulnerable, and a darling character who came to life through Blake’s lovely writing. She goes through so much in her life—and in the chapters of this book—and yet there’s so much hope and laughter. I cannot even describe it. The book opens with Sunny’s transplant and then we move on from there, as she works to implement her three-step plan:
“Step One: Do awesome amazing things I could never do before. Step Two: Find a new best friend. Step Three: Find a boy and kiss him.”
To Sunny’s twelve-year-old reasoning, it all makes perfect sense. She has a new heart, so it’s a perfect time to be a new person. In fact, with the new heart, there’s no reason to feel the things she felt before, which might have included some desires to kiss girls. When she meets Quinn on the beach—Quinn and her mom are in town for the summer, as Quinn’s mom is a nature photographer—they become fast friends. It seems like they will be on a quest to kiss boys together. But things quickly go awry (seriously – there are some hilarious comedic scenes as the two attempt to kiss some boys). This book does such an amazing job at capturing the loneliness of young gay kids. I so wish there books like this around when I was a teen. Sunny is so sweet, so real, and so raw as she works through her confusion about liking girls. This is such a wonderful and needed book for middle schoolers (and everyone)—for queer kids as they try to figure out things like Sunny and for the allies who need to support them. I wish everyone could read it. Not only does Sunny struggle with her feelings about liking girls and boys, but she must deal with the return of her long-lost mother, Lena. In another book, these two storylines might feel crowded, but Blake handles them deftly.
And it’s such a lovely story at its heart—because, truly, it’s a book about hearts and those you love and who love you. I defy you to read this book and not fall in love with Sunny St. James. She is a character who will stick with you long after you read the last page. Blake has created yet another lasting story through her magical words. I highly recommend this book. 4.5+ stars.
Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) in Movies
Feb 6, 2019 (Updated Feb 6, 2019)
When bad movies happen to good actors.
I like Mila Kunis and adore Kate McKinnon on SNL but this movie is a huge clunker. There is nothing to save the poor plot and script. It's supposed to be a comedy/action film but fails at both. It's kind of all over the place and difficult to follow not because of complexity but because of the randomness of situations and scenes. The few funny moments were probably ad-libbed. The trailer was the best part of the movie, everything else was just awful. When the actors were on the press junket for the film, I recall them saying how funny the movie is. I think they don't always realize that movies that may have been fun for them to film are tedious for viewers to watch. Fun does not equal good or funny.
Sue (7 KP) rated Line Of Duty in TV
May 19, 2019
Twists and suspense in each season and more to come!
I was a bit sceptical as I am normally for a 'who done it' series but I can honestly say I have been well and truly sucked in.
One of the best series I have watched for a while, full of suspense, twists and you can find yourself almost questioning what you would do in those situations. I love a book of series where you almost sympathise with the 'baddies' as there is always a story behind each of their decisions.
The law is the law.
Not disappointing in any way.
One of the best series I have watched for a while, full of suspense, twists and you can find yourself almost questioning what you would do in those situations. I love a book of series where you almost sympathise with the 'baddies' as there is always a story behind each of their decisions.
The law is the law.
Not disappointing in any way.
A group of ghost hunters have returned to the island to search for the ghost of a Prohibition era rum runner. However, when their leader gets murdered, Bea must figure out which of her guests might be a killer in order to clear her friend Kate of the crime.
The story is fun, and the way it wove a mystery from the past into what was happening now was great. The characters are strong, as I expected from the first two books. The humor I’ve enjoyed was still there as well. Unfortunately, the book had some serious editing flaws, including multiple characters getting the location where the body was found wrong. None of these impacted the final outcome, but it did detract from my enjoyment.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-legend-of-sleepy-harlow-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The story is fun, and the way it wove a mystery from the past into what was happening now was great. The characters are strong, as I expected from the first two books. The humor I’ve enjoyed was still there as well. Unfortunately, the book had some serious editing flaws, including multiple characters getting the location where the body was found wrong. None of these impacted the final outcome, but it did detract from my enjoyment.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-legend-of-sleepy-harlow-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
David McK (3562 KP) rated Shieldwall in Books
Jan 30, 2019
This was actually one of those novels that came up under the 'frequently bought with...' sections in Amazon, although at the time I did not purchase it there. Rather, I picked it up a short while later in my local Bargain Books, for something like £2. I was hoping to enjoy it, as I (generally) do like this type of fiction and as some of the critics quotations on the back of the book were good, but I have to say: I think that they (and, in particular, Kate Saunders from The Times who calls it 'exciting, gripping and imaginative') must have been reading a different novel from me - I found this, truth be told, to actually be a bit of a chore to read.
Doubt I'll be picking up the sequels (this is, apparently, the first in a planned trilogy), even for £2!
Doubt I'll be picking up the sequels (this is, apparently, the first in a planned trilogy), even for £2!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Holiday (2006) in Movies
Dec 14, 2019
Would've been better without Cameron Diaz...
I really wish Cameron Diaz hadn't been in this world. Theres something about her in this that is just so grating, she really overacts and just seems completely out of place.
It's a shame really, because everything else in this film is quite likeable. The plot is straightforward (I'm currently googling how to do a house exchange with a stranger from LA) and the rest of the cast are great. Jude Law is a loveable English gent - maybe a little too OTT at times but he's still adorable. Jack Black and Kate Winsley are by far the best things about this film though. Their interactions and relationships both together and with others (her neighbour) are just so damn cute and fun to watch. This definitely isn't no Love Actually, but if it hadn't have been for Cameron Diaz this would actually be pretty good.
It's a shame really, because everything else in this film is quite likeable. The plot is straightforward (I'm currently googling how to do a house exchange with a stranger from LA) and the rest of the cast are great. Jude Law is a loveable English gent - maybe a little too OTT at times but he's still adorable. Jack Black and Kate Winsley are by far the best things about this film though. Their interactions and relationships both together and with others (her neighbour) are just so damn cute and fun to watch. This definitely isn't no Love Actually, but if it hadn't have been for Cameron Diaz this would actually be pretty good.
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