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Auburn (57 KP) rated Finding Kyler (The Kennedy Boys, #1) in Books
Apr 10, 2019
The good: Romance, twists, turns, brooding Kyle, and damaged Faye. The plot to this book is wonderfully well written. It brings you into the Kennedy family and makes you care for not just the main characters but the other boys in the family. Add on the forbidden cousin relationship and you have a story you won't want to put down. The bombshell cliffhanger insures you will be heading to the next book ASAP to find out what will happen.
The bad: I had a hard time with the whole cousin thing for a lot of the book. But if you can get past that the steamy push pull is pretty well done.
The epilogue: This book is for fans of the Royals series as well as anyone who enjoys a good angst ridden push pull relationship.
The bad: I had a hard time with the whole cousin thing for a lot of the book. But if you can get past that the steamy push pull is pretty well done.
The epilogue: This book is for fans of the Royals series as well as anyone who enjoys a good angst ridden push pull relationship.
gayga (2127 KP) rated Small Great Things in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Another corker from Jodi
I was almost not looking forward to reading this book as normally Jodi Picoults books put me through the emotional wringer. However, this one left me (mostly) dry eyed. Don’t get me wrong, I love a blub more than most people but it’s nice to occasionally finish one of her books without being covered in tears and snot!
Despite this, it is an awesome book. I’m not going to divulge the story but it’s basically about racism and people’s perceived attitudes to it. The 3 points of view are Ruth Jefferson, a black nurse. Turk Bauer, a white supremacist and Kennedy McQuarrie, a lawyer.
It’s well thought out and you can really get under the skin of the character. A really good read, one I would probably read more than once.
Despite this, it is an awesome book. I’m not going to divulge the story but it’s basically about racism and people’s perceived attitudes to it. The 3 points of view are Ruth Jefferson, a black nurse. Turk Bauer, a white supremacist and Kennedy McQuarrie, a lawyer.
It’s well thought out and you can really get under the skin of the character. A really good read, one I would probably read more than once.
Sean Stone recommended JFK (1991) in Movies (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Small Great Things in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Ruth Jefferson is a successful labor and delivery nurse with over twenty years of experience. She has a nice home and a college-bound seventeen-year-old son, Edison. She also happens to be African American. When Ruth takes over for a colleague at shift change, she is simply doing a checkup on newborn baby boy Davis. But after his checkup, she's told Davis' parents don't want her touching their child. A post-it note in his file states that no African American staff should be touching the patient. Ruth is shocked-- and angry. The next day, when Davis has a medical emergency, Ruth is faced with a choice. Does she help the baby--defying the order of the parents and her supervisor? Ruth's decision leads her on a path that involves the police and being charged with a serious crime. Police come into her home, handcuffing her and her son. Her public defender, Kennedy McQuarrie, recommends that Ruth's defense not involve race: a lightning rod for juries, she says. But Ruth is angry and humiliated and wants to clear her name, at whatever the cost.
This is a touching and powerful novel. Told from the varying points of view of Ruth, Kennedy, and Turk--baby Davis' father-- it is a compelling look at how race and family history shapes the person we become. It is a poignant story at points: it is amazing what people can rationalize when it comes to hatred. I found the novel very fitting right now, with what's going on in the U.S. Honestly, it's very frightening at times and hits a little too close to home.
Picoult's characters are well-formed and dynamic, and you find yourself drawn into parts of each.
Turk, obviously, despite the loss of his child, is not a sympathetic character, but he is a complex one; his progression over the course of the novel is intriguing, and it's amazing how Picoult did not make him a one dimensional white supremacist. The book is extremely well-researched; both from the side of white supremacy, as well as racism and the medical aspects of Davis' case. Kennedy is likeable and her struggle with Ruth's case, as she realizes the depth of both the visible and latent racism her client faces on a daily basis, is real and relatable. I applaud Picoult for tackling such a difficult subject with such honesty. It's almost as if, through Kennedy, she's admitting exactly what she doesn't know. (I highly recommend reading Picoult's afterword, as well.)
For me, the hardest parts of the book was that it gets a little too poetic in the Jodi Picoult way (those who frequently read her novels will identify), with her waxing on about race and parents and being brought together, versus letting the story tell itself. At points the book just goes on and on a bit, versus getting to the story and the point. There are lots of little subplots that go off, detracting at times from the main story and frustrating the reader. And, of course, there are some weird twists and plot points in the typical Picoult style, though they don't seem to pack the punch of her older novels. It all wraps up a little too smoothly, though I have to confess I sort of enjoyed the ending. It may have been a bit trite, but I am often a sucker for such things.
Overall, I was impressed with how Picoult approached this novel, and I enjoyed the storyline for the most part (I was certainly invested), though it dawdled at times and ended a bit too easily. I'd rate this a strong 3.5 - 3.75 stars. Certainly worth reading, especially if you're a Picoult fan.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley; is available everywhere as of 10/11/2016.
This is a touching and powerful novel. Told from the varying points of view of Ruth, Kennedy, and Turk--baby Davis' father-- it is a compelling look at how race and family history shapes the person we become. It is a poignant story at points: it is amazing what people can rationalize when it comes to hatred. I found the novel very fitting right now, with what's going on in the U.S. Honestly, it's very frightening at times and hits a little too close to home.
Picoult's characters are well-formed and dynamic, and you find yourself drawn into parts of each.
Turk, obviously, despite the loss of his child, is not a sympathetic character, but he is a complex one; his progression over the course of the novel is intriguing, and it's amazing how Picoult did not make him a one dimensional white supremacist. The book is extremely well-researched; both from the side of white supremacy, as well as racism and the medical aspects of Davis' case. Kennedy is likeable and her struggle with Ruth's case, as she realizes the depth of both the visible and latent racism her client faces on a daily basis, is real and relatable. I applaud Picoult for tackling such a difficult subject with such honesty. It's almost as if, through Kennedy, she's admitting exactly what she doesn't know. (I highly recommend reading Picoult's afterword, as well.)
For me, the hardest parts of the book was that it gets a little too poetic in the Jodi Picoult way (those who frequently read her novels will identify), with her waxing on about race and parents and being brought together, versus letting the story tell itself. At points the book just goes on and on a bit, versus getting to the story and the point. There are lots of little subplots that go off, detracting at times from the main story and frustrating the reader. And, of course, there are some weird twists and plot points in the typical Picoult style, though they don't seem to pack the punch of her older novels. It all wraps up a little too smoothly, though I have to confess I sort of enjoyed the ending. It may have been a bit trite, but I am often a sucker for such things.
Overall, I was impressed with how Picoult approached this novel, and I enjoyed the storyline for the most part (I was certainly invested), though it dawdled at times and ended a bit too easily. I'd rate this a strong 3.5 - 3.75 stars. Certainly worth reading, especially if you're a Picoult fan.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley; is available everywhere as of 10/11/2016.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Unbreakable (The Legion, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Obviously choosing to dissect Kami Garcia's solo series as my next audiobook victim was a bad idea... a very bad idea...
Basically, I'm saying I give up on Kami Garcia. No offense, but after my horrid experience with the first couple of books of her <i>Beautiful Creatures</i> series she wrote with Margaret Stohl and then <i>Unbreakable</i>, I'm not sure I want to read another of her books (aside from maybe reading <i>Dangerous Creatures</i>).
<i>Unbreakable</i> sort of has a good idea – emphasis on sort of. Garcia's first debut solo novel follows Kennedy Waters, a girl who doesn't actually believe in ghosts until she finds her mother dead. Shortly after, a ghost makes an attempt to kill her as well, and is stopped by Lukas and Jared Lockhart, two brothers who are part of a centuries-old secret society made up of five members trying to stop a demon released by their ancestors hundreds of years ago. However, Kennedy isn't entirely too sure about whether or not she really belongs with this secret society called the Legion of the Black Dove.
For a person who doesn't watch <i>Supernatural</i> much, it's really weird when I get though, oh... 33 pages, that I realize a book is almost an exact carbon copy of the few episodes I watched.
For instance, there are two brothers in <i>Supernatural</i> and there are two brothers in <i>Unbreakable</i>. Are Sam and his brother identical? No.... not that I'm aware, which is only a small difference between the two books. Brother Pair 1 (<i>Supernatural</i>) and Brother Pair 2 (Unbreakable) apparently hunt demons for a living. At least, that's what I think Pair 1 did – correct me if I'm wrong, avid fans who are bound to be more accurate than me.
Oh, and there's a demon hunting around for a certain person... or a certain group of people. I'm pretty sure there was a demon hunting Brother Pair 1 for quite awhile in the episodes I actually watched (give me a break. I was bored. <i>Supernatural</i> just seemed interesting). Fun fact: possession involved in both TV show and book.
The mere fact that <i>Unbreakable</i> matched the few episodes (I believe they were reruns) I watched didn't bother me too much – it was a potential love triangle between Kennedy, Jared, and Lukas that eventually drove me up the wall. If Garcia isn't careful enough, the tension between Jared and Lukas could eventually set the book on fire – Lukas spends a good part of his time between fighting vengeful spirits and other things rubbing something that Jared did wrong in his face. It gets bad enough that both brothers reach the point of throttling each other's throats and Kennedy going between them and stopping them.
I felt like I was watching a scene from a <i>Twilight</i> (I'm starting to appreciate this series). <i>Lux</i> (because I totally snuck a few peeks in the third one), and pretty much any other book that has a love triangle in which 66% of them nearly start a brawl while the rest of the 33% pretty much yells, "STOP!"
By then, I was definitely not sticking around for five to go down to four just because of a mistake.
I did, however, like the world of Legion. It's certainly not a life I would want, but I definitely enjoyed the basic idea behind the series, Candice Accola's narration of <i>Unbreakable</i>, and the sound effects used in the audiobook.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/dnf-audiobook-review-unbreakable-by-kami-garcia/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Basically, I'm saying I give up on Kami Garcia. No offense, but after my horrid experience with the first couple of books of her <i>Beautiful Creatures</i> series she wrote with Margaret Stohl and then <i>Unbreakable</i>, I'm not sure I want to read another of her books (aside from maybe reading <i>Dangerous Creatures</i>).
<i>Unbreakable</i> sort of has a good idea – emphasis on sort of. Garcia's first debut solo novel follows Kennedy Waters, a girl who doesn't actually believe in ghosts until she finds her mother dead. Shortly after, a ghost makes an attempt to kill her as well, and is stopped by Lukas and Jared Lockhart, two brothers who are part of a centuries-old secret society made up of five members trying to stop a demon released by their ancestors hundreds of years ago. However, Kennedy isn't entirely too sure about whether or not she really belongs with this secret society called the Legion of the Black Dove.
For a person who doesn't watch <i>Supernatural</i> much, it's really weird when I get though, oh... 33 pages, that I realize a book is almost an exact carbon copy of the few episodes I watched.
For instance, there are two brothers in <i>Supernatural</i> and there are two brothers in <i>Unbreakable</i>. Are Sam and his brother identical? No.... not that I'm aware, which is only a small difference between the two books. Brother Pair 1 (<i>Supernatural</i>) and Brother Pair 2 (Unbreakable) apparently hunt demons for a living. At least, that's what I think Pair 1 did – correct me if I'm wrong, avid fans who are bound to be more accurate than me.
Oh, and there's a demon hunting around for a certain person... or a certain group of people. I'm pretty sure there was a demon hunting Brother Pair 1 for quite awhile in the episodes I actually watched (give me a break. I was bored. <i>Supernatural</i> just seemed interesting). Fun fact: possession involved in both TV show and book.
The mere fact that <i>Unbreakable</i> matched the few episodes (I believe they were reruns) I watched didn't bother me too much – it was a potential love triangle between Kennedy, Jared, and Lukas that eventually drove me up the wall. If Garcia isn't careful enough, the tension between Jared and Lukas could eventually set the book on fire – Lukas spends a good part of his time between fighting vengeful spirits and other things rubbing something that Jared did wrong in his face. It gets bad enough that both brothers reach the point of throttling each other's throats and Kennedy going between them and stopping them.
I felt like I was watching a scene from a <i>Twilight</i> (I'm starting to appreciate this series). <i>Lux</i> (because I totally snuck a few peeks in the third one), and pretty much any other book that has a love triangle in which 66% of them nearly start a brawl while the rest of the 33% pretty much yells, "STOP!"
By then, I was definitely not sticking around for five to go down to four just because of a mistake.
I did, however, like the world of Legion. It's certainly not a life I would want, but I definitely enjoyed the basic idea behind the series, Candice Accola's narration of <i>Unbreakable</i>, and the sound effects used in the audiobook.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/dnf-audiobook-review-unbreakable-by-kami-garcia/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated The Penguin History of the USA in Books
Nov 5, 2018
A very concise and yet still strangely detailed history of one of the youngest super powers ever to exist. It is an effective and informative text that provides a complete history of the United States, although I must admit I was slightly let down by the lack of detail in later years, from Kennedy onwards. Brogan has a good degree of insight into the events and imparts this in a sometimes comical, but always fair way, never making assumptions unless he had solid foundations. All in all I found this an incredibly informative, if not slightly hard going due to the amount of fact covered, and one that deserves every attribute given to it by critics and ordinary readers alike. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is seriously interested in developing a more in depth knowledge about the history of this great country, scholars and casual readers alike.
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) in Movies
May 6, 2019
Decent Wayne western
When four brothers return to their home town to attend their mother's funeral, they soon discover her estate was not as they remember and the circumstances around the death of their father warrants further investigation.
The bad guys eventually present themselves and the good guys are arrested for causing trouble with the local law.
Getting to love Wayne more and more the more films of his I have watched. I can see now how he had such a commanding screen presence which still endures so many years later.
It was great to some some of my other favorites actors including George Kennedy and Dennis Hopper in supporting roles. Also, I didn't think Dean Martin could pull off a western role while staying sober, so he was a pleasant surprise also.
Overall the movie delivers the mostly standard OLD West movie elements including some great shootout scenes which makes it easy to recommend.
The bad guys eventually present themselves and the good guys are arrested for causing trouble with the local law.
Getting to love Wayne more and more the more films of his I have watched. I can see now how he had such a commanding screen presence which still endures so many years later.
It was great to some some of my other favorites actors including George Kennedy and Dennis Hopper in supporting roles. Also, I didn't think Dean Martin could pull off a western role while staying sober, so he was a pleasant surprise also.
Overall the movie delivers the mostly standard OLD West movie elements including some great shootout scenes which makes it easy to recommend.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Manchurian Candidate (1962) in Movies
May 8, 2021
Conspiracy thriller. In the early 1960s, war hero Raymond Shaw is feted across America for saving his comrades during the war in Korea - but those comrades are troubled by strange nightmares suggesting something completely different may have happened. Shaw has been conditioned by the Communists to become the perfect assassin, something not even he is aware of, and his new operators are about to send him into action...
Sounds a bit like a Red Scare movie, but surprisingly apolitical: the main villain seems to be more fascist than communist, and even the Russian characters appear to have corrupted by American consumerism. Instead, the focus is more on character, and the damage done to people by their experiences in wartime. An intelligent and cynical movie, well-played for the most part, and with an astonishingly good turn from Angela Lansbury. Inevitably linked in the culture to the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers in the 1960s, but still feels remarkably un-dated.
Sounds a bit like a Red Scare movie, but surprisingly apolitical: the main villain seems to be more fascist than communist, and even the Russian characters appear to have corrupted by American consumerism. Instead, the focus is more on character, and the damage done to people by their experiences in wartime. An intelligent and cynical movie, well-played for the most part, and with an astonishingly good turn from Angela Lansbury. Inevitably linked in the culture to the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers in the 1960s, but still feels remarkably un-dated.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated In the Role of Brie Hutchens... in Books
Jul 2, 2020
Brie Hutchens is an eighth-grader at a Catholic school. She loves soap operas and dreams of being the star of the school play. She wants to go to drama school next year. Brie also has feelings that she's pretty sure are different than the other kids at her school. For instance, she gets a fluttery feeling looking at photos online of her favorite soap opera actress. But when Brie's (very religious) mom walks in on her doing so, Brie freaks out and tells her Mom she's been chosen to crown the Mary statue at her school's ceremony. She hasn't of course, and even worse, she probably stands no chance at earning the gig, since it usually goes to a top student. One like Kennedy, whom Brie usually avoids. But as Brie starts to spend a little more time with Kennedy, she realizes Kennedy gives her the same feeling as that soap actress. And that none of this is going to make her mother happy (or help her crown Mary).
This is a very sweet, heartwarming, and touching story about a young girl finding her way and finding herself. I'm a sucker for coming of age stories, but when they are lesbian coming of age stories? I'm sold. Brie is an interesting character, who even comes across a little ungrateful at times--though perhaps she's just a typical teenager. She's embarrassed her dad works at her school and often seems a bit self-centered and in her own world. Okay, yeah, she's a teenager. But her battle with her sexual identity is certainly one I could identify with and it's presented in a lovely and truthful way. It's exactly the kind of book kids this age need, especially teens being raised in a religious environment.
The book is more religious than I expected, but it's not off-putting. As someone whose first love love came from a religious Catholic family, I saw so much of my past life in this book. I loved the fact that Brie is a soap fan--as kid who grew up loving Dallas, Days of Our Lives, Passions, and Sunset Beach, this part of the book was totally fun. Yet, Melleby worked in the angle in a serious way, too, as Brie uses soaps as a way to realize that maybe she isn't so different after all (thank you, soaps, for having some progressive characters ahead of your time).
"But when Brie and her mom sat in the living room, watching their soaps, Brie forgot they had so little in common."
Brie is fun and sweet and she's decidedly her own person, yet scared of how her religious mom and her Catholic school friends might see her if she reveals she likes girls. Her agonizing over this, her fear of coming out, is raw and realistic. The difficultly of coming out really resonates here, and Melleby does a wonderful job capturing how hard it is, even now.
Overall, this is a lovely and tender book--funny and sweet--and a great children's/YA read. If you love coming of age stories, YA novels, or any LQBTIA youth fiction, I think this novel will tug at your heartstrings.
This is a very sweet, heartwarming, and touching story about a young girl finding her way and finding herself. I'm a sucker for coming of age stories, but when they are lesbian coming of age stories? I'm sold. Brie is an interesting character, who even comes across a little ungrateful at times--though perhaps she's just a typical teenager. She's embarrassed her dad works at her school and often seems a bit self-centered and in her own world. Okay, yeah, she's a teenager. But her battle with her sexual identity is certainly one I could identify with and it's presented in a lovely and truthful way. It's exactly the kind of book kids this age need, especially teens being raised in a religious environment.
The book is more religious than I expected, but it's not off-putting. As someone whose first love love came from a religious Catholic family, I saw so much of my past life in this book. I loved the fact that Brie is a soap fan--as kid who grew up loving Dallas, Days of Our Lives, Passions, and Sunset Beach, this part of the book was totally fun. Yet, Melleby worked in the angle in a serious way, too, as Brie uses soaps as a way to realize that maybe she isn't so different after all (thank you, soaps, for having some progressive characters ahead of your time).
"But when Brie and her mom sat in the living room, watching their soaps, Brie forgot they had so little in common."
Brie is fun and sweet and she's decidedly her own person, yet scared of how her religious mom and her Catholic school friends might see her if she reveals she likes girls. Her agonizing over this, her fear of coming out, is raw and realistic. The difficultly of coming out really resonates here, and Melleby does a wonderful job capturing how hard it is, even now.
Overall, this is a lovely and tender book--funny and sweet--and a great children's/YA read. If you love coming of age stories, YA novels, or any LQBTIA youth fiction, I think this novel will tug at your heartstrings.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Scream 2 (1997) in Movies
May 9, 2020
Scream 2 is a great example of a sequel done right. It was released just a year after the well received first film, and doesn't deviate from the formula that made Scream such a hit.
It's still very self aware, it's gory, and retains the comedic edge nicely.
Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Jamie Kennedy all return for another round, and are just as likable as they were before. This cast clearly enjoyed their time making these films, and they are joined by the like of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Timothy Olyphant, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Jerry O'Connell. A pretty solid cast all in all.
Ghostface continues to be a bizzarre icon in the horror genre, managing to be unsettling, and subtly ludicrous at the same time. The way that he stumbles and crashes into things whilst chasing people lends a pretty psychotic edge to his potentially goofy asthethic.
The plot predictably becomes rather silly towards the climax, but honestly, I can't really complain. Scream 2 is really fun follow up to a horror classic and deserves the praise it gets.
It's still very self aware, it's gory, and retains the comedic edge nicely.
Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Jamie Kennedy all return for another round, and are just as likable as they were before. This cast clearly enjoyed their time making these films, and they are joined by the like of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Timothy Olyphant, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Jerry O'Connell. A pretty solid cast all in all.
Ghostface continues to be a bizzarre icon in the horror genre, managing to be unsettling, and subtly ludicrous at the same time. The way that he stumbles and crashes into things whilst chasing people lends a pretty psychotic edge to his potentially goofy asthethic.
The plot predictably becomes rather silly towards the climax, but honestly, I can't really complain. Scream 2 is really fun follow up to a horror classic and deserves the praise it gets.