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Downriver (Poison River #1)
Book
A sulfur sky poisoned her family and her heart. Now revenge tastes sweeter than justice. It’s...
Revenge Historical Fiction
Becs (244 KP) rated Of Mice and Men in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a (somewhat) great historical fiction novel. I was just appalled by how slow the middle of the book was. I was so excited to read this book, as I’ve heard such great things about it. When I started, it was a little bumpy but as I kept reading, the road just kept becoming almost unbearable to continue. The ending though, spot on and definitely kicked my attention back into place. In all aspects, Of Mice and Men deserves a solid four gold stars. Reasons why below.
Genre: Literary classic, historical fiction
Audience: I definitely recommend at least a high schooler or up to read it. As it’s a little controversial and a bit harder of a read for a younger crowd.
Difficulty Reading: I almost put this down to never pick up and read again. I was about a millimeter away from doing it. But I have a thing against never finishing a book or DNF. If I’m going to pick something up and start reading it, I HAVE TO finish it, something about having an unfinished book doesn’t sit right with me. So, the answer is yes. This was a bit more of a difficult read. Now that it’s finished, I’m glad I stuck through and read the rest of the novel.
Insights: John Steinbeck is a great author and writer. I’ve read a few of his other novels and have loved them. Of Mice and Men just does not compare to the others. Maybe it’s the way that the characters speak. Maybe it’s the topic. Maybe it’s just Steinbeck lost touch with his writing when creating Of Mice and Men. Who knows, apparently some think that this novel is a piece of art. I mean, it’s still being sold nationwide. That must mean it’s somewhat good, right?
Ah-Ha Moment: When I found out that Lennie has a bit of a mental handicap issue. (This honestly sounds so bad in writing but I’m not trying to be rude about people who are mentally handicapped. I use to work as a caretaker for them and I loved it.) To continue on. You typically don’t see this style of character in this novels era. It was refreshing and different from other literary classic novels.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Favorite Quotes: “Trouble with mice is you always kill ’em. ” – Honestly, this is a perfect short, one sentence summary of the novel. If you don’t want to read Of Mice and Men, what happens is: you have George and Lennie, always traveling together. Lennie is mentally handicapped and likes to pet soft things. He gets in trouble in Weed by touching a female’s dress and not letting go when she screams. They run and come to find work bucking barley. Here, Lennie kills a newborn pup then kills Curley’s wife. George shoots Lennie in the back of the head and the novel ends.
***END OF SPOILERS***
“Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to.” – I mean, you’re not wrong George. Ranchhands are typically pretty lonely, especially in those olden days.
What will you gain: A love-hate relationship for this novel. Seriously. I love it so much I gave it four gold stars. But I hate it so much because man, it was a bit of a bore.
“Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”
Genre: Literary classic, historical fiction
Audience: I definitely recommend at least a high schooler or up to read it. As it’s a little controversial and a bit harder of a read for a younger crowd.
Difficulty Reading: I almost put this down to never pick up and read again. I was about a millimeter away from doing it. But I have a thing against never finishing a book or DNF. If I’m going to pick something up and start reading it, I HAVE TO finish it, something about having an unfinished book doesn’t sit right with me. So, the answer is yes. This was a bit more of a difficult read. Now that it’s finished, I’m glad I stuck through and read the rest of the novel.
Insights: John Steinbeck is a great author and writer. I’ve read a few of his other novels and have loved them. Of Mice and Men just does not compare to the others. Maybe it’s the way that the characters speak. Maybe it’s the topic. Maybe it’s just Steinbeck lost touch with his writing when creating Of Mice and Men. Who knows, apparently some think that this novel is a piece of art. I mean, it’s still being sold nationwide. That must mean it’s somewhat good, right?
Ah-Ha Moment: When I found out that Lennie has a bit of a mental handicap issue. (This honestly sounds so bad in writing but I’m not trying to be rude about people who are mentally handicapped. I use to work as a caretaker for them and I loved it.) To continue on. You typically don’t see this style of character in this novels era. It was refreshing and different from other literary classic novels.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Favorite Quotes: “Trouble with mice is you always kill ’em. ” – Honestly, this is a perfect short, one sentence summary of the novel. If you don’t want to read Of Mice and Men, what happens is: you have George and Lennie, always traveling together. Lennie is mentally handicapped and likes to pet soft things. He gets in trouble in Weed by touching a female’s dress and not letting go when she screams. They run and come to find work bucking barley. Here, Lennie kills a newborn pup then kills Curley’s wife. George shoots Lennie in the back of the head and the novel ends.
***END OF SPOILERS***
“Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to.” – I mean, you’re not wrong George. Ranchhands are typically pretty lonely, especially in those olden days.
What will you gain: A love-hate relationship for this novel. Seriously. I love it so much I gave it four gold stars. But I hate it so much because man, it was a bit of a bore.
“Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated To The One I Love in Books
Jun 12, 2019
Husband and Wife Write Letters to the Bitter End
Contains spoilers, click to show
Genre: Contemporary
Word Count: 3,880
Average Smashwords Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Through letters, Jonathan and Emily profess their love for each other. You can see snapshots of their lives as they meet and marry, and part ways. Time is fluid in this, with only the Chinese zodiac signs to give you an idea about how much time has passed.
This story was way too short and everything happened way too fast. It was like watching a television show for the first time and skipping entire seasons between episodes.
For instance, the mothers of the two main characters got into a fist fight at the engagement party and at least one of them was arrested for it. Why did the fight start? Do the mothers have a history of being violent? Maybe they have bad history.
The ending was abrupt. It implied a violent ending that had no foreshadowing in the previous letters. The story is a series of romantic snapshots into these people’s’ lives, but I would have preferred a little more reality with some context to what was happening.
The writing drove me crazy at times, too. Mostly it was witty, passionate and made me smile.
What other lovers? Whoever came before you fell out of existence at your first caress. You are my only…for now through eternity.
But sometimes it was pretentious and absurdly wordy.
“Fleeting and cold is my opinion of email, text and phone calls. I make no apologies for my old fashioned views on modern technology. It may not be instant, and might take a bit more effort (of which you are more than worthy!), but I prefer to sit and put pen to paper.”
It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t great, either. Bascomville and Grind are both better literary romances.
Word Count: 3,880
Average Smashwords Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Through letters, Jonathan and Emily profess their love for each other. You can see snapshots of their lives as they meet and marry, and part ways. Time is fluid in this, with only the Chinese zodiac signs to give you an idea about how much time has passed.
This story was way too short and everything happened way too fast. It was like watching a television show for the first time and skipping entire seasons between episodes.
For instance, the mothers of the two main characters got into a fist fight at the engagement party and at least one of them was arrested for it. Why did the fight start? Do the mothers have a history of being violent? Maybe they have bad history.
The ending was abrupt. It implied a violent ending that had no foreshadowing in the previous letters. The story is a series of romantic snapshots into these people’s’ lives, but I would have preferred a little more reality with some context to what was happening.
The writing drove me crazy at times, too. Mostly it was witty, passionate and made me smile.
What other lovers? Whoever came before you fell out of existence at your first caress. You are my only…for now through eternity.
But sometimes it was pretentious and absurdly wordy.
“Fleeting and cold is my opinion of email, text and phone calls. I make no apologies for my old fashioned views on modern technology. It may not be instant, and might take a bit more effort (of which you are more than worthy!), but I prefer to sit and put pen to paper.”
It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t great, either. Bascomville and Grind are both better literary romances.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Smash & Grab in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Smash & Grab isn't a unique premise - "Uptown girl - She's been living in her uptown world". It's a theme that runs through many books. Clearly, Lexi is bored, rich and looking or an adrenaline rush. The moment the book switched to the perspective of the poor, smart "backstreet guy" or "downtown man" - you knew that there was going to be a romance or chemistry between the two. Despite the unsurprising connection between the two main characters, the book was quite enjoyable.
Lexi was not a vapid, rich girl but had a depth to her character. She goes through trials and doesn't just say, "oh woe is me" but actively attempts to remedy things. Yes, her dad might be guilty but he is not alone in his guilt nor was he the mastermind of the scheme. Lexi suspects her father's boss and is determined to do whatever she can to prove his guilt. This plan leads her to cross paths a number of times with a mysterious boy, our other narrator.
Christian is a bank robber. He and his crew, his cousin and a few other neighborhood guys, do jobs for the local Mexican gang. But if Christian had his way, he wouldn't be involved in any of that. He's smart, he loves to read and he wants to go to college. But his family was threatened and that's more important to him. That's how he gets forced into a job that will target the very bank that Lexi is attempting to infiltrate. The one her father used to work at. The one she conned her way into getting an internship at.
The two don't trust each other but know that in order to succeed they must work together. This is certainly a fun, easy summer read. Do not expect a literary classic, but it's definitely enjoyable. The story has good pacing overall, although the end was a little rushed. I recommend checking out this enjoyable read - especially if you want to find out what happens.
Lexi was not a vapid, rich girl but had a depth to her character. She goes through trials and doesn't just say, "oh woe is me" but actively attempts to remedy things. Yes, her dad might be guilty but he is not alone in his guilt nor was he the mastermind of the scheme. Lexi suspects her father's boss and is determined to do whatever she can to prove his guilt. This plan leads her to cross paths a number of times with a mysterious boy, our other narrator.
Christian is a bank robber. He and his crew, his cousin and a few other neighborhood guys, do jobs for the local Mexican gang. But if Christian had his way, he wouldn't be involved in any of that. He's smart, he loves to read and he wants to go to college. But his family was threatened and that's more important to him. That's how he gets forced into a job that will target the very bank that Lexi is attempting to infiltrate. The one her father used to work at. The one she conned her way into getting an internship at.
The two don't trust each other but know that in order to succeed they must work together. This is certainly a fun, easy summer read. Do not expect a literary classic, but it's definitely enjoyable. The story has good pacing overall, although the end was a little rushed. I recommend checking out this enjoyable read - especially if you want to find out what happens.
Louise (64 KP) rated Goth Girl: and the Ghost of a Mouse in Books
Jul 2, 2018
Ada Goth lives in Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her father, servants and a few ghosts. Ada’s father likes to keep himself to himself even when it comes to his daughter, he makes her wear clumpy shoes so he can hear her coming. Ada is very much alone in this huge mansion style house until one evening she meets a ghost in the form of a Mouse called Ishmael. Ishmael informs Ada that he was killed by a Mouse trap and that he is to roam the hall for all eternity. Together they go and investigate the rooms in which Ishmael was killed when they come upon some strange things and other denizens.
The book had a lot of characters in it, all shapes and sizes all very whimsical but none have much depth to them, you don’t get to find out an awful lot. I wish Ishmael could have been in the book a bit more than he was. He was introduced in chapter 1 and then didn’t have much involvement. The story is very slow to start off with and only really starts to get going in the second half.
This book definitely had its quirks, I loved the use of the footnotes that were written by ‘The foot’ which made me chuckle. There is also literary references such as Von Hellsung and Hebe Poppins. The Comic book at the back was an added bonus! I didn’t realise this was included when I picked it up.
This book is beautiful, it has a purple ribbon and metallic page edges, inside the cover is decorated in a silver/gold foil and also there is an additional pocket with a miniature comic book called ‘Memoirs of Mouse’. Not only did Chris Riddell Illustrate this book but he also wrote it. I love his artwork, it’s so detailed and definitely stunning to look at all in black and white. Everything was on point regarding presentation.
Overall I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
The book had a lot of characters in it, all shapes and sizes all very whimsical but none have much depth to them, you don’t get to find out an awful lot. I wish Ishmael could have been in the book a bit more than he was. He was introduced in chapter 1 and then didn’t have much involvement. The story is very slow to start off with and only really starts to get going in the second half.
This book definitely had its quirks, I loved the use of the footnotes that were written by ‘The foot’ which made me chuckle. There is also literary references such as Von Hellsung and Hebe Poppins. The Comic book at the back was an added bonus! I didn’t realise this was included when I picked it up.
This book is beautiful, it has a purple ribbon and metallic page edges, inside the cover is decorated in a silver/gold foil and also there is an additional pocket with a miniature comic book called ‘Memoirs of Mouse’. Not only did Chris Riddell Illustrate this book but he also wrote it. I love his artwork, it’s so detailed and definitely stunning to look at all in black and white. Everything was on point regarding presentation.
Overall I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5.
LilyLovesIndie (123 KP) rated Watersheds of World History in Books
Nov 5, 2018
This book was provided as a complimentary signed copy from the author, and I am very grateful to be finally fulfilling my promise to review the book.
Firstly, I have to be honest, world history from start to finish in 200 pages? I know, I asked myself that question so many times before I sat down to finally read this and I was highly sceptical whether it could be achieved. How very wrong I was.
Taylor has a unique take on history, succinct and incredibly to the point. I read a lot of history books and most historians get a little 'flowery' with their language in an attempt to make the reader love the history but Taylor takes a completely contrasting methodology in being almost blunt with the delivery of the historical facts. Usually, I would prefer more description but in this book it is much more apt to have this short, sharp burst approach as it keeps the reader hooked to the very end, even if they already know the history being told. That being said, I'm a self professed history enthusiast who reads history like fiction, and Taylor, in this masterpiece, managed to teach me a thing or two about periods of history I thought I knew inside out.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone interested in getting a beginners knowledge of world history, whether to help decide options for school, find a new hobby or even brush up on quiz knowledge. Taylor has written an immensely useful and informative text that I would, if I were a teacher of history, make a compulsory text for all my children. As it is, I'm in primary teaching and I can see myself recommending this to colleagues who are less confident in general historical knowledge to make sure they meet the grade! A fantastic talent has emerged in the literary world of non-fiction history, and I look forward to reading more from this incredibly talented and unique author.
Firstly, I have to be honest, world history from start to finish in 200 pages? I know, I asked myself that question so many times before I sat down to finally read this and I was highly sceptical whether it could be achieved. How very wrong I was.
Taylor has a unique take on history, succinct and incredibly to the point. I read a lot of history books and most historians get a little 'flowery' with their language in an attempt to make the reader love the history but Taylor takes a completely contrasting methodology in being almost blunt with the delivery of the historical facts. Usually, I would prefer more description but in this book it is much more apt to have this short, sharp burst approach as it keeps the reader hooked to the very end, even if they already know the history being told. That being said, I'm a self professed history enthusiast who reads history like fiction, and Taylor, in this masterpiece, managed to teach me a thing or two about periods of history I thought I knew inside out.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone interested in getting a beginners knowledge of world history, whether to help decide options for school, find a new hobby or even brush up on quiz knowledge. Taylor has written an immensely useful and informative text that I would, if I were a teacher of history, make a compulsory text for all my children. As it is, I'm in primary teaching and I can see myself recommending this to colleagues who are less confident in general historical knowledge to make sure they meet the grade! A fantastic talent has emerged in the literary world of non-fiction history, and I look forward to reading more from this incredibly talented and unique author.
Cat Goddess Freyja (16 KP) rated The Bear and the Nightingale in Books
Dec 5, 2018
Fantastic Read
Contains spoilers, click to show
I loved reading this book. Since reading it, a few weeks ago, it has become the first book that I recommend to someone looking for a good read. The author has brought her characters alive in a beautiful and alluring way. The story is based in Russia with a country noble's family being the main focus. The story itself, is a mixture of a coming of age story- in which the young main character, Vasya, discovers her place in the world- a fairy tale- a mythical snow demon who can only be calmed by a 'sacrificial' woman, who in turn fights with the snow demon against his evil brother- and a religious historical fiction- there is a strong opposition between Vasya, who believes strongly in the magic and old ways of her village, and a christian priest who comes to 'correct' their pagan beliefs and steer them towards God. There is a touch of romance, but it is not overwhelming and is charming in its own way. The characters come across as natural human beings/ mythical beings, and their choices in the story are logical and works well with whatever conflict they face. My absolute favorite thing that the author, Katherine Arden, did, however was her word choice. Karherine studied Russian in school, and knows quite a bit about its culture and language. A brilliant choice on her part, was recognizing that many of her readers may not be as familiar with the Russian language and culture as she is. So, to keep the feel of Russia alive in her book, she took the time to teach her characters beliefs to the reader, and come up with words that sound close to their Russian counterparts but are easy to pronoun for readers who don't know Russian. This is a very thoughtful fiction book and one I recommend for anyone who wants their imagination to shine.
This is a book I have had on my to read pile for some time, and having a bit of extra free time on my hands have finally got round to. I vaguely remember seeing the film that was made, but luckily the film wasn’t that memorable so I couldn’t remember how it ended. However, I enjoyed the book very much and realise why the film maybe didn’t do as well as was expected. Most of the characters are either hiding their emotions or a secret of some kind throughout the story, this did not portray over well in the film and just made everything pretty confusing.
On the whole this is a book about a father and daughter who love to read and have the ability to make books come to life and this appealed to me greatly. It was a slow starter but built up the characters well and I really wanted to know what happened to them. I am not saying this book was the pinnacle of literary accomplishments, but I enjoyed the fantasy, the adventure and how with some characters, even towards the end you weren’t sure if you should like them or not. For instance the character of Dustfinger who is ripped from his story into a world he despises and he yearns just to return home. You never know whether to trust him, to not trust him, to pity him or to think he is selfish. Not all the characters in Inkheart fall into a black and white category, which is refreshing, especially in a book aimed at slightly younger/teen readers.
Great amounts of cheesy humour, good general read I would definitely read the next two books as the characters are all built up now so I think the next books would pick up quicker. Would have probably enjoyed this book more when I was in my yearly teens.
On the whole this is a book about a father and daughter who love to read and have the ability to make books come to life and this appealed to me greatly. It was a slow starter but built up the characters well and I really wanted to know what happened to them. I am not saying this book was the pinnacle of literary accomplishments, but I enjoyed the fantasy, the adventure and how with some characters, even towards the end you weren’t sure if you should like them or not. For instance the character of Dustfinger who is ripped from his story into a world he despises and he yearns just to return home. You never know whether to trust him, to not trust him, to pity him or to think he is selfish. Not all the characters in Inkheart fall into a black and white category, which is refreshing, especially in a book aimed at slightly younger/teen readers.
Great amounts of cheesy humour, good general read I would definitely read the next two books as the characters are all built up now so I think the next books would pick up quicker. Would have probably enjoyed this book more when I was in my yearly teens.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Straw Dogs (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Successful actress Amy Sumner (Kate Bosworth) is returning from her big city life to her southern hometown of Blackwater. Along with Amy is her well-educated and wealthy husband, David Sumner (James Marsdon). David quickly finds this vacation is filled with tension, particularly when it comes to Amy’s ex-boyfriend, Charlie (Alexander Skarsgård), who is not ready to be out of her life. So it is up to the weakling Harvard hero to protect his relationship, home, and way of life in a town he doesn’t quite understand.
A remake of the 1971 thriller classic of the same name, “Straw Dogs” has lost a lot of its appeal and logic with time. It still has gory moments and the plot is very similar to the original but many of the base thrills have been lost in the move to a present day setting.
This film asks the viewers to suspend disbelief, ignore a number of unfinished back-stories, and stand behind characters who are not engaging or believable. Details, both big and small miss the mark. James Marsdon is incorrectly suited as the shy bumbling academic. The house is a seeming fortress for no apparent reason. The side stories, interesting detractions from the overly built tension between the two leading males, are left unresolved.
Additionally, the themes are awkward and incomplete. There are literary throwbacks and some blatant social commentary but all of the film’s depth is lost on an audience who has no reason to care. Viewers will be preoccupied wondering what the point of the film is.
Sure, the story is engrossing and it does force self-analysis, but the modern adaptation would have benefitted from serious editorial cuts. Had the film been completed in a quarter of the time it might have actually managed to be thrilling!
Unbalanced, vapid, and pointless as a thriller “Straw Dogs” falls prey to the unnecessary remake trap. For a real psychological thrill it would be better to opt for the original.
A remake of the 1971 thriller classic of the same name, “Straw Dogs” has lost a lot of its appeal and logic with time. It still has gory moments and the plot is very similar to the original but many of the base thrills have been lost in the move to a present day setting.
This film asks the viewers to suspend disbelief, ignore a number of unfinished back-stories, and stand behind characters who are not engaging or believable. Details, both big and small miss the mark. James Marsdon is incorrectly suited as the shy bumbling academic. The house is a seeming fortress for no apparent reason. The side stories, interesting detractions from the overly built tension between the two leading males, are left unresolved.
Additionally, the themes are awkward and incomplete. There are literary throwbacks and some blatant social commentary but all of the film’s depth is lost on an audience who has no reason to care. Viewers will be preoccupied wondering what the point of the film is.
Sure, the story is engrossing and it does force self-analysis, but the modern adaptation would have benefitted from serious editorial cuts. Had the film been completed in a quarter of the time it might have actually managed to be thrilling!
Unbalanced, vapid, and pointless as a thriller “Straw Dogs” falls prey to the unnecessary remake trap. For a real psychological thrill it would be better to opt for the original.
