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SoulPancake tackles the universality of the human experience. We are the dreamers, misfits, artists,...
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Every four years, people all over the world turn their eyes, ears, and hearts toward the most...
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Adding fun, adorable artwork to your photos is great, but they can seem a little lifeless, right? ...
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Educated in Books
May 29, 2018
All the stars in the Idaho Sky! Tara Westover is so very brave. And her book is hands-down, 5+ stars amazing. This is by far the most riveting memoir I've ever read. I am so fascinated by cult-like religions, as well as homesteaders/survivalists and end-of-the-world preppers - and this quenched every thirst I've ever had for all those things and infinitely beyond. This was the extreme of both of those worlds. I cannot believe this is real life. The epitome of "you can't make this sh*t up," I imagine those words running through Tara's head often.
This is a story of growing up in middle-of-nowhere Idaho with Mormon anti-government parents, who "home-schooled" Tara and her brothers and sisters, while preaching these crazy ideals on these poor kids who just didn't know any better. They believed everything their parents said (who wouldn't believe their own parents?!), and the abuse and neglect she had to essentially endure because of it, was heartbreaking. These kids grew up with no birth certificates, never stepping foot inside a classroom or a doctor's office, zero modern medicine (including for severe burns and brain injury!), living in filth and squalor, and the constant pressure to be of extreme faith and a tireless servant of a God, that required way to much of these poor children. And all under the watchful eyes of a father who takes no less than their utter devotion to that God, no matter what the consequences.
It pains me to see them choose sides throughout - you really do get the sense that these parents love Tara in all the way they know how, and they honestly feel that what they are doing is right and just, but it's just so blatantly wrong. I applaud Tara for trying so very hard - throughout every victory in her life without them, and coming out on the other side, not bitter at all, still feeling love for her family.
I was enthralled by this memoir. There wasn't any second of this book that dragged, or lulled - I literally could not put it down. The writing is so well thought out, every person rich with description and character, and you root for this strong-willed little girl to get out, and make something of her life and triumph over the family who may love her, but believe her to be evil because she just wants to be free. And we know, because of this amazing book, she finally is.
Love. Love. Love!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review and to Tara Westover for sharing her story.
This is a story of growing up in middle-of-nowhere Idaho with Mormon anti-government parents, who "home-schooled" Tara and her brothers and sisters, while preaching these crazy ideals on these poor kids who just didn't know any better. They believed everything their parents said (who wouldn't believe their own parents?!), and the abuse and neglect she had to essentially endure because of it, was heartbreaking. These kids grew up with no birth certificates, never stepping foot inside a classroom or a doctor's office, zero modern medicine (including for severe burns and brain injury!), living in filth and squalor, and the constant pressure to be of extreme faith and a tireless servant of a God, that required way to much of these poor children. And all under the watchful eyes of a father who takes no less than their utter devotion to that God, no matter what the consequences.
It pains me to see them choose sides throughout - you really do get the sense that these parents love Tara in all the way they know how, and they honestly feel that what they are doing is right and just, but it's just so blatantly wrong. I applaud Tara for trying so very hard - throughout every victory in her life without them, and coming out on the other side, not bitter at all, still feeling love for her family.
I was enthralled by this memoir. There wasn't any second of this book that dragged, or lulled - I literally could not put it down. The writing is so well thought out, every person rich with description and character, and you root for this strong-willed little girl to get out, and make something of her life and triumph over the family who may love her, but believe her to be evil because she just wants to be free. And we know, because of this amazing book, she finally is.
Love. Love. Love!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review and to Tara Westover for sharing her story.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Elysium in Tabletop Games
Aug 3, 2021
Greek Mythology has ALWAYS been a fascination of mine. I remember rewinding and replaying the original “Clash of the Titans” movie over and over on VHS. It’s super warped today but I still enjoy it now digitally. When I saw Elysium was coming out several years ago I knew I had to take a look at it, and I’m glad I did because it shot up my Top 100 Games of All Time and even spent a while in my Top 10. Not so much anymore, but I still love it. Why, you ask?
Elysium is a set collection card drafting game for two to four players. Each player will be attempting to complete the greatest collection of Legends written and subsequently transferred to their Elysium (Ancient Grecian version of heaven) for Victory Points. Whomever weaves the greatest Legendary tapestry will emerge victorious and really have a story to tell.
To setup, follow the instructions in the rulebook, but a three player game should look similar to what is pictured above. Players will receive their own player board, starting VP tokens and gold, and a set of columns. Cards from five different Grecian families will be shuffled and displayed in The Agora (middle of the board and the place to draft the cards). Once setup the game may begin.
Elysium is played over five Epochs (rounds) and each Epoch is divided into four phases. Phase I is Awakening, which is simply setting up The Agora for the new Epoch by removing all existing cards there and revealing more. Phase II is Actions, where players will be using their columns to draft cards from The Agora (as long as the color of column matches one of the icons on the card) and taking at least one Quest tile (also denotes player order for the next Epoch). Phase III is Writing the Legends, where players will redistribute the player order discs, receive gold and VP per their Quest tile, and transfer any cards from their Domain – active holding area – to their Elysium for VP at game end. Phase IV is End of Epoch, where players will perform basic cleanup tasks to prepare for the next Epoch of play. Play will continue in this fashion until the end of the fifth Epoch and players tally their final VP to determine the greatest Legend-crafter in all the land!
I know this is a VERY brief summary of what is done during the game, but Elysium has many card effects and combos to consider that I just cannot detail here for fear of readers falling asleep or my fingers falling off.
Components. Elysium has simply an incredible aesthetic. The non-card components certainly radiate ancient times and the art on the cards is breathtaking. Every piece is very high quality, which is something I have grown to expect from Space Cowboys games. The columns are fun to hold and move, and as a whole is just visually stunning. I love playing this game and seeing it all out on the table.
Obviously we place our ratings on the very first graphic you see so it is no surprise by the time you read down here, but I love Elysium. Like I mentioned in my open it was in my Top 10 for quite a while, and for very good reasons. First, I love games that simply LOOK good. Is that shallow? Maybe, but it’s what I like. Second, I love the card interplay and combo potential in Elysium. Chaining together cards to build small engines is always fun and provides so much replayability by never really being able to experience every card combo in the box. Finally, it has great components and a theme that speaks to me and my personal interests. It feels like a game that was meant to be played by me specifically. When you find a game like that you have to give it high ratings.
So if you are at all like me and enjoy games with a great theme, excellent art and components, and intriguing replayability, then certainly grab a copy of Elysium. Purple Phoenix Games gives it an Olympus-sized 11 / 12. So many Ancient Greece themed games exist and Elysium is simply one of the best.
Elysium is a set collection card drafting game for two to four players. Each player will be attempting to complete the greatest collection of Legends written and subsequently transferred to their Elysium (Ancient Grecian version of heaven) for Victory Points. Whomever weaves the greatest Legendary tapestry will emerge victorious and really have a story to tell.
To setup, follow the instructions in the rulebook, but a three player game should look similar to what is pictured above. Players will receive their own player board, starting VP tokens and gold, and a set of columns. Cards from five different Grecian families will be shuffled and displayed in The Agora (middle of the board and the place to draft the cards). Once setup the game may begin.
Elysium is played over five Epochs (rounds) and each Epoch is divided into four phases. Phase I is Awakening, which is simply setting up The Agora for the new Epoch by removing all existing cards there and revealing more. Phase II is Actions, where players will be using their columns to draft cards from The Agora (as long as the color of column matches one of the icons on the card) and taking at least one Quest tile (also denotes player order for the next Epoch). Phase III is Writing the Legends, where players will redistribute the player order discs, receive gold and VP per their Quest tile, and transfer any cards from their Domain – active holding area – to their Elysium for VP at game end. Phase IV is End of Epoch, where players will perform basic cleanup tasks to prepare for the next Epoch of play. Play will continue in this fashion until the end of the fifth Epoch and players tally their final VP to determine the greatest Legend-crafter in all the land!
I know this is a VERY brief summary of what is done during the game, but Elysium has many card effects and combos to consider that I just cannot detail here for fear of readers falling asleep or my fingers falling off.
Components. Elysium has simply an incredible aesthetic. The non-card components certainly radiate ancient times and the art on the cards is breathtaking. Every piece is very high quality, which is something I have grown to expect from Space Cowboys games. The columns are fun to hold and move, and as a whole is just visually stunning. I love playing this game and seeing it all out on the table.
Obviously we place our ratings on the very first graphic you see so it is no surprise by the time you read down here, but I love Elysium. Like I mentioned in my open it was in my Top 10 for quite a while, and for very good reasons. First, I love games that simply LOOK good. Is that shallow? Maybe, but it’s what I like. Second, I love the card interplay and combo potential in Elysium. Chaining together cards to build small engines is always fun and provides so much replayability by never really being able to experience every card combo in the box. Finally, it has great components and a theme that speaks to me and my personal interests. It feels like a game that was meant to be played by me specifically. When you find a game like that you have to give it high ratings.
So if you are at all like me and enjoy games with a great theme, excellent art and components, and intriguing replayability, then certainly grab a copy of Elysium. Purple Phoenix Games gives it an Olympus-sized 11 / 12. So many Ancient Greece themed games exist and Elysium is simply one of the best.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Couple on Maple Drive in Books
Dec 11, 2021
Only my second foray into the world of audiobooks and, once again, I have not been disappointed.
From the off, you are drawn into a situation being told via a live Podcast from Christie's Crime Addicts; something awful has happened on Maple Drive but the "what" isn't clear. The story then presents the "whens" and "whys" leading up to the "situation" interspersed with more Podcasts. This does sound like it's going to be a tad confusing but let me reassure you, it most certainly isn't; it flows really well and makes perfect sense.
The characters are an interesting bunch but not so many that you become confused. Isla is, I admit, a little annoying and naïve; you want to shout and shake her and soothe and swaddle her in equal measure but considering what she has been through and what transpires, she can be forgiven and with friends like Nikki, you don't need enemies!
The story moves on at a good pace gradually ramping up the tension as it goes until the slightly unexpected ending; I say slightly as I had already guessed one of the twists but this was then turned on it's head when another came along ... I love it when that happens!
As this was an audiobook, I must mention the narrators which, I think, were excellent with the main narrator really drawing you in with her voice. I also enjoyed the Podcasts being narrated by different voices of the Christie's Crime Addicts team, I don't think they would have had such an impact on the story if they had been by the same narrator so a stroke of genius there I feel.
Overall, The Couple on Maple Drive is an intriguing story that I thoroughly enjoyed and certainly made my car journeys much more enjoyable so much so that I didn't want to stop the book when I come to the end of my travels and there were a few times when I sat there, parked up with the engine off for just one more chapter!
Thank you to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
From the off, you are drawn into a situation being told via a live Podcast from Christie's Crime Addicts; something awful has happened on Maple Drive but the "what" isn't clear. The story then presents the "whens" and "whys" leading up to the "situation" interspersed with more Podcasts. This does sound like it's going to be a tad confusing but let me reassure you, it most certainly isn't; it flows really well and makes perfect sense.
The characters are an interesting bunch but not so many that you become confused. Isla is, I admit, a little annoying and naïve; you want to shout and shake her and soothe and swaddle her in equal measure but considering what she has been through and what transpires, she can be forgiven and with friends like Nikki, you don't need enemies!
The story moves on at a good pace gradually ramping up the tension as it goes until the slightly unexpected ending; I say slightly as I had already guessed one of the twists but this was then turned on it's head when another came along ... I love it when that happens!
As this was an audiobook, I must mention the narrators which, I think, were excellent with the main narrator really drawing you in with her voice. I also enjoyed the Podcasts being narrated by different voices of the Christie's Crime Addicts team, I don't think they would have had such an impact on the story if they had been by the same narrator so a stroke of genius there I feel.
Overall, The Couple on Maple Drive is an intriguing story that I thoroughly enjoyed and certainly made my car journeys much more enjoyable so much so that I didn't want to stop the book when I come to the end of my travels and there were a few times when I sat there, parked up with the engine off for just one more chapter!
Thank you to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) in Movies
Jun 23, 2018
If you liked the first 4 films in this series, you'll like this one
Did you watch - and enjoy - the other 4 films in the JURASSIC PARK series? If so, then you'll enjoy the 5th installment, for it is more of the same - man's hubris causes giant animals to run amok and chaos, death and destruction ensues.
The plot of this film is simple enough - the island where JURASSIC WORLD was built is now in trouble as a dormant volcano is now dormant no more. The debate rages - should Man go to the island to save the Dinosaurs trapped there - or should they let nature take it's course (again). Some nefarious fellows - who's intentions don't seem to be as pure as we are led to believe - convince our heroes from the previous film, Claire and Owen to help "save" the dinosaurs.
But, of course, the plot is just an excuse to get some pretty awesome looking CGI Dinosaurs on the screen - and to put our heroes in peril. And on that score, this film succeeds wonderfully well.
I remember back in 1993 how awed I was at the spectacle on the screen. The CGI Dinosaurs were LIFE-LIKE! I was blown away by it. Today, I have come to expect the CGI will be top-notch - and I was not disappointed, to the point where I forgot that I was watching CGI.
As for the action and acting, Director J.A. Bayona (A MONSTER CALLS) keeps things moving along at a sprightly pace, not letting us catch our breath - or more importantly - stop to think of the plausibility or logic of decisions being made. His mantra seems to be "move our heroes from peril to peril" - and he does that well.
Chris Pratt is back as Owen, the "Raptor handler" and his charm and charisma on screen is in full display and really carries the weight of this film. He is able to charm his way into the audiences heart, so you end up rooting for him fully from start to finish. Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of "Opie Cunningham" Ron Howard) comes into her own as Claire, the Dinosaur "Scientist" and quasi-love interest for Owen. She is able to avoid (mostly) the cliches of "damsel in distress" or "kick-ass chick" and gives us a rounded character that I rooted for just as strongly as Pratt's character.
The rest of the cast - save two - are pretty much throw away that are set up to be Dinosaur food. The two that stood out are the great James Cromwell as an aging Billionaire who has a connection to the originator of Jurassic Park, John Hammond. Cromwell is his usual, solid self. And...the funniest character in the film...computer expert Franklin Webb (played by Justice Smith) who, of course, is asked to do more than just "computer stuff" that he is ill-equipped to handle.
Going into this film, you know what you are going to get - and this film delivers that entertainingly enough. As I stated at the top, if you like the first 4 films of this series, you'll like this one.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
The plot of this film is simple enough - the island where JURASSIC WORLD was built is now in trouble as a dormant volcano is now dormant no more. The debate rages - should Man go to the island to save the Dinosaurs trapped there - or should they let nature take it's course (again). Some nefarious fellows - who's intentions don't seem to be as pure as we are led to believe - convince our heroes from the previous film, Claire and Owen to help "save" the dinosaurs.
But, of course, the plot is just an excuse to get some pretty awesome looking CGI Dinosaurs on the screen - and to put our heroes in peril. And on that score, this film succeeds wonderfully well.
I remember back in 1993 how awed I was at the spectacle on the screen. The CGI Dinosaurs were LIFE-LIKE! I was blown away by it. Today, I have come to expect the CGI will be top-notch - and I was not disappointed, to the point where I forgot that I was watching CGI.
As for the action and acting, Director J.A. Bayona (A MONSTER CALLS) keeps things moving along at a sprightly pace, not letting us catch our breath - or more importantly - stop to think of the plausibility or logic of decisions being made. His mantra seems to be "move our heroes from peril to peril" - and he does that well.
Chris Pratt is back as Owen, the "Raptor handler" and his charm and charisma on screen is in full display and really carries the weight of this film. He is able to charm his way into the audiences heart, so you end up rooting for him fully from start to finish. Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of "Opie Cunningham" Ron Howard) comes into her own as Claire, the Dinosaur "Scientist" and quasi-love interest for Owen. She is able to avoid (mostly) the cliches of "damsel in distress" or "kick-ass chick" and gives us a rounded character that I rooted for just as strongly as Pratt's character.
The rest of the cast - save two - are pretty much throw away that are set up to be Dinosaur food. The two that stood out are the great James Cromwell as an aging Billionaire who has a connection to the originator of Jurassic Park, John Hammond. Cromwell is his usual, solid self. And...the funniest character in the film...computer expert Franklin Webb (played by Justice Smith) who, of course, is asked to do more than just "computer stuff" that he is ill-equipped to handle.
Going into this film, you know what you are going to get - and this film delivers that entertainingly enough. As I stated at the top, if you like the first 4 films of this series, you'll like this one.
Letter Grade: B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
TacoDave (3928 KP) rated The BadChristian Podcast in Podcasts
May 14, 2019
Funny (2 more)
Entertaining
Theology Discussions
I love these guys, but the vulgarity is a bit much at times
I've been listening to the Bad Christian Podcast since the first episode. I was a big fan of the band Emery, and two of the hosts are members of that band, while the third is a pastor.
These guys are funny and entertaining and their guests and topics - usually centered on religion, but not always - are timely and interesting. But... through the process of "deconstructing" their faith, they have gone sharply vulgar, and it frequently makes me want to stop listening. I haven't stopped yet, but the temptation is there.
If you can handle "blue" humor and lots of swearing, there's a lot to enjoy here. And if you like emo or screamo music, I definitely suggest listening to Emery.
These guys are funny and entertaining and their guests and topics - usually centered on religion, but not always - are timely and interesting. But... through the process of "deconstructing" their faith, they have gone sharply vulgar, and it frequently makes me want to stop listening. I haven't stopped yet, but the temptation is there.
If you can handle "blue" humor and lots of swearing, there's a lot to enjoy here. And if you like emo or screamo music, I definitely suggest listening to Emery.
The Marinated Meeple (1853 KP) rated Blue Peg, Pink Peg in Podcasts
Mar 23, 2018
I really enjoy the way they talk about games.
This podcast isn't epic, but it does feel like friends you would have talking about games, they have foibles and aren't always polished but that adds to the genuineness of it. They obviously love to play games and all different kinds. They tend to focus on family and midweight games, but sometimes dabble in the heavy as well and obscure trivia. They added a new member when Whoop Whoop team droop left. Too early to judge how he fits in with the crowd, but he's been a friend for years so probably gonna be just fine. Give it a listen and once you get past the opening trivia, the game conversation usually starts. Usually.
This is one of the top 5 podcasts about board games out there.
This is one of the top 5 podcasts about board games out there.
Thank You for This Moment: A Story of Love, Power and Betrayal
Valerie Trierweiler and Clemence Sebag
Book
The breakdown of Valerie Trierweiler's relationship with French President Francois Hollande was...