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Cool for the Summer
Cool for the Summer
Dahlia Adler | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A simply wonderful book about finding yourself and love
Larissa "Lara" Bogdan has had a crush on one person for her entirety of high school: Chase Harding, the handsome, beloved football quarterback. But it's not until she comes back from a summer at the Outer Banks that he seems to take real notice of Lara. Like, flirting, asking her out notice. Now, she suddenly has everything she's ever wanted. But Lara can't seem to shake her memories of that Outer Banks summer and the girl she spent it with: Jasmine. Those memories come back in full force when Jasmine unexpectedly shows up at Lara's school on the first day and sees Chase flirting with Lara. Lara finally has Chase now. So why can't she stop thinking about Jasmine?

"How do you tell people who've listened to you babble about your crush on a guy for a thousand years that whoops, you spent the summer fooling around with a girl?"

Oh goodness, this was a great book. I'm so jealous there are so many wonderful YA LGTBQIA books out there now, which I would have devoured as a teen, yet incredibly happy too. I absolutely loved Lara as a character. She's sweet and bookish (addicted to romances) and in that stage where she's finding herself and coming out. It's hard not to relate to that. Adler's characters pop onto the pages--Lara, her mother, Jasmine, and Lara's cast of funny, overbearing, and loving friends. And even Chase, who is truly a good guy. (I appreciated that it wasn't "bad guy" versus "good girl" but two good kids, with their own personalities and flaws, whom Lara had to choose from.)

The book is told in a then and now format, starting out with Lara in high school and then flashing back to her summer in the Outer Banks with Jasmine. As someone who has spent some time in the Outer Banks, I loved the beachy setting, and the book just felt fun, summery, and exciting. You could feel the thrill of Lara and Jasmine falling for each other. It's so rare that we get this in our literature, and it brought back memories of my own first love and that fun, scared, happy feeling, along with all that uncertainly of realizing you were feeling these things for another girl. Adler captures it all so perfectly.

"If I somehow got Jasmine back--if I even wanted her back--what would it mean losing when everyone else found out the truth?"

The premise for this book is fascinating and lovely. Lara suddenly has everything she wants: she has pined after Chase for THREE YEARS. She comes back from vacation with a tan, a new haircut, and a newfound confidence (which no one knows the source of) and he suddenly takes notice of her. She should be in heaven--her friends certainly think so. Faced with having to make all these monumental life decisions, to realize whom she loves, and what she is--it's a lot. The book does such an excellent job of portraying bisexuality and the journey of figuring out who who you are. It's very well done, but also funny and witty. All the characters seem real and, for the most part, true to their age.

Overall, I loved this one. It portrays the queer community very well and does an excellent job capturing teens. The story is fun, sweet, and captivating. I feel like it would speak well to teens and adults who remember that spark of falling in love. I have to go read everything else by Adler now... 4.5 stars.
  
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Five Feet Apart (2019) in Movies

Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)  
Five Feet Apart (2019)
Five Feet Apart (2019)
2019 | Drama, Romance
Firstly, I think it's nice to see a film partnering with a charity and bringing awareness to a wider audience. The advert for the charity before the film was a nice touch too.

Secondly, it appears that they shook the Disney tree hard for this one. Cole Sprouse and Moises Arias both had big roles on top Disney shows and Haley Lu Richardson appeared once in a show I've never heard of before.

Five Feet Apart opens really nicely with Stella and her friends. Everything is jolly old teen movie until they leave and Stella's demeanour changes. She isn't happy, her face is instantly one of resolve and sadness. The transformation of the room shows you everything that was hiding behind the camera, homely teen bedroom to sterile hospital room. It's a simple scene but it sets up Stella's character nicely.

This isn't a new tale, the idea is tried and tested over the years. A love story through the battle of illness is a guaranteed tearjerker, and this certainly delivered on that point.

Will's arrival at the hospital intrigues her almost instantly. He's the polar opposite of Stella, she has her reasons to battle through while Will is more for living for the moment, consequences be damned.

It's an enjoyable film, but the thing I think stands in the way for some people is the fact that we've never been in this sort of situation so everything seems farfetched. I can't imagine what it's like, but I can imagine emotions running high and recklessness coming from it. As an adult (ugh) I can't imagine putting my life in danger like the characters do, but I'm certain that teenage me would have done the same things... boy was she an idiot.

During the scene where Stella goes under general anaesthetic she's looking up at a drawing placed on the ceiling above her, as the drugs take hold the picture starts to come to life. It was a little whimsical for the film, but being that they use illustration in different areas it was a nice inclusion.

Stella's optimism and determination in the face of her CF is so strong and Haley Lu Richardson does a great job of dealing with the wide range of emotions that she cycles through. (Am I the only one who was getting Olivia Cooke vibes through this?)

The cheese to Stella's chalk is Will played by Cole Sprouse. Will is the fun-at-any-price sort of rebel so of course those two are perfect for each other. If I'm being brutally honest I always thought Cole Sprouse was the one that couldn't act. His performance in this has convinced me otherwise. As frustrating as I found Will's actions I thought he was an interesting character and that Sprouse brought him to life in a very believable way.

The pair make for a great lead couple, even if we are subjected to a rather condensed romance. I didn't really get much sense of how time flowed in this movie, it could be weeks, months, I couldn't tell. Due to the nature of their condition there's a necessary separation throughout the film and as you watch you wonder how they're going to deal with that when romances are traditionally full of closeness... I didn't think that something so simple could make me cry, but somehow there I was with tears rolling down my face. It was a bizarre idea but it worked really well visually even if it did get a little weird at one point.

At the end we ramp up fairly quickly and we see a swift change in our main characters. Emotions are so high that everything gets a little crazier. While the change in Stella didn't feel quite right to me, Will's change was a nice move and Sprouse's performance really showed the panic and reality behind the situation.

When we come to the conclusion of the film I could not have been more annoyed. If someone did that to me I think I'd punch their lights out, five feet rule or not.

Oh! And that five feet rule, you know, the one in the title of the film? We see it referred to early on and it's actually a six feet rule... that discrepancy annoyed me for longer than it probably should have done.

This might not be groundbreaking in its genre but it was an enjoyable watch. It gives you a different take on this popular medi-romance trend.

What you should do

If you like these devastating romances then this is definitely worth catching at some point.

Movie thing you wish you could take home

There's a lot of artistic talent flying around between the main characters and I'd love to pinch a little bit of that.
  
Gentleman's Guide To Vice And Virtue
Gentleman's Guide To Vice And Virtue
Mackenzi Lee | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.9 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is a hilarious romp through the 1700's. Monty is a well-off, yet rakish gentleman who is sent off of a Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend, Percy and his sister, Felicity. Three the manage to, of course, get into trouble and a wonderfully fun journey for the reader ensues. This light, humorous, historical fiction read is a must - even if you don't think you're normally a historical fiction person.

Monty is quite enamored with himself and unconcerned about the responsibility that his title infers that he should possess. He doesn't think through his actions and gets in more trouble than the pretty face of his would lead you to believe. Despite that, and despite his absolute ineptitude, you can't help but love him as a character. His shenanigans and lack of forethought throw the trio into a situation that they might not make it out of unscathed.

Percy, his best friend, is much more responsible and adds a perspective to the history that we might not think of otherwise. Although his father is a titled man, he fathered Percy with a woman of colour which gives readers the perspective of a man of mixed-race rather than the white-privilege that we see from Monty. Felicity is well-educated because she is stubborn and refuses to bow to the whims of society. She wants to study medicine, so she finds any book she can on the subject and devours it. Felicity's character also allows readers to see the position of a woman in those times, to realize how far we have come in the treatment of woman, or just anyone who is not a Caucasian male, their equality, and how far we still have to go on all accounts.

I have noticed that some people find the story to be slow, which is not quite how I would describe it. The first few chapters might be tough to get into as it is not immediately the energy of a swashbuckling pirate adventure or high stakes battle in space, but it does find its stride. The journey the reader is taken on is highly enjoyable and certainly worth the slower early build up. Plus the flirting is precious and I want to believe that it is a historically accurate portrayal of a person from that time period.

Mackenzie Lee does a wonderful job of taking us on a Grand Tour of Europe, despite the fact that most of us probably are not familiar with the continent in the 1700's. She adds authentic little items into the story like cities, events or jobs that make the story feel real. It is clear that she did a lot of research and it makes her book shine.

I highly recommend this to young adult/teen readers even if they don't feel that they are historical fiction readers. This story is fun and will give you all of the feels, although you may want to hit Monty upside the head a few times. This cute story will leave you wanting more of the trio and wondering if you are a historical fiction fan after all.
  
    Love Patchwork & Quilting

    Love Patchwork & Quilting

    Lifestyle and Magazines & Newspapers

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    In Love Patchwork & Quilting you’ll find gorgeous modern quilting projects for all abilities, from...

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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Moving Pictures in Books

Aug 11, 2017  
Moving Pictures
Moving Pictures
Terry Pratchett | 2005 | Fiction & Poetry
7
8.0 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
Discworld Spin on the Birth of Film
I'm a massive film geek, so I love this purely on the fact that it's about the introduction of Film and cinema - with a uniquely Discworld take of course. Like Going Postal, it's always great to read Terry Pratchett's take on a revolution or invention as it's always funny and unique. My main issue however with this book is that I think the characters may be a little weak. In most of the Discworld books, there is usually a loveable and strong main character or supporting character but Moving Pictures appears to be lacking in this area. Victor isn't a bad character, he just isn't strong or interesting enough to be the main protagonist. Gaspode and the Librarian were my favourite supporting characters although they sadly weren't around enough. Fortunately the story was good enough to carry itself, but you do notice the lack of strong characters.
  
F(
Froze (The Melted Series Book 2)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Froze by Tarrah Anders

Four Stars

Jacob and Beth were a couple I wouldn’t have imagined together. They’re night and day but their relationship worked. The give and take was even and their relationship doesn’t require one to be less than who they are. The author did a really good job bringing these two together. I feel like the odds were against them and they proved everyone wrong. I loved that Beth stood by him when the going got extremely tough. She could've left him when his past came into their lives. The drama and trouble was too much but her love for him was so much more. Well written characters and a great story line is what you will get from this story. I feel the author added the right amount of drama and relationship goals. I liked that the characters from them previous book were included but didn’t over take the book.
  
I have 2 young boys (ages 3 and 5) so I jumped on the opportunity to review this Action Storybook Bible. Filled with lots of color and illustrations this Bible holds their attention well and keeps them engaged. With stories about Creation, Noah, Moses, and Jesus (plus loads more) your children will get a fun overview of the Bible. At the end of each "chapter" there is a "Life, Faith, Action!" section that reviews the story, challenges the child to think, and ends with a prayer.

Beautiful and STUNNING illustrations grace the pages of this Bible like you have never seen before.

I am excited to continue reading through this book with my kiddos and I know that they will love reading it on their own in the years to come.

I received a complimentary copy of The Action Storybook Bible. I was not required to submit a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
2011 | Drama, Mystery
9
7.3 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I genuinely think this is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Courtroom dramas of any kind almost always hit a sweet spot for me. I love Matthew McConaughey and he really shines in this movie. I think his charisma comes through but he's got an edge, almost like a chip on his shoulder, but he also knows he's good at what he does. That confidence and then to see him break down a bit, I think it played to the character and the plot really well.

Michael Peña really stood out to me. I know that he only had a small part in the film but the small amount of screen time he did have, he made the most of it and he really took it as far as he could've gone. I think he was the other stand out in this film.

I really enjoyed this film. It keeps you on your toes, you're invested, and you're rooting for Haller. Great watch!