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Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Providence: A Novel in Books
Jun 23, 2018
Super Fun Read!
Wow! This was my first Caroline Kepnes book and let me tell you - it will NOT be my last! I loved this book, I flew through it and did not want it to end, and what a fun and unique story! I'm a HUGE Stranger Things fan, and this reminded me a bit of that - part sci-fi/fantasy/horror, but also part mystery/detective thriller - so many things I love all mixed in to one really clever tale. In the end, it's really a fun journey across time between two star crossed lovers - desperate to be together in a masterfully crafted journey of horrible circumstances that may forever keep them apart.
You get sucked in right away... Jon and Chloe are high school teens, the best of friends, and you assume, in time, they'll be together forever as you can see how much they love one another. Then, one morning Jon gets kidnapped and everything changes. Something happened to him and we might never be able to see if him and Chloe will that next step and spend their lives together. The things that have happened to him, may keep them apart forever.
The coming-of-age part is really interesting here, because Jon misses so much he's forced to grow up when his body has already done so. And the duality of good vs. evil comes into play a lot - and what a struggle it is to keep the two separate, when their pull is almost beyond control. We also follow the story of Eggs, who is a pretty darn smart detective, obsessed with a case that haunts him. And we follow his own life, his struggle with family, and how he tries to put the pieces of his own life back together while it falls apart around him - as he tries to solve a really strange mystery.
There is a lot of HP Lovecraft reference in this book, including a yearly Lovecraft convention (he was from Providence). I've heard him referenced in several novels before but have never actually read his work. I think I just might have to check it out now. BUT it did not hinder the story at all if you aren't familiar with his work. I am not familiar, and I loved every minute of the book!
This book was so much fun - a bit peculiar in parts but seriously, a fun ride from start to finish. Thanks to NetGalley and Caroline Kepnes and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy to review.
You get sucked in right away... Jon and Chloe are high school teens, the best of friends, and you assume, in time, they'll be together forever as you can see how much they love one another. Then, one morning Jon gets kidnapped and everything changes. Something happened to him and we might never be able to see if him and Chloe will that next step and spend their lives together. The things that have happened to him, may keep them apart forever.
The coming-of-age part is really interesting here, because Jon misses so much he's forced to grow up when his body has already done so. And the duality of good vs. evil comes into play a lot - and what a struggle it is to keep the two separate, when their pull is almost beyond control. We also follow the story of Eggs, who is a pretty darn smart detective, obsessed with a case that haunts him. And we follow his own life, his struggle with family, and how he tries to put the pieces of his own life back together while it falls apart around him - as he tries to solve a really strange mystery.
There is a lot of HP Lovecraft reference in this book, including a yearly Lovecraft convention (he was from Providence). I've heard him referenced in several novels before but have never actually read his work. I think I just might have to check it out now. BUT it did not hinder the story at all if you aren't familiar with his work. I am not familiar, and I loved every minute of the book!
This book was so much fun - a bit peculiar in parts but seriously, a fun ride from start to finish. Thanks to NetGalley and Caroline Kepnes and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy to review.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Until the Dawn (Until the Dawn, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Mystery surrounds the great estate of Dierenpark. Will science be able to explain the strange happenings? Or is there a supernatural power at work?
Quentin Vandermark is of the belief that if you can't see it or touch it, then it doesn't exist. This includes God and the supernatural power his grandfather, Nickolaas Vandermark, believes is cursing Dierenpark. A tragedy occured 60 years ago and the Vandermark's left Dierenpark abandoned ever since. The family returns without notice, only to see it destroyed. Nickolaas is determined to tear down Dierenpark in hopes of demolishing the "curse" that seems to have haunted the family for centuries. Widowed and injured, Quentin brings his son Pieter with him to Dierenpark to tear down the beautiful home. He is just doing his grandfather's bidding when his life is drastically changed. At Dierenpark he meets Sophie van Riijn, Sophie is a volunteer for the newly established Weather Bureau. For the last nine years she has used the roof of Dierenpark for her weather station, without the permission of the owners. Pieter immediately takes to Sophie, not having a mother of his own, he craves a motherly figure. While Quentin is all cynicism, doubt, gloom and depression. Sophie exudes life, hope, joy and faith in every ounce of her being. The past is finally brought to light, but is it in time to save Dierenpark and Quentin? Will science be able to prove the strange goings on? Will Quentin open himself up to love? Or will he brood in his misery until his last breath?
"Above all else, love one another."
The progressive era is a fascinating time period to read. So many scientific advances and discoveries take place in this era. I am currently watching Murdoch Mysteries (Netflix). It is set in the same time as this book and the scientific progress that is witnessed is incredible! Until the Dawn is a story of good and evil, life and death, hope and despair. With our main characters so completely different it is very clear to see how our beliefs affect every aspect of our lives. The main theme throughout this story is love. Through the good times and difficulties, God has called us to love one another. I have heard that this story has been compared to Jane Eyre and I do see similarities. Quentin is a horrid, miserable man and Sophie longs to see him saved. I won't expand anymore because of spoilers, but if you are a fan of Jane Eyre, I believe you will enjoy this recent publication by Elizabeth Camden.
I received a free digital copy of Until the Dawn from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Quentin Vandermark is of the belief that if you can't see it or touch it, then it doesn't exist. This includes God and the supernatural power his grandfather, Nickolaas Vandermark, believes is cursing Dierenpark. A tragedy occured 60 years ago and the Vandermark's left Dierenpark abandoned ever since. The family returns without notice, only to see it destroyed. Nickolaas is determined to tear down Dierenpark in hopes of demolishing the "curse" that seems to have haunted the family for centuries. Widowed and injured, Quentin brings his son Pieter with him to Dierenpark to tear down the beautiful home. He is just doing his grandfather's bidding when his life is drastically changed. At Dierenpark he meets Sophie van Riijn, Sophie is a volunteer for the newly established Weather Bureau. For the last nine years she has used the roof of Dierenpark for her weather station, without the permission of the owners. Pieter immediately takes to Sophie, not having a mother of his own, he craves a motherly figure. While Quentin is all cynicism, doubt, gloom and depression. Sophie exudes life, hope, joy and faith in every ounce of her being. The past is finally brought to light, but is it in time to save Dierenpark and Quentin? Will science be able to prove the strange goings on? Will Quentin open himself up to love? Or will he brood in his misery until his last breath?
"Above all else, love one another."
The progressive era is a fascinating time period to read. So many scientific advances and discoveries take place in this era. I am currently watching Murdoch Mysteries (Netflix). It is set in the same time as this book and the scientific progress that is witnessed is incredible! Until the Dawn is a story of good and evil, life and death, hope and despair. With our main characters so completely different it is very clear to see how our beliefs affect every aspect of our lives. The main theme throughout this story is love. Through the good times and difficulties, God has called us to love one another. I have heard that this story has been compared to Jane Eyre and I do see similarities. Quentin is a horrid, miserable man and Sophie longs to see him saved. I won't expand anymore because of spoilers, but if you are a fan of Jane Eyre, I believe you will enjoy this recent publication by Elizabeth Camden.
I received a free digital copy of Until the Dawn from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Baby Driver (2017) in Movies
Feb 1, 2020
Will Baby Get Out of the Game?
A young getaway driver finds himself in over his head when he tries to get out of the crime game.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
It’s really hard not to love main character Baby (Ansel Elgort). Sure he’s helping criminals do criminal things but he has a great story and a solid motive. From the minute he shows up on screen beating his steering wheel to the music, you immediately want to root for this guy. Baby answers to Doc played by Kevin Spacey who reads the role with a controlled seriousness that forces you to focus on his every word. Doc along with an interesting gang of thugs make for a solid supporting cast.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Whether it’s two lovebirds in a diner talking or a death-defying car chase, I really appreciate the way Edgar Wright uses different angles to capture the perfect moment. I don’t know how he did it, but the movie has an 80’s feel to it even though it takes place in modern day. The action sequences play out in amazing fashion on screen and keep the story moving.
Conflict: 10
So many angles to consider here. Will Baby get out of the game? Does he get the girl? Will the next heist be a success? Something seems to always be happening whether at the forefront or in the background. This is a movie where you can get up to grab a drink and totally miss something you wish you hadn’t. Not to mention Baby Driver seriously has some of the best car chases in film period.
Entertainment Value: 10
It’s a movie that makes The French Connection car chase look like amateur night. There is so much going on, so many layers, that you will be hardpressed to be bored. It has the feel of an indie with blockbuster moments.
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
Moves at an extremely high clip. Even the dialogue scenes can feel action-driven at times due to the intensity of the conversation. It’s a movie that never really lets you get too comfortable, but rather continues to hit you repeatedly with more.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 8
While the ending is the weakest point of the movie, it doesn’t detract from the overall greatness of Baby Driver. I wasn’t blown away by the resolution, but it was complete enough to get a pass from me. Good, but not lifechanging.
Overall: 98
In addition to having great action, Baby Driver’s love story helps drive the movie (pun intended) as a whole. It’s movies like these I wish would get more love from the Academy as they help to keep the population in love with film. Proud to call this movie a classic.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
It’s really hard not to love main character Baby (Ansel Elgort). Sure he’s helping criminals do criminal things but he has a great story and a solid motive. From the minute he shows up on screen beating his steering wheel to the music, you immediately want to root for this guy. Baby answers to Doc played by Kevin Spacey who reads the role with a controlled seriousness that forces you to focus on his every word. Doc along with an interesting gang of thugs make for a solid supporting cast.
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Whether it’s two lovebirds in a diner talking or a death-defying car chase, I really appreciate the way Edgar Wright uses different angles to capture the perfect moment. I don’t know how he did it, but the movie has an 80’s feel to it even though it takes place in modern day. The action sequences play out in amazing fashion on screen and keep the story moving.
Conflict: 10
So many angles to consider here. Will Baby get out of the game? Does he get the girl? Will the next heist be a success? Something seems to always be happening whether at the forefront or in the background. This is a movie where you can get up to grab a drink and totally miss something you wish you hadn’t. Not to mention Baby Driver seriously has some of the best car chases in film period.
Entertainment Value: 10
It’s a movie that makes The French Connection car chase look like amateur night. There is so much going on, so many layers, that you will be hardpressed to be bored. It has the feel of an indie with blockbuster moments.
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
Moves at an extremely high clip. Even the dialogue scenes can feel action-driven at times due to the intensity of the conversation. It’s a movie that never really lets you get too comfortable, but rather continues to hit you repeatedly with more.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 8
While the ending is the weakest point of the movie, it doesn’t detract from the overall greatness of Baby Driver. I wasn’t blown away by the resolution, but it was complete enough to get a pass from me. Good, but not lifechanging.
Overall: 98
In addition to having great action, Baby Driver’s love story helps drive the movie (pun intended) as a whole. It’s movies like these I wish would get more love from the Academy as they help to keep the population in love with film. Proud to call this movie a classic.
Bad writing (1 more)
Mostly romance
Drowning is one of the top fears in the world, and it's also one of the top ways to cover up a murder. In Lie to Me, Ward's fourth YA novel, she uses drowning as the basis of the story. Yet, this book fell very short in the thriller/mystery genre: Ward gives away too many hints at the beginning of the book, that most readers will have the murderer figured out by chapter 7; she also focuses too much on romance, something that should have caused this story to be filed under a different category other than mystery/thriller. But luckily she didn't bring in a wide circle of characters to cause confusion, using only one view point from the main character of Lie to Me: Amelia- - - a teen girl who believes she was pushed down a ravine to be left for dead in the raging water below.
Besides her 'accident,' Amelia leads a normal life with her mother, father and brother, Hunter - - - she also has a small group of friends. After her 'fall,' a body of a teen girl from the same town is found in a nearby river, but the town gossips, and makes it seem that this girl committed suicide, leaving Amelia worried that her family would think the same thing about her. Depression is something that Amelia's family has had to deal with before, but the talk of depression is candid and not very enlightening; her brother, Hunter, who is in therapy for such doesn't even talk about it, instead he's usually seen playing soccer or Fortnite, this seems to be a broad attempt to bring mental health into the story,but without going into that subject, it failed as a story line. Yet, one of the main causes of depression today is social media, which we find Amelia stalking one of her best friends/love interest on- - -if Ward was trying to reach the YA community about depression, she went the wrong way about it.
Another mistake that Ward made was when Amelia receives an anonymous text message from someone telling her to 'Just let it go,Amelia,' this occurs after she has started investigating whether her 'accident' was an accident. Amelia tells us that she is always suspicious of everyone, but when this text message comes around, it's as if she could care less. She even tries to take the anonymous message as advice: " 'Or it's advice.' I feel backed into a corner. It's one thing to believe someone hurt me and another thing to have proof of it. I don't want this to be proof. 'I mean, Sky's always telling me I should let my life get back to normal, and she doesn't even know I'm thinking any of this. Maybe someone else feels that way,too.' " In reality, if you believed that someone attempted to murder you, and suddenly you are receiving a cryptic message about letting it go, wouldn't the logic thing to do is go to the police?? Amelia doesn't!
Ward has written three other YA novels, 'Lie to Me' being her fourth. The writing in this story is bad in some places, for example, a scene with Amelia and her best friend, Sky, meeting up at the 'screen' (technically a giant drive-in movie theater screen); Amelia thinks about how this town is a haven for her, that everyone feels safe, but the very next paragraph, she's stating she doesn't feel safe anymore. This makes sense if you haven't read it, but the way it's written could have been in a much better and concise way. This and most scenes makes the story read like a sloppy diary entry. That, and the killer being predictable so early on in the story made me very disappointed with this book. 'Lie to Me' had great potential from the synopsis, but it lacked story, mystery, suspense and diverse characters.
I can't recommend this book to people who love horror stories, like I do. I think the only ones who would enjoy this story are the die-hard YA fans. It has everything that YA is known for: romance and teen drama, but it's lacking in everything else. Other than that, I don't think I'll read another book by Ward, but as far as Point horror books go, I will still give them a shot.
Besides her 'accident,' Amelia leads a normal life with her mother, father and brother, Hunter - - - she also has a small group of friends. After her 'fall,' a body of a teen girl from the same town is found in a nearby river, but the town gossips, and makes it seem that this girl committed suicide, leaving Amelia worried that her family would think the same thing about her. Depression is something that Amelia's family has had to deal with before, but the talk of depression is candid and not very enlightening; her brother, Hunter, who is in therapy for such doesn't even talk about it, instead he's usually seen playing soccer or Fortnite, this seems to be a broad attempt to bring mental health into the story,but without going into that subject, it failed as a story line. Yet, one of the main causes of depression today is social media, which we find Amelia stalking one of her best friends/love interest on- - -if Ward was trying to reach the YA community about depression, she went the wrong way about it.
Another mistake that Ward made was when Amelia receives an anonymous text message from someone telling her to 'Just let it go,Amelia,' this occurs after she has started investigating whether her 'accident' was an accident. Amelia tells us that she is always suspicious of everyone, but when this text message comes around, it's as if she could care less. She even tries to take the anonymous message as advice: " 'Or it's advice.' I feel backed into a corner. It's one thing to believe someone hurt me and another thing to have proof of it. I don't want this to be proof. 'I mean, Sky's always telling me I should let my life get back to normal, and she doesn't even know I'm thinking any of this. Maybe someone else feels that way,too.' " In reality, if you believed that someone attempted to murder you, and suddenly you are receiving a cryptic message about letting it go, wouldn't the logic thing to do is go to the police?? Amelia doesn't!
Ward has written three other YA novels, 'Lie to Me' being her fourth. The writing in this story is bad in some places, for example, a scene with Amelia and her best friend, Sky, meeting up at the 'screen' (technically a giant drive-in movie theater screen); Amelia thinks about how this town is a haven for her, that everyone feels safe, but the very next paragraph, she's stating she doesn't feel safe anymore. This makes sense if you haven't read it, but the way it's written could have been in a much better and concise way. This and most scenes makes the story read like a sloppy diary entry. That, and the killer being predictable so early on in the story made me very disappointed with this book. 'Lie to Me' had great potential from the synopsis, but it lacked story, mystery, suspense and diverse characters.
I can't recommend this book to people who love horror stories, like I do. I think the only ones who would enjoy this story are the die-hard YA fans. It has everything that YA is known for: romance and teen drama, but it's lacking in everything else. Other than that, I don't think I'll read another book by Ward, but as far as Point horror books go, I will still give them a shot.
Mothergamer (1595 KP) rated the PC version of Dragon Age II in Video Games
Apr 3, 2019
I finished Dragon Age 2 and let's just say I am feeling conflicted. I absolutely loved Origins and Awakening. The story was well thought out and throw in the factor of every choice you made had a consequence of being good, evil, or in a gray area, it really made you pay attention and think about what you wanted to do throughout the story line. There was also more to explore on the map, and there was some depth to the design, such as the forests of Ferelden, the Dalish elves camp, and Orzammar.
I was extremely excited about Dragon Age 2 and even got the signature edition. You get a lot of great items and cool downloadable content like The Black Emporium shop and The Exiled Prince quest. However, playing Dragon Age 2 I couldn't help but notice a lot of glaring flaws throughout it with the battle system and with some of the map designs. There are also for me, some issues with parts of the story and this does include some of Hawke's story.
First, let me start with why I had a problem with Hawke's story. There are parts of it that seem rather pointless, as if Hawke is going through the motions and not really driven the way the hero was in Origins and Awakening. There's a lack of intensity. There is also a glaring lack of tough choices. I love a great story and with Origins and Awakening, there were choices that could be made that would affect the story, take it down a different path, and everything you decided had consequences. With Dragon Age 2, it seems the story was only written one way and no matter what the player does or decides, they become the Champion the same way and go through the same events. It falls flat when you think about the intricacies and plot twists of the previous two games.
I did like the interactions with the members of your party and there were even characters I genuinely liked. I found that my top three were Varric, Fenris, and Isabela. Hawke has a voice, so some of these interactions had a little more emotion to them, but frankly it seemed like the companions were far more interesting and witty. Even their quests and stories were more interesting to me. There was one part of Hawke's story that really had me going and to the person who wrote that, I say great job. As for the rest, it just felt dull. Sure, the ending has a fantastic pivotal point to the story line, but it felt like a chore to get to it at certain points in the game.
Overall, I had no problem with the battle system. It was much easier to navigate, the action is fast and fluid, and the AI is pretty spot on when it comes to the other party members, making for a pretty exciting furious battle. Yet, there was a problem. Let me be clear with all my friends who told me I could change the difficulty setting to casual if a battle was too hard, I DID. I then tried various tactics and party set ups and got annihilated eight times or more. I'll give everyone a moment to let that sink in. Now, maybe it's a crazy concept, but the casual setting on a video game means you don't have lots of dead party members and game over screens. Yes, it's still a battle, but not quite so difficult. When a battle is hard on the EASY setting, that's a huge problem for me. Factor in the 30 second cool down timer for healing potions, and healing spells, it borders on ridiculous.
While I understand that the gist of this idea was it makes you plan out and think carefully about strategies for quests, boss battles, and random fights a 30 second heal timer does not work. I could understand having a timer, but 30 seconds can make or break a quest or story oriented battle in Dragon Age 2. I played as a rogue for the first play through, and I found myself kiting things a hell of a lot waiting for the timer to be up and hoping I wouldn't die before I could heal. Needless to say, it got incredibly frustrating quite a few times!
Finally, we have the sheer laziness of the map and dungeon designs. It was as if there was just one prototype for everything when it came to the buildings in Kirkwall. The "poor house" design, and the "rich mansion" design came across as bland and was a telling sign of how rushed this game was. There's also one map for the sewers, the Deep Roads, one mine, one mountain, and one cave. You basically go back and forth with five different locations on the world map. Compared to the other maps in the Dragon Age games, this is shameful. The map is ridiculously tiny, but it's as if they were lazy and couldn't be bothered with making the locations stand out and be unique from each other.
I liked Dragon Age 2, but I didn't love it the way I did Origins and Awakening. I can honestly say, it's a good game, but not a great one. There's too many predictable points in some of the story telling and it's quite obvious to see where certain things were rushed especially with certain cut scenes where the characters were blinking in and out of frame. I can not in good conscience give Dragon Age 2 a stellar review as an amazing game, because it isn't. Believe me, that kills me because I absolutely love the Dragon Age series, but with that many flaws, it's not worth full price.
I was extremely excited about Dragon Age 2 and even got the signature edition. You get a lot of great items and cool downloadable content like The Black Emporium shop and The Exiled Prince quest. However, playing Dragon Age 2 I couldn't help but notice a lot of glaring flaws throughout it with the battle system and with some of the map designs. There are also for me, some issues with parts of the story and this does include some of Hawke's story.
First, let me start with why I had a problem with Hawke's story. There are parts of it that seem rather pointless, as if Hawke is going through the motions and not really driven the way the hero was in Origins and Awakening. There's a lack of intensity. There is also a glaring lack of tough choices. I love a great story and with Origins and Awakening, there were choices that could be made that would affect the story, take it down a different path, and everything you decided had consequences. With Dragon Age 2, it seems the story was only written one way and no matter what the player does or decides, they become the Champion the same way and go through the same events. It falls flat when you think about the intricacies and plot twists of the previous two games.
I did like the interactions with the members of your party and there were even characters I genuinely liked. I found that my top three were Varric, Fenris, and Isabela. Hawke has a voice, so some of these interactions had a little more emotion to them, but frankly it seemed like the companions were far more interesting and witty. Even their quests and stories were more interesting to me. There was one part of Hawke's story that really had me going and to the person who wrote that, I say great job. As for the rest, it just felt dull. Sure, the ending has a fantastic pivotal point to the story line, but it felt like a chore to get to it at certain points in the game.
Overall, I had no problem with the battle system. It was much easier to navigate, the action is fast and fluid, and the AI is pretty spot on when it comes to the other party members, making for a pretty exciting furious battle. Yet, there was a problem. Let me be clear with all my friends who told me I could change the difficulty setting to casual if a battle was too hard, I DID. I then tried various tactics and party set ups and got annihilated eight times or more. I'll give everyone a moment to let that sink in. Now, maybe it's a crazy concept, but the casual setting on a video game means you don't have lots of dead party members and game over screens. Yes, it's still a battle, but not quite so difficult. When a battle is hard on the EASY setting, that's a huge problem for me. Factor in the 30 second cool down timer for healing potions, and healing spells, it borders on ridiculous.
While I understand that the gist of this idea was it makes you plan out and think carefully about strategies for quests, boss battles, and random fights a 30 second heal timer does not work. I could understand having a timer, but 30 seconds can make or break a quest or story oriented battle in Dragon Age 2. I played as a rogue for the first play through, and I found myself kiting things a hell of a lot waiting for the timer to be up and hoping I wouldn't die before I could heal. Needless to say, it got incredibly frustrating quite a few times!
Finally, we have the sheer laziness of the map and dungeon designs. It was as if there was just one prototype for everything when it came to the buildings in Kirkwall. The "poor house" design, and the "rich mansion" design came across as bland and was a telling sign of how rushed this game was. There's also one map for the sewers, the Deep Roads, one mine, one mountain, and one cave. You basically go back and forth with five different locations on the world map. Compared to the other maps in the Dragon Age games, this is shameful. The map is ridiculously tiny, but it's as if they were lazy and couldn't be bothered with making the locations stand out and be unique from each other.
I liked Dragon Age 2, but I didn't love it the way I did Origins and Awakening. I can honestly say, it's a good game, but not a great one. There's too many predictable points in some of the story telling and it's quite obvious to see where certain things were rushed especially with certain cut scenes where the characters were blinking in and out of frame. I can not in good conscience give Dragon Age 2 a stellar review as an amazing game, because it isn't. Believe me, that kills me because I absolutely love the Dragon Age series, but with that many flaws, it's not worth full price.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Heart of the Oak in Books
Dec 30, 2018
Beautifully Written (2 more)
Likable Character
Beautiful illustrations
A Beautiful Story
When I heard about Heart of the Oak by J.L. Novinsky, it was a book that I wanted to read. I also wanted to read it to my 3 year old because it seemed like a really sweet book. My son and I loved Heart of the Oak!
The plot for Heart of the Oak is straightforward and easy for adults and children alike. It's about a tree and his feelings and memories. He remembers when a fat little squirrel, a little boy playing on him as well as other memories. I'd suggest parental guidance for children under 6 though as there's a part in the book where the tree catches fire and is in pain. This could be a little scary for younger children. My 3 year old was a little fearful, but I was able to explain it in terms he'd understand so he wouldn't be scared. However, this book does have a happily ever after ending which is heartwarming, and the oak tree is a very lovable character.
I loved the prose and how well Heart of the Oak flowed. J.L. Novinsky is a talented story teller, and this book definitely proves that. I loved how descriptive everything was in the story. The words she chose seemed to glide off the page and stick sweetly in my mind. The writing definitely drew me in and held my attention until the very end. For example, on the very first page of Heart of the Oak, Novinsky writes "The day is icy and gray. A fine mist shrouds the world around the massive oak tree. Winter's bitter gales rustle the last of the brittle leaves that cling to his spindly branches."
Another thing which makes Heart of the Oak so good are the illustrations. The illustrations are absolutely breathtaking and drawn very well. They are very colorful and vibrant. My son loved the illustrations especially the ones with the dogs and the squirrels. I loved every page.
All in all, Heart of the Oak is a fantastic read. It's a very short story that is beautifully written with fantastic illustrations. Children and adults will definitely fall in love with this heartwarming story about an old oak tree. I would definitely recommend Heart of the Oak by J.L. Novinsky to everyone. It is a lovely story that everyone needs to read at least once in their lives.
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(A special thank you to the author for providing me with a paperback of Heart of the Oak in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot for Heart of the Oak is straightforward and easy for adults and children alike. It's about a tree and his feelings and memories. He remembers when a fat little squirrel, a little boy playing on him as well as other memories. I'd suggest parental guidance for children under 6 though as there's a part in the book where the tree catches fire and is in pain. This could be a little scary for younger children. My 3 year old was a little fearful, but I was able to explain it in terms he'd understand so he wouldn't be scared. However, this book does have a happily ever after ending which is heartwarming, and the oak tree is a very lovable character.
I loved the prose and how well Heart of the Oak flowed. J.L. Novinsky is a talented story teller, and this book definitely proves that. I loved how descriptive everything was in the story. The words she chose seemed to glide off the page and stick sweetly in my mind. The writing definitely drew me in and held my attention until the very end. For example, on the very first page of Heart of the Oak, Novinsky writes "The day is icy and gray. A fine mist shrouds the world around the massive oak tree. Winter's bitter gales rustle the last of the brittle leaves that cling to his spindly branches."
Another thing which makes Heart of the Oak so good are the illustrations. The illustrations are absolutely breathtaking and drawn very well. They are very colorful and vibrant. My son loved the illustrations especially the ones with the dogs and the squirrels. I loved every page.
All in all, Heart of the Oak is a fantastic read. It's a very short story that is beautifully written with fantastic illustrations. Children and adults will definitely fall in love with this heartwarming story about an old oak tree. I would definitely recommend Heart of the Oak by J.L. Novinsky to everyone. It is a lovely story that everyone needs to read at least once in their lives.
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(A special thank you to the author for providing me with a paperback of Heart of the Oak in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated What Momma Left Behind in Books
Feb 24, 2021
<a href="https://travelingwife4life.wordpress.com/2020/06/24/what-momma-left-behind-lone-star-lit">Travelers Wife 4 Life</a>
A new to me author Cindy K. Sproles created a vivid view of life on the Appalachian Mountains. Her descriptions of the scenery, the mountains, and the geographical location of the characters were very engaging and interesting to read. I enjoyed Cindy K. Sproles's way of engaging my imagination with the world she created for her characters, it reminded me of Pepper D. Basham and Joanne Bischof’s style of writing. I truly loved the environment she created and was sorry to see the story come to an end.
The plot was very unexpected for me. Whether due to the synopsis not doing the story justice, or my preconceptions going into the book. Either way, it was a surprising storyline that turned out to be a sweet and encouraging read on how to find your place in this world, and where you should place your trust.
Favorite Quote:
“The mountain air brings newness, seeps down deep, and cleans out the things that weigh heavy on a body’s soul. Despite how hard things are, it’s like the mountain is forgivin’. It demands a man’s hard work to survive, but then it wraps its soul and spirit around you, claimin’ you as its own child.”
The characters in this story were interesting and relatable. I enjoyed getting to read about Worie Dressar and loved seeing her growth progress throughout the story, I thought she was a unique character and I enjoyed her journey. Throughout the story, she overcomes much sorrow and pain, mixed in with some truly joyful moments. Worie learns who God wants her to be and the plans that He has for her and her family. The other secondary characters added some much-needed layers to this story, they were interesting, and I would love to read more about their personal stories as well (Hint, hint). Worie Dressar has some very thought-provoking thoughts in this book, and I have written down many of them as reminders for when I need God’s guidance in something. A good book overall.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for the deep thought-provoking lessons, the vivid descriptions of mountain hardships, and the moral of trusting God through it all. The only thing I would have like to see more of would have been a better developed secondary character for Worie Dressar.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
A new to me author Cindy K. Sproles created a vivid view of life on the Appalachian Mountains. Her descriptions of the scenery, the mountains, and the geographical location of the characters were very engaging and interesting to read. I enjoyed Cindy K. Sproles's way of engaging my imagination with the world she created for her characters, it reminded me of Pepper D. Basham and Joanne Bischof’s style of writing. I truly loved the environment she created and was sorry to see the story come to an end.
The plot was very unexpected for me. Whether due to the synopsis not doing the story justice, or my preconceptions going into the book. Either way, it was a surprising storyline that turned out to be a sweet and encouraging read on how to find your place in this world, and where you should place your trust.
Favorite Quote:
“The mountain air brings newness, seeps down deep, and cleans out the things that weigh heavy on a body’s soul. Despite how hard things are, it’s like the mountain is forgivin’. It demands a man’s hard work to survive, but then it wraps its soul and spirit around you, claimin’ you as its own child.”
The characters in this story were interesting and relatable. I enjoyed getting to read about Worie Dressar and loved seeing her growth progress throughout the story, I thought she was a unique character and I enjoyed her journey. Throughout the story, she overcomes much sorrow and pain, mixed in with some truly joyful moments. Worie learns who God wants her to be and the plans that He has for her and her family. The other secondary characters added some much-needed layers to this story, they were interesting, and I would love to read more about their personal stories as well (Hint, hint). Worie Dressar has some very thought-provoking thoughts in this book, and I have written down many of them as reminders for when I need God’s guidance in something. A good book overall.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for the deep thought-provoking lessons, the vivid descriptions of mountain hardships, and the moral of trusting God through it all. The only thing I would have like to see more of would have been a better developed secondary character for Worie Dressar.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The King of Staten Island (2020) in Movies
Jan 25, 2021
Incredible
An amateur tattoo artist is forced to grow up when his mom (who he is living with) falls in love with a new boo.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 7
The very first few moments sees main character Scott Carlin (Pete Davidson) driving on the highway with his eyes closed, seemingly trying to off himself. It’s a powerful scene followed quickly by Scott and his friends tripping out with the typical hilarious banter you find in a Judd Apatow movie. While both great scenes, you still don’t get a full sense of where the story is going after the first ten minutes hence the score.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Shot in a memorable style that brings out the best and worst of Staten Island at the same time. Director Apatow has a knack for capturing extremely impactful moments, especially the awkward ones. Every scene, no matter how short makes the most of its time and tells its own story. It’s such a hard thing to do yet Apatow finds a way to do it repeatedly.
Conflict: 10
It’s funny, I can’t look at Scott’s character without thinking about my 16-year-old son. He’s kind of drifting about in the same aimless way and, like Scott, doesn’t seem to understand how his now actions will affect his later. The beauty of having a character like this is the ability to be able to drive external conflict through Scott’s internal growth. He is struggling for selfish reasons. He wants his mom to be happy, but not at his expense. The dynamic of conflict is perfect.
Entertainment Value: 9
Memorability: 10
Pace: 8
The story flows along pretty smoothly, although I wasn’t happy with the 147-minute runtime. That’s a bit extensive for a comedy in my opinion. Again, I was impressed about how time was maximized for the most part, but there were a few spots where I felt things could have been trimmed.
Plot: 7
The movie does cheat to meet its end, but I was ultimately ok with it because the rest of the story was pretty incredible. The cheat is a blip on an otherwise quality story that really enhances the growth of the characters. Every scene really does come together well to tell a great story.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 90
From jump, The King of Staten Island hits you in the mouth and keeps you entertained. I enjoyed this movie for multiple reasons, but mostly because it checks all the boxes. Even the things it falls short on is just slightly missing the mark. Highly recommended.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 7
The very first few moments sees main character Scott Carlin (Pete Davidson) driving on the highway with his eyes closed, seemingly trying to off himself. It’s a powerful scene followed quickly by Scott and his friends tripping out with the typical hilarious banter you find in a Judd Apatow movie. While both great scenes, you still don’t get a full sense of where the story is going after the first ten minutes hence the score.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
Shot in a memorable style that brings out the best and worst of Staten Island at the same time. Director Apatow has a knack for capturing extremely impactful moments, especially the awkward ones. Every scene, no matter how short makes the most of its time and tells its own story. It’s such a hard thing to do yet Apatow finds a way to do it repeatedly.
Conflict: 10
It’s funny, I can’t look at Scott’s character without thinking about my 16-year-old son. He’s kind of drifting about in the same aimless way and, like Scott, doesn’t seem to understand how his now actions will affect his later. The beauty of having a character like this is the ability to be able to drive external conflict through Scott’s internal growth. He is struggling for selfish reasons. He wants his mom to be happy, but not at his expense. The dynamic of conflict is perfect.
Entertainment Value: 9
Memorability: 10
Pace: 8
The story flows along pretty smoothly, although I wasn’t happy with the 147-minute runtime. That’s a bit extensive for a comedy in my opinion. Again, I was impressed about how time was maximized for the most part, but there were a few spots where I felt things could have been trimmed.
Plot: 7
The movie does cheat to meet its end, but I was ultimately ok with it because the rest of the story was pretty incredible. The cheat is a blip on an otherwise quality story that really enhances the growth of the characters. Every scene really does come together well to tell a great story.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 90
From jump, The King of Staten Island hits you in the mouth and keeps you entertained. I enjoyed this movie for multiple reasons, but mostly because it checks all the boxes. Even the things it falls short on is just slightly missing the mark. Highly recommended.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated A Thousand Years of Good Prayers in Books
Sep 21, 2017
Impressive collection of short stories about pre- and post-revolution China
This collection of short stories by Yiyun Li is both charming and a little disconcerting, showing how Chinese citizens attempt to live in a changed consumer communist society. From a gay man attempting to eke out a space for himself after returning from America to China, to those with mental health issues and parents with more than one child, Li showcases a plethora of characters and voices, many reflective of her own experiences.
The first story about an elderly woman trying to work and survive, and feeling love for a young boy after many years of loneliness is poignant and sombre. While the final story is similar to Li's experience of living in America - she is in reality a dissident and at one point couldn't leave the country to collect an award for this book, hence the book is remarkable in the fact that it feels completely plausible. Even more laudable is the fact that she had only learnt English for six years when she wrote the book. It is a wonderful collection of stories.
The first story about an elderly woman trying to work and survive, and feeling love for a young boy after many years of loneliness is poignant and sombre. While the final story is similar to Li's experience of living in America - she is in reality a dissident and at one point couldn't leave the country to collect an award for this book, hence the book is remarkable in the fact that it feels completely plausible. Even more laudable is the fact that she had only learnt English for six years when she wrote the book. It is a wonderful collection of stories.
jmercado (1 KP) rated The Accidental Slave: Aya's Story (The Slave Series #1) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
How do i rate this book.
This was frustrating and as much as i hate to do it this did not meet the par for me.
The main character just flopped for me throughout most of the book.
With most of my updates all i could write was how...frustrating this character was.
Which upset me cause i loved her character before the kidnapping.
To me Aya seemed strong and independent but then as the story progressed that just went away.
And Kato just seemed like a lost puppy to me the whole time, which to some extent was impressive because you typically read about the "Bad-Boy" turn good. but her was always good, too good for someone who was a warrior for a year.
Another down fall for me was the Insta-Love. Typically its not a big deal for me but seriously, 7 days?? and your running away together. Get real.
The begging execution of this story tugged me in but that middle was hard to get through. The ending though was much better and i was happy i stuck through it in the end. but i will not be continuing the series.
This was frustrating and as much as i hate to do it this did not meet the par for me.
The main character just flopped for me throughout most of the book.
With most of my updates all i could write was how...frustrating this character was.
Which upset me cause i loved her character before the kidnapping.
To me Aya seemed strong and independent but then as the story progressed that just went away.
And Kato just seemed like a lost puppy to me the whole time, which to some extent was impressive because you typically read about the "Bad-Boy" turn good. but her was always good, too good for someone who was a warrior for a year.
Another down fall for me was the Insta-Love. Typically its not a big deal for me but seriously, 7 days?? and your running away together. Get real.
The begging execution of this story tugged me in but that middle was hard to get through. The ending though was much better and i was happy i stuck through it in the end. but i will not be continuing the series.