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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Emerald Ring (Cleopatra's Legacy, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I was super excited to be asked if I wanted to be part of the Emerald Ring Blog Tour by the author, Dorine White. After reading the synopsis of this book, I definitely wanted to give it a read. All in all, I definitely enjoyed it!
Sara is a 12 year old girl, who, after finding an emerald ring at her grandmother's house, realizes she can shape-shift into a cat. She's also started having some really strange dreams as well. When a bunch of burglaries start happening close to her neighborhood, she takes it upon herself to put everything together to figure out who is behind them all. Will Sara's find out what the thief wants and why she's having strange dreams? Or will the magic of the emerald ring be too much?
I do like the title of this book. It's very straight-forward which I believe is a good thing as it's a middle grade fantasy novel. You know exactly what this book is going to be about. I think the title would definitely appeal to middle schoolers as well as adults.
The cover definitely suits the book. I like how there's a picture of the ring on the cover. I also like the sarcophagus on the cover. It's a nice touch! I believe the cover will appeal to children in middle school very much.
The world building in this novel is believable especially for a child in junior high. The dreaming sequences were very well written as were the scenes at Sara's school and house. I had no problem using my imagination to set up the world in which this novel took place.
The pacing in this novel is great!! Even as an adult, I thought it flowed rather nicely. I devoured this book in no time at all. Each chapter ran smoothly into the next. It was terrific!
The characters, for the most part, are well written. Sara reminded me of a 12 year old girl with her thought process and the way she acted. I loved her curiosity about everything. Heidi, Sara's best friend, was my favorite character. She always had Sara's back and was a big help when it came to Sara's adventure. I wish she was featured a bit more in the story though. I do think she was a bit too trusting of everything Sara told her though. I don't think most 12 year olds would be that gullible. Kainu was a believable character but I kept forgetting that he was supposed to be African. He spoke very good English for someone from Africa. It is explained how he learned how to speak English, but I don't know. I still felt as if he spoke English a little too well. Plus, Kainu's story wasn't that believable being as he's only 12 years old. I won't go into more detail because I don't want to give any spoilers away. Perhaps middle schoolers won't pick up on any of the character flaws.
The dialogue was fun to read. I enjoyed Sara's internal dialogue the best. I loved reading about how she felt and what she thought. There were a few words that I think middle school children wouldn't know the meaning of. Even I struggled with a few of the words, but there aren't many so it doesn't take away from the book.
Overall, The Emerald Ring by Dorine White is a cute, fun story which will be enjoyed by all middle school children. In fact, I think it will be enjoyed by most adults as well. The plot is interesting, and the characters are fun. At the very least, it may get children interested in Ancient Egyptian history.
I'd recommend this book to everyone age 11+ because it's such a fun and cute story.
The Emerald Ring (Cleopatra's Legacy #1) by Dorine White gets a 4.5 out of 5.
(I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I was super excited to be asked if I wanted to be part of the Emerald Ring Blog Tour by the author, Dorine White. After reading the synopsis of this book, I definitely wanted to give it a read. All in all, I definitely enjoyed it!
Sara is a 12 year old girl, who, after finding an emerald ring at her grandmother's house, realizes she can shape-shift into a cat. She's also started having some really strange dreams as well. When a bunch of burglaries start happening close to her neighborhood, she takes it upon herself to put everything together to figure out who is behind them all. Will Sara's find out what the thief wants and why she's having strange dreams? Or will the magic of the emerald ring be too much?
I do like the title of this book. It's very straight-forward which I believe is a good thing as it's a middle grade fantasy novel. You know exactly what this book is going to be about. I think the title would definitely appeal to middle schoolers as well as adults.
The cover definitely suits the book. I like how there's a picture of the ring on the cover. I also like the sarcophagus on the cover. It's a nice touch! I believe the cover will appeal to children in middle school very much.
The world building in this novel is believable especially for a child in junior high. The dreaming sequences were very well written as were the scenes at Sara's school and house. I had no problem using my imagination to set up the world in which this novel took place.
The pacing in this novel is great!! Even as an adult, I thought it flowed rather nicely. I devoured this book in no time at all. Each chapter ran smoothly into the next. It was terrific!
The characters, for the most part, are well written. Sara reminded me of a 12 year old girl with her thought process and the way she acted. I loved her curiosity about everything. Heidi, Sara's best friend, was my favorite character. She always had Sara's back and was a big help when it came to Sara's adventure. I wish she was featured a bit more in the story though. I do think she was a bit too trusting of everything Sara told her though. I don't think most 12 year olds would be that gullible. Kainu was a believable character but I kept forgetting that he was supposed to be African. He spoke very good English for someone from Africa. It is explained how he learned how to speak English, but I don't know. I still felt as if he spoke English a little too well. Plus, Kainu's story wasn't that believable being as he's only 12 years old. I won't go into more detail because I don't want to give any spoilers away. Perhaps middle schoolers won't pick up on any of the character flaws.
The dialogue was fun to read. I enjoyed Sara's internal dialogue the best. I loved reading about how she felt and what she thought. There were a few words that I think middle school children wouldn't know the meaning of. Even I struggled with a few of the words, but there aren't many so it doesn't take away from the book.
Overall, The Emerald Ring by Dorine White is a cute, fun story which will be enjoyed by all middle school children. In fact, I think it will be enjoyed by most adults as well. The plot is interesting, and the characters are fun. At the very least, it may get children interested in Ancient Egyptian history.
I'd recommend this book to everyone age 11+ because it's such a fun and cute story.
The Emerald Ring (Cleopatra's Legacy #1) by Dorine White gets a 4.5 out of 5.
(I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Twilight's Dawn (The Black Jewels, #9) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Anne Bishop's newest addition to the Black Jewels series is a collection of four novellas that fill in a few gaps in the growing storyline, as well as answering the question of what happens after certain central characters are gone from the series.
The first story, "Winsol Gifts", takes place a year after Daemon Sadi and Jaenelle Angelline have been married and after the events in Tangled Webs (Black Jewels, Book 6). It is a sweet story that explores Daemon's new roles as the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan, as well as Tersa's relationship with both Daemon and Lucivar. The question of whether Jaenelle can ever take back the Ebony - and if she will - is also answered, which was very satisfying for me.
The second story, "Shades of Honor", centers on Prince Falonar and the on-going damage he causes from his own prejudices. Surreal and Rainier's recoveries from injuries sustained from the evil haunted house are also central to the story. It also answers the question of how Rainier came to work for Daemon Sadi. Lucivar is also forced to learn how to better run Ebon Rih, which allows the reader to learn a bit more about Eyriens. This story also sparked my curiosity about the Dea al Mon, Surreal's heritage, since the story ended with her going to stay with them.
The third story, "Family", is about what happens to Sylvia, Saetan's lover and wife, and her sons. Through her story, the reader gets a clearer picture of what life is like for the demon-dead, as well as a glimpse of the kind of power that Tersa can wield. The reader also gets to find out if Jaenelle will ever take on the role of a Queen again, as well as how Daemon and Jaenelle deal with the issue of no children.
The final story, "The High Lord's Daughter", spans a period of decades in the telling. This story is both the most tragic and the most promising of the four novellas, as two main characters pass on, while the next generation of the SaDiablo family opens up brand-new story lines for Bishop to explore, should she decide to do so. While it was pretty obvious from the cover description that Jaenelle would die in this story, I was not satisfied with the explanation as to why she could not become demon-dead. I did find it both believable and realistic that Daemon would need to marry again, despite his own grief and stubbornness, and I was very happy that he married the woman he did, as I saw their unique bond long before this book came along. Their daughter also made me quite happy, as I can see how she could continue the magic of "dreams made flesh". I was also happy for Marian and Lucivar, as they finally got their daughter. Of course, now I have a new question that will drive me nuts until the next book - if a person's Birthright Jewel is Twilight's Dawn, then what stone does she descend to?
The first story, "Winsol Gifts", takes place a year after Daemon Sadi and Jaenelle Angelline have been married and after the events in Tangled Webs (Black Jewels, Book 6). It is a sweet story that explores Daemon's new roles as the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan, as well as Tersa's relationship with both Daemon and Lucivar. The question of whether Jaenelle can ever take back the Ebony - and if she will - is also answered, which was very satisfying for me.
The second story, "Shades of Honor", centers on Prince Falonar and the on-going damage he causes from his own prejudices. Surreal and Rainier's recoveries from injuries sustained from the evil haunted house are also central to the story. It also answers the question of how Rainier came to work for Daemon Sadi. Lucivar is also forced to learn how to better run Ebon Rih, which allows the reader to learn a bit more about Eyriens. This story also sparked my curiosity about the Dea al Mon, Surreal's heritage, since the story ended with her going to stay with them.
The third story, "Family", is about what happens to Sylvia, Saetan's lover and wife, and her sons. Through her story, the reader gets a clearer picture of what life is like for the demon-dead, as well as a glimpse of the kind of power that Tersa can wield. The reader also gets to find out if Jaenelle will ever take on the role of a Queen again, as well as how Daemon and Jaenelle deal with the issue of no children.
The final story, "The High Lord's Daughter", spans a period of decades in the telling. This story is both the most tragic and the most promising of the four novellas, as two main characters pass on, while the next generation of the SaDiablo family opens up brand-new story lines for Bishop to explore, should she decide to do so. While it was pretty obvious from the cover description that Jaenelle would die in this story, I was not satisfied with the explanation as to why she could not become demon-dead. I did find it both believable and realistic that Daemon would need to marry again, despite his own grief and stubbornness, and I was very happy that he married the woman he did, as I saw their unique bond long before this book came along. Their daughter also made me quite happy, as I can see how she could continue the magic of "dreams made flesh". I was also happy for Marian and Lucivar, as they finally got their daughter. Of course, now I have a new question that will drive me nuts until the next book - if a person's Birthright Jewel is Twilight's Dawn, then what stone does she descend to?
Saffy Alexandra (89 KP) rated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Books
Jun 1, 2019
Characters (3 more)
New plot
Humour, Wit and Sarcasm
Mystery
Ssssomething Special
As with all Harry Potter books I love them, because why wouldn’t you? And the one thing I find is that in the movies they tend to miss some of Rowling’s amazing sarcastic and hilarious scenes and if you are only a lover of the movies you tend to miss so much.
Now I will admit the book and the film absolutely terrified me when I was younger and still gives me a bit of creeps now, even though I do own a snake and love them to bits. Any who …
In this movie we meet new characters, one of which becomes very dear to everyone’s heart – aka Dobby! We meet the funny little House Elf who manages to wreck havoc in poor Harry’s life before he even gets to school with the whole dropping a pudding in the middle of the living room and then blocking 9 and 3 quarters to both Harry and Ron. Hence them then breaking the first law, do not expose Magic to Muggles. Then who could forget Gilderoy Lockhart? The incompetent but very good at memory spells Dark-Arts teacher. And then there is Moaning Myrtle, good old Myrtle.
Harry and Ron’s misadventures start right at the beginning of term, causing them to nearly be expelled. Thankfully not, other wise the book series would have been very short. More and more drama ensues to the Trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) and the rest of the school as the book continues with Harry talking to snakes, Ginny acting strange, and then student’s being petrified including our brilliant Hermione. It’s then up to Harry and Ron to try and solve the mystery. You know, because all those suitably qualified teachers can’t do anything but a twelve year old can?
But what started off with causing everyone to avoid Harry within an inch of his life soon became the reason all the muggle-borns and half-blood’s stayed awake and not petrified. What would they ever do without Harr Potter?
A funny and dramatic second book in this series which grips you straight from the start with Rowling’s brilliant way to use mischief, sarcasm and wit in her writing.
A Favourite scene of mine that is in the books is:
“Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of
their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for
the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through ......
Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.
"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged
servant," said George, chortling.
Ginny didn't find it amusing either.
"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was
planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large
clove of garlic when they met.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Now I will admit the book and the film absolutely terrified me when I was younger and still gives me a bit of creeps now, even though I do own a snake and love them to bits. Any who …
In this movie we meet new characters, one of which becomes very dear to everyone’s heart – aka Dobby! We meet the funny little House Elf who manages to wreck havoc in poor Harry’s life before he even gets to school with the whole dropping a pudding in the middle of the living room and then blocking 9 and 3 quarters to both Harry and Ron. Hence them then breaking the first law, do not expose Magic to Muggles. Then who could forget Gilderoy Lockhart? The incompetent but very good at memory spells Dark-Arts teacher. And then there is Moaning Myrtle, good old Myrtle.
Harry and Ron’s misadventures start right at the beginning of term, causing them to nearly be expelled. Thankfully not, other wise the book series would have been very short. More and more drama ensues to the Trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) and the rest of the school as the book continues with Harry talking to snakes, Ginny acting strange, and then student’s being petrified including our brilliant Hermione. It’s then up to Harry and Ron to try and solve the mystery. You know, because all those suitably qualified teachers can’t do anything but a twelve year old can?
But what started off with causing everyone to avoid Harry within an inch of his life soon became the reason all the muggle-borns and half-blood’s stayed awake and not petrified. What would they ever do without Harr Potter?
A funny and dramatic second book in this series which grips you straight from the start with Rowling’s brilliant way to use mischief, sarcasm and wit in her writing.
A Favourite scene of mine that is in the books is:
“Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of
their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for
the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through ......
Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.
"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged
servant," said George, chortling.
Ginny didn't find it amusing either.
"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was
planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large
clove of garlic when they met.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Mysterium in Tabletop Games
Jul 6, 2019
Murder! A poor soul has been murdered in this house, and the homeowner has hired a group of mediums to solve the crime and give the spirit peace. One problem – the ghost can’t remember for sure who did it! Through a seance, the ghost sends visions to the mediums to lead them to potential suspects, crime scenes, and murder weapons. It is up to the mediums to work together and decipher the visions, narrow down the field, and find the criminal! Time is limited however – unless the culprit is caught in 7 hours, the magic of the seance will run out and the crime will remain a mystery!
DISCLAIMER: There are several expansions to this game, but we are not reviewing them at this time. Should we review them in the future we will either update this review or post a link to the new material here. -T
Mysterium is a cooperative game of deduction in which players take on the roles of mediums trying to solve the murder, and one player takes on the role of the ghost who is haunting the estate. Every turn, the ghost sends Visions (in the form of illustrated cards) to each medium in an attempt to guide them to investigate different suspects, locations, and potential murder weapons. The visions are not always clear, however, so the mediums must use their imaginations and deduction skills to decipher any hidden hints or clues contained in the visions. If all mediums are able to identify their suspects/locations/weapons before the 7th hour has passed, the ghost then sends one final Vision to all mediums to guide them to the true culprit. After receiving and deciphering this final Vision, the mediums must all vote on whom they believe the culprit to be. If the majority of the mediums select the correct culprit, the mystery has been solved and the ghost can be laid to rest! If not, however, the mystery remains and the ghost must wait an entire year before the magic ritual can be performed again…
I love Mysterium. I seriously think it’s a great game. One reason why I love it is because it’s a deduction game that is cooperative. Most of the deduction games I’ve played before are competitive or involve some form of bluffing. And I’m pretty terrible at lying, so I never really do well in those. What I like about Mysterium is that you’re still trying to figure out your own cards, but you’re allowed (and encouraged!) to ask your fellow mediums for their thoughts. It’s cool to see how everyone interprets the Vision cards because someone might notice or see something on your Vision card in a way you didn’t think of on your own. Your friends may be able to provide insight to help you through the game, just as you can help them decipher their clues. Especially since the game can’t be won unless everyone has found their cards, it really is in your best interest to cooperate and help everyone out.
Another thing I love about Mysterium is that it can be played with up to 7 players. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I have 4 siblings, and sometimes finding engaging games for 5+ people can be pretty hard. Not an issue at all with Mysterium. It’s actually a favorite of my siblings to play, so I always bring it with me for holidays and family gatherings! I personally think Mysterium works better at higher player counts, so that really bodes well for me and my family!
One final thing I really like about Mysterium is the dynamic created between the mediums and the ghost player. The ghost is allowed to communicate with the mediums through visions only – no verbal communication at all! That means that as the ghost player, you’re trying to anticipate how each medium will interpret different visions so you can give them the one that will guide them to their specific card. When you’re a medium, you’re trying to think how the ghost player thinks – why did they give me this card and what did they want me to notice? In either role, you’re trying to get in the mind of your counterpart, and that just adds a fun little bonus twist for me.
I think Mysterium is a great game. Deduction drives the game and it keeps you constantly engaged, questioning every card you see. It’s an entertaining and lighthearted cooperative game for any player count, and it thrives with great non-confrontational player interaction. Mysterium was one of the first games in my collection – I was in my FLGS, picked it up off the shelf, and having done no research on it at all, I bought it. And boy oh boy am I glad I did. Definitely give Mysterium a try – it’s a good blend of mystery and fun! Purple Phoenix Games gives it an ethereal 11 / 12.
DISCLAIMER: There are several expansions to this game, but we are not reviewing them at this time. Should we review them in the future we will either update this review or post a link to the new material here. -T
Mysterium is a cooperative game of deduction in which players take on the roles of mediums trying to solve the murder, and one player takes on the role of the ghost who is haunting the estate. Every turn, the ghost sends Visions (in the form of illustrated cards) to each medium in an attempt to guide them to investigate different suspects, locations, and potential murder weapons. The visions are not always clear, however, so the mediums must use their imaginations and deduction skills to decipher any hidden hints or clues contained in the visions. If all mediums are able to identify their suspects/locations/weapons before the 7th hour has passed, the ghost then sends one final Vision to all mediums to guide them to the true culprit. After receiving and deciphering this final Vision, the mediums must all vote on whom they believe the culprit to be. If the majority of the mediums select the correct culprit, the mystery has been solved and the ghost can be laid to rest! If not, however, the mystery remains and the ghost must wait an entire year before the magic ritual can be performed again…
I love Mysterium. I seriously think it’s a great game. One reason why I love it is because it’s a deduction game that is cooperative. Most of the deduction games I’ve played before are competitive or involve some form of bluffing. And I’m pretty terrible at lying, so I never really do well in those. What I like about Mysterium is that you’re still trying to figure out your own cards, but you’re allowed (and encouraged!) to ask your fellow mediums for their thoughts. It’s cool to see how everyone interprets the Vision cards because someone might notice or see something on your Vision card in a way you didn’t think of on your own. Your friends may be able to provide insight to help you through the game, just as you can help them decipher their clues. Especially since the game can’t be won unless everyone has found their cards, it really is in your best interest to cooperate and help everyone out.
Another thing I love about Mysterium is that it can be played with up to 7 players. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I have 4 siblings, and sometimes finding engaging games for 5+ people can be pretty hard. Not an issue at all with Mysterium. It’s actually a favorite of my siblings to play, so I always bring it with me for holidays and family gatherings! I personally think Mysterium works better at higher player counts, so that really bodes well for me and my family!
One final thing I really like about Mysterium is the dynamic created between the mediums and the ghost player. The ghost is allowed to communicate with the mediums through visions only – no verbal communication at all! That means that as the ghost player, you’re trying to anticipate how each medium will interpret different visions so you can give them the one that will guide them to their specific card. When you’re a medium, you’re trying to think how the ghost player thinks – why did they give me this card and what did they want me to notice? In either role, you’re trying to get in the mind of your counterpart, and that just adds a fun little bonus twist for me.
I think Mysterium is a great game. Deduction drives the game and it keeps you constantly engaged, questioning every card you see. It’s an entertaining and lighthearted cooperative game for any player count, and it thrives with great non-confrontational player interaction. Mysterium was one of the first games in my collection – I was in my FLGS, picked it up off the shelf, and having done no research on it at all, I bought it. And boy oh boy am I glad I did. Definitely give Mysterium a try – it’s a good blend of mystery and fun! Purple Phoenix Games gives it an ethereal 11 / 12.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Wolf Next Door (Westfield Wolves, #3) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare
Genre: Paranormal werewolf romance, historical fiction
ISBN:9781402236969
Published: June 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating:
Years ago, William Westfield and Pricia Hawthorne were in love—but Pricia's heart was broken and she refuses to let the scoundrel forget it. She knows now that he never committed the accused crime… but she can't bare to give her heart to him again. Even though she wants to.
Will has established his reputation as the best lover in six centuries. And he knows he did it to get Pricia out of his head. He still loves and adores her, snotty remarks and spirited personality and rule-breaking attitude and all. But when he is forced to visit the Hawthorne house to escort his sisters-in-law, he discovers that another man—another Lycan man—is pursuing her hand in marriage. Will doesn't think: The games are over. He decides that he will do anything and everything to keep the other werewolf away, and claim her forever.
This was, out of the three Westfield stories, my favorite. From the time I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It was fast-paced, exciting, and romantic. Although can I say that the covers—for this one and the others—could have been better? Still, I loved the story.
Will has always been my favorite Westfield, because of his happy, funny, warm, laid-back personality… and I loved seeing him desperately in love, trying his hardest to charm Pricia's socks off. Pricia is my favorite kind of heroine: the kind that can hold her own, especially with five brothers. Put Will and Pricia together, and you have an epic couple: They love each other, they hate each other. But they only hate each other because they love each other… a never-ending circle, a never-ending conversation, and a never-ending story… but a very satisfying ending to the book.
The plot was a lot more exciting than Dare's other werewolf stories—not to say the others aren't exciting. But this one surpassed the others. The other Lycan threatening Will's happiness added a good conflict to the story. Pricia's execution of torture on poor Will was both pitiful and hilarious. There was a war going on between the two wolves, and a war going on between the lovers, and it made for a stay-up-until-3-AM kind of book.
One of the reasons this one was probably my favorite, was because it wasn't sappy. I'm not saying the others are: but there was this running theme of the woman telling the man she was in love with him, and the man not admitting it until way too late, and causing problems because of it. There was none of that in The Wolf Next Door. Will straight up told Pricia that he loved her. He told her father he loved her. He told his brothers, and her brothers, that he loved her. And it made their romance much better and much more believable.
Magic, romance, heart-break, rivals, witches, and true love…all tied together with a sweet, naive, innocent little devil, and a very handsome werewolf. This one is begging to be re-read.
Content/recommendation: Little language, some sex. Ages 18+
Genre: Paranormal werewolf romance, historical fiction
ISBN:9781402236969
Published: June 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating:
Years ago, William Westfield and Pricia Hawthorne were in love—but Pricia's heart was broken and she refuses to let the scoundrel forget it. She knows now that he never committed the accused crime… but she can't bare to give her heart to him again. Even though she wants to.
Will has established his reputation as the best lover in six centuries. And he knows he did it to get Pricia out of his head. He still loves and adores her, snotty remarks and spirited personality and rule-breaking attitude and all. But when he is forced to visit the Hawthorne house to escort his sisters-in-law, he discovers that another man—another Lycan man—is pursuing her hand in marriage. Will doesn't think: The games are over. He decides that he will do anything and everything to keep the other werewolf away, and claim her forever.
This was, out of the three Westfield stories, my favorite. From the time I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It was fast-paced, exciting, and romantic. Although can I say that the covers—for this one and the others—could have been better? Still, I loved the story.
Will has always been my favorite Westfield, because of his happy, funny, warm, laid-back personality… and I loved seeing him desperately in love, trying his hardest to charm Pricia's socks off. Pricia is my favorite kind of heroine: the kind that can hold her own, especially with five brothers. Put Will and Pricia together, and you have an epic couple: They love each other, they hate each other. But they only hate each other because they love each other… a never-ending circle, a never-ending conversation, and a never-ending story… but a very satisfying ending to the book.
The plot was a lot more exciting than Dare's other werewolf stories—not to say the others aren't exciting. But this one surpassed the others. The other Lycan threatening Will's happiness added a good conflict to the story. Pricia's execution of torture on poor Will was both pitiful and hilarious. There was a war going on between the two wolves, and a war going on between the lovers, and it made for a stay-up-until-3-AM kind of book.
One of the reasons this one was probably my favorite, was because it wasn't sappy. I'm not saying the others are: but there was this running theme of the woman telling the man she was in love with him, and the man not admitting it until way too late, and causing problems because of it. There was none of that in The Wolf Next Door. Will straight up told Pricia that he loved her. He told her father he loved her. He told his brothers, and her brothers, that he loved her. And it made their romance much better and much more believable.
Magic, romance, heart-break, rivals, witches, and true love…all tied together with a sweet, naive, innocent little devil, and a very handsome werewolf. This one is begging to be re-read.
Content/recommendation: Little language, some sex. Ages 18+
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Poltergeeks in Books
Jun 7, 2018
This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>.
Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings was such a light, refreshing read. I won this book off of a blog competition, and I'm so glad I did. I absolutely loved it!
Julie Richardson is a 15 year old witch. She's her mother's apprentice. However, when her mother's soul is stolen by something evil, Julie must step up and try to do everything in her power to save her mother. In the process, she is also putting her own life in danger as an evil poltergeist is after her, one who hates witches. This poltergeist will stop at nothing to make sure Julie is dead.
I love the title to this book. I don't think it suits the book 100%, but it's a funny title. I don't really understand where the geek bit comes in as there was no mention of any kind of geek. Julie's best friend Marcus is a bit of a geek but that's about it.
The cover of the book is awesome! I think it matches the story very much. Julie looks to be levitating (which she seems to do a lot in this book against her will), and she's got her trusty amulet that helps her to focus her magic. The cover of this book reminds me of the scene when she's in the old lady's house trying to rid it of poltergeist activity.
I love the pacing of this book!! It kept my attention throughout every chapter. I don't think there was one chapter where I felt bored. The pacing of the book is on track all the way through.
The world building and setting were great. I loved how it took place in a normal town in normal Canada. The setting of the high school where the poltergeist activity takes place is my favourite. =)
The dialogue was easy to understand. However, there are quite a bit of swear words in this book so be warned if you're not big on swearing. I don't think there were too many swear words, nothing over the top or anything. I think the swearing fit in with how 15 year old kids would talk.
I loved all the characters!!! Julie was such a funny character, and I mean funny in the haha sense. I loved her comic timing!! I thought it was brilliant. I loved how Marcus was always into his science how how shocked he was when he couldn't scientifically explain the paranormal goings-on. Betty brought in some humour as well, and I thought she represented a guardian quite well. As for Marla, I don't really like the way the author portrayed her as the stereotypical goth. I've always been irked when goths are stereotyped so that's one thing that got on my nerves.
The plot was really good. I felt it was semi-original as well. It was a bit predictive though, and I already had it figured out who the bad guy was, but it was still a great story nonetheless.
Overall, I felt that Poltergeeks was a great read, and I'd definitely recommend it for those ages 15+. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series coming out!
I'd give this book a 4.5 out of 5.
Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings was such a light, refreshing read. I won this book off of a blog competition, and I'm so glad I did. I absolutely loved it!
Julie Richardson is a 15 year old witch. She's her mother's apprentice. However, when her mother's soul is stolen by something evil, Julie must step up and try to do everything in her power to save her mother. In the process, she is also putting her own life in danger as an evil poltergeist is after her, one who hates witches. This poltergeist will stop at nothing to make sure Julie is dead.
I love the title to this book. I don't think it suits the book 100%, but it's a funny title. I don't really understand where the geek bit comes in as there was no mention of any kind of geek. Julie's best friend Marcus is a bit of a geek but that's about it.
The cover of the book is awesome! I think it matches the story very much. Julie looks to be levitating (which she seems to do a lot in this book against her will), and she's got her trusty amulet that helps her to focus her magic. The cover of this book reminds me of the scene when she's in the old lady's house trying to rid it of poltergeist activity.
I love the pacing of this book!! It kept my attention throughout every chapter. I don't think there was one chapter where I felt bored. The pacing of the book is on track all the way through.
The world building and setting were great. I loved how it took place in a normal town in normal Canada. The setting of the high school where the poltergeist activity takes place is my favourite. =)
The dialogue was easy to understand. However, there are quite a bit of swear words in this book so be warned if you're not big on swearing. I don't think there were too many swear words, nothing over the top or anything. I think the swearing fit in with how 15 year old kids would talk.
I loved all the characters!!! Julie was such a funny character, and I mean funny in the haha sense. I loved her comic timing!! I thought it was brilliant. I loved how Marcus was always into his science how how shocked he was when he couldn't scientifically explain the paranormal goings-on. Betty brought in some humour as well, and I thought she represented a guardian quite well. As for Marla, I don't really like the way the author portrayed her as the stereotypical goth. I've always been irked when goths are stereotyped so that's one thing that got on my nerves.
The plot was really good. I felt it was semi-original as well. It was a bit predictive though, and I already had it figured out who the bad guy was, but it was still a great story nonetheless.
Overall, I felt that Poltergeeks was a great read, and I'd definitely recommend it for those ages 15+. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series coming out!
I'd give this book a 4.5 out of 5.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) in Movies
Jul 19, 2017
Some of the lighting is well implemented (1 more)
Colin Farrell
Bad CGI (2 more)
The movies 3 leads are extremely annoying
Johnny 'oooh' Depp
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them - Or JK Rowling and the Never Ending Quest for More Money
Contains spoilers, click to show
First off, full disclosure, I have never been a fan of the Harry Potter franchise. I’ve read a few of the books and seen a few of the movies and it just isn’t my thing. Honestly, I’m not even a fan of fantasy in general, I think Lord Of The Rings is nonsense and Game Of Thrones is vastly overrated and the last Harry Potter movie I saw was the fourth one. However, I was willing to go into this movie with a clean slate and hopefully have it win me over and unfortunately it didn’t. Also this review will contain spoilers if you care about that sort of thing.
This film is a prequel to the other Harry Potter movies, this time set in America rather than Britain and telling the story of the events that led to the great wizarding war between Dumbledore and Grindlewald. The film did have potential, to see what would have essentially been WWII fought with magic could be really cool but unfortunately all we get here is setup and that actual event we want to see will probably take place 4 or 5 movies down the line. The film opens with Eddie Redmayne’s character, Newt Scamander going to New York from London to set free one of the beasts that he keeps inside his Tardis-like brief case. Then he ends up in a bank and meets a ‘Nomaj,’ which is this film’s lazy version of a ‘muggle,’ who we learn is a simple lonely guy that just wants to open his own bakery and that’s another character cliché ticked off the list. We now have the double act of the nerdy, sniveling protagonist and the overweight sympathetic sidekick. Also, for the rest of this review I will be referring to the baker character as fat bloke and this isn’t to be derogatory, but is purely because the script relies on the, ‘fat, jolly, sympathetic, pathetic loner’ stereotype and passes it off as a character arc. If the script isn’t treating the character with any respect, then why should I? So fat bloke it is then.
So the two of them of course have the exact same briefcase and after some cartoony looking CGI animals escape from Redmayne’s case in the bank the suitcases predictably get mixed up and then the fat bloke gets his bakery loan declined and returns home with Redmayne’s suitcase, then more bad CGI animals open the case and attack the fat bloke. Redmayne’s character then gets arrested by some wizarding inspector for letting the, ‘Nomaj,’ (urgh) get away after seeing the animals in the case and is taken to the New York Wizards base, I guess? Then it’s revealed that the wizarding inspector that arrested Redmayne is a bit of a shit inspector and she is trying to redeem herself in the eyes of her superiors, so in front of this high wizard council, she confiscates the case from Redmayne and opens it only to reveal a bunch of cakes inside. Yes, really… Who writes this shit? Rowling is doing to Harry Potter what Lucas did to Star Wars during the prequels at this point.
So Redmayne gets set free and he goes to fat bloke’s house to find him lying on the floor, then some more bad CGI later the inspector turns up and they take him back to her house to meet her sister? Friend? Does it matter? She ends up becoming the love interest for fat bloke. Then for no apparent reason Redmayne and fat bloke enter the case and he shows fat bloke all this crazy shit that apparently humans aren’t supposed to see and then Redmayne does some more sniveling and decides they have to sneak out of the girls’ apartment and recapture the animals that escaped in the bank and from fat bloke’s apartment. They get a couple of the beasts back then they go to central park to find Redmayne’s horny rhino and they dress fat bloke up in a leather rhino costume and use him as rape bait then they ice skate for a bit and capture the rhino. Again, really… I am not making this shit up for satirical reasons.
Then we see a real life prick Ezra Miller playing some sort of weird emo child who is beat by his mother and we see he is working with Colin Farrell to find a big bad dark spirit that is killing people around New York. Colin Farrell is definitely the best thing about the film at this point. After this a bunch of other stupid shit happens, like Ron Perlman and John Voight coming into the movie, showing a ray of potential then being totally wasted. The movie drags in the middle, but eventually after some more fat jokes, bad CGI and sniveling, all of the creatures are captured and Ezra Miller turns into a black death cloud or some such nonsense. Then he is boosting around New York, fucking up shit as he goes and so Redmayne and Farrell follow him down to the subway to stop him. Redmayne seems to be talking him down and then Farrell shows up and essentially tells him to join the dark side. Then there is a CGI wand battle and the council from earlier show up out of nowhere and kill the black cloud of death. Then Colin Farrell gets pissed off and in the best scene in the movie murders half of the council members before he gets arrested by Eddie Redmayne with some magic handcuffs.
Then the worst part in the movie takes place. It is revealed that Colin Farrell is actually Johnny Depp in disguise. I mean he is Grindlewald in disguise but the important part for me is the replacement of Colin Farrell with Johnny Depp. Now I’m not the world’s biggest Colin Farrell fan, he is great in, ‘In Bruges,’ but other than that he is pretty meh, but he was definitely the best thing that this movie had going for it and they fucking swapped him out! With fucking Johnny-‘ooh’-Depp. As if this movie wasn’t shit enough they swapped out the best thing about it for Johnny Depp, the biggest joke in Hollywood. I’m done, fuck this movie, fuck Johnny Depp, fuck JK Rowling, fuck Harry Potter, I’m out.
Okay, let’s briefly talk about the technical side of the film before I score this thing. The whole cast of this movie is phoning it in, so the acting is fine but nothing to write home about, Farrell is the best thing in this movie, but I feel that in the sequels it will just be an ‘ooh,’ off between Depp and Redmayne. The direction is okay as the movie plods along sufficiently, but the writing is wildly inconsistent and the plot as stated above is all over the place. The lighting and cinematography in one scene are fantastic, when Farrell and Miller are conversing in a dark alleyway but other than that they are pretty mundane too. The score is suitably Harry Potter like and the CGI is also to a similar standard of the Harry Potter films. The problem with that is that the CGI was ropey and of a fairly poor standard in the Harry Potter movies 10 years ago and it doesn’t seem like it has improved much since then. This movie isn’t for me, but even from an objective standpoint, based solely from a moviemaking perspective this movie is poor.
This film is a prequel to the other Harry Potter movies, this time set in America rather than Britain and telling the story of the events that led to the great wizarding war between Dumbledore and Grindlewald. The film did have potential, to see what would have essentially been WWII fought with magic could be really cool but unfortunately all we get here is setup and that actual event we want to see will probably take place 4 or 5 movies down the line. The film opens with Eddie Redmayne’s character, Newt Scamander going to New York from London to set free one of the beasts that he keeps inside his Tardis-like brief case. Then he ends up in a bank and meets a ‘Nomaj,’ which is this film’s lazy version of a ‘muggle,’ who we learn is a simple lonely guy that just wants to open his own bakery and that’s another character cliché ticked off the list. We now have the double act of the nerdy, sniveling protagonist and the overweight sympathetic sidekick. Also, for the rest of this review I will be referring to the baker character as fat bloke and this isn’t to be derogatory, but is purely because the script relies on the, ‘fat, jolly, sympathetic, pathetic loner’ stereotype and passes it off as a character arc. If the script isn’t treating the character with any respect, then why should I? So fat bloke it is then.
So the two of them of course have the exact same briefcase and after some cartoony looking CGI animals escape from Redmayne’s case in the bank the suitcases predictably get mixed up and then the fat bloke gets his bakery loan declined and returns home with Redmayne’s suitcase, then more bad CGI animals open the case and attack the fat bloke. Redmayne’s character then gets arrested by some wizarding inspector for letting the, ‘Nomaj,’ (urgh) get away after seeing the animals in the case and is taken to the New York Wizards base, I guess? Then it’s revealed that the wizarding inspector that arrested Redmayne is a bit of a shit inspector and she is trying to redeem herself in the eyes of her superiors, so in front of this high wizard council, she confiscates the case from Redmayne and opens it only to reveal a bunch of cakes inside. Yes, really… Who writes this shit? Rowling is doing to Harry Potter what Lucas did to Star Wars during the prequels at this point.
So Redmayne gets set free and he goes to fat bloke’s house to find him lying on the floor, then some more bad CGI later the inspector turns up and they take him back to her house to meet her sister? Friend? Does it matter? She ends up becoming the love interest for fat bloke. Then for no apparent reason Redmayne and fat bloke enter the case and he shows fat bloke all this crazy shit that apparently humans aren’t supposed to see and then Redmayne does some more sniveling and decides they have to sneak out of the girls’ apartment and recapture the animals that escaped in the bank and from fat bloke’s apartment. They get a couple of the beasts back then they go to central park to find Redmayne’s horny rhino and they dress fat bloke up in a leather rhino costume and use him as rape bait then they ice skate for a bit and capture the rhino. Again, really… I am not making this shit up for satirical reasons.
Then we see a real life prick Ezra Miller playing some sort of weird emo child who is beat by his mother and we see he is working with Colin Farrell to find a big bad dark spirit that is killing people around New York. Colin Farrell is definitely the best thing about the film at this point. After this a bunch of other stupid shit happens, like Ron Perlman and John Voight coming into the movie, showing a ray of potential then being totally wasted. The movie drags in the middle, but eventually after some more fat jokes, bad CGI and sniveling, all of the creatures are captured and Ezra Miller turns into a black death cloud or some such nonsense. Then he is boosting around New York, fucking up shit as he goes and so Redmayne and Farrell follow him down to the subway to stop him. Redmayne seems to be talking him down and then Farrell shows up and essentially tells him to join the dark side. Then there is a CGI wand battle and the council from earlier show up out of nowhere and kill the black cloud of death. Then Colin Farrell gets pissed off and in the best scene in the movie murders half of the council members before he gets arrested by Eddie Redmayne with some magic handcuffs.
Then the worst part in the movie takes place. It is revealed that Colin Farrell is actually Johnny Depp in disguise. I mean he is Grindlewald in disguise but the important part for me is the replacement of Colin Farrell with Johnny Depp. Now I’m not the world’s biggest Colin Farrell fan, he is great in, ‘In Bruges,’ but other than that he is pretty meh, but he was definitely the best thing that this movie had going for it and they fucking swapped him out! With fucking Johnny-‘ooh’-Depp. As if this movie wasn’t shit enough they swapped out the best thing about it for Johnny Depp, the biggest joke in Hollywood. I’m done, fuck this movie, fuck Johnny Depp, fuck JK Rowling, fuck Harry Potter, I’m out.
Okay, let’s briefly talk about the technical side of the film before I score this thing. The whole cast of this movie is phoning it in, so the acting is fine but nothing to write home about, Farrell is the best thing in this movie, but I feel that in the sequels it will just be an ‘ooh,’ off between Depp and Redmayne. The direction is okay as the movie plods along sufficiently, but the writing is wildly inconsistent and the plot as stated above is all over the place. The lighting and cinematography in one scene are fantastic, when Farrell and Miller are conversing in a dark alleyway but other than that they are pretty mundane too. The score is suitably Harry Potter like and the CGI is also to a similar standard of the Harry Potter films. The problem with that is that the CGI was ropey and of a fairly poor standard in the Harry Potter movies 10 years ago and it doesn’t seem like it has improved much since then. This movie isn’t for me, but even from an objective standpoint, based solely from a moviemaking perspective this movie is poor.
Great, inspiring memoir
I'm not going to do my usual paragraph of description for Becoming, Michelle Obama's memoir, because, well, we all know who Michelle Obama is. This memoir is Mrs. Obama's reflection on her life to date, from her childhood in the South Side of Chicago, her time at Princeton, her work as a lawyer and executive, meeting Barack Obama and being introduced to politics through him, and their historic road to the White House.
"Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own."
I almost do not want to review this book, because I feel like I cannot do justice to the woman that is Michelle Obama. This is a really beautiful book, and it's also really informative. I learned so much about Mrs. Obama and her life, which I very much enjoyed.
First of all, she's a great storyteller. This is a big book, and it's a bit of an undertaking, but it's an easy read, and a really interesting one. I found myself completely immersed--I really loved learning about her childhood and her family. And, of course, it's fun to hear about how she met Barack (his marriage proposal is pretty amazing). Learning about both of their origins is fascinating, honestly. I mean, I knew that the Obamas weren't from the old-school political establishment, but it wasn't until I was reading about her life--and hearing more about the former President's--that it really hit home to me. It's amazing how much they have accomplished for our country.
Ms. Obama does a wonderful job of weaving her themes throughout her story--the power of education, of having an advocate, the importance of diversity and women's rights, and how vital children are in her life. She is honest about the realities of working motherhood: both for her life and for those of working Americans. It's also great to get little asides about her daughters (e.g., families at their schools sending in cupcakes for the Secret Service agents on birthdays); funny stories about meeting the Queen; and her mom sounds like a real trip.
"Kids made me feel like myself again. To them, I wasn't a spectacle. I was just a nice, kinda-tall lady."
She also talks about serious matters: race, education, and her reluctance about getting her family into politics. We see how importance her daughters are to her and how hard it was, knowing what they were sacrificing when her husband ran for President. We hear about her struggles being the first African American First Lady--the stings she felt from the racial insults aimed at both her and her husband, the fear she felt for her family's safety, and the attempts she made to find her place in Washington. I found myself copying quotes right and left, because she is so intelligent and profound and because, truly, as we all learned over eight years, she's such a relatable person.
"Kids wake up each day believing in the goodness of things, in the magic of what be. They're uncynical, believers at their core. We owe it to them to stay strong and keep working to create a more fair and humane world. For them, we need to remain both tough and hopeful, to acknowledge that there's more growing to be done."
Overall, this was a great memoir. It was informative, educational, and also inspiring and funny. It made me miss the Obama family all over again and appreciate so much their time in the Oval Office. It also gave me even more insight into Mrs. Obama, her life, and her feelings. I highly recommend it.
"Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own."
I almost do not want to review this book, because I feel like I cannot do justice to the woman that is Michelle Obama. This is a really beautiful book, and it's also really informative. I learned so much about Mrs. Obama and her life, which I very much enjoyed.
First of all, she's a great storyteller. This is a big book, and it's a bit of an undertaking, but it's an easy read, and a really interesting one. I found myself completely immersed--I really loved learning about her childhood and her family. And, of course, it's fun to hear about how she met Barack (his marriage proposal is pretty amazing). Learning about both of their origins is fascinating, honestly. I mean, I knew that the Obamas weren't from the old-school political establishment, but it wasn't until I was reading about her life--and hearing more about the former President's--that it really hit home to me. It's amazing how much they have accomplished for our country.
Ms. Obama does a wonderful job of weaving her themes throughout her story--the power of education, of having an advocate, the importance of diversity and women's rights, and how vital children are in her life. She is honest about the realities of working motherhood: both for her life and for those of working Americans. It's also great to get little asides about her daughters (e.g., families at their schools sending in cupcakes for the Secret Service agents on birthdays); funny stories about meeting the Queen; and her mom sounds like a real trip.
"Kids made me feel like myself again. To them, I wasn't a spectacle. I was just a nice, kinda-tall lady."
She also talks about serious matters: race, education, and her reluctance about getting her family into politics. We see how importance her daughters are to her and how hard it was, knowing what they were sacrificing when her husband ran for President. We hear about her struggles being the first African American First Lady--the stings she felt from the racial insults aimed at both her and her husband, the fear she felt for her family's safety, and the attempts she made to find her place in Washington. I found myself copying quotes right and left, because she is so intelligent and profound and because, truly, as we all learned over eight years, she's such a relatable person.
"Kids wake up each day believing in the goodness of things, in the magic of what be. They're uncynical, believers at their core. We owe it to them to stay strong and keep working to create a more fair and humane world. For them, we need to remain both tough and hopeful, to acknowledge that there's more growing to be done."
Overall, this was a great memoir. It was informative, educational, and also inspiring and funny. It made me miss the Obama family all over again and appreciate so much their time in the Oval Office. It also gave me even more insight into Mrs. Obama, her life, and her feelings. I highly recommend it.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Labor Day (2014) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Director Jason Reitman is no stranger to obtaining a few awards from his varied career, with films like Juno and Up in the Air under his belt, you would be forgiven for thinking that he could put himself on autopilot – however his latest offering Labor Day stays well clear of such drama.
Starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, the film stays on the right side of touching without feeling overly sentimental and cheesy. But is it worth a watch?
Following the story of Adele (Winslet) and her son Henry (Gattlin Griffith) as they comes to terms with repairing their lives after an unsuccessful marriage, Labor Day leaves the story and plot of Joyce Maynard’s hugely popular novel to the audience, who piece things together themselves, culminating in a pleasing if slightly clumsy final act.
Josh Brolin stars as Frank Chambers, an escaped murderer looking for somewhere tolabor-day-poster1 lay low whilst the police continue searching for him. Brolin is a master of playing the bad guy gone good and his performance here is no exception to that rule. His convict-like scowls are brilliantly juxtaposed with scenes involving him cooking and baking, leaving the viewer slightly perplexed by his real intentions – at the start that is anyway.
As the story takes place over a weekend, the film does feel a little drawn out in places but this adds to its simplistic charm, with the characters and their sublime acting doing most of the work.
Winslet is excellent as Adele, a woman so heartbroken and terrified by the painful effects of love she no longer leaves the house. Her fragility is exceptionally intense; her hands and facial expressions talk more than words ever could and this is a theme throughout the film. I wouldn’t be surprised if Winslet is nominated for an Oscar at next year’s awards.
However, by far the standout is Gattlin Griffith’s performance as young Henry. Here is a boy who would do anything for his mother. His transition from moody teenager to vulnerable young adult is beautiful to watch and again, his facial expressions speak volumes.
As the police close in on Frank’s location and Adele and Henry’s behaviour becomes ever more suspicious, Labor Day becomes increasingly intense in a ‘will they won’t they’ kind of way. As much as the film drives home the simplicity of its intentions, you can’t helped but get sucked into their predicament and this, along with the acting, is where it stuns most.
Unfortunately, the simple nature of the directing and cinematography leaves a lot of room for other areas to fill, and this doesn’t quite happen.
The score is mind-numbingly dull which is a true shame. Rolfe Kent has created some stunning pieces of music for films across the decades including his Golden Globe nominated work on Sideways, not forgetting the excellent score in The Wedding Crashers. Despite some lift in the latter half of the picture, it remains a relatively music-free affair.
Tobey Maguire’s narration is also a little dull. Those of you familiar with the Spider-Man trilogy will know how irritating Maguire’s voice can be, and unfortunately it’s the case here too.
Overall though, Labor Day fills the void in between the magic of the Christmas blockbuster and the frantic summer season which is approaching thick and fast. Filled with some fine performances from the three lead actors and a story which really makes you believe in second chances, it’s an utterly compelling and emotional spring flick. Only the poor score and uninspiring cinematography lets it down.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/03/27/labor-day-review/
Starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, the film stays on the right side of touching without feeling overly sentimental and cheesy. But is it worth a watch?
Following the story of Adele (Winslet) and her son Henry (Gattlin Griffith) as they comes to terms with repairing their lives after an unsuccessful marriage, Labor Day leaves the story and plot of Joyce Maynard’s hugely popular novel to the audience, who piece things together themselves, culminating in a pleasing if slightly clumsy final act.
Josh Brolin stars as Frank Chambers, an escaped murderer looking for somewhere tolabor-day-poster1 lay low whilst the police continue searching for him. Brolin is a master of playing the bad guy gone good and his performance here is no exception to that rule. His convict-like scowls are brilliantly juxtaposed with scenes involving him cooking and baking, leaving the viewer slightly perplexed by his real intentions – at the start that is anyway.
As the story takes place over a weekend, the film does feel a little drawn out in places but this adds to its simplistic charm, with the characters and their sublime acting doing most of the work.
Winslet is excellent as Adele, a woman so heartbroken and terrified by the painful effects of love she no longer leaves the house. Her fragility is exceptionally intense; her hands and facial expressions talk more than words ever could and this is a theme throughout the film. I wouldn’t be surprised if Winslet is nominated for an Oscar at next year’s awards.
However, by far the standout is Gattlin Griffith’s performance as young Henry. Here is a boy who would do anything for his mother. His transition from moody teenager to vulnerable young adult is beautiful to watch and again, his facial expressions speak volumes.
As the police close in on Frank’s location and Adele and Henry’s behaviour becomes ever more suspicious, Labor Day becomes increasingly intense in a ‘will they won’t they’ kind of way. As much as the film drives home the simplicity of its intentions, you can’t helped but get sucked into their predicament and this, along with the acting, is where it stuns most.
Unfortunately, the simple nature of the directing and cinematography leaves a lot of room for other areas to fill, and this doesn’t quite happen.
The score is mind-numbingly dull which is a true shame. Rolfe Kent has created some stunning pieces of music for films across the decades including his Golden Globe nominated work on Sideways, not forgetting the excellent score in The Wedding Crashers. Despite some lift in the latter half of the picture, it remains a relatively music-free affair.
Tobey Maguire’s narration is also a little dull. Those of you familiar with the Spider-Man trilogy will know how irritating Maguire’s voice can be, and unfortunately it’s the case here too.
Overall though, Labor Day fills the void in between the magic of the Christmas blockbuster and the frantic summer season which is approaching thick and fast. Filled with some fine performances from the three lead actors and a story which really makes you believe in second chances, it’s an utterly compelling and emotional spring flick. Only the poor score and uninspiring cinematography lets it down.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/03/27/labor-day-review/
Becca Major (96 KP) rated The Nutcracker Prince (1990) in Movies
Jan 20, 2018
Decent writing (3 more)
Good animation
Semi-active heroine
Loyal to the book
Dance sequence, especially the Pas de Deux (3 more)
Music placement
Weak and confusing ending
Marie
The Nutcracker Prince
Contains spoilers, click to show
Summary:
The Nutcracker Prince is an enjoyable little children's movie that is a strange mashup of the novel by E.T.A. Hoffman and the popular ballet. The story is fairly simple and follows Clara as she interacts with her family at the yearly Christmas party, where she and her siblings receive the titular Nutcracker from their Uncle Drosselmeyer, as well as a golden castle. He then proceeds to tell Clara about the Nutcracker’s backstory. Then Fritz, Clara’s little brother, breaks the Nutcracker and she scolds him.
Later that night, the Mouse King attacks, attempting to kill the Nutcracker, and Clara watches the toys do battle with the Mouse King’s army. Clara ends up tripping and hurting herself, which makes her bedridden. During this time, Fritz brings her a partially eaten box of chocolates, which she puts in her nightstand drawer. Later that night, the Mouse King approaches her and threatens her. Clara offers him the box of chocolates and when he hops in the drawer to eat them, she shuts him in. She runs downstairs to protect the Nutcracker, which transitions to the second attack of the Mouse King and his army. The toys and mice battle, and eventually the Nutcracker runs the Mouse King through (off-screen of course), and the day is won.
The Nutcracker invites Clara to visit the Land of the Dolls. She does and is impressed by the beauty around her, and the Nutcracker asks her to stay and become his Queen. She turns him down, for good reasons, and everyone in the Land of the Dolls starts to turn back into lifeless objects. Then, to make everything weirder, the “dead” Mouse King shows up for one more hurrah and fights with Clara. He ends up falling over the balcony and dying. Clara returns home via “It was just a dream,” freaks out, runs to her Uncle Drosselmeyer’s house, and meets his nephew, who looks exactly like the Nutcracker, but not really.
Overall:
When all is said and done, I would have to say that I like the beginning of the movie a lot more than the end. The rules for how the magic works make sense, and the characters are pretty well defined. Clara is competitive with her siblings and thinks they are weird, and she is basically about as active as the material allows her to be. The Nutcracker himself is pretty bland and soft-spoken in comparison, but he does try his best with the situation he’s in, so I can’t dislike him. The Mouse King is somewhat threatening, if one dimensional. There isn’t much to say about the side characters. Clara’s siblings are fine, as are most of the side characters. With the exception of Marie, none of them are particularly annoying.
The music is fine, if occasionally distracting. It is Tschaikowsky, after all.
The animation is pretty good for a direct to VHS movie. The run-cycles are pretty goofy, but it flows and has detail.
I like the obvious nods to the aspects of the book that the writers changed, such as naming the new doll Marie. As someone who read the book recently, it was nice to know that they cared about the material they were adapting.
In the end, I feel that considering the movie is twenty-eight years old, it holds up pretty good. I would definitely watch it again and probably share it with the students in my class, or with my nephew.
The Nutcracker Prince is an enjoyable little children's movie that is a strange mashup of the novel by E.T.A. Hoffman and the popular ballet. The story is fairly simple and follows Clara as she interacts with her family at the yearly Christmas party, where she and her siblings receive the titular Nutcracker from their Uncle Drosselmeyer, as well as a golden castle. He then proceeds to tell Clara about the Nutcracker’s backstory. Then Fritz, Clara’s little brother, breaks the Nutcracker and she scolds him.
Later that night, the Mouse King attacks, attempting to kill the Nutcracker, and Clara watches the toys do battle with the Mouse King’s army. Clara ends up tripping and hurting herself, which makes her bedridden. During this time, Fritz brings her a partially eaten box of chocolates, which she puts in her nightstand drawer. Later that night, the Mouse King approaches her and threatens her. Clara offers him the box of chocolates and when he hops in the drawer to eat them, she shuts him in. She runs downstairs to protect the Nutcracker, which transitions to the second attack of the Mouse King and his army. The toys and mice battle, and eventually the Nutcracker runs the Mouse King through (off-screen of course), and the day is won.
The Nutcracker invites Clara to visit the Land of the Dolls. She does and is impressed by the beauty around her, and the Nutcracker asks her to stay and become his Queen. She turns him down, for good reasons, and everyone in the Land of the Dolls starts to turn back into lifeless objects. Then, to make everything weirder, the “dead” Mouse King shows up for one more hurrah and fights with Clara. He ends up falling over the balcony and dying. Clara returns home via “It was just a dream,” freaks out, runs to her Uncle Drosselmeyer’s house, and meets his nephew, who looks exactly like the Nutcracker, but not really.
Overall:
When all is said and done, I would have to say that I like the beginning of the movie a lot more than the end. The rules for how the magic works make sense, and the characters are pretty well defined. Clara is competitive with her siblings and thinks they are weird, and she is basically about as active as the material allows her to be. The Nutcracker himself is pretty bland and soft-spoken in comparison, but he does try his best with the situation he’s in, so I can’t dislike him. The Mouse King is somewhat threatening, if one dimensional. There isn’t much to say about the side characters. Clara’s siblings are fine, as are most of the side characters. With the exception of Marie, none of them are particularly annoying.
The music is fine, if occasionally distracting. It is Tschaikowsky, after all.
The animation is pretty good for a direct to VHS movie. The run-cycles are pretty goofy, but it flows and has detail.
I like the obvious nods to the aspects of the book that the writers changed, such as naming the new doll Marie. As someone who read the book recently, it was nice to know that they cared about the material they were adapting.
In the end, I feel that considering the movie is twenty-eight years old, it holds up pretty good. I would definitely watch it again and probably share it with the students in my class, or with my nephew.