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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Men Explain Things to Me: And Other Essays in Books
Oct 20, 2017 (Updated Oct 20, 2017)
Some interesting points but doesn't connect together
Having read many of Rebecca Solnit's works, this is not one of the better ones. While there are some thoughtful ideas, the essays are disjointed from one another, so it seems to be lumped together.
That being said, some of the essays have some important points. This includes marriage equality between same sexes, ensuring inequality from a patriarchal standpoint can be dismantled.
And there is a small amount of intersectionality, discussing the rape of Native American and Indian women as part of a pandemic of violence against women rather than isolated incidents. And while this was written several years before and some of it no longer applies (Dominic Strauss-Kahn) it is still valid as the issues still continue.
The less said about slutwalk, the better.
I would say this is a good introduction to feminism for those who are seeking to understand parts, but I would recommend books with a little more substance than this.
That being said, some of the essays have some important points. This includes marriage equality between same sexes, ensuring inequality from a patriarchal standpoint can be dismantled.
And there is a small amount of intersectionality, discussing the rape of Native American and Indian women as part of a pandemic of violence against women rather than isolated incidents. And while this was written several years before and some of it no longer applies (Dominic Strauss-Kahn) it is still valid as the issues still continue.
The less said about slutwalk, the better.
I would say this is a good introduction to feminism for those who are seeking to understand parts, but I would recommend books with a little more substance than this.

Lisa (41 KP) rated Last Seen Alive in Books
Jan 3, 2018
Fantastic
The Hero
Libby Hall never really wanted to be noticed. But after she saves the children in her care from a fire, she finds herself headline news. And horrified by the attention. It all reminds her of what happened nine years ago. The last time she saw her best friend alive.
The Swap
Which is why the house swap is such a godsend. Libby and her husband Jamie exchange their flat in Bath for a beautiful, secluded house in Cornwall. It's a chance to heal their marriage - to stop its secrets tearing them apart.
The Hideaway
But this stylish Cornish home isn't the getaway they'd hoped for. They make odd, even disturbing, discoveries in the house. It's so isolated-yet Libby doesn't feel entirely alone. As if she's being watched.
Is Libby being paranoid? What is her husband hiding? And. As the secrets and lies come tumbling out, is the past about to catch up with them?
This was utterly fantastic I loved every page!
Libby Hall never really wanted to be noticed. But after she saves the children in her care from a fire, she finds herself headline news. And horrified by the attention. It all reminds her of what happened nine years ago. The last time she saw her best friend alive.
The Swap
Which is why the house swap is such a godsend. Libby and her husband Jamie exchange their flat in Bath for a beautiful, secluded house in Cornwall. It's a chance to heal their marriage - to stop its secrets tearing them apart.
The Hideaway
But this stylish Cornish home isn't the getaway they'd hoped for. They make odd, even disturbing, discoveries in the house. It's so isolated-yet Libby doesn't feel entirely alone. As if she's being watched.
Is Libby being paranoid? What is her husband hiding? And. As the secrets and lies come tumbling out, is the past about to catch up with them?
This was utterly fantastic I loved every page!

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Heart of the Matter in Books
May 10, 2018
Does anyone have the "perfect" marriage? Everyone looking at Tessa and Nick think so.
Nick is a pediatric surgeon and Tessa has recently quit her teaching job to be a stay-at-home mom. They have two children, Frank and Ruby. They are out for their anniversary dinner when Nick get an emergency phone call. A little boy has fallen into a fire.
Valerie, is the mother to that little boy, Charlie. He was at his very first sleep over when this terrible accident happened.
Nick does his best to make sure that Charlie and Valerie are taken care of. He is a wonderful doctor.
You never realize how small your town is until something like this, brings the whole community into your business.
Even though Tessa and Valerie have never met, their worlds collide in more than one way when this accident occurs.
This book makes you examine your relationships and find out how strong your love really is!
Nick is a pediatric surgeon and Tessa has recently quit her teaching job to be a stay-at-home mom. They have two children, Frank and Ruby. They are out for their anniversary dinner when Nick get an emergency phone call. A little boy has fallen into a fire.
Valerie, is the mother to that little boy, Charlie. He was at his very first sleep over when this terrible accident happened.
Nick does his best to make sure that Charlie and Valerie are taken care of. He is a wonderful doctor.
You never realize how small your town is until something like this, brings the whole community into your business.
Even though Tessa and Valerie have never met, their worlds collide in more than one way when this accident occurs.
This book makes you examine your relationships and find out how strong your love really is!

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found in Books
May 10, 2018
After losing her mother, ending her marriage and changing her name,Cheryl Strayed decided she was going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. The idea came to her after seeing a guidebook in the checkout line. She had planned on reading the book prior to her hike, but that didn't work out so well. She started reading the night before she started hiking. She did it alone and it took her 3-4 months to do it.
Well, I know that I could never take on a task like that. At least not in the way she did it. Backpacking 1100 miles from California to the Oregon/Washington border. Sleeping outside, meeting strangers, crossing paths with rattlesnakes, watching black bears walk by. But she went into the wilderness totally unprepared. Her shoes were too small, her pack was too heavy and financially(who needs money when they're backpacking?)
All of these and more obstacles she overcame in order to accomplish the task at hand. Hiking the PCT.
Well, I know that I could never take on a task like that. At least not in the way she did it. Backpacking 1100 miles from California to the Oregon/Washington border. Sleeping outside, meeting strangers, crossing paths with rattlesnakes, watching black bears walk by. But she went into the wilderness totally unprepared. Her shoes were too small, her pack was too heavy and financially(who needs money when they're backpacking?)
All of these and more obstacles she overcame in order to accomplish the task at hand. Hiking the PCT.

Ross (3284 KP) rated How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) in Movies
Feb 25, 2019
Fitting conclusion
The conclusion to the trilogy sees the dragon population under threat from poachers, and their use of a female "light fury" to lure toothless and all the dragons who follow him to their capture.
The plot sees Hiccup struggling to accept his inevitable marriage to Astrid, at the same time as Toothless seems besotted with his new female acquaintance. Toothless's reluctance to leave Hiccup behind is won over by his desire to get to know the female; whereas with Hiccup his head wins out and he doesn't seem ready to focus on anything other than leading the clan.
The visuals are excellent, with some scenes that rival Coco for beautiful other-worldly colours.
The story is enough to keep all entertained, and this might have been my 4 year old son's first real emotional film (at the end he turned to me with wet eyes and said "its ok sometimes to cry when a happy thing happens instead of a sad one").
The plot sees Hiccup struggling to accept his inevitable marriage to Astrid, at the same time as Toothless seems besotted with his new female acquaintance. Toothless's reluctance to leave Hiccup behind is won over by his desire to get to know the female; whereas with Hiccup his head wins out and he doesn't seem ready to focus on anything other than leading the clan.
The visuals are excellent, with some scenes that rival Coco for beautiful other-worldly colours.
The story is enough to keep all entertained, and this might have been my 4 year old son's first real emotional film (at the end he turned to me with wet eyes and said "its ok sometimes to cry when a happy thing happens instead of a sad one").

Awix (3310 KP) rated On the Basis of Sex (2018) in Movies
Mar 1, 2019
Legal bio-pic has a title that makes it sound like a recipe for a failed marriage; unfortunately it's not as interesting as that. Felicity Jones plays a young Ruth Bader Ginsberg, battling the patriarchy first at Harvard and then in the courts, aided by her husband Marty (it's Armie Hammer time!).
Well-mounted and with some decent performances, and there are some startling revelations (sex discrimination was not considered unconstitutional in the US until fairly recently), but the actual story of the main case covered by the film is not that gripping (a lot of discussion of legal procedure and tax law), and the earnestness of the film also threatens to make it a bit indigestible: of course RBG is an important figure fighting for a good cause, but that doesn't mean any film about her has to feel like The Lives of the Saints. The documentary about Ginsberg is also flawed, but more peppy than this.
Well-mounted and with some decent performances, and there are some startling revelations (sex discrimination was not considered unconstitutional in the US until fairly recently), but the actual story of the main case covered by the film is not that gripping (a lot of discussion of legal procedure and tax law), and the earnestness of the film also threatens to make it a bit indigestible: of course RBG is an important figure fighting for a good cause, but that doesn't mean any film about her has to feel like The Lives of the Saints. The documentary about Ginsberg is also flawed, but more peppy than this.

Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Heart of the Ocean in Books
Feb 8, 2018
I received an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am a lover of historical fiction and love anything paranormal so this story was one I was much anticipating so here goes.
Our heroine Eliza Robinson is sent to stay with her Aunt Mauve in the puritan community of Maybrook.
She comes to escape gossip after a refusal of marriage to her fathers business partner Mr. Thomas Beesly.
Eliza hears ghostly voices and later that night her aunt is murdered in her bed leading our Eliza on an adventure of ghosts murder romance and an old Journal belonging to Helena the deceased mother of our hero Jonathan Porter who supposedly drowned when Jon was a child.
I could say a lot more about this book but don't want to spoil it for anyone needless to say it was an excellent read and i really enjoyed it i do so love a happy ending give it a try you wont be disappointed.
I am a lover of historical fiction and love anything paranormal so this story was one I was much anticipating so here goes.
Our heroine Eliza Robinson is sent to stay with her Aunt Mauve in the puritan community of Maybrook.
She comes to escape gossip after a refusal of marriage to her fathers business partner Mr. Thomas Beesly.
Eliza hears ghostly voices and later that night her aunt is murdered in her bed leading our Eliza on an adventure of ghosts murder romance and an old Journal belonging to Helena the deceased mother of our hero Jonathan Porter who supposedly drowned when Jon was a child.
I could say a lot more about this book but don't want to spoil it for anyone needless to say it was an excellent read and i really enjoyed it i do so love a happy ending give it a try you wont be disappointed.

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Pretty Baby in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Heidi lives a busy life, trying to keep up with a busy job in public service, her role as a mom to her distant 12-year-old daughter Zoe, and juggling marriage to her husband Chris, a corporate lawyer. One day on the way to work, Heidi spots a young teen holding a baby-- the two are waiting for the train in the pouring rain. Heidi is haunted by the image and when she spots them again, she reaches out and makes contact with the teen, Willow. Eventually, Heidi's life becomes embroiled with that of Willow's and the baby, Ruby.
This book certainly lives up to its psychological thriller billing. It's a page-turner, even as it gets slightly more bizarre as the plot thickens. It captivated my attention and has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The plot is definitely a little "out there," and I'd probably rate it as 3.5 stars overall, but still a fun and intriguing read.
This book certainly lives up to its psychological thriller billing. It's a page-turner, even as it gets slightly more bizarre as the plot thickens. It captivated my attention and has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The plot is definitely a little "out there," and I'd probably rate it as 3.5 stars overall, but still a fun and intriguing read.

Lindsay (1774 KP) rated The Promise of Palm Grove (Amish Brides of Pinecraft, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2018
The Promise of Palm Grove by Shelley Shepard Gray This book it really a good book. Though I did not finish it completely. I did read most of the book. I liked the fact it somewhat different then other amish book. Edmund is a little bully and wants his own way.Leona has been doubting herself about her marriage or engagement to Edmund. She does not know how to tell her friends about it. On the first day in Florida they meet up with Zachary and his friends Danny. They are trying to catch a cat for his neighbor.The girls follow and see them all laughing. The cat goes over to Leona. She able to pick up the cat. Things start to get some action and friendships. Does Leona break it up with Edmund or does she stay with him? Leona must decide to choose her path for a future she wants or what god wants of her.

Awix (3310 KP) rated Wonder Wheel (2017) in Movies
Mar 12, 2018 (Updated Mar 12, 2018)
Not-bad-by-his-recent-standards-at-least Woody Allen melodrama (NB: theme park attractions are not central to plot). Frustrated former actress trapped in unhappy marriage with Fred Flintstone lookalike starts an affair with intellectual lifeguard, becomes insanely jealous when her stepdaughter also catches her lover's eye.
One of Allen's more theatrical movies - it certainly seems to have been made on a relatively low budget. Feels very much like a pastiche of Tennessee Williams or Eugene O'Neill, only considerably less subtle. At least as a character piece focused on a (somewhat) older woman there are fewer of the more problematic Allen tropes on display, and no sign of a laboured message or theme. Film is carried by a tremendous performance from Kate Winslet; Juno Temple is also good in a supporting role. Watchable stuff, certainly for Allen's remaining followers, although you do still wish he'd just make one more all-out comedy in the old-school style.
One of Allen's more theatrical movies - it certainly seems to have been made on a relatively low budget. Feels very much like a pastiche of Tennessee Williams or Eugene O'Neill, only considerably less subtle. At least as a character piece focused on a (somewhat) older woman there are fewer of the more problematic Allen tropes on display, and no sign of a laboured message or theme. Film is carried by a tremendous performance from Kate Winslet; Juno Temple is also good in a supporting role. Watchable stuff, certainly for Allen's remaining followers, although you do still wish he'd just make one more all-out comedy in the old-school style.