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Murder Ballads by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Murder Ballads by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1996 | Alternative, Punk, Rock
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"When Nick Cave is at his most theatrical the level of interest most people have in him is just elevated. You can feel what they were drinking, you can taste it in the air, you understand what drugs they're on and it's just from sound. It takes a lot to put the other senses into music, and he does it better than anyone else I've ever heard. He's great at every aspect of being Nick Cave, but I think when he's fully involved in story telling he's quite probably the best frontman there is. He really becomes those characters, he's able to live and breathe those people in the way only an author can; he understands them on a different level. This record has some of my favourite lyrics of all time. It's got 'Where The Wild Roses Grow' with Kylie Minogue which is a beautiful ballad, this amazing moment between one of the greatest pop stars of all time and one of the greatest songwriters of all time. It's this mashup that should never have happened, but the world's definitely a better place that it did. I got into Nick Cave late, later than I'd like to admit, when I was in my late 20s. I knew about him before, I'd heard things, but I heard this record when I was living in New York. I wasn't in Gallows any more, I was just painting, and I went record shopping one day. I was buying some Daniel Johnston records but the guy in the shop had a copy of Murder Ballads and I, like a fucking idiot, casually asked 'is this good?' He just said, 'Are you joking? Of course it's good!' So I went back home, listened to my Daniel Johnston records, made some food, then later that night put it on and was like 'holy shit!' and bought every other Nick Cave record they had."

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Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes?
Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes?
Holly Bourne | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
10
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Within the first page, I was in love with this book. I love how Holly Bourne’s books don’t rely on romance to move the plot, and that is why she is one of my favourite authors.

Are We All Lemmings And Snowflakes is perfect if you enjoyed Juno Dawson’s Clean or Ned Vizzini’s It’s Kind of a Funny Story. It’s a bit of a mashup of the two but also manages to still remain original and unpredictable.

The story follows Olive as she stays in a ‘camp’ for people with mental illnesses. It’s set in a big stately home that has alpacas. ALPACAS! I promise I didn’t love the setting just because of the alpacas, but they did definitely improve the story.

The plot started off really quickly, which I wasn’t sure on to begin with, but then I could understand why. I’m used to novels with a build up before the main event, but this jumped straight to sending Olive to the therapy place, and I quite liked that. It meant that there wasn’t too much focus on why she was going there, and her story was more about her journey to getting better.

I enjoyed this even more than I enjoyed It Only Happens in The Movies, which I didn’t expect. I was completely gripped and felt a personal connection to every single character.

The mix of different people in the novel really shows how mental illness can affect anyone, no matter where people are from. It showed a broad spectrum of illnesses, while also fighting the stigmas they all have.

Let’s move on to the ending. When I was reading reviews for Are We All Lemmings And Snowflakes, I saw a lot of negativity about the ending. I’m not going to discuss what happens, but I feel that it really worked. A lot of people say it feels abrupt, but I feel that it fits the plot much better than a long, drawn out ending. If you loved the ending to Clean by Juno Dawson, you will love how this has been finished off.

Overall, I found this book amazing, and I can’t wait to pick up another novel by Holly Bourne.
  
Turbo Kid (2015)
Turbo Kid (2015)
2015 | Action
9
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Extremely Unique
You've never seen anything like it. It was a mashup of everything I loved, both as a kid and as an adult. Set in the post-apocalyptic year of 1997, a teenager becomes a superhero to save his girlfriend from the clutches of an evil villain.


Acting: 10

Beginning: 7
While it may not grab you immediately, Turbo Kid's beginning succeeds in establishing the world you'll be living in for the rest of the film. This world never left the 80's. Survivors get around on mostly bikes and use old-school technology like walkmen.

My interest was really piqued when I saw three heads on pikes out in the middle of the wasteland. What did those men do to deserve that? Who put them there? The only way to really find out is to watch more. On we go...

Characters: 9

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
The visuals are extremely weird, but in a unique, good way. It's original in every way imaginable. A number of shots give you a nostalgic feel. Other shots panning the landscape leave you with a barren, hopeless feeling. So sad what their world has become, yet what an era to be stuck in!

There is violence. A lot of it. A surprising amount in fact. Heads roll, guts spew in brilliant fashion. Think Tarantino in a Mad Max type of setting. It's jarring to look at, but very entertaining and effective. If you are squeamish in anyway, you may find yourself averting your eyes. At one point, my wife actually had to leave the room.

Conflict: 10

Genre: 10
As far as action/adventure films go, this stands out as being extremely original. It was as if they took a number of films I had seen before and jumbled them all into one finished product. The action pops on screen and the adventure portions move the story along in swift fashion.

Memorability: 9

Pace: 10
The film never gets boring at any point. Between the crazy vibe that latches on to you with the help of an awesome soundtrack and the steady play of action, you're always engaged. I also appreciated that the film never took itself too seriously as the action is broken up by a few hilarious moments that keeps the film from getting too dark.

Plot: 8
While the plot may seem pretty straightforward at first, there are a couple twists that keep things interesting. Overall the story is a strong foundation and is intriguing enough to make you care about the action.

Resolution: 3

Overall: 86
Fun, enjoyable film. And AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX! Check it out tonight. If you're a fan of action and the 80's, you will have a blast.
  
    MetaMoJi Note Lite

    MetaMoJi Note Lite

    Productivity and Business

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    MetaMoJi Note is a cross-platform note taking app, PDF annotation tool, and a digital scrapbook for...

Infinities Gate
Infinities Gate
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
“At the Equinox, a bright blue glow engulfed the entire hill. Above the monument, a vortex opened and sucked them into its eye. When the light faded, they were gone.”

Infinities Gate is the second book in the Tamara Jenkins, Sorcerer series by author John R. Moore. It tells the story of archaeology professor Tamara Jenkins and the magical world of wizards she does not just fall into but becomes one of the greatest wizards and leader against the fight against darkness. In this book, Tamara and her husband mysteriously disappear on their honeymoon, and it is up to their friends to find them. Along the way, they discover the Infinities Gate and realize that they must keep the gate from opening or risk releasing chaos itself. When talking about his book series Moore says it is “In the order of Indiana Jones crossed with Merlin.” This statement perfectly sums up the atmosphere of the book. This was the crossover I never knew I needed. This mashup was an imaginative and clever premise that immediately had me hooked into the first book which continued into the second.

The story begins quickly, showering you with information, questions, and mysteries. This kind of beginning hooked my attention immediately and made it hard to put the book down. This story is filled with mysteries, interesting twists, and exciting adventures. From wizards to Norse gods, Moore delves into the fantastical intricacies of myths and legends while still making the stories his own. You can’t help but root for Tamara as she makes her way through these magical adventures. I really liked seeing her growth in both books and found her to be an interesting and fun heroine to follow on this journey.

The Celtic and Scottish history is something I love learning about so getting to read about it, and the magical side of it was very exciting for me. My love for both Indiana Jones and Arthurian legend fueled this fascination with this story. From the very beginning of the book, it connected itself to these histories and had events taking place in some of the most magical feeling places in the world like Stonehenge and the Isle of the Sky. This setting brought the magic and history into the book beautifully.

I was very impressed with Moore’s writing style. His descriptions of the world are beautiful as is his attention to the details of history. His characters have a depth which is integral for me in any book I read. I enjoyed reading this series so much I am excited to look into some of his other work. His interest in science fiction and fantasy stories align very much with my favorite genres to read. I cannot wait for the third book in this series so I can continue my journey with the wonderful Tamara. This was a very enjoyable book that offered a quick read into a magical world. I would highly recommend this book to fantasy readers!
  
    Is the Witch in Love?

    Is the Witch in Love?

    Book and Games

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    “Is the Witch in Love?” is a subtle blend of story, games and cartoons. Discover --- or...