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ClareR (6054 KP) rated The Turn of The Key in Books
Aug 18, 2019
I’ve read some pretty spooky books in my time, but none have had me on the edge of my seat in quite the same way as Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware did! There’s an underlying menace in this book - nothing explicit - and I think that makes it all the more frightening. I can’t even tell you the amount of times I told the lead character, a Nanny from London, to just pack up, leave the children with the housekeeper, and go home!
So, as I’ve already begun to say, Rowan is a Nanny who has been employed to look after the children of a wealthy husband and wife architecture team. They work away from home, and need someone to take care of their young children (plus a 14 year old who comes home from boarding school at the weekend). It all seems very rushed, and when Rowan turns up to take her post, Sandra (the mum) drops the bombshell that they will both be leaving for a week the next day. The children haven’t even had a chance to get to know Rowan with their mum there! Sandra leaves a huge folder with instructions for EVERYTHING regarding the children, and a very quick lesson on ‘Happy’, the house computer system (kind of like Alexa, but less chatty and far less easy to use!). I would’ve said something here, but Rowan seems to be desperate for the job. She seems to be a nice enough person, but she does make allusions to her temper, and does seem to lose it with the children quite a bit. But I’m not surprised - she is woken up every night, either by bumps and pacing sounds, or Happy seemingly having a huge glitch and playing loud music whilst turning on lights throughout the house in the early hours. Well, Maddie, the 8 year old, did warn her about the displeasure of the ghosts at her interview.....
I loved how creepy this was - I didn’t know what was real and what Rowan was imagining because of sleep deprivation, but it made all of the days seem to merge together. You could feel how tired and scared she must have been.
The last fifth of the book was something else though. I can’t think of many books where I’ve actually told a character out loud “No!” (It made my dogs stop and look!). The last few (yes, FEW!) revelations and twists kept the tension running right up to the end.
Have I said that I loved this book? This is my second Ruth Ware book, and it certainly won’t be my last - this is even better than The Death of Mrs Westaway (if that’s possible!).
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book - you did it again! Another absolutely cracking choice!
So, as I’ve already begun to say, Rowan is a Nanny who has been employed to look after the children of a wealthy husband and wife architecture team. They work away from home, and need someone to take care of their young children (plus a 14 year old who comes home from boarding school at the weekend). It all seems very rushed, and when Rowan turns up to take her post, Sandra (the mum) drops the bombshell that they will both be leaving for a week the next day. The children haven’t even had a chance to get to know Rowan with their mum there! Sandra leaves a huge folder with instructions for EVERYTHING regarding the children, and a very quick lesson on ‘Happy’, the house computer system (kind of like Alexa, but less chatty and far less easy to use!). I would’ve said something here, but Rowan seems to be desperate for the job. She seems to be a nice enough person, but she does make allusions to her temper, and does seem to lose it with the children quite a bit. But I’m not surprised - she is woken up every night, either by bumps and pacing sounds, or Happy seemingly having a huge glitch and playing loud music whilst turning on lights throughout the house in the early hours. Well, Maddie, the 8 year old, did warn her about the displeasure of the ghosts at her interview.....
I loved how creepy this was - I didn’t know what was real and what Rowan was imagining because of sleep deprivation, but it made all of the days seem to merge together. You could feel how tired and scared she must have been.
The last fifth of the book was something else though. I can’t think of many books where I’ve actually told a character out loud “No!” (It made my dogs stop and look!). The last few (yes, FEW!) revelations and twists kept the tension running right up to the end.
Have I said that I loved this book? This is my second Ruth Ware book, and it certainly won’t be my last - this is even better than The Death of Mrs Westaway (if that’s possible!).
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book - you did it again! Another absolutely cracking choice!
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Evie and the Animals in Books
Sep 24, 2020 (Updated Jan 26, 2021)
The protagonist in this book is Evie, a little girl who can talk to animals! I really liked Evie, she is intelligent and knows the difference between good and evil. I liked the characters chosen for his book, every single character teaches the young readers something valuable.
The narrative of this book has a very important message to share. It teaches about deforestation and animal cruelty. It has plenty of fun adventures, self-exploration, as well as lots of important teachings about humans in general, that Matt Haig shares with his young readers.
This novel is filled with beautiful illustrations and a really fun and enjoyable writing style. The chapters are pretty short so the book didn’t leave me bored. I liked the ending of this book, even though it is quite predictable, I think it rounds up the story pretty nicely.
So, to conclude, the author didn’t disappoint me with this book, I really liked the messages he was trying to share with children, showing not such a pretty side of some of the humans, as well as incorporating a great adventure with the strong and admirable protagonist. I really enjoyed this fun and educational book, and I strongly recommend it not only to children but parents as well.
The narrative of this book has a very important message to share. It teaches about deforestation and animal cruelty. It has plenty of fun adventures, self-exploration, as well as lots of important teachings about humans in general, that Matt Haig shares with his young readers.
This novel is filled with beautiful illustrations and a really fun and enjoyable writing style. The chapters are pretty short so the book didn’t leave me bored. I liked the ending of this book, even though it is quite predictable, I think it rounds up the story pretty nicely.
So, to conclude, the author didn’t disappoint me with this book, I really liked the messages he was trying to share with children, showing not such a pretty side of some of the humans, as well as incorporating a great adventure with the strong and admirable protagonist. I really enjoyed this fun and educational book, and I strongly recommend it not only to children but parents as well.
Paul Smedley (141 KP) rated Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote in Tech
Sep 30, 2018
Faster (2 more)
Higher Quality Resolution
Massive amount of content
Much better than G1
Well I won this beauty in the giveaway and used it quite a bit lately before giving a review.
I already had the first generation firestick so knew how they worked but wanted one with the voice search function to accompany my Sky Q box that does the same.
Not only is the Alexa voice search function good but I also found that the resolution is better, the speed is better and the load up is quicker!
The load up is still slower than a Sky box or Netflix on my smart TV but it’s the home to great shows such as Preacher which I highly recommend.
Overall, if you’re looking for a firestick then this model is the one to go for for speed and access to the great programmes and films available through Amazon Prime.
Setup is extremely easy, a PIN can be used to stop little ones going on anything not age appropriate or to stop any unauthorised purchases plus it’s interface is easy enough for children to use to watch kids programmes or even play some android games on!
Top product, top present and even better as I got it through Smashbomb’s giveaway!!!
I already had the first generation firestick so knew how they worked but wanted one with the voice search function to accompany my Sky Q box that does the same.
Not only is the Alexa voice search function good but I also found that the resolution is better, the speed is better and the load up is quicker!
The load up is still slower than a Sky box or Netflix on my smart TV but it’s the home to great shows such as Preacher which I highly recommend.
Overall, if you’re looking for a firestick then this model is the one to go for for speed and access to the great programmes and films available through Amazon Prime.
Setup is extremely easy, a PIN can be used to stop little ones going on anything not age appropriate or to stop any unauthorised purchases plus it’s interface is easy enough for children to use to watch kids programmes or even play some android games on!
Top product, top present and even better as I got it through Smashbomb’s giveaway!!!
NS
Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration for Harmony with Nature
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Healing with Herbs
Medical and Health & Fitness
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***** 200+ Diseases to be healed with Herbs with iPhone 5 Compatible App ***** There are many...
Lindsay (1786 KP) rated The Giving Tree in Books
Jun 17, 2021
The Giving Tree is a lovely book; I love the hand drawing of the images in this book. The author does a beautiful job with that. Here is a classic book to have. It teaches about loving and giving love. It also shows what happens to a tree as well.
The book is more in the form of a poem. That is sweet. It is about a boy, and the tree is giving them and loving the boy. It goes through some emotions and shows you how the tree and the boy's wants and needs are different. But will the tree have what the boy needs to make him happy?
The hand drawings are different but lovely. I have not found a book that can beat or compare to it yet. The story is loving. The Giving Tree is great to have on any bookshelf. This book is for all ages, not just children. Though I think if you read this book, you may find what makes a tree so crucial in life and what could and has happened to them down to the stump of a tree.
Parents will love reading this book to their children; there is a meaning behind the story or the poem. I think this is a poem. The tree is giving and giving. Will the tree get love in return, or will the boy take advantage of the tree-giving nature and not return that love.
The book is more in the form of a poem. That is sweet. It is about a boy, and the tree is giving them and loving the boy. It goes through some emotions and shows you how the tree and the boy's wants and needs are different. But will the tree have what the boy needs to make him happy?
The hand drawings are different but lovely. I have not found a book that can beat or compare to it yet. The story is loving. The Giving Tree is great to have on any bookshelf. This book is for all ages, not just children. Though I think if you read this book, you may find what makes a tree so crucial in life and what could and has happened to them down to the stump of a tree.
Parents will love reading this book to their children; there is a meaning behind the story or the poem. I think this is a poem. The tree is giving and giving. Will the tree get love in return, or will the boy take advantage of the tree-giving nature and not return that love.
123 Kids Fun GAMES - Preschool Math&Alphabet Games
Education and Games
App
Preschool and Kindergarten Kids Educational Early Learning Adventure Games. Teach Me Counting,...
ClareR (6054 KP) rated Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss in Books
Mar 14, 2019
A wonderful story of family and finding yourself.
This is SUCH a good book!
Professor Chandra, a Professor at Cambridge University, has missed out on the Nobel Prize for Economics, and he’s not happy about it! So unhappy in fact, that he doesn’t pay attention whilst crossing the road, and gets run over by a bicycle. He ends up in hospital, and decides that he needs to re-evaluate his life and get in contact with his children. And so starts his journey of self-realisation.
I loved this book. The characters were all immensely likeable (even the irritating Steve - Chandra’s ex-wife’s new husband). Some of the things that happened seemed a bit unlikely, but we’re not reading this as a non-fiction book, are we? They were very funny though, and occasionally, they were quite sad. This book had it all for me. I read this on The Pigeonhole, so one part a day for ten days, and I can honestly say that I looked forward to reading it every day. I feel a little bereft that it’s over now.
Highly recommended!
Professor Chandra, a Professor at Cambridge University, has missed out on the Nobel Prize for Economics, and he’s not happy about it! So unhappy in fact, that he doesn’t pay attention whilst crossing the road, and gets run over by a bicycle. He ends up in hospital, and decides that he needs to re-evaluate his life and get in contact with his children. And so starts his journey of self-realisation.
I loved this book. The characters were all immensely likeable (even the irritating Steve - Chandra’s ex-wife’s new husband). Some of the things that happened seemed a bit unlikely, but we’re not reading this as a non-fiction book, are we? They were very funny though, and occasionally, they were quite sad. This book had it all for me. I read this on The Pigeonhole, so one part a day for ten days, and I can honestly say that I looked forward to reading it every day. I feel a little bereft that it’s over now.
Highly recommended!
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Machine Gun Preacher (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
“Machine Gun Preacher” stars Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan, Kathy Baker, Michael Shannon, Madeline Carrol, and is directed by Marc Foster (previously directed “The Kite Runner” , “Quantum Of Solace” , “Monsters Ball” , and “Finding Neverland”).
The movie follows the true life story of Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) a former biker gang member/drug dealer who, at a major crossroads in his life, experiences a spirtial awakening and becomes a devoted preacher and family man. One day, after hearing another preacher speak about the plight of the thousands of kidnapped and orphaned children in africa as the result of civil war, Childers makes the life changing decision to go to Africa and assist in the building and repair of homes and ‘safe zones’ for refugees that have been damaged or destroyed by the chaos engulfing the countries of Sudan and Uganda. However, upon seeing the destruction and widespread horror inflicted upon the people (in particular the children) Childers decides he cannot stand idly by and do nothing to help.
Ignoring the warnings of overwhlemed peacekeepers and aid workers in the area, Sam decides to construct an orhanage where he thinks it’s needed the most – right in the center of the most volitile area in the Sudan, which also happens to be controlled by the brutal and ultra-violent LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army). The LRA roam from village to village kidnapping children and forcing them to become soliders for the LRA or even worse. In the beginning, Childers meets with success finding as many orphaned children as he can and ferrying them to his orphanage where they find food, shelter, and medical aid. But it is not enough. After several attacks and ambushes, Childers decides he cannot let the LRA continue to sadistically destroy lives. Sam begins to lead missions deep into LRA territory, taking the fight to the enemy while struggling with the knowledge that the situation grows darker every day for the people he is trying to help – in the Sudan and for his family back home.
This movie is definately intense and NOT for the faint of heart. I have not had the chance to read Sam Childers book which the movie is supposedly based on. As far as redemption tales go, this as realistic as it gets, in the sense that sometimes in order to find the salvation or spiritual awakening you seek, you’re forced to sacrifice all and risk losing everything you hold dear in this life in order to find it. Even with the knowledge that once you arrive at the end of that journey, you may not find the awakening you so desperately fought for.
The performances in this movie were all excellent. Kudos to Gerard Butler and Michelle Monaghan in particular. The young actors who portrayed the orphans and child soldiers definately knocked it out of the park as well. Butler also produced the movie which lends more credence to the whole theory that if one of the lead actors has a hand in the behind-the-scences work of the movie, chances are it’ll be a movie worth seein’. I’d encourage you to go see it regardless of the time of day in theaters or grab it on DVD. Rated R for extreme violence throughout and some sexual content.
The movie follows the true life story of Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) a former biker gang member/drug dealer who, at a major crossroads in his life, experiences a spirtial awakening and becomes a devoted preacher and family man. One day, after hearing another preacher speak about the plight of the thousands of kidnapped and orphaned children in africa as the result of civil war, Childers makes the life changing decision to go to Africa and assist in the building and repair of homes and ‘safe zones’ for refugees that have been damaged or destroyed by the chaos engulfing the countries of Sudan and Uganda. However, upon seeing the destruction and widespread horror inflicted upon the people (in particular the children) Childers decides he cannot stand idly by and do nothing to help.
Ignoring the warnings of overwhlemed peacekeepers and aid workers in the area, Sam decides to construct an orhanage where he thinks it’s needed the most – right in the center of the most volitile area in the Sudan, which also happens to be controlled by the brutal and ultra-violent LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army). The LRA roam from village to village kidnapping children and forcing them to become soliders for the LRA or even worse. In the beginning, Childers meets with success finding as many orphaned children as he can and ferrying them to his orphanage where they find food, shelter, and medical aid. But it is not enough. After several attacks and ambushes, Childers decides he cannot let the LRA continue to sadistically destroy lives. Sam begins to lead missions deep into LRA territory, taking the fight to the enemy while struggling with the knowledge that the situation grows darker every day for the people he is trying to help – in the Sudan and for his family back home.
This movie is definately intense and NOT for the faint of heart. I have not had the chance to read Sam Childers book which the movie is supposedly based on. As far as redemption tales go, this as realistic as it gets, in the sense that sometimes in order to find the salvation or spiritual awakening you seek, you’re forced to sacrifice all and risk losing everything you hold dear in this life in order to find it. Even with the knowledge that once you arrive at the end of that journey, you may not find the awakening you so desperately fought for.
The performances in this movie were all excellent. Kudos to Gerard Butler and Michelle Monaghan in particular. The young actors who portrayed the orphans and child soldiers definately knocked it out of the park as well. Butler also produced the movie which lends more credence to the whole theory that if one of the lead actors has a hand in the behind-the-scences work of the movie, chances are it’ll be a movie worth seein’. I’d encourage you to go see it regardless of the time of day in theaters or grab it on DVD. Rated R for extreme violence throughout and some sexual content.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Jetsetters in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Charlotte Perkins is 71, and her best friend has just died. Long single, she longs to be touched and loved again, so she writes an essay (a rather racy one at that) to the "Become a Jetsetter" contest to win a trip for her entire family (and to perhaps meet someone). Charlotte is shocked and elated when she actually wins, earning the the chance to take her three children to Athens, Greece and on a nine-day cruise to Barcelona, Spain. Lee, a struggling actress who has just returned home on a "break" from acting (and from her famous ex-boyfriend) figures she has nothing better to do. Cord, her son, a wealthy New Yorker, isn't thrilled about being trapped on a ship while he struggles with his sobriety. And Regan, an exhausted mother of two daughters, can't believe it when her irritating husband Matt joins the group. This will be a particularly fun trip since Lee and Regan haven't spoken in ten years. Trapped on this adventure together, secrets come out and the Perkins family suddenly learns more than they ever wanted to know about each one another.
It took me a while to process this one. I really enjoy Amanda Eyre Ward's writing, and I have such a soft spot for her book, The Same Sky, which is one of my absolute favorite novels. This book is very different from that one, and it took me some time to warm to the pacing and the characters. Charlotte turned me off in the beginning, and I was just slow to get into the book. We learn that the Perkins kids had a rough childhood, but one that also bonded them together. Yet when the book opens, none of them are particularly close to each other--or their mother.
"This day, and the two more excruciating days that followed--days of sand and beer-scented misery--would be the last time Lee went on vacation with her mother and siblings. Until thirty-two years later, when they became jetsetters."
The book presents the story from not only Charlotte's point of view, but that of each of her wayward children. None of the kids are easy to like at first, but Ward's prose makes them come to life before our eyes. They are fallible, for sure, and it's hard not to feel a bit sorry for everyone. I for one am not sure I could handle being trapped on a cruise ship with a group of unhappy family members.
"Oh. Charlotte's children. To her great sadness and bewilderment, Charlotte's three adult children were lost to her, and perhaps to themselves."
The novel does an excellent job at portraying all the difficult relationships in the book, giving us an in-depth portrait of a complicated family. While the story is told solely over the span of their trip, we learn all about Charlotte's life--much of it hidden away from her children--and the lives of her three kids, even bits and pieces of their childhood and backstories. No one has had an easy go of it, for sure. How much do parents, and their actions, affect their kids, the book asks. How do families in general influence the people we become. They have so much power: both to help and to hurt.
It's funny, this wasn't always a story I enjoyed, even though there are humorous and touching moments, but I recognized its powerful parts too. Overall, I would rate this at 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 stars here. It's worth a read.
It took me a while to process this one. I really enjoy Amanda Eyre Ward's writing, and I have such a soft spot for her book, The Same Sky, which is one of my absolute favorite novels. This book is very different from that one, and it took me some time to warm to the pacing and the characters. Charlotte turned me off in the beginning, and I was just slow to get into the book. We learn that the Perkins kids had a rough childhood, but one that also bonded them together. Yet when the book opens, none of them are particularly close to each other--or their mother.
"This day, and the two more excruciating days that followed--days of sand and beer-scented misery--would be the last time Lee went on vacation with her mother and siblings. Until thirty-two years later, when they became jetsetters."
The book presents the story from not only Charlotte's point of view, but that of each of her wayward children. None of the kids are easy to like at first, but Ward's prose makes them come to life before our eyes. They are fallible, for sure, and it's hard not to feel a bit sorry for everyone. I for one am not sure I could handle being trapped on a cruise ship with a group of unhappy family members.
"Oh. Charlotte's children. To her great sadness and bewilderment, Charlotte's three adult children were lost to her, and perhaps to themselves."
The novel does an excellent job at portraying all the difficult relationships in the book, giving us an in-depth portrait of a complicated family. While the story is told solely over the span of their trip, we learn all about Charlotte's life--much of it hidden away from her children--and the lives of her three kids, even bits and pieces of their childhood and backstories. No one has had an easy go of it, for sure. How much do parents, and their actions, affect their kids, the book asks. How do families in general influence the people we become. They have so much power: both to help and to hurt.
It's funny, this wasn't always a story I enjoyed, even though there are humorous and touching moments, but I recognized its powerful parts too. Overall, I would rate this at 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 stars here. It's worth a read.