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Vitally Vegetarian
Tina Scheftelowitz and Christine Bille Nielsen
Book
Increasing numbers of people are cutting down on meat; possibly going meat-free one or two days a...
Baby Panda's Supermarket - Grocery Store
Education and Games
App
Welcome to the cutest store in town! Kiki, our little panda, his mom and some of his friends are...
Turning Point
Book
In Danielle Steel’s powerful novel, four San Francisco trauma doctors – the best and brightest...
Blaze and the Monster Machines Dinosaur Rescue HD
Education and Games
App
Get ready to rescue baby dinosaurs with Blaze and AJ in Blaze’s Dinosaur Egg Rescue Game for iPad!...
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Only Story in Books
Jan 10, 2018
Slightly irritating protagonist, but good story
This unusual romance is definitely not in the same ballpark as the likes of The Notebook and other such love stories - instead it begins as a pseudo-parody of the younger man-older woman genre - ending in a tragically realistic fashion.
Following the story of protagonist Paul, a 19-year-old man-child, attempts to find his feet in the world by defying social conventions. Enter Susan, a married woman with two grown children even older than Paul. Beginning innocently after joining a tennis club, Paul seems to grow increasingly attracted to the almost middle-aged woman, but is clearly ambiguous about his motives for pursuing her. Is it out of sheer rebellion against his traditional upbringing or just another yarn to tell his university friends? What does become increasingly apparent is that it is not just a summer affair, as things start to unravel over time. The question posed by the book at the end is: "Would you rather love the more, and suffer the more; or love the less, and suffer the less?"
As per usual, Julian Barnes is a unique storyteller, able to adapt his writing every single time. It is vastly different from some of his other works such as The Noise of Time, which is written almost like a Russian classic. This, on the other hand, is written in an honest first-person narrative, sounding genuinely like a happy-go-lucky teenager. While it is not a perfect story, especially as the chronology feels inconsistent, it is an easy read.
Following the story of protagonist Paul, a 19-year-old man-child, attempts to find his feet in the world by defying social conventions. Enter Susan, a married woman with two grown children even older than Paul. Beginning innocently after joining a tennis club, Paul seems to grow increasingly attracted to the almost middle-aged woman, but is clearly ambiguous about his motives for pursuing her. Is it out of sheer rebellion against his traditional upbringing or just another yarn to tell his university friends? What does become increasingly apparent is that it is not just a summer affair, as things start to unravel over time. The question posed by the book at the end is: "Would you rather love the more, and suffer the more; or love the less, and suffer the less?"
As per usual, Julian Barnes is a unique storyteller, able to adapt his writing every single time. It is vastly different from some of his other works such as The Noise of Time, which is written almost like a Russian classic. This, on the other hand, is written in an honest first-person narrative, sounding genuinely like a happy-go-lucky teenager. While it is not a perfect story, especially as the chronology feels inconsistent, it is an easy read.
ClareR (6256 KP) rated Tall Bones in Books
Apr 6, 2021
Tall Bones by Anna Bailey is a beautiful, terrible, haunting book. This is not the USA of Soccer Moms and happy church gatherings. Whistling Ridge is a town with deep problems: domestic and child abuse, racism, corruption, drugs, homophobia and a Pastor who condones most of these things.
Abi and Emma are best friends, and when Emma leaves Abi, at Abi’s request, at a party at the Tall Bones, she expects to see her the next day. Except she doesn’t. Abi goes missing, seemingly without a trace. Everyone and no one is suspected of her disappearance. After all, her father, Samuel, is a thug and a bully, her mother is clearly beaten regularly, as are her children - why wouldn’t she run away?
To be honest, after reading this I couldn’t understand why any of the young people stayed in Whistling Ridge - unless their world view is like that of their, largely speaking, bigoted parents.
This book is shocking - a real kick in the guts type of story. And it’s not a one off kick. I hated 99% of the characters by the end: and this is the bit where I say how much I enjoyed reading it. Yes, here we are again with my love of the horrible characters. It’s easy to like nice characters, not so easy to get enjoyment out of the dark and evil types (or is it?!😈).
Either way it’s an atmospheric, dark, fascinating novel. And I loved it.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this fabulous novel.
Abi and Emma are best friends, and when Emma leaves Abi, at Abi’s request, at a party at the Tall Bones, she expects to see her the next day. Except she doesn’t. Abi goes missing, seemingly without a trace. Everyone and no one is suspected of her disappearance. After all, her father, Samuel, is a thug and a bully, her mother is clearly beaten regularly, as are her children - why wouldn’t she run away?
To be honest, after reading this I couldn’t understand why any of the young people stayed in Whistling Ridge - unless their world view is like that of their, largely speaking, bigoted parents.
This book is shocking - a real kick in the guts type of story. And it’s not a one off kick. I hated 99% of the characters by the end: and this is the bit where I say how much I enjoyed reading it. Yes, here we are again with my love of the horrible characters. It’s easy to like nice characters, not so easy to get enjoyment out of the dark and evil types (or is it?!😈).
Either way it’s an atmospheric, dark, fascinating novel. And I loved it.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this fabulous novel.
Debbiereadsbook (1788 KP) rated The Best Parts of Him (Vermont Trailblazers #1) in Books
Nov 4, 2025
It's about discovering yourself, and what you are doing might not actually be the best step forward.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
If this review runs away with itself, I'm sorry, but I freaking LOVED this book!
It's sweet, and charming. It's cute and a little bit smexy. Very little angst apart from what happened to both Ryland and Dabbs as children (divorce and verbal parental abuse, talked about but not in detail)
It's a small town and major hockey leagues. It's building new found families and more established real families.
It's about discovering yourself, and what you are doing might not actually be the best step forward. What I loved was that BOTH men had a little bit of a revelation about themselves.
I was reading and I kept coming back to Jason and Bellamy, who are Ryland's brother and Dabbs' best friend (and Ryland's enemy) I kept thinking I've read these guys before and off I tootled and there it was: A Touch of Maple (Love In Maplewood #3) Now, on a personal note, I think you should read THAT book first. It will give you a better image of Ryland and Bellamy's previous animosity and just what Ryland does to let it all go. I loved being able to catch up with them.
There was a MAJOR hint at who might be next and I can't wait to read it!
5 full, and so very sweet, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
If this review runs away with itself, I'm sorry, but I freaking LOVED this book!
It's sweet, and charming. It's cute and a little bit smexy. Very little angst apart from what happened to both Ryland and Dabbs as children (divorce and verbal parental abuse, talked about but not in detail)
It's a small town and major hockey leagues. It's building new found families and more established real families.
It's about discovering yourself, and what you are doing might not actually be the best step forward. What I loved was that BOTH men had a little bit of a revelation about themselves.
I was reading and I kept coming back to Jason and Bellamy, who are Ryland's brother and Dabbs' best friend (and Ryland's enemy) I kept thinking I've read these guys before and off I tootled and there it was: A Touch of Maple (Love In Maplewood #3) Now, on a personal note, I think you should read THAT book first. It will give you a better image of Ryland and Bellamy's previous animosity and just what Ryland does to let it all go. I loved being able to catch up with them.
There was a MAJOR hint at who might be next and I can't wait to read it!
5 full, and so very sweet, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Merissa (14116 KP) rated Sticks and Stones (The Wish Makers #1) in Books
Apr 10, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
The premise of this book is unusual which immediately grabbed my interest. It isn't the same formula re-worded. However, I was still unsure, even after reading the synopsis, about what I would be getting.
What I got was an interesting, rich and fully detailed book covering not just our main female character but Lexi and the Wish Mistress too. There is enough background on the other characters that they all slot in perfectly together and you know that you are getting a complete story. There are no big chunks missed out of this one.
Mandy's birthday wish was a rare one - it was her soul wish. And it is not just granted without a thought. The wish is the start of a journey that she can choose whether to take or not. And therein lies a brilliant story. It starts off quite light but soon gets darker (in a YA-friendly way). The secret that Mandy was hiding was heartbreaking in its childlike simplicity. It is easy to forget how literal children are with what you say to them and how long it can stay with them. During the conversation with Mandy and her mum, it brought tears to my eyes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will be reading Break My Bones, the second in this series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 12, 2016
What I got was an interesting, rich and fully detailed book covering not just our main female character but Lexi and the Wish Mistress too. There is enough background on the other characters that they all slot in perfectly together and you know that you are getting a complete story. There are no big chunks missed out of this one.
Mandy's birthday wish was a rare one - it was her soul wish. And it is not just granted without a thought. The wish is the start of a journey that she can choose whether to take or not. And therein lies a brilliant story. It starts off quite light but soon gets darker (in a YA-friendly way). The secret that Mandy was hiding was heartbreaking in its childlike simplicity. It is easy to forget how literal children are with what you say to them and how long it can stay with them. During the conversation with Mandy and her mum, it brought tears to my eyes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will be reading Break My Bones, the second in this series.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
September 12, 2016
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Yes! Broccoli! in Tabletop Games
Mar 25, 2020
I’m sure you saw the title of this review and thought I had lost my mind. Well, I thought I had lost my mind when I saw the description of this one and immediately was excited to play it. Not that broccoli is my favorite food, but I do love it. My son, however, loves broccoli. Wait, he LOVES broccoli. Hopefully now you can understand why I would be excited to play a card game about health food geared toward children to teach them about good vs bad food items. I love my kids, and I love games. When I can combine those, I am a happy guy.
Yes! Broccoli! is a card game for 2-5 players that incorporates blind bidding, special player powers (in advanced games), and drafting elements. The hidden benefit from this game is that healthy food cards are worth more points while the junk food cards are worth negative points (boo and hiss).
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online from the publisher directly, or from your FLGS if stocked. -T
To setup a basic game, each player will take a personal deck of cards numbered 1-8 of the same color border (I choose orange or purple). These are the cards that will be used during the game. Shuffle the large stack of food cards as a draw deck. Draw a number of cards equal to the number of players, determine the starting player and the game is ready to be consumed!
The players will all choose one of their bid cards from their hand and place them face-down in front of them. Once all have chosen, all bid cards will be revealed simultaneously. The highest-bid card’s player will then choose one of the drawn food cards to take into their score pile. That winning player now acts as the dealer and will draw and reveal the next set of cards upon which the players will bid. As the players play all their numbered cards, they may win food cards worth many points, or they may be saddled with negative values as well. These are the junk food cards that nobody wants. Except my son, who wanted all the Candy T-Rex cards, even knowing that it will affect his score. Some people play to win. Others play to have a good time. I admire that about him. Play continues in this fashion until all bid cards have been played. Count up the points won/gathered and determine a winner! This is the basic game to be played with new players or young children.
To play a more advanced game, setup will be the same, except each player will also be dealt two special ability cards to be used during the game. These cards are very powerful, and can only be used once during the game. As this adds a new and thinky layer to the basic game, it is only recommended for older children or adult play. Examples of these special abilities are having the lowest-bid card win instead of highest card, or doubling a bid amount, or adding/subtracting three to/from a current bid.
Components. This game is a big stack of cards in a small (but appropriately-sized) box. The cards are great, and while I would prefer plastic cards for my young kids, children who can respect game components will be just fine. The art on these cards is super cute and I found myself just smiling while I was playing because not only is this game educational for youngsters, but it’s fun to look at while playing too. I made a parenthetical comment about the box being appropriately-sized, and I mean it. I appreciate when a game doesn’t try to be bigger on the shelf for that extra “presence” at the game store. When I open a box and more than 50% is air, it is very irksome to me. How wasteful. Well, not here. We have nothing bad to say about these components at all.
So while most kids may not appreciate the backstabbiness of the special abilities, adults certainly will. That said, when playing with the intended audience of children, we found that Yes! Broccoli! was a huge hit! We are still working on the younger kids and breaking them of the, “yes, the cake princess is very pretty, but you really don’t want to take her into your score pile.” Winning and losing really doesn’t matter much in the Lopez household, but gaming experiences do, and though my son doesn’t win this one ever, he loves it, and I love playing it with him. So I consider this a win, and though our official Purple Phoenix Games rating has a caloric value of 8 / 12, I do believe you will enjoy this little card game – ESPECIALLY if there are little ones in your life. Purchase it directly from the publisher at Gangway Games. You can use it as a precursor to Munchkin and Cutthroat Cavern, or as a stepstone to bidding games like Biblios and No Thanks!
Yes! Broccoli! is a card game for 2-5 players that incorporates blind bidding, special player powers (in advanced games), and drafting elements. The hidden benefit from this game is that healthy food cards are worth more points while the junk food cards are worth negative points (boo and hiss).
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online from the publisher directly, or from your FLGS if stocked. -T
To setup a basic game, each player will take a personal deck of cards numbered 1-8 of the same color border (I choose orange or purple). These are the cards that will be used during the game. Shuffle the large stack of food cards as a draw deck. Draw a number of cards equal to the number of players, determine the starting player and the game is ready to be consumed!
The players will all choose one of their bid cards from their hand and place them face-down in front of them. Once all have chosen, all bid cards will be revealed simultaneously. The highest-bid card’s player will then choose one of the drawn food cards to take into their score pile. That winning player now acts as the dealer and will draw and reveal the next set of cards upon which the players will bid. As the players play all their numbered cards, they may win food cards worth many points, or they may be saddled with negative values as well. These are the junk food cards that nobody wants. Except my son, who wanted all the Candy T-Rex cards, even knowing that it will affect his score. Some people play to win. Others play to have a good time. I admire that about him. Play continues in this fashion until all bid cards have been played. Count up the points won/gathered and determine a winner! This is the basic game to be played with new players or young children.
To play a more advanced game, setup will be the same, except each player will also be dealt two special ability cards to be used during the game. These cards are very powerful, and can only be used once during the game. As this adds a new and thinky layer to the basic game, it is only recommended for older children or adult play. Examples of these special abilities are having the lowest-bid card win instead of highest card, or doubling a bid amount, or adding/subtracting three to/from a current bid.
Components. This game is a big stack of cards in a small (but appropriately-sized) box. The cards are great, and while I would prefer plastic cards for my young kids, children who can respect game components will be just fine. The art on these cards is super cute and I found myself just smiling while I was playing because not only is this game educational for youngsters, but it’s fun to look at while playing too. I made a parenthetical comment about the box being appropriately-sized, and I mean it. I appreciate when a game doesn’t try to be bigger on the shelf for that extra “presence” at the game store. When I open a box and more than 50% is air, it is very irksome to me. How wasteful. Well, not here. We have nothing bad to say about these components at all.
So while most kids may not appreciate the backstabbiness of the special abilities, adults certainly will. That said, when playing with the intended audience of children, we found that Yes! Broccoli! was a huge hit! We are still working on the younger kids and breaking them of the, “yes, the cake princess is very pretty, but you really don’t want to take her into your score pile.” Winning and losing really doesn’t matter much in the Lopez household, but gaming experiences do, and though my son doesn’t win this one ever, he loves it, and I love playing it with him. So I consider this a win, and though our official Purple Phoenix Games rating has a caloric value of 8 / 12, I do believe you will enjoy this little card game – ESPECIALLY if there are little ones in your life. Purchase it directly from the publisher at Gangway Games. You can use it as a precursor to Munchkin and Cutthroat Cavern, or as a stepstone to bidding games like Biblios and No Thanks!
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I don't like Keenan right from the start. I get that he's in this political struggle and the only way he can be free is by effectively trapping a mortal to be his queen, but he fails completely in effectively getting anyone with any sense to actually like him. He's a jerk! The book makes little attempt at hiding the fact that he sleeps around with all of the "Summer Girls," and he knows how good-looking he is and uses that to such extremes that I kind of think that the Winter Girl is in the better position here. On the other hand, Seth is like the perfect guy in many ways - if you don't mind the tattoos and piercings. He's incredibly attentive to Aislinn's moods and needs, waiting months and months for her to even notice that he had feelings for her when he apparently could have had lots of other girls and chose not to. Chivalrous is how I would describe him, something that is not a common trait among young men nowadays.
Now as for the sexual conduct in this book, I would not want my girls to read this as teenagers simply because of how casually it is treated. The only reason this book would fit in the genre of Young Adult is because the characters are all "young adults." But the thing is, there are so many people my age and older who read this genre that this book would be more appropriately marketed as a YA for the "young at heart." Okay, off my soap-box now.
I really did love this book, I don't remember the last time I read a novel that so effectively put the fairy tales of old in the modern era. And making the fey both frightening and untrustworthy is much more realistic, instead of the Disney-fied literature that is common for young children. The romantic aspect also has some elements that deviate from the norm, since Aislinn prefers the mortal to the gorgeous, powerful fey. She also believes in saving herself instead of just being the "damsel in distress," which boosts her image even more with me. While this book revolved around the Summer and Winter Courts, the next book, Ink Exchange, is about the Dark Court, so that should be interesting.
Now as for the sexual conduct in this book, I would not want my girls to read this as teenagers simply because of how casually it is treated. The only reason this book would fit in the genre of Young Adult is because the characters are all "young adults." But the thing is, there are so many people my age and older who read this genre that this book would be more appropriately marketed as a YA for the "young at heart." Okay, off my soap-box now.
I really did love this book, I don't remember the last time I read a novel that so effectively put the fairy tales of old in the modern era. And making the fey both frightening and untrustworthy is much more realistic, instead of the Disney-fied literature that is common for young children. The romantic aspect also has some elements that deviate from the norm, since Aislinn prefers the mortal to the gorgeous, powerful fey. She also believes in saving herself instead of just being the "damsel in distress," which boosts her image even more with me. While this book revolved around the Summer and Winter Courts, the next book, Ink Exchange, is about the Dark Court, so that should be interesting.
ClareR (6256 KP) Mar 6, 2018
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) Mar 6, 2018