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Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The First Mistake in Books
Jul 22, 2019
Alice's life hasn't been the same since she lost her husband, Tom. When Nathan comes into her life, she feels like she can conquer anything with him by her side. She has two beautiful daughters and a best friend who always has her back. Then, in the blink of an eye, her whole world comes crashing down and she is questioning everything she knows to be true. Who can she trust and will she find out the truth before it's too late.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I first started reading this book, I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen. All the clues were laid out for you right there in the open. But what actually happened was quite different and it had me shocked all the way until the end. There were some parts to my theory that were correct and others that were way off.
Alice and Beth as well as their daughters are best friends. Even though they have only known each other for a few years, they share similar interests and disinterests(where other school moms are concerned). When strange things start to happen that Alice can't explain, she turns to her best friend for help. But when Beth gives her information that she never expected to hear, she's not sure who to believe or trust. Trying to keep her daughters in the dark about what is really going on in their house is not easy and when it all comes to the surface, will Beth have anyone she can lean on?
I can understand Alice's position. I don't have a lot of close friends where I currently live and those friends I do have, we all have children in the same grade. So I can see myself confiding in them. These people are more likely to know my husband since he grew up in the area we now live in. So it's interesting to see women I talk to mention my husband if they went to school with him. But if he was dead and someone didn't know him brought him up, I would be very wary of that. Beth thinks she knows Alice's dead husband. But how could she. And why does he now have an active Facebook page. This is all becoming too much, but Alice has to know what is going on.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
When I first started reading this book, I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen. All the clues were laid out for you right there in the open. But what actually happened was quite different and it had me shocked all the way until the end. There were some parts to my theory that were correct and others that were way off.
Alice and Beth as well as their daughters are best friends. Even though they have only known each other for a few years, they share similar interests and disinterests(where other school moms are concerned). When strange things start to happen that Alice can't explain, she turns to her best friend for help. But when Beth gives her information that she never expected to hear, she's not sure who to believe or trust. Trying to keep her daughters in the dark about what is really going on in their house is not easy and when it all comes to the surface, will Beth have anyone she can lean on?
I can understand Alice's position. I don't have a lot of close friends where I currently live and those friends I do have, we all have children in the same grade. So I can see myself confiding in them. These people are more likely to know my husband since he grew up in the area we now live in. So it's interesting to see women I talk to mention my husband if they went to school with him. But if he was dead and someone didn't know him brought him up, I would be very wary of that. Beth thinks she knows Alice's dead husband. But how could she. And why does he now have an active Facebook page. This is all becoming too much, but Alice has to know what is going on.
Big Time Gangsta
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NOW WITH BOSS FIGHTS, NEW GANGSTAS, PIMP YOUR PAD & NEW WEAPONS!! Small time thugs don't survive...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Klaus (2019) in Movies
Jul 28, 2020 (Updated Dec 24, 2020)
Visually Interesting - with strong voice performances
We have seen the Origin story of Santa Claus many times and in many ways over the years, so it was with some trepidation that the BankoMarquis ventured forth to check out the Netflix original film KLAUS which covers some very similar territory.
And I need not worry, for KLAUS is a visually interesting film with some very good voice performances that elevates a (relatively) by-the-book story into quite a delightful film experience.
Directed and Written by Sergio Pablos - a veteran animator with credits like Disney’s Tarzan, Despicable Me, Rio and Smallfoot - KLAUS tells the tale of…Jesper, a mailman who is also a privileged youth who’s lackluster ways runs him afoul of his father and he is banished to a remote, Northern country where her runs afoul of…KLAUS.
And…you can probably figure out where the story goes from there, but it is not the story - or the destination - that matters, it is the journey. And…what a wonderful journey it is.
Let’s start with the best part - this film is GORGEOUS to look at. Pablos uses hand drawn animation with lighting techniques taken from digital animation and the result is crisp, clean and stunning to look at. I will watch this film again, just to look at the visuals.
As for the voice casting - it is stellar - with one, small quibble. The great J.K. Simmon is…well…GREAT as Klaus. His deep baritone voice is perfect for the enigmatic hermit that is hiding secrets - and a heart of gold. Rashida Jones, Will Sasso, Norm MacDonald and the always brilliant Joan Cusack add their tremendous voices to the proceedings very well. My only quibble is with the work of Jason Schwartzman as Jesper, the character we follow throughout the film. I found his voice and character grating at times (I know this is on purpose, so Schwartzman did a good job in his work) but, I would have liked to have Pablos “tone down” the lead character just a bit.
But that is a “quibble” in a very entertaining movie that is a wonderful family film that can be enjoyed on different levels - and for different reasons - by children and adults alike.
Letter Grade: A-
8 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And I need not worry, for KLAUS is a visually interesting film with some very good voice performances that elevates a (relatively) by-the-book story into quite a delightful film experience.
Directed and Written by Sergio Pablos - a veteran animator with credits like Disney’s Tarzan, Despicable Me, Rio and Smallfoot - KLAUS tells the tale of…Jesper, a mailman who is also a privileged youth who’s lackluster ways runs him afoul of his father and he is banished to a remote, Northern country where her runs afoul of…KLAUS.
And…you can probably figure out where the story goes from there, but it is not the story - or the destination - that matters, it is the journey. And…what a wonderful journey it is.
Let’s start with the best part - this film is GORGEOUS to look at. Pablos uses hand drawn animation with lighting techniques taken from digital animation and the result is crisp, clean and stunning to look at. I will watch this film again, just to look at the visuals.
As for the voice casting - it is stellar - with one, small quibble. The great J.K. Simmon is…well…GREAT as Klaus. His deep baritone voice is perfect for the enigmatic hermit that is hiding secrets - and a heart of gold. Rashida Jones, Will Sasso, Norm MacDonald and the always brilliant Joan Cusack add their tremendous voices to the proceedings very well. My only quibble is with the work of Jason Schwartzman as Jesper, the character we follow throughout the film. I found his voice and character grating at times (I know this is on purpose, so Schwartzman did a good job in his work) but, I would have liked to have Pablos “tone down” the lead character just a bit.
But that is a “quibble” in a very entertaining movie that is a wonderful family film that can be enjoyed on different levels - and for different reasons - by children and adults alike.
Letter Grade: A-
8 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
SkyView® - Explore the Universe
Education and Entertainment
7.0
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SkyView® brings stargazing to everyone. Simply point your iPhone, iPad, or iPod at the sky to...
SkyView® Free - Explore the Universe
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SkyView® Free brings stargazing to everyone, and it's totally free! Simply point your iPhone, iPad,...
Frontline Commando: D-Day
Games and Entertainment
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Lead the charge on D-Day as the tip of the spear in the largest Allied invasion of WW2! Defeat the...
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Wonder in Books
Apr 9, 2019
August Pullman is not your typical 10 year old. He has never been to school, he has had countless surgeries, and he has a rare facial deformity. But despite all of that, his outlook on life is very positive. This year, Auggie, as he likes to be called, and his family have decided it is time for him to go to school. He has been homeschooled all of this time because of the countless doctor's appointments and medical tests he had to do that it wasn't practical. But he's finally reached the stage of his life where none of that is necessary. Of course, he and his parents are a little skeptical about how this will all play out. How will the other children treat him and will he be able to make new friends?
I have had this book on my TBR for a while. When I saw that the movie was coming out, I pushed it closer to the top. My daughter, who is also 10 was very interested in seeing this movie as well. I told her we had to read the book first. So we read it together. I love that we both have this passion for reading and that we can talk about this book together and then enjoy the movie.
This book brought me to tears several times. First of all, the way they describe Auggie in the book is horrible. His ears look like cauliflower, his eyes come too far down, his cheeks look punched in, his mouth is like a turtle. When he is first introduced to school, Mr. Tushman has a few kids show him around the school. Only one, Jack, seems like a really good kid.
The book follows Auggie and his family and friends through his first year at school, Beecher Prep. The book is mostly told from Auggie's point of view, but also there is a section for his sister Olivia(Via); the first person to sit with him at lunch, Summer; Jack, one of the first people Auggie meets at the school; Justin, a friend of Olivia's; and Miranda, another friend of Olivia's who gave Auggie a special gift one time that he cherished.
This book will touch your heart and soul and it shows you the importance of treating people as you would like to be treated despite what they may look like.
I can't wait for my daughter to finish the book so we can go and see the movie together. Although I'm already having some issues seeing as the book describes Auggie's mom as a Brazilian and Julia Roberts is not...
I have had this book on my TBR for a while. When I saw that the movie was coming out, I pushed it closer to the top. My daughter, who is also 10 was very interested in seeing this movie as well. I told her we had to read the book first. So we read it together. I love that we both have this passion for reading and that we can talk about this book together and then enjoy the movie.
This book brought me to tears several times. First of all, the way they describe Auggie in the book is horrible. His ears look like cauliflower, his eyes come too far down, his cheeks look punched in, his mouth is like a turtle. When he is first introduced to school, Mr. Tushman has a few kids show him around the school. Only one, Jack, seems like a really good kid.
The book follows Auggie and his family and friends through his first year at school, Beecher Prep. The book is mostly told from Auggie's point of view, but also there is a section for his sister Olivia(Via); the first person to sit with him at lunch, Summer; Jack, one of the first people Auggie meets at the school; Justin, a friend of Olivia's; and Miranda, another friend of Olivia's who gave Auggie a special gift one time that he cherished.
This book will touch your heart and soul and it shows you the importance of treating people as you would like to be treated despite what they may look like.
I can't wait for my daughter to finish the book so we can go and see the movie together. Although I'm already having some issues seeing as the book describes Auggie's mom as a Brazilian and Julia Roberts is not...
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) in Movies
Jan 22, 2021
Where to begin with Luc Besson? The masterpiece of Leon aside, he is notorious for creating beautifully bonkers visual treats that twist and turn like a monkey on cocaine, making as much sense. This comic book adaptation starts well, with some jaw dropping CG design and a decent concept – it truly is a dreamscape of glorious colour and imagination rarely matched… but so is Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and we all know how awful that is.
He just doesn’t have the knack with story and character in the same way as he does with the visuals, often leaving you with the impression that even the actors are confused by what is going on, and why, and what the hell is coming out of their mouths as an excuse for dialogue.
I like Dane De Haan, he has shown a lot of promise in some valiant near misses, such as Chronicle, The Place Beyond the Pines and The Cure For Wellness – three films I enjoyed, with reservations, that were better for him being in them – but he has not quite made it to the A-list as yet. Here, opposite the gorgeously cute but somehow hollow presence Cara Delevingne, he is burdened by a love story with no chemistry and some cringe-worthy banter. As the film ultimately focuses and depends on the likability of this relationship it inevitably fails; melting into comic book kookiness that loses a lot in translation.
I almost found myself hating them and wishing they would die painfully so the film could end, but not quite as much as I hated how fundamentally terrible Clive Owen was as the villain – I mean, so awkward and awful it made how uncomfortable Harrison Ford seemed in Ender’s Game look like an Oscar worthy performance. Risible. Inexcusable. Inexplicable. But that’s Besson where let loose into the realm of full sci-fi.
One corner of joy was Rihanna as the shape-shifting Bubble, who showed a charm and talent for film acting I hadn’t quite expected, and how much fun Ethan Hawke had dressing up and hamming it up as Jolly, her pimp. But essentially, you’d be better off turning the sound off completely and just drinking in the spectrum of imaginative design on display. A film that may hold some cult status into the future, and one small children may get oddly addicted to, but as a functioning and satisfying cinematic story… just, no.
He just doesn’t have the knack with story and character in the same way as he does with the visuals, often leaving you with the impression that even the actors are confused by what is going on, and why, and what the hell is coming out of their mouths as an excuse for dialogue.
I like Dane De Haan, he has shown a lot of promise in some valiant near misses, such as Chronicle, The Place Beyond the Pines and The Cure For Wellness – three films I enjoyed, with reservations, that were better for him being in them – but he has not quite made it to the A-list as yet. Here, opposite the gorgeously cute but somehow hollow presence Cara Delevingne, he is burdened by a love story with no chemistry and some cringe-worthy banter. As the film ultimately focuses and depends on the likability of this relationship it inevitably fails; melting into comic book kookiness that loses a lot in translation.
I almost found myself hating them and wishing they would die painfully so the film could end, but not quite as much as I hated how fundamentally terrible Clive Owen was as the villain – I mean, so awkward and awful it made how uncomfortable Harrison Ford seemed in Ender’s Game look like an Oscar worthy performance. Risible. Inexcusable. Inexplicable. But that’s Besson where let loose into the realm of full sci-fi.
One corner of joy was Rihanna as the shape-shifting Bubble, who showed a charm and talent for film acting I hadn’t quite expected, and how much fun Ethan Hawke had dressing up and hamming it up as Jolly, her pimp. But essentially, you’d be better off turning the sound off completely and just drinking in the spectrum of imaginative design on display. A film that may hold some cult status into the future, and one small children may get oddly addicted to, but as a functioning and satisfying cinematic story… just, no.
Deer Hunter 2017
Games and Sports
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From the creators of Deer Hunter 2014! Return to the wild and hunt across the globe in the world’s...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Demoni Vankil (Hobin Luckyfeller's Fieldguides, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
Review also found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>.
I loved this book! I loved the intrigue and mystery...and it had a gnome!!!! I love gnomes!!!
Hobin Luckyfeller is a fishis (want to know what that is, then look it up in the book, lol). He comes across fourteen letters sent from a husband to his wife that talk about a major project that has to do with runes and how to trap the Dark Lord. Hobin must try to read in between the lines to figure out what everything means.
The title definitely suits the book! I won't say too much because of spoilers, but once you read the book, you'll definitely know why. It's a perfect title!!
The cover is very ominous looking! I like the way it looks like it's made of leather. I think the cover suits the book because of the three runes on it which, the whole book mentions the runes throughout. I don't really get the yellow face on the cover though. That takes away from it a bit, but I kind of like the yellow face for some odd reason.
The pacing of this book was perfect! As I said, it's only a short story, and sometimes it's difficult to get the pacing right in short stories, however Mr. Buckley gets the pacing spot on! I found myself wanting to know more before I had even finished the chapter I was on!
The dialogue was easy to understand especially since there's a glossary type thing in the back of the book which helps with the pronunciation of words and what they mean as well as who people and places are in the book. I found this to be most useful because with some of the words, I had a difficult time pronouncing them!
I loved the character of Hobin Luckyfeller. I'm not just saying that because he's a gnome! I loved his thirst for knowledge and how he wanted to figure everything out. He wouldn't stop for anything. As for Eamon, the author of the letters, I felt so bad for him. I felt his pain at not being able to see his wife and children.
My favourite part of the book was after the end. No, not because the book was over, but because there was information on the authors. Yes, I said authors! It lists Hobin Luckyfeller as one of the authors along with Jaime Buckley. I found this to be quite humouress!
Jaime Buckley definitely has a way with words. I thought this story was very well written. It's definitely piqued my interest in the Wanted: Hero series that Jaime Buckley has written.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15+ especially those who love fantasy, mystery, dwarves, goblins, etc.
I loved this book! I loved the intrigue and mystery...and it had a gnome!!!! I love gnomes!!!
Hobin Luckyfeller is a fishis (want to know what that is, then look it up in the book, lol). He comes across fourteen letters sent from a husband to his wife that talk about a major project that has to do with runes and how to trap the Dark Lord. Hobin must try to read in between the lines to figure out what everything means.
The title definitely suits the book! I won't say too much because of spoilers, but once you read the book, you'll definitely know why. It's a perfect title!!
The cover is very ominous looking! I like the way it looks like it's made of leather. I think the cover suits the book because of the three runes on it which, the whole book mentions the runes throughout. I don't really get the yellow face on the cover though. That takes away from it a bit, but I kind of like the yellow face for some odd reason.
The pacing of this book was perfect! As I said, it's only a short story, and sometimes it's difficult to get the pacing right in short stories, however Mr. Buckley gets the pacing spot on! I found myself wanting to know more before I had even finished the chapter I was on!
The dialogue was easy to understand especially since there's a glossary type thing in the back of the book which helps with the pronunciation of words and what they mean as well as who people and places are in the book. I found this to be most useful because with some of the words, I had a difficult time pronouncing them!
I loved the character of Hobin Luckyfeller. I'm not just saying that because he's a gnome! I loved his thirst for knowledge and how he wanted to figure everything out. He wouldn't stop for anything. As for Eamon, the author of the letters, I felt so bad for him. I felt his pain at not being able to see his wife and children.
My favourite part of the book was after the end. No, not because the book was over, but because there was information on the authors. Yes, I said authors! It lists Hobin Luckyfeller as one of the authors along with Jaime Buckley. I found this to be quite humouress!
Jaime Buckley definitely has a way with words. I thought this story was very well written. It's definitely piqued my interest in the Wanted: Hero series that Jaime Buckley has written.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15+ especially those who love fantasy, mystery, dwarves, goblins, etc.