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Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Maybe For You in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Maybe For You by Nicole McLaughlin is a very emotional storyline. The theme allows readers to understand how to cope with loss and handle grief. It is also a friends to lover’s story.
Many say that a guy and gal cannot be friends. This story seems to prove that point. The different dynamic relationships play a part in how people react to each other. Friends usually are able to be direct and let their guards down without having to build walls. Usually these relationships are based on honesty where each person can show their true selves. Some of the best intimate relationships start off as friends. The heroine, Alexis, and the hero, Jake began their friendship as pen pals while she was deployed in Italy. They did not literally converse with a writing object, but used the modern way, a phone text. McLaughlin wanted “it to be a safer way to share feelings without being face to face or voice to voice. These two are able to share only when they feel like sharing.”
Alexis is not used to displaying her emotions, keeping everything close to the chest. Her parents died in an auto accident, she was raised by her older brother Dean, and now has lost her fiancé in a military helicopter accident. Anyone who has lost a loved one, especially when it is unexpected, can relate to this powerful quote, “Several times she had to talk herself out of just crawling back into bed… Moving on, healing, required putting one foot in front of the other. Even when it felt impossible.”
The story poignantly shows how those grieving can move on, that time heals. Yet, there are also instances when something can spur someone’s memory about a loved one, and that feeling of being hit in the gut returns. “I wanted to write about this because I experience it. I put in the book how sometimes the weight of the pain feels brand new. I lost my father when I was ten. I watched my mother and how she dealt with losing a partner. I think I put my own feelings in these scenes. My dad has been dead almost twenty-five years and every once in awhile a thought pops up in my head and I cry instantly. I think the grieving process is a long journey.”
But it is also a story of hope. After a year serving overseas Alexis returns to her home town in Kansas. Her brother offers her a job at the Stag Distillery he owns with two friends. But it also ended up becoming one of the most successful wedding and event venues in the Kansas City metro area. To promote their business one of the partners, Jake, travels on the road to find new clients. Realizing that Alex would be a good addition for making sells, it is decided that she will travel with him. Ready for a new challenge, Alexis agrees to accompany her new co-worker, Jake. Soon the casual relationship becomes intense where both realize they have strong feelings for each other.
“I wrote how their relationship was grounded in respect and friendship. Both needed someone that they cared for. They were able to tease and joke with each other, feeling very comfortable, because they started out as friends. They appear as opposites since Alexis is a survivor, strong, broken, vulnerable, determined, desperate for a family, and is very guarded. Jake is a player, a playboy, who always feels second best. As Alexis opens up to him about her feelings he listens, doesn’t pry or lecture about what she should be feeling. Slowly he transitions from a playboy to a partner.”
This is a very emotional story that will tug at the heart. There are many touching scenes with very likeable characters.
Many say that a guy and gal cannot be friends. This story seems to prove that point. The different dynamic relationships play a part in how people react to each other. Friends usually are able to be direct and let their guards down without having to build walls. Usually these relationships are based on honesty where each person can show their true selves. Some of the best intimate relationships start off as friends. The heroine, Alexis, and the hero, Jake began their friendship as pen pals while she was deployed in Italy. They did not literally converse with a writing object, but used the modern way, a phone text. McLaughlin wanted “it to be a safer way to share feelings without being face to face or voice to voice. These two are able to share only when they feel like sharing.”
Alexis is not used to displaying her emotions, keeping everything close to the chest. Her parents died in an auto accident, she was raised by her older brother Dean, and now has lost her fiancé in a military helicopter accident. Anyone who has lost a loved one, especially when it is unexpected, can relate to this powerful quote, “Several times she had to talk herself out of just crawling back into bed… Moving on, healing, required putting one foot in front of the other. Even when it felt impossible.”
The story poignantly shows how those grieving can move on, that time heals. Yet, there are also instances when something can spur someone’s memory about a loved one, and that feeling of being hit in the gut returns. “I wanted to write about this because I experience it. I put in the book how sometimes the weight of the pain feels brand new. I lost my father when I was ten. I watched my mother and how she dealt with losing a partner. I think I put my own feelings in these scenes. My dad has been dead almost twenty-five years and every once in awhile a thought pops up in my head and I cry instantly. I think the grieving process is a long journey.”
But it is also a story of hope. After a year serving overseas Alexis returns to her home town in Kansas. Her brother offers her a job at the Stag Distillery he owns with two friends. But it also ended up becoming one of the most successful wedding and event venues in the Kansas City metro area. To promote their business one of the partners, Jake, travels on the road to find new clients. Realizing that Alex would be a good addition for making sells, it is decided that she will travel with him. Ready for a new challenge, Alexis agrees to accompany her new co-worker, Jake. Soon the casual relationship becomes intense where both realize they have strong feelings for each other.
“I wrote how their relationship was grounded in respect and friendship. Both needed someone that they cared for. They were able to tease and joke with each other, feeling very comfortable, because they started out as friends. They appear as opposites since Alexis is a survivor, strong, broken, vulnerable, determined, desperate for a family, and is very guarded. Jake is a player, a playboy, who always feels second best. As Alexis opens up to him about her feelings he listens, doesn’t pry or lecture about what she should be feeling. Slowly he transitions from a playboy to a partner.”
This is a very emotional story that will tug at the heart. There are many touching scenes with very likeable characters.
Kyera (8 KP) rated City of Heavenly Fire in Books
Jan 31, 2018
The conclusion to the Mortal Instruments was certainly a pleasing one. There is nothing worse than reading a great book or series, or perhaps watching a tv show that creates a multitude of story lines... And then fails to resolve them. It leaves the reader with a sense of dismay and confusion. What happened to my favourite character? Did the problem ever get resolved? No one likes that feeling.
Cassandra Clare did a wonderful job of making the reader feel like the series had all of its loose ends tied up. People found or lost their loves. Villains plotted and heroes fought. It was beautiful. (And incredibly long.) I never found myself drifting from the text, although I love long books, so I may be biased. Each change of scene held my attention and I was loathe to put the book down each night to go to sleep. While I am sure that there were some scenes or dialogue that could have been trimmed to improve the flow of the novel, I never found those things distracting to me as the reader.
I also praise Cassandra Clare for the way she writes her dialogue. The characters seem so much more realistic as a result. I find myself laughing at the jokes or smirking when Jace or Clary say something snarky/sarcastic. I'm left with lines or quotes that I absolutely love (and save to my goodreads quotes.)
SPOILERS:
I love Jace and Clary's relationship. They are supportive of one another, and I believe bring out the best in the other. But they are not perfect, which makes the coupling that much more authentic. You relate to Clary (unless you're a brunette bombshell, Izzy, or you know... Excessively hairy and prone to outbursts when the moon is full, Maia) because she is authentic. She has her selfish moments, times when she is incredibly strong and others when she's unbelievably stubborn. Jace is the guy you wish actually existed because he's strong, protective, and maybe, when he lets his guard down, just a little bit sensitive.
I'm just wondering one thing - why did Jace expect to have sex (for the first time, mind you) with Clary in the demon dimension? The one they expected to die in. Boys.
Izzy and Simon? Well they don't make as much sense, but are still cute together in their own way. Simon is generally the perfect sidekick. The best friend you always wanted and sometimes the one you never knew you needed. Izzy is the female archetype that you should live up to - tough, courageous, and loyal.
Cassandra Clare did a wonderful job of making the reader feel like the series had all of its loose ends tied up. People found or lost their loves. Villains plotted and heroes fought. It was beautiful. (And incredibly long.) I never found myself drifting from the text, although I love long books, so I may be biased. Each change of scene held my attention and I was loathe to put the book down each night to go to sleep. While I am sure that there were some scenes or dialogue that could have been trimmed to improve the flow of the novel, I never found those things distracting to me as the reader.
I also praise Cassandra Clare for the way she writes her dialogue. The characters seem so much more realistic as a result. I find myself laughing at the jokes or smirking when Jace or Clary say something snarky/sarcastic. I'm left with lines or quotes that I absolutely love (and save to my goodreads quotes.)
SPOILERS:
I love Jace and Clary's relationship. They are supportive of one another, and I believe bring out the best in the other. But they are not perfect, which makes the coupling that much more authentic. You relate to Clary (unless you're a brunette bombshell, Izzy, or you know... Excessively hairy and prone to outbursts when the moon is full, Maia) because she is authentic. She has her selfish moments, times when she is incredibly strong and others when she's unbelievably stubborn. Jace is the guy you wish actually existed because he's strong, protective, and maybe, when he lets his guard down, just a little bit sensitive.
I'm just wondering one thing - why did Jace expect to have sex (for the first time, mind you) with Clary in the demon dimension? The one they expected to die in. Boys.
Izzy and Simon? Well they don't make as much sense, but are still cute together in their own way. Simon is generally the perfect sidekick. The best friend you always wanted and sometimes the one you never knew you needed. Izzy is the female archetype that you should live up to - tough, courageous, and loyal.
Erika (17789 KP) rated The Green Knight (2020) in Movies
Aug 2, 2021
Green Knight, based upon the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, does the poem justice. We join our relatively pure-hearted Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) on Christmas morning, as he wakes up in what appears to be a brothel. He rushes home to his Mother (Sarita Choudhury), to change for the Christmas Day feast with the aged King (Sean Harris). Mother is left behind as Gawain goes to the feast, and conjures the appearance of the Green Knight.
Gawain agrees to the Christmas game proposed by the Green Knight, so he can be knighted himself. The game is the same as the poem, a knight gives a blow to the Green Knight, and a year from that date, the knight will visit the Green Chapel so he can return the favor.
The year passes, and Gawain sets out on his quest. Mother gives him the gift of a green sash, that will protect him as he faces the journey and the Green Knight. He sets off on his trippy journey, encountering a scavenger (Barry Keoghan) along the way and is quickly delayed in his quest and left for dead, losing his green sash. After freeing himself, he sets out on his allegory-filled quest again, encountering St. Winifred (Erin Kellyman), giants, and is led by a fox to a castle near the Green Chapel.
The castle is where the film gets back on track with the poem. The Lord (Joel Egerton) shows kindness and hospitality, while his wife (Alicia Vikander), takes the role as temptress. Alicia Vikander plays both the Lady, and the prostitute that Gawain is in love with back home. It’s understandably confusing for Gawain. The same deal is struck between the Lord and Gawain, while the Lord is away on the hunt, he will give Gawain everything he catches, while Gawain promises to give the Lord anything he receives at the castle. Gawain does not end up keeping the agreement as he’s seduced by the Lady and gets the green sash back. He escapes the castle and goes to the Green Chapel to finish the Christmas game. The end was very interesting, would Gawain choose to be courageous and maintain his honor, accepting death? Or would he be a coward, running away to be knighted, then subsequently become King? The ending was scary good.
My first thought after the film ended was that we finally got a film that did an Arthurian legend justice. I happened to be really into Arthuriana, so this film was such a treat. Though, I am left with some questions. I’m not sure which sister Mother was supposed to be. Was Mother Morgaine or Morgause? I assume it was Morgause, but Mother was a little more witchy, so maybe Morgaine? I also don’t know if in the film, the Green Knight was the Lord. The characters were played by two different actors, but the Lord is definitely supposed to be the Green Knight.
Another thing I did like is that I don’t believe they ever called the King by his name, Arthur. This was a smart move, as the story was centralized on Sir Gawain, and not about Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
The one sore thumb for me was Alicia Vikander. Her accent when she was the prostitute, Essel, was horrid. I also think that character wasn’t really needed at all because she was just annoying. The whole brothel situation itself was kind of lame because Gawain was supposed to be pure and innocent. The innocence being lost at the Castle was a major part of the poem.
Dev Patel was excellent as Gawain; I was entranced by him, and he kept my attention the entire film. I know there were grumblings about his casting, but seriously, this is a fantasy story. It also is not impossible for people of a different race to be present all over Europe. There once was this empire called Rome, that encompassed a very large area, and enabled people to travel around and settle in areas.
I had been looking forward to this film since March of 2020, and it completely delivered. I hope we get more films like this, rather than the barrage of big dumb action and comic book films. I can’t wait to go see this film again!
Gawain agrees to the Christmas game proposed by the Green Knight, so he can be knighted himself. The game is the same as the poem, a knight gives a blow to the Green Knight, and a year from that date, the knight will visit the Green Chapel so he can return the favor.
The year passes, and Gawain sets out on his quest. Mother gives him the gift of a green sash, that will protect him as he faces the journey and the Green Knight. He sets off on his trippy journey, encountering a scavenger (Barry Keoghan) along the way and is quickly delayed in his quest and left for dead, losing his green sash. After freeing himself, he sets out on his allegory-filled quest again, encountering St. Winifred (Erin Kellyman), giants, and is led by a fox to a castle near the Green Chapel.
The castle is where the film gets back on track with the poem. The Lord (Joel Egerton) shows kindness and hospitality, while his wife (Alicia Vikander), takes the role as temptress. Alicia Vikander plays both the Lady, and the prostitute that Gawain is in love with back home. It’s understandably confusing for Gawain. The same deal is struck between the Lord and Gawain, while the Lord is away on the hunt, he will give Gawain everything he catches, while Gawain promises to give the Lord anything he receives at the castle. Gawain does not end up keeping the agreement as he’s seduced by the Lady and gets the green sash back. He escapes the castle and goes to the Green Chapel to finish the Christmas game. The end was very interesting, would Gawain choose to be courageous and maintain his honor, accepting death? Or would he be a coward, running away to be knighted, then subsequently become King? The ending was scary good.
My first thought after the film ended was that we finally got a film that did an Arthurian legend justice. I happened to be really into Arthuriana, so this film was such a treat. Though, I am left with some questions. I’m not sure which sister Mother was supposed to be. Was Mother Morgaine or Morgause? I assume it was Morgause, but Mother was a little more witchy, so maybe Morgaine? I also don’t know if in the film, the Green Knight was the Lord. The characters were played by two different actors, but the Lord is definitely supposed to be the Green Knight.
Another thing I did like is that I don’t believe they ever called the King by his name, Arthur. This was a smart move, as the story was centralized on Sir Gawain, and not about Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
The one sore thumb for me was Alicia Vikander. Her accent when she was the prostitute, Essel, was horrid. I also think that character wasn’t really needed at all because she was just annoying. The whole brothel situation itself was kind of lame because Gawain was supposed to be pure and innocent. The innocence being lost at the Castle was a major part of the poem.
Dev Patel was excellent as Gawain; I was entranced by him, and he kept my attention the entire film. I know there were grumblings about his casting, but seriously, this is a fantasy story. It also is not impossible for people of a different race to be present all over Europe. There once was this empire called Rome, that encompassed a very large area, and enabled people to travel around and settle in areas.
I had been looking forward to this film since March of 2020, and it completely delivered. I hope we get more films like this, rather than the barrage of big dumb action and comic book films. I can’t wait to go see this film again!
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
8.5
Rate It
Book
On May 1, 1915, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of...
Another smash hit by Jordan Peele
I am an avid horror fanatic. This being said, I have seen loads of horror/thriller movies and Us actually made me leave the theater feeling more creeped out than I have ever felt watching a movie in this genre.
The sound editing was on point. The song "I got 5 on it" by Luniz was used several times in the movie as the original song and sampled in various ways depending on the portion of the movie and it worked in all aspects. The slowed down version worked well during the heightened moments when it was needed to be sufficiently creepy.
Surprisingly there were a few funny moments in the movie. I wasn't expecting to be tickled in a horror movie but Mr Peele knows how to keep that balance between funny and scary. It had just enough to cut the tension in some moments but not so much that you felt like you were watching some garbage like Scary Movie or Paranormal Whacktivity.
Plotwise, it didn't feel like it was hard to get lost but, in the mark of a true horror director, just when you think you have things figured out. BAM!! Plot twist came out of left field and slapped me in the face making me realize that I had no idea what was even right in the first place.
The acting was well done for the main cast but I feel the secondary cast could have been portrayed better or even with better people. It wasn't bad but the minor characters were so one dimensional and lacked any kind of personality that made me care about them for the short time they were on screen multiple times.
Overall, really great movie. I give it a 9 inky because nothing is perfect, but that was very well done and I look forward to Jordan Peele helming the reboot of The Twilight Zone series later this year. If it's anything like his last 2 movies, we're in for a treat.
The sound editing was on point. The song "I got 5 on it" by Luniz was used several times in the movie as the original song and sampled in various ways depending on the portion of the movie and it worked in all aspects. The slowed down version worked well during the heightened moments when it was needed to be sufficiently creepy.
Surprisingly there were a few funny moments in the movie. I wasn't expecting to be tickled in a horror movie but Mr Peele knows how to keep that balance between funny and scary. It had just enough to cut the tension in some moments but not so much that you felt like you were watching some garbage like Scary Movie or Paranormal Whacktivity.
Plotwise, it didn't feel like it was hard to get lost but, in the mark of a true horror director, just when you think you have things figured out. BAM!! Plot twist came out of left field and slapped me in the face making me realize that I had no idea what was even right in the first place.
The acting was well done for the main cast but I feel the secondary cast could have been portrayed better or even with better people. It wasn't bad but the minor characters were so one dimensional and lacked any kind of personality that made me care about them for the short time they were on screen multiple times.
Overall, really great movie. I give it a 9 inky because nothing is perfect, but that was very well done and I look forward to Jordan Peele helming the reboot of The Twilight Zone series later this year. If it's anything like his last 2 movies, we're in for a treat.
Teenage Safari: A South African Conscript in the Border War in Angola and Namibia
Book
A wide-eyed South African conscript relates his small share of the war in Angola and Namibia in the...
Louise (64 KP) rated Thirteen Reasons Why in Books
Jul 2, 2018
Thirteen reason why is told from Clays perspective but mostly about Hannah, the girl who committed suicide 2 weeks ago. Hannah has sent out tapes to thirteen people who she believes contributed to her death some way or the other and Clay is one of them.
This book is set in chapters and each one is a side of the cassette is about a particular person and what they did or didn’t do. The audio tapes where Hannah is speaking is written in italics and intertwined with her dialogue we have Clay and what he is thinking or feeling at that particular time. The writing in this book is very easy to read and is a quick book to finish. I was hooked from the start and I read it in less than a day. I needed to find out how Clay was involved in the stories.
When I started reading the stories I was thinking that I don’t think that these reasons are really enough to warrant killing yourself over, but one reason leads to another and they get worse and you could see that these things that happened to Hannah could be plausible and that when all of these troubles and worries keep being added to the pile, it can be crushing and for some people just too much to cope with.
Hannah’s reason for killing her self is not clear-cut, because it wasn’t solely because she lost a loved one or was abused etc etc. But the forms of bullying that she received, the guilt that was heavy on her shoulders and being sexually targeted by her peers lead her to believe that no-one cared and she took her own life. This book really is an eye opener and proves to the reader no matter how small our actions are they can have a massive effect on others.
Clay is shocked when he finds a box of tapes on his doorstep, no-one uses this ancient format of audio anymore surely. When he hears Hannah’s voice telling him that she has reasons as to why she committed suicide and that he was involved some way or another sickens him. He has always loved Hannah from afar, never really having the guts to speak to her due to shyness. He is such a nice character and doesn’t really have anything bad to say about anybody. He is clearly traumatized about the reasons and always thinking how he could have prevented it from happening even though it’s too late.
Hannah blackmails the thirteen people involved, if they don’t listen to her reasons and forward the tapes onto the next person, there is a second set of tapes that will be sent to police/newspapers and there will be consequences. Hannah appears to be angry and somewhat morbid, however she is at the point of accepting that she is going to end her life.
This book is gripping, compelling and emotional read. To write a story about suicide and do it well is a hard feat, however Asher seems to have done it. It is a very realistic portrayal in suicide in teenagers and what they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Overall I rated this 4 out of stars
This book is set in chapters and each one is a side of the cassette is about a particular person and what they did or didn’t do. The audio tapes where Hannah is speaking is written in italics and intertwined with her dialogue we have Clay and what he is thinking or feeling at that particular time. The writing in this book is very easy to read and is a quick book to finish. I was hooked from the start and I read it in less than a day. I needed to find out how Clay was involved in the stories.
When I started reading the stories I was thinking that I don’t think that these reasons are really enough to warrant killing yourself over, but one reason leads to another and they get worse and you could see that these things that happened to Hannah could be plausible and that when all of these troubles and worries keep being added to the pile, it can be crushing and for some people just too much to cope with.
Hannah’s reason for killing her self is not clear-cut, because it wasn’t solely because she lost a loved one or was abused etc etc. But the forms of bullying that she received, the guilt that was heavy on her shoulders and being sexually targeted by her peers lead her to believe that no-one cared and she took her own life. This book really is an eye opener and proves to the reader no matter how small our actions are they can have a massive effect on others.
Clay is shocked when he finds a box of tapes on his doorstep, no-one uses this ancient format of audio anymore surely. When he hears Hannah’s voice telling him that she has reasons as to why she committed suicide and that he was involved some way or another sickens him. He has always loved Hannah from afar, never really having the guts to speak to her due to shyness. He is such a nice character and doesn’t really have anything bad to say about anybody. He is clearly traumatized about the reasons and always thinking how he could have prevented it from happening even though it’s too late.
Hannah blackmails the thirteen people involved, if they don’t listen to her reasons and forward the tapes onto the next person, there is a second set of tapes that will be sent to police/newspapers and there will be consequences. Hannah appears to be angry and somewhat morbid, however she is at the point of accepting that she is going to end her life.
This book is gripping, compelling and emotional read. To write a story about suicide and do it well is a hard feat, however Asher seems to have done it. It is a very realistic portrayal in suicide in teenagers and what they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Overall I rated this 4 out of stars
Great selection of TV and films (1 more)
Can download programmes
I have lost count of the amount of series I have binge watched on Netflix now.
I initially was just just going to use the one month free so I would be able to finish watching The Originals but, low and behold, almost two years in I'm still watching.
The selection of TV shows and films are great. They're often things I've meant to watch but haven't had a chance to yet but there they are.
Downloading programmes for on the go is definitely a plus. I like to have a few in my tablet in case I get stuck anywhere or the Internet where I'm staying isn't the greatest.
Only drawback is sometimes Netflix forgets exactly where you were in a programme of you switch between devices (start watching on the tablet and then resume on the TV later). It's such a trivial complaint however that it hasn't put me off.
I initially was just just going to use the one month free so I would be able to finish watching The Originals but, low and behold, almost two years in I'm still watching.
The selection of TV shows and films are great. They're often things I've meant to watch but haven't had a chance to yet but there they are.
Downloading programmes for on the go is definitely a plus. I like to have a few in my tablet in case I get stuck anywhere or the Internet where I'm staying isn't the greatest.
Only drawback is sometimes Netflix forgets exactly where you were in a programme of you switch between devices (start watching on the tablet and then resume on the TV later). It's such a trivial complaint however that it hasn't put me off.
Seven Deadly Sins
Book
'I was 22 years old, a hard-on with a pulse: wretched, vice-ridden, too much to burn and not enough...
Narrow Boats
Book
The traditional cargo-carrying narrowboat - recently voted one of the 100 icons of England - emerged...