When Lightning Strikes (1-800-Where-R-You, #1)
8.7
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Book
Jess Mastriani has never been what you'd call a typical Midwestern teenager—her extracurricular...
Fyre (Septimus Heap #7)
9.0
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Book
Favorite characters return in this stunning seventh final book in Angie Sage's New York Times...
War of the Twins: Legends, Volume Two (Dragonlance Legends Book 2)
Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis
9.0
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One hundred years have passed since the fiery Cataclysm that changed the face of Krynn forever. For...
The Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl, #8)
6.3
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Book
Opal Koboi, power-crazed pixie, is plotting to exterminate mankind and become fairy queen. If she...
Piece of Mage
7.3
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DOING WHAT’S RIGHT MADE SO MANY THINGS WRONG. I had to get Jack - no question. I just didn’t...
The Many Loves of Hercules (1960)
4.8
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Movie Watch
Hercules is away, his people and the woman he loves are killed by the king of Ecalia. Hercules goes...
David McK (3600 KP) rated Disney's Snow White (2025) (2025) in Movies
Jun 29, 2025 (Updated Jun 29, 2025)
And I think Disney were in a no-win situation right from the off, with complaints made about not using those with Dwarfism to play the role of the 7 dwarves, alongside complaints made that said films (and the original) were downplaying their lived-in experience.
Or so I heard, anyway.
I have to say, though ,that the CGI dwarves do stand out like a sore thumb ...
David McK (3600 KP) rated Revenge of Rome (Eagles of the Empire #23) in Books
Apr 21, 2025
Whilst the previous novel - 'Rebellion' - dealt largely with the battles won by Boudica (including the sack of Londinium), this instead follows the 'mopping-up' (for want of a better word) operation against her: something that, truth be told, is often over-looked.
With Cato and Macro deciding to quit Brittania (again) at the end of the tale and with the former resigning his commision, I'll be interested is seeing where any further novels go ...
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Lost Voices (Lost Voices, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I liked the main character, Luce. She was smart and brave but a little sullen. And I couldn't figure out if I liked the queen of the mermaids. At first I hated her because I didn't trust her, and then at times I did like her, and she seemed bi-polar. Some of the other mermaid girls made me so mad I wanted to hit them. Especially the disloyal ones (There was a section where the girls started following someone else as their queen and she wasn't a good choice). Also on the loyalty aspect: I felt like out of all the girls (there had to be at least thirty by this section of the story) there had to be at least one besides Luce who was loyal to the other queen. It didn't make any sense. Those other mermaids frustrated me beyond all reason.
Back to the great side of the book, the writing was beautiful. It was enchanting and descriptive. There were parts that felt odd or out of place, and it would have been much better if it were from Luce's perspective (it was third person) but it was good and easy to read.
The book was addicting, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. The plot was interesting, the pacing was good, and there was tension all throughout the book. But the characters were frustrating. Maybe it was a good frustration, because I read it pretty quickly.
My only other complaint is the ending: It could have had a little more closure, or a little more promise. It was sort of like "oh, okay, so now it's over. now what? what happens next?" It reminded me a little of Cassandra Clare's endings (only it wasn't as horrible of a cliff-hanger).
Content/Recommendation: Some slightly emotionally disturbing references like rape, abuse, violence etc. but nothing explicit. No language. Ages 14+
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated The Pirates! An Adventure With Scientists (2012) in Movies
Feb 19, 2019
After building model sets in order to plan out a CGI animation similar to their 2011 Arthur Christmas, they quickly decided to return to their roots and this 3-D adventure was filmed as a stop-motion movie and is much the better for it.
The story itself, whilst following real life characters such as Queen Victoria and Charles Darwin, is pure, adulterated fiction, not quite from the school of Ridley Scott in which he claims to be making historical epics whilst taking liberties, I grant you, but still, I’m still having to explain to my 5 year old daughter that Queen Victoria was a super villain as portrayed here! We follow a crew of Pirates, lead by The Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) as he attempts to win the converted pirate of the year but to no avail.
After an encounter with Charles Darwin (David Tennent), he learns that the ships “parrot”, Polly, is in fact a thought to be extinct Dodo and the pair along with his crew, return to England in order to win Scientist Of The Year as well. But Queen Victoria wants the bird, in order to eat it with other world leaders who gather to taste rarest cuisine.
My main issue with this film is that Victoria is presented a villain and this is now how my 5 year old daughter, who loves this film by the way, now looks upon as a baddie! But other than that this is a witty film built on wit. Every frame contains a joke of some kind, whether it be in the background, audible or part of the action.
Ardman’s style is unmistakable and quintessentially British and I suspect that whilst some international audiences will find this quaint, it will probably be lost on many.
But this is an underrated adventure, with lovable characters, villains and all told at a good pace.
Not something to be used for your history homework but still and enjoyable romp none the less.